This 4 minute, 22 second video pretty much sums up my thoughts on Social Media and the impact it has on your business…whether you know it or not. (And whether you like it or not)

Wondering what to do next?

Email me at marty at fawnkey . com for a complimentary brainstorming session how you can leverage this powerful new medium to grow your business.

(Notice:  If you are an entrepreneurial inventor, software engineer, media analyst, a person in the DRTV industry or otherwise looking for an interesting new business idea, keep reading.  If not, you might be bored with this one. Don’t say I didn’t warn you)

A decade ago, I pioneered bringing the DRTV (Infomercial) industry online.  Under my watch, the company I ran was among the first in the world to conduct E-commerce transactions driven by television infomercials.  We were the first in our industry to use video on a website (this was YEARS before YouTube!), and we were the first to integrate analytics to understand what our customers were and weren’t doing on our site. 

Yes, times were good, and we were generating millions of dollars in revenue online while many of our competitors were still trying to figure out “this newfangled interweb thing”. 

The one big problem we had…how could we effectively track and attribute orders generated by offline media to online transactions?

You see, back when DRTV transactions were done only by “800 number”, it was easy.  You simply assigned a different 800 number to each TV station or network, tracked all orders by 800 number, and PRESTO, you knew exactly how much money you made on each and every TV station and media buy.   Instant trackability and accountability…the lifeblood of direct marketing. 

Now, throw a website URL into the mix, and that all goes out the window.  Thousands of orders flooded our website, but we had no way of telling our media department which media buys brought the customers and which didn’t. 

My colleagues and I tried every solution we could think of, including:

• Different URL’s for every station – A big campaign could use hundreds of different TV stations.  There was no effective way to secure enough “easy to remember” URL’s to make this effective.
• URL slashes (www.TVproduct.com/tvstation) – That didn’t work because most people don’t remember or even write down what is “after the slash”
• Asking the customer – That didn’t work.  All the customer knows is that they saw it on TV.  No way do they know what TV station they saw it on
• Offer codes – Even making it a “discount code” and essentially paying to get the data from the customer proved less than 50% effective
• Geo-targeting with time allocation – We were able to identify some of the orders based on time and zip code for local broadcast stations airing a commercial, but this method did not work for cable ad buys

These are just a few of the long list of solutions we tried.   But we never have found the magic bullet.

For the past ten years, this situation has been a dilemma.  Hundreds of millions of dollars in media spending budgets are at stake, and an entire industry is playing a guessing game. 

While thumbing through my DRTV/Infomercial industry magazines this weekend, I noticed articles in each competing magazine which essentially said the same thing…the multi-billion dollar DRTV industry needs a “Offline to online” tracking solution desperately.  Quotes and links from each article are below:

“If the leaders of this industry band together to figure out a new paradigm for direct-to-consumer advertising, the reward may be the entire universe of marketing and advertising itself.”
Finding a Solution to Eroding Attribution
Author:  Rick Petry
Pub: Electronic Retailer magazine – July 2009

and

“Imagine how much further we could take our campaigns if we were able to accurately track online response back to originating TV media.”
Media Zone: Measuring Online Response — We Can Do Better
Author:  Dick Wechsler
Pub:  Response Magazine – July 2009

There is a famous quote in business that goes something like this; “Find a need, then fill it”.  Well, I’ve found a need.  But I don’t have the time or expertise to fill it. 

Therefore, I’m posting this as a free gift to all entrepreneurial inventors, software engineers, media analysts, or anyone else who might want to solve a huge problem plaguing an entire multi-billion dollar industry.  And you’ll probably make a ton of money in the process. 

Good luck.

Oh, and please remember me when you hit it big with this idea!

I subscribe to a daily inspirational email service called “This Day’s Thought” which contains a few inspirational thoughts sent to my email each day.  It’s one of several things I read or listen to in order to keep myself motivated, and to keep me focused on what is really important. 

Today’s “Thought” was especially profound to me.  It’s only a couple of sentences, but each sentence on it’s own contains a valuable lesson… 

“It is my custom every night, as soon as the candle is out, to run over the words and actions of the past day; and I let nothing escape me, for why should I fear the sight of my errors when I can admonish and forgive myself?  I was a little too hot in such a dispute; my opinion might well have been withheld, for it gave offense and did no good.  The thing was true; but all truths are not to be spoken at all times.  I would I had held my tongue, for there is no contending, either with fools or with our superiors.  I have done ill, but it shall be so no more.  Habit is a cable; we weave a thread of it every day, and at last we can not break it.”
 
Horace Mann – The Father of American education
(Learn more about Horace Mann here)

In other words, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nuttin’ at all” – Thumper

A lesson I need to keep close to my heart.  How about you?

PS – You can subscribe to This Day’s Thought for yourself by clicking here

“With every great recession, comes greater innovation. The bad news is that we’re in a recession. The good news is DR is hanging in there.” – Billy Mays (1958-2009 RIP)

The above quote came from a magazine article in Electronic Retailer magazine, of which I am a member of the Advisory Board, as well as a feature columnist.

Billy (with his business partner Anthony “Sully” Sullivan) was the cover story of the May 2009 issue.

May 2009 cover of Electronic Retailer Magazine featuring Billy Mays (Click picture to read full article)

When I heard the tragic news of Billy’s death yesterday, I pulled this article from the shelf to re-read and reflect. Upon doing so, I saw a side of Billy that I hadn’t really noticed before. You see, with all my years in the infomercial business, I’ve known Billy for quite some time. In more recent years, I’ve consulted to Orange Glo and later Church & Dwight on their online marketing for OxiClean and Kaboom, both brands that relied heavily on Billy for their promotion. Billy was a loud, brash promoter. But he loved what he did. It wasn’t a job, it was a passion.

…and Billy lived his passion every day.

Upon re-reading the Electronic Retailer article, I came to realize how much Billy cared about the people behind the product. He and Sully really wanted to help people be successful in the direct response/infomercial business.

The quote above is the key takeaway. Now IS a great time for innovation.

• Capital equipment has never been cheaper
• Highly skilled labor has never been more readily available or affordable
• Media rates in certain sectors are at fire sale prices
• Many traditional marketers are “circling the wagons” and refusing to try anything innovative, interesting, or risky with their marketing

Now is the time to make something happen.

If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines waiting for a better time to start that cool new business, invent the next great product, or pursue the passion you REALLY want to spend your life doing, don’t wait…DO IT NOW! 

Before it’s too late.

I’m working with a client who has an urgent need for an experienced web development contractor.  You will be working on high profile websites for several well known national brands of our Fortune 500 client. 

I’m looking for an Independent Contractor web developer with the following skills…

Must have:

• XML
• PHP
• ASP
• E-commerce experience

Preferred, but not required:

• Experience creating and utilizing encrypted environments for data transfer
• Java script
• Omniture or similar analytics experience
• Located in bay area of California
• Skill set with newer or more innovative tools than the ones listed above

We are not looking for a company or an agency.  We prefer a high level, independent contractor who can assimilate with our team.

Ongoing, we are looking for someone 15 to 20 hours per week.  However, we need someone who can step in right away (today?) and help clean up some existing issues, so for the first couple of weeks we might need more than the regular 15 to 20 hours.

IMPORTANT:  Due to tight security on the systems you’ll be working with, you MUST have an existing static IP address in place at your office

If interested, please send your resume, desired compensation and a portfolio (listing your contribution to the portfolio piece) to marty@fawnkey.com, using the words “Web Dev” in the subject.  Your information must be in the body of the email or contained in links to the web.  No attachments will be accepted.  Any emails received with attachments will be deleted without opening.

I’m one of the most patriotic people I know.  My family has a long and proud heritage of military service to our country.  I have a 30 foot flagpole front and center in my yard where an American flag flies each and every day.  I’m a Scout leader teaching “duty to my country” to the next generation.  I’ve driven American cars pretty much all my life, even when my Yuppie “Beemer and Benz”-driving friends made fun of me.  Yes, I even get a tear in my eye when the National Anthem is sung just right…particularly in my favorite venue… 

The American flag making a grand entrance at the Pioneer Days Rodeo, Ogden UT

I support my country, and the workers, entrepreneurs and business owners in my country. 

Last week, I questioned my own patriotism and principles when a few people complained about a Teleseminar I produced on the topic of outsourcing web development and internet marketing work to people in another country. 

The essence of the complaint was that the program I was advocating was taking away money from talented people here in the United States, and giving it to cheap labor overseas, thus making it harder for the U.S. worker to make money.

I had to think long and hard about this situation before I came to any conclusions, but my mom helped by reminding me of a recent situation I faced where outsourcing actually SAVED domestic jobs. 

Here is what happened…

About a year ago, I was working with a client building a premier, top of the line website and online business.  This was a website which required some very intense database and design skills, as we were pioneering new ground with the business model.  We needed smart, talented people to help us with the cutting edge technology.  We hired a domestic firm to build the site, at a cost of $125 per man-hour.  Needless to say, very quickly we were spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on design and development.

In preparation for launch, we hired a team of people to build the business.  We had a technical project manager, a customer service person, a marketing person, and an operations person.  We also had 3 full time web developers at the outsourced web development firm.  All in all, there were about 7 people working in the business. 

Then, a “perfect storm” hit the business.  The initial investors were running out of money, the rapidly deteriorating economy scared off secondary investors we had lined up for ongoing funding, and technical glitches with the site were causing serious delays to market.  It was a bad situation. 

We needed to come up with a battle plan fast.  The original investors/founders needed to make a decision, and they had two choices:

#1  Figure out how to stretch the limited amount of seed capital we had left.
or
#2  Cut their losses and shut down the business

I then found a company who outsources web development work to China at a cost of $25 per man hour (vs. $125/hour domestically).  That massive savings allowed us to keep going, and get the business launched.

So the bottom line choice now became:

#1  Don’t consider outsourcing, close the business because of lack of funds, and wipe out 7 American jobs. 
Or
#2  Outsource some of the work to another country, lose 3 jobs in the U.S, but SAVE 4 other jobs.  (Plus keeping the company viable it can grow and add even more jobs in the future.)

Which would you choose?

Further, if you listened to my Teleseminar, you would have heard that much of the stuff we were talking about outsourcing is very basic, standard kind of web work.  It’s the “assembly line” of web development.  Most of the really good web developers I know would turn their nose up at that kind of work anyway.  (Or they would outsource it themselves!)

One other way to look at it:

If you want a mass-produced car that is well built, of satisfactory quality, and performs its function with no muss, no fuss, and little flair, you buy a Nissan or Toyota. 

Nissan Quest - An example of a perfectly adequate vehicle that millions of people buy every year.

No one thinks twice about buying an import car anymore, do they?  

However, if you want a high-end, hand built custom hot rod that will turn heads, you would have called American auto design legend Boyd Coddington (RIP 1944-2008).  

Boyd Coddington's "Smoothster"

The same is true of websites.  If I want a custom designed, very cool website with all the latest bells and whistles, I call my trusted vendors here in the U.S.  People who have a great design aesthetic, understand the underlying objectives of the site (commerce, networking, lead generation, etc) and who I will probably sit down face to face with during the design process. 

But if I just need a “quick and easy” website built on a template, which has a simple function, and is more about utility than beauty, should I pay someone $100, $150, or even $250 an hour to design that?  I think not. 

The bottom line:  My personal opinion is that outsourcing/off shoring is a fact of life in today’s global economy, and it’s here to day.  Complaining about it isn’t going to change that fact. 

Yes, I believe that used correctly, the strategy of outsourcing can save jobs, and make U.S. entrepreneurs more efficient, more effective, and able to make a bigger positive impact than we could otherwise. 

PS – I know that by posting this, I’m probably offending all of my readers outside the U.S.  Sorry about that.  I guess you can complain to me and I’ll blog about THAT next.

The year 2008 was great for my business.  In fact, it was the best year ever for both FawnKey & Associates (my consulting and project management biz) and for Conference Call University (my Teleseminar marketing and production biz).

Unfortunately, 2009 is looking…shall I say…“less great”? 

The current economic climate has finally caught up to me.  After three years of turning away business because we couldn’t handle it all, I suddenly find myself on the opposite side of the spectrum, needing to find a few more companies I can help with their marketing and strategic business needs.

I know many of you are in the same boat, and are looking for ways to increase cash flow.  Times are tough in a lot of areas…but I firmly believe that we can help each other weather the storm.  I’m a big believer in Zig Ziglar’s famous quote “You can get whatever you want in life, as long as you help enough other people get what they want“.

Which led me to an idea.  Why don’t I offer to help you earn some extra income by formalizing a referral program?  This will allow you to earn revenue simply for connecting me with companies who need my help. 

How?

All you have to do is connect me with a new client…and we’ll pay you a generous referral fee as a thank you!   We’re talking about potentially thousands, or tens of thousands of dollars in your pocket, just for making a simple business introduction. 

I guarantee you know at least one company who can benefit from our services.  Just take just a moment to review the information below, brainstorm who you know that could benefit, then send me an email or give me a call to make the connection.

You will actually be helping THREE entities:

• Yourself by earning a referral
• Me by helping to generate revenue
• The company you refer, because we will help them increase their profits

Here are the services to consider referring:

 

Business Consulting (Through FawnKey & Associates)
Who – Any company who sells products or services to consumers and needs to increase their revenue (come on, I KNOW you know someone who fits this!).  We’ve generated over $1 billion in revenue for our clients marketing everything from sporting goods to artwork, sunglasses to hockey tickets, and everything in between.

What – We work with companies around the world to help them find new income opportunities, promote themselves online, start new divisions, revamp ailing sales & marketing departments, and much more. 

How much – Our consulting contracts range from $2,000 to $15,000 per month, and we’ll pay you 10% of that…for as long as we’re working with that client!

 

Teleseminar and Webinar production (Through Conference Call University)
Who – Any company, speaker, expert, or other high profile entity that wants to leverage their knowledge and platform to generate revenue via this cool medium.

What – We’ve produced world class turn-key events for our clients which have generated as much as $75,000 per Teleseminar or webinar.  We also provide marketing and consultation services for people who produce their own events. 

How much – Our production fees range from $2,500 to $10,000.  We will pay you 10% for any client you refer.

 

Speaking engagements
I speak on topics such as business, marketing, internet marketing, social media, infomercials…and how to effectively combine all of the above.

Who – Any group of business owners, managers, executives, or marketers.  This could include a trade association, chambers of commerce, private organization, marketing event, business networking groups, etc. 

What – Keynote speeches, breakouts, panel moderator, teleseminars, etc.

How much – 25% of any speaking fees generated based on your recommendation.

How to collect your money? – Simply make the connection.  If you know of a company that needs to increase their revenue, needs help with their marketing, or is falling behind the curve when it comes to promoting their products online, connect them with me, and we’ll see if there is a fit. 

Any questions?  Ready to make a referral now? 

Contact me by clicking HERE!

Thanks again, and let’s help each other out!

Twitter is all the rage these days.  You pretty much can’t go a full day without hearing the word.  Even Oprah and Barbara Walters are jumping on the Twitter Train!

But what about the business use of Twitter?  Because of all this media attention, I find myself answering a variety of questions every day to my consulting clients who are using Twitter mostly for business. 

The #1 question I get asked is “Can a business really make money on Twitter?”

The answer is YES you CAN make money on Twitter!

Recently, the editor of Online Strategies (part of Electronic Retailer) magazine asked me to prove it. 

So I did. 

I found several case studies of proven, revenue generating activities happening right now on Twitter.   I’ve included three of the most interesting ones in the magazine article. 

Click here to read the “Talkin’ Twitter” article by downloading a free copy of Online Strategies (my article is on page 36).  

–> Electronic Retailer Online Strategies Spring 2009  (.pdf download)

Then let me know what you think. 

PS – Are you or somone you know also making money on Twitter?   If so, please share your story with the rest of us using the comments on this post.  Thanks!

PPS – Are you following me on Twitter?  If not, CLICK HERE to connect.

Virtual Book Tour Recording LISTEN HERE (mp3, 9mb)

Book: 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family by Rebecca Hagelin

Book title:  30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family

Author:  Rebecca Hagelin (Forward by Sean Hannity)

Description:  As a parent, you know the challenges against you can seem overwhelming. While you’re trying to raise thoughtful, considerate, innocent children, popular culture seems to want to turn your children against you. Schools sometimes seem less places of learning than bazaars where your children are sold bad language and surly attitudes–or worse, drugs and sexually transmitted diseases. Your own day is stressful and hectic–and you worry that you’re neglecting your children. And you sometimes think there’s nowhere to turn for help. Now there is. Rebecca Hagelin’s 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family is the guidebook every parent needs, laying out 30 practical actions–concrete, doable steps you can implement one day at a time–to restore peace in your home and reconnect with your children.

In 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family, Rebecca Hagelin–a mother of three, as well as a syndicated columnist, author, and specialist on family, culture, and media issues–provides a guide for parents who want more than mere encouragement; who want a practical plan: with realistic goals, specific actions to take, and a clear path to achievement.

In 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family, you’ll learn:

• What to say to your teen as you pass Victoria’s Secret in the mall
• How to make a clothing contract with your daughter
• How (and why) to write a letter to your child
• How to slow down your life–and your child’s–so that you can enjoy your time together
• How to fight the culture–and not your child
• And much more

Today (April 6th, 2009) Rebecca checked in me through Conference Call University for a Virtual Book Tour. 

You can listen to this 28 minute interview by clicking HERE and downloading the mp3. (9mb, so give it time to download)

Raising your child should be a joy, not an uphill battle that leaves you frustrated or in tears. Rebecca Hagelin’s 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family is a parent-tested guide to help you succeed in the most important responsibility you have–raising happy, responsible, well-adjusted kids.

PURCHASE “30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family” by clicking HERE!

Disclosure:  One of the companies I am involved in, BizKidz.com is mentioned in this book.  We are grateful to Rebecca for mentioning it, but please know I would be recommending the book either way..it’s great!

Are you frustrated, stuck, or feeling like you can’t do something you REALLY want to do because of circumstances beyond your control?

I feel that way a lot myself. 

However, I just watched a very moving video which really helped me get over it. 

If you’re willing to step a bit outside your comfort zone and see that things probably aren’t as tough as you think, keep reading…

On a recent episode of Showtime’s “This American Life”, the spotlight was on a guy named Michael Phillips…and he’s really quite amazing. 

You see, Michael has a degenerative disease which steals precious pieces of his life.  First he lost his ability to walk.  Then move his arms freely.  Then breathe without assistance.  Soon, he could not eat, talk, type, etc.  It’s a terrible, body wrenching disease this guy has.  

Like me, Michael is a blogger, and he’s on Twitter (@wholeexpanse). 

Unlike me, he is forced by his disease to compose each Tweet and blog post one slow character at a time by painstakingly clicking ONE THUMB on a single button, moving a curser around a screen.   I type about 50 words a minute.  Michael types about 2 characters per minute.  But that doesn’t stop him from doing it.   (He doesn’t TRY to do the things he loves, he actually DOES them.)

No, this isn’t meant to be a “motivational” video.  It’s just a story about one guy, and how he lives his life.  But I found it very motivational nonetheless. 

So please, take 25 minutes out of your busy life, and watch the incredible “This American Life” episode about Michael Phillips by clicking PLAY in the box below. (Fast forward to 5 minutes 15 seconds in to save time by skipping the intro piece)
(Notice:  Rated TV-14)

After viewing, please leave a comment on this blog post to let me know what you think.

I hope after watching this, you won’t let ANYTHING stop you from the success you deserve!

(PS – For all my business readers…notice how Michael is making things happen by OUTSOURCING!  No matter who you are, you can’t do it all by yourself!)