Archive for October 2008

• How to Pre-screen Prospects with Your Book
• Writing That Comes from the Source.
• The Four “P” Approach: Persuasive Writing That Works.
• Outsourcing: What’s Your Policy?
• Know the nursery rhyme, The Lion and the Unicorn? Here’s a parody: The Writer and the SME.
• Forvo: Pronunciation guide. Need to add Meryl, two-syllables-not-one and rhymes with Cheryl. Oh wait, it’s already in there as Meryl Streep, of course.
• Aggregated Twitter tools: Brian Solis and lldoolj2 [Links: kanter]

And for fun because we’re allowed especially today on Halloween!

• 50 strange buildings: They’re not wearing costumes either.
• Electopedia: Guide to everything McCain and Obama. Americans, please vote if you haven’t already. Every vote matters.
• Twitter on Election 2008.

Happy Halloween!

• Duarte Pumpkins 2008.
• Halloween carving templates.
• Punny costumes.

My hand is dressed up for Halloween as a mummy. It has a bandage on it because I jammed my thumb big time in an attempt to dive for a ball in a tennis match.

Daycare Nightmare: Mini-Monsters puts me in Halloween spirit in an instant — not the candy corn or my son’s carved pumpkin. This time management sequel to Daycare Nightmare surpasses its original, but doesn’t take the game to the next level.

Molly returns as the manager of the monstrous daycare where she cares for mini-monsters of every kind. Monster families know and trust her now after their experience with her in the original game. However, the monster families still don’t trust humans especially with the Bureau of Out of Ordinary Operation (B.O.O.O.) agents on their tails.

Monsters now have the ability to wear human disguises to help them blend better with the human occupied suburbs. Not only does Molly need to deal with the B.O.O.O., but also Tut and an informant known as Deep Change. These three enemies force her to move to several locales while Tut hampers Molly’s efforts to build the daycare center.

She takes care of four new monster babies including witches, werewolves, monkeys and mummies. She also takes on human agent babies whose parents obviously work B.O.O.O. agents.

Molly works as hard like any other daycare worker, but has to deal with a consequence few do. These monsters come with the ability to mess things up big time if she doesn’t keep them happy.

Agent babies drive down the happiness meter, witches move babies to new locations, werewolves scare babies that they change their current needs to confuse Molly, and monkeys turn her into a dizzy person as they shake the room. The mummies are the worst as they put a curse on her to make it impossible for her to pick up any babies.

This means players need to decide which monster to help first when the babies need something at the same time. Which is worse? The mummy’s curse or the witch’s transporting babies?

Molly can upgrade furniture from Melinda’s store, but it hardly feels worth it. It takes a lot of money to upgrade and I lost my upgrades a couple of times. Not sure why.

Daycare Nightmare: Mini-Monsters doesn’t add much as a sequel. In fact, it would’ve been better if this game came out as the original. It brings new babies and easier control of Molly, although it still has a few control quirks as I find myself holding the same baby or no baby at times when I think I switched them. At least, chaining works better than the original.

The difficulty level works great. It adapts to my play and slowly grows more difficult. By the last daycare center, I’m frenzied. Most time management games reach a frenzied pace too soon, but not Daycare Nightmare: Mini-Monsters — it’s its one perfect feature.

The game’s promotional materials indicate it comes with two modes, but I can’t find the endless mode known as One Hectic Day.

The game is too easy as I never lose a level, but it could make a great game for families with younger kids. If you didn’t play the original, try this one instead. If you have played the original, then don’t expect much — just more of the same. It may not be worth paying full price for another similar game with only new monsters. Daycare Nightmare: Mini-Monsters should’ve been a free upgrade for owners of the original.

“Gaily bedight
A gallant knight,
In sunshine and shadow,
Had journeyed long,
Singing a song,
In search of Eldorado.”

– Eldorado by Edgar Allan Poe

Businesses don’t have to journey long to find Eldorado of marketing. Most companies start right by establishing a Web site. However, some don’t make the most of having a Web site or build it without considering the requirements for building successful Web sites.

Some build Web sites more like elaborate brochures touting the company’s many qualities and competencies. A few companies, like Amazon.com, and retail giant L.L. Bean, have turned these online retail brochures into success stories. Many try to replicate this success with uneven results.

Web pages tend to require prospects to find them. Then, if the customers find them, they forget about it when they need something.

A few businesses counter these problems by complementing direct email offers with their Web sites. For example, a reader visits Amazon.com to look at the latest fiction releases. Later, the reader starts receiving emails Amazon announcing new releases of fiction, and some accompanied with a discount. These emails contain links taking the reader to the Web page.

Mining Internet for Prospects

Almost three-quarters of American adults are online with half of those having a high speed internet connection at home according to Pew Internet. They still use the Internet for two primary purposes, email (93 percent) and research to find information or driving directions (over 85 percent).

A JupiterResearch report indicates that over 40 percent of email users say that email compelled them to make at least one online or offline purchase. The report also emphasizes the importance of delivering relevant information in emails. Combine email marketing efforts with social networking to have the greatest impact. JupiterResearch also reports over half of business professionals with decision making power say that advertisers have the best chance of reaching them by internet and email.

A successful online marketing plan takes advantage of all online marketing tools including emails and social network sites. A newsletter should contain links to the company’s blogs, RSS feeds and social network identities and vice versa.

A Return Path study states that 85 percent of business people sign up for emails. Furthermore, marketers can reach them on the go as an Exact Target study in 2007 reports one-third of business professionals read emails on mobile devices on a regular basis. In 2007, Wall Street Journal writes that 81 percent of American executives subscribe to business-related email newsletters for product and business information.

What do all of these numbers say? Email and Internet are important marketing tools.

Compel Readers to Read the Newsletter

Business professionals get over 50 emails a day with plenty surpassing the 100 emails mark. When opening their email, they have three thoughts in mind:

• Which do I read?
• Which I save to read later?
• Which do I delete without opening?

Rule number one: send your newsletter to people who want it, so encourage readers to opt-in to your newsletter.

Rule number two: provide value in your newsletter so they continue subscribing, opening, reading, and acting on your emails.

Most marketers want to thump the company’s chest by talking about great new products or amazing services, touting recent awards, or announcing new hires or mergers. However, the better strategy focuses on the newsletter’s content.

Pull rather than to push with your content by offering articles that explore issues, open dialogue, and solve problems your readers face. Do you care about Company ABC blowing its horn? Americans receive too much email, so they trash anything smacking of a pitch.

Keep your newsletter in the “read and saved” by making sure your content meets the following criteria:

• Relevant: The content speaks to the customer’s interests and not your company’s.
• Anticipated: Distribute on a regular basis so people expect your newsletter to arrive around a specific time, but don’t publish so often they tire of hearing from you.
• Monitored: One of the best online marketing channels benefits is reporting. Monitor how readers are looking at your newsletter and alter it to conform to their interests.

Email newsletters with timely, interesting articles have a greater likelihood of readers forwarding them to others, which increases the number of readers with time. Everyone who reads the newsletter and decides to opt-in to a company’s turns into a qualified lead. Business to business newsletters remain an Eldorado in a Web 2.0 world.

As the Edgar Allan Poe poem ends with one modification…

Down the Valley of the Shadow,
“‘Ride, boldly ride,’
The marketer replied-
‘If you seek for Eldorado!’”

The following games will be discounted next week on Game du Jour, the ‘one-deal-a-day’ website dedicated to indie and casual games:

Mon. October 27th: 60% off on Townopolis

Tue. October 28th: 50% off on The Golden Vault

Wed. October 29th: 60% off on Penguins Mania

Thu. October 30th: 50% off on Concentration

Fri. October 31st: 50% off on Yatzy Twist

Sat. November 1st: 50% off on Domino Ace

Sun. November 2nd: 50% off on Mighty Mini Golf

• 25 Ways Social Media Prepares You for the Downturn
• Twitter source: Who is following you that you’re not following and vice versa: www.mytweeple.com, www.friendorfollow.com, www.lessfriends.com.
• When a Client Can’t Afford You: Why It’s Still Better to Bid High: Sound advice.
• How to Write a 50,000 Word Novel in a Month
• Sucking the Suck Out of Presentations
• How to Start a Freelance Writing Business: Building Your Portfolio
• Why Companies Should Outsource Web Content
  

And for fun because we’re allowed…

• xkcd: A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math and language. Be warned that some strips are not suitable for young’uns. Strong language, adult situations.
• Ever struggle to accept a friend request? Here’s a great Offbase comic.
• Upside Down Dogs: Aww…
• Lego Artist: Wow!
• Duarte’s 2007 Pumpkin Contest Entries: 2008′s contest is coming soon. Too cute and creative! I’d love to enter… but I couldn’t come close to 1 Up, Feed Me! (love the movie), Identity Theft, Infern O’ Lantern, The Hand Cramp (I hope its creator is over it… although I can see why)… just to list a few.

Call me goofy, but I loved singing “The Name Game” as kid:

Meryl, Meryl, bo-beryl,

Banana-fana fo-feryl

Fee-fi-mo-meryl

Meryl!

Yeah, yeah… I know how some immature kids like to use names like Chuck and Mitch. I’m sure you’ve heard your share.

I’ve always been fascinated with names, how they came to be, and their origins. So it’s no surprise that I do naming projects. Coming up with names can become a brain consuming process. By that, I mean your brain goes on a roll and just keeps spitting out names, words, and ideas — good and not so good.

You have many options and resources to play the name game to find a perfect brand for a product, company, blog.

1. Make best friends with reference resources: Dictionaries (rhyming and specialty), thesauri, Flip Dictionary, word references, anagrams, etc.
2. Ask clients about themes. Some clients may already have a theme going or planning on one to help with branding.
3. Ask clients about their interests and favorite things.
4. Ask clients what names they like and dislike.
5. Use interests, themes, etc. and research them until you’re dizzy.
6. Make an initial list.
7. Mix and match words.
8. Create variations of words and phrases.
9. Subscribe to Marcia Yudkin’s Name Tales newsletter.
10. Have POP! Stand out in Any Crowd nearby for use.
11. Use a domain naming tool. I’ve heard how some of these tools use your search to grab domain names. But not all do that. Unbelievable. Blog entry: Brainstorming domain names.

Sometimes I go crazy in the process and my head won’t stop seeking names and playing with them. I’d be playing with my kids, hitting tennis balls, chauffeuring and my head would as play jigsaw puzzle with words and names. If something good comes to me, I quickly capture it in my TitaniumBerry (it ain’t black) so I’ll have it when I return to my desk.

So if I like names so much, why am I stuck with plain ol’ meryl.net? For the same reason web designers struggles to design their own web sites. Besides, I might as well as capitalize on my uncommon name and put a positive spin on it after has given me fits for years (I struggle with the “r” so I tell people “Meryl like Meryl Streep, two-syllables-not-one and rhymes with Cheryl.”

Oh, great… I have an old team song going in my head…

“Meryl’s my name and basketball’s my game. Blue is my color and …” I’ll stop there. Oh, now I have a Sesame Street song in my head… “We All Sing with the Same Voice.”

My hair is black and red
My hair is yellow
My eyes are brown and green and blue

My name is Jack and Fred
My name’s Amanda Sue
I’m called Kareem Abdul
My name is you

I live in southern France
I’m from a Texas ranch
I come from Mecca and Peru
I live across the street
In the mountains, on a beach
I come from everywhere
And my name is you

Stopping now before my brain becomes a jumble of names, words, and songs.

The following games will be discounted next week on Game du Jour, the ‘one-deal-a-day’ website dedicated to indie and casual games:

Mon. October 20th: 40% off on Mystery Chronicles: Murder Among Friends

Tue. October 21st: 50% off on Codename Silver

Wed. October 22nd: 50% off on Katarsis

Thu. October 23rd: 50% off on Baseball Manager

Fri. October 24th: 50% off on Build a City

Sat. October 25th: 50% off on Football Manager

Sun. October 26th: 50% off on Chess

• 11 troubled web companies: The next Kozmos? Yikes! Companies behind many popular apps.
• Twitter PR: 5 Ways to Measure Rank, Reach, and Results.
• In Defense of PR Pros.
• LitMob: Concise book reviews.
• Journey of Discovery: I love how his son provides insight into his story.
• How to Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Honing your craft.
• Negative Self-Talk for Writers: No matter how good or experienced you are in writing… it’s difficult to dodge negative thoughts.
• Punk up Your Services Offered List: Expand your horizons and keep things interesting.

And for fun because we’re allowed…

• I guess you don’t want to talk to me anymore: With so few of us writing letters to each other (I mean on paper), Kelly Shimoda believes we need to capture our text conversations so they’re documented somewhere.
• iPhone App Graveyard: Apps that Apple deleted for good.
• Guy’s Index of Absurdity: The Top Ten Ways to Tell If Things Are Really Bad.
• VideoSpin: Free video editing software. However, you may need to shell out money for the codecs.
• Sporcle: Quizzes for many subjects.
• MovieMap: Find movie sets and filming locations. Nothing happenin’ in the Dallas area.
• Oddee: Oddities of our world.
• Pointless Sites: Premier portal of pointlessness. What’s the point?

This year’s Blog Action Day looks at poverty. Thanks to my daughter, I learned about an innovative product that helps those living in poverty.

When my daughter collected cash gifts, she donated 15% to Darfur to buy Berkeley-Darfur stoves for families. My daughter explains why she did this:

Darfur is a place in Africa where a great deal of genocide and mass murder. Millions have been killed, and the government is causing it. I’d like to see good wishes sent to places like Darfur and the unfortunate who need help. I care about it because I believe everyone should have the option to at least help themselves, and they don’t even have that. I want people to take action and spread the knowledge, even possibly making it more of a grateful nation.

These stoves don’t just help these families, but they’re also more efficient than three-stone fires and clay stoves.

• Uses 75 percent less firewood.
• Cuts smoke inhalation.
• Encloses flames fully to reduce chance of burning down shelters.
• Lasts five years — more than most stoves. Only exception is three-stone fire, but that requires much more wood fuel.
• Cooks faster than most stoves including three-stone fire.

The facts regarding fuel wood amaze:

• 7 hours: Number of hours per trip in search of wood fuel. This puts women at risk for rape.
• 90 percent: Number of refugees selling rations for wood fuel.
• 50 percent: Number of families missing meals due to lack of wood fuel.

Learn more about The Darfur Stoves Project – Safety. Nutrition. Environment. Hope.

TechCrunch reports that Microsoft calls its next operating system (the one after Vista) Windows 7. Mickey comments:

I’d love to see them start using logical numbers again, but it doesn’t add up:

Windows 3.1 (“Windows 3″)
Windows 95 (4)
Windows 98 (5)
Windows ME/2000 (6)
Windows XP (7)
Windows Vista (8)
Windows 7 (9?)

I guess maybe if you call Windows 3.1 “Windows 1″ (since that was the first one that was any good), then it increments to the next version being 7.

This makes me wonder if Microsoft was influenced by Seinfeld’s George’s liking of “Seven” as a name for a kid. Hey, Jerry was in the commercials… so the connection could be there.

Numbers work most of the time in the software business, but not for many others. If Microsoft sticks with Windows 7 and proceeds to follow it with 8, 9, 9.5 (Photoshop 5.5 was a biggie) then it should work out fine as it has for Explorer 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Look at Firefox — 1.x, 2.0, 3.0. Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X. But then Apple had to go and confuse us with Mac OS X Leopard (it’s Mac OS 10.5).

But for other industries, number names get lost especially in the automobile industry. I’m trying to come up with a couple of examples of cars using numbers (other than what I drive — guilty of a “letters and number” name with no words) and they’re not coming to me or I am not sure if I remember right (“Is it 30 or 31? Audi or Infiniti? Or maybe Lexus.”).

Yet, I can identify an Expedition and Suburbans and can tell you who makes each one (Ford and Chevy in that order). So is a GLX better than an LX because it has an extra letter? But what if it’s an SL? Which one is better? LX or SL? Some cars use names like Sport, Touring, Grand Touring. So is Sport the fully-loaded one or Grand Touring?

Good thing we couldn’t have had a V9 or V12. How would we distinguish those from a V8 other than they might contain more vegetables? Good thing the company stuck with V8 and expanded its product line around that name.

I’ve always thought telephone companies with initials just didn’t sound as powerful as those with a word or two in their names (MCI Worldcom does not count). Verizon and Cingular smartly dumped their initialized company names for memorable ones. Of course, Cingular went away with the merger and returned to initials.

Tried to find other articles on the topic, but with keywords like brand, number, names… not an easy task. Did find one good one: Counting on Your Brand’s Name.

What do you think of brand names with numbers and letters? Sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t? Doesn’t work without at least one identifier (like Windows or Explorer)?