January 2008, Volume: 11, Issue: e/1, ISBN 1527-5175

~~~ Wisdom Trilogy  2008...
     "A good plan today is better that a perfect plan tomorrow."
     Conrad Brean, as spoken by Robert De Niro in the movie,
     Wag the Dog
     "Content yourself with doing: leave the talking to others."
     Baltasar Gracian y Morales
     "Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you
     have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm
     you against the present." Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

~~~ Struggling with your web site... Maybe the problem is you don't have the right players on the team. There are six different skill sets required to construct a better than average web site. 1) Graphic Designer  ability to work with color combinations, construct images, craft stylized buttons, add richness; 2) Web Developer  ability to assemble a page, create the code, tweak speed issues, create workable navigation; 3) Web Technologist  ability to install password protected logins, automated newsletter subscription, and efficient site search; 4) Navigator  a web developer with in-depth knowledge of ease of use; 5) Copywriter  create meaningful text, copy that sells, positions, crafts an identity, cuts out the fat; and finally, 6) the SEO  search engine optimizer, who can adjust the site's references to raise visibility. No web developer has all the skills. Therefore, you may have to build a team to get the site you want. Don't be afraid to ask about strengths and weaknesses in each of these six categories.

~~~ Opportunity knocking... In the next 10 years, 65% of the small and mid-sized businesses will be sold or otherwise change hands. Is your organization taking action to manage the transition or will you watch from the side-lines?

~~~ SWOT on steroids... Competitive Capacity Analysis This new Blane, Canada Research service uses key performance indicators to objectively document product strengths and weaknesses. Portfolio strength and weaknesses are the second part of the Competitive Capacity Analysis. Understanding how the performance of the individual companies impacts the community changes economic development strategy. Call us to find out how we can help you gain new insight into your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
Eric 630-462-9222

~~~ Little assumptions kill marketing initiatives... Desktop phone systems were set up with a full keypad with number and alpha equivalent. Today, when an automated phone attendant asks you to spell the name of the contact assumes you have access to the number pad alphabet. Today's mobile Blackberry-type devises have the numeric keys built into the QWERT keypad. There are no ABC letters associated with the numbers so just try to remember what alpha letters are associated with each number. Pretty difficult! The end result, push '0' and hope for an operator or hang up. Does your phone system pass muster with today's on-the-go business communications tools? Source: Ken Olsen, WA

~~~ Apples to apples... South Dakota has taken an aggressive approach to sharing information with corporate location prospects  head to head. Their new web site allows anyone considering a location to take the SD comparison. Generate a report that compares any State or combination of States using the same combination of metrics.

~~~ The value of information... is collapsing quickly. What are you doing to add value?

~~~ "The worth of a life... is not determined by a single failure or a solitary success." Stretch in 2008. Set a goal that will truly test your abilities, then tackle it. In the end, success or failure, you will be in a better place. Quote: Kevin Kline, actor  

~~~ Using images... in your proposals and PowerPoint presentations can result in very large files. Transfer and portability become issues. Now you can shrink the size of photos to reduce the number of bytes dramatically. Shrink Pictures, www.shrinkpictures.com offers an easy to use free service. Picture quality is not changed noticeably unless you select a lower quality setting intentionally.

~~~ e-mail marketing... How often is too often? It is an on-going debate in organizations of all sizes. In our view, too high a frequency can result in two problems. 1) The audience reaches saturation quickly. 2) Saturation quickly triggers a predictable sequence: numbed, irritated, then action. Action is to either ignore all messages from the sender and automatically delete them or even worse, allow a spam blocker to do the dirty work. Either way, you lose.

We believe daily is too frequent. Weekly is better, but still comes around quickly. Bi-weekly or monthly is best. Recognition will be as high and the downside risks will be reduced dramatically. Alternatively, allow the users to select a different format such as a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly summary. Share your experience! ecanada@blanecanada.com 

~~~ Referral... "Sending someone you know to someone you trust." Thank you for your confidence in the Blane, Canada Team. We sincerely appreciate your trust and referrals.

Blane, Canada Ltd.
1506 Cadet, Suite 100
Wheaton, IL 60187-7380
ph 630.462.9222
fax 630.462.9210

info@blanecanada.com