Pure Play

Whale watching was brilliant

We had a brilliant time yesterday. After the disappointment in summer 2006 of watching dolphins for 3 hours we saw loads of fin whales (the world's second largest mammal after the blue whale) and a couple of humpbacks (pretty much the only one which does the tail in the air dive - the tail lob). 

We went out with Nic Slocum of WhaleWatchWestCork - he is courteous, knowledgeable and respectful of the animals we went out to see. I cannot recommend his trips enough.

It was a mild and calm morning - so despite the heavy frost when we got up the journey was quieter than our last outing.

This is what we were looking out for - the blows which a whale does when it surfaces to breath and which are followed by the sight of the majority of the whales length coming to the surface. There are three in this photo and the ususual thing about this group is that there are 2 fin whales and a humpback - something which Nic Slocum (the skipper) said he has never seen as it is rare for different species to "hang out" together!

The tail of a humpback - we saw this a couple of times with two different animals and it was wonderful to see - reminiscent of the poster shots of whales which are so popular. It signifies a terminal drive by the whale - one which brings them down deep for 5 to 10 minutes and so they can end up anywhere when they blow again.

The best bit of the trip was this - when a female fin which is 50 ft approx (smaller than the max) blew and surfaced about 30 to 40 feet away from the boat. It caught all of us by surprise.

Here is a slideshow sequence showing a humpback blowing and then going into a terminal dive with a tail lob at the end.

keith

BizCamp

Conor O'Neill has posted the learning from CorkCamp2 over on their blog - link here. In it he suggests there maybe interest in a Bizcamp.

My interpretation is a Camp which does not exclude technology sessions/streams but which is pitched more at business discussions and experience sharing. So it would appeal both to the early stage technology community which turn up to standard Camps but also to entrepreneurs and startups from other sectors.

Happy to work on it in KK/South East - welcome comments or feedback. Alternatively would also pitch in with a team taking it on elsewhere.

keith

enterprise-ireland.com

One of the most interesting projects I have worked on as a consultant is as a member of the Path Pacific team which is currently developing a new web strategy for Enterprise Ireland.

 

Apart from Michael Clyne in Path Pacific who has enormous experience in the eGovernment sector (most recently with reach.ie) I am also working with Gerry McGovern, Brian Lamb and the crew at CustomerCareWords.

Meeting some great people in EI and looking forward to seeing how the outcome turns out - we all have preconceived ideas going in but the outcome and recommendations will be based on the the results of the methodical and comprehensive work that is being done :-)

keith

Photo from Tinakilly House in Wicklow

Stayed here on Thursday evening and really enjoyed it

Keith

EI, a photo of the new building

The stairway in the EI only half of the building. Only place we could get coffee :)

Quick prediction

Reading an article on ebooks and very confidently thinking that I will never consume books on that medium. Followed immediately by the memory of having been wrong many times in the past about technology trends.

There is a pleasure in reading real books that screen reading does not add to for me. And there is no missing functionality that I am aware of.

Wait and see ;-)

Keith

Humour does not get much more geeky

Thanks to Paul in Ormonde Design for passing on this - font comedy!

keith

State discrimination against same sex couples who want to help the environment

From Mamanpoulet via Mulley comes confirmation that democracy does not always work. Because you end up with a load of backward politicians who use legislation to try and force everyone to conform.

In short: If you are a same sex couple you cannot take advantage of the extension of the Free Travel Scheme to partners.

The long version is here and here.

keith

Sparing a thought for the family of a total stranger

Back in October 2007 I posted a link to a talk given by someone who knew he was dying and who wanted to pass on his thoughts to his family and kids. Randy Pausch died earlier today. RIP.

keith

Taoiseach to lead transparency Drive

Received by email this evening - proof that Brian Cowen is indeed setting new standards - looking for support to install windows in his office:

Title: Department of Taoiseach Windows Support Contract
Published: 09/07/2008
Published by: Department of the Taoiseach
Full Text: http://www.etenders.gov.ie/search/show/Search_View.aspx?id=JUL104703&ln=EN

keith

I'm not normally like this - adult language coming up

Don't much stray into politics here - but I really enjoyed this mashup which I saw on Damien's blog. Adults don't laugh enough, this will change that for a few moments :-)

keith

Subscriptions Online - summary points and Q&A

Sean Donohue, Marketing Sherpa summarised some of his takeaways from the 2 days

Adapt to changing subscription business models

• Continually rebalance mix of paid and free - continuous analysis required - monthly or at least quarterly. New content, different user/subscriber types
• Sell service as well as content - filter and aggregate data, save time, offer analysis
• Exploit your niches

Make Web2 work for you

• Find a technology or platform that is a good fit
• View it as a long term strategy

Optimise your marketing mix

• Measure, monitor and track your marketing spend
• Paid search -
  • If CPC is rising explore long tail terms
  • Look at second and third tier search engines
  • Focus on the profits that are being generated by each click stream

Defend against the economic downturn

• Plug your leaky payments bucket
• Focus on customer retention and cross-sell/upsell opportunities
• Repurpose content for additional revenues
  • Elsevier (scientific and technology book publisher) digitised 4,000 books for the subscription based sciencedirect.com platform.
  • marketed through free trial and volume discount
  • Signed up 2000 customers for free trial
  • Converted enough to make material impact on their annual turnover

Target tests for maximum potential value

• Identify your major pain or biggest subscription driver and try
  
  • Upselling to higher sub package
  • Trial registration path
  • Feature/service that gets visitors over the hump
• Form a hypothesis and test it

Comment during discussion on offering a free trial or not - person from FT.com said that they dropped free trials a while ago and offered a money back guarantee only. She said this has not proved as effective as the free trial. A free trial allows you to continuously market to the potential subscriber - but should always be done having taken their credit card details first.

Suggestion on subscription renewals or conversions from free trials to subscribers - watch usage patterns and prepare a specific marketing message or offer to people who are low users or who have not used the service coming up to renewal or conversion deadline.

Another attendee brought this a stage further and suggested segmenting active customers with different services and communications for each. Reward highly active users/subscribers.

keith

Customs Agent recommendation required

Was asked today if I knew of a customs agent - someone who provides a service to individuals of clearing their stuff coming in from the USA when they move house.

Anyone got any suggestions? Either leave a comment here or ping me at [email protected]

thanks, keith

Recommendations in Kilkenny for house movers

We settled into a new house in Kilkenny city about 8 weeks ago and over the year it took us (we put our house on the market just as the market folded up and left) we had the pleasure of dealing with Clodagh Daly (estate agent) to sell our house and Conor Bass (solicitor) to handle the legals on the purchase and sale side.

Can recommend both without reservation. They both use email (you might laugh but not always common in those professions) and were prompt and professional to deal with.

Update - I forgot to mention Kilkenny Self Storage (a sister company of Gibbons Removals). Martin Gibbons and his family/team run both and were accommodating and friendly to deal with. Once again I would recommend them without reservation.

keith

Failte Ireland eBusiness initiative

Failte Ireland are in the process of launching a major development initiative for their client businesses this year with a combination of e-business training and mentoring which appears to be similar to the Tech Check programme from the Enterprise Board's.

As part of that initiative myself and Genesis Business College will be delivering training programmes around the South East between the end of April and the end of June 2008.

If you are in the tourism sector and you are interested please contact either myself ([email protected]) or your local tourism body. You should be receiving a brochure and booking details in the post within 2 weeks from Failte Ireland.

One impact of winning this tender is that I have had to email each of my clients and prospects and tell them I am off the market for new work until the end of June - a difficult thing to do but essential in terms of expectation management and scheduling my time for the next 3 months.

keith

Getting the most from your website

Giving a talk to a group of businesses in Carlow today on the above topic. They are clients of Carlow County Enterprise Board and part of the Owner Manager Network.

It is being held in the Seven Oaks Hotel - looking forward to it :-)

keith

2008 budget calculator

From Tax123 (start up based in Waterford) comes the 2008 Budget calculator - notified via email newsletter and blog post just before 18.00 this evening!

Link here: www.tax123.ie/Budget2008Calc.php

keith

Only the sunshine is missing

Sitting here with a double espresso buzzing its way through me in the quiet of early morning (I work from home and enjoy getting up at 6am and having a space around me by myself for a little while).

This is my time - both because of that space and also I do my best work now. And on my headphones I am listening to Snow Patrol, Eyes Open - really enjoying it.

keith

PR companies and payment terms

In conversation with a good friend this morning we discovered we have something in common - both of us have done work for PR companies advising them on their use of blogs with their clients. And he is carrying a 3 month old invoice for services while I am at 2 months.

Is it the sector or just a coincidence? I have to admit it is tempting to name and shame - if only to see if my client is monitoring the blogosphere for mentions of their business as I advised them to do :-)

keith

A policy in place

I recently booked a days training with a non-commercial organisation and was sent their invoice. With just over 2 weeks to go I had to pull out. I am attending a series of meetings with a client in the UK and so I sent an email apologising for this and asking to be notified about future dates.

This is the response I received.

Keith
I have a policy that payment is ensured once booking is made.  So that leaves me in a situation where invoice stands and ill credit you on one of our other courses

I was fascinated and very politely emailed her back. This kind of approach to client communications can only ensure that their operation goes from strength to strength :-)

Doesn't the phase "payment is ensured" seem kind of final - starting to wonder what mechanism they have in place for that!

keith

Kilkenny based website design training

On Thurday 8th and Thursday 15th March I am running a training program with Kilkenny CEB that will bring participants through the process of building a basic website from scratch. There are only 2 places left on this.

This is done using an internet service called Sitekreator - which allows non-techies to build a site by using templates and automated tools for things such email newsletters. forms, image galleries and forums.

You can contact either myself ([email protected] / 086 2300702) or Fiona in KCEB ([email protected]) for more details or to register.

keith

New ICT stats for Ireland - out today

Just working on an internet guide for SME's for a client and needed some stats so a quick look at the Central Statistics Office site revealed that they have just published a 74 pdf entitled "Information Society and Telecommunications 2006"

Direct download line to PDF: www.cso.ie/releasespublications/documents/industry/2006/ictireland2006.pdf

I hope to update this post once I have had a chance to read it. One fact that caught my eye is that sales using e-commerce account for 22% of manufacturing activity - gotta reckon on an element of multi-national activity in there somewhere as it seems suspiciously high!

keith

Business blogging - welcome The Cycling Blog

I am having mixed success with helping small businesses to blog. Formal training was not very successful, one to one sessions are much more so.

An example of a successful one to one "conversion" in the last week is World Wide Cycles in Clonmel. The two owners are passionate (and successful) cyclists and closely involved in the Irish cycling scene. So we have passion (a key ingredient) and the willingness to learn, experiment and spend time on the blog.

And over time the business purpose will become clearer :-)

Have a read: worldwidecycles.wordpress.com/

keith

Internet training in Kilkenny

Kilkenny County Enterprise Board (supporters of Help Yourself) are running a couple of training modules (which have been developed by me) that maybe of interest to people who come to Help Yourself:

Blogging as a Promotional Tool for your business - how to use blogging effectively for your business
Protect Your IT System - Whether you have a standalone computer or a couple of them in a network there are basic (and not so basic) things you can do to protect them.
Website Optimisation - If you have a website and you are not sure how to change it to make it more effective then this one is for you.
Electronic Newsletter Design for your Business - How to use email newsletters as an effective communication and marketing tool

More information on www.kceb.ie/ts or call Ailish or Fiona at 056 7752662

[Originally posted on www.helpyourself.ie]

keith

If you need computer training for things like Word and Excel then don't go to college. For computer training needs you can order computer training software online and get all the computer training you need right from home. You can fulfill all computer training needs from your couch!

Update on template driven websites

In March I posted (link here) a query on template driven website design services and received a number of responses.

I was preparing for the delivery of a training course (postponed until October) that will bring 10 complete novices through the process of developing their own sites and then being able to maintain them. Nothing fancy - just an effective and cheap way of dipping their toes in the water.

At the time I settled on the Yahoo service - Sitebuilder - because of cost and ease of use. Today, getting ready again for the course delivery I revisited that decision and came across a service that I tagged a couple of months ago - http://sitekreator.com.

It is a pure online service (the Yahoo one involved a hefty software download) and so far it is pretty ok to use. It allows for the kind of easy integration of blogs and forums and comes in Free and Business/Premium versions.

I will post after the course about the participants experience of using it - in the meantime welcome readers feedback on their experience with same. A quick google turned up some really good reviews of it with very few horror stories.

keith

Online travel question

I have just started a project where I will be assessing the use of the internet to encourage visitors to visit and stay in rural areas. Part of that will be an attempt to assess the "critical mass" factor in aggregator travel sites - at what scale does an aggregator site become effective?

This is difficult to judge - too few attractions on a site and tourists may not find it attractive because it does not present enough options for them to choose from.

If anyone has thoughts or places for me to go look I would be grateful :-)

keith