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Random thoughts and observations (my new blog hybrid)
Here’s my new version of blogging, which is something in between real blogging (which is cool) and Twitter (which isn’t cool)…Â
iPhone price drop
Apple just dropped the price of the iPhone by $200 so an 8 gig iPhone now costs $399. What a steal! I wonder how all those hardcore Apple early adopters feel about the iPhone dropping $200 in just two short months? I’ve got a good buddy who bought an iPhone and he just told me he’s taking his back. Its mainly that he doesn’t like AT&T. He thought the price reduction was an outrage. He used a not so nice sexual metaphor to describe what he thought Apple just did to their early adopters (no I won’t repeat it here). Anyway….
Why did Apple dump the price of the iPhone? Has the iPhone not lived up to the sales expectations? I think it has. The price reduction can only boost sales of the iPhone. The new price now puts the iPhone in about the same range as the high end Blackberry’s. Good move and a good price if you can stand AT&T (among other things).
As for me, I think I’ll pick up an iPhone when its free in four months. If you think that’s a joke then go read up on the new Google gphone.
Update: Apple is now offering a $100 in-store credit to anyone who bought an iPhone at full pop in the last two months. Frankly, I think that’s a bad precedent to set but it will get more people in the Apple Stores buying more Apple product so chalk this up to yet another brilliant marketing move on Steve Jobs part. Â
Jason Alba writes a book about Linkedin
Jason Alba sent me an advanced copy of his new ebook (sorry I’m just now blogging about it)Â all about Linkedin. Thanks, Jason. The book is great and helped me to better understand the value of Linkedin. I highly encourage you to check it out.
Utah New Media Conference
I have to admit that I am not 100% sold on the value of the the Utah New Media conference. Don’t get me wrong. I think there is a ton of value in companies adopting new media tactics to drive brand and sales. Here are my thoughts based on what I know about the conference so far:
- Take it from a guy who has been selling new media to traditional businesses for the last two years - if you get preachy with business and tell them that they don’t know crap about new media and they suck for not implementing new media strategies then expect to get a negative reaction. Companies only like to be preached to by $200+/hr consultants and lawyers not people working from home (no offense - I work from home) who have never run a marketing department. Keep that in mind as you’re thinking about what to tell these people.
- Make sure your presenters have absolute domain expertise.
- I would suggest NOT making this conference about “companies and individuals”. That’s too convoluted and broad. Go with one or the other but not both.
- Make sure the topics are specific and compelling. Tracks with titles like “Social Media” won’t attract much interest. However, if that were “Using Social Media to Drive Brand Awareness and Sales” then you might get a lot more interested people. Â Â
Just my $0.02…
Steve Spencer of 12 Horses is a real dude! He’s been so supportive of the tech industry here in Utah. I hope that the speakers will remember that they are representing his company and brand by the quality and content of their presentations. Thanks, Steve for your continuing support!!!Â
Hooksell is Rockin!
Hooksell is amazing. I love the model (its so much like 10Speed Media its scary!). Benoy has just raised his first round of financing and brought on a new partner, Robert Conlee, who used to run the $600M Nu Skin Japan operation. They are building a great team and have a ton of momentum.
You can’t beat direct response on the Web. Its what the Internet was built for. Hooksell is an amazing direct response tool that is driving a significant increase in sales for their clients. I blogged about them several months ago - check it out and give Benoy a jingle if you’re interested in increasing your sales (who isn’t?).
Salt Lake City Council is anti-small businessÂ
I’m not making this up. The Salt Lake City Council is forcing an ordinance on taco stand owners that makes them provide bathroom access for customers. Yes, a taco stand. The ordinance comes out of a complaint from another local business claiming that customers of the taco stands are using his parking lot as a public restroom. Hey, have you ever bought a taco and then decided to just relieve yourself in broad daylight right in some random businesses parking lot (sorry to sound crude)? No, you haven’t and neither has anyone else.
I believe that the businesses complaining about the taco stands simply don’t like them in the same vicinity as their establishments (one of the complaints comes from the Porsche dealership downtown) and they have a stronger voice than the immigrants trying to hack out a living with their taco stands.
The ordinance also stipulates that the taco stand must reduce the size of their canopy cover to 32 sq ft from 60 sq ft. The taco stand owners claim that’s not enough cover for the carts in the snow and rain. Why would the city care about the size of the canopy? They don’t. Its just a simple tactic they are using to help them drive the stands out of business.
What a bunch of BS. The Salt Lake City Council and Rocky the Commy ought to be ashamed of themselves for abusing their power.
Chris, I like this new style for you. Thanks for the positive plug for my book - the eBook was made available two days ago and the hard copy ships in two or three weeks
Good comments on the conference… I’m sure those presenting will take it to heart.
Also, couldn’t agree with you more on the iPhone and the small business thing (ridiculous to think those taco stands need to provide bathroom services and clean the parking lots twice a month… however… if their customers are peeing on the parking lots then that’s a problem… this solution was just overboard though.)
Jason Alba
Left by Jason Alba on 09/06/2007CEO - JibberJobber.com
Jason:
Where can people go to get a copy of the eBook?
Left by Chris Knudsen on 09/06/2007Chris, dangit, but you are never boring!
So one at a time:
iPhone: Our company exceeded projections for Q2. As such, we bought every employee (about 45 people) an iPhone to say thanks. So I definitely have feelings on this topic…
First, I have to say I really like the iPhone. There are a lot of features that they don’t have, but I think of it as a “different” experience, and have been impressed so far. Plau, I have always been “apple curious”, and I view this as an effective “gateway” tech drug
But… they knew when I dropped over $20k in the store, that they had a device just around the corner with most of therealy cool features of the iPhone in it. did they let me know? No… they chose instead to move the iPhones off the shelf more effectively by keeping me in the dark.
UNMC: I think this will be a learning experience for all involved. While there are many people presenting who are very knowledgable about their topics, I think that you are right that not having a corporate pedigree does make some a bit offish. We need to make sure presenters overcome this through humility, rather than vigor. We are all there to teach, but we are also all there to learn.
Jason’s book: What can I say? Honestly, there are very few people in the valley that are brighter, and more willing to teach what they know than Jason. Jason… I have to confess I still haven’t read it. But don’t take that too personal… I have 200 copies of “The Dip” in my car, and haven’t read it yet either
Taco carts: Agreed.
Hooksell: Dunno, but will check it out.
Thanks for the kind words (I’m welling up and everything)… I love the new style. It’s like Blogging Dim Sum.
Left by Steve Spencer on 09/06/2007@ Steve:
On the iPhone - I’d be pissed.
On the UNMC - agreed!
On Jason and his book - agreed (again, good job Jason)!
On Hooksell - I’ll give you an introduction
On Kind words - keep up the good work!
Left by Chris Knudsen on 09/06/2007[...] Chris Knudsen on life, business, and entrepreneurship. I’ve had lunch with Chris and find him to have a very smart, critical (as in critical analysis) blog, which is always interesting. This post gives a little more than a head nod and even says the book is “great.” [...]
Left by JibberJobber Blog » Blog Archive » Bloggers review “I’m on LinkedIn — Now What???” on 09/10/2007I agree with you on the taco stand rules. It reminds me of the dancing regulations that effectively closed most dance clubs in Utah County.
I don’t see street vendors in other cities being held responsible for providing restrooms. I love how late they are open. The food is superb. I agree, this move is anti-business.
Janet
Left by Janet Meiners on 09/11/2007[...] Chris Knudsen on life, business, and entrepreneurship. I’ve had lunch with Chris and find him to have a very smart, critical (as in critical analysis) blog, which is always interesting. This post gives a little more than a head nod and even says the book is “great.†[...]
Left by I’m On LinkedIn - Now What??? » Blog Archive » Endorsements for I’m on LinkedIn — Now What??? on 09/12/2007