Gillmor Gang: Rocks In A Can

The Gillmor Gang — Danny Sullivan, John Borthwick, Kevin Marks, Keith Teare, and Steve Gillmor — bemoan the political dregs of the finally-engaged election before working our way back into the tech waters we’d abandoned. It doesn’t seem like we’ve yet connected the social realtime moment with the issues of the day, preferring instead to count the tweets and let the media avoid the substance.

But just when all hope seems crushed in a sea of SuperPAC money and Jobs nostalgia, we finally remember what one of us said about imagining the future. In turn, we make the effort to ask the interesting questions, merge the technology and the business moment, and otherwise till the ground for the next wave of innovation. Bring on the Mini.

@stevegillmor, @borthwick, @dannysullivan, @kteare, @kevinmarks

Produced and directed by Tina Chase Gillmor @tinagillmor

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Amazon Acknowledges Uneven Lighting On The Kindle Paperwhite

The Kindle Paperwhite is an amazing ereader. It’s arguably the best on the market. But it’s not flawless. Some users, including several TechCrunch writers, noticed the lighting on their Paperwhite is not evenly spaced, resulting in odd, slightly distracting gaps at the bottom of the screen (see the pic).

Well, in a recent statement, Amazon stepped up to the plate and addressed this lighting issue as well as reaffirming the Paperwhite model has less storage than its predecessor and lacks text-to-speech. Even with these, let’s say design decisions, the Kindle Paperwhite is a fantastic ereader. As John states out in our official review, it’s a reader’s dream.

Full statement,

We want you to know…

Kindle Paperwhite is the best Kindle we’ve ever made by far, but there are certain limitations and changes from prior generations that we want you to know about.

Kindle Paperwhite does not have audio or Text-to-Speech. This makes the device smaller and lighter than it would otherwise be. Audio and an improved Text-to-Speech engine are supported on Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD.

Under certain lighting conditions, the illumination at the bottom of the screen from the built-in light is not perfectly even. See examples of how the screen looks in different lighting conditions. These variations are normal and are located primarily in the margin where text is not present. The illumination is more even than that created by a book light or lighted cover. The contrast, resolution and illumination of the Paperwhite display is a significant step-up from our prior generation.

The Kindle Paperwhite has 2 GB of storage. Some previous Kindle models had 4GB of storage. 2GB allows you to hold up to 1,100 books locally on your device. In addition, your entire Kindle library is stored for free in the Amazon cloud, and you can easily move books from the cloud onto your device.

Thank you, and we hope you enjoy Kindle Paperwhite.

- The Kindle Team

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An Interview With Josh Bechtel, The Inventor Of The Bicymple

There’s been quite a bit of disruption in bikes recently and the Bicymple is no exception. Designed by Josh Bechtel, the bike aims to be easy to ride, trouble free, and less expensive than traditional gear and chain models. You can check out a video here but we got a chance to talk with Josh a bit about his new design.

TC: What’s the impetus for this?


Josh: Ultimately, my passion for bicycles is the driving force behind the Bicymple. I’ve been riding bikes regularly since I was a child. I have more bikes than I care to admit to strangers on the web and people I’ve only just met. It’s a problem. I love cross country bikes, downhill bikes, road bikes, single speeds, fixies, cruisers, city bikes, clean bikes, rusty bikes, light bikes, heavy bikes…shall I go on? I think unicycles are great, too!

I built my first home-built bike back in the late 90′s. It was a traditional full suspension bike and I even successfully raced it. At the time, you could get away with that sort of thing, but as bike technology and building methods and materials advanced, it became tougher and tougher to compete in that way–especially for an average guy with a full time job and bills to pay. When the movement toward minimalist bikes came back around, it revitalized the bike builder in me and got me thinking about ways I could leave a mark, no matter how small it might be, in the world I am so passionate about. I started riding a single speed with a coaster brake that I had built up mostly out of used parts and it just made me so happy it got me thinking about how far one might be able to go in that direction. I started with a sketch of a standard bike and began crossing off parts one by one and addressing the problems created with each deletion until I ended up with a direct drive, freewheeling bike. From there, I felt like it might actually have become too simple. I felt it needed something else–a surprise in its back pocket–and the rear-steer was just the solution. I fully realize the contradiction this presents with the concept of simplicity and like the tension that creates.

TC: Is this the first bike of this particular type? I seem to remember seeing something like this before, but why this style and why now?

Josh: Yes and no. There have been swing bikes before, for certain, but they were all chain driven. There have been direct drive bikes before, too, but none (as far as I’m aware) had any lockout mechanism for the rear steering and they were all non-freewheeling and had smaller wheels, which severely limited their real-world practicality and left them in a purely “trick-bike” niche. I imagine most are familiar with the old penny farthing, too, and there are obvious connections there, too.

The bicymple might, however, bring these previous concepts together in a way that hasn’t been seen before. There seems to be a misconception out there on the web that I think that the established bicycle design is somehow lacking or insufficient, but that’s simply not the case. To me, that would be like thinking that anyone who ever picked up a paintbrush thought that Michelangelo just couldn’t hack it. I think that idea is a bit silly, really. The bicymple provides yet another outlet, another opportunity to accomplish the same goals as many other bikes, it just does it in a different way! Part of what makes life so great, in my mind, is diversity–and the bicycle world is a great example of this!

TC: What did you have to change to get it work properly? Is it really like a unicycle with another wheel? Something else?


Josh: At first glance, especially when you see someone riding it, it’s easy to see the similarities with a unicycle. Right away “the two-wheeled unicycle” became a nickname for it and the obvious oxymoron created by that name is pretty entertaining to me. It’s actually how I tend to explain it to those who haven’t seen it. The things that set it apart and make it special are obviously the rear steering, but also the fact that the rear steering can be locked out, allowing it to be ridden just like a regular bike. Many comments out there on the web overlook this key fact. It’s one of the subtle surprises that the bicymple has up its sleeve. The overdrive hub is another surprise. It is currently in development and has caught the attention of many in both the bicycle and unicycle communities. The classic thinking is that the only way to go faster with a direct coaxial drive is to increase the size of the wheel, which was the famous fatal flaw of the penny farthing. A few clever designs out there for unicycles have gotten around this but at quite a price. We’ll be able to accomplish the same goal at a price that should be quite affordable. It’s a compact, sealed, zero-service unit so you’ll never have to think about it–and it certainly won’t get your pants leg greasy!

TC: How much does it cost to build? How much was your prototype?

Josh: We’re not addressing dollar amounts until we’re able to offer an accurate

retail price.

TC: Bummer. When will you be ready to build some? Will you sell it via Kickstarter?

Josh: Our plan from the start has been to get an initial run built and provide them as test bikes to select bike shops. The incredible support and enthusiasm and sheer number of purchase requests from around the globe has made us consider a different approach. There is a very good chance we will be on Kickstarter in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for that. Crowdfunding is such a fantastic way for people to get their hands on products they never would have been able to before, so we’d be silly to not pursue that.

TC: What would you say to people who say it looks pretty goofy? Does it look as weird as those recumbent bikes?


Josh: I think it’s great if people think it looks goofy! I think it looks goofy too! It’s just not something many of us are accustomed to seeing. Ultimately, though, many, many people have expressed a great deal of interest and think it is a beautiful sort of goofy. From the first sketches, that’s how I felt about it. Wait, recumbent bikes look goofy?

TC: Have you ridden around on this in Bellingham? What do people think?

Josh: Oh yes, the bicymple has been out and about plenty. The reception has all been incredibly positive. I get yells from people across the street, from over fences and through windows, all curious and wanting to understand what it is they’re looking at. It is certainly eye-catching and incredibly unique. Those who are adventurous love the fact that the rear can be set loose to swing freely and really like the challenge it presents. Those less adventurous appreciate the ability to lock the steering out and pedal normally. I look forward to the bicymple getting in the hands of some really skilled trials riders to see the sorts of things they’re capable of doing with it–unicyclists, too! Thanks again, and let me know if you have any other questions!

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Content Marketing: How You Can Help Your Website

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The two biggest questions in business are the two biggest questions in website marketing:

• How can I get more prospects (coming to my website)?


• How can I get those (who come to my website) to buy, buy more and buy more often?

The answers to these questions are simple, but the possibilities to make these thing happen can seem daunting. Most people know that Search Engine Optimization can make huge strides in improving your:

• Search Engine Ranking


• Turning visitors into buyers (conversions)


• Website Structure (reducing friction, attrition and annoyance)


• Links and Link Building (credibility, authority)

These areas are well covered in any SEO plan. But there are things that you can do that can have an impact on many of the areas above. Content Marketing: What it really is. Content Marketing is the process of creating really useful material that caters to your buyers so they can

• Make educated decisions about what you offer


• Make the decision to buy your stuff more quickly


• Buy more often and share your wares to those who may want to buy

This isn’t always easy for people, since it requires a complete rethinking of marketing. No longer can you simply blast and broadcast the merits of your product or service. You have to focus specifically on your prospects and give them exactly what they need to understand how theycan solve their problems. Sometimes that involves talking about your work, but more often, it doesn’t. This can be hard for sales-oriented minds to wrap their heads around. But it makes a huge difference in how you are viewed by your prospects and how much your name gets around. To get it right, content marketers look at sales, but they also look at

• How to know what people want to read and how to adjust content so it caters to those desires


• How to engage visitors to browse and share content


• How to build a community of readers, followers, and social media ”friends”


• How to build the brand outward, while staying true to brand values


• How to educate their buyers


• How to know who is going where by tracking their movements (or implementing a tracking mechanism first)

It seems like a very tall order, and at first glance it is! But like all things, it can start small and grow over time. Content Marketing Methods There are scores of platforms for generating and communicating content for prospects, and some of these methods are better than others for igniting relationships or deepening.

• Email Newsletters


• Landing Page Content


• Business Blogs


• Trade Publications


• Video/Video blogging


• Social Media


• Tradeshow Datasheets

So how can content marketers expect to get it right?

The Outpost/Home Base Model One of the easiest ways to simplify your content marketing is to consider your website as the central point of engagement and conversion. Testimonials, client success stories and your company’s brand value all can be baked into your blog. Datasheets and specific documents can have their own resource pages for easy downloads and printing, and ongoing updates can be teasers in social media with articles on the blog. Updating your site with relevant, fresh content will keep people coming regularly, people who are ready to learn more or make a decision on what to buy. (It also pleases search engines hungry for authoritative sites and content to rank in your prospects’ searches.) Imagine that all of your really short content is being used to “tease” people somewhere. Social media, video blogs and even email newsletters bring prospects to your site to determine your offering. These platforms are like outposts — they are places for people out in the wilderness to gather and share it among their business friends, associates and social connections.

Bring It On Home Your website is your home base. it’s the central operation. Everyone should be able to get everything they expect to move forward with you, and all information they require to do so is there — easy to find and easy to share with their decision maker. Have your outposts lead to your home base. Bring people inward and provide them with what they need when they get there. Ask them what they want using short surveys, polls or general posts (on blogs and social media) with open-ended questions. People will “organically” read your “outpost content” and wander to your website. It’s a natural process, and all of us out there have gotten used to clicking links that take us to websites in that way. When the time is right, we buy. All of us. Using SEO methods is key to improving many aspects of your sales and marketing strategy. But don’t neglect the power of content marketing and giving your prospects the tools to make decisions based in the information you give them. You’ll be popular among your buyers, but more importantly, you’ll be relevant to future prospects. Good luck!

via Idris Fashan

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15 Tips for Getting the Most From LinkedIn Groups

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I spend a lot of time in LinkedIn groups and have learned a bit about maximizing their potential as conversation-starters. Here are 15 of my favorite tips. Please add your own as comments.

1. Ask Questions

The best way to provoke discussion on LinkedIn is to ask questions. Rather than sharing a link to an article, use it to kick off a discussion. For example, instead of posting a headline and a link to an article about cloud security, formulate it into a question:

“This article on Cloud Computing Path makes the case that the recent Dropbox security breach proves that the cloud is not yet secure enough for the enterprise. Do you agree?”

http://www.cloudcomputingpath.com/dropbox-security-breach-prove-that-cloud-is-not-secure/

2. Make it Personal

LinkedIn is the only major social network that doesn’t permit brands to interact as members. Only people can post content. With that in mind, make sure your posts have a personal tone. For example, instead of saying, “This webinar on the benefits of platform as a service has particular relevance to business partners,” try “This webinar on the benefits of platform as a service looks interesting. I hope you’ll join me there.”

3. Follow Up

This is very, very, very important. Don’t post a question and just walk away. When people do you the courtesy of responding, return the favor by responding to them or simply “Liking” their post. Remember that you started the conversation. That means you own it.

4. Fill Out Your Profile

When you contribute something interesting to the group, people will want to find out more about you. It’s disappointing when their click takes them to a skeletal profile page with no photo. It’s a lost opportunity for you, too, because you’re missing the chance to create a professional contact.

5. Use Active Voice

Why “facilitate the implementation of” when you can just “do?” Corporate speak doesn’t work in social channels because you communicate there as a person, not as an institution. Cleanse your prose of passive voice, buzzwords and superlatives. Write like you talk.

6. Keep Headlines Short and Avoid the Ellipses Of Death

LinkedIn gives you 120 characters for a headline, which is pretty generous. Headlines over 120 characters are truncated with an ellipsis (…). You want to avoid this because you’re forcing readers to click through to read the rest of the headline. The more clicks you require the more visitors you lose. The “Add more details” field gives you plenty of space to spread out.

7. There Are Three Parts Of Any LinkedIn Post. Use Them All

They are:

• Headline – Keep it brief and use it to communicate basic information or arouse interest.


• Add more details - Provide background and explanatory information. Tell people why you think this information is important.


• Attach a link – Use this area to post links. Never include links in the headline. If you need to have more than one link in your post, use a URL shortening service (see below) and include it in the “Add more details” section.

For example, instead of writing a headline like “Can anyone recommend a useful eBook on cloud computing? I’m looking for something oriented toward professional developers that has recommendations for the major PaaS and/or IaaS solutions.” post the question as a headline and the second sentence in the “Add more details” section.

8. Think of the Benefit to Your Audience

Success in social channels is all about helping other people. Keep that in mind when composing a post. It’s not about you, it’s about them. For example:

• Instead of “A Primer on PaaS,” try “This Paas Primer could be a great conversation-starter for your prospects.”


• Instead of “Spot Market Pricing, New Services Fuel Amazon GovCloud Growth,” try “What You Need to Know about Amazon’s Government Strategy”

Use words like “you” and “I” a lot. This is a discussion, not a billboard.

9. Minimize Copy and Paste

Respect your readers’ time by minimizing pointless verbiage. Don’t just copy and paste the promotion from a webcast. Boil down the basic facts and tell the reader why you recommend it. The more you make your post a personal message from you, rather than a rehash of somebody else’s message, the more compelling it is.

10. Don’t Copy From Twitter

When I see hash tags in a headline, it tells me one thing: This person was too lazy to customize the message for me. The language we use on Twitter doesn’t fit well in the more generous confines of a LinkedIn or Facebook post. Rewrite the message for the network you’re using and the people you’re hoping to reach. Think of the context, too. Facebook is more playful than LinkedIn. The Sales Best Practices group on LinkedIn has a different membership than the Construction Professionals group.

11. Avoid Repetition

LinkedIn does you a favor by copying the first few words of any article that you post as a link. Don’t copy and paste those same words into your description field. You have 15 minutes to edit anything you post in a group, so check your work to make sure your description isn’t a carbon copy of the item to which you link.

12. Take Advantage of Polls

Polls are a basic tool you can use to solicit feedback. You can specify up to five answer choices and choose how long the poll runs. Try mixing it up; instead of posting a question, occasionally formulate the topic as a survey.

13. Use Trackable Links

It’s easy to measure the response to content you post. URL shortening services like Bit.ly and JotURL make it easy to shorten links and then track the number of clicks they generate. LinkedIn processes these short links just like regular URLs. You can also use Google URL Builder. It generates longer links, but they’re compatible with Google Analytics. You can also shorten those links with Bit.ly prior to posting them.

14. Be Provocative

I don’t recommend overusing this technique, but it’s fun to try from time to time. Instead of a descriptive headline, try one that piques curiosity. Here are a couple from the Sales Best Practices group:

Eat that Frog!

If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first. ~ Mark Twain

How do you start your day? Do you ‘eat that frog?’ Do you have a ritual that starts your morning?

Who’s ruining it for the rest of us?

The member goes on to ask why sales people continue to use spamming tactics that don’t work and give the whole profession a bad name.

15. Connect with Other Members

When you request a connection with another LinkedIn member, the service asks you to verify that you have an existing relationship. If you don’t, it denies the connection request. You can get around this by joining a group to which the other person already belongs and requesting the connection as a fellow member. Be aware that if your request is denied, LinkedIn won’t let you try this trick a second time.

via Paul Gillin

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Twitter Tips: 6 Brand Building Uses For The RT

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What’s the one thing more than 500 million Twitter accounts have in common? Love of the RT, of course! The retweet is more than a basic mechanism for engaging in conversation on Twitter – being retweeted is one of the thrills of participating in the micro-blogging platform.

Many Twitter users are able to leverage it as currency. In fact, we’ve noticed many retailers using retweets in their brand-building efforts. A cursory look at apparel brands on our Retail Social Juice Index over the last day or so reveals a number of opportunities retailers are seizing via the retweet, including influencer marketing.

1. Complement influencer marketing efforts

Lucky enough to have influencers tweeting about your brand? Retweet them. Not only does it flatter influencers when you take notice, but also it gives you extra mileage from the buzz they’re creating around the brand and its products. In these examples, @Anthropologie and @EileenFisher retweet fashion bloggers, and @GUESS retweets an associate editor from Allure Magazine.

2. Share lifestyle stories

Consumers are out there every day living with your products. What does your brand make possible in their lives? Use the retweet to curate story-rich, lifestyle content from your customers. Here are examples from @OrvisFlyFishing and @NewBalance:

3. Have fun

Remember that lots of people on social networks are there for leisure. Be playful. Be interesting. Curate content that’s just plain entertaining, like these retweets by @Saks and @JuicyCouture (this one also involves an influencer).

4. Talk with customers

Problem-solving is only one aspect of customer service. Much like the brands here – @VSPINK, @NeimanMarcus and @shopbop – your brand can interact with customers to encourage purchases and answer questions.

5. Publicize brand efforts

Instead of the brand delivering news of every effort directly, it can use the retweet to interact with brand news that already exists. @Stuart_Weitzman promotes a branded asset (a sort of thanks for the venue), @Aeropostale shares a photo of Olympic gymnast @McKaylaMaroney wearing anti-bullying bracelets and @Nordstrom accepts accolades from an advocacy group.

6. Showcase praise of employees

Influencers aren’t limited to bloggers and customers; all brands want good employees to be their ambassadors. Sharing positive feedback about stores and team members, like these retweets from @DSWShoeLovers and @JosABank_Brand, lets employees know they’re appreciated and tells consumers good things are happening offline.

So, six brand-building activities as easy as a RT? Absolutely! Then everyone must be doing it, right? Not really. While some brands reweet all day long (take a look at the streams for @CharlotteRusse and @Jockey), others don’t seem to take advantage.

We haven’t seen one RT all week from @ExpressLife, @AmericanApparel, @jcpenney and many others. Don’t follow their example: missed retweets are missed opportunities for brand-building. All that’s required is a solid brand voice and some good monitoring: Look for keywords, mentions and hashtags. Sample follower tweets. Curate tweets via tools like Twitter lists, which can organize your influencers and other resources.

via Carolee Sherwood

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