Objectified
As someone who has a background in various aspects of design, my mind and imagination are very visual. I recently discovered a documentary film that discusses industrial design of everyday items that we use and experience. The idea behind those items is that people may not realize that they had even been designed. They are what they are. But there much deeper thought into these everyday products. The film looks at the experience that the product will offer, how people will become attached to the product emotionally, and how and why people are attached to these material products. It is a fascinating look at design, at the thoughts and processes that designers go through, and those designers are influencing our lives with their products.
Begin With the End in Mind
“Begin With the End in Mind” is one of my favorite phrases, as it packs so much meaning to me. Being very imaginative, I naturally see things as I want them to be, and then work backwards, breaking down that vision to make it a reality.
The Playing Field Has Been Leveled
Do you feel it? Can you see the playing field becoming more level? It is the power of the internet, the communities and networking available through social networking, and entrepreneurs like you who are creating services, software, and products for small businesses to compete against the corporate giants. In fact, larger corporations are seeing the power of this online socializing and are doing their part to build platforms in which entrepreneurs can use to promote their products, allowing a win-win. I can only imagine that this trend will continue as the internet continues to revolutionize and modernize business models and structures of the past.
An Entrepreneur Is…
There are many definitions as to what an entrepreneur is, what they do, why they do what they do. Over the last few years, the trend online is to “make money from home,” or “become your own boss.” These phrases are attractive to some people, and they could be associated with being an entrepreneur. However, many of the systems being pitched online are designed for the end user to be more of a free-lancer. Someone who would not necessarily create a corporation or true business entity.
Crowd-sourcing- A New Social Media Online Trend
We all know what crowd-sourcing is- it is getting a group of people actively involved to shape a movement, a product, a service. It is providing the community something to rally around, and then letting the community rally around it in a more organic way. It is becoming a new trend online, utilizing social media and creating communities online that can provide a service or expertise in an area, and allowing companies and individuals the opportunity to receive a broad range of results on a design, a research project, a new product, etc. versus choosing one company to provide one solution.
B2B Series: Target Market
Many people aspire to start a company, something of their own, something they can control. Often times, when these ideas for companies are pitched, there is not a whole lot of thought given to how it will actually come to market or who the market exactly is. Sound familiar? I think everyone has heard a pitch for a business or pitched an idea themselves where it becomes clear that the target market is undefined. That is OK, as it is part of the process.
Service Industry Equals Information Products
As a professional in the service industry, what is it that you are truly providing? You may sell a service to a client, but what you are producing for that client is a product. What type of product is it? It is an information product. It may be in the form of a website, a report, a slideshow presentation, etc.
Discovering Your Brand’s World
How do you define your brand’s world? Does your brand have a world of its own? This article will cover some basic concepts which can help to define your brand’s world, which in turn, will help create the community that is aligned with the mission of the company.
Determining Product Lifecycle Valuation and Devaluation
In any line of business, a product brought to market has a defined lifecycle. The lifecycle of a product has a valuation point at the beginning and a valuation point at the end of the cycle. But what determines the value given to a particular product? How does the value, over time, adjust with the lifecycle?
Valuation of a product is based on many factors, many of which can be considered subjective. A few of these factors may include brand perception and awareness, and the exclusivity of the product. These factors are emphasized through marketing campaigns which allow the target market to accept those subjective perceptions as truth. Once the target market has accepted the marketing put forth by the company, the product may take off and expand in popularity.
Living Small, Leveraging Big
Living a life on the road often means having very little with you most of the time. Usually what you can fit into one suitcase and a backpack or briefcase. Having been living this lifestyle for nearly two years, I have adapted to living small, but leveraging big. What do I mean by this? And how can it apply to business, big, small, start-ups, or those looking to restructure?
