Disqus - Latest Comments for johnfurst

Re: Marketing And Growing An Audience By Building A Persona With Frank Kern

johnfurst — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 07:59:13 -0000

That episode comes in very timely. Just met Frank and Dean (Jackson) at the Biz-Fest 2015 in London, UK. There Dean said in a Q&A: “It's much less expensive to become rich than it is to become famous.” Will listen to this episode over the weekend and report back. Talk to you later.

Re: That’s Not How You Use That: Coiling a Cable

johnfurst — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 03:26:28 -0000

Now, not so much anymore! Kind of lame. You are right!

Re: That’s Not How You Use That: Coiling a Cable

johnfurst — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 05:33:24 -0000

Great! Now, please, tell us how to teach that to women?

Re: Small Business Loans: Where To Go For Capital

johnfurst — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:22:07 -0000

What worked for me several times is to find customers who are willing to fund development of the product. Within its limitations probably the best way to fund a new venture. It demonstrates real potential in the marketplace. No money to be paid back. no interest. No equity given away.

Re: Are Subway Footlong Subs A Foot Long?

johnfurst — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:36:21 -0000

Not that I know of. But the business could have to pay a hefty fine if this is picked up by authorities. Another business might sue and claim damages for unfair trade practices. But that's about it. Doesn't pay off for consumers to sue about such a case.

Re: Are Subway Footlong Subs A Foot Long?

johnfurst — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 13:37:34 -0000

Hey Joel!

The article makes me smile about the flaw in all legal systems. E.g. in the US who can sue and receive millions in compensation for a little cause. In Europe you get little even for a huge problem. Business is risky! No matter what you do. And being a consumer is risky, too.

Yours
John

Re: Seth Godin on making gutsy calls, great work and The Icarus Deception

johnfurst — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:26:51 -0000

Hi Anne,

Thanks for the interview. It further clarifies what Seth means when he is talking about Art and the changes and challenges in business.

Re: Why Content Is No Longer King

johnfurst — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:27:15 -0000

Hi Greg,

I am surprised about the relative high number of comments that are splitting hair over the subject. I don't pick any particular statements, I just say this: “What matters more than someone's personal opinion or experience on a single case is whether the strategy is working out in the bigger context or not.”

I agree and think the pain of disconnect is a powerful concept. And always remember relationships can break, e.g. think of your best client could get a new management and they could bring in “their people.” Is the pain you can create severe enough for survival in this scenario?

Thanks for sharing
Greg.

Re: Why Sound Will Be Bigger Than Video

johnfurst — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:48:31 -0000

Listening to the audio of the video right now. (Player in the background.)

I am not sure what he means when he says, "audio will be bigger" then video. What is bigger, he did not define that for me. It's certainly not volume of internet traffic. Video will consume more bandwidth and video bitrates are still growing.

He might refer to usage: Getting more users, more average usage time, .... something along that line. And I certainly get his point. "Audio is much easier to create and even more easy to consume."

However, it's still a prediction that needs to come true.

Remember:

** A picture says more than 1,000 words. (Moving pictures even more.)

** No matter what, some information needs to be read in order to be comprehensible.

** Also remember that most online videos (those created by amateurs) have terrible, aweful sound quality.

I close with hoping that BIGGER doesn't mean more just one time entertaining (but rather meaningless) cat videos. Sorry, I mean cat audios. As far as infor products are concerned I certainly welcome more and better audio versions.

Yours
John

Re: Deciding what information to ask for on your lead pages

johnfurst — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:44:49 -0000

Ed,

Oh, yes. LinkedIn can be costly but also effective. A member from my mastermind group used LinkedIn successfully for lead generation to a high end offers in the US B2B market. Short video opt-in page for a webinar or free consulting call; close. However, it was not his most effective campaign so he stopped it after a short while anyway.

Cheers.

Re: Deciding what information to ask for on your lead pages

johnfurst — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:46:34 -0000

Hi Ed,
Insightful article. Thanks.

Especially in B2B companies try to collect too much information upfront. A dumb approach that I encountered lately: I followed a paid an on LinkedIn and landed on a home page. This is bad enough but it got worse. A light-box forced opt-in form appeared (there was no close button) and I couldn't do anything but fill out their form. Well, I didn't comply and simply left. They didn't even have an offer on that form. At least not a compelling one.

Cheers..

Re: Reception Desk NDAs

johnfurst — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:28:44 -0000

Wow, that screams, *"We do not trust you!"* right at the gate.

On the other hand I suffered as a manger in those big type of corporations that projects and deals were put on hold because legal departments of both parties needed weeks to agree on an appropriate NDA.

And one commenter is absolutely right, your trade secrets shouldn't disclosed everywhere in the building. That's probably the only case that can justify a reception desk NDA.

Re: The Idea Manifesto

johnfurst — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:12:14 -0000

A piece of Art in itself. And very useful, too.
Thanks Bernadette for making this gift.

Re: The pluses and minuses of Google+ Brand Pages for businesses

johnfurst — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 13:23:42 -0000

Hi,

I replied to Robert Scoble's rather critical post with: "You are experiencing the *burden* of being an early adopter."

There are good reasons to believe Google+ will turn out to be a winner, however, I feel that most small businesses are doing nothing more than wasting their time with social media. Be it Twitter, Facebook, .... and now Google+.

The reason is most companies don't even have basic internet marketing 101 principles in place and working. That said, most potential benefit from social networking evaporates before dollars flow.

People, get the basics setup first on your own domain property before tampering with Google+ business pages.

Yours
John W. Furst

Re: I wish I had never heard of Google+’s brand pages

johnfurst — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 08:28:44 -0000

Good points, Robert!

I am confident that Google will solve those issues. I mean look at how far they could evolve the AdWords Interface (its flagship product) and others.

What you are experiencing right now is the burden of being an early adopter.

Yours
John

Re: Crowdsourcing & Gamifying Charity

johnfurst — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:21:36 -0000

Thanks for adding me to that list so quickly. I also would like to commit to a minimum of 25 shares for new members. How do I get notified, respectively where should I check on a regular basis?

Re: Why I HATE Hostgator…

johnfurst — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:51:24 -0000

That's new. I am used to hearing I hate G o d a d d y (I'm pretty cool with them, though.)
LoL

Re: Hell Yeah!!! Or Just, “No.”

johnfurst — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:16:19 -0000

Thanks for pointing to it. Love it.

Re: Radio Interviews & Story Telling

johnfurst — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:54:11 -0000

Hi Becky,

I just listened to your podcast with Dave. Loved it. As usual with you this was entertaining and educating fairly well. Besides that I always learn new things about you. (And thanks for the flattering mention -- here and there. It's highly appreciated.)

Have a great day.
Thanks. And thanks to Dave.

Re: Bob Bly on How NOT to Get His Business

johnfurst — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 20:53:46 -0000

You are right about Bob. I am following him, too. He always delivers useful tips and valuable insights.

"Your website sucks!" is definitely not the right opener. Coincidentally I wrote in a recent Facebook note that most businesses are better off by hiring a copywriter instead of a webdesigner.
"Pretty" often gets in the way of the sale.

Yours
John

Re: Value Added

johnfurst — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 11:06:13 -0000

It feels good to fire those potential clients, doesn't it. Saves a lot of hassle.

> Okay – you have to excuse me now. I’m off to write a 50-page ebook on
> how you can make $29,000 a day by finding writers willing to work for $1
> an hour and then selling the book for $49 and recouping your cost and
> MORE in ONE day!!! I’ll be rich by the weekend.

... Rich until the refund period kicks in. However, I guess most of the prospective buyers will ask for a refund long before they open up the ebook. Skrewing you for $49 is their first $49 earned. And that's all they ever get anyway.

LoL
Yours
John

Re: Starting Is Easy- It’s Maintaining That’s Hard

johnfurst — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 21:15:17 -0000

The feedback, progress, results are sexy as others have pointed out here as well. But the act of flossing isn't sexy. I agree. :-)

By the way: There are at least two types of entrepreneurs. One is the better starter, the other one the better maintainer. Put them together and you get a winning team.

Re: Starting Is Easy- It’s Maintaining That’s Hard

johnfurst — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 08:45:17 -0000

Hi Chris,

It's about focusing your goal and creating a habit of "maintaing whatever needs to be done." People who envision themselves already having reached their goal are usually those who follow through. THEY KNOW that they can reach their goal and take the right action, and they will do what it takes to succeed. Once you see results the progress will even drive you further an reinforce the believe that you are getting there.

Of course this does not only apply to blogging. it applies to almost everything.

Re: Get Rich Quick

johnfurst — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 07:49:51 -0000

Clayton Makepeace asks in one of his ads, "What's wrong with getting richer quicker?"

Besides that there are some/many scam artists out there, there is lack of believe. Most people simply cannot follow the math of a scalable business venture. They are trained from early on to sell their time for comparably low $, which is limiting.

A line from inspector Columbo (TV serial with Peter Falk), "Well, if I work 170 years and don't eat, I might be able to afford a house like this."

Cheers.

Re: Get Rich Quick

johnfurst — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 07:28:03 -0000

Nice podcast, When listening to it, I got reminded of one of Clayton Makepeaces's ads in which he poses in front of his Harley and asks, "What's wrong with getting richer quicker?"

Most people are very deeply programmed for "selling their time for low $ fees" (the classic employee model, which doesn't scale at all). It's hard for them to believe that there is a whole other world of opportunities.

Cheers.