Erich Stauffer

Blog

  • The Gig Economy

    We went from trading mp3s with Napster to trading cash with Paypal to trading actual work for goods. Brace yourself. The barter economy is back.

    Gigwalkers, Runners, and Giggers in the Cloud

    You can now pay for anybody to do almost anything, anywhere, at any time. From gig walkers at Gigwalk, to runners at Taskrabbit, to peer to peer, realtime bartering over your mobile phone with Zaarly, the barter economy is here.

    This new peer-to-peer economy is all be part of a bigger trend, or movement towards leveraging social platforms as the new killer app: cloudsourcing.

    Cloudsourcing is when you use social network platforms to crowdsource a group of eager participants into creating something that may have been impossible for one man or woman to accomplish on their own. Call it peersourcing, a peerforce, or peersourcing, companies are reaching out to the general public to get new ideas or new inventions – or creative new ways to solve a problem they may have.

    For example, Quirky lets anyone submit, vote on, and improve an invention in order to create products that people actually want (and will buy). Kickstarter uses it’s social platform to allow people to ‘vote with their dollars’ towards a new, creative project. If enough funds are raised, the project will start – and if not, it doesn’t. Call it survival of the fittest, it’s an extremely efficient business model and we’re going to be seeing more of it soon.

    The CEO of Salesforce.com, Benioff, saw it coming and calls it “social enterprise” because he believes social platforms are the disruptive technology – on par with the development of the Internet itself. That’s why Benioff pushed to develop and rollout Chatter, a private and secure social network that allows users to follow others, information, and groups; and share files and status updates.

    Amazon’s Mechanical Turk has been crowdsourcing “requestors” since 2005, and Reckitt Benckiser uses IdeaLink to invite the public to submit ideas, products and technologies that they want to see built. Imagine what some organization like Google could do to the job hunting network if they could create or purchase a social platform that connected people wants with people’s needs and availabilities inside a massive database?

    If you’re interested in learning more about crowdsourcing, Crowdsourcing.org is the place to go if you want to check out what’s happening with crowdsourcing or if you want to join the debate on ‘all things crowdsourcing’.

  • Monthly Website Reports

    Here’s an example of what our customers get from us each month in their Monthly Website Report:

    Good afternoon. I hope your summer is going well. Attached is your monthly Google Analytics report and a special message below.

    A Special Message

    Have you ever thought of an app for your phone that you thought could enhance your business or help your customers? What if there was a way you could see that app come to reality on the iPhone?

    We have recently partnered with a company that develops applications for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch that can be used around the world – for your customers or to turn your idea into profit.

    There are many different reasons why you might want to develop your own app such as a way to help your customers interact with your business (ex. scheduling or bill payment) or maybe it’s a non-business idea you had that you just want to explore to either sell or make money from ads.

    Whatever your ideas are, we’d love to hear about them. What’s your passion? Is there an app for that?

    Depending on your level of service, we may also add the following metrics:

    • Unique visitors
    • Twitter followers
    • Facebook fans

    Don’t have a Twtter or Facebook account? We can fix that up for you to manage for $120 or leave that to us for $60 a month with a six month minimum contract.

  • Juice Extractors

    Cost Publishing had us design a custom WordPress theme for their new Juice Extractors mini-site. We chose a clean, white look, but don’t let that fool you. There’s lots of bells and whistles (or apples and oranges in this case) going on under the hood.

  • Can You Skip the ‘As-Is’ Process Analysis Altogether?

    In a process improvement project is it best not to spend too much time on detailing an ‘as-is’ process analysis and focus on the ‘to-be’ process instead?

    One of the arguments against detailing an as-is process analysis is that it precisely hinders the involvement of the people as they may be afraid to be evaluated. Focusing on the ‘to-be’, and making a fresh start based on their suggestions (without bringing the current process in a detailed picture), would then ease participation. But the ‘as-is’ phase is very important because (1) it represents the base for us to start from in improvement process, as (to be) process should result from handling the improvement opportunities in (as is) process, and (2) it ensures the involvement of process people as they share us the information of the ‘as-is’ process and have chance to give suggestions about to-be, thereby increasing the ownership of the new to-be process.

    If you do not understand your current processes and what is and is not working then you will fail to successfully define and implement new processes. Even if management offers explicit direction on new processes, you need to know what your starting point is or was. There are several reasons for this: 1) to leverage what is already in place, 2) to socialize change and, regardless of management direction, 3) gain acceptance and support from the team that will be responsible for doing or managing the processes, and 4) identify and fix the existing problems that likely are leading to the new process needs. Otherwise, you’ll get processes that are essentially dead on arrival.

    Knowing only the current, ‘as-is’ state does not help without knowing where you want to be in the future state. The first fact is just one data point, which as we know is useless by itself. We have to know both the current and future states of a process in order to measure the gap between. It is the gap that we refer to as a problem and it’s size, the magnitude of the problem. The gap can be characterized with many varying metrics such as quality, speed, or cost, but they should all be aligned to the customer and key strategic objectives. One way to do this is to use an an analogy of a map. (more…)

  • How to Start an Internet Marketing Business

    I spoke a little bit about how to start an Internet marketing business on my blog, An Entrepreneurial Mind, but wanted to go into more detail here about how I got started in Internet marketing and what products I’d recommend. I got started in Internet marketing almost by mistake. I was doing some research about how to promote a particular site and kept running across initials like “IM” and “MS” and “30DC.” After looking into them I realized that there was thing called Internet marketing (IM) and a lot of people used Market Samurai (MS) because of going through the Thirty Day Challenge (30DC). I ended up going through what is now called The Challenge (since their was no fee for awesomeness) and got to really like Ed Dale. I eventually bought Market Samurai and have used that extensively for research. One thing I didn’t learn from any one place though was an overall strategy for how to go from start to finish on a project or a business.

    For a long time, I had a card hanging up on my wall that said, “There is a process to success,” which was a quote from Chris Farrell. Chris runs an Internet marketing service that teaches people how to make money online in easy, step-by-step processes from start to finish. What Chris has said, Ed Dale would add, “There’s a process for everything. Creativity is a process. If you’ve ever found yourself sitting in front of the computer wondering what to do next. That’s not a Focus problem…It’s a PROCESS problem.” Learn the processes of successful people and repeat them to be successful yourself. It’s not easy, it’s a process, and one that is learnable. Sir Ken Robinson, an author, speaker, and international advisor on education in the arts to government, non-profits, and education, says that, “Innovation and creativity are learnable skills, not inborn talents.”

    I’ve just recently purchased and received Sir Ken’s newest book, The Element, which tackles the challenge of determining and pursuing work that is aligned with individual talents and passions to achieve well-being and success. ‘The element’ is what Sir Ken identifies as the point where the activities individuals enjoy and are naturally good at, come together. I’m looking forward to reading it, but even more looking forward to doing it. I once had a mentor tell me that my mind was always running on a parallel track to what I was working on during the day because I was aligned with my true passion, but that once I did, I would “take off on fire.” That’s partly why I wrote what I did under my new executive coaching blog, Are You on Fire? If you’re not on fire for what you do, what’s stopping you? If you’re tired of that pit in your stomach every time you think about your work, it’s time to consider a change and if you’re looking for help on how to make money online, remember Chris Farrell’s membership program.

  • How to Start Your Own Web Design Business

    I recently wrote a blog post on my Indianapolis web design site about how to start your own web design business. I shared a little bit about how I got started, but I wanted to go into more detail here on my own blog, An Entrepreneurial Mind. When I first started, I had just quit my job (much like today, but more on that later) and had started working at a call center for a textbook publisher company (hey, at least I was closer to my dream of being a publisher there than while balancing transactions at the bank). While in training on how to interact with customers over the phone, I became friends with another new employee who had some web design experience. I explained to him how I’d had a couple of people ask me to make web sites with them and asked him if he’d like to help build a new web design company with me. Neither one of us had any experience doing so, but that also meant we weren’t afraid to try. When the call center gig ran out, we both started working on the web design business, Watershawl, full time. It was a blast, but our lack of experience caught up with us and I had to let him go. I was now on my own, sustaining the business by myself. I would meet with clients, pitch them websites, and about half of the time, get turned down. Eventually I branched into computer repair, but over time, moved into more of a consulting role.

    Today, I can safely look back and say that I’m glad that I did it, that I learned alot, but it ultimately was just a stepping stone for what I really liked doing, which was building web sites to promote products for a commission, otherwise known as affiliate marketing. I write all about affiliate marketing success at my eRich Online blog. The things I learned about web design, SEO, marketing, and promotion for my customers I’ve been able to apply for my Internet marketing business where I get paid to promote products. One of the funnest parts for me is discovering profitable micro-niches, which are subsets of a niche, which is a subset of a market. The key is to find a product with high interest and traffic, but low competition. I know you’re probably thinking that all of the niches have been explored and exploited, but there are millions of micro-niches out there and new ones being created every day. For example, Farmville, the flash game on Facebook, wasn’t around 5 years ago, but it’s a huge niche market now. It even has it’s own magazine! You can learn on your own and sometimes that’s the best way, but if you’re like me, you’ll want help in learning how to do Internet marketing.

    Oh, one more thing, I mentioned that I quit my job today. I did, actually, which really scared my wife, but we have been planning for this day for a long time, we know what it takes to be successful, and we trust in God to provide for our needs. Before I start the day or begin to work, I pray for guidance from the Lord. God is the foundation of my life, my family, and my business. Before I started this work session, I searched for a bible verse about work. I came across Collossians 3:23-24 which says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” In other words, Jesus is my boss – whether I work for a major corporation or myself I need to be working as if for the Lord. And just as I have meetings with my earthly bosses to get guidance and feedback, I am having meetings, through prayer and meditation, with the Lord, my boss.

  • How to Survive the Summer Slump

    There’s an old saying, “You can plant a tree any month with an ‘r’ in it,” which means you’ll have the most success during the months with more naturally occurring rainfall. Of course you can plant trees any month of the year (as long as the ground is not frozen), but from May to August you’re going to have to water the trees to keep them alive. The same thing is true for building up an Internet business because if traffic is rain, then it ‘rains’ the least in months without an ‘r’ in them, which may explain why September traditionally sees the most traffic and is the most productive month. The correlation between traffic and productivity is thought to be because people are getting ‘back to work’ and feeling refreshed after the many events and vacations they took over the summer. Taken a step further, the reason for the down-turn in Internet traffic is probably due to those same events and vacations – and generally people are inside less. Yes, people browse the Internet on their phones, but most Internet (non app) purchases are made from a traditional computer browser.

    So what does that mean for Internet marketers?

    The first step is to recognise what is happening. You can’t and won’t change human behavior, but you can do two things to help keep your business from experiencing a summer slump:

    1. Build during the down time.
    2. Build for the down time.

    Build during the summer for fall, winter, and spring sales

    If most to all of your traffic is organic, you’re going to want to build and backlink before you expect the most sales. It doesn’t make sense to build and launch a new web site or product for Christmas in December. There is just not enough time to become a market leader. However, if you had built for Christmas during the summer, you would be poised for success come December.

    Build web sites or products specifically for the summer down times

    You may have heard of the Internet marketing term, “evergreen markets”, which means markets that are always in season. Commodities like food and energy are good examples, but evergreen markets are susceptible to downturns in overall traffic, so building a ‘summer niche’ during the winter months is recommended for riding out the summer slump. Some ideas include travel, outdoor sporting equipment, camping gear, or clothing.

  • Ever Wondered How to Start Your Own Web Design Business?

    Every business starts with an idea. That idea may come from you or from someone asking you to do their idea, but it all starts with an idea. Four years ago I had the idea to start my own web design business because friends and family kept asking me to develop web sites for them. I wasn’t really interested in it at first, but once I started getting more clients, I was hooked – especially when I saw the paychecks come in, but I had a rocky start. I wished there was someone there to help me get started when I was starting up.

    Have you ever considered starting your own web design business?

    It may seem simple at first. Setup a website, show off your portfolio, do a little marketing and boom – clients, work, and cash, but as you know it’s usually not that easy. For example, do you know whether or not you need to be incorporated or what contracts to use after you’ve made the sale? Have you outlined exactly how you are going to work, or even what you plan to do once you start working? What if there was a way that you could learn how to secure more clients, and follow a more professional and repeatable approach with each client? What if you could eliminate all the doubts and worries and stop wasting valuable time and money getting burnt by clients who dont pay or won’t convert. What if I told you I found someone who has not only gone through all of this, but bundled it up for others to learn as well? Instantly download this comprehensive kit on how to start a web design business that will not only save you time, but improve your chances of establishing a highly lucrative web-based business you can run from your home.

  • White Roofs, Cool Savings

    Did you know that painting a roof white can save money on cooling costs? We’ll explain how this process works and which paints are most effective. And as legislators and architects embrace
    the idea that building design has a huge impact on energy consumption and sustainability, white roof coatings will become more and more mainstream. However, building owners sometimes do not appreciate the immediate benefits of white roof coatings and convincing them of their value is part of what we will be covering. One of the best approaches is to combine two arguments: energy savings and the extension of roof life cycle. In the latter case, white coatings protect membranes with a chemical barrier and reflect sunlight, both of which contribute to a longer roof life cycle. The primary benefit, of course, is that the reflection of solar radiation significantly lowers air-conditioning costs, especially during hot summers in temperate climates and year-round in warmer climates.

    In roof design, a cool roof is a roofing system that can deliver high solar reflectance (the ability to reflect the visible, infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths of the sun, reducing heat transfer to the building) and high thermal emittance (the ability to radiate absorbed, or non-reflected solar energy). Most cool roofs are white or other light colors, which naturally reflect light. Silver-colored zinc-galvanized sheeting does not reflect heat as well as the color of white because metallic surfaces fail to emit infrared back to the sky. The opposite is also true. Dark colors like black naturally absorb the most heat, which is why black roofs and asphalt drives get so hot in the summer. Cool white roofs enhance roof durability and reduce both building cooling loads and the urban heat island effect.

    Cool white roofs are not only great for urban environments in America, but are an effective alternative to bulk attic insulation under roofs in humid tropical and subtropical climates. Bulk insulation, in these situations, can be entirely replaced by roofing systems that both reflect solar radiation and provide emission to the sky. This dual function is crucial, and relies on the performance of cool roof materials in both the visible spectrum (which needs to be reflected) and far infra-red which needs to be emitted.

    Cool roof can also be used as a geoengineering technique to tackle global warming based on the principle of solar radiation management, provided that the materials used not only reflect solar energy, but also emit infra-red radiation to cool the planet. This technique can give between 0.01-0.19 W/m2 of globally averaged negative forcing, depending on whether cities or all settlements are so treated. This is generally small when compared to the 3.7 W/m2 of positive forcing from a doubling of CO2. However, in many cases it can be achieved at little or no cost by simply selecting different materials. Further, it can reduce the need for air conditioning, which causes CO2 emissions which studies have shown worsen global warming. For this reason alone it is still demonstrably worth pursuing as a geoengineering technique.