Strategies to Succeed-Its Online!

If you don't subscribe to the NY Times--the link won't work, but yesterday's article in the Small Business section is worth excerpting:

"These days, a Web site may not even be the best place to start promoting your products or services. Instead, you can consider setting up a blog, participating in social-networking communities like Facebook and creating a storefront in virtual worlds like Second Life to get the buzz going.

“We launched our company in May 2006 with a blog, not a Web site,” said Jody DeVere, the president of AskPatty.com, an advice site that helps women find car showrooms and repair shops that are friendly to them. “Our blog has been the driving force of our branding effort and become the way we find our readers and our customers.”

Earlier this year, AskPatty created a virtual coffee shop at the online community site Second Life, where people can swap tips and stories. That move turned out to be a gold mine for the company. “The women in Second Life are the ultimate power Internet users, and are very comfortable doing business online,” Ms. DeVere said. “Plus, it is a very cost-effective way to reach lots of people.”

The Race is on in Hand Sanitizers

A little followed battle is breaking out in the $250 million a year hand sanitizer market place. And we could be wrong about the US market size, it might be as much as $500 million when considering the institutional market.

The battle heating up is about a new technology that could displace the primary ingredient used in 99% of all hand sanitizers...we're talking about the alcohol. The base ingridient in Purell Germx and Ecolab products. These 3 brands own 75% of the marketplace.

Whoever can crack this space will very likely become soapopular.

Ford Advertising-Intelligent??

I just saw a Ford ad on TV promoting the Lincoln Navigator---which included a mention that the car has 'intelligent 4 wheel drive"

I can hear comedian Jack Black now...

"Who came up with the word "intelligent????

Is there such a thing as an "intelligent" 4 wheel drive? And does that mean some 4 wheel drives are stupid?? And are there others that are totally, f--ing moronic??

What's next? Is Mercedes or BMW going to top it with "exceptionally intelligent "4 wheel drive"??? Or, "the smartest 4 wheel drive"?

Thanks Ford! That's what you get for making the former CEO of a airplane manufacturer the head of your turnaround campaign.