Find People And Things, Market Right And Keep Chargers Simple
By Terry L. Brock
Technology continues to make our lives easier and better. When it is used properly it can help us find lost things — and people. It can also make life better for customers and marketers. Also, with the right technology you can simplify all those wonderful devices (cell phones, computers, cameras, etc. that you like to have with you.
This week we look at two technologies which can help you make life easier and provide more peace of mind. We also look at one technology that is marketing their services in an innovative way that shows how to serve customers better and increase profits.
Locate Important Things — And People
ZoomBak provides a technology to help you locate things and people if they are lost. This technology consists of a small box — think matchbox size — which can be hidden in objects you don’t want to lose. If that object wanders outside your predesignated area, you get a text message, email or both. No need for cell phones, etc. It can let you know precisely where the person (or even your dog) is if they leave your preset safety zone.
Yes, we know your children really, really, really (notice the emphasis) went to the library for that 4 hour stretch. Uh huh! However, you notice that the car actually was at their friend’s house for about 15 minutes then over at the local mall for 3 hours. Zoombak acts as your private eyes when you cant be there.
ZoomBak can be used in a business context with company cars and tracking. It can also be used in other objects. Just position it there and the GPS takes over sending out the signal to make sure it is tracked properly.
This is an example of how technology can make life easier and simpler — not to mention potentially safer.
(ZoomBak, http://www.zoombak.com/, prices vary from $199.99 – $249.99 plus monthly service fees, depending on plan)
iGo— Simplify Your Charging
I love useful technology gadgets. I love my iPhone, iPod and portable MacBook Pro. Yet to charge them all, I have carried a boatload of wires and larger chargers. When I carry everything on board that makes for a heavy roller cart. Checking them through increases the weight and the likelihood of being assessed extra weight fees for luggage by the airlines. (As I side note: How come as gas prices fell, the airlines didn’t revoke the extra-luggage weight fees they imposed when gas prices were so high? Just wondering).
Today with the iGo everywhere MAX, you can carry one charger and all your devices, including your laptop, for ease of charging — under certain conditions. I’ll tell you those conditions in a moment, but the concept is brilliant. You can charge not only your Treo, Blackberry, iPod and other small devices, but also your laptop. This can make traveling much easier. Now you can charge your laptop and one other device with this new technology.
The caveat is that it doesn’t work with all devices. They have a few hundred they support and the company has done a marvelous job with that. However, for me, they don’t have the authorization from Apple to charge my MacBook Pro. This is Apple’s problem, not iGo, but it still hits me as a MacBook Pro user.
This everywhere MAX device is worth investigating if you have an iGo supported laptop computer and another device (like your Blackberry, Treo, etc.). Check with iGo before purchasing it to make sure your particular devices are supported.
(iGo everywhere MAX, $139.99, www.igo.com)
fyretv.Com How To Market Today
I’m a student of Marketing. I love seeing innovative ways to market. One of the leaders in marketing has been the adult ivideo industry with their marketing on video, then DVD and now over the Net. I had the chance to look at a company recently that shows a pioneering way to market.
It is called fyretv.com and they provide a service that can teach all of us Marketers some important lessons. They provide a box that hooks up to your cable, or to the Internet, to download content on a monthly basis. For $9.95 each month (the box is free) you can download up to 100 hours of content. Additional hours run $9.95 for up to 100 additional minutes.
By providing the box for free they create a desire for retention. Fyretv also provides up selling by offering premium content and specials for loyal customers. The images are DVD quality and provided streaming. This means no nicks or chips on a rented DVD.
This is the way to go for the future. Not only is it easy to use, downloads are fast (depending on your connection speed) and the service is affordable. All businesses can learn from this approach to provide content through a free device that charges a monthly fee. Once you have a loyal base of users, you want to keep them happy and work towards enhancing their experiences and purchasing history with you. This is how to market in this economy and into the future. (www.fyretv.com – $9.95/month, adult content over the Net or CableTV )
Copyright © 2009, Terry Brock and Achievement Systems, Inc. Terry Brock is an international marketing coach and professional speaker who helps businesses generate profitable results. He can be reached at 407-363-0505, by e-mail at terry@terrybrock.com or through his website at www.terrybrock.com.
