Image via Wikipedia [Looking for the frame for #UsGuysChat on 8/29/11? You are in the right place! We're dissecting "Brand Confusion," with our friend John Red Stone as our first example.] John Red Stone (real person, but not his real name) is full-blooded Navajo. He is also a gifted musician bringing the richness of traditional…
Can Social Media Help You Sell to the C-Suite?
By Ken RosenWhat is the role of social media as a sales channel to reach C-level executives and other corporate VPs? This is our Twitter chat topic for #UsGuysChat on Monday, May 16 at noon PDT, 3pm EDT. I realize some will hate the very premise of the question. A vocal group asserts: Permission-based mediums…
Speak Your Audience’s Language…or Shut Up
Hai! This Japanese word for “Yes” may be the most famous international communication error in U.S. business folklore. The tale, of course, is Americans say “Yes” when they agree. But Japanese say “Hai” when they understand the speaker…even if they disagree. Many the proverbial American thought they had agreement with Japanese partners only to realize…
Trouble with Twitter
Twitter. Egad. Yet another tool people love to hate. From parodies of the service to “hilarious” fake bios, we can almost hear Yogi Berra saying, “it has so many people using it, no one uses it anymore.” Yet out of a nearly blank slate, experiments reign supreme. If you’re unfamiliar with Twitter, all that matters…
It’s Time to Reinvent Live Networking
By Ken Rosen and Ron Weissman You’re busy. I know. Me too. And I suspect for both of us, it’s getting harder to convince us to leave our office to travel to live events? Why? The content is usually available online. And networking opportunities with wonderful, thoughtful, senior people are at our fingertips with tools…
Artificial Reefs for People: Creating Commerce…from Nothing
By Ken RosenUntil 2006, the waters 22.5 miles off the coast of Pensacola Florida were like most coastal waters: empty—a wet desert. It wasn’t dead, but you weren’t likely to see Florida’s popular snapper or amberjack patrolling the waters, let alone a mini-industry of divers and fisherman out for a weekend thrill. Then it all…
VCs are from Mars, CEOs are from Venus: Bridging The Investor/Entrepreneur Gap (Part 2)
If I had a nickel… By Ron Weissman When we last tuned in, a first time CEO had struck out in his latest attempt to pitch his networking company to a jaded VC. Why? The entrepreneur didn’t have a clue as to how to tell the story the investor needed to hear. How should the…
VCs are from Mars, CEOs are from Venus: Bridging The Investor/Entrepreneur Gap (Part 1)
If I had a nickel… By Ron Weissman Why do some first-time CEOs find it hard to get to first base with investors? The product storythat CEOs want to tell has often little to do with the business story that investors need to hear before they will invest. Product or engineering-driven CEOs new to the VC world plea:…
Your Customers Prefer Their Phone to Your Employees: Part II
By Ken RosenOur last post scratched at the implications of this shocking stat from a 10-country, Accenture study: 73% of shoppers [owning smartphones] prefer using their smartphone to handle simple tasks in-store. Only 15% prefer to interact with an employee. [Thanks to Ian Greenleigh (@be3d) for pointing out the study during a Twitter chat (#socialmedia,…
Your Customers Prefer Their Phone to Your Employees: Part I
By Ken Rosen Every once in a while, I get shocked in a Twitter chat. Today, it was: 73% of shoppers [owning smartphones] prefer using their smartphone to handle simple tasks in-store. Only 15% prefer to interact with an employee. The source is Ian Greenleigh (@be3d) (thank you Ian), who was quoting an Accenture…
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Ron Weissman: Ron, a frequent commentator on all things venture-related, is a Silicon Valley venture capitalist and angel investor. He has served on >25 early stage boards and advised or invested in >50 startups. He focuses on business software, with a special emphasis on SaaS, text technologies, analytics and Health IT. At Performance Works, he assists venture backed companies and firms seeking venture or angel capital in strategy, operational performance, marketing and fundraising.
Ken Rosen: Ken is a serial Marketing VP and entrepreneur. His passion is understanding audiences to deliver products, services, and communications that change behavior. His strategy work with clients often includes target market selection, positioning, and team development. Ken is a co-Founder and Managing Partner at Performance Works.
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