3 thoughts for the week of January 25, 2010 (Apple Tablet rumors, social media skeptics and safe vs. right)

January 26, 2010/3thought/Last Updated January 6, 2013

Slingshot

  1. Tomorrow is the big day, and Matt can hardly contain himself. And apparently neither can the rest of tech media. Don’t know why tomorrow, January 27, 2010, is such a big deal? Tomorrow, Apple is scheduled to make a “big announcement,” and the general consensus is that this announcement centers around the long anticipated Apple tablet. Dubbed the iTablet, or the iSlate or even the iPad. This device could be a game changer in personal media integration. A Tech Crunch story has Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple saying “It’s the most important thing I’ve ever done.” Our interest is definitely peaked.Check out “Matt’s predictions for the iTablet”For further reading, try:
    Fast Company “Why the Apple Tablet is a Games Changer”
    Engadget “The Apple Tablet: a complete history supposedly“
  2. True of False: Your organization has implemented a social media plan for 2010. If you answered false, it’s time to get on the band wagon people. Social media is not longer this new-fangled toy that techies, celebrities and marketers are trying out. It is an integrated part of business involved in everything from PR to customer support. So, we have to ask, what’s holding you back? Perhaps it’s not you. Perhaps it’s someone higher up that might be a bit more resistant. Well, we have tracked down some resources to help you with some well-informed persuasion:”Twelve Ways to Sell Social Media to Your Boss” by @ChrisBrogan
    “How to Convince Your Boss to Twitter”
    “How to convince your skeptical boss that social media has merit”

    And if those don’t work, here is the ultimate list of “How to Sell Social Media to Cynics, Skeptic and Luddites”

  3. There’s an unwritten rule for designers, copywriters and marketing strategists that says “Never show a client a concept that you are not 100% excited about, because that’s the concept they are going to choose.” Now, why would we show clients something we aren’t 100% behind? Well, lots of reasons: we promised X number of comps, or we feel we need to show more variety, or we think it will make the concept that we do love look so superior their is no way the client will pick it. The next question is Why does the client pick the concept we don’t like? More often than not, that concept is the safe one. It is the idea that doesn’t break any new ground, doesn’t stand out, and runs no chance of ruffling any feathers. People like safe. By definition, it makes us comfortable. Think of the safe approach as a limp rubber band sitting on your desk – completely benign and easily overlooked. Now, imagine the same rubber band stretched as far as it can as part of sling shot. It’s full of potential energy. It makes you a little uneasy, but it’s full of power. You see that coming your way and you pay attention. The work that gets us excited has that energy. So, the next time you are making the safe choice, take a moment and consider if it is really the right choice.
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