Nice detail from an article in www.startups.co.uk

Selling is easy summary in a few Key Words: Empathy, Enthusiasm, Belief, Communication

Anybody can sell, it’s just a matter of finding a way that suits you. You just need enthusiasm for what your business is offering, and the ability to communicate that belief in your product to potential customers. Working out what your customers need and being able to provide it for them is the foundation of any small business.

I needed to pick a new graphics card and take Emilia (now 7 weeks old) out so I nipped into PC world. Turns out their graphics cards are literally 100% more expensive than they are online - though they have a new Mac section with internet connections so I could compare the price instore & online

Anyway, as I was wondering around I noticed a point of sale featuring the mugshot of Peter Jones along with 3 different versions of his ‘online business builder’ - each version is really a different subscription amount, 1, 3 and 12 months. The DVD case I assume contains a subscription code to be entered online. Which is how Woosabi would be sold via VARs.

What’s interesting is that the product ‘looks’ like it’s competiting with Woosabi but on closer inspection it seems it’s an online ’support’ system with some payroll and business plan makers. Here’s the website

There are two things that struck me:

Firstly, considering how much of a bully Peter Jones is on TV with regard to people ‘not having thought things through’ and how he’s constantly reminding us that he’s got a team of techies that can build websites and apps, his website’s presentation is terrible; absolutely awful. He might be ‘good TV’ but if he signed off on that site and box art I wouldn’t let him near Woosabi in a million years.

Secondly, it’s reminded me that there is great scope to provide a ‘Professional Services’ module via Woosabi to allow startups to access local accountants, legal help and HR advice.

Thirdly, we are going to release something very special that will be very big. Really!

Spotted this excellent article in the latest issue of Wired Magazine.

Thanks to Gillette, the idea that you can make money by giving something away is no longer radical. But until recently, practically everything “free” was really just the result of what economists would call a cross-subsidy: You’d get one thing free if you bought another, or you’d get a product free only if you paid for a service.

Over the past decade, however, a different sort of free has emerged. The new model is based not on cross-subsidies — the shifting of costs from one product to another — but on the fact that the cost of products themselves is falling fast. It’s as if the price of steel had dropped so close to zero that King Gillette could give away both razor and blade, and make his money on something else entirely. (Shaving cream?)

Read the entire article here: http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/16-03/ff_free

In my capacity as a Business Consultant, I was asked by a major Paper Manufacturer, SCA Ltd, to represent the organisation in speaking at three important seminars at the Annual Infection Control Event @ The Barbican, London. The 300+ audience was a combination of Healthcare Practitioners, NHS Trust Directors, Microbiologist Educators and Government Health depts. I shared a platform with, among others the Chief Exec of the UK Healthcare Commission and  world leader in Microbiology Professor. The other speakers brief was, clear, if not simple, to inform of developments in microbiology that will help combat over 5,000 deaths and +£1bn costs per year in the NHS UK directly attributable to Hospital acquired Infection. My brief? To discuss the Public & Private sectors Working Together to Improve Patient Care…..and as the last speaker…..after other speeches on death, disease and bankruptcy….I had to make my presentation - informative, educational and amusing!!!!…so I thought “when in doubt, fall back on my training”….techniques such as

“tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em,

tell ‘em,

tell ‘em what you just told ‘em” …..plus …..”AIDA”……

Did it work? Well I survived and I had reasonable applause (polite or not I was grateful!!)…so….make your mind up…I’ve attached the presentation…might be a little cold…(my excuse is “you had to be there!”)….see if you can spot “tell ‘em  etc + AIDA”

1. Seth Godin video - pretty inspirational stuff - a great exponent of the AIDA principle - AIDA in action!

2. MSoft small business software - agree with Dan B, woo need to get a move on!…but also worth asking (after visiting the site) have they been following woosabi’s development ???!!! A few remarkably similar features…makes me feel very good about the Woosabi product…I realise that members of the Woo team are sometimes reluctant to SHOUT that it’s “Woosabi v Microsoft” but on this new evidence, I think we should really consider SHOUTING Woosabi is here!…and taking an even more innovative approach than M/S (eg MBE, prescriptive, invoicing + many more essential small business features) in its offering to new start up businesses …Woosabi v Microsoft…has a nice ring to it!

With the rapid growth in “Web Sales” what future is there for the traditional bag-carrying, door-knocking, store-counter sales person? My opinion is that the Web will change for ever the Transactional Selling “real-life person” approach that dominates the High St, Retail, Wholesale market places today with regard to what is considered “commodity products or consumables”. The WEB becomes the “virtual” Transactional method of selling. What will happen to the armies of these Transactional sales people? Is this the end for the “real sales” person as we know + love him or her? mmmmmmmmmmm…..got to think about this one. Do they need to consider other selling approaches eg Enterprise or Consultative Sales? If they do, are they able to make the change? Interesting article on Transactional v Enterprise selling approaches http://ezinearticles.com/?Models-of-Selling:–Enterprise-vs.-Transactional&id=135524

Hey woocrew!

Something we should perhaps consider. I have a friend starting a charity which quite cleraly will need a level of CRM.

Perhaps a nice feature to think about would be if Woosabi offered a ‘10% discount for any Non-Profit organization and/or Charity’

Food for thought!