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We’ll Always

November 30, 2011 By

There are a few ideas that I have about improving Simplifilm.

First – that I’m always going to find the best clients I can.  That has meant – even when in August – we were booked out 7 months…that we were looking for new clients. Because we knew eventually we’d need them, and some times the sales cycle is a week.  Other times the sales cycle is 3 months.

Still more often, people think they have a deadline, but what they really need is a nearly magical video.

I was looking for clients then – when we had plenty to do – and now, I have probably nearly 6 figures that I can harvest from that.   More connections than I need.  The fact that I was looking for clients – even when we couldn’t help – means that I’m first in line with a lot of great people and companies.

And my competition, bless their hearts, aren’t.

It recently occurred to me that there were more things that we could – and should be doing.  For example: we should always be recruiting talent.  Even when we don’t have projects.  Even when we don’t have something to start on.

We got extraordinarily lucky when we got our first great finds, and we (I) didn’t know how hard it would be to find people at the level we are after.

So here are things we’ll always do – every week…

  • Recruit Writers
  • Recruit Animators
  • Find Clients
  • Blog
  • Look for trade shows.
  • Talk to Journalists
  • Connect people together (for free, because we should)
This is what we’re going to do always it’s the work/glue behind what we do.
Now, personally, there’s an “always” set of things:
  • Read
  • Write
  • Run
  • Express Gratitude

Filed Under: Application, Business Models, Sales Tagged With: ,

Microsoft’s Apple Tax: What An Asinine Campaign.

April 10, 2009 By

I’m a Mac user.  Switched in August.  Never, ever going back.  I’m more than competent using a PC, but i’ll never go back voluntarily.   The frustration ended, and I saw a productivity gain of about 35%.

Microsoft’s marketing  people have come up with a new concept: the apple tax. They are showing a (modestly inflated) version of the how much more expensive apples are.  I don’t dispute that.  Apples are more.  And they are worth it.  Every single penny.   Microsoft is picking the wrong fight by trying for a race to the bottom.  If you are earning $50 an hour…and are 20% better…you can increase your rate 20%, bill your clients 20% more, and make 10 (20% of 50) * 2,000  = $20,000 more each year.

They make no claim that they are better.

Microsoft states that you’ll pay $3,367 over five years on their “apple tax return” document by using 2 pcs over 2 macs.  (This is WITH mobile me, a useless and expensive service that costs $700+/year.  This is $1683.50 per seat…over five years.   I don’t hate windows.  But it’s a BARGAIN to only have to pay that much.  Seriously.  5 years?  $336.67 a year?   $28 bucks a month?  To use a MAC that doesn’t suck? DEAL!  I’m in.  It’s a bargain even with their inflated numbers.

Notice: MS doesn’t attempt to make the argument that they’re as cool as, as good as, as easy to use as a mac.  They don’t fight that battle, saying instead, “they’re cheaper.”   Well, everything works a smidge better.  Firefox running google aps feels like a destkop ap on the MAC and even on a comparable PC with good horsepower, gDocs still feels like a web ap.

You’re telling me for just–at most–$28 bucks a month, I get to use spotlight, I get to not deal with stupid crashes, I get to use a mac that thinks about like me?  And I don’t have to deal with Vista?  And I get to be part of that club that helps each other out, and has set themselves apart?   Hell, even with my IRS problems, I’m in.  Pick another line of reasoning MS.

You want to appeal to my analytical side?  It’s $28 bucks a month to not have to deal with registry garbage, to not have to be locked into your .docx hell.  Done deal.  Thanks for reminding me how much better I have it for such a little extra money.

How stressful is it to deal with a computer that is mercurial and unpredictable as all Windows Vista PCs are?

What about the things that you can’t do on a PC, like use Keynote to grind out videos FAST?

What’s the PC equivalent to the layering goodness that is Imovie?  Movie maker?  That thing?  With the 1990′s interface?  Puh-leaze.

Oh, where is visual hub for the PC?

Where is snapz?  Are you thinking camtasia?  Heh.

Microsoft, you’re just reminding us on this side how good we have it.  I’m glad that you’ve done the math, even accepting your (inflated) numbers, I win.

Filed Under: Business Building, Products, Projects and Process Tagged With: ,