ZKQ Blog

Goodbye, Billy Mays--May your lessons live on

Billy Mays died Sunday at the age of 50. While I seriously doubt television networks, even those dedicated to selling such as QVC or HSN, will run a tribute to the ultimate “pitch man.” Most likely, he won't even receive even a hundredth of the fanfare the passing of Michael Jackson, also 50, has received, however, Billy's presence will still be greatly missed. Television will be void of his charismatic personality, his booming voice and the infamous infomercial catch phrase, “But, wait...”

As someone who grew up in a family of sales professionals, I always saw Billy as someone I could learn from. And, while neither my present, or my future, is likely to include becoming a TV personality or front-man (woman), I understand that as long as I'm in business, I'm in sales.

Just recently, a new-to-market entrepreneur asked me if I thought someone would enjoy selling his product. I immediately felt the weight of the question. What good is a good product if you can't sell it or find the right person to sell it? Billy Mays knew how to do just that and he did so with passion, and integrity. He may be gone, but wait...we can still study his technique and learn from his example.

Picnik Happy

Last Christmas my daughter received a photo album from her best friend filled with photos of the good times they shared during the year. The photos were wonderful and many had captions printed at the bottom or across the top. I asked how this was done and the girls told me about Picnik.com, an online graphics program.

Quick as a click, I was on their site. Picnik was so easy to use, I was immediately hooked and, as with any addiction, I wanted more. Within two days of using the free version of the software, I paid $24.95 to upgrade to the premium version. There's no software to install, the upgrade provides access to the premium features which include: additional photo enhancements, a tool for making collages, and, literally, lots of other really cool stuff.

I'm no graphic artist but between my work as writer, blogger, ebayer and my life as a parent, I take a lot of pictures. The ability to enhance my work so easily with Picnik has increased, not only my graphic output, but has added greatly to the fun in making images to accompany my words.

Below is an example of a before and after of a cloud-scape adapted to fit the topic of "going green" in the area of Cloud Computing.

Before Picnik - Original photo

 

After Picnik - edited using the "Mirrored Frames" feature

The enhanced photo was a perfect accompaniment to the post that appeared on Handshake 2.0 --
Cloud Computing = Green Computing.

Next time you're hungry for a fun and easy to use graphic editing tool, pack a Picnik.

Taking the Plunge with the Stylus Tough

I've had the Olympus Stylus Tough 6000 digital camera for about two weeks and though it's named "tough" I've treated it like a baby. I have not dropped it or bumped it, let alone put it in water.

My kids, whose built-in logic could rival that of the first UNIVAC, reasoned "it says it's waterproof right on the camera--why can't we put it in the pool?" 

We took the plunge and, boy-oh-boy, what fun it is to use an underwater camera! It even shoots movies underwater! I created this collage using Picnik. We'll shoot more this afternoon when the sun is bright and more kids are coming over. The bottom line logic--the more I use the Stylus Tough, the more I like it.

 

First Photos with Olympus Stylus Tough 6000

I received a loaner Olympus Stylus Tough 6000 a little over a week ago. Olympus has proven it's kid-proof, now we're going to find out if it's mom-proof, or more specifically "kelly-proof."  So far so good. I have not left it on the luggage rack of my car like I once did to my cell phone (Nokia makes a very tough phone).

My first shots were for business. Even though writing is my forte, I am often called upon to take photographs while working a story. UniversityGolf Gloves, a new line of golf gloves featuring collegiate branding was the topic last week. The articles and photographs appeared on Handshake 2.0, here are the photos and links to the articles:

Golfer Sports Virginia Tech-Branded Golf Glove

 

For the second article, I created a collage using Picnik to showcase the close-up of the glove and its use. I really liked the way the camera automatically focused on the "VT" on the glove close-up. With respect to the colors, I was shooting right at noon, which is about the worst time of day to take a photo outside (before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. are best), but after a week of rain and rescheduling, we went with availability. I was pleased with the results and have to attribute this to the Stylus Tough.

UniversityGolf Gloves: A Perfect Fit

From Business Cards to the Blackberry

When I read Fortune editor at large Patricia Sellers' post "Blackberry and me: a tipping point" I felt an instant connection to her as she reported her realization that certain tools of the trade are simply must-haves in business.

For Sellers, it was the Blackberry and the reason she needed one became painfully obvious when schedules for the people she was covering at the White House shifted and there was no way for them to reach her.

She wrote in her post: "It dawned on me that these people are working their butts off to save America from swine flu — which was the crisis of the day that I visited — and financial meltdown, and I’m inconveniencing them by resisting basic technology. How rude of me."

I recently reached my tipping point with respect to business cards. I kept putting off ordering cards, though as a freelance writer, I was doing my share of in-person interviews and networking. As someone with a passion for technology, I really thought the time had come when business cards were no longer necessary. Not so. I, like Sellers, was inconveniencing the people I met. 

Matt Singly, social media consultant and blogger, outlines the complete set of tools he finds necessary to do business in today's world in his post: How To: Run A Mobile Office.

In addition to "old school" items such as business cards, a notebook and pen, some things on his list also include: a cell phone with QWERTY keyboard, a good laptop, and online services such as Dropbox, a file-sharing service that allows you to access your proposals from any computer, and SpinVox, a tool that converts voice-mail to an SMS (text) message sent to your cell phone which means important message will not get missed.

Like Summers, I don't want to inconvenience the people I want to work with and, like Singly, I don't want to be ill-prepared or lacking in the tools that will make me successful no matter where I'm working. I've already come to the conclusion that I'm a Blackberry (as is my editor, see her post: I Drive a Honda. I'm a Blackberry, Too) and, just last month, I ordered business cards.

My next steps, then, are to review Singly's list and using my pen, write down on my notepad everything else I'm missing to be better prepared to do business anywhere and everywhere.

I Drive a Subaru. I'm a Blackberry.

I've been thinking about getting a Blackberry, but iPhone commercials on television tempt me. So, how does one decide? The gadget or the network? New cool or industry standard?

For some, the answer is crystal clear: if you're a Mac, then you're probably an iPhone, which also means your network is decided for you. AT&T sells both the Blackberry and iPhone but is the only service provider for the iPhone.

According to Jason Tice, "It's the network." Jason owns two Wireless Zone stores in Blacksburg, Virginia. “A phone is only going to be as good as the network that serves it.”

He represents the Verizon Wireless Network. “I don't say that because I sell it; I sell it because I can say that.”

 Jason recommends the Blackberry Curve. He refers to his Blackberry Curve as “utilitarian” and tells me it's the best phone he's ever used. Having been in the cell phone biz since 1999, he's tried out quite a few phones.

He particularly likes the well-established “email push” as well as the Blackberry Browser, though notes that he has customers who own both an iPhone and a Blackberry.

Currently, at the Wireless Zone, the Blackberry Curve is outselling the Blackberry Storm, which Tice says is the most fully-functional of the Blackberry Family.

You had me at "utilitarian." I drive a Subaru. I must be a Blackberry.

Compare the specs at these sites:

iPhone:
http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html

Blackberry Curve:
http://www.blackberry.com/blackberrycurve/

Blackberry Storm:
http://www.blackberry.com/blackberrystorm/

Chris Brogan Rocks

If I told my kids I that occasionally I get the opportunity to interview the rock stars of Web 2.0, they would perform a collective eye-roll and ask, "Why can't you get an interview with a real rock star, like Steven Tyler?" Yea, it's hard to be a parent sometimes, especially when you fail to live up to your kids' expectations. They already think I'm a geek and addicted to computers (like they're not!).

Forget the labels and the genre, any time someone takes a moment of precious time to answer your question thoughtfully and sincerely, you're the one who ends up feeling like a star.

Chris Brogan, social media strategist, answered some of my questions for an article published on Handshake 2.0 about fellow web celeb, Robert Scoble.

Thank you, Chris Brogan. You rock!

Olympus Stylus Tough Video Wrap Up

Olympus wrapped up the month of May with Episodes 9 and 10 of the Olympus Stylus Tough video series.

In Episode 9: "Danceproof," Olympus proves their camera can not only capture the moves, but take the moves as well:

Like any good sequel, Episode 10 fills in the blanks and adds to the fun!

Olympus is sending me a loaner camera to evaluate. I wrote about this and the power of social media in a recent post on Handshake 2.0 (Olympus Clicks with Social Media and Me). While I probably won't drive a trike over it, I do look forward to the experience of taking pictures and video with the Stylus Tough. They've proven it is kidproof, I'll find out if it's momproof!

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Disclaimer: I'm not paid to write about Olympus, but my earlier post, "Market to Me, Mother of Kids," initiated a dialog between us and I've become quite curious about the depths of abuse the Stylus Tough camera can endure. So, stay tuned. The saga continues.