bizthreads.net: Business Information for Entrepreneurs by an Entrepreneur

Unless you've been under a rock lately, you've probably heard about Google in the news. The bigger you are, the better target you make, I suppose. Or, the bigger you are, the more people notice what you do.

Recently, Google made two announcements that make me stop and think. I believe what they're talking about will change the face of business for many entrepreneurs.

The first announcement was about gDrive, which is essentially an online hard drive. That way, instead of storing your files, pictures, video, etc. on our computer at home, you only need a basic CPU and an Internet connection because all of your files will be stored online. There's plenty of debate over whether this will actually happen (and privacy pundits will balk at the idea of keeping your stuff in the ether) but I think Google's multi-billion dollar war chest will allow it to create one if it wants. It's still in the future.

Another news clip has Google building something exciting in the present. They recently purchased a program called Writely www.writely.com which is a web-based word processor. (Think Word, but online). You can create, store, and share documents anywhere.

As an entrepreneur, I'm excited about that possibility. I do a little traveling in my business but I know small business owners who travel to stay in business! An online word processor helps them work without using up a lot of laptop memory. What's more, you don't have to worry about compatibility when you switch from one computer to another: as long as you have a screen and a standard English or “QWERTY” keyboard, you're ready to go.

I think Google is considering its future as a search provider and it's realizing that it has the capability to be so much more, so it's looking to create an online office which will make business accessible to anyone, anywhere.

Websites of Interest: Mesothelioma Video

Shocked by the title? You should be. Shock sells. (Did you see the title and click to view the blog?)

If you're advertising just like everyone else, your advertising stinks. Before you say to me, “Buzz, what a terrible thing to say” think about what makes you take notice of an advertisement.

Consumers are so media-savvy now that we bypass anything that resembles run-of-the-mill advertising. We just completely ignore it. In fact, I read a statistic in BuzzMarketing that people only watch a commercial once. If they've seen it, they'll turn the channel. This has prompted advertisers to film a commercial and show it only once. That's expensive.

Who else advertises with shock?

Howard Stern is hated by many… and yet has a devoted fan base because of that shock.
The Rich Jerk e-book insults its readers… and outsells most other e-books.

What got me thinking about this was some research I was doing on Google AdWords. I typed “AdWords” into Google and one of the AdWords read “You are Stupid.”

There were ten AdWords on that page (this one was in the second position). It was also the only one I read. I read the whole thing then clicked through. (The ad said something like, “You are Stupid… if you don't use Google AdWords”). It was very clever.

I wouldn't make it a habit to insult your prospects, but a little shock never hurt anyone!

Does your advertising stink?