I confessed in my first post in this series on how to create a podcast that my first question was: what is a podcast, exactly??

I had always assumed it was just a trendy new buzz word for an MP3 or audio file. I was wrong. And I wasn’t alone in thinking that’s all it was. I discovered there’s a lot more to it than that actually, so I’ll share the details with you so we can both be up to speed…

The mode of delivery differentiates podcasting from other means of accessing media files over the Internet, such as direct download, or streamed webcasting. -source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast

As you can see from the wikipedia definition, it’s not about the file format but rather the delivery method. Many people assumed (myself included) that you need an iPod to listen to or subscribe to podcasts. Not the case…

So a podcast is not just an audio file, and is not just for iPods. Which still leaves us asking: Okay, then what is a podcast?

A podcast is a media file – which can be audio, video, or even a PDF file.

A podcast has an RSS Feed, which means that subscribers can receive the media files in a variety of ways. They use a device (iPod, iPhone, etc) or an application (iTunes, feed reader, etc) to receive the files automatically. Meaning the subscription process is automated.

Similar to a magazine subscription which gets delivered to your door every month, versus going to the newsstand and buying a copy, a podcast is delivered to the subscriber automatically every time there is a new episode.

You don’t need to be online, or even in front of your computer, to listen to the latest podcast episode. You simply open your device or application and any new content from that host is already there for you.

To improve on the definition quoted above, this 4-part definition of a Podcast has also been proposed:

A podcast is a digital audio or video file that is episodic; downloadable; programme-driven, mainly with a host and/or theme; and convenient, usually via an automated feed with computer software. -source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast

My big A-ha! moment

So I now know that a podcast isn’t just a fancy name for an MP3 file. Podcasting is actually a method of delivering content in a variety of formats. Since I already create audio, video and documents for my market… this is simply a means of delivering that content when and where they are.

Instead of hosting a webinar at a certain time on a certain day, people who want to listen in can listen anytime and anywhere. They may do it at 3am or 3pm, in front of their computer or while they’re out for a jog, they may listen all the way through or pause it and finish it later. It removes all the restrictions, and objections people may have for consuming your content!

And they don’t have to come to your website to receive the content. It comes straight to them on the device, or in the application they are already using every day.

The fact that you can offer a variety of content types (audio, video, document, etc) was a real eye-opener for me. I immediately saw huge potential for using a Podcast as a means of growing “a responsive list”. Generally we think of email marketing when we say that, but just imagine how you can increase your reach by offering a multi-media Podcast option instead of (or ideally, in addition to) email marketing!

Delivery Options

Since a Podcast has an RSS feed of it’s own, you can deliver your content (podcast) in a variety of ways. Enough ways to suit anyone and everyone that may be interested in your content:

• via iTunes & other podcast apps
• straight to mobile devices
• streaming/download online, in a blog post for example
• via Email using Aweber’s Blog Broadcast (with the RSS feed)
• in a FeedReader that supports media files

I decided that I’ll offer my Podcast through all of the above.

In an upcoming post we’ll explore the various ways you can subscribe to podcasts, or receive the content. Even if you don’t own an iPod!

But next we’ll talk about the “biz of podcasting”, or answer the question: What’s the point?? Now that we know what a podcast is, and what all we can do with it, we’ll dig in to the objective… Stay tuned!

Best,

p.s. You can subscribe for email updates below so you don’t miss a single post in this series – which is also where I’ll send the download link for the free report on how to create a podcast.

I mentioned in my original Best Apple iPad Case post that I had ordered a total of 5 iPad cases and covers in my search for something better than the flimsy Apple iPad Case. The first iPad cover I mentioned in the video came from HandHeld Items. The two pieces I ordered from the site were:

• iPad GriponPad Rubberized Hard Case – Rubberized Purple (Free Screen Protector)
• Attachable Kick Stand with Adjustable Viewing Function For iPad Rubberized Cases or Looper Skins

Total : $26.98 + shipping

HandHeld Items carries a variety of iPhone, iPod and iPad accessories. They have products for the Blackberry, Zune, you name it. They offer easy checkout and super-fast shipping. While I’m not happy with the plastic iPad “kickstand”, I don’t plan on returning my order. I’ll make use of the screen protectors, and the purple case might just come in handy around the house.

The inexpensive leather iPad case I ordered from Amazon.com is the DMS Deluxe Leather multi-view Case/Folio with Stand Feature for Apple iPad. It sells for only $15.95 and is actually a very nice iPad case & stand option.

I can see me using this case as a stand when I’m working at a table or desk with the Apple Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard. It’s quite a bit cheaper than the BookArc iPad Stand, and of course doubles as a protective case so you can grab it and go.

But in my opinion, the best Apple iPad Case, and the one I’ll be using the most (especially when I’m out & about), is the Marware Eco-Vue iPad Case. It’s well padded, has a firm fit, the hand strap is snug and exactly what I needed in an iPad case, both for traveling and for everyday use. Plus, it looks good!

Of the 5 Apple ipad cases and covers I’ve tried and used so far, the
Marware Eco-Vue has been the absolute best. Definitely a keeper!

The Apple iPad is new, and there are tons of third-party accessories hitting the market. As you’ve seen, some of them are less than practical. Do your homework and check out reviews before you choose the product(s) to protect your investment!

Best,

p.s. I have coupon codes for a lot of the products at HandHeld Items. If you let me know what you’re interested in (laptop decals, Droid cases, iPad accessories, etc) I’ll be happy to look and see if I have a coupon code for it. Just leave a comment below!

Dislcaimer: I earn commission on sales for most products mentioned here at ClickNewz. We both know that, but the FTC likes for me to state the obvious.

I’m in San Diego at Ed Dale’s Coming Home Seminar. The only devices I brought on this trip are my iPad and Motorola Droid. This is the first time I’ve traveled without a laptop, and I thought it would be interesting to see if I missed it. (I haven’t)

One of the complaints I’ve heard about the iPad is that blogging on your WordPress platform is very limited from the iPad browser. That’s true. It won’t let you select categories or insert images.

You’ll notice that this post is in the appropriate category (not stuck in the default category), and includes images. And this blog post was written and published as-is from my iPad…

I am using the free WordPress App. I have it on both my iPad and my Droid. You simply download it from the app store, and it allows you to blog from any mobile device.

On both the Droid and the iPad, the app let’s you attach an image to your blog post. The image shows up at the bottom of your post. I’ve attached a couple of images to this post as an example.

You can see that I also have a smaller image left-aligned at the top of this blog post. That’s Paul Colligan and Jason Moffatt here at the #30DChome event. I took the picture with my Droid, uploaded it to TwitPic, and copied & pasted the code from TwitPic to add it into my post here. Simple!

Andrew Nez, who is sitting beside me here at the event, just showed me the Camera for iPad app. It lets you use your iPhone to snap pictures right on your iPad. Pretty sweet. I don’t have an iPhone (AT&T coverage is not good in my area), but it was awesome in action.

So there you have it. Blogging from the iPad, without limitations. If you are using a platform other than WordPress, like Joel Comm, check the app store to see if there is one for yours.

Best,

I was planning a live broadcast on Ustream.tv today to demo my new Apple iPad. Unfortunately, late last night the iPad flew right out of my hand and did a nose-dive for the floor. See image above. Sickening, isn’t it?

Needless to say, the live broadcast was canceled (for safety reasons).

Now that I’ve sufficiently crash-tested the device, I thought I would give you my promised Apple iPad Review.

First, your questions about the Flying Apple iPad. I know you have them, so we’ll just go ahead and get that out of the way. If you’ve ever held an iPad in your own hands, you know they have a super-slick feel to them.

I thought the Macbook Pro was smooth to the touch, but the Apple iPad is the smoothest slickest device I’ve ever touched.

While it’s slick feel is part of the “cool factor” with the iPad, I see it as a definite design flaw. That along with the way that it’s weighted. Let me explain…

I was walking through the house with the iPad in my left hand. I had pulled up a website and was heading to sit down, get comfy, and do some online shopping. I was shopping for a new TV stand by the way, which was on sale and in about the same price range as a replacement Apple iPad (which I did not know I might need at the time, of course).

I had the usual 5-finger grip on my beautiful iPad, but when I rounded the corner it slid right off my hand like I was holding a wet eel with baby oil on my palm. It did a flip mid-air, landed on it’s glass face, and shattered – with tiny shards of glass flying everywhere.

Sure I’m a woman with smaller, softer hands than a male iPad user. But still! I’ve heard similar stories of easily broken or shattered glass with the Apple iPhone. My Motorola Droid on the other hand, recently survived a hard fall which left me painfully injured – and it with only a few small cosmetic scratches.

Side Note: the iPad is still operational – if you’re brave enough to use a shattered touch screen.

Yes I own an iPad Case, which I ordered from Apple.com when I ordered my iPad – along with the wireless bluetooth keyboard and VGA adapter. The case opens like a book, and is great for toting your iPad -not so great for everyday use.

My personal opinion is that if a skin or case is required to avoid easy slippage, it should be included with the product shipment. I’m also inclined to believe that the iPad screen would shatter even if dropped with a case or skin on…

(I don’t recommend you test that theory with your own iPad)

The Apple warranty does not cover accidents, spills, etc. It only covers product defects. The same goes for the extended coverage you can purchase. So they’ve designed a slippery product that tends to fall flat on it’s face, and shatter on impact.

You might consider getting personal insurance coverage for your devices if the thought of shattering a $699 product in the blink of an eye makes you queasy.

My thoughts? You’ll be hearing a lot more of these stories. Much like the accidents and injuries we saw with the Wii controller. The iPad may just need to come with a wristband if they don’t choose to give it a better texture with grip…

Now let’s rewind to a sweeter space in time, when I first unboxed the shiny new iPad and started using it…

Being a brand new Apple customer, just having ordered a Macbook Pro earlier this year, it took me awhile to figure out that I had to connect the iPad to iTunes to get it to work. Once I did that, it was easy sailing from there on out.

I was able to sync my Google Gmail, Calendars, etc on the iPad and from there I was hooked. All of my mobile devices were synced, as well as my desktop system in the home office. Lovely!

The Apple iPad has incredible screen quality, beautiful for sharp video and images. It was perfect for watching Netflix movies through the Netflix App, setting up photo slideshows, etc.

The one thing I really got hooked on was the touch screen computing. Experiencing that with my smart phone was one thing, but on this larger clearer screen it was ideal. The iPad quickly became my device of choice for email, agenda, web browsing, voice dictation – and the majority of my daily work tasks.

The one thing I thought would be a negative in the beginning, turned out to be a positive. I’m referring to the iPad’s lack of ability to multi-task. When you’re doing email, you’re doing email full screen. You have to go back to the home screen, and touch another icon to switch to a different program or application.

Let’s say I’m using the Dragon Dictation app, for example. I talk, it records and transcribes. When I’m done, I copy the text, go back to the home screen, open another application, and paste in the text. Not so bad, and it all happens very quickly.

Once you get used it that, you realize how efficient you are with the lack of distraction. No toolbars, no start menu, no nothing but the actual program you’re working within. I found it very efficient – especially compared to my usual setup of working across multiple screens and systems here at my desk.

All said and done, I fell completely in love with my Apple iPad. I have an appointment with the Genius Bar on Thursday where I’ll be getting a replacement. They told me that they can’t repair the shattered screen, but that they can get the entire unit replaced at less than the price of buying another new unit.

It’ll be interesting to find out exactly what that price is

To all the happy iPad users out there – I’d love to hear your thoughts! Here’s hoping Apple comes up with a solution before too many others lose their grip on this butter-slick beauty…

Best,

p.s. It’s worth noting: I’ve been handling gadgets & electronics for 14+ years. I used to own an electronics shop in the city (my first business). I have NEVER dropped a gadget before now. The iPad was designed slick as a wet eel.

Earlier this week, I was driving down the road with my family and we saw this chicken on the berm. Suddenly, I realized that it was about to cross the road. I had an opportunity to answer one of mankind’s biggest quandaries, like the time I planted those cameras in the forest to see what happens when a tree falls and nobody is around to hear it.

“Why do you think that chicken is crossing the road?” I asked my wife, Robin. “I want to go back and see what he’s up to.”

“You’re going to hit that mailbox,” Robin said.

So I swerved, and in the ensuing confusion, I forgot all about the chicken. So yes, I blew our chance… but I think I know the answer. He probably dropped his iPhone on the other side, and was crossing so he could catch up on this week’s Copyblogger posts.

This one is for all you metaphysical chickens out there with lost smartphones. Here’s what happened:

Monday:

17 Easy Steps to Brilliant Blog Posts

I like what Jill Chivers did here with this post, because sometimes we’ll see “3 keys for this” or “5 ways to do this,” but rarely do we venture above 10. (Unless it’s a “101 ways” post, but that’s as cliched as ending the price of your product in a 7 — something I would never, ever, ever do, except for last week.)

So we don’t just get a chincy 5 or 6 steps to brilliant blog posts here. We’ve got SEVENTEEN steps. Seventeen juicy ways to make your posts sparkle and sizzle. And this isn’t Ivory Tower gospel either, coming from some jaded old blogger who lives in Texas and is into Mitch Hedberg and William Gibson. It’s coming from a gal who is a student of blogging, learning as she goes. Which makes it even more useful.

Speaking of seventeen, remember that Winger song called “Seventeen”? It went like, Her daddy says she’s too young… but she’s old enough for me!

I wonder if those guys are out of prison yet.

Read the full post here.

Monday, part deux:

Gravity Forms Review: Powerful WordPress Forms Made Simple

No joke here… Gravity Forms provides the quickest, easiest, and most powerful to collect all sorts of information on your WordPress site. You can even enable people to submit guest posts and create user-generated content for your site.

But what you really need to know if that until the end of Sunday, May 9, 2010, you can use the super-secret code contained in Brian’s review and get 1) 25% off, 2) lifetime support, and 3) lifetime updates.

Hurry up and read the review here before the joke’s on you for missing this deal.

Tuesday:

The Myth of Beautiful Website Design

Aaaaaaand it’s official: With one little blog post, Pamela Wilson has totally squashed my plan to remove all substance from my business and bluff my way to billionnairehood by filling my site with lollipops and rainbows. Thanks a lot, Pamela.

Ever hear the old expression “You can’t put makeup on a pig, because pigs don’t like it and doing so will make PETA put pipe bombs under your hot dog carts”? Yeah, me either. But you should probably fix your offer and improve your content before you focus on finding a web font that truly completes you.

Read the full post here.

Wednesday:

Why You Shouldn’t Write for Other Writers

First, I write about personality marketing for tailors here on Copyblogger. Then I get a call from bespoke tailor Martin Stall in Spain, who makes beautiful suits and wants my help to attract buyers. And now Hugh McLeod is on Copyblogger, writing about tailors who blog in order to sell suits.

Hugh’s point is simple: Are you writing for other writers, or are you writing for the people who will buy your stuff? Because writing to impress creative directors probably isn’t going to get you any more money. It’ll just get you more enmeshed with the tailoring industry. If you want to actually sell more stuff, you definitely need to read this one.

Just don’t try to become yet another blogging tailor. The market is apparently totally saturated.

Read the full post here.

Thursday:

How to Sell Without a Sales Pitch

This post by James Chartrand is a “must” for Third Tribe marketers. Remember, sales isn’t about pushing a product so much as it’s about matching a problem with a solution. Raising awareness of that problem and solution is a great way to sell without pushing, and James has tips on how to do that.

And actually, the kids in the lemonade stand at the top of this post are very Third Tribe. They’re doing it right. They’re selling a solution to the problem of thirst, while relieving the inherent guilt that comes with snubbing cute little kids on a hot day. Smart marketing, boys.

I just hope they don’t get complacent, because that’s the way for any Mom and Pop shop to get subverted by Big Lemonade. They should dress it up a little. Those kids could go far if they were decked out like ZZ Top and had those hot chicks from the videos leaning against the stand. I’d pay a dollar to see that.

Read the full post here.

Friday:

Beyond Motivation: Getting to What Really Drives You

I was just thinking about this concept today. I totally believe that the #1 key to success is persistence, and the truth is that you’ll persist automatically if you’re motivated enough, and if you don’t just fold under the pressure. This post by Steve Errey is all about how to find your motivation and keep it stoked.

(And by the way, that’s “stoked” like how you’d “stoke” a fire — i.e. prodding it and adding wood to keep it burning. I’m not talking about how a kid outside of 7-11 might talk about being “stoked” to skate the half pipe later… which actually doesn’t make sense because said excited skaters are seldom on fire. Although that would make for a totally rad trick now that I think about it.)

Anyway, Steve Errey has packed this post with ways to stay motivated, and therefore persist, and therefore succeed, and therefore end up living in Hawaii with bikini girls. Or Spandex guys. Or many, many squirrels. But never gnomes.

Read the full post here.

About the Author: Johnny B. Truant has a dumb blog at JohnnyBTruant.com and is one of the guys behind Question the Rules. You should also really check out his Jam Sessions with Charlie Gilkey, because they’re filled with tasty informational nuggets that will make your business better.

I had a fabulous time at the Niche Affiliate Marketing workshop in Atlanta this past weekend, and wanted to share a few pictures with you to give you a good idea just how fun & productive the weekend truly was.

Above is a shot of me with Nicole Dean and Willie Crawford right before we presented in the Advanced session on Hiring & Working With Affiliate Managers.

Nicole & Willie are two of the best Affiliate Managers I know. I’ve had a chance to work with them both personally as an Affiliate. They have tons of experience managing affiliate programs and working with affiliate managers & JV partners.

We discussed the pros & cons in great detail, and I really took a lot away from that session! The biggest point being about outsourcing: Know who you need to hire, and why, as it relates specifically to your business model.

I had the opportunity to work alongside Jeff Herring on Day One of the 3-day workshop, following my presentation on Getting Started with Affiliate Marketing. Jeff and I taught together on market research, niche selection & creating content.

I put together a password-protected post with PDF Tutorials for attendees to download, to help them work on their sites after the event. The password is “nams3″. I just didn’t want Google indexing the PDF files.

My daughter Annie attended the NAMS Workshop with me this time, which was great fun! She really enjoyed getting to meet everyone in person that she see’s cross my computer screens every day here in the home office.

She got very involved, and came home to get straight to work on her affiliate site – and is even tweeting now! You’ll find her on Twitter as @anniemgarrett

Our own Magic Myke was kind enough to design her a custom blog header while we were at the event. When they weren’t playing Scrabble on the iPhone at least

It means a lot to me to have my children so involved in my business after all these years. I have been working from home for 13+ years now, and the fact that they both took an interest has made this last year truly amazing. My son, Zack 18yo, is the developer behind a new site I am releasing in beta: http://www.GeekTrax.com

Annie actually spent most of her time with her new surrogate parents (lol) Aileen Bennett and Kevin Riley. Three peas in a pod, no doubt! LOL

I had a fabulous lunch (and much-needed break) with the gals on Sunday. Left to right is Tishia Lee, Danielle Johnson, Angie Newton, my daughter and then me. Lots of laughs at this table – I’m shocked we didn’t get kicked out, or at least get a round of applause from the whole restaurant when we finally left!

This picture just cracks me up -LOL. That’s me, with Bob “the Teacher” Jenkins. He was a huge hit at the workshop with his presentation on Using Social Media to Drive Traffic – everyone loved it!!

Traci Knoppe and I on my HP Netbook (I love that thing!!) checking out the tweets & photos that were being posted live at the event. Traci runs Your Web Tech Team and is the developer behind the Beginner to Blogger training program.

On Day 2 of the NAMS event, I had the pleasure of presenting alongside Sid Hale and Kevin Riley. Sid is the developer behind RAP (Rapid Action Profits) and Kevin is a total whiz at info-product development. In the photo above, I had just informed them both that there was only one microphone.

I really enjoyed Sid’s presentation just before that, where he discussed the power of creating and working with a team of affiliates in your online business. He made some awesome points about leverage and scalability.

After his presentation, the three of us lead a workshop on creating info-products and recruiting affiliates. Definitely a highlight for me over the weekend!

Michael Schultz took this photo – I got busted sitting in the back of the room texting & tweeting. Ha! Also in the photo is Chris Cobb, Maritza Parrah, Kathleen Gage and Jeff Herring. All working away from the back of the room!

Me with Kimmoy (left) and Andrea (right) – both Elite Members of SSWT.

There were over 70 Elite Members at the NAMS event, so I held a private reception for our group on Saturday night. We had a nice food spread and a great time. In the photo above, my daughter and Aileen Bennett were doing the drawing for the book giveaways – and cracking everyone up! LOL They’re a mess

During the Elite Reception, Deb Gallardo sang an Internet Marketing parody for us – great entertainment and lots of laughs!

I also finally unboxed my Macbook Pro live at the Elite Reception. In the photo above you can see I’m having serious second thoughts. Kidding!

This is Mark Mason, who was kind enough to video the Macbook Pro Unboxing.

Left to right is “Toronto Carol”, Angie Newton, me and Julie Anna Schultz (mom to the whiz kid, Magic Myke). All fabulous ladies that I consider great friends!

Scott aka @FatLossQuickie kept the whole crowd in stitches throughout the weekend with his “quickie talk”. You’ll remember that Scott recently did a guest series here on ClickNewz with some fabulous posts on “a healthy approach to internet marketing”. If you missed those, they’re well worth a read!

Another shot with Nicole Dean and Willie Crawford. Two of the most real, down to earth, friendly – and brilliant! – online marketers that I know.

And last but not least, Kurt Scholle – the man responsible for all the great photos. He did a fabulous job catching some of the best moments of the NAMS event. You can find the rest of his pictures on his Flickr account. Thank you, Kurt!

I wish I could share every single moment, conversation and aha! that I had over the weekend but there’s just no way to capture it all – except to be there. I do hope you’ll consider joining us at a future event!

The next NAMS will be held in August 2010. I’ll let you know as soon as I have sign-up information, or you can keep an eye on the website here:

http://www.nicheaffiliatemarketingsystems.com

Best,

Sure, there are still some iconic brands. Apple, Nike, Coke.

But those are giant companies. They go by different rules.

For the rest of us mortals, does the traditional idea of a brand — an iconic emotional shortcut that lets customers identify with a product — make any sense anymore?

Won’t smart, lean, agile little companies eat the big, lazy brands up?

After all, a village business doesn’t need a brand, right?

Well . . .

The direct marketing view

A lot of direct marketers like to mock branding and “awareness” advertising as a self-indulgent waste of time.

Brilliant direct response copywriters like Eugene Schwartz and Gary Bencivenga were master harpooners. They only had one shot at their prospect, and that’s all they needed to create millions of dollars in sales.

They didn’t need a “brand halo” to make their products look good. Their copywriting created a complete experience within a single brightly-colored envelope. To rely on a brand to do the selling for you was almost . . . cheating.

The blogger’s view

Bloggers, too, like to mock brands.

Artificial. Out of touch. Irrelevant. Fake emotions created by cynical corporations to manipulate the gullible.

Except the iPhone, obviously. That’s just, well, better.

The ad agency’s view

From the eyes of a good ad agency, the above views are held by sad, shabby people with bad haircuts. In other words, people who Just Don’t Get It.

If you do get it, you start by articulating the components of your brand identity. From there you build a brand platform, a brand vocabulary, a brand manifesto, and/or a brand bible. Then you’re ready to message a cohesive brand vision of your brand’s identity across a variety of channels until you can reliably generate some decent brand awareness and maybe even some day achieve a brand halo.

I actually love working with ad agencies, except when I want to shoot them.

Another view

I have long been a fan of Seth Godin’s definition of a brand: “a promise made over time.”

Those of us who are wordier than Seth would probably be tempted to elaborate, something like “a promise made, kept, and believed over time.”

Does it work for Apple? They promise breakthrough design and stylish, user-friendly products that will make you cooler just by owning them.

Does it work for Copyblogger? We promise practical advice on the smartest ways to build online business, make your blog more successful, and create competitive advantage by pairing social media with traditional direct response copywriting.

Does it work for a solo business? Let’s imagine a fictional Etsy vendor selling hand-woven organic baby blankets. They might promise soft, safe materials you’ll feel good about wrapping your baby in, colors that venture beyond boring pink and blue, and fantastic funky packaging that makes them a pleasure to give as gifts. They promise that you can be a mama (or papa) without turning into some tedious Stepford Parent. They promise handmade quality and a human connection.

Your brand is not your blog header

Quit thinking of brands in terms of logos or typefaces or what a particular shade of blue communicates to your customer.

You can make decisions about those things after you know what promise you’re going to make over time.

To work as a brand, a promise has to be exciting. It has to mean something to your potential customer. It has to turn everyone on — you and them.

So what promise do you make with your blog, site, or business? Let us know in the comments.

About the Author: Sonia Simone is Senior Editor of Copyblogger and the founder of Remarkable Communication.

AT&T has launched a completely redesigned website, and to celebrate – and draw attention to their new features – they are hosting a contest for a complete Tech Makeover.

They are doing an all out social media campaign to get the word out, and to get our feedback, and a rep contacted me to share this cool news with you.

Their fresh design features small business advice & solutions, and that is specifically where they would like our feedback. I’ll tell you my thoughts, you can leave yours in the comment section below, and then they’ll check in here to hear what we think…

Here’s the new site design that we’re reviewing: AT&T

Before I share my thoughts, I should tell you upfront that I don’t use AT&T services myself – simply because the coverage in my middle-of-nowhere town is practically non-existent. My son had a houseguest recently that almost went insane here without his iPhone fix over the 2-week stay. Yes, that’s a true story.

So I am stuck on Verizon, and have a Samsung Omnia. Nice, but not an iPhone.

That said, I do really like the interactive feature that AT&T provides to help you choose the best mobile device. This is the closest simulation I’ve seen online, to an actual in-store experience. Here is a screen shot below, where you tell AT&T what you need and they match you with the best fit:

Nowhere in that list did I see “please run my entire business for me, without my input, so I can go sit on the beach and drink margaritas”… but oh well

I do like the site, and the interactive features. The tips & resources? Not so much. I definitely think they are lacking in that area, as it takes entirely too much clicking around to actually get to a useful article – click this, choose that, read more, etc, etc, etc – some of which take you completely off-site.

The tips section is okay, but probably wouldn’t make it to my bookmarks. Besides being a bit cumbersome to navigate, the font is small and it’s all text – no color or image use to really draw me in and get me engaged in the content.

Most of the articles also lack a call-to-action. So once I get to the bottom of a good read… I’m forced to scroll back up and figure out where to go next.

To AT&T: We’re a new generation of web junkies. We need content to reach through our monitor and grab our eyeballs, engage and entertain us, and make us feel like we are on the right page that offers the exact solution we need. We need you to tell us what that is, because you’re the name we trust. Don’t leave us blindly clicking random hyperlinks within the content, figuring it out on our own. That’s “research” (which we’re weary enough with already). Meet us where we are and lead us to an obvious decision. We’ll thank you for it!

AT&T’s Small Biz Tech Makeover Contest

As I mentioned at the beginning, AT&T is hosting a Tech Makeover contest for small business owners as part of this campaign. You can visit AT&T Small Business InSite to get all of the contest details.

Basically you will need to create a short 2-minute video explaining why you need a technology makeover. The person who best explains their situation will win expert advice PLUS one year of free AT&T products and services!

There will be only be ONE lucky prize winner – so make it count

I am not going to actually enter the contest myself, as I can’t get AT&T mobile/3G coverage here in the valley, but I did create an example video for you. You’ll want to create something similar to enter their contest – explaining why you need their super cool Tech Makeover:

Good luck with the contest – and be sure to leave your feedback below. AT&T would love to hear what you think of their newly launched interactive website, and this fun Tech Makeover contest!

Best,

Raise your hand if you’ve heard of relationship marketing. Now keep it up if you know what it means.

Lots of hands still up, huh? OK. Fine. You, there. You with the iPhone and the I’m Kind of a Big Deal on Twitter t-shirt. What does relationship marketing mean?

Mmm hmm?

Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. I tuned out at “creating authentic connections” and “establishing many-to-many connections that foster meaningful dialogue.” DING DING DING. You are WRONG, my tweep, my Facebook friend, my FriendFeed flunkie.

Let’s talk about what “relationship marketing” really is, shall we?

According to Wikipedia, and Len Barry who coined the term, “relationship marketing is a form of marketing which emphasizes customer retention and satisfaction, rather than a dominant focus on point-of-sale transactions.”

1. Relationship marketing is not about relationships. It’s about marketing.

As a relationship marketer, I focus on making sure you not only buy my stuff today, but you keep buying it over and over and over. “Relationship” refers to the customer’s purchase history, not some deep interpersonal connection.

We do not take moonlit walks on the beach. We are not friends. We are not acquaintances. As a matter of fact, we couldn’t pick each other out of a police lineup.

As a business, I’ve simply agreed to listen to you — or, more likely, people demographically similar to you — for long enough to know what you might buy. Then I make it and sell it to you.

If this is our relationship, we both need therapy.

2. Relationship marketing is not about authenticity.

I could tell you I’m just an ordinary person who happens to be exactly like you. I could tell you I’m the reincarnation of Cleopatra’s pool boy. I could tell you I’m a one-eared lumberjack.

It doesn’t matter a whit. If I get you signed up for my advance discount list and give you a good enough deal, we both win.

3. Relationship marketing is not about transparency.

Transparency is nice, and sometimes necessary, but it’s not what this is about.

It’s fascinating when Rand Fishkin tells me how much money he made last year, but it doesn’t affect whether or not I keep my SEOMoz membership.

4. Relationship marketing is not about connection.

Just because Steve Jobs doesn’t know your kid’s name doesn’t mean you’re going to buy a Dell next time.

5. Relationship marketing is not about being social.

Social is Sunday morning brunch with your buddies. It’s not Twitter.

And frankly, you’ll have a tough time selling anything in either place.

6. Relationship marketing is not about equality.

The only thing that’s equal about you being my “fan” and me begging you for money is that we’re equally codependent.

7. Relationship marketing is not even about communication.

I buy apples every week and the things don’t even have a label, let alone a communication strategy.

You joining my Facebook fan page is not a relationship.

You following me on Twitter is not a relationship.

You commenting on my blog is not a relationship.

Let’s face it, if your boyfriend treated you as badly as I do, your mother would tell you to break up with him.

Relationship marketing is about marketing.

The touchy feely, Summer of Love, gosh-aren’t-we-great-friends stuff is nice. Sometimes it’s even necessary. But it’s not what relationship marketing is actually about.

Relationship marketing is about getting the customer to stick around long enough to keep shopping. And it’s about making sure that customer comes back next time to buy more stuff.

Don’t fall so in love with the relationship that you forget about the marketing. Like talking about benefits and not just features. Like having a halfway decent market position. Like a real call to action. Like, you know, selling stuff.

All the authentically transparent connections in the world won’t fix those if they’re broken. But stick a Wheaties coupon on the back of every box of Wheaties and you’ve got it nailed.

About the Author: Naomi Dunford is the woman Brian Clark lovingly refers to as a marketing genius and Tourette’s survivor. She is the author of IttyBiz and co-author of How To Launch The **** Out Of Your Ebook. Her alleged potty-mouth is prominent in the former and virtually non-existent in the latter.