We often think innovation has to be some major technological breakthrough – some amazing new mobile device…or smartwatch…or IP-enabled network controller configurator extender…or such. That’s cool…but we’re firm believers in all forms of innovation – including mini-innovations. And there are opportunities for innovation everywhere. ICE Cable, for example, says it has innovation – in the box!
Strategy
Stratecon’s ALERT Newsletter to Be Discontinued
There are some major – and exciting – changes taking place here at The Stratecon Group headquarters…and on its Strata-gee.com website.
While we can’t tell you everything going on at this point – the big news that we can tell you is that the ALERT newsletter is being discontinued.
Why would we discontinue our ALERT newsletter, which many of you – our loyal subscribers – have been receiving for years? Read more below…
READ BELOW to see why the ALERT is going away and, more importantly, what’s coming!… [Read more…] about Stratecon’s ALERT Newsletter to Be Discontinued
Whoa! An Elephant CAN Tap Dance
Social media has revolutionized marketing communications in many ways. But still, some haven’t figured out how to make it work. I often hear from companies who tell me that they don’t want their employees “wasting time” on social media – as if its only purpose is in sucking up time, or providing meaningless diversions. Smart companies recognize that, done well, social media enhances relationships with customers…and builds corporate reputations.
This week, Bloomberg tells the remarkable tale of a really old-school marketer that has figured out how to use social media to turbo-charge their relationship with customers and generate real sales. An amazing lesson that we can all learn from: elephants really CAN tap dance!
Learn how one marketer used social media to turbo-charge their sales…
Klipsch Hopes to Add a Little Luck to Their Team
Klipsch announced this week that it has signed an endorsement agreement with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck to serve as its official brand ambassador. The company says that Luck will bring a “fresh perspective” and “creative inspiration” to the brand.
See more on this new endorsement deal… [Read more…] about Klipsch Hopes to Add a Little Luck to Their Team
Soundcast Casts Deeper into International Waters
*BREAKING NEWS*
We told you last week about Soundcast Systems, Inc. who has engaged in a bold play to reinvigorate its business with the owners upping their capital investment, bringing in new management, an
d ramping-up both marketing and personnel. When we interviewed President Mike Weaver about his international strategy, he paused and declined to go into great detail. He did, however, vaguely allude to a forthcoming “major announcement” relative to Soundcast’s international plans.
Today, the company revealed what must be the news that Weaver was referring to, as it announced that the company has hired LVZ International, a firm that specializes in international sales.
See more on this new turn-of-events… [Read more…] about Soundcast Casts Deeper into International Waters
Soundcast Casts a New Expanded Role for Itself
Earlier this week during the Audio Associates Dealer Expo held in New Jersey, we had an opportunity to meet with Mike Weaver, President of San Diego-based Soundcast Systems, Inc. Soundcast, a manufacturer of wireless outdoor speakers has been around for quite some time and although it seems to have achieved some recognition for good quality products, the company has been a little sleepy and unremarkable…until recently, that is.
With new money from the founders, a new team of executives, and recently launched new products – Soundcast has definitely cast a new expanded role for itself in the industry…
See more on the dynamic new growth trajectory the company is on, below… [Read more…] about Soundcast Casts a New Expanded Role for Itself
Does Your Website Measure Up? New Study Provides Benchmark
By now, most of us in the TECH industry have launched websites to represent our businesses online. However, it can be hard to know just how your website measures up as compared to other small business websites – all vying for attention of the web “surfers.”
Now, a new and pretty comprehensive study of more than 6,000 small business websites has been released – and the results provide a benchmark against which you can see how your web marketing efforts measure up.
See an interesting infographic & how your website stacks up vs. the average small business… [Read more…] about Does Your Website Measure Up? New Study Provides Benchmark
6 Steps to Ensuring You’re Replete with Rewarding Referrals
When we ask integrators or installers how they get business, we’ll often get the same one-word answer: referrals. This is not a huge surprise. But what is a little surprising is that when we ask how they go about getting referrals – we often get nothing but perplexed looks.
See our advice on how to find yourself replete with rewarding referrals below… [Read more…] about 6 Steps to Ensuring You’re Replete with Rewarding Referrals
Further Industry Consolidation as ‘Home Theater’ and ‘Sound & Vision’ Magazines Merge
Finding themselves at the crossroads of two struggling industries – consumer electronics and traditional publishing – Source Interlink Media, the owners of both Home Theater and Sound & Vision magazines, has decided to merge the two properties into one entity. The combined entity will be known as Sound & Vision – apparently leaving the Home Theater name plate to the annals of history.
This pivot point provides a sad demarcation in a once vibrant competition. See more below… [Read more…] about Further Industry Consolidation as ‘Home Theater’ and ‘Sound & Vision’ Magazines Merge
Does the Sound Pop’s Sound Really Pop? Or Is That Sound Just Their Bubble Bursting?
When I first learned about AudioSource’s new Sound Pop – a small, relatively inexpensive (around $40 street price) Bluetooth speaker – I assumed it was just like all of those thousands of other Bluetooth speakers introduced over the last couple of years. You know: convenient, portable, maybe a cutesy design and…sounds like crap. Later, I got a press release and saw some specs. They look promising but, still, I remained…shall we say…skeptical.
Then, at CE Week last month, I met AudioSource’s CEO Tom O’Mara. He gave me “the pitch” and – perhaps sensing my skepticism – beseeched me to “Just listen to it” as he handed me a little box not much larger than a Rubik’s Cube.
