Author Archives: smeade

Buzzwords and buzz-phrases are everywhere and our careers might depend on tracking the right ones. Here’s some wrong ones that, when put together form a read-made corporate strategy statement: “At the end of the day, a Gen-X, customer-centric, value-added paradigm which aligns our core competencies for synergy is a win-win!” – feel free to useContinue reading “Buzzwords Bingo”

We are going through a branding change. To better reflect the benefits of the Synap Software lead management solution, it has been re-branded from LeadsOnTrack to LeadsOnRails. LeadsOnRails more clearly paints the picture of rail tracks, where LeadsOnTrack could mean any kind of tracks, or just “keeping track”. Tracks remain an integral part of theContinue reading “Branding”

When small business owners wonder if their web, ad, or other copy should be written as “I” or “we”, I think the right answer is neither. The right answer is to refer to yourself, your company, or your product with its proper name. The other right answer is to refer to yourself, your company orContinue reading “It’s Not You, It’s “You””

To improve your lead conversion rate, avoid these common mistakes 1. Not having a standardized procedure for processing leads. Without a standardized procedure, valuable leads can fall through the cracks. Having each lead on a track with a set protocol for developing the lead eliminates the loss of leads and profit. Standardized procedures also allowsContinue reading “Lead Conversion”

A big thank-you to Derek Sivers, President of CDBaby for sponsoring a RubyOnRails competition in which the top 20 contributors (from the start of the year) to the open source framework were awarded passes and lodging to RailsConf 2007. I took on this challenge when it was announced and learned a lot about Rails andContinue reading “RailsConf 2007”

LeadsOnRails can now integrate with a customer’s website and can automatically send emails. Integrate LeadsOnRails with your website to automatically capture information from prospective customers. Information filled out on your website will be automatically recorded in the system and the lead is automatically put on a track specified by a promotion code. (The promotion codeContinue reading “Capture Leads from a Website”

Get out and walk around Get out and walk around to: solve problems. Today I was stuck. I had a programming/design problem that seemed to only get more complex as I sat at my desk staring at the screen. Then, during a quick 5 minute walk with the dog, the solution just popped into myContinue reading “Get out and walk around”

Following up on his famous Ruby scaling debate, Joel Spolsky, takes another shot at 37signals and other propenents of simplicity saying that “you sell ‘simple’ as if it were this wonderful thing, when, coincidentally, it is the only thing you have the resources to produce.” Even if it were true (which I do not thinkContinue reading “Simplicity, not Simplistic: 1”