Experimentation is motivating

I am in the business of helping international companies sell or increase its sales in Brazil for some years now and a motivating thing about this business is that, no matter how much experience and knowledge we acquire, we are always experimenting before we start any new project.

In our business, representing a new client typically begins with an effort to select or create one or more possible promotion concepts, which may or may not include the best possible solutions since no one knows what the best solutions are in advance.

These promotion concepts are then tested against an array of requirements and constraints that are unique based on each client need.

This initial effort, we call it trials, yield new information and learning, in particular about aspects of the outcome we did not, or was not able to know or foresee in advance: the initial project misconceptions.

These misconceptions (this is a positive thing at this point since we are not implementing yet) are used to revise and refine the promotion under development, and progress is made in this way toward an acceptable result.

Is like experimenting and developing something new or at least different every time, not just a copy.

This experimentation is what motivates me.

Simplicity is Key to market technology

I think everyone remember some years ago when the dot com fiascos were alleged exploding technology and “virtual engineering mindsets” (or just a whiz kid), thought they were above the old rules of business and beyond the old needs of marketing.

Most of those masterminds thought they deserved success just because they had invented a new high tech whistle, bell or mousetrap, while all we customers could perceive was a simple need dressed as a complex solution.

I learned a lesson in those years while I helped a couple of those companies to market their products in Latin America: No matter how high the technical complexity, the path to simplicity will get you to the customer quicker.

The product or service may be complex, but the motivation to buy it (if you take the trouble to find it) will be simple.

Remember, technology is only a tool that may provide control, choice, convenience and clarity to a basic need we, the customers, have.

The threat on carry-on gadgets and how to cope with it.

If you are a regular traveler, it is impossible not to have noticed the events of the last couple of days when, British security agents uncovered a suspected bomb plot targeting some UK flights traveling to the US and its impact on the international airlines and specially on the passengers.

The consequences of the guidelines issued by the transport and security agencies in both countries, can be felt already in the UK that has already banned all electronic devices such as MP3 players, mobile phones and laptops from hand luggage on all flights departing from the country, while the US has taken the more conservative step of only banning liquids, gels and beverages from in and outgoing flights.

However, given the nature of the threat which is believed to involve liquid explosives that could be triggered by an electronic signal, tight restrictions for carry-on luggage might spread far beyond UK borders since there is already fear that suspected bombers had discovered new ways to evade airport security, with electronic devices playing an important role.

Shipping expensive devices in cabin luggage is believed to substantially add to the risk of such items being stolen or damaged, and could even involve loss of critical or confidential data.

So, be careful with your carry-on gadgets and follow these suggested measures:

1. Do not check in what is obviously a laptop bag. Instead bury your laptop and other devices in another bag with adequate padding.
2. Remove all the data from your hard drive not deemed essential for your trip. The removed data can be carried on your person on a CD or USB stick if it is required at your destination.
3. Get insurance that will cover the loss of expensive devices should they go missing with the rest of your luggage and maintain a list of serial numbers and product specifications.
4. Explore the various methods of authenticating and encrypting data as well as methods of physically securing hardware devices (especially laptops) so they either lock down or call home in the event that they are stolen.