IBC recommends | 37signals contact & project management software

I’m following a handful of blogs closely these days and one of them is Signal vs. Noise by 37signals. 37signals is a new-school software outfit offering a handful of excellent web-based tools, most of which are designed for small business use. They blog at Signal vs. Noise to talk about new products, stay in touch with their customers/community, and share their views on business, design and working smarter.

I highly recommend the Signal vs. Noise blog as well as the two 37signals products that I’m currently using. The first is “Highrise”, which is a web-based contact management system. The second is “Basecamp” which handles project management. Both are powerful, affordable, well-designed and easy-to-use platforms for start-ups and small companies, especially those with remote/disparate teams.

Give me less choice, please

How many times have you been in a retail store, overwhelmed by the sheer number of brands/products on offer, only to leave in frustration?

Increasingly, it seems, trusted editors who can curate choice products and/or services in a compelling way will win our harried attention.

This is bringing the “specialty” back into retail, driving a resurgence of passionate mom’n pops and leaving large, national, “big box” chains exposed.

Give me a small, local book shop, wine shop, cheese shop, bike shop or shoe shop offering earnest service, a sharp point of view and a crisp assortment over a big, national player, any day.

The new fear factor. Really?

What do you think of this?

“As scandals across religious, government, and corporate institutions began the erosion of trust in the 1990s, the explosion of widespread technology in a post 9/11 world continues to heighten tension in our fear-based society. As a result, consumers are attempting to take ever-greater control of their environment, property, time and safety.

… As a result of mounting external factors, including growing concerns about food safety, climate change and a reliance on fossil fuels, consumers appear to be ’shutting down’. Our research indicates that while consumers are driven by their desire for control, they often relate that they feel their lives are simply out of control.

This has translated into a consumer desire to control things within their grasp. For example, the pursuit of safer foods and beverages, organic and environmentally-friendly products, local farms and familiarity with the source of products used is an attempt to reassure ourselves that we have some control over our safety and destiny.

Manufacturers and retailers have the opportunity to build market share by clearly understanding the emotional need for control borne out of The New Fear Factor.”

It’s an excerpt from Natural Marketing Institute’s weekly email blast.

On my first read, it all seemed plausible… But on a second pass, I got stuck in a few places:

1. Do we really live in “fear-based society”? I think that gives too much credit to Madison Avenue and CNN. People are smarter and more optimistic than that. (Or maybe I’m the optimist)
   
2. Does technology really “heighten tension”? Maybe for some. For others, technology (e.g. the web!) offers the promise of more knowledge and control, not less.
3. Are consumers really “shutting down”? Again, maybe some. Many others are opening up, taking a stand on their values and seeking out new experiences in pursuit of self-actualization.
4. Are we really trying to “reassure ourselves that we have some control over our safety and destiny” when we choose organic and local products? Maybe. We might also be making healthier, more informed choices about what we eat.

I find myself challenging “marketing speak” much more than I used to - right or wrong, I think it’s a healthy habit.