BoostStrapping

We are NOT eBoost Media

I caught this on my feed this morning and didn't think too much of it, until Micha emailed it to the team AND an old intern of ours let us know that people at his new job have been emailing him about his "old company". 

For those unaware, there is a marketing company in Murrieta, CA called eBoost Media that is getting bad reviews online and when Matt Cutts twit about it, it became big news.  To nip this in the bud, let it be known that we are eBoost Consulting, NOT eBoost Media.  We have no affiliation whatsoever with that company other than an unfortunate penchant for the term "eBoost". 

What's particularly unsettling about this story is that Rogier van Bakel (the customer whose blog post about the eBoost Media sale rep's voicemail shed light to most of eBoost Media's "service") received horrendous customer service and SEO work.  Our team at eBoost Consulting prides itself on our relentless commitment to exceptional customer relationship-building and top-shelf online marketing work (SEO being one of the tools we utilize).  We don't want our name to be dragged in the mud and don't appreciate to be associated with bad customer service nor bad SEO work.  It downright angers me to fathom anyone reading the stories and thinking that we're even remotely associated with them. 

Offer to Rogier van Bakel

Rogier, we ask that you contact Nick Urbani, our top-rated Consultant, at his direct line: 619-664-4691 x9020 and we will perform SEO work for you FREE-of-charge in exchange for you blogging that eBoost Consulting is NOT eBoost Media at the completion of the work.  This assumes that the scope of the work isn't large...but heck, even if it is, we will work something out. 

In fact, this offer extends to any of those who have complained about bad service from eBoost Media.  First call to Nick gets the free service. 

-johnny

Here are a few links to the story:

Link to Rip Off Report

Rogier van Bakel's blog post

Update #1 (7/24, 2:16PM PDT):
Our official press release is live.   You can read eBoost Consulting's statement here.

Update #2 (7/24, 3:22PM PDT):
Quick video in lieu of our weekly Boost Basics.

Update #3: (7/24, 3:29PM PDT):
Dedicated landing page is live to aggregate information.

Update #4: (7/24, 4:50PM PDT):

Nick is on the phone with Rogier van Bakel. 

Update #5: (7/24, 5:50PM PDT):
Rogier also submitted a new blog post, entitled "Egads: One eBoost is Not Like The Other".  Thanks for the clarification Rogier! 

Rogier declined the offer due to journalistic integrity, which we wholeheartedly understand.  So, the offer has changed.  First victim of eBoost Media who contacts Nick at 619.664.4691 x9020 or nick at eboostconsulting dot com will receive SEO work, free of charge. 

Monday's Tip du Jour: Carbs are good for you

A "take-it-from-me" piece of advice.

This is a quick shout-out to the awesome folks at Kathy Loper Events for putting together a beautiful experience at the San Dieguito Half Marathon, 5K Run/Walk yesterday. 

New uber-Associate, Garret Akerson (profile to come in approximately 80 days), introduced the run to me a few weeks ago and I was sold.  Garret, his lovely wife Deeanne, and I ran in the half-marathon event.  The first 9 miles of the course was almost a strict uphill, it was absolutely brutal.  Garret caught his stride midway and finished near his stretch goal of 1 hour 43 minutes (he'll be forever haunted by the number 11 - inside joke, people).  Deeanne apparently caught her stride when she woke up since she finished in 1 hour 39 minutes.  That's one athletic couple! 

As for your's truly, I finished in 2 hours 57.  *blushes* I cruised through the first 10 miles in 1 hour 21 min but when I hit the 11th mile, my body locked up in cramps.  It doesn't take a math wizard to figure out that it took me over an hour and a half to walk the last two miles.  I have to say that my glycogen stores were depleted and I looked at the PowerBar PowerGel that smarter-than-me runners had with a lascivious envy I've never experienced before.  And in a vintage Ally McBeal moment, I was fantasizing about swiping people's PowerBar Gel and running away with it.  But I quickly realized that if I could run, then I wouldn't be needing the carbs anyway.  It was a warped lesson in causation... 

The last two miles were the most intense I've experienced as an athlete and were it not for the supportive people at Kathy Loper and for the community folks who came out of their homes to cheer us on, I wouldn't have finished.  The course was gorgeous - it's one of those days that makes you realize why San Diego is called, "America's Finest City".  It was brutal, my body is devastated today, and I'm hooked.  Can't wait to do it again next year!

Lesson here folks: carbs are essential for your body to function.    

-johnny

P.S.- If anyone from PowerBar is reading this, I consent for you to use it in your advertisements. 

Sometimes touch-ups don't always go right...

The good, bad, and ugly of brand enhancement operations

Our friends - Jen, Robin, and Chris- from Project X Media sent over a link to us today that highlights the best and worst logo remakes of the century.  The narratives are subjective, but the implication for logo "enhancements" is loud and clear - there are hits and misses with any renewal process. 

This begs the question: How can you assure that the nip/tuck of the logo is headed towards the right direction? 

Nothing is certain, to be sure - and I think even the best in the biz, Project X, would agree - but to take a stab at it, here are three "don'ts" to consider when undergoing "logo enhancement operations":

1. Don't forget what you're enhancing in the first place! It all starts with having a strong brand foundation to being with.  Your values and key brand attributes should be clearly communicated through the new logo.  Don't change it just because your CMO needs a new pet project.  ;) 

2. Don't follow trends blindly!  Repeat after me: web 2.0 does not rule the world.  In other words, rounded edges, drop shadows, and abundant white space shouldn't be followed if your original brand identity represented a total 180 from that in the first place.  Customers can be open to change, but customer shocks are often off-putting.  This is especially true for established brands. 

3. Don't lose sight of your goal!  Define for yourself if you need a logo enhancement or a total logo facelift.  Either is fine, but the lesson here is you get what you shoot for.  Assess your company's most critical brand need, and address it.  Don't ask for a facelift if all you want is a touch-up. 

The big picture is that the brand, enhancement or facelift, should be pretty timeless to your target audience.  A few touch-ups here and there should be anticipated, but for the most part, a good enhancement should last you for quite a while. 

-johnny

Promoting our good image in Wikipedia (nah, really?!?!)

On my drive into work today, I was listening to NPR where there was a report on a Wired article about some companies cleaning up their Wikipedia pages to put a better spin on bad press.  Companies like Dow Chemicals (on their involvement in environmental practices, human right controversies and Agent Orange), Diebold Election Systems (on voting machine problems), and Wal-Mart (regarding their fair wage controversies).  Turns out that a Cal Tech student derived a way to link Wikipedia changes to IP addresses where the change was made.  It’s not illegal, but it certainly proves what we all have suspected, individuals and organizations can enhance or clean up their Wikipedia image.  As the article points out, now that this Wiki practice has been outed, would-be spin editors should simply go to the nearest WiFi hotspot or make changes at home or a friends computer to make the changes “incognito.”

To vote for your favorite Most Shameful Wikipedia Spin Job, go to: http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/wikiwatch/

Some are downright funny, others creepy-scary.

-Jen

 

Don't Do This

My personal mantra is to Never Stop Learning and as a digital marketing consultancy learning is the name of the game.  Failing has most impact on someone's ability to learn.  Without mistakes we can't learn.

As consumers looking at the world with a marketing filter there are insights we have that the CMO of a company would love to know(even, needs to know).  So, i'm thinking about a consistent post on the mistakes made by sales, customer services, advertising, and marketing initiatives.  I'll kick it off and let me know what you think about it...