superamit: I picked up and read the new 37Signals book, Rework, on a whim yesterday. Many parts of their philosophy jive with how I already run my business, a handful don’t. Overall though, a quick read with good points crystalized from their blog. I dog-eared 10 pages — some I agreed with and wanted to remind myself of them. Others, I think will be useful and want to explore. In no particular order… Draw a line in the sand“Great businesses have a point of view… You need to know what you’re willing to fight for. And then you need to show the world. A strong stand is how you attract superfans. They point to you and defend you. And they spread the word further.” … “You’ll turn some people off” … “If no one’s upset by what you’re saying, you’re probably not pushing hard enough.” Be a curator“You don’t make a great museum by putting all the art in the world into a single room. That’s a warehouse. What makes a museum great is the stuff that’s not on the walls.” Interruption is the enemy of productivity“You should get in the alone zone. Long stretches of alone time are when you’re most productive.” … “During alone time, give up instant messages, phone calls, e-mail, and meetings.” … “Your day is under siege by interruptions. It’s on you to fight back.” Quick wins“Momentum fuels motivation” … “Being in the trenches for 9 months … just burns you out” .. “get in the habit of accomplishing small victories along the way.” Build an audience“All companies have customers. Lucky companies have fans. But the most fortunate companies have audiences.” … “An audience returns often — on its own — to see what you have to say.” Go behind the scenes“Give people a backstage pass and show them how your business works.” … “Think no one will care? Think again… People are curious about how things are made.” …  ”Letting people behind the curtain changes your relationship with them. They’ll feel a bond with you…” Marketing is not a department“Marketing is something everyone in your company is doing 24/7/365. Every time you …. answer the phone … send an e-mail… Every time someone uses your product… every word on your website, every error message … is marketing.” Resumes are ridiculous“You want a specific candidate who cares specifically about your company, your products, your customers, and your job… Check their cover letter … you hear someone’s actual voice and are able to recognize if it’s in tune with you and your company. Trust your gut reaction.” Hire managers of one“Managers of one are people who come up with their own goals and execute them.” Hire great writers“If you are trying to decide among a few people to fill a position, hire the best writer… Clear writing is a sign of clear thinking.” As the above apply to my business, Photojojo… (1) We think everyone should have fun taking photos, and it doesn’t matter if your’e using a fancy SLR or your cell phone. (2) We’ve purposely been extremely selective in adding new products to our store. As we continue to grow our selection, we need to figure out how we decide which goodies have to go. (3) If I had a hot tub time machine, I’d go back in time and prevent Growl from ever having been invented. I swear it. (5) Our focus on content first has been a huge boon to our business. (6) I wanna figure out a way to do this, but I’m not sure how. (7) So true. (8) Ditto. Without a great cover letter, we’re probably not going to interview you. (9) Yup. (10) Yes. I’d hire the great writer OR great designer… design is visual communication, and just as important on the web.
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superamit:

I picked up and read the new 37Signals book, Rework, on a whim yesterday. Many parts of their philosophy jive with how I already run my business, a handful don’t. Overall though, a quick read with good points crystalized from their blog.

I dog-eared 10 pages — some I agreed with and wanted to remind myself of them. Others, I think will be useful and want to explore.

In no particular order…

  1. Draw a line in the sand
    “Great businesses have a point of view… You need to know what you’re willing to fight for. And then you need to show the world. A strong stand is how you attract superfans. They point to you and defend you. And they spread the word further.” … “You’ll turn some people off” … “If no one’s upset by what you’re saying, you’re probably not pushing hard enough.”
  2. Be a curator
    “You don’t make a great museum by putting all the art in the world into a single room. That’s a warehouse. What makes a museum great is the stuff that’s not on the walls.”
  3. Interruption is the enemy of productivity
    “You should get in the alone zone. Long stretches of alone time are when you’re most productive.” … “During alone time, give up instant messages, phone calls, e-mail, and meetings.” … “Your day is under siege by interruptions. It’s on you to fight back.”
  4. Quick wins
    “Momentum fuels motivation” … “Being in the trenches for 9 months … just burns you out” .. “get in the habit of accomplishing small victories along the way.”
  5. Build an audience
    “All companies have customers. Lucky companies have fans. But the most fortunate companies have audiences.” … “An audience returns often — on its own — to see what you have to say.”
  6. Go behind the scenes
    “Give people a backstage pass and show them how your business works.” … “Think no one will care? Think again… People are curious about how things are made.” …  ”Letting people behind the curtain changes your relationship with them. They’ll feel a bond with you…”
  7. Marketing is not a department
    “Marketing is something everyone in your company is doing 24/7/365. Every time you …. answer the phone … send an e-mail… Every time someone uses your product… every word on your website, every error message … is marketing.”
  8. Resumes are ridiculous
    “You want a specific candidate who cares specifically about your company, your products, your customers, and your job… Check their cover letter … you hear someone’s actual voice and are able to recognize if it’s in tune with you and your company. Trust your gut reaction.”
  9. Hire managers of one
    “Managers of one are people who come up with their own goals and execute them.”
  10. Hire great writers
    “If you are trying to decide among a few people to fill a position, hire the best writer… Clear writing is a sign of clear thinking.”

As the above apply to my business, Photojojo…

(1) We think everyone should have fun taking photos, and it doesn’t matter if your’e using a fancy SLR or your cell phone.

(2) We’ve purposely been extremely selective in adding new products to our store. As we continue to grow our selection, we need to figure out how we decide which goodies have to go.

(3) If I had a hot tub time machine, I’d go back in time and prevent Growl from ever having been invented. I swear it.

(5) Our focus on content first has been a huge boon to our business.

(6) I wanna figure out a way to do this, but I’m not sure how.

(7) So true.

(8) Ditto. Without a great cover letter, we’re probably not going to interview you.

(9) Yup.

(10) Yes. I’d hire the great writer OR great designer… design is visual communication, and just as important on the web.

Source: superamit

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    Rework from 37signals....made a mental note...pick this up...
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    other day - highly recommended. Reminded me that
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