The iPod Nano has been all the rage over the past few weeks. My brother got one of the first off the line (it’s now his fourth iPod). My friend Mike in Connecticutt has yet to own an iPod–he’s still waiting for, as he puts it, the ‘right’ one to come along.
When I first saw the ads on television, I immediately thought that I needed to have one. The ad makes you really excited about the thought of having one. The effect is similar to the conversation last night on The Apprentice in which the teams were challenged with developing an ad campaign for Lamborghini.
But the more I think about it, I’m not too sure why I would want one. I have an iPod mini which works great. Most of the folks here have the iPod Shuffle. The Nano, to me, is a blend of the two: the packaging of the Shuffle with the storage space of the mini.
What does this device do for me that my other iPod doesn’t already? Like much advertising, one often wonders whether a consumer’s need is being met or created. With this product, I think more of the latter than the former.
Sales are rumored to be strong, though, so kudos to the Apple marketeers. By the way, if you haven’t seen the Nano parody over at ifilm.com, you should check it out.

In an era of Super Wal-Mart, iDrive and 3 hour airport check-ins, customers want simplicity. I’m among those clamoring for a time of simplicity. Give me a bare bones car like the Lotus Elise, 30 minute meals from Rachael Ray and the news in an easy to read format. When we had a design review meeting yesterday, Jennifer brought up how some clients were asking for features that were flashy and cool but totally unnecessary. Clients should be thinking about their Web sites as if they were customers visiting their Web site for the first time. There should be no need for a tutorial, training sessions, or FAQ about how to use a Web site. A Web site can have its 37 pieces of flare and still be simple to use. Just look at the iPod.

Our 5 year lease on our company office suite is expiring. We’re currently deciding between moving to a new building which includes a build-out to our specifications or staying in our existing suite. When I asked our current landlord about what sort of amenities (our carpet and paint are wearing) they might provide in exchange for a lease renewal, she politely informed me that they only provide lease incentives for new tenants, not existing ones. I scratched my head and asked her if we (a low-maintenance tenant that always pays its rent on time) would be eligible for incentives if we moved out first and moved back in the next day.
The question was rhetorical (and more than a bit sarcastic), but it reminded me of a few business truths that I have come to believe:
1. Your current customers are usually more valuable than your future ones. Too often in business the emphasis is placed on the latter instead of the former. (Did I mention that our current building is approximately 30% vacant already?)
2. All things being equal, people (consumers, businesses, etc.) will usually act in their own best interests. Our job as providers of value is to provide more than the next guy for a fair price.
3. An extension of #2, if I want a person or customer to behave a particular way, I usually have to give him/her a reason to do it. I’m always amazed that Dell sends me customer surveys to fill out that they say will consume 25 minutes of my time with nothing (except, presumably, more selling opportunties for them) in return. I wonder what their response rate is!
I’m not sure where we’ll renew our lease or move, but I’m hoping that our current landlord will at least see it our way!