When selling is teaching

All publishing industries are living tough moments. In part is due to the impact of technology and massive use of it by people. Change is happening at every level and at every process....every day.


Traditional selling and marketing processes are inefficient, specially for new designed content product and services. This is just a small portion of the problem, but an interesting one. 


How do we tell people a new product or service is better than the one they´re already using... and is working fine? How do we change the way they are using information and content? How do we insert technology -more technology- in their life and work?


I believe in one answer: we first teach them.


Presenting and showing new content or information product and services is always fascinating. But much more fascinating is when people starts to buy and use your product and they tell the world about it. And even more fascinating when they start to build guides and recommend it in their blogs, twitters, networks....in their digital world. And, maybe, the best of all is when they become anxious for the next release, the new functionalities, the new contents you are going to present them in a few months.


This occurs because they've learned how to use it, they are excited about the benefits they obtain and, of course, that paying the price is fair.


If we first start teaching how to use a product we will have two good inputs: what issues are not resolved the best possible way and the barriers people have to buy and start using it (price, content, format, hardware, mobility, dependencies and more). We will have the opportunity to solve them and go on. But the best thing is we could transmit the passion that is behind every creation of a new tool, product or service. If we become a "positive engine" to energize the others, the best of your creation is exposed. So imagine having this "power" in every training session of every single product and service you want to sell.
Introducing a new technology is also a part of the teaching process. 


To face this circumstance we need to focus on two realities. The first is: the more simple the technology is, the less time a person will need to adopt it; and the second, the new technology has to solve problems and not to create new ones. If during the selling process, which now has to be the teaching process, the user understands both correct, 90% of the work is done.


I truly believe that, to sell, teaching is much more effective than just exposing the product. I will apply this belief  from now on and tell you my experience in a few months.

Tools of Change for Publishing Conference - TOCCON 2010

I will be presenting four stories about how the rules in publishing have changed and will continue to change. We will give you four real examples, four real stories to show you how studying medicine in Europe is evolving fast. 

Color e-paper update - May 2009

An article published in Nature Photonics (read the summary of the article at http://www.nature.com/nphoton/journal/v3/n5/abs/nphoton.2009.68.html) about a week ago informs about two prototypes of color e-paper displays. It is very interesting to see that the techonology they are using comes from the past. In fact, both developments are focused on using pigments in an aqueous solution inside the pixel. Then, by manipulating the voltage on each device the liquid with the pigment draws out from the reservoir into the freee space of the pixel (in the second prototype, there are two pigments in each reservoir but with different charge properties so that the voltage controls which of them is shown in the display). 

The potential of colorized e-ink for the health sciences publishing industry is huge. It opens a vast universe of possibilities and new developments on e-books and, also, new instructional models for education, e-libraries, multiformat services and more other interesting gadgets.

Fujitsu has started to sell his first color e-reader (FLEPia) on march this year, with an 8-inch screen display and up to 260,000 colors in high-definition. Even if it's a very good start for this new market, the re-draw speed is still low and the weight (385g) and specially the price is too high if compared to the Sony e-Reader or the Kindle. 

Update on the Wolfram|Alpha project

There's been great anticipation around Stephen Wolfram's ambitious project to create a comprehensive "computational knowledge engine." The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University will host a sneak preview of the Wolfram|Alpha system, and a discussion of its underlying technology and implications. Participants will include Wolfram|Alpha founder Stephen Wolfram and Professor of Law Jonathan Zittrain.


Stephen Wolfram discusses Wolfram|Alpha: Computational Knowledge Engine...here's the video:

Value added lost

We can develop the best product and services in the world. But, among many other issues, we must be aware of two critical things:

1) Online products and services change fast because of their environment;
2) People who create product and services are not the ones communicating its existence to the market.

The consequences of these two facts are:

1) Flexibility and adaptation are required more than ever;
2) People who create must be involved in the communication of the product and services to the audience.

So, for the first subject, we need people who learn fast, who understand perfectly what they are working with, who can assess the needs of the users and are able to match them in seconds. But if they don’t match, then they should be prepared to offer a solution based on our know how and skills. And latest, they should be capable of giving the correct feedback so we can adapt fast to changes.

And for the second concern, we should involve developers and managers in building, and continuously adapting, the correct messages about our products and services. We should all become story tellers of our products because stories can be, just by themselves, a hundred times more fascinating than a flyer.

Medical images databases

I’m currently working with my team on browsing the images contained inside an ebook in a 3D environment. Tho objective is have a better navigation of the images and access the clinical cases from them. Doctors are used to see lots of images during their daily work, so it is important to navigate medical content databases the same way.

See this video I just made for better understand what we are doing:



Any comments and ideas are always welcome.

2019

Someone imagined the next generation tools.....




Wish I was there !

More astonishing presentations by Benjamin Zander

Another video of Benjamin Zander introducing the art of possibility.
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I admire Benjamin Zander

Watch this video and enjoy Benjamin Zander. No comments are necessary, he is pure joy of life, illusion, possibility, passion and I love it.

Google Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

The shiny new internet browser from Google is here. Google Chrome is available for download from here. What are the implications for the two other main browsers, Firefox and Internet Explorer.

I've read some blogs where people are announcing the end of the story for them, and others who are just expecting the final version of this new browser to say their final word.

But, for sure, this presentation takes the Google-Microsoft rivalry to a whole new level and it will also affect the whole internet.

One of the most interesting things in Chrome is the address bar. People in Google resolved one of the most common mistakes in browsing the web: to write a search in this bar instead of the search box. Google has unified the address bar and the seach box creating a new concept now called the Omnibox.

A good reason to change to Mac

A research company has determined that using Mac in a business environment is better than using Windows PCs from two points of view: time and money. That means, changing to Mac is a logical move if we want to increase efficiency and generate internal cost savings.

Nucleus Research has been doing a study in a company with 1700 employees.
Mac and Pcs are both used in this same company and after the analysis, Nucleus reported two important issues:

1) Macs have 33 per cent fewer problems than Windows PCs in a business environment;
2) Mac trouble tickets are closed 30% quicker.

Conclusions are obvious: people using Mac could have 33% more time to be efficient and, if they have problems with their Macs, they can go back to work much quickly than PC users.

That seems to be a very good reason to change to Mac

Traditions: Sant Jordi

Every 23rd of April, we catalans celebrate the Diada de Sant Jordi. It's a very special day for us in which we (men) give a rose to the woman we love, and in return they (women) give us a book.

This responds to a tradition that goes back to s. XV and from 1995, this date also corresponds to the International Day of the Book (established by UNESCO).

If you have the opportunity to come to Catalonia, then you will find all streets with improvised books stores, plenty of roses in each corner and flags in the windows of people's houses.

Il Cavolo Nero - Florence

Il Cavolo Nero is one of those small and glamorous restaurants difficult to find in a tiny street in Florence, Italy. I had the chance to taste his delicious food and wines last week.

I will suggest you to visit its warm light, peaceful ambience and cordial personnel. The restaurant is placed near the Arno River just 15 minutes walking from Ponte Vecchio. It is a small but cosy place with not more than twelve tables in Via de'll Ardiglione 22.

This trattoria has an excellent menu and a complete Carta dei Vini. I've been very lucky trying those dishes: Handmade potatoes gnocchi with cherry tomato and burrata cheese (see Picture), Grilled tuna fillet with vegetables in balsamic vinegar sauce and the superb Soft bitter chocolate cake with an delicious Chianti classico.

Contact: RISTORANTE CAVOLO NERO, Via dell'Ardiglione,22 50124 FIRENZE, tel. 055-294744 - mailto:055-294744info@cavolonero.it

Out - Traditional cuisine in Madrid

Sometimes I have to work in Madrid, a city I like very much because of their people and life style. Every time my agenda allows me, I try to have lunch at the very traditional Taberna de los 4 Robles. This is an astonishing example of what good service must be in a restaurant: excellent waiters, excellent dishes and excellent prices.

Localized in the heart of Madrid (Plaza Celenque, 1), less than 100 metres from Plaza del Sol, it offers a wide variety of tipical tapas and extremely good quality of fresh fish and meat.

I recommend trying the Tosta de Gambas (with gaerlic), Espárragos trigueros, Sopa de Marisco, Medallones de Solomillo, Ensalada con Ventresca and Bocaditos de Bacalao. Just be careful with the size of every dish: you have to be very hungry.

Prices are very acceptable and a four people dinner could cost no more than 100-120 euros.

Out - Amazing cuisine, excellent situation

La Venta Restaurant

Every time I can, I try to go to a traditional mediterranean food restaurant in Tibidabo's mountain in the north of Barcelona. Comfortable and with excellent service. You should always make a reservation one day prior to your meeting.

After tasting its finest wines, freshest fishes and meats, you can have a drink in the nearest bars: Mirablau, Merbelle or (most recommended) Mirabe. All of them are no more than 100 m from the restaurant.

I recommend some dishes that are delicious: Ravioli de Langostino con Puerro, Bacalao con pilpil de setas, Risotto frito de azafran con sepia, Canelones de calabacin rellenos de gambas, Lomo de conejo con cigalas y picada de chocolate, Espalda de Cordero al Horno, Sorbete de Agua de Rosa.

Address: Plaza Doctor Andreu s/n - 08035 Barcelona - Tel. +34 93 212 64 55 - Open monday to saturday - www.restaurantelaventa.com