A Gazillion More Free Hours From AOL? Gee, Thanks (p. 35)
FC Article

The AOL story is an example of marketing on overdrive. Is there such a thing as too much brand awareness? Design a new direct marketing campaign for AOL -- are vast amounts of free hours the best way to attract new customers? What other incentives could work? Discuss what direct marketing tactics, if any, have worked in your members' companies and how they might apply in this case.

FastTalk (p. 49) and What We Learned In the New Economy (p. 56)
FC Article
FC Article

• So, what did your members learn from the New Economy? Have everyone list a few things and then compare the list to that of the interviewees in Fast Talk. Do the lessons and concerns mostly match? What is your group doing to prepare for the next boom? Will the Internet be the lasting legacy of the New Economy, or will hindsight give insight to another trend that rivals it?
• How might the VC process change as things pick up again? Are there other 'new' areas of the New Economy that your firm should be tapping?
• Moving to Jennifer Reingold's article. she asserts the New Economy made the middleman 'toast.' Has the bust and mini-recovery shown middlemen are needed, or has the Web rendered them still irrelevant? What about Free Agent Nation -- did it survive the bubble burst? How can a free agent go about building their personal brand? What should one do when that brand is damaged?

Fast 50 (p.80)
FC Article

This year's Fast 50 ranged from tech gurus to restaurateurs to educators. How has qualifying for being 'fast' changed from 2001? From 1995? What attributes do these people have in common that distinguish them from the general business community? Devise a list of 10 'fast' people in your community and compare them to some from the Fast 50. Consider inviting them to a CoF gathering. What other verticals should be examined for rising 'fast' stars?

Daniel Richards contributed this month's Flash Points.

March 2004 Connexus | Flash Points | Next Steps

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