"Helping Your Business Fly"
Issue 16

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. FLIGHT LINES: Be Loyal to Your Convictions
2. WING TIPS: Windows XP re-activation
3. FEATURE ARTICLE: "Mountain Top View"
4. ALTER EAGLE: Pets.com: Branding Goes to the Dogs
5. EAGLE'S TALON: EasyExplorer, A FREE File Manager
6. EYE OF THE EAGLE: Johnny's mother had three children...
7. CONTACT THE FLYER: Send questions, comments and articles

1) ======= Flight Lines =======
[Observations on business and life]

An ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness.
-- Elbert Hubbard

No more important duty can be urged upon those who are entering the great theater of life than simple loyalty to their best convictions.
-- Edwin Hubbel Chapin

2) ======= Wing Tips =======
[A variety of business helps and tips]

Windows XP Activation after a re-install

[Note: Before attempting this, or any other Windows "tips", be sure that you have a current backup of all of your importanf files.]

If you are planning on re-installing Windows XP, and would like to avoid the obligatory activation fiasco, here is a possible workaround.

Prior to the re-install, make a backup of the Wpa.dbl file, which can be found in the System32 subfolder.

After you re-install, simply copy the file back to the appropriate folder, and you shouldn't have to waste your time on hold.

I would only suggest using this method if you have not made any changes to your hardware, and are simply re-installing Windows XP.

If you HAVE made changes to your configured hardware, by all means give Microsoft a call.

3) ======= Feature Article =======

"Mountain Top View"
By Ralph Moore

A Little History:
More years ago than I care to remember, I enjoyed the extreme good fortune of an "all-expenses-paid vacation", to Denver, Colorado, care of my dear old "Uncle Sam".

Whenever I wasn't busy furthering my Air Force career, I would sometimes embark on one of my "Mountain Top Experiences" in the neighboring "Rockies".

It's amazing the perspective you can get, given the right set of circumstances.

In and around Denver, there were several areas along the side of the mountain highways, where you could leave your car, and explore some of nature's handiwork.

From time to time, I would park and begin climbing. Up the side of the mountain, until I would reach the top... usually only to find another peak, or more, beyond.

Once I had climbed high enough, I would begin to notice that the view had changed, often quite dramatically.

You see, from the right vantage point, I could see all around me, and much, much further away. And, not only had the view changed, but my PERSPECTIVE had changed as well.

And that's what I mean by a...

Mountain Top View:
On the way to the parking area, my immediate concern was with driving and parking, not really thinking or caring about the climb.

And once I began climbing, I forgot all about driving, and focused only on the actual effort of getting up the mountain, without tumbling back down.

Finally, all alone high up in the mountains, I was rewarded with the peaceful sound of a mountain stream, the smell of the pine trees, and an incredible view far from all the cares of the world below.

So often in our businesses, and in life in general, we get so wrapped up in the view of the moment, that we lose sight of the greater perspective... of what we were trying to do, or where we were trying to go.

It's at times like these that I have found it helps to "climb to the top of the mountain", so-to-speak, to get...

A New Perspective:
Once in a while, when I get "stuck" all I have to do is DO SOMETHING ELSE, for awhile. By putting some distance between myself and the view that I am holding onto, I can gain that 'new perspective'... that "Mountaintop View" that lets me move on.

At other times, I find that I need to re-evaluate the project that I am working on and how it fits with my overall business plan.

By taking time to step back for a moment, and by looking at the bigger picture, I can make the right changes that will help me get to my goal.

What To Do:
The next time you can't seem to move forward on a problem, try this:

1. Stop what you are doing!

2. Take a deep breath, or two, and relax

3. Close your eyes

4. Imagine yourself sitting on top of a mountain, looking down on your business below

5. Ask yourself, What is my goal? What am I trying to do?

6. Now ask, What am I doing to get to my goal?

7. Finally, ask Is this necessary? Is there a better path to follow?

While this may seem very simple, I find that it often works for me.

Sometimes the simple act of stopping, letting go and "getting the "view from the mountain top" will bring you down to earth with new energy, a new perspective and the solution that you were looking for all along.

About the Author:
Ralph Moore is the editor of the FREE Eagle Flyer Newsletter, which offers "How To Technology and Tips That Can Multiply Your Business Online". To subscribe to the Eagle Flyer and receive a FREE report, visit: http://www.eagleflyer.com

4) ======= Alter Eagle =======
[Products and services that we recommend]

Pets.com: Branding Goes to the Dogs
By Dan Janal

The recent demise of Pets.com offers important points about building a brand on the Internet for businesses of all sizes.

Let's recap their story.

Pet.com entered a crowded playing field of startups that wanted to sell pet food, supplies and toys to price-conscious pet owners. The field also included bricks and mortar stores, like Petsmart.

Pets.com needed to stand out from the crowd. They did an admirable job by creating a lovable character, the sock puppet and a catchy slogan to answer the question of why shop at an online pet store: "Because pets can't drive."

They spun a good PR story about the creation of the sock puppet. They said their marketing team created a six-page bio of the character that included gender, age, personality and other traits.

They spent a fortune on TV ads that featured the sock puppet, whose sassy style did a great job in differentiating the company from others.

That's good branding.

As a result, pets.com was:

-The leader in the online pet category
-An award winning site, as rated by Gomez.com
-Highest number of unique visitors in the category
according to Media Metrix, Nielsen/Net Ratings and
PC Data Online
-Counted 570,000 people as customers

Yet, as the company noted in its press release "we are unable to continue operations."

But it obviously wasn't enough.

What went wrong?

You can't build a brand on a bad business plan. Sure, a lot of people own pets and they want to spend less money on pet food. But can any market support dozens of companies with the same business plan? The story of Pets.com tells us a resounding, "no!"

Pets.com lost because they failed to learn an important rule:

In a product area where the retailer adds no extra value, Pets.com was doomed to disaster the day the first wave of competitors came along.

That's because if you plan to build a company by offering discounts, you will lose to the next company that comes along and offers a bigger discount. If the field is crowded, go elsewhere! Your chances of winning are slim.

The cost per customer acquisition by companies like Pets.com is about $80. There's no way you make that back when you sell a product with a paper-thin margin - and have 10 other competitors doing the same.

It's no wonder why Wall Street has punished dot-com look-alikes this year.

Pets.com teaches us that strong brand assets can help a company gain visibility and awareness in a crowded field. But Pets.com also teaches us that if you build a brand on a shaky foundation (i.e. business plan), you are doomed.

That's why I predict that some toy company will buy the sock puppet assets and turn him into a major cartoon character. Move over Barney!

The real lesson: You can only win if you add real value that customers can't get anywhere else.

That's the essence of building a good brand on the Internet. The clever logo, the sassy character, the cute slogan are merely brand assets that help to build the brand. But so are the business plan, the competition and the realities of the marketplace.

Daniel Janal is an internationally-recognized speaker, Internet marketer and best-selling author of Branding on the Internet.
http://www.roibot.com/r_bn.cgi?R19350_bnarttext2

5) ======= Eagle's Talon =======
[Tools to help you "get a grip" on things]

EasyExplorer - A FREE File Manager

A FREE file manager for Windows, EasyExplorer is very easy to use, and adds extended functionality to the standart Windows Explorer program that you are used to.

Some of the features include:

Full integration with the Windows shell

"Drag and Drop" is fully supported

Change colors, fonts, image sizes, etc.

Open more than one folder at a time

Use built in taskbar for easy navigation

Open a DOS window containing the path of the folder that you are currently viewing

Use filters to find files quickly and easily

Faster than the standard Windows Explorer

Completely FREE, with a pro version available as a shareware upgrade

Display up to 4 windows at the same time.

Add favorite utilities and tools to the main menu for quick access.

EasyExplorer does everything in a very familiar interface, and brings a lot of additional power tools to the interface.

I highly recommend that you take a look at this FREE file manager. It may fit your needs and file management style!

6) ======= Eye of the Eagle =======
[Ideas to help you think creatively]

Johnny's mother had three children
The first child was named April
The second child was named May

What was the third child's name?

(Answer in the next issue of the Flyer)

***
Answer to Last Month's Puzzler...

A bucket of water weighs 10 pounds. What can you add to it to make it weigh 7 pounds?

Holes!

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Registered with the Library of Congress. ISSN: 1535-8429
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