IA and Marketing Sneezers (was Re: [Sigia-l] Site registration

[Donna Timara]

Andrew Boyd:
> the second half of that last sentance, with all due respect, is where
> they have screwed up. It is not number of clicks (remember that?) or
> number of subscribers, it is the number of lifelong customers X the
> amount they spend that is paying the bills for those companies who will
> still be in business next year. 

This is a good pick. The mantra is if-I-can-measure-I-can-manage. You
are right about life-time of a customer that creates value in
marketing terms. This is a completely different topic to understand
how companies define their tangible and intangible assets. I am sure
nobody on this list wants us to divulge into business accounting.

That said, asking people to register is one awesome way of
demonstrating and measuring what you have. Examples -- HBR, Mckinsey,
Forrester, Gartner, WSJ (there's ton of good examples). On the flip
side, there are others too – OCW/MIT, CNN, NPR and so many that you
guys mentioned.

Could those pubs have done the same? Sure, but we don't know what
compelled them otherwise.

Why did they do it without registration? That's what I want us to
think about. There is no obvious answer to it. Many a time focusing on
short-term measures is the only options for those clueless managers.
Probably they are planning to exit the market... Or they are thinking
that they will sell out to somebody based of subscription-based
valuation… (Don't catch me on all this, I am just thinking aloud).

> Ziya's example (craigslist.org) is a
> perfect one - people aren't stupid, they aren't units, they are people,

I think it is a great example to see that there are different ways you
can differentiate yourself. For Craiglist it is easy not to measure
their success by subscription. They are not answerable to wallstreet
analysts. They are not measured on quarterly results. Same is true
for, say NPR. NPR has tons of money, but their subscriber stations
have to beg for donations. They can't sell you content for free?
Neither they have means to ask for subscriptions, so all they do is
fold their hands to request your generous donations to run your local
stations… This is yet another way of doing the business… Though, many
will advocate that it is not the best.

> and targeted service pays off big for those companies with the foresight
> to implement it…

You bet it pays. But we don't know that they don't have foresight to
implement what we all have been discussed so far.

Guys, this is all great. I am learning a lot from others perspective.
And I am not sure if I am necessarily disagreeing with anybody. Also I
am not advocating from those inefficient managers who are copycats,
with nothing tangible to sell to people, other than asking them to
signup.

I am trying to induce counter thoughts, so that we can understand
context in which different businesses operate. Then only can we
suggest them to think beyond their short-term problems. Registration
or no-registration is not a design problem unless we address and
define the context from both/every sides, user as well as business. I
am just facilitating this discussion to define it as a design problem.

So far, I am not convinced if we described it as a design problem.
Although, I know for sure that there are many folks in this list who
works for such powerhouses who can benefit from this our analysis.

Thanks,
:d