So Right yet so wrong!

When I was reading NYtimes today I realized that when you reach end of the page one slider box slides into the page to give reference to another article. A very novel and breakthrough idea! As soon as reader reaches end of the page suggest her something more so that you can retain her for longer time on your site. These days people are getting routed to websites through some referencing links (either referred by some blog or website or mail etc) for some specific interesting article. So as soon as article is done reader will close the webpage and move on. But if you refer something when reader is done with current page, reader will surely be tempted to go to suggested page provided the reference is good and interesting.
Some websites shows suggestions at the start of the webpage itself. But when reader visits website for some specific article they are focused on that article so will not move to another article even if suggestion at the start of the page is really good. But suggesting at the end of the page will surely evoke my intrest.
But the reference that nytimes shows is not contextual. Even if you are reading a business article it is suggesting some political article so reader will not be interested. So despite introducing something out of the box nytimes lost to milk the opportunity. Am sure they will fix it very soon.
New ideas are very important but executing them to get maximum return on investment is equally important. Give your customers reason to stay on with you. And keep them happy during their stay.

Photo credit nytimes

Money

People raise eyebrows when I say I love money. Everyone loves money but they don’t accept this fact as ostentatiously as I do. Valuation of money varies and people rate importance of money very subjectively. But money is the enabler, money is the fuel for life, money can play vital role in bringing happiness and money helps us in not turning to barbarianism again (though sometime it acts opposite) by trade.
Money can:
Buy everyone a meal.
Help eliminate child labor and give them a chance for life.
Buy flip flops for bare feet school kids.
Help people fight poverty, earn their livelihood and get out of poverty rot.
Help in research of diseases and alleviate ALL physical suffering from the world.
Help fund self help groups so they can earn their respect their way.
Help in agriculture research and make farmers a happy lot. The one who feed us should have the right to happiness.
Help you treat your friends without any reason and celebrate life.
Help you go on unplanned trips. 
Bring freedom to think, plan, execute, fail and try again. 
Help you seed another people’s business ideas.
Money can attract more money and above mentioned cycle continues.
So,
I want money.

Photo credit Meanest Indian

Don’t stop me in middle of something

People hate when they are stopped in midst of something. If they have joined a queue and guy at the counter tells them that this is wrong queue they are rightly enraged. If people are buying something online and on 3rd step if you add some caveat or clause that will change their buying pattern or decision to buy then they will not feel happy. By stopping people in midst of something you are wasting their time and their effort so they will definitely give you a piece of their mind.
Give people seamless experience. Smoother the experience, more they will appreciate you to value their time and effort. 
If you want to tell them some instruction or note, tell them before they embark on their journey. They will accept your note very gracefully and might not even budge. The same instruction\note given in between their journey will force them to leave you for someone better.
Remove all the hurdles from every journey. 

Surprise me!

People love positive surprises. They feel pampered, special when something\someone amazes them. It is surprise that make people travel across the world to visit different places to see different culture, nature or history. Creative advertisements surprise people and we tend to remember those product\services more whose story surprises us. Discounts are also a form of positive surprise (omg, 30% discount on my favorite clothing!) that make people flock to shops. Touch-screen computers are surprising people that computers can be so easy to handle; hence they are and will be so popular. A easy to use product feature surprise you every time you use it and forces you stay longer with that product.
It is beyond doubt that pleasant surprises works wonder for relationships.
So create surprises and your customer will surprise you back with their warmth and their prolonged association.
Did you surprise someone today? 

Photo credit Tetsumo

Enjoy!

Whatever you are doing, whichever field you are in, enjoyment should be your highest priority. This applies to relations, work, your future plans, your journeys etc. When we are happy:
1. We give our best.
2. We spread happiness around and believe me true happy state of mind is contagious.
3. And above all you are happy. Isn’t life all about happiness?


If you are not happy with your current state then keep looking for happiness. As Steve jobs has said “..like all matters of heart, you will know when you’ll find it”. Love, enjoyment and happiness are closely linked with each other. Find what you love, you will enjoy if you are working on your love and this enjoyment will give you blissful happiness.
This post is triggered when I saw one of yanni’s show. All the musicians were literally enjoying to the hilt and that enjoyment is contagious enough to spread happiness to audiences.
If you are not enjoying it, then it’s not worth it.

Given a chance

I have this hidden wish that I want to be a truck driver for few weeks. So many I times I caught myself wishing, “given a chance I want to be truck driver”. Nearly all of us are stuck in vicious ‘chance’ circle and find ourselves saying:
Given a chance I want to leave this job and move to another field.
Given a chance I want to start my company.
Given a chance I want to date that girl.
Given a chance I want to go to Himalayas.
Given a chance I want to live more nomadic life.
Given I chance I want to visit xyz place.
Given a chance…….Ok, cut the crap. No one will bring your wish on platter and thrust upon you to enjoy it. If you really desire something then work towards it and doesn’t leave it for chance.
Get going.

Breakfast at hospital

My daily routine breakfast joint was closed today morning. I was on my weekend bike ride so thought of stopping at one hospital. Why hospital? I don’t know, to be very frank. I have seen that hospital many a times during my various journeys and some light lit in my mind today that let’s try breakfast at that hospital today. I’ve seen that good hospital have average cafeteria and I was looking for some change (that’s the thing I hunt for everyday).

I entered the hospital and was greeted by cool air-conditioned breeze. Outside it was hot and just about right temperature inside made the first killer impression on me. Decor of the cafeteria was really good with well spaced tables. Chairs and tables are light green and white (sorry am not too fanatic about colors so they might be some shade of green or some shade or cream\white) with few well trimmed plants lined on one side. Place was spic and so are the clothes of serving staff. Clothing of staff was not mundane; it was some pleasant flowery shirt with blue (that one you can guess) pants. Prices were pretty reasonable and quality of food was remarkable. I never expected this quality of food from a hospital cafeteria so it was very pleasant surprise. Entire staff was of very happy demeanor and people will really require that if they are in hospital. So overall it was awesome experience. I’m happy that my mundane breakfast joint was closed today.

Sometime I wonder that if one hospital cafeteria can give you such a good foodie cum good ambience experience why can’t the restaurant that are in the business specifically for food and ambience?