Direct Marketing Strategic Intelligence: April 2008

Friday, April 04, 2008

Podcast Brothers 2008-04-03 Podcast Brothers

Presented by: New Media Expo, August 14-16, 2008 - Las Vegas

The New Media Expo is sponsored by Ambrosia Software and Sony Creative Software. Tim and Emile Bourquin, The Podcast Brothers, talk about: online registration is now open for the 4th Annual New Media Expo 2008, YouTube adds new audience tracking tools (great overview at Tribal Seduction), niche documentary thrive without major studios and the marketing all content creators can do, listener question about the "free" model from Gus Caveda, get exposure for your work by submitting it to Current TV, Slashdot comments on twitter and podcasting being on "sidelines", using MySpace to push traffic to your own network, ADM to debut their metrics standards at ad:tech, Scott Sigler at the top of the Amazon Horror bestsellers list because of his hard work and podcasts, good information on how to price advertising and sponsorship for your content and how others are doing it, and finally the monetization tip of the week: how to charge for your archives with Zipidee and CreateSpace.

Intro by: Fred Castaneda of the Struggling Entrepreneur podcast

Play in Windows Media
Play in RealPlayer
Play mp3 stream
Direct link to mp3 file >> full story

Take That, Google! MapQuest Snags OnStar Deal

Given my current obsession with digital mapping and all things location-based, don’t be surprised if you see more short news blurbs here about deals such as the one announced by AOL’s MapQuest and General Motor’s OnStar. OnStar is launching a new service called eNav, which, as their press release states:

…will allow subscribers to have directions sent from their computer to specially-equipped vehicles. Once the directions have been sent to the user’s car, they can then be accessed via voice-guided commands. In 2009, under the terms of the agreement, eNav users will be able to download directions directly to their vehicleâs screen-based navigation system.

The eNav service, which piloted last year under the name “Web Destination Entry,” is available to all of GM’s 2.65 million Turn-by-Turn-capable vehicles as of today. (See video below the fold)

OnStar is also announcing another new service, called Destination Download, which enables users to interact with the navigation system while driving.

OnStar subscribers with screen-based navigation systems can press a button and be connected to an adviser. This adviser will then find the driver’s location, send it to the system and an icon will pop up on the car’s screen prompting the driver to input where he/she wants to go. Once the system is notified of a final destination point, it then sends turn-by-turn directions and drivers can continue on their journey.

The deal is a big shot in the arm for MapQuest, which has lost much of the market’s attention to more Web 2.0-savvy mapping services from Google, Microsoft and Yahoo. (It’s also beginning to lose some traction in terms of traffic.) And it’s the second major GPS deal for MapQuest in less than a week; the company announced a partnership with Garmin on Monday.

OnStar and MapQuest are two perfect examples of stand-alone businesses that are buried in large corporations and as such, are worthy spin-out candidates.

>> full story

FAP772: Free stuff Friday, Lender of Last Resort, SREB

Listen now:

Student Financial Aid News
+ At the SREB GoAlliance conference yesterday
+ Some revelatory facts - every 26 seconds, a kid drops out of high school
+ In some southern states, kids drop out as early as 4th grade
+ The causes are many - family influence, money, time, culture
+ Addressing the issue requires a multitude of approaches
+ My role was to help train GoAlliance members in direct to consumer marketing
+ Consequences are grave - statistically a college graduate makes more than $1.2M over a lifetime in earnings more than a high school graduate, $1.6M over someone with no diploma
+ That’s 3,323 kids a DAY - and that means $3.9 BILLION a day lost
+ NorthStar and Student Loan Xpress exit the student loan market
+ Chronicle: Responding to growing concern that student loans may be less available this fall, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat who is chairman of the Senate education committee, introduced legislation on Thursday aimed at reducing borrowers’ dependence on private student loans and making it easier for colleges to find lenders for their students.
+ Mr. Kennedy’s bill, which comes amid a credit crunch that has caused a number of lenders to leave the federally guaranteed student loan programs and private-loan programs, would increase the maximum Pell Grant for the lowest-income students by up to $750. It would also increase federal loan limits by $1,000 a year for undergraduates who are dependents of their parents, and $2,000 a year for independent undergraduates and students whose parents cannot obtain PLUS loans because of their poor credit. The bill also aims to ease the process of applying for a loan under the federal government’s “lender of last resort” program, which would use guarantee agencies to provide loans if they become widely unavailable. Under current law, students seeking a loan would have to petition the Education Department directly and prove that they had been denied a loan by at least two lenders. Under Mr. Kennedy’s bill, the department could designate lenders of last resort on a collegewide, not a student-by-student, basis.
+ Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com
+ Parent PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com
+ Private student loans at AlternativeStudentLoan.com

Scholarship Update
+ Songs from the Heart
+ Rock, rap or riff an original song expressing your support for a cause or candidate you care about! Express yourself with an original song backing an issue close to your heart. The style of music is up to you! Create your original song, let your voice be heard and you could win $500! No purchase necessary. Open to anyone who is a resident of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia, has access to the Internet, and is 13 or older at the time of entry.
+ $500
+ June 11 deadline
+ Details at our free college scholarship search site

Free Stuff Friday
+ How to Find Lost Objects eBook
+ Sync up all your calendars with FuseCal
+ Chel Pixie warns to read the TOS on Photoshop Express
+ David Allen’s GTD email eBook
+ TONS of stuff today via BalanceInDiet.com
+ The Backyardigans printable coloring book
+ Sample of Maybelline Mineral Powder
+ Sample of Ultra Xcid Antacid by Zicam
+ Sample of Vaseline Intensive Rescue
+ Sample of Dove Go Fresh deodorant
+ Sample of Post-It flags
+ Seattle’s Best Coffee Sample
+ Curel Life Stages Sample
+ Always Samples
+ Fiber One Cereal Sample
+ Jergens Natural Glow Moisturizer Sample
+ Vaseline Intensive Rescue Sample
+ FlexForce Trash Bag Sample
+ Gold Bond Lotion Sample
+ Purina One Healthful Life Cat Food Sample
+ Check out list #1
+ And List #2

Free Song of the Week
+ Adrina Thorpe, Midnight

Promo
+ Financial Aid Podcast Live: Surviving the Credit Crunch

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