IN this article, you can look inside Netflix at the software they use; the software systems they use (AWS, EC2, S3); and the culture they have about people and work. It is heavy on the software and systems they use, including open source projects. Take a look here!

Having some trouble with thelistserv. It was fixed last night. (So you might have received a bunch of emails. I apologize.)

Here is what you missed.

FCC is working through Connect America Fund (CAF) and Special Access reform. (HERE)

Is this the beginning of a HPBX Price War? (HERE) BTW, a little VoIP comparison pricing from pcmag.

Broadsoft intends to raise $175M; of which, $60M to re-purchase debt and $25M to buy back shares. “The remainder of $90M will be kept for general corporate purposes, with the only explicitly mentioned one being the acquisition of or investment in complementary businesses, products, or technologies.” [ramblings]

More than half of small rural video providers saw an increase in programming costs of 100% or greater in their latest contract negotiations — http://www.telecompetitor.com/video-content-costs-survey-54-of-rural-providers-saw-jump-of-100-or-more-in-latest-contract/

The reason that AT&T wanted to buy DirecTV? (HERE)

“Average stuff for average people is getting ever more difficult to sell.” – Seth Godin

You are selling Change? Are you?

An article on MSP Valuations. It is all about EBITA.

Where Is The Value In The Tech Stack? by Fred Wilson

This is the first in a series of videos I did at Pete Ace’s video studio in Clearwater, FL. This rant is on consolidation in telecom and price compression. Listen in and I hope you like it.

I was asked on twitter about what marketing tools are necessary. Marketing starts with the foundation, the basic elements:

• Who do you target?
• what are you offering?
• why should they care?
• why should they buy it from you?
• how will you contact them?

A website is absolutely necessary today. A current, informative one. Buyers are doing 60-70% of their research BEFORE contacting a vendor.

There are so many elements to marketing: website, pay-per-click, SEO, email, social media, PR, advertising and so much more. That is a lot for anyone to keep up with. It is different for B2B and B2C. You have to know where your target is.

I have seen what a Marketing Director has been tasked with in our industry — and quite frankly they are set up for failure. It isn’t possible for a single person to handle all aspects of marketing, communications – internal, external, partner channels – and events. Doing both branding and direct marketing — one with an ROI; one with an immeasurable impact. (see here) Huge challenge today.

I get asked, “Do you need collateral?” Maybe. What is the purpose? What do you hope to happen when someone takes it with them or a salesperson leaves it behind? How do you get the

The ability to get Attention is diminishing at the same time that word of mouth and connection are increasing. Makes for a marketing dilemma. How do you increase WOM and connection?

Engagement, valuable and/or interesting content, and target your best audience have become important to the marketer. Those are the objectives. The platforms and tactics will be specific to your target.

Branding is very different from direct marketing – or lead generation, which is what most folks mean when they say marketing. They don’t want top of mind; they want leads now. Different strategy, thus tactics.

Just sharing some articles I read this week that were interesting.

Employee/Team Engagement via the Naval Cyber Warfare Center./p>

Interview with Jeb Blount, Author of Fanatical Prospecting. “These superstars view prospecting as a way of life. They prospect with single-minded focus, worrying little about what other people think of them. They enthusiastically dive into telephone prospecting, email prospecting, cold calling, networking, asking for referrals, knocking on doors, following up on leads, attending trade shows, and striking up conversations with strangers.”

An interview (podcast) with John Sculley, who now is at Obi Worldphone.

INBOUND 2015 Keynote: Seth Godin

Thought for the day.

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