Future of Digital Marketing

With the idea that consumers can now instantly tell the world exactly how they feel about any particularly product, the future of digital marketing is going to key for most companies. The other day I was watching tv and there was a commercial for the next movie that was going to available on Comcast's On Demand. On the screen you could press ok to view the sneak peek of the movie and also purchase the movie right then and there. I found that to be remarkable in most senses because this gives the consumer most of the power to interact with the company of what they want and when they want it. 

Imagine a consumer purchases a monitoring device from a sporting goods store to help her keep track of miles ran and calories burned. She then is able to tap her device to her friend’s and access her friend’s information for data comparison and maybe a little friendly competition.  Now imagine that device shows her an offer for a free sports drink at the convenient store that’s near the end of her run route. That offer is redeemed when she taps it in the store. An additional offer might encourage her to share the link along with a pic of her with the sports drink to her Facebook page; the link would provide a free drink to any of her Facebook friends who clicked on it.

This could play a whole part for digital marketing for sports. What if a consumer while watching a basketball game instantly be able to purchase a jersey, some type of memorabilia from the actual game, win tickets to a game by interacting on Twitter, or even win a dinner with one of the key players of the game during an auction during the game by simply interacting with the team through their tv  or any other online capability. This can be a really interesting way of marketing. It could eliminate the need of some commercials used by companies. The sports teams curtail their promotions instantly to the specific consumer. They can also use the data collected while watching the event to know exactly how the consumer has reacted to the promotion.

http://www.marketingzen.com/what-you-need-to-know-now-about-the-future-of-digital-marketing/

http://www.sportsnetworker.com/2012/10/28/the-future-of-sports-marketing-the-virtual-fan-network/

2014 Milwaukee Bucks Team Prospect

This year has been a very trying year to be a Bucks fan. Fans would say that the ownership decide to tank the season by finishing with the league's worst record of 15-67. The upcoming class of rookies will be hopefully a spark to the team considering that the team has one first round pick and 3 second round picks.  The team has not been relevant for the past decade and has missed out on lottery picks badly since drafting and trading the rights of Dirk Nitwokski and Pat Garrity to Dallas Mavericks for Robert Taylor. The team has a 25% chance of getting the top pick. This year could be a year where the draft can change this organization. In order to do so they need to make some changes as well.


Currently the present team is composed of mediocre stars and decent role players. Teams could use of some their talent in today's present league but this team would need to make some major changes. Milwaukee Bucks is comprised of small guards in Ramon Sessions and O.J. Mayo. Ramon Sessions has lived up to the season that he had while he was playing in the fluid Houston Rocket offense. He was exposed for the one year that he was playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and has been irrelevant since that time. Luckily enough he is an unrestricted free agent this season and I do believe the the team will be letting go of his services. O.J. Mayo was a nice pickup during their offseason. He is a combination guard that is very useful in the league today. He has the ability to play 3 different positions and defend pretty well. With the right pieces around him, he could be a very serviceable piece in the rebuilding of the Milwaukee Bucks. Brandon Knight has been in the league for 2 years. Unfortunately, his greatest highlights in the league has been on the bad side of SportsCenter's Top Ten.

The big men of the Bucks are not something to be happy about but with this upcoming draft you have a great deal of picks that the team can take. The team should take a very close look at the obvious gems of the class: Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid. These players can help change the route of the franchise but you would need other complements and that will come in the second round of the draft. Glenn Robinson III, James Michael McAdoo, and Patric Young are some candidates that could supplement the team. These players have to drive to be formidable bench players and sometimes finishers of games depending on the situation. Each one brings an unique skill set that will be necessary to change the culture of the team.

Business Plans

Carl J. Schramm is an American economist, entrepreneur, and former President and CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private philanthropic foundation. The Economist has named Schramm the "evangelist of entrepreneurship". Schramm stepped down at the end of 2011 after nearly ten years at the helm of Kauffman. The Kansas City Star observed: "Under Schramm's tenure, the foundation laid a geographically bigger entrepreneurship footprint, launching Global Entrepreneurship Week and becoming the nation's leading founder for entrepreneurship research."

When Schramm came to the Kauffman Foundation, most of its grant-making went to local nonprofits, but he was recruited to make Kauffman a national and global institution. Schramm also made the Kauffman Foundation a pioneer in education—it became the first grant-making foundation own and operate its own charter school.

Chuck Blakeman has had many business ventures and has made every mistake possible to have a great success in each one. He now does public speaking to let people know what he thinks that entrepreneurs could benefit from when opening a new business. 

Carl Schramm and Chuck Blakeman have a unique view about business plans. It was noted in Stein Vox that he did not believe in the premise of business plans. His view on business plans is that it rarely makes sense to write a business plan, nor does it make sense to manage from them. Carl shared that so many academic institutions, business books and training programs whose titles indicate they will teach you how to start and build a business, are largely just information on how to perfect “business plan writing.”

Carl’s point is it is never the case that the formal path mapped out in a business plan is the real path that a business takes to success. As soon as the plan is done, it is out of date. So, why write business plans at all? Stick to the minimal – what is the product, who’s going to buy it, why need it, and how you are going to build and deliver it based on what you know. It only needs to be one page.

Instead of spending time writing a business plan, get on with making the business. Carl shared that in all the investments in start-ups he’s made, he has not read a single business plan. For Carl, to invest in a new business, his measure is the person, not the business plan.

This is interesting because most educators teach the notion that the business plan has to be elaborate and mention every step that a business will take for the next three years. Carl has a point in which businesses change for week to week, month to month, and year to year. A business should have an idea in mind about how they see their future but should not be upset when their business detours of the plan. Always to be able to adjust your business when needed. 

http://thesoundinspace.blogspot.com/2013/10/expert-views-on-value-of-business-plans.html

http://gsm.ucdavis.edu/Schramm

http://carlschramm.com/bio/

http://chuckblakeman.com/2013/7/texts/why-business-plans-are-a-business-disease

Who is the best center in the NBA?

While Howard enters this season as the league's top interior presence, there are a number of talented big men nipping at his heels. The center position is the deepest it has been in quite some time, and there are a few legitimate contenders who could take the title of league's best center away from the 2004 No. 1 overall pick.

Roy Hibbert is the latest in a long line of great Georgetown centers. He really came into his own during last season's playoffs.After averaging 11.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in the regular season, he stepped it up in the postseason to the tune of 17 points and nearly 10 rebounds per contest. Like Howard, Hibbert also has the ability to get it done on the defensive end. His 206 blocks (2.6 per game) were second only to Serge Ibaka, and his 96.9 defensive rating trailed only Tim Duncan. A couple of things work in Hibbert's favor going forward.
First, at 7'2" and 290 pounds, he is one of the league's biggest centers. He is a tough man to move out of the paint, which makes it difficult for teams to defend him on offense or keep him off the boards. Secondly, under Frank Vogel, the Pacers are going to continue to be among the league's best teams, especially on the defensive end. That is only going to play to Hibbert's strengths, and he'll become more of a household name as the team continues to make deep postseason runs. 

Here's a look at one of Hibbert's best games from last season. On March 13, Hibbert unleashed on the Timberwolves, finishing with 27 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks. Throughout the video, there is one main constant: Minnesota was no match for Hibbert's size and strength. They struggled to keep the big man off the glass, and his size advantage made him look like a college senior playing against high school freshmen. You'll see, when he gets the ball down low, he favors a little jump hook. His offensive game isn't polished, but it gets the job done. 

On defense, one particular play that caught my eye comes at the 2:05 mark. T'Wolves forward Derrick Williams attempts to attack the basket and seemingly runs into a brick wall. Despite being 6'8" himself, Williams looks like a child jumping into his father's arms as he is engulfed by Hibbert.That kind of presence inside is what makes Hibbert special. He doesn't have the speed that Howard possesses, but he's a mountain of a man who makes opponents think twice about coming into the paint. 

Perhaps it is because he plays with higher-profile teammates or struggles to stay healthy, but Chicago's Joakim Noah doesn't get the attention he deserves as one of the game's best big men. Like Roy Hibbert, Noah has the advantage of playing for a great defensive coach who brings the best out of him. The biggest obstacle standing in Noah's ascent to greatness is his body.
Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau has molded the team into a defensive machine with Noah at the forefront. The former Florida Gator led the team in steals (1.2), blocks (2.1) and rebounds (11.1) per game during the regular season. In six years, he has yet to play a full NBA season. His 66 appearances last season were his best output since the 2008-09 season. When healthy, Noah brings a rare blend of speed, energy, athleticism and toughness. He has tremendous moxie for a big man with a rail thin body, and he can be downright pesky in the paint. Defensively, he's one of the game's best shot-blockers and gets his hands on a few steals with his uncanny hand speed. 

Let's take a look at perhaps one of the best single-game performances of any player from last season. On Feb. 28, Noah put up video game numbers on the Philadelphia 76ers. He finished with 23 points, 21 rebounds, 11 blocks and three steals in a 93-82 win. One of the big takeaways from the highlight reel is how over-matched Spencer Hawes looked going up against Noah. At times, he was a step too slow defending the Bulls big man on the pick-and-roll, and he just couldn't compete on the glass. Next, at the 2:23 spot, watch how Noah smothers the ball on the perimeter. Even after the switch off of the pick, he doesn't back down on defense and uses his long arms to force a bad pass. Speaking of defense, Noah's timing on all 11 of his blocks is impeccable. He knows right when to jump to get his hands on the ball and avoid a foul. The key for Noah will be staying on the court.

With the return of Derrick Rose coming back next season, the Bulls will be regarded once again a championship contender. As with Hibbert, the team's success will only increase Noah's profile. With his tenacity and personality, he's bound to get the respect he rightfully deserves. 

DeMarcus"Boogie" Cousins is the leader of the new school. The 23-year-old is arguably the best among a talented class of young big men. Last year, he had a solid season with an average of 17.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. The year before, however, was the former Kentucky Wildcat's coming-out party.He contributed 18.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game in what was the best season of his young career. He also added 1.2 blocks per contest for good measure.

There are few things standing in Cousins' way on the road to the NBA's elite. First, like any entitled youngster, there are maturity issues. In just three seasons in the league, he's managed to feud with coaches as well as teammates. He's also been known to make trade demands when he's feeling out of place. Next, he plays on a Sacramento Kings team that doesn't get a ton of attention or wins. Since Boogie came to town in 2010, the team has yet to eclipse 30 wins in a single season. The Kings also play in a state with three other teams that have had a greater amount of recent success. Lastly, Cousins isn't one for defense.

His 1.2 blocks per game in 2010-11 was his best attempt at hindering an opponent's offense. Last season, he had an Effective Field Goal Percentage Allowed of 52.6 percent. When he was off the court, that number dropped to 50.5 percent. On the bright side, at least he has some geographical stability. The team gave Cousins a four-year, $62 million extension this offseason with the intention of building around their mercurial big man. That gives Boogie an advantage over the others on this list. Unlike the other three, Cousins is his team's top option. While the others will enjoy more immediate success, Cousins will spend the next few years building his legacy as a terror—hopefully, more so on the court than off of it.

Physically, he's the total package. At 6'11" and 270 pounds, he has the size and power to be a force in the paint. He also has the intensity and athleticism to go with his uncanny strength. His offensive game is coming along.Last season, he shot 32 percent from 10-16 feet while shooting 33 percent from between 16 feet and the three-point line. He may not be the second coming of Tim Duncan as an outside shooter, but there are reasons to be optimistic. 

In this video from his 36-point, 22-rebound performance against the Clippers, you will see all of the things Cousins can do. The video starts off with Cousins nailing a long jumper. The rest of the reel is just a showcase of power and determination. He seems to get to the basket whenever he wants and even shows off a little bit of ball-handling skill (at the 1:48 mark). 

Cousins has the talent to be the league's best. It is all contingent on what's between his ears. If he acts less like a petulant child and more like the face of a franchise, he can carry this Kings team out of the basement and get more positive attention. It will take time to rebuild Sacramento, but the Kings made the first step in the right direction by committing four years to their prized center. As they continue to mold this young core, the Kings could be respectable again. However, they will only go as far as Cousins takes them.