Here’s our updated list, as of this morning. You’ll always find it in the third column ONLINE here. The “surprising” stock is BRKA. It’s going through the roof. Ditto for SQ and CENT.
Running your own business? New, effective promotion tools are now available.
Old tools include print and TV advertising, yellow pages. They were expensive and not targeted.
Then came the Internet, and Google ads emerged as the fastest, most effective way to sell your specific product to potential customers. Brilliant idea.
Then came Facebook which is better at selling services (not product — note the difference) to specific demographics. Facebook’s data analytics is really good.
Then came the smartphone. Most people now shop on their smartphones — but most companies’ web sites don’t look good on smartphones. They don’t close the sale fast enough — what my friends say is a “call to action.”
YouTube is now where manufacturers put promotion and instructional videos for their products. Many are enormously powerful and sell a lot of product.
Henry Blodget says the next big thing is something called social video — you plug someone’s else’s product or service you really like. Here are three slides from Blodget’s Ignition presentation:
You can see all his slides here.
Two online glasses suppliers I love.
They will sell you a pair of lasses with lenses for one-tenth what you’d pay at your local retail store. These online guys also have a much better selection and are much better with sizing. Their prices are so low, you can afford spare pairs.
+ EyeBuyDirect. Click here.
+ ZenniOptical. Click here.
Hearing aid “progress.”
This is proving more complex than I thought. Some conclusions:
+ I’d like to speak to a couple of recent hearing aid buyers on their experiences. Email me and we’ll chat.
+ It’s impossible to tell which new hearing aid is “the best.”
+ My concern is finding a hearing aid that does also amplify ambient noise.
+ You need to give hearing aids a “proper” testdrive. At least a month. And you need to be able to get back your money in full.
+ Hearing loss has a multitude of reasons. The Harvard Medical School has a paper out on hearing loss. I’ve just started reading it.
The best CDs for your car. This is Putin vs Trump. This is the most incredible freaky predictive stuff you’ve ever heard. Totally engrossing. absolutely relevant to today.
Don’t do stupid.
Drivers are driving crazy. People are acting careless and reckless. Stress is mounting. Backs are going “out.” People are falling down stairs. A friend got hit in his underground parking garage because an idiot driving a huge SUV couldn’t see over the steering wheel.
Be more careful than usual. Please don’t do stupid.
Funny or sad?
Microsoft has launched a new chat bot on messaging app Kik, The Verge reports. Its last bot, Tay, turned into a genocidal racist after learning from its users!
Favorite recent cartoon
Harry Newton, who’s freaked as to what’s happening to traffic in Manhattan. Cars are running red lights, ignoring pedestrians, weaving all over the place. Yuch. It’s dangerous out there. Put your seat belt on when you’re in a taxi or an Uber. A friend ended up in the E.R. recently because he didn’t.
Yes I agree with the back pain issue. In the last few years, I seem to get lower back pain at least twice a year and it lasts for weeks at a time. My regular doctor tells me oh it’s nothing. It has to do with my age. Im only 48. I can’t live on painkillers. Do you have any good suggestions?
Please Harry would you tell us who don’t live in NYC just how much Mayor Mike is loved throughout the entire city?
Is it true that New Yorkers believe Mayor Mike is by far the best mayor ever?
Mayor Mike Bloomberg was one of the top three mayors. He was very effective. But I’m not a historian.
Mike (Bl$$mberg) is long gone. We now have Bill, the lazy good for nothing incompetent buffoon, DeBlasio as our Mayor. The only thing he brought us, was gender neutral bathrooms. The Republican party in NYC is dead so whomever replaces DeBlalah will be just another Liberal wack job. Oh well.
Zenni has a backwards return policy. They will only offer you 50% of the amount that you paid for the item. You could get 100% via “store” credit. Read their terms and conditions before you buy. Especially with these “cheap” web sites.
First, I’ve never returned anything to Zenni. I did return a broken pair to EyeBuyDirect and they replaced it. But why do you care on a pair of glasses costing maybe $30? What’s your time worth?
Can you provide a link to the Harvard Business School paper referenced in your article?
email me on harry at HarryNewton.com