WhenIsGood
I really like this online application because it’s so easy to use. It does one job, and it does it really well. What’s that job? It enables you to plan a meeting — online — easily. More specifically, as a moderator you click a grid to indicate which times you’re available. Then you send the proposal to other people, and they can click on the grid to indicate when they’re free. You get access to a “results” page and then see the best time for everyone — very handy indeed. WhenIsGood.com is free, but you can also get your own branded version for about $250 a year. That might be a good option for a big corporation, but I’ll stick with the free version.
TED
Ted.com is a very interesting site that features remarkable people from all walks of life and all over the world. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design. It started out in the 80s as a novel conference, uniting unique individuals who have something to say and share. Now, it’s an annual event, and you can watch highlights from these events online, at Ted.com.
The videos really are unusual, and somewhat difficult to explain. Interestingly, the categories on the home page include options such as “persuasive, courageous, ingenious, fascinating, inspiring, beautiful, funny and informative.” So you get an idea the wide range of content. Another unique aspect of Ted is that the presentations all need to be completed within 18 minutes; this rule forces presenters to get to the point fast!
Woot
Don’t ask me where the name comes from, ‘cos I have no idea, but what I can tell you is that Woot.com is the bargain site of all bargains. It’s nothing short of amazing.
I’ll explain how it works. At 12 am Central time every day of the week, a single offer is posted on the homepage at Woot.com. A set quantity of the item is available, and it’s first come, first served. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. That’s why sometimes you’ll hit the page and it’ll say ‘sold out’.
An example of an offer is shown in the screenshot – two Braun Oral-B Vitality Sonic rechargeable toothbrushes for $25, which is obviously a good deal. That’s Woot.com
5Min
5Min, which is short for “5 Minutes,” is a how-to site with a difference.
As the name indicates, all of the videos are less than minutes, the premise being that most common tasks can be visually explained within that timeframe. Anyone can submit videos, so the quality varies, but overall the standard of instruction is very high, and it makes for a very useful Web site.
Topics range from how to julienne vegetables to how to avoid morning sickness, to how to play the bass guitar. Some well-known companies such as Home Depot have even got in on the act – in its case by providing around 50 how-to videos that relate to home construction projects. Great way to help their brand get noticed more don’t you think?
Another nice touch is their smart player. It allows you to watch a video in slow motion or even frame by frame so that you can understand even the most complex details.
Check it out; I think you’ll find 5Min.com very useful.Andrew Lock is a self-described maverick marketer and the creator and host of Help! My Business Sucks, a free, weekly Web TV show full of practical marketing tips, advice and resources to help small businesses “get more done and have more fun.”
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