Version 3.0...

... is now online. I think we have a very nice tea party ahead of us.

In unrelated news, last night was easily one of the strangest of my life; rife with living-room open mic (no one took the open request for performances during "intermission"), asians rapping in hoodies, wedding slide shows, Jager Bombs, and getting a ride home from someone whose name I never knew.

I'm willing to bet most of my remarks were uninvited and under-appreciated... the kind "whispered' to a neighbor (no idea what her name was/is) yet heard by all.

On the up side, the videos are good enough that I think I'll finally get some online and capturing imaginations.

Pardon the self-promotion...

But I think this is probably my best post yet on the HoBlog: They Say Mimicry is the Greatest of Compliments...

It gets mildly rantish at the end, but a lot of passion went in to that one. And it's informative.

HoboHookah Featured on CollegeNews.com!

The media coverage begins. CollegeNews.com just featured our Hookah in its holiday gift guide.

A digg campaign has started and is picking up a little traction, so head on over if you'd like to help us get the Hobo on the front page of Digg.

http://www.digg.com/odd_stuff/CN_HOLIDAY_GIFT_GUIDE

The link to the article is there as well.

When in Rome...

...Live The Roman Dream.

To bad I'll be in Hong Kong and Macau.

Working a weekend, but that don't stop Mix from Living The Dream Navidad!

By the way, looks like Sweden will be the 2nd market for the HoboHookah. Makes sense that the Swedes would be early adopters - they're my ancestors.

Never call a Finn a Swede.

The fan is clicking

I now write for another blog, Self Pursuit. My first entry (On how not to talk to women) is a little hostile; I think I found a home for my surmountable cynicism.

The HoboHookah site has undergone a face lift. We're still doing some tweaking, but check it out and let me know what you think. Expect some other exciting announcements (hopefully) real soon.

It looks as if I'll be part of the founding crew for some sort of creative-industry focused association here. Khailee, a revolutionary and coworker, and I are tackling the creative energy and relationship void here in Kuala Lumpur. Let's see how it develops.

Roadie

Closure is quickly approaching, but could not come without a necessary road trip. Saddled up with a few boxes of hobos, a gleaming eye, and a most trusted companion, we adventure west, ready to take the world on. The boom box has batteries for now and CD's adorn its side car. Let's make this last one a real doozie.

My going away party will be hosted by six girls I met last night.

Debut video

We've been working on some instructional videos for the Hobo and just finished our rookie attempt. Take a look and pray tell me know what you think.



More to come soon. It's funny how one gets a little tense once the cameras start rolling.

It is here

...and it is glorious. Four weeks until the world changes.

Marketing

I have access to many of the dorms and if you give me fliers I will put them up everywhere I can. - an offer I recently received.

The thought is a nice one and well intentioned, but is slightly off the mark. When you're marketing something, anything, to the people, throwing poop against the wall only gets you so far. And by "far," I mean generally not far at all. You need to find the people who care, then get their attention, then get permission to talk to them, then get them to talk to others. When your idea or product is so new that you are creating your own market, this is especially crucial, because you, as the provider, only have so much sway with someone who's just met you. Again, by "sway," I mean "not much." But, if one of their trusted friends tells them about this sweet new idea or product, they might listen. Why? Because the source is trusted. The talker is willing to put some of their rep on the line to get this person to take action. That holds sway.

Thus, find the early adopters, give them the means to talk.
While they're talking, work on building your authenticity and trust. Don't be some ominous being behind a company wall or robotic voice behind an email. Get real and put a face and name behind your voice, behind your product. Humanize your product and show your customers why you think this is a great opportunity for them.
The goal is to take them from "them" status and bring them into your community. Then you become "we." And from there, you now have a basis with which to talk to them. Let them talk back. Let them participate in your processes and see results from that participation. If they have a stake in what you're doing, they'll be more willing to act, to purchase that which you, as a community, have developed. They'll be more than happy to tell their friends why you've got such a great product or idea.
And then you become a vessel, a vessel through which they can make a purchase that makes them feel good. They're happy. You're happy. You've realized success. For now.

Repeat.

I'm writing our marketing plan right now, and in a few days I hope to have an undergraduate marketing degree, albeit not on paper.

Sharing the love

Want to spread The Dream? Go here and you can add any of these glowing links to your favorite blog or site.

Midnight Hobo

Trent: They're gonna give daddy the Rainman suite, you dig that?
Mike: Do you think we'll get there by midnight?
Trent: Baby, we're going to be up five hundy by midnight!
Mike: Yeeeeaaaaahhhhhh!
Trent: Vegas baby! Vegas!
Mike: Vegas!

The HoboHookah Facebook group broke the 500 member plane. Money baby.

love shared

The HoboHookah recently got some online love.

Mifflin Block Party

...Is on Cinco de Mayo.

Yes, I have some couch space. Yes, book your tickets now for a weekend of togetherness and watching me peddle HoboHookahs faster than a rat nibbles cheese.

Time for you cats to start living the dream.

Join the revolution

The HoboHookah Facebook Group is now online.

Update: 29 members after one hour.

We are now online, for real

HoboHookah.com

Next up, Hobocans.com

mirrored

Here's some reps from a South African winery tooling around the UK for some on-the-gound marketing. Their site - which is definitely worth a look - is a lot like this one is/will be.

It's a bit amusing, perhaps even disconcerting, when I hear the fight one had to go through to gain acceptance for there marketing strategy. Ours will be someone similar and was come up by a couple dudes knocking back a few beers and nipping on a shisha. Good thing we have no filter, or our marketing plan would be just as lame as the next company's.

multimedia-ed

HoboHookah on Flickr
If you have pics, send them my way or upload them and add the 'hobohookah' tag

And for the record, this was my 647th post. The significance shouldn't be lost on some.

more movement

The HoboHookah Lens
Check back often for updates as I learn how to do this good, and other things good as well.

on the move

HoboHookah in Spain