Majority of people still unaware of E-Business!!!

Having read few chapters of E-Marketing by Judy Strauss - I was fascinated by the subject and was talking to few people only to get to know that they are simply unaware of it...

A guy with years of sales experience -

• Didnt know he could look for houses for rent in Internet
• Didnt know that Facebook actually generates job vacancies and of course 
• Didn't know that google maps can help you draw a map to your place to give your friends before a party

I think its our duty to take technology to the community. It comes without a cost - but the benefits are unbelievable...

This blog goes PUBLIC!!!

Initial public offering (IPO) of www.nadheeraudawatthe.blogspot.com 
Just kidding - even though its my dream to offer one of my companies public...Im sure its a long long way to go...


But the following bit is to those who read the blog secretly.

I was writing the articles without publicizing the blog - in order to have something worthwhile to read once i go public.lol. I mean the initial public offering will take place soon and do not be ashamed that there are no followers yet. Not even myself. Ive shown the blog only to one person - my boss - Mr.Indika Jayapala.

So secret readers - wait for big stuff to happen...

In 1993 - Cambodia - the first country to have more mobile subscribers than fixed line subscriber!!! How and why?

I'm reading E-Marketing by Judy Strauss (http://www.amazon.com/E-Marketing-5th-Judy-Strauss/dp/0136154409) oh come on bros - im not paid by Amazon to E-market the book...lolz. Just wanted you to feel the book.

The 4th Chapter is about global markets and there are really interesting stories. Look at this -

Cambodia is the first ever country to surpass the no.of mobile subscribers by the no.of fixed line subscribers. The reason is given below :

There was a civil unrest in Cambodia like in Sri Lanka. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodia) The party - Khemer Rouge had planted lots of landmines thru out the country. Once dust was settled in 1991 by a UN peace effort economy was settling. Still there were 4-6 million land mines in the ground.

So digging up the ground to lay telephone cables was too risky and mobile telephony offered a better solution. Along with green light for free market and lot of investments - mobile phones surpassed no.of fixed lines within an year.

The Moral  (What you can learn is) - Whether you are an E-Marketer, Businessmen, accountant, doctor, engineer, cricketer or even a DJ - knowing HISTORY is key!!!

Community websites - what is the secret of success?

Today in the E-Marketing chat we have in office we talked about E-Marketing Strategy and how community building is one such strategy. We discussed by taking examples from the real world - especially from Sri Lanka...

Few popular social sites in Sri Lanka we discussed
elakiri.com - Started as a songs downloader for Sri Lankan music fans. Now traffic rank #1 local web site (alexa.com) in Sri Lanka. Glad i've met the creator at the Java Exhibition.
erbenizer.com - One of the best designs. Awesome writing. Is branding to be the ultimate youth Magazine. Catering the popular school crowd (Well - yes.Im also one of them.lolz).
thepapare.com -  Novel idea. Started to discuss College sports. Now have 5000+ fans. Im not favoring my classmates Feroze and Hafeel who were involved in initiating papare idea.lol.
technohug.com - Started by one of my teachers - Malinda Alahakoon as a network in Ning. Is addressing a focused area of technology young crowd of Sri Lanka.

We discussed how our own yooth.com is not doing so well. I have few theories for a successful community site in Sri Lanka.

1. All successful sites have their own physical crowd or presence involved.
For e.g.
papare - has the sportsmen, fans who spend Saturday evening watching a match..etc. Its great if there is a place where they can chat about happenings in other 6 days.
erbenizer - The college crowd needs somewhere to talk about al lthe parties,events..etc.
Technohug - The guys who learn Java in technohug, IT students of Universities in SL, BIT Students and those who read for BCS in eSoft are the target market. Just go and see - they talk about simpel Java programming to ROBOT programming there. They might have their lectures, classes once a week - And technohug is the perfect place to meet in other 4-5 days.

2. Successful sites address one critical need of members (Focused product, focused market segment)
Elakiri - Music fans need to listen to their fav.songs
Ananmanan - Music fans need songs, lyrics.etc
Papare - Address Sports fans in Sri Lanka.
Technohug - Address hi-tech students.

More theories are welcome...

Nobody complaints about NOLIMIT, But about ODEL???

"Consumers will complaint about the quality of the high-end brand and will say they are happy with some medium brand."
Nadheera's theory of high-end brands

[Origin] On our way back from Horton Plains, Madhu was telling me her bad experiences of my college students. And she said - "Im ok with Anandians" which brought out the best metaphor i have ever ever created.

I said - Everybody goes shopping to NOLIMIT. Its not too expensive, its not too cheap. The goods are not soo quality, yet not pavement-bad quality. Nobody complaints about NOLIMIT like you do not complain about Anadians. Royalists are like ODEL - high end brand. Expensive, yet high quality. Sometimes its the same quality - But you are proud to go and say - "Its from ODEL".

Shash (Musaeuist) was really furious at hearing something Royal...lolz and said nowadays ODEL has cheaper stuff. Same like Royal has few different cases.

But i was thinking that this situation is the same with many brands. Nomatter whether its is NOLIMIT-ODEL or ANANDA-ROYAL or ANCHOR-NESTAMALT, high end brand is publicly hated by everyone...What do you think Marketing experts???

Hedgehog concepts' "Economic Engine" - applicable to Social Entrepreneurs?

Today for the first time I learnt about the Hedgehog concept technically from my boss. I guess ive learnt it wrong. We tried to apply it to many existing businesses and personalities.

The finding was that many people do not have all 3 aspects involved. And those who have all three are best!!!

Many people (specially those in to social entrepreneurship) lacks the circle two. I argue that it should not be economic engine for  Social Entrepreneurs. Please comment on what you think...I specially expect Suchith ayya (From Sarvodaya) here...

Medical Jokes by Dr.Solith Senanayake #01

When i hear great quotes ,sayings I used say - "This is totally going in my blog" - and said it in a wrong place. i.e. When Solith (Im sorry - it shud be Dr.Solith) was putting some Medical jokes to impress ......(well lets leave it for now).

So one joke is about a fresh Medical student on the first day at training. An old woman is walking with support. He has gone to ask - Granny - if its hard to carry it give it to me...

More of Dr.Solith coming on your way. Im doing this as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) of my blog as a service to Solith who is illiterate of blogging (But highly literate in chatting)...lolz