I’ve just started using jott.  Its a free tool that allows you to call a phone number and leave a voice message for yourself or someone else.  And here’s the cool part…it transcribes it and sends it to the intended recipient as an email.  So far so good.  Even with my slight English accent I’ve been incredibly impressed by jott’s accuracy.

California Tortilla is offering its customers a chance to save a buck by beating their cashier in a game of rock, paper, scissors.  Its simple and its fun and most of all it engages the front-line employees with their customers. 

How often have you been to a fast-food restaurant only to have the cashier act as if you are an inconvenience in his day.  This promotion is brilliant because its so much fun.

Why not do the same with your employees?  Give them the ability to reward an especially nice customer.  Worst case scenario…they become more engaged with their customers and have fun while they work.

Thanks to WeWriteGoode for pointing us to this one.

I was listening to the 48 Days to the Work You Love Podcast yesterday and heard a brief interview with one of my favorite authors, Seth Godin (if you don’t know who he is just google "Seth").  Seth was talking about his new book "the dip."  It sounded interesting so I dropped by my local Borders bookstore and read it cover to cover (its only 80 pages).  It was so good that I purchased every copy they had in the store. 

Its the only book I’ve ever seen on the subject of quitting…its about knowing when to quit and when to stick.  Seth talks about what he calls "the dip."  The dip is that period of time that is really difficult in any endeavor.  The dip in writing used to be getting a book published.  Now thanks to the internet and self-publishing anyone with a few bucks can publish a book.  The dip is now getting people to actually read the book.  The dip in snowboarding is those first three days of learning.  You know, the days that you spend face down in the snow after catching an edge.  Once your through the snowboarding dip it becomes lots of fun, but most people never get there. 

There are other dips that are actually cul-de-sacs.  Cul-de-sac is french for dead-end.  The sooner you realize that your in a dead-end the sooner you can quit and find something you can be the best in the world at.  For more from this priceless little volume check out the dip blog.   

Seth Godin thinks you should blog and I agree.  What better way to reach your world?

What should you blog about? What is that people ask you for advice about? 

The thought of having to write a post once a day or even once a week can seem pretty overwhelming…but if there’s something that you feel compelled to say…even just one thing…start with that.  And then, as you learn more…improve it.

So why not give it a try.  I’ll save you a lot of time researching blogging platforms and recommend TypePad.  I’ve been using it since 2004 and every serious blogger I know uses it.