Aren't you sick of people going on and on about gadgets and gizmos as if they were an end in themselves. Far more important is the role that consumber technology and the internet plays in bringing ideas to people and bringing people together.

When you consider what you want a gizmo for, remember this: if it doesn't add to your human capital, it is not worth it.

I think that attention spans are shrinking and placing great demand on advertisers and webdesigners to squeeze more into less. Take the tamagotchi as an example. Clever design can hold a child's attention by manipulating a simple system of behaviour, feedback, reward and punishment. I find it stunning that such a mindless and overpriced trinket can keep kids quiet on long journeys.

Perhaps businesses could learn a lot from the tam -

• provide a predictable product
• interact with your market, give and receive feedback
• provide rewards
• imply punishments

If it works for a 6 year old, why won't it work for your customers? (apart from the digital poo concerns...)

Have you ever wondered why some words work and some words don't? In communications and promotions, every word is precious, and not to be wasted. I have milliseconds in which to make some connection with you that will have some small impact on your consciousness. Try this test: read the two sentences that follow and measure your engagement as you read:

Sentence 1: "Ask yourself how much longer you can go on without being noticed. Can you feel your fear of becoming invisible growing within you?"

Sentence 2: "All people have a need to be noticed. Without it, we have a fear of becoming invisible."

Of course, you could critique sentence one by saying it is emotive and manipiulative in its crass attempt to appeal to base instincts, but hey - it gets the job done.

Get communicating!

Imagine this: you follow your interests onto the web; collecting, kniting or Russian military eqipment. You find the perfect site and it looks as though there might be other people just like you in the world. You click on the forum link, ready to share your esoteric passions with like minded people - only to find that the last visitor was the webmaster in August 2001.

There are far more stagnant forums on the web than there are vibrant online communities. Just because you build it does not mean they will come. Here are a few tips for stoking the fires of online communities:

1. Give them a reason. Perhaps the forum will feature input from a particular afficianado, or quasi-celebrity. Advertise the fact on the rest of your site. Maybe the forum can be promoted as free tech support or problem solving. Get the word out that visiting will not be in vain.
   
2. Keep it current. Use other communication methods to get people there. Email supporters, friends, experts and your mum and ask them to stop by and make a comment or ask a question.
3. Promote a one-off event like and on-line debate or cyber-conference. Send invitations (even on real paper, if you have a mailing list) and rev it up for three or four days.
4. Make the site easy to navigate and use. I prefer vBulletin from jesloft, because what you see is what you get and it is completely customisable.

The most lively online communites are either education sites (Universities have a way of mixing technology with the threat of failure) and IT help sites. Have a think about what such sites have in common.

Or maybe you really are the only one out there who thinks like you!

Small and medium business struggle with the demands of time and resources (don't we all?). A blog on your corporate website achieves a range objectives in a cost effective way:

• your website stays current - not like one of those dead sites that smell of naptholene
• you are in total control of the content of your site
• you can engage your market in dialogue or conversation
• you can announce products, services or just news
  

Call us to talk about how simple it is to include a professional blog as part of your online stragegy.

Welcome to the new space for showcasing the work of Grab Design. This blog will develop into a venue for the exploration of design and market focused communication. It will also dip into other associated realms such as education, adult learning, psychology, leadership, marketing and who knows? maybe even cooking and fine wine.

Grab Design has always been about stepping into the shoes of the audience and working with empathy and high-impact communication. It is the only thing that words, which is why we stick to it.

To read more about our communication philosophy, drop by our manifesto page.

Travel well!