We’ve made an interesting discovery about web perusers. They like to look at people. We consider ourselves pretty ordinary looking people (with one or two exceptions). And we feel like some of our offerings, case studies, and insights are pretty unusual. Yet, the most viewed section of our web site is the people section. I guess we’re just naturally social, and we like to look at each other…just like they said in ad school.

It’s a conversation we sometimes have with technical clients. The temptation is to think that when you do something technical, that you are an exception to the whole people appeal thing. It’s tempting to think that you need to show your technology, to think that technology people are interested in technology and don’t care about looking at people. Well, we have not found that to be the case. In fact, our friends at AMAMCO Tool seem to be having great results with their people-oriented approach. And they’re aerospace…technology…custom tooling…defense contractor types. If anyone is immune to people appeal it ought to be those guys. Not so.

We just launched our new web site. Folks seem to like it. Check it out and see what you think. But that’s not what I’m blogging about today. Today, it’s the value of traffic driving tactics.

For a long time, we’ve been getting about 500 views a week. Since it was the old site, we didn’t really worry too much about it. Then, last week, we sent an HTML email to a few hundred of our friends and relatives as part of our launch plan. We got 5000 views! I’m not a math guy, but I think that’s like a 1000% increase in traffic. If it were an intersection and not a web site, they’d have a traffic cop out there to prevent gridlock! And this week, at the halfway point, we’re already at 800 (60% above our average), which I assume is a halo effect from the launch event. We’ll see how the week shakes out.

The old sales wisdom is, “don’t be afraid to ask for the order.” Well, I guess we have shown that if you want web traffic, ask for it!

Took about as long as it took James Joyce to write Ulysses, but our new site is up. Go check it out. Let me know what you think.

Okay, you might say I’m getting carried away with this whole ukulele thing. But I think it’s a rich vein. Here at the headquarters, we’re always looking for shorthand ways of talking about personalities, styles, capabilities, aptitudes, and stuff like that. We talk about the quintessential/exceptional paradigm, in which greatness falls into one of two categories (Michael Jordan is quintessential, Dennis Rodman is exceptional). We have a whole alphabet soup of Meyers-Brigs and HBDI language (I am an INFP, quadrant B resistant, D-C…of course).

Well, I believe I have discovered a breakthrough in personality pidgin-holeing (pun intended). I call it the Jake/IZ continuum. The whole idea is that the extremes are represented by Jake, the totally awesome, rhythmically sophisticated, precise, accomplished virtuoso of the ukulele. IZ is the other extreme—the primitive, self taught, inventive, one-of-a-kind charismatic dynamo of the ukulele. With these as the ends of the rope, we can create a continuum. Zero is boring…right in the middle, not all that accomplished, not all that charismatic, but safe. A J10 would be extreme mastery and virtuosity (Mozart). A IZ10 would be an extreme innovator, driven by invention, spontaneity, and charisma (Jim Cary or Dexter Gordan, maybe).

As writers go, I would consider myself about a J8. I used to work with a savant named Terry Doyle, who talked in headlines. He would be like an IZ7 or IZ8—his stuff always worked, but he couldn’t really tell you why or reconcile it to the strategy.

Love the word. Love the ax. Anne got me a little koa ukulele (ooo-koo-lay-lay) back in March, when we were in Honolulu. It’s awesome. Now, there are the $10 ukes you can get at tourist traps or on EBAY. Can’t even keep them in tune. Then there are the real ukuleles starting with mahogany and spruce axes made in china—nice enough, but they don’t appreciate. Then there are the koa axes, wood harvested in Hawaii, shipped to china, parts cut in china, shipped back to Hawaii, assembled and finished in Hawaii. That’s what I got—affordable, sounds great, and appreciates over time. Then there are the ones completely made in Hawaii—sound and priced like national treasures. Gotta get one of those some day.

In six weeks, I’ve learned “Something in the Way She Moves,” “You Are My Sunshine,” about a half dozen hymns, and IZ’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Sweet.