Some businesses go nearly overboard in listening and adjusting based upon customer feedback. For instance, David Perdew actually adjusts his live event (NAMS) during the three-day weekend based upon the feedback he's getting. Now that's dedication x 1000!

It's not that hard.  You've just got to listen.

If you listen, you can increase profits dramatically.

However, when you don't listen, social media and bloggers can make that really really apparent… fast. Rather than getting kudos for listening and valuing your customer feedback, they write blog posts like this one that say “DO BETTER!” as you shall see in a moment.

One such company is really screwing this up in my not so humble opinion – and I think we all can learn a lesson from it.

Barnes & Noble.

Apparently technology is increasing at a rate faster than common sense.

Barnes & Noble has several models of their NOOK which is basically the same as a Kindle. They have a black and white version and also one that's color and resembles a standard Tablet and can be used for surfing the internet.

Barnes & Noble is marketing these as gifts for children.

HOWEVER… there is next to zero parental control on these things for violence and/or porn. Yeah, that's right. Gramma's Christmas gift to Junior is a porn viewer, too.

Parents have been asking for ways to limit the access to certain books, apps, and the internet for well over a year in the B&N forums and there's been little done to help.

See this screenshot from January of 2011… where people are asking for very simple ways to help them limit their kids exposure to nastiness.

Meanwhile, kiddos and teens have access to these Nooks, in their bedrooms, alone.  Parents think “Oh, they're reading… how awesome!” Or not.

Unfortunately, when left to their own curiosity, kids will make bad choices. They may start innocently enough, but over days, weeks, months.. the searches and what they find can become pretty aggressive and dangerous.

No, we don't expect Barnes & Noble to parent our children. However, some simple options could easily be implemented that would show that they are listening to their customers. And, they could enact some safeguards to help us to encourage a love of reading in our children without giving them free access to the internet and/or inappropriate apps.

For starters…

1. Make the bookstore searchable with a filter in place.

2. Make it super easy to turn off the wifi capability so that internet can't be accessed – and then to turn it back on when we wish.

3. Make it easy to have a separate bookshelf for the kids on our accounts. If I choose to read “Fifty Shades of Grey”, I certainly don't need it on the bookshelf on my kids' Nooks.

4. Perhaps offer a parental control where, if the internet is turned on, we can view the past browsing history in our account.

5. Just a simple one-check option during setup would be great. “I am a MINOR!” (‘Nuff said?)

So, my issue here is two-fold from a business stand-point.

1. Don't market a product to kids if it's not safe for kids.

2. LISTEN to your customers. If they've been asking for a feature for over a year and a half – and it's a good recommendation, then at least meet us halfway.

Thoughts? I'd love to hear yours.

Warmly,

Nicole Dean

PS. Yes, this blog post is also a Public Service Announcement. If you have internet browsing on your kids' Nook, Kindle, or phone – they WILL make bad choices. Talk with them about this issue and monitor their usage. Don't trust them to do the right thing. There's just too much temptation out there. (And, don't even get me started on teen sexting… UG.)

If you've missed past Expert Briefs, you can click on the undies to see them all –>

Here are a few of my favorite Expert Briefs:

• Do Successful Marketers actually use PLR?
• Are Internet Marketers Evil?
• Where do you work? Show us your Home Office.

We are getting ready to dive into 2011 and it's a good time to take a moment to reflect on our accomplishments over the past year and start setting new goals for next year. With that in mind, the question I asked our experts this week….

What was your big takeaway lesson from 2010
– either good or bad?

I think you'll find the answers this week surprising and interesting, and hopefully they inspire you going into the new year.

Connie Ragen Green of ConnieGreen.com says:

My big takeaway lesson from 2010 is that we all need to publish our writing online. It has never been easier to self-publish, and there are a variety of ways to do this. During this year I self-published a full length book, Huge Profits With A Tiny List, using Amazon's Create Space service. It is completely free to do this. I also published this book for the Kindle. In addition, I created an audio book on CD that is available on Amazon.

Next year I plan to write and publish a variety of audio books, short reports, and another full length book. My goal is to publish something new every month in 2011 by repurposing what I have already written or recorded as an audio.

Take a close look at what you have already written or recorded, such as articles, podcasts, and blog posts, and then get that information published so that it reaches people from around the world who do not yet know you. This works in any niche, and will bring you opportunities that you may not ever have otherwise.

Lynn Terry of Clicknewz! says:

This is certainly not a new concept, or something I haven't considered through years before, but the one thing that stood out to me most throughout 2010 was this:

Expanding on what you already have is much more profitable and productive, than starting something new. Selling more of a report you've already published is easier than creating a new product to sell. Getting more traffic to the pages you've already published is easier than writing new content and getting it to rank well.

Basically, do more of what's already working. Expand on the assets you already have, taking them to maximum profit potential. Improve conversions, increase rankings, look for new ways to reach your market. This is much easier (and smarter!) than creating more products/pages/etc… with everything only operating at less than it's best.

It's the easiest way to earn more, in less time and with less effort.

Susanne Myers of AffiliateTreasureChest.com says:

“What was your big takeaway lesson from 2010 – either good or bad?”

I actually had two big takeaway lessons in 2010. The first one was to get rid of some of the clutter (both physical and emotionally) so I can focus on the important stuff that's making me money. The second was to get products launched regularly.

Decluttering

I went back to having an actual desk this past year instead of just working on a laptop from the kitchen table or the living room couch. This has a couple of advantages for me.

1) I have a place to keep my books, to-do lists and I have a big whiteboard as part of my desks that helps me stay focused.
2) I'm less distracted by other stuff going on around me and I'm mentally “ready to get some work done” as soon as I sit down at my desk.

I also sold my interest in a pretty profitable website. I still believe in the site, but it was taking away a lot of my focus. I kept finding myself thinking about the site instead of working on one of my other projects. It was just time to let it go. I'm amazed at how much progress I've made on things like Affiliate Niche Packs and my link building courses since then.

Launching Products

Launching new products or even new websites can be a bit scary. What if people don't like it? What if it just isn't good enough. I'm sure I'm not the only one that struggles with this kind of stuff (in fact I know because I've talked to a few others about this). Here's the thing I learned this year – I've got to jump in and do it anyway. Sure, not everyone will like everything I do and there will always be some that will complain about something. But the important thing to keep in mind is that for every person that doesn't like what you're doing, there will be dozens of others who will greatly benefit from it. I learned this year to focus on the positive replies and just get stuff finished and out there. One of the beauties of running an online business is that you can always go back and edit / improve things later on.

Ellen Britt, PA, Ed.D. of MarketingQi.com says:

For me, the Big Biz Lesson of 2010 was finally bringing my Southern personality into my business.

This all started when I began to use the short audio posting service, AudioBoo. One day, after I had almost finished recording a piece on what my favorite Southern fast food restaurant was doing with their marketing, I ended with “Bye y'all!” The following day, since my next audio wasn't about anything Southern, I just ended with a plain good-bye and immediately got emails and social media posts asking, “Where's the Bye y'all?”

So, from that day on, I began to inject more and more of my Southern personality into my marketing…in my blog posts, into my social media communications, into my newsletter and into my videos.

And it's paid off…in increased visibility for me and in a persona that is recognizable, memorable and fun for my customers and clients. So don't be afraid to bring the “real you” into your marketing. You'll have more fun and your customers and clients will love it!

Jeanette S. Cates, PhD of OnlineSuccessIncubator.com says:

Focus. Focus. Focus! Like everyone I know, I love the bright shiny object.

I'm insatiably curious so I always want to know what “she” is doing or what “he” is selling – and how. Add to that my love of creating products and I
found myself totally overwhelmed with things to do!

So in 2010 I pared down my product line from more than 50 – to just 8 “lead” products. And I can tell you – it's much easier AND much more profitable
promoting only 8 products, instead of 50! (Hmmm, wonder what would happen if I only had 4 to promote?)

My advice: Look for ways to do less. You'll be able to promote more easily, track fewer things, and end that frantic activity that is overwhelming you!

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

For me, this is a tough one to answer. This year has been rough in a number of ways. It's been a series of highs and lows for me with a lot of life and business lessons learned along the way.

And, of course, everyone else's answers were so great. They covered pretty much everything I was thinking.

It's funny that several of the expert's answers above do not have to do with actual marketing. They have to do with ‘mind stuff' like focus, perfection, overwhelm.

In reading the answers, it made me think again about perfection and fear — the two ugly sisters. So, I dug out a video that I recorded earlier this year.

I watched it again, and it hit home. Sometimes I think “Gosh I'm smart!” lol.

I hope it helps you in the new year, too.

If you like the video, you are welcome to post it on your blog, too.

Grab the Embed code here.

I have a few other lessons that I learned (or re-learned) this year. But those will be posted separately. I don't want to take the focus away from the great answers above!

It’s Your Turn.

So, now, I’ll pose this question to you. What was your biggest lesson that you learned this year? I’d love to hear your comments!

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. I have created brandable ebooks from several of the previous Expert Brief columns that you can use to earn commissions by giving them away.