Posts Tagged ‘history’

Is email finished?

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

By Robert Lockard

In the Wall Street Journal article, “Why Email No Longer Rules,” I found a fascinating argument against email and for social-media sites, like Twitter and Facebook. Email is on its way out as the primary means of sending online messages.

Email gravestone, rest in peaceFor a dozen years or so email was the freshest, easiest way to keep in touch with people over long distances without having to pay big phone bills. Now it’s old hat. Basically, the paradigm of online communication has changed and we’re all going to have to change with the times.

What do you think? Is it a good thing that email is being replaced by instant communications? I think it’s great for ecommerce. With the aid of instant messaging, tweets and wall posts, online marketers can serve their customers much better and faster than ever before.

If you would like help getting a great website design, I recommend you contact Submit Solution’s Web professionals. They are extremely effective at delivering captivating website designs that help increase your conversion rate of visitors into customers.

You can find the rest of this blog entry on the new Social Media Blog on Submit Solution. That blog entry is called, “How ecommerce benefits from email’s death.” Keep coming back to the eHarbor Blog for stories about eHarbor, Inc.

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Posted in Social Media | No Comments »

If Nikola Tesla created the Internet

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

By Robert Lockard

Few people are as intriguing and visionary as Nikola Tesla. If this American immigrant had been as beloved and accepted as Thomas Edison, we would have had 2009 technology back in 1909. Unfortunately, this revolutionary genius was given short shrift by many and his image has become obscured by history.

Tesla CoilIf you’re like me, you first heard about him in 2006’s “The Prestige,” an excellent movie, by the way. I’ve been thinking a lot about him recently, and I want to share my thoughts on this great man and what he might have accomplished if the world had been ready.

Without Tesla, we wouldn’t have car engines, long-distance radio, radar, fluorescent lights, energy-efficient light bulbs (which Tesla created more than a hundred years ago, but was not allowed to manufacture until a few years ago because of patent issues on the socket) and many other useful inventions.

If Nikola Tesla had created the Internet, I’m sure it would be many times better than what we have come up with. First of all, he would have come up with a much better means to transfer information online than comparatively inefficient phone lines, coaxial cables, fiber optics or copper wires. He probably would have started with a wireless system and made it faster than we’re used to. Then he would invent something truly amazing to replace that, just like he always did.

You can read the rest of this blog entry in the Submit Solution Website Design Services Blog on November 9. The photo of the Tesla Coil is from Flickr, and it is the copyright of maveric2003.

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Posted in Movies, Web Design | No Comments »

4 little-known facts about Pioneer Day

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

By Robert Lockard

Tomorrow is July 24. In my home state of Washington, it’s just another summer day, but here in Utah it is a holiday known as Pioneer Day. It marks the anniversary of the day the Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.

The Salt Lake Valley

I’ve written about a number of holidays, such as Independence Day and Memorial Day, so I want to continue that tradition by talking about some things I’ve learned about Pioneer Day. I’m new to Utah and its traditions, so I did a Google search for information on this holiday, and I found a Salt Lake Tribune article, entitled, “What don’t you know about Pioneer Day?”

This article is quite informative, and it gave me a grasp of the details about this holiday. Here are some interesting facts I learned:

- Several pioneers actually arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 22, two days before the day designated as Pioneer Day. The reason the holiday is on July 24 is because that is the day Brigham Young entered the valley.

- The valley wasn’t as barren as some say, despite being a desert. According to some reports, some areas were actually covered in grass.

- Before Utah became a state in 1896, Pioneer Day was often celebrated by citizens reading and giving speeches on the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution.

- The trail that the pioneers used to cross the country to Utah was actually created by a group of immigrants traveling to California in 1846.

It’s fun to learn about history, especially local traditions. I hope you’ll have a happy Pioneer Day tomorrow! We’ll get back to ecommerce and Internet marketing topics in the eHarbor Blog next week.

The photo of the Salt Lake Valley is from Flickr, and it is the copyright of Edgar Zuniga Jr..

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Celebrating Independence Day in style

Friday, July 3rd, 2009

By Robert Lockard

John Adams, one of the Founding Fathers who signed the Declaration of Independence and went on to become the second president of the United States, wrote on July 3, 1776:

I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

Fourth of July fireworks

What he was referring to was, of course, the Fourth of July. His words are literally fulfilled every year on July 4 as we celebrate our independence as a nation and a people. Few holidays measure up to the greatness of this one, in my mind.

Here are some interesting facts I recently learned about the Fourth of July, which I would like to share with you:

  • The first Fourth of July celebration as held one year after the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. In Bristol, R.I. and Philadelphia, citizens fired 13 gunshots in honor of the 13 colonies.
  • Bristol is also noteworthy for having the highest number of consecutive Fourth of July celebrations, starting in 1785.
  • The term “Independence Day” was first used in 1791.
  • In 1870, nearly a hundred years after the country was founded, Congress made Independence Day a federal holiday.
  • In 1931, Independence Day became a paid federal holiday.

I must say I’m impressed by the Fourth of July celebrations I’ve encountered in Utah. As a newcomer to this land, I am excited to see what America’s Freedom Festival holds this year. It will culminate in the Stadium of Fire at Brigham Young University’s LaVell Edwards football stadium on July 4. I don’t know if I’ll be able to attend that event, but I hear it will be great.

Be sure to keep coming back to the eHarbor Blog for tips on ecommerce and Internet marketing. But in the meantime, enjoy your Independence Day!

The photo of fireworks in Salt Lake City, Utah is from Flickr, and it is the copyright of deltaMike.

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Posted in Fun | 1 Comment »

6 fun facts about Memorial Day

Friday, May 22nd, 2009

By Robert Lockard

Happy Memorial Day on Monday!

U.S. flags celebrating Memorial Day

This is a different kind of eHarbor Blog entry. To help celebrate this holiday, I’d like to share some interesting facts about Memorial Day, its origins and what it celebrates. Enjoy!

- Memorial Day was first called Decoration Day.

- The first Memorial Day celebration is believed to have occurred in Waterloo, N.Y. on May 5, 1866. Every business was closed and flags were lowered to half-mast that day to honor the Union soldiers who died in the Civil War.

- May 30 was designated the official date of Memorial Day for many years because no Civil War battle was fought that day. Organizers wanted to honor soldiers who fought in all battles.

- Many Southern states, including Tennessee, the Carolinas and Virginia, celebrate Confederate Memorial Day in addition to Memorial Day.

- Memorial Day didn’t become an official federal holiday until 1971. The celebration date was changed from May 30 to the last Monday of May.

- Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of the summer movie season, although that has changed in the past several years.

We’ll return to ecommerce topics soon. Have a great three-day weekend! The photo of the U.S. flags is from Flickr, and it is the copyright of Bart Fields.

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Will Kindle hurt book publishers?

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009

By Robert Lockard

The Kindle DX’s launch last week brings up an interesting discussion on the value of content in the digital age. I couldn’t cover this whole discussion before, so now I’ll follow up on that discussion, as I promised to do in my first blog entry on Kindle.

Kindle atop a stack of books

I read another article on Kindle in Information Week, entitled “Amazon’s Kindle DX Poses Profitability Challenge To Publishers.” This article focused on a different effect Kindle DX can have on publishers. The publishers it discusses are not in the news media, but the textbook industry.

Apparently, a comparatively lightweight, digital copy of textbooks appeals to schools looking to save money for themselves and students. Textbooks can be expensive and heavy to carry from class to class, so Kindle’s new version offers a useful option. But the idea of turning their products into electronic copies doesn’t appeal to textbook publishers because of the negative impact that would likely have on their value and, thus, company profits.

The reason behind publishers’ hesitance to include their textbooks on Kindle is quite intriguing.

In the article, the author points out, “One fact that’s sure to keep shareholders up at night is the drop in the value of content once it becomes digital, sometimes as much as 50%, analysts have said.”

By publishing a written work in an electronic format, its value falls. The printing press, introduced centuries ago, made books much less expensive and time-consuming to create, lowering their value to a level attainable by more people. Perhaps the Internet is our new version of the printing press, allowing information to be shared cheaply and quickly, compared to traditional media forms.

By avoiding the costs of printing, binding and distributing books, these publishers could maintain their profits while lowering prices. But change is often scary, even if it has many positive points.

The article points out that the world is changing, and it’s becoming more difficult to ignore new technologies. I covered a similar topic on businesses that have yet to enter the ecommerce industry in my previous eHarbor Blog entry, called “Strong sales attract retailers to ecommerce.” We can look to the music industry to see the consequences of failing to take advantage of online services in a timely manner, the article also notes.

The photo of a Kindle atop textbooks is from Flickr, and it is the copyright of KNK.

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Posted in Ecommerce, Media | 3 Comments »

eHarbor softball team wins first 2009 game

Friday, April 10th, 2009

By Robert Lockard

eHarbor, Inc. has a tradition of playing softball in the Provo/Orem area’s recreation league. It’s a fun way for eHarbor employees in different departments to come together and build teamwork. In March, eHarbor’s team re-formed and on April 8, 2009, we played our first game.

Baseball stadium victory celebration

And we pretty much blew out the competition, winning 13-3.

One employee in particular, Calvin Russell (who works in the support department), really swung for the fence and ended the game with a home run. It’s so cool that eHarbor employees can not only achieve great results in their web-design projects and online marketing, but also spend time excelling in fun activities like this.

The team’s next game is scheduled for April 15. Hopefully we’ll triumph again on the field, just like we do in our ecommerce business.

The photo of the baseball celebration is from Flickr and it is the copyright of sakura_chihaya+.

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Posted in Fun, eHarbor | 2 Comments »

5 reasons to smile today

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

By Robert Lockard

I recently read a blog entry on Copyblogger (a great blog if you want to improve your online writing skills), entitled “Warning: Contents are hot.” In it, the author recommended writing about a topic you’re passionate about in order to create some interesting content that people will love reading. I thought I’d follow that advice.

Laughing kittenThe eHarbor Blog has been going strong again for three weeks. I’ve been focusing on eHarbor, Inc., ecommerce and I’m right in the middle of an informative series of blog posts on using search engine optimization to improve your ranking on Google and other search engines. I thought I’d take a little break from online marketing topics and write about something a little more spontaneous to remind myself and my readers of much that is right in the world.

I’m not much for creating controversy, but I do like talking about things I love. I also really enjoy bringing others happiness. It’s tough to feel happy or positive when you read so much bad news every day. There are plenty of news articles about the global economic recession, real-estate downturn, stimulus packages and every other challenge going on in the world. To combat these emotional drains, I would like to suggest five reasons to smile today.

1. Despite the trouble in the economy, Forrester Research predicts ecommerce will grow, in terms of both sales and market share, from 2009 to 2013. eCommerce sales increased 13 percent to $141.3 billion in 2008 and they are expected to grow another 11 percent in 2009. Online sales should even surpass $200 billion by 2012, according to their estimate. Now that’s some great news.

2. I’ll bet you didn’t know that today, February 23, 2009, is International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day and Play Tennis Day. This is your opportunity to give your dog a treat as you play a few sets with a friend.

3. George Frideric Handel, composer of beautiful musical pieces, including “Messiah,” was born on this date in 1685. Several years ago, I got to sing the tenor part of “For unto us a Son is born,” and boy is that some high-pitch music. I admire anyone who can sing well because good music always uplifts me and makes me smile.

4. On this day in 1940, Disney’s “Pinocchio” was released in movie theaters. While it’s not my favorite Disney movie, “Pinocchio” does have one of my favorite songs: “When you wish upon a star.” I told you I love movies.

5. One more reason to smile is that life feels a lot nicer when you can lift your head up and smile at whatever comes your way. Even if you can’t control everything that happens to you, you can control how you react to it, so try to stay positive, and focus on what you can accomplish right now.

The photo of the laughing kitten is from Flickr and it is the copyright of d u y g u.

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Posted in Ecommerce, Fun, Movies | 8 Comments »

Where eHarbor came from: The birth of ecommerce

Monday, February 9th, 2009

By Robert Lockard

To understand where something is going, I’ve found it’s important to know where it came from. For instance, without a starting point on Google Maps, it’s impossible to obtain detailed directions to your destination. You can still find your ending point, but it takes much more effort. We’ve talked about what eHarbor is and where it’s going, so now is a good time to bring up some of its humble origins.

Cartoon character looking at her creator, a pencil

eHarbor was originally launched as Internet Promotion Services, Inc. in Provo, Utah in 1996. The company worked with small-business owners, doing search-engine submissions to InfoSeek and Inktomi, and it was one of the first companies to work with DogPile, GoTo (now Yahoo Search Marketing) and Alta Vista. Internet Promotions enjoyed great success in the burgeoning Internet marketing industry as website owners began to realize the power of search engines to generate new business.

Oliver Bigler, who is currently the CEO of eHarbor, joined the company in 2002 after working as a Strategy Business Consultant for the Monitor Group in Cambridge, Mass. Bigler launched a new version of Internet Promotions that targeted a growing segment of the online market: small to mid-size business and ecommerce. Submit Solution was the first entity created under Bigler, followed shortly thereafter by Real Estate Promoter, which offered search engine optimization and lead generation in the online real estate market. In 2003, Bigler created a new corporate entity to house the increasing number of divisions. That new entity was named eHarbor, Inc.

eHarbor has emerged as one of the fastest-growing Internet technology companies today. Currently valued at more than $6 million, eHarbor is the market leader in search-engine marketing technology and search-engine lead-capturing services for several industries. It works to bring top placement and qualified Web traffic to its clients via partnerships with the top 20 search portals, including Yahoo, Google, and MSN, and generating thousands of targeted, early-market leads for its client base.

The eHarbor office is located at 505 E Technology Ave. Building C, Suite 2100 Orem, Utah 84097.

Now you know a little more about eHarbor’s origin. I hope to talk more about some of the people who make up eHarbor and its various divisions: Submit Solution, Real Estate Promoter, Real Estate Investor, Direct Home Find, and Magellan Commerce. But that will wait. Soon we’ll talk about ecommerce and its importance in difficult economic times.

The photo of the cartoon character gazing upon her creator is from Flickr and it is the copyright of the prodigal untitled13.

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Posted in Ecommerce, eHarbor | 16 Comments »