28th August 2007

Marketing Cable to College Students 101

Comcast and Sunflower have done their homework when it comes to marketing cable to college students.

By Mavis Scanlon

The weeks between mid-August and mid-September, when droves of media- hungry and tech-savvy students flood college campuses, can be an acquisition bonanza for cable operators. Yet Cablevision, Cox and Time Warner Cable say their corporate marketing departments aren’t planning noteworthy campaigns. Adelphia isn’t either; instead it will update last year’s cross-channel spots. For competitive reasons, Insight wanted to keep an element of surprise about its back-to-school campaign and declined to discuss details. On the other hand, some MSOs are using clever strategies to target students. Here’s a sample:

Comcast isn’t waiting for students to descend on 3 Tallahassee schools. The system’s e-commerce analyst, Jerilyn Beckley, designed a website where students can sign up for cable before they even alight on campus. Comcast sent the URL to registered students via some 12,000 direct mail pieces. “The objective was to make it really easy for students,” says Comcast general manager K.C. McWilliams. Three teams of “foot soldiers” are helping to spread the word as well.

These focus-group-approved Buzz Squads are dispatched to the bookstores and bars around and on the campuses of Florida A&M, Florida State and Tallahassee Community College, to hand out posters and premiums while wearing eye-catching T-shirts–this year’s tag line is “Un-Freakin-Believable!”. In some dorms cable is activated just before students arrive. After several weeks, it will be turned off if students don’t call to confirm they want the service, but not before one last sweep by a door-to-door sales team.

Comcast Boston

Students in area: 250,000

Comcast dubs mid-August through mid-September “Fall Rush.” The system shies away from advertising on mainstream media, instead relying on local alternative papers, radio and street teams who literally roll around greater Boston on Segway scooters, marketing operations manager Corey Penn says. The system also hired a plane to fly over Boston’s tony Back Bay area with a banner that says “Need Cable? Call Comcast.”

Sponsored events are also popular, such as the “extreme dodgeball” game that Comcast and GSN hosted last year. Since connection activity during Fall Rush is five times that of any other month, there’s a focus on operational execution. At Northeastern, Babson and Bentley, teams of salespeople and techs camp out for a few days, enabling students to sign up for service and have a tech accompany them back to their rooms for immediate installs.

Sunflower Broadband spends far less than deep-pocketed Comcast, but its back-to-school marketing is buzz-worthy. Its double-entendre T-shirts have become somewhat of a cult hit; “Get It When You Want It” is the message on this year’s VOD-focused T’s. In previous years the messages were “Get It Three Ways,” promoting digital phone, and “Get Hooked Up,” promoting video service. The T- shirts are a hot item, but the system’s mascot, Broadband Man, has become a mini-celebrity. In addition to spreading the word about high-speed data, Broadband Man gets requests for appearances, such as reading to kids at summer programs.

The system always puts an ad and a coupon in the last issue of the year of the University of Kansas’ popular school paper. Marketing manager Stephanie McCoil is impressed with the number of students who clip the coupons and bring them back in the fall. The coupons reappear at the start of the school year. This year’s coupon hypes Sunflower’s phone service, but other coupons promote an introductory 50% off its most popular package, which includes broadband basic, high-speed data service and phone, plus one free month of HBO and Cinemax. For students who don’t see the coupons, Sunflower blankets the dorms with direct sales reps who set up tables so students can sign up for services.

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27th October 2006

Safety Tips for Pocket Bikes

A pocket bike is a great way to have fun no matter if you are child or an adult. There is a lot of fun to be had when you are driving one of these fun motor vehicles. However you have to make sure that you are practicing great safety measures so that everyone involved is safe and sound while they are driving around on their pocket bike.

Anyone that is on a pocket bike needs to wear a helmet and other protective gear. You should make sure that you are wearing knee and elbow pads as well as eye gear. When you are on a pocket bike, you may find that you want to protect your eyes so that nothing gets in them while you are on the go. You should wear these items not only for your safety but also because it is the law.

Check your pocket bike before each ride. You should carefully go over the bikes frame to make sure that everything is in good working order. You will have to check the tires, the motor and the brakes. These are very important items on your bike and it will be necessary to keep them in good working order. Also check the lights if any and the seat and handle bars to be sure that they are tight and ready for your ride.

When you are riding at night, make sure that you are wearing the proper clothing. Wear bright colored clothes to allow the other drivers around the visibility to see you. You should have some kind of reflective items on your bike as well for even better visibility.

Do not ride alone. When possible ride with another person to ensure safety. You never know when you could break down or get into trouble. It is always better to ride in a pairs no matter what you are doing. A pocket bike ride is no different. Not only for safety but because you will have more fun when you are riding with someone too.

Know your pocket bike. Before you start going out on rides you should get to know your bike. Learn how to position your bike in the right ways so that you are feeling safe and secure. Make sure that you know how to operate the bike in the proper way so that you are practicing safety and fun at the same time. There is no rush and you should take the time to learn as much as you can about your pocket bike so that you are prepared for anything.

Use common sense when you are using your pocket bike. Do not try foolish stunts that could be potentially dangerous. You should keep in mind that this is not a toy and that you should use it in the same way that a car or motorcycle would be used. Safety is always first and you should be aware of the other drivers on the road. You are not out to impress anyone on your pocket bike. These bikes are all about having fun the safe way.

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27th October 2006

Are Motor Scooters Safe? Yes and No!

Motor scooters, both electric scooters and gas scooters, are a style of motorcycle that have a step through frame and have become a very popular method of travel all over the world. They have been scooting out of show rooms at record speed. But what many people do not realize is that motor scooters are classified as motor vehicles when it comes to highway regulations. And although they are an object of desire for many they can also be dangerous for many.

They are typically regulated by state laws as either motorcycles or mopeds and are subject to many of the same regulations as other motor vehicles. With a careful and alert driver a scooter can be as safe as any other vehicle on the road. But accidents frequently occur when motor scooter drivers think they are exempt from the conventions that apply to automobiles.

Motor scooters (sometimes called mopeds or go peds) are commonly purchased for use by children and teenagers, most of whom do not even possess a valid license to drive. Licensed drivers have had a certain amount of training behind the wheel of a car, unlike many motor scooter drivers under the age of 16. Without proper training children and young teenagers can easily find themselves in positions that experienced drivers normally would not.

Darting in and out of traffic with little driving experience, on a motor scooter that is so small it cannot be seen by other drivers, poses a hazard to both the scooter driver and other motorists traveling the highway. To be safe a motor scooter driver must think of himself as being invisible to the other drivers making their way down the busy streets. A scooter driver cannot assume that other drivers will see them.

A safe approach for a scooter driver would be to assume that they are completely invisible to other drivers and then act accordingly. A motor scooter rider must be ready to maneuver out of harm’s if another driver makes a sudden unexpected movement. Being safe means staying alert at all times. Being safe also means following the rules of the road and not making unnecessary or risky moves in traffic that would cause their moped scooter to dart out in front of another moving vehicle. Automobile drivers must have time to react to a scooter driver’s movements.

There are many reasons to own a motorized scooter. They are often used for traveling short distances around the neighborhood to perform errands. Due to their size, fuel-efficiency, weight, and typically larger storage room than a motorcycle, they are ideal in this situation. But in the hands of the youth, without any previous driving experience, they can be deadly.

The ATV, go carts, dirt bikes and mini bikes are other racing vehicles that are often owned and operated by younger drivers. ATVs are usually used off road along with dirt bikes and mini bikes. Go karts are typically driven on paved tracks specifically made for the go cart. The go kart, mini bike, dirt bike or ATVs don’t usually get out on the open road where there are cars to contend with. Therefore they also avoid many of the dangers that scooter drivers must face.

Motor scooters are the latest craze, especially among the youth market looking for a quick, cheap form of transportation. These youths can be too young to own a driver’s license, and the result is a dangerous situation. They are more popular than ever, but as their popularity grows, people’s awareness of driving regulations has not kept pace, especially among the younger generation.

Kids often think of motor scooters as toys, not as adult vehicles. But a scooter is not a toy. It’s a potentially dangerous motor vehicle subject to certain laws and regulations. Also, youth often think of themselves as being immune to automobile driving regulations and immune to accidents as well. “It won’t happen to me” is a very common attitude among the youth. But it’s precisely this attitude that can get them into trouble.

People need to be aware of the potential motor scooter dangers and take appropriate action. Scooter riders should pay special attention while driving, making sure not to drive erratically, but to be predictable and courteous to other drivers on the road.

Both kids and adults need training and experience before attempting to maneuver their scooters out in traffic. If parents will take a little time to train their children, making sure they are aware of the rules of the road before they are allowed to travel on them, it could make driving a pleasure instead of a danger. With a little training and some wise words of advice we can all make a difference in the lives of the youth. Give them some training and experience and their motor scooters may be an object of fun instead of injury.

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27th October 2006

Electric Scooter Safety and Riding Tips

Ready to ride an electric scooter? Perhaps you’ve already tried it and are ready to buy one. Or maybe you’ve never ridden one but have received an electric scooter as a gift and must now learn how. In either case, you need to learn how to operate an electric scooter safely and responsibly. You don’t want to take your scooter out until you know what to do in most major scenarios that could spell trouble. When you buy your scooter, look over the accompanying booklet or package directions that tell you how to operate it. You may be able to find helpful information on battery maintenance, air pressure for the tires, and other useful details. If not, visit the manufacturer’s website to see what type of guidelines are offered there for new scooter owners. You also can check at the store where your purchased the scooter to see if there are brochures or verbal suggestions that can help you get used to your new motorized equipment. Always ride your scooter solo. Don’t try to take along a passenger, since the scooter isn’t made to carry more than one person at a time. Doing tricks like dragging an attached skate boarder or someone in a wagon isn’t a good idea, since the motor isn’t strong enough to handle this type of load and will most likely soon give out. Don’t try forcing a second or third person on the scooter for fun or tricks, as this will cause the driver to lose control and probably lead to an accident. Follow prevailing scooter laws. If you don’t know what these are, get in touch with the Highway Patrol or Department of Transportation for information. The driver’s license bureau or local Automobile Association also are good sources for road laws and driving guidelines. You also might want to browse electric scooter chat rooms or discussion boards on the Internet to learn more about motorized scooter driving in general, along with scooter care and driver safety. Use any pertinent driver safety equipment, like a helmet, for example, when you drive on public roads. Use the part of the road or sidewalk that you’re supposed to, and stay off the areas that are prohibited for scooter use. Avoid congested traffic areas if possible to prevent traffic snarls or increased risk. Don’t try to do show-off tricks like riding without hands to impress others. Make sure your scooter is in road condition when you take it out in public. Electric scooters are just smaller versions of cars, in many ways, so it’s a good idea to become familiar with all the electric workings that make it run, since any of these could go wrong at any time. Keep the owner’s manual with you when using the scooter, along with personal identification information, and an insurance card, if pertinent. Treat your scooter with the care and respect it deserves to make sure you reach each destination safely.

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27th October 2006

Scooters: Online Shopping is the Best way to But them

If you are having problems getting the motorcycling help you require from a scooter store then it is very likely you are looking in the incorrect place, for example, lets imagine for a moment your subject of research is freedom scooters, it would probably be best to check a particular motorcycling site.

For people obtaining items such as folding scooters or gasoline scooter parts, it is best advised to speak to a few motorcycling experts in advance of your search, you might be looking for a special item like a scooter engine or a sea scooter yet because of a lack of knowledge get the wrong item.

The topic of scooters might be particularly bewildering however the primary concern is to make an effort to stick with the item you initially wanted to purchase, don’t set about looking for blata pocket bikes but end up purchasing cushman motor scooters, this could easily happen if you lose track.

For individuals obtaining products such as extreme scooters or gas powered scooter parts, it is best advised to speak to a few motorcycling specialists in advance of your search, you could be looking for a special item like a scooter manual or a three wheel electric scooter yet because of a lack of knowledge obtain the wrong product.

Most online motorcycling research can uncover a vast number of products, although good scooter portals will often have a ton of scooter items, this may often be really overwhelming, itailian vespas, electric disability scooters, todays consumers have so many products to pick from nowdays, it might then be difficult to decide the appropriate product to order.

If you are mostly searching for italian vespas or 50cc scooter parts, undoubtedly these types of items may not turn out to be commonly available on a large number of portals, be sure that you use your browser favorites function as you carry out this variety of scooter targeted search, your precious information ought to be treated with the utmost of care.

You should know that this scooter research tip is pretty important, instead of just searching for a research term such as “scooters “, you should certainly use of a longer search engine request such as”second hand scooters” or “custom scooter specialist”, if you do this your results will then be highly related to your exact scooter necessities.

A whole host of scooter related searches could possibly have led you to a scooter or motorcycling associated portal, searches such as “find itailian vespas” or “guides on amigo scooters”, the real trick with any motorcycling portal is to go immediately to the site menu, if you do this you should not be side tracked due to scooter guides that are not connected to the motorcycling item you need.

For anyone purchasing products like electrical scooters or gasoline scooters, it would be smart to speak to a selection of motorcycling experts prior to your search, you might very well be hunting for a special product such as a scooter moped or a senior scooter yet because of a lack of details take the wrong merchandise.

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