A China Tale

Samba Nights

This Saturday – Samba Nights – Grand Opening

I know I know I know – that’s what I keep telling myself. I know I don’t have the time to invest in a completely new endeavor and a completely new business but I’m a 20-something year old American guy who has been presented with the opportunity to be involved in promoting a new bar. How can I say no! I did, and then I did again and yet here I am promoting it and loving it haha… Ok enough with the cognitive dissonance.

This coming Saturday we’ll be opening up our new place with a bang. You can check out the Samba Nights event page on shenzhenstuff. I also set up a Samba Nights facebook page as well as a Samba Nights twitter account. What can I say I’m a social media geek – by profession of course. I’ve been doing my best to spread the word about our bar here are some of the gimmicks/differentiators we’re trying to attract people in with. You think they’re enticing enough?

Mechanical Bull

Come now who doesn’t love a mechanical bull, we can have free riding’s as an opening night promotion and then run regular events and even competitions. Not to mention wet t-shirt / bikini contests from time to time. Yee haw – I’m actually excited to try it out myself – I have an equal degree of excitement in seeing some local cuties bouncing up and down on that wonderous injection molded beast. I wonder if we could generate enough interest to start a league. Bull riding is Brazilian right?

Exclusive Brazilian & Other Alcoholic Beverages

We do have access to people who are interested in bringing their own unique spirits into the Chinese market – we can in turn inform our customers that we have a exotic spread of exclusive drinks that you can only get at our bar. We should make it a regular thing I suppose so as to keep the novelty of that aspect going.

Cheap is Cheap is Cheap

We can be incredibly price competitive. In fact we should be able to underprice anyone in the area due to some arrangement or another that I’m not intimately familiar with. No matter the point is that we can offer the best deal on beer around making us pretty attractive to the strained consumers of our institution of booze and fun.

Hot stuff coming through!

I guess it’s kind of bad, but it is sadly true, most of the successful bars employ some form of sex tactic to drive male traffic into their establishments. All the hot places in HK have arrangements with agencies or other avenues to have exceptionally beautiful women come to their bar. They in turn drive the traffic that generates the income. I don’t think we’ll go so far as to involve females with a questionable agenda, if you know what I mean, but we’re not going to shy away from a pretty face that is interested in serving beers or asking people to come take a look at our bar on the street. It’s bad but it works and we intend to use every tool we have at our disposal to make this bar a success!

The Flyer

Ok this isn’t really something that’s making us especially attractive to bar goers but I wanted to stick up the flyer I whipped up last night around 2 or 3am. Make myself feel good about losing sleep over it

Instant Messenger

It’s no mystery in this day and age that instant messenger’s and instant messeging are an essential part of running many businesses – whether it’s connecting with clients to straighten out terms of an agreement or casually chatting with a supplier to warm them up to the idea of having you over for a visit instant messanging continues to show its usefulness in the professional world. Anyone that’s poked their nose around the internet for a reasonable amount of time could tell you there are plenty of options when it comes to IM’ing. So how do you figure out which one(s) are best for you? Well don’t look at me! Well I’ll tell you what I use below in hopes that you might find it useful in deciding

Miranda IM is an open source instant messaging system that allows you to use the MSN, AIM, ICQ, Yahoo Messenger, and a few other protocols through one interface. Some of you might also be familiar with another multi-protocol platform known as Trillian. I used to use that. More recently I’ve come to find it too bulky and unnecessarily complex – not to mention you have to pay for the super spiffy pro version. I don’t like paying for stuff . That’s where Miranda came in and saved the day. It’s extremly lightweight has very comprehensive functionality – it is a bit of a challenge to get everything tweeked just the way you want but I can promise you it’s worth it in the end. If your looking for a one stop solution to most of your IM’ing needs this puppy comes the closest in my opinion.

Tencent Messenger is an English speaking persons godsend. It’s basically QQ for the western world. Without it I would be hopeless to engage with the some 280+ million QQ users all over the world (ok so mostly China) In the not so distant future their will be more QQ users than US citizens – QQ has actually been referenced in passing as a country entity – giggle inspiring but also true. If you have any interest in doing business in China online you are hopeless without QQ. Get it or get left behind

Google Talkis actually one of the messengers I use the least. “Why!?” you might ask? “Don’t you love everything google?” you might say – well hold on hold on. I do have butterflies in my stomach about most things Google and though the interface is in line with what I’ve come to expect from google I’m in a unique position. By that I mean I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 10-15 e-mail accounts that are using google apps so that means I have numerous Google talk identities. The standalone application is fine but only allows for a single google user account to be logged into it at once (you would need to manually add e-mails of other gmail users that are not associated with the account your logged in under). There probably is a solution floating around out there in cyberland but it’s been too small of a problem up to now to put any energy behind fixing. For now Gtalk is on the bottom of my usefulness. Don’t worry I still load it up every time I start my computer – <3 Google.

Skype has been one of my favorites for quite some time – and by that I mean before version 4.0. I used to love the simplicity and the familiarity I had with the interface and the simple flow of windows as I chatted and placed phone calls. By the way that is the most useful feature of Skype, and its primary differentiator from all the other chat interfaces I’ve mentioned. You can open an account insert funds and call anywhere in the world for a fraction of the cost of picking up a landline and doing the same. I also have a Skype number in the US meaning people in the states can call me on a US number and that call will be forwarded to me online or my China cell if I’m not online. I simply need to pay the normal low rate skype fee I would pay for calling internationally from skype on my computer + the normal rate I would pay on my cell phone for a local call in China to my cell phone carrier. Setup’s a snap

Now about version 4.0 – I’m not sure what the big boys were thinking when they put it together but I can assure you from a users standpoint I was and continue to be frustrated by the new interface and other changes. I’ve been on calls before where I could not get the number pad to pop up so I could input numbers in an automated system I was calling into. When on multi person calls it is impossible to get bring the number pad back up.. then there is the o so annoying copy/paste issue. All you lovers of ctrl+c / ctrl+v know what I’m talking about. It used to be simple – select the text in chat you’d like to duplicate ctrl+c select the location you’d like to copy ctrl+v walla! Now when you try to do this simple task you get stuck with the senders name and time stamp if not some other code junk that comes along with the text message. To the best of my knowledge you cannot simply copy paste out of skype any more. I’m reduced to copying and pasting into notepad, removing unwanted code, and copy/pasting the final message to the destination location. *ugh* it may seem like small thing but in my world copy and pasting is right up there with having a good water supply handy. Despite it’s aggrevations skype continues to be a great value to international businessman and the computer savvy wallet-oriented people that talk alot on the phone the world over

Hong Kong ate my Money

$ $ $ $

I’ve been stuck in Hong Kong since Wednesday last week and I’ve come to realize just how relatively expensive everything is! Now that I’m accustomed to Chinese pricing I can no longer look at everything relative to the dollar. A pork bun for $6HKD – that’s 5.6RMB – bloody expensive! I could get that for half the price in Shenzhen! WTF! Then I think back to when I first came to Hong Kong so long ago. My mind was incapable of thinking in any currency but US dollars. Everything became priced against what I would pay for the same product or service in the US. Fake goods were dirt cheap – now I see them as expensive dirt. If I want real dirt cheap prices I need to hit the marketplaces around China.

I guess at the end of the day I consider it a good thing – I’ve learned more about the true cost of a product and/or service as I’ve learned more about business. I’ve learned about the influences of price and the driving factors contributing to consumer assessment of value in the marketplace. It allows me to keep my head from popping off when I’m asked to pay $18HKD for a bottle of water at Starbucks that I could easily obtain one store front over for a fraction of the price. Then again 7-11 is more expensive here too – nearly twice as expensive on some items as in China…. Bloody Italian Sparkling water…

Anyway at the end of the day I’ve spend somewhere in the neighborhood of three times my daily/rate of expenditure in China whilst in Hong Kong. That’s ok though – it’s not like I was saving my savings to buy anything special like birthday gifts for my family or anything *shrug & sigh*

SEM – Omniture – Great Video

A Very Informative Video about SEM

My Take Aways

The statistics pertaining to the industry in the last year are all fine and dandy – if not only moderately useful in that the probably pertain to the US/European SEM industry. The most useful bit I learned pertains to managing untracked revenue gaps. I think this has been my first exposure to micro conversions and the idea of having assists integrated into your valuation of keywords. I mean sure the problem is readily acknowledged by most anyone in the industry – how do you manage situations where the true path to purchase involves offline events or online event streams that cannot be linked – but monetizing the valuation of a keyword not involved in the purchasing click stream is something that has escaped me until now. I need to get my hands involved in clarifying the nuts and bolts of how to handle valuations of assists and I think I’m going to have to play this puppy back a couple times to jot down some other suggestions for closing the gap. Going to toss in a link to Omniture for the great video. Not in a position to buy their precious Search product but I certainly will soak up every bit of info I can and recommend it to parties that may be able to use it. That’s what a self-respecting marketer ought to do I suppose

China Ate My Passport

My passport was lost/stolen in Hong Kong this past Wednesday.

- Here’s how I fixed the problem the next day -

7:50 – up – check e-mail – say goodbye to my guma – out the door down central escalator to HK/Central station MTR – Commute to Mongkok – sooo many people. Exit station, reverse direction, right around the next corner – enter HSBC Mong Kong Branch. Ask receptionist about passport – check rooms used yesterday – inquire with a few departments – leave number for receptionist to contact me with after she finishes asking other departments. Return to MTR proceed back to Central Station. – Exit J₅ towards peak tram – up hill to US consulate – bag double checked – cell phones left in consulate custody. Proceed to 3rd floor – received 2 forms to fill out after a 5 minute exchange @ window #1. Fill out forms and wait ~30 minutes. 10 minutes of talking later decide to get temporary passport and apply for full 10-yr in Guangzhou. Friendly onlooking sympathizer advises me on how to manage this situation – thanks dude . Proceed to pay cashier – confirm payment is extracted from a US location with cashier and use US CC to pay bill.

Leave consulate to obtain photos across the street. 40HKD and 10 minutes later return to consulate. Submit photos and receipt of payment to window #1 on 3rd floor after double recheck of bag, rebsubmission of cell phones, and thorough metal wand scan (forgot to unpocket my keys… oops). Wait another 15-30 minutes. Proceeed to counter 5 to get verbally sworn in for statements made in new passport application. Return to sit for another 20 minutes. Called to counter 2 to obtain temporary passport. Verified information and signed passport. Exited consulate. Powered on phones. Time check 11:50.

Construction outside consulate makes phone calls impossible – moved down hill one intersection. Migrated Patrick (visa guys) HK number from China phone to HK phone – called Patrick. Patrick instructs me to proceed to immigration tower in Wan Chai to obtain sticker in passport verifying my date of entry into HK. Also needed to give passport to Patrick by 1:00 to make deadline for expediated visa service in order to receive the visa by the next day. Proceeded to run to MTR station. On train called Viola to inform of status + text message Mike + Dad about current status. Run from train to nearest exit sign – locate exit A₅ as immigration tower exit – proceed to exit. Stop @ escalator to confirm building location on map. Continue up escalator and over footbridge at ‘people traffic’ limited speed. @Information board in immigration tower noted 2nd level for inquiries. Ran to 2nd floor. Proceeded through inquiry line. Counterman instructed me to proceed to the 5th floor to process my request.

Ran to 5th floor – receptionist informs of need to fill out 3 forms + copy of passport. Express dismay. “I just need a stamp! are you sure all these forms are necessary?” A few minutes later receptionist confirms necessity after conferring with counter-mate. Inquire where to get copies. Informed of location on opposite side of the room. Jog to copier – sign declares “lunch break – please use the machine on the 3rd floor” .. ugh. Off duty personnel inform me the 6th floor copier is also available. Run to 6th floor and copy passport + memo of police report. Fill out forms at breakneck speed on windowsill behind row of chattering phillipenas – “why is everyone in the building phillipeno?” – Return to 5th floor receptionist and call Patrick as I hand in the paperwork. Receptionist elastic bands my forms (minus detachments) + passport and hands me a number along with the detachments. Patrick asks me how long – I ask the receptionist – 1 hour – Time check 12:30 – Cantonese chatter on Patrick’s end. He tells me he can meet me @ the immigration tower in about an hour.

Move from receptionist counter to side-counter to call my uncle and ask about sleeping arrangements that evening – Negative – aunt has friend coming over – 2 people would be a problem. Call Viola to call off special delivery. Call dad to inform of progress – no answer – call Mike – inform + request a forwarding of my message to him should my father call him. Called Patrick again to confirm date possible to receive passport back with visa. Changed meeting time @ immigration tower for 2pm. Proceed out of immigration tower for food + internet. Spot Pacific Coffee, Starbucks, + another coffee shop below footbridge… internet… but food’s expensive… on staircase down from footbridge spot a delifrance – food! Select food + combo upgrade to iced lemon tee +$4HKD as opposed to $20HKD separately (woohoo)

Unload pockets on tray upon sitting. Change battery on China phone and consolidate pocket clutterinto change pouch. Tuna melt arrives – consumed w/tea with haste. Receive call from father – informed him of status. Moved two shops over to Pacific Coffee – purchased $18HKD sparkling Italian (bla bla whatever) water. Used internet for ~10 minutes – replied to critical e-mails – received another call from Jimmy (patrick’s coworker) – returned to immigration building 5th floor – verified @ counter that I still needed to wait. Time check 1:30 “hmmmm.. she informed me when handing it in that it would take an hour…”. 2:00pm – Jimmy arrives for pick up – informs me of 3:00 pm cut-off & price $1700HKD (WHAT!!) – Call father to inquire with Patrick about the pricing situation. Receive call back from father “the price is the price unfortunately..” I again inquired at reception desk – informed them of need of passport by 3:00 in order to get my visa for the next day. Go with Jimmy to get pictures for my visa application on the 4th floor. Returned ~2:20 again inquired at reception. Immigration officer personally comes to counter to ensure me he’s working on my case. Called Patrick to ask about pricing of non-expediated visa service + delivery date – $1200HKD/Wed.

Jimmy let’s me know if we don’t have the passport back by 2:45 there isn’t any way we can get expediated service in until tomorrow – meaning no visa until Tuesday of next week. Decided to used normal service if we don’t have my visa in hand by 2:45. ~2:39 tell Jimmy not to worry we’ll just do normal service. agree to meet him later to give him the passport @ his office in Jordan. 3:20 name is finally called – verify officers findings + receive instructions to proceed to pay a fee of $165HKD – should be a 10 minute wait. Call/text to re-initiate special delivery. Mike – to gather clothes, Viola to meet at our office to pick up, Sophie to deliver computer to office + call university to ensure I can get my money back on Wed. (that’s another story).

3:50 – name is called at payment counter – pay bill + receive passport. Message Mike/Dad/Viola of progress on way back to MTR – Subway to Jordan – locate Jimmy/Patrick’s office on weelong street after 2-3 phone calls to their office. Drop off passport and collect receipt + gather information from them on cheap local hotel in TST. Call hotel to inquire about rate – $350HKD. Field phone calls and texts from Dad/Mike/Viola. MTR to TST – locate hotel and inquire about rate + internet availability again. Time Check 5:10.

Aftermath and Conclusions

Don’t lose, or let anyone steal (pragmatically speaking) your passport abroad!

I was happy to find out the process at the consulate was pretty efficient if not cumbersome. After checking into the hotel for the evening I managed to passout for a few hours waiting for Viola’s arrival that evening. O, what i was referring to by “special delivery” was a bag full of toiletries, clothes, and a computer I coordinated via phone while bouncing around HK. I considered it “special” because it was being delivered on short notice as an act of kindness by Viola. It was the day before my birthday – still – I was very thankful for the assistance I received in putting everything together and delivering the “package”.