It’s now November 23, 2009. This is the third staff meeting, and from this I can get a sense of how much time I am realistically spending on Agenceum. But first, let’s see what I got done:

Last Week’s Goals, Continued

Bold are ones that got done. Italic designates in-progress.

• Post descriptions on blog. [est design/implementation time: 6 hours?]
• Create simple package for $50-$250 based on two designs. [est: 2 hours?]
• Create marketing message / value proposition / benefit statement. [est time: 2 hours?]
• Create simple advertisement poster.
• Adapt poster to web for agenceum.com
• Establish sales goals and metrics
• Assemble a list of prospective local clients from friend network
• Create “get the word out” checklist.
• Consolidate backups onto archival DVDR and hard disks
• Create basic Agenceum identity sytem; use this to bootstrap the identity offering.

Yep, not a lot of things on the checklist got done. What did get done, though are:

• Logo Design [6 hours]
• Simple Package Sell Sheet [4 hours or so]

The Sell Sheet embodies the marketing message / description aspects. However, I’m probably going to have to spend some time drawing up a better focusing worksheet. In my old workplace we put up a whiteboard with the list of weekly goals, and during breaks we’d go stare at it and figure out what we could do to make progress on them. Since I work in three different locations (coffee shops, Sid’s studio, and my home office), there is no single place where I can maintain the whiteboard. This blog is probably the closest thing to it, but it is inaccessible from the studio because we don’t have Internet there. I’d like to make a portable office command center out of folding medium density particle board; this might be a nice project to test out Ponoko, the online laser-cutting fabrication company.

Other Things Done

• This was an unusually social week, with an out-of-town appointment scheduled almost every day. MURDER on productivity.
• Reviewed quite a lot of simple CMS systems, as this will be a necessary component for easy-to-edit solutions for the low entry point clients. I am probably going to use WordPress as the base for blog-style sites, and ModX for simpler sites that don’t have the blog requirement. I also looked at SilverStripe, but it lacked that mystery snap that I look for in software (it would have been a cool introduction to Python, though). I also very quickly installed the Expression Engine 2.0 Beta (Kaylee), which is going to Release Candidate on December 1st, but this is way overkill for what Agenceum needs.
• Thought quite a bit about the marketing plan and product positioning. The marketing plan is Word of Mouth currently using the materials I’m developing. Product positioning can be two levels: the $50-$250 “get started”, and the regular custom development starting at $1500-$2500. I need to work out the ala carte pricing though.
• Attended a “Scrum Club” meeting, learning more about agile development methodologies (Kanban, specifically). I’m going to be trying to adapt Scrum to Agenceum’s practice.
• Attending the November Board of Directors meeting for Float Left Labs. It’s very exciting to see Kelley start her non-profit business, and see the positive press it’s getting.

Things to be Mindful of This Week

• Maintain focus on deliverable and tangible items on my list.
• Try to schedule fewer social engagements.