The Red X factor:

During the Dot Com era there was a Legend and the legend starts with IBM having a Mainframe computer, one of the worlds most resourced machines and suddenly went offline. No one, current engineers, mainframe experts, etc. could figure out how to solve this mainframe’s issues and get it back online. So IBM set out on a search to find a team member of the original team that designed and built this mainframe. Digging through the past all the engineers who were involved had passed away. Then IBM located one guy from the team, he had retired in the early 80s which meant 20 years of technological inactivity. They flew this sole surviving engineer from his home in Iowa to Seattle to work on the problem. They put him up in a swank Hotel where they had a suite reserved for several weeks. The first day he walked into the mainframe spent an hour or so reviewing diagnostics that he was supplied then calmly walked over to a circuit and drew a RED X, he then walked over to the rest of the team and told them that was where they would find the problem. This expert then went to the hotel, picked up his things, got on a plane and returned home.

When the engineers disassembled the Circuit that had the RED X on it, they were amazed to find that it was exactly where the problem was. A few days later, IBM received an invoice from their retired engineer 250,000! IBM felt that there was no way his 2 hours of work could be worth this amount of money in. So IBM being IBM returned the invoice to this engineer and ask that he itemize the invoice. The engineer was then reminded that he was retired for 20 years and out of practice and that he had only spent 2 hours fixing the issue. IBM had done him a favor involving him at all and therefore could not be worth the amount on the invoice.

A few days later, IBM received an itemized bill from the engineer which read:
One Sharpie marker to make Red X mark – $1.25
Knowing where to place the X – $249,998.75

Thus The The Red X factor:

The History of this Parable

This is a parable which extends back in time several hundred years with versions being car mechanics, blacksmiths, steam plant managers, and share croppers to name a few as well as incorporating practically anyone famous for his knowledge that could be offered up as the virtuoso in this tale: Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, George Washington, Unnamed mechanics, electricians, plumbers, computer wizards, and other craftsmen. But it would appear that there is a trueism to this legend, according to a google search, there was a documented instance of this legend. A man named Charlie Steinmetz who was in fact a prominent electrical engineer in the early twentieth century. The story goes, not long after his retirement, General Electric had a problem. The story is much the same accept here the X making utensil is Chalk and the amount in dispute was $10,000. which make the story less sexy than our title name the RED X factor. The WHITE X factor did not sound as commanding.

The Moral

The moral comes into play when considering the owner of the problem disputing the cost of the service. The owner of the problem got a lot more than he was billed for when considering the resources that had already been spent on the efforts of his own staff and loss in revenue while the mainframe was shut down. This Legend demonstrates the difference between the value of an action and that of the knowledge behind the action.

Finally

Experience is the Red X. To make any Business, Product, or Service to get off the ground you need Red X. Knowing when you have the Red X and when you need to hire the Red X is what ultimately determines success.

Had a couple of stuffed Bunny Tails from a previous project and consolidated the tails to one product card. The office comments were “looks like they cut off the wrong side of the bunny”. I was amused so I mocked up a new product card.

This little exercise may seem pointless but as a designer It is important to do things that make no sense to anyone else, the goal of these little projects is to simply make you smile.

Most business cards are useless. Not because they lack the basic information; company logo, employee name, position, contact information, street addresses, telephone number(s), fax number, e-mail addresses, website url, blah, blah, blah.

Most Business cards are useless because they are not being utilized as a marketing tool. It is a fact that In this world you HAVE TO HAVE A BUSINESS CARD! There is no way around not having a card. This need to have a card has led to a saturation of useless business cards. Thanks to Kinkos, Vistaprint.com, D.I.Y. design sites, and every home printer, Business Cards have become a platitude of business.

A great business card is more than a utility to deliver the basic contact info. Contact info can be found by potential clients with this cool new thing called Google. The value of the business card is found in the card’s ability to inspire a potential client to call you. A great business card does both, delivers the basic contact info and shapes the brand of your company.

Handing out your business card is a very personal interaction. Consider all the ways a potential client could find your particular Company, Service, or Product, the possibilities are endless. Personal interaction makes your business card the most important marketing tool you own, the card should be delivered by hand, face to face, with an introduction. This should be your Brand’s first communication. This personal interaction is useless if the card does not inspire these individuals to find you, call you, google you, etc..

A great business card is a marketing tool that will inspire potential clients / customers to call you, increasing leads, generating more customers and increased business.