She also has a dedicated bulletin board just for scanners.

TED Talks are “Inspired talks by the world’s greatest thinkers and doers”. If you have 20 minutes spare, go play some audio or even a video of some of the most incredible artists, scientists and thinkers alive.

Sign up for the newsletter at SpringWise.com to read about innovations in business every week. Wait, that sounds really dull. It’s not. It’s full of stories about quirky new businesses that make you say “that’s so cool!”. “Required brain food for entrepreneurial minds” as they describe themselves. The site is driven by a worldwide network of 8000 spotters. Why not become one?

Try NameThis. NameThis is designed to provide a quick and painless way for innovators to find a market-ready name for their company, product or service. Those with a thing in need of a name begin by posting a request for help and paying USD 99. Members of the community then have 48 hours to suggest names and/or invest points in their favourites.

At the end of the 48 hours, NameThis’s system “does some fancy math” and picks three winners. Of the fee paid by the thing’s owner, USD 80 is distributed to those who contributed to the winners: USD 40 goes to the person who picked the first-place name, while USD 10 is shared amongst the influencers on that name; USD 16 goes to the second-place namer, while USD 4 is shared among the influencers on that one; and USD 8 goes to the individual who picked the third-place name, with USD 2 shared among influencers.

And if you’re good at coming up with great names for stuff, why not go and earn a few quid/dollars by suggesting names? (Hey, I think I’ll have a go…)

NameThis.com

Do you have 1000 True Fans?

Whether you’re an artist, performer, videomaker, photographer, writer, or freelancer, you don’t need an audience of millions. You just need 1000 True Fans according to Kevin Kelly in his recent article.

(Kevin is a fascinating guy - ex editor of Wired Magazine and definitely a Scanner.)

If you can attract 1000 True Fans who spend an average of $100 a year on you, your art, or your products ‘n’ services, you can make a living.

A True Fan is “someone who will purchase anything and everything you produce. They will drive 200 miles to see you sing. They will buy the super deluxe re-issued hi-res box set of your stuff even though they have the low-res version. They have a Google Alert set for your name. They bookmark the eBay page where your out-of-print editions show up. They come to your openings. They have you sign their copies. They buy the t-shirt, and the mug, and the hat. They can’t wait till you issue your next work.”

I love this idea and thought it would appeal to us as Scanners who have too many interests to develop a huge audience for any one thing.

(There is a particularly brilliant idea for getting paid in advance to publish your own book, CD or film in the article).

Read Kevin’s full article “1000 True Fans” here.

Let me know what you think of it.

(Funnily enough, it’s similar to the point I made on my recent audioclass “A Crash Course in Seduction“.)

If you’re on Facebook, join the Scanners & Renaissance Souls group at:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=45588180550

Barbara Sher is a member and I’ve uploaded a piece of video of her talking about “Success Teams”. There are also a couple of links and photos and other bits and bobs. Come along and write on our wall or upload something of interest.