Google Earth Usurped?

[StartALawnCareBusiness]

While I am still a major fan of Google Earth due to its geospatial referencing tools, there is a new kid on the block you should be aware of. If you haven't yet stumbled upon maps.live.com, it's time to check the interface out. The pictures are more detailed than G.E., the tilt and rotate features are greatly improved, and their area of high res. coverage greatly exceeds Google Earth's. This application promises to take online lawn care and other "per square foot" estimating to an all new level. Check it out guys and tell me what you think. I'm interested in hearing your comments. maps.live.com Once you type in your desired address, click the "bird's eye view" and zoom in. Don't miss the tilt and rotate options. I am not sure how recent their data is but it seems to be less than three month old whereas Google's is often 3 years or greater. Keith

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[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

WOW! Did you notice the white house is blurred at a close bird's eye view setting? Very interesting!

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[Steve]

You know Keith, after thinking about this for a bit, this could really solve the problem of creating an estimate without visiting the location. Since there are multiple angles you can see many things you weren't able to see before with just a satellite image.

Do you have any suggestions how one could take this now and create a bid?

[StartALawnCareBusiness]

Steve:

Wanna have fun and turn this into a contest?

How about *"GopherHaul's First Ever Totally Online Bidding Challenge" as a name?


Here's the sketchy idea I have thus far:

You and I are designers and judges for the contest. *We will find a random property to be bid somewhere within the United States. *The contest is for the best bid given by one of the forum members. *

Bids will be judged on estimating techniques and use of online tools. *For instance contestants can use tools such as Google Earth, Live.com, and/or the lawn care estimating calculators...or whatever software or online tools they wish to use.

Bids will also be judged on creativity, thoroughness, and presentation of the bidding requirements.

The entire process will be handled online.

We can put together a heaping prize basket for the best bid submitted. *Since this will require a decent amount of work, there can also be prizes for runners up.

I bet we can get this contest into some business magazines and business sections of newspapers to generate serious interest and traffic flow for Gopher.

Steve, you are much more experienced than I with contests, if you are interested in putting this together, Skype or Message me.

Keith

I went to the site and typed in a complex we do, it was amazing. I think this would be a good tool combined with looking up businesses in your area for mailing prospective clients, you could check to see if it is a property worth sending out your letter to. Saving you money on stamps.

[Steve]

Hi Keith that is really a fun idea! Should we try a simple one at first? Would you like to post an address that you think would work out and then we can see if we have any takers? Then maybe scale up the complexity as we go. You could also show the contestants at the end what you would bid on it. So if they did indeed take part, they would be learning how to bid. How to bid using online services and then they would be able to compare what they created with what you created to see if they are on track?

We could promote this on the next podcast and GopherHaul show as well.