Microsoft Sells One Million Zunes. What's Next?

Microsoft has sold a million Zunes - or at least the report goes. Now that they've proven they can get another consumer product into the hands of consumers, here's a plan for what they need to do to make the Zune the kind of consumer product people are excited to get into their hands.

• Turn On Podcasting ASAP. Turn on the software element that lets us grab Podcasts on the Zune. We know you have it. This will bring you some good press, quickly, as the Podcasting world will claim to have "shown" Microsoft the error of their ways. Chicken and egg issue people - let's just get a Podcatching element on the Zune asap. I say this over and over again: easy access to the Microsoft audience is what Podcasting badly needs right now.
• Extend Podcasting's Feature Set. You can do stuff that iTunes can't - start doing it. Imagine a world where one Podcaster beams their Podcast to another (or one fan to another) and when they return to the Zune Marketplace, they get a message along the lines of "Would you like to subscribe to the Podcast you were recently beamed?" That would generate more good press and more new subscriptions than anything I can think of right now. Podcasters would love you for it - and I dare say it would sell a few more Zunes.
• Embrace the Podcasting Community. Apple has embraced Podcasting (not bad having a media revolution fall into your lap with your mark associated with it) but has pretty much ignored the Podcaster - minus a few mass emails when it serves their purpose. Meet some Podcasters, put a face to what you are doing. As nice a guy as Scoble is, what he did to put a face on Microsoft can be done again. Heck, a Microsoft booth at Podcast Expo would do wonders.
• Give Zune Another Killer Feature. You know, something "else" that she can do that the iPod can't. Portable rental videos come to mind. With all the people in the space trying to undo iTunes, I bet you could find a partner in this. You already do with Vongo and the Gigabeat. Give us something to rent and take on the planes with us.
• Go Viral In Ways That Aren't In The Viral 101 Class At The Local Community College. Slapping up posters around SXSW or giving everyone in the "Ellen" audience a Zune ain't it - think outside of the box. Want to be really cool - hold a contest amongst the Zune loyal to come up with the perfect viral event. You'd be surprised what they might come up with. Reward the #(*$&# out of those who give you the idea - it will be 1% of what your marketing consultants would charge.
• Find Some Very Cool Xbox 360 Tie-Ins. And find them fast. Apple has the iPod/Apple TV story - you can have a Zune/Xbox story. Zune got nothing on iPod, but Apple TV ain't go nothing on XBox (yet).
• Get The Story Straight. Zune went to market at amazing speeds. It's a fascinating little moment in Microsoft's history that I truly believe, one day, the "books" will write about. But, you can't let the time to market be less than the time from market to message. The Windows Media 11 / Urge/ Zune Marketplace / Plays for Sure thing is a mess. Find a way to tell the story better.

Notice I didn't go on the usual elements of "open the wifi" or "start using mpeg 4?" These, honestly, aren't as important.

Zune has a history with Microsoft. It won't go the way of Bob but it could go the route of the Origami Project or FrontPage if the Zune group ain't ready. The thing about Avis and that whole "we try harder" thing is that, in fact, Avis does try harder.

I hope Microsoft will learn from them.

No charge, Bill, for this consulting session.

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