Are you a Conversation Architect?

David Armano gave a presentation at MarketingProfs Thursday, March 29, 2007. He blogs a bit about how he felt following the talk here. My feeling is he's a bit tough on himself. I understand we all have communication preferences. We all feel there are arenas where we are more effective. But I feel he pulled together an enormous amount of information. He stated it clearly. I'm not sure you can ask for much more. Embedded below are the slides he used - courtesy of Slide Share where you might be able to see the text a little better.





First off, let me say David, Mack Collier, and Gavin Heaton are the triumvirate that nudged me into this "blogging" thing. To varying degrees they move me along. (Here's where I always stumble - by rights every one of you who visit here are the ones nudging me along - it's beyond humbling). I'd like to capsulize the main ideas of David's emerging media conversation that effected me the most.

The obvious - and foremost - thing for us to remember is we serve people. Whatever our vocation, calling, job, gig - call it what you will - if we are not putting people first - it won't work. We might call them customer, consumers, readers...but cut to the chase...and its people. And people want good experiences. Part of a good experience is good design. In order to help create good experiences, we need to be good designers. Design is not about making something look good - thought that is part of it - but its more about creating an experience that is pleasurable. I would say its about imparting a degree of happiness into the receiver of the message. Both Starbuck's and O'Hare airport are designed well - just differently. As bloggers, part of what we do is design conversation around topics of common interest. We are designers. Slide 8 debunks "designer" myth. Slide 9 shows some excellent design elements. The Target prescription bottle almost makes me want to come up with some sort of malady - just so I can get medicine in that container!

I could spend a long time on slide 10. It shows the building blocks of a digital experience. Built on a firm foundation of brand, business and users, Armano states the fundamentals as usefulness, usability, and desirability. Take some time looking at the questions asked in each pillar. The final two pillars take the experience beyond the expected - to sustainable and social. What this point says to me is if we want our brands to stick around they must maintain AND evolve. In emerging technology, they must also be social. I feel this is part of a blogs value. This part of the conversation naturally turns toward ROI - something I am aware of and my boss consistently reminds me. It is, however, difficult to quantify the time spent building a social network. Intuitively, we know it pays. But where does the rubber meet the road? After all, the bottom line got that title for some reason :)

The next group of slides are examples of digital experiences. I was impressed with some of what Dell is doing. My experience has been a bit less than satisfactory with them. We have a 2nd pc at home - it is a Dell. They packaged a whole bunch of extras on it. I have little problem navigating my way through a lot of it, but my bride is the main user. Her time at a keyboard is considerably less than mine (she's a nurse and deals with real people problems :) - start up was frustrating for her and, at times, still can be a pain. Mostly its the little things - filters, pop-ups, expired this and that. But it looks like Dell is reaching out. I'm impressed with how they've responded at Dell Hell. David devised a little Experience-o-Meter (if your reading, David, you really ought to patent it...maybe get one of these crazy geeks to build a widget! - imagine having it for pages and sites you visit - I'd like one that goes below acceptable for Windows Media Player - grrrrr) and he puts them beyond the basics and to the next level.

I was thrilled to see a newspaper site featured in the presentation - USA Today. While I'm a biased reader of my newspaper - The Spokesman-Review - just the fact that newspapers are on the radar as media engaging emerging tech is encouraging. One day I'll go into the journey we are on here. In a nutshell, News is a Conversation is a major part of it. We are a paid registration site for most of the local news but there are many places you can move around. USA Today seems to be a step or 2 ahead of us insofar as building a social community. David rates them "next level" in places - not quite "beyond basics" in others. I too wonder about storing pictures on their site. One thing I can imagine is that they may decide to post member "snapshot" someplace on their site. Similar to getting your picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone (I guess its WIRED this generation) - one day you might say "A photo of mine was published in USA Today". Next is a little riff on You Tube, then examples of blogs - one which takes it to the next level, the other not so much.

The pair of slides that pulled it together were 31 and 32. They are pretty self-explanatory but its where the title of this post is stolen - as bloggers and marketers who blog - we need to become "conversation architects". I love that - what a great job title! Bravissimmo, Armano! The goal - to develop our blog, our brand and our organizations into valuable community experiences.

I'm not a Twitter user - though this presentation has me right on the edge. The conclusion focused on the enormous potential it holds for gathering a community. I was about to register last week and it was a day Twitter experienced crashes and problems. I get enough frustration without asking for it - so another time :)

Sharing is the best way of learning for me. I hope highlighting these points has helped reinforce some of your thinking. Even more, I hope you've found food for thought. Enjoy the weekend - I'm off for a nice bike ride! The sun is shining in Spokane!

2007 MLB - Order of Finish predictions

Any baseball fans in the crowd? Here's a post just a little out of my normal routine. I'll be able to quickly tell if you like it...I can think about, talk about, and write about baseball for a very long time :). Sadly, my favorite thing to talk about is umpiring and most people find it extremely boring. I spent 20 years calling balls and strikes for HS and College baseball. It is the love of the game that calls me each Spring. Fortune smiled on me when the WCC called a couple years ago and wanted somebody to observe umpires. I'd been away from the game since 2000 (the kids got too fast and my eyesight got too fuzzy - it happens at 50 :). Figured observing would be right down my alley since umpiring consists of reacting to situations - and making shade. But that's for another time (note to self: Marketing Lessons Learned between the base lines).

We're only a few days away from the first pitch on Opening Day 2007. I like to say Earth's axis finally tilts back to normal. This has nothing to do with umpiring. Fact is, wagering on the game is expressly forbidden in the Code of Ethics. But here's my predictions - order of finish - in each division. I have nothing invested in this but the time it takes to create it - nor do I have any knowledge beyond following the game. Its a fun exercise at the start of the season. About as predictable as the weather :) Play along - I'll devise some sort of numbering system and whoever has the most points at season's end wins the Championship of the Blog World. By then I will have figured out some sort of impressive graphic to place on your blog.

AL West
Oakland Athletics - toss up with the Angels - still playing Moneyball
Los Angeles Angels - Oakland plays too sound :)
Seattle Mariners - better than the cellar - there "home" 3 years in a row
Texas Rangers - no pitching.....still?!?!?!

AL Central
Minnesota Twins - gotta love 'em - Mauer, Morneau - MONSTERS
Cleveland Indians - could be close
Chicago White Sox - not even close to the team that won the Series
Detroit Tigers - coolest uniforms in the big leagues
Kansas City Royal - last place? yep, but the Best steaks in the World :)

AL East
New York Yankees - I can't cheer for them but A-Rod finally earns it
Boston Red Sox - wild card for sure - could play better than Yanks
Baltimore Orioles - Tejada is the real deal!
Toronto Blue Jays - not enough offense
Tampa Bay Devil Rays - ever seen a real devil ray? maybe they could hit better!

NL West
Arizona Diamondbacks - Big Unit is back!
San Francisco Giants - Bonds breaking Aaron's HR record not quite enough
Los Angeles Dodgers - could surprise
San Diego Padres - even with Maddux and Wells they won't win
Colorado Rockies - best pot bellied mascot in the game - sadly, that's it!

NL Central
Chicago Cubs - probably break your heart again but Soriano is that good!
St. Louis Cardinals - Pujols = Awesome! Edmonds & Rolen = Old!
Milwaukee Brewers - distant 3rd unless Ben Sheets is stellar
Houston Astros - cursed by Enron
Cincinnati Reds - even if Junior is happy - and he's not...
Pittsburgh Pirates - love their logo but never enough booty...aaarrrggghhhh!

NL East
New York Mets - can NY stand the prosperity? I say "yes"
Philadelphia Phillies - might almost have it this year
Atlanta Braves - glory days are done
Florida Marlins - whats with all these fish in Florida?
Washington Senators - even with Dems in the majority it will be a few years


There you have it :) - For entertainment purposes only. If I'm close to right, its pure dumb luck! Post your predictions in comments or send me an email.

As The World Turns - Here's the Scoop

Robyn McMaster always seems to light a spark. And when she kicks her post off with a link to Liz Strauss - who invites the "grabbing" of a graphic from Sandy Renshaw (that's her great work on the right) the spark turns into a brain flame. Her post from a couple days ago on changing the world resonated with me. Aside from the fact she uses one of my favorite newspaper terms - scoop - her story attests to the value of encouraging people. Catching them by surprise when they show their talents is sure to make them feel good! And who among us doesn't want to feel good? Or even great! This post turns her thoughts 180 degrees and causes reflection on those who encourage us. My feeling is changing the world involves a get and a give. Lets call it "reciprocating encouragement".

Last spring I decided it was time to get a new bicycle. There is a shop just a mile or so from my house - WheelSport. I walked in and one of the kids (isn't everyone a kid anymore? :) comes up to me and asks:
"Are you looking for a bike?"
"I was thinking about it. Do you work here?"
"I sure do - what kind are you looking for?"
(Let me break here for a moment - much as I'd like to scream down a rock strewn hill with dirt and dust flying all around me - my bones aren't as strong as once they were. Plus my health provider frowns on too many visits - something about preventive care. In addition, there is a certain value to every bit of skin and flesh I can save. So I tried a mountain bike but determined a more sensible style would be - well - more sensible :)
"ummmm - you have something built for comfort rather than speed?"
"What do you think of this one - what did you say your name was?"
"I'm Bob - How old are you, Jimmy?"
"Almost 16, Bob"
"You own this store?"
"Naw - I just work on the bikes."
By now I'm really enjoying this little adventure. Part of the joy in a purchase is the give and get from the salesperson. Jimmy doesn't know it yet but he's a winner! We got to yak-yakking back and forth and he hands me off to his co-worker, Josh. Josh fits me for the bike - which I really like, btw - and we get it ordered. "It should be here later this week and remember we can take care of anything you need - minor tune-ups are free!" My ears lit up, the smile broad on my mug. These guys are good! As last riding season wore on I had a few minor problems. Most of them had to do with blown out tires - 3 in a week - but thats another story. My bike guys really encouraged me to spend more time in the saddle.

Today was the 3rd day of their 4-day sale. Everything is 15% off and as you can imagine - its a frantic time of year for a bike store. Though it was raining today, the weather is breaking and soon the days scream for riding. I wanted to get a few items and today I met Jason. Jason is another teenager who works on the bikes in the shop. He fit me for a helmet, suggested a small tool to carry in my pack and advised me on some new road tires. (Some of you know, I'm planning to ride RAGBRAI this July. Let me take this opportunity - it won't be the last - to invite any of you IOWANS to meet up with me along the way - or even share the ride.) Then handed me off to Josh. We finished our transaction in the mayhem of people rushing in and out of the store. All I could do was shake my head and say "You guys are amazing - this place is a madhouse and you take it all in stride. I am blown away every time I come in here." Josh says -

"That's what we do, Bob - it's more fun when its busy and we have customers. The more people ride the better we feel"

Simple statements are the best. These bike guys are "encouragers". They thrive when people come back. They are fulfilled. My point is this - and I think Robyn's - when people are feeling good about what they do it shows. We get a true physical sensation when it happens. The point is to recognize and encourage one another with our actions and comments. Do it and we change the world! Its but one aspect of blog life we must remember to appreciate.

Turtle Meme

This post is a couple weeks delayed but it's not called the Turtle meme for for nothing - thanks Karin. I've been tagged once before, broken in on games of tag and tagged along - but never tagged anyone...so I'm going for it here. And toss in a z-twist. Let's see how it works.

I love turtles and only wish I had several to watch do laps. Owned one a number of years ago - but it died. My friend Dave (he doesn't blog or I'd link to him) had a terrapin that was his uncles (or some relative)...it was 50 years old and that was 30 years ago. I wonder what happened to Dave?

Bob - or is that Robert (great name nonetheless :) and Tully claim this to be the slowest moving meme in the blog world. Essentially its a playful way to look at goal setting, achievements, vocations and life roles. Let's give it some legs - OK?

Tully says it like this:

"I had been thinking about goal setting, life accomplishments, and the like, when it hit me - what are the goals that are slightly ‘out there’ that typically don’t make it on the goal list because you never took them seriously (but would still be a blast to do!)?"

And Robert this way:

"But what happened to the goals that, well, didn’t make the cut? Do they just fall by the wayside? Are they consigned to goal purgatory, that place where all despondent goals go when they don’t quite make the team? Whatever happened to them? Gee - what if any of these goals had actually happened?"

And so it starts with these 2 - and I'm adding Karin as a *sparkler* for it was her post that Bob pointed me toward. We'd been talking about slow on the uptake each of us was at discovering we were SOB's - a couple weeks after the fact. I was a turtle before I knew it.

Here's 5 gigs that would be a kick in the tail! I'm a touch envious of those who get to experience them. I've lived vicariously through them!

1 - Team Mascot - March Madness probably brought this one from the depths of my unconscious. They always seem like their having fun. A bit too much running but helping people get a little crazy. The local favorite is Otto the Spokanasaurus, a prehistoric (futuristic?), dinosaur/dog for the Spokane Indians Baseball Team. Of course, I'll always be partial to Herky!

2 - Cowboy - the kind that rides all day, sleeps under the stars and lives on the open range. In bits and pieces, I've managed to experience parts of the cowboy way - but never quite hit it exact. Think about Jack Palance as Curly in "City Slickers" and his exchange with Billy Crystal:

Cowboy: "Do you know what the secret of life is? One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don't mean shit."
City Slicker: "Yeah, but what's that one thing?"
Cowboy: "That's what you've got to figure out."

Simply elegant and to the point - a grizzled cowboy with a "roll your own" dangling from his lip.

3 - Clown - Oddly, I've recently discovered some people have a terrible aversion to clowns. Thats too bad because what could be more fun, more playful than honking a horn, making balloon animals, or jumping out of a VW with 20 of your closest clown friends?!?! Without ever having to say a word! Brevity of words seems to be a recurring theme here? Maybe I DO talk too much.

4 - Sled Racer - Driving a team of huskies across Alaska! It looks like a grueling race but what COOL clothes they get to wear. I warm up just thinking about all that fur smothering my face. I'm certain thats not the main allure of the contest. It's human and dog against the harshness of the great outdoors. Alas, I prefer natural gas heat and a down comforter. But I've sure dreamed of being tuned in to the strength of the malamute.
5 - Bike Racer - Might as well dream big....Tour de France. For one thing, its in France - the wine is good, the food even better. Sitting in the sidewalk bistro watching the world go by...some jazz music playing as lovers walk hand in hand...wait! I'm riding in a bike race :) - see how eaasily distracting it would be. Instead, this year I'm riding in RAGBRAI. Between now and then I hope to connect a little deeper with the Iowa blog mafia!

Here's the z-twist - and there's no hurry. Place this idea on the back burner. If you want let it boil over. I'm tossing it out as food for thought. A lot of you are deep in preparation for SOBCon. This is the turtle meme, remember? I'm listing the people who've already been touched with this game. Then I'm tagging some One Reader community members -

Here's the rules* - make your post and refer back to this one. Tag one, two, three, five, ten - number doesn't matter - members of your community. You need to tell them they are tagged. Then copy the list of those already tagged to the end of your post. I have no idea how it will work but lets see if turtles move :)

I tag because you have been kind enough stop by One Reader and leave a comment. Each of these bloggers are worthy of reading and feeding!
Cord
Robyn
Cam
Sandy
Jodee
Ben
David

Already tagged (that I know about, at least)
Liz
David
Matthew
Robert
Tully
Karin

*Mike says the only rule for memes is there are no rules.

Update (5.5.2007): if any of you made it this far - and haven't made a turtle post...play along why don't ya?!?! Spread the Turtle Love!

Did you know March 8 is International Women's Day?

Yes, it may seem a silly question. Yes, it may seem a poor heading for a post. And yes, it may have been more appropriate to have this up yesterday or the day before. But something odd happened to me at a Toastmasters meeting yesterday - and its worth a blog post.

Yesterday was International Women's Day 2007. Every year on March 8:

"...International Women's Day (IWD) is the global day connecting all women around the world and inspiring them to achieve their full potential. IWD celebrates the collective power of women past, present and future."

In some ways, it surprises me is there is not more notice given this day - at least in the US. In other ways, it's not so surprising. Our male dominant culture - dare I say sexist - often times views recognition of women's power as threatening? insignificant? propaganda?

What got me thinking about empowering women - again? still? - was a posting by Frank Sennett - a Spokane blogger. Last month he put up a good summary of his newspaper story at Women in the Blogosphere. The full story can be found here. To summarize, reports and stats may say the "Men continue to dominate the blogosphere's most prominent real estate" but he share's pretty convincing evidence that ain't the case! And I certainly find myself reading and interacting with terrific blogs written by women.

Then I stumbled onto Shawns post at The Good, The Bad, and The Green. WOW! Here is a guy can put his own journey in perspective. Read it if you dare!

Which leads me to the question posed during Table Topics. TT is a portion of the standard Toastmaster meeting where you are given a couple minutes to speak extemporaneously. Its a nervous time even for accomplished and confident speakers. Think on your feet and try to speak:) The Topic Master queries - "Bob, what is the one stereotype of women you most often hold?"

Can you say adrenaline rush? or heart pounding horror? I took a deep breath. Imagine a schoolyard filled with women. Each woman represents a male held stereotype - fickle, flighty, moody, weak, object, trophy, maid, domineering, emotional - you get the idea. Throw a rock into the yard and whoever it hits - I am guilty of holding that stereotype. Let me stress, its not about guilt. I'm a male in a sexist culture. Its about recognizing biases. Must have struck a chord because I won the award for Best Table Topics! (I sure was shaking!)

I celebrate the uniqueness of each individual and the wonder of gender differences. But this is about equality and recognizing we ain't there yet. Every day we have the chance to get closer. Thanks for allowing me the chance to jump on my podium.

"Newspapers: print, online...who cares?"

Post title is in quotes because it comes from David Reich over at my 2 cents. Always give credit where credit is due. I've been fortunate to take part in David's musings on newspapers the last couple weeks. David is my new favorite blogger because he has a category labeled "newspapers" :) - And he's convinced they're not quite dead. I've also been fortunate to be in the newspaper business - circulation and marketing - for over 20 years.

In the post, David cites an article in Media Life which talks about newspaper readership growing if we include print AND online. The article talks about the "younger, affluent audience" being reached online. Then David asks a great question:

"Why aren't newspaper publishers aggressively pushing this positive and welcome news to the ad community?"

I am decidedly not a newspaper publisher - but I work for a great one! I can answer the question through my lens alone - give a touch of recent history and maybe forecast a little. Newspapers have long been established via ink on paper. In the last 3-5 years, their online presence has grown enormously. Now newspapers can be read via pixels on a page, too. And a lot more information can be placed on a website. But print on paper is still the farm. Print pays the rent. It's still delivered, its portable, and you don't need a wireless card to read it. Who cares? The community you live in! Just like the community of bloggers with which you read and interact. Don't kid yourself - if you're part of a blogging community and somebody stops posting...the community cares. This assumes the blogs have value and worth.

Advertisers are only just beginning to see the audience that is attracted to newspaper websites. Just like they are seeing audiences attracted to blogger sites. But advertisers demand results (along with profits) and online measurements of readers are not exactly concrete - although they are improving. Does the last 3-5 years coincide with anything that is happening with online tracking/measurement? Page views, impressions, click-thrus, traffic reports...these are all new terms. Can they be verified? In some ways - yes. Mostly its like the Gary Larson cartoon "what dogs say and what cats hear" - the meaning gets lost in the translation. Isn't it an education process?

For too long, the newspaper business has looked for a silver bullet to stop circulation declines. Searching for the Holy Grail - reminder, nobodies ever found it :) Doesn't stop us from looking for it. It ain't there. Fewer people buy the local paper but my hunch is people still read it. And certainly people still buy things - which is what the ad community really wants. Newspapers and online are not the same but they both demand interaction. Just like a true community.

Whether its print or online - newspapers matter in the community.

Here and here are previous posts on newspapers.

Blog of the Day

Sometimes I like to blend into a crowd - feel part of the bigger group - a small piece in the community. Its why I like to visit the big cities - NY, Seattle, Chicago, SF, Dallas - and the busy cities - Las Vegas. While its never often enough - I'd love to get back to Florence, Italy...and Roma - the memories last. Its also one reason I like going to concerts, art openings and large public events. Blending in and being another face in the crowd. There is even a certain degree of anonymity. Being a part of something big - so big as to be lost in it. Being part of building and connecting in a blogging community lends itself to this feeling at times.

At other times I like to stand out. Don't we all? Admit it even though its a rhetorical question. Of course we do! Its human nature. We're human. It adds value to our lives. It feels good. Today I'm recognized at Fuel My Blog in the upper right corner - Blog of the Day - on the business page - woo-hoo! A growing community with their very own blog! Kevin does a wonderful job of responding to comments and updating the community. In the midst of an upgrade as of today, it looks like Friday will be go live. I've been involved in a few "go live" projects (though none for websites) and can imagine the excitement going through his veins. What a thrill for him and his entire team!

When not blog of the day - you'll find me just under Sandy and at 4 o'clock from C.B. I'm honored to be in such a great neighborhood. I'm part of the wall and a blog in the crowd :) One of the aspects I really like is the diversity of blogs at Fuel. Near as I can tell, the creators (producers? directors? owners? administrators?) are in Europe. International travel on a low budget :)

It comes down to a balance of blending in and standing out. We all have those needs. Building and creating blog conversation permits the chance to experience both human needs.

How do you allow both needs to flourish through your blogging?

An SOB and I didn't even realize it...

No one ever accused me of being overly fast - fact is I don't run for the simple fact I don't like to have both my feet off the ground at the same time :)

Yep - it's true - a month ago - week 65 SOB's - (one of my favorite numbers by the way). Thank you Ms. Strauss - I am convinced you are one in a million! A happiness influencer!

I can be a Successful AND Outstanding Blogger. Wait - I am! I'd like to thank everyone for the consistent encouragement and comments. Its a bit like going into the Hall of Fame. I sincerely feel the support of all the SOB's in this blog nation. Check it out - I even got the purple button (puffing chest out)

Here's the class I went in with - we're the 65'ers:
Tino Buntic - the 2K Blogger Guy
Greg Balanko - Business Coach
Gifter - the Internet Wishing Well
Robert Hruzek - Middle Zone Musings (written by a guy with a GREAT first name:)
Mike Wagner - Own Your Brand - a wonderful posting on becoming an SOB
Todd And - Marketing meets Media and connects - what a concept :)
Jodee Bock - You Already Know This Stuff

That's some tall cotton. I believe a visit to each spot in SOB nation worthy of our eyes and our hearts. Don't forget the CON in May!

And, DA - if you see this...looks like I was already an SOB when you called me one last week - ;)

Faith Ringgold is an Artist

I'm gonna warn you - I've been thinking a lot about the impact of women in the blogosphere. And women as leaders! My next few posts will be focused on those thoughts. It started with a post in our local newspaper. It lists a number of prominent women bloggers. Frank has a blog and a podcast. If your interested you will find reference to them by going to his post.

I'd rather shout out to Sandy, Liz, Robyn, Char, CK, Sherry because they have commented here, at MyBlogLog, or on their own blog. I'm a big believer on responding to comments - and leaving comments. They have all helped me along the path of blogging. They are heavy hitters in their own rights - each with great humor and sincerity.

Last night I went to a small exhibition - 40 pieces - of Professor Ringgold's work. I say small because the woman has been making art for 50 years...50! years. During her lecture she joked "I used to say it was 35 years...then 40...and now its 50" - it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening. One of the images she repeatedly uses is Cassie flying. Cassie is a young girl who believes you can do anything - include fly - similar to building a blog around communication and building relationship.

"If One Can, Anyone Can,
All You Gotta Do Is Try"

Growing up in Harlem in the 1930's, Dr. Ringgold was exposed to the community that was the Harlem Renaissance - Duke Ellington, Joe Louis, Langston Hughes. Ms Ringgold's medium is paint, canvas, quilts. She began her lecture with a picture of her first oil painting at age 18. She is also a storyteller and book publisher. Ms. Ringgold told a great story about wanting to display some public work. In 1971, she submitted an idea for a painting to be displayed at what is now the Rose M Singer Center, Riker's Island. Figuring she would have a captive audience she painted For the Woman's House. Art without Walls is formed as a direct result. Apparently, in the early 1990's, women moved out of the facility and men were transferred in. Almost immediately, the painting was covered in white house paint - until someone realized it was the work of a living legend. An icon in African-American art history. Hello, restoration experts :) Here's a woman whose art hangs in the MOMA and Guggenheim.

I had first seen her work in the early '70's but couldn't recall what specifically grabbed me. And then, last night, I remembered - I saw the African mask series she had created. My eye went straight to that part of the display. Sadly, I can't scrape up any images of the masks on the web. Sometime in the '80's she begins quilting - "easier to carry a quilt than a canvas" - and telling stories within the quilts.

For a good selection of her work in chronological order - click here. It is bold, it is harsh - the web does not do it justice. If you ever get a chance - see her work. For those of you in or near NYC - check out the mosaic in the subway at 125th and Lenox (?) - its hers. Flying Home Harlem Heroes and Heroines - designed by Faith Ringgold - the stones done in Venice. Those Italians know mosaic!

A true 20th century woman - her story tells the struggle and the steps toward victory. I had to share it.

Marketing Metrics and Success

Little bit of a conversation going at MarketingPathway on top 10 internet marketing metrics. I'm probably missing something without having numbers to use as examples but Doug's metrics make some sense. He responded back to my post - #1 action in having a conversation. Be responsive to those who take time to comment :)

I'd be curious to hear how some of you value his metrics - and more importantly - the ones YOU value.

My belief is the relationship comes first - money is a bonus! Granted a nice bonus - but still, a bonus. But the relationship - the communication - is what it's all about. What communication metrics do you value?

Success is a whole other ball of wax and pot of stew. I am having too much good fun with Successful Bloggers and the Con in May. Hoping to figure out a way to meet some fine readers while I work on SOB acceptance speech.

Psssst - Shhhh - its a secret

Absolutely cannot resist. I first saw it at Logic + Emotion during my Friday afternoon runthrough. Opening my big yap and leaving a comment only made me wonder more. Then it pops up on my feed reader at Mike's Converstations. Then Chris puts the same graphic up. When DA called me a perceptive SOB...well, that's all it took. Add persistent, too! And whether I'm right or wrong - it doesn't matter because at this moment - this very moment - I am having too much fun! My body is reacting to my emotions and they are running at a fever pitch. It's a blog high! The feeling you get that can't be described. I'd go so far as to say - and I KNOW Midwest winters...they are cold - I wish I was gonna be in Chicago on Sunday Feb. 18.

You can take the boy out of Iowa but you can't take Iowa out of the boy. The curious gene grows deep. So I wander over to Liz's place. And there it is! Eureka! Imagine this - a few bloggers show up somewhere and a celebration of sorts takes place. Its a not-so-secret bunch that thrives and flourishes on blogging - and more to the point - they thrive on conversation and the resultant success. Who's calling who an SOB? :)

I'm guessing that many - if not most - of you reading this post already recognize the value of community and conversation. I see many of the same names and faces in all kinds of places. What kind of crowd did I stumble into? What is fascinating to me is the conversation takes place across vast distances. This little path I've been on has taken me to Alabama, Australia, Des Moines (I been there), NY, Rhode Island, Russia, Texas...and those are the places just off the top of my head. The community ain't so small, but its pretty tight!

What does this mean for organizations? The organizations that we are part of and that are part of us? The communities we live in and SHOULD be making stronger? Here's what I think. Some see communication via pixels on a screen (blogging) as impersonal. The reasoning goes something like this - its a solitary activity consisting of ego driven ideas. How can it be of any help? Here's the reality - it might be solitary but it touches many - one at a time. It's an intimate connection. Its about sharing and giving to each other. Its about helping one another grow into our human potential. And its fun!

The buzz around Pssssst is hive worthy. I'll know this time tomorrow. And soon will find out whether David is right about me being an SOB! Great fun and happiness!

How Many Places Can You Go?

Or how much do you wanna bite off? :) I've added a couple widgets. These are markings along my blog journey. As I visit more and more places in the blogging community, I see how creative is this path. First widget added this week - Criteo Autoroll - came as a result of an email from Jean-Baptiste. He found One Reader from the Tino's 2000 Bloggers list. I know that has been a controversial page in some circles - oh, well! Autoroll is in beta and it displays links to blogs your readers like. There are metrics in place to analyze reader habits. I'll be watching and feeding back to J-B. The catch is that autoroll functions if its also on the blog that is viewing yours. Add it if you choose. More community building!

The second one is to the Great Wall of Blogs at fuelmyblog. Purple Wren posted about this site last week. I signed on by following her lead. I'm on the Life page and the Business page. As it turns out, I will be on only one by next week - against the rules to be on 2 walls with the same blog :) - but won't know which one! They had a contest to see which blogger could give the best review of the site and the results are here. It was a tie - read Drew's Flatwater Music and CyberPartyGal to find out a little more how it all works. The wizards continue to amaze me. This blog is now committed to 5 years advertising on the Wall. There are still some spots left so get on over there!

Thirdly, I added "Word of the Day". I love words and building vocabulary!

And finally, I went into a recording studio last weekend. See the MOG widget just under "Word of the Day". I share a little homegrown music with you!

Not Quite Dead Yet

One of my favorite Monty Python taglines.

I've had a couple conversations about media and newspapers with Lewis and Cord. We haven't gone into great detail. They gave me the chance to comment on great posts. Which is a chance to share thoughts and feelings. A-a-a-h - conversation and communication. I love it!

Just as I love whats called traditional media. Point of fact it pays the bills - its in my blood. Its been a tough battle with no end in sight. Competition for readers - and ad dollars - is fierce which is why I'm thrilled to have one at a time on this blog. Lets think for a minute how the media impacts us. Did you look or listen to any news today? Its rhetorical, so of course you did - in any number of ways - print, video, radio, digital. We all desire to carry on some sort of conversation on current events and topics of interest in our community. How long does new (emerging) media stay "new"?

Today the Center for Media Research sends a email message titled:

Death Of Newspapers Belied By Facts, Says WAN.

"According to new and revised data from the World Association of Newspapers, newspaper circulation is growing and new newspapers are being launched at a remarkable rate."

Read the entire report here.

MicroPersuasion weighs in with some stats on magazine advertising sales.

And LG posts an outstanding reason why some newspapers stumble. (I think he still loves the feel of print on paper :) - Some papers regain their stride, some don't. Local news sells the local paper. We can get world news from the vast expanse I'm typing into right now - the machine!

We're not quite dead yet. If you stopped subscribing to your local newspaper, did you have a reason? Take another look and see what you think. Let me know.

*technical question for anybody - for some reason the when I insert the typepad trackback url a message is returned "pings and trackback function must consist of HTTP" - so I've linked to the page url. Is this a problem on my end? (no wisecracks now)

Why To Blog?

Mike Sansone - Converstations - takes part in the tag meme that gives 5 reasons why I blog. Similar to this collage - but without the picture - by CK'sBlog. When she asked the question "Why blog?", my response was to learn. Now Mike "I'm tagging you now right between the i's"

I'm giving it a shot - this will be down and dirty - and a direct rip-off of my mantra - live, love, learn, lead - help each other to succeed. However, it's honest!

1 - I blog to learn more about technology - I'm an old horse...well not old old...but the revolutions around the sun are greater than 50! Some people are 60 ;)
2 - I blog to live to my greatest human potential - As humans we have a deep desire to communicate and share. We don't get where we are without others. Most of us fall short - no guilt intended - we ARE human. My belief is we have the chance to become more human in collectives. We need to take the chance and the risk.
3 - I blog to love - the love that comes from action in a community - from being a part of something that affects change. The love that flourishes when relationships are built. My blogging is intimate and personal - it flows in the river of my being.
4 - I blog to lead marketing newspapers to a new level - while I have not quite figured out how to translate my blog activity into "reality" i.e. making the boss some dough, the activity is valid. There is no magic bullet. I continue to build a network of great marketers, gain insight into marketing ideas, into marketing products and to use web 2.o tools.
5 - I blog to help others succeed - with any good fortune one or 2 might feel a small ripple form this corner of the blogosphere.
6 - Bonus answer - I blog to practice discipline. Making the commitment to translate thoughts into print on a consistent basis is a goal. It takes discipline - a self characteristic in short supply at times.
7 - Double bonus answer - I blog to focus the lens that I've polished for these many years - When I get comments and feedback, it helps me sharpen views.

I'm not tagging anyone at this point due to a technicality. I haven't officially been tagged - at least by the rules as I understand them :) - correct me if I'm wrong!

Weighing In - What IS news?

When celebrities die, folks eat it up. Couple a celebrity with va-va-voom figure and a tragic life...its all over. Inundation in the media. Lewis Green rocked my Friday world today with this post. I was easing on into the weekend and he asks all these hard questions :) - I'm kidding, of course. Love hard questions. CK has a post here and a different question. Cam Beck weighs in with a comment at both spots. Keen insight!

My intrigue centers around newspapers and how it played in them. In casual chat around here yesterday it was foremost in everybody's mind. Would that people were as conversational about global warming, cures for cancer, or any other number of topics. I was rather dreading how it would play in this morning's paper. More specifically, I distinctly remember thinking "It's not front page news!" - but it is news. I'm not an editor. It ran on page 3 - right next to Scooter Libby trial.

Here's the recap from Newseum. If you don't want to link, it says of the 509 newspapers they track it was on the front page world wide. My unscientific glance found a handful with no mention on page one - but for arguments sake we'll go with the Newseum observation. So what's that say about us as readers? About newspapers? Does it matter? And don't hold back...I take nothing personally (or at least make a valid attempt).

I believe we are what we read. And we read what we are.

Connections in this small world

The original intent of this post is not how its going to turn out. I had intended to talk about my plans to ride in RAGBRAI this summer. But reality set in. I'll write more about this ride as winter turns to spring and then to summer. There is plenty of time.

My reflection turns to the communities we build through blogging. The people we meet and how our lives intersect. I trace my blog beginnings - and woderment - to one particular August post and 3 particular bloggers - David Armano, Mack Collier, and Gavin Heaton. They write at MarketingProfs, too. Their writings have influenced the way I approach communicating via this little blogspot. They continually remind me that sharing is the key to fulfillment - and to successful living/blogging. I've never met any of these fine fellows - nor any of you reading this - but somehow feel a kinship. And gratitude. After my August WOW moment, I drifted away from One Reader. Life happens!

Out of the blue, Gavin sends me an email - wonders where I've been and how come no posts? I mess around a little more - make a few posts - and then hear about mybloglog. Lo and behold - among the many I have begun building relationships with there - I bump into Gavin. We exchange links and join each others community. Imagine my shock when only tonight, I discover his father-in-law was in a terrible cycling accident in December. Gavin has created a site to monitor his progress. My thoughts are with his family. I hope for a swift and solid recovery.

Here's my point - this rock in space keeps moving. Each of us has our own lives. Those lives collide, intersect, and interconnect in the most fascinating ways. All of this has happened in a mere 6 months - thats a blink in time. Amidst all the madness we are given a gift to share with one another - our selves. It's a bit altruistic to believe the world becomes a better place through building relationships...but I believe it does. It is a thrill to experience.

What about relationships and community have surprised you through blogging?

Hunka Hunka Burnin' Ads

Like Char at Essential Keystrokes I watch the Super Bowl for the ads! Its for darn sure the game is anti-climactic. Ever since Joe Namath predicted the Jets would beat Johnny U and the Colts its been a non-sports event for me. And I'm a little compulsive about the ads - blogging anyone? - I write 'em down with a general first impression. No need to leave just yet - I won't be giving comments on each of them :). I will tell you the link to all of this year's commercials is at the bottom of this post. They have them listed by quarters - but they are decidedly NOT in the order that I saw them. Maybe they aren't intended to be...told you I was a little obsessive. But I think the sequence of the ads gives them greater weight. There were 71 ads by my count (that's without the CBS promos of there own shows - next year I count those). It includes the post game ads. Cars come out on top with 17 individual ads. Beverage (soda/beer) is next with 15. Food follows with 9 unique advertisers. Online business ties food but only because 2 outfits played the same ad twice. Now THAT is a lack of creativity - or a mocking of the viewer - I haven't yet decided.

All day long I've heard how bad they were this year. Super Bowl 2007 was not the strongest line up of ads but time usually plays a part in great commercials. I'm glad slapstick is making a comeback. Can anybody name a year that was clearly better than any other? Where's the beef? Here are my highlights - excuse the ties:

Best Use of Music - tie - Chevy's People who Love cars Love Chevy's and Honda's CR-V with Elvis. Great music overlaying excellent graphics!

Oddest juxtaposition of 3 ads - Sprints connectile dysfunction sandwiched between Coke (and its bottles) tribute to Black History and Frito-Lays "What getting here represents". Poor production choice and don't tell me the producers don't have a choice. If I was Coke, Sprint or Frito-Lay I'd be flat upset.

Oddest juxtaposition of 2 ads - eTrades "things you can do with one finger" following a Flomax ad.

Most puzzling ad or what do they do? - Garvin.com - GPS?, MP3?, make paper dinosaurs?

Most graphically appealing - Coke's Rube Goldberg cartoon and Fords EDGE

ASPCA potential protest - Blockbuster's mouse - poor mouse

Best punchline - Whats the ax for? Its a bottle opener.

Here's all of them.

Added 2.08.2007 - a history of Super Bowl ads by the numbers from Media Research

Adding Color to Your Interior

Last Friday I walked into the office with a couple flats of primroses. It was a dreary February day. By the time I got in, both official groundhog viewings were history - just one of the advantages to living on the left coast of the US. It felt good to add a little color to the space. Heck, it felt good to carry a little color from point A to point B.

You should have seen the faces light up! "Are those for me?" "Oh, how lovely!" "Are you planting a garden?" These are simple little flowers. They were real cheap - under a buck a piece. The conversation around them brightened everyones day. Several writers who post blogging tips blogging advise adding color and graphics. I got to looking at One Reader and found it lacking in graphics. Which is unlike the me. I like art. I like images. I like color. Sandy at the Purple Wren brings it on so check here.

Does any of it matter? Of course it does...try it this week. But you decide...add a bit of color to your interior - see if it doesn't add a smile.

I'm thinking of tossing in a few tomatoes in the coming weeks.

Affirmations to the 4th Power

I've been lucky to have good coaches and mentors in my life. They are the people who've given me a break, offered a hand up, encouraged me to keep going, or challenged me to reach a little farther. Heck, I wouldn't be here without them. Some are family, some are teachers, some are bosses, and some are current colleagues. In some small way each of you who read and comment on this blog are contributors and coaches.

There are a couple aspects of coaching that I am undeniably convinced work. One is goal setting. Darren Hardy provides an abridged plan to goal setting that I like. Since his goal setting map was posted at the beginning of the year, it involves a review of the past 12 months plus lessons learned. I took this conscious step a couple weeks back. What really caught me is the 2nd step - to reflect on life with gratitude. In other words, look at the parts of my life - both play and work - for which I am grateful. This may seem a better exercise for harvest time but I think its even more valuable today. I won't bore you with all the things I'm thankful for - suffice to say the list is long.

A second aspect is the process of writing down affirmations. And writing them down is the key. I was in training the last couple days and was reminded how valuable is the habit of writing the phrase - I can. Here's my list of 4 affirmations for 2007:

1. I can exercise patience and empathy with Deb and her folks by listening. My mother-in-law is battling dementia, my father-in-law is tussling with losing his vision, and my bride is spending a great deal of time with them. Its a strain on her and I'm certain will grow greater in the months to come. I can be patient and empathetic.
2. I can stay fit and eat a healthy diet by remembering how far I've come. It was just a couple years ago - the blink of an eye really - I took control of this part of my life and changed my lifestyle. I eat better and exercise more. Life is not a dress rehearsal, its in living color.
   
3. I can post to this blog - and my Zaadz blog - a minimum of twice per week and build a community one reader at a time. I can do this with or without comments and feedback but it can be a lot more fun with you. I can comment on other blogs and make a bigger community.
4. I can maintain self control through day to day life by living for now. Nothing can be done about the past and nobody knows the future - believe me on this one!
   

In order to make these affirmations reality, I can use a little organization - and humor. I love this link because the guys at 43folders use my brand of PDA. It cracks me up that nobody can patent or copyright it. Talk about open source! They have their comments currently closed so come back here - straight away I tell you - and share some of the things YOU CAN do!

"Thank you" or a raise? what would you choose?

This post over at Church of the Customer blends nicely with another item. You need subscription to WSJ online to view the story they link. Seems lawyers - the partners anyway - need some training in common courtesy. Simple phrases like "thank you" and "nice job" must to be added to training? Huh?!?! The associates have been turning over(30%) in a job that pays $160,000 per year. Who says basic human dignity is passe'.

Matt Asay gives a real life example on his blog AC/OS - My comment suggests it tells a great deal about our deep desire as humans to prefer "thank you" over "have another dollar". Appreciation trumps more $.

I've been holding this item in draft for a couple days. Link over to Harris Interactive (Harris Interactive Inc. All rights reserved, of course) and reference the top article - Trends & Tudes (Jan. 2007) "A New Approach to Tempering Materialism" in pdf form. I don't have any kids but lord knows I love 'em. Please don't tell them that - I have a reputation to uphold. For the most part, I think they get a bum rap about being more materialistic than adults. Lets face it - this 21st century of abundance has made many of us materialistic. Ipods, Blackberrys, faster machines, digital cameras, coffee at 2 bucks a cup. Luxury! We got STUFF!...and lawyers have even nicer stuff :). One could argue that our time of abundance is quickly ending - global warming - but that is for another day. Admit it - each of you, dear reader, has some degree of materialism. I know I do.

The Harris research suggests the problem isn't materialism itself but how the teens and tweens view the things they possess. Feel free to insert "adult" anyplace you read "kids". Materialistic kids without gratitude are not very generous - sort of like the law partner who neglects "thank you". Less materialistic kids - you know some - are generous and often grateful for what they have. When kids with lots of things have a sense of gratitude they are no less likely to be generous than kids without lots of stuff.

This creates an opportunity to focus efforts on encouraging children to be thankful and grateful for things they have rather than keeping things out of there hands. It is possible that being appreciative may increase children's ability to take the perspective of others and thus increase their level of empathy and pro-social behavior. Teaching thankfulness can alleviate some of the harmful social effects of materialism.

Let's say this extends to adults, too. And not just lawyers. Let's say that thankfulness IS a learned behavior and it can be taught. Law can be a ruthless calling but look at Lincoln for an example of how great a person can be - with a little gratitude. And then lets imagine a community of gratitude. All of this ties into huge ethical questions on happiness. Perhaps a little Aristotelian.

For inspiration about our future as human, read the Harris Interactive editorial view in the left rail of the study.