Archives for March 2012

Viva Nashvegas

I’m going to spend a day in Nashville next month, and I’d like to see you there.

I am going to be one of many speakers at Explore Nashville on Friday, April 13 — a traveling roadshow of digital marketing expertise led by the Chief Social Media Explorer himself, Jason Falls.

The lineup is a powerhouse, and I would stack it up against anything:

  • Jason Fallskeynote (link)
  • Amber Naslund keynote (link)
  • Scott Gulbransenlunchtime “chat” (link)
  • Nichole KellyNo Fluff Social Media Measurement (link)
  • Zena WeistOperationalizing Social Media (link)
  • Mark SchaeferThe Future of Digital Engagement (link)
  • Tom WebsterDrowning in Numbers: Turning Social Data into Insight (link)
  • Courtney SeiterBreak the Rules of Social Media (link)
  • John MorganBuilding Your Brand in a Digital World (link)
  • Dave DelaneySocial Networking in Real Life (link)
  • Tim HaydenMobile Marketing: Turning Passive Customers into Advocates (link)
  • Eric BoggsAddressing Niche Social Networks (link)
  • Kevin McGeeHow Can Big Brands Go Local (link)
  • Sam FordCreating Spreadable Social Media (link)

…and, amid all those rockstars, I’ll be contributing some thoughts on “How to Make the Unsexy, Sexy.”

The Skinny

So, here’s the deal.

Jason is a Louisville guy, but he left a part of his heart in Birmingham from his time in sports information. He would love nothing more than to create a traffic jam up I-65 for the Explore event.

If we get 25 people from Alabama to come to Explore Nashville, Jason will give $500 to the Red Cross in Alabama. Another 25 after that? Another $500. That simple.

Oh — and be sure to use the promo code IKESEXY. That cuts the price in half.

Speaking of “Cutting in Half,” that’s part of the genius of the Explore format. Each speaker is given just a half hour. Half their usual time. You’re getting concentrated doses of social media expertise without the filler. The extra time will be used for networking with people who came from cities not as cool as yours, but are worth knowing anyway.

See you there.

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Dacning With the Stras!

There are seven (or eight, depending upon whom you listen to) different types of intelligence. Those who excel at math might look down upon the social prodigies; the spatial geniuses may not have an appreciation for the musical marvels.

And, of course, those blessed with kinesthetic gifts may have little use for language.

There’s no excuse for this, however, pulled from the site for Dancing with the Stars:

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The problem comes in the lower right corner of that screen capture.

Take the Season 14 Cast Trivia Quiz

  • Which star did stand-up comeday?
  • Who was a beauty pagent winner?
  • Who’s writes children’s books?

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Yes, I can understand that a professional dancer might not have lifelong career regrets from a failure to master spelling and contractions. But this site wasn’t built by dancers. Apparently, it was built by interns inturns.

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How Many Does It Take?

Influence, reach, funneling, cross-linking — the web is indeed a web of good intentions with unintended outcomes.

  • You have a great message, but it matters little if no one reads it.
  • You have a huge audience — but why again, exactly?
  • You reach people with great teases, but do you convert them into purchasers?
  • You have all of the above — so why not goose it further with like-minded people?

So what could possibly go wrong, if a bunch of people with similar aims and tastes decided to help each other out? This is what I saw in my Twitter stream tonight: [Read more…]

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