ConverStations | Archive | November, 2006

Archive - November, 2006

Blogging by Telephone?

By Mike Sansone on November 30, 2006 in Conversations with 4 Comments

Sure. Blogging is a conversation, right?

Last night, I had the pleasure of listening to Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff (aka The Blog Squad) interview Tris Hussey about Measuring Your Blog Audience as part of their Conversations With Experts series. Good stuff.

A bit of a conundrum tonight, though. There are two events (TeleBloginars?) happening – and I’m unable to be at either of them. Help?

Wayne Hurlbert will host Susan Getgood as they talk about Viral Marketing on BlogTalkRadio (details) at 8:00 PM ET.
At 9:00 PM ET, Scott ~~Bardell~~ Baradell will host Steve Rubel on how participatory media is changing the world of PR, also on BlogTalkRadio (details).

If you attend either (or both) of these events, please blog your thoughts and tag it BlogTalkRadio so I can keep up with you. I’ve been thinking of giving this venue a try and would enjoy hearing your thoughts on how it works.

Information Overload or Poor Time Management?

By Mike Sansone on November 30, 2006 in RSS Feeds with 3 Comments

When it comes to reading RSS feeds, maybe both – probably neither.

A successful restaurateur was recently asked if he greeted every customer every time they came in the door. The answer was no. He’d like to, and he greets every one he sees, but sometimes his his work keeps him in the kitchen. But he still loves each of his customers.

A friend who is an avid reader and collector of books, and a fan of Barnes and Noble, confessed recently she didn’t go to the bookstore everyday. Sometimes, she visits without making a purchase. But she’s still a loyal customer.

So here we have both sides of the business relationship coin. A business leader who cannot possibly greet every customer. A customer who doesn’t buy from one of her favorite companies daily.

Marshall Kirkpatrick recently shared a bit his feed reading habits with us (emphasis mine):

"I am subscribed to thousands of RSS feeds and currently have thousands of unread items in my feed reader – that suits me just fine. The secret is to organize those feeds so that the most important information is easy to access."

The Signal: You don’t have to read every item that comes into your feed aggregation. Recognize the important items. Delete duplicative or unwanted items. Save others for later.

Don’t ignore the tool and practice of Search Once and Subscribe because of imagined overload or time issues. Just think about it differently.

Is Your Company Blog Simply Marketing Insurance?

By Mike Sansone on November 28, 2006 in Blogging, Conversations, Marketing with 14 Comments

We’re hearing more about and from companies launching blogs (good news), and many are doing it because it’s the hot marketing tactic (bad news).

One company that gave blogging a try a few months ago didn’t think it worked at all.

They didn’t link to other sites, especially those of value to their target audience
They didn’t comment on other sites
Their posts were written like their brochures

But they thought blogs were hot. They still do, because they are about to try it again. Hopefully, this time they become engaged in a dialogue with their customers rather than a monologue at their customers.

When a company tells me they want a blog but are not interested in the social aspects of blogging – they want to sell products rather than develop relationships – I urge them to reconsider (or at least rethink their plan).

Having Car Insurance doesn’t make you a better driver. Just because you have a blog doesn’t mean you’re all of a sudden better at marketing or that you’ll get more customers.

Blog because you want to engage with your customer, creating a deeper relationship – or as the folks at MojoPages have put it: RelationSHIFT

Is your marketing plan in good hands? Is your blog strategy?

The Real Thing About Blogs – Amplify and Filter

By Mike Sansone on November 27, 2006 in Blog Coach with 0 Comments

I’d like to teach the business world to blog,
Building a networked community.
But if they won’t hear my voice
They should read this from A VC

It’s the Real Thing About Blogs:

"…my blog acts as an amplifier and a filter."
– Fred Wilson, A VC and Union Square Ventures

Dialing 8 – Kami Huyse

By Mike Sansone on November 26, 2006 in Brain Stew with 3 Comments

In hotels, Dialing 8 was calling long distance. In baseball, Dialing 8 is a home run. In blogging, Dialing 8 is a set of posts from a blogger that I find lasting long and being strong – the cornerstones.

Communication Overtones by Kami Huyse

And four that just missed the cut (Can we call this Dialing 12?)

Kami is a conversation conductor, often getting double-digit comments. She has also become a go-to on the subject of Second Life as a business tool (a list of her Second Life posts). Thanks for your efforts, Kami. We’re smarter because of them.

Previously:
David Armano

Snap Preview: Cool Tool or Interruption?

By Mike Sansone on November 25, 2006 in Cool Tools with 7 Comments

I first saw the Snap Preview Anywhere tool on Douglas Karr’s site, and I thought i was pretty cool. Today, after reading a John Jantsch post, I decided we’d give it a try here.

Looking for assistance here, is the pop-up preview a benefit or an interruption? I think this tool will be a great addition to our Blogroll page, but I don’t know if it works well on this front page.

I was about to put an image here – but just mouseover a link to see what it looks like.

UPDATE: I’ve decided to remove the Snap Preview on the main page, but it still exists on the Blogroll page.

Whaddya think? Keeper or stinker?

Company Blog: Tool or Employee?

By Mike Sansone on November 25, 2006 in Blog Coach with 3 Comments

Is your company blog simply a tool – or do you treat it like an employee?

I started working when I was 14 years old. A dishwasher in a French restaurant. I think I made like $2.00 per hour and shared tips from the nicer waitresses.

My grandfather said I was overpaid. I didn’t understand that – so I worked harder. After a few short weeks, I got my first raise (four bits) and proudly told my grandpa about it.

He told me that everyone begins a job overvalued and underworked. It’s part of the learning process. In time, things even out. Eventually, the great workers are undervalued and overworked - and sometimes overlooked.

When you begin working with your company blog, it will be like training a new employee. You’ll be investing a good amount of time in:

Finding your writing voice
Commenting on other sites
Searching for like-minded blogs
Learning some of the tools of the blogosphere

Eventually, your blog will be running smooth and returning value in readership. It will help extend your company’s reach and voice. It will help you become findable in places you hadn’t expected.

But don’t neglect this employee (or any of them for that matter). Periodically, have a review. What kind of perks can you give your blog to assist them in doing their job?

A new design
Some widgets or navigation
A mention in your collateral materials
A company car (okay – maybe a bit much there)

Loving your employees will compel them to be better, loyal, contagious, enthusiastic… They will become an advocate for you and your company.

How about your blog? Tool or employee?

Elsewhere:
- 5 Ways to Treat Your Website Like an Employee and Reap the Rewards

TheGoodBlogs: Full of Pith and Vinegar

By Mike Sansone on November 24, 2006 in Cool Tools with 6 Comments

I don’t know about you, but I’m really digging TheGoodBlogs widget.

This morning, a headline caught my eye, "Care about people, listen actively and name-drop shrimp" Post after post on the Pith and Vinegar site got my brain and heart pumping. Good stuff – immediately on the blogroll.

Thank you to TheGoodBlogs concept and The Idea Dude. Because of your work, I’m constantly introduced to new sites, new ideas, and new readers.

It’s more than a directory or network, it’s a connectivity tool. Highly recommended. If I could just figure out how to get into the Marketing category…

What’s Your Blog Intinerary?

By Mike Sansone on November 24, 2006 in Blog Coach with 7 Comments

An itinerary is provided as a guide in travel. How could I continue to run this station without one? No longer a question – The ConverStations Itinerary is now available.

In starting the Dialing 8 series, an idea which spawned from a David Armano post, a Paul Williams practice, and a Liz Strauss page, I wondered if having a search on this site was enough?

How would new visitors find the cornerstone posts.
Would they be able to find the ‘religion’ of ConverStations?
And what of those looking for a reference point?
Would they find that old post quickly?
Am I following my own Purpose Driven Blogging plan?

And so the ConverStations Itinerary gets a seat on the navigation (we’re gonna need more buttons).

They are the stops along this Conversation Station that are foundational to the beliefs and practices of its conductor. They serve my passengers well. Welcome aboard.

From My Heart, Mind and Soul

By Mike Sansone on November 23, 2006 in Brain Stew with 12 Comments

For days I’ve thought about what to write,
To share the enormitude of my thanks
Not simply to those I meet with now
But all those who have touched me…
Heart, Mind and Soul

You see, I’ve lived physically coast-to-coast
And spiritually from border-to-border
Meeting so many others online or off
The pleasure – nay, gift – has been mine to receive…
Heart, Mind and Soul

As I get older – and I’m getting there fast
I realize I learn from each and every one
Oh, what precious gifts I receive,
The lessons always far reaching…
Heart, Mind and Soul

Whether we’ve yet connected – or not
My thanks – simply for who you are
I Love You!
From the bottom of my Heart
The center of my Mind
And the Spirit of my Soul