Science Of Persuasion

Here's a  short, must-see video on the tools of persuasion. These six simple short cuts will change the way you write, market and sell. It is also very applicable to customer service. 

These principles are also really handy for anyone involved in social media. If you are engaging people online or calling them to some kind of action, you'll want to take a few notes. 

The Science Of Persuasion:

Social Networking Behaviors To Avoid Next Election

Nothing makes you want to turn off Facebook quite like an election. Well, here's some funny, but true, Facebook etiquette advice for the next election.

Facebook Behaviors We Should All Avoid Next Election -- powered by Cracked.com

Is MySpace Back?

To quote one of my favorite zombie movies, Return of the Living Dead, "They're back from the dead and ready to party!"

For a while now I have heard about an impending overhaul of MySpace, but when I finally logged into my old account recently, all I found was a ghost town, with all the same pictures and songs I had left there a few years ago. It was a fun trip down memory lane, but I did not see much of a difference.

Well, the changes are coming and I have to say, it looks pretty cool. Could MySpace rise from the grave? Based on this teaser video, I would not bet against them. Especially since sentiment about Facebook seems to be waning with a lot of people. (Young people, Mark Cuban, people who admin fan pages, etc.)

Take a look at this new preview video. What do you think?
Do you even remember your old password?

Breaking Through Growth Barriers

How do you motivate employees to embrace change and take on new challenges? Check out this great video from Ink from Chase and Inc. Magazine who have partnered on a mission to help small business owners break through growth barriers.  

Not only can you harness the resources you already have, but you just might make them happier and help them grow. 

Three benefits of Marketing Lagniappe

You are probably familiar with the Purple Goldfish Project, but did you know there are two more colors in the goldfish spectrum? The three benefits and types of marketing lagniappe: Purple, Green and Gold.

And at the center of it all... service, sales and marketing.




















Learn more: www.MarketingLagniappe.com

Mobile Sharing on Facebook Arrives

Have you heard the news? Facebook now allows you to share from your mobile phone. This is a big development and means your fans now have even more chances to share your message with their friends and contacts. 

Mashable posted a great article on this. Here's the link. 
http://mashable.com/2012/11/20/share-facebook-mobile/

Remember, some people would be happy to share your posts, but it simply does not occur to them to do so. Don't be shy about encouraging people to share your posts.  (But don't be annoying either!)

11/17 = National Unfriend Day

Wanna keep your Facebook friends? Then don't be this guy...



You can consult a hundred marketing sites and social media media blogs, but this video from Jimmy Kimmel will help you grasp Facebook a lot quicker.

Taking the Lead and Dancing with Your First Follower

I love this video. It's brilliant in it's simplicity. And it's fun.

It's a great message for leaders and a nice lesson on how to build a following, including the importance of those first, crazy followers.


It's like an old friend of mine liked to say, "When the spotlight goes on, you gotta dance!"

Is Your Message Getting to Your Facebook Fans?

If you have a fan page, you might want to share this with your fans.This graphic has been making it's way around Facebook and I thought I would post it here.

If you are admin on a fan page, you may have noticed that only a small percentage of your fans are actually seeing your posts. If they take these steps, it should help.

I posted to acouple of my pages with some copy like this, which you are free to borrow.

If you want to be sure you don't' miss anything from YOUR PAGE HERE (or any other pages you like) follow these instructions.

Your Civic Duty

What's Your Election Story?
NewsiT and their army of mobile reporters are covering the election in full force, with a focus on the Voter ID issue. To follow the story or join in, visit their election page: www.newsit.net/voterid and tag your tweets with #voterid to see them on the feed. The NewsiT iPhone app is free and available at the app store.

Have you voted today? I did. Then I performed my other civic duty and supported the local bake sale. God bless America. :-)

When is the Best Times to Send Email?

This is one of the most useful infographics I have ever seen. How many times have you hit "send" on a newsletter or email blast and wondered if you picked the right time?

Thanks to the folks over at MarketingProfs for this one. Click here for a better look at the graph and to read the whole article.

Google+ vs. Facebook - Word on the Street

Interesting clip from the folks at Brafton. Google+ vs. Facebook...what's the word on the street?

I still don’t know many people (besides folks in the marketing field) using Google+, except for Hangouts and to help be found on Google searches. But I also don’t know many people that search for anything on Facebook except for things they hope to find on Facebook. 

What do you think? Are you on Google+? Do you use it? Do you like it? Why?
Does the time and effort to manage a Google+ page make sense for a busy small business?

10/11/12... Count on it.

Today is 10/11/12.

Mind = blown.

Let's face it. There is no 13/14/15.

This is one of the reasons I love Facebook. I never would have noticed this on my own. However, unlike most people, who simply forward content, I am one of the few who also creates content. Here's my contribution to 10/11/12.

How to Not Suck on Instagram

Have you ever rolled your eyes at some of the posts you see on your Instagram feed? Ever want to whack one of your friends on the side of their head with your iPhone for the 400th pic of their dog or the 5000th eCard repost from Pinterest with some quasi-humorous saying on it?

Well, YouTube filmmaker Casey Neistat has created a video that should be required viewing for anyone registering for Instagram. This video is priceless.

Check him out at https://www.facebook.com/cneistat

Uncorking a Story

Today I'd like to shamelessly plug my friend Michael Carlon's podcast, Uncorking a Story. Mike is a market research moderator and head of Vertigo Partners. Mike is also a kindred spirit in that we both have an affinity for pop culture and far too much trivia and useless knowledge in our heads.

They say "In vino veritas." (A Latin phrase that translates, “in wine [there is the] truth".) That certainly rings true here. What's great about this podcast is that Mike and his guest will discuss the topic of the day over a glass or two of wine. When I think back to some of the great conversations I've had, I remember more than a few involving a bottle of wine. Even over your laptop speakers, you'll get a relaxed and honest vibe, as if you have pulled up a chair and poured yourself a glass.

Here is what Uncorking a Story is all about, in Mr. Carlon's own words.

Listen up as professional moderator Michael Carlon talks to guests from the worlds of business, the arts, and entertainment about their paths to success; usually over a bottle of something red or white. There is no script so you never know where each conversation will go. Laugh along with Mike and his guests.

You can check out the podcast here. (http://vertigopartners.com/Podcast.html)

I suggest uncorking your own bottle of wine while you listen. For the full effect.

Cheers.

Talk Like Pirate Day

Every year on this day we celebrate one of the first Internet bred holidays, Talk Like Pirate Day. To that I say, "We are Family."

Ahoy Mateys, let's give it up for the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates.  Aaarrrgh!!!!!!

Rackspace’s Rob La Gesse on how to inspire word of mouth with customer service

Here's a great video that is right in line with the concepts we talk about in The Purple Goldfish Project. I found it over at WordofMouth.org, which is a treasure trove of information and tips for great customer service, marketing and social media.

The video was from their Word of Mouth Crash Course conference in May. In it Rob covers:

• How to create memorable experiences by personally getting to know customers.
• How to humanize customers and make them your friends.
• How to get employees and executives on board with great customer service.

Not Using Social Media Effectivey?

Great post from Ted Rubin today on Facebook that I wanted to share.

 

Five reasons corporations are not using Social Media effectively…

1 - They don’t talk about anything broader than their own products.

2 - They listen to customers but don’t take any action (which means they aren’t really hearing).

3 - Companies can’t expect to have a strong social media presence when social sites are blocked internally to employees.

4 - There is a fear that exists about jumping in, but while there have certainly been some hiccups and miscues along the way, social media has yet to be the undoing of any company.

5 - When employees are more concerned with what’s in or out of their job description than doing the right thing to help the customer, that’s not a culture that’s likely to build trust and advocacy for a brand and there is no way social media efforts can be effective.

Hunter Shea is a local horror author and good friend. I have been working with him on a number of very successful social media and marketing initiatives and our video podcast, Monster Men, is the most popular of them all.

The podcast is a great way for Hunter to create compelling and relevant content for his blog, enable his fans engage with him and the content marketing aspect helps potential new fans find him. For both Hunter and myself, it is not just a marketing tool, but a labor of love as we get to discuss topics that we really enjoy and we have a lot of fun. We have also met a lot of people and had a lot of amazing things happen over the first year of the show. For instance, we are very excited to be a part of this event this week in NYC.

NY Spotlight On Success and The Paranormal Event 

With a Professional Expert Panel

When: Thursday. August 23rd, 7pm

Where: Chelsea Manor 138 West 25th Street New York, NY 10001

  

Join us NY Spotlight on Success at Chelsea Manor Thursday 08/23/12 beginning at 7pm for our NY Spotlight on Success and the Paranormal Event. We have assembled a diverse panel of professionals from the Paranormal Community. The panel plans to inform, educate and entertain regarding paranormal and metaphysical experiences and to help each others to understand. We are open-minded and do not judge or ridicule experiences. Our goal is to share stories, information and to receive compassionate, empathetic and friendly guidance for others who have had similar experiences.

There will be an opportunity to meet and have conversation with the panel members. 

As always we want you to network, build strong personal and professional relationships. Our aim to connect you with whom you need to meet and we will facilitate that in anyway we can.

Chelsea Manor was the only choice for this event. NY Spotlight On Success' and Chelsea Manor's personal experiences will be revealed on Thursday August 23rd. 

Click here for more info, bios of the panelists and to register.

Purple Goldfish Podcast Episode 4 - Why a Goldfish?

Let continue to revisit the Purple Goldfish Project with episode four of the video podcast. A Purple Goldfish is a company that stands out in the sea of sameness. In this show, we address two of the most frequently asked questions; Why a goldfish and why purple? Plus we take a look at Lexus and how they go above and beyond when it comes to service.

If you want to think outside the bowl and learn how to add a little something extra to your business, check out the book that was born out of the 1001 real life examples submitted by fans of the project. What's Your Purple Goldfish? How to Win Customers and Influence Word of Mouth by Stan Phelps.


 
Click here read more about the five factors that influence your growth.

Green Goldfish Project is a Go!

The next phase of the Goldfish Project has begun. The Green Goldfish Project is a quest to find 1,001 examples of marketing lagniappe for employees. Happy employees = Happy Customers. A green goldfish is the little signature extras given to employees. They help differentiate a company, increase employee retention and drive positive word of mouth.

Click here to find out more and contribute to the project

Now let's continue to revisit the Purple Goldfish Project with episode 3. What are the five ingredients of marketing lagniappe?  And we take a trip to the first Purple Goldfish Hall of Fame Inductee: Doubletree Hotel.

Get the book now and learn how to make your business a purple goldfish. What's Your Purple Goldfish? How to Win Customers and Influence Word of Mouth by Stan Phelps

I'm No Social Media Expert, But I Do Know This...

My name is Jack and I am not a social media expert.

A while back an article was making its rounds and a number of my friends forwarded it to me because I am their “social media” friend. The title of the piece was Why I Will Never, Ever Hire A "Social Media Expert" by Peter Shankman. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great article with a lot of valid points. I was getting those emails as a form of friendly ribbing from my pals who knew I was a social media guru, expert, consultant… or whatever other tag you wanted to slap on the end of that label. I never actually called myself that. Bottom line was that I was a working professionally in the social media space and often posting links, testing Facebook apps or sharing stories about different social media related topics. I was also always there to answer their social media questions so they naturally wanted to have some fun with me when they saw that headline.

The fact is there is an abundance of people out there calling themselves social media experts, gurus, super freaks, wizards and so on, and many of them are severely exaggerating their skills. Unfortunately, this is giving legit social media professionals and enthusiasts a bad name. So I wanted say a few words in defense of those who actually know a thing or two and are possibly getting a bad rap.

I always preface any presentation or consulting project by stating upfront that I do not consider myself an expert or a guru. However, I do have a background in the interactive marketing world and a lot of hands on social media experience with a wide variety of companies and industries. So I like to say I am no expert but I do know more than the average bear. (To borrow Yogi Bear's catch phrase.) And that’s why I can say that while you need to be careful about hiring a social media "expert", it may be a really good idea.

I work with several local small businesses on a variety of marketing and social media initiatives. Everything from setting up accounts on various social media platforms to coaching or even running their day-to-day activities. I have seen a lot of businesses bring in someone to help get them set up only to see their Facebook pages, Twitter accounts or blogs eventually go dormant from neglect. I’ve also worked with a number of business owners who would love to integrate social media into their existing marketing efforts, but they have no idea what to do or the time to do the actual work. They have staff to manage, vendors to deal with and product to move. That’s why it’s a good idea to hire someone who knows what they are doing.

Sure, there are a lot of snake oil salesmen out there, claiming to be social media gurus. That's the point of that article. They retweet a lot of social media articles and maybe even blog on the subject, but do they have any real life experience… professionally or as recreation? If you want to know about social media, you have to actually do it. I am on FourSquare and Pinterest, not because I particularly like either platform, but I want to know how it works and get an idea of how real people use them. I produce, host and distribute video podcasts, so I understand how hard it can be to build an audience or to keep the content pipeline full. I have worked with Dressbarn on Facebook coupons and contests. I have taught store owners, real estate brokers and auto painting professionals how to engage with customers and provide valuable, compelling content. I’ve also taught them the difference between a personal and business Facebook page or how to create a personalized URL. I’ve helped claim a venue on FourSquare and I’ve engaged an unhappy customer on Twitter. Have you?

I’ve seen a lot of social media efforts fail because there was a novice at the wheel that did not have the time or a clue as to what to do. Or they didn't have the creativity and commitment to keep at it. These people need help from someone who knows what they are doing.

So yes, I will admit that there are a lot of things I don’t know. But there are a lot of things I do know too. You see, I get it. I understand how to engage and entertain a community online. I know how to turn a photo from my iPhone into an interesting Facebook post that gets a lot of Likes. There's "book smart" and "street smart" in social media. I like to think I am a little of both.

And I learn something new each day.

A lot of busy professionals out there need help figuring all this social media stuff out and there are legitimate people that can help. You just have to sift through the sea of posers before you find a keeper.

My name is Jack and I am not a social media expert. But I can help.

Additional Reading: You’re NOT a social media expert, you idiot

Tasti D-Lite: Turn & Burn- Social Platforms to Establish a Brand's Voice

I had the pleasure and privilege to work with BJ Emerson of Tasti D-Lite and I wanted to share this video with you. BJ is one of the brightest stars in the social media arena and you can get a good idea why by watching this interview.



And I am extremely excited to read their new book when it comes out:

The Tasti D-Lite Way: Social Media Marketing Lessons for Building Loyalty and a Brand Customers Crave

Lagniappe Defined - Purple Goldfish Project - Episode #2

We continue to revisit the Purple Goldfish Project video podcast. We had a lot of fun filming the series and concepts we talk about are more true now than ever. In this episode we define Lagniappe, the word that the entire project is built around. We also visit Stew Leonard's, one of the best examples of a company that gets it.

Here's how Wikipedia defines it:
Lagniappe - A lagniappe is a small gift given to a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase (such as a 13th doughnut when buying a dozen), or more broadly, "something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure."

Could this be the key to better customer relationships, more brand loyalty and increased sales? Tune in and find out. 



 To learn more, check out the book based on the project by Stan Phelps: What's Your Purple Goldfish? How to Win Customers and Influence Word of Mouth.

Lan-what? The Purple Goldfish Project #1

As many of you know, I co-hosted a video podcast with Stan Phelps called The Purple Goldfish Project. I have always been passionate about great client relationships and exciting marketing, so it was a no-brainer and an honor to get on board with it.

The goal of the project was to gather 1001 examples of marketing lagniappe. The little something extra a business does to surprise and delight you. That way of going above and beyond that inspires loyalty and word of mouth.

The project was a success and Stan has even published a book called What's Your Purple Goldfish? How to Win Customers and Influence Word of Mouth. It was an amazing experience to be a part of this grassroots effort. Imagine... over 1000 user submitted entries with proven examples of successful tactics for better marketing, customer service and sales. I certainly learned a lot and met a lot of great people along the way.

I have decided to post the episodes of the podcast here so you can catch up and find out just what a Purple Goldfish is, and how you can make your business into one. Hint... it starts by thinking outside the bowl.

You can find Stan's blog here. The project lives on, and you can learn about the next phase: The Green Goldfish Project.

Social CRM - It's All About Your Customers

Last night I was honored to be one of the panelists discussion Social CRM, along with Craig Lambert of The Lambert Group and Tim Lynch of FocusVision. The event was hosted by OMG, the Online Marketing Group. One of the most interesting things about this topic is that Social CRM means different things to different people. It all depends on who you are, what business you are in, what your goals are and most importantly, who your customers are.

I'll post a more thorough recap of the event, but I wanted to quickly get this picture posted today. The meeting was at the Stamford Innovation Center, which used to be the court house. As you can see, the panelists got to sit up at the bench. I felt a bit like Judge Wapner from the People's Court. Thanks to some dim lighting, a stoic set and some Instagram effects, we look kinda like we are running the Salem Witch Trials. Except I don't think they served beer at those.

That's Tim and I in the photo.

Social CRM Panel Discussion

I am happy to announce that I will be part of a panel speaking on Social CRM for OMG - ¡The Online Marketing Group!

When: 

Thursday, June 7, 2012 6:30 PM

Where:

Stamford Innovation Center located at 175 Atlantic Street, Stamford, CT 06901 

Description:

Let's explore how we can use CRM's in a new way.

To ME, Social CRM is not just about who to call, but how to connect. If you take the old axiom to heart...

“All things being equal, people will do business with and
refer business to, those people they know, like and trust.”

And how do you get to know (and like for that matter) someone? By knowing what they love! And how do you learn what people love? That's right, social media.

So, having a social component to your CRM is critical in this day and age, and certainly increases the chances of connecting with more people at a deeper level over time.

Isn't that what we all want?

Join us! - Gregory, YFL.

8 Reasons for Bluhm on Fallon

Here are eight great reasons why Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers should be on the Jimmy Fallon Show. Part of the Live Social Media Case Study to get #BluhmonFallon

If you agree, join us in spreading the word. Tweet #BluhmonFallon, join our Facebook page and tell your friends. 



(Video by Social Jack.)

#BluhmonFallon - A Live Social Media Case Study

Have you seen Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers on YouTube, playing great songs while driving around in their van? If not, check it out. Great, huh?



Now here is my recent appearance on 10 Minute Strategy with Peter Propp. Peter and I have started a grassroots movement to get singer Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers on the Jimmy Fallon Show. It's a combination of our fondness for the band and our proclivity for social media. Let's see if we can make this happen. Check out the article at 10 Minute Strategy and the video below.

You can join out Facebook page and tweet about it using hashtag: #bluhmonfallon and let Jimmy know at @jimmyfallon

10 Minute Strategy: BluhmOnFallon, a Live Social Media Case Study: In this episode of 10MinuteStrategy, I’m bringing back Jack Campisi, who was one of the first people I interviewed when I started this video...

How's the Weather?

Here is a video I created to help NewsiT promote and recruit for their latest crowd sourced news story. This one is being done in conjunction with AccuWeather, who predicts some wild weather for some parts of the country this summer.

I proud to say that many of the photos in this video were also shot by me. (The rest came from AccuWeather.com.) 

For more details or to participate in the project, visit NewsiT.

Who Locked the Dogs Out?

Here's a promotional video I created for a new crowd-sourced news story running on NewsiT. If you are a dog owner and you would like to contribute to the developing story, visit www.newsit,net/assignments or download the free NewsiT iPhone app and shoot a pic or video right from your phone and submit it directly.

SXSW - Putting the "Social" in Social Media

I am back from South By Southwest, which is commonly written as SXSW and always spoken simply as “South By.”

South By is a three-headed monster consisting of Film, Music and Interactive. They overlap a bit, but I was there for the interactive portion. I spent a lot of time at the convention center, where I saw all kinds of people. (See below.)

I was able to attend a few sessions where I heard a lot of good wisdom, wit and advice from a lot of heavy hitters in the social media and interactive world. However, I probably learned more on the exhibition floor, in the halls and on the streets of Austin, mingling with the other attendees.

At some point I’ll share a few of the lessons I learned from SXSW. In the meantime, here’s a shot of me with @Proxybot from SXProxy. They were live streaming from their helmet-cam all week.

The Boots Were Made for Walking to SXSW

Like a kid who chomped on his Wonka Bar and bit into a golden ticket, I found out I would be attending South By Southwest in Ausitin, TX this year. Not only is SXSW the epicenter for cool music and film, but it's also the hottest spot for social media geeks... like me.

I immediately reached out to a few friends who are familiar with the event, which is famously a madhouse, for some advice. I got three tidbits worth passing on.

1. Go to the events that interest you and you want to go to. Don't go the ones you feel you should go to.
2. Expect to run on little sleep.
3. Wear comfortable shoes.

I think that's great advice. I'm going to add two things. Call for a cab early and always carry your phone charger if you can.

I'll keep you posted on the madness as best I can from Austin. I am psyched.... 'cause I got a golden ticket!

Don't Just Read the News, NewsiT!

Are you attending the Veteran's March for Ron Paul today in Washington, DC? Do you want to help cover the story for the news? Well, you don't need a job at a network or major newspaper. All you need is your desire to report the facts... and maybe a smart phone. Now you can help NewsiT cover the story, along with a bunch of similarly motivated people from all walks of life.

NewsiT is a new platform built to crowd source news from people in the real world, experiencing or witnessing the events as they happen. All you have to do is visit the assignment section of their web site to see the open news assignments. Once you pick something that interests you, you have your choice of small tasks to do. It could be as simple as uploading a picture or it might be a short interview with a town official.

Each NewsiT "correspondent" earns points & badges each time they contribute to a story.

The magic is that by providing several, short, attainable tasks, it's very easy for people to actually finish their assignments. And as more people add to the story, the more perspective you get on the topic. The folks back at NewsiT are news professionals and put the content through the journalistic process to create an amazingly thorough and compelling story.

Below you'll see a picture of some U.S. Vets marching to the White House as part of the Ron Paul March. If you want to contribute to this or any other NewsiT project, check out their web site. (http://newsit.net/assignments) And you can follow them on Twitter at @younewsit.

I'll be with NewsiT at South By Southwest this year, in Austin, TX. If you are going to be at SXSW, please let me know or look for the NewsiT booth. -- jack@newsit.net

Cookies That Are Hard To Swallow

Riding home from New York on the train yesterday I noticed something interesting. The signs on the train always catch my eye for the first few minutes. They range from scotch ads to airlines and investment firms. But this time it was different. It was four different ads for Google. Google has been hitting the airwaves on TV a lot lately, so I figured this would be along those lines. You know, look at all you can do with the Google suite of sites and platforms.

But when I took a closer look, I couldn’t believe what I was reading. It was basically a description of cookies… what they are, why they are used and best of all, how to delete them. The gist was that cookies help a site remember you so you don’t have to start all over each time you visit.

I have to admit, I felt a little weird standing up, walking over and snapping a picture of the sign, but I did not care. I had to do it. And it’s not THAT uncommon these days, I guess.

I had to get a picture because of all the times I have had to explain cookies to people and then how to delete them. Not only did I want to steal some of their wording, but I thought it was a fascinating commentary on the current internet climate.

If you are on YouTube or Google you probably have seen the overt messages about the upcoming privacy policy changes. Or maybe you’ve read one of the countless articles retweeted on Twitter recently that explain and comment on it. If you have not, you should read up. There are going to be a lot more eyes on your information, particularly your Gmail, that you will want to be aware of.

Whether the new Google changes are good or bad, I am not here to comment on. I just thought that it was an amazing case of education, proactive damage control and PR to help deal with the potential backlash that will come when this all goes live.

Cookies are one of those things that many people don’t fully understand and instantly instill an aura of distrust. It’s funny that a word like “cookie”, that had always been such a happy term, has morphed into the poster child of the Big Brother Era.

Thriller as performed by IDT: Integrated DNA Technologies

Here's a company that gets it. Fun must be in their DNA.

IDT (Integrated DNA Technologies ) has a tradition to create a short film for their company's annual holiday party. This year they created their version of the famous "Thriller" video by Michael Jackson.

This is so great. You can't... Beat It.

Talk about a "viral" video. Humorous content like this really humanizes the corporation... well, maybe "zombifies" is a better word. You know what I mean.

As a social media guy, I tip my cap. And I do that Thriller hand swing thing too. It's this kind of "surprise and delight" strategy that gets people talking.

One of the great things about the new landscape of social media marketing is that companies can now use unconventional ways to reach people. Let's face it, DNA is an industry that many people don't think about a lot, unless they are in it. But you just watched that video and now you know who they are. And what's likely to happen in most cases? You'll share the link with a few of your friends. Maybe because they are in the industry or maybe because they love Thriller.

It also says something about IDT as an employer. If I am a looking for a company to call home, I certainly would be attracted to a place with a vibe like this.

Great job IDT. I can't wait to see next years number. I wonder what you could do with Lady Gaga.

For more information on IDT, contact Keven Stevens at kstevens@idtdna.com

I Found a Map to Where the Magic Happens

(Via Mike Rogers' FB post. Thanks Mikey.)

Social Media in a Nutshell

Want a simple explanation of social media? It doesn't get any simpler than this.

I don't know the original source of this one, but it's making it's way around the web today. I love it.

My question... where does Google+ fit on this list?

Think Outside the Bowl

Here's a link to my review of the book: “What’s Your Purple Goldfish?” over at marketinglagniappe.com. It's free on the Kindle for another few days and available in paperback.

And did you know there is a Purple Goldfish Jingle? Here's the winner of the jingle contest we held a while back. It's catchy. I bet you'll find yourself singing it to yourself in the car later.

Creating a Purple Buzz

Yesterday was a marathon day. My video podcast partner's book, What's Your Purple Goldfish?, was released and we spent the day promoting it and celebrating the fruits of the past couple of years. Seeing this book in print was such a great feeling.

One of the things you learn quickly in social media is that you can't just put stuff out there and wait for people to come to you. You have to go find your audience and engage with them where they live online. For us, that was Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Amazon, blogs and even some emailing and good old fashioned telephone calls. If you want to start a buzz, you gotta poke the hive.

We ended the day with a live, online chat moderated by our friend, social media strategist Susan Borst. It was fascinating to see the variety of people that logged into the chat room. There were a couple of long time friends and followers of the Purple Goldfish Project and there were a few people that had just discovered us that day... thanks to the buzz. They had no idea what a Purple Goldfish was or how to even pronounce "Lagniappe." (Lan-yap.)

It was amazing to see one person, who practically stumbled upon us, follow the conversation, ask questions and at the end of the session proclaim that her next move was going to be to buy the book.

This social media stuff works. It's not a magic bullet and it takes a lot of dedication, time and imagination. But when it starts to click, what can happen can be amazing.

I "Like" The Purple Goldfish

What a day!

The Purple Goldfish book was released today. Author Stan Phelps and I celebrated with lunch at Five Guys Burgers and Fries, one of the original Purple Goldfish. One of the great things about this book and the Purple Goldfish Project is that we gathered 1001 examples of marketing lagniappe from a grassroots campaign using our blog, video podcast and other means to spread the word.



And the bigger news is that to offer a little something extra, just like a good Purple Goldfish would do, Stan is offering the book for free on the Kindle for five days.

Here's a shot of me piloting the social media command center for the launch of "What’s Your Purple Goldfish?" Spreading the word about the new book and connecting with people from all over the place. It really is an amazing world we live in.



Now that the book is out, we are busy connecting with people on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. (There's even an online chat tonight.) Gotta run!

PS- If you read the book, let me know what you think.

Long and Purple Road

When we started the Purple Goldfish Project podcast & blog, the goal was two-fold... to gather 1001 examples of Marketing Lagniappe and to eventually see a book come out of the effort. Well, I am happy to report that we reached 1001 this week, AND Stan Phelps is releasing the book as well. Here's a peek:

What's Your Purple Goldfish? Book Sneak Preview

View more presentations from Stan Phelps

Social Media Seminar for the MRA of NY

I have been so busy with my video podcasts, the holidays and the upcoming launch of the Purple Goldfish book, that I never got around to posting a few pictures from the social media seminar I conducted for the NY chapter of the MRA recently. Here's a few shots. Thanks to the MRA for having me and a shout out to all the great people who attended. I had a blast.