Web Ink Now

Shortest marketing conference ever

On July 6 at 6:00 pm eastern, 60 thinkers speak for 60 seconds each about how to increase your digital influence.

The Influencer Project

I’ll be one of the presenters. It is a stellar lineup.

It’s kind of liberating to only have 60 seconds to speak. I boiled down a typical one-hour keynote into one minute. And 59 others did the same.

Cool.

The organizers setup for our short talks was: We want to empower as many people as possible to make a big impact in the world—ideally while pursuing their deepest passions. What are the critical tactics and strategies you need to be implementing online right now in order to attract more customers and earn greater trust with prospects?

Learn more about The Influencer Project. If you register, you'll also receive a full MP3 recording and PDF transcript of the event.

Conference organized by ThoughtLead, sponsored by Hubspot with additional partners MarketingProfs and Read Write Web. Social Media Press Release announcing the event here.

I've got this marked in my calendar. I'm looking forward to hearing what the other 59 people have to say in only 60 seconds each!

Hashtag = #influencer

Mr. President, next time stand up

I am a keen observer of Presidential communications strategies.

I admit I am a big geek when it comes to the long drawn out US presidential campaign season. I enjoy the marketing and PR aspects. Many people think the two-year campaign is too long. Not me. I love all the debates and speeches and talk show appearances. All marketers can learn from Presidential campaign strategies.

Yesterday, President Obama delivered the first Oval Office address of his presidency. While the speech itself was mostly good, I had a big issue with style. Direct link to video on the White House You Tube channel here.

If you are new to my blog, please note that this is a marketing strategy blog, not a political one. I make no observations on the political aspects of the President’s speech, nor the BP oil disaster.

The President spoke in the same way that every other President has – from his desk. In my opinion, this made his speech much less effective.

I think the address to the nation would have been much more powerful had the President stood instead.

1 As Senator, Presidential candidate, and as President, Barack Obama has delivered thousands of speeches while on his feet. Standing is natural for him. Sitting while delivering an important speech is not.

2 While tradition dictates that Presidents sit during Oval Office addresses, Obama has never been one for following others. His acceptance speech at the 2008 Democratic Convention, which he chose to do from Denver’s Mile High Stadium, was an important moment. Every other candidate going back many decades has spoken from the convention hall. If he had stood during yesterday’s Oval Office address, he would have signaled: “I am in charge.”

3 When you speak while standing, you have more control over your voice (because your diaphragm is in a natural position).

4 When you stand, you have more options for non-verbal communications like hand movements.

Mr. President, next time stand up.

+++++++++

UPDATE - My friend and speaker coach Nick Morgan blogged about the speech too. President Obama’s Oil Spill Speech -- how effective was it?

I do not friend logos

Facebook is a great way to connect.

It's about friends and associates.

(And faces too.)

In recent months, many people want to friend me on Facebook with a company logo as their photo.

I say no to these requests.

I'm fine with using Facebook for business purposes. We all have personal lives, family lives, and professional lives and these are appropriate ways to use Facebook.

But if you're tempted to use your logo as your Facebook image, I'd suggest that you re-think this.

Instead, create a personal profile with a photo of you. Here are ways to do your photo.

Then create a Facebook page for your business. Facebook Pages is the way that brands (with logos) should engage.

Twitter

It's different with Twitter because there is no difference between Twitter feeds. I do follow feeds with logos on Twitter if I recognize the brand.

What about you? What do you do with friend requests from logos?

Job search advice for university students and recent graduates

If you know someone who is currently attending college or university or who has recently graduated, please pass on a link to this post. Thank you.

The best thing you can do is start a blog (or video series or wiki or some other online channel).

Start marketing yourself right away so that when you graduate, you have years of content on your blog.

Having a well-done blog is much more important than a resume to get that first job.

I am on several company advisory boards and when asked how to hire communicators at any level, my answer is: "See how they communicate themselves. If they can't do that well, don't hire them."

It's never too late to start.

If you're a recent graduate, start today (not tomorrow). Create some brand journalism that positions your personal brand as the one to hire when the time comes.

I reached out to some University professors to point us to some students who have done this really well. While these are people who are communications majors, the idea works for any field of study.

"We require PR students at Kent to do a blog as part of a senior-level class," Bill Sledzik, Associate Professor, School of Journalism & Mass Communication at Kent State University told me. Here is Bill's post explaining the philosophy: Should PR students be forced to blog? We think so Note that there are more than 50 comments on Bill's blog post as of this writing.

"For the 'required' blogs, our students write on PR-related topics that interest them most," Bill says. "Thought is, the PR-focused blog gives [students] a leg up in the job market, showing off their abilities as writers and researchers as it relates to the business."

Bill gave us some great student blogs to take a look at. I also got student blog links from Karen Miller Russell, associate professor, who teaches public relations and media history at the University of Georgia.

Here are some excellent student blogs to check out:

Aaron Kaufmann is spending the summer as an intern with the Washington office of Fleishman-Hillard. His blog is The Beltway PeRspective

May 2010 grads Rebecca O’Dell and Shantae Rollins created Sassy & Classy PR to share their experiences as they prepare for the job search.

Marissa Mendel used her blog An Appetite for PR to focus on PR in the food business, an interest of hers.

Katherine Strait is an '09 alum who blogged as a student at Dawg Food and it helped her get a job. She now blogs at Dawg Food: Small-town foodie hits the big city

Courtney Garmhaus, a member of the national champion PRSSA Bateman Competition team, blogs at GirliePR

Rachel Esterline, recently graduated from Central Michigan University, blogs at ExPRessions. To prove the point, she is happily employed as an account executive and social media specialist at AGP & Associates. And she "loves it.”

Hire them!

Congratulations to these students who are writing such passionate blogs. And kudos to Professors like Karen and Bill who promote these ideas to students.

If you are a student or recent graduate, forget about the resume for now and start blogging.

If you are looking to hire an entry-level PR person, ask about their blog.

Image: pistolseven / Shutterstock

Are you hip? A cat? Or just hiding?

I just updated the portrait I use on my blog, Web site, and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

This image is also used on conference sites and in programs where I give talks.

It had been about six years since I last had a portrait shot and besides getting older, I wanted a new look.

Rock star wannabe

My awesome new portrait was shot by my friend Jay Blakesberg last weekend in San Francisco. Jay photographs rock stars for album covers and magazines like Rolling Stone. A few days before my session he shot Carlos Santana. If I can't be a real rock star, at least I can be photographed like one.

Your image is important!

The photo you choose to represent you says a great deal about who you are as an individual.

There are many choices when it comes to an image to use:

You can use a casual shot taken by a friend. This is a great option for many people. But there are many different approaches and each says something important about you. Are you in a casual setting (like on a beach)? Or more formal like an office? What are you wearing?

You can have other people & things with you in the photo. Your child and/or boyfriend. A random famous person (Dr. Ruth perhaps). Props like your dog, a fishing pole, or a beer in your hand. What about your company logo in the background?

You can use a formal portrait like I do. But the choice of style and clothing says a lot about who you are. Close-up or wide shot? (Wide shots are difficult to see in the postage stamp size on sites like Twitter). Smile or no smile? How close do you crop? For men: tie or no tie? Jacket?

Many people use an avatar such as a graphic representation of themselves ala Second Life or a cartoon image. This approach is certainly appropriate for some people.

A random image is also used by some. Your cat. Bart Simpson. A surfboard. You're certainly narrowing down what you want people to think of you if you go this route.

It is possible to default to the placeholder that sites like Twitter & Facebook provide. This says: "I’m too busy to use a photo or I'd prefer to remain anonymous."

I'm sure here are other choices I’m missing…

You ARE your photo

In my opinion, if you care about your personal brand, you should use your photo.

Here are how my portraits have changed over the years.

Tom Peters talks about the little big things

Tom Peters sat down to answer some questions for us on video.

Great stuff here. If you don't have 12 minutes for the entire thing, check out the timeouts below and do listen to Tom answer at least one question.

We discuss business, excellence, writing, toilet reading, marketing using free content, and life on a Vermont farm. And we also talk a bit about his new book The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue EXCELLENCE (just released).

Tom Peters has been writing bestselling books and has been a top-level speaker to international business audiences for more than 25 years. Both Fortune Magazine and The Economist call Tom, "uber-guru of business."

His advice is just as important today as in 1982 when his groundbreaking book In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies (called "the greatest business book of all time" by Bloomsbury UK), was published.

Direct link to video in high resolution

Here are some of the things we discussed:

:00 - 1:25 Why the best place to read Tom's new book The Little Big Things is sitting on the toilet.

1:25 - 3:05 About excellence

3:05 – 4:40 What's changed and what's stayed the same in business over the past 30 years?

4:40 – 6:05 Tom talks about his idea: "Hard is soft and soft is hard."

6:05 – 7:40 Tom's new book was written by drawing on 163 blog posts. I ask him how writing a book is different using this technique (which I use too).

7:40 - 10:20 Tom on giving away free content as a marketing technique. (Spoiler alert – he’s been doing this for nearly 30 years!)

10:20 – 12:00 I ask Tom why he doesn't just retire and sit by the fire in Vermont.

Thanks, Tom, for taking the time to speak to us!

Seth Godin talks about being a Linchpin

Seth Godin's new book releases today. I was lucky to receive an early copy of Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? and read it in two sittings.

I loved Linchpin. Now I freely admit I am a Seth fanboy (see my Seth collection for proof) so I guess you can say I am biased.

I talk a bit about the book below, but first, check out an interview I conducted with Seth about the book.

Direct link here.

Unlike the old days of work with management and labor, a linchpin owns his own means of production. A person's success is no longer dictated by following a rule book and asking what's next. A linchpin decides what's next.

I really like how Seth talks about the "Lizard Brain" which is at the core of our resistance to doing meaningful work. "The lizard brain is hungry, scared, angry, and horny," he writes. "The lizard brain only wants to eat and be safe. The lizard brain is why you are afraid." An understanding this basic animal instinct is required to break free and become artists.

According to Seth, "An artist is someone who uses bravery, insight, creativity, and boldness to challenge the status quo." An artist can be a software developer, a customer service rep, well, it can be anyone. Even you. Especially you.

Some people say Seth's books are "obvious" or "simplistic."

I disagree. I think delivering powerful information in easy to digest packages is high art and difficult to do. I always get a great deal out of his books and the messages stay with me.

And Seth has an uncanny knack of putting books out at the precise time that I need that particular message.

Check out the Linchpin page on Squidoo to see other people's take on Linchpin.

Thank you, Seth, for doing what you do.

And good luck with Linchpin.

Interview with @MasakiIshitani author of Japan's most popular book about Twitter

I'm in Tokyo doing a few speaking gigs, getting caught up with old friends (I lived in Tokyo from 1987 to 1993) and meeting interesting people.

Today I connected with Masaki Ishitani author of Twitter: 140 characters changed the world the most popular book about Twitter in Japanese. Twitter is very popular in Japan - even the Prime Minister tweets.

Direct link here

Hey Dad, I finally made it to Harvard Business School

More than 15 years ago, I was rejected for admission to Harvard Business School.

Based on the fact that I was more interested in partying at Kenyon College than earning great grades, I don’t blame the admissions officers at HBS. Even my legacy status (my father is HBS 1958) didn’t help.

So it was with great excitement that I finally made it to Harvard Business School.

Hey Dad – here’s the video proof. Direct link here.

Of course, I didn't come to HBS as a student. Instead, I presented The New Rules of Marketing & PR on January 7, 2010. The event, sponsored by the HBS Boston Alumni Association, was in Aldrich 112, the largest classroom. The event was over-sold so people were sitting on steps and standing in the back.

Thanks to Matt Kaplan at Visible Gains for producing this video and to Tim Washer for co-presenting with me.

48 ways to explain Twitter to skeptics

On Christmas Eve with my family, my brother Peter brought up Twitter and expressed skepticism.

Rather than try to explain Twitter myself, I tweeted to see what others had to say.

I just love the answers that came back! I'm still laughing at some and others are simply profound.

Isn't it amazing how nearly 50 people can answer something, each in 140 characters or less, and in just a few minutes you have a better explanation than any one person could possibly think of in a lifetime! And people jumped in from all over (Coogee, Australia and Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic to name two).

Here are the answers I received.

I've pasted them reverse chronological order (like a Twitter stream). A few times I jumped in (with Peter over my shoulder) so I made those replies italic. A few people proposed links which I made easy to click.

The reply from Henry Posner was especially interesting to Peter because he met Henry at the very speaking gig in NYC that Henry mentioned.

Peter is still skeptical. But he understands more about Twitter than he did before.

My original tweet
My brother Peter doesn't understand Twitter. "It's weird - who cares what you do?" Can you guys help explain please!!

Replies (newest to oldest).

CoCreatr: @dmscott those who wish to help you care what you do. Pure magic, mostly. Happy holidays.

cfcs: @dmscott Try the 61 word message defining social media; now shorten it to 140 characters!

ProfS: @dmscott It's a conversation with friends....

jennselke: @dmscott I don't care so much what you eat for breakfast as your thoughts on business and social media. Merry Christmas my Twitter friend.

TinaValant: @dmscott Tell him to go to Target & get Twitter for Dummies in the $1 section!! Really helped me!

sdanielleon: @dmscott it's not what you do but why you think.

ctanowitz: @dmscott it's a search engine for life. You want to find people who like to do what you do? Search, listen and connect.

mab397: @dmscott we're more interesting than you Peter ;-)

Brainzooming: @dmscott Twitter's great because I have thousands of smart, cool people pointing me to smart, cool ideas! BTW see you at #bma2010!

heykeenan: @dmscott it'll take more than 140 characters!

StarrGazr: @jelias27 @dmscott ...or is that weirdly fascinating? ;)

StarrGazr: @jelias27 @dmscott Fascinating and weird. :)

chris__pc: @dmscott twitter is like personal hygiene. You only find out about the benefits after you start...

chad4404: @dmscott I like to learn, it is like taking advice and learning from experts 24/7

askymi: @BarbaraNixon @dmscott Tell him it's a community, a conversation. If you don't want to talk, there's a lot of interest to find as well.

JohnKinATL: Tryng 2 expln 2 relatives myself! Via @BarbaraNixon: RT @dmscott: My brother doean't get Twitter. "who cares what u do?" Can u help explain!

angelaguichardo: @dmscott Hi friend, tell your brother, believe it or not everybody cares and love to know what other people are doing! Merry Christmas!!

nigelwalsh: @dmscott what's his fav hobby/interest & who are the key people in it. Are they on here? Has he ever spoke directly with them? now he can!

victor_ruiz: @dmscott Twitter is not weird. It's another communication channel, broader, without control, honest, but not weird.

DR4WARD: @dmscott Cheers

emironov: @dmscott it's gone far away from its original rather foolish concept. Used right, it delivers the right information. We all need information

michaelflavin: @dmscott My brother doesn't understand Twitter either...

EtchUcateChris: @dmscott Have you shown him your following? If that doesn't make sense to him nothing about twitter will.

dmscott: @DR4WARD Not at all - we're still looking

barbaranixon: RT @dmscott: My brother Peter doesn't understand Twitter. "It's weird - who cares what you do?" Can you guys help explain please!!

patrickbjohnson: @dmscott show him the benefits of it. I show my friends how its a community rather than a status feed and that changes their mind.

DR4WARD: @dmscott 0ops. Too late

victor_ruiz: @dmscott Twitter is the largest focus group in the world, and also free! You can know exactly the thoughts of your prospects in real time!

JuliaMak: @dmscott because it's not exactly about what you "do" but what you think, what you have to say, and how its relevant to what interests me

admore: @dmscott Tell/show him how to find people that talk/discuss topics that interest him. Give tweepsearch a whirl.

kseniacoffman: @dmscott Hah! it takes a while -> perhaps: Twitter gets you access to ideas from 100s of ppl - in any topic that interest you

DR4WARD: @dmscott does your brother appreciate the value of professional networking, continous learning & improvement?

kvashee: @dmscott Communication and connection with like minded people

dmscott: RT @StarrGazr: Nope, he's right. It's weird. We're weird. Life is weird. There we go, full circle. ;)

kvashee: @dmscott Share and discover interesting stuff, find interesting people and follow their interests - filter best stuff out

dmscott: Thanks all. Not convinced yet, but making some progress.

DonnaTocci: @dmscott It's a great way to share ideas and connect with all kinds of interesting people. And, it can be fun. Happy holidays.

AdamSparke: @dmscott it's not so much about what you do but more around what you think.

clintonskakun: @dmscott To really "get it" I think your brother needs to try it out. Most people think we're a bunch of fanatics until they try it themselv

bandhphoto: @dmscott I recall being on a panel of yours w @gregverdino at NYU and saying the same. A year later I have 1000+ followers and 1700+ tweets.

mosterman: @dmscott One thought: Twitter is the replacement for the people that you'd like to talk to and learn from when you can't be there with them

nigelwalsh: @dmscott check out what I have discovered about Twitter here. Part of the #montwit experiment

Zbijelic: @dmscott Information at your finger tips if you are following the right people & sources (ex. CNN, NBA, HBO, Blogs, etc) Amazing tool!

clintonskakun: @dmscott The simplicity makes it easy and quick to use, especially for busy people.

MattMcGee: @dmscott If he's into sports, show him the @espn stream. Or @nytimes if he's into news.

clintonskakun: @dmscott Twitter, for me, is more about quickly sharing ideas and picking brains of other people.

patrickbjohnson: @dmscott its not what you're doing but what engages you! whats happening vs. what you're doing

StarrGazr: @dmscott Nope, he's right. It's weird. We're weird. Life is weird. There we go, full circle. ;)

UpbeatNow: @dmscott Replying just to show Peter that people are listening :)

doctorious: @dmscott Twitter is like mingling at a party with some people you know, others you don't, and many more you have yet to meet.

clintonskakun: @dmscott The twitter community has swayed the way we use Twitter in a different direction.

dmscott: @smrosenberg Good one!!!

isaacramirez: RT @dmscott: My brother Peter doesn't understand Twitter. "It's weird - who cares what you do?" Can you guys help explain please!!

techpr: @dmscott It's not about caring what ppl do, it's about caring who they are. Twitter helps with that.

smrosenberg: @dmscott hmm. has he read your book? ;o )

rickbraddy: @dmscott It's socializing without getting drunk (online) :)

wimrampen: @dmscott search #MonTwit and you'll find plenty of good reads that explain.. good luck :)

dmscott: My brother Peter doesn't understand Twitter. "It's weird - who cares what you do?" Can you guys help explain please!!

Please feel free to add to the ideas here. But if you comment, how about doing it in 140 characters or less?