I live a digital life. I don’t mean that I’m involved in digital media, though I am (hey, you’re reading this, right, and you probably got here via Facebook, Twitter, or Google). I mean that my first instinct to discover, research, connect or share now involves digital platforms. Cases in point:

I saw a tweet by Heather Caliendo on Twitter about the movie Inception last Friday. It was positive, and I know and like Heather and more importantly, respect her opinions and know she has high standards for smart stories. So, when my husband and I considered a movie on Saturday night, guess what we saw? Yep… Inception, based in large part on Heather’s tweet to the world. I’ve not seen Heather in months, since she’s moved to Colorado, but our relationship matters to me regardless of our “face-to-face” interaction (or lack thereof).

I recently dropped my iPhone into a toilet. It suffered a severe case of PTSD (Post Toilet Submergance Dysfunction) and then died. Through my digital friendship with Bobby Rettew, who sympathized with my phoneless plight and had also recently upgraded to an iPhone 4, I became the very happy owner of his lovely 3G S phone. I’ve never met Bobby in person, though we keep threatening to make that happen. However, I consider him a friend, not just a “friend” in the Facebook sense of the word.

On a trip through southeast Kansas over the weekend, we stopped in Pittsburg to eat dinner. I used my UrbanSpoon app to check out possibilities and we discovered some awesome Italian food at a place called Napoli’s, located on Broadway in Pittsburg. I posted via Foursquare & shared the post to Facebook that we’d really enjoyed our visit. A FB friend, local to the area and someone I’ve not seen in person for many years, said they’d been hesitant to try it, but now they might after hearing our experience.

What is the point of all this? Digital relationships matter. People do pay attention. The relevance quotient for digital relationships is high…. I didn’t do a Google search for restaurants in Pittsburg since I didn’t want to know about all of them… just the good ones. I didn’t buy a phone from Craigslist because I depend (and Crossroads Communications depends) on my phone for my business and I trusted Bobby. And the movie… we see maybe two or three a year. So we choose carefully… and Heather is a writer. She knows a good story when she sees one. Her recommendation elevated Inception to the level of “worth spending one of our two movie nights left this year on” status.

Relevance is the engine that drives our digital decisions. The future of the web as a connection medium  lies not in creating more information nor in more platforms for sharing information. It lies in better ways for relevant information to be funneled to the people who care about it. When you think about how to use the web to drive business, or use social media, or anything else “2.0″ related, start with answering the question, “Who cares?” because that forces the question of relevance. It’s not about creating buzz, or getting hits, or driving traffic… it’s about nurturing relationships that allow your offering, be it information or an iPhone, to become relevant to a very specific set of consumers at exactly the right time. THAT is what translates digital interest into business or brand success.

Reflections? No time for that!

It’s almost my blog-o-versary… I started this blog on July 23, 2009. I have seen many-a-reflection post from other bloggers about their first year, or their fifth, for the ones who’ve been around a while. And this isn’t one of those posts. Mainly because I’m not one to do a lot of looking back… when you (or I) screw up, we need to absorb those lessons where we are and then move forward. Take the time you need to feel the pain and then, Just. Move. On.

So, in the spirit of moving on…

I’ll continue to write about relevance, digital convergence and future trends that connect people to other people, places, spaces and ideas, because that seemed to resonate with many of you who took the time to comment on a post or retweet it.

I’ll ramp up my posting frequency. Yes, yes I will. Even if it’s a short post… if it’s relevant to this blog, I’ll get it up here more quickly.

I’ll use Twitter more strategically to gather ideas, feedback and take the temperature of the audiences out there. Little less arrogance, little more serving the readership.

I’ll continue to tweak the blog and the site to better serve the readers… sharing integrated marketing insights, strategies, tips and foibles, seasoned with my Tulsa perspective. I’ll include public relations content more frequently and I’ll be inviting guest bloggers to post this year. I use this blog as my front door… people hire me because they want help thinking about, strategizing and implementing integrated marketing solutions. They want -need- to know how I think… and I want to attract potential partners, clients and build relationships with others who get, or at least are intrigued by, how I think and who see the value in relationships and connectivity. I want to connect with people out there who will challenge what I think, who will share what they think, who will help me grow and bring all of their goodness to bear on this blog and community we’re building.

So as I said… Reflection doesn’t suit me, but red does… and we’re going full-on, redlined into the future here, and I hope you’ll not only come along for the ride, but help build the engine.

Photo Credit: flickr user becksshaw

Many thanks to Doug Stewart, a guy dedicated to helping small businesses dominate their space on the web, for asking me to talk with him for a few minutes about effectively using social media and PR together to market businesses. If you’ve never heard me speak, here’s your chance If you have and you’re game for more… bless you, firstly, and secondly, enjoy the interview!

Have a topic you want to see me cover here? I’ve been toying with the idea of breaking my no-video style… what would you most like to see/hear for the first vid post on this blog?

The most overused business phrase from 1995 through about 2005 was “increase shareholder value.” It appeared in more corporate mission statements, vision statements and annual reports than “be environmentally responsible” does today. The worst part wasn’t the monotony (litany?) of corporate speak during those years… it was that the strategy wasn’t really a strategy. It was a result.

The best companies didn’t focus on creating shareholder value. They focused on their customers, products, services… delivering what people wanted, in the way they wanted it, in exchange for fairly valued compensation. The right focus and smart execution drove success, which ultimately increased shareholder value. Regardless of its inclusion in any mission statement, I might add. Do you think employees can all rally around the idea of doing their very best so they can increase the value of stock owned by someone else? Or even their own stock, which generally is a tiny portion of their compensation or retirement? Doubtful. Employees rarely care about shareholders.

Today, companies are urged to be responsive, engaging, transparent and social. Employees tweet or manage facebook pages for themselves and for businesses. There are videos, photos, review sites… so many ways to share information. And the customers are out there… tweeting, facebooking, reviewing, too. The companies who are engaging, who are social, who are transparent (which is just to say, HONEST), build this army of fans or friends. When something negative is posted to the facebook wall, fans defend the brand. When a tweetstorm erupts over someone’s negative experience, the brand responds, the followers defend and retweet, and all is rosy and well in the social sphere. Until… a major crisis hits, and those fans want answers.

They have been trained through interaction to feel like part of the team. Fed a diet of transparency and access, they feel entitled to answers, honesty and truth in short (very short) order. And they are correct. Those fans you’ve been cultivating? They are your businesses’ social shareholders. They have an (emotional) stake in your company. They defend, but they also demand. Just like in the old days of increasing shareholder value, creating raving fans is still a result, not a strategy.

Serve the customers…. in the immortal words of Becky McCray at the recent Get Social conference in OKC, “Customer service is all you’ve got.” She didn’t mean just the basic idea of customer service (being nice, greeting them, sacking the groceries correctly, etc.); she meant truly serving them. Putting those customers first, in all ways. Then, right after you take care of those customers and create those loyal followers, friends and fans, go take care of your social shareholders. They deserve it, too.

My big takeaways from the conference?

The Context / Content stuff is going to come together for another post soon

What do you think? Do you believe in the idea of social shareholders?

Thanks to Blake Jackson… the inspiration for this post came from his opening discussion at Get Social.

In the long ago days – say 25 years ago – news was a daily affair and it was consumed in tightly controlled, pre-packaged formats. People read their newspapers and watched the local and national nightly news. The truly committed also read a newsweekly or two and maybe even *gasp* the WSJ or NYT. What wasn’t reported in the newspaper on Thursday or on the nightly news that night just wasn’t news until Friday.

Everyone received the same news influx for almost no cost. TV news was over the air and free to anyone with an antenna and a TV set. Local papers averaged $0.25 to $0.50 per day off the shelf and less than $8.00/month on a subscription. Those crazy people who subscribed to Time or the WSJ, well, they were paying some bucks, but they were definitely not the majority of the news-consuming public. People didn’t pay to be informed. And “being informed” simply meant you’d been exposed to the same news stories that the rest of the people around you had consumed through the limited means possible. A news baseline existed for most of the population. So essentially, most people weren’t willing to pay to just ante into the knowledge game.

Nothing has changed, even though everything is different.

Think about that… cable news, the internet, blogging, citizen journalism, Twitter, real time news feeds: the methodology of delivery is different and the resources (time, talent, money) dedicated to gathering news are much expanded; but my local news is still available over the air for free and my local newspaper still costs a negligible amount. I may pay for access to the ‘net, but my news sources on it, Twitter, blogs, Google Reader… are all free. And I could go to the library or other public access point and get informed.

What have people always paid for? To be entertained. And I don’t mean any stupid hybridization like “infotainment” or “edutainment”. In a developed society, people EXPECT to be informed. It’s perceived as a right of the people and the mission of news gathering… like a higher purpose akin to medical care. Why would anyone pay for something they feel is a right? They won’t. With a few rare exceptions, this is why news subscription sites don’t work. Unless the news is specialized enough to be valuable as knowledge currency (insider information status as opposed to generally being informed), it’s not perceived as being worth paying for.

What I wonder is why magazines, who are already in the specialized information curation business, just in an expensive to produce and maintain print format, don’t continue their primary mission (entertainment) and CHARGE for the curation of their own and other’s quality, niche-specific information online. And why newspapers, who are in the public information business, in the same expensive to produce and maintain print format, keep trying to charge me to be generally informed online. If information curation is the next big thing on the internet, the people who’ve been doing it well for decades (think showbiz mags, home decor mags, cooking, parenting, yachting, golf… whatever) should be leading the way.

What do you think? Can magazine companies become curators and charge for content? Would you pay for quality niche-related content? Has that ship sailed… ?

photo credit: Flikr user Bruna Ferrara

Green Rooms are usually not green...

Many times the elation of winning a TV interview spot is followed closely by the panic of having to do live TV. And I do mean panic. I’ve had clients who’ve hyperventilated, bailed at the last minute and frozen on camera. Luckily, they weren’t my clients when those things happened… and that’s because a bit of preparation goes a long, long way to solving the pre-TV panic attack.

Here’s a few basic rules and tips to keep your TV appearance a positive thing for you and your business or cause:

Do Your Homework

Watch an episode or two (or three!) of the show or segment you’ll be appearing on. Pay attention to what the set looks like, how the hosts interact with guests and each other, and any certain “shticks” common to the show. Memorize the hosts’ names.

Set Goals

Be clear in your mind what you want to accomplish during your appearance. Is it to be perceived as an expert? Is it to promote your location, services, products or event? My most recent appearance was to be part of a live giveaway of Father’s Day items from a shopping center (Smith Farm Marketplace in Owasso) who is a client of ours. The segment was going to be about 90 sec., and I wouldn’t be talking for  even half of that. I knew I wanted to mention several of the contributing merchants by name, mention the name of the shopping center & it’s location (Owasso) and remind people that they had two shopping days left and could find everything they needed for the Dad on their list at Smith Farm. Quite a bit to work in over a short amount of time, unscripted and in response to hosts’ questions. Knowing clearly what I wanted to communicate helped me not waste any words or time, and we got the job done.

Practice Up

While it generally isn’t best to script and memorize your words because you typically won’t sound natural and relaxed, you SHOULD say key phrases out loud and listen for troublesome words, sounds or blends so you can reword. If the topic is emotional or potentially volatile, practice answering questions on topic calmly and clearly. Have someone help you by asking you pointed questions and taping your answers so you can see your own reactions.

Dress Appropriately

Use the anchors as your guide… go for brighter colored solids, paired with darks, blacks or neutrals. Avoid fire engine red and stark white and avoid narrow stripes or diagonals. If you do a print or a pattern of any sort, it should be non-distracting to the eye. Anchors wear simple shapes and colors so the visual focus is on their face or on the video they’re showing. Keep jewelry, hair accessories or other add-ons simple, too.

Be A Good Guest

Arrive on time and check in with the producer as soon as you do so. Usually the receptionist or person greeting you will direct you to the “green room” or waiting area for guests and will let the producer or assistant know you’ve arrived. Ask if there is anything you need to know, what time you’re scheduled to appear, when to exit the green room and where to go when you do so. Make sure your teeth are good to go (no everything bagel lodged anywhere it shouldn’t be… !) and take a few deep breaths.

Relax

Report to the set when you’re instructed to do so, listen for camera instructions, cues or prompts and/or the “launch question” for your segment and any other last minute words of wisdom from the producers, hosts or crew. Then relax… it’s a conversation, you’re prepped and ready, you look great on camera, and you’re a model guest. You’ll knock it out and then you’ll get asked back… feel free to repeat the above steps as often as necessary on your way to expert TV personality

If you have tips or hard-won wisdom for doing TV well, please share them in the comments!

ICSC RECon convention common area

This year, the mood, pace and tone of RECon (the International Council of Shopping Centers annual Retail Convention in Las Vegas) is palpably different. Whatever the economists say, the winds have shifted in the development and tenanting side of retail. A few observations from days 1 and 2 of the show:

People are dressed for success. Gone is the recent trend of more casual wear… far fewer attendees this year are in khakis and a golf shirt. And jeans? Unless you’re from Texas and wearing them with the requisite boots, sport coat and belt… no. In the easy days, a few years ago, the mood was different. There would always be more deals; there was plenty of retail to go around. Today. everyone seems to understand that while retailers are beginning to plan new stores again, fewer deals to do overall means you better work what you’re selling. And look like the recession didn’t kill your business and wreck your balance sheet.

Shows cost money and time is money. People are focused this year. Tight schedules, business-like attitudes and less chit-chat seem to be the rule. The economy has forced developers, retailers, brokers and cities to carefully consider the cost of attending the convention and how best to maximize the return on the investment. For instance, our day yesterday started with a coffee meeting at 8:30 and ended after a dinner with clients that wrapped at 9:30. No breaks in between… I finished the night in the same outfit I wore to the first meeting of the day. Lunch was a free fruit and walnut salad from the McDonald’s booth and a free hot dog from Thor Equities booth (thanks to you both!) eaten leaning against a pillar on the show floor.

Cautious optimism is the new normal. Developers we’ve talked with about sites in our client cities (the “Marketing Places, Spaces… part of our company) have been universally cautiously optimistic. We’re hearing, “[retailers] are beginning to plan new stores and think about the future, but everything matters on every site.” In other words, with so many sites out there and fewer stores to take them, only the sites that truly suit the purpose, generate return, have the access and amenities desired and where the development process is swift and simple are making the cut. Many retailers who in the past would build 50 stores a year and now looking for the 5 to 10 best sites for 2012 sites.

I think it’s been one of the most productive ICSC shows I’ve attended and I am looking forward to the hard work after the show of changing interest into announcements. I’m cautiously optimistic that the next year in retail is going to be a good one.

Some of you know that about half of my consulting-side work is in economic development for cities and site owners. Mostly retail, but we also help cities attract new residential and industrial/office development as well. It’s work I love because if I do my job well, a corner of the world is a better place when I’m through… the new businesses increase the tax base, allow cities to provide additional services for residents, provide access to goods and services within a community (less driving, less sprawl) and provide employment. We also work with client communities to facilitate public involvement, manage public perceptions and effectively use public relations to promote positive developments.

For retail attraction, the biggest show of the year is the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) annual convention in Las Vegas, a show we attend every year. I spend most of April and May preparing for the show, updating marketing pieces, research, white papers, graphics, etc., etc., so we’re armed and ready. Typically, several of our clients attend the show with us, so we’re “on” from the moment we hit the airport until the moment we actually get into our car to drive home from the same airport 4 days later. It is the most exhausting experience next to childbirth. And it usually takes me fewer days to recover from childbirth.

The show is 3 hard days of pressurized meeting, rounds of receptions and engagements, and an INSANE amount of walking. Needless to say, I don’t wear my high heels. We hope to come back with new client leads for our services, new interest in sites in our client communities, and closed deals on other parcels or lots already in process. Even in this hyper-connected world of ours… the hard work in this arena still gets done face-to-face. Priceless connections are made, relationships renewed and business furthered. While the trip is a major expense and emotional drain, it is the single most important and effective event in our year.

Why am I telling you all this? I’m begging your forgiveness, in advance, for the break I’ll be taking this week from blogging. I probably won’t be coherent until sometime next week after returning late Wednesday from the show. And I hate to post incoherent ramblings on the blog. ;P In the meantime… if you all have something to say, just go on and post in the comments. I’m looking forward to hearing your trade show experiences and (shareable) Vegas experiences.

Takes courage to share your voice, but the reward is worth it.

I’ve talked to many groups, clients, friends, family members and even some random strangers (it’s my husband’s fault, he’s just like that) about blogging and content generation over the past year. Many of those hearing my words looked at me like I had recently grown a second head. For all those out there who are struggling with the question, “Why do I (or does my business) need a blog?” or “Why do I need to update the content on my website more often than once every year or two?” here are some things to ponder:

Search engines are hungry creatures. They are always seeking new content to digest. And like any animal, the people they like best are the ones who regularly provide food. Feed the beast, and it will be your friend. Continuing with the analogy, make sure it’s good stuff you feed the beast… no one likes to receive rubber chicken when they were promised chicken cordon bleu.

If it takes three impressions at a minimum for someone to internalize a message and seven touches before they’ll take action (conventional marketing wisdom), why do you only want people to stop by your website once every 18 months? If they know fresh content is a mainstay on your digital hub (whether that’s your Facebook Fan/Like page, your website & blog, your Twitter stream, or ideally all of the above) they’ll return more frequently to check out what you’ve got.

Most of my clients tell me they want to be known as the expert in their niche or market. A blog is a great way to build that rep. Talk about what you know… about what you wish people knew about your field, about products, services, ideas or challenges in your field. Help educate your marketplace. If the challenge is no one knows they are making bad decisions, then HELP THEM know better.

Recognize that you’re in it for the long haul, and it costs way less to work with someone to help you develop a blog editorial calender, maybe edit or polish your posts and help you generate content ideas than your average yearly yellow pages ad buy.

Lots of resources are out there on blogging well. Here are a couple to get you started:

Mack Collier’s The Viral Garden

Copyblogger‘s site

Liz Strauss’s blog

And, if you’re on Twitter, follow and participate in #blogchat every Sunday night, 8PM central to 9PM central, to share, learn and connect with bloggers of all stripes, topics and backgrounds.

It’s not just another social media conference… rather than a collection of “gurus” or “experts” whose expertise is in self-promotion, the May 4th Get Social event in Tulsa will help business owners, marketing professionals, HR directors, managers and brand builders put into practice what works in new media.

Beyond Twitter or Facebook set up and basics, this event brings global talent to Tulsa in addition to Oklahoma practitioners who are using new media to drive real businesses forward.

Presented in an unconference format, Get Social allows participants to, well, get social… be part of determining what they most want to learn, network extensively with other attendees and track leaders, and share what they know in a format that encourages interaction and active learning.

I am leading two tracks tomorrow, both geared toward my business expertise. I am definitely looking forward to meeting all those who attend, being part of the other tracks and learning alongside the participants.

The “new” in new media is the technology and channels being employed to connect people and other people, ideas, places, spaces and things. The role of media (a method for broadcast or sharing of a message) hasn’t changed. Social and Mobile media have exponentially increased the speed of travel and the overall load of messages, meaning potential customers’ or potential employees’ abilities to filter, organize and retain information is now a critical factor in success.

At Get Social, we’ll be sharing how to make your message stick… whether you need to share what makes your company a great place to work, what makes your product or idea different, or how your latest innovation will change your industry.

If you’re coming, tweet me or Facebook me and let me know to look for you! Or… I guess you could just comment below

PS > Can’t make the Tulsa event? Be sure to visit the Events page on the getsocial.com site for other upcoming events. This stuff is just too good not to share in multiple cities!