Impolite Company

You know how people tell you that there are certain topics never to be discussed among “polite company”?
I don’t get that.
“Just remember, we never discuss combustion, or split-second decisions, in polite company. That’s the received wisdom. Avoid those issues or people will think you’re a boor.”
“Really? Those are the two forbidden topics?”
“Yes – they make [...]

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An AmeriCAN Adventure

Starting Tuesday, my family and I head down to Parris Island (South Carolina) to see my 19-year old son David graduate from Marine boot camp. We’re immensely proud of him and can’t wait to see him again, and meet all his new buddies. I’m sure I’ll be uploading photos along the way via Twitpic.
Mystic the [...]

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Mystic Speaks

I was quite surprised to discover this week that my dog, Mystic, is actually considered to be quite the successful marketer in her circle of influence. In fact, she has quite a social network, and, as I discovered when I sat down to interview her (between doggie treats and luxurious naps), dogs can teach us [...]

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Door-to-Door Eco-Robbery

I’m mad. About light bulbs – and customer “service”.
Let me explain why, with a parable.
Let’s say you lived in a fairly well-off neighborhood. Everyone is now gearing up for the holidays – decorations are coming out, lights and displays are appearing…and, of course, the stores have been running sales since Halloween. It’s another American Christmas [...]

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ROI in Social Media – Where Does it Belong?

“What’s the ROI of Social Media?” I hear that question all the time, and it drives me crazy.
What’s the ROI of your cell phone? What’s the ROI of using a computer? What’s the ROI of breathing?
At one point, it was legitimate to think about the ROI of, say, a cell phone. But no more. It’s [...]

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Connected Dots in My Opportunity Network

Today, I’m in Orange County, California, at a small, focused workshop on the use of social media in business.
There’s a story behind this, which has everything to do with encouraging you to create your own opportunity network.
Here’s the tale…
At some point in the distant past (maybe 1.5-2 years ago? don’t remember exactly), I came across [...]

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Are You a Kool-Aid Drinker?

I am. Let me explain.
We tend to talk about “true believers” as those who have drunk the Kool-Aid, with the obvious tie-in to Jim Jones and his followers. It’s an apt analogy, however unfortunate the original incident – one who has drunk the Kool-Aid actually, in this sense, is so convinced of something, that they [...]

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Shaking Things Up

<rant>
Over the years, I’ve attended many, many conferences – some awful, some forgettable, and a few outstanding.
I’m getting impatient.
I’m impatient with thinly-veiled sales pitches from sponsoring companies during sessions. If you’re going to have sponsoring companies, set aside a specific time in the event when they can present their solutions openly to the audience.
[...]

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