New Media Mavens

Why You Can't Fake Passion in Baseball or Business

For Yankee fans, the morning after the New York Yankees' 27th World Series win is a bit bleary-eyed but full of heart. The team, who had not won since 2000, battled back over the last nine years and had to find its soul again and its passion. Much of the credit of returning this amazing All-Star team back to its baseball loving roots, goes to manager Joe Giradi. As I read the NY Times recap of the game this morning, I'm struck by Alex Rodriguez's (A-Rod to fans) quote:

As Rodriguez stood on a platform holding the championship trophy over his head, he said:

“You have 25 guys who bought into Joe Girardi’s system,” he said. “I wish we could come out and play again tomorrow for no reason; that’s how much we love each other.

For complete coverage of the Yankees' win, visit the NY Times' fabulous sports site.

How does this transcend into business? Passion transcends into every area of life! How could it NOT transcend business?

When you have a natural passion and affinity, it fuels everything you do.  Whether its the marketing, accounting or sales roles you fulfill in your business, passion is the energy that drives you.

We talk a lot about HOW to do things on this blog, how to market yourself, how to market your business, where to reach your audience. But we'll be spending some time on WHY, too.

Thanks, Yankees, for reminding us of that!

The key question now is this: How do you stay connected to the passion you have for your business? Click "Reply" and comment. We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Alison Woo, Chief Media Maven

What Mad Men's Don Draper Can Teach You About New Media

Mad Men, the brilliant AMC drama about Madison Avenue in the 60s has returned and none too soon. In "Love Among the Ruins" - the second episode in their third season. leading man Don Draper, Sterling Cooper's Creative Director, councils the leader of a new NYC project that aims to tear down Pennsylvania Station to put up what we now know as Madison Square Garden. Faced with angry cries from the citizenry, the project leaders want to find a way to minimize negative comments. Draper offers this: "If you don't like what is being said, change the conversation."

We've mentioned before in this blog and in our speeches around the nation that one of the biggest hangups that prevents business owners from delving into the world of new media is the fear of what people are saying about them online. The problem is if you are not actively participating in the digital space, you lose the opportunity to share what you have to say and more importantly, truly listen and understand what is being said and why. You also lose your ability to change the conversation, if that is what you need to do. Conversations fuel business intelligence and businesses who know how to harvest and use this raw data correctly are the ones that are most successful.

Despite all the new fancy technology this is just the simple idea of listening to your customers. You can use a tablet or Twitter, face-to-face conversations or Facebook. But the point is you have to share with and listen to them.

What makes Mad Men such a brilliant sketch in proper business relations is the whole idea of understanding your customer's behavior; their wants and needs; and knowing what conversations they are having. Any fans of the show out there will remember the first time this principle was played out so brilliantly in Season 1 when Don was wooing the Kodak clan about their new "wheel." He talked about their product not by focusing on its feautures: how many slides it can show, how fast, etc. He showed how their product played an essential part in their customer's lives.

That's what conversations do. And that's what new media/social media and Web 2.0 is all about. Conversations. Listening and sharing. There are 1000 ways to do that but that is the essential.

All you need to do to master marketing with new media is to keep that at the center of your focus. Each and every time to you share with or listen to your customers. And you need to make sure that whatever you are offering is valuable. And with all the information out there that you are sifting through it to listen for what's valuable, too.

We'll end where we began, with an immortal line from Don Draper himself. "Technology is a glittering lure," he tells the Kodak officials. "But there is a rare occasion when the public can be engaged beyond flash." For those of you who want to relive that amazing presentation, click here. And comment by clicking on the link below. We would love to hear your thoughts.

Alison Woo, Chief Media Maven

Promote your Business and Your Work with an E-Book

Always dreamed of writing a book but want to fast track the process?

Consider an e-book! You get to show off what you know instantly. And with an amazing new platform, you can do it for free. Check out Fast Pencil's amazing array of publishing possibilities. You can even invite your friends or colleagues and your team can write an e-book with ease. Now that's taking social media to a new place.

This could kick a whitepaper's butt! What do you think?

Alison Woo, Chief Media Maven

How to Become a Video Super Star!

When it comes to new media, video is both king AND queen!

When it comes to thinking big about your business, you need to incorporate video in every way you can to connect to and continually nourish your audience. When thinking about what to make your videos about, we've always said the key word is VALUE. What will your audience find valuable?

How-To videos are one way to stand out and become memorable. One of the best new tools out there is Howcast. Launched by some of the good people from Google and YouTube, Howcast has created quite a buzz by creating a niche to help bring millions of eyeballs to their site. Howcast also integrates with all the other current video platforms that you know and love but their presentation, their branding and their outreach is quickly making it THE place on the web for how-to video. Best of all it's fun and FREE!

Take a look at this video on how to pick a lock. Now while it may encourage you to bring out your inner MacGyver, this is a great example of how the business owner created something interesting and compelling. If he lived in my neighborhood, I'd call him. And you never know when you need a locksmith. Last month, when Lena and I went to NYC to attend Mediabistro's Circus, I was scrambling and needed one when I left one of my apartment door keys in Charlotte. How did I find one? I called the first listing on Google. Just another example of why creating top-of-mind awareness is so important.

What will you create a video about?

Alison Woo, Chief Media Maven

Twitter is growing! What will it Mean for Entrepreneurs?

Psst....here's some secret squirrel news!

Tomorrow Technorati, one of the world's largest search engine directories for blogs, will anounce they are launching a Twitter edition. Read more about it today's Tech Crunch.

What does this mean for you entrepreneurs out there? It means it time to up your game. Are you on Twitter? It not, it only takes a minute to get on board. And as we always say, it's not about the tools, it's about strategy.

Twitter is an amazing tool to talk to and listen to your customers. The latter is probably THE most important tool you can use for gathering business intelligence.

What's the one thing you want to know from your customers? Click "Comments" below and share!

Alison Woo, Chief Media Maven

Independence is Happiness

Happy July 4th!

As I watch the Boston Pops on TV playing patriotic songs ... like "God Bless America" ... the crowd singing joyfully, and fireworks lighting up the night sky, it brings to mind a quote from Susan B. Anthony: “Independence is happiness."

As we embrace our national independence today let's also take a minute to be grateful for the independence that our businesses give. Despite the down-turned economy and the obstacles that inevitably comes with the territory the ultimate goal is happiness.

What steps are you taking to maintain that feeling of freedom in your business?

Regards,

Lena Claxton

Michael Jackson's Passing Causes Technology Slowdown

The very unexpected passing of music legend Michael Jackson caused Google, Twitter and most of the Internet to come to a slow crawl when news broke Thursday afternoon. To see the extent of what happened and hear from one of Twitter's founders, click on the NY Times tech blog.

Interestingly enough, I think what happened underscores a basic human necessity and reaction to connect. We are social creatures, we humans. And when something shocking happens our first reaction is to reach out and tell someone. And share.

So much of what has been talked about in social media is about how technology is driving new behaviors. I disagree. I think technology is mimicking what we already do instinctively. And that's an amazing thing! In this way we can use technology to augment what we already do naturally. Technology should run our lives, it should help us.

What device did you run to first when you heard the news? Twitter? Text? Called someone? Click on the "Comment" link below and share. For me, it was text then phone.

Alison Woo, Chief Media Maven

What's Next in New Media - Wrapup of Mediabistro Circus

The circus was exhilarating!

Lena and I had so many amazing conversations with new media thought leaders that we're making the "What's Next in New Media" the theme for the month.

We'll share some incredible words of wisdom from Elisa Camahort Page, co-founder of Blogher.com, about what's really the new business model for new media outlets; we'll share strategies from best-selling author Timothy Ferriss ("4-Hour Workweek") and we'll talk about how you can take these ideas on how to improve the quantity and quality of conversations with your customers and clients and break it down into some doable pieces right now!

We left the Circus feeling as good as one can: Excited, inspired and ready to share it all with you. So stay tuned!

Tell us, what is your biggest question when it comes to new media.

Alison Woo, Chief Media Maven

Cutting-edge New Media Information: Mediabistro Circus - Day 2

We're exhilarated by the amount of info we heard yesterday. Everyone ready for Day 2? Can you stand it???

What's the Latest in New Media? Find out at Mediabistro Circus - Day 1

The big day is here and we'll all be under the giant media and new media test to find out cutting-edge information direct from the industry's leaders. Stay tuned to this blog today and tomorrow to help you find out the very latest. Keep reading and send us your questions by posting your comments here.