Promoting Stockholm – EXTREMELY COOL!!

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This is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.  Amazing combination of sleight of hand, pre-production, great messaging (well, pretty great), and an engaging presentation – filled with relevant surprises.

The Tactical Abyss question – did they get an ROO?  A Return on their Objective?  One would assume that the objective was to warm people up to Stockholm… people who are in control of locating or locating a business. That’s a pretty lofty group… though I don’t know who actually makes up the audience. I guess we can assume they are at least influencers.

It’s not a trick question – I’ve not seen this before today and I know nothing more than what’s on the video.

Technologically – I’m impressed.  But did it do the job?

What do you think?

Delta #WIN

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A few years ago… in the very early days of high high wifi (aka gogo or in flight internet)… I blogged about how excited I was to see WIFI ON BOARD.  In that post, I kind of highlighted a #fail.  Okay, not kind of.  For reals.  See… the problem was … the on board WifI network worked great.  But the connection to the internet didn’t exist.  And the in flight crew hadn’t been trained and didn’t know the details.

Maybe it was just released too early.

I tweeted about it… blogged about it… but it fell on #deafears and @delta didn’t’ respond.

Fast forward a couple of years.

Delta now has established a world-class social media connection that is among the best I’ve experienced.

For example. I was flying last week… needed to get from Orlando to Orange County / John Wayne in California by 7 p.m.  My original plan was to arrive at LAX at about 3:30 and catch a ride to my meeting with someone from my office who was on her way out there.

Well, the flight (connecting through memphis) was delayed.  Then delayed some more.  Then questions about the flight elicited kind of snickers in the Delta Sky Club (ooohhhhhh the MEMPHIS flight… mmm hmmmmmm).

I was a bit concerned as I needed to get to LA in time to get a ride… or suffer the indignity of arriving in a shuttle van late instead of on time as planned.

I know, travel happens.  I get it.

However, Delta really came through.  And in a fun way.

You see, I was trying to negotiate / deal / talk / solve with the gate agent… who was nice enough.  But at the same time, I decided to tweet @delta.  I didn’t say anything mean or derogatory, just mentioned that I was in a bit of a jam.

Well… LONG STORY SHORT.

Within about two minutes, @delta asked me to follow and DM my confirmation number.  Which I did.  Within another few minutes, I had flight options that took me to SNA instead of LAX (my new preference, considering)… but I was boarding!  So I had to decide, fast!  I told @delta to go ahead… and I’d try to check in on board.

The gate agent was still trying to look things up… but I politely told her I had things under control and boarded my new flight to Atlanta.

On board the flight to Atlanta… I connected with GoGo WiFi and checked in at Twitter.

Success!  I was confirmed on my connection!

I asked about the upgrade possibility… somewhat sheepishly… and was told, sorry.  Can’t help with that.  But Mercury and Venus must not have been in retrograde… because it came through about two minutes later.  The @delta helper was as surprised as I was.

They were really fun and friendly… got what I needed when I needed it… took a genuine interest in me and my outcome… and probably helped half a dozen other people at the same time (as they weren’t on the phone saying “sure – I can wait while you go out to the car to get the record locator)…

So – hat tip to @delta – huge win for me AND for social media.

Have I mentioned…

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A few things.  First of all, I’m not very good at regular blogging (as the infrequency of these posts will attest).  Work tends to get in the way.  I am committed to improving – but improvement is a generality and I should probably develop SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound) like I will post one time a week or once a day or… once.

Anyhow.

There are so many great examples of companies that are coming along in social media and doing a fantastic job of engaging employees like never before.  It’s been shown that companies that eschew social media and “forbid it” are costing themselves millions of collective dollars (@shelholz is conducting what looks like it will be an amazing conference in SFO soon… check him out for more insight and info).

So.  I have a few things to update… look for more here, soon.

Mercedes Versus Lexus – Advantage, Lexus

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Okay… I love Mercedes cars.  After 7 in a row over the past 12 years… I really had no intention of changing brands.  After all, they’re beautiful… drive/ride/feel incredible… and they definitely make a statement.

But – in spite of the apparent love-fest – there is one major issue I have with them – fuel economy. And one minor issue – advanced user technology.  And one more – cost of maintenance (even in-warranty).

But the real deal-breaker for me, is fuel economy.  Not because I want to drive the smallest car on the road and max out my mileage to keep costs at a minimum (not that that would be a bad strategy)… but as an environmentally aware person… and a vegetarian… I was beginning to feel that driving my 2009 ML 350 with an average of 17 mpg (and I am NOT an aggressive driver)… was inconsistent with my beliefs.

Whether you’re a hard-line Republican, or a yellow-dog Democrat, everyone should  be aware and should commit to reducing our dependence on foreign oil.  Period.  Not perfection, but constant progress.

So – I considered getting a smaller Mercedes – the GLK. But no.  The gas mileage is only 1 mpg improved over its much larger, more comfortable sibling.  Not going to do what I need.

Then, I considered getting one of their hybrid cars.  But, again, just a mile or two improvement is not what I was looking for.  Plus, they don’t seem to stand behind them.  On calls and visits to the dealership about viability of Mercedes hybrids, I felt “steered” toward a gas or diesel car on several occasions.

But what about Diesel?  Some would argue it’s more environmentally sound (I don’t agree – most hybrid batteries are recyclable).  Some think diesel is a better option.  Well, I’ve owned two Diesels, too.  Both Mercedes.  And while the life of the car is remarkable in terms of miles of great service… the MPG difference – especially in town – is just not substantial enough for me.  And the fuel cost per gallon is quite volatile (it’s over $4 a gallon now, was $5 three years ago).

So – I did the previously unthinkable.  Instead of asking myself what model Mercedes I would get… I found myself asking what kind of high mileage / more efficient car I would get.

I put money down and reserved a Nissan Leaf.  It was easy, just $100.  But you had to do it early (months ago).  I drove the leaf when it came through town on it’s PR tour.  I give HUGE props to Nissan… it’s a great car, fantastic design, incredible feel.  If I were 23 years old, I’d be seriously excited to get this car.  But after driving, I’m more excited about future potential than I am about the Leaf – at least for me.  If a person’s looking for a car in that size range – and the 100 mile range isn’t a deal-breaker (for most it isn’t, even though many think it is)… it’s a STRONG contender.  Zero emissions!

I looked at the  Chevy Volt.  Well, I looked at pictures of the Volt.  Hot car!  Great tech!  Amazing Mileage!!  Dealerships know less than i do about it… because they haven’t been trained yet.  And when I finally get “the real scoop” from Chevy… it’s about a two year wait.  At least in Florida.  So that’s not an option… I want to start improving now.

I looked at Ford Escape Hybrid.  Solid car.  Well made. Great mileage.  But just not for me.  Too… well, too plain.

Finally, I looked at what turns out to be the highest MPG luxury SUV on the market – the Lexus RXh 450.  Hmmm… I think I found something.

Tech?  Check.  And then some.  The bluetooth and audio interface (saying “I’m too cold” will cause the car to respond and say “raising temperature” while doing just that) … mouse driven input… fantastic navi… and great touches like the smooth up windows (you have to experience it)… the crazy-cool headlights that turn slightly to better light your way when turning or cornering… the serious updates compared to prior years (the 2008 had a cassette deck in it – seriously!! wot?!?)… all added up to a great tech advantage.  Even has an iPod interface.  And, in the spirit of open honesty, it’s not the best GUI I’ve ever seen… but it sure works.  Mercedes iPod interface didn’t work so well.  Was clunky, at best.

And the COOLEST tech bonus – is that Lexus has  dedicated resources actively engaged and engaging in social media.  I tweeted that I was considering a change… and @lexus from California hit me up almost immediately… and gave me some great (and compelling) answers to a few questions I had. @Lexus had a definite impact on my decision to purchase.

Looks?  Probably a tie, here.  Mercedes is a radical looking SUV (the ML)… but the RXh is hot, too.  Very cool looking, great curves without being silly, serious high tech exterior features (some new) like batman-like headlights… turn signal indicators on the side view mirrors… and a sleek looking chrome trim at the bottom of the doors – it’s a hot looking car.

Driving the RXh is a dream.  It’s got nearly 300 horsepower… so it can SERIOUSLY go if you need/want/like it to.  But driving defensively, and being pretty cautious about not stomping on it and avoiding excessive braking due to excessive acceleration… I’m getting a solid 32 average between highway and city.

So for mileage… the advantage goes to Lexus RXh. By almost double (I’ve gotten as low as 17 mpg in the ML on the highway – and the computer readout of mileage was usually high by 2 mpg versus real math of miles and gallons.  The Lexus computer is within a tenth of an MPG so far).

The cockpit is very well laid out, much improved over prior models.  The wood accents lend an air of sophistication and elegance.  Just the right amount.  The interior lights are plentiful and easy to use.  The seats are comfortable.  The “instant flat” back seats are great for  hauling - and sitting (and they even recline!).

The user tech is amazing.  As noted earlier, the navi is fantastic.  Great human interface – answers QUICKLY (like on the first ring) and gets your destination loaded FAST!!  Even multi-point trips.  Easy. Quick.  Fantastic. Note that there is a fee for the Lexus Enform system (that loads your navi destinations)… but I believe it’s easily worth it after just a couple of weeks using it.

Speaking of user tech – the Enform iPhone interface is fantastic.  MUCH better than the Mercedes version.  Mercedes’ is extremely limited – only allows pre-selected POIs (points of interest) and you can’t just search for an address.  Kind of useless, really.  But with the Lexus Enform app – on my iPhone – I can search for anything I want (address, business or restaurant name, POI, whatever).  And it synchs with the car’s system… so I can download and have any addresses I want.  Worked great this week on a multi-stop PR tour going to several addresses each day that I was unfamiliar with.  Day’s over? Delete the folder.  Supremely cool.  Note that on this feature… it wasn’t QUITE as intuitive as I hoped it would be… but the Enform agent helped me quickly get to my saved folders – and now I won’t have to ask again.

The sales process and delivery was fantastic, as well.  I’ve always been very impressed with Mercedes dealer process and deliveries.  No hassle deal.  Low to no pressure sales.  Good information.  Nice show rooms. Feel-good delivery.

I had no Idea how average that seems to be.  At Lexus of Orlando… I made the deal (including the trade) over the phone.  My product specialist (they don’t have salespeople) was eager, but not too eager. Friendly, but not high pressure.  And he has what I consider to be a fantastic skill – he knows when he doesn’t know (even though he knew a LOT) and is willing to find out.  Plus – I can email him!  Seriously!  I email him with a question… he answers!  Or finds out and then answers!  What a concept.  I’ve never had that access before…. and hope to not bother with many questions past the break-in period. And, if I want, I can tweet @Lexus and get quick responses, too.

The actual delivery was great. They take “showroom delivery” to a new level.  Mercedes does a great job, but at Lexus – I felt like my car was being transferred to me in a gorgeous, elegant ballroom.  All while not being stuffy.  My product specialist (James Mooney) was extremely knowledgable (as I said) and enthusiastic about the car – and he was willing to work at my pace (I am a tech guy… so I don’t need 20 minutes on how the Satellite Radio works… ) he showed me everything I needed to learn about my new car… and I drove off well equipped.

There was one more thing he insisted I check out before I leave.  The service bay.  Unreal, again.  From the RFID chip in my car that lets them greet me by name as I pull up (not to mention already knowing WHY I’m pulling up)… to the beautiful facility… kid zone (with doors that close and keep sound contained).. .quiet zone for working… TV zone for relaxing or catching up on the news… snack bar with complementary snacks and coffee and drinks and more… even a few iPads you can borrow so you can get your web on while you’re waiting.  Brought your own iPad (like me)?  Free high-speed wifi at your service. And the waiting area is just for quick things like oil changes (that don’t cost $900 like they do at Mercedes)… they have free loaner cars, too.

So I said thanks to James –  I really drove away. Happy. And perhaps a little smug (South Park Prius Episode reference). And burning 40 percent less fuel… fewer gallons we need to import.

I could go on and on (even more than I already have)… it’s just a great car.

In the end, I wanted a high-mileage luxury crossover… and Lexus gets it.  Am I done with Mercedes?  No way.  We still have one… and if they get the mileage thing fixed – they could get another shot.

But for now… Lexus has the incumbent advantage – for all the right reasons.

My Dog is Caught in The Tactical Abyss™

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I hesitated – not sure if I should use this reference or not.  But it just seemed to clear.  Too real.  And much too familiar.

Working from home today, I got a lot accomplished.  However, around 3:00 p.m., the lawn service showed up to mow our lawn.  Normally, that would make me happy.  Means I don’t have to do it.  Well, truth be told I haven’t mowed a lawn in … well, let’s just say a very long time.

You may know that I have three dogs.  Two of them are rescue dogs… and came with a bit of psychological baggage.  Don’t get me wrong, they’re great… but have their quirks.

Chloe… has to protect me and the house and our belongings from any intruder.  Including Mail people, the FedEx guy, friends and visitors, and of course – the Lawn Service people.

And I don’t mean she just barks and gets annoyed.  No.  It’s much worse than that.  This 10 pound dog who’s not 12 inches high puts nose prints on the sliding glass doors – 4 feet off the ground.  She jumps – and hurls herself at the window – to save the world from certain destruction.

SO what does any of that have to do with Tactical Abyss?  Unfortunately, quite a bit.

You see, if you know the Terrier breed (especially Jack Russels, as mine are) then you know they are considered a “working” breed.  They have to “work” every day or they’ll become agitated, frustrated, sometimes even depressed.  So Chloe has taken it upon herself to be the “Save the World” dog when visitors come a calling.

She takes her job very seriously.

She puts everything she has into it.

She doesn’t rest while she’s working.

She doesn’t eat while she’s working.

She doesn’t stop.

She won’t be deterred.

And she’s not making one damn bit of difference to our being kept safe from the Lawn Service people.

But she goes after her self-ordained position with all of the gusto… the seriousness… of any person I’ve ever known.

I wish she could talk. “Chloe, honey.  I know you’re trying to protect us… but these guys are our friends.  Look, I’ll go talk with David.  I’ll even shake his hand.  See?  It’s okay.” And she might respond “what the??  So why have I been banging my head against the wall… for years… trying to keep them away!  I even thought they got close at times… and I put on EXTRA pressure… just to keep us all safe!  You’re saying that was a waste of time?!?”

“Yep.  Sure am.”  I would tell her.

She wasn’t adding strategic value (or tactical value).  She was doing work – that did not need to be done.  She was expending huge energy and time and effort trying to excel – at a job that no one needed her to do.

I’ve known some people like that.  People who work very hard at something, but they never realize that it’s not contributing much (if anything, sometimes) to the big picture.  But they feel accomplished.  Yessir.  They worked their butt off.

I try working with Chloe, but she’s not likely to change this key trait.  Because she can’t talk.  She can’t reason.  People can.  Well, most of them.

Thankfully, I’ve had better luck helping PEOPLE connect themselves and their work to their organization’s strategic objectives.

I have a renewed respect for dog trainers.

Twitter: The 30,000 foot view

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I’m asked a lot – “what is twitter?”

It’s not the easiest thing in the world to answer.  Especially if all they’ve seen is the “what are you doing now” line.  Especially if they’re not into social media.  But if you want to be… and are asking the question… what the heck is Twitter?

Why would I want to know what someone is doing?

Why would I want to let someone else know what I’m doing?

I must admit… for the first several months I was on Twitter… I didn’t get it, either.  REALLY didn’t.  I played around a bit, but couldn’t see a real new media, communications, business angle.

But now I do.

As we said in Texas – Boy Howdy.

I’ve made the comparison that Facebook… while for many is mainly for friends and people you (somewhat) care about… Twitter is for people whose ideas and opinions you might be interested in.  But that’s just where the difference starts.

I compare Facebook to a newspaper.  If you pick up a Newspaper, you’re likely to read what interests you, the columnists who’ve grabbed your attention before, the headlines, maybe the comics, and if you’re REALLY old school… the stock page (but that’s a mystery to me – in a world where a 20 minute delay is an eternity – a 12 hour plus delay is incomprehensible!).  But I digress.  Suffice it to say, you’ll read on Facebook what you want to read on Facebook… and you’ll read most of it.

Twitter is, as I’ve mentioned, different.

If you’re just getting started and just have a few tweeple you’re following… you’re likely still reading a lot of what they post – if not all of it.

But if you’be been tweeting long enough to have built up a hundred, or 200, or 500 or more followers – then you’re simply not going to be able to read all the posts.  It’s not meant to work that way.

Twitter is more like a radio than a newspaper.  You hop in your car and drive to the store… and hear 10 minutes of radio on the way.  I know, you listen to SirusXM. Or your iPod. Or whatever.  Me too.  But stay with me.

Then you go into the store… and hear a few more minutes of radio.

Much of it is just fun chatter, but once in a while you can come across an amazing bit of information.  Something you want to see, be, do, learn more about.  Just like Twitter.

Now… keep in mind… this is really just the “getting started” version. There’s a lot more depth to twitter, if you’re really interested.  But that’s for another day.

But becuase I’m often asked questions like “where’s the conversation”… I want to point out the three types of tweets generally used on Twitter.

1 – the Stream of Consciousness Tweet.  This is a thought you just put “out there” for the world.  Open to all to see, whether they follow you or not, if they search for a keyword that’s in your tweet… or if they choose to follow you (you can’t stop them)… they can see it.  Keep it in mind… they can see EVERYTHING you’ve TWEETED if they’re so inclined, too… people use that to see if you’re someone they want to follow.

2 – the REPLY tweet.  Much like above, it’s open to ALL to see… the difference, is that when you hit REPLY and you see the @ sign before the twitter handle, you’re sending an acknowledgement to THAT twitter tweeter and commenting on a specific comment.  You – and everyone else – can click through to see the original comment, too.

3 – the DM or DIRECT MESSAGE tweet.   This one is for “private” messaging between users.  But like all things internet… use your head – nothing is 100 percent fool-proof private.  For the most part, yes… but I’m just sayin’.
One of the most interesting – and possibly valuable – things about Twitter… is that it’s teaching millions of people the value of “getting to the point” in today’s world of communication.

You’ve got to make your entire point – in 140 characters or less.  Unlike this blog.

So go ahead!  Get online… get an account… and read what others are tweeting.

Then, block a couple of times a day when you’re going to check your Twitter.  Respond to what’s interesting, follow what intrigues you, and ignore the rest. Give it up after a few minutes… or you can get seriously sucked in.

Make sure and add me, too… www.twitter.com/patrick_grady.  I’d love to have you follow me – and I’ll certainly follow you back.

I’d love your thoughts on this post… and if you’d like to see more information on growing your twitter followership, filtering twitter comments, following trends, marketing dos and don’ts… and more.

Interview with Chris Illuminati of www.AreYouFried.com

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The “jobs”pages are the most frequented pages on many sites, but how do you get them to “hang out” and see what else you have to offer?

He started out with a good plan, he thought.  Interviewing tips. Resume help. What to wear to an interview.  Where to search for jobs. Networking.  Things like that.

Good plan, but no traction.  People didn’t stay.  They looked and leapt.

His solution?  Break ALL the rules.  He created a site that thumbs its nose (is that a phrase?) at the establishment… is at least a little irreverent… and gets 10,000 unique visitors each month.

That’s a huge leap for many.  Abandon what’s KNOWN… in pursuit of the strategy.  Good plan, and it worked!

Listen to our discussion about how he got there, some unique content perspectives, and more.

And as always – we’d love your feedback.

[podcast format="video"]http://www.tacticalabyss.com/Podcasts/31909.m4v[/podcast]

Am I Effective In My Underwear?

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If I’m sitting in my underwear… will I still get the message? Depends on what we’re talking about, I suppose.

But with a projection of nearly 40 million people working from home… working and meeting virtually… it’s a valid question. The answer, probably, is “most of the time, yes.” Technology has done a lot to empower connections that weren’t possible just a few years ago.

I get it. Virtual meetings, that is.

Lower Cost (massively less).
Less time committed (no travel time, only actual time in sessions, smaller staff required to produce).
Some funky fresh new technologies to enhance the experience.
Anytime, anywhere, on virtually any device. Share video. Audio. Slides. More.

But are these Virtual Connections really the panacea they’re purported to be?

Even CNBC is going on about the cool new virtual meeting experiences. Remember Second Life? Well, they do. I’ll embed a video at the end of this post. I’m not sure THAT’S the answer… some serious limitations as to attendance, the interface might be too “cool” for some… and the communication can feel… well, creepy. But that’s just one solution.

Virtual Meetings are here to stay. Whether I’m fully clothed or not.

And let me go on record saying… while I feel that Virtual Meetings are an excellent enhancement, addition, connection, piece of the puzzle… there simply isn’t a replacement for face to face.

Personally, I can remember quite a few major, dramatic, impactful moments in large meetings I’ve attended. I can’t recall a moving conference call. Well, except the one where I was tapped to help close a company and fire dozens of people. That I remember. But I digress. And I was wearing a suit.

Point of fact, our company PRODUCES virtual events. We have for years, actually. In the “old days” (more than 3 years ago)… we had to roll a satellite truck on each end… have substantial crew to support… and had great two-way experiences.

These days, none of that is required. Just a super fast Internet connection… the right combination of hardware and software… and a couple of ace new-school production people. Voila. Virtual Meeting Success.

CMS is on board. I’m on board. I get the benefits, the cost avoidance, and the fact that you can impart a message in a way that’s far more meaningful than a memo, a video, or a conference call. I’ve done video conferences with a suit jacket and shorts. Come on, so have you. It works.

I just want to make sure we don’t lose sight of the value of a handshake… eye contact… and being “out of one’s element” in a place that enhances willingness and ability to learn.

Let’s talk Second Life for another minute. It’s an incredible interface, to be sure. But not everyone “gets it.” When I talk with people in their early 20s… the first generation to grow up with these technologies… many don’t really get it beyond a gaming experience. It’s interesting, visually cool, and definitely not your normal conference call… but it, too, lacks a certain connected-ness that face to face (or even live human video) can provide.

And then there are the attendance limitations. Want to meet with a thousand people? Cost savings (not to mention effectiveness) goes way down.

And blackberry / email / web diversion. That’s even MORE of a challenge when you don’t have any peer monitoring or managers looking over the crowd shoulders.

Okay. It’s a blog. So I’m allowed to ramble (I read the rule book). At least I’m wearing clothes.

Virtual meetings are a great, incredible, wonderful thing.

They add value to the total communications solution. They allow people to get together more frequently and more easily (and cheaper!) than traveling. They allow effective communication, interactivity, reporting metrics, and more.

Virtual meetings are here to stay. No question.

But, I believe, so are face to face meetings.

We need both to maximize the learning, the connection, the growth, and the potential to move business forward.

Now go put some pants on.

Peace out.


Tweeter-Dee or Tweeter — Dumb?

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Okay. So forgive the title. But you’re here, right?

Twitter continues to take an incredible share of news, media, and general conversation.

But most people still don’t know what it does. How it works. Or how it can help them. And that includes over half of the people who are actually ON twitter. Go figure.

In an article published today on BBC news (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8089508.stm), the author illustrates some serious questions and concerns. Among them (according to Harvard study of 300k tweeter peeps):

- More than 10 mm users, growing faster than any other network
- More than HALF using twitter update LESS than ONCE every 74 DAYS
- 10 percent of the users are responsible for 90 percent of the content

And while there’s room for growth, and room for feature adoption, this isn’t the whole story on Twitter. In an earlier blog post, I compared Twitter to the radio. You don’t hear every minute of every broadcast. In fact, you hear just a fraction. And of the fraction you hear, you only REALLY hear a fraction of that. Seriously – how many advertisers can you mention that were featured during your last car ride or 20 minutes within earshot of a radio? Any? I’ll bet not most. And that’s the point.

Yet Radio continues (yes, even terrestrial radio) to be an effective means to “get the word out” about products and services. There are those who are calling for or predicting the end of radio… who knows. And it’s not because they have the active ear of everyone who owns a radio every minute of every day. They surely don’t.

At that point, you might be able to get a FREE iPod. Yep, FREE. And it will insert commercial messages after every-other song. But I digress, and who the heck knows, anyhow.

Back to twitter… and marketing… and what about SPEETERS (spammers who tweet). I am not sure it would be easily, or ACCURATELY, measured… but I would LOVE to know the response rates on those LAME Tweeter-biz peeps who have a repeat of a message that promises “free money with no work” or “get paid to surf the web” or “millions in government dollars waiting for you” over and over and over and over. If they have anywhere NEAR the bite rate of traditional direct mail (1.5 percent)… I’d be simply amazed. But it must be working? At least somewhat? They’ve got a huge audience… that’s for sure.

So… a recent success story. My family is taking a vacation to Scotland and England in about a month. And although I am in London fairly often, I’ve not been to Scotland since I was 11 years old. So I really haven’t a clue what to do.

Of course, there’s a plethora of “stuff” out there… websites, travel counsellors, services, etc. But I wanted to hear from someone first hand… with little commercial influence.

So, I tweeted, of course! And within minutes… I had a response from @andrewghayes … an Edinburgh local, a travel writer, and a blogger. He’s helped me “filter” the massive amount of info out there… with a local’s perspective on what castles, shops, and hotels are worth our time and money.

Until Twitter, that simply would not have been possible. Sure, I could have called a travel agent in Edinburgh, but they would have wanted – needed – to sell me on the hotels and castles and restaurants that are persuading THEM… not a clean, unfettered opinion.

Amazing… instant pen pal. And no bill.

He uses Twitter to research, to analyze trends (well, he would analyse them)… and to get information on what to WRITE about… for a living.

While most of us can’t directly connect our happy Tweeting with any monetary return (at least nothing immediate)… we all are contributing to a supportive, engaged community.

I’ve written about Twitter enabling enhanced customer service… so there’s a monetization, albeit indirect. Cost offset, too, perhaps.

Twitter is about collectively listening to the water coolers of the world… and knowing when you (or your favorite subject) is being talked about. That’s the strategy. You can blow apart the tactics… question every detail… and might be right in doing so.

But Twitter works.

And that’s what I’m happy about.

Of course… I do hope they figure out how to monetize twitter… without subscription accounts (that would surely kill it).

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About TACTICAL ABYSS – This innovative and practical new book will help you navigate the corporate maze, enhance your strategic contribution, and significantly increase your value. For more information, check out www.tacticalabyss.com

We’re Published!

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So – what a fantastic Christmas present! Tactical Abyss is now published – and it looks fantastic!! I’m very excited… very proud… and kind of humbled.

BUT – mostly, I’m excited. The feedback we’ve gotten has been extreme… and I’m looking forward to more in the weeks and months to come.

WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN: By end of January, you’ll be able to order the book at Amazon.com or through Barnes & Noble. Also, we’re going to produce an e-reader version for both Kindle and the e-rea

IABC Orlando Meets with Technology: Virtual Success

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IABC Orlando’s first meeting of 2010 was a fantastic one. We didn’t have a huge turnout, but everyone – literally everyone – who came said it was a fun, informative, and great meeting. Okay, they didn’t all use those exact words… but you get the picture.

What we did… was arrange for two world-class speakers to speak with us and have a panel discussion about emerging trends in social media and the effect that’s having on traditional corporate communications roles.

But no one flew in… and no hotels were booked.

We did it all using Skype. There are other ways, I realize, but it worked beautifully.

Barbara Gibson lives in and spoke from London. Shel Holtz is in the San Francisco area.

We set it up – so that it wasn’t JUST a long-distance delivery. We arranged for some great one on one networking in advance. Using two MacBook Pro machines on podiums, external mics and speakers, and just the laptop screens – we created an atmosphere of “come on over and talk” as if these two amazing people were in the room. It felt as though they were… and there was some great discussion and networking.

Shel even (quickly!) wrote a blog post about the event. Here’s a link. I wish I were as prolific a writer and blogger as Shel… maybe this year I’ll make the time.

We let the speakers take a break while we ate lunch… then brought them back on screen with projectors (two of each, of course)… and we proceeded to have a great panel discussion with an in-room moderator (that would be me.).

Total cost: Zero. Skype video is free.. Venue provided two different wifi connections (recommended). I loaned the computers. Other board members brought the projectors.

And we had an international conference.

Ain’t technology grand?