March 24, 2008

11 Days on Mobile Email

A recent experiment that was FORCED on me the past weeks while at SXSW and OMMA West was not having the ability to send email - from either the wifi at SXSW (I started this article there) or at my hotel via wifi or ethernet. Then at OMMA in Hollywood same issue again, plus while trying to tweak my configuration with other ports (yes total geek speak here), I killed my ability to receive email. I was blind! Unable to use my trusted inbox while on the road, what was I to do? Could I survive? Would someone send a search party to pull me out of this situation and see if I still had a pulse?

So what happened when email was turned one way to the inbox? Well it changed the dynamic. I became a listener and not a participant. How was that you ask, as I am never one to be quiet. It was different. Not complete hell, but close. It drove me to thumb bending feats of danger across the city of Austin, the airports of Denver and LA, and the city of Hollywood. I was a corporate road warrior and I had no inbox pillow to rest my head.

I survived. I reverted back to IM, Blackberry, Twitter and shouting across rooms. Hell I even picked up the phone and had conversations using my voice with people I would typically email. I first thought that it was the massive amounts of free booze that they were supplying to all SXSW attendees. Later I figured out that the REAL reason for the free booze was the BAD wifi and fear of a GEEK revolt. ( I mean you heard about what happend with soda and Sarah Lacey, could you imagine redbull and vodka?) Keep the natives intoxicated and they will fear sending email. It was a localized comunication shift based at this event. But then it got comfortable.Not just for me but for everyone. The iPhones and Blackberries were blazing, on the streets everywhere, text thumbs flying at every corner, bar, restaurant and concert. We were a mobile society.

Did I need an inbox? Or was the inbox defining me? And really what is an inbox? This is the bigger question in my mind, Where does communication need to take place? One device, one location, one way? No, it happens everywhere. You are reading communication right now, Thoughts from me (sorry to pain you with the hamster wheel always running in my head) that I place out there in the open in a blog post. Or on Twitter the entire SXSW. Note to self: You don't want to follow me on Twitter unless you are truly looking for odd and flash updates acrosss the US.

I was still slightly blind when I returned to Portland, with some IP lockdown wifi hell continuing, but I can still see through other devices and systems. What I did realize with blackberry only access is how many brands, agencies and publications DO NOT actually format the text version of their emails in a nice way at all. Many of them just trust that the ESP or in house email system they use will make the right version. DO NOT TRUST the automation of a TEXT ONLY version. Take the time to edit it. Make sure to narrow it down, place more focus on the content and the usability rather than all the tracking links. And here is a novel concept, send it to your other another's mobile device and look at it.

I know I am an anomaly of the corp road warrior, but this was not a choice for me. It has opened my eyes to where mobile is going, How WE should all be thinking different about it, and these lessons learned are going to make me strong and my clients campaigns even more impactful.

Imagine a world where communication no matter the system all aggregates into one device or location. It will be here in 2-3 years and we will be ready.

Comments (1) | Posted by dylan at 4:00 AM | Permalink

March 14, 2008

SXSW 2008: Social Networking and "Your" Brand

About your personal brand in social media.

Interesting that the whole panel started with asking everyone to submit questions to the panel via twitter. What an interesting way to bring in the audience prior to starting your panel. Love it, but then I am a Twitter maniac, as was EVERYONE at SXSW.

Steve Ganz: Linkedin
Steve Smith: Ordered List

What is social networking?
Any time two people connect. Can be over twitter, linked in, myspace, fbook, flickr, email, im, etc.

Ways to use personal brand
Wanted to promote services and knowledge as web designers. Used the main person to sell design and services. Use social networking as a sales tool

Gina: Sushi and Robots:
Her brands is energetic and young. USes that in all of her writing. She uses SM to get speaking and writing opps

What else besides blogging etc? New real time networking tools.

(side note we got a beta invite to socialthing.com, and they threw a good party at SXSW, but it allows you to aggregate 10 social media platforms into one UI. Love it so far.)

Story from Gina: Addicted to Social Networking. Used something obscure to create the brand, sushi and robots. But using her real name makes more sense. She has used multiple screen names and using her own works better. She said that her changing her avatar and screen name does create issues.

Steve Smith had another challenge. His name was too normal and does not stand out. HE had to go pick up something unique or memorable. Once he picked it he had to stick with it. Does cause a little confusion at times in public events.

Your name can be an issue. With your brand and name, there could be 2 to 100's of others online indexed. It is a challenge with social media and search engines.

Your avatar (the photo or image you use to mark yourself online) is important as well. It can brand you visually. Photos of yourself are better to use rather than an image of something. It helps to connect online. People feel as if they know who you are. Avatar consistency is important. Did I really just type that? Avatar consistency? Wow need to get my avatar a new shirt and a hair cut....

Getting involved:
When you comment or post to a blog or Social Media site, you need to make sure that your frequency AND your relevancy is solid. Just jabbering away can reduce brand.

If people thought about themselves in from an offline persona instead of an online, they would be able to act as if they were having a real conversation, face to face, with others. Be who you really are.

If you are posting ALL your stuff out into the public stream you need to be very aware of what is out there. When you live publicly things can be fed into the stream.

Google yourself: Really? I personally think vanity searching is odd. BUT if you are living on a public plane, you need to know what is out there.

Think about how you use these tools. Twitter is one that is so easy to say something and share it, but there are not any "take backs or unpublish" with twitter. Your persona can be shaped by those that are following you.

Is there any rules around accepting people to follow and network with you? Not really yet, they are shaping, but isn't it odd sometime that people you don't know AT ALL follow you on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, podcasts etc?

Comments (0) | Posted by dylan at 10:00 AM | Permalink