OM Bootcamp Full Wrap-up. They don't call it BOOTCAMP for nothing!

It was the best of times...it was the worst of times...

Ok, well maybe not that dramatic!

I will say that the in-depth, deep in the weeds tactical hands-on that went on with the Bootcamp was both amazingly wonderful, and deeply overwhelming! Why? Well, to be honest, I'm not a coder. Found that out about myself a very long time ago -- so while I understand the concepts about code and some basics, when code begins to happen, my brain goes..."Um...does not compute!"

On the upside, I learned some amazingly cool things that if I were talking to someone in IT about, I would be able to tell them that "it can be done". Like tracking the form fields with Analytics using java scripting and setting up multivariate testing with Website Optimizer.

My favorite part overall really was Day one. The general overview from the "thought leaders" was very good. The tactical pieces on analytics and optimizer were certainly code-heavy, but worth it for sure, and the overview on adwords and the case studies provided good context. I'm still bumming I missed the SEO portion.

What do I wish they would have done differently?

Well seminars like this, much like preparing a class, are very difficult, but I think tracks would be much better. They had the "beginner" and "advanced", but what I think they really needed was the "Strategic/Analysis" and the "Programmer/Web Master" tracks. Yes, this was tactical in nature, but what I missed was the analysis and the strategy. In the case studies, WHY did they initially do one plan -- what was their strategy, and how did that strategy evolve based on data from analytics?

Also I don't think they did enough to really show how all of these bits and pieces truly overlap and influence one another. Each day was segmented out -- it would have been good to have a wrap-up that brought all the pieces back together to allow for the full reflection.

What did I learn about the most? Actually one interesting piece was the reactions of the consultants in the room. All the ones I talked to discussed their challenges with not only staying on top of the new tools, but finding the time for their programmers to learn new things (such as widget aps in Facebook), convincing clients to try something, and still do it all within the overall time constraints they have. Tough place to be in for sure. Not to unlike the challenge I face to stay on top of the information in my field and distill it down to teach it -- I have to teach the foundational theory at the same time I have to bring in all that is old and all that is new and show my students how to do it all -- and what it could be used for. When do I do that? Um...at home...at night...in between grading papers and prepping for classes and being a mom and ... well you get the picture.

So at the end of the day, if any of us want to keep up, we just have to do it -- regardless of the time it takes. Perhaps Web 3.0 will include a time shifter program that will slow down time, allowing us to get all that work done!

OM Bootcamp Day 2 Wrap-up and on being a Mom!

So yesterday's bootcamp sessions started with a great overview by Epik Analytics expert Justin Cutroni -- I've heard Justin speak before and he's very good. Great general overview of Analytics and the power of the Google tool.

Then it was deep into the weeds in the afternoon with the Analytics "Advanced" session. Hmmmm...so in this I learned some wicked cool stuff. Such as how powerful Java Script is in manipulating the data within Analytics. The most "Wow-factor" for me was the fact that you can actually use Javascript to lable EVERY field in a form in order to see at which point within the field you might loose someone -- and then you can run a funnel report to visualize it. Rock'n COOL! I would have liked to see way more on the Analysis part and would say that this advanced session was more appropriate for your IT/coders. Good to know what can be done...don't really need to know the reg edits in order to do it (grin). The speaker was Alex Ortiz. He did a great job and didn't even seem too insulted that I was browsing the web, using NetVibes and checking my email during his more detailed coding discussions (Thanks Alex!).

So why am I posting late? And why did I not make it to this mornings session (Day 3). Well...there's this other job I have as a "Mom". And yesterday my daughter stayed at a friends house. They have a trampoline. She came home limping. So today, instead of the first session of the general overview on online advertising, we hung out at home, waiting to go to the Doctor's to make sure the foot was just sprained and not broken. Long story short...It's not broken and my daughter is off to yet another friends house for an overnight of fun and silliness.

I'm off to lunch and the afternoon session deep dive into AdWords.

More later!

OM Marketing Bootcamp Day One Wrap-up

Whew! It's been a GREAT day at OM Marketing Bootcamp. My personal highlights:

1. I not only MET Avinash Kaushik, but I got his autograph for my Web Analytics Book. Great speaker, very relaxed and seriously into analytics, data and very customer-centric. Really liked him in person. Thanks Avinash! Yes, Trinity Rocks and So do you!!
   
2. Cathy Resmer "live blogged" all day -- was way cool to read the re-cap and figure out this new journalistic endeavor. Down-side is the application she used was not Blackberry friendly so I had to wait until the end of the day to read it all, so couldn't participate.
   
3. Networking, networking, networking! Chatted with former students, other business people including folks from Epik, Propeller, MyWebGrocer, and the Publisher of the Burlington Free Press.

My biggest take away is that overall, I'm on it. There weren't any surprises that made me feel like I wasn't on top of the space I'm teaching. Whew -- that's always my concern and I'm glad to see that I've been able to stay on top of the trends and issues in Analytics, Advertising and Social Media. And actually, I might be a bit ahead on the mobile use and Twitter...but that, of course remains to be seen.

Best Advice and overall great themes that came from today:

1. The CUSTOMER should drive your decision-making (in other words, know your target market, where they go online and what they are doing online). Use analytics data, surveys and A/B and Multivariate testing to help get clear on what customers want from your online presence.
   
2. Give up control Marketing VPs and CEOs! Your brand is no longer your own -- now you need to MANAGE the brand using other tools, but you have to be willing to let consumer generated content run its course.
   
3. Be open and flexible and ready to try out the new tools to see how they will work and if they will work for your target market.
   
4. Data driven decision making ROCKS or...as Avinash would say, "It's crazysexycool". Even better, is data visualizations of the right information. Data by itself is often crap -- but with the right visualizations it can actually tell you what you need to do and better yet can help you convince the HIPPO to let you do it!

For the nitty gritty check out http://twemes.com/om -- which are all the Tweets that came through today about the OM bootcamp -- of course most of them are me! I think my thumbs will fall off. Also the live blog from Blurt provides some great things too.

I'll be back on tomorrow for the second day -- the focus will be Analytics. Yippee!

Micro-blogging from Online Marketing Bootcamp

I'll be attending my third Online Marketing Bootcamp this week (Tuesday - Friday). As a matter of fact, I'm getting ready to head over to registration right now.

I'll be posting evening wrap-ups of the event here, but micro-blogging with Twitter, via my Blackberry throughout the day. Check out the "Tweme" in the sidebar -- it's all the Twitters from people who are are using Twitter during the conference and include the conference code #OM in their posts.

If you want more in-depth, then check out Blurt. Cathy Resmer will be live blogging today's sessions.

More later.