Writing a blog post on a Blackberry

Funny story. I wrote what follows on my Blackberry this morning using my thumbs and a QWERTY keyboard...

Yep. My foray into "Crackberry" land continues. I'm
experimenting with Blogger and my Blackberry. Why? Um...well I
suppose I could pontificate on the importance of academic pursuit of knowledge...but really, if the truth be known I'm killing some time before a massage (grin).

This also begs the question of blogging on an itty bitty qwerty keyboard. Clearly I need a vacation!

However the possibility for on the go blogging and up to the minute reporting is pretty heady. Time for me to do a little research on this area. Good voice recognition software coupled with a Smartphone that has video capabilities and localized "reporting" will be on the rise...and the marketing implications are wicked cool too!

So there I sat in my car working my thumbs in a frenzy. I was quite proud of my post and then I scrolled to the bottom and clicked on "post" then headed into my massage (it was good, by the way).

Forgot about it.

Then tonight as I'm checking up on things I go to the browser in the Blackberry, and there is my blogpost. Sitting there. Not having gone anywhere. Stuck...not even in cyberspace, but more like in no-berry space. sigh.

Perhaps snail mail would work better (grin).

Oh...and that part about vacation? Off I go. I will NOT be trying to post from my crackberry during vacation. Perhaps I'll have a "crack" at it once again when I return.

Micro-blogging with Twitter at the e-State Symposium with my BlackBerry

As I posted earlier today, I attended the e-State Symposium at Champlain and decided to take my new Blackberry for a spin and really use Twitter as a micro-blogging tool.

My results I think were good. At least from my perspective. I was able to text about many of the main themes, a former student twittered back to see if he could use the quotes in a social networking session he was conducting today and I picked up three more followers, got picked on by Bill Simmon at CandleBlog (yes, Bill, that "woman" behind you was me!), and had a great chat with Cathy Resmer which ended up on Blurt.

Neat results.

By the way, you can see all my "Twits" or is it "Tweets" in the sidebar here in my blog. You be the judge...useful or just annoying?

Ask my sister about it and she will say that when she got to her phone this afternoon, it was a bit crazy -- 30+ twitter alerts would make anyone lose their minds. Her text to me that stated "ENOUGH ALREADY" clearly pointed out that I must consider the importance of "Twitiquette". Netiquette is just not enough anymore.

Perhaps I should have sent out a warning last night via Twitter: "Warning, I will be using Twitter to live micro-blog at a conference tomorrow. If you do not want 30+alerts, you might want to turn notifications off!" Hmmm...lesson learned.

As to my take aways from the symposium?

Well it was an interesting group of people -- diverse in age and background, but I don't really think enough was done to pull in a larger group of people who would really add to the discussion. I would have liked to see representation from other stakeholders to add depth. Where were the community activists, the African American community members, refugee groups, rural advocates, etc? At the end of the day I'm not sure we had good enough cross cultural and diverse socio-economic points of view to really get at the opportunities and challenges. It felt very "Chittenden County" and "Montpelier" to me. Not really representative of the state as a whole.

It was also too much, too fast. But I won't write more than that. Bill Simmon summed that part up quite nicely.

What I did like was the passion that everyone brought -- people really care about creating community -- and see the opportunity that technology can have to help enhance and support community building efforts. And, the Snelling Center has created a WIKI where they will provide updates.

My final thought on this was the continuing challenge to EDUCATE. It's not just about educating high school students and college students. It's about each of us embracing the fact that learning never ends, that our jobs are to learn and help others learn -- especially when it comes to integrating different forms of technology into any type of process. Case in point was the fact that there were people who didn't know what Twitter was. Not surprising. Many people don't know what it is -- perhaps more know now because of what I did today (and for those of you who are unsure -- check out this video from my favorite "how-to" site, CommonCraft):

http://www.commoncraft.com/Twitter

In my small way I have provided a learning opportunity for myself AND for other conference attendees.

But that does beg the question -- do all of the people who really need to be involved in the process of helping Vermont to become an "e-State" (in other words a community that is connected through many means, including technology) even know what a WIKI is? AND...do they understand how to use one?

CommonCraft to the rescue!

Conference Posting: Vermont's e-State Potential -- Building Community in a Connected Age

I'm about ready to head into the Welcome session for the e-State Conference sponsored by the Snelling Center for Government and my own Champlain College.

Check out the agenda!

I won't be "live blogging" since my computer (in it's current state of ready to explode at any time) can't handle it, but I might be using my new "crackberry" to micro-blog via twitter -- certainly a fun time to give it a try!

However, several others WILL be blogging.

Bill Simmon has already started with this first posting from last night. Cathy Resmer from SevenDays will also be live blogging at Blurt -- here's her first post from this morning.

The twitters have already begun...everything kicks off in about 10 minutes...I'm off!

My sister is AMAZING!

So here's a personal post that I don't often do. I have a sister. Yep...I do.

She's a reference librarian at West Point and let me tell you that if you EVER have to do a dissertation (like I did) it is really really really GREAT to have a REFERENCE LIBRARIAN in your family!

But this post is not about that. It's about my sister's amazing creativity and skill at the wonderful textile world of quilting.

Words fail me.

This picture tells the story.

OMG.

See more of her work at her blog!

Presenting at EXPO 2008

On Thursday, May 22nd from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. I will be participating in a panel discussion at the 2008 Vermont Business and Industry Exposition (EXPO for short).

The topic for Senator Patrick Leahy’s 13th Annual e-Business Seminar is Creating A Buzz About You and Your Business: Should You Be Marketing Yourself and Your Company Using Social Networking Sites?"

I will be presenting a general overview of social networking, what it is and I will demo several of my sites (and I'll sprinkle in a bit of the overall social media concept too!). I am lucky enough to be presenting with a great group of people -- all experts in this area.

• Dave Winslow, EpikOne: Integrating Web 2.0 / Social networking sites into your online presence, pros and cons.
• Ted Adler, Union Street Media: Some real world examples, integrating Web 2.0 / Social networking sites into your online presence, pros and cons
• Nicole Ravlin, PMG: Marketing using Web 2.0 / Social Networking applications
• Dan Cypress, Realtor: An end users experiences

It promises to be GREAT fun!

So, what will I talk about? Well, in the spirit of the topic, here is my outline. I'll bring this up in the session and walk people through it all!

PRESENTATION BY ELAINE YOUNG ON SOCIAL NETWORKING AND WEB 2.0

• General overview of Social Networking. The best place to start? Why Common Craft, of course! (notice how I use social networking site YouTube!)
  

• There are many different social networks available that specialize in anything from flower arranging to Baby Boomers to college students and many things in between.
  
  
• While it is easy to see why consumers would use social networks, it is less clear as to how and why businesses might use them.
  
  
• The secret to knowing if, as a business, you should use a social network is knowing....(hint, if you read my blog, you'll know!)....
  
  If your TARGET MARKET is using a social network? And if they are, which one are they using?
  
  
• As a business you can create a presence on a social network by JOINING and creating a page or by ADVERTISING on the social network.
  
  
• As a businessperson you can increase your professional connections by belonging to a social network.
  

Examples of social networks and social media I use to promote my work as a professor are:

• My Blog (http://champlainprofessor.blogspot.com/) -- builds credibility and online visibility
  
  
• My Faculty Website (http://cosmos.champlain.edu/people/younge) -- affiliates me with my work
  
  
• My Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=68900537) -- connects me to students
  
  
• My LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/elainejyoung) -- connects me professionally
  
  
• Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/ejyoung67) -- connects me professionally and personally
  
  
• NetVibes (http://www.netvibes.com/ejyoung67) -- builds credibility and shows others what I'm paying attention too.
  
  
• Ning (http://www.ning.com/) -- where you can create your own social network. I belong to AdGabber.
  
  

Why do I use them? Because my target market is in both places -- my students and my professional contacts.

Why should you use them? Only you can answer that -- start with your target market and then you tell me -- although I will give you a hint: set a goal and use the social networks/social media to help you achieve that goal and measure your success. But wait until the end of the rest of the panelists...they'll tell you even more!

Best Practices in Using Online Marketing Tools

As I noted in my last post, last week (May 14th), I conducted a presentation at Coldwell Banker, Hickock and Boardman Realty here in South Burlington. As of today my presentation has resulted in at least 3 new blogs, 8 LinkedIn accounts and two new friends through Facebook!

So what did I talk about that got everyone so fired up? Why, the fundamentals of course!

There seems to be this feeling that if you aren't on the web in some fashion you are missing out. That you are behind the times. For realtors, in particular who have to both project the brand image of the affilate organization they are with as well as create their own brand image, it can be exceedingly difficult to balance the work of selling houses AND investigating and using new online tools (not to mention also expensive).

My advice was to stick to the fundamentals and as a result, the right tools would reveal themselves (yep...like magic!).

So here's my advice to real estate agents, small businesses and big businesses, and people and non-profits and...well, you get the idea!

1. Know your TARGET MARKET. NO…it is NOT everyone! It may seem scary or limiting to focus in on one particular type of customer, but if you can clearly identify a demographic (age, gender, income) and lifestyle (single, married, no children, children, retired, etc.) then you can hone in your message to that group. You can speak their language. They will respond.
   
   
2. Focus on LEAD GENERATION and CONVERSION. NO, it’s not about “visits” or “numbers of friends” – it’s about conversion. Is your online presence, whether it is a website, blog or social networking site getting you viable leads who convert to customers? If not, is it worth doing? Your focus should be on getting qualified leads so you can enhance your overall performance (see #1 above).
   
   
3. Go where your TARGET MARKET is. So you are thinking about doing more “web” marketing because it seems that “everyone” is doing it. Ask yourself…is my target market on the web? AND then ask yourself WHERE is my target market on the web and WHAT are they doing? If you answer YES to the first question, then spend some time finding out where they are online, so you can reach them with the appropriate tool (see #1 above).
   
   
4. Convey your BRAND IMAGE. Remember when you are online, you must be clear about your brand image. If you want people to see you as a luxury home expert, then your web presence MUST convey luxury. If you want first time home buyers to feel comfortable with you, be sure your web presence communicates that both through words and visually. Also remember that at the same time you are creating your own personal brand as an agent you are also responsible for communicating the overall brand of the agency you have affiliated with (see #1 above).
   
   
5. Be realistic about YOUR resources. Do you have the skills to update your own website? Will you commit to posting to a blog in a way that helps to develop a pattern for your audience? Do you have the time? If you cannot answer yes to all of these then you need to think carefully about what type of web presence will work for YOU and your Target Market (see #1 above).
   
   
6. Be AUTHENTIC at all times. Regardless of the tools you select, from phone to web site to blog to social network, remember to be authentic. Do not try to be someone you are not. Be realistic in your approach, focus on the personal brand image you want to convey, talk directly to your target market and remember that if you do these things, you WILL be able to leverage the tools to help you develop leads that convert (see ALL of the above).
   
   
7. Building relationships TAKES TIME. It’s important to remember that in marketing, it is all about relationship building. You cannot assume that one method of communication is the ONLY way to go. You also can’t give up after just one or two tries. In today’s marketing you must use more than one method to reach your customers. Mix your traditional (radio, TV, print, phone and face to face) with your online (website, blog, e-newsletter, social networking) and you will reach your target market and generate the word of mouth that gets leads that convert (see ALL of the above).
   

There you have it! There are of course nuances and details that come with each, but at the end of the day if you know your TARGET MARKET and you track your DATA, then you will know which tools and tactics make sense for you and your target market and you WILL convert.

Dog and Pony Shows -- it's all about Social Media

It's a beautiful thing. Students are mostly gone (smile), there's no more grading homework and the faculty collaborative has ended. In other words...it's SUMMER and I am FREE!! Well..sort of.

I'm still a program director (until the end of June) and there's still a bunch of administrative things to wrap up and classes to staff for the fall. But it is manageable and I have free time.

So, of course...I'll be busy doing other things!

This past week, I presented a session to real estate agents at Coldwell Banker Hickock and Boardman Realty in Burlington, VT on best practices in social media -- specifically we talked about how to utilize blogging and social networking ... or when not to. I handed out a tip sheet which focused on what I think are the MOST IMPORTANT things to consider when thinking about which online tools to use to help you market your business/service online. I'll post those tips soon.

Next week I'll be presenting at the Sen. Leahy e-Business Seminar with Dave Winslow of EpikOne, Ted Adler of Union Street Media and Dan Cyprus, a Real Estate Agent with ReMax at the 2008 Business EXPO. Our topic: Creating A Buzz About You and Your Business: Should You Be Marketing Yourself and Your Company Using Social Networking Sites?

On June 23rd, I'll be a presenting at the Summer Institute for Educators. The theme is integrating technology into the classroom, and my topic? Betcha can't guess...."Technology students use in everyday life". I'll be giving a quick intro on IM, Texting, Social Networking and how students are using them...and not using them!

Later on in July I'll be conducting a two day session for K-12 Educators on Social Media. The details are still being worked out, but it promises to be great fun -- we'll be looking at specific tools and talking about the challenges for the K-12 educator in incorporating these tools into their teaching.

Gee...maybe I should start charging!

On another note, adjunct professor Daniel Schutzsmith has launched a new site called DSGN+DVLP. A recent post on his blog was about the term ONLINE VISIBILITY and references the class I developed and he is now teaching. He's come up with a definition. You should check it out. There's a good discussion going on there about his definition ... and I just think I might post!

Avinash is coming...Avinash is coming!

If you are at all interested in Internet Marketing you know the name AVINASH KAUSHIK. If you are interested in Web Analytics then not only do you know the name AVINASH KAUSHIK, you have read his book, you follow his blog AND you watch his YouTube Videos. He is also the "Analytics Evangelist" at Google. Um...yeah.

Basically you can't really say Web Analytics without saying Avinash Kaushik at the same time.

I've been reading his blog and I have his book and I show his videos in my Internet-based marketing class. And in June...I will meet him. I will see him in person. This is WAY cool. What is even cooler is he will be HERE at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont. Oh yes. I'm not off to some swanky conference in New York City or San Francisco or Chicago. I'm here...on campus...just a short walk from my office and I will get to listen to Avinash in person.

It's all part of the Online Marketing Bootcamp. This is the third go around for the Bootcamp and it's growing for sure. I attended the first one, conducted a session at the second one (about an hour after I successfully defended my dissertation!) and will be attending the third one.

As I get ready to re-write and re-tool the Internet-based Marketing class having the opportunity to hear Avinash in person and potentially even speak to him will certainly provide some great inspiration on how to get students excited about data-driven decision making. Yep. That's what I said. Get students EXCITED about data-driven decision making!

So why here you might ask. Well, to be honest, Burlington and Vermont in general is a growing hub for information technology businesses, small software engineering firms and cutting edge online marketing companies. At the same time, our college (shameless plug!) is one of the few that offers classes in things such as Social Networking, Web Analytics, Online Visibility and Search Engine Optimization. We've been teaching Internet-based marketing for over seven years (that's me, by the way) and we have some OUTSTANDING alum who are rock'n the business.

Dave Winslow, CEO of EpikOne (the only Google Partner in New England) and his team of Champlain Alum from the e-Business and Business programs: Paul Skarvinko, Charles Miller and Matt Brinkerhoff will all be there on hand to TEACH about different facets of online marketing. Read more about all the experts here!

So not only do we have local talented experts in this field (many of whom were educated right here at Champlain!) we are able to bring in the top tier in the business to our campus.

$500 for the first day session to see Avinash in person. Burlington is not nearly as expensive as NYC or Chicago and you have a WAY better chance of actually meeting Avinash here then you would there for sure. $1950 for the full week of sessions that are split into beginner and advanced.

Well worth it.

I'm bringing my copy of Web Analytics an Hour a Day to get autographed.

Picking some GREAT books for my Fall Classes -- Not your "run-'o the mill" textbook!

So I'm cleaning out my office and beginning to think about books for the fall -- crazy I know, but it must happen.

For my Exploring Marketing Class I'll be using Personality Not Included by Rohit Bhargava. Why? Well for several reasons. Yes, this is a freshman level course and my goal is to get them really excited about marketing and introduce them to books they should be reading. PNI is one way I will do that. Bhargava is an expert in Online Marketing and I read his blog "Influential Marketing" religiously. Thanks to social media, when I realized he had set up a Facebook account last year, I "friended" him and we corresponded. When I read the book excerpt I knew this was perfect for my class. It's current and it doesn't require someone to have a PhD to understand the importance of engaging with your customer. It will be something my students will be able to relate to -- even as freshmen!

For my Internship class, which is focused on Career exploration, I have discovered a very different book. The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need by Daniel Pink, author of FreeAgent Nation and A Whole New Mind. Why this? Well, first of all the message in the book is spot on and something I try to express to my students. But the key is the delivery. It's Manga! Not your typical text for sure.

See the video:




My goal in choosing non-conventional text books is to be able to strike that balance between theory and practice -- and books like these help illustrate for students the possibilities. At a time when many find reading "boring" it's my job to get them excited.

It works.

In my Marketing Management class -- a senior level course -- students have to select three books from the field that are interesting to them. The big winners this semester? Seth Godin and Meatball Sunday, LoveMarks by Kevin Roberts, and Your Marketing Sucks by Mark Stevens. What is great is that the students read their books and post their thoughts in a discussion forum for one another and make recommendations -- so if one person likes a book, suddenly more people read them. And while they grumble about the papers I make them write (smile), they also write about being excited about reading books that make sense, are relevant and keep them up-to-date in marketing. As I tell them, once they graduate, the only people who will keep them current are...well....Seth and company. They won't have us Profs. to tell them what to read anymore.

So in the fall, I start with a new crop of students to do the same thing. Rohit has told me he'll video conference into my class in November -- this would be the first time students will get to read a current book and then MEET the author.

All because of Social Media, my passion for bringing marketing to life in the classroom and a wealth of great talent out there writing amazing books!

The END...well..sort of

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Yep...it is for sure! It's the end of classes here at Champlain! This is finals week and last night I wrapped up my last class -- Internet-based Marketing -- with some really decent presentations (one of which the students went beyond what I taught them and showed the results...ohhh....cool!).

Now I grade.

Many papers coming in and it is going to be a big push.

But...I'm excited because I'm getting ready to start up blogging again since I'll have more time as we faculty move into clean out the office mode, May Collaborative mode and just down right REST mode.

I've got some great ideas for the summer and for my fall classes...but can't there until I get the grades done.