Seth Godin’s blog had a great post this morning. He clarified the difference between knowledge about your field (content) and having a track record of actually doing effective work in your field and knowing how to do it correctly. I call it the “secret sauce” that a professional brings to the table.
How people converse speeds up relative to the plates in the air. At least that’s my theory. Meetings, planning, travel. All of it adds up to managing hectic lifestyles in micro seconds. So if you cannot grab attention in 3 seconds, it is often gone.
We used to call it the Blackberry test. If your colleagues faded to check their Blackberry, the point was not compelling or relevant enough to stay engaged in the conversation.
Social media seems like that. 140 characters or less to Twitter a relevant message. Is that so different from headlines? Not really.
Effective marketing has always been about earning attention. Fast. Because if you do, most people will stop and learn more. If you miss, then they move on.
And rightfully so.
Just caught Peter Shankman’s talk at the PRSA Tar Heel Chapter. Worth the watch. Social media is buzzed about everywhere. If you want to cut through the nonsense and see the real deal, watch the video. Good stuff, plus he’s got a great sense of humor.
Happy 2009! By all of the media accounts, it looks like a challenging year is in store. But challenges usually present great opportunities. Many people made money during the depression, and in the various recessions since. (more…)