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Meet the Age of Conversation ’08 authors!

March 23, 2008

In mid-January, Gavin Heaton and I announced we were ready to take on the sequel to the incredibly successful Age of Conversation.

We put out an author call and in a new twist, asked everyone (authors and readers) to vote on the theme of this year’s book.

The votes are tallied and we’re off to the races! The winning theme was “Why don’t they get it?” To add dimension to the book, we’ve added a new layer — topics. So each author was asked to select one of eight topics that falls under the “why don’t people get it?” theme. We’ll share those with everyone down the road. In the meantime, while we’re getting everyone set on their specific writing assignment…

We thought it was time to introduce you to the 275 (yes…275!) authors of Age of Conversation: Why Don’t People Get It?

Adam Crowe, Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andrew Odom, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock, Angela Maiers, Ann Handley, Anna Farmery, Armando Alves, Arun Rajagopal, Asi Sharabi, Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Bernie Scheffler, Bill Gammell, Bob Carlton, Bob LeDrew, Brad Shorr, Bradley Spitzer, Brandon Murphy, Branislav Peric, Brent Dixon, Brett Macfarlane, Brian Reich, C.C. Chapman, Cam Beck, Casper Willer, Cathleen Rittereiser, Cathryn Hrudicka, Cedric Giorgi, Charles Sipe, Chris Kieff, Chris Cree, Chris Wilson, Christina Kerley (CK), C.B. Whittemore, Clay Parker Jones, Chris Brown, Colin McKay, Connie Bensen, Connie Reece, Cord Silverstein, Corentin Monot, Craig Wilson, Daniel Honigman, Dan Goldstein, Dan Schawbel, Dana VanDen Heuvel, Dan Sitter, Daria Radota Rasmussen, Darren Herman, Darryl Patterson, Dave Davison, Dave Origano, David Armano, David Bausola, David Berkowitz, David Brazeal, David Koopmans, David Meerman Scott, David Petherick, David Reich, David Weinfeld, David Zinger, Deanna Gernert, Deborah Brown, Dennis Price, Derrick Kwa, Dino Demopoulos, Doug Haslam, Doug Meacham, Doug Mitchell, Douglas Hanna, Douglas Karr, Drew McLellan, Duane Brown, Dustin Jacobsen, Dylan Viner, Ed Brenegar, Ed Cotton, Efrain Mendicuti, Ellen Weber, Emily Reed, Eric Peterson, Eric Nehrlich, Ernie Mosteller, Faris Yakob, Fernanda Romano, Francis Anderson, G. Kofi Annan, Gareth Kay, Gary Cohen, Gaurav Mishra, Gavin Heaton, Geert Desager, George Jenkins, G.L. Hoffman, Gianandrea Facchini, Gordon Whitehead, Graham Hill, Greg Verdino, Gretel Going & Kathryn Fleming, Hillel Cooperman, Hugh Weber, J. Erik Potter, J.C. Hutchins, James Gordon-Macintosh, Jamey Shiels, Jasmin Tragas, Jason Oke, Jay Ehret, Jeanne Dininni, Jeff De Cagna, Jeff Gwynne, Jeff Noble, Jeff Wallace, Jennifer Warwick, Jenny Meade, Jeremy Fuksa, Jeremy Heilpern, Jeremy Middleton, Jeroen Verkroost, Jessica Hagy, Joanna Young, Joe Pulizzi, Joe Talbott, John Herrington, John Jantsch, John Moore, John Rosen, John Todor, Jon Burg, Jon Swanson, Jonathan Trenn, Jordan Behan, Julie Fleischer, Justin Flowers, Justin Foster, Karl Turley, Kate Trgovac, Katie Chatfield, Katie Konrath, Kenny Lauer, Keri Willenborg, Kevin Jessop, Kris Hoet, Krishna De, Kristin Gorski, Laura Fitton, Laurence Helene Borei, Lewis Green, Lois Kelly, Lori Magno, Louise Barnes-Johnston, Louise Mangan, Louise Manning, Luc Debaisieux, Marcus Brown, Mario Vellandi, Mark Blair, Mark Earls, Mark Goren, Mark Hancock, Mark Lewis, Mark McGuinness, Mark McSpadden, Matt Dickman, Matt J. McDonald, Matt Moore, Michael Hawkins, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Michelle Lamar, Mike Arauz, Mike McAllen, Mike Sansone, Mitch Joel, Monica Wright, Nathan Gilliatt, Nathan Snell, Neil Perkin, Nettie Hartsock, Nick Rice, Oleksandr Skorokhod, Ozgur Alaz, Paul Chaney, Paul Hebert, Paul Isakson, Paul Marobella, Paul McEnany, Paul Tedesco, Paul Williams, Pet Campbell, Pete Deutschman, Peter Corbett, Phil Gerbyshak, Phil Lewis, Phil Soden, Piet Wulleman, Rachel Steiner, Sreeraj Menon, Reginald Adkins, Richard Huntington, Rishi Desai, Beeker Northam, Rob Mortimer, Robert Hruzek, Roberta Rosenberg, Robyn McMaster, Roger von Oech, Rohit Bhargava, Ron Shevlin, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Karpeles, Ryan Rasmussen, Sam Huleatt, Sandy Renshaw, Scott Goodson, Scott Monty, Scott Townsend, Scott White, Sean Howard, Sean Scott, Seni Thomas, Seth Gaffney, Shama Hyder, Sheila Scarborough, Sheryl Steadman, Simon Payn, Sonia Simone, Spike Jones, Stanley Johnson, Stephen Collins, Stephen Cribbett, Stephen Landau, Stephen Smith, Steve Bannister, Steve Hardy, Steve Portigal, Steve Roesler, Steven Verbruggen, Steve Woodruff, Sue Edworthy, Susan Bird< /a>, Susan Gunelius , Susan Heywood , Tammy Lenski , Terrell Meek , Thomas Clifford , Thomas Knoll , Tiffany Kenyon , Tim Brunelle , Tim Buesing , Tim Connor , Tim Jackson , Tim Longhurst , Tim Mannveille , Tim Tyler , Timothy Johnson , Tinu Abayomi-Paul , Toby Bloomberg , Todd Andrlik , Troy Rutter , Troy Worman , Uwe Hook , Valeria Maltoni , Vandana Ahuja , Vanessa DiMauro , Veronique Rabuteau , Wayne Buckhanan , William Azaroff , Yves Van Landeghem

Behold….the authors of Age of Conversation: Why Don’t People Get It?

We’ll keep you up-to-date on the book’s progress as we move from defining the theme to the actual writing/editing of the book’s contents. In the meantime…join me in cheering for and thanking these fantastic authors, marketing professionals and business bloggers as they take on this collaborative challenge.

Both Gavin and I are thrilled at both the high percentage of returning authors and the terrific additions to the ’08 edition. Many, many thanks to you all for sharing your insights and talents!

Anticipation — a good marketing technique?

March 22, 2008

Carly Simon and Heinz ketchup made anticipation very popular in the 70’s. Talk about stickiness of an ad. I’ll bet that most of us who are 35+ who hear that song immediately on the oldies station think of the slow motion footage of the ketchup hitting the burger.

A post I wrote about using the power of anticipation to keep a customer’s enthusiasm up during a long sales/delivery cycle prompted a graduate student to write to me. She’s working on her thesis surrounding the topic of the blend of anticipation and marketing and wanted to talk about some real world examples.

We talked Disney and Apple (the iPhone launch and some of their other long lead time announcements) as well as some others.

So, now I am reaching out to you, on the student’s behalf.

Besides Disney and Apple, what companies do you think use a sense of anticipation in their marketing efforts? Can you give us some specific examples? It doesn’t have to be consumer or traditional advertising — it could be B to B, web-based, etc.

Did Dilbert write your mission statement?

March 21, 2008

See how familiar this sounds:

"At XYZ Corporation, we work with integrity to deliver value driven solutions that propel our clients to their ultimate success. We do this with a spirit of fairness, teamwork and recognizing that the XYZ family is our greatest resource."

Blech. Lots of words. Very little meaning.

Mission statements. What is it about them that is so difficult for most companies? For every good one out there, there are 100 that make you just scratch your head.

My most recent post at Marketing Profs Daily Fix explores the struggle that many companies have with creating a mission statement that actually says something meaningful about their organization. Come join us in the conversation.

Or….feel free to go the Dilbert route — this is worth a laugh or two.

HEY! Give me your attention!

March 20, 2008

We’ve talked about how difficult it is to break through the clutter and actually get someone’s attention. Sometimes it’s easier to understand when you see it. Invest the 30 seconds and watch.

You’ll be thinking about that all day, eh?

Hat tip to Seth for sharing this.

Are you making a marketing mistake that could cost your business thousands of dollars a month?

March 17, 2008

Pretty compelling, isn’t it?

Questions have a unique power. They open our minds. Even if we don’t really want them to be opened. Humans are naturally curious.

When someone asks us a question, even one that doesn’t really matter to us – we have to wonder. We can’t help ourselves.

If I ask you what was the name of the ad agency that employed Darrin on the TV show Bewitched, most of you aren’t going to remember. Everyone will wonder for a few seconds. (Some of the younger readers may wonder what the heck is Bewitched!) Some will dismiss it. Others will ask around. Some will even research it on the internet.

All for a trivia question about a 60’s TV show. Knowing the answer to that question won’t make you any money, save you time or impress your friends. Yet, you’ll wonder. At least a little.

That’s the secret of asking questions. You can use questions to create demand. To stimulate doubt. To intrigue. Or to inspire. Questions invite your audience into the conversation.

Sometime this week, ask yourself this. How could you use questions more effectively in your marketing efforts?

Remind your customers why they chose you

March 17, 2008

I recently received this e-mail from my credit card front man — United. I originally chose this card over the others because of the perks tied to it. But over time, I’d forgotten most of them and certainly wasn’t taking advantage of them.

This e-mail reinforced my buying decision. It reminded me of some benefits that I had not really explored or used on a regular basis. And, it squelched any thoughts I had about making a switch.

When was the last time you gently reminded your clients about all the value you provide for them? Do they really know how good they’ve got it? Are they not using services or products that would make them even more loyal to you? Should you nudge them a little?

Remember, just because you told them once (or twice) doesn’t mean they remember. How could you tastefully check in to see if they need a little reminder?

Do the numbers have it?

March 14, 2008

Numbers can be a compelling sales motivator. No matter what we’re buying, as consumers we like to see some data.

It validates our choice and either helps us feel like part of the crowd –"4 out of 5 dentists recommend Trident" or in an elite group of special customers — "only one in every 2,000 applicants will be invited to join."

But use them with caution because numbers alone don’t convince most people to actually buy. They need something else. They need the story.

When we show consumers a bunch of number or a comparison chart – they see the data but they don’t always see the relevance to their life or needs. But when your marketing materials tell a memorable story and put the numbers into a rich context, your potential buyer understands why the numbers matter.

When you wrap the numbers into a testimonial or a before and after story, you’re bringing whatever you sell to life. You tap into the emotional needs or wants of your potential consumer by helping them envision just how your product or service will help them. You paint a picture that makes them want what you’re selling. Then, the numbers validate their desire. It turns a want into a smart buying decision. You have now appealed to both sides of the buyers’ brains. And both sides can see, in the way it processes information best, the value of your product/service.

Next time you’re writing copy for any of your marketing materials, make sure you blend the power of numbers with some good old-fashioned storytelling.

WowOwow! And I really mean it.

March 9, 2008

Look at this list of women. Do your best not to say WOW at least once.

Lesley Stahl, Peggy Noonan, Liz Smith, Joni Evans, Mary Wells, Sheila Nevins, Joan Juliet Buck, Whoopi Goldberg, Julia Reed, Joan Ganz Cooney, Judith Martin, Candice Bergen, Lily Tomlin, Jane Wagner, and Marlo Thomas.

I know…can’t be done. Go ahead. Give yourself permission. Wow.

That is a power-packed list. Women who have incredible influence in many different fields. Apparently, they’ve been friends for some time and as they say:

"And for years we have been talking to each other about everything under the sun – our families, our work, our worlds. No matter what was happening in our lives, we made the time. We’ve shared what we think, observe and experience each day.

And now we want to share it with you."

The call it a conversation on the internet. I call it a blog. But….in very short order, we’re going to call it a force. Their question of the day for yesterday was….which 4 women would you like to see on Mt. Rushmore. 70+ comments.

Umm, that was on the day of their launch, International Women’s Day. Imagine how popular they’ll be in a week!

Hats off to these ladies, their fascinating conversations and their wisdom in inviting us to join in.

So here’s what I am wondering. How will this site and these women influence the blogosphere, the media, advertisers or public perception?

Nothing matters more than selling

March 9, 2008

Or so says Michael Masterson. In his new book, Ready, Fire, Aim: From Zero to $100 Million in No Time Flat" he says:

"Nothing matters more than selling. Many first-time entrepreneurs have the impression that they are doing things in a logical order when they look for the perfect office space, have logos designed, and order a lot of inventory. The reality is they are wasting valuable resources on secondary and tertiary endeavors. If no one is going to buy what you want to sell, you’ve just wasted a bunch of money on a business that will never be."

Masterson’s book identifies four stages of a business (infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood) and points out the unique characteristics of each – with its own unique problems, challenges and opportunities. He asserts that with the information in Ready, Fire, Aim, any investor, business owner, or employee can recognize these stages and see how to move their business to the next level.

The book includes the three-step process that entrepreneurs should (but often don’t) follow in order to build a successful business.
Step one: Get the product ready enough to sell, but don’t worry about perfecting it. (Ready)
Step two: Sell it. (Fire)
Step three: If it sells, make it better. (Aim)

Masterson also takes on some of the biggest myths about starting and growing businesses, providing in-depth insights and expert advice based on his real-life experience growing dozens of multi-million dollar businesses over the past two decades.

The author introduction makes a bold promise:

"If you don’t have your own business but are thinking of starting one, this book is for you. If you have a new business but can’t get it to grow, you’ll know how after you read this. If your business is already pretty large but has hit a plateau, don’t worry. There are answers here for you. If your business is great but you are working too much, you can breathe easy. You are reading the right book. The answers are here."

While it may not be quite that cut and dried…I found the book to be very thought-provoking and practical. As you know, I don’t enjoy business books that don’t help me actually apply what I am reading and learning. I found myself asking some tough questions about my own business as I was reading. I spotted some definite areas that could use some tweaking and will start to do a few things differently as a result.

My own valuation of a book is….did I learn something I can apply that will improve my business in a tangible and significant way? If so, the book was well worth the 2 hours I invested.

This book was well worth the two hours. I think you’ll agree.

Blogger Social — here we come!

March 8, 2008

Who’s attending the BIG event?

We have "Socialites" (marketing bloggers) traveling from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Italy, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, East Coast, MidWest, West Coast, Down South and Up North…and many more places all over this amazingly connected and shrinking world.

People from 8 countries and 20 different states within the US are going to descend onto NYC like a swarm of shouting, hugging and laughing communicators who are going to pack more fun and memories into 48 hours than anyone can imagine!

(just click on the graphic above to view it at full size)

We are proud to be hosting the following brainy, and beautiful!, Socialites featured in the below video…links to all the blogs of our Socialites available here.

(Special thanks to Mark Goren for creating the collage and video.) Want to see what we’re going to do all weekend? Check out our Event Guide. That’s located right here.

Want to get a feel for the energy and excitement (not to mention the beautiful faces) of the weekend? Take a couple minutes and watch this video.

Want to join us? Mark your calendar for next year because believe it or not…Blogger Social ’08 is sold out, standing room only! Many thanks to the brave souls who stuck their neck and and said "if CK and Drew are throwing a party….I want to be there."

We cannot wait to see you!

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