There are people on Twitter who occasionally take a break from the madness and go silent for a bit. These people do so, in my opinion, to clear their minds and their days from the constant pull of messages that flow in front of them. This conveyor belt of information isn’t that hard to ignore, or is it?
I decided to take a day – a day where I had a bunch of deadlines – and slip away from Twitter for a while. I still created tweet-length missives, but I saved them all in a text file (they’re pasted below) instead of putting them out in the ether.
The two folks that come to mind when I think of Twitter hater, unfollowers (who then follow Twitter again) are Ari Herzog and Robert Scoble.
Ari went away and then came back and then went away and then came back. In the midst of all this he unfollowed everyone and then refollowed some folks. He has reasons and rhymes for all his moves. See those at his blog.
Enough blathering. here’s what I would have said had I been on Twitter today. I’ll be back on tonight in case you missed me.
Today’s the experiment day. Gonna collect my tweets in a .pages document and then post them all as a blog entry. Feel free to comment.
Why do so many shampoo manufacturers make paper labels to go on their product? Heads-up, these bottles are in a wet, paper-destroying environment.
Wearing my Breckenridge t-shirt today. Maybe people will think I’m from Colorado and ask me questions about the wild west.
Already got one comment on my announcement (of this experiment) @chucktanowitz wanted to know why. I say it’s good blog fodder and will keep me focused on work today.
@gradontripp This is amazing. I have had to remain vigilant not to open up Tweetdeck, Seismic, Tweetie or Twitter.
Worried about the #meatcats. @clownface3 hurt her back and can’t save them from danger, and I’m headed to Panera to do some work – might even chance Barnes & Noble cc: @chrisbrogan
Cooking waffles for breakfast. Not sure if I can Tumble my food today as I’m off of Twitter. Guess I’ll take photos and post them tomorrow. #wwjce
Cats are back in. I’m off to the satellite office. NOT THE Satellite Office, but Panera in Hingham.
@jetblue – we have a team of people from Boston going to SXSW in March. We’re all on the same flight on 3/12. We’d LOVE some drink tickets if you have any around. Thx!
Nearly freaked out when I realized March is MADNESS for me. 4th I’m in Wichita. 9th I’m in Chicago. 12-16 I’m in Austin. 26-27 I’m in Saratoga. Yikers. How do people like @peterkim @adamcohen and @schneidermike do it?
One project wrapped up. Now on to a couple others. Trying to breathe. Glad it’s not scooter weather yet. Would be major-league distracted.
My favorite blog right now is Tyson Goodridge’s – http://enterdialogue.com – it’s awesome when it comes to distilling intelligence. Good work!
Just cooked some Pot Stickers and was reprimanded by one of the people who lives in the house. She pointed out that the Pot Stickers were going to be part of dinner. It’s now 3:24 and we’re Pot Sticker destitute.
Now gobbling pretzels and waking up @clownface3 – She’s asked me to be quieter in my consumption. I told her that I was getting a fist for punching.* (see The Office)
Projects 62% done. VERY happy so far. Now on to some audio editing for a client. The fun doesn’t stop.
Seems like airlines are getting slammed on Twitter. First Southwest and now United. Sounds like some companies need to listen.
Just looked at @bostonmarketer and realized she’s about 1000 followers ahead of me. She deserves more. Great content and winning smile all the time.
Got any experiments you’re doing with Social Media? Share them in the comments!
Today, Steve Garfield was on CBS Backstage being interviewed about video blogging and his new book, Get Seen. Here are some screen shots from the event. And I believe Steve has the interview archived on his site.
Last night was #nogup2. An event that had its roots in an impromptu suggestion from Christine Major and Amy Greenlaw in late 2008.
Back then, both women were excited (and still are) about their connection with the Boston social media scene. Although they live in the desolate, far reaches of New Hampshire…tickling the Canadian border and perhaps the Arctic Circle, they asked if somebody would host/organize an eggnog-themed Tweetup.
See all the amazing photos by searching the Web for #nogup and #nogup2. And you can see Derek’s photos of the event HERE.
If you’re unaware of the word Tweetup, it’s essentially a party/meeting/gathering that takes place practically anywhere and for any reason and is organized using the social media tool Twitter – among other communication devices.
Well, the original #nogup took place at Tommy Doyle’s in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA. The attendees numbered ten (if you count @robertcollins who was lost somewhere on the chilly metro-Boston street and @clownface3 who suggested that we stop worrying about Bob and put our iPhones down long enough to enjoy some Nog).
As reminiscence breeds affection, Christine asked me this year if I thought another Nog-up was in order. I contemplated how tough it would be to get ten people together at a bar in the middle of winter and jumped at the opportunity. Holy cow, holy night, unsilent night!
What transpired was memorable, fun and actually charitable. Here are some of the things I recall from last night’s #nogup2 (a list of attendees can be found below that and you can see the invitation and charity details at Eventbrite). Further, if you were there and have some details I missed while I was singing “Pour Some Eggnog on Me” or digging into a massive bowl of Shepherd’s Pie, add them in the comments. Thanks!
The bar staff ran out to buy eggnog at the local Trader Joe’s when they realized I was serious that 75 people were expected.
Steve Garfield gave out copies of his book…………….cover on little cards to those in attendance early. (Get Seen is coming out soon and is available for pre-order on Amazon)
Christine, Kelley, Josh and others sang in front of other noggers – Karaoke is DANGEROUS.
The 50/50 raffle, the book donation bin and the gift cards – all done for Room to Grow – were magnificently successful.
The Yankee Swap was a little less successful and was called ‘Poopy’ by one attendee. I immediately blamed the economy, the patrons in the Asgard who were not at #nogup2 and the deceptively cuddly badger – which looks really cute on Animal Planet but is really mean.
Trooper Gradon Tripp who had to put up with me from noon until 10PM as he attended NomX3 at Bar10 and then kicked off the #nogup with Mike Langford and myself at 4:30 (start time wasn’t until 5:40).
People put everything from Baileys to rum to Amaretto in their eggnog – and because we did this year’s Nog-up in the traditional low-key manner (no name badges and no sign-in list) it was a great way to identify who was there for noggin’.
Derek Peplau won the evening’s Susan Boyle award when he belted out 99 Red Balloons in German, IN TUNE and with amazing spirit. He thanked the academy and announce that he was soon appearing on Dancing with the Stars – his other great love.
Others on stage – namely me – were less able to carry a tune, follow lyrics on a screen or even remember the phrase ‘Pour some eggnog on me’. Were it not for backup singers @pistachio @ellenrossano @stales, I would have been booed off the Karaoke stage faster than @eric_andersen checks into Foursquare.
Rich Sands – for turning a four-hour flight from New York to Boston into a cameo at the Nog-up. Great to see him.
And also, a hearty smile to both Bob Collins and Gretchen who are now considered Nog-up vets.
Shwen popped in for a moment – great to see him.
There was even a Dmitri Gunn sighting, another friendly face.
Finally, the holiday fairies delivered a burst of snow that made Cambridge resemble a winter wonderland for a brief moment on a chilly December eve.
All-in-all, I want to thank everyone for coming and reinforcing my belief that Boston is the best social media city in the world.
Happy Holidays!
Attendees – or not. As I mentioned, I didn’t sign people in. But these folks signed up to attend and there were many more who showed up without signing up.
This past week was pure insanity in regard to number of obligations on my calendar. Usually the weeks following Thanksgiving slow down a bit and the focus turns to holiday preparation. Not this week.
In a nutshell, I was working part time doing some copywriting and proofreading; I had a marketing communications project due for a client; I was appearing on two radio programs and one podcast; I had a few doctor appointments; my car had been ticketed twice so I was taking care of those; there were a few random Tweetups in town I wanted to attend; I was planning to cover a technology conference; and the Movember Gala was on Thursday night.
Add to that the care and feeding of two cats, the importance of personal relationships and the day-to-day operations of the Bungalow, and you’ve got a week that’s too full for words.
Which brings me to the title of this post. Phases.
Each of us runs into times that cause us to refocus our energy. For me, this week was a wake-up call. I’m feeding content vehicles all over the Web. I have three client projects underway, and I’m attending Social Media events as if my schedule was completely free. That’s about to change.
The next phase of Jeff Cutler – not 2.0, but more intelligent – will feature an enhanced panel and speaking calendar; a diminished social calendar (within the Social Media space); and a focus on client and journalism projects.
It’s not to say I won’t show up at the random Tweetup, but that’s something better left to people who define themselves as Social Media Superstars. Let them ride the T to five events each night in an effort to be everything to everyone. I choose to be the best in my current endeavors.
For most of you, this won’t change what you see on the blog or where you see me. Most of my readers have been smart enough to adopt this method themselves and are discerning when choosing which events to attend and when. I’m just following your lead.
See you at a Tweetup or two, a tech conference, or better still…let’s connect over tea and spend some F2F time together.
While social media is a great way to connect, if we do nothing to move beyond the superficial first hello, then we’re not really moving forward. We’re just running around the city smiling and waving, then moving on to the next fleeting greeting.
I’m choosing to make my presence more significant. And this post marks the start of that phase.
Keep reading!
**Oh, yeah. I’m working on a book too. That’s gonna take up some of my time as well.
It’s not a surprise to anyone that social media professionals are supportive, intelligent and fun people. What might cause you pause is the secret bromances that flourish in this space on a regular basis.
What’s a bromance? It’s the unabashed admiration one man has for another. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve harbored one or two or five bromantic dalliances over the course of my social media career. Here’s a quick look at the who and why of my particular bromances. I’m sure you have your own – please share in the comments.
Oh. If you find yourself on my list don’t be alarmed. My bromances are purely platonic and intellectual. But I wouldn’t mind if you listed me on your broamance list if you felt so inclined.
Chris Brogan – On my list because he’s genuine in his dealings with every human. He’s intuitive and quick-thinking. He also has talent and charm. He also inspires me to write more. Thanks Chris.
Gradon Tripp – While he might be considered by some to be a design geek who should have won the recent makeover contest on Newbury Street, he’s actually a bleeding-heart liberal who does so much for social causes regionally it makes me a little sick. But he’s also a smart, fun and dependable friend. (BTW – Tweetsgiving is coming up – SIGN UP NOW!)
Aaron Strout – He wins on so many counts as a top bromance of mine. He’s a Boston transplant to Austin, TX who still remembers his friends back home. Beyond that, he remembers and even honors those of us who were just peripheral friends a year or so ago. Aaron has always been welcoming and entertaining. He’s a fabulous host who treats everyone as a friend. What a great way to be. I admire and commend that attitude.
CC Chapman – Smart, driven, compassionate and insightful. I was listening to one of his podcasts before I met him and was thrilled at the way in which he connected with listeners and shared his life with us. He’s honest in his opinions and dealings and empathetic to an extreme. He’s also a Miami Dolphins fan which probably would have put him on the bromance list even if he were a complete dink.
Mike Schneider – Who is this guy? He’s someone I met within the last year. He’s a freakish human who would give the shirt off his back to ANYONE who needed it. He’s compassionate to a fault, a hard-working beer genius who also knows a bit about human nature and marketing. He’s currently spearheading our Movember efforts and rallying people to come together to fight cancer. He’s just a great guy who was unlucky enough to make my bromance list.
Mike Langford – Founder of Tweetworks, the lesser-known co-host of NomX3 and a sarcastic, fun and brilliant friend. I tease him about how his two boys will grow up to have more hair and probably get more points on Foursquare. But this coffee fiend is dependable, well-spoken, generally cheerful and a pretty good drunken roommate. I’m glad I met him and that we have become friends.
What’s funny to me is that none of these relationships were based on IRL experiences. They were founded and then fostered using tools like Twitter and Plurk and Seesmic and podcasting and unconferences and even an occasional tweetup and lunch. I’ve grinned the whole time while writing this because I really like the people I’m writing about and I love that there will be people who read this that are uncomfortable that a man can genuinely like another man.
Grow up people. I’m not stalking these guys. I just think they epitomize what’s right with our tiny little fishbowl. Real people who offer real opinions and real support to others. If you have people like this in any part of your life, hang onto them. They’re more valuable than a simple blog post can illustrate.
In this season of giving thanks, I give thanks for bromances. What about you?
Woke up on this rainy morning and had an alert from Chris Brogan in my email box. It said he had a new blog post – big surprise – and I immediately read it because it featured poker player Andy Bloch.
I play a little poker and I’m pretty mediocre. I wouldn’t lose a bunch of money, but for a while I was slightly addicted. Not in a bad way…like my Internet addiction (doing email on a rainy Sunday when I could be having breakfast and putting photos of it up on NomX3 or WWJCE)…but I’d play frequently and lose about 52% of the time.
You might look at that figure and think I really stink, but if my math is correct, that means I’m losing about 2% of the time and doing OK the rest of the time. Not horrible at all.
I only got to be that good through the support of a friend of mine. He urged me to watch other players, read books on the game, and to analyze my own strategy.
Chris’ message today is one of support. Of how Andy helped out another player at the table. A big-time poker pro giving someone a little benefit just because he could.
It’s a lesson that if we have the tools at our disposal to help someone – regardless of whether we’ve gotten along in the past or whether our policies/beliefs align – what does it hurt to help out?
To me, this means putting in a good word for someone if you can. Introducing them to smarter people (that’s how we all improve). Going to their events and getting others to go. Making whatever community you’re a part of more cohesive instead of divisive.
Maybe I’m still groggy this morning and it’s making me sentimental.
Or maybe the rain is allowing me to see with clarity that if we don’t do unto others and share our support, friendships and relationships will wash away.
How are you helping support the people in your community?
Last night, Mike Langford and I hosted an event for 150+ people at the Estate in Boston. The event was organized to celebrate the release of Gary Vaynerchuk’s book “Crush It” and to do a live taping of NomX3 and WingmanTV.
In a nutshell, we drank some questionable wine, we taped two television shows, we had some laughs on stage and on the floor, Gary signed about 150 books, we hobnobbed from 6PM to nearly 1AM (afterparties at Silvertone and PF Chang’s), and learned a lot about how far passion can bring you in life.
The evening was a rousing success. Our sponsors made it possible to have Gary V in town and I’d like to thank them again for participating. They are:
If by some circumstance you missed it, here are some of the people who were there – (taken from the eventbrite signup list) – and we’ll have the episode of NomX3 with Gary V up shortly.
If you were there, please leave your comments about the night here on this post.
You hear it almost daily, the urging by others to ‘keep it real’. But what’s that saying mean? Is there some other way to be?
Unfortunately, yes. In an age where there’s immediacy in all our communications and something we share can instantly be viewed and archived by others, there’s a reason to be more deliberate in our words and actions.
It’s simple to offend people just by saying the wrong thing or by typing an innocuous email or sharing a context-free photo. But are these offenses or simple missteps? Back when you wrote a letter or a postcard, or had phones that seldom dropped calls or inserted static at inopportune times, you didn’t have the same misunderstandings.
So, do we blame the lack of perspective and the prevailing hurt feelings on technology? Or is it the result of an ever-increasing pace of life. Or further, is it just softer skins on people who don’t know how to communicate IRL so their social media and online relationships also lack perspective?
I’ve asked a lot of questions here because I’m curious about the drivers of human behavior.
Confused? Am I being too obtuse? Then let’s use a hypothetical…
Bob and Sharon are joking around on the beach. Sharon sees Bob walking past the women’s changing rooms and takes a picture with her phone. Then she adds it to Twitter and shares it with the world – or her 2000 followers – with the caption, “Bob commits a foul by using the girls’ room to change.”
Clearly to Sharon it’s a joke.
Clearly to anyone standing there, it’s a joke.
But Bob goes off the deep end when he find out that Sharon did this horrible thing to his good name. He worries that all of Sharon’s followers and essentially the whole world now believe he would do something as heinous as use the ladies room.
What’s your take?
A. Should Bob pledge to make Sharon’s life miserable every chance he gets because she had fun at Bob’s expense? In a single Tweet? On a single day? Where maybe 10% of Sharon’s followers might see it? Where only the folks following both Bob and Sharon would see the joke?
B. Should Bob let it go and chalk up the experience to Sharon not fully understanding how sensitive Bob was about his image?
C. Should both Bob and Sharon go to remedial social media school to learn how to communicate using the tools of today?
D. Should the event have warranted even these 79 words I’ve used to describe them?
THAT’s what I’m talking about when I wonder if people are being too focused on the way they’re perceived and not focused enough on just being good people.
There are situations like this going on every day and I’ve got one word for the people who are taking themselves so seriously.
Seriously?
Have you run into someone who thinks they’re a bigger deal than they are; or who clearly doesn’t understand how to communicate? Please share those experiences in the comments.
And if you’re out and about tomorrow in Boston and looking for something to do, put this on your tweetup calendar…see Gary Vaynerchuk, Mike Langford, Thomas Edwards and me at the Estate. We’re Wining Dining and Signing. Tickets are still available.
For the next two days I’m at a conference in Foxboro, MA listening to a variety of marketing and PR professionals talk about communication techniques in new media.
The conference will give me a better perspective on how companies are reaching their clients, partners and even competitors. It will probably arm me with some techniques I can use in my social media training. And it will definitely fill my rolodex with some great resources (people) I can turn to with questions when I’m doing future work on technology.
But reading my rambling about how I’m going to improve my professional life via the Inbound Marketing Summit isn’t a lot of fun. What’s better is a bulleted list of pluses and minuses of the event.
So here goes…and feel free to add your own in the comments….
Top Five Things about Inbound Marketing Summit
1. Content. The speakers at the event are smart and for the most part are not caught up in their status. Instead of hearing, “I’m kind of a big deal” 42 times this week, we’re hearing real case studies and about experiences that have made these people successful.
2. Venue. Gillette Stadium, while the home of the Hatriots and perhaps the team I despise most in the world, makes a great place to put on a conference. The sights are great. The sound is good and the facilities are functional. Parking is free and I think we might even get to walk on the field tomorrow.
4. The attendees. The people here to learn are friendly and they’re really here to learn. No naysaying, no griping, just smiling faces. Seriously. You should get to an event with a mix like this as frequently as you can.
5. The timing. Placing a conference in the middle of the week is a major win. Why screw with my weekend or my leisure time? Put your conference on during the week when people are working. This is work. We’re here during the work day. Good choice!
Bottom Two Things about Inbound Marketing Summit
1. Wifi. I can count on one finger – and not my middle finger, although I’m tempted to use it – the number of tech events I’ve gone to in the past year that had adequate, functioning wifi that was seamless for the entire conference, tweetup or party. WHAT THE HECK!!?? We are operating in a field that prides itself on the use of new media tools. Why have I been to 75+ events in 2009 and had reliable Wifi only ONCE? FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL. *Caveat – I bring my own USB modem with me as a backup, but that’s only because I know with certainty that Wifi is going to blow.
2. Toilet paper. Are we back in grade school? The bathrooms on the Fidelity Clubhouse Level feature little squares of paper in a dispenser that won’t allow you to get a proper amount of paper. Just saying, does this little box of frustration make anyone happy when they’re on the can?
That’s it. No other complaints and probably many more high points. How is your conference going?
Recently the amount of requests I’ve had to participate in referral marketing programs has gone through the roof.
From Amazon to Eventbrite to BlueHost to Clancy’s Chips, I’ve been ‘given the opportunity’ to create a unique URL that my friends and business associates can use to set up their own [INSERT book purchase, Web page, domain name, event, frito muchfest or other]. And it’s getting me a little confused.
Aren’t we supposed to be creatures who share good stuff?
The generation of putting one over on the man?
You know, we’re the people who would rush in droves to Lechmere at day 29 to return a microwave, VCR or answering machine because the company was too stupid to change its ‘no-questions-asked’ 30-day return policy.
Now we’re supposed to profit off our community? Where’s the fun in that and who wins?
There’s the rub. If I believe a product is good for someone AND if the referral price they get when they use my name is no different than the one they get by just going online…we all win.
For example, the other day I had a client sign up for site hosting on BlueHost. She got her account for the same amount I paid – I think around $7 a month – and the company still is sending me $65 for having her sign up by using THIS LINK.
That’s crazy.
Does it mean that Web hosting is cheaper than $2 a year? That’s what it comes out to after I get my commission.
What about the Eventbrite deal? I’ll get 35% of the proceeds of any event put on by a group that uses my link – sure, use it. And this 35% continues for an entire year. If I’m right, that’s $.35 a ticket that I get which means Eventbrite can afford to take $.64 per ticket and still remain in business.
Maybe this new way of making recommendations is the new way to stick it to corporate giants. Do you want a good deal? Do you want to also send me some cash while getting a deal? Then go use these links and sign up for some services.
. Here are some screen shots from the event. And I believe Steve has the interview archived on 
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