creatorbase

Shame on moi.

I appreciate French culture, language and the people and have fond memories from a trip to Paris in the 90s. The word "moi" is an informal way of saying "me" in French but it will also represent an acronym for a new point of view that I'm going to keep in mind going forward: meaningful online investments

It occurred to me last week that I missed a planned January blog post on creatorbase.com. It's not that I didn't have content or ideas in mind, or that I wasn't online and able to make a post. I spend a lot of time using the Web (via laptop and mobile) for work, family, friends and personal interests -- but I simply prioritized other things over thinking about and creating a meaningful post last month. I also know there is no turning back time and creatorbase will forever be absent of a January 2010 post; a hole in the archive. 

To be clear, a hole in the archive is not an issue for me or anyone reading or sharing creatorbase. The key here is that blogging, social media and time online, in general, has become a very important component of an investment strategy for living. What's the take-away here? I'm committed to meaningful online investments that help others and are sometimes meaningful to me. The reality is I won't always get it right for others and that's okay.

Alexis Ohanian at TED on "losing control"

In this November 2009 TED talk, Alexis Ohanian of Reddit describes how losing control on the Internet can be a very good thing for individuals, businesses, nature, society, etc. I think you'll agree that his passion for the topic and youthful delivery is a bit infectious. And in true Twitter-form, Alexis is brief and to the point.

Is there a lesson here for 2010? Perhaps a resolution-nugget? Hint, letting go and not being afraid of the unknown can pay dividends.

Email, social and mobile...

The online marketing space has evolved, and social media and mobile channels present the opportunity for more personal engagement to exist between people and brands. Businesses and marketers need to think beyond a batch-and-blast email marketing mentality to a well choreographed and integrated approach that is in sync with target audiences. 

Social media and mobile channels combined with email marketing can help fuel this shift, enhance engagement, grow customer opt-in lists, and maximize audience touch points. Yet, as noted by Forrester’s David Daniels, “not enough email marketers are integrating proven channels, such as social into their email marketing campaigns.” Likewise, Altimeter Group’s Jeremiah Owyang recently discussed on his blog why he believes that email marketers can no longer avoid integrating social tools. Continue with the post...

Think like a tribal leader to create change.

Seth Godin argues, with a sense of humor and insight that only he can deliver, the Internet has ended mass marketing and revived a human social unit from the distant past: tribes. Founded on shared ideas and values, tribes give ordinary people the power to lead and make big changes. Successful (tribal) leaders today tell meaningful stories, connect people, lead a movement and create change.

I read Seth's book "Tribes" last year during a memorable trip to Tennessee for Thanksgiving with our extended family. This video recorded at TED in February 2009 is a fantastic summary of the book and Seth's ideas on how to lead today... 

Are you leading a tribe? If so, please share your thoughts, ideas and links so others can learn from your experiences.

Does social media create ROI for businesses?

You bet! And I'm counting on this fact, and some factoids from this video and 2009 results at Lyris, for an upcoming presentation. I lead our community practice at Lyris and social media is right smack in the middle of an infusion that includes customer engagement, thought leadership, traditional media, community intelligence, mobility, response management, and brand-building activities and investments. Of course -- analytics, communications, innovation and teaming are required behind the scenes to successfully bring it all together.

If you're having trouble selling social media and networking strategies and programs to your boss or leadership because of a perception that it's difficult to create and measure ROI, watch this video for some ideas and proof points; share with others too...

  

Enjoying time with Lyris customers.

If you have been following my business and marketing-related posts on this blog and Twitter, it's likely you have noticed a few mentions of Lyris and Lyris HQ. With transparency and new FTC rules in mind in terms of disclosure and endorsements, I am a Lyris executive and really enjoy spending time with our customers (marketing peers). Why? Because it's a great way to learn about their needs and stories, get to know them personally, help them reach and serve their customers, and collaborate with them on thought leadership for the global marketing community at large. 

I'm enjoying time with our customers, on social media and in-person, and happy to communicate about them and how teams at Lyris are helping customers be more successful. This recent post and video from Jeff Bezos of Amazon provides some insight into why focusing on customers is fundamental to success; and fun too.

Also, here's a new video that was recorded yesterday at ad:tech NY with Joe Harrell, Director of Marketing and Product Management from the Alliance for the Arts. We're talking about tri-messaging and what this means for Joe's community and members:

Note: This video with Joe Harrell from Alliance for the Arts was recorded at ad:tech NY by David Spark and sponsored by Lyris. Mr. Harrell was not paid by Lyris for his comments.

What leads to success?

I sometimes ask myself this question. Fortunate for us, a high school student met Richard St. John on an airplane and was curious about this too. Richard had an idea -- ask the same question to hundreds of successful people who participate at TED, and here is what he came up with. A little over 3 minutes of video and 8 words of wisdom. FYI, the video is from 2005 (and not new to the social web) but I think the tips and humor are timeless. Do share with others.

Tim Brown of IDEO: Apply Design Thinking for Today's Questions

IDEO and Tim Brown are institutions in the world of design and innovation. I say this with much respect and admiration for the Palo Alto, CA based design firm and well-traveled designer. Tim Brown's recent presentation at TED 2009 in the UK is a good, 16 minute overview of how and why to apply "design thinking" for today's tough challenges. Yes, and for those questions that need a creative approach and mindset:

 

Truth be told, I interviewed at IDEO in 1998 during the same period I was interviewing at Sun Microsystems. To this day, the two rounds of IDEO interviews were the most unusual and stimulating I have ever experienced. The questions they asked seemed odd to me at the time. Years later, I realized they were applying a form of design thinking during the interview process -- probing not only to see if I was qualified for the job but also to determine if we were a good fit for their unique culture. 

Long story short, Sun offered me a solid marketing position and salary that I decided to accept. The decision was made because Sun was a more recognizable brand, a technology leader that seemed right given my career path, and the offer was better than the compensation range that IDEO was discussing. More honesty: To this day, I wonder if I made the right decision by going with Sun. No regrets, though. 

Funny thing is I was so impressed with IDEO in general (and my interview experience) that I eventually hired them for an "eBusiness Innovation @Sun" consulting project, including Tim Brown and Tom Kelley; one of the Kelley brothers who actually interviewed me years earlier. I will always remember the thrill I experienced during our one day workshop in San Francisco with a diverse team of Sun and IDEO talent; I want more of that creator juice and experience.

I'm a fan of IDEO because they continue to lead in their industry, they impressed me with their work while at Sun, and I continue to find their ideas, practices and thought leadership timeless and highly useful. So it goes without saying that I will apply their design thinking in a new, creative project I'm leading now with a diverse and talented team at Lyris. More on this another day.

Dan Pink at TED 2009: Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose Matters

Dan Pink has a colorful background and it has nothing to do with his last name. His diverse work experience, research, writing, and point of view about creativity and 21st century business is refreshing and not to be ignored. He's also an entertaining speaker for people who are interested in contemporary business and social issues.

Dan and I chatted in 2004 when I was building Creator Connection, an online community for creative people and independent professionals. At the time, he was writing a new book called A Whole New Mind and I was hopeful that Creator Connection would be referenced in the book; it didn't happen. No worries because I read the book when it was published months later and learned a few things about how the world is moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age -- a world where art, creativity and innovative teams play new roles in the workplace.

I've been following Dan's writing over the years and was happy to come across this passionate discussion recorded at TED in July 2009. The video clip is just over 18 minutes long and I think it's worth a listen if you're a business, marketing or technology leader looking for an edge. Hint, autonomy, mastery and purpose are business ideas worth spreading:

Growth is Good

Recessions are a good time to grow. People can be more focused, alignment can be easier to achieve, urgency is typically in the air, and teams that innovate and collaborate well are often rewarded with competitive advantage and increased market share. Lyris recently announced its merger with Facultas in the UK; a partner of five years.

Read more about this news on ClickZ.com and why our growth in Europe is good for business, customers and the marketing community at large.