Seriously, what’s all the hoopla about Old Spice responding to your tweets via YouTube videos?

Groundbreaking? Really? Haven’t you done that?

Oh come now. You’ve probably even responded to people via video and yet you sit here giving Old Spice all the credit. This isn’t brilliance, this is what we’ve come to expect from global brands. This is the monster every early adopter of social media created. This is what we — ahem, you — asked for. We need to get used to it.

What’s the difference? Timing and scale (aka budget).

If Old Spice hadn’t done it, some other company would have done it a month from now. The simple fact is, you didn’t do it first, and I didn’t do it first; and even if you or I had the idea to do it first, neither of us could have pulled it off and grabbed as much media attention because Barney’s Plumbing Service wouldn’t have had the resources or the volume to do so.

The original positioning, strategy, and commercial were much smarter than the fact that they responded to your tweets via video. Actually, I’d go as far as to label the strategy, positioning, and original commercial brilliant.

But why are you making such a big deal about it?

Because Old Spice responded to you. Personally. Individually. And with a wonderful sense of humor that only gobs of money can buy — which, case in point, is a good reminder that social media that goes huge in a short amount of time is far from free, far from cheap.

That Old Spice guy had millions invested in him before he reached your laptop, desktop, or mobile device.

Think about the commercial that created the Old Spice guy — the commercial that actually made him a likable character we wanted to watch again and again (yes, I love that guy, and I want to smell like that guy). Above all, let’s not forget the account planning department that worked on the the positioning that was handed off to a flock of creative folk chomping at the bit to be the ones who created the next Old Spice campaign.

Killer creative? Hell yeah.

Brilliant social media? Nope — smart and first would be more accurate.

What do you think? And while you’re at it, what do you smell like?

I’m on a horse.

It’s crowded out there, and it’s only getting worse: Join us at to this event, join this group, like this thing, donate here, friend this person — you might know them. Egads! (Yea I wrote, “Egads!”)

The more people jump into and become versed on Facebook and twitter, the worse the epidemic will get, and the more invisible everyone will become, creating a phenomenon only a little more appealing than static.

So, how are you feeling about your growing numbers of requests? How are you coping?

Would love to hear about what you’re doing or not doing. Heck, maybe it’s not even affecting you at all. Would love to know if that’s the case too.

Guests are limited to 10, so please RSVP as soon as possible if you’d like to attend.

Choose One

General $10.00 Student $5.00

WHERE: The Conversation Factory
WHEN: Friday, June 18, 2010; 12pm – 1pm
COST: $10 (includes pizza & beverage); Students: $5 PARKING:
Please park at the BrackenChase parking lot adjacent to our building off Eliza Rd.

This week, I want to try something different. Bring $5 and your lunch (or not) and we’ll talk about whatever’s on our collective Social Media mind.

We won’t be serving pizza and we won’t be offering up a formal topic. Hopefully, you’ll have enough faith in the forum and the people — and the fact that we’re never short on passionate conversation — to show up and give it a shot.

Love it? Hate it? Tell me here or tell me Friday, 12-1 at the Conversation Factory.

(Please note: We will not be holding Conversation Friday on June 12, 2010, as I will be out of town.)

After our Thursday evening festivities (yes, you’re invited, click here for details) we’ll be talking about where you need to go from this point forward on the online side of your business.

What needs doing in terms of creating a space for your brand? Do you have a plan? Is it flexible? Where do you want to be 5 years down the line? What are you doing now to help you get there?

Whether you’re just starting a business, or are well on your way, we’ll cover lots of shoulds and shouldn’ts — of course, those will all be open to interpretation and discussion.

Want in? Let me know.

Hope you’ve been well, and hope to see you here.

Guests are limited to 10, so please RSVP as soon as possible if you’d like to attend.

WHERE: The Conversation Factory
WHEN: Friday, May 21, 2010; 12pm – 1pm
COST: $10 (includes pizza & beverage); Students: $5
PARKING: Please park at the BrackenChase parking lot, adjacent to our building off Eliza Rd.

You’re invited to hang out with us at The Conversation Friday on Thursday, May 20, between 5 and 8pm.

If you’re in the neighborhood and want to finish your Thursday here, come on over anytime after 3pm. Use our Wi-Fi, use our conference room, make some calls, play some pinball, whatever. We’ll be here.

Our friends from the Liquor Loft/ Proof, Byron Burroughs and Angela Harding, will be here between 5 and 6pm to kick things off with a tasting of two unique beverages: the cocoa-infused Alchemia Czekoladowa Vodka from Poland, and the coppery blond beer, Bons Vœux, brewed by the La Brasserie Dupont. If you haven’t been to the Liquor Loft, they’re right on Tennessee Street next to the Starbucks.

At 6pm we’ll tap the Stella Artois barrel, uncork the wines, and hang till 8pm. If there’s anything specific you’d like to drink, bring it with you. We’ve got a thirsty fridge.

Hope you can make it over for a little while — or even a few minutes.

Date: Thursday, May 20, 2010
Time: 5-8pm (Doors open at 3pm)
Address/ Map link: 3033 Powell Road
Parking: Please park at the BrackenChase lot adjacent to the Conversation Factory just off Eliza Rd. If you haven’t been here, please see photos below.

Big and special thanks, as always, go to David Hanselman, owner of BrackenChase Home Builders, who’s been a driving, supportive force behind The Conversation Factory, Conversation Fridays, and transplant.

Now’s a great time to check in on what’s working and what isn’t working for you on Facebook, twitter, and any other social networking platform you’re on.

Is it still exciting? Has it lost its luster? Are you finding little pockets of successes or have you found yourself lost in a flood of time management issues?

Let’s chat and help each other get out of the muck; and let’s share some best practices that really feel like they’re working for you.

Hope you’ve been well, and hope to see you here.

Guests are limited to 10, so please RSVP as soon as possible if you’d like to attend.

WHERE: The Conversation Factory
WHEN: Friday, May 14, 2010; 12pm – 1pm
COST: $10 (includes pizza & beverage); Students: $5 PARKING:
Please park at the BrackenChase parking lot adjacent to our building off Eliza Rd.

Here’s the article that sparked the idea for this week’s topic. The quote that did it was: “I don’t want a relationship with my deodorant; I simply want it to work.”

In the post Mr. Derek Walker, “the janitor, secretary and mailroom person for his tiny agency, brown and browner advertising based in Columbia, S.C.” goes on to describe a conversation he had with his teenage son while eating a cheeseburger in their car. He writes: “For me, the consumer, the message is the experience. I don’t need to see commercials about how good the food is. I need to see and hear a message that talks about the experience of eating in your car. Price is not my motivation.”

In this day and age, with all the technology at our fingertips, it’s important to understand the difference between what the consumer expects, and what the consumer doesn’t want out of your brand or your company. Some things should be left to the imagination and experience of your customers.

Want in?

Guests are limited to 10, so please RSVP as soon as possible if you’d like to attend.

WHERE: The Conversation Factory
WHEN: Friday, April 16, 2010; 12pm – 1pm
COST: $10 (includes pizza & beverage); Students: $5
PARKING: Please park at the BrackenChase parking lot here.

This Conversation Friday, we’ll cover the many facets of one incident that evolved over two weeks.

It’s got it all: ugly marketing tactics, tweets, blog posts, a big social media name, and ultimately, a diffused story that never got to critical volume — and rightly so. Most importantly, you’ll see how a social media superstar responds to negativity dished out by a disillusioned fan.

It will be an interesting discussion to say the least, and I’m sure you’ll have plenty to say during our session.

Want in?

Guests are limited to 10, so please RSVP as soon as possible if you’d like to attend.

WHERE: The Conversation Factory
WHEN: Friday, April 16, 2010; 12pm – 1pm
COST: $10 (includes pizza & beverage); Students: $5
PARKING: Please park at the BrackenChase parking lot here.

A few months ago, Chris Brogan wrote Stop humping my leg, a post about a salesperson at a conference who persisted in trying to get Chris to sit through a demo.

Funny enough, last week, I got a call on my cell phone from the 781 area code (Boston area). I didn’t recognize the number so I let it go to voice mail. Turns out it was “Bobby” calling on behalf of Chris Brogan, offering 50% off the registration fee for New Marketing Experience in San Francisco.

It was April 1, so I was expecting a punch line. There was none.

I tweeted about it, but who would believe it? Seems like a lame April Fools attempt. Really lame, actually.

Yesterday, however — just 5 days after the first call — I got a second call from Bobby. This time he upped the ante by offering FREE registration to the event. I tweeted again. One person DMd me: “You’re kidding about telemarketing calls from Chris Brogan, right?”

So what’s the difference between a Chris Brogan’s “Bobby” and the conference leg-humper?

Chris was at a conference. I was in sitting in my living room.

If I’m attending a conference, I expect to be sold; but when I’m sitting in my living room, I expect to be left alone. Doesn’t matter what time it is, or that I actually gave you my number as part of the registration process at a previous event (seriously, Chris was the last person I thought I’d have to worry about phoning me). Additionally:

• The phone calls were totally unnecessary. Chris is ubiquitous. I know this event is happening. I get Chris’ emails. I read his blog. I follow him on twitter. Why not just send me an email offer or a tweet? That’s where our relationship was. If anyone from Chris Brogan is calling on my cell phone, I expect it to be Chris.
• Bobby, the telemarketer, quite literally blew through the script. Impersonal to say the least, and far off the warm, approachable Brogan brand people have come to know, love, and respect.
• The follow-up email read, “I appreciate you taking my call.” I didn’t.
• It also read, “I’m glad that you are interested….” We didn’t talk, and therefore, I didn’t express any interest.

Quite honestly, I’m disillusioned by the whole thing. I hope Chris hasn’t joined the ranks of mortgage companies and financial portfolio review companies and survey companies who intrude on your life, wherever you are. Who knows? Perhaps we’ll see ads in the yellow pages, an infomercial, New Marketing Labs Snuggies.

I hope not, or I think — as he suggested regarding the salesperson at the conference — he’ll risk screwing himself.

Thoughts? Musings? Leave ‘em here. (No calls , please.)

Here are the voice messages Bobby left:
Chris Brogan Goes Telemarketing via Bobby by MichaelCalienes

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FOLLOW-UP EMAIL #1

100 participants, 100 ideas, one big brain storm

SAN FRANCISCO | TUESDAY, APRIL 13

Hi Michael,

Thank you for your time today, I appreciate you taking my call.

I’m glad that you are interested in attending the New Marketing Experience program on April 13th.  The ground rules are simple: we are gathering our industry friends and experts, you bring your One Big Idea,™ and we’ll work together, all in one room and one day, to turn it into a plan.

As I mentioned on the phone we’d really like to have you there, so we are offing you 50% off with Source Code: TMBOB.  For only $99 you’ll have a full day with the experts and your peers and an ebook of everyone’s One Big Idea. Simply click the registration link below and your registration information from last years program and your discount will be automatically generated.

http://register.exgenex.com/gcmregister/gcmregister.asp?C=70000087&M=50001572&h=50228453&SC=TMBOB

Hope you can join us and add your ideas to the mix, and feel free to pass the code TMBOB on to a friend or two.

Thanks again,

Bobby

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FOLLOW-UP EMAIL #2

100 participants, 100 ideas, one big brain storm

SAN FRANCISCO | TUESDAY, APRIL 13

Hi Michael,

I just wanted to let you know that as a past attendee we are now offering you a complimentary registration for the New Marketing Experience in San Francisco on April 13th courtesy of New Marketing Labs.

We’d really like to have you there, so we are offing you a FREE registration with Source Code: TMF45.  For FREE you’ll have a full day with the experts and your peers and an ebook of everyone’s One Big Idea. Simply click the registration link below to take advantage of this special offer.

http://event.nmlevents.com/sf/register.html

Hope you can join us and add your ideas to the mix.

Thanks again,

Bobby

Seattle-based, Gist, has already amassed some serious momentum in the tech space, so we’re fortunate to have their Marketing and Product Managers (Jennifer Pitts and Rob McCann, respectively) Skyping in for Conversation Friday. A few accolades and articles include:

• Gist selected as one of twelve FiReStarter businesses for 2010
• Gist Named Featured Tool by Smart Selling Tools
• Gist a finalist for WTIA “Breakthrough Startup of the Year”
• Announcing the winner of our “Join us at Defrag” contest – Liza Sperling
• Gist Founder & CEO T.A. McCann Named Top Innovator & Entrepreneur by Seattle Business

From my brief interaction with Gist, it’s a super-powerful e-mail contact based hub that updates you with news and information by and about the people you know (the contacts in your inbox), but here’s the official take with Gist CEO T.A. McCann.

I actually joined Gist a few weeks ago and was amazed at how much it “saw” into the web — and what it delivered. Quite honestly, I thought it was a little big-brother-ish, so I deleted my account after a couple of uses. After Conversation Friday veteran and fitness blogger, David Csonka, brought up Gist during our session last week, I invited him to present on it.

Friday afternoon, I announced the  topic on twitter, which prompted Gist’s marketing manager, Jennifer Pitts, to chime in. I invited her to be part of the conversation and she agreed to participate along with product manager, Rob McCann.

So, that’s the story.

Do you want in? We’d love to have you.

Guests are limited to 10, so please RSVP as soon as possible if you’d like to attend.

WHERE: The Conversation Factory
WHEN: Friday, April 9, 2010; 12pm – 1pm
COST: $10 (includes pizza & beverage); Students: $5
PARKING: Please park at the BrackenChase parking lot here.