Bring Up The Past, Or Move Forward?

Almost every time I write, I have opportunities to mention past blog posts, past tweets, questions...whatever it may be. Sometimes I do, most times I d not.

Why is that?

I'm really not sure. But I think I have a good idea...

Have you ever seen a current advertisement mention one from the past? It happens very rarely, mostly because companies always want to move forward. When it does happen, it is always a company referencing or bringing back a great moment in their history.

Nobody wants to be reminded of what they did in the past that wasn't up to par, no matter who they are, no matter what they've done.

On the other hand, showing off your past let's people see that what you do has gotten better...or IF it's gotten better. It may open someone up to something they didn't know.

Is that worth the risk? What do you think?





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Business as usual? Nope.

Another Sunday at work. It's business as usual for the company I work for. Customers come in and out, just like they do every day. When you find something that works, why not stick with it?

It's a good thing that I am not my company. Not for any bad reasons, I've just noticed a few things that don't work around here. I meant what I said the other day, things are changing around here, and I want you all to come along with me. Business as usual often leads to complacency and taking things for granted. That's not me. Not to say that business as usual is a bad thing, because sometimes it works very well, it's just not for me personally when it comes to marketing, social media, etc.

I'm not 100% sure exactly how many changes are going to happen, or in what order...but they are happening. I'll ask again, any tips, stories or any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks for reading and taking my voyage with me...


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Change is scary. Change is inspirational.

Change is feared. At the same time, change is welcomed, anticipated, even sought after. How can something inspire feelings from all over the map? Change comes in about as many forms as emotions or thoughts it inspires. I don't think there is anything that evokes as varied a response as change.

I've gone through many changes in life...as has just about everyone. I have been lucky in that most if not all of the changes I have been through were positive in the end. Not everyone is that fortunate. However, I would have to say that with the exception of getting married and buying a house, my changes have been fairly tame. I've never really had to stick my neck out before. That is both good and bad, safety is nice, but a good failure now and again is good for the soul.

I've seen many people around me, new friends and old go through some inspiring changes and I have come to think, why not me?

Why not me? I don't fear change...I do have a healthy respect for it. But still, why not me?

To quote Owen Hart "enough is enough, and it's time for some change!"

Wanna come along and see what I do? I'd love to have you.

What are some of your changes, and what feelings did/do they inspire?

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Twitter & Blogging - A Self Perpetuating Circle?

Little guy starts a blog and a Twitter account. Little guy follows the big guys (yes, girls too. Using guys is easier to write.). Little guy sees big guys doing their thing, and knows he is not yet there. Little guy asks questions of everyone, big, little, whomever. Little guy not big guy, so many big guys aren't following him back or reading his blog. Little guy can't get advice from big guy because he isn't big guy. Little guy stuck, because to be big guy you need advice from big guy. Big guy generally only helps out fellow big guys, leaving little guy on the outside, trying to climb a mountain he can't climb by himself.


Seem like an absurd story? It happens everyday, and not just online. You know that guy in your office trying everything he can to get ahead, but he can't catch a break? Little guy. The guy from math class that can't get it right but the teacher won't help him? Little guy.

If there's nobody behind you pushing you, ready to take over for you when you're done, where is he? He's the little guy, and he's been stuck with the other little guys using little guy advice on how to be a big guy.

Do you want your hard work to be useless once you're gone because you didn't help get people ready to take your place? I hope not.

Be nice to the little guy. He just wants to be like you. You were there once, someone helped you. What's stopping you from doing the same?



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Why My Blog Reminds Me Of Spam

I suppose that's not the greatest title for a blog post, but it's true. My blog reminds me of spam.

It doesn't seem to get to the right target, it's all over the place contentwise, and post tend to come in bunches, much like spam does.

I promise you, my loyal (I figure if you read THIS post especially, you're a loyal reader) readers, that I will be fine tuning things around here quite a bit in the coming days and weeks and so on.

The only thing that makes this blog NOT like spam, is that you all know where the posts are coming from, and I am actually a real person who's not trying to sell you anything. I don't have a product or service for sale - I just voice my opinions.

Thanks for reading.

Are Blog Comments Really Comments?

Blogging: You Need To Pay Attention To Your Comments

The above is an interesting blog entry by Ron Miller on the site Social Media 101. Yes, those are my comments left on the entry - I like to leave comments there, because Ron, Julie and the other writers use the comment section to interact with their readers.

This brings me to my titular question. My answer is yes....and no. One blog comment left alone is simply that, a comment. But one blog comment answered by someone else, and seen by dozens (or more) of others can start a conversation, whether it be in the comments section, or via email, or even offline conversation (hey, it could happen)

Yet there are many blogs, both famous and unknown that do not have comment sections. Seth Godin, for instance, has no comment area on his blog, and hasn't since about 2006. I'm sure there are many reasons to why, but I cannot leave him a comment or message to find out about it, because he has no comments. He knows that people will talk about him regardless of the ability to leave a useful, or more than likely a useless snarky comment. He's not controversial, he's not anything really all that special - but he knows how to get people to talk, without having to do much. He wants people talking ABOUT him, he doesnt wan't to talk WITH them.

Some others prefer to use email, or ask you to use Twitter to contact them to leave your comments. That's cool, because you know that it is at least seen, rather than just approved by a random computer program that goes off when comments are made on a website. It's also a great use of social media...well, not so much the email part, but its still neat. But that limits social media, simply because the responses are either individual, or are lost in the mad shuffle of a heavily followed/follower count Twitter account.

I must admit, I've considered turning off comments several times. I love hearing what people have to say about anything I've written, and to constantly stare at the zeros gets daunting after a while. But then someone comes along and leaves me a comment and 99% of the time, it is a useful comment, whether it be critical, appreciative, or what have you. Could I still have that interaction without a comment section? I have no idea...that's why I keep it up.

For an example of how comment sections can take off and spur conversation, go back to LiveJournal (yes, they're still around, and you know you have an account, don't lie) and look at many of the communities, or even some of the individual journals. Many of those have entire conversations carried out in the comment threads, and many of the branch out into completely different topics. Will it happen every time? Shit, no. Can you predict when? Well, kinda, I guess if you know your readers well enough, but more than likely you have no idea that the post you are about to make about what happened at work today will turn into a discussion about what frog looks the coolest or something.

Are blog comments really comments? Literally, yes. But we all know how wrong literal translation can be.

What do you think?

Thanks for reading!!