Servant of Chaos

Five Must-Read Posts from Last Week

How do you tell your business stories? It all starts with words. Or it should. My view is that a great brief, a brilliant project or idea needs to be articulated in words. We need to hear that description, passion and connection from the person at ground zero of ideation. And if you can’t be there in person, then you need to write. This week’s five must-read posts are about this challenge.

1. With limited capacity to draw, I have always relied on language to tell stories, communicate and engage audiences. So no surprise then to see a post called How to Write appearing in this week’s list. Great stuff from David Ogilvy courtesy of Stan Johnson.
2. What do Ogilivy’s words mean in practice? Copywriter, Robert Pirosh, explains eloquently – I like words.
3. And once you have the words, the story and the soul of an idea, how do you apply creativity to strategy to bring it to life? Some great tips from Nien Liu.
4. For someone who doesn’t have time to blog, Paul McEnany sure delivers quality content – great context setting up a series of videos. Listen to the voices and at the way people describe themselves in the great working class vs middle class debate.
5. And speaking of that debate – what happens in the grand showdown between hipster and bogan? Find out in the rise of the cashed up bogan.

Five Must-Read Posts from Last Week

As I surf the web or watch the feeds, links, articles and images scuttle by, often a theme emerges. After all, we are part of a massive, global, connected consciousness. But I often forget that we are all not connected to the same people – or that we have differing levels of focus or interest. But this is precisely why these collection style posts can be useful – to share with those who otherwise missed a tweet, a link or an email.

1. Dave Phillips has distilled the #kony2012 conversation into an an engaging discussion. Some great reflections and provocations here
2. I saw some of the back and forth on Twitter with Mack Collier on the topic of social business – and now he has followed up with more context. He says we need to stop marketing “social business” if we want to start selling it. What do you think?
3. What do CEOs want from their CMOs and the marketing team? It may not be what you think. Try and work a few of these 10 key impacts into your KPIs and see how it changes your role in the business
4. Which channels, accounts and platforms should you use for your social media efforts? And when? Drew McLellan shares the recent updates for the CMO.com’s Social Landscape. Download it – it’s worth its weight in gold
5. Kevin Rothermel shares a great piece on how creativity works. It looks like it might be my new favourite ebook.

Five Must-Read Posts from Last Week

Whether we like it or not, social media is transforming every dimension of our life – at work, at home and with friends. The impact of this has far reaching implications for the way we live, what we value and the way we participate in our society. It is a complicated situation that can be easily ignored. These five must-read posts from last week shed some light on these topics:

1. Kate Carruthers leads out with a discussion on the reputation economy, employees and privacy and suggests that “privacy is truly dead”.
2. Greg Smith, Goldman Sachs executive, dropped a bomb shell, publishing his resignation letter on the New York Times opinion pages. It’s an astounding indictment of business practice that must be read.
3. Organisations need to be able to cope with (and support) their employees who use and engage with social media. Here are the US Army Reserve’s ten rules for social media practitioners. Great stuff.
4. With all this change taking place, it is making us question ourselves – our satisfaction, our happiness and even our position in the order of things. Umair Haque calls it a mid-life crisis. It feels to me closer to a Crisis of Purpose.
5. As we click our way across the internet, we leave footsteps – fingerprints – digital signifiers that indicate our temporal interest or attention. All this information is captured and stored – and can be pieced together and used to “engage” us. But where is the line between relevant and spooky? Valeria Maltoni asks someone who should know.

Five Must-Read Posts from Last Week

It’s been a busy fortnight (I love using that work even if it’s a little archaic these days).

In fact, the first couple of months of the year have flown by – and to be honest, I am feeling a little nostalgic for the time when January was a “slow month” and we could take some time to think and plan before rushing into project action.

But no matter how busy you are, you’ll want to read these gems from last week. There’s only five. It will be your best investment for the week!

1. Stowe Boyd shares this conversation between Fast Company writer, Linda Tischler and  Roger Martin, author of The Design of Business. It’s a great read and plays to the type of thinking I love – Why Companies Need Futurists, Not Analysts.
2. Just because much of social media is free, it doesn’t mean it is cheap. My buddy, Drew McLellan has produced a Social Media Strategy Workbook that you can download for free. But putting your strategy into action will tax your brain.
3. Do we still believe in civic responsibility? Should we? Danielle Chiaverini asks some challenging questions.
4. A lot of times – especially in social media – we talk about “just doing it”. This has appeal for those who have a vested interest in “talkability” – after all, you need a reason to share, right? But Valeria Maltoni asks, what’s the value of thinking in a do culture.
5. The team at Zeus Jones have put together this great presentation that just shares “what’s on our minds at the moment”. I love the simplicity of that concept – and the fact that they are sharing ideas that are bourn out of their work with their clients.

Five Must-Read Posts from Last Week

Some weeks I feel like we are actually swimming in information – people are sharing and resharing information, knowledge and ideas, and in doing so, building the wave of information that threatens to overwhelm our meagre senses.

But if you have a good, strong network of clever people – people that you trust, have expertise and are willing to share it – then it becomes easier to wade through the torrent. It is in the curating of content that the rough diamond of an idea can be polished and revealed as a gem. Hope you enjoy these five jewels!

1. When we think about social recommendation – the way in which curated content impacts an audience, it’s important to think about the way in which you construct your recommendation. Rachel Beaney shares her thoughts on high click rates and social recommendation.
2. By now, I just presume that anyone who is interested in blogging or social media has ProBlogger on their reading list. In case you missed this one – here is a Four-Point Formula for Developing Irresistable Content.
3. And speaking of “content”, Trevor Young shares this infographic on the Content Marketing Explosion. Did you know that 62% of companies outsource their content marketing? That’s big business.
4. Olivier Blanchard reminds us of 10 things we still need to know about social media / social business. We should probably write this on the wall in front of us.
5. Now that we are well and truly into the swing of 2012, Drew McLellan shares five things that will derail your marketing in 2012. Watch out!

Five Must-Read Posts from Last Week

Sometimes the week takes off without us holding tightly. So that makes it already Tuesday where I live – and I’m yet to catch up with my long list of Monday to-do items. And I am sure I am not alone, right?

I hope that these five great posts from last week help you catch up with your busy life!

1. I’ve often thought that blogs (and all the other social media sites, content and interactions that we produce) – when taken collectively – say more about our lives and reputations than we’d like to admit. Jen Stumbles calls this out explaining just how recruitment is changing right beneath our feet.
2. You’ve probably heard the term “gamification” bandied about, right? Well, Tac Anderson takes a deep dive into one of the hot topics to determine the truth, lies and promises of gamification.
3. It’s the curse of the Twittering class … the hacked account which then starts spamming all your followers. In can happen to anyone (well, anyone with a less than rock-solid password), and you won’t know it’s happening until it’s too late. Gavin Costello shares some tips for cleaning up the mess.
4. Great, personal article by Richard Bell on the Vibewire blog – The Mental Health Pilgrimage brings religion into the scientific conversation.
5. There are going to be words and connected thoughts that may rate as NSFW, but there is no doubt you’ll gasp (with shock or delight) with Annik Skelton’s reviews of books she stopped reading because they are so bad.

Five Must-Read Posts from Last Week

So this is it, is it? It seems 2012 has only just started and I am already reduced to producing one curated post per week!

Ah, but never fear, I am just recalibrating … taking some time to get my bearings for a new year. There is plenty on, of course, and we all struggle with priorities – but rather than rush headlong into activity, I am hoping to restructure my focus a little and maintain my sanity in the process of what I expect to be a busy year. How about you? Busy start?

If so – or even if not – these five must-reads will get you thinking in the right direction!

1. There are plenty of social media monitoring and measuring tools out there. But which one is the right one for you? Or do you need more than one? Ingeborg van Beusekom helps you find the balance.
2. Ever find social media unimaginative? Ever thought it was media in search of a good idea? You may want to read Ben Phillips’ guest post on Mark Pollard’s blog – How to Make Good Social Ideas.
3. We love using, engaging and playing on social networks. But make no mistake – they are built with a business purpose – to make money. As Craig Wilson says, it’s a war for web supremacy and you’re in the crossfire.
4. I have always thought that one of the powerful elements of social media is that it provides something that we have lost in our lives – a sense of connectedness. But what happens if it came back? Richard Huntington says the real revolution in social won’t be online. I tend to agree.
5. It seems like a long way off – but I love the thinking behind this article by Greg Satell. In the Future of Retail he writes about the omnichannel world and the way it will transform our shopping experiences. Can’t wait.

Five Must-Read Posts from Last Week

In the year ahead, don’t be surprised when you hear pronouncements such as “social media is over” or that Facebook/Twitter is going the way of  MySpace. It is just part of the ongoing cycle of renewal (there must be an end before a new beginning and so on). But just like the “end of branding” or the “Year 2000”, social media will not suddenly disappear – after all, many of us are just starting to get the hang of it. And great articles like these below demonstrate just how healthy this category is! Enjoy!

1. Great article from Mandi Bateson showing how social media and social networks can be used to save lives. Really.
2. What is your X-Factor? It’s time to drill down on your value proposition – and to live it. Chris John Savage reminds us that it’s fine to be good, fast and cheap – but no longer enough. You need something more to win.
3. What’s the secret to a kickass online marketing strategy? Hard work – that’s what. And insight. But you can save yourself some time and check out The Sticky Guide to Online Marketing.
4. Sometimes – just sometimes – your marketing or social media program isn’t about ROI. Or rather that ROI is further down the list of priorities. Think for example, how do you measure the ROI of a handshake? John Haydon asks the question.
5. The SOPA-PIPA blackout got the kinds of attention and action that in previous years the media would have pioneered. It took the collective action of millions of connected people. There were no lobbyists. Just a cause and a connection. As Jeff Jarvis explains, we are the lobbyists now.

Five Must-Read Posts from Last Week

As we reach the fag-end of this long year, many bloggers turn their attention to the year that was and the year that will be.

Sometimes there is hope and optimism – and sometimes there quiet reflection. But each of these five must-reads from last week will give you one more reason to spark your imagination.

1. Do you second guess yourself? I do it all the time, and Tim Kastelle captures this nicely when describing the hours before a big presentation. He asks, when was the last time you were wrong?
2. Each week we are bombarded with the newest thinking, the greatest product launches, jaw-dropping innovations and daring entrepreneurship. Craig Wilson suggests that there are five reasons Australia risks being left behind in the digital economy
3. Kris Hoet opens a presentation with a quote from Mark Twain and goes on to talk about social currency. The quote: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born, and the day you find out why”. Love it.
4. A great reflection and call to action from Ray Wang – the right of being offline asks us to think about what we are giving up (really) and what we do want
5. Do you try or do you do? A great post by Michael Hyatt that asks us to deliberately choose. A mantra for 2012 perhaps?!

Five Must-Read Posts from Last Week

We must be getting towards the end of the year … as it seems that there is a lot of recycling of ideas going on.There are plenty of blog posts rehashing ideas or simply stating the obvious. Maybe we are all just a little Sick and Tired.

Having said that, there are still some great posts that appeared in the last week and are well worth your attention. Savour them!

1. In case you missed it, Lisa Petrilli launched her eBook and found it featured on the Huffington Post and on the Amazon best seller list – all within days. Obviously The Introvert’s Guide to Success in Business and Leadership struck a nerve. Check out Lisa’s blog post and book!
2. These days we don’t even need to create content – we can simply curate it (much as I am doing with this series of links). Neil Perkin shares The 3 Pillars of Content Curation to help us make sure we are doing it right.
3. Have you ever been asked by your execs to explain the ROI of social media? If so, you may just want to check out David Meerman Scott’s Social Media ROI Hypocrisy video.
4. What Do Five Year Olds and Product Managers Have in Common? You may already know – but if not – some welcome gold from the Cranky Product Manager!
5. Gavin Costello has a cracking post on the Impact that Wordads will Have on Google and Adsense. Check it out.