Point of order

Please do not feel manipulated by this, it is not meant to screw with you, this is just a commentary.

That said, in the past month or two, I have had several occasions to want to reach a large number of people, stat.

STAT!

Tickets or swag that needed to go out, pizza catchup and other fun events to pimp, and most excitingly of all, further discussions about swagclub.

I wanted to reach more people than I could efficiently see in person, have lunch and a glass of ale, make a coffee and biscotti run, or write a real letter, on nice cardstock and sealed with the wax seal of the Ambassador's office.

Those who know me would know these as my preferred channels, I hope.

In a perfect world, all communications would happen face to face, with a leisurely meal. Lobster thermidor and peeled grapes, with a cold ipa or two.

Such was the 'sense of urgency' of the several news cycles, there wasn't even time for a call on the phone.

Friends, I felt the only way to really spread the word quickly and efficiently was electronically.

First cycle felt like an all email kinda thing, so I contacted a goodly number of mates and asked for a simple response, and the response was overwhelming but confused, as I got 1/2 return emails, 1/4 Facebook messages, 1/8 twitter dms, and 1/8 phone calls. I had asked, ever so gently, for an email back, but I probably asked for email back too gently.

A few middle news cycles were equally disjointed in their feed backs, due mainly to the disparate ways so many of my mates use their dif channels.

The most recent cycle seemed like a Facebook kinda thing, so that's how I spread it. Success in reaching and connecting with all intended was reached, but I made the mistake of asking for a phone response, and that was universally booed.

All responses were fb or face to face.

Counted about a dozen of the face to face.

I like face to face. Felt genuine. Authentic.

Let's do more of that.

And just ordered more of that nice cardstock to be sealed with the wax seal of the Ambassador's office. Working on a swagclub seal, too. So keep  a weathered eye out for a visit.

Or a card.

Or box of swag.

But the fb/twitter/email/blog channel (or crescent wrench, as snarky BOF Spike called it at SMC the other day) will be greased up and ready to serve, as needed.

 

ps- Very few people understand me, and I am sorry about that, I just assume you hear the same voices in my head that I do.

just this week, again I got called out on my constant and annoying use of Popkinspeak- so here are a few definitions, as if you didn't already know.......

swag- stuff we all get

BOF- Brains on Fire- shop of great minds, but some are a bit snarky. I mean that in the best possible way.

snarky- a smarmy, self aware, sarcastic kinda guy. I have been called snarky by ex girlfriends, and not in a nice way. wife and kids, friends, pretty much everyone other than Spike has called me snarky. and he has never called me snarky because he is the king of snarky. and I am Sparticus.

Facebook- jmj, where have you been?  google it.

twitter- a mini facebook.140 characters.chrissakes, google it.

dm-kinda like an email, but mini.

SMC- Social Media Club- chess club for grown ups.

stat- a medical term for in a hurry.

blog- really, you are here, a self aggrandizing positioning statement that looks and reads like 'a dear diary' but ruthlessly edited as we track it vigorously and know that the only people who really read it are our mothers and competitors. clients, friends, and creepy stalkers have better things to do than obsess about our position papers. they see how (badly) we behave and react accordingly.

Ambassador's office- I am quite unfoundedly proud to be an Ambassador for Maker's Mark. it is free, there are no requirements or duties, special rights or privileges. kinda paper tiger, now that I write it down. but they do make an exceedingly nice adult bev.

pizza catchup-  Nicholle of effigy farm's phrase for Pecha Chucha presentation (20 slides, 20 second a piece.) great fun for all.

jmj- Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

manipulated- my fave shrink, present company excluded, Robert Cialdini, talks quite a bit about influence, manipulation, and leadership. not in a nefarious way, but more in a sales and marketing way. and we are all in sales, marketing, pr, and client services.

Sparticus- led a slave rebellion in ancient Rome. kinda successful, but in praps the greatest moment in history of movie making, when the Romans come looking for Sparticus to arrest and kill him, and ask 'Who is Sparticus?' all men, every last one, shouts out...'I am Sparticus!' after that things take a nasty turn.

swagclub- jmj- are you kidding me? how could you get this far and not get it?

ok, quick swagclub primer- swagclub is my search for kindred spirits.

a shameless ripoff of the genius book (and disturbingly trippy movie) Fight Club. google it.

9 rules of swagclub
#1. You don't talk about swagclub.
#2. You don't talk about swagclub. Unless you need great swag.
#3. The search for great swag is over only when you say 'Wow- that nails it!'  
#4. Only two guys to a fight. Unless we need help, then we bring in the big guns. We know a guy.   
#5. One swag project at a time.
#6. We work with no ties or socks. Even on Sundays-always workin', but never stressin' the work.
#7. The quest for great swag goes on as long as it needs to. Gonna take some questions, as a perfect fit beats fast answers.
#8. First projects are often the start of a great relationship. Or the end of a bad one.
#9. Great advice @swagclub is always free. Always.

 

manifesto- we ask a lot of questions- we are curious and can only serve our clients by asking, not assuming.--
What are we trying to accomplish?
Who are our audiences for this piece? Who do we want to connect with?
How is what we’re trying to accomplish relevant to our audiences?
What do we want our audiences to do? 
What does the project look like? 
How can we make this interesting? (Or why should people care?)
What are the competitors accomplishing that we’re not?
What are past successes; what is currently working?
What is the message of the piece?
What is the tone of the piece?
How will we launch it? What are the communications mechanisms?
What’s our timeframe?
What’s the budget?
How will we measure success? (*The big one. The mother ship question.*)
 
The important thing is to ENGAGE THE CLIENT IN THE PROCESS. They, as you know, have the most insights about what you’re trying to accomplish with any product, good service, or initiative.

 

that is all. carry on.

in doubt? google it!