Monthly Archives: September 2010

It’s a Trap! How Not to Blast Away Your Fans

Posted on September 28, 2010 by

One of the challenges in marketing on the internet is treading the fine line between useful alerts and annoying spam. Rapid fire emails, tweets and status updates can fill the news stream, causing folks to scroll right past your blocks of promotion so they can get on to other friends and followers. Even great content delivered too fast or in screen hogging chunks may cause fans to unsubscribe simply because you are demanding too much real estate from their screen. So beware the three pitfalls below and take care to promote without blasting your fans away. Continue reading →

Posted in community building, facebook, internet presence management, small business, social media, twitter | 3 Comments

Roots to Branches: Tips for Growing a Festival Community

Posted on September 22, 2010 by

How can you create such loyalty to an annual event that folks will trek many miles through melting sun and pouring rain just to be there? What makes them want to schedule it in their vacation plans, returning every year and bringing more friends? For music festivals, great entertainment is the focus, but it’s the festival community that generates such a powerful draw of participants. As I prepare to head out to one of my favorites – Watermelon Park Festival in Berryville, VA – I’m thinking about some of the things that turn a music festival into a community. Continue reading →

Posted in community building, music | 8 Comments

The Shame Game: Saving Face in Group Collaboration

Posted on September 20, 2010 by

As a follow-up to my Lincoln Letters post, I’m going to extend that thought by adding that when you decide what really needs to be said, what’s the best way to say it? When working with a group of people, … Continue reading →

Posted in communication, community building, email, social media | Leave a comment

Spotlight On: Andrew McKnight

Posted on September 17, 2010 by

Pulling inspiration from the very ground of his Shenandoah Valley home, Andrew McKnight infuses his music with deep respect for the land and the simple joys of life.  I first heard Andrew in concert at Notaviva Vineyards in Purcellville, VA, … Continue reading →

Posted in Americana, environment, music, spotlight | Leave a comment

Lincoln Letters: Double Drafting Critical Emails

Posted on September 15, 2010 by

“My dear McClellan: If you don’t want to use the army, I would like to borrow it for a while. Yours respectfully, A. Lincoln.” These were indeed Lincoln’s words to the lethargic leader of the Army of the Potomac – words the general never heard. Lincoln is known for having many files of letters that he never sent, a tactic I find very useful in modern email. It’s easy to save, but you can’t unsend. Continue reading →

Posted in communication, email, social media | 1 Comment

The Human Touch

Posted on September 13, 2010 by

If you want to generate goodwill within a community, try to supply a human touch wherever possible. Small gestures that show that there is a real person at the other end of the connection give confidence to your cause. We hear bad customer service complaints all the time, but here are three recent examples I have encountered where different technologies were used to supply the human touch to a digital transaction. Continue reading →

Posted in community building, small business, social media | Leave a comment

Spotlight: The Polka Dots

Posted on September 10, 2010 by

There are a lot of creative, talented, inspirational and happy people around me here at South Mountain – so many that I think I could write about them for a long time to come. Each Friday I’ll shine my spotlight on some of the people in my life, and hope to make some new connections for you all. Continue reading →

Posted in local, music, spotlight | 4 Comments

Avoid the Snark Trap

Posted on September 8, 2010 by

No news is good news, and bad news abounds. Jumping on a bandwagon of negative commentary is as easy as pressing Enter, but more often than not, I find that if you want your position to be taken seriously, you need to drop the sarcasm and get real. The next time that bad news comes for your competitor or opponent, think thrice before you post. Continue reading →

Posted in facebook, internet presence management, social media, twitter | 4 Comments

Remember When? The Power of the Shared Experience

Posted on September 5, 2010 by

Ever notice how movies that were hilarious on the big screen are just not as funny when you watch them alone? Ever been stuck in a line for so long that you start up a conversation with the person standing next to you? Ever not wanted to go to an event but you go anyway, meet lots of great people and think what a fool you would have been to miss it? In all of these cases, it is the experience that we share with others that can make the difference between an ordinary day and a time to remember. Continue reading →

Posted in community building, small business | Tagged | 2 Comments