It's not the social media, it's the social people. #li

"Word of mouth" marketing is the oldest kind of marketing, and sharing in the social media has only turbo-charged it. But people still don't share boring stuff, you know?

Brains on Fire: The art of we, 2011-Sep-19, by Amy Taylor

Unlike widgets, wonkets, dashboards and baubles, WOMM is sustainable because it is about the people. Real people. It is founded on real relationships. Among other things, WOMM celebrates transparency, trust and community. Three things that cannot be bought, coerced, contracted, rushed or forced.

Real relationships do not come from shiny toys, the app of the day or the simple click of a button. Real relationships stem from a genuine, honest place. Real relationships take time, patience and tending.

Learning to avoid playing "catch up." #li

Yesterday I discovered a fragile a tightly packed routine can be, but it was a productive day after all. I've learned to avoid playing catch up.

Failing forward: how to decide what not to do...

You sort the things you have to do by importance and when the time runs out, the to-do list is over. That's okay, right?!

Simple isn't easy.... #li

The Net Promoter Score, developed by Fred Reichheld (and trademarked with Satmetrix and Bain & Company), is designed to encapsulate return on marketing investment with one simple question: "How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?" But as with most professional instruments, performance depends on the skill of the performer. 

In my experience, the biggest hurdle is to insist to clients that the tool be used consistently and in the proper conditions. Which means saying NO often. 

CustomerGauge: Just One Last Question: Four ways Columbo and the Net Promoter Score are alike, 2011-Sep-15, by Adam Dorrell

Easily imitated, but hard to do well. In the 70’s, Columbo was about the most imitated cop on TV. Everyone from Mike Yarwood to the class clown could do an impression of him: you hunched over, slurred some words, said “Sir, my wife, she’s your biggest fan” and you were away. Of course, it took Falk’s commitment to perfection to keep the character interesting and engaging for nearly 30 years.

The Net Promoter® Score is a simple concept: It’s just the single question and a common scale. Deceptively simple – you can use any survey tool and work out the numbers in the spreadsheet. But like Colombo, the art is in the detail. You need to get the right question, and consistent approach to surveying.

Today, I'll leave my personal computer at home. #li

I've always said that my laptop is an extension of my brain. I have a smart phone but I've never been able to make it function the same way. 

Today I feel confident that I can settle into my desk at work, move some mountains of data around, and not become totally disconnected from the outside world. 

Let's see how this goes. 

Having an undocumented good time.

Lately, I've been living so fast I haven't had time to share what's going on. Seeing this picture on my camera reminded me that sharing makes things so much more valuable. This picture is blurry but the happiness is clear. 

Houston reunion of Columbia U. friends at Mortar, Sept. 22, 2011.

Good morning! Trying to fight my way back into a healthy routine.

Pursuing that old first-day-of-the-rest-of-my-life routine. I WILL start posting every day again. It was a good thing. I'm so lucky to have all these resources at my fingertips. Now I need to USE 'em.