Successful Blog

Would You Rather Be Martha Stewart or David Armano?

by 16 Comments

Before You Choose . . .

“GET” STICKY!

Did you read David Armano’s post on corporate stumbling this week? He cites an article in GlobeandMail about how Martha Stewart made a beautiful website that no one wanted to visit. He points to simlar mistakes made by Coke and Bud, and then explains “what really motivates users.”

  • There are literally millions of enthusiasts out there producing quality content in highly search engine friendly formats.
  • Not only is much of their content easier to find on the Web—it’s engaging, relevant,
  • and the people who produce it actually talk back to us.

David “gets” what’s “sticky,”

. . . it’s the content that will keep us engaged, and coming back for more. It’s the special sauce that can take a consumer and make them an active participant.

So will you be Martha Stewart or David Armano? The choice is yours.
How will you make yourself sticky to the customers already want to love you?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
I make business sticky. Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar. Call me.

Related:
See the Customer Think Series on the Successful Series page.

The Effect of Heroes

by 9 Comments

It Wasn’t a Movie

This morning I woke early as I often do. My mind was working on a problem. I found my way to a news story, called Heroes, by David Armano.

The problem that woke me up so early fell away from my mind. My eyes got wide. My heart got open. I looked out the window at the thinnest crescent moon for the longest time. It blurred as I tried to find the word for what I was feeling at a cellular level.

The word was hope. I was proud to be human.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Click the title “Heroes” to read David Armano’s eyewitness account of a horrible train wreck and two young heroes.

David Armano Was Drawing Conclusions Yesterday

by Leave a Comment

I agree

Look what David Armano has noticed something about business and blogging. Click his logo to take a look at what he said yesterday.

I agree.

In fact, as a web publisher who blogs, I inviteyou to consider this question posed by Robert Hruzek: How Has Blogging Changed You?

I’ll start. My answer’s in the comments.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

The Chicago Sun-Times: Welcome, ‘conversation architects’

by Leave a Comment

This Time It’s the Sun-Times

Artists, mortgage brokers and business coaches were among the attendees from all over North America who converged at the O’Hare Sofitel for a weekend workshop devoted to “successful and outstanding blogging (SOB).”

Successful blogging, according to one speaker, means putting a fork in the term itself. “It is a brand that has a lot of baggage,” said David Armano, an executive with advertising agency Digitas and publisher of Logic + Emotion. “Blogging is a commodity that anyone can do. Don’t be a blogger, be a conversation architect.”

Read the whole feature by Brad Spirrison in today’s Chicago Sun Times by clicking the logo.

It’s about blogging and real life.
–ME “Liz” Strauss

David Armano and SOBCon in BusinessWeek

by Leave a Comment

In the May 08 issue of his column, Nussbaum on Design, Bruce Nussbaum shines the light on SOBCon and David Armano.

Blog conferences are proliferating and I think it’s because people are discovering that blogging–blogging with a purpose– is harder than it appears. This is a lesson that I’m discovering as I meander into the blogopshere. If you want to influence an audience, you actually have to know how.

And there is no better teacher of these skills than David Armano over at Logic + Emotion. David is talking this Saturday at SOBCon07 (who makes this stuff up?) about taking blogs to the next level.

The writer in me really likes this quote:
“If you want to influence an audience, you actually have to know how.”

Powerful statment, but then, the simple truth usually is.

Thank you, Bruce Nussbaum.

The Doobie Brothers would be singing

Take love and give love. It’s got to be. — White Sun

–ME”Liz” Strauss
MAY 11&12 — Why SOBCon not that Other One. Click the button to register now. Reister now

SOBCon 07 News: Drew’s Cool Idea!

by Leave a Comment

What We’ve Done So Far

It’s been only a month since we announced SOBCon 07 and so much has happened!

We’re letting folks know that this is a carefully-crafted, attendee centered, content-rich event. Folks are finding out that it’s going to be a quality experience in which the audience will have an active role as a partipicant.

That’s why when Drew McLellan suggested this idea, so in keeping with the conference, we just HAD to do it!

I’ll let Drew tell you about it.

Give Little Get A Little LOT

Guest Writer: Drew McLellan

Hey all,

Relationships are about give and take

You give a little. You get a little. That’s the balance of a good relationship.

It shouldn’t surprise you at all that this same balance would be adopted by a conference focused on taking your blog to the next level by building stronger and more valuable relationships.

SOBCon 07

Unlike a typical conference where the speakers are the only ones who get to share, at SOBCon we’re turning that notion upside down.

Each and every participant is invited to bring something they’ve created – a book, a white paper, a podcast series, a visual tool – you name it for every single attendee and speaker.
Imagine leaving the conference with a bag filled with knowledge, insights, laughter and inspiration.

And even better; imagine every SOBCon attendee learning more about your blog and passion, and being touched by your work.

There are only a few rules:

  • It has to be your original content.
  • You must bring enough for everyone.
  • You must be willing to give it away for free.
  • Do we need to say the material has to be appropriate?

Register today so you can get a little. And get a little LOT!!!
Drew,
Drew’s Marketing Minute

PS –Please pass this along. I have no pride of authorship on this. So feel free to completely re-write it, edit it or ask me to do either. Or just fall in love with it as it is and use it silly.

Thanks, Drew!
–ME “Liz” Strauss

Don’t forget to Persuade Me