An article in the March issue of Entrepreneur magazine, as well as a recent “Dilbert” cartoon, addressed the inadvisability of tippling and tweeting (today’s answer to drinking and dialing). That said, the article – subtitled Engaging Customers on Social Media Without Sounding Like a Moron – had a proviso.

A company’s social media personality, it said, should be its corporate personality after exactly one beer. In other words, loosen up a little but stay in control of your message.

I like it.

I snapped this as I returned to the office earlier this morning. I started thinking about how it relates to a lot of business organizations we deal with on a daily basis – a red light on a clear blue sky. The red light represents a dated marketing mix, resistance to the digital game and reluctancy to step out of their comfort zone – the clear blue sky represents limitless opportunity. FYI – this is a rare moment of philosophical-esoteric-ness, I usually leave this stuff to the designers and creatives but sometimes, when I actually focus on driving (not emailing, texting, facebook-ing and tweeting) I surprise myself with where my mind goes. At Next-Mark, our intuitive approach to marketing gives our clients what they need to get the green light and accelerate into the marketplace.

What does this image say to you? Besides “it’s waaaay too nice to be working today!”

Click to view the latest edition of Marketing Rumblings!

Last year, I started a (hopefully) humorous blog about my misadventures in genealogy. For me, it serves many purposes. First, it’s another outlet for someone who loves to write. Next, only those friends, family and others interested in my background (or writing) have to be bothered with it. And, finally, it keeps me from slacking off in the tracing of my family tree, as I constantly need new material.

That last point is a biggie – so big, in fact, that it has kept some businesses from starting something they’re not sure they can maintain. Thus, for those on or near the edge of a blog launch, I offer a few suggestions.

Find someone who not only can write but enjoys writing. No one needs another “chore” on his or her list.

Don’t be afraid to have multiple bloggers, so long as what they write equals out to a cohesive message.

Know your audience(s) and what they like/want to know.

Don’t start without a stock of “evergreen” items that can go in any time, creating a backlog to take the pressure off.

Don’t feel you have to stick to a specific format or length, just share what you think your audience(s) need or want to know.

Periodically, take a look back at the body of what you wrote and see what it tells you about your company and organization.

Later, we’ll talk about the back-end benefits of blogging. Today was about creating a comfort zone in which you could get started. If you decide you need help, let us know. In the meantime, I’ll be around, either at blimbach@next-mark.com or, of course, blgblog.relatingtome.com.

Just getting back from HIMSS 2012.  I have been attending this event since 2000.  It’s clear that companies in the health information technology arena need our services now more than ever before.  Whether it’s strategic communication about ICD-10 or targeted content on major healthcare issues.  Our team is poised to support these issues with strategic messaging supported by impactful design.  Also, I continue to see companies with a specific need to enhance their brand communications and identity.  Our goal is to provide innovation and creativity yielding powerful results!

Although, it has been a little wet and on the cold side, the business climate is very hot.  We are very lucky to have San Diego clients and partners who engage with us and understand the power of Intuitive Marketing.  Back in Sarasota tomorrow! 

On January 18, a number of online search engines suspended operations for 24 hours to protest federal legislation introduced ostensibly to fight piracy.  The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the U.S. House and Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) in the Senate represent the latest action in the conflict between the demands of users for unfettered access to information and the need to protect personal property rights.  (While U.S. laws already exist to restrain domestic piracy, SOPA and PIPA are aimed at foreign abusers.)

It is an echo of the music industry’s struggle to protect the intellectual property rights of musicians and composers in the face of unpaid music downloads and file sharing and at first blush may seem a no-brainer.  But online protests such as yesterday’s already are eroding initial support for the federal measures.

The subject is a touchy one.  How much control is too much and how much freedom constitutes abuse?  Absent protected intellectual property and the shelter of the profit motive, what incentive do developers have to devote the months or even years necessary to create online technologies that users crave – indeed require – in our wired and wireless world?  After all, everyone – even developers and other creative types – must eat.

Despite first impressions, it is actually difficult to see how the protesters fail to win this one – at least in the short term.  Their victory, though, could very well carry the seeds of its own demise if it chokes off or cripples the technologies being demanded.

I have a confession:  I have never been good at cattle-call business networking. I mean, I’ve met some very nice people, just none that had the means or a reason to contract for my skills. Give me 10 minutes in any jammed room, and I’ll have met every unemployed person and herbal supplement distributor in it. And, though I’m not particularly shy, I know I could never match the chutzpah of an attorney who handed me her card, advising me to call her if I ever went into foreclosure. (Hopefully, that was her usual spiel and not an appraisal on my future.)

So, while I admire those who can wring worth from designated networking events, for me such meetings are a waste of time. That said, I HAVE had networking success in smaller groups and chance meetings at restaurants, theaters, etc., when the relationship is created more organically. So I concentrate on this path.

When it comes to marketing, what’s wasting your time? What are you doing just because you thought you should, not because it works? Is it a blog you set up and struggle to keep updated? A web site that provides information but doesn’t push it out? Outdated materials with high printing costs that actually do more harm than good? Tons of tactics applied separately, with no cohesive plan?

It’s still early enough in the year to take stock, assess what works and change gears with a plan that is both efficient and effective. Let us know if we can help.