Sometimes you read a blog post and you think, "Wow, THIS."
Joel Spolsky, a serial entreprenuer who blogs at Joel on Software just wrote an amazing post about whether or not it makes sense for a start-up to launch at a conference. It's a fantastic overview of what every company should do before they even consider launching (at a show or not), what PR can and can't do and how to set realistic expectations. Wow, THIS. I love this post so much, I may have to adopt it.
Continue reading "This guy *totally* gets it (or "a guy I would love to have as a client")" »
I am writing this blog post under duress. No, nobody is aiming a gun at me; my enemy is time.
You see, it’s the afternoon and, thanks to a sixth consecutive week of BART protests in San Francisco, I am forced to either end my workday a bit early, or end it very, very late.
So, why is this rant appearing on a blog for Sterling Communications? Because I am the market these protesters are trying to garner attention from.
It’s working. They’ve got my attention. Just one problem: it’s negative.
I’m sure you’ve heard the old adage, “there is no such thing as bad publicity.” Unfortunately, in today’s complicated environment, where an army of one can yield significant influence on Twitter, bad publicity not only exists; it has a megaphone.
Effective communication requires the ability to read a situation for social cues. I spent a good chunk of time over the weekend of September 11th watching the 9/11 commemoration ceremonies on TV and reading Twitter and Facebook posts related to the events. I was also witness to some ugly disagreements. When people hide behind the anonymity of a computer, true communication often deteriorates. What is it about social media that encourages people to write insensitive things they’d never say to a person’s face? My rule of thumb is, ONLY tweet or post things you’d say to someone’s face. It’s “social” — public — so don’t make an ass of yourself in public.
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
‘Til it's gone
These immortal lyrics from Joni Mitchell’s classic song, “Big Yellow Taxi,” must be on the minds of Twinings Tea Company Ltd executives and customers alike. Following a revamping of its original 1831 Earl Grey tea blend with a new version that was met with hundreds of complaints on the company website, a Facebook protest, and customers rushing to stores that still carry the old brand, Twinings succumbed to this wave of negative sentiment (as highlighted in a blog post by our client, Attensity) and found a solution that aims to make everyone happy and serves as a reminder of the original blend’s immense popularity – particularly once “it’s gone.” Twinings’ move demonstrates the risk attached to tampering with a cherished institution – isn’t that right, Coca-Cola and D.C. Comics?
All the signs that summer is drawing to a close are here: the days are getting shorter, college football is kicking off and the kids are back in school. Another sign is that the tech event and networking schedule is getting back into full swing.
Following are just some of the places at which you’ll find the movers and shakers in the greater Seattle-area tech community this September.