What happens when you ask

What can happen when you ask for something? I was at a family birthday last weekend and a cousin relayed the story of getting a forward for his book by the Dalai Lama -- because he asked. At lunch today my friend told me about how she's getting to move to London for work -- because she asked.

In social media we are asking for connections, for input, for likes, comments, almost every day. Sometimes it's really easy, it's something funny to share and you hit send without thinking. But I know myself there are times I think about what I'm sharing, wondering how what I post might change people's perception of me, and then I usually just hit send anyway. :)

But there are times when I *want* a response and that's harder, because sometimes you get nothing back. Do you keep asking?

The sales answer would be absolutely yes! It takes something like 12 no's to get to yes. Being the harrassing phone call is not how I want to be known. So do I keep asking?

The requests my cousin and friend made were personal, from people with whom they had had some interaction previously and had credibility with, like their employer. The persons being asked had a personal stake in the outcome. In the case of the Dalai Lama, the book is on a field of study he is personally committed to, and in my friend's case it was a win for the company to get someone experienced and reliable to open up a new market.

I haven't been as lucky in my recent asks. I sent requests to two people through LinkedIn asking for a chat on a topic I have questions about that they have experience with. But I don't know them myself, we just have some loose connections in common. I sent the requests quickly and opportunistically. Should I be surprised I haven't received a response? I haven't identified the win for them and they may not be people open to talking to strangers, as nice as they may be.

I realize that my requests are important to me, but those connections are not. Net is that I can find new people to ask, and I can spend a little more time finding out what's important to them and who we know in common to create a warmer connection.

It takes courage to ask. Let the importance of your request shine through and may you keep asking until you get to Yes.

Personality and Media Consumption

From today's Ad Age: How Personality Can Predict Media Usage, looks at media channels and consumer types. I was happily going along with this, but then thinking about and applying to myself, seems as an introvert I should not consume as much radio as I do, nor newspapers or magazines. Oh. And my lack of planning is why I watch too much TV (and I thought it was procrastinating putting my plans in action).

In the comments section Marketing Prof Michal Ann Strahilevitz argues it's really the media vehicle (the content) you should be looking at, saying "Do the readers of National Geographic Magazine have similar personalities to those who read the National Inquirer? (They do both start with the word "national"). Do the loyal viewers of the McNeal Lehrer report (PBS, so not so relevant for advertising, but likely part of this study) tend to have the same psychographic profile as those who absolutely never miss All of my Children?..."

Seems to make sense that if you want to reach a specific target to be channel agnostic and vehicle specific, but if planning a mass media campaign, would this research still help you decide which channels to use based on your target's personality? Check the comments and see if anyone else has weighed in... Oh, yay, it's getting more complicated already with question on impact of propensity to purchase...

Meshup catchup

some recent found stuff, etc, so I will embrace 140-style and contribute cause apparently not everyone sees what I see online and might actually find one of the following of interest:

In case you haven't been online today, 'subservient chicken' is 5 years old. Dance, chicken, dance. Liked reading the blog post unrolling the story.

Caught a link that's even more interesting re Barbarian, who are on assignment at GE. Looks like nerdy goodness, will watch with interest.

It's got to be good if it combines technology and cooking. Bakers Tweet let's bakers alert Twitter followers when their latest fresh batch comes out of the oven.

haha links, esp when you start finding wading through crap tweets for good annoying:

• newmediarage.com/
• Twittering newsreader courtesy rocketboom.com
• Plus this one is good for multiple viewings, courtesy the Onion: Prague's Kafka Airport Ranks Last in Service, 'oppressive atmosphere'

Got to find a way to get the CAT conference.

Elsewhere in space: Hubble Provides New Evidence for Dark Matter Around Small Galaxies

Enjoy!

From podcamptoronto2008

I was watching the stream from home and decided not as much fun as being there, so beetled over to Toronto. Here are miscellaneous tips picking up from sessions and chatting with people here.

Best tip in the "doh, why didn't I think of that? category": from Malle at Harlequin for those of you looking at producing company podcasts, she produces their editor and writer podcasts -- and edits herself out! So she will lead the discussion, get everyone comfortable, outline direction, and ask questions, etc, then in editing will take herself out. You get the conversational tone without the awkwardness of question phrasing or repeats to get at some meat.

I don't have a great recording voice and if I get into territory that's too technical will lose authority, but I do know how to get subjects talking more and what questions to ask. Brilliant idea and so simple...

MacBook Air Ad Makes Me Cry

The combination of beauty, simplicity and the Pollyanna hopefullness of the soundtrack just make me want to weep. And of course I want one.

[Disclosure: I worked for a subsidiary of Apple for almost a decade and have fond memories as well as deeply ingrained appreciation for the work and genius that goes into making good products user-friendly, simple and beautiful.]

And that, my friends, is what this space should really be about, because it's the stuff that makes me weep. Whether it's a campaign or product, the synergy of elegance and function that demonstrates it was really well thought out and executed with care and attention to the customer and their experience. That it fully represents the brand. And the end result are a lot of happy customers who will buy more and tell their friends (cause I'm a greedy marketer as well as a humanist...).

That's why I am so interested in the intersection of direct and social marketing, because you need to like and care for people to communicate so you will be heard -- and that means sometimes being quiet and listening, letting them do the talking.

I've been thinking of what this means in my own work, and will share some of those thoughts coming up. Please share what you've been ruminating on, maybe they intersect, too.

The Industry Standard being resurrected

Hey, for those of you born before 80s you might remember The Industry Standard. B2B reports it is being reborn in blog form.


Speaking of which, Being Direct is reviving, with a new look and the requisite plethora of tags, but most importantly regular postings starting November 5. (Thanks for the nudge.)