Feed Forward - Comments

Jim Cahill comments on Internet and Media the Future

Jim Cahill — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:39:30 +0000

Gary, I'm with you on Facebook. Maybe it's in my use where it's all jumbled between folks from high school, family, and folks I know through work.

It seems there are always new requests and other things so I tend to avoid it. Twitter is like a moving stream that I can jump in and out of. It doesn't have a backlog of requests to tend to.

Take it easy, Jim

Bob Gill comments on Conversation on PR and Social Media

Bob Gill — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:41:27 +0000

I would just add that there are of course some good PR professionals around. It's the ones that don't make an effort to understand your business that let the side down. I mean, how difficult is it to spend some time flicking through some back issues or going to the publication website and seeing if there is a match to the client?

Gary - hope things going well for you so far in 2010. Blog's looking good.

Jim - would certainly be great to catch up again at Exchange. Really enjoyed the DC event in 2008. Have to persuade the Emerson Asia Pac guys to get me a ticket!

Jim Cahill comments on Conversation on PR and Social Media

Jim Cahill — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:45:18 +0000

I enjoyed the podcast too! It's great to hear your perspectives on how suppliers can do a better job in providing you what you need to lead your Automation World magazine efforts. I shared the podcast link with Greg McMillan and Alan Babbitt, my two fellow Emerson bloggers to share your and Walt's kind words.

Bob, I hope you can make the Emerson Exchange this year in San Antonio so we can catch up again face to face.

Gary Mintchell comments on Conversation on PR and Social Media

Gary Mintchell — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:05:38 +0000

Nice to hear from you, Bob. You had to write about that? I've had two calls today from PR people. One had to be either an intern or telemarketer. She had no clue what was going on. Just wanted to know when (not if) I was publishing their release. Just hung up after a conversation with another PR guy asking when I was publishing his release. In neither case was the information relevant to Automation World.

I guess times are tough for PR people, too. The pursuit of free marketing is amazing.

Bob Gill comments on Conversation on PR and Social Media

Bob Gill — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:13:34 +0000

A very interesting conversation. And I could esp. empathise with a lot of comments on the shortcomings of our friends in PR.

Just this week I received a press release detailing the NailsAsia 2010 exhibition in Singapore, complete with six delightful hi-res pictures of ladies and their colourful nail designs. Still trying to work out the Control Enginering Asia news angle on that. And this was from a reputable PR agency.

Then there was the PR guy on Tuesday urging me to use a story from PLM company Dassault Systemes for my forthcoming Device Management Software (EDDL, FDT, etc) article.

Then finally, a few weeks ago:
PR guy: "Could you send me your editorial calendar"
Me: "For which publication?"
He: Silence;
Me: "Do you know which publications we have?
He: "Er, no. Let me go and have a look at your website"

To paraphrase Woody Allen: Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't teach, teach gym. Those who can't teach gym go into public relations (seemingly).

Jon DiPietro comments on Perils of the Media Business

Jon DiPietro — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:11:35 +0000

Funny you should mention that - I just had a similar conversation this morning with a book publisher. I told him that most reactions to new technology are to try the same old techniques in the new medium, which rarely works. All the mistakes you mention are examples of this.

I don't think that the iPad-like devices will change things dramatically overnight. I'm talking over the next 5 to 10 years. And the reason I say that is I'm looking at the way my daughters DEMAND their content now. It's eye opening. In brief, they want to download it immediately, take it with them, and consume when and where it's convenient for them. And I'm including my 4 year-old who is already asking for her own iPod and consistently borrows her sisters'. These kids are growing up with expectations that will demand portable, on-demand content of all kinds. This includes books, articles, music, television shows, and movies.

It will take time, but I think this shift is coming. As Clay Shirky says, "Tools don't get socially interesting until they become technologically boring."

Gary Mintchell comments on Perils of the Media Business

Gary Mintchell — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:37:39 +0000

While I jump on "new media" things, I think it's wise to not go for the early hype on things. If the Kindle is so wildly popular, why have I only seen one in all my airplane travels? Reading some tech blogs, you'd think that 75% of people on a plane were reading one.

I've also read where companies are now sending people to Facebook instead of their own Website. Don't they know that Facebook owns everything on it, and they are now at the mercy of one company?

I'm also starting to hear that corporate bloggers have stopped with the conversation and are only pushing press releases. As an editor, I wouldn't mind Twitter as a source for news. Some companies send so many links per hour that I can't keep up. And the shortened URL is not good. I'm suspicious of clicking on them unless I really trust the sender. I want to see where I'm going.

Oops, covered a lot of ground there. But the sum is, are you changing the way you communicate with the method of communication? Or, are you just trying the same old tired stuff just with a newer, cheaper way of pushing "crap?"

Gary Mintchell comments on Leadership and delegation

Gary Mintchell — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:25:48 +0000

Thanks for the tip. I haven't thought about Sam Jaffe in years.

Phil Christopher comments on Leadership and delegation

Phil Christopher — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:15:26 +0000

Thanks for the great post! I'm going to pick up the book.

Along the same line, I came across the book Jewish Wisdom for Business Success by Rabbi Levi Brackman and Sam Jaffe a couple months ago. It was packed with Old Testament principles as applied to business and leadership. It made me think.

Jon DiPietro comments on Perils of the Media Business

Jon DiPietro — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:13:46 +0000

I'm finding myself in a similar position - waking up one morning and realizing I'm an "author." Also, becoming more involved in the ISA Publications Department has focused my attention more and more on the publishing business.

You're absolutely right - when most people talk about "X" will kill print or "Y" will save print, what they really mean is their old content distribution system isn't working. Compelling content will always have a place in our lives; it's part of the human condition and we can't help it. The question will be where the content will be consumed and in what format. Having said that, I'm more convinced every day that iPad-like devices will change the game dramatically. Stay tuned for a blog article or two on that soon.

Incidentally, no web guy who knows what he's talking about would hate you for bashing "artificial SEO." The number one factor in SEO authority (by a long, long shot) is links pointing to your content. This means that creating compelling content that is worth talking about is literally half of the SEO battle. Good use of keywords in titles and within the content makes up the bulk of the remainder, so the bottom line is that "put out good content and make friends" is a pretty good SEO strategy.