Brilliant Design: A Blog Post Fit for the iPad

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My friend David Burmon (and partner here at Walden) purchased an iPad for his wife as a Mothers’ Day gift over the weekend.  This is not unusual for David.  I’m writing from my new MacBook Pro and I’ve read a few articles about the iPad (and held one in the Apple store before a lunch meeting) so I asked him how well the gift was received.  His reaction was very unusual for David; he raved about the thing….using a long string of explicatives (which is not uncommon for David….but usually reserved for important matters like his amazing collection of baseball memorabilia).  That great, eh?  Over lunch I did a bit more Google research and found a great blog post about the iPad by my friend Chuck Hollis.  Go ahead…read it.  It will only take a minute or two…

Why is Chuck’s post great?  Notice his conversational style and use of smaller, focused paragraphs.  And of all of the iPad hype, I don’t know anyone who has written a more effective title.  The post invites us to watch Chuck’s family as though it were an episode of Modern Family (which also features a bit about the iPad); it’s a great short-story in the making.

And here’s the interesting part, now that you’ve read his post.  We learn about the iPad, a consumer product with massive visibility.  We also learn a lot about Iomega, a subsidiary of EMC with a lot less press than the latest Apple brainchild.  By including Iomega in an iPad story the reader is subtly invited to consider doing the same;  I identify with Chuck’s story…and I consider an Iomega NAS device as part of my new Apple home reboot.

I haven’t asked Chuck if the Iomega mention was just part of the story or a more intensional tip-of-the-hat to his employer but it doesn’t really matter.  The sincere blend of personality and technology create an experience that is at once informative and enjoyable.  Nice job Chuck!

Uncubed

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I changed the tagline of my Google IM client to “Uncubed” yesterday, drawing questions and congratulations. I was a big fan of MTV Unplugged, of the way it promoted or destroyed artists with an apparently simply challenge; drop the electromagnetic hype and prove what you can do au natural; great bands…and I’m thinking about daring candidates like Nirvana…became greater in a way that was fresh with authenticity; they became real.

Despite the obvious contradiction of perspective (“Uncubed” implies that you’ve sacrificed perspective for flatland, no longer capable of filling volume and stuck occupying an area), the expression captures the dual sensation of falling into a cavernous challenge and of explosive energy release from the realization that your life  is no longer confined to a grey fabric box (literally or metaphorically).

So here’s to a life Uncubed!

New (Mac, Gig, Blog)

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First, I want to say thanks to everyone who offered their support after learning that my role at EMC was downsized. EMC is a great company, I had some fantastic experiences and I left with many new friendships. Today I’m working from the comfort of my home office, enjoying tea in the EMC mug I purchased as a souvenir.

Time for something new.

So what am I up to? I’ve spent the past three months exploring how organizations employ Content, Automation and Analytics to increase online lead generation (at lower costs via organic search results). I’ve spoken to CEOs, Marketing and Finance executives about their challenges employing Social Media, Lead Automation and Content Management. And I’ve rolled up my sleeves and started hacking Google Analytics, HubSpot and WordPress.  I broke down and purchased a MacBook Pro.  This has been one of my better decisions.

I started a company…and quickly decided to develop it as a new practice in an existing organization.  More info to come but the gist is that I am consulting, helping technology companies strengthen four key operational areas:

  1. Content (writing that customers/prospects need and want to read)
  2. Automation (content distribution online + lead automation)
  3. Analytics (viewing site traffic as a lead funnel, not just page views)
  4. Process (connecting the previous three efforts to drive low-cost lead generation)

Every company I have spoken to is currently investing time and money in at least one of these areas.  The challenge appears to be #4…creating the process that ties everything together to deliver the expected results.

Much to do…and more info to come!

Jesse

Just the Beginning

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The transactional Web site is evolving as barriers separating public and private data dissolve at an increasing rate.  The role of data scientist is emerging as a career of the future, focusing on information cleansing, assembly and visualization.  And this will keep mid- and large-size companies busy over the next decade alongside social media.  The opportunity for Independent Professionals to gain from social media is strong.  The ubiquitous blog is the equivalent of a powerful eCommerce engine for interaction.  And professionals that know how to use this technology will experience unprecedented opportunity for growth.