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me3

March 3, 2010 By davidebowman 1 Comment

I find visual models to be a useful way to organize thoughts and explain concepts.  I developed the following model as a way to understand the needs that my company addresses for our clients as well as the services we offer to address those needs.   This also helps me to educate clients on the various ways that we can help them.  For now I termed it the me3 model, taken from the first two letters from each of the labeled circles.  Admittedly the model is simple, but I find simple models to be the most useful for guiding discussion and thought.   Here is a quick walk through of the model:

  • At the center of the model are the people our clients hope to serve with their products and services.
  • The three bubbles represent the strategic marketing communication needs of our clients.  These are:
  • Message: What they do?  What makes them unique? special? valuable?  How to accomplish goals and objectives?
  • Medium: How they communicate? Where? When? What? Why? With whom?
  • Measurement: Who is responding? To what? Where? Why? What next? Why?
  • The outer ring consists of services that would map to each of these needs.  Because every client is different, we often start at different places on the model, and orient ourselves properly as to the issues we need to be considering and the services we should be providing.
  • All three of the bubbles overlap, indicating the reality that none of these needs or services exists by itself.  It is the areas of overlap where the interesting things tend to happen most often.

I plan to write more about this in future posts, but thought I would offer up a few points of explanation for you to consider.  I will delve deeper into what makes up each bubble and how they work with one another.  I will also explore the services and deliverables that surround the model.  In doing so, I hope to teach you more about what I do and uncover ways to do it (and describe it) more effectively.

What about your business?  What is the visual model that guides what you do?  Do you have one?  Does it help?

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Knock, Knock, Knock!

January 15, 2010 By davidebowman 27 Comments

When you hear that bang on the door of life, it is important to check it out. Sure there are a fair share of times when you pull the door open to find nobody on the porch, but every now and again something special is waiting on the other side of the door. Why am I talking about doors? Well that is my not so subtle way of announcing that I am making a career change.

A few weeks ago, opportunity came knocking – actually it called my iphone. It was a call from a Walter Ohlmann, President and CEO of Penny / Ohlmann / Neiman, Inc. – an advertising agency based here in Dayton, Ohio. Turns out that Walter has been looking for someone to help him bring a more modern approach to their service offering. In particular, while the firm has a great depth of traditional public relations, strategic marketing and creative resources, they were looking for someone with experience in developing marketing strategies that incorporate the use new media and social technology. He had been given my name by a mutual friend, and out of the blue, gave me a call. (Knock, Knock, Knock)

After a few conversations, an offer was made, and I said yes. So, starting February 1st, 2010, I will take on the role of Chief Marketing Strategist at Penny / Ohlmann / Neiman, inc.

There are a number of reasons why I am excited about this opportunity. First, I am going to get to share my creativity, knowledge of marketing strategy, and passion for social technology with businesses in Dayton, Ohio and beyond. I have been exploring this area for some time now, and really look forward to delivering these services with the capabilities of an agency behind me.

Second, the fact that this will be a new service offering for Penny / Ohlmann / Neiman means that I will get to build the practice from the ground up. Make no mistake, this is going to be a big challenge. I realize that success will involve a great deal of work both internally and externally, but I know that I am up to the task. It is going be very rewarding to see this come to life over the coming year in the form of happy clients and a reinvigorated agency. We will practice what we preach, and our results will be testament to our understanding of what modern marketing is all about. We will face the same challenges our Clients face, and ultimately we will use passion, time, dedication and talent to steadily evolve into something remarkable.

Third, it is exciting to be a part of a company with such a rich history. Penny / Ohlmann / Neiman has been around for a long time. My job is to make sure the company is around a long time from now. The agency has a good reputation, exceptionally nice people, and has worked with just about every business in the Miami Valley at some point in time. The primary weakness that I heard when asking people about the firm was that they really needed to update their service offering. My hiring should send a strong signal of the intention to do just that. I plan to make the firm far more progressive in what it can offer to clients, while not losing site of the fundamental services that have made it successful. It is not about just slapping on some social media, but rather taking a modern view of what a marketing services firm can offer to Clients. Hopefully, my hiring is merely the first of many, as the agency adds Clients, services, and ultimately more people in the years to come.

I am also excited to be back with a company based in Dayton, Ohio. This is the place where I was born. Most of the professional connections and personal relationships I have are in this community. While I have done my best to maintain these relationships since departing for Cincinnati two years ago, it will be great to once again call Dayton my professional home. Cincinnati is amazing, but there is no place like home. It will be great to once again be able to get involved with projects, programs, and organizations that are working hard to make Dayton prosperous.

I am also looking forward to giving my friends at Hafenbrack, the talented folks at RealArt, my friend David at The Next Wave, and others around the city some friendly competition. They have set the bar pretty high, so I know I am going to need to bring my “A game” in order to succeed. Ultimately competition helps to drive innovation, so hopefully we all engage in what I like to call “coopetition.” I look forward to taking part in our collective success, and the collective success of our clients – the businesses and people of the Miami Valley.

There are a bunch of other reasons I could list, but you get the idea. It is a big change, and one that I am very excited about making.

As for my former employer, LÛCRUM, I want to thank the company for giving me so many opportunities to succeed. I have enjoyed my time with the firm, and was given the freedom to explore a lot of new marketing territory. I made so many friends, accomplished some great things, and enjoyed the ride thoroughly. With the new direction of the company focusing on delivering Business Intelligence, Data Warehousing, Data Visualization, and Data Strategy Services, I anticipate much success for the firm in the years ahead. I learned so much about the transformative capabilities of technology while at LÛCRUM, and I hope to apply that knowledge to drive success for Clients in my new role.

So in the coming days, I have a lot of loose ends to tie up, a lot of calls and emails to answer, a lot of updating to do, and a lot of preparation work to accomplish so that I can hit the ground running. Come February 1st, if you are looking for an innovative approach to marketing strategy, please contact me.

Finally thank you to my family and friends who have supported me over the years. Life is an adventure. Your love, kindness, and generosity have helped me to realize great success. Without such support this opportunity would not be possible. I hope to make you proud to be a part of it all.

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2010 by the Numbers

January 1, 2010 By davidebowman 6 Comments

One of the best things I discovered in 2009 was Nike+. The ability of this tool to track and then present data about my running thoroughly captivates me.   It actually makes running interesting. How far? How fast? How often? How can I do better?  Every time I run, Nike+ is adding insight to all if these questions and more. So in 2010 not only will I be using Nike+ to help me train for my first full marathon; I am also going to copy the idea and start gathering data about other parts of my life as well.

Exercise:
I want to continue to exercise more in 2010.  2009 was a good start, but in 2010 I am going to push much harder.  There are 3 numerical goals that I am going to attempt to reach with regard to physical exercise.  They are doing 50,000 push-ups, 50,000 sit-ups, and running 1,000 miles.  That amounts to about 137 push-ups and sit-ups per day and about 2.8 miles per day.  I know that there will be days that I don’t exercise at all.  To compensate for this, my approach will be to do at least 200 push ups and sit ups daily, and running a minimum of 3 miles – allowing for the occasional off day.

I am going to track all of this activity by creating a form using Google docs.  I will put a link to the form in my gmail inbox using the quick links feature, and then complete it daily with all of my activity.  This information will then feed automatically into a spreadsheet where my results can be measured.

Can I do it?  As of right now, I have 49,800 push ups and sit ups to go, as well as 996.8 miles to run.  I also hope to do more yoga, weight training, bike riding, and just being more physically active overall.

I am not just going to track my exercise, there are other things I want to track as well.

Diet:
If I am going to take time to log information into a form, I might as well make it worth my while.  One of the things I want to track is what I eat and drink every day.  I am going to track what I eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the number of  beers, sodas, coffees, and waters I drink, as well as any snacks that I much on throughout the day.  I am not looking to track everything precisely.  I am not concerned with capturing everything exactly.   What I want is to get a general idea  of what I am putting into my body, and gauge it against my overall health.  Perhaps I will find that I need to eat more fruit, drink less soda, or drink more beer.  It will be interesting to find out.

Sleep:
Sleep is important to health.  Everyone knows it.  I have never tracked exactly how much sleep I get every day, but I know it is not enough.  In 2010 I plan to roughly track when I go to sleep, when I wake up, and how soundly I was able to sleep.  If I stick with the exercise program, I have a bunch that sleep will not be a problem. My hope is to get at least 8 hours a day – hopefully this is more than a dream.

Television:
I watched less television in 2009 than in 2008, but still watched more than I needed to.  I am going to watch less television, especially mindless television in 2010.  I have no problem with tv, but sitcom re-runs and TMZ are doing nothing to enrich my life.  I like watching sports, and will continue to do so within reason.  Not having cable television helps to limit my choices.  I will also will continue to watch a lot of PBS, as it brings so much entertainment and education to my life.  I will also watch other select programs that I enjoy.  Still, I am going to be much more quick to hit the off button and find something else to do.  I don’t want my life story to be about me sitting around in a catatonic state staring off into the abyss.  I would rather do things.   I plan to track how many hours of television I watch, and plan to be stunned with how much of my life is still being wasted.

Reading:
One of the activities that add tremendous value to my life is reading.  I know it.  Still, as Goethe said “to know and not to do is not to know.”  Thus my goal is to spend over 5,000 minutes reading books in 2010.  If I  spend only 15 minutes a day reading, I will beat this goal by almost 500 minutes.  Hopefully I will be able to beat it by even more.  I know that I want to read at least 25 books on Creativity, and Seth Godin, Garr Reynolds, and Dan Pink all have new books either out or on the way.  To get all these books read is going to take effort.  I am certain that I am up to the task.

Writing:
In 2010 I want to write 150 blog posts.  That amounts to about 3 posts per week.  These posts will force me to write and will also include more podcasts, videos, and photos too.  I look forward to applying my creativity and creating some interesting content for those of you who are kind enough to spend time visiting my site.

2010 is going to be a great year.  I have a lot to accomplish, and a lot to track.  I will keep you posted on my progress.  Wish me luck.  Happy New Year!

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2009 – The Highlight Reel

December 31, 2009 By davidebowman 1 Comment

2009 was an amazing year for me.  I decided I would end the year with a blog post version of my highlight reel for the year.   Life has its share of ups and downs, but I feel like I get a lot more good than bad every day.  For that I am grateful.  It seems like nearly every day had some serendipity.  Here are some of my favorites:

  • I completed my first 5k and then my first 1/2 marathon, doing both with my wife Colleen by my side.
  • I helped my daughter learn to ride her bike, and then rode with her in the 4th of July bike parade.
  • I made a lot of chalk drawings on the driveway with my son.
  • Not only did I get to do a podcast with Chris Brogan and see him speak twice, I also got to have dinner with him too.
  • I presented to thousands of people at dozens of events on topics ranging from social media and marketing to data analytics, presentation skills and creativity.
  • I was quoted in an article about social media that appeared on the CNN / Fortune Small Business web site.
  • I was given the privilege of writing a column for the monthly publication Dayton B2B.
  • Twice last summer, I performed original music at Canal Street Tavern with longtime friend and musical collaborator Derek Wade.
  • I also played guitar and sang a song I wrote to open a presentation on PowerPoint at a meeting of business professionals in Cincinnati – something completely new for me.
  • I helped to plan and then got to emcee SummitUp, a social media conference here in Dayton, Ohio.
  • I shed some tears as my daughter hopped on the school bus for the first time, and watched in amazement as my son began spelling word after word at age 3.
  • Seth Godin left a comment on my blog.
  • I got to interview, among others, Kevin Dugan, Artie Isaac, Bob Gilbreath, and Peter Shankman.
  • I saw The Dayton Marketing Community social network that I launched at the end of 2008 grow to over 350 members, and I organized and led 3 successful Big Idea Breakfast events.
  • I continued to offer my time as a member of the board of the Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio, and attended my first Mud volleyball tournament – an event that raised nearly $80,000 for the organization.
  • I drank approximately 2,000 cups of coffee, read about 40 books, took 2 trips to the beach, got my first bass guitar, and got my wife her first drum set.
  • I won a flip cam from sharethis.com and a multiple books from inbubblewrap.com – thanks!!
  • I shook hands and said hello to smart guys John Battelle and Peter Kim.
  • Just last week, while picking up some last minute groceries for Christmas Eve, the COO of Dorothy Lane Market recognized me from my blog, introduced himself, and thanked me for writing about how much I love shopping there – a very gratifying experience.
  • On a sad note, my grandmother died just a few years shy of 100. She was an amazing woman, a huge influence on me, and someone who made everyday count. Thanks Grandma Peg for teaching me that playing it by ear beats the hell out of not playing at all. We should all be so lucky as to live life like she did.
  • I helped to organize the 2009 Martin Luther King Jr. Day march in Dayton, and a day later witnessed history as America inagurated our first African American President.
  • My idea “User Generated Healthcare” was selected as a finalist in the Cincinnati Innovates contest. Although the idea did not win, it was a huge honor to be a part of the whole thing.
  • When my Blackberry finally gave out in September, I finally got an iPhone – how did I live without it for so long?
  • I discovered Nike+, became consumed with tracking my every step, and learned a lot about where marketing is headed.
  • I got to meet Tim Westergren, founder of music site Pandora.com, and introduce him to the crowd at a Cincinnati Social Media Breakfast event.
  • Speaking of music, Wilco, Pearl Jam, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, and Phish all released music in 2009.  I spent a lot of time enjoying the fruits of their labor.
  • I made hundreds of new friends, and connected with hundreds of old ones.  How lucky I am to know so many great people.
  • I spent a lot of time with my family, who never ceases to amaze me, always supports me, and serves as the inspiration for all I do.  I love you.

2009 was a year filled with amazing adventures, exciting challenges, and pleasant surprises.  Thank you to all who helped make it so great.

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Social Media In Crisis

December 4, 2009 By davidebowman 1 Comment

Yesterday I was asked by my friend and former colleague Natasha Baker to help with a video project for Sinclair Community College.  I was interviewed and the video will be used with videos of other respondents in an upcoming presentation to academic leaders from around the country.   I was asked to answer a question about the role of social media in academic institutions, particularly in crisis situations.   While this is not precisely what I said (I was speaking extemporaneously yesterday, and did not take notes) it is very close.

Social media can be extremely important in managing crisis situations.  There are several ways in which it can improve an academic institution’s ability to better understand situations, communicate information, and manage unplanned challenges associated with crisis situations.  Here are some of the ways that social media can be useful.

Awareness
Part of managing a crisis well involves having knowledge that something is happening early on.  With news increasingly breaking through social media channels like Facebook and Twitter, (Jet Airplane landing in Hudson River, Earthquake in China, etc…) monitoring social media channels for relevant conversations is critical.  Colleges and universities should consider monitoring the social web as a full time job, so that when a problem arises, the institution is able to identify a problem quickly and respond to it properly.  Using simple tools like google alerts, twitter search, google blog search, google news, igoogle, and google reader can help these institutions to stay informed about breaking news and emerging crisis situations.

Distribution
Once aware that something is happening, it is important for institutions to assess the situation and then to distribute important information.  Social media makes it possible for institutions to distribute this information immediately, without having to rely completely on traditional broadcast sources to disseminate the details.  Certainly broadcast media is still helpful in getting the word out, but no more do institutions have to rely on news cycles and broadcast schedules to notify the public of a crisis.  Another key is in the fact that in social media platforms members can play the role of both receiver and transmitter.  Because of this, messages can spread more quickly, and can be tracked as they move across the social web.  It is possible to follow the conversation as it evolves, discover who is receiving information, and who is sharing that information with others.  Additionally, it is extremely simple to set up web pages to answer common questions, post links to important information, and notify people as the crisis situation changes.

Feedback

Because social media enables much of the conversation on any topic to be tracked, it is possible to see who is getting the message.  It is also possible to see who is only getting parts of the message or misinterpreting the situation entirely.  In these cases, institutions can use social channels to address misinformation both directly and indirectly.  Predicated on trust, this ability to engage in the conversation and understand public perception is a vital part in keeping a crisis situation under control.

Continued communication
As a crisis situation changes, the plans for response change.  The ability to continually communicate a clear plan of action is vital to managing a crisis situation properly.   Social media enables this, not just during the crisis itself, but also in the time following the crisis.  Once the television cameras and reporters have left, there are still people who want answers.  Social media can better equip an institution to continue the conversation if necessary, address public concerns, and restore a sense of trust and order.

Conclusion
Crisis situations can never be completely avoided, but social media can help institutions to manage them much more effectively.  Social media should play a central role in how colleges, businesses, and even individuals manage these situations.  This technology offers an unfiltered, accessible, direct and fluid channel for communicating important facts and gathering relevant feedback.  Increasingly people are turning to social media as a means of entertainment, information, and communication.  As this becomes the norm, it is important to get a grasp on how social media works, build a trusted network of friends and followers, and know how to use these tools before a crisis situation takes place.

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Help!

November 27, 2009 By davidebowman Leave a Comment

Fresh off a day of giving thanks for the blessings that have been bestowed on my family, I would like to share the story of another family – one that is in need of your help.    Bryan Madden is an Ohio native who is currently living with his new bride, Tashi Nicole King in Colorado.  I came to know Bryan through his mother Pam Madden, an amazing woman, family friend, and the certified nurse midwife who helped bring both of my children into this world.  If you frequented Trader Joe’s in Kettering in the last few years, you may remember Bryan as the “cool guy with the dreads” who was always happy to help people.  Bryan and Tashi are going through a difficult time and they could use your help.  Their story is being chronicled on the web at http://www.tashiking.blogspot.com/ The following text is from a recent post on the site and it explains their situation:

As many of you know by now, Tashi Nicole King has been diagnosed with Stage IV Breast Cancer. You may remember Tashi from Boulder High School (Class of 1993) or her brother Amani (Class of 1987). Tashi married after college and moved to Nicaragua where her daughter, Xola Rose (pronounced Zola) was born in May of 2003. Xola was born with a genetic disorder called Trisomy 13. Eighty percent of babies born with this disorder die within their first month. However, thanks to Tashi’s unrelenting spirit and her determination to do everything possible to care for her, Xola lived happily until she was almost 5 years old. On Feb. 27, 2008 Tashi held Xola for the last time; roughly a year and a half before being diagnosed with cancer.

On August 15, 2009 Tashi married Bryan Patrick Madden. Bryan has been a tremendous support to Tashi since losing her daughter and they were looking forward to starting a family of their own. They were saving to start building a house on their mountain property outside of Boulder. However, these plans have all been put on hold due to the cancer.

Tashi had a single mastectomy to remove the tumor in her breast, lymph node dissection and a port placed, during which time her lung collapsed and she had emergency surgery. The cancer has spread to her liver and was found in several additional lymph nodes. Currrently, Tashi is undergoing an intensive course of chemotherapy, which will be followed by radiation and likely more surgery.

In the meantime, Tashi continues to make payments on her deceased daughter’s medical bills. In addition, Tashi’s own medical bills are beginning to pile up and this is only the beginning. Unfortunately her student health insurance policy is limited and has almost reached it’s maximum payout. This means that Tashi will effectively be without insurance coverage.

Only one week after having the mastectomy, Tashi went back to work because of her financial situation. My hope is that through people’s generous donations we can raise enough money for Tashi to focus on getting well rather than worrying about mounting medical bills. She continues to attend Naropa University where she is finishing a Master’s degree in Somatic Counseling Psychology.

If you are able, please make a donation to the Tashi King Fund. Even if you can only afford $10 in these difficult economic times, please contribute. Any amount, whether its $10 or $100 will help. Forward this email to anyone who may know Tashi or Amani, those who have been touched by breast cancer, fellow women, mothers, and/or anyone else who might care. Thank you so much for your support!

On behalf of Bryan, I am asking you to help them to get through this difficult time by making a donation and sharing this story with others who may be able to lend a hand.

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Trick or Treat

October 30, 2009 By davidebowman Leave a Comment

photoWith Halloween just one day away, Trick or Treat is definitely on the brain.  So in the spirit of the season ask yourself this question.  Metaphorically speaking, what are you giving your customers these days? Tricks or Treats?  If you are offering treats, are they like those old, stale, home-made popcorn balls or are they delicious, sugary surprises.  Do you know who is allergic to what?  Do you know who likes chocolate and who likes sweet-tarts?  Technology combined with a little inquiry and a lot of listening can enable you to have the ability to hand out precisely the candy your customers want.  Don’t let your business be remembered for handing out junk that nobody wants, be that house that everyone talks about.  Know your customers and give them what they want – word will spread and the people will beat a path to your door.  Happy Halloween.

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