Whatcha Talkin Bout Willis?

By this time you have probably heard about Twitter.  If not, here is a quick summary.  Twitter is a site where you, and the rest of the world get 140 characters to answer one question “what are you doing?”

Now the common first reaction by someone who discovers Twitter is to scrunch up their face, tilt their head to the side and scratch it, sigh, tilt their head back again, shrug their shoulders and say “huh?”  “What is the big deal?”

Well shortly thereafter you begin to discover that on Twitter people are sharing thoughts and opinions on everything under the sun in a very concise and easy to understand format.  Better yet the format is constantly evolving.  Twitter also makes it possible to follow brilliant thinkers like John Moore, Pete Blackshaw, and Guy Kawaski, as you follow “what they do.”

Still, the whole thing can seem a bit overwhelming and disjointed.  That is where the new Twitter Search (formerly Summize.com) comes into play.  Simply type in a term and you can search in real time what people are talking about.  Search Dayton, or Obama, or McCain, Pizza, Reds, Apple, whatever - Twitter search will aggregate the results so that you can begin to make sense of it all.  Better yet, it is equipped with an RSS feed so that you can track the conversation as it evolves.  Track mentions of your name, your employer, your friends, and on and on.

So do you wonder what Willis is talking about?  Well I am not sure if Willis (Todd Bridges) uses Twitter, but you can find a whole bunch of people talking about him and darn near anything else by using Twitter Search.  Give it a try, and share the interesting things you find with your comments.

Twitter Search

Voices: Episode 5 - Kate Early

In this episode I sit down for a chat with fellow board member and chair of the Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio, Kate Early. Kate is a dynamic leader, an active member of the Dayton community, and oh… by the way… she is also a practicing attorney with Dayton based law firm Sebaly, Shillito and Dyer.  Kate is a native of Beavercreek, and a member of the Dayton Creative Class initiative.

Listen in as we discuss some of the legal implications of emerging technology, especially as it pertains to marketing.  We also talk at length about the Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio, the upcoming mud volleyball event, the need for volunteers, committee, and board members, and other topics.

Thanks to Kate for taking the time to chat.

Podcast: VOICES

Get Yourself Connected…

Thanks to Michelle Kaye at Battelle and Battelle, who brought me in today to speak about networking, social media, blogs, networking, and the emerging web to a number of her fellow employees as well as some of the employees of McGohan Brabender.  Originally the event was going to be held at Battelle and Battelle, but because of the large number of people who signed up, it was moved down the street to McGohan Brabender.   I was thrilled that so many would show up to hear me speak.

My presentation revolved around the concept of using the web to connect with others and to create and develop, as Tom Peters would call it, Brand You.  In addition to discussing some general concepts, I spoke specifically about tools like Twitter, Squidoo, WordPress, and LinkedIn - discussing how these tools could be used in conjunction with traditional items like hand written thank you notes and face to face meetings to connect with the world.   We live in a truly amazing time.  Never before have individuals been so empowered to learn, share, and grow both personally and professionally.  I appreciate being given the opportunity to share the little that I know with others.  It was my pleasure, and I hope that those who took the time to listen to me enjoyed my presentation.   Thanks for your hospitality.

McGohan Brabender - Welcome To McGohan Brabender