Posts Tagged ‘monday’
Box Scores, Mar. 1-7 – “Deadheads, Rebrands & Buckets”
Well ladies and gentlemen, after a busy week and weekend at the Deep Bench office (including our Head Coach and President Hugh Weber preparing for and hosting the 44th Annual South Dakota AdFed Awards), we’re ready to kick off another great Monday with Box Scores. We hope you’re as excited as we are for these stellar posts from the blogosphere’s best.
P.S. – Being at the historical Orpheum Theater for the Addys reminds us – if you haven’t gotten your OTA Sessions ticket yet, you really, REALLY should consider doing so. Time is running short, it’s going to rock, and you really don’t want to be the only guy or gal who completely underestimated how awesome it would be, do you? Didn’t think so.
Moving on, here’s Arik Hanson on a change that affects one of our favorite out-of-office offices…
-“Your brand: Much more than just a logo”
Caribou Coffee, a brand near and dear to Arik Hanson’s heart, recently went through a re-brand, leaving its previous woodsy feel for a more contemporary design and look. Although the change itself is debatable, Arik brings up an interesting angle (as all great PR pros are wont to do). As he puts it, “Organizations need to do a better job of sharing the stories and experiences that make up their brands. Yes, the logo and visual identity are key pieces of the brand puzzle–but they’re just one of the elements.” A good point. Read Arik’s full post to hear what else he has to say.
-“4 Things the Grateful Dead Can Teach You About Social Business”
Some great bands in this world have built fan followings that would (and should) make most business owners and brands insanely jealous. Fans that do whatever they can to make it to a band’s show, buy a new album, wear a t-shirt, or simply blast their music in the car on a Saturday afternoon. Shannon Paul talks about how one such band, The Grateful Dead, managed to build one of the most loyal followings in existence (and why companies could learn a thing or two from their “business model.” Take note, companies, and see why building your own base of “Deadheads” might be a good decision.
-“Why Entrepreneurs Should Eat Their Young”
The post’s title seems harsh, and Jonathan Fields doesn’t disappoint with the content. While there is no literal eating involved, Mr. Fields mentions that the eating of ideas can be just as necessary in the business world as animals eating their young can be in nature. As he puts it, “Entrepreneurs often get so emotionally-wed to their babies, they lose the ability to make good decisions.” Do you get so attached to your ideas that you fail to see potential pratfalls or opportunities for improvement? If so, this post is for you.
*Bonus Jonathan Fields post! “Would You Fall Asleep Reading Your Life’s Story?”
This is pretty much just worth reading for the sake of some Monday morning inspiration. Jonathan asks a tough question that you should seriously answer for yourself. In the post, Jonathan discusses, “what story I want told about me when my time comes,” and his thoughts on why it matters to him. If it doesn’t matter to you, it should. Read his post to see why.
-“Are you keeping an eye on your bucket?”
Just to keep the positive inspiration flowing, here’s a solid post from Drew McLellan on “keeping yourself physically, mentally and emotionally replenished.” Drew really represents the “Work. Play. Do Good.” mindset we strive to encourage as he discusses the importance of serving others, “creating an oasis,” and more ways to keep your bucket full. So, is your bucket empty? Maybe Drew’s post will help you fill it up a bit.
We really hope this mix encouraged you to hit this week with intensity. The world is expecting to see fantastic things from you, so please try not to let the world down. Tap into that creative intensity and do something that changes the whole landscape. We’d certainly love to see it. In fact, tell us about it in the comments below or over on our Facebook page.
Also, if you are trying to figure out how to get inspired, be at the OTA Sessions on March 25-26. OTA just might be the creative kick in the caboose to get you in a game-changing mood, so don’t pass it up. We can’t wait to see you there.
Photo (“Catch A Falling Star…”) c/o Paul Sapiano. Thanks Paul!
Box Scores, Feb. 15-21 – “Copycats, Pitching & Minority Report”
Well, as you’ve probably come to expect, we’re back this fine Monday with your favorite Monday morning…expectation… That’s right, it’s Box Score time, and we’ve picked some great posts from the past week to show you what brilliant insight the blogosphere had to offer.
Also, we’d be remiss not to mention our favorite upcoming, creativity-fostering, mind-expanding mind-blowing OTA Sessions conference happening March 25-26. What’s that? You want to know more? Oh, well check it out right here. And when you’re done with that, read up on this week’s Box Scores below. First up, the wise Jim Connolly…
-“Why copycat marketing can hurt your business!”
It’s easy to look over at another brand or agency’s marketing strategy or efforts and think, “Well hey, if they’re doing it, we should be doing it too!” And because it’s easy to do that, we will occasionally just straight up copy them. Want to know why it’s a bad idea? Here’s an intro thought from Jim Connolly; “Amateur marketers will copy what they see others doing, wrongly assuming that it must be working.” See…wrongly assuming. Go read why it’s wrong. You’ll be glad you did.
-“Minority Report In Your Living Room: Gestural Interface Computers “Five Years” Away”
This is just a bit of tech awesomeness from Read Write Web that we thought you guys would find interesting. Mostly because we thought it was awesome. According to the post, “John Underkoffler, a science consultant for Minority Report, has worked for the last decade with his company, Oblong Industries, to take the gesture-activated interface from the screen to, well, the screen.” To see the screenshots (which are worth taking a look at), check out the full post over at Read Write Web.
So you want to pitch a blogger. Maybe you need to pitch a blogger. If you want to do it in a way that works out well for everyone, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to check out some tips on doing it right. Getting your tips from a guy like C.C. Chapman – who has pitched plenty of bloggers and, more importantly, consistently receives TONS of pitches from others – is a good decision. Here’s a lesson in pitching. Take it to heart.
-“Don’t Forget The Little Side Streets”
As usual, Chris Brogan goes beyond pointing out something worth noticing. He points it out, tells you why he pointed it out, and gives you a checklist to make sure you get as much value from his out-pointing as you can get. Because that’s what he does. So, read up on why you shouldn’t forget the little side streets and then hit up his checklist so that you don’t have any excuses for not visiting the little side streets more consistently. You’re welcome.
-“Do You Really Need An Hour?”
This Advertising Age post from Darryl Ohrt brings up a question that we know numerous companies and agencies should be asking: Do meetings REALLY need to take as long as they do? One of the best points Darryl makes is this: “If our fantastical creative solution to a client’s problem can’t be conveyed within 20 minutes, perhaps it’s time to do a little refining.” Good point. So, do your meetings really need to last a full hour? If not, you just might find yourself (or your employees) an extra 40 minutes an hour to get work done. Wouldn’t that be nice?
Boom. There you have it. Great thoughts from great thinkers (one of whom – Chris Brogan – will be presenting at the OTA Sessions-sponsored Trust Summit on March 26th) to open up your mind a bit this Monday morning. Let us know what you thought of this week’s Box Scores by leaving a comment below or dropping us a note on our Facebook page.
And, if you liked what you read here, just think about the thought-provoking insight you’ll get from the OTA Sessions. It may sound like we’re selling it hard, and we are, but we’re only pushing it so hard because we want EVERYONE to get the value out of it that we think they could get. We know it sounds cheesy, but we promise, we’re doing it for you.
Have a great week!
Photo (“minority-report-1″) c/o eyeliam. Thanks eyeliam!
Box Scores: Nov. 2-8 – “Customer Service, SEO & Freaks and Geeks”
Nothing helps you enjoy a week like great weather. Fortunately, we’ve been having some unseasonably wonderful weather here in good ol’ Sioux Falls, South Dakota, so the Deep Bench crew is in fine spirits on this fine Monday morning. Hopefully you’re in fine spirits as well, but whether you are or you aren’t excited about the new week, we’ve got good news: Box Scores are in. So read up and learn from some of the best posts that the blogosphere had to offer last week.
-“Stop asking the wrong blogging questions”
First up is a great post from Mack Collier regarding superpowers and how you can give them to your readers with your blog. Mack tells us to consider this question: “What will a reader gain from having visited your blog?” rather than “What can my readers do for me?” His advice is sound, so read the post for the full details. Then start putting the insight to good use.
-“6 Cheap Tips For Better Customer Service”
David Spinks is producing some consistently stellar content over at The Spinks Blog, and this post on improving your customer service is no different. Tips like “Don’t get mad at people for wanting help” and “Check up on your customer once in awhile” seem simple, but David’s easy-to-relate-to explanations make this post easy to pass along to anyone, whether it’s to your lone customer service rep or to the head of your entire customer service department. So…probably do that. After you read it, obviously.
-“4 Ways To Build Relationships With Web Content”
Stepping in and rocking a guest post on the PR-Squared blog is no easy task, but Shannon Paul brings some great insight to this post on using web content to build relationships. From the interesting examples leading up to the meat of the post (like awesome, though barely known, musician Nick Drake and doomed-by-its-own-brilliance TV show “Freaks and Geeks”) to the actual helpful tips like outbound links and guest posting, this one is worth the read.
-“25 Link Building Tactics to Improve Blog Search Engine Rankings”
This post is pretty much exactly what it says it is, and that’s a good thing. Lee Odden brings his expertise in the SEO realm to help folks improve their blog search engine rankings. Even just half of these tips would be helpful to just about anybody with a blog. If that includes you, check them out, learn from them, and put them to good use.
Plenty of posts have been written on the “who owns social media within the agency” question, but this Amber Naslund breakdown is one of the best we’ve come across on the subject so far. SPOILER ALERT: Amber thinks social media is an organization-wide effort. Now, if you really want to understand why she thinks that (trust us, you do), check out her full post and do some learnin’ while the learnin’s good. You’ll be glad you did.
Rain or shine, Deep Bench Box Scores will (almost) always be ready on Monday mornings. This week we were fortunate enough for it to be shine. But even if the weather isn’t spectacular where you are, hopefully these great posts from some brilliant minds managed to brighten up your Monday. Let us know what you thought (or if we left out any great posts) by leaving us a comment below or filling us in on our Facebook page. Oh, and if you want to make sure you never miss another set of Box Scores (or any of our other posts), you can subscribe to our RSS feed by clicking here.
Photo (“Nice Weather”) c/o Rachel Amarette. Thanks Rachel!
Box Scores: Oct. 26-Nov. 1 – “Rockstars and Velcro”
If it’s Monday morning, it means it’s time for Box Scores. And last time we checked, today is Monday. Hopefully you’ve recovered for your candy hangover and you’re ready to rock the world with ideas and intelligence. Speaking of rocking, that leads us right into our first post of Box Scores, featuring a good amount of rock as well. Don’t believe me? Read up and do some learning, courtesy of Mack Collier and a few other bright minds.
-“Social media needs fewer rockstars, and more rockstar ideas”
This post from Mack Collier is a great way to kick off Box Scores. Why? Because Mack explains why we need to focus less on the “rockstars” of social media and focus more on the ideas and mindsets that made them rockstars to begin with. We may not all have 50,000 Twitter followers, but so what? This industry thrives on great ideas from a wide variety of people. Just make sure you’re one of those people offering the great ideas, and you’re doing it right. Don’t believe us? Read Mack’s post and see for yourself.
-“Social Media Time Management: Resource Allocation”
Amber Naslund takes a solid look at how organizations can engage in social media effectively in this post from her Altitude Branding blog. Full of great insight and excellent visuals, this post is both helpful for organizations as well as agencies looking to give some advice to clients. Her entire “Social Media Time Management” series is insightful, and this post is definitely one of its gems.
-“Three Ways to Make Your Competitors Irrelevant”
Quite often, Copyblogger posts feature tips and hints to help you improve your blog/copywriting. But that’s not all the Copyblogger blog provides readers, and this post from Brian Clark helpfully reminds readers that they’re about more than just words and writing. Just about all of us are in “ultra-competitive” markets. Anybody not looking to beat out the competition most likely won’t succeed. We suggest Brian’s post. Whether you choose to read it is up to you.
-“How To Write A Blog Post That’s Stickier Than Velcro”
For a post that is a bit more writing-related, Problogger brings in a guest post from Marelisa Fábrega discussing…well…pretty much exactly what the title says. With points like like “Make it Unexpected: Lose Weight by Eating Fast Food” and “Tell Stories – A Well-Told Story Jump-Starts Action,” Marelisa’s post stays completely informative and humorously “real.” And, for the most part, the suggested tips and ideas can be applied to other areas in life beyond blog writing. So if you’re not necessarily a “writer,” just pretend the post is titled “How To Produce Content That’s Stickier Than Velcro.”
And so ends another edition of our weekly Box Scores. With only four posts in this week’s set, we’d love to get some input from you readers. Are there any fantastic posts we forgot to include? Were these just so great that you’ve forgotten the rest of the posts you read last week? Tell us your thoughts (or post suggestions) in the comments below, or over on our Facebook page.
And one more thing. Have a great week.
Image c/o wstryder.
Box Scores: Oct. 12-18 – “Twitter Psychology and Creative Juices”
It’s Monday, and you know what that means. You get a chance to start your week on a positive note. And we’re here to help you do it with our set of weekly Box Scores. So check out these great posts from the blogosphere last week. Then put them to good use and tell us what you think by leaving a comment below. First up, Brian Solis shares some wisdom from the always interesting Dr. Drew.
-“The Psychology of Twitter with Dr. Drew”
In this PR 2.0 post from Brian Solis, we see what Brian learned from one of media’s favorite doctors. (Hint: It’s not this one.) Dr. Drew discusses social media narcissism, the importance of real world relationships and what he tweets about. Brian contributes some good insight of his own, and the post is certainly worth a read.
-“Social Media for the Risk Averse”
Amber Naslund drops some great knowledge on how to deal with the folks who still aren’t quite sold on social media (specifically the ones who are afraid of the inherent “risks”). Though it’s easy for people in the industry to assume everyone has “seen the light” of social media, that in itself is a risky assumption to make. Amber points out why those people are risk averse, and then offers some great information on how to convince them of social media’s value. Whether it’s a battle you yourself are fighting or a battle a client may be fighting, this post is good ammunition for explaining the value of social media.
-“Why It’s Time To Do Away With The Brand Manager”
This Advertising Age post emphasizes the increasing importance of companies having “brand advocates” in their workforce. The post mentions that “Forrester recommends giving market research and analytics, dubbed “consumer intelligence” in the report, a much more prominent and central role…” Our question is, do you have someone (or some people) in your organization who represents that role? If not, this post will help you see why you should.
-“How do you get the creative juices flowing?”
Drew McLellan tends to write consistently valuable content. This post is no difference, and is worth checking out whether you are in a creative rut or just want some new ideas on how to keep things fresh. Tips like “Personify it” and “Get out” (as well as the explanation behind them) really make this post worth the read, so get your creative juices flowing by giving it a read.
-“The #1 Reason My Blogging Grew Into a Business”
If you’ve ever had the feeling of wanting to be successful but not quite knowing how to get there, this post from Darren Rowse at Problogger is one shining example of making it happen. Darren talks about the moment his blog went from simple hobby to moneymaking business opportunity and what it’s done for him since then. In the basic sense, he says this: “The #1 reason my blogging grew into a business was that I began to treat it as one.” To really understand the how and why, check out his post. If it hits you like it hit us, you should definitely be inspired.
Hopefully these great posts rock your socks off and gave you some inspiration heading into the week. We try to share the best, but there are lots of great posts every week that get left out. If there are any must-reads that didn’t make it in this week’s Box Scores, drop a link in the comments below or come share it on our Facebook page. Of course, if you simply thought Box Scores rocked, you can tell us as well. Have a great week!
Photo by manwithface. Thanks man…with face.
Box Scores: Aug 17-23 – “Repeat Tweets, Mirror Neurons & Being Wrong”
We’re coming at you on this fine, August Monday morning with a new set of Box Scores for you to check up on. Some great posts from industry thought leaders to help you kick off your Monday in style. Then again, according to our first post from Christopher S. Penn, it might not be such a good idea to agree with these “thought leaders,” so read up and see why it wouldn’t hurt to disagree every once in awhile. And if you disagree with anything in Box Scores, don’t be afraid to let us know in the comments section. After you’ve given them a read, of course…
-“What if no one tells you that you’re wrong?”
Christopher S. Penn comes at us with an interesting dilemma developing in the social media realm. It’s the issue of people agreeing with ideas and concepts simply because the popular “thought leaders” discuss or write about them. Unfortunately, this mindset isn’t good for social media folks (or anyone in ANY business). As Chris puts it, “too many people are afraid to disagree with ‘thought leaders’ and ‘social media superstars’…no matter how valuable you perceive someone is, the folks who you perceive as leaders desperately need you to call BS on us when we are wrong (me especially), so that we can continue to think critically, to learn, to grow ourselves.” We’d ask you to do the same for us here at Deep Bench.
-“Don’t Do These 12 Things When Writing Headlines”
The thought-provoking pros at Copyblogger come to us with another set of tips to help blog writers successfully write good headlines. The tips really make you think (mostly because they sound almost backward) and they’re worth checking out. It’s not every day that you read tips like “Don’t be original” and “Don’t be clever,” so give these and see why they’re actually reasonable this time around.
-“Social Media Marketers’ Best Kept Secret: Mirror Neurons”
This first official post from Derek at Social Triggers presents an interesting concept for evoking responses in people by using mirror neurons. As he explains it, “When people see someone perform an action on video, they will think they just performed the action themselves.” Derek goes on to explain how giving people this sensation can be beneficial (and how it can be done with or without video). He claims he’s got plenty more posts coming in the future. After reading this one, we’re looking forward to what Derek has to say.
-“How To Drive Traffic with Repeat Tweets”
This one comes from a fairly well-known online figure who goes by the name of Guy Kawasaki. Guy did some analysis of a specific tweet and the various results he received from sharing it on Twitter more than only one time. The results and Guy’s explanation are worth reading up on. You know, if you trust the research and statistics from one of the most popular Twitter users around.
-“Social Media Marketing Basics: Facebook & Blog Promotion”
This post from Lee Odden at TopRank Online Marketing shares some great insight from a great resource and thought leader. Lee examines various ways to promote Facebook fan pages and blogs and focuses strongly on the strategy involved rather than the tools themselves (which is an approach we certainly respect here at Deep Bench). As Lee explains, “The key to answering the ‘how do we promote our social participation’ question is directly tied to goals, audience, tactics and resources.” We agree. How about you?
-“Simple Touchpoints of Loyalty”
Plenty of people know how to build strong relationships, both real-world and online. However, not many of them have made it an essential part of their livelihoods the way Chris Brogan has. This 9-point list is easy to work through, and is certainly worth the effort. We recommend you give it a read (and consider taking him up on his first point on the list). You – and we – will be glad that you did.
So there are your Box Scores for the week. Read up, get smarter, and let us know what you thought by leaving a comment below, hitting us up on our Facebook fan page, or dropping us a line (or tweet) on Twitter.
Photo by Will Hybrid
Box Scores: July 27-Aug 2 – “Blogging Mojo, Killing Creatives and Big Spenders”
For you consistent readers, we’ve got good news. It’s Monday, and Box Scores are here and on-time, ready for your reading enjoyment. For you first-time visitors, we’ve also got some good news for you. Box Scores are here and ready for your reading enjoyment (sorry…we just think it’s good news for everyone involved). So, first time readers and repeat offenders, get in for some highlights from the blogosphere last week (and don’t be afraid to let us know what you think when you’re done reading).
First up, we’ll kick things off with a post from Copyblogger…
-“73 Ways to Become a Better Writer”
This is simply a great post from Copyblogger by Mary Jaksch that is as direct as its title implies. Mary lists 73 ways to become a better writer, and whether you’re a full-fledged blogger, simply a Twitter/Facebook user, or a non-blogging and non-Twittering non-writer, they’re all worth learning from. Even non-writers could afford to become better writers, and Mary tells you how. The key? Practice. As she puts it, “The good news is that writing makes you a better writer. Just like practicing the piano makes you a better pianist, or riding a trail bike makes you a better biker.” Great advice (and well-worth the read).
-“Nine Must-Haves for the Social Media Newsroom of My Dreams”
Not to share this post from Shannon Paul would be nothing short of a complete mistake. Shannon lists some great thoughts/insights as to how you can make the lives of reporters/bloggers/whoever easier by souping up your social media newsroom. Even just taking a few of these and making them happen is worth the effort, so read up and see how you can use the nine must-haves for the social media newsroom of Shannon’s (and many other people’s) dreams…
-“How truly serious are you about being social?”
A short and sweet post from Beth Harte that simply asks what you would do for your clients if the social media tools like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn were to suddenly disappear tomorrow. Would you change your current online strategy? Abandon it entirely? Re-craft it with a totally different focus? Once you’ve answered the question in your own head, share your thoughts on Shannon’s blog (or right here in the comments section below).
-“Being Nice Will Kill Young Creatives”
It will. If you don’t understand how that’s possible, watch the video from the post and you’ll see what we mean. While I (Mike) wrote a post based off of this one last week, the above-mentioned post from Adgabber is absolutely worth watching/reading to see how being too nice harms not only yourself and your company, but also harms the young creatives who need genuine criticism in order to improve. Otherwise…they’re just drowning in your (over)positivity.
-“Groupon – Clever Collective Buying Site”
Not a whole lot to say about this Chris Brogan post other than the fact that, if you’re hoping to share/spread information, there’s nothing like making people share it/spread it in order to get what they want. Want the deal? Make sure everybody else wants it too. Seems like a logical way to build some buzz and push people to your site. Chris even defines the logic of the concept’s ROI , so it makes the traditional marketing folks happier too – “In the screen grab I took, the deal is for people to attend a spa, and 25 people had to buy at the offered rate of $65 USD. 67 people (at the time of this writing) took the deal, which, if you think about it means that the spa books over $4300 in business for this one promotion. Not bad, eh?” Not bad at all, Chris. Not bad at all.
-“How to Find Your Blogging Mojo – Experiment with Different Voices and Styles of Writing”
This post from Darren Rowse is another “become a better writer” post (which makes two of those for this week’s Box Scores). Darren’s insight is a great perspective for those folks that just want to connect with readers and know that those readers enjoy reading what you (the writer) are writing. As Darren puts it, “Some bloggers just seem to be able to write in a way that connects. They go beyond technically writing well to a style that just works.” If you’re able to do that, you’ll certainly get a few readers coming back for more. And that works out well for everyone.
-“Big Spenders Get the Most Buzz”
The title sums it up pretty nicely, but this AdAge post looks at some of the bigger brands in this country and how they’ve fared when spending more money (even if the economy is a little down right now). Based on the title, the results aren’t shocking, but it’s worth a read if you’re considering whether or not spending money is the right thing for your company. We’re not saying whether it is or isn’t (because it certainly depends on you or your company on an individual basis), but we encourage you to read the post and let us know your thoughts on the matter.
And so, another week of Box Scores comes to a close. While it’s a shame we have to end them so soon, we’ll have more content for you as the week goes on and you can rest assured knowing that we’ll be back with more Box Scores next Monday. For now, enjoy this week’s bunch and tell us what you thought (good choices, missed opportunities, or other constructive criticism) by leaving a comment below, dropping us a line on Facebook at Facebook.com/deepbench, OR by tweeting us on Twitter at @deepbench.
Photo by uteart.
Box Scores: July 20-26 – Ninjutsu, conundrums and creativity…
It’s Monday morning and you know what that means – Box Scores are in and they are ready to rock your face off. And while faces are typically useful on a Monday morning, we’re betting you’ll be happy that Box Scores were good enough to rock your face off after you give these great posts from last week a read-through. So read up and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below once you’re done. We’ll be kicking off this week with some sweet ninjutsu insight from Christopher S. Penn…
The sage wisdom within this post comes from Christopher S. Penn as he discusses how catching someone (or something) off guard can be exactly what it takes to turn their world upside and take advantage of the chaos. Relating it to the martial art of ninjutsu, Christopher explains it this way: “When something interrupts that deeply ingrained habit, the body has almost no idea what to do, and it’s in that moment of confusion through what should have been an orderly, predictable transition, that the ninja technique displays its power.” Does your work display that kind of power when it reaches your target audience? If not, you might want to start paying closer attention to footfalls.
It’s rare for Seth Godin to miss a week with a Box Scores appearance, and he’s keeping that tradition alive with this post about your opportunities to improve as a person or business. Describing how it’s the uphill battle that gives you a chance to get better, Seth words things this way: “The best time to do great customer service is when a customer is upset. The moment you earn your keep as a public speaker is when the room isn’t just right or the plane is late or the projector doesn’t work or the audience is tired or distracted.” So…do you complain about the misery of an uphill battle or do you embrace it and use it to get better?
-“Do You Have These 11 Traits of Highly Creative People”
The thing that’s great about this Dean Rieck post from the Copyblogger blog is that he not only points out some traits of highly creative people, but he also encourages readers who may not consider themselves as “creative” people to “[t]hink of creativity as a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. To increase your creativity, you simply need to “act” like a creative person.” The traits, he explains, are universal. So if you think you’re not “that creative,” give this post a read. You may realize you’re more creative than you thought you were.
Although it’s my job to summarize these posts so you know their value before clicking the link, there’s not much I can do to set this one up beyond saying, “Hey…click this link. It’s worth it.” May sound spammy, but any further explanation will spoil the post. Let’s just say it deals with social media and the strategy behind it. Now read and feel free to pass it along to those stubborn clients who don’t understand why their Facebook fan pages or Twitter accounts don’t have 20,000 fans.
-“New Study Finds Correlation Between Social Media and Financial Success”
This post from Read. Write. Web. is pretty much summed up in its title, but it’s definitely worth the read for those interested in statistics that support the logic of utilizing social media within your organization (you know…for those stubborn bosses who “don’t quite get the whole Facepage thing.”). By tracking some of the biggest brands “using” social media, the study from Wetpaint and the Altimeter Group has some great insight as to how a social media presence can pay off for more than simply connecting and building relationships.
And that, friends, is this week’s edition of Deep Bench Box Scores. Back on time to help you kick off your Monday morning with some thought-provoking insight. Be sure to let us know if you agree or disagree (or if we missed any great posts that should’ve been included in this week’s line-up). You can fill us in by leaving us a comment below, dropping us a line on Twitter, or posting a link on our Facebook fan page.
Photo by RodrigoFavera.
Why I Can’t Stand “A Case of the Mondays”
If you’ve ever worked one single Monday in your life, it’s possible (and probable) that you’ve heard – or used – the expression “a case of the Mondays” to explain a bad mood on a Monday morning.
I can’t stand that.
Call me crazy, call me closed-minded, call me unsympathetic (or just call me reasonable), but it drives me insane to think that people let something as completely intangible as a certain day of the week determine their mood and attitude for 24 hours.
I’ll admit there’s a difference between having a bad day that is coincidentally on a Monday and an actual “case of the Mondays.” That’s understandable. But am I the only person that goes crazy when a conversation with a person on Monday morning transpires like this? –
Me: “Hey, how’s it going today?”
Person: “Eh, it’s Monday…”
Me: (While internally shaking my head and repressing near-violent anger) “Alright, well…I hope it gets better for you.”
Person: “Oh, it’s just a case of the Mondays. Things should be better tomorrow.”
Wait, what?!
You’re going to spend an entire day being in a bad mood based on the logic that it’s the first day to your work week? Seriously? Is EVERY weekend you spend that magnificent that it makes you dread your entire first day back to work? You’re going to let one day bring a depressing and dreary attitude into the workplace, to infect everyone with your negative, “my environment controls my attitude” outlook on life?
Uh-uh. No way. Leave that garbage at home. That’s what I say. You have a chance to make every Monday an exciting and opportunistic day for you if you choose to make it happen. Mondays are a fresh chance to kick off a great week and spread an “I plan to enjoy my day (and make it productive)” approach to everyone in your office. Why pass up that opportunity only to replace it with negativity? If you can give me one good reason, I just might retract this post and apologize for my errors. And maybe shave my head or something crazy.
Bottom line: This post was inspired by a Twitter offer from a coffee shop in Sioux Falls (which has been very, very good to the Deep Bench crew) called Coffea: “50% off drinks today for anyone with a ‘case of the Mondays.’” the tweet read. I love their approach. I love that they are using Twitter to create a tribal experience (Seth Godin-style) of insider information. Like a secret password or handshake that actually provides value to customers. I love that.
But I don’t love “cases of the Mondays.” So I walked in, and asked if I “could still have a discount, even if I consider a case of the Mondays to be a good thing.” The response? “You know, if you think Mondays are a good thing, then I think you definitely deserve a 50% discount.”
I’ll say this: I respect and appreciate Coffea’s attempt to make everybody’s Monday a little bit better with a 50% discount (and I respect them even more for doing it with a social media approach). In fact, I’d even say that falls into Deep Bench’s “Do Good” aspect of our organization’s “Work. Play. Do Good.” mantra.
I just wish the rest of the world would try to approach Monday’s with a slightly more optimistic outlook. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, but I think wishful thinking is the small push that helps start turning the gears of change. So, from now on, I’m going to try to spread my “Positive Case of the Mondays” approach by sharing some positive thoughts, concepts, and probably music on Mondays just to add a little optimism to the mix and maybe create a little change.
Because really, why would you want to let an outside force like the day of the week affect your chance to enjoy an entire day’s worth of opportunities for success?
It’s that kind of attitude that almost…almost gives me a case of the Mondays.
If you agree or disagree with Mike’s mindset or his analysis on cases of the Mondays, let us know in the comments below or drop us a line on Twitter at @deepbench. Although it’s unlikely, it’s possible he’s wrong, so please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts with us.
Box Scores: June 8-14 – “Lemmings, trial lawyers and radio Twitter”
Image c/o Shoshanah
Good news, folks. We’re back on this wonderful Monday morning with some Box Scores to kick off your week. Although last week’s Box Scores were a little late, we wanted to get right back on schedule this week with some of the best posts the blogosphere had to offer. So read up and tell us what you think by leaving us a comment below or dropping us a line on Twitter at @deepbench.
-“23 Essential Elements of Sharable Blog Posts”
A great list with fantastic advice, Chris Brogan brings his typical personal and professional touch to this very useful post. If you’ve ever needed a bit of advice when it comes to creating appealing blog content, Chris covers this base with a concise list of tips and ideas to make it happen. Read it, learn from it, bookmark it and share it.
-“Five Ways to Persuade Like a Silver-Tongued Trial Lawyer”
This post comes from Brian Clark over at Copyblogger and, while it may not sound like the way you want to conduct yourself in the business world, the post isn’t as evil as it sounds. In fact, it’s makes quite a bit of sense. As Brian puts it, “…in an attention-starved world where everyone is constantly bombarded with competing information, your message must be designed to slip into the mind of your prospect as effortlessly as possible. In that regard, you might want to think like a trial attorney when ‘making your case’ with your copy.” Makes sense to us. Read up and let us know if you agree/disagree.
-“Jumping Off The Social Media Cliff”
Lee Odden of the Online Marketing Blog makes an appearance on Box Scores with this post emphasizing the difference between using social media tools and creating a social media strategy that utilizes certain tools. As far as the question he presents in the post’s title, he looks at it this way, “For many companies, kicking off a social media effort is like jumping off a cliff. The question to consider…is whether your company is jumping as a base jumper or a Lemming?” Do you know the answer to that question for your own company?
-“13 Lessons (& Tips) Learned from Launching an eBook”
If you have any intentions of launching an eBook, this post from Darren Rowse at Problogger is a solid resource for viewing the process in a personal (rather than a mechanical) way. Darren shares his experience in the eBook launching process as if he’s having a conversation rather than writing a step-by-step instructional guide for the process. The result? Though not a “hold you by the hand” guide, this post serves to show some of the positives and negatives of launching a eBook, as well as what to consider if you decide to do it.
-“Graduate school for unemployed college students”
Seth Godin is a wise man and he doesn’t fail to live up to that description in this post on what to do if you are unemployed and tired of sitting on the couch expecting good things to happen. From industry-related ideas like “Write three detailed business plans for projects in the industry you care about” to (seemingly) less business-oriented advice like “Volunteer to coach or assistant coach a kids sports team,” Seth shares what currently-unemployed graduates could be doing to not only stay productive during their unemployment, but also to help better-situate them for employment later on down the line. Pretty sound advice if you ask us…
-“UnitedHealthcare Signs Master Service Agreement with Spyder Trap Online Marketing”
While not a traditional Box Scores blog post, this release from Spyder Trap Online Marketing brings up a great point in how business can develop with clients. The gist is this: Starting with a small piece of a large business and doing fantastic work with that slice opens the door for you to get your hands on the rest of the pie. To read Mike’s full thoughts on the subject, check out his post from last Thursday here.
-“Is Twitter like a radio or more like a plaza?”
An interesting post from Roberto Mazzoni at Commodore Black, the question debates how frequently Twitter users should re-post or re-share content they feel is worth sharing. Using some common sense statistics to help prove his point, Roberto’s insight will help you realize that it’s not a crime to post your content more than once a day (as well as why it might benefit you to post it up to 4-5 times per day). After you check out the post, let us know what you think. Is more than once or twice a Twitter sin or is it reasonable? Let us know what you think.
And with that, we conclude yet another week of Deep Bench Box Scores. Hopefully you learned a thing or two from these awesome posts. And while we’re at it, are there any posts you feel like we missed? If so, let us know in the Comments section and we’ll give them a look. We’re happy to hear your thoughts, so share them below or drop us a tweet at @deepbench. Enjoy your Monday, and we’ll be back with more soon.
Image courtesy of Shoshanah via Flickr Creative Commons.
Box Scores: Jan. 27-Feb. 2 – The interweb, linkbaiting, and success…
As we head into the first week of February, we’ve got some solid blog posts and news stories from the past week to help you kick off your Monday. So sit back, click some links, and make sure you didn’t miss anything important from the previous week.
-“Your success is determined by one thing” – This post on the Direct Marketing Observations blog discusses why one certain element of marketing and your company’s focus on it can make or break your success. Do you agree with his choice of that one essential element?
-“The Subtle Art of Linkbaiting”– Chris Brogan discusses the good and bad qualities of “Linkbaiting.” Not sure what that even means? Give this a read and it’ll make a lot more sense (and could end up being very useful).
-“Don’t Script, Improvise” – Valeria Maltoni stresses the importance of being able to improvise in order to keep your business decisions fresh. And, in an online environment that is fluid and ever-changing, improvisation is one of the best ways to keep up.
-“Audiolife: Create your own virtual music and merch shop” –This Mashable post covers a new service that lets musicians run all of their sales through one program/app: merchandise, CDs, digital albums, and all the other important sales items bands could need can all be sold or monitored through Audiolife. As bands work hard to create an online fan base and presence, Audiolife just might be the tool to take that band’s online presence to the next level.
-“How companies tackle the interweb thingy” – BBC News post about why companies need to utilize the internet, not fear it. This is an article for all of those Presidents, CEOs and VPs that don’t think Twitter and blogs matter. Or for the online media directors fighting to make their Presidents, CEOs and VPs understand.
-“Social Media Certification: For the low, low price of…” – This Beth Harte post discusses the recent trend of “Social Media Certifications” and how “Certified” does not equal “Professional.”
-“Top 10 Social Networks for Generation-Y” – Mashable comes in again with a post listing some of the best social networks for Gen Y-ers to be a part of. Some of them are career-related, some of them are fun-related, and some of them are Barack-related. They’re all pretty unique and worth looking into a little bit more. Especially if you fit into the “Generation-Y” category.
-“Handling Negative Comments On Your Blog Post” – This guest post on Chris Brogan’s blog, written by Jason Alba, discusses some tips on how not to get too hot and fiery when someone may not agree with your blog post. While it’s never fun to learn that a person doesn’t like your work, Jason’s insight on the matter just might help you get through the negativity without a harsh overreaction on your part.
Hopefully these Box Scores give you some food for thought to start the week. Are there any we missed that should have been on the list? Let us know by posting a link in the comments section. Any of these not worth reading? Let us know why. The better our Box Scores get, the better it is for everyone reading, so don’t be afraid to share your thoughts.