We’ve all laughed hysterically as Lucy and Ethel try to keep up with the chocolates rolling down the conveyer belt. At first it seemed so simple, pick up the chocolate and wrap it. But then, just as they were getting the hang of it, the supervisor comes in and speeds up the conveyer belt.
Sound familiar? Just when you think you’ve mastered one technology along comes another one. Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Flickr, YouTube….the list goes on. And they keep coming faster, one after another. Technology is changing faster than we can adapt. It’s doubling every two years and at this rate it looks like we’re gonna get stuck with a lot of chocolate in our mouths.
I make no secret that I’m a huge Twitter fan. I’ve learned more and met more people than I could have through five years of traditional networking and professional development in the past year and half that I’ve used the medium, So in the spirit of ROI, or what I like to call, “what I get out of it,” I thought I’d complete the exercise of what I’ve achieved on Twitter over the past 18 months.
Received new ATM card after old card was lost and failed attempts at the local branch and the 1-800 number of BOA. @BofA_Help worked with me through
DM’s and 1 phone call to resolve my issue.
Rescheduled an appointment with Comcast with @comcastcares. I spent 30 minutes on the phone waiting for someone and got frustrated and tweeted it out. With a few DM’s, I had my appointment rescheduled without having to call the 1-800 number again.
Got feedback on whether or not I should install a new toilet myself. The responses were mixed, but it was helpful to have advice on things to consider.
Commiserated with @cathywench about challenges in getting a mortgage refi with Chase. Neither of us were happy with their service, but it was nice to have someone else out there who knew exactly what you were going through.
Learned from @jeffcarpenter that bold plus all caps equals “heavy” in designer terms, and that this graphic design should be reserved for billboards and three minute spots, not for print or web content. This is valuable to persuade clients not to use this combination.
Converted online friends @sisarina, @kerryjor, @rakhiandco, @simplyleachcoach and many more DC peeps to real life friends, thus expanding opportunities to build a very full social calendar. I am never short on activities or people to go with.
Brainstormed ways to measure internal blog with @abisignorelli
Although I cherish living alone and my “Amy” time, sometimes I want someone to talk to about American Idol or Grey’s Anatomy. With Twitter hashtags, I can simply find others who are talking about it and quickly jump into the conversation. The joy of being with others while enjoying your alone time, is for the holy grail of Twitter.
Found articles, quotes and schools of thought I never knew existed. Just by following others and listening to what’s on their mind, my mind, my perspective on life, work, politics, whatever has exponentially grown. There’s just not enough hours in the day, weeks in the year to gain this amount of insight on topics you may have never knew existed.
As I endured another Friday night channel surfing, I found myself watching back to back episodes of “Say Yes to the Dress.” Now I could write a whole other post on why I subject myself to a show where women spend obscene amounts of money for something they’ll wear just a few hours, I instead discovered that TLC has added Foursquare to its social media collection of Facebook and Twitter.
What’s Foursquare? Simply, Foursquare is city exploration at its best. Followers of your company, brand, whatever, can “check-in” when they visit your store or business and can shout it out to all their friends on Twitter ,Facebook and Foursquare. They can leave comments on the best bartender or the worst thing on your menu. Essentially, they become your PR, both good and bad. And yes, they’re doing this with or without you.
TLC isn’t the first organization to take its social media efforts to Foursquare. Starbucks, The Washington Post and Golden Corral have all embraced Foursquare. However, TLC is the first I’ve found that has brought Foursquare to the airwaves, encouraging viewers to follow them to get the low down on all the summer hot spots–hot spots where their shows visit and film Recently, Kate Plus 8 hosted the sextuplets sixth birthday party at Discovery Cove. And yes, TLC “checked-in” and told all its followers where they were. Double bonus: A shout out for TLC and it’s show, Kate Plus 8 and Discovery Cove.
TLC promotes real life living, from shopping for wedding dresses to the latest adventures of the Gosselin kids. No fictional sets, but real stores, real people, and real exploration. With Foursquare, TLC’s promoting real life while building viewership, and loyalty. A Foursquare match made!
You probably know by now that Gen Y has begun its invasion to the world of meetings, hard decisions and hard knocks. However, we shouldn’t forget that unlike the Boomers or even my fellow X’er’s, the Y’s want hands on experience. They want mentors that give them the guidance to practice, to fail and become better, to become great. How are you preparing your Y’s?
As I endured another Friday night channel surfing, I found myself watching back to back episodes of “Say Yes to the Dress.” Now I could write a whole other post on why I subject myself to a show where women spend obscene amounts of money for something they’ll wear just a few hours, I instead discovered that