Hope you enjoy.

Quick Customer Touchpoints.

The folks at Nikon let me try out a D300s camera. It’s a lot more pro-feeling than my Nikon D-60. Honestly, I’m not yet that clever with it. I’m trying it out, and shooting stuff, and they’re giving me little tips so I can try to do better stuff with it.

I’m part of their outreach project, which they’re doing for the South by Southwest event in partnership with YFrog. So, if you check out http://yfrog.com/nikon, you’ll see what me and a few others are shooting.

Why let an idiot like me use such a powerful camera instead of someone who’s a really great shooter? There are a few reasons. One’s obvious: I have a big audience, so Nikon is hoping that I’ll somehow coax you into buying one. I’m not sure how well that kind of option works. It’s not an inexpensive camera, so it’s not like you do an impulse buy.

However, the OTHER reason they let me use it instead of some pro is that I can be more like an “everyman” user. (I’ve written about the everyman before.) This is why Scott Monty of Ford is perfect for Ford. He’s their everyman.

So, the post? I’ve got a mixed reason. First, I’m telling you, “Hey, look! Nikon wants you to see me making their camera take fuzzy shots because I’m not a good photographer, but darn it – they like me!” Second, I’m saying, “as marketers, take a look at this kind of outreach and ask yourself what’s the yield. Believe me, if I somehow magically convince you that “even I can use this camera,” which is possible maybe, then how many will I be selling?

What’s your take?

We’ve raised about 1/3 of the money required in the first 20 minutes. Want to be part of a case study in charitable giving via the social web?

Come Donate $10.

I’m also going to be out and about for some socialization, naturally. I won’t be going to many of the parties. I just don’t like the crush of the crowds, the loud music, and the waiting in very long lines. I’ll be in the halls and the blogger’s lounge and the Pepsi area at SXSW. I’ll dip in and out of sessions. I’m speaking on Saturday the 13th with Julien at 12-something-PM. The panel is “I don’t trust you one stinkin’ bit.”

On Monday the 15th, I’ll be with Tim Hayden and others at the AT&T Conference Center for part of the day for Get Ready to Live, an event with UT Austin that will explore the future of marketing and where all this social and experience marketing stuff is going.

I’m There To Meet You

Don’t be shy. If there are lots of people, just come on up and say hi. It’s why I’m there. If you’re normally shy, PRETEND you’re not shy. Want some hints on how? Here’s my post on how to be sexier in person.

By all means, make sure you say howdy do. I’ll be there for all of Interactive. I can’t stay for the Music part. That means you have about 5 days to try and connect. I won’t see your @ messages on Twitter, but will dip into my direct messages as often as I can.

The worst thing you could possibly do is tweet me a few days later and say, ” I saw you but didn’t want to interrupt you.” That’s why I’m there. Please come say hi.

The Business Card Thing

Here’s a test. Let’s see if you remember this when we meet.

Unless you want to do business with me, don’t give me a business card. We both know how to reach each other, so unless one of us asks for one, let’s not hand them out. We tend to give out business cards because we’ve been taught this is what to do. It’s not. It’s the old way. In the old way, we just blast people with messages whenever WE need something. In the new way, you and I should only exchange cards if we’re looking to do future business. Otherwise? We roughly know how to reach each other, don’t we?

Save a card. Save the planet. Rewire the way humans do business.

Can’t Wait to See You

This event is quite social. It’s a great way to meet lots of people you haven’t seen before in person. They’re all just people, just like you. Never treat people like they’re gods and you’re there to worship. They’re all just people. The biggest names in the world that I’ve ever wanted to meet are just people. And you know what? If they ACT fancy? That’s because they’ve got low self-esteem. That’s not your issue.

Let’s say hi at the event, okay? And more interestingly, let’s think about what we can do that would have some IMPACT while we’re there.

Good?

Chris told me, “Our first aim is to significantly increase numbers (for awareness). Once we have done this we’re going to look at creating a charity to help stop this terrible condition and also help children who get it.”

So, the only ask at this time from Chris and his family, is that you consider joining the group.

My ask, to add to this is that you look at the symptoms (according to Wikipedia) and consider requesting a screening if this raises a flag:

“Early symptoms of the disorder usually appear around ages 4-10, with gradual onset of vision problems, or seizures. Early signs may be subtle personality and behavior changes, slow learning or regression, repetitive speech or echolalia, clumsiness, or stumbling. There may be slowing head growth in the infantile form, poor circulation in lower extremities (legs and feet), decreased body fat and muscle mass, curvature of the spine, hyperventilation and/or breath-holding spells, teeth grinding, and constipation.” – source, Wikipedia.

Peace to you, Chris and Mel, and I’m sorry I never got to meet Matthew in person.

We invite you to change the world, to be part of a group who is bringing their best, newest, most interesting ideas to an event created just for you. The goal of the event: to give you ideas that you can convert into action. You will make that successful.

It’s a small event, where only a few speakers will share some of their best-of advice. Part networking, part learning, part strategy conversation, here’s some of the speakers:

• Dr. Roderick P. Hart – Dean, College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin
• Sam Decker – Chief Marketing Officer, BazaarVoice
• Tim Hayden – Chief Strategy Officer, Blue Clover Studios
• Chris Brogan – President, New Marketing Labs
• ….and other special guests, to be announced.

It’s just a side dish offering to the big party that Tim and I thought would be of value.

Want more? Check out Get Ready To Live

If you can’t see it, click here.

It costs $47 to join Third Tribes. I charge approximately 466 times that for a day of my time. So, the way I look at it, if you join the Third Tribe, and ask me the question, I’ll save you plenty of loot. Also, when you’re done with that gimmick, you’ll realize that there are over 2000 really smart people there who know more than me, and who can also help you out with Internet marketing questions.

What say you?

Should your company be blogging? What’s Twitter going to do for you? Why is Facebook all the rage? I’m happy to report that my new book, Social Media 101 (amazon aff link) is available for purchase.

Here are a few places where you can buy it, should you want it:

Social Media 101 – 800CEORead

Social Media 101 -Amazon

Social Media 101 – Amazon KINDLE edition

Social Media 101 – Audible.com edition

Social Media 101 – Barnes & Noble

Social Media 101 – Books-a-Million

Social Media 101 – Borders

(I’ll add more as they come about)

**Audiobook coming soon, but not for a bit. Kindle coming soon, but not for a bit.

Who Should Want This Book?

First off, the book is a collection of information that you might have read about here on [chrisbrogan.com]. Most of it comes from blog posts, tidied up to be useful to you. But that’s the point.

This book is for people who are less likely to read my blog. It’s also a way to have my information distilled in a static form so you can refer to bits as you need them. That’s one benefit to it.

Another benefit? You can share this with folks who might not normally read the blog who might need to get what we’re doing here in social media.

Make sense?

It’s Not the NEW Stuff

It’s the basics. It’s the little tricks and ideas. It’s suggestions of what to do next. Is it new and mind-blowing? No, not really. It’s important. Yes, it’s important.

Special Thanks

This book wouldn’t exist without my mom and dad. Steve Brogan and Diane Brogan did tons and tons of work on this book. My wife, Katrina, helped out, as well. Imagine that: a book brought to life by family. Hands-on by people who are NOT social media experts, but who get it. They all use these tools in their own ways, very differently from me. And yet, they use them.

Will you?

What do you think?