Disqus - Latest Comments for dhutson

Re: You Are Not Alone

dhutson — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:54:24 -0000

We're beginning our content strategy development process with Brain Traffic this week and I'm looking forward to it. Nice to know we're ahead of the curve, but it doesn't surprise me. Developing content for any communication channel has always been a challenge because most people just don't get it. It's about the right content for the right audience, done the right way. Seems simple but apparently it isn't.

Re: Taxing the Banks

dhutson — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:07:19 -0000

If I were a bank saved by the bailout, I would launch a "Thank You Taxpayers" campaign and offer some pretty sweet incentives to do business with me while showing my appreciation tothe public for saving my sorry ass. Maybe introduce a new way of banking that truly acknowledges the value of my business and is more respectful of the relationship. I bank with a local business bank because I can't stand the feeling that I'm always getting screwed when I bank with one of the big boys.

Re: I’m a Twitter Snob? Maybe

dhutson — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:35:51 -0000

Hey Danny, I'll bet you're an advertising snob, too. I know I am. I ignore maybe 95% of the advertising thrown my way.

I wasn't aware that being social on Twitter meant engaging in indiscriminate relationships with every individual (or MLM robot, or Britney pornbot) that knocks on my virtual door. Sounds like unsafe SM to me.

Re: Book Soup is Being Bought by Vromans - mediabistro.com: FishbowlLA

dhutson — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:11:17 -0000

Oh no. An indie bookstore in danger of closing is bought by a larger indie bookstore. Maybe the first change Vroman's should make is to find a new general manager if that's his public stance on the issue.

Re: Not Rocket Science

dhutson — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:56:54 -0000

I agree that too many people complicate their communication unnecessarily (e.g., big words and jargon to impress/confuse others). I'm a firm believer that the most complex issues can be explained either in words or pictures that 99 percent of us can understand, and there's really no reason not to.

On the other hand, some people take this too far and use "it's not rocket science" as an excuse for lazy, sloppy writing filled with bad grammar, misused punctuation, misspellings, etc. I've seen too many self-proclaimed "gurus" assure people that "close enough" writing is good enough. For those of us who make effective communication our profession and mission, that's equally offensive.

Simple, clear, effective communication free of jargon and confusing language should be everyone's goal.

Re: Are You a Fake Networker In Social Media?

dhutson — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:09:53 -0000

Funny you should mention it. I just wrote a long, crabby post re Twitter that touches on this issue of fake networking. Too many people are using it and other forms of social media no differently than traditional mass media. It's getting in the way of true social engagement and the kind of targeted communication that makes these tools so powerful.

Anyway, you might want to check it out here: http://www.bit.ly/15Z0cV

Re: What Social Media Isn’t

dhutson — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:19:26 -0000

Thanks, Jason. Good reminder that social media is a tool, not a strategy. Every organization considering its use should first do an assessment of their current business and marketing plans, make sure they're executing on the basics, then figure out how social media can either support current efforts or serve as a more efficient/effective replacement for other initiatives. You really can't make that analysis unless you understand what your current communication channels are doing for you.

Re: Put a lid on canned copy

dhutson — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:43:52 -0000

Good advice, Meghan. The worst thing about "I hope you found this article enjoyable" isn't that it's canned (although that's bad enough), it's that it's meaningless. If you left it off, nothing would be lost. Next steps/how to contact us/where to get more info make sense; empty platitudes, not so much.

Re: Twitter Quitter Issue a Canard

dhutson — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:08:46 -0000

Great analysis. I see that ecosystem developing in my own area of interest, but it isn't quite there yet. My ideal Twitter-based community would be composed of management and other professionals in Southern California's nonprofit community, especially those working in communications.

Many of my colleagues aren't using Twitter yet, which may seem amazing but I know for many it's an issue of limited time and resources. When you're managing a robust traditional communications program with no support staff and organizational leadership that has limited understanding of social media, it can be a hard sell to convince the organization to begin committing some of those resources to new, relatively untried approaches.

But until we see it happen in more organizations, developing that ecosystem where we can share ideas and best practices, build stronger collaborations and create a deeper understanding of what's going on in our part of the world will be impossible.

Re: Michael Marshall: Keeping Supernatural Suspense Real - mediabistro.com: GalleyCat

dhutson — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:04:00 -0000

Glad to see you've discovered Michael Marshall Smith. I've been following him since the early U.K.-only days. He's written some really outstanding short horror fiction which you can find in various anthologies. "More Later" is a real chiller that won the British Fantasy Award for Best Short Story in 1996. He also wrote a number of great SciFi novels early in his career. I wish he'd quit screwing around with his name so I can keep better track of the new stuff!

BTW, The Servants has also been published here in the States and is available as a trade paperback. It's a good young adult read.

Re: Best Fits for Social Media in the Sales Cycle

dhutson — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:33:25 -0000

You do a really nice job of making social media concrete in the context of current "real world" activities. These are great examples that help more traditionally-minded sales and marketing folk see how to integrate SM into processes they're comfortable with. It really helps to demystify this stuff for people just getting their feet wet. Thanks!

Re: What should you study to become a content strategist?

dhutson — Sat, 09 May 2009 12:54:22 -0000

Lots of great advice here, but I'm a little surprised no one mentions journalism training as part of the skill set. That's where I learned the value of concise, clear writing, how not to bury the lede, and how storytelling is perhaps the most powerful component of effective communication.

My other suggestion would be spending some time in account services, where (I hope) you really learn to listen to clients and help them reach conclusions as to what their real problem is (frequently not what they think it is).

Re: Net is Newspapers’ Best Opportunity Yet: Digital Survey

dhutson — Wed, 06 May 2009 01:19:50 -0000

The simple fact is that newspapers as currently constituted are about to go away. Not tomorrow, not next year, but quite possibly in my lifetime. It's not about newspapers competing with TV competing with radio competing with the Internet. It's about highly disciplined news-gathering operations using the latest technologies at hand to deliver valuable content through various channels to help us understand the world around us.

Once newspapers recognize this and free themselves from the box they've put themselves in in terms of approach, design, definitions, etc. ... then the opportunities will be limitless.

Re: How Many Chores Does It All Add

dhutson — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:02:57 -0000

Thanks for sharing this, Chris. I've only been blogging for about three months and tweeting even less, so it's enlightening to get a sense of your routine. My "day job" is not in social media, it's more traditional communications and PR, so it's a bit more difficult to justify the time and integrate stuff like what I'm doing right now into my work day. But I firmly believe that, even though my organization isn't quite ready for social media, I've got to be if I'm going to help it make that transition.

So here's my unsolicited request: I'd love to hear (or get referrals to) more case studies involving organizations making the transition from social media-stupid to social media-savvy. It's incredibly helpful to watch over someone's shoulder as they successfully deal with the issues that we're all dealing with (or will deal with soon).