Disqus - Latest Comments for Tim Jahn

Re: victory is sweet

Tim Jahn — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:34:36 -0000

I use the Yelp app all the time around Chicago to find bars, restaurants, Walgreens (even though we all know they're every 2.5 blocks). Very useful.

Evernote is a great service (with a great iPhone app) for syncing notes (text,image,video,etc) all over.

Definitely get Remote..control your music from your phone!!

Re: Hourly or Salary?

Tim Jahn — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:14:51 -0000

Great discussion ;)

"It is really hard to stomach that your rent is paid by other people".
This is ALWAYS the case. Your rent right now is paid by clients who chose your employer to work with. It's more direct than you think, too. If enough of your employer's clients decide to work with another company, they may not be able to justify paying you anymore.

I've never worked in the food industry specifically but I've always had hourly jobs, which has instilled in me a sense of hard work. You only get paid for hours you actually work. You don't have time to waste. And your time is valued. People can't barter 15 hours of your time for only 8 hours of your rate.

At the same time though, you can have the same work ethic with a salaried job (as I'm sure you do).

I definitely think it's relative (as you mentioned last night) and personal preference. I'm still not convinced salary work as well for me as hourly. But last night's discussion with everyone opened my eyes to some great values salary can provide.
.-= Tim Jahn´s last blog ..Chicago Art Department =-.

Re: Sydney: Unfiltered

Tim Jahn — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:35:56 -0000

New design looks fantastic! I look forward to more original, compelling content from ya. You stood out from the echo chamber before and I hope you continue to do so.

Don't forget those that have supported you during your journey (in big ways and small). It's important to keep shooting for the moon and working your ass off. But don't cast aside those that helped you get where you are, simply because you might not need them anymore.

You're unfiltered now. I hope that's not just a fancy name.

Re: Twitter is down, solution? Friend Feed.

Tim Jahn — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:40:16 -0000

I think the only time an addiction to digital spaces becomes sad (or a problem) is when it begins to replace real life interaction. When you're at a networking event tweeting stuff out during a conversation with two other people, that's a problem. Real life comes first, then digital life.

At least that's my two cents. :)

Re: Millenials and our happiness

Tim Jahn — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:10:33 -0000

I think we millenials are generally happier than our colleagues in the "workforce" but I also think it's because of the determination some of us have. Not everybody cares so much about what they do or how much exciting stuff they get to learn. Some millenials just want to sit on their ass and do nothing all day.

So keep up your hard work and perserverance. That's what separates ya.

And yes, I'm part of the 73% :)

Re: The “Adjustment Period” (it’s a doozy)

Tim Jahn — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:24:29 -0000

I've always been of the mantra "You learn by doing", which in my eyes applies to everything. (see my post from January - http://www.timjahn.com/blog/01/28/2009/youll-ne...)

I experienced the same transition you are but at an earlier date, as I started working in web development part time during school. I couldn't agree with you more though, you'll never get the same experience from a classroom as you will getting thrown into a real business somehow.

By simply being there, you'll learn things whether you realize it or not.

Re: SXSW – My trip of self-discovery – part one

Tim Jahn — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:05:27 -0000

"PR is about making people understand why they matter - not social media."

I think this is the most important lesson here. Treat people like people and you'll do fine. Forget that they're people and you're in trouble.

Re: I Don’t Know

Tim Jahn — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:21:32 -0000

I think you're right. Many people scramble to think of some meaningless answer instead of just saying they don't know. As you said, it's not appropriate for every question but it definitely shows a sign of confidence. You may not know but you'll sure as hell figure it out!

Re: The importance of idle chatter

Tim Jahn — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:28:21 -0000

Agreed for sure....I think pointless banter is what keeps Facebook alive most of the time. People just shoot the breeze on each others walls. Before you know it, community is born.

Re: If you’re not sharing, then why do we care?

Tim Jahn — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:34:54 -0000

Great points...and there's no reason not to share. Spreading the word around can only help you!

Re: When Real Life Interrupts: Maintaining Separate Images & Personas

Tim Jahn — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:07:36 -0000

The days of maintaining separate personas are nearing an I end I feel. Authenticity derives from people feeling like they know you and not a fake you.

I think a way to avoid a situation such as this current picture dilemna is to just be yourself online and off. Let people get to know you, wherever they are (as long as you trust them to a degree!).

Re: Success Means Working Through The Pain

Tim Jahn — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:06:28 -0000

Great advice and very true. If you haven't experienced a little pain (not necessarily physical!), you probably haven't tried hard enough.

Re: You Must Be Somewhere

Tim Jahn — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:41:16 -0000

"You can’t afford not to be part of the conversation, and there’s no legitimate excuse not to participate."

Agreed completely. I think many companies are lazy. They don't want to invest the time it takes to build social media relationships and connect with people. They try the "broadcast" route, fail, and that's it.

As you said though, customers are lurking about, talking about you. No reason not to listen.

Re: Why Should I Take the Time to Build Relationships with Bloggers Who Don’t Have a Ton of Readers?

Tim Jahn — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:18:26 -0000

Excellent topic here! +1 for your subscriber base.

@sradick points out the most important part...the influence is the most important element there. I've read plenty of blog posts from low traffic bloggers that had a big influence on me.

But the looming question all the traditional marketers want answered is how to measure this new pr.

Re: Professional Blog, Personal Opinion

Tim Jahn — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:35:43 -0000

As mentioned in the Twitter responses above, bloggers are people too. They're not entirely objective by any means. That's what makes blogging so fun...you get to know the person and you know you're reading a real person's work, not some journalism machine.

Re: Becoming A Social Business Is Your Next Big Challenge

Tim Jahn — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:25:50 -0000

I had no idea Chick-Fil-A had stand alone stores. The only one I've ever frequented was the one in the Watterson food court at Illinois State University.

I think it's cool though how they've added social elements like a playground, wi-fi, and improved service. Goes to show how all this social hubbub goes well beyond the online world.

Re: Do You Need 2-Way Communication on Twitter?

Tim Jahn — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:51:33 -0000

I think 2 way communication on Twitter is a great way to separate the people who are out there to shove products and ads down others' throats from the people who are interested in engaging in conversation.

Re: Google “Chrome” Will Know Everything About You!

Tim Jahn — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:32:32 -0000

I think you bring up a good point here. One can only hope the information they gather is to make the world a better place (or at least to not be evil with).

Re: If TechCrunch Disappeared Would You Miss It?

Tim Jahn — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:58:53 -0000

I don't think I would miss it. I like to hear about new startups and such, but I enjoy the more insiders view provided by Y Combinator's Hacker News.

Re: Are You Really a Company or Just a Feature/Application?

Tim Jahn — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:25:28 -0000

I have to agree with you here because I've often wondered this myself. There are definitely ways to center your business around an application - 37signals is an excellent example. They generate income though and they also contribute to the industry in a positive way (their blog, conferences, Getting Real, etc.).

But some of these dime-a-dozen startups coming out of TechCrunch and such...not so sure they're a sustainable business.

Re: Seinfeld and Bill Gates Microsoft Ad, WTF?! Part Deux

Tim Jahn — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:36:22 -0000

Adam has a point. Although I think this ad is terrible and Bill Gates is beyond "not acting", they're making us talk. I have no idea what Microsoft is trying to accomplish with this crap (other than the obvious notion of trying to get people to like Vista and love Microsoft more) but they are creating a buzz nevertheless.

They should've taken the time and money spent creating this dry campaign and put it towards creating a stable, secure operating system.

Re: Tips and Tricks for Bloggers, Got Any?

Tim Jahn — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 23:30:34 -0000

I think interacting with your community is an very important part and you do an excellent job!

Re: Don’t Have Enough Time?

Tim Jahn — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:39:24 -0000

Damn right...your time is what you make of it. Life's too short to "not have time".

As one of my professors in college always said, "Sleep is rehearsal for death."

Get up and go do what you wanna do. Sleep later!

Re: Do You Have to Get Involved in Social Media?

Tim Jahn — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:53:24 -0000

Good points here. Getting into social media because "everyone is doing it" is not the answer. Getting into social media to understand people and create relationships is the answer.

Re: 12 Year Old Finds Iphone Flaw…12 Year Old With an Iphone?!

Tim Jahn — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:48:22 -0000

I'm in awe at this too...my finances 10 yr old cousin has a cell phone. I've started to wonder myself how young I will give my kids a cell phone. Hard to believe what kids are growing up with today.

Re: CMOs Have Never Heard of Twitter, Are You Really Surprised?

Tim Jahn — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:24:15 -0000

Good point...rather than looking at them with an "are you serious?!" look, let's rephrase and help them understand what they may be missing out on.

I think a lot of times the tech industry feels elite to the rest of the world and doesn't understand when everyone else doesn't "get it". We should be here to help people, not mock them.

Re: Who Owns Social Media?

Tim Jahn — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:10:38 -0000

Social media is centered around relationships and you can't own relationships. The connections that are created within social media sites and mediums don't belong to anyone other than the people being connected.

Re: Questions You Should Ask While Creating a Social Media Strategy

Tim Jahn — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 23:17:48 -0000

Are you wiling to invest the time and effort needed for the long haul?

Re: You are a Social Network

Tim Jahn — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:30:44 -0000

Great point you make here. Online relationships should not replace real world relationships but rather supplement them. Too many people in the media realm are caught up in online social networks and forgetting that they are second in line to real life.

Re: Help me fill in the blanks: iPhone platform versus Facebook platform

Tim Jahn — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:31:32 -0000

I think they're different worlds of sorts because the iPhone apps provide all sorts of users and functionality on a mobile scale. It also brings the social aspect of Facebook apps to the mobile side and enhances it using location data.

Re: If You Say “Leverage” You Might Get Punched In The Face

Tim Jahn — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:12:41 -0000

Couldn't agree more! Every time I hear some guy spewing out buzzwords like water from a fire hydrant, I want to hit him with the fire hydrant.

Re: No One Cares About Your Brand More Than You

Tim Jahn — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:23:53 -0000

So true...no one is more passionate about your brand than you are. And if you don't care enough about your brand to try some social media techniques yourself, then don't bother trying to get someone else to do it.

Your last line says it all!

Re: Simple Social Media Truths

Tim Jahn — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:11:22 -0000

Thanks Matt! You cut through the fat and brought out the simple facts about what's going on these days. I'll be sure to pass this along!

Re: Too Many Chiefs…

Tim Jahn — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:12:50 -0000

You're exactly right: the actual "experts" don't have expert or anything in their title because they don't care about being called an expert or guru...they just know a lot about the subject and enjoy helping people with it.

All the "experts" and "gurus" who call themselves such are just trying to ride on the wave of such terms.

Re: Maybe They Aren’t Talking About You

Tim Jahn — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:25:01 -0000

People may not be talking about Mom & Pop operations in large scale online, but they are definitely talking (even raving) about them in smaller local circles.

Small mom and pop companies need to be aware of this local discussion just as much as (probably even more than) online discussion of their brand/company.

The best way to find that unique restaurant in the city is from your friends or friend of a friend, etc. If you're that unique restaurant, you're probably hoping people are saying good things.

Re: Promotion That Feels Good

Tim Jahn — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:55:33 -0000

Great advice Tara. Being yourself is the best you can do for yourself and for others. People want to get to know you, not someone you're pretending to be.

And I agree, it's scary! Especially with the reach of the web. But you're right, it's the key.

Re: Should You Have One Social Media Identity, or Two?

Tim Jahn — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:13:24 -0000

Interesting (and very important) question you pose here. I think most people are inclined to immediately say you should have a separate identity for work and personal. But does that really make sense?

We're all people...we all have personal lives. We understand what happens in personal lives and can relate.

Re: How to Be a Social Media Expert: Chop Lettuce

Tim Jahn — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 22:34:20 -0000

I am really not a fan of everyone calling themselves experts these days. But you have put things in perspective here and I must say, it's the first time I am actually ok with the idea of "experts". You're exactly right - people will always go for the chopped lettuce.

The idea of an expert doesn't necessarily mean you know it all but you know how to help well. Thanks for opening my eyes to the other side of this idea!

Re: How I Decide Who to Follow on Twitter

Tim Jahn — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:25:38 -0000

I would add location to the list. Twitter can be very useful for local, real time information. When I find someone in Chicago, assuming they're not a spammer and they fit most of the other guidelines, I'll follow them to increase the volume of the local frequency.

Re: A Letter to the Marketing Dept. from Your Shoes

Tim Jahn — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:59:04 -0000

Definitely need to remember the basics. Tools will come and go, be effective and non effective, grow and shrink. But you need to know your core values and goals that those tools support.

Re: Joining Ritz Marketing to Lead the Social Media Team

Tim Jahn — Sun, 17 May 2009 18:05:22 -0000

Congrats! Sounds like something fun and challenging :)

Re: How tweet it is…

Tim Jahn — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:38:05 -0000

@timjahn: To join the conversation.

Re: #BlogMonday

Tim Jahn — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:04:54 -0000

I knew about Len and Richard but the other 3 are brand new to me. Thanks for the new reads Stuart!

Re: 2009/02/03/skype-version-4/

Tim Jahn — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:57:29 -0000

I ran over to the download page to download version "4.0" and I was greeted with the Mac download page for 2.7.

You never mentioned that 4.0 was for Windows only. Please don't EVER assume everyone in the world uses (prefers) Windows. We have enough crazies like that already. :)

Re: It's Nice to be Nice or How to Say Thank You For Being a Friend | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:11:44 -0000

Thank YOU for this great reminder!

@Stuart
Totally! Puts a big smile on my face when someone randomly decides to share my content.

Re: Pale Blue Dots | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:33:58 -0000

It's amazing what you see and feel when you sit for a moment somewhere (in the midst of the city streets, in traffic on the highway, on a bench at the mall, etc.) and really look at what's going on around you. So many other dots moving about.

Thanks for opening my eyes a little bit more Danny.

Re: New Year, New Look But Same Old Me | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:45:11 -0000

I like the new look Danny! It's clean and easy to follow.

My only suggestion is to further simplify the sidebar on the right. I'm personally not a fan of the cluttered, information heavy sidebars that seem to be the fad these days. Are people really clicking all around these things?

Overall, very nice!

Re: Accentuate The Positives | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:44:21 -0000

Funny thing about that book is it was written almost 25 years ago but the content is still relevant to current media. There's definitely a lot of positives about media (I'll be the first to argue that) but Postman isn't entirely full of croc.

By the way, I like the sidebar improvements :)

Re: Forget Google, It's All About The People | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:12:34 -0000

Couldn't agree more Danny! People are who matters and no matter what business you're in, your customers are people at the end of the day.

Nothing wrong with using tools to help you achieve your goal, but remember what that goal is...connecting with other people.

Re: What's Your Voice | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:17:43 -0000

This is such an important question because your voice is what separates you from others. Literally and figuratively.

That movie preview guy has quite a voice. Apple has quite a voice. Steve Tyler has quite a voice.

"You control whether you help change the world or accept the status quo. Your control defines the perception of you by others."

Couldn't have said it better :)

Re: It's Not All About The Blog | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:57:42 -0000

You're exactly right. Too many companies are looking to use the latest tools because "everyone else is". This should never be a reason to do anything.

As you say, blogging takes a lot of time and thought. Contrary to popular belief, blogging is not a "cheap" way to boost SEO or business.

Love your blog bud!

Re: Food (And Drink) For Thought | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:27:48 -0000

What an excellent idea for using Twitter! With Tweetups becoming more and more popular, this is the time for cafes and such to take action in this realm.

Re: It's Good to Say No | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:08:34 -0000

You bring up a very important point here, Danny. Those in the tech world rave about social media being a must have for businesses of all shapes and sizes. It certainly helps many businesses, but the key point to keep in mind is that not all tools work for everyone.

Find the tools that work for your business. If that's social media, good. If it's not, that's totally fine. Don't worry about what everyone else is doing. Do what works for you!

Always a good read here, Danny!

Re: It's Good to Say No | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:34:47 -0000

Thanks for the kind words :) There's definitely no encompassing right answer for everyone here.

Re: Market Value | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:59:19 -0000

What customers say about you is more important now than ever before, in my opinion.

The other side of the token is the customers expressing their opinions. These days, companies are listening (hopefully) and you will be heard. There's definitely no reason not to speak up (as you have here).

Maybe the Toronto transit officials can swing by Chicago sometime and talk to our CTA guys. Boy do they need some pointers!

Re: Small Print, Big Noise | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:09:49 -0000

This is a particular pet peeve of mine, especially with the recent KFC commercial. I feel like this use of small print and constant lies belittles us as consumers. It's as if the advertisers think we have no brains whatsoever and they expect us to fall for/follow this crap.

Re: Family Marketing with Swiss Chalet | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:12:12 -0000

I'm more attracted to family-based marketing because family is important to me. And I think that is true for a lot of people.

Our families are our closest communities, usually the ones we are with the most and feel the most comfortable with.

Tapping into that feeling (in an unobtrusive and respectful way) will definitely result in successful marketing.

Re: Picture Perfect, or The Power of the Avatar | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:33:03 -0000

While I wouldn't unfollow you for not having a picture of yourself as your avatar (as I have built a relationship with you), I must admit I'm guilty of doing it to others.

When a new follower appears on my list without an avatar, I am definitely biased immediately towards not following them. There's something about seeing a person's face that adds personality. I think you feel more of a connection.

Re: Do You Know Who Your Blog Audience Is | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 09:49:11 -0000

The answer to this question is very important. While I don't think one needs to obsess over the numbers, one needs to be aware of who's visiting and who's reading. After all, you want people reading your work that will be interested in it.

Re: Reverse Mentoring

Tim Jahn — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:10:04 -0000

I think it can start as simple as that and grow from there. We can all learn a lot from each other and the sharing of knowledge is a great thing.

Allie Osmar has started a mentorship program along these lines that appears to be going over well with people.

I like the way you think Danny :)

Re: People Branding

Tim Jahn — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:43:19 -0000

Great (and very important) topic here Danny!

People are interested in what your company stands for and how you act just as much as they are in the products you sell.

People understand that your company is comprised of people just like them. They go to their kids soccer games too.

People aren't very interested in doing business with the parents who scream with anger at the kids playing soccer and making the game miserable for everyone.

Today, your brand isn't just what you sell or just what you do or just how you act. Your brand is all of the above.

Re: One Way Streets

Tim Jahn — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:31:35 -0000

Some people are afraid of readers disagreeing with them, but I think they should welcome disagreement. As you said, debates open up great discussions. The conversation that happens in the comments can spark ideas and notions you never thought of when writing your post. The value created for your readers is priceless.

Re: Are You Treating People Like People?

Tim Jahn — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 12:13:11 -0000

You're right about people embracing brands that embrace them. This has always been true and is even more important today because people can express their opinion easier and more widely.

That goes both ways of course - if you truly embrace your customers (and fans), they're going to let everyone know how cool you are.

Re: Demystify Yourself

Tim Jahn — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:52:22 -0000

I like this, Danny. :) I think this is such an important topic because we're all more likely to deal with trustworthy, honest people than swindlers.

My only question is if it's ok to wear a mask as long as you make it clear who's under it and you're transparent, why wear the mask in the first place?

Re: Introduce Yourself

Tim Jahn — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:37:42 -0000

What a great idea Danny!

It took me a while to finally contribute to this post because I had the hardest time finding a good post to represent me. Ironically, the one I finally chose is this guest post from your own blog :)

I think this post represents me well because it expresses a lot of what I believe in. We're all people. Let's treat each other as such and we're one step closer to all getting along :)

I love sharing and connecting. Let's chat on Twitter (@timjahn) or on my blog!

In terms of surprise...for the past 3 years, I've put on an animated musical Christmas lights display at my parents house. I love the magic of the Christmas season and this is my annual way of spreading it to all those who come to see the dancing lights.

Re: Personal Superheroes

Tim Jahn — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:12:40 -0000

"Thanks for showing me that Social Media is more than connecting, it is about taking the time to give back."

Beautiful words. That's the beauty of this whole "social media" thing, isn't it?. It's showing people that not only can we connect with each other easier, but we can help each other easier too. :)

Re: Personal Superheroes

Tim Jahn — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:15:37 -0000

If we all concentrated a little more on being a superhero to someone and less about making as much money on the stock market as possible, I think we'd all be a bit happier.

Thanks for the great post Danny and the chance to reflect. THIS is what it's all about, right here.

(and the Ninja Turtles are the best. Turtles in a half shell!)

Re: International Bright Young Thing

Tim Jahn — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:50:27 -0000

Ah, reminds of the Seinfeld I was watching the other night where Jerry and George try to pitch their show to a Japanese network and they bring a bowl of oranges. The Japanese network executive asks his assistant, "What's with the oranges?!"

Your point is right, though, Danny. While we may not mean to offend, we might accidentally by not researching our audience and paying attention to their values, beliefs, and behaviors.

Re: Why JetBlue Gets It Right

Tim Jahn — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:58:08 -0000

Definitely a fresh, unique idea and funny videos!

I don't think the videos alone are the wow factor here, but rather their overall consistent care for their customers and their customers' experience, as Geoff mentioned.

I haven't had the pleasure of flying JetBlue yet but hearing all this lately really makes me want to!

Re: What's Your Satisfaction Level?

Tim Jahn — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:35:01 -0000

Danny, I'm with you 100%.

The rapid pace of business/life today, coupled with the tools available to us that enable this way of life, are creating higher and higher satisfaction expectations among customers.

But for discussions sake...do we need to be realistic with our satisfaction expectations? The phone trees definitely need to disappear but does every company need a 24/7 online chat available?

Should companies obsess over their customers or understand that even customers can demand too much sometimes?

Re: Is There Room for Market Relations?

Tim Jahn — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:29:00 -0000

I think they're directly related in that both are telling stories. They're both important but are gradually taking on different (new) forms.

At the end of the day, the goal is to tell a story and get people engaged in that story. If your story sucks, no one will listen.

Think of the last movie you saw. Did it have a great story? If so, did you tell anyone about how great it was?

Both marketing and PR have a hand in that situation, right?

Re: Is There Room for Market Relations?

Tim Jahn — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:30:39 -0000

I think the idea of a "sale down the road" is becoming more frequent now when you think about relationships. Building relationships may not guarantee a sale this instant but rather sometime down the road.

This is particularly hard to measure because it can be difficult to tie this later happening to the action that caused it to happen.

I love the conversations that happen here, Danny. Thought provoking and always something fresh. Thanks :)

Re: Ten Green Bottles

Tim Jahn — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 23:46:33 -0000

You're awesome, man. Just plain awesome. :)

Thanks for adding so much value to conversations everywhere and for sharing all that you do. You opened my eyes to four blogs I wasn't reading.

In the words of the Kool Aid guy himself, "Oh yeah!".

Re: Ten Green Bottles

Tim Jahn — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:06:49 -0000

Seth Simmonds, Scott Hepburn, Drew Weaver, Mack Collier.

You guys have one more subscriber now. :)

Re: We Are The Supercool

Tim Jahn — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:07:30 -0000

Definitely worth celebrating! Things are a changin' for the better! Our voices are getting louder, our actions are creating bigger ripples, and our stories are finding more of the audiences they need.

Amen :)

Re: Cause Champions

Tim Jahn — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:53:52 -0000

I'm honored to be listed with Frank, Seth, and Drew. These guys truly do have some amazing stuff.

I'm with ya all the way here, Danny, and not just because you happened to mention my name. :) There are so many thought leaders out there who we aren't necessarily aware of yet. I've been trying to highlight some of these people for #followfriday as much as possible, and those are also the kind of people I'm looking to find in these recommendations too.

Man, Legos were the best!

Re: Spoiling the Broth

Tim Jahn — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:49:32 -0000

Too many companies try to do everything at once for everyone. As you said, sometimes all that is needed is something small and targeted. Focus is key, as is the ability to say no when necessary. In my opinion, quality always counts.

Re: Consumer Marketers

Tim Jahn — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:00:36 -0000

I think so. We're all consumers and marketers to some degree. I don't have Trader Joe's marketing budget but I'll gladly explain to you why I feel Jewel doesn't give a crap about what they do and Trader Joe's cares a ton.

I think the two go hand in hand. Marketers have a better understanding of how to reach consumers because they're consumers themselves. Consumers understand what kind of marketing works for them because they market their likes and dislikes to their friends.

Re: When Was The Last Time...

Tim Jahn — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:27:54 -0000

I think this is especially true with today's kids. When I was a kid, I'd ride my bike around with the neighborhood kids at night. Today's kids are getting digital from the get go (especially if the parents are setting up websites before the kid is born!).

Virtual is great but you can never beat the rush of energy you feel at your favorite band's show, or the laughter of a good night of drunken karaoke with your three best buds, or a good game of Jenga and/or Scrabble.

Thanks for reminding us that no matter what happens tomorrow or the day after, we're still living in the real world with other real people!

Re: When Was The Last Time...

Tim Jahn — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:12:44 -0000

Giant Jenga! There's a bar in here in Chicago with giant Jenga. The pieces are as big as a small log...so much fun!

Re: When Was The Last Time...

Tim Jahn — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:49:00 -0000

Skype is proof though of no matter how virtual we try to get, we still yearn for some trace of personal touch. Personal things like body language, facial expressions, hand gestures, vocal tone, etc. can never be duplicated via email or texting.

Re: The Difference Between Heaven and Hell in Social Media

Tim Jahn — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:01:16 -0000

Those helping others with their chopsticks are the ones that truly shine and are truly successful in what they do.

The people trying to stuff their own faces all day are the ones who wonder why everyone hates them and they still don't have what they want.

John, great to meet ya. Danny, thanks for the introduction. :)

Re: Would You Trust Google With Twitter?

Tim Jahn — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 01:17:14 -0000

Feedburner sucks now that it's part of Google. But Gmail is hands down the best email platform I've ever used and the only one I recommend. I don't care if it's alpha, beta, or delta, it's amazing!

It seems to be a gamble with Google. You either get full attention or you get thrown in the closet to rot. Twitter's pretty damn cool. I don't think it's worth throwing the dice.

Re: Would You Trust Google With Twitter?

Tim Jahn — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:15:00 -0000

I think you bring up a good possibility here and a topic worth further discussing (oh I sense a blog post coming on!). Does a company with larger resources feel obligated to stuff a product/service with more features than necessary?

Re: Internet Censorship, Google Style

Tim Jahn — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:27:41 -0000

I love Google and think it's doing/has done many great things all around. But as I asked back in August, and as you're asking now, are they defying their own mantra and getting evil?

I'm a huge fan of the small guy. Is there a point when you become one of the "big guys" that things like this are just inevitable? Or is it possible to be a big ass gorilla that isn't evil?

Re: Tipping the Scales

Tim Jahn — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:02:57 -0000

I love this Chinese/Japanese (yes, they do both!) restaurant in Wicker Park in Chicago. Best Chinese food EVER and their service is great as well. I tell people about this place all the time because everyone thinks they've found the best Chinese food and clearly they have not because Papajin is the best!

They didn't pay me to say that. They don't NEED to pay me to say that. Their food and service is so damn good people are going to tell other people and their business will continue to be good.

If you're considering paying someone to write a (positive I'm assuming) review of your product/service/company, you have bigger problems. You're not confident in your product/service/company. And who wants to do business with a company that doesn't even believe in itself?

If you're considering reviewing a product/service/company for payment, you don't give a shit about the product/service/company - you just want $. Neither you or the company you're writing for is fooling anyone. We know that your review is full of crap and provides no value to anyone whatsoever.

So next time you're in Chicago, stop by Papajin and tell me it's not the best Chinese food!

Re: Community Spirit and Blog Comments Redux

Tim Jahn — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:12:49 -0000

Danny, you are truly amazing. Through the craziness that was the 50+ heated comments of that post, you saw the light. You saw the good that came out of all this.

As Andrew said, this showed throughout the entire time as you engaged those attacking in a non-offensive and understanding way.

No, I didn't agree with the way the supporters were attacking you nor did I agree with their overall opinions. But was there a sense of community there? Definitely.

Thanks for again opening my eyes :)

Re: The Birth of the Internet - The Untold Story

Tim Jahn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:18:27 -0000

This is such a relevant topic these days, in journalism, education, and just every day life. Can you use Wikipedia as a source in a research paper? Do people trust the Chicago Tribune more than someone tweeting about something happening on Michigan Ave.? Who does the average Joe believe more, the 6 oclock news or all of the above?

As usual, you got me thinkin' Danny. :)

Re: What's Your Threshold?

Tim Jahn — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:10:01 -0000

You raise some great questions (which I touched upon a few days ago on my blog but I'm glad you explored much further here) about the point at which you just say you're done.

The part I think I struggle with is the part where decide you're either done with the idea because it's not working or you decide to adapt the idea further to try and make it work.

I don't really know what the answer is there. You could just stop and move on and wonder what might have happened if you tried adapting. Or you could try adapting endlessly and never really get anywhere.

Hmm...

Re: Mixing It Up Media-Style

Tim Jahn — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:25:57 -0000

This is great example of people getting caught up in the tools rather than the underlying concepts.

Video is not dead. The model of broadcasting video with no interactivity (traditional television) will probably fall by the wayside, but video will continue to progress and grow in other realms (online).

Writing is not dead. People may write less with actual pens and write less on actual paper but writing will continue to progress and grow in other areas (online).

Susan's video is an excellent example of the types of merging that can (and will) occur.

Re: Death of a Blogger

Tim Jahn — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:11:59 -0000

Very nice sir! Dare I ask a question? ;)

What would you say to really niche bloggers who write for a specific community (whether it be 10 people or 110 people) and have no interest in the "outside world"? Those not interested in getting on the top blog sites or becoming famous or affecting many outside their specific niche?

Well done Danny!

Re: Be an Independent Retailer

Tim Jahn — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:57:54 -0000

As Maria said, everything adds up to your message, your reputation. It's up to you to determine what that message is and what effect it has on you and your business.

I'm almost always a fan of independent retailers over big box stores, for all the reasons you detailed out here so nicely. The small guys stand for something. The big guys stand on top of someone.

Re: Real People, Real Adverts

Tim Jahn — Sun, 10 May 2009 14:36:28 -0000

If you treat your customers like people, you're going to succeed. This is where most companies miss the boat. They fail to connect with their customers or potential customers as real people with real stories. Instead, they're caught up in measurements, numbers, and margins.

Your customers don't give a crap about last quarter's profits. They care that you relate to people who can dance like nobody's business.

Re: Real People, Real Adverts

Tim Jahn — Mon, 11 May 2009 12:35:53 -0000

Jeff, I think you have a very important point here. There's levels of engagement when it comes to this stuff. I'd say Visa was on a lower level of engagement, where they tried to integrate a real story by a real person.

I think a further level of engagement would be along the lines of what you're saying. Make the ad even MORE about Bill and less about Visa. Who is Bill? Why does he do what he does?

And to your point about conforming to their process, I agree with you. With this sort of story and person, I think they could have pushed the envelope a bit by leaving the traditional television advertising medium and trying some sort of online interactive experience.

Re: Your Routine is Killing You

Tim Jahn — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:03:54 -0000

It's true, we all get stuck in our routine at one point or another. You're right, though, we must break free and try something new.

Adam Singer brought up a good point awhile ago on a post of mine relating to this very topic. He mentioned how patterns aren't always bad if you analyze and learn from them.

Re: Translation Marketing

Tim Jahn — Sat, 16 May 2009 11:29:49 -0000

Such a simple concept but so very important. You can try and sell your product a zillion different ways, but the way that relates to the customer the best is the way that will win.

If you're not translating your message to relate, you're probably not being very effective.

Re: I Want to Fall in Love With You

Tim Jahn — Tue, 19 May 2009 00:13:27 -0000

I understand your point Michael. But the thing that's crazy is that this "interacting" companies are slow to learn isn't anything earth shattering. It's simply treating people like people.

The sad part is companies aren't used to treating people as such. They're used to treating people like numbers, like mindless robots, and ensuring that we continue to act that way. Now that people have more tools to voice their opinion, companies are confused. Their numbers are talking...and making decisions...

Re: From Twitter to Blog – #FollowFriday Vol. 1

Tim Jahn — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:04:11 -0000

Count me in on the Coronas! :)

Great idea here Danny! I find little value in the lists of random names people blurt out over Twitter. Your idea is an excellent way of explaining the personal reasons you have behind your recommendations and letting people actually get to know your them. Looking forward to more!

Re: Blog Comments and Reputation Central

Tim Jahn — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:12:48 -0000

While I don't enjoy people bickering back and forth (which happens from time to time), I do enjoy when comments take the post beyond the original topic and evolves the discussion into something new. For me, that's the conversation flowing naturally.

There have been many a time where I've found greater insight in the comments of a post than in the post content itself. And I'm not saying the post wasn't amazing. The conversation it generated was even more amazing.

Re: How Long Do You Let Your Brand's Reputation Suffer? | danny brown

Tim Jahn — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:22:57 -0000

I understand that they concentrate much of their efforts on their client work and that is a good thing. But as you said, two months is a lifetime on the web. If a few days had passed before they reacted, that would be understandable. But two months? No excuse.

Not listening is one thing. But not listening and then after two months deciding to complain about a fake account defaming you is a whole different story. Obviously people defaming you isn't that big of a deal since you put little effort into monitoring your brand.

I apologize if I'm coming across too harsh here. But anybody who hangs out in these spaces (ie, a PR firm such as Tanner) hears this listening and monitoring stuff day in and day out. It's like addition and subtraction at this point - basic.

An "innovative and imaginative" company shouldn't still be learning their multiplication tables.

Re: Why Your Numbers Game is BS

Tim Jahn — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:13:07 -0000

In high school, a week or so before my band's next show, I'd head over to Kinkos and copy dozens of flyers onto neon colored paper. Then my band and I would head over to another high school in our district where we had some friends and put flyers on all the cars in the parking lot.

We thought that putting as many flyers as possible on as many cars as possible would equal more people at the show.

Nope. People are so jaded to flyers on cars already, I'm willing to bet 99% of ours were thrown out. Only really our friends at that high school knew who we were and would consider going to our show.

Seems obvious to me now, but to the uneducated and unexperienced, quantity always seems to be the answer. If we had just targeted those who liked our style of music...

Re: The Power of Connection

Tim Jahn — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:37:36 -0000

I've been thinking about this recently, Danny, so kudos for reading my mind :)

Every time I meet someone from Twitter for the first time at a tweet-up or networking event or bar or whatever, that connection is strengthened a ton. And then when I see them again at another event, that connection is strengthened a ton more.

At the same time, there's folks I talk to all the time that I've yet to meet in person, and our connections are strong too.

But as you say, I'm not talking about thousands of people here. I'm talking about a few handfuls of real connections that matter. Not just shooting the shit or trying to sell each other lawn mowers. Real connections.

Re: Why Being Yourself is the Only Thing That Matters

Tim Jahn — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:02:31 -0000

People are so scared of standing up for what they believe in. They live in fear of having thoughts different than everyone else. They're afraid of being unique.

Thanks, Danny, for reminding us there's no reason to be afraid. We're all different anyway. Why not be loud and proud, right?! ;)

Re: Are You Abusing Your Social Media Voice?

Tim Jahn — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:09:42 -0000

I see both sides of the story here, but I think I'm leaning towards Doug's side. Yes, annoying the CMO with your petty problems could be considered stupid and childish. But who wants to deal with the traditional "chain of command"? At most companies, it's clear the chain of command is in place to frustrate customers enough that the company doesn't actually have to deal with them. Why go through that when you can just have a conversation with the CMO (a conversation he allowed by making a business Twitter account in the first place as mentioned above)?

I agree that you can abuse these channels because of their easy accessibility. I'm guilty of it myself multiple times, calling out Fast Company and the Sun Times at various times over little things. But that's the point. These conversational tools give you the ability to express your voice in a more direct manner. If you don't want Joe Schome contacting you directly about whatever problems he's having, then don't make yourself available in channels designed for that exact purpose.

If you are using these channels to contact companies directly, it helps to be polite and not aggressive (as with any other means of contact).

Re: Are You Abusing Your Social Media Voice?

Tim Jahn — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:40:31 -0000

Yes, Doug's problem was solved successfully in the end by Best Buy. But that doesn't mean Doug can't express his opinion over Best Buy's practice of having different prices on their site vs. their store. The CMO basically ignored Doug and suggested that their competitors are no different (which is a whole other topic). Regardless, Doug has the right to express his opinion about Best Buy to a member of the Best Buy team. That team doesn't necessarily have to listen but I don't think Doug is in the wrong for expressing.

The CMO is a representative of the company making himself available on Twitter. The playing field is leveled in these channels. It doesn't matter if he's talking to the intern or the CMO, the Best Buy presence should be the same.

Re: Are You Abusing Your Social Media Voice?

Tim Jahn — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:02:43 -0000

You mention that you don't think Barry should be the go-to guy for Best Buy. I think the fact that Barry has a Best Buy logo as his Twitter avatar, says in his bio that he works for Best Buy, and talks about/helps Best Buy customers in his stream pretty much says he's there for Best Buy reasons (partially at least). Which in my eyes gives any customer the right to strike up a Best Buy related conversation with him. If he doesn't like that, he show pull back the signals that he's there representing Best Buy.

Re: Hyper-Connected or Disconnected?

Tim Jahn — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:13:12 -0000

In my opinion, the always-connectedness and instant reach of our online community has caused us to share everything with folks all over the world online.

But as you said Sonny, why not just enjoy the time with the people you're with?

Why do we put such emphasis on the online side of things and not the physical world? In other words, why are we tempted like you Sonny to tweet things during real life events (and basically choose online over real life) rather than do real life things instead of tweeting?

Hmm..I hope that makes sense!

Re: The Economy of Trust

Tim Jahn — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:10:58 -0000

Trusting companies and brands (unless they're not for profits) is really tough when you think about it. No matter how honest, authentic, transparent, whatever they are to you, at the end of the day their #1 goal is making money. It has to be for that company to stay in business.

But there are still some companies that understand that caring about their customers and building some sort of trust with them will help reach the #1 goal.

It's tough. I'm all about trust and I can't stand companies that treat people like shit. But as a customer, how much trust CAN you put in a business?

Re: Why It’s All About Community

Tim Jahn — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:11:45 -0000

Community powers alll those other "magical" words and brings them to life. Without community, you have nothing.

Thanks, Danny, for reminding us all it's important to actively engage in our communities.

Re: How to Never Forget Anything Again

Tim Jahn — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:42:16 -0000

I've been aggressively trying to remember to take a note immediately when I think of something. It's been helping a ton!

Re: I Don’t Have Time for Marketing

Tim Jahn — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:12:58 -0000

Saying you have no time for marketing (of some kind) is the equivalent of saying you have no time for your business to succeed.

Re: 10 Blogging Tips

Tim Jahn — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:29:30 -0000

Personality. Be sure to inject personality into your writing so it sounds like the post is written by a human and not a machine.

Re: What Does Facebook Actually DO for Me

Tim Jahn — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:53:56 -0000

I've always thought it would be interesting and insightful to do some sort of study among regular Facebook users as to what about the site appeals to them and keeps them coming back on a very frequent basis.

Re: Consider a Marketing Funnel

Tim Jahn — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 01:07:22 -0000

"Ask about goals—don’t sell."

Very true...rather than shoving you services down a potential clients throat, explore the ways in which your services can help them achieve their goals.

Re: Great PR Manners Go a Long Way

Tim Jahn — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:47:05 -0000

I'm guessing Scott gets a lot more business this way, being polite and personal, than the PR companies who shove boiler plate releases down throats and spam everyone.

Keep up the good work Scott!

Re: Nine Ways to Promote Your Blog Posts

Tim Jahn — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:52:53 -0000

I like what RachelSterne mentioned in the Twitter ideas about swapping blogroll spots. I think it would be worth it to try swapping spots with blogs that relate to yours and writers you admire.

Re: The Old Advertising Merry Go Round

Tim Jahn — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:23:12 -0000

I'd have to agree with Dave Winer - generally, when I'm reading blogs, I'm not even looking at the ads, let alone thinking of clicking them. With blogs, I'm all about the content and the author, rather than any ads.

Re: Workflow- Social Media for Marketers

Tim Jahn — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:35:21 -0000

I think this situation is quite realistic and I'd love to see more businesses using this approach.

Re: Noise Reduction

Tim Jahn — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:14:19 -0000

I think personality is one of the most important factors. People need to know your company is composed of humans with families, friends, and lives similar to yours. When you take everything else away, we're all people.

Re: Beware of Bubble Thinking

Tim Jahn — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:30:07 -0000

This is a very important point, especially for us techies. I think we all get stuck in our little bubble most of time and it takes effort to break outside once in awhile.

Re: Free eBook on Personal Branding

Tim Jahn — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:08:19 -0000

Thanks for sharing the knowledge! A very important topic these days.

Re: Share Share Share Share Share

Tim Jahn — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:09:47 -0000

Chris, you continue to share a wealth of insight, knowledge, and personal experience to all of us on a daily basis, and you need to know we greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

Re: 50 Ways to Take Your Blog to the Next Level

Tim Jahn — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:45:31 -0000

Excellent points Chris! I think one of the most important ones is to have your own voice. Personalizing your blog is key in this social age; nobody wants to read from a drone.

Re: Question for You- New Marketing

Tim Jahn — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:57:12 -0000

I think new marketing has a lot to do with reaching people on a more personal, more individual level. A billboard won't do it anymore. You need to reach more in my networks, in a way that feels personal and not like a billboard.

Re: How Cirque Du Soleil Shows Social Media Love

Tim Jahn — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:25:45 -0000

I saw Delirium a few years ago and it was absolutely stunning. Like you said, there's really no way to describe it other than to say "go see it!".

I think they are such a unique operation with a unique experience to share with everyone. Glad to see them making use of social media in a positive way!

Re: The Me Game

Tim Jahn — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:30:10 -0000

Definitely a turn off when people give you the speech about themselves and don't care to ask anything of you.

Great point with the wingman too!

Re: Three Tools Marketers Overlook

Tim Jahn — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:54:50 -0000

Yelp is definitely a great resource (especially with the Yelp iPhone app now - so useful)!

Re: The ADD of Ads

Tim Jahn — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:40:06 -0000

I agree with you on needing to experience the ads and such to be able to write about them.

I don't see any ads in Google Reader, but as long as they aren't obnoxiously taking over your content, I'd be fine with it.

I do think Andrew has a point though with his street ad scenario.

Re: People in the Real World

Tim Jahn — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:15:49 -0000

Such a relevant topic that I think many of us forget. Most people have no idea what we're talking about and don't really care.

I think the important part of all this is the underlying concepts, not the tools themselves.

Re: Facebook is NOT for Blind Email Marketing

Tim Jahn — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:40:44 -0000

Head shaken, returned to making connections. :)

Examples are always important though, so thanks for the example.

Re: Sell Benefits Not Features

Tim Jahn — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:22:10 -0000

This is a great, very important point. It's the message, not necessarily the medium. It's not the tools, it's the content.

Hit it right on the head Chris.

Re: Do You Have To Touch Every Conversation

Tim Jahn — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:49:27 -0000

There are many tools available and as mentioned above in the comments, there's nothing you "should" be on. Use whatever tools work for your needs, wants, and passions.

I think sticking within one realm is more effective than spreading yourself thin over many.

Re: Marketing Consideration for Social Media Types

Tim Jahn — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:51:05 -0000

A great and important point, Chris. Sitting around in our little bubble all day is important in regards to building relationships, but we need to build relationships with our customers as well.

Re: 8 Marketing Bloggers to Watch in 2009

Tim Jahn — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:07:47 -0000

Adam Singer over at The Future Buzz takes things head on. Definitely need to be along for the ride!

Re: No Comment

Tim Jahn — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:08:34 -0000

Comments always make ya feel better as a blogger. Makes you feel like you're affecting at least one person.

Re: You are the President of Your Career

Tim Jahn — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:45:56 -0000

Great advice! School isn't necessary, as you said. You can learn a whole lot from actually doing, rather than taking notes.

Re: The Optional World

Tim Jahn — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:54:48 -0000

Great point at the end. Marketers don't realize that they have the privilege of people opting in - not a right. As a result, marketers should treat those that have opted in with respect and appreciation - not like idiots. Thanks Chris for great solid content as usual!

Re: Be Realistic About Time

Tim Jahn — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:23:38 -0000

To those outside the web/tech realm, this notion is absolutely crazy. They could care less.

To those in the web/tech realm, not being plugged in is crazy. They can't understand how you can't be plugged in.

I think no matter what, at the end of the day, we're usually with those outside the fast bubble we often live in. We need to remember that.

Re: A Crash Course in Comments

Tim Jahn — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:17:21 -0000

Comments are the best way to spread the love in the blogosphere. Thanks for educating us all!

Re: You're Doing It Wrong

Tim Jahn — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 10:16:05 -0000

Great point Chris. In a realm like this where everything is so personal and about being yourself, there's more than one way to do things.

If anything, we should do our best to learn from the way others are doing things.

Re: NY Times Needs Classier Ad Buys

Tim Jahn — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:30:12 -0000

Agreed. Everything on the NY Times site represents the value of their content and their brand. They should be more picky about advertisers to keep the value of their brand and create exclusivity (word?) among advertisers. Win win!

Re: Where is the Kernel of Your Blog

Tim Jahn — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:57:25 -0000

I think the "kernel" of an author's writing will come out over time if they truly enjoying writing. If you're here just to echo the big tech blogs and such, you don't have much of a kernel.

But if you enjoy writing and put effort into it, over time, your voice will come through. I think it's only natural.

Re: As in Nature So it is Here Too

Tim Jahn — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:19:15 -0000

Great advice! Rather than get caught up in the nitty gritty numbers, pay attention to the trends and what influences those trends.

I think too may people get caught up in the numbers and miss what's really going on with people.

Re: Social Media Decision Tree

Tim Jahn — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:07:00 -0000

It's so important for people to understand this, with all the folks running around screaming 'Why aren't you on Twitter?! You're not BLOGGING?!?!!"

Social media is great, it's revolutionary, and it's helpful. But it's not great for everyone, it's not revolutionary for everyone, and it isn't helpful for everyone.

Different tools and methods work for different people, plain and simple. Thanks for putting this out there Chris and as always, asking our thoughts! :)

Re: Moving Needles

Tim Jahn — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:11:16 -0000

I feel the listening aspect of all this the most fascinating (especially in the context of Twitter).

Telling your customers they need to wait 24-48 hours for a response to their support email won't work today. There's a growing expectation for a certain level of listening from brands/companies.

Goes the other way too. Companies can get feedback from their customers quicker through various mediums.

Re: Shup The Hell Up You Self-Promoting Turd

Tim Jahn — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:17:23 -0000

You said it so perfectly, Chris: "If you have to tell me you're the best, you're not.".

The companies that ARE the best and are confident in that are the companies whose customers speak for them. They don't spend money on trying to sell themselves to potential customers - the customers sell their friends on it.

Re: As Marketing Shifts Back to the Everyman

Tim Jahn — Tue, 19 May 2009 10:05:04 -0000

I'm along the lines of Suzemuse with this one. "Social media" is still a bubble full of people who "get it". There's a wide world out there of people who don't "get it". So these companies aren't really reaching the "everyman"...they're reaching a small segment of the overall market that is communicating in these channels.

And I'm willing to bet the reason you're asked to review products is more for the fact that you have 23,243 readers (as of this writing) than the fact that you're an "everyman". If they truly wanted to reach joe schmoes, wouldn't they just pick random bloggers with some readers rather than bloggers with at least 20,000 readers?

I love what you do Chris and enjoy your conversations, don't get me wrong. But I find it far fetched that you're the "everyman" these days.

Re: Getting Back to Your Desk

Tim Jahn — Thu, 28 May 2009 00:41:32 -0000

This is definitely the time to buckle down and start using these "social media" tools to actually do something. It's going to remain shiny to those who don't understand it fully, but that's all the more reason for those who do to showcase what this is all capable of.

Re: Be Naked

Tim Jahn — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:08:01 -0000

Speaking like a human is so important. I think many companies alienate themselves from customers because they don't talk like real people but instead speak like cyborgs. A simple change like that can go a long way.

Re: The Importance of Digital Touch

Tim Jahn — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:07:18 -0000

I think this is a great point Chris. It's real easy to get lost in the following of others, but it's the contact and "digital touch" that truly makes a difference. And that's not necessarily as easy to keep up with.

I think the people trying to keep good connections with others in digital spaces are the ones that will succeed in those spaces.

Re: Why I Promote the HELL out of Thesis

Tim Jahn — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:13:02 -0000

I wish this was the way advertising worked too, Chris. As you say, it's the best of both worlds.

The story you have behind your promotion of Thesis matters a lot too. The more I see how personal your relationship with the product is, the more I don't mind you promoting it. Because I see that it truly is your opinion shining here, not any company paying you or pushing you to promote their product.

I appreciate your further explanation here and your continued openness with touchy subjects such as this. You continue to be a great example of how businesses and customers can successfully interact with mutual benefits.

Re: Seeds In a Wild Garden

Tim Jahn — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:59:16 -0000

I'm a big fan of connecting people that I think might collaborate well together. Even if they don't need me, it's good to see like people put their brains together to further their ideas.

And the thing about sowing seeds is you know certain ones will grow into something good, whereas there are others you could never predict the amazing blossom that will happen.

Re: Birds on a Wire – Reviewing Twitter Books

Tim Jahn — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:03:17 -0000

Agreed. People just riding the wave and trying to cash in while it's still hot.

And Chris, I second Ari's question. If you had involvement in these 6 books (or at least one of them), you should at least mention that since that's probably the reason you chose to review them (or people chose to send them to you as opposed to anybody else).

Aren't you on IZEA's board, the poster boys of "full disclosure"? ;)

Re: The most underhyped Silicon Valley success: Meebo

Tim Jahn — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:54:18 -0000

Your last paragraph is a great point. I think a lot of the time, us tech people get stuck in a rut thinking that everyone everywhere does things and thinks things the way we do when in reality, it couldn't be any more true.

We are such a small percentage of the overall everything, we need to be aware of this and pay much more attention to the non-tech world and way of doing things.

Re: Lubricating Discussion: How To Painlessly Insert A Throbbing Opinion Post

Tim Jahn — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:27:03 -0000

Being scared of having an opinion is being scared to be a person. The thing that is awesome about humanity is the fact that we all have our own dislikes, likes, opinions, hates, loves, etc. that unite us with others and at the same time provoke deep thinking with others.

Playing it safe will get you nowhere (except exactly where you are right now).

I think you have some good steps here. I'd add a step before number 1: don't be afraid. Show some confidence. If you have something to support your opinion, then get out there and open discussion.

Re: Are We Oversubscribed?

Tim Jahn — Sun, 03 May 2009 00:37:27 -0000

I think we might be getting there for sure. The same concepts, phrases, and ideas are being passed around on a daily basis. They're great concepts, phrases, and ideas, but sitting around discussing them all day only gets us so far. We need to start executing on the current ideas and start exploring new ones as well.

Re: Common marketing mistakes 101

Tim Jahn — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:58:13 -0000

Well said! Quality is always more important than quantity. Simply pushing your business card out to anybody with a hand isn't going to get you more business.

While size does matter, bigger isn't always better (http://www.timjahn.com/blog/10/21/2008/big-isnt...).

Re: Blog marketing & newsletter marketing

Tim Jahn — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:41:42 -0000

Blogging is a great way to reach out to your customers but it is far from free.

I wrote about this misconception awhile back.

Re: Blog marketing & newsletter marketing

Tim Jahn — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:13:58 -0000

Thanks for the clarification Jim.

Important thing to remember though is that time is money to a lot of small businesses. Time spent blogging is time not spent on client projects and generating direct income.

Writing enough content for a weekly or bi-weekly newsletter also takes time away from client work.

Just because you're not paying an upfront monetary fee for something doesn't make it free. There's always the cost of that invested time.

Re: Marketing Guru’s, equality and attraction

Tim Jahn — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:43:27 -0000

I think both equality and attraction are very important.
Blogging (and the web in general) definitely puts us all on a level playing field and rightly so.

And while you may not think you have a tribe, you do. :) Tribe doesn't have to be an ugly word...it's just a way of describing a group of people interacting together, usually around some common interest or goal.

Re: I’m following you!

Tim Jahn — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:32:50 -0000

Great idea Jim...and I wouldn't worry about Google. People will flock to great things with or without Google.

Re: Focus on people - Not ‘hits’!

Tim Jahn — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:49:38 -0000

You do use various SEO techniques throughout your site and your writing, whether intentionally or not. You consistently link to other posts of yours throughout your writing and you constantly link 'jimsmarketingblog.com' back to that address in your writing.

By showing a list of recent posts and comments on the right site, this pumps each page full of additional keywords in the content for search engines to crawl.

Not knocking these techniques, Jim. (don't want to risk you deleting my comment :) ) Just bringing your attention to them in case you're not already aware of them.

Re: The advertising question

Tim Jahn — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:59:55 -0000

Agreed with you completely about only showing ads for products you love, have tried, and/or truly believe in.

Hypothetical...once you do find a product like that, does the possible increase of writing about that product start to seem like a sponsorship? I don't mean that you feel like you NEED to write more about the product, but you just happen to because you love it so much and you want share.

I guess my hypothetical is could people take it the wrong way?

Re: The advertising question

Tim Jahn — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:10:32 -0000

I understand that Jim. What I was referring to is you writing about the product not for MONEY but because you LOVE it and feel like sharing your love with your readers.

If you love it a lot and being to write about it a lot (again, not for money or because the company wants you to do so), will some readers take it the wrong way as a sort of sponsorship?

Re: The advertising question

Tim Jahn — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:26:24 -0000

I think you're not understanding my question.

I understand you don't do sponsorships.

I understand you won't write about a product because someone pays you to.

I'm asking a question open for discussion among your readers:

If Jim were to find a single product he liked and let the company put a small advertisement on the site...he loves the product a lot and writes about it bunch out of LOVE, not out of FINANCIAL gain...how would you feel as a reader knowing his intentions but seeing the ad next to the posts?

Re: Link love, Google and spammers

Tim Jahn — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:11:20 -0000

It is interesting how most people don't also use this feature to help their readers out. I wonder if most bloggers are unaware of the feature or if it is intentional.

Re: Movement or progress?

Tim Jahn — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 11:20:06 -0000

I think this is definitely a problem a lot of (bureaucratic) businesses run into.

Great advice here.

Re: Networking and numbers

Tim Jahn — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:04:12 -0000

Very true Jim. You could have 12,000 followers on Twitter but if you don't talk to them (and they don't talk to you), it's not as good as having 12 followers who you know very well.

I wrote about this a few months ago actually:
http://www.timjahn.com/blog/11/03/2008/are-you-...

This applies to more than just Twitter of course.

Re: Targeted marketing

Tim Jahn — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:05:16 -0000

Definitely a very important point you make regarding targeting your audience. Too many people (I used to think this way too) think that they need to shove their message in as front of as many faces as possible.

Speaking of SEO, I noticed you changed your titles in the title bar to be keyword heavy (or some might say friendly). For someone that comes across as not caring very much at all about SEO, pumping your titles full of keywords is a pretty bold move.

Re: 4 ways to grow a business

Tim Jahn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:47:03 -0000

Great point about the need to concentrate on both keeping existing clients and attracting new ones. I agree with you that a lot people seem to concentrate on one or the other rather than both.

One of my favorite posts of yours.

Re: The Seth Godin blog strategy

Tim Jahn — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:28:52 -0000

I agree with Daiv that it is amusing that you consider yourself "you or I". I venture to guess your subscriber has is larger than "you or I".

Also, Jim Connolly is not Jim Collins (the author of Good to Great). Am I reading Daiv's comment wrong or is there something I don't know?

Re: Twitter and me

Tim Jahn — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 12:02:49 -0000

I always wondered how you (and others) kept up with tens of thousands of people. :)

Good to hear that you're settled in to something more comfortable now.

I think this whole thing will only further the relationships you created. Out of those tens of thousands that you "connected" with before, the ones who truly want to connect will surface now.

Re: The Seth Godin Blog - Highly Recommended

Tim Jahn — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:01:16 -0000

I am a HUGE fan of Seth's blog and also highly recommend it. His posts are often open ended but I think that's the beauty of them.

It's up to you to take action or expand further or move on. He's getting you started, not doing it all for you.

Re: Expert advice - really?

Tim Jahn — Tue, 05 May 2009 01:11:25 -0000

Great point, Jim. If everyones an expert, is anyone really an expert?

Re: They lost my business

Tim Jahn — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:44:45 -0000

I agree with Keli. Unfortunately, switching to a new company is often times as much of a pain as it is staying with the horrible company.

Seems to end up being the lesser of two evils. Sad part is, they shouldn't all be evils.

Re: Maybe Some Authors Should Do Their Own PR

Tim Jahn — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:49:53 -0000

Maybe I'm just a guy who knows nothing about PR but I feel like recently I've been reading more and more blog posts about bad PR pitches. Which leads me to ask, what's the point of a PR pitch? These days, it seems people write horrible pitches that just end up humiliating them.

So why do these people writing pitches have jobs writing pitches? They seem to really suck at it and get laughed at by everybody they pitch. Are they accomplishing anything other than embarrassing themselves and the firms they work for?

I'm being serious here. It honestly seems like they have a pointless position.

Re: Do Bloggers Make Good Authors?

Tim Jahn — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:03:41 -0000

Great topic Danny, especially in times when everybody thinks they can be a blogger or an author.

If you asked me this question a year and a half ago, I'd probably say no. But after blogging daily (minus the occasional missed day) for a little over a year, I'd say yes. Because good writers who write consistently (like bloggers do) will become better at writing. They will develop a voice, a unique style of writing, and improve over time.

Many of the bloggers who have a book this year have been blogging for a good amount of time. Chances are there's a huge difference between the writing in their book and their very first blog post way back when.

Re: How to Compete

Tim Jahn — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:24:40 -0000

I think a key part of competing is relating. If you go to two identical hot dog shops but the owner of the second one shares your Seinfeld sense of humor, chances are you'll be over there more often.

I choose Apple over Microsoft because I relate to the creativity and innovation of Apple. I don't relate to the imitating, complex nature of Microsoft.

There's many comedy troupes/clubs in Chicago (Second City, Improv Olympic, ComedySportz to name a few). People like certain ones over others because they can relate to the performers and the material more.

Re: The Right Numbers Matter

Tim Jahn — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:51:54 -0000

Your last newsletter was my favorite so far. I've really been enjoying your newsletter recently, as it's a big departure from this blog and a departure from the same old topics everybody is rehashing.

You really are making it human, even more so with the last newsletter. I agree with you, it's a good thing those 349 people dropped out. You want the right ones on the bus, nobody else.

Re: The Business iPod Mix

Tim Jahn — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:38:18 -0000

Trying to be everything to everyone will almost always result in being nothing to anyone. As Jim Collins suggests with the his idea of the "hedgehog concept", what can you be the best in the world at?

Margies is an amazing ice cream place in my old neighborhood. Best damn ice cream in Chicago. If you ever come to Chicago, Danny, I'm taking you there. They don't serve hot dogs or salads or meatloaf or roast beef sandwiches. They could...it'd be a one stop shop then, right?

No. They are the best in the world at making the best damn ice cream Chicago has ever tasted. And they have been for decades.

If they made pretty good ice cream and medicore hot dogs and so-so salads and nothing-special meatloaf and regular old roast beef sandwiches, you think I'd be mentioning them?

Just my two cents :) I don't purposely disagree with most of your posts.

Re: The Business iPod Mix

Tim Jahn — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:55:59 -0000

Touche, buddy. (and thanks for the kind words)

I see your point. I just see too many companies spreading themselves thin when it comes to trying to be everything to everyone. And then they just end up sucking at everything.

But you're right. Nine times out of ten, successfully being amazing across multiple disciplines will yield you much more success than being amazing in just one area. The key is "amazing". Not good, or so-so. Amazing.

Re: Does Technology Make Us All-Knowing?

Tim Jahn — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:20:59 -0000

The "20-somethings" or "Gen Y" (or whatever current buzzword is used for our generation) folks are just that - a different generation. My grandpa saw the advent of the automobile, expressways, television (b/w AND color), radio, streetcars, trains, airplanes, computers, iPod, high definition, etc. in his lifetime.

I'm a firm believer in experience and skills. My grandpa was a glass blower and has some amazing work to show for it in his basement. His skills there are top notch and his experience as well.

We can possess the skills we need to succeed. The experience will come with time. Think about when we started riding a bike. We had the skills to do it, but the experience is what made us better. I ride all the time nowadays, but when I first started, I'm pretty sure I was on the grass more than I was the bike.

I think the key is to stop concentrating on age and start concentrating on skills and experience. If you need a glass blower, call my 92 year old grandpa. He has more skills and experience glass blowing than both me and you. But if you need someone to set up a dancing Christmas lights show on your house, call me. I'm going on my fourth year doing it and I like to think I have the skills and experience now to know what I'm doing.

Who cares how old you are. What do you know and what have you done?