Conversation Agent - Valeria Maltoni

Fighting the Summer Doldrums

Maybe you have noticed it, too. After Memorial Day the only kind of reading I look forward to doing is that of a good book - a great story - on a beach, by the pool, or perched on a favorite spot somewhere outdoors. Well before the heat sets in, when the skies are clear, our disposition gravitates towards sunny. Which means we begin to slow down at work. Whether you are your own boss or not, it's hard to take yourself to task - especially on Fridays. Today I posted at The Blog Herald asking: can you run an... Read more →

Tom Peters and Thoughts on Design

Tom Peters has an outstanding post outlining 67 random thoughts on design. I have admired the deliberate way in which Tom uses language from the very beginning of his career. The words we use matter. Words are powerful. As my spiritual upbringing taught me, thoughts are even more powerful than words. Loving, compassionate, caring thoughts, when harnessed and shared through inspiring and empowering words, can move to a positive transformation. Words can sometimes betray thoughts, too. However, I have often found that it does not occur at random, it happens by choice - by design. The problems I (and I... Read more →

We Take Your Trash

What would happen if creatives from agencies all over the US organized an exhibit of all the communications that clients discarded? How about those works that were withdrawn or otherwise censored? Is there a hall large enough in Vegas for such a show? Creatives Are Bad accepts your trash from all over Italy. They are putting together a show of all the refused (notice the nice play on words?) communications. Deadline for entry is June 6. In case you are in Italy and are planning to participate. They do it because they want to draw a line, show that some... Read more →

How to Write a Business Recommendation

LinkedIn is enjoying increased visibility and success as an online business networking tool. One of the most requested actions there and in business networking overall is that of the referral or recommendation. Expert sales professionals have known it for a long time, and so have marketers: a third party testimonial is worth a thousand capability brochures. Now that many of us are content creators, we are directly exposed to the conversation that is the marketplace. Thanks to our use of social media tools, what others say of their experience of us is gaining importance in our personal press kit. Links... Read more →

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. — John McCrae... Read more →

Conde' Nast Buys Ars Technica is Not the Story

The news-breaking story was TechCrunch's - Condé Nast buys 10-year old Ars Technica for $25M. One blog/online publication edited with care, that delivers excellent content on a very consistent basis and with a community that has been defined by many as outstanding. There is a lesson in there for business, and that is your customers are not merely a book you buy or sell in an acquisition, they are increasingly a community. Condé Nast buys Ars Technica is not the story. The real story is how new media is capable of growing and retaining a passionate legion of readers, so... Read more →

25 Reasons Why You Need to Have A Whack on the Side of the Head

Many things go out of fashion to be replaced by others. One day they are business imperatives, the next day they are gone and forgotten. Along with the buzzwords, awards, and puzzling fads we have seen develop and fizzle, one trend stands tall as valuable —the ability to create. How valuable? Think innovation, think learning, Creative Think. All of those are the currency of modern times, what we call the conceptual age. Roger von Oech is one of my favorite creative thinkers - an amazing writer, storyteller, conversation facilitator, and cultured journeyman. This year marks the quarter century milestone for... Read more →

Marketing as a Second Language

There are hundreds, actually thousands, of people who understand marketing - and they don't work for you. That is because today your customers know more about what works and what doesn't than many practitioners. One main reason why - they learned from being on the receiving end of marketing messages, strategies, tactics, and all that comes with that for hours a day, days on end. Stories get passed from person to person - many of them not quite flattering to you. "Nice try," they say, "I can see through that." If you want the best example of that ability to... Read more →

Has Web 2.0 Made You Happier?

Have all the social bookmarking services brought you closer to great content, or has it just added to your workload? Are your online relationships as productive or satisfying as your real ones? And if the answer here is "yes," do you have many real relationships? This week Marcus Brown, alias The Kaiser, resigned all of his posts in his social media presence in favor of real life interaction. Has Web 2.0 empowered your customer service people -- or just thinned out traditional marketing and personnel budgets? Are email, Twitter, and IM services helping you to communicate better -- or just... Read more →

When a Customer Says Yes

This was my original submission to the Age of Conversation II. Since it was still too long to be included, I wrote another (much shorter) entry for the book, which I will be expanding upon (without giving it away) in future weeks. A good friend with whom I had lunch on Friday, told me that he very much enjoys - and uses - my advice on customer conversations. There is no expiration date on those. ____________ When customers say yes -- when they're engaged -- continue listening and talking; in other words, continue the conversation. This may seem counterintuitive for... Read more →