Conversation Agent - Valeria Maltoni

What the Connected Company Looks Like

The Internet has changed the scale at which we can observe and participate in activities that express or pay off our own human nature - that of being social. As technologies get cheaper and more ubiquitous, more people can join in, independently of social status, geography, age, etc. Before the Internet, businesses were the center of our active social lives - especially in the last ten years, and for most, not all, of us. Businesses replaced the local community as the center of our attention - and time spent - but often only for that. Businesses, as represented by companies,... Read more →

PR, not Propaganda

PR, Not Propaganda - Web 2.0 Expo from Valeria Maltoni I've been thinking about the Web 2.0 Expo NY Web2Open. My topic is PR, not Propaganda, on November 19. Although the format will be unconference, I wanted to get you thinking about the differences - and please do stop by to meet me and the team who will be leading those conversations presented by the PodCamp Foundation. PR, not Propaganda What does it mean, what are the differences? Let's start with a working definition from Wikipedia: Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior... Read more →

John Spence Makes the Complex Awesomely Simple

If memory serves me right, I met John through a comment way back, and we've been in touch online since then. In addition to his work and numerous contributions to the community, John shared several thoughtful remarks in the About You page, so we're taking this opportunity to get to know him a little better. Why are you online? John: To learn, share and connect. I am a huge believer in the power of asking for help, and to me the internet represents the most powerful way imaginable to meet smart, interesting and creative people who can help me improve... Read more →

Forget Competitors: in B2B Content Strategy, Context Matters

The most important functions on the Web are search and links. While conversation is the mechanism that brings both about through content, it is the context that can deliver the connection - and conversion. Where content and conversation built the relationship and in some cases a community, it's the value you deliver over time that makes you stand out at the point of decision. This is good news for B2B companies as there is still plenty of unexplored potential in many niches. It's a situation not dissimilar from the one we talked about in viral marketing. Many companies in the... Read more →

A Story, not *the* Story

You know how it is, the context in which you operate influences how you act, or more precisely re-enact stories. So, for example, if you're working in a very process-driven environment, you learn to put process above all else - including the creativity necessary to connect your customers and help them tell their story. The best kind of connection is of course the unplanned kind. I was reminded of this when on the telephone with a customer late Friday evening. Everyone had left the office by then; it's the best time to reflect on the week and most importantly open... Read more →

News: NASDAQ Rolls Out Community Site

The NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ) is an American stock exchange. It is the largest electronic screen-based equity securities trading market in the United States, with approximately 3,700 companies and corporations listed (Wikipedia as revised by company). If you've been to Times Square in New York city, you've probably seen the studio and watched interviews and events from behind the glass. [image Wikicommons] Starting today, you can become a more integral part of the conversation on the NASDAQ Community. John Jacobs, CMO, NASDAQ OMX, answered a few questions about the project. ____________ What's the strategy behind creating a NASDAQ Community? What... Read more →

Top Ten Reasons Why Your LinkedIn Question is Getting (Mostly) Pitches

One of the business uses for LinkedIn is to ask and answer questions. When you help answer questions posed by other professionals, you demonstrate expertise and generosity - thus building good karma and in many cases a good and visible reputation in the network. If you want to keep track of questions asked by colleagues, the easiest way to do that is by adding the feed to that specific topic to your Google Reader account. If you add more than one topic, you can organize them by folders. The difficulty comes when you're the one asking the question. If you... Read more →

A Matter of Perception

[TED Talk - Rory Sutherland - 16.39] The Web enables us to interact with people - and brands - at the level of closeness or distance of our own choosing. It's not about achieving blanket intimacy with all customers. It's about giving people the option to calibrate their level of engagement - or distance with you and your brand. This was my number one insight from watching the intelligent and highly conversational talk with Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman, Ogilvy Group. Some products or services warrant a higher level of engagement than others. Take for example the Olympus story we discussed... Read more →

The Agency Side of Business: Edward Boches, Mullen

We met through a recommendation by a reader of his blog and continued the dialogue on Twitter. What I like most about Edward Boches is is writing style - direct, effective, rich. As he describes in his about page, he: [...] helped build a full-service ad agency; worked with dozens of noteworthy brands; launched high-tech and internet start ups; collaborated with world famous directors, photographers and editors; co-wrote television commercials with Ellen DeGeneres; presented ideas to Oprah Winfrey (she actually liked them); created award winning websites; and launched an emerging social media practice. More surprisingly, I’ve survived for 30 years... Read more →

Time to Take off the Web 2.0 / Social Media Gloves

And actually get to the heart of things. The touch of a human hand is always welcome. Yet it is what scares people the most. All kinds of push back and walls have been built to rationalize, compartmentalize and control the most basic of needs - that to connect with another human being. Yes, I'm also talking about social media environments. It's time to start mingling with the rest of the world - and do/create something. Doing business is a way of connecting, that of the current economic model and context. While it would be nice to think about intrinsic... Read more →