Ian@work

When Magazines Attack!

Daniel Lyons begins his Forbes-published "Attack of the Blogs" (use pw and id "forbesdontbug" to avoid registration):

"Web logs are the prized platform of an online lynch mob spouting liberty but spewing lies, libel and invective. Their potent allies in this pursuit include Google and Yahoo."

Then he gets really shrill.

Plenty of bloggers have pointed out how ironic and alarmist the article is; I'll simply mention that Business Week and Fortune offer more valuable advice to corporate audiences seeking to understand how blogging affects business. Because contrary to Lyons' silly advice, counterattack, slime, and buy-'em-off aren't appropriate or winning strategies for companies who want to enhance their reputations.

Upcoming perspective on viral marketing

After agonizing over an op-ed that I finally decided shouldn't see the light of day, I instead wrote a piece on viral marketing. I'll post it once the Business Journal publishes the final version, but for now here's a (paraphrased) glimpse:

If you think that viral marketing is a quick fix, and will turn your brand into a cultural icon like the iPod or Burger King's Subservient Chicken, here's a suggestion:

Think again.

English Cut

Thomas Mahon's English Cut is one of my favorite blogs. It's unlikely that I'll ever buy one of the Saville Row tailor's bespoke suits, but that's beside the point. In his friendly, conversational style, he convinces me that if I ever do buy one, it will come from him. From explaining the importance of "matched "'jetting'" to sharing the origin of the phrase "no strings attached," Mahon draws his audience into his craft.

He recognizes that many of his readers aren't going to drop $4,000 and up for a suit, no matter how compelling the case for doing so, and he doesn't leave them out in the cold. Posts like "If you can't afford bespoke..." offer valuable, uncondescending advice for the buyer on a budget. If you're really on a budget, he has help for you here:

That being said, for £200 you actually can get a ready-to-wear decent enough to convince us in the trade that you spent more around the £600-700 mark (approx. $1000 US). Just as long as you ignore the labels and follow these points....

Mahon's voice resonates through the blog; his timely posts cut through any pretense of overt marketing in a way that a more traditional Web site might not. And it seems to be paying off for him. His calendar for US fittings appears to be filling up.

It isn't Powerpoint's Fault

Powerpoint (and it's Mac-centric cousin, Keynote) get a bad rap. Powerpoint presentations are sleep-inducing, many say. They're right. But that's not the software's fault.

Powerpoint's a tool, and like any tool it's effectiveness depends on the user. That's why anyone who gives presentations will want to look at Cliff Atkinson's Beyond Bullets blog, and probably read his book.