Escargo-ing Viral

As a firm that specializes in understanding social media, we at CPRM get thrown for a loop sometimes. Recently, with a foot of snow on the ground and newscasters reporting traffic snarls on the roads around Boston, I decided to work from home. My college student daughter was home for spring break and watching TV as I worked in the next room. In the afternoon, I had a conference call. In the middle of the call with my boss, a […]

When Things Go Bad

I have a problem and I need your help.  As the co-founder of Innovation Nights, a blogger and avid Twitterer (almost 5000 followers on just my personal account, almost 6000 on @MassInno and I manage several others), I frequently make the invite list for some very cool things.  (“Where’s the problem?” You say.)  Here’s the problem: sometimes, things go bad.

Don’t Forget the “Traditional” Media

Yesterday, I attended the latest installment of the WBZ Business Breakfast.  Billed as a way to learn how to best use social media channels to grow your business, WBZ newsman Anthony Silva and a panel of social media experts talked about social media marketing best practices, strategies and tactics.  

Best Public Relations Books and Quora

There’s a new social media platform or tool born every 23 seconds (totally made up statistic but it sounds about right, doesn’t it?)  When you make your living in the social media and marketing world, you need to be aware of the new but also beware of the distraction factor that could pull you off-course.  Is this tool a potential time waster instead of a useful tool?  Quora is coming into its own lately and so I’ve started investigating it […]

Gary Vaynerchuk is Paris Hilton

Friday night I went to a local Boston social media event hosted by Jeff Cutler and Mike Langford, two of my favorite Boston-area social media buddies.  As far as I am concerned, Jeff and Mike could host a sandwich bag opening and I would be checking my red  Franklin Covey planner for availability.  And, I had heard so much about @GaryVee that I figured I had a good opportunity for a high value event.  But I have to make a […]

Brogan and Smith Use the Vowel Method

I just finished “Trust Agents” by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith and am happy to see they used the “Vowel Method” of  Business Book Writing.  Here’s how you write a truly terrific and useful business book using vowels — and based on some of the business books I’ve read, all business book writers should employ this method and far too many don’t.

Un-natural Acts: Pumping up the Volume on Social Networks

I was reading Chris Brogan’s Blog — always highly recommended — and one of his recent posts, Quid Pro No, got me thinking about how some social networking websites are un-naturally inflating their user numbers by creating an environment where reciprocal friending is de rigueur.  Everything from address scraping to spammy auto-tweeting when your friends sign up, to old-fashioned guilt is used to get you to sign-up for sites you never intend to visit again.

Three Questions from Social Media Club Boston

Last night I went to the Social Media Club meeting (#SMCBoston) held at Hill Holiday’s State Street offices.   Hill Holiday kicked things off with a multi-media overview of their incredibly creative Chili’s campaign (using P.J. Bland’s.)  I loved the idea of using social media to “activate assets.”  (Sounds like Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse, doesn’t it?)  And, the entire connected universe, wow.  Impressive…budget.  With a short introduction for and from each, the panel was introduced.