My thoughts on life, the online community, and bringing them all together in one delicious blog of excitement and happiness... I swear... (Editor's note: This blog was formerly known as Wisdom's Mouthpiece.)
(This post, written by me, was first published on my work blog over at www.thedeepbench.com. I figured I'd share it here as well. Enjoy. Hopefully.)
Ask yourself this question: “Do our customers consider us to be rock stars?” If you aren’t sure what I’m asking, watch Intel’s “Our rock stars aren’t like your rock stars” commercial, then read why the question matters.
Beyond just being funny, this commercial's message is deeper than it appears. Although it’s obviously overdone to add the element of humor (unless people really do wear shirts with Ajay’s photo screen-printed on them), the fact of the matter is that Intel uses the spot to distinguish its employees from employees in other fields. Although there are a large number of people in the world who don’t have any idea who Ajay Bhatt is, those that do know who he is most likely recognize and respect what he’s accomplished. And those same people are the ones working hard (for Intel) to create, innovate and become “rock stars” like him someday (in order to make life better for YOU, the consumer).
The question I ask is this. What are you doing to become a “rock star” to your customers or clients?
If you own a restaurant, how are you working to elevate your status from “that place makes decent hamburgers” to “SERIOUSLY…You have GOT to try these burgers!”? (Hint - It takes more than good food for the customer to have an amazing experience...)
If you run a retail business, what are you doing to take your customers from “I got my stereo here, but it’s cheaper to get it at Wal-Mart” to the point where they tell friends and family, “The customer service at [your store] was UNBELIEVABLE! It may not have been the cheapest place to get my stereo, but they were so great that I wouldn’t take my business anywhere else.”?
Basically, how are you engaging your customers or clients and making yourself (or your brand) a “rock star” in their eyes? If you’re not working to achieve that level of connection and engagement, why aren’t you? Frankly, if you’re able to answer the question “How is what we're doing making our customers' lives better?”, then you’re probably on the path to stardom in their eyes. If you can't answer that question, then you might want to develop a strategy to get yourself on the right path for rock star success.
Because honestly, wouldn't you rather be the rock star than the opening act?
What do you think? Which companies or brands do you feel are the rock stars in your life? Who do you know you can consistently rely on to give you a great experience? Who could do better? Let us know in the comments section below or hit us up on Twitter at @deepbench.
Have you ever wanted to control machines in a random room in London?
Well now you can! Courtesy of BBC’s Blast Studio, you can control one of four artistic devices (via your computer) that respond your keyboard commands in real time. (Here's a screenshot for you so you can see what I'm talking about...)
Want to play a song on a set of hanging colored lights that light up and make a musical tone when you type the corresponding key? Do it!
Want to decorate a wall with paints that you control? Do it!
Want to type a message and have it print out on paper inside the studio to be saved forever (barring any disastrous fires or floods in London)? Do it!
Want to drop goops of paint on some randomly big spinning thing in the middle of the room? Do it.
You control the room. From your computer. Very far away. If you don’t think this is fascinating and awesome, let me know why you aren’t impressed. That’s not meant to be said in a challenging tone, I’m just curious as to what people do/don’t like about it. I think it’s got great potential as projects like this down the line continue to grow and flourish. I mean, you’re controlling machines from your own computer at home. And they’re in LONDON!
Beyond being just cool as a concept, what does this mean for companies and brands down the line? Are there companies that could use this type of technology to better engage fans or customers? Is this the next step in the process of letting customers personalize their brand experiences? I’ve got a few thoughts but would love to hear yours. Let me know in the comments section or hit me up on Twitter at @mikebilleter.
When you think of tech and innovation conferences, it’s likely that the first place that comes to mind isn’t the Midwest. While Silicon Valley and the East Coast seem to be hot spots for those types of gatherings, we Midwesterners had a chance to gather for an awesome and exciting event in a place much closer to home than usual: Omaha, Nebraska.
For the millions of you East and West Coast readers who don’t travel much to our humble Midwest region, try to contain your snickers and smiles. While it may not be New York City or Los Angeles, Omaha has plenty of action and excitement of its own. This action and excitement was encapsulated in last Thursday and Friday’s FANTASTIC event known as Big Omaha.
Featuring some unbelievable guest speakers, top-notch facilities and rockin’ pre/post parties, Big Omaha’s goal was simple: “What happens when the country’s foremost creatives, entrepreneurs and innovators descend on one place? That place explodes. Which is precisely what we plan for Omaha…The energy will be impossible to contain. We will begin building communities, companies and friendships. We will inspire new thoughts and completely new ways of thinking. We will develop visions: personal, shared, and civic.”
They succeeded. Big time. With some unbelievable presenters sharing their thoughts on entrepreneurship (or Jason Fried’s dislike of the word entrepreneurship), success and failure (or Jason’s disdain for the concept of failing early and often) and how to maintain your company’s culture as your environment changes around you, as well as a glimpse of the fun and energy of Omaha’s community and the people that represent it, Big Omaha proved that the Midwest can be just as innovative and tech-savvy as any other region of the U.S.
Although I could take time trying to recap what it was that the speakers said (or, for more humor, I could recap my first lesson in driving a stick shift from the Omaha airport to downtown Omaha…which was a self-taught lesson, mind you), I’d rather focus on what I feel is the most important element of Big Omaha, and that is this:
If you believe in the creative community of your region and you believe that your region has plenty to offer the rest of the world, you can build an extremely strong and engaging event to reflect the brainpower and passion of your creative community.
Don’t think small!
Don’t think that because you live in a (relatively) smaller community, you can’t make BIG things happen. Dusty and Jeff felt like they could truly represent the passion of Omaha’s creative community and they did so with abundant success.
And I don’t mean that strictly in the sense of building a conference either. I’m talking about it in any form of life or business. There is NO client or project too big for you if you truly have the desire to work with someone great or do something amazing.
It’s up to you. Big Omaha proved that. Every speaker at the conference shared how he or she was blown away by what Omaha had to offer. But here’s the important part: if Jeff and Dusty hadn’t brought their passion to this project, those speakers probably might not have ever known Omaha had so much to offer.
That’s what you can do. Bring your passion to the table every single day. Show the world that you love what you do and that your passion is contagious. How could someone NOT want to work with a team of people completely thrilled with and invigorated by what they’re doing?
Big Omaha wasn’t just about Omaha. It was about taking your passion and turning it into everyone’s passion. From the people of Omaha themselves to the many visitors from around the country, it seemed like just about everybody was ready to up and move to Omaha by the time Friday night rolled around. How can you build that kind of excitement for your brand or your clients?
Most importantly, how can you build and maintain that passion for yourself?
P.S. - If you want to see some awesome photos from Big Omaha, check out our friend Aaron Mentele's shots in his flickr photostream. As soon as the videos from the event are up online, we'll link to those as well.
Did you go to Big Omaha last week? Share your thoughts on the event in the comments section below. What did you enjoy? What could have been done better? What did you learn from the experience? If you weren’t there, why do you wish you could have been? We’d love to hear your thoughts, so drop us your insight below or hit us up on Twitter at @deepbench (or hit me up personally at @mikebilleter).
Doing something unique is fun. Doing something really unique is really fun. And doing something that only about 120 other people in the entire United States get to do is just flat-out wicked awesome.
Luckily, last Tuesday, I was fortunate enough to be a part of Ford’s “Fiesta Movement.” No, I didn’t win one of the cars (which would have led to an entirely different post…probably just a video of me screaming and shouting for joy), but I DO happen to have a boss who DID happen to win a car. And, seeing as the 10+ hour drive from Denver isn’t all that fun on one's own, I was fortunate enough to have a boss who wanted me out there to help him film, stay awake on the drive back to Sioux Falls, and do all of the other cool things that assistant-ish employees get to do.
After an early morning journey with boring details, I eventually found myself in Denver, meeting up with Hugh and the other 7 or so “Fiesta Agents” who were preparing to go see their cars for the first time. After a lengthy drive out of the city, we pulled up to the raceway where the cars were waiting for their respective Agents. Hugh’s excitement at finally meeting Ruby (his name for his Fiesta……yeah…I know…) was like a kid who just found out Christmas was happening every day for six months. I couldn’t have punched the smile off his face. And I’ve got really strong fists (that’s me on the left…)
Needless to say, Ford did it right. Nothing around but racetrack and open air, and a set of brand new cars begging their owners to sit down inside them (and probably literally begging, because these Fiestas are the smartest cars ever…it’s almost creepy…more on that later…). After the initial introductions, Hugh handed out the soon-to-be iconic “Fiesta Hugh” shirts (crafted by none other than Deep Bench’s own up-and-coming graphic design phenom, Andrew Brynjulson (Bren-yool-son)), which you can see in the image below.
And then it got even more awesome. After a quick instructional session on the cars themselves, the Fiesta Agents got to take their babies out on the speedway track. Although the maximum speed limit was 55 mph, the curves on the course were insanely tight and they managed to make 55 feel like 85. Although I can’t drive a stick shift, Hugh absolutely dominated his test runs like he was Jeff Gordon himself (or whichever NASCAR racer is relevant these days).
After it was all said and done, we were on the road back to Sioux Falls, and that’s a different story for a different post. For a sample of what’s on the way, here’s this photo:
Onto the point of this post… I was extremely impressed with Ford’s ability to make this Fiesta Movement a true social media campaign throughout the entire day. Although there are a few (necessary) rules and restrictions, I was blown away with how open everything was to filming and photography. I was loaded up with two video cameras and one photography camera, and I was never once asked to put them down or turn them off. Whether it was instructional sessions or video-recording conversations between agents and the marketing crew, I was never restricted from taking photos or footage. They’re perfectly willing to let this be a living, breathing social media effort, relatively out of their control.
In my opinion, Ford is taking big steps (and potentially big risks) to ensure that it’s on the forefront of online/social media marketing efforts. This isn’t a crafted and scripted series of videos and tweets that Ford’s invested in to get positive brand recognition. These are real people, doing real things, with the only rules being don’t break the law and don’t destroy your car.
Oh, and share it with the whole world.
It’ll be a blast to see where this goes (mostly because I hope to be going along with Hugh and Ruby wherever it all goes). I have a feeling the Secret Missions and subsequent adventures will be a lot of fun. Luckily, Ford’s willing to let you be there every step of the way too.
What do you think? Do you think Ford’s taking the right steps by putting its brand in the hands of customers for the world to see? Would you rather see a different campaign or strategy from Ford rather than the Fiesta Movement? Let me know your thoughts and I’ll pass them along to Hugh. With no restrictions, we’re willing to try just about anything, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment and let me know what you'd like to see!
If you’ve been on Twitter at all in the past year, you’ve more than likely stumbled across a "How NOT to use Twitter" story or two. Or twenty. (EDITOR'S NOTE: I posted this last night and came across this PC Mag article this morning which basically exemplifies my point) Although they often mean well, typically included in these “best practice” blog posts and news articles are tips like “Don’t spam your followers by always pushing content” or “Don’t reply to every single @ reply…it clogs up other people’s Twitter streams with your conversation that can be taken offline” or my least favorite (and most often heard/read), “Don’t tweet about what you’re eating for lunch.”
I’m sick of it.
People: USE TWITTER HOW YOU WANT TO USE TWITTER.
There, I said it. And I feel better. Now, many of you are probably wondering why I’ve gotten so angry (you see, anger is expressed in all caps when you’re trying to show it in a written format). The reason I’m so frustrated is because Twitter is SUBJECTIVE. It isn’t a 10th Grade geometry exam or a paint-by-numbers kit with a "right way" to use it. Are there ways you can annoy people on Twitter? Sure. But does that mean you’re wrong? Absolutely not.
I’ll support this by giving an example of my disdain for the “Don’t tweet about your food” rule. Here’s a series of tweets from fellow Sioux Falls Twitterer @theamillerryan, myself, and a third party who entered the discussion toward the end…
We went from someone (@taral) not even thinking about “one of [her] favorite treats” to being reminded to go out and buy them because it’s been awhile since she’s had them.
Why? Because Thea chose to violate this seemingly important “Don’t tweet about food” rule. In fact, she almost violated two "rules" because she also had a back and forth with me that could have probably “been moved offline” if it had gone back and forth one or two more times.
I know that’s a fairly extreme example. The point isn’t that someone tweeting about food inspired someone else to remember a favorite snack. The point is that this mindset of “I get annoyed when people talk about their lunch” somehow turned into a “Twitter tip on what not to do" at some point during Twitter’s evolution into more mainstream popularity.
Is it true that people might be annoyed if all you tweet about is what you had for lunch and dinner? Probably. Here’s the thing…they don’t have to follow you. So if you get irritated by someone doing it, unfollow them. Otherwise, stop complaining about it. And stop trying to turn what started as a good, free, open atmosphere into a caged and restricted realm that best suits you. It’s not about you. It’s about everyone else in the Twitterverse.
I follow people because I want to follow them. If they don’t follow me back, I understand. If they don’t provide me the value I’m seeking, I don’t follow them. I don’t begrudgingly read every tweet they send and wish they wouldn’t act the way they act. People say you shouldn’t broadcast. @amazonmp3 ONLY broadcasts, and I LOVE following that account. They offer me a service: unbelievable deals on (typically) good music. Do I buy an album every day? No. But you know what? I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the albums I’ve come across as a result of the @amazonmp3 account ONLY being a broadcast channel (duh duh duhhhh, cue Wilhelm Scream).
Now, to play my own devil’s advocate, I’ll admit that there are times when tips and best practice posts are completely acceptable, if not necessary. If one of the many bright minds in the social media realm is explaining to other social media entrepreneurs that “tweeting about food isn’t the best way to build followers,” that’s just good advice. The problem is that not everyone is trying to gain followers or provide wisdom and insight to other social media professionals. Some people just want to share their day with friends and family and not feel like they’re doing it “wrong.” If your goal is to become an influential Twitter user with a massive list of followers and fervent supporters willing to retweet every link you drop, then yes, you should listen to the “How not to use Twitter” posts. But if you’re a normal human being willing to share your life with willing followers, do what you enjoy.
The overall point of the post is this - Be who you want to be. Tweet how you want to tweet.
Just. Be. Yourself. That’s what made Twitter great in the first place.
There was a time when Twitter didn’t have “twitiquette” to tell people how to “do” Twitter. It was fun then. Hopefully that time hasn’t quite passed yet.
This makes me happy. And excited. And various other positive emotions.
P.S. - Courtesy of my good friend Mike Nelson, I was directed to this page that gives you a free download of the album's new single, "Funny The Way It Is." As usual, DMB is rockin' social media. No surprise, seeing as they've been encouraging social media since the early 90s by letting fans (actually, encouraging fans) to record and share live shows on the internet. Glad they're still at it 15 years later.
I enjoy reading books. I know that’s not terribly insightful, but don’t give up on me yet.
The truth is, I enjoy fiction of all types. Consequently, I’m a big fan of fictional characters. There’s a correlation there, I promise (side note: I can finally consistently spell “correlation” right on the first try). But, rather than just assume other people like fictional characters, I figured I’d ask the question “Which fictional character is your all-time favorite fictional character (from any medium - film, novels, comics, etc.)?” to my friends and followers in the Twitterverse.
I was excited by the great responses. None of them were repeated, and all of them were awesome. Obviously, I have my own answer, which I’ll reveal at the end of this post. But first, here are some of the great responses I got from people on Twitter, along with any links I could find to those characters (a few might be from Wikipedia, but you never know what other sweet stuff I’ll come up with).
So here we go…the people who responded, what their responses were, and my thoughts on their choices…
@miss_misery – Favourite fictional character? Bugs Bunny, he’s funny, brilliant, and usually gets his way. -Rather than waste time explaining who Bugs Bunny is, I'll just embed a video that pretty much displays exactly why Jacqueline likes him so much. It’s a great call on her part. Also, I like that she spells favourite with a “u.” Not sure if it’s because she’s Canadian or because it’s just cooler that way, but I like it.
@jenimc – pippi longstocking -Another excellent choice. While I didn’t read many of the Pippi Longstocking books or watch the TV show growing up, the description paragraph on Wikipedia alone makes me wish maybe I would have.
@LiterateKnits – that question is really difficult…but for me it’s gotta be Belle from Beauty and the Beast. -As a sucker for Disney movies, I’ve gotta say that I have no bones with Erin’s choice. Although Beauty and the Beast was never my favorite of the films (that award split between Aladdin and Alice in Wonderland), Belle was a great character with some awesome qualities and a rockin’ voice.
@theamillerryan – I love Scout from To Kill A Mockingbird -Quite possibly the most “classic” character on the list, Scout was an integral part of just about everybody’s adolescent reading experiences (I know if I'd been confronted by Boo Radley, I'd have probably just ran for my life, screaming). If that doesn't make her a good choice, I don't know what does.
@arosman – my first thought was Michaelangelo the ninja turtle, but after thinking, I would probably choose He-Man cuz he’s Prince Adam. -There was no doubt in my mind that Adam would come through with a character straight off my own list of potentials, and he didn’t let me down. Although he gave me a fake-out with Michaelangelo first, Prince Adam (aka He-Man) was definitely a worthy replacement. After all…HE HAS THE POWWWWER!!!
@Kjdahlen – Sadie Hankshaw – a large thumbed hitchhiker from the Tom Robbins novel, ‘Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.’ Life changing. -Much like I could rely on Adam to hit me with something that fit my tastes, I knew I could count on Kris to hit me with the deep stuff (no offense, Adam…I think Michaelangelo is deep in his own way too…for real…). Needless to say, this novel had a pretty heavy impact on the literary world when it came out, so it’s no surprise that it’s a life changing work. Also, one of my favorite bands titled one of its songs “Even Cowgirls Get The Blues," so you know it has to be a good book with good characters (the logic is infallible).
@brennifresh – Donatello. Brains and brawn. Understated bow staff. Comfortable in pink. Articulate. Patient. Sick wit it. -I’m not sure I can do anything to improve that description, so here’s a video of Donatello, displaying many of Brenni’s listed qualities…
@damiella – Favorite fictional character of all time: Damiel from Wings of Desire (greatest film of all time). -A bold statement from Margarita (though, with pink hair, boldness is not unexpected), Damiel is this guy from this movie, who is an angel in Berlin that happens to fall in love with a human and gets his whole world changed around. Just from the trailer alone it looks awesome. On a side note, apparently it was remade as City of Angels with Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan. We’ll take take @damiella’s word for it that this one is better, seeing as the remake had very little in common with the original.
@Djarum - Ahhh... Mine is most likely Dirk Pitt. No reason. -Last, but not least, is Dirk Pitt from a series of adventure novels by Clive Cussler. Interestingly, you may have seen the character portrayed by Matthew McConaughey in Sahara, but apparently that movie doesn’t quite follow along with Clive Cussler’s original novel. Either way, the character seems pretty awesome and I just might have to check out a few of his adventures in the future.
So…those are some of the great responses I got to my “All-time favorite fictional character” question. I’ve gotta say that I was impressed not only by the variety, but the depth of many of the choices. I’m not one to judge, but I would have been sad to see Britney Spears’ character in Crossroads or Hannah Montana as one of my responses. To me, the above-mentioned results are pretty kickin’.
And now...my choice...
I’ve had a lot of time to think about this and, while I’ve made my decision, I must say that it came down to two. While there once was a time in my life when I would have said Spider-Man (hands-down and without hesitation), my passion for Spidey has diminished since Tobey Maguire ruined him as a character for me in the movies. Although I love comic book Spider-Man and 1994 Animated Series Spider-Man, the weak, whiny, and unfunny Spider-Man in the movies gave the rest of the known world the wrong impression of him, and that bums me out a little bit.
And as a result, my favorite fictional character of all time is Calvin (and, by default, Hobbes). To me, Bill Watterson’s Calvin represents everything great in the realm of humor, philosophy, and simple pleasure and enjoyment. Whether he’s careening down a hill while spouting the philosophy of human nature, pointing out the flaws of our society through a lemonade stand, making artistic statements through hilariously bizarre snowmen, or taking the simplest concept and making it hilarious, Calvin manages to keep me thinking and laughing, page after hilarious page.
In all honesty, those are the kind of people I enjoy spending time with in real life. I guess I can’t ask for much more in a fictional character. With that, here’s the final Calvin and Hobbes strip ever run. It ends with a pretty good suggestion for everyone (child or adult), and makes me wish I had a few more friends in the world who think like Calvin and Hobbes.
On that note...who is YOUR favorite fictional character? Any thoughts or comments on the ones listed above? I'd love to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment in the Comments section or hit me up on Twitter (@mikebilleter) and let me know.
I read, I listen, I think, and I write. I like things that are funny and I don't like things that are dumb. And I like to write about an issue with intelligence rather than ignorance. Because ignorance is not bliss. It's just stupid.
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