The Way We Watch

85 Bloggers and Sites - These People Rock

On the anniversary of my first year of blogging, I wanted to share the bloggers and sites that I've been plugged into over the last year.

Blogging is just a one part of a social media platform.  Getting a good look at who's out there and finding where your voice intersects with others is an important part of the process of developing your social media platform.

You'll need a Google account to see these. All of these sites sit on my iGoogle page. Check them out by clicking here.

Know anyone I should add during my second year?
 
Photo credit: Andrew B.

Helpful Tip: Add Video To Your LinkedIn Profile

Hat tip to Ron Callari for pointing this out to me.  This video (by Niall Harbison) gives a step by step on how to add video to your boring LinkedIn profile.  The video must be hosted on YouTube.  Try this and point me to your profile page.

Cool stuff. Must try it myself!

The original post is here if you can't see the video.

What Do People Remember After The Video Ends?

On a recent talking heads video, I wanted the composition of the frame and the image to tell as much of a story as what people in the video were saying.

Words make or break your story.  Images burn in a memory.

Can't see the video, click here.

Please Don't Make Yourself At Home

 
Last night I was stuck at 42nd Street and the West Side Highway and needed to stay put in the neighborhood for 90 minutes while my son was a bowling party.  I ambled into the nearest food establishment.

  Seemed kind of welcoming to me from the outside.

 

 


 After I bought my slice and soda at the counter I sat down and saw four signs:

 

 
The sign to the right says, "Is not permitted food or beverage from outside."

Luckily, my slice and soda were $5.00 (over the minimum). I didn't plug my phone in to charge it and I didn't bring any food from the outside in with me.

Syntax aside, rules are necessary, for sure.  But when you want repeat customers to your blog or service, figure out ways to keep the conversation going.  If you don't want repeat customers do what this restaurant does - bombard us with rules.

It's like putting up a sign in the window that says,  "We don't want you here for very long."

If I'm stuck at 42nd Street and the West Side Highway again.  I'll walk to tenth ave.

What Do Chris Brogan and Michael Caine Have In Common?

The answer is Chris Brogan* and Michael Caine both know how to relate to the camera.

Both see the camera as their best friend. 

I've been enjoying Brogan's   series because he's been doing a great job of speaking candidly about what it takes to be success.  I feel like he's talking to me.  Can't see the clip, click here.

 
As someone who works with non professionals, talking into a camera can be daunting because it's so easy to forget that you're talking to someone behind that cold piece of glass in the camera. (He could have adjusted for the sun coming in through the window - but that's a different post).

Brogan is a great communicator.  I like that he doesn't shout like Gary Vaynerchuk (yes, Gary's a passionate fellow, http://tv.winelibrary.com/). But Brogan is just as passionate and more effective, I think, because he reveals to us who he is.

We all can be good communicators on camera if we follow some simple rules that I've gleaned from Michael Cain's Acting in Film DVD (there's a book too but the DVD actully shows Caine and some students in action).

From Caine's Video:

• Don't Move. Tics, winking, big gestures. You don't need them. Your best friend is two inches away.
• Confide. If the camera is your best friend, treat him like your best friend.
• And here's a funny one. Eyes are the most important thing. Make sure the camera can see yours. "If you have blond eyelashes and you're in a movie you might as well be in a radio play," says Caine who wears mascara when he performs on camera.   Here's a clip from the DVD.

If you want to see more, get the video at workingartsvideo.com/sales.php. There's a 30% off coupon code available.  Disclosure: I've helped the publisher of Working Arts Library post on YouTube and was paid earlier this year to direct market these titles to Theater Professors and University libraries.
 
*Chris Brogan is the co-writer of Trust Agents (a current NY Times bestseller) and his blog, chrisbrogan.com is ranked #1 by Advertising Age's list of most influential marketing blogs.
 
What do you think of Brogan's communication skills?

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