Marketing 2.0

Podcasting Tools

Have you discovered podcasting yet? What is it? Podcasting is a new web-based communication technology that's getting a lot of buzz lately. Essentially, it's audio content recorded in familiar digital formats like MP3. What's new here is the delivery method. The content is delivered via an RSS feed, just like text postings from blogs. So now, you can send or receive audio content via an RSS subscription tag. That pretty much taps out my limited expertise but I've discovered a great resource portal for Podacasting courtesy of Robin Good's blog. Take a tour and learn more. I'm interested in hearing how you might use this new tool for corporate communications.

Link: Podcasting Tools.

Guide to Punctuation

I continue to be surprised at how writing skills are diminishing in our world. Whether it's grammar, punctuation or spelling — lots of people struggle with the English language. Nothing undermines your professionalism in the workplace like a poorly written memo or letter. I think that the prevalence of e-mail is contributing to this problem as people generally assume that anything goes in electronic communications.

Here is a website that can be a valuable resource for your punctuation challenges. It's called Guide to Punctuation, and is a no-nonsense, clear set of references. If you write for a living or just want to add to your toolkit, I suggest you visit and bookmark it. I found this site courtesy of Marcus Zillman . He is another good resource for communications professionals. Take a look at his site.

In the meantime, mind your periods and semicolons.

GM FastLane Blog

Here is proof that blogging is becoming a mainstream corporate communication strategy. The GM Fastlane blog is published by Bob Lutz, the Vice Chairman of General Motors. What's really fascinating is the direct contact with customers and fans of GM and their very candid comments to Bob's posting.

In the past, companies would hire consultants to conduct focus groups and get customer feedback on new product development plans. Mr. Lutz is hearing directly from both customers and critics via this blog. While the feedback is not as neatly summarized as a consultant would present it, there is a value in hearing the unvarnished opinions from all who read the site and care to respond.

The big benefit to me in this type of blog is that it starts and sustains an actual conversation with customers, rather than the traditional monologues of public relations and advertising.

Link: GM FastLane Blog: Saturn: Product Will Reign.

The 6 Myths Of Creativity

Here is a good article from Fast Company on the 6 myths surrounding creativity in the workplace. Teresa Amabile, a professor at Harvard, recently completed a large study, collecting 12,000 journal entries from 238 people working on creative projects in a variety of industries. Her research explodes the following myths:

1. Creativity Comes From Creative Types
2. Money Is a Creativity Motivator
3. Time Pressure Fuels Creativity
4. Fear Forces Breakthroughs
5. Competition Beats Collaboration
6. A Streamlined Organization Is a Creative Organization

Follow the clink to the original full article and see all of the results from this fascinating research.

Link: Fast Company | The 6 Myths Of Creativity.