Soda Pop Stop Lessons for Bookstores
“Thank you very much, Pepsi-Cola, for reminding me that I own my shelf space and I can do anything I want. So I immediately went out and found 25 little brands of soda that were still in glass bottles…” —John Nese, Galcos Soda Pop Stop John Nese, proprietor of Galcos Soda Pop Stop in Los Angeles, shows
Staying on Message: It’s all about Community
There’s a hand-painted sign that hangs over my desk at work, that my wife picked out years ago at a crafts fair in Virginia, that says: “I’m not bossy, I just have better ideas.” Anyone that’s worked with me, reads this blog, or follows me on Twitter, probably isn’t the least bit surprised by that.
Is Social Publishing simply Vanity Publishing 2.0?
“Yes, Sir, there are many happy people here. There are many people here who are watching hundreds, and who think hundreds are watching them.” Samuel Johnson, Quotes on Vanity “Digital publishing”, “ePublishing” and “social publishing” are the buzzwords du jour; Web 2.0 business models based on the idea that eBooks are the next big thing
The Bookstore of the Future is… a Tree Museum?
“I would be the most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.” —Anna Quindlen GalleyCat had a provocative post last week, “Is This the Bookstore of Tomorrow?“, spotlighting novelist Moriah Jovan’s anti-septic floorplan anchored by two Espresso machines (POD, not coffee) surrounded by workstations for
Three Rules for the National Poetry Slam
Eleven years ago next month, in Austin, TX, I took one of the most life-changing thrill rides ever when I attended my first National Poetry Slam, as a member of the 1998 team representing the Nuyorican Poets Café that would go on to become their first (and still only) team to win the Championship. The
Platform 201 for Busy Writers: 1,000 True Fans
A creator, such as an artist, musician, photographer, craftsperson, performer, animator, designer, videomaker, or author – in other words, anyone producing works of art – needs to acquire only 1,000 True Fans to make a living. —Kevin Kelly, 1,000 True Fans The “1,000 True Fans” theory states, effectively, that 1,000 literal fanatics each spending $100/year
Review: GROUNDSWELL, by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff
Solid info and insights, coupled with clear (if sometimes incomplete) case studies make GROUNDSWELL: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies (Harvard Business School Press; 2008) ideal for the C-Suite skeptic and those trying to influence their embrace of socialization. Published last year, and working primarily from data collected in 2007, it holds up
Platform 101 For Busy Writers: 3 Simple Steps
“The best time to start promoting your book is three years before it comes out. Three years to build a reputation, build a permission asset, build a blog, build a following, build credibility and build the connections you’ll need later.” —Seth Godin In an era of immediate gratification and information overload, patience is something few
Sorry, but Chris Brogan is no Warren Buffett
“the social media echo chamber is starting to crumble” —David Armano, Senior Partner, Dachis Corp Depending on whom you choose to interact with on Twitter, it can easily seem like an echo chamber, and the release of a “report” last week declaring “It’s Official: Fortune 100 CEOs are Social Media Slackers” did nothing to change that perception. The research found that
Crowds vs. Gatekeepers: Not a Zero-Sum Game
“It’s bullshit! Crowds have terrible taste… If you let the people decide, then nothing truly adventurous ever gets out. And that’s a problem.” –Christopher R. Weingarten (@1000TimesYes), #140Conf Speaking at the 140 Characters Conference — a brazenly opportunistic affair best described as “a meeting of Twitter Early Adopters Anonymous” and the “biggest circle jerk of