Events « Mike Sutyak

Archive for the ‘Events’ Category

Thomas Mulready of CoolCleveland.com – Blogs, Pods and Vods Oh My!

Thursday, June 14th, 2007

Yesterday at the Lake Communicators monthly luncheon, Thomas Mulready creator of CoolCleveland.com was the speaker. I had met Thomas briefly at the eMarketing for Entrepreneurs Conference.

I was fortunate enough to have him sitting at my table yesterday. He didn’t have much time (he was the speaker and all), but we did get to talk for a minute. The gist of our conversation: it’s all in the writing. There is value in design, after all it’s part of the message. The story you tell determines whether or not they’ll stick around though.

That’s right, I said story.

Give the reader a chance to identify with what you’re saying by giving them meaning. Blathering off facts and whatnot tends to turn people off. Giving them a chance to say “Hey, I can relate to that, I’ve been there”, will grab and hold their attention.

Thomas’ presentation was fascinating and it was great to hear his story. I was personally engaged because I could identify with parts of it. It’s also satisfying to hear a consummate professional take the time to tell that story.

Thanks again Thomas, I look forward to talking again.

Posted in Copywriting, Events | No Comments »

Seth Godin’s The Dip… is it for everyone?

Tuesday, May 29th, 2007

I went to see Seth Godin last Tuesday in Ann Arbor on The Dip Tour… exceptional. I finished the book later in the week and was excited about giving it to several of my friends and family members. After giving it more thought, and reading this review, I considered that maybe everyone might not find the value in it.

Self realization is what makes “the dip” so powerful. If you don’t realize you’re in a dip, or even worse, you don’t realize you’re in a cul-de-sac, the whole concept is pointless (If you don’t care, it’s even more pointless!). There are plenty of people who live day to day doing their job, collecting a paycheck and are perfectly happy doing so.

Pushing ourselves, challenging ourselves, is not comfortable. That’s what keeps most people from stepping outside their “comfort zone”. Are the rewards at the end of the dip worth the effort? Most people elect to play it safe and have decided long ago that risk is not an option. This is where mediocrity creeps in. We’ve been programmed to stay in line and do what we’re told.

I think everyone can learn from The Dip. I believe that at the very least, it gives meaning to their struggle, their dip, whatever it may be. What they decide to do about their dip is entirely up to them.

Posted in Events, Evolution | No Comments »

eMarketing for Entrepreneurs Conference

Tuesday, May 8th, 2007

I have to give it up to Brad Kleinman at Corporate College East. The eMarketing for Entrepreneurs Conference held last Friday May 4th was a complete success. From the keynote speaker John Jantsch to all the breakout sessions and panel discussion at lunch, it could not have gone any better.

The most difficult part was deciding which sessions to attend. With so many valuable topics to choose from along with the experts presenting them, I really wanted to take part in all. Not only did the sessions I decide upon provide invaluable insight, they were also extremely engaging (can’t learn if it’s not entertaining).

I was also fortunate enough to make some connections at the conference which really makes all the knowledge I acquired a bonus. When you’re in a situation to connect with professionals in your field who understand the value of networking, it makes it all worthwhile.

Thanks again Brad, looking forward to the next event.

Posted in Analytics, Events, Online Advertising, Permission Marketing | 2 Comments »

iPhone… the next iPod?

Monday, April 30th, 2007

Critics so far have been relatively harsh on the iPhone. There are a myriad of reasons given why the iPhone is set up to fail (limited battery life, storage capacity and price are usually at the top of the list). So why would anyone stand behind this latest offering by Steve Jobs and Apple?

What made the iPod so successful? The concept. Simple yet stylish. Ease of use. The driving forces behind Apple’s brand. It was more expensive than any of its competitors, yet people were willing to pay extra for these reasons.

The iPhone is no different. In fact, it’s better. Not only is it stylish, it couldn’t be any easier to operate. It has the ability to run the Mac OS, which is a huge plus. Although the world is dominated by Windows users, learning how easy the Mac OS is might actually turn the tides. Being able to sync all your email and calendars with the iPhone makes it a must have for any Mac user looking for a mobile solution. Up until now, it has been impossible.

The techologies built into the iPhone are revolutionary. It will set the bar for every other cell phone company. Once it hits the market, there will be no looking back. One year from now, people will be wondering how they ever got along without the functionalities that were introduced by the iPhone. They might not show up exactly the same in other cell companies’ offerings, but the basic concepts will be there.

If this is only the first, what will it look like 3 years from now? Like the iPod, this is a simple, stylish, easy to use device that will only get better. Will it be as successful? Definitely.

Posted in Apple, Events, Evolution, Mac, Steve Jobs, Viral Marketing, iPhone | 6 Comments »

Seth Godin’s Dip Tour

Friday, April 27th, 2007

Seth Godin has come out with yet another (soon to be) best-seller. He’s come up with an ingenious way of marketing it as well (go figure).

The Dip comes out soon and Seth Godin is making appearances in select cities as a part of “The Dip Tour”. It’s not your normal book tour, though. In order to promote his book, if you buy 5 books in advance you get to see Seth speak for free. Or, if you’d like to think of it differently, if you pay $50 to see him speak you get 5 free books.

Either way it’s a win – win – win situation. You get to see Seth Godin speak for $50, you also get 5 books (you AND 4 of your friends win), and he gets some great permission / viral based marketing out of the deal. I’m catching him in Ann Arbor, hope to see you there.

Posted in Events, Permission Marketing, Viral Marketing | No Comments »

Site Stats to Gold (Analytics and You!)

Friday, April 20th, 2007

NEOUPA (Northeast Ohio Chapter of the Usability Professionals’ Association) hosted an event last night, “Using Analytics for a Better Customer Experience”. Analytics is a way of taking website statistics and actually giving them meaning.

Web stats by themselves are useless, there’s no human connection as to what those stats mean or more importantly, why we should care. Matt Bailey, founder of SiteLogic, gave an engaging presentation that brought to light why analytics are important and how to effectively use them in order to create value from stats. His presentation included the Red Shirt Phenomenon which broke down the process. It’s worth checking out.

SEO companies in general seem to miss this mark. They’re more than happy to provide pages upon pages of stats, but if those stats are hollow and can’t explain the human connection, they’re essentially useless. Where are people coming from, what is their purpose, what is important to them and what can be done to accommodate them more?

Thanks for the presenation Matt.

Posted in Analytics, Events | No Comments »

Future Of Online Advertising (FOOA) 2007

Saturday, April 14th, 2007

Interruption marketing is on its way out.

People have been desensitized to most traditional forms of marketing such as magazine ads, television commercials, and direct mail. When was the last time you actually paid attention to any of these (unless of course you’re watching the Super Bowl, and even then do you really remember who or what the ad was for?)

The future of advertising is online, so why not attend the
Future Of Online Advertising this June 7-8 in NYC?

I’ll be there. If you’re looking to get a jump on how to spend your ad dollars in the 21st century, I’d recommend booking your trip now.

Here’s a rundown of topics to be covered, and who will be speaking:

Topics:

Speakers:

Posted in Events, Online Advertising, Permission Marketing | No Comments »

Mike Sutyak