So I’ve been corporate blogging for the last few months. And for the first time the reins were taken off. I don’t have to sit there and regurgitate press releases – though I am looking forward to the next time I get to liveblog – Blog Indiana?

I was spending the last 3 months getting content going and getting people into the habit of knowing where to go to learn about different aspects of internet marketing – 1.0 and 2.0.

But I wasn’t completely ready to engage the community. I didn’t think we were ready yet.

Till my new partner-in-crime, Kristin, spoke up yesterday and goes, “Can I write about a blogging challenge. To ask people blog for a month?”

I didn’t even think twice about it. It was a fantastic idea. Someone else spoke up. It meant…

We Are Ready to Engage.

At this point 14 people have signed up to do their best to blog every day for the next month. We’ll read as many of them as we can, post them as we find out about them, and interact. It’s a loose confederacy…come and go as they please. It’s the intention we care about. We’re not taking attendance.

But it’s one simple idea that will propel The Region farther up the learning curve in internet technology.

I’m just glad to be a part of it.

Time to wrap this up. It’s 9:21pm at night. One of the programmers is putting the change I’ve waited, pleaded, fought, scrapped, and bit for up to the staging level.

Once he’s done, I’ll drop him off at home and go listen to some live music.

My home town’s getting culture whether it likes it or not.

I’ll write the rest of my thought. And, it’s me, so it’ll involve music, blues, and Spain.

And for the record, yeah, that’s another picture of Spain. The picture is titled, “Paisaje de la ria de Ortigueira (A Coruña – Galicia – Spain)” by Abego on Flickr. Absolutely beautiful work.

remembering the upside of working near the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore - thanks to blogging

Just like how the Gutenberg Press helped bring reading to the masses, so has blogging been able to give anyone w/ access to the internet a medium to allow their writings to be seen.

For better or otherwise.

I use blogging to allow my head to dance around a thought.

Take yesterday for example.

This weekend has been a weekend of writing, though I have put very little to paper. Not all writing is done on paper. In fact, very little is done on paper.

In this case, the little writing I did was on this blog post. I was blotting the other major influence to my web presence – Otis Redding’s (Sittin’ on the) Dock of the Bay.

In a couple weeks, I’ll start working once again on my Book of Blues Prequel. And because of the thought that went into last night’s post, as well as the memories revived as a result of the thinkings, the beginning of my book of blues prequel will take on a different shape and feel in the beginning.

Less country, more soul.

And because of it, I figured out a way to put yet another scene along the water. And I can ease my way out into the valet parking lot and show how change sucks. And is killer on the knees.

Yes, it’ll make sense in time.

Do you use blogging to help your writings?

(photo credit:  Rexp2 via Flickr)

I was gonna write about the fact that the iPad is coming to the office this week. Pretty excited…

But something pretty cool happened over the course of the last couple days, and though I said I wouldn’t always do social commentary, I had to share.

It all started with a Conversation on Twitter

Rahsaan's best side

As far as I can tell, the whole thing started a couple days ago when friends Ben Fraley and Rahsaan Taylor were jabbering back and forth about Rahsaan’s Twitter profile image.

Kristen Page jumped in and quoted some dork about the idea of needing a revolution.

And Rich Orelup took over.

I don’t know the vitals passed then, but at some point Rich said that for every person who switched their Twitter profile pic to what you see here on the left, he would donate $1.00 to Banta Feeds Food Drives of Valparaiso, IN.

And from there, Rahsaan Has an Ugly Mug awareness day was born.

I’m not even sure how it came about. As Richard would attest to when I tried to verify the story:

“You don’t have a clue about that which you are writing” – Richard Orelup, a few minutes ago to me via gmail chat (I’d a felt robbed had he given me an informative quote)

The Rahsaan Has an Ugly Mug gist:

• over 45 people switched their profiles
• Others donated on their own cash
• $116 bucks was raised, that I’m aware of

And Banta Feeds Food Drives was able fill a few more empty plates.

But for the juicy details, check out Richard’s “Blog of Mu.” And don’t be afraid to suggest more ways to make Richard donate money.

How to Contact Banta Feeds Food Drive

• Leave them a note on their food drive site
• Contact them via Twitter
• Contact Christine Hisick – one of the great organizers for Banta Feeds.

So I did find more stuff in The Region worth watercooling about.

(oh yeah, shout out to DILBERT! great timing last week on that comic!)

Scheduling snafus, controversies, and an uphill battle were among the events encircling last night’s Northern Indiana Social events for those in Michiana. I would be less than honest if I didn’t confess that my thoughts on the drive up were with them.

My thoughts were also on that drive up US 12 along the National Lakeshore. Its been too long since I had a good sundown drive along the lake, listening to good live music. It’s the first time I drove that route, in that setting, in that car. But I’d a sworn the car knew every curve.

It put me in a Tweetup state of grace.

The first thing I heard when I got to the “It’s Vegas, Baby,” room was that the Michiana Tweetup was a success, and that a few of them made the drive over to be with us. Michelle Hillaert, Between the Buns Grill…wow. I was glad they hadn’t had their taste for Tweetups spoiled.

Always good to see Lacy. Rumor had it his Indiana SBDC presentation that morning went off without a hitch. And Daver was allowed to pitch the Tweetup during the session.

Fun, friends, foods…and though Blue Chip Casino no longer carries Gumballhead, it was good to be back for the evening.

As we say at NWITweetup regarding monthly meetups:

If it ain’t free, it ain’t for me. It’s the only way to be.

…with the exception of the occasional killer milk & honey events like Social Media Club.

How to Know When the next NWITweetup Is

• pay attention to the nwitweetup  / #nwitweetup conversation on twitter
• check back at NWITweetup.com, the source for Northwest Indiana Tweetups, Meetups, Mashups, and other Social Media networking events…

And now for your viewing entertainment

April 2010 NWITWeetup in pictures, through the eyes of my buddy, Tat .

Conclusion

What I hope the Michiana tweeps learned from the evening is that choices are plentiful. Nobody needs to get pigeonholed into any one particular event.

And they all can work together.

(photo credits:  Karl Tatgenhorst via Flickr)

Didn’t we always say we were part of the movement, not all of it? Of coarse we changed the world, but try and follow through, get off your gold disc and fly! – John Lennon to Paul and Linda McCartney (1969)

My name is Nat Finn. I have logged over 5 years worth of time in internet marketing, from search to blogging to project management, SEO, A/B testing and things in between. I am a Google Analytics Individual Qualification expert, and passed the original Inbound Marketing certification exam.

At the time of this writing, I author on SEOBoy.com, NWITweetup.com, and natfinn.com. When the time calls, I am a regional director for Blog Indiana. There’s even a rumor that I am the internet marketer for Golden Technologies of Northwest Indiana, Michiana, and Southwest Florida.

At this point in time, most people in Northwest Indiana online community are aware of my credentials, as are a good share of the community in Indianapolis. But I am only beginning to learn about the beautiful people in South Bend / Michiana.

So, “Hi, my name is Finn. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Over the last few days, the issues surrounding Michiana Tweetups have become more evident. With the exception of a few unconscionably edited comments, our NWITweetup blog has become a good reference of the growing pains.

I’ve been louder than I’ve intended to be in social media circles regarding the controversy. I’m not one who usually gives into public ranting. But seeing the petty actions of some of our brethren across the time line, I really only want to say the following to the social media friends of Michiana:

Once y’all are done with your Tweetup on the 13th (6-8pm EST, 5-7pm CST), get over to NWITWeetup at Blue Chip Casino and enjoy the rest of the evening with us!

All of you! Open invitation to everyone!

Then y’all can go back into the grind tomorrow. It won’t be easy. There will still be fighting. There will still be things unaccounted for.

Because when you start social networking events, you’re not building networking events, you’re growing a community that is but part of a greater whole.

Me, Dalton, Daver, Sipple, Precourt, Barath and others have been asked how we’ve grown the NWITweetup over the last year and half. We’ve even been ask to help out with other tweetups around the state.

Just let it be known, it ain’t been easy. It’s been through persistence, communication, and risk-taking. We’ve fought, disagreed, stood up from the table disgusted, but we’ve persevered.

I talk to Daver everyday. I hear from the others multiple times a weak.

We’re just a part of the community. We take community feedback as much as they’re willing to give. And there are things they’ve asked for that me and the fellow organizers have yet to provide. But we keep at it.

If the issues in the social media community in Michiana persists, expect the Region and the rest of the state to get louder. Michiana, the home of Studebaker and Notre Dame, deserves a transparent conduit into New Media. This is y’alls chance to provide it: fair and untempered. Grab onto it with both hands.

Tonight, party. Tomorrow: get back to work.

And speaking of fair, the price for the evening’s NWITweetup: $0.00.
Cost to Blue Chip: a donated room, donated food, and a couple hours of service staff.
What Blue Chip gets in return: an army of bloggers who’ll enjoy a couple hours of gambling amd communing.
How the organizers get ‘paid:’. the same way everyone else in the community gets paid – friendship & networking.

This is a business model I recommend y’all study and emulate because if you don’t adopt it someone else will implement it.

Love to the community. May the evening be beneficial and blessed for us all.

Sincerely,

Finn

(photo credit: Tiger_Jack via Flickr)

I’m sitting here in my friend’s office at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. The first class I taught went suprisingly well. Of course I broadcasted the event on UStream but didn’t record it. Mistakes to be corrected tomorrow. I was also happy to see I had so many asking questions, staying attentive, and stopping by after the session.

A radio show just finished up and we’re waiting for the director of the show to stop by and discuss what more we can do to his site. I like the site, like the content, but already have a list in mind.

Anyway, while catching up on blogs I came across one HubSpot just posted regarding the Edelman trust barometer survey of 2010 which polled the trust people have in traditional media markets and marketing methods. The numbers were compared to the results gained in 2008.

What it showed was, across the board, that half as many people trust their news sources as compared to 2008. Even word of mouth plummeted to 25%. Here’s a link to the Edelman 2010 Trust Survey regarding media / marketing outlets.

Of course the running joke would be, “If those trust numbers are so low, would anyone trust the survey?” But assuming they might, the question would be:

How to Get People to Trust You Using Inbound Marketing 2010

I ask the question because for the most part I’m not sure about the answer. I’m looking forward to testing it out, but I have a few theories I’d love to get y’alls advice too.

Things I’m Going to Focus to Maintain Trust

1) We Are Family – continue to focus on Trust. Continuing to add links from where I get sources when the article calls for a source and then explain in the notes why the source is important. Marketing is all about fraternization and positioning. Keep the fraternity partying and don’t haze the newbies.

2) Run with Friends - As Brogan & Smith’s Trust Agents would indicate, I will continue to highlight why I publically acknowledge my friends when I acknowledge them.

3) Be the first – Trust in society usually starts again when someone lends a hand. There’s a power that stems from being the first to trust, to take the leap of faith. And if someone tries to bite that hand, their’s justification for beating them back into the depths of hell from whence it came.

4) Candid – My friends are often upset by my “freedom of information act,” when it comes to their stories. I don’t keep their secrets unless they officially call them a secret. I try to do this when marketing as well. I’m not one for hiding the warts. I’m one for lasering them off in public – usually while on ustream or something

5) Smile - These times suck a**. Might as well admit to it. Blues it. Identify it. Know that them days are gonna get better.

Trust in the day and know today will help tomorrow.

What approaches are y’all gonna take in this trust-less environment?

(photo credit by Open Your Heart via Flickr)

I’m sitting in room Seven at the Marriot in Indianapolis, IN watching Northwest Indiana Mortgage legend and friend Dave Woodson teach realitors at the Real Estate Bar Camp Indiana how to set up a WordPress blog.

I’m using the WordPress App to show the site’s diversity.

Oh, what a night
Late into the evening at BW3s
What a very special time for we
As I remember, what a night…

Last night was my first Social Media event since I’ve been back from Ft. Myers, Margaritaville. I wasn’t sure how it would pan out. Wasn’t sure if it was going to be like riding a bike or like rehabbing.

It was a good bike ride.

Old friends, new friends found, and a with whom I should have spent more time. You’d think I could get it all in in 8 hours.

A few of those I wished I talked to more included:

• Chris Keller
• Chris Mahlmann
• Ben Fraley

I could add quite a bit to the list, but in short I only talked to a 1/3rd of the 31 attendees who braved the sleet and ice slicks to make the event in Portage.

The Week Ahead…

I head out tomorrow for Indy for a few days. See some old friends, some new friends. Watch the Colts game and make it out to Scotty’s Brewhouse downtown for the night game. Then Monday is the Indiana Rebar event. Looking forward to seeing how realtors get crazy with their online marketing.

Then the fun starts when I get back home. I’ve got two meetings, a couple phone calls, a special Blog Indiana Viewing Party #NWITWeetup to host, and then my aunt is in town for a few days to catch a couple Purdue men’s basketball home games.

It’s a family friend thing.

Hopefully, once the flurry of activity has come and gone, I’ll have a much clearer picture of where plan B will head.

While on my cramped flight to Chicago with less then amicable elders, I found my escape in the form of:
1) “Reckoning” by the Grateful Dead & 2) “Twitter Marketing for Dummies” by Kyle Lacy.

I pre-ordered Lacy’s book back in, what was it, October & I had it half-read in a few days. Then life kicked in and I didn’t get back to it so I decided to take it with me to Ft. Myers, Margaritaville. Glad I did because I was able to finish it before we got to the stopover in St. Louis.

And then the less than amicable passengers from up front left. And the positive chi return.

So as the plane refills the 8 of us remaining with 75 new Chicago-bound passengers who brush my shoulder and arms with their bags and backsides, I give, in the classic Twitter style, a 140-character review of “Twitter Marketing for Dummies:”

Definitive read. Ideal for beginners and a refresher for pros. Needs a to-do checklist & link to updated apps for be complete

Yeah, I liked it. And I learned things I isn’t know before, espeially things on Media usuage and resources to print media via Twitter.

The last of the new passengers have finished ceremonially grazing my shoulder, which means it’s time to shut down the airplane-unfriendly iPhone for awhile as we head for sweet home Chicago.

Get Kyle Lacy’s book. & for those who’ve read it, let me know what you think.

Ooh dear, I’m being a rebel. Gots to to so we can leave early…

Hey guys -

Amy Stark – innovator of the #indiana Twitter trend movement of December 10, 2009 and the founder of the Indiana Social Media Summit – just talked to a few of us on the prospect of developing one unifying Twitter HashTag  for Indiana social media movements.

I’m a fan. The topic needs further discussion and, once again, Amy’s picked up the reigns.

It’s not that state hasn’t been using them. And when I say “the state,” I mean “Indianapolis.” Not that the boys in Indy are being exclusive so much as they outreached hadn’t reached the rest of the state when they started.

Right now, they use #si for social media / SmallerIndiana things, #Indy for all things Indianapolis, & #indiana for things referring to the state.

The trick to hashtags is to try and pick things that won’t get a lot of crosstalk.

1) Take #si for example. Not only is there a famous magazine that uses those initials – Sports Illustrated – but there’s a Romantic Language who’s a fan of those two letters. Take a look:

Kinda the same problem Chevy had when they introduced the Nova to Mexico in the 70′s and 80′s. Same thing: NO GO!

Once again, in quick defense of the Indy boys, Twitter wasn’t as popular in Spanish speaking countries when they started using it.

I’ve asked them about it, but the topic doesn’t get much traction.

2) #indy is cool, but that’s pretty Indianapolis-centric and Amy’s looking for something about Indiana Social Media. I’d just as soon leave this one alone and let it fulfill its primary purpose.

3) #indiana gets traffic but is pretty broad. Plus every time Indiana Jones, Indiana Pacers, or anything Indiana University comes out – or Indiana State, Southern Indiana, the traffic dilutes

4) Now they used #in_sm for the Indiana Social Media Summit and that’s cool. It’s targeted, understood, and gets traffic. Some might bark cross

Why use #in_sm when you could use #INsm . The latter is one less character, and when you only get 140 characters.

But then a search for #insm reveals why there’s an underscore.

Damn Germans

So after frittering around the rabbit hole, I’m all a fan for #in_sm. I’ve tested it and can’t think of anything better.

What do you guys think the Indiana Social Media Hashtag should be?