I just took a quick swing into and out of NYC, catching up with some great friends whom I haven’t seen in the better part of decade. It was awesome to hang with Rachel, Micha, and Katha and one of the highlights was checking out the High Line in Manhattan.
Last year attended The 99% Conference in NYC and one of the keynote speakers was Robert Hammond who (along with Joshua David) spearheaded the project. Robert gave a great presentation which you can check out by clicking here - on how the project was born and how he helped to start a movement in the community to bring it to fruition. I was immediately fascinated by not only the look and feel of the High Line but also how it came into being.
Here’s a quick video of the park that I shot of us at the High Line as well as some footage of us enjoying the mustache exhibit by Dave Mead at the Chelsea Market.
Have YOU been to the High Line? Would love to hear your thoughts on the park - or David Mead’s photos. Those mustaches are fierce. Fire away in the comments.
I’m in the middle of training for this year’s Boilermaker Road Race. It’s the largest 15K in the nation and happens right here in Utica, NY. The thing is though, I’m not a huge fan of running for fun (at least the training end of it). But two things have happened recently that have changed my tune.
The first is that I’ve been running in my Vibram Five Fingers. Hard to explain, but they’ve really made running just more fun when you can experience all the tactile nuances of the terrain you’re on. Plus you work muscles you didn’t even know you had in your legs (if you want more info check out Birthday Shoes- best site for Five Fingers info)
The 2nd is that I’ve been using Nike+, which is essentially a pedometer and wristband that gives you real-time data of your run. Time, Pace, Calories Burned, and Distance are all tracked in real time. After the run you upload the data (from the wristband) to the Nike+ website and Voila! I can see how I improve from week to week and what parts of my run are better than others. I can challenge other people, map routes, and set goals. It’s a kick-ass system that really does make me want to run more.
Why?It’s the data, stupid.
Like bacon, data makes just about anything better. Having access to all of these metrics (and the online community) makes the experience much deeper. I can actually see my progress (or failure) over time and can work to figure out what the weak points are in my workouts and train through them.
Facebook has also made itself a killer place to be for brands not just because there are millions of users, but because of its integration of data & information into its ecosystem of advertising and fan pages. It’s super easy to run and manage ad campaigns, target niche audiences and assess the performance almost in real time.
Even more important are the insights features for Fan pages which provides data that shows you what content resonated as well as data regarding interactions. Placing the interaction data right up front and allowing brands to run ‘Like’ Campaigns to gain new fans / followers is a constant reminder that interactions and conversations really are the currency of this environment. And providing us with all of that data makes Facebook a value play right now for ad dollars, even if you’re using it strictly as a testing ground for ads and content.
So, are you measuring your online campaigns? If so, what tools are you using? How are you incorporating data into your life or your customers’ lives to make interactions more fun and valuable? Fire Away in the comments.
PS - if you want to train along with me on Nike+, leave a comment and I’ll get you my info. I’m also always looking for other Five Finger Runners to talk / train with.
I need to start off by saying that my dad is one of most talented and creative people I know. From building boats (I’m currently in the middle of learning / building one myself) to houses, to furniture, he can pretty much engineer or reverse engineer anything. Most recently, he used a DIY kit to put together his first batter powered bike. I’ll let him explain.
Fr. Felix is the Pastor at Our Lady of the Rosary Church. Last week (Easter) was exceptionally crowded - people filled the church, the basement, the lobby and were listening to mass outside. In fact, at a time when lots of churches are closing or consolidating, Felix packs in people week after week, mass after mass.
He has a small army of parishioners that help him distribute communion. He uses lots of humor and personal stories in his homilies - which are delivered in the aisle rather than a lectern. After each mass, he hangs out in the lobby to meet and greet anyone that wants to have a chat.
Most importantly, Fr. Felix knows just about EVERYONE’S name that walks through those doors. He asks about family, thanks people for coming, and is a staple at family & community events.
Symeon’s has been one of the most popular restaurants in our area since they opened in 1973. Good food and really friendly staff. But go there on any given day and you’re likely to get a table-side visit from Symeon or Symeon Jr (pictured), who own the restaurant. I’ve gone there since I was a kid and they are always going from table to table, making sure everything is ok, asking about what’s new and asking how they can help make the experience better. They are on the front lines. While they’re in the restaurant business, Symeon and Symeon Jr. are in the customer service and community building business. They just do it with handshakes instead of Friending and Following.
Is it any wonder why Fr. Felix and Symeon have succeeded where others haven’t? Is it because Felix’s message is different from the other Catholic churches? Nope. Is it because Symeon’s Souvlaki Platter is the best on earth? Nope (but it is good). It’s because they both devote lots of energy to letting their community know that they actually care, even after they walk out the door.
They realize the enormous power of How Are You, Thank You and You’re Welcome.
How many people are you friends with on Facebook? Of those people, how many do you interact with on a regular basis. My bet is that it’s a small fraction (I’m guilty of it too). Maybe it’s time we put more focus on those micro-interactions and personal connections with larger parts of our networks. I think you’ll be surprised as to how much you’ll learn about your friends, fans and community and will be surprised at how those connections will produce better business and more importantly better friends.
So, in your networks online and offline - who are the people that do the best job of interacting and caring? What makes them special? Fire away in the comments, please.
I had a great time meeting new folks and re-connecting with friends at the first Utica Tweet Up held over the weekend at the Hotel Utica. I wish I could have stayed longer (had to play an acoustic gig that night at The Devereux) but am looking forward to the next one. Here are some of the folks I met as well as a quick chat I had with @AShort315 who organized the event.
