Dems in the Driver’s Seat

It’s always good to feel like you have the upper hand, especially when you have the upper hand. Garrett Graff, author of The First Campaign, argues convincingly that the Democrats are ahead of the Republicans by more than a nose when it comes to the Web 2.0. Why? I couldn’t do justice to Graff’s work if I tried to recite the many reasons here – you should read the book – but it highlights one of the core difference between the two parties: some versus many.

The Democrats have made a choice to define the party in terms of a greater audience. Graff makes the point at the end the book, noting that leadership is critical as we find ourselves, as a group, poised to make a choice between the ordinary and the extraordinary.

Graff is right that we need leaders who are willing to drive the discussion of the future of America. Yes, we need it now! But, can politicians really change the game?

I recently had lunch with a senior Republican Senator who was talking about how hard it is today to be in the U.S. Senate. He talked a lot about raising money “from the same pool, over and over,” but he couldn’t avoid questions about how his schedule has changed over the past 12 years.

Does he wake up at the same time? No. Earlier. Does he have the same number of meetings per day? No. Four times as many. Does he travel home as much? No. He travels to other States to try and help colleagues keep their Senate seats. Does he have a bigger staff? No. Pretty much the same size, yet very “potent.” Spend the same amount of time on policy? What’s that? No. In all seriousness, he said no. His attention is drawn to other things. Is he trying to change any of this? No. Not at all.

I give him credit for being honest, particularly because I don’t think there is anything unique about his view. If you could poll the U.S. Senate, many would agree that things have changed regardless of party affiliation.

But, as Graff points out, sometimes one group can harness energy and force change better than the other because they have both the skill and the will to do so. If he’s right, the Democrats are poised to lead the charge to change the country.

 

The Dean Team

I can’t tell from our class how many people “experienced” Howard Dean’s run for President and how many people view our conversation about his successful Internet strategy as a case study. Again, I show my age, but I remember first hand how news of the Dean campaign’s approach to Internet outreach flooded Washington circles over night.

What had they figured out that no one else figured out? And, was there any possible end to what they could do? My old boss worked for former Speaker of the House Tom Foley and was completely engrossed in Democratic politics at the federal level. He read every article he could find about the Dean campaign and told us his children were helping him to see the success for himself on the Internet. He didn’t care much about the work going on in our office. He trusted us to get it done and kept his sights on what he thought was the most important technological advance Washington had seen in years.

Was it a technological advance or did emotional intelligence prevail over cautious thinking? Years ago, when we talked about the success of the Dean campaign, we talked about the team’s ability to control the message. But, maybe it was the opposite. Maybe the success of the team lies in the fact that there were willing to take risks and allow people from outside the campaign into the campaign in a significant way. “Control,” as we think of it in politics had, for the most part, left the room.

Now, with a better understanding of how things developed behind the closed doors of the Dean campaign, I am even more impressed and encouraged by the power of the Web 2.0 and the people who see its strength. However, I am curious as to how long it will take MOST people, particularly business people, to truly embrace it.

Control plays a large role in corporate America. I had a friend who lost a job once because she sat her CEO next to a liberal member of Congress when he was a staunch Republican. Her boss told her the CEO complained about “not being able to control the conversation” and that was with just one person, albeit an important person. But, how could that same company embrace Social Media in this type of corporate culture?

I plan to spend some time this summer delving in to the corporate sites we have discussed to learn more about how they strike the right balance or if they attempt to go beyond balance in search of conversation. I still believe Social Media will distinguish the good, the bad and the ugly in years to come. And, with the Dean Team as an example, I hope to identify the enormous upside potential for those that are willing to take a deep breadth and welcome people in …

 

Living with a Long Tail

How often have you been out to dinner with a good friend and an obscure topic comes up and your bud, who you thought you knew everything about, reveals himself to be an expert on the subject. You settle back in your chair and listen as he talks about the topic in such detail that you wonder if he is living a secret life.

People are amazing. It’s not the obvious things that make life interesting; it’s the items that are more obscure. Several weeks ago, I blogged about Chris Anderson’s The Long Tail. It’s a great book about how technology will create an infinite number of micro trends or markets that, taken as a whole, will be a driving economic force in the years to come. I’m over simplifying a great read, but the point is well taken: now, it’s ok to think small, as well as big.

When I first read Tail, my primary question was driven by the concept of economic constraint. Assuming that we are all as complex (and wonderful) as the friend described above – the quiet expert – how do we weigh our “macro” interests versus our “micro” interests? Anderson makes the point that the tail is basically infinite because all of us are now able to pursue our micro interests through the power of the Internet. But, what happens if we have to choose? Most economic theories assume that consumers are constrained by limited resources. Would this blunt the tail?

Maybe this is too far down in the weeds. Perhaps the real beauty of the Internet is that you can change you exploration and intentions instantly, satisfying both your greatest or smallest need.

 

The Power of the Venue

I’m still thinking about the concept of gifting on the Web. Today, I bumped into an old friend who was, at one point, very active in fighting for human rights and against labor violations.

Nike was the company she loved to hate – at the time – and she seemed excited that Nike is now leading in corporate social responsibility. But, she hearkened back to her old mantra: it is absurd for people to think other people will work for minimal wage.

Well, how about no wage. Otherwise known as free?????

 

To Lie or Not to Lie…That is the Question

I’m new to social media and most of you know that. In some ways, it’s still a leap for me and that’s because I believe that Web 2.0 is based on truth.

A few years ago, people were more hesitant to use their real identities when visiting chat rooms and surfing. But, today people seem pretty truthful, which is making marketers and advertisers very happy.

So what if people grow more concerned about their privacy on the internet – then what?

The simple solution is to lie or break with your normal patterns, so you online personality becomes less perscribed.

Think about the sites you visited today or how you described yourself on Facebook. Did you provide an accurate glimpse? Now, throw the marketers off your scent by checking out things that are not really of interest.

The end result is your online personality becomes harder to figure out. (And advertisers can’t bank of your Facebook profile if they believe its only 60% accurate.) Then, they would have to do more to make sure they offer you products and services you really need and want.

Right or wrong?

 

Worth Reading: The Long Tail

It took me a little more time than it should have to get through Chris Anderson’s book, The Long Tail. In part, it’s because my expectations were very, very high when I started. Anderson seems to be viewed by many as the person with his finger on the key to future marketing success. He makes an interesting case and, if he’s right, this is very good news for the consumer.

People have a lot of dimensions and if long tail industries lead the economy going forward, we will all get more satisfaction from the goods and services we acquire.

As of now, I have two questions: 1) What is the relationship between demand and economic restriction. It has been along time since I have thought about economic distribution curves, but does Anderson assume unlimited resources? I need to spend more time on sections dedicated the the relationship between the head and the tail. 2) I’d like to her his view regarding the “unwired.” Without the technology, we loose one of the long tail forces. What then? Presumably, unwired customers will still be part of the big hits, but that leaves quite a bit off the table. It’s probably unfair to pose this question to Chris. It’s actually a policy question, but given his expertise, I’d love to her his view. Stay tuned.

 

Worth Reading: Naked Conversations

Ok, so it’s not a great title, but Robert Scoble and Shel Isreal have written a book about the power of social media that even a 40-something can love. It’s not long, it’s straight forward and, importantly, it’s hopeful. Yes, we’re going through a significant change – yes, it will be difficult for many organizations to grasp, but they will, at their own speed and at their own peril.

Some of the chapters are liberating. In chapter 10, we are basically told that there’s no such thing as a bad blog. Put differently, there’s no format to follow – just be yourself and share your views and people that feel the same way will find you and reward you for your honesty.

 

“We Want You to Take 50 Million of Us as Serious as You Take One Reporter from the Wall Street Journal”

You just read the 95 thesis of the Cluetrain Manifesto. Pretty interesting stuff. Ultimately, the intentions here might be pure: the world is changing and consumers – end users – would like to feel like they have more access to corporations and influence how corporations provide products and services. More introspection is needed, but for today, let this be a starting point.

More importantly, lets agree that language that creates a chasm between interested parties should be dispensed with. And, lets all be careful not to get too far ahead of ourselves. Otherwise, there’s nothing new about social media at all.