Will you be? BlogPotomac, greater Washington DC's premiere social media event, is less than three months away. I'm co-chairing this one-day unconference on the latest practices in social media marketing with Geoff Livingston and will be emceeing with Josh Hallett.

Lionel Menchaca, chief blogger for Dell's Direct2Dell corporate blog, is keynoting. Register now as tickets (only US $75) are going fast. Be sure to check out our cool new site

Will you be? BlogPotomac, greater Washington DC's premiere social media event, is less than three months away. I'm co-chairing this one-day unconference on the latest practices in social media marketing with Geoff Livingston and will be emceeing with Josh Hallett.

Lionel Menchaca, chief blogger for Dell's Direct2Dell corporate blog, is keynoting. Register now as tickets (only US $75) are going fast. Be sure to check out our cool new site designed by Viget Labs.

More info on the day's schedule and our great lineup of speakers here. They include Dan Beyers of The Washington Post, Maggie Fox, Frank Gruber, Kami Huyse, KD Paine and Jeremy Pepper.

Jenna Kohler shares her thoughts on social media after attending my Shering-Plough Executive Lecture yesterday. Below, fellow graduate student Marisa Reece has a few words too. Both are graduate assistants to Prof. Jennifer Lehr, who organized the 2008 Shering-Plough Executive Lectures.

I was lucky enough to hear Catherine Mathis, Senior VP of Corporate Communcations for The New York Times Company, speak earlier in the morning. She gave a

Jenna Kohler shares her thoughts on social media after attending my Shering-Plough Executive Lecture yesterday. Below, fellow graduate student Marisa Reece has a few words too. Both are graduate assistants to Prof. Jennifer Lehr, who organized the 2008 Shering-Plough Executive Lectures.

I was lucky enough to hear Catherine Mathis, Senior VP of Corporate Communcations for The New York Times Company, speak earlier in the morning. She gave a fascinating case study on former NYTimes reporter Jayson Blair.

I prepared this case study on Southwest Airlines corporate blog for a lecture I'm giving tomorrow to a group of MBA students at Fairleigh Dickinson University. This group has a special interest in Corporate & Organizational  Communications. What other questions should I put to the students?

P.S. I will report back after the class. [Update: See mini interviews with two students.]

Update: see additional questions about the SW blog below.

Case

I prepared this case study on Southwest Airlines corporate blog for a lecture I'm giving tomorrow to a group of MBA students at Fairleigh Dickinson University. This group has a special interest in Corporate & Organizational  Communications. What other questions should I put to the students?

P.S. I will report back after the class. [Update: See mini interviews with two students.]

Update: see additional questions about the SW blog below.

Case Study for Student Discussion

Southwest Airlines' Nuts About You Blog and its role in crisis communications:

Situation

March 14, 2008: Southwest Airlines, a discount airline that serves almost 100 million customers annually, many of them fanatically devoted, has maintained a spotless safety record since the…

I found myself using the phrase Return on Influence last week in talking to a reporter about the value of corporate blogging. I didn’t invent it. Heck, there’s nothing new under the sun these days. See Useful Links below. And thanks to Valeria Maltoni for the nifty graphic.

But the term "Return on Influence" bears repeating and maybe I can give another twist to the concept. Bear with me while I think out loud.

Why should the ROI on

Shel, great work on getting this Q & A with Michael Dell.

Shel prefaces the interview by asking, smartly: "Are Dell's increasing stockpile of blogs just the work of middle management or are the people steering the company committed to social media as well. Is blogging a smart play or a strategic initiative?"

Michael Dell's answers are predictably pretty safe but interesting nonetheless. He poo-poos the term "social media programs" and calls

Shel, great work on getting this Q & A with Michael Dell.

Shel prefaces the interview by asking, smartly: "Are Dell's increasing stockpile of blogs just the work of middle management or are the people steering the company committed to social media as well. Is blogging a smart play or a strategic initiative?"

Michael Dell's answers are predictably pretty safe but interesting nonetheless. He poo-poos the term "social media programs" and calls it "conversations with customers."

He mentions Dell's other social media initiatives and emphasizes the use of video clips (posted to Dell's blog) to announce new products. He mentions two other Dells blogs: Dell IdeaStorm (where customers can debate and offer ideas) and Dell Shares (for investors…

Top 8 Tips for Corporate Blogging in 2008 

2008 will be the year of corporate blogging. By that I mean we're entering the era of Corporate Blogging 2.0. The question is no longer "what is a blog?" It's how do we do this so it works for us and our audience? Are you ready? Get my Top 8 Tips for Corporate Blogging in 2008. 

China Blogging Tour 

Top 8 Tips for Corporate Blogging in 2008 

2008 will be the year of corporate blogging. By that I mean we're entering the era of Corporate Blogging 2.0. The question is no longer "what is a blog?" It's how do we do this so it works for us and our audience? Are you ready? Get my Top 8 Tips for Corporate Blogging in 2008. 

China Blogging Tour 

How & why to add video to your blog