burp!
By Pat Law™ • Oct 7th, 2008 • Category: The Digital StrategistI’m a tad behind here with my Social Media Breakfast/Brunch 4 review but hey, better late than never. Well, ok, maybe not for government tenders. Those guys are anal.
I’m extremely comforted by the overwhelming reviews thus far by fellow attendees (get your update of reviews here), and I truly enjoyed my time being a panelist (thanks again, Claudia and the rest of the SMB team). In all honesty, I reckon I could’ve done a better job. Three cups of kopi-o-kosong simply weren’t enough. Although I have to say, I woke up in shock when my entry on Why Lesbians Need Men was proudly displayed on screen. I’m just thankful it wasn’t the one where I reviewed the Jimmyjane vibrator.
Anyway, all good things always have room for improvement. Here’s what I reckon we should consider, in view of making the next SMB more delicious.
1. Sexier Visual Aids
Because they do help retain attention. Sorry we kinda failed there with our corporate grey slides. Here’s what I thought I should’ve done with my otherwise awfully lacklustre introduction.
2. Live and ongoing Q&A session via Twitter
I recognize that there are probably some attendees who are more reserved than the others and hence failed to ask the questions they might have in the mind. Perhaps we should consider setting up an account where everyone can log in at the same time (but please include your name) to fire out any question they may have?
Bet someone would ask how long Ben Koe’s mic is. 
3. Online Fishbowl
You know that concept where you drop your name card at the registration counter? Same concept, but instead, let’s leverage on personalized start pages provided by Netvibes, Pageflakes, My Yahoo!, iGoogle, and so on. We could include bloggers’ blogs, our Twitter, Plurk, Facebook and Flickr accounts and more. I like to think that bloggers, by and large, are excessively egoistic and narcissistic creatures. Hell, they’d probably include their blog address on their obituary ad if they could. Why not give them a space for a self-plug, and at the same time, save yourself the trouble of updating the database manually on your own.
And oh, I’d like access to the fishbowl please. Most marketing practitioners would, I think.
How else do you think we can help SMB grow into a kickass of a 12-course dinner? For those who have attended SMB4, help take part in this little survey, aight?
Pat Law™ is a Digital Strategist who, in her time in the Adland, has marketed a range of global brands including adidas, Cadbury Schweppes, Chrysler, Harley-Davidson, Hewlett-Packard, Johnnie Walker, L’Oréal, and Royal Salute. Pat also writes for iSh, LOTL International, and Singapore Architect.
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[...] on SMB4 Claudia – SMB4 – I’m glad it happened Nicole – Nicole’s thought on SMB4 Pat – on making the next SMB more delicious On Plurk… ssumin – The blogger voice was missing from SMB4… ssumin – Did size of group [...]
Hello there, bean sprouts instead of spouts, in your intro, shouldn’t it be?
not sure if you do recall me, but hello again.
One thing about the fishbowl, I don’t think we’re ready to tell the marketing/pr/advertising folks that they get free access to it because well, that’s too easy isn’t it? I think once people attend SMB and realise that putting down their details equates to getting spam (I’d like to believe corporate folk who attend SMB know better, but that’s utopic), then they’ll start either not giving or giving false data, which doesn’t help anyone.
Besides, if the corporates really want to network, go talk to the bloggers and Google them later, or get their namecards Most bloggers will be glad to give you theirs, and then they (the corporates) can spam them (the bloggers).
Or, go about it the traditional way: be a gold/platinum/whatever sponsor at some fancy schmancy event and get the houselist as part of the deal. (They can try SMB, but we don’t come cheap)
w, hey hey thanks for the highlight! I’m useless with spelling, and that’s why I need readers like you to tell me off. Thank you!
I know of “w.” although I don’t think that’s you. Who you?
Daryl Tay, point taken, and a very valid one at that. Hey have you received spam from stupid Diner’s Card about some credit card? The one where the card’s cheap enough that you don’t need to even apply for; it gets sent to your mailbox anyway? I’ve been getting tons of spam via SMS from them as well. Have you?
Alright, maybe I should set up my own directory and sell some ad space. Hmm.
Nice one Pat – lol – and i like the plug for Ben’s mic. =)
Over in this corner, I’d like to see some sort of wiki page on bloggers – not life story profiles – they need to listen and network for that – but a list with (blog)names and areas of interest and contact email. I feel it would provide a good starting point for folks new to this game – while at the same time, creates a semblance of audit on the numerous SG bloggers. What do you rekon?
Hey Supriya!
Wiki page on bloggers sounds great, and oh yes, the audit will do us good. Sniff out the quality ones from the bad. But that said, I can only imagine the nightmare of defining the metrics for such calculation. I wonder if I should take my insurance out for this investment… I won’t even mind making it free for all to view. Great suggestion there!
hmmm.. on the subject of wikipages.. it could be like a registration page. you put up your picture (optional), blog address and some nifty info like hobbies / interests..
so when you get there, you sorta know this person.. and it gives you something to talk about.
SMB4 was lovely with great content! But let’s put equal parts ’social’ on this vehicle!
The live-and-ongoing Twitter session is a good idea, but I’d prefer some sort of live realtime chat. Chat that doesn’t necessarily have to address the panel. You guys probably have more than enough to talk about at a given moment. More like a space that lets people air their views and ask questions relevant to the topic being discussed.
More chaotic, sure. But also more fun.
And it works as a barometer too! When you see 90% of discussions focused on ‘When can we attack the Buffet?’ you know it’s time to call it. Be flexible lah. Power to the people.
brian, I absolutely agree with you… We have a date on this, don’t we?
Hey En,
I don’t know about a live realtime chat… I mean, not sure if we want people to hold simultaneous conversations at the same time. Gets a bit too disruptive, don’t you think? Fun, yes, but realistically, I do think certain level of crowd control is important. If not, why do we even need to bother with the event anymore? Just meet online lah.