So you think: “tell me something I didn’t know.”

Well, the thing is with the hullabaloo about the Facebook vanity URL and LinkedIn has their vanity URL thing, Twitter has theirs and Google has theirs, I wonder if I’m falling prey to the “me, me, me!” syndrome that can plague social media or if I am just doing the smart marketing thing?

Or can you not be a smart marketer within social media without being at least a little (or -God forbid- a lot) “me, me, me”? I’ve read the “me, me, me” ridiculing commentary of social media and it stings a bit because I wonder if that’s how it comes across to everyone.

Ick! I do not want to become that person. Or, because of my past and existing social media presence, is it too late?

My hope is that by asking the question, by examining my conscience on this odd matter, I may be a smart marketer plagued by a kind of slightly social media channels-forced behavior that a true egotist would never even bother to consider.

Has any of this ever occurred to you? Are you bothered by it or how do you deal with it? I want your opinions on the concept here, some street corner analysis – is social media merely a public exercise in vanity and narcissism?

Tags: branding, commentary, facebook by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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I was visiting LinkedIn and realized I hadn’t spent much time connect with folks within the groups to which I belong. Specifically, I was reading about folks in the two University of Dayton alumni groups on LinkedIn.

I’m from the UD class of 1986 which does not seem like twenty-three years, one wife, two kids and twenty five pounds ago, but it is.

While I guess it shouldn’t have surprised me – given the news for the past year – I was taken aback by all the UD graduates who are out of work…talented, experienced folks, not simply new graduates (who I’m sure are experiencing job search challenges too.

I’ve got very little to offer these University of Dayton folks who are out of a job right now, no magic pill or super advice.

But I do have my networks.

There’s my LinkedIn network, my Facebook, network, my extensive off-line professional network of colleagues, clients and friends. That’s another thing twenty-three years since graduating from college gets you.

So I posted in both University of Dayton LinkedIn groups the following:

Hi Folks:

I was reading through many of the LinkedIn bios of University of Dayton grads on both UD alumni groups and WOW, are a lot of alumni (talented, experienced UD grads) out of work. This sucks but I’m not willing to just ignore the problem without trying – even in a small way – to help.

I’m fortunate; my voiceover business is going well as is my marketing business. But I understand how hard lean times are so I’ll simply offer this:

IF any of you are in the fields of broadcasting, media, advertising, marketing or web and you want to connect with me, feel free. I’ll accept your connection – even if we never met on campus. You’re a UD grad and that’s good enough for me.

THEN if you need or want an introduction to anyone in my network, ask. I’ll set it up. I’ll open the door – your talent and knowledge will have to keep it open. But I am glad to help get you started.

If you’re in engineering or law (or some other major that didn’t mentioned), my connections simply aren’t as strong but if you think I can help…I will try.

I have no idea if this will work for you or not but the way I see it, it’s a start, it’s free and something good may come from it. In any event, I hope it helps.

Best always,
– Peter

I’ve already made one connection with a person looking for some help and if that’s the only success, then great.

It helped me remember that we are not helpless to help. We ALL have connections but we all don’t think about them and how they can help others (hey, all this just occurred to me today and we’ve been in an economic meltdown for more than a few months).

So my question to you is: what will you do to help? I don’t mean you helping UD grads, unless you want to. It can really be anybody.

But you have to reach out to them…they don’t know you can help. Sometimes, like in this example, it can be electronically by pressing a few buttons. You can find people to help at your school, your neighborhood, your church…or something else, you choose.

And it’s not a heavy load- all I promise is an introduction to someone in my network for people who have shared a common experience with me: we all graduated from the University of Dayton.

In this experience, all I needed to do was realize I could do something…and I did.

So can you, this is just a friendly reminder.

Tags: commentary, community, facebook, linkedin, social media, social networking, university of dayton by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
2 Comments »

Do you have one yet? Some people were so excited last week when they came out that they proudly stayed up until midnight to grab theirs when it was first available.

I did not do that. In fact, until I read it on Twitter (which smacks of a bit of irony) I didn’t know Facebook was offering such a tool. And for a couple of days, I thought about it a bit.

Please don’t misunderstand, I don’t mean I spent days thinking about it. I mean when I read about it in a conversation I’d think about it – was it even worthwhile, what was the point- and then move on.

While briefly on the computer Sunday, I remembered, signed in and went to www.facebook.com/username and secured www.facebook.com/peterkoconnell

Overly impressed? You shouldn’t be.

Because a good portion of my voice over brand is…well, me, using my name makes sense. audio’connell voice over talent is a good portion of my brand too but Facebook is all about the person, not so much corporate names.

Why the K? A number of reasons and I’ll explain them briefly because it seems like 1 out of 3 people are kind enough to ask what the “K” stands for.

First, it’s my middle initial representing my middle name: Kinney.

Second, my middle name was also my Mother’s maiden name and I am the only one of the children in my family to carry the last names of both parents.

Third, I think maiden names sometime get the short shrift so I like to promote it a bit (although I am old fashioned, I think wives should take the husband’s last name- let the rebuttals begin!)

Finally, I’ve always used my middle initial on business documents and contracts (even the full middle name on my college diploma).

So you’d think with the preceding rather vain explanation (me, me me!), I would have been there right at midnight a few nights ago on Facebook to secure my spot.

Nah. I use Facebook mostly for fun, not so much for business (although a few folks realize I do voiceovers on Facebook and some business gets done, yea!) So a vanity URL doesn’t have as much branding value as it might elsewhere. But since its free and there may be a chance to do some business, I grabbed it.

For strictly social users, I can see the value of more easily directing friends to your page. So if you haven’t been vain on Facebook today, here’s your chance.

And if you haven’t yet, I hope you’ll friend me on Facebook and all of your social networks.

AND, report back here on what your new Facebook vanity URL is now.

Tags: branding, commentary, facebook, marketing, social media, social networking by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
Comments Off on facebook’s vanity urls

If your business in any way involves advertising, marketing or social media, this is worth a look.

Whether or not you agree or disagree with the plight of media portrayed in this clip, I was very impressed with the time, effort and talent put forth.

Just to save you a bit of time, after you hear the chorus once, you can zip past it cause its the same lyrics and graphics each time.

I’d tell you to enjoy it but some folks who are living this right now may not completely enjoy this as it may cut a bit close to home.

Tags: advertising, branding, commentary, commercials, facebook, google, marketing, media, newspapers, radio, social media, technology by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
Comments Off on “the year media died” – way creative!

If you waited to make your reservation or you thought you could stroll up to the door, sorry but the presentation of The New Big 3: Understanding and Applying Facebook®, LinkedIn® and Twitter® for YOUR Business is very sold out.

It’s the first sold out dinner meeting in many, many years for the Buffalo Niagara Sales and Marketing Executives.

Now all I have to do is figure out something to talk about 😉

Tags: commentary, facebook, linkedin, the new big 3, twitter by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
Comments Off on SOLD OUT – The New Big 3 on May 18, 2009

There are certain times in your life when you should NOT do that math. This occurred to me the other day when I was puttering around the office doing some stuff and I noticed my membership directory from Buffalo Niagara Sales and Marketing Executives (BNSME). This year will mark my 20th anniversary as a member. That means I was 25 years old when I joined in 1989. This is the kind of math avoidance I am advocating.

I am also advocating that you join myself and Todd Salansky, CEO, online thymes llc, for our May 18, 2009 BNSME presentation entitled “The New Big Three – What’s In It For Me”. The presentation will take place at the 31 Club, 31 N Johnson Park in Buffalo and is sponsored by Days Inn, Wingate by Wyndham, West Herr Automotive Group, Business First and Sound Video Solutions.

The goal of the presentation is to help participants understanding and applying Facebook®, LinkedIn® and Twitter® for their businesses as explained not by two experts (though Todd really knows his Social Media “stuff”) but rather by two active and practiced users of these services and Social Media in general.

By sharing an overview of the services, an explanation of how Todd and myself are using them to the advantage of our businesses and then offering participants a hands on tour of the services, we hope to remove the apprehension some people have experienced about Social Media and provide practical ways business owners can actively and successfully use these services as part of their marketing mix.

If you can join us, I think you’ll enjoy the presentation and some great in-person networking too. For reservations, please call Jeanne at the BNSME office at 716-662-2279.

Tags: audio'connell voice over talent, commentary, facebook, linkedin, the new big 3, twitter by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
1 Comment »