140 Character Conference

Just what is the 140 Character Conference?  Why would I want to go?  How does the day roll out?  How can I be a speaker?  These are all questions I’ve received in the past couple of weeks.  Let’s answer them!

What is the 140 Character Conference?

The 140 Characters Conference at the Fox Theatre in Hutchinson, Kansas is being co hosted by Jeff Pulver and Becky McCray.  Join them November 1 for the first Small Town 140 Character Conference.   The key focus of the conference is on how real time technology (twitter, facebook are two examples) is changing business, agriculture, media, education, sports, celebrity – everything.

There will be speakers from all over the world – and local speakers too.  Speakers present in 10 to 20 minute segments.  The day moves quickly and lots of voices are heard.   The event runs all day and costs $100 for early bird registration.  For those who cannot attend in person, this conference will be live streamed on the internet.

Why should I go?

Originally, the 140 Characters Conference was designed to bring together about 140 characters to have a discussion about twitter and discussing topics like Celebrity, “Media” and Advertising.   It’s been given in large cities like New York, London and Tel Aviv.  However, there’s 281 million people living in communities with a size of less than 50,000 people according to er.usda.gov .   That’s a lot of people that think just a little differently than those in big cities.

Now is your opportunity to be fairly represented on a large stage.  The speakers will talk about topics relative to small town lives.  Agriculture will be more than just one speaker representing all sides of the topic.  Hear from the agricultural producers, small business and the large corporate businesses.  Imagine that! Business speakers will cover how we build relationships in a town where everyone really does know your name.  There will be small business, large business and home business people showing us all the power of small town living as related to owning and/or working in a business.

Why should big city people come?

Large cities are really just a bunch of small towns connected.  There are similarities between being in a smaller city and a smaller town, being in a neighborhood and a small town.  This small town 140 conference will show you how important it is to be part of a community. The new buzz word is relationship, and we know how to do that better than anyone you know.

They are going to learn things that small town people know and have never forgotten.  Everyone needs to know how to survive with these technologies.   These new technologies force us back into a small town interaction – we know everything about everybody.  Small town residents know how to be friendly – it’s part of our local culture – it’s inbred into us.   Large companies now hire people to come in and teach their employees how to be friendly.  If the world is getting smaller, and we all know it is, this is where you want to be to be part of this discussion.

How can new technology help rural folks find their places in the world economy?

We tell the story of the wheat farmer who used twitter on his Blackberry out in the field.  That’s nice, right?  Here’s the real story.  The bigger city news was talking about how there was not very much storm damage to the crops after the last big storm.  This farmer was out in his field looking and he didn’t have much damage.  However, his friends on twitter were posting pictures of the damage in their area – and it was bigger and worse than his.  He was scheduled to sell his wheat that week.  He made the decision to wait a week.  Why?  Because the prices skyrocketed – there was so much damaged wheat and supply was low, demand high!  His crop brought in a better price – because his friends posted pics on line.  Yeah, the farmer today is no idiot.  There will be lots of stories about how technology is changing the way we do things.

What does the day look like at a 140 Character Conference?

I’ve never been to one!  This is my first as well.  I have talked to Becky and here’s how things are tentatively planned to go.  As with any conference, there’s got to be some flexibility.  At a  conference on the Now of Technology it stands to reason that things may change right in the now of it all.  And every good planner has a great outline – and here’s how it’s looking as of today.

We start at 8:30 a.m.  That’s late for rural folks – and very early for the geeks!  We will assemble in the theatre style 1920 Historic Fox Theatre.  The Fox has wifi, and there will be a truck outside also providing radio frequency wifi broadcasting.  Remember, this is an old building and you will want your phone and laptop already fully charged.   There are a limited number of plug-ins for recharging.

Jeff and Becky will welcome and convene the event.  Becky McCray will speak on why it was important to bring the 140 Character Conference to a small town.  And Jeff Pulver will say why it was just as important to say yes to Becky.

Then the fun begins.  The speakers will begin. Each individual has 10 or 15 minutes and panels have 15 to 20 minutes.  The idea for presenting in such a short time frame is to eliminate the lecturers, get to the point and share their information in a tweetable format.  Get to the point (which is the point).

Topic lists will include agriculture, media, small business, tourism, government and community involvement.  Media will include small town papers who are actually involving the community into their news reporting.  New media has made the old way of reporting the news obsolete.  How are small communities overcoming these obstacles?  Government will have speakers from the local USDA office, city hall and state offices.  Tourism people are at the forefront of using this new technology to promote their small local areas.  Every one of us can learn from them.  Community involvement speakers come full circle and talk about using the tools to build relationships and create big things in small towns.

There will be a break for lunch and networking – it is catered in.  You will want to come and go and collect in the lobby, stand outside, have conversations with others.  It’s often been said that the real value at a conference is found in the hallways.  Consider the idea of cross pollination.  Imagine the local seed company in Iowa conversing with the banker in Kansas and the Rhode Island organic farmer.  What are the possibilities for expanding your knowledge base and connections in the real world?

The Conference ends around 6 and a wrap will happen at the Cosmosphere.

Who really comes to these events?

Most people who are using the technology of now are interested in the world.  Twitter is an interesting tool – it allows us to be in direct communication with people all over the world.  These are the people who are coming – smart, vibrant, thirsty for knowledge people.

The multifaceted nature of the small town prolific tweeter will be represented.  Small towns don’t have a person for each organization and business to tweet out information.  It’s the several prolific tweeters  that do that.  We write about tourism events, chamber ideas, what the alumni association is doing, church activities, where the sales are – we tweet it all.  We share it with the outside world as well.  Want a microcosm of a small town?  Find the local prolific tweeter.  And they will be at this conference.

Once again, give me a few short reasons why I should come.

Oh- like in a 140 character way?  Here goes:

140 Character Conference speakers talk about how they are being changed by the technology of now & show you how to use it where you live.

Small towns are being represented in a big way.  Tourism, agriculture, media, government, community involvement. Be informed.

Audience participation, live streaming, informed and passionate speakers and technology of now.  Why wouldn’t you come?

You can speak too.  Visit www.140conf.com , fill out the  form.  View past events and get a feel for topics. Deadline is  September 3.

Speaker reception at Salt Mines. Wrap up at the Cosmosphere. Stay at the Grand Prairie.  This is the place to be for the state of Now.

Want to make connections with real people and get your business name out there?  Be a sponsor. jeff@140conf.com for more info.

picture is from flickr stream of Becky McCray

I’ve been thinking ……….

what if I went back to my default and considered September the beginning of the year?

I think I’ll give it a try.  There’s lots in store for September – stay tuned.

([photo from WPA 1940 found at wikipedia under September)

Women’s World says “use 12 point Verdana as your font.  A Microsoft engineer designed Verdana to be easy on the eyes for computer screens!”

www.ecofreek.com type in what you want and the site looks at over 45 different websites – Craigslist, Facebook, Freecyle are just a few – you take it from there!

The power of Facebook:  http://justinrlevy.com/2010/08/22/help-bring-noor-ramsay-home/

You can’t improve what you don’t measure  http://www.littlethingsmatter.com/blog/2010/08/23/You-Cant-Improve-What-you-Dont-Measure/

Got a local business?  Want to open one?  http://www.the350project.net/resources.html

Your vote is needed.  http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/6030

25 Social Media Free Classes  http://kommein.com/25-free-online-social-media-classes/

Cartoon was also found randomly at http://loldebian.wordpress.com/

Resistance is Futile: Assimilating Local Marketing

Panel Members:  Deb Brown of Debworks, Scott Townsend of United Linen and Daniel Gordon of Samuel Gordon’s Jewelers

Description of Panel:

There are many sizes of local communities and we all live in one. But do we all belong to the community? This panel will explore different ways to REALLY get down and dirty where you live. It will show you have to build relationships locally and then take them to the next step and generate revenue/business for your company. Panel members will have real world actual business experience. These panel members know how to become a local expert in their fields. All of us are in traditional businesses, industry or culture and working against the mindset “we just do what we’ve always done”. Panel members have lived and worked in their communities and bring to the table expertise in various segments.

Volunteering, working with the local chamber, using traditional marketing methods alongside new marketing methods, the power of meeting in person and how to expand those relationships, helping others first and the power created from that simple strategy — these topics will be woven throughout the panel discussion. Audience participation will make this panel even more effective. The secret is in building relationships in local marketing. This panel will share their experiences and work with the audience to develop some tactics they can take home and utilize. This is not about social media tools – it’s about building relationships to build your business.

Questions the Panel will Answer:

1. Why is it so important to my business to volunteer and be involved in local events?
2. Is the chamber of commerce really important to my business’ growth and why?
3. Do I really need to step away from my computer and meet people (and why)?
4. What three things should I do first to build local relationships?
5. What did the panel members do to overcome the concept that someone local can’t be an expert?

Walk.

Dance.

Do something, dammit.

Oh yeah, eat better too.

See a doctor, read a book, read many books, talk to someone — whatever it is you need to do, just do it.

Now, go for a walk and stop your bitching.

(self talk)

thanks to abbeyfield.com for the pic

Do that for 30 days, and let’s see how your business shifts.

This is a challenge to grow your business simply.   I’m not looking to “get one”.  This is not big game hunting.  I’m looking to have conversations and see if we might have a fit.  I want to know you a little before I ask you to do business with me.

That’s the challenge for my business — can you see how it might also make a difference in your business?

(picture is from faxcoversheets.org)

We were raising money to renovate and repair our local Band Shell.  I asked that you give a $1 via a PayPal link and mention my company Debworks in the comments.  It made it much easier to track and the organizers knew to forward that information to me.

It was a tiny experiment to see if social media can make a difference.  I tweeted it several times over 5 days.  It was retweeted 24 times.  8 people used Debworks in the comments and gave – raising over $200.   There were several more names the organizers did not recognize (not past students, community members or friends) that gave as well.

Just two of the comments we received were:

Thanks for sharing your need, DEBWORKS, I am from Hutchinson, KS and Cody Heitschmidt (CodyKS) shared your story on FB & Twitter. I am happy to help out! HOORAY for music and for saving an awesome place to play it! … Shellie Couch

Debworks…I am a pianist…played flute in the band in high school many years ago. May the music soar to the heavens for many years to come!… Patrice Egging: Music and Ministry 

I also posted the link on facebook and too many members of our community to count shared the story.

Success leaves a trail.  The breadcrumbs lead to the final result.  As of 5:20 p.m. Monday August 16th, we raised a total of $94,006. I’m counting this social media experiment a success.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I won’t be blogging this week.  I’ll be in workshops, listening to speakers, meeting old friends and making new ones.  I’ve made the decision to revitalize my Melaleuca business and attending convention is a great first step towards that goal.

Here’s a few blogs you may want to read, a website or two and an invitation to consider shopping for products that are safer, cheaper and work.  More on that next week…..

Take a Healthy Home Tour, see where you may have toxic chemicals in your home

CNN and dangerous chemicals

My blogging friends at the Des Moines Register (I’m there too)

Zen Habits

Seth Godin is a man who gets it

See you on Monday!

To that end — here’s a just a few places you could take action.

Small towns need love too

May I be Frank?

Do this one thing

Best State Fair in the Country

Share with the rest of us some things we can do!  Please put your ideas in the comments.

Don’t assume because people subscribe to your blog they are going to read every post.  A few will.  Most won’t.

If you blog like I do — all over the place and directed at a lot of people — the importance of your title can’t be stressed enough.

If you’ve gotten smarter — and I’m working on it — you’ll blog about a specific topic, be more of a niche blogger.  Then your reading audience will be more specific and probably smaller, but they will be more likely to read your blog posts.

Still, look for the naked men at noon in your title.

picture is from Samurai Dave.   I read his post because I liked the title