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Still Fighting Site Stability

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I’ve been trying to improve the stability of Pulpconnection, but it’s still suffering downtime more or less every time I publish a post. Usually a restart of the server fixes the problem, but that really isn’t a satisfactory solution.

So I disabled a few more plugins (which were supposed to improve performance) and am removing the Hello Bar javascript code.

The Secret of Social Media Success

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I attended the Social Media Summit Hawaii 2011 and gleaned the secret of social media success. Do you want to know what the secret is? Do you? Are you ready for it?

Okay, here goes. The secret of social media success is hard work.

What?! That’s it? That’s what you learned from a day-long seminar with social media elite you ask? Well, yes, but not in those exact words.

In this post, I am not going to recap topic sessions. You can harvest the power of Twitter for that by searching for the hashtag of #SMSHI (or #HISMS). Mari Smith taught the audience How to Build a Large, Loyal, and Profitable Network, Erin Blaskie explained how companies can outsource their social media, NEENZ provided her insights about building communities, Mike Prasad presented self-experienced case studies, and Yancy Unequivocally Jim convinced the audience to create viral presentations. These sessions I attended were filled with tips and insights, but one underlying lesson resonated from each speaker and each topic – you have to invest hard work to realize success.

Hard work includes discipline. Do you reach out to your social media communities every day, every week, every month? NEENZ does.

Hard work includes consistency. Are you consistently listening to your clients, customers, and audience and consistently using their feedback? Mari Smith implores you to do so.

Hard work includes organization. Do you use a project management system such as Basecamp to organize your social media replies and conversations? Erin Blaskie recommends it.

Hard work includes dedication of time. Do you spend 60-80 hours of work and research to create a one-hour presentation slide deck? Yancey Unequivocally Jim of Empowered Presentations does.

Hard work includes being methodical. Do you dissect your target audience into focused seed groups? That’s what Mike Prasad did for Kogi BBQ and sold over $2M of $2 fusion tacos.

So success doesn’t hinge upon the social media tools, tips, or resources. The differentiator is the hard work you bring, and that my friends is the secret of social media success.

Thanks to the Social Media Club Hawaii for organizing a great event!

Bonus

About the tools and resources mentioned during the Summit? Here are a few I jotted down:

Double Bonus

Here are just a few random shots taken from the event and venue.

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Darn, Not on Sale

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I don’t recall trying this seasonal coffee creamer, but it’s not on sale so I’ll have to wait to sample Coffee-mate’s Warm Cinnamon Sugar Cookie.

Coffeemate Warm Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Creamer
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To the Crazy Ones, “Think Different”

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Of all the Apple slogans over the years, the one that I love the most is “Think Different.” It’s short, powerful and makes you think about the short, powerful message of “think different.”

Along with this slogan, Apple printed posters of those in history who dared to think different. It was a very appropriate campaign highlighting how Apple was not just another computer company and further set the stage for Apple’s method of forthcoming success.

Here are a few Think Different posters I own along with the memorable message “to the crazy ones.”

Listen to Steve Jobs address the crazy ones.

And here’s a longer rendition of the message to the crazy ones.

To the crazy ones
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When I Met Steve Jobs

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Yes, I really did meet Steve Jobs in real life. Really. It was completely unexpected, but boom, there he was. Sadly, time has dulled the memory, but on Steve Jobs Day, here’s my story of when I met Steve Jobs.

It must have been 2002 during a visit to see Kim and Stewart in San Francisco. It was my first visit to the Apple Company Store on the Cupertino campus. This was the time before iPhones and Google Maps, and I think printed MapQuest directions brought my wife and me to 1 Infinite Loop. But, we got there too early, maybe around 8am. I think the store opened at 10am, maybe 9am.

We drove down the street, ate breakfast, and headed back. We were still early and waited outside the store’s glass doors. With a clear view of the outside parking lot, I noticed a car pull into one of the few empty stalls. I think it was a BMW. As the driver walked across the way, it looked like Apple’s iCEO himself.

This is what I was thinking – it’s odd that THE boss would park in an outdoor lot, not in the underground parking fronting the main building. So I had my doubts it was Mr. Jobs, and I don’t think he was wearing his signature black turtle neck and jeans. But as he approached, I recognized the Apple founder.

I told my wife that that was Steve Jobs, but she was unconvinced. We walked closer to get a better look, and I started to power up my newly bought Canon PowerShot S30 digital camera. Then I had second thoughts about snapping a picture remembering horror stories of Steve’s tirades. I didn’t want to get yelled at or booted off the campus on our first visit.

Instead, my wife calmly approaches Mr. Jobs and simply asks, “Are you Steve Jobs?”

“Yes,” he says.

In disbelief, we ask if he’d mind taking a picture with us.

“Sorry, I’m late for a meeting” was his cordial reply as he hurried off into the main building. And that was it, our short moment meeting Steve Jobs. Sure, at the time, I was disappointed not getting a picture, but now I know Steve had industries to revolutionize and insanely great products to create.

While I don’t have any pictures to show for this personal encounter, all I can offer is this blurry picture of me at 1 Infinite Loop with the EXIF timestamp of July 1, 2002.

When I Met Steve Jobs
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New on My Playlist

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What’s playing on your iPod? Here’s a list of my most recent musical additions.

  • Whirring – The Joy Formidable.  Identified this song on the radio using SoundTracking.  What can I say? This song sounds happy.
  • It Will Rain – Bruno Mars.  More music from the Twilight saga.
  • Physical – Olivia Newton-John.  It was her birthday, the iTunes Genius recommended this song, I had a buck to spare, and I wanted to hear my body talk.
  • Paradise – Coldplay.  These guys keep cranking out the hits.
  • We Saw – Bobby.  Once in awhile, the freebies from iTunes are gems.  This is one of them.
  • In the Dark – Dev.  You can’t deny the hook is catchy, “I got a sex drive that’s push to start.”
  • Pumped Up Kicks – Foster the People.  Is it only me that envisions this when I hear the song title?
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Goodies at Costco

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Spotted these goodies at Costco recently.

Hansgrohe Talis E Faucet

Hansgrohe Talis E

The kitchen Allegro E faucet is still available, and now you can have the Talis E in the bathroom.

Street Tacos

Street Tacos

It’s now official. Food truck fare is mainstream with Costco offering Korean street tacos in bulk.

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