Hey. Take five minutes (it took me three), drop by this site and give $10 or so to send 300 autistic kids to summer camp. Think about it. Two lattes worth of cash and you can send 300 kids to summer camp.

We’ve raised about 1/3 of the money required in the first 20 minutes. Want to be part of a case study in charitable giving via the social web?

Come Donate $10.

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Are you going to be in Austin, Texas for South by Southwest? So will I. So will Justin Levy and Colin Bower from New Marketing Labs. While we’re there, I’m definitely up for business meetings with people interested in talking about upcoming projects. I don’t like making set time meetings at the event, because things are a whirlwind. That said, when we get it narrowed down to a day, we can usually do okay on getting a meeting set up.

I’m also going to be out and about for some socialization, naturally. I won’t be going to many of the parties. I just don’t like the crush of the crowds, the loud music, and the waiting in very long lines. I’ll be in the halls and the blogger’s lounge and the Pepsi area at SXSW. I’ll dip in and out of sessions. I’m speaking on Saturday the 13th with Julien at 12-something-PM. The panel is “I don’t trust you one stinkin’ bit.”

On Monday the 15th, I’ll be with Tim Hayden and others at the AT&T Conference Center for part of the day for Get Ready to Live, an event with UT Austin that will explore the future of marketing and where all this social and experience marketing stuff is going.

I’m There To Meet You

Don’t be shy. If there are lots of people, just come on up and say hi. It’s why I’m there. If you’re normally shy, PRETEND you’re not shy. Want some hints on how? Here’s my post on how to be sexier in person.

By all means, make sure you say howdy do. I’ll be there for all of Interactive. I can’t stay for the Music part. That means you have about 5 days to try and connect. I won’t see your @ messages on Twitter, but will dip into my direct messages as often as I can.

The worst thing you could possibly do is tweet me a few days later and say, ” I saw you but didn’t want to interrupt you.” That’s why I’m there. Please come say hi.

The Business Card Thing

Here’s a test. Let’s see if you remember this when we meet.

Unless you want to do business with me, don’t give me a business card. We both know how to reach each other, so unless one of us asks for one, let’s not hand them out. We tend to give out business cards because we’ve been taught this is what to do. It’s not. It’s the old way. In the old way, we just blast people with messages whenever WE need something. In the new way, you and I should only exchange cards if we’re looking to do future business. Otherwise? We roughly know how to reach each other, don’t we?

Save a card. Save the planet. Rewire the way humans do business.

Can’t Wait to See You

This event is quite social. It’s a great way to meet lots of people you haven’t seen before in person. They’re all just people, just like you. Never treat people like they’re gods and you’re there to worship. They’re all just people. The biggest names in the world that I’ve ever wanted to meet are just people. And you know what? If they ACT fancy? That’s because they’ve got low self-esteem. That’s not your issue.

Let’s say hi at the event, okay? And more interestingly, let’s think about what we can do that would have some IMPACT while we’re there.

Good?

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My friend Mick Galuski is sneaky. Every Wednesday, he sends a direct message of a TwitPic of MY weekly comics. Not some weekly comics. MY weekly comics. He knows that I’ll want them. He knows that I’ll get to them soon as I can. And lately, he knows that I’ll send Kat when I’m out of the country in England and in Colombia to come and get them. I wasn’t that passionate about comics again until Mick MADE me more passionate, by keeping them top of mind for me every Wednesday.

He has a @toysoldiergames Twitter account that he’s working on using for other promotions and to educate his customer base. I think it will do super well.

This isn’t rocket surgery kids (as my Boston friends say). This is marketing. It’s deadly sniper-level good marketing, because Mick makes it about MY comics, and about Ray’s Warhammer 40K miniatures, and about other people’s specific stuff.

And Mick runs a small store with just a few employees. If he can find the time to sell this way, you have to really think about it.

Think he sells more than people who don’t do this? I’m guessing yes. You?

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I love Tom Peters. He’s gotten me in trouble for years. Well, his books have. I finally got to have lunch with him, and then see him keynote. The affair just grows and grows. And now, Tom’s done the whole “compile some good blog posts into a better book” thing. It’s awesome. His new book, The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue EXCELLENCE (amazon affiliate link), is just outright wonderfully STUFFED full of Tom Peters-ish things about pursuing excellence. Some of it is so simple you’ll kick yourself for not doing it already. The rest of it is thought-provoking and heart-felt. You’ll get something out of this book. And it’s HUGE. Almost 400 pages. Just a big giant helping of the man himself. Thanks, Tom.

Direct link to the video

People always ask which camera I used to shoot my video. I use the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 (that’s a review of the camera).

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My friend, Chris Hall, has told me about Batten Disease, an illness that strikes down children, most often in the 4-10 year-old age range. Chris’s son, Matthew, passed away from the disease a short while ago. They’ve set up a Facebook group about their son, and about Batten Disease, to raise awareness.

Chris told me, “Our first aim is to significantly increase numbers (for awareness). Once we have done this we’re going to look at creating a charity to help stop this terrible condition and also help children who get it.”

So, the only ask at this time from Chris and his family, is that you consider joining the group.

My ask, to add to this is that you look at the symptoms (according to Wikipedia) and consider requesting a screening if this raises a flag:

“Early symptoms of the disorder usually appear around ages 4-10, with gradual onset of vision problems, or seizures. Early signs may be subtle personality and behavior changes, slow learning or regression, repetitive speech or echolalia, clumsiness, or stumbling. There may be slowing head growth in the infantile form, poor circulation in lower extremities (legs and feet), decreased body fat and muscle mass, curvature of the spine, hyperventilation and/or breath-holding spells, teeth grinding, and constipation.” – source, Wikipedia.

Peace to you, Chris and Mel, and I’m sorry I never got to meet Matthew in person.

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