1. June 2011 by Frank Goad.

Your Website And Smart “Spiders”

Not too long ago, to keep your search engine rankings for your website up there, you merely had to put some content up and add a few links or a video. Not so much anymore because the spiders have been getting smarter with every passing month.

First, let’s assume you don’t know what a spider (or bot) is in search engine terms. Google, Yahoo, Bing (Microsoft) and all other search engines send out little programs that, in effect, roam the web and “crawl” over every single website they can find all over the world, and then send info on what they find back “home.” How many web pages is that?

Hold on to your hat: Google has indexed over 40 Billion web pages (not sites, but all website pages). Your site is in there, too. Google will re-index all those pages every 30-90 days, too, so, yes, you are being watched … sort of. How do they do it?

First, Google has over 1,000,000 servers! Mind boggling, and they can find anything on them almost instantly so that you can have it when you do a search. Millions of spiders are coursing over pages and sending a constant stream of info back to the servers where every jot and tittle is cataloged and made ready for search.

As if this wasn’t enough, the spiders are getting smarter every day. One of the things they “measure” is relevancy, which is based on (among other things): The sources you quote; whether it looks, sounds or “smells” like another article (meaning it might be nothing more than a copy); how reliable your sources are (popular? oft quoted?), and; how many sources you have used. Bewildered? Discouraged?

Well, don’t be. It simply means that, when you put articles and content up there, you write shorter pieces on which you do more synthesis. Having longer articles isn’t always better because the spiders are looking “into” your pieces and judging the relevancy and originality. Step up your creativity a bit, cast a bit wider net for sources and you might wind up better than before.

Posted in search engines, search, Frank Communications, Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, writing, Branding, convent, Advertising, Frank, The Long Tail, building business, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

10. May 2011 by Frank Goad.

You read that right: Alcoa has developed building/architectural panels that eat smog. This just blows me away. Finally, we’re starting to clean up after ourselves. This is magnificent - science develops the most environmentally responsible material to date.Here’s a link to the article in Tech Republic: http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/smart-takes/alcoa-toto-unveil-green-building-panels-that-eat-smog/16182?tag=nl.e550And here’s a 2:42 video:

Posted in Frank Communications, Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, environment, leadership, global warming, Frank, relationships, responsibilities | Print | No Comments »

10. May 2011 by Frank Goad.

I’m writing out of guilt. You see, I advise all my clients to blog for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that websites with blogs get as much as sixty-per-cent more hits. So, if I’m going to harp on them to do it, I must practice what I preach.

I don’t know about you, but I can usually find something to write about even if it is - paraphrasing Jerry Seinfeld’s description of his series - “A (blog) about nothing.”  On the other hand, it proves that the creative process comes about sometimes simply because you engage in it.

Speaking of creativity, do me a favor: Never, ever say to me that you’re not creative. The problem is that the word itself has been equated with art, and art has nothing to do with it. The definition of creativity (mine, really) is that: A.  You are being creative if you take two or more things and combine them in a way that you believe has never been done to accomplish a goal, or; B. You are solving a problem in a way that is novel to you.

The important thing is that you’re doing something you’ve never done before, or doing things in a way you’ve not done them. Just because someone else might have thought of the same answer/solution/combination/etc. before you does not negate your own creativity. If you didn’t know about it before doing it, that counts.

Art is only one of many avenues of creativity. I know some damned creative accountants and a few carpenters that can create masterpieces from scrap lumber. I’ve met farmers whose creativity kept them from bankruptcy while all those around them found their spread up for auction. I’ve known moms whose sheer industrial-strength creativity kept their family together, fed, clothed and housed.

I grew up in the country down on the Kentucky-Tennessee border in a farming and logging town of 3,500 people. Many of those folks lived in tiny houses or tar paper shacks out on some gravel road miles from town. They were often the most creative folks I knew. They eked out an honorable living with barely a penny to their name and held their heads high.

My family was middle-class and, if something broke or wore out, we paid someone to fix it, or we bought a replacement. They had to find a way to mend it or build another from whatever they could find because paying someone or buying another was often simply out of the question. Many had barely a sixth-grade education, but had a practical knowledge that was a Ph.D. in life. As they say, “A country boy will survive.”

Creative? Of course you are. You just have to believe it.

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21. March 2011 by Frank Goad.

After an arduous week of setting up camp, I am proud to announce that Frank Communications Lexington is in its new home. We’re at 80 Codell Drive, Suite 220B, Lexington, 40509. Even better, I have two new folks on staff: Anne Deck and Dennis Hutchinson. Each brings a unique skill set and range of experience that will complement what we’re already doing for our clients. Business is good for us and the help is most welcome.Thinking that the move-in would take me three days at most, it was quite an eye-opener to find that it took me all week. I’ve assembled more furniture than some folks who work in office supply places. Still, it’s a great space.The “Big Room” is a 12′x24” space that will serve as conference room, workshop area, photography studio and video production stage. All the furniture either rolls, stacks or folds so that the room will quickly reconfigure to whatever space is needed. All this is to serve you better and more efficiently. Feel free to stop by and visit. We’d love to see you.

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21. January 2011 by Frank Goad.

While talking with a client recently, he was bemoaning the diminished traffic during the winter snows. When asked what he did with the down time, he replied, “Oh, you know, the usual. I cleaned, organized and took care of some loose ends.” When asked if he couldn’t have an employee do that, he said, “Well, I suppose, but I know exactly how i want things.”

This is a perfect example of working in the business, not on it. We talked about how he might have made that time more profitable and here’s part of the list:

• Call customers and say, “Thanks for your business - what can I do for you?”
• Look over his Facebook page and add posts to it
• Look over his Facebook page’s friends and see what they’re talking about; knowing that can help you know what they’re likely to want or need so that you can advertise to their comments
• Look for local happenings on the different calendars and see if there’s an event that would offer people and a theme that resonates with his business
• Call his vendors and see if they have any marketing ideas or have any examples of some other customer’s promotions

As you can see, the list is as long as your imagination. If you have employees, let them do the busy work. It’s easy to fall into doing menial tasks when you’re stressed because, as Dennis Waitley says, “They are tension relieving, not goal achieving.”

So, don’t fret the snow. Use that time to build customer relationships and boost your business.

Posted in creativity, Frank Communications, Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, retail, writing, Frank, Public relations, business, building business, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

19. January 2011 by Frank Goad.

If you hire people at your company, or are involved in the interview process, what is the main thing you consider? This is a poll that I posted on LinkedIn. Please pass this along to colleagues, too.

Posted in Frank Communications, Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, business relationships, relationships, responsibilities, Frank, business, general | Print | No Comments »

16. January 2011 by Frank Goad.

When it comes to clients, I deal with several kinds. Some of the titles are listed below are admittedly my own creations. The list goes from successful to not-s0-successful folks. Maybe you’ll spot yourself in this list:

• Free thinkers - Full of off-the-wall ideas and creative approaches, but not always practical or affordable
• Trendsetters - These are the folks out on the bleeding edge, often the ones who start a local trend; think Malcolm Gladwell’s “influencers”
• Early adopters - Maybe not the first in line, but not far back
• Practicalistics - Folks who take a practical, well-reasoned approach; willing to try new things, but need assurances that it stands a good chance of success
• Willing conservatives - They’ll listen to ideas, but would rather stay near the mainstream
• Long-rangers - These folks are some of the best to work with, and most challenging, because they take a longer view than most and want things worked out to the “nth” degree
• Glamorettes - See advertising primarily in terms of publicity, not persuasion (like to appear in their ads), and let that guide their judgment of plans and ideas (and, yes, there are better ways to approach it); remember, this ain’t Hollywood
• Hyper-hypers - They want to make a big splash with lots of hype and bombast, which doesn’t hold up over the long term; these guys have a sub-group called Megaphoners, who make lots of noise that simply annoys
• Hoppers -These folks hop back and forth between spend-don’t spend, run it-no wait, and so on; the deep and abiding value of consistency seems lost on them
• Scaredy Cats - Their thinking is almost totally governed by fear despite the probable return on their investment; sometimes cheat themselves by being fearful of losing a dollar, or often guilty of short-range thinking and shorter-range plans which, in marketing and advertising, are almost always self-defeating
• Zombies - Despite the fact that in the last five years everything has changed about advertising, marketing, communication and personal technology, they keep doing the same old thing, and often because, “That’s the way we’ve always done it,” which is the worst reason; also wonder why their business is near dead, too, and sucking the life out of them

Of these two, Scaredy Cat and Zombies are the most pitiful because they let fear (of change, adversity, the unknown, etc.) rule their thinking. Everyone knows that the Internet and mobile devices have not only changed marketing and advertising, but society and culture, too. Every year new devices arrive and add another huge wrinkle in how things work and you can adapt or be lostl

Go back to when fax machines became de rigueur in every office and sped communications and business transactions to new levels. You were considered regressive if you didn’t have one, and yet, people resisted. The same attitude exists today and is often exhibited when people say, “Oh, it’s just a fad,” or, “This is a business and Facebook is for play.”

Another example: Despite the overwhelming evidence that blogs are a boon to a business, some companies still won’t allow them because they are terrified of bad publicity. If you get a little bad publicity, so what? Bad publicity can turn out good for you and your business if you handle it well. In the end, if you’re running your business ethically and professionally, you have nothing to fear. Beyond that, how bad can something in your company be, scardey cat? Unless you’re charging for funerals and not burying the bodies, you’re probably pretty safe.

I had lunch with an insurance agent friend who’s trying hard to bring his company a bit closer to the 21st century. While he has a manager on his side, he has two “really old school” guys who can’t imagine what Facebook and Twitter can do for their business - zombies. He even had to get clearance to have a personal Facebook page. The shame of it is that they’re cheating the company out of revenues and him out of commissions.

Open your mind and look around.There are more and better ways to connect with customers than ever.

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13. January 2011 by Frank Goad.

You just got a coupon in the mail - wow! 50% off! You rush to the store and score a killer deal on a new whatsit by Whosis Electronics – you’ve wanted that one for months. Basking in the warm glow of zero buyer’s remorse, you decide to go back and look for other items in your mental shopping list.

Next visit, you see sale items, but discounts are a paltry 10% or 15%. After 50%, all the prices seem too high, and there’s the rub: Your expectations were set based on your first purchase.

This can become a trap and, worse, a habitual way of doing business. I’m going to talk about Kohl’s and, to be sure, I shop there often and like their stores. I’ve noticed they always seem to have (guesstimate here) roughly 50%-70% of their merch on sale. It makes me skip regular priced merch and, worse, think their retail prices are artificially high so that any sale item seems to be a bargain. They seem addicted to sales with crazy discounts.

I see companies having 50% off sales. If you’re in an inventory or tax crisis, sure, it makes sense. Short of a crisis, it devalues your image and overall value in the customer’s eyes. They ask, “If you can discount 50%, then are your regular prices too high?” It also makes customers wait to see what your next sale is going to be if they are loyal; if they’re not, they’re going to shop you to death.

So, what about Groupon, which so many people are saying is the next wave? Well, ask yourself this: When I buy, do I look for value or the cheapest price. You might say, “That depends on the item or service,” and indeed it does. But go one step further and ask: Which builds real, true value in the customer’s eyes, coupons or being the best at what we do? Obviously, the latter.

Your competition might be discounting like crazy, and that means they might be addicted to coupons. They’re trying to make up lost margin in volume, but that’s a plan with diminishing returns (and that’s a whole other post for later). Sure, every now and then, coupons are a good idea, but be very, very frugal. Build value with customers first, then discounts seem like a reward, not a desperate move.

Posted in Frank Communications, Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, building business, business, Advertising, Frank, damage, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

10. January 2011 by Frank Goad.

2011 looks to be an interesting year. The economy is picking up, technology is marching ever faster and we all are going mobile.

The Environment: The world is getting greener, and that is a GREAT thing. Sure, clean air and less carbon is a good thing. Just as good is our ability to reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources. Now, if our infrastructure holds up (the wires that bring us the “juice”) gets some of the additions that the utilities and the government keep discussing, we’ll be able to continue using less oil. Even diesel trucks are getting cleaner. Caterpillar released a hybrid bulldozer in 2010 - yes, it uses electricity and diesel - after years of research and it looks like a winner. That should help them continue to be a major world player. After all, the railroads have been using a system like that for years, so why shouldn’t transportation and construction benefit, too?

The bad news is that glaciers continue to melt at an ever faster pace. You might think, “So what?” It means that the delicate balance of this earth is dangerously out of kilter. This isn’t me preaching, it’s me saying that denying it is whistling past the graveyard. You don’t have to re-make your or your family’s life, just take it one little change at a time. Make one environmentally sound act a habit (recycling, taking bags to the grocery, driving a wee bit more conservatively - you know what to do) and, once that’s something you automatically do, add another.

If you need motivation, just remember this one saying: We are only borrowing this world from our children - how will you return it to them?

The Economy: Unless there is a disaster of Biblical proportions, Americans should end the year better than they started it. There are those pessimists (yes, more prognosticators) who say that the Republicans will do nothing to fix the economy until after 2012 election but, since they now have the House, that’s giving the Dems two years of ammo, and that doesn’t seem wise to me. Those darlings, Goldman-Sachs (yes, I know - they have a history, but they’re not stupid, either) said this about 2011’s economy:

“Our revised forecasts for 2011 and our first forecasts for 2012 tell a story of continued global recovery. Most striking, given our long-standing downbeat view on the US, we now show a substantial acceleration in our US growth view.”

They’re even saying that there has been growth since ‘09, but not enough to budge employment. They think that could well change this year. Let’s hope so.

As to dire economic predictions, some of these folks are clueless, some are born pessimists (”It’s gonna storm!” Ten days later it does, “See, I told you so!”) and some will do anything for a headline. In the end no one knows, but a stubborn willingness to cooperate with pessimists will make even the worst of times better. (For the ultimate proof of that philosophy, read Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning.” You’ll never see life the same way again.)
Technology: Texting is mainstream now and around 2.5 billion (yes, billion) text messages are sent every day (I think my daughter is a major contributor to that).

Last year, we saw “hacktivism” – hacking by political activists – really play out in ways we couldn’t have predicted. The Stuxnet worm that attacks the Siemens software that runs chemical plants, manufacturing facilities and (gulp) nuclear plants caused much head scratching in the security world and, for some time, was bare contained, if it was at all.

It seems we’re in that age where a virtual vs. physical crime world is being played out, and the balance seems more and more to tip into the virtual world. We truly are headed into a 1984/Brave New World/I Robot era that will pit the best and brightest on both sides of the line against each other. The lure of easy money with diminished chances of apprehension are drawing many bright young minds into the cyber crime world. It seems the release of the new Tron is rather timely.
There is hope, though, in the form of companies like IBM, HP and other large multi-nationals buying or merging with security firms. While they’ve not ignored security, it has always seemed like an afterthought to me. With these combined forces, perhaps computer security will be stronger than ever because:
• The big companies have the resources and capital to create better security measures
• They “bake” security into their products to create systems that can better defend themselves
• They have a global view that allows them to track trends, activity and malware better
My prediction is that Blockbuster closes most of its stores in metro areas because there are so many ways to get movies streamed in … and out. Slingbox and other devices, including Dish Networks new unit (with a service called TV Anywhere), allow you to watch TV and other content anywhere you can get a reasonably fast connection (meaning Wi-Fi, 4G or LTE at this point).

Tablets and ebook readers are sprouting like dandelions and the prices (as you’d expect) continue to fall. There are rumors of a tablet coming from India that will sell for $99 or less. This means that the schools that have been pushing to get laptops into students hands can now put tablets in them for much less.

Politics: What’s coming with Congress? You have got to be kidding. Predicting what that bunch of clowns is going to do is like saying exactly where the next meteor will fall.

I think what we will see is that,  in the wake of the tragic shooting of Rep. Giffords’ and the other poor souls, some of the fiery rhetoric will taper. With any luck, folks like Beck, Limbaugh, O’Reilly, Maddow and all the other blowhards – wait, I think we’re supposed to call them pundits and broadcasters – will realize that their screeching does more than help their ratings: It causes harm.

For a long time, I’ve been a broken record saying over and over that these folks have a main, overriding purpose. It is not to espouse truth and the American Way. It is to get ratings so that the broadcasting companies can sell more ads. They act all righteous and patriotic, but the real purpose is to get more and more listeners and enrich their coffers and those of their employers.

Please, please, PLEASE don’t fool yourself into thinking that they really care. If they did, they’d run for office where they can actually roll up their sleeves, get dirty and make a difference. As it is, way too many broadcasters are shrill voices that are often wrong or mean-spirited. Even Sarah Palin has gotten smacked around a bit in the wake of the Arizona shootings for previously using what looks like cross hairs on a map of political targets. They have responded with the typical eye-rolling over-response, bleating that casting any blame on them is “disgusting” and “revolting.” Whatever.

In the end, the year will largely come down to what we make it. Mine’s going to be good with last week being an exception (much weirdness right off the bat). I hope you’ll resolve to be of the same mindset. If not, scroll down to the video of the man with no legs and only little flippers for arms, and then try to tell me you’ve got problems.

Posted in environment, the economy, Frank Communications, Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, 2011, business, left wing, backlash, right wing, Frank, shipper, responsibilities | Print | No Comments »

28. December 2010 by Frank Goad.

Definition: “Delight - To take or give great pleasure or joy.”  You often hear companies being told to “Delight your customers.” You definitely should do that, but let’s go over the definition of “delight” as it is a bit overblown in some of the things I’ve been reading, especially in light of the definition I use and how it relates to brands and marketing.

Going over the top with offers and special deals is for the 20% of your customers in the 80/20 rule (80% of your business comes from 20% of your customers). Most folks don’t have the time or resources to lavish great attention on every customer, much less get employees to really care enough to do it (the last paragraph address this).

My personal definition of a brand is, “A brand is a promise of repeated delightful experiences based on a history of delightful experiences.” Given that the customer owns your brand, and you or your clients do not, it’s up to them to decide what’s delightful or not.

There are so many times when we go to see, buy or do something and the experience falls short of what is promised in ads. Consistently good results for our investment of time and/or money makes us happy - delighted, if you will - because being disappointed is so common. Getting what we feel is fair value for our time and money is delightful.

Customers should be delighted every time they do business with you or your client; i.e., they should be quite pleased or feel a bit of joy. Coke and McDonald’s delight customers with every purchase. How so? Well, water, bread and lunch meat will satisfy hunger and thirst but, on a hot, dusty, day, a cold Coke is (say it with me) delightful. When you’re pressed for time, a hot, grilled chicken sandwich on a whole grain bun with lettuce, tomato and mayo is a damn sight better than a pack of cheese crackers from a gas station, especially if an ice cold Coke is served with it. If I’m really, really hungry and an hour from anywhere that sells food, finding a pack of cheese crackers is - you guessed it - delightful. I’m not overjoyed by my discovery (unless it’s my first meal in days), but I am delighted.

Let’s say I own a junk yard and a person calls me looking for a part after calling five other yards. I have the part and they’re delighted, and I was simply doing was my job. That puts me at the top of their list for next time. When they call again - and I’ll likely be the first call after being their part savior before - and I don’t have the part, I offer to locate it for them, and that makes them happy. To go one further (and keep the business), I offer to get it sent to my store, they’re delighted and, again, I’m just doing what I do. Even junk yards can delight customers.

I’m delighted when:

• I can help my clients set higher marketing and advertising standards

• We educate all  their employees about the value and importance of those standards and how their contributions help everyone (”A rising tide lifts all boats”)

• We put systems and rewards in place to ensure that measurable goals are achieved and perpetuated

• They make excellent internal and external communications about their products, services and company the rule

Why am I delighted and not overjoyed? Because what I described is my job as a marketer. I’m overjoyed when they come back and have added ten, twenty or thirty percent to what I set out. Now, THAT’S some serious, overwhelming, tear-jerking joy! 

Posted in retail, Branding, building business, Success, delight, FrankyGee3, Frank Goad, Frank Communications, business relationships, business, advertisers, responsibilities, Advertising, Frank, "The Frankifesto", training, business plan, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

28. December 2010 by Frank Goad.

This video contains words of wisdom for anyone. He talks about the character and qualities of men, but what coach Lombardi says applies to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Suggestion: Copy this link and watch this often.

Posted in Winning, Discipline, Success, Frank Communications, FrankyGee3, Frank Goad, Character, Friends, relationships, Frank, business relationships, building business, leadership, responsibilities | Print | No Comments »

24. December 2010 by Frank Goad.

Mission statements should be living documents, and Wendy’s is one of the best I’ve ever seen. A person could adopt theirs as their own and do well in life. Mission statements are important and, when done thoughtfully and thoroughly, can keep a company moving forward. I like Wendy’s in particular because it’s concise and uses easily understandable language. Nothing fancy, just good, old-fashioned operating principles that point straight ahead.

While many mission statements are full of lofty, often obtuse language, the one below is simple and unmistakable. The one we had at Lexmark was over-the-top and laden with too many points. A mission statement’s main points should be easily remembered and get to the very deepest core of what is important. It should serve as a guiding light to everyone in the organization, and to your customers as an assurance that your goal is to take care of them.

Wendy’s Mission Statement, “What We Believe,” is a list of simple, easy-to-remember guidelines that serve as an internal mission statement and an external customer service goal. Any company or person that follows this mission statement will have friends and customers for life.

* QUALITY IS OUR RECIPE - We don’t cut corners on our products, service, or employees.

* TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT - Be genuine and kind and lend each other a helping hand.

* DO THE RIGHT THING - Honesty and integrity are rules we live by.

* PROFIT MEANS GROWTH - Teamwork is the key to our success.

* GIVE BACK - Make your community better every day. 

Posted in retail, building business, leadership, Frank Communications, FrankyGee3, Frank Goad, business relationships, relationships, Frank, responsibilities, "The Frankifesto", business plan, business, Advertising | Print | No Comments »

22. December 2010 by Frank Goad.

A CHRISTMAS PLEA: If you’re considering getting a pet for someone this Christmas, please, please, PLEASE consider adopting from a humane society. There are thousands upon thousands of loving pets waiting for homes. I can tell you from long experience that adopted dogs and cats understand how lucky they are - they are simply more loyal and loving.

The dog you see pictured here is another of our rescues and she is one of the best friends I’ve ever had. I’ve owned dogs all my life and, without a doubt, strays and adoptions from the “pound” have always been the best. Dogs have an intelligence that is different from ours, but their love is just the same. They show joy, grief, humor and a whole spectrum of other emotions. Like us, they want to belong and, after being rescued from being lost and alone, they understand the difference and appreciate being taken in.

You might say that I’m anthropomorphizing animals or projecting human values onto a “dumb animal,” but I can assure you that what I say is real and true. If you don’t know, then you’ve not allowed yourself the joy of having a companion who provides unconditional love regardless of your mood or actions; a companion whose loving and giving nature includes more forgiveness than we as humans can ever muster.

Here’s a benefit of a “mutt” that many don’t consider: Mixed breeds are quite often smarter because their bloodlines are broader. Yes, I’ve owned purebreds, too, and they were never as smart as my mixed breeds. Too many breeders stay within a bloodline and, as anyone who’s had high school biology can tell you, that’s inbreeding and that often leads to mental retardation, physical problems and even bad dispositions. My mutts are hardier and much easier to live with.

So, help out a furry friend and adopt from a Humane Society.

Posted in Adoption, Frank Communications, Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, Humane society, Animals, Frank, writing, Friends, general | Print | No Comments »

14. December 2010 by Frank Goad.

 For anyone who says Facebook is evil, or that LinkedIn is nothing but a time-suck, you might want to think again. “Trend spotter” Marian Salzman, in her latest work, “11 Trends for 2011,” points out something about social media you might want to consider when making your advertising and marketing plans for next year.

“People around the world are losing faith. Many Americans, for example, have lost trust in their politicians, their institutions, heir media and the direction of the nation. To compensate because they haven’t lost trust in self-reliance and faith in echnology), they are looking to their networks, turbocharged by omputers and the Internet.The Network Effect is making good n its promise. …

“With almost 2 billion Internet users worldwide (including 239 million in the U.S., 51 million in the U.K., 45 million in France, 81 million in India and a whopping 420 million in China), there’s a virtually unlimited supply of people out there who can meet anyone’s networking needs—whether it’s old friends, new buddies, lovers, advocates, employers, partners, suppliers, fellow enthusiasts, fellow sufferers, co-religionists or people to just
hang out with. There’s a new sense of unlimited possible partners for anything from recovery to marriage.

“As world citizens continue to embrace social media—from Facebook,Twitter and LinkedIn to Orkut, QQ and Copains ’avant—they are realizing that keyboards and mobile devices can also facilitate real conversations and mediate real human connections. (Although, in a related aside, we’ve been witnessing an interesting decline in people’s personas on social media— from an authentic expression of self to a measured, calculated
projection of values—with attendant societal implications both online and off.*) The more niche the passion, the more social the match experience. And as time goes by, the interactions will build into rich, detailed connections and an ongoing sense of ambient awareness—true connectedness to a wider network of
people. ”

*I believe it’s because people are smarter and realize that, once you post something online, it’s there forever, like it or not.

Posted in Web development, Branding, building business, writing, retail, FrankyGee3, Frank Goad, Frank Communications, business relationships, relationships, PR, Frank, Advertising, Public relations, The Long Tail, business, self-employment, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

8. December 2010 by Frank Goad.

I am absolutely furious and know there’s not one damn thing I can do about it. A person close to me - one of the sweetest, most gentle people on earth - was humiliated in an airport recently. It was uncalled for and showed how dangerous our government is getting. Why dangerous? Because we’re putting systems in place that have inadequate quality measures. Put another way, we’re putting incompetent, untrained people in positions of authority without proper guidance and oversight, then wonder why there are so many stories of abuse and humiliation in public places.

The person was going to board a plane, hence had to go through TSA security, and opted out of being irradiated in the x-ray machines (not the real device name, I know, but the effect is the same). They chose the manual search instead because this person has an ostomy bag – a huge burden unto itself – and didn’t want that displayed on a screen for all to see. The TSA agent feels the bag and takes them into a room for a search. But wait, it gets much worse.

In their infinite paranoia, the TSA agent orders them to put their clothes around their ankles and under their arm pits with everything inbetween exposed. They decide to swab for gunpowder - yes, gunpowder on an ostomy bag - get in the middle of the procedure, leave the room for another swab and leave the door wide open exposing my friend to everyone passing by. That is unforgivable and humiliating. If the agent were working for a private company, they’d have recourse. Since they’re a government agent, all the aggrieved can do is file a complaint, and that has all the impact of a paper fan in a hurricane. Even if the complaint is filed, it’s quite likely the employee will hear nothing whatsoever, meaning their incompetence will be perpetuated.

Now, imagine if that was you or someone you love. Who deserves that sort of rank humiliation? How totally incompetent or stupid can someone be? What’s worse is that, if you raise hell, then they lock you up and further humiliate you for hours to spite you for daring to show anything but ultimate patience in the face of unreasonable or incompetent behavior. We are at the mercy of employees who are often not suited for dealing with the public, much less security issues. To be sure, the TSA has some good employees, but what recourse do we have when dealing with those like this person had to deal with?

What’s worse is that, now that I’ve dared to speak up about this, it’s not unlikely that I’ll be put on some sort of watch list. I could well be the next person humiliated by a TSA agent and subjected to harassment. To be honest, I sort of expect it now. Why? There are myriad stories of folks who speak up and find themselves in the situation they protest about. As an American, this galls me.

This is bad, folks, and we’re the cattle they’re herding. Please spread this post because our liberties and right to dignity are going down the tubes. Perhaps George Orwell was right.

Posted in strip search, airport security, watch list, Frank Communications, FrankyGee3, Frank Goad, TSA, training, Frank, backlash, damage, PR, Public relations, responsibilities | Print | No Comments »