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What be the effect on voting patterns if we used digital technology to announce the current vote tally every hour (or every hundred votes). People would see the direction an election was going and be more likely to be pulled... Seth Godin

Over the weekend I visited one of my favorite places. It didn't matter that I hadn't been there in a while, or didn't know most of the people I encountered. The second I walked in, heard the noise, saw the... Seth Godin

Over the weekend I visited one of my favorite places. It didn't matter that I hadn't been there in a while, or didn't know most of the people I encountered. The second I walked in, heard the noise, saw the walls... even the way it smelled... I was transported.

It’s incredible to think about--a room could magically change the way I felt. A physical room with the right memories can do this in just a heartbeat. So can a metaphorical one, even a brand.

The states of your emotions (your moods and passions) are like rooms in a house.

Anxiety, flow, joy, fear, exhaustion, connection, contemplation, emotional labor... each one can be visited at will if we choose. Sometimes by entering a real room, but more often in metaphor...

Do you have a friend you can have an intimate, tearful conversation with anytime you pick up the phone? Is there a topic that if you bring it up with your boss, it will quickly lead to contention? Is there a place or a memory that never fails to bring melancholy along with it?

Occasionally we encounter emotions at random. More often, we have no choice, because there’s something that needs to be done, or an event that impinges itself on us. But most often, we seek emotions out, find refuge in them, just as we walk into the living room or the den.

Stop for a second and reread that sentence, because it’s certainly controversial. I’m arguing that more often than not, we encounter fear or aggravation or delight because we seek it out, not because it’s thrust on us.

Why check your email every twenty minutes? It’s not because it needs checking. It’s because the checking puts us into a state we seek out. Why yell at the parking attendant with such gusto? Teaching him a lesson isn’t the point--no, in that moment, it’s what we want to do, it’s a room we choose to hang out in. It could be something as prosaic as getting involved in a flame war online every day, or checking your feeds at midnight or taking a shot or two before dinner. It’s not something you have to do, it’s something you choose to do, because going there takes your emotions to a place you’ve gotten used to, a place where you feel comfortable, even if it makes you unhappy.

There’s a metaphorical room I can go to where I’m likely to experience flow--a sense of being in the moment and getting an enormous amount done. Down the hall is the room where there’s a lot of anxiety about something I can’t change. I can visit that room if I choose, but I don’t. And yes, it’s a choice.

Great brands figure out how to supply a ‘room’ to anyone who chooses to visit. Soap opera fans, for example, can count on being put into a certain state anytime they tune in. The Apple store is carefully calibrated as an architectural and retail room that will change how you feel when you enter it. Chiat Day built offices in New York and LA that triggered huge waves of creativity. And there's nothing like the face of a kid eating a Hershey's bar...

YouTube isn't just video. It's a room. Not everyone uses it the same way, but most people use it the same way every time they use it. If it's the site people go to see stupid pet tricks and write stupider comments, then they know why they're going and it's going to be hard for it to become something else...

Is your brand providing the right room to the right people at the right time? Most products, most services--they provide a thing, a list of features, but not a room for my emotions.

This insight about our moods and your brand is all well and good, but it becomes essential once you realize that there are some rooms you’re spending way too much time in, that these choices are taking away from your productivity or your happiness.

Why are you going there again?

Every time you go to that room, you get unhappy, and so do we. Every time you go that room, you spend more time than you expected, and it stresses out the rest of your day. Every time you go to that room you short-circuit the gifts you give to the rest of the team.

Once your habit becomes an addiction, it’s time to question why you get up from a room that was productive and happy, a place you were engaged, and walk down the hall to a room that does no one any good (least of all, you). Tracking your day and your emotions is a first step, but it takes more than that. It takes the guts to break some ingrained habits, ones that the people around you might even be depending on.

The number one reason people give me for giving up on something great is, "someone else is already doing that." Or, parsed another way, "my idea is not brand new." Or even, "Oh no, now we'll have competition." Two big... Seth Godin

The number one reason people give me for giving up on something great is, "someone else is already doing that."

Or, parsed another way, "my idea is not brand new." Or even, "Oh no, now we'll have competition."

Two big pieces of news for you:

1. Competition validates you. It creates a category. It permits the sale to be this or that, not yes or no. And this or that is a much easier sale to make. It also makes decisions about pricing easier, because you have someone to compare against and lean on.

2. There are six billion people in the world. Even if your market is hand-made spoke shaves for left-handed woodworkers, there are more people in your market than you can ever hope to track down.

There are lots of good reasons to abandon a project. Having a little competition is not one of them. Even if it's Google you're up against.

This is the one that was made before you even showed up. This is the one that sets the agenda, determines the goal and establishes the frame. The decision before the decision is the box. When you think outside the... Seth Godin

This is the one that was made before you even showed up. This is the one that sets the agenda, determines the goal and establishes the frame.

The decision before the decision is the box.

When you think outside the box, what you're actually doing is questioning the decision before the decision.

That decision is far more important and much more difficult to change than the decision you actually believe you're about to make.

It's not a joke. Sometimes you sleep funny, wake up tired and feel cranky all day. No comic timing required. Do you ever work funny? Ever have a day when none of the things you need to focus on materialize,... Seth Godin

It's not a joke. Sometimes you sleep funny, wake up tired and feel cranky all day. No comic timing required.

Do you ever work funny?

Ever have a day when none of the things you need to focus on materialize, when the emotional labor doesn't come naturally?

Most of us have come up with a strategy for days we're working funny--we do the busy work, we reply, react and occasionally respond. We show up at the meetings and we answer our email, and we go home feeling as though we accomplished at least a little something (though we didn't.)

The danger is this: this working funny habit leaks into the days when we're on our game. When you're on a roll, you still find yourself going to meetings, answering email and working through someone else's to-do list. That's a waste.

Don't toss and turn if you don't have to.

For some weekend fun enjoy your own Twitter parade (follow the link for a full screen version of the animation) via Tom Murphy.

Yes, you get to choose them, not the other way around. You choose them with your pricing, your content, your promotion, your outreach and your product line. When choosing, consider: How much does this type of customer need you How... Seth Godin

Yes, you get to choose them, not the other way around. You choose them with your pricing, your content, your promotion, your outreach and your product line.

When choosing, consider:

How much does this type of customer need you

How difficult is this sort of person to find...

and how difficult to reach

How valuable is a customer like this one...

and how demanding?

It's not a matter of who can benefit from what you sell. It's about choosing the customers you'd like to have.

Now, this is a warning. This list is probably quite basic for some people out there, but I wanted to make it as useful as possible, kind of an introduction for someone who’s getting to grips with their first Android handset. Hence why all the apps listed are free. I’ve tried to make this list a mixture of apps I like for work, for personal use, for practicality and for fun!

Best for being queen of the price check: Barcode scanner

Barcode scanner allows you to scan any barcode and get information about the product. This one is slightly better than Google Goggles in my eyes – simply because the zoom seems to focus on barcodes a lot easier on Barcode Scanner. It’s great if you’re out and about and see, for example, a DVD you want to buy. A quick scan of your phone and you can read reviews and compare prices from across the net.

Best for making your phone stand out from the crowd: Zedge

Probably one of the best apps for backgrounds and ringtones. This app has a massive selection and is easily searchable. Everything you need to make your phone look and sound unique. There are so many options; there’s definitely something for everyone. So, if you want your background to match your bag… now you can.

Best for saving the pennies: Budget Droid

Handy little app if you’re trying to curb your spending like me. You need to spend some time entering in your budget details including income and then any outgoings like mortgage, bills, rent etc. You can then tap in anything as and when you buy it, leaving you with a clear total left to spend. Works well in theory.. my overdraft is yet to see if it works in practice!

Best for never missing your favourite programme: Sky +

This is a really cool app which allows you to see what’s on all of the Sky channels, search for programme times and even record things on your Sky + box at home remotely. Brilliant if you’ve lost track of time with your friends after work and forgotten to set your favourite programme to record.

Best for finding your way around: Google Maps

This is a great app which does exactly what it does on the tin. You can find your location, look for other attractions and get walking or driving directions. Great if you’re on foot, also good if you’re lost in the car for a quick sense check to get your bearings.

Best for when you’re being resourceful: Colour flashlight

I’m sure everyone has come home after a heavy night and fumbled with their keys in the lock. If only you had a torch to get you up the path and your key in the door! Well with colour flashlight, you do! Very simple app that simply.. lights up in a range of colours! Also useful when reading your gas meter, doing fiddly DIY or in the event of a power cut..

Best for being nosey: Facebook

This comes as standard on most Android handsets but is a really easy to use app. The homepage is split into various icons including news feed and friends. It’s really easy to update your status and upload images. You can also set an alert so you are notified on your home screen when you get a friend request or someone writes on your wall. You need never be parted from your Facebook friends again!

Best for always knowing who to call: Yell

This app is well designed and easy to use. Very much like the website, using the same search technique, although if you have wifi or GPS switched on, it will automatically look near your current location – easy peasy!

Best for listening to Lady GaGa on the go: Spotify

I love Spotify on my laptop, but am still struggling to justify paying £10 a month for a premium subscription. Now technically I can’t use this app because I am not a subscriber, but if I was brave enough to splash out, it would be the best app ever, hence why it’s made the list! Unlimited music, offline playlists – it literally is a free itunes. In fact, the more I write the more I can feel £10 burning a hole in my pocket…

Best for date night: Flixster

This is a great app if you’re a film lover like me! The app allows you to find out what films are on at cinemas near you, read reviews from other people via Rotten Tomatoes, check movie times and recommends restaurants nearby. Once you’ve chosen a film you fancy, you can watch the trailer or look at photos of the actors. Brilliant!

I hope this rundown is useful to some of you, please let me know what you think and if I’m way off the mark and missing some app gems. Happy downloading!

Last night, I had the fantastic opportunity of visiting Google London to celebrate Girl Geek Dinners turning five.

As a big girl geek and a huge fan of Google (for evidence just scan through my blog!) I was super excited and didn’t mind the long travel from Leeds.

After spending a while searching for Belgrave House (due to it’s lack of Google branding) we were led upstairs in excited little geeky packs through the double, glass Google branded doors and into Google London.

I can say that many of the rumours about working for Google are true and I confirmed them by speaking to some of the Google staff! There is a huge amount of free food, drink and sweets as well as pool and foosball tables dotted around and other fun, bright Googley things. The staff also have a lot of freedom to let their creativity run wild and there’s no obvious hierarchy, making everyone easy to approach and friendly.

Then, we all got the chance to meet the other Girl Geeks and find out a little bit more about each other, helped along by a glass of wine supplied by sponsors Dinastia Vivanco.

We had a taste of the buffet lunches Google employees enjoy every day, including roast beef, oriental chicken and noodles and salmon fillets to name a few! After we all ate far too much and had made new friends and connections we settled down to listen to the event’s speakers.

First up, was Sarah Gordon, a test engineer for Google Mobile who joined the company three years ago after studying computer science and working at various other big tech companies. She had the chance to document and participate in the rise of the smart phone and had first hand experience, due to her interest in travelling, of just how useful and essential smart phones have become to daily life. Where once a map, pen, compass and tour guide were needed to explore a new location, a smart phone can fulfil all these duties and more.

The big projects Sarah has worked on with Google include voice recognition and visual search. We even had the chance to see some of the ideas Google is pushing at the moment, such as scanning a foreign menu for an English translation. Sarah said the improvement in browsers has begun to blur the line between browsers and apps and that the next big thing to look out for in smart phones is the rise of HTML 5 and smarter in-browser apps.

The next speaker was Dr Sue Black, who has been getting a lot of attention on Twitter today for her talk on ‘The women (and men) of Station X’. Sue is a senior research associate at University College London and has taken a particular interest in Bletchley Park, the site where codebreakers cracked the German Enigma code in WW2 and where the first programmable computer, Colossus, was built. Over half the staff that worked there were women, so this was obviously of interest to many of the girl geeks at the event.

Sue has been raising awareness for the site, which has fallen into disrepair. She has gathered support from a huge number of university researchers, the BBC and even Stephen Fry! Much of her campaign used social media to gain momentum, such as tweeting to Stephen to ask him to visit the site and raising money through Just Giving.

Finally, we heard from Glenn Morgan, a tech and services partner at British Airways. I have to admit, when I think of technology and innovation, British Airways isn’t usually the first name that springs to mind. Glenn has worked hard to change this, enthusing about how much IT matter and his quote to take from the evening was “There is no such thing as an IT project, only a business project”.

Glenn said companies need to be customer focused and innovate or they will fade away. He has launched three apps with BA which we can expect to see soon, such as a beta website harnessing the power of metadata and the semantic web—something he said Google hasn’t cracked yet but is on its way to doing so. Another app from BA we can expect to get our hands on soon, will allow us to use our smart phones to check in for flights, effectively making travel ticket-free.

Glenn finished by saying video content is still king and new innovations, such as online channels and video uploading sites using HD and YouTube increasing its upload limit to 15 minutes, show just how important video is to both businesses and consumers.

Overall I learned a great deal from the event and met some really interesting people. I’m thankful to all the sponsors and Google UK for putting so much effort into hosting the event and allowing us to be there. The organisers from Girl Geek Dinners London did a fantastic job. Finally, I’m also really grateful to Stuart for letting me go on such short notice—a few hours before I had to leave!

I’ve uploaded some more photos from the event on my own blog.

They make a lot of noise but don't break anything. They're annoying but not dangerous. They create a swirl but no impact. They don't ship. Seth Godin

They make a lot of noise but don't break anything.

They're annoying but not dangerous.

They create a swirl but no impact.

They don't ship.

Ged Carroll blogged about media that he pays for and then Stephen Waddington followed, so I thought I’d add to what could become a meme and list my personal essentials:

The Guardian – no matter how in to ‘online’ I am, nothing beats a physical newspaper. It’s so much more enjoyable and easier to read and browse. You can quickly scan stories that you wouldn’t normally be interested in and would otherwise never read. The Guardian’s my daily, but I also sporadically enjoy and buy the Times, Telegraph, Financial Times and Daily Mail (brilliantly produced and a brilliant insight in to how totally bonkers some people actually are!). The only serious paper I’d never buy is the Independent, which personally I find dull beyond belief.

PR Week (via CIPR membership) – PR Week goes through phases. In the early 90s it was good, it then hit the doldrums for several years, but over the last three to four years has become great and is now an essential weekly read.

Yorkshire Post – still one of the UK’s most important and influential regional papers with strong investigative reporting holding local councils, businesses and universities to account. It covers the whole of Yorkshire and the Humber.

Yorkshire Evening Post – the evening newspaper for Leeds. I’ve got to admit that because of staff cuts it’s not as good as it used to be. But it’s still essential reading and a good example of how essential it is to cherish our local newspapers.

Rothwell Record – a full colour, glossy magazine for the small town of Rothwell and its surrounding villages (including Carlton where I live). If it isn’t in the Record, it probably hasn’t happened. It has a £1.20 (I think without a copy next to me) and lots of adverts, mainly from local businesses offering essential services like plumbers, pubs, builders, carpet sales etc. It’s a tremendous community resource and gives a full page to the local neighbourhood policing team – which means local people know how important PCSOs actually are, despite the constant inaccurate reporting about them in most of the national press.

Last night I made my journey across the Pennines, back to Manchester, never once taking my phone out of my pocket to check-in. Sometimes I forget to check-in when I’m working or with friends. Although it can be quite habit-forming, social location apps such as Foursquare and Gowalla are not yet part of my daily routine despite playing with them since the end of last year. My loved ones would disagree. Friends and family all laugh at me as soon as they see me take out my phone the second I walk into a restaurant or bar. They know I’m checking-in but they don’t know why. They can’t understand why I would want to broadcast my location to the rest of the world (or at least a few online friends). Or why I’d want to share tips on that location after my visit. Maybe a little more understandable but even so.

To be honest I’m not even sure why I do it. Gowalla appeals to my collecting nature. A reward for my effort in getting ready, going out and socialising with friends or family. Or just nipping out to pick up a pint of milk. Who knew there’d be a Prairie Dog hiding in the corner shop? Foursquare, on the other hand, lures me in with offers of promotional discounts that reward me for being a loyal customer. I’ve yet to experience any of these rewards in the real world but the web is full of case studies on how brands are using Foursquare to reward customers.

So if I continually forget to check-in, essentially endorsing a brand or venue, I’ll never get the reward I so rightfully deserve. Of course, that was until the release of Future Checkin, the app that allows you to check-in without taking your phone out of your pocket. Perfect for power users but as @amyrjohnston rightfully pointed out in a discussion in the office, the point of Foursquare is to see what your friends are doing and see tips. How can you do that with your phone in your pocket? Does that make it just a numbers game?

Well i believe this ‘automatic check-in’ was an inevitable addition to the ‘so-lo’ apps. It’s highly likely that at some point, the functionality found in Future Checkin will be integrated into the main Foursquare app. The reason for this is simple. Barriers to entry.

If you’re asking someone to do something, you need to reward them in some way, either through the experience itself or another way such as gifts or discounts. The act of checking-in to locations is a huge barrier and one that prompts a change in behaviour during what is a typically familiar occurrence. The awkwardness of a private act in a highly social situation (unless all your friends do it), or forgetting to do it at all, both show that the barrier for the everyday person is too high even though the rewards are potentially great.

Some would argue that it’s a change that will naturally occur; the more people that use these services, the more socially acceptable it becomes. I disagree. I believe that there is already a resistance to altering behaviour to fit technology.

Technology should support our natural behaviour. If Facebook supports our behaviour to find out what other people are doing and Twitter supports our behaviour to share what we see with other people, what does Foursquare bring to the party? Sharing our location is not natural for us and while some people will never want to share due to privacy concerns, others will if the reward is high enough but for the person on the street, the barriers need to be as low as possible.

Future Checkin lowers that barrier enough so that people can continue behaving normally with the technology supporting them invisibly in the background. That’s why Foursquare should be integrating this functionality into their native app.

Would you use Future Checkin? Do you think automatic check-in defeats the purpose of Foursquare or an inevitable addition to the native app?

Everyone is influenced by someone, be it a parent or an industry commentator, but this changes – influence is transient.

Last week I wrote about how measurement of social media was pointless without context and without a clearly defined set of actions and next steps – it got a little attention and some great people commented (many from monitoring companies, to their credit) but it got me thinking more deeply about the way that we look at monitoring on an ongoing basis.

Influence is probably one of the more transient measures – who we trust and who we’re influenced by changes, probably day on day, maybe hour on hour. What’s important for brands is to understand how this influence ‘moves’.

Don’t just treat the internet as a textbook where the text is in the same place, it’s the same word and it has the same meaning. The internet is different every second – it’s hyper-reality. If you’re going to monitor and measure things, make sure you’re doing it at a micro and macro level, understand the changes but understand how these micro changes play a part in the huge changes that we’re often too close to see happen.

I suppose what I’m getting at is that the internet is vast, but this a reason for monitoring, not against.

Yes, you can train them. By rewarding some behaviors over others, by keeping some promises not others, by having some expectations instead of others, you get the audience you deserve. Some things you can train customers to do: Be respectful... Seth Godin