Live Podcast: LeWeb 2010 Conference Preview With Loic and Geraldine Le Meur

LeWeb’10 takes place in Paris December 8th and 9th 2010 at Les Docks.

With more than 2,400 Participants from 54 countries, it’s the number one European event about the Internet.

As you probably know, I covered the conference for BlogTalkRadio using Cinch last year and the information and interviews I gathered changed my world view in a positive way the whole year through!

I am excited to hear what’s in store for when I speak with the conference’s Founders and organizer, Loic and Geraldine Le Meur! Remember that The A-List gives you access to the world’s top influencers.

We discuss global entrepreneurship, what the conference organizers hope to do – and that nagging question about the representation of women at LeWeb. Don’t miss the archive:

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The A-List gives you access to the world’s top influencers. Please submit your questions for any quest via Twitter, Facebook, blog and email.

Live Podcast: Preview Of Social Media Marketing Conference With Marissa Louie And Murray Newlands

Social Media Marketing 2010 San Francisco will bring together leading brands and marketing experts to explore the viral power of social networks.

The event takes place Thursday, July 8th at the Hotel Nikko (222 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA 94102) from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. The official event hashtag is #SMMSF.

During this one-day event, a team of renowned marketing experts will give guidance on how to effectively engage with customers via social media, give tips on how to maximize the impact of your campaigns and offer insights into new services to try and trends to watch out for. This is the ultimate event for anyone involved in social media or digital marketing.

I’m proud to be participating in this event and to offer a 10% discount code for Eventbrite: 10smmsf14.

Marissa Louie of Heroex and a conference organizer will join me to preview the event on The A-List:

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Live Podcast: Featured Guest Louis Gray, Managing Director, New Media at Paladin Advisors and Blogger at LouisGray.com

 

Louis Gray

 

I am thrilled we finally made it happen.

Louis Gray and I have been working to get him on The A-List since almost the beginning of the program. He’s an absolute must-have on the show, or any how on technology and the Silicon Valley.

He’s incredibly nice and accessible and shares his thoughts on his advisory group, influence and being an early adopter. Listen here:

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Live Podcast: Featured Guest Nick Douglas, Writer and Comedian

Nick Douglas, Source: Jillian Douglas

Nick Douglas has the career many writers can only dream of.

And I’m not sure he knows it…

Like so many reluctant overachiever, he’s followed his passion and it’s paid off with some high-profile gigs: editor of Gawker Media’s Valleywag and editor of the book Twitter Wit.

He’s a one cool cat, and we thank him for taking time to stop by The A-List to chat about these experiences and more. Listen below:

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Currently, Nick writes about technology and culture at Urlesque, Lalawag, and on his own blog, Too Much Nick.

Nick has also been published in Slate, Wired, Gawker, and the Huffington Post and is an aspiring screenwriter.

Alan Levy, The Top Talker I Know

Alan Levy, Founder and Owner of BlogTalkRadio and Cinch on the cover of Talkers Magazine

When I started in TV news, I was always told I had “the voice” for radio. I always took that as a not-so-subtle hint that I didn’t have the looks for on-air work, but TV-people – being as direct as they can be – were always  clear to clarify that I was lucky to have options. Being on air using my voice alone meant I could age without worry – or looking like a TV news version of Jocelyn Wildenstein.

But I digress.

I have a fabulous radio show these days thanks to the Internet and my favorite broadcast platform, BlogTalkRadio and it’s sister / brother outlet, Cinch.

Both are the genius of Alan Levy, who uses both platforms to broadcast himself. The March 2010 issue of Talkers Magazine tells you the story of BTR and it’s founder. It’s a good read whether you like innovators and entrepreneurs – or aspire to be one. It’s a thoughtful look. You can download the PDF and take a read right here.

I highly recommend it.

And they say video killed the radio star. Ha!

Live Podcast: Featured Guest Kara Swisher, AllThingsD

Kara Swisher

Funny coincidences happen all the time, and it just so happens that one of them reminded me that Kara Swisher needed to be on The A-List.

I was watching CNN or BBC World News from my hotel room in Paris after the first day of the LeWeb conference. Lo and behold, I heard for the first time that AOL and Time Warner had split – big news in the Internet world. It was the first I’d heard of it after a full day at an Internet conference, so I couldn’t wait to get the details.

They told the basic story, then went to the prominent expert on the topic of the merger and uncomfortable pairing, authoring two books on the topic.

That expert? Kara Swisher.

As you probably know, Kara Swisher is Co-Executive Editor of AllThingsD and has followed the space for the better part of her distinguished career. Listen to the archive:

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Everybody’s Doing It*, So Why Don’t We? (*it = social media)

I’m exciting to be moderating a great panel on Social Media and business Tuesday, February 16th from 6-9 PM. And I’m calling for your questions now (tweet in to @jennifered)!

The question?: To “go social” or not? And should we still be asking that question?

With San Francisco and Silicon Valley leading the world in web innovation and many considering our area the epicenter of all things social media, why are Bay Area companies still so reluctant – as much as those in the Midwest – to engage in the social web? And what about the original internet success story: the porn industry? It’s not thriving as much as you may think. So are companies that are reluctant to ‘go social’ making the right decision?

We’ve assembled a clever and varied panel for a provocative discussion from several different perspectives: big business, non-profits, small to medium size business, and a very specific ‘alternative’ industry.

[Please get your tickets now - there is limited seating and this event will sell out!]

Live Podcast: Featured Guest Sam Lawrence, CEO of Blackbox Republic

Sam Lawrence

I have yet to talk to someone who has an answer as to how to separate our personal, professional and even ‘secret’ lives… until now.

Enter Sam Lawrence, CEO of Blackbox Republic, a social networking site that allows you to decide what gets published to ‘public’ social networks that anyone can search, such as Facebook and Twitter, and then what content you want to keep within your ‘private’ persona on Blackbox Republic.

In an age of privacy concerns and risk around what we reveal about ourselves online, it seems this is a business trying to serve a genuine need.

I asked Sam about the inspiration for the business and how it’s played out so far. He gave out a free trial promo code during the show – be sure to check it out! Promo code: RADIOBBR

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Live Podcast: Featured Guest Zoë Keating, Cellist and Composer

Zoë Keating, Photo By: Jeffrey Rusch

This week we have a special treat on The A-List, a wonderful, one-woman powerhouse of a musician, Zoë Keating.

Recently named one of the Hot 20 people of 2009 by 7×7 magazine, they dubbed her, “Avant-Cellist.” It’s a fitting description, but for my part, I am interested in the way Zoë has used the Web and social media to engage with and stay in touch with her fans.

With more than 1.3 million followers on Twitter (@zoecello), she describes herself there as, “Cello, computers and pancakes. The daily twitterings of a professional avant cellist and amateur nerd.” A wonderfully humble description for an immense and innovative talent.

I am thrilled Zoë was able to join the program. Listen to the archive here:

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Connecting with Customers, Bringing Business and Brands Alive

Richard Binhammer, Photo By: Brian Solis

This is a guest blog post from Richard Binhammer is the Senior Manager, Corporate Affairs at Dell. Richard might be best-known simply by his Twitter handle, @RICHARDatDELL. Some of my A-List podcast guests described Dell’s early efforts to deal with the advent of social media discourse as ‘ignoring it,’ while still others said they had their ‘head in buried in the sand’ – but all point to them as an example of a company who has course corrected and is now reaping the benefits of doing social media ‘right.’ Richard is at the heart of shifting perception of Dell from ‘hate’ to ‘great’ (case in point: Richard’s T-shirt in the photo, left). Join the conversation at Dell here.

It used to be that brands were based on presumed or understood values. Our interactions with a brand were not much more than an affinity based on transactions we made. Today, brand affinity and values run much deeper. Social media is bringing those formerly “static” brand values and promises to life.

Social media opens the doors for companies and their brands to have more lively and active relationships with customers, ones that allow us to interact in real time and breathe life into the brand. By connecting people in business with the people who consume our products and services, customers are closer than ever to what were thought of as far-off distant corporations. More than bringing a customer-focus to our businesses, connecting online is like having customers as colleagues and walking the halls of the corporation every day.

Whether it is a customer blog post, comments on a company blog, interactions with Twitter followers or Facebook fans, social media not only empowers the customer, it brings the focus for any business right where it should be… the connections between it and its customers.