Wow, is it ever turning out to be a busy social media summer here in Austin. One thing’s for sure — you’ll know where to find us if you want to connect with the Every Dot Connects team. Here’s what we’re up to in July:

July 3 ~ Social Networking Blood Drive

Mike and Connie will be joining the Austin Twitter/Tech community to save lives by donating blood on Thursday, July 3, at the Blood and Tissue Center of Central Texas. Connie had the idea to do a blood drive in association with the Frozen Pea Fund, and Michelle Greer and David Neff stepped up to help organize the Austin event.

The idea is to gather with some friends from your favorite social network — Twitter, Plurk, Ning, Facebook, for example — at your local blood donation center and give a few pints for a good cause. It’s especially timely this Thursday, which is the day before a major summer holiday, when the blood banks need extra inventory.

Choose a sign-up time for the Austin blood drive here. And if you organize a drive in another location, please let us know here.

July 16-17 ~ SEM for SMB Conference

Connie will be speaking at Search Engine Marketing for Small and Midsize Businesses. The conference will cover both business and technical topics and give attendees hands-on training with tools, processes and skills needed to deliver more return from online marketing and advertising. In addition, attendees will be able to sign up for one-on-one sessions with speakers, so you can get personalized attention for your specific needs.

Every Dot Connects is happy to provide an additional $50 off of the registration fee of $195, making it $145 for two-day, meals included. Please use smc2008 as the discount code during the payment process. Please register today, the early-bird discount ends on July 1.

July 17 ~ Social Media Club Austin

Andy Meadows of Live Oak 360 is speaking at our next meeting on July 17. Thanks to the generosity of Joshua Baer and Datran Media, we’ll again be meeting at their conference room. Pizza and networking at 6:00 p.m.; program begins at 6:30 p.m.

July 18 ~ Every Dot Connects workshop in Austin

We’re happy to welcome Jennifer Navarrete as a speaker for our summer workshop series lineup. She’ll join Sheila Scarborough for a three-hour, hands-on workshop on Web 2.0 tools, followed by an informal lunch where the conversation will continue. The workshop will be from 9:00 a.m. to noon on Friday, July 18, at the Hilton Garden Inn in northwest Austin.

Watch this space for more information and a link to online registration later this week. Or, drop our admin Erin a note and ask to be placed on the mailing list.

Update:  The 18 July 2008 workshop info/registration page is now live.  Click here to Learn Three Web 2.0 Tools in Three Hours.

July 19 ~ BlogHer in Second Life

Can’t make it to San Francisco for the annual BlogHer conference? Stay at home and join the virtual conference, sponsored by CNN iReport.com, which features livestreaming of keynotes from BlogHer to Second Life. By the way, men are welcome to attend. Check out the schedule and register here. It’s free! A full house is expected, so register soon.

Connie will be speaking on an exclusive Second Life-only panel on Saturday afternoon called Using Second Life for Good. The BlogHer in Second Life office will be open beginning on Monday, July 15, so you can familiarize yourself with Second Life and get assistance mastering the basics of attending in-world events. Or just chill out on some cozy floor pillows while drinking some virtual lemonade and thinking of all that gas money you’re saving.

July 25 ~ Every Dot Connects workshop in San Antonio

Sheila and Jennifer will repeat the three-hour workshop in San Antonio. August and September dates will be announced soon, as well as a new all-day seminar on starting a blog.

Please let your friends know about these workshops. They are especially good for people just dipping their toes into social networking, and are designed to provide a no-fear environment for learning the basics. We are also available for onsite training at your business. Contact us for a quote on a customized training session.

People who do not invest time in social networking often wonder about the quality of online friendships. They doubt the depth or strength of connections made with people you’ve never met face to face. My thoughts match those of Shel Israel: “My virtual friends are all real.” (I’m paraphrasing something you said in an interview, Shel. Hope I got close to your actual words.)

For you Doubting Thomases, here’s a story to demonstrate the depth and breadth–and the power–of online community.

A friend I’ve never met in person is scared. Very scared. Susan Reynolds is having a mastectomy tomorrow. She found the lump on December 5, went to the doctor the next day, and was immediately sent to a diagnostic radiologist. Big words, big fear: Invasive Lobular Carcinoma.

You can read about Susan’s journey through the cancer experience in her new blog, Boobs on Ice. The story I want to share is how a community of so-called invisible friends rallied around Susan to support, comfort and cheer her up–and somewhere along the way turned it into a fight–and a fund–against cancer.

It started on Twitter, where Susan is the self-proclaimed nana; she’s also a power networker with hundreds of followers. When she posted a new avatar–a photo of a package of frozen peas tucked inside her camisole to relieve the pain from multiple biopsies–she joked about putting her boob on ice. Her friends continued the joke.

Then a few days later, Cathleen Rittereiser (@cathleenritt) tweeted that we should all donate the cost of a package of frozen peas to a fund for cancer research. Before you could say “bring back that beat,” Susan’s friends picked up on the idea, and what started as an off-the-cuff remark has become a full-fledged fund-raising campaign named, in honor of Susan, the Frozen Pea Fund.

The site will officially launch tomorrow–that’s when we’ll have the “click to donate” button ready. Money raised will go to Making Strides, the breast cancer campaign of the American Cancer Society.

In the interest of full disclosure, my company is doing a social media campaign for a new ACS initiative that will launch early next year. When David Neff, Director of Online Communications for the corporate office, located here in Austin, first emailed to ask us to do some pro bono work for the Society, my reaction was to sigh and wonder how I could gracefully decline. David has been part of our local Social Media Club since the very beginning, and it would be hard to turn him down. But I was frazzled from a year of starting a new business and juggling client work with personal responsibilities. How could I possibly squeeze one more item onto my already overflowing to-do list?

Before I could decline, however, Susan got her diagnosis. And everything changed.

Now I had a personal stake in this battle against cancer. While I still haven’t met Susan in person, we’ve e-mailed and talked on the phone–and were about to launch a cooperative venture that is now on hold until she recovers from surgery.

The photos you see to the left are what we are calling pea-vatars. I can’t even remember how it started–probably it was Ann Miller (@annohio) who first posted a package of peas as her avatar on Twitter. Before you know it, dozens of people had added peas to their photos and the Frozen Pea Friday Flickr group was born.

Within the first 24 hours, I noted at least 40 people sporting pea-vatars, and that was only among the 600+ people I follow on Twitter. Much to my delight, Robert Scoble picked up the peas theme and tied it into the world economic forum at Davos. And even Loic Lemeur, founder of Seesmic, is sporting a pea-vatar on Twitter. (Bless you, one and all!)

So many people are working behind the scenes to help launch the Frozen Pea Fund that I’ll probably miss naming someone here, but I at least have to acknowledge Michelle Wolverton (@chelpixie), who is building the WordPress site, and Ryan Karpeles (@ryankarpeles), who designed the FPF logo. Cathleen came up with the tagline: We will not appease cancer. And Laura Fitton (@pistachio) is cooking up something with a new Twitter account: @peaple.

In the days to come, Susan’s family will be by her bedside, caring for her and assisting her recovery. But an entire socialmediasphere will be rallying around her cause, lifting her spirits and doing our small part to help find a cure. Join us, won’t you?

Last month I posed the question: Is social media for extroverts only? The ensuing discussion was lively and even gave impetus to a new blog, The Mighty Introvert by Mark Dykeman, who says that “social media and the Web can level the playing field for introverts.”

As several pointed out in the comments to my original post, introversion is not the same as shyness, although they sometimes go hand in hand. The key difference between extroverts and introverts has to do with the source of their creativity and energy. Quite simply, extroverts draw energy from being with people; introverts need lots of alone-time to recharge. (Don’t know where you fall on the spectrum? Take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.)

The consensus from commenters is that social networking can be a venue where introverts shine–people like Laura Thomas of Dell, for example, who said this about being an introvert: “It’s always struck people as strange to hear that when they look at my chosen profession of communications, but even us quiet types do like to converse with the world around us.”

Jennifer Navarrette noted that blogs or written communication tools are not the only avenue where introverts can shine. “I’ve always been somewhat of an extrovert so it surprised me to hear several of our SA Podcasters describe themselves as introverts. These are folks who are consistently producing content over several different shows. They may not be comfortable on stage, but they are extremely comfortable utilizing the Social and New Media tools available.”

“I would expect many introverts to be extreme evangelists in social media,” Hjortur Smarason wrote. “The reason is that many of them finally have a medium where they can blossom and fulfill a need for social interaction that has been neglected out in the ‘real world’. It’s not fast thinking, body language or tone of voice that counts in social media. It’s thought, content and context.”

Brazen Careerist Penelope Trunk recently interviewed Bryan Person (you may know him on Twitter or his blog as bryper) for The Boston Globe. (Dec. 9, 2007–Social networking tools give introverts opportunities to connect, lift careers) She wrote:

Person echoes what many people have said about online communication, which is that it’s the grease that oils the gears of in-person communication. And this is why young workers today are better at connecting and interacting face-to-face than many of their older counterparts. “Social media would not be nearly as satisfying if people could not be face-to-face as well,” Person says. In fact, Person used Twitter to get a gathering of friends. This would only work because such a wide range of people are using these tools to find real connections that come face-to-face.

I’ve heard from several introverts who have said that being active in social networks online has helped them be more confident in face-to-face interactions. Is that your experience as well? Tell me about it in the comments.

While most people peg me as an extrovert (is it the pink boa? I wonder), I actually have a high degree of introversion and need to balance time interacting with people at events with at least equal amounts of quiet time. So I really identified with Kara Soluri’s comment that “after a long social media conference, the introverts are the ones running away from all the extroverts heading to the bar.”

Dell Campus ~ Austin, TX ~ November 6 ~ 8:30 to 5:30

Many thanks to the folks at Dell for sponsoring our upcoming Social Media Workshop on November 6. I’ll be privileged to join keynoter Shel Israel, coauthor of Naked Conversations, Social Media Club co-founder and thought leader Chris Heuer, and PR/social media measurement pro Kami Huyse as presenters for this day-long workshop, which will explore how businesses can implement a social media marketing program to initiate conversations and build relationships with customers.

A quick look at the agenda shows that the day will be filled with valuable information plus interaction. The agenda will be tailored to the attendees’ needs, so if you have a specific topic you would like to see covered, let us know when you register and we will try to include it in the program or answer your questions during the breaks.

We’ve also announced special pricing for the Austin event: the regular price of $299 will be discounted to $199 if you register by Friday, October 26. If you’re a member of Social Media Club at the professional, business or corporate level, the price is just $149.

UPDATE: Early registration discount extended through Monday, October 29. Don’t delay!
But wait, there’s more!

Use the discount code CONNIE for an additional $50 off when you register online. (Hey, it pays to know the woman in the hot pink boa!)

This event, which will be held at Dell’s HQ campus in Round Rock (just north of Austin), will be a one-of-a-kind opportunity for Austin this year. In addition to the presenters mentioned above, Lionel Menchaca and the Dell Digital Media team will be on hand to share their experiences in implementing social media strategies.

Building Connections and Networking Online
Leader - Connie Reece, Austin, TX - Every Dot Connects

Session Notes

Here is a PDF file of my notes from the session I facilitated at BlogOrlando this past weekend. Thank you to all who attended and participated — I enjoyed the dialogue.

I can’t say enough great things about Josh Hallett and the team of volunteers and sponsors who put together this truly outstanding event. It was a privilege to be tapped to lead one of the sessions.

If you have any questions about the session notes, please leave a comment and I’ll answer in the comments or create a new post to address them.

PDF: BlogOrlando Session Notes-Connie Reece

The first annual Blogtoberfest is coming to San Marcos, Texas. When? You guessed it…in October. How could we resist? October 5th, to be exact.

The Texas Hill Country has long been famous for its natural beauty and as a gathering place for friendly folks. With a large number of citizens with German ancestry, the area hosts a number of Oktoberfest events, including Wurstfest in New Braunfels. A group of us social media types thought it was time to tie in the tradition of the old with the advent of the new, and so the idea of Blogtoberfest was born. The actual name is Connie Reece’s creation, but the idea of having fun in San Marcos is nothing new.

The City of San Marcos, located almost an equal distance from Austin and San Antonio, is positioning itself as the “hub” of the creative corridor in Central Texas. It hosts a major, research University - Texas State - and is ideal for attracting clean and new technology-based companies and jobs. It is also a natural destination for the creative and technically savvy professionals who make up the new creative class.

So on Friday night, October 5th, from 6 pm until we’re done, there will be presentations by notable bloggers on what is new, what works, and what is fun in the blogosphere. This first will be done in conjunction with the first Barcamp San Marcos, to be held the following day. This will be a great chance to get to know San Marcos and to kick what will surely be a new Central Texas tradition.

Gordo’s on the Square is hosting Blogtoberfest. CenturyTel is already sponsoring and speakers will be announced soon. So please link to the Blogtoberfest website to register.

Announcing the Grand Prize winner of the MakeConnieLaugh in 140 Characters or Less Contest will be the last off-topic post; we’ll resume regular blogging tomorrow. On second thought, is it really off-topic when your blog is about social networking and making connections through conversation?

The winning entry for the Grand Prize not only made me laugh, it had a special significance for me — one the writer could not possibly have known about, and one that directly pertained to the reason I was feeling blue and needed cheering up in the first place. The synchronicity really does not surprise me, though, for Jon Swanson, author of Levite Chronicles, is a man who listens with his heart.

Here’s his winning entry, and remember that it appears here in reverse chronological order.

When I dreamed up this contest, I had just been through a rough week. Then on Saturday morning, I found this post in my RSS reader. The last time I’d had a chance to sit down for a chat with John Moore, we talked about his mom’s battle with ALS. In addition to reading his blog, I’d been following John’s marvelous video scrapbook, narrated by his mom, Glenna, until she lost the ability to speak. Just take a look at this sample, where John’s dad, Al, tells about his love for Glenna.

I knew all too well what the Moore family was going through, having lost my father to a neurodegenerative disease in December 2000. He managed to maintain his sense of humor until the end, but the suffering took a huge toll on our family. As time passes, you forget the suffering and remember all the laughter. But for a few moments on Saturday morning, it all came back when I found out about Glenna Moore.

Thanks to my Twitter pals, the painful memories soon faded as person after person endeavored to make me laugh. And here’s why Jon’s Burma-Shave for the Information Highway tweets bowled me over.

My father loved to load the family in the car and take us places. Back in those days (remember, I’m older than the average Internet maven), the occasional series of weathered Burma-Shave signs still dotted the back roads of the Hill Country. Dad would slow down so my sister and I could read them out loud.

That would distract us momentarily, but like every small child on a road trip, we would soon be asking how much longer it would be before we reached our destination. “Daddy, are we there yet?”

Daddy would always reply, “Not much farther. It’s just over that next hill.”

Those words came back to me on that final, unbearably long night when we kept a bedside vigil at Hospice Austin’s Christopher House. Dad’s breathing became so labored that each breath would raise him chest-first off the bed. The nurses increased the dose of morphine to ease his pain.

At one point, when this lifelong Daddy’s Girl didn’t think she could take it any longer, I kissed his cheek and whispered, “Not much farther, Daddy. It’s just over that next hill.”

Mercifully, a couple of hours later my father slipped from this life to the next. I like to think that if there are two-lane roads in heaven, Daddy has “the pedal to the metal” on a battleship-sized Cadillac Fleetwood or Chrysler Imperial (his cars of choice), slowing down only long enough to read the angelic equivalent of Burma-Shave signs.

With more love and laughter and appreciation than you can imagine, Jon, I’m sending an autographed hardcover copy of The Age of Conversation your way.

I never imagined that the MakeConnieLaugh in 140 Characters or Less contest would turn out to be such a dangerous event. While I can’t award a Purple Heart, I can award a First Place prize to Tim Siedell, an advertising guru and jerky afficianado [inside joke] who was so determined to make me smile that he wound up injuring himself.

You’ll have to dig deep on the Web to find a real photo of Tim; on his Bad Banana blog and Twitter he prefers to use the iconic image of one of his heroes, legendary adman David Ogilvy. A well-thumbed copy of Ogilvy on Advertising has a place of honor on one of my many bookshelves as well.

Here is the series of entries from Tim that cracked me up. Remember, these are posted in reverse chronological order, so it helps to start reading at the bottom.

Here’s a shout-out to Brenda and Ryan for adding to the fun.

A final note to Tim: I am still awarding you First Place, even though I later found out from your Web site that you also won the World’s Toughest Briefs competition. Somehow it sounds like you weren’t exactly playing fair here; nevertheless, you can still expect an autographed copy of The Age of Conversation.

What do you do when you’re feeling kinda blue on a Saturday morning? Start a silly contest on Twitter — I suppose that would be a competwittion? — and extend it to your blog.

But MakeConnieLaugh is a real contest with real prizes! Here are the rules:

1. Use @conniereece to tweet your entry.

2. If you’re not on Twitter, enter by leaving a comment below. However, your entry must conform to the 140-character limit.

3. Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on Sunday, July 29, 2007. (I turn into a pumpkin at midnight.)

4. Twitter entries will be favorited with a gold star so I can review them later. Judging is entirely subjective; after all, the goal of the contest is to make me laugh.

5. Winning entries will be announced on Monday, July 30, 2007 via Twitter and this blog.

Now, what will you receive if you actually Make Connie Laugh?

Grand Prize: Hardcover copy of The Age of Conversation, retail value $29.99, autographed by yours truly.

First Place: Softcover copy of The Age of Conversation, retail value $16.99, ditto on the autograph.

The Age of Conversation is a collaborative book by 103 authors, including some of the top voices in marketing and social media today. Click the book graphic for all the details about this innovative project. I’m privileged to be found in the pages of this remarkable book with a chapter called “The Two-Step of Conversational Writing.”

All MakeConnieLaugh entries will get some link love here on Every Dot Connects, as well as my appreciation for participating. My heart is already lighter after just a few entries.

So go ahead … make me laugh.

Update: This contest is turning out to be so much fun that I’ll be adding a few more copies of The Age of Conversation softcover as prizes. So get those entries in by midnight tonight, Sunday, for a chance to win.

Yesterday friends Jim Long and Toni Lyn launched the beta version of Crafty Nation, a new social network for crafters, at the giant Craft & Hobby Association trade show in Chicago.

Online video is in the process of altering our television viewing habits. In a recent post Jim, a veteran videographer and self-described “new media micro mogul,” wrote that social networks are becoming the New Television. “Social networks, empowering core constituencies of passionate users around targeted, niche market content, are emerging as a powerful media marketforce.”

If you’re interested in making or finding beautiful handcrafts, or if you want to see some excellent video samples of niche market content, give CraftyNation.com a visit. Here’s a short (1:30) clip from their video blog of opening day at CHA. (I chose this one, of course, because it features a shout-out to me. What can I say? I’m shameless.)

Note: RSS readers may need to click through to the site to view video.

Online Videos by Veoh.com