30Nov 2009 by Bob Cargill

The Black Door, Bravery and Social Media

Blogging, Facebook, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter
  Blog Post on Video: The Black Door, Bravery and Social Media Let me tell you a story.  It’s a parable that’s been around for a long time. It's about a spy who had been captured and sentenced to death by a general of the Persian army. The general, however, permitted the condemned person to choose between the firing squad and the black door.   As the moment of execution drew near, the general ordered the spy to be brought before him to receive the doomed man's decision.  This was not an easy decision, and the prisoner hesitated, but soon he made it known that he preferred the firing squad.  Not long thereafter, a volley of shots in the courtyard announced the grim sentence had been fulfilled.  The general turned…
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22Nov 2009 by Bob Cargill

From Direct Mail to Social Media, My 13-Year Evolution

Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media, Twitter
On November 17, 1996, I was happy to be featured on the front page of the Sunday Business section of the local daily newspaper, the Middlesex News, in an article about direct mail, my specialty at the time. And on November 18, 2009, 13 years and one day later, I was fortunate to have an interview of me about social media appear in the same newspaper (which now goes by the name, The MetroWest Daily News). Talk about an evolution. Yes, I can't tell you how excited I was to receive a phone call earlier in the month from Daily News editor and reporter, Jeff Adair, who asked me if I would be willing to answer a number of questions about my experience with social media. This interview was a great chance for me to put into words just how passionately I felt as a marketing professional about using blogs,…
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14Nov 2009 by Bob Cargill

The Cornerstone of Some of the Best Social Media Programs

Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter
Given all the attention such social media channels as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube have been getting lately, it's easy to overlook the importance of having a good, old-fashioned blog as the cornerstone of your social media program. Sure, other social media channels may be sexier (and, frankly, easier to manage), but a blog is typically where your more substantive content lives, where you're going to earn the most respect for your willingness and ability to share your thoughts with others. As I wrote here on this blog ("Why Advertising, Marketing and PR Pros Should Blog," December 2004) nearly five years ago ... A blog is tailor-made for storing and managing your intellectual capital. It’s a centralized repository for experience and expertise, an incredibly easy way to disseminate key, timely information to an audience of readers who are already interested in what you have to…
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05Nov 2009 by Bob Cargill

Introducing My New Facebook Fan Page for Cargill Creative

Blogging, Facebook, Social Media, Twitter
Ever since I joined Facebook in 2007, I've been using it more for business than personal reasons. But it wasn't until earlier this week that I had a dedicated outpost on this phenomenally popular social networking platform where I could talk strictly about marketing, social media and everything else that I do for a living. Yes, I can't tell you how excited I am to finally have my own Facebook Fan Page for Cargill Creative, my business as an independent copywriter, creative director and social media marketer. On my new Facebook Fan Page, I'll be sharing links to great articles on the trends, topics, developments and issues that are on the minds of marketers today. I'll also be importing the feeds to this blog, my YouTube channel and my Twitter stream, all of which will make it easy for fans to follow…
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