Putting Twitter to Work

A lot of business owners and corporate communications pros are wondering how to put new media to work for their organizations. Blogs, Wikis, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter.... It seems to be a never ending list. Business owners wonder whether social media is just a big time suck or a way to truly boost productivity and make money. Should employees be allowed to become true brand ambassadors as they communicate with customers publicly or do I need to continue to control the message on a corporate level? These are fair questions at this point, although with a cohesive plan and strategy it is possible for a company to become a part of the communities new media creates, and utilize the flexibility and interactivity of social media to better tell your story.

At Jackson Spalding, we are advising a lot of clients on new media strategy, and part of the challenge is that the applications and potential solutions are diverse, and vary with the business. So every solution has to be custom built and resources have to be dedicated to implementing new media, and keeping the content fresh.

Earlier today, a colleague pointed me to a great example of a company utilizing new media. Believe it or not it is cable provider Comcast, which has improved customer service and generated buzz -- and a sense of community -- in an industry known for disappointing consumers. All it took was an enterprising customer service manager -- get the story here. Pretty cool idea that could be applicable to organizations with a lot of Gen Y constituents. A certain institution adjacent to downtown Athens comes to mind....

A Day On, Not a Day Off

Next Monday, the country observes Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - the day before the historic inauguration of the nation's first African American president. For many of us, that means a day off from work. Let me challenge you to make it a day of service instead.

Hands on Northeast Georgia's MLK Day of Service includes more than 20 service projects around town from clean-ups in historically African American cemeteries to beautification projects at schools and in area greenspaces. Service projects start at 9 a.m. and run to noon, at which time all participants are invited to the Lyndon House for lunch and commemorative celebrations.

As part of the MLK Day of Service, SingleServe will launch with its first project, clearing the nature trails behind Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School for use by the students and the general public. Other projects offer opportunities for families to serve together or for you to support important causes like AIDS outreach and services for the homeless.

The day is about serving side by side and making our "beloved community" the best it can be for all who live here. Hands on Northeast Georgia expects more than 600 people to volunteer.

Click here to view the list of projects and decide which one inspires you to make it a day on and not a day off.

My first poetry publication

My poem “Were I a Tourist” has just been published by Wazee Journal, based in Denver: www.wazeejournal.org. This poem took six years, two poetry workshops, and several editors and listeners to complete. We –I mean humankind “we,” not poets “we” - cannot create anything in a vacuum! Poets have perpetuated the “poetry is a solitary art” myth for hundreds of years. In truth, even the most reclusive poets bring books by other poets, which is as solitary as bringing a private tutor or best friend along to boot camp.

Basically, I need to meet writers in Athens. Can someone help a poet out?

Big UGA News

Okay, since the AJC and the Atlanta Business Chronicle have posted it.... but it hasn't made waves locally yet .... big kudos go out to UGA's Research Foundation today for getting a five-year, $18.7 million grant from one of the world's most prestigious charitable foundations, the Gates Foundation, which is largely funded and controlled by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffet.

This is strong validation for the state's continued focus on becoming a center for global health (think CDC, UGA, Emory and other health-related efforts) and UGA's efforts to become a national research leader.

Full disclosure -- The Georgia Research Alliance supports many of the state's research efforts, and is a client of Jackson Spalding. But the bottom line is that these kinds of investments tend to not only support local research jobs, but also provide significant help for children and others in Africa affected by a terrible disease. Good news all around.

Official press release is here; details on researcher Dan Colley are here.

Photo Courtesy of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation / Ralph Alswang

One Need Not Be the Loneliest Number

At times, being single and almost-30 sort of feels like second grade when the teacher tells you to pair up and after the urgent whispers and frantic eye contact, you're the leftover. I found this especially true after making the first move of my life that didn't involve school, a.k.a. the built-in friend network. Suddenly, I wondered, how do you meet people? Where do you go? And what do you say, "Hi, I'm Ashley. Be my friend."? (No, wait, that's Facebook.)

As I thought about where to go and meet others of my kind, I considered volunteering. The question of which one of the many worthy causes to support and thoughts of my potentially awkward entrance into a regularly scheduled meeting put a temporary damper on my volunteerism. The more I thought about it, the more I wished there was a way to sample the area organizations and figure out which one is a fit for me. And even better would be if I didn't have to go by myself.

A good friend put me in touch with Hands on Northeast Georgia, a program of Community Connection that helps individuals, groups, families and corporations find flexible volunteer opportunities in Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties. Hands On NEGA had everything I needed - an existing volunteer base, relationships with nonprofit organizations, and an infrastructure in place to help me establish the group.

Enter SingleServe, a volunteer opportunity for parties of one. Each month, we'll be arranging a volunteer opportunity for singles at an area nonprofit. It will be a way to help the community, try out different opportunities, and make friends. The first meeting is Tuesday, December 2 at 5:30 at the Community Connection offices at the corner of King Avenue and Old West Broad Street. We'll be talking about what SingleServe is and how those interested can get involved.

Join us! It's hard to be single, so remember, there's safety in numbers.

Oh Sarah....

Sarah Palin desperately needs a decent PR person to let her know that a charming interview about Thanksgiving is always ruined when birds are being slaughtered in the background... if you're impatient skip ahead to about 43 seconds in.

Climbing the Walls

Despite all the recent bad economic news in Athens and nationally, apparently some entrepreneurs aren't scared. Based on this website, it looks like Athens is set to get a pretty sweet indoor climbing and recreation facility (including bouldering, climbing, wifi and even birthday parties!). According to planning commission documents, the facility is at 665 Barber Street (not sure what building this is).

Come explore and have fun on spectacular freestanding boulders up to 18 feet high, with textures and forms that is going to blow you away, terrain you'll find just at super pro comps. Novice and beginners are always welcome, come and get inspired by our "regular" climbers! The facilities also feature a 20-feet tall roped wall (lead and top rope), a 60 feet long roof traverse (up to 160 feet round-trip! from one side to the other). Exercise and training equipment, air filtration and conditioning, a nice padding with lots of crush pads, more than enough to cure you from being afraid of falling!

These types of facilities have been really popular in Atlanta and elsewhere and having one in Athens will be pretty neat. For those of you on Facebook, there is a group there where you can plug in as well. Have you heard about any other businesses opening in town despite the recession? Any other neat recreational offerings on the way?