How is Social Media Working 4 You?

When we did our website re-design this fall, we made a conscious decision to dive into the deep end of the social media pool. I've waxed nostalgic about this before, but now I am wondering if there is anybody out there?

We've used Twitter and Facebook to facilitate contests, have fans fill out surveys, get conversations going, announce special events and promote our website features like podcasts and You Tube channel. I can't help but feel that our fan base isn't as social media savvy as the norm--we don't have a great student following here--our demographic is mostly older and rural.

How is social media working for you? Are you using it? What works and what doesn't? I am looking for some feedback.

When will Stat Crew come into the 21st Century?

Before I get people all riled about with the title to this post, I do want to pose the rhetorical question, "Where would we be without Stat Crew?" There--now that I've said it, I can move on.

I am wondering if the company that makes Stat Crew, knows that the technology world has moved on from DOS? I think sometimes when you are the only fish in the sea, you begin to think that you don't need to know how to swim. What happens if a shark comes along? Am I hoping for a shark? I am hoping for something to come along and jostle the folks at Stat Crew into taking a look at updating from DOS to Windows or something more user-friendly.

I think it would be okay if SIDs were ageless and those of us that began with DOS, or even know what it is, would never die or retire. But these days, kids coming in to college looking for stats jobs have never seen a program like Stat Crew. Why would they when there are many good stat programs out there used by high schools that are point and click and do a better job than Stat Crew? I have yet to have a high school statistician come asking for a job that uses a DOS-based program. But, it only takes us a couple years to teach them how to use stat crew and then they move on...right?

I must be naive or just plain not in the know...why can't someone (preferably Stat Crew Software) come up with a windows-based program that is user-friendly? Is it because SIDs want to be special--people that have an exclusive knowledge of antiquated DOS-based programs, sit around and chug whiskey and smoke cigars? Don't even get me going about Live Stats--I think it has worked for us a total of seven games all season, all game long. And when it goes down, you have to wait till half to re-boot because you can't reboot without getting completely out of the program. During a game? For heaven's sake.

Oh well, I guess I should add that I currently have no Stat Crew obligations during home games in my present job. Thankfully, I get to work with video web streaming and social media which precludes me from having to struggle with Stat Crew and Live Stats. But I get to watch the fallout...Well, enough ranting for today...

Now that the holidays are sort of over--I say sort of because in my neighborhood the majority of people with outdoor lights are still turning them on every night--it's back to the business of blogging. I like Seth Godin. I've read many of his books on marketing and PR. I mean anybody who writes books called Meatball Sundae and Purple Cow must be creative, right?

In his latest blog entry, Godin talks about the art of complaining. There is a right and a wrong way to complain evidently. After reading his piece, I agree. I also agree that I need to learn the art of complaining. I found myself identifying more with the wrong way to complain. You know, prefacing your complaint with a negative amplification like, "I've worked my butt off for him for years, showing up even on holidays, and now..." Yikes.

I think offices are hot beds for complaints. Even though I really like my job, I find there are times (and certain people) that bring out the worst in me. So, I think I need to turn over a new leaf and learn how to complain positively by prefacing my complaint with something like, "In this economy, I'm lucky to have this job, and it's almost perfect. It would be even better if..." Now my complaint has some legs to it. I can turn it into a positive instead of being a constant Debbie Downer. I think I'll go practice my positive complaining right now in my boss' office. I'll let you know how it goes...