Research Right in Front of My Face

I haven’t posted in a while. My reasons are varied (more on that in a moment) but the bottom line is I figured my audience, my students, were also on a break of sorts and would not be very interested in what I had to say (which, assumes they are interested when school is in session…). There were a few red flags my hypothesis was wro… flawed – a couple of emails wanting to know why I hadn’t posted were received, an anonymous im (although I think I know who you were…) and even a comment posted on a past article. All  should have sent a message to do a little more research. But it was just a few people, surely others weren’t all that interested during the summer months and what is the purpose of blogging for less than a dozen readers.

Honestly, if I were my own client I most definitely would have suggested I do a little more research and, at a minimum, jump back in, write a post or two and keep the customers happy. But I wasn’t my client, I was the boss and didn’t need someone (even if he is a very intelligent, witty and exceptionally good looking guy) telling me how to run my blog.

It wasn’t until I started reworking my blog design that I noticed some concrete, quantitative research that proved I was wro…. um… misguided – my stats. Lots and lots of visitors to the front page and even more to old posts. Bottom line, I was wro…. my assumptions were flawed and had I just reviewed the research I would have known a core audience was still stopping by, looking for… something.

So, here’s to research (let’s all lift our glasses) and the value it offers.And, let me assure you I will no longer entirely trust my (humble and still sometimes accurate) own opinion without doing a little research to confirm its validity.

(author’s note – what follows meanders quite a bit and should be filed under random and not research – read at your own risk)

Now, for the sake of offering an excuse and alleviating your concern I was lying around all summer watching reruns of Talk Radio, Mad Men, Spin City and other great PR/Media/Adv shows let me share with you what I was doing…. Reading, reading and more reading – I couldn’t get enough. Books, blogs, magazines, anything and everything I could get my hands on I devoured. When I wasn’t reading, I was working on our new old house (I just finished the penultimate room two weeks ago and repainted the living room one shade darker because my wife said we needed to. I am a smart husband with a background in PR and readily agreed.) and  hanging out at the Dog Dish. Speaking of which, I am working on the redesign of the Dog Dish website which is going totally social. I will keep you posted on my progress and the success/failures we learn from. The greatest time consumer was being co-chair of a task force appointed by Mayor Taylor. Press conference with our findings and a few major announcements to be held soon.

Regarding reading – lots of mlogging ™, otherwise knows as mentally blogging – blogging in your mind but never actually posting it. Some of the reading material was awesome so let me share in a future post, this one has meandered enough.

To all the students taking my courses next semester – Welcome Back! It’s going to be an awesome semester with lots of surprises and exciting opportunities. Be on the lookout for an email from me.

To Osko the Bosko, as of one minute ago, you have “a” follower on Twitter. You better start tweeting Mr. Social Media!!