The Wired magazine link to what happened to some of the movers and shakers of the dotcom boom and bust makes interesting reading.

I remember it well.  The craziness of unproven brands that burnt piles of cash such as Boo.com raking in plaudits and investment – A new paradigm no less.

Boo.com was run by two Swedish entrepreneurs – one a model with little business experience, but somehow they were whizz kids, without question.  There were some questions when it went belly-up.

Anyway, I was working for a sales and marketing agency called Congress.  My account was web tracking software called Visual Insights.

It was exciting times.  We had a £800,000 budget to market a real technology of substance – not a dotcom – in Europe for a Chicago based company.

I got to travel over there, I saw Congress add a new member of staff every week or so – and the future looked rosy although I cannot stand Surrey with a vengeance.

I also remember that our business model, as good as it was, could not survive a tech stock market crash, investors pulling out 2nd and 3rd round funding from customers and a raft of US clients no longer worried about creating revenue streams in Europe; they were more worried about surviving.

I was made redundant with most of the marketing department.  Congress barely lasted six more months after that.

Yet, we were dealing with real, not scatter brain, concepts and technology – the whole hill of cards came tumbling down all the same for all of us.

It is partly, maybe nearly wholly, why I was never convinced about a new paradigm about housing.  We shall find out shortly.

I guess I can say I was part of history albeit not a major war or historical landmark, but history is made up of more than just battles.

I did learn a lot and it was from that point on that I decided to specialise in PR and not be a general marcoms professional – at least I think – besides having some interesting experiences and some good people to work with – I came out of it with something good.

I thought it might be a run through and at a level for beginners (although Phil Birchenall had of The White Room had tried to describe how amazing Christian is in conveying the power of social media).  It did turn out to be a tremendously interesting hour.

Alright onto business: What did I learn?  Where do I begin?  Let’s see.

Christian is a one man media kit: he carries around a range of items to record photos / video / audio and this content is transmitted with almost immediate unhindered effect to Twitter.  From there an interview, for example, will be re-tweeted from his lists and followers.  The viral effect sounded tremendous, if not a little frightening in its potential.

Christian said that 75% of his activity was through Twitter, which he said was the most powerful and cherished tool he has because:

• Of the feedback loop as alluded to above
• Easy to access (no barriers like Facebook)
• The potential for conversation

If you add the fact that Twitter is growing at 1382% a year (and these figures he quoted are 3 months old) then the potential gets more exciting; Facebook by comparison, if I have remembered properly has 182% growth.

Christian gave the following advice on using Twitter:

• Lists are most important than followers because they help identify your interests and put like minds in contact – so check out your followers’ lists
• Nurture your followers
• Christian was very enthusiastic about using the iPhone, particularly Audioboo, to further how you harness Twitter.  His interviews are conducted through the phone although he puts a prop on it to make it look like a microphone.

And communication technologies to look out for in the future?

• Augmented reality
• Changes in search – but he didn’t expand on this point
• Google deep-tagging for video and audio tagging – if you produce content you will be able to see who has infringed on copyright.

If my piece seems a bit confused, perhaps piecemeal, well the hour was a whirlwind. I think you can only get an insight into how Christian uses social media – it takes a little longer to take it all in.

If I could spend a day with Christian I think I would grow in my understanding of social media techniques at the rate comparable to what I could learn in a month of being self-taught.

Thanks to DMEX and North West Vision and Media for organising.

If the branding and page tool bar has gone on this page please let me know, it could just be my browser.

The first Monday in every month a free get-together is put on in Manchester city centre.

The mix includes: fine artists, designers, musicians, web developers, architects, PR consultants (like me), writers (perhaps like me), TV producers, advertising consultants; I spoke to video production professionals, a linguistics software programmers (I think I am right in that description) and even a specialist glass maker.

The event, organised by Benny Hui, was relaxed, interesting and always within reach of a bar – this time Rain Bar.

I am looking forward to going again.

The start is 6pm and I was there for 3 hours before retiring for last orders at a suburban establishment.

I know it is cliched, but I really cannot believe it at all.

When you start to work for yourself you have a steep learning curve and boy it was. You also have to establish a reputation, one distinct from anywhere you have worked for in the past – it takes time.

I still have a steep learning curve ahead of me.  When I started PR was more firmly rooted in traditional media.  The armoury was the press release and the article.  Now things have changed.   Yes those things are important, but the emergence of social media as a form of communications has really revolutionized my role and offering – and is doing so all the time.

When I started I had nought, not even business cards.  But I established a reputation where today I get approached by businesses needing PR as well as being proactive myself.

At first I was disappointed not to be called “Artisan PR” as it was taken by an Edinburgh based agency.  Now I am glad to be called “Artisan Marketing Communications” as the brief has changed: it is about a rounder , broader approach where not only traditional PR has to be implemented well, but also social media and this includes an understanding of techniques such as video and in the near future, mobile.

The PR role is more exciting than at any time since it first emerged to any degree (that I know of) in the 60s.

Not only do I have to execute PR campaigns, but I also have to learn about how the media world is changing as well as promote Artisan.  It is more than a full-time job, and one that might require some help- I am hoping to take on an apprentice one day soon.

Any regrets?

Another cliche: I wish I had started much earlier.  But perhaps the timing wasn’t right.  Do things happen for a reason?  Maybe my timing was right this time.

Many thanks to everyone that has supported me: friends, family, networkers, clients.  I have been lucky that I have had many, many people on my side.  I hope that I have returned that warming approach to a good degree.

A little note: Is agency the right word in the title?  I wasn’t sure.  But if I do recruit then perhaps it meet it on the technicality.

Sainsbury’s doesn’t really get it!  Yes it is a big concern and as such more people will be following than being followed although the ratio is not impressive as such right now.

But it doesn’t get it.

Social networking is about engaging, it is about conversing, it is about helping each other.

It is similar to a face-to-face situation.  The outlook is essentially the same.

Social media, for me, is not about pushing through your ideas only one way on someone else.  Anyone that sells at a networking event becomes a pariah quicker than John Terry does when his shenanigans are exposed.

Alright, it is different for a blue chip.  Yet an attempt at conversing and looking beyond its own interests would show a real interest in its clients.

Mr Sainsbury I am available for consultancy.

So if you are between 18-24 (older candidates can be considered), live in Manchester and are interested in the creative industries, go on the link above for more details.  Open to all except full-time students.

You have until the end of February to register: it is a five minute process.

You have to be a VAT registered Manchester / Cheshire business.

More details and criteria, with link to registration page click on this link – what have you to lose?

What am I alluding to anyway?  Stick around, this is going somewhere….I think.

I went to see Owl City the other night in Manchester.  Not a bad gig, quite good in fact.  But the interesting thing here is Adam Young the originator of Owl City.

Adam was working at a Coca Cola warehouse and was suffering from insomnia.

He pushed his energies into recording in his parents’ basement and from there placed his work on MySpace and is now on the verge of something quite big – he is already signed and touring the world.

What got me is that ten years ago – broadband  BC – Adam would have had to impress a record label and gig incessantly to achieve success, struggle perhaps for years.

Here is an example one of many perhaps – where someone has had the tools to take their destiny in their hands (if that doesn’t sound hackneyed).

Adam could build his reputation online until the decision makers of the world took note.  He could take control.

I am waxing lyrical.  But when I graduated many years ago I had a CV to impress, something that could be easily binned without consideration – and why should it be any other way?  It offered little at first.

Now we can build reputations and relationships online.  The human element is important, but we can make a start.

Graduates trying to break into highly competitive careers at a time of high youth unemployment might feel  like giving up – save yourself the pain.  I did, at first.

But is it possible that you could be proactive:

• blog about your career aspirations, and your chosen profession – show off your insight, or at least build it
• read decision makers’ blogs and leave intelligent comments – and when the time is right ask for a meeting, not an interview
• use twitter to initiate conversations with key parties

• and no harm on going on LinkedIn to find out who the decision makers are

If you can and have an idea why bother with decision makers?  What is the worse that can happen?  You fail at 22!  Who couldn’t forgive that if you have conducted yourself  in a manner that is honest?

Why not create your job?  Find a gap in the market, a need and fill it.  Where can you add value?  Alright, not so easy, but it can be done.

Be creative, do research.  The world is more diverse in terms of opportunities and services needed.  There needn’t be the barriers to entry for newer professions.  Who would have thought of being an SEO professional 10 years ago? – not many at all.

We have to accept that there might not with jobs for us.  We have to see if we can do it ourselves.

It is hard.  But anything in life worth doing is hard.  Yes, I don’t have to take my own advice.  But I did when I said – and others who supported told me – “you can do it for yourself.”

Adam Young did it – there is no reason why many, many others cannot do it in many, many fields.

Blogs are the most taxing of social media because it requires commitment and writing skill – intonation, use of words, structure all count.  I must have spent many valuable hours researching material and writing up, time that many would have not done.

So what have I learnt – am I a better professional, can I hold my head up high?

I can say that I am a publisher – I am sure I can say that without any fear of serious rebuke.

And with that perhaps I have more of an appreciation of traditional and online media.

Perhaps I am a better writer.  I know when I look at my earlier posts from an aesthetic and editorial point of view I can see I have improved.  I don’t actually want to look at my earlier entries like someone that looks at their earlier creative work with a little disdain although some are good pieces.

(I admit that having no sub-editor typos do occur: my constant apologies).

I can as one of the first PRs in the region to blog (that I am aware of) I can say that I am able to present myself as someone with an appreciation of social media; I can offer training and guidance with confidence because I have proof of my commitment and application.

I have also, far from dampening my enthusiasm, enjoy writing more than ever.

Return On Investment? – many would have not contemplated writing a blog on that score had they known.  Yes, I have had pitches from it, one from a very substantial enterprise.  I have helped colleagues and causes I believe in.  I have built relationships.  These things count as ROI for me.

I think that if I had just a static site then perhaps I would not have improved – I think I have though.

Despite peaks and troughs in enthusiasm I am, at present, keen to use my channel to express my views as I want.

A little credit to Simon Wharton for making me blog although at times I cursed you for it.

DebRA is a charity devoted to finding a cure for a terrible skin afflication called Epidermolysis Bullosa.  More about the condition.

Have a look at this film about sufferer Jonny Kennedy – a real inspiration.

This is a very rare inherited condition that results in blisters, internally and externally, at the slightest knock.  Many sufferer develop skin cancer early.  The pain and restrictions on normal living are tremendous: changing dressing can take many painful hours.

I am giving some of my time to helping promote a dinner that deBRA is having in a month’s time.

The dinner has Michale Portillo speaking.  The event is now half full, but the organisers want to be sure of filling the remaining seats.  (I believe it is £450 per table of 10). The charity has some notable household names in addition to Michael.

The brief

The event should fill, but Tony one of the organisers is extra keen to put this to rest.  If the night is a success it will act as a platform for more – it will give the charity a real impetus.  So he is looking for ideas.

But more than that, the work of DebRA is not well-known.  The brief is flexible if it can get DebRA a higher profile.

All creative ideas welcome – something more than a charity run or jumping out of a plane – let your imagination run wild.

And you don’t have to be a PR to help – I also want to show how online interaction can work

Please leave ideas in the comment box!!!!