We welcome Two Ten to the South Metro Biz Community!

We had the pleasure of attending the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce Red Ribbon Welcome to Two Ten located at Aspen Grove. It's a place to be, well, fabulous and because owner Tina Colburn is a Longhorn, we doubly recommend Two Ten!

As video is worth thousands of words, check it out for yourself!



Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"

Social Marketing and the Zac Brown Band

This past Friday I took part in a session on Social Media Marketing with a special "Meet-up" group that is part of the South Metro Denver Area Chamber of Commerce. Everyone knows about Social Media, many don't know how to execute it or whether it's right for their business. It was a good discussion.

Last night we attended the Zac Brown Band concert at Red Rocks. To be honest, we left around 11pm and the band was still going strong almost three hours into their show. I wish the concert had proceeded the Meet-up because I would have had a great case study on the use of Social Media to share with my colleagues.

Prior to the band taking the stage, there were announcements on the big-screen monitors letting fans know the show would be streamed live on the band's website and to share the link with their friends.

PDA's and cell phones came flying out of thousands of pockets with people texting or posting the link on Facebook and Twitter. It was the next best thing to being there.

What the band did, was make use of their fanatic fan base as brand ambassadors. They knew what companies like Ford and other corporate giants know, that their customers are their best ambassadors for the brand. When Ford launched their re-designed Explorer, they launched it on Facebook.

So what about your small business on Main Street? Get yourself a Flip-Cam and the next time a customer says kind things about your product or service, ask them if they'd mind saying it on camera. Then post it on YouTube. If they're a little shy, offer them a discount coupon the next time they visit your store.

It's incredibly easy to post videos on YouTube and other social networking sites, and it doesn't have to be fancy. Good enough, is just that, good enough. Once you have the video up, post the link to your own website. Build a video gallery of customer testimonials.

If it works for the Zac Brown Band and Ford, it can work for you.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"

BEVO Blog: Austin Weekend

Last weekend we had the good fortune to be in Austin, TX for the home opener between the 'Horns and the Pokes. Texas won 34-7 but it was the weekend itself that was most memorable. From cupcakes on Congress to meeting old friends in the Oval at the LBJ Library to eating mass amounts of "Q at the Salt Lick, it was a grand weekend.

Being a firm believer that a picture is worth often times more than a thousand words, here's a look back at a wonderful time.



Root for your team this weekend and HOOK'EM!

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"

Good Customer Service Ain't Brain Surgery.

When it comes to airline travel, service not size, matters. That's the point of this story from USAToday. It's no surprise that Southwest, JetBlue and Frontier top the list in customer satisfaction. The "Big" carriers like US Airways, United, Delta and American are at the bottom. Deservedly so. Old planes, cranky crews and money gouging.

I wasn't surprised. My wife and daughter recently flew Southwest and when I met them at baggage claim they raved about the customer experience. Certainly no charge for bags and the quick and efficient boarding process helped, but for them the flight itself was fun.

Southwest is known for often times humorous pre-flight announcements. I mean, how can you be serious when demonstrating to people how the seat belt works? Insert and click. It ain't brain surgery so why treat it as such?

During climb-out after takeoff the cabin crew started tossing snacks down the aisle. Passengers were urged to grab, share or pass further down the aisle.

When they taxied up to the gate, one cabin attendant kept passengers posted as to how close they were getting. "We're almost there....just a little bit more....just inches away...." then when the familiar "Ding" tone came when they were at the gate this announcement:

"GET OUT!"

The next time you're at baggage claim, take a moment to listen if anyone is talking about the actual in-flight experience with enthusiasm. They're likely Southwest passengers.

Another thing that makes Southwest stand out is they make a profit year-in and year-out. There are lots of reasons for that, not the least of which is they're a well-managed airline. They fly the same type of aircraft fleet-wide, have mastered efficiency and marketing and most of all they understand the most basic of business principles: Good Customer Service.

What a concept. You are now free to move about the country.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversations about you"

Best to keep your pants on

"A lie gets half-way around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on"-Winston Churchill.

Sir Winston had a way with words, and while he said this during a decidly analog time, it's worth remembering in this digital age where mis-information moves at the speed of light.

The great thing about the Internet is everyone has access to it. The bad thing about the Internet is everyone has access to it. Most importantly there is no fact-checking on the Internet.

All this came up in an interview I did this morning for an article about social media. Many people ask me how to get a CEO to sign-off on committing to social media. Frankly, if they don't the company will either go out of business, lose business or have a competitor using social media take it away from you.

If they don't buy into that argument, think in these terms. In this digital world and when a lie about you or your business is making its way around the world, think of social media as not taking your pants off in the first place.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"

Here's to old friends part two.

(With "Uncle Walter" at a Radio-Television-Digital News Association event in the 1990's)


When we went to the Austin, TX this past weekend the first order of business was the Texas-Wyoming game followed by eating enormous quantities of "Q at the Salt Lick. Mission accomplished.

It was a side trip however to the LBJ Presidential Library that provided both surprises and special memories. I blogged yesterday about meeting two old friends, Senator Alan Simpson (ret) and Governor Mike Sullivan (ret) of Wyoming.

The Presidential Library currently features an exhibit honoring legendary reporter and CBS News Anchor Walter Cronkite. Cronkite is a UT-Austin Alumnus, starting his legendary career in Austin. Cronkite was voted "The most trusted man in America" and reported on arguably the most important stories of the 20th century. When President Kennedy was assassinated, we turned to Walter Cronkite. From the Vietnam War to men first landing on the moon, it was the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite that was the newscast of record.

I was blessed to have known Walter Cronkite. It started when I was graduating from high school and sent him a letter asking for advice as to what courses to take in college to prepare for a career in journalism. I never thought he'd write back but he did.

Many years later, as a television news director, I was at an industry event in New York. Seated at the head table sitting next to Governor Mario Cuomo, I looked out on the crowd and saw Cronkite. I went over and introduced myself, finally having the opportunity to thank him personally for his letter and advice. I remarked it was him, and not me, who should be at the head table. He told me he was far happier to be out in the crowd. Typical Walter.

A few years later our paths crossed again at the Radio-Television-Digital News Association Paul White dinner where the picture at the top of the blog was taken. This time we both got to sit at the head table! A few years after that, Walter was visiting my station in Phoenix promoting his book, "A Reporter's Life" which he autographed for me along with the picture taken of us earlier.

Walter Cronkite was simply the most gracious and humble of men. He always knew he wasn't the story. He covered the story. That's the way it was for Walter Cronkite and should be today.

Here's a short video of just part of the wonderful exhibition at the LBJ Presidential Library.



Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversations about you"

Here's to old friends.

(L-R) Brian Olson, Senator Al Simpson, Gov. Mike Sullivan, Ronda Olson
(Photo: Brea Olson)

A great weekend in Austin, TX was capped off my a surprise encounter with some very respected friends from Wyoming. We were touring the LBJ Presidential Library at the University of Texas-Austin prior to the Texas-Wyoming game. One of the terrific exhibits is a recreation of the Oval Office. We noticed some familiar faces, Senator Alan Simpson (Ret) and Governor Mike Sullivan (Ret) of Wyoming.

When I was News Director at KGWN-TV in Cheyenne from 1986-1994 it was my good fortune to cover and get to know both these gentlemen. Simpson is a Republican, Sullivan a Democrat. That doesn't mean a lot in Wyoming where elected officials put their constituents first and their personal ambitions second. We need more of that these days. A lot more.

Simpson continues to serve the nation. He is co-chairing the Debt Reduction Commission. Let's hope Washington listens. Governor Sullivan went on to serve as Ambassador to Ireland. Both were frequent visitors to the real Oval Office. So far in life I'll have to settle for the museum version.

Seeing both again was a highlight of a great day in Texas, and a reminder that good and decent public servants still exist. You just have to find them, or at least run into them when you least expect it!

Have a great week ahead everyone.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversations about you"