Tweet Tweet: Real Time Snap Shots in 140 Charecters or Less

Micro blogging has gained so much traction in 2008 among hipsters, techies and even business professionals. For anyone unfamiliar with the concept, Wikipedia defines micro blogging as this:

Micro-blogging is a form of blogging that allows users to write brief text updates (usually 140 characters) and publish them, either to be viewed by anyone or by a restricted group which can be chosen by the user. These messages can be submitted by a variety of means, including text messaging, instant messaging, email, MP3 or the web.

I've recently become an avid user of the most popular micro blogging site, Twitter. Users of this service create a very brief profile, build a network of their contacts and friends and 'follow' their feeds to receive updates on their contacts updates throughout the day.

A set limit of 140 characters or less for any given message, forces users to keep their messages, or 'Tweets' to a short and manageable length. Users have the ability to target their Tweets towards any of their followers, both on the public forum and via private messages.

So, is micro blogging really viable as a business communication tool? In my opinion, absolutely! Here are a few of the benefits that I have reaped since opening my Twitter account:

Real Time Snap Shots Professionals have busy days. That's a given. Micro blogging allows followers to continuously capture snap shots of your contacts' daily activities .

And because of the manageable nature of of the message length, updates can be sent and read in a matter of seconds. As compared to the amount of time it takes to update a traditional blog post, or even reach out to a contact via email, this concept becomes a very attractive options to the 'movers and shakers'.

Manageable Reading
On the side of the readers, micro blogging allows users to consume small amounts of relevant information, including links to other websites, articles, blogs, et al., without the need for a significant time investment. I've personally found that while I have to consciously block out time every day to read up on my favorite online information sources, I keep my Twitter page open all day long, checking it a few times per hour for updates.

Open Dialog
One thing that has stood out to me occurs every morning when I log on to Twitter for the first time of the day. Users typically announce their log on to the network with a good morning message. Other users typically reply to the greeting welcoming them into the day's discussion.

Open dialog between large networks of people continues throughout the day, and the benefits become evident.

Here's a case example. Yesterday I was scheduled to attend a meeting for a start up technology company I am working on. I was going to be a few minutes late, and no one was answering their cell phones. From my iPhone, I used the Twiterlator Mobile application to access my account, and Tweet my current location and estimated time of arrival. All of my group members all responded immediately, which saved me the embarrassment of an explanation.

All in all, I see a long and vast future for micro-blogging applications. Twitter is one of the first to gain significant adoption, but as always, other similar types of networks will appear in the coming months.

And finally - would you like to follow me on Twitter?

A Short Follow Up on SlideRocket

Recently I posted an article on a new presentation software that I've fallen in love with. I'd like to send a cheers to my friend and entrepreneur, JP Adams, for turning me on to this great FastCompany interview with Mitch Grasso, Founder and CEO of SlideRocket.

This flash application is one of the coolest web services that I've seen developed in the last year. The official launch is slated for this July.

Unplugging Again at Bonaroo 2008

I've been waiting to see one of my all time favorite bands in concert for nearly 10 years now.

Pearl Jam will be headlining at Bonaroo this year. My wife Amy and I, along with four of our best friends, will be leaving early Thursday morning for a long awaited adventure to a 700 acre farm in Manchester, TN.

I really can't think of a better way to get away from the crazy demands of corporate life. There's something about and excuse to be outside and completely unplugged from meetings, email and conference calls. Being outdoors always lifts me up for a recharge.

We'll be joined by more than 75 thousand other music fanatics, all eager to enjoy the hot weather, cold beers, fantastic artists, and the company of complete strangers, who over a weekend, will become familiar friendly faces.

Joining the show this year will be a variety of acts including SuperDrag, Dark Star Orchestra, Willie Nelson, Metallica, Chris Rock, DJ Tiesto, B.B King, Jack Johnson, Talib Kwali, Yonder Mountain String Band, O.A.R. and a play bill full of many others.

Enter The Marketers
It's no wonder that with the popular acts above and a crowd of thousands of voluntary captive men and women, the event attracts a huge number of corporations, looking to tap into the Millennial ad Boomer demographics.

Via the website and mailing list, I've been receiving pre-event promotional offers and alerts, directing I and my friends to take part in just about every creation of an out of home promotion you can conjure up. Sponsor companies including at&t, Xbox360, Sobe, Jansport, Nokia will be out in full force to create brand awareness and capture names for their database.

Bonaroo is truly the place to be in June. I'll have a report with observations of the best marketing ideas at the show when we return...

But for now, here's a 2007 Bonaroo performance by another one of my favorite bands, Tool. See you next week!