Archive for ◊ October, 2008 ◊

I started using Twitter a few months ago while doing research for a company project and quickly became  addicted.  It was not long before I started contributing regularly, following others and being followed.  All good.

When I signed up, I used “web_guy,” a nick-name I was given years ago and have used on various sites and projects.  At the time I was not concerned with the “genericness” of it because I actually wanted to be an unknown.  However, since then I have become much more active.  Not only on Twitter, but also here and a few other sites.

My plan is to move back to New England, preferably Maine, sometime in the next 6-10 years.  It seems fairly obvious to me that the odds of getting a “Wow!” job offer would be improved if people new me, knew my name.  It is after all my “brand.”  If you Google “Jack Leblond,”  most of the top results are actually me.  However, if you Google “web_guy,” only a few of the results are for me.  (That may have just answered the question for me)

So, what do you think I should do on Twitter?

Should I;

1. Stick with what I have built and continue to use “web_guy”
   or
2. Pull a “longhornkate” and change it to my real name?

UPDATE:  I changed my Twitter name

If you are new to Twitter, you may want to look at So you’ve decided to join Twitter…now what?

Being a new Texan, I was just called out by Kate Morris to make sure I was registered to vote; Yes, Kate, I am.  I hate to use the “I’m a Vet” card, but – I am one.  I didn’t serve 10 years in the Navy, protecting and preserving our freedoms, only to ignore one of our most basic, and in my opinion most important duties, voting. You must vote.

Check out this great video, it’s not only entertaining – it’s informative too.  A double whammy for ya today.

Like a chain letter, I feel the need to pass it forward;  folks, you’ve been called out, are you registered?

• Alex Hill – @alexanderhill – http://midlifemanifesto.com/
• Jay Ehret – @themarketingguy – http://themarketingspot.blogspot.com/
• Kivi Leroux Miller – @kivilm – http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/
• Jen Floyd – @fiveforefun – http://fiveforefun.blogspot.com/
• Lucretia M. Pruitt – @GeekMommy – http://geekmommy.net/

With all the hullabaloo about e-marketing, blogs, podcasts, SEO, etc, etc, etc.  We sometimes forget that for a small business, with customers in a fairly concentrated radius; word-of-mouth is often the very best form of advertising there is.  Done correctly, it can cost almost nothing.  Done incorrectly, it can cost you everything.

Click over to The Marketing Spot to find out how my partners and I used word-of-mouth marketing our technology consulting company in the height of the dot-com era.

I enjoyed this dish one night a local Italian place – they may be a franchise, I don’t know.  It was quite tasty and I decided to try and come up with my own version.  It’s not quite as good as theirs, but it was well received at the table, and not too hard to prepare.  As usual, I cheated and bought pre-cut veggies when possible.  Yes, I pay more for them – but my time is worth more to me than the extra I pay. more…