Greg Swan

February 6, 2010 • 7:51 am 0

TSA found our kilo of baby food

Just opened our suitcase and found this little prize. We’re so busted, man.

February 5, 2010 • 12:43 am 2

Forget Chaska.net wi-fi, let’s go fiber

Today I was quoted in this Chaska Herald story about Chaska.net today.

Chaska was one of the first U.S. cities to offer city-wide wi-fi, and the articles goes in-depth on the history and technical upgrades that got the network where it is today.

When we moved to town 17 months ago, we were willing and eager to try out the service. Unfortunately, as my comments in the paper indicate, our experience with Chaska.net was it was too slow and not accommodating for a net-savvy household (3 computers, DirecTV, Wii, iPhone — all requiring Web access – often at the same time). We live across the street from a tower and used an external antenna, but if you want to download movies and music, upload pictures or Skype with a friend, you’re not going to want DSL’s kid brother for service.

Beyond speed, you 1) can’t use routers to share the net with devices like DVR and video gaming systems, and 2) can’t use a router to have more than one compute online at once. These are total deal breakers.

Okay, so why does it suck so badly? I thought the article’s history lede summed it up nicely:
Rewind to 2004 – that was before Twitter, back when Facebook was a fledgling operation that few had heard of, and when saying you connected to the Internet using dial-up didn’t get you laughed out of the room.

Okay, so we’re at 2010 and cable internet is adequate for a digital native’s needs. Rather than upgrade all the wi-fi antenna towers, let’s think out six years from now. My idea? Take all that fiber aroudn town and hard wire the fiber direct to every home. Depending on the infrastructure, it could be as fast as 50 Mbps downstream and 10 Mbps upstream and carry hundreds of HD TV channels to every home…like Verizon’s FiOS (full disclosure: I used to do PR for Verizon FiOS, and they are still a client of my employer).

You can’t get FiOS in Minnesota, but I’d love to see civic leaders exhibit the thought leadership that made Chaska a municipal case study for city-wide wi-fi and build the next generation of online infrastructure to handle the bandwidth of technologies and social applications of the future we’ve never considered.

Meanwhile, I want to give major kudos to the Herald for building and maintaining a Facebook community where it leads discussions and adds value that leads to reporting like this story. A comment I left in December was repurposed — with my permission — for the story. Great stuff.

Filed under: Chaska , Chaska, chaska.net, fiber optic, internet, minn, minnesota, mn, verizon fios

February 2, 2010 • 5:28 pm 0

Huffington Post, Good Morning America, National Geographic, Urlesque and more pick up @groundhogphil

It’s safe to say this year’s tweeting as Punxsutawney Phil greatly eclipsed last year’s experience.

With a dramatic increase in followers, more than 1300 retweets and some major news pick-up, I’m pretty thrilled with the response to me posting sarcastic tweets on behalf of a groundhog this year.

Here’s some of the media coverage:

HUFFINGTON POST

Huffington Post wrote about my beloved @GroundhogPhil yesterday afternoon, Punxsutawney Phil: Groundhog Day STAR Shines On Social Networks:

There is also plenty of Twitter activity. Some unofficial Punxsutawney Phil Twitter accounts can be entertaining, such as @GroundhogPhil, who tweeted just moments ago, “You try forecasting underground while asleep, chump,” in response to this tweet: “Prognosticating PunxsutawneyPhil has only been correct 39% since 1887.”

GOOD MORNING AMERICA

And this morning, Good Morning America retweeted the tweet we were all waiting for (to its 1.7 million followers):

Eek! A horrifying shadow! I’m going back to bed. Guess that’s 6 more weeks of winter, chumps!

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

National Geographic Daily wrote Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil Sees Shadow–And Long WinterThis year “immortal” Punxsutawney Phil—supposedly born no later than the 19th century—broadcast his Groundhog Day prediction in some decidedly 21st-century ways…

People interested in Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction also had the option of receiving his forecast by text message or through Twitter.

URLESQUE

Urlesque wrote Meet the Internet’s Social Network-Savvy Groundhogs:

When Minneapolis blogger Greg Swan noticed that Pennsylvania’s most famous rodent doesn’t broadcast his prediction on Twitter, he set up the GroundhogPhil account to help the little guy out. Greg’s since learned that despite a cushy life, Phil is a bit of a curmudgeon:
“Lots of folks think Phil is a cuddly, happy woodland creature, but in actuality, he’s a grumpy, sarcastic little woodchuck who doesn’t appreciate humans pestering him out of his warm burrow. As @groundhogphil’s tweets indicate, life isn’t all grasshoppers and grubs up on Gobbler’s Knob. And that Al Roker better stop talking smack, or he’s going to find himself a Groundhog Day’s surprise.”

PHOENIX NEW TIMES

The Phoenix New Times wrote Punxsutawney Phil “Tweets” About Seeing His Shadow; For Phoenix That’s Probably a Good Thing:

Normally we would rely on morning shows like Good Morning America to broadcast Phil’s findings but this year the groundhog took his message mainstream — he “tweets.”

“Eek! A horrifying shadow! I’m going back to bed,” Punxsutawney Phil “writes” on his Twitter page. “Guess that’s 6 more weeks of winter, chumps!”

Joke’s on you, Phil, you’re only a “chump” if you don’t live in Phoenix.

What a fun run, but I’ll admit I’m glad it’s over. Here’s hoping my alarm clock doesn’t play “I Got You Babe” tomorrow, and we do this day over.

NOTE: If you represent Punxsutawney Phil and/or Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, I will gladly turn over the Twitter account to you. I’m just having some fun, so please shoot me a note.

Filed under: In the News, Me Being Stupid , @GroundhogPhil, Good Morning America, greg swan, ground hog phil, groundhog tweets, groundhog twitter, Huffington Post, National Geographic, phoenix new times, Punxsutawney Phil, punxsutawney phil on twitter, urlesque

January 28, 2010 • 11:40 pm 1

Punxsutawney Phil’s on Twitter, just in time for Groundhog Day

Do you follow @GroundhogPhil on Twitter yet?

Last year around this time I realized there was a huge missed opportunity for promoting Groundhog Day in social media.

So I went ahead and set Phil up with a Twitter account. @PunxsutawneyPhil was one character longer than Twitter allows, so I went for @GroundhogPhil.

To be fair, at the end of last year’s Groundhog Day, I wrote, “If you represent Punxsutawney Phil and/or Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, I will glady turn over the Twitter account to you. I’m just having some fun, so please shoot me a note.” But I never heard from anyone.

This year I’d forgotten about the account until I got a new follower e-mail notification indicating Laura Fitton (@pistachio) was following @GroundhogPhil.

This is hilarious for a couple reason: 1) no one had followed Phil for nearly a year; 2) at SXSW a couple years ago, my friend Nathan and I (virtually) stole Laura’s shoe, and she ended up slapping Nathan; 3) Laura is a Twitter expert and who knows what she thinks of character Twitter accounts.

So I busted out the password reset and started tweeting for Phil again this year. Here are some of my favs so far:

Hugo Chavez reportedly accusing US of testing weapon of mass de-sunshine in Punx, PA to mess with my prediction.6:48 PM Jan 22nd from UberTwitter

Mustache guy just stuck a hose in my burrow attached to his jeep’s exhaust pipe. I think the stress is getting to him.3:24 PM Jan 22nd from web

They say we’re young and we don’t know, We won’t find out until we grow… Babe…I got you babe.. #musicmonday
10:18 AM Jan 19th from web

Winter! I just love hats, coats, mittens AND sniffles! Let’s do this the rest of the year.
8:05 AM Jan 19th from UberTwitter

Moustache guy just dropped off a Snuggie and Mad Men on Blu-Ray. I aint coming out for months.
8:35 PM Jan 18th from UberTwitter

And…. still winter. In your face, people.
8:49 AM Jan 18th from UberTwitter

My prediction: Chuck Norris will get sick of winter and roundhouse kick the earth to tilt its axis and make it summer.
8:30 PM Jan 16th from UberTwitter

Saturday night, and I’m about to prognosticate up some pizza rolls.
4:59 PM Jan 16th from mobile web

A week ago, the tourism folks at VisitPA.com have moved Phil into the 21st century with a sweet text campaign:

Sign up to get a text of Punxsutawney Phil’s Febuary 2, 2010 Weather prognostication from Gobblers Knob via your moble device by texting “Groundhog” to 247365 between now and Groundhog Day.

They have a Facebook Page and @visitpa Twitter account, too. However, they’re both overtly tourism focused and don’t follow through on the social character personality promise of the text campaign.

So I’ve continued tweeting as Phil. Yesterday, on the same day as Apple’s iPad announcement, PETA suggested Phil be replaced by a robot.

So Phil had some fun with it:

@PETA The idea that a robot could predict weather better than a rodent living beneath the ground is simply foolish. #iPhil
about 10 hours ago from web

Moustache guy is pretty shook up about this PETA robot thing. I’m getting a burrow makeover, complete with HDTV and a Wii!
5:08 PM Jan 27th from UberTwitter

Instead of a robotic groundhog to replace me, how about PETA sends over naked Pam Anderson from those anti-fur ads?
9:49 AM Jan 27th from web

And it was a surprise to get an @-reply from @peta!

@GroundhogPhil How lovely 2 hear from u Phil. Hope u get that holiday u deserve! http://ow.ly/11r38
about 11 hours ago from HootSuite in reply to GroundhogPhil

There have actually been quite a few interesting people to strike up conversations with Phil this year. See some of the better ones here.

Okay, so I’m in year two of brandjacking Punxsutawney Phil. As I said last year, this is yet another example of why it’s critical companies, brands and individuals proactively stake out their online reputation.

Meanwhile, I’m not clever or entrepreneurial enough to keep this up. I’m hoping someone will respond to the note below and take it from here. Otherwise, who knows? Perhaps Phil will start speaking Spanish next year.

NOTE: If you represent Punxsutawney Phil and/or Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, I will glady turn over the Twitter account to you. I’m just having some fun, so please shoot me a note.

Filed under: Me Being Stupid, digital reputation management , ground hog, groundhog day, groundhog on twitter, peta, punxatony, Punxsutawney Phil, punxsutawney phil on twitter, punxtawney, punxtawny, sms, text, Twitter, txt, visitpa

January 27, 2010 • 4:01 pm 1

Look Mom, I’m on the Downtown Master Plan Task Force

I’m extremely passionate about downtown Chaska, its businesses and residents. Just last night I got into a 15 minute conversation with Brett, the owner of Tommy’s Malt Shop, about the signage requirements for downtown businesses, the parking issue and lack of riverfront development.

This month I was thrilled to be asked to join Chaska’s Downtown Master Plan Task Force, and I’m happy to report it was approved by the City Council Monday night.

From the Chaska Herald:

Fifteen members of the Downtown Master Plan Task Force were appointed Monday night. The task force will “provide guidance and recommendations to the city as it prepares the downtown master plan.” The group is expected to meet six to eight times over the next eight months.

Following the Dec. 21 kick-off meeting, city staff solicited interest from various stakeholder groups.

The task force members are: Rick Ford (representing the City Council and the Downtown Business Council), Mike Huang (Planning Commission and Commitment to Community), Debbie Boe (Heritage Preservation Committee), Dave Roan (Parks, Arts and Recreation Board), Kevin Norby (Commitment to Community and Downtown Business Council), Dan Keyport (Downtown Business Council and Planning Commission), Adella Pollack (Human Rights Commission and downtown resident), Greg Swan (downtown resident), Brian Betlock (resident), Stacey Harding (resident), Jim Hornecker (development community), John Prodzinski (Chaska business – Ridgeview Medical), Mike Senden (downtown institutions – Auburn Manor), Gary Van Eyll (faith-based community – Guardian Angels), Bob Roepke (faith-based community – St. John’s).

Let the fun begin!

p.s. If you’re interested in what we’ll be working on, here’s a 19 page concept brief on Chaska’s Downtown Revitalization Goals (pdf)

Filed under: Chaska, In the News , Chaska, Downtown Master Plan Task Force, minnesota, mn

January 19, 2010 • 8:52 am 0

I was 19th person to vote for Chaska mayor today

Polls opened at 7 a.m., and City Hall was still eerily quiet at 7:30. This is a special election to replace Chaska’s former mayor, who resigned to take a job with the U.S. Census. There are four names on the ballot, but I get the feeling the race is really between two – Jay Rohe and Mark Windschitl.

Since we are downtown Chaska residents — living in a 120 year-old ouse just outside the historic district but only a half block off mainstreet — the candidate’s plan for downtown was my key voting criteria. Just prior to our move to Chaska, Rohe and the city council pushed a longtime business out with eminent domain — a lot that 3 years later is still an empty field. So there’s little question that my particular concern is the use of eminent domain to turn my neighbors’ homes into parking lots. In fact, it’s already been proposed as part of the Downtown Business Council’s recent recommendation.

I had the opportunity to email some questions back and forth with Windschitl, who explained his view on eminent domain (a necessary tool for city’s to have in their toolbox, but not one to use lightly). It’s not a promise not to bulldoze my house, but spoke louder than a prior ED fail by his competitor. So he got my vote, and I got my first front yard campaign sign and my first chance to coerce my Chaskan coworkers about a local race I care a lot about.

Just hope more folks turn out today. It took less than 4 minutes to be part of democracy today, if that’s any consideration. :)

Filed under: Uncategorized

January 17, 2010 • 12:01 pm 0

Line outside BWW one hour before Vikings game

Skol Vikings?

Filed under: Uncategorized

January 8, 2010 • 4:53 pm 0

Equip and empower your social media manager

I thought this was a very compelling take on the dilemma of social media gurus holding all the keys to/responsibility for social media and the mentality of relying on one person to own a specific communication tool.

Conversation Marketing: Fire your social media manager

Social media is another way to talk to current and potential customers. Like the phone on your desk, or e-mail.

Do you have a single ‘phone manager’ at your office? Probably not (I hope).

Do you have an ‘e-mail manager’ who handles all sending and receiving of e-mail? Again, no.

Everyone uses these tools to do their jobs. It’s part of the routine.

Social media is rapidly becoming the same thing: A tool, not a technique. Your social media manager’s job is not to take the job of online communications away from everyone else. Her job is to help everyone else use it to better help customers and build the business.

It’s so critical to have a wide base of stakeholders involved in the online community for a brand. The hurdles are shorter than our brains think sometimes, which is why it’s great to have one or two social media experts in an organization who can train, lead and fire that starting pistol.

Beyond the person(s) in your organization who has the responsibility, I talk to a lot of clients/organizations about this in the realm of access to social media tools at work, too (e.g., blocking Facebook, YouTube).

Building on this metaphor, we all have telephones at our desks, and we all have e-mail on our computers. As long as your work is getting done, your boss is probably not worried about a personal phone call or a personal e-mail or two. In fact, s/he’s probably counting on you to understand how to use the phone and e-mail system, so a little personal time figuring them out isn’t bad.

The same goes with social media — particularly when your company has online stakeholders. And these days, that’s just about everybody.

Filed under: Social Media , online community manager, social media manager

January 1, 2010 • 6:21 pm 0