I'm re-reading The Cluetrain Manifesto. The first time I read it I did so with the same personal agenda and bias I approach altogether too many things in life: How can I make a buck off it? (I can't help it, marketing is in my genes.)

But, after a brief email conversation with one of its authors, Doc Searles, I determined I needed to give the book a more honest, reflective, authentic read. It was something he said, a statement in the preface of the book. . .

"We are not seats or eyeballs or end users or consumers. We are human beings and our reach exceeds your grasp. Deal with it."

Though I love people. . .human beans. . .I must admit to having reduced them in my thinking to something less than human. I had reduced them to being "customers." People who exist to help me reach certain goals in life.

So, I am doing a major paradigm shift here; almost a 180. I'm realizing that my relationships with people are not primarily to benefit me. Quite the opposite. I exist to benefit (be a blessing too) them.

I'm reminded of Zig Ziglar's classic motto, "You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."

So, consumers, end users, customers, clients, please accept my humble apology for seeing you as a means to an end. That end being the increase of my bank account, professional stature, ego. You don't exist to serve me. I exist to serve you.

With that in mind let me humbly ask, "How may I serve you?"

I'll let you in on a little secret. . .I'm working on a post called "The Future of Blogging, In Their Own Words." I asked a few questions of some Internet and blogging movers and shakers (some of whom have actually responded. . .an act of generosity for which I am truly grateful) regarding their opinion of the future of this publishing medium.

I would list their names. . .you would likely recognize them. . .but I don't want to let the cat "too much" out of the bag. The post will contain little more than their quotes. Having read them, I can tell you we will all be getting a "post-graduate level education" in what the Internet is really all about, and blogging's role in it.

I'm waiting on a couple of others who indicated they would respond - and am going to harass a few who haven't responded at all - before I post it. It should be up sometime next week.

(BTW, if you feel you qualify as a "mover and shaker," email me at pchaney -at- gmail dot com with your quotes.)

In my fulltime job as Internet marketing manager for a non-profit organization, I occasionally have the privilege of working with an agency called Web Direct Advertising, based in Portland, Maine. I was talking the other day with our account rep, Charles Raines. Jokingly, I suggested, since they were in Maine, that he send me some lobsters. I was kidding, honest.

Well, low and behold, what should appear at my office today but a box with eight (count 'em, eight!) live Maine lobsters! I couldn't believe my eyes! That is the first time anything like that has ever happened to me.

Needless to say, we had a lobsterfest at my house tonight. . .and Web Direct Advertising just got higher up my priority ladder in terms of companies I want to do business with. Thanks, Charles! You're the best!

Most of us think in terms of three tenses: past, present, and future. However, the past is dead. The present, as someone once put it, is like an arrow in flight, ever moving. That leaves only one tense, and it is the future.

There are two ways we can meet that future. We can passively let it come to us, accepting it with a laissez faire, whatever will be, will be attitude. Or, we can invent the future. We can proactively go out and "create" it if you would.

While this approach certainly has personal applications, I think it can be applied to business as well. Whether our past business dealings have been something to rue or to laud is of little consequence. I'm not suggesting we ignore our past, mind you, just that we not live in it.

What are you doing in your small business to invent the future? What marketing decisions do you need to make, or actions do you need to take that will change the stature of your business? Do you need to consider trying pay-per-click ads, or perhaps an opt-in email newsletter as possible new ways to grow your business?

In the crush of the present, it's hard to take time and envision where you want your small business to be in five to ten years. Yet, such a goal-setting exercise is of extreme value. I've set upon that journey for Radiant Marketing, and I encourage you to to the same.

I'm always thinking about the next thing I'm going to do in terms of developing my business, Radiant Marketing Group. Here are some plans that have direct bearing, and one project that has little to do with the business, but is very exciting to me. . .

Click to read more ...

According to eMarketer.com, in an Internet first, prior to announcing it in any other media, John Kerry e-mailed his choice for Democratic Vice President nominee, Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, to over 1 million online supporters. Some correspondents saw this as a sign of the rising importance of the Internet, others saw it as a good PR ploy. In fact, it was both. At least it wasn't Hillary!

My brother, Maj. Alex R. Chaney, serves with the 114th Army National Guard Support Group based out of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. They are currently serving in Kuwait and Iraq.

Today, I received a video he put together honoring the men under his command, as well as another group he served with for several years, the 367th Maintenance Company, based out of Philadelphia, Mississippi, who is serving in Iraq.

It is the most moving tribute to National Guardsmen I have ever seen. I wish every family of every National Guard member regardless of where they serve could see this. The file size is too large to download, else I would make it available online.

My brother is a father of two children, Nathan and Sarah. I know that his heart yearns to be home with them, and his wife Rachel. My heart aches for him.

Suffice it to say, I've never been more proud of my brother, and all our servicemen and women, than I am at this moment. Our nation is forever in their debt. We can sleep in peace tonight knowing they're watching our backs. Let's remember to keep them uppermost in our thoughts and prayers.

Here's my favorite photo of the man I was proud to call my president, done in Jelly Bellies.

I used to get a lot of work done. Then I downloaded MSN Messenger and Yahoo Messenger. Since that time, I spend most of my day IMing fellow workers, friends, family, and a few people whom I have no idea how they got on my list!

Seriously, I downloaded the apps to use at work as a tool to facilitate communication. For a time things went well. Now, these darn things have taken over my life. I can't see my desktop for all the chat windows that are open.

What am going to do about it? Nothing. I figure sooner or later all those other people will get tired of talking to me, or I'll get tired of talking to them.

Up until about 10 minutes ago I had the Calendar archive function on this blog. I've been frustrated with it because you couldn't scroll back through the months to look at older postings. In an email conversation with Rick Bruner he made the comment "Who is really going to search by specific dates like that, aside from you, maybe?" And, you know, he's right!

So, taking his advice I've ditched the calendar and posted weekly linked archives instead (right-hand column further down the page). And, note the search function! (Left-hand column)