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When will Skype Activate Mobile Video Calling?

Skype Video is coming of age.  You see it everywhere except on your mobile phone.  Skype Mobile works well over the 3G network.  But now it is time to update Skype Mobile with Video Calling.

I have a front facing video mobile phone for over two years.  Unfortunately, I have not been able to make a video call.  After AT&T advertised it Video Sharing, I tried in vain for over two hours trying to get it added to my account.  No such luck!

Mobile Video Calling could be a boom for small businesses, nonprofits, and churches.   

Could the Nokia Skype Deal Activate Mobile Video Calling?

Now back to video for a moment… Video calling usage is low for a few reasons.  First are the data costs, but I think even more importantly is that the service is operator provisioned - at least on the integrated front.  The 3rd party options work, but are also have limiting factors as they require some advanced planning on both sides to make sure everyone has the right applications and connections on either their PC or mobile.  Skype on the other hand is a fairly ubiquitous application and something you can expect to find on the other end of a lot of people’s PCs today.  I’ve even been seeing Skype on national TV lately on Oprah, the Today Show and not a commerical but in actual use as part of the show.  These are programs watched by (again) millions of people who are seeing  Skype in action.  One video call with my parents and they could easily see AND hear (Skype’s voice quality is awesome) the benefits.

Use More Words to Avoid Being Misunderstood

Blogging suffers more from the lack of nonverbal signals.  Why?  Most blog posts are meant to be more informal and casual.  Also, the language is sometimes more colorful.

To avoid misunderstanding, you should explain yourself more.  Just don't make it too long!

"Communication is about 90 percent nonverbal, and so when you communicate in person you have the ability for people to see your heart.  You have the ability to communicate with your face and body language, and that's very effective." The Blogging Church, Five Questions with Perry Noble

Which Way Are You Looking?

If you are like most people, you are more concerned about where you are going instead of where you have been.  As a kid you always asked, Are we there yet?  Today, the same is true.

Churches and nonprofits would do good to cast their vision with their blog.  

"A blog is a natural place to talk about upcoming events.  One main reason people read a blog is to stay current with what's going on at your church.  On a blog, you're not limited to the emotionless reporting of dry facts."  The Blogging Church, Chapter 4

This is NOT Your First Blog

Beware, you would not buy your pre-teenager son a high performance car.  Accordingly, you would not try to duplicate what Mark and his group has done overnight or even over the next two years.  This is the "mother of blogs".

 

What do you think?

 

"Under Mars Hill's TheResurgence.com, there are tens of thousands of pages of free missional theology, including articles and book reviews, along with blogs, podcasts, and vodcasts of sermons, conferences, and classroom messages."  The Blogging Church, Five Questions with Mark Driscoll

The Other Trinity

When you buy a product or service, you want it to be inexpensive, simple to operate, and reflect you.  Blogs are just that and more.

You can not get anymore inexpensive or cheap than free.  You can have a blog for nothing without any strings or annoying commercials or ads.  And for those who want a little more the basic model, the deluxe model cost less than $200 per year.  Also, you only need a browser, a computer, and internet connection.

Blogging software via your browser is easy.  If you know how to type an email document, you have the basic skills.  The basic structure of your blog is your postings (articles, updates, notes, etc.).  To include pictures or image, you just insert them in the post (document).  You are updating your blog with your postings.

Your blog reflect your desires, your concerns, your joys, your vision, your, your, your, ...  Said another way, your blog can be your youth ministry, your small group, or your pastor.  Since it is inexpensive and easy to operate and maintain, you and everyone can have it their way. 

"Blogging allows you to connect and communicate online in a cheap, easy, and personal way." The Blogging Church Chapter 3

Do You Need to Improve Your Communication?

Communication, Communication, Communication!  Communication is not everything.  But communication is near the top of the list of most people and organizations.  I think everyone can agree that communication can be improved.  It is a key to the success of your organization.  Communication is the key to attracting new people and keeping people on board.

 

Blogs support two-way communication.  The old one-way communication model is becoming extinct day by day.  The new and younger generation wants to have their say, two-way communication.  As church congregations grow gray, they will have to adapt.

 

"We have to ask ourselves, if blogging is the solution, what's the problem?  In a word: communication.  Blogging is all about connecting communities through conversation."  The Blogging Church , Chapter 2

The Home of Revelant and Meaningful Content

Content is king!  Coming up with relevant and meaningful content for your blog is a big challenge for most bloggers.  Pastors and church routinely produce weekly content.

Packaging the content could take many forms beyond the traditional written posts, podcasts, or videocasts.  There are 20 types of blog posts according to Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett in their book, ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income.  Some types applicable to a church or pastor's blog: instructional, informational, reviews, lists, interviews, profiles, case studies, comparisons, links, problem, comparison, rants, inspirational, research, collation, prediction and review, critique, debate, hypothetical, satirical, and memes and projects. 

"With blogs, you need an Internet connection, a web browser, and something to say.  Nothing more, nothing less." Chapter 1, The Blogging Church

Your First Step in Creating a Social Media Strategy

John Madden played football.  To be a coach, you must have played the sport.  And most coaches were not superstar players necessarily.

To develop a social media strategy, it makes sense to know how to use social media.  You do not have to be an expert but you should have a good working knowledge of social media. 

NP Communicator » Blog Archive » Social Media for Beginners.

So, first step in creating a social media strategy is to use social media yourself. As an individual. Watch, listen, participate. Second step is to mix your organization into social media. But that is a second step.

But Everybody is Doing It

Many will try it but only a few will make it!

Which is more important, qualified people or passionate people?  Without a doubt, it is qualified people.

Technology will easily mask impassionate people.  But you have to be qualified to know how to engage the technology.

Being Peter Kim: Social Media Predictions 2009.

"Although it is now cheaper to launch an initiative leveraging Web 2.0 technology - it requires qualified and passionate people to make them successful." - David Armano

Is This Your Face to the World?

You probably belong to a number of groups or organizations in the real "brick and mortar" world.  As most everyone, these groups are moving to the virtual "social media" world.  However, most are going there without any plan, strategy, or goals.

Here's a real life case in point that just happened to me today.

Thanks Woody, I'm not quite sure what we do with this group through LinkedIn, any suggestions? I'm in donor relations for XYZ covering the midwest. I've heard good things about your group at ABC.

 

Who's at fault?  Me, the customer; the donor relations person; or LinkedIn?  I am sure this happens too often but maybe not to this extent.  It should not happen.