Last January we decided to create 52 videos in 52 weeks, and somehow managed to pull it off. The reason for doing it? We preach to our clients all the time about creating lots of valuable video content as a means to increase digital footprint, so we wanted to feel what it was like to walk in their shoes and adhere to a strict schedule for one year. (It’s tough, but doable.)

When I put the Flip Cam in Hillary’s hands and leave the office, entertaining videos happen. And traffic to our blog increases 1000%. Lesson learned: Put her in charge of all videos in 2010.

For our 52nd video we turned over directing duties to John Pemble. Over the past year he interviewed us a few times for an Iowa Public Radio story, and along the way he grabbed a bunch of footage and graciously compiled it together (above). John asked us about how our business has shifted, competition, and trends in the industry.

So there you have it. Thanks everyone for a great 2009 – it was a blast!

What will you be creating in 2010?

On December 3rd I tweeted this:

Amazed by those who shoot themselves (and their biz) in the foot, over and over again. Relationships and reputation come first, people.

Today I wanted to expand upon this thought, as it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot in 2009. I’ve seen this happen countless times, regardless of the individual’s age, experience level and profession.

Reputation and relationships are the building blocks of any business, and if you can’t remember these fundamentals, you are absolutely doomed.

Here’s a not-so-hypothetical situation we came across earlier in the month. Hillary and I were in a meeting with a prospective client, and they specifically mentioned a few disparaging Twitter posts that a local businessperson had made about them months earlier. The company remembered every detail, down to the specifics of this person’s Twitter avatar, and one of their team members stated “doesn’t this person realize they might be in a position to do business with us some day?”

Translation: Every person you meet and every relationship you forge is a potential business opportunity, or at the very least, a connection that can benefit you down the road. Today, with self-publishing tools like Twitter and blogs, our voices have amplifiers with unlimited reach. So, if you’re in business for yourself or publicly representing someone else’s business, use these tools wisely. Everyone you haven’t met yet is now potentially your audience. And, oh yeah, Google remembers everything.

Just to be clear, I think it’s awesome that social technology platforms have given consumers a louder voice and direct contact with companies, bypassing the old gatekeepers. You have every right to expect good service, and you have every right to gripe online if you got ripped off or treated poorly. But this post isn’t about the tools, nor is it aimed at the Pizza Hut customer who just got a cold pizza. This is about being a grown-up, professional businessperson and acting like one.

Your reputation is with you for the long haul. Consider that the next time you feel the urge to call someone out or ignite a flame war online. Today’s social tools give us immediacy, but also they tend to disrupt our self control. Think about the tone of your post — would you say it the same way if you were face-to-face with that person or company in real life? What’s the end result you’re expecting by making the post? Can it be achieved by picking up the phone or firing off an email and respectfully asking “Hey, what’s going on with this? I have some concerns.”

Again, you have the tools and freedoms to create whatever digital assets you want. These assets form the foundation (positive or negative) of your online presence, which will inevitably be seen by potential employers and clients. How will you be perceived? The answer is firmly within your control.

I’ve spent most of this post talking about digital relationships, but of course your IRL ones matter, too. If you’re rude, obnoxious, disrespectful and generally unlikeable in person, other human beings won’t want to do business or even interact with you. Plain and simple. Your competitors will pick up on this immediately and eat your lunch.

Look, I’m not saying you need to censor yourself or neuter your personality. I’m talking about using common sense when dealing with other people, online and off. We’ve all made these mistakes. I’ve made them. Be helpful, decent, and keep those doors open instead of closed.

Image credit: Despair.com

This morning we said thanks for a great 2009 by buying coffee for anyone who showed up at Mars Cafe between 8:00 and 9:00. What a great way to close out the year — a cozy café, hot coffee and good friends. Thanks to everyone who dropped by! Below are some video highlights.

Stop by Mars Cafe tomorrow (Tuesday) morning between 8:00-9:00 and we’ll buy you a cup of coffee. It’s our way of saying thanks for being an amazing community and doing your part to foster its growth in 2009. For those of you trudging to the office or mall tomorrow, hopefully this will start your Tuesday off the right way — warm and highly-caffeinated.

So drop in, say hello, ask us for the secret password, and your coffee drink is on us. Happy holidays, and we’ll see you at Mars!

Photo by clspeace via Flickr.

Here’s something different for this week’s video. We’re 50 episodes into our Area 52 video series, so it’s time to get creative, right? We shot various components of our day and attempted to stitch them together into some narrative form, which you can view above. Inspired by our friend John Pemble’s work on 12seconds.tv, each clip is only three seconds long. (John is a master at short-form storytelling.)

Today’s video and self-publishing tools are easy and affordable, so there’s no reason you can’t get into it. What sorts of creative things have you done with video lately?

On November 19th, Foursquare (a location-based social network) announced it was adding 50 more cities to the service. Unfortunately, Des Moines wasn’t on the list. Thus, it’s time to make some noise.

Here’s what we’d like you to do. Create a video response to my YouTube video above, telling the Foursquare team exactly why you want the service to come to DeMo. Be sure to shoot it inside or outside your favorite coffee shop, restaurant, bar, office, etc. (whatever venue you know you’ll be the Mayor of).

If our community creates enough videos, we might just get noticed. Don’t forget to include the words Foursquare and Des Moines in the YouTube tags and title. Visit YouTube’s help section if you need assistance posting your video response. A direct link to my video can be found here.

For those readers asking “Huh? What’s this Foursquare thing you speak of?” — it is a location-based social network that you use to “check in” at your favorite haunts (with your GPS-enabled mobile device) and compete with your friends over who visits more often. If that’s you, you become the “Mayor” of that location. Foursquare’s creators refer to the service as 50% friend-finder, 30% social cityguide and 20% nightlife game.

Currently I’m the Mayor of a martini bar in Indianapolis, but I’d much rather be battling my Des Moines friends over Mayorship of venues here in town. So let’s get started on those videos, folks. If you’re too shy to create one, you can demand Des Moines as a Foursquare city using this form.

Lights, camera — action!