But aren’t social networks the premier way to communicate these days: cheap, immediate, and accessible to just about everyone? True, but the majority of what I see now is hype and hustle. Here’s what I mean:

• Become a fan (usually of somebody I’ve never heard of)
• Listen to my podcast
• Attend my group’s meeting, seminar, or webinar
• Read my article or press release and comment on it
• Take this poll about my business or industry segment
• Click on the link that demonstrates how much I know about the subject

Notice how much of this is “I” focused. I suspect these posters don’t realize the total impression they’re making. By sending stuff about their businesses to everybody on their Friend, Twitter, or LinkedIn lists, they’ve ignored the principle of targeting. The time-tested idea of providing information only people who have a real interest in it is becoming a lost art.  But no matter how much capability technology provides, those who fail to target fail to communicate.

Bottom line: The fact that I’ve accepted your invitation to connect doesn’t mean I want to hear about your business 10 times every day.

 These days simplicity in language is heading out the window. Recently, the Denver Post ran an article on “immunotoxicants.” These, according to the article, are toxic chemicals that weaken our immune systems. Immunotoxicants? I can think of several perfectly good words for conditions that weaken our immune systems such as carcinogen or allergen. We don’t need a six syllable nonsense word in their place.

What’s the deal with the word “vacation?” We used to know it as a way to describe a getaway. This weekend I read about “mancations” which are vacations for men only. Earlier this year when the economy went south we heard about “staycations,” which are vacations that involve staying in town and touring local attractions. It’s hard to believe the concept of vacation has become so complex that we need a host of ways to describe it.

Language can and should evolve as society does. Terms like Google, blog, and scapbooking have gained meaning and legitimacy because they describe activities most of us understand. They don’t obfuscate; they illuminate. That’s what language should do.

Or, as Marty would say, “eh.”

 I recently had this experience when switching my website from Yahoo Small Business to  Apple’s MobileMe. This move was necessary because I built my new site in iWeb, which is Mac software for creating websites. Ftping it to Yahoo was a hassle; switching to Apple’s service would make my life easier.

You would think that forwarding my site to another host would be straightforward. You would be wrong. To make it happen I needed to change my service from small business hosting to domain registration. 

I called Yahoo and was connected to an agent who spoke with a heavy accent. I couldn’t understand her so she kept repeating her statements. We came to a communications impasse. At one point she made a very telling remark: “Why can’t I make you understand me?”

Eventually the agent got someone on the line who spoke better English. He was able to explain the situation and outline the steps needed to solve it. The call took 45 minutes and involved two agents plus a customer.

Here’s the thing: companies think they’re saving money by hiring agents with substandard English skills. They’re not. A single agent with acceptable English could have handled this call in half the time. My experience as a customer would have been considerably better. The brand message? I don’t know; I can’t understand them.

 One of my favorite sites for humor is Business Pundit’s Ten Worst Job Interview Questions  Ever. These range from “What interests you about our company?” to “How do you define sexual harassment” to the ever popular “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Even funnier are the many comments posted by job seekers whose experiences make these questions sound tame.

I had my own bizarre interview experience. A manager asked me how I handled on-the-job stress. I replied that I liked to go outside a for a walk, perfectly feasible in the company’s trendy downtown neighborhood. My interviewer then told me she liked to lie down on the floor of her office and relax and proceeded to demonstrate her technique. I couldn’t wait to get out of there.

There’s a wealth of political humor chronicling the antics of our two presidential candidates. JibJab’s “Time for Some Campaigning” video skewers each side  with clever music, lyrics and images. While this one debuted a few months back, it’s one of the best political satires around.

Highbrow and lowbrow: I don’t know how they do it day after day but The Daily Show with Jon Stewart consistently delivers some of the sharpest takes on currently events, from “Indecision2008″ to “Clusterf#@k to the Poor House.” On the opposite end of the spectrum is Comedy Central’s “Blue Collar Comedy” with Jeff Foxworthy (“you might be a redneck if…”), Bill Envall, Larry the Cable Guy (“git-R-done”) and Ron White. If these guys can’t make you laugh, nobody can.

It’s true the price of gas is going down but the economic news is likely to get worst before it gets solidly better. Mark Twain had it right: “Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place.” Ain’t it the truth.

 Anyway, in the midst of all the gloomy economic news there are some bright spots. People are  going out of their way to help each other out. Here’s what happened to me last week:

• A women I interviewed for information about her job emailed me with news about a job board in her industry. She’s got a ton of things to do but had time to pass along good advice to someone she’s never even met.
   
• A friend and fellow member of a group for independent professionals is doing free photography for those of us who need head shots.
   
• Another group member is a senior Mac consultant. He’s offered free advice anytime we need it.
   
• Two people have sent me leads for real, honest-to-goodness jobs.
   
• I followed up with a company to whom I’d sent a resume several weeks earlier. I received a courteous and prompt reply and will interview with them later this week.

Is it coincidence that all this has transpired during a week when Congress passed the biggest financial bailout in history and the Dow is diving ever lower? I don’t think so. If there’s a silver lining here, perhaps it’s a gradual shift in focus from our own concerns to helping other members of our community. I’d like that, wouldn’t you?

Deloitte

Professional services firms had the unenviable task of differentiating themselves from competitors who provide similar services. Thought leadership – showcasing a company’s intellectual capital – is an effective technique and Deloitte is master of the game.

Take a look at Deloitte’s website and you’ll find thought-provoking articles on a wide range of topics. Their Insights section contains case studies, books, the company’s magazine and other resources. The site is well organized and the writing is terrific with eye-catching headlines like “The Chemistry of Talent” Find Your Formula.” These people get it big time. I’d love to work for them.

MarketingSherpa

I look forward to Monday mornings when MarketingSherpa’s newsletter arrives. This research firm offers what it calls Practical Case Studies and Know-How on business-to-business and consumer marketing; online publishing; and email, search and online marketing. their content is lively and offers the best thinking on contemporary marketing topics. I save many of their articles and share them with colleagues.

Crutchfield

Crutchfield’s message is simple and powerful. This electronics products retailer wants to be your source for selecting, installing and using audio and video products. Their catalog and website are well written but their expertise is what makes Crutchfield a standout. These folks know just about everything about the items they sell and they’ve got a highly satisfied customer base to prove it.

I can personally vouch for the quality of their phone support. I purchase a received and speakers from Crutchfield and needed to hook them up to my TV, DVD player and cable box. It did not go well. The Crutchfield folks did extensive troubleshooting and stayed on the phone with us for two hours until we got everything working perfectly. When these people say they’ll be your trusted advisor for electronics products, they mean it.

The Message: First, build a great business. Great content will follow.

 This particular ad for a grant writer is unusual because it is 1,327 words long. I am not making  this up. This potential employee will need to demonstrate competencies in the following 25 areas: problem solving, project management, analytical skills, customer service, interpersonal skills, teamwork, written communications, change management, leadership, quality control, business acumen, cost consciousness, ethics, organizational support, adaptability, punctuality, dependability, initiative, initiative, innovation, judgment, motivation, professionalism, quantity, and safety. In the interest of brevity, I’ve excluded the supporting details.

Ironically, this job description doesn’t mention being able to leap tall buildings at a single bound or being able to walk on water. It’s also interesting to note that Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address was less than 300 words. Wonder what he knew that these windbags don’t.

Employers also communicate by their behavior during the hiring process. Liz Ryan, an HR professional and New Millennium Workplace Expert, writes a column for BusinessWeek online. A recent entry lists six questions from potential employers that should send a candidate running in the opposite direction. These include asking for references or a Social Security number early in the process; asking candidates to complete a questionnaire before being asked to interview; asking candidates to travel on short notice; not being allowed to meet the team; and having all communications funneled through the HR person.

The Message: Companies communicate with both their written content and their actions. If a hiring situation smells fishy, do you want to take the bait?

Welcome to Content and Common Sense. This is the place for down-to-earth, no bullshit talk about what we read and hear.

These days there’s a lot of talk about content being king, what with all the websites and blogs and tweets around. But what is great content? It’s a little like pornography in that it’s hard to define. Still, as Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said, “I know it when I see it.”

What’s the big deal about content? A whole lot if you want to connect, inform, persuade, teach, inspire or even run for president. You’ve got to say something of substance. the Denver Egotist‘s  Rant column recently addressed the subject with a piece called “If All Ads Were Political Ads.”

There’s some outstanding content on the web. One example is All Things Digital, a compilation of columns by Wall Street Journal reporters who cover technology. The leading light there is Walter Mossberg who has covered technology for years. Walt’s product recommendations and insights are written in language anybody can understand. His recommendations convinced me to buy a MacBook Pro rather than a Windows Vista machine. I haven’t regretted it.

On the other end of the spectrum are the corporate sites filled with brochureware, the same PR hype and puffspeak that fill up so many printed pieces. You’ll recognize it by phrases like, “In today’s fast-paced high tech world” and “our employees (or customers) are strategic assets.” Huh? Who writes this stuff?

About common sense: I have a lot of it but see plenty of examples where it has completely left the building. I’ll blog about that, too.

See you soon.