The power of we

October 15, 2012

Today is Blog Action Day*.  What does that mean? It means that thousands of bloggers from over 108 countries will come together today to blog on a single topic.  Ironically — this year’s topic is the power of we.

The essence of Blog Action Day, really.

Each blogger shares his/her own slant on the theme…with the hope that together we can raise the consciousness and the conversation on this one topic.

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you know I am a huge proponent of the power of we.  I believe it should be a marketing staple — in every company’s plan/vision for how to connect with potential customers, employees and their community.

Here are some examples that I can point to that every business could modify/borrow and apply to their own marketing efforts:

Crowdsourcing:  Why create it all yourself when you can work together and do something far greater than any one individual could accomplish?  Together with Gavin Heaton, I have co-edited 3 editions of the Age of Conversation book series.

We brought hundreds of marketing bloggers together and asked each of them to write a single chapter in the books.  Together — we created three books that look at how the digital age is changing marketing and our world.  We also promoted the book together — raising over $40,000 for charities around the world.

Could you create a crowdsourcing project with your best customers?  Or invite prospects to join in too.

Give your audience a voice: Once or twice a year, I survey the readers of this blog and ask them what they’d like to know more about. They literally help me create my editorial calendar.  By creating content that lines up with their needs — I not only provide more value but I am also more likely to retain them as readers.  (And potential clients)

Many businesses are afraid to invite customer opinion because they might hear bad things.  I think that’s crazy.  Far better to hear about it and have a chance to either change it or explain it — than not to know until you lose that customer.  If you’re not surveying your best customers every year — you need to.  If you aren’t sure how to do it — reach out to me and I’ll tell you how we can help.

Partner with someone with different skills/talents: Throughout my career, I’ve worked at huge (Young & Rubicam) agencies and small (my own — Mclellan Marketing Group) and realize that one of the best aspects of being in a small agency is that we can’t do everything in house. So we have to seek experts to partner with.  That means we are always delivering the highest value to our clients and we’re getting smarter by hanging out with them too.

Identify an area where your business is a little light or your expertise isn’t as deep. Then go find a partner whose skill sets and values compliment what you’re already doing.  You don’t look like you have a deficiency — you look like you are well connected and are committed to bringing excellence to your clients.

I’m curious — how do you employ the power of we in your business?

 

 

 

*Founded in 2007, Blog Action Day brings together bloggers from different countries, interests and languages to blog about one important global topic on the same day. Past topics have included water, climate change, poverty and food with thousands of blogs, big and small, taking part.

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Age of Conversation 4 — want to be one of our authors?

June 28, 2012

We know… it’s crazy. But Gavin and I are ready to do it again. This time, we’d like Age of Conversation to take on a much more personal tone… how is social media impacting you, your work, your family and your view on life? Your chapter might be as elaborate as a real case study or it might be as simple as your best time saving trick. But it’s about you and how you “do” social.

This time, we’re doing both one and two page chapters. (see below)

Here are the sections for the book:

ONE PAGE CHAPTERS

One page chapters are grouped into “sections” to provide a sense of cohesion to the topics covered. (One page = 400 words or so) This year’s sections are:

Secrets – what is a secret, what is your secret and what are the limits of privacy in the Age of Conversation?
Transparency – what does it mean for a business to be transparent? How do you go about making your brand or business transparent? And what happens if transparency fails?
Authenticity – what does it mean to humanize a brand? What happens when business gets personal and how does so-called “authenticity” impact you on a personal and professional level?
Unexpected Consequences – anything from a painful lesson learned to an unexpected cross the globe friendship. Share your journey in this Age of Conversation
How Do I … – share your tips and tricks on social media. What do you do well and how do you achieve the outcomes you want?

CASE STUDIES – TWO PAGE CHAPTERS

We’d love to have your case studies. (Two pages = 750 words or so) They need to be projects that you have worked on or have been responsible for. You must include measurable results of some sort. We’re not going to get into the whole ROI discussion…but you need to show how it played out. Please don’t propose case studies based on other people’s work.

Want to join in on the adventure with us? We’d love to have you with us!

To sign up —  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dGhydDdoTmVtZXFLT3V0YzY2ampDUlE6MQ

We’ll be closing the sign ups pretty quickly so if you’re serious about writing a chapter — sign up soon!

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Going old school – Yahoo Groups

April 2, 2011

I know that Facebook‘s groups are the rage and I think it’s a dandy tool.  But what if you have a group of people that aren’t heavy Facebook users?

For many years, I’ve used Yahoo Groups whenever I was part of a small group that needed to stay in touch, share files/photos, and by using the designated e-mail address, could talk to everyone at the same time.

I was recently asked how to set up a Yahoo Group and created this step by step PPT presentation.  So I thought I’d share it with you too, in case you want to go old school with me!

 

If you’re having trouble reading the instructions, you can view the slideshow in its full size by clicking here.
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Want to network AND get smarter? Check out these conferences

October 17, 2010

93277987 There's no better way to learn than to mingle with smart people, learn from smart people and share your own smarts.

There are three excellent opportunities to do just that in November.  Check them out.

I Blog Conference — November 5-7 (Perry, IA)

The I Blog Conference was designed to educate and celebrate bloggers in the Midwest. Sessions are filled with useful information from the brightest minds in social media. Whether you're just beginning your journey into blogging and social media or you've been building your brand for years, the I Blog Conference has relevant information for everyone!

The I Blog conference takes at the historic Hotel Pattee in Perry, Iowa; just minutes from Des Moines. You'll be embraced by the charm and history of Perry as you check into one of the 40 tastefully themed rooms and enjoy specially prepared meals from the extraordinary chef at David's Milwaukee Diner. 

 

The Secret Service Summit — November 4 – 5 (Cleveland, OH)

The Secret Service Summit is a 2-day customer service learning experience where 10 speakers, authors and top brand executives from leading national brands, share HOW to evaluate, improve and become a 'World-Class Customer Service organization. Speakers include Dennis Snow from Disney, Amy Mendenhall from Hallmark and Aveda's CEO, among others.

The Ritz-Carlton, The Melting Pot, Progressive Insurance, Zappos.com, Starbucks, Nestle, Goodyear, PNC Bank are some of the bastions of world-class customer service excellence who have participated in the "Secret Service Summit." 

 

The Senior Marketing Executive Conference by The Conference Board — November 9 -11 (NYC)

In 2009, The Senior Marketing Executive Conference was cited as the #1 Senior Marketing Venue Globally; this year’s 2010 conference promises to deliver. You will hear some of the greatest business marketing stories of our time—directly from the leaders. Speakers will include Steve Forbes, Tony Hsieh from Zappos, Shelly Lazarus from Olgilvy, Seth Goldman from Honest Tea and many others.

Day 1 you will hear the presenters focus on 7 focus areas like innovation and social media. Day two will be selected case studies and will wrap up with a panel discussing how to implement the 7 focus areas.

If you'd like a discount to this conference, please use the code DM1 and save $500!

 

 

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Did you miss these? (week of 9/20)

September 27, 2010

Drew_McLellan_servingtray I get so much smarter just by reading what others have to share.  But I always worry that I missed something big. You too? Just in case you missed any of these…I wanted to serve up some of my favorites:

 

Content Marketing: Marketing Profs and Junta42 partnered up to research some content marketing trends, benchmarks and budgets.  Enjoy the double whammy of smart from these two organizations by downloading their research report.

Mobile Marketing: Over at the MENG Blend blog, I ask the question — should your business be considering a mobile app.  Check out the real world small business examples before you dismiss this question with a “only the big boys play in that arena” thought.

Blogging 101: Mike Sansone, the man who taught me just about everything I know about blogging, has begun a series he calls 0-60.  It will guide you day by day to building a blog that is full of relevance, heart and potential.  Grab day one and start following along.

Creative Leadership: Robyn McMaster points out that there aren’t too many people who celebrate TGIM (Thank God it’s Monday) each week.  Her brain-based insights offer some suggestions on how to make your work environment TGIM worthy.

A Better Question: One of the things that makes Liz Strauss so incredible is her ability to ask questions that cut the the heart of things.  In her recent post, she tells a story and asks “who will find you irresistible?”  Read it…and discover your answer.

 

I hope you find some a-ha moments in these nuggets — I know I sure did.

 

~ Drew

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How to choose your next agency

August 27, 2010

Shutterstock_59484199 Having been in the agency business for 25 years or so, I can honestly say I've seen just about every method of agency selection known to man.  And most of them turn what could be an enjoyable experience for all concerned into a nightmare.

So I was delighted to see AdAge's recent article by Avi Dan on how to select an agency.  It's packed with practical, been there, done that advice.

My favorite tip?

Don't hire an agency. Hire a culture. The core values of an agency will foretell the kind of relationship you are likely to have. Favor agencies that are collaborative, innovative and proactive. Avoid agencies that tolerate fiefdoms. And their office often will reflect their culture. It will tell you a lot about them. The mark of a good agency is often in the cheerfulness and energy in its corridors. So hang around a bit.

Amen! Amen!  Amen!

The Cliff Note's version (but go read the article!) of the rest of the tips includes:

1) Don't hire an agency — hire a culture
2) Talent rules
3) Set expectations
4) Decide who are the deciders
5) Avoid a cast of thousands
6) Don't use the RFP to collect data
7) Don't restrict your search
8) Don't choose by brand name alone
9) Don't choose on price alone
10) Have the right perspective

Bottom line — it doesn't have to suck.  In fact, it can be pretty cool, if you do it well.

 

Hat tip to the Des Moines Egotist for pointing out the article.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com

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From the mailbag: Non profit boards as the boss

June 7, 2010

Mailbag As I think you know, one of the perks of my job is that I get to travel the globe, talking with conference/convention audiences about marketing, branding and social media.  After a presentation, I take a lot of questions but invariably, I get a few via e-mail when I get home.

So…it occurred to me that since I am going to respond to the e-mail — I might as well share both the question and the answer here as well.  Here's one I got this Spring…

Hi Drew-
 
I attended your session last week at the SMART Conference – one of the best ones I’ve attended in years because it’s had me thinking for days.
 
The question I wish I’d asked at the time (if I’d thought of it then…) is: most of the folks in the room work for nonprofit organizations and their boards of directors are their bosses.  Are there special considerations or questions that should be asked of a board before undertaking social media? I don’t have to get my board’s permission about what I say when the Lions Club invites me to be their noon speaker, but they might feel entirely differently about something I post on the web linking to our website.

Looking forward to your answer!

And my reply:

Thanks for your question.  I think it gets to a bigger picture issue, actually.  Whether you work for a non profit (and deal with a board) or work for a for profit and deal with the C-suite — like with any marketing — you need a strategically thought through plan.  So you wouldn’t or shouldn’t be doing anything via social media that would be a surprise to your board.

I would think your key messages and communications strategy (what to say to whom, etc.) would be the same.

One of my biggest worries when it comes to social media and how organizations use it is that they believe it should be this magical add on that is somehow separated from the rest of their marketing effort.  I think it only works long term if it is woven into the rest of your communications plan.  It's just another tactic, really.

That’s why I think it needs to be part of a larger communications plan — rather than a stand alone.  Once management or a board understands the entire plan (with key messages etc) then they shouldn't care very much about HOW you get the message out.  The vehicle becomes almost irrelevant (unless it's off target) and because they have confidence in the overall plan, their concerns about any tactic, including social media, are immediately reduced.

Did I answer your question?  If not, let me know and I'll take another swing at it!

Thanks,

Drew

How would you have answered the question?

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Age of Conversation III — hot off the press!

May 13, 2010

AOC3books Three years ago, Gavin Heaton and I launched a little experiment that has evolved into a worldwide project of epic proportions!

We wanted to try crowdsourcing a book about social media, written by the marketing professionals that were establishing themselves online with blogs, Facebook, Twitter and all the other social media tools.  On a lark, without a great deal of forethought — we put out a call for authors.  Within a week, over 100 marketing pros responded and we were off to the races.

Now….as we launch our third book, appropriately called Age of Conversation III, I am struck by the scope of the undertaking.’

The first two books had 107 and 237 authors respectively and raised over $20,000 for children’s charities.  11 countries were represented and the media coverage was literally worldwide.

Both of the first two books were very much reflections of the time.  Most people were just beginning to dip their toes in so there were some fantastic chapters on the philosophy and spirit of social media.  Many were making the case for social media’s relevance in various sectors and circumstances.

That’s where this third book is really a departure.  The subtitle of this edition is “it’s time to get busy” and we really challenged the authors to step away from the theoretical and dig into the practical.  And boy, did they!  There are excellent case studies, some very candid “this bombed” examples and a much more pragmatic, from the trenches view of social media.

I think you’re going to be blown away by the content and all of the ideas, lessons and takeaways you get from the book.  The authors were honest, generous and insightful.

And of course….100% of the proceeds of this book will also be donated to charity, so you are helping yourself while helping the world’s children.

By clicking on one of the links below, you can buy it in a hardback, paperback or Kindle edition.  The ebook (for the iPad) version will be done shortly.

Hardback ($24 or so on Amazon)

Paperback ($18 or so on Amazon)

Kindle ($10 or so on Amazon)

A project of this nature is expansive in scope.  I couldn’t (and wouldn’t) do it without my cohort and friend Gavin Heaton.  I love his generous heart and inquisitive mind.  He’s one in a million.

This year, a publisher stepped up (We’d self published on lulu.com for the first two) and proved to be invaluable in about a million ways.  Many thanks to Channel V Publishing and Gretel and Kate!

And of course…. the authors.  Without them, it would be a thin and vapid book indeed.  We’re very grateful that they’re willing to be a part of this project and to share their bumps, bruises, learning and wit.

Here’s a handy dandy chart of the authors.  Each link will take you to their blog or website.

Adam Joseph Priyanka Sachar Mark Earls
Cory Coley-Christakos Stefan Erschwendner Paul Hebert
Jeff De Cagna Thomas Clifford Phil Gerbyshak
Jon Burg Toby Bloomberg Shambhu Neil Vineberg
Joseph Jaffe Uwe Hook Steve Roesler
Michael E. Rubin anibal casso Steve Woodruff
Steve Sponder Becky Carroll Tim Tyler
Chris Wilson Beth Harte Tinu Abayomi-Paul
Dan Schawbel Carol Bodensteiner Trey Pennington
David Weinfeld Dan Sitter Vanessa DiMauro
Ed Brenegar David Zinger Brett T. T. Macfarlane
Efrain Mendicuti Deb Brown Brian Reich
Gaurav Mishra Dennis Deery C.B. Whittemore
Gordon Whitehead Heather Rast Cam Beck
Hajj E. Flemings Joan Endicott Cathryn Hrudicka
Jeroen Verkroost Karen D. Swim Christopher Morris
Joe Pulizzi Leah Otto Corentin Monot
Karalee Evans Leigh Durst David Berkowitz
Kevin Jessop Lesley Lambert Duane Brown
Peter Korchnak Mark Price Dustin Jacobsen
Piet Wulleman Mike Maddaloni Ernie Mosteller
Scott Townsend Nick Burcher Frank Stiefler
Steve Olenski Rich Nadworny John Rosen
Tim Jackson< /p> Suzanne Hull Len Kendall
Amber Naslund Wayne Buckhanan Mark McGuinness
Caroline Melberg Andy Drish Oleksandr Skorokhod
Claire Grinton Angela Maiers Paul Williams
Gary Cohen Armando Alves Sam Ismail
Gautam Ramdurai B.J. Smith Tamera Kremer
Eaon Pritchard Brendan Tripp Adelino de Almeida
Jacob Morgan Casey Hibbard Andy Hunter
Julian Cole Debra Helwig Anjali Ramachandran
Jye Smith Drew McLellan Craig Wilson
Karin Hermans Emily Reed David Petherick
Katie Harris Gavin Heaton Dennis Price
Mark Levy George Jenkins Doug Mitchell
Mark W. Schaefer Helge Tenno Douglas Hanna
Marshall Sponder James Stevens Ian Lurie
Ryan Hanser Jenny Meade Jeff Larche
Sacha Tueni and Katherine Maher David Svet Jessica Hagy
Simon Payn Joanne Austin-Olsen Mark Avnet
Stanley Johnson Marilyn Pratt Mark Hancock
Steve Kellogg Michelle Beckham-Corbin Michelle Chmielewski
Amy Mengel Veronique Rabuteau Peter Komendowski
Andrea Vascellari Timothy L Johnson Phil Osborne
Beth Wampler Amy Jussel Rick Liebling
Eric Brody Arun Rajagopal Dr Letitia Wright
Hugh de Winton David Koopmans Aki Spicer
Jeff Wallace Don Frederiksen Charles Sipe
Katie McIntyre James G Lindberg & Sandra Renshaw David Reich
Lynae Johnson Jasmin Tragas Deborah Chaddock Brown
Mike O’Toole Jeanne Dininni Iqbal Mohammed
Morriss M. Partee Katie Chatfield Jeff Cutler
Pete Jones Riku Vassinen Jeff Garrison
Kevin Dugan Tiphereth Gloria Mike Sansone
Lori Magno Valerie Simon Nettie Hartsock
Mark Goren Peter Salvitti
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Want to lock arms with Chris Brogan or Ann Handley?

March 30, 2010

Shutterstock_49177942 Now, now…I didn't mean it like that.  I mean in the "hang out and talk marketing, social media and connections" sort of way. 

Chris and Ann (along with a host of others) are both playing a role in this Spring's hottest conferences…and I want to make sure you know all about them.

Why would you make the effort to catch one?  Connecting on-line is fantastic.  But, there's no substitute for face-to-face connections.  Here's are two chances for you to literally and figuratively lock arms with some of social media and marketing's smartest folks.

How do you suppose Chris and Ann grew to be marketing/social media rock stars?  I suspect they would both tell you — it happened as they were so busy learning and reaching out to others that being "famous" pretty much took them by surprise.

Two character traits that I believe you'll find in most of the professionals who have leveraged social media, content creation and viral marketing to their own and their company's advantage are:

  • They love to connect with people
  • They are generous with what they know

So you need to take advantage of these opportunities to listen, learn and connect.  And I highly recommend you get to one of the two, depending on the timing and your geography.

SOBCon 2010: (click here for more info or to register)

Here's what they have to say:  "This 2.5 day "conference" is the think tank of the social web, where the best minds in the Internet space gather to present models, discuss insights, and determine best practices.

We review the changing landscape, identify valid strategies, discuss and develop tactics, report case studies, and share actionable business ideas.

If you want a dynamic, protected web presence, a vibrant customer community, and innovative advisors who invest in you for the long term, this single event will meet your needs faster, easier, and more deeply than any other.

The relationships made at SOBCon extend across social networks online and off and well beyond the exchange of business cards."

A very partial list of speakers includes:  Jason Falls, Steve Farber, Chris Brogan, Wendy Piersall, Amber Naslund, Steve Woodruff and a host of other amazing people you'd love to hang with for a couple days.  And yes…I will also be there as part of a panel.  (Naturally, founders Terry Starbucker and Liz Strauss will be very present as well!)

The discount:  If you use the code: SOBInsider you can save $250 off the registration.  But hurry — this offer ends this week.

B2B Forum 2010: (click here for more info or to register)

Put on by the stellar people at Marketing Profs, this is your one-stop shop for the skills you need to drive sales now!   Here's what they have to say:

"You asked for it and we're delivering you a broad-based B2B marketing educational program with a special focus on integrating social media.

You'll learn from B2B marketing experts in a variety of amazingly productive formats from panel discussions to roundtables to one-on-one therapy.

Therapy Sessions are worth the price of admission alone! Where else can you get 20 minutes of one-to-one advice from a top-level expert for FREE? Sign-up for an appointment with the expert of your choice and get 20 minutes of his or her undivided attention! Bring specific questions, or ask for an overall critique of your marketing program.

Loyal attendees flock to these FREE consulting sessions year after year! "

A very partial list of speakers includes:  Beth Harte, David Weinberger, Mitch Joel, Dierdre Breakenridge, Laura Ramos, Donna Tocci and my all time favorite, CK Kerley.  I'd love to be there too (was invited but had to say no) but I already have a speaking commitment I couldn't break.

The discount:  Use the code:  blog to save $200. 

There you have it my friends.  You have absolutely no excuse for not being smarter and better connected, come May 10th.  Invest in yourself… you'll be amazed at what you can learn and do!

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Meet the Authors of Age of Conversation 3!

March 21, 2010

The manuscript is finally in the hands of the publisher (more on that exciting news later this week!) and we’re proud to introduce you to the smart, funny and insightful authors that contributed to the Age of Conversation 3: It’s Time to Get Busy.

The book will be out sometime in April (more details on that as well) and we’ll have both printed copies and some e-reader options as well!

Check out the new website as well — courtesy of our friends at Sticky.

A round of applause, if you will, for these awesome and dedicated professionals!

Adam Joseph Priyanka Sachar Mark Earls
Cory Coley-Christakos Stefan Erschwendner Paul Hebert
Jeff De Cagna Thomas Clifford Phil Gerbyshak
Jon Burg Toby Bloomberg Shambhu Neil Vineberg
Joseph Jaffe Uwe Hook Steve Roesler
Michael E. Rubin anibal casso Steve Woodruff
Steve Sponder Becky Carroll Tim Tyler
Chris Wilson Beth Harte Tinu Abayomi-Paul
Dan Schawbel Carol Bodensteiner Trey Pennington
David Weinfeld Dan Sitter Vanessa DiMauro
Ed Brenegar David Zinger Brett T. T. Macfarlane
Efrain Mendicuti Deb Brown Brian Reich
Gaurav Mishra Dennis Deery C.B. Whittemore
Gordon Whitehead Heather Rast Cam Beck
Hajj E. Flemings Joan Endicott Cathryn Hrudicka
Jeroen Verkroost Karen D. Swim Christopher Morris
Joe Pulizzi Leah Otto Corentin Monot
Karalee Evans Leigh Durst David Berkowitz
Kevin Jessop Lesley Lambert Duane Brown
Peter Korchnak Mark Price Dustin Jacobsen
Piet Wulleman Mike Maddaloni Ernie Mosteller
Scott Townsend Nick Burcher Frank Stiefler
Steve Olenski Rich Nadworny John Rosen
Tim Jackson Suzanne Hull Len Kendall
Amber Naslund Wayne Buckhanan Mark McGuinness
Caroline Melberg Andy Drish Oleksandr Skorokhod
Claire Grinton Angela Maiers Paul Williams
Gary Cohen Armando Alves Sam Ismail
Gautam Ramdurai B.J. Smith Tamera Kremer
Eaon Pritchard Brendan Tripp Adelino de Almeida
Jacob Morgan Casey Hibbard Andy Hunter
Julian Cole Debra Helwig Anjali Ramachandran
Jye Smith Drew McLellan Craig Wilson
Karin Hermans Emily Reed David Petherick
Katie Harris Gavin Heaton Dennis Price
Mark Levy George Jenkins Doug Mitchell
Mark W. Schaefer Helge Tenno Douglas Hanna
Marshall Sponder James Stevens Ian Lurie
Ryan Hanser Jenny Meade Jeff Larche
Sacha Tueni and Katherine Maher David Svet Jessica Hagy
Simon Payn Joanne Austin-Olsen Mark Avnet
Stanley Johnson Marilyn Pratt Mark Hancock
Steve Kellogg Michelle Beckham-Corbin Michelle Chmielewski
Amy Mengel Veronique Rabuteau Peter Komendowski
Andrea Vascellari Timothy L Johnson Phil Osborne
Beth Wampler Amy Jussel Rick Liebling
Eric Brody Arun Rajagopal Dr Letitia Wright
Hugh de Winton David Koopmans Aki Spicer
Jeff Wallace Don Frederiksen Charles Sipe
Katie McIntyre James G Lindberg & Sandra Renshaw David Reich
Lynae Johnson Jasmin Tragas Deborah Chaddock Brown
Mike O’Toole Jeanne Dininni Iqbal Mohammed
Morriss M. Partee Katie Chatfield Jeff Cutler
Pete Jones Riku Vassinen Jeff Garrison
Kevin Dugan Tiphereth Gloria Mike Sansone
Lori Magno Valerie Simon Nettie Hartsock
Mark Goren Peter Salvitti
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