SXSW 2014 PanelPicker: This Election, Cast A Vote for Simple

Every fall, the SXSW PanelPicker process turns prospective speakers into something akin to politicians in election years.

I’m allergic to asking for votes for anything, but in this case my friend Tim Washer and I had a little fun with the idea. Here is our smear campaign to promote our SXSW 2014 Interactive Festival proposal this year — which (incidentally!) is how to create compelling content. It’s called Hollywood Stories on a Boring Brand’s Budget. (See what we did there?)

Please consider a vote for our 2014 SXSW panel here: http://bit.ly/sx2014story.

(Note: You’ll have to register. Sorry about that.)

I’m also participating… err, hopefully participating… in two other awesome sessions at SXSW Interactive:

Beyond Social Media: Marketing in the Post-Ad Era with organizer Mark Schaefer and SXSW virgin Mitch Joel.
Please cast a vote for us here:
http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/25837

and

Influence Marketing: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly with organizer Kerry Gorgone and Ann Tran and Glen Gilmore
Please cast a vote for us here:
http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/18966

Why am I asking?

As I said, I’m allergic to asking for votes for pretty much anything. But SXSW organizers say that rallying your friends and networks to vote for your panel proposal demonstrates energy, motivation and organizational ability. Since 2007, the organizers of South-by-SouthWest Interactive festival weigh public voting for about 30% of the decision-making process for SXSW panel programming. (The SXSW Advisory Boards and the input of the SXSW staff make up the rest of the equation.)

I could argue the point about motivation and organizational ability… but it’s their event.

What’s more, our video (produced by Tim Washer) makes me laugh like a village idiot. And panel organizers Mark Schaefer and Kerry Gorgone are amazingly generous people who are looking giving freely of their knowledge, as well.

Which is all to say… this post is the least I can do in support.

Note: Voting ends this Friday, September 6.

Thanks very much in advance for any consideration.