Shh… 1 addiction and 7 brand-new secrets I’ll bet you can get ideas from, today
I don’t let too many people in on the deepest workings of my mind, nor on the details of what I do when I’ve stolen a moment away from creating great customer experiences for my clients.
My private life is my business. My addictions… *shudders* … you don’t want to go there.
Well, I’m breaking down that wall around my innermost secrets, for only a day.
Folks, I’m addicted—and I don’t want your help at all.
Creative Copy Challenge came into being only a few short weeks ago, and I’m completely hooked. The premise: whenever they feel like it, the wonderful Sean Platt and Shane Arthur, and the quiet but incredible coder David Wright, write a blog post containing 10 random words or phrases. In the comment section, you take all ten and write a story tying them together.
If you’re a wordsmith, a writer, a creative type, a humorist, a daredevil, a poet, or a puzzle-lover, this site is for you, too. And for as long as no one invents a 12-step program, we can both be happily, guiltlessly addicted.
Yeah! Are you with me?
As often happens, that’s not what this post is about
This post is about Maximum Customer Experience! So how are Shane and Sean (try saying that ten times fast) and David so quickly creating a rabid following among the likes of Ari Herzog, Sonia Simone, James Chartrand, Jeff Sexton, and now you?
Recreate this if you can
1. Crazy-simple premise, which must take almost no time to maintain now that it’s going. (It’s also simple for readers to jump in and out without feeling like they have to commit to it.) Warning: The “easiest” things are the hardest things to come up with.
2. Easy-to-remember name. Plus their initials make it obvious for a fan to nickname them CCC without thinking too hard (a nickname helps when raving about them), which brings me to…
3. No participation = no site. This is the ultimate involvement device. Enthusiastic fans are creating their site, one comment at a time, so they’d better find some fans…
4. It pays to have friends. Though I was not personally invited, I found out about the site because I check in on Sean periodically to see what he’s up to at Writer Dad (always something amazing), and lo, he’s got a new site, so I check it out, and all sorts of folks are already jazzed about this baby blog! There’s a great community building up quickly, yet naturally at CCC, but I suspect from its fast start that some personal invitations got things rolling. The important point about this is: if you can get a leg up from old connections, whether it’s through blogs, Twitter, or a former job of yours, don’t be afraid to do it. And, um, be nice. (I didn’t have to say that, did I?) People love to help out nice people like themselves. 
5. It’s a writers’-block-preventer! It’s a mental jog! It’s a puzzle to solve! It’s a great way to slack off without guilt, because you’ll still feel productive! It’s addictive to do, it’s entertaining to read! It slices, it dices, and it chews your food for you! I know, I’m always reminding you to focus on doing one thing. CCC is doing that. They are providing one highly focused Ideal Solution, but remarkably, people see that Ideal Solution from a lot of different angles, including two I left out because they’re the Holy Grails of Customer Experience…
6. It’s a dare! Sure, they’re nice guys and they used the word “Challenge,” but we all know what they’re saying, folks. They’re saying “betcha can’t.” And there is no better way to get people to jump in and yell “yes I can!” than to challenge them.
7. It’s a chance to show off! Hard to underestimate this factor. Not a lot of real-world products have it (Lexus? Apple?), and even fewer online sources can provide it. I read Seth Godin, but it’s kind of hard to show off about that. (Best Godin-reader, anyone?) I comment all over the blogosphere, and you probably do, too, and lots of folks tweet, run around on facebook, etc., but showing off in most places is considered bragging. Welcome to one place where you can try to top yourself or hope to do something better than anyone else is doing that day and get a half-dozen pats on the back if you succeed.
New addiction in two words: Deceptively Simple. (Ack! Not ten?)
Creative Copy Challenge is truly the stuff that good-guy successes are made of. Part luck, part hard work, part years of building relationships with people who want to help spread the word about you. Lightning in a bottle. Try to recreate their success at your own peril—or just take a couple of elements, and start incorporating them into your own Maximum Customer Experience right away.
If you haven’t taken a trip over to Creative Copy Challenge yet, what are you waiting for? After you’ve wandered around and begun your own addiction, come on back and share—what else do you think is helping CCC to create a great Experience for their community?
Grow and be well,
Kelly Erickson
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2 February 2010, 8:19 am
I’M FIRST!!!!
Kelly, this is a teriffic post about our site. Thank you so much for caring enough to take your time (and your audience’s time) to cover what we are doing.
I had been doing the word challenges with myself for years as warm up practice, but I never thought about actually creating a site for it. It wasn’t until a copyblogger post ( http://www.copyblogger.com/surprising-books-for-writers/ ) that I thought the idea had value to other people.
A commenter named Dave left the following comment:
I thought about the exercises I did and I shared an example in the comments. BAM!!!! The idea comes to me that the Third Tribe community would probably love this. Honestly, the idea feels like someone nice from above loaned it to me. It’s weird like that.
So, I thought about doing this site myself; after all, I know how to code, write, and market a bit. But, I took Jon Morrow’s Partnering Profits course so I know that it’s insane to try it alone, especially since there are so many talented folks that are part of the Copyblogger community that I could partner with. I’ve been a big fan of Sean Platt’s writing, so just for bleeps and giggles, I emailed him with the idea.
He and David (his partner) thought it was a good idea, and what we all loved about it was(as you said) how little effort on the back end it would require.
Within 2 days, we had the url purchased, a design created, and our first challenge taunting those who dare enter.
We uses all of our contacts we’ve built up over the years and asked (begged) them to take a look. Twitter is invaluable for getting the word out, too. People are so generous with their time. I’m so grateful.
And here’s why it matters most to me. Right now, I’m going through some tough times (health, issues with my 2 year old son, finances). Some days, the challenges are the only thing that makes me smile through the tears (yeah, I cry lately, I admit). The site is coming alive and I’m loving every second of it. I read these challenges over and over again. I simply addicted to my own product.
And you’re right about point #3. Excuse my French, but our site wouldn’t be d!ck without our raving fans. If you strip the comments away, all we have are lame bulleted lists that don’t make any sense by themselves. We owe everything and anything that comes of this site to our community.
Now allow me to toot your horn. You have become a community favorite I believe. You have some serious writing skills, and your poetry style is becoming quite popular. I respect you as a writer, and you have a way with your words that makes me feel like I’ve known you for years. That’s magical.
Thanks Kelly,
Shane
2 February 2010, 8:38 am
Shane,
Best. Firsties. Ever.
You know, I thought about interviewing you—I’ve been obsessing on the elements of Customer Experience going on at CCC for two weeks now, no kidding—but I didn’t want to spoil the surprise. I think I made a good choice because you just answered so many questions I had! LOL!
Now you tell those Maryland docs to get you well in a hurry, because the waiting is the hardest part and I want you to bask in the genius of this site and have many more genius successes this year. Not to sound like a fortune-teller, but 2010 feels BIG to me.
Oh, and thank you, thank you for the compliments. I’ve done creative writing all my life, but always “when I can find the time.” I am just the chick to take your daring me as an excuse to find the time, every time I see your challenge pop up in my email. I print out the challenge and the world stops as I scribble all over the page for half an hour. (Did I already say genius?)
Regards,
Kelly
2 February 2010, 8:43 am
Kelly, I knew you first from menwithpens.ca, and then at Creative Copy Challenge. I’m really impressed with your writing, and I understand your addiction. It’s a nice break for me, too, to be able to write fiction for a change.
The sense of community was immediate, largely due to the enthusiasm of Shane and Sean, who are like a couple of kids at Christmas when they comment on new submissions.
You see attempts at creating customer experience all the time – a group that sees a need to interact, but nobody’s driving the bus, so it falls flat. It’s a shame, because the project is worthwhile, but the people who create it don’t understand they need to invite people in and hang out with them to make sure everyone’s comfortable. Once the “customers” get a feel for the place, they start talking to each other, too. That’s when you have the best experience.
I’ll see you and Shane on the next challenge – looking forward to what you write next.
Stacey Cornelius´s latest blog… Who wants to be an artist?
2 February 2010, 8:58 am
Stacey,
“… like a couple of kids at Christmas”—aren’t they? “Be nice” is simple stuff, except when you see what it looks like in action, you realize that it’s not that simple to execute it brilliantly. Thank goodness these guys can drive the bus!
I love your writing, too, and honestly one of the wildest things is seeing people show such unexpected sides of themselves. I’m constantly being amazed at what stories lie inside people I might think I already understand on a professional level.
Until later,
Kelly
2 February 2010, 9:26 am
Hey Kelly and Stacey.
I’d say that describes us to a T. I could tell from Sean’s earlier writing that the man loved him some words. His writing reveals he has a blast with words and language. He was a perfect fit.
As for me, my wife always says I act like a teenager and she’s right. I’ve smiled my whole life and I try to see everything in life as a fieldtrip. I purposfully do embarassing stuff just to make her dimples…dimp.
What’s cool about these challenges is this: THERE ARE NO WRONG SUBMISSIONS! That’s the awesome. We want people to crush writer’s block. We want people to be creative. If they simply type ANYTHING and hit the submit button, they have created something and ended writer’s block. Now, if they make us laugh, gasp, and sit in awe of their writing talent, that’s a bonus we’ll greedily soak up.
And, we really have not pushed hard on promoting this baby either. I may send out 2 tweets a day (Sean and David about the same). It’s kind of like the new Third Tribe project. Those guys didn’t really promote it at all, and I know it’s going to be huge. The CCC concept is the same I believe. Plant it, water it moderately, and give it some TLC and it should grow all by itself.
Thanks again,
Shane
2 February 2010, 10:21 am
Hmm, you mean there’s a place where I can just start riffing on an idea without even worrying about staying on topic?
You had me at hello…
(Gone to check it out)
~Graham
2 February 2010, 11:14 am
WOW.
So yeah…
I’ve got a post up at Copyblogger and this is still my favorite feed of the day.
The Triple C is bossome for many reasons, but the two things I love most are the addictive nature of the comments and the community that is quickly blooming, along with the best it seems to be bringing out in all of us. I also love the amazing speed at which it all came together.
Thank you, Kelly, for taking the time and energy to write something so wonderful about our little project. I truly appreciate it.
One final thing. The site wouldn’t have been possible without the quiet, behind the scenes work of my partner David Wright. After Shane pitched me, I pitched him. Dave dropped everything on his plate (which was a lot) and moved The Triple C to the front of the line. He handles all the backend stuff and the only reason he’s not more visible is because he’s slaving away to keep our entire syndicate running.
2 February 2010, 1:16 pm
Thank you for the mention. I was let out of my dungeon long enough to read this post and comment. And it really is the readers, contributors who make the site work as well as it does.
Thanks again.
2 February 2010, 3:05 pm
First up: my little oversight is now corrected. I apologize, David, for not crediting your incredibleness in this post as well.
2 February 2010, 3:17 pm
Shane,
Yes, yes! “There is no wrong submission” is indeed a part of the wonderfulness. There’s not much else in a person’s regular day that’s anything like that after about 4th grade.
Graham,
Every day I do a story there, I think of the people I wish were there, and this was one way of calling out to creative folks like you: come and play! Everything from speed submissions (I’m jealous, but there’s no way for me to compete in that, I’m too pokey) to LOLs to go-for-the-heartstrings goes.
Plus, y’know, there’s the “betcha can’t” thing. That was all the poking I needed, and I was off and running, haha.
Sean,
One o’ these days I ought to write me a post CB can love. ‘Til then, I’ll settle for your enjoying this more! Thanks!
And I’m glad you let him out of the dungeon…
David,
There’d be no place to play without your hard work and creativity. It’s the invisible magic that always makes the visible stuff look like magical Customer Experience.
Until later,
Kelly
2 February 2010, 3:26 pm
Yeah, I know I’ve said it before.
You. Are. Wonderful.
Sean Platt´s latest blog… Creative Copy Challenge #11
2 February 2010, 4:21 pm
I’d just like to know where all of you find the time to do everything you do without your heads falling off.
Stacey Cornelius´s latest blog… Rule your online domain – make your website work for you
2 February 2010, 10:52 pm
Thanks for including me in your aforementioned genius summary. I don’t read every entry coming through, but I skim through most of them after I add my own (so not to be inspired) and peruse through some of the followups I get by email before unsubscribing when too many emails come through.
Ari Herzog´s latest blog… 35 WordPress Plugins I Use Today
3 February 2010, 9:37 am
Ari, I understand what you are saying about the emails. Man, as the administrator, I get two emails per each submission, so at 150 comments for CCC#11 you can imagine the volume. It’s fun, but it’s like working the floor at Wall Streat during the rush.
Shane Arthur´s latest blog… Creative Copy Challenge #11
3 February 2010, 9:20 pm
Sean,
Backatcha.
Stacey,
Where Shane and David and Sean get their time, I don’t know, but I made a deal to sleep when I’m old and grey so I can love my work (and my delightful addictions like CCC) at whatever hour strikes me, while I’m (ahem, relatively) young and full of zip.
Ari,
Hello and welcome! My own rule: don’t look at all before writing my own. Too afraid something I see will influence me. Then afterwards, pop in a few times and read a bunch at once.
LOL—How dare they become so popular that we have to consider unsubscribing to comments!
Shane,
Hard to argue with, though, when plenty of blog-authors would give their eye teeth for it, eh?
A nice problem. I’m glad you have it.
Later,
Kelly
3 February 2010, 10:46 pm
I know, that is a great problem to have. I left a comment on CCC stating I now have to wait for the scroll bar to load and refresh when I go to the page. These little unexpected things are quite a trip for me. I seriously thought I’d get like 5 regulars if I was lucky. This is indeed a gift.