Talking to the Big Guys

In less than three weeks, I will be traveling to speak at a conference specifically for Johnson & Johnson worldwide communication employees.

The keynote session in which I am participating will discuss the fundamental shift of communications caused by social media (like our blogs) from the strict broadcast mode to one of conversations between people and companies. I'm told that companies like J & J did this regularly 100 years old, so perhaps the cycle is coming full circle.

I will tell my story about how I got involved in blogging and what has developed with Brass and Ivory and the Carnival of MS Bloggers. Of interest is how blogging connects us with each other and empowers us with knowledge, resources, and support. I know that I've benefited directly from the personal support freely given and wise words of advice.

Also speaking is Alice Krueger, via video (she is homebound) about how Second Life enables the folks in the community she started to form a community without limits, and about how that benefits them.

There are planned to be some questions and answers with the audience. Some of the questions that would be asked include:

1. What role do you see companies having in this space?

2. Are companies doing enough in this space?

3. What don't you want from organizations?

If you were on this same panel, what would be your story?

How would you answer these same questions (or others you think should be asked)?

What would you want from the companies who serve MS patients?

P.S. I think it's pretty cool that companies are taking notice of what regular folks are doing for themselves and for each other. Social media forums are not going away anytime soon, and I for one would like to be spoken with rather than talked to. What do you think?