There’s a terrific LinkedIn discussion I’m following that’s focused on social media monitoring tools. So I decided that I’d consolidate all the tools mentioned in the 100+ posts and create a really valuable blog post. Then this wiki of social media monitoring solutions was posted to the discussion; it’s infinitely better than anything I could create here.

Here’s another list focusing on free monitoring tools that you might want to check out, too.

And here’s a nice chart that evaluates seven of the most popular monitoring tools on the market.

See that image up there? It’s a screen grab of the email I received from PR Week when I subscribed to something or other a few months ago.

“Dear Craig Peters. Welcome to PR Week.”

Well, okay. So you got my name right. And you welcomed me. But … um … is that all ya got?

Seriously, a welcome email is a golden opportunity for making a real impression in the mind of the recipient. After all, this is a person who has just subscribed to your newsletter — do you really think there’s a time when they’re likely to be more receptive to your messaging?

Sure, it’s nice to call someone by name and welcome them. But this email from PR Week is the equivalent of my high school junior son picking up his date for the prom and saying — and only saying — in an emotionless, perfunctory voice, “Nice dress. Let’s go.”

Whatever you say, Mr. Roboto.

How about thanking me for signing up? Or telling me what to expect from my subscription? Or pointing me to a few valuable resources on your site? Or reminding me to whitelist your email address so your stuff doesn’t flow into my spam folder? Or giving me some sort of a signup bonus like a special offer or a free download? Or including some instructions for how to unsubscribe in the event all your mailings are this mechanical and soulless?

Hey, PR Week: You’re doing a lousy job of PR for yourself. You want to learn a thing or three about email communications? Take a look at how Despair does it right.

Takeaway for marketers: Focus on delivering a positive experience at every touchpoint between company and customer. Yes, even in those administrative email messages.

They say everyone gets The Economist, but no one reads it. Maybe because it’s part of the data deluge they talked about on the cover of their February 25 issue, a headline that convinced me to buy the issue and add their 16-page report to my own personal data deluge. I like having printed copies laying around, but you can save $6.99 and click here to get the full report.

Among the nuggets of info you’ll discover when you do:

• By 2013 the amount of traffic flowing over the internet annually will reach 667 exabytes, according to Cisco, a maker of communications gear.
• Wal-Mart, a retail giant, handles more than 1m customer transactions every hour, feeding databases estimated at more than 2.5 petabytes—the equivalent of 167 times the books in America’s Library of Congress.
• According to a 2008 study by International Data Corp (IDC), a market-research firm, around 1,200 exabytes of digital data will be generated this year.

There’s all sorts of fun facts like these sprinkled throughout this report, which provides a fascinating contextual overview for the ocean of information we’re swimming in daily. It’s well worth reading … when you can manage to get your eyes above the waterline and find the time to do so.

The Experiential Marketing Forum is one of those unique places online where real thought leadership is happening. Much of the credit for this has to do with Erik Hauser, who is one of those unique and uniquely talented people we all hope to be lucky enough to meet once or twice in a career. Which is why I think it’s pretty cool to have been featured as one of their Profiles in Leadership. Check it out over here.

This chart is one of those resources I find aggravating because it’s clear, concise, smart … and I wish I’d thought of it first. Props to CMO.com.