Day Two of Podcamp Philly brought with it arguably the best session of the weekend, and I don’t say that simply because presenter Donna Serdula acknowledged one of my past lives, in which I crossed paths with the late, great Capt. Lou Albano.

Among other things, Donna is a LinkedIn profile writer, and her session delivered a ton of practical advice on how to get the most out of your LinkedIn profile. (I now have a page of notes and a lengthy ToDo list for reviewing and revising my own profile.) Among the most notable takeaways of the session:

When listing your Web site (or sites) on your profile, choose the “other” option from the dropdown menu and use relevant keywords in the anchor text pointing to your site.

If you want to add a video clip to your LinkedIn profile, you can do so using the Google Presentation application.

When editing your “position” on LinkedIn, remember that title keywords matter.

Check out Donna’s LinkedIn profile to see these (and many other) tips in action … and if you’re looking to your LinkedIn profile as a frontline soldier in helping you gain a new job or new clients, you may want to give her a call: She’ll definitely get your profile where you need it to be.

Takeaway for marketers: If all you’re doing is uploading your resume to LinkedIn, you’re blowing it in a big way.

While heading back to the train from a new client meeting yesterday, I snapped the photo you see here in Times Square.

Okay, I get it: It’s Advertising Week, and the Barnum gene in me applauds the idea of an ice cream truck in Times Square serving up a menu of “Digital Interactive Services” that include “Marketing Kitchen” and “Digital Foundry” and more.

Then the Cluetrain gene in me makes my teeth grind when I visit the Zemoga site and learn that their “service offerings provide innovative solutions for our Client Partners.”

Then the client gene in me makes me wonder: How much does it cost to have an ice cream truck in Times Square, and do I really want the fees I’m paying to my agency to go to something like this, or would I rather they be spending my dollars on my business?

(All due respect to the folks at Zemoga, by the way. Hey, their CMO started at Marvel, and I’m an old-school comic book guy; rest assured I have nothing against them and no axe to grind. Snapping this photo was the first I heard of them, so I guess from an awareness perspective their tactic was successful with this focus group of one.)

Takeaway for marketers: In this every-penny-matters economy, we have to ask ourselves: Do these sorts of high-profile (and undoubtedly high-cost) tactics really make sense?

Oh, those crazy kids and their wacky YouTube.

Hey marketers, want to know what the kids are watching? Try visiting PruaneTube, for one example: 30 million views to date and counting.

Takeaway for marketers: Yep, 30 million views. Watch. Listen. Learn. And if you’re trying to talk to these same kids, think about how what you’re saying (and how you’re saying it) might be resonating in this context.

… and customer relationship management. Brad Colbow absolutely nails it.

(Hat tip to my brother for the heads up on this one.)

Takeaway for marketers: Once again, it’s not about what you want, it’s about what your customers want.

I do a lot of shopping at Staples, so of course they have my email address. After all, sometimes I actually use the coupons they send.

This morning I received this email from them:

Dear Staples Customer,

Thank you for your recent purchase from Staples.

We invite you to provide feedback on the item you purchased. Your input will help customers choose the best products for their needs, and the process will only take a few minutes to complete.

It’s quick and easy to submit a review — just click the “Rate this product” button next to the product below.

As you can see in the screenshot above, the product I’m asked to rate is a 20-pack of Duracell AA batteries.

Really? Are batteries really a product that require a rating or a review? “I have to say, the color of the battery on the Duracell makes it far easier to ascertain which end is up when compared to the Eveready.” Please.

Seems to me that Staples’ automated email system would be better served if certain product purchases were tagged in a way so as to trigger or not trigger a review request. Printers? Laptops? Office furniture? Sure, a review is appropriate. Batteries? Manila folders? Scotch tape? Give me a break: My inbox is jammed enough as it is.

Takeaway for marketers: If you’re working on an automated customer communications system, try and configure that system in a smarter way that doesn’t irritate your customers and/or make you look ridiculous.