Well, first let’s get my apology out of the way.

If you came here looking for two posts with ‘article writing and ‘samurai writer’ in their respective titles, then sorry, but I’ve deleted them. If you want to read them in their rightful place- go visit my Samurai Writer’s blog. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Mess #1

By mistake, I posted them late last night to this blog and to my new ghostwriting & copywriting blog – as it turns out, an unintended test of whatever duplicate content policies the big ‘G’ search engine might be enforcing haha!

Mess #2

Remember the mid-life moving overseas report I wrote about on Friday?

Charles and I dialed into a US-based conference call service I’ve used before with great results – and after a few (now prophetic!) technical gremlins, proceeded to record a great call.

However, when I logged in later that evening to download the mp3 version for editing on my PC, there was no file!! (My previous calls from last year were still on their server but 2 hours work on Friday was missing.)

A little anxious by now, I did what I should have done a day before the call – google this company. And when I did, there were others with the exact same issue as mine – one guy had recorded a commercial call with 100+ people attending… and he’s nothing to show for it!

Lessons Learned?

1 – “If it works, it’s obsolete”
I know this from my IT days but forgot the principle in my own business.

2 – Do A Trial Run
I could’ve dialed in via Skype and recorded my own 5 minutes call a day or so beforehand. The conference call company’s tech issues would’ve then been obvious.

In case you’re wondering, we did actually have a backup plan (to use Skype plus some PC recording software.) But, at the time, I didn’t ‘know’ there was a problem and thus it was not activated.

Anyhow, if my partner is still speaking to me (!) after this, we’ll find and test a working solution – and complete the project.

Yes, indeed – “blinded by the light” of technology. Bummer!

- Mark ‘Duh’ McClure

PS - If I ever offer teleseminars where the call is to be available later as a downloadable mp3 – you can bet I’ll be testing the download facility right before the call! (and before you ask, yes, this was a free conference service – we paid just the cost of the international calls.)

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