HOW I WAS DRAGGED, KICKING & SCREAMING, ONTO FACEBOOK

A couple of days ago Rick Houghton posted something on my Facebook “wall” that referred to my late arrival on the Facebook scene. There is only one reason I’m on Facebook: Five months ago I saw a presentation about Web 2.0 — including Social Marketing and Social Media — that blew me away.

It was presented by a guy I’d never heard of who since has become a treasured friend, at an exclusive, private, Very Expensive event attended by around 60 people from around the world.

Almost everyone in the room already is extremely successful, including some famous names you would recognize. (Yeah, I was one of the exceptions. Hence my use of “almost.”)

I convinced him to give a special version of that presentation, showing radio stations how to apply his cutting-edge strategies, at PD GRAD SCHOOL.

“Big deal,” you say? Well, PD GRAD SCHOOL is in Los Angeles. He lives in Malaysia. I believe his information is so important for radio programmers that I’ve arranged for him to make the trip to L.A. next month. If you’re programming or managing a radio station, you really need to be there.

Meanwhile, for a couple of years PD GRAD SCHOOL attendees have been saying, “Give us something about the Portable People Meter (PPM).” For a couple of years, I successfully resisted. But in 2009, one Big Expert is going to share the terrain-shifting secrets revealed by PPM usage. “But I’m not in a PPM market!” Doesn’t matter. This session shares new information about what any station in any market should be doing right now to increase its listenership.

“But wait, there’s more!” Yet another Big Shot Expert is going to interpret PPM data in a way that shows you exactly what your audience is doing, minute-by-minute. This is amazing technology, folks. I wish I’d had that when I was a PD.

Of course, there’s also Famous Research Guy and Famous Programming Consultant, along with Famous Radio Talent Coach/Radio Advertising Guru — all of whom will be delivering World Premiere presentations.

Although I’m proud of previous years of PD GRAD SCHOOL, this is the first time the overall program will be AHEAD of the technology curve. If you’re among the lucky PDs who still have jobs and you want not only to remain employed but to thrive while others wither away, please consider attending.

Oh, yeah, a little more incentive: The registration fee increases on Sunday. Now is an excellent time to sign up.