I remember once reading an interview with Six Apart's (parent companyof Typepad and other blogging tools) Rena Jana and how she said nothingkills a blog like lack of posting.

I have to admit that I've been a slacker when it comes to posting. In fact, this is my first post of 2007. How sad for someone who advises college clients about their admission bloggers. Over the years this blog had built up to over 300 subscribers and I can't help but feel that I've let them down.

Soon this blog is going to change it's tone. While I've blogged on the greater emerging experience economy, now I'm going to concentrate more on my experience as higher education's Experience Evangelist. I work for TargetX, a leading college and university admissions solutions company. And I've got the greatest job in the world because not only do I work with great people, I tour colleges for a living (and consult with them how to make their prospective family tours, other on campus and web experience more engaging and memorable). So I'm going to begin posting more about my travels and work.

Well before (about 2000 years) Pine and Gilmore wrote The Experience Economy - Work is Theatre and Every Job a Stage and well before Walt created Disneyland, colleges have been in the experience economy business. The problem most of their recruitment experiences don't match.

College is the ultimate in the experience economy - it's usually about getting a premium price. And when you filter it through Pine and Gilmore's theories it's makes sense:

-Integration of the four E's (esthetic, escape, entertainment and education - "look at our pretty campus, escape the real world of work and your parents home, go to parties and games, oh and by they way you'll hopefully get educated)
-mass customization (you want your classes when, what major, what minor, what dorm?)
-emotional engagement (isn't that the discovery and coming of age that is college?)
-engaging the senses (have you smelled a 196o's built dorm?)
-signature moment - (graduation)
-memorabilia - (isn't a college diploma the ultimate in memorabilia?)

So from now on, for the most part ,I'm going to share what I've experienced on my whirlwind campus visits and tours!

Hope you enjoy. Hope it takes you down memory lane, helps you think about your son or daughter's college choice, and most of all I hope it inspires you to stage great experiences!