Pokens

by on August 28, 2009

I am into these Pokens and just set up my profile for them. If you aren’t familiar with Pokens, there are little devices with USB connectors that house information on your social network profiles and contact information.

When you meet somebody else who has one, you touch your Pokens with them and exchange your contact information.

I had heard about them, but hadn’t paid a lot of attention. Then Peter Shankman talked about them during his keynote at Affiliate Summit East 2009 and I decided to get one for myself.

But I couldn’t stop there. I decided I’d get a Poken for each person that gave me their business card during Affiliate Summit East 2009. I sent out a big stack of Poken Ninjas in the mail yesterday.

As you may imagine, there are affiliate programs for Pokens. I joined the PokenGirl affiliate program and made my bulk purchase through her after reading about her site at BenSpark.com.

I look forward to doing a “high-four” with everybody at a conference in the near future.

{ 34 comments }

Shawn Collins September 17, 2009 at 7:55 am

I was just kidding – no idea why it’s not showing for both.

David Damian Ochoa September 17, 2009 at 12:21 am

Well, I can only show you what I see on my side of things, James will have to show it from his end.  Here’s a screen shot of mine…

Shawn Collins September 16, 2009 at 11:23 pm

Video or it didn’t happen. :)

David Damian Ochoa September 16, 2009 at 9:52 pm

That’s affirmative. :(

Shawn Collins September 16, 2009 at 7:09 pm

I see both of you – you high-four’d James and can’t see him?

David Damian Ochoa September 16, 2009 at 3:44 pm

Tell me, do you see me in your friends list?  James can’t seem to see me, yet I see him, you, and Missy on my end.

David Damian Ochoa September 14, 2009 at 3:44 pm

Time will tell.  The more people have one, the more others want one.

Guest September 14, 2009 at 2:50 pm

Just came back from an online gaming conference in Budapest and no-one had a poken… Hmm…
Anyone know where I can buy one online that will ship to Israel?
Of course, not much use in having one if no-one else I meet has one either….!

Shawn Collins September 14, 2009 at 2:39 pm

Cool – I’ll look out for you on DoYouPoken.com

David Damian Ochoa September 14, 2009 at 2:23 pm

Well, after a long battle with the postal system, I finally got my Ninja Poken from you Shawn.  Thanks!

Shawn Collins September 3, 2009 at 7:43 am

If you gave me your business card at Affiliate Summit, I would have sent you one.

Since it’s too late for that now, you can buy one online: http://www.affiliatetip.com/poken :-$

Guest September 3, 2009 at 1:34 am

How do I get my Ninja Poken??? I want one!!! :-D

Shawn Collins September 2, 2009 at 5:33 pm

I got Ninjas for everybody – who doesn’t like a Ninja (besides the people they take down)?

todd crawford September 2, 2009 at 5:06 pm

OK – I got my ninja poken Shawn – thanks. I loaded it and ready to hi4 any 12 year old germans I run into now. BTW, why did you pick the ninja for me?

Richard September 1, 2009 at 3:32 pm

Indeed, am going to a conference in Budapest next week so will be keeping my eyes out to see how popular they are there and let you all know.

They’re only avaialble to buy online at the moment it seems too…
No doubt someone will soon make them wholesale customisable.

p.s am a big fan of the site. Hope to meet one day.

Shawn Collins September 1, 2009 at 3:17 pm

@Richard:
I am not sure about all of the Poken customization possibilities, but I got a bunch from PokenGirl.com with stickers placed on the backs of their heads with my logo.

As far as whether to get one, they’re $20. I think it’s worth the risk to see if they pan out. I’ll be bringing mine to a bunch of conferences this fall, so I’ll see if they’re blowing up.

Richard September 1, 2009 at 11:32 am

About pokens being too feminine, I’d have to say I think they are. Was looking for a cool masculine design for my mega macho image (of course) and the best I would be satisfied with is the gorilla one. hmm…

Also, does anyone know where one can get branded customised pokens made?

Also, how do I know if its worth getting one? They’re only useful if everyone else has one. So have pokens reached tipping point yet?

Shawn Collins August 31, 2009 at 9:47 pm

@Stephanie Lichtenstein:
I figure it will be strictly a business networking thing, and if it’s more widely adopted it should have staying power.

I’ll be kicking off my Poken tour in a couple weeks at CJU.

Stephanie Lichtenstein August 31, 2009 at 8:36 pm

I think pokens are a great idea I am just not sure how long it will last. It may be more of a trend. Right now they are really popular and then later it may fade away. I like my geisha and have her on my keychain but I haven’t found anyone to high4. Definitely will be around at the conferences. Also the fact that you have everyone’s information handy on your computer is fantastic.

Todd Crawford August 31, 2009 at 4:17 pm

Well, it will be interesting to see which one you sent me. I’ll probably take it apart and insert the receiver under my finger nail so I don’t have to bump toys with strangers.

Thanks btw.

Shawn Collins August 29, 2009 at 9:24 pm

@Kim Rowley aka @KIMarketing:
I won’t be at BlogWorld, but will be sporting the Poken at ThinkTank.

I wonder who Todd Crawford is going to give his to, because I have one in the mail to him, and he’s too cool for it.

Kim Rowley aka @KIMarketing August 29, 2009 at 2:51 pm

Great idea! I never gave you my biz card, cuz you have my 411, but I heard you had some cool metal biz cards. I should be getting my Poken next week from PokenZoo (won from Jason of IWearYouShirt.com) and will be sporting it at BlogWorld and Think Tank – I’ll poke ya then.

Shawn Collins August 28, 2009 at 9:10 pm

@affiliates united:
They’re typically around $20

Heather in Beautiful BC August 28, 2009 at 6:12 pm

What a nice thing to do Shawn! I can’t remember if I gave you my card, but I think I did because I sure have your lethal razorcard!

I liked @benspark’s Poken so much I ordered a Vampire when I got home – LOL!

High 4 @ IZEAFest :)

affiliates united August 28, 2009 at 5:40 pm

Sounds cool how much do the cost?

David D Ochoa August 28, 2009 at 4:39 pm

@Todd Crawford RE: “and the other 50% won’t have pokens.”

Do you know what we call that in the affiliate world? Leads.

Todd Crawford August 28, 2009 at 4:28 pm

Your Message@Shawn Collins:
Well, you will know 50% of the people you run into at conferences and the other 50% won’t have pokens.

Shawn Collins August 28, 2009 at 4:17 pm

@Todd Crawford:
I am not going to bring it to the grocery store, grandpa, but I’ll be sporting it at conferences.

Todd Crawford August 28, 2009 at 3:13 pm

If a tree falls in the woods and there is no one there to hear it, does it make a sound? I think the same will be true for these pokens – there will be no one to hi 4 and when you do run into someone with one, you wont have your poken with you. I say pass.

BenSpark August 28, 2009 at 11:37 am

Shawn,
Very cool about the pokens, Bulk purchase and pre-pokening them is the way to go. Nice sticker on your poken too.

Shawn Collins August 28, 2009 at 11:11 am

@David D Ochoa:
Yeah, it’s a neat concept.

Of course, they’re already high 4′d with both mine and Missy Ward’s info. ;)

David D Ochoa August 28, 2009 at 11:08 am

Wow nice, how nice of you. Did you know pokens work right out of the box? They don’t actually “store” any information — just a token ID. So, you can start hi4′ing right away, and when you stick it in your computer it will remember all the high fours you did and viola!

(you *did* high-four your poken with all those you mailed out, right?)

Shawn Collins August 28, 2009 at 10:41 am

@Ayako:
Yeah, iPhone has the Bump app, but that limits iPhone users to the walled garden of fellow iPhone people.

Ayako August 28, 2009 at 10:11 am

For iPhone users, Poken may not be necessary, but for Blackberry users like myself, Poken is a great product. It’s green, cute and awesome for networking!

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