Took my first train ride Friday. At least the first where I was actually on the way to a real destination.I rode the Pacific Surfliner from the Santa Fe Station in San Diego to Irvine Center. I love the fact that trains have names and not just numbers. As with all public transport, there is the ever present, "Will I make it on time?" Not just me, but the train. In this case, I had nothing to worry about. It was a great first experience. I left my apartment in Golden Hill, walked a block to the bus, switched to the Trolley in East Village, and arrived at the Santa Fe Depot in just a few minutes. We left the station on the dot and headed up the coast. That's when the magic began. I was simply not prepared for the change in perspective from the panoramic windows of the train. Up high, out of commuter traffic, gazing upon early morning surfers, joggers, and all the other early birds. I found myself relaxing, being present, focusing on the meeting in Irvine. Peter boarded at one of the beach communities along the coast. He was headed north on this sunny Friday morning. With the Pacific ocean as a backdrop, Peter shared that this was his regular Friday commute. He loves to drive, but during the summer, I-5 is more parking lot than freeway. He switched to the train when his Friday night extended into Saturday morning. Not on the road, but in his head. He figured fighting traffic should not be part of his job description.

 How Do You Define Convenience?

People tell me the ability to jump in a car and just go is convenient. After flying by all those car dwellers on I-5, I'm not sure I agree. Technology has changed the definition of the word convenience. Mobile devices turn wait-time into work-time. For business owners and the marketers who support them, it's a new world. I'm often asked, "How long should by blog posts be?" The new answer is, "As long as your prospects can read while waiting in a line." Mobile-centric is more than resizing images or text. It's a mindset that extends to where, when and for how long prospects can pay attention to your message.

Three tips to calculate the perfect blog post length

• Go stand in a line - Sorry, but it's the most accurate. Make sure it's a line your prospect would stand in. See if you can read your last blog post before you reach the front of the line. Works the same for video or podcast.
• Perform the CTA (Call to Action) - Did it make sense in the current context? Can your prospect fill out the form? Download and print a pdf? If the answer is no, you just blew your marketing campaign.
• Start all design reviews from a mobile device - Mobile-first is a design protocol that places a priority on mobile usability.

 Insight

Your prospects have left the building. To successfully engage them online you need to go stand in the same line.