MarketingMel

Just recently I had the pleasure of meeting Erik Proulx, the creator of Lemonade on a Google Hang-out. Lemonade was a 35 minute documentary that came out three years ago. With its theme “is it a pink slip or a blank page?” the film featured creatives who had lost their jobs and gone on to far greater things. I loved the movie and thrived on its message. It was just what my late father, an entrepreneur himself, always taught me: “When life gives you lemons, honey, make lemonade.” Now Erik is shooting a new documentary called Lemonade Detroit and I am celebrating three years as a marketing entrepreneur. In reflecting on the past three years, things have changed quite a bit. Now we have iPads and Pinterest  and I get to “meet” cool people like Erik in a Google hang-out. My once indispensable Blackberry has been replaced with an iPhone. And, I find the general public doesn’t find my fondness for twitter quite so odd anymore. It’s been a journey.

This is my lemonade story.

Three years ago my former co-worker Tim Story and I sat at Panera Bread sipping coffee and planning our futures. Both of us had recently been laid off from an interactive agency that was hit hard by the recession. I did not even own my own laptop yet and Tim was using a borrowed one. Tim knew I was an entrepreneur at heart who wanted to start my own marketing and public relations firm, so he volunteered to register my domain name. In betweeen sips, he looked up from his machine and asked for the name of my new company. I said without hesitating, “MarketingMel.” I had already established the name on twitter and when you googled “MarketingMel” it soared to the top of the page, far ahead of a well known actor whose first name I share. Who could argue with that? A company was born.

Tim has gone onto success in his new career and he has helped me as a freelancer with SEO work for some of my clients. For three years I’ve had the privilege of working with fantastic business professionals, guiding them with their communications and awareness efforts including marketing, public relations and social media strategies. Together with my “virtual ad agency team” we’ve collaborated to create award winning web sites, logos,videos and more.

When I tell people I’ve been in business three years they generally congratulate me and comment that many entrepreneurs don’t make it past the first year.  Shortly after that groundbreaking cup of coffee I attended two workshops at the Tennessee Small Business Development Center at ETSU including one on writing a business plan.  For those of you who may be thinking of starting your own business, here are some pitfalls to avoid and tips on starting a small business. Chief among those, writing and then working your business plan.  I would add to that be sure to have an annual strategic planning session for your company (even if you’re a solo) and refer back to it often throughout the year. And as for your business’ name, well, I recommend something with staying power. I am MarketingMel and I’ve been in business three years. Let’s have some lemonade to celebrate!

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Editor’s Note: The following is a guest blog post by Larkin Grant, a marvelous millennial whom I met on twitter.

Recently, I went to meet a friend at a bar and arrived first. What was my first instinct? Check Facebook  and foursquare to see if I knew anyone around. In 2 minutes I was sitting with friends. All because they revealed their location to the world.

As kids, our parents taught us not to share personal information with strangers. So why are millennials now publishing this information?

Tech Invasion
We share because it has become the norm. Millennials grew up with technology, claiming it as part of our generational identity.  While earlier generations bemoan technology’s invasion in everyday life, millennials embrace it, even sleeping with their cell phones. This connection to technology make millennials much more comfortable sharing personal information online, with 69% revealing sexual orientation and 78% revealing relationship status online.

The New Connection
Putting personal information like your location online seems little different than telling your friends in person because the way we communicate has changed and expanded with technology. We are communicating with friends en masse and if the world sees it too, millennials accept that. 91% of millennials make their check-ins public.

This shift allows for accidental meetings, like my Saturday night. Checking in sends an implied invitation to friends everywhere to come out. To a generation that hates to wait, this efficiency is extremely appealing.

This is not to imply that millennials are posting social security numbers online. We walk a fine line with information sharing. We may willingly disclose our relationship status, but if a company asks for our email we will baulk. Unless they offer something in return.

Brand Me
Millennials are rewriting the advertising rules. We want interaction with brands. 43% of millennials have liked more than 20 brands on Facebook. Simply releasing an ad is not good enough. We know that we a valuable demographic, and if companies want information about us, they have to give us something in return: a discount, an exclusive, to make our breach of privacy worth our while. 71% of millennials liked a brand on Facebook just to receive an offer.

Millennials do value privacy, but it is a privacy that looks very different than 50 years ago. We are also willing to give up information for the sake of convenience and social connections.

Larkin Grant

Larkin is the Community Manager for Our Valley Events. Larkin’s passion is for all things technology, changing the world, and cupcakes. She is very involved in the young professional scene, both locally and nationally. Locally, Larkin served as the Hospitality Chair on the Huntsville Young Professionals board of directors and is a recent graduate of Connect Young Professionals. Nationally, she recently co-founded Millennial Chat, a forum for young professionals across the nation that hosts weekly Twitter Chats on a range of topics as well as a blog written by Larkin and her co-founders. You can read her blog here.

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The following is a guest blog post from 7 Waves Cathy Founder, Cathy Rodgers

How Social is That & What Would Dave Ramsey Do?

By Cathy Rodgers

With the viral spread of a dad trying to teach his daughter a lesson on Facebook, it gives one pause to think of what the long-term effects of social media are, and what the long-term effects are on all the relationships involved.

Is this too much family information gone public?  What is the impact of all this personal information sharing?  Where does it all end?

Many view the incident of shooting the daughter’s computer as a total act of anger, but as a parent myself, I view this as a total waste of money (plus I know I will have to shell out money for something later because teenagers are not cheap). Having a lot of friends who are Dave Ramsey providers, I receive frequent tips, hints, and “think before you do that” lessons.  I wonder what the financial guru himself would say?

All opinion aside, people from all over the nation have either sided with this father or decided to hate him.  The sad thing is the father is a small business owner, yet has generated as much hate and love as a politician.  I wonder if he is prepared for the impact this will have on his business?  This could be considered a PR crisis for him and his family.

Here are a Few Insights

1. If you are a business owner, everything you do or say on social media channels can be judged in relation to the image of your business.  You may be the best at what you do, but business is conducted based on relationships.
2. Relationships tend to have a “ripple” impact within a business community.  If the talk of the cocktail party is the video dad and some think he is a “psycho” or “angry,”  yet others already have loyalty to the business, will that lead to loyal clients sending more business referrals as they put their own reputation on the line?
3. Even if the father decides to get out of the limelight and takes down the You Tube video and deletes his personal Facebook page, will it all be forgotten?  At this stage, the whole subject has achieved the “tipping” point in information sharing and can continue to be talked about as much as murder in a small town.
4. What is the impact on others?  This short list shows how far reaching social media really is. I wonder if the father thought about the impact this video would have on all the people affected (and how they digest and respond to the information within their own homes and families).  Let’s take a look at just a few of those impacted by this video:
   1. His own daughter, Hannah.
   2. All members of Hannah’s immediate and extended family.
   3. All of Hannah’s close friends.
   4. The parents and grandparents of those friends.
   5. Hannah’s church family (or sports teams).
   6. People who do business with the father.
   7. People who live and work in the town they live in.
   8. Vendors and business partners of the father.
   9. The teachers in the school Hannah attends.
   10. Hannah’s future opportunities for high school, employment and college.
   11. More …

I invite you to view this video for yourself.  Do you see relationship building here?

Cathy Rodgers, 7 Waves Cathy

Cathy Rodgers is the owner of Seven Waves Marketing, a Social Media, PR, and Online Marketing Co. established in 2009. Cathy has over 20 years of experience broadcasting stories through copywriting outlets: newspapers columns, blogging, social media, and photography outlets. Visit Seven Waves Marketing or look for @7wavescathy on Twitter. 

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"Lucky" checks for Facebook updates

Anyone watching Sunday night’s Super Bowl (and that would be 111 million of you by last count) knows that the show’s advertising went “to the dogs.” The old adage of “babes, beasts and beauties” was as prevalent in the social-media-heavy Super Bowl XLVI as it was long before twitter and Facebook were ever created. Dogs were riding in trucks, surviving the end of the world, running on treadmills, admiring themselves in mirrors, chasing cars and wearing running shoes. Clearly, man’s best friend continues to hold a high place of esteem and reverence (at least in the eyes of today’s advertising exec’s.)

All that got me thinking about tips I’ve gleaned from my own dog, “Lucky.” A 17 month old Jack Russell Terrier mix can teach us a lot about relationships. I’d like to share a few things I’ve learned with you and welcome your comments.

1. Be a good listener-  I talk to my dog. His response? Mostly he just looks, listens and nods approvingly.  In addition to making me feel better,  he’s there for me to sound out ideas. Do the same for your clients. Listen, and you’ll learn a lot.

2. Bark only if you have a good reason- I’ve never been able to stand “yippy yappies.” Whether it’s a dog or a person no one likes someone who’s always barking. Too much yakking gets nothing accomplished. Remember, if you can’t say something nice about somebody don’t bark at all.

3. Show people you love and appreciate them- There’s nothing like  a wagging tail, nudge or hand lick to know you’re appreciated. Think of ways that you can do this for your customers, co-workers and family members.

4. Exercise every day- Even if it’s just a walk around the block the fresh air will do you good. Getting out in nature is invigorating.

5. Take time out to play- If you get the chance to play with your customers all the better. Whether it’s ball, golf, or simply enjoying a nice lunch together, spend some “off” time with your clients.

6. Be loyal- Show loyalty to your boss and to your customers. I always try to purchase my customers’ products, recommend them and support them in any way that I can.

7. Together we make a great team- There is no end to the things that a dog can do that you may not have thought possible. (I was astounded the first time I ever ran a race with Lucky. He was slowed only by the speed of his human!) I’ve found the collective brainpower of “we” with my clients is always so much better than either of us could do alone. Together, our creativity and knowledge can produce remarkable results.

What lessons have you learned from your pet that carry over to the business world? I’d love to hear from you.

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