MarketingMel

In the ranks of new social sites Pinterest has taken the world by storm. With well over 100 million users, Pinterest now ranks #3 in popularity behind Facebook and twitter. The visual pinning site has captured the imaginations of American women like nothing I ever recall seeing. If you’re not on Pinterest picture the pin-boards that you used to have in your college dorm room. Take those boards, pump them up on steroids and add in some breathtaking collages and you’ve got Pinterest!

Today I was at the dentist’s office busily pinning as I sat captive in the chair. The girls in the office noticed me pinning and that began a conversation about our mutual enjoyment of the site. I asked them what they liked about it and one immediately said “recipes.” The other said she doesn’t pin, rather she just looks at what others do there. That got me pondering some of the things that I like about Pinterest.

1. It’s eye candy: Pinterest reminds me of scrap booking or perhaps the old fashioned quilting bees. I can talk with friends at the same time I’m doing this. It’s relaxing and relatively mindless and yet I get something beautiful to look at when I’m done.

2. It’s a source for great ideas: Whether it’s food and recipes or thoughts for a child’s birthday party, someone is willing to visually share their ideas with you here.

3. You get to follow cool people: I have “met” people on Pinterest that I really wish I knew “IRL.” At least I feel I know them through the beautiful images they post. Right now I often head straight to one woman’s page and look at her lovely “pins” and every time I discover more commonalities that we share. (And oh, by the way I have never met her.)

4. It’s a great thing to do when you’re killing time: Those dog eared magazines at the hairdresser and doctor’s office may take a beating but Pinterest is a fascinating way to “pass the time” while waiting for others. The opposite of this, that it can potentially be *very* addictive holds true as well. Be careful with your time and maybe just allot yourself the time spent in waiting rooms and under hairdryers as Pinterest time.

5. It’s super easy! It’s so easy to pin and to re-pin content. It’s also easy to search for people or for topics of interest. Visual sharing is now just a pin away.

What are some of the things you love about Pinterest? Please let me know what you enjoy about it via the comments section. I’d also like to hear how and if you are using Pinterest for business.

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MarketingMel with Sarah Rowan

Internships are near and dear to my heart. I guess that’s because I was mentored by a crusty cameraman by the name of Bill Nailos at WKBW-TV Channel 7 Buffalo the summer between my junior and senior year in college. That time spent tagging along with reporters and videographers as an unpaid intern launched my communications career. Bill taught me about the business of broadcasting but he also taught me about life. Ever since then, perhaps my personal variation on “paying it forward,” there has generally been a young, enthusiastic person close at hand as I go about my work.

My last intern, Sarah Rowan, was with me for a year and a half. I attended her wedding and was delighted to see her  land her first job even before she graduated in early May. She is now Director of Sales for the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce.

Here’s Sarah talking about the value of an internship and her observations of a P.R. pro at work. By the way I’m looking for my next “rock star intern.” Send me a note on the WordPress Submission form if you are interested.

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Editor’s note: I am now a regular monthly columnist for Out N’ About Magazine, writing on the topic of social networking for business.  The following is excerpted from my May 2012 post.

Image by Martin Canchola

One of the first tips that anyone, with even a small amount of experience in social networking learns, is the karma effect of it. The more you give the more that comes back around to you.  I’ve come to the conclusion that personalities and true colors really shine when people are online.

When I give my social networking for business talks I always compare social media to a cocktail party. Everyone has seen the loud, obnoxious guy who shows up at every after-hours event.  You know the one wearing too much cologne and talks in your face? A thought comes to mind:  Your posts have the same look and feel you do. If you’re loud, obnoxious and pushy….well, enough said. Contrast that with the helpful guy. When you ask a question, need a referral or some other assistance, that guy is always there. We all know folks like this too.

Just last week I was chatting with a friend “IRL” (in real life ) at our church café about that pit we get in our stomach when we allow someone in to be our “friend” on Facebook or other channels only to instantly be asked to take part in their fundraisers, event, survey, etc. Ugh. I’m thinking, “I’ve just been used to get your numbers up!”  To make that old baseball/dating analogy I haven’t walked over to home plate and you’re envisioning a home run!  Hold your horses friend. I’m still on deck!

Is there a lesson to be learned?  When it comes to social networking, please, oh please engage the person and connect with them as a human being. Don’t make them feel used. Be sure to chat with them a bit and show them that you care about them. The business will come later. On Facebook make comments on their photos and videos and show them you are interested in what they have to say. After all, you have cared enough about them to ask them to be your friend, so be one! Be sure to @ reply to people on twitter in order to speak directly to them and to gain their attention. (For more twitter tips including my one-minute twitter tutorial videos, enter search phrase “Twitter 101” at www.marketingmel.com.)

Last year I had the occasion to create a vlog (video blog) for my friend Maria Peagler of Social Media Online Classes. She asked me to help out her audience comprised of camera-shy small business owners who were mostly women. As a former TV anchorwoman it was easy for me to come up with some simple tips to help folks out on camera now that we live in more of a visual and video oriented society. My topic was: Ten Tips to Feel Comfortable on Camera. Well that video first appeared on her vlog but then “took off” after it was picked up by PR Daily and others.  Later, I entered that video in the Tri-Cities Public Relations Society Awards and it ended up taking top prize in its category. It won an “Award of Excellence” in the Audio Visual category.  Kudos to videographer/producer Kyle Long for his work on the video. We started out trying to provide a helpful service to others who are camera shy and through “social media karma” ended up with an award. Sometimes extending a hand to care about others whether it’s “IRL” or online has its rewards. Ten Tips to Feel Comfortable on Camera may be found at http://www.marketingmel.com/2011/07/06/ten-tips-to-feel-comfortable-on-camera/

By the way, I have already created a follow up video on Finding a Job In Public Relations. Stay tuned!

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Photo by Jon Sullivan

With one in nine people on Earth now on Facebook I’m sure you are considering the best ways to keep a positive business presence out on the social networking giant. If you’re like me, you sometimes get “stuck” looking for content for your Facebook Business page. Well here are three great content creation ideas that I learned from Jodi Santangelo at a Fred Pryor Facebook training session yesterday.  By the way I have no business interest with Jodi or Fred Pryor I was just very impressed with Jodi as a speaker and the Facebook information she presented was very easy to digest with some great take aways.

Here are the three content creation tips along with the amount of time that should be spent in each area on your Facebook business page.

1- Educate (40 percent): Let people know about your business. Check out your trade associations on Facebook to see what they are doing and share their valuable content. Be sure to search and like their pages. Create strategic partners. Share and personalize the information. (I have two wonderful strategic partners, Maria Peagler of Social Media Online Classes and Cathy Conder Rogers of Seven Waves Marketing who’ve been guest bloggers and master minders with me since the start of my business.)

2- Engage (40 percent): Interaction is key. What’s the best way to find out about people? Ask questions! Don’t be boring. Remember that Facebook is actually ranking your pages. To learn more check out EdgeRank. Also, Jodi recommended having a QR code connected to your business’ Facebook url located at the cash register of retail establishments. This will engage people direct from their mobile devices. Here’s a link to a free QR code site that I’ve used.

3- Entice (20 percent): It’s OK to promote yourself and your product (sometimes) but don’t do any hard selling or you’ll drive people away. The example Jodi used (and coincidentally one I also use in public speaking) is that you wouldn’t walk up to someone at a cocktail party and say, “Hi I’m ___ buy from me!” One positive example she used was a company that had a once a week Facebook coupon and promoted that. That’s actually a great use of enticement on Facebook because your audience is getting something in return for their engagement.

Bonus Facebook Business Tip: Jodi suggested creating a social media calendar for all of your postings and using the social media scheduling tool HootSuite to help you plan your posts. She also said to be sure to personalize your posts.

What content creation tips have you found useful on your Facebook business page? I’d love to hear from you. And if you’d like to connect with me on my Facebook business page for daily social networking tips please join me!

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Sarah Rowan shares her experiences as Mel's former intern

Editor’s note: The following is a guest blog post from Sarah Rowan. Sarah interned with MarketingMel from January 2011 until recently when she was hired by the Johnson City, Tenn. Chamber of Commerce to be Director of Sales for the CVB. Congratulations Sarah who graduates May 5!

You know those experiences in life that get to the core of your being and make a huge impact on who you are and how you operate? I have come to know these experiences as “life shapers.”  One can have many life shapers and, if you are smart, you will recognize one from a mile away.

That is how I began my most recent life shaping experience. A chance connection from a classmate brought MarketingMel and I together. I knew from our initial phone conversation that if given the opportunity to work with Mary Ellen, the experience would be invaluable. My interview was set up as a consultation session in which I researched CRM systems and reported my findings. The chemistry was immediately present as Mel and I embarked on what became our first of many brainstorming and creative planning sessions.

The thing that struck me most, other than Mel’s true and genuine kindness, was her strong connection with her core values. As I learned, and many others know, Mel is true to her values in both her personal and professional life. This, I believe, is a true testament to her character and has helped her achieved her many successes in the world of communications.

Among the tasks and sometimes demanding daily grind of PR, Mel taught me one of the most important things of all, networking. I like to call Mel ‘the great connector’ because she is queen at networking her tail off. It comes natural to her and she really actually enjoys it! Her outgoing personality is one of her strongest assets and she truly helped me to meet the right people and be confident in myself when doing it.

Of course networking isn’t all she taught me. Hard work, dedication, persistence, and passion were all consistent and reoccurring themes of our professional relationship. I also learned that a true PR person never stops working! Don’t be surprised to get an e-mail from Mel at one in the morning with a follow-up the next morning at five!

Little did I know that what was supposed to be a six month internship turned into a year’s worth of learning and growing with one of the best in the business. However, the most important thing that I have walked away with from this experience is a lifelong friend.

Sarah Rowan may be reached through her web site.

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