MarketingMel

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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Editor’s note: Throughout the month of February I’ll be concentrating on a theme of Relationship Building here on the MarketingMel blog. 

A client of mine recently shared an excellent book on customer service with me. The book is called “Surviving the Middle Miles: 26.2 Ways to Cross the Finish Line with Your Customers”  by Darryl Rosen. The author, a one-time marathon runner, draws an analogy between business and running. Just like in a long distance race, the shiny newness wears off after you’re underway for a few miles but inside you know it’s still a long ways until the finish line!  As runner I loved the book’s name and related to its running/business theme. Rosen, who operated a very successful wine business, shares ways to provide the best for our customers. I’ll share some of my favorites here with you.

In his chapter titled “Appreciate Your Customers and Show it”  Rosen offers the following tips:

1- Say thank you- Now that may not seem like such a clever concept but you would be surprised how people, starting at a very young age, are not being taught those simple words. Rosen likes to send off hand written notes to customers. He even suggests making up reasons to say thank you!

2- It’s never too late- This example happened to me once. I was a recipient of a *long* overdue thank you from someone and guess what?  It felt great to be remembered. I really appreciated the gesture even if it was late, and it helped to cement a good working relationship between us. Even if you think the time has passed  to to say thank you, say it anyway!

The last chapter of the book is called, “Cheering for Others.” If you have competed in a running race or other athletic competition you know how much it means to have “cheerleaders” standing along the sidelines, particularly as you’re heading toward the home stretch. I’ve always loved it when my family makes it out to one of my running races and I see them cheering wildly at the end.  Rosen has that uplifting feeling in mind with the following common-sense tips.

3. Be flexible- Go with the flow and embrace change

4. Be likeable- Rosen says likeability is actually good for your health! It increases our self esteem which in turn lowers our stress levels!

5. Be real- Be honest and ethical and show credibility

6. Be a good communicator- Show humility

7. Be interested in others-Remember to turn the conversation back to your customer and CHEER!

This book is a quick read and I highly recommend it for anyone in the service business. Let me know which one of these tips resonates with you as you appreciate your customers.

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Editor’s note: While on the subject of personal branding this month I thought I would re-purpose one of my all-time most searched for blog posts that first ran in April 2009. Guess it showed me how much people love Dolly Parton! I’ll be hosting a talk on personal branding on Product Management Talk blog radio and #http://www.twitter.com/prodmgmttalk on twitter Monday, January 23 at 8 PM Eastern.

All professional marketers can learn a lot from Dolly Parton. The rags to riches singer  is an icon. Her personal marketing and branding skills should be required study for those of us in the marketing business. Why? Let’s just look at the past 24 hours.

While my husband and I were watching the basketball tourney on CBS Saturday we saw an ad for Dolly’s interview with 60 Minutes on Sunday night.  Earlier on Saturday we bumped into some family friends. Where were they heading for Easter break?  Dollywood. Then Sunday morning my husband began channel surfing only to land on an Arts and Entertainment special on Dolly.

Later, after church we stopped by Cracker Barrel for lunch. Who was on the sign out front smiling at me as I entered the restaurant?   And whose music was playing in the background as we shopped and played checkers while waiting for our table? And who could be heard advertising her special music offer  just for Cracker Barrels?  One word answers all these questions: Dolly. No doubt the publicity blitz is a tie-in to the opening of her new Broadway musical 9 to 5 based on the  movie of the same name in which she starred some 30 years ago.

I admire Dolly Parton for many reasons. She single handedly formed and funded the Imagination Library program which provides free monthly books to all Tennessee children ages 5 and under. Mostly though I love and admire her marketing genius when it comes to personal branding.

“Here you come again” Dolly.

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Editor’s note: For the first blog of the New Year I reviewed the posts of the past year. The following is a guest blog written by the award winning  motivational speaker, trainer and diversity consultant, Dr. Brenda White Wright.  It was first published in February 2011 however I felt the material is timeless and a great way to launch a New Year! 

Step One – Have quiet time everyday. Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God.”   Everyone needs and deserves some “personal” time each day.  Retreat from the daily demands of others to replenish your mind and spirit.  We may need to get up earlier or stay up later but we need that personal quiet time to meditate, pray, think, dream, or read; to consider new possibilities for our lives.

Step Two – Develop and commit to a personal plan of action for your life. Proverbs 29:18 – “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”  Vision clarifies our purpose in life and gives us direction.   Dr. Robert Schular wrote, “When you get where you’re going, where will you be?”

Step Three – Exercise everyday – physically, mentally, & spiritually.  In order to live a balanced life, each of us needs to exercise everyday – physically, mentally, and spiritually.  We can walk or jog, read, study, read, take up a new hobby, go back to school, worship, pray, and/or meditate according to our spiritual beliefs and values.

Step Four – Quit giving excuses. Insanity has been defined as, “doing the same thing over and over, but expecting a different result.  “Keep doing what you’ve been doing and you will keep getting what you’ve been getting.”  If you like where you are – great!  If not, then “do” something about it.  Nothing takes care of itself.  Make a decision and then ask God to help you stick to it.

Step Five – Have an attitude of gratitude. Be more thankful!  It is impossible to be thankful and negative at the same time.   Most of us have the gifts of speech and hearing, sight, and mobility.  Most of us are blessed with families and friends who love us and care about us.  Most of us are not homeless, helpless, or hopeless.  The more thankful you are for what you have today, the more you’ll have tomorrow to be thankful for.

Step Six– Become more respectful of differences. God is no respecter of persons.  Learn to respect diversity.  Being disrespectful of differences is often the cause for confrontations and conflicts of all kinds – from disputes in our homes, to physical abuses, to war in the world because of racial, ethnic, and religious differences.  Being accepting is not the same thing as agreement.  It’s about acceptance and respect.

Step Seven– Learn to Listen and Listen to Learn.Listen more than you speak.Hearing is a gift, but listening is a skill that needs to be developed.  Listen requires humility.  It’s one of the greatest gifts that we can give to someone and as we give, I believe that we receive in kind.

Step Eight – Be a Servant Leader. Help others grow and get where you are.  Don’t put them down.  Instead, teach what was taught to you.  Do for someone else what was done for you.  None of us got here alone.   As we give, we receive.  The more we give, the better we live.

Step Nine – Laugh more often! Lighten up!  A sense of humor is one of the inherent abilities that God has given us to cope with stress.  Humor is one of the most inexpensive and readily available nonprescription medications to reduce stress, stimulate creativity and improve performance.  The Scriptures say, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.”

Step Ten – Love what you do, do what you love, and if you love someone, tell them.

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P.R. pro's are welcome in a Crisis. Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When I worked in marketing for a large law firm I remember my husband’s response to all of the lawyer jokes and kidding. “Just try going into court without one.” The same could be said for a C.E.O. turned loose in a crisis storm without a good Public Relations consultant to provide guidance. Major crises are in the news daily. Behind those giant companies and institutions are the P.R. firms consulting with them.

Crisis communications is a specific niche within the public relations field. Ideally every company should have a crisis communications plan in place prior to the crisis occurring (it’s not just a matter of if one will occur, it is when!)  I remember routinely rehearsing crises at one large defense company where I was employed as a communications specialist. Look at most of our schools today. Drilling and preparedness is routine for these students.

A good P.R. pro will weigh the pro’s and con’s of given media strategies and help to formulate an overall communications plan to deal with a crisis. This year I was called in to handle a client crisis involving a potential hostile takeover attempt. On very short notice I was working with the board chair, the chief executive, the general counsel and the media! A good P.R. Pro knows how to handle the top business executives and how to speak their language. I read with interest Stacy Blackman’s article in U.S. News and World Report, “Why B-Schools need to teach P.R.”  While the language of business is key, it’s the well strategized and crafted communications message that forms the bridge from business to the receiver. It’s ultimately this ability to speak “bilingually” when needed that gives a P.R. pro a seat at the corporate table. In my client’s case the self-described “white knight” was turned away thanks to a sound communications strategy that took into account the client’s business and communications needs. It would behoove M.B.A.’s to learn public relations in school as eventually most CEO’s will end up working with a Public Relations professional. Does your company have a crisis communications plan for 2012? These days social media must be an integral part of any plan. Here are some excellent resources to get you thinking.

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Christmas Giving photo credit Julie Campbell on Flickr

This morning I had the occasion to hear one of our local radio car gurus, Lennie Lawson, discussing “The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success” on his morning talk show, My Car Guru, on WJCW Radio. Based on the book The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann, the concept espouses the belief that it is indeed better to give than to receive. It is great food for thought as we begin thinking of the changes we’ll make in the new year ahead. I think all of these laws apply well to the world of social media because there, as “in real life,” in order to succeed, it is always better to give first! Here are the laws: Which one will you live by in 2012?
“The Law of Value
Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.
The Law of Compensation
Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.
The Law of Influence
Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first.
The Law of Authenticity
The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.
The Law of Receptivity
The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.”

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Did you see the news that twitter is the number one social network of choice among the Fortune 500? All of the Fortune top 10 and 62 percent of the Fortune 500 companies are on twitter. As the article states they no doubt love twitter’s openness and simplicity. Facebook comes in a close second. It is used by 58 percent of the Fortune 500. As you know if you saw my video last week, I’m in agreement with the big guns when it comes to the power of twitter when building a brand. My good online friend Maria Peagler was kind enough to invite me to guest teach during the twitter portion of her Social Media Online Classes. In the second of our four part series, I discuss what a retweet is and when to use the “RT.” I actually cut this video before all of the recent discussion about journalists re-tweeting, the A.P.’s recent ruling on RTs and whether or not an RT implies consent. In my opinion a re-tweet is definitely implied consent!

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Ben Mezrich with 7wavesCathy and MarketingMel

I had the great fortune to meet some of the world’s social marketing thought leaders at IMS ’11 Boston. One of those was Ben Mezrich, a true raconteur and author of the book The Accidental Billionaires which formed the basis for the movie, The Social Network. Mezrich, unlike the other presenters who used all kinds of glitzy power point presentations, simply stood on the stage and told stories. The audience was mesmerized.

He said that he was not an “overnight sensation” as some would portray him, rather he has been writing since 1995. He shared with us how the fact that he did not know how to drive limited him to certain neighborhood pubs in Boston. With his writer’s powers of observation he watched at one pub as numerous M.I.T. students handed over $100 bills to the bartender. “I don’t know about where you live, and in Las Vegas they come out of the ATM machine, but in Boston people don’t use $100 bills. So I asked the guys where they were getting them.” Thus began the story of  Bringing Down the House a tale of MIT students who game the Vegas blackjack tables. “Blackjack is beatable,” asserted Mezrich who even traveled to Vegas with the hard-working (but now banned-from-casinos) students who practiced up to three hours a day to beat the odds.

Because of the fame he gained from that book (he accidentally hung up on Kevin Spacey thinking he was an MIT student playing a prank) people began approaching him with story ideas. One such person was Eduardo Saverin, Mark Zuckerberg’s now famous Harvard room-mate and business partner. “Why should I write fiction when non-fiction is this good?” asked Mezrich who had almost completed his book when a court ordered Saverin to never speak with him again. “For five percent of Facebook I wouldn’t speak to me again either,” Mezrich noted.

With tales as colorful as his book and the movies that follow, I can’t wait to read Mezrich’s next book, Sex on the Moon, a story of astronauts who, let’s just say do some interesting things with moon rocks. Since fact is stranger than fiction, guess we’ll all have to read the book won’t we?

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I had the privilege of attending the first Hubspot Inbound Marketing Summit in Boston in September 2008. That conference was a true “game changer” for me as I heard both Seth Godin and David Meerman Scott telling those of us interested in social media marketing that we were on the edge of something big. It was a pleasure to return three years later to realize how true their words really were and to see how far we as professional marketing and communications people have come. (You can see my video interview from IMS11 on The Pulse Network here.)

Over the course of the next few weeks I plan to share nuggets of information about the outstanding thought leaders who spoke to us.

I’ll start with my favorite, noted social media marketing guru and author Guy Kawasaki. (Guy truly had “rock star” status at this conference as attendees, myself and friend Cathy Rodgers included, lined up to meet him.)

Guy Kawasaki at IMS11 with MarketingMel and 7wavesCathy

In preparation to hear Guy I read his book “Enchantment.” Like all authors, they talk about their latest book when onstage. But Guy has a disarmingly charming way about him that keeps you mesmerized by his stories. He is, well, enchanting.

Here are 10 of my takeaways:

1. Likeability: Have a marvelous smile (Mari Smith’s charming smile was his example), dress equal to your peers and pefect your handshake.

Facebook guru Mari Smith has a great smile

2. Achieve Trustworthiness:  Become bakers, not eaters. (Great word picture isn’t it?) Trust others. Default to “Yes. How can I help you?”

3. Perfect your product. He used the Ford MyKey program in which parents can pre-set the volume and top speed of a car as an example. Provide value. It is much easier to enchant with really good stuff!

4. Have a mantra. Guy’s is “empower people.” What’s yours?

5. Conduct a pre-mortem. Ask “why will our product fail?” Come up with all of the reasons beforehand to ensure its success!

6. Plant many seeds. I loved this one. Guy talks about how Marketing 1.0 meant “sucking up to a traditional media hierarchy.” Marketing 2.0 with the power of social networking is flat. The people make it successful and “nobodies are the new somebodies.”

7. Enchant all the influencers!  He gave us a homework assignment to watch Justin Bieber’s movie “Never say Never.” (I did Guy!) Justin and his team enchanted all of the influencers from viewers of his YouTube videos to moms, to girls in parking lots who wanted tickets.

8. Invoke Reciprocation: When you do something for someone and they say “thank you” say, “I know you would do the same for me.”  Think about the power in that line! Then enable people to pay you back.

9. Presentations: Sell your dream! Guy says that Steve Jobs didn’t sell an iPhone he sold something cool and thin and sexy.  Customize your introduction every time and keep your presentation to the 10-20-30 rule; 10 slides, 20 minutes, 30 point font.

10. Use technology to enchant. Don’t make it hard for people to engage with you. He talked about removing the speed bumps and obstacles to communicating. What was really humorous was that Guy was given a stick mic for his presentation. He is used to wearing a lapel mic. so his hands can be free. After several comments from Guy, the conference organizers got the hint, removed “the obstacle,” and presented him with a lapel mic.  ”Social media is core to existence,” he said. (And Facebook has certainly proven that again with its recent change announcements at F8.)

Although Guy said much more these were a few of my key takeaways. Do you plan to move forward on at least one of these in order to become more enchanting to your employees, customers and loved ones? I do!

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Anyone who was an adult ten years ago vividly remembers where they were and what they were doing on September 11, 2001. Here’s my story.

It was a beautiful, clear and sunny morning in Johnson City, Tennessee, the place I had called home since moving south 16 years prior. I was the marketing director for Hunter, Smith & Davis law firm. We were hosting our large, annual employment law seminar at Millennium Centre in Johnson City. We had a good crowd that morning and things were moving along smoothly. I was standing in the back of the room watching one of our attorneys’ presentations when a Firm partner, Mike Forrester, slipped in the door and whispered, “Did you hear that a plane hit the World Trade Center?” Immediately my mind began processing this odd bit of information. My husband enjoys flying small planes for a hobby and I tried to envision some crazy pilot in a single engine aircraft hitting such a massive structure. “Is the weather bad in New York?” I whispered back. “No,” was his answer.

Moments later Mike and I and several others were piled out in the hallway watching the televisions that hung from the Centre’s ceilings. It was, in fact, a beautiful day in New York just as it was in Tennessee. And this was no small plane crash. As we watched the story unfold on CNN, reality slowly began to sink in. These were major aircraft and this was no accident. A secondary story unfolding before my eyes was the reaction of the people at the seminar. The attorneys kept their cool. One of our senior partners said, “If we stop now we give them exactly what they want.” And so the seminar went on. One person who worked at the Centre however was not so calm. I had to repeatedly reassure him that the world was not coming to an end. We did not all carry mobile phones with us ten years ago as we do today. I had to borrow a phone from a friend in order to attempt to reach my husband who was employed at a nuclear defense plant. His work voicemail said  that the plant had been evacuated and he would be in a safe area. And so I returned to the TV set and watched with horror as people ran from the World Trade Center and surrounding buildings. I recall feeling eerily that it was like watching a bad “grade B” movie. I also recall the calm steadiness of Scott Powers, an Annapolis grad and attorney for the firm as our eyes were cast upward. Our attorneys assured people who needed to go to check on their employees or loved ones to please do so but you would be surprised how many people stayed for the luncheon that concluded the session. There was comfort and assurance in being in a large group in a safe, secure building far from New York City or the Pentagon.

I recall that a close friend was very upset that her four year old kept watching the scene re-played as he stayed with his grandmother. “He keeps thinking it’s happening over and over,” she bemoaned. It was a very upsetting day for all of us who lived through it and a turning point for our country. Never again would we experience the freedoms that we had back then. If the United States were a dog we were probably a big, lovable Labrador until that time. After September 11th we became a snarling Pit Bull much more wary and cautious.

There were some good things to come from the tragedy. One first-hand example was our son. He was born in the baby boomlet that followed 9-11. He will never know the America I knew prior to that day. To him, removing his shoes at airport security is second nature, just as it is to have liquids over three ounces confiscated.

Each year when the video re-plays of the burning twin towers begin airing, I generally cast my eyes in the other direction or change the channel. “I was there. I lived through it,” I mutter, much as a veteran chooses not to watch a war film. This year avoiding the images will be nearly impossible as most every channel is already running features on the historic tragedy. Perhaps I will watch. Perhaps I’ll go for a walk with my son instead.

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I’m taking a deep breath as I begin creating this post with the knowledge that I may lose a “real” friend or two in what I’m about to write. I know this from first hand experience because I’ve already lost one “friend” over the same subject nearly a year ago. But here goes….it’s my opinion, shaped after years in professional communications with the past several of those spent immersed in the online world of communications and social media.

So here it is: I don’t want to be friends with your 8 year old on Facebook. Here’s why:

1. The Rules: Facebook states that you are supposed to be 13 years old in order to have your own account. I realize many people think rules were made for others and not for them but it’s handy to have a rule to point to when taking a position.

Granted, I know Mark Zuckerburg wants to lower the Facebook age limit (who wouldn’t when they’re selling advertising?) I did come across this excellent article from Psychology Today while researching this blog post that should help parents of tweens make informed decisions for their child as they contemplate them creating a Facebook presence.

2. Lies and Damn Lies: If you ignore Rule #1 above then you are teaching your child to create falsehoods from the start. (As you know, Facebook asks for a date of birth and the child obviously can’t use their real DOB.) OK so it may be  just a “teeny white lie” but….

3. Cognitive Reasoning: I am amazed at the number of adult friends I have on Facebook who fall for some of the scams I’ve seen going around (remember the one about Osama Bin Laden?) Well, if adults fall for these hoaxes, how easy would it be to mislead a child? Furthermore do you recall Piaget’s thoughts on logic from your Psyche. 101 class? He says children really begin to think logically around the age of 12.

4. Not everybody’s your friend: Where do I start? Anyone seen the news lately? If you have then you know what I’m talking about. My heart still aches for the parents of the eight year old who walked seven blocks to his day camp in New York only to meet his killer along the route.

5. There are bad viruses and bad people out there: It’s true. I have seen them both but I’d just as soon shield your 8 year old from them. Heaven help us if we should accidentally pass on or connect a child to a virus. Parents, in case you’ve had your head in the sand be sure to check out this article Should I Cancel My Kids’ Facebook Account?

6. Should kids really know all my business? I’ve shared this thought with friends who feel the same way. We have nothing to hide but do you always want a little kid in the room while you’re having a conversation with adults?

7. I love kids! Although some of you may think otherwise, I actually love children very much and am a parent myself. That’s why I’m writing this post. Better to err on the side of caution and keep all of our kids safe.

Finally, I had been thinking about writing this when I ran across that Psychology Today post above about the all-knowing world we now live in. What the author says to tweens and teens is spot on in my opinion. But let’s start thinking even a few years younger as little Johnny and Suzy create the profile that will follow them the rest of their lives.

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Editor’s Note: The following video originally appeared as a guest vlog for Maria Peagler’s blog. She requested I create this to better help her clients and students who want to feel comfortable on camera. I hope it helps you as well!

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Recently I was invited to the founding meeting of a women’s leadership organization. It was a fascinating foursome that got together at that first gathering in a local tea room. One woman is a leader in local Junior League, another is a former Chicago and Wall Street trader and another is an elementary school vice principal who speaks fluent French. I, the communications entrepreneur, rounded out the group. Together we decided on a name, “The Women’s Leadership Salon.” The group’s purpose is to gather monthly to discuss books about leadership. After dinner we adjourned to  the tea room’s front porch. If you can imagine a Tennessee summer breeze kissing your face coupled with a lively conversation about pet dogs, you can picture our meeting there  that first evening.

We decided our first reading assignment would be John C. Maxwell’s Developing the Leader Within You.  I recommend the book to anyone interested in leadership. There was one chapter that stood out to me: Vision. In it Maxwell tells of the difference between a winner’s mentality and a loser’s mentality. Quoting Bobb Biehl Maxwell writes, “Winners focus on winning big-not just how to win, but how to win big. Losers, however don’t focus on losing they just focus on getting by.”  What has your focus of attention? Maxwell poses one other question as a fill-in-the-blank from Moishe Rosen. If you had anything you wanted with unlimited resources what would you do? The sentence reads:

If I had __________________________________

I would ____________________________________

What’s your dream?  Are you thinking big or just getting by? I’d love to hear from you about your vision, especially if you are an entrepreneur. Let’s support one another in our efforts- and keep on dreaming!

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Editor’s note: This article was first published as a guest blog post on my friend Cathy Rodger’s blog over at 7 Waves Marketing.

Let’s face it. We’re going to be moving around in our careers. The days of staying in one job for 35 years and retiring with a gold watch are over. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average person born in the later years of the baby boom held 10.8 jobs from age 18 to 42. Given our mobile society, we need to create and cultivate our personal brand as we switch jobs or careers. Large corporations aren’t the only ones who know the value of sticking with a brand. If you don’t believe me, have you tried Googling your name or your “brand name” lately? That’s where you’ll see the results of your personal brand building efforts.

Since Google changed its algorithms in February MarketingMel has fared even better in search than it did when I started my public relations firm for business pro’s just over two years ago. What’s helped MarketingMel get the Google juice and thus build my personal brand? Here are seven tips I’ve learned that I hope will be of help to you:

1- Have a good web site: As old-fashioned as it may sound in today’s social media crazed world, your web site is still your virtual lobby. It impacts your professionalism and your search. Be sure you’ve engaged proper search engine optimization techniques. I learned this first hand. I launched my company with only a free WordPress blog. That was certainly better than nothing but I saw a major change once I employed a top notch web developer and we co-created a professional web site.

2- Use twitter: Plain and simple – twitter gives you Google juice.  By tweeting about topics of interest you will build a base of loyal followers and build your credibility and professionalism.

3- Win awards: Do quality work and apply for awards in your field. It brings you and your clients recognition.

4- Publicize those awards! In addition to issuing a local news release for some recent P.R.S.A. awards that I won for client work I also put the release out on Marketwire. Using an accredited wire service gives your brand staying power and keeps it up in search. I’ve found the Marketwire people extremely helpful to work with and paying for their service is better than the free press release sites.

5- Create and post new content including videos: It will put you in the great minority. Forrester says that only about 25 percent of the people using the social web are actually creating content, like this blog post. Be sure to take this great opportunity to be creative.

6- Get featured in the media: You’re bound to have an area of expertise others are interested in. When I first started my own business I was interviewed by the local TV station about my use of twitter. That springboarded into a three part series called Social Networking 101 that aired on the 6 pm news. Since then I’ve been on the radio several times and the subject of  written feature articles. You can do the same for your brand.

7- Use social media channels:  Remember to stay active with LinkedIn and Facebook. Be sure you create a Facebook business page for your business. That too will help you in search.

Finally,  just start somewhere. Create content and build your brand! You’ll already be ahead of 75% of the pack!

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I’ve always dreamed of going on safari in Kenya. What about you? If you are like me, and your constraints keep you from jumping on the next plane to Africa, may I recommend the next best thing?

A dear friend and client recently gave me a copy of Surviving Your Serengeti: 7 Skills to Master Business and Life. Stefan Swanepoel’s book is labeled as a fable of self -discovery. Reading this book and learning about the skill sets of seven wild animals was the next best thing to being there. I recommend it to any business person interested in learning more about their business survival skills and those used by the people around them. As you move quickly through this easy read you will want to know what wild animal you are most like (see link below.)

According to  Swanepoel I am a communicating elephant. The largest mammals can “receive and interpret some 70 different sounds from each other and their environment. Their communications skills even include humor, mourning, and an ability to lead others.” According to the book, “effective communications is the art of successfully delivering your message.”

Here are seven tips of the great communicators (the elephants) along with a few social networking twists from MarketingMel!

1. Be sure you hear what another person is trying to say.
2. Listen and respond to their message. (On twitter when people @ message you or RT you be sure to thank them.)
3. Advance the discussion from monologue to a true dialogue. (Perhaps this is why I enjoy social networking so much. It’s an opportunity to truly share in a dialogue with a variety of interesting people, and, in the case of twitter, people I would never otherwise have occasion to meet.)
4. Accept constructive feedback (Reading evaluations after my business presentations helps me to make the next one even better!)
5. Be sure your verbal and non verbal communication match your verbal message (Elephants are masters at intuition.)
6. When writing, be precise. “Less is best.” (Twitter’s 140 characters are often just right!)
7. Use visuals that back up your verbal and written messages. (Hope you enjoyed the video.)

There are six other animals to study in your journey through the Serengeti and life. Take the quiz to find out what animal you are and when you’re through be sure to read the book.  You will learn more about yourself. Drop me a line in the comment box below. I would enjoy hearing about your  journey on safari.

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I enjoy John Maxwell’s leadership books. A friend gave me The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership when I graduated MBA school and I’ve been hooked ever since. Imagine how thrilled I was to hear Maxwell recently on the Chick-Fil-A Leadercast. The live event was held in Atlanta May 6. I was in the Tri-Cities at the fourth largest simulcast location in the country. What resonated as Maxwell spoke about his five levels of leadership is that, “Leadership is influence. Influence people and increase your leadership.” Then he asked us to draw out five stair steps as he talked through each of the five levels of leadership. As you read, think about where you are on the levels.

1- Positions: “Rights” You’re the boss. People have to follow you. He amusingly spoke of organizations that are run by people with “positions.” They’re the kind where everyone has their running shoes on at 4:45 because they will be sprinting out the door at 5 pm.

2- Permission: “Relationships” People follow you because they want to. You’ve connected with them. He notes that you cannot influence someone that you antagonize. Keys here: listen well, observe, learn.

Have an attitude of servanthood. “Be a tour guide, not a travel agent,” says Maxwell. He adds,  ”we attract who we are, not who we want.”

3- Production: “Results” help the bottom line. You produce, lead by example and gain momentum.

4- People development: “Reproduction” Successful leaders position others well. You recruit well, position well, equip well. You can come alongside others and help to develop and train them.

5- Pinnacle: “Respect” You’ve done so well with so many, that people follow you.

Maxwell adds, “leadership is ongoing learning.”

Where are you on this chart? Where would the people you lead say that you are?

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Two years ago 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 I think Tim was using a borrowed one. Tim knew I was an entrepreneur at heart who wanted to start my own 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 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 two 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. I’ve had the opportunity to work with some outstanding vendors as well, extremely talented web designers, photographers and videographers.

When I tell people I’ve been in business two 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. And as for your business’ name, well, I recommend something with staying power. See you here next year!

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The power of recorded voice lives on for Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thanks to the magic of social networking I recently became reacquainted with an old friend, Murem Sharpe. Her business, Evoca, harnesses the power of voice and voice recording. As a former broadcaster myself I am fascinated by this concept. Rather than simply commenting on a blog in writing, comments to a blog can now take on the life, lilt and accent of your individual voice.

Recently I had occasion to hear two people speak and was profoundly impacted by the power and strength of their voices. The first was a friend who recently passed away. Nancy Eastridge was an RN-turned lawyer-turned minister. She impacted many in her 46 years of life and was a powerful and persuasive public speaker. At her memorial service the minister played an excerpt from one of Nancy’s sermons. Hearing Nancy’s lively voice and charming Tennessee accent made me glad I knew her and I smiled through my tears.

The second was on the Evoca blog when I heard Gabrielle Giffords, the congresswoman victim in the Arizona shooting. She is reading the first amendment on the House floor, just days before she was shot. Her confidence in reading our constitution’s right to free press and peaceful assembly made me wish I knew her.

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There is a great lasting and staying power in the recorded voice. We need only think of the immortal “I have a Dream” speech of Martin Luther King that will be played on the news this coming Monday as it is every year. The recording enables the speech to live on in perpetuity.

A whole new dimension has been added to this blog by harnessing the power of your voice! Please leave me your recorded comments for a permanent record of your visit here.

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Put the right people on the bus and you are headed for success

In Jim Collins’ book Good to Great he advises business executives to “put the right people on the bus” when it comes to hiring decisions. To paraphrase the well respected business guru, “put the right people on the bus and it doesn’t matter where the bus is going.” He succinctly outlines the point on this video, (the “first who” concept.)
Recently I had an opportunity to “load the bus” by forming a mastermind group with some creative colleagues.  As a part of a brainstorm during my 2011 strategic planning session I decided it was important to get four other top regional entrepreneurs together with the goal of sharing information about our companies and discussing ways we could help one another. From the start I wanted to keep the session informal. The five of us met for a working lunch and from that session emerged a “star story” with the opportunities provided by each entrepreneur highlighted as one of the five points of the star. Those points include: leadership (Jeff Brunson), business systems (Curt Henry), financial accountability (Gregg Pechmann), business and relational development (Mary Reynolds), and communications (me, MarketingMel.)

Next we presented the story star to our city’s economic developer. He plans to team the entrepreneurs with some large corporations in our region struggling to share the solopreneur’s flexibility and strategic viewpoint. I’ll keep you posted on our progress. It would be good for all business owners to remember Collins’ point as we move toward 2011. First get the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus. Then you will be headed for success.

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“Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure… than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.” Theodore Roosevelt

Dr. Joe Trahan cooks up Gumbo Leadership

What are the qualities of a leader? Dr. Joe Trahan, the southeastern district chair of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) recently took his Gumbo Leadership program to East Tennessee State University in Johnson City,Tenn. Just as creating good gumbo involves adding a little of this and a dash of that, Trahan reviewed the essential ingredients that make a leader. The proud New Orleans native says he waited years for last season’s Super Bowl win and he encourages others to persevere like the much maligned Saints. Noting that General George Washington led his men into the Delaware while holding a losing record, Trahan says it is that quality of perseverance that sets leaders apart.  Here is his LEADER acronym with sage words to follow.

L- (He began with the word LOVE and then moved on to the other letters in LEADER.)

L-  Listen. with your heart, ears, and eyes. Give others your undivided attention. Listen for understanding and comprehension.

O- Overlook. Don’t dwell on the negative. Instead,  put people in places they excel. Look for their positive traits and what they do best.

V- Voice. Lead from the front. Be strong and secure.

E- Enthusiasm.  Believe in what we do.

E-Ethics. Be grounded in the right thing. Sometimes that is the toughest thing you’ll ever do, says Trahan.

A- Action. A leader makes things happen.

D- Determination. It will not go away. General Washington was determined to hold the revolution together when he decided to cross the Delaware River.

E- Example. People watch what you do and what you don’t do as a leader.

R- Responsiblity.  Dr. Trahan quoted General Colin Powell talking to his troops, “If it’s done right you did it. If it’s done wrong I did it.” Take care of and responsibility for the organization when you are the leader and knock down barriers.

What are your thoughts on leadership today? Do you agree with Dr. Trahan? Please feel free to comment.

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