Her Write Mind

2012-01-10T07:25:00.001-08:00

Report: Consumer Media Usage Across TV, Online, Mobile and Social

January 6, 2012

Almost one in three U.S. TV households – 35.9 million – owns four or more televisions, according to a new report on media usage from Nielsen. Across the ever-changing U.S. media landscape, TV maintains its stronghold as the most popular device, with 290 million Americans and 114.7 households owning at least one. In contrast, 211 million Americans are online and 116 million (ages 13+) access the mobile Web.

For more insights on usage and trends across TV, mobile, online, and social media download Nielsen’sState of the Media: Consumer Usage Report.

For press inquiries or for more information on this article contact Nielsen

Tags: media usage, Mobile, smartphones, social media, streaming video, television

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2012-01-08T17:41:00.000-08:00

30 Social Media Predictions for 2012 From the Pros

By Cindy King
Published January 2, 2012

How will social media impact businesses in 2012?

We sought expert opinions from a wide range of pros you’re likely familiar with.

We are grateful for the dozens of social media professionals who have written over 600 articles for us since we started Social Media Examiner in October 2009.

To give you a glimpse of what we can expect in the next 12 months, we decided to tap their knowledge and expertise. Here are their predictions of where social media is headed in the next 12 months.

#1: Businesses consolidate social media activities

Michael Stelzner @mike_stelzner

As the social media landscape becomes more crowded in 2012,businesses will pick their battles and dig in. What used to be simply Facebook and Twitter is now Google+, LinkedIn, Facebookand Twitter (and who knows what’s next). On top of this, you have many specialty networks like Foursquare, Yelp and Instagram.

The old mantra of “be everywhere” will quickly be replaced with “be where it matters to our business.”

The major four players have all gone through massive changes in preparation for the battle for users. But don’t let a shiny new wrapping be the motivation to focus on social network A or B. Instead, it will be essential to focus where you’ll see results. And that may not necessarily be Facebook or Twitter for your business.

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30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

2012-01-06T08:01:00.000-08:00

As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Nothing could be closer to the truth. But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you. You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot. Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth. And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on. No, it won’t be easy. There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them. We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems. That’s not how we’re made. In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall. Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time. This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself. Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves. Read The Road Less Traveled.
Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too. Yes, help others; but help yourself too. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you likeeveryone else. Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you. Don’t change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing. Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success. You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us. We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future. Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive. But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either. You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else. Read Stumbling on Happiness.
Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place. Evaluate situations and take decisive action. You cannot change what you refuse to confront. Making progress involves risk. Period! You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises. Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely. It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company. There’s no need to rush. If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet. Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you. But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others doing better than you. Concentrate on beating your own records every day. Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own. Ask yourself this: “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”
Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you. You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough. But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past. You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation. So smile! Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart. You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate. Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.” It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.” Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself! And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too. If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway. Just do what you know in your heart is right.
Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. – The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting. Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things. The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done. Read Getting Things Done.
Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile. Don’t take the easy way out. Do something extraordinary.
Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while. You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well. You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears. The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life. When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out. But making one person smile CAN change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. So narrow your focus.
Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy. One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time? Three years? Five years?” If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen. Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs. Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

Original Post

RIP NATE DOGG

2011-03-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

Lake Night Early Mornings - Clemm Rishad

2011-03-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

I love coming across new talent. This is compounded when said talent is someone I've known technically their entire life. Clemm Rishad has grown into a superstar talent. Recently inking a deal with the publishing arm of Universal - Rondor Publishing, Clemm Rishad made waves with his single Windows.

On this project "Late Night Early Mornings" he couples his creative lyrics with melodious beats to create an incredible album. I haven't wanted to skip one track, and I'm not easy to please when it comes to music.

You can hear in his flow who his influences are. Like those great rappers his storytelling ability is witty and raw. Clemm Rishad could finally be the one to unseat Drizzy Drake. I'm just saying...listen for yourself, free download Late Night Early Mornings

Integrating Social Media Conference 2010

2010-09-17T18:58:00.001-07:00

October 22-23, 2010, Atlanta, GA: Social Media Experts will be in high demand as social media becomes an integral part of PR and marketing campaigns. Will you be one? Designed specifically for marketing and PR professionals of all backgrounds, non-profit organizations and small business owners, the Integrating Social Media Conference goes beyond the buzz words to real-world and proven methods for successfully incorporating social media into your current marketing and PR strategies. You’ll hear firsthand from social media experts including Shiv Singh of Pepsi Co., The Brand Builder’s Olivier Blanchard, WholeFoods’s Marla Erwin, HubSpot’s Mike Volpe, Kellye Crane of Crane Communications and more. Register with promo code MASH and save 20%.

FutureMedia Fest 2010

2010-09-17T18:55:00.000-07:00

October 4-7, 2010, Atlanta, GA: FutureMedia Fest 2010 – Explore new paradigms in how Content is Created, Distributed and Consumed with FutureMedia at Georgia Tech. Join our mash-up of talent, ideas, trends and technology. Hear directly from top industry execs and visionaries. Talk with investors. Meet interactive marketing experts. Network with potential partners. Experiment real-time with open innovation. Industry leaders, academics, entrepreneurs and VC’s will inspire and challenge attendees with provocative panel discussions, facilitated small discussion groups and hands-on demos of next generation technology. Register today at futuremediaglobal.com and use the code FutureMedia 2010.

Google Music Service to Launch

2010-09-16T18:34:00.000-07:00

Google’s much anticipated music offering is said to be launching by Christmas, and new information from Billboard suggests that it will be both a digital download store and a cloud-based subscription service costing $25 per year.

Billboard’s sources referred to the cloud service as a locker, a place where subscribers will be able to store and access their music files and downloads, stream full tracks once prior to purchase, and share playlists with friends who would also be allowed to stream full tracks, free of charge, on their first listen.

Locker users would be able to add all their music files — as long as the track is licensed by Google () — to their online locker for future streaming or downloading purposes.

“Such tracks could include those purchased at the Google download store or another download retailer, tracks ripped from a CD and even music files downloaded from peer-to-peer networks,” per the report.

Of course, everything — especially the full track-streaming functionality and the storing of peer-to-peer exchanged tracks — is dependent on Google securing the support from the major record labels.

The company is said to be showing label executives a term sheet with these proposals. It designs to get the labels to sign an initial three-year licensing agreement, with a 50/50 split on subscription revenue going to the master right holders. Google is also proposing a 10.5% cut for music publishers, according to Billboard.

With Christmas right around the corner, Google will need to aggressively push to make these deals happen in time for the holiday season. Previous reports on the subject suggest that Google may launch the Android-friendly download service first, with the online subscription portion to follow at a later date. From the sound of it, the cloud-based locker offering has the most potential to be disruptive, and should help Google differentiate its music offering from Apple’s longstanding iTunes store.

Article Courtesy of Mashable: Original Post Here

Lift: The B2B Social Commerce Summitt

2010-09-10T19:00:00.000-07:00

September 23, 2010, Atlanta, GA: Lift: The B2B Social Commerce Summit is a “must attend” event for marketers, senior management and business owners looking to apply real-world social tactics that drive sales lift to their business. Co-hosted by Wharton Interactive, OfficeArrow and Social Strategy1, and bringing together the brightest minds in the B2B space, this 2nd annual 1-day information-packed all-inclusive event delivers educational workshops on how to monetize social media, how to quickly generate quality leads, and how to translate social data into measurable conversions. Use promo code MASH2010 and save 10% off $199 admission or $159 early-bird through 8/16.

Leaked Google Documents Reveal How Much Big Brands Spend on Search Ads

2010-09-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

Ad Age has obtained an internal Google document that highlights some of the biggest AdWords buyers for the month of June 2010, offering insight into how big brands are using Google and how much they are spending. According to the documents, the biggest buyers of AdWords in June included AT&T Mobility, Amazon, eBay and BP. Although most of those companies are frequent big Google () spenders, BP was a newcomer to the list, spending $3.59 million on search ads in the wake of the gulf oil spill (compared to just $57,000 in the two months prior).

Top Spenders

The top spender in June, AT&T Mobility, spent $8.08 million on search ads to coincide with the release of the iPhone 4. According to Ad Age, AT&T’s the third-largest U.S. advertiser overall, so its Google spending is not a big surprise.

Other companies that made up the top 10 include:

Apollo Group – You know them as The University of Phoenix and they spent $6.67 million in June 2010
Expedia – $5.95 million
Amazon – $5.85 million
eBay – $4.25 million
Hotels.com – $3.30 million
JC Penney – $2.46 million — we’ll admit, this one surprises us
Living Social – $2.29 million
ADT Security – $2.19 million

Why Brands Buy Google Ads

The data shows us that for big brands, a heavy investment in Google is usually tied to revenue that comes directly from search traffic (as in the case of Amazon, eBay, Expedia, Hotels.com) or in instances where companies are trying to build awareness (AT&T) or weather a PR crisis (BP).

It’s also interesting to note some of the brands that aren’t on the list. The documents obtained by Ad Age indicate that companies like GM, Disney and BMW spent less than $500,000 on Google ads in June. Even Apple spent just less than $1 million on Google ads, despite its high-profile launch of the iPhone 4.

However, we also think it is possible that some big brands are spending money on search, but not directly with Google. For instance, although Ad Age cites Walt Disney as one of the companies that spent less than $500,000 on Google ads in June, the movie studio released Toy Story 3 that month, a film supported by a massive ad campaign. The film has gone on to gross more than $1 billion worldwide, making it one of the most successful animated films of all-time. It seems odd that Disney would spend only $500,000 on search terms for its big summer release.

What seems more likely, however, is that Disney purchased advertising through companies like Fandango or MovieTickets.com and those companies have their own arrangements with Google. In other words, when it comes to evaluating search spending, don’t count out the potential middle men. This also makes sense when taking a big-picture approach to Google’s own revenue. The top 10 brands only accounted for 5% of U.S. revenues for the month.

Google is a big target for advertisers because of its strength in search and because of its ubiquity across devices. We do wonder if ad buys will shift to other outlets, like say, Facebook (), as users spend more and more time on those networks.

Article originally posted here, on Mashable

6th Annual House in the Park

2010-09-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure to attend the 6th Annual House in the Park festival. Complete with family fun, vendors, and people from all over Atlanta with an appreciation for House Music. I had a blast!

Karin & I at House in the Park Festival

"The Spin Crowd"

2010-09-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

There have been awful things said about Kim Kardashian produced show The Spin Crowd, so I decided to find out for myself what all of the fuss was about.

``The Spin Crowd'' takes viewers inside Command PR, a Los Angeles-based celebrity and entertainment agency run by owner Jonathan Cheban and his friend Simon Huck. The series focuses on the duo's unorthodox approach to their business as they work with A-list celebs, designers and big-time clients while keeping a close watch on their young, inexperienced, all-female staff.

What they say is true. As a PR Practitioner, my work day is nothing like this show illustrates. Perhaps its because I don't normally work with celebrities. But maybe when the camera stays in the office with their all-female staff Jonathan and Simon are actually out doing the real work. Let me preface this by saying I only watched one episode in which there was a cat-fight of sorts between the girls that work in the office and then another one between Jonathan and the owners of another PR firm. It was rather entertaining if you like that sort of thing, and good TV is suppose to be entertaining.

I was hoping that it would show another side to Public Relations. A side that would teach the masses how relationships truly do go a long way. Ah, the search for a television role model continues...

Modern Media Man Summit

2010-08-25T18:54:00.000-07:00

September 9-11, 2010, Atlanta, GA: The Modern Media Man Summit is the first blogging conference for men and dads and will feature many of the most influential social media experts in the country, including Charles J. Orlando, Dave Taylor, Liz Strauss, Carol Roth and Ted Murphy. Many speakers, including Jim Kukral and Ron Mattocks, are newly published authors and are focused on helping men and women bloggers prosper in the digital age. Thanks to M3’s Platinum Sponsor Chevrolet, baseball legend Cal Ripken, Jr. is throwing out the first pitch. Register with the promo code M3MASH and save 20 percent.

Isabella's Cafe opens in Decatur, GA.

2010-07-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

The vuvuzelas have fallen silent. Those epic celebratory power slides are now the stuff of highlight reels. And you miss the world and its cup.

This calls for a rebound...

Meet Isabella’s Café, a semi-hidden neighborhood hang with a distinctly global focus, soft-open now for your international lunching, dinnering and futbol-detoxing needs (tearing off your shirt and running out after the tab optional).

Think of this as the United Nations of cafés, where social progress and world peace are best handled one bottle of South African wine at a time. Your evening begins as you step into the huge, open dining room and peruse the would-be art gallery of international prints from a local Kenyan photographer. Take them in. Get in the mood. And have a seat when you’re ready... the owner will be with you promptly.

Her name is Wambui, she’s got great dimples, and she put your menu together from old family recipes and gratuitous amounts of international travel. From Persia to Kenya and India to South Africa, you’ll happily make your way through Swahili Shrimp Curry with Mango and Basmati Rice, Spicy Asian Orange Beef or Chipotle-Maple Black Beans.

You’ll be looking at a BYOB scenario for another few weeks, but the wine list is ready to go. Oh, and you’ll be happy to hear that every one of them will be from South Africa.

Which should at least hold you over until 2014.



Note:	Isabella’s Café, soft-open now, 404-373-7177, see the slideshow Urban Daddy Post

NPR Drops Radio

2010-07-11T16:54:00.000-07:00

National Public Radio believes it’s moved beyond just radio.

So the nonprofit network’s dropping the “radio” designation in its company name—so 20^th century, right? It's now rechristened itself to fit the aspirations of a 21^st century, multi-platform media company. In other words, no "radio," please--we're only "NPR.

"NPR chief executive Vivian Schiller told the Washington Post that “NPR is more modern, streamlined.”

Several companies have re-branded themselves by opting for an abbreviated name, such as the Cable News Network (CNN), Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and British Petroleum (BP).

What's in a name, you say?

A lot. Recently, some British commentators took offense at reports on the Gulf oil spill that continued to cite the full former name of BP. They complained that "British Petroleum" was a xenophobic ploy of American media outlets, which were seeking to blame the spill on the British.

The Post reports that NPR hasn’t formally announced abbreviating the name that it’s had for nearly three decades, but has already made the full shift internally. The move has created tension within the the industry that continues to kick in much of the network's revenues, the Post notes: “NPR's affiliates, which contribute about 40 percent of NPR's $154 million operating budget, are still primarily in the radio business.”

NPR’s cutbacks in recent years raised eyebrows on the radio side because the digital departments were largely spared. Media watchers took such moves as a telltale sign that the nonprofit network sees its future online.

Yahoo News By Michael Calderone

Water For Elephants By Sara Gruen

2010-06-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

I worked for a few years at Atlanta's PBS & NPR station WABE / WPBA 90.1 FM. While writing this post drums of fond memories of the friendships I have made, no other memory stands out like the occasional email from the producer of "Between the Lines." Hosted weekly by Valerie Jackson, this show was a 'behind the scenes', if you will, from the author's point of view. Literary agents, authors and publicists alike would send books from all over the world in the hopes of receiving the call to be on this show.

Every so often the studio would become overloaded with books that didn't make the cut, those that were not a fit for our conservative audience or extra copies of those that had already been reviewed. These would land on the break room table right before an office-wide email would start the stampede. On these trips I usually had my arms loaded with daydreams of my nose in a book while sipping my favorite herbal tea. It was on one of these trips that I picked up a copy of Water for Elephants. I picked it up for no other reason than, the summary piqued my interest.

Needless to say several bookshelves full later, I found myself in quite a predicament--I had several books to read, and no time to read them. Thus started my recent weekend challenge--I vowed to read one book every Sunday until I didn't have any spines on the shelf I hadn't stuck my nose in, starting with Water for Elephants.

Its a simple story really--riddled with life lessons, tumultuous times, friends and lovers. There's no pretentious prose, which I love. The story follows the life of Jacob Jankowski a vet for the illustrious Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. What I found thoroughly interesting were the descriptions of the animals in the menagerie and the live acts under the big top. Gruen used her literary prowess to sketch in technicolor an entire world complete with clowns, equestrians and Rosie the elephant. Water For Elephants was an excellent read, and I would recommend it young and old alike.

It was after I finished reading it that I sought out reviews from other readers to see if their thoughts mirrored my own. I also was curious as to how this book had flown under my radar for so long, and it was sitting on the bookcase in my home office! My research not only produced reader reviews, but information on the impending production of a movie with the main character Jacob Jankowski being portrayed by none other than our resident sparkly vampire actor Robert Pattinson. Who knew? As a closeted twilight fan, I was thoroughly elated. Let the premier countdown begin.

Purchase the book here: Water for Elephants

CALLING ALL ARTISTS--G-CAPP WANTS YOU!

2010-06-24T19:31:00.000-07:00

Gyant Interviews Wendy Williams

2010-05-19T14:56:00.000-07:00

Wendy Williams Talks Being The "It" Girl Of TV, Retiring From Radio & More! from Gyant UnpluggedTV on Vimeo.

Fabulous Blogger Gyant had the privilege of interviewing Wendy Williams. She talks about her love of Atlanta, her transition from radio to television and more. Check it out!

Wendy Williams From “The Wendy Williams Show” Talks W/ Gyant [Video]

Improve Your Copywriting with Help from Social Media: 7 Tactics from David Meerman Scott

2010-05-18T11:28:00.000-07:00

Potential customers want to hear how you can solve their problems in simple, understandable language -- not empty marketing clichés. Social media can help teach you that language.

Read why marketing strategist David Meerman Scott thinks phrases such as “robust” and “mission critical” can do more harm than good to your marketing, and how you can use social media to move past them.

Read More

21 Rules for Social Media Engagement

2010-05-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

Brian Solis is the author of Engage and a leading authority in digital branding and marketing. Connect with him on Twitter or Facebook. What follows is a modified excerpt from Engage, the complete guide for businesses to build, cultivate, and measure success in the new web.

Social media is reinventing marketing, communications, and the dissemination of information. While businesses now have access to these rich channels, the true promise of social media lies in the direct connections between people who represent companies and the people who define markets of interest.

Today, many businesses approach this with the establishment of social media guidelines and policies. This is indeed an important step, and not one worth economizing. But it’s also not enough. I highly recommend establishing official procedures that remind representatives of the importance and privilege of engagement.

The openness of popular networks is trivial. Any business can join and create a profile. It’s the devices we employ, the intentions that motivate engagement, and the value we offer that dictate the significance of the brand-specific social graphs we weave. It’s a simple investment in either visibility or presence. In social media, just like in the real world, presence is felt.

Rules of Engagement

As social media continues to evolve, defining the “rules of engagement” will encourage thoughtful interaction that benefits the business, brand, customer, peers, and prospects at every touchpoint. In the end, we earn the attention, relationships and business we deserve.
The following is an outline of best practices to help you craft a practical set of rules to guide representatives as they engage.

1. Discover all relevant communities of interest and observe the choices, challenges, impressions, and wants of the people within each network.
2. Don’t just participate solely in your own domains (Facebook Fan Page, Twitter conversations related to your brand, etc.). Participate where your presence is advantageous and mandatory.
3. Determine the identity, character, and personality of the brand and match it to the persona of the individuals representing it online.
4. Establish a point of contact who is ultimately responsible for identifying, trafficking, or responding to all things that can affect brand perception.
5. As in customer service, representatives require training to learn how to proactively and reactively respond across multiple scenarios. Don’t just put the person familiar with social networking in front of the brand.
6. Embody the attributes you wish to portray and instill. Operate by a code of conduct.
7. Observe the behavioral cultures within each network and adjust your outreach accordingly.
8. Assess pain points, frustrations, and also those of contentment in order to establish meaningful connections.
9. Become a true participant in each community you wish to activate. Move beyond marketing and sales.
10. Don’t speak at audiences through canned messages. Introduce value, insight and direction with each engagement.
11. Empower your representatives to offer rewards and resolutions in times of need.
12. Don’t just listen and placate — act. Do something.
13. Ensure that any external activities are supported by a comprehensive infrastructure to address situations and adapt to market conditions and demands.
14. Learn from each engagement and provide a path within the company to adapt and improve products and services.
15. Consistently create, contribute, and reinforce service and value.
16. Earn connections through collaboration and empower advocacy.
17. Don’t get lost in translation. Ensure your communication and intent is clear and that your involvement maps to objectives created for the social web.
18. Establish and nurture beneficial relationships online and in the real world as long as doing so is important to your business.
19. “Un-campaign” and create ongoing programs that keep you connected to day-to-day engagement.
20. “Un-market” by becoming a resource to your communities.
21. Give back, reciprocate, and recognize notable contributions from participants in your communities.

Mashable Article Here

Season Shape Up!

2010-05-09T17:49:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine (well, a few friends of mine) will be featured in Southern Season's magazine soon! Rebecca Crosby was challenged with dropping 30lbs over the course of a few months. To help her in this journey my good friends Mark Comar and Akil Sherman of Quick Fitness Solutions whipped her butt into shape, literally! I'll keep you posted on when the issue will be published, but you can read all about her journey here http://seasonshapeup.blogspot.com/.

Mark Comar, Rebecca Crosby & Akil Sherman

The Future Classroom

2010-04-05T07:17:00.000-07:00

I've just learned of a new product that would totally transform the methods in which instructors teach their students. Promethean is releasing a new product in their ActivClassroom series this summer. The ActivBoard Mobile System has everything that the ActivClassroom does, only it's mobile! How perfect is that?! Now where the students learn is less important since this product will allow teachers to bring the material to them. The ActivBoard Mobile System has a range of optional accessories too, including: a lockable laptop shelf, storage drawer and dry erase board, meaning the solution can be tailored to the specific needs of the educator and their learning environment. It can also be integrated with the technologies already used at the school.

Promethean has tools for teachers as well, including an international online community called Promethean Planet (http://www.prometheanplanet.com) where teachers can interact with one another and share ways to use the whiteboard technology.

Warranties and lifetime support on the units provide safety and support for those who invest in the mobile learning space.

For more information visit Promethean's site at http://www.prometheanworld.com/

Loews Atlanta Hotel Opens

2010-04-01T06:34:00.000-07:00

Click here for more

Four Unique Ways to Use Twitter Lists

2010-03-31T09:43:00.000-07:00

Many people feel that Twitter is only a sales broadcasting platform, but I’m sure that you’ve heard of the positive causes that have been spread via Twitter as well. The best way to keep Twitter a valuable, viable channel is to emphasize the social aspect, and one important way to do this is to show appreciation for your Twitter friends using lists. I’ll discuss 4 easy methods below.

#1: Follow @ListWatcher.

@ListWatcher is a great resource that sends you a direct message (DM) when anyone adds, removes or changes you on any of their lists. This is such a simple reason to send a thank-you tweet for adding you to their list. It adds a special touch that you have taken time out of your busy schedule to thank someone for thinking of you. People love to feel appreciated and valued by their fellow Twitter peeps.

It’s also an interesting way to understand how others perceive your presence on Twitter. It may help you to change or modify your tweets if you feel it’s an incorrect perception. It may also give you a positive perception of yourself, which can be a great source of encouragement if you’re feeling a lack of motivation in your endeavors.

Seeing DMs come in from @listwatcher is also a great reminder to continue adding people to your Twitter lists. It’s very easy to forget about this relatively new feature, which provides a great way to connect and keep up with new and old friends by reducing Twitter’s noise.

#2: Support Your Twitter Lists With Hootsuite.

Hootsuite.com is the holy grail of Twitter applications. Hootsuite has many incredible features, but we’ll focus on Twitter lists for now. Be sure to add your Twitter lists as columns in order to scroll down and take time to review them. Give back by retweeting great quotes, links and any other interesting tidbits that you discover.

The great thing about sharing your appreciation in this way is that it doesn’t take an enormous amount of time to retweet great ideas and content. All it takes is scanning down the columns of your Twitter lists and finding the ones that would be beneficial for yourself and your friends to retweet. When I find great tweets, I add them to my Twitter favorites, which is another way to show your appreciation. Others can view your Twitter favorites and find interesting people to follow from your favorite tweets.

Tweetdeck provides some similar features, but one of the best advantages of Hootsuite over Tweetdeck is that it doesn’t take up a lot of resources on your computer. It’s possible to view multiple columns of Twitter lists in Hootsuite without having to worry about resource issues. It also provides for a much faster response time—I used to waste time waiting for Tweetdeck to load. I’ve been an avid Hootsuite fan since I’ve made the switch.

#3: Ask Your Friends How They Want to Be Listed.

As I added my friends to certain Twitter lists, I thought to myself, “What if this person wants to be listed differently?” This prompted a blog post in which I asked my friends, Which Twitter List Defines You? View some of the responses and consider asking your friends, especially if they’re known for multiple talents. As you can see, Denise Wakeman shared a variety of different options.
It’s not necessary to write a blog post to ask your friends; it can also be accomplished by sending a private direct message or sending a public @ reply, depending on your preference.
The approach is your decision, but the goal is the same: discover your friends’ Twitter list preferences and share them. There are some people who find it hard to initiate conversation on Twitter. Simply asking for a person’s Twitter list preference can also be a great icebreaker in meeting new people.

This exercise helped me to better understand my friends, learn which Twitter lists they would appreciate being part of and can also help build a sense of community as others share their thoughts.

Twitter lists can provide a great directory at a glance without having to go to other websites such as Twellow or WeFollow, although these are great sites to find new relationships. Start thinking of how you would like to be listed so you’ll be prepared when you’re asked for your Twitter list preference.

#4: Share Your Lists on Listorious.

Listorious.com is a fairly new site that features the top Twitter lists around the Twitterverse. Create a new account and add your Twitter lists to the directory. This gives exposure to your friends as you create and add your Twitter lists to this site.

Once you’ve added your Twitter lists, it’s possible to recommend people from Listorious after clicking on your newly created list. Just add in the person’s username and there’s an option to tweet it right at that moment. This is an incredibly easy way to show that you appreciate and value your friends. Take some time to search around and find some great Twitter lists to follow.

If you would like to learn more about using Twitter lists, make sure to check out this very popular post on How To Market Your Business With Twitter Lists here on Social Media Examiner. I learned some new things from this post, especially about SEO.

Via Social Media Examiner

Lissie - In Sleep (live)

2010-03-29T21:00:00.001-07:00

Jane Fonda Wants You To Get In Shape

2010-03-23T07:04:00.000-07:00

Jane Fonda Wants You To Get In Shape

Jane Fonda has just announced the launch of the first annual "World Fitness Day" May 1st at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Workout with her celebrity friends; Billy Blanks, Denise Austin and Richard Simmons. Fitness Zone to include a host of exhibitors as well. Get your tickets now!

Official Remember Me Trailer

2010-03-17T18:10:00.001-07:00

So it's been a few days since I saw this movie. I initially was drawn to it since I'm a huge fan of Robert Pattinson. From the other reviews I've read, this movie is getting a bad rap. It's not really a love story nor is it some disgraceful 9/11 sucker punch.

It's just a good humanistic story. It's shows regular people doing regular things . It's emotional and the acting is well done. I was pleasantly surprised. Hopefully you will go see it.

Overall, I give this movie a B+

Vivian Green "Beautiful" / Album In Stores April 6th, 2010

2010-03-17T07:53:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited that Vivian Green is still making music. I had the chance to see her at the Tabernacle here in Atlanta a few years ago. She's amazing!

Hello Seattle Music Video

2010-03-11T16:17:00.001-08:00

This song makes me yearn to see the sun set over Mt. Rainier in the horizon. I miss home and I'm looking forward to visiting this year!

Michael Adams for State Senate in November 2010

2010-03-10T15:57:00.000-08:00

Michael Adams is running for Georgia State Senate in District 38 this fall. I'm going to have the pleasure of meeting him tonight at Uptown's happy hour hosted by Pure Image Events. I'll keep you posed on his platform. Check him out online: www.adams38.com

Melanie Fiona - It Kills Me

2010-03-08T17:55:00.001-08:00

Birthday Celebration: Agave Restaurant

2010-03-08T11:13:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure to attend Agave to celebrate my birthday with a few friends. I had a blast, and not just because it was my birthday. The service was good, the food was great, and there was plenty of tequila to go around. I ordered the Southwestern Burrito & Stew - A large flour tortilla stuffed with pulled red chili marinated pork, shredded smoked chicken breast, Spanish rice, pinto beans, black beans & green chili, topped with mild cheddar, sour cream, red and green chili sauces, and accompanied by a cup of Homemade Hatch green chili stew. It was flavorful and a little spicy just how I like it. Agave is a charming southwestern eatery, and I will be going back again.

242 boulevard se atlanta, ga 30312 | 404.588.0006
www.agaverestaurant.com

PAINT, SKETCH, OR DRAW BLOOD 3.6.10

2010-03-08T07:46:00.000-08:00

My good friend Mandy and I at the Paint, Sketch, or Draw Blood art battle. We had a terrific time and were able to view true artists at work. The gallery was beautiful, and the hanging art was exquisite. I'm definitely looking forward to the next one!

Natalie Najjar Guest Bartends at DBA Barbecue in VA Highlands

2010-02-25T07:01:00.000-08:00

Natalie serving up "nattie lights" at DBA Barbecue

My good friend Natalie added bartender to her resume this week when she got behind the bar at DBA Barbecue. From closing tabs to shaken 'em up, she was a crowd pleaser. DBA Barbecue is a staple of the Virginia Highlands area. With $1 Yuengling on Mondays, smoked wings and made from scratch friend corn on the cob, this casual neighborhood eatery is now one of my favs!

DBA BARBECUE

1190 North Highland Ave

Atlanta, GA. 30306

404.249.5000

If you would like to guest bartend just call. Oh, and have awesome friends that are going to blog, tweet or TALK LOUDLY about it.

VIDEO: KANYE WEST "Coldest Winter"

2010-02-23T06:08:00.000-08:00

KANYE WEST "Coldest Winter" Directed by: NABIL "ITUNES link below" from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

This is the official music video for Kanye’s “Coldest Winter”, set to a subtle remix of the song. It’s a dark, visually dramatic video directed by Nabil. I'm glad Kanye is still surrounding himself with creative individuals. I love this video!

Under the Big Top: Barnum and Bailey Circus

2010-02-19T19:10:00.000-08:00

I took the kiddies to the circus last night, and they loved it! My oldest enjoyed it more than the toddler, but they had fun all the same. From the acrobatics to the dance numbers, they were buzzing in their seats! I guess we are going to have to see UniverSoul Circus too!

Atlanta Magazine Best of Atlanta Party 2010

2010-02-18T10:44:00.000-08:00

Atlanta magazine's Best of Atlanta Party is quite simply the best party in Atlanta. In one night you can sample selections from dozens of restaurants voted best by Atlanta magazine’s editors and our readers.
Click here for a list of participating restaurants

You can also sample drinks at 15 open bars and bid on great items in a silent auction that benefits Camp Twin Lakes.

Monday, February 22

6:00 p.m. VIP/Early Admission
$125 per person online

7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. General Admission
$60 per person online, $70 per person at the door

>> Click here to order your tickets now and save

Cobb Galleria Centre

Halls A and B
2 Galleria Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30339

Toddlers, Momprenuers, HELP!

2010-02-17T12:09:00.000-08:00

Have you ever tried taking a shower with a screaming toddler right outside the glass pane? As if as soon as you shut the door you would be transported to another world never to be seen again? Well I have. As I lathered shampoo in my hair yesterday morning, I had one fleeting thought—what do other momprenuers do? How do they nurture their growing children and careers simultaneously, without daycare or a nanny? My guess is, they don’t!

As I exit the shower stall and quickly dress, I realize that there is no way I could ever attempt to call an editor for fear that my mini me would get a sudden need for apple juice—or worse yet, need to use the restroom. I’m not sure how your child tells you what they need, but mine has a knack for announcing it boisterously. I could kiss whoever invented the mute button on cell phones. It has saved me more times than I can count. Don’t get me wrong, this is not all of the time, but it is when I am otherwise distracted from anything that pertains to her.

So far I have managed with the help of family, friends and the coveted nap-time. I have explored sending her to daycare, but the cost seems to increase each time I inquire. I only know a handful of women in the marketing/pr industry who are self-employed and have small children. They are often mature, more established practitioners who have a nanny. Others have husbands with flexible work schedules. I’m curious to find out what tactics other women use to entertain their children while they are trying to work. ANY suggestions will help at this point.

Movie Review: Valentine's Day

2010-02-16T11:57:00.000-08:00

This weekend I watched Valentine's Day chock full of a star-studded cast from Julia Roberts to her niece Emma. I can't honestly say that I enjoy romantic comedies. What I mean is, I really don't like them at all. So I wasn't too thrilled to see it, but I had some extra time...

I was thoroughly surprised by this movie. It was funny, witty, entertaining and tied up all loose ends of each relationship beautifully. I also liked the way different levels of love were portrayed. It was still very sappy, and ALMOST gave me the warm fuzzies. I'm not saying that I'm miraculously going to see every romantic comedy, but this one was a gem.

Getting to know members of the Media

2010-02-10T06:03:00.000-08:00

Everyone is aware, it's all in who you know. Knowing people can give you an advantage over someone else depending on what you are trying to accomplish. Hence the reason why I'm trying like mad to introduce myself to as many people as possible. This has proven to be a little difficult, but I received a piece of great advice recently: try to focus on one or two people per month. Now that I can do! I don't have the advantage of working for a large agency that would let a member of the media know that they I may have something important to say. I don't even have the backing of a boutique agency anymore, although while I did, I met many great individuals.

It's not just meeting these people, the relationship needs to be cultivated as well. That all takes time and energy. With a targeted focus, my efforts will be better utilized.

Entreprenuer Tools: YouMail

2010-02-09T06:20:00.000-08:00

I love my Palm Pre! For more reasons than I can count. The most recent reason is because it has an application called YouMail that even people who call me love. YouMail is a voicemail application that allows the user to have visual voicemail, voice-to-text transcription, voicemail filtering and smart greetings. At first I was just happy that I didn't have to call my voicemail to check my messages. Every time someone leaves a message, I get an email. I can click play right from my email, and listen to the message. Therefore, if my phone is not close to me, but my computer (or netbook) is, I still know when I get a message and I can listen to it and return the call right from my computer! The best feature yet, however is the caller ID. When I miss a call, it sends me a text (and email) to let me know who was calling. No longer do I need to guess who was calling based on their phone number. It tells me like traditional caller ID service. BUT that's not all, when you leave a voicemail, it addresses you by first name. The message sounds like, "Hello Donna, Phyllis can't come to the phone right now, please leave her a message..." Obviously, I have the ability to record greetings for each caller. This is perfect for small businesses since it's one more step in making a client feel that much more important. I'll keep you posted on any additional features.

Vision Boards

2010-02-06T11:16:00.000-08:00

On New Year's Day, I created a vision board for my yearly goals. Oprah recommends creating them for to help you achieve those things that you want. So, I gave it a shot. A friend of mine decided that we would make a party out of it, and we had a fabulous time creating them.

This is not normally how I display my goals for the year. Usually, I just write them down on a piece of paper and re-visit it when I feel like it. I'd say it's a little intimidating to see what I have planned for myself day in and day out. On the other hand though, It is helping to keep me on track when life starts to get in the way. So far, I have taken key steps in the right direction. Lets see if this whole vision board thing actually works! I'll keep you posted.

New Fav : Urban Vines Wine Company

2010-02-04T05:38:00.000-08:00

I had to pleasure of meeting India Ramos, Owner of Urban Vines Wine Company, at an event recently and she schooled me on a new wine. It was Pinotage-a red South African wine. Needless to say I consumed a glass or two and then purchased a bottle! Below is more information about what the company does! I will keep you posted on their opening this summer! Click HERE to Become a fan on Facebook to find out where India will be around the city.

URBAN VINES WINE COMPANY
Urban Vines Wine company is a wine boutique specializing in small batch winemaking, wine education, and custom services. A micro winery which focuses on bringing affordable and accessible wine and food related events to the city of Atlanta. Urban Vines Wine Company, born out of the love for wine, offers a unique experience pairing wine making with art culture and the city life.

we offer the following services to our customers:
• personal and private label wine making
• custom wine blending
• monthly wine tasting events and seminars
• producer memberships and perks

the urban vines cultural experience...
wine + art: Gallery shows showcasing art from different artists around the city
wine + books: Book releases and signings by local authors
wine + music: Shows or album releases by new and upcoming recording artists and DJ’s
wine + fashion: Trunk shows, hair shows, boutiques openings and appearances
wine + film: Film screenings by independent film makers of any genre and urban vines movie picks
wine + food: Chef demonstrations, cooking glasses with wine accompaniments, and custom dining services
wine + travel: urban vines hosted wine trips annually from Georgia to Napa Valley to Italy! Come travel with us.

Uptown Restaurant and Lounge

2010-02-03T05:01:00.000-08:00

Peter Thomas owner of Uptown Restaurant & Lounge in downtown Atlanta has recently partnered with Pure Image Events to enhance their party atmosphere. I love this location since there is ample parking, great food and it's just a sexy place to hang out and grab a drink!

Pure Image hosts "Conversations After work" a happy hour event each Wednesday evening and Friday nights each week. Check it out!

Uptown Restaurant & Lounge
201 Courtland Street
Atlanta, GA. 30306
(404) 524-3151

Everyone Needs a Marketing Plan

2010-02-02T08:06:00.000-08:00

As I have embarked upon this career as a freelance Publicist, I've come across many small businesses that often have no budget or idea on how to promote their products or services. This should never happen! When creating a business one must include thoughts on how they are going to attract customers. It is my job to help bring those ideas to fruition in addition to using my expertise to help them think bigger.

Here are tips on how to get started!

Epiphany

2009-09-08T19:10:00.000-07:00

I spent most of my Labor Day weekend catching up on my R&R. This included endless hours of movie watching. Two movies that I surprisingly liked were 17 Again with Zac Efron and The Express with Rob Brown. While both films have very different story lines, I found there to be a common thread; take nothing for granted. Life, however short it may be, is what you make of it. I know cliche right?! But it's still very true.

If you haven't seen either of these movies, I wont give away the endings, but I find myself thinking about how my life has turned out so far. Its been a long road in my quest to become a publicist, and while I still have a lot of miles ahead, I feel encouraged to keep moving. This has been my life long dream. I still have some kinks to iron out, but I'm getting there. This epiphany makes me appreciate my hard work that much more. It also makes me feel very blessed to have accomplished what I have so far in my personal life as well. I guess this is my little AHA moment. I'm just going to bask in it!

Making Headway

2009-09-03T21:27:00.000-07:00

I had another informational meeting today. It was with a local owner of a popular marketing and public relations firm. I attended one of her events over the weekend and asked her out to lunch. Overall the meeting went well. I was able to ascertain knowledge that will help me iron out the kinks in my journey to become a lucrative publicist, and she got to know me better. This is networking at its finest.

I learned that it is better to have a few clients on retainer as opposed to contracting myself out for a la cart tasks like writing a press release. This is largely due to the fact that once written and sent out, a press release requires extensive follow-up and nurturing to garner a client media attention. Also, pro bono clients should adhere to a contract much like a paying client. It should indicate that after so many months/days of being a client they will be charged a retainer in the amount of $500 per month or so, for example.

This particular person is pretty much a one woman show. So it would behoove me to indicate that she did have a personal assistant, and was looking to hire on a publicist. I, being the person that I am, rose to the occasion and indicated that I was interested. I'm now re-evaluating their client roster to decide if I would be a good fit or not. I already can tell that I would be a great fit since she works so hard. When everyone on the team works diligently, they can't fail. I'll be calling her tomorrow evening.

First Account Management Position

2009-03-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to realize that in order to prove that you can manage a client/account, you must first illustrate how. But how do you do that? Hypothetically speaking, let's say that you have interned for three different PR agencies and are now ready to play with the big boys. You are ready to have your own client, only what company is going to trust you to meet with a client and implement PR strategies? Well the simple answer to this question is, any company will trust you to meet with a client that you bring on. Their name is not necessarily tied to the work that you do and they almost always are brought on, on a project-by-project basis.

This revelation garners it's own question--How do you acquire new business? I just so happen to know the answer to this question as well; networking. The more people who know that you are a publicist in whatever sector your are in, the more people can be your own little new business army. It's what you do with the new business that matters. Your agency is there to make sure you don't screw it up too much, but it's up to you at that point to prove yourself.

I'm in the process of looking for a new client myself. With the downturn of the economy, companies have drastically reduced their marketing efforts. But most, if not all, business professionals should know that a Public Relations specialist will not only implement your marketing strategy, they will also manage your reputation at a fraction of the cost.

I'm off to network. Hopefully, someone will take a chance on me.

How I get my news

2009-03-20T11:25:00.000-07:00

I'm a big proponent of seeking out the news. How you go about doing that is strictly up to you. Personally, I visit a million sites a day (it seems like it anyway). Some I have on this blog site in the right margin, some I subscribe to via RSS feeds and other information I find out on twitter. I consume everything from celebrity gossip to how low the DOW fell. I devour media in so many different ways it's ridiculous. Let me run down the list for you.

I utilize the following mediums:
Radio
TV
Internet
Newspaper (Daily and Non-Daily)
Magazines
E-Newsletters
& Leaflets

I turn on the television in the morning to listen out for potential accidents on the freeway and to find out what happened overnight. I love the Today Show and Good Morning America.

I live in Atlanta so my daily commute is at least an hour long. This allows me to listen to National Public Radio. When there is a "commercial" break, I switch to other stations that are purely for entertainment. Here in Atlanta, the top stations are:

Q100
V-103
Hot 107.9
95.5 the Beat
Dave FM
Star 94
97.5 (syndicated)
and the list goes on. These are pre-programmed into my radio so I just switch from station to station.

Once at the office, I read the AJC (Atlanta Journal-Constitution), and some of our smaller, more localized papers like the Dunwoody Neighbor.

As I'm reading the paper, I pull up the internet to see what the latest news is going to be for the day. I visit the tried and true CNN and BBC websites. I like the BBC site since it has world news and I almost always want to see what other countries are doing in comparison to what the U.S. deems important.

I log into Twitter (I use Twit bin on Firefox. I love it!) , and say hello to my followers. Twitter can be overwhelming for those that are not used to such a plethora of information at once, but I'm kind of scatterbrained anyway so it works fine for me.

I check my email to see if there are any e-newsletters or posting from any of my Yahoo groups. I belong to two: YoungPRPros and NYCPublicRelationsGroup. I get newsletters from everywhere, and on a variety of subjects. Also I have Google Alerts to help me keep up with what my colleagues are doing, and even on what some of my clients are up to.

Yes all of this news takes up the majority of my morning. It is necessary. I have to be in the know. You just never know when someone is going to ask your opinion on some obscure subject matter. If you consume news the way I do, you'll never be caught off guard. Most people are shocked that I would even have a response, but I always do. It also helps that I have a love of learning (Yes that means I watch both National Geographic and The Discovery Channel).

Knowledge is Power...never forget it!

Let's Start Over

2009-03-19T19:08:00.000-07:00

When I started this blog, I thought I would post thought riveting information for everyday people and PR Practitioners alike. However, somewhere along the way I couldn't think of anything that was that interesting. I thought it was me; I wasn't interesting enough. But then I started to talk to my friends, personal and professional, and they indicated that in order for a blog to be successful it has to be personal in some way, shape or form. So here goes...

I'm a mom. There I said it. I'm a mother to two beautiful girls. My youngest is 18 mos. (a year and a half) and the other is six, going on 26. I've always felt this stigma attached to women who have children. We are a self-contained bunch. Once you become one, you can't get out of the club. You somehow identify with every mother you come across no matter how old her child is. I find myself staring in remembrance at women who look to be suffering in the last trimester of pregnancy and identify with those dealing with their five-year-old's sassy attitude.

It's a wonderful and challenging position. While my PR counterparts are rubbing elbows with Atlanta media at the grand opening of a new restaurant, I'm chasing a freshly bathed toddler through my house trying to wrangle footed pajamas on her. Ahhh, life's little moments. Each day I leave my office with intentions of completing a small administrative task before sunrise, only to be consumed with 1st grade homework, spelling tests or Parent Teacher night.

I'm not afraid to say that I still have trouble balancing everything and in a pinch sleep is the first to go, but I wouldn't trade my position for anything. You'll have to excuse me now, the little one is terrorizing the older one, and I have to break up a fight.

Still workin' on my goals!

2009-01-19T10:06:00.000-08:00

My journey toward my 2009 goals are coming along quite nicely. I've decided that incremental goals will help to keep me on track to the overall goal. Each week I've pinpointed something that I can do to get that much closer to my fitness goal. For example, this week I'm going to eat my largest meal during the middle of my day. Hopefully that will cut out the late night munchies.

As far as being gainfully employed in the field of Public Relations, I try to look for opportunities every day. Not literally, I have an agent that sends me daily postings. They aren't always a perfect match, but sometimes I come across a real jewel. I haven't had any interviews yet though. I'm still networking regularly. There is a major hotel opening this week, as well as a PRSA meeting I may be able to attend. You just never know who you are going to meet. In the mean time, I plan on staying with my agency until they pull me out by my hair. As a Jr. Account Executive, I'm learning a lot and meeting important media that can be pertinent to my future success. Other than that, I'm not sure what else to do. I'm open to suggestions.

I'm going to pray that I don't veer off track toward what I want.

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-01T17:15:00.000-08:00

As do most people, I set a few personal and professional goals for the year ahead. This year my list is as follows:

Fit comfortably into a size 6.
Acquire a salaried position in the PR industry
Finally take a family portrait

I have already armed myself with the tools I need to achieve these goals. There are checkpoints so I know that I'm on track. Lets just pray that I have the will power to follow through. I know the road ahead is going to be tough, but I'll try to remember to take it one day at a time.

It's Who you Know...

2008-12-16T06:13:00.000-08:00

Public Relations is a hybrid of my dream career. Originally I wanted to go into marketing. Not the kind of marketing that requires that you push some product on a poor schlep that doesn't really need the product to begin with, but the kind of marketing that allows you to use creative and business skills alike. The kind that creates commercials and protects a company's brand.

My path into this career has not been easy. I have a marketing degree which requires me to filter through the sales jobs before I can find the true communications/public relations positions. Also, I've had to start from the bottom after having worked as a marketing assistant for several years. That experience has given me a "corporate" foundation, but not much else. I'm older than my counterparts, but hey, age is nothing but a number right? Wrong. Since I'm older, my position in life is more along the lines of senior members in the industry. I have children (two daughters) and I've been married for awhile now. This does make great conversation starters, but I'm an outcast among those working on the same level. Banished to being the "mom" of the group.

I'm finding that in this industry in order to get ahead, it's all in who you know. It seems that depending on the location, PR professionals are recycled from one company to the next. Sometimes, in order to even get a leg up (or increase in salary), you have to leave the company you are with and then return to that company in a more executive position. It seems like a crazy cycle, but it's true. I've done a great job recently of networking and meeting people. I try to follow up after I receive a business card, but there is a science to the madness that I have yet to perfect. I attend professional group meetings and go to great lengths to make myself available to family and friends. I hardly ever pass up on attending parties and meetings where I don't know people. It's uncomfortable, but always proves to be beneficial.

This has come in handy in more ways than I can count. I almost always know someone that knows someone. Which is great when you are looking for a job. To an employer, I come across and deliver on being quite resourceful. I go to great lengths to learn about what these people do and why, so that I can file it away to be used at a later date. I try to also be a help to these people as well. You know the old adage, "I'll scratch your back, if you scratch mine."

So, if I were giving advice to someone who was trying to get their foot into the Public Relations door, I would tell them it's all in who you know. Never stop meeting people, and be of use to those you do meet, so they owe you one.

Who has the time?

2008-12-15T09:02:00.000-08:00

I haven't quite figured out yet how all of these PR professionals do it. I mean between Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace, Facebook, their websites, and their blog posts, who really has the time for all of this social networking?

I'm just really jealous. I really am. I want to be able to regularly post here and let everyone know what I'm doing every second of the day so that maybe I can get a little help. I guess I should also take into consideration that I'm in front of my laptop most of the day. So I could create a new post on my blog site, conduct my regular work as usual, and post ever few minutes on twitter. Um...I don't think so. I'm going to have to figure out a happy medium.

Can anyone give me some tips? I'm in dire need.

-Phyllis

Getting Back in the Game

2008-11-22T01:19:00.001-08:00

I'm back in the game. I've reached a milestone recently in my career that will put me smack dab in the middle of a fork in the road. By the end of this year, I will either be the newest team member of the PR agency I work with, or I'll be back in the rat race looking for my next gig. The problem is, I'm afraid to get back into the game. Hell, I'm afraid to make any definitive plans at all. If I have learned nothing else in the years I've been on this earth, it is that life likes to throw wrenches in your perfect plans. Because of this, I always "loosely" plan. I create an outline if you will, and work towards that. Although this is the way I feel, there are glimpses of optimism that are as subtle as the flash a lightning bug produces. Each glimpse chips away at my fear. I'll use this fear as a reminder to work toward perfection everyday. Please pray for me, as I embark on this new chapter in my life.

Peace!

Getting Started...

2008-09-19T12:13:00.000-07:00

Our biggest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure...Well, mine is failure. You know that knot in your gut feeling of what if I do try to write something profound and compelling, and it's reduced to nothing more than CRAP. Or how about what if I write something I THINK is compelling and it's just terrible. This thought is the one that keeps me from typing one single word. I'd much rather sick my fingers in an electric pencil sharpener than attempt and fail.

So what is making me write now? Honestly, it's that one percent glimmer of hope that maybe I won't write something totally stinktastic, and that it will be fabulous. That eventually, I'll have a cult following of individuals singing my praises. And, my mother's voice in my head saying, "if you never try, how do you know you will fail." Aaahhh parents. Their wisdom (and ignorance) stays with us for a lifetime.

See, I'm on a roll, and this is just the beginning. I just had to pop the blogger cherry, and now I can be on my way....Oh, wait! What topic should I write about? Man, back at square one!

-P