10/23/2009
This is a continuing series highlighting some of the fabulous women in the metro Atlanta area who are working in social media marketing. These divas include women from both the client and the agency side. From a personal (and I must admit selfish) view it's been a fun opportunity to meet and answer the question .. Who are the Atlanta Women In Social Media?
Today's post takes a slightly different direction. Toss of a pink boa to Karen Russell, an amazing prof at UGA, who suggested that I include a special post on educators. I'm very excited to introduce you to professors who are opening the doors of social media strategy to the next generation of marketing and PR professionals.
Dr. Kaye Sweetser, Assistant Professor, Public Relations University of Georgia Grady College - Kaye Sweetser.com Google Profile UGA Profile @kaye
1. What does social media marketing mean to you? - Social media marketing is not so much a marketing plan that is created at a corporate level - rather, I see it as the organic word-of-mouth marketing that happens when a product is genuinely good. When it is good & people find it useful, they talk about it & recommend it to others.
Social media public relations, on the other hand, is just an extension of normal public relations where instead of just saying one's publics are important, the company actually reaches out through mass media to individual stakeholder. And then they build real & meaningful relationships with them.
2. My favorite social media tactic - I don't pinpoint a favorite tactic because each group and each goal is differently met. But if I had to have a fave, it would be to be REAL.
3. In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub? Confidence. We have Fortune 500 corporations headquartered here but don't see ourselves as kewl as the San Francisco set.
4. An overview of your class - I teach public relations classes at all levels (undergrad up to doctoral) at the University of Georgia, primarily research. I incorporate social media assignments like creating a Google Analytics reports & teach how to pinpoint meaningful metrics in social media.
5. Social media in your class - I began integrating social media into my classes back in 2004. Since then, I've increased the amount of instruction & focus we have in class on social media. I focus on how social media & metrics supplement traditional programs.
Urkovia Andrews, Assistant Professor Department of Communication Arts Georgia Southern University - Practical Issues @uandrews
1. What does social media marketing mean to you? To me social media marketing is the use of social media sites to connect with individuals of the same interest area, such as public relations, communications, teaching, etc. The wealth of information and urgency in which it is dispersed via social media sites is idealistic, overwhelming, and yet refreshing.
2. My favorite social media tactic is - I utilize Twitter more than other social media sites due to the immediacy. It’s often been said we live in a microwave world and Twitter helps amplify the cliché. Unfortunately, this can sometimes be a double-edge sword, as can be seen with recent well-known corporations.
3. In 140 characters What is Atlanta’s greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub? Atlanta’s already a social media hub, but needs to avoid self-absorption. A lot is offered in Atlanta, but it’s not the end all.
4. Overview of class. I use social media mainly in the International Public Relations course. International PR is designed to expose students to public relations conducted in an international context. The class focuses on the various structures-political, economical, social, etc-that influence public relations practice in the chosen region.
This semester students were required to post their reaction to the various components of International PR on their personal blogs. Several of my tweets this semester have been geared around international issues relevant to the regions we are covering at the time. I’ve also secured upcoming guest speakers via social networking sites. Three of the guest speakers will be visiting the class via Skype calls due to their national and international location. My students are encouraged to engage these guest speakers on Twitter, PROpenMic, or through their blog or website.
5. When did you begin including social media marketing in your classes? I’ve maintained a website for my classes since 2006, yet this is the first semester I’ve branched beyond the website.
Karen Russell, Assistant Professor at University of Georgia Grady College. Dr. Russell is the editor of the Journal of Public Relations Research. Teaching PR @karenrussell
1. What does social media marketing mean to you? - To me, social media is where marketing meets PR, because it's often about building relationships and publicizing people, issues and products.
2. My favorite social media tactic - Twitter. I love connecting with students, PR pros, and other educators in such a quick and easy way.
3. In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub? Right now it's the economy -- I hope when it picks up people will hire my social media savvy students, who have the expertise and the passion to help Atlanta organizations move into the social media space.
4. Overview of class - UGA has about 180 PR majors, and it's my mission to expose them all to a variety of social media practices. I use social media in all of my public relations classes, by asking students to participate, such as on Twitter, by showing YouTube videos and other social sites in class, and by bookmarking course readings on Delicious.
5. When did you begin including social media marketing in your classes? I began offering I used a class blog starting in January 2006, and started my own blog in April of that year.
Sidebar: Drop a comment if you are prof teaching social media and want to be highlighted
09/22/2009
Every once in awhile while there are people who enter your life and not only influence your journey but touch your heart. Paul Chaney is one of those people. In his new book The Digital Handbook Paul simply and smartly explains not only why it is now critical that marketers pay attention to social media but suggests ways of how to put the tactics into play.
Paul graciously agreed to an email interview. I asked him to tell us thought process that went into the development of The Digital Handbook. It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to my dear friend and colleague .. author, social media 'rock star' and a true Southern Gentleman .. Paul Chaney.
Toby/Diva Marketing: This is your second book on social media. The first, Realty Blogging, was targeted to the real estate industry while The Digital Handshake seems to be for a more general business audience. In the few years in between the publishing of both how have you seen this emerging industry that we call “social media change?”
Paul Chaney/The Digital Handshake: From my perspective, we’ve had two iterations. Keep in mind that in 2006-2007 I was a bit of a Rip VanWinkle in that I stepped away from active participation, only to wake up and find the world had changed. There were sites like Facebook and Twitter and I didn’t quite know what to make of it. I did realize that, unless I got with the program I was going to become archaic, a relic of the 2004-2005 blog-centric past. I determined not to allow that to happen.
Again, that was my perspective. In truth, this has been a gradual evolution in which blogs played a leading role. I think there was a lot of experimentation with social networks, starting most memorably with Friendster, then MySpace and now Facebook. We’ve seen a maturation process in terms of the degree of sophistication in the types of functionality that social networks allow, most notably Facebook. At the same time, they’ve gotten very easy to use. I know, my wife is on Facebook and if she can use it, anyone can.
I think of equal note is the movement away from purist ethics. Social media has become the latest victim of spammers and ne’er-do-wells. People who don’t understand the underlying philosophy are trying to use the genre as a direct marketing tool, and it doesn’t work. At least, I hope it doesn’t. I pray that doesn’t become the new model.
- This medium was built on the chief cornerstones of authenticity and transparency and any attempt to “game” the system should be met with complete disdain.
Toby/Diva Marketing: Your book has been called a “road map” to understanding social media. On a road trip we start at point A to eventually get to point B. What should we take along with us on this journey?
Paul Chaney/The Digital Handshake: The journey begins by knowing the destination. I think you call that strategy. Social media needs to be used strategically, in a way that supports the marketing goals and objectives of the company. It should be treated no different than any other form of marketing and held to a similar standard.
Not only that, you need to know the rules of the road. Social media has evolved to the point where there are some pretty well-defined, if not yet written rules. Those that abide by them will be rewarded, those that don’t, well, read what I said above.
Obviously, to get anywhere, you have to have a means to travel, a vehicle. Social media offers any number of those from blogs, to social networks, to micro-blogs, to video, podcasts and on and on. You have to chose the vehicle that’s right for you in terms of your strategy and business objectives.
I think you also need route by which you travel. For me, where social media is concerned, it consists of three words: Listen, Engage and Measure. Listening is the new marketing and if people are talking (and they are) we had better know what they’re saying, who’s saying it, and where it’s being said.
Listening leads the way to engagement and given that “the CEO wants to know the ROI of SMM” we have to measure the results. Just like you’d measure your gas mileage on a trip, so to we have to assign some metrics to social media when and where it’s appropriate to do so.
Toby/Diva Marketing: Following the idea of a road trip .. some of the most fun trips are those where we go off the beaten path. Can you offer some “side trip” suggestions that would add value to a marketer’s understanding of why or how to engage in social media?
Paul Chaney/The Digital Handshake: I most certainly can and thank you for asking. I think the “side trips” have to do with the people we meet and the relationships we forge along the way. The most attractive thing about social media to me is not that I’ve been able to build a career around or that I can teach businesses how to use it to grow, but that I’ve met a bevy of people who have come to have great meaning to me, and chief among them is you Toby.
If the joy is in the journey, then it has to do with the people we meet along the way who inspire, challenge and enrich us.
Toby/Diva Marketing: The Digital Handbook includes a lot of specific examples that bring to life the ideas and concepts you discuss in the book. In your research did you find any surprises regarding the way companies were using or not using social media tactics?
Paul Chaney/The Digital Handshake: No. (I’m kidding.) Actually, here’s what surprising (or not as the case may be). It’s that people are focused first on tactics and not on strategy. I don’t know that I can apply that statement to the people I interviewed, but it does apply to many I’ve met when doing workshops or giving presentations.
Over and over I hear, how do I use Facebook, or Twitter, etc? I want to tell them, it’s not all about the tools. There’s a mindset to adopt and that the tools are secondary to the marketing objectives.
I’m a tactically-oriented guy, but I’ve learned that, in order for social media to be most effective, it has to tie to strategic goals and objectives. And, it need to support and/or integrate with other forms of marketing.
Toby/Diva Marketing: It can be confusing for people who don’t “live” online to understand that relationships can be built and nurtured in the digital world. Let’s end this mini interview with this question: How you “shake hands” in the digital world?
Paul Chaney/The Digital Handshake: You know, it’s really not all that different than how you do it in the real world. Only, I being an introvert, I find it easier to do it virtually. You break the ice, find some common ground, carry on a conversation and begin the process of relationship-building. Your bio is your business card and a handshake is simply a conversation started by one party or the other.
Don’t be put off by the fact that the tools are unfamiliar. They are easy to use and don’t take long to master.
- Social media isn’t about technology so much as it is about people. Focus on the people you’re trying to connect with, not the tools being used to do so.
Thank you Paul! Check out The Digital Handshake on Facebook and become a fan.
07/03/2009
Atlanta has a lively interactive and traditional marketing community. As Jenn Bonnett's new Startup Chicks has proven there are lots of women launching exciting businesses with a tech focus. BUT I wondered .. Where are the women in Atlanta who use social media as a marketing tool? Sooo .. I'm doing what any social media marketer would do reaching out to my network on blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and offline too. My goal is to create a resource list.
If you meet this criteria please let me know. Using social media as a marketing strategy for your company/brand or helping clients use social media as a marketing strategy. Check out the other Atlanta Women in Social Media Marketing mini interviews.
Jaime Lackey Pizzeria Venti (Atlanta) @pvatl Pizzeria Venti (Atlanta) Blog
1. What
does social media marketing mean to you? - I started social media
marketing initiatives with the idea that I could help promote my
family’s new restaurant. But once I joined Twitter, I realized how much
more there is to social media. For example, we’ve been involved with
several charity fundraiser events for local organizations that I
discovered through Twitter. In other words, Twitter is helping us to
become a better corporate citizen - and the online community connects
us with our physical community.
2. My favorite social media tactic
is Twitter. At Pizzeria Venti, we have a Facebook page and a blog, but
I find Twitter to be more interactive and I really enjoy that.
3. In
140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a
social media hub? The stigma of “what I had for breakfast” tweets.
Users must experiment to find connections w/value & learn to use
social media effectively.
4. 2 sentences about your company. - At
Pizzeria Venti, we strive to bring the food and atmosphere of Italy’s
trattorias to Atlanta. The food is authentic Italian, and we do our
best to create an atmosphere that is casual and family-friendly but
that puts customer service in the highest priority.
5. I began
offering social media marketing this year, after opening the restaurant
in December 2008. We established our Facebook page first and then realized it isn’t very
easy to have a two-way conversation with fans or to reach out to people
who are not yet fans, so I looked into Twitter. Because of the
140-character limit, I realized I needed a blog so I could link to
details that take more than 140 characters. So we launched our blog in
May.
Stephanie Beckham BrainJocks @sbeckham
1. What does social media marketing mean to you? - Social Media Marketing is an outreach effort for your personal or company brand. Anyone who views it as only a way to push a product, blog or services will miss out on a huge opportunity to connect and listen.
The key word here is “social”. Social media adopters are very reluctant to being “marketed” to, so it’s kind of ironic that we actually call it marketing. Social Media is a tool that should be integrated as part of an overall marketing effort, not as a single strategy to sell. The key here is to communicate, network and above all, be real.
2. My favorite social media tactic is being social. Seriously! That’s it. Oh, and there are all these great tools that help brands strategically target the people they want to engage. These tools are free, easy to use and extremely effective.
3. In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub? Pushing past our southern stereotype and proving the strength of our interactive community.
4. 2 sentences about your company - BrainJocks is an established Atlanta web technology company that provides web application and product development services grounded in thorough requirements, analysis and strategy consulting. BrainJocks combines their expertise and experience with the latest trends and technologies in web development and online marketing to help power online ideas. I primarily focus on: Sales, conversation and what’s for lunch?
5. I began using all the latest social media tools in 2008. By the way, what’s a twitter?
Lindsay Blankenship Lindsay Blankenship Razorfish @lcblankenship
1. What does social media marketing mean to you? - Razorfish calls it Social influence Marketing (SIM) in recognition of the increasing role that online social influence plays in brand affinity and purchasing decisions. Consumers are communicating and sharing opinions more and more online through social networks that shape other’s opinions whether its family, friends or a complete stranger.
2. My favorite social media tactic is testing pushing promotional snippets out to Twitter and Facebook for my clients with trackable URLs and seeing the compound effect it has on getting the message out and now turning into revenue for clients.
3. In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub? Making sure we showcase our social media work locally and nationally to get social media street “creds” from our peers
4. 2 sentences about your company. - I primarily focus on Search Engine Marketing; however my company (Razorfish) is a full service digital agency and is one of the largest interactive marketing and technology companies in the world. Razorfish employs more than 2,000 people in 21 offices worldwide and have a world-class client list that includes brands like Carnival Cruise Lines, Kraft, Levi’s, McDonald’s and Starwood Hotels.
5. I began SMM personally in the Myspace days - maybe 5yrs ago. Razorfish has offered Social Influence Marketing to clients for a few years now.
Sandi Karchmer Solow I Send Your Email I Send Your Email Blog @sandisolow
1. What does social media marketing mean to you? - I think of social media marketing as a way to have a direct dialogue with your consumers and stakeholders. The channels defined as social media allow for a unique type of interaction that other marketing channels cannot achieve.
2. My favorite social media tactic is email!
3. In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub? Our city needs to find a way to differentiate itself from other major U.S. cities - what's our niche?
4. 2 sentences about your company. I am an independent email marketing consultant for companies of all sizes. Whether the company has an established program or is just getting started, I act as an outside resource for all stages of their email marketing program’s strategy and execution lifecycle.
5. I began offering social media marketing in my blog I like to cover ways for incorporating email into Twitter and Facebook. With clients I am frequently discussing coordinating their email programs with their social media plans.
Atlanta Women In Social Media Marketing
Donna Lynes-Miller GourmetStation
Grayson Daughters WaySouth Media
Lya Sorano Lya Sorano.com
Melissa Galt Today By Design
Jeaneane Sessum allied
Melissa Libby MelissaLibbyPR
Amber Rhea Being Amber Rhea
Jacki Schklar Funny Not Slutty
Laura Nolte Green Theory Interactive
Barbara Giamanco Talent Builders
Sue Rodman Field Trips With Sue
Sherry Heyl oncept Hub, Inc
Nadia Bilchik Nadia Speaks
Jen Gordon A Clever Twist
MIchelle Batten iMediaWorksConnects
Peggy Duncan PeggyDuncan.com
Diane DeSeta White Knight
Carol Flammer mRELEVANCE
JoAnn Hines Packaging Launch
Linda Lindsay Insol
Jamie Lackey Pizzeria Venti (Atlanta)
Stephanie Beckham BrainJocks
Lindsay Blankenship Lindsay Blankenship Razorfish
Sandi Karchmer Solow I Send Your Email
and me! Toby Bloomberg Diva Marketing
06/17/2009
Add one more virtual place to network to your list .. TweetChats. Oh no! girlfriend you might be thinking not another social media thing to add to my running list .. and what is a tweetchat anyway?
Anita Campbell, Small Business Trends, has a great definition.
- A tweetchat is simply an organized group chat that takes place using the Twitter platform. Participants use an assigned hashtag (say, #sbbuzz) for their tweets during the discussion.
When Marc Meyer asked me to host one of the most popular Tweetchats this week I said .. of course! Held weekly, Tuesdays from noon - 1p, #socialmedia explores issues about social media marketing. The focus this week was on the "hidden demographics" of social media like bebe boomers, women etc. etc. etc. Title: Deciding the “now what” and the “who with” of social media in your company.
The exchange of ideas was fast, furious, exciting .. and the people .. so smart. Moderating was like running a race while juggling 50 balls in the air. Although #socialmedia is structured around 3 20-minute segments each with a unique question, it was fascinating to watch the sidebar conversations occurring simultaneously. The questions:
#1. What demographics are most powerful in each of the top social networks? And Why?
#2. Which demographics are most overlooked, ignored, or taken for granted, in the top tier social networks? Why?
#3. With the increase of social media usage, which demographics will drive innovation in social networking?
I found that our conversation didn't really follow the progression of the questions as much as some other tweetchats might have; but the discussion happened naturally on its own accord. With tosses of a pink boa to the amazing people who generously shared their opinions and experience and to Marc Meyer and Jason Breed the sponsors .. here are my takes of the highlights.
Boomers
The Baby Boomer generation maybe late in getting to this party but according to comScore there are about 16.5 million adults ages 55 and older engaged in social networking.
@conniereece - All I can say is that marketers need 2 wake up 2 how many boomers R online & how they use socnets. Connie thinks that boomers are the "lost demo" and not only for profits but nonprofits are missing opportunities.
Even in this economy, Boomers have more $ to spend then the X-Yers. Note to brand marketers (and main stream media): Take off your cool shades the internet and social networks are Not only for the "youngsters."
The challenge for brands per @CBWhittemore is to make it .." relevant to baby boomers & others b/c new marketplace imperatives."
The challenge for people who have not grown up with new technologies is understanding how to use the tools. A wrong click will not necessarily bring down the Internet or explode your computer. On a personal level @evelynso shared a great idea .. that might help grandparents have an ah ha! moment. Think of Flickr or Facebook as a global grandkids brag book. You get to share those cute photos of your precious darlings with your closet Friends; and if you wish some you might not know yet.
When it comes to How generations use social media platforms we noticed a few differences. - seniors/ Boomers have a different $ management style. Check
alternatives - sometimes SM is cheaper & faster. From @evelynso and @marc_meyers - boomers share content Gen Y shares the intimate details of their lives.
Where are the Boomers hangin' out? Consensus seems to be on Facebook. Very few boomer friends (male or female) on Twitter. For @conniereece - Lots on FB now, and a few on LinkedIn. @sonnygill thinks that - demos on the more established networks are wider ranged than Twitter is (namely boomers).
Wondering ... will we see a change as Gen Y's and Millenniums' careers shift into management levels and the Boomers become more comfortable with open conversations? Also will Boomers leaving the work force (those that can afford to do so!) result in more transparency in their social media interactions? In other words will the cultures flip-flop?
Gen Y
When it came to Gen Y we thought they were tech savvy but lacking in social media marketing, strategy expertise. @CathyWebSavvyPR
- I've heard from some college students that SM is a part of social
life, they can't see applications. That was my experience too when I
presented social media marketing to an advertising class at UGA.
When it comes to Twitter - @dcgf - I think it's Gen Y who are not very "savvy" w/Twitter. The movers and shakers on here are older...However @CathyWebSavvyPR believes that - I think Gen x/Y will once they begin entering the workforce & needing to use SM. their learning curve may B shorter
Can Social Media Close the Generation Gap?
Example of one of the sidebar tweet conversations
>At the risk of making assumptions, I'd hazard to say that the ave age of THIS "unConference" is over 35! (don't hate-ha) - @dcgf
>@dcgf
as an Mil-gen are you comfortable engaging with the 'older' peeps on
twitter? @dcgf could social media be the way to close the generation
gap? - @tobydiva
>def closes gen gap and @Mark_Meyer I think all gen's want to feel like they're being engaged on a personal level - @dcgf
Women
We wondered where women were hanging out online and if they were using social media diffently than men. Most of our tweets were based on observation and personal experience. @Verbatim told us that - Research shows men preferring Twitter and women, FB. Which makes sense to me, FB being more personal details.
@conniereece in regard to Twitter - if you look at *what* men/women post on Twitter, it's different. Women more likely to share, men to broadcast. #socialmedia (generalization). Seems that a guy agrees with Connie - @marc_meyer men generalize and women socialize...?
Tweets were not all serious we had some giggles along the way. @wpmc - Saw a book on communications "Men are Like Waffles, Women are Like Spaghetti" - Facebook is like spaghetti.
@CathyWebSavvyPR brought out an interesting point that brands should consider when using Facebook to reach women. - I know many women feel that FB is for freinds & family & resent the intrusion of business there. others like it.
Social Media Marketing
We also talked about what is social media? @greenhance offered an interesting concept - Altho I've no proof, I think SM adoption is personality driven. Some are more likely to use Twitter, others FB, etc.
@marc_meyer looked at in from this point of view - Twitter is 4 biz Linkedin is 4 networking, FB is the playground, or something like that. any1 remember the analogy?
When it comes right down to it people agreed with @ddeseta - It's not about the most followers. It's about having the most relevance within yoursphere. and with @mrochte - It's about convening not controlling #SocialMedia " - that's the message we need to understand http://on.ted.com/y mrochte
When it came down to what to make of the "hidden demographics" @greenhance reminded us - Brands can cultivate real loyalty with SM in a way that was previously limited by geography/reach. Social media is one aspect of marketingmarketing basics.
To wrap this up it's back to marketing basics - know who your customers are/where they hang out/what they want. @tobydiva Be careful of what you think you know.. your truth might be an illusion.
Resources
Tweet Stream
Business Week Social Media Gender Gap
Pew Internet has extensive stats on social media
Forrester Social Technology Profile Tool - John Cass for the link!
Blogher 2009 Women and Social Media Study
06/02/2009
Part 2 of Where Are the Atlanta Women in Social Media Marketing?
Part 1
For me, the secret sauce of social media marketing is in how the tech tools with odd sounding names like blogs and wikis and Twitter can build and nurture old fashion corner grocer store relationships. While my travels in social media extended my network across the States and several oceans a few weeks ago I realized
I knew few women in social media marketing in my own home town -
Atlanta.
To borrow a phrase from my friends at BlogHer I wondered, "Where are the Atlanta women working in social media marketing?" I'm on the
search find the talented Hot'lanta social media divas and in doing so create a resource list that will shine a light on them.
Criteria: using social media as a marketing
strategy for your business ventures or helping clients use social media
as a marketing strategy. Look for the Atlanta Women in Social Media
Marketing posts over the next couple of weeks.
Atlanta Women In Social Media Marketing
Jacki Schklar Funny Not Slutty @JackiSchklar
1.
What does social media marketing mean to you? - It means having a forum
to become friends with comedy producers in the UK and Tel Aviv and
working together with them remotely. It means introducing a talented
Australian artist to new fans in the US.
2. My favorite social media tactic is bonding with humor.
3.
In 140 characters what is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a
social media hub?- I think of a social media hub in terms of industry
or interest, not geographical location. I get emails from people who
think I’m in NYC or LA on a regular basis because of my affiliation
with those cities.
4. 2 sentences about your company. – Funny not
Slutty features comedy for women created by female producers, writers,
humorists and comedians. Our content may be a little smarter and a
little deeper than your average web humor (sometimes). Focus is on B2B
and B2C.
5. Began in social media marketing - With the promotion of my
animation project, How to Live and Eat like a Southern Jewish Princess,
in 2008. I had previous interactive and journalism experience so it was
an easy transition.
Laura Nolte Green Theory Interactive @Laura_nolte
1.
What does social media marketing mean to you? -Social Media marketing
is a very accessible and cost effective way to learn about and engage
my client’s customers and prospects. This medium is unmatched in terms
of the breadth and depth of targeting that it offers.
2. My
favorite social media tactic is contributing to the content and
community in highly specialized LinkedIn groups to generate B2B leads.
This is particularly effective when targeting C-level executives.
3.
In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a
social media hub? As a city with a big media presence including TBS,
Atlanta is poised for social media growth. The key will be getting
Atlanta’s big brands to support this medium.
4. 2 sentences
about your company. - Green Theory is a marketing consultancy that works
primarily with venture backed startup companies. We develop marketing
plans, install marketing technologies and hire marketing teams. 60% of
my focus is on B2B marketing and the other 40% is on B2C marketing.
5.
Began in social media marketing - I started using social media in 2001
by interacting with food blogs and I started using social media as a
marketing tool for clients in 2004 by testing content and advertising
on blogs.
Barbara Giamanco Talent Builders Barbara Giamanco @barbaragiamanco
1. What
does social media marketing mean to you? - For me, social media
marketing is the opportunity to create community, conversation and
connection with people anywhere in the world. Used effectively, you can
build brand awareness, demonstrate credibility and capability, and
create relationships with potential buyers long before you meet them.
2.
My favorite social media tactic is sharing valuable content. I use a
variety of social media tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter,
BlogTalkRadio, Delicious, Blogs and more to keep abreast of information
that I then can share with potential clients, current clients or
colleagues that I know will find value in the information. I’m all
about “give to receive”.
3. In 140 characters - What is
Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub? -
Atlanta’s current challenge is the “flash in the pan – look at me I’m
an expert” types claiming to understand social media. They don't.
**Add this if you want too…I wanted to stay within the 140 character
request. And a hub implies interconnectedness, but I notice more
individual focus versus a willingness to team up with others to create
something powerful. Ironic given the nature of what “social” media is
all about.
4. 2 sentences about your company – About Talent
Builders: We help business owners and sales teams accelerate the sales
cycle by better qualifying sales opportunities on the front end. The
result is faster close rates and a reduction in wasted money and time.
Our talented team of professionals brings to the table an impressive
array of experience, skills and abilities to assist you in achieving
your sales goals. My primary focus is B2B.
5. Began in social
media marketing - Since 1997 while still at Microsoft, I began working
with the early tools. I headed up Microsoft’s first sales team to
support Internet retailers like Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. My
corporate career was in technology, so I’ve always been an early
adopter and a closet “tech geek”. I have been proactively using
LinkedIn, email marketing and internet radio since about 2004. As other
tools came out like Delicious, Ning, Twitter, etc. I jumped on early
and learned how to integrate them into my sales/marketing strategies.
Blogging took me some time to get in a groove with, but now I’m a very
active blogger.
Sue Rodman Field Trips With Sue @suerodman
1.
Social media marketing offers people and brands the opportunity to
find, build and nurture relationships online, making offline activities
more meaningful. If I follow someone on twitter or see their status or
photos on Facebook, I have some reference for discussion the next time
(or the first time) we meet in person.
2. My favorite social
media tactic is my blog fieldtripswithsue.com. It gives me an excuse to
do fun things with my kids, has become a conversation piece with
friends old and new and opened up doors professionally. It's also been
a great learning tool.
3. In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's
greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub? - Time. Everyone
wants results tomorrow. Social media is about building relationships,
it doesn't happen overnight. But when it does, it's extremely powerful.
4. 2 sentences about your company. - Fieldtripswithsue.com is
about inexpensive things to do in and around metro Atlanta with
children. It's been nominated as best local blog in the Nickelodeon
Parents' Pick Awards (vote early and often, each day until July 15).
The blog also serves as a testing/ proving ground to
learn more about social media and how to use it for marketing and public relations.
5. Began in social media marketing - February 08 - I
attended SoCon. The big takeaway was that you have to jump in and do
something. Field Trips with Sue was started in Nov. 08 so I could do
something and learn. (It took a while to determine what that something
would be.)
Sherry Heyl Concept Hub, Inc @sherryheyl
1. What does social media marketing mean to you? - Social Media
gives everyone a voice. It is as important as the printing press was
and has disrupted every business model that exist today and is
challenging every assumption we have held about what we are capable of.
2. My favorite social media tactic is status updates throughout my
various networks which helps me to share information and stay top of
mind.
3. In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming
a social media hub? Learning to work together as a community.
4. 2 sentences about your company - Launched in 2005, Concept Hub, Inc
is a full service social media agency. Services include; Social Media
Business Plans, Customized Training, and Campaign Management.
I primarily focus on: B2B, B2C, Nonprofit, Education
5. I began in social media marketing Oct 2005
Nadia Bilchik Nadia Speaks Nadia Bilchik @nadiabilchik
1.
What does social media marketing mean to you? - Social Media Marketing
is a way for me to communicate my expertise with many people in a new
way.
2. My favorite social media tactic is using Twitter to tell people about my experiences.
3.
In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a
social media hub? - Atlanta’s biggest challenge is not embracing social
media more!
4. 2 sentences about your company. - Greater Impact
Communucation is a Media and Presentation Skills training company. We
focus on getting individuals to leverage their Personal Presence and to
Elevate sales and the trajectory of their careers. Focus is b2b,
particularly broadcasting. PR, and pharma.
5. First began
offering social media in networking for success workshops for Coke in
2007. Brought in a Linked In Guru to give webinars for my clients. Now
its a big part of Virtual Presence in Professional Presenceseminars.
Atlanta Women in Social Media
Donna Lynes-Miller GourmetStation
Grayson Daughters WaySouth Media
Lya Sorano Lya Sorano.com
Melissa Galt Today By Design
Jeaneane Sessum allied
Melissa Libby MelissaLibbyPR
Amber Rhea Being Amber Rhea
Jacki Schklar Funny Not Slutty
Laura Nolte Green Theory Interactive
Barbara Giamanco Talent Builders
Sue Rodman Field Trips With Sue
Sherry Heyl oncept Hub, Inc
Nadia Bilchik Nadia Speaks
and me! Toby Bloomberg Diva Marketing
Girlfriends, I ask you .. Where are the Atlanta women in social media marketing? Where are the women on the client/brand side? If you want to be included or know of anyone who meets the criteria please leave a comment or shoot me an email.
05/26/2009
A couple of weeks ago Mashable held a smashing mash in Atlanta for over 400 of its closest friends .. who signed up before the fire marshalls could call Stop! no more people. I shared a glass of vino or two with friends, got to hug a live pink boa, complements of Jungle Disk, 
and met new people. However it became crystal clear that although Diva Marketing celebrated its 5th blog-birthday my social media network is more global than local.
I found myself asking, "Who are these people and what do they do? What is happening in Atlanta social media marketing? To para phrase from my friends at BlogHer ..Where are the Atlanta women in social media marketing?"
A few months back BBF Dan Greenfield suggested that I interview the women in Atlanta who are involved in social media marketing. Last week ideas synergized .. why not create a resource list that highlights the women in Atlanta who are working in social media marketing? But not just a boring list .. a series of mini interviews where we can get to know these women better. Along the way perhaps new friendships will take online offline.
Criteria: using social media as a marketing strategy for your business ventures or helping clients use social media as a marketing strategy. Look for the Atlanta Women in Social Media Marketing posts over the next couple of weeks.
Atlanta Women In Social Media Marketing
Donna Lynes-Miller - GourmetStation Delicious Destinations Blog
@gourmetstation
1. What does social media marketing mean to you? Social media marketing provides GourmetStation with non-conforming, non-traditional, casual and comfortable ways of communicating with our customers outside of our website. All social media tactics provide our brand with a means for different aspects of our brand personality to shine through.
2. My favorite social media tactic is our travel and culture blog, Delicious Destinations which include guest writers from around the world.
3. In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub? With Internet driven social media tactics, I believe it will be difficult for any city to be a hub. The Internet is the great equalizer giving all regions the chance to participate.
4. 2 sentences about your company. - GourmetStation is a national food gifting company specializing in 3 & 4 course gourmet dinners, steak & seafood dinners, soup samples and dessert gifts. GourmetStation products also include dining certificates and monthly dinner clubs used by both consumers and businesses. I primarily focus on: B2C and B2B
5. Began in social media marketing: 2005
(Bloggy disclosure GourmetStation was one of my first social media marketing clients .. and proof that clients can be dear friends.)
Grayson Daughters - MediaConnection.tv WaySouth Media, Inc
@SpacyG
1. What does social media marketing mean to you? Social media means staying relevant and informed in very turbulent times. Without social media, there's not much I could offer clients, or show potential ones, that could possibly set me apart from the pack.
2. My favorite social media tactic is is the distribution of a video, or other original media I've created for myself or for a client, via Twitter. So easy. So fun. Such immediate feedback.
3. In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub? In the corporate arena, Atlanta's greatest challenge is getting over the tendency to do things the way they've always been done. For decades. Right now is just the crazy time to try something oh-so-bleeding edge. In an economy like this, what could it possibly hurt?!
4. 2 sentences about your company. - Grayson Daughters is the founder of WaySouth Media, Inc. - producing and promoting new media. She blogs at Mostly Media, and you can follow her on Twitter as SpaceyG. Her very latest online venture is MediaConnection.tv.
5. Began in social media marketing - I started using social media in 1995! (I think that's when I got my first dial-up/AOL account.) I started the first AOL Melrose Place chatroom on AOL, jointly with some dude from LA named J.T. Bug. I'll never forget that name, nor that first live chatroom experience. I published a southern culture webzine called WaySouth from '98-2000. I've been blogging since May of 2005, and was an early adopter of Twitter and Facebook (when it went beyond colleges).
Lya Sorano LyaSorano.com Great Southern Speakers Georgia Gardener
No Twitter – I’m too exhausted!
1. What does social media marketing mean to you? Social media marketing opens up channels of communication and potential sales that did not exist before. Opportunities pop up that twentieth century marketing did not provide.
2. My favorite social media tactic is to provoke discussions.
3. In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub?
Traffic! People sit in commuter traffic all day and are too exhausted to peep – much less care about social media.
4. 2 sentences about your company. - The Oliver/Sorano Group, Inc. provides marketing and PR support, including social media strategies, to clients in a variety of industries. I primarily focus on: B2B.
5. Began in social media marketing around 2006-07.
Melissa Galt -Today By Design Melissa Galt.com
@prosperbydesign
1. What does social media marketing mean to you? Social marketing is about the ability to connect to your target market cost effectively, frequently, and succinctly with value content. It is about using multiple channels and layering communications for ultimate effectiveness.
2. My favorite social media tactic is the variety of tools and applications available on Twitter, acebook, and LinkedIN that add fun, convenience, and facilitate the sharing of information. Strategically I am a fan of Tweetlater as it allows me maximum control of my time while still maintaining by exposure and my reach.
3. In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub? Atlanta has a golden opportunity to truly land on the map of social media, but to do so will require more leaders to step forward and claim their place. The city is home to many great entrepreneurs and creatives, yet still the value of social media is not always understood.
4. 2 sentences about your company. - I speak, consult, train and mentor small businesses who think BIG and want to harness the power of social media and new marketing taking their business to the next level, and unleashing unlimited success.
5. Began in social media marketing - I have been using social media since 2008, and have been offering to clients this year. I primarily focus on: B2B, B2C, Nonprofit, Education. I believe it is the single factor that can keep many businesses afloat in tough economic times as it provides simple, effective tools to reach targeted buyers and decision makers whether business to business or business to consumer. Social media is the cornerstone of relationship marketing and with women becoming an increasingly significant force in both consumer and business goods, new marketing as social media is considered, is essential.
Jeneane Sessum allied Jeneane.net
@jeneane
1. What does social media marketing mean to you? Social Media Marketing means reaching customers and communities on behalf of my clients using social spaces on the Internet, where people come together to do/discuss/create/laugh/complain about what interests them.
2. My favorite social media tactic is monitoring and participating in the range of social media discussions to identify what Really Urgent Community Need a client can help solve to make something better for an existing or potential customer.
3. In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub? To replace the “broadcast and sales pitch” mindset with genuine listening and understanding. To talk with not at.
4. 2 sentences about your company: Sessum Creative is an Atlanta-based marketing and public relations consultancy focused on helping clients talk with their markets using the power of social media and the Internet. Working with clients at home and internationally since 1998, we help clients with strategy, messaging, content development and media relations. I primarily focus on: B2B, B2C, Internet startups
5. Began in social media marketing - I entered social media as a blogger myself in 2001 with my personal blog allied). My first social media clients were Elimitaste Gum, Qumana, and Cox Communications. I helped these clients develop a blogging strategy and put in place processes to make sure that strategy worked. The primary goal was to use blogs as an effective way to talk to customers and build thought leadership.
Melissa Libby MelissaLibbyPR Atlanta Dish blog
@melissal
1. What does social media marketing mean to you? Social media is public relations at its best. It is old fashioned communications with new technology. You must create relationships and spend quality time with people in order to have a genuine dialogue.
2. My favorite social media tactic is Facebook status updates and photo postings.
3. In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub?Too many advertising focused minds.
4. Include 2 sentences about your company. Melissa Libby & Associates was founded in 1992 and specializes in PR and social marketing for restaurants and anything edible or quaffable. I primarily focus on: B2B.
5. Began social media marketing - I attended a social media seminar at the University of Georgia in October of 2007 and it changed my business model immediately. On the way home I spoke to a client, Fifth Group Restaurants, and the owner agreed for his restaurants to be our guinea pigs as we figured everything out. We dove in. By December 2007 I had restructured my company to accommodate the social media function and now have two full-time employees who do nothing but SM.
Amber Rhea Being Amber Rhea Georgia Podcast Network Sex 2.0 Conference
@amberlrhea - To keep us honest Amber provides us a "point counter point."
1. What does social media marketing mean to you? Honestly? Most of the time, when I hear phrases like “social media marketing,” the first assocation in my head is “obnoxious.” That might be unfair; but I guess I've just seen a lot of companies/individuals where I want to scream, “You're doing it wrong!” I don't really use social media for marketing. It's an integral part of my life. I've been doing the social media thing since before anyone used the term “social media,” and it touches all areas of my life. I don't want to get ranty but I have to say one thing I've been disappointed with in the “social media scene” (such as it is) in Atlanta is how there is so much focus on business, marketing, PR to the exclusion of anything else.
If that's not your primary focus with social media, you're really looked down upon by a lot of people; some of them can't even conceive of someone not using social media purely as a marketing tool. It's frustrating because the people who are busy building their “personal brand” and establishing themselves as “thought leaders” wouldn't be doing what they're doing if it weren't for those of us who got into blogging, etc. years ago, back when the business world as a whole scoffed at us.
Example: At SoCon07, a fellow attendee argued with me when I talked about (how) transparency and being real are important things online. He was actually very condescending and was stuck on the idea of, your life will be ruined if someone sees you doing something dumb on YouTube. But funny thing, at SoCon08, he was back, and this time he was a social media consultant.
2. My favorite social media tactic is being accountable to myself and others.
3. In 140 characters - What is Atlanta's greatest challenge in becoming a social media hub? Entrepreneurs in Atlanta need to think outside the box for real and be proactive, not reactive.
4. Include 2 sentences about your company. The Georgia Podcast Network isn't really a company, except for tax purposes! It's portal site for Georgia-based podcasts. If you live in Georgia and want to start a podcast, you can host it on the Georgia Podcast Network for free. It also includes a directory of podcasts based in Georgia that are hosted on other sites. The show Rusty and I cohost, Mostly ITP, was voted Best of Atlanta 2006 by Creative Loafing, and Best of Atlanta 2008 by Atlanta Magazine.
I primarily focus on: Life, friends, activism, work, technology, sexuality, politics, learning, thinking... and whatever else happens to strike my fancy at a particular moment.
5. Began in social media - I started my blog in April 2002 - so I recently had my 7th blogiversary. I've had a web site since 1996, though (or a "home page" as we called them back then) and have been writing about my life online since then. I wrote a little bit about my history on the internet
05/14/2009
Recently I attended a networking event in Atlanta and found myself deep in conversation with a young woman who told me how critical transparency is to a social media campaign. I smiled and nodded in agreement. But my thoughts were flashing back to the thousands of other discussions I had with marketers over the past 5-years when the concept of developing marketing campaigns build on transparency along with authenticity, honesty and passion verged on preposterous. Or more simply put people thought we were crazed. (Diva Marketing post 8-29-05 .. see tip #4)
As we move into 2009 social media is finally taking its rightful place as a credible marketing strategy. Buzz words like transparency are part of the hip new marketing vernacular. However, social media marketing is more complex than buzzed conversation. Social media marketing goes beyond a YouTube contest or a Facebook app.
Some companies and agencies are acknowledging effective social media marketing is not just tactics and technology; but that social media begins with an integrated strategic approach. Recently my friend Geoff Livingston closed the doors of his PR agency Livingston Communications. He shook hands with CRT/tanaka and cinched the deal to bring his firm into their world to ensure that as CRT/tanaka moved further into social media they did it "right."
CRT/tanaka's newest VP - Geoff Livingston and agency President - Mike Mulvihill agreed to tell Diva Marketing the back-story and their vision of how social media is impacting the public relations business.
Toby/DivaMarketing: The acquisition of Livingston Communication by a larger agency is quite exciting and the dream of many small shops. How did you establish your (and Livingston Communication’s) credibility to the extent that CRT/tanaka began serious talks?
Geoff Livingsto
n: I think Now Is Gone was really the thing that established my credibility in the business, and to the extent that CRT/tanaka was interested in purchasing me. The book’s theories on communities seems to have stood the test of time, and our continued work over the past couple of years has backed up the talk, so to speak.
Plus I had a failed acquisition, which while not a pretty thing, certainly demonstrated that such a path was a possible outcome for me.
Toby/DivaMarketing: What role will you play at CRT/tanaka and will your responsibilities differ from what you provided clients at Livingston Communications?
Geoff Livingston: I really have three roles in my mind.
One) Turn CRT/tanaka into a socialprise, an organization capable of using and engaging in conversations across the line and internally for business use. This is the Holy Grail that so many of us envision, and so few organizations have attained. We’re already engaging across the board, and I anticipate a much more dangerous company within six months.
Two) Serve current clients with social media services that deliver meaningful results, and build new clients that continue building our presence in the space. Again, our differentiator will be our ability to deliver real programs that work.
Three) Continue serving the employees and growing our business in the Washington, DC region. Home is where the heart is :-)
Toby/DivaMarketing: How has social media changed the way agencies are doing business?
Geoff Livingston: I think agencies still don’t know how to deal with social media. Some firms do it better than others, but the transparency and results orientation that it creates has been a tough pill to swallow.
Additionally, social media transcends departments. So I am in the interactive department at CRT, but right now I am mostly working on PR and event projects. I am also working on an ad campaign, too. So social media cannot be defined by a silo. We realize that and there’s a lot of flexibility to move in between groups, but you see the issue that agencies and companies face.
--------------
Toby/DivaMarketing: It appears that the agency was incorporating social media offerings to its clients prior to Geoff coming on board. What did Geoff/Livingston Communications bring to the party that others did not offer?
Mike Mulvihill, president, CRT/tanaka: Geoff and his team understand how social media fits in with other marketing disciplines. Rather than looking at social media as a stand alone, they understand how it works hand-in-hand with traditional marketing to advance ideas, concepts, products and services by engaging consumers and influencers in a conversation. He is a great fit with our culture and his team shares our ethos. It was just a great fit from day one.
Toby/DivaMarketing: How has social media changed the way agencies are doing business?
Mike Mulvihill, president, CRT/tanaka: Oh, yeah. It’s a brave new world out there. Social media is something agencies have been trying to harness and our industry has made some messy mistakes trying it on for size. And I think that’s because agencies in general are trying to shoe horn social media into a traditional media message push-out approach. We want to control it.
But social media requires an entirely different approach to engaging people into two-way conversations. It provides feedback. It carves out its own path. And because of that, social media is scary from a control point but quite genuine, credible and self-regulating.
If agencies have not changed the way they are doing business by integrating social media into all that they do, then those agencies are not looking out for their client’s best interest. For us, we are incorporating social media in our strategic approach to each client’s business just as we would any traditional communication or marketing executable.
About CRT/tanaka
CRT/tanakais a Virginia-based independent public relations firm.The firm focuses
on consumer, health and corporate issues, with accounts in sports
marketing, beauty, fashion, home furnishings, health, food &
beverage and financial. PR Week ranked CRT/Tanaka as the thirty-second
largest independent PR agency in the United States in 2008, with 2007
revenue of $10,515,113. The ranking also notes its staff total of 71.
04/21/2009
New social networking communities seem to be on every virtual corner these days. Marketers understand that social media can be a powerful strategy that supports niche or segmentation marketing. However, when brands build out communities it's obviously a business decision that has incurred significant resources - including dollars.
I wondered how do they integrate marketing objectives, while ensuring that the "social" aspects, the heart and soul of the community, are authentically and transparently developed and nurtured? When Chris Kieff offered the opportunity to interview one of his Ripple6 client's from Meredith Corporation's recently launched Mixing Bowl, a food and recipe community - I said yes!
About Mixing Bowl
Editors touch every piece of content that exists on our branded sites. We post recipes after they’ve been triple-tested in our kitchens, write how-to articles, and so on. We don’t run Mixing Bowl that way because we want it to be a site created by home cooks for home cooks.
I’m (Heather Morgan Shott) very present on Mixing Bowl (my username is CoolCookie), and my profile page states that I’m a Mixing Bowl editor, but I’d never censor conversation or edit content. I’m there to answer questions as well as contribute to the community just like a typical member would by posting my own recipes, sharing my opinions, and joining groups. From a business point of view, Ripple6 offers advertisers access to a very sophisticated and extensive analytics system.
About Heather Morgan Shott
I'm the Senior Food Group Manager for the Better Homes and Gardens Network, which includes five websites. On Mixing Bowl, I mix it up like any member might--but if there’s a functionality problem I’ll address it.
For example, we had some members who were unhappy with the way in which our contest application worked when we first launched the site. Entries were randomized so members started having problems finding the recipes they wanted to vote for once lots of recipes were entered. They started posting their complaints on the site, and we responded very quickly by tweaking the system so that the entries were static.
Suddenly ‘thank you CoolCookie’ threads started to pop up. Of course lots of people worked to resolve that issue, but I’m the person that the community knows is listening to them, because I’ve established a very visible presence on the site. When I’m not working, I’m cooking, restaurant hopping, drinking wine, shopping, or hanging out with my husband. We live in New York City.
Toby/Diva Marketing: Mixing Bowl is not only a new social media community but a new brand for Meredith. That said, Meredith’s reach with women is wide and established. How did you use those assets to help build membership and promote the site?
We’ve been working with all of our magazines and websites to promote Mixing Bowl. American Baby, Fitness, Family Circle, and Better Homes and Gardens, for example, have all created groups that tie to specific departments in their magazines. Ladies Home Journal features questions and answers from Knowledge Bowl in each issue. We have another magazine that will be sponsoring a contest on Mixing Bowl this summer. Online, we’ve been promoting Mixing Bowl in newsletters. We’ve got lots more to come; this just marks our very early efforts.
Toby/Diva Marketing: There are other social networks that focus on food and recipes. What is Mixing Bowl’s point of difference? Why would I want to join and spend time on Mixing Bowl versus another community?
Heather Morgan Shott: By filling out your profile, Mixing Bowl can deliver a totally customized experience just for you. For example, if you check off quick and easy, desserts, and cooking for kids as your interests, we'll bubble up all the recipes and groups that mesh with those interests. So we’re offering a vastly different experience than you get on other sites where you log in and see everything that everyone else does, and you literally have to wade through hundreds of pages of information to find what’s relevant to your life.
Toby/Diva Marketing: The quality of online peer-to-peer relationships builds over time. How is Mixing Bowl encouraging and nurturing “community” among with its members?
Heather Morgan Shott:I’m dazzled by so many of the people in our community, and I meet new, amazing members every day. When we launched Mixing Bowl, we tried to start things on the right note by inviting some incredible content creators, such as past winners of cooking contests and bloggers, to get in the mix early on. None of them were professional cooks but they all had a certain level of expertise in cooking or baking, so we knew they’d be able to provide high-quality content. We also knew that they had the kind of passion and enthusiasm that we wanted to foster on Mixing Bowl.
Toby/Diva Marketing: Mixing Bowl is a very rich platform, built by Ripple6, that offers multiple ways for people to contribute their favorite recipes and as we love to say, “Join the conversation.” At this early stage in its development which areas or groups are getting the most activity?
Heather Morgan Shott: There’s no question about it, our community loves to bake. We have an extremely rich Ethnic category, with 16 groups covering a range of different cuisines (Chinese, Colombian, Mexican, French, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Parsi, Persian, Polynesian, Puertorrican, and so on); in this category many of the group leaders are actually based overseas, so they’re posting truly authentic recipes. We’re also seeing tremendous growth in areas that we’d expect—quick and easy, healthy recipes, desserts, and entertaining.
Toby/Diva Marketing: Has that surprised you?
Heather Morgan Shott: So far just what we hoped would happen has happened. Our goal was to engage home cooks who specialized in specific topics. What better way to learn how to cook Indian food than from someone based in Mumbai? Who better to get baking pointers from than an owner of a boutique bakery? Who knows picky eaters better than moms raising kids who are picky eaters? These are real people with real solutions and inspiring ideas.
Toby/Diva Marketing: Since this is part of Meredith’s business strategy can you tell us what constitutes success?
Heather Morgan Shott: Our goal is to continue to grow membership on MixingBowl.com. We’re extremely pleased with where we are right now, and we will continue to work to develop an even richer and more robust community.
Toby/Diva Marketing: How concerned is Meredith with, let’s call it “traditional website metrics?”
Heather Morgan Shott: Page views and unique visitors are extremely important, but our top goal is bringing in new members.
Toby/Diva Marketing: I was watching a video where Dan Hickey, Vice President, Digital Conten, discussed marketers (advertisers) participating within the community to add value. Can you give us some current examples and tell us how Mixing Bowl ensuring transparency?
Heather Morgan Shott: Toby, we’re still working on this. We haven’t really rolled anything out yet… We're cooking up some great stuff, and I can't wait to tell you about those efforts once we've rolled them out. Check back with me in a month or two.
Toby/Diva Marketing: Understanding that the site has been live only a few months, what are some of the lessons you’ve learned at the start-up of this venture?
Heather Morgan Shott: In a community, it’s extremely important to be involved, to mix it up with your members. It doesn’t work to just build a community and then abandon it. You need to listen to what they’re saying and you need to respond quickly. You need to show you care, or they’ll go somewhere else. It’s also critical to be flexible and be willing to change something that isn’t working.
Toby/Diva Marketing: At its heart, or in your heart, what is your vision for Mixing Bowl on a long-term basis?
Heather Morgan Shott: We want MixingBowl.com to become the largest community food site out there. We’d love for it to be the number one destination for everyone who loves to swap recipes and join cooking groups. And we’d love to continue to draw in more members from overseas so that we truly become a place for cooks from around the world to connect.
Heather Morgan Shott On Social Media
It’s thrilling, and I can’t imagine life without it. Oftentimes content isn’t all that exciting until people actually start talking about it – and that’s why social media platforms like Mixing Bowl, Twitter, and Facebook have become so central to our lives. They enable us to take one thought or idea and connect about it with hundreds of others, regardless of where those people are in the world. We gain multiple perspectives, oftentimes from people whose views are vastly different from ours, and in turn our own thoughts and ideas become much richer.
More About Social Network Communities From Diva Marketing
Diva Marketing Talks, BlogTalkRadio, with Liz Strauss & Nancy White
Interview with Nancy White
04/09/2009
Diva Marketing Talks is a live, internet radio (BlogTalkRadio) show. 30-minutes. 2-guests. 1-topic about social media marketing. Why? To help you understand how to participate in the "new" conversation without getting blown-up. Miss today's show? You can pick it up as a podcast or listen on your computer.
Today's Diva Marketing Talks explores a "new" demographic that is joining the social media conversation. Think that social media is all about Mils, Gen X or Gen Y? Think again. The Boomer Generation may be late to this party but will the shear numbers of the demographic influence SM? Des Walsh - Des Walsh dot Com, Barbara Rozgonyi -Wired PR Works and Carlos Hernandez - iRM Consulting, join me to talk about will the Woodstock generation be as open to naked conversations as they were to dancing in the rain sans clothes?
Topic for April 9, 2009: Boomers Step Into Social Media
Time: 6:00p - 6:30p Eastern/ 5:p - 5:30p Central/ 4:00p -4:30p Mountain/ 3:00p - 43:30p Pacific
Call-in Guest Number: 718.508.9924 .
Des Walsh
Des Walsh is passionate about the potential of social media for business transformation. As a strategist and coach he helps businesses and entrepreneurs navigate the social media maze and become savvy participants, developing their own roadmaps to fit their own strategic objectives.
He has been in business for twenty years as a communications consultant and coach, following a public service career with senior positions in education, the arts and major events planning. He draws on that experience to help companies handle the cultural challenge in changing from a traditional command and control approach to marketing and communications, to the more open, transparent world of social media.
Des is co-author of LinkedIn for Recruiting, now in its second edition and an e-book for small businesses, 7 Step Business Blog, recently translated into Mandarin Chinese. He is an Associate of China-based company CultureFish Media, which assists companies promoting their business online in China. He is also a Partner with the Colorado, based company ITBrix, which produces the social media, community building and collaboration platform WordFrame.
He is a regular speaker on blogging and social media and has spoken at conferences in Australia, the USA and China. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the International Blogging and New Media Association and a member of the Board of Governors of the International Association of Coaching. Des blogs at Des Walsh dot Com and Thinking Home Business. @deswalsh
He is based on Australia's Gold Coast and his motto is “have netbook, will travel”.
Barbara Rozgonyi
Barbara is the founder of CoryWest Media, LLC, a strategic social media, marketing and PR consultancy based in the Chicago area. She also publishes Wired PR Works, which is listed on Alltop, ranked in the Ad Age Power 150 and mentioned as one of the top sources for marketing content by junta42. Founder and chair of Chicago ’s Social Media Club, Barbara speaks frequently about how to get new media to work for you. WiredPRWorks @wiredprworks
Wired Works PR
Carlos Hernandes
Carlos is a Social Media Catalyst & Trainer to people desiring to be Web 2.0 savvy, but especially to Baby Boomers. Why so? In February of 2007, he elected to pursue a calling to help people. He especially identified with fellow Baby Boomers who were intimidated by emerging social media technologies.
He has been successful by working with individuals and businesses to leverage Web 2.0 technology in the sales and marketing initiatives. Carlos' has shown fellow professionals how to develop networks and connections via LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter in an integrated and cross-promotional manner.
Carlos made this conscious decision capitalizing on his gifts of public speaking, problem solving and teaching. His knowledge is grounded in a 28 year professional career working for Westinghouse Electric & Eaton Corporations in technical solution sales, marketing and project management. Academically, he studied Civil Engineering at Stanford University's School of Engineering. iRM Consulting @carloshernandez
Tips From The Diva Bag
Complements of Des Walsh
<>One of the best things and also one of the worst things about social media is that there are so many tools available which can help you build a business or kick-start a new career, and which are either no-cost or low cost. It's one of the best things because we now have, on a low or zero expenditure budget, tools which not too many years ago would have cost us thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars to buy or have built for us.
One of the worst things is that there are so many tools, so many services competing for our attention and love, that we can easily get confused, waste time with services that are not quite right and just get overwhelmed. We need to work on our social media business strategy, not just on tactics, tips and tools.
<>Baby Boomers who have been in business are familiar with the Japanese word “kaizen”, which when used in the context of Western manufacturing and other industrial and business processes is usually translated as “continuous improvement”: Tony Robbins re-badged “kaizen” as CANI – “Continuous And Never-ending Improvement.
Part of this kaizen approach is making small changes as you go, not just waiting for some major overhaul. So in the social media context, with low cost or no cost tools so readily available you can make changes as you go. And you no longer have to be a techie to make many of the changes.
<>Think global – if you want to. Or think small and local. One of the great things about social media from a small business point of view is that it allows so many people to live where they want and build a business which can be local, regional, or national or global, as they choose.
Learn how to be findable online, using blogging and other social media. More and more people go online to find what they are looking for, the product they want, the service they need. It's our choice as to whether they find us and like what they find, or find our competitors and never know about us.
Complements of Barbara Rozgonyi
<>Own your age by celebrating your accomplishments
<>Promote your technology heritage as being an early adopter way back when
<>Connect cross-generationally via alumni, networking and social groups
<>Position yourself as a mentor for people starting out in your profession
<>Talk about your collections, hobbies and interests to round out your profile
<>Post flattering and current profile pictures that look like who you are today
<>Be a leader people seek out for social media connections
<>Start out with LinkedIn and develop your professional profile
<>Go through your network and invite friends to connect online
<>Recommend and refer others when you see someone looking for help
Barbara's post on social media and baby boomer statistics
Complements of Carlos Hernandez
<>Don't be surprised if you become labeled a "lurker" for just reading blog posts and the like. It is okay to go slow and learn about the various social media communities. You will know when you are ready to contribute a comment, status update or tweet.
<>Become more than a job seeker on social media networks such as LinkedIn. Tap your passion and knowledge to grow into becoming a thought leader. It's one of the benefits of being older by having made mistakes and learning along the way.
<>I like Tara Hunt's perspective, who was a recent presenter at Web 2.0 Expo San Francisco (Twitter's @missrogue). "What can you give away that won't make you broke?" Social media lets you share your talent for the betterment of others
03/19/2009
Diva Marketing Talks is
a live, internet radio show. 30-minutes. 2-guests. 1-topic about
social media marketing. Why? To help you understand how to participate
in the "new" conversation without getting blown-up. Miss today's show?
You can pick it up as a podcast or listen on your computer.
Today's Diva Marketing Talks explores the impact of social media sponsored conversations from both sides of the virtual fence: brand and content creator. "Auntie" Melanie Notkin, founder of the innovative community for aunts, SavvyAuntie and Scott Monty, Global Digital Communications Ford Motor, discuss the impact accepting money or products/services can have on social credibility. We'll also talk about where blogger relations and pay per click fits into the picture. Question: Are social media content creators the new NASCAR drivers?
Topic for March 19, 2009: Do Sponsored Conversations Make Social Media Content Creators the New NASCAR Drivers?
Time: 7:00p - 7:30p Eastern/ 6:p - 6:30p Central/ 5:00p -5:30p Mountain/ 4:00p - 4:30p Pacific
Call-in Guest Number: 718.508.9924
Guests
Melanie Notkin is the founder and CEO of SavvyAuntie.com, the first online community for cool aunts, great aunts, godmothers and all women who love kids. Before launching Savvy Auntie, in July 2008, Melanie was an interactive marketing and communications executive for global Fortune 500 companies, including New York Times Digital and American Express, as well as L'Oréal.
Melanie is a regular panelist on the Strategy Room on FoxNews.com and a contributing editor to Toy Wishes Magazine. She and Savvy Auntie have been featured on NBC, CBS, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, The Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, The Charlotte Observer, Huffington Post, Mashable and TechCrunch, among others.
SavvyAuntie.com was ranked as one of Springwise's Top 10 Entreprenerial Ideas of the Year (2008) and Melanie was recently named a Heeb Magazine HEEB 100.
Find Melanie at Twitter Blog SavvyAuntie and of course on the SavvyAuntie Community
Scott Monty describes himself as a "Renaissance Man." Although he is a marketer and communications professional focused on the digital industry his career spans a number of industries from healthcare, pharma, biotech, travel, automotive, tech, to communications. Some of Scott’s past clients include American Airlines, Audi, Starwood Hotels, IBM Healthcare & Life Sciences, Boston Scientific, The Coca-Cola Company, Millipore, Motorola and Kraft Foods,
Scott is currently the head of social media for Ford Motor Company, where he holds the title Global Digital & Multimedia Communications Manager. While his role is based in the Corporate Communications area, he is a strategic advisor on all social media activities across the company. From blogger relations to marketing support to customer service to internal communications and more, social media touches many facets of Ford business, and Scott is there to ensure it is consistent across all of them.
Scott is an active blogger and podcaster. He writes about issues relevant to the intersection of advertising, marketing and PR at The Social Media Marketing Blog and also writes The Baker Street Blog, a literary undertaking. Scott has been featured in numerous news and business publications, on a variety of podcasts, and on national television. Scott is a recognized thought leader in the social media industry and frequently speaks at industry events. Scott received his Master's in Medical Science from Boston University's School of Medicine concurrently with his MBA from BU's Graduate School of Management.
Find Scott at Twitter, The Social Media Marketing Blog The Baker Street Blog,
Tips From The Diva Bag
Complements of Auntie Melanie Notkin
1. Trust is something you earn. And it's the most valuable asset you have. Deserve it or fail.
2. As a company, you can't wake up one day and decide you are going to be authentic and transparent. It has to be something you were born with. And if you weren't born with it, apologize and be authentic and transparent about your journey to authenticity and transparency.
3. Social media and digital media enable us to be transparent and authentic. The minute you hire an intern to tweet for you is the minute you give the steering wheel to a student driver. From another country. Where they drive on the other side of the road. You'll never make it back home
Complements of Scott Monty
1. You know the phrase from Glengarry Glen Ross , "Always Be Closing"? Forget it. Instead, your mantra should be "Always Be Listening." Thanks to the open nature of the web and the ability for any one of us to create content, we have the ability to track and understand what they're saying about us. Listening is the first step to providing value for your community. If you know what they're saying and what their expectations are, you're well along the way.
2. Give your community a unique experience. Most likely, you work in a market where you're competing for your customers' attention, whether you sell consumer packaged goods, consulting services, or technology. If you can create an opportunity for them to learn or get something from you that no other competitor can offer them, they'll remember you better and come back for more.
3. Be human above all else. Let people know that there are real people working for your company, whether its a small business or a multinational entity. If you can let their personalities shine through and make it easy for people to relate to them, they'll be more likely to trust you with their business.
