Social Marketing | Fairy Tales, Myths and Fables

It's Hip To Be Square- In 2018, I'm Moving My Blog from Blogger to Squarespace

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Dec 2017 17:28:00 +0000

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

In 2018, I am rebranding and re-launching my Marketing Blog on Squarespace. I'm saying goodbye to the blog name, format, and Blogger platform.

Here's the scoop:

I've been blogging about social media marketing and my adventures in networking in Nashville since 2009. Over the years, I stuck with the Blogger platform because it is owned by Google and I believed that would help with my SEO juice and Google rankings. Side Note: I also used to be a believer in Google+ taking off. We all know how that turned out.

Admittedly, I have fallen off of a regular blogging routine because it has been a hassle to populate content on Blogger. A simple post takes hours of editing to get the layout, spacing, and text to populate how it want it to appear - especially on the mobile version. This experience has deflected me from doing what I'm passionate about- sharing my knowledge and insights!

I'm taking action. Much like technology and the world of marketing, my experience has evolved, and I'm not putting all my eggs in Google's basket. I need a blog platform that reflects my lifestyle- ease of posting, with not a lot of coding to fool with. I want a magazine-style, mobile-first site that is easy to navigate and provides a pleasant user experience.

(Drum Roll, Please)

January 2018, I am moving to the Squarespace platform with a Marketing Blog that focuses on broader "Marketing" stories and trends. The "Nashville" content will stay and evolve. In 2018, I'm adding a new section that brings in my personal inspirations, influencers, and beliefs -I'm calling this section of my blog "Karma."

The largest catalyst for this change was "Karma" inspired. I invited a friend and former co-worker, Lisa Dunn of LisaDunnDesigns.com, to a Nashville Women in Digital event, where we struck up the conversation about my intention to rebrand my blog. She and a few others highly recommended Squarespace. I did my research with a free 2-week trial and was impressed!

Getting familiar with an entirely new blogging platform was not easy. I was two hours in, and ready to throw up my hands and go back to Blogger- when Lisa stepped in to guide me through and simplify my Squarespace blog.

As it turns out, Lisa is a talented Graphic Design Coach, who just happens to be a certified Squarespace Trainer! She helped me get started and learn to navigate the setup of my new blog website. I definitely recommend reaching out to her if you are thinking of using Squarespace, and need some help.

I still have a lot of packing, unpacking, sorting and decorating to do throughout December, but I hope to be ready to open my doors to visitors on my new blog website in January. Thank you to all of my followers on Blogger- and I hope to see you next year after my move.

Be on the lookout for my new blog coming January 2018!

Top 13 Shopper Marketing e-newsletters for Digital Divas like me

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 19:40:00 +0000

Nashville is known for Country Music, Tourism, and Publishing…but there are several hidden gem Retailers (Dollar General, Tractor Supply Company, Journey’s, Kirkland’s) and CPG companies (Mars Petcare, Oreck, GooGoo Clusters, Griffen Technology) right here, as well as the Shopper Marketing Agency I work for, Catapult Marketing…where the focus is on you- the consumer.

I’m fascinated by the intersection between digital technology (apps, beacons, targeted digital ads and coupons) and the connection between the brand, consumer, and retailer. It’s a growing segment of digital marketing, focused around ever-changing shopper habits, called “Shopper Marketing”.

Below is the list of Top 13 Shopper Marketing e-newsletters I subscribe to in order to stay informed of the latest trends. Many of these Shopper Marketing e-newsletters feature case studies where retailers and brands are finding success in digital shopper marketing. There are no rules, so the playing field is wide open and I am a huge fan! Let’s watch it play out together.

Get your inbox ready! The links below will take you directly to the Shopper Marketing e-newsletter’s subscribe pages. You’re welcome ;) NOTE: These are in NO particular order.

Top 13 Shopper Marketing e-newsletters:

13. RetailTouchpoints - Retail TouchPoints (RTP) is an online publishing network for retail executives, offering content focused on optimizing the customer experience across all channels.

12. Retail Leader - 100% Senior Executive Focused, Retail Leader delivers news, analysis and information specific to the needs of top managers in the retail, food, and allied industries.

11. Brick Meets Click Blog - Industry consultants, publishing content that companies make sense of what's happening in grocery retail today.

10. CPG Matters - Offers a current picture of the CPG business, with a broad appeal in marketing departments, trade, consumer, and food service.

9. NRF SmartBrief - (National Retail Federation) Retail Industry News

8. SmartBreif on Social Business - Top brands and retailers leveraging social media for influence.

7. IAB SmartBrief - (Internet Advertising Bureau) News for advertising, marketing and media professionals.

6. MMA SmartBrief on Apps - (Mobile Marketing Association) Latest news on mobile apps.

5. Today @ Target Marketing - Today @ Target Marketing covers the gamut of direct marketing issues, from database marketing and creative to e-commerce, lists, telemarketing, B-to-B, privacy and more.

4. Shop.org SmartBrief - Digital Commerce News.

3. Internet Retailer - Internet Retailer’s email newsletter for e-commerce executives.

2. MediaPost- MARKETING INSIDER: CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE - Exploring the customer relationship with brands and technology.

1. Think With GOOGLE - Data, trends, insights, and inspiration based on real-time customer search analytics- straight from GOOGLE.

Leave a comment below to let me know what you think! Do you have others to add to the list?

Joe Pulizzi on Content Marketing | Notes from 4/6/17 #nashvilleama Presentation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 23:06:00 +0000

Pic: Me & Joe Pulizzi at #NashvilleAMA on 4.6.17.

Today I attended a local NAMA (Nashville AMA) Marketing program, and here’s what I learned about Content Marketing from Joe Pulizzi, founder of Content Marketing Institute.

Content Marketing is where digital marketing lives and has long term success. Hoping some of this can help you in your long-term marketing strategies!

First things first. Some CEOs and CFOs may ask, "What's the point of content marketing?"

Per Joe Pulizzi, [it's] "building an audience in order to change a behavior" - AKA conversion.

HOW TO BUILD A CONTENT STRATEGY:

STEP 1: Find the Sweet Spot

what is your customer's sweet spot? What do they want to know?

What knowledge do you have that is valuable to them?

What topic are you the leading expert on?

STEP 2: Content Tilt

Don’t just put out the same kind of content everyone else does on the same channels. Get crafty with resources.

Where is there an area of differentiation that you can distribute your content to break through?

What is your differentiator amongst your competitors? You must break through!

STEP 3: Craft a Mission Statement

What is your "why" for publishing content?

Who are you targeting? What are you trying to do? What is the audience outcome you are looking for?

You need to have multiple mission statements for multiple audiences.

TIP: Target 1 persona at a time on one channel. Do that well, then grow from there.

STEP 4: Create a Base

Pick one content type (image, video, text and image), 1 main platform type (blog, email) – and then consistently deliver on one platform (same day, same time, same type of content) over a long period of time. (12+ months minimum!)

Set the expectation of your content frequency and stick with it to build the audience relationship.

Deliver content on time and on strategy. Consistency is the key.

Don’t give up! Must be over a LONG period of time - at least a year to see impactful results.

STEP 5: Harvest the Audience

Use owned properties to host your content and social media to promote it/ reach your audience.

Don't focus on building audiences on social media channels. Focus on building (email, blog, app, etc.) subscribers.

Create loyalty amongst the audience via email by delivering consistent, relevant content.

Use a popup subscription form on your website to get subscribers

Must haves: amazing e-newsletter, something of value

Rule of 3: magic number is 3- if they subscribe to 3 pieces of content from you they will be loyal

STEP 6: Monetization

Track it back to sales and customer relationship growth over time.

Look at the differences in your database between subscribers and non subscribers.

Follow them in the buyer's journey to see what content is driving sales.

Think build vs buy- focus on long term acquisitions.

Disclaimer: Joe somehow has 7 steps, so I may have mislabeled my notes, but it’s all here, I promise. :/

_______________________________________________________________________

About Joe Pulizzi:

Joe Pulizzi is founder of Content Marketing Insititute, a UBM company, the leading education and training organization for content marketing, which includes the largest in-person content marketing event in the world, Content Marketing World. Joe is the winner of the 2014 John Caldwell Lifetime Achievement Award from the Content Council and is the author of four books, including his latest, "Content Inc." His third book, "Epic Content Marketing," was named one of the "Five Must-Read Business Books of 2013" by Fortune Magazine.

Follow @JoePulizzi on Twitter and #nashvilleama for more.

Best of #Nashville Instagram: Skylines

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 01:54:00 +0000

If you are like me, you love traveling and exploring new places…even in your own town. Lucky for me, I don't have to go far to see the best Nashville skyline views. I work, play, and explore in Nashville every day, capturing it all on Instagram.

I consider myself an "Instagram Photographer"- but aren't we all?! By using the #Nashville hashtag, I have discovered some great Nashville skyline views from some fellow fans of beautiful Music City. You will want to follow these Instagramers!

Here are my picks for the Best of #Nashville Instagram Skylines:

For the best "bird's eye" view- if the bird were a robot with a camera, follow the drone, @drone615!

A photo posted by Jason Hoffman (@drone615) on Oct 3, 2016 at 10:25am PDT

And if your eyes are craving more, follow @musiccityaerial - Same Drone, different views :)

A photo posted by Jason H. - Music City Aerial (@musiccityaerial) on Jul 15, 2016 at 3:07pm PDT

If you're into unique angles and stunning colors, see Nashville through a different lens via @nashvilletn

Here is a throwback photo of a beautiful Spring day in Downtown Nashville. #tbt #explore615 #NashvilleTN #nashville By @oloughness

A photo posted by Nashville Tennessee (@nashvilletn) on Sep 29, 2016 at 8:29am PDT

Finally, for the best Nashville skyline views day or night, rain or shine, check out @visit.nashville!

A photo posted by Visit Nashville (@visit.nashville) on Aug 8, 2016 at 7:55pm PDT

Do you have a favorite? Want to add to the list?

That Time I Hashtaged a Hot Dog in Nashville…

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 17:13:00 +0000

I gotta say, there’s nothing I love more than a good hotdog on a sunny day in Nashville. (I hear you chuckling! Let’s just get those dirty thoughts cleared away right away.)

I recently frequented Nashville’s beloved Hot Diggity Dog, and was pleased by not only their amazing menu, but by their social media suaveness. I Instagram’d a hot dog sign pic proclaiming my love with a #hotdog emoji (Thank you, Apple iOS 9.3!).

Later, I discovered @HotDiggityDog reposted my pic, giving me some love in return. They also followed me and “liked” my post. Just that little bit of social affection from them makes me love them even more. So of course, I had to tell you all about it! ‘Cause that’s how social media strategy works ;)

Here’s what they are doing right:

Social Signage:
In addition to all of their hot dog themed signage, Hot Diggity Dog has signs displayed throughout their location (on the wall, table tents, everywhere!), listing all their social media profiles and encouraging follows.

Social Engagement:

They may be known for hot dogs, but they know fans are what make them popular. Hot Diggity Dog is quick to respond, repost, follow, and “like”…all the things that keep their fans lined up for more.

User Generated Content:
It’s not all about their own promotion on Hot Diggity Dog’s social channels. They repost their customers social posts full of yummy food pics and raving reviews.

Social Service:
They list their hours and days open on social posts so customers know what to expect when they get a craving for a Chicago Dog when it’s snowing out. (Yes, it snows in the South!)

My Hot Diggity Dog topping tip:
I’d add a social contest to the mix if I were them- maybe a “Tweet of the week” where the winner gets a free hotdog! #HotDogDreams

Connect with Hot Diggity Dogs:

Tell me what you think! Have you noticed other Nashville food spots doing a great job with their social media?

Related Articles:

Dollar General Steps into the Digital Coupon Game

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 15:55:00 +0000

I've been following what I call the "retail wars" for a while…and what I mean by that is the technology battles retailers are playing: from e-commerce sites, to email, to digital coupons, to social media, to apps, to customer relationship management tools, to data tracking and personalization of offers…..All of our favorite stores are in a war for our attention, and ultimately our shopper dollars.

Nashville's own Dollar General is reaching the savvy shopper with digital coupons via the Coupons.com platform.

On July 31, 2014 Dollar General in partnership with Coupons.com completed the successful rollout of its new DG Digital Coupons program to its more than 11,300 stores across 40 states.

To use the DG Digital Coupon Program, customers can sign up either online or in stores using their phone number. After signing up, customers can select coupons to be added to their profile and the discounts are then applied to a customer’s purchase at checkout. No printing, no clipping, all digital!

Here's what DG has to say via a press release on dollargeneral.com entitled, "Dollar General Completes Successful DG Digital Coupon Program Rollout":

Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s Chief Operating Officer: “Understanding our shopper is utilizing digital and online technology to help save money, the completion of this project not only demonstrates our ability to deliver everyday value and affordable options to our customers, but also our commitment to help our customers save time and money, every day.”

This is the first I've seen from the dollar channel, and really from a retail standpoint to use all of their marketing channels (even printed weekly circulars!) to direct their shoppers to get digital coupons.

There's DG online, social media, email, text alerts, the DG app, and I would not be surprised if they dropped a little direct mail and radio ads in certain markets to support their digital coupon roll-out.

I am impressed with the branding approach Dollar General is taking to this launch into the digital retail frontier. I couldn't be prouder that they are right here in my home town.

Take a look at how Dollar General is using Digital Coupons and see how they are turning heads across all marketing channels:

What retail campaigns have caught your eye using digital platforms and new technology?

It's a whole new world! My journey into Digital Marketing for a CPG Brand

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 20:24:00 +0000

It's a whole new world.
I've been saying that to myself for the past ten months...since I transitioned into a Digital Account position within a Shopper Marketing Agency, working on a CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) brand. For a long time, I've wanted to work on a national brand. I wanted to be on the cutting edge of digital within this space. So finding that opportunity in Nashville, where those opportunities are few and far between, was a dream come true!

What I learned the very first day, week, month, and going on year is that it's a whole new world from anything I've ever done in the past. I needed to learn about how products are manufactured, how they are sold, how budgets are set and managed for branding, media, and promotions as well as my client's business and marketing goals.

What a great opportunity to learn and grow! I learned it's not all about what you know. Sometimes, you have to start from the bottom to get to where you need to be. Even if you are super knowledgeable in one area (for me, social media and digital branding), there are other areas that I know zero about (for me, CPG and the wonderful world of consumer promotions, couponing, and retail marketing).
I will admit, it has been a struggle with myself to go from a job where I was seen as the "digital expert" to a position where I had to learn everything from a different perspective. I had to be patient with myself because I tend to want to know everything at once and that's not realistic. I lost a little bit of inspiration to blog because I was so entrenched in the challenge of learning.

The sparks have arrived!
I'm still learning the who's who and what's what of the CPG industry and how digital promotions work. As I do more and more research and observe the goings on around me, I'm starting to see the connections to what I knew when came into this role and sparks of how that can be applied to what I'm learning. For me, It's not about work, it's about igniting a passion to make a difference. I love using what I know to help brands grow.

Exploring a whole new world...
What you can expect in future blog posts is my exploration of technology, tools, and trends in digital marketing as it relates to CPG brands and retailer marketing.

...and a little bit of my experiences in Nashville thrown in from time to time! Don't forget your roots - especially when they're boots! ;)

#OmniNashville's Tweet-tastic Grand Opening

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 06:49:00 +0000

Pictured with Jay Cooney at Omni Nashville Hotel.

Sometimes being a socially savvy "in the know" Southern girl has it's perks. I was honored to be among some of Nashville's online influencers invited to a VIP dinner and tour of Nashville's newest luxury hotel…and participate in the #OmniNashville Twitter party at the same time!

Monday Sept. 30, 2013 Omni Nashville Hotel celebrated it's Grand Opening with an hour-long national Twitter Party & VIP Nashville gathering, hosted by @OmniNashville and @OmniHotels. The #OmniNashville hashtag was filled with pictures, facts and giveaways, including a stay at Omni Nashville.

For me, the best part was spending time with Jay Cooney, who manages Social Media for @OmniHotels from a corporate level and meeting Kellie Keyes, who manages social media for @OmniNashville (among other marketing duties), as well as others from Omni's marketing & communications team. My "marketing geek" hat was on as I learned all about how they planned the opening and manage communications as an internal team.

I applaud them (with a standing ovation) or a fantastically executed social media plan for the Nashville grand opening. The Twitter party was a success, trending on Twitter in Nashville and nationally!

Okay, so the hotel was nice too....I was impressed with Omni Nashville, from the classy meets country atmosphere, to the distinct "Music City" details throughout, to the amazing Nashville views, and let's not forget the BISCUIT BAR!

My favorite spots on the tour: the fireplace in the lobby (it's HOT), Willie Nelson's bandanna & boots framed in the hallway, the Five and Tenn gift shop (it has Jack Daniels barrels as shelves!), the roof-top pool (of course), and the live entertainment venue, Barlines.

Wanna see?
Check out my #OmniNashville Twitter Party recap (with pics!) via Storify. Come on down and take a "look-see" for yourself or Take a virtual tour via Omni Hotels on YouTube.

Related Articles via Omni Hotels & Resorts blog, omniviews:

About The Omni Nashville Hotel:
The 21-story, 800-room luxury hotel, dubbed “The Key to Music City,” is located in the heart of Nashville’s downtown, adjacent to the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum and the Music City Convention Center. Visit omnihotels.com for more info.

Think Like A Rock Star | Mack Collier on Turning Customers into Fans

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 02:27:00 +0000

I'm a fan of pop culture- just as much as I'm a fan of marketing. That's why Mack Collier's book, "Think Like A Rockstar," was such a win-win for me to read.

It's filled with stories of how rock stars and divas like Jewel, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and even one of my favorite Nashville 'ol schoolers- Johnny Cash, built their fan following by creating unique experiences that allow their fans to take ownership in helping the brand grow.

There are also examples of how companies like Red Bull, Fiskars, and Graco have used social media to build brand loyalty and celebrate the communities of their fans. If you get the book, look for tactical "Backstage Passes" throughout the book for clever ways to implement these fun learnings!

[VIDEO]
Mack Collier, author of "Think Like A Rock Star" and I discuss the importance of companies using social media as a growth strategy to turn their best customers into their biggest fans.

Get the book, "Think Like A Rock Star"
(This is not an affiliate link.)

Learn more about Mack Collier

Nashville Friends:

MEET MACK COLLIER and HEAR HIM SPEAK (for FREE!) at Social Media Club Nashville's September 19, 2013 Event, #SMCNash + Mack Collier: Branding like a Rockstar!

Click for Details & RSVP

Adventures in Advertising - One Month Check In

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 02:15:00 +0000

It's been a month since my last blog post and since I've started my new job, so this is a quick post to let my friends and followers know I'm still alive! As you can imagine, I have found that starting a new job takes almost all of my focus outside of keeping Social Media Club Nashville events going and attending the occasional networking event.

I promise I'm learning a lot and will have a thoughtful and insightful blog post for you soon about my adventure in advertising aka #AgencyLife. Until then, here's a little entertainment for you in the meantime!

Related post:

Adventures in Advertising: I'm Going Back to Agency Side!

Adventures in Advertising: I'm Going Back to Agency Side!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 00:32:00 +0000

If you've ever had a conversation with me over coffee or at a conference or networking event, you know that my next big adventure is exactly what I've been seeking: working on integrated marketing campaigns with a national consumer brand. The needle in the haystack part has been finding that opportunity while staying in Nashville.

I've worked for ad agencies for the bulk of the beginning of my career and have been client side marketing for the past four years.

While I was not sure whether my next adventure would take me to client side (in-house marketing department) or consultant side (advertising agency), my goal is to make an impact with a national consumer brand in contributing my knowledge and expertise in traditional, digital and social media marketing.

I'm joining the Nashville office of Catapult Marketing- ranked Hub Magazine's #1 shopper marketing agency, where I'll be working on integrated marketing campaigns for the Mars Petcare account, which is known for its many consumer pet food brands, including Pedigree (woof!), Cesar, and Whiskas (meow!).

So, in a nod to one of the advertising greats, David Ogilvy, I'm celebrating the vast opportunities ad agencies have as consumer behavior changes along with technology. This is an exciting time to be working in advertising, especially with a firm like Catapult, which is rich in consumer and shopper data and analytics.

If you aren't familiar with the 1950's iconic “The Man in the Hathaway Shirt” ad, here's a little background:

David Oglivy, one of the original Mad Men of Ogilvy & Mather advertising agency, was the creative marketing genius behind this Hathaway shirt ad featuring a man wearing an eye patch.

The eye-patch and the accompanying text give the reader a "choose your own adventure" experience as they imagine the mysterious man in the ad as edgy and adventurous. Why is he wearing the eye patch? Is he a spy? Is he an eccentric billionaire?

The ad tapped into something that would be replicated for years to come, this concept of selling through the story. This ad made Hathaway the #1 seller of shirts at this time.

Years later, digital and social media have become a part of the marketer's toolbox, but Ogilvy's “The Man in the Hathaway Shirt” approach never goes out of style:

Connect with the audience in an interesting way.
Tell a story that represents the brand personality
Make a difference in showing bottom line results.

If you would like to follow along on my adventure, I'll share stories of what I'm learning along the way here on my blog. Just submit your email address to subscribe HERE.

Cheers!

Jungle Gym Career Karma

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 16:29:00 +0000

I like the way Sheryl Sandberg put it in her well known book, Lean In, comparing career paths to jungle gyms, rather than ladders. It's not about who you step on or climb over to get to the top, in fact there really is no top because you can lose your job or have life events that change your status instantly.

Early in my career, I volunteered for committee roles in a professional organization, AAF Nashville. I did this to gain experience and meet people who could potentially help advance my career. I was reaching up to climb higher on the jungle gym.

As my career took many dips in being laid off, I held on to the connections I made through volunteering and networking at various marketing industry events. I circled my way around on the jungle gym, trying not to fall off. Often, I interact with others in similar career positions as me. We are there to hold each other up on the jungle gym.

After taking the initiative to start a professional networking group of my own in 2009, Social Media Club Nashville, I'm starting to see a shift in people reaching out to me for advice and assistance. I'm offering them a lift up on the jungle gym.

I embrace the irony in career karma, making a point to help everyone that I can because I've been in their position and am still reaching out to those more experienced than me. The person in career transition that you help today could be the one that introduces you to your next boss. You never know where your next move will be on the career jungle gym.

I recently participated in a 24 hour Design-A-Thon where Nashville's creative community donated marketing and design expertise to benefit Tennessee Literacy Coalition (TLC). I volunteered my time, not necessarily needing the experience or connections, but really giving back to the community. My role was on the Design-A-Thon marketing team, where we provided TLC with a twitter and blogging strategy, complete with SEO and social media training materials for their staff.

They were so grateful for the expertise. I was crying by the end of Design-A-Thon watching the Tennessee Literacy Coalition YouTube videos of the people we were helping. It was then that I realized the impact. It felt good to contribute and release some good career karma.

Whether you are volunteering for a professional organization, non-profit organization, or just helping someone reach their next career goal, I encourage you to remember that we are all a little higher or lower at times on the career jungle gym. Helping others will ensure that someone someday helps you. It's just jungle gym career karma.

#SMCNASH Social Care Event Recap + Top Tweets!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 15:39:00 +0000

I'm very proud of the recent Social Media Club Nashville (SMCNASH) program I helped coordinate, which partnered HDI Music City and our wonderful event sponsor, Oracle, to bring the Nashville community a program on the hot topic, Social Care (Social Media + Customer Service). We gathered a top-notch panel of professionals to explore social care trends and best practices.

SMCNASH Social Care Panelists included:

Penny Reynolds, Founding Partner, The Call Center School
Anne McGraw, Customer Loyalty & Social CRM, Nissan North America
Leah Mackey Schultz, Director of Social Media Operations, ACS Advertising/Xerox
Brett Williams, Product Management Director, UL (Undewriters Laboratories)
Christina McKeon, Product Marketing Executive, Oracle

The RSVP list was full!
200 Nashville business professionals registered for the event. We opened with a networking reception, with Oracle sponsoring an open bar and providing demos of their social products to get the conversation started.

We Trended on Twitter!
One of the highlights of the event was learning that @smcnash and @oracle were among Nashville's Twitter Trending topics that evening.

We reached over 30,000 people!
According to our #smcnash TweetReach Report, our conversations reached far beyond the room.

We learned a LOT about Social Care!
Check out my #smcnash + HDI Music City: Social Care Storify collection of favorite Tweets from the event >>>

From Traditional to Social Media: Tony the Tiger is Gr-r-reat!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 17:53:00 +0000

Image via: Wikimedia Commons

If you are alive in the world today, chances are you've heard of Tony the Tiger. He's a brand icon that transcends decades. To refresh your memory...Tony the Tiger is the advertising cartoon mascot for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes breakfast cereal, appearing on its packaging and advertising since the early 1950's.

This Grrreat advertising icon, Tony the Tiger was born in 1951 as a concept of advertising agency Leo Burnett's Mad Men: Eugene Kolkey, Raymond Anthony Wells (Tony's namesake) & Martin Provensen.

Times have changed, but a few basic principles of good advertising have keept Tony the Tiger in the spotlight and on our breakfast tables all these years.

Consistent Brand Voice
Tony the Tiger's brand voice- stayed pretty much consistent, literally. Since 1952-For over 50 years, Kellogg's Tony the Tiger has had only one voice, that of Thurl Ravenscroft until his death in 2005.

Thurl created the brand's most famous slogan,"They're Gr-r-reat!" Lee Marshall replaced him as the voice of Tony the Tiger in the Kellogg's commercials, but some commercials still recycle clips of Ravenscroft.

Consistent Content / Theme
Aside from the obvious, "Taste Grrreat" messaging, Frosted Flakes has always and a sports theme, regardless of the medium: print, radio, TV and on FrostedFlakes.com.

Most Frosted Flakes commercials feature sports, as has box covers with taglines such as, "Put a tiger on your team!" The majority of the content on Kellogg's Frosted Flakes' Facebook page today centers around sports.

Adjust for your Audience
The "look" of Tony has changed over the years. He's gotten softer features, bulked up, slimmed down and changed ascots a time or two. His son, Tony Jr., (also born in the 1950's) replaced Tony as the official mascot in the 2000's.

Kellogg's celebrates the ever-changing Tony but never forgets where he came from. I love seeing the old ads on the Frosted Flakes Facebook page. Kellogg's keeps Tony the Tiger's history alive and taps into memorabilia as part of the brand experience.

Shall we prove a social media concept that brand advocates can help sell product? I'm a little hungry for some Frosted Flakes. Are you?

Related Tony the Tiger articles:

Thurl Ravenscroft reflects on Tony the Tiger in Cartoonican.com's Nov 2012 interview, "He’s Grrrrreat! The Thurl Ravenscroft Interview"
Check out Tony the Tiger and his family and friends through the years at Kellogg Company's Timeline.
Advertising Age article, "A Tiger at 60: How Kellogg's Tony Is Changing for a New Age"

Cinderella's Social Media Engagement Lessons for Marketers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 20:14:00 +0000

Once upon a time in a land far, far away....

Photo: wikipedia.org Creative Commons 2.5

You know the ending of the Cinderella story: She gets her prince and lives happily ever after. Before there was an "ever after," there was a path to her prince and actions she took that led to her engagement. (Yes, engagement has a double meaning in this blog post!)

How did Cinderella get to that magical point of engagement? Below are Cinderella's social media engagement lessons for marketers.

1. Little blue birds are the best helpers.

Cinderella sang, and her little blue birds showed up to help her.

Marketers: Your Twitter audience can be your best resource for product reviews, customer service and generating ideas for new products or services. Talk to to them, ask their opinions, and listen to them sing with you in the harmony of your brand. It truly is a magical thing when this happens!

2. Always have faith in your Fairy Godmother.

After her stepsisters cruelly destroyed the dress she planned to wear to the ball, Cinderella broke down in sorrow, beginning to lose her faith in dreams; However; her faith was still strong enough to summon her Fairy Godmother.

Marketers: When your brand is attacked by online "trolls" who only seek to damage your brand reputation, have faith that your brand champions and advocates will be your Fairy Godmother to come to your rescue.

3. Put on a ball gown when going to a ball.

Cinderella dressed the part when arriving at the prince's palace. She was well branded and had her target market in mind.

Marketers: Do your research and present a unified, targeted brand before stepping on the dance floor of online and social media marketing. Put thought and strategy into your blog, social media profiles and website.

4. Cinderella had swagger.

She made a memorable impression dancing with her Prince Charming at the ball. Had she not, there would be no happy ending to that story.

Marketers: Prince Charming aka your customers will seek you out if you make a good impression. Use events to capture attention: engage, make it interactive- make an impression so that your audience will continue to seek you out amongst all the marketing clutter.

5. If the shoe doesn't fit...
Many ladies in the land shoved their big feet into Cinderella's glass slipper, but there was only one perfect fit.

Marketers: You can pour your content into your audience, but it will be obvious if it's not a good fit. Review your analytics constantly for engagement ques on what's working and what's not. Make sure it is a good fit.

Best wishes that this advice will lead you to some magical marketing moments of engagement!

Nashville Networking: Lessons learned from "New Business Networking"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:55:00 +0000

I thought I knew a lot about networking until I read the book, New Business Networking, by Dave Delaney. Seriously, my friends refer to me as the "queen of networking" in Nashville. Of course, I don't claim to know everyone or everything, but I have met a few people along the way in creating and growing Social Media Club Nashville.

Dave Delaney, author of New Business Neworking

New Business Networking has tons of stats mixed in with tips on using the latest social media and web tools. It is also peppered with stories of Dave's networking journey in Nashville. Similar to Dave, I made my way to Nashville via Jackson, TN and networked to meet friends who later ended up becoming co-workers. Small world!

I often refer to Nashville as a big small town where you are two degrees of separation from anyone you want to meet. I enjoy being a connector of people, organizing Social Media club Nashville events, and bouncing ideas off of others as I guide my Marketing career.

I'm pretty skilled at networking (if I do say so myself) but there's always more to learn!

Lessons learned from "New Business Networking"

1. Ask, "How can I help you?"

Sounds simple doesn't it? Well, it isn't that easy when you are approaching someone you don't know that you actually want them to help you. It’s actually pretty difficult to refrain from making it "all about me" when we talk. I'm just so passionate about my career and all the things I'm involved in- it usually enters the conversation, especially with industry contacts.

I believe in networking karma, so helping others will eventually get me where I want to me. I just sometimes forget to ask them this question first.

2. Consolidate your contacts into a database, print it out, and review it. Look for people to connect and re-connect with.

My first reaction to this advice: Print it out? In the digital age? Dave are you nuts?

After thinking it through a bit: Dave, this is freakin' genius! I plan to do this every 6 months as a network checkup.

3. Listen and follow-up accordingly.

In New Business Networking, Dave gives several tips on remembering names, recording meeting notes, and following up. I almost always remember faces and business cards, but have a tendency to glaze over names. I'm going to practice repeating someone's name when I'm talking with them and see if I can remember their name the next time we meet.

I’m also going to note something about them our conversation when I follow-up on LinkedIn. This will make good use of my handy LinkedIn Connections app!

Offering to help and listening is a networking art I intend to practice with future meetings. Thanks to Dave Delaney, I feel more empowered and prepared than ever to conquer the world of networking one valuable connection at a time.

Lucky for me, I'm about to get a lot of practice. TONIGHT Dave Delaney and I are co-hosting a Nashville Networking event, Social Media Club Nashville + Nashcocktail Summer Social, in celebration of the book launch of New Business Networking.

If you are in Nashville, please join us. If you're online, follow #smcnash and #nbnbook.

Happy Networking! Get the book, New Business Networking!

Related Nashville Networking Posts:

Building Relationships Just Got Easier with LinkedIn Contacts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:48:00 +0000

My LinkedIn Contacts "Rolodex" is now my personal Social Relationship Manager.

LinkedIn Contacts iPhone App views

I have over 1,700 contacts and growing on LinkedIn! I've always considered LinkedIn a digital Rolodex, adding connections as I meet them or see them pop up in LinkedIn suggestions. I've been looking at the new LinkedIn Contacts features and LinkedIn Contacts iPhone App to see what might make my life easier and improve my networking time management.

I synced my iPhone with the LinkedIn Contacts App and my LinkedIn Connections so I always have the most up to date info for my contacts. It also provides "on the go" networking with up to date activity from my network.

One feature I really like about LinkedIn Contacts is the daily reminder/task list called "your day" on the desktop version and "to do' on the app version, which conveniently suggests networking activities with my network based on things going on with them such as a new title or birthday - Following Relationship Rule #1: make it about them! LinkedIn Contacts makes it easy to reach out to say "congratulations" and it helps me to always be "in the know" when I bump into people at events.

Another feature I really like is the option to Set Reminders to Stay Connected. How awesome is that?! It is like my personal social relationship management system (*new buzzword!).

View from my LinkedIn Contacts dashboard with all the new features highlighted.

With LinkedIn Contacts I can leave myself notes about how we met and what we discussed. It also tracks your relationship to show when you last connected with a contact and pulls up your last LinkedIn conversation. This is truly amazing for a highly social and slightly OCD person like me!

For now, I'm starting with getting organized with tagging my existing connections with targeted "tags." LinkedIn lets you create up to 200 unique tags so there's plenty of ways to slice and dice my contacts into categories.

LinkedIn provides simple steps to Tag your contacts. Here's how to get started with Tags: Make a list of the types of connections you have- how do you know the people or what do you have in common? For example, I made a list for Nashville Corporate Marketing, SMC (Social Media Club), Social Slam Conference, and Ad Agency connections.

As I go through my LinkedIn connections I will have more tags, but this is a start when I want to send these groups targeted messages, related to articles, or share networking or career opportunities with them.

There are other features that I have yet to dig into such as calendar share for events, mapping connections, syncing with Outlook, and more. As you explore LinkedIn Contacts, please feel free to share your tips with me and remember to drop me a line to say hello on LinkedIn!

If we aren't already, connect with me on LinkedIn. I'm looking forward to building a relationship with you there!

Related LinkedIn Articles:

LinkedIn Connections Overview
Social Media Examiner's How to Use the LinkedIn Contacts Feature

Lessons from Derek Young on Being a Trusted Advisor

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 23:23:00 +0000

I haven't written a blog post in a couple of weeks. I've been waiting for some inspiration to hit me in the head. Good news! Today at NAMA's Marketing Power Lunch, it did! I would describe the program as comical and amazing.

The speaker was Derek Young, a corporate advisor to companies such as Dollar General, Cracker Barrel, and Tractor Supply Company (and those are just the Nashville ones). But don't get me wrong, aside from telling us he has billionaire and Dollar General founder, Cal Turner's cell phone number, he's not a "name dropping" kind of guy.

If fact, one of the lessons learned from his presentation is to "Give people the flowers before they die," meaning don't wait to tell people they are great. Show your appreciation now.

What Derek speaks on, "How to earn the trust of influences," is in line with my career goals: bringing value to an organization as a entrepreneur within; providing consultation to drive innovation and change to build new services and processes that generate new revenue growth.

Marketers seek to understand our target market, speak their language, and offer solutions to them. BUT do we put that much effort into understanding the people in our own companies or clients companies?

"Trusted advisers help people achieve their personal goals." - Derek Young

One of my biggest challenges is to silence my inner voice that screams "this is the right way to do it" and "just listen to me because It's my area of expertise". It does not work that way. Especially with digital marketing. There are tools, technologies, and lifestyles that are drastically different from what most people know and are comfortable with.

I have to put my ego aside and remember it's not about me and my great ideas, it's about helping others. Get on their level and present ideas in their language and in a way that appeals to their needs and desires.

Integrating digital into traditional marketing takes a lot of time and patience to sell the concepts before the plan even starts. I've often described it as "herding wet cats with clothespins on their tails"

This is the marketing challenge I enjoy the best: figuring out how I can help someone by connecting ideas and concepts, implementing new processes and procedures, etc.in a way that they see as a win.

So not only do I need to read and stay on top of digital and social media marketing trends, I need to put on my explorer hat and my big dumbo ears to really get into the world of MY audience.

What's important to them? What make them look good to their boss? What reports and publications are important to them? Do my solutions bring results? Do my solutions bring the people they respect positive results?

Below is advice Derek Young offered that I know will make me a better leader and marketer:

"We have to earn the right to whisper into our customer's ear." -Seth Godin
On building relationships: Listen 6X more than you talk. Study their dynamics. Read and interpret their reports. Speak their language. Eat a meal with them. Work in their shoes.
Get to know all dynamics of an organization.
Study the way your clients respond to what you offer them.
Know why your boss is your boss. Ask about their back story.
Never trust the person who knows everybody's business.
Be the best friend of every administrative assistant in the building.
Teach your team to be strategic and anticipate needs.
Everyone has fears, doubts, and worries. Be that trusted person that can help them.
If you really want to get to know someone, get in a car with them (windshield time).
On meetings: When you set a meeting with someone, send them three options. Never schedule a meeting without an end time.
Sleep when you're dead! Build relationships in the day and think at night.
Be swift with your ideas.
It all comes down to your willingness to dignify people.

I hope you find these tips insightful and useful as well!

Fake Friends and the Zombie Facebook Apocalypse

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:20:00 +0000

I manage Social Media Club Nashville's Facebook Group page and have noticed more and more requests to join the group from fake Facebook profiles. It has gotten to the point that I have to look at each one to see if it is someone in the Middle East that just opened a Facebook page within the last week and has no friends or photos aside from their smiling profile pic.

Here are the common things I've noticed from the fakers AKA Facebook Zombies:

They join a lot of groups and community interest pages
They did not fill out the about section
They "like" a ton of pages all within a small time frame, sometimes even hundreds within as little as fifteen minutes
They do not have any interactions, such as comments back and forth with others

What are these Facebook Zombies up to? Do they exist so that brands can "up their numbers" of followers? Remember, we're measuring ENGAGEMENT in social media, so there's no need to buy likes and followers.

(Please pardon me while I rant)
It's the same concept that Google has hit the slimy SEO companies with - back when link building was all the rage and all these random fake websites were being created just to get SEO credit. Google has gotten smarter and put an end link schemes with its zoo of penguin and panda updates to Google search algorithms.

So, how will Facebook handle the Facebook Zombie Apocalypse? I wonder if there will be some filters put in place to stop these Zombies from attacking innocent group, community, and brand pages.

According to Facebook, "We don't allow accounts that:

Pretend to be you or someone else
Use your photos
List a fake name
Don't represent a real person (fake accounts)"

I found an interesting theory from Missing Marble on the Zombie Facebook LikeBot Apocalypse that points out that these zombies could be a revenue stream for Facebook because of its structure with Facebook Advertising:

Missing Marble writes, "After all, what possible incentive does Facebook have to clean up these accounts? Every time one of my Pages gets a Like from a Zombie account, Facebook makes money. Zombie accounts are a Facebook revenue source – the perfect crime committed by someone else that puts money in their pocket."

The blog article goes on to make the smart statement to ignore these zombies and take the high road "I do need to increase the social reach of my Pages, and I do need to connect with my true target market." Good for them!

What do you think? Should something be done about it or do we just need to watch where we step?
If you have a theory related to the Facebook Zombie Apocalypse, please share it in the comments section below. I'd love to continue the conversation!

Related Facebook Links:

Facebook's official statement from an Aug 31, 2012 post to Facebook Security's FB page, Improvements to our site integrity systems
HAUA (help a user out!) If you suspect a fake Facebook account, Report a Violation

Junior High 101: The Why and How of Popularity and Brand Advocacy

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 12 May 2013 19:04:00 +0000

The opportunity for a brand to connect with an audience on an emotional level is more alive now than ever in the world of marketing.

Through social media, a brand has a personality. There's the brand voice in messaging and the visual representation in images and video. More impactful, is the ability to take advantage of a brand's popularity to make a connection and share an experience to propel brand advocacy.

photo via: Flickr.com

Why does Popularity work? How does Brand Advocacy work?

1. Junior High 101: Popularity.
Everyone wants to be popular. Using social media listening tools, you can easily see who talks about your brand favorably and shares your content the most.

For whatever reason, these people are attracted to what you have to offer, whether it be a product or a service or maybe they just feel your brand says a lot about who they are or aspire to be.

2. Junior High 101: Sleepovers.
You are the cool kid and they want to be seen with you. Having a Facebook page with comments, shares, and posts are nice but they do not create unique memorable experiences.

Spending quality time with your top brand advocates is the best way to get to know them and strengthen the connection between them and your brand. This can be done online via Twitter chats and Google Hangouts. Offline it can be done by VIP events or at industry conferences.

3. Junior High 101: BFF's 4-ever!
Someone that likes you will like you even more after spending some quality time getting to know you and relating to your values. That is the sweet spot of having a loyal customer for the life. Once invested in the success of your brand, these advocates will passionately share your greatness with more people like them and it multiplies from there.

I know for a fact this works. Here's an example from my own experience to demonstrate:

I followed NASA on social media because I like space and am interested in what's going on. NASA announced via @NASASocial that there's an exclusive event coming up for their social media followers. I applied and was selected.

I visited NASA Marshall Space Center and toured where they have Space Camp. It was a great experience and I ended up following many more of NASA's social media channels as a result, in addition to sharing my experience with my social media following as it happened. I had lots of interactions with my friends who followed my two days at NASA and they became fans as a result of my passion and excitement.

I feel more connected to NASA than ever and find myself sharing more and more of what they are doing. I am following and interacting a lot more with NASA on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube. It is because this brand intercepted with my life. It made a connection and positive impression. It stands out from the clutter.

I am a brand advocate for life and will continue to talk, blog, and tweet about NASA because I am invested in it's mission. I understand and relate to it's values. And I think it makes me a cool #spacegirl!

Related Brand Advocacy posts:

Brands I #LOVE: @NASA is a Social Media Star with #NASASocial Events

Jason Townsend on NASA's Google+ and Social Media Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 06 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

I am pleased to have had the opportunity to sit down with one of the lead social media managers at one of the brands I #LOVE: NASA. Not only is NASA leading the way space discovery, it's utilizing multi-channel, targeted social media tactics to bring stellar experiences to us.

[VIDEO] Jason Townsend, Deputy Social Media Manager at NASA and Georgia Cross, Co-founder of Social Media Club Nashville, discuss NASA's Google+ and social media marketing content strategies at the #moonbuggy #NASASocial event at NASA Marshall Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL (April 2013

Learn more about the #Moonbuggy #NASASocial Event
Connect and Collaborate with NASA

Related NASA Social Media posts:

Brands I #LOVE: @NASA is a Social Media Star with #NASASocial Events

Brands I #LOVE: @NASA is a Social Media Star with #NASASocial Events

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:15:00 +0000

I've been following +NASA on Google+ for a while and always love seeing the pics from space, as well as the insider info on NASA events and Google+ hangouts about NASA's space exploration.

NASA hits it into space with social media!

NASA truly has something for everyone with niche social media channels for all the different initiatives. Anyone can find their interest on NASA'S Social Media Connection Page. Imagine talking to astronauts IN SPACE! You can! Just connect with NASA via your favorite social media channels.

A brand with personality out of this world! One of my favorites..
Funny, suave, quirky, and sweet with a ton of pop culture references...meet @MarsCuriosity
(I think it's a guy...and I'm wooed by him!) I'm not the only one. See the Brandchannel.com article below.

My #Moonbuggy #NASASocial group.
photo via Flickr.com/photos/nasamarshall

NASA's social media events are stellar!
NASA hosts a ton of social loyalty events, known as #NASASocials, all the space enthusiasts who are also Tweetahaulics gather to Tweet at NASA's big events.

I was thrilled to be selected to participate in a #NASASocial event, the 20th Annual #Moonbuggy race at @NASA_Marshall in Huntsville, AL. I came across the event after following @NASAsocial and applied. It was on my wishlist!

#NASASocial:
A unique experience where every other word out of my mouth was, "wow!"
I entertained my Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google+ friends and followers my #NASASocial pics, status updates, and videos from watching the movie premiere of "Space Warriors" to meeting the #moonbuggy race teams from all over the world to touring NASA Marshall's facilities and meeting the people who actually work at NASA to getting to play with some of the Space Camp training equipment. I enjoyed making new friends, while interacting with my Twitter friends about what was happening.

Get in on the Action! Get Social with NASA:
For updates, follow @NASA and @NASASocial.

Check the #NASASocial Events page for NASA events near you. I encourage you to apply, it's an amazing experience!

I get social with one of NASA's top social leaders! View my video interview with Jason Townsend, NASA’s Deputy Social Media Manager from the #Moonbuggy #NASAsocial event at Marshall Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville, AL.

Jason Townsend on NASA's Google+ and Social Media Marketing

Related NASA Social Media Articles:

Brandchannel.com reports, NASA Lands on Mars and a Social Media Star is Born.

Life of a Social-ITe at #TechVille2013 (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:51:00 +0000

So much is happening at TechVille 2013, I couldn't fit into one blog post!

Follow #TechVille2013 for LIVE TWEETS!

What: TechVille 2013 is the Nashville Technology Council's annual flagship event focusing on the state of technology in Nashville and highlighting technology innovation, talent, and entrepreneurship.

When: Tuesday April 23, 2013 from 8 am till 5 pm.

Basically, anyone who's anyone in technology in Nashville will be at TechVille and I'm all up in the mix of things going on!

Here are just some of the day's highlights I'm anticipating at TechVille 2013:

Great Speakers!
Keynote: Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association + speakers from Etsy, Moteva, Windstream, DePalma Studios, Populr.me - See the full list of TechVille 2013 Speakers.

@NissanUSA is Sponsoring the Social-ITes!
This year Social Media Club Nashville's Social-ITes are proud to be sponsored by Nissan, which will have a Nissan Leaf (@NissanLEAF) on site for us to explore the wonders of as we take the event social. Social-ITes (aka roaming reporters) are covering the event minute by minute as the most interactive form of media and PR: social media!

Visit @SMCNash's booth at TechVille!
Social Media Club Nashville will have a booth at TechVille. Look for us roaming around sharing the TechVille experience and happenings live on all the social networks. We'll show you all the latest #TechVille2013 Tweets and help you get social with some Twitter tips.

Vote me (@crossga) for "Mayor of #TechVille 2013"!
I've been selected to be in the running for "Mayor of TechVille" where the winning candidate will be determined via text vote. My platform is "The Social Connector," leveraging my fabulous social skills in connecting people. If you're attending, I appreciate your vote!

Whether you are there on site or not, please follow the hashtag #TechVille2013 and join in the conversation, follow all the Nashville Technology players, and feel free to reach out to me to connect you with who you want to meet! I'll track them down for you. It's all about building relationships.

See ya on the #TechVille2013 hashtag stream! Follow @NashTechCouncil for the roundup of speakers and sponsors.

Related TechVille posts and articles:

Life of a Social-ITe at #TechVille2013 (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:04:00 +0000

Social-ITe: Pronounced "social" as in Social Media and "ITe" as in as in Information Technology.

The term Social-ITe came from the Nashville Technology Council's staff last year when they partnered with me and a few other Social Media Club Nashville members to be roaming social media reporters at their annual tech event, TechVille 2012.

Meet the Social-ITes! (pictured left to right) Leah Mackey Schultz, Lisa French, Krista Ashton, Ashley Nicholson, Katie Adkins, and Georgia Cross.

Using our social media marketing skills and leveraging our network in Nashville, the Social-ITes helped trend the #Techville hashtag, to the top of Twitter in Nashville in 2013.

We had a blast tweeting quotes from speakers, featuring TechVille attendees and sponsors in photos, and posting video clips. No social network was left out: Facebok, Twitter, Instagram, FourSquare, Google+, and YouTube. The best part is that we shared the TechVille experience with people that weren't even there. They were chiming into the conversations and commenting on the event in real time.

TechVille 2012 was such a success, that Social-ITes were asked to cover Social Media at the Tech Awards Gala. We were even featured in the Nashville Technology Council's annual publication, Catalyst 2013.

It's a win, win, win situation being a Social-ITe! Social Media Club Nashville gets some exposure and recognition, Social-ITes get to make new connections while telling the TechVille story via social networks, everyone following the hahstag gets informed and entertained, and Nashville Technology Council gets a ton of non-traditional PR.

Social Media has the power to reach and connect unlike any other medium. The best part is...you...yes, YOU can get in on the action with this year's TechVille2013!

What: TechVille 2013 is the Nashville Technology Council's annual flagship event focusing on the state of technology in Nashville and highlighting technology innovation, talent, and entrepreneurship.

When: Tuesday April 23, 2013 from 8 am till 5 pm.

Follow: #TechVille2013 , @NashTechCouncil, @crossga (Me!)

Look for Part 2 of this post Tuesday 4/23 with the inside scoop on Techville2013!

Related TechVille posts and articles:

#Nashville's #TechVille 2012 Social Media Cheat Sheet
TechVille 2012 Social Media Analytics
(Courtesy +Leah Mackey Schultz & Xerox/ACS Advertising)
ACS Advertising Well-Represented at the Tech Awards Gala in Nashville

Born to Blog | Mark Shaefer on Courage

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 02:18:00 +0000

I'm finding some inspiration in the social media marketers I've been bumping into at Social Slam and Social media Marketing World. Mark Shaefer was so kind to be my first video interview on my blog. So fitting that the topic is "courage to publish" from his book, "Born to Blog".

[VIDEO]

Mark Shaefer, Co-author of "Born to Blog" and I discuss blogging and the "courage to push publish" at the Social Media Marketing World 2013 Conference in San Diego. (April 2013)

Get the book, "Born to Blog" at Amazon.com (This is not an affiliate link.)

Learn more about Mark Schaefer

Former First Lady, Elanor Roosevelt said it best back in the day:
“Do one thing every day that scares you.”
I successfully have checked that off my list today when hitting "publish."

Social Marketing | Fairy Tales, Myths and Fables

It's Hip To Be Square- In 2018, I'm Moving My Blog from Blogger to Squarespace

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

In 2018, I am rebranding and re-launching my Marketing Blog on Squarespace. I'm saying goodbye to the blog name, format, and Blogger platform.

Top 13 Shopper Marketing e-newsletters for Digital Divas like me

Top 13 Shopper Marketing e-newsletters:

Joe Pulizzi on Content Marketing | Notes from 4/6/17 #nashvilleama Presentation

HOW TO BUILD A CONTENT STRATEGY:

Best of #Nashville Instagram: Skylines

Here are my picks for the Best of #Nashville Instagram Skylines:

For the best "bird's eye" view- if the bird were a robot with a camera, follow the drone, @drone615!

And if your eyes are craving more, follow @musiccityaerial - Same Drone, different views :)

If you're into unique angles and stunning colors, see Nashville through a different lens via @nashvilletn

Finally, for the best Nashville skyline views day or night, rain or shine, check out @visit.nashville!

Do you have a favorite? Want to add to the list?

Leave a comment below!

That Time I Hashtaged a Hot Dog in Nashville…

Tell me what you think! Have you noticed other Nashville food spots doing a great job with their social media?

Dollar General Steps into the Digital Coupon Game

What retail campaigns have caught your eye using digital platforms and new technology?

It's a whole new world! My journey into Digital Marketing for a CPG Brand

#OmniNashville's Tweet-tastic Grand Opening

Think Like A Rock Star | Mack Collier on Turning Customers into Fans

Nashville Friends:

MEET MACK COLLIER and HEAR HIM SPEAK (for FREE!) at Social Media Club Nashville's September 19, 2013 Event, #SMCNash + Mack Collier: Branding like a Rockstar!

Adventures in Advertising - One Month Check In

Adventures in Advertising: I'm Going Back to Agency Side!

Jungle Gym Career Karma

#SMCNASH Social Care Event Recap + Top Tweets!

From Traditional to Social Media: Tony the Tiger is Gr-r-reat!

Cinderella's Social Media Engagement Lessons for Marketers

Once upon a time in a land far, far away....

Nashville Networking: Lessons learned from "New Business Networking"

Lessons learned from "New Business Networking"

Building Relationships Just Got Easier with LinkedIn Contacts

My LinkedIn Contacts "Rolodex" is now my personal Social Relationship Manager.

Lessons from Derek Young on Being a Trusted Advisor

Fake Friends and the Zombie Facebook Apocalypse

Junior High 101: The Why and How of Popularity and Brand Advocacy

Why does Popularity work? How does Brand Advocacy work?

Jason Townsend on NASA's Google+ and Social Media Marketing

Brands I #LOVE: @NASA is a Social Media Star with #NASASocial Events

Jason Townsend on NASA's Google+ and Social Media Marketing

Life of a Social-ITe at #TechVille2013 (Part 2)

Life of a Social-ITe at #TechVille2013 (Part 1)

Social-ITe: Pronounced "social" as in Social Media and "ITe" as in as in Information Technology.

Born to Blog | Mark Shaefer on Courage