Add Social Media to the Mix, Don’t Replace Your Program with It

This article – B2B Social Media Should Amplify Traditional Marketing, Not Replace It | Social Media B2B – from Social Media B2B is so true. So many brands are trying to replace an entire integrated communications campaign with social media. It just doesn’t work this way.

Social media should be an additional component to a brand’s entire communications mix. No single tactic should be counted on to carry all of what needs to be done to make a brand successful. Only when everything works together in concert can a truly successful campaign be found.

How do you measure the success of integrating social media in your campaigns?

Creative Celebration in San Francisco

I found this article from the Los Angeles Times to be very fun. The city of San Francisco will be celebrating Tony Bennet’s iconic song “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” by blasting the song and encouraging all to take a moment to sing at Noon on Valentine’s Day.

According to the article, it is, more or less, the 50th anniversary of when Tony Bennett first crooned the song in the Venetian Room of the Fairmont Hotel.

If I lived in San Francisco, I would participate. And, even though I’m in the Los Angeles area, I still might!

Twitter: Speed Dating At a Convention Mixer

Just read this fantastic article from Business2Community comparing social media networks to a bar scene.

My favorite: Twitter: Speed dating at a convention mixer.

What is your favorite comparison?

Best Advice You Ever Received

Another post inspired by the student chapter of IABC at Cal State Fullerton …

Tonight was the IABC CSUF kickoff meeting for the semester, and there were about 20 students in attendance. As the professional advisor to the chapter, they asked me to speak about what I do and answer some questions. Here are some of the questions I received:

  1. What’s your typical day like?
  2. What’s the difference between doing PR in house vs. an agency?
  3. What were your first internships like?
  4. How did you find your internships?
  5. Did your Cal State Fullerton education help you once you were out in the real world

I wasn’t asked about the best advice I’d ever received. If I had been asked, I would have said, “fake it til you make it!”

What is the best advice you have received? For work? Personal?

Dolphin Tail

Last night, I watched the movie Dolphin Tale. While the movie was fantastically uplifting, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, the biggest treat was watching Harry Connick, Jr. be Harry. He played a marine bioligist and father, but about three quarters of the way through the movie, his character has a moment of struggle and he pulls out a saxophone to play.

For anyone who is a fan of Harry’s music, this is truly a great movie moment. See the movie, and you’ll feel happy at the end and be treated to wonderful music. Just be sure to watch the credits. Dolphin Tale is based on a true story, and the credits show photos and video from the real life version.

A New Perspective

This weekend, David and I went to the park at the top of Signal Hill. We’ve been there dozens of times, but this time we parked on the opposite side from usual and walked. What we saw was a quiet, cute neighborhood, and several memorials and sculptures the neither of us knew were there.

By getting out of the car and walking, we both noticed things we wouldn’t normally have seen. The new perspective forced us to be part of the experience and be present. Below are some of the new things we noticed, and some of the scenery. The light was fantastic.

The Unity Monument dedicated to the victims of 9/11.

An image of the sky on Sun., Jan. 22 looking North West.

Sculpture titled, "A Tribute to the Roughnecks." That's Bruce on the right and Jerry on the left.

So, what did you do over the weekend? Did you explore your neighborhood? What did you find?

Cheers to Catching Up with Long Lost Friends/Colleagues

Tonight I went to the monthly Mix event for AIGA/OC. It’s been several months (let’s say six) since I attended. I was reminded of the third Thursday monthly event by a Facebook post from a friend. Social media works, people. It got one extra person to the event tonight.

While there, I ran into people I haven’t seen in person on probably two years or more. It reminded me that it’s important to keep in touch with folks. Don’t forget to work your connections, you never know where the next piece of business will come from.

My list of people to contact for lunch or coffee dates has increased by at least four based on one evening. I’m committed to working through my contact list and networking. And, out of that there are infinite possibilities.

What possibilities did you create today?

Social Media for Social Good

Recently, Mashable profiled a woman from Chicago who was homeless and used social media to change her circumstances. She may not have had a home, but she had a cell phone and used Twitter to help her deal with mental health issues. She thought that the aspect of minimal anonymity would help her get past her fears of talking to people.

What happened? Well, she met people who helped her pay her bills and who became her friends. She has been off the streets since April 2011 and has not plans to turn back.

This story is a true testament to the fact that social media can help just about anyone. So, the next time you think that social media can’t help you or your company, think creatively, decide your goals and get going.

“Bloom Where You’re Planted” from Via My Viewfinder

A rare moment when she's NOT behind the camera.

One of my best friends, Crystal has a photo blog – Via My Viewfinder – where she not only shares one photo a day, but along with it she makes observations about life, places she’s visited, quotes from friends and more.

A post from earlier this week has a striking pink flower and is headlined, “Bloom Where You’re Planted.” The post caught my because it’s all about making the most of what you’re doing right now. Yes, the grass is greener over there, but in order to get there, you must do the best at what you have now.

Read her post, it’s much better than my summary. And, don’t forget to comment.

Who Do You Look Up To?

It’s a couple weeks into the new year, and most people are contemplating the resolutions that they already have broken. Instead, I’m thinking about the people in life that I look up to.

The first person is my amazing fiance and best friend, David. He is wonderfully spontaneous and a little bit fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants, which balances out my need to for advanced planning. He thinks nothing of getting home relatively early on a Monday night and deciding to go to a movie or randomly deciding to take a day off. And, it’s activities like these that remind me to enjoy the spontaneity of life.

Second, my Mom. All my life she has encouraged me to do my best and really has been involved in everything I have done. There were times when I thought her involvement in PTA at school was crazy. Like the time my 7th grade math teacher called me by her name in class instead of my own. It turns out, that looking back, it was pretty cool to have had her around for all of my activities. She schlepped me (and my sister) all over Southern California when we were performing with our high school tall flag team, and to all of our many lessons (piano, math tutors, etc.) So, thank you, Mom, for everything you have done.

Who do you look up to and why? Share in the comments below.