Marketing Melodie Speaks: Nat’l Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

I’m excited to share an amazing opportunity I recieved to speak at the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences- Pacific Southwest Chapter this coming Thursday November 3rd, 2011 at their “Advanced Techniques of Social Media’ in today’s diverse market” workshop at Groovy Like a Movie- A San Diego based film and movie production company. NATAS is dedicated  to serving the television community while recognizing and awarding excellence in television. Among the audience is going to be producers, anchors, reporters and many others working in the television industry.

As a Marketing Professional, one of the most effective Marketing tools  I use to build my community and generate new business is professional speaking. It’s not a secret,  I’ve already shared with everyone how I grow my business through professional speaking. It provides you with more credibility, it’s a strong marketing tool and speaking also inspires others. Speaking is something everyone has an chance to learn! To provide you with even more assistance on being an effective speaker for your industry, I even compiled Social Media Tips for professional speakers. I highly recommend checking out the resources I created, they will definitely help you get started!

Speaking to NATAS is a great chance for me to connect with people who work in television and share my knowledge on how to create a cohesive online presence with traditional media. Time sure flies with social media! Almost 3 years ago I wrote the post Traditional Media Companies- It’s time to Go Digital Media. Years later I’m happy to see that many traditional media companies have successfully integrated social media  to engage, interact and compel their audience to continue viewing them as a credible resource!

I’m really looking forward to meeting all the industry leaders in television this Thursday and continuing to share social media and professional speaking tips with all of my readers! If you’d like to hire me to speak at your next event, I’m happy to come and share my insight and knowledge!

Thank You for an Epic Tweetup @Nordstrom_Rack! #RackOpening

Last night was proof that RETAIL THERAPY WORKS! I attended an amazing tweetup. Probably one of my all time favorite tweetups. The event was gorgeous, executed perfectly, planned so well, had the nicest staff, so many fun surprises and the marketing/outreach done prior to the tweetup was smart and strategic!

Almost 2 weeks ago I receive a nice email in my inbox from Norstrom Rack.

The first thing they did right was invite their target audience. They also did research on people who are influential in the San Diego Social Media space and invited that group too. They wanted to create buzz around the event and generate positive conversations. That’s exactly what they did. Oh and they made sure to have an easy to follow #hashtag #rackopening.

I step into the store and am immediately greeted with peach champagne and a $50 gift card I can use the same day! I am a huge Nordstrom lover. I buy almost everything at Nordstrom from makeup to jeans, to shoes and jackets but I rarely shop at the rack. Tonight may have changed my mind because the rack had so many designer and high end brands at a fraction of the price! I couldn’t help but grab things off virtually every rack because everything was so cute yet cost effective.

After putting a few things in my cart, I take a photo and post a tweet with the lovely fashionista @eyemusing. Little did I know this tweet was going to score us both a complimentary must-have for our wardrobe! Since they were doing giveaways the entire night, the store manager was following the hashtag and chose winners from the people tweeting/posting photos of the event! They called our names to the front and let us know that we won a free item in our cart! I am seriously so grateful! I chose a brand new pair of designer, Hudson Jeans! SCORE!

The rest of the evening was spent shopping, catching up with friends, conversing with the nicest staff who were so happy to help at any time and still feeling so grateful to have won a complimentary must-have piece for my wardrobe. I decided that it was an evening to stock up on pants since winter is coming up and living in San Diego, pants are pretty minimal in my wardrobe. I got a pair of black slacks, gray yoga pants and of course my gorgeous pair of Hudson Jeans!

Nordstrom Rack Did it Right! Here are just a few things Nordstrom Rack did perfectly that you can model when hosting your next event:

1. Invite your target audience to the event

2. Invite Social Media influencers to create buzz

3. Create an easy to follow event hashtag #rackopening

4. Make sure you have enough staff to handle the event

5. Be generous with giveaways

6. Treat all customers/attendees with respect

More awesome Facts about Nordstrom Rack Plaza Bonita:

1. They have an in house tailor, one of the few rack stores that offer this service.

2. Go Green with an electronic receipt! They emailed me mine right to my email.

3. DESIGNER everything at more than half off! I didn’t know the Rack stores carried so much awesome merchandise.

THANK YOU again Nordstrom Rack Plaza Bonita for an amazing, fun and fashionable evening! I wish you the best of luck with your grand opening and much success after that! I’ll definitely be talking about this event for years to come because it was EPIC! 

Social Media Amusings: Did you know I’m a Sanrio Character?

Social Media Amusings is new series of posts I’m starting. It’s going to be  full of fun things about me and things I come across in the social space that I feel like sharing with all of you. Today we’re talking Sanrio! When you hear Sanrio, you probably immediately think Hello Kitty! Hello Kitty is well branded as the face of Sanrio.

Yes, I mentioned branding. It’s how my marketing mind works. I’ll tie everything back to building your brand and marketing! I’ve emphasized the importance of branding yourself on Social Media through various outlets including my Digital Media Dinners Event: Social Media Branding. In addition I’m hosting an upcoming Digital Media Now seminar on Wed. Nov. 2nd, 2011: Personal Branding on Social Media. You can sign up here!

Alright back to Sanrio!  Hello Kitty isn’t the only lovely Sanrio character, she has a good friend by the name of MyMelody! Yep, it’s my name by with a “Y” instead of “IE”. I’ve done a great job at branding myself on Twitter as MyMelodie. My online persona, business brand and even personal brand is: Marketing Melodie. However, @MarketingMelodie was 1 letter too long for Twitter so I chose @MyMelodie instead. This name still has the M and M alliteration I love, it’s short so people have a lot of room to reply to me and it’s catchy!

The story of MyMelody: The Sanrio Character- ♥ My Melody is a cheerful, kind, and gentle rabbit. She was born on January 18th 1975 in the forest of Maryland, where she still lives with her parents, grandparents and little brother Rhythm. While good-natured, her curiosity makes her hasty at times. Her favorite hobby is to bake cookies with her mother. Her favorite food is almond pound cake. Her most prized possession is her hood, which her grandmother made for her. Her best friends are Flat: A mouse that is a little shy around other people & Piano: A kind, little sheep, that her favorite thing to do is to cuddle 

What a cute little bunny! And it’s clear I’ve done a good job at branding myself as “MyMelodie” because my community is amazing at letting me know they’re thinking of me! Take a look below!

In February 2009 I was at Tweetup and @rockstarjen strolled in wearing a MyMelody pendant as a necklace! I immediately stopped her and asked where she got it. She explained that she came across it somewhere at home, didn’t know exactly where and didn’t know it was MyMelody. After explaining that the bunny on her pendant inspired my twitter handle, she took it off and gave it to me! I’ve been using it as a key chain ever since. The best thing about it, is that it *glows in the dark* which comes in handy when I’m trying to find my keys in my purse. Thanks for your generosity @rockstarjen!

Yogurtland recently had a Sanrio promotion! The lovely @thepegisin, sent me a fun photo during the Yogurtland Sanrio promotion when she was getting some delicious froyo!

I met @cschone44 at my very first TweetUp in 2008! She was recently at a Sanrio store and sent me a sweet message when she saw this MyMelody item. How cute is that?!

I also went to Yogurtland during their Sanrio promotion. I posted this photo on Facebook and definitely received some LIKES! I also jokingly asked the cashier if I could receive a discount because I’m featured at their shop. He gave me 10% off! Shout out to Yogurtland Mission Valley!

My lovely friend Kariou who I completed my Yoga Teacher Training with came to class one day with this surprise for me! MyMelody key cap!

Earlier this year my friend Tom also sent me a cute photo on Facebook. Yep someone IS using my name!

I’m just so happy to know that people think of me whenever they see anything MyMelody related! I’ve worked really hard to establish my brand on Social Media so having my community connect with me really makes my day!  Thanks to everyone who contributed to this post in some way shape or form by reaching out to me when you saw me as a Sanrio Character or gifting me something MyMelody! Stay tuned for more Social Media Amusings!

Ask (Social Media) & You Shall Receive: Welcome @AllisonSchummer!

Even though I’ve already experienced so much positive change from being on Social Media, I’m still amazed and grateful each and every single time I attract something new and positive into my life. Previously when I asked the universe, I received amazing friends and business alliances. More recently I asked for someone to help me with my own marketing (I’m still seeking more interns by the way!). I posted on my blog, all my social networks and Craigslist. I also reached out to colleges and universities in the areas about their internship programs. Lo and behold, even though I reached out many ways, it was through TWITTER that I discovered Allison. My Twitter friend @AlexTuthill88 saw my post and passed it along to Allison. After speaking with her I discovered, she was the perfect fit! She’s been working with me for a few weeks and has done an amazing job at helping me stay organized and learning how to use Social Media tools so quickly! This girl is efficient! And now I’d like to give Allison to opportunity to introduce herself!

HIT IT ALLISON!

Hey everyone, I’m Allison! I am currently a Communication Student at San Diego State University interested in Interpersonal Communication, PR, Marketing, and Social Media. I’m excited to be working with Marketing Melodie! With Melodie’s expertise, I’m learning  fundamental skills to effectively communicate through Marketing and Social Media sites. I’m also a receptionist at The Haircut Store where I utilize my strong communication and customer service skills. I look  forward to graduating SDSU this December to purse a career in the marketing or PR industry where I can apply my experience in customer service and marketing.

I’m super busy with work and school but when I do have some free time, I love to scrapbook; it’s often my outlet when I feel the creative buzz coming on. I also am very interested in the art of fashion. I enjoy staying current on fashion trends by reading fashion blogs and magazines; I haven’t missed an issue of Vogue or Marie Claire in 5 years! I am an active exercising enthusiast who loves learning about healthy eating habits and exercise techniques. My most recent personal achievement has been losing 35 lbs by making wiser eating decisions, and taking Zumba and kickboxing classes. Now I have incorporated these lifestyle changes in all facets of my life which has not only transformed me physically, but spiritually and emotionally. ‘m a very eager and motivated individual who strives on learning and being the best me I can be! Feel free to follow me on Twitter!

Thanks for sharing Allison! If you’re reading this and you also want to learn the ins and outs of Social Media, I’m still seeking Marketing Interns, apply today! If you’re reading this and you know someone who can benefit from working with me, please spread the word. Stay tuned for more posts from Allison on things she’s learned and experienced from working in marketing.

Hey look! Marketing Melodie is on Mashable!

Who doesn’t love being featured on Mashable? It’s the top tech/social media website out there. Any appearance on Mashable is exciting and phenomenal exposure! My friend and business alliance @ChrisKirkman received thousands of downloads for his Digital Business card iPhone App uME when it was featured on Mashable . My nerdy friend @JenFriel who I had the honor of hosting in San Diego this past weekend, states that having her screenshot on Mashable was one of the greatest moments of her life! Well now I’m joining the Mashable Fame club!

I read Mashable articles almost daily but I don’t read every single one so I actually missed the post I was in. It was written by my friend @jbruin about essential apps for your iPhone. Reading iPhone articles aren’t a priority since I have a Droid, although I do keep up with Apple and even  honored Steve Jobs in my reflection on his life. Either way, this particular article made me Mashable famous, so I just wanted to share the great news with everyone. Of course my screenshot was from Foursquare which made me happy because I’m such a Foursquare enthusiast!

Before I end this post, have I mentioned how grateful I am for my Twitter community? I really can’t emphasize this enough. I would have never known about my feature on Mashable if it weren’t for a tweet I received. My followers are awesome and break news to me before I hear it anywhere else! They also look out for me and keep me informed when they see things that remind them of me. I had no idea that my very own Microsoft commercial aired until I received tweets from followers who saw it! Same goes for this Mashable article. I received a tweet from a follower who recognized my itty bitty avatar! Wow @swenggirl has a good eye!

Have you ever been excited to be featured somewhere? Have you experienced finding out news about yourself on Social Media? Well there you have it, my first appearance on Mashable!

Talking Nerdy in San Diego @TiltedKiltPub #NerdsUnite

This past weekend, nerds united in San Diego and it was a wonderful time! Thanks to social media and TalkNerdyToMeLover.com‘s @JenFriel I had an opportunity to host a lovely group of  ladies who are like-minded, smart, passionate and of course understand and embrace digital technology and social media just like me! We organized a meetup through the power of Twitter! Yes, like energy always attracts like energy and this past weekend was a prime example. @ItsMeJoolie, @MsMeghanBrown, @MegCorbs, @iamrachelwho were all part of the #NerdsUnite crew who came down to San Diego from our neighboring town, the City of Angels!

The girls arrived and we spent the afternoon hanging out, speaking geek, talking tech and of course nerding out! I am so grateful for my online community and even more grateful when I’m able to connect on a more personal level in real life. Every single one of us all met through Social Media yet the first time we meet in real life, we are instant friends. Rather than greeting with a handshake, we embrace with a hug because we already feel so connected thanks to the social space.

I was so happy to learn that @MegCorbs, recent SDSU grad used to live in the complex right next door to me. Meg was able to show the ladies the San Diego way by welcoming everyone with California Burritos, which I just learned aren’t found in LA!

We soon made our way over to Oggis for some pre-meetup drinks and more nerdy talk! I learned about the Facebook page Nothing Rhymes with Orange. A viral phenomenon that was accidently started by one of the lovely ladies in our group @iamrachelwho. I am fascinated by the whole story of how this page blew up on the internet currently with over 300K fans!

After Oggis, we cabbed it to Tilted Kilt Mission Valley where we were meeting up with everyone else. @TiltedKiltPub generously welcomed us with great service and  hosted appetizers! Their nachos are absolutely delicious and so far my favorite nachos I’ve enjoyed in San Diego!

Of course being techy nerd girls, we checked in, tweeted and took a lot of photos of our fun night! Soon after we arrived more friends showed up including some of my great friends from the San Diego Tech scene @danlarsen, @iPodschun, @robotfaith, @thecrazymagnet (just to name a few).

Nerdy shirts are a must for a nerdy meetup. This one definitely wins for my favorite! @thecrazymagnet exaplained that he purposely wore his nerdiest shirt for the occasion!

After hours of good food, drinks, nerdy talk and of course a fun night, we made our way back to my place for a nerdy girl’s sleep over!

This entire weekend reinforced my belief on the importance of connecting with your online community in real life. A real life connection and an online connection both go hand in to create a strong bond, build community and mix in some real live fun! I want to once again thank the #NerdsUnite girls for making the drive down (it was an honor to host and hang out with phenomenal women in my industry), my San Diego community for attending the event and the Tilted Kilt Mission Valley for hosting us!

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