Digital Media Now November 2011

To ensure the knowledge I teach to businesses and students on marketing, technology and social media is up to date, I take the initiative to keep myself educated. This is crucial with the ever changing landscape of marketing in a digital world so I’m excited to once again be a part of the Online Marketing Summit (OMS) coming up in just a few days Feb 6-9, 2012 at the Hilton San Diego Bay front! I have received dozens on inquiries on “Are you going to be speaking?”. While I’m normally a speaker at conferences I attend, I’ll be at OMS as an attendee, eager to learn from others.  It doesn’t getting any better than learning more about the topics I’m most passionate about on the gorgeous bay! 

Hilton San Diego Bayfront Photo by: Port of San Diego

*EVENT HIGHLIGHTS*

• Online Marketing Summit is the premier educational event for digital marketing, focused primarily on educating marketers across all digital marketing disciplines and emerging best practices including social media, mobile, search engine media, eCommerce and website optimization.
• OMS hosts a keynote line-up of thought leaders. I’m personally looking forward to hearing Mari Smith speak for the first time! Mari and I are social media buddies, but I haven’t had an opportunity to learn from her insights yet so I was excited to learn that she is giving a keynote!

@MariSmith and @MyMelodie

• A first time Expo, featuring over 50 companies, showcasing the leading online marketing tools and solutions
• 1:1 Labs: Unique to the event program are expert labs, which offer a one-on-one consultation with experts in social media tools, web analytics, search, usability, email and more.
• New conference tracks: With 40% more content this year, OMS is featuring six tracks.  Two new tracks include: Mobile Marketing and Content Marketing for Social Engagement

<Editor’s Note> I’m very excited to introduce you all to Stephanie Trinh aka @stef_funny!  She’s the newest member of my team here at Marketing Melodie. She’s an ambitious Business Marketing Student at SDSU, is filled with positive energy and is even a fellow marketing nerd! I’ll let Stephanie take it from here. HIT IT STEPHANIE! </Editor’s Note>

By now, most of us have heard about Pinterest, the new social media network. Pinterest is a virtual pin board that allows you to pin, repin, like and comment on pictures and videos that your friends or others upload on the site. I know this doesn’t sound very fun, but trust me, it gets addicting. When you go on the website, you are bound to find pictures or videos of things that interest you. Consequently, you are then tempted to pin it to your board so that you may save it for later or just share with your friends. The content that you pin will always lead back to the source it came from, whether it is a blog, a retail site, etc.

Pinterest is also fascinating because you can’t just sign up for an account, you must be invited. You can sign up to wait for an invite or you can find a Pinner that will personally send you an invitation. Yeah, it’s like VIP status.  No worries though, just give me a tweet or a message on Google+ and I’ll invite you.

 

Remember: Pinning is winning!

You can connect with Stephanie on Twitter, Google+ and check out her blog, Marketing Nerd!

Hi everyone, I’m Stephanie! I’m a student at San Diego State University majoring in Business Marketing, specializing  in Integrated Marketing Communications. I consider myself a huge marketing nerd; everything about marketing intrigues me, especially social media marketing. Whenever I find out a new fact or tip about social media, I get excited and I feel the need to share what I just learned with everyone. My friends and family know that I’m all about social media, so whenever they have an issue with their settings on Facebook, Twitter or Google+, I’m the first person they come to. (So then… would I be considered a social media guru? #SSMES)

I am so grateful and ecstatic that Melodie is willing to take me under her wing and teach me what she knows. I am graduating from SDSU this summer and plan on pursuing my career in digital marketing where I can apply my strong organizational skills, creativeness and experience in marketing. As a full-time student that works part time at a bank and part time as a marketing intern, my life can get very busy. With any free time I may have, I always try to spend it with friends and family. I enjoy talking to people and listening to their stories, it helps me learn a lot about a person. I believe in positive energy and that laughter is the best medicine out there.

My favorite quote is from Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can or can’t, you are right.” When I feel like giving up, I repeat this quote in my head and it gives me the push to get back up and keep going. I also love to read. I’m on the last book of The Hunger Games saga, and it’s really interesting. I definitely recommend everyone to read this series!

You can connect with Stephanie on Twitter, Google+ and check out her blog, Marketing Nerd!

At the end of 2010 I decided to write Marketing Melodie in 2010: A Year in Review. I have a habit of discrediting many of my accomplishments because I feel like I can always do more. Writing this really allows me to appreciate and be grateful for everything that I have done rather than focus on what I haven’t. Just like I did for 2010 here’s a year in review of 2011 highlighting noteworthy events, clients, blog posts, friends, accomplishments, adventures and amazing opportunities.

*JANUARY*

While marketing is my expertise and passion, I have another passion; YOGA! I’m very grateful for one of my clients this year, La Jolla Yoga Center. Creating marketing campaigns and strategies for a yoga studio I love definitely makes me happy.  I trained their team on using social media to grow their business and helped them get set up on Facebook and Twitter. They’re definitely doing a great job connecting with yogis on social media!

I’ve been practicing yoga for a few years and really wanted to strengthen my practice and take it to the next level. I contemplated getting my yoga teaching certification for a while. It’s a huge time commitment and I was really on the fence. Well I made the decision to go ahead with yoga teacher training and can now say, if you are ever on the fence, DO IT! I am so happy I completed my Yoga Teacher Training and wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. I began my training in January and completed my 200 RYT Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training at the inspirational La Jolla Yoga Center, located right on the beach! I met so many amazing new friends, learned so much about myself and really took my yoga practice to the next level.

*FEBRUARY*

I hosted the 2^nd event in my Digital Media Dinners series. The topic: Social Media Branding. This was a great milestone because it officially turned Digital Media Dinners into a series rather than a one off event.  I taught strategies on how to strengthen people’s brand across various social networks including review sites such as Yelp, group buying sites such as Groupon and location based sites such as Foursquare. I incorporated a variety of sites because marketing and social media is growing beyond just Facebook and Twitter.

*MARCH*

Since I learn and receive so much from my online and social media community, I really want to give back. I did this by hosting Twestival San Diego. This event is hosted all over the nation using social media for social good by connecting communities offline on a single day to highlight a great cause and have a fun event. It’s entirely promoted via social media. Twestival San Diego was hosted at the Keating Hotel and all proceeds benefited the San Diego After School All Stars.

Me and a few other lovely Yogis were featured on KUSI demonstrating Bootcamp for Yogis run by my fellow yoga teacher trainee, Body By Mags. Check out the video below where I get my 5 minutes of fame while I’m smiling through holding a yoga tough pose and demonstrating yoga boot camp moves (Warrior has got nothing on me!).

VIDEO: Yoga Boot Camp Video

I successfully pulled my second April Fool’s Joke on Social Media! Everyone decided to wish me a Happy Birthday on April Fool’s this year!

The first annual Foursquare Day celebration took place in 2010 and I hosted Foursquare Day Hong Kong. This year I was in my home town, San Diego and had the opportunity to host Foursquare Day San Diego for my community at R Gang Eatery. Check in specials, complimentary wine, cocktails, delicious comfort food with an upscale twist, friends, badges and a good time was had! Foursquare Day on 4/16 (Yep that’s 4 squared which equals 16) is officially, my favorite geek Holiday!

Oh not to mention, I met my first Celebrity Chef, Rich Sweeney @ChefRicSweeney from Season 5 of Top Chef who is also the head of R Gang Eatery. You can read all about my addiction to food porn and cooking shows here.

*MAY*

I was interviewed by the San Diego Reader on using LinkedIn for Job Seekers. I shared my insight, advice and was gratefulto have my article published both in their paper and online! You can read the full article here.

Another Geek Holiday takes place in May! Star Wars day on May 4^th! May the Fourth be with you! I celebrated with some fun posts on Social Media!

*JUNE*

I really want to help others with yoga passion so I hosted my first yoga event: Yoga For the Busy Body at Hera Hub! I really want to provide an opportunity for other busy professionals and entrepreneurs to have a chance to experience the benefits of yoga while teaching them poses they can do on their own despite their busy lives. That’s exactly what I accomplished at this event.

*JULY*

I was cast in a Microsoft Commercial!  It was such an amazing experience to work a full day on set as talent! You can read all about how I was casted in the Microsoft Commercial and then watch my commercial when it finally aired below!

VIDEO: Marketing Melodie’s Microsoft Commercial

VIDEO: Digital Media Dinners- How To Build your Social Media Community 

I attended BlogHer for the first time as it was hosted right here in America’s Finest City. I connected with inspirational bloggers from all across the nation. It was great talking to so many people about their passions and seeing  them creatively share it with others through their writing. I had a good time at the conference itself, attending workshops, checking out the booths, the networking events, parties and left with more swag than I knew what to do with!

Oh and I met another Celebrity Chef, Brian Markaley in the Season Final of Top Chef Season 3. He was hosting a BlogHer party!

 *SEPTEMBER* 

Marketing Melodie is growing quickly! I sent out a call for interns and bring Allison Schummer @AllisonSchummer on board to help me!

Allison recently graduated from SDSU and I give her my highest recommendation to anyone who’s hiring as she’s currently on the market for a new job!

San Diegans experience a MAJOR BLACKOUT! But we united and got through it while making new friends! We proved that even during a black out social media still shines!

*OCTOBER*

Fall is in the air (even though it’s always sunny in San Diego) which means time for a new fall wardrobe! I attended one of my favorite tweetups ever, an Epic event at the Nordstrom Rack Plaza Bonita Grand Opening. I’m a very lucky person, I always win things and that night I won a pair of Designer Hudson Jeans.

In 2009 I said to the universe that I want  to meet my favorite author, Keith Ferrazzi. I finally met him 2 years later in San Diego at the Entrepreneur Challenge Fall Kickoff Event at UCSD. He autographed both my books and I learned some awesome networking tips from meeting Keith Ferrazzi.

The Nerds United! I tweeted and connected with amazing new friends  from the Talk Nerdy To Me Lover community by hosting @JenFriel and the #nerdsunite crew in San Diego. We had a fun night at the Tilted Kilt San Diego and a nerdy sleepover!

You can read all about the things that make me a nerd here.

*NOVEMBER*

After completing a successful Digital Media Dinners series, I hosted my first Digital Media Now Seminar- Personal Branding on Social Media at Pangea Bakery Cafe. Attendees learned how to make their personal brand cohesive with their business brand.

I was honored with an opportunity to speak to NATAS- National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences at their Social Media Workshop. Teaching television professionals how to use Social Media in their industry.

Thanks to the luxury car company, Infiniti and Social Media I enjoyed an amazing afternoon at the San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival. I also met my 3rd celebrity chef this year, Sam The Cooking Guy!

*DECEMBER* 

I hosted my first Digital Media Now Webinar on How To Integrat Social Media Into Your Marketing. It gave me a chance to share my knowledge with people who can’t always be available and in San Diego to attend an in person seminar. While there were challenges to work out with my first webinar, I received great feedback and plan to host additional Digital Media Now Webinars in 2012!

I celebrated my Birthday on my lucky day, December 13^th (It’s clearly not on April 1^st). In the photo below I’m dressed as a Monster, holding a class with an M and Minty Wonderland and Mozart cupcakes. Yep M THEME PARTY!

I began my new venture at National University. I was hired as a Course Developer and Adjunt Professor at National University. My first class starts in January where I’m teaching a marketing class on Interactive Strategies.

Wow a lot has happened in 2012! If you read this entire post or even part of it, THANK YOU!  As I reflect on 2011 I just can’t help but smile and be grateful for everyone and everything in my life right now. I am truly blessed and so excited to ring in 2012!

I previously created and taught a Marketing Communications course at Platt College. I’m currently still a sub there when needed. Now I’ve been graced with another opportunity to teach my passion at National University! I was hired as a Course Developer in November, then hired on board as an Adjunct Professor. Yep, Professor Tao has a nice ring to it.

I’m currently creating a course on interactive strategies that will teach students everything they need to know about creating an interactive campaign. The students will choose a real client/organization to work with! From understanding goal setting and market research for their client to targeting the right audience and learning how to effectively communicate and engage their client’s customers  through social networks and other marketing mediums. I’ll also be giving examples from real live clients I work with.

My class starts in January! This is a part time gig so I’m still open for business full time here at Marketing Melodie. I’m accepting new consulting clients, booking speaking gigs and other opportunities.  I’m so grateful for this new venture and I’m really looking forward to finishing up with the course development, then teaching at National University.

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear!” (Well looks like students are ready because Professor Tao is here!)

December’s Webinar Topic:  

How to Integrate Social Media into your Marketing 

Intention: You will learn how to leverage the power of your other marketing tools by understanding how to effectively integrate social media

You’ll leave the webinar with these takeaways:

•  How to create cohesive marketing campaigns that incorporate Social Media
•  How to integrate social media into your existing marketing plan (Events, PR, Email, SEO etc)
• How to ensure you’re consistently branding your business to build community and attract qualified

Here are all the details!

Date: Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

Time: 10am- 11am Pacific Time

Cost: Pre-Registration- $39, Day of Price- $49 (You’ll receive instructions for attending the webinar after your registration is received)

How: Register HERE

I’m really looking forward to connecting with you virtually at my next webinar and am so glad I can provide an opportunity that more people can access. If you have any questions about the webinar please don’t hesitate to reach out to me!

Something that really inspires and motivates me daily is the knowing that I literally LEARN SOMETHING NEW EACH AND EVERY DAY! This to me is priceless and it usually happens when I’m teaching others, giving advice or recommendations. I come to the realization that “HEY! I needed to learn that too!” Or “Wow I really need to take my own advice!” I truly believe the world is a mirror and what I encounter is a reflection of myself and where I’m at in life. I’ve recently learned so much while teaching and interacting with others for my job so here are a few things I’ve learned in the past couple weeks I feel are worth sharing .

1. Networking Tip:  No selling at mixers and have a 2 sentence opener that sparks interest! I often avoid going to business mixers because I’m just not a fan of the whole “What do you do?” question being asked to me a hundred times. I realize it’s important for me to get out there and meet people face to face so I got myself to go out and I attended a 6 Degrees San Diego networking event last week.  I met a guy who works in insurance. He immediately started to try and sell me policies. This also immediately made me lose interest. But it made me re-evaluate the way I connect with people at business mixers. It’s important to be authentic while being able to describe what you do in 1-2 sentences to peak people’s interest so you don’t get flustered (because it’s easy to get nervous when you’re on the spot!). If you start by bombarding someone by selling, you’ll lose the connection and thus I came up with my opener to spark interest when I get asked the Question “What do you do?”  “I’m a Marketing professional; I specialize in Digital Marketing and Social Media. I teach businesses how to utilize digital tools to grow their business.”  Then I stop. THAT’S IT! I couldn’t believe that before this week I really didn’t have an efficient way to describe to people what I do without selling! Thank you to the guy who sold to me at an event and encouraged me to rethink my approach when I introduce myself at business mixers.

2. Social Media Tip: Update your LinkedIn profile! I have gotten more business from people finding me on Linkedin than any other social network. If you’re not already on LinkedIn, sign up! I recently hosted a Digital Media Now seminar teaching people how to optimize their Social Media profiles, including LinkedIn. I discussed using keywords in your profile so you have a higher probability of coming up in searches. Of course you would think since I’m teaching this, my profile would be completely optimized with all the proper terms. Well I realized I have never, ever added anything to the “Skills” section! I had zero skills listed, which means zero key words. Moral of the story is that I need to be mindful of keeping my own marketing tools up to date especially if I’m teaching everyone else to do the same. After I updated this on my profile, I IMMEDIATELY had someone hire me for a project based on being impressed with my profile and she mentioned my “Skills” listed! Anyway, even if you only spend 10 minutes doing this, go update your LinkedIn profile as soon as possible!

Marketing Melodie's LinkedIn Article for the San Diego Reader

3. Peace of Mind Tip: It’s ok to do nothing because doing nothing is actually accomplishing something! 
This last tip comes from my Yogi side! I practice yoga several times a week and try to meditate daily (daily is more like once a week). I recently found myself recommending yoga classes to someone who really felt stressed out and had no time to do anything. While I was saying this the thought popped into my head. “How is it possible that I’m a yoga instructor but have the hardest time practicing yoga, meditating and staying present myself?!” Do as they say, not as they do right? Working in an industry that’s constantly changing while at the same time being an entrepreneur means my mind is always racing! It’s difficult for me to take a break and often when I do take a break, I feel like I’m not getting anything done or I’m wasting time. My tip to all of you and to myself is that when you take a break to mediate, read, wind down, whatever it is you do to relax, try your very best to know that it’s OK to be taking that break and be doing nothing. This “doing nothing” is actually doing wonders for your body in terms or helping you recharge, rejuvenate, relax, all sorts of positive things your body needs especially if you’re a busy body!

I leave you with a quote I find very inspirational that’s aligned with my belief that I really do learn something new every day!

“No day in which you learn something is a complete loss” ~David Eddings

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.

The evening started off with a networking dinner so of course, I had an opportunity to meet some great community leaders, UCSD students and affiliates. The photo below is a prime example of never eating alone!

I followed one of Keith’s golden rules for meeting the speaker at the event. Get to the speaker, before he goes on stage! I saw Keith Ferrazzi walk by and immediately went up and introduced myself to him. He’s extremely personable, enthusiastic and positive. I manifested this exact moment into my life because in 2009 when Who’s Got Your Back came out, I told Keith Ferrazzi that I would get his second book when I met him so he could autograph it and that’s exactly what happened!

 After enjoying a great dinner, Dr. Irwin Jacobs and Keith Ferrazzi took the stage. Keith Ferrazzi’s job was to be curious and ask Dr. Jacob’s questions related to the topic of “Why great relationships matter in business?” Keith did a great job at asking questions that prompted Dr. Jacobs to share his inspirational story. As both a Marketer and an Entrepreneur, I really resonated with both Dr. Jacobs and Keith Ferrazzi. I definitely learned a lot about having a vision and following it, being a great leader and of course networking! Below are some networking tips I’ve learned from Keith Ferrazzi, some of them definitely came into play during this particular event!

1. Reach out before the event- If you’re attending an event and want to meet someone specific, reach out to them before the event. I’ve already discussed how to work a conference before it begins. This tip is very similar. Social Media is a great resource that allows you to connect. Before attending the event, I tweeted Keith a bunch of times and of course wrote my post to welcome Keith to San Diego. Reaching out can also be done by a simple email. You can let someone know that you enjoyed an article they wrote, congratulate them on a recent accomplishment or connect with them on a more personal level if you know a hobby they enjoy. (In the tweets below I engaged several people in conversation about Keith Ferrazzi and I even received a reply from him acknowledging that he would see me tomorrow!)

2. Arrive Early- If you want to meet the Speakers, they’ll definitely be at the event at least 30 minutes before hand. Chances are the speaker won’t be bombarded by everyone else so you may have an opportunity to introduce yourself before anyone else. If you wait until after the event to try and connect with a speaker, chances are they’re going to be busy talking to everyone else and also thinking about going home so it’s harder to make a personal connection. I actually arrived at UCSD 30 minutes early so was one of the first one who was let into the room.

3. Talk To the Organizer- Arriving early also gives you a chance to find and introduce yourself to the organizer and let him/her know who you may be looking to connect with. Ask the organizer if there’s anyone they feel would be a great connection for your industry. The organizer knows everything that’s happening behind the scenes and everyone who’s going to be at the event. See if they can introduce you to some other attendees or even the speaker. When approaching the organizer, make sure to be mindful of their time since they’re probably still planning last minute updates and make sure to thank them for hosting you.

4. Ask Questions- After many presentations and panels there is often a chance for audience Q & A. This is your golden opportunity to get in front of the room and let others know what you do. Before asking your questions, clearly state your name with a brief intro. Since you have everyone’s attention, there very well may be others in the room who are seeking your service, product or who many want to collaborate with you. Asking questions not only gives you mic time, it also allows you to interact and stand out to the speakers and attendees.

5. Give Books as Gifts- Since the holidays are approaching so quickly, tis the season to start thinking of gifts for your prospects, clients and colleagues. Books are full of information and are personal because you’re recommending something that has helped you. Autographed books are even better! Keith reminded me of how great of gifts books can be as he was signing mine. He asked if there was anyone I’d like to give “Who’s Got Your Back” to so he could sign the book to that person. I didn’t have anyone in mind, so I just told him to sign his name in case I did want to give the book away as a gift. Well Keith came up with an even better idea by writing “Melodie’s Got Your Back”. This way I’m able to keep the book myself or also give it away as a gift.

Again, it was such an honor to meet my favorite author, hear Dr. Jacobs speak and connect with other Entrepreneurs. I’m grateful that attending the event inspired me to refresh my own networking skills, allowing me to share tips with you. If you have additional networking tips, please leave them in the comments below! I’m personally hosting a networking event and seminar coming up on Wed. November 2nd! If you’d like to attend my next seminar where you’ll definitely have a chance to apply these networking tips, you can register here. If it’s your first time attending one of my seminars, please email me: melodie at marketing melodie dot com and I’ll send you a code fore $10 off. Happy Networking and if you don’t already have Never Eat Alone and Who’s Got Your back, check them out at your local library or purchase them! You won’t be disappointed.

Digital Media Now is a seminar series hosted on the first Wednesday of each month to educate business owners and professionals with knowledge on the most up to date digital technology tools and social media marketing strategies. Attendees will leave empowered with actionable content they can implement immediately. A different topic is covered each month. Content from each topic does not overlap so it’s encouraged for attendees to attend all seminars to gain comprehensive knowledge on growing their business in all areas of Digital Media. It’s also not necessary to attend a previous event to make sense of future events.

Here are the event dates and topics for Digital Media Now:

• Wed. November 2nd, 2011, 6:30pm: Personal Branding on Social Media- Learn how to ensure your personal online brand is simultaneously optimized to enhance your company’s brand on various social networks to increase visibility for both yourself and your business to attract qualified customers and strategic partners.
• Wed. December 7th, 2011 6:30pm How to Create Compelling Content- Learn to create content that attracts your target customers, encourages interaction and strengthens your community.
• Wed. January 4th, 2012, 6:30pm: The Power of LinkedIn- Master LinkedIn and use it like a pro to attract qualified customers, increase your visibility in searches and build stronger relationships to grow your business.
• Wed. February 1st, 2012, 6:30pm: Social Media Integration- While it’s important to integrate social media into your marketing strategy, it’s also just as important to have a strong plan that incorporates other marketing medias (Events, PR, Cause Campaigns, etc). Learn how to effectively integrate your social media efforts to create a cohesive marketing strategy.
• Wed. March 7th, 2012, 6:30pm: Internet Power- Learn to navigate the infinite opportunities on the internet with email techniques, shortcuts and digital technology tools. Find information faster, organize and manage information flow, use social media to attract opportunities and truly master the web. Your efficiency will increase and productivity will skyrocket
• Wed. April 4th, 2012, 6:30pm: Relationship Marketing Online- Social Media and Digital Technology take relationship marketing to a whole new level. Leverage your social networks to create strong business alliances that work with you to attract new clients and strategic partnerships.