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!

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

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.

Since that post I haven’t had a chance to meet him yet but I always believe things happen exactly when they’re suppose to happen so I’m thinking that tomorrow is the day I’ll finally meet Keith Ferrazzi in San Diego!

Never Eat Alone dispels the myth that  business relationships must be kept strictly professional. Business relationships can be rooted on friendship, authenticity and generosity just like personal relationships. I identified with this book so much because I use Social Media as a primary tool for creating marketing opportunities for both myself and businesses. If you read my recent post on being cast for a Microsoft commercial you’ll understand the many opportunities I’ve created for myself through Social Media by sharing personal stories.

Social Media is a medium that encourages people to be honest, authentic and real when creating marketing messages for their business. It personalizes and humanizes experiences for consumers, which is the exact type of connection Keith Ferrazzi emphasizes creating in Never Eat Alone. Keith, clearly understood the importance of building strong relationships even before Social Media became a prominent marketing tool. But since Social Media has revolutionized the way we communicate, Keith himself has also embraced the space through connecting with people on Facebook, Twitter and his blog.

If you’d like to join me in welcoming Keith Ferrazzi to San Diego tomorrow. You can register for his event here. You’ll learn Why Great Relationships Matter in Business. Dr. Irwin Jacobs will be in conversation with Keith Ferrazzi.

In addition to attending Keith Ferrazzi’s event tomorrow I’ve been nudging him on Social Media to see if he has some time come into San Diego a little early to enjoy a nice walk, hike or even a meal with myself and perhaps some other San Diego business leaders who are interested! If you’d like to connect with Keith in San Diego, please let him know! The San Diego social space has so many amazing leaders that I know Keith will have an opportunity to learn, collaborate and enjoy some great spots during his time here!

If you don’t already have Keith’s books, check them out at the library or purchase them below! I’ll write a follow up post soon after meeting Keith Ferrazzi tomorrow! I’m really looking forward to it!

Today we lost a true legend and icon, Steve Jobs. I’m not going to shy away from saying that  he can even be compared to a modern day Thomas Edison. I usually have a goal with my blogs to share tips, educate or tell a story. However my “ode”  is more a stream of consciousness on how I feel, how I found out and what I’m thinking about regarding what’s happened today. It’s not lyrical or poetic in any way, but it’s real.  With Social Media being such a powerful communication tool, Steve Jobs’ death was amplified and spread within seconds. This alone amazes me. I was working away at my desk late after noon and I see a tweet pop up on Tweetdeck that I immediately thought was a rumor.

Steve Jobs Tweet

I found out about Michael Jackson’s death on Twitter. I found out about Osama Bin Ladin’s death on Twitter and now, Steve Jobs?! To confirm the news I tweeted to see if anyone could send me an official link. Sure enough I received the link within seconds. I’m truly grateful to have my online community to interact with during a time like this.

My next instinct was to Google it!

Seconds later I see a flood of other tweets related to Steve Jobs. I log on to Facebook and it’s no different. My heart skipped a beat. This is surreal I thought.

I remember being a kid with an Apple computer that had 2 colors: purple and green. My very first interaction with a computer, something I now use and rely on daily was an Apple. I’m by no means an Apple Fan girl, I own a couple iPods and my favorite music lists are purchased through iTunes, but that’s about it. Even though I’m not an Apple fanatic, I do recognize and appreciate the innovation from Steve Jobs to revolutionize much of the technology we use today.

I got goosebumps when I went on the Apple website. In fact I’m getting goosebumps again even as I’m writing this.

Today is truly a day that will go in history books. Although we lost Steve Jobs, his passion, inspiration and spirit will continue to live on each and every day. His entrepreneurial spirit is something I admire, respect and identify with. I feel blessed to live in a day and age where virtually anything is made possible through innovation and technology. Steve Jobs is a man who’s played a significant role in how we live, communicate and connect. I cannot continue to emphasize how grateful I am to be in an era where Steve Jobs lived his inspiration! I leave you with a quote from Steve Jobs that is near and dear to my heart, In the words of a visionary…

 ”Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.” ~Steve Jobs

Chris Kirkman- Chris is a San Diego based creative consultant, providing Southern California with functional and visually appealing graphic design, web design, videography, and creative direction over the past ten years. With experience and expertise spanning broad over many creative disciplines, Chris has been able to provide services from concept to execution for a wide range of industries. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter @ChrisKirkman.

How I Met Chris: Chris and I first connected on Twitter in January 2010. I recall chatting back and forth on there a few times. January 2010 is also around the time where my entrepreneurial spirit and ambitions came to life as I declared my intention to run my own marketing company to specializes in Digital Marketing and Social Media. Having my own marketing company, also meant that I’d need my own marketing materials. One of the first things I needed was creative design work to brand my company. I posted on Twitter that I was looking for someone to help with my Social Media Design work and Chris came to the rescue! He replied to my post and generously offered to help with my Social Media Design needs. However, it wasn’t until April 2010 that I met him in person when he attended an AIGA event that I spoke at. To this day, Chris is a true business alliance and a great friend!

THANKS TO CHRIS I have a cool Twitter background, YouTube Background and a business card design that are all cohesively branded. I also have a spiffy logo for my Digital Media Dinners seminars. He’s also designed awesome Facebook pages for some of my clients. Chris goes above and beyond to ensure his work is produced strategically, executed efficiently and exactly aligned with the client’s needs. He is extremely knowledgeable so is able to add his own expertise insight throughout the design process to ensure a final product that’s top quality.

Twitter Background Designed by Chris Kirkman

Digital Media Dinners Logo by Chris Kirkman

Next up is Anne Dorko!

Anne Dorko- Anne is helping you and your small business succeed online. She shares freely on her blog, newsletter and videos. If you need even more help than that, she offers paid one-on-one consultations. If you’re tired of being confused when learning website strategy, you’ll be refreshed by Anne’s simplified perspective (which often involves humor).  Visit her website and follow her on Twitter @AnneDorko.

How I Met Anne: I posted a tweet that I was seeking a someone to help me update some things on my website. Things that I knew were probably very easy for anyone with WordPress experience yet would take me hours to even figure out where to begin. I started accepting proposals from people who replied to my post. I was quoted various rates and hours. Anne, however, responded by sending me a professional email detailing steps she’d take to complete each request and even did a little trouble shooting for me! I confirmed with Anne immediately that she was the right woman for the job.

THANKS TO ANNE I now have a visible RSS feed, my defunct Tweetmeme plugin on my blog was removed and I have updated social sharing buttons on my blog. Anne is quick! She asked for info she needed and wow, before I knew it the changes were done!

I know I said I was introducing two people to you but I want to give a shout out to another person. This is the person responsible for getting me on Twitter. He goes by the name of @RichAndCreamy. When I thought of other situations where Ask (Social Media) and You Shall Receive applied. I immediately thought of Richie and his strange request the other day to find a shower through Twitter! His profile has NSFW for a reason! His request worked because I generously opened up home to him to shower before his meeting!

Ask (Social Media) and You Shall Receive! Don’t be afraid to tell the universe what you want. What better platform to do it than on Social Media? Try it yourself! And remember to follow all these amazing people on Twitter @ChrisKirkman, @AnneDorko, @richandcreamy! Perhaps they’ll help you out some day too!

*JANUARY*

2010 was a breakthrough year for my Professional Speaking career on Social Media and Marketing. To start the year I was honored with an invitation to speak at an Internationally renowned event, Domainfest alongside keynote, Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos and on the same Panel as two of the most well respected professionals in the Online/ SEO industry, Danny Sullivan: Editor in Chief of Search Engine Land and Bruce Clay: Founder of Bruce Clay Inc.  The event coincided with a fabulous private dinner  at the Getty Center and a party at the Playboy Mansion.

[VIDEO]  DOMAINfest 2010 Panel Importance of Social Media for Real Time Search

Speaking on a panel next to Danny Sullivan

Enjoying the Getty at Night with Van Gogh

Playboy Mansion Party for DomainFest 2010

I also began my career as an Educator teaching my first Marketing Class at Platt College San Diego, a Private Accredited Post Secondary and Vocational Institution. My classrooms are filled with intelligent and creative students that I not only teach, but learn from.

Teaching Marketing at Platt College San Diego

*FEBRUARY*

I had the opportunity to work with another renowned Web Entrepreneur, Dmitry Shapiro Founder of WeekendU and CTO of Myspace.com. I taught several courses at WeekendU for the Internet Power series alongside Dmitry in San Diego at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dmitry Shapiro at WeekendU

*MARCH*

With so many great speaking and teaching opportunities in first quarter I wrote several blog posts to educate others on how to Grow Your Business Through Professional Speaking and of course incorporating Social Media with 10 Social Media Tips for Professional Speakers

*APRIL*

My first International Speaking Engagement! I was invited by the Internet Society to give a Social Media Marketing presentation at  the INET Asia Regional Conference in Hong Kong which corresponded with the Hong Kong Electronics Show. In addition to speaking I took advantage of my time in Hong Kong and toured the city for over a week experiencing their food, culture and nightlife.

Speaking at INET Hong Kong

Great view of the city from Convention Center in Hong Kong

I gave my community a chance to hear me speak live at AIGA to learn Social Media Design Techniques

I also returned to my beloved Alma Mater, UCSB  to speak on a Panel for UCSB Communication Career Day. I remember being so impressed and intrigued by the Speakers when I was a student so I was humbled and enthusiastic to be on the other side and now share what I learned with students as I was in their shoes not too long ago.

*MAY*

Getting ready to teach my third Marketing Class at Platt College I posted a Call for Speakers and received a tremendous response. Throughout the school year I brought industry leaders to speak in my classroom to provide an interactive educational experience.  I had speakers in Mobile Marketing, SEO, PR, etc. In addition to teaching my students, I personally  also learned something new from each and every speaker which I’m grateful for.

Jeremy Duimstra- MJD Interactive speaking to Platt College

*JUNE*

Marketing Melodie launched a fun summer Social Media promotion for a client: Vacation Smart with Credit.com. A lucky winner won a free flight! Working with Credit.com was a great way for me to learn more about credit, finances, savings, etc. I’m appreciative for the chance to work with many different industries allowing me to be knowledgable on a myriad of topics.

San Diego Has Earthquakes! But it’s a small price we pay for living in America’s Finest City. I gave a Glimpse of a Real Live San Diego Earthquake on Social Media.

*JULY*

I had my 5 seconds of fame on TV! I modeled clothing from Nordstrom for MyFashionPlate.com on NBC San Diego. Of course I incorporated my modeling career into Social Media with How To Optimize Your Public Relations Effort for Social Media.

Marketing Melodie Modeling on NBC San Diego

*AUGUST*

August was a great opportunity for me to fine tune my corporate Social Media workshops and seminars for B2B companies. It’s an honor to work with National companies based locally in my backyard. I hosted a workshop for Networkfleet, and later worked with them on setting on their Facebook page that’s increasingly becoming more interactive. They’re a prime example on how a B2B company can benefit from Social Media.

*SEPTEMBER*

I had fun hosting a Social Media Educational workshops for a client, Insect Shield because their products and technologies fight pesky insects that always bite me! I was able to use my ammo, Social Media to fight bugs!

Insect Shield armed me with products to shield pests!

*OCTOBER*

Another unique and amazing speaking engagement took Marketing Melodie to the Middle East! I was invited as a featured speaker to another Internet Society conference INET Beirut

Marketing Melodie Speaks at INET Beirut

Beirut is a booming place for Social Media. Their social networking technologies are slightly behind those in the states but speaking to a savvy audience was truly an honor.  In addition to presenting at the conference I stayed for over a week and toured the oldest cities in the world, Byblos, Baalbek, Anjar just to name a few. I was in awe of the sights, culture and architecture.

Exploring Baalbek in Lebanon

*NOVEMBER*

I launched Digital Media Dinners and hosted the Inaugural event at Jasmine Seafood Restaurant. The topic was Facebook and Twitter for Business. My goal was to have attendees walk away with tactical and practical tips to implement immediately into their marketing strategy. I also provide an opportunity for networking. Stay tuned for more Digital Media Dinners in 2011!

[VIDEO] Digital Media Dinners- Facebook & Twitter for Business

Digital Media Dinners Audience

My enthusiasm for sharing my experiences earned me Yelp Elite Status and inspired me to teach business owners How To Encourage Authentic Yelp Reviews for Your Business

*DECEMBER*

As the featured speaker at the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau’s E Commerce Summit, it was a joy to combine my passion for San Diego and enthusiasm for Social Media, my two favorite subjects!

My final blog post of the year was a festive piece to celebrate the Holidays but also motivate everyone during a time that’s difficult to focus on work. Tis the Season for Marketing Yourself to Advance Your Career.

Yelp Elite Hippie Holiday Party with San Diego Community Manager, Danny Wurst

Thanks to everyone who motivated and inspired me this past year and here’s to a happy, healthy and prosperous 2011.

*Photo Credits

1.Dmitry Shapiro at WeekendU: Photo property of WeekendU, 2.Digital Media Dinners: Michael Regala Photography, 3. Yelp Elite Party: Rich and Creamy Productions

My most recent venture in education industry is one that I’m most grateful for. I have the privilege to educate college students at Platt College San Diego on a subject that is my absolute passion, Online Marketing and Social Media. I was hired to develop a brand new Marketing curriculum focused on innovation, new technology and social media which is really the essence of marketing in 2010 and beyond. The school teaches students both traditional and contemporary skills because the fields  instructed at Platt (3D Animation, Graphic & Web Design, Digital Video Production) are in a constant state of development. There is a strong emphasis on providing a foundation in problem solving skills to meet future challenges and needs of a constantly evolving job market. My role as a Marketing & Communication Instructor is to empower students with new technology and social media skills for their professional development and career ventures.

I’ve only been teaching the class for a few weeks and although it’s my role to be the educator, I have learned a significant amount in areas of business management, professional speaking, presentation skills and more. By sharing my learning I’d like to inspire others to start educating about their passion. Education isn’t limited to a college setting.  There are many platforms that allow one to teach about their passion. Professionals can educate other business owners, speak at industry events and educate within their own company. If you’re passionate about something, share it with others and that’s exactly what I’m doing!  Here’s how educating has helped my career development allowing me to better serve my clients and partners as an Online Marketing Consultant, Social Media Strategist, Speaker and Entrepreneur.

1. Refined Professional Speaker- I’ve been using professional speaking as a marketing tool for myself and a service offering to help businesses and events for the past few years. Speaking has always come naturally to me especially when I’m talking about my passion. The act of teaching has refined my professional speaking skills significantly because I’m constantly practicing my ability to read the audience and engage them with compelling content. I’m learning better ways to prompt participation to create an interactive experience. I’m also enhancing my skills to be clear and concise with my messaging.  Each lecture I give is essentially a new speaking platform for me as I continue to grow my business as a paid professional speaker on online marketing and social media.

2. Better Visual Presentations- I’ve learned how to incorporate visuals in a way that tells a story  thus eliminating long drawn out sentences through excessive bullet points. Images trump text in any publication as people see  images before even scanning the text.  Choosing the right images for your presentation really makes a difference in the ability to engage your audience. My visuals are consistent with my lecture.

3. Enhanced Business Management Skills- I compare managing a group of students to a leadership role in a company where you’re managing a team. I’m responsible for providing clear instruction, managing expectations, motivating my students to meet deadlines and being an overall leader that inspires my class to really take the initiative to stay learn.

4. Increased Knowledge about the Social Media Landscape- Since teaching the class I’ve educated myself more on the social media landscape and technology developments. I find myself reading more blogs, watching more videos and scouring social media for examples and case studies relevant to my lectures. While I do this because it’s a passion, it’s now become a responsibility. As a leader  in the classroom and a professional in the online marketing space, I expect myself to fully understand the evolving social media landscape.

5. Improved Interpersonal Communication- My interpersonal communication skills are constantly being challenged and improved as a Instructor. I work with students from all walks of life so I must be able to adapt to their style of communication but also implement strict policies in a manner which allows them to understand the benefits of my assignments and requests. I must be understanding of each individual student’s circumstances while being firm about my policies and overall craft replies that are tactful and respectful. These are the same strategies I apply to business relationships so the more situations I’m in where interpersonal skills are necessary the better I become at improving my own communication.

As my class continues I look forward to sharing more of what I learn and how it applies to my career development. I’m always open to new opportunities to teach and educate others so feel free to contact me if you feel there is a good fit with my teachings and your educational institute, business or organization.

When our idea’s time has arrived, it will be put into action and is unstoppable! Take a look at significant historical ideas that received much resistance yet when their time arrived, they were unstoppable. The abolishment of slavery, Women’s right to vote and the most recent election of a multiracial leader President Obama were all ideas  once unfathomable yet when their time arrived, they couldn’t be stopped!

Since I was in a freshman in college, it’s been my calling to live with an entrepreneurial spirit. Instead of waiting until graduation to gain work experience I began interning my first summer in college at Clear Channel Communication in San Diego as a Promotions intern for the Top 40 radio station, Channel 933 I enthusiastically attended retail events, movie premiers, concerts, club nights and theme parks to assist the radio station in creating a fun, interactive experience for customers while ensuring the client’s marketing objectives were aligned.  I enjoyed this so much that I attracted all the right people into my life to help me get hired on as a Promotions Assistant when I returned back to school in the fall at Clear Channel Communications in Santa Barbara.

I learned early that doing things with enthusiasm significantly enhances the experience not only for yourself but for others. I attracted more opportunities to do what I love which is helping businesses better market themselves and connect to their customers.  To name a few, I was hired on the Red Bull Promotions team, The San Diego Padres fan appreciation promotions team and The Active Network to assist with their marketing needs.

Upon graduating UC Santa Barbara, I was offered an amazing opportunity to work full time at Clear Channel Communication as a Marketing Consultant and Account Executive. For over 2 years I enjoyed every moment of creating interactive campaigns utilizing radio, internet, events and experiential promotions for both local businesses and national brands including: Ralphs/Kroger, Westfield Malls, Colgate Palmolive, Liberty Tax Service and AMC Theaters. As technology evolved, I saw a need for businesses to strengthen customer relationships, develop stronger communities and empower brand evangelists.  As more options became available to consumers I noticed a shift in behavior as they became less responsive to outbound and guerrilla marketing techniques. I saw a need to create opportunities in a space where consumers already belonged. This realization led to my transition in shifting the focus of my marketing strategies from outbound and guerrilla tactics to building communities and socializing  them on the web.

It became crystal clear to me that if your customers are already online, make sure they can find you when they’re searching and if they’re already on social networks, build a community for them in a space where they already belong.  I began attending technology events to grow my network with leaders in the online space and reading everything I could get my hands on about the evolving online marketing and social media industry. As I became more immersed, I had a strong knowing that the infinite online space was my calling. I graduated myself from traditional media and applied my understanding online. Since then I’ve dedicated the past 2 years to educating myself and others, blogging about the knowledge and insight I’ve learned and speaking about my passions to project positive energy and ideas that inspire others to use online technology and social media to grow their business.

While advancing my own knowledge I had the privilege to work with innovative industry leaders at various online marketing agencies in San Diego. I’ve been surrounded people who share my passion and collaborated with leaders who specialize in all areas of online marketing including SEO, PPC, Email Marketing, Analytics, Design, Development and Social Media.  Combining the energy I received from many colleagues and partners with my personal quest to learn, my understanding of the online space accelerated.  This allowed my strategic mind put everything in place as my entrepreneurial spirit continued to surface until my idea to pursue my own ventures became unstoppable! My decision to graduate from the agency world to pursue my own business was recently affirmed as all the right people and circumstances were drawn into my life.

My entrepreneurial spirit and ambitions have come to life. I am now following my true calling as I’ve declared my intention to advance my career by fully investing my time to connect, engage and inspire businesses and entrepreneurs to take charge of their own marketing goals through combining my initial experience of promotions and interactive marketing with new technology and social media. My business is completely self-reliant charged with my belief in myself and inspiration I receive from those around me. At the same time I’m partnering and collaborating with other thought leaders and entrepreneurs. I’m already accepting clients, being booked for speaking engagements and strengthening existing partnerships. My passion for education will extend beyond businesses. In addition I have been hired to create a new curriculum for Platt College’s marketing program. Beginning in January I’ll be teaching Marketing classes in a format that will empower students with technology and social media skills for their career ventures. I am so happy and grateful for everything and everyone who is and has been a part of my success.

I have  a lot in store for the upcoming year including a new website, enhanced branding for Marketing Melodie, new business ideas, partnerships and speaking engagements. This small idea I had years ago to pursue my entrepreneurial idea has officially arrived and I’m unstoppable. Please feel free to connect on my updated LinkedIn and Facebook . Thank you for reading such a personal post and here’s to a prosperous new year!

You may think Personal Assistants are just for the rich and famous and cost a fortune. You may also be an excellent multitasker and see no need for a Personal Assistant. BlackBerrys and laptops have definitely improved our efficiency, but even the most organized business professional can appreciate a helping hand. I’m grateful for my helping hand and Personal Assistant, AskSunday. I began using the AskSunday 24/7 Assistance almost 2 years ago and can confidently say they’ve significantly increased my productivity by helping me accomplish tasks that are important and urgent but don’t require my specialized skill or knowledge.

AskSunday is a service that provides Virtual Personal Assistants. They offer various packages for their 24/7 Assistance that begin as low as $37/month. They accept requests via email, phone, and even Twitter! They also offer Dedicated Assistants that provide help at a higher level. I’d like to share personal examples of how AskSunday has helped me optimize my valuable time.

1. Reservations- Reservations may seem simple but when I need a specific type of environment for a business meeting that has tables and chairs set up a certain way, a specific location in the room, various food preferences, want to prepay the bill and don’t have a restaurant in mind because the meeting is in a location I’m not familiar with, I AskSunday and they deliver. They do the research and provide me with various options.They also provide alternatives and let me know if there may conflicts with my request. I get back to them with my choice and they confirm the reservation by telling me who they spoke with in case anything comes up.

2. Price Comparisons- There are many times when I want to buy a product and know I can easily spend 20-30 minutes price comparing online but don’t because I’m busy working on a more important task. Same goes with booking travel. With AskSunday I can find the most cost effective solutions for purchases and travel without investing any extra time. They look things up, send me the options then go through with the actual purchasing, always making sure to send me a confirmation.

3. Booking Appointments and Cancellations- There are many appointments we put off booking because it’s on the bottom of our to-do list. AskSunday will book health appointments, spa treatments and other personal appointments. Many often put off cancellations more than booking because we already went through the hassle of setting it up. We know it may take a while to get through and confirm the cancellation. AskSunday has also helped me cancel other things that are necessary but not priorities. I somehow get on mailing lists for many magazines and catalogs that I don’t wish to receive. They help me help the environment by canceling these extraneous subscriptions.

4. Data Entry- Have a stack of business cards that need to be entered in your address book? Evernote your business cards and AskSunday will enter them for you. Have other data that needs to be organized in an excel spreadsheet? No problem! AskSunday does this in your sleep!

These are just a few of many requests AskSunday has assisted me with. Additional resources I have learned from are two books that have tremendously enhanced my knowledge on first prioritizing my tasks- Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity and then outsourcing certain tasks and knowing how to determine which items to delegate – The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

Now that you’ve read all about the possibility of having a Personal Assistant and how they have immensely increased my productivity I’m absolutely thrilled to announce that I’m giving away an entire month of AskSunday’s 24/7 Assistance’s Gold Plan! I’m very grateful to now have an opportunity to share my positive experience with one of you.

Here’s How you will win a complimentary month of AskSunday’s 24/7 Assistant service:
First you Must be a fan of Marketing Melodie’s Facebook Page to qualify. Once you’re a fan you can enter 3 ways. If you participate in all 3, you will be entered 3 different times.
1. Leave a comment my Facebook “Discussion” telling me how AskSunday will make your life more productive.
2. Retweet this blog post with the Tweet button on the top left of this post and make sure to include my Twitter name @MyMelodie in the tweet.
3. Leave a comment on this blog post with insight on what you personally do to increase productivity.

I will choose 1 lucky winner on Sunday December 13th, 2009. I’m choosing this date because it’s my birthday so there’s no better day to give away something very valuable to me! I wish everyone the best and success to increased productivity!