Category Archives: Social Media

My Think Tank (No, Twitter is not a waste of time.)

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You get out of Twitter what you put into it. It’s that simple. One of the reasons why Twitter has been so valuable to me as a person and indirectly to this business, is because of the way I’ve chosen to use it.

Sure I learn from blogs, but when you have access to people, it’s totally different. I didn’t just join twitter to push out our content. I, like Gary Vaynerchuk, am collecting relationships.

I would like to introduce you to (most of) my think tank.

BridgetTwitterFriends-092713

We all met on Twitter. Actually Wendy (not pictured) and Cyndi started Facebook Liking Tuesdays  (#FBLT). Tweets became friendly, Twitter relationships migrated to Facebook, and those friendships deepened. We have become a group that supports one another’s careers and pursuits. If anyone has a question, there’s surely someone in this group that knows the answer.

This is what I call the Human ROI (Return on Investment) of Twitter.  I know that my life has been indelibly altered because of these women. I may even dare to say that much of the fruit of my labor here at Riggins is because of the education, support, and brainstorming I’ve done with them. Continue reading →

Twitter Challenge: Engage Friday

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conversation hearts in silver dishI am the first to admit that it’s very easy to get into a Twitter Rut. Sometimes Follow Friday on Twitter can just add to that stuck feeling.

Thousands, maybe tens or hundreds of thousands, of group shoutouts are tweeted every week. What began as a recommendation tool (read Carol Stephen’s Best Practices) has become an automated, rewteeted nightmare to some and waste of time for others. Follow Friday is almost as pointless as throwing a bowl of conversation hearts at people in a party and expecting them to talk to you. Continue reading →

Six blogs I actually read

Five Business and Marketing Blogs I Actually Read

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Social Media Junkie?
Self-Improvement Nut?
I’ve certainly been accused as much.

Well, if you want to pick my brain, you can read this blog; even better, go to the source.

So what kind of material do I read? I read quite a lot of blogs. As for paper books, I have a few marketing and productivity books both on my shelf and in my reading queue.

On the list of reading material also includes trade magazines that come in the mail, yes, that are made of actual paper. Sometimes, you just have to give your poor eyes a break from the blue screen. Perhaps I’ll feature some of those periodicals in a future post.

Information comes at us, especially Twitter users, at break-neck speeds. There are two primary ways that I cut through the clutter to get to the good stuff.

Disclaimer: I read a lot of different blogs. These are the ones that I consistently read related to marketing, business, productivity, and time management. Continue reading →

Our group. Bridget Willard, Office Manager Mark DeSio, Director of Public Relations Division, Caltrop Darrel Cole, Manager Communications & Public Involvement, Parson Brinckerhoff

Digital Influence Panel – You Are What You Tweet

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our business cardsHere is the recording of my talk “You Are What You Tweet” from the ACEC California‘s Digital Influence Panel at their annual conference 4/10/13.

I mention iFLOOR.com and Burgin Construction Inc. as my first AEC connections as well as SafetyTeddi and WindowWorks.

Another shout-out was given for CustomerSpecs‘ clever use of tea in #MarkeTea.

Highlight:

“When you have a relationship with a person, the logo has meaning.”  Tweet This

I also reference the customer service experience we had with one of the employees of Earth Island Natural Foods discussed in this blog post.

Continue reading →

Branding: A Lasting Impression

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Untitled by Felipe Lordello

I’m sitting at lunch with friends just the other day and I was asked the question,

“What is branding?”

Branding is listening to a thirty-year old Michael Jackson song on the radio and recognizing the Eddie Van Halen guitar solo.

Branding is making a decision between using a restroom at a gas station or the restroom at a Starbucks.

Branding is being reminded of your beloved uncle when you smell pipe tobacco with a hint of cherry.

Is Branding A Logo?

Yes and no.

In many ways, branding is the connection of your sensual experiences.  When I see a Diet Coke can, I become thirsty. Why?  I remember the feel of a cold can in my hands, the sound the can makes when it pops open, the tickle down my throat, and the taste afterward.  All of those memories are tied into the Diet Coke logo.

Human history is full of seals, rings, flags, coats of arms, and crests used to distinguish families, tribes, and nations.  The human condition is curious; as much as we long for group acceptance, we still desire to be distinct and recognized. But I digress.

Although the etymology of branding is varied, we can all imagine a rancher using a hot iron to brand his livestock.  Each ranch had a distinct logo that made a permanent impression. Though originally intended to distinguish ownership, the logo reflected on the rancher, whether good or bad.

Your behavior as a company will be associated with your logo.  In this regard, the branding is the logo and the logo is the brand.

In my presentation, “You Are What You Tweet,” I gave the example that the Caltrop logo had no meaning to me until I met one of their employees, Mark DeSio.

“When you have a relationship with a person, the logo has meaning.” (Tweet This)

Continue reading →