Jumping on the Bandwagon

Blog - 1
Whitney - 0


I jumped straight into the "must have a blog" bandwagon.  The idea was really exciting, my 7th grade English teacher said I was a good writer, and occasionally I have a thing or two to say.  A recipe for success, right?  If you've seen my empty blanket of posts the past few months, that would a negative.


However, I'm thinking my mishap lies in blogging before I really looked at blogs.


Don't get my wrong...I've seen my fair share of Perez Hilton.  But until recently, I was not clued into the regular Joes making a go of it in the blogging world.  You know, the kind of person I'm trying to be.


In the time I've been reading marketing blogs on a daily basis, there have been some awesome takeaways:


1)  A blog post can be short & sweet
2)  A blog doesn't have to change the world
3)  You lose me as a reader if you don't update on a regular basis


I liked that I jumped into blogging.  I don't like that I didn't simultaneously seek out others in the blogging world as benchmarks, virtual teachers, and commiseraters.  (Is that a word?  I wonder what Seth Godin would say about making up words...)


Are you a new blogger?  What are some takeaways you've gained since spilling your ideas onto the Internet?

Intimidation Be Damned!

I know...this puppy has been sitting idle for much too long.  I got busy with work, life...yadda, yadda, yadda.  And truth be told, I ran out of steam.  Turns out fun, creative, inspiring ideas don't come on demand.  And just so I'm brutally honest, it got a little intimidating out in the blogging world.  Turns out I'm not the funnest, most creative, awe-inspiring writer out there.  *insert gasp of shock*

Blogging is a vulnerable act.  Putting your personal thoughts on paper...err, computer screen...and sending them out into the Internet world for all to see is like signing up for Judgment Day - and continuing to do so with every entry.  (Ok, that's a very dramatic statement, but you get my drift.)

But I'm thinking even the tried-and-true (and most followed) bloggers may have had similar feelings of inadequacy at some point.  But they just went for it.  Why can't I?  What's the worst that can happen?  Being ridiculed for my ideas, of course...but hey, I would say the most important gurus in history have faced the same fate, yet forged ahead.  (I know, I'm getting dramatic again.)

So here's my vow: the next time I'm feeling fun and/or creative and/or inspired, I'll take the plunge.  Intimidation be damned!

"If you are insecure, guess what?  The rest of the world is too.  Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself.  You are better than you think." ~ Timothy Ferriss

Book Review: The Great Game of Networking

As a Future Guru, you know networking is vital to your professional growth. Yet the majority of us are stumped in how to and where to practice this mysterious art. Even seeking out information on networking can be daunting…Amazon.com has over 40,000 books on the topic!

So if you’re looking for a simple, straight-forward book on this topic, I would recommend The Great Game of Networking by Dr. Burt Smith – affectionately known as Dr. Burt. I received Dr. Burt’s book when I joined the Oklahoma City chapter of the American Marketing Association, of which Dr. Burt is an active member. (Disclaimer: I have met Dr. Burt, but it was only after reading the book and establishing my positive review. My review is unbias!)

Although I received a free copy with my AMA membership, I’d glady spend the $12.95 on this book. Here’s why I think it’s worthwhile and why I think you will too:

1. It’s an easy read at 110 pages.

2. It convinces you it is important to network.

3. It covers everything from appearance to follow-up.

4. It offers practical exercises to apply at your next networking event.

Even if this book isn’t for you, I encourage you to find a few that suit your needs and reading style.  Reading about your industry, researching hot topics, and brushing up your professionalism skills are important ingredients to creating career magic.

Sorry FGs – studying didn’t end when you picked up that diploma. So let’s get to it!

Gossip - amongst Professionals? Yep.

“God, what is that hair? Soooo yesterday.”

Those aren’t the words of a 15 year old teeny bopper but of Carly Fiorina, California’s GOP Senate candidate. She was recently caught on a live mike trashing the hairdo of her political rival. Apparently we never really grow out of high school slandering.

This made me think of gossip in the work place, because I know Ms. Fiorina isn’t alone in offering up an office trash talk or two. Whispers can be heard at large firms and small start-ups, amongst young professionals and top management – and large political figures. Chatter can center on bosses and coworkers, policy agenda and company culture. It can be one snarky comment or a weekly conversation amongst colleagues.

But why is gossip – amongst grown adults in the professional world – such a staple?

From my experience, gossip seems to build a sort of camaraderie. I’ve seen coworker bonds grow closer over the dislike of a particular person or policy. After all, what’s better than someone else validating your point of view? Sometimes it’s just as simple as wanting to make a catty comment. Have you ever had a situation irk you so much you just had to relay the experience to someone else so they could feel your pain?

However, not partaking in office gossip can seemingly backfire too. I have a friend that once overheard office gossip about herself, in which the group was gossiping about the fact she didn’t gossip. (Sounds very Seinfeld-esque to me.) It seemed the group felt my friend wasn’t a group ally because she didn’t partake in their daily boss bashings. She was excommunicated from group lunches because of it.

So are you damned if you do and damned if you don’t? Building relationships and bonds under the guise of gossip seems to characterize yourself as a colleague that can’t be trusted. Rising above the gossip and refusing to participate could paint you as a corrupter of group cohesion.

As a young professional establishing a reputation, I believe it’s best to risk the latter. Though bonds with gossiping coworkers may be established in the short-term, your long-term career goals could suffer. Would you want to hire someone known for a flaming tongue? Yeah, I don’t think any future employers would either.

Of course, in the heat of the conversation, your anti-gossiping skills will be tested. Stay strong, Future Gurus. We’ve got our reputations to uphold! I bet Ms. Fiorina would agree.

What are some of your experiences with office gossip? What outcomes have you seen?

The Debate: Renaissance Man versus Niche Expert

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, becoming a Renaissance Man is embracing all knowledge and developing capabilities as much as possible. A niche is a specialized market.

I mention these definitions because I recently overheard a debate on which is best in the professional world: being a Jack of All Trades or being the Go-To Gal for one particular skill set.

On the surface, being great at a lot of things is a no-brainer. However, I wonder if you can be truly great at multiple things when attention is spread so thin among those interests. “Jack of all Trades, Master of None,” anyone? It seems that giving attention to one area of expertise would create a bigger bang, make a stronger impact.

Then there’s the indispensable factor: would an employer be more likely to keep and promote a person with a general knowledge of advertising, business development, office administration, and accounting or a person who could repeat the Sarbanes-Oxley auditing procedure by heart? 

Perhaps the answer varies by industry.  Or maybe it's dependent on the needs of an individual's personality.

I don’t know what’s best. But at this point in my career, I do know that I’m not ready to pick a niche. My list of things I’d like to learn more about runs at about 1,200 items. (That’s a guesstimate, folks. I couldn’t even begin to actually calculate!) I feel my time is best spent embracing all those interests, and perhaps I’ll find a niche by doing so. Therefore, Pro-Renaissance Man I must be…at least at this point in my career.

What about you? Do you think it’s best to be really great at one thing? Or to be good at several things?

Let the debate begin!

But I Just Don't Have Time!

“I wish I could call back Ms. Smith, but I just don’t have time!”

“If the red lights cooperate, I can leave five minutes before the meeting time and be okay!”

“If only there were more hours in the day!”

Ever had these thoughts? I have…just last week.

I didn’t post a blog update last week because “I didn’t have time.” Then I participated in the Oklahoma City Go Red for Women Luncheon last Friday and attended a break-out session on time management. That is where I learned that I didn’t post last week because I didn’t make time. There’s a big difference between the two.

Jennifer Howard of the Next Level Group led the break-out session and discussed her “Ten Effective and Proven Time Management Techniques.” Her points made me realize I can make my day more productive with proper planning and proper avoiding!

Her time management tips are worth sharing:

1. Put important things on the calendar – not just work appointments but personal appointments too.

2. Avoid interrupters. (Facebook, anyone?)

3. Assign blocks of time.

4. Chose self-discipline over distractions. (Is there a bigger distraction than Facebook?!)

5. Manage your space.

6. Focus! (And not on Facebook!)

7. Delegate.

8. Be on time.

9. Have a place and a purpose.

10. Say “no.”

Incorporating these techniques will take time and practice. But hopefully with such practice, we will all be saying:

“Ms. Smith – it’s Whitney Williams, returning your call from this morning!”

“I was stopped at every red light and still made the meeting on time!”

“I love all this free time. Wahoo time management!”

What Your Desk Says About You

You can spend 40 hours a week at your desk, so it can become like a second home. At that second home, co-workers stop by to chat, and supervisors drop off assignments. You work, you snack, you snooze (just kidding). With so much activity centered around that little table, it’s no wonder business associates come to conclusions about you with a three second glance into your cubicle.

So what are these associates thinking?

There are two schools of thought on what your desk says about you. 1) A messy desk equals a messy mind.  2) A tidy desk equals too much time. Personally, I believe both these answers are correct.

A work space filled with mounds of paperwork, chotskies from the past eight conferences you attended, and so many Post-It notes that your boss thinks you painted your desk yellow, sends the signal you are scattered, unorganized, and unable to keep up with assigned tasks. However, a desk that is spotless, with the stapler and tape dispenser angled at an exact 65 degrees, may illustrate a stronger focus on organization rather than the organization itself. Or even worse, that you are too rigid and inflexible to handle the least amount of chaos.

Find the perfect medium that showcases both productivity and punctuality. Create a desk environment that demonstrates your abilities to multi-task in an organized and flexible way. Allow your business associates, supervisors, and co-workers to see you are the total package.

All this attention toward a desk may seem overkill, but never underestimate the power of your professional image and what tools can help or hurt you. Cover all your bases, cubicle and all.

My Blog & I Are Just Rolling with It.

When I started this blog, my goal was to write about marketing hot topics, all in an effort to complement my trail towards Marketing Guruhood. However, as I wrestle with post ideas, it seems I’m more drawn to stories about coming of age professionally instead of the latest marketing trends.

I enjoy marketing as a profession, and I yearn to learn more about it. That’s why I went back to school for a graduate degree. That’s why I subscribe to newsletters and buy the latest Seth Godin books. But on this blogging journey, I’m discovering it’s not exactly what drives me to write.

It seems I’m intrigued by the trials and tribulations of young professionals. I’m fascinated by my friends’ discussions on career hardships and if they’ll ever get that corner office. I’m captivated by my colleagues’ accomplishments and how they plan to continue accumulating them. I’m engaged in my girlfriends’ struggles with starting families and contemplating leaving the corporate world for mommyhood.

I want to explore these topics, learn from them, and share them. Because regardless of our career fields, young professionals seem to have the same frustrations, ambitions, successes and failures.

So is it ok for me to change my initial direction? Do I need to start a new blog with a new title to reflect this? Or can I just roll with it?

I’m rolling with it. This blog is a work in progress, and I’m learning what works and what doesn’t. But that’s pretty much everything in life, right?

Building Brands on Small Budgets

We all know Coca Cola, Nike, and McDonald’s. We know their products, we know their slogans. These big dogs of business have logos that speak for themselves. Ahh…branding at its best.

So it takes a nine figure marketing budget to build a recognizable brand, right? Wrong. But for small business marketers, it can be overwhelming to build a brand without that massive chunk of change. I know, because I work for a small business, and I was initially overwhelmed in the prospect of doing just that.

However, I’m learning that building a brand is essentially building credibility. Building my brand with a small budget doesn’t enable me to place my company’s logo on every billboard throughout town. I can’t hire an agency to write a catchy jingle my neighbors whistle while they wash their cars. But I can build a brand that is known for solid work that speaks for itself. I can position my company as my neighbor’s go-to when they’re in need of our services.

To build that turn-to brand, companies need visibility in the local community. Employees need to be seen as experts in the field. Clients need to be happy and recommend services. Essentially, as John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing puts it, a brand can be built by “becoming knowable, likable, and trustable.”

And guess what? We small business marketers can do that…small budgets and all.

A Professional Wardrobe On My Budget?

“Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.”

I’m sure all young professionals have heard this advice. And I know it’s great advice. Problem is we young professionals have salaries that can’t afford the CEO's wardrobe. Target, not Talbots, is more our bank account’s speed. So what’s a Future Guru to do?

Here are some tips to getting the boss' look on a FG budget...

1. Goodwill has professional clothes! Gasp!
I have friends that balk at my shopping for work clothes at Goodwill. However, Goodwill has a surprising amount of professional wear on their racks. Sure, the worn-out cotton blouses and stretched sweaters may not work in the office, but blazers and suit pants tend to hold their structure long past their original owner’s use. I’ve found pants, skirts, and jackets from The Limited, Anne Taylor, Victoria’s Secret, and Banana Republic all at my local Goodwill. And feeling like I’ve gone on a shopping spree and only spending $20?!? It doesn’t get much better than that.

2. Second-hand Shops aren’t just for your grandma anymore.
Or is it just my grandma that loves those places? Most consignment shops are very particular about the clothes they bring into their stores, ensuring a better selection for us FGs. Though not as inexpensive as Goodwill, many bargains are to be had here. I’ve scored two pairs of my favorite work pants for $16 each. Had I bought those at the retail store? $130.

3. Dual purpose is the name of the game.
You really want to buy a cute outfit for Friday night, but you know it’s best to invest in more professional garb. I’ve been there. So go for the best of both worlds! Buy that cute top that goes with jeans on Friday night and a blazer and slacks on Monday morning. Buying dual purpose clothes that work in and out of the office stretches your clothing budget.

4. Essentials are essential and worth a pretty penny.
There are times when a Target suit just won’t do. A nice navy suit for an interview, grey slacks that fit you to a T, great red pumps that add some personality to your basic blacks (and are all-day wearable)…these are essentials worth an investment. That suit may cost you $150, but it will last for years and offer multiple outfit varieties.

5. Befriend a tailor.
Yes, tailors add to your clothing budget. But if you found a great BCBG dress at Goodwill that’s just a tad too big, a tailor can save that shopping miracle. A pair of second-hand $10 pants plus a $10 hem is still a bargain. And what’s better than clothes that fit you perfectly?

I hope these tips help you present a professional image at your office. Dressing the part gives you even more confidence to act the part. It’s essential for Future Guru Status!

The Old College Try

This guru journey – just as everything in life – is a rollercoaster ride. There are ups and downs, glory and gloom, success and failures. But you know what I’m learning most? It’s best to know I’ve tried, regardless of the outcome.

Several weeks back, I was at a networking event where I overheard someone talking about social media. This person wanted to give clients a workshop on how to incorporate social media into their businesses but didn’t know who to turn to for that knowledge. Thinking this was a great opportunity to make a connection, be helpful, and organize my first-ever workshop, I spoke up and asked if I could help.

I contacted this person the next day, and we set up lunch. We had lunch. We discussed social media and how the workshop would go. We parted ways. I sent some more materials and contacted to follow up…to no avail. It looks like I’m not the direction this workshop is going.

Although I initially felt like an awkward teen being stood up for the Spring Dance, I began to realize what a bold step I had taken. One year ago, I wouldn’t have approached that person. Two years ago, I wouldn’t have even been at that networking event. Putting myself out there and giving it the old college try was a major step in my professional growth. So what if it was a flop? At least I tried.

And in the words of Rosalind Russell, “Flops are a part of life’s menu, and I’ve never been a girl to miss out on any of the courses.” So let's be bold future gurus…go out and give it the old college try!

Need advice? Just ask.

I’m a new blogger, I’m fairly new to the marketing world…in a nut shell, I’m a newbie. Newbies like me can find it intimidating to start the trail towards guru status, but I’m realizing there are a slew of professionals out in the marketing world always happy to help our little group. All you have to do is ask.

I sent out a tweet asking about blogging tips. By the end of the day, I had been sent some great advice through others retweeting my cry for help. (By the way, Bobby Lehew had some fabulous points: always write with Purpose, Persistence, Patience, and an Iron Will of Perseverance!”) I was hoping to get more involved with the American Marketing Association, and Brian Blake of B2 Design made it happen. I thanked the networking genius known as Dr. Burt for his insight, and he wrote me a hand-written letter asking how he could help me in my marketing guru journey. Ok, he didn’t really call it the “marketing guru journey,” but you get my drift.

As it turns out, professionals are more than willing to help others if you express interest and start asking questions. You get answers. You get connections. You get to take a step closer to guru-hood! Whoever said we lack nice people in this world certainly didn’t work in marketing.

So if you’re a newbie like me, or if you’ve been in your field for quite some time and want to make a bigger impact, just ask for tips and advice from those around you. It’s amazing where it can take you.

Who??

I met up with some wonderful colleagues this morning for coffee (well for me, just the smell of coffee…can’t touch the stuff!). We all work in the A/E/C industry (Architecture, Engineering, Construction), but it was quite apparent they had been working in it longer. The companies they spoke about and the people mentioned are not on my radar. They should be.

Sometimes I trap myself inside the marketing bubble and don’t search out additional information on the people within the industry I’m marketing. I’m realizing I should know which architect is working on the big project downtown just as much as I know about who is organizing the next Chamber event. I need to know information on the engineering firm that’s discussed over lunch as much as I know about the author of the latest marketing book. I want to know which construction company goes after educational projects as much as I know about which marketing colleague to contact when I’m in need of blogging tips. (Thanks Brian!)

So many people and places, so little time! But I’m realizing more and more their importance, so I need to start making time. Off to do a little AEC research!

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

I've got my first follower! (And that follower isn't a relative!)

My friend commented that a blog's first follower is similar to a business' first dollar made. So with that sentiment, here is my virtually framed bill.

In the words of Wycleaf Jean: "Dollar Dollar Bill Y'all!"

Twitter Tips from SmallBizTrends.com

Small Business Trends (www.smallbiztrends.com) asked its readers for their best Twitter Tips. The feedback must have been overwhelming, because the list ended up with a whopping 137 recommendations! If you don’t have time to read all of “137 Small Business Twitter Tips” 29 pages, no worries…read my Top Ten List!
Rachel, Baying Hound
Web: www.bayinghound.com
Twitter: @bayinghound
“Use linked in contacts or your business card collection to look up and follow people in your field: vendors, peers, and, importantly, competitors. Then, browse through who they are tweeting with and add those people. Join the conversations and tweet questions of your own.”
Heather Smith, MYOB Trainer
Twitter: @myobtrainer
“Alternate between something relevant to your business and something irrelevant. I work in the accounting world, so I tweet comments on the budget, tax season, an opportunity that clients may like etc. I then will tweet about something positive, upbeat, but irrelevant to my business…my passion fruits have come into season and they are yummy…”Joseph Manna, Infusionsoft
Web: www.infusionsoft.com
Twitter: @JoeManna
“Commit. Don’t just Tweet and neglect it, focus and commit yourself to at least a half-hour a day to discovering and Tweeting.”
Yiana, DIY SiteExpressWeb: www.diysiteexpress.com
“Always keep up with your business branding! This means creating a custom Twitter background that shows your brand. You can get tips and a free template in a recent blog article that I wrote “Brand Recognition: Creating a Custom Twitter Background” http://tiny.cc/NGWJA”
Paul Rosenfeld, Fanminder
Web: http://fanminder.com/
Twitter: @fanminder
“My favorite tip is how to use Twitter to find new customers. I first use Google and type “Twitter for ______” and fill in the blank with a vertical that might use Twitter - for example, restaurants. I typically get a few articles that are round-up articles of all restaurants in a given city using Twitter. Then I follow these restaurants and engage in conversations with them - we’ve gotten one customer so far this way and I expect we can generate many or even most of our new customers in the next six months this way.”

Jeannette McCreight
Twitter: @mccr8
“Don’t be all about business; share the human side of your company.”
Katasha Butler, K Sherrie and Company
Web: www.ksherrieco.com
Twitter: @ksherrieco
“Please do not use Twitter for one long commercial about your company. We don’t want to always hear about you, you, you: what you did, what your company is doing, and what your company wants to do. Be interactive, ask questions and be the mensch. Otherwise—you’re unfollowed!”
Tim Milburn
Web: http://studentlinc.typepad.com/
Twitter: @timage
“A quality “T.W.E.E.T. is: Timely, Worth-reading, Educational, Entertaining, and Tweople-connecting.”
Lisa Sonora Beam, CreativeEntrepreneur
Web: www.thecreativeentrepreneur.biz
Twitter: @LisaSonoraBeam
“Be sure to RT others first and often. What goes around...”
Lisa Picarille
Web: www.lisapicarille.com
Twitter: @lisap
“I recommend checking twitter first thing in the morning so you can respond to any questions or join in conversations. Then I typically wait about two hours and then limit my time to only 10 minutes. I do searches on keywords I care about and have some alerts already set up. I also look at my @ replies. I don’t usually look again until lunch time. And again, I limit my time to 10 minutes. I follow that about every two hours.”

Now go follow these Twitterific people! I’m off to do so as well.

Link to “137 Small Business Twitter Tips” from Small Business Trends:
http://smallbiztrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/smbiz-twitter-tips-2.pdf

Texting for Waffles

I was recently asked about my thoughts on mobile marketing, and quite honestly I didn’t have many of them. I’m not well versed in the topic, but with 3 billion mobile phones in circulation, I thought it’d be best to become more so. In the process, I discovered some mobile marketing stories that may peak your interest...

· Waffle House has launched its first two-way text campaign that has seen a 47% increase in opt-in subscribers from January to February. Consumers can text the keyword WH and their ZIP code or city and state to short code LOCATE (562283) to find the closet restaurant.

· In the wake of the tragic earthquake in Haiti, the American Red Cross initiated a mobile marketing campaign run my mGive to accept donations in the form of text. In the three days following the disaster, the campaign contributions surpassed $8 million. Similar campaigns collected $400,000 total in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and $200,000 following the December 2004 Tsunami. The drastic difference in these numbers showcases the rise in the success of mobile marketing campaigns in the past five years.

· Nike launched an interactive billboard campaign in New York City in which passersby used their cell phone to interact with a 23-story Times Square billboard, customizing and directly purchasing their own Nike shoe. After designing a sneaker on screen, the user received a text message within seconds containing mobile phone wallpaper with the shoe and a link to the Nike iD site where they could buy it.

· Just this morning a local radio station was soliciting entries via text to win tickets to the Lady Gaga show at the Ford Center on July 20th. I’m a casual listener of the station, but with this contest, I will be keeping my dial set and my phone ready to win tickets! Perhaps this mobile marketing campaign will create a loyal listerner out of me.

Not only is mobile marketing a powerful, interactive communication tool, it also offers highly measurable results in profiling customers. And most importantly, your customers are choosing to hear from you. And what’s more valuable than an engaged consumer?

Oh – and again, that Waffle House locator code is 562283. Save it in your phone contacts for you next late-night craving.

MLB & Victoria's Secret?

This morning USAToday.com posted an article titled “MLB Partners with Victoria’s Secret to take swing at female fans.” I’m a female, and I’m a fan – of baseball and Vicki’s (my personal nickname for the store). And I’ll definitely be checking out this new collection.

However, I’m not sold into believing Victoria’s Secret’s core demographic, especially of its PINK brand, is the same as MLB’s female demographic that constitutes 40% of game attendance. The last game I attended was filled with more moms and toddlers than co-eds in PINK gear.

So is MLB’s targeting of such a group going to prove successful? My guess would be great success in clothing purchasing, but only time will tell if those retail sales translate into more women in the stands at the next Cubs game. But if your company is focusing on reaching the correct demographic, it’s important to remember the basic concept of quality versus quantity – ensuring you’re reaching the right consumers, not a lot of the wrong ones. Why pay for commercials on FX when your target consumer is watching Disney? Why stress brand awareness to a soccer mom when a retired golfer is mostly likely to purchase your products?

Here are some great tips on how to best target your demographic:

1. Find specific market segments through a third-party research services like Claritas and Nielsen/Net Ratings
2. Identify your real customer base – your “power customers”
3. Fit the message to that power customer where that power customer shops, eats, works, and plays
What are some other demographic targeting strategies your company practices?

Link to USAToday.com article:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2010-03-14-mlb-victorias-secret_N.htm

My Sister's Wedding!

Here are some pictures of my sister's wedding, held at the Conrad-Caldwell House in Louisville, Kentucky!

MIA...for good reason!

I admit I haven't been sticking to my initial pledge of posting a daily article synoposis...but for good reason! Last Thursday I went back home to Kentucky for my sister's wedding! I'll provide proof with pictures tomorrow (and I really just want to show off the beautiful wedding!).

Underdog Marketing

Today on NYTimes.com, there is an article titled “Pressed by Charters, Harlem Public Schools Turn to Marketing.” As a girl that grew up in a place where your school was simply determined by the location of your home, this entire where-will-I-send-my-child-to-school debate is somewhat foreign to me. But the marketing twist is definitely intriguing.

This seems to be the age old David-versus-Goliath situation, with public schools operating on $500 marketing budgets competing against the powerful marketing engine of charter schools like the Harlem Success Academy. A Google search for the two opposing websites makes the case in point: Harlem Success Academy has a polished, well-produced site offering a wealth of information. Harlem Public Schools doesn’t have one.

So how can the little guy make its case with restrictive resources? According to Paul Flowers, author of Underdog Advertising, forging your own path and avoiding copycat syndrome of your bigger competitors are key. He recommends following these ten core principles:

1. Think Outside the Box
2. Take Risks
3. Strategy before Execution
4. Be Contrary
5. Select Your Battlefield
6. Focus! Focus! Focus!
7. Be Consistent
8. Demonstrate Value
9. Speed & Surprise
10. Be Patient

What are some other effective ways for smaller budgeted operations to make their mark?

Link to NYTimes article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/education/10marketing.html?pagewanted=2&hpw

My Twitter Purpose

Twitter, tweet, twypo (ok, I made that one up)...bottom line, Twitter buzz words are everywhere. Most businesses know they should have a presence on Twitter, yet very few have a purpose. And until recently, I was operating under that same mindset, and my Twitter account was stagnant.

But I've now recognized my Twitter purpose, and I'm hoping to cross platforms with this blog, all in the attempt to broaden my reach and garner more knowledge on my ultimate quest. (Marketing Guru or Bust!...I like to chant it sometimes, to keep myself motivated.)

A few times a day I post links to informative and interesting marketing articles (at least in my opinion!) to my followers. However, in the rush of a busy work day, I'll admit I sometimes don't even read all the articles myself! The work in finding that information certainly isn't paying off, and I've recognized the need to be committed to learning more about current marketing trends.

So here is my pledge: for one article I post on my Twitter account per day, I will write on my blog a synopsis and hopefully add some additional insight and knowledge from other marketing professionals. Perhaps we can all add a little something to our marketing repertoire this way!

Recording Self-Indulgence or Self-Discovery?

Self-indulgence is my least favorite trait in a person. A Facebook status that screams "pay attention to me" or a Twitter feed that flaunts self-awesomeness makes me cringe. And last night, as I was reflecting on the creation of my first ever blog, I wondered if I suddenly became that self-indulgent flaunter. Why did I think anyone would be interested in what I have to say? Truth be told, I'm not sure anyone is...I am my only follower at this point!

But after arriving at work this morning, and I feel like the universe is telling me "it's ok to have a blog." Why? My daily tear-off-a-page desk calendar (The Word Origin Calendar...yep, I'm nerd) is giving me the history of the word "blog." If that's not a sign letting me know a blog is a-ok, I don't know what is. Of course, this could just be a total coincidence that I'm rationalizing into a sign, but I like the thought of the universe aligning to give me advice. (Yes, I realize that's a completely self-indulgent thought.)

So perhaps recording my trials and tribulations on the path to career discovery for the average late 20s girl isn't such a bad thing. I'm choosing to see it as a record of self-discovery. I guess only time will tell if that's correct...

And just in case you're curious (or a tidbit nerd like me), here's The Word Origin Calendar's thoughts on blog:
"In 1997, using a new technology that allowed him to make daily changes to his homepage on the World Wide Web, a journalist called Jorn Barger coined the term 'weblog,' on the model of a ship or airplane log. In 1999, Peter Merholz read the word as 'we blog' and abbreviated it as 'blog' on his own site. The word has proliferated, just as the thing itself."

Marketing Guru or Bust

When you're 12, you think life should be figured out by 20. Then you hit 25, and you realize you're still a baby in the world, you begin to understand nothing works out the way you think (sometimes for the better), and you wonder how everyone else has choosen a career path when you get dizzy just thinking about it.

I'm 27, on the verge of 28, and I've adjusted to the dizziness and think I know what I want to do with my professional life. Maybe. At least I've narrowed it down to the very focused area of marketing (sense the sarcasm here). At least that's a start, right?

So here goes my journey towards becoming a marketing guru. I hope to record my triumphs and sulk in my failures, while sharing some valuable lessons learned and marketing knowledge acquired. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, I'll be figuring out exactly what I mean by marketing guru...