Make Like a Mohawk and Stand Out

I found a new site today. It's good. One of its articles caught my attention because it had the word 'mohawk' in the title. Basically, it says that a blogger needs the attitude of a mohawk, because someone with a mohawk is automatically a little awesome. And if your blog stands out half as much as a bright green spikey mohawk, you're set. So anyways, I read it. I loved it. And now I'm passing it on. Enjoy.

V4Men. Wait, what?

There's a store called V4Men.
That's it. No explanation, no clue as to what the store wants to sell you. They just give you a handy V4Men label, and expect you to walk right in.

So I think I'm gonna walk in. Because all I've been able to think about for a whole day is what this V stands for (ok, and Jacob Black). It's something just for men, and it starts with a V. I'm fairly certain I know what this thing may be, but I won't spoil the surprise. And I just in case, I've come up with a list of alternatives:
-Velcro 4 Men
-Vices 4 Men
-Vacuum's 4 Men
-Vapid Men
-Varicose Veins 4 Men
-Velociraptors 4 Men

Now, unless it's a velociraptor, I'm not really interested in this product. And obviously, the store isn't interested in selling it to me. But regardless, I will brave the awkward stares and the uncomfortable moment when I open the door to find rows of V----- surrounding me, just so I know. Once and for all.

So why has this store been so irritatingly present on my mind? Because the store didn't come right out and say what it was selling. It gave me a hint, a little teaser, and then left me to my own devices. Dangerous territory, but effective advertising.

The whole point is that I'm still thinking about it a day later. Had the store simply told me that it was selling Vegetables 4 men, I would have lost interest before I was done reading the title. But by leaving me with sneaky little V, the company has successfully piqued my interest. It's sort of like that godawful 5-dollar-footlong Subway song--the godfather of all annoying advertising. You might hate Subway for it, but that song is ingrained in you for life. Sorry.

Lesson learned? Find a way to keep people thinking about your product. Preferably a much less annoying one than Subway.

Americone Dream + Stephen Colbert = Good Times

Why does everyone love social media? Let's give this a think. Oh, because it's SOCIAL. We, the humans, like to be social. We like to connect, we like to gossip. It makes us happy.

So by incorporating this social aspect into businesses, we the humans will by extension be happier.

At my company, Journal Communications, we like to be social. We like to chat, we like to hang out, we like to have a good time.

This called for a Good Times Committee, responsible for ensuring that every once in a while, we come together and, you know, have a good time. Last Friday we had an ice cream social. And nothing in the world makes someone happier than 'ice cream' and 'social' put together.
Unless they're lactose intolerant.

Now, I'm not just trying to say that JCI is brilliant and came up with this awesome idea, but really, it is kind of brilliant. They actively take measures to make sure that the company environment is more enjoyable, which a lot of places might not do. Apparently, there was dodgeball last year. At work.

So, for people that work 8-5 five long days a week, its good to know that someone actually cares that you're happy during that long day. Someone wants you to have a Good Time.

By the way, Ben and Jerry's Americone Dream will give a whole new meaning to the words 'good time'. It's that good. And it's Stephen Colbert endorsed. Yum.

Social Media is like Hitting a Pinata: A lot Harder than it Looks

My niece turned 7 yesterday, so naturally, we partied.

The best part? Make your own sundaes. Those never get old, no matter how old you get.

The worst part? There was a pinata, but nobody got to hit it. They took it on vacation instead, like it would somehow be more fun to play with other kids instead of a crowd of 22-62 year olds. I know, weird.

I probably wouldn't have been allowed to play with the pinata anyways. Though as the baby of the family I've been freeze-framed as a perpetual seven-year-old, so maybe they would have given me a swing, which I would have missed and it would have been embarrassing. Whew, dodged that bullet.

But when you think about it, the whole concept of a pinata is embarrassing. You stand there, blindfolded, and bat randomly at some hanging thing that just smiles and laughs at your failed attempts while your friends laugh at you in the background when you miss and hit the birdfeeder instead. And then you stand there and awkwardly laugh with them, internally crying and feeling pathetic because you can't hit the giant animal swinging in front of your face. Really, the things we put children through. No wonder they grow up and need things like the Beautiful People dating site to reinstate their self-esteem (or obliterate it completely).

The point, you ask? I've wondered a few times myself, so I'll try to make this sound semi-enlightening (though obviously I really just wanted to talk about pinatas). Finding success in an industry like social media is just like being a kid with a dream of bursting the pinata. Except its not just a kid, it's all the kids at the party. And this is a big party, we're talking thousands of kids. They're all trying their hardest to be the one to start the candy shower, but only one can do it.

So there you are, whacking blindly at the pinata (aka social media success) and no matter how hard you swing you still can't make contact. People smirk at your efforts, and sweet success dangles inches in front of your eyes, taunting you. You try to swing a different way, try a different formula, but still success evades you. Maybe that's you; maybe you're the one who gives it your all but just can't manage to break through.

Or maybe you're the one who steps up to the plate, gives it a few swings and voila! Candy and success rain down upon you. Everyone is both extremely miffed that you burst the bubble first and in awe of your triumphant attack.

The good news? The pinata has been opened. It can be done

The bad news? You might not be the one to do it, and you might need to find a new pinata. Thats okay; take all the pinatas you need.

If there's one thing I've learned in my few short weeks working, both about social media and all work in general, it's that success is hard to come by. You don't always hit the jackpot, and there's always a competing group of people fighting to find it first. But don't give up. Remember how good it felt to actually be the one to burst the pinata? (assuming that you in fact did manage to do so, if not, insert another happy childhood memory). Got it? Good. That felt great, and grown-up success is gonna feel a whole better. I hope.

So how do you become the one to best the pinata? Erm..check back in a few months; we'll see if this pinata's still hanging. I'm still swinging.

The Good, The Bad and the Beautiful

There isn't a whole lot you can't find on the internet today. Is it nice to be able find anything you could dream of with a few swift clicks? Sure. But there's also a lot out there that shouldn't be: the weird, the creepy, the downright wrong.

What's the creepiest of the creepy? The wrongest of the wrong? The beautiful people dating website, which basis its membership on the votes of its established, beautiful members. If someone isn't deemed beautiful enough by the masses, they don't get in.

And now according to Mashable, the site has included its own sperm bank, where beautiful people can connect and plan to make beautiful babies. The site's creator has announced that now, even the non-beautiful (or as he graciously calls them, ugly people) are allowed to browse at the beautiful bank.

Seriously, this a real site. I couldn't make this up if I tried; these things called morals wouldn't let me.

The real point of this post is to show how the internet can and is used for bad. Almost anything can be made easy now, from the wonders of email to the creepiness of designer babies, and it can happen so fast people won't even know it until its done. So keep yours eyes open.

I am. And I will never look at a beautiful baby the same way again.

The Formula for Successful Followership

It already exists, and it's time to jump on the bandwagon. Everything has a formula, from the modern modes of social media to the great literature of our time.

So without further adieu, I would like to take a moment to talk about The Lightning Thief, or as he's known to us mortals, Percy Jackson. Percy is your 12 year old, average, run-of-the-mill kid. Except Percy can make strange things happen, and one day he finds himself whisked away to a secret place just for magical kids like him. But Percy isn't your average magical kid either. He's special. He's the One. And there's little downtime when you're the One. Before long, he and his two new friends (a comic-relief sidekick and a braniac girl) are off on the adventure of a lifetime to fight the forces of evil and ensure that good prevails.

Perhaps the plot sounds a little familiar. Perhaps some of you have heard of a little book (7 little books, to be exact) that follow the adventures of a boy named Harry Potter. And by some, I mean all, because unless you've been dashing through hyperspace for the past ten years, you've heard of Harry Potter. And you know exactly how it begins, how it ends and who dies in the middle. You know enough to know that The Lighting Thief is The Boy Who Lived reincarnated, right down to the nerdy names and comic/brainy sidekicks. Oh yeah, Percy Jackson deals with Greek gods, not wizards. The key (and only) difference.

Lo' and behold, The Lightning Thief is a smash hit. People can't get enough of Percy. And as a die-hard Harry Potter fan, I'm not ashamed to admit that I myself am a new Percy fan too. As obvious as it may be that Rick Riordan (author of said book) is a major J.K. Rowling (who needs no introduction) fanboy, no one really cares that the basic plot and premise is the same. They like the plot, they miss the premise, and they're willing to buy anything that will suck them back into someone else's fantasy-land. The book is just different enough to make the story its own, and that's really all an audience needs.

Now lets turn back to social media. Think of all the facebook pages and twitter feeds you've ever seen. How different are they, really? Besides the fact that all pages and feeds are programmed to look exactly the same, you might notice that most of the really successful ones follow the same formula. Formulas they picked up from other pages (retweets, @'s anyone?) that have proven successful. Same with blogs. Every social media guru runs to Seth Godin first, and bases their blog off of his uber-successful example. No shame in it; if it works, why not? There's countless examples of multiple blogs, twitterers, whatever, pitching the exact same idea with an almost identical angle, and the successful ones are those that take that angle and deliver it in a fresh, interesting way.

See the connection? Substitute gods for wizards and people will be intrigued all over again. Put a sarcastic voice on a blog pitching cereal and you'll pique the interest of those bored with their bran.

So take a leaf out of The Lightning Thief's book, and steal.

Social Media Submersion

Day one. A day of new faces, old friends and the whole new world of fan pages. You see, not only is it day one for this beautiful butterfly blog, but it's also day one for me at my new job. My first real, post-college job. Which means we can all be reasonably sure of one thing:

I am a Facebook addict.

Facebook has become an obsession; the greatest procrastination tool ever created, and therefore a college student's best friend and worst enemy perfectly packaged in a laptop. But as I began my training in the world of social media--a job that allows me to do what I thought I did best, facebook--I realized one rather unsettling thing:

I don't know the first thing about Facebook.

I can talk to my friends, sure. I'm a pro at letting them know exactly what I'm doing as I'm doing it. But until today, I had no idea how to use Facebook as a tool. I didn't know how businesses utilized pages to their advantage. I didn't even know that blogs had Like buttons. But now the game's changed; I've graduated from a personal profile to a business one.

One quick tip I picked up today: never underestimate the power of the mighty @. When trying to lure new fans to a new page, the @ key may just be your new best friend. It's simple: Post. Repost. Make your own page, write your own post, and then repost something that a similar page has posted. You'll get their attention, and the attention of their followers as well.

The lesson of the day? It's no longer just fun and games, Facebook. It's time to get down to business.

The Building Blocks of Blogs

Every blog has a beginning, and everyone has a beginner blog. Usually those blogs fail to receive the proper amount of TLC. But even with the tenderest of love and care, some blogs are still guaranteed to fail, because somewhere along the line, the blogger missed a step.

Just like it's guaranteed that every time I get a to-go box at a restaurant, I'm going to leave it on the table. And if I do manage to run back for it in time, I'm going to leave it in my car. And even if I get it all the way home to the refrigerator, I won't remember it's there the next day. Bottom line: The food's not getting eaten. And sometimes, blogs just don't get read.

But every once in a while there's that special one that does. The Seth Goden's, the Junta42's, those guys. Everyone knows those guys because everyone reads those guys. Why? Because they're good at what they do and know what they're talking about. They took all the right steps, they got their food into the container and safely tucked in the refrigerator, and now everyone's eating it right up.

So those may be the lucky guys, but I'd be willing to bet that even they had a beginner blog, and only by building on that beginner were they able to get where they are now. The bright side is that for those like me who have trouble completing the food-to-fridge process, there's always the hope that one day it will click, the right formula will be found and we could have our very own special blog. But it won't just appear, it takes work to make a quality product. And it takes time to make sure that product is in fact quality. 'Cause if the food's no good, no one will want to eat it the next day anyway.

With that said, I'd like you to semi-disregard my last post about the billboard. Because I don't think I would ever climb up on a billboard and tell the world that it was too complicated for me to remember to eat my food. But hey, if I did, I'm sure I'd get someone's attention.

Keep the Content Relevant

Social media is a great way to spread information about your company or brand to the public: True.
Social media is an easy way to spread unwanted information in a very public fashion: True.

It's a fine line to walk between saying enough and saying too much, and social media outlets are littered with those who have lost their balance.

My limited experience with professional social networking has left me with few of my own words of wisdom, so I'll borrow someone elses: "Don't say anything in a blog that you wouldn't want plastered on a billboard with your face on it." -Erin Bury.

Basically, if you wouldn't say it out loud, don't say it online. I tend to gear this advice more towards professional media outlets, where its important to remember not only who you're trying to reach but who you're representing. After all, the whole world may be listening.

Put Some Confidence in Your Creativity

I am not creative. It's not my gift.

Here's why: I can't draw pictures. I don't sculpt. I've never thought of a science-fiction or fantasy plot. I don't wear hot pink eyeshadow or hang out at indie coffee houses. I go to Starbucks, ok?

So when the situation arises that requires a little creative thinking, I immediately revert to the aforementioned "I am not creative" mindset. You can guess what happens next.

Nothing.

So I'm trying out a new mantra: I'm creative. And in order to fully embrace my new-found creativity, I must address some of the major roadblocks keeping this creativity in check.

1. The constant "I'm not creative" chant. I'm done with that. I'm no robot; I have a mind, a personality and even a little imagination. I think I can produce some creativity with that.

2. The Fear. The dreaded, make-your-heart-pound-and-palms-sweat fear of sounding a little bit stupid. Or worse, a lot stupid. I am quite familiar with The Fear, and quite ready to be done with it. This is a blog, which means that if someone's laughing at what I'm saying then at least I'm not there to see it.

The point? Social media in general requires a little creative thinking, and a blog certainly does. But it's not something to spend hours stressing over; I'm not ready to take the fun out of Facebook or the funny out of YouTube videos. And if I can break through my mental block and tap into some creativity, anyone can. Even if they go to Starbucks.

The Secret To Successful Social Media

Ahem. Hello? Anyone there? ...didn't think so.

Getting people to pay attention to your blog/facebook page/twitter account isn't easy. There are thousands of them for people to follow, and it's difficult to separate yourself from the many. Unless you know the secret. George W. Bush certainly does.

George W. Bush's new facebook pageT was Liked by 57,000 people in one day. So what's the secret to success? Simple: You have to be famous. Everyone Likes famous people.

Unfortunately, for the non-famous portion of the population, there is no real hidden secret. There are tips and steps to take to improve your numbers, but no sure-fire method to success.

I'm sure that many may ask themselves what someone with 5 followers thinks they're doing offering advice on how to build their following. Not only am I clearly not famous, but I clearly haven't mastered the art of virtual popularity. It's a fair question, so I won't offer advice. I'll offer a fact.

It all starts with content. Write something worth reading. If the content isn't there no trick or tip will save your blog. Write about something you know, something you love or something other people can relate to. Then it's time to start looking for ways to really spread the word.

It's really no secret at all.

The Tweet Life: Twitter for Beginners

Today I joined Twitter. That's right, I'm a tweep.

I'll be the first to admit that as a new member to the Twitterverse, it took a little while for the lingo to grow on me. I thought tweet was bad, but after a little practice I grew comfortable throwing it out in normal conversation. Then came tweep, which took a little longer, but as you can see I have now proudly declared myself one.

But it gets worse. Much worse. There are tweethearts, twitteritas and even twitterati. For anyone interested, here's a full list of all the words that now begin with tw-.

After reading a list like that, people may begin to doubt the validity of a site like twitter. It's tempting to dismiss it as just another social site being taken over by teens (tweens?) who want their own world complete with their own language.

But don't. I've recently learned that Twitter is an amazing way to stay connected with customers, find new ones and establish an ongoing interaction with people who could be beneficial to your brand, as well as stay up-to-date with what's going on in your industry. Here's a list of 10 best practices that I liked (especially #7--listen before engaging. Always a plus in a social setting).

Social Media Makes Dreams Come True, Just Ask Greyson Chance

Greyson Chance is everywhere. He's all over YouTube, filtering through your twitter feed and smiling from his Facebook fan pages. He's the It boy. And he's only twelve years old.

For those who don't know, Chance was noticed after uploading a video on YouTube of him singing and playing the piano to Lady Gaga's Paparazi (check it out here). I was a latecomer to the Greyson Chance phenomenon, but I'll admit he's made a version of the song that I find listenable (a feat previously labeled impossible). And song choice aside, this kid is talented.

It was announced today that Ellen DeGeneres signed him to a new record label. Did I mention he's twelve?

So how did a twelve year old get signed by a major celebrity to a record label? Was it his voice? That helped, but that wasn't all of it. His impressive piano skills? Probably not. His extremely popular YouTube video? Bingo!

It's social media! Chance's story is living proof of the power of social media. There's no doubt that he is incredibly talented, but without that video and the connection it made to thousands of people, he would likely still be performing only for the home crowd. Of course this isn't an entirely new concept, bands have been advertising themselves on MySpace for years, but thanks to the semi-recent surge of social media, outlets like YouTube have a much stronger connection with a much larger audience.

So for anyone who has a quality product, whether its a boy with a dream or a business with a goal, they just might manage the impossible with a little help from social media.

I'm sorry, was I intruding?

Why yes Facebook, I believe you were. But not to worry; I have a feeling you'll be forgiven.

Facebook's privacy policy has been getting a lot of attention lately--not in a good way. A lot of users have grown increasingly skeptical about where their personal information is going, how it's being used and who exactly is seeing it. In fact, according to an article I found on Mashable.com, 30% were planning to quit because they didn't trust the site with their personal information. That got Facebook's attention.

Today, to the cheers of media guru's and college kids everywhere, Facebook unveiled its new privacy policy. Instead of automatically sharing information with everyone, the controls instead revert to any personal changes you've made. That's a start. And the privacy options are now much easier to understand.

So, is all well and good? Well I don't know about that.

Personally, I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. Of course I sort of love it; I'm a recent college grad. But in the week and a half that I've been in the real world, that love has diminished. I just like it now.

I like its convenience, but like all the other worriers out there, I worry that Facebook is getting a little careless with my personal info. Even with the shiny new and improved policy. Apps anyone? They still take your information. Ever wonder exactly where that goes, or exactly why that I Love Gilmore Girls app needs to know your favorite music?

I won't do anything drastic; I won't quit. I'm an addict. So for the sake of all the other hopeless addicts out there, I hope this new privacy policy is as good as it thinks it is.

And if not, well, we're watching you, Facebook.

The Long and Short of It

I'm writing a press release.

(This isn't it.)

Having never really read a press release before, let alone attempted to write one, it was necessary to do a little digging. Naturally, I employed the help of Google. Turns out, there are a lot of links out there that want to help me write my release. But they tell me different things. Some say that it's vital to include contact information, others say that's the kiss of death. Some take full advantage of the latest technology tricks and include videos, pictures. Some keep it simple.

But there is one important similarity that I picked up on: cut the wordiness. Make it concise, to the point. Not too cutesy, not too boring. It's a rule I've heard countless times and extends to all areas of the writing spectrum--even blogs. It's also a rule that can be surprisingly hard to follow.

Here's a nice tip courtesy of Junta42: "A blog post is like a miniskirt.
It has to be short enough to be interesting, but long enough to cover the subject."

Enough said.