Lunder-Dineen Sponsors Successful Theater of War Production
On Monday night NMC’s Renée Black and Erika Bush traveled to Orono to support our client Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine.
Lunder-Dineen sponsored a performance of Theater of War, produced by Outside the Wire. The performance used a dramatic reading of Sophocles’ Ajax as a way to spark conversation among the audience in a panel discussion about the psychological impact of war on veterans, their families and communities.
The Lunder-Dineen team hosted a successful Theater of War production on Monday evening at The University of Maine at Orono.
The performance featured David Strathairn (Lincoln; The Bourne Ultimatum; Good Night, and Good Luck) who expressed, “From the beginning, we knew we had something special. Anyone who has ever been in the room can testify to that.”
Other actors included Erik Moody, Dustin Tucker, Patricia Buckley and Rob Cameron. The panel discussion was facilitated by retired Brigadier General Loree Sutton.
To learn more about Lunder-Dineen and about programs they’re bringing to a community near you, please visit www.mainehealtheducation.org.
Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital is a nonprofit organization that provides high-quality, CME/CE-certified, evidence-based health education to the citizens of Maine using needs assessments, innovative learning methodologies and expert faculty from within and outside of Maine. www.mainehealtheducation.org
Social Media Evolution: How It’s Changing Journalism
WCSH 6/ WLBZ 2 Social Media Coordinator, Brett Whitmarsh
Last month, we addressed the changing landscape of journalism with the integration of social media, and NEWS CENTER 6 Social Media Coordinator, Brett Whitmarsh says the entire Gannett team is striving to lead the way in this collaboration.
Whitmarsh says that originally they figured that social media users would see bits of the news unfold throughout the day, and then we would tie it all together for them in our broadcasts. However, he adds, “My news director took it one step further and took notice of the conversations online, and she realized we needed to be having those same conversations in the newsroom in order to deliver the news that our viewers were looking for.”
Whitmarsh started his career as a general news photographer in Albany, New York after attending Lyndon State College, but he really wanted to ‘come home’ to Maine and work for the WCSH 6 team. After applying for three different positions, he finally landed a job working for 207 and Bill Green’s Maine.
By late 2007/early 2008, Whitmarsh says that they were playing with social media, not fully realizing the direction it would soon go. He says, “It was a lot of fun, but wasn’t really a focus yet.” Within a year, he was attending Quinnipiac University to get his master’s degree in interactive communications while still working full-time on 207 and Bill Green’s Maine. “Those were the hardest two years—I saw all of these techniques that we should be doing as a newsroom with social media,” he says.
Whitmarsh adds that Gannett has been leading the way in social media efforts in journalism by making it a priority. Fresh from grad school and recognized for his passion for social media, Gannett offered Brett the position of social media coordinator.
If you’ve caught Brett in action, then you know that he isn’t kidding when he says that having social media is as common as having a phone, but that people are still confused on how to use it. The etiquette if you will. This is why he works with his news director to develop programs that help demonstrate how you can manage privacy and still be social.
A great early success story was the “social cam” app on Facebook. At first, people thought it asked too many personal questions and it was often confused with spam or phishing, so the NEWS CENTER team decided to break it down and explain how the app worked (you can shoot videos using multiple settings and filters, and then easily upload them via email, Facebook, YouTube and SMS).
The public is more aware of news as it happens than ever, and this engagement is a driving factor in developing programming. Brett says he spends a lot of time observing social media trends and seeing what viewers are talking about—if he notices misinformation being circulated, he uses it as an opportunity to address it. He likes to break down all the jargon and confusion in a way that anyone can understand.
Follow Brett on Twitter @BWhitmarsh
The greatest change in journalism in the ten years Brett has been with WCSH 6/WLBZ 2 has been the technology. Everything is digital, which means no more shooting or editing video on tape. Stories are written from anywhere, so long as there is an Internet connection. This has changed deadlines to “right now” instead of 5 or 6 o’clock. It truly is a 24-hour news cycle.
Whitmarsh says, “Your phone can now be a mobile newsroom. With that comes a whole new level of responsibility in upholding the ethics of journalism. While it is important to be first, it is more important to be right—that’s never changed. It’s so much easier to make a very public mistake.” He adds that expectations have changed for journalists and reporters but that, “Our NEWS CENTER team is incredible. These people are true news veterans.” He also suggests that you follow Pat Callaghan on Twitter because if you don’t then, “you are seriously missing out!”
You will also be seriously missing out if you don’t follow Brett on Twitter! You can connect with him @BWhitmarsh or check out all of his NEWS CENTER stories at http://timebrat.tumblr.com.
Julia Clukey Honored by Maine Legislature
Olympian Julia Clukey was recognized on April 30 by the Maine Legislature as part of Alcohol Awareness Month for her work across the state to promote the importance of responsibility and good decision making with our client the Maine Beer & Wine Distributors Association.
Julia Clukey (center) with members of the Maine Legislature. Clukey was honored for her work as the spokespeson for Maine Beer & Wine Distributors Association’s responsibility initiative.
To acknowledge her work, she was presented with a customized license plate by Senator Roger Katz, Rep. Matt Pouliot, and Secretary of State Matt Dunlap. She also received a Legislative Sentiment from Rep. Matt Pouliot as well as a standing ovation from members of the legislature.
Since 2010, Olympian Julia Clukey has been the spokesperson for the Maine Beer & Wine Distributors Association’s ongoing responsibility initiative. She has presented at 27 high schools across the state, reaching more than 6,000 Maine high school students. Julia’s presentations are made possible by the Maine Beer & Wine Distributors Association as part of their ongoing responsibility initiative and are provided at no cost to the school. To schedule a presentation, visit www.clukeyluge.com/
This month, Julia was also named to the Fall 2013 National Team and recently announced plans for the second year of her 10-day summer camp this summer in Readfield, Maine.
Complete list of people in the photo:
L to R: Mike Runser of Valley Distributors, Jim Bourque of Nappi Distributors, Mike Barriault of Central Distributors, Elmer Alcott of Nappi Distributors, Cheryl Timberlake Executive VP of MBWDA, Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, Olympian Julia Clukey, Senator Roger Katz, Representative Matt Pouliot, Scott Solman of Maine Distributors, Nick Alberding of Pine State Trading Co., Peter Briggs of Aroostook Beverage Co., and Jeff Kane of National Distributors
NMC Participates in Unveiling of New Brand for America’s Newest City: Sanford
On Tuesday, May 7th, Nancy Marshall and Renée Black participated in the launch celebration for the new branding developed for America’s newest city, the city of Sanford, Maine.
Through a strategic process, NMC worked with the Economic Growth Council of Sanford, as well as residents and business leaders to develop a brand that would help fuel economic growth. Nancy and Renee are pictured below with the new Sanford logo on the side of one of Sanford’s fire trucks.
NMC Principal Nancy Marshall and NMC Account Executive Renée Black.
The artwork signifies forward movement, energy and the shape of the Mousam River that runs through the city. The tagline, “Explore. Create. Grow.” signifies the depth of natural, human, and historical resources available to explore in Sanford, as well as the opportunities that can be explored for the future. The word ‘Create’ signifies all that can be created through economic development, education, the arts and recreation. ‘Grow’ signifies the growth potential while living, working and playing in Sanford.
NMC Principal Nancy Marshall with Sanford Director of Economic Development Jim Nimon and Commissioner of Economic and Community Development George Gervais.
Empowering Young Women at 18 Years Young
Founder of Girls Above Society, Lauren Galley
The quest for perfection is one that young people face each and every day. We all went through middle school and know about the pressures that come with growing into your own skin. This week’s Monday Maine Maven Lauren Galley, at 18 years young, has developed a successful career as a working model/actress, radio show host, blogger and, most importantly, a mentor for young women through the nonprofit she founded, Girls Above Society.
Girls Above Society provides mentorship and awareness surrounding the pressures girls face on a daily basis, and works to promote strong leadership skills. Lauren says she was inspired by her own experiences in middle school and high school to start the organization. She adds, “I want to empower girls to accept who they are—to be their best, be healthy, and have the confidence to go after their dreams!”
Lauren has pursued her dream as an actress and model. She grew up in theater with her mother working as a director, and transitioned into film beginning as an extra. Since then, she has been on ABC Family’s “The Lying Game,” and NBC’s “CHASE” as well as national commercials such as Fox Sports and Jarritos. Currently, she has two films in post-production, “Matt Mercury Movie” directed by Bill Hughes and “The Making of a Serial Killer” directed by Russell Miller.
An additional creative outlet for Lauren has been writing. After founding Girls Above Society, she realized that being present and available was important. She created Twitter and Facebook accounts, along with a blog. She adds, “Blogging is a new thing for me, but when I feel inspired I also feel the need to write. I focus on creating images with motivating quotes, since that’s what teens like and enjoy sharing.”
Girls Above Society is a nonprofit that focuses on empowering young women.
It is appropriate that Lauren would choose to focus on teenagers since that’s when she was inspired to create her nonprofit. She says there was a lot of pressure to conform and she realized that she was incredibly lucky to have the support system she did, but she also realized that wasn’t true for everyone saying, “I would see so many girls and friends trying to live up to the unrealistic expectations created by the media—magazine covers, reality TV shows and celebrities.”
During that time, Galley had the opportunity to live in Waterford, Maine, and she says, “Having lived in the big city my whole life, I found it so beautiful and really loved the small town feeling. I found it surreal that everyone knows each other—there are literally no strangers!” That sense of community is something that has stayed with her even though she no longer calls Maine home.
The Maine experience impacted Lauren and she is currently partnering with Camp Waziyatah in Waterford, as a part of the Empower a Girl campaign. The camp is known as the location of Disney Channel’s hit reality camp series, “Bug Juice.” Waziyatah shares many of the same values as Girls Above Society—they teach kids to respect themselves with the hope that they will build a healthy image of themselves.
Galley’s mission in establishing self love is evident in her choice to be an ambassador for Free2Luv, hosting their Web segment, Free2BeYOU. Free2Luv’s motto is, “Take a stand to spread love and to end bullying.” In her Free2BeYOU segment, Lauren will be hosting Q&A sessions with tips for dealing with bullies and peer pressure, as well as hosting contests and giveaways to encourage participation. Galley says, “I hope to share, inspire and make a difference.”
To learn more about Lauren and how you can get involved, check out her website at http://www.girlsabovesociety.org/.
Puppy Play Date
They say that dogs have a calming effect, and are great for your health. This means we were the healthiest office in town when NMC Account Executive, Whitney Moreau’s puppy, Libby, stopped by for a visit recently.
Libby, the newest member of the NMC family.
Whitney says, “Having Libby is what I imagine having a new baby is like—I feel like I haven’t slept since I picked her up! Good thing she’s so adorable and sweet…most of the time.” Lucky for us, Libby was pretty tired and dozed off moments after this picture was taken.
The NMC staff wishes you a happy and relaxing weekend.
Using Google AdWords to Attract Customers to Your Business
Hi, Erika here!
You’re bored on a Friday night and looking for something to do when a friend suggests that you guys grab a bite to eat and go see a movie. You say, “Sure, but I want try something new.” You both agree on pizza, so you Google search local pizza place Augusta Maine and you get this:
Local businesses Whipper’s, College Carryout and Pizza Stone make up the top results of the search. Where would your business be?
Chances are, you’re going to pick one of the places on this page—and there is an even better chance that it will be one of the first three or four listings.
So, how do you make sure that your business is near the top?
A search engine marketing system, such as Google AdWords, certainly helps!
NMC Interactive Marketing Manager Matt Rideout has recently received his AdWords Certification through Google’s AdWords Certification Program. The certification required training in complex marketing systems along with multiple tests, and Rideout says, “The certification lets our customers know that we are fully taking advantage of everything the AdWords marketing channel has to offer. Ultimately, it shows our dedication to ensuring our clients receive the best online advertising possible from NMC.”
NMC Principal Nancy Marshall adds, “Matt’s Google AdWords Certification adds one more area of expertise we can offer to our clients that will help them connect their marketing messages with their target audiences.”
So how does Google AdWords work?
- Keywords are the key to a successful campaign. Think like a potential customer—if they had never been to your business how might they find you?
- Pizza place: thin crust pizza Augusta Maine, pizza delivery Augusta Maine, pizza places in Augusta Maine open late, etc.
- Gym: gym open late in Augusta Maine, Augusta Maine gym with tanning, Augusta Maine trial gym membership, etc.
- You decide how much you spend by setting a daily budget that is comfortable for you, and you can change it at any time—you are never locked into a contract.
- You only pay for results (cost-per-click), which means that you never pay for your ad to be displayed, but only when someone actually clicks on your ad and is redirected to your site and/or landing page.
- Relevance means more business—the more relevant your ads and keywords are to the demographic, the higher your Quality Score. The higher your Quality Score, the higher up your position will be on a Google search.
NMC Interactive Marketing Manager Matt Rideout, who recently received his Google AdWords Certification.
As mentioned earlier in this article, the higher your position on the search results page, the more likely you are to be chosen. The more people click on your ads, the lower your cost-per-click will be!
The team here at NMC sets up cost-per-click systems that allow us to measure return on investment (ROI) so that our customers know they are generating a profit with their campaigns.
Contact us today to see how the NMC team can help your business reach the coveted #1 search result spot with $100 in free AdWords advertising.
A Nightfly With A Rock ‘N Roll Soul
Frank FM Assistant Program Director and On-Air Personality, Leif Erickson
If you’re a fan of classic hits and live practically anywhere in the state of Maine, then you are probably familiar with 107.5 Frank FM. As a member of Frank Nation, then you are also familiar with Assistant Program Director/Music Director/Afternoon Drive Host Leif Erickson.
Yes, he really does wear that many hats on a weekly basis—and that doesn’t even include the additional work he does for Snocountry Mountain Reports, and his recent official announcement of Leif Erickson Voiceover Services.
As a native of Massachusetts and Boston University graduate, Erickson was hired as a radio ski reporter for Snocountry Mountain Reports in Lebanon, New Hampshire after graduating with a degree in broadcast journalism. He soon made his way onto the air with Classic Rock station Q106 in Claremont, and after a few years he was recruited by a start-up station called Frank FM.
After eight years, Erickson says he can’t imagine living anywhere else. He credits the broad audience as the best and most challenging part of his job saying, “We’re a local station to not only Portland, but to Lewiston, Augusta, Bridgton, Sanford, South Paris, Farmington and well into New Hampshire! I enjoy bringing people together under that umbrella—Frank Nation—one big community, even if they do know I’m physically in the ‘big city’ of Portland.”
Social media has made Leif’s job a little easier, and he frequently uses it to test new material with listeners. He adds, “If I have some wise-crack on a relevant topic, I may test it out on my own Facebook page to see what kind of reaction I get. If the feedback is positive then I’ll repurpose it for my show later.”
Leif Erickson hits the slopes at Sunday River last winter.
Facebook is an incredible tool when it comes to connecting with listeners for Erickson. Even though he has a radio-specific fan page, listeners frequently find his personal Facebook page as well, and he always accepts their friend requests. He jokes, “I do have a brief disclaimer on my personal page that says: Hey, this is me off the clock, don’t complain to my boss! I’m not above sharing a slice of life behind the scenes if I think my listeners might find it interesting.”
For Erickson, Facebook is also a way to learn more about his listeners, and he often uses it as a way to learn what they like, where they hang out, and what they want to hear—“This is a business that is all about connecting with the listener, is it not,” he asks.
That question is answered by the way he delivers content. Leif says, “Our listeners would rather I paint a picture of an odd individual’s antics on Monument Square that I’m witnessing from the studio window than whatever Lindsay Lohan’s in court for this week.”
When Leif isn’t juggling his work, he can frequently be found on the Portland Peninsula. He says, “I enjoy a bite and a brew at the Thirsty Pig, or Shay’s for dinner and drinks, but my favorite haunt is Slainte. It’s always full of interesting people, good brews on tap and kick- (enter expletive here)-bartending staff, and a diverse slate of music and culture just about every night of the week.”
To listen to Leif Erickson’s show, be sure to tune in to 107.5 Frank FM Monday through Friday 2pm to 7pm, or on Sundays 6am to noon. You can also check out his Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/leifericksonontheradio.
We asked Leif to share five songs that describe him—click on the links below to find out what he picked! Did any of your favorite songs make the list?
Grand Funk Railroad “Rock and Roll Soul”
Julia Clukey Honored by Portland Pirates
On Saturday, April 20, Maine Olympian Julia Clukey was honored by the Portland Pirates for her incredible work as the official spokesperson for the Maine Beer & Wine Distributors Association’s Responsibility Tour.
The 2013 Responsibility Tour featuring Clukey began earlier this month and runs through the prom and graduation season. As the spokesperson, Julia presents at high schools across the state and stars in public service announcements on television and radio. The Responsibility Tour is a part of Maine Beer & Wine Distributors Association’s ongoing initiative to communicate that alcohol is a unique product that requires regulation and responsibility.
Since 2010, Julia has traveled to more than 20 high schools across the state and directly reached nearly 6,000 Maine students. All of Clukey’s presentations are made possible by the Maine Beer & Wine Distributors Association and are provided at no cost to the school.
NMC Coordinated for Olympian Julia Clukey to drop the puck at the Portland Pirates game on Saturday, April 20, 2013. She was honored by the team for her tremendous work with the Maine Beer & Wine Distributors Association on their responsibility initiative.
To learn more about the Maine Beer & Wine Distributors Association and their ongoing responsibility initiative, visit www.mainebeerandwine.com/responsibility.
High schools in Maine can schedule presentations from Olympian Julia Clukey by visiting her website at www.clukeyluge.com.
Google Yourself!
Nancy Marshall, principal of Nancy Marshall Communications
7 Ways to Make Yourself More Findable
If someone entered your name into Google, what would they find? Or, if they can’t remember your name, but they remember what you do, and enter some descriptive key words, will they be able to find you?
It’s a good idea to Google yourself to see what comes up! (Make sure you log out of your own Google account so the results aren’t skewed.) There may be other people who have the same name as you. If you create a personal branding strategy to make sure that all of your online information is up to date and filled with the keywords that describe you and what you do, people will be more likely to find you and not others.
Here are my 7 tips to make sure you are findable:
- Be sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and filled with the keywords people might be using to find you.
- Have you thought of creating a personal website? Try to secure the URL for your own name, and then create a website all about you. This will definitely help you become more findable.
- If you have a website for your business, or better yet, a personal website, make sure your biography is updated and also filled with the proper keywords.
- If there have been stories in the media about you, then you will be more findable. Perhaps you’ve recently received an award or a promotion and you sent a news item to the newspaper. That kind of information will also come up in a Google search.
- You can position yourself as an expert by pitching the media to do a story about your area of expertise. Or you can write an opinion column and submit it to the editorial page of your local newspaper. The more you can stand out from others by getting news coverage for your particular area of expertise, the better.
- Speaking engagements are a great way for you to establish yourself as an expert and gain media coverage. I speak at numerous chamber meetings and annual meetings of professional organizations to get exposure with new audiences as well as attract television , radio and newspaper coverage.
Google now offers “Google Profiles.” Here’s a link to mine: https://plus.google.com/115192809753549645135/posts. If you haven’t created a Google profile for yourself, now’s the time to do it.
The results that come up when you Google search Maine PR Maven, a term associated with the Nancy Marshall Communications brand.
Recent Comments