Seek out Real Relationships in Life and Beware of How You Present Yourself to the World in Social Media
Credit: "The Atlantic"
Last week I had the pleasure of speaking to the graduating class at Thomas College, which is where I earned my MBA in 1994.
I told the graduates that the good news is that they may be earning their diplomas but the bad news is that the learning cannot stop.
Technology is changing at such a pace that they need to use their education to continue to learn every day. I’ve encouraged my employees to keep pace with changing technology in communications so we can use the most up-to-date techniques and tactics for our clients.
I also referred to an article in the current edition of “The Atlantic” magazine called “Is Facebook Making us Lonely?” by Stephen Marche that talks about how social media is replacing real relationships between people.
Many people have lots of “friends” in social networks but in all reality they are extremely lonely. This is very sad to me.
I encouraged the grads to know the difference between a Facebook friend and a ‘real’ friend who you know and trust. My mantra has been and will always be that social media should supplement real relationships, not replace them.
Credit: "The Atlantic"
Finally, I encouraged the grads to be mindful of their online profile as they go out and look for a job. I asked them to Google themselves and see what comes up.
I related the story of a grad from another college who wanted to work for NMC a couple years ago and he was sure he was the ideal candidate. But when I pulled up his profile on Facebook, there were photos of him getting drunk and acting in a way that I would consider to be unprofessional.
I said that presenting yourself to the world in this way is not the best route to get a professional position.
Thanks to Bob Moore, the director of advancement at Thomas, for asking me to share my thoughts with this year’s graduates.
I hope that my words had an impact on the students and helped them realize that the way you ‘package’ yourself for a professional career will influence your job search significantly, and that social media should enhance their real relationships (it’s “social” for a reason).
All-Inclusive Resort Nurtures Relationship with Guests
Today’s Maine Maven is Mark Osborn, the general manager at NMC client Linekin Bay Resort (LBR). Osborn, a New Jersey native, has been the G.M. at the Boothbay Harbor resort since 2010, but his family connection to the property goes back nearly 100 years.
LBR General Manager Mark Osborn on vacation in Peru
Osborn’s grandmother, Martha, was a counselor in the 1920s at Linekin Bay Camps – the summer camp for girls started in 1919 by Grove and Elizabeth Branch. The girls’ camp was transformed into the current family vacation resort in 1946.
The Osborn family later began spending summers on Linekin Bay, and occasionally stayed at the resort, which is now owned by the third generation of the Branch family and is New England’s only all-inclusive sailing resort.
Osborn owned and operated The Thistle Inn in Boothbay Harbor for four years, converting the property to a fine dining and lodging establishment in 2003.
As the G.M. at LBR Osborn has added a public restaurant and bar, overseen upgrades and improvements to guest accommodations and common spaces, overhauled the resort website and strengthened the resort’s reputation as a popular wedding destination during the early and late summer season.
Osborn has a business degree from Ithaca College, and enjoys traveling and seeking out new culinary experiences.
Sharing the Importance of “Real” Relationships
This afternoon, Nancy is speaking at the Thomas College convocation about the relationship between social media and career success.
Nancy will share with the graduates that they need to build real relationships that are supported by social media rather than the opposite.
Photo credit: Thomas College Facebook page
Nancy received her MBA from Thomas in 1994 and is looking forward to speaking today.
Photo credit: Thomas College Facebook page
Local Nonprofit Spreads Message of Empowerment Through Social Media, Website and Employees
Our Monday Maine Maven today is Darryl Wood, the executive director of Life Enrichment Advancing People, Inc., better known locally as LEAP.
LEAP is a nonprofit agency providing a variety of residential type supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The support required for individuals is based on functional needs and is developed through Person Centered Planning.
Providing individualized support to people in Central and Western Maine, LEAP works to empower persons to lead joyful lives with dignity, independence, and autonomy.
Darryl has a medical background in nursing. He is interested in leadership and best practices for nonprofits, as well as supporting people with IDD.
On a personal level, Darryl loves to spend time with his family and in the outdoors. An avid sportsman and woodlands wanderer, he maintains a Maine Guides license, in hopes that someday there is part of a living in that.
Is Your Brand Ready for an Audit?
How to deposit into your customer’s memory bank and accrue interest
By Renée Black, NMC Account Coordinator and Graphic Designer
You’ve got an excellent handle on your company’s marketing plan this year. You’re doing traditional advertising, you’ve got a website, you’re doing cost-per-click (CPC) marketing, and you’re even on Facebook and Twitter!
You’re doing everything you can to make sure you’re up-to-date on the latest trends and working hard to hit your targeted demographic, but (there’s always a “but”) are you maximizing your impressions?
As a marketer, of course, your ultimate goal is to affect your audience in such a way that they will remember your brand, service, and/or product. When a message is received, the brain undergoes a series of cognitive processes to categorize where and how the memory will be mentally filed.
Will your message be filed under short-term, long-term, or sensory memory, or will your message simply be forgotten? The strategy and consistency of your messaging contributes to how (and if) the viewer will categorize your brand.
Extensive research shows that repetition and consistency hold certain power to persuade human behavior. Several studies have concluded that it requires at least seventeen impressions of a brand before a consumer will consider a product trial.
If you have several competitors within your market, it may take even longer for your audience to actively associate your brand with your product. To achieve best results and maximize your return on investment (ROI), you should conduct a “communications audit” to evaluate just how effective your impressions are.
A communications audit consists of five key factors that contribute to brand consistency and thus, effectiveness.
Award-Winning Editor Becomes Renowned JDRF Advocate
Writer and advocate Moira McCarthy is today’s Monday Maine Maven. Moira was an award-winning newspaper editor and investigative crime reporter before she reached her goal of working as a top ski writer.
Moira was east editor for Snow Country Magazine and is currently a contributing editor at SKI Magazine, SKI AREA Management Magazine and is the weekly winter sports columnist for the Boston Herald.
She has published five books on everything from golf to skiing, to raising a child with diabetes to raising teen girls (the last would star Linda Blair, were it a screenplay).
Moira was president of the Massachusetts American Cancer Society and president of her children’s school PTO (where she raised 100 times more than any other president had in one year).
When Moira’s youngest daughter, Lauren, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, she turned all of her donation time to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and its mission for a cure.
Moira has served on almost every committee of JDRF’s International Board, was “ChairMom” of their International Children’s Congress, president of the New England chapter and was named JDRF International Volunteer of the year.
Moira is an avid tennis player and holds a number of club championships and is a tepid golfer who holds some really cute golf hats. She lives in Plymouth, Mass. with her husband, Sean. Moira’s daughter Leigh, 25, is a teacher. Lauren, now 20, is thriving as a student at George Mason University majoring in – what else? — political communications.
Moira considers herself part Maniac because she’d skied with Paul Schipper and has made jello shots from a Maine cookbook.
Schooner Mary Day is Ready for Spring
At NMC we’ve been noticing signs of spring’s arrival throughout Maine. We’ve felt it at our offices in Augusta and North Anson, and we hear about it from our friends and clients around the state.
Today’s Fab Foto features our friends of the schooner Mary Day in Camden. With spring upon them, Captains Barry King and Jen Martin are busy booking windjammer vacations, sharing news on their Facebook page, and, most importantly, getting the beautiful schooner Mary Day ready for the season!
Below is a photo of Captain King and his crew after uncovering Mary Day this past weekend (photo credit to Mary Day’s crew member Zachary Simonson Bond).
Make sure to read Captain King’s own blog to see more of the uncovering process at MaineWindjammerBlog.com.
Captain King and his crew uncover the schooner Mary Day. Photo credit: Zachary Simonson Bond
CMO for Hire Shares Social Media Philosophy
Our Maine Maven today is Jennifer Beever, founder of New Incite Marketing Consulting and chief marketing officer for hire.
Jennifer has a background in B2B sales and marketing for software, technology and manufacturing companies.
Jennifer’s unique ability to analyze business situations and apply practical marketing programs gets results for her clients. Her experience in marketing technology products and services provides her with a special talent in translating the technical into stories that sell for her clients.
In 2009, Jennifer received the Inbound Marketing Certified Professional with Honors Distinction certification, which recognizes proficiency in Inbound Marketing principles and best practices, including blogging, social media, lead conversion, lead nurturing, and closed-loop analysis. Only 15% of IMCPs receive Honors Distinction.
Jennifer Beever spent fourteen years in marketing management, product management, and sales in the software industry prior to founding New Incite.
She put herself through Pepperdine’s Graziadio Business School MBA program by attending night classes while maintaining her status as a top sales rep in the software industry.
Jennifer worked with many B2B companies and organizations, including: IBM, Computer Associates, System Software Associates, Marcam, Informix, ORACLE, Nissin Foods and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) IRC.
Originally from the great state of Maine, Jennifer is an avid skier, reader, and enjoys tennis and golf. She tutored children in the LA Times Reading-by-9 program (now The Wonder of Reading) for several years and has volunteered for and contributed to Habitat for Humanity San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valleys and the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank.
My Mother Told Me to be Careful About What I Write Down on Paper
When I was in elementary school, my mother used to always tell me not to write anything down on paper that I wouldn’t want the whole world to see. That was back in the day when we would be writing notes to other kids and passing them through the grapevine during class. (We were so naughty!)
The same thing applies on the social Web. You shouldn’t post anything or write anything on a social network that you wouldn’t want the world to see.
Your personal brand is your professional brand and vise versa. Anyone who thinks there is some kind of separation is sadly mistaken.
It is quite likely that if you are applying for a job, the prospective employer will look at your Facebook profile even if you’re not friends.
About a year ago, a young man contacted me repeatedly, insisting he was perfect as a candidate to work for Nancy Marshall Communications. I looked him up on Facebook and there, I found a whole slew of photographs showing how social a person he was.
The photos showed him drinking copious amounts of Budweiser and playing beer pong. It showed him in many states of drunkenness, partying in all sorts of venues, proving that he was not only social, but he was worldly, too!
His friends had commented on his posts about how hysterical he was after pounding so many beers while simultaneously bouncing a ping pong ball, so he was athletic as well!
I enjoy a good party as much as most people, if not more, but when you are trying to establish yourself in the world, you can’t assume you can paint one picture of yourself on Facebook and another picture of yourself on LinkedIn, and only your friends will find you on the former and professional contacts will find you on the latter!
So, remember what my wise mother said and don’t post anything on social networks that you wouldn’t want the whole world to see.
Former VP of Communications Excels in PR
Our Maine Maven today is NMC Account Executive Greg Glynn! Greg coordinates strategic planning for clients, including branding, marketing, as well as media and public relations, and writes copy for e-newsletters, press releases and develops multimedia content for NMC clients, including videos and podcasts.
Greg also works with other account executives and account supervisors to plan media events and press conferences. Greg is known for his strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Prior to joining NMC, Greg worked as the vice president of communications for the American Hockey League’s Portland Pirates, a minor league hockey team in Portland, Maine.
Greg graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and a minor in marketing.
1.) Greg, you used to be the VP of communications for the Portland Pirates. Are there any parallels between your position there and what you do as an account executive at NMC? Are there any striking differences?
Everyday I see parallels between the two positions, especially when it comes to media relations.
During my six years that I spent in the Portland market, I developed so many great relationships with different reporters and public relations people that I still keep in touch with today.
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