Tag: Social Media

The Dads Behind the Clairemont Team

Dana PhelpsBlog, Free Advice, The Clairemont Team, , , , , , 3 Comments on The Dads Behind the Clairemont Team

With Father’s Day approaching, things I learned from my dad that apply to my everyday life and running a PR agency have been on my mind lately. I asked the Clairemont team what lessons they had learned from their dads. Now I know one of the reasons our team is so smart — smart dads! We hope you will enjoy the stories below. Oh yeah and Dad, I love you.

Dana

I’m a coal miner’s daughter. When I was six, the best part of my day was when my dad would come from working the midnight shift, and it would be time for him to go to bed about the time my day was really getting started. I would follow him upstairs and demand a story. No story for me meant no sleep for my dad. One time my dad told me a story that was absolutely hilarious. Things got easier for him in the weeks that followed because I just wanted to hear that same story again and again. In hindsight, that was probably the only easy thing about his day. I saw my dad work a variety of different shifts over the years, and he always came home tired and dirty. If you’ve ever seen a coal miner’s hands, you know that there’s really no nail brush tough enough. He always had a get it done attitude and took pride in his work. Coal mining is not for wimps. Neither is starting a business. I’ve been called a workaholic. I’m certain that’s not always a compliment, but I associate that word with my dad. So I just smile and say thank you.

Margot

“Margot, low man wins.” I have been hearing this from my dad since my days of playing basketball in high school. While this advice directly refers to sports and getting the better, lower position for playing defense and boxing out, it really can be applied to any life situation where a little hustling and a lot of hard work pays off for you. To me, “low man wins” really means being prepared and not afraid to do the extra work to put yourself in a place where you can succeed. You can’t expect to make a great defensive play if you’re not in a great defensive position, knees bent, low to the ground, balancing your weight on your toes. It’s not the most comfortable or easiest position to be in, but it is the position where you will be the most successful. This concept of putting myself in the best position for success, even if it’s hard or uncomfortable, has carried over from sports into my day-to-day life and has helped me pass tests, finish assignments and get jobs. Thank you, Dad, for teaching me your tricks to #winning.

Emily

Like most dads, my father taught me many things growing up. House rules included don’t wake up past 10:00 a.m., always finish food before it expires and do not wait until the last minute to do your laundry. Since going to college, I have, unfortunately, abandoned many of these anthems as I am now known to sleep until noon, throw out half full gallons of milk and fail to do laundry for weeks at a time. However, one of my father’s lessons has stuck with me: honor your commitments. If I have promised someone that I will do something, I have always followed up on that promise. When I was younger, that would mean if a fun pool party was scheduled during a softball practice, I would have to skip the party due to my prior commitment to the team. Nowadays, this means if I tell a professor I will help them on a project, meet peers for a group project or pull an extra shift at work, I will be there. This mantra has helped me throughout my education, extracurricular activities, friendships and other crucial aspects of my life. A flaky student, friend and worker is going to reap what they sow; people will not trust that individual to do meaningful tasks or be there for you when you need her. My commitment to my education, internships and friendships has led me to a wonderful network of people who trust my word as I much as I trust theirs.  So thank you very much, Dad. Without you, I would not have the wonderful priorities you have instilled in me.

Josie

Never complain. Life is going to throw you lemons – a lot of them. And of course it’s up to you what you do with them (i.e. make lemonade, squeeze them, paint them gold, etc.). But no matter what it is that you decide, don’t complain. My dad has had his fair share of trials over the past 20 years, but I cannot tell you one time where I have heard him complain about his situation. I, on the other hand, can sometimes find the silliest things to complain about, and I don’t like it (see, I’m complaining already)! So I’ve made it my goal to think more like Peter, my dad, each and every day.  It’s the patient, determined and keep-calm-and-carry-on types like him that make great friends, co-workers and parents. I am so thankful to have his example in my life!

Erica

A quote that puts my father’s mouth on repeat is, “If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” Growing up with parents who expect 101 percent on everything made me take this quote to heart. Today, many people approach goals, tasks or even their own jobs without correctly planning ahead. In order to advance, an individual should always know the background, present information and future purpose of an assignment. Before I came into my interview with Clairemont Communications, I prepared for a successful interview by researching the company and picturing how my specialities would be a good fit. Knowing the target audience and what they expect can help in situations such as presentations, speeches or even a debate. In PR specifically, it is important to realize how the company wants to be seen in the public’s eye. The work one puts in determines the amount of exposure. However, I’m sure my technological, dorky dad was not thinking about PR when giving this piece of advice. He just meant for me to discover that success goes hand in hand with dedication. So thanks, Dad, for advice that will help me prosper in the outside world that I am now entering and the high school world I am leaving. Have a happy Fathers Day!

(Editorial note: We are certain that Erica means “dorky” in the most loving way possible.)

Tracy

I can without doubt trace my perfectionism back to my dad. Looking back on my childhood, one of my most vivid memories is my dad helping me with my homework. I can’t say it was always a pleasant experience, but certainly one that taught me the importance of getting things right. One instance in particular I remember was in middle school – I was working on an essay, probably about two or three pages hand written. My dad always read over everything very carefully and after reviewing my essay he found two or three small spelling errors. Lucky for me, this was right around the time erasable pens were introduced, so I quickly erased and corrected the words and handed the essay back to my dad. At first glance, he demanded I rewrite the entire essay. He thought erasing and rewriting the words made it look sloppy and couldn’t believe I was ready to turn in that essay. I stomped back to my room yelling, “It looks fine, why do you care so much!”

Now that I am a parent myself I understand why it was so important to him that I not turn in anything but perfection. He was teaching me that we should never settle for good enough, but that we should always put our best foot forward. He was using the everyday to teach me life lessons. That trait has stuck with me and is so much a part of the person I am today, both in my personal and professional life. Whether I am working on an event for a client, planning a dinner party, taking on a new decorating project or trying a new recipe – I obsess over details and making sure everything is just perfect. I’m sure I’ll pass along what my dad taught me, and being a communications professional, something tells me my son has a lot of rewrites in his future 🙂

Erin

The easiest answer is not always the best answer. My dad is a Consumer Reports loyalist and will not buy anything without the magazine’s professional approval. While it’s easier to run out and buy the first new semi-decent electronic device I see, it’s usually not the best value. For life in general, it can be a hard lesson but a little extra effort really pays off in the long run.

Maintain friendships for life. It’s really inspiring that my dad’s best friend to this day, Jeff, is someone he met back in Rocky Mount, NC in elementary school. Jeff is now my godfather, and their friendship has stood the test of time. My dad also has fraternity brothers, professors from Wake Forest and past business partners he still keeps in touch with. By his example, I learned the importance of creating a solid network of people who care about you and vice versa.

Learn from everyone around you. My dad has always had a curious nature that motivates me to experience new things. He recently took a digital media class and even asked me to help him with social media. (I happily obliged!) Everyone has a story and some expertise and I’ve learned from my dad to recognize that in people. Life is about constantly evolving by simply taking the time to listen and learn new things.

Ris

My dad died when I was a teenager so he wasn’t around long enough to give business advice. But he did live long enough to teach us the value of family and sticking together – in good times and bad. We had eight kids, each with different ideas and priorities. But NOTHING could come between us. As a result, good times became fantastic memories for us. Bad times were bad but couldn’t destroy us. Business is tough enough out there. Drawing close to each other and sticking together no matter what creates a real culture. A culture for success.

I honor my dad for creating the kind of culture in which I could learn that.

Read More

Best Practices for Facebook Timeline

Josephine ButlerBlog, Marketing, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , , ,

As Margot mentioned earlier, one of the ways that Clairemont team members work on professional development is by reading. I’m constantly seeking the latest and greatest when it comes to social media and public relations. Recently, I had the chance to review an e-book from our friends at Hubspot entitled, “New Facebook Business Page Timelines,” and I wanted to share a few best practices with you.

1)   Think visual! With the integration of timeline comes the opportunity for visual storytelling. The most popular pieces of content are usually photos and videos. If you’re looking for an example of how to tell you company’s story, we recommend checking out the Thomasville Furniture Facebook page. We worked closely with the Thomasville team to collect old photos and milestones for the page. Because the company has a rich history, the options were nearly endless!

One of our favorite milestones from the Thomasville Facebook page.

2)   Use a logo for your profile picture. This is especially important because it visually associates your brand with any sponsored stories or ads that you run.

3)   Turn your featured apps into compelling calls-to-action. Because Facebook did away with welcome landing pages, you can now showcase your page’s content using the apps toolbar in the upper right-hand corner. I really like the idea of using text-based images because it allows you to explain the app’s features or benefits to users. Here’s a great example of a call to action:

Hubspot’s compelling call to action!

4)   Pin new promotions every seven days. When content stays fresh, engagement will remain steady. I actually recommend pinning things for three days or less, if possible (similar to my recent advice about Facebook advertising).

5)   Publish more than once a day. Previously, brands didn’t want to post more than once or twice a day because when you bombard fans with too many posts, they’ll unlike your page. Nowadays, the algorithm for users’ news feeds has changed. If you’re not posting several times a day, your content is getting lost in the feed.

Again, these are just a handful of tips that I found helpful. If you’d like to read more, you can find the e-book here: http://www.hubspot.com/guide-to-new-facebook-business-page-timelines/.

Any more tips to add? We’d love for you to share!

Read More

10 Social Media Tips from My Dog

Dana PhelpsBlog, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , 11 Comments on 10 Social Media Tips from My Dog
"Why yes, I am a social media expert."

Last week while I was away at Summer Brand Camp, Billy got to thinking about his role as Clairemont’s CMO (chief motivational officer), and he decided it was time his voice (bark?) was heard on the Clairemont blog. Day after day he hears us talking with our clients about social media, and as you’ll read below, he thinks that approaching social the way a dog approaches life could have a lot of benefits.

Hello Tweetie birds, Facebook fleas, LinkedIn lions, Pinterest pigs, Google+ goats and all you other interesting social media creatures. Billy, here. I’m Clairemont’s chief motivational officer a.k.a. Billy Midnight Hughens, the Hughens family dog. After I’ve enthusiastically greeted everyone at the Clairemont office each day, I spend a lot of time in total frustration. Now you might be asking yourself…what does a dog have to be frustrated about? So much to tweet and no thumbs. Think about it!

I’ve got a lot to growl about when it comes to social media. I might look like I’m sleeping under Dana’s desk, but I’m really listening to her talk about social media strategy or relay a story about some sort of social media mishap committed by someone who didn’t know any better. When she mistakes my input for snoring, I’ll move over to the Clairemont couch where I can watch Josie review analytics on a client’s Facebook page. “Please, please, let me explain the difference in reach and impressions to the client,” I think.

Oh, and if I can time it just right, I might catch Margot eating lunch at her desk so I can see what she’s pinning on her dream wedding board this week. Dog gone it, I hope her daddy gets paid in more than milk bones because I’m here to tell you, that one dreams BIG. But it’s not all about saying yes to the dress (and the flowers and the cake and the veil and the shoes), Margot’s knowledge of the ins and outs of Pinterest sure is helping Clairemont clients incorporate this fun tool into marketing campaigns.

So you see, I spend most of my days thinking about social media and hearing my office mates helping others understand social media etiquette and how to use it for business. Sometimes they wear me out, and then I do actually nap. Before I doze off now just thinking about napping, let me throw you a bone and tell you the key to social media success: think like a dog. Here’s how you do it:

  1. Wag your tail. Wag your tail when you see someone you know. Wag your tail when someone does something you like. Wag your tail when you appreciate what some does for you. In other words, show your love on social media. Say good morning to some friends on Twitter. Like a friend’s Facebook status. Share a pal’s blog post on Google+. If you are happy and you know it, show it!
  2. Create leash-free environments. Okay, this one is for companies doing social media. Sure, sure, I get that there has to be some rules, but when you can, create leash-free spaces to allow the thoughts of your audience to run freely. Model your favorite dog park. Look, we all know that occasionally we’re having a dandy time when somebody comes along and poops right where we were playing. Clean-up crew! Get a bag. Scoop it up and keep playing.
  3. Don’t beg. Good behavior will be rewarded. Do you know those people who constantly ask for re-tweets? That makes me feel like I’ve got a bad case of the fleas. If you provide good content and don’t do rude things like stare at people when they eat, you will gain fans and followers who will gladly share your thoughtful content.
  4. On the other hand, if you need help, ring the bell. I wasn’t actually trained to ring a bell when I need to go outside, but I have my ways. Have I mentioned that I weigh nearly 100 pounds? I have the ability to exert the pressure of all that weight through my chin and onto the knee of the person I need to open the door for me. If you are new to social media, ask someone you trust to help you. If you are a company that doesn’t have internal resources, consider hiring an agency. Social media can be a dog eat dog world. Needing help is nothing to bury in the backyard.
  5. Mark your territory. Do you like to chase balls? Is swimming in the lake your thing? Chewing on rawhide? Slobbering? Whatever it is, own it. Pin pictures of the thing you love. Write blog posts. Facebook it. Hashtag it in your tweets. You get the picture. (Now share it.)
  6. Be the master. So maybe your busy schedule won’t allow you to get on Google+ to talk about how many ribbons you won at last week’s agility competition. Maybe you can’t pin it and tweet it, but maybe you can Facebook it. If you are a social media pup, start slow. Pick a channel and master it. Once you’ve learned all the tricks, maybe you’ll feel like adding another.
  7. Be careful where you put your nose. Wanna know what I love more than coming to the Clairemont office during the week? Saturdays! I love Saturdays! Because Saturday is the day my dad takes me on a Sniff Adventure. He let’s me take my time and sniff grass and trees and telephone poles, but he warns me about sticking my nose too far into something I don’t really know much about. Some other neighborhood dogs have been bitten by snakes doing that. Do I need to explain further? Didn’t think so.
  8. Accept that little dogs can bite. Speaking of things that can bite, that dang Sparky across the street weighs about as much as my ear, but that doesn’t stop him from biting me. I don’t like it! You might think that the little guy in your category can’t outsell you and therefore is no competition. Think again. Social media levels the playing field and if the little dog is all wags and wiggles to your customers, he’s likely going to take a bite out of your profit.
  9. Stop chasing your tail. Wanna know what gets my hackles up like nothing else? When I see brands so eager to show that they are engaged on social media that they do things that howl that they know nothing about engagement. The perfect example is syncing Facebook to Twitter so that a post to one automatically posts to the other. Call off the dogs! Every time that happens, a puppy is left out in the rain. Stop it.
  10. Ride with your head out the window. Remember to have some fun. Social media can be challenging, but hopefully these tips will help you enjoy the ride.
"What do you mean I'm not allowed to tweet? Viva Fink has her own Facebook page!"

Well, there you have it. I think Billy sounds a bit like a dog with a bone. Wait a minute he is! I hope he’s happy now that we’ve let him have his own post. What has your dog been dying to share about social media?

Read More

My First 30 Days at a Raleigh PR Agency: Day 8

Margot HorganBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , ,

At Clairemont, we focus on blending traditional communication and social media to provide our clients with monumental results. So, knowing what is the next big thing to hit the social media world is our job! But with social media and technology changing everyday, it can be a challenge keeping track of all the newest social crazes.

Sites like Mashable and PR Daily do a great job of reporting on industry news and are a good reference for social media updates. According to a June 6 article on PR Daily, the video version of Instagram is an up-and-coming contender for the next popular social networking app. Here is its list of their top 10 Instagram-for-video apps to watch:

1. Viddy. Of all the new-breed video-sharing options out there, this is the one that looks and feels the most like Instagram. It has all the features you’d expect, including Facebook Timeline integration. If celebrity interest is any indication, Viddy might become the “it” platform. For some mind-bending content, check out Britney Spears’ channel (only available on iPhone at this stage).

2. SocialCam. This is the other “hot” video-sharing app at the moment, thanks in part to the team behind another popular video-based service, Justin.tv. The “leaderboard” function shows you who has the most followers on SocialCam, which at this point is led by The Roxie a “SocialCam Rockstar.” It’s available on iPhone and Android.

3. Klip. This should have been called Klipstagram or Klipterest, because it is the closest to a mash-up of Instagram and Pinterest you’ll see. It’s another iPhone-only app, except you do have the ability to connect Klip with YouTube or upload directly from Klip.com (something that Instagram has avoided).

4. Looplr. A combination of the first three apps profiled here, Looplr allows for simple “shoot, share and watch” capability from your phone, supported by that familiar Pinterest-style viewing interface on the Web.

5. Tout. Tout is a little different from the first four; it’s more of a “Twitter for video sharing” app, enabling users to upload 15-second video status updates. Ex-NBA star Shaquille O’Neal was one of the first big names to join Tout (under the direction of Amy Jo Martin, a.k.a. Digital Royalty, one of sports most respected digital marketing experts).

6. Veetle. This is slightly different from the others in that it focuses on “live video broadcasting” among your social networks as opposed to recording and then posting (in a similar fashion to qik.com).

7. MyVidster. Again, this one is slightly different because it started as a Web-based video-bookmarking service, but it has recently launched a mobile app to allow sharing on the move.

Instagram for Video apps

Social video discovery specialists

There are a few similar Web-based apps that focus more on discovery than creation, which shouldn’t be overlooked.

8. Shufflr. While this is available on mobile, the most interesting element of Shufflr is the Facebook integration that sits within your profile and serves up your daily video fix based on your interests.

9. Chill. One of the more recent talked about Web apps, Chill borrowed some inspiration from Pinterest and made video content sharing more “personally social” than the behemoth YouTube.

10. Frequency. This Web-based aggregator brings video content together from professional content creators such as BBC, ESPN, and the NBA. It’s hard to categorize this one, and it does feel similar to the current YouTube interface.

Does anyone have an account on these apps? I’d be interested to know which ones everyone is using. I think I’m going to download Shufflr and give its daily video feed a try!

Read More

My First 30 Days at a Raleigh PR Agency: Day 3

Margot HorganBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Marketing, , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments on My First 30 Days at a Raleigh PR Agency: Day 3

Every job industry has its perks. People working for airlines can fly standby for free and those working in retail get an extra discount off their purchases. The perk of working at this Raleigh PR agency? Professional development. I’m only three days into the job and have already been asked to represent Clairemont Communications this September in Columbus, Ohio at Content Marketing World 2012, the largest content marketing event in the world.

http://www.contentmarketingworld.com/

At CMW 2012, I will be surrounded by some of the best and the brightest in the industry. Last year’s convention brought more than 600 marketing professionals from nearly 20 countries to Cleveland, Ohio to hear speakers such as David Pogue, personal technology columnist at the New York Times and Emmy award-winning correspondent for CBS News; David Meerman Scott, author of the best-selling New Rules of Marketing & PR and Real-Time Marketing & PR; and Heidi Bailey, senior brand strategist at LEGO, just to name a few.

This year, the speakers are just as notable. I will hear all the words of wisdom coming straight out of the mouths of industry leaders like Sam Sebastian, chief content officer at Google; Pam Didner, global integrated marketing manager at Intel; and Julie Fleischer, director, CRM content strategy and integration at Kraft Foods.

Content Marketing World 2012

As you can tell from the speakers listed above, this is an amazing opportunity – especially for an entry-level account coordinator on her third day of work. I am incredibly excited, but also a little anxious. I can get somewhat shy in networking situations, so this trip will definitely be a learning experience and a challenge for me in more than one way.

What am I most excited for? I can’t wait to hear Sam Sebastian give his talk, “Google’s Zero Moment of Truth” (We talked about ZMOT in my marketing class this past semester, but I was sick that day, so I can finally learn everything that I missed in class!). Also, anyone who knows me knows I love Pinterest, so the workshop, “How to Use Infographics and Visual Storytelling (ala Pinterest) to drive Demand Generation” is definitely one that I will be attending!

So, I’m looking for advice! What are your best networking tips? I would love to hear any tips and tricks on how to get the most out of my conference experience!

Here’s a sneak peak at what my schedule will include at Content Marketing World 2012:

  • “CTRL ALT DEL – How to Reboot Your Content For a Mobile World” – Mitch Joel, author, Six Pixels of Separation: One of the most sought-after digital speakers in the world, Mitch Joel is President of Twist Image — an award-winning Digital Marketing and Communications agency. His first book, Six Pixels of Separation, named after his successful Blog and Podcast is a business and marketing bestseller. His next book, CTRL ALT DEL, will be coming out in Spring 2013. You don’t want to miss this amazing presentation from one of the world’s best.
  • “Cut the Bull – Blog with a Purpose and Drive Your Business” – Jason Falls, CEO, Social Media Explorer
  • “Putting Social to Work: How to Rapidly Grow Your Fans, Your Prestige and Your Business” – Mike Stelzner, CEO, Social Media Examiner
  • “Understanding the New World of Klout, Social Sharing and Social Influence Marketing” – Mark W. Schaefer, best-selling author, Return on Influence
  • “Defending Your Content Marketing & Social Media to the C-Level: Two Proven Strategies” – Jenny Magic, CEO, Better Way to Say It; Brian Massey, The Conversion Scientist “
  • “Google’s Zero Moment of Truth” – Sam Sebastian, director, local & B2B markets, Google Inc.: Audiences initiate connections with a brand long before they make a purchase decision. These connections, which include search queries, reviews, site visits, video views and many more interactions with content, influence whether users eventually select a brand or a competitor’s brand. Google’s Sam Sebastian will discuss research and examples about what Google calls the Zero Moment of Truth and share fresh strategies of how Brands are winning and optimizing the Zero Moment of Truth.
  • “Distilling the Magic and the Mystery that is Content Marketing Success” – Marcus Sheridan, the sales lion and owner, River Pools & Spas. Put your seat belts on ladies and gentlemen, as Marcus Sheridan of The Sales Lion will take you on a content marketing ride full of learning and laughter in this keynote you won’t soon forget. Bursting with innovative ideas that you’ll be able to immediately apply to your business, this session will surely be a highlight of your Content Marketing World experience.
  • “Building Your Internal Publishing Department for Content/Social Success” – Brody Dorland, chief strategy officer, Divvy HQ
Jayme Thomason, CEO, Divvy HQ
  • “Twitter Will Win — And With the Right Plan of Attack, So Will You” – Nate Riggs, director of social business, The Karcher Group
  • “The Content Opportunity that is Google+” – Arnie Kuenn, president, Vertical Measures
  • “How to Use Infographics and Visual Storytelling (ala Pinterest) to drive Demand Generation” – Maria Pergolino, senior director, marketing, Marketo, Inc.
  • “Scalable Content Strategies for Facebook and LinkedIn” – Amy Porterfield, author, Facebook Marketing All-in-One for Dummies.
  • “How to Develop Amazing Audio and Podcast Content Marketing” – Pamela Muldoon, chief content officer, Next Stage Media
Read More