clearly conveyed communications

How MacGyver Can Inspire Your Marketing Efforts

I wanted to be MacGyver when I grew up. [Who’s MacGyver?] Not Cinderella or Barbie or Sassette Smurfling (although living in the Smurf Village wouldn’t have been so bad.)

macgyver in action — MacGyver was always thinking, which inspired me to do the same.

Why? MacGyver was a thinker. He didn’t just shoot someone (didn’t even carry a gun in fact) or take the easy way out of a situation. He used logic. He stepped back, looked at a problem from all angles (even under extreme circumstances) and figured out a solution. That impressed me even at a young age.

MacGyver wasn’t flashy; he just went about his business of fixing things and saving people while living his life. The fact that he happened to get into shaky circumstances so often didn’t seem to phase him at all. I related to him as a thinker, an introvert, a problem solver.

Not everyone did though. For show and tell in second grade one week, we were supposed to talk about our favorite superhero. I was excited to talk about MacGyver: how cool he was, and how I wanted to be like him when I grew up. You know, a non-violent secret agent who has a scientific background and uses everyday items to solve major issues. Practical, right?

Anyway, I announced that my favorite hero was MacGyver, which my teacher promptly rebutted with, “MacGyver isn’t a superhero.” My response, “Why? Because he doesn’t wear tights?” My sarcasm was evident even as a seven-year-old.

MacGyver didn’t need tights or special powers, just a Swiss Army knife, encyclopedic knowledge and common sense.

Marketing professionals can learn a lot from this fictional character and utilize MacGyver’s ‘tools’ to succeed.

Knowledge is power. The more you know about your industry, organization, objectives and marketing will put you in a position to succeed.
Always be prepared. MacGyver carried his Swiss Army knife wherever he went just in case. What’s your Swiss Army knife? A master binder covering every detail of your event? Your company’s marketing plan? Your smartphone? Whatever it is, know where it is at all times.
Be flexible. Yes, you need to plan, but the best laid plans can change on a dime—and you need to adapt to your surroundings.
Solve problems. Sometimes we get so caught up in marketing, that we forget our primary goal is to solve a problem — our company’s, a client’s, a non-profit organization’s that we’re volunteering for. [I’d be remiss not to mention Jeff Bullas’ excellent post on this subject: Why Solving Problems Beats Marketing.]
Think. You have a brain; use it. Don’t overreact to every situation and try to ‘do’ your way out of it. No matter how crazy it seems, you have time to step back, look at a problem from all angles and come up with a solution. Use logic to fight (metaphorical) fires, and more often than not, you’ll put them out much quicker.

See, MacGyver really is a superhero. As a marketing professional, you can use the same tools he did to succeed and be a hero to your clients, boss, business associates and colleagues.

Now it’s your turn.

What’s the go to ‘tool’ in your arsenal?

Do you agree with the tools I mentioned? What am I missing?

Did another character inspire you when you were growing up?

Chime in! I’d love to hear your thoughts on MacGyver, inspirational characters, the aforementioned ‘tools’ to succeed, marketing or whatever’s on your mind today.

Photos courtesy of the Richard Dean Anderson Website (Yep, that’s MacGyver.)
Video courtesy of the CBS Television YouTube Channel

Your marketing secret agent,
Jaime

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https://www.pinterest.com/jaimeshine/ — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimeshine/

What makes you smile?

I’m sitting here polishing my toenails while making updates to my website and a squirrel just ran across my windowsill, stopping to peer in. (Don’t feed the humans!) I realized that I was smiling despite the damage that the little critters can cause.

What makes you smile?

Sometimes a midst the frustration and minor annoyances of day to day life, it helps to take a step back and remember what makes you smile. Then seek out those things, however small, so you smile more and more. It’s amazing what it does for your mood!

Here are some things that make me smile!

polishing my toenails
connecting with someone in a meaningful way
chewing Big Red gum
reading
sipping espresso

Showing off my Starbucks #sipface while enjoying some espresso on a beautiful day.

after a day of trail running — I ❤ trail running (and a little mud)!

did I mention reading?!
writing
wearing fuzzy slippers
admiring muscle cars from the 60’s & 70’s
accomplishing something I set my mind to

hitting my goal in the Akron half-marathon — In my 3rd half-marathon, I hit my goal (with the help of my blue toenail polish)!

relaxing on the beach — Soaking in the rays on Hilton Head Island…

Just another day in the life…

Now it’s your turn –> what makes you smile?

Drop your list in the comments below or share your blog post link. I’m looking forward to your responses. Enjoy the weekend, and remember to smile!

Cheers,
Jaime

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Attention bloggers! We want you.

Yes, you. You’re reading this post and love to blog or have been secretly wanting to start blogging, but you’re not sure where to start. We would love to feature your thoughts.

The Clearly Conveyed Communications (CCC) blog turned a year old last month, and we’re ready to open our doors to outside content. What a year it’s been! Full of enhancements, tweaks, middle-of-the-night ideas, a complete website redesign and now, an invite to others to further join (and lead) the conversation.

An Introduction: Our first post!

If you’re a fan of the blog (thank you!!), you know that we cover a wide range of topics falling within the marketing (including social media), writing, event planning and personal reflection categories. The wide range of subjects mirrors the services that CCC provides and is drawing increased interest.

Have an idea? Not sure but want to participate?

Here’s what we need from you:

300-500 words (an average; we’re flexible)
Accompanying picture(s)/video(s) — we can provide if you don’t have
Brief bio, head shot & link to website, LinkedIn profile, etc.

Each blogger will be prominently featured on his or her post(s) and included in the contributor panel on the sidebar. Your posts will also be tagged with your name. Yes, you are invited to submit multiple posts, perhaps a series, or as ideas strike you.

If you’re interested, just drop us a comment below. As noted, we’d love to hear your ideas or let us know if you’d love to contribute but aren’t sure what to write about. Feel free to share this post with other interested parties!

>>> Comment away! <<<

Looking forward to hearing your ideas!
Jaime

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Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. Love, Google

Brands have been creating content, offering special promotions and attaching themselves to seemingly non-related holidays for years. But for Mother’s Day 2013, Google nailed it.

Here’s to the Moms

The worldwide search giant did what it does best — connected you to the information you need. A special landing page offers:

a video celebrating moms created from user videos showing touching mom moments from their own lives (YouTube)
last minute gift ideas (Google Shopping) & deals (Google Offers)
a way to hang out with Mom on Mother’s Day no matter where you are (Google+ Hangouts)
a quick way to send flowers (Google Maps)

In one swoop, Google managed to create goodwill with its customers, positive PR for itself and help its users celebrate Mother’s Day with ease. You go, Google, and thanks for putting the world — and our loved ones — at our fingertips.

Weigh in!

What do you think of Google’s landing page? Have you used it?

How are you celebrating Mother’s Day this year?

What other successful examples of brands associating themselves with holidays have you seen?

Here’s to the Moms,
Jaime

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In 10 Years, I Have…

In honor of LinkedIn’s 10 year anniversary, Slideshare is asking you to look back at the past decade of your life. Where have you gone? What have you done? How far have you come?

Well, here’s mine… enjoy!

Let me know what you think! What has happened in your life over the past 10 years? Where do you hope to be in the next 10 years? Drop a comment below or reach out on a social network. If it sounds like fun, tell your story (or check out other journeys) at slideshare.net/in10years.

A toast to the next 10 years…
Jaime

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What’s your riddle?

You know, the one that’s still stumping you, no matter how hard you try to solve it. That puzzle you keep turning over in your mind like a Rubik’s Cube, knowing there’s a solution out there somewhere. What’s your riddle?

Recently, I’ve been catching up on Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, some of the few King masterpieces that I haven’t read (or devoured). (Yes, you could say I’m a fan.) Today, I finished The Waste Lands (III) and began Wizard and Glass (IV), and the scene that had me hooked was all about riddles. The main characters – Roland, Eddie, Susannah and Jake – must stump their antagonist, Blaine, with a riddle he can’t solve. Of course, Blaine is a demented spirit/ghost powering a train who’s losing his mind and has a nearly endless knowledge of riddles.

The Ka-tet: Roland of Gilead, Eddie, Susannah and Jake (with Oy)

In typical King style, I was turning pages faster and faster to see if the ka-tet (along with their furry companion, Oy) lived or died. It also made me think more about riddles, a concept that our ‘world has moved on’ from, it seems. However, riddles actually apply today as well as ever.

We all have that riddle that we’re trying to solve, big or small.

Some of us battle addictions while others have a fear of failure. Some can’t put down the bottle while others have built a wall and won’t let anyone in. We all have something. What’s your thing?

Mine is perfectionism. I’ve always felt this driving need from deep inside me to be perfect and excel at everything, which is impossible. I do understand that, and I’ve come a long way from my youth, but perfectionism’s an ugly force that still rears its head to me today. I know that I’ll always deal with it on some level, just below the surface, no matter how much progress I make. That’s my riddle that I can’t quite solve even after years of looking at it from every angle, considering different solutions. (As you can imagine, that doesn’t sit well with the perfectionist monster inside of me. Talk about irony…)

Perfectionism still stares me right in the eye.

So there’s my riddle. What are you trying to solve? About your life, yourself, your situation? Whatever it is, know that all riddles can be solved eventually. They may take years or much sweat and stress, but they can be solved.

OK, don’t leave me stranded. Leave a comment about your riddle, so we can all bring our daily battles to light. If you don’t feel comfortable exposing your riddle, then just let me know that I’m not alone in my fight.

So, what’s your riddle?

Stephen King book covers courtesy of The Dark Tower Official Website
Amazing drawing of the Ka-tet by John M. Prinkey courtesy of Elfwood

Enjoy the sunshine!
Jaime

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Wisdom from Nora Ephron

Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.

–Truth by the late, witty Nora Ephron

Your thoughts?

More about Nora:

A Nora Ephron fan,
Jaime

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Say Hello: How To Make Connections With Your Social Media Profiles

Social media is still buzzing, even as it has moved from a trend to a mainstream marketing activity. Yet so many people still overlook one of the most important aspects—the profile.

First, let’s focus on the profile picture. This is your first step to legitimacy. It’s hard to take a generic silhouette seriously. Not photogenic? Neither am I, but you need a good head shot. With today’s technology, that’s easier to obtain than ever. Some will disagree, but I see nothing wrong with cropping a candid shot or using a personal picture if it projects the image you want. You can use your company’s logo on your company account, but small business owners may want to use their photo to help create connections with their community. It depends on how you go to market, but it is nice to show people who they’ll be working with and help humanize the cold, digital world.

Contact information. It amazes me how often people list no contact information, even a website. People need to be able to contact you to continue conversations, discuss projects or partner on an initiative. Plus, there’s other benefits. Contact information gives your business or brand legitimacy and allows users to learn more about (and promote) your business. I realize that spam is an issue, and there are steps you can take to address that issue. However, it’s tough to be in business if people don’t know how to get a hold of you.

The profile. This is your chance to shine. Think of it as your elevator speech in 160 characters or less. OK, that rule applies to Twitter, but keep it in mind for all of your social networks. Our attention spans aren’t much these days, so you need to be able to capture someone’s attention (in a positive way) before they jump to another profile or task.

Who are you? What do you do? Show your personality. Unless you just invented something that no one else on Earth has, you have competition. Why should a user follow or connect with you (or your business)?

This is where the magic happens. Show people who you are. Intrigue them enough to follow, like, connect, befriend. Spark an interest that makes them want to reach out and say hello. Your profile can be a great conversation starter if done right.

While I do strive for consistency across platforms, I also recognize the unique traits of each platform. As a small business owner, I want clients, prospects, fans and followers to know who’s behind the Clearly Conveyed Communications banner, so they can connect with a real person. That’s why I’ve made the decision to keep most of my social media accounts under my name (with my business noted in my profile) and utilize them for work and play. I believe in transparency, and this is the best way for me to maximize my resources.

Plus, I spent years building a professional network before I opened my own business. When I went into business, my personal brand had more value than my new business brand, so I wanted to capitalize on that. Again, it depends on your situation and how you go to market whether you should have business accounts under your personal or company name. Not sure? Leave a comment below or contact us, so we can discuss your specific situation.

Last but not least, let’s look at the cover photo. More social networks have followed Facebook’s lead and maximized the cover photo on your profile. This is a chance to powerfully convey your or your company’s brand visually. Ask impartial friends or family members to take a look at your photo. What does it portray to them? Make sure you utilize a photo that displays well in the frame provided and follows the platform’s policies. The last thing you want is to have your profile or page pulled down because you’re violating terms. (Remember, it may be your content, but you don’t own your Facebook page. Facebook does.)

Keep in mind that a majority of your traffic could be viewing your cover photo and social media profiles on mobile, which affects their viewing experience. View your cover photos on different devices, so you can make sure they display how you want them to look. If most of your traffic comes via mobile, keep that in mind when designing your cover photos. A majority of the traffic to our social profiles does come via mobile, which is one of the reasons why we decided to simplify our cover photos.

Your turn…

What do you focus on in your social media profiles?

Do your profiles accurately represent you or your company?

Do you use the same pictures and profiles across your social network or different ones?

Link to your social media presences in the comments below so we can connect, or say hi on your favorite social network.

Let’s get social!
Jaime

Let’s chat (about your social media profiles, social media marketing needs or otherwise):

Are you missing the beauty for the bustle?

“We place such value on the noises of our lives, we glorify and exalt the over-popular art of always being busy. How can we ever love the sea if we’re always racing for the shore?” –Tyler Knott

Are you missing the beauty of life for the everyday hustle and bustle? Stop and… __________ [insert activity here]. Smell the roses. Sip some coffee. Reflect. Be grateful. Play with your kids. Talk to your partner. Meet a friend for lunch. Do yoga. Call your mom.

It’s not too late.

Oh, and read this. You’ll be glad you did.

Photo courtesy of Tyler Knott
It’s a great day to be alive,
Jaime

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Run For Boston: #BostonStrongAkron

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, look for the helpers, you will always find people who are helping.

This quote by Fred Rogers (of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood fame) has popped up across social media networks since the horrendous news broke of the bombings at the Boston Marathon.

In the wake of tragedy come inspirational stories of courage, people rushing to help the victims in whatever way they can. At the scene. By donating blood. Financially. Keeping those affected in thoughts & prayers.

A runner and blogger who goes by the handle Pavement Runner wanted to do something more, something he could feel. What do runners do? They run. This avid runner organized a community run in San Francisco, #BostonStrongSF, and invited runners across the world to unite and run for Boston on Monday, April 22nd. [see A Week After: A Run For Boston In Your City]

News spread. A friend of mine on Twitter created an event in Long Valley, NJ, and I noticed it in my Twitter feed. I checked out Pavement Runner’s blog post and was inspired to create #BostonStrongAkron to get a group together here.

If you’re in the Akron area, please join us at 6pm EST on Monday, April 22nd at the Sand Run Metro Park Towpath Trail (near the N. Portage Path & Sand Run Pkwy intersection). All ages and running experience are welcome. If you’re a walker, then walk! Can’t make it at 6pm EST? Run or walk on your own and chime in on the event page. Photos and thoughts are appreciated from attendees in person and in spirit.

Not in the Akron area? Check out the other 80+ events around the world or host your own. Or just go for a run with a buddy and think about the brave people in Boston who reacted heroically to this situation.

>>>Whatever you do, I’d love to hear from you.<<< Leave a comment about your run, walk or event that is honoring the victims and those who rushed to help in Boston. If you don’t have an event near you, you’re welcome to participate in spirit at #BostonStrongAkron. Jump over to our event page and say hi!

Please help spread the news about #BostonStrong, so we can invite and inspire as many people as possible. Remember, look for the helpers. You will always find people helping.

#BostonStrong banner courtesy of Pavement Runner

Grateful for the helpers,
Jaime

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