1. Issue a press release

Take some time to identify new or exciting developments within your business or organization. Whether its a new product/service, or an accomplishment, announce yourself to media and let them know about what you’re offering/celebrating!

2. Collab with other local businesses

Believe it or not, working with like-minded businesses that align well with your mission/service/product can produce very fruitful results. Think Doritos and Taco Bell (a large scale example, but still)– a tasty collab that resulted in a fabulous pairing, bringing both brands to higher heights. Once you find your mate, hold an event together, or find a way to promote each other’s offerings. It’s always more fun to rise to the top with a friend by your side.

3. Actually USE Social Media

Yes, we all know social media is important, but what is more important is how you use it. Need to find more customers, or expose your product to more people? Get crafty and instigate conversation — and don’t forget the power of a good DM once and awhile.

4. Hold a Lunch and Learn

That’s right! Invite local businesses and media to come in to your space (this would be a great time to use Twitter *wink wink*). Provide them with a hearty lunch (cocktails optional) and explain to them exactly what it is you or your products do. Nothing replaces good ol’ fashion networking.

5. Enlist a PR Pro

We could go on for hours with other savvy ways to enhance your PR efforts. There are hundreds of amazing tactics PR professionals employ to get you the attention you deserve. If you’re looking for some assistance with your PR goals, shoot us an email and we’ll help you make them happen!

Happy 2016, we’re wishing you massive success in the New Year!

How satisfying would it be to reply with a simple, “Nope, feeling fantastic!”

Popular magazine Redbook has put together a list of things you can do to improve your energy levels throughout the week, making the sluggish Monday start a thing of the past. A few tips that stand out to us are:

• Wake up at the same time everyday.
• Work out before heading in to work.
• Have a healthy snack at 4 p.m.
• Write down your task list for tomorrow before heading to bed.
• Sleep on a half-empty stomach.

Check out all the tips in the INFOGRAPHIC below:

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

“The key skill in any organization today is no longer marketing, but conversing.” – @jeffjarvis #PR #PR101 #PRtips #socialmedia

— Stephanie Greenall (@SDGreenall) June 3, 2014

Be the Tortoise, not the Hare. Take time to fully research journalists as tailored pitches get more media attention and coverage. #PRTips

— Aneela Rose PR (@AneelaRosePR) June 4, 2014

Always say thanks to a journalist for a story, mention, item etc. #PRTips

— Pure PR (@PurePROKC) June 4, 2014

Effectiveness > Efficiency Your efforts to complete an objective won’t mean much without measuring the results. #PRtips

— Anna E. Barrett (@anna_eliza_beth) June 4, 2014

Figure out exactly who you are writing your content for. Keep your audience in mind. #contentmarketing #contenttips http://t.co/ExYVF7uvHZ

— Springboard PR (@PRtips) June 3, 2014

 #PRTip: Always have strategy detailing a comprehensive #crisismanagement plan. http://t.co/gXxUhZ61My

— Montieth & Company (@MontiethPR) June 4, 2014

Everyone you pitch has name; if you have it, use it. If you don’t, find it. #PRtip

— shayna19 (@shayna19) June 2, 2014

27-9-3 rule: When it comes to the #media, you get 27 words, nine seconds and three key points. Keep it short, informative and sweet! #PRTip

— AirPR (@AirPR) May 30, 2014

#PRTip – Before you close for the week, write down your marketing plans for next week. Giving each day a specific task. It works!

— DianaEnnen (@DianaEnnen) May 30, 2014

#PRTip Sell the story behind the client NOT just the product, service or person…. http://t.co/YMOoWIFw9C

— GlitzPR & Marketing (@GlitzPR) May 30, 2014

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

Don’t exaggerate. Get your facts straight. If one of the claims you make is not true, the pitch quickly loses credibility. #PRtips #PRpitch

— Polongo PR (@PolongoPR) April 22, 2014

Review plans regularly, says @dawn_lou79. What’s going well & not so well? There’s no shame in changing tack to ensure great results #PRTips

— Tribe PR (@TribePR) April 22, 2014

Stay passionate and hardworking but don’t get too busy for the important things and people in your life. #prtip #life #workhard

— Rachel Laitala (@rachmariepr) April 18, 2014

BE PROACTIVE, NOT REACTIVE! Prepare for a crisis before it happens. Create a list of potential problems & develop a plan of action. #PRtips

— Sabrina – Blu Lotus (@BluLotusPR) April 14, 2014

The subject line of your email pitch should be less than eight words. Simplicity wins. #PRTips

— Aneela Rose PR (@AneelaRosePR) April 14, 2014

prtips The last thing ppl want to hear when they meet you is your life story or why your biz is the best. Relax. Ask about them. prtips

— LAKSH JINDAL JINDAL (@danuxrodh_regmi) April 22, 2014

Bloggers are going to be more likely to respond to your email if you take 30s to find & use their name #PRtip

— Sarah Worsham (@sazbean) April 21, 2014

#PRTip – The difference between persistence and chasing is timing.

— McCollins Media (@McCollinsMedia) April 21, 2014

Don’t always rely on email – sometimes you just need to get on the phone, it’s more immediate and can help you develop relationships #prtips

— Cerub PR (@CerubPR) April 22, 2014

There are no days off when it comes to public relations. Consistency is essential & key in the PR world. #prtip

— Samantha Jordan サマンサ (@_SJordan) April 21, 2014

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

For Him:

1. Man Bouquet

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2. Bring your Facebook Album to Life

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3. New Footwear

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Who doesn’t love a new pair of shoes? Find the shoe or article of clothing that your guy really wants, but has a hard time buying for himself. Most brands have released their spring lines, so you can get him the newest style.

4. Subscription to His Favourite Club

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5. Pre-Planned Dates

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For Her

1. Artistic DYI

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2. Heart Bracelet

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3. Heart Scarf

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4. Exercise Class

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5. Movie Night for Her

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A recent INFOGRAPHIC from Healthguru has some interesting findings about the issue:

• Stress can cause your heart rate to speed up rapidly, and over time can lead to heart problems and high blood pressure.
• Stomach problems are common in those that experience chronic stress.
• Your immune system can weaken over time with your body under constant stress.
• Muscles are “on alert” to act as your body prepares to fight or flight.

All this said, it’s important to take action when you’re feeling under pressure. Making sure you keep perspective while in stressful situations can certainly help, but here are a few other tips in order to keep your stress in check:

• Laugh! It lowers adrenaline, cortisol and two stress hormones.
• Work out. You’ll release endorphins, and ease your anxiety.
• Eat well. Incorporate more veggies, almonds and other health foods into your diet.
• Breathe. Assess the situation, and ask yourself – will this matter one year from now?

More tips and insights in the INFOGRAPHIC below:

Social media has been around for quite some time now, but that certainly doesn’t mean everyone is fully comfortable using it. Check out today’s #FilmFriday and learn some helpful tips from EDPR founder, Cory Stewart, on how to up your social game!

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

• meet with a potential client
• present during a pitch
• encourage a colleague to speak up
• take charge of a team
• socialize with a client
• disagree without making enemies
• nail an interview
• deal with an angry colleague
• ask your boss for a raise

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We know wintertime can be a drag. With the holidays coming up, it becomes especially difficult to be merry and stress-free. We’re faced with lack of daylight, cloudy skies, cold weather, excessive spending on gifts for family & friend, battling colds and flus, and inevitable weight gain (we can go on and on). So, what’s the best thing to do this month to stay afloat? Plan a party. Getting your friends together for a fun night of cocktails and games can be the perfect mini-escape from stressful holiday season.

Here are 7 different ideas you can use to throw a successful and fun party – and temporarily get your mind off all the holiday stress.

Ugly Sweater Christmas Party – Who doesn’t love themed parties! Now you can finally unearth that hideous Christmas sweater your grandmother (bless her heart) gave you a few Christmases ago. If you’re lucky enough not to own one, it’s just as fun to go on an ugly-sweater-shopping adventure at your local thrift store with a friend. Give your guests even more incentive to wear an ugly sweater by having a contest for the ugliest sweater at the party with a prize (something inexpensive like a $10 Starbucks gift cards works well!)

Board game night – Don’t be fooled by this one! We promise it’s not as lame as it sounds. Although it might seem like the dullest way to spend an evening, inviting your friends over for a night of board games can actually give your brain the rest it needs during this stressful and (at-times) depressing season. By focusing on the game and the added competition against your friends, you’re taking your mind off of work, holiday expenses, travel arrangements, etc. It’s simple yet highly effective. Besides, staying indoors seems like a much nicer alternative than going out when it’s below 10 and snowing outside.

Christmas cocktail/mocktail party – This is a great party idea for all ages, as these drinks can easily be made alcohol-free. Make a list of 5-10 or so different drinks your guests can choose from at the party, be sure to buy all the ingredients you need to make the drink, and play bartender for the night (ok, not the whole night). Giving your guests the option to choose from different cocktails or mocktails can make your party much more appealing, rather than having just two or three drink options. You can also make the mock/cocktails in small test-size cups so they can try more than one drink. Check here for a list of delicious drink recipes.

Festivus – Seinfeld lovers unite! If Christmas songs, the millions of Christmas commercials, and the red and green colour combination are making you sick to your stomach, throw a Festivus party! Take part in the Festivus rituals, which include the airing of grievances and feats of strength. A Festivus themed party is the perfect alternative to those who are in desperate need of some comic relief amidst the madness of Christmas. Don’t forget the aluminum Festivus pole.

Potluck – The best part about a potluck is not having the stress of cooking enough food to feed all your guests – and worrying that you may not have cooked enough food for all your guests. Instead, have a holiday-themed potluck party where your guests can bring a dish of their choice. Make it easier for your guests by not having the dishes be holiday-specific (not everyone is a master chef).

Baking/Gingerbread House Decorating party – The holidays wouldn’t be the same without cookies and gingerbread houses. Pick a few different baking recipes, and gather your family, friends and kids (if you have them) and bake away! While you’re waiting for the cookies to bake, you can drink cocktails or hot chocolate with marshmallows while sitting around a warm fire (or candles, if you don’t have a fireplace).

A Classy Affair that’s laid back – If you just want a reason to dress up and have a good time, throw a classy holiday party with a laid back atmosphere. Tell your guests to dress up in their best attire, and have cocktails, champagne and snacks on hand to serve all night. For more intimate parties or smaller groups, you can host a nice sit-down dinner. Even though you’ll be dressed up, this doesn’t mean the party has to be stuffy and overly serious. Make sure to create a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere, so your guests don’t feel uncomfortable.

Vine, a popular app and social media network where you film 6-second clips, has created many mini-celebrities, such as Jerome Jarre. The French Vine star is known for awkwardly and hilariously incorporating strangers and passers-by in his videos. Before he was becoming a Vine sensation with his videos, Jarre also co-founded the web based, event management software company, Atendy.  Jarre is a perfect example of how you can use your Vine stardom to build your brand.

Launched just this past January, Vine challenges its users to create meaningful and memorable content in just 6-seconds. With attention spans seemingly becoming shorter, it’s no wonder that Vine has become so popular in such a short period of time. You might be wondering how Vine or Instagram videos are different from YouTube, and the biggest difference is that the two apps are strictly designed for use on a mobile device. Since Instagram released its video feature in June, the life of Vine was in jeopardy. However, with pages devoted to sharing funny vines, such as the Best Vines page on Facebook, we can see that the lifeline of Vine continues to be healthy and stable.

Instagram videos offer users a much longer shooting time (15 seconds vs. Vine’s 6 seconds) along with 13 filters and the ability to delete the previously shot scene. Vine is much simpler in that you simply tap to record and post. There is no option to add filters, although they recently updated the app so you can go back to delete and move around scenes before you publish it. While there has been much debate over which app is, for lack of another term, ‘better’, we find that Vine caters to a tighter community but demands creativity because of its short time-frame and simplified editing tools.

If you’re not yet a Vine sensation, you can still make your voice heard and vine-ify your brand. Here are some helpful tips on how to master the popular app:

1. Use stop-motion for effects: The reason why stop-motion videos are so popular (the good ones, at least) is due to the amount of work and thought put into them.  One mistake could ruin the whole clip, meaning users have to go back and record the Vine all over again. Here’s a quick tutorial. Take a look at Target’s use of stop-motion filming for their most recent Halloween-themed Vine:

For more amazing examples, be sure to visit BrandsOnVine.com to get inspired by some of the world’s leading brands and their Vines.

Here are all five as identified by fast business Canada:

• Map Out Your Day
• Eat Breakfast
• Get Some Exercise
• Visualize Your Day
• Attempt Your Worst Tasks First

Check out all five in detail below:

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DO

Pumpkins: there is nothing better than a display of creative and well-carved pumpkins illuminating your porch (or balcony) on a crisp autumn night. Carving pumpkins is not as easy as it seems, though. Think of the design you want (you’ll have to plan for which spaces will be empty or carved out), transfer the design onto the pumpkin, and use more tools than just a knife (they are difficult to carve with, can be dangerous and could ruin the end product).

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DON’T

Plastic pumpkins, skeletons, Frankenstein, gravestones, etc: Even if you’re decorating your office, there is something about those cheap plastic novelty Halloween items that are an absolute eyesore. If you share a space, please refrain from these novelty items as your neighbours or coworkers may not have the same decorating ideas as you.

The palm trees definitely don’t add to the “spook”

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DO

Wreaths: A wreath adds the perfect Halloween-spirited touch to your front entrance. You can add one to your apartment door or place one on the front door of your home. Enough said.

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DON’T

Cobwebs, fake spiders, and strobe lights: Unless you are turning your home into a haunted house for all the neighbourhood kids, refrain from fake cobwebs, spiders and especially strobe lights. There are people out there who have a terrible fear of spiders, and the sight of even a fake one might be enough to send them into a catatonic state of mind. Skip buying the strobe lights for obvious reasons: one of your trick-or-treaters could be an epileptic (the flashing lights are also just plain annoying).

This just looks like a pain to clean the next day.

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DO

Scented candles: Even if you’re decorating your office, you can decorate the space with scented candles and not have to light them (most offices won’t allow you to light candles). Some candles are pungent enough for you to be able to smell them even when they’re not lit. Scents like pumpkin spice, cinnamon apple, baked apple pie, etc are perfect for the season.

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DON’T

Smoke machines: Do you remember coming up to a house to say “trick or treat” only to be cut off by the sound of a smoke machine spraying a thick cloud of smoke, temporarily confusing you and disabling you from any sort of normal human function? We do. There is no need for smoke machines unless you’re the stage designer for The Rolling Stones’ 45th Farewell tour. They can also be dangerous by impeding a trick-or-treaters vision, which could cause an accident (like falling down porch steps – yes, its happened to one of our staff members).

Ideal for tripping over those gravestones, too.

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DO

Candy & Baked Goods: This doesn’t quite fall under the category of decorating, but if you have candy and baked goods in the office, your co-workers will love you. Have a wide variety of candy readily available for them to snack on. No matter how old, people love candy! Even if its just one bite to satisfy that sweet tooth.

Overall, be minimalistic! Think ‘less is more’. Don’t go on a spending spree buying Halloween-themed photo albums, fake leaves, banners, or other excessively spirited objects that you can only use once a year. Save your money for a vacation or for Christmas gifts. A simple wreath hanging on the door, soft-glowing lanterns, and carved pumpkins will do the trick. They are inviting and will still make you appear spirited. If you think of creative DIY crafts for your Halloween decorations, your wallet will most certainly thank you.

Sources

http://www.sheknows.com/holidays-and-seasons/articles/805916/halloween-decorating-do-s-and-don-ts

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/741181/

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This week we’re explaining the importance of using FourSquare as a lucrative marketing tactic for your shop, pub or restaurant and how to get the most out of it. As with the other social media networks we’ve covered in the previous posts, each platform must be suitable for your business. Since FourSquare allows users to check-into physical locations, it’s obviously necessary to have a customer-service oriented business. FourSquare has had most success in the realm of retailers, bars, restaurants and the like. If you’re not using FourSquare for your business yet, here are a few reasons why you should start and how it will benefit your business.

Statistics:

Over 1.5 millions businesses are on FourSquare
Over 40 millions users worldwide
Over 4.5 billion check-ins a day

• FourSquare makes it easier for your business to be found: If a user is looking for nearby places to eat or shop or get their dry cleaning done, your business will pop on the map if they are in the vicinity. By listing your business on FourSquare, the app has done the work of promoting your business. Offering discounts on your FourSquare account can also greatly increase the chances of your business getting more customers (we will go more into detail about FourSquare campaigns below).
• Promote your FourSquare account onsite: When a potential customer walks by your business and sees that you are on FourSquare, you have already increased the chances that your business will be visited by that customer. Since using FourSquare as a marketing tactic for business is still relatively new, users can look forward to being a valued customer to your business, especially if they will be rewarded. If they check in enough times, they can become the mayor of your business. When someone becomes the mayor of a business on FourSquare it means they have the most check-ins out of anyone else at that particular business.
• Reward system: This idea ties in closely with the previous one. A lot of the times businesses will promote a discount on their storefront if you check in using FourSquare.  Create a contest or some sort of reward every time a user checks in to your place of business. You can also gain new customers by having a “newbie” reward. When a person checks into your business for the first time ever, they can get a free cup of coffee, for example. Or you can offer your customers with frequent check-ins a 15% discount on any item, depending of the nature of your business. This generates revenue for your business while engaging your customer – and every customer loves to be rewarded with free gifts or discounts. When you combine this campaign with promoting it on your storefront, you increase your chances of having your business succeed that much more. The beauty is that the customer puts in minimal effort by simply tapping “check in” on their app, and they are being rewarded for it. However, in order to offer specials and discounts you must become a verified business on FourSquare, see below.
• Become a verified business: In order to become a verified business, you must create a business account with FourSquare. If your business is already listed on FourSquare (a customer may have added it in order to check-in) you can claim it as your own business. You simply search for the business name, enter your phone number, and FourSquare will call you with an automated machine asking a few questions regarding the business. On that same page, you will also be provided with a verification code that you will then enter into your phone. After that, you can access your business’ FourSquare account, review statistics and check-ins, demographics, and manage campaigns.
• Users can connect their Foursquare account to Facebook and Twitter: Depending on whether their social media profiles are linked to their FourSquare, every time a customer checks into your business, it will show up on all of their social media accounts. Not only do their FourSquare friends see their check-ins, but now all their followers on Twitter and friends on Facebook also see them checking into your business. The promotional work is being done for you by your customers. But, once again, rewarding them with specials will only make your business that much more successful. If a users follower notices that the person who checked in to your business received a 15% off coupon just by checking in, others are much more likely to visit your business in order to get the discount too.
• Know your customers: One of the best parts about using FourSquare for your business is that you get to know your customers on a more personal level. You can view their profile photo, their latest check-ins, reviews that they’ve written, their badges that they’ve earned, etc. With FourSquare’s analytics tool, you can also track who’s linking their check-ins with their Facebook or Twitter pages.

To learn more about how to claim, create or manage your business on FourSquare, visit their how-to page.

Sources

http://www.htmlgraphic.com/the-importance-of-foursquare-for-a-business/

http://beeliked.com/resources/how-to-use-foursquare-for-business/

http://scorephoenix.org/2013/09/importance-foursquare-local-businesses/

https://foursquare.com/about

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Last week we wrote about different ways your business or brand can get the most use out of Instagram. This week we’re tackling one that is sometimes slightly more difficult for a brand, as it depends highly on the product and type of business you are promoting.

Many businesses create a Pinterest account because it is one of the many widely used social media platforms. It seems to have become a belief that as long as your account is present, you have a presence in the social media world. This is not true. Many businesses either do not use Pinterest correctly (as well as other social media platforms that we will cover in the next few weeks) or they do not use it at all because they do not see any or enough feedback. Here are ways to use Pinterest in order to get the most for you brand, product or business.

1. Determine your audience: While Instagram is devoted to just images (which can cover a wider scope of businesses and brands), Pinterest is a combination of images and content. It’s also important to remember that Pinterest is a social media platform that caters to DIY crafts, recipes, design tips, fashion, etc. Determine the type of product you are promoting or the nature of your business and whether or not your audience would benefit from your boards/pins. For example, a furniture designer could boost their popularity by pinning images of their past, current or future design projects. One board could be devoted to furniture they have designed, while another board could be devoted to simple, low-cost design ideas for interior spaces. By doing this, they are simultaneously promoting their brand and giving design tips to their followers without appearing to be pushing sales on a specific product.

2. Pinterest takes time: Just like most social media networks, you need to devote a lot of time and patience in order to create meaningful and quality content that will draw attention and get re-pinned. There is no quick and easy way to get thousands of followers and re-pins, so it’s important to be realistic and manage your time accordingly.

3. Stick with a familiar username: If you have a specific username that you have used for your Instagram or Twitter accounts, make sure your Pinterest (and other social media accounts) are the same. If the username is unavailable, alter it (for example a number at the end or a dash in the middle) but keep the name the same. By using your business or brand name for your username, it will be much easier for your customers to find and follow you. When your content gets re-pinned, then your brand or business name becomes visible to a much larger audience.

4. Link  accounts: If you already have established Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts, be sure to link those accounts to your Pinterest. Your followers that are already on Pinterest can now follow you and have access to more of your content.

5. Give your pin boards descriptive names: Boards function as a virtual pinboard where your business or brand can share their latest ideas, designs, etc. Using descriptive names makes it easier to organize your pins and, consequently, your ideas as well. Cluttered boards with mismatched or irrelevant pins are an eye-sore, which could hurt your brand’s reputation by driving away potential customers. Narrowing your boards even further (for example, to specific colours of a certain product) can make it easier for your followers to find a design in that specific colour.

6. Re-pin and follow: Possibly the most important part of Pinterest (we just love alliterations), re-pinning and following businesses or brands similar to your own helps to promote your own business. Re-pinning also helps to get your business’ name out to customers as well as potential clients. If you own a textile company, you could use Pinterest to target a specific designer you would like to work with and re-pin their images. This helps you to network and open up communication between businesses with which you could potentially collaborate.

7. Curating content beyond your brand: This blurb goes hand in hand with the one above in regards to re-pinning. You can devote one specific day a week where you select a unique idea, product or design beyond your brand and re-pin it onto your specific board. You can choose something simple and catchy, such as “Friday Fashion Find.” By curating these unique designs and products, your business is viewed as knowledgeable and up-to-date in the field.

8. Be creative: We’ll keep this one short and sweet. Pinterest is all about creativity! If your pins come off as too serious or are blatantly trying to drive sales, you will lose your followers and your customers’ interest. Pinterest users want to see real people behind the business or brand. By portraying this aspect of reality, or real people behind a business, it enables your costumers to relate more to your product.

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Whether you’re a business that’s just starting out or a well-established brand releasing a new product, having an active social media presence is vital for today’s market. Recognizing the importance of social media and having an executable social media plan is necessary in order to have a successful social media campaign/presence. Simply having an account that’s there but is idle most of the time is not enough. Here are seven ways your brand or product can effectively use Instagram.

Determine whether or not your type of business is visual: Instagram is all about visuals and telling a story through images. If you think your brand or product is not at all associated with images, keep brainstorming and get creative. We once saw a car wash company like every image that had the hashtag #haboob during one of Arizona’s severe dust storms last summer (by the way,  A haboob (Arabic: هَبوب‎ “blasting/drafting”) is a type of intense dust storm carried on an atmospheric gravity current. Haboobs occur regularly in arid regions throughout the world. Wikipedia). They also posted before and after pictures of dust-covered cars coming out squeaky clean after the wash. Although, sometimes you must come to terms with the fact that your business is not (or should not) be visual and that Instagram may not be the right outlet. For example, if you own a funeral home, it would be fairly inappropriate to have an Instagram account to promote your services.

#Hashtag: Using relevant hashtags in the caption of your photo helps to spread your message even further. It enables your product to become visible to a much larger audience beyond just your followers. We have to note that the keyword there is ‘relevant.’ Viewers/Followers will know you’re spamming them if you use too many hashtags and irrelevant hashtags. It would be in poor taste to post a photo of your restaurant’s new dish (yes, pun intended) using hashtags about a recent tragic event. Make sure they are targeted to your specific audience.

Photo Contests: Creating a photo contest on Instagram is the perfect way to engage your followers and potential customers. Make sure the prize is relevant and will entice your audience. Create a hashtag specific to your brand’s contest, for example #’X’companyPhotoContest, and remember to engage with your followers who entered the contest. A good way to do this is to post their image on your brand’s Instagram account and mention them in the caption. You can also comment on their photo thanking them for the entry and wishing them good luck. People love contests and they love to be rewarded – it’s important to show your customers you love them!

Follow me, Follow you: The title of this is fairly self-defining. When you get a follower, follow him/her back. Be cautious, however. Don’t bother following back the spam accounts that promise you thousands of followers within minutes. Similar to our previous post about effectively gaining followers on Twitter, you want quality followers who will be genuinely interested in your story and your product or brand.

Track image analytics: There are tools available for you to track likes, comments, followers, etc. on your Instagram account. Try BlitzMetrics or Curalate.

Be creative and fun: Instagram is a great tool for a business’ marketing campaign, but for the public, it’s a fun outlet used during downtime. If you appear too serious and dull, you won’t engage your followers. You can post fun photos of your employees at a company function (just make sure they’re sober and you have their consent, of course) or of a typical day in the office. This gives your business personality and makes the customers see that there’s real people and real life behind the scenes.

Sneak-peeks: If you’re designing a new product, take a short video or a photo associated with the product and post it as a teaser for your customers. If your Spring 2014 Fashion Line includes pieces that all incorporate a specific fabric, give your audience of hint of what’s to come by uploading a photo of that fabric.

Stay tuned for next Tuesday when we cover how to get the most out of Pinterest for your brand or business.

Our favourites?

• Work more ….like, a lot more!
• Avoid the crowds and avoid the herd. (ie. you won’t find innovation by doing what everyone else is doing)
• Learn to sell, and sell WELL!
• Never (EVER) be too proud.

Check out all eight in the image below:

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“In Internet slang, a troll (/ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is a person who sows discord on the internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community…either accidentally or with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.” (Wikipedia)

It’s inevitable: you will encounter an internet troll at least once in your life, especially if you are a frequent blogger, tweeter, vlogger, person of interest etc. There are people out there who lurk in the shadows behind their computer preying on individuals who voice an opinion or present an idea that is different from their own. Nothing you say or do will stop them from making nasty comments.

There are varying levels of internet trolls that you should know about. Some produce harmless, negative comments that might annoy you or anger you, while others threaten harm or even death. How do you differentiate between the trolls, and when should you react?

Aggressive troll: If you’ve ever scrolled down to the comments section on YouTube (it’s a guilty pleasure), you will find the worst of the worst when it comes to internet trolls. This type of troll is easier to spot. They use profanity, racial slurs, wish death upon the author of the content, bodily harm, harm to their family or employees, and other violent things. Don’t let this type of troll get to you. Trolls survive off of defensive, over-emotional responses, and they feed on those victims who respond that way. Don’t take it personally. Let’s use an example:

Anonymous writes, “This blog post sucks. I hope all your fingers get broken and you never get to write again because you clearly have no brain function to produce decent ideas. I also hope you get in a car accident that permanently disables you because this planet has no use for you,”

Ouch. Your heart is racing, you have never read such awful things being wished upon you, and you want to respond emotionally because you don’t deserve such a fate. Stop. Breathe. No matter how nasty the comment is, don’t take it personally. Chances are you have never met this person in your life and you never will. You have three options on how to deal with the comment: erase and forget about it, ignore it, or respond politely.

“Thanks for the feedback. What sort of topics would you like me/us to cover in the future?”

If the troll responds with more aggression, you can ignore it. If there is no constructive criticism, you will gain nothing from it. Remember that you are not posting content online in order to preserve or defend your sense of self. You’re posting content that represents your ideas, your opinions, your product, your creativity, etc. Not everyone will agree, and that is ok.

The troll trying to change the world: You will come across this troll by voicing your satisfaction with a certain product, company, political or religious stance. This troll will come out of nowhere and attempt to make you feel embarrassed about your personal opinion by stating facts that support the opposing view. They may or may not include any curse words or racial slurs. Respond in a passive, emotionless way. Thank them for their input, state your own facts if they’re questioning your brand or product, ask how it could be improved, and move on.

The fake profile troll: This troll will create an account on a social media site posing as a somebody else or somebody you might know. They will try to get a rise out of you by spreading rumors, sending vicious messages, threats, and posting inappropriate photos where they may tag you. This could be a difficult troll to ignore, but ignoring them is your best weapon of defense. Do not argue with them, and certainly do not threaten legal action as that can only worsen the situation. Block that person from your own account and continue to do so even if they keep making new profiles. Trolls eventually tire and go onto the next victim when the current one isn’t giving in. The only way you will win is by remaining calm and collected – or at least appearing so.

Sources:

http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/How_to_deal_with_vile_nasty_comments_online_11553.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet)
http://www.webroot.com/us/en/home/resources/tips/pc-security/you-cant-win-an-argument-with-a-troll
http://www.business2community.com/blogging/how-to-handle-nasty-comments-on-your-business-blog-0570591

Don’t sweat though, we found something to help you with your cluttered space. This nifty INFOGRAPHIC (below) from terrysfabrics coaches you through all your clutter in a timely and effective manner! Although the image is geared to help you clutter-free your home, we found some great tips inside that you can easily apply to your office organization.

Do you have any other de-cluttering tips you’d like to share? Tell us in the comments below!

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The dreaded writer’s block! This seemingly-harmless issue could cripple your blogging or writing career if not handled immediately. As a writer, can you picture anything worse than watching that blinking line with a mind as empty as the text box? The harder you try, the worse the writing sounds. Don’t worry, though! There’s still hope that you will produce quality content despite the temporary block. Having experienced it far too many times, we’ve decided to compile a list of 10 ways to get over writer’s block (maybe even for good!)

1. Get over that OCD – We know, we know. You need to start writing from the beginning and continue writing until you get to the end. It seems like the natural order of things. However, this can actually make your writer’s block even worse. By focusing too much on writing and producing results in a certain arrangement, you might overlook the most important thing about writing: the content. If you already have an end in mind, write the end first. If you already have the middle thought-out, then start there. The ideas will start flowing and before you know it you’ll have a whole, finished piece. Take it like a jigsaw puzzle. You would never think to put the pieces together row by row in a consecutive fashion. You put together pieces at random and they form the picture in the end.
2. Create a calendar – We’re going to refer you back to last week’s post about editorial calendars because it’s one of the most important things to have when running a blog. By having ideas that you wrote down in advance, you can just start writing without having to rack your brain thinking of a topic.
3. Writing prompts – Remember grade school when you were given a subject to write about every day? Start doing that again! Not only does this nurture your writing skills, but it can also be great content for future blog posts. Make a list of prompts for two weeks in advance (or a month if you’re feeling brave) and start writing. Just don’t make your prompts as easy as they were in grade school, like writing about your favourite colour. If you make your prompt topics interesting for yourself, you’ll want to write about it.
4. Forget the backspace key – Once again, don’t let your writer’s OCD kick in while you’re writing. If you are continually finding errors and pressing back space, you’ll become discouraged from writing about the topic – even if the topic is good. It’s all about creativity, not perfection. There’s always time to edit it later once you’re finished writing the bulk of it.
5. Walk around – Get up from that chair, walk to a convenience store, grab a soda, admire houses in your neighbourhood, and do whatever else gets your mind off of writing. Refresh your brain (or completely turn it off) and come back to the writing later. The writer’s block will only feel worse if you’ve been sitting in the same place for hours forcing yourself to write without taking a break.
6. Change of scenery – If you’re feeling extra frustrated with your writer’s block, move your desk (unless it’s really heavy – in which case we suggest you buy a lighter desk) to a place where you’d never move it (the bathroom could be fun). Try moving it in front of a window – or away from a window if you’re easily distracted. Or, if you’re not in the position to move your desk, simply find a place to write. Try a park, coffee shop, or a library. A simple change of scenery can do wonders.
7. Download browser extensions – Google Chrome offers a variety of free, downloadable extensions that allow you to block certain URLs that will distract you (like Facebook, Twitter, Reddit etc). There are some that make you simply click an enable or disable button, and there are more serious ones that make you type in a long and annoying code in order the disable the extension (making you less likely to disable it while you’re writing).
8. The Pomodoro Technique – Developed by Francesco Cirillo who was definitely suffering from intense writer’s block in the 1980s, The Pomodoro Technique breaks up your work in 25-minute intervals. Set up a timer anywhere for 25 minutes and see what you can do in that period of time. After the 25 minutes is up, take a 15-minute break and go back at it for another 25 minutes.
9. Just write – Write anything, even if it’s not at all related to your topic. Sometimes in the dead of winter you need to rev the engine a bit to heat up the car to get it running more smoothly (we don’t really know much about cars, but this sounds accurate). Maybe a better metaphor would be the importance of stretching before a workout to avoid cramping and soreness. Well, you get the idea.
10. Be nice - We’re our own worst critic, right? Well, it’s time to stop being so harsh on yourself and your writing. Many writers fall victim to over-criticizing their writing to the point of no return. You’re a writer because you can write well, and don’t let that voice inside your head tell you otherwise. Once you’re done writing it, don’t over-analyze it – just hit that publish button. Of course, its always good to proof-read your writing, but only for grammatical errors. Once you change the content of one sentence, you’ll go onto the next sentence, and it’ll end up being a domino effect of changes.

Sources:

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/20-ways-to-kill-your-writers-block-forever.html

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1. High Park: Grab some friends and head to this urban nature sanctuary. Have a picnic, go for a hike through the park’s multiple trails, enjoy the beautiful lakefront views and visit the zoo (it’s free!). The only thing you might spend money on is the TTC to get there and back. (1873 Bloor St. W.)

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2. Thursdays & First Tuesday of every month @ Madison Avenue Pub: If you’re on a budget but love to go out (in Toronto, this can be a deadly combination), then hit up the Madison on a Tuesday. It’s a multi-level pub that was built out of three Victorian homes and houses a piano room, dance-floor, and four more pubs that suit your comfort level. They’re celebrating their 30^th Anniversary by offering prices from their menu in 1983 on every first Tuesday of the month. You can enjoy bar rail drinks, burgers, pints, grilled cheese sandwiches and many more for only $3. If you can’t go on a first Tuesday of the month, they offer $3 drinks every Thursday. (14 Madison Ave.)

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3. Half-priced Cinema Tuesdays: Next time you want to watch a movie without breaking the bank, go to the theatre on a Tuesday. They only charge 50% of the admission price, so you can get away with going to the movies for under $10. Unfortunately, they don’t offer 50% off the food (they’ll still charge you an arm and a leg for popcorn and drinks).

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4. Kensington Market: One of our favourite neighbourhoods, Kensington Market is a great place to explore unique shops, art galleries, coffee shops and parks. It’s free to walk around, window shop and see the multi-colored homes and graffiti. (Btwn Bathurst St. and Spadina Ave., Dundas St. and College St.)

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5. The Green Room: Located in a back alley by Bloor and Bathurst, the Green Room is a super-hip dive bar that is very easy on the wallet. Their appetizers are all in the $3-$5 range (with the exception of a few), and their entrees are in the $7 range. Every day of the week they have drink deals like Beer Bottle Tuesdays with imported bottles at $4.50. With those prices, you can eat out and have drinks without feeling guilty or overspending. (296 Brunswick Ave)

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6. The Java House: Don’t shy away from this place when you see the mismatched wallpaper and furniture inside. What it lacks in décor, it makes up for in cheap drinks and cheap food. Their meals don’t go over ten bucks, and their pitchers aren’t over $14. Just don’t go there expecting the same service you would get at a high-end restaurant. Bonus: they have a great patio! (537 Queen St. W.)

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7. The Distillery District: Home to many designer boutiques, cafes, restaurants and venues, exploring The Distillery District is a great and affordable way to spend an afternoon. For $19 (+Tax) you can get the 60 minute Historic Walking Tour and learn more about the history of the district, prohibition, alcohol production and more. If you don’t want to spend any money, you can walk around for free and check out the vintage buildings and boutiques in the district. (Btwn Parliament St. and Cherry St. & just south of Mill St.)

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8. Wednesdays @ The AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario): Head to the gallery on a Wednesday between 6 and 8:30 and you won’t have to pay for admission. On any other day (the gallery is closed on Mondays, though), admission costs $19.50 for adults and $11 for students (with valid ID). And don’t worry; you don’t have to be an art fanatic to enjoy the gallery. The AGO offers various exhibitions and displays for everybody to enjoy! (317 Dundas St. W.)

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9. Scarborough Bluffs/Bluffer’s Park:Don’t be afraid to venture outside the confines of Downtown Toronto. Scarborough Bluffs are an escarpment with climbable cliffs that rise 65 metres from the water and the park has trails, picnic areas and beaches. From the top of the cliff you can enjoy gorgeous views of Lake Ontario (and more on a clear day). (1 Brimley Rd. S.)

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10. Canadian Broadcasting Centre Museum: Check out Canada’s history in broadcasting at the CBC Museum. Admission for the museum is free at all times, and their hours of operation are Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. (250 Front St. W.)

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11. Polson Pier: To get the best views of downtown Toronto, go to Polson Pier (especially at night or on a clear day). If you have some extra cash, check out Polson Pier Go-Karts while you’re there. It costs $2.50 per lap, or $23 for 20 minutes (about 17 laps). They currently have a Manager’s Special. When you buy 20 minutes of Go-Karting between Monday-Friday you get an extra 10 minutes free!  (190 Cherry St.)

Now that we’re in the final weeks of August, summer interns are preparing to head back to school. It is time to pack up your desk and say your goodbyes. Before walking out the door though, here are some things you should keep in mind.

REVIEW YOUR PROGRESS

After a summer’s worth of work, what have you learned? Think back to all the responsibilities you were tasked with during your internship and what you’ve learned. If it helps, set up a meeting with your manager to discuss the progress you have made. This is a good opportunity to review your strengths and weaknesses, outline any achievements, and go over on any areas that need improving. If you had goals set for yourself at the start of the internship, reflect on them and marvel at what you’ve achieved.

PAVE FUTURE JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Be resourceful and keep your options open. Letting your company know that you are open to future job opportunities will keep you in their mind if a position pops up. PR companies often hire their full-time employees through previous interns because they are already aware of their work habits and what they are capable of. Even if you plan to venture out and work at another company, it never hurts to have the extra option.

LEAVE ON A GOOD NOTE

Don’t slack off during your last days with the company. Even when all you can think about are those last days of summer you get to enjoy when work is over, being sloppy with your responsibilities will leave a bad impression. Be consistent with the quality of your work, particularly if you plan on using members in your company as a future reference.

SAY YOUR GOODBYES

Never leave the office on the last day without saying anything. It comes off as unprofessional and it makes you look bad. Say goodbye to everyone you have worked with this summer and thank them for their patience and guidance!

KEEP IN CONTACT WITH YOUR MANAGER

It is always good to keep in touch with your superior and other employees you’ve collaborated with. Check back with them every once in a while to see how things are, perhaps even a coffee date? You can talk about the projects their company is currently working on or what you have been up to professionally as well. Also, managers are the way to go if you ever need professional advice or some mentoring. Building a mentor-mentee relationship can definitely help through your professional journey. With social media so accessible, it is easier to stay connected. Just be aware of what you are posting and who are seeing your posts!

APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

What you take away from your internship will stay with you throughout your career. If you are going back to school, use your new skillset to your advantage. What you have learned during the summer will help you understand what is being taught in the classroom. This works both ways. Think about what you are learning from the books and apply that to the real world. Knowing how to apply and utilize your knowledge is everything.

Don’t be fooled by articles and advertisements that promise earning thousands of dollars a week by blogging. You might be tempted to dramatically quit your day job and start earning six-figures by blogging full-time from a St. Lucian beach, but the truth of the blogging business could not be further from this ill-conceived notion.  Check out these 8 tips that can help you work towards your dream of earning a solid income from blogging.

1. Set yourself up for failure

We put this at the top of the list not to discourage budding bloggers, but to prepare them for the reality of the business of blogging (note the distinction between that and the hobby of blogging). As of 2013, there are more than 239 million blogs combined on WordPress, Blogster, Tumblr, LiveJournal and Weebly (snitchim.com). This number excludes the blogs on Blogger, Posterous and Blogsome. There is a lot of competition out there, and only a handful of the 239 million are earning at least some profit. Simply having your blog online isn’t enough to generate revenue and a sustainable source of income. Treat it as you would a start-up business. You need to put effort into making it grow. It will either take-off or flop, and expecting riches quick is unrealistic.

2. Choose your niche wisely

We’ve visited countless cooking blogs, fashion blogs, beauty blogs, and the soccer-mom blogs who manage to squeeze in just enough time between diaper changes to blog about the experience. The truth is that many of those blogs will fail because the market for that topic is over saturated. If a broad topic such as fashion is your true passion, focus on a particular detail and grow from there. For example, instead of blogging about fashion, you can instead dedicate your entire blog to Denim. Once you delve deeper into this one particular subject, you have the potential to become a well-known (and respected) denim blogger.

3. Quality vs. quantity

If you go around commenting on every random blog you can find, telling them to visit your own blog, chances are you’re not going to get a good following. Don’t expect to gain hundreds of followers in a short period of time, either. Blogging takes time, but finding your target audience is more time-consuming than the writing process itself. Research blog topics that are similar to your own and take the time to read their posts. If you are genuinely interested in their work, make productive comments and follow them. By doing so, you have a higher chance of attracting a quality target audience who will also be genuinely interested in your posts. Remember to also spend a good amount of time looking in your back-end analytics, this will give you a realtime indication as to what content is meaningful to your readers.

4. Use social media (duh!)

Having an online presence is a key factor in having a successful blog. If you already have a solid following on your blog, start a Facebook and Twitter account (if haven’t already done so). If you already have a good following on Twitter and Facebook or other networks and are just starting a blog, use those networks to promote your blog. Be persistent and be patient. Tweet, re-tweet, and repeat. Follow the right people on Twitter, and be an active member of all your social network communities – it’s a great way for you and your future or existing fans to connect and spread the word.

5. The money-maker 

Although to some this may seem like selling out, if you’re looking to earn money off your blog, having advertisements is a good way to do so. If your blog has enough traffic, you can offer up space for Google Ads or other content providers on your site for a reasonable fee (just make sure it’s brand safe!). Also, have a look into affiliate links within both your posts, and in the form of ads.  And don’t forget: search engine optimization (SEO) is a great way to optimize your posts to be more search-engine friendly, and Google offers various tools you can use to help your blog with attracting more visitors (such as Google Trends and Analytics). It takes a lot of work, like any business. If you’re in it for the long haul, the work will eventually pay off.

6. Reach out to PR agencies 

Contact agencies that fit in with your particular blog topic. For example, if you have a travel blog, reach out to agencies that specialize in tourism, hotels, travel, etc. If you write them a good pitch, you can potentially receive free samples or one-night stays at hotels in exchange for publicity on your blog. Be forewarned, PR agencies worth their salt will want to know some of the analytics behind your blog, so know your unique monthly visits (not page views) along with your demographic!

7. Don’t forget the art of writing!

What it all comes down to is that blogging is about writing. You can’t expect to have a successful blog if it has no substance. Good writing takes practice, so don’t get discouraged if your thoughts aren’t being translated the same way via text. Keep writing and you will find your own distinctive writing voice.

8. Make an editorial calendar 

Aside from all of the above, your blog needs two main things in order to succeed: regularity and reliability. In order to stay organized and on top of your posts, make an editorial calendar for yourself. Write down ideas in advance and make clear, organized notes for when you plan to publish each post. It’s difficult to come up with a new subject on the spot every day or every other day. It’s much easier to think of a few different ideas and put them in a queue for publishing on your blog.

With all these in mind, happy blogging and good luck! If you do end up getting rich, don’t forget to take us out for a drink or two

Sources:

http://www.nydailynews.com/jobs/real-money-blogging-article-1.1396145

https://www.mint.com/blog/how-to/turn-your-hobby-into-a-money-making-career-0713/

http://snitchim.com/how-many-blogs-are-there/

Inside PR

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Inside PR is hosted by three veterans from the PR world. Every week, they gather to discuss current issues in the field, address listener comments/questions and sometimes, interview other notable PR professionals.

The Hobson & Holtz Report

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Co-hosts, Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson go on air every week for The Hobson & Holtz Report. They provide professional reviews on all current news in online communications and public relations. Their line up also includes interviews with newsmakers and influencers of the field, along with book reviews and guest speakers.

Trafcom News Podcast

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Hosted by Donna Papacosta, you will hear everything you need to know on how to communicate better with your fellow coworkers and clients with the Trafcom News Podcast. The show provides in-depth discussions and interviews with important professionals in the field of business communications.

Six Pixels of Separation

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Listen to the Six Pixels of Separation podcast for all things marketing and social media. Presented from a digital marketing perspective, it will give you the basics of the all you need to know. Check out their ‘The Twist Image Blog‘ as well for more marketing and communications insights!

Marketing Over Coffee

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Recorded in a local coffee shop every week, Marketing Over Coffee is a 2o minute conversation between co-hosts John Wall and Christopher Penn. They cover topics in both classic and new marketing, as well as all kinds of tips and tricks for working in the field!

Young PR Pros

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Young PR Pros is the go-to podcast for all aspiring interns and young professionals. This is a great radio show to get advice on how to improve and advance your budding career!

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Data Collection

The original idea for an infographic often comes from a question someone poses or a pile of information they have collected. After the original source of information/data for a potential infographic is identified, it is time to start branching out to other sources. The idea is to create the complete picture and landscape of the given situation so that there are no holes in the data. If a hole exists in the data, it is only going to frustrate everyone and waste time when it has to be filled in the future.

Formulating the Outline

The purpose of an infographic is to convey a story to the people who come across it. A bunch of seemingly unconnected facts and figures aren’t going to appeal to someone in the way the statistics behind one particular, central topic are. For example, we posted an infographic a couple months ago about the Grammys winners if awards were given out based on online/social media presence; there was a lot of information but it was all on one topic. The worst thing that could happen is having all the boring data translate to a boring infographic.

Here’s a tip: make sure you know the information & data backwards and forwards by the time you go and create the infographic, this will make it easier to flush out a story.

Trouble Shoot

So you know what you want the infographic to say but is it feasible given the data you’ve collected? The last thing you want to do is mislead people looking at the finished product by intentionally leaving out data because it doesn’t support the story. What you do want to do is present the data picture in its entirety and let the viewers and readers interpret it. You want their response to be, “I know what they are trying to say, and this is what I’m gathering from this infographic.”

Finding the “Hero”

You have figured out the story you want to tell with your data and if it is feasible or not, now to figure out which specific piece of information to make your ‘hero’ piece of data. The ‘hero’ piece of data is that one statistic or figure that will get people excited about the story. It will be the focal point that the other chosen data will revolve around to help communicate the narrative to the audience.

Building the Graphic

After the hierarchy for the data is determined, the visual representation of the infographic begins to take shape. There are many popular formats for displaying data, including the traditional graphs and charts. If the data merits it, you can choose to display the data using diagrams, flowcharts or maps. The deciding factor of how the data should be displayed in the final project all depends on the data itself and the story to be conveyed. To make the most of the visual appeal of the infographic, be sure to consider the colours and typography used.

A Thorough Going Over

So the design of the infographic is complete and all the data is displayed, you’re done right? Wait, slow down a little, there is one more step before your informative masterpiece can be unleashed to the masses: editing & revisions. Just like any good report, press release or company project, an infographic needs to be pored over by those who created it, and those who didn’t! The infographic should be made to fit in with any existing branding or identity; why would a company create an infographic that goes against part/all of their core message? Additionally, you want to ensure the data is presented in a way that is easy to read and understand for those that are unfamiliar with it. That is why you want those outside the creative circle who developed it to look it over.

Release the Beast

Finally, the time has come to unleash your infographic onto the public at large! Most infographics are released and shared online in some fashion, they may end up in a print publication as well. The advantage to this is that the audience of your work will be much larger and reach those both within your target audience and beyond. It is also easier to garner and compile feedback to the infographic in an online setting, often in a much timelier manner than print. Feedback after publishing can generate discussion & illuminate a different dimension to the data presented.

But once the infographic is published, don’t forget about it. You spent all this time and effort to create it in the first place, why let that go to waste if new data is released? Make sure you keep tabs on the important information and sources to update and revise the infographic as required. It’s easier to update than to create a whole to project!

So there you have it, a detailed, step-by-step guide to creating effective, appealing infographics to engage your audience. Now get busy creating!

These tips come from Jessica Turner at PR Daily & The Mom Creative:

1. Use text on your photos, or create a title graphic 

This is the single most important thing you can do to stimulate pins and repins. When people pin and repin on Pinterest, they are scanning through a lot of thumbnails. Having text on a photo makes it easier for users to identify what an image is and if they want to pin it.

2. Ask friends who are active on Pinterest to pin your content

If your content is relevant to a friend’s Pinterest boards, ask if they would be willing to pin your post. It is important to do this on the first day, when you are trying to gain momentum on Pinterest.

I have seen a direct correlation between asks and posts going viral. That early traction can make a big difference.

3. Push the post out via social media, multiple times over an appropriate period

While I am not an advocate of posting every single blog post to Twitter, Facebook, etc. multiple times, certain posts that I am really trying to push via Pinterest I will share numerous times.

For instance, I had a post that received more than 19,000 pins related to Father’s Day gift ideas. I tweeted about that post almost every day for the two weeks leading up to Father’s Day. Each day, I saw more pins to Pinterest, more traffic from Pinterest, and more sales from the affiliate links within the post. I was creative with my tweets, posted at different times of day and had other unrelated content in my Twitter stream, so it wasn’t like my followers were only hearing about that post.

4. Pin from your favorite sites If you see something you like on a website pin it! (I have the Pin It tool installed on my toolbar, which makes it really easy to pin from any site. It takes about 5 seconds to install.) Pinterest is only as good as the stuff that is pinned on it, so it needs people to pin new items to it. Plus, pins help drive traffic to your favorite sites.

5. Write meaningful descriptions (include key words, @+a name will tag someone) Pinterest requires you to write a description of some sort. Be sure your description tells what the pin is.  It is also nice when you include the blog name or tag someone.  You may have noticed that more and more bloggers are including text on their images to make the images “Pinterest friendly” and helpful for viewers on Pinterest.

Check out these tips from Ashley Zeckman:

6. There are SEO benefits: Pinterest is indexed by Google and should be part of your backlinking and social linking strategy.

7. Create community: Users can easily embed their social sites and contact information into the Pinterest profile description.  This alerts users to all of the ways that they can connect with you.

8. Measure, refine, repeat:  To determine what has been pinned from your boards you can visit: http://pinterest.com/source/yourURL.com or utilize tools like Repinly.com. Viewing your top pins will help guide your content strategy.

Amy Lynn Andrews offers these Pinterest Tips:

9. Write your own summary description. Don’t copy and paste the whole post, the whole recipe or all the instructions from the original post directly in your pin. Not only does it clutter the images with unnecessary text (see my pinterest pet peeves post), it’s not good Pinterest manners. Plus, posts are copyrighted so pasting them in their entirety is copyright infringement (more on copyright below).

10. Space out your pins instead of flooding the stream. If you’re pinning a lot of stuff at once, you can overwhelm your followers. For example, if you’re researching black shoes and spend an hour pinning a gazillion pairs of black shoes to your “Rockin’ Black Shoes” board, anyone who follows you will just see a sea of black shoes in their stream. (I’m guilty of flooding the stream.) Instead, spread it out a bit.

11. Follow individual boards to cut out the noise. One of the nice things about Pinterest is that you can follow individual boards. You don’t have to follow a person and therefore, all of their boards (although you can do that too). So, maybe you want to follow my “handy tips” board but you don’t want to follow my “easy peasy crafts” board. To subscribe to individual boards, simply click on the name of any Pinterest user and you’ll see all their boards. If you follow the person, you’ll follow all their boards. Otherwise, just pick and choose the boards you want.

12. Use Pinterest to connect with brands. You’d better believe companies are taking notice of Pinterest. Of course, we, the little people, have an advantage. That advantage? We’re small enough that we can dive in and get our hands dirty quick. Big companies, on the other hand are sometimes a little slower to the punch. What about approaching a large company you don’t see on there, let them know of the rage that Pinterest is and suggest ideas for the two of you to work together? Be respectful of course, but lead them by the hand and make suggestions from which you can both benefit.

And there is always something you shouldn’t do on Pinterest, Daniel P. Howley explains:

13. The wrong way to post material on Pinterest: The social network discourages its users, even marketers and businesses, from engaging in blatant self-promotion. So adding pins about your company alone won’t cut it. Georgieva, however, says businesses can use this restriction as an opportunity to get creative by pinning topics that showcase the lifestyle their brand represents. Try working pins about your business into these lifestyle boards as a reminder to followers that that board’s particular topic is exactly what your business is all about.

Thanks to her recent shenanigans, the media and public are saying they are ‘never getting back together’ with Taylor Swift. Once the sweet teenaged girl with the blonde curls and nice voice, 2013 is quickly becoming the year America is falling out of love with Taylor Swift.

I’m not exactly sure that one incident started the downward slip from the crown of “America’s Sweetheart” but I’m sure she’s never been everyone’s cup of tea. When Taylor was first hitting the music scene she stated that her songs, especially those about relationships, were written out of her experiences with guys; but of course she’d never come out and flat out say THIS song is about THIS guy. So we, as the public, were left guessing/speculating about whom each song was referring to. But does this make the practice acceptable? If you listen to some of the lyrics they’re pretty negative towards her male subjects.

Then there was that very public diss of Harry Styles at the 2013 Grammys. Speculation says the song “We Are Never Getting Back Together” is about Jake Gyllanhaal but then she opens the Grammys with the song, speaking in a (horrid) British accent. Way to go Taylor!

Next strike against Taylor Swift was her Vanity Fair interview. In it, she responded to Amy Poehler and Tina Fey’s comment on her seemingly serial dating policy stating that she loved Katie Couric and her quote, “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.” Well isn’t that a little harsh Taylor? Both women have stated that the jab was meant to be a light-hearted joke, as are MOST comments at award shows.

But totally juxtaposed to the teenaged dating drama is the way too serious nature she carries herself in. It appears that she can’t laugh at herself, she can’t look at some of the things from her past a say, “Yeah, I suppose that was a little questionable.” That is the advice of PR executive Dorthy Crenshaw, “I’d tell her not to play victim this time and to respond with humour. Swift can earn points if she shows that she doesn’t take herself so seriously.” The victim thing worked with the Kayne West ‘incident’ because that was a one-time freak occurrence of a guy expressing his anger at the outcome of an award. The Golden Globes jab was based on an observation of sorts, a comment on someone’s life. Don’t dwell on it Taylor, move on. How are we supposed to forget things happened and on to the next scandal/news if someone keeps dragging it up?

Matt Ragas (DePaul University) provides probably some of the soundest advice for Taylor Swift – keep doing your job! Taylor Swift didn’t make more that of Anne Hathaway and Brad Pitt combined last year by starting feuds with every female comedienne in Hollywood. She did it by writing killer hit songs and performing to sold out crowds. “Part of PR is words and messaging, but a huge part of is also actions and behaviors,” he explained. “If she continues to put out hits and stays out of trouble, she’ll be fine.” So really, this time (in a specific way) she should pull a Kayne West; go out and rock that world tour, and just talk about the music. I mean it can’t be that hard to stick to topic.. right?

Sources:

http://www.gossipcop.com/taylor-swift-lauren-hacker-photo-pic-cancer-patient-omaha-hospital-leukemia/

http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/Taylor_Swift_needs_to_rethink_her_PR_strategy_14004.aspx

Here are some key points:

• Make sure you’re spelling things correctly (duh); no text speak or missed punctuation. Use your own voice, with a professional delivery.
• Hashtags are your friend, use them to draw in non-followers to your content.
• If you’re adding a link, SHORTEN IT! A shortened link (like a bit.ly) takes up less space, leaving more room for the MESSAGE.
• Always leave around 20 characters blank so people who RT can add to the tweet!
• Make people WANT to share your tweets, make them engaging and include a call to action.

So there you go, all the tips required to make your tweets A+ share-able material.

A version of this post by Gerry Moran appears here

So you have a new project or product you need to promote. Which PR firm do you choose to help you out? The immediate thought is to go with a well-known (or larger) agency. If everyone knows about them, they have to be the best…. right? Not necessarily. Let’s look at 5 reasons why choosing a boutique PR firm may be your business’ best option.

1. Many Businesses Can’t Afford The Price Tag

A big name PR firm usually means a larger cost. The expensive figure attached to larger agencies is something that many businesses may not be able to afford. Instead, it’s sometimes best to look into hiring a smaller firm with a more affordable price tag. PR work is an important part of any business – and it shouldn’t be skipped over because of budget restrictions. There are a lot of options out there in a variety of price ranges; all you have to do is look.

2. Smaller Overhead

Since a boutique PR firm generally operates with a smaller staff, they are often operating with less overhead. The good news for you? This is a savings that they can pass onto potential clients. Why pay for someone else’s overhead, when the products and quality of services can be offered fraction of the price?

3. Specialization

A small PR firm is usually compiled of a selection of publicist(s) that offer targeted services/categories they know they are best at. This business model is advantageous for companies who want to reach specific audiences and don’t have the expertise and/or time to do it on their own. Specialized publicists make it their duty to know all the tips and tricks to have their client’s projects reach the largest audiences possible.

4. Improved Treatment

When a small business with a limited budget approaches a large PR firm for a project, it is common for their needs to be delegated to a lower account executive. Just because a smaller organization cannot pay top dollar for PR work, doesn’t mean  they should get thrown to the bottom of the pile.  That’s why choosing a smaller PR firm is again in a start-up/small company’s favour.

5. Better, More Meaningful Relationships

In the same vein, working with a boutique PR firm delivers more meaningful relationships between the two parties. A boutique PR firm dedicates more time and talents to its clients because of its smaller scale. Having more time to deliver quality results to a client is a win/win for both sides of the business relationship.

This post was inspired by Harvey Farr’s post which can be found HERE.

Know your limits

It’s ok if you can’t do something – quit while you’re ahead. Even simply referring someone else is all the help some need. Make sure you’re not saying yes, just because you think you have to.

Know your calendar

There’s nothing worse than double booking yourself and having to cancel last minute. Always make a habit of checking your calendar before committing. It will save you headache, and make you look better in the eyes of whomever you’re planning time with.

Trust instinct

If your gut tells you you shouldn’t commit, don’t. It’s that simple. Back-stepping is extremely hard, and you don’t want to ever portray yourself as a flaky person, who doesn’t get the job done.

Be (a little) selfish

It may really suck having to let down a loved one or friend – but guess what? It sucks more if you re-neg long after giving commitment. Weigh the pros and cons of the situation in your mind. You’ll realize that if you’re not meant to do something, it’s often reflected in the list you envision.

Check your language

Instead of saying yes to something right away, lead with “I’ll have to think about that”. Often times if you walk away from a scenario where you feel pressured, you can come back to it with a sound and objective mind.

In a world where it seems we’re always switched in “ON” position, it’s ok to step back and realize what you’re truly capable of. Doing too much often leads to burning out – and if you’re like anyone else in today’s workforce, you simply can’t afford that!

PERSONALIZATION

Knowing the reporter, blogger, etc. and having a good understanding of the topics they write about along with their history of work is paramount. PR pros effectively evaluate whether the individual will find their pitch interesting, and offer targeted information suited to the reporter’s outlet.

KEY INFORMATION

PR pros have a knack for assembling key points into a brief summary for the reporter/blogger. As we said before, these people are very busy – so being able to convey the big ideas in a couple sentences is of upmost importance.

AVOID MASS EMAILS

As tempting as it is to send a mass email out to a variety of sources, PR pros know that’s a big no-no. When there’s no context for the reporter/blogger/journalist – it becomes irrelevant information (if they even bother to open the email).

PHONE FOLLOW-UPS

Again, because media is often so busy – it’s important to conduct follow ups. Phone is the most effective method, so you can humanize your messaging, and connect with the reporter. However, PR pros are persistent (it’s in our nature) – so if a phone call isn’t in the cards, a follow up email certainly will be!

LISTEN

Before you start anything (whether it’s a new campaign or you’re just jumping into the ‘socialsphere’), it’s important to know what your audience wants. Spend some time watching your networks and understanding the people within them. This will help when deciphering your strategy and execution.

ENGAGE

There’s plenty of different ways to engage people in social – popular methods such as prizing and contesting are often used by brands to build their following. That said, it’s important to remember that the types of followers and ‘likes’ acquired with contesting may not be the kind of people you’re looking for. You want people who are genuinely interested in you, your business and your brand – it’s important that your efforts reflect and attract this.

RESPOND

“Go big, or go home!” continues to be the motto here at EDPR, and it should apply to you when approaching social. Respond to EVERYONE, address problems quickly, and remember that being on Twitter or Facebook is kind of like being at a 24-hour cocktail party (without the cocktails, and with EVERYONE watching you). Be smart, social and approachable and remember: don’t just talk about yourself.

BE GENUINE

Transparency is key both in life, and online. Don’t underestimate people, and try to lure them with cheap tactics (ie. contesting) – because any savvy person will see right through you. Not to say that contesting is necessarily a bad thing, but it’s one piece of a very large apple pie. Oh – and never lie, it will come back to haunt you. Things you say online are forever, and even after deleting, you never know who snagged a screenshot.

HAVE FUN

The beauty of social media is it’s name – it’s social. You should always have a good time, while incorporating your witty, funny, fabulous personality (or your brand’s) into everything you do/post/tweet.

Here’s 5 things to consider when seeking out your perfect match:

BUDGET

Cost can range anywhere from $100-$10,000+ depending on the campaign objectives and work required. Make sure to identify what services you’re going to require (releases, distribution, social management, etc), and place set amounts of money towards each piece to come up with a total you’re comfortable with. Remember that it’s one thing to have a press release written, but it’s quite another to have it pitched and distributed to the firm’s network.

METRICS

Find out how the potential firm is measuring their efforts. It’s great to have coverage and ‘buzz’ all over print, radio, tv and web – but you want to make sure you KNOW the numbers (circulation, open rates, click rates, views, impressions) behind the campaign. This will help you identify what worked, and what didn’t so you can streamline the process next time round.

KNOWLEDGE

This may sound like a no-brainer, but when the PR firm brings you a pitch – test their knowledge of your brand or company, and your competitors. Any good firm spends an awful lot of time reading up and becoming experts on your industry/product before meeting with you. After all, how can they possibly provide great communications if they aren’t experts?

COMMUNICATION

Early on in the relationship, make sure you identify how often you’d like to be updated and checked in with. It’s important that there’s a constant flow of communication between PR firm and client so that each party is knowledgeable of what’s going on. Depending on your requirements, this can range from daily emails/calls to weekly check ins.

LIKE-ABILITY

Again, a no-brainer – but it’s really really important. Make sure you LIKE the people you’re working with (and not just on Facebook). PR pros are usually innately social, and easy to get along with – a good relationship will facilitate even better results.

After considering the above, you’ll be able to kick off a great relationship with your firm of choice. When you’re considering your candidates, be sure to send an email our way – we’re here to help YOU achieve your communications objectives.

Here’s 7 traits any good leader should have:

HUMILITY & HUMBLENESS

If one thing is of utmost importance, it’s a leader’s ability to truly embrace being modest and respectful. Ego is a human downfall at times, but a good leader can check themselves (before they wreck themselves).

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

Whether introverted or extroverted, it’s important that a leader be able to relate to people.  This kind of quality encourages team members to want to relate in return while making them feel comfortable and motivated. Approachability and likability are engrained into the path of leadership.

SELF AWARENESS

The best leaders are always cognizant of their faults, and are not afraid to admit to them. Because they can recognize their shortcomings, they surround themselves with people who can complement their individual skill sets.

VISION

There’s always a goal in sight (abstract or not) that a leader can share with their team. Having a good understanding of where they want to go, and what needs to be true to get there separates the leader from followers.

A CAN DO ATTITUDE 

It’s important that a leader doesn’t give in easily. Leaders are the ones who say “YES WE CAN” rather than “NO, WE’VE TRIED THAT” or “IT’S IMPOSSIBLE”. A leader understands that a “NO” from someone is just one step closer to a “YES”.

AN ALL STAR TEAM

The saying you’re only as good as your weakest link is something that reins true in a leaders’ head. Making sure the right people are put together to complement each other’s skill sets is paramount to success.

CURIOSITY

Leaders should know (and want to know) anything they can about their industry, their competitors, and even their team members. The more informed a leader is – the better decisions they can make for their business.

In 1952, Dan Edelman started a new kind of company – one that would redefine the role of public relations. He aimed to build a firm that delivered creativity and quality work. We began with a commitment to our clients and all stages of their growth. So we engaged with various companies – the Toni Company, Sara Lee, Brunswick Bowling, Paper Mate and ReaLemon – and helped them capture a market niche. Edelman introduced the concept of telling stories through the media to sell products and build the corporate brand. It was about public engagement. 

(Courtesy of Edelman)

Today, Edelman’s top 10 rules for PR pros was released through an INFOGRAPHIC. These 10 principles are the ultimate common denominators for anyone in the PR world – and this image is a fantastic visual representation of them all.

Seeing this recently on PRdaily, it only seemed natural to share it will all you disrupters. Often times there is a lot of mischievous behaviour in the online marketing world, and these 10 tips will help keep your hands clean. Granted, we’re all guilty of an improper tactic or 2 – but print these out, look at them daily, and hopefully you’ll keep on track!

THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OF ONLINE MARKETING ETIQUETTE

Perhaps there isn’t a one-size-fits-all equation, and maybe you’re simply focused on numbers instead of conversions, but I’d like to think there is some online etiquette we all should consider.

Therefore, I created the 10 commandments of online etiquette:

1. Thou shalt not add anyone to a newsletter list without his or her consent.

2. Thou shalt not send a LinkedIn invite that says, “I’d like to add you to my professional network.”

3. Thou shalt not post news releases as blog posts.

4. Thou shalt not talk about yourself in communications.

5. Thou shalt not use Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn accounts as news feeds for an organization.

6. Thou shalt not create newsletters that talk about how great you, your leadership, products, or services are without putting them in the context of the buyer.

7. Thou shalt not build lists, fans, followers, connections or circles just for the sake of numbers.

8. Thou shalt not abuse your online power.

9. Thou shalt not email bloggers, journalists, influencers, or target audiences without doing research, building relationships, and giving them something of value.

10. Thou shalt not engage in black hat email marketing.

1. How did you get started as a ‘mommy blogger’? I actually started my blog over a couple years ago after my mom suggested I try it.  She already had a “dog blog” and since she knows I’m passionate about writing, thought it would be a great fit.  Writing has always been a creative outlet for me, and the chance to share my thoughts with other people from all over was intriguing and motivating!  I was home with my two young kids and had the itch to start writing again, so what better way than to base my blog on what’s most familiar to me; my family.

2. How did you build an audience, and how long did it take?  My blog was casual and slow in the beginning, as the first year was just odd postings here and there since my kids were so small and demanded so much of my attention and time.  I actually only had a few followers during that time! Once I started posting regularly and joining blog hops, I saw a steady increase in my audience and it was encouraging to see my blog growing and attracting different people from all around the world.  Being active in the blogging community is key in gaining traffic and building an audience.

3. You do a lot of reviews and recommendations on your site – was this always the objective?  Not at all actually.  When I first started my blog, my daughter had just been diagnosed with a severe peanut allergy and it was a way for me to express my thoughts and feelings about that, and connect with other parents going through similar experiences.  As my kids got a little more independent and I could focus on my blog more, I started posting my thoughts on favourite products I use in my own home.  I’ve always loved sharing with friends and family products that I love and have made a positive impact in my everyday living.  If you find something good, why not share it, right?  I noticed other bloggers were working with companies on reviews and once I started reading more into it and learning about it, felt it would be perfect for my blog.  I wanted to share family friendly products to my readers and present them with my honest opinion on them.  I want my blog to be a place people can trust and feel confident in knowing that the reviews presented are 100% my own honest opinion of my experiences with the products.

4. Do you work with companies/brands to expose their products? What happens if you don’t like something?  The one thing I love, is introducing readers to companies/brands that they haven’t heard of before, have heard of but haven’t tried or have wanted to try but needed to know an opinion first.  I’ve worked with so many companies who have AMAZING products that I would have never known about otherwise and am now in love with that deserve the exposure.  So many people will read a review and comment similar to, “Wow, I’d never heard of this (company and/or product) before but am now intrigued and want one or want to learn more!”.  It’s a great feeling working with companies who are doing something wonderful and deserve the recognition.  Fortunately, I have not come across a product for review that I’ve had a completely negative experience with (knock on wood), but if that were to happen, I would simply let the company know my thoughts first before posting a review and leave that up to them whether they’d still like it posted or not.  I would never post a negative review without alerting the company first.  I prefer to keep an uplifting atmosphere on my blog and introducing positive products that will compliment any lifestyle and family.

5. What do you enjoy most about being a mommy blogger?  I love the connections and friendships I’ve made with people, like other fabulous bloggers, as well as relationships I’ve built with some wonderful companies.  I am so fortunate that I’m able to be home with my kids, while pursuing my passion of writing and staying socially connected.  Social media is such a great platform for being involved with others and keeping up with our world as it evolves and my blog allows me the freedom to be with my family while doing something enjoyable for myself as well.  The possibilities with blogging are endless and there’s so much to explore!

6. What advice do you have for aspiring mommy bloggers? Be unique by being yourself.  Write about what comes easy to you and what’s most familiar in your life.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help either.  Bloggers are extremely generous in offering advice to others and I’ve learned a lot from my fellow blogger friends.  Also, be involved!  If you’re involved in social media and supporting other blogs, you’ll find your blog will benefit as well.  Establishing those relationships with others is important to keeping your blog active and gaining support.

Remember to check out Brandi’s blog: Yee Wittle Things, and follow her on Twitter!

After sending out hundreds of emails, it was dead silence. It took me back to my audition days, when you’d go to the casting directors, they’d see you – and you’d wait by the phone for weeks hoping to get a call back. The difference between this particular scenario and auditions, is that you don’t have to wait for a call back to make your next move. This brings me to the follow up.

There’s a few reasons that it’s important to follow up with new contacts and potential clients:

• They may not have seen your initial email
• They may have seen your email, and have forgotten to respond
• They’re insanely busy (as most business owners are), and sometimes need a quick reminder

Often times, it’s not until you follow up that you get a response – and rightfully so! It doesn’t take much to send out an initial email, but the execution and follow through can show dedication and good business initiative.

Here’s a couple tips to keep in mind when constructing a follow up email

1. Keep it short and sweet – your initial email should’ve had more elaborate messaging, so if the reader is interested, they can look back.
2. Put the pertinent details in bullet points – be sure to summarize your previous message in quick, relevant pieces of information.
3. Concentrate on the benefits – make sure that the recipient knows what you’re offering them or their business.
4. Be personal – make sure to do a little research, and reference something they might identify with. It shows that you’re not afraid to do a little work, even in the beginning stages.
5. Don’t be a pest – always wait a couple days before following up. Remember: people are busy, and don’t like to be hassled. If they want to respond to you, they will.

Following up is an essential way to help ensure your success and show true business professionalism. It’s all about effort, people – the more you put in, the more you’ll get back.

As for my acting career? Well, lets just say I’m still waiting for my call back.

Writers note: There are some workplaces and jobs where these may not be viewed as an appropriate format. However, if this is how you’d consider your personal brand to be represented on paper, perhaps the job isn’t for you.

THE RESUMES

Paolo shows amazing visuals to demonstrate his extensive knowledge and expertise. It’s good to have the traditional bits of a resume merged with image. Plus, his website rocks.. click image to visit.

Karina May demonstrates her work as a content editor. She used VISUAL.LY, a free inforgraphic service.

Michelle Magoffin’s resume has a LOT of content, but also a great amount of personality. She also offers the opportunity to scan the QR code on the image to access a traditional CV. Click on the image to see a larger size.

Hopefully these inspire you to shake up your resume a little bit to become a more competitive player in your job hunt. Do you have any other examples of great resumes? Share links in the comments.

Nowadays, it seems as though public relations professionals are everywhere. From wine tastings to product launches, they are the ones connecting the dots and making sure goals are met on both sides: the business and the consumer. Here’s why it makes sense to hire a PR professional for your business or personal brand…

Connections
Public relations is all about relationships. Seasoned PR professionals know that it has, and always will be, part of their job to network with media and influencers. Journalists and public relations people, especially in the lifestyle realm, enjoy a reciprocal relationship with one another. They each have something the other wants and needs to effectively to their job. The public relations professional or firm wants coverage for its clients and the media outlet’s life is made easier when an interesting product, business venture or other story is provided to them, with all the information neatly outlined in press releases and fact sheets. Most of the time, PR people and journalists are even friends. Either way, PR people provide access to an outlet that you may not have so easily available at your fingertips.

Ability to Cross-Promote
Public relations people are strategic, with an ear to the ground at all times as to what is going on in your city. This means that they are in-the-know when it comes to opportunities for exposure, whether that means the sponsoring of events, presence at (and access to) gifting suits and ability to cross-promote with other clients or initiatives of people and organizations in their network. For example, if your business is a gourmet catering company set to launch in the city, and your PR firm also represents a popular art gallery that is celebrating its one-year anniversary, your catering provided at the event will now be exposed to all of the media and influencers gathered to celebrate the now thriving gallery’s well-attended event. Similarly, a well-known author could hold a book launch at your new clothing store, drawing journalists and influencers to the store and exposing them to the space.

Writing Capabilities
Public relations professionals are good writers – it is a part of the job requirement. Their talent in the art of writing, and subsequent way with words, can make anything (i.e. you, your business or your product) sound like the best thing the world has ever seen. PR people have a knack for marketing as well, and know how to strategically craft a release to capture the attention of journalists, in everything from the email subject line, title and subtitle of the release. Furthermore, journalists (often bombarded with multiple releases per day) have zero patience for poor grammar, spelling errors or amateur writing. In other words, just because you received an “A” in high school English class, doesn’t mean you are the person best suited to craft promotional material.

Makes Your Life Easier
Public relations people save you time in doing things that may take you a while. They can whip together fact sheets (whereas it may take you days), can access journalists with a quick phone call (when you will likely have to plough through red tape), and have relationships with suppliers like printing houses and graphic designers who may offer discounts. In terms of marketing initiatives, where you and your team may waste countless hours in brainstorm sessions, PR people are able to think creatively and “outside the box” when it comes to both long-term strategies and accompanying tactics. PR people have seen it all and, even if you think you have come up with the best idea to market your business, it may in reality be so three years ago in the PR world.

Damage Control
It is the professional job of PR people to manage the reputations of their clients. A seasoned professional knows that his or her job goes beyond promoting their clients; they need to protect their client’s image as well and have been trained in the art of damage control and how to effectively manage any negativity surrounding your brand. A poor restaurant review can be turned on its head by a stellar media event, a lapse in judgment by a public figure can be mitigated by a strategically crafted statement for the media, and an accident or safety concern in your establishment can be addressed through access your PR people have to the media in addressing the public and assuring them that measures are actively underway to correct the problem or concern.

To see the article in it’s original post on Notable.ca, click here. 

 1.    Get your bag(s) together and place by the door the night before.

Don’t waste time fumbling for all of your necessities when you’re scrambling out of the house. Plan ahead!

 2.    Pack your lunch and snackables before bed.

This may seem obvious –  it can be hard to have the foresight to make everything ahead of time, but this habit can save you 20 minutes every morning.

 3.    Decide what to wear the night before.

How many of us spend precious time changing from outfit to outfit in the morning? Streamline your efficiency by piecing together your clothes before sleep.

 4.    Keep a bowl near your front door.

Never again question where you put your wallet or keys. Make it a habit to place everything in the bowl when you come and go from home or work.

 5.    Make your own coffee (set the timer)

All of us are guilty of stopping at the coffee shop on the way to work from time to time. Make your own coffee, and set the timer the night before – you’ll save 5-7 minutes in the morning… and oodles of moolah!

Although these tips may seem straight forward, and simple – it can be hard developing habits. Give them a whirl, you’ll feel less stressed during the morning grind!

Self awareness is one of the most valuable attributes that an individual can ever adapt. Being able to step outside of a situation, and evaluate it from another’s perspective can be a turning point in personal success. Think about it: when someone apologizes or shows a little humility (rather than a rigid backbone and an inability to compromise), we immediately start to respect them a little bit more. After all, it takes a lot more confidence and conviction to admit a misstep, than to be cowardly and hide behind wrong doings.

Because it can be difficult at times to swallow your pride, here are a few tips to help you when you need to hide your tail in-between your hind legs:

• Put yourself in their shoes: Think about it – how would you really feel if the situation were reversed? What would your reaction be, and what would make things better?
• Be understanding: Know that your mistakes often have more impact than you think. There’s usually a chain reaction to things, so owning up early stops a vicious cycle.
• Take responsibility: There’s plenty of times that I’ve screwed up because of things I’ve done, and sometimes at the fault of others. The thing is: it doesn’t matter now – the mistake is made. Own up, and you’ll earn more respect from the recipient of the news.
• Accept your consequences: This can really suck, but consequences don’t last forever. Take the right actions to correct what you can, and practice damage control. Do everything in your power to help diffuse the impact of your actions.  Be prepared to embrace whatever comes your way as a result of the mistakes you’ve made.
• Own the disruption: Taking responsibility means being prepared to fix the problem: which means you need a master plan. Be sure to put some real thought into how you can help mend any of the problems you’ve caused.
• Be sincere: This speaks for itself. Hopefully you can look inside yourself, and rid yourself of any unnecessary bravado. We’re human, we all screw up sometimes.
• Apologize: Really. And don’t half-ass it. Mean it.

The reality is, we all have moments we aren’t proud of – even times of complete stupidity. Be the bigger person, stand up, and move on. The faster you jump to correct mistakes, the better you’ll feel, and the more trust you’ll gain. Humility is not always innate, but it’s a skill everyone should definitely learn.

Image via

1. Shopcatch – Yes, I have personal ties to this site, but Shopcatch really is a great resource to look for all the top brand retail deals available in your area. From Gap to H&M, you’ll always know what’s on sale.

2. Amazon – This one may seem like a no-brainer. If you’re buying books or DVDs – or even just looking for gift ideas, Amazon continues to have the best prices around.

3. Retail Me Not – The ultimate source to find coupons for all the well-known online retailers. Find a discount for just about anything – even the food you’re about to order!

4.Well.ca – Aside from the obvious plus that they offer free shipping in Canada – Well.ca is a great spot to get all of your household products, beauty products, and even supplements at great prices. The best part is not having to cart home all those hand soaps and big detergent bottles!

5. Use Mint.com – Honestly, I’ve recommended the app – but the website is even BETTER! Get real-time results on where your money is going, and have assistance when setting out those monthly budgets.

The only other thing I suggest is making sure you price compare before you go out to buy. Even when it comes to those expensive tops, or fancy new hard drive – there’s always a better price somewhere. Google is your best friend!

Happy Shopping! Do you have any tips to shop online better? Share them in the comments!

1. Use WordPress: All in all, the options are endless with WordPress hosting. You get a fairly seamless user experience, and unlimited customization based on your theme choice. Google is your best friend when building out your first blog – any question you have will have an answer living somewhere on the internet.

2. Don’t Get Hung Up On Design: I could spend HOURS re-tooling my site, and certainly did. That said, once you have something functional and somewhat aesthetically pleasing, it’s far more important to focus on your content and iterate on design down the line.

3. Post New and Relevant Content: Don’t constantly talk about the same stuff over and over – that certainly won’t give your readers any reason to come back. Find your focus, but make sure you diversify.

4. Be Consistent: There’s nothing worse than an  ‘occasional’ blogger. As a reader, it’s easy to get frustrated and give up, or even forget about a blog if they aren’t posting regularly. Make your mark, and keep contributing to your audience!

5. Stick It Out: Consistent blog traffic is never built in a day. Sometimes it can take years to attract the kind of desirable traffic you’re after – so keep at it. The reality is, blogging should be something you’re passionate about – as with anything in life, if you’re passionate: success will follow.

Do you have any tips for bloggers starting out? Share them in the comments!

1. Be sure to shower and dress when you wake up.

This may sound silly, but it really is necessity. Get out of those PJs, and into some fresh clothes – psychologically, you’ll be more prepared to work effectively.

2. Set up a work station.

Don’t you dare contemplate laying in bed – make sure you either move to a room that can work as a functional office, or set up a table in the kitchen.

3. Make a to-do list.

Put together a full list of the tasks and work that you want to accomplish throughout the day. You’ll be able to track your progress easier, and accomplish more with a step by step layout.

4. Take breaks.

Don’t feel guilty about it either. Make sure you take time to grab water, a coffee, and even step out for lunch. A stimulated brain is one that maintains diversity.

5. Check-in with your co-workers, or colleagues.

It’s easy to feel isolated when you’re all alone and working away. Be sure to get some human interaction in your day, and update others on some of your progress/offer your help (if you have the time). Engaging with others is key to keeping your mind focused.

6. Make sure you’re always available during your working hours.

Whether it’s through email or by phone, be sure that you are always reachable. Your co-workers will appreciate that you’re always around – and it makes it easier for everyone considering you’re not at your desk to consult throughout the day.

Have you got any tips or tricks you use when working from home? Share them in the comments below!

Looking for a new job usually means the joyful process of interviews. While you should dust off your resumé, you should also polish up your wardrobe, since making a good first impression is a key part of nailing the position you really want. Being sharply dressed and well-groomed can be almost as important as previous experience and the number of degrees under your belt, or at least could fool them into thinking you look the part.

What you need to purchase to outfit yourself perfectly doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and all the pieces that you need are those that should be an essential part of your wardrobe regardless of where you work. Think of them as the basics – pieces that will take you from work to a date to jury duty.

Image Source: http://www.HM.com/ca

For Guys:

Guys need a nice pair of dress pants, a crisp dress shirt, and a stand-out tie. If you’re interviewing for the Vice President of International Corporate Banking, a jacket would definitely be appropriate. Check out the choices at H & M, where you can find a veritable rainbow of men’s superbly cut dress shirts for a mere $29.95, as well as jackets that range in price from $49.95 to $149. And you can easily pick up a nice designer tie at Winners or Marshalls that will only look expensive.

I love the Banana Republic Factory Store for finding really well made career clothes at incredible pricing. Sign up for their emails and you’ll receive a welcome discount offer as well as notification of upcoming sales events. And I always check out the clearance section where you can score some amazing deals.  Last week I found men’s suit jackets that were regularly $179 for a mere $39.99.

For Girls:

Image Source: http://www.gapcanada.ca

Girls can go with pants or a skirt, just follow some of the same rules. Basic black or gray bottoms and the ubiquitous crisp shirt. Check out the Gap for their ‘perfect shirt’ for $49.50, which offers a beautifully tailored fit and a quality which will last for years. Jazz it up with some bold jewelry or a bright scarf.

Don’t be afraid to shop in places you may never have thought of to score some great basics at unbelievable prices. Walmart has a fantastic selection of career dress pants and basic shirts from their George™ line, with a variety of pants in modern cuts available from as little as $20.

One of the most important things to make sure of before you leave the house – check that your shoes are clean and polished if necessary. One of my little tricks to spiff up a pair of black shoes is to grab a Sharpie marker and colour in any worn spots, just a couple of dabs of ink can make a huge difference. My mother always said you can tell a person’s pride by the way the care for their shoes.

Always carry extra gum or mints with you. There is absolutely nothing worse than speaking to someone and having to inhale their latte breath or remnants of the extra onions you got on your sub at lunch, but never, EVER chew gum during the interview. And NEVER wear flip flops – unless you’re interviewing at the Head Office of Havaianas.

Don’t Forget!

And don’t forget the most important thing to wear – CONFIDENCE! With enough of it, you’ll be sitting in the big corner office in no time at all, and your assistant will gratefully polish your shoes for you.

To follow Robin on twitter, click here.

To read Robin’s blog, click here.

1. CasieStewart.com

Nope, there’s no relation (besides maybe being members of IAA – Internet Addicts Anonymous). Casie is always on the cusp of digital – constantly sharing her perspective about product/conference/more. Her image heavy content is always a pleasure to sift through, and you can literally get LOST in her site for hours, so have some fun!

2. ListenToLena.com

A social media expert, lifestyle blogger, and mom. Lena always is able to take relatable experiences and share her insights with the world. She also has a great perspective on new products – and some sweet giveaways!

3. OnTheFourthFloor.com

This blog is run by rock-it promotions. The entire staff is dedicated to highlighting the best in lifestyle, fashion, digital, and more. Each day marks a new and exciting post into the world of this PR firm, and they continue to churn out great content for their readers! Definitely worth checking out, if only for the DIY tips.

4. BunchFamily.ca

A fab site for the foodie in me. I can always count on Bunch to serve up some delicious content, along with some family fun. A big shout out to Bunch recently for their coverage on LGBT parenting – this topic is often sifted over by some family-oriented sites, and Bunch makes a real effort to provide their perspective. Definitely a fun place to look for the whole family.

5. 12Most.com

The name says it all. The 12 Most ______________ – articles that are all based around lists of 12. From professional to ridiculous, it’s always fun to just explore what this team of bloggers have come up with each day. Caution – you will spend a LOT of time looking around on this page!

Also, I mentioned yesterday that I would be posting video of the FourPin+ presentation I gave today. Sadly, the video on my iPhone did not produce the quality I would’ve liked – so I’ll be posting an updated narrated version of the slides from yesterday. Look for that in the near future!

As I mentioned yesterday, I have the pleasure of speaking about Foursquare and Pinterest tomorrow for Torstar Digital’s University program! I’m taking this opportunity to provide you all with a sneak peek at the slides I’ll be presenting with. Have a look, and enjoy the case study videos! Tomorrow, I’ll have a video of the presentation for you to enjoy and learn with! Thanks for checking in, and let me know  if you have any questions about the deck below!

Also, keep your eyes peeled over the next 24 hours for a guest blog post from my dear friend, @shopwithrobin! She’ll be providing some great insights on interview attire!

Download the FourPin+ presentation here.

On Wednesday, I’m teaching a seminar on Pinterest for Torstar Digital’s University program. Because of this, I’ve revisited marketing tactics for the innovative, image based social pinboard, and I thought I’d share with you some key ways that you can use Pinterest effectively for your business, your brand, or even yourself!

“Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.” (source: About Pinterest)

A picture represents each unique pin. Popular subjects include recipes, memorable blog posts, craft projects and more. Once a post is pinned, others can see the pin and follow a link to the original source. The ideal scenario is that your pictures (ie. pins) will be re-pinned and shared by others!

First off, a quick video that shows some of the key info about this buzz-worthy network!

Isn’t it crazy that Pinterest generates more referral traffic than Google+, Youtube and LinkedIn combined?! Here’s a few first steps that you can take to get a piece of the Pinterest action:

Make Your Site Image-Friendly

Whether you’re blogging, or just enhancing your current website – make sure to have lots of images that are able to be re-pinned! Why? This will ultimately bring you more referral traffic (not to mention make your site a prettier place to visit) while people are looking through the infinite images on Pinterest. A big shout out to some of you readers who have already started pinning my images – THANK YOU!

Get The Browser Add-On

When using firefox, google chrome, or even explorer – you can download a simple add on that allows you to easily right click on images and share them on your pinterest boards, etc. Find more information on where to download these add-ons here.

Place Your Pins On Your Site!

This one seems like a no-brainer. I’m using pinterest for the business I market for (Shopcatch), and am in the process of building out Embrace Disruption’s pinterest page (stay tuned). There’s plenty of widgets out there that you can place on your sites/blogs/profiles that will help you drive up your follower number, and also your traffic numbers by displaying snapshots of photos you’ve recently pinned.

***UPDATE!! You can now FOLLOW EMBRACE DISRUPTION on PINTEREST by clicking HERE.

Get Your Comment Skills ON

Another really important piece to the Pinterest puzzle is engaging. As with any kind of relationship, it’s a give and take! Make sure to comment on others’ pins – and really do the job of listening and viewing other people’s content. This may take some time, but is a guaranteed way to get people ‘pinterested’ in you!

If you’ve still got questions – don’t fret! After my presentation on Wednesday, I’ll post the slides for you to look through for more info. Also, there’s some real crossover in terms of promotional strategy that you can employ from the Twitter Engagement post yesterday.

One of the first questions mailed in is one that I encounter more often than you’d think, so I thought it necessary to start here:

“How can I get my twitter following to engage more with my brand?”

To be honest, there’s no “right” answer to this question, but there are some suggestions I can provide you with to hopefully spark some conversation.

On the content side of things, I think the most important thing to remember here is that when representing a brand, you should not always be in “sell” mode. Tweets should be treated as a conversational tool, and if done properly can develop a more rounded personality for your brand. It’s important that when tweeting, you treat each one as though you were writing a headline on a national paper. Stay relevent, and always ask yourself if what you’re about to tweet would interest you if you saw it.

There are ways to really build out your content and make it “must-see” writing. Some of the basic guidelines around building out engagement involve sharing relevant and interesting articles, but also reaching out to your audience and participating in their conversations. It’s important to not only be a broadcaster, but additionally a fantastic listener. Some of the best twitter presences will often engage a lot based on the content their followers are sharing and really listen to what others are saying. It’s important to remember that even from behind the facade of the computer, all these tweets are coming from real people. Finally, if you’re still struggling – there’s always contesting. It’s an easy way to get the ball rolling – and everyone loves the chance to win something (no matter how big or small the prize value is). I will caution that although it can bring great success, contesting should not be your sole strategy to engage with an audience on twitter – it’s more of a complement to your everyday content.

I hope this spurs some creativity when you approach writing your tweets in the future, and thank you so much for writing in! For more insight on twitter, have a look at “Follower Count Is Wrong: 5 Steps To Measure Online Influence Properly”.

Do you have a question you’d like answered? Click here to submit one!

Imagine a system where if a product scans with an incorrect price at the cashier’s till, it becomes FREE! Well, guess what? I’m here to tell you that this imaginary system is actually a reality, and it’s called the “Scanner Price Accuracy Voluntary Code”.

There’s a few minor stipulations:

“If the scanned price of a non-price ticketed item is higher than the shelf price or any other displayed price, the customer is entitled to receive the item free, up to a $10 maximum. When the item has a price tagged, the lowest price applies. When identical items are incorrectly priced, the second one will be sold at the correct price.” (Source: http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca)

Who Participates?

The Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores (CACDS)
Shoppers Drug Mart
The Groupe Jean Coutu (NB and Ont only)
Lawton Drug Stores
London Drugs
Lovell Drugs
Pharma-save (BC and Sask)

The Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors (CCGD)
Canada Safeway Limited
The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company of Canada Limited
Loblaw Companies Limited
Sobeys Inc.
Metro Inc.
Thrifty Foods
Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
Co-op Atlantic
Federated Co-operatives Limited

The Retail Council of Canada (RCC)
Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
The Home Depot Canada
Canadian Tire Corporation Ltd.
Toys r Us
Shoppers Drug Mart
Wal*Mart Canada Corp.
Giant Tiger Stores Ltd.
The North West Company
Best Buy/Future Shop ( in implementation stage)
2 Home Hardware franchisees

The Federation of Independent Grocers (FIC)
Thrifty Foods
Overwaitea Food Group
The Harry Watson Group
Longos Brothers Fruit Markets

As well as over 1000 independent locations

So next time you’re at the cash register, keep your eyes peeled! The sale price that you thought was FANTASTIC could end up being better than you think!

Want more info? Click here.

Have a story about redeeming this policy? Share it in the comments!

Chances are: a curse word followed by a swift move to pick up the umbrella on your way out the door are in your near future. Here’s the thing you may be missing -  40% chance of rain actually means 60% of sunshine. Refreshing, right?

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t be taking your umbrella out with you in the morning – but also, properly look at the information in front of you, and choose your perspective.

We’ve all heard the familiar ‘glass half full’ analogies, and I can honestly admit that I sometimes find them incredibly annoying – particularly when the timing is off. I’ll admit: I spend a majority of my life planning for the worst. I find that there’s great benefits from always expecting the outcome will turn out sour. It prepares your mind in advance of bad news, and if by chance it all goes well – you’re pleasantly surprised.

All of that said, there’s one important concept that can easily be forgotten. You can prepare yourself without allowing negativity or fear to take over. It’s easy to let little things distract you in life, but with a proper perspective – you can be fully prepared to embrace disruption.

When you encounter situations that you find challenging or even a test of your patience, there’s a few questions you can ask yourself to get in the right mindset.

• Can I change the outcome of the situation? If not, accept it and make the best – sweating small stuff isn’t worth the heart attack.

• How can I prepare myself? Think about what you can do to limit the amount of negativity in the situation, and brace yourself for the unexpected.

• Will this matter a year from now? If not, try to figure out how to deal with the situation, and realize that the outcome won’t last forever

• Will it reflect badly on me if I’m resistant to the situation? Chances are, the people who have positive and open mindsets are viewed as more evolved and progressive human beings.

Believe me, I know how tempting it can be to fly off the handle or jump to negative thinking. We’re all guilty of it – we’re human. Hopefully this post can help you work towards seeing the 60% chance of sunshine on the horizon, while still keeping an umbrella in your back pocket (just incase).

1. Search Their Username: Generally speaking, a truly engaged twitter user will have many mentions and retweets throughout the day. A simple and easy way to see if people are talking with them is to either search up their username in twitter’s search field – or use a simple tool like Twinitor. Remember, it’s not always the number of followers a person has, it’s WHO and HOW they’re engaging with them.

2. Look At Their Follower Count Ratio: This can be a very telling sign that someone is using a ‘bot’ to gain followers. If someone has 12,000 followers and they’re following 13,000: you can easily deduct that they simply followed a ton of tweeps to gain the ever-so-precious follow back.

3. Klout or Kred: These 2 sites are built to assist in measuring people’s online influence. Although they’re not the be-all end-all in scoring, they can (along with these other tips) gain you a more well-rounded perspective.

4. Look At Their Followers: Don’t be lazy. If you spend a few minutes going through the follower list of the person in question, you’ll get a pretty good idea as to what kind of influence they have (and what kind of people they’re influencing)

5. Fully Connect: When involving influencers and bloggers, it should be more than a couple of minutes of decision-making. In essence, these people will end up being extensions of yourself or your brand. One wrong selection could have a rather nasty effect – so make sure you’re googling, reading past blog posts, and even connecting with them personally before the moment of involvement.

Have some other tips, or want to recommend some fab bloggers or influencers? Sign off in the comments!

I’m here to tell you right now – that a simple cut and paste job into your status will NOT automatically re-instate your rights, or any other objective you have in your head. This paragraph is not legally binding and frankly, the fact that Facebook has gone public is completely unrelated to the privacy of your content.

The fact is: social networks are not made for private storage. What this means for you? That regardless of privacy settings, personal preferences and the like: you should treat every photo, sentence and your shared content as though your grandmother/mother/employer/future employer CAN and WILL see everything.

In light of this, here’s a few things you can do to clean up any questionable stuff you may have lying around in your past:

1. Delete Questionable Photos: If you’re emotionally attached to them, save them somewhere. Regardless of the privacy settings- there are several ways these can be accessed (including by that person who just interviewed you for your dream job).

2. Censor Yourself: Obviously these networks are all made for you to express yourself, but keep in mind that it’s possible that everything you say online can be publicly retrieved. Keep your controversial conversations to ‘in-person’ – it could be the difference between scoring a potential job, client or even a relationship.

3. Download Your Facebook History: This is easy to do by going to your general settings menu (see picture). Sometimes we forget just exactly what we have listed online, and this is a resource to really go back and decipher what should be edited or deleted.

4. Everyone and Everything Is A Brand: Everything you say, everything you do, and everything you endorse is a reflection of yourself online. Put thought into the future when posting in the present – you never know what tomorrow brings.

Do you have additional tips or suggestions to avoid unnecessary disruption? Share them in the comments!

And finally, I found yet another INFOGRAPHIC that I’m obsessed with. It claims that there are 2 types of mindsets in which a person can adopt into their lifestyle. Personally, I think that people can mix and match the two mindset attributes, and it’s not always so black and white. That said, it’s still very interesting – and a good check-in guide to make sure you’re fully ‘embracing disruption’.

As always, I love hearing your feedback. Be sure to tell me your thoughts on this INFOGRAPHIC!

This brings me to a recent encounter with an acquaintance of mine. She… well,  let’s call her ‘Margarita’ for writing’s sake. Margarita had reached a point in her early twenties where she had just graduated school and had no idea what to do with herself. Parents experience empty nest syndrome after youth leave the home, and it’s my firm belief that youth have a similar sort of symptom soon after graduation. This was certainly the case for good old Marg. You see, Margarita has worked the odd job, and even has some fantastic opportunities on the horizon. Her problem? She wasn’t sure if the path she’d paved so far was one she wanted to continue on.

I think this happens to many of us early on in discovering what the world has in store for us. I jumped from job to job for many years – in fact, I can probably walk the streets of Toronto and recall a place of employment within each kilometre of travel. The truth is, everyone moves at their own pace when trying to get from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’. The important thing to remember is: the alphabet has 26 letters, and it’s ok if ‘A to B’ becomes ‘A to Z’.

If there’s any advice I’d be able to give to people in this situation, I think it would be this:

We constantly think that we’re in a race. A race against our peers, our family, and ourselves. We make these master plans that map out exactly how we’re going to accomplish the aspirations we have in life, yet we rarely are actually able to follow these detailed scripts. Take your time, make mistakes, and have some fun – opportunity is always around the corner but don’t just jump into it because you think you HAVE to. It’s ok to take a step back, wait tables, bartend, or work in retail for awhile just until you get things figured out. Sometimes you just have to live life until the right opportunity presents itself.

Please don’t interpret any of this as an encouragement to lose your ambition and drive, because by no means do I think that people should become complacent or simply settle. This is directed at those who know they’re destined for greatness in the world – but have yet to figure out how to unleash their strengths. Have a plan, but don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t materialize in the time period you sought out. Practise and patience mixed with progressive behaviour and positivity will take you to your destination. Many of the most successful people I know have arrived where they are after something that wasn’t in their ‘plan’ somehow bumped them off course. As it turns out, sometimes a detour is the faster way to get to your destination.

As for Margarita? I poured her another cocktail, and told her to follow her gut.