Becky Robinson's Blog, page 57

Featured on Friday: Mothers Day Edition

Today we’re doing something a little bit different – we’re talking about moms. It seemed appropriate, with Mother’s Day coming up this Sunday and so many working moms on our team.

When I first started working with Becky in 2012, her youngest daughter was just starting Kindergarten and there were a number of calls that autumn when Becky would say to me, “I’m sitting in the school hallway right now, she just needs to know I’m here.”

In school, in life, in business – isn’t that what we all need sometimes? Just to know someone is there if you need them? In many of our lives – at least in the early days – that person is often our mother. Don’t get me wrong, dads can be great pillars of support as well (mine certainly is), but when you’ve had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day and all you want to do is cry, mom is the safe haven. Thank you, Mom!

To continue down this path of gratitude for mothers, I asked several members of the Weaving Influence team to share something personal about themselves as a mother, or about their moms. I absolutely loved the answers that I got, and I believe you will too.

We’ll start this post off with “our fearless leader,” and mom of 3 girls, Becky Robinson.

“I love the opportunity to include my kids in my work and have them glimpse what it means to be an entrepreneur and business owner, while balancing family life too. 

For example, I recently took one of my daughters to a bookstore event in hopes of meeting local authors for Hometown Reads. She loves books, like I do, and it was fun to incorporate a little work during a Saturday outing. 

I’ve involved my girls in other ways over the years, with helping to ship authors’ books for launches, and having them do small chores like shredding at the office. I also love when they can meet clients and team members, like we did last summer on the #witour. They got to tour Chick-Fil-A headquarters, have a pool party with Jennifer Kahnweiler, and enjoy many meals with our amazing team.”

My hope is that they will know that work can fit into life and they can accomplish big things while making a difference for their families, too. @beckyrbnsn 

We have two team members named, “Christy” – Christy K. and “Christy V.” When I asked for “mom” stories, Christy V. shared her appreciation for her mother, “I wanted to note what a wonderful influence my mom has been on me. I can’t imagine raising five kids under the age of six and she did it with such grace and compassion. She has truly been a staple in teaching me so much about life.” And then she went on to share how this year, Mother’s Day had become personal – news that we are so very excited to be able to now share with all of you!

“This mother’s day is a special one as one year from now I will be celebrating as a mother myself! We are having a baby in October! Working for Weaving Influence will be the perfect job for me during this transition as I can still work from home while caring for this baby. It really provides the perfect work/life balance.“

Congratulations, Christy V. (and hubby!) – we know you’ll make a wonderful mom!

Christy K. also shared a very touching story about her mom, a reminder of how each one of us begins to see things differently as we get older and have children of our own.

“My mom stayed home when my brother and I were little. She decided to go to work when I was in junior high. Part of my school day ritual had always been coming home and telling my mom all about my day–probably in more detail than she wanted, but she always listened, asked questions, was involved in these daily recaps. When she went to work, she made a point of being available every day when I would get home from school. I would call her at work and she would take time to hear my triumphs and travails.

At the time, I didn’t realize that making a space for that daily call might cause her difficulty at work.  As a working mom myself now, I understand how hard it can be to get businesses and managers to understand the importance of family-even when we’re at work. I can only imagine how my mom–returning to the work force–had to juggle to make that time for me each day, but she did, because she knew it mattered to me and it mattered to her.”

“What a gift to have a mother who always put me first. I cherish her now more than ever.“

I loved what Paula shared about her mother… and the accompanying photo!

“This is my mom’s (Letha) first selfie. I have lost track of how many selfies I have taken. The amount of selfies I have taken is not (I hope!) an indicator of narcissism — they’re mostly to encourage my fellow fitness fans — but still — for a Baby Boomer I take a LOT of pictures of myself.

What I love about my mom is that she has handed down the value of humility and putting others first. Even if she were younger and part of the social media craze, I doubt she would be taking very many selfies. Maybe offering to take the pictures (but worrying about getting it right) but probably encouraging everyone in the pictures by telling them how great they look. 

She makes a difference by encouraging, behind the scenes. And the people who do that in this world sometimes create more powerful impacts than the ones in front of the camera.“

Last, but certainly not least, is Amy’s contribution. Amy’s a mom of 4 who spent years as a working mom — in some cases working right up to her due date — who knows what it’s like to juggle a career with raising a family. Because of her previous experience in the 9-to-5 world, she really values the flexibility that working with Weaving Influence has given her.

“I’m so blessed to work in a company that allows me to put family first and be there for all the amazing things my kids are involved in or to stay home with them when they’re sick.

I’m the working mom who still makes it to all the track meets, band performances, lacrosse games, and field trips.

My oldest graduates in less than a month and I realize just how fleeting these years are. I wouldn’t want to miss a moment!“

See? I told you this would be an enjoyable post to read! Maybe it triggered some memories of your own, or gratitude for something your mom did that you had forgotten about. While chocolates and flowers and dinky mugs that say, “World’s Best Mom” are nice – why not do something different this year and write your mother a letter of thanks? Let her know that her years of just “being in the hallway” when you needed her, did not go unnoticed.

On a personal note: Some of you might know that I’ve got some life changes of my own going on. After 16 years of just-the-two-of-us bliss, my husband and I are shaking things up as we prepare to bring home 5 children (all siblings) from Costa Rica this summer, and learn how to be a family. Life, as we know it, will never be the same, but next year I’m sure I’ll have a better appreciation for my own mom… another mother of 5.

Happy Mother’s Day to moms everywhere, including those who have been “like a mom” to so many.

National Small Business Week 2016

Happy Small Business Week!

Since moving to Israel 3 years ago, I have gotten used to finding the “mom and pop” solution for almost everything. Need a picture frame? Go to the picture frame store! How about a new notebook? Why, the notebook store, of course! Need vegetables? The vegetable stand will do.

Though at times the lack of Target and Amazon Prime can be inconvenient, I have come to appreciate the opportunity to interact with small business owners on a daily basis. Needless to say, since landing in the USA a month ago for our 2‐month family visit, I have fallen back into the “Target time!” habit (its oh-so‐easy). And though the convenience of big box shops and chains often seems to override good old home‐grown businesses, I was pleased to find out that small businesses still account for the majority of sales in this great country!

According to the Small Business Administration, the 28 million small businesses in America account for 54% of all U.S. sales.

And, now that I think of it, every job I have had in my adult life has been with a small business, including my most recent (and dare I say, most favorite?) job with Weaving Influence.

A big aspect of small business week is encouraging small businesses to work together. I am proud to say that collaborating with and helping other business owners is the most rewarding aspect of my work with Weaving Influence.

I encourage you to take some time this week to do at least one thing to support small businesses. Here are a few ideas:

Take some time to give your favorite businesses a shout out on social media.

Don’t be afraid to get personal and be specific. Is there a certain department or service

at a local small business that has been exceedingly helpful? Go ahead and tweet

about it (use the hashtag #DreamSmallBiz)! Post on Facebook! Even sending an “I appreciate you” email can be incredibly encouraging.
Opt for the small business. Sometimes the personal service a small business can offer

you will actually end up saving you more and time money than if you had, let’s say,

ordered something from Amazon Prime. I have ordered many a pair of shoes that did not

fit properly or looked different than they appeared. I would have saved time AND money

if I would have shopped at the locally owned shoe store.
Collaborate with a small business. The great thing about supporting small businesses

is that everyone (even large corporations) can do it! I recently noticed local Indiana

honey and produce at the Whole Foods down the street. Weaving Influence will be

setting up shop and exhibiting at this year’s ATD conference in Denver (May 22nd-25th).

One of our goals for the conference is to connect with other businesses and individuals

who want to join our efforts in supporting some outstanding authors and thought leaders.

What will you do to support small businesses this week (and beyond)?

Featured on Friday: Meet Team Member Stephanie Quick

A little over four years ago I met Becky Robinson online, and my life changed forever. Over the last four years I’ve had the opportunity to work with some outstanding people – authors, bloggers, book promoters, publishers, PR experts, and fellow Weaving Influence contractors.

Living and working more than 500 miles south of Becky and the Michigan office crew, my experience has been one of connecting from a distance, and building community through email, hangouts, Facebook chats, and stand-up calls.

Because of the transient nature of contracting work I’ve been able to meet a number of really talented individuals, some of whom I connected with on a personal level, as well as a professional one. Today’s feature team member is one of those people who is not only a joy to work with, but has become a supportive friend to boot! Say hello to…

Stephanie Quick

Hi there, Stephanie, thanks so much for doing this! Can you tell us a little bit about your personal life?

Sure, Carrie! I joined the Weaving Influence team last August and am half of Weaving Influence’s DC representation – affectionately dubbed #WIDC. I recently finished my masters in public relations and corporate communications at Georgetown University. Like many of the WI team members, I am a runner. I completed two marathons in 2015, but I’m pretty sure I’m done with marathons at this point! I live in Arlington, VA with my two dogs, Abby and Zoe.

Tell us something unusual about yourself.

I was a synchronized swimmer in college. The keys to synchronized swimming are core strength and nose clips!

What’s your favorite pastime?

Anything outside! I love hiking, running, swimming, visiting DC sites, or even reading a book outdoors at a coffee shop. I’m so excited that spring is finally here.

Tell me your favorite part of the job with Weaving Influence…

I love the people – our clients, Team Buzz Builder, and the Weaving Influence staff. I love getting to know them and their stories. I enjoy project management and communications, but the people and relationships are what make it worthwhile.

What is your “stand out” thing that you’ve learned from working with the #WITeam so far?

I think the biggest thing I’ve learned from working with the #WITeam so far is the importance of effective communication in a distributed office environment. It’s not as easy as stopping by the cube next door. Being intentional about building relationships becomes even more important.

What’s the last book you read and really enjoyed?

I started listening to audio books when I was training for my first marathon last year. Two recent favorites are Scary Close, by Donald Miller, and Leaving Time, by Jodi Piccoult. Two totally different books, but I appreciated them for different reasons. I appreciate how Jodi Piccoult tells stories from the perspective of a number of different characters, and Donald Miller always has good insights into relationships and Christianity.

Connect with Stephanie Online

Make a connection with her on LinkedIn and find her on Twitter.

Want to meet more of the team? You can find us HERE. And don’t forget to follow our Weaving Influence accounts on Twitter @weaveinfluence, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day 2016

Today is Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day 2016. Since its beginning in 1993, the program has grown and changed, including identifying itself as Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day in 2003.

When I began working at my previous employer, the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, in 1994, I didn’t have children yet. I traveled 45 miles away to pick up my young niece, Kris, so I could have a stand-in “daughter at work.” Kris and I hung around the office that day, went out to lunch, and played the roles of workers in a fairly understated way.

As Healthy Kids grew, Take Kids to Work Day evolved. We had a larger staff, a broader scope of work, and it would be unwieldy to have a bunch of children of various ages roaming around the office at loose ends. Therefore, we created elaborate plans for Take Kids to Work Day. These were 2-3 hour after school dismissed. The kids did all kinds of activities, explored the world of work in an age-appropriate way, and ate snacks (of course!).

Now that I am a part of the Weaving Influence team, I no longer go to an office every day. The same is true for most of my co-workers (we do have a small headquarters office in Michigan). As April 28 approached, my co-workers and I started thinking about how Take Kids to Work Day is different for virtual workers.

I asked:

1) How does being a virtual worker affect your child’s perception of what you do?

2) What is a lesson about the workplace you want your child to grow up having learned from you? and

3) What advice does your child have for how to be a success at work?

Margy

Margy, our Web Projects Manager, says her infant daughter doesn’t really have an opinion (yet) on her mother’s role as a virtual worker. Margy hopes to impart this lesson: No matter what you do for a living, you should act with the same values and principles in every aspect of work and life.

Joanna

Joanna, our Book Launch Assistant, says: “My oldest (age 4) gets that I ‘do work for Miss Becky and Miss Carrie,’ but that’s about all she knows about it. She says I get to work from home because I have kids and I don’t have the same boss as Daddy.

Joanna wants her children to work hard, at whatever they do, but to know boundaries. Working from home sometimes makes it hard to have those boundaries, especially because she doesn’t have a separate office in her house. She continues, “I also want them to enjoy what they do enough to find some value in it, and I want them to do all that they do with integrity.”

To succeed at work, Joanna’s daughter recommends: Follow directions, be a good listener, pay attention.

Carrie

Carrie, our Book Launch Director, shared about her brother, who has run a very successful business out of his home for 25 years. His two sons grew up knowing that their dad would not only be doing what it took to pay the bills (working Sunday afternoons or late at night), but he would also be at every one of their sporting events (coaching most of them), school events, or down on the floor to play trains with them when they were small. Work fit around their family, not the other way round, and that lesson was super important for both boys.

Paula

The main difference I think my children perceive about my status as a “virtual” worker rather than a “brick and mortar” worker is the lack of boundaries. My teenager sees me at the laptop at the dining room table and for all he knows I may be perusing Facebook watching cat videos as opposed to compiling a blog post for the Lead Change Group. Creating those boundaries is a constant learning process.

As far as a lesson I want my children to learn about the workplace, I have many hopes, dreams, and expectations. I am sure I share those with most parents. It is important to me that my children learn to ask intelligent, strategic questions and apply common sense. They have grown up in a world of instant gratification (compared to previous generations) and information at the click of a mouse. There are times when you have to wait, and times when the first answer you get is not the best answer. I hope they apply patience and persistence as they continue to grow.

My son, a 16-year-old of few words (at least when it comes to blog post help for mom), did pack those few words with a the truth:

 

How about you? Whether you work at a traditional office or as part of a virtual team, we would still be interested in your thoughts about Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day!

What is a lesson about the workplace you want your child to grow up having learned from you?

What advice does your child have for how to be a success at work (and is it more than my son’s six words?!)?

My son at Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day 2010.

Featured Image: 123rf/123rfaurinko

5 Tips for Innovation

Whether you work in an office or from home, it can be challenging to create an environment for yourself that allows for innovation and creativity. Here are 5 tips to help you increase both innovation and creativity while maintaining productivity.

Don’t overschedule

In today’s fast-paced environment, it can be easy to schedule every moment of your day. There is much to be done and too little time to accomplish everything.

The problem arises when you don’t allow for down time. When you schedule out every moment of your day, you don’t allow for anything extra or new. You’re so busy running from task to task to task that you end up stuck in a rut, which is not conducive to innovation or new ideas. You may be surprised how leaving space for new experiences and inspiration can increase your productivity.

Which brings me to my second tip…

Take a break

Talk to a friend. Go for a run or walk. Take a yoga class. Play a game of Words With Friends. Color using an adult coloring book. Follow Einstein’s advice: take a nap.

You may find it helpful to schedule breaks into your day. The Pomodoro Technique recommends working for 25 minutes and then taking a break. Try it out. See what works for you.

The point is to shift your thinking. Your brain will continue working on the project or problem in the background. So take a break and come back to the problem with a new perspective and focus.

Personalize your workspace

Whenever possible, surround yourself with things that make you happy. Decorate with pictures of friends and family or souvenirs from a trip. Use pops of color. A personalized space will help you feel more comfortable and may spur creativity.

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Hubspot wrote a great article last week about personalizing your workspace to improve productivity.

Eliminate clutter

Along the same lines, you’ll want to eliminate clutter as much as possible. It’s hard to work when laundry, toys, or other household clutter distracts you. If you’re in an office, piles of paperwork, books, and other clutter can be equally distracting. You don’t have to complete KonMari your space if you’re not ready for that, but go ahead and at least straighten up your environment.

Sometimes you need to change locations to refresh or give new perspective. Move to a different room in your house. Go to a coffee shop. Go work in the conference room instead of your office. A change in physical environment is often enough to prompt more creativity and focus.

On a personal note, this one may be my favorite tip. While I work from home, I frequently end up at a coffee shop or at a friend’s house. Laura Finch and I meet up a few times per month to hold “#WITeamDC” working sessions. Sometimes even a move from my “office” to my living room is enough to help me focus and get new ideas.

If you’re interested in more habits of original thinkers, check out this Ted Talk by Adam Grant.

What other tips would you add to this list?

Image Credit: 123rf/Franck Boston

Featured on Friday: Celebrating 1 Year of #WindInYourSails with @djgreer

There have been several times in the last few weeks that I have found myself saying to different people, “time flies!” Today’s feature is another example of that being the case.

One year ago, we were winding down from the launch of Wind In Your Sails by David Greer (that’s when I took the photo of me holding his book). Having first worked with David at another company, it was fun for us to be able to support him personally as he walked through the book publication and promotion process.

Recently, Weaving Influence founder and CEO, Becky Robinson, sat down with David for an update on what’s been happening in his professional life, and what he’s learned about growing his online influence. To celebrate the 1 year anniversary of his book launch, we thought now was the perfect time to share it with you!

David Greer Q & A

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned about growing online influence?

Don’t do it yourself. Partnering with others on their platforms helps you reach a larger audience. Social is about connection and the focus is continuing connections that I gained as part of a book launch. Developing an audience takes a long time. I’ve learned that intentionally engaging on other platforms helps me reach a wider audience.

What activities do you see that are most valuable for you?

One value I am looking for is generating leads – this is challenging. I have a lot of momentum in achieving my vision of Interaction, learning, and feeling as though I am making a positive difference through my online presence. I get a lot of value from the #LeadWithGiants tweetchat with Dan Forbes. Showing up consistently over time is a very big deal.

My vision is to get 100,000 entrepreneurs to step into their single biggest challenge. The value I get in my online interactions is in sharing my ideas and have people respond and moving toward the vision I have for the contribution I want to make.

What has been one of your biggest challenges with your online presence?

The biggest challenge is translating my online presence, relationships, and interactions into sales. I have sold far fewer copies of Wind In Your Sails than I wished. I am still thrilled about the content I wrote and I am disappointed that the book has not landed in more people’s hands. It’s an ongoing challenge.

What advice would you give to someone who is just beginning to grow influence online?

Show up! You have got to show up and participate. If you don’t have a platform and aren’t ready to do the writing, find people whose ideas resonate with you and comment and engage with the conversation.

When you are ready, start writing. Get your ideas written down and out there where others can both see them and interact with you and your ideas.

What opportunities have you gained that you would not have had without being online?

I have been a co-host once per quarter on #LeadwithGiants and posted content there, which has helped me clarify my thinking. Writing has made a massive difference for me. I am also blogging for The CEO Magazine monthly.

I’ve grown my friends network on Facebook and have been proactive in deepening relationships with people including meeting face to face.

What relationships have you been able to cultivate that you would not have without being online?

I’ve built many relationships through my online presence, people I might not have met otherwise. I’ve made conscious choices to go deeper and have conversations with people I’ve met online. I met many through my book launch and built those relationships after the launch. I continue to interact and grow my network. I joined the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS) last year. After attending the CAPS National Convention in Halifax last year, I have followed up with many new friends and interactions online and face-to-face with CAPS members.

What challenges have you experienced in growing your online presence?

The biggest challenge for me is translating my online presence into leads and book sales.

What surprises have you experienced in growing your online presence?

The depth of the personal connections I’ve gained has been a big surprise to me. I don’t get feedback very often, but when I do, I am surprised at the breadth and depth of difference my work makes. The delight is having a bigger impact than I knew.

What one factor do you see as most critical to your burgeoning success as a thought leader? Doing the work is the biggest contributor. What conversations did you have? What comments did you receive? How did you help and contribute to others? This is not a passive deal – it’s active.

You have to be consciously active. @djgreer #WindInYourSails 

Book and Author Info – Time to Connect!

Find David on: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and his Coach David J. Greer Website.

You can purchase Wind In Your Sails at several online retailers, including Amazon (U.S. | Canada), Barnes & Noble, and Kobo (additional links found HERE).

If you already have a copy, don’t forget to leave a review at any or all of those sites, and add it to your “read” or “to read” shelf on Goodreads.

If you’d like to get involved in the anniversary celebration, start by telling your online communities about David and his book. You can find tweets to share and graphics to pin and promote on the book’s website.

Watch David’s NEW Corporate Strategy Video

If you haven’t gotten to know David, I encourage you to do so this week. He’s an outstanding individual, supportive of others (I can personally attest to that), encouraging, engaging, and one of a kind (in the best way). Pick up a copy of David’s book for you, and a second one for a friend, introduce your online communities to David, and let’s put some new buzz out there for Wind In Your Sails today! Congratulations, David! May year two be filled with more success, more sales, and more connections!

How to Live a Creative and Inspired Life

This post is a part of our 2016 Team Buzz Builder Guest Blogger Series. Today we are pleased to introduce you to Brandi Walerius, the owner of Black & White Consulting.

The older I get the more I realize there’s one significant thing that gets in the way of making an ordinary life extraordinary. That one thing, when present, can be our biggest critic and fuel that nagging voice inside our minds that creates the dreaded self-doubt. That one thing if you haven’t figured it out, is fear, the paralyzing type.

I used to think I wasn’t creative, but just recently, I realized I’ve been conveniently lying to myself. It’s not that I’m not the creative type, it’s that fear lurks inside of me and sabotages my inspired ideas before I can breathe life into them.

A beauty of getting older though, is the realization that life is short. Instead of being afraid of what others think, I should be more afraid of not fulfilling my full potential by letting fear rule. I need to stop staying ordinary and in my comfort zone because I won’t leave to allow magic to live and for the possibility of extraordinary to exist. Yes, I’m starting to realize I don’t need anyone’s permission to live a creative life, just my own.

I’m so guilty of constantly saying “I would but (fill in the blank).” Fill in the blank with I don’t know how, I don’t know if it will work, what if it fails? It’s easy to feel like underdogs in this big bad world. It’s easier to stay put, to let doubt rule our lives and be used as the basis of decision making. To be the murderer of our dreams.

If you can relate, let’s make a pact, shall we? Let’s remember that it’s not what calls you that will determine your destiny and legacy, it’s what you answer to, and that sometimes we have to face fear and work in spite of it to answer that call.

Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Big Magic points out:

· When you become curious about something pursue it.

· You must stay in the creative conversation with yourself to give yourself time to explore it.

· Don’t scare away your inspiration.

· Give yourself permission to feel personal entitlement. That you deserve to explore a creative living.

She also points out that “creative living is a path for the brave.” I don’t know about you, but I am ready to be brave. I’m ready to listen to one of my inspired ideas and give it life. I’m ready to explore and put an idea and myself out there in an attempt to live a fuller life. I know fear will take up real estate in my mind, but I won’t let it take over. I now have those Big Magic inspirations posted on my desk. I know now to live an extraordinary life I need to make the leap from fear to faith.

Who’s leaping with me?

Brandi Walerius, MBA, is the owner of Black & White Consulting, a Human Resources and Content Writing agency and is the woman behind the keyboard at withBrandi.com where she shares life, motherhood, business, and all other things worthy of her obsession. When Brandi’s not translating her ideas and thoughts into printed words, she’s living happily ever after, drowning in testosterone, with her husband and two sons in northwest Ohio. For additional love and ramblings, follow Brandi on Twitter and Instagram.

 

Image Credit: 123rf/kudryashka

5 New Facebook Features to Get Excited About

F8 is Facebook’s annual look inside the business with an emphasis on unveiling new products and ideas. The event just wrapped up and marketers are still buzzing about all the cool ideas Facebook shared.

Here are 5 new features we think could deliver big results for thought leaders and brands.

1) INSTANT ARTICLES – Instant articles were opened up to all users on April 12. This feature will allow articles to load faster with images and video, plus a full suite of interactive options. Instant Articles will get higher play in the Facebook newsfeed, and according to Facebook, Instant Articles are shared more frequently and have a higher read rate. Buffer has a great guide for setting up Instant Articles. This is one option thought leaders will want to utilize immediately.

2) SAVE BUTTON -Curated content is an important part of any social strategy but it can often take multiple tools, plus quite a bit of time, to find the right articles to share-enter the Facebook SAVE button. This handy-dandy button will allow you to save anything you see on the web to Facebook and view it (or post it) later.

3) QUOTE SHARING – Everybody wants a little inspiration, but it’s a clunky copy and paste to share your favorite quotes on Facebook. Well, not anymore. This feature allows you to quickly share quotes from books, articles and sites on the web. Right now, it’s only available on the Amazon Kindle, but it’s coming soon to laptops and mobiles.

4) PROFILE EXPRESSION KIT -Facebook is squarely taking aim at SnapChat with this fun new feature. You can currently upload a profile video but this kit will allow you to further customize your video with apps including Boomerang, BeautyPlus and Vine. It’s a great way to connect authentically with your audience and really show some personality. It’s in beta testing right now.

5) MESSENGER BOTS – Facebook is putting a lot of emphasis on its messenger app and is now opening its messenger bots up for all businesses. These bots will allow brands and companies to communicate with their audience in new ways including creating automated messages and handling e-commerce.

Some of these new features are available now, some will be rolled out over the course of the year, but all could further enhance Facebook’s value to brands and thought leaders…and maybe, just maybe get those millennials back on the ‘book.

While these are a few of the highlights we’re excited about, Mark Zuckerberg and team unveiled some other really cool ideas. Oculus Rift, anyone? You can watch highlights of F8 and Zuckerberg’s keynote here and here.

Which new features are you most excited to try?

Image credit: 123rf/Varin Rattanaburi

Featured on Friday: 5 Minute #MustReads!

Happy Friday! How has your week been? Happy to see it end, or excited about the opportunities that presented themselves over the last 5 days? It could even be a mixed bag – it certainly was around here. But those are good weeks too – always something to learn and ways to grow. And speaking of growth…

There is so much information online – book lists and tips of the trade, personal updates and unique opportunities. Sometimes it can be hard to know where to start when you only have a few minutes to dig through, so today we did the work for you!

Ah, the decline of organic Facebook reach. We’ve all felt it and wondered what we can do to get our posts back in front of our audience again, and now  HubSpot has some ideas to help you gain traction again!
Speaking of Facebook, if your opinion of everyone’s life is based on what they post on social, you’d probably come to the (incorrect) conclusion that they all have perfect lives. Last week, Becky Robinson wrote a very real and very honest post about those days that are anything but Facebook-worthy.

“Keep Going. Don’t Quit.” @beckyrbnsn | http://bit.ly/1Sd0DB5 

Inc. recently came up with a list (based on the feedback of their readers) of the 18 “ Most Motivational Books Ever Written ” – what books would you add? We can think of a few!
We’d certainly add Whitney’s books to the Inc. list. You might recall that Whitney Johnson was one of our very first book launches (Dare, Dream, Do), who came back to launch her second book, Disrupt Yourself. With two books and two launches, Whitney is offering her own tips (14 of them!) on how to make your book a success – and we think she’s spot on!
Have you ever wondered about the “rules” of social media? Do they really exist? One of our favorite companies (and tools), Buffer, has a great post out that you must read if you use social!
And speaking of social experts – don’t miss this post on growing your Twitter following from our very own Christy Kirk, Director of Social Strategy!
Closing out with some Hometown Reads news – our next city is… CHICAGO! If you’re an author in the Windy City, sign up today and follow us on Facebook to stay in the loop about our plans!

We’ve shared our links, what would make YOUR list?

The Evolution of Public Relations

I remember the day it occurred to me that being a broadcast journalist in the 21st century wasn’t quite how I dreamed it would be. It was during my first job out of college at a local TV station in Charlottesville, Virginia where I was a “one-man-band” reporter. That meant I needed to master filming (often times filming myself, talking to myself), editing, and lugging around camera equipment that weighed dozens of pounds (in heels).

I had been assigned my second story of the day which took me about an hour out of town to an abandoned property to cover several vicious dogs being taken away by animal control. When I showed up it appeared I had missed the story. The authorities had already come and gone. Little did I know, one dog remained on the property because it was too dangerous to be removed at the time. As I approached the house, the animal came tearing out after me—and I learned that I needed to master filming, editing, carrying heavy equipment—and running!—in heels.

I outran the dog—and headed on to my next story…

Being a journalist has drastically changed over the years—and continues to do so. Giant news teams and in-depth features pieces used to be the norm but now are anomalies. Today newsroom staffs are thin and journalists are forced to cover multiple stories at a time. Advances in technology and the proliferation of media platforms has transformed the news media into a never-satiated beast—and the competition to feed it is fierce. Because of this environment, journalists today are often overwhelmed, overworked, and hard-pressed to find unique angles.

The profession of public relations has needed to keep pace with this constantly evolving landscape. No longer can public relations professionals send out a one-way communication to journalists and target audiences and ensure their message is received. They must be interactive, engaging, and accommodating to journalists who don’t have the time or resources to delve deep into a story. Today, PR professionals must be innovative, or be ignored.

I left the news business more than six years ago to work in public relations. Since then, I’ve noticed an evolution of innovative practices. Here are 5 that PR professionals are doing today:

1. Being a storyteller. PR has always been about telling a great story but a rising practice in the profession is something called “brand journalism” in which PR professionals tell a story related to a brand’s expertise. In effect, the PR professional is acting like a reporter themselves, engaging the audience who then become more interested in the brand.

2. Creating a blog nation. The importance of social media in the journalism and PR world cannot be overstated. Thus, some groups have built their own networks of social influencers to help share news. #TeamBuzzBuilder, anyone?

3. Hitting the road. Some PR professionals have even gone so far as to put together “Twitter billboards” to help build followers. For example, accounting firm Freed Maxick launched a digital billboard in Buffalo, New York, that displayed updates from the firm’s Twitter account in real-time, promoting the firm’s expertise, services and experience.

4. Being a sleuth. The advent of social and digital media has introduced very specialized beats within the media. No longer can PR professionals rely on pitching to general assignment reporters. They must act like investigative reporters themselves to find the right editor, contributor, producer, even freelance writer, that would have an interest in their pitch.

5. Making it easy. Media professionals are overworked. Most of the time, they’re covering or writing multiple stories a day. Thus, PR professionals have to make it easy on them by having all the elements in place for a story. They need to have the right people available for interviews, ready-made quotes, images, video, and research where applicable. Sometimes, PR professionals may even have to put together the story themselves for the journalist.

While PR professionals are getting increasingly more progressive, some practices still remain effective:

1. Hitting send. Email is still journalists’ preferred method of communication. According to Muck Rack, 92 percent like to be pitched this way. But the emails must be short and to the point—otherwise journalists won’t read them.

2. Pitching “man bites dog” over “dog bites man (or TV reporter).” The 5 factors of newsworthiness (timing, significance, proximity, prominence, and human interest) are still relevant when pitching stories today.

3. Using data. Data is king. Research and statistics that support statements can instantly give credibility to a story. If you have an infographic, even better.

4. Being fast. Media personnel have almost always been in a hurry—now more so than ever. Often, they interview or quote the person who got back to them first. This is especially true for HARO and ProfNet queries.

5. Treating them like humans. Journalists are people, so circling back to compliment them on a story (and sharing the story socially) helps build relationships.

Today, if I were called out to the country to cover vicious dogs, I’d most likely be doing more than just shooting video. I’d be doing a live report using my cell phone to carry a video signal while giving minute-by-minute social media updates. Media is constantly changing and PR professionals must be innovative to keep pace—or else be left behind.

Image Credit: Fotolia kentoh