Day 4 – Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year?
I cultivate wonder through the beauty of nature. Sunsets, bodies of water, leaves changing color in the fall, birdwatching, snow falling… these things bring a sense of calm. I enjoy taking the time to appreciate natural surroundings and ponder my tiny little place in this gigantic world. I suppose it’s a form of meditation.
Whether it’s hiking in Allegany State Park or sitting on my parents’ back deck soaking up the sunshine on a warm summer’s day. In most situations, I’d rather be outside. In 2011, I’d like more of that, please.
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Tags: #reverb10, beauty, nature, wonder
Let it Be
I didn’t get to write yesterday’s post on time due to a belated birthday celebration with the boyfriend. His actual birthday is December 2, but was canceled this year due to snow. So, here it is a little late.
Day 3 – Moment. Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).
Date: August 9, 2010
Location: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
Moment: Paul McCartney performing “Let it Be”
Already floating on air after 3/4 of my first live Beatle experience, I watched Sir Paul McCartney walk over to his piano on stage. Wearing a simple white button down, black pants and thin suspenders, his conservative dress showed no indication of the larger-than-life persona embodied by this legend in front of me.
“This is PAUL MCCARTNEY,” I kept thinking. “A real live BEATLE. In the flesh.“ We had been dancing and singing along for hours to amazing songs like, “Got to Get You Into My Life,” “The Long and Winding Road,” “Blackbird,” and so many more. But it still didn’t seem real.
Up to this point, McCartney and his band had put on an extremely entertaining, high-energy concert showcasing his still spot-on voice. Playing hit after hit for an appreciative and enthusiastic crowd, we couldn’t have asked for more. But as his fingers touched the piano keys and those famous first notes hit the air, something in the room changed.
When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
“Oh my GOD. This is PAUL MCCARTNEY.” It was different this time.
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
I started to cry.
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.
I thought about those girls on the set of the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, and the crowd at Shea Stadium in 1965. Young women screaming at the top of their lungs, totally losing their minds in sheer excitement over their love of The Beatles. How alive did they feel? Forty-five years later, I sat in a plastic chair in the Air Canada Centre and felt connected to them.
And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be. For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see, there will be an answer. Let it be.
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be. There will be an answer. Let it be
The tears kept coming. I felt like no matter what happened in my life, no matter what heartache I might experience, listening to this song and remembering this moment would get me through it. I would be OK.
I looked over at my mom and saw that she was crying too. Then I looked around and realized lots of people had been brought to tears. This song means something to so many people. The message is simple and there is nothing fancy about the melody. It’s been played probably millions of times over four decades, but it still stirs emotion. It still has the power to make me feel alive.
And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light, that shines on me,
shine until tomorrow, let it be.
I wake up to the sound of music, mother Mary comes to me,
speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
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Tags: #reverb10, alive, beatles, let it be, life, moment, music, paul mccartney
Being stuck at home thanks to a giant thundersnow storm is great motivation to write. Too bad this is a short one.
Day 2 Writing.
What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?
I can answer this post in one word as well: facebook. I’m a social media nerd, can’t get enough of it. I love twitter and tweeting is a form of writing, therefore it can be considered productive. Even when I’m tweeting purely for personal entertainment.
Facebook, however, is a productivity ninja thief. Sure, it’s a great marketing tool when used properly. It also provides amazing opportunities for people to stay in touch (like my friends Molly & Maribeth who can now easily talk to their birth mom and brother in Korea.)
But how much time have we spent stalking ex-boyfriends or checking up on people from high school that we have no desire to reconnect with? You know you’ve done it. How many photos of a friend’s drunken escapade have we scrolled through? How many hours of our lives have been sucked into useless games like Farmville?
For the next 30 days, I pledge to write my #reverb10 post BEFORE checking Facebook. Let’s not get crazy, I won’t eliminate it completely. But the least I can do is prioritize.
- My car is buried in snow. That’s great motivation to write.
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Tags: #reverb10, facebook, productivity, writing
One Word
Clearly, I’m not so good at this blogging on a regular basis thing. But I really want to write more often. I WILL write more often! So I’m stealing inspiration from friends participating in #Reverb10 (thanks Nicole, Alyson and Susan.) Here goes…
Day 1 – One Word
Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?
My word for 2010 is: network. It may seem like an annoying buzz word, especially when you put the word “social” before it. But 
the definition is simply a system of things connected by a common thread. Could be wires, or buildings or even arteries.
My network is made up of people. I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many people over the past year, cultivate new relationships and strengthen existing ones, thanks to online, professional and personal networks.
A coworker of mine often comments on how much I must enjoy networking because I always seem to be doing it. Apparently, not everyone thinks it’s fun to attend club meetings, tweet-ups and organized happy hours on a regular basis. But it’s fun because some of my closest friends are part of these events. And we’ve become friends BECAUSE of these events. I’m grateful for that.
What word do I want for 2011? Shake. As in shake up. For a very long time, I’ve felt stuck on the verge. I want to take a giant leap and see where I land. What changes will I need to make for this to happen? Sometimes opportunity knocks, other times you have to go searching for it. I’m on the look out.
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Tags: #reverb10, change, leap, network, people, shake, social
Back to the Land of the Blogging
Hello blog world! It’s been quite a long time since I’ve updated. This blog was originally created as an online extension of my resume when I was actively seeking employment. As you can see, I used each entry to expand on jobs and experiences, providing more description than a one page resume allows.
So what happened? It worked so well that I landed an amazing job as the Business Development Manager at the Buffalo Museum of Science. Then my life got REALLY busy and blogging took a back seat to work and other projects. But I’m back at it, determined to update regularly about social media issues and trends, along with my job and things I’m doing with the Taste of Buffalo, Public Relations Society of America Buffalo Niagara Chapter, Buffalo Niagara Event Professionals and Social Media Club Buffalo. (I wasn’t kidding about being busy.)
Stay tuned!
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In October 2008, I began a three-year term on the board of directors for the Taste of Buffalo. I serve on both the hospitality and public relations committees, working with other volunteers to plan the largest two-day food festival in the United States.
My main responsibilities involve the Taste’s social media efforts. I created a Twitter account, gaining nearly 800 followers in the first two months. The page can be viewed at twitter.com/tasteofbuffalo. I also took over updates to the Taste’s Facebook account, increasing followers by several hundred. The social media sites target people in the Western New York area and are used to promote the event, distribute news, converse with fans and get people excited about the Taste.
It can be difficult to convince people unfamiliar with social media that efforts are good for business. Recently, I was able to prove its worth for the organization by selling an advertisement in the Taste’s event guide via Twitter. There was one ad left the night before our print deadline, so I tweeted that the space was available. Moments later, a local media outlet expressed interest. After considering the details, a sale was confirmed that evening. Without Twitter, the ad would not have been sold.
My favorite aspect of event planning is being a part of something that people love. So much time and effort go into planning things like the Taste and it’s incredibly rewarding to watch people have fun and get positive feedback from visitors. It makes the months of hard work worth it when you see people enjoying themselves.
- Taste of Buffalo board members on a float in the St. Patrick’s Day parade.
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Tags: buffalo, event planning, events, facebook, food festival, social media, taste of buffalo, twitter
As a public relations account manager for Gelia, a full service marketing communications agency in Williamsville, NY, I managed the public relations programs of ten business-to-business and consumer accounts. Client industries included finance, power generation, temperature control, paints and coatings, plastics and construction.
Within the agency, public relations was one of the only departments to have direct client interaction aside from account executives. I discussed strategy, presented results, reviewed projects, provided updates and obtained feedback via face-to-face meetings, phone calls and emails.
- Checking out the equipment on a client facility tour.
The award-winning public relations campaign for Krylon Products Group in 2008 was the highlight of my work at Gelia. Despite economic issues facing the construction industry, I played a major role in developing, executing and evaluating a strategic public relations campaign to promote new and high-priority products. Through targeted media relations, I secured significant editorial coverage across all market segments for the client while staying within the allotted budget.
Coverage increased by nearly 70 percent from the previous year based on number of clips and the calculated equivalent advertising value of that coverage increased by more than 13 percent. Coverage highlights included two by-lined trend articles in Modern Contractor Solutions, a publication that focuses on providing resolutions for common issues faced by contractors. Visit the portfolio section of this blog to download both clips.
The campaign won a bronze Excalibur award from the Buffalo/Niagara Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. The Excaliburs recognize public relations programming, projects and professionals for outstanding achievement in the practice and support of public relations in Western New York. The entry along with the letter announcing the award can be downloaded in the portfolio section.
Other major responsibilities included:
- Building and maintaining relationships with members of the trade press
- Identifying and pitching editorial opportunities
- Researching and writing press releases, case studies, advertorials and other editorial
Samples of a published advertorial, local press release coverage and an article about a client’s anniversary announcement can be viewed in my portfolio - Introducing clients to social media, including a YouTube page to promote product videos
- Trade show and event support
- Calculating and reporting results
- Working with other departments within the agency to set goals, time lines and budgets
- Managing workload of other public relations department members, including interns and coordinators
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Tags: account executive, agency, b2b, business to business, editorial coverage, marketing communications, media relations, public relations, public relations results, trade press
From July 2006 through January 2007, I worked as a freelance writer for Metro Source, a weekly newspaper serving 20 different communities in Western New York with a readership of nearly 800,000. Each week, I secured approval for my story ideas, conducted interviews, took photos and wrote articles that appeared in various editions of the newspaper. I covered mostly community events, including business openings, sports teams, local bands and events.
Please visit the Portfolio section of this website to view clips from Metro Source.
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The Erie County Agricultural Society, located on The Fairgrounds in Hamburg, NY, is a not-for-profit organization that exists to preserve and enhance the agricultural and historical legacy of New York State. The Ag Society’s main event is the Erie County Fair, a twelve day fair that averages over 950,000 visitors per year and features agriculture, food, music and other entertainment. Other events include the annual Holiday Lights Festival along with various non-Fair livestock shows.
For three summers during college, I interned as a media escort for the Fair, serving as a guide for journalists and other members of the media at the event. I provided story ideas, facilitated interviews and traveled with them around the grounds. After graduating in May 2005, I was hired as a full time marketing assistant working year round for the Ag Society until September 2007.
- Taking a break from work at the Erie County Fair.
As part of a department of four people responsible for all marketing, advertising, public relations and internal communications functions, this position was an incredible learning experience. I had a hand in every aspect of the marketing process, including:
- Event Planning
Brainstorming themes, coordinating schedules, working out logistics and seeing it all through to a successful event - Contests and Special Events
Everything from pageants to ice cream eating contests to fairy tale weddings - Media Relations
Writing press releases and distributing information to local media, providing story ideas, setting up interviews and monitoring coverage - Sponsorship Development
Evaluating sponsor benefits, researching potential sponsors, evaluating sponsor goals, developing multi-level investment proposals, negotiating contracts, making the sale, carrying out contract terms, assessing agreements post-event - Content Development
Writing copy for annual brochure, fair guide and media guide, along with website content - Event Promotion
Coordinating presence at other local events, attending tourism meetings, organizing daycare program to distribute brochures and other promotional material to families in targeted areas - Database Updates
Entering contact information to mailing list database for direct mail and e-blast efforts - Graphic Design
Designing coupons and advertisements - Customer Service
Solving issues with visitors and sponsors in a timely, professional matter
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Tags: entertainment marketing, erie county fair, event planning, marketing assistant, media relatinos, special events, sponsorship
In December 2007, I completed the Integrated Marketing Communications graduate program at St. Bonaventure University. I received a Master of Arts degree with a 3.75 GPA while attending classes on weekends and working full time as a marketing assistant at the Erie County Agricultural Society.
The unique program focused on various components of marketing communications, including theory, research, creative message strategy, advertising, Internet marketing and public relations. A field work portion of the program required each student to develop a strategic marketing communications plan from start to finish for the company of their choice.
Buffalo carving on display in the Elmwood Village
I worked with a Buffalo area charity organization called Carvings for a Cause. In October 2006, the city of Buffalo was crippled by a freak snow storm early in the fall season. The ice and snow weighed down tree branches still heavy with leaves, causing major damage and destruction. Carvings for a Cause works with stumps of wood from trees that were destroyed in the storm, turning them into sculptures of famous Buffalonians and other historical figures with ties to the area.
I developed a plan to increase awareness of the organization and the sculptures, targeting both major corporate sponsors and individual donors. Research involved a series of interviews with the group’s founder and others who had tackled similar projects successfully. I spoke with government employees from two Canadian cities with public art programs featuring wooden sculptures. I also interviewed directors of local art galleries to get the fine arts community’s perspective on art in public spaces and local philanthropic organizations to seek advice on soliciting donors and sponsors. Finally, I spoke with organizers of Herd About Buffalo, a public art project that lined the streets of Western New York with artist-designed, life-sized bison that were auctioned off to benefit Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
The plan included print advertising, cyber marketing , personal selling and public relations strategies, tactics and evaluation. Carvings for a Cause used ideas from the plan to seek sponsorships, which have increased since implementing new efforts. Please click here to view the the complete plan in the portfolio section of this site.
As part of the IMC program, I also traveled to China with my classmates and professors. The elective class in international business took us to Shanghai, Xi’an, Suzhou and Beijing to learn about Chinese business administration, history and culture. For more about my international experience, please click here.
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Tags: advertising, carvings for a cause, creative stragegy, graduate school, integrated marketing communications, Internet marketing, master of arts, research, sponsorship, st. bonaventure, stratetic plan
Recent Entries
- 294
- Let it Be
- Facebook is a Productivity Ninja Thief
- One Word
- Back to the Land of the Blogging
- Taste of Buffalo, Board of Directors, October 2008-present
- Public Relations Account Manager, Gelia, October 2007-May 2009
- Freelance Writer, Metro Source, July 2006-January 2007
- Marketing Assistant, Erie County Agricultural Society, May 2005-September 2007
- St. Bonaventure University, M.A. Integrated Marketing Communications, December 2007
- Beijing Institute of Technology, International Business Administration Program, May 2007
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