COM0015 – Blog3

My future of networking

 

It is an interesting time to look at the future of my professional network given the current political climate and recent internet rulings.

 

The internet is always changing and full of events. It is in constant evolution and if you step away long enough it could become something entirely new. Just this past week a major event may have changed  the internet forever; net neutrality has been stricken down in the United States of America, and many acknowledge this as one of the worst decision’s in the USA’s history. Who knows what our connection to the internet may be from now on? This decision could change how we network, as the websites and forums evolve in light of the new rules.

 

My original plan was to use the most common websites that connects the most people/businesses. That way the chance of my content being shared is greater. Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Linked-In are all sites I planned to use. They give me everything that I need in terms of access and reach, and they will help me reach my future. Facebook and Twitter are great ways of sharing and communicating with clients and prospective clients. Although, I see myself using Instagram and Pinterest more as they have an increased visual impact. In my line of work, more people produce and digest information visually. Youtube could also be an option to explore but it is a bit more complicated. Starting a channel is not that simple; the content that you provide must be interesting and relevant, and you must also be an engaging host. Failure to meet these objectives could actually hinder the business. Linked-in is also a practical network where I could showcase my portfolio and attract clients.

 

In the coming months, I look to develop my networks online starting with creating a Linked-in and Twitter specific to my brand. Then, I would tailor my existing Facebook to be more career-minded while keeping the personal elements intact. I would then link the three sites and make posts to Pinterest to hopefully drum up business.

 

COM0015 – Blog1

 

There are several different tools that can be used to listen or monitor social media. Google Trends and Netvibes are probably the ones that I use the most often. They are simple, easy-to-use engines that can conduct multiple mechanics, searches and record the number of hits. They help to monitor a blogs online presence and the popularity of certain articles. By monitoring the views and likes, an analysis can be done and from this data new directives or actions can be undertaken.

I prefer Google Trends and Netvibes to other tools for a number of reasons. For one, Google Trends is great when comparing two or more terms because it allows you to easily observe the volume of searches between them. Another aspect of Google Trends is its ability to show how news events affect search popularity. This can be useful when looking at long term trends and seeing how people react on mass to different stimuli. Netvibes is also great because it allows you to customize your dashboard, so you can examine multiple elements of a topic at one time.

I think the two best sources of news are Facebook and Twitter just because it’s accessible to everyone, and all major businesses have a Facebook page or Twitter account. Most of the population are on these platforms, and it is so easy to disperse information because of the user ability to share information. As well, on the homepage you can see what’s trending at the moment and from this you can find the big news stories. Twitter and Facebook update by the minute, so you can take advantage of what trends are most popular and adjust accordingly.

If I were able to move into a field that studies social media, I can definitely see myself using these tools and surfing through these sources on a daily basis to try and find what interests people and advise my clients.

COM0014 – blog 7

Why is storytelling important

I strongly believe that storytelling is an important element for any content you create. I use personal stories in my blogs because it helps me create content more successfully; a personal touch can make any kind of content interesting. It is important to tell a story when creating content because it makes a connection between it and the reader.

 

My content will be guided by stories of my experiences. Stories grab our attention, capture our emotions and explore the possibilities of our mind. It’s a powerful tool, and one that should absolutely be used in marketing and branding. Your business advertising should be filled with stories that have this power, and social media is the platform on which to tell them. I’ll connect facts and news stories with my own experiences, bringing real-world examples to subjects.
What I am mostly trying to show in my blogs is the honesty of my thought and opinions I have. The stories I am trying to tell are as accurate and honest as possible. I must give a correct representation of myself so that I can create a direct connection with my readers. The stories don’t need to be a particular type, so long as they are true to myself.

 

 

COM0014 – Blog 6

I have been a gear head for as long as I can remember and today I will be writing about the automotive industry. I think that the industry’s greatest flaw is that gear heads, like me, are never getting an inside view about the rarest super cars. This is something I never really realized until now. Once sold they vanish from public eye. If it was reviewed, then that review is usually heavily edited. The reviewer was payed off by the brands to create or manipulate a hype around their product to influence the top elite buyers.

 

Back in the day, I would read amazing articles about how some cars would require you to have a special ownership status to purchase the car. You could only achieve this status by having certain cars in your collection. As well, the Ferrari family would give you a monthly class so that you could own a car (extra emphasis on could, because some people failed that class). I thought it was remarkable to be part of such an elite class of people. Can you imagine, the only way you could be put on the list for the Ferrari Enzo was to own a collection of Ferrari super cars like the 308 GTB, F40, F50? It was all completely secret; Ferrari would directly contact those eligible to purchase the latest car. It was truly a revelation to read about!

Pagani Zonda Cinque – 1 of 5 is worth approximately $5.8 million CAN

The elitism problem has changed overtime; instead of having an established list, anyone can buy the car if they have enough money. However, by opening up the bidding to everyone  the price of the car has gone up exponentially. So, the industry problem of elitism persists; it’s being kept from regular folk and car enthusiasts. If you have a company that makes a car of which only 5 will ever be built, how can we see it? How does it act, or what can it do? You can’t really know for certain. I mean, sure you can see a couple videos about it from the automaker, or second-hand from people who claim to have seen it on the street, but there is no real data on it. If a review is made, usually the brands choose who will make these reviews. Usually it will be one of the 3 biggest names in the world like Chris Harris, Jeremy Clarkson, or Jonny Lieberman. This perpetuates the elite problem because no one else can review it and it’s never to be seen again; it will disappear into someone’s collection. The owners, of course, will have them but rarely take them out. If someone ever sees a Pagani Zonda Cinque, pleas contact me (and not at an expo but on the street or racetrack).

 

However, there is a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Austin Martin, Bentley and many, many more, are starting to give the chance to smaller reviewers to get their hands on super cars. Soon they’ll be able to create an honest review. So Pagani, if you have an extra invitation I am available!

COM0014 – Blog5

Fierce honesty is one of my personal qualities that sets me apart from my competitors. I always say what I truly believe, even if people do not like it. I think this really translates in my writing and makes it more interesting to read because it is a true narrative of my thoughts; it isn’t washed out or indecisive.

gwsmedia.com: Brand brain storm.

Along the same lines, I try to only write articles that I’m passionate and knowledgeable about so that my audience receive a piece that is both thoughtful and well-researched. I’m not spreading fake news! I think that by writing about my passions, I feel the need to make a piece worthy of that subject and it pushes me to be a better writer.

At work, I guess I’m showing leadership qualities. Just yesterday my boss put me in charge of another construction site. I think this promotion is again due to fierce honesty. I don’t mind telling people that they need to do a better job. That being said, I try to recognize and appreciate when people are putting in the effort. I want my team to enjoy their job, but I need them to perform well.

What I’m doing right now that I’m proudest of is going back to school. I’ve started two different post-secondary degrees but didn’t finish them for reasons beyond my control. I’m proud that despite this, I’ve picked myself back up and am trying again. I’ve had an awesome experience with this Social Media certificate program and I’m looking forward to completing it at the end of this year.

COM0014 – Blog4

Did you ever like something so much, but the service was kinda bad, but you still tried to defend it, just because it became a point of pride? I know I have! Well, for this blog I have a B2C experience with one of my favorite companies, MotorTrend, that was just disappointing.

MotorTrend is one of the biggest car reviewers in the world. They started as an automotive magazine in 1949, and are now one of the biggest automotive YouTube channels with 5 million subscribers and 1.8 billion views. MotorTrend have a website where they post blogs/reviews about cars and they also have a new streaming service (like Netflix). This service lets you stream the exact same content that they eventually post to YouTube, but the only perk you get is that you can watch it 1 month before it’s released. This service was not the greatest for someone like me, who was a long-time follower. Another reason why I left MotorTrend On Demand after 1 month of subscribing was because of the lack of content. The fee of $4.99 a month was a good price point, but the rate that content was released was abysmal. You would still have to wait month-to-month for an episode to be released. If they truly wanted to make their service great they should’ve released all the episodes at once (like Netflix), and then did the month-to-month release just on YouTube.

MotrTrend On Demand list of shows

MotorTrend On Demand received a lot of complaints on Twitter and Facebook about that problem. Although the social media team were on the case right away and were apologetic and on point with their fans, the root of the problem has never been fixed. I feel bad for their social media person, because you can only apologize so many ways. Still to this day the platform has remained the same.

COM0014 – Blog 3

The blog I want to create would share my love of cars and the automobile industry. My biggest passion is cars; I’m a straight-up petrol head. I’ve researched various brands, and compared everything from their financial aspects, prestige, history, engineering, marketing, designers, racers, etc. Having also been a race car driver and drifter, I bring an insiders perspective to my audience. This will help me when reviewing the news stories of the day or new products hitting the market.

Image fom MotorTrend.com : The greatest drag race

My audience is very general; it could be anyone who is passionate about the automotive industry, which isn’t an exclusive demographic.  There isn’t really an age or gender that I precisely target, but I believe that younger males aged 12-30 would be my primary audience because of my writing style and because the content of my blog is focused on cars. However, elderly men and women are the ones who primarily drive luxury, restored, or super cars since they have the disposable income. So, these enthusiasts would be part of my demographic as well.

 

Since my audience is varied in demographics, I would also vary my communication techniques. To target the younger audience, I would have blogs that connect to other pages on social media and incorporate forums to foster discussion. To target the older audience, I would use visual aids and videos to further my narrative. One of my big goals would be to create a live event that would gather together my audience where they would be able to share their knowledge, bring their cars, and meet enthusiasts of all ages.

COM0014: Bolg 2 – Communication Styles

There are so many communication styles to choose from, but there is only one that is true to yourself. At least, that’s what I believe. I always try to have fun while I write, and it is very important for me to use my own voice in my blogs. I try to be helpful, honest, humorous and bold, so that the reader is interested. That’s why I really identified with the paragraph in lesson 1 about developing and nurturing your own voice. I especially liked how it challenged us to come up with our own rules. This got me thinking about the different communication roles I use on a daily basis.

The many styles of communication can be divided up in a number of different ways. Often in a professional environment I find myself using one of the following 4 styles: Analyser, Director, Socializer, and Relater. An Analyser uses logic, and planning to give instructions; they focus on the facts and get to the point when communicating. A Director will control objectives, results, productivity and decisions; they speak about projects on a high level and focus on the big picture. Socializers use motivation, teamwork and active listening; they are informal and joking. Finally, a Relater uses creativity, optimism and adapts to communicate in a way that seeks to understand and relate to peers. All of these roles help me communicate with my team in construction. This makes me stand out from the other supervisors because I take time to organize my thoughts and listen to what my team have to say.

It’s fun to take time and notice what kind of style of communication we use. When I talk to my best friend my tone is so much more different than when I meet an acquaintance (at least until the tequila kicks in).

COM0014-Blog 1

Summer Drifting

This summer I decided to go back to school to learn a new and interesting program, social media. It was difficult for me to be working construction and studying at night, instead of preparing and organizing work for my work-team for the next day. The great thing about social media is the possibility of writing about what you like and discovering your personal brand. This gave me the chance to explore what I am most passionate about: the automotive world. I love everything and anything about cars, from the first to the last.

 

Signing up for social media class gave me an excuse to focus on the automotive world and immerse myself with daily updates. It also gave me an excuse to go to some racing events around the province, considering it was kind of my homework to write blogs. One of the big events I was able to go to this summer was Formula Drift. This competition was its first big event in Canada featuring the best drivers in the world from the U.S.A., Japan and Canada. A drifting competition is all about precision driving and drivers are given points accordingly. Two drivers go head-to-head and they do maneuvers where the car is totally sideways and looks out of control, but the drivers are actually in full control. The closer to the wall or the edge of the track, the more points you will get. The second car’s role is a chaser; his role is to mimic the lead car. His goal is to get the closest to the lead car (sometimes there is only a 2 inch difference) and apply pressure. There are two runs, so each car will get a chance to lead and chase, and the points from the two runs are summed.

Check out this video from the event:

 

 

I recommend this event to anyone looking for a new experience. It’s a unique part of the racing world and showcases diverse skill sets. There should be more events like this in Canada, because it was a truly amazing experience. See you at the next!

 

And bring sunscreen. Lot’s of it.­

The Ferrari You Just Can’t Have

Photo credit: http://ferraricollectordavidlee.com

Have a lot of money? I mean A LOT OF IT? And you want to buy a $2 million dollar car because you can afford it? How about no!

 

WHAT, you may say? Well that is precisely what Ferrari is doing to its clients. Only 200 LaFerrari Apertas are being built, and despite the $2.2 million price tag, Ferrari is having absolutely no problem selling all of them. But not everyone is allowed to buy it. It doesn’t matter how rich you are, if Ferrari thinks you are not worthy of a LaFerrari Aperta then you can’t have one. The only way you can get it would be if someone on the list ever decides to sell one. At least there is a chance! Of course, you’ll have to pay a pretty heavy price tag like the original LaFerrari, for example. One seller in Dubai sold his car only 3 months after the release date for $8 million, even though the original price tag was around $1.8 million.

 

So how about if you own a massive Ferrari collection? Wouldn’t that guarantee you to be on the list? Well it looks like Ferrari could be jealous of that and hate your face! This is what is happening to a known Ferrari collector who owns $50 million dollars worth of them. David Lee, a jewelry entrepreneur, just got rejected from the Ferrari waiting list for the insane LaFerrari Aperta. Even though he has good connections, posted pictures with celebrities like Jay Leno, and even started “Cars and Chronos,” a monthly event held at his local Ferrari dealer where he displays his cars.

 

So, what is the problem with David Lee? Here is a petrol head that is in love with his Ferraris and just wants to buy a new exclusive car. There are a lot of whispers that Ferrari doesn’t like ‘’show offs’’ – it’s a new policy for them… they never discriminated before. I remember when if you wanted to own the Ferrari Enzo you had to be recognized by the Ferrari family as a true passionate collector (i.e. have a lot of money) and have a collection devoted to only Ferrari. Now a collection is no longer what Ferrari wants. Lee said, “if people at Ferrari think that is self-promoting, I can’t help that.” Ferrari replied with:  “we do not like the publicity he creates. We hate all of the noise, and he loves all the noise.” For its part, Ferrari told the LA Times that Lee “was a valued client”. Ha…Ha…Ha… funny joke there Ferrari, I would hate to see how you treat a non-valued client.

 

More info about M. Lee’s collection; http://ferraricollectordavidlee.com

 

Twitter:

Just when you thought you had it all, introducing “The Ferrari You Just Can’t Have”. #Ferrari #LaFerrariAperta http://bit.ly/2rSYO8x

 

Facebook:

Imagine having a $50 million dollar Ferrari collection and being denied the latest: the LaFerrari Aperta. Well, this actually happened to David Lee. Read more in “The Ferrari You Just Can’t Have”. http://bit.ly/2rSYO8x