Professional Networking: Now and in the Future

First and foremost, I need to commit to a plan! With so many options available, and trying to balance a busy life, it is so important to stay active and be efficient at managing various platforms, tools and networking events. Here are some areas where I can see require improvement in my current strategy: my LinkedIn account, blogging and capitalizing on in-person events.

LinkedIn

I currently have a LinkedIn profile; but besides accepting or adding new contacts, I am not very active. In the next 6-12 months I hope to start posting my own material, actively nurturing relationships, joining groups, and following professional influencers.

Blogging

I only started blogging as a result of taking this program. The blogs that I have published thus far are all school related assignments and not necessarily related to my interests/business.

On our website, we do have a “blog” section, which I plan in the next 6-12 months to populate with health, beauty and wellness blogs to drive traffic to our site. Specifically, I’d like to do a series on products that can be used to target specific health/skin care concerns. I would want to map out a plan, to ensure that the blogs are timely and relevant. Nothing worse than visiting a blog, whose last published blog dates pre-2000, poor neglected site.

Within a year, I hope to be seen as a pillar of knowledge in the industry to increase the conversion from online connections into in-person meetings and or phone calls.

In Person Events

I currently attend Meetup.com activities in a social/professional capacity. AtomyGates is also a proud sponsor of a meetup.com group to further advertise the business. To broaden my reach, I will start exploring professional events/ conferences through Event Bright and professional networking groups such as the Women’s Business Network in Ottawa. My take away from previous experience is to do research on the event and who is going beforehand so that I can go in prepared and confident.

Giphy.com

I found this really great resource on networking, read up on some great tips online!

 

The Good and the Bad: Social Media Campaigns

THE GOOD: Campaign to end child brides

In 2016, the UNFPA and UNICEF announced a new project to end child marriage by 2030.[1]  The new initiative includes a series of social media campaigns that have been quite successful in creating global awareness on the issue.

#endchildmarriage campaign was created when UNICEF approached Bridal Musings in the creation of a video clip to end child marriage. With an already large blog and social media following, Bridal Musings’ video had over 17 million views on Facebook. The “Story Book wedding-except for one thing” video depicts the fairy tale wedding, but as the story progresses, it becomes clear that something is terribly wrong. Lilly, the bride, is only 11 years old and John, the groom, is 35 years old. She is a child bride!

Their followers are called to action. They are asked to share the hashtag #endchildmarriage on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to increase awareness and put an end to child marriage.

#drawaline campaign was created by UN Women (UK). It is a clever social media campaign that tests your humanity by using a reCAPTCHA “human test”. It is a series of pictures that include pictures of brides and then children. To pass the test, you must select images of brides only. The results: 72% of 8806 participants failed the Humanity Test.[2]  The results of the test appear, along with a short story of 3 child brides, one as young as 8 years old.

The next page is a call to action. Participants are asked to share the test with others so that their stories don’t go untold. Take the Humanity Test now!

Humanity Test

Humanity Test Results

Humanity Test “Share”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BAD: Dove Campaign

In an effort to embrace differences in women, Dove has received backlash through social media for being unthoughtful in their approach in 2017.

In April 2017, Dove #realbeauty created a limited edition series of body wash bottles that were meant to represent different women’s body types. “Beauty comes in different sizes” campaign was instantly met with humorous and concerned comments that flooded social media. Just reading the comments on YouTube was enough to turn me off as a consumer. Take a look, pretty funny material.

Read more about it here.

#realbeauty Dove Body Wash Campaign

Not long after, Dove posted a short clip on Facebook of a black woman removing her shirt to become a white woman. The backlash was so quick, that Dove apologized and immediately took down the post.

Dove Body Lotion Facebook Campaign

 

 

 

Perhaps Dove should reconsider their social media strategy?

 

 

 

 

 

[1] https://www.un.org/youthenvoy/2016/03/new-un-initiative-aims-to-protect-millions-of-girls-from-child-marriage/

[2] https://jwt.co.uk/work/the-humanity-test

https://bridalmusings.com/end-child-marriage-now/

 #thegoodandthebadsocialmedia

 

#thegoodandthebadsocialmedia, #atomygates

COM0015 – Blog #1: Social Media Monitoring Tools

To log in to each of my social media sites and then monitor/scour through all its content was time-consuming. Luckily, I have discovered social media trend listening/monitoring tools that have saved time and my sanity.

Social media overload

I needed a tool to filter through the world wide web, with over 3 billion users (Lesson 1), for relevant information on the broad topic of skin care and catch any related news on Atomy businesses throughout Canada/USA.

Me= Google Search, any recent news on Atomy?
Google Search= Nope nothing new.
5 minutes later.
Me= Google Search, any recent news on Atomy?
Google Search= Same as last time you checked. Don’t you have anything better to do?

Atomy is such a small enterprise that the reach is not very far. I started off with Hootsuite. Despite it being a little costly, I loved that all my social media platforms were available under one dashboard. I was able to better monitor accounts and schedule timely communications. I’ve now moved on to another less costly option called Social Aider with a one-year free trial.

To avoid spending a billion hours searching the internet and social media, I let the experts pick what is trending related to my business. As someone who is interested in beauty and health trends and network marketing, I have bookmarked two websites that keep me hip and in the know:

• MindBody to keep up with what is trending in beauty and health
• Direct Selling News to find out what is trending in network marketing.

These tools have been a real time saver and kept me informed on what is trending online so that I can change my social media plan accordingly.

For those more seasoned social media gurus, what monitoring tools have you been using that get the job done and low cost?

 #monitorSMlikeaboss, #Kbeauty, #atomygates

#monitorSMlikeaboss, #Kbeauty, #atomygates

Do People Know Your Story?

The Moment is Now.

 I’m 33, single and female with zero children. The moment is now: I’m sitting on the couch, drinking wine, not freaking out that my assignment is due in 2 hours and 3 minutes.

Since forever, I have always procrastinated.

I’m pretty sure this assignment is due in exactly 2 hours and 1 minute. Lots of time…Time to watch an episode of Walking Dead (I’m obsessed). I learnt early in my life that I could get so much more accomplished when my adrenaline was rushing and I worked under pressure.

Before Martine: Planning out my tasks; worrying about it for weeks; putting high expectations on myself to get amazing results; and then crying in my blanky when I didn’t get A+.

Now Martine: Do everything last minute; I say “bleep it”. It will all work out.

Since forever, I have always been late.

I hate being stressed about time, this stems from a childhood memory of my mom. I was not always like that; I remember waiting for my mom to come home with the car because I needed a ride. A 1-hour wait would turn into 3 hours later. I was at home biting my nails, waiting for her to come back. What waste of energy, stressing over that? I have come to love this about my mom and can laugh about it now, because I’m like that too. We are not slaves to time.

Before Martine: I used to run down the street to catch the bus in fear that I was going to miss the bus to work. I worked at a bank, my first job out of university. Kind of a big deal for me. My hair was a mess, I was sweaty, breathing out of my paper bag. No one wants their staff to look haggard.

Now Martine: shoot the assignment is due in 1 hours and 36 minutes. I take the bus. Let’s be real, I’m going to be late 99.9% of the time for work because: the bus is never on time, or it lights on fire (true story), or maybe it’s me… Life happens. The difference is, I don’t stress about it anymore. What is the opposite of haggard?  That’s me now, beauty queen when I get into work.

The Moment is done and so is this blog. Good Night Ottawa.

#Liveinthemoment #nothaggard

#Liveinthemoment #nothaggard

 

 

 

This is who I am, loving it.

What are some personal qualities or characteristics that set you apart from your competitors?

What sets me apart from my competitors? I’m not afraid to break the rules to make people happy. In an organization that has strict policies, red tape, and little room for flexibility, I follow my own motto: better to beg for forgiveness, then to ask for permission. This sets me apart from my colleagues/competitors, I’m not afraid to make mistakes… and believe me I do… I make many mistakes.

What have you done lately to make yourself stand out?

It is a great honour to get a president star. I have received two throughout my career for going above and beyond in my organization. The first: I was hired to cover a maternity leave position, but there was a delay in hiring a replacement for my own position. I took on the extra responsibility head-on. I see it as a temporary sacrifice; others would see it as a union violation. I see a job that needs to get done and I do it; it might not be my job but if the team needs help and I can do it then I will. The second: I helped a client in need, went above and beyond. Called in some favours, thought outside of the box and maybe broke a few rules along the way to help. My efforts were again recognized for standing out and making an impact.

When a staff member is awarded the president star it is a surprise. You are in a meeting with your follow colleagues and suddenly the President comes in with an entourage and presents you an award. What an amazing experience, a reminder that I stand in the eyes of my colleagues.

President Star

What am I most proud of… Well, when others are following the yellow brick road, I’d like to believe that I’m making my own path. That makes me who I am. 

 #thisismemartine

 #thisismemartine

How Atomy Grew into a Global Success Story

Atomy is a network marketing company that is based in Korea. They use social media to engage not only Koreans but a global population. The biggest hurdle was the fact that they rely on network marketing versus traditional marketing campaigns.

Exclusive Atomy Chatroom

The company does not invest in advertisements, but relies solely on word of mouth. To further engage members and consumers, they have an exclusive chatroom called KakaoTalk to stimulate conversation and provide support.

Atomy Website

atomy.com  

Atomy uses social media tools to spread news about the company and its products. Their main hub or source of information can be found on their company website. They also have localized websites by country to focus their messaging on various languages, cultures, and prices.

atomygates.com

 

 

Using YouTube to engage your viewership

The use of videos, published on YouTube, has the largest organic reach; giving the audience a glimpse of the brand’s culture. Atomy has invited members to make their own videos and send them in for use on the website. This has increased their video library and engagement with consumers.

Translated Live Broadcasting

The president of Atomy tours the world giving seminars that are then broadcasted to every member of the Atomy network. Translations have improved over the years, leading the way to stronger viewership.

Atomy has successfully leveraged several online platforms, eliminating the need for paid advertisements. Through social media they have successfully reached out to international markets by using YouTube, live broadcasting, exclusive chatrooms and websites targeting various countries.

#SecrettoGlobalSuccess #Atomyonlinepresence #Atomynetworkmarketing

   Want to know the secret to global success?

 

 

How a four-leaf clover is like a target audience

Four-leaf Clover

There are fields and fields of clover in the world. The prize of luck is to find that one four-leaf clover. You must search for it or be lucky enough to discover it by accident.

What are the odds of finding this lucky charm?

All agree that the four-leaf clover is one of the most auspicious good luck symbols. Chances of discovering a four-leaf clover are 1:10 000. For that reason alone, we see it as lucky indeed.

For more information on 4 leaf clovers! 🙂

Target Audience

The world is your oasis of viewers, just like the fields of clover. To find that niche target takes research and other times it can be a lucky hit.

I believe that AtomyGates is for everyone; any age, any gender, anywhere in the world. Realistically, not everyone is going to engage with AtomyGates. To maximize efforts, it is essential to target an audience that will engage with the messaging.

Hence after searching and listening to others in the vast field of network marketing/ health and wellness; I have discovered my niche market.

AtomyGates markets to a female audience that is between 30 to 35 years old, with busy lifestyles. The audience is also health conscious; practices a skincare routine and wants to simplify their life. Offering quality cosmetic products and financial savings in the process is a fundamental concept that I provide.

I feel that I am the luckiest person! In summer 2015, I found a 4-leaf clover in the backyard of my house. I also count myself fortunate to have found my target market, one that works well for AtomyGates.

Four-leaf Clover found in Summer 2015

 

Change your luck the next time you are in a clover field, or just join AtomyGates in a life-changing skincare routine.

 #getlucky, #skincareAtomyGates

  A target audience is like a 4leaf clover

 

Who said that?

How would you interpret this tweet?

 

How would you interpret the same tweet knowing that Trump wrote it?

@realDonaldTrump

I am aware of the need to be cognizant of who is telling the story. Are you?

Bombarded with news about the USA and North Korea’s turmoil, South Korea culture is left by the wayside. Trump has social media painting a poor picture of Korea and has influenced the thinking of some readers with his tweets. This type of social media leads to people basing their opinions of culture on overgeneralized ideas or even very narrow views expressed by influential people.

In social media, it is to your marketing advantage to be sensitive or aware of cultural diversity to capture your audience. Tell your story, but be sensitive to difference. Remember, social media is worldwide.

How a Vacation in Italy made me a Minimalist

This holiday had no plans it was to be fun and easy.

I was to be toured around by a friend who is the owner of a vineyard in Alba. He had warned that the itinerary would dazzle me. I dreamt of days spent touring the art galleries, theatre at night, musical productions, and formal evenings spent tasting wine and food. Thirty days in Italy and the sky is the limit.

I packed a huge suitcase and had a maximum weight of 32KG. I had everything except the kitchen sink. I was ready for this incredible vacation.

All this changed after arriving in Torino only to discover my luggage did not reach Italy and would not. I had in my possession, just the clothing I wore and what I carried in my purse on the plane.

Next item on the agenda was to go shopping in Italy. I was escorted by the family lawyer as she knew all the hot shopping spots. My jaw dropped at the prices of clothing. Sure, I could afford the wardrobe, but I could not bring myself to purchase more than what was necessary. My shopping spree was a pair of jeans, walking shoes, two sweaters, socks and some undergarments.  I spent the next 30 days with total twelve pieces of clothing and two pairs of shoes.

 

My host was very understanding and here started our whirled wind holiday of food and wine. Each day we would rise around 11.00am and out for the cappuccino, and something light. We would then plan the day around visiting friends or markets to gather the items for the evening meal. Leading me on the adventure of discovering the beauties of Northern Italy. Late afternoon we would deliver the food and wine we had accumulated during our days to the Trattoria.  Early evening, we would have a nap, refreshed and ready to go. Late evening to early hours of the morning we would enjoy the company of friends. Usually, around twelve guests that spent the time talking about food and wine. I experience meals that were served in sixteen settings and paired with wine. Every meal was a celebration of food, wine and friends.

 

The best meal was simple but unique because we had spent the morning in Langhe a hilly area to in the province of Cuneo in Piedmont. It is famous for truffles, particularly the white truffles of Alba. We walked this old forest and found two truffles one small black truffle and one sizeable white truffle.

White Truffle

We went straight to a local restaurant, and then I understood the exhilaration of my host, the white truffle was worth approximately one thousand dollars. That evening we had a simple meal of spaghetti with a white sauce made with the white truffle we had found that day.

I experienced first-hand how proud the Italians are of their food and wine. The chef had joined us and shared our meal. The emotions were elevated while they spoke for hours about where and how he had found the white truffle.

Gateway to Via Dell’Amore

We visited Alba, Barolo, Barbaresco, Torino, Portofino, CinqueTerre.

The next unforgettable experience was a train ride to Cinque Terre place on the Via Dell’Amore, a path connecting the towns of Manarola and Riomaggiore. The pathway’s legend holds that it was a meeting place for lovers from the two cities, and is now a favourite site for tourists to place their locks and throw the keys into the sea. That day we bought a huge fish off the fisherman’s boat and proceeded to go to the local Trattoria. The chef was pleased to see us, while we drank wine and enjoyed cheeses local to the area our fish was cooking. What a dreamy kind of day.

 

Strange enough I did not visit any of the tourist spots that is traditional of a trip to Italy.

The memories of this holiday can be sum up as some of the best life experiences I have had. All of this was with twelve pieces of clothing and no camera. I am grateful that I had lost my suitcase because it gave me this excellent life experience.

 

Turnstyle: WI-FI Marketing

Thank you for accessing our free WI-FI using your Facebook/Twitter account.
We know exactly who you are… and what you like… and where you go.

Your online personalized experience waits but two things need to be considered: consent and privacy.

Turnstyle: WI-FI Marketing via social media account access

This new tool, Turnstyle, is appealing to any business that wants to personalize their client’s experience, build their social media presence and encourage loyalty using technology instead of plastic loyalty cards/paper coupons.

Clients can log into a company’s WI-FI using their social media account in place of an assigned password. From this single sign-in the client is consenting to sign-up for this personalized experience and disclose their personal information to create that experience.

Turnstyle Website

This personalized experience could include messages (via SMS, Twitter, Email) pushed-out to clients when they enter a “Hot Spot” location and again when they leave the location to ask for feedback on their experience. What a great concept for businesses, but what about their clients?

Terms of Service: fast scroll down, scroll down, scroll down… break (catch breath) … fast scroll down and consent.

Does anyone actually ever read those terms and conditions? Get your binoculars out to read the small font, 10 page terms in order to access free WI-FI at your local café or restaurant.

The Turnstyle terms of service are actually only 5 pages single spaced = 16 sections = 2611 words.

Oops! You just agreed to give them access to your social media account and signed-up for marketing pushes via SMS/Twitter/Email…

HAHAHA you thought you scored free WI-FI.

Privacy: Is this allowed? Well, you did agree to it.

There are a few methods to login to access free WI-FI via Turnstyle, but the most encouraged methods are Facebook/ Twitter.

In Section 2 of the Terms and Conditions, by agreeing, you allow the company access to your social media account when you login using Facebook/ Twitter:

“By authorizing Turnstyle to access your Facebook account, you hereby grant Turnstyle access to certain information in your Facebook profile, including but not necessarily limited to: basic information including (but not limited to) age, birthdate, name, gender, location, email address; extended profile information including (but not limited to) events, check-ins, “likes”, interests, friends, friends of friends, groups, etc.; and, other information which the OAuth procedure allows Turnstyle to access. By authorizing Turnstyle to access your Twitter account, you hereby grant Turnstyle access to certain information in your Twitter profile, including but not necessarily limited to: screen name, name, location, profile picture; and, other information which the OAuth procedure allows Turnstyle to access.” Turnstyle, Terms of Service.

The Turnstyle dashboard can collect the following information for companies to make their marketing campaigns more personalized:

– Overall foot traffic
– New visitors
– Returning visitors
– Outside opportunity
– Repeat distribution
– Gender
– Age
– Network trends
– Visit duration
– Social Wi-Fi users
– Favourite colour of underwear

That last one was a joke, but seriously… do you think your privacy is worth getting a personalized experience?

Turnstyle, Terms of Service. Website: https://getturnstyle.com/terms-of-service/

Turnstyle, WI-FI Analytics. Website: https://getturnstyle.com/features/wi-fi-analytics/

 Turnstyle WI-FI Marketing #subwayknowswhatyouatelastsummer

 Did you know they are accessing your social media account when you login using Facebook/Twitter to get free WI-FI?  #turnstylewifimarketing #subwayknowswhatyouatelastsummer