COM0014: Blog #7 – Personal Reflection

As we wrap up the few months we spent mastering digital communication, I can’t help but reminisce on the lessons that stuck out to me the most. For example, learning how important storytelling really is in the social media business world. Without good storytelling, genuine interactions, and a strong online presence it’s unlikely that your company will succeed. 

As a consumer I can relate to wanting a deeper connection from the companies I purchase from. This course has definitely given me an appreciation for companies with a good social media presence and helped me become aware of the ones that don’t.

A few activities were ones I haven’t tried before. Writing blog posts was definitely a new territory for me, but it brought out skills I didn’t know I had and gave me an entirely new confidence in writing blog posts. One of the biggest challenges for me in this course was writing long papers. However, I will continue to practice writing and I am confident I will master that as well.

I am sure that learning digital communication will help me in my future business adventures, as social media is still becoming increasingly popular and more useful. Although I am still unsure of what route I would like to take with my business, digital communication will help me on whichever path I decide to conquer. This course has given me a new interest in learning about the different and effective ways of communicating with your target audience – and how to know exactly who that is.

This course has taught me a lot about my personal writing style and where I want to take my writing. What was your biggest takeaway?

COM0014 – Blog #6: My Childhood Shaped My Business

10 years ago I was just a nine year old girl with not much to worry about. My biggest worry seemed to be what my mom was cooking for dinner that night, or what friend I would be hanging out with. Even though my stresses were few, my hopes and dreams were plentiful.

I have always had supportive parents. No matter what career I chose that week they always supported my aspirations. First I wanted to be a nurse, so I could be just like my mom. Then a scientist, a doctor, social worker, and the list goes on. My goals for the future were constantly changing, but there was one thing I was ignoring while choosing my career – my skills and passion for business.

Around the age of 9 I started becoming increasingly interested in starting my own business. I created prototypes for a diabetic dog treat brand I wanted to create. I made a business plan for a bakery my best friend and I were sure we were going to start. While at the grocery store I would constantly be organizing and facing the products while my mom was shopping. No matter what I did I proved I was a hard-worker while relating anything I could in my life to business.

Although I was still changing the business I wanted to run, I was also regularly thinking of new ways to be innovative and learn new things. Despite the fact that these experiences may seem irrelevant to some, they played a large role in aiding my decision in career choice.

These experiences helped me realize that business is my true passion, and it will always be a large part of my life.

COM0014 – Blog #5: My Personal Brand

Setting yourself apart from others is hard. While many try to fit in, others enjoy standing out and being different or unique to others. I myself have definitely struggled with this at some points in my life. However, throughout my years of struggles and successes I have gained experiences and knowledge that have changed me for the better.

An early experience that I enjoyed immensely was specializing in business in high school. Through co-op programs, business classes, and classes at the college I fully prepared myself to enter college. I attended classes such as computer programming, business, and international law at my high school – while partaking in a baking course at the college to gain college experience.

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College life has undoubtedly taught me more about myself than high school ever did. It has shown me how driven I really am, and how no matter what comes my way I am still going to try my hardest to achieve my goals.

While currently studying pre-business I have shown innovation, leadership, ambition, and improved on many other important business qualities as well. These are very important qualities, but what I am most proud of is my reflectiveness. I am always able to think about the experiences, people, or knowledge I’ve obtained and use that to make intuitive and responsible decisions in my personal and work life.

What are some work experiences you’ve been through that have helped you make smarter or more responsible decisions?

COM0014 – Blog #4: Hoaka Swimwear

Hoaka Swimwear is an online-based swimwear company, started by Elisabeth Rioux in Quebec, Canada. At only 18 years old, she created a brand that now has over five-hundred thousand followers on instagram, and an international fan base.

The company offers a range of women and mens swimwear, in a variety of colours and sizes. Their products are made from neoprene, a high-quality material also used by scuba divers.

Their social media presence does not disappoint, either! The company is very active on Instagram, posting multiple times throughout the day.

They often post pictures of customers or celebrities wearing their products. Another main use of their Instagram is to post new products. Not only is this a very cost-effective way to market their swimsuits, but also a successful one considering Rioux’s already large following.

They also host many contests where prizes include bikinis, international trips, money, and gift cards. Their most popular giveaway is the weekly swimsuit giveaway. Leave a positive comment on one of their posts, and you’re entered to win a free Hoaka.

I would say Hoaka Swimwear’s approach to social media and engaging with their audience is definitely working. Besides their large following, they post meaningful content and have genuine conversations with customers. They prove to be a loyal and trustworthy company by maintaining a positive online presence and spreading positive thoughts and words of empowerment to people everywhere.

COM0014 – Blog #3: Who Is Athletic Wear Really For?

As a young student, I have been trying to find ways to lose the calories from the easy-to-grab snacks that take up most of my diet. Since most of my time is spent studying, I decided to spent my free time weight-lifting. This has sprouted a love for athletic wear and an extreme love for window shopping athletic wear online. I can’t be the only one with this problem, right?

Athletic wear is all the rage nowadays. Many young adults can be seen wearing LuluLemon, Nike, Adidas, and UnderArmour.

Many range from ages 18-40, and although the clothing is aimed towards those who workout, those who don’t enjoy it just the same! This clothing is marketed towards those interested in a healthy lifestyles, feeling confident, and many of the higher brands of athletic wear are marketed towards those with a higher income.

Some effective ways of marketing to this audience would be through social media, or influencers on social media. Many athletic wear companies sponsor instagram influencers for promoting their clothing. This allows the target audience to be reached directly.

Communicating with audience is an entirely different story. This audience tends to be more tech-savvy, and many would prefer communicating entirely online. Engaging with your audience in the fitness clothing industry begins with motivation. Many companies tend to post motivational quotes or photos to inspire their audience. Starting campaigns, contests, or promotions are all ways to fully engage with your audience.

An example of effectively engaging with your audience would be LuluLemon. They post members of the community succeeding in their careers, while wearing LuluLemons clothing. They also post short inspirational quotes, as well as start conversations to engage with their audience.

What is your favourite workout clothing item?

Sources:

https://www.businessinsider.com/athletic-apparel-companies-customers-2015-3

https://sproutsocial.com/insights/fitness-brands/

COM0014 – Blog #2: The Keys to Successful Storytelling

Every good conversation starts with a story. To make these stories interesting we use tools such as grammar, tone, perspective, and personal reflections. Here are some new ways I’ve learned to improve your online and face-to-face conversations!

The first thing that stuck into my mind was definitely using an active voice, rather than a passive one. I would definitely say before this lesson I had a hard time deciphering between the two – but not anymore! Even though using a passive voice is not wrong, by using an active voice you can spice up your writing and make your point more clear to the reader. You can use the active voice by putting the subject of the sentence in an active role.

Learning how to engage or interact with your audience effectively can definitely be hard. One of the big things that makes this easier is using your own personal reflections or experiences to spark up conversations in the comments! This can be done by asking questions that may be about a similar experience you’ve been through. This will allow the reader to feel connected to you, and write a meaningful response that will further discussions; instead of just ask a question!

Another very important aspect of communicating is grammar. Whether it be spelling, grammar, or punctuation – good grammar allows the reader to stay connected and interested.

By using these tools, and lots of practice – you can effectively communicate with others too!

COM0014 – Blog #1: My Summer Vacation

It was a cool day in August, when my boyfriend, Phil, and I were headed to the Metro Detroit Airport. We were flying to Orlando, Florida to meet my parents for a week of sun-filled fun. I had never been on an airplane before, so my stomach was full of butterflies.

Once on the airplane, I was pretty calm and not nearly as nervous as I thought I’d be. As soon as the plane started moving, that changed pretty quickly. I was having a full-blown panic attack, and we still had one more plane to go! We had a connecting flight in Charlotte, North Carolina. After a lot of breathing, some crying, and trying to stay calm, I made it through both planes without too much stress, and we made it to my parents.

After a few days spent sun-bathing and eating as much American food as we could, we thought it would be a good idea to try something new! Phil and I had never been jet-skiing before – so, why not see what Florida has to offer? We ended up at a small lake on the outskirts of Orlando, and each rented our own jet-ski. The cool summer air surrounded us as we circled the small lake, and made memories to last forever.

The next day we drove about an hour away, and spent the day at a beach near Cape Canaveral. The cruise ships were an amazing sight as we sun-bathed and swam in the ocean. We rented surf boards off the beach, and kept trying until we were sick of falling off. We walked to a nearby grocery store for a quick snack while we waited for my parents to pick us up.

It was quickly becoming known that the next few days of my vacation, wouldn’t be as fun as the first few. My skin was becoming bright red, and I was starting to feel extremely sick. I was so sunburnt, I couldn’t move! I laid in our cool resort room until nighttime, then used the pool to cool down my skin.

Even though I did have anxiety and get super sun-burnt on this trip, it was still an experience of a lifetime.

This is just the beginning of my travel adventures, as I want to experience many more places and cultures, and expand my knowledge exponentially. Some places I plan on visiting are Greece, New Zealand, Switzerland, and basically anywhere with mountains!