Bob Cargill’s Marketing Show

Social Media Can Change the World

Episode 76 - Social Media Can Change the World

Far too many brands and businesses are trying to fit a square peg into a round hole on social media.

They’re using LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the like as broadcast channels, places to promote themselves instead of to share and engage with others.

They're not posting nearly enough, either.

They're still not getting it.

Marketing, advertising, sales, PR, heck, whatever line of business you're in…it’s all changing rapidly before our very eyes. Consumers don’t believe anything anymore. So, transparency wins.

You want to have your audience’s attention? You want to earn their trust and loyalty? Stop manipulating them and start listening to them. Put yourself out there on a frequent basis and let them get to know you as a human being, not a corporate logo or a company executive.

Social media is a natural extension of ourselves, a documentation of who we are as people in both our professional and personal lives.

Social media can help you grow your business and your own personal brand.

Social media can educate, entertain and enlighten.

Social media can help, or it can hurt. It all depends on how we use it.

Social media can change the world.

A Few Words with Julia Becker Collins

Episode 75 - A Few Words with Julia Becker Collins

In this conversation, Julia and I talk about her role as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Vision Advertising, her "work hard, play hard" spirit, her accomplishments as an athlete and the many challenges she's faced in both her personal and professional lives. 

About Julia Becker Collins (from Vision Advertising's website at https://www.vision-advertising.com/julia-becker-collins-chief-operating-officer/)

Julia Becker Collins is the Chief Operating Officer here at Vision Advertising. If Vision Advertising was a wheel, Julia would be the hub on which everything turns. She leads all aspects of the company, from developing and implementing the marketing plans of clients to managing the operations of all of Vision’s staff. Under her leadership, this marketing agency continues to grow, bringing on new staff and clients. Julia runs Vision Advertising and is the primary point of contact for everything from new clients to her growing staff.

Before joining Vision Advertising in 2016 as the Vice President of Marketing & Operations, Julia already had 12 years of experience in marketing, event planning, and fundraising in the corporate and nonprofit world, including strategy and implementation of inbound and outbound marketing, national trade shows, public speaking, social media management, direct marketing, Salesforce administration, and website creation.

Previously, Julia was the Director of Marketing at Boston Color Graphics, a full-service marketing firm that specializes in fundraising marketing solutions for nonprofits across the U.S. She has also worked with notable nonprofits in the Boston area, such as Temple Emanuel and Hyde Square Task Force, where she focused on communications strategy and implementation, public relations, fundraising events, capital campaigns, major gifts, and restructuring departmental systems.

Julia is also the Founding President (emeritus) & Co-Founder of the MetroWest Women’s Network, a group of ambitious local women that work together to meet their goals. 2,400 members and counting, the Network is comprised of an active online community and monthly offline events that support local women-owned businesses and offers networking opportunities for women at all stages of their careers.

Julia holds an MPA from Framingham State University and a BA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She was awarded the Distinguished Alum Award by the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Women, Gender, and Sexuality Department in May 2016.

Julia brings both her entrepreneurial spirit and own brand of women’s support and empowerment to her work and play. At Vision Advertising, she mentors female staff and business owners to succeed at their work and life. She regularly speaks at women in business events hosted by her network and in the greater Massachusetts area in conferences and seminars on topics from women in business to marketing strategies. Julia is also an avid volunteer, especially with her alma maters.

Julia has always been about overcoming obstacles. When a major illness struck her in 2014, Julia was in and out of the BIDMC Emergency Room. After recovering from a serious surgery in which three of her organs were removed, she decided not only to get back to her previous health, but to exceed it. 5 years later, Julia has thousands of hours and miles behind her as an athlete, training and competing in Spartan Races such as the Sprint, Super, and Beast – and has started doing all three twice as the Spartan Double Trifecta. All on top of regular running, bootcamps, strength training, barre, and yoga classes. Julia embodies the “work hard, play hard” spirit of Vision Advertising.

Personalities as Publishers

Episode 74 - Personalities as Publishers

Thanks to social media, every brand and business today is a publisher. The people within those organizations are usually the ones who are responsible for those publishing efforts, though. They are the rock stars, the lead magnets, the only way – in many cases – their employers would have any worthwhile content to share with their constituents in the first place.

I listened to a ridiculously awesome podcast recently, the Digiday Podcast hosted by Brian Morrissey, in which the host spoke to Barstool Sports’ CEO, Erika Nardini. You can listen to this episode here: https://digiday.com/podcast/barstool-sports-erika-nardini-barstool-aims-hit-100m-revenue-2020/

Among other things, Nardini talked about the success of her company’s many podcasts, monetizing content and building a subscription business that isn’t necessarily dependent on advertising.

“Personalities are the new publishers,” she said at one point during this conversation.

Personally, I’m not a fan of Barstool Sports, but the marketer in me sees them doing something anyone who wants to build a loyal following on social media should be doing today.

Hire people with skills, expertise and talent, of course. But hire people with personalities, too, industry thought leaders who others look up to and admire.

If you give them autonomy to engage with your audience authentically, transparently and as frequently as possible, you may get more attention than you ever imagined.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/bobcargill

Like me on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/cargillcreative/

Follow me on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/cargillcreative

Connect with me on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobcargil...

Follow me on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/bobcargill/

Subscribe my blog here: https://thebobcargill.com/

 

Stop Trying To Be Somebody Else

Episode 73 - Stop Trying To Be Somebody Else

Stop trying to be somebody else in your marketing and advertising campaigns.

Stop trying to be somebody else. Period.

Just be yourself in both your professional and personal lives.

The most successful communication takes place transparently and authentically.

Anybody who wants anybody else to do anything will appeal more to those on the receiving end of their messages if they don’t put on airs, if they don’t try to sell.

Of course, you need to put yourself out there if you want to call attention to what you have to offer.

You can’t be inconspicuous. You can't be shy.

But don’t overthink your presentation, don’t make like it’s an act.

Your products and services should speak for themselves in the business world.

Your actions will speak louder than your words in all walks of life.

You need to earn your audience’s trust before you can earn their respect, admiration and business.

You need to be yourself.

A Few Words with Michelle Mercier

Episode 72 - A Few Words with Michelle Mercier

During this ridiculously awesome conversation (recorded at Out of Office in Hudson, Massachusetts), Michelle and I talk about corporate America, her role as a business coach, personal growth, marketing, social media and much more. Listen...

About Michelle Mercier (from Michelle's LinkedIn Profile)

Michelle Mercier is an international best-selling author, engaging speaker, passionate coach, and experienced business consultant. Her mission is to help individuals and organizations develop a vision and successfully execute the steps necessary to make that vision a reality.

Michelle has 15+ years of corporate and professional experience. She has worked with a wide range of different businesses – from nationally acclaimed non-profits to Fortune 500 corporations. This wide experience has enabled her to become an expert in leadership, change management, operations, marketing, and technology. She also possesses an expertise in training and professional development.

In addition to her coaching/consulting practice, Michelle is the CEO/Founder of Create Honesty, as well as the Managing Director of the Worcester Area Chapter of Polka Dot Powerhouse. 

The End of Advertising As We Know It

Episode 71 - The End of Advertising As We Know It

I’m not going to lie. Advertising is interruptive.

Advertising is annoying.

Advertising is a waste of time unless you’re doing it differently than you did back in the day.

You can only throw so much money into advertising before those on the receiving end are going to completely ignore you.

I read a ridiculously awesome article written by Frank McKinley recently, "Why Advertising Doesn’t Work." You can read it for yourself on Medium here: https://medium.com/publishous/why-advertising-doesnt-work-51eb21df575c

In this article, Frank talks about how much the world has changed and how ineffective “buying interruptions” is these days.

Stop the insanity, I say.

Personally, I love advertising.

I love marketing.

I love social media.

But the same old same old simply isn't working anymore.

You. Me. Everyone of us in this business has to concentrate more on authenticity, creativity, transparency and immediacy.

Enough with the smoke and mirrors.

Enough with the clever hacks and chicanery.

Enough with the monstrous budgets.

If you ask me, just being yourself is the best advertising you can buy today.

Share the News on Social Media

Episode 70 - Share the News on Social Media

I can’t tell you how many people, businesses and brands tell me they don’t know what to say on social media.

They’re speechless. They’re at a loss for words.

There are countless things to say, of course, but the first thing I tell them is to just share the news.

Share the news about what’s going on in both your professional and personal lives.

Share the news about your products and services.

Share the news about your colleagues, clients and customers.

Share the news about your hobbies and interests, family and friends.

Share the news about the community in which you work or live.

News travels fast on social media. It's where more and more people are turning to get their news, too.

Don’t ever worry about what to say on social media. Just share the news.

Age Doesn't Matter on Social Media

Episode 69 - Age Doesn't Matter on Social Media

Age doesn’t matter on social media.

In a recent issue of AARP The Magazine, there’s a series of profiles on “older Americans” who are crushing it on social media.

People like Lili Hayes, Scott Wadsworth, Herbie Russ, Irvin Randle, Judith Boyd, Angie Schmitt and others. You can read the article in its entirety here: https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2019/influencers-over-50.html

These people are looked up to like rock stars and celebrities on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. They’re influencers and authorities, thought leaders and entertainers, gurus and trendsetters.

And yes, they’re all over 50 – like me.

Age doesn’t matter on social media.

Age shouldn’t matter anywhere.

Nobody should be looked at differently because they are older than you.

No one should be judged, stereotyped, underestimated or treated unfairly because of their age, young or old. There are no boundaries to talent and ability.

There are no limits to what people can do in both their personal and professional lives.

Age doesn’t matter on social media.

Age shouldn’t matter anywhere. Period.

A Few Words with Lysa Miller

Episode 68 - A Few Words with Lysa Miller

In this episode, I talk to Lysa about everything from her agency, 3 Media Web, to the town in which she lives and works, Hudson, Massachusetts. Lysa is someone who believes strongly in helping people, and so much of what she says during our conversation is - indeed - so helpful and inspirational. From marketing to social media, volunteerism to leadership, we cover a lot in a little more than 30 minutes. Listen...

About Lysa Miller (In Her Own Words from Her LinkedIn Profile)

I love people and I love helping people at heart. So when you put that into your job, it's pretty amazing. Whether it is a business referral, an introduction, including everyone in a social event, or cooking for someone in need, my love for people goes into everything I do. Because you have to do what you love, I put that into my job at 3 Media Web where I am a Partner and Co-founder, and VP of Business Development.

It was natural to become an entrepreneur because of my love for helping people and the energy it gives me. I grew my own business (Ladybugz.com) by helping people promote their businesses, solve their challenges, and helping them to do what they love as a business. Although for many years I have worked in the capacities of a web designer, project manager, SEO guru, marketer and social media maven, it's now my time to focus on growing my own business at a higher level.

After a merger with 3 Media web, I found my way out of daily operations and now rely on my amazing team here at 3 Media Web to create innovative web solutions for our clients. Daily, our team continues to blow me away with their capabilities. I am truly blessed to be doing what I love, helping people, and working with such an amazing team of digital rockstars!

So now, it's all about meeting more people, the right people and helping them find the right solution for their businesses, specifically in B2B, manufacturing, biotech, IOT and high-tech. If they are not a good fit for my company then I will find them a great reliable partner to count on.

Writing and PR have always been a passion and I continue to provide thought leadership on clutch.co, and write about businesses in our region on massvacation.com I have been featured in Entrepreneur.com, Fortune.com, MSN Money, CIO and Business Insider for my insights into women and entrepreneurship, business growth, and digital-related topics.

Feel free to connect with me, cause you know, I love meeting people.

Marketing is Supporting

Episode 67 - Marketing is Supporting

Marketing today is as much about supporting people as it is about changing their minds.

In a blog post recently (which you can read here: https://businessesgrow.com/2019/04/15/seth-godin/), Mark Schaefer “politely” disagrees with something from Seth Godin's latest book, This Is Marketing: You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn To See.

I previewed some of Seth’s book online, but I haven’t read it in its entirety.

According to Mark, though, Seth writes, “Marketers make change.” Yet Mark feels differently. He feels that marketers should be “coming alongside” customers, not changing them.

I think they’re both right. I think that by supporting our customers, clients and constituents, we have a better chance of wining them over and earning their business.

Frankly, I have always agreed with anything either of these iconic, grandmasters of marketing say. And that's not going to change now.

What about you?

Do you think marketing should be about helping your audience or about changing them? Or can it be both at the same time?

What do YOU think?