PerkettPR Q&A with Vic Miller, Digital Marketing Producer at PerkettPR

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PerkettPR is happy to share a Q&A with our newest employee– Ohio-based, Digital Marketing Producer, Vic Miller (@vicmilleriii). He just wrapped up an awesome, super creative video for our client MyVici, check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNEPS0ccq2A

1. Explain your role here at PerkettPR?

I am the Digital Production Director for PerkettPR where I am responsible for driving the strategy, direction and execution of digital marketing content and programs for our clients and our organization.

2. What is your biggest accomplishment and how did you get there?

I’ve been awarded medals for my service in the military and I’ve received numerous awards for my work throughout my career, but my biggest achievement will always be taking the challenge that lays in front of me. Like the age-old sentiment goes, “…it’s the journey, not the destination,” it’s having an experience that brings me the biggest sense of accomplishment.

3. What motivates you each day?

I am motivated by the opportunity to create. When I see the potential to create something I get super excited, maybe even overzealous some times.

4. Please list your top tech gadgets – which ones do you have or want to have and why?

My iPhone and MacBook are definite must-have tools. But my geek credentials would be revoked if I didn’t mention my love for Arduino. While it may not be in my productivity toolbox, it’s the coolest DIY gadget ever.

5. Do you have any secret hobbies or ambitions?

I have many interests but mostly I enjoy making things; I draw, paint, sculpt, build, solder, weld, animate, film, record, edit, program, grow, cook, brew, eat, drink, and muse. Oh, and I’ve been making my own sausage for over 20 years.

6. If you travel anywhere, what places would you visit first?

In general, I seek out the flavor of the city; the food , music, and art/culture.  New Orleans is my kind of town; some of the best food, music, atmosphere and people you could ever ask for. There’s a rhythm about New Orleans that I’ve never experienced anywhere else.

7. What TV or movie character do you relate to most and why?

I am a sucker for good antihero characters like Tyler Durden (Fight Club), Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver), or Walter White (AMC’s Breaking Bad).  It’s not that I relate to any specific character traits as much as I find the moral complexity of antiheroes very interesting.

8. What is the favorite part of your job?

I love editing video. I’ve always been drawn to motion and enjoy people watching; I get to tell a story, animate things and play with sounds, but it’s more than that. Sometimes editing is like putting together a puzzle and suddenly everything comes together and creates something magical in a way that only video can do.

9. What defines success for you?

Catching an idea and executing it… good or bad, that’s success for me.  So-called failure is just an opportunity to pursue another idea.

 

 

PerkettPR”s Interview Series – “Persuasive Women” features Alison Sansone

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Next up in our  “Persuasive Women” interview series is Alison Sansone. Alison is the creator of ‘Be There Bedtime Stories’, a webcam storytelling platform inspired by Alison’s own desire to connect with her two far-away toddler nieces and “be there” during the girls’  formative years.  Prior to the launch of this business, Alison was running her own video marketing business – specifically producing media for the web.  By partnering strategically with Reach Out and Read, Alison is working to raise awareness about the literacy benefits of reading to children each day.  Alison is not only connecting families and encouraging literacy, but is supporting our troops by allowing users to donate a Webtime Story to military families — these stories are distributed through our nonprofit partner, Blue Star Families, and provide an instant family connection and morale boost for soldiers.

Can you explain “webcam storytelling” and where the idea came from?

Be There Bedtime Stories is a website that combines a webcam with bedtime stories to deliver “Webtime Stories™”.  We position webcam-recorded video of a storyteller onto the page of a children’s e-book, so families far apart – such as grandparents, traveling parents, military parents or even aunts and uncles – can still ‘be there’ for this age-old storytelling tradition.

I came up with the idea because I don’t have children of my own and my only two nieces live 2000 miles away, in Chicago. It was really frustrating to not be recognized when I would visit and I wanted to be a part of those really neat memories that we all have from childhood – I wanted to make an impact on their lives. I was running my own video marketing production company at the time and, so, the idea of combining video media with something for kids kept making its way to the frontal lobe region of my brain and… wah-lah! Video bedtime stories appeared!

I like to think that families can build relationships and build readers through these read-aloud video recordings. We’re really proud to have Reach Out and Read as a strategic partner in raising awareness about the literacy benefits of simply reading aloud daily to a child. It can easily dispel the concerns of introducing digital media to kids.

Once you had the initial idea to start a business, how did you begin the process of actually getting the business up and running? Did you encounter any obstacles at this stage?

First thing I did was build a demo, to make sure that my 3- and 5-year-old nieces would actually dig the concept – they are the ultimate customer! This was the easiest part – can’t say I hit any obstacles here. Because of my background in video production, I was able to shoot video of my parents – their grandparents – reading a story, then edit it according to my vision of the product. They loved it! My father naturally paused on one page to count the hippos and they counted out loud with him. Then at the end of the story, my father made mention of a little inside joke before saying goodnight. Then, right on queue, my niece popped up from her pillow and bantered right back at her grandpa in the video. Both girls were glued to the screen and engaged, yet it was organically interactive despite the fact that it was a recording.

Beyond the demo, I’m a proponent of writing a business plan. The discipline of identifying market research and asking all the product questions before building gave me confidence in the concept and a foundation to stand on when pitching to investors or partners. I was fortunate to have an ace web designer join me in exchange for equity, but not having any other team members to help implement was my biggest obstacle at that point. The work-around was that I had a rockstar advisory team with diverse backgrounds, so I could harvest ideas and affirm certain strategies. Of course, lack of capital is always somewhat of an obstacle, but you just have to be patient with the pace of the build.

The first half of your career was in hospitality. How do you think this experience prepared you to become an entrepreneur?

It was more my corporate experience that has helped than the hospitality aspect. I’ve worked directly with executive level leadership throughout my career and have adopted important management skills as a result.

If you could offer one piece of advice to someone who is considering launching a new start up, what would that be?

Be patient and don’t forget to have fun! Okay, that’s two things, but the balance of those two is the trick. If you can have at least half the skill-set necessary to apply to the project, it will really help; but perhaps of more importance is being patient with what you don’t know. Otherwise, you’ll set unrealistic benchmarks and the frustration will overcrowd the fun. You can still be a learner and a leader at the same time. You’ll find that your passion can be contagious – I am amazed at some of the things people have done for me because I wasn’t afraid to recognize my limitations and ask for help.

Can you tell us a little bit about the types of books you promote on your site (feel free to promote any new ones here)?

Getting quality books in our bookstore is a full-time job in itself. The publishing industry has been completely turned upside down with the e-book revolution over the past 2-3 years, so this is where the patience comes into play, as they are slow to make decisions. I’m so grateful for the handful of smaller publishers that were instantly willing to offer their books for sale on an ‘experimental’ platform. Without Sylvan Dell, Lobster Press, Guardian Angel and Illumination Arts Publishing, I would not have made it this far. And one of my more recent publishers, Faux Paw Productions, offers puppets of the characters in their books, which is the perfect prop for video storytelling.

On the other hand, who doesn’t know of someone that has always wanted to write a children’s book? It’s a classic unfulfilled fantasy. Publishing a storybook in a digital medium is far easier than print, so the playing field has grown tenfold. We’ve had independent artists submit manuscripts from the very beginning and have roughly ten in-house titles in production or on the site, so far. It’s a fantastic bonus part of the business that I didn’t really consider in the plan.

I’m super thrilled about our newest in-house title, by Judy Rubin and Milla Zeltzer, because it happens to tell the story of our product! The title is “When Mama Reads to Me” and it’s about the spark inside a child’s imagination whenever any family member reads a story. It’s a must-read!

What motivates you?

Well, bonding with my little nieces was a mega motivation for me to get started; but the ongoing motivation is fueled by surrounding myself with creative and fun people that share a belief in the value my product brings. I suppose that would include the customers that keep returning because they’ve had the same experience in their family as mine!

What is your favorite book or author and why?

At the risk of sounding cliche, there’s far too many to name. I participate in a book club with a great group of women and run a business in the children’s realm, so you can imagine how difficult it is for me to name just one title.

Can you tell us a little bit about what is next for Be There Bedtime Stories and for yourself?

Most exciting is our tablet app coming out next month – for both the iPad or Android. The holidays are pretty much here, and our Military Family donation drive was a huge success during the holiday season last year – and we expect the same this year. Anyone can visit our website and donate a Webtime Story to our partners at Blue Star Families, so soldiers can connect with their kids while overseas. And, finally, we have an exciting joint campaign in the works for Boston Logan Airport and CBS Radio, which may serve as a pilot program for other airports across the nation.

Persuasive Picks for week of 11/21/11

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Sherilyn Macale of The Next Web ponders Could the future of social media be in video and audio? in this article that examines social media as it moves from text-based communication towards multimedia-based.

SFGate shows it’s readers How Social Media Can Help Consumers Save Money in this informative post by Lewis Humphires

Duke Chung, co-founder of Parature,  provides Mashable with 5 Ways to Turn Social Customers Into Brand Ambassadors

WebProNews interviews actor/producer Joel Bryant at the BlogWorld Expo in L.A. in this video that asks Is Social Media the Future of Entertainment? [VIDEO]

CBS Money Watch‘s Kimberly Weisul reports that’s big employers’ reactions to social media can be downright schizophrenic in Companies flip-flop on social media.

Thanks From PerkettPR

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It’s that time of year again when we take a day off in the U.S. to breathe a little more, slow down (even if for just one day), think about the blessings in our life and thank those around us who make it better every day. I asked the PerkettPR team what they’re grateful for this year, and here are some of the answers:

  • I’m grateful for great friends, family and food this Thanksgiving – not to mention four days of being able to sleep in (forget those Black Friday lines; I’m thankful for online shopping!) – Jennifer
  • I am thankful for my kids – they are the funniest, smartest, craziest kids I know. They teach me more than I teach them and I am amazed by their generosity, patience, understanding, humor, intelligence and politeness every single day. – Lisa
  • I am thankful to have found such a great group of people to work with; I have been renewed with an overall sense of optimism and positivity. Thank you! – Vic
  • A lot can change in a year and this year especially I am thankful for good health, family, and best friends. – Johanna
  • This has been a rough year, but with the hard times, comes the much needed reminder of all the blessings in my life. I’m so grateful that my kids were able to spend some time with my dad before he passed away this fall. I’m grateful for my husband who is endlessly supportive and generous. I’m thankful to have a good job and a fantastic group of colleagues – and one amazing boss — who not only inspire me with their work ethic every day, but understand and respect that we each have personal lives and responsibilities and graciously offer their support when needed. Finally, I’m grateful for this moment — a few minutes in the midst of a busy day to reflect on what’s truly important and give thanks. Wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving. – Crystal
  • Things I am grateful for this year – My Dad surviving his first (and second) heart attack last week, the doctors who saved him and the wonderful family and friends that have been so supportive with it all.  Also thankful to have a career I love, the great community that I live in and the health and happiness of my family and friends. – Susan
  • I am thankful for good health! – Stephanie
  • I’m thankful for so many things but one thing I actually smiled about the other day (as I was driving home from helping my son’s first-grade class make cookies for charity) is how thankful I am to have a job that I love that also allows me the flexibility to be so involved in my children’s lives and take part in moments like that that are so special to them and me. – Kristen

From a professional standpoint, I can say that I am most grateful for my team at PerkettPR. They are hard working, intelligent, creative, patient, supportive of each other and fun to work with. They are also extremely loyal and committed to our clients. They get results, and they have a camaraderie that makes our culture what it is – leaving egos at the door, digging in and working together towards mutual success every day. Thanks guys, I’m proud to work with each and everyone of you.

I’m also grateful for our clients. Each time we build a positive new relationship, it’s a feeling of pride. The best clients are honest, open communicators and I’m grateful for what I learn from them – and the respect that they give us in listening to and learning from us – as well as the respect they give me and my team. I’m especially grateful for those clients that rehire us time and time again as they move along to other companies throughout their careers. It’s an honor and a privilege to work with them over the years – even decades! It means they respect us, our work and what value we provide, and we build long-lasting, fruitful relationships and friendships. Special thanks to those clients like Donna Parent at Aternity Inc., Parker Trewin at Mindjet and others who have recently returned that I can’t yet mention!

I’m also extremely grateful for the community that supports PerkettPR every day through reading or participating in interviews on our blog, liking our Facebook or Google+ pages, interacting with us there, sharing ideas, spreading the love for our clients, trying their products and apps, following us on Twitter, inviting us to speak at events, etc. We have met many clients, friends, supporters and industry colleagues through these networks, and it has enriched not only our daily work, but our business.

Thank you!

What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving? Please share in the comments!

 

PerkettPR’s Interview Series “Persuasive Women” – Shelli Johnson

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PerkettPR is pleased to continue our series of “Persuasive Women” interviews with Shelli Johnson, a life/leadership coach, consultant and entrepreneur who lives on the Frontier of Wyoming. Shelli shares her thoughts on living life to the fullest and how she pushes herself and others to take on new challenges and pursue new goals. We think you will truly enjoy and benefit from her motivational answers to our questions. Shelli spent 15 years building her first business, Yellowstone Journal Corporation/NationalParkTrips.com, before selling it in September 2008 to Active Interest Media (owner of Backpacker, Yoga Journal, & other magazines).

In addition to consulting and writing, Shelli is a life/leadership coach with the mission to help others create a life of meaning. Her coaching business, Epic Life, is unique in that it offers on-demand coaching throughout the year with an option to include an epic, outdoor adventure in an awe-inspiring place.

Shelli’s own blog is HaveMediaWillTravel.com. Topics include adventure, travel, family, leadership, etc.

Our Q&A:

You are a wife, mother, life coach, writer, consultant… and still find the time to embark on life-changing adventures (such as your backpacking adventure in Alaska). How do you fit it all in?

I make it all fit in. There’s a difference between a full life and a busy life. Mine is a full life.

To fit it all in, one has to know what’s important in her/his life and what isn’t. It sounds cliché, but every morning, I consider that today could be my last. None of us knows how much time we have left. (I have a 52-year-old girlfriend who died, suddenly, of an aneurysm a week ago Wednesday.)

If today will be my last, how will I live it? Ask this question, seriously, and you get to the heart of what’s important real fast. This type of thinking is a motivator that helps me fit all that is important into my day, and to not waste time on that which isn’t.

Speaking of important, my husband of 19 years, Jerry, and our three sons, are wonderful blessings and a huge support in my life. Without them, my life would not be full. They deserve a lot of credit for my life.

There are more practical reasons I am able to fit it all in. For one, I wake up and work out at 4 a.m. three times a week. After we had our first son, it was 6 a.m. After our second son, it was 5 a. m. After our third son, who is 4, it became 4 a.m. Waking this early works well for me. It “creates” time for me, energizes me, which causes me to be more productive during the day, and it provides a tremendous health benefit.

Second, I live by my calendar. I put a lot of emphasis on planning each month, and then I stick to the plan. If I set “rules,” I tend to honor them. Good planning means I can tackle one day at a time, focusing on the present – rather than worrying about the future. (This is no small thing for me, a predisposed worrier.)

Third, I live on the Frontier of Wyoming, which means my commute, if I choose to have one, is an 8-minute walk or a 2-minute drive. (My office is a 1973 RV parked by the river.) When you live in a small town, where everything is nearby, there’s not much time spent running errands or to appointments. So, I no doubt have more available time in my life because I live in a small town.

Fourth, inspired people tend to be more vital. Wyoming provides me not only with more time, but also more space. I love the expansiveness of my backyard, Wyoming’s Wind River Range. All of the things my family and I enjoy doing, and that most inspire me, are right here. Most days, I wake up inspired.

Finally, I say “no” a lot. When you get to be 43, and you’re a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, business owner and adventure-seeker, you have to say “no” more often, or suffer the consequences. Like I said, life is short.

As for fitting in epic adventures, I include a number of them in my life each year. These are not vacations. There’s nothing leisurely about them. They grow and inspire me. I become more as a result of them. And, interestingly, except for my recent NOLS Alaska Brooks Range backpacking adventure, these adventures are not costing me much in the way of time. For example, it cost me only one day (23 hours) to hike 44 miles, crossing the Grand Canyon and back, and another long day (20 hours) to hike 48 miles across Zion National Park. Yet what I gain from a single-day, epic adventure, is lasting.

I should mention that I don’t fit it all in, 365 days a year. Some days I fail miserably at doing so. The wheels come off; things happen that weren’t planned, or I am just tired, and I waste a day or three. But, hopefully, this is the exception, not the rule.

On your blog, you talk a lot about “route finding.” Can you explain this concept a bit further?

By “route finding,” I mean being at choice in life. We go through each day, week, month, year and decade with endless opportunities to choose how we want to live our life. Routes represent choices. In life, you arrive at forks in the road. You can take a common route or get off the trail and chart your own course. Route finding is a metaphor I can relate to because in the outdoors, I route find a lot. I often follow a trail, but I also like to go off-trail for purposes of exploring and to experience a different vantage. Sometimes one choice is harder, but the rewards are greater. Or, it could be that the hard way is just the right way. Or, sometimes it just makes practical sense to take the safe and easy way.

We make choices and we are, largely, the result of them. Our life is a story. The key is to have an active role in that story, and to actively choose and determine how your story plays out. Route finding refers to the choices we make along the way that impact our life. (Choices, by the way, also include choosing how to react when things don’t go as planned.)

In your adventures, you have pushed yourself to take the “high route” and push yourself more physically. What motivates you to continuously challenge yourself in this manner?

Family hikes, ski trips, trail runs and bike rides are physical pursuits that inspire me and keep me fit and healthy. These activities are fun and they fill me up, while creating wonderful family memories.

On the other hand, an adventure that pushes me physically, mentally and emotionally, and makes me uncomfortable much of the time, is what I call “epic.” Why do I do these epic adventures is a question I get asked a lot. There are moments during an epic adventure that take my breath away and fill me with overwhelming joy. This is why I’m drawn to natural, awe-inspiring settings in the first place. It’s a given that the views will take my breath away, and yes, that’s a big selling point for me when it comes to an epic adventure. But that is only the beginning.

There are also mentally challenging moments during an epic adventure when I want to quit, and in fact it would be easier to quit, and I may exclaim to myself, “Whose idea was this?” These are the times my saboteur shows up. And let me tell you, I can negotiate and argue with myself pretty effectively to continue – or to quit. I can make compelling arguments on both sides of the issue, but I only want the story to end in one way, and that is as a success. The whole experience causes you to discover and know yourself; there’s no hiding. The kind of pushing myself that is required of these epic adventures means I will have this opportunity to choose the hard thing, to beat down my saboteur(s), so to speak.

In my experience, the harder I work at something, the greater the reward. The view is always grander after hiking up a hill. And, chances are I’ve learned a great deal more in the process than had I stayed on the (safer, more predictable) trail, or on “lower ground.” So, the more physically challenging an adventure is, the bigger the pay off. No doubt, the accomplishment is part of the lure. The accomplishments mean something to me, and help me, in all areas of life when I lack courage or confidence.

There are also moments during these epic hikes when I’m emotionally tender. I am often moved to tears during the later stages of these adventures. The end, which typically amounts to more of a solitary march than a hike, sometimes during the dark of night, is very personal for me. About 95% of the personal growth I experience on an epic adventure happens during this last 5% of it. During this stage, I am humbled, and have the most clarity about what’s most important in my life. It makes for a great ending. This emotional part of the adventure, despite its difficulty, is one of the reasons I keep going back for more. It is what makes me more, and better than I was before.

Although building a business isn’t physical, it has similarities to an epic adventure. Building our first business, Yellowstone Journal Corporation/NationalParkTrips, over the course of 15 years was like climbing a mountain, complete with hard work, loose terrain, “false summits,” exposure, risks, uncertainty, disappointment, pain, re-routing, falls, storms and other difficult factors. But, ultimately, there were many rewards, which made it all worth it.

Whether it’s in my personal life or a business pursuit, it’s this combination of going further than I have gone before, and expanding all of my capabilities, that grows me, and makes me better. Why wouldn’t I make time for things that make me better? When at your best, you participate in your life more. It’s a lot of work, but as far as I can tell, the result is all upside.

As a goal-oriented person, how do you personally prioritize your goals?

It goes back to the first question. I really try to live like I’m dying. I spend a lot of time getting clear, and reminding myself of who and what are most important in my life. And then my first priority is honoring these people and things. They are at the top of my life. When I’m not honoring one of these, a sort of “service engine soon” alert goes off in me, causing concern (and insomnia).

My family comes first. My cell phone is shut down from Friday evening until early Monday morning. Weekends, especially, are for family, although we have ‘lots of family time and traditions built in during the week, as well. Other important relationships are also a priority, and I schedule time for them. For example, I have a standing date on Wednesday afternoon to have tea with my parents.

I just read a book where the authors interviewed 104 hospice patients. At the end of their lives, when asked what brought them the most joy and meaning, every single one of the patients answered: relationships. It wasn’t work or things they did. It was the people in their lives that mattered most. I think this is a good lesson for the rest of us, especially when it comes to prioritizing.

I still have work to do to create more time with family and friends. Then come all the other priorities, which include coaching calls, writing, marketing, consulting, meetings, reading/researching/learning, and the list goes on. Google calendar keeps it all organized for me.

Another tool I use for prioritizing is routine. I try to create good habits and then develop them into routine. Routine means not having to spend energy or self-control on making decisions throughout the day and week.

Finally, this may seem like an answer to a different question, but because it’s a priority it comes up for me. We each have one body. Why wouldn’t we want it to operate optimally. Eat right and exercise and you have more energy. Everything is better. If you value your life, taking care of your health has to be a top priority. For me, it’s non-negotiable.

Have you ever encountered someone or something that has gotten in the way of attaining a goal? How did you handle it?

Sure. Often. Usually it’s myself, or my own limiting beliefs, that get in the way. I am impatient. While at times this serves me, it also costs me. I often will not achieve a goal because I try to force the timing of it. Out of my impatience, I will fight the current instead of going with the flow. I’m sure I have worn people out with my impatience. Being more patient is a forever goal for me.

I have abandoned goals when success seems unlikely. I don’t like failure, but I sure value it. I also remind myself that I’m not saving lives. Because I’m so goal-oriented it’s easy for me to get consumed by a goal and lose perspective. I’m getting better at detecting this earlier and more often during the process of trying to achieve a goal, but it’s an ongoing effort.

You have traveled quite extensively, but what is your favorite spot to visit?

Oh, I can’t answer this. The question is unreasonable! Seriously, I am very lucky to be living in my favorite place, Wyoming’s Wind River Range. My favorite travel spot is probably a national park – probably Yellowstone. But asking someone to name their favorite national park is like asking them to say whom their favorite brother or sister is. I love each national park for its own reasons. My favorite national parks are Yellowstone, Zion, Grand Teton, Grand Canyon and Yosemite. For cities (and culture shock), I love San Francisco and New York City. For leisure? Hawaii. Oh Hawaii, how I love thee.

What is your favorite movie or book?

I love movies, but I don’t have a favorite. Reading, on the other hand, is one of my passions. I’m a voracious reader. It’s hard for me to choose a single favorite. But, some favorites that represent a cross section, are: The Solace of Open Spaces, by Gretel Ehrlich; Endurance, by Alfred Lansing; The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig; A Pearl in the Storm, by Tori Murden McClure; Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom; Good to Great, by Jim Collins; and Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell.

What is your next goal (what do you have planned next)? Could you tell us a little bit about your leadership coaching business?

My focus right now is developing my life/leadership coaching business,  Epic Life. The work I want to do is inspire people to live as if they’re dying, as if every day matters. I will be asking my clients to invest six months to a year with me to do the work and make the changes that are necessary to create a life of meaning.

As my client’s life coach I am their champion, but I am more than that. I remind, and hold my client accountable, to what their life purpose is and to what they say they want their life to be.

In 2005, I hired a life coach, and it had a tremendous impact on my life. Today, even with a full life, I continue to work with a life coach. Having a champion in my corner, cheering me, but also holding me accountable, is of great value.

As a life/leadership coach, I want the hard cases. I want clients who are willing to work hard, to make hard, positive change. I think life should take your breath away. We should strive for an epic life.  Epic Life’s core offering is unique in that it combines year-round coaching (scheduled monthly, or used “on demand”), with an epic adventure. The adventure will be a sunrise-to-sunset, unforgettable experience in an awe-inspiring location.

The epic adventure serves as a platform from which clients will grow and be able to practice for life’s hardships and challenges. Part of the unique proposition of Epic Life is “leveling up” my clients. I want to choose an adventure that my client isn’t certain he/she can do, but that I know he/she can do.

Finding an adventure that will inspire my client is the easy part. To be effective, the adventure needs to also test them physically, emotionally and mentally. For example, if I have a client from San Francisco who has not hiked more than six miles in a day in the Marin Headlands, I might select 10-mile and/or all-day hike at altitude for his/her epic adventure.

My clients will gain an unforgettable experience, a significant accomplishment (inc. “bragging rights”), inspiration, expanded leadership, more confidence, increased emotional range, a health benefit, and a greater mental toughness and resilience that will serve, and better prepare, them for life’s challenges and hardships.

If I do my job well, my client will return more, and better, than he/she was before the experience. (The website and fan page for the business is under development; for information, email Shelli.)

I’m also starting work on a dream project that involves producing and publishing and what I hope will be a work that facilitates a legacy of inspirational wisdom. It is still very much in development.

Shelli Johnson’s blog is HaveMediaWillTravel.com, which includes posts about travel, adventures, life and leadership, personal development, fitness, nutrition and more.

Persuasive Picks for the week of 11/14/11

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Why Social Media Works is a great article by
Joe Britton, CEO of Sugar Ventures LLC and provides some insight at Business Insider on to how advertisers can reach consumers through mobile and social media marketing.

 

MarketingProfs Ford Kanzler and H.Buford Barr explain the skills and attributes needed to be a successful PR pro; and how to adapt to current trends in today’s PR world in an article entitled Nine Essential Skills for Any Public Relations Professional.

David Nordfors, Adjunct Professor IDC Herzliya, asks Huffington Post readers “Who doesn’t want the survey-less society?” and explains how Web 2.0 is making it happen in his article Commemities: Analytics in the Age of Web 2.0.

 

Why Companies Should Invest in Google+ Brand Pages – Mashable publishing partner ClickZ explains “When Google makes a move in the social space, it’s important to pay attention to, understand, and identify how the offering can and should be leveraged for your business.”

 

Another article worth reading is Social Media Marketing Grows Among Small Businesses.  Are you a small business who utilizes social media to engage clients? Nathan Eddy at eWeek reports that you are not alone, a recent survey indicates that small businesses are allocating more time to social media marketing.

 

 

Persuasive Picks for the week of 10/31/2011

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This week’s Persuasive Picks post starts off with the article The Top 5 Online Marketing Benefits of Facebook Timeline where author Denise Keller shares some positive benefits of Facebook’s controversial Timeline.  One interesting point Keller makes is how Timeline could eventually substitute blogs and even websites. Here, at PerkettPR, we’ve already started exploring the new feature and hope to share our thoughts in the coming months.

Ryan Barr of the IGB Group shares his thoughts on social media in PRWeek’s Social media: One size does not fit all. Barr says it the best when he states, “Don’t set yourself up for failure. Start by identifying clear goals for your social media program and develop a social media policy for your company.” Also this article is a great reminder of how social media and building an online presence takes time.

Over at Business Insider Dan Frommer shares 10 Social Media Brands That Will Still Matter In 10 Years. Some brands are obvious that Frommer points out like Facebook, Twitter, Google, and LinkedIn; however, Frommer shares other brands like Instagram, Yelp, and Spotify which have a lot of competition and only time will tell if these social brands have what it takes to remain relevant and long lasting. Are Frommer’s predictions on point? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Speaking of LinkedIn— B2B magazine provides expert insight from Paul Gillin who shares Six LinkedIn features you probably don’t know about. One of our favorites is the recently introduced LinkedIn Alumni—designed to help make and renew professional connections by providing users with high-level information about fellow alumni. This tool is perfect for approaching prospects. Check out the rest of the features in Paul’s list—you won’t be disappointed.

PerkettPR’s Interview Series “Persuasive Women” – Digital Mom, Audrey McClelland

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We are thrilled to continue our series of “Persuasive Women” interviews with top female influencers.  We recently caught up with Audrey McClelland of MomGenerations.com to ask her some questions about digital motherhood and her new book “The Digital Mom Handbook.”

Audrey is a busy mom of four young boys and a founder of the very popular website MomGenerations.com – a hip, online destination for moms, featuring daily fashion news for moms and kids, fabulous giveaways, smart family advice and the latest celebrity news.  Audrey also serves as the Beauty & Style Editor on Lifetime Moms and Fashion Editor on Blissfully Domestic. Audrey was named as one of “The Power Pack” Moms in Nielson’s Online 2009 Power Moms list.  Her “Mom Fashion Report” airs on The Pulse Network on Wednesdays at 1PM.  She’s also a contributor to the ever-popular Momversation.  She is a vlogger for Johnson & Johnson’s “Real Moms” Health Channel, one of Hanes’ Social Media Comfort Crew members, was a member of the Walmart Moms Social Media program, and she holds a position on Hasbro’s Playskool Panel. She’s also the spokesperson for Zulily.com.  Audrey also partners with Vera Sweeney on another endeavor, Getting Gorgeous Events.

 

You have made a career out of blogging and tweeting and you often refer to yourself as a “Digital Mom.” What exactly is your definition of a “Digital Mom”?

I define being a Digital Mom as a mom who is working /living/playing in the digital space. I have made my living from blogging, tweeting, shooting YouTube videos… the realm has always been digital. I feel that with the emergence of all of these social media tools – more and more moms are going to be calling themselves Digital Moms. Our life as a mom is digitalized.

In your new book “The Digital Mom Handbook,” you offer tips and advice to other aspiring work at home moms.  If people take just one thing away from this book, what do you hope it is?

I would hope the one take-away would be that the more you put into your blog/Twitter/Facebook/YouTube, the more you’re going to get out of it. I’m not saying you need to be working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week… but I really feel the best kept secret is consistency. The more you put out there, the more you do… the better chances you have to grow and grow.

Have you ever had a “bad mommy moment” where you found yourself struggling with work and family life balance? How did you push through it?

OMG… all the time! LOL… just ask my husband!

I don’t know if there is anything as the perfect balance. My kids are too young to understand that what I do is for them.  They don’t understand deadlines or projects or business trips. So I’m consistently trying my best to conduct this balancing act of mom, wife, businesswoman, daughter, sister, etc. I do have one rule… when it’s dinnertime, everything is shut off.

If you could take your family on a vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I would love to take my family to Hawaii! All of the boys – and even my parents and in-laws – so that my husband Matt and I could have a couple of nights out!

How do you disconnect from your work?

It’s funny… I’ve been trying to get better at this. I love reality TV… I’m not kidding, my life stops for Bravo! The Housewives are my girls. I love Rachel Zoe. She’s a fashion goddess in my home. I love disconnecting with a really great movie and/or a really great book.

What is your favorite tech gadget and why?

My iPhone. I know that it’s not the most creative answer, but my iPhone is my saving grace. My life is in that phone – emails, calendar, videos, photos, Twitter, Facebook, everything!

Was it tough making the move from New York City to Providence? What do you miss about NYC? What do you not miss?

Yes and no…

Yes, because I truly love – love – love the City. I know I’m one of those people that could have lived in NYC forever and never minded that at all. I miss the hustle and bustle. I miss that someone’s always up and something’s always going on.

But… I didn’t want to raise our family there. I knew I wanted to raise them in a small neighborhood, in a house with a driveway and backyard. I felt that was the best thing to do for them. And I don’t regret the decision one bit.

(Although, I do get to be in NYC almost every week, so it does balance out.)

Persuasive Picks for the week of 10/24/11

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This week’s Persuasive Picks begin with a great article by Hubspot entitled “5 Ways to Double Your Social Media Results“, which explores new tools that have emerged that will enable your company to optimize & increase promotion of tweets.

Over at Technorati, Bryan Cain-Jackson talks about mobile social media in his article “Mobile Social Media Is The Way We Stay Social“. This article includes recent findings showing that everyday people on-the-go have a new way of staying social. In fact, 72.2 million Americans accessed their social networking sites or blogs via their mobile devices in August 2011.

CNN’s Lilly Workneh writes about the new campaign called “Smart is the New Sexy” implemented by the Newspaper Association of America in her article entitled “Newspapers Use Social Media to Say “Smart is the New Sexy”. The campaign encourages consumers to share their personal connection to newspapers through the papers’ Facebook and Twitter accounts — with the hashtag #smartsexy — to spark conversations online.

Another interesting article by Forbes entitled “Rise of Social Media is Shot in the Arm for Symantec, McAfee” discusses how companies will begin allocating bigger advertising budgets towards social networking sites.  While doing so, many will also continue restricting access to those sites for their employees.

 

Introducing PerkettPR’s New Interview Series – “Persuasive Women”

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PerkettPR is excited to present a new series of interviews entitled “Persuasive Women” – featuring women entrepreneurs whom we admire.  These influential females will share their thoughts on how they’ve built their businesses, give insights on the hurdles they have encountered, and highlight some exciting tidbits on what they have planned next.

The first “Persuasive Woman”  we are featuring in this series is none other than the fabulous and witty, Melanie Notkin, otherwise known as “SavvyAuntie.”  Melanie is the founder of SavvyAuntie.com, an online community for aunts (Aunties by Relation, Aunties by Choice, Great-Aunts, Godmothers, and all women who love kids) and author of the best-selling book Savvy Auntie: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers, and All Women Who Love Kids.  Melanie has over 17,000 followers on Twitter and is known as one of the most powerful women in social media.  Her site is on the Forbes Top 100 Sites for Women list and Melanie’s column over at Huffington Post is both entertaining and thought provoking.

You can follow Melanie on Twitter (@savvyauntie), check out her site SavvyAuntie, or join in the fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SavvyAuntie. We hope you enjoy this new series and please feel free to share your comments below.

You recently celebrated three years of SavvyAuntie.com.  Has it turned out to be what you expected? Is it what you envisioned many years ago?

Savvy Auntie has turned out even better than I expected. I had always envisioned Savvy Auntie to be a multiplatform media company, and with the addition of popular social media platforms, TV appearances, spokesperson gigs and a national best-selling book – that it is! But the journey I’ve been on is most wonderfully surprising. Finding potential I hadn’t realized until now has been the best reward.

A lot of us have ideas from time to time and many of us sit idle waiting to find the time to commit to the new project or idea. How did you push yourself to move forward with this concept?

I woke up one day in June 2007 and decided I was an entrepreneur. That morning I went to a class on how to write a business plan. It wasn’t the right class for me – but I was determined to do something that day to move forward. It was about momentum. I started to invest time and money in the business. And I never looked back. I knew if I did, my idea would turn into a statue of salt and I’d never move forward. You just have to keep going.

What was the biggest hurdle as you worked on growing the business?

I’m self-funded so what I earn goes back into growing the business. Bandwidth suffers from that but I felt if I took investment dollars, I’d be following someone else’s vision for my brand. That’s not why I became an entrepreneur.

Who was your biggest supporter?

Me.

If you could name one thing that truly made a difference in bringing your business to the next level, what was it?

Unconditional belief in myself and my business.

You recently published your first book which has become a best seller.  Will there be another book and if so, what can we expect?

I’m working on what that will be now! It’s very exciting. If it happens, it will be much more personal and closer to the voice I have in my Huffington Post column.

What TV or movie character are you most like?

If I had to pick one, I’d have to say Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City – but I have more faults, fewer shoes, and bigger ambitions.

If you could have dinner with one big celebrity, who would it be and why?

Jennifer Aniston. We’re the same age. No kids – and I think she handles the pressure about that extraordinarily well. I think we’d be friends… No point just having dinner if it can’t lead to Sunday brunch one day soon after.

What’s next for SavvyAuntie.com. Are there any new features to be added or new partnerships you would like our audience to know about?

Well, I just launched SMITTEN by Savvy Auntie: Deals Curated with Love by Melanie Notkin. It’s a partnership with Saveology so I can bring the Auntourage deals designed just for them and their lifestyle. https://www.saveology.com/offers/savvyauntie. There’s more to come but I can’t talk about it just yet. Needless to say, I’m thrilled and excited for what’s next.


photo credit: Ana Schechter