SubscribeMarketing Melodie in 2011: A Year in Review
Happy 2012 everyone! I can’t believe another year has gone by. The start of a new year is always a great time for me to reflect on the previous year and set goals for the upcoming year but also appreciate the present moment and everything that’s led me to where I am today.
At the end of 2010 I decided to write Marketing Melodie in 2010: A Year in Review. I have a habit of discrediting many of my accomplishments because I feel like I can always do more. Writing this really allows me to appreciate and be grateful for everything that I have done rather than focus on what I haven’t. Just like I did for 2010 here’s a year in review of 2011 highlighting noteworthy events, clients, blog posts, friends, accomplishments, adventures and amazing opportunities.
*JANUARY*
While marketing is my expertise and passion, I have another passion; YOGA! I’m very grateful for one of my clients this year, La Jolla Yoga Center. Creating marketing campaigns and strategies for a yoga studio I love definitely makes me happy. I trained their team on using social media to grow their business and helped them get set up on Facebook and Twitter. They’re definitely doing a great job connecting with yogis on social media!
I’ve been practicing yoga for a few years and really wanted to strengthen my practice and take it to the next level. I contemplated getting my yoga teaching certification for a while. It’s a huge time commitment and I was really on the fence. Well I made the decision to go ahead with yoga teacher training and can now say, if you are ever on the fence, DO IT! I am so happy I completed my Yoga Teacher Training and wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. I began my training in January and completed my 200 RYT Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training at the inspirational La Jolla Yoga Center, located right on the beach! I met so many amazing new friends, learned so much about myself and really took my yoga practice to the next level.
*FEBRUARY*
I hosted the 2nd event in my Digital Media Dinners series. The topic: Social Media Branding. This was a great milestone because it officially turned Digital Media Dinners into a series rather than a one off event. I taught strategies on how to strengthen people’s brand across various social networks including review sites such as Yelp, group buying sites such as Groupon and location based sites such as Foursquare. I incorporated a variety of sites because marketing and social media is growing beyond just Facebook and Twitter.
*MARCH*
Since I learn and receive so much from my online and social media community, I really want to give back. I did this by hosting Twestival San Diego. This event is hosted all over the nation using social media for social good by connecting communities offline on a single day to highlight a great cause and have a fun event. It’s entirely promoted via social media. Twestival San Diego was hosted at the Keating Hotel and all proceeds benefited the San Diego After School All Stars.
Me and a few other lovely Yogis were featured on KUSI demonstrating Bootcamp for Yogis run by my fellow yoga teacher trainee, Body By Mags. Check out the video below where I get my 5 minutes of fame while I’m smiling through holding a yoga tough pose and demonstrating yoga boot camp moves (Warrior has got nothing on me!).
VIDEO: Yoga Boot Camp Video
I successfully pulled my second April Fool’s Joke on Social Media! Everyone decided to wish me a Happy Birthday on April Fool’s this year!
The first annual Foursquare Day celebration took place in 2010 and I hosted Foursquare Day Hong Kong. This year I was in my home town, San Diego and had the opportunity to host Foursquare Day San Diego for my community at R Gang Eatery. Check in specials, complimentary wine, cocktails, delicious comfort food with an upscale twist, friends, badges and a good time was had! Foursquare Day on 4/16 (Yep that’s 4 squared which equals 16) is officially, my favorite geek Holiday!
Oh not to mention, I met my first Celebrity Chef, Rich Sweeney @ChefRicSweeney from Season 5 of Top Chef who is also the head of R Gang Eatery. You can read all about my addiction to food porn and cooking shows here.
*MAY*
I was interviewed by the San Diego Reader on using LinkedIn for Job Seekers. I shared my insight, advice and was gratefulto have my article published both in their paper and online! You can read the full article here.
Another Geek Holiday takes place in May! Star Wars day on May 4th! May the Fourth be with you! I celebrated with some fun posts on Social Media!
*JUNE*
I really want to help others with yoga passion so I hosted my first yoga event: Yoga For the Busy Body at Hera Hub! I really want to provide an opportunity for other busy professionals and entrepreneurs to have a chance to experience the benefits of yoga while teaching them poses they can do on their own despite their busy lives. That’s exactly what I accomplished at this event.
*JULY*
I was cast in a Microsoft Commercial! It was such an amazing experience to work a full day on set as talent! You can read all about how I was casted in the Microsoft Commercial and then watch my commercial when it finally aired below!
VIDEO: Marketing Melodie’s Microsoft Commercial
VIDEO: Digital Media Dinners- How To Build your Social Media Community
*AUGUST*
I attended BlogHer for the first time as it was hosted right here in America’s Finest City. I connected with inspirational bloggers from all across the nation. It was great talking to so many people about their passions and seeing them creatively share it with others through their writing. I had a good time at the conference itself, attending workshops, checking out the booths, the networking events, parties and left with more swag than I knew what to do with!
Oh and I met another Celebrity Chef, Brian Markaley in the Season Final of Top Chef Season 3. He was hosting a BlogHer party!
*SEPTEMBER*
Marketing Melodie is growing quickly! I sent out a call for interns and bring Allison Schummer @AllisonSchummer on board to help me!
Allison recently graduated from SDSU and I give her my highest recommendation to anyone who’s hiring as she’s currently on the market for a new job!
San Diegans experience a MAJOR BLACKOUT! But we united and got through it while making new friends! We proved that even during a black out social media still shines!
*OCTOBER*
Fall is in the air (even though it’s always sunny in San Diego) which means time for a new fall wardrobe! I attended one of my favorite tweetups ever, an Epic event at the Nordstrom Rack Plaza Bonita Grand Opening. I’m a very lucky person, I always win things and that night I won a pair of Designer Hudson Jeans.
In 2009 I said to the universe that I want to meet my favorite author, Keith Ferrazzi. I finally met him 2 years later in San Diego at the Entrepreneur Challenge Fall Kickoff Event at UCSD. He autographed both my books and I learned some awesome networking tips from meeting Keith Ferrazzi.
The Nerds United! I tweeted and connected with amazing new friends from the Talk Nerdy To Me Lover community by hosting @JenFriel and the #nerdsunite crew in San Diego. We had a fun night at the Tilted Kilt San Diego and a nerdy sleepover!
You can read all about the things that make me a nerd here.
*NOVEMBER*
After completing a successful Digital Media Dinners series, I hosted my first Digital Media Now Seminar- Personal Branding on Social Media at Pangea Bakery Cafe. Attendees learned how to make their personal brand cohesive with their business brand.
I was honored with an opportunity to speak to NATAS- National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences at their Social Media Workshop. Teaching television professionals how to use Social Media in their industry.
Thanks to the luxury car company, Infiniti and Social Media I enjoyed an amazing afternoon at the San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival. I also met my 3rd celebrity chef this year, Sam The Cooking Guy!
*DECEMBER*
I hosted my first Digital Media Now Webinar on How To Integrat Social Media Into Your Marketing. It gave me a chance to share my knowledge with people who can’t always be available and in San Diego to attend an in person seminar. While there were challenges to work out with my first webinar, I received great feedback and plan to host additional Digital Media Now Webinars in 2012!
I celebrated my Birthday on my lucky day, December 13th (It’s clearly not on April 1st). In the photo below I’m dressed as a Monster, holding a class with an M and Minty Wonderland and Mozart cupcakes. Yep M THEME PARTY!
I began my new venture at National University. I was hired as a Course Developer and Adjunt Professor at National University. My first class starts in January where I’m teaching a marketing class on Interactive Strategies.
Wow a lot has happened in 2012! If you read this entire post or even part of it, THANK YOU! As I reflect on 2011 I just can’t help but smile and be grateful for everyone and everything in my life right now. I am truly blessed and so excited to ring in 2012!
How To Attract Loyal Customers with Daily Deals
Daily Deal sites, also known as Collective Buying sites are a recent phenomenon sweeping the nation for both consumers and business owners. It’s a coupon/discount site that offers exclusive deals if a certain demand is reached through the power of collective buying.
For consumers it’s an opportunity to try a new place or activity at an unbeatable price. For business owners, it’s an opportunity to showcase their food or services to a new audience and earn loyal customers. This sounds like a win-win situation! However I’ve been hearing many business owners complain about their brand being devalued and not gaining any repeat business when they participate in a Collective Buying campaign.
Before reading any further, keep in mind, Collective Buying, just like any other marketing method is not for everyone. It may not be the right strategy for your business so if that’s the case, there’s absolutely no reason to force a deal, then to be upset later that it didn’t work. If you do decide to embark on Collective Buying here are tips on how to successfully execute a campaign to gain new exposure, repeat customers and enhance the value of your brand.
1. Positive Attitude - Attitude is everything, especially when it comes to creating wealth in your business. Don’t create a self fulfilling prophecy with the mindset that Deal sites don’t work. I hear so many business owners complain about using these sites, then submit a deal anyway only to affirm their original believe that it doesn’t work. Just as you pay for any other marketing campaign and understand that the money is an investment, you are paying for your Collective Buying Campaign through products or services. Many business owners constantly complain “I am losing so much money”. Believing that the products you invest is “losing money” automatically puts a negative perspective in your mind about the entire process. Go into the campaign knowing that this is a positive marketing investment and stop thinking about how you are losing money. You are gaining customers. You are getting new exposure and you’re driving new traffic into your location.
2. Create an offer that Adds Value- You want customers to associate your deal as having high value rather than a cheap service. It is true that once some customers receive your service at a discounted rate, they’re less inclined to buy your product at a regular rate. There are many ways to word your “deal”. If 50%-60 off sounds absurd for what you’re offering, get creative. I recently bought a deal that was $20 for “Wine Tasting for Two and a Bottle of Wine”. You can create “Two for One” deals. Deals that charge a price and offer service such as “$25 for a 5 course Meal”, “$50 for a Massage and Manicure” sound more valuable than “50% off a 5 Course meal”. All of these examples offer a great deal but they’re also creating more value with your brand because they don’t mention anything about discounting a service.
3. Encourage Customers to Share – When offering a collective deal, this is the best opportunity to get your loyal customers to share your business with their friends or family. You’re allowing them to invite others to try something they love at a great price. Post the deal to your own networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Email list and blog. Allow people to buy multiple deals to give as gifts. Your best advocates are those who already love your product or service so make it easy for them to share your business with their friends
4. Prepare You Staff- Ensure you have extra staff on hand to handle the immediate increase in business as most people will redeem their deal immediately. In addition, ensure your entire staff is educated and aware of your deal. There is nothing more embarrassing for a customer when they come in to your establishment to redeem a deal you’ve offered then receive a blank stare from your employee who proceeds to say they have no idea what the customer is talking about. This is a sure way to guarantee your potential new customer won’t feel comfortable coming back. Make sure your staff is not only aware of the deal but completely understands all the fine print. This allows your staff to welcome and embrace the new customer. I’ve heard complaints of many places providing poor customer service to Deal users because they don’t think they’ll ever return. Your business should be doing the complete opposite, give the Deal user exceptional service and give them a reason to return.
5. A Reason to Return - Many people who use collective buying sites are looking for the best deal. After purchasing your deal they might move on to the next deal they find. When they’re in your establishment you have their full attention so this is your chance to get them to commit to coming back before they move on. For example, if you’re offering yoga classes and the customer purchased 1 month for $50, you can offer them that same rate or slightly higher if they sign up for 3 more months. If you’re offering spa service such as a 1 hour massage, you can offer your customer a massage package if they sign up immediately where they can sign up for 3 more massages at a discount. This is an opportunity for you to encourage your new customer to return before they even have a chance to move on to the next deal.
Have you purchased any daily deals? Please share your favorites, your experience with the establishment as a deal user and if you returned as a customer or not. If you don’t already have an account to check out daily deals, here are some popular sites you can sign up for to get the scoop on the best deals in your city:
