Marketing Melodie Speaks: Veterinary Specialty Hospital Symposium

I’m always honored to speak and teach social media to professionals who are eager to learn and continue their education in order to be more successful in both growing their business and connecting with their customers. This Sunday, May 19th, 2013 I have the pleasure of teaching social media to a new audience. I’m hosting a social media workshop that’s part of the 3rd Annual Veterinary Specialty Hospital Symposium called: Social Media Branding for your Veterinary Business.

The audience will be comprised of professionals in the veterinary industry who work tirelessly to help our animal friends. The event is located at the University of San Diego campus and is open to anyone who works in the industry or who may be interested in the topics presented to veterinarians.  I have presented and hosted events at USD before. The campus is beautiful so I’m happy to return. You can still register here. 

I look forward to speaking in front of this group because I know they are all passionate about what they do and because it makes me happy to see so many industries understanding and embracing social media. If you are interested in having me speak at your next event, please contact me via my speaking page for rates and availability. More recently I have been presenting to Fitness and Yoga professionals since I’ve combined my passions for marketing and yoga into my career but I am open to speaking to any group interested in learning about the benefits of social media and how using it strategically can businesses grow and connect with customers.

Win Tickets to the Second Annual Chocolate Festival on the Bay

Attention Chocolate Lovers! I’ve got a sweet treat for you! This weekend the Maritime Museum of San Diego hosts the Second Annual Chocolate Festival on the Bay and I’ve got your golden ticket to this delicious event. Any event on the bay is awesome simply for the gorgeous view. I’ve hosted yoga events on the bay and attended other food and wine festivals on the bay so I’m excited to go back this weekend! First here’s some info:

The two day tasting and educational chocolate showcase along San Diego Bay features food, wine and a variety of chocolate treats. This delicious event brings together the world-renowned Maritime Museum of San Diego with many other vendors including Mars Chocolate North America.

We love eating chocolate but sometimes it’s fun to learn about what we’re eating too. A team of Mars Chocolate History Ambassadors will tell the historical bean-to-beverage story of chocolate using authentic tools including cocoa pods, cocoa beans and nibs, a hot stone metate, winnowing baskets, chocolate drink pots and stirrers throughout the day. Attendees can touch, taste, smell, and experience chocolate as it was enjoyed by early Americans at every demonstration by sampling American Heritage Chocolate.

This event is family friendly so there will be something for everyone! Kids can build their own chocolate pizza, make crafts, play games, and go on a scavenger hunt to win prizes. Adults can enjoy wine and chocolate pairings, view chocolate-focused demonstrations and learn kitchen tricks with chocolate. Everyone can experience chocolate at vendor booths.

Wine, Cheese and Chocolate: A Festival for your Palette is a 21-and-over event being held on Friday, May 3 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The main festival takes place on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Chocolate Festival is included in the cost of Museum admission that weekend. Details and tickets can be found here.

I have a pair of tickets to give away to the festival. The tickets allow you to go to the festival either on Saturday or Sunday. I want to give these tickets away to the biggest chocolate lover in my community so here’s how to win:

1. Write a comment on this blog post and answer the following questions: 1. What is your favorite chocolate treat? 2. Which chocolate company do you feel has the best social media presence and why? Each answer gets you 1 entry. You are welcome to answer both questions for 2 entires. 

2. Each person will receive an additional entry if you follow me on Twitter @MyMelodie and Retweet this post!

I will announce the winner on Friday evening so hurry up and enter! Good luck and I can’t wait to hear about your favorite chocolate treats and learn about what chocolate companies are doing it right on social media.

Adventures of Flying in San Diego + Sony Walkman Winner!

Positive karma is amazing. As I announce my winner of the Sony Walkman W, I also get to share new Sony products that I received and an amazing adventure I had thanks to both Sony and Klout! To pay it forward I hosted a contest to give away a Social Media/ Fitness Swag Bag. Since the contest was launched around Earth Day and I wanted to both learn and share more tips for going green, I asked the question: “How are you going green?” as the ticket to entry for the contest. I learned so many new tips that I’ll be compiling in a future post so thanks to everyone for participating. And now to announce the lucky winner…CONGRATS TO:

JEFF SMITH! Winner of the Sony Walkman W and Social Media/Fitness Swag Bag

Now you’re probably wondering about the rest of this blog title, Adventures of Flying in San Diego?! Yes, last Friday I literally flew! Here’s how it all went down and how I ended up in the air. Klout perks have won me over in the past. I’ve received so many goodies from them and last summer they sent me on a weekend getaway at the world class resort, Terranea. This time Klout invited me to Sony’s Digital Imaging Workshop.

I enjoy capturing memories by taking photos but I’m certainly not a photographer in any way. So when Sony invited me to their Digital Imaging Workshop at the gorgeous Estancia Resort in La Jolla to learn how to take better photos and video while also offering me the new Sony Nex, plus the Sony Action Cam to practice on and take home, I was beyond grateful and all in! We started the afternoon by getting acquainted and enjoying a nice lunch at the Estancia. There were media folks, photographers and other online influencers.

After lunch, we were ready to learn. The best part of the workshop was getting all of our goodies though. It really felt like Christmas in April .

The best way to learn is by doing, so immediately after the workshop we took a walking tour of the resort to practice our photography skills. There were so many vibrant colors from nature, beautiful architecture and plenty of sunshine for us to practice our shots. The tour was nice and relaxing, but our day didn’t end here.

Sony and Klout were very smart to plan more adventures for us that would allow us to practice our newfound photography skills. I felt like I was on a very exciting school field trip as we a hoped on a bus to the Birch Aquarium. The Birch Aquarium offers one of my favorite viewpoints in San Diego so I spent a little time getting different shots of the view. I also practiced getting the perfect panoramic shot. Next I toured the aquarium and captured so many great photos  of sea life.  Our time here was limited though because we had to hop back on the bus and head to the Torrey Pines Glider Port.

This stop was an absolute thrill and once in a lifetime opportunity. I first signed a 20 page waiver….never a good feeling knowing there is a reason for such a long waiver. Then I was strapped into my equipment and seconds later I was lifting off! I felt my heart skip a beat an then quickly starting elevating higher and higher. I felt like I was in a dream while flying in San Diego and as soon as we got a little more stable up in the air, I began to calm down and was able to enjoy the beautiful view from an angle I’ve never seen before. It was an amazing experience and I captured it all on film with my Sony Action Cam! The videos came out so crystal clear and in such good quality despite my shaky hands. My only hang up with the Sony Action Cam is that I can’t actually see what I’m filming or review the footage on the actual video camera. I understand it’s intended to be small but I would like to have even a small screen to review the video on the spot. Regardless, it’s still awesome.  Check out the video, you’ll feel like you’re flying too!

After flying in San Diego, things settled down a bit as we made our way back to the Estancia to wind down with happy hour and get ready to test our food photography skills with a gourmet five course dinner. I’ve admitted before that I’m absolutely addicted to cooking shows and food porn. I take tons of food photos  but I really never understood the best way to make it look professional. I learned about different lighting strategies, angles, plating techniques and how to make my food look even better. By the end of dinner, I was stuffed, exhausted and very happy with my new tech toys and an amazing story to tell about flying in San Diego!

 A huge thank you once again goes out to both Klout for inviting me and Sony for setting up our day to remember! If you’re interested in having me attend, promote or feature your event on Marketing Melodie, please feel free to contact me. I’m open to any opportunities and adventures that are a fit for my lifestyle and will often write a blog post about it to share and document my experiences.

Digital Media Now for Yogis is back at Bird Rock Yoga on May 4th, 2013

I’m excited to be hosting the first Digital Media Now for Yogis Workshop of 2013 in just a few weeks at the lovely Bird Rock Yoga in Pacific Beach. This is a gorgeous studio in an amazing environment, just steps away from the ocean! Many people have asked me when the next Digital Media Now for Yogis was happening since my 2 events last year at La Jolla Yoga Center and Chula Vista Yoga Center. Well, I’m happy to say that your next opportunity to attend and learn how to grow your yoga business is on May 4th, 2013 from 12:30pm-2:30pm. All the details and how to register are below.

Workshop Topic:  Personal Branding on Social Media- With an abundance of digital technologies available to us, it’s easy to become overwhelmed when creating your own marketing strategy. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to navigate digital marketing and social media tools such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to attract more clients, grow your business and be a valuable resource in your industry.

• Date: Saturday May 4th, 2013
• Time: 12:30pm-2:30pm
• Cost: $39, $29 if you are a graduate of Bird Rock Yoga’s Teacher Training program
• Location: Bird Rock Yoga- 910 Grand Avenue Suite 206, San Diego, CA 92109
• Register: Click HERE to sign up and reserve your spot 

Takeaways:

• Actionable content and tips you can implement immediately to start marketing yourself as a yoga professional
• Knowledge on how to serve as a trusted subject matter expert and resource in yoga
• Understanding on how to use Social Media tools to create a compelling brand

About Melodie: Melodie Tao is a Marketing Consultant, Educator and an International Professional Speaker specializing in Digital Marketing and Social Media. She is also a Certified Yoga Instructor who has completed over 200 hours training. Combing her two passions for Marketing and Yoga, her mission is to empower others with knowledge on how to live their passion as a Yoga and Fitness professional. Her expertise will help you make money from your business through optimizing your brand and online presence while maintaining your true integrity as a Yogi.

It is recommended that attendees bring a laptop. If a laptop isn’t available, please bring a notepad and pen. Also if you attended a previous Digital Media Now for Yogis event you are encouraged to return as the workshop has been updated to reflect the continuously changing landscape of social media. You will definitely learn something new!

I recently published a post sharing my actionable steps on manifesting wealth and abundance through my passions. This workshop is putting me one step closer. If you run a yoga teacher training program and are interested in having this valuable program as part of your training, please let me know and I’m happy to discuss more details with you. I look forward to seeing you at Bird Rock Yoga in a few weeks and remember to reserve your spot by registering in advance HERE.

~NAMASTE~

Social Media: My ticket to a life of luxury and a ride in the Aston Martin

Although I may not be rich and famous just quit yet, social media has been my ticket to experiencing a life of luxury! For those who keep up with my blog, you’ve followed my adventures through getting pampered at a world class resort, getting VIP treatment while attending amazing live productions such as Cavalia and so much more. Well I have another fun adventures to document and share: My wonderful afternoon spent at the Hotel La Jolla and riding in the Aston Martin Vanquish. Thanks to my lovely social media friend MaryAnne Wendt, I received an invite to special VIP luncheon on March 21st, 2013 with HerHighway and Chef Donald Lockhart.

Yep, another opportunity that happened exclusively thanks to social media. MaryAnne and I have been Tweeting with each other for a few years. When she knew she was coming down to San Diego for this event, she immediately thought of me because she recalled my post about driving the Chevy Volt. Since HerHighway is about cars and bumper to bumper everything in between, MaryAnne knew I would enjoy this event. Even though we met for the first time IRL (in real life), a social media friend is always greeted with a hug instead of a handshake!

When I first arrived, we toured Hotel La Jolla. Located just steps away from the beach, this Kimpton Hotel recently underwent a $4 million renovation to make it a destination hotel for travelers in the area or just a hot spot to hang out for locals whether it’s to enjoy a nice staycation or dine at their gourmet Cusp Restaurant. Kimpton customizes each hotel to capture the essence of their location, so you can be sure to find unique decor and offerings at each hotel.  One of my favorite things about about Hotel La Jolla is their theme, the “Tree of life”. The theme perfectly matches up with the beach vibe of La Jolla that’s surrounded by luscious palm trees and vibrant colors of the ocean. Their decor and vibe make you feel right at home. Each room even has a yoga channel and they offer mats you can use to keep up with your practice while on vacation. As a yogi, this is something that I loved hearing.

After the hotel tour, we got to ride in the $300,000 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish. How often do you get to sit in a car that’s more expensive than some homes? I loved learning about all the details of the car. Everything in the car is completely hand crafted from the glass on the controls to the leather on the seats. I felt like I was in a James Bond movie riding in a car with such a powerful engine. The car has so much power, that when safely buckled in, I literally felt like I was flying on the road.

 

The adreneline from the car ride, made everyone hungry. Luckily, they scheduled a gourmet lunch for us at Cusp Restaurant located inside Hotel La Jolla. Chef Donald Lockhart was ready and waiting for us to arrive. He welcomed us to our seats with delicious appetizers while we waited for our meals. All of their pasta is handmade at the restaurant, except for the gluten free pasta which is what I decided to order with pork ragout  tomatoes and baby leeks. I’m happy to see that they even offer a gluten free option.  The servers were extremely friendly and accommodating to dietary restrictions.

A big thank you goes out to MaryAnne Wendt, HerHighway and Hotel La Jolla for a truly luxurious afternoon in my own backyard. I am a fan of Kimpton Hotels (I’ve stayed in them in both Los Angeles, San Francisco and have attended events at them in San Diego) so would definitely recommend this spot to anyone looking for a getaway in La Jolla. As for the Aston Martin, I glad I had a chance to experience such an amazing ride! While it may not be in my budget to invest in one quite yet, thanks to Social Media, I was still able to experience this dream car. Signing off until my next adventure!

 

Check In at Foursquare Day San Diego on April 16th, 2013 #4sqdaysd

I am thrilled to be hosting Foursquare Day San Diego for my third year in a row (My fourth year hosting Foursquare Day  in general since the first year I was in Hong Kong and hosted the event overseas). I’m excited to see everyone and meet new Foursquare friends on my favorite geek holiday! Two years ago, I enjoyed delicious apps, wine tasting and check in special drinks with you all at Foursquare Day San Diego at R Gang Eatery. Last year we got the community involved at Foursquare Day San Diego at Osetra where we raffled off fun prizes for checking in and enjoyed delicious food and drinks from the restaurant. This year Foursquare Day San Diego is back and will be bigger and better than ever.

As always, Foursquare Day is on 4/16! (4th month; 4 squared=16). This year it falls on a Tuesday evening. Myself and @DowntownRob from Downtownrob.com have been hosting this event the past couple years and this year, we have joined forces with Stephanie Garcia of  i.d.e.a, Melonie Gallegos of Fandom Marketing and Social Media Club San Diego, with sponsorship from the Busalacchi family of restaurants.

This is a free event and this year we’re making the features of Foursquare come to life by adding a Check in Crawl so you can experience a few different venues and check in at each to earn rewards and win prizes. The night begins with a Foursquare Education workshop, then the Check In Crawl and mingle at the end. Meet new friends, check in with your online connections in real life and enjoy fine wine and delicious appetizers along the way. 

• Start the night off by learning more about Foursquare at the Social Media Club San Diego Educational Workshop, 5:30-6:30pm. This workshop is a paid event (the rest of the activities are free), for tickets and details visit: http://thesocialhour.eventbrite.com/

Then let’s have fun at the Foursquare San Diego Foursquare Check In Crawl:

• Po Pazzo – Check in here between 7:00 to 7:30pm and sample some delicious appetizers
• Zia’s Bistro – Check in here between 7:40 to 8:10pm and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine
• Trattoria Fantastica/Cafe Zucchero- Check in here between 8:20 to 10:00pm to end the night at our Foursquare mix and mingle and enjoy a sweet dessert
• Please note you can join us at the crawl any time! If you miss the crawl, no worries, we’re meeting at the end for the Foursquare mix and mingle. We’ll be raffling off fun prizes for checking in at each venue. (Must be present to win.)
  

  Foursquare Day San Diego 2012 Crowd at Osetra

We discourage drinking and driving therefore, all venues are within walking distance in beautiful Little Italy.  There are also a few other ways to get involved in this year’s event:

•  Last year I shared a list of San Diego’s best Foursquare Specials of 2012. The specials are constantly changing so I need your help coming up with a new list for 2013. What are you favorite Foursquare specials in San Diego? Please share them in the comments below and your suggestion may be added to the list.
  
• We need raffle prizes! If your company would like to donate a prize, please let me know. Our Foursquare Day San Diego team will make sure you get the recognition you deserve.

RSVP to the event on Facebook here. When tweeting about the event and checking in on Foursquare use the hashtag: #4sqdaySD – you can also add the international hashtag: #4sqday. Feel free to follow my Foursquare updates in the meantime here. I look forward to checking in with you all very soon!

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