(San Francisco) - Guess what? I recently did my first podcast interview with Head, Heart and Hustle, "The Podcast for Creatives." HH&H's founder, Philadelphia-based Digital Marketing Strategist Extraordinaire Allen Plummer, approached me on Twitter several months ago, and we connected via phone in late May (he in Philadelphia and me in the Bay Area). His questions covered #Operatawk storytelling across Periscope, the here, now and possible future of my creative journey, and some out-of-left-field questions that caught me delightfully off-guard. Our podcast will air this fall, will update status here as well as across social media - stay tuned!
Excerpted from HeadHeartandHustle.com: "Anyone with a side hustle or creative outlet can feel isolated from friends, family, and others around them who just don’t get their passion. That’s why Head Heart and Hustle exists – to help you feel motivated, to learn, and to get a pick-me-up of creative energy from other people like you. In every episode, we interview a creative individual who doesn’t just pretend to be creative. They’ve rolled up their sleeves and are producing great things because they need to; they know that being creative is part of who they are." Such an honor to be included, my sincerest thanks to Allen!
Connect with Allen on LinkedIn, as well as Twitter.
JM
BrandStoryNow returns to San Francisco Conservatory of Music
(San Francisco) - BrandStoryNow, an independent marketing training experience tailored for classical artists, returns to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on March 5, 2016. Originally launched at SFCM in November 2016, BSN evolved from consultant James Mowdy's 2015 work with client Santa Fe Opera.
BSN's philosophy is simple. Classical artists, like small businesses, are brands. As such, they require the same kind of small to medium size business plan and planning that a brick and mortar and/or start up requires. Mowdy, who has worked with classical music clients Musica Marin and Berger Artist Management, as well as Brian Asawa, Diana Tash, Jonathan Blalock and Kelli Butler, sees these artists as they see themselves - the original-and-still-going-strong gig economy. To that, the global arts playing field continues to become more crowded and competitive, especially in the US. With the National Endowment of the Arts potentially under threat, its disappearance could be a direct hit on small companies and arts organizations who depend on NEA funds to mount their work, productions. This example, coupled with our ongoing, national arts funding crisis, dictates that artists themselves - not management - must know how to tell a compelling business brand story across social media and real-life if any career ROI is to be realized.
Beginning with a discussion of brand identity, BrandStoryNow attendees will discover how to tell a strategic brand story about themselves, the critical importance of real as well as pie-in-the-sky business goals, and how to build out online and real-world strategies that connect the moving parts of their brand. An in-depth discussion of KPIs (key performance indicators), social media metrics across different platforms, and relevant classical artist case studies will also be offered, as well as an open Q&A session.
"Presenting BrandStoryNow at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music is an amazing honor, " says Mowdy. "My father was a stagehand and sound technician at the American Conservatory Theatre in the '70s and '80s, so I've always had great respect for arts institutions, as well as their actual brick and mortar structures. To physically share BrandStoryNow at SFCM - and hopefully add value - is time wonderfully spent."
BrandStoryNow applies business brand marketing concepts and approaches to The Small Business of You.™ Please register for our March 5, 2017 event from 11AM-1PM via Eventbrite. Classroom space is extremely limited, no waitlist.
JM
Published via LinkedIn | February 16, 2017
BrandStoryNow brings marketing insights, case studies and consulting to San Francisco's Conservatory of Music
(San Francisco) - BrandStoryNow, a marketing training for classical artists, launched at San Francisco's Conservatory of Music on Sunday, November 20th. The inclement weather didn't dampen attendance or interest among an activated group, which included opera singers, academics, opera company representatives, startup founders, and classical collaborative pianists.
Brand consultants Cristin O'Keeffe and James Mowdy welcomed and chatted with guests until the formal presentation began. O'Keeffe kicked off things by inviting attendees to pair up and learn their partner's name, profession and a noteable achievement within 3 minutes of conversation. Once time was up, each person introduced his or her partner, which, in addition to being an excellent group ice-breaker, demonstrated the value of unique personal and professional brand story.
Mowdy then launched into the BrandStoryNow presentation, exploring the following:
How and why classical artists are powerful brands in a global marketplace
Establishing and defining unique brand identity, values, goals, and strategy
Constructing powerful brand stories across social media & real-life
Once a few spontaneous audience questions were addressed, O'Keeffe took the reins to guest present Active Listening and Social Networking, the latter covering the online and traditional networking perspective. Her points included:
The Empowered Elevator Pitch - crafting and using
Online and real-world social network channels
SMART goals and the arts brand advocacy opportunity
Mowdy continued with several case studies, ranging from cautionary tales like opera's Tamar Iveri and New Balance in the age of Trump, to the cross-platform arts brand success of opera singers Ailyn Pérez and Jonathan Blalock, respectively, as well as an examination of classical superstar Lang Lang's global dominance, and West Edge Opera's astute, year-round use of Facebook.
A deeper discussion of social media analytics, goal-setting and true ROI also spurred spontaneous discussion amongst all in attendance, seguing nicely into an extended, post-presentation Q & A.
BrandStoryNow attendee feedback:
"Social media is a valuable tool for nonprofit art organizations," said West Edge OperaMarketing Director Kate McKinney via email. "BrandStoryNow taught me how to create social media content that's consistent with West Edge's brand, while also attracting a diverse audience to our various (social) accounts and, ultimately, our performances."
Enchanted Book founder Bridget McGraw via email: "As a digital veteran with a beginner’s mind, I appreciated approaching familiar material with a fresh outlook. It was great to be reminded by Cristin that I need to set SMART goals for the Enchanted Book. Also, James' case studies brought home the critical importance - and balance - of authenticity...in one’s social media presence. "
Opera singer Carolyne Anne Jordan - who most recently sang with the San Francisco Opera chorus in "Aida" - kindly direct messaged the following, with permission to share: "Thank you, James! I really appreciated everything you (and Cristin) shared, and I know I can benefit from using Instagram Stories and as well as other (social media tools)...will also share this into with Opera On Tap San Francisco!"
San Francisco-based classical music fan Josh Dougherty via email: "The BrandStoryNow seminar presented a lot of valuable information that's applicable to all aspects of your life. James's case studies demonstrated how simple your brand can be - it doesn't have to be some complicated marketing strategy devised by an expensive team of gurus. Maintaining presence on social media allows your personality to shine while using your most valuable and unique marketing tool: yourself. Cristin's presentation on active listening was a well laid out guide to strategically engaging in conversation instead of just trying to think of the next thing to say. The whole presentation was great, and I definitely recommend it to anyone looking to develop his or her brand."
JM
Published on BrandStoryNow.com | November 29, 2016
Make Twitter Great Again: Your 'Age of Trump' Work-Arounds
(San Francisco) - Last week, I had the honor of presenting to over 100 Bay Area non-profit founders, EDs and CMOs at San Francisco's storied City Club. The brief was straightforward: how might small to medium size non-profits best use Twitter and Periscope to meet organizational goals. I gladly accepted the offer in mid-November, but realized by early January that my intended preso had to be thrown out in order to reflect our current Twitter reality.
Thanks, Donald. 🙄🙄🙄
Yes, due in part to the cantankerous candidate, potus-elect, president and tweet-aholic (as well as the most volatile US election in our history), Twitter is forever changed and, in some schools of thought, damaged beyond repair. I don't share this view, but it's not without some merit; Twitter's algorithm, advertising, unique ability to host, showcase and magnify noise, outrage and abuse - compounded by leadership's seemingly laissez-faire approach - make 2017 Twitter a much different animal than the 2009 Twitter that captured my heart.
Twitter is forever changed and, in some schools of thought, damaged beyond repair.
To date, Twitter hasn't ever really shown us how to use their product, but in 2009 this marketer quickly saw that it was a nexus for individuals and brands to network their stories across the global internet. As I've said in previous blogs, videos, and presentations, Twitter is tantamount to working the room at a mixer. You arrive with an idea of whom you would like to meet, seek them out, say hello, find common threads of conversation, and then work out what you and said parties might do in the real world, post 'Twocktail', hopefully finding ROI together. This basic how-to worked for a long while until algorithms, advertising, outrage and the election season started to transform Twitter into an increasingly charged environment. In short, my 2017 Twitter experience feels like trying to have that same mixer in the middle of Grand Central Station during a protest. To illustrate, I began raising my political voice from the beginning of 2016, through the debates and post November 8th, which is when I, like many others, lost their minds on Twitter when the unthinkable happened (which I own). 1,000 new followers and 12 weeks later, I realized that Twitter's algorithm had completely transformed the who, what, where, when, why and how of my feed, moving me into an almost entirely political space; without realizing it, I'd self-sequestered. Again, this was my Twitter experience, which made my new user experience pretty much my fault (if Twitter's algorithm is considered the innocent party and just coded that way). The feed of a marketing consultant engaging for his business had transformed into something more akin to a political activist running a campaign with varying levels of hyperbole. I hadn't intended to say 'Welcome to my highly charged Twittersphere, Let’s Not Do Business' but this was the reality, my optics to repair.
As I told my City Club audience, I had to recognize what had happened, the role I'd played, and determine ways to return my Twitter experience to a happier medium for myself and, most importantly, my followers. In the end, Twitter remains a fabulously powerful medium with incredible reach and velocity, in ways that Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat are not. Some of my most valued client relationships began and flourished on Twitter long before they were a face-to-face reality.
Twitter remains a fabulously powerful medium with incredible reach and velocity, in ways that Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat are not.
So, how do we make Twitter work for SMBs?
Lay the Foundation. If you're new to Twitter or your tweets amount to a pretty digital bulletin board with little to no engagement, ask yourself the following: what are five compelling stories that make your SMB brilliantly unique and important in your given business sector or the overall marketplace? Look to your brand's mission, vision and values to inform and cross-check these brand stories. Once you've landed on some core brand narratives/storylines/truths, start mapping out short and longer range business, marketing, or sales goals, in as concrete terms as possible. The stories we tell over social help move us towards all goals, as long as we treat every engagement and insight gained as a business lead. Twitter or a greater social strategy is unique to a given business, but shouldn't be a guessing game. Social strategy and the tactics we use are determined by the stories we tell and the goals we set. This is where experimentation comes in, perhaps utilizing different platforms in conjunction with Twitter (more on that in a moment). In short, if business brand stories and goals are understood, you're building your SMB Twitter strategy on a solid foundation.
Direct Messaging is Your Secret Weapon. Social media is only truly effective to the degree that we convert online engagement into reality and action. This should be your #1 goal on Twitter, as well as other platforms. Given the noise of 2017 Twitter, direct messaging is the equivalent of a quiet, in-app conference room far away from the maddening main feed roar. Even though Twitter can be a hot mess, it's important to continue seeking out, following and engaging those individuals and brands most important to your business, networking your stories, opinions and perspective with others. However, if you and another party are following each other, direct messaging creates a private space for one-to-one connection, away from the eyes of others. I've enhanced many Twitter relationships in this way, and many have become contacts, friends and associates in real-life. Twitter will probably remain Grand Central Station with a protest for the foreseeable future, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to meet incredible new colleagues or business connections in the rushing crowd of thousands. More patience and a bit more work are required, but the benefits are definitely still there. As in life, haters and disagreeables are always around, but your next high-value Twitter contact is there, too. Once you've made the leap to direct messaging with a contact, make your move. Have that cup of coffee. Meet up at an event. Propose a collaboration. Again, social media is only real to the extent that YOU make it real. IRL (In Real Life) is where ROI is found, so get to it!
The stories we tell over social help move us towards all goals, as long as we treat every engagement and insight gained as a business lead.
Stay on Message, No Matter What. As previously explained, raising my political voice - and moving away from brand, marketing and business-related topics - had a direct, and in some cases, detrimental effect on my Twitter experience, as well as my followers. It's on me to move the dial back to a more balanced Twitter where business items, client news, current events and personal day-to-day experiences might peacefully co-exist. To do that, I'm manually re-engaging those topics and followers to influence the algorithm, but it's much more than that. I'm doing it to get back on brand. This is the difficult part, especially since the current moment is one of the most intense we've experienced as a nation, since social media has been in existence. Many of us would like to participate in what's happening, to raise our voice. But, if we're primarily using social media for business purposes, this can be tricky (as my personal case study demonstrates). As we all know, 'alternative facts' are something we're hearing about these days, especially with regard to social media storytelling. Taking that cue, it's critical to stay on message - like a political campaign - telling brand stories that powerfully reflect your own, mission-driven truth. Twitter's hyperbole, endless issues, noise, anger, abuse, and unfiltered opinions are here to stay, but as SMBs, we strive to be our own best brand steward while on the platform. A simple rule: if in doubt, don't!
It's critical for your business to stay on message - like a political campaign - telling brand stories that powerfully reflect your own, mission-driven truth.
Up Periscope. Your second defense against the Wild West unpredictability of Twitter is Periscope. Periscope is Twitter's answer to live video, allowing users to broadcast directly from the Twitter app on their phone or through a professional broadcasting set up. Periscope is another exciting way to transport your Twitter colleagues, audience and network out of the noise and into a dedicated video immersion of your own creation, showcasing a newsworthy moment or unique business brand experience; think of it like your own live remote news report. Periscope guarantees your revolution is being televised across the open internet since, though Twitter, your broadcast is instantly, globally distributed, hence the real, built-in benefit of using Pericope and Twitter together. Unlike FacebookLive or Instagram Live, this is where unequaled velocity for your video brand experience happens. It's also free! Whether it's a live panel discussion, a Q&A, breaking business news, or any other type of hosted or compelling broadcast, Periscope provides users with the ability to moderate their broadcast experience, share across other social platforms, and revisit after the live broadcast is over. Periscope also adds permanent, evergreen pages to your business story, which you may add, keep, or delete to best showcase your business. Periscope is truly a Technicolor Press Release (my catchphrase, please use!) and an invaluable tool all SMBs should explore if already on Twitter, or considering an expanded Twitter presence. For more on the benefits of Periscope, please reference this piece.
Is your business already on Twitter and/or Periscope? How has your Twitter experience changed over time? Follow me @jamesjetsoften on Twitter and Periscope.
JM
Published via LinkedIn | February 1, 2017
PR News #Social16: Why Periscope Works for Your Business
(San Francisco) - On August 10th, I was honored to discuss Periscope for business with Landis Communications CEO David Landis, at the PR News Big 4 Social Media Summit. Held at San Francisco's Grand Hyatt San Francisco on Union Square, our highly engaged audience of 250 came from agencies, b2b and b2c brands, non-profits/associations and government organizations.
It was a pleasure to work onsite with PR News Editorial Director Steve Goldstein and his New York City and Washington D.C.-based team members. Additionally, it was great to connect in real-time with #Social16 attendees from UPS (Atlanta), Zion and Zion Advertising (Phoenix), Univision (Miami), Lemon Tree Agency (Sacramento), Redwood Credit Union (NorCal), amongst others. For a top line on our major Periscope for Business points, David Landis does an excellent job of distilling our slides in his recent LinkedIn blog.
A recap of our #Social16 experience via social media:
1) Twitter
2) Instagram
3) Facebook/FacebookLive, including an excellent mini-interview by Lemon Tree Agency's Patrick Storm.
Our PR News #Social16 Periscope session was an absolutely worthwhile experience, capping off a year that included launching my clients Santa Fe Opera and Musica Marinon Periscope, the hosting of my Periscope for Breaking Brand News blog on the Landis Communications, Inc. website, and its subsequent pick up by PR Daily.
Already using Periscope? How has it helped you meet business goals?
If new to Periscope, let's talk about about using this visual storytelling tool and a bespoke mix of social media platforms to tell your unique brandstory with ROI. Contact me at jmowdy@bspokebranding.com.
JM
Published via LinkedIn | August 16, 2016