Home Town Advantage – Marathon Style

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Dorien

Home Town Advantage – Marathon Style

I might be committing the ultimate sin by comparing ‘starting and running a business’ with ‘training for and running a marathon’.  Metaphors in social media are frowned upon, I was once told, and twice I’ve broken that mold: by comparing social media to baking cookies and by using body parts to illustrate social media success.

Therefore, I won’t really compare the two today.  (Even though there are great lessons to be learned fr0m it and I will go there one day.)  Instead, I am going to talk about the home town advantage!

HOME TOWN ADVANTAGE?

I just finished my 4th full marathon this past weekend and I had 4 hours and 44 minutes to reflect on why I was running this race after a two year marathon hiatus and why this race was so totally different than the previous races I’d run.

I want to convey the importance of the home town advantage.

Because I not only ran the Myrtle Beach marathon, I had a blast doing it!

PREVIOUS THREE MARATHONS – OUT OF TOWN EXPERIENCES

The first three marathons I completed, I ran alone in cities far away from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  I traveled with running friends, my husband and supporters – each time a different support team.  I slept, I ran, and left.  No one cheered me on, no one who knew me, no one took pictures.

WHY?

Simple Mistakes.  Rookie Mistakes.

Here they are…

#1.  First Marathon.  My supporters came to the starting line at 6:30 AM and got swept away by 35,000 runners and their 100,000+ supporters.  Due to sheer volume of people out in the city, they never made it back to the course on time and missed me at every turn. They never saw me run, I never heard them cheer.

Mistake:  Poor planning, poor communication & no back up plan left me stranded and alone until after the race.

#2.  Second marathon.  My two fellow running friends from Myrtle Beach ran at a slower pace, so I set out alone.  I ran with gusto, but alas, it rained, starting at mile 6.  By mile 8 it was pouring.  By mile 20 I felt alone, cold, wet and defeated.  I met up with some runners and we commiserated in our unfortunate situation.  I started walking the last 6 miles with them, instead of following my own pace.  I did not finish strong and missed my PR by only 90 seconds.

Mistake:  Deviating from my set plan & not keeping my personal goal in mind left me missing the mark and missing the goal.

#3.  Third marathon.  My husband accompanied me me for a fun weekend. However, I had to get up 2:30 AM to get ready.  Feeling sorry for him, I left him behind in the hotel and convinced him to go back to sleep.  He saw me run past the hotel at 7 AM, waved at me, took one picture and went back to sleep.  After finishing the marathon, I went back to the hotel, mad at my husband and alone.

Mistake:  Not asking for support when it was available left me without a way to outsource and without a person to lean on when the going got tough.

HOME TOWN ADVANTAGE – MYRTLE BEACH

Fast forward two years and a Myrtle Beach marathon experience of a life time.

Wanting a true home town experience, I took advantage of home town friends and family and orchestrated an experience that was so much different and so enjoyable that I will consider running Myrtle Beach, and only Myrtle Beach, again next year!

Here is what I implemented and how a home town crowd gave me a home town advantage!

  • Goals – I set realistic goals and stuck to them.  My goals: Have fun & finish!
  • Compromising – Being able to make quick adjustments. Compromise if needed.  I left my family at home, asleep, but they met me at mile 6!
  • Home Town Friendship – I did not see 1,2, or 3 but over 20 people I knew at various water stations and along the route.  I knew one of the police officers directing traffic, the medical director of the race at the finish line and a whole tent with medical staff at mile 18.  Friendship gave me strength and pulled me through 26.2 miles.
  • Planning – I planned it all: for my son and his friend to ride the route with me from mile 6 to 26.2 and for my daughter and friend to be at the finish line.  They provided fuel, water and entertainment while shooting pictures and video.  Planning gave me direction, expectations and a road to success.
  • Experience – Not one of the previous mistakes was repeated and the race was smooth, fun and entertaining.
  • Enjoyment – I was able to relax and actually look forward to the journey and the run.
  • Home Town Advantage – I knew the roads, the landmarks, the people, the climate as well as the starting point and finish line.

Will these lessons learned apply to running a successful business?

You betcha!

  • Goals  - Set simple and realistic weekly, monthly and yearly goals.
  • Compromising - Analyze and adjust your business plan as you go.
  • Home Town Friendship – Network with the people you know.
  • Planning – Have a Business Plan/Strategic Plan.
  • Experience –  Rely on your previous jobs and schooling/training.
  • Enjoyment – Take time out to enjoy life while you build your business.
  • Home Town Advantage – Surround yourself with the people who know you best and love you when starting a business.

Home Town Advantage - Marathon Style "Because I not only ran the Myrtle Beach marathon, I had a blast doing it!"

YOUR TURN:

  • Have you experienced a home town advantage in sports, business or other adventures?
  • Did your preparation differ for a home town ‘race’?

I’d love to hear your comments and thoughts.  

Dorien @MoreInMedia.com

 

Posted in Achievements, Dorien Morin-van Dam, local, positive attitude, Strategic Planning, success, taking action | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Twitter List Video Tutorial – Part 2

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Dorien

Twitter List  Video Tutorial -Part 2

 

When I get a social media question from a client or friend, by phone, in person or on my Facebook Page, I try to make a video tutorial after I answer their question or problem. There are several reasons I make these video’s instead of just answering the question to this one person in need of an answer.

  • First off, not everyone who’s a client, friend or fan lives near me, so one-on-one consulting isn’t always an option.  Sometimes, video or screen sharing is the only way I can teach or answer a question.
  • Second, when I make a tutorial, I can use it over and over and over and I can send the next person with the same question to my YouTube Channel and have them watch the video.
  • Third, I am planning to start using the video’s in my hands on workshops, starting in March, and thus having made them previously will save me lots of preparation time.
  • Lastly, I am building a lasting library of resource material which helps in branding myself and my company, More In Media, as a social media training resource.

After making several tutorials, I found that my ‘Screenr Tutorials’ are pretty popular with social media newbies for their easy-to-use and easy-to-understand format.

I love working with this particular platform to record my computer screen.  Screenr is a great tool for teaching in small doses and the 5 minute limit (on free accounts) is actually a great deterrence, or reminder if you will, to not make long, never-ending video’s no one will watch.

 If you can’t teach it in 5 minutes, maybe it’s too hard of a subject to teach online.

More In Media’s YouTube channel is Continue reading →

Posted in Dorien Morin-van Dam, followers, how to get followers, Tips, Training, Twitter, youtube | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Click “Like” For Schools Using Social Media

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Dorien

This is a guest post by Melissa Byers.

Melissa Byers is the owner and writer of MyrtleBeachforFamilies.com, a blog dedicated to providing families living in and visiting the Grand Strand the very best the area has to offer.  She is also the Content Editor for TheDigitel Myrtle Beach, a hyperlocal news site focused on reporting the issues of most interest to Horry County residents.

 

Click “Like” For Schools Using Social Media

 

Facebook strikes again, kids.  Just when you thought you figured out the balance between friending parents and using lists to filter what you share with them, the Horry County (South Carolina) School System has found a way to work around some of your best efforts.

THE WAY IT USED TO BE

When I was in junior high, I remember having time to decide how to break the news of bad grades to my parents because they didn’t know I had received my report card.  I also vividly recall rushing to the mailbox after school to swipe a progress report from a science teacher alerting my family that I had missed a few assignments.  Sorry Mom, but it’s all true.  These days my feeble tactics would be useless because more and more schools are stepping into the world of Facebook to keep parents in-the-know.

SCHOOLS ARE NOW USING FACEBOOK

In August of 2011, all Horry County schools (South Carolina) were asked to set up a Facebook fan page to better connect with parents, students, and staff members.  To this point, I’ve seen videos, photos, event reminders, and announcements shared.  My favorite was a notification that report cards were being distributed and one parent professed her deep love for social media on the spot.

The Horry County School System has four levels of Facebook fan pages:  Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Facebook, local, Social Media | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

5 Things You Do Not Need For Excellent Facebook Engagement

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Dorien

’5 Things You Do Not Need For Excellent Facebook Engagement’

I am going to tell you what you do not need for excellent Facebook engagement.  I am not sure whose feathers, if any, I’ll be ruffling.  Maybe those of my fellow social media managers, some Facebook specialist I’ve never met, my graphic designer friend or a future client.

I have felt for a while now that someone needs to say it:

There are some things YOU DO NOT NEED for excellent Facebook engagement.

And I want it out in the open for all to see and read.

  • Written on a blog.
  • Posted on Facebook.
  • Sent into cyberspace.

WHY?

My good friend Knikkolette wrote a blog post just this week titled: ‘Why Build A Fan Page If You’re Going To Abandon It?’  She says:

“I see it EVERY DAY!  A fan page with few likes and zero activity.  I ask myself WHY?  Why do people pay to have fan pages created or create a fan page and then abandon it?”

~ Knikkolette

I can answer the ‘why do people build pages they then abandon’ question, since there are many, many reasons:

  • People do it because they know they should be ‘doing social media’ BUT THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO ENGAGE.
  • People do it because they heard others talk about Facebook and the benefits of social media BUT THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO ENGAGE.
  • People do it because their boss told them to make a Facebook Page for their business BUT THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO ENGAGE.
  • People do it because they want to keep up with the masses BUT THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO ENGAGE.
  • People do it because they do not understand it and think that ‘if you build it, they will come’ will get them fans BUT THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO ENGAGE.

What IS really needed to have excellent engagement on your Facebook Page?

 

FIRST THINGS FIRST.

Here is what you do NOT need: Continue reading →

Posted in Engagement, Facebook, followers, Social Media, success, taking action | Tagged , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Real Local Social Media Networking Opportunities

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Dorien

Real Local Social Media Networking Opportunities

Are you a business owner of CEO?

Are you in charge of marketing or your company?

Are you hoping to expand your network to include social media?

Look no more.

 

#honmb

There is plenty of opportunity for local B2B engagement, as I talked about in one of my latest posts.  Read it here.

Today was my #honmb day.  I love those days.  Twice a month, my local ‘Hands-On Networking Myrtle Beach’ group meets in person.

 

What is this ‘Hands On Networking Myrtle Beach’ group?

(And how will it help you, you ask?)

 

Before I tell you more, here is our Mission Statement: Continue reading →

Posted in B2B, connect locally, local, Social Media, taking action, Tips | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

5 Creative and Virtually Free B2B Local Networking Ideas

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Dorien

Some of you might already know me well enough to know that I love B2B networking. Being a social media manager for small to medium size businesses, B2B networking is where I most likely will find my next client.   I am passionate about meeting face to face with new clients, even though I also work and meet people online.

I’ve seen a true shift away from traditional ways to network to using social media and it seems as if more and more businesses are also looking to network and do B2B marketing ON A BUDGET.

I thought I would give you a nice and easy to follow list of

5 Creative and Virtually Free B2B Local Networking Ideas

The more traditional ways of networking include a (paid) membership to local Chambers of Commerce, BNI membership, civic organisation memberships and print advertising, TV Ads and billboards.

All of these options mentioned are great options if you have a sizable marketing budget and thus can afford it.  Each also carries a recurring yearly fee or steep up front cost and might not be a viable option for ‘the home-based start up’ or ‘the one-(wo)man business on a budget’.

With Social Media leading the way, I’ve personally been able to network and do B2B local networking for free, using available resources and a bit of ingenuity and creativity.

Here is my Top 5 list of Continue reading →

Posted in B2B, connect locally, Groups, local, Social Media, Tips, Workshop | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

The Value and Use of Facebook Groups

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Dorien

The Value and Use of Facebook Groups

‘Are You Using Facebook Groups For Good?’

As moderator of several Facebook Groups and a member of about another dozen more, the importance of Facebook Groups is something I feel strongly about.

My own Facebook Group experience has grown my online community and built long lasting relationships as well as true friendships.  I’ve collaborated with friends, connected locally and learned from others in several social media industry groups.

There are a few ‘buts’ and ‘howevers’ and that’s what this post will be about:

The value in Facebook Groups is in how you use them, to what extend you use them and for greater good you use them.

It took me a few months of being on Facebook before I truly understood the value of Facebook Groups and I am here to tell you:

YES – Join, and create Facebook Groups

NO – Don’t abandon your own wall or Facebook Page

Facebook Groups let you find and connect with people of similar minds and likes or dislikes.  Groups can connect your family, church group, industry leaders, writing class, book club, high school reunion committee, colleagues, PTA, play group etc.

There are three main group categories on Facebook:

  1. Open Groups
  2. Closed Groups
  3. Secret Groups

  • If your group is actively recruiting new members for the group and wishes for anyone to join, choose ‘open groups‘.  Recommended for large organisations and associations who might want to build their overall membership.
  • If your group is very defined and you want to screen who joins, but still want to be found via a Facebook search, choose ‘closed groups‘.  Recommended for book clubs, PTA’s, church groups, large companies, etc.
  • If your group has a very limited audience and you do not want to grow or invite anybody into your private conversations, choose ‘secret groups‘.  Recommended for large families, mastermind groups, play groups, etc.

 Now that you know what options you have to choose from, lets talk about Facebook Group engagement as well as pros and cons for using groups as a way to communicate on Facebook.

I asked some of my peers who are active in Facebook Groups and who also run businesses, the following question:

‘How do you use Facebook Groups and what should we, in your opinion, NOT use Facebook groups for? ‘

Read the variety of answers Continue reading →

Posted in Facebook, Groups, success, Tips | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Social Media Manager Blocked From Commenting On Facebook

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Dorien

Social Media Manager Blocked From Commenting On Facebook

‘It can happen to you, too!’

I was part of a ‘groovy’ event on my friend Keri’s Facebook Page last Thursday night.  The January Jig is an amazing 26 day event and it was great being a guest on her Facebook Page.

I was a featured, invited guest on Idea Girl Media at 9 AM, 2 PM and 8 PM.  Nothing happened, no warnings came up, until after 9 PM, more than an hour into the third segment.

THAT’S WHEN TROUBLE FOUND ME

I ran across a little snag.

Continue reading →

Posted in Blocked, Facebook, social media manager, Timeline, Timeline, Warned | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

So You Want To Teach A Workshop?

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Dorien

So You Want To Teach A Workshop?

More In Media is participating in a super clever and well organized event on Facebook; the January Jig, brain child of Idea Girl Media’s Keri Jaehnig.

For 26 days in a row in January, her Facebook Page is being ‘hijacked’ by her peers for reasons of cross-promoting and idea sharing.

Today, January 19, is our turn.  Planned are three set times to appear on the Idea Girl Media Facebook Page and let me tell you:

after nearly two weeks of Jiggers, I feel HUGE pressure to perform.  I even made two video posts to put on the Facebook wall, as well this blog post I am writing.

Several  past Jiggers have set the bar so high, I need a pole to even attempt to reach to their height!

So… what will I be talking about, do you ask?!

Social Media Training!

We’ll be discussing setting up workshops and we will touch on venues, pricing, goals, advertising, sharing, platforms to use etc.  Our main focus at More In Media is on hands-on workshops, as that is More In Media’s signature brand of teaching;

Let the questions rain down on me.

To start the day off right (and to try to reach that bar set oh so high) I’ve made a video for the Jigger fans.  Watch it here: Continue reading →

Posted in B2B, Dorien Morin-van Dam, Facebook, Fan Page, Social Media, Tips, Workshop | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments