Showing posts with label social media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social media. Show all posts

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Are you REALLY linking in?

With deep regret+utter transparency
I am self-tasked to exposing executives who have an army in front of them, answering their emails, linked in messages, and anything else they find favorable.  

Face of the corporation
As an executive, you are the face to which others, mostly all, associate your name as a brand within the corporation.  Yet so many executives are dilusional to think that it won't catch up with them.  I say a LOT sooner than later!

The tides are turning
in the world of employment and recruitment.  Those measly applicants that you invited to apply, beat them up persevering through the MAZE (not amaze) of the CAREER section of most websites.

After you playing pinball?
Who has convinced the person on the other end that you dodged pinball bounces without falling into the deep dark black hole.  

You are paying for nothing
these days because you can't demonstrate value to joining your organization.  A confident prospective professional within range of your company has gracefully navigated your site well enough to get past the red stars * you keep forgetting or actually are deciding whether that is the sort of information you want to impart until there are some serious indication that a job offer is in the immediate mix.

What are u doing to sell ur company?
Should be the thing you ask all of your executives and board members at your next meeting.  In fact, it should be prioritized and then teams formed to leave for a week to come back with intelligence and insights to support their argument that everyone and every person is selling their companies 24x7/365 of the year.  

Do not allow executives to hide
behind their own personal brand, to be esteemed, somewhat feared, but powerful none the same.   Common denominator being internal fame and little public refrain. I know how the system works because I've emailed an executive for the past three years.  I would say that actually is two executives that are at the highest chain of command within unsaid organization.

Response is reflective
to the arrogant, egotistical side step.  I must importantly convey that yes every email is personally read, even if not by the person to which it was directed.  So many executives find this an excellent coping mechanism.

Bernie Sanders kind
Here in our midst, in Calgary, in Canada is a Bernie Sanders of our own.  What's that you ask?  Well, swap politician with businessman, to get the real drift of the message written here.

Only one of the executives whom I write a brief (and sometimes long) message to has ever responded, written back, and had a message-conversation of only a few.  This gentleman answers every single email personally, with humor, anecdotal.

I will share a few, without revealing the names or company to which they are aligned with.  I will also share whether there is a response and how it was handled.


 Congrats on FINALLY being offered a position worthy of you, Mr_.  You kinda got a bum rap at ur previous GIG.  Now, you may be victorious!  Thank you for keeping me on your connected list.  I hope u notice how I will reshare on LINKED IN any news with ur name on it ::... which i normally reserve for the CEO of Salesforce.com fame.    He and I connected almost immediately when we hitched a ride to LINKED IN back in 2010.   I enjoy the opportunity to read the going on of some various wellknown business leaders in Canada and abroad.  I am just launching a website called:  www.graFX.online < still under construction until my vision is aligned in an execution-able fashion.  This unnamed company will get the first right of refusal on advertising allotment, after that we will see.  I won't allow competing brands on my page at the same time.  The brands have to meet my criteria::... innovative, open to change, leading edge in technology, especially MOBILITY with a dynamic, positive, healthy culture [ marketing literature aside ] and women have half a better chance in moving up the corporate ladder than other places.  

A cultural fit
Examine the culture before you go work anywhere.  Where I currently work had almost all of the checks in my boxes to agree to go work, some would consider under-employed, I like to think of as a new beginning.

That has gone on far too long
for any sane person.  Yet here is the magic.  I demonstrate tenacity and sticking to my commitments.  I won't dwell on the past where my loyalty was skathed and bruised confidence hang out.

A hang out for disbelievers?
Or a place for optimistic comradely and support to stay connected.  Cheering each other on when you see someone heading to the finish line:  fame, wealth comes second to the thrill of finding something that people will love.

A legacy we must not forget
fading Steve Jobs back into the backdrop of historical proportions.  Where his greatest arch-rival still maintains.


Objet d'art (plural objets d'art) means literally "art object", or work of art, in French, but in practice the term has long been reserved in English to describe works of art that are not paintings, large or medium-sized sculptures, prints or drawings. It therefore covers a wide range of works, usually small and three-dimensional, of high quality and finish in areas of the decorative arts, such as metalwork items, with or without enamel, small carvings, statuettes and plaquettes in any material, including engraved gemshardstone carvingsivory carvings including Japanese netsuke and similar items, non-utilitarian porcelain and glass, and a vast range of objects that would also be classed as antiques (or indeed antiquities), such as small clocks, watches, gold boxes, and sometimes textiles, especially tapestries. Books with fine bookbindings might be included.

An objet de vertu by excellence, FabergĂ©'s "Memory of Azov Egg" (1891), contains a ship model wrought of gold.

A Swiss singing bird box with a bucolic lake scene on the lid, c. 1825, another example of an objet de vertu.
The term is somewhat flexible, and is often used as a broad term for "everything else" after major categories have been dealt with. 

Objets d'art 
Creating aesthetically beautiful objects, words, art, songs, melody, photography with innovation and zest.  Those are the best leaders because they want perfection.  They've been knocked around a few times, but they bounce back stronger.

How many can you think of 
who has had that?  You know I mean Steve Jobs, I've mentioned Barrack Obama before.  Who is really leading the spirit of the social media?  Facebook or Twitter may think they've gotten "IT" while instaGRAM or snapCHAT or PINterest display it can channel and expand the audience.  

Besides the where-with-all
who is really leading the charge?  Google and newly formed Alpabet?  Again, I challenge you to think beyond that.  Those are companies all aforementioned.  

I'm talking about personal BRAND
that has not been sold to the highest bidder ...... yet.

I message to executives in the spring of 2017:
pay attention to your culture, examine it objectively, challenge who is selling your brand.  Setting advertising agencies and pre-set social media placement aside.  

Who IS selling your brand?
Get rid of the CEOs and boards who collect a paycheque and run the accounting side of your business or investments.  They are the short run wagons to hitch a ride on.  The enduring, innovative, revolutionary companies in history had a leader and company overlapping by brand.

Hire the writers and the imagineers
who can see the future clearly, not clogged with BS and YES-men (and ever-growing, but still far behind, number of women)?  

Fire the ad agencies
who are merely graphic design studios.  Nothing like the "Mad Men" era so well depicted in one of my favorite docu-drama series of all time for me.  

Ogilvy on advertising 
is a worthy read.  It should be a mainstay in any creative agency or entrepreneur.  His extraordinary vision is like a bible to how to behave online and get sophisticated, academic, creative followers is a mighty key.

Story telling
was clearly the backbone to Ogilvy's approach.  How isn't that phenomenal when you think of the brands that are winning because of how they act online?  Whether by video or posted words.  Tells the story.

The exchange with others
is a one-sided currency ... except where in one instance a time I was online [ Wednesday ] with full force and paying attention,  I witnessed a customer with a REALLY big following on Twitter tweet his dissatisfaction with his customer experience for their technology.

Ability to respond
Is your company equipped to respond?
You have to be honest here.  Start from the very top and then cascade down the line.  

Whoever professes ignorance
are likely your board of directors, of the Baby Boomer age  [ born from 1959 to 1945 times ] where spark is of the very limited kind.  Who has last had an idea that sat where your company is run?

Whoever professes participation
can fan-dangle and confuse you with so much techno garbage and marketing slogan-ish barbs.  They are no more online than your top dog CEO.  Some have presence to be sure.  Mostly on things not deemed indicative of your brand [ for example, pornography, mean words, falsehoods, sarcasm ]

Operated by robots
who send out your endorsed words ::... usually a campaign, that really is advertising.  This is where the gifted online rise above.  They can smell a scam or a spam, cloaked in sophisticated disguise.  

Whereas the responses
are automatic.  As though they've been keyed in by a computer after a roundtable of committee members compose or decide which will be exposed online.  [NOTE: if you ever want a NONdecision, get a group together and call them a committee or an association].

Ego can collide
with the noise online.  People with much greater value, wisdom and words emerge and rise to the top.  Not the brands with their tricks and paid dollars to drive revenue or traffic to websites to justify their existence.

Merely hanging on with a bandaid
will be those who will be faced if they don't wake up and pay attention to the ability to CONVERSE online with your customers, your supporters, your buyers, your vendors, your fans while being made aware of your detractors, competition or negative vibe generators.

Make sure everyone is telling a story
even if it isn't your story.  In fact, that would be better.  Share stories of employees who reached out to connect online with an idea to help others that generated a response and churned the wheels of progress and communication farther.

Hang up the old standards
and start creating a culture that adapts to the ever-changing world.  Ensure your technology is robust enough to withstand cyber attacks.  

Hire wikileaks as your defender
of all that is true and exemplary.  Less would be exposed, embarrassed and sink off into the moonlight as the werewolves of change howl.

I'd love to sell wikileaks.com services
Can you just imagine?  A brand name that anyone who is everyone can ignore any longer.  One of the easiest criteria to determine who to sell for.  If you have made it past the excruciatingly painful online "SUBMIT" on the CAREER portal, you have proven that you are worthy to work there wouldn't you think?  Fear not, that application sits behind technology.  It picks out key words in the resume that it has hyperboiled into identifiable words that in all its theory can expose.  

Missing key ingredients like instinct
judgement and overall presentation.  How can you hire someone so poised and seemingly perfect who has constantly garlic breath and something green stuck in his or her teeth?  

A computer taught to think still lacks instinct and human judgement that can unfortunately be pre-determined by bias or self-centered view, yet can also see smiles, sense warmth, sincerity  clearly shine.   Yet today's forward thinking companies are falling behind in the times.  

Becoming more robot
and run by a gaggle of gearheads or geeks [ of the destructive kind like hackers, exhibitionists to namely only two ].  The silliness that it needs to be cautioned against may seem almost alarmist by some.

Where complacency rests
on the shoulders of nuts, bolts, power, fingers, minds is sadly what is happening.  They've climb the heap of others, even stepping on a few to get there.  These are the people who are behind your company's words?  The popular or populist ones.

Maybe they are more expensive
in the thousands an idea and more when delivered on time, if on time.  To ignore the ability to resound your message and create a positive vibe is an opportunity so many companies are missing.

Remember, I said it starts at the top?
Proof is not hidden, nor under a disguise.  That to which Trump earns my respect for his wisdom of speaking online.  For himself, by himself.  Rather than the pocket of a few others, the rest allowing a technology or stranger to convey what is on your mind?

How is that possible?
I can tell you how.  They're ignorant of the influence they have online, denying the potential to have every single employee, customer communicate and interact online.  Where are the skilled manifestos of intellectual power your boast you have?  Hidden and trampled on by your sickness going misdiagnosed.  Inspected or neglected?  Either cause harm.

Your employees' valuable time
is important and you should concede or acknowledge that.  Their ideas more rich and fruitful than anyone trying to tell you what you want to hear.  They are impassioned by the believers and loyalists lost in your midst.  A true voice for your company.

If you can, seek and find
the RT on Twitter from 48 hours ago where I exclaimed over an exchange between a customer and his support service solving a problem, together, in real time, online.  No waiting line or number queue.  Immediate, solution nailed and resolution intact.  Not to mention the proof of your culture not as clearly defined as shown, demonstrated and acted on.  

Not by hey-sayers nor digital players
who are usually of the very young mind.  No experience or wisdom to fall upon, just speed in clickness and keen savviness they climbed over the backs of the many who built things, helped build the company.  Besides the gold pin for 5 years or platinum for 10, retirement parties have become instinct.  Those were the best networking environments of my career.  If you were well enough liked or respected, you would be invited to a retirement party, a fond adieu by many as they blend into the twilight of years, traveling, not working, painting, writing.


If you read enough news
you can almost start to believe it.  
When you choose the news you want 
it is much easier to follow it.

~ Jeannette Marshall




Jeannette Marshall sent the following message at 12:48 PM
  • Congrats on the new job! What will u be doing now M? Is this something one can do online? I currently work in Loyalty & Retention at a call center at one of Canada's largest _____corporation. If I can leave by Tuesday at the same $25/hr with home office I'd be deliriously happy!  It would allow me to continue my passion online.



Saturday, April 1, 2017

Defining your soul purpose


Welcome Spring and month of my birth
I appreciate every person who has taken the time to read a blog of mine, what an investment that is at times.

The real reason for MEANDERINGSabout
was because as I started to write and get some traction and smattering of loyal readers, it was like the uncorking of a bottle of champagne!  I wanted to write about positive things, circled around me, me, ME .... why not?  As our good Mexican friend, Oscar would always say during our visit to The Hilton in three years ago.  The main server at the Lobby bar.  One of the best Lobby Bars I've experienced from across fantasy, all inclusive, 5-star resorts.  It wasn't a Piano Bar, it was a social nucleus of the resort.  Open, spacious, tastefully decorated in the 60s/70s vibe.  Subtle creams, white, with bursts of burnt umber (hey, I remembered that from my oil painting days -- yes, I took lessons off and on over the background years. )  Oscar had a whimsical personality with a genuine heart and a broad smile.  I remember the exchanges each and every time ::... with my awesome older sister, Diana as my wing girl at the time [she complains slightly but really gets a kick out of my theatrics when I decide to unleash that side of my secret character].  She would come across her normal good-natured self, with a keen perception magnet ready to catch a dust of ego, which she just couldn't abide by.  From the times I can remember she loved being the older sister.  Minus any accusation of being snoopy, reframed in positive light of being ever so curious.  Imagine the Millennials gasping at the thought that I am going to share.  You see, back when I was in my teens, we had only one analog phone in our house and it was usually black with a rotary dial.  All six members of our family that included my mother and father, older brother, older sister, and younger brother.  We ALL shared the phone.    Everyone took turns answering the phone, a burdensome task best for someone else, yet the ceaseless ringing because the phone didn't know how to stop, did not go into voicemail, did not have caller ID, nor were there even fax beeps to contend with.  Similar to the battle of who would get up and change the channel?  Where the only way you could watch anything was on one television that was 20 inches and encased in a cabinet with surround sound (a radio in the same cabinet that was not in any way connected to the television, that would have been way way way too out there.  There were no other viewing monitors anywhere else in the house.  We would have to collectively agree on one thing to watch.  There weren't any remote control hogs even because there weren't any.  If you wanted to change the four (you were an early adopter) channels to watch something, you would have to get up and turn the dial directly on the television if you wanted to look through the limited channels.  There would be some hesitation by all simply because if it was your idea for what everyone would watch, you had the responsibility of getting up off your chair or section of the couch likelier with 6 family members and a dog were crowded around, to turn the channel.  Then manners were a BIG thing.  Or you may be getting the point that it was a pretty lazy house by now.  If you got up to go to the bathroom, it was required to take orders for the kitchen that you had to go past to go down the narrow hallway.  That the six of you shared.  Just think about the covert operation nailing down getting up in the morning, having a chance for a shower and any other laboratory needs, like shaving, pooping or peeing, eating breakfast, making lunch, getting off to work the 5 miles to school (substantially less than the 10 miles our parents had to travel in waist deep snow back in their day).  To survive in this household I took up reading.  I didn't know how smart I was at the time.  Everything else seemed too much of a hassle.

I'm watching theWorlds
the Figure Skating Championships and just loving it.  Last night Rob spent 28 minutes (yes, I timed him) while I was thoroughly amused at his thought process and determination to find figure skating that I wanted to watch last night.  I really am lucky.  Life isn't as complicated as we make it by ourselves.  We take on more than we should bear at times, but no more than we are able to bear.  Great people handle great responsibility.

I started thinking about reflecting upon these few questions.  Hoping others might join me.  Either by personal or business perspective, or artistic endeavor, what is its soul purpose?

You have to be able to define your soul purpose.  I don't think you can be on track unless you can define that.  So many fail, hit walls, yet bounce back and try another route.  It helps whittle them down to their soul purpose.

I was thinking while driving home that the more I try to explain the graFX.online website domain I've created, the better the vision becomes and starts to gel as its soul purpose is defined.  Pretty cool.  So if you were to force yourself to answer, what would they be:

* What is your soul purpose? __________________________________________
* Who do you see yourself with? __________________________________________
* How will it help others (or will you...) __________________________________________
* What will it look like? __________________________________________
* What will it do? __________________________________________
* Can you define it in 6 words or less? __________________________________________
* What are those 6 words? __________________________________________
* Where will you be? __________________________________________
* What will you have? (pen, paintbrush, camera)
___________________________________________
* What will it mean when it is done? ___________________________________________
* What sort of recognition will it have? ___________________________________________
* Will it create awards?  Rewards? ___________________________________________
* What is it a stepping stone to? ___________________________________________
* What will you need to learn to do it? ___________________________________________
* What sort of money would you expect to make? ___________________________________________
* Is it a title or a meaning? ___________________________________________



Friday, January 6, 2017

2017: when the age of "advertising" is diminished with the adopted currency & recognition called "brand"

damn it all to heck
i really become annoyed when Facebook can't keep my post stored as a draft if i haven't posted it yet.  This is a BIG weakness by Facebook.

what the fuss is all about
i'm sticking my neck out with an opinion clouding predictions of any sort.  Early on in my blog writing, developing skills as i applied them:  as a disciple of #EdwardSnowden school of thought: be a self-taught expert, uphold moral beliefs for mankind including everybody (avoided being diminished by greed or ego).  Edward's quest was for knowledge.  He had an unquenchable thirst for learning anything he was interested in, curious about, wanted to learn more about.  

if inspiration for 2017 is your game
relax in a comfortable atmosphere, devoid of distractions of any kind:  give the spouse free reign on the credit card with the kids for a play land (are there any more of them anymore?  aka Chuckecheese paradise for kids and a break for parents).  << that's a blog better meant for meanderings.about.ca ... as a light bulb goes off.  

watch SNOWDEN
if you want to have a glimpse of the new thermometer and full enlightenment to what is going on in cyber wars, that the traditional media has only sniffed around ignorantly focus on Russian cyber attacks against the US for political posturing.

our world has expanded a billion fold
as succinctly pointed out by Edward Snowden.  I love watching movies that seemingly portray the person behind the persona (also recommend SULLY as well, as the contrast between the 2 movies i watched back-to-back on ANDROID TV.

the BRAND phenomena
is what everything has come down to.  It no longer is what used to be first top of mind when a word came to mind in association with a noun:  KLEENEX(tissue paper); XEROX(photocopy|photocopier).  We GOOGLE(use GOOGLE search to find what we are looking for, regardless of reason or final objective).  Yet we don't APPLE anyone instead of call them on our smartphones.

the SOCIAL MEDIA empire
has been formed and is going to rapidly expand.  Simply because the reversal of sources has already occurred.  No longer are we reading the newspaper or magazine, listening to the radio, or watching television to gain access to what is happening in our world.

has anyone NOTICED?
that regardless of the media outlet you are surrounded by, they are doing somersaults and handstands all over the ticker message, page footnote, whatever:: they're asking you to FOLLOW them on Twitter almost firstly and all the time.  Or, they are attempting to create an organic trending topic without having to FLAG as "advertising" because "viral" supercedes all else (google is not finding me a word close to this, unusual but perhaps not so because i haven't been online for the past month or so, committed to a job that is subpar but pays the bills if not cherished by the heart.  Then Christmas was hectic, made even more so with only one day off on Christmas Eve in two weeks (i wondered who i pissed off to be relegated from  having to work on Christmas Eve (but off by usually 8 o'clock) then back at er on Boxing Day.

i tried to reach out to my COMPANY
show them where they are falling short as a BRAND.  I continue to frown and shake my head when the antics of West Jet continues to surge, with many copycats in tow (go GOOGLE Tim Horton's something about making dreams come true YouTube video that followed in WestJet's footsteps by creating a warm and fuzzy video on how they are giving such splendid gifts of televisions and other material things.  Saving millions in advertising dollars even offsetting the costs of the gifts, the sharing on the universe via social media catches it afire.

traditional ADVERTISING 
is married to traditional media.  I talked about that in that earlier blog a bit.  Maybe the realization hadn't fermented yet.  As it has now.  Traditional ads are dying a fizzling death.  MEDIA brands begging for increased followship while barely hanging on their fingertips that, if they fail, will plunge you into the BIG and not-so-BAD universe of SOCIAL MEDIA.

by no means a BOTTOMing out
certainly a new measurement of scale, reach and return (or ROI).  There were very early adopters of social media who were visionaries in the direction of where this brave new world of walls disappearing and blocks removed.  Where everyone and anyone can enter boldly or with trepidation.  What everyone will AGREE about is that the central force of news, events, communications has shifted to ONLINE.

when every NEWSCAST includes
something happening online.  Exponential volumes of content and snippets ready to be clasped by the influencers online (why do grammar and spelling check not add "influencer" as a reference to a person, personality online.  

where BRAND is king
and anyone can be in the game.  There is no distinction between a person, an organization, a corporation or a government.  The winner of BRAND becomes the king or the queen (where a woman can be crowned by her spirit and knowledge, evoking trust more quickly than men by observation and not any scientific substance or supporting facts).  

where an elected PRESIDENT
can tweet policy and engage hostile exchanges with those he should count on.  if you want to know what your new president is thinking:  just follow him on Twitter, to get it faster than the Evening News or Morning Headline.

the manipulation of TRUST
will continue to be a common thing, more likely to be beyond a cancerous growth.  Where the innocent, naive, trusting, home bound, infirm, lonely, lost human existence dwells with alarming rapid growth.

where FACT blurs with FICTION
when reality and FALSE are blended.  We have been trained to read in order to learn.  We instinctively want to read something of which information or knowledge we wish to gain.  We grew up with news journalism benchmarked credible content by scrutiny on ethics, backed up with facts, the best being unreproachable resource for news, events.

streaming LIVE is going to implode
as traditional mediums like television start to join the ranks of the almost eliminated advertising channels, words, hearing.  With technical digital engines developed to push that content out to the universe, developing sophistication evolving to glide into the sphere of the influence(r) BRAND who may bless them with a #RT, a read, and/or blessedly a share, their comments shrine built from within and without.

PERSONALITIES read or visualized
by anyone, anywhere, any age, any country, any language, any religion, any education can rise to become the relegated status of SOCIAL MEDIA SUPER STAR.

SOCIAL MEDIA SUPER STARs
are the INFLUENCE, VOICE, MESSAGE of what the masses want to hear, read or see.  Almost invisible, they can be beyond a murmur of voice to a clout of opinion, expression and resonance with the universe.  

COMPANIES will be exposed
for viral manipulation currently embraced and not recognized as sophisticated marketing, with visionary digital markets at the helm.  Art directors continually challenged to not only make the BRAND website pleasing to the eye, but also welcome to curiosity to click, tempting to learn more about, less distracting because blinking has been removed (avoiding the annoyance causes the visitor to depart).

psychoGRAPHICs | demoGRAPHICs
expertise will emerge as a viable consultancy sought after.  Right behind it or better hand in hand would be to engage, if not employ, a lead psychologist counsel created.  

the MIGHTIEST will survive
when they realize that theatrics and tricks will end up diminishing any credibility as people online become more SAVVY with where they place their TRUST.  The BRANDs that will win, are those easily trusted.  

Clear RESONATORS will win
not likely representing a group, organization or company, but a person who encompasses the very singular banner of trust.  The visionary committed to the amazing ability that communicating online allows.

TRUST:  the currency of NOW
where the compensation is like the old term of CONTRA.  Where an opinion that matters is worth that of a product, service or recognition.  

the MORAL of the STORY 
people, owners, executives, marketers begin to acknowledge this increasing trend.  Rethink your strategies.  Align yourself with brand ambassadors that add value and class.

AVOID tricks and manipulations
to only be uncovered as such.  Remember, people are smarter and smarter every day they're online.  As traditional media continues to reference social media as the originator of the source, gimmicks and tricks uncovered will severely dampen any momentum once people whom others trust, expose them as so.

COMPANIES try to create #hastags
that matter, are exposed for trying to create trending topics which they can capitalize on, fueled by paid promotion, to trick others into thinking they are popular online.  

Not nearly as SAVVY
because they have not yet recognized that they earlier influence BRAND of person is who they may want to consider replacing your marketing executives and dismantle that costly team and team who have limitless costs.

SELFLESSNESS out arms EGO 
greed, corruption, violence, terrorism, untruths, cyber attack, hack, money.  The knowledge a gift to others without purpose of gain.



Friday, December 9, 2016

Your vibe does attract your tribe in life and career






“Class is an aura of confidence that is being sure without being cocky. Class has nothing to do with money. Class never runs scared. It is self-discipline and self-knowledge. It’s the sure-footedness that comes with having proved you can meet life. ” 

~ Ann Landers





However it may seem strange that I rarely have comments on my blogs, I am often invited to answer questions on QUORA (link below). 


 Sometimes I think about my answer, while other times I just let my mind go free and respond instinctively to what comes immediately to mind as in this case when I was invited to answer this question. 


Ironically, as well.  I spend the least time on InstaGRAM than anywhere else and yet it is the topic I seem to have grabbed the attention of some who value my opinion.  Thank you.  Happy to help.  Here goes:





Why do my Instagram followers keep dropping?


Hmmm, very curious question. My first immediate reaction was a question: “what could this person be posting if they are seeing their followers drop?” Without question, social media can sometimes seem fickle when it is really not. This question bodes a suggestion to examine what you are posting …. if you are only sharing your last meal, and you didn’t cook it or it’s half eaten, unappetizing-looking or just plain “gross”. Other considerations may be that others may find that you have constant posts that are self-serving or promotional :: aka “spam”. People tend to gravitate towards sincerity, ingenuity, originality, beauty and inspiration. That is only my opinion. However, I do believe strongly that your following is a reflection of what you are sending out.




Don’t despair. Being fickle can also mean you can reinvent yourself easily. I would advise you to decide what you want to be known for or identified with and setting out to do just that. Or, if you have a specific interest that is not career, family, friends or social oriented, this is a great way of gravitating towards that interest, sharing it, finding sources or resources on that topic and then share it … you can check for #hashtag popularity or observe what seemingly popular people are posting. If that seems to capture your interest, it could be good advice to follow them and observe them from a distance and see if you can pick up any great habits or even share that person’s content as a means to cast your own web to gather people who share the same vibe.


Caution: what may seem funny at 2 o’clock in the morning with your work buddies or friends may be more embarrassing at 2 o’clock the next afternoon. At your desk, avoiding eye contact with colleagues or worse if its a boss. Your online presence becomes your reputation. What doesn’t matter at 20, can be a nightmare at 40. So act your age if you must, but at least apply manners and a mom rule: if you can’t do it in front of your mother, or you risk being scolded by her, then it isn’t going to be appropriate for a wide, global audience. AND just because your mom likes the better parts of you, her opinion may be skewed …. be wary that others will like your stickmen as much as she does.


Be optimistic. There is a lot of great quotes, beautiful images, fantastic photography that are in style any time, any season. Be classy, be polite, be bold.


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Your vibe does attract your tribe in life and career






“Class is an aura of confidence that is being sure without being cocky. Class has nothing to do with money. Class never runs scared. It is self-discipline and self-knowledge. It's the sure-footedness that comes with having proved you can meet life. ” 
~ Ann Landers


However it may seem strange that I rarely have comments on my blogs, I am often invited to answer questions on QUORA (link below). 

 Sometimes I think about my answer, while other times I just let my mind go free and respond instinctively to what comes immediately to mind as in this case when I was invited to answer this question. 

Ironically, as well.  I spend the least time on InstaGRAM than anywhere else and yet it is the topic I seem to have grabbed the attention of some who value my opinion.  Thank you.  Happy to help.  Here goes:



Why do my Instagram followers keep dropping?

Hmmm, very curious question. My first immediate reaction was a question: “what could this person be posting if they are seeing their followers drop?” Without question, social media can sometimes seem fickle when it is really not. This question bodes a suggestion to examine what you are posting …. if you are only sharing your last meal, and you didn’t cook it or it’s half eaten, unappetizing-looking or just plain “gross”. Other considerations may be that others may find that you have constant posts that are self-serving or promotional :: aka “spam”. People tend to gravitate towards sincerity, ingenuity, originality, beauty and inspiration. That is only my opinion. However, I do believe strongly that your following is a reflection of what you are sending out.


Don’t despair. Being fickle can also mean you can reinvent yourself easily. I would advise you to decide what you want to be known for or identified with and setting out to do just that. Or, if you have a specific interest that is not career, family, friends or social oriented, this is a great way of gravitating towards that interest, sharing it, finding sources or resources on that topic and then share it … you can check for #hashtag popularity or observe what seemingly popular people are posting. If that seems to capture your interest, it could be good advice to follow them and observe them from a distance and see if you can pick up any great habits or even share that person’s content as a means to cast your own web to gather people who share the same vibe.

Caution: what may seem funny at 2 o’clock in the morning with your work buddies or friends may be more embarrassing at 2 o’clock the next afternoon. At your desk, avoiding eye contact with colleagues or worse if its a boss. Your online presence becomes your reputation. What doesn’t matter at 20, can be a nightmare at 40. So act your age if you must, but at least apply manners and a mom rule: if you can’t do it in front of your mother, or you risk being scolded by her, then it isn’t going to be appropriate for a wide, global audience. AND just because your mom likes the better parts of you, her opinion may be skewed …. be wary that others will like your stickmen as much as she does.

Be optimistic. There is a lot of great quotes, beautiful images, fantastic photography that are in style any time, any season. Be classy, be polite, be bold.



Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Customer or Client? Mega greed or conspiracy theories?


Jason Bourne 
is to blame.  Tonight, my handsome husband selected a movie for us to watch.  It is a treat he has for me and he seems to always pick the perfect time.  The perfect time?  

Classic
The most classic perfect time in Calgary would be braving the roads from our first real winter "experience" of the season, where people have forgotten how to drive more cautiously and safely.  Then, I spent all day in training at work.  Funny part when the WWW (wicked witch of the west who will remain unnamed, to avoid the social media police that may be trolling my social media sites to ensure that I don't defame, embarrass or name the company or people I work with, have worked with, customer (transactional sale) versus client (continuing relationship where there is an exchange of money for services provided or in providing knowledge to help them make a decision.)

BIG SECRET
Relationship sales is much more satisfying and gratifying for both the representative and the client.  I know that if you are new to sales or think that sales pros speak a unique foreign language, you may think what is the point?  Customer or client? 

CUSTOMER
To me, a customer is a transactional buyer.  They shop, they compare, they buy once.  They move on.  Unless you manage your own headache on the warranty business.  A customer is a like trying to a romantic guy trying to woo a lovely lady with flowers, dinner and a diamond to only turn around and ask "what's for dinner?"    I'm lucky I'm not married to one of those.  My man, is a man's man, a gamer, a cool dude and all-around super guy.  He's smart, which helps.  If he doesn't understand something, he goes out of his way to learn more about it.  A customer is only going to compare, shop, call and ask for a deal, compare, take the deal and go to the other fierce competitor to test to see if they get their dandruff up if they mention who is "trying to win their business" when in actual fact, they are wasting resources (people, technology, profits, shareholder value) trying to squeeze out another dime.  These "customers" are in forums or getting opinions from neighbors, colleagues, friends and the pleasant lad who you stand in line at the coffee bar with.  They take that information as gospel on how to "get a deal".   I'm not sure, but I'd guess that the latest craze of false expertise is to drain advertisers banks and maybe gaining soundbites professing their show-stopping breakthrough.

I digressed A - L O T ... I won't apologize because if you come here to read my writing, it is going to be about sales or leadership or business with a twist of social media insight.  I'm long winded and detail oriented.  You don't often get one without the other:  someone who speaks out what they are formulating or have figured out, usually means telling someone else about it.  Or, in their gathering information and feeding their knowledge junkie habit, they ask a lot of questions, survey a lot of people, the web, often with Google's support, to find answers.

So, there are clients that do the same thing other sales pros would say.  I agree.  However, a really super smart sales savvy superstar can actually distinguish between what the car auto sales term (that I like to adopt as point of reference because buying a car is a universal buy that crosses all incomes, intellects and class or religion) ..... a tire kicker.  

If you were put on a platform with the "That was EASY button" notoriously campaigned and launched by Staples however many years ago ... would you be able to handle a flurry of questions like the rat-tat-tat of the sound of your voice mimicking a war toy?  Have you ever thought of holding a company olympics?  You should.  BUT don't limit it to ONLY the salespeople.  Make it mandatory for executives to participate too.  There are no classes and everyone is among the masses.  That is humility in executive leadership that you don't see, if ever.  (Unless you are of a certain type, of which it looks like I have another idea to write later).

Client
If you are any kind of company, you have created revenue streams by having "relationships" with a select group of buyers.  They may make transactional buys, but they are pretty loyal where they dispose of their money.  The money that there shareholders, owners, employees, suppliers need to see coming in on a steady stream.  They are not transactional customers, they are clients.  Some hip marketing sound bite made it popular to recoin that term into a defendable definition.  

That's the mini-lesson this evening.  After sitting in a training class all day, surviving nail biting slick driving conditions in a city that knows that it will inevitably happen lose their minds, AND it being so damn cold that the only thought you can conjure up about Christmas or "The Holidays" are penguins marching with gifts in tow.  Too cold to pump your own gas, but you have to so you won't run out of it after letting your car idle before the mad dash from the house to jump into the cocoon, that warmth enclosure, that quickly becomes a death trap as soon as you take the emergency break off and put your foot gently, cautiously on the gas pedal.  Only to almost be side swiped by some idiot driving like a maniac (and if it were safe to do so, take a video to post on YouTube for instant stardom ... which you don't because that would be considered "distracted driving" in a Province that has an offense as such, with a punishable penalty of a fine of the equivalent of all your Christmas gifts combined.)  

We need more Americans living in Canada.  Then again, there are already quite a few if the call-in rate for being sick on Black Friday because it was American Thanksgiving.    We didn't even have the tradition of super big deal sale day Black Friday without learning how to be better consumers from our cousins to the south.  Talk about biting the hand that feeds you when you think how quickly the masses on eastern shores have taken on the tradition and surpassed the consumer power from their teachers.

Buyers Supreme
One conspiracy theory I have in world dominance is going to be whoever holds the largest purse.  In a corporate world, that would mean usually the C.E.O. (Chief Executive Officer or chief elusive opportunist).  If you doubt me, look up who the richest CEOs are in your country.  The bigger the company does not necessarily mean the bigger the bonus.  They are their own public relations team and talent manager all tied up into a bow as one.    The buyers pay for that CEO even if they are delusional.  

World Domination
I don't know if anyone has noticed but the largest consumer culture of the americas is quickly being passed and left behind.  There is this place that is in the far east that has been making a lot of dough off of those americas companies by politely taking the jobs off their own soil, because their "consumers" or customers or clients don't care as long as they get the best price.  Now those poor unfortunate farmers and caretakers of the land are working in factories or building shipping operations to get those goods back to where the consumers are:  recycling of a new age kind.  

Consumers
Now where do you imagine where those big buckets of cash consumers reside?  Well, certainly not in the americas because those folks are riding the waves of job loss, pending home loss, and dignity lost a long time ago when they stopped being able to contribute to society:  as in consume.

Shifting tides
When you read a long long time ago that most of the owners of the debt in the americas are, you might be getting it:  they aren't in the americas.  Heck, stop worrying about the Mexican immigrants who are taking the jobs that nobody else wants to do.  In our consumer-entitled world.  Who, will soon be raising children who will be getting the best grades in school because they understand the value of education (where race, culture, background, financial picture can be eradicated if we ensure that all children on all continents are afforded an education.)  If you doubt me, consider who is graduating as doctors, pharmacists these days?  I can almost certainly say it isn't the third or fourth generation countrymen who are still stunned and striving to avoid destruction from the fall out of losing their jobs.  Offshore.  Huh?

Politics
Cannot be shoved aside.  I worked at the largest tech company in the world, who was conniving and pushing jobs offshore.  I was hearing from colleagues who had left mostly on their own accord.  Drained and strained to the max under the theory of their own self-destruction that tech will continue to replace human capital.

If I can find it, I will come back here and post the frame.  The CEO (chief elusive opportunist .... called such because you won't see them unless there is an opportunity for them to plug themselves or their company which plugs their cash meter).  The person was at the final Presidential Debate, and got in a soundbite by a notably large media outlet who hasn't caught on to the bigger story, and said "Whoever wins better ensure that they can create jobs".  

No reaction, no fall out, no media storm.  It was sexier to exploit the biggest battle of the sexes of all time than to clue in to what is happening.  Right under their collective noses was a bigger story.  Duh!  That CEO had been shoveling jobs offshore by the bushel to try to ensure the executives get their bonus and the shareholder noise is quieter.  Talk about the decimation of the oil industry why don't cha?

Decimation (Roman army) - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimation_(Roman_army)
Decimation (Latin: decimatio; decem = "ten") was a form of military discipline used by senior commanders in the Roman Army to punish units or large groups guilty of capital offences, such as mutiny or desertion. The word decimation is derived from Latin meaning "removal of a tenth".

Does 'decimate' mean 'destroy one tenth'? | OxfordWords blog

blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2012/09/does-decimate-mean-destroy-one-tenth/
Sep 10, 2012 - A classic example of this is the word decimate. ... But the claim that decimate should be used to mean naught but to ‘put to death (or destroy) one of every ten’ has deeper problems than that. ... Currently, decimate meaning ‘to tithe’ makes its first appearance in 1656 (more of ...

That very same person that I would watch on the global corporate-wide town hall trying to calm nerves when stories or how they tried to insinuate as "rumors" of tens of thousands of jobs going to be cut.  That very same person said they hoped that the new incoming president would "create jobs".  Ha!

Dictators
While the riches of the one hemisphere are being lost in droves, unrest befalls the populace.  As the entitled soon learn that the tables are turning.  All the "spoils" from the ignorance of others, pad the pockets of others who pounce on the opportunity to capitalize on that greed, politely take their money in pennies if that deflects attention from what they are really doing.  Giving jobs away because they are cheaper to appease the shareholders who line their pockets with gold, or what is more commonly known as a "bonus".

The climate is right, the temperature is ripe for a dictatorship.  Think about it.  When and where in our past has dictatorships risen?  Hmmmm, feeding off the entitlement of whatever hot buttons are needed to get the masses fired up?  Now, who has done that before?   Rising to power based on hysteria, indignation and fueling that by creating more outrage.  Can we think of where that has happen before?  Why, yes, some may even recognize a hint of it founded on religion.  

Scope
I'm asking you to think a little bigger picture here.  When and where have the people gotten all fired up and gotten on opposing sides of a great divide?  Why yes, very often it is blamed on religion.  If that is what people think is the answer, then the parasites can latch on to that and use that to climb onto a self-built pedestal that can be raised by loyal followers who think they too can join in and even perhaps gain favor, why not a job,  a bonus wouldn't hurt.  Is it on the tip of your finger yet?

Revolution
A revolt often evolves when two opposing sides become more impassioned and ablaze, deciding that their choice as the right way.  Wait.  Don't blame the HunksterHubster, he doesn't even know I'm writing this.  In fact, I'm pretty safe from my own family rising to any opinion because they don't read this either!  Lucky for me, Google has translation built right into a gadget on this blog that allows visitors to translate into their own tongue, to embrace it, Brazil.  !Gracias! 

I read this article and posted this comment on "MEDIUM" after stumbling upon this rich, resourceful, amazing "CREW" .......

The best designers and developers don’t want to deal with crummy work that has a poor budget — this undervalues the work they do.
BRAVO! Well said :o) Thank YOU *^*jm “The best designers and developers don’t want to deal with crummy work that has a poor budget — this undervalues the work they do”.This is so true of true creative types as well; try talking to a publisher, graphic designer or advertising agency, writers and imagineers; it is unfortunate when some drive prices down or deteriorate the brand of the industry or innovators by low-balling price by half-assed “entrepreneurs” who bastardize genius disguised behind the mask of greed. The deal makers and the price droppers. ~Jeannette