 In a completely informal, non-study of human behavior, the number one excuse for not doing something is: being busy with something else.
In other words, when someone checks in on a task they feel owed to them, an unfiltered answer wouldn’t be “I’ve been busy,” rather “I’ve used my time on things more important than you.” We wouldn’t get too far with interpersonal relationships if we spoke in real terms about busyness. Same idea applies to health and exercise, financial discipline, remembering birthdays, etc. The headline of this post is meant to be cheeky. If you’re living, working, playing (and hopefully sleeping), you’re busy and likely stressed about your time management. With social media, busyness lends itself to both sides of the coin. People admit they are too busy to keep up with being active on social from a personal or professional standpoint; as well as getting too distracted on the personal side of social. No sadder case of YOLO vs. FOMO. I've written before about why professionals and leaders should think seriously about social media. Instead of trying to negotiate social media into your schedule, answer these questions:
The traditional business networking tactics of the past, are becoming just that, “of the past.” Chances are you're already doing something meaningful, ex. you have a LinkedIn profile; you've been tagged in some sort of social post, etc. Your future goals should include a stronger and strategic digital presence, and trust that it’s already an overcrowded pool. Like everyone else, my responsibilities continue to grow in their gravity, and time is shorter than ever, yet both my job duties and my personal career development count on an increasingly active social media presence, and a keen understanding of what’s coming next. This means that I feel for you, I am with you, and here to share good news that your small gestures are a big deal. Question All You Know In the small world I’ve created for myself I know a handful of people that aren’t active on social media, at least not in conventional terms. But have no doubt they are certainly caught up in the Internet of Things (IoT). An elderly neighbor recently ambushed me during my weekend jog to show me her new Fitbit, and applaud her efforts in beating her husband and other relatives in walking challenges. These people might not have active profiles or publish online, but they certainly do call on technology and apps to communicate, support their social relationships and organize activities. Don't talk yourself out of investing in social media because you think your target audiences aren't on "there." "There" is a moving target of omnipresent proportions, and if they aren't there now, they will be soon. I feel fortunate to have experienced a portion of adult life without the chaos of social media, while also being schooled to be a fluent social media adopter, both for my line of work and personal development. I have found myself at times to be quite anti-social, recently suspending my Facebook after 11 years of active use. I’ve also hopped around a bit on platforms without fully committing to blowing one up (but experimenting enough to be dangerous along the way). These facts alone qualify me to know, well, it’s not all butterflies and hashtags. What I do know is how it feels to spend “time well-wasted,” without achieving social media superstardom or tangible results, and/or wondering if more followers or shares would fill that empty feeling. But this is where my crankiness ends. It’s where I go back to those three questions and remind myself there is good reason to stay on track. Think & Act Differently Maybe you’ve tried the social media thing before, or maybe you’re unsure to how to blur, or separate, the lines between your personal and business life. In any case, at any stage, the following tips below are designed as guidelines to get you focused, energized and active. Two’s Company Think two main platforms or channels. That’s all. Check out many (and claim yourself and brand if you haven’t already on most) and then commit to two to learn inside and out and engage regularly. Which platforms are most “you,” and where will be the most valuable to spend your time. You can think in terms of opposites in your choosing: broad and narrow/niche audiences; long-form and short-form publishing; highly visual or highly narrative. An example would be Twitter and LinkedIn; or Instagram and Medium, or YouTube and Pinterest. You can grow your presence overtime but start with something simple, tangible and doable, that also feels like you belong there. Narrow Your Subjects Again, pick two or three subject areas or themes, which are near and dear to you, to comment, share and publish. Not because you’re boring; because it’s easier to frame your mind and activities around focused themes. Think of it as your journalistic beats. Follow these topics on the channels and start identifying your personal brand with these themes. Follow (Stalk) a Friend You know the one. The one all over this stuff, racking up followers, getting gigs left and right. Lurk, watch them, check on them day and night. Watch for patterns. Set against a power user, observe and learn to translate ways on how you want to present yourself. Commit to Your Calendar Seriously, create recurring calendar events to block your time to participate on social media. At least until it becomes second nature. You can start small, say two times a week, block a half hour to log on. Then move to twice a day, maybe first in the morning and early evening, or two other slots that make the most sense in the ebb and flow of your day. Soon it will become a habit and the regular use will lead to efficiencies that will make your time on their better and richer. Check Twice, Post Once Some tools and platforms will allow you to share the same message on multiple social channels. Not all the functionality translates precisely but it is an argument for multiplying your time and efforts. There are also tools, including free ones, where you can manage multiple accounts from one login. Again, it's all about getting comfortable first before looking at ways to extend your activity further. Give it Your Best Life seems to reveal, over and over again, that you will get out what you put in. Same for your social media activity.
Commit to changing your behavior by making social media one of your priority “somethings.” Start with a couple channels, a few themes, and log in several times each week, to engage inside and outside your comfort zone. You might even learn a little something along the way. Christina Capadona-Schmitz (@ChristinaCS & @DownWithSpitUp) leads marketing communications for Oswald Companies, a risk management and financial services company in Cleveland, Ohio. She is on the clock 24/7 with her parenting resource blog www.DownWithSpitUp.com, among other creative pursuits and community endeavors. Connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinacapadonaschmitz.
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One Sunday summer morning, as I caught up on work while my kids were coloring on the deck next to me, my five-year-old son runs up and says:
"Do you know we all have logos? Daddy's logo is a star and mommy's logo is a heart." Out of nowhere my son had developed a fascination with branding. Now considering my line of work, I swear this was unprompted, as on his own he began pointing out recognizable logos from restaurants and shopping chains on car rides, and identifying symbols for characters on his favorite TV shows and movies. Of course I probed on, “Why do you say that? “Daddy's a police officer and the star represents that…” “Well, what about the heart?” “Ahhh, you’re a heart because you love me!” he said with a laugh. Say and think what you will about the sometimes trite, and often over-used, term "personal branding," but it does exist, and in the smallest of world perspectives. Although we're highly exposed daily, our self awareness isn't always in tune. Sometimes we need an unfiltered view to understand what values we are expressing to those around us. To me, his expression of the heart to represent me spoke volumes, as I sat there typing away on my laptop, feeling the constant strain of supporting my family, my work, my personal development. On the whole; it was the heart he saw. He continued... “My brother’s logo is all different and wild colors,” as he ran over to our three-year-old who was jumping and yelling on the jungle gym. Later, he scribbled the colors he saw of this free spirited soul to whom provides much adventure daily to his life. (pictured above). The big question remained. “So, what about your logo?” He paused. Then matter-of-factly stated, “My logo is a smiley face and a mad face with two arrows going back and forth between them,” then ran back off to play with his brother on the jungle gym. I guess big feelings start early, run deep, and don’t end once we outgrow childhood. The emotional struggles we have within ourselves, and the connections we have to each other, explained through simpler means, can help bring a little order to chaos. If even the most naive of eyes can notice, how do you think the wiser eyes see you: your clients, your prospects, your employees? What marks do they see that represent you, your work, your associations to ideas, interests and organizations. As modern communicators we're told to choose visuals over words, especially for web-based consumption by impatient consumers. But it's the context, the stories, the expressions, the experiences that give life to the graphic representations. Word and design marks only offer consistency in the surface look; it’s the everyday behaviors and experiences that make a brand what it is, be it product, service or personal. Want to know your personal brand, and the authentic you to share with the world and stand out? Just ask yourself how a child would "brand you.” Or better yet, find a five year old (with an early penchant for marketing communications at that) and ask them yourself. Christina Capadona-Schmitz (@ChristinaCS & @DownWithSpitUp) leads marketing communications for Oswald Companies, a risk management and financial services company in Cleveland, Ohio. She is on the clock 24/7 with her parenting resource blog www.DownWithSpitUp.com, among other creative pursuits and community endeavors. Connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinacapadonaschmitz. 
Who you know means something. Who knows you means everything.
Who thinks and talks about you when you’re not around? That makes all the difference. We need not navigate the rough waters of career advancement alone. For this we have mentorship, sponsorship and friendship. • A mentor talks to you. • A sponsor talks about you. • A colleague or friend talks with you (no agenda necessary) It is safe to say we can benefit from all three types of connections for purposeful growth and balance in our careers. And if fortunate, we’re put into positions to serve on both sides of these roles. But it’s more than luck that makes it meaningful. It’s conscious and strategic identification, action and maintenance over time. In short, it takes work, and likely outside of your 8-5. It’s a shared understanding of the value of time and energy spent, and a mutual respect to know when “the ship has sailed,” and the time comes to move on. How do you attract or seek out the right match for you? Start with understanding the differences, identify who might be missing in your career life and then take simple and effective actions to begin the process. Mentorship Mentorship is what you make of it, and certainly has a range from the extremely informal, to established formal programs within organizations or interest groups. These relationships can be organic or forced, and in both cases the idea is the same: call on your experience and influence to listen, advise and nurture another. Within this realm comes another dimension - coaching - to which Sharlyn Lauby, Founder of HR Bartender, defines as such in her article Mentors or Coaches – Why You Need Both: Mentors are typically subject matter experts in the topic they are mentoring. Their method involves teaching and development. They are passing along their knowledge and skills. Coaches are focused on listening, questioning and processes. Their methods focus on action plans, goals and accountability. They are helping someone achieve a goal that’s been set. Additionally, I tend to associate coaches with paid services and consultation, where mentorship as more pay-it-forward. There is value in both. Action Steps: It might seem obvious but you should seek out mentors with more experience than you have, who also have a passion for sharing and advising. These individuals will have a pay-it-forward attitude and will hopefully stick with you to guide you through many stages on your career path. Sponsorship I admit this concept is newer to me, though well accepted as a delineation from the traditional mentorship concept. As defined by Sylvia Ann Hewlett, author of Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor in her article “The Right Way to Find a Career Sponsor”: “Where a mentor might help you envision your next position, a sponsor will advocate for your promotion and lever open the door.” Sponsors talk about you, at the right times and in the right audiences. But it’s not a one-way street. Hewlett goes on to explain that it’s not seeking friends, but allies, and in helping to elevate the career of those they sponsor, they help “further their career, organization or vision.” It’s making sure the right people know you: the skills, experience and ambition you bring to the table. It’s an exercise in taking risks on the real you, and reminding them early and often of the value you offer. Action Steps: Seek out sponsors in influential positions and who have strong business networks. These individuals know the value in making the right connections and believe, in time, that the cross-promotion will pay off for both audiences. Friendship In the FastCompany article "Why Having Friends at Work is so Important," author Lydia Dishman shares that in general we spend most of our time at work, but unlike in the past, we choose productivity and efficiency over building friendships. Additional factors including job hopping, social media interaction and work/life blending also work against us. What's the cost? The article cites several studies and resources with shared outcomes: stronger friendships can lead to happier and more productive lives, resulting in more success, income and overall satisfaction (even more so than the typical corporate strategies for engagement including mentorship!) It might not seem easy or natural in today's work environment, but making personal connections with colleagues - nurtured over time - can have both short- and long-term gains, wherever your career takes you. Action Steps: Boldly step outside your comfort zone, keep it light, and take a chance in making new friends at work. The article above offers some great tips on being vulnerable and making the friendship work for both of you. How can we be mentors if we can’t be friends? Michael Bolton knows a bit about this concept. Work friends or colleagues are just as important as other connections, for companionship through the daily grind, and a bit of levity when times get tough. Any of these relationships need to be built on a level of trust and mutual connection that feels both friendly and professional. It crosses into mentorship and sponsorship territory when you agree to be more intentional. Remember, a rising tide lifts all ships, so don’t forget your responsibility and accountability in the formula: Make it official Take a mentorship or sponsorship situation seriously and don’t assume anything is “implied.” Pop the question, say the words out loud, and make it a firm commitment, including stated intentions, goals and expectations for the long-term. Make it meaningful Think beyond traditional check point phone calls or coffee meetings, to meetings at inspiring venues or other choices off the beaten path. Take on a challenge or gaining a new skill together to learn more about yourself and each other. Connect with each other in your own unique worlds to support a cross-mentorship experience. Make it last If needed in your busy schedules, put recurring meeting appointments on your calendars so in the least you’ll pop up in each other’s phones and emails regularly. Make it, gone? Like any relationship, there may come a time to call it quits. The power is in knowing when its time and having the courage to have the talk, so both of you know the score. Yes, they will eventually get the hint when you don't return emails and continually cancel meet ups, but you could remain friends and allies even if time and interests stop aligning. When Your Ship Comes In In his popular TedxToronto talk "Everyday Leadership," Drew Dudley challenges us to redefine leadership from a title that we earn, to the numerous ways we can be an influence and inspiration to those around us (and recognize these experiences to give credit where it's due). As helpful as others may be to you in your journey, the feeling of influencing and inspiring others can’t be measured. At a recent leadership panel event, Dr. Margaret McKenzie, Head of General Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Cleveland Clinic, had this to say about paying it forward: ”I will never 'arrive' because arriving means that I have stopped. I am always becoming.” She went on to add, “You never know… the people you mentor today might be your boss someday.” Just think: who you mentor, sponsor and support, could one day advocate on your behalf. Or better yet, have used the experience to push beyond their potential and rise to greater influence than anyone thought possible. Like anything else, balance is the key to nurturing your career and connection needs, as well as in committing your time wisely to the advancement of others. Choose your course wisely, and leave behind you a legacy of meaningful connections in the wake. Attribution: Photo used under Creative Commons from _dChris Christina Capadona-Schmitz (@ChristinaCS & @DownWithSpitUp) leads marketing communications for Oswald Companies, a risk management and financial services company in Cleveland, Ohio. She is on the clock 24/7 with other creative pursuits and community endeavors. Connect with her at www.ChristinaCSMedia.com.  Everybody and their brother is on LinkedIn. Even my brother.
But being ‘’on” doesn’t mean being “one” with the platform. Until you take the leap and dive in, it is, and will remain, a platform. This post isn’t a how to use and navigate LinkedIn (see my overuse of the word guru later in the post) or maximizing its paid solutions in sales, careers and marketing. It covers why it will be worth your time in figuring it out: for yourself and the audiences that count on you. 1. Build Networks With New Generations of Engaged Professionals In addition to building fresh and stronger connections with your current networks (yes, they are on LinkedIn too), start to think bigger and toward the future. Your next best talent might show up at your doorstep, OR you might stumble upon them during your time logged on. Or better yet, you might take a strategic approach to searching and finding new connections. Spoiler: you know the well-connected, digitally savvy, motivated professionals you dream about joining your organization? Well, they are right here, putting it all out there for you to see. 2. Thought Leadership? Do it All The Time You haven’t reached your level of influence by standing on the sidelines. LinkedIn puts, at your fingertips, the power of sharing your experiences, your vision, and your kudos to other leaders in your circles and beyond. This isn’t about trade secrets and secret sauces. It's about sharing the lessons you’ve gained, and subject matter authority you yield, on a much broader playing field. Whether you choose to publish your own articles, "like" or share valuable content from others, or simply consume resources as they emerge on your feed, you won’t be able to help yourself but to feel more engaged and enlightened to the pulse of your constituents. 3. All Eyes On You If you want a more digitally engaged workforce – from entry-level, to sales, to upper management – what better way than to set the tone yourself. Others will surely follow if you start to make it a habit. It’s probably a good time to state that LinkedIn is not a priority task you can simply work into your calendar; it’s a disciplined behavior that must be practiced and nurtured on- and off-the-clock. The tools may change, but the “social media” way of communication is not going away, so there’s little risk of wasting the time you invest now to understand the landscape. Talk it up, offer learning opportunities for employees, and share away. Bonus: A Guru is Going to Get Ya Somewhere, someday, some self-proclaimed social media guru is going to corner you for five minutes and challenge you to “go digital.” And you’re going to be able to say, been there, done that, what else do you have for me? Or in the least, be able to share that you’re on it, and working toward maximizing the tool, calling on technical or moral support when needed. Get Comfortable with The Caveats As you’ve learned during your tenure, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Fortunately, the challenges posed are the same that you deal with in real life.
With all the best practices out there – be it profile update tips, engagement activities, or making the most of connections – the only successful LinkedIn strategy is the one that will keep you logging in each day. When getting started, or getting active, don’t start with concerns on how your picture or profile should look, or who you should connect with, or what articles to share; rather ask yourself:
Keep in mind: your competitors are already on here. Look them up in the search function if you don't believe me. So come on chief(s), it’s time to warm up to the idea, download the app, and dig in. ***** Clearly, you don’t have to have a corner office to benefit from these lessons. For more on the how-to, check out the resources below or schedule time with the most engaged professionals in your organization to find out how they make it work for them. • Getting Started on LinkedIn (video) • Moz Beginner's Guide to Social Media & LinkedIn Christina Capadona-Schmitz (@ChristinaCS & @DownWithSpitUp) leads marketing communications for Oswald Companies, a risk management and financial services company in Cleveland, Ohio. She is on the clock 24/7 with her parenting resource blog www.DownWithSpitUp.com, among other creative pursuits and community endeavors. Connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinacapadonaschmitz.  Do you subscribe to the mantra below?
Be yourself. Those who matter don’t mind; and those who mind, don’t matter. There are several versions of this quote, but the core idea is the same: the important people in your life will know your value. What about in business? Do the same rules apply? Not bound by blood or friendship, those who matter, might mind: your board, your boss, your clients and your teams. Or will they? Some of us never get the chance to find out. If fears of failure, or looking foolish, are holding you back from:
Note: If you’re the kind of co-worker that sends emails in ALL CAPS, or leaves their dirty dishes in the sink for days (among other office faux pas), this post might not be for you. Might want to start with an office etiquette article. Breaking Through Barriers (and Buzzwords) If there’s one constant I’ve found in business is the propensity toward the “bright and shiny.” Always hungry for answers to simplify our lives, or enhance our situation, we are drawn to new ideas, advice, and movements, driven by thought leaders with interesting stories to tell. The current environment is no different. More recent and popular enterprises in personal disruption, professional presence, and authenticity and emotional intelligence, are different in nature, but share similar threads: removing barriers (both internal and external) and overcoming risks to achieve fulfillment in your personal life and career. For a deeper dive into these movements, click to view the full PDF download "Taking Risks On The Real You: Three Ways to Erupt Yourself and Your Career," or read on below. Embrace Career Disruption Admittedly, before one can erupt their power inside, they must disrupt the whole world around them. That is what Whitney Johnson, acclaimed author and president/cofounder of Rose Park Advisors’ Disruptive Innovation Fund, shares in her recent book, “Disrupt Yourself: Putting the Power of Disruptive Innovation to Work.” In her LinkedIn Big Ideas 2016 article on this topic, she explains “when you disrupt, you move along something called an S-curve — the necessary pivots in our own career path,” through stages of competence, confidence and mastery. Each phase involves the risks of taking on new challenges and sustaining success over time. In the Quartz article “To get ahead in your career, disrupt yourself first,” Ming Hsu, assistant professor at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute is quoted: “People are often poor judges of the amount of risk, and can be swayed by surface elements, such as ambiguity.” Opportunities that seem high-risk on the surface, such as leading the implementation of a new corporate process, or taking on a role or task outside of your knowledge and experience, can yield the highest rewards and with low competition from outside forces. In these scenarios, your main adversary is yourself, including past experiences and implied anxieties. Even if you fail at the specific project, these types of initiatives force you to learn skills, absorb knowledge, and challenge yourself and others, in ways you haven’t done before. This experience will stick with you in the long-term, no matter your initial outcome. Project Professional Presence This is known by several aliases: the “X” factor; executive presence; personal branding. I prefer the French phrase “je ne sais quoi,” or “a quality that cannot be described or named easily,” since that is exactly how I feel when I’m in the presence, of someone with presence. In a recent post on professional presence How Will Others See You in 2016 and Beyond?, Oswald Companies senior vice president and Women’s Leadership co-chair Catherine Kosin shares “building professional presence is an all-inclusive reflection of yourself and requires effort and time to develop.” In other words, presence is a very external thing, bound to a wholly internal drive. It’s not something you’re necessarily born with, but something that you must nurture each day. It’s the value you give of yourself through your personal interactions, and example you set for others, despite the risks of revealing the real you. I define presence as the direct result of the work you put in when no one is looking, when someone is actually looking. Still apprehensive? Here’s a bonus: you can make biology work on your side. View the highly acclaimed Amy Cuddy TED Talk Your body language shapes who you are and join the millions who’ve made peace with “faking it” until you’re making it. Build Emotional Intelligence & Authenticity According to the Wikipedia definition, Emotional intelligence (EI) or emotional quotient (EQ) is the capacity of individuals to recognize their own, and other people’s emotions to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior. The idea was made mainstream by Daniel Goleman in the mid-1990s with his best-selling book Emotional Intelligence. The awareness component of EI/EQ is key. It’s not about being overly emotional in work settings, but it is about being appropriately emotional when the situation calls for it. It’s in your thoughts AND your actions. For example, we might be conditioned to check our emotions at the lobby elevator and run our teams like well-oiled machines. There are major risks in showcasing our feelings: major blow-ups, showing signs of “weakness,” etc. However, EQ is about the right balance of interpersonal connection to the humans we work with, and using intelligence to prevent lines from being crossed. This balance is delicate, but through awareness and practice, your perspective can change. In my experiences, an output of strong emotional intelligence is authentic collaboration and leadership. It’s the stepping stone to gain deeper trust for and from others; the precursors to getting your thoughts heard, and movements, well, moving. Taking The Right Risks: Mind Over Matter There are risks in revealing the real you: to yourself, your peers and your superiors. It’s going to take new visionary mindset to see beyond the present circumstances in front of you. You may find out there is much more work to be done before your ready to take the big leap. Or you might pull a Steve Harvey (no, not the famous flub), and simply jump. If you mind, it will matter. Wake up every day ready to take on new challenges, and act and communicate purposefully toward achieving your goals. Align yourself with the people, networks and organizations that embrace the values that you hold dear, and be the role model for others still finding their way. Fight the fears of changing your situation when it’s called for: a comfort zone isn’t all that comforting in today’s volatile, fast-paced business environment. As we say often at our organization - which is built on identifying, reducing, managing and transferring the risks of businesses and individuals - one of the biggest risks out there is standing still, and doing nothing. Long, long, story short. If you don’t disrupt yourself (or as I’ve described, erupt the real you inside) someone else out there is, and will be right on your heels. There’s room for all of us to advance, and frankly, a successful future depends on it. If I can leave you with one closing thought, it’s this: engage. Attend a professional event. Join a committee. Take a co-worker that you don’t know out to lunch. Make the choice to take an active role in the world and people around you. When you do, you’ll find that things like career disruption, professional presence and emotional intelligence, well, they’re just part of the gig. ***** Still need inspiration? Check out this impressive collection of quotes from women leaders. https://www.resourcefulmanager.com/quotes-from-inspiring-women-leaders/ Click to view a downloadable, print-ready version of this article. Christina Capadona-Schmitz (@ChristinaCS & @DownWithSpitUp) leads marketing communications for Oswald Companies, a risk management and financial services company in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a member of the Oswald Women’s Leadership Council. Learn more at https://www.oswaldcompanies.com/about-us/womens-leadership-council/. She is on the clock 24/7 with her parenting resource blog www.DownWithSpitUp.com, among other creative pursuits and community endeavors. Connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinacapadonaschmitz.  I recently reflected on ten years of transformation from traditional marketer to content-obsessed communicator. The vows I made back then hold true today.
Enough about me. Content Marketing is about you, and what you hold dear. For all the joys and woes it brings, I'd like to pay tribute to a content marketing staple: The Top 10 List. Check out lessons and takeaways from a decade of diligence. 1. Be Nosy The best of content marketing strategies can be wielded by simple questions to target audiences:
2. Rethink Thought Leadership You have experts in your circles who can drop top knowledge in an engaging way. But keep in mind: no one wants to have to think all the time. Maybe you can bring audiences value by giving them a needed mental break. Entertain them, distract them, or simply let them know you and your company are thinking on their behalf. It's noisy out here. When it's time for your leaders to shine, make sure they're centered in the value they are willing to share, without the promise of immediate gratification. 3. Repurpose on Purpose Don’t repurpose content because it’s simple, time-efficient, cost-efficient and useful. Do it because it supports a strategic business objective. Or because the timing is right. You could be either pressed for time, or have ample time to fully plot out a revamp. Good content, like cheese, will suit different tastes at different stages of aging. The worst you can do is get too immersed in the flavor-of-the-week, that your best content gets neglected...and way past its shelf life. 4. [Insert Marketing Tactic] is Dead? Time For a Comeback Events. Print. Content Marketing itself. We’re all happy to put tactics out-to-pasture to make room for the bright and shiny. Take a chance on a castaway medium or repurpose across various channels (see #3). 5. But Everybody is Doing it, Mom Don’t "do" content marketing because it’s cool (or for you newer generation professionals, because it’s retro). Commit to the approach because it’s good business and it feels right for your audiences. It’s a marathon, stacked on top of a triathlon, combined with a vision quest, and it's not for everyone. You will burn out if your heart isn’t into it, and you’ll be back to blasting salesy messages in no time. 6. Learn The Rules and Then Try to Break Them All Read the articles, attend the conferences and dial into the webinars. Then, at every single chance, challenge the status quo and try something new. You can call on best practices and still be original (see 99 Amazing Content Marketing Hub examples on the Marketing Insider Group). Author, speaker, and all-around marketing/media fireball Andrew Davis personifies the call for constant reinvention in this space. At the core of his multimedia world is a penchant for shining the spotlight on those with unique paths to extraordinary successes. The CMO Club has a great description of the anti-data movement in its 2016 surprising marketing trends post. Content marketing is not paint-by-number, but there’s a lot to be learned from those that practice it daily. Case in point: Propane. Our company consults on highest complexity of needs of organizations throughout the globe. So what’s one of the top visited pages on our website each month? A single, simple article on OSHA propane safety regulations. Client survey data may have never foretold the power of a content piece like this. 7. You Will Fail, You Will Learn You will lose time, brain cells and likely some friends. You will spend months on a campaign that gets killed before launch. You will think you have a viral hit on your hands that is nothing but a mild infection. All that you must know and master as a modern marketer is immense (and mounting). Things will fall through the cracks and expensive programs will flop. Keep good notes, learn from your failures and celebrate your wins in high style. Approach every project like it will be your Space Jam to keep the fire in your belly. 8. Enough About The Cobbler's Kids and Their Shoes While I believe you must walk the walk, I know many successful pros who spend the lion’s share of time making clients great. Every client, audience and strategy deserves a unique approach, so kudos if you have the time and energy to make yourself and your clients’ rock stars in your respective fields. Approach the task of staying active with your personal brand, and keeping up on new technologies and capabilities, as investments in the success of those you serve. There are teachers and doers, and if you work your tail off, you’ll get to be a bit of both. 9. Losing Your Voice You’re a visionary, you’re talented, and you’re driven, but newsflash: content marketing comes with a side of humility. It doesn’t amount to much without the buy-in of others. Put yourself in the shoes of your client, your boss, your company and your stakeholders. Put your ego aside to open up to new perspectives and the collaborative approach needed to achieve early wins. Need to keep your energy up, creativity booming, and authentic voice well-tuned? Create your own personal platform and let it flow. 10. Finding Contentment Celebrity keynoters from multiple Content Marketing World events have made jest of the phrase “content marketers” as being a “satisfied” group of professionals. If you’re true to the game, you will always be hungry for challenges, and that in itself will breed a new kind of fulfillment. You get to contribute. You get to collaborate. You get to create. It’s a passion and a privilege. Some Final Words If this article has worn you out, I will offer one of my favorite excuse quotes, from Blaise Pascal: “I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had the time to make it shorter.” We all have a voice, with much more to say, all with shorter attention spans to spit it out. That’s the challenge and opportunity to keep us moving. If you’ve finished this post, you’ve read more than 1,000 words. You’re a web-reading rebel and get a gold star. If you’ve scanned the 10 lessons and took one nugget back to your boss, I salute you. If you’ve skipped to the bottom to experience the toll that ten years of content marketing takes on the mind and body, you are also a winner. Spoiler alert: we are all winners in the content marketing game, because it’s never ending, and we write the rules as we go. I may never contribute to a Fortune 500 brand, or keynote a major event, but to “content market” is wildly addictive, incredibly frustrating and undeniably rewarding. Even if there is no pot of Birkin Bags at the end of this rainbow, my love for the craft will never be a matter of contention. This is post 2 of 2 of my content marketing reflections. Check out “Ten Years' Content Marketing And Still True to my Vows" Christina Capadona-Schmitz (@ChristinaCS & @DownWithSpitUp) leads marketing communications for Oswald Companies, a risk management and financial services company in Cleveland, Ohio. She is on the clock 24/7 with her parenting resource blog www.DownWithSpitUp.com, among other creative pursuits and community-based endeavors.  Now that the planning and prediction posts have settled down I’ve found myself reminiscing about 2006.
The first tweets were being tweeted, and we were all lamenting along to the song "Bad Day," but I was a bit distracted. Early that year I joined an agency startup built on the premise of value-based PR and marketing, and then shortly afterward, got married. Life has thrown several curveballs in one decade of marriage (shocking, I know), and I'm now well into the throes of a corporate leadership gig. On the content marketing front? I’m still lovingly devoted to the same ideals from back then:
To Have and To Hold Content marketing is a verb to me. It’s not a strategy; it’s a behavior, a mindset, and a passion put to practice. It’s the value you’re willing GIVE, without a contract to RECEIVE (time, dollars, endorsement). Its success is measured in YES or NO. Consumed or ignored. Action taken, or not. It’s permeable and simple, yet overwhelming to put to paper and execute. Not to mention the challenge of gaining the influence to shift time, dollars and human resources. Back in the day, our team at the time tried to spread the message to clients in the homegrown manner to which they could relate. Today, the team behind the PR 20/20 blog has it rightfully ranked among the top content marketing resources out there. Joe Pulizzi brought it mainstream to the masses, along with the forums for like-minded marketers to mingle. Technologies caught up and soon content marketing had the mass to make it movement-worthy. Earlier in my career I read article-upon-article on the subject, to learn the angles, tips, tools, and know-how. It got noisy somewhere along the way. I was already all-in, seeking ways to help influence those I served to shift their thinking. My personal answer wasn’t to absorb more. It was simply to roll up my sleeves, put my fingers to the keyboard, and do the hard work that’s required. Write, create, rework, repeat. With time and persistence I had small wins, and then growth, until it became the core behavior I applied to all of the marketing disciplines I manage. In Good Times and Bad Every day there are new folks saddled with impossible growth goals and mounting marketing responsibilities. Ready for a change and primed for disruption, or possibly after reading just one article they saw on LinkedIn, they become enlightened to content marketing and the new disciples of the cause. And then, no matter how many times they’ve been told to “start with why,” they skip right to the “how” and “what,” and meet a frustrating fate of analysis paralysis. Been there one too many times myself. The truth is that contenting marketing is a reflection of doing good business, delivered in a tangible, creative way. There are no shortcuts and nowhere to hide. There is no end because there are always new people to engage, and new ideas to explore. It takes adopting the mindset of an owner and a customer (simultaneously) and producing work in a focused and purposeful manner, to get campaigns off the ground and through the clutter. The opportunities never stop, so neither can our devotion. As Long as Content Shall Live It’s been said, ad nauseam, that content marketing has been a game-changer. Anyone immersed in it will be familiar with the John Deere “Furrow” case studyof 1895, and then there is, you know, the Bible. It may not be new, but it is certainly still shiny. At its very core, content marketing is about behavior change, and thus why we are still busy talking about it in 2016, when it should be the very air we breathe as marketers and communicators. There is still much work to do, from the mom and pop shops, to global consumer brands, and all of us in-between. Whether you’ve been content marketing five decades, five months, or five minutes, let’s renew our commitment to continually enhance brand experiences with all of our stakeholders: prospects, clients, employees, leaders and our communities at-large. If I’m lucky in life, I’ll continue to feel the butterflies and have another 10 years to figure it out…content marketing, that is. The marriage, mortgage and kid stuff? That's one case study that will always be my proudest work-in-progress. This is post 1 of 2 of my content marketing reflections posts. For even more metaphors and idioms jam-packed into one article, view “Ten Years' Content Marketing And All I Got Was This Top Ten Post.” Christina Capadona-Schmitz (@ChristinaCS & @DownWithSpitUp) leads marketing communications for Oswald Companies, a risk management and financial services company in Cleveland, Ohio. She is on the clock 24/7 with other creative pursuits and community endeavors. Connect with her at www.ChristinaCSMedia.com. |
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