I’m facing two big milestones this month.  One that has come and gone and another one is around the corner.  I have been in full-time business for a year as of July 1st and I’m turning 40 as of July 17th.  

Who knew that July would be fraught with so much meaning? Isn’t this supposed to be the happy-go-lucky month where the sun finally comes out in Seattle and it’s semi-acceptable to drink a ice-cold lager at 3 in the afternoon?

Back in May, I was the expert on Erika Heald’s tweetchat #ContentChat about customer personas, and since then I’ve been sharing the highlights of the conversation in a series of blogs. Part 1 was about what you need to know before you start the process of persona development. Part 2 focused on getting to know your customers. In this, the final installment, I’m talking about pulling together all of that work you did to finally create your customer personas. Enjoy!

Early in May, I was the expert on Erika Heald’s tweetchat #ContentChat. The topic was a deep dive on personas: why they’re important, what (and who) who you need to create them, and how to put them into a format that’s usable and helpful. The conversation was so rich I felt compelled to share some of the highlights — and there were a lot! In Part 1 of the blog series, I covered what you need to know before you start the process of persona development. Now, in Part 2, we’ll dig in and focus on getting to know your customers!  And if you're interested in skipping ahead, read Part 3 . 

​Early in May, I was the expert on Erika Heald’s tweetchat #ContentChat. The topic was a deep dive on personas: why they’re important, what (and who) who you need to create them, and how to put them into a format that’s usable and helpful. The conversation was so rich I felt compelled to share some of the highlights — and there were a lot! Following is Part 1 of the chat highlights, where we focus on what you need to know before you ever start thinking about your customers: defining some commonly-used terminology, then working to understand yourself and your competitors.  We have tons more about personas in part 2 and part 3, so keep reading!

Last week I was delighted to be featured on the Content Marketing World tweetchat #CMWorld. If you see me around, you probably know I’m on da twitterverse as @SuperDeluxeMo (look me up! Let’s be friends!) The focus echoed what I’ll be talking about at Content Marketing World during my solo session: turning employees into thought leaders.

Although the whole “what is a thought leader” question might seem like a boring old “state of the union” question, I think it’s actually an interesting opportunity to dig a little deeper.

​I’m in the process of choosing a social media platform.  What’s clear is having a process is going to make this easier.  If you’re a small business owner or leading a small marketing team, you’re probably tired and don’t have time for this kind of nonsense.  That’s why I’ve put together a framework that might help you narrow down your social media tool choices based on your specific needs. Here goes! 

This is not an exhaustive list of social media management tools.  Those exist.  I won’t be recreating them.  See them here, here, and here.

I get that question a lot – and my answer is probably not as straightforward as you’d like.  The good news is: a lot of people have already documented best practices for this subject.  There's no need for me to reinvent the wheel when it comes to social media frequency statistics, but I will provide you with a few choice resources to help you make decisions:

• Infographic: How often should you post on social media? – Buffer
• How Often to Post on Social Media – Proven Research from 14 Studies – CoSchedule 
• How Frequently You Should Post on Social Media According to the Pros – Forbes 

This week I had an opportunity to be a moderator and presenter at Startup Week Seattle, Techstars. Today’s talk, Big Marketing, Little Budget was a sexy little title that didn’t really bely the meaty nature of the topic. What it all boiled down to, is that marketing for startups is about in helping your market understand why they should trust your business.  And that’s no easy project.

It’s my second year at Content Marketing World and I’m already so delighted I have this opportunity. I come to represent one of my clients and myself so I can make connections and learn, but I expect to come away with so much more. 
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So, I come to this year’s CMWorld, with high hopes.  And as much as I like to think that I am a free-spirited gal, ready to go with the flow, I’m not.  I’m coming with a plan.  I expect to get more and give more than last year.  Here’s what I’ve got up my sleeve:

Once upon a time, there was a company that encouraged their employees to go out in the world and talk about what they are passionate about. And they lived happily ever after. The end. 

True story. 

On Monday, July 24th, I had the pleasure of being the tweetchat expert for #contentchat (noon Mondays PST).  It's a chat run by Erika Heald, content strategist and super all-around awesome lady. It was all about how personal branding isn't just for individuals, but a way to help companies drive (and build!) thought leaders for their brand.