Even with all the bashing, I still believe social media marketing can move the needle in a positive direction for your organization. It’s not easy. It’s not free. But it is a satisfying way to authentically connect with your customers. And to encourage the next sales. Why Bother? One of the most powerful aspects of social media is the ability to tell your stories when you want and how you want. You get to do it as Frank would say – Your Way. My Old Time PR Story. Before social media came along, I was marketing director of a nonprofit and with that came many hats including media relations. The agency's mandate was to provide business support for minority small business owners. We had a great story to tell and didn't have much of a problem getting some pretty good ink. For the most part the Atlanta media was kind and very generous to us. This article from the Atlanta Business Chronicle positioned the agency in a favorable light. However, there were times after waiting (for what seemed like forever) for the promised article to show up in the publication the story wasn't what I had anticipated. Oh, it wasn't "wrong" but it wasn't the quite way I wanted it to be told. I wanted people to hear the story in a different way. Question: How many of the marketers and PR folks reading this have spent significant time talking to a reporter which resulted in no mention or one... Continue reading

Even with all the bashing, I still believe social media marketing can move the needle in a positive direction for your organization. It’s not easy. It’s not free. But it is a satisfying way to authentically connect with your customers. And to encourage the next sales. Why Bother? One of the most powerful aspects of social media is the ability to tell your stories when you want and how you want. You get to do it as Frank would say – Your Way. My Old Time PR Story. Before social media came along, I was marketing director of a nonprofit and with that came many hats including media relations. The agency's mandate was to provide business support for minority small business owners. We had a great story to tell and didn't have much of a problem getting some pretty good ink. For the most part the Atlanta media was kind and very generous to us. This article from the Atlanta Business Chronicle positioned the agency in a favorable light. However, there were times after waiting (for what seemed like forever) for the promised article to show up in the publication the story wasn't what I had anticipated. Oh, it wasn't "wrong" but it wasn't the quite way I wanted it to be told. I wanted people to hear the story in a different way. Question: How many of the marketers and PR folks reading this have spent significant time talking to a reporter which resulted in no mention or one... Continue reading

Diva Foodies, is a sister company to Bloomberg Marketing, serving the food industry. I am delighted to work with people who are passionate about their business including foodprenerus, chefs, cookbook authors, media companies and caterers. As with Diva Marketing, the focus is to help grow the business through digital strategies... creating marketing road maps and supporting execution. Of course, at the core of all initiatives are ensuring brand value and end result accountability. Diva Foodies is proud to host the popular Tweet Chat #FoodTVChat. It's the only Twitter chat bringing TV Chefs Contestants and audience/fans together in a quick paced digital conversation. Continue reading

Alex Brown is passionate about horses. His career has taken him from training race horses to writing aboutabout them in non fiction works. In an exclusive interview Author Alex Brown tells what's it like to create and promote a work of fiction, Continue reading

Sprouts is building community at the local level by integrating two tactics: food demonstrations and influencer marketing. Toby Bloomberg tells about her experiences as part of a food influencer program. Continue reading

Lee Kantor and Stone Payton discuss how radio can serve as an impactful tactic of a small business owner's marketing plan. Continue reading

Diva Marketing opens its virtual doors to tell the stories of smaller nonprofits. Chef Tanorria Askew, Masterchef, tells about the unique NPO Dotted Line Divas. The NPO got its start by couponing! Continue reading

I am excited to bring back Diva Marketing's Holiday For Small Nonprofits Series. Even in this generous season of giving the small NPOs too often get lost among big campaigns of nonprofits with larger budgets. In between your shopping and baking and gift wrapping I ask that you take a moment to read a story or two of how people are helping people... one by one. It's our hope that you might find a new NPO that touches your heart. The Bags of Hope Project is a unique nonprofit that maybe the 'smallest' in our series but none the less the work it does is important and impactful. Bags of Hope Project is a very narrowly focused nonprofit that works strictly on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - supplying their agents who are working to rescue victims of sex trafficking, with items that they need to help victims feel more comfortable during the questioning process. Our story teller is the founder of Bags of Hope Malenka Warner. Malenka's story begins as a dedicated volunteer with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. She is a certified presenter for the GBI’s Cyber Safety Initiative, part of the “Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force,” run by the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit. This important community initiative brings internet safety presentations to schools, neighborhood groups and other community organizations. Through her work with these organizations Malenka saw a gap in the support system. Based in Atlanta, the Bags of... Continue reading

Social media marketing is a digital bridge that humanizes the brand online with offline benefits. However, before your brand can build that social media digital bridge you must first confront the fears that I call ~ the elephant in the room. I've been working in the social media space for over 12-years. In terms of digital that has to be at least 4 lifetimes! During that time there's been a new generation of business managers and entrepreneurs who have 'grown-up' using social media for fun and personal use. However, the leap in understanding social media as a business tool often remains a frightening mystery for many. Recently I was chatting with a smart, young - aka a Millennium, woman who launched a food venture. She had a new, pretty website complete with eCommerce features. However there was not a social icon to be found. Toby: Why? Food Entrepreneur: It frightens me. Toby: Why? Food Entrepreneur: People are mean online. I'm working very hard to build a brand and I don't want people to hijack a social channel. What I've come to realize, from working with thousands of people in my consulting and training roles, is -- social media education is both emotional and logical. The lens of how social media marketing is perceived differs for each person and within each company culture. Addressing fears/concerns, or facing the elephant in the room, should be one of the first steps in creating consensus regarding developing a social media roadmap. 5 Common Media... Continue reading

In between the spaces of silence and words and tears are memories... That 9-11 is personal. In between the spaces of silence and words and tears are stories... That 9-11 is people. In between the spaces of silence and words and tears is inspiration... That 9-11 is the fortitude of the human spirit. In between the spaces of silence and words and tears is inclusion... That 9-11 belongs to all of the citizens of the world. In between the spaces of silence and words and tears are ... That 9-11 is _________ what is in your ♥. In between the spaces of silence and words and tears is hope. That 9-11 must be about our future as much as of our past. This post is dedicated to my dear friend B.L. Ochman. Photo from @PRyan's tweet. 9/11 Memorial Continue reading

Recently I was chatting with long time BBF, Paul Chaney, about the changes in social media from the days when we began in what was then called The Blogosphere. Paul wondered if search on Twitter or Instagram could be a good business tool. He kindly offered to share his views and research on Diva Marketing. How could I say no to such a generous offer? Hope you enjoy Paul's post. First, About Paul Chaney. Paul is an online marketing consultant, editor, writer, and author with more than 20 years experience in the digital marketing space. He’s written four books that cover the topics of business blogging, social media marketing, and social commerce, the most notable of which is entitled "The Digital Handshake: Seven Proven Strategies to Grow Your Business Using Social Media," published by John Wiley and Sons in 2009. He is currently a Staff Writer for Small Business Trends and also maintains a client-base of small to mid-size companies. Paul is a sought-after speaker on digital and marketing topics. Oh yes, and he's an accomplished musician! Connect with Paul Chaney on Twitter | LinkedIn Twitter Search or Instagram Search: Which is Better for Business? - By Paul Chaney One of the ways I've benefitted most from my career in social media is the people I have met along the way, not the least of which is Toby. We're joined at the hip personally and professionally and have been for the better part of 12 years. Another good friend —... Continue reading

Keeping up with the changes and new features in social media is a challenge. To help you navigate, a few tips and links about blogs, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat. Continue reading

How Max, the dog, humanizes social media and finds his way into blog posts, book reviews and the hearts of many. Continue reading

Tips and questions to ask to help determine which social media channels will best support your brand. Continue reading

An inspirational and fun look at blogging through the lens of broadway and film musicals. Continue reading

Jay Ducote came to my attention when he battled it out last year on the Food Network show Food Network Star Season 11. For those who might not be food TV fans (a guilty pleasure of mine... take a look at Diva Foodies!) the winner of Food Network Star walks away with the biggest prize in food TV competiton ~ their own show on the Food Network. Although Jay came in 2nd there was no doubt that he knew his way in the kitchen - indoors and outdoors, had great on-air presence and the fans loved him. Seems the Scripps Networks Interactive brass thought so too because they offered Jay an amazing opportunity to film a pilot for a sister network, Travel Channel. What makes Jay especially relevant to the Diva Marketing community is his use of social media, aka Social TV, to promote his on-air opportunity on the Food Network and to leverage the social buzz to encourage Scripps Networks Interactive to pick up the Deep Fried America pilot. In our Diva Marketing interview Jay generous shares his insights on Social TV, how to social media tips, some of his Food Network Star backstory and what it was like to be a dude blogger back in 2009! Enjoy Jay's Story. About Jay Ducote According To Jay Ducote I’m a friendly, fun loving guy from Louisiana who loves to celebrate food and beverage culture. I’m a chef, writer, speaker, entertainer and hugger. I’ve got a product line available called Jay... Continue reading

Diva Marketing's 12th Birthday celebration continues with a very special post written by the first blogger I met IRW (in the real world) -- Paul Chaney! One of the biggest lessons I've learned in 12 years of blogging and being active in digital communities is real relationship can and do happen online. As in offline, digital friendships are built through common interests, kindness, support when times are shaky and celebrations when good things happen. If you are lucky you get to take online offline. Paul and I have collaborated on several projects including developing and facilitating training programs for the American Marketing Association. I am honored and touched that Paul offered to write an original post to celebrate Diva Marketing's anniversary. About Paul Chaney Paul is an online marketing consultant, editor, writer, and author with more than 20 years experience in the digital marketing space. He’s written four books that cover the topics of business blogging, social media marketing, and social commerce, the most notable of which is entitled "The Digital Handshake: Seven Proven Strategies to Grow Your Business Using Social Media," published by John Wiley and Sons in 2009. He is currently a Staff Writer for Small Business Trends and also maintains a client-base of small to mid-size companies. Paul is a sought-after speaker on digital and marketing topics. Oh yes, and an accomplished musician! 5 Ways to Build Online Authority Using Content Marketing As a marketer, business owner, or entrepreneur, it's vital that you have a high degree... Continue reading

To celebrate Diva Marketing's 12th Blog Birthday (!) ... an extra special interview on a topic that is sizzlin' hot -- Influencer Marketing with Danica Kombol founder of Everywhere Agency. Seems you can't turn a corner in the digital world without bumping up against an influencer marketing post or campaign. Influencer marketing's roots began in the blogosphere programs of what we called blogger relations. However, with the onset of multiple social media channels e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Periscope, Blogs, YouTube, Snapchat and technology that provides in-depth metrics, more brands are creating marketing promotion and content initiatives that include people who have significant followings and well -- influence. Although the relationship aspect of today's influencer marketing campaigns are still critical, campaigns are more sophisticated than in the days of blogger relations. Danica Kombol graciously agreed to give us the scoop on what makes a successful influencer marketer program from the point of view of the brand/agency and the influencer. In her usual style, Danica includes so much more. Enjoy! About Danica Kombol: - I’m an entrepreneur, a mom, a pie baker and passionate about communications. I run the social media marketing firm, Everywhere Agency. We launched in 2009, focused primarily on social media and helping major brands get into the social media space. At that time, we were novel and unique, and big brands like CNN, Lexus, Lexis-Nexis and others needed our services. This day and age, most brands get it and have built out robust social media teams of their... Continue reading

As we close out 2015 and begin the circle dance anew, there will be lots of predictions of what 2016 will hold in terms of marketing trends and must dos. This is not one of those posts. Time brings perspective. So instead, I'd like to look back at one aspect of social/digital media marketing that was suppose to change the marketing game: from gaining a better understanding of our customers’ emotional profiles, to casual research insights, to more responsive customer care. Social Listening Ten years ago, or there about, Social Listening exploded into the digital landscape. It was positioned as the golden grail that would be the beginning of authentic conversational marketing. It soon became clear that unless you wanted to bury the new data it brought in garbled buzz words, social listening had better lead to a new customer communication channel where the brand could directly engaged with its customers. Back in 2005 that thought was revolutionary. Really! In fact, word revolutionary became a buzz word onto itself. If your brand ignored the digital pioneers who were using social media as a new customer service or communication channel you quickly saw how the brand's reputation, online as well as offline could be impacted. When it came to the brand experience it seemed nothing was sacred or out of bounds for customers to tell their digital friends about the good, bad and ugly. Lest you think all social media posts were about the negative, Becky Carroll's blog Customers Rock told... Continue reading

I've often said the social web gives more than it takes. Meeting people who may be outside of your usual network is one of its best 'gifts.' Alex Brown and I are worlds apart. We met in the "blogosphere" in 1999 when he was managing one of the first and most innovative online communities for Wharton. Needless to say Alex is a pioneer in digital media. But Alex has another passion .. his love for horses. He was able to combined his marketing talents and social media skills to build an amazing horse advocay community. It was not unusal for posts to pull in 500, 700, 1000 comments. Unheard of back in the day and even more so today. He's also the author of a brilliant and beautiful book - "Great and Goodness Barbaro And His Legacy." Alex describes himself as -- " I am a horseman, who is also an internet marketing "geek." I have ridden horses all my life, and I have been using the internet for teaching and marketing since 1992." Fast forward to 2015. Video is where many see the growth of digital media. When Alex told me about an innovative video project he was launching for a rather controversial topic that once again combined Alex's love of horse and social media I was excited to learn more. Diva Marketing, Toby: Your latest project is a video series on YouTube, it seems a bit of a departure from the development of a book. Why did you... Continue reading

What is your best advice for a local small business that wants to leverage the web for marketing purposes? was the question my friend Paul Chaney, Editor of Web Marketing Today asked me and a few other "in the know" marketers. Thought you might enjoy my response! Great question Paul and one that many people will take from the strategy point of view: know your goals, how to measure them and your audience. Let’s look at this from a slightly different point of view: content consistency. I look at content consistency from two perspectives. The first direction includes tonality, topics, and touch. The second direction is time. Tonality is the voice you’ll use through out the web from your website and to social media channels For example, if you’re managing a rap group the tonality will be different than if you’re selling financial products to corporate accounts. Topics quite simply are what you want chat about to your digital community. However, the format might be a blog, video, podcast or photos/images. The most successful topics are those that your audience cares about .. I call that ‘now I care content.’ Content that is so compelling it is shared. Touch is how you’ll engage with your audience. It’s often neglected but can be the most powerful piece of your web marketing. What will you say when someone shares your content on Twitter or drops a comment on Facebook? Time is well … time! Especially for small business owners, who wear multiple... Continue reading

Doctors heal patients in many ways ... some even through rock n roll! N.E.D., an innovative rock band of 6 U.S. cancer surgeons, tours the country using their music to create awareness about women's cancer issues. As Doc/Musician Nimesh Nagarsheth told us in this Diva Marketing interview, "Through our music we are able to reach thousands at a time getting our our awareness and education messages and quite honestly have a great time doing it." N.E.D's heartwarming story inspired award winning producers from Spark Media to become N.E.D. groupies (of sorts) following the band for over three years. The end result was an award winning film - N.E.D. The Movie. There is more. Today on World Cancer Day Regal Cinemas is showing the film (schedule). Awesome and amazing. Hope you are as inspired as I was by this story. Please enjoy this inteview with the producers and Rockin' Doc Nimesh. About N.E.D (No Evidence of Disease): A rock band made up of 6 women’s cancer surgeons with the goal of raising public awareness of gynecologic cancers through music and the arts. Our Story Tellers Nimesh Nagarsheth, M.D. / Drums, Percussion: Dr. Nagarsheth is on faculty at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in Englewood, New Jersey. “You can learn a lot from patients with cancer. And they see the world in a way that’s much different from the way that someone else sees the world.” Andrea Kalin, Director, Executive Producer: Andrea Kalin... Continue reading

Breast cancer still impacts too many lives. Advocate Health Care launched a unique program to bring attention to breast cancer prevention, treatment and support. Understanding that women gain strength and the comfort from the stories they share and are shared they used digital and social networks to tell the #StoriesoftheGirls . Through the following interview Christine Piester, VP Marketing and Christine Bon, Manager Digital Marketing and Communication graciously provided us with a case study of the program. This post is dedicated to my sister Susan who I know is dancing in the stars. About Advocate Health Care. Advocate Health Care is the largest health system in Illinois and one of the largest health care providers in the Midwest. Advocate operates more than 250 sites of care, including 12 hospitals that encompass 11 acute care hospitals, the state’s largest integrated children’s network, five Level I trauma centers (the state’s highest designation in trauma care), three Level II trauma centers, one of the area’s largest home health care companies and one of the region’s largest medical groups. As a not-for-profit, mission-based health system affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ, Advocate contributed $661 million in charitable care and services to communities across Chicagoland and Central Illinois in 2013. Our Story Tellers Christine Priester, VP, Marketing Christine Bon, Manager Digital Marketing & Communication Diva Marketing/Toby: How did the idea of #StoriesoftheGirls evolve? Was it a difficult sell to management including the hospital administrator? Advocate Health Care:... Continue reading

This week it was my honor to present at South Wired 14, formerly known as Digital Atlanta. South Wired is the longest on-going social media/digital marketing conference in Atlanta. It was my pleasure to share the stage, as co-presenters, with Dorothea Bozicolona-Volpe. South Wired is 5 days packed with smart people talking about issues of how to succeed in the ever changing and challenging world of digital marketing. Dorothea and I spent hours discussing what we could bring to the party that might be a little different and add value for the attendees. Our conversations led us to explore the complexies people are facing with eco-systems from multiple social networks. With each network you participate in from tier one e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Linkin, YouTube, Pinterest to tier two e.g. Instagram, SnapChat, Jelly, dating sites, etc, .. you get the drift .. you attract and build an audience. You set expectations. We wondered .. is your personal brand attracting the right audience? That was it we had found our direction! We'd start at ground zero, or the heart of social media, the people. During the course of the session we handed out little napkins (social = fun!) and asked attendees to diagram their social eco-systems. Some people were surprised at the extent of their social network eco-systems. It was a fun exercise and Madison Harris even shared hers on Twitter. We talked about how privacy is an illusion on the social web, how anything can be hacked and so much more.... Continue reading

There's a new dude in town. Well in the world of the American Marketing Association. Russ Klein recently accepted the role of CEO for AMA and with that he now leads North America's largest professional marketing association. Of course, AMA dropped a media release which details Russ' credentials (impressive!). I was curious about the man-behind-the-logo. I felt I had a bit of a vested interest since my AMA affliation has a deep and long history from chapter president, to serving as facilitator of interactive and social media workshops and managing AMA's first virtual communities. One might even say, AMA set me on the road to social media when I chaired its first conferene on blogs in 2004 into 2005. Russ graciously agreed to a Diva Marketing interview. In the following conversation he offers: his view on the future of marketing in a disruptive world, a peak into his vision for AMA, the importance of volunteers and his plans to ensure continuous engagement .. and more. Toby/Marketing: It sounds almost trite to say that marketing is in a state of disruptive chaos and change. Russ, having been in the center of creating marketing plans for some of the largest consumer brands, you can appreciate that our tool boxes are overflowing with new tactics and strategies. How does a brand, any brand, ensure that its marketing is relevant and adds value for the customer? Russ Klein/AMA: That’s not an interview question, that’s a theme for a book! Well certainly relevance and value... Continue reading