The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for my blog…
Here’s an excerpt:
600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 8,300 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 14 years to get that many views.
When it comes to blogging, I am about four months old. Prior to these four months, I had never even conceived the idea of publishing MY own thoughts and opinions on the World Wide Web. Who cares what I have to say? I had a Facebook, I had a weak LinkedIn profile (this is still debatable), and that’s it. No Twitter to microblog, and no blog. This all changed in February when I was forced to step outside of my box, jump in headfirst, and start cranking out some content on this nifty site they call WordPress. Now, there are a lot…a lot…of bloggers out there. I just wanted to post something today that reflected my experience, thus far, as a “blogger.” Being exposed to the world of blogging has been one the most empowering experiences of my life.
The anxiety. What am I going to write about? I like to do yoga, I was bartending at the time, a former college athlete…what can I write about that will offer people valuable information? My first 10 blog posts nearly sent me to crazy town. What if people don’t like what I have to say? What if my grammar is terrible? What if no one reads my stuff? Traumatizing. But, I got through it. In three months, I spit out 25 posts, consisting of 18 interviews I had with small business owners in Reno, and produced a 5-minute slideshow of all the businesses I featured. It was stressful, but I now have a voice that I never knew I had. Here’s the video I put together:
Still being fairly new to the blogging world, I have seen results. Doors have been opened for me. I have been offered jobs, I have landed an internship, I started my own business, I have found a new career, I have been asked to speak about my experience, I have reconnected with friends, I have made so many new friends, I have built an invaluable network underneath me, and I may have even gotten a date or two (hey, this is my blog, this is real life). I have met some of the most AMAZING people, and I have seen a side of this town that has just blown me away. The picture to the right is of myself with the talented chef and owner of Campo, Mark Estee. I wouldn’t have experienced any of this, if it weren’t for my blog, if I didn’t position my voice in front of the world. The power of taking thoughts and ideas, creating them into a post, and publishing YOUR voice on the Internet has an insurmountable amount of potential.
We all have information in our minds that will offer value to someone else. I don’t care what it is that you write about. I have witnessed individuals writing about do-it-yourself, self-esteem, tough motivation, “mommy blogs”, quality control…I can go on for days, there is brilliance everywhere. Point is, all of these bloggers are producing groundbreaking content because they are passionate about their topic and they understand that what they are producing is offering value to people. Challenge yourself. Step out of your comfort zone and put your thoughts out there for everyone to enjoy, or hate! I promise you that there is someone out there that cares about what you have to say, and you never know what it could lead to. Is it a lot of work? You betcha’. Does it take time to see results? Ugh, yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely. The power of a blog is insurmountable.
What kind of value can you offer to people? I challenge you.
“A blog is a personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts. Memos to the world.”
I am a new-born blogger, and not to be dramatic-but it has changed my life in many ways. I have been given a voice I never knew I had. I wanted to share how my newest hobby has affected me. You know you’re a blogger when:
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss
How do YOU know when you are a blogger?
“It’s always just been about bikes. It’s always just been about coffee.” -Mark Trujillo
I was wandering down Cheney St. in MidTown Reno looking for The Hub. Owner Mark Trujillo saw me aimlessly looking around before pointing me to a small opening, a former 2-car garage, where I found Reno’s beloved coffee shop. Beginning from the small and discrete location, to the old bikes hanging on the wall and roll-up door on the outside, to the raw brick walls, modern art, and tiny service station on the inside; this place is one of Reno’s best kept secrets. A REAL and authentic coffee shop, The Hub offers the best cappuccinos and coffee in town. If you are looking for a quiet place to study, a low-key place to have private conversation, get a meal, or a sugary flavored non-fat-latte-macchi-frapp-a-what? Then do not come to The Hub. This place is busy, has a “Cheers” like atmosphere, it’s small, gimmick-free, and they are serious about coffee.
Reno native and avid cyclist, Mark Trujillo sold Walden’s Coffee House in 2009 to search for something different; a place, which solely focused on providing the best coffee around. In June of 2009, Mark opened The Hub Coffee Co. in Reno’s MidTown District. Businesses (Sup, Crème Café, Sushi Pier 2, Midtown Eats, etc.) in this district, often unknown to all the tourists, are tiny gems nestled right below the big buildings of Downtown. Mark and his son Joey, 22 and Jessica 20 have created an atmosphere, which depicts the personality of their coffee- raw.
“If I am going to provide a product, I want it to be the best and I want it to be as raw as possible. We do not manipulate our coffee.”
You will not find any blue, yellow, white or pink sugar packets in the building. Non-fat milk doesn’t exist. The only additive they offer is a homemade chocolate sauce for their mochas. Best chocolate I have ever had. Mark gets his coffee from small, intimate, culturally-sound farms that have processes which have been handed down from generation to generation. He receives the coffee bean raw, roasts the beans in-house, and serves his drinks with no fuss or over processing. Watch Mark make yours truly a cup of coffee:
Mark and his son Joey are responsible for creating the buzz around town about their coffee on the expanding world of social media. With their location being so small and discrete, they rely on social media to help spread the word. Did you know that coffee has 300 more properties than wine, and that it’s the 2nd highest traded product in the world next to petroleum? Facts like these can be found on their Twitter. Want to see a never-ending review list with pictures from all of their fans? Check out their Facebook. Want to know about the various coffee beans produced worldwide? We have bloggers on our hands, people! Check out their blog.
“It’s not about specials or sales. It’s about our customers, coffee, how it’s served, or our process. We use social media to excite our customers and depict what we are all about. We are a hidden, local hot-spot and we leverage that mystery and build it up with our social media marketing. I respond to every single comment or complaint, I am building relationships with my fans.”
Mark and his kids are running a business that profits pennies at a time from their coffee, and it has taken time for him to figure out what works best for him. He never makes the same mistake twice, and that he will not lose to competitors. Mark and Joey Trujillo are leading by example on the social media-marketing front; follow these guys to see what’s going on in that 2-car garage on Cheney St., and at their new location in The Discovery Museum.
Once upon a time there was this restaurant called Moody’s in Truckee, CA. It was run and operated by a gentleman named Mark Estee for 10 years. Mark was more concerned with cooking great food and staying in the kitchen then he was with his reputation out in the public. He admitted that he was younger, maybe naïve, not nearly as polished of a business owner as he is now.
“I always understood the value of public relations and marketing. But I just figured if these people want to come in, they’ll come in. I will cook great food, provide a great atmosphere and people will come in. If they don’t that’s their problem. I did not see a value in truly connecting and interacting with the public especially by using Facebook or any other kind of social media for my business.”
Mark also admitted that social media intimidated him. He didn’t know anything about it, he didn’t want to put the time in, and he feared the negative feedback he would possibly see from opening the social media flood-gates. He was very hesitant and continued to avoid the opportunity.
Fast-forward 10 years, on November 17th 2011 Mark Estee opens Campo, Reno. When mark was sitting in his bedroom creating his mission statement and business plan, he committed himself to getting involved with social media marketing. His first step was hiring Abbi Whitaker with The Abbi Agency to help provide him with the tools he would need to begin his social media venture. Mark committed to Abbi and this is where the magic began.
Likes: 1,395
Followers: 264
“When I first started I told myself that I CAN NOT be scared, and I knew I just had to jump in. Social media marketing is a whole new playing field. It is extremely time consuming; you have got to stay on it. It takes time to be yourself and make sure you get in touch with everyone who is taking time out to support your business. I am myself. I am consistent. I can’t reply instantly to every message, I try! But I am human and I am running a business- this is me.”
One of Mark’s fears of social media soon became a reality- a couple complaints on these social media platforms caught his attention.
“I am providing great food, I have built this beautiful restaurant, I had just donated $10k to a charity- but we had one small error on our webpage and it came back to me ten-fold. I remember thinking to myself ‘who even looks at that?’ “
I asked Mark what his strategy is with handling these public complaints:
“I tell my crew that if we don’t make mistakes- we aren’t trying. I am expecting mistakes, and I know I have to deal with the consequences after-even if it is as small as our hours of operation on our website. The nice thing about social media is that I am able to immediately contact these customers directly. I investigate the situation to see what happened on our end and then I will call, email, engage, apologize, listen, and move forward- I will fix it. I won’t discuss the matter on the Web, I will take care of it privately.”
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Yelp, Open Table, and his personal blog on Campo’s site (which is my personal favorite, check it out) have proved to this restaurant owner that social media marketing DOES have a huge impact on his business. His customers are able to connect directly with Mark as well as help him make changes to be more appealing to his clients, and that is so important to him.
“People can see that I am funny, I am approachable, I am serious about my restaurant, and they can get a feel for our presence. Social media affects my business daily.”
Once upon a time this restaurant owner didn’t believe in the use of social media to help his business grow. Fast forward 10 years (with some help from The Abbi Agency), customers can now enjoy “Minute Mondays” with Mark, where he discusses what Campo will feature this week. Also “Back of the House Fridays” where Mark will introduce a new member of the Campo team to his friends. Where can you view these weekly features you ask? Facebook, where else?
I really don’t want to leave anyone in the dark here. I am going to take a moment to give a brief over view of the different social networking platforms that I will be discussing in future blog posts.
Here’s an extremely simple example of traditional marketing:
“Buy Toms.”
Here’s an extremely simple example of social media marketing:
“I love my Toms, look at how cute they are on me (insert picture here).”
Who are consumers more likely to listen to? The billboard sitting on the side of the road telling them to buy the Toms? Or to their friend who just posted about their recent Toms experience, all over their Facebook page- where all of their friends have now told them how great they look? Basically, social media marketing has given us the ability to set up a free booth, marketing ourselves, our product or service in front of millions and millions of people. During this time, we also get to witness everyone’s reaction and interact with the consumers. Did I mention it’s free? Here is a brief break-down of some of the social media platforms available to us:
Myspace: Once upon a time there was this networking tool called Myspace. I once referred to Myspace with my 9-year-old cousin this past year, and she looked at me in disgust and scowled, “What. Is. THAT?” Well my dear, it’s Facebook’s very old and tired big sister. However, Myspace is nothing less than a cultural phenomenon. Myspace was the first time I witnessed a personal media-hosting site where I could create “my own space” on the World Wide Web. It ‘s still very much apart of the social networking world, but in 2008 Myspace showed a major slowdown.
Facebook: Whether you buy into this social-networking-craze or not, please go see the film The Social Network. It’s a great story of how Facebook was born into the hands of Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook has +300 million users. Everyone is on Facebook for their own reasons, but either way- everyone is on Facebook, and they all want to talk. It’s not just for college students anymore. This social site is made up of 4 components: profiles, groups, pages and events. Each of these components can be utilized to market who you are, and/or what your business has to offer. I solely blame Facebook for reconnecting me with all my childhood and high school friends, if you don’t have a Facebook you aren’t cool.
Twitter: I am new to Twitter, I was not cool. I will admit, I thought it was juvenile. The only exposure I have had to Twitter is listening to my 19 year-old sister giggle every time Kim Kardashian or Joe Jonas “tweeted” something useless about their lives. I gave in, and now I kind of love it. This is all it is: You get 140 characters to announce or “tweet” to your followers anything you want. When you hit the send button, your followers have your words right in their hands via text. I personally select to follow people who offer valuable information to me; it’s like an infinite blog roll of things I actually care about.
LinkedIn: Is a social networking platform for professionals. LinkedIn is your profile on steroids, with a lot less capabilities than Facebook. LinkedIn definitely lacks that “now” affect which most of the other sites have, you could update your info on this site once every 6 months and still be current. Be careful, your past, present and future bosses ARE on LinkedIn, be good.
Google+: I am very new to Google+, however so is everyone else. I haven’t decided how I feel about it. Google+ does have the “now” effect. You can connect with others and form circles- it is very clean and professional. According to my professor, Dr. Bret Simmons, Google+ will dominate Facebook in a couple years, as Google+ has more capabilities.
Pinterest: This site cracks me up. Everyone has the ability to “pin” to their categorized profile. You would pin pictures you take, a cool quote you read, maybe a great idea for a bride, or a tasty recipe you just saw in a magazine. Others can look at your profile too and “pin” your ideas to their wall, everyone can leave comments and thoughts. User be aware: Pinning is addicting. Can’t. Stop. Pinning.
Blog posting: The wonderful world of blogging is a MUST. If you have a passion, interest, or great idea- tell the world about it and blog. Simple sites such a WordPress.com offer free (there’s that lovely word, again) hosting capabilities where you start with a cool little template and you can turn your site into whatever you want. Look at my blog, looks ok right? I had no clue what I was doing, I still have no clue what I am doing, and this is what happened! It’s foolproof really. You want to utilize the “now” platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+ to direct people to your blog. This is the ultimate goal for everyone, especially business owners- DRIVE THE TRAFFIC TO YOUR MAIN SITE. The blog is your home base where you give away the bread and butter, and pull people in.
That’s social media, for me- in a nutshell.
One of the first things I noticed about this town when I moved here are all of the small locally-owned businesses. It’s a beautiful thing! I come from Southern California; a world of monstrous shopping malls, chain stores, the “Who’s who” of brand names, and any and every restaurant chain you could possibly think of. I do slightly miss the shopping, however my bank account has benefited.
So what does keep the Biggest Little City…well…little? If you ask me, it’s all of the locally and proudly owned/operated businesses. I can almost guarantee that everyone in Reno knows an owner of a business in town. Whether it be a great bar on the Truckee River, a charming little coffee shop downtown, a clothing store, a car dealership, a gym, or one of Reno’s amazing restaurants… The small businesses are one of the things which keep this city “little” and charming.
So what makes this little city the “biggest” city? This town is growing! According to the US Census Bureau- as of 2011, Reno’s population is 216,830 people. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of 20.22%. In my time here (I’ve been in touch with Reno since 2003) I have seen 2 huge shopping malls (Legends and The Summit) go into business. When I first moved here, my 18 year-old brain immediately acknowledged the lack of In-n-Outs. Detrimental right? There are now 2 in town, whew. We have major chain restaurants and businesses, many in fact. But to a big-city girl this town is very little.
I am currently researching social media marketing. For those of you who have been living under a rock the past couple years- social media are made for social interaction using highly scalable publishing techniques. Online networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and the wonderful world of blogging, are among the most popular online tools being used to market businesses, organizations, causes, and individuals all across the world.
Existing in such a condensed area, small businesses in Reno are taking off by utilizing these social networking tools. I would like to study how businesses are utilizing social media. How have these marketing tools helped or hurt businesses? How did they get started? Who are the people chosen to manage these social networking accounts?
I have also met business owners in Reno who are NOT taking advantage of social networking simply because they don’t know where to begin! The idea of opening up these accounts and placing your product or service right in front your community (or world even!) can be extremely intimidating. As soon as a business is launched in the world of social media marketing- you are opening the floodgates for people to compliment, hate, praise, judge, or love your business and publicly tell the world all about it. It’s quite a responsibility. Many small business owners have reservations about this kind of marketing, and I would like to research what these reservations may be- and hopefully help them address these concerns. This is FREE MARKETING people! Let your success stories be told online and help grow your business.
I am going to meet with businesses in Reno within the next couple months and discover how they’re utilizing (or not utilizing) social media marketing. I have to mention that I am by no means a social media-marketing, nor a Reno expert. I am a Southern California transplant. I am simply a student of the subject of social media marketing, who is interested in how it is being utilized by businesses. As I learn, I will blog. I hope to accomplish a few things with this blog. 1. I want to extend my knowledge of the uses of social media. 2. I would love to help support small businesses in Reno. 3. I want to help people who feel lost in the world wide workings of social media, and give them some answers and hopefully a direction.
