A good reference from Mashable. Here is a quick overview but check out the full article for details and screenshots.
It is important to remember we are not the poem. People will react however they want; and if you write poetry, get used to no reaction at all. But that’s okay. … Don’t get caught in the admiration for your poems. It’s fun. But then the public makes you read their favorites over and over until you get sick of those poems. Write good poems and let go of them. Publish them, read them, go on writing.
~Natalie Goldberg, “Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within”
This quote was highlighted in an article I read earlier today by @bloghighed entitled, Your Logo vs Your Brand. Though not a new topic to discuss, the recent reactions to the new Strabucks logo have begged that the question be asked again: Is your logo your brand? Or, asked a different way - is your work, you?
I had never heard of Goldberg’s book, and am not a writer myself, but I enjoy what the quote and corresponding article says about the separation (or lack there of) of self and work… and the parallel to the separation of logo and brand. In a creative industry - or maybe it is this way within any industry - it can be difficult to separate criticism (and praise) of your work from criticism (and praise) of your person. You love my work, you must love me. You hate my work, you must hate me.
But, I am not my work - my work is just an aspect of me. And I would argue that the same is true for a brand - the logo is not a brand - just an aspect (all-be-it a vital one) of your brand.
It is a thoughtful read for this snowy Thursday - and not just because of the “Who Let the Dogs Out”/bad pop song reference.
As we prep for presentations or conduct research before making social marketing suggestions to clients, I think it is important to check out who is already talking about them or their topic. The first step in social marketing is listening, after all. While I love to research and fact-find, I can also can get bogged down with the effort it takes to find answers. That is why I love this tool from Brian Chappell at Search Engine Journal.
Instead of searching using a long search request such as:
site:facebook.com/people “Western Michigan Unviersity”
site:flickr.com/people “@wmich.edu”
site:twitter.com -inurl:statuses -inurl:status “Bronco Football”
I now can simply type a keyord into the Social Search Tool on my iGoogle homepage, allowing me to easily search Flickr, Facebook, Myspace, YouTube, Twitter, Bebo and CafeMom.
…and get search results without thinking through the formula!
I love it when I dont have to think. This is easy. This is just what I needed.
For youth marketing and higher education, focus less on the job titles for graduates and more on the names of their employers. via blog.stamats.com
