Tip for Using Twitter Hashtags

Here's a quick tip on using Twitter hashtags:

If the word you are turning into a hashtag already appears in the body of your tweet, then it doesn't need to be turned into a hashtag. The reason for this is that it is already searchable under that word.

For example:
"This was the best wedding ever!" doesn't need to be written as "This was the best #wedding ever!"  The word wedding is searchable in Twitter without the hashtag.

If the word wedding wasn't in the text however, then you could add it at the end so that entire tweet would be indexed under a search for "wedding". Example:
"The bride and groom are out the door and the guests are leaving. Tearing down the reception is the saddest part. #wedding"

Adding the hashtags in the middle of sentences slows the eye down in reading and uses extra characters. If the words already exist in your tweet, then there's no need to use the extra space.

Basic Strategy Questions for Wedding Bloggers

Here are some predictions for things that are going to happen in the online media space in 2010: many more wedding professionals will venture off of Facebook and start a blog and join Twitter. Many will do it without a clear strategy and then announce that social media just doesn't work for them and is too distracting.

While it's true that social media can be a distraction, it is truly only one if you let it be. Here are some questions to answer to help you develop a basic strategy to help you make the most of the resources you spend on social media, specifically your blog since that is the one that will outlast the other outlets and does more for your business in the long run. Below each question, I'll also include an example of how that question applies to Splendid Communications:

1. Why are you blogging?
To improve your writing and the way you communicate? To make money? If so, is it primarily directly (ad sales, vendor directories, etc) or indirectly (book deals, a TV show, as a vetting source for potential clients, etc)? Is it to convey your personality to potential clients and colleagues? To expand your brand recognition through press mentions and speaking engagements?  Spend some time really fleshing out why you are writing a blog for your business.

For Splendid Communications: The Think Splendid blog is a marketing tool for the business; it is not the entire business. The company's revenue does not come directly from this blog, but the blog does provide ancillary marketing and revenue opportunities. I also keep this blog because nothing clarifies the thought process like writing does. Another reason is to share information to help improve people's businesses in the industry, regardless of whether the people reading the blog are potential clients or not. A strong, healthy industry benefits all of us.

2. What is your blog about?
It is important to answer this question as specifically as possible. If your goal is to be the blog that is an all-around resource, you will become irrelevant very quickly. There is a part of the wedding industry that you know better than anyone else - I recommend focusing on that.

For Splendid Communications: The blog is about online media and how it applies to businesses in the wedding and hospitality event industries and how those companies can use it effectively. These posts tend to provide very practical take-and-carry advice. It is also about exploring the "why" behind the "how", which is why the blog and tagline of the company are both "Think Splendid" and the reason why our mantra is Aristotle's quote above: "All communication must lead to change". These posts are a bit more on the philosophical side, so that people will think on a higher level about their business and really dig into the reasons behind how they do things. Once you know the "why" about certain things, you can communicate who and what your company is about in a more authentic way.

3. What will your boundaries be?
Will you only talk about business or will you mix in some of your personal life? If you are blogging on a more personal level, what will you be comfortable sharing and what will be off-limits? Some people have no problem posting their kids photos or names while others choose to give them pseudonyms if they are mentioned online. Some talk openly about their marriage and relationships while others keep that offline. These rules aren't hard and fast and really come down to what you are comfortable with.

For Splendid Communications: I personally don't elaborate too much about my non-work life online. I'll share snippets here and there because I do believe that the ties that bind us are found in the dailiness of life, but the majority of it stays off the Internet.

Have you answered these questions before for your business? If so, how did they help your focus?

Thoughts on Leadership

At the beginning of my career, I worked at a non-profit. Partway through my stint there, my boss had a nervous breakdown and took a sudden leave of absence. If you've had any experience working with a non-profit, then you know that the tyranny of the urgent reigns supreme. Cash-strapped and with insufficient time to hire someone new before the busy season began, the board of directors voted to promote me to her position. So, there I was, suddenly the interim director of a busy department in an international NGO, overseeing about 180 employees and volunteers across five continents. I was 19 years old.

At the time, I had never considered myself a leader or even entertained the idea that I had the capacity to be. However, other people more than twice my age had decided to put me in that position regardless of my opinions of myself. At that point, I decided to dive headfirst into the subject of leadership to learn all I could about it. It is a subject that has held my attention since.

What makes a leader? Is it what they accomplish in their roles? Is it who chooses to follow them? Is it how they define their vision? Is it relative to age? Does it mean staying politically correct? Speaking their mind? A tightrope balance somewhere in between? Are leaders born or are leaders made? Moreover, is it something they can choose to be or something that other people have to choose for them?

Years ago, while studying this topic, I came across a book called Becoming A Woman of Influence: Making a Lasting Impact on Others. I honestly don't remember much about this book except for one story that has stuck with me through the years: in one chapter, the author discusses her intense jealousy over another writer who happens to be much younger and more successful than she is. The two writers end up at an event together and the younger one thanks the older writer for having such a huge influence on her success. It turns out that the older author had taught the writing classes the younger author had taken in college. She attributed much of her career to what she had learned in those classes. The older author was stunned. She was nursing jealousy and animosity over someone who had learned from and succeeded because of HER.

That little anecdote taught me this: a true leader has done their job when the people they are leading or teaching can go on to do bigger and better things as a result. Your interns and associates should be able to go on and achieve greater success as a result of learning from you. Being stingy with your knowledge won't help anyone in the long-run, including yourself. What kind of legacy are you leaving?

Bringing the Wedding Online

One of the biggest impacts the economy had on weddings this year was in the number of guests who were able to attend. True, many couples cut their guest lists in order to stay in their newly reduced budgets, but many invited guests still had to RSVP with regrets. While the weddings still happened, the cost of plane tickets, hotel, rental car and gifts were simply out of the question for some family and friends who, in better financial circumstances, would be at the wedding in a heartbeat.

One venue I know of turned this unfortunate situation into a win-win-win situation for their couples, the guests and themselves by offering to video and livecast the ceremony online. This was an add-on sale for the venue, helping them recover some of the lost revenue from dwindling food and beverage purchases, and it allowed their clients to share their wedding, in a smaller but still meaningful way, with people they cared about.

If you are a wedding venue or a videographer, this is a great idea that you can also run with and one we will see much more of in the coming years. The cost of livestreaming a video online is negligible, but the value to the bride and groom is high and one that many will happily pay for. Some services allow you to password protect the page guests need to log-in at, adding an extra layer of privacy and comfort for the couple.

No matter your role in the wedding industry, how can you look outside the box of standard traditions and help your clients create meaningful experiences for their guests in 2010?

Mental Detox

This same time last year I wrote a series on Twitter called Mental Detox. The purpose was for all of us to declutter our minds from all the toxic thoughts and beliefs that tend to fill it and start the new year with a fresh slate. As 2010 comes up next week, I am reposting that series here, for the same reasons.

1. Unforgiveness or holding a grudge is like drinking a bottle of poison and waiting for the other person to die.

2. For planners: no one has the cure for AIDS in their timelines, so stop stressing over "secrets". YOU are your trade secret.

3. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." - Eleanor Roosevelt

4. Unsubscribe from any blogs that consistently make you upset or uncomfortable. No rule that says you have to read them.

5. Go through your own twitter or blog history and count how many are complaints. Set a goal to cut that number at least in half for this year.

6. A gratitude journal does wonders, I can't stress this enough. Happytapper.com is a great iPhone app.

7. Don't believe all the hype or read your own headlines. Wedding industry "fame" should always be taken with a grain of salt.

8. You can't fully control life, even with positive thinking. Other people’s poor choices will still affect you. Respond; don't react.

9. "The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." - Ann Landers.

10. There is no shortage of talent in the wedding industry. Choose to work with vendors you like and who won't drag everyone down.

11. The world is a bakery producing fresh opportunities every day, not a fixed pie where you need to fight for the last crumb.

12. If your ideas aren't being copied, they probably aren't that good. Protect them legally, but prepare to let some things go.

13. Go on record as the first to have the idea and/or style. You can't be a trendsetter if you don't allow your idea to become a trend.

14. If you work from home, make it a point to have lunch at least once a week with a friend or colleague. It will do wonders for your outlook.

15. Perfect doesn't exist, so let go of the extra stress. Sometimes you just have to launch an idea and refine it as you go along.

16. Some people who have wronged you will never apologize. Let it go. You can't be their conscience/Jiminy Cricket/Holy Spirit.

17. Let's face it: we all have issues; some that we don't even know exist. Everyone should see a counselor. Pride kills.

18. True humility doesn't hide its gifts. Keep your ego in check, but don't pretend to not be good at something you're good at.

19. "There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you." – Marianne Williamson

20. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion. You can't please everybody and you certainly don't have to listen to everybody.

What piece of mental detox advice would you add to this list?

Using Video Online for a Better Client Experience

Lisa Konecny, of E-Events Design in Orlando, Florida, recently posted a behind the scenes peek at one of her weddings using her Flip camera. The interesting part is that she didn't record it primarily for her blog - she recorded it so that the bride could get an idea of what was happening with the wedding day logistics while she was busy getting ready.

This use of the Flip allowed her clients to have a better experience on the wedding day. Being able to see what was happening gave the bride peace of mind and built excitement for what was to come. By uploading the short video to her blog, Lisa is also able to give a peek into how she works to future clients and to other vendors who may be a referral source for her.

Ironically, it is the lack of professionally edited footage that makes this work so well. The video comes across genuine and not over-produced. While professionally filmed promo videos can be a smart marketing move for a website, blogging a quick, fun, personality-filled peek into the production of the wedding day can help engaged couples feel more connected to you and your company.

The Flip camera is a great way to do this. If you have the latest version of the iPhone, you can record a short video and upload it directly to YouTube from there, which eliminates a couple of steps.

How can you use video this coming year to give your couples or blog readers a better client experience?

Splendid Sundays Volume 20

A handful of splendid finds and interesting tidbits from around the worldwide web:

*Faux friendship. You can take or leave the historic references in this article, but the rest about modern friendships and social media is good food for thought. One of my favorite bits in the piece: "We have ceased to believe that a friend's highest purpose is to summon us to the good by offering moral advice and correction . . . We're busy people; we want our friendships fun and friction-free."

*In a similar vein, Sean Low has a great post this week about the importance of having mentors in business.

*Maybe they're right. 

*"Being addicted to your work might be slightly better than a coke habit, but it follows the same pattern of abuse and escapism. And most importantly, it is not a requirement for success." Step one is admitting you have a problem.

*Book of the week: Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun (author of another must-read book on project management, Making Things Happen). From Amazon: In this hilarious and highly practical book, author and professional speaker Scott Berkun reveals the techniques behind what great communicators do, and shows how anyone can learn to use them well. For managers and teachers - and anyone else who talks and expects someone to listen - Confessions of a Public Speaker provides an insider's perspective on how to effectively present ideas to anyone.

Do you have any splendid finds to share?

New Facebook Rules for Fan Page Contests

Last month Facebook made some changes to their terms of service for business fan pages. You can read the updated terms here.

Most notable are the conditions they now have for running a promotion through your Facebook fan page. The rules apply to "the publicizing or administering of any sweepstakes, contest, competition or other similar offering." In order to now run a promotion on your fan page, you have to submit your promotion for written approval from Facebook seven days before the start date.  If you don't, they can remove your promotion.

Also, I've pulled some of the more significant quotes from their terms, though I recommend you read their entire page:

You cannot: Administer a promotion that users automatically enter by becoming a fan of your Page.

You cannot: Condition entry in the promotion upon a user providing content on Facebook, such as making a post on a profile or Page, status comment or photo upload.

You cannot: Notify winners through Facebook, such as through Facebook messages, chat, or posts on profiles or Pages.

If part of your marketing plan includes running promotions on Facebook often, I'd suggest running them on your blog instead where you can approve your own content and build more brand exposure for yourself.

On Being Behind the Times in Social Media

One of the things I've enjoyed most about traveling for the blogging workshops this year is getting to see the individual wedding markets up close. In my conversations with vendors in the different regions, one sentiment almost always came up: "The wedding industry here in our city/state is SO behind when it comes to social media."

I thought it was interesting that nearly every city I visited believed this about themselves. The funny thing is that they are right: most everyone is behind and by the time they all catch up, they will have trouble standing out in an overly saturated online space.

Regardless of the thousands of wedding blogs currently out there, the fact is that even if you started blogging today, you would still be far ahead of most of your competitors. If the companies you compete with want to keep their heads in the sand about the changes in how today's couples are doing their wedding research, that is their choice. Don't stay there with them.

Kindle Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to wedding photographer Carolyn Wells for winning the Kindle giveaway! Carolyn was the 186th commenter on the giveaway post, which was the number randomly chosen by the integer generator:

Carolyn referenced two great books in her comment:

To claim your prize, simply send an email to hello{at}thinksplendid.com with "I'm a Winner!" in the subject line.

Thank you to all who participated and left your book recommendations. If you need some good books to read for 2010, be sure to check out the comments section on the giveaway post! There's tons of great insight from fellow wedding industry colleagues. 

A Year Ago on Think Splendid

A look back at some of the more popular posts from last December here on Think Splendid:

Using a Block Schedule to Manage Your Time

5 Tips for Cutting Distractions

Laws for Email Newsletters

Two Types of People

Kindle Giveaway

Just a reminder that the Kindle giveaway ends tonight! You can find all of the details and enter here. Plus, if you need some book recommendations, the comments section is a great place to start.

Splendid Sundays Volume 19

A handful of splendid finds and interesting tidbits from around the worldwide web:

*Elizabeth Anne Designs launched their new design for their blogs this week. Be sure to check out both their Wedding blog and their Living blog. They also have a comprehensive wedding vendor library, so if you're not listed, be sure to let Ami know.

*Is online ideal for images?

*The ridiculously talented Laura Hooper recently launched a line of stamps with her illustrations through Zazzle.

*Twitter: Three Things That Are Not So Hot. Pay special attention to number 3 on that list.

*Book of the week: Funny in Farsi: Memoirs of Growing Up Iranian in America by Firoozeh Dumas. This one isn't a business book, but sometimes you just need a break (or at least I do, anyway). Most of the recommended non-biz books I come across tend to deal with super heavy subject matter like murders, attacks, abuse, etc - which tends to be very depressing and not much of a break either. Funny in Farsi is humorous and heartwarming and I'm sure you'll find yourself relating to at least one of the author's stories, no matter where you're from.

Do you have any splendid finds to share?

Your Most Loyal Blog Readers

If you have a blog, the RSS feed buttons should appear somewhere near the top of the page. Most readers won't scroll to the bottom of the page to look for it, so the key is to make it as easy as possible for them to become addicted to you.

Why are blog subscribers important? Simple: they are your permission base. By subscribing, they are literally giving you permission to put your information in front of them on a regular basis. They may not be the ones who view your blog in its pure design form since they're reading from Google reader, their email inbox, or another service, but they will be your most loyal audience.

This is the audience you'll want to pay the most attention to - their feedback should carry more weight than that of other readers because they've invested more in you by allowing you to be a part of their daily life. 

Paying Attention via Social Media

This billboard face-off between Audi and BMW was possible because BMW and another ad agency they worked with were paying attention to what was happening in the marketplace.

Are you listening to what others are saying about you and your company? There are plenty of listening tools available on the market, but some of the simplest to use (and most budget-friendly) are Google Reader and Google Alerts.

Set up Google Alerts for your company name, industry keywords, competitor's names - anything you want to pay attention to.  Instead of searching your name on Google, it will send the information to you. To keep everything neat and organized, open a free Evernote account and use their email feature to forward all of your Google Alerts there. 

Using Google Reader, subscribe to various industry blogs that are pertinent to what you do. On Twitter, you can also subscribe to keyword searches and to people's feeds without having to actually follow them (there is an RSS button at the bottom of Twitter's right-hand column).  Every time someone anywhere in the world uses the words "wedding" or "social media" in a tweet, it filters into a folder in my Google Reader for me to review later.

Listening and paying attention are the backbone of online media and should play a heavy role in your social media strategy.



Photo via BMW Blog

Splendid Giveaway: Win a Kindle!

I went to Kindergarten twice. True story. I was the only one in my class who couldn't read by the end of the year, so I had to repeat the grade. This little piece of my history always makes me laugh because reading is now one of my favorite things to do. In business, I find it to be as necessary to my company's health as water is to the human body's health.

In March, I ordered the Kindle, an ebook reader from Amazon, because it made traveling a bit easier. Since then, I've read about 75 books on the device. I understand that not everyone will read at the pace I do, however, reading is vital to growth. It can sharpen your thinking, affirm choices you've made, and also allow you to see what's being said and taught that you simply don't agree with.

As we all gear up for a new year, I'd encourage you to make time in your schedule to include reading for your business. I also suggest making time for reading fiction as well since it stimulates creativity. As a springboard for your own business reading plan, I am giving away a Kindle to one of you.

Want to win? Here is how to enter:
To enter, simply leave a comment on this post with the name of a book that has helped you in your business or life and a short note as to why it was useful to you (please note: the book(s) of whatever your chosen faith may be are going to be considered a given, so please choose something else for your comment).

The fine print:
*The contest will end at midnight pacific time, on Monday, December 7th. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, December 9th. 
*Limit one entry per person.
*This giveaway is open to anyone, regardless of whether or not they work in the wedding industry.
*Winner will be chosen randomly using random.org's integer generator.
*The winner will receive a Kindle II from Amazon.com.

Good luck!

How to Evaluate Your Blog's Keywords

One advantage blogs have over other platforms in social media is that, if set up correctly, they can help increase your search engine rank results because the words used in each post count as keywords for SEO.  It can be easy to slip into patterns while writing and overuse the same words in every blog post. When every wedding you write about is "totally awesome" or "beautiful" then those words (and the weddings you work on) lose meaning to your readers and you are lost in a sea of sameness in the search engines as well.

For a quick evaluation of the words you've used on your blog recently, paste your blog address or feed into Wordle. The words that show up larger are the ones that are used more often. This will not only show you which superfluous words you use often, but it will also give you an idea of which target keywords you use often and which you don't use often enough. For example, if you are a wedding florist and any words related to floral show up small, but words like "pretty" or "perfect" show up larger, then you'll know where to refocus your blog editing.

My suggestion for successfully integrating keywords into your blog posts is to write first and then edit. This will help you write more naturally without the pressure of trying to remember to fit certain words in. You can then fill the keywords in, deleting some words and substituting others, during the editing process.