the NFL embraces social media

When professional athletes followed suit & joined sites like Twitter and Facebook, commissioners and club owners both cringed and marveled at the personalities that were connecting directly with fans.  The barrier between fans and players was tackled down with tweets and posts that provide fans with insider information and a glance at the personal lives of professional athletes.

This 2011-2012 season has great opportunity to utilize social media formats, such as location based services. Fan involvement has spurred many segments on multiple ESPN programs, such as polling and posting question to gauge audience reactions. Sportsnation is a show that has really changed the format of the role of the viewer.  suggest topics to discuss- or test their fantasy knowledge with trivia questions. Fans with smart phones and internet based technology can keep informed easily by following updates from each individual sport club.
The Denver Broncos have a steady presence on Facebook, Twitter as well as their multimedia website. Location based services like Foursquare, where 'checking in' upon arrival to sponsored events and games.  I will keep up with how social media is used best and worst this season. Go BRONCOS.

social media KLOUT

social media is turning into a beast.
If you are using more than two social sites as your communication channels and need a system to evaluate your visibility and clout, download Klout. Specializing in social media analytics, Klout recently expanded to sites LinkedIn-Foursquare-YouTube and still offers its service on Facebook and Twitter.

Klout uses data points, for example with Twitter. tracks; following count, follower count, retweets and a 1- 100 scoring code. The higher the score represents a wider and stronger sphere of influence to your audience. Which is important information to have as a business.  It takes upkeep and material to keep a social site current and interesting for its audience. If your message is actively reaching your college audience you can tweak your approach to appeal to the other side of your market.
In order for social media to work the audience must be engaged in the information being outputed, as well as actively listen and react. 
Download Klout if you are wanting a bigger impact on your audience- get to know your current impact and personalize your social site to optimal performance!

small business + social media

I currently am employed by a small business Le Bateau Boutique. 
background: 50% off retail price everyday- open 10am-6pm daily
location:Steamboat Springs Colo. Downtown 6th street- upstairs next to popular sandwich shop
awareness: moderate- locals in town sometimes oblivious to new store openings 
overheard comments:
- "I didnt know about this store
- Is this under the same ownership of the store a few years back?
- I have heard Alana had a store, glad I finally made it in"
obstacles:
- assumptions that shopping in mountain towns is expensive $$$
- lack of foot traffic
- fear of purchase
- sales are low- working hours decrease
- prefer word of mouth and traditional marketing 
increase awareness:
mail | newspaper | booth at market |team up with a nonprofit & encourage shoppers to buy to help a community cause.
- CARLS TAVERN OPENING NIGHT&Weekend
ask your friends to have a dress up night & wear Le Bateau- and take picture and send them into The Pilot!
- I have been inspired to set up a fun vintage photoshoot.

I just sent this off to my Boss. and am anxious for the response I receive. I would love to see the store be something the community embraces & brings business to. But I feel like there is room for a BIG idea & its time to get that going- I sit in the store for 8hours a day- I have time!

Introducing my post college professor: Mashable!

Now that I I am out of the classroom and no longer soaking up the outdated teachings of public relations- I am on my own to explore and learn how to implement all the lessons and applications that are available at my fingertips. It can be slightly overwhelming,  interviewing for jobs in the field and not necessarily feeling 100% confident in my understanding of how to be a publicist. So I am putting myself in learning bootcamp- each day I will read an article and summarize the main details & create an idea on how it can be used for a certain business or industry best.
          Mashable has been  downloaded on my ipod touch for 4 months by now- And I had high hopes to keep up with the current trends with social media & business.
So getting back into the swing of things   the latest trend in social media is: 12% small business owners feel that social media is a 'must' for their business and 64% believe it is not necessary & the most popular tool used is Facebook, followed by LinkedIn.

Friday Finds & whats on my mind.

my daily routine:
- woke up @ 7am w/ Tom "a working man."
    - turned some pages in A Visit From the Goon Squad
         - let Partner out & about
          -  cooked a quesadilla
              - tidy up living space
         - sipped a SKA Blonde Beer & sat outside with Partner & Ponds crew
          - packed up & went to Le Bateau
Summer in Steamboat is just like I was warned about- beautiful sunny days- people out tubing-biking-hiking- free summer concerts- happy hour and hot springs evening soaks.

Today after 6 I am venturing on a hike up Emerald- which I have heard is a great view and distance.  Caitlin & I will catch up and take in some mountain beauty!

 my TO DO:

-dontation drop off | bank&post office | pack room | Ask Allison @ Ponds about extension | etc.

artwork found on ETSY. random ; but I am moving into a room with Tom next week & keep having the desire to buy something for the space. As cool as this art is- I think if we were looking to frame something ideally we would create something on a canvas together to have a collaboration piece.




Well hi 5 Friday- my parents are riding the Hogs up for a visit tomorrow- they have never been to this town & I have a lot I want to show them-
|strawberry park | Yampa river | mahagony or mambo| and walk the strip|

the head & the heart

first heard this group at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival - and I feel hard for them. I am picking up their album at the library today .  Can't wait to hear the rich & folky vocals with the bluegrass  instruments. Music like this is this fits for a mellow rainy day or night sitting around a fire with the best of company!

COOK..BOOK

Makes one 12-inch long baguette; about 24 slices
Ingredients:

• Baguette about 14-inch long

• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 oz fresh goat cheese
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• ½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper (about 1 medium)
• ½ cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
• ¼ cup finely chopped Kalamata olives
• 2 oz finely chopped spicy salami
• About 2 tbsp minced Italian parsley
• About 1 tsp minced fresh thyme
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt to taste (very unlikely since there’re plenty of salty ingredients)

Preparation:
Slice off both ends of the baguette. Using a long thin knife and working from the both ends, hollow the baguette out leaving about ½-inch thick crust all around.
Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth and lump-free. Beat in the goat cheese and garlic. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Working again from the both ends, fill the baguette with the cheese mixture. Pack the filling tight. I like to use a slender tequila shot glass for pressing the filling in. Wrap the stuffed baguette very well in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to two days. Right before serving, slice the baguette into ½-inch thick slices and serve. For the most neat looking slices, treat it as a cheesecake – each time slice it with a hot dry knife.