We often get questions about how and where to draw the line for social media between personal and professional uses. The old adage of “not mixing business with pleasure” still lingers in our collective consciousness and many people feel uncomfortable blending these worlds online. Without going into detail (use your imagination), there are obvious reasons for concern.

But just as there is an overlap between the personal and the professional in our social/working lives, there is a natural overlap to varying degrees on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other channels. Instead of trying to create a strict “firewall” between the two, professionals should think about how to best blend them.

Being a savvy social media practitioner not only boosts your competence in an important marketing discipline; your personal channels can have a positive impact on your company’s channels and programs. Many company-led social initiatives get a natural boost from promotions and interactions with other channels in the form of mentions, re-tweets, likes, impressions, etc. Having your own social media channels gives you the opportunity to participate online in a relevant way; in other words, it puts you “in the game.” Be sure to check your company’s social media policy before getting started. If your company does not yet have a policy, they should!

Twitter is the best medium I’ve seen for blending personal and professional to the benefit of both. Tweets that are 100% personal are only of interest, perhaps, to a tight group of friends (unless you’re famous of course). Tweets that are 100% business grow stale if followers don’t understand the context of the information nor the perspective of the source.

How well one is networked, active, and influential on social media is quickly becoming a differentiator that is attractive to employers – especially in the marketing profession. The good news is that it’s easy to get started and learn as you go. If you want more tips on establishing your social media presence in the BtoB Tech space, give us a shout.

At McBru, we’re driven to do good for the greater Portland tech and software communities. Our latest big project with the Software Association of Oregon, the Techlandia website, is doing very good, judging by its finalist status in the Webvisionary Awards.

It’s in the Name, Email, Awesome category because of  novel interactive dialog technology from Portland’s own FUSE Insight. This technology charges up several of the site’s services: guiding you to content; helping companies create profiles and answer inquiries; and even matching up tech mentors with mentees.

McBru and FUSE couldn’t have pulled it off without the kickin’ collaboration and code from Cascade Web Development.

Check Techlandia out for yourself. It’s good.

As technology progresses, there is a strong push for a different visual approach to convey your content to your audience. Some of the frontrunners taking a step forward with the trend of “visual storytelling” are Facebook Timeline, Pinterest, and Instagram. This trend is forcing companies to think more visually in their marketing.

Let’s take a quick look at how these design trends are affecting content marketing today.

1. Apps – This is a no-brainer. The increasing popularity of mobile devices forces web designers to be more innovative and creative in their designs and execution. This also affects how you want your story to be told. Apps have a greater ability to evoke an emotional response through their interactive displays. It also shows how “normal” navigation is becoming obsolete. There is almost no wrong way to display information anymore.

2. Multiple browsing experiences – Some web designers are combining all potential mobile device experiences into one website. The old days of having a separate parallel site just for mobile devices are ending. New website designs look great and function well on all devices.

3. Interactive effects – With the new interactive capabilities of HTML 5 and CSS3, why wouldn’t we show off what it can do?  It adds intrigue and excitement to anything you create.

4. Simplicity – When creating more of a visual storyline, there is no need to overload on information. Sometimes the simplest designs have the biggest impact and message. Websites that are simple are intuitive and don’t leave a user confused or questioning what they are supposed to do.

You can see these trends playing out in Facebook, Google, Dropbox, and Tumblr, among other leading sites. They aren’t just for Social Media and consumer markets. They can be used for almost any business. Why not make your message more visually evocative and interactive? After all, it will leave a longer lasting impression.

If you would like to know more about the growing impact of design on content marketing, read the original post by Chuck Longanecker “Why Great Design Is the Future of Content Marketing”

You don’t wear armor or carry a sword and shield to work each day, but if you’re in the position of Project Manager there are daily battles you can expect to engage in–and need to win–for a successful outcome. Here are some common challenges in project management and helpful tactics you can use to defeat them.

Inadequate Project Management Software

If you are using Excel to manage your projects, you’ve already lost the war. Software like Excel and other desktop applications don’t allow for team collaboration. In a world where we need to access accurate information anywhere, anytime, a web-based solution is your best answer. All of your project data is centralized, changes are made in real-time, and everyone on your team with web access can view the most recent information. There are lots of choices out there for online project management tools, so be prepared to seriously invest time exploring which one will work best for your organization. Helpful hint: Choose one that has a mobile app!

Unrealistic Deadlines

Unfortunately, missing deadlines isn’t uncommon. Within any project there are several factors that can lead to schedule slippage. Expect it. Clients often want quality work done in a short time frame, and to compete in today’s fast-paced market the usual practice is to promise to deliver the goods better and faster than XYZ Company can. The simple solution would be to set lower expectations during the scoping process, but if this isn’t part of your responsibilities, your mission is to manage the stress that is sure to result from trying to meet tight deadlines while encountering typical project issues. Stay flexible, prioritize tasks, and keep the big picture in mind—know what time and resources are allocated for every project in progress. Helpful hint: Don’t let the situation escalate into You vs. Them. Be the voice of reason. Communicate to your team any concerns about deadlines. This is an opportunity to join together, anticipate the possible problems, and develop creative solutions.

There’s No “I” in Team

But there is one in “intelligent.” A definite perk of working in a successful agency is the privilege of collaborating with a group of exceptionally smart and talented people. Everyone contributes 100% towards getting the job done. But while you all may share a common goal (completion of the project) you may also have very different ideas of what it takes to get to the finish line. Sometimes ideas will seem too much of a departure from the norm or risky. A team member’s working style may clash with your own. Don’t automatically give in to negative reactions to unusual approaches. Respect your co-workers’ skills and background. Your team members each possess strengths that are part of your organization’s success. Recognize that fact, appreciate it and communicate that you value their expertise! Helpful hint: The more attuned you are to your team’s various capabilities, the easier it is manage projects. You’ll know in what areas your team will shine and can easily gauge where there will be a need for outside resources.

Accept these customary challenges and you’ll be better prepared to earn your daily victories, not just for yourself but for your team as well.

When I chose Influencer Relations (aka Public Relations) as a profession, I had no idea there were so many misconceptions and confusion over what that job function really means. I also had no idea that one of my main conversations outside of the work environment would be explaining to people what I do. Let’s take a minute to talk myth vs. fact.

MYTH: I am an advertiser or media buyer.
FACT: The main difference between Advertising and Influencer Relations is paid versus earned placements, respectively. Advertising consists of paid placement(s) with a controlled message. Influencer Relations involves consistent messaging and branding to third parties (news media, bloggers, etc) that creates an image in the marketplace over time. With Influencer Relations, third party endorsement is earned through relationship building.

MYTH: I am a publicist.
FACT: Publicists manage reputations of individuals or small parties in the media. Authors and celebrities have publicists, for example. Influencer Relations professionals use multiple channels to communicate a message—usually for businesses, large corporations, or brands—such as speaking engagements, media relations, social media, crisis communications and awards.

MYTH: I just “talk to the media and send press releases” all day.
FACT: Press releases are one of the many tools Influencer Relations professionals use to reach out to the media, make an announcement and share news. It’s not a strategy or job function. And yes, we talk to the media. But certainly not all day every day…they’d stop answering our calls if we were that aggressive.

MYTH: I get paid to lie or ‘spin’ the facts.
FACT: The distorted truth? Not even close. Influencer Relations uses factual, consistent messaging to reach a target audience. Professionals who find they lie or distort the facts, well, likely aren’t professionals anymore. In fact, they’re probably looking for a job in another career. My responsibility to clients and the public is to build credibility and raise brand awareness through transparent and honest practices. It’s difficult to gain public trust any other way.

I think that clears the air on some of the most common misconceptions I uncover in my daily interactions. Well, most of them. As a “Communications Counsel” here at McBru, I assure you, I am not an attorney.

There is a fair amount of cheering going on over here at McBru. We just learned we’ve been named a finalist for the 2012 SoMe Awards, under the category of Brand Builder. I have to admit, it came as a bit of a surprise. Not because I’m falsely modest about the great work we do here, but because it is sometimes hard for general marketers to understand the strange, niche-y world of Tech BtoB, where McBru lives and breathes. In fact, we rarely enter awards competitions for that reason. Sometimes judges have a hard time seeing the value in a video ad featuring an application engineer explaining how to control the current for your LED driver… as opposed to those sexy ads for Nike or other hot consumer brands.

But, I digress.

Our entry for the awards program featured work we’ve been doing with Xilinx to help deepen their relationships and influence in social channels. Xilinx’ goal was to develop a substantive, organic social media community based on real world usage and conversations happening around their products and technology, which aligns beautifully with our philosophy about how social media should be used for and by Tech BtoB companies. When your target audience has a title like engineer, software developer or database administrator, it’s less about how many thousands of fans and likes you can accumulate, and more about the quality and volume of genuine engagements you can foster and conversations you can share in about what matters: technology and what problems it solves or what solutions it makes possible.

Whether McBru wins or loses, I am truly honored and thrilled to have been selected as one of 19 finalists across 8 categories. Our competition is local, national, international; great firms doing groundbreaking work in the ever evolving world of social media. I’m proud to be in their company.

From the moment Nixon stepped off that plane back in 1972, companies around the world have clamored to gain access to the Chinese market. And for just as long, many companies have found China to be somewhat of a mystery when it comes to effective branding. We recently led a few branding projects for the China market and I can tell you it is a fascinating experience. Here are a few tips in case you’re thinking about where your brand stands in China:

Company Names and Taglines

Although it is acceptable to have an English language name, many companies have opted for a Chinese name different from their corporate moniker to better connect with customers. Be forewarned: it can be difficult for a westerner to grasp the way Chinese characters convey meaning relative to English words and phrases. When developing a new Chinese name, it is important to keep an open mind and not try too hard to make a 1:1 translation. Company taglines work well in China and using a Chinese language company name English language tagline together is not unheard of.

Logo Marks

The principals of good design apply pretty much anywhere around the globe and China is no exception. If a logo is designed well, it should work just as well in China as it does in Chicago.

Trademarking

Two character names are more difficult to trademark than three and four character names due to simple math. There are millions of businesses in China and there are only so many two character combinations. The tradeoff is that three and four character names may sound more “foreign” to the native Chinese speaker.  The good news is trademarking is handled by location, so one company could have a name registered in Beijing, while another company has the same name registered in Shenzhen.

These few tips are just a start. As with every language, Chinese words and phrases may have several meanings and nuances so it is a good idea to have multiple native Chinese speakers on the team.

If you take the journey, may you have good fortune!

Planning a successful presence at an event is tough work. There are many things to keep track of and just as many things that can go wrong when the time comes.

Below are five things to keep in mind when planning your next event. While there are quite a few things you will need to do in your event planning; these tip are a good starting point.

Know what you want to measure. Having pre-defined metrics will help shape the experience that attendees have at your booth. How are you planning on collecting leads? Besides leads, what else will define success for you at your events?

Have a social media plan in place. Weeks before the event start broadcasting that you plan to be there. Use social media to reach out to others you know will be in attendance.

During the event, live tweet highlights such as positive interactions with key attendees and partners. Conduct man-on-the-street interviews with event participants and post them on Twitter or Facebook. And, if Twitter is your main social media channel, find the event hash tag and use it. If one doesn’t exist, don’t be shy about making one up.

Post event; reach out via social media to contacts you encountered. It will reinforce the in-person connection you made.

Reach out to attendees beforehand. Many conferences and trade shows will give sponsors an attendee list prior to the event. Scan the list for attendees you want to connect with. Drop them a line and let them know you will be there and are looking forward to meeting them. If it’s an especially important prospect or partner, plan a special outing like a dinner.

Make it personal and connect. Event attendees are sometimes wary about being sold to by exhibitors. So much so that at times you will feel like the perfume spritzer girl at the mall. Instead of focusing on closing a sale or cinching a lead, get to know the folks that come visit you. Connect with them in a personal way and show genuine interest in who they are and what they do. When you do follow up with them post event, they will be more likely to remember you- especially if your message is personalized.

Follow up with your leads. Now that you have all those fancy business cards you collected at the event, follow up! Try to do it as quickly post event as possible so you don’t lose the momentum generated at the event.

At McBru, we’re big believers in setting clear, measurable objectives and then reporting back to our clients regularly on our progress. Every project we undertake has clearly defined goals and objectives that have been translated into a set of expected measurable outcomes we can monitor using quantitative and/or qualitative results. Whether it’s a short term project like a press tour or a long-term ongoing social media program, the outcomes should be used to track progress, guide the project, and evaluate its ultimate success.

Measuring the success of a program is often different than measuring its ROI (return on investment). For many marketing and PR programs, successful outcomes aren’t directly measurable in terms of a dollar value. Some qualitative outcomes are awareness and reach, and quantitative outcomes include increased media placements, web traffic, or Net Promoter Score (NPS).

The program goal should determine what you measure for your results. For instance, if your goal is to increase brand awareness, the best way to do this would be to conduct a before and after brand study of your target audience. The first study benchmarks the awareness level and the follow up study tells you how far your activities have moved the needle. Other, less direct ways to measure brand awareness are to look at media placements, blog mentions, website traffic, share of conversation, or number of Twitter or Facebook followers.

Remember to report back regularly on progress – and be flexible about tweaking the goals and objectives when necessary to keep a project on track.

Often times when writing a piece for our influencer relations efforts, we feel the need to use descriptive words in our press releases; ones we think will tell our story better than others, make it “pop.” But in this quest for expression, we often find ourselves falling into a pattern of over-using or misusing the same group of words as our peers. According to Ragan’s PR Daily, there are 10 words that are commonly misused in press releases. They are as follows:

• Quality
• Unique
• Innovation
• Official
• Exclusive
• Breaking
• Never/Ever
• Revolutionary
• Literally
• Socially

My favorite misused word, or perhaps the one I’m most guilty of, is “exclusive.” I love the irony of calling something “exclusive” as you blast it across a newswire or a to database of 300 of your closest industry friends. Newsflash! If everyone is reading it at the same time, it’s not all that exclusive. For a description of how each of these words are abused, see the entire PR Daily’s entire post, 10 words often misused in press releases.

After reading this list, I took some time to reflect on the releases I typically write. Rather than being concerned with making a product or piece of news sound flashy, remember that the point is to effectively convey information about a product or news to share with your industry.  Keep it simple; stick to the facts.