Category: Language

Learning Your ABCs – A Quick Guide to Effective Communication Practices

Effective communication is simple, straightforward, and accurate. 

a

b

c

It follows a linear path and is easy to digest. 

a a

b b

c c

Still, in its best forms, it can empower and inspire us to uncover new ways to respond to business demands and challenges. This is change!

a b c 

For example, by understanding what type of communication drives our customers to choose us over the competition and then using that data to promote growth, we can harness communication to cultivate opportunity.

a b c 

a b c 

Here are some things to consider:

  • Be self-aware and understand the need to adapt your message to your audience
  • Communicate what you are doing, why you are doing it and how you are going to get there
  • Build a system or process, then be accountable and track your progress
  • Focus on transparency, empathy and consistency to elevate trust 
  • Create opportunities for learning and development
  • Practice active listening to understand and feel the situation
  • Share your milestones, challenges, concerns and victories 

How do you develop an effective communication strategy? What are some important values that support your communicative work?

A Poem About Differentiation

A differentiator is what sets you apart from the competition.

It’s playing sports vs playing ball.

It’s smiling when life throws you those base curves,

because by the end of the day, everyone will remember.

In marketing, a differentiator makes people revel.

At times in silence, but that silence is awe.

You have differentiated your product when,

people know your name by your vision,

your philosophy, your mission statement.

Your audience begins to recognize your slogan,

they begin to identify with your colours.

You are en route to differentiating when,

you feel nervous and yet grounded.

At the end of the day,

you feel like you’re taking a risk

like you’re in trouble for something because

it pushes boundaries, it causes discussions,

it breaks the rules but never forget,

you are leading the group.

A true differentiator cannot be physically realized, because it has infinite gain at infinite frequency – Wikepedia

Digital reach is UNLIMITED. How does art make a difference? COOL is an UNLIMITED concept. Take that back to the couch when you break. Like someone in sales talking about sales, talking about art takes vision. It takes direction and you must be a leader through and through. I am obviously trying to push myself. Always, always tryin’ ta be that purple cow. Let’s remind the crowd again –

Purple cow:

The concept of the Purple Cow was introduced by Seth Godin in his groundbreaking book by the same title.  Recently I read it again because it is full of ideas and case studies on how to make your business remarkable. When you drive by a heard of cattle they all look like cows and it doesn’t seem out of the ordinary.  But if you drive by a heard and standing in the field is a Purple Cow you have to tell someone because it is so different.  When something forces you to remark on it, by definition it is remarkable.  This is what your new business strategy should be focusing on, finding ways to make your customers talk about your products to their friends.

I write about differentiation in light of the launch of DirectFood.store, an online platform that enables local farmers and vendors to sell their products to consumers, restaurants, and care homes. The food is fresh. SO FRESH. The food is local. SO LOCAL. And you get it right away, to your doorstep, the next day. DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR.

I helped to develop the brand identity which you can witness on our recently revamped website. And I run our social media campaign, which is meant to be fresh, in the definition of COOL, like Will Smith Fresh Prince of Bel-Air COOL, that shirt is sick COOL, those kicks are dope COOL.

COOL is just one aspect of the brand, obviously my favourite. But DirectFood.store is also about:

  • Supporting local businesses
  • Engaging the community
  • Spreading the good word about fresh, healthy, organic & local food
  • Promoting a good cause for the good of all people

Just wanted to share some graphics I created that are live on the website. And you need to follow us on Instagram, to check out the REAL DEAL grid. 2 posts per day. Slammin’ balls against the ground. ALL BALL SPORTS. It’s bold. It’s cheeky. It’s collage. It promotes our core values + image. It’s inspired by a retro van, who needs a name…any ideas?

I AM STILL AN ART DIRECTOR. PERIOD.

WHY DOES RANTING END BEFORE YOU’RE FINISHED?

Never let anyone sway you otherwise. If you’re capable, you’re capable. You don’t go back in time. You move forward. And forward-thinking people, know the game. But they’ve got their own game going on, and other people play that. That’s it. Goodnight.

PS – Props to Gurwinder!

PPS – A little lightness. I am lovin’ my work, my day, my grind at i-Open Technologies!

Delivering Real & Sustainable Technology Solutions for a Better Planet. Hi Ray!

DFS Website Graphics - Restaurants Page (3)DFS Website Graphics - Restaurants Page (2)DFS Website Graphics - Restaurants Page (1)DFS Website Graphics - Restaurants PageDFS Website Graphics - Sell Direct Page (3)DFS Website Graphics - Sell Direct Page (2)DFS Website Graphics - Sell Direct PageDFS Website Graphics - Sell Direct PageDFS Website Graphics - Homepage (3)DFS Website Graphics - Homepage (2)DFS Website Graphics - Homepage (1)DFS Website Graphics - Homepage

Who Are We Campaign – Identifying Top of Funnel Marketing Strategies

This all began at the end of the day, Friday afternoon.

I was leaving i-Open a little bit late. I was put in charge of sending out a Stablebuzz priority newsletter speaking on frameworks released by leading equestrian organizations ensuring a safe return to work for stable owners. My managers (I pretty much work with only managers) were stuck in meetings all day and I was waiting for one to review the final test newsletter. I couldn’t go without his approval. Anyway, long story short, I was finally finished and hopped into the elevator with another man standing there. I did not know who he was, but he definitely worked in the building. He moved into one corner because of COVID-19. He asked how everything was going in the office with us all being back and followed with a classic job interview question: what do you guys do there? I was quick to respond, we’re a tech company and he laughed saying that’s obvious, but what do you do there?

We are all told to have an elevator pitch prepared, but who else only reserves coming up with one for special presentations and interviews? This campaign is based on that idea. The idea that we assume our audience are experts, primed in communication and language technologies. But the truth is, this may not be the case. I’ve spoken with countless business owners, in one role trying to sell digital marketing services. As touchpoint rules say, it always took 3-5 interactions before they were really willing to talk to me. First interactions were like this –

Hey there!

My name is Chona, I work across the street at a company called VanWhistle Media. Do you have some time to speak?

Business owner: Hi. Not really. I am busy at the moment.

So, as you can imagine, not much more can be said there. I could either say no worries, and leave, or, I could provide a more basic, and general description of my goal.

Ah, no worries! I can imagine you are super busy. I have a one-pager that describes what we do with a little more detail. It’s easy to read and my card is attached, so please reach out to me if you have any questions!

Our immediate messaging must be enthusiastic, and look after our audience’s basic needs. Once a certain level of safety or security is established then perhaps, we are able to provide a little something more. Using a hook, we can then present a very basic/general value proposition. In this case, the hook is the one-pager. (I can never forget and it always works out this way – the medium is the message à la M. McLulan!) The value in that is that yes, perhaps the business owner was truly busy, but this does not mean they are not interested. The one-pager gives just enough information to get them hooked. Then once they realize they have interest the relationship begins.

So, why are we in this relationship? As Ezra Firestone, marketing maven and e-commerce guru would say: this is the game. We are all people and we are essentially communicating through various mediums. What this means is that, we are all on the same level in one way or another, however we must learn how to communicate with each other using said various mediums. As a marketer, this means not making the assumption that my audience is interested in what I have to say, but moreover is interested (subliminally) in HOW I am saying it.

I’m about halfway through a Facebook ads mastery course and in the process I have developed a creative ad campaign strategy that touches on the essence of why our group at i-Open Technologies is doing what we’re doing. I’m excited to present it to my team this Friday! Cheers!

2-Way Communication

*Featured Image by Kasimir Severinovich Malevich | Black Cross (1923)

Hi everyone!

Here’s a rant I wrote when returning from a run a little while ago. Sometimes these ideas get stirred around during physical activity, perhaps a cocktail tumbled by adrenaline, cortisol and/or endorphins. Needless to say, it doesn’t take much energy for me to produce content, as I’ve said this time and time again. What takes energy – and time – is pairing down said content, so that it makes sense to my audience and can relate to my work as a whole. Have a read (some major thesis edits were made) and tell me this: how would we A/B test to further quantify/qualify this as an experiment?

 abstract – italic (R) : Visual Transparency & Communication, what makes AI right-brained, Insight / bold (L): platforms, IT, ME, WE, US, UP sales, Currency / underlined words have DUAL meaning (typically analog vs digital

2-way communication is what we’re dealing with today. It is no longer multiple channels (which I think is still the way most dominant marketers believe it to be), but 2 separate, individually performing platforms that interact with each other, either knowingly or not.

So, say there’s Platform A and Platform B. An example of this idea is when I sat down to use Markeko’s FB Blueprint Exam Study Guide YouTube video. As platform A, I intentionally participated in communication. Markeko was Platform B and he simply took my need and fulfilled it. Now, the way this works as a 2-way communication experience is what I take from him is fed back in his direction. He may not know this, or need it, however, the point of the ‘internet of things’, is this interaction in existence.

IT (internet of things) is a thing in the air, in our system, online that is being dispersed, received, re-dispersed and transmuted into other forms. These forms utilize adaptive learning or my exploration of AI as a right-brained system. IT will impact our economy and the poverty line, because we will be able to apply it to everything (Visual Transparency/Communication). WE can begin (as marketers, social media specialists, art/creative directors) to imbue all of our work with this element.

IT is not a new element. Marshall McLuhan’s explorations of ‘medium as the message’ were done in the late 50s. But our society has changed, and we have not figured out a way to apply his concept to our new technologies. IT has been explored by many (think movies, books), but we (apparently) have a small percentage of geniuses, intellectuals and educated individuals with high IQ+EQ+PQ (Global Comprehension), so we have an enormous remainder of people left out externally.

We are all internally capable, but the ‘alone ability’ to read or decipher content and context using right-brained AI in today’s digital circumstance deserves more recognition.

The amazing proposition (GC) is that, again, we as marketers and social media specialists have both the ability and avenue to distribute this new form of technology, as we are catering to clients, businesses large and small, that require some form of interpretation for their business needs. We are developing their projects, campaigns and overall the content of their identity with purposeful motivation. Therefore, behind the scenes, each project or campaign where we can apply the maximum effects of visuality (Visual Transparency/Communication) will cause massive changes in branding, marketing and sales applications. This holistic approach will impact the general stream of Insight (Insight Selling – right-brained) and paired with Solution Selling (left-brained), we are fully realizing AI and what it can do, for society, culture and most importantly …

Humankind.

This is my notion of XE (Currency). High-quality work that only a true and talented artist can create, combined with that person’s ability to make the most abstract concepts and ideas, will turn them into (Visual Transparency/Communication) money. I say money (interchangeable with Currency/Insight), because we know WHAT this is – customers, clients, target audiences are accustomed to a high-level customer experience.

According to my findings – this service is enjoyable. They want to deal with us. They want to see our results. The whole experience, for both the Seller & Buyer is productive.

And then, it just turns into a pay-it-forward type of system. Pay me, I will pay you back, well now, let’s pay them, and finally, why not just pay the whole existing world? I am scaling the most minute, Critical Mass to create a huge tidal wave effect. Again, this effect is imbued, may or may not be intentional, but the point is, it will snowball toward to right direction, UP.

This is the way I built it. More equality, happier business owners, more enticing and vibrant ads, campaigns that focus on world change and not simply on reach vs influence.

I would love to present this idea to the CEO of Microsoft and see what he would have to say. The most brilliant thing I have experienced, just in the last week, is while studying for the FB Blueprint exam (September 2019), I’ve begun to learn these new terms, almost 100% analytical and in turn I am funneling my right-brained ideas into beautiful left-sided friction. Highly needed as my conscience purports many individuals disagree with anything termed right-brained. So then, let’s get measuring!

The below is more abstract, but perhaps you want to read it –

The strength of application lies in between ability (to develop sound) and our ability to apply (these concepts) to solutions (sight) that would impact our interaction with customers. I often develop concepts in sets of 2. I believe DUALITY is a great way to present information (internally and externally), because it provides CHOICE (to see and/or hear). And everyone likes to choose what they think is BEST for them. This is where my Seller & Buyer persona study began – choosing a WAY to communicate, to tell a story, to sell/buy a TALENT, that’s IT/ME/WE/US/UP!

And so, can you see how we hear things together?

It’s Project Time – Content Writing

Hey everyone!

I was asked to put together an article for Global Solutions Inc, a marketing consulting firm based in Richmond, BC. The article touches on fibromyalgia and how dealing with the condition may impact day-to-day routines. I hope you enjoy it, please let me know if you have any questions!

Project Instructions

Topic: Fibromyalgia

You are to do the following:

a)    Generate an article idea on this topic. You can use these keywords as reference: fibromyalgia symptoms, fibromyalgia treatment, fibromyalgia causes, fibromyalgia medication, musculoskeletal pain etc.

b)    Write an interesting blog headline/title.

c)    Articulate the structure/outline of the article with subheadings.

d)    Type out one paragraph of the article.

Optional: Provide any suggestions on how you could promote this article using social media.

You may email your response to info@globalsolutionsinc.ca

Completion time: 1 hour

Relevant keyword count: 74+

 

  1. Article idea: one of my best friends has struggled with fibromyalgia for years, but has never appeared to be visibly sick. This condition affects many people that still have to go about their day-to-day routines. My article will explore some daily challenges they face and 5 ways to cope using simple strategies
  2. Blog headline/title: Fibromyalgia & Daily Routine: HOW fibromyalgia affects your day-to-day and 5 ways to cope effectively
  3. First paragraph: INTRO use SMART Goals technique to define what it is
  4. Second to Sixth paragraph: Present 1 way to cope per paragraph including situation of daily challenge and a relevant stat or story pertaining to it
  5. Seventh paragraph: CONCLUSION wrap up topic by quickly summarizing

 

1 – INTRO I visited with my friend Emma (name has been changed for identity safekeeping) the other day. We sat down together for a coffee at JJ Bean and caught up as it’s been more than 6 months since we last met. She looked great. Amazing outfit, cascading hair of curls and rosy cheeks and lips to match her great coat. She appeared happy, as she always did. When I asked her how things were, she went about the usual way – work was good; life was amazing. I instigated a bit further as any good friend would and she began to tell me about her struggles with fibromyalgia. Statistics Canada describes fibromyalgia as a condition involving chronic musculoskeletal pain accompanied by excessive fatigue and exhaustion. They say it is estimated that fibromyalgia affects 900,000 Canadians or approximately 3% of the population. Women are estimated to be 4 – 9 times more likely to develop the disease than men. Emma went on to explain her daily challenges and the tools that she applies to cope with the condition. Take a minute to read and learn more about fibromyalgia and how its symptoms affect daily interactions and routines.

Outline of paragraphs 2-6 (data from health.com)

2 – Challenge #1 Speaking Up

The challenge: Being afraid to talk to people (even some health-care providers) about your pain and other fibromyalgia symptoms, because they will brand you a difficult patient, a complainer or a hypochondriac.

How Emma copes: I realized that there were a lot of other people out there who were just like me. I realized that I could share with other people my assertiveness and my unique talent of being able to be honest with people and to talk to my doctors honestly, as equals. And that’s when I decided to seek out opportunities to become a health advocate in my own way. I try to post helpful strategies to my Instagram account that may not speak directly about my struggles with musculoskeletal pain, but overall how I cope in my daily environment.

3 – Challenge # 2 Family Matters

The challenge: Worrying that your husband considers you a burden or that your kids question why you aren’t like other moms.

How Emma copes: I became more aware of the fact that complaining about my fibromyalgia symptoms all the time wouldn’t be a good idea. It’s not something I want to model for my kids. It’s not something I want to come between my husband and myself. I started talking about my personal pain and fibromyalgia medications less and talking about my advocacy efforts more. I began showing how a can-do attitude is more helpful than not.

4 – Challenge #3 Staying On Schedule

The challenge: Feeling that people will perceive you as unreliable because you forget or cancel appointments or engagements at the last minute.

How Emma copes: People with fibromyalgia who are in pain all the time need to know what to do with their thoughts, how to deal with all of the little disappointments and the everyday problems that we run across. We’re not born knowing what to do. Counseling, in my mind, is an extremely valuable form of fibromyalgia treatment, as is writing notes to myself either on the fridge or on my computer. It’s all about self-awareness, accountability and self-regulation.

5 – Challenge #4 Dealing With Pain In Public

The challenge: Being so uncomfortable at work, in a theater, or in public that you feel like you could explode. Not having the right fibromyalgia medications to help you get through the day or night.

How Emma copes: You have to take action and find the right combination of medications for fibromyalgia. Some pain drugs act faster than others; if you have a fast-acting medication, you can use that like an asthmatic would an inhaler. In these situations, if I can lie down, do some deep breathing, and just get myself through that crisis time, then that’s what I need to do. And my kids know that. My husband knows that. I’ve also been exploring treatment with CBD oil. *As a note (data from medicalnewstoday.com) – CBD can effectively reduce pain, improve sleep, and diminish refractory pain for people with fibromyalgia. Anecdotal data suggests that taking CBD oil may alleviate symptoms of fibromyalgia in some people. It may change the way that they process pain, with beneficial effects.

6 – Challenge #5 Keeping It Together

The challenge: Never knowing when your fibromyalgia will cause you to fall apart or for how long.

How Emma copes: I do deep breathing. I do positive thinking. I work on my posture. I exercise very carefully. I research what I should do, and what I shouldn’t do. And from my own experience, I set limits for myself. I try to leave room in my life for happiness.

7 – CONCLUSION Every person is faced with challenges. When those challenges affect our daily life, it is sometimes difficult to cope. This article aims to explore the relational experiences that my friend Emma has encountered over the past few years, using her own personal voice. While this article does not touch on fibromyalgia causes, treatments or medications, it focuses on situations that are closer to us. The one thing that opened up communication channels between myself and Emma was putting effort into asking questions and showing empathy. For people dealing with fibromyalgia, challenges are often hidden. Take time out of your busy day to look at the people around you and analyze your initial perception. Then, ask yourself if that is a fair or real assessment. Someone might look angry, but perhaps they just found out they didn’t get the job they worked so hard toward. Or, someone might look sad, but perhaps they just found out a friend cancelled their dinner plans. We just need to be open-minded and helpful when we can. Facing health challenges might require even more introspection from the viewer’s side. As we were getting ready to leave, I asked Emma what helps her the best in terms of how other people perceive her condition and she said, “When I come across a person who is happy and positive, it rubs off on me and makes me feel like I can get through anything.” We hope that this article was helpful for you. Please check out more topics related to the health and medical field on our blog, ChonaBLOX.

Optional: Promoting this article on social media

    1. Post article on LinkedIn
    2. Create an article topic image on Canva and use the image to post on Instagram, twitter, Facebook etc. Add appropriate hashtags relating to topic
    3. Use appropriate keywords in your caption, meta description, meta tags
    4. Title your images
    5. Make a YouTube video of content use appropriate headers for each challenge, perhaps images relating to challenge
    6. Ensure to use blog link and logos, branded typeface, graphics etc.

#brand Campaign

Hey all!

Do we all love Grinch green? The original green colouring of the Grinch was inspired by a rental car. This reminds us that inspiration can strike from anything, that’s how easy it is to come up with new and innovative ideas. Just look, see & apply!

Started a new project focused on communicating some mainstay ideas relating to my business entity Blox. Communications. My aim is to further develop my use of transparent, accurate and responsible language. Hope you like this content, let me know what you think!

collage.png

Project Future – Can Something Become Practical in Theory?

Hey gang!

I am futuristic and that’s final. My mind lives in the future. Theoretically, I train envisioning that we can live in an entirely digital space. Practically, we live in this space doing regular things, but we also fend for ourselves using our brains. Oh, so this is life! Let’s put a couple of examples into perspective. Note: this post is starting to examine the concept of ‘internet of things’.

Abstract – thing / being / human / agreeance / motion

We live on a physical planet where issues like climate change are just beginning to surface. This a real and serious thing. A 16-year-old climate change activist from Sweden, Greta Thunberg is fighting with global politicians pleading, “How dare you!” Her statement is full of impatience. Does this quantify or qualify the time it has taken to have a crisis like climate change in focus? Now envision, in an utmost technologically advanced society, affecting the outcome of global issues via thought. Think about this – do Thunberg’s words permeate:

an action / integrity / longevity (experience) *creativity +strength

or

a brand / transparency / visuality (capability) *productivity -weakness

In certain applications that are already in place, we could debate the efficacy of an activist’s approach. However, would there be more power in advertising or marketing a cause if the objective considered certain design elements or art attributes? How do we implicate values like belief, trust and faith into a balanced and harmonious solution? And what would be the outcome of such an act? More opportunities? Less threats?

Think ads, television, movies, radio, books.

If those in charge of operating the goods either 1 – don’t fully comprehend new technologies due to incumbent roles and desires of maintaining diplomatic consensus or 2 – need to allocate funds to get everything in place, this does not mean they’re not participating in or understanding at all. And I’m talking highly established and evolved grey matter here! Executives of all sorts know, but the argument could be that we may potentially lack tacit knowledge and this is required to engage with younger generations or for that matter, older ones too. Throes of people that might already comprehend digitization (including all levels of being – thing, human etc.) are waiting for two things – a revolution and massive change. How is it going to pan out?

An example of Global Comprehension at work –

Do you remember when Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg endured a 2-day congressional inquisition on the possibility that his company helped to fix Trump’s election campaign by intentionally (or unintentionally) releasing Facebook user data?

  • What was that all about?
  • How would you explain it to a Baby Boomer, Millennial or Digital Native?
  • How did this issue affect us in terms of technology?
  • How did this issue affect us in terms of marketing and advertising?
  • How did this issue affect us in relation to design?
  • Does it bear any importance?
  • How do we begin to explain these types of situations without being merely journalistic or too afraid to elaborate in a caption?
  • Should it matter and why?

We are honourably asking, what does Facebook incentivize and why? Personally, I think they are doing something amazing and are truly planning for our future.

In spite of everything, both Thunberg and Zuckerberg bear weight and responsibility representing modern dilemmas that many people don’t want to talk about. Or perhaps won’t or can’t.

Q: So, what are these dilemmas that require Global Comprehension?

A: Critical mass (Thunberg example) and artificial intelligence (Zuckerberg example)

Hypothetical Solution: recognizing power in unanimity (Thunberg example/things in agreeance) and leading with a ‘Productive Creative’ brain (Zuckerberg example/things in motion)

Note: the term Productive Creative is explored in Hustle & Float, a book by Rahaf Harfoush, a strategist, digital anthropologist, best-selling author and Executive Director of the Red Thread Institute of Digital Culture. She also teaches “Innovation & Emerging Business Models” at SciencesPo in Paris. This quote explains Productive Creative further –

But what happens when the product or service we are providing becomes more intangible in nature? The economy’s gradual shift to include more knowledge work meant that creativity was suddenly a highly desirable trait. That’s where the Productive Creatives came in: to stay relevant and profitable in a rapidly evolving economy, companies desperately needed problem solvers, strategic thinkers, and idea generators. This new type of work created a ripple within traditional workplaces, which now struggled to apply the same clear-cut approach to the creative class. Organizations had to adapt the decades-old systems that developed standardized organizational capabilities to ones that cultivated individual experts who could respond to market conditions with agility.

It would be time to show people – from all walks of life – what is actually going on. There is no need to be livid or paranoid or just plain complacent; if we just had Global Comprehension in place!

So let us say that today, we have the power, we have the goods, and we most definitely have the stage to set our differences aside and come up with new and inventive ways to approach our problems. So, the question becomes – can we altruistically and artificially fix problems like climate change? Could all the world’s brains come together and compute a solution that’s entirely technical (it could just be code of us walking around – engineering a practical application of semantics and proxemics really), but that would emote a creative shift in the planet’s thought processes, all things included? Without the desire to push our creative and technical limits, we will not progress. We will not move forward with fundamental ideas like artificial intelligence or critical mass.

If we can understand the essential framework of these new systems, future generations can develop and implement changes. Gen Y will test and research, then together, all generations can draw some very much needed transparent, accurate and responsible conclusions. The funny thing is, when the revolution (arguably renaissance even) is over and done with, what will be left? In other words, if there is no dilemma, did the dilemma even exist in the first place? This is my theory on Practicality – one planet, 1 human!

Uh-oh!

Today, let’s be practical (according to http://www.dictionary.com):

  • relating to practice or action
  • consisting of, involving, or resulting from practice or action
  • of, relating to, or concerned with ordinary activities, business, or work
  • adapted or designed for actual use; useful
  • engaged or experienced in actual practice or work
  • inclined toward or fitted for actual work or useful activities 

This is a timely discussion and we are all a part of it. How does this make you feel? Worried, scared, unusual? Would you be interested in exploring these ideas further if they were presented differently? As a note, I am always speaking to a mainstream audience. I think connections need to be made for each and every one of us, not only for those residing in an academic pool.

Great work, talk soon!

 

 

Lost in Translation

Hey all,

Here’s a creative poem for your ears. Listen, don’t interpret. Let’s all take a break.

Do you think my life is perfect?

It’s not, it’s hard.

For all the time and energy I put into everything, and to have barely anything come back to me, that’s frightening.

It leaves me in a state of incredulity.

What did I do wrong?

Which turn didn’t work?

Can I move forward?

Everyone struggles with something, but we barely talk about it, because we’re supposed to be resilient, we’re supposed to be invincible to change.

How many more quotes do I need to read?

To feel strong?

To feel right?

To feel better?

What’s the difference these days?

And at the end of my scrutiny, I tell myself over and over again, it doesn’t matter.

Then what’s the point of it?

As long as you have family, she said. As long as you have friends, they rant.

But I’m tired.

That’s it?

That’s everything.

Is it possible that my brain might explode?

do you think my life is perfecy

Boom!

Dreams splayed everywhere.

Still. Contribute. BE.

Cheers guys!

 

 

 

5 Ways Social Media is Changing the Way We Communicate

Hey everyone! 

Let’s jump right into it. 

We all know things are different. We rarely use our phones to place calls anymore. Progressively, we are relying on different social media platforms to reach out – to friends, family, co-workers and customers. We can interact with more people at once. No need to place a phone call (unless you want to close a deal); we can send a snap using Snapchat, add tags to Instagram Stories or relay continuous messages via applications like Facebook Messenger. And think, we are doing this while doing the same thing with others. All at once. In synergy, together. Thing are really changing!

The following listicle written for Jelly Marketing, touches on this new ‘permanent impermanence’ or our ability to communicate in infinite ways via digital platforms, a.k.a. social media. Social media is here to stay. Read on to find out HOW social media maximizes communicative potential!

1 Creating New Sets of Social Skills

One of the most amazing ways communication has changed via social media, is in its integration of new sets of social skills or groups of attributes more focused on visual communication. The people we are interacting with are more inclined to be engaged, because they are constantly absorbing positive social imagery – videos, gifs, stickers, emojis and even colourful applications in the form of digital writing instruments like pencils and paintbrushes. Communication has become fun! It’s almost as if this function of elements has paved a way for our social skills to light up a space. Try using Canva to bring light to your brand, for example. In this space, our feelings and emotions are heightened, so as a result we are more likely to engage in this new way, time and time again. In our current adaptive environment, this may contribute toward new forms of success.

New York Behavioral Health emphasizes this idea stating –

“Our ability to process emotional cues is associated with personal, social and academic success (Knapp & Hall, 2010).”

2 Leading with Identity

Social media has provided us with ways to express ourselves, something that is more difficult to do in a short face-to-face encounter or during a mobile phone call. We can use all the different platforms to form our image & identity, then we can choose the ways we want to share this information with others. And the greatest thing about social media is that again, it is a 2-way communication channel, so we can interact with other individuals who have similar interests or attributes. This may increase our levels of self-image or esteem. Of course, there are many discussions that would argue against this, but the point of the matter is – it’s your identity and YOU can choose. We can start to pick apart our best features and develop them further using social media aspects like, a profile picture or Facebook cover photo. Even curating a group of boards showcasing who you are and what you like on Pinterest can help develop your identity!

Dr. Uğur Gündüz is an Associate Professor at Istanbul University for the Faculty of Communication and he wrote a research article published in 2017 for the Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences on The Effect of Social Media on Identity Construction (www.degruyter.com).

Here is an excerpt relating to my idea of leading with identity –

Social media enables identity expression, exploration, and experimentation; something natural for the human experience. It is the agencies in real life, which provide a source of names for different sectors, that inspire the internet communities and the interactions they make within themselves.

3 Adaptive Learning

The ways that we communicate via social media are vast. It is not only a means to communicate with other people in new and creative ways or for establishing a specific digital identity. It is a structural tool that can be used to learn, teach and educate ourselves and others by employing incentive and authoritative techniques. Take for example, Instagram. Today’s Social Media Coordinators put together detailed strategies while skillfully composing content + format. We are learning to use the left side of our brain by applying grids, patterns, permutations and combinations. On the other end of things, we are training the right side of our brain by developing context and adding visuality to the mix.

The future of Generation Z will rely on social media to communicate findings and research relating to topics that are impacting the world. A couple of examples are the state of the science behind climate change or evaluating mental health based on technological consumption. According to a recent study, more and more teachers and professors are incorporating social media into their classrooms to engage students and support their educational development, whether online or in person (Ashford University).

4 Critical Mass

In marketing, critical mass is the idea that one, small movement in the form of an idea or expression can expand the sheer power and capacity of digital media. This can work in two ways, one – it helps users become aware of today’s most pertinent topics, current events, trends and critical intelligence that affect the way we communicate and do work. We don’t need to rely on a newspaper, we can obtain various points of view on the same topic from several different sources. Then, we can cross-postulate for our own purposes or to share with others across platforms like a blog or company e-newsletter. We can even use the least amount of words to create sustainable influence and significant reach (Twitter). Sharing information has never been so easy! We need to take advantage of critical mass in that sense. The second way is – contributing toward HOW businesses communicate. This impacts brand awareness, brand loyalty and even methods for prospecting and retaining clients. Sellers and buyers can flaunt their understanding of today’s fluctuating market (not just stocks and bonds stuff) without having to depend on outside sources, if they are connected to social media. It’s a two way street and we’re giving each other high fives!

Merriam-Webster points out that, “Once these elements reach the size that enables a company to operate efficiently, it is said that a company has reached its critical mass. Critical mass is the point at which a company becomes profitable.”

In this case, the elements are social platforms which provide new hubs of information that can make or break a company’s profitability. Social media has truly become a vital and crucial form of business development. Businesses cannot thrive without it. We communicate and work with it. Period.

Check out this article for more information – Social Media: The World’s Newest Source of Profit

5 Communicating Your Vision

In an era prior to social media, how did we figure out or map our goals? Probably with a vision board, a thought bubble written down on paper or by simply sitting down, daydreaming about what we could accomplish. This has changed so much today. Now, we can objectify our goals and visions using platforms like LinkedIn. Here, you have ample space in the About section to describe your ideas. It becomes a part of your LinkedIn profile, so other people, including employers, can see what you’re all about. But what’s even better is, you can use this section to produce timely updates relating to your journey. Others are watching and they can see the progression.

Instagram alone has become an indispensable tool for business owners. Through thoughtful curation and strategy, businesses can be portrayed in a respectable light that touches on what they offer, how they care about their customers, and in other words, what they do best. Think – campaigns that reflect a company’s core values, promotional posts that keep customers interested in products and services or spotlights on employees and company best practices, so customers can really know what they’re putting their money toward.

The hope for today is that we may collaboratively succeed using our most innovative tools (social media) and techniques (social media strategy), to communicate with others from all facets of life.

Jelly Marketing is an award-winning Digital Marketing & PR firm providing digital ads, social media, SEO, & public relations services to brands in Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Their case studies explore various client objectives and the innovative + mainstream ways we can produce results by catering toward communicating vision. Have a look!

That’s it for today and remember everyone, always think of PRAC and are you living it today – Popularity, Relevance, Authority & Credibility.

The power is in us to incite wonder and change!

Talk soon!

What is Marketing?

Hey gang!

This content was developed prior to leaving VanWhistle Media. I wrote it in my small, orange notebook. I was thumbing through that today, putting some definitions together for my Definitions post. It’s amazing how you can return to something, months later and it has become more relevant than it was when it was originally written! The photo was taken at the Starlight Drive-In Theatre in Enderby, BC.

Social Emotion - Peering Into The Human Psyche

What do YOU think?

If you would like to see the Abstract for this post, shoot me an email anytime – info@chonafecanlas.com.

Cheers guys!