Social Media: Want to optimize your online marketing efforts?

Learn more about what social media is and how it can help your business succeed today.

Workshops and coaching sessions are available for individuals and groups. Coaching sessions can be customized to your specific business goals and can include training, guidance, support, strategy or what ever helps you meet your goals.

Clients achieve an improved understanding of social media tools including how to better communicate and meet goals using facebook, twitter, LinkedIN, blogs, google documents and more!

To learn more about how The Midas Center can help you improve your social media activities and take your business to the next level, contact Andrea Cook today to schedule your first session by phone at (574) 936- 7058 or by email.

Presentations now available:

• Social Media 101: The New Frontier of Marketing

• Facebook 101: Save Time and Money and More

• Twitter 101: To Tweep or Not to Tweep and More

• iHEARTplymouth 101: Small businesses get online for free

• Blogging 101: Passionate Social Activists Wanted

• Branding 101: It's not Just for Cows

Professionals who have participated in a social media workshop or coaching sessions by The Midas Center are welcome to be members of The Midas Center Social Media Club.

Award winning full service creative communications agency providing professional marketing, advertising, public relations and branding services to businesses and organizations.

Retreat Day 5: Design is. . . ?

"Design is not about "like." It's not about "dislike." It's about passion . . . emotion . . . attachment.

- Tom Peters, reveals the true power of consumerism, "Re-Imagine! Business Excellence in a Disruptive Age"

Design is so much more than just the cosmetics of a product or the marketing collateral of a business. Design is the new dollar that symbolizes creativity and quality. Within an instant, the public can visually see the soul of a product through its packaging; or the quality and integrity of a business by glancing at its web site.

True, there is a lot of fluff out there. But those who matter will be attracted by design first and foremost. There is substance in style. There is a message that runs deep through the design of products and businesses. The message is in the details, it is in the overall appearance and the overall experience.

Enter into a Starbucks and you will have realized the impact design has, from the flavor of coffee, to the overall experience in the store, Starbucks exudes design and branding. Starbucks sells more than just strong coffee. Let's face it, the impact of the overall design of Starbucks and the addictive power it has over people is its true value proposition. Its consistent use of the color palette from the murals on the walls, to the seating areas and the straws is about the brand. The shapes of the counters and barrista stations, the logos that appear perfectly with each eye movement brands the experience in your brain and leaves you wanting more.

Yesterday, I bought an iPad from the Apple store in Chicago. If you have ever bought an Apple product, you may understand the overall manipulation and power Apple has over its fans. They aren't just a computer manufacturer any more than Starbucks is just a coffee maker. The design of Apple is the true soul of its products. Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple understands the majestic magnificence design plays in the overall marketing of its company too. From the research and development of the Apple products, to the marketing, selling and delivery, design exudes throughout the entire life cycle of any Apple item. The clean, no-nonsense, fresh white space is the very essence of Apple, its stores, the products and packaging.

As our world becomes more polluted with loud noises, images scrolling at top, on the bottom and along the sides of our screens, designing - whether it is packaging, a web site, direct mail, advertising, etc., - needs to be concise, consistent, cohesive to what you are selling, who you are.

Reflecting on my career, I have spent the past several years suppressing my "graphic design" capabilities. I quickly acknowledged the lack of value many C-level executives have towards designers. Perhaps the market is so saturated with designers that it was difficult to prove value. Maybe those who claim to be designers but really just own a copy of Photoshop have tarnished the designer name. Perhaps design is not easily quantified by the bean counters. Whatever the reason, I am realizing the value and need for good design.

I recall an attorney, sitting in his corner office of one of Chicago's tallest skyscrapers telling me with surprise and delight after I turned a courtroom graphic into a visual that could better prove his argument say, "You desktop publishers ARE more than just glorified secretaries."

The nineties were my decade to be a pioneer in legal marketing with most law firms paying little- to no attention to the need of design. My mission was to give attorneys the visual credentials they needed to communicate they represented a noble profession. Attorneys are advocators of the American legal system, not ambulance chasers.

Years of education and proof of intelligence appeared in the certificate that adorned their offices, but law firms would take no value in the overall image, style, they were visually communicating with the marketplace. One of my first law firm clients was a medium-sized firm. They hired me to design in-house invitations for their numerous events. The year was 2000, and they had about 2000 versions of their firm's logo. They put a lot of emphasis on their ampersand, the "&." I made waves on the issue whenever I had the chance. It is a wonder the marketing director put up with my shenanigans as long as he did!

By 2003, they hired a big design firm to develop a standard logo. I would have loved the opportunity to have done that for them, but, in reflection, I wasn't ready to demonstrate the leadership in the boardroom to present visual solutions to be effective. I'd love the opportunity today to do that. I'm ready for it now.

More than being qualified for the opportunity, I am learning my passion for this. I LOVE the design process of gathering information, realizing the emotional characteristics of a business, its offering, its product and then creating concepts, presenting them with awe and voila! The new visuals give life to a company. The new image is like a makeover that takes someone who was timid and recreates their confidence into a shining super star! Visually personifying the business, implementing the image on paper, on the digital screen, watching the business' morale increase and the sales grow is the ooey gooey secret sauce in my business offering. Oh yeah. Here we go. . .

Today, law firms of all sizes must have the competitive advantage in the design, the overall brand as they market their firm through the web site, the brochures. In fact, any business that has any competitor- which is EVERYONE - should start to appreciate and take notice of the design, the visual impact they are making with the public, with their "potential" clients.

I'm thrilled to see the value of design grow globally. It makes me realize that I have a special offering I could build a business offering around. I love creativity. Let's let it grow!

Watching companies like Apple continue to increase its market value to its shareholders despite the economy reiterates the value of design.

To those of you who have competitors, and that includes everyone... It isn't a question of whether you have a visual impact. We live in a visual era. The question is, what impact are you making visually?

Retreat Day 1: The Change Agency

"We act as if the dot-com crash signaled the end of the New Economy. But we are, in fact, on the verge of the biggest and most profound wave of economic change in a thousand years.

"We avoid failure at all costs, and cling to ideals like "order" and "efficiency." But we must embrace failure; we must glory in the very murk and muck and mess that yield true innovation." - Tom Peters, a rant on how our society is not prepared, "Re-Imagine! Business Excellence in a Disruptive Age"

It may seem like the impact of today's technology has had more influence on our economy as ever before. However, technology inventions like the telephone, electricity, microwave ovens, automobiles and air crafts, to name just a few continue to play a significant role in our society that impact our ways of life today as much as they did when they first were announced to the public decades ago.

As a marketing professional, I see the dot.com crash as a growing pain, perhaps a labor pain of the intense birth of a new industry that will have a significant influence of our lives. This new industry of web based, internet technologies is a new frontier, a new land to explore, build and grow from. Much like the European explorers in the 1800s who traveled the unknown seas of the Pacific ocean in search for freedom from the oppression in their lives are like the brave leaders who will impact our future economy. Today's true business leaders are not those who sit in air conditioned corner offices who frequently fall asleep at meetings. Today's business leaders are the change agents, the pioneers who not only embrace the technology sector but redefine it into products and services that make our world a better place.

Only the strong pioneers will persevere. One day soon, the future business kings - and queens - will reflect on their journeys and recall the many many challenges and failures that directed their career paths. If true innovation is to happen, it is up to those brave change agents who aren't afraid to go on the adventure and get their hands dirty.

What scares you when you think about the internet industry? Are you afraid of failure, the unknown? Or do you embrace the adventurous technological path before you? Are you ready to be a pioneer in the web 2.0 frontier? Hold on for the ride of your life, those days of a steady career track are now as extinct as the Studebaker.

Signed,

Social Media Maniac of The Midas Center

Social Media and Its Impact on Today's Journalism

We'd like to share an insightful article on social media, how it has impacted journalism and legal marketing. With over ten years in legal marketing, The Midas Center has a strong understanding of the challenges law firms and attorneys face when trying to market themselves. This article addresses legal marketing within the new frontier of social media and may apply to any professional service provider looking for additional ways to expand their market outreach through social media. We found Janet Ellen Raasch's perspective fresh and would like to share it with you here.

Lawyers and law firms:
Broadcast journalism evolves in the Internet age
Written by Janet Ellen Raasch

Not so long ago, the term “broadcast journalism” was limited to traditional radio and television news on local and national stations. If a reporter or editor liked your press release or recognized you as an expert on a particular legal area, you might get interviewed for a story. If you (or a potential client) missed the one-time broadcast – you missed it. The airwaves were limited.

Today, broadcast journalism includes not only these traditional media, but also their interactive Web sites and online research capabilities. A broadcast reporter might interview a lawyer as the result of a Google search using certain keywords. The audio or video clip will be available 24/7 on the station’s Web site – coded with an RSS feed that automatically delivers it to searchers around the world. The Internet is unlimited.

In fact, thanks to the Internet, the line between print, radio and television news has become increasingly blurred. Read more >

Social Media and Its Impact on Journalism Continued

Print publications like The Denver Post host audio and video on their Web sites – some of it generated by professionals and some of it by “citizen journalists.” Radio and television station Web sites include not only audio and video podcasts, but also text and photographs.

All of these sites host blogs by their reporters, which can include links to audio and video. All of them offer versions for mobile devices. All of them offer subscriptions via LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, RSS, email or text message. All of them accept user contributions.

Because of these changes, journalism is no longer the exclusive province of traditional “gatekeeper” publishers and producers. Anyone can get into the game, publishing original content on their own Web sites – including law firm sites and blogs -- or on a wide variety of user-populated “content” sites. YouTube, for example, is popular for video. All of this content enhances your search-engine results.

How lawyers and law firms can work with all kinds of broadcast media was discussed by a panel of media experts at the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Legal Marketing Association monthly educational meeting, held Jan. 12 at the Curtis Hotel in Denver.

Panelists included Jessica Roe, program moderator and director of marketing and communications at law firm Kamlet Reichert; Don Knox, founding editor of Law Week Colorado and former business editor at both the Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post; Larry Nelson of Talk Radio w3w3 and author of a recently published book, Mastering Change; and Kristine Strain, assistant news director at News4 .

Tips from the broadcasters

“Lawyers have always been much more comfortable with print than with broadcast,” said Roe, who is also a coach at www.tvappearances.com. She has served as multi-media manager and executive producer at The Denver Post, 9News, and various other stations. “As broadcast becomes more accessible, lawyers will need the skills for this medium.

“Also, be aware that television and video sites are interested in content that is not only newsworthy, but also lends itself to the camera and resonates with a wide audience,” said Roe. “They are not interested in ‘talking heads’. When you contact the broadcast media with a story idea, have an interesting visual in mind and some real people, who have been affected by the story, who are ready and willing to speak to reporters.”

It is also important to honor deadlines. “Print deadlines are tight, but broadcast news deadlines are even tighter,” said Strain. “With an unrelenting schedule of early morning, midday, evening and late-night news shows, reporters must research and write their stories in just a few hours.

The lawyer who follows breaking news, is knowledgeable in a legal subject area, can tie the two together in a good sound-bite, and makes him- or herself available to a reporter on short notice will always be popular with the local broadcast media.

“The 10 p.m. news broadcast has the most viewers but is the most difficult to prepare for,” said Strain. “Reporters on this shift get their assignments at 1:30 or 2 p.m. If you leave the office at 5 or 6 p.m., that leaves a very narrow window for reporters to reach you at your work number or location. Make sure that reporters have your cell and home phone numbers. Be willing to do the interview on your front porch.”

Do not expect payment for your time and expertise. “Commenting on radio or TV is not something a lawyer or other expert does to make money,” said Strain, “especially in the current economic climate. You do it for marketing purposes – to establish yourself as an expert in a particular field.”

Jump into the pool

Panel participants expressed a common interest in deepening their pool of legal experts – especially for stories with a criminal, business or political angle. “Let us know what you are good at and would be willing to discuss,” said Knox. “That said, we are pretty good at finding a legal angle to almost any story.”

When news is breaking, it helps to be on-site. “When Najibullah Zazi was in the federal courthouse, there were many, many reporters waiting outside for hours in the frigid weather,” said Knox. “Local lawyer and broadcast media commentator Craig Silverman braved the weather to join them and, as a result, ended up doing a lot of interviews.

“Another tip is to participate in the federal Criminal Justice Act panel,” said Knox. “You don’t get paid much for the assigned cases, but they tend to be quite newsworthy.”

Law Week Colorado is a good example of how print media are expanding into broadcast. The weekly print version is complemented by a daily online version, which includes video reports as well as text articles. “We’ve just hired our first full-time broadcast journalist to create content for Law Week as well as our broadcast arm, State Bill Colorado,” said Knox.

News media of all types also rely heavily on social media for story ideas and research purposes. “For example, we have set up Twitter searches for every state senator, representative and staff member,” said Knox. “If they tweet about breaking news or someone tweets about them, we find out immediately and follow up on the story.

“We often use social networks to find sources for our print and video content,” said Knox. “If you do not have a robust social media presence, we won’t find you.”

Another broadcast alternative is w3w3 Talk Radio, “Colorado’s Voice of the Technology Community,” which offers online interviews and speeches organized into 15 different topic channels – including a law channel featuring local lawyers.

“Our model is completely different from those presented by others on this panel,” said Nelson. “We focus on in-depth treatment of business trends rather than ‘breaking news’ – so our work is not driven by deadlines. We archive these interviews as a valuable resource. If you come to us with a good story idea that will benefit our listeners, long or short, we will record the interview and run it.”

Panelists agreed on the importance of trust between lawyers (and their media relations specialists) and reporters. If necessary, test the relationship with smaller, less-important confidences before proceeding with more-sensitive stories. “We are not out to get you,” said Strain. “Almost always, we are able to respect confidentiality. It is not in our best interest to disrespect a trusted, long-term source just for the sake of a one-time story.”


Janet Ellen Raasch is a writer, ghostwriter and blogger who works closely with professional services providers – especially lawyers, law firms, legal consultants and legal organizations – to help them achieve name recognition and new business through publication of keyword-rich content for the Web and social media sites as well as articles and books for print.