Author Archives: Pam Sahota

Save the Date: February 18, 2011

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Suffolk University brings you Bridging The Gap: A Mashup of Academic Framework & Business Social Media Conference on February 18th, 2011.

Social Media and Inbound Marketing are making their way through business and culture.  This migration of ideologies creates opportunities and complexities within all organizations.  Our conference intends to connect academia and real world practices, strengthen the connection between the frameworks preached in schools and the practical applications being used in organizations.

The Info:

February 18th, 2011
Suffolk University
120 Tremont St
Boston, Massachusetts 02108

Registration Time: 8:00 am

Lunch Included.

6pm Post-Conference Cocktail Networking Event at Red Sky

The Agenda (order may be switched):

1. Academic Keynote

2. Expert Panel on Facebook

3. How to utilize SEO in your Marketing Plan

4. Expert Panel on Blogging

5. Expert Panel on Twitter

6. Industry Keynote

Our two keynotes are Erik Qualman and  Mike Volpe !! In addition we have confirmed speakers such as Julia Roy, Brian Simpson, and Michelle McCormack with Joselin Mane as our main man MC!! Stay tuned to find out who else will be speaking.

Also stay tuned for the landing site (under construction) for up to date details.

Until then…Hit us up for more info:

The Planning Committee:

Pam Sahota

Sean Zinsmeister

Paul Schmidt


Launching a New Site = Pulling One’s Hair Out

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I launched my new site last Monday and had been planning for this launch date for a couple weeks. When launching a new site (like any product) you hope goes as smoothly as possible. Hope is the key word. Does it actually go that smoothly? Ha! That’s a silly thought.

I apparently forgot the wisdom of checking things not once, but twice or three times.What happened?

1. My Email subscription link did not work.

2. My RSS subscription did not work

3. My Facebook link went to a different “Pam”‘s page.

YIKES !!!

Then what?

1. Easy fix. Took me a minute to fix a Feedburner issue. (Thanks Lane for pointing this out).

2. Not an easy fix. Or at least not for me. Thankfully the awesome Mike Troiano alerted me to this issue. I almost had a panic attack thinking people couldn’t subscribe (when this is the way most people like to – easy and simple to do). I immediately contacted my friend who helped me set up the site. He unfortunately couldn’t tackle the issue until later in the day. I tell myself, “breathe Pam breathe!” The issue will be solved. It’s ok if you just tweeted out to the world and Facebooked about it and emailed all your friends that your site has been launched. They may come back later and subscribe….ha! Yes I freaked out. As I sit in my global branding class and freak out some more as my friend is unable to figure out the issue…I brainstorm all the individuals I know who have some web/coding smarts. I thank the many stars that I had formed a friendship with the great David Wells who solved my issue in…wait for it….10 minutes!!!!! I couldn’t have been more relieved. It may have taken all day, but that glass of wine at 11pm was well worth the wait. Thank you Dave – you rock! And you saved me a heart attack or two. Being 27, I think I am too young for that heart attack, just yet.

3. Quick fix thankfully – especially after #2.

So what did I learn? Check your links people. Check them not once, but twice! And preferably have someone go through them for you before you “officially” launch. This is what I would have normally done in a work setting…but woops!

At the end of the day all is well and I am breathing easy again.

“Breathe, Pam, Breathe….” :)

My New Site!

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So I bought the domain months ago — and finally “got off my butt” to put it to use! I was fed up with the .com version of WordPress and the lack of plugins I could utilize and realized the awesomeness of the .org and all it beholds. I’m sure you all are nodding your heads, “yes, dear – about time.” Well a special thanks goes to a great friend of mine, Shawn McCarthy, because with his web-building skills I was able to get this site launched in no time.

Hope everyone subscribes via email or RSS. Would love to get feedback on what you think and keep up with my thoughts on what’s fresh and new in branding, social media and charitable causes.

Love to all my readers,

Pam :)

Putting a Social Media Plan into Action

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Unfortunately, there are some individuals who think setting up a Facebook and/or Twitter account is all you have to do to implement a social media plan. This is SO unfortunate!! I shake my head at those who set up their accounts and just blast out messages as if it’s a robot tweeting and posting messages. Using social media isn’t just about blasting out content. What consumer wants to engage with a robot? I want to know there’s a real person there…someone who will respond to questions, comment on posts, pose interesting questions and share relevant content.

Social media is not much different from our regular lives. We interact with others by sharing information, posing questions, and sharing our opinions. I wouldn’t want to speak to a robot in my regular day life, so why would I when interacting with a “person” online? In our regular lives, people appreciate engaging with people and building real relationships. In social media, people value building relationships as well. This cannot be done with “robots”.

Organizations and individuals need to put in the effort to put their social media plan into action. Some of the common tips include:

1. Listen to what’s going on out there (Ex. Use a Google Reader)

2. Curate and Create Content that is relevant

3. Pose questions and reply to others (as in a real conversation)

4. Be polite – aka say Thank you!

5. Be Patient – It takes time to engage and build relationships (as in real life).

As a fellow social media nerd, Tamsen McMahon once said — “social media is a science.” Just like the scientific method you need to:

1. Define the question: Ex. How can we “best use social media” for our business?

2. Observe: Listen and Watch

3. Investigate: Define the scope, check resources, etc

4. Hypothesize: Strategy you’re hoping to implement and possible results

5. Experiment: Design and Execute

6. Analyze: What happened?

7. Retest: Continual process to see what works best for you

Thus, like all relationships and successful plans in our lives, effort is key. To make a social media plan work and to build true relationships — try this thing called, “effort.” You might be surprised with what develops.

HubSpot TV: Halloween

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Today I was lucky enough to be an audience member at the live taping of HubSpot TV. Not only was it cool because Mike Volpe and Karen Rubin host, but today they hosted as the infamous Lucy and Ricky. But they weren’t the only ones in the holiday spirit, most of the staff was decked out in Halloween attire – from Jersey Shore to Scooby Doo to Pokey from Gumby. It was a sight to behold. Lets just say, I almost cried from laughing so hard. Awesome!

As I watched Mike and Karen, I realized how laid back and enjoyable HubSpot‘s atmosphere is. The team is very welcoming and friendly. And HubSpot TV is not only informative on current topics related to social media and inbound marketing, but it’s entertaining. I definitely intend to keep up with future episodes, as I’m officially impressed on how both Mike and Karen can capture the audience and keep their attention with such relevant topics and hilarious banter.

Cheers HubSpot, you Rock!

p.s. Want to see Photos from today….Flickr it up!

Will you Geek out on Halloween?

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The past couple years, I’ve seen more and more individuals admit and embrace their “geekiness” – present company, included. More and more individuals are on Twitter and learning the importance of Inbound Marketing and utilizing SEO. Now, with Halloween around the corner, will those “geeks” show off that side of themselves, or “opt out”? I would love to see some creative Twitter costumes with some bold hashtag and RT remarks. Could someone be an actual RT? In the past I’ve seen someone be a Facebook Profile Page…Lame. We can do better! Creative ideas? Thoughts?

I, myself am going to be an M&M because my 16 yr old sister made the costume for me. Free Costume? Hell yea! Maybe next year I will embrace my geekdom during halloween, but as for this year, I am embracing my sweet tooth.

Would love to hear what other people consider “creative and geeky” costumes. @mention me at @pamsahota and Share!

(p.s. here’s a few from the past)

Starbucks to Offer Wine & Cheese

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As I was taking a break from my work and perusing Twitter, I came across a tweet from Scott Bauman: “Starbucks to offer wine and cheese?? http://bit.ly/aKHiD6 Is this the precursor to jumping the shark?”

At first I thought “wow, that’d be a great idea”…as I imagined myself having a glass of cabernet sauvignon while working on a paper or composing a blog post or reading a case. Then Scott, pointed out, “If you really want what Starbucks is “creating,” why not patronize local restaurants, not mega chains?” That got me thinking a bit more.

Is this extension of Starbucks going to harm the brand? Will the loyal coffee consumers and patrons of the comfy couches be dismayed? I like the idea of having the choice of coffee or a glass of wine while doing some work or reading a good book. However, it might be more suitable for a mom n’ pop cafe to offer such in a small neighborhood than the large chain.

As a fellow Starbucks consumer, I am torn about which way they should go with this idea and am definitely interested to see how the Seattle idea turns out.

What do you think this would do for the Starbucks brand? Will this keep you more loyal or turn you towards a different coffee shop?

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FutureM Un-Conference

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Unfortunately due to my silly MBA classes, I was unable to attend any of the FutureM events earlier in the week, but I was able to hit up a couple events Thursday night. Holland-Mark‘s Digital Man Mike Troiano spoke about “Scalable Intimacy,” siting their client example Notch Session (which I must admit is some exceptional beer — especially if you want a few without that headache the next morning). The set up of this event was particularly interesting, since it was a contest where the winners received on the spot social media advice from Mike himself. (Full disclosure: I did work for Holland-Mark and loved every minute of it.)

And who were the winners?

3rd Place: Creative Crafts for Creative Kids

2nd Place: Formaggio Kitchen

And the 1st place winner is….United Way of Mass Bay!

All 3 received specific advice on areas they were having trouble in – whether it be content strategy, which social media tool to focus on (depends on where your target market it), etc. Lets just say, the crowd was not yawning, and they were not leaving early. Mike knew how to keep the crowd laughing and entertained while teaching the crowd on how best to utilize social media to your advantage. And if you are now sorry you missed this, you can see check out the full deck from the event.

And as I tweeted from the event last night: “Remember the social, not just the marketing” – Mike Troiano.

After saying “great job” and “c ya later”, I quickly ran off to Mantra where Cyberbrew had been kicked off. There was an eclectic crowd of veteran “cyberbrewers” and newbies (such as myself). Unfortunately I missed the open bar, but I did meet some interesting folks and ran into a few good friends (Jason Rush from Boston Interactive and Joselin Mane from BostonTweetUp). Familiar faces always make an event that much better. While I laughed at the men who “networked” from one female to the other, I drank my glass of wine and chatted away…until next time FutureM, you sure did rock!

"I like it on…" Facebook Status Updates

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Were you a part of this year’s breast cancer awareness viral phenomenon on Facebook? Last year it was what color bra you were wearing, this year it was where do you put your purse when you come home. A little bit of scandal with a bit of fun and lots of awareness for a great cause. How can you not partake?

“I like it on the dining room table”….what about you?

Customer service can make or break a brand

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Customer service is key to a brand having loyalty by a consumer — at least for me, that’s the case. For example, recently an item I purchased via Amazon was not delivered. My online status said “delivered” but said package was not on my doorstep. I immediately thought “crap! Someone took it!” — “now what?” Well I phoned Amazon and asked if they knew what happened, and they realized it was accidentally delivered to the wrong address. I was dismayed because I was really hoping to have the item that day. What did Amazon do? They promised to have the item delivered by end of business the next day. I was relieved and the matter was squared away within less than 5 minutes. Unbelievable — I got a person on the phone, she was polite, she answered my questions, and fixed the problem! Is it sad, that I was surprised this actually happened? Sad, indeed. An even bigger surprise was that my package came within 12 hours – I had it the next morning! All I can say is, Amazon – you rock! I am a loyal consumer, and will not falter (unless you fail me – but please don’t!)

Customer Service – the bedrock of customer brand loyalty.

The Art of Branding: learning in the classroom vs. the workplace

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As I sat in my MBA Global Branding class last night, I couldn’t help but laugh. As the professor went on and on about how brands need that “one word” which consumers will recall at the drop of a hat — I thought back to my time at Holland-Mark (HM). HM coined the term “One Simple Thing” (OST), which is that one attribute that most well defines the brand. For example, as my professor asked in class “what do you think of when you hear Coca Cola?” Everyone should be thinking of the same word (unfortunately for some brands this does not always occur). Supposedly the “OST” for Coca Cola is “happiness” — did you think of that? Coke would hope so! And so would their marketers!

As I sat there in my seat, I started to realize that the concepts the professor was teaching were processes and terms that I had become well acquainted with during my time at HM. And with the hands-on learning and experience, I learned way more than reading cases and discussing them in a classroom. Now, I am not knocking my MBA education — it is definitely valuable and am happy to be a candidate for 2011 spring graduation — but learning these concepts in a work setting where you are automatically putting them to use is not only rewarding but helps one (or at least me) recall and understand things way more.

It was pretty awesome to be sitting in class and feeling that I had a firm grasp and knowledge of the topic (at least so far — it’s only been a few weeks into the semester). And I owe this knowledge and understanding to the exceptionally bright and talented folks at HM — especially Mike Troiano who if you haven’t heard speak — you should!

Now I ask you — where did your best knowledge and understanding come from?

PodCamp Boston 2010

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After attending numerous social media networking events such as the 140 conference, and now Podcamp (and soon to attend FutureM), I can officially claim my “nerd status” without rebuttal. Although, I was only able to attend the 2nd half of this weekend’s PodCamp conference (can you blame me for wanting to run the Susan G. Komen 5K on Saturday as well?) — it was well worth the commute over the bridge to lovely Cambridge.

I joined my good friend, Sean Zinsmeister as we hopped from David Wells (Social Media for Social Good) to Paul Gillin (B2B Social Media – Really!) to Morriss Partee (Geolocation) to Chrisopher Penn (Podcasting 101: 5 years later) to Lane Sutton and Avrom Honig (Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare — It’s Taking Over Our Lives).

I definitely enjoyed David’s talk as I’ve worked for a local nonprofit (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company) for about 2 years, where I also utilized social media platforms in order to spread the word n’ do some “social good” for a non-profit that has given such cultural enrichment to the community of Boston.

Paul was more than informative on how B2B’s can and should be using social media platforms to their benefit. Having worked for a digital agency in Boston I realize that utilizing social media platforms is not just a good idea, but imperative.

Morriss hit a hot topic with geolocation. Although I am not a big fan of letting people know where I am via Foursquare and other geo apps, I realize the impact these apps are having on businesses. If a business utilizes an app like Foursquare or Gowalla in a way that consumers are pumped to participate and use it, then it can reap great rewards for that business.

Chris, entertaining as always, kept the audience laughing and intrigued by the different tools that podcasters have at their disposal for delivering their content to their audience. Who knew it could be so easy?

Last but not least Lane and Avrom were the perfect duo — they created quite a discussion regarding privacy and young social media users. How will the new generation of teens impact social media in the future? Guess we’ll have to wait for Lane and his fellow teens to show us.

After a jam-packed day — I am looking forward to seeing these speakers and those I missed again at a future conference. Until then — I salute my fellow social media nerds that I am not only impressed with the work and involvement of each person at these conferences, but look forward to see what develops next…

5 Types of People Who Attend Networking Events

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I know I haven’t blogged in a while…I could say it’s because I’ve been too busy working for a kickass marketing firm downtown, or that I’m having too much fun with friends and enjoying summer, or “fill in the blank” excuse. But, while I’ve been away from blogging I’ve attended a couple networking events here in Boston. Last week I attended the Mashable Meetup at the Landsdowne Pub, who my new friend Kristen Haley set up for us eager young networkers. What I found most interesting, was not the cool young marketing folks I met, but the different reasons people appeared to be the Pub on a lovely Wednesday evening…

1. The guy or girl who actually wants to network

2. The guy or girl who is pretending to network but is actually hoping to “meet” someone

3. The guy or girl who is bored and has nothing better to do and is pumped about the free apps and drink tickets

4. The sleaze hoping to get laid

5. All of the above

Which one was I? I’ll let you be the judge on that one. But I will say, I definitely don’t mind the free food, meeting new people in the small marketing sphere of Boston, and you can’t beat the 30 guys to 5 girls ratio.

Maybe we should rename networking events…got an idea? Lets spread the word and until next time, I’ll be looking for the next interesting “networking” event to attend.

Fast Company’s Influence Project

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Can’t help but be intrigued by this project — who will be most influential? I hope it’s not some fluff person who wins due to having a bazillion fans/followers. I hope Fast Company keeps the respect they have earned from me by choosing a person who truly deserves such honor.

What’s even cooler? They get to be on the cover of November’s Issue. Kick ass.

How do you Subscribe?

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Do you subscribe to magazines the old-school snail mail way? Or do you get the digital version sent to you via email? I cannot help but still enjoy turning each glossy page filled with a ridiculous amount of advertisements…and then the other day I was trying to decide whether or not to subscribe to Fast Company. I paused when I was about to subscribe via snail mail thinking I can get all the cool articles right on the website and via email rather than having 50+ issues stacked up on my nightstand collecting dust, as they hope to be opened and taken on the T on my way to be work. It is a never ending battle for me as I do not see myself w/ an iPad (yet), so as for now I am becoming a fairly regular digital reader (thanks to Google Reader) but also enjoy my stack of magazines that I can just throw in my bag on the way to work, dinner, and/or on my future apartment balcony where I sit on my lounge chair taking in the short yet splendid Boston summer.

Where do you stand?

S.W.A.P. Boston

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Want an opportunity to donate clothes or “SWAP” them with others? These events have been occurring in Toronto and Montreal Canada (among other int’l locations) and now it is here in Boston (June 5th and 6th). Thanks to Sarah Martin for putting it together here in Boston and of course all the volunteers. And if you still want to help out you have an opportunity to do so still.

Fan Page
Volunteer Page

I’ll be there. Hope to see you there too – a great time, a great experience, for a great cause.

Social Media and the Workplace

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In my MBA Organizational Behavior course, we collected data on the use of social media in the workplace: If people use it, how often they use it, for what purpose, and if their workplace has policies for such use and how that impacts their views on that company.

Of the 45 people surveyed (in the 20 to 40 year old range):

- 100% have used social media

- 53% have access at work

- 42.5% use it for 10 to 30 minutes while 25% use it for over an hour while at work

- 64.5% for personal reasons, 35.5% just for a lunch break, while the rest use for actual work purposes such as managing and promoting the brand (Pie Chart of Results)

- 45% believe it boosts productivity versus 47% believe it reduces said productivity

In this survey group, it appeared those who did not have access were normally individuals working in a financial/investment firm where they are more likely to prohibit rather than limit/restrict use. The individuals which have social media policies at their workplace and limit (rather than prohibit) such usage, are understanding why such policies are in place because employees may abuse such use, there is a chance of liability, etc. However, some of these social media users feel there is a lack of trust from management when such limitations are placed upon their use. Where is the fine line between policies that prohibit and those that limit and still maintain employee trust and faith? Companies like IBM have a great policy which allows its employees to blog and use social media in order to inspire their innovation. Others are still trying to determine their policies, but just as any other tool in the workplace which can assist in profit, social media is another tool which can be used but management should provide training, lead by example, and trust employees to use these “tools” productively and with dutiful care.



Time to Blog?

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I frequently wonder how people find the time to research and write daily blog posts on relevant topics. I write a weekly blog and this past week I have fallen behind, due to being an overzealous full-time MBA student and feeling like a massochist, for not only having 1, but 2 consulting gigs, a fellowship, and helping a school organization. When would I find the time to eat, sleep, exercise, and breathe, let alone blog? This week I do not have the slightest clue. So this is my applause to all those who write daily blogs that are interesting, relevant, and thought-provoking. I commend you, and I thank my friends/readers for suggestions on upcoming blogs for me to write. I promise, to catch up and write a kick-ass post, next week!

Stay tuned…

Twestival 2010

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Twestival (Twitter Festival) is an event to raise money for charitable causes around the world. This annual event takes place in large cities such as Boston, NY, and Chicago – put together solely by volunteers who wish to make a difference. In addition, all monetary amounts raised are donated in full to the cause of that particular year. When I heard about Twestival, I was immediately impressed by the amount of effort put into the event within each city. Last year, the effort was to raise money for @charitywater, and this year it was for @concern, raising money for education. This event demonstrated that social media platforms, such as twitter, are more than just for networking and socializing, but a way to unite people with a common goal and spread awareness. I wish there were more events with such great causes, where people get together for a reason beyond themselves — for a global need.

Looking forward to Twestival 2011.

Social Media n’ Boston

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Boston has always been full of culture, and today, it is full of culture AND become a hub for social media. There are many prominent firms including Holland Mark, Cone Inc, Schneider Associates, Arnold, Hill Holiday, MNET, Mullen, One Pica, and many others which demonstrate that Social Media today, is not just a “buzz” anymore, but becoming the norm in today’s marketing world. Even more so, there are great, motivated, and creative minds at play throughout the city, many of which can be found at your local tweetup, or on your Twitter feed. Have you spoken with @Bostontweet, @michellemmm, @justingroy, @chrisbrogan (among many others)? If not, you should hear what they have to say, because today it is not always about what’s in the local paper, or on the news, but what do your “colleagues” have to say about what’s going on?

Social media and your furball?

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People make fun of me all the time for being a little obsessed with my cat (who being 1 yr old now – still is the size of a 6 month old kitten…quite cute). However, I think I may be given some reprieve since I did not join a pet social network site and post all of her adorable pictures (even if they may be on Facebook). But for you loving pet owners that want another way to boast about your cute furball and how awesome he/she is…the site Cute as hell may be for you! And for those, who just want to see some cute animal photos – it is a fun site to get in some “oohs” and awwws.” Enjoy!

How much time do you spend online?

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As I was sitting here thinking about what I wanted to do this evening, I realized I had been twiddling my thumbs on Facebook for a little too long. Then I started to wonder, how long do I REALLY spend online between Facebook, Twitter, reading blogs, on Gchat, etc? I don’t think I want to know the answer. So now, my question is, how much is too much? Do we ever forget to put our computers away and join our “social networks” at school, work, home, a bar, restaurant, party, etc? The key is to find a balance between socializing online and socializing offline.

Ironically I was just pondering whether to put on my sweats or my high heels…choosing between researching about new online platforms and grabbing a beverage at the local dive.

The Fear of TMI

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Ever fear you are posting “too much” on Facebook or Twitter? Ever wonder why some people post every minute of their lives, rather than just living those moments? I admit, I spend a lot of time on my computer, but one comes to question, when is it just TMI?

I recently read an article from the Boston Globe (yes, online) regarding a couple’s relationship and how it was affected by Facebook. The female spent most of her time at home while her husband worked. She posted everything about her day and her relationship, including his efforts on purchasing gifts for Christmas. As the article stated, some people have a “water cooler” for their break to chat with coworkers and friends, while some people have facebook as their “water cooler.” It may not be an issue for the female because she does not mind her life exposed to the public, but her husband is quiet and reserved. He would not expect his friends and coworkers to know about his travels, his child having a toothache, or the Bic pen he gave his wife, before he even walks into the office.

So when is TMI an issue? I guess it’s for each individual to decide. Is Facebook an outlet for you? If so, maybe keep it for you, rather than both you and your significant other.

To each their own, and their own TMI.

To FourSquare or not to FourSquare?

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Foursquare, the “location-based social network” has become quite popular. All the cool kids are doing it, so I better too! I just saw today that even Harvard has joined the game, and is taking part to show prospective and current students where to go on campus. I have been meaning to check it out for a while, but keeping up with what’s awesome in Social Media is crazy enough, sometimes, isn’t it? So, I just downloaded Foursquare to my blackberry, which unfortunately unlike the iPhone is still in Beta version. Hopefully the kinks are being worked out! I’ll share more of my thoughts as I begin to play with my new social media toy.

What are your thoughts on Foursquare? Are you one of the cool kids?

Haiti – Social Media can help!

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As many of us have seen from pictures, it was a tragic experience for people in Haiti when the earthquake occurred, along with the horrible aftershocks. Many people have stepped up to aid, whether by donating a dollar at the local grocery store, or by actually going to Haiti to lend a hand in whatever way possible. According to the NPR article (http://bit.ly/c7cdMp) “Social Media Among Haiti’s First Responders,” Social Media such as Facebook and Twitter has assisted in both small and big ways. It allows for Apps for people to translate words into Creole, for people to help in identifying bodies by pictures, and further ways of donating clothes and money needed. No matter what one may do, I am sure the survivors of Haiti appreciate every little piece of assistance offered in this time of need.

Marketing or lack there of…

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During my school’s MBA travel seminar to Brazil, there was a visit to a marketing firm. I was quite excited, as I had done some research to see what types of social media marketing are implemented in Brazil (Orkut, Twitter, etc) in comparison to the U.S. Unfortunately this firm (lets call them Firm No Marketing) did nothing compared to what I was expecting. Their presentation was a marketing 101 course for an undergraduate student (if that) and they avoided questions that were pertinent to Brazil and marketing. I was quite disappointed and did not even bother raising my hand to ask what forms of social media they use, because they do not use any. They  do not research, do not use social media, do not market products or services, or anything else for that matter. They form plans for others to implement. Maybe it’s me, but should they be labeled as a marketing firm, if they do none of the above?

Note: I know this does not represent other marketing firms in Brazil and that this was an unfortunate exception to the marketing firms that do exceptional work for the brands and clients they represent.

Social Media and Brazil

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I am going on a travel seminar for my MBA program to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janiero, Brazil from January 9 – 18. We are mainly focusing on the economic state of the companies in these two major cities. However, since I am concentrating on marketing, this prompted me to wonder how social media is thriving in Brazil and what applications are most prevalent. Trusty google pointed me to a a few articles and blogs on the subject (http://bit.ly/7krz8a and http://bit.ly/4p9kKS specifically).

Social Media is indeed spreading like wildfire, as in the U.S., especially in the major city of Sao Paulo – “Brazil’s New York City”.  As for applications that are doing well, Orkut appears to be the leader (3rd most accessed internet domain), but Twitter and others are not far behind. Brazil is not only kicking butt at an economic standpoint, but is showing the World that the country has a lot to offer in other realms, such as marketing, too.

I recommend checking out these articles and other they mention if you are intrigued about Brazil and social media. Farewell, until I return from 80 degree days and the sunny beaches.

Where I will be in a couple days...

I haven't blogged since March 2009

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I started my first official blog at http://becharitable.blogspot.com/ and unfortunately have been slacking. I entered the social-media world back in January 2009 and was so overwhelmed by the different applications such as Twitter, Tumblr, etc that can be utilized that my blogging days were left in the dust. So this is my way of saying, I’m going to make a second attempt at this.

Hope you will visit back for my thoughts on social media, marketing, charity work, and the environment.

Before you run out and go to your next page – check this out (food for thought): Mobile Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations LinkedIn Group: http://bit.ly/5Pp48Z