Good Things are Happening Here!

Sure, my blog is meant to discuss marketing and business.  But sometimes, I will shamelessly use it to plug things I’m involved with.  Today is such a day.

Corpus Christi Under 40 recognizes local young professionals who exemplify professional and civic achievement.  Each year, nominations are solicited throughout the community and a selection committee picks Corpus Christi’s best.  These recipients are recognized at a breakfast with the Mayor and a party where recipients can hang out with old friends and meet new ones.

In 2009, I was recognized by CCU40.  Despite considering myself relatively well connected, the Mayor’s Breakfast blew my mind.  I was surrounded by young people who are accomplishing amazing things.  Most of them were people I’d never seen.  I wanted to continue supporting the organization that brought these people to surface.  I have nominated professionals and been in involved with CCU40 ever since.  Currently, I’m serving as program co-chair with my new friend, Julie Bedsole.

Since 2006, CCU40 has been supported by our local Chamber of Commerce.  In 2012, we teamed with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, which has been an amazing partnership already.

In addition to recognizing young people in our community, CCU40 gives back annually to our community.  This year, we are proud to share proceeds with Corpus Christi Metro Ministries.

Many good things are being done in our community, but lack publicity.  Corpus Christi is filled with opportunities to make and impact.  It is my hope that, if we continue to recognize and promote the positive, others will come to appreciate our community more, and become inspired enough to get involved as well.

I hope you will consider supporting CCU40.  Nomination applications are available at www.ccu40.org and will be taken until midnight November 2^nd.  Help us promote the good things that are happening here!

 

 

 

 

The Trouble with Blogs

I recently facilitated training where participants asked about the value of creating a blog.  I advised them that blogs help generate fresh content and keywords, which increases a website’s visibility to search engines.  Blogs also help friends, colleagues, clients, and others learn more about you and what you’re doing.  For business purposes, this can help increase brand loyalty and client engagement.

Creating a blog can seem like a great idea, but it can also be difficult to find the time and discipline to write on a regular basis.

Some people blog daily.  I knew I couldn’t pull that off, so I strive for every week… or two… or so…

In my opinion, the problem with blogs comes when a website links to a blog that is the web equivalent of a ghost town.

This seems to be the case with most of the small businesses in Corpus Christi.  A blog is set up.  Maybe it has a post.  But after the initial effort, nothing.

If a blog is something you want to do, I recommend taking the time and effort to use it to your advantage.  Let your customers know what’s new.  Help them understand things that will help them out.  Teach them more about your area of expertise.

If blogging isn’t your thing, perhaps it’s best to focus on another means of engagement.  After all, it’s often better to acknowledge time constraints and limitations than to refer clients and prospects to an empty and abandoned shell of what you meant to do.

Yoga Marketing

Last year, I completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training program offered by the Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi.  Despite my curiosity about yoga, my professional background made me especially interested in a session called “Business of Yoga.”  As the course progressed, our instructor worked to fit in thousands of years’ worth of history and wisdom, but ended up with only a short discussion on business.  I couldn’t complain though.  Our year was packed with so many good things.

I eventually taught a yoga weekly class, but dropped it when I started my business.  I continue helping as a sub, but no longer practice or teach as much as I’d like.

Yesterday, I was driving to sub at the Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi, and began reminiscing about great teachers who have inspired me.  I thought about friends and remembered the genuine and unconditional acceptance I always felt at the yoga studio. 

Then it dawned on me.  During teacher training, I had looked forward to a weekend focused on business.  When, in fact, my lesson was all around me.

Yoga teachers are taught to empower and care for others, while cultivating peace, beauty, and goodness.  Teachers offer themselves completely in service to help others. 

Shouldn’t this be the case in business and marketing?  Can you imagine companies wanting to know and understand you, their target market, all so they can better serve?  Who wouldn’t love to do business with people who truly care?

It turns out, I got my “Business of Yoga” training after all.