It’s been a while since I’ve written a post here. I’m a month into a new job, and my last post is no longer relevant. Although I don’t post regularly, this blog has been been a tremendous help with accomplishing my goals. First, it has helped me find not one, but two jobs, and second, it has been instrumental in helping me build my network; an amazing group of people, most of whom I’ve become friends with. I was thinking about not renewing my domain, but how could I give away my name and a way to communicate with people? It’s just too valuable to me.

I hope to keep the blog fresh, and since this blog is not a revenue generator for me, I would still like it to be a place for me to write about things that are important to me (and maybe you), both personally and professionally.

What can I offer you professionally? In my new role as Director of Client Solutions for a web development firm, I help clients establish goals for their websites. We help mostly B2B clients, but also have B2C clients.  Companies (mid-size) come to us because they want a website that is easy to update and both SEO and social media friendly. Most of our clients are content-driven. They want to be able to update their websites often, create meta data and categorize content for SEO and be able to distribute content over social channels. These web sites aren’t your typical WordPress sites. In many cases our clients are using marketing automation systems, analytics programs and email platforms that need to be integrated for full functionality. That’s what we do well – make it all work together. We provide a content management system with integrated email, which is a plus for many of our clients, as well as content marketing strategies to make sure goals are being accomplished and adjustments are made if not. If you are part of an organization that is seeking a new web presence or know a company who is, I would love to work with you. If we already know each other, that would be fun! I’m also open to guest blogging/speaking on related topics. You can see some of my posts here and here.

How can I help you personally? I’m not all business. A natural extrovert, I like to talk about a lot of things like books, music, movies, my kids/family, and charities. Feel free to approach me with any questions or thoughts you may have. Oh yeah, one more thing:  if you are looking for work and want to utilize networking and social media to help you find the right job, I’d like to help any way I can because I’ve been there (twice!). I once heard a well-known social media personality (I’m not much of a name dropper, sorry) say “There may not be many jobs out there, but there is plenty of work.”  I agree! It’s out there.

How often will I be posting here? That’s currently an action item on my list. You can find me blogging on my corporate blog more often, but don’t give up on me here just yet

Until next time…

Image by: andrewjw

Sky Palette by Nicholas T

I’ve had a great year at Mercury helping to establish a marketing services business and working with many high profile clients to analyze their customer data and develop more effective marketing campaigns including acquisition, retention, and up-sell.  Additionally, we worked to help clients engage with their customers by integrating social media into their existing campaigns. 

Effective immediately, I am open to exciting new opportunities! I have spoken to many of you in the past years and have gotten to know you; so I thought this was an opportune time to let you all know. I also look at this as a chance to get closer to you whether through project collaboration or word of mouth regarding any new opportunities you may know of.  Either way, I’m open to a conversation about it. 

What is it that I do? 

My last official (kind of stuffy sounding but not) title was Director, Marketing Strategy & Analytics, which is a fancy title for developing data-driven, integrated marketing communications campaigns for clients. You can find my traditional resume here. My strengths are 16 solid years of integrated marketing communication (traditional, digital, social). I am very data-driven, which means that the database is where I start with clients. Many companies have amazing amounts of information on their customers. Some are challenged with making the most of that data to deepen relationships with their customers. That’s where I come in. Lastly, engagement is a critical part of any marketing strategy, and I help customers integrate that into their overall campaigns. 

What am I looking for? 

My background is mostly B2B high tech and pharma/biotech companies, and I have also done consulting for over five years. I prefer a full time position at a company that possesses two key qualities since it’s the environment I work best in: 1. Open to change (willing to challenge status quo;  e.g.,  ”this is the way we’ve always done it”)  2. Teamwork is not just a buzzword. People really do work together towards common goals (satisfying customers). 

How can you help? 

Let me know if you see a fit for either your company or another that comes to mind. Let’s talk, do lunch, Skype, etc. I’m open to talking more about it. 

In the meantime… 

I hope to get back into blogging about various topics that will hopefully add value to your lives and continuing my work with Beth Harte and #IMCChat. This is also a great time for me to get in touch with some of the Boston network! I’m only an hour away. 

Feel free to contact me via email, Skype (annabarcelos1) or through my social networks. Looking forward to great conversations and thank so much for reading this post.

Last night Beth Harte (@bethharte) and I launched #IMCChat, a chat focused on integrated marketing communications (IMC), and we were absolutely astonished by the amount of amazing people who contributed to this chat.  Earlier this year Beth and I met and talked about IMC, the challenges, our battle wounds, and what a beautiful thing it is when all the pieces of IMC (Traditional, Digital and Social media) all work together to talk to the world – all publics including stakeholders, customers, and employees. It isn’t surprising that we became instant friends, not just because we are marketing geeks, but we both have old school roots in work and life. The topic of IMC has consistently resonated with us. We are passionate about it so it was only natural to start talking to the world about it and find out what everyone else thinks or if it’s just us. We are happy to report it’s not, phew! Turns out IMC sparks lively conversations with a lot of people, whether they’ve practiced all marketing disciplines or just one.

Because IMC is all I know.  I love it, but it does have its challenges. Here are my confessions as an IMC marketer.

1.  I didn’t sign up for this. It chose me.

Sixteen years ago, I began my career for two conglomerates; one was Allied-Signal and the other a UK-based company called Cookson. There is where I got my education in structure, policy, bureaucracy, and the common feeling with some of these large organizations that you are one small fish in the sea. I must confess that there are both plusses and minuses with this. I appreciated the structure and policies & procedures because they created purpose, accountability, and accomplishment. Being noticed for your contributions, however, took hard work. My background at these companies included customer support, finance, sales; and then I landed in marketing and pretty much stayed there until today.

2.  I was a start-up junkie and still love the challenge.

The 90’s were the dot com boom (later known as dot bomb). Again there were plusses and minuses, but I fell in love with start-ups. Here is where I developed my career in integrated marketing communications. The energy and freedom of a start-up is amazing. There is freedom to take a position and run with it, make it your own, and learn a tremendous deal from it.  I landed in marketing communications and became the whole department. This basically meant I was responsible for all marketing. Back then it was traditional marketing – PR, Advertising, Events – and of course, lots of Sales support. The internet was fairly new and digital was just over the horizon. With start-up’s come big risks that can shut companies down like running out of VC funding (they were throwing money at companies back then like confetti), missing a key product launch in a competitive market and other detrimental things that can make or break a young company. This happened to a couple of companies I worked for and what didn’t break me made me stronger.

3. I work too damn hard. (Not that no one else does, but if you’re an IMC marketer, you know what I mean)

IMC requires much education, hard work and buy-in challenges. You are faced with learning all marketing disciplines, being accountable for everything if you are the marketing department, constantly justifying budgets, being asked for metrics, and building so many cases. I accepted that challenge and soon I began to really like it. Sure there were (and still are) late nights, but I wouldn’t trade the education I’ve gained to this day for anything.

4. The big picture will always be ingrained in my brain (but the focus has significantly shifted)

Having learned to be a strategic thinker is a huge benefit, but sometimes we have to break the big picture into bite-size pieces to really understand not so much what we have to accomplish but how we are going to accomplish it. With the emergence of social media, companies are more transparent to everyone outside the corporate walls. For large companies who still possess “we rule the world” mentalities, social media is flashing a huge spotlight on them, and if they aren’t making the effort to engage with customers, it’s noticed. Really noticed.  People talk about it out in the open, and everyone else can see what they’re saying. It will take some time for companies to admit it; admit they no longer have full control of their message, and to admit that it’s OK. For that reason, my big picture focus is more from the customer’s shoes than ever. Believe me, we have huge clients with this mentality, but we are working on them.

5. I think about all marketing channels/tools as means to an end. Can’t help it.

Being both in corporate and start-up environments has enabled me to learn and use all marketing channels – traditional, digital, social media. Goals are established, objectives are developed, tactics are created marketing channels are chosen, and metrics are assigned to each. That’s my world. Some companies are really good at this. Some, not so much.  Some companies have teams to execute; others only one person. I’ve been on both sides and I must admit, I’m glad because it wouldn’t have made me as open-minded as I am today.

Are the above confessions good or bad? I have days I say yes and others I say no, but one thing remains constant, and that’s my passion for marketing and the amazing ways it can transform organizations,  people, and the world.

What are your confessions? Were they blessings in disguise? Would love to hear your point of view.

Aside from doing my part in helping causes (every bit counts) like 12for12K and Tweetsgiving, this has been a very challenging year. I have never looked back and have counted my blessings. I try to make a concious effort daily to be thankful, and here are a few things that first come to mind.

1. My family – husband Al, son Jake (4) and daughter Sarah (9). I am the sum of all their parts and am thankful they are healthy and happy.

2. My job – I was unemployed for seven months this year, and even though it’s still surreal in a lot of ways, I am so grateful for having found a great job with great people that challenges me daily.

3. Friends – all my wonderful friends whom I wish I had more time with. That includes my closest friends and friends on the social networks, some whom I have met, and some not yet. Thanks for interacting. I learn something new every day from all of you, and if I can make any bit of difference whether it’s in 140 characters or an update, I hope it helps, inspires, provokes thought or is just goofy enough for a laugh.

The walk-away is that everyone, no matter what situation he or she may be in always has something to be grateful for. Focus on that and things get better. I promise.

Thanks Danny Brown for always inspiring us to be better people. You and your group are amazing, and I hope to always help in some way. I’m grateful for your efforts in helping others.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!

Please support Tweetsgiving and make a difference (#tweetsgiving).

If you are reading this, nice to meet you! This is my latest redesigned blog to begin providing insight and help others. I know a whole lot about B2B small business integrated marketing communications. Social media is another tool in the marketing box for me, but a very powerful one at that! I will begin writing posts shortly.

The previous posts are compilations on various topics, business & personal, that I have imported from previous blogs. As you can see there was no real strategy, but if you scroll through maybe there will be something I wrote that will help you in some way. That’s the main thing!

Be well.
A

Being unemployed and currently exploring opportunities, I had to shift my priorities.

I’m so glad I read Danny Brown’s blog post “It’s Good to Say No.” When I first joined Twitter, I was under the impression that I had to immediately have a blog and presence on every single social media site on the internet so I could be effective to my potential clients, colleagues, friends, neighbors, dogs (I’m kidding about the last two). It was an overwhelming thought, and immediately I started creating a new blog on WordPress, which is about 85% done by the way.

I lost my job as a director of marketing & business development for a technology company in late January. Since then my whole world has changed. It’s no longer about getting my blog finished but more about networking and getting back in touch with former colleagues and co-workers to update them on my status. While I could be working on finishing my new blog and writing posts, I felt it was much more important for me to interact with people both on-line and off. Twitter has been a huge help, and I’ve connected with some terrific folks regarding potential projects and jobs. I simply listened to myself and felt this is where the bulk of my energy should be spent for now.

So, when am I going to finish my blog? When am I going to start writing posts? True answer? When I get to it on my To Do list. Right now I would much rather be interacting with people. A beautiful thing happens when you do that – amazing opportunities come right back at you.

Instead of dwelling on the doom and gloom of the economy and being unemployed, I put 150% of my energy into positive, productive things. This is what my instincts are telling me to do, and I am listening!

If you are reading this, I hope you’ve already reached out to me, whether it’s to say hello or if there’s any way my skill set is a benefit to you and/or your business. You will always find me on Twitter at @abarcelos. Hope you say hello!

I noticed my last post was a couple weeks ago. That’s not good! Main reason is I’m transferring my blog from Blogger to WordPress, and before I can announce it, I want to make sure my new blog has everything it needs to be user-friendly and informative.

So if you come here and read this, please bear with me. I’ve got lots of great things to write about and will soon!

In the meantime, you’ll find me on Twitter daily.

Anna

1. I love all things marketing! Have been in marketing since 1994. I have evolved from traditional marketing to online marketing and now to social marketing and know a lot of stuff. The challenge for me right now is what to do with it all!

2. I like horror movies. Don’t know why since my eyes are more closed than open when I watch them. Stephen King is my favorite, but I like all types from Wes Craven to Dean Koontz to Jon Carpenter. The list is endless. Main reason: they don’t bore me.

3. I love bubble gum, particularly Dubble Bubble.

4. I once had a breast cancer scare. Luckily it was benign and removed. With two- and seven-year olds at the time, I remember thinking, “I don’t have time to die.”

5. I do what I say and say what I do. Those who know me, know I’m there for them.

6. I am blunt to a fault sometimes, but people respect it and never forget it. They initially need band-aids.

7. I am positive and try very hard to be at all times. I have a high amount of energy, and it’s usually contagious.

8. I love to read, write, and listen to all sorts of music from Beethoven to classic Pearl Jam.

9. I love all things spiritual and inspirational.

10. I am 100% Portuguese. Unfortunately, my reading and writing skills aren’t fluent, but I still know enough to be dangerous.

So why didn’t anyone tell me these things, huh? I was all excited to move over to WordPress and then last night, in the comfort of my couch I found out that WordPress wasn’t for me, the hard way! Despite advice from friends and colleagues that WordPress is the “cat’s meow” when it comes to things like layouts and plug-in’s, I must admit I was not impressed. Here are the turn-off’s for me.

1. While it easily imported all my posts from Blogger and automatically categorized them, I had tons of categories that I would have to manually edit. Um, I don’t have that kind of time. Why did it have to go and do that for? Why couldn’t I create my own on my time?

2. There is a charge for posting WordPress to my domain (lifeinmarketing) and yet again, it’s yet another process I have to manually go through getting servers to point here and there…I’m a marketer not a techie.

3. WordPress won’t allow any ads like AdSense or affiliate programs like Amazon on my blog. Hey I already have accounts with those two companies. I’m not blowing them off! Yet, WordPress tells me that from time to time, they will be putting ads on my site. What’s up with that?

4. Lastly, I want to keep it simple stupid. The good old KISS rule.

So it looks like I’m going to put more efforts into my existing Blogger account.

I have friends whose websites are built using WordPress and many others who swear by it. But for me and my needs, it doesn’t work for me at this point in time.

Any feedback would be great! I’m sure there’s so much about WordPress I still don’t know about.

I’m officially moving this blog and my lifeinmarketing.blogspot.com blog over to WordPress. Why? It’s been real with Blogger, but WordPress has many features. Some of which I don’t even know about yet.

Not sure which blog name I will keep, but it will be interesting. Everyone who reads my blog will be updated on my transition.

Thanks!
ALB