Marketing Roadmaps

Susan Getgood

Charity Auction Tips; the Make The Difference Network

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The best thing about working on the HP Charity Auction for Habitat for Humanity is the people I meet doing the fan outreach. They are always so willing to help spread the word.

Today, as I was working away at my desk, I answered the phone and on the other end was Jon Biel. He’s the father of actress Jessica Biel, one of the stars whose photo is in the auction.

He had found me through the Backstage at Sundance blog and my own Web site (helps to have a unique name!) and was calling to find out more about the auction so he could include it in an update to Jessica’s mailing list.

He also wanted to introduce us to the Make The Difference Network, a web portal co-founded by father and daughter:

MTDN is a "National Wish List" where people who want to "Make The Difference" can search, find and fund specific "Wishes" and "Needs" that have been listed by nonprofit organizations. (from their home page)

I think they have a very cool idea. Smaller community charities can’t muster the same support that the big charities do, in no small measure because they can’t get the word out. Many companies want to help but they don’t know where to start. This provides a forum for both funders and charities to find each other.

Just one more reason why I really love this project!

Speaking of the auction: as I posted the other day, the auction is live, and ready for bids. Please check it out. Some tips:

  • Check when your auction ends. You MUST be at your computer when your auction ends. Otherwise, someone will jump in and just top your bid. There is a huge market for celebrity autographs, and a whole lot of savvy eBay vets. You must be in a position to place a closing bid in person if you really want to win.
  • If you want the printer, and think buying it through the auction is a good way to also give back, good for you. A tip: some of our stars are really well known and their photos will go for a lot. Some of the prices are already climbing up there, and the auction has only been live for one day. Others are less well known, and you may be able to get a good deal. So, watch the auction and bid appropriately.

Tags: Charity, Sundance, Jessica Biel, Habitat for Humanity

Journalism & PR Student Blogs

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Jay Rosen (PressThink) announced an expansion to his blog yesterday: the Blue Plate Special. Written primarily by students in his blogging 101 class, the new feature will start later this month. He writes:

"Our intent in the debut is to execute well upon a basic form in journalism: the snapshot, or state-of-the-art report. The first one will be about blogging at American newspapers. Newspapers are definitely past the “let’s start some blogs” stage, but what stage are they at? Where’s the action, traction, and satisfaction in the growing world of newspaper blogs? NYU students and I, joined by a few special guests, pros and amateurs, will try to find out."

For me, this new blog will be an interesting counterpoint to Robert French’s (infOpinions) student PR blogs and the way French uses his own blog to teach his PR and media classes at Auburn University.

These NYU and Auburn students, on either side of the "media relations" coin, have some meaty issues on their plate, and I’m looking forward to their perpectives on the "BIG" questions that consume so many of our blogging hours.

Questions like:

What is the responsibility of a blogger to fact check? Is it different if the blogger is also a professional journalist? Just exactly what defines "professional" — getting paid? quality of writing? affiliations, whether paid or pro bono? Not always the same thing.

What is the role of PR in the new media mix? How is it evolving as the media themselves are changing… from pen and ink to bits and bytes? Is it? How should companies, and their PR people, engage with bloggers?

It’s nice to hear new voices, from people just beginning their professional journeys. Hopefully, in watching, and helping, them learn, we’ll learn a few things ourselves.

Tags: Media, Blogs, Blogging, PR, Public Relations, Journalism

Today’s Blogthing 3 Feb 06

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Happy Friday everyone.

Your Five Factor Personality Profile
Extroversion:

You have high extroversion.
You are outgoing and engaging, with both strangers and friends.
You truly enjoy being with people and bring energy into any situation.
Enthusiastic and fun, you’re the first to say "let’s go!"

Conscientiousness:

You have high conscientiousness.
Intelligent and reliable, you tend to succeed in life.
Most things in your life are organized and planned well.
But you borderline on being a total perfectionist.

Agreeableness:

You have medium agreeableness.
You’re generally a friendly and trusting person.
But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism.
You get along well with others, as long as they play fair.

Neuroticism:

You have low neuroticism.
You are very emotionally stable and mentally together.
Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly.
Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed – making others feel secure.

Openness to experience:

Your openness to new experiences is high.
In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas.
You’ll try almost anything interesting, and you’re constantly pushing your own limits.
A great connoisseir of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything.

Watching/Not Watching/Wondering

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Watching

Rocketboom. Today’s was particularly funny, especially Broke Mac Mountain

Wikipedia.  Dr. Myra and the congressional staffers (and Marty Meehan is my rep to boot), and all the other recent transgressions. Don’t these people get it? You cannot screw around with a shared, global resource like Wikipedia. You will get caught. And outed. Apply your no doubt significant skills in some other fashion.

Not watching

The G- D—y Super Bowl commercial. Incest isn’t funny. And that is all I can think about when I remember last year’s commercial:  the G- D—y bimbo shaking her boobs and butt saying the inevitable. It is just yucky. No links. No more discussion. If the commercial comes on while I am (sort of) watching the game, I’m going to take my bathroom break. Seems appropriate somehow.  Added: Tip of the hat to Media Orchard for a link to the putative schedule. Now I know when I can safely pee and not miss some play that my husband wants to "discuss." Yawn.

Wondering?

Okay, I cannot be the only person on the planet who finds the latest Gawker media venture a wee bit disturbing. Am I? Just about every blog I read it on today (lots) reported it matter-of-factly or with relish. I’m just thinking, eeww.

Tags: Advertising, Blogging