Shannon's thoughts on marketing, public relations, social technology, entrepreneurship and other things

Shannon Mouton
Shannon Mouton

the principal at Topaz Consulting, is a relationship marketing professional, with a passion for utilizing social technology for building B2B/B2C relationships, sharing information, networking and advancing the greater good. She has over 20 years of public relations, marketing and community building experience. Her combination of political, nonprofit, higher ed and corporate experience has afforded her opportunities to build communities where none existed, develop and launch innovative programming and bridge generational, economic and racial divides.

Shannon serves on the board of directors for the In Series, a Washington, DC performing arts organization. She is a regular contributor to Women Grow Business and Discover Exceptionalism, and her blog, Shannon Sez So, examines life's joys, pains and idiosyncrasies. Shannon is the founder of Topaz Consulting, a DC based marketing consultancy with a nationwide portfolio of clients. She graduated from Mount Vernon College (now part of The George Washington University) and is a proud native Washingtonian.

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2011 (31)
2010 (74)
 

(Golden) Nuggets of Knowledge: #TechChat with Guy Kawasaki

On August 17th, @MarketingProfs launched #TechChat, "the first and only Twitter chat about social media marketing for the high-tech industry." And did they launch in style, their first guest was none other than Alltop founder and Reality Check author, Guy Kawasaki. These are some of the nuggets of knowledge Guy* shared, you can read the full transcript here.

#techchat [sic] I can't think of an org that shouldn't use it. In a sense, T[witter] is like "the Internet" 15 years ago.
#techchat I think the main purpose of social media is to increase page views :-)
#techchat I think the key to Twitter is providing great links as opposed to personal updates: "my cat rolled over."

#techchat [sic] Retweeting is the sincerest form of flattery!


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#techchat Q. How to tie T back to sales? A. With custom landing page and coupon codes. I bet @delloutlet can tell you
#techchat T is great for sales. How else can you reach so many people so fast and so cheap?
#techchat T is the greatest marketing platform ever

#techchat And there are only 2 kinds of T users: those that want more followers and those that are lying.
@amoyal #techchat The best way to get good connections is to get more followers. It's the law of big numbers.
@RLMadMan #techchat I have 270,000 followers and I can have conversations. I try to answer every @ and D.
@amoyal #techchat If you don't retain your followers, it's bec u're not tweeting stuff that's interesting, not bec u have too many

#techchat Q about "influencers" I think "influencers" are bull shiitake. Nobodies are the new somebodies.
#techchat These days, "influencers" are fast followers, not leaders. This is why, ironically, you need to do mass marketing.
#techchat You don't know which "nobody" will be a "somebody" for your cause. The pyramid is inverted.
#techchat Also, influencers are so busy being caught up in their own BS and trappings, that they really don't "use" things well.
@mikefixs #techchat You'd be amazed at how little most influencers really know.


 

 

*These tweets are taken out of context and reading the transcript is recommended to receive complete understanding of Guy Kawasaki's tweets and the full value of the #techchat.

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Life Lessons Are Business Lessons

Most of these are trite platitudes that you have heard since you were a child. However, the fact they are still being repeated gives credence to their value as timeless pearls of wisdom. Take heed, what Mom, Nana or Pop-Pop said all those years ago about living right holds true for doing right in business.

If you don't know...ask
You are not expected to know everything about every nuance of your industry. You are expected to know where to find reliable information in a timely manner. Having knowledge at your fingertips via Google, Wikipedia or Alltop and knowing how to use these tools to find and disseminate information is a valuable skill unto itself.

Always count your change before walking away from the counter
You are responsible for your organization's finances, not the financial planner, accountant, bookkeeper or assistant. You should sign the checks and regularly review the books for thoroughness and accuracy.

Slow down...exhale/inhale...just breathe...it will be okay
You are innovative, intelligent and more than capable, if a situation arises, you can handle it. Whatever the case, it probably isn't as bad as it seems at first glance. The situation provides you an opportunity for creative problem solving.

Treat people the way you want to be treated
When you go to restaurant you expect a hostess to greet you with a smile and seat you immediately; you expect a server to greet you with a smile and offer to take your drink order and you expect your drinks to arrive in a timely fashion and not be watered down. Your customers and clients expect the exact same level of service from you.

Always carry a clean handkerchief (men) or a pack of tissues (women)
Being prepared is essential to making a memorable impression and closing the deal. Keep your mobile devices charged and bring chargers to meetings with you. And even though note taking can be done on various electronic devices, nothing is as reliable as a pen and paper...bring an extra pen too.

Think before you speak...pause...think some more...then you speak
Yes, you are brilliant, yes, they are proposing a silly idea and yes, you can save them money, increase their revenue and extend their brand awareness. Taking a few seconds before making your point will allow you to collect your thoughts and present your ideas in a clear and succinct manner.

Get annual physical examinations...nothing matters without your health
Be you a solopreneur or medium-sized organization, people are counting you. If you're not only bringing home the bacon, but raising the hog, slaughtering, curing and slicing it, then you need to be at the top of your game physically and mentally. Good health is an essential business tool.

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