'Do It For YOURSELF' (THE LOST ASSIGNMENT)

PEOPLE…

DO IT FOR YOURSELF….

This is it.. the Grand Finale…. The culmination of a semester long journey… A journey to find myself, to find my purpose in life and utilize the lessons learned to embark on new adventures. As cliché and artificially sentimental as this garbage may sound to some; I MEAN THIS WITH THE UTMOST SINCERITY…. This course has, quite literally, been the most useful portion of my ENTIRE COLLEGE career. I do not consider myself a marketing master, by any means, but the lessons learned throughout the duration of the course were thought provoking. I was made privy to the countless opportunities that exist in this life and was instilled with the notion that everyone should enjoy what they do, and have the opportunity to make a quality living by doing it…

I only took Marketing this semester because the necessary Accounting and Finance classes that go towards my MBA, were at capacity and I needed hours to be considered a ‘real student’. Looking back; other than the fact that I am fairly decent with numbers and a logical thinking individual, I LITERALLY HAVE NO CLUE why Finance was my choice for a major. Sure, this is a universal business practice and it is essential to have some sort of element that keeps the financial portion of any given business reconciled but (to me)…. the sh*t is boring.!!!   

Let us first re-emphasize this idea that was spoken in one of our first posts. This notion that everyone is born with something remarkable and if leveraged properly, this remarkable attribute can be used to create a sustainable and prosperous living… Below are some examples of projects that I took seriously strictly because I was fortunate enough to be introduced to this course. 



PROJECTS: 

The artist featured here is my Uncle Vincent. Recently, he put out a single ‘Caliente Amor’. I was fortunate enough to be able to get this online on a few different streaming and downloading platforms. We have not yet developed a marketing strategy but the fact that the content is mastered, ready to go and available gives us a good starting point. 

This project is my Father’s. It was never formally released or marketed but I remember, as a boy, when he was working on this record. This was my first experience with live music and also where I discovered that I thoroughly enjoy the creative process and the grind it takes to put out a completed product. Gospel Music may not be up everybody’s alley but after listening to this again, and remixing the tracks; the talent is undeniable. Going forward, the plan is to ‘republish’ this album and give it a formal push for portfolio’s and pride's sake (Profiting will be an added bonus).

This is my father’s second album. I am particularly proud of this one because I was blessed to be able to provide some of the musical production here. Though I was old enough to provide some creative work, I didn’t have a mind for business and this one was not published properly either. I do not participate in the creative process when it comes to writing music any more but I still appreciate the artistry behind it.

I mentioned in a previous post, that my cousin Chef TJ Montoya (Tiger) has been working on his craft for years. We have reached a point that it is time to start a legitimate business and start a food truck/ custom catering business (for starters). This has been both challenging and a blast and at this point, all that’s left is the financing part (WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AND AN OFFICIAL BUSINESS MODEL NOW). 

My Wife has 8 years of solid experience in the collections industry. Currently she works for a local law firm maintaining the company’s books and ensuring that all accounts are settle properly. She is so good at what she does, I convinced her go into business for herself. The end game is to be able to do what she does now but for herself on a contractual basis for private practices and professionals. I am Pleased to announce.. that this is an actual business now.. Look it up.. 

---------------------------------------------------------------

I realize that though we may have lost sight, overall, about the general direction of our group blog, the ideas and sentiments behind the content were sincere and relevant to what we are all trying to do. The truth of the matter is that taking this class, inspired me to begin these projects above and see them to a point to where they are profitable for the individuals putting forth the work (myself included.. because.. come on.. that’s a lot of work)… But… IN ALL SERIOUSNESS…. I have complete faith in the above individuals who I am working with and am unexplainably excited to see what our future holds.....

-Clinton Ellison III 

'We Made Some Soup This Weekend'

Friends,

Thank you, once again, for your time…. PLEASE REVIEW THE TOPIC BELOW 

  WE MADE SOME SOUP THIS WEEKEND… !!!

'Sopa De Tuscano'

“Why not make a living doing what you love to do?”- Me

This is a sentiment that has been repeated throughout the series. I’ve explained numerous times that everyone on the planet has a particular gift, talent or polished skill that can be used to create, for themselves, a sustainable living...(THE GOOD LIFE)…

I happen to know a particular individual that has a profound love of producing great food for family and friends…. (this is where it should start)..

.. Throughout the years I have had the immense pleasure of watching Chef TJ Montoya’s talent develop into something spectacular..!!  It gives me great joy to truly recognize the skills, resources and dedication that have gotten him to a point where it is time to profit from his own gifts...

LET’S MAKE THE SOUP!! 

As I stated earlier, I get my jollies from investing financially and emotionally into people who I believe in..  Over the NCAA playoff picture weekend (GO TIGERS!!), Chef Montoya (Tiger) gave a live demonstration in which he prepared ‘Sopa de Tuscano’ in front of an audience..  The above documents some of the raw ingredients used in the finished product. 

This article is more than just a documentation of delicious soul warming soup that came out of a local kitchen. It is more than just a tutorial about how to make a kick-ass dish. It is about family and friends getting together enjoying one another, sharing a meal and deciding to start something special..... 

Given the years of dedication, skill development and all around natural talent, It gives me an unspeakable amount of satisfaction to be a part of the upcoming organization…

The above is a snapshot of the business plan for G.O.A.T Food Truck and Custom Catering Co. (Greatest of All Time). Good thought and numerous hours went into this project and we believe the climate and details are such that this can become reality in a matter of weeks (I will provide the plan in a future post) … The initial planning began in July of this same year, and was completed over this past weekend. All over some good conversation, good food and a nice cold glass of this….

......the locals in our city (and others) will soon see this concept come to fruition and people will enjoy the product that we are able to put out. 

HAVE  LOCAL BREW…. And..... FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS!!!

 - Clinton Ellison III

Episode 10: Google Analytics, YouTube, & Facebook Data of Engagement w/ Audience

by Adrienne V Romero & Ramon Garcia on 12.7.15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ramon created a pdf for me to work from and I used all of his information in this video for our final assignment for this semester that was based on using a blog for internet marketing. 

 

This blog will be used by my Community Service Learners as a means for us to build a rebranding social media campaign for the non-profit I work for currently and was the Founder of the Concert Program as means to understand high-risk youth issues via market research that started in 1998.

 

Youth (specifically high-risk youth) Engagement in the digital experience as a designer is what I believe will help bring back inspiration, self-respect, and motivation to have a successful career path thanks to our Professor Mr. Heath Anderson.  He is an incredible mentor to anyone who wants to learn about the reality of successful business marketing plans that are based on the internet new frontier!!!

 

~blessings, Adrienne

The Key to Creating Engaging Content

By Ramon Garcia


For non-profit content based outreach and marketing, you would assume that the stories of the work should be enough to engage potential supporters. It is not the case. We have studied some concepts that tells us that gaining the support of people is not as easy. There is one profound truth that no one would like to admit, but denying it would be counter-productive for your effort. That truth is: "Everyone is looking to satisfy a need." What need is that? It will be up to you to discover what the needs of those who support you want.
To discover this we must start by engaging people in what we have to offer, or what we do for our communities.
Answer this question: "What could you do in your communications to demonstrate that your non-profit in genuine, generous, and grateful?" When you answer this, think about the value your organization provides, the work you do, but most importantly how do you demonstrate that to the every day supporter.
Be Genuine - Your potential supporters have little interest in connecting with an organization. They are looking to engage with people that share the same sprit for the changes they want to see in the world. You can be genuine by letting the personality of your organization shine through content. The platform is irrelevant.
Be Generous - Focus on telling the story about gift giving. Communication is gift you are giving your supporters. Be kind when you respond to your supporters, and give them all of your attention. Content creation should not be another thing you do, it should come from the heart.
Be Grateful - Showing that you are grateful means that you are engaged. Show your gratitude by sharing links, re-tweets, and messages from all those who have been kind to your organization and cause. This shows respect and gratitude. Don't just focus on stories about your organization and the clients it serves, but also the stories of your fans.
Following this guide can guide in the type of content you should be producing for your organization. Dedicate time and effort to content creation. Remember that social media is about socializing, and most of us have the skills required to do just that.




Reference: Kivi Leroux Miller Content Marketing for Non-profits.

Choosing The Best Method

By Anthony Mathews

Many things go into creating a successful marketing campaign. You need to think of a way that will help relate your audience to the main idea. Remember the purpose of marketing; brand awareness, lead generation, brand consideration and direct sales. Helping your audience become aware of your product or service, getting them to want to learn more. Getting them to request information and possibly discuss a sale. Considering you in their possibilities list that they may buy from or picking you overall. Making them purchase from you directly. Something to keep in mind is what do your consumers respond to? In order to understand this you must identify your target audience. For example, millennials are less likely to see your advertisement in the newspaper because they do most things on the internet. Also take into consideration what you are marketing, a service or a product? Marketing a product one way may give you great results but trying the same technique on a service could be disastrous. Remember to also consider your goals, what are your plans for this product or service? Your goal in the long run matters heavily because your main objective is to reach that goal. Another thing you should not forget is your budget. Over spending can lead to problems for your business. Cost that may not be covered because things did not go as planned. You should keep an eye on your budget with all parts of the technique you choose. When choosing it is best to think of all of these things. Consider your best way of marketing to your audience and what you plan on doing to reach the goal you might set for a product or service.



Resources
http://www.passionforbusiness.com/articles/choose-best-marketing-techniques.htm

How Social Media Has Changed Non-profit Marketing

By Ramon Garcia


The idea that social media has changed the way we reach people is true, but it is not a simple concept to understand.  When a leader in an organization can understand what is the meaning of the "change" in our marketing efforts, then we can start looking at meaningful ways to use this media to effectively reach people.
So what is the change? The change is not just in the surface. Using Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube is different that the other most traditional media, but that is not the change that we should be focusing on. The real change is the new enriched communication with people or potential supporters. In the past, that is before social media, communications were only one way. We would talk at people and hope that it would awaken some type of consciousness that would make them supporters. The real value in the change social media brought is in the fact that now we can create partnerships with two way communications. The real change is in the loss of control and being in a better position for it.
Your cause, organization, services, your brand are no longer yours alone. Now you have many potential supporters and partners that can help you understand the message and the significance of the work you do. Through social media, people can help you construct and discuss all that pertains to improving the lives of your communities.
People influence the way others will see you. They can become influencers of others if you can structure a healthy engagement with them. Those people are heard by other very quickly and easily.
You need to be prepared to loose control and have many spokespeople rooting for your cause. The question is, are you ready for that? I know that a thousand thoughts flow trough your mind about how someone with little knowledge of your cause can say the wrong thing and create an immense problem for you and your community. To counter this possibility you have to be ready to educate and redirect in a meaningful way. Clearing up misconceptions and being committed to healthy dialog are some of those things that social media has brought on to leaders in non-profit organizations.
Social Media is a new way of connecting with the public. Social media can help you gain supporters that will be loyal and committed to you. With this much leverage comes responsibility. Social Media is a new way of marketing and cannot be done if you and your organization are not ready to dedicate the necessary time engage in meaningful conversations.




Resource: Content Marketing for Non-profits by Kivi Leroux Miller The Jossey-Bass Nonprofit Guidebook series.

Just some thoughts I started to think about tonight related to 

ART-BASED SPIRITUAL WEALTHINESS CULTURED

markets that I want to bring to W21's website.......

via a LinkedIn Network for my social media campaign for rebuilding our familias/families & communities:

 

1st degree market: hip-hop culture & reggae culture

2nd degree markets: Metal, Punk, Guitar, Indie, Orchestra

3rd degree market: all other musician markets - Folk, etc.

 

1.  geographic cultural common denominators:

 

The colors on all three maps represent 3 identifiable market segments.

These populations of people grouped in the map are from the three geography areas and have relatives in each of the three geographic areas .........

 

 

who were raised in childhood to believe in

art-based spiritual wealthiness culturing

as a family contract.......

 

 

.......similar to a social contract in business between

an employee and society.......

 

 

 

1.  Tan - Agricultural Midwest Cultures, Fisherman Cultures, Irish Catholic, Amish, etc.

2.  Hot Pink - Primarily Latino & Indigenous Cultures

3.  gold - Primarily Other relatives of Indigenous & Latino Cultures

 

..............

 

 

 

 

Aztlán

is the legendary ancestral home

of the Aztec peoples.

Aztecah

is the Nahuatl word

for "people from Aztlan".

2. expansion of geographic cultural common denominator
The map in the information concerning "disambiguation", the darker green areas in the geographical area that are in tan on the map in item 1 represent colonies

or the migration of the market segments

identified in item 1.

Reconquista (Mexico)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia   

For other senses of this word, see Reconquista (disambiguation).

The Hispanic and Latino American population in the United States in 2010 and the Mexican–American border of 1836 in red.

The Reconquista ("reconquest") is a term that is used (not exclusively) to describe plans by different individuals, groups, and/or nations to reconquer the U.S. Southwest, territories that had pertained to Mexico before the Texas annexation (1845) and the Mexican Cession (1848), as a consequence of the Mexican American War, for distinct purposes.
In 1917, according to the intercepted Zimmerman telegram, in exchange for joining Germany as an ally against the United States during World War I, Germany was ready to assist Mexico to "reconquer" its lost territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
For Chicanos in the 1960s, the term, although not invoked, was understood as taking back "Aztlán", the mythical homeland located in the U.S. Southwest where they believe the ancient indigenous ancestors of the Chicanos, emerged.
In the late 1990s to early 2000s, as U.S. census date showed that the demographics of Mexicans in the Southwestern United States had increased, the term was popularized by contemporary Mexican intellectuals, such as Carlos Fuentes, Elena Poniatowska, and President Vicente Fox,^[1][2][3] who spoke of Mexican immigrants maintaining their culture and Spanish language in the United States as they migrated in greater numbers to this area.
The characterization was originally an analogy to the Spanish and Portuguese Reconquista of Moorish Iberia, as the areas of greatest Mexican immigration and cultural diffusion are conterminous with the territories the United States gained from Mexico in the 19th century. However, certain groups that identify themselves with the modern Hispanic Mexico, such as the Mexican Nationalist Front, see the losses of northern territories after the Mexican War as illegitimate and seek a restoration of the earlier borders.

What is Aztlan, Raza, and MEChA - MayorNo

www.mayorno.com/WhoIsMecha.html

The most visible of these groups are MEChA, The Brown Berets de Aztlan, OLA (Organization for the Liberation of Aztlan), La Raza Unida Party, and the "Nation …

 

3. Hip-hop is a recognized  Cultural Nation at the UN without a geographic territory

According to  Brian Hardgroove, bassist with Public enemy, when I asked him (on stage at the old Club Luna stage during one of the many hip-hop concerts that I produced/promoted.....we had community resources booths) "Do my people's market of Latinos/Indigenous demographics matched the demographics of the hip-hop populations nationally?".......HE AGREED WITH ME ON VIDEO TAPE. 
Another type of relative-based market to add to the first 3 identified markets. Originally, pop music history gives the African American (perhaps the modern Buffalo Soldier) musicians and artists complete credit for the hip-hop subcultural music genre.  Now, all combinations of bloodlines in all corners of the world are members of the Hip-Hop Nation. 

I am one of them. 
 

Some of my favorite musicians are African American Divas & Gentlemen

actively singing/dancing/drawing/producing in the Hip-Hop Movement/Genre.

THE DEMOGRAPHICS  of my people
(the Aztlan descendants),

Traditional Northern New Mexican Familias,

MATCHed HIS AUDIENCE BASE IN

HIP-HOP SUBCULTURAL MARKETS.

 

I was able to IDENTIFIED 4

RELATABLE/APPROACHABLE
MARKETS so far.........

 

~blessings

 

THE COMMUNITY

11/17/2015

….GOOD TUESDAY TO YOU ALL

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME



Friends,

I hope you find the submission below useful. Please feel free to interject…. I am still in the privileged position to be able to learn from so many talented individuals on a daily basis. As of this very moment, I am still an active member of the ‘CORPORATE CULTURE’ (8 to 5 badge squad)… More conservatively, I am fortunate to hold down a decent paying, conventional means of employment.. The description isn’t ideal, the hours are long and stressful at times but the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation with like-minded individuals is PRICELESS and MUCH APPRECIATED...

It was during one of these conversations with some good colleagues of mine that we came up with the notion (in a nutshell) that:  ‘The planet is inhabited by quite a few people, many of whom use the internet and a fair amount of them have a few things in common with you (you, referring to everybody in the conversation at the time).’
  Oddly enough, this vague statement speaks volumes in terms of internet marketing and creative content. Artists, producers, film makers, musicians and general content providers all have one obvious commonality: In some shape or fashion, we all incorporate (whether subconsciously or otherwise) some element of s**t that we appreciate in life into our work; be it movies, culture, other art or politics. All of the ‘mentioned’ elements have a COMMUNITY or group of people that have an interest in the topic. In 2015, it is basically common sense that this community or fan base has an easily identifiable online presence in some form. For the individual seeking to get their content noticed, locating these communities should be an essential piece to their internet marketing strategy. Forums, YouTube videos, podcasts, video game streams etc. are all platforms that generate conversation and interest over any given subject….

 (MOMENT OF CLARITY) … ‘An artist should seek a common interest to make a human connection with potential fans…’ LONG AND SHORT, Find your like-minded individuals, engage in conversations, and share your material. Obviously one cannot individually connect with hundreds of thousands (hopefully tens of millions) of people and keep a genuine personal connection, but that’s what the content is for… (WE WILL PUT THIS GENERAL STRATEGY TO USE FOR A PARTICULAR PROJECT.. ).. Outline the specific steps, document the process, quantify the results!!!

TO BE CONTINUED,.,,

Episode 9 (con't) - Facebook likes for my blog

by Adrienne V Romero on 11.17.15

 

The photo below shows a facebook post and shows some of the "likes" I received from mi familia...and amigos!!!  just to explore facebook.com as a way to promote myself as an non-profit administrator.



This photo below is a smaller window showing the people who "liked" my post concerning my blog:

This is a photo below of my appreciation responses to those people who "liked" my post:

This is a photo below of my other post of my first Episode of my blog and shows the number of "likes" I received:

I am not use to using facebook and so this was a little experiment only so that I could teach myself how to use facebook to get people to be interested in my blog.  It was only on my facebook account that I very rarely use, but when I am ready to officially and professionally introduce myself on facebook on an account I create for my SONARescuela non-profit program to culturing global civic business professionals.......I will use this exact basic method at a professional level initially with Facebook and the other more appropriate social media sites that include LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterist, etc

~ blessings to all the artists/musicians/film-makers getting the word out via social media!!!

4 Quiestions that Help you Understand your Donor

By Ramon Garcia


When you think of a supporter or donor, a certain image may come to mind depending on the type of work that you do. If you don't, you should start thinking about it. I have talked about the importance of creating content in your social media outlets that speaks directly to the people who you want supporting you. I have also given some ways in how to make your posts memorable for those who decide that your work is worth supporting through donations, volunteerism, and rallying other to contribute in your cause. This time I will give you four important things to consider when creating a profile of your ideal supporter or donor.
These 4 concepts will outline the help you identify and outline the personality type of those who you want to reach out to and move them to become active supporters of your cause.  You may think that you want every possible donor you can get, but the reality is that it is going to take a certain type of persona to engage in the work you do.  You want your donor to be engaged and active supporters all around, and for that it is important to find those who will connect deepest with your mission.


Concept #1
What age, gender, and job does your ideal supporter or donor have? When you answer this question consider the typical personal that most cares about what you do. To give an example, you could say that a donor of a non-profit organization that works in eliminating Domestic Violence, is a 50 year old woman who hold an administrative position in a bank and whose name is Lindsey. 


Concept #2
What are this person's motivators? While exploring this questions, look at what is of value to them, and how do they measure success usually. To continue with the same example: Let's suppose that Lindsey values justice. She usually measures success by considering the timeframe that it takes to achieve a certain goal.


Concept #3
Who does your ideal supporter relate to? What is the circle that they live in, who are their friends, bosses, subordinates typically. Lindsey hangs out at the local coffee shop during lunch with her female supervisor, and they talk about social issues like poverty, and tax injustice.


Concept #4
What benefit would contributing to your cause give your donor? Is it intrinsic? Why would it be a benefit to them? For example, when Lindsey contributes to the local Domestic Violence shelter, she receives a letter in the mail that tells her how many victims have been kept safe. She collects these letters to show off to her supervisor at the company party.


When you take time to answer this questions you will be closer to understanding what your ideal supporters are all about. You will be able to develop content and calls to action that are appealing and engaging. Always keep in mind that it takes time and effort to send an effective message that is meaningful, and now you have some tools that will help you get closer to those who will support your work and your mission.






Source: David J. Bradley Getting Digital Marketing Right: A simplified process for business growth, goal attainment, and powerful marketing.

Getting your First Likes on Facebook

By Ramon Garcia




Non-profit organizations are busy trying to improve the qualities of life of the communities they work for.  When it comes to using social media to leverage support, it is important that we make it part of a long term strategic plan to gain sustainability. When setting up your social media sites such as twitter, youtube, and Facebook, consider this.


Having a page is enough to drive people here, after all the content and the mission should motivate people to convert into your supporter. Right? Well, no... Wrong! Your social media needs to be marketed.


Use your existing contacts from your personal and professional life. For example, Facebook gives you a handy tool called the "Invite Friends to Like this Page" button. Use it! But don't over use it. Be SELECTIVE with the people you invite to like your page. Well, it's fine to invite your closest friends and family members, but don't forget that the ultimate goal is to reach people who will have similar views and would be interested in the content you will be creating.


Spread the word about your Facebook page in any way, and every way you can. Put it on your business cards, mention it during conversations, link it to your website, include a link on your email signatures, put a poster at your front office, be creative while inviting people to like your page.


Be cautious about falling for one of those marketing propagandas that say they could get you thousands of likes by subscribing to their database. You never want to buy like, because these fake likes will not be of any benefit, and there will not be engagement at any level.


Watch this video on Facebook fake likes to understand the value of a real like vs. a fake like.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVfHeWTKjag












Source: Peg Samuel and Mathew Capala: FaceBook Marketing Like I'm 5

Episode9:Google Analytic Tools

by Adrienne V Romero on 11.14.15

Google provides you with all the tools you need to use your blog as a means to build your exposure online.  We created this blog for a class, but I will be using it to train my community service learners in building a career/vocation in administration & marketing skills, arts/music industries, and for a decent paying job.

1.  This photo is of the overview of the options one has when using a gmail account to create and maintain a blog.


a.  This is the Overview page:  You can see the graph of pageviews for a month.

The Menu on the left is where you will find all the tools available to you to use to build your exposure:

b.  This is a photo of the "STATS" option showing our audience (Russia??):

This is our pageviews by Audience with details for Countries, Browers, and Devices:

c.  For the "STATS" this is the overview page:

d.  This is the "STATS" posts page:

e.  This is the "STATS" traffic page:

 

2.  From these pages, I was able to understand that most of our audience used actual computers, and play.google.com was our strongest "referring site", and that the post that included a team project received the most views (I can deduce that the people on Clinton's film project all wanted to see themselves again on this post...people like seeing themselves).  I now can deduce that I need a team video production to really generate views.  I am just learning internet marketing skills, but I can take on this challenge....anyone can!!!!

 

~blessings, Adrienne

Episode8-Part4:LinkedIn.Contacts&Connections

Episode 8 -: LinkedIn Profile 4 Public Access

by Adrienne V Romero on 11.14.15

Episode 8 - 
LinkedIn Profile ...going Public (part 4 of Episode 8)

 

Connections with other Professionals on LinkedIn

 

1.  LinkedIn makes it easy to get in touch with people who I already know professionally and give me options to network with professionals working in markets related to my industry.

 

a.  This page is my CONNECTIONS page with recent conversations and direct contacts:

 

b.  This page gives me the # of connections I have and # of views my profile has had in the past 90 days:

 

 

 

c.  This page helps me build my network by showing me people I might know.  By the way, I know most of these people and these people respect my work professionally.  Once I am ready to start my own personal marketing campaign...it will be easy to increase my analytical data for this blog, because of both my LinkedIn and Facebook accounts.  Once I add my email lists from my Mail Chimp account ....well, we will see!!!!!: