Social media efforts need integration with traditional marketing efforts

As more and more of us add social media tools to our communications efforts, it's important that we look at ways to integrate them into more traditional forms of marketing.
For example, a client of mine is running for a judicial position. I began to work with her after she had ordered her signs. Had we started our efforts earlier, she could have added her Twitter campaign site to her signage. I believe that if we had added this to her signs, she could have increased her base of followers.
Another easy update is to add your Twitter profile to your business cards.When I updated my cards last year, I added the @Matt_scherer below my email and phone information I believe that adding the Twitter profile has increased my exposure among business associates. More importantly, it made some traditional business types think about adding Twitter to their communication mix.
Just as important as updating your business cards is adding key social media data below your name on your email signature. If you get an email from me, my signature includes name, phone, email, Twitter profile, the link to my Express-News blog and my Linked-In profile.
There are more ways to integrate your social media tools into traditional advertising and communication platforms. A savvy social media professional can help your business and organization integrate them into your communication efforts. So, please call them to have them work with you on your integration efforts to add your new tools into processes that get full exposure.

Why San Antonio needs more Internet fiber in its diet

When Google offered to install a test version of its new high speed fiber network for a town of 50,000 to half a million residents, Don Ness, the mayor of Duluth, took a winter dip in Lake Superior in the middle of February to garner publicity for his city's effort to get the quicker network. Meanwhile, Rancho Cucamonga offered to change the second part of its name by calling themselves Rancho Googlemonga.
You can't fault these and other mayors for trying to get this test project. Having the higher speeds within their civic borders will attract future business, most notably in animation services and other multimedia outlets.
Because of our size, San Antonio can't qualify for this Internet bakeoff. Yet, as the opportunity for a larger beta project from Google arises, I wonder what our civic leadership is doing to embrace these types of efforts.
Our city has done a great job with attracting computer security organizations, most notably the 24th Air Force and expanded NSA operations. Yet, we need to diversify our technical efforts so that when opportunities like Google arises that we have the components to make it happen.

Alvarado deserves your vote for 285th District Court

        Until this year, I had never been actively involved in the campaign of someone seeking office.  However, when I met Rosie  Alvarado last year, I met someone who made me want to get involved.
        Alvarado is seeking office as the judge for the 285 District Court.  She is one of four running for office.
        Of the four running for this position, Alvarado is the youngest candidate at 33.  Some have questioned her age and experience.
         However, she has gotten the endorsement of San Antonio Express-News and Leticia Van De Putte for her campaign.
         Alvarado truly impresses me with her leadership and her vision.  She's been involved in some major cases in Bexar County, and she will represent our community on the bench.  If you are voting at lunch or after work today, she clearly deserves your vote.
      

Cook and Associates to hold social media tweetup

Cook and Associates  will hold a social media tweetup from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 24 at Sean Patrick's, 202 E. San Antonio in San Marcos.  

           Steve Cook, the owner of Cook and Associates, said his San Marcos and San Antonio firm is sponsoring the event as a way to help San Marcos based businesses connect with others in the central Texas region.  "We are hoping to attract small business and social media professionals from Austin to San Antonio at this event," he said.  "We're thankful to the chamber for their help and support to alert their membership about the powerful tools behind social media and blogging."

       

Reservations for the event can be made by going to http://www.twtvite.com/zl2mc6.

Congressman Gonzalez should call upon local security talent to protect his web site

When Representative Charlie Gonzalez' web site was hacked by the Red Eye Crew, his staff said that he would request help from his tech support team.


While that is a good idea, Congressman Gonzalez should turn to the leaders in infosecurity for help. As San Antonio is a well recognized center for cybersecurity, it would seem that his staff should be on the phone now to get their advice and help.

Knowing many of the leaders in this field, I am sure that they would gladly give the Congressman some excellent advice on how to prevent these hackers from issuing a F-bomb about President Obama.

With the Texas Lyceum set for next Friday, I am hoping that the experts in this program can talk about some of the methods and processes needed to prevent hackers from taking over a public web site. If I get to this conference, I am going to ask Howard Schmitt, our Cybarczar on what the "gov" can do to prevent these hacks.

Here's hoping that Congressman Gonzalez' legislative team meanwhile takes the time to reach out to people like John Dickson of the Denim Group and others like him to get their advice on how to protect his web site.

Reaching out to others will help those depressed about missing family members cope with the holidays

     It's been 32 years since I first spent a Christmas away from home.  I was a young airman stationed in Guam, and I never forgot that my holiday weekend was filled with playing on the beach as well as spending some time with friends from the Catholic chapel community.
      Today, as I write this, I am in Miami with my wife and my son to visit my 84-year-old father-in-law, who is in a nursing home after a recent trip to the hospital for internal bleeding.  My oldest step daughter is in Utah and my youngest is in Wyoming.
      For many of us, the separation from our family is a difficult thing.   So, for those of you who are feeling a little depressed about missing family members this Christmas, I have a simple suggestion or two.
     First, if you are hosting a dinner or party today, reach out to those without family.  It could be the single mother next door with the two children or the office worker who has a family in Nebraska.   Having some extra people around to share in a holiday dinner will make you forget that your daughter is a time zone away.
     Second, volunteer to help those in need.   If you have a beautiful voice like my wife, you can visit a local nursing home to sing Christmas carols.  If your voice is not well suited for music, just taking the time to visit people is something that's appreciated.    Shelters and food kitchens can also use the help of volunteers, especially during the holidays.
      To me, Christmas is like that classic Crosby, Nash and Young song "Love the One You're With."  As the famed Woodstock crooners wrote:  "And if you can't be with the one you love...Love the one you're with...Love the one you're with..."   
      Here's hoping that everyone finds a little love and some family this holidays.

Spotted: random acts of holiday spirit at the Baytown Waffle House

Do you remember that scene in the movie "Elf," when Santa Claus can't get his sled off the ground because of the lack of holiday spirit? It wasn't until Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel started singing carols that Santa escaped the Central Park Park Police.


I was thinking about that holiday spirit when my family stopped in Baytown at a Waffle House to have breakfast yesterday. Two elderly woman, named Mary and Kathy gave home made angels to some of the staff and I overheard one of the waitresses say that their gift made their day.

It's these random acts of holiday spirit that make the holidays special. Yet, I am wondering why we have to stop afterwards. I would think that we south Texans would want to continue in the spirit of generosity through out the year.

Here's hoping that more of us can spend the holidays and the year in the joy of giving. I want to thank my new friends, Kathy and Mary for showing me that Christmas holiday spirit comes even at a Waffle House.