Monday, January 16, 2012

The Winding Road to Here




My idea to launch a social media management business did not appear out of thin air.  I’ve taken a winding road to reach this point, but it all makes perfect sense now that I have arrived.  The heart of a solid social media strategy is the combination of effective reach and compelling writing.  While I’ve been a foot soldier in marketing armies tasked with reaching audiences in all of the positions I have held -- and the creativity applied to making the connections and reaching the targets is the fun part -- it is the writing component that drives me.

Over the years, I have written with clarity to sell solutions: website content, marketing brochures, and sales presentations.  I have written with insight to educate: parent group newsletter articles, guides to selling, and software product user guides.  I have written with passion to persuade: letters to editors, a proposal to my local library, and suggestions to community leaders.  I have written with compassion to unite communities and coordinate care for friends in need.  My most favorite writing project is the book I have written:  the story of my grandmother’s life, to preserve and share with my family her remarkable journey.

All of my varied writing finds its roots in my upbringing by two parents who loved the written word.  As kids, we wrote cards, stories, poems -- most of which were eventually given as cherished gifts.  It taught us that our writing was a special extension of ourselves and that our thoughts and words were worth saving.  I wrote regularly to my parents when I went away for college and in the years that followed.  I wrote religiously to college friends I missed over the summers.  I developed a joy of writing and, I confess, a joy of being read!  How I started my business career as an accountant, I may never be able to fully explain!

So I have a package of skills to offer as a social media manager -- some I picked up directly and intentionally as I navigated the winding road to here, others I discovered along the side of the road.  As with the changing world of social media, I continue to change and learn and apply new skills.  I am excited to help small businesses grow through social media and I want to welcome you and thank you for joining me on my own personal launch pad!

2 comments:

  1. Kathy,
    Well done. This is a very nice site. The photos and writing are great samples of what you can do for a company. Being a Social Media Manager is a perfect way for you to use your fantastic marketing skills, years of work experience, love for writing and fantastic creative ideas.
    BPS

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  2. I love checking in and seeing what you have written. Always insightful and a pleasure to read. Blogs have a way of developing a life of their own, showing us our way. I am happy to be witness to your journey, Kathy!

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