Why Shareology? August 30, 2009

When I began Shareology a month ago (Happy Birthday, Shareology!)  I struggled with the diversity of subject matter I wanted to cover.   I’m interested in a LOT of stuff.   The four years Shareology spent at a career counselor resulted in a number of topics of interest in today’s economy.   How to reconcile that with marketing and retail point-of-purchase and shopper marketing and social media?  I can’t possibly do a  blog:   folks like a tad of focus as they click.  What to do?

Finally it dawned on me:   career exploration boils down to networking:  networking is now centered on social media:  and social media is a set of tools for today’s marketing.    Whadaya know?   It does all connect!  Shareology has a focus!  

And the actual word Shareology?  A gracious gift from Agency Babylon, (@AgencyBabylon, http://agencybabylon.wordpress.com/  ), leftover from a branding session this summer.  The client went with another name for his digital out-of-home network, and Shareology was thus available for use. 

Thanks to those readers who made Shareology’s first month so much fun; a special thank you to the tweeple who posted comments.  It’s been a delight to read the intelligent, funny and thoroughly engaging words in your comments.  Shareology readers Rock!!

Kay Roseland   @KayLoire

Social Media On a Stick! More pics from SMBMSP #18 August 28, 2009

500 people were forecast — but a sudden downpour and traffic tie-ups put a dent in that — the tweeple who did make it to the Minnesota State Fair for SMBMSP #18 — or Social Media On a Stick!   were treated to not one, but two covered tents, bacon (but of course), haiku winners, music, contests and a twerrific good time!   A few highlights:

follow your hashtags.....

SMBMSP#1 AND #18 attendee!!!

Whatdaya mean, the winner has to text the entire wikipedia entry????

Well that’s it folks:  social media on a stick!    Many thanks to all the sponsors and the geeks, guys and gals who work so hard to make this so much fun and so full of learning and networking.  

Kay Roseland   @KayLoire

Shareology Salutes Dominick Dunne August 27, 2009

I met Mr. Dunne at a book signing in Minneapolis, just before he went to California to cover the trial of the Menendez brothers. At the time, his fame was yet to come; he sat alone at a table with perhaps one or two people in the store, buying his books and having them autographed. He seemed a little shy, alone, but so elegant and so willing to talk and answer questions. After the Simpson trial, it is hard to ever imagine Mr. Dunne alone again. I’ve followed his articles in Vanity Fair, and read all his books. Will we ever see his last novel, the update to People Like Us? He will be so very missed.

Kay Roseland @KayLoire

And the Winner is…………..!!!!!!! August 25, 2009

Flora Delaney wins the Which Shopping Center is this?  contest for her brilliant, insightful commentary and suggestions for the future of………Southdale!    Shareology is very impressed with the caliber of submissions to the recent shopping  mall identification contest.  A special student category award presented to Diane Kulseth for the first submission of the contest, and for correctly identifying both Southdale and the Mall of America.   

Minneapolis-St. Paul has a special place in shopping center history with the first covered shopping mall ever, Southdale, and with the biggest, bestest, most PR driven, fly ‘em in from all over the world shopping mall, shyly named Mall of America.

Shareology salutes all the entrants for their intelligent comments on shopping centers, Southdale in particular  – and a special hint to Simon Property Group to read Flora Delaney’s comments and seek her out to engage her wisdom.

Kay Roseland   @KayLoire

Sharing Awards News August 20, 2009

Shareology isn’t the only writer in the family; there are three actually.  The published poet has just received the Will Rogers Medallion Award for Outstanding Poetry Book for A Prairie Prayer,  published in 2008. 

2009 Will Rogers Medallion Award Winners

The Will Rogers Medallion Award Committee (www.willrogersmedallionaward.org) is proud to announce the winners of the 2009 Will Rogers Medallion Awards for Outstanding Achievement in the Publishing of Western Literature.  The books, film, authors and publishers to be honored this year are: 

 A Prairie Prayer

 

Publisher- North Dakota Institute For Regional Studies,Fargo, ND The poet can be followed on Twitter @LastBuffalo or on Facebook at Bruce Roseland.

“The stories are real…Anyone with a farming or ranching background can relate to them…”

                            
Author – Bruce Roseland,  Seneca, SD

 

Want more information?  Google the author listed above:  he’s got more google links than the prairie has gophers….

Kay Roseland @KayLoire

 

Which Twin Cities Shopping Center is this? And this? August 17, 2009

Shareology is taken with the ups and downs of life and the ups and downs of shopping centers.  Take the photo below for example.  Shareology once worked for five years for the company that created, owned and managed the shopping center below.  At the time it was a stimulating beginning exposure to a retailing innovator.  Now, below, owned by others, managed by others, not so much.  And sadly, this entity was on top of the mountain when it began a whole new category of shopping with its debut. 

Shopping Center One:

In contrast, the picture of a shopping center below.   Shareology spent at least two semesters attending classes in this mall; the strongest experience was Retailing Management, in the midst of a shopping center that attracts global attention, and one in which foot traffic never ceases to amaze.  

Shopping Center Two:

So Shareology readers, how’s your shopping center IQ?   Can you tell me which two shopping centers are pictured?  Click Leave a Reply and leave your answers below…..I’ll publish the winners in a week…..

Kay Roseland @KayLoire

Mad Men? Mad Women? Maddening Ads… August 10, 2009

Shareology was chatting with Agency Babylon about his Mad Men marathon this weekend — watching past episodes to prepare for Season 3. AB feels the objectification of women in the ’60′s is a tad overdone…….enough already.

Shareology paused, and quietly said  “Are you aware that the Strib’s predecessors were still posting separate  Helped Wanted Men and Help Wanted Women ads in 1971?”   

Kay Roseland   @kayloire

In need of tranquility? Join The Tuesday Tourist…….. August 9, 2009

Shareology can’t (and shouldn’t) spend 100% of her existence on Marketing. In a salute to the well rounded life, periodically Shareology will share (one more share and I’m gonna get fined by the writer’s union) her vision of the Twin Cities. Today she takes you to the Japanese Garden, tucked behind Normandale Community College in Bloomington. Guess what she discovered there? 

Well, that’s the Tranquility Tour, folks. At one point, Shareology spotted four koi happily swimming together under bridges and over rocks. These koi are so big that the great blue heron that terrorized my sister’s pond in Rapid City wouldn’t stand a chance; these koi are not bite size! 

Kay Roseland   @KayLoire

What’s the opposite of Networking Fatigue? Networking Energy! August 4, 2009

To counter the very popular Networking Fatigue article that Shareology recently posted, herewith follows a tale of Networking Energy which illustrates several principles Shareology is fond of. 

Shareology is often asked how she met AgencyBabylon.  Once upon a Veterans Day, Shareology had a fun day planned.  (As a State Worker Bee, she had this day off.)  She was off to the Betty Crocker Kitchens for lunch.  Well, OK, lunch in the General Mills cafeteria with a friend from Honeywell days.   What to do before lunch?

Shareology decided to pop in to the warehouse district offices of a vp of marketing to whom she had written a fan letter.  The vp of marketing was new to town, and had gotten a nice writeup in the Strib’s business section.  The vp’s vision of marketing was quite similar to Shareology’s and she had written her very first business fan letter.  Shareology arrived at the warehouse district office and asked for the vp, who turned out to be in London. Five open-ended questions later (perhaps there is someone else in marketing I might speak with?), AgencyBabylon was called, presumably to get the crazy lady out of the lobby. Shareology and AgencyBabylon sat down in a conference room, started a conversation over her resume, and two hours later…..Well, Shareology and AgencyBabylon have been sharing ideas and support ever since. 

Writing a fan letter? So outside the nine dots. Cold calling in person on someone who is in London? Waste of time….unless…you ask a number of open-ended questions….and Don’t get Kicked out of the Lobby.    Just saying……

For more ideas on networking, check out my PowerPoint (SlideShare) presentation on “Finding the Hidden Job Market” on my LinkedIn profile :   http://www.linkedin.com/in/kayroseland

Kay Roseland  @KayLoire

The Thursday Tourist August 2, 2009

 The Thursday Tourist    (or what you could do consider for this weekend because it’s summer and this town is gorgeous.)

On the Minneapolis RiverFront, across from St. Anthony Main: This River Rocks! (And the town ain't bad either....)

 

The Stone Arch Bridge: Join Shareology on a walk across the Mississippi River

Would I have walked to the very end of the Guthrie bridge if I knew what it looked like from the river? It was my Graduation Day in May of 2008....I had already done all the scary stuff...this bridge out over the river? Piece of Cake!

If ya hang out by the river, sooner or later you're gonna run into the Segway Tour....

Or as they are also called:  human on a stick!  If it looks like fun, give it a try this weekend:

www.humanonastick.com   

For those who are wondering, the above is not an ad, but just the result of a quick google.   There must be a marketing heart beating beneath the Segway motors:  Parked at St. Anthony Main was a teensie car HEAVILY branded with Human On a Stick.  If you’re following #SMBMSP photos, you’ve already seen the car.   Well, that’s it — have a great weekend!

Kay Roseland    @KayLoire