Live from MIM – Roberta Gambarini – Jazz Vocalist Extraordinaire!

Jazz has been called America’s greatest original art form, America’s classical music, and the soundtrack of America. In fact, jazz is global music, heard and performed in all corners of the world.

In December 2014 I was fortunate to visit with one of today’s finest interpreters of the American songbook, which includes memorable tunes by the greats such as Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, the Gershwins and others. Roberta Gambarini, a fabulous jazz singer, appeared at the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Phoenix.

Roberta Gambarini and Dianemarie Collins

We visited on The DM Zone before her MIM performance, chatting about how she, a native of Turin, Italy has become a leading jazz vocalist, proclaimed by the late jazz pianist Hank Jones as “The Best since Ella Fitzgerald.”

Before the interview ended, Roberta graced me with an acapella verse of “Sunny Side of the Street.” I was spellbound to stand side-by-side with her and hear that incredible voice as she so casually tossed out perfection. She scatted the ending! Watch the video and you will hear what I mean.

Later, we took our seats in the intimate hall at the MIM. Roberta began the concert walking out on stage, following her trio of incredible musicians: George Cables (piano), Jimmy Cobb (drums), and Ameen Saleem (bass). Standing center, she then sang acapella, “So In Love” from the musical “Kiss Me Kate.” I was mesmerized listening to her wonderfully clear instrument, so flawlessly displayed.

I have to add, that in my book, Roberta Gambarini is not only one of the finest Jazz vocalist, but one of the finest singers. Period.

I Love Lists! Especially When They Work …

I do love lists! I make one each evening for my next day’s tasks. I use them for shopping, for errand and just about everything in between. So, when I found the list in the article Social Media Daily To-Do List: 10 Essential Tasks by Digital Marketing Consultant Saman Kouretchinan, it struck a chord. It really works for me. This post is over a year old, but that doesn’t really matter, the advice is solid.

I LOVE lists!

 

We all know how much time Social Media takes from our daily schedule and if you’re like me you put it off. Saman explains that Social Media is not like a website that can stay static … well duh, but the problem for me seems to be getting the whole thing organized enough that posting to your sites doesn’t take over your entire life.

Enter Saman Kouretchian’s list. Three of the 10 points that I NEVER miss daily are pretty basic:

• Sign In
• Post fresh content
• Reach out to three new contacts

The 10 tips are basic and easy to add to your daily routine. And, they do save time. Read the entire article here.

I have used these “10 Essential Tasks” combined with other my other PR strategies for several my PR clients with great success as well. Recently, I took one new client that had less than 30 Twitter followers, not much FB activity and almost non-existent website visits. Using the Saman’s list for two weeks, and an hour each day from my staff, we boosted Twitter to over 500 followers (real not purchased!). We also increased Facebook followers and likes by triple and website page visits went through the roof.

As I said, I love lists. And this one really, really works! Thanks Saman!

 

Twitter Do’s and Don’ts … or the Exception to the Rules

I am often asked by my clients what my objectives are regarding my Twitter posts. Why? Because, not only do I have a widely varied collection of followers, I often promote many different topics. The main focus for my Tweets is to reach media with a story … usually about one of my clients. Therefore I don’t worry if I have less followers than the number of tweeters I follow. However, Twitter etiquette is still just as important, and maybe even more so, than if I was tweeting for my own promotion and or views.

I agree with Social Media Strategist, Kevin Allen that rule number one and most important thing whether you’re tweeting to a reporter, news network or just putting your thoughts out into ‘Twitterland,” is to provide value for your followers. Allen lists this as the very first of his “Ten Essentials of Twitter Etiquette”

Actually, Allen’s article is a very succinct list of what to do and not do while posting to Twitter.

“Whether tweeting as yourself or from a brand account, there are certain guidelines—let’s call them rules of the road—by which we all must abide. When people don’t follow proper Twitter etiquette, we all cringe, it’s awkward, everyone feels deflated, and you just look unenlightened.”

Read the whole article here.

The only ‘rule’ on the list that I disagree is about Re-Tweeting. Sometimes, I do manually RT. Horrors! … At least according to Allen. My reasoning is because I like to add my own comments or suggestions to the Tweet that I am taking the time to share with my followers. And, I haven’t figured out how to do that without manually ReTweeting. Oh, I understand that according to the many Twitter experts, the Tweet gets more coverage if I use the auto RT provided, but there are instances that it feels too impersonal. I like letting my followers exactly what made me Re-Tweet that particular Tweet.

Which brings us back to Rules, Etiquette or Do’s and Don’ts … there are exceptions to them!

Join in the conversation and follow me on Twitter @DMCollins or visit my Internet TV program at The DM Zone Thanks!

The DM Zone Blog – Golf Anyone?

This guy knows real grass!

Blogging only about using Social Media, new trends, how to’s and such has become more of a chore than a pleasure. As I tell my clients, blogging is like a journal that you share with the public. It should flow from your thoughts and activities, be they about your company, your career or your life in general. And, hopefully fun to write in the process!

I have changed my blog, The DM Zone, to mirror and relate more to The DM Zone my Internet TV station and will now cover anything that feels right to share.

Besides working in Public Relations, I am lucky that I get to interview famous, nearly famous and want-to-be famous folks. I have the best time doing this. And, I have a gift helping make those individuals not feeling all that comfortable in front of a camera, feel like they are just having a conversation with me, sans the camera.

My videos are produced by HD Broadcast AZ video studios located in Scottsdale, Arizona. The team over there do an excellent job of editing.

These videos have been shared and have been viewed by more than 250,000 times. I know, surprises the heck out of me too!

At a recent golfing event taking place in Peoria, Arizona, I met a group of young women visiting us to play golf. Held at the Westbrook Village Golf Club, the NCAA Division I Women’s Spring Invitational included 14 teams, mostly from the “flyover states” that currently are covered in snow. The teams come to Arizona to play on the first grass of the season. They practice back home in garages or special practice indoor facilities … but no real grass.

Watch these NCAA Division 1 Women’s Golf Tournament interviews.

The event wasn’t covered by local media, and I found that a shame. But the event was well run, all by volunteers, and was great fun for everyone involved.

If you enjoyed the interviews, give me a holler on Twitter – @DMCollins – Thanks!

Virtual Book Tour, Twitter, Facebook, Video and More … The Ways of Marketing Your Book!

New Adult Paranormal Romance Author
Lynn Rush

Today I am spending time with New Adult Paranormal Romance author Lynn Rush on her Awaited worldwide blog tour. As part of the tour, Lynn is providing a free copy of her short story, Prelude to Darkness. Follow the link for your FREE copy of the prequel to the Wasteland Trilogy. http://lynnrush.com/lynn-rush-downloads/

Lynn has been writing for more than five years and has an impressive 25 titles to her credit. Six are currently under contract with publisher Crescent Moon Press based in New York. As the way of today’s publishing scene, marketing of a book falls mainly on the author, or in this case Lynn Rush’s team she has assembled to assist her. But, from day one, Lynn has understood the importance of Social Media in getting the word out about her books.

Lynn, thanks for spending time with me and sharing some of your experiences in Social Media book marketing. From the start you have used social media and the internet as a whole to assist you with the process of becoming a published author.

Can you share with us how you have used each of the social media genres for marketing?

Let’s begin with Twitter – I love ‘chatting it up’ with people about everything, not just writing and selling my book. For me, marketing is a secondary thing when it comes to social media. I want to meet people … Learn about their lives … What they do for fun. I love talking exercise, movies, music in addition to writing and books. Sure, I’ve been able to reach more readers through Twitter, which is a nice side-thing, but my main drive is hanging out with people who have common interests so we can visit. I love how fast-paced Twitter is! Only get a few characters to talk, so things keep moving for sure!

Now how is Facebook letting you get the word out on your books? – I’m able to do little giveaways and contests … that’s always fun. It helps spread the word about my projects. But like Twitter, I just love interacting with people. Facebook allows you a little more in-depth because you have more than 140 characters—and you can even converse in the little chat box and a chat room. That’s a cool feature I like.

How are you using your Website to keep in touch with your fan base? I post the latest news such as contests, author appearances, and new release information on the front page. It’s the blog that I get to be more interactive with people as far as sharing parts of my life and learn about my fans’ lives as well!! I also have a newsletter, ‘See you in the Paranormal’ offering fans goodies for following me.

And of course, Blogs … including the blog tours you have participated. Blogs **le sigh** I love blogging. As a reader, I’ve always wanted to know more about the authors and their lives. I mean, not in a stalker-type way, but just things about their “normal” lives. So, with blogging, I’m able to do that for my readers. Let them into my life a little bit since I can’t be traveling all over the world to meet them in person. I love to share pictures, chat music, movies, in addition to what’s happening in the publishing journey I’m on.

Which have you found most useful in this process? Twitter has been the most interactive lately. It started out with blogging, and then the interaction shifted to Facebook and Twitter. But I see Pinterest sneaking up there, too.

What did you feel could have been used better? Probably Twitter. I’m not that interesting, so I don’t have much to post in 140 characters or less.  **LOL** But it is fun chatting up with people and getting a peek into their daily lives.

What have you discovered that was a total surprise in using the social media for your book journey? Tribes! Yep. One day I was asked the question, “How’d you build your Tribe?” My reply was, “Oh, I have a TRIBE? Cool!”  Honest, I was so clueless early on. Now I’m just a little less clueless **LOL** I’m known as a positive spot on the internet. My posts, whether they’re Facebook, Twitter, Blogging … are positive and encouraging. Turns out people have gravitated toward that force. I’m happy to be that for people. Smiles are contagious, so I like to spread them around, because as ELF says, “Smiling’s my favorite.”

You and I covered some of these topics in our interview at the Changing Hands Bookstore after your book signing event with Alan Dean Foster this week. Let’s invite folks to listen in on our conversation … (Insert Video)

Don’t forget, as part of Lynn’s Virtual Tour, Lynn is providing a free copy of her short story, Prelude to Darkness. Follow the link for your FREE copy of the prequel to the Wasteland Trilogy. http://lynnrush.com/lynn-rush-downloads/

And, because The DM Zone believes the best way of introducing readers to new authors is to let them read, below is an excerpt of Awaited. Enjoy!

 Awaited is the sequel to Wasteland

~~EXCERPT~~

My feet finally found the water’s floor. I tugged the female from Durk’s grasp and hoisted her up into my arms.

The water had washed away the crimson stains, but left her lips thin and blue. Durk pressed his fingers to her neck. “No pulse.”

“Go. Find wood dry enough to burn. We need fire. I’ll start CPR.”

He bolted to his feet and darted away. I settled her on the damp foliage covered floor and ripped her buttoned blouse apart. I rested my ear to her chest. Nothing. Cheek to her mouth. Nothing.

I clamped my hands together and started counting out compressions. “Please. You can’t die. I just found you.”

Her chest caved beneath my weight with each push I offered to start her heart. Pumping it for her. She looked so cold. So small. So fragile. Darkness tainted her lips. I imagined they’d be full and bright red like in my dreams. Her glowing skin was now dull and lifeless.

Please. Michael.

There must have been a reason for me to be on this plane. This time. This date. This instance. Not to let me find someone I’d dreamt about, then to lose her.

I pinched her nose. With my other hand I cradled her neck and opened her mouth to mine. My lips formed a seal around hers, and I blew. Her chest raised. One more breath.

I turned my head, listening. Nothing.

I repeated it for another cycle. Durk returned holding an armful of branches. He ripped open his pack and pulled out a bag.

“Zip lock?”

“Jessica made an appearance at my room while packing.” He held it up. “I thought she’d lost her mind. Matches, magazine, and tiny foil blanket.”

“You didn’t say anything.”

“Told me not to.”

Durk went to work on the fire as I finished the second round of compressions. I leaned down to breathe for her again and paused an inch before contact with her lips. “Please,” I whispered and sealed her mouth with mine.

I breathed into her, then turned and drew in a gulp of air and let it flow into her. A gentle scent of sandalwood and sugar wrapped around me. Coiled me in warmth. The woman flinched beneath me.

Then coughed.

I tilted her to the side and water spewed from her mouth. A tremor rocked her little body. The crackle of a flame, and the scent of burning leaves filled the air. “There you go. Get it out.” I patted her back.

She flopped back and her eyes opened wide.

The same honey irises I’d seen a hundred times in my dreams stared at me. “Can you hear me?”

The lids hung heavy over her dilated eyes, then slid shut.

“No. No. Stay with me.” I patted her shoulder.

Durk joined me, kneeling beside her on the other side. I pressed my finger to her neck.

“She’s got to be in shock. Freezing. Get that fire going.” I peeled my shirt over my head as I stood. “Find all you can to get a small shelter formed around the fire.” I ripped at the belt securing my soggy pants to me. “I’ll warm her up.”

Wasn’t exactly how I’d dreamed I would first lay with a woman, but I’d be damned if I was going to let her die.

She was mine.

~~~~

Top Ten of the Top 100 PR Tips for Media Rockstar Status

Got a post today via one of my PR newsletters that featured Sakita Holley’s top 100 Tips for becoming a Rockstar with the Media. The information is awesome and is actually 111 tips.  But, Sakita’s list was so thorough (and long) that one of the comments posted said it all “… Now how am I going to remember all of that?”

 The number one rule in PR to remember is that less is more. Media wants all of your information in ‘sound bites’, leading with ‘hooks’ and don’t forget to keep your message ‘short and concise.’ So how do you get your story across without sounding like a tweet?

‘Media training’ was mentioned twice in Sakita’s list. Good advice especially for the novice. ‘Practice’ was also mentioned more than once and I can remember from my piano teacher that indeed ‘practice makes perfect’ (or at least better). I think the other strong tip is ‘be comfortable with silence.’ So many of my clients feel that instead of letting the quiet rest for a second, they fill the air with “you knows.”

So my list of the Top Ten of the Top 100 Tips, with some editorial license and in the order of importance as I see it, is as follows:

1. Prepare – Practice, practice, practice – List your points of information in order of importance to get them out in the interview.
2. Never lie – Be honest and straight forward with your information.
3. Focus – Stay on topic and don’t let the reporter distract or lead you astray.
4. Listen – to the reporter’s questions and comments and keep eye contact with them.
5. Assume Nothing – Including that the reporter has even read any pre-interview information about you.
6. Respect Deadlines – Arrive on time, call back quickly once contacted by media and don’t drag on with your contact.
7. Silence is OK – don’t let it go on for too long, but better while you gather your thoughts to keep quiet instead of “you knows”.
8. No such thing as “off the record” – A reporter can never ignore what you’ve given them, and even if they are your friend, they’ll report it.
9. Smile – It will help you look relaxed, and will make you feel better. Honest!
10. Expect a final question that may allow you to conclude the interview with a recap of your message. But, cover it early to be safe.

So there you have it. If you can remember these ten items, you will be able to become that Media Rockstar you dream about!

Good Twitter Grades?

Did you know you’re being graded on Twitter? On how many followers you have … On who follows you (their “power”) … On how the number of times you post and how often … On your follower/following ratio and on how many of your tweets are re-tweeted (Engagement). Whew! Who knew? I must admit, that I didn’t know until recently that grading  is part of what helps build your followers.

The good news (at least to me)  is that not every one using Twitter  is graded. However, there are a lot of  users that are graded. According to Dhash at Grader.com over 2.1 million users have been graded on Twitter Grader. Dhash explains

  What Twitter Grader is trying to measure is the power, reach and authority of a twitter account.  In other words, when you tweet, what kind of an impact does it have? (Full article http://tinyurl.com/ye6d2ks )

I first learned about Twitter Grader when following a tweet to an article from Edward Boches,who was touted as being rated 99.95 (out of 100) as part of his credentialsre where this fits into markteting or how I use Twitter for my clients. It seems more useful for an Opra or Ashton to worry about rather than those of us using twitter for our clients or our own business. Am I wrong?

So what’s your Twitter Grade? Well, there are tools to help you with finding your twitter grade.  And there are sites, twitter and web, that have their own agendas as to you using them.  One site I found helpful is a free tool to measure your power and reach on twitter: http://twitter.com/grader

New to Twitter? … “I Don’t Get it!” … I do, Listen!

I heard a often repeated comment today from a someone who is new to Twitter, but has to “tweet” for her job: “I don’t get it!” She went on to add that Twitter is only marketing since she only gets tweets that say “check this out” with a URL attached. What that tells me is that she has a lot of “newbees” sending her tweets, because that’s not how you do it in a communication community. It is rude and if you were in a face-to-face situation, you would be told that is the case.

The rule of thumb is that you should tweet about yourself, business, product or whatever about every 10 to 15 tweets. In other words, only talking about yourself is boring whether in real life or on Twitter.  A conversation is suposed to be a two-way process.

Chris Brogan posted a recent blog (ChrisBrogan.com) tweeted to me by @GuyKawasaki about Twitter Etiquitte based on his and friends’ thoughts about things that shouldn’t be done.

“The thing is, it’s (Twitter) also a place where newcomers might often make some mistakes in their choices that will likely be taken in a negative manner, and will likely result in an unfollow or a block from other Twitter users. The idea to write a brief and informal twitter etiquette guide …”

Complete article http://om.ly/?DSlD

Got that? Confusing I know to new users, but the important thing to remember is that Twitter is a conversation.  You can be the loud mouth talking non-stop. Or, you can listen for a while and then join the conversation. You decide … but your mother would tell you which one you should choose, be polite!

I’m Back … Looking for a Job? Use Social Media to Help!

Hey! Like the rest of the world, I have been busy. So I’ve not posted here. But today I was tweeted a re-tweet (we’ll get to explaining those on another day) that may help those out there looking for work. Whether or not you intend to use Social Media in your job, you may indeed need to discover how to “tweet” and use Facebook in order to stand out in your job interviews.

I found this article by Alyse Knorr in the Atlanta Journal- Constitution about this subject. 

The landscape of today’s job market is shifting, and the shift favors individuals who are savvy in social media.

“If you’re in advertising, marketing or communications, the more information you can put out to people where they want to see it, the better,” said Bob Van Rossum, president of MarketPro, a marketing recruitment company. “If you’re in one of those fields, it’s now required for you to be pretty savvy in the social media area, even if it’s not your primary focus.”

Atlanta job postings on a number of Web sites include Twitter and Facebook requirements for applicants.

http://bit.ly/RvGhE  For complete article.

It seems now these are becoming a “standard” item on a job application. Next there will be a university course on this subject. Mark my words. Till the next time.

Some days there just aren’t enough hours!

With all of the social media – FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn – emails to answer – blogs to read, write – added with snail mail to open and phone calls to make and take, your day can get away from you.  I have found if you make a list of “must do” the night before as a final “go home” chore your next day morning goes more smoothly. I still find myself tweeting into the wee hours, but I digress. I use my calendar for the lists and it really does help.