Tiny Desk Concerts

As an avid NPR listener, I was thrilled to get the chance to help my friend with her video submission to NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest. If you haven’t seen a Tiny Desk Concert, they are exactly what you would expect – a concert at a desk. These talented musicians truly make it their own. Here are some highlights to get familiar with the concept.

• Last year’s contest winner: Fantastic Negrito
• Leon Bridges
• Adele
• T-Pain

I’ve been helping local SF singer/songwriter, Samaya, increase her social media presence and thought this opportunity was just perfect for her. With an iPhone in hand, a few mood lights and a keyboard we recorded her new single “Cycles”. I see a great future for her as an artist and excited to be a small part of her success.

Podcast Playlist

Growing up I endured a lot of NPR. From long car rides to just a quick grocery store trip, WBEZ 91.5 never wavered from my mom’s car radio. I used to plead and beg to change the station and alas, I have grown up.

Nowadays, when my earbuds are in, I’m most likely listening to my beloved podcasts. I find myself frequently starting conversations with “On a podcast I listen to…”, which possibly makes me sound like an old lady, but I like to think of myself as cutting edge — and I always have a cool story in my arsenal to talk about.

I’ve dabbled in This American Life for years now (thanks to my mom) and have always had a love for Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me. But my real obsession took off, as with many others, when Serial came on the scene (speaking of, did everyone hear about the new podcast Undisclosed: The State v. Adnan Syed?). The way Sarah Koenig made this terrible story come to life is, what I can only image, what it was like before television and families gathered around the radio for weekly radio shows.

Since Serial, I have had to search high and low for more podcasts to add to my list. The podcast industry is just taking off (even though it’s been around since the iPod) and there are some great and some not so great shows out there. Here’s what tops my list:

Startup

Startup chronicles the highs and lows of Alex Blumberg, formally from This American Life and Planet Money, as he ventures out on his own to start a podcast media company. I live in San Francisco, and have personally seen startups greatly succeed and mega fail. What I found most interesting about this series was unveiling the secretive moments and personal struggles that go on behind the scenes. The particular episode that really drives this home is episode 3 “How to Divide an Imaginary Pie” where Alex looks for a business partner, finds the perfect guy and then the tough negotiations start. The episode records how both parties feel about the situation and their struggle with how much they are worth. They even record themselves talking to their wives about their inner most concerns. These are things you never hear! From the struggle of naming a business to the importance of raising funds to owning up to a very public mistake, Startup covers it all.

Reply All

Reply All is the first official show spawning from Startup’s endeavors — and it’s a good one! The show is hosted by PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman and features stories “about how people shape the internet, and the internet shapes people”. Before Reply All, PJ and Alex created TLDR, a podcast from WNYC’s On The Media, where the two were essentially recording the same podcast. They left their steady gig to gamble on Gimlet Media. The podcast sparked my attention from the first episode “An App Sends A Stranger To Say ‘I Love You'”. Since then, the guys have not disappointed. Another favorite was episode 13 “Love is Lies” which uncovers sophisticated online dating scams – fascinating. I find myself each week waiting for that little red dot in the corner of my podcast app alerting me to the newest episode of Reply All. Part of the appeal is the content but also the incredibly funny dynamic between the hosts.

Invisabilia

Invisibilia comes from good ol’ NPR and explores the intangible forces that shape human behavior. The show is hosted by NPR’s Lulu Miller and Alix Spiegel, who helped create Radiolab and This American Life. Invisabilia delves deep into some really fascinating topics that makes you realize there are invisible forces all around us. Similar to Reply All’s hosts PJ and Alex, these girls are great together and make for a very interesting podcast. One of my favorite episodes is about a woman who can’t feel fear and how emotions really play a role in protecting us. I would highly recommend checking it out. Can’t wait for the next season to start!

Planet Money

Another NPR favorite, Planet Money, may sound boring since its main subject is finance — but trust me, give it a shot, it’s fascinating. The team at Planet Money know how to take dull subject matter and make it truly come alive. They’ve been doing this awhile and have the magic of the show down to a science. One of my favorite recent episodes is 601 “The Chocolate Curse” about an Ecuadorian man who solved the global chocolate shortage, but there’s a twist. Check out the episode to find out what’s in your Hershey bar.

A Picture is Worth A Thousand…GRPs

Last week Apple announced a new advertising campaign featuring user-generated iPhone photography — shedding a spotlight on how fabulous the iPhone camera has become and proving you can even blow them up to billboard sizes.

The quality of photos that are produced from the iPhone are truly amazing and create one of a kind masterpieces like this magical shot from Shan L. in San Francisco, CA.

From a marketing and advertising standpoint, it’s great to see real, authentic photos being used as content by major brands like Apple. With mobile phones containing professional grade cameras in everyones pocket, and companies required in the information age to continuously churn out content on a regular basis, it seems only natural that brands start using content created from their users.

If you think about it, using user-generated content will only create a stronger connection between a brand and its customers since they will be seeing familiar and relatable content. This is what every brand wants – to truly connect with their target audience.

The one barrier I see with this trend is properly licensing photos and the legal ramifications companies could face. Once this is solved though and more brands begin to use this type of content for advertising, marketing and social media, I bet we will see an increase in positive interactions, Gross Rating Points (GRPs) and overall conversations.

The Ballots Are In

I don’t do it often, but when the moment is right and inspiration strikes I transform into a party planner.

When my roommate mentioned an extravagant Oscars party his friends in LA throw every year, the wheels started turning. After brainstorming delicious (and punny) dishes to commemorate each best movie title, I knew we had to pull this off. With some help from Pinterest and Amazon, we put together quite an event! A star-studded night to remember.

Menu

Mashed American ParSniper

The Imitation Crab Dip

Stuffed Birdman

The Theory of Everything Bagels with Whiplashed Cream Cheese and Selman

The Grand Budapesto Hotel Pasta

Boyshoodenberry Palmiers

Twitter Connections

The power of Twitter never ceases to amaze me. It’s a place that delivers breaking news, connects unlikely friends and allows anyone to have a voice. This post was inspired by recent events that took place on my Twitter feed. Here’s my thoughts on how brands can really take advantage of Twitter.

Quick and helpful response

When a customer takes the time to reach out to a company they, rightfully so, expect a response. I know, I know, our constant need for instant gratification is out of control, but really this is a perfect opportunity for a company to set themselves apart. A good example of what not to do came from my experience with 24 Hour Fitness.

Incredibly frustrated with @24hourfitness classes and never being able to sign up! Need some new options.

— Alyssa Sandore (@asandore) March 17, 2014

Instead of responding to my SOS, 24 Hour Fitness followed me…which was extremely confusing. Maybe it was an olive branch but I was searching for some sort of sympathy for my situation. At least @CrunchGym was there to the rescue!

On the flip side, @nordstrom_rack did a great job reaching out to me. I tweeted something on my mind, silly really, not expecting a response. Although a somewhat general reply at least there was effort.

Why did the #SF @nordstrom_rack put the men’s section on the 1st floor?… doesn’t make me (the demo) want to go in at all! #Marketing 101

— Alyssa Sandore (@asandore) April 3, 2014

@nordstrom_rack tnx. I walk past the windows everyday to work and all I see are khakis and mens suit coats-boring lol 😉 helps me save $ tho

— Alyssa Sandore (@asandore) April 3, 2014

 

Personalization makes it special

My recent encounter with @WholeFoods on Twitter was fantastic and I would expect nothing less. Their brand persona on social is extremely friendly and helpful and it shows through the interactions with customers. This simple, thoughtful, personalized tweet made me feel special. Gold stars for Whole Foods!

@asandore @WholeFoods We have a sneaking suspicion you may fall in love with this dish! #kalerecipe http://t.co/IATMFzS9UY

— Whole Foods NorCA (@WholeFoodsNorCA) March 13, 2014

 

Celebrity encounters 

Eric Stonestreet may possibly be my favorite celebrity to follow on Twitter. He’s completely transparent and connects with his fans on a whole new level. Today a fan sent out a simple tweet about her dad being on the same train and initiated a hilarious public chat. I encourage you to take a look at the flurry of tweets, which concludes with Eric asking if she’s done her homework and a priceless selfie.

“@carorhodes: my dad is on train next to @ericstonestreet and @jessetyler (Mitch and Cam) omg😁” this him? pic.twitter.com/PIYL0gt2Qf

— Eric Stonestreet (@ericstonestreet) April 3, 2014

 

Twitter, like any tool, is only as powerful as the user. Brands can use this direct communication to rise to the top of the pack or sink to the bottom. I’ll tell you this much, I cancelled my gym membership but walked into that Nordstrom Rack – just sayin’.

By the way, follow me! I swear I do more than air my grievances 🙂

Smashing Writer’s Block

I’ve been in a little writing rut recently and on a quest for inspiration. While browsing ‘The Google’ (my newest expression) I stumbled upon this great tool from HubSpot and had to share. It’s called HubSpot’s Blog Topic Generator and it is just ridiculously easy – and fun. You simply input three nouns and voilà, there are five blog stories waiting to be written. Here’s my blog topics:

social media, San Francisco, startups

1. Think You’re Cut Out For Doing Social Media? Take This Quiz
2. What Will San Francisco Be Like In 100 Years?
3. Why We Love Startups (And You Should, Too!)
4. 20 Myths About Social Media
5. 10 Quick Tips About San Francisco

Now I think I can work with that. With a little research, some personal insights and a large cup of coffee one of these will make a great post.

Speaking of inspirational blogs, the HubSpot Blog has a plethora of really fantastic articles about every aspect of marketing. The mix of information, timely and fun articles published daily keeps me coming back for more. One of my favorites that has saved me many times is “The 6 Marketing Metrics Your CEO Actually Cares About”. Great reminder that marketing is about results.

Disclaimer: These thoughts and opinions are my own – I’m not getting paid to endorse HubSpot (although I wouldn’t refuse! *hint hint*) – just a true fan.

Big Ideas at sfBIG

I’m excited to announce that I recently joined the sfBIG social media team as a volunteer and am running the organization’s Twitter content (@sfbig) and newly launched blog. sfBIG stands for Bay Area Innovation Group and they live up to the BIG name. The mission of sfBIG is “Connecting brands, agencies, and publishers to further educate the local industry and grow digital innovation in the Bay Area.” My advertising professor at Hult International Business School, John Durham, is the co-founder and President of the organization and doing a great job at engaging the highly innovative SF community through interesting events and friendly competitions.

I’d love to share my first blog post for sfBIG which covers the BIG Minute event that took place a few weeks ago and brought together the advertising, marketing and startup communities to appreciate new innovative ideas and catapulting their advancement. Ten startups got their chance to pitch, in only 80 seconds (a BIG Minute), their idea to the audience. Many innovative companies have blossomed from this event – ever heard of Uber? Read on for the full story.

BIG Minute for BIG Ideas – sfBIG

10 startups, 80 second pitch, unlimited ideas.

sfBIG packed the house for the BIG Minute event held at the Palace Hotel in downtown San Francisco sponsored by Yahoo! And Quantcast. This third BIG Minute focused on what San Francisco does best: Startups, entrepreneurs and innovation. Read more >>

From Ground Zero

Words that come to mind when launching a startup: fear, pressure, excitement, anxiety…really a complete plethora of emotions. Taking a product from 0 users to Facebook status is quite a daunting task.

Folsom Street Foundry – Promoting Post Launch Meetup

This is now my life, working at a startup in San Francisco and having never launched a brand new product to the public. So I’m doing what I can to soak up knowledge and get as smart as I can from others. My good fortune brought me to the Huge SF Meetup last week at the Folsom Street Foundry with the appropriate topic of “Promoting Post Launch”. The panelists included Michael Presysman, Founder and CEO of Everlane, Adam Fishman, Director of Growth at Lyft and Jamie Viggiano, Head of Marketing at TaskRabbit. These innovators have all embraced the challenge of bringing a brand to life and building a dedicated user base into the thriving companies they are today.

The panelists inspired me to think more creatively and push the boundaries when it comes to launching a new product in uncharted territory. Here are a few of my major takeaways from the event.

Empower your community
Lyft realized before launch that their drivers were an asset and differentiator. Empowering the driver community to be the ambassadors of the brand built trust and credibility among riders. At launch (and every city launch thereafter) Lyft took the time to interview every driver to ensure quality. In return, Lyft evokes pride in their drivers by highlighting them on social media and providing driver lounges in each city.

Do whatever it takes to get noticed
Jamie Viggiano explained how the TaskRabbit team has done some crazy stuff to get the brand off the ground. One such assignment Jamie herself took on was to run a marathon as a task on TaskRabbit – now that’s commitment! They even hired a break dancing crew to perform in Union Square to get noticed. Lyft went door-to-door to startups to get the tech community to start using the service. They came bearing gifts of balloons and cupcakes to sway the techies. While this method is not necessarily scalable it worked very well to get off the ground and drive momentum around the brand. Little activations such as these are pieces to the bigger puzzle.

Incentivize users with your unique ‘currency’ 
Word-of-mouth is the foundation of gaining brand awareness and growing a user base. The give $10 get $10 is already a stale model and comes across a little slimy. While everyone wants a deal you don’t want to weaken your brand value by dishing out money for every desired user action – nor should you have to. The fact is if you have a great product people will want to share it with others. Word-of-mouth is better than a referral incentive any day but referral models can work if you find an innovative incentive. Dropbox found its unique currency by dishing out more storage for every referral rather than money. Lyft didn’t launch with a referral program but just initiated give a ride, get a ride. No restrictions or monetary limit. Find what your users want and deliver.

                           

A Story Well Told Can Change The World

With the ever-increasing nonsense that surfaces on television (I’m lookin’ at you MTV) it’s hard to discover quality content. Thankfully Pivot.tv is making waves in the media space by providing a voice and collaborative outlet for a truly creative generation. It’s incredibly refreshing to see television used as a medium to inspire, drive creativity and most importantly inform. Pivot is not only curating quality programming they are also challenging the status quo and truly catering to how the new generation watches and engages with media through an on demand app platform.

I just can’t get enough of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s new series HITRECORD. Levitt’s lively commentary throughout the show is the perfect anchor to carry the viewer throughout the collection of stories. You can truly see his passion drive through his storytelling – and singing! I couldn’t help but make the comparison to Ira Glass. It’s  like This American Life for the next generation which are very similar in concept and format. The theme of the series premier is appropriately titled ‘The Number One’.

Pivot.tv is the brainchild of Participant Media, the company behind high-profile documentaries such as The Cove and Food Inc. Participant’s mission is quite inspirational.

Participant believes that a good story well told can truly make a difference in how one sees the world. Whether it is a feature film, documentary, television or other form of media, Participant exists to tell compelling, entertaining stories that also create awareness of the real issues that shape our lives.

Each feature title has an integrated social action campaign tied to Participant Media’s digital network TakePart. An example of this integrated approach can be seen on the Food, Inc. TakePart page which takes the concept of the film, sheds much need light on the issues and gives activists ways to proactively get involved and command social change.

I’m truly in awe of this company and admire the inspiring initiative to take on tough social issues.

Here are some social links to make life just a little easier.
@_Participant
@pivot_tv
@TakePart

Watch out, I have a plan.

I’m a (wo)man with a plan. I’m feeling the refreshing glow of 2014 and with this positive energy I’m ready to take on the New Year!

The start of a new year is the perfect time to remember what is important. I don’t normally make resolutions (since I know I won’t keep them) but a new year is like hitting the refresh button. I am blessed this year to have an incredible job, a perfect San Francisco house with some rock-star roomies and wonderful friends that I can count on.

A big resolution for me is to really keep up this blog (for reals this time). I just need to make it a priority, much like working out and eating more veggies…which reminds me…

I am also challenging myself to discover my true passion. I’m ready for some tough soul-searching and deep thinking.

Cheers to a fantastic new year!

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