I was so happy to have the opportunity to speak about social media at the New England Direct Marketing Association conference last week. As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I enjoy being in front of an audience. It’s always a big thrill for me and an extremely rewarding experience. This gig was no different.

As the moderator of a panel discussion – featuring Craig Blake (Director of Business Development at SourceLink), Myles Bristowe (Chief Marketing Officer at CommCreative) and Carla Gates (Digital Strategist at 3to5 Marketing) – I was responsible for introducing my fellow speakers and making sure our session stayed on topic and time. And if you ask me, Craig, Myles and Carla simply rocked the house.

But I wasn’t just the moderator. I was also the first speaker on the panel, kicking off our session with a short lesson on how to create lists on Twitter.  What follows are the slides I used in that presentation with the exception of a couple introductory slides; I also swapped out the title slide, footer and several of the headlines. After viewing these slides, if you still have any questions about creating your own lists on Twitter, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me by leaving a comment here on my blog. I’m always glad to help.

I can’t tell you how excited I am to be speaking at the New England Direct Marketing Association conference next week (May 15 at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts). After all, I get a kick out of being in front of an audience, sharing what I know about a particular topic or issue with people who are genuinely interested in what I have to say. It’s a big thrill for me, an extremely rewarding experience that I always enjoy.

Craig Blake

This time around, I’ll be moderating a panel discussion on social media. In addition to the short presentation I’ll be giving on how and why to create lists on Twitter, those in the audience will hear from Craig Blake (Director of Business Development at SourceLink), Myles Bristowe (Chief Marketing Officer at CommCreative) and Carla Gates (Digital Strategist at 3to5 Marketing), each of whom will be talking about social media from a different perspective.

For instance, Craig is going to be covering “The Social Side of Selling — Using LinkedIn to Grow Your Business.” He says he’s going to reveal what zombies, baseball and Lexus have to do with LinkedIn. Can’t wait.

Myles Bristowe

In his presentation, Myles (who I featured in a blog post not too long ago) will explain how the idea for his immensely popular marketing blog was conceived, how the idea has engaged thousands of loyal followers and the lessons he has learned from the project.

And Carla will speak about how to create deep and lasting customer relationships by focusing on the customer-compelling content that should be at the heart of your social media strategy, and why you should understand that without that heart, social media is just a platform.

Carla Gates

Here’s the full written summary of this panel discussion (which will take place from 1:40-2:40 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15)…

Social Media Strategies, Shortcuts and Secrets
Today, most marketers use social media in some way, shape or form to connect with their customers and prospects. In fact, many of them have already established their own set of best practices and proven, time-tested methodologies across Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest and the rest of the social media landscape. How do you get the most out of your time spent using social media? How does your brand’s voice stand out among the clutter of competing messages? These are just two of the many questions our panel of experienced marketing pros and social media practitioners will address during this lively, interactive discussion. You’ll learn:

• Which social media tools and technologies are most popular among marketers.
• How to use social media to position your brand in the most favorable light.
• Why social media is so essential to successful marketing today.

Of course, there are many other educational sessions taking place at the NEDMA annual conference next week. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from a host of industry luminaries on everything from search to social media, mobile to direct mail and more. I hope to see you there.

To learn more about the New England Direct Marketing Association’s annual conference on May 15, 2013, and to register to attend, click here.

For me, the day started out like any other Patriots’ Day on which I’ve run the Boston Marathon, but it ended not with the anticipated feelings of joy and accomplishment. Instead, I went to sleep that night restless, worried and overwhelmed by a sense of sadness and shock over the two devastating bombs that had exploded near the finish line on Boylston Street.

It was going to be the 11th time I had run this historic race, my eighth time for charity, so the routine was familiar to me.

Little did I know at the time that this would not be just another Boston Marathon.

I woke up early, ate a good breakfast and made sure I had everything I needed for the long day ahead. I was proud to be wearing the new singlet that was given to me by Christopher’s Haven, a nonprofit organization that provides housing for families whose children are undergoing cancer treatment in Boston. This was my charity. This was my cause. On that shirt, I wrote my name in big, prominent letters and attached my bib number, 22391, with four safety pins. In a small waist pack I wore, I had squirrelled away some gum, ibuprofen, GU Energy Gel, ChapStick and a bag of PowerBar Energy Blasts, in addition to my cellphone. And finally, in a yellow plastic bag that would be bussed into Boston along with thousands of others, I packed a set of warm clothes to wear at the end of my journey.

I was all good to go.

As it always is before the start of the race, the mood was spirited and festive in Hopkinton. All was well with the world at that point and place in time. I wandered around for a while, watching a growing congregation of media people, race officials and volunteers who were preparing for the event. I was especially glad to see the new bronze statue of Dick Hoyt and his son, Rick, who has cerebral palsy, a legendary, inspirational duo who were about to compete in their 51^st Boston Marathon together.

I was excited. I was happy. I was ready as I have ever been to run 26.2 miles.

And run I did, starting in corral five of the third wave around 10:40 AM and moving along at a really good clip for me, passing through Ashland, Framingham and Natick, reaching the halfway mark in Wellesley in a time of 1:57:01.

Someone had asked just a few days before the marathon if there was a moment during the race when I knew whether or not it was going to be a good day for me. This was that moment. As I was making my way through Wellesley and approaching the Newton hills, I was confident my feet weren’t going to fail me in my quest to run a time under 4:30.

I saw a number of people I know along the course of the race, including a number of my fellow members of the Greater Framingham Running Club. I even saw someone else who was running for Christopher’s Haven; we stuck together for a couple of miles.

Bob, Scott and Ben

However, I can’t tell you how good it felt to see my family in their usual viewing spot between miles 19 and 20 on Heartbreak Hill. In addition to my wife, Barbara, and my sons, Scott and Ben, my cousin, Lynne, and my second cousin, Kaylee, were there to greet me along with Scott’s girlfriend, Gaby.

As I was making my way through Kenmore Square, I was alone in my thoughts despite the other marathoners around me and deafening loud cheers from the huge crowd lining the course. I was looking forward to crossing the finish line.

But that preoccupation didn’t last for long. As quickly as I began what I thought might be a strong finishing kick, I noticed a large pack of runners at a standstill ahead of me.  I may have been disoriented from running 25 miles, but I could easily tell that something was wrong. We were forced to come to a halt.

Word quickly spread that there had been explosions along Boylston Street. Given the cacophony of sirens around us and all the emergency vehicles racing down the streets, clearly something terrible had occurred.

Like many other runners, I had my cellphone with me, but I couldn’t respond to the calls and texts I was getting from my family. I learned later that because there was such a high volume of cellular activity in the area at that time, service had slowed to a crawl. There was also next to no charge left in my phone’s battery.

I did manage to take a few pictures, though, and capture a little video. I was also able to log onto social media. Reading some of the tweets about the awful tragedy that had taken place near the finish line, I didn’t feel like a marathoner anymore. I felt like a mere mortal, frightened and worried about what to do next.

Knowing that people were concerned about me, I shared a picture of the scene where I was along with a status update on both Twitter and Facebook, something in retrospect I’m so glad I did. After all, that’s how my wife and kids, along with many others who had been tracking my progress in the marathon, first learned I was safe and sound.

Eventually I managed to be taken with a group of other runners by bus to the Boston Common, where we waited on board for a while to keep warm. By that time, my phone wasn’t working at all, but another runner from out of town, who I had walked back to her hotel from the bus, was kind enough to let me borrow hers to call my wife.

I didn’t realize how worried my family was about my safety until I talked to Barbara. They knew I was closing in on Boylston Street at the time of the explosions. They could only imagine the worst.

I had no idea how I would get home, so we agreed she would head into town right away with Scott, Ben and Gaby. We agreed to meet on the Common. Yet shortly after I hung up the phone, I realized that wasn’t such a good idea. National Guard soldiers and heavily armed law enforcement officers had begun to assemble there, so I made my way up Beacon Street looking for a place to get warm and charge my phone while waiting for my ride home.

During my walk, two different people approached me asking if I needed help. They may have been complete strangers, but to me they were saints, a pair of good Samaritans who were looking out for others in the wake of the bombings.

I finally found a restaurant that was open, The Red Hat in Scollay Square, where I called Barbara to give her my new location. I can’t thank the staff there enough for their friendliness and hospitality. They even treated me to a cold beer.

I didn’t get home until about 8:30 PM, tired, sore and cold, but realizing how fortunate I was to be about seven tenths of a mile away when the two bombs had exploded near the finish line. I called my parents, who had already heard that I was okay from both Barbara and Lynne, to talk about my experience. And I wrote a brief update for my Facebook friends.

I may have been relieved, but I was also sad and shaken by the awful tragedy that had just taken place. I couldn’t stop thinking about the innocent victims of the terrorist attacks, about their suffering and pain, about the fact that so many of them had been hurt so badly and that lives had been lost.

On Wednesday evening, only two days after the marathon, I went into Boston with my wife to pick up my plastic yellow bag from the Boston Athletic Association. It was an incredibly uplifting experience. Not only were we greeted warmly and enthusiastically by the B.A.A. staff, I was given the opportunity to cross a small, mock finish line and be presented with a medal that is customarily given to those who finish the race.

To say I was touched by the outpouring of support there would be an understatement. I was euphoric.

Following our experience at the B.A.A. office, I didn’t think I could feel any better about my participation in the marathon. After walking a block or two, we had stopped to watch the live media coverage in front of The Westin Copley Place Boston hotel when someone in in the crowd turned to me and thanked me for running the Boston Marathon. I didn’t know how to react. I told her how nice it was of her to say that, while thinking to myself that I didn’t deserve any credit, I was just another runner toward the back of the pack, not a heroic first responder or one of those who were in harm’s way near the finish line at the time of the explosions. But this woman’s kind words helped me realize just how important this race is to not just to the runners, but to everyone in the country, especially those of us who live in the Boston area. Held on Patriots’ Day, the third Monday in April, the Boston Marathon is the oldest annual marathon in the world, a legendary celebration of athleticism, human spirit, resilience and will.

All was certainly not well with the world on April 15, 2013. My heart aches for those who were victimized by the senseless and destructive acts of terror. The pride I feel over running from Hopkinton to Boston this year for Christopher’s Haven may be overshadowed by sorrow and sadness, but I know that the steps I took that day are meaningful and that the race must go on. I know that I’ll run the Boston Marathon again.

Ashley Hin

As co-founder and co-host of the Sudbury Social Tweetup, a networking group for those interested in learning more about social media and marketing, I’ve had the opportunity to meet some very smart people, many of whom have become mentors, sounding boards and really good friends. Ashley Hin is one of them.

Blessed with an incredibly upbeat personality, Ashley is someone I’ve looked up to her for her creative thinking, open mindedness, high energy and free spirit since the first time I met her. She’s quite the trooper, too, as she travels all the way from Manchester, New Hampshire to join our group in Sudbury to talk shop and have fun.

Thanks, Ashley, for being such a valuable contributor to the Sudbury Social Tweetup and for being so cool. And thanks for answering the following four questions about social media.

Bob: How did you get started in social media?

Ashley: At first, I was skeptical — to the point where I avoided using social media sites for a while; I didn’t want to be sucked into something that I considered a fad. I took an interest in social media when I noticed how MySpace (yep!) and Facebook in particular allowed my friends to easily stay in touch with one another. When I finally decided to join a social media network, I saw the value right away. I joined Facebook, then Twitter, and the story goes on from there.

Bob: What is your favorite social media channel? Where are you most active online?

Ashley: It’s hard to say which one is my favorite. One day it’s Facebook and another day it’s Twitter, but I’m definitely most active on Facebook. Facebook gives me the opportunity to stay in touch with my friends, plan events, share stories and more. Although I don’t always agree with some of the decisions Facebook as a company makes about the service, I generally like it. I recently joined Pinterest, which I can honestly say I like a lot. I promise it’s more than just recipes and wedding planning pics.

Bob: You’ve told me you attend a lot of Tweetups. Why do you attend so many of these events and which ones have been the most memorable?

Ashley: I joined Twitter to meet new people and keep tabs on what’s happening as it’s happening. When I discovered Tweetups, I started attending them to meet the people I’ve seen on Twitter. Some of my most memorable Tweetups have been the Digital Portsmouth events. I’ve made a lot of great friends through social media — including you, Bob.

Bob: What don’t you like about social media? Is there a downside to using it?

Ashley: With social media, there’s always a risk of getting absorbed by it. If you don’t manage your time wisely, you can find yourself spending half the day on social media without even realizing it. Social media does come with benefits, but there is such a thing as “too much” social media in your life. Don’t be afraid to take a break.

To follow Ashley Hin on Twitter, click here.

If you could only be active on one social network for the sake of your career, it would have to be LinkedIn. Seriously, LinkedIn is a must for professionals in all walks of business life. You would be conspicuous in your absence if you did not establish a presence there.

I love LinkedIn. It includes similar features and functionality of its social media brethren – Facebook, Twitter and the like – but the activity there is far more buttoned up and includes few, if any, displays of frivolity.

I have been a member of LinkedIn since July 26, 2004, having amassed a total of 961 connections, 51 recommendations and who knows how many endorsements so far. You can view my LinkedIn profile here.

I’m a frequent visitor to LinkedIn, where I can see what my colleagues and industry peers are doing with themselves. Who got a promotion? Who changed jobs? Who has an interesting article or blog post to share with their network?

But that’s just scratching the surface. It’s also where I’ve chronicled my entire professional background beginning with my first job out of graduate school, joined and participated in groups of like-minded people, exchanged messages, shared presentations, doled out plenty of my own recommendations and endorsements of others, learned more about companies I admire and even run ads promoting my services as a copywriter and social media consultant.

How active are you on LinkedIn? How could you do more for yourself on this online professional network? Let us count all the ways. Take some time to click on the links below and read through the following list of articles which — collectively — will explain how to use LinkedIn in more ways than one.

LinkedIn 101 (Source: WindMill Networking)

The Beginner’s Guide to LinkedIn (Source: Mashable)

21 Steps To The Perfect LinkedIn Profile (Source: TopDog Social Media)

The How-To Guide for LinkedIn (Source: CIO.com)

So You’re on LinkedIn … Now What? (Source: Constant Contact)

The Ultimate Cheat Sheet for Mastering LinkedIn (Source: HubSpot)

6 Ways to Use the New LinkedIn Features to Get More Business (Souce: Social Media Examiner)

What Recruiters Want To See On Your LinkedIn Profile (Source: Business Insider)

4 Secrets For Using LinkedIn to Land a Job (Source: Mashable)

A Simple Guide to Setting Up Your First LinkedIn Ad Campaign (Source: HubSpot)

Guide to Using LinkedIn Company Pages: Get Followers, Share Stories, Post Products (Source: The WordStream Blog)

Create a LinkedIn Company Page: Step-by-Step Instructions (Source: Social Media Today)

5 Creative Ways to Use LinkedIn Company Pages (Source: Social Media Examiner)

Generating Leads With LinkedIn: What You Need to Know (Source: Social Media Examiner)

10 LinkedIn Tips to Boost Your Networking Success (Source: Network World)

How To: Use LinkedIn Groups to Build Authority and Drive Web Traffic (Source: Social Media Today)

5 Tips for Effectively Managing a LinkedIn Group (Source: Social Media Examiner)

Why LinkedIn Endorsements Can Make or Break Your Career (Source: Dan Schawbel)

8 Ways to Make LinkedIn Endorsements Work for You and Your Network (Source: WindMill Networking)

The Importance of LinkedIn Recommendations (Source: A New Marketing Commentator)

Image Credit: Simply Zesty

I was excited to hear recently that a new restaurant was coming to Sudbury, the town where I live. And given that it was going to be located in Sudbury Town Square, a new complex of shops and business offices that everyone around here has been talking about, I was particularly curious.

But I honestly didn’t give this news much thought until I noticed this restaurant happened to be following me on Twitter. How cool was that?

What really got my attention, though, was when I got a tweet from this restaurant thanking me for following them and making a reference to my plans to run the Boston Marathon, which they only could have known by doing a little research on me.

Of course, I was flattered. Everyone likes to be acknowledged for who they are and what they do. But as someone who uses social media for business, I can’t how you how impressed I was with that one simple tweet. After all, that’s how you work it on Twitter.

Good for Number 29 Sudbury. Not nearly enough businesses know enough to follow potential customers on Twitter and actually take the time to engage with them as real people. It’s not only a smart marketing strategy, it’s a nice gesture. It’s the whole purpose of social media.

Greg Hill standing outside his new restaurant in Sudbury, which is currently under construction.

So I eventually reached out to this Twitter account, asking if I could interview someone on the other end via email about their use of Twitter as a way of promoting the restaurant. Turns out I heard back from one of the owners, Greg Hill.  Yes, that Greg Hill, the well-known host of the wildly popular radio program, The Hillman Morning Show, on WAAF. He was more than happy to answer my questions.  Here’s our Q&A…

Bob: What kind of food will the restaurant serve?
Greg: Number 29 Sudbury will serve modern Italian cuisine. Everything from the legendary bolognese, which Evan Deluty is known for at Stella, to marinated beet and goat cheese salad, to our quattro funghi pizza with shiitake, crimini, oyster and white truffle oil. Right now we are still working on new items for the menu. I think the mussels Evan is working on now are going to be sick.

Bob: Who is the chef? What is his background?
Greg: Evan Deluty is our executive chef. He is considered to be one of Boston’s most talented chefs. He was formally trained at the Culinary Institute of America, and worked in Paris at the world-famous Le Grenadin. He worked in New York at Lutece and at the three star Peacock Alley at the Waldorf. Here, he was the executive chef at Upstairs at the Pudding before opening his own restaurants. I think with his experience in New York and Paris, he will feel right at home in Sudbury.

Bob: What will make this restaurant different than other restaurants in Sudbury?
Greg: There are some great restaurants in Sudbury, but we are striving to bring a Boston-like restaurant experience to the suburbs. Evan has owned Stella in the South End for years and has created an incredible dining experience there which he intends to recreate here. We’re going to focus on service, and a unique menu prepared in our open kitchen. Plus, I am working on a playlist for the restaurant that I guarantee won’t be beat by anyone in town.

Bob: Who are the owners?
Greg: Number 29 Sudbury was created by my partner Chris Stephans and I, with Evan as our executive chef.

Bob: How did someone who’s made a living playing rock music on the radio for so many years become an owner of an Italian restaurant in the suburbs?
Greg: I got into the food and beverage business several years ago, when I opened Howl At The Moon in Boston’s financial district. I have a company called Right Coast Hospitality Group, and we are currently working on opening nine Howls. It’s like any business…if you have a laser focus on giving your customer an incredible experience, and work extremely hard at that, you should be successful. I wanted to open this restaurant because I have lived in Stow my whole life, and my wife and our friends were running out of great places to eat.

Bob: Why Sudbury?
Greg: We picked Sudbury because I think it is centrally located in an area that is craving a cool fine dining experience. When you look at surrounding towns like Wayland, Weston, Acton, Concord and Stow, there’s an opportunity to do something different, something that people might normally have to drive 45 minutes for, right in their backyard. Plus, I didn’t want to drive far to get to work!

The future home of Number 29 Sudbury.

Bob: What about the location, the new Sudbury Town Square? How excited are you to be setting up shop there?
Greg: When I found the Town Square location, it sealed the deal. The owners are local guys who really want to improve the community with the offerings there. Mike Carney and Jeff Walker have been a huge help when it comes to getting the restaurant to be what we want it to. We are going to have two floors, a big open kitchen, two cool bar areas and a private dining room. We hope to open in May.

Bob: Are there any surprises planned for customers?
Greg: I think customers will feel like they are in a small town restaurant with world class food. I think they will like the fact that they can sit at our open kitchen and let the chef prepare what he wants for them, and get a table with friends and order off the menu. Our patio is going to be a blast all spring, summer and fall, and I think they’ll like the music that we play, while they are hanging out with their friends.

Bob: How are you using social media – and specifically, Twitter – to promote the restaurant?
Greg: We don’t have a big marketing budget, so it’s all social and word of mouth right now. The fortunate thing about being on the radio for 23 years is that I have had the opportunity to meet all sorts of people, so I am calling everyone now and telling them to tell their friends about the restaurant. All my friends who have told me I have to open a restaurant in the area are now expected to act as marketing directors and tell everyone they know. Plus they have to come in every week!

Bob: Are there any specials being offered to your followers on Twitter and your fans on Facebook?
Greg: I prefer Twitter to Facebook, so we were on as soon as we got our liquor license. We are using our Twitter feed to show what it’s like “building a restaurant.” I want our followers to be with us every step of the way. When we cut the concrete for the stairway to the 2nd floor, our followers will be there. When we were talking about finding farm fresh produce and beef, we took the question to Twitter, and got some incredible responses. The recommendation for the farm in Wayland that we are going to use came from a Wayland police officer who follows us on Twitter. When we open, we will offer special discounts and offers to our Twitter follows so start following us now. We will definitely be rewarding check-ins on Foursquare. Social media marketing-wise, we will be wherever our customers are. The great thing about social is that we probably don’t know where that is right now, Twitter and Facebook could be obsolete by the time we open. I was thinking today we need to be on Snapchat.

Bob: Do you have anything else to say about Number 29 Sudbury?
Greg: We are about to go online with our completed website. Right now it’s just a teaser landing page, but the new one should be up soon. We tell the touching story of how Evan and I met, and I will be blogging there about the issues we have building a new restaurant. We’ll debut the menu soon and then ask for input about what dishes our customers like or don’t like. And we have to hire a staff, which we’re going to do online.

To follow Number 29 Sudbury on Twitter, click here.

Jamie Bradley

Jamie Bradley is a marketing, sales and printing professional with a great deal of experience and expertise. He is also a really nice guy blessed with a gregarious, easygoing personality.

I’ve known Jamie for some 20 years or so, mainly through the many New England Direct Marketing Association (NEDMA) and other industry-related functions we both attend, and I’ve always enjoyed his company.

Not only does he know print production inside and out, he’s also a smart, seasoned businessman, someone who’s been there, done that so often that you just know you can count on him for a good answer or the right solution.

Jamie and I had lunch recently at Panera Bread on Waltham Street in Lexington, during which time we talked about all the changes we’ve seen in our industry and our respective plans for the future. At some point in our conversation, I asked him if he’d be willing to answer a few questions of mine by email and he didn’t hesitate to say “yes.” So without further ado, here is our Q&A…

Bob: Where do you work and what do you do there?

Jamie: I am the founder of Sophwell in Woburn, Massachusetts. Sophwell works with people in marketing who want someone else to manage details of production and implementation for their marketing programs. They outsource those details to us. I oversee business development, production management and project implementation.

Bob: How and why did you choose a career in the printing industry?

Jamie: I majored in mass communications at UMass Amherst. I planned to work in television, until I interned at a station in Washington, D.C. The people thought they were so damned important because they worked in television, and I knew it wasn’t for me.

A chance opportunity via a fellow intern had me help with graphic layout of the magazine where she worked, and I was drawn to it immediately. When I returned to Amherst the following semester, I did graphic layout for ads at The Massachusetts Daily Collegian student newspaper. After graduation, I worked for a newspaper and a printer in Newport, R.I. Thirty five years later, I still work with printers.

Bob: What have been some of your greatest accomplishments and proudest moments as a professional so far?

Jamie: I think my greatest accomplishment has been refusing to let myself stay in one place professionally. I have always embraced changing technologies and been quick to see their utility. In the early eighties, I convinced the printer I worked for to invest in a fax machine to reduce courier costs, and a desktop PC for file conversions to eliminate re-keying client documents we typeset. I got my first cell phone in 1985 (it cost $1,700). Ten years ago, I led the New England Direct Marketing Association’s first conference session on using variable data printing for marketing. I’ve been on LinkedIn since 2007, and wrote my first blog post in 2008.

I think my proudest moments come when clients who have worked with me for 10 years or more still come to me for help with constructive input on a project. It’s never been about who my employer was, but about what I was able to offer them.

Bob: What have been the most significant changes you’ve seen take place in your industry so far?

Jamie: Gutenberg’s moveable type was the printing standard for almost 500 years.  Photographic-based graphic layout replaced it and lasted less than 80 years. Desktop design for print had a strong run for about eight years. Publishing online cut commercial printing by nearly 40% in about five years, and it continues to decline. Many talented, dedicated workers and craftsmen who spent their lives in the industry have had to switch careers. The internet made their old jobs unnecessary.

Recently I spoke with the owner of a now-defunct chain of music stores in the Boston area called CD Spins. We agreed that what the MP3 did to his industry, the PDF did to mine. He recently moved to a farmhouse in western Massachusetts and drives a yogurt truck. We all have to adapt.

Bob: How has your role at your job changed over the years?

Jamie: I started out in graphic production doing what desktop designers do today, but using the old cut and paste method. While I was technically adept, I didn’t have the artistic gene needed to create great visuals. I understood the language that designers used, so as a print salesperson I was able to translate their ideas to production.  Over time, I focused more on the process of how materials would get to end users, and how they would interact with them. I use that information to inform how a project should be produced and distributed, and which suppliers are best suited to align with the requirements.

Bob: Can you describe a typical day in the work life of Jamie Bradley for us?

Jamie: At the office I scan emails quickly to look for client and vendor updates regarding current or upcoming projects. I review and update the production log, and fill in my daily To-Do list. What happens from there can vary depending on what’s on the list and the urgency of a particular project.

I am often researching products, getting estimates and putting together proposals. On any given day I could be working on a direct mail project, a print on demand business card ordering system, packaging, a trade show booth or the promo items to give out at the booth. There is a lot of variety to how clients utilize Sophwell’s services. What slows me down the most is getting costs, due to the research it takes and the lag time of how long vendors take to respond. It’s one of the things clients hire me to do so they won’t have to.

I check in on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook intermittently through the day, and I review newsletter emails I get for interesting content to repost. I try to get out to networking events in the evening a couple of times per month to learn what’s new, meet new contacts and keep up with friends professionally.

Bob: How and why did you start your own business, Sophwell?

Jamie: When I started Sophwell in August of 2008, my goal was to offer clients comprehensive programs for to managing production and distribution of their marketing materials. Little did I know that The Great Recession had already taken hold. I had to shift my focus into survival mode, taking on whatever business came my way.

Now I am moving back toward my initial plan, but with a slight shift. The original concept focused on revenue from producing and distributing products. Now I see that what many businesses really need is someone who can help them implement their marketing plan on a day-to-day basis. Lots of business owners tell me they just don’t have the time or staff to manage a referral system, or get started with social media, so I am working on a business model to address that need.  Also, I think my 30+ years of commission sales brings a different mindset to client development than the background of traditional marketers.

Bob: What do you think of social media and today’s new marketing communications tools?

Jamie: No one knew who Sophwell was when I started in a spare bedroom in my house. I had to learn how to run a business with no experience and no money. I needed a larger marketing presence that could be found and provide credibility when businesses wanted to check me out. I built a website and started a blog. I got myself listed on every search site I could find until I owned the first few pages of Google when searching  for “Sophwell.” I started using Twitter to connect with other like-minded people and to find out about networking opportunities where I could meet them.

My first confirmation that it was working came about a year after I started when I met a business owner at an event who had heard of Sophwell. She was visibly surprised to hear that the company was just one guy working out of a spare bedroom. She thought we had at least eight to 10 people.

LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook have provided the “water cooler” conversations I longed for when I worked alone, and pointed me toward important resources I needed to run my business. Using social media brought me referrals that turned into paying clients.

Bob: What do you see as the biggest challenges to marketers today?

Jamie: Marketers lack the time and resources to do what they would like to do. While this is a business opportunity for Sophwell to help them do more by outsourcing, it undermines their success. For many businesses, it is also a mistake for them to ignore direct mail as a vital part of their marketing program. As more companies move to online marketing, the ones effectively integrating direct mail realize their message goes into a less cluttered marketing channel. The most interesting and creative direct mail piece I got last year was a unique, interactive piece from Google. Zappos discovered printing catalogs increased sales from both old and new customers.

Bob: What companies, organizations and people do you admire most in business? Who are your biggest influencers?

Jamie: On the sales side, I am a big fan of Jill Konrath, author of the books, “Selling to Big Companies” and “SNAP Selling.” She emphasizes the importance of recognizing how your prospects have no time to talk to you unless you can solve their problems. On the marketing side, I have great respect for HubSpot because of how their own practices show you how to effectively use their products.

Bob: What do you see yourself doing five years from now?

Jamie: I am still trying to build my business. The challenges of the recession have made it take a lot longer than I projected. There are days when I love the sense of being the one in control of my destiny. Then there are days when it feels more like I am out there on the tightrope without a net, and if someone handed me a line to a stable income, benefits and paid vacation weeks I would grab on. At heart I’m an optimist, like every entrepreneur needs to be. You can’t say that I’m someone who is afraid to fail.

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