Matrix Group International

Category: Blog

  • The Art and Science of Business Cards

    The Art and Science of Business Cards

    When we moved to our new office in Crysta City, it meant reprinting all of our marketing materials.  While it was simply a matter of updating and reprinting most of our collateral, we decided to redesign our business cards.  Matrix Group Creative Director Alex Pineda wanted to update the design with the refreshed logo and show some more personality.

    Here are some sample cards that demonstrate what we were trying to achieve.

    Joanna Pineda business cards

    Here’s my card.  The front is purple so it’s easy to find on a cluttered desk or stack o cards.  The corners are curved because Alex says the Matrix Group brand is curvey, node-y.  The prominent elements are my name and title and the company Web address.  You’ll also notice that my card has all the ways you can contact me:  phone, fax, e-mail, blog and Twitter.

    Maki Kato business card (more…)

  • Making Sense of the Twitter Speak and Twetiquette

    Making Sense of the Twitter Speak and Twetiquette

    Twitter LogoI was at a conference recently where one of the attendees mentioned that although she’s on Twitter, she doesn’t understand half of what’s being said. “What’s a DM?,” she said. “And what’s the difference between RT and via?”

    Twitter is deceptively simple.  You get 140 characters to speak your mind or share some news.  In some ways, Twitter is a lot like instant messaging ((IM) because people use acronyms to shorten common expressions. I found a good list of acronyms that pop up a lot of Twitter on the Examiner.com site.  My favorites?

    • LOL – laughing out loud
    • BTW – by the way
    • IMHO – in my humble opinion
    • TMI – too much information
    • FTF of F2F – face to face
    • LMK – let me know
    • TTFN – ta ta for now

    In other ways, Twitter is different from IM because it has its own protocols and etiquette. Here’s what I’ve learned: (more…)

  • At Work, as in Marriage and Friendship, A Sense of Humor Rocks

    At Work, as in Marriage and Friendship, A Sense of Humor Rocks

    Laughing manLast Wednesday afternoon, I was harried and stressed.  I was leaving for a conference on the West Coast. and if I didn’t leave the office by 2:30pm, the drive to BWI was not going to be pretty.  But I had two people to call, five e-mails to write, three people to see and it was already 2pm.  I decided to delegate a couple of the tasks to Ray, my new biz manager.  Just at that moment, he walked into my office and I said, “oh, thank goodness you’re here.”  Without missing a beat, Ray deadpanned, “You’re surprised I’m here?  I’m always here.  I work for you.  My office is next door.  I thought you designed it that way.”

    With those few words, Ray turned my afternoon around. All my tension slipped away as I burst out laughing.  I gave him a couple of calls to return, promised to make calls from the taxi, and headed on my way.

    If you Google “sense of humor in the workplace,” you’ll get all kinds of posts about how humor is often NOT appropriate in the workplace.  But I challenge anyone to tell me their dry, humorless office is a great place to work. Personally, I don’t think I would have survived the early MatrixMaxx software releases without Tanya’s dry sense of humor.  And Eric made the recent recruiting process for a Project Manager enjoyable with his hilarious stories from working in a casino.  Thankfully, at least one blogger, Elaine Ambrose, says that “(a) sense of humor will save your job and probably your life.” (more…)

  • Creating an Integrated Marketing Strategy for Your Organization That Blends Traditional Marketing and Social Networking

    Creating an Integrated Marketing Strategy for Your Organization That Blends Traditional Marketing and Social Networking

    Kids and Puzzle PiecesClients often ask me how to add social media to their marketing and communication initiatives.  Rather than viewing social media as a separate program, I recommend adding social media to existing marketing activities.

    In addition, I recommend against blasting the same message across the different platforms.  Instead, I urge clients to create a layered approach that uses each platform according to its strengths and capabilities.  Here are some examples:

    Example #1: Trade Association Wants to Promote a Conference

    • Create a microsite for the conference that contains information about the conference, the venue, the program and speakers, and benefits to attendees
    • Use Twitter to broadcast conference updates and deadlines, industry news and statistics
    • Post photos from the previous year’s conference to Flickr
    • Use a Facebook fan page to feature program and speakers, host discussions about conference topics, and allow attendees to interact with experts
    • Host a blog where conference organizers can blog news before the conference; during the conference, assign members to blog about the sessions

    Example #2: Shoe Boutique Wants to Increase Traffic to Bricks and Mortar Store During the Holiday Season (more…)

  • Integrating Traditional Marketing with Social Media

    Integrating Traditional Marketing with Social Media

    Grow Smart Business logoI had the pleasure of being part of a panel at today’s Grow Smart Biz conference, sponsored by Network Solutions.  Our topic was “Integrating Traditional Marketing with Social Media.”  Despite being the last panel of the day (we started around 4:20pm), I estimated that over 80% of the conference attendees attended the panel.  And by the number of questions raised, this is a hot topic for sure.

    You can read a nice recap of the panel on the Solutions are Power blog, but here were my take-aways: (more…)

  • Using the Crowd to Attract a Bigger Crowd To Your Events

    Using the Crowd to Attract a Bigger Crowd To Your Events

    CrowdI’m going to be a panelist at the Grow Smart Biz conference next Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, DC.   In my opinion, this conference will be a must-attend event for small business owners and entrepreneurs (more on that later).  This blog post is about how the conference planners are using the crowd to attract a bigger crowd. Here’s how:

    The planners of Grow Smart Biz have assembled a powerhouse group of speakers and panelists, which is not unusual for a conference.  What is new is this: the planners have actively engaged the speakers in promoting the conference through their blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, etc. In essence, the conference hosts are tapping into the vast networks of the speakers to promote the event. So, when Jill Foster, editor of the Women Grow Business blog and social media expert, tweets or blogs, the event is marketed to her over 3,000 followers.  So, if you’ve got big names keynoting at your next convention, why not ask them to update their status and give your event a boost? (more…)

  • “Just Try It, Mama” or Lessons from the 5-Year Old

    “Just Try It, Mama” or Lessons from the 5-Year Old

    Sunset Band graphicI have a rule when it comes to food: you have to try it before you render judgment. This is a rule that my husband and I have impressed on our son from the time he was little.  My mantra: Don’t tell me you don’t like it; you have to try it first.  In fact, I say this a lot when it comes to just about everything: food, places, experiences.  So imagine my surprise when CJ turned the tables on me and started saying, “Just try it, mama!”

    I had purchased Rock Band for the PS3 a few months ago after borrowing the game from a friend and falling in love with it.  Even though I know I’m not good at it, I love to sing, so my natural inclination was to sing.  For weeks, I would practice singing and even taught CJ to sing a couple of songs (Eye of the Tiger and Tempted).  One day, CJ said, “Mama, you should try drums.”  My immediate reaction was, “No, thanks, I like to sing.” Then CJ said, “Mama, just try it!” (more…)

  • Are You a Book Lover? Check Out Google Books!

    Google is doing it again.  Google is turning the publishing world upside down with Google Books, currently in beta.  Google Books allows the public to download more than a million public domain books in PDF and EPUB formats.

    Google has been quietly scanning the world’s books for inclusion into Google Books, which is both a search and a library.  Here’s how it works:

    • Users like you and me and go to Google Books and use the Book Search, which functions just like a regular Google search.
    • If the book is out of copyright, or the publisher has given Google permission, you’ll be able to see a preview of the book, and in some cases the entire text. If it’s in the public domain, you’re free to download a PDF copy.
    • Books that are still in copyright can sometimes be previewed; you’ll also find links to sites where you can purchase or borrow the book.
    • As long as you have a Google account, you can “add” books to your library for later viewing and downloading.

    For example, Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is in the public domain.  I can download a full copy of Huck Finn from Google Books. (more…)

  • Burglars Are Shopping for Victims Online

    Burglars Are Shopping for Victims Online

    Masked burglar in front of a laptopI’m online a lot and yes, I update my Facebook and Twitter accounts all day long. For some, updating their status on a minute by minute basis is almost a religion.  I follow some people who tweet ALL the details of their day, all day long.  Heck, I know where they are eating, that they’re on the metro, the books they’re reading, which family member is visiting, etc.  I have always been wary, however, of providing TMI (too much information) because it’s overkill and just not that interesting.  More recently, I have become extremely careful about updating my status and providing some types of information for security reasons.  Why?

    It turns that burglars and other criminals are using social media sites to figure out who is on vacation or otherwise away from their homes for an extended period of time. An article in Britain’s Daily Mail details burglary victims whose whereabouts where determined through social media sites. In a report titled “The Digital Criminal,” Britain’s Legal and General says “38 percent of users of sites such as Facebook and Twitter have posted status updates detailing their holiday plans and a third of people have posted status updates saying that they are away for the weekend.”  In other words, many of us are effectively advertising to would-be burglars that our homes are empty!  Eeeek! (more…)

  • The Myth of Multitasking

    The Myth of Multitasking

    Dad multitasking in the morningMultitasking is everywhere. People are texting while driving, e-mailing during meetings, talking on the phone while walking their kids, tweeting while watching TV and IMing while working. Many people even brag about their multitasking prowess.

    But can we really do two, even three, things at once?  Research shows that we can’t really multitask.  Not well at least.

    Way back in 2001, researchers at the American Psychological Association set out to find out if multitaskers are more efficient.  Their findings: multitasking isn’t more efficient; shifting mental gears wastes time. More recently, a group of researchers at Stanford University found that “(p)eople who are regularly bombarded with several streams of electronic information do not pay attention, control their memory or switch from one job to another as well as those who prefer to complete one task at a time.”

    While I’m tempted to multitask on a regular basis, I’m trying really, really hard to break myself of the habit. For example, I don’t check e-mail on my phone anymore.  It turns out that when I’m away from the office, I’m usually in my car or in a meeting.  I know I shouldnt’ check e-mail from the car, so I don’t.  And clients typically pay me to pay attention during their meetings, so I don’t check e-mail then, either.  I will take detailed notes on my laptop during a meeting but the note taking helps me process and organize the discussions and information. (more…)