Earlier this year we had the opportunity to produce a boiler* video for an up and coming Vermont company. I knew that Vermont Woods Studios’ owner, Peggy Farabaugh, was a sharp cookie the moment I sat down for our first consultation, and through some research I discovered that she was actively using social media, blogs and press releases to gain market share in the crowded online retail sector.

Even so, I almost fell out of my leatherette office chair when the following blog headline showed up in my Google Reader feed: “Vermont Made Furniture To Be On ABC World News”.

It happened. Through consistent, quality blogging and careful attention to search engine optimization, Diane Sawyer’s production team found a post about Peggy’s “Made in America Holiday Shopping Challenge.” ABC World News would be coming to tiny Vernon, Vermont to film a segment for its “Made in America” series.

How did Peggy and her Vermont Woods Studios crew hit this PR home run (more like a walk-off grand slam)?

MONDO: How did your “Made in America Holiday Shopping Challenge” originate?

PEGGY: A staff member, Dennis Shanoff noted that we’d all be spending lots of money soon — on Christmas presents. He floated the idea of buying only American made gifts for the holiday season. If we could do that in the office, would it make a difference? If we brought our friends and neighbors on board with the idea, what kind of an impact could we have? If we reached out further, say to our customers across the country and our community in Vermont, could we grow the project through word of mouth and social media?

At Vermont Woods Studios we’ve always promoted American made furniture. All of our furniture is made here in VT. My passion is forest conservation and in particular, rainforest conservation. The world is losing the rainforest at a rate of 1 football field per second (24/7/365). I wanted to do something about that. I figured if we could partner with craftsmen in VT who make incredibly beautiful wood furniture, we could use their work to draw attention to the question: “Where does your furniture come from?” The answer is that your furniture probably comes from the rainforest. Ancient, old growth forests are being destroyed and illegally clearcut for timber that’s shipped to China and Vietnam and made into cheap furniture that you’re going to buy in big box stores and have to throw out in 5 years. BUT, if we could raise awareness about this and persuade people to pay a little more for American made furniture that’s made from sustainably harvested wood from American forests then we could help save the rainforest.

MONDO: How did you use your blog to spread the idea of this Holiday Shopping Challenge?

PEGGY: I think it’s a matter of truly believing in what you’re saying and doing. We just wrote about it from the heart and followed up with decent research, which we shared with our readers. We came up with this idea in September so our blogs and posts got indexed early and started to come up first in searches. We knew it would be critical to be the first to talk about it.

MONDO: How did you use Facebook to spread the word?

PEGGY: We set up a Facebook Event and sent all our friends a link, asking them to attend. We also sent the link out in our newsletter.

MONDO: Aside from The Challenge, are people visiting vermontwoodsstudios.com as a result of your blog posts showing up in search engine results?

PEGGY: Yes, but not as many as I would like. There’s not an immediate link between reading my blog and buying furniture. It may take many years before a sale happens because someone found the blog — and usually there won’t be a sale at all. I think the blog is more making a contribution, trying to influence people to join your mission and about building trust.

MONDO: What kind of a role do blogging and social media play in your overall marketing strategy?

PEGGY: They give customers a look at who you are. Customers can buy your product or service anywhere. I think they choose you because they trust you and because they like the way you think. You can reveal those things through blogging and social media.

MONDO: What general advice would you give a business that is looking to use a blog as a promotional tool?

PEGGY: I would say, use the blog to share what you’re all about. What’s your passion? Why are you in business? Of course, tell about your products or services too and share knowledge and research about them. But I’m finding that what people really want to get out of blogs and social media is a sense of who you are and what you’re doing to make the world a better place.

MONDO: Thanks for the insight, Peggy. And congrats on the bigtime national exposure.

Visit Vermont Woods Studios online and subscribe to their blog.

*a “boiler” is a summary of a business, boiled down to its essence and presented in a short, web-ready video. Watch Mondo’s production of the Vermont Woods Studios boiler video…

admin | marketing tips | 12 16th, 2011 | No Comments »

All of us at Mondo are snowboarders. Our new intern, Lydia, grew up in the shadows of Stratton Mountain and is a genuine shredhead. Pete, Mondo’s Digital Communications Manager, and I both worked in marketing departments at Vermont ski resorts. And I met Nate, our web developer, on the slopes of Mount Snow.

That’s why we’re truly excited to be signed on as content developers for OnTheSnow.com, a popular snowsports enthusiast site. Pete, Mondo’s Digital Communications Manager, has accepted the role of Eastern Editor, covering ski resort-related news for the entire eastern seaboard. I’ve signed on as a feature writer.

My first assignment came a few days after Hurricane Irene pummeled Vermont. In 1,200 words, I recounted my personal experience with the day of the floods, explained the effect it had on Vermont ski resorts, and wrapped it all up with a salute to the neighbors and communities that have banded together to rebuild.

Being a digital-heavy, Internet-based marketing firm, we are trained to keep SEO (search engine optimization) a priority in all our online copy. So when I learned that my article was showing up in the #1 spot on Bing’s search results in the News category for the term “Hurricane Irene Vermont,” I was stoked.

A screenshot of the article's #1 ranking on Bing.

The first page placement is a testament to our ability to strategically mesh SEO with well-written copy. But it’s important to note that the website hosting the copy — in this case OnTheSnow.com — plays just as big a role. OnTheSnow.com is thoughtfully laid out and brimming with high quality content, updated near constantly. It’s no wonder that it saw over 9,000,000 unique visits last year and its articles consistently rank high in search results.

-Luke

admin | Mondo news | 09 26th, 2011 | No Comments »

Here we are. One and one half weeks after Tropical Storm Irene’s unwelcome, and now unforgettable, visit to Vermont.

While my previous post focused on the negative impacts of social media on headline sensationalism and spreading misinformation, it’s also important to highlight the positive role of social media for building an audience and distributing information to those both near and far.

Luke, Mondo’s owner and founder, has led a prime example by harnessing the power of the digital message board to unite community, inform the masses and aid progress as we begin to rebuild. When the sun came out the day after Irene wrought unimaginable destruction on his small town, Luke was back on his computer, creating a Facebook page dedicated to keeping his neighbors and their families well informed.

“It’s my way of helping out,” Luke says modestly.  “I mean, I don’t have an excavator. You have to pitch in the best way you know how.”

Luke has spent countless hours touring where he can by bike to survey the damage — capturing video and snapping photos to upload to the web. His posts have educated and connected townspeople, by increasing awareness about gatherings where food, supplies and information are available. (The photo above is of a recent town meeting and potluck at the Williamsville Hall.)

Since the page went live just over a week ago, it has already grown to over 650 followers. Many are residents of South Newfane and Williamsville, others are just folks from adjacent towns eager to keep an eye on the developments and lend a hand where they can. Other towns including Marlboro and Jamaica quickly followed suit, developing pages to document the relief efforts and progress in their respective communities.

The success of this platform has proven itself by operating on three key rules for developing a social media campaign.

Meet a need: Provide information that is relevant to your audience and, when possible, not readily accessible to everyone. Your reputation as a news source will precede you.

Give them the goods: Internet culture has taught us to believe what we see before what we read. Give the viewer as much media as they can handle, as regularly as possible. Photos are a great start, but video delivers the most information per second. There’s no room for rumors or heresay when people can plainly see what’s going on.

Listen. Respond.: Be open to questions, suggestions and even criticism. To thrive in the social media arena, you must adapt to the demands of your environment, and that means your audience. Irene example: Luke received dozens of comments on YouTube in response to his video updates on road conditions. Some people asked for specific check-ins with their friends and family in the area — Luke went back out the next day and filmed them safe and sound.

The same rules apply for us here at Mondo Mediaworks. We invite feedback and comments, so please, share your thoughts on the positive/negative role social media plays during a crisis.

-Pete

admin | marketing tips | 09 8th, 2011 | No Comments »

I’m a proud native of the Green Mountain State. Like many, I am truly awe-struck by the devastation sustained in the wake of Irene. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been positioned high above the flood plain, while many others just miles away were not so fortune. Even Luke’s place miraculously survived a near miss by the raging Rock River in Williamsville, see the photo and video below. What’s been more eye-opening than photos of the aftermath, is the way social media distorted the facts about what has happened here and where we, as a state, stand now.

News travels fast these days. And the words we publish online, are at once both public and permanent. The case of Hurricane, or more accurately Tropical Storm Irene, is a perfect reminder to exercise restraint when posting online and remember there’s a lot of people relying on the [unofficial] words of others. Irene, as any natural disaster would, set off a chain reaction of amateur reporters and iPhoneographers constantly vying for the most viewed video, best flood pictures, or closest accounts of the destruction taking place.

Itching to be the next Jim Cantore caused many to put their better judgement aside and get dangerously close to rapidly moving high waters and eroding river banks that could have turned the tables at any time during their “broadcast”. Additionally, many of the tweets and posts, even from reputable news sources, were unable to keep a clear take on just how far the damage extended, as they were equally caught up in the quest for biggest headline.

So what does the aftermath of this social media storm teach us?

Be sensible, not sensational: The big headlines spread fast, but accurate reporting will get you more followers. Don’t blow your posts out of proportion. Keep it to what you know, not what you’ve heard. Provide links to credible sources wherever possible.

Be an investigative reporter: Don’t believe everything you read at first glance. Check the facts and exercise scrutiny in the messages you choose to share or retweet. Irene example: You may have heard that “VT was destroyed”, but in actuality while over 250 roads are closed and 13 towns were at one point isolated, the rest of the state is fine, operational and ready for (and counting on) fall foliage business.

Put caution before coverage: Especially in bad weather situations, where conditions can change unexpectedly, don’t risk putting yourself in harm’s way to get the shot. It’s better to read the news the next day, than become part of the story.

More to come in Part 2…
- Pete

admin | Uncategorized, marketing tips | 09 1st, 2011 | 1 Comment »

Luke takes you behind the scenes of a recording session with voiceover actress Natalie Knowles. With a portfolio of voiceover gigs that includes spots on MTV’s “True Life”, Natalie is one of Mondo’s go-to female voices.

admin | Behind the Scenes | 08 26th, 2011 | No Comments »

Back in early April, I joined the Mondo team. In the short time since, along with learning a lot about PR and SEO, I’ve also discovered my new favorite question — “What do you do?” It comes up in casual sidewalk encounters, professional introductions, and when I catch up with an old buddy over a beer. Usually, my answer starts with a paraphrasing of Mondo Mediaworks’ boiler plate — “online content development and social media management.” Why not. It’s honest, concise, and sounds snazzy.

But clear as that definition sounds to me and other hitchhikers of the twitter-galaxy and blogosphere, it tends to receive a blank stare or that head nod that symbolizes utter cluelessness. “Uh, huh… Okay.” You know the one. So I’ve begun using a more timeless definition. “We’re writers.”

The truth is, both Luke and I have been creative writers for a long time.

Luke was a contributing writer for his school and local newspapers. He developed a love for writing that drove him to St. Mike’s  journalism program. Working as a snow reporter at Mount Snow, Luke watched the media current make a drastic shift. He jumped in and just started swimming, and look where he washed up. Now he owns a successful marketing company and on the side, he’s publishing articles in Stratton Magazine. Bravo.

In high school I joined the yearbook staff and made my way up to the editorial desk. At UVM I studied Public Communication because I was so enamored with how we relate to one another in contemporary society — orally, physcially, and through writing. Coincidentally, I found myself in the role of snow reporter at Okemo a few years later. I realized that writing for the public didn’t have to just be clear and informative. It could be fun. I became familiar with Luke’s  green screen work for Ride Vermont, and witnessed a major industry getting drawn to social media, and me along with it.

Creative writing fuels a lot of the content we develop here.  Crafting 140 character brand-specific updates, takes creative writing to a new level of brevity.  But it’s a fun challenge. Even in video production; the shots, the transitions, the music… they’re the paragraphs and punctuation in the visual stories we tell. Plus, a creative approach to your online content gets you noticed. We both have articles coming out in the next issue of Ski Vermont Magazine. Yeah, made with the real paper stuff.

So what has working as a “content developer” taught me about writing for the digital age? Here’s a few key lessons:

1) Limit characters, not character: Web culture has an ever-shrinking attention span. Concise is good. That doesn’t mean short messages have to be dull ones. More production of less quality won’t improve your image.

2) Read more: There are a lot of creative writers on the web. Find them, read their stuff, and get inspired. If you find something you like, let them know. Plus retweeting, sharing and hyperlinking doesn’t hurt either.

3) Humor is unexpected, but communal: Don’t try to be funny. Be yourself and write about what’s funny to you; odds are someone else out there feels the same. They’ll read your stuff again if they feel a connection in your values.

You can get a daily fix of our creativity by following Mondo Mediaworks on Facebook and Twitter.

-Pete

admin | marketing tips | 08 4th, 2011 | No Comments »

I’m a new dad. Most of the clichés that come with such a statement are true: lack of uninterrupted sleep, utter surprise at how much poop one human being can produce, a newfound appreciation for silence and a million new reasons to smile every day.

Making her smile and laugh is my new addiction. But it’s not as easy as you’d think. You can’t just blurt “peekaboo” and expect a giggle. At most, you’ll get a blank stare that says, “that’s all you got? Boooooring.”

While she’s awake, she needs near-constant stimulation. If I’m holding her and I stand in one spot for more than 30 seconds, or don’t offer some sort of slapstick entertainment, she starts to writhe with restlessness. I can almost hear what she’s thinking: “This sucks. I’m bored.”

Today’s internet culture, fueled by an exponential growth in social media, is the exact same way. Fail to entertain or provide some sort of meaningful information for even a minute, and you’ve lost your audience.

Following are the Top 4 Activities That Keep My Baby Happy. Read on to learn how each one can help you engage your audience online and promote awareness of your business, organization, event or cause.

1. Fart noises. It’s simple. I mimic flatulence and she smiles and laughs (see video below for proof). Many people trolling the web are in search of mindless entertainment. How else would you explain this commercial, which was exclusively released online after the 2011 Superbowl, scoring hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube?
2. Reading a book. When I read my daughter “The Big Red Barn”, she becomes engrossed. It’s a good story about farm animals that have a field day when the humans aren’t around. Same deal on the Internet: tell a good story and your audience will listen. Figure out a way to tie in your message and you’re golden.
3. Diaper change. My baby loves getting her diaper changed. She smiles and coos the whole time. How does this translate to the web? It’s simple: people don’t like sitting around in the same old crap. Keep your blog, Facebook page, Twitter account and YouTube channel updated with fresh content or it’ll start to stink up the joint.
4. Short walks. If my daughter is crying, all I have to do is strap her into the Baby Bjorn carrier (best invention ever) and take a walk. Even though we’ve done the same walk around the garden 1,000 times, the fresh air and the new perspective make her happy. Web audiences are the same. If you can offer them a fresh take, even on something they’ve already seen, they’ll listen. Case in point: Antoine Dodson’s now-famous newscast went viral and is currently sitting at 33,000,000 views on YouTube. But the guys who chopped up the video and made it into a song have 80,000,000 views.

I wonder what my baby can teach me about accounting?

-Luke (owner, Mondo Mediaworks)

admin | marketing tips | 05 4th, 2011 | 3 Comments »

Everyone, I’d like you to meet Pete. He’s the newest member of the Mondo team, and we’re totally elated to have him.

Pete’s official title is Digital Communications Manager, which is fancy-pants talk for “online word-spreader”. He’ll be taking on a lot of public relations and social media duties, as well as some graphic design work. Mainly, though, he’s here to bump our handsome-factor up a few notches (Sorry, ladies. He’s taken).

In all seriousness, Pete is here to bring even more value, expertise and creativity to Mondo’s services. You’re going to like him. Promise.

-Luke

admin | Mondo news | 04 19th, 2011 | No Comments »

By now, you’ve probably heard the latest buzz word in online data storage and sharing. It’s called “the cloud.”

The basic idea is that your data — text, music files, spreadsheets, video, you name it — is stored offsite and not on your computer’s hard drive, allowing it to be accessed from any computer with an internet connection at any time. Once you get over the proposition of someone else being responsible for keeping your data safe and secure, it’s a hugely useful tool (always use strong passwords to protect your accounts, and change passwords at least once a month).

At Mondo, we rely heavily on the cloud. We use video editors 2,000 miles away; Mediafire.com allows us to upload, store and transfer huge HD  video files. When we put together image-heavy press kits for our PR clients, we need a way for journalists to quickly and easily download high resolution photos; Flickr.com makes that task possible.

But probably our most-used cloud tool is Google Docs. Microsoft Word has become a relic in this office, completely replaced by this online copycat. Why is it so great?

Say we draft a press release that needs to be reviewed by a client. With Google Docs, we simply “Share” the document with said client’s email address. He/she is then allowed to view the document in real time. Literally, we can watch each other type out revisions as they’re happening. Google keeps a running history of the document’s modifications, so at any time you can revert back to a previous version. Gone are the days of sending an email with an attached .doc, waiting for 24 hours for a response email, and poring over the revised document to figure out what changes were made.

And now, Google is making its system even more robust with upgrades to commenting and collaboration features. Please don’t think us cloud nerds, but this is very exciting for an office that relies heavily on clear communication with clients.

If you haven’t tried Google Docs yet, give it a whirl. It’ll make your office life a little bit breezier.

Image via Mashable.com

admin | marketing tips | 03 16th, 2011 | No Comments »

In a phone meeting with the Vermont Ski Areas Association early this week, we found ourselves brainstorming, as we often do on our weekly calls. This time, we needed something catchy to promote the big snowfall on the way while simultaneously hyping the Superbowl deals and specials planned at ski resorts all over Vermont.  Our idea for a Facebook contest snowballed until we came up with a North Vermont vs. South Vermont game to coincide with the Steelers vs. Packers in the Superbowl.

With Mondo’s trusty green-screen studio set up and ready to roll, I was able to quickly produce this video to explain the rules of the contest. Sure, we could have explained the rules by typing them out. But who wants to read when you can watch?

admin | Uncategorized | 02 3rd, 2011 | No Comments »