If you’re anything like me, right about now, you are exhausted. You’ve shopped and caroled and baked and planned and celebrated and stressed and shopped and stressed some more … and the big gatherings are still in front of you.

It’s this time every year that I always have to remind myself to take a deep breath and look objectively at the situation. What can I let go of that will help me truly enjoy the days to come?

The idea of perfection.

Perfect families in perfect clothing gathered around the perfectly set table eating the perfect meal … it’s an illusion. None of it is real. And none of it is important. If you are together and love is present, that’s the only reality you need.

Petty grievances.

Gatherings are inherent in the season, and interpersonal dynamics can be complicated. Invariably, you will have to spend some time with someone who has made things difficult. Rather than stress over seating arrangements and buffers, forgive and forget. What a relief it will be.

Worry.

This time of year, the list of worries is long. Let them all go. The old adage, “worrying doesn’t take care of tomorrow’s troubles, it robs you of today’s peace” has never been more true.

And last, but certainly not least…

Your diet!

Eat, drink, and be merry. Have the dessert. Have the cocktail. Enjoy the food. And then get up tomorrow and enjoy that food as well. This is not the time to count calories. Don’t be that girl!

Resolve to truly enjoy yourself this holiday season. Enjoy your friends. Enjoy your family.

Happy Holidays!

All year we’ve been talking Pick Six to celebrate six years of Rockin’ the Front Porch! So, for our sixth and final newsletter of 2017 we have Six Things You Must Do Before 2018 – and each of them should only take you about six minutes. 

Friends, can you spare 36 minutes to finish the year strong?

Pick Six

1. WRITE a quick thank you message to a special client that made a difference for you in 2017. Here’s ours:

Thank you, Faith Family Academy, for trusting us to solidify your brand and your messaging and lead you in spreading the word about your fantastic school! You inspire us daily and we love being your marketing partner.

2. SCHEDULE a breakfast or lunch with someone you consider to be an important counselor or mentor. Pick up the phone and call that person right now!

Patti Johnson, be expecting my call!

3. DOWNLOAD an app that enriches your personal or professional life. We love the concept of beginning the year with meditation as a means for focus.

Headspace is our meditation app of choice. Their tagline, “A few minutes could change your whole day” sums it all up!

4. FOLLOW a new social media site to learn something new. Resolve to use your time wisely in 2018! Here is a marketing expert we love to follow on twitter:

We love Robert Caruso’s twitter @fondalo – he is the real deal!

5. DONATE online to a worthy charity with a quick visit to their website and a final tax-deduction for you in 2017.

Catch Up & Read is a great choice in the Dallas community!

6. CALL a small business. Enlist their help in refreshing that website, learning about SEO, writing a blog, or updating your social media … and we just happen to know a really great choice for this!

Front Porch Marketing can help!

Write. Schedule. Download. Follow. Donate. Call.

Pick six.

Rock your holiday, friends! We’ll be back in January with seven ways to seriously improve your online presence in 2018.

Every year at this time, I sit down to write a blog that adequately expresses the gratitude I have in my heart. And the truth of the matter is, I struggle to find words weighty enough.

Friends, I am beyond thankful.

I am thankful that …

• my dream of forming a company to do work that I love, every day, has become a reality.
• my team of amazing professionals are not just co-workers; but also parents, warriors and above all else, friends.
• I work for and alongside amazing client partners who value what we do, follow our lead and in turn, inspire us to grow and evolve.
• the structure of my professional life allows me to be present for the important moments in my personal life. And I am proud that my entire team is able to do the same.
• I have a loving husband who values and appreciates me.
• I have strong, healthy, independent, amazing children whose successes bring me more joy than I thought imaginable. Don’t even get me started on this one. I am so grateful.
• my entire family, but most specifically my parents, whose unending support and involvement in my life means everything.

I am thankful, friends. Beyond thankful.

Thank you, all of you, for making my personal and professional life rich and meaningful. My heart is full.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

Fear is a funny thing. It starts out small, often as a small, nagging discomfort. But over time, fear can take on a life of its own, and develop into a full blown, panic-inducing phobia.

Funny story.

I am deathly afraid of the ocean. An innocuous snorkeling trip as a teenager developed, over time, into an intense fear of what lay beneath the beautiful water. My husband has a similar feeling about heights. And for two people who absolutely love to travel, over time, we came to realize that these fears were extremely limiting. Think about all the adventurous activities that our fears were keeping us from doing.

So we made a deal. He would zip line in Cancun if I would scuba dive in Grand Cayman.

Last summer, he made good on his promise. (He nearly stroked out, but he did it!) And so the time had come for me to return the favor: Grand Cayman.

We had become overly busy in the time leading up to the trip and never became dive-certified, so instead, swimming with the stingrays became the activity of choice.

And I did it. The screaming child who grabbed onto me for comfort nearly did me in (didn’t he know that I wanted his dad to rescue ME by lifting me out of the water like an airplane???), but I did it.

Eleanor Roosevelt was a wise woman. She said, “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.”

And that’s true. Getting in the water to swim with stingrays is not a heroic act. But the very fact that I made the decision to do it, despite the fear that had lived with me for decades, was an empowering one. I feel like a better and stronger version of myself for having done it. And I made my husband happy in the process. It was a win-win.

A small lesson in not allowing fear, big or small, to keep you from living your life. It’s a nice reminder, isn’t it?

Social media marketing is constantly changing and evolving, which is both good and bad. Keeping up with social media marketing trends is practically a full-time job! And so is figuring out the best social media marketing strategies for your brand.

As businesses are planning for the new year, there are several social media trends that appear to be here to stay (at least for now). You should consider these when putting together a strategy for 2018:

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing has exploded over the past few years and there is no sign of it slowing in the near future. Using social media influencers is an excellent way to expand the reach of your brand messaging when you choose the right partners to work with.

Studies show that 74% of people look to their networks on social media for advice on buying decisions. In addition, 40% of people have bought something because they have seen it being promoted by an influencer on Instagram or Twitter.

Finding the right influencer marketing partnerships can seriously get your brand noticed!

Social Media Advertising Costs

Gone are the days of social media posting generating free organic reach. In order to gain new followers and grow your brand via social media, you must have a social advertising budget. Unfortunately, as the number of advertisers on social media increases, so will the cost of social ads.

As people realize that social media marketing provides an extremely cost-effective way to reach a targeted group of consumers, the competition for social advertising results increases. Therefore, to keep up with the competition, a social media advertising budget is a must for 2018.

You Gotta Have Video

Did you know that social videos generate 1,200% more shares than text and images combined? In addition, viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when they read it in text. It’s estimated that by 2019, video will account for 80% of all consumer internet traffic.

Need I say more? It’s time to take video seriously! Social media video marketing needs to be an integral part of your social content strategy in 2018.

Social media marketing is constantly evolving. You won’t know if something is going to work for your business unless you test it. If you need help navigating the trends and reaching your audience, we on the Porch are here to help!

It’s exciting when strong business and non-profit leaders recognize they need a marketing partner to help them achieve their goals. We love partnering with these leaders on singular campaigns and initiatives that achieve immediate results.

However, these initiatives in and of themselves are not enough to sustain the brand awareness or momentum necessary to meet the larger goals.

These industry leaders often have a strategic plan in place; however, they shrug off the notion that they also need a marketing plan to complement their strategic plan.

What’s the difference?

A Strategic Plan vs. A Marketing Plan

A strategic business plan focuses on the staff, financials and operations of the overall business or non-profit organization. It is operationally-based, and outlines goals for the year. Therefore, the plan helps develop competitive strategies for the business or non-profit organization.

A marketing plan complements the business plan. It details key messages, marketing goals, industry research, competition, target markets, price points, strategies and key tactics. The tactics may include advertising, content marketing, SEO and referral programs. We also consider networking initiatives, social media, website enhancement, direct mail, email marketing and more.

The plans work in conjunction and complement one another. I could drone on for hours about this. Each is essential to a successful business or non-profit — you need both.

A successful marketing plan will build your business, develop your network, create a buzz and pay out. Hence it conveys:

• who you are
• what you are interested in
• that you have an established brand and product suite they must have and will tell all their connections about

Front Porch Marketing will develop a marketing plan that includes an audit of existing marketing efforts and materials and provides specific, recommended marketing tactics and strategies. Our team is driven to define targeted strategies to targeted customers.

We love to be a part of great teams and learn from great leaders. So holler if we can help you!

I don’t mind telling you, friends – the past couple of weeks have been a complete and total exercise in spinning my wheels. I’ve had some big distractions – visiting relatives, a sick child, a big project, some health issues that needed addressing – but honestly I have had a hard time getting back to prime productivity.

Here’s what helps me right the ship when things veer off track:

Make A List 

Writing out a to-do list keeps it all front and center. I always think I will remember everything that needs doing, but the reality is that things will fall through the cracks if it doesn’t get written down. Pen. Paper. Write it out. It’s important! Plus it makes scratching through things as they get done oh so fulfilling!

Set Aside Time to be Productive

If you don’t schedule it, it may not happen. Designate blocks of time to focus and be productive. One thing at a time – get through that list.

Don’t Fall Down the Rabbit Hole

Distractions are the death knell to productivity. A “quick” telephone conversation, “five minutes” of mindless internet surfing, taking a break for a snack – allowing yourself to be distracted in these ways will absolutely sabotage your productive time.

Hold Yourself Accountable

Everyone has to be fluid when things come up, but productivity is a commitment. It doesn’t just happen by accident.

And … Repeat

A system, any system, needs to happen over and over again to be successful. Staying the course and developing good processes is the key to productivity.

Sigh. It’s been a scary week. In fact, it’s just a scary time. Unspeakable violence, natural disasters, discourse and pain and suffering … it’s a lot. A whole lot.

These events have caused me to struggle with feelings of fear and unease, and I have struggled to quell the fear and unease in my children. And although I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, I have looked to others for guidance about how to cope with these feelings, and I thought sharing what I’ve learned might help someone else, as well.

Some Coping Tips:

Acknowledge the Fear. Running from fear is not going to help anyone or anything. Slow down, and let yourself really feel what you’re feeling. It may be intense for a bit, but you will come out the other side and that journey shouldn’t be suppressed.

Offer Help. Tragedies make us feel powerless. Take some of that power back by actively helping those who are affected in any way you are able.

Focus on Your Reality. Yes, what is happening is disturbing. But what is your reality? Don’t overgeneralize threats and allow what is happening elsewhere to affect your day to day movement.

Balance the Negative With the Positive. Tragedies find their way into the news cycle far more often than their more positive counterparts, but there are wonderful things happening everywhere. Seek these stories out. Humanity is a beautiful thing.

Get Help If You Need It. If fear is consuming you, don’t suffer unnecessarily. Reach out for help.

Human life is a precious thing. Hold your loved ones close, friends. This too shall pass.

Hey, business owners, have you ever thought about what the “American Dream” is? Have you ever thought about what it means to you?

Over the weekend, I was honored that my son selected me to interview for an English essay about the American Dream. I am certain that it had absolutely nothing to do with proximity, nor did it matter that I respond very nearly to his beck and call (I know that it comes as a shock to many who know me that I can be a beck and call girl, but I digress).

The interview humbled me, and I found it to be a very thought-provoking exercise. The questions he posed to me:

1. In your own words, what is the American Dream? What does it mean to you?
2. Do you see the American Dream in your own life? Has it motivated you, influenced your decisions?
3. Over the course of your life, have your own dreams changed? In what ways?
4. How would you define a “successful” life? What’s most important?
5. Which generation – yours or your parents’ – has had a better life?

My answers were as follows:

1. The American Dream is the right to freedom, choice, justice and prosperity. For me, the American Dream means living in a place where we are free and are treated fairly. It also means the right to have multiple, differing opinions; and those opinions are respected and acknowledged, and actually make us better and stronger as a nation. Having the opportunity to prosper and start my own business are also part of what the American Dream means to me.
2. I see the American Dream in my life every single day. I am married to the man I chose to be married to and have two healthy, happy, wonderful children who attend schools we selected for them. We practice the faith of our choice. I started and have owned Front Porch Marketing, my business, for almost seven years, which not only helps my family financially prosper, but also helps those that work with me contribute financially to their households. I am also extremely lucky to partner with clients that work for start-ups, small to mid-size businesses, organizations and franchisees who themselves are living the American Dream. Daily, I am inspired by my family, team and clients. Because I am mindful of the fact that in other countries, many people, especially women, are not allowed the opportunities I am, I honestly count my blessings every day.
3. Some of my dreams have not changed, like having a family, giving back to our communities, and being successful professionally. Over the course of my life, others dreams have changed. I dreamed of owning the first company in which I worked. That didn’t happen, because I was hired away from that marketing company by a client that I managed. My dream then became to climb the corporate ladder and become the Vice President of Marketing for that company. Ticked that box. Then, I pivoted and started Front Porch Marketing. And it has been the absolute best part of my professional journey to date.
4. A successful life to me is being happy, healthy, kind, empathetic, resilent and respectful; having a strong sense of self; raising responsible, happy, kind, humble, respectful, empathetic, resilent children; giving back to others in need, and providing for the needs of my family.
5. I really don’t think it is up to me to judge if my generation or my parents’ generation had a better life, because it’s like comparing apples to oranges. And, because our world since 9/11 changes at light speed, in addition to constant emerging technologies today, our generation is more complicated; but I think one could make an argument for either

So why did I ask business owners to answer these five questions?

A perspective check-in is always a good thing, and I hope this exercise inspires you as much as it inspired me. Be well, friends; and keep livin’ the dream.

P.S. We can help you keep livin’ the dream by growing your topline through strategic branding and marketing, so call, email or text us today!

On September 11, 2001 I was a new mother, my daughter having been born just two months earlier. On that morning I woke before her, turned the television on low so as not to wake my sleeping baby, and watched as the tragedy unfolded. Shock as the first plane hit gave way to confusion when the second plane hit, and very very quickly, absolute horror, fear and sorrow lived in my bones.

How could someone, anyone, for any reason, do this? How would people deal with such painful loss? How would New York recover? How would we all recover?

HOW?

Every year at this time, I am plunged back into the voracity of all those feelings, as I”m sure we all are. Today is the 16th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. And the sorrow still lives in my bones.

That perfect, innocent baby girl that I cried over that morning and worried about protecting from the evil in the world is now 16 years old. Last year, she and I visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York.

The somber exterior voids of water that greet you are haunting, yet beautiful. But as you move into the museum, and down into the dark chasms of the exhibits, you are thrown into chaos and heartbreak, and the angst is palpable.

The magnitude of the loss is evident in every inch of the space. It was extremely hard to digest.

It’s uncomfortable to remember what happened on September 11th; but remembering is important. Remembering is all that we have.

So today, September 11, 2017, we remember. We remember all of it.