Does Miss America Deserve This Response?

 

Social Media and Miss America 

Social Media affects every individual, including Miss America. If you haven't heard the new Miss America, Kira Kazantsev, was crowned Sunday, September 14th, 2014 and there are countless reviews on her performance on the Miss America Stage. Being a part of the Miss America Scholarship Organization, I understand the stress that goes on when preparing for a state pageant; I can only imagine how much more intense preparing for the national level can be.

Many critics have been posting organic content about their emotions towards the talent segment of the competition. It seems that these "critics" simply engage in the program that is being televised once a year. These "critics" also don't know that the Miss America Pageant is a scholarship program that gives more than 40 million dollars a year to women who are making a difference in their communities and achieving academic excellence, as well as performing a talent showcasing their extracurricular activities (Miss America Organization).

Here are some facts about Miss America 2015 that you may not know:

1. Kira is a triple major graduate from Hofstra University.
2. Kira speaks three languages: Russian, Spanish and English.
3. Kira promotes Domestic Violence Awareness as she was once a victim.


During her performance and presentation on the Miss America stage,  Kira demonstrated that you can be a serious business woman as well as have fun! She was not afraid to step outside the "typical pageant standards" and express herself through her fun and entertaining talent of singing to "Happy" with a red plastic cup as an accompaniment.

Negative responses to her talent choice became viral through multiple media sharing sites and the branding of the Miss America Organization was undergoing a downfall for choosing our new Miss America 2015. In return, Kira stated, "It's unconventional; and sometimes people aren't as open to change as some would like, it's just something different and I hope people take it as a positive. If they can appreciate that and be happy with what I did, then that's all I can ask." (News Day).

https://www.google.com/search?q=miss+america

For more information about the Miss America Organization and reasons why Kira was chosen for the job, take a moment to read Miss America - "Kira-sistible". Kira will promote the organization in the best possible way through her energetic and magnetic personality. 

Choosing Your Social Media Platform

 

What Social Media Can Do For Your Company!

 

When companies feel the need to branch out into the world of social media, there are a few steps that must take place before a decision is made. In the world of ever-growing technology, it is important that a company analyze and asses multiple social media outlets to understand what each of them entail. Each social media platform has its own way of expression that can help your company grow and expand!

The most common types of social media are Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Facebook is a social media that can be used for those companies that would like to post frequently to attract consumers to their product or service. Posts can include sales promotions, discounts and promo codes as well as providing information on new and upcoming products that a consumer may want to snatch their hands on! Twitter is a type of micro-blog and is meant for quick updates that are short and to the point. Instagram holds the same idea as Twitter, but in the form of a photograph. Companies in the food or clothing retail industry often times use this to promote a new flavored coffee that is coming out or a line of jeans that will be on sale.

The next step in deciding which social media platform is right for your company, is researching and knowing your target market. This is the most important step because if your target market is aimed at the elderly, Twitter may not be your best option. Being familiar with who your consumers are, is essential on choosing a social media platform that will be successful.          https://www.google.com/search?q=social+media   


                                                                             
                                                                                                         

Which Social Media Outlet Is Best For Your Company?

 

Being a frequent buyer of well-known brand products, I have seen the ways multiple companies, large and small use social media to expand their market. The industry that your company falls into , can also have a great affect when deciding your platform. Since I am a "regular" to the brand Dunkin Donuts, I follow them on Instagram because they will post new flavors that will be coming out regarding the seasons, etc. A smaller company that I follow is Hot Table, which is a local restaurant that posts promotions for specific food products every day on their Twitter account as well as Instagram account. Recognizing where you fall in your industry, either large or small can give you a sense of what platform you will ultimately choose. It is also very common for companies to have multiple social media platforms for their various target markets. If this is the case, then having a Facebook, Twitter and Instagram account can be perfect for your company.

                                                        https://www.google.com/search?q=dunkin+donuts+instagram


Another element to consider, is who will be operating your social media platforms, and are they capable of handling more than one platform? Great to think about before setting up multiple accounts and not being able to update them frequently. It is important that consumers see that your company is "in the now" and in the present moment so that social interaction can occur. Many consumers, such as myself, like to have a sense of directed communication happening between the company and the consumers. When I post a question on a company's Facebook wall, I would like a response shortly after.

Be wise in choosing your social media platform, update often and show individualized respect for your customers. Your company will expand in no time!


See you next time to discuss more social media topics!
-Natascia Simone

Technology's Role in Social Media

Hello!
 I would like to discuss a primary factor that is needed for a company to succeed at a sufficient level; and that is technology. Many companies that have been around for decades and are not following the new media trends, are ultimately loosing profit. A company in 2014 must have at least one social media platform or website to connect their company wither their consumers.

It is recognized that companies with a social media platform do have a higher customer percentage because they are able to interact with their customers at a level that a flyer or even company website is incapable of allowing. The two points I would like to draw attention to are synchronous interactions and asynchronous interactions, which are key players in the role of technology. Synchronous interactions refers to interactions that a company may have with a consumer that occurs in real/present time. Asynchronous interactions are the types of interactions that do not require all participants to immediately respond.

 A primary example of a synchronous interaction may be Facebook messenger. I have a personal experience with a dress shop called INfusions Dress Boutique that is located in Rhode Island. Since I live a great distance from the shop, but am a loyal customer, the owner of the boutique allows me to message her through Facebook to contact her about any new dresses that are in stock. She will also take time out of her day to message and respond immediately with items I may be interested in purchasing that could potentially sell fast. A primary example of an asynchronous interaction may be a forum or discussion, and this can very well be a blog! Other examples may include a discussion for an online class that students can post to and wait for a response to eventually appear, but their is no "real time" status when interacting in this manner.



When analyzing both interactions, an example of a platform that uses both comes to mind and that is Twitter! Who doesn't have a Twitter account in 2014? It seems that even my grandmother is logged in now! Twitter is great for personal use on the consumer end, and professional use on the business end. It demonstrates being in the present time when users post tweets that are sent out automatically to their followers, as well as offers direct messaging and mentions that can be responded to whenever the receiver feels like doing so. We must keep in mind that responding to whichever notification you receive on a personal level and even more so in the professional world, must be responded to in a timely manner to show respect for the other individuals time to reach out to you or your company.

I had a personal experience with the famous Greek yogurt brand called Chobani. I am an active tweeter and often times enjoy expressing my love for certain brands that deserve recognition for their products. I happened to tweet about a new flavor that Chobani distributed, Key Lime Pie! I loved the quality and taste of the product so I tweeted and actually forgot to tag them! It just so happened that Chobani located my tweet that stated their brand name and replied to my tweet! I also had another experience with DSW Shoe Warehouse when purchasing a pair of shoes at their annual sale, this time mentioning them and they responded as well!

DSW Shoe Warehouse ‏@DSWShoeLovers Sep 20

@natasciasimone Thanks for spreading the word! #dsw

Being a consumer of many products and brands, the ones that do stand out to me are the companies that take their time to respond to you through a synchronous or asynchronous way! Every company or organization large or small should have individuals in charge of their customer relations!

See you next time to talk more about social media in the real world!
-Natascia :)

Professionalism in the Working World

Hello Everyone!

I am currently a senior at Western New England University majoring in Marketing Communications and Advertising. I also have taken a few courses in Entrepreneurship because I plan to follow in my parents footstep,s and open my own business in the near future. I find the field of Marketing very fascinating as there is always something new that effects marketing tools in this ever changing world of technology--with social media being a key player!

Continuing the discussion of what was brought about in class on the topic of promoting yourself with a very positive persona, it is essential to do so when applying for internships and jobs in the future. It is vital to present yourself in a professional manner on all of your social media sites, from personal accounts such as Twitter and Facebook, to business accounts such as LinkedIn. Employers have access to all of these sites, whether they are your "friend" or not, so it is important to keep your profile page as "clean" as possible. You can also Google your full name to see what images and websites come up to make sure what employers see is what you approve of. I have been able to establish my professional status sooner than many do while being apart of the Miss America Organization which represents class and professionalism. 
 

 

  I am involved in the Miss American Organization and currently hold the title of Miss Mountain Laurel 2014 (the CT state flower). I was given the opportunity to compete for the title of Miss Connecticut this past June where I did tons of marketing for myself! It was a long week selling my platform, Food Allergy Awareness: Be Aware, Share and Prepare as well as who I am and what my values and beliefs are in life as well as what they are toward many current issues. Being a local title holder is all about being the best you can be to move to the next level and ultimately have the chance to be Miss America. (P.S: Be sure to watch Miss Connecticut and my good friend Acacia compete for Miss America in a few short weeks!)

I also have a blog about my personal platform that I post to bi-weekly that you can find here, this being my latest post:  http://www.foodallergyawareness.org/blog/entry/traveling_with_food_allergies-20/.As for the purpose of this blog for my Marketing Communications Capstone course, I will be post weekly to discuss the experiences I have had with social media marketing, new ideas and personal observations I have of the course that I think are worth discussing in more depth! I know this blog will give me the chance bring the classroom discussions to the internet for farther discussion by other individuals who also have an interest in social media marketing!


Feel free to make your own comments and observations as well :)