The power of the Internet puts marketing opportunities in the hands of anyone with an online connection.  People and organizations in small towns like Houston, Indiana have a shot at fame in the cyber world.  

Social media is a great channel for getting your business or non-profit message heard.

Characteristics of a good marketing campaign

1. Effectively communicating content that is based on the needs of the audience.
2. Providing value for the audience, such as helpful information or entertainment.
3. Inspiring emotion, such as heartwarming story or compassion.
4. Offering visual appeal to the viewers.
5. Getting people’s attention with something fun & special.

 Photos of cute critters grab attention with both visual and emotional appeal and offer the chance to provide knowledge in a fun way.   Sparking interest with a special animal photo or story on social media can support your marketing effort.

Does the marketing campaign for a small business need to go viral for success?

Clearly, a marketing initiative that “goes viral” would be welcome, but that level of success is not necessary to accomplish the goals of an average business owner. Tips that help with viral marketing can be very beneficial for any organization. Social media is a fantastic channel to help spread the word about the value you offer to your target market. Success can draw in more customers and sales, even without reaching viral marketing extremes.  However, wise social media strategy for any marketing effort could quickly succeed to viral levels.

It was a beautiful Spring day! Carolina blue skies, white fluffy clouds, sunshine, gentle breeze, and bluebirds. Peace, tranquility, and beauty in Raleigh, NC.

The weather was more like spring than winter on Christmas Eve year. During a walk on at Mordecai Historic Park in downtown Raleigh, I was pleasantly suprised to see some bluebirds. I manage the website and newsletter for the North Carolina Bluebird Society, so seeing these beautiful feathered friends on December 24 was especially rewarding.

I normally want summer to last forever, but this year I am looking forward to fall more than usual. My interest in photography continues to grow. Can’t wait to see what my camera can capture in the Autumn 2020 year end color show.

I was blessed to see and photograph many bluebirds the last couple of years at Mordecai Park in Raleigh, NC. My nature walks provide some personalized content for the North Carolina Bluebird Society’s quarterly newsletter, Bluebird Notes. Working on this educational publication regarding bluebird conservation is very fun and rewarding. Check out the archives of newsletters at http://www.ncbluebird.org/online-newsletters/.

My love of flowers began early in my childhood days in Houston, Indiana. I was raised by a sweet lady, Allie Akin, who made our home a floral wonderland. So many great memories of flowers everywhere.

I remember at age two walking up the lane with her to take my great-grandpa, Oscar Roddey, his breakfast. I would pick him Morning Glories and he would give me quarters.

What a fun project for one of the final courses to complete my Master’s in Marketing – a fictional flower shop. I immersed myself in the digital marketing plan for Jamie’s Floral Delights. I had many flower photos to put to good use, as well as a reason to photograph more floral blooms.  It was a wonderful learning experience. The results are shared below.

1. Website
2. Marketing Plan (PDF)
3. Visual Presentation
   • Powerpoint
   • PDF

I learned about the Mordecai Historic Park in downtown Raleigh from my website work with the North Carolina Bluebird Society (NCBS). When I became Webmaster of ncbluebird.org in May 2007, l assumed responsibility for managing the online presence for the Wake County Bluebird Club as well.

The first meeting I attended was in the St. Mark’s Chapel of Mordecai. It is such a charming little building. I have enjoyed many club meetings at this location. We currently have the quarterly bluebird club meetings across the street from this historic building, in the Mordecai visitor center.

Over the years I have become attached to the scenic beauty and peace of Mordecai Park. I often visit this spot to relax and snap nature photos.

The giant Oak Trees offer cool relief from the sweltering sun on 90 + degree days. The abundance of playful squirrels scampering about, beautiful flowers, and songs and sights of our feathered friends make this one of my happy places. My interest in photography has increased over the last few years. I find a wealth of photo subjects at this tranquil place, such as the image of a squirrel posing in a tree shown above.

Thrilled to have the opportunity to photograph some fine looking bluebirds at Mordecai Historic Park in downtown Raleigh. I go to this location for peace and tranquility of nature. While taking flower pictures, some bluebirds landed nearby. They are beautiful and sound so sweet.

I manage the website and newsletter for the North Carolina Bluebird Society. I receive many donations of photos for their Web and newsletter content.  Now I have a few of my own snapshots to help spread the word about this precious shy bird. 

Tiny sprouts of Indiana Flowering Almond peeking out in early March. It is slowly but surely coming to life again. This plant was transported to North Carolina in 1996 by by Dolly, wonderful lady who raised me. It blooms for a short time every year and it is breathtaking. Indiana neighbor Mary Alice had saved several starts from the Ryan family land. She sent the roots for me by Dolly when she came to stay with me for over a month when I bought my first house. Love that this plant is from Indiana and that two precious Houston, Indiana ladies cared enough for me to have some natural beauty from home while living out of state.

 

October is one of my favorite months. The beauty of nature in this season with a million shades of pretty helps brighten my outlook and stay positive. My home state of Indiana is especially beautiful this time of year. The southern part of the Hoosier state, Jackson and Brown counties in particular, are breathtaking in the fall. I am proud to be from Houston, Indiana, a tiny place near the Hoosier National Forest. A big event in my hometown every October is the Fall Festival.  More details can be found at houstonschoolrestorationcommittee.org