Disqus - Latest Comments for GeekMommy

Re: Imposter

Lucretia M Pruitt — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 03:54:12 -0000

Not at all alone.
Heck, even as a parent I was kind of surprised they just let me walk out of the hospital with my daughter - as if I had a clue what I was doing. (Note: I had changed precisely 2 diapers in my life before my daughter - when I was 15 and babysitting - pretty sure I did it wrong back then.)
I struggle (and always have) with feeling like I'm always underqualified no matter what field I'm in.
Don't let the aura of smug self-confidence fool you - that's something we Imposters do to try and keep people from noticing that we're completely unfit.

Seriously, you can ask some of my closest friends. Heck... ask my husband.

Personally, I love this 'syndrome' - it kind of gives us a shape to our fears, doesn't it?

Re: The New and Improved Twitter

Lucretia M Pruitt — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 03:28:39 -0000

This is one time that I'm really happy that I'm not in the "got it rolled out to me early" crowd.
Ick.
Finally giving in and conceding that it's time to get with a 3rd party client.

Re: What's #NewTwitter?

Lucretia M Pruitt — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 23:55:04 -0000

Honestly couldn't tell you from looking at your review or the video. (Which views like a commercial... a slow, jittery, overburdened everyone-is-trying-to-watch-it-simultaneously youtube commercial.)
Is it sad that I'm happy they haven't rolled it out to me yet? I hate having to change the way I use their web interface every year because they radically overhaul it. Even if the new interfaces awesome, the muscle memory is already there and it's hard to retrain.
I will refrain from deciding whether or not I like it until I've tried it - but it's kind of the same issue I have every time that Facebook moves everything around.

It looks like the customized backgrounds will now be useless though.

Thanks for the heads up on it Scott. :)

Re: Windows Anytime Upgrade

Lucretia M Pruitt — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 00:24:21 -0000

Love your review! Now you're making me feel like I need to get mine up ASAP! :)

Re: 9 Ways to Rock Blog World Expo

Lucretia M Pruitt — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 22:47:49 -0000

I'm trying to remember - but I'm pretty sure the first time we spent "realspace" time together was at BWE a couple of years back.
This is an awesome list. About the only thing I'd add is the perennial "wear comfortable shoes". :)

Re: 9 Ways to Rock Blog World Expo

Lucretia M Pruitt — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 22:45:29 -0000

Some of the people I've met at BWE over the years have *become* the "big timers" - I fully expect to meet some more of 'tomorrow's stars' there again this year. Talking to people you've never met before is somehow easier at BWE because there's so many people to choose from! :)

Re: 9 Ways to Rock Blog World Expo

Lucretia M Pruitt — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 22:43:34 -0000

I now fully expect to see hundreds of "shy" buttons - because we all feel that way sometimes... I've always been partial to Jenny's (the Bloggess) confidence wigs. I just have my "on/off" button that stays jammed in the "on" position throughout most conferences.
Hm. I think you're onto something here Chris!

Re: Why Do Bloggers Continue to Work for Free?

Lucretia M Pruitt — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:34:09 -0000

Know your worth. Set an hourly rate for your work. Even if you don't think you are worth much? How much could you make say, working for a fast food restaurant? Let's say $8/hr - if it takes you at least an hour to do a well written, polished blog post? 3-4 per week = aroune $30/week. $135/mo. You're supposed to moderate & build the community? Let's add another minimum of 5 hrs a week... That's $40/wk - or $180/mo - so you're at $315/mo... that's at $8/hr. You get no benefits. You have to pay your own taxes. You're telling them that you are willing to work for less than a common office employee to be a writer and community manager. And you're still at $315/mo.
Honestly? I charge $20-50/post if I'm working for a company. (Depends on the work involved.)

Set rates. Do the math. Reply with the math. Just saying "um, I want to get paid" doesn't do it. Show the logic and you are far more likely to be met with "you know, that really is reasonable."
If you aren't? You probably shouldn't consider working for the company.

Re: Why Do Bloggers Continue to Work for Free?

Lucretia M Pruitt — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:27:33 -0000

Great response. I wish I could say I was surprised - but I'm not.
I usually just link the requester to the half-dozen or so well written blog posts (like this one) that explain why I don't work for free.

Re: Miss Lori lists 7 things to consider when throwing a social media event

Lucretia M Pruitt — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:05:16 -0000

Great list! I'd add one little thing somewhere in there "provide your attendees with a simple, short hashtag - and create a page that explains that hashtag somewhere so when people go looking for what #SMEvent (for example) means it's easy to find out what their friends are tweeting about."

Re: It Won’t Matter

Lucretia M Pruitt — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:58:24 -0000

Good customer service doesn't make up for back customer issue resolution. No matter how nicely you say "oh, we can't do that, we're sorry..." if your product or service doesn't meet the bar? Your bottom line will reflect it.
User experience is not dependent on just one factor.

Re: What Makes an Influencer?

Lucretia M Pruitt — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 19:03:18 -0000

Interesting poll Brian. Looking forward to the results.

Re: How to Pitch to a Dad Blogger: A short tutorial for PR Pros

Lucretia M Pruitt — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:09:02 -0000

I'd say there's one thing we're all leaving off of our "how/how not to pitch" tutorials:
A) Actually become part of the community you are hoping to work with. No, I don't mean "become a daddy blogger" (or mommy blogger or even blogger.)
I mean spend the time to get to know the people whose communities you are hoping to engage with your product or service.
If you, as a PR person, don't have time to get to know thousands of bloggers? That's okay. That means you're working on different aspects of your business. But if you, as anyone who wants to work with bloggers of ANY stripe, don't take the time to get to know a few bloggers whose opinions you can trust? Then consider not working with them.

I don't know every mommy-blogger, daddy-blogger, tech-blogger, sports-blogger, fashion-blogger, fill-in-the-blank-blogger out there (it just seems like it some days!) but I do know several in pretty much any genre whose opinions I can solicit when it comes to asking who *they* respect and would work with in their genres and who *they* think I should be looking into.

Community. It's when you can say "Hey Bob... which mechanic should I take my brandX car to?" and get an informed opinion based on reputation and quality. Or when you can say "Hey Shawn... I think this might be a good fit for your blog based on what I know of you - if so? Let me know. Also? If there's someone else whose blog you think I should be looking at, I'd appreciate a URL."

Re: Not Happy? Change Something!

Lucretia M Pruitt — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:43:58 -0000

Great post George. So often we focus on the 'what's wrong' as opposed to the 'what will make it right?' don't we? Glad you are on your path.

Re: Fat Blogging

Lucretia M Pruitt — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:44:04 -0000

You know, my first BlogHer was an eye-opener. I've always hated having my picture taken, but moreso the past 10 years. Everyone and their sister was taking my picture that year and all I could think was "oh dear heavens - those will be on the Internet where anyone can see them!"
It was then that I had a little talk with myself.
Just because I had avoided having my picture taken and looking in the mirror too long didn't mean that I didn't look that way to everyone and anyone looking from the outside.

Here's the reality: I'm fat. I need to lose weight. I need to live healthier. It's not going to happen overnight.

But here's a second reality: I love having reminders of my time with friends. All of the women I know (even the size 2 women) have body issues and self-esteem issues. Most of them aren't busy looking at pictures of us together thinking "well I look perfect, but Lucretia could use a few months in a weightloss bootcamp!" They are thinking "wow wasn't that awesome seeing my friends? Oh... and why is my hair doing that weird thing? Why didn't anyone tell me?"
:)

We'll get there girlfriend. Maybe not tomorrow. But maybe we can be inspiring at future BlogHer events. At least we'll have some good "before" pics! :)

Re: When imitation isn’t flattery…it’s theft…

Lucretia M Pruitt — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:52:18 -0000

I suppose there's a reason my friends and I have referred to them as "Office Despot" for so many years... it's ironic that they're trying to appeal to "little guy mentality" by stealing from the little guy and then shrugging when it's pointed out.

Horrid.

Re: The 15 Things I Own

Lucretia M Pruitt — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:42:06 -0000

Glad you got the Jet Blue ticket - but shouldn't you add Passport to that list? ;)

Re: Cookies and Chemo

Lucretia M Pruitt — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 14:28:04 -0000

You are amazing Brian. What an incredible project. :)

Re: YMC Blog - scott_stratten_undaddy - Just Keep Going? A Caregiver Story

Lucretia M Pruitt — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 21:34:32 -0000

Caregivers at some point all hit the same wall and realize that they need to care for themselves just as much as they do everyone else - or there's not a lot to give.

Glad you hit your wall without *actually* hitting a wall.

Get those brakes checked!!
((hug))

Re: What Goes Into Redrawing

Lucretia M Pruitt — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 14:51:26 -0000

Must be the Spring in the air. I was busy doing this myself - I just wasn't writing about the process.
See you on the other side.

Re: http://jessicanow.com/post/497351707

Lucretia M Pruitt — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:01:34 -0000

Love this flowchart!! If I were to get an iPad? I'd wait for the 2nd gen.

Re: How To Lose A Job in Sixty Seconds

Lucretia M Pruitt — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 01:55:12 -0000

Yeah, I'm behind the curve (getting caught up - I've been busy!)... but my favorite interview question to ask has always been "what is your favorite smell?"
Always told me whether someone could think on their feet. You get one of 3 answers: 1) 'Um, I don't know - I don't really have one.' Strangely, when pressed, just told to come up with any answer - most of these people still profess they can't think of anything. You've just told me that you a) can't think on your feet and b) won't even try despite the fact that it's critical to your evaluation. No thanks. 2) 'Hm, I don't know. I guess if I have to come up with something... X' okay, so you met the requirement... that's decent. It gets you a passing grade. 3) 'My favorite smell? Hm. X - because whenever I smell it, I think of...' You think on your feet. More? You've just given me a reason to believe that it's a good smell. You've given me a reason to explore it myself. You're at the head of the class.

I love the offbeat interview questions. :)

Re: San Francisco – Come Visit New Marketing Experience

Lucretia M Pruitt — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:53:54 -0000

Sounds awesome! But too far away for me... Consider bringing NML to Denver/Boulder soon.

Re: Marketing for Small Local Businesses

Lucretia M Pruitt — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 02:55:39 -0000

Old school:
- Track referrals - find out what your best method of return actually is. The old method of giving out different referral codes to track where advertising dollars and energy are best spent is still solid.
- Partner with other small business people for in-kind trade. Have a hairdresser who could use that break at work? A massage in trade for a haircut or other salon service would reap more than just that reward - especially if s/he talks about it with his/her clientele.

It's an interesting case study - but the REAL question is: how much of your friend's efforts should actually be focused on new media advertising & networking?

Honestly? The target market for a mobile massage is likely to skew older rather than younger. We know, and have known for years, how to market to those demographics. Unless she's trying to build a clientele from the digital native population, right now, her efforts are better spent using methods that have a better chance of providing a solid ROI. Time, after all, is money in her case - and spending the time online when it is unlikely to have as solid a return? Not the best bet.

My 2 cents.

Re: What Sponsors Want

Lucretia M Pruitt — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:59:36 -0000

Then I will just keep my eye on it and see where you go with it! :)