Building a Thriving Online Community

We have all heard the saying “Your vibe attracts your tribe,” and know that an engaged social media community is key to online success, but how exactly do you go about building an online community? What does it mean to have a successfully engaged community?

For a brand, your community is the number one reason to join social media. Not only is your community made up of current and potential consumers, but it’s also where you will find both brand advocates and brand ambassadors – people that will help amplify your messages to their networks, so your reach is spread way beyond just that of your own. More and more, you can find studies that show that people trust recommendations from friends and family over brands, so these social media advocates are gold for companies.

An online community is simply a group of like-minded people, that have gathered together around a common interest, idea or goal. It builds as people find your content and your brand, and begin to engage with it. Engagement can take many forms, depending on the social media platform. It can be simply following you, or deepen to include engaging with you, sharing and promoting the content you put out, and talking about your brand both online and off.

Most importantly, you need to keep open two-way communication with your community. I am a huge advocate of treating online and offline relationships in exactly the same way. When you meet someone new in person, you introduce yourself and find out what you have in common, how you can relate to this person. You take an interest in them and find out what THEY are interested in. There is no difference when you meet people online that are members of your same community. If you are running the social media for your company, you aren’t above or outside any of the community members, you are one of them, the same as everyone else is.

Creating meaningful relationships online means you will be doing a lot of listening in the beginning. You want to find out what is important to the other members, what they want to know, and then you are better able to begin crafting and sharing content that provides value to your followers and fellow community members. Yes, your content will sometimes talk about your company and your product, but the focus needs to go far beyond that. You will be focusing more on the personal interactions, rather than broadcasting information or talking AT people. You will need to be able to respond to all comments and questions that come from members of the community, not shying away from anything negative they might bring up. In fact, sometimes negative feedback is the best way to learn and grow! At first your followers will be just that – people that have gathered because they heard about your brand, or want to learn more, but if you nurture each relationship, they will turn into loyal community members.

What’s next? How do you keep your community interested and engaged?

Here are some of the tips I have learned:

1.     High Quality Content: The most important tip I have learned is that is not ever about you. It’s about the community. You want to consistently provide the highest quality relevant content possible. Content varies. Sometimes it takes the form of a how-to, or it can be something inspirational that will resonate with your community members, or something written or shared to entertain them – the key is to listen and talk with people long enough to find out what they want to know, and then provide that to them in a unique way.

2.     Consistency: How often do you post? Do you disappear after posting an article, until the next one comes out? You want to build trust and let people see that you are someone to use as their go-to for information, so being consistent in your messaging and responses is important. Consistency goes beyond posting schedules. It means that all your messaging is the same, no matter who it comes from in the company. It means that you do what you say you are going to do and always follow through. You are credible and build trust through being who you portray yourself to be.

3.     Honestly Care About Your Community: What if suddenly everyone in your community jumped ship and went to follow a similar brand? You would have no company any longer. The people in your community are your brand’s life blood and if you look at them that way, it is easy to be grateful for each and every one of them. So let them know! Respond to each comment or post. Remember that people have millions of choices of what brands to support and they’ve chosen YOURS! We’re all busy, but they’ve taken the time to chat with YOU! Show people your gratitude. Maybe that means reposting a blog post they have written, or asking about their day when they’ve posted about having a tough time. Again, this is no different than how you would treat an in person relationship with a friend. Say thank you when someone shares a photo or a post. A simple acknowledgment can be makes someone’s entire day.

Remember that all relationships take time. There is no overnight success when it comes to building, nurturing and growing an online community. There are ebbs and flows and sometimes people leave. Prepare to work really hard at these relationships, but know that the time spent will be worth it.

What are some of your tips? Tweet me at @lucyrk78 and let me know!

A Blog About Not Blogging

I feel guilty. I haven’t blogged in two solid weeks. I was on a great streak- feeling inspired and fulfilling a goal of blogging every day. Then I went on a two week business trip, and didn’t blog once while I was gone.

Runyon Canyon

Was I out doing amazing things while I was gone? Some of the days. I had the opportunity to work two really fun volleyball events, meet celebrities that were playing and other professional athletes…I got to work with my team that I don’t get to see as often, now that I don’t live in Los Angeles anymore. I went hiking in Runyon Canyon, one of my most favorite places. I ate the freshest sushi and a more delicious burrito than I can get here in Chicago. I swam, tanned, shopped and worked. Hard. Often.

Then I traveled to Boulder for a meeting with my entire client team, as well as my bosses. People flew in from around the country and we learned, planned, presented, ate and visited.

There certainly was time for blogging. I certainly thought about blogging. But I thought more about not blogging. I have always been vocal about making a case for not creating editorial calendars, preferring to “let inspiration strike” and find blogging topics from being fully engaged and present within my online communities. But can you also be fully present, and stock up topics to write about when you’re “busy” and not fully inspired to write? Or for the times you’re out living your life so completely and are so present that you’ve got the ideas in advance? Don’t I always tell people “You’re never too busy. You make the time for things that are important to you?” I’m big on consistency – I tell my clients it’s one of the most important items in your marketing plan. So where was my consistency in blogging?

Jayo Invitational

Would it be an excuse to say that during these two weeks I was making new experiences to come back and blog about? Isn’t that what THIS blog is about, after all?! Or, and this would be the most surprising to me, am I actually a creature of habit? Someone that can only write if I’m sitting in this office, in this chair, in my own home? Can I only write here? Whoa. Isn’t the unpredictability of life as a marketing director what drew me to marketing in the first place? How many interviews have I gone to, and how many late night discussions with others in my industry have I had where we’ve all sung the praises of our lives and chosen career, for it NOT being the same every day? Not knowing precisely where we’d be or what we’d be doing each day?

Perhaps it’s egotistical to feel guilt for not having blogged. Perhaps none of you even noticed. This blog isn’t my job. I do it for fun, to share ideas I hear people talking about wanting to know more about, to muscle up my writing, the same way I do when I run or lift weights. I wasn’t overwhelmed with work while on this extended trip, nor was blogging not a priority. I simply didn’t write. I don’t have a deep explanation for why I didn’t, nor do I want to make any excuses. I have read many blogs where the writers have apologized for not writing or posting in the past week, month or longer. They report feelings of guilt over that, too. Should we be feeling guilty for something we do for fun? Should “fun” make us feel bad, when we’re not doing anything wrong? At all? Doesn’t every single workout plan in the history of workout plans tell you to take rest days? Should bloggers not get that same break, without feeling poorly about themselves for taking it?

This blog isn’t an obligation, nor would I continue it if it ever began to feel as such. I don’t post every day just for the sake of it. Even during my “blog every day” goal period, I would miss one day at times, (but never more than one) if I wasn’t inspired, or didn’t feel I had anything to say that was different than everything else that was being blogged about, or if I didn’t think I had anything to put out that might help someone. I woke up this morning excited to write. Excited to share these thoughts, get them down on paper, and the idea of people responding and sharing their own thoughts with me on taking blogging breaks and discussing these ideas with others excited me. Isn’t that what blogging is really all about? The creating and sharing of ideas?

I’ve written the line “I have a renewed passion for writing and my blog” and then deleted it a few times. What if I don’t blog again this week? What if nothing inspires me enough to write about? What if these last two weeks were too long of a break and my (creative/writing) muscle memory has been lost? Why am I feeling anxious about blogging tomorrow, and not relaxing in finding the joy blogging today?!

Maybe it all comes down to acceptance. How many things do I feel guilty about RIGHTTHISSECOND? How many do YOU? Not working out enough, eating that chocolate chip cookie, even though it was the best thing I’ve ever eaten, not blogging enough…can we even feel guilty for feeling guilty for any of these things? Are any of these things all that significant in the grand scheme of our very full lives? No. Truly, they’re not. We deserve to be happy. And do things that make us feel GOOD, not guilty. Today, I will work on doing more of those things.

Building Online Communities

I hear and read a lot on Twitter lately about people looking for quick magic answers on how to build thriving online communities, and people looking for advice on “how to best reach our audience.” Those two things are not the same – communities are groups of like-minded people that get together for a myriad of reasons, but that always share knowledge, ideas and most importantly conversations. On the other hand, an audience receives this knowledge, these ideas, etc… The best way I can describe the difference is: a community is engaging and interactive, while an audience passively receives information.

A community is something that will live with you throughout the lifecycle of your brand, when built and nurtured “right.” They will get to know you, and you will get to know them. Both you (and/or your brand) and the members of the community will ideally grow as a result of your relationship.

Like any other relationship in your life, both online and off, it takes work. Think of the friends you have offline – how did that friendship begin? What makes it continue to grow, deepen and become more meaningful? Do those same things with your online communities. There is no reason to be any different online than you are offline.

If you are building an online community as a brand, there are a few steps I would recommend, to help you get started.

1.      See where people are already talking about you. If people are talking about your brand and excited about it more on Twitter, start there. If there are more people you see mentioning you on Facebook, start there.

2.      Get to know the people in the community as you build it. Again, all relationships take time. Give yourself time to get to know each member. What do they like to do? What other brands do they like besides yours? Where do they spend their free time? What sort of work do they do? These are all things I would like to know about potential close friends, whether they are online friends or friends offline.

3.      As you’re getting to know each member in your community, you might find certain members have more in common with others. Help make those introductions. Help them grown their own communities!

4.      Be you. Have you ever been at a dinner party and there’s that one guest that only is talking about himself, boasting about things that you couldn’t care less about? Don’t be that guy. You are representing your brand for a reason – your sparkling personality! Don’t be afraid to show it and let people get to know more about you, as well as your brand. Don’t let a keyboard make a conversation awkward or any different than it would feel if you were talking with a new friend in person. (for the record, I’m often quite awkward when meeting new people, but that’s ok! We’re human.)

5.      Be consistent. What do you say about those friends that make plans, then cancel them, or see you for a date and then disappear for 3 months? Honestly, we ALL have that friend. Personally? I call them flakes. And it’s not a good thing – it’s annoying, right? To never know if you can depend on that person or not, or know if you make plans, that they won’t fall through last minute? Again? Perhaps I’m repeating myself, but it’s one of my most favorite movie quotes, so I’ll say again, “Don’t be that guy.” Be reliable. It’s a good personality trait no matter what you’re doing.

6.      Remember to keep things relevant. If you were reading this article, and knew from the headline that it would contain tips about building a community online, and suddenly there were paragraphs about my dog’s fear of thunderstorms, you’d be pretty confused, right? That’s because how my dog feels during rain has nothing to do with steps in building community. It’s something you might find out being IN a community with me, as I talk about my dog all the time, but it has no relevance here. You might get sidetracked once in a while, but try to keep your voice and message consistent and clear, and most importantly, relevant. People joined your community for a reason – don’t give them reasons to leave, or find it’s not what they wanted to be involved in when you came together.

7.      Be a community insider. You are a member of the community just as much as anyone else there is. Don’t look at it as being any different – share successes of members of the community, comment on things they share with you, join conversations.

8.      Bring online, offline. As you grow and get to know your community, see if you can meet anyone for coffee. Do you travel for work often, as I do? Even better! Now you’ve got the opportunity to meet even more people! I like to organize “Tweet-Ups” in each city I visit, so not only do I get the chance to meet more people in person, but other members of the community get to meet each other. You’ll be surprised how many people live in the same city and don’t ever meet up. I like to bring together, and it’s always so much fun!

9.      Try to have an attitude of gratitude. At the end of the day, your brand is nothing without people that like it and support it. So why not continually remember that, and always strive to make those people feel as important as they are? Surprise gifts are fun, but not always necessary. Inherently, people like to be acknowledged. Don’t you? I know I do. A simple thank you isn’t always so simple to some people, it means a lot more than you think.

10.   Remember to always monitor the community. If you aren’t paying attention to certain metrics, how do you know if your community is growing and thriving? How will you know what you’re doing well within the community and what more people would like to see you doing?

I wish Top 10 Lists were about 20 items longer. I’m so passionate about the communities I’m fortunate to be involved in and would love to say so much more! For now though, I’d love to hear what YOU have found – what makes your community great? How did you begin to grow it? What have you learned from your community that you didn’t know before you started?

Here's a shot from a recent Tweet-Up in LA!

You Could At Least Have Bought Me Dinner

As a blogger, I often find it hard to price my services. I find it easier when it comes to marketing and PR, but harder when it comes to giving out quotes for social media and blogging. Although it might not seem like it, the days of working as a full time social media person or blogger are still relatively quite new. There are as many variables as there are people looking for work – engagement rates, social media following numbers, conversion numbers, reach, what topics you write about with authority, what brands you have worked with – the list is almost never ending. 

Dinner in Exchange for Work?

I also find that because so many people see this as a way to be “livin’ the life,” i.e. working from home, seeming to set your own hours, looking at it as getting to be your own boss – prices fluctuate all over the board. Add to the equation, not everyone writes or creates content as their full time job. Bloggers and people that work as social media community managers and consultants rarely discuss their pricing with others – perhaps this is to remain competitive, or maybe it’s to avoid competition and bidding wars altogether.

Outside of blogging and social media, there are not many other industries where people would see no problem with asking someone to work for free, guest blogging, or helping with marketing plan writing or design…I had a handyman come over today to hang some pictures, install a couple locks and make a plan to put a fence in my backyard, and it would never occur to me to say to him, “Thanks for spending two hours here. I’ve got a soda to offer you, cool?” It would never cross my mind that he wouldn’t expect to be paid, so why do we, as bloggers and community managers?

I’m not sure I’ve got the right answer to this. I do, however, have a ton of questions that come to mind when I think about it. I’ll be asking you these questions during this Monday’s #contentchat (June 22^nd, 2pm CST). I’d like to get YOUR thoughts on things like:

1.      Is low self-esteem an inherent trait in bloggers? Those that work in social media? Why else wouldn’t we feel strong enough to demand we’re paid what we’re worth?

2.      Is there ever a time it’s ok NOT to be paid?

3.      Is there any truth to the statement, “I am not yet expecting to be paid while I’m growing my readership” ?

4.      Why do friends think it’s ok to ask us to write for them for free? My friend is a lawyer, should I ask him to take on whatever case I might one day have, and represent me for free? Maybe for a free lunch, in exchange for all the hours he will spend on my case? (not to mention the cost that he incurred while attending law school, in order to put himself into a position TO help me)

5.      Does it make you feel good if people ask you to do blogging or consulting for them, but don’t offer to pay you? Does it make you feel like a ‘thought leader?’

6.      Is it just too hard to say “NO?”

I feel that as bloggers, and people that are regularly engaged on social media, we are already sharing a lot of our knowledge or “secret sauce” items that we’ve learned along the way, and picked up via experience working in the field. Why, then, do people still want to “go to lunch and pick your brain?” If they find what you have to offer so valuable, why would they expect us to simply give away what we do for a living?

On the flipside, how would our paying clients feel, after finding out we’re doing work for ‘friends’ for free? Wouldn’t that jeopardize all our other business relationships?

My biggest “problem” is that I love to help people. I love the moment of discovery when you realize that something you’ve said or shared gives them their lightbulb moment. So I can, at times, find myself in a position of sitting at “lunch” with people and freely sharing, only to feel later on down the road that perhaps I’d been taken advantage of.

I can’t wait to further discuss this with everyone in #ContentChat Monday! I hope you’ll join me – I’m sure a lot of us have experienced this very thing, yes?

5 Steps Towards Getting Started in Social Media

I love social media. That comes as a surprise to no one, I’m sure! I have met some of my closest friends through social media – some that I have never even met in person….yet.  I have also brought brands to acquisition by building up their social media networks and taking that marketing offline. There are so many ways to use social media daily both in your life and your business, you really are cheating yourself out of some truly amazing relationships and experiences if you’re not invested in it.

If I were to tell you to go learn how to play guitar, you’d know how to do it. You have seen people play guitar, you know what a guitar looks like, and you have the ultimate goal already decided: play guitar. You know you could find people that already play that you admire or are friends with that you could ask, “What kind of guitar do you suggest I get?” or “Do you have any teachers in this area that you’d recommend I start taking classes from?” You could even get onto YouTube or find another source of How to Videos, and start immediately. You wouldn’t overthink it, and though it might seem overwhelming at first, you’d just start.

I believe you look at getting started in social media much the same way. You have seen people do it, you know plenty of people that do it and do it well that you can ask for advice, and though it seems overwhelming, you are ready to just start. The hardest part about starting something new, is that you don’t know what you don’t know, so you don’t always know what to ask people, or how to ask for help. Luckily, social media is one of the biggest topics these days, and you can Google and read articles and advice ad infinitum on how to start, and how to create your first social media plan. Overthinking it is natural, and while you will tell yourself many times to simplify your thinking on it, it still creeps up, even years down the road. That’s ok!

Though you didn’t quite ask for MY advice, you’re still reading this blog, so I’m more than happy to share how I would recommend you get started. While this is in no means an exhaustive list, I hope it is a great jumping off point to get you started on an amazing adventure!

Step 1: Examine Your Motivations & Set Goals

When I ‘want’ to do something, I always ask myself a bunch of questions before I start. Then, I use those answers to help me make a plan. At this point, you might want to ask yourself:

·        Why do you want to get into social media?

·        Do you want to use social media to stay in touch with people? (This is how I got started, I’d moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, and found social media was a great way to stay in touch with people from back home)

·        Are you going to use social media personally or for your business?

·        Do you want to be seen as an “influencer?” (I’d examine that motive, and suggest not going into it with that specific goal in mind)

·        Do I want to help people?

·        Do I have something to offer?

·        Am I introducing a new product to the market/creating brand awareness?

·        Would I like to create more loyal customers?

Then you will want to ensure you have the TIME and resources to put towards achieving your goals. If you are starting this for a business, you might need to hire people that have experience working in social media if you, yourself do not have the time to create meaningful relationships.

Step 2: Pick Your Platforms

Choose the platforms that best fit your goals. You don’t have to be everywhere, and in fact, you don’t WANT to be everywhere or spread yourself too thin. When choosing the ‘right’ social media networks for YOU, remember that it’s personal to each person. What works for me might never work for you.

The most important way to pick a platform, in my experience, has been the same whether I’m using social media personally or for business. Find where your people already are. If it’s for your personal use, what platforms are your friends using? Where can you find most of them? If this is a business account you are creating, where are your customers talking about your brand the most?

Step 3: Make a Profile on Your Social Networks

This is where the questions in Step 1 will come in handy. Once you have examined your motivations, only you know how clear they are. When you are filling out your profiles, I would suggest being as open, honest and transparent as possible. While that might not be for everyone, I find it works best FOR everyone. Would YOU want to interact with someone and begin developing a deep relationship, only to find out months down the road that they aren’t in any way who you thought they were?

I tend to naturally write like I speak, so I use language in my profiles that sound like the same ‘me’ you would meet if you were to pick up the phone and call me. I think that helps people relate and find similarities to me, and that (hopefully!) makes it easier to engage with me.

The best part about creating your profile? Once you hit “publish,” it doesn’t immediately get put into the Smithsonian. You are always able to adapt, pivot and change any part of your profiles at any time. As you change, your profiles and network will as well.

Step 4: Start Posting!

We can look at content strategy in another blog, but for now, as you are first starting out, it’s important to dive in. You will need to find your voice and what works best for you about what posts resonate with your community, what times they are online and able to see what you are posting, how many times each day you should post, etc. Have you ever tried to learn a new language? I’ll bet you didn’t do it simply by reading books about it – I’d be willing to bet that you learned the most once you just started trying to converse with people in that new language. Social Media, being online, isn’t as different as people make it sound from your life offline.

There are as many posts about what to post, when and where as there are people using social media. While some of that could be helpful, what is going to be MOST helpful I believe, is to hear this: Find what works for YOU.

Look at studies. Some will say visuals get more interactions than any others. Some will say use 11 hashtags on Instagram. Some will say never use visuals and don’t use more than 3 hashtags on Instagram. You get to choose what you will follow and you will learn what “to do” the more you use each platform.

What works for ME? I try to ask myself for each post:

·        Is this helpful?

·        Is this relevant?

·        Is this useful?

Then, I listen. A LOT. People on social media are some of the most honest when it comes to giving you’re their thoughts, feedback and advice. If you honestly listen, without judgment, you can find out whatever you need to know.

Step 5: Always Be Testing

You will hear a LOT about “A/B Testing,” to me, that means “Always Be Testing.” Remember when you set goals in Step 1? How will you ever know if you have achieved your goals, if you don’t analyze what you are doing?

There are free tools you can use to analyze each post and there are more in-depth paid resources out there. Again, find what works for YOU. I have start-up clients that don’t have the budget for fancy reporting tools, and we’ve been able to get just as much information out of the free options.

What analytics should you be looking at? Again, this depends on your goal. Some that you might want to look at are:

·        Shares, retweets, favorites, likes and comments

·        Do you get more interaction on posts when you use an image or when you don’t?

·        Does using a video in your post help get more engagement, than simply posting text?

·        What are the top 3 topics your community responds to most?

·        It this working? Are you getting closer to your original goals?

I’d love to hear how YOU got into Social Media, what works best for you, and what you would add to this list! Please tweet me @lucyrk78 or post a comment and let me know?

 

 

Branding: What Does Transparency Mean, Anyway?

I have been in quite a few Twitter chats lately either focused on “transparency” for brands, or where the idea of transparency has come up. More often than not, I have watched people struggle with the meaning behind this term. While transparency for branding is not a new idea by any means, social media has done a great job, especially lately, in forcing brands to embody transparency and show a bit more of who they are, and how much they share authentically with their communities.

Who do we buy from? I’m willing to bet that 100% of the time, we buy from people and companies that we trust. I highly doubt that you would buy from someone that you have heard conducts bad business, or from a company known to cheat people. Trust is what businesses are built on, and what leads to engaged consumers that become repeat buyers. Transparency allows consumers to begin to get to know companies a bit more deeply, and if they believe in what they are coming to know, trust has already begun to form with that brand.

So what is transparency? Is it letting the public know what the CEO of the company is being paid, or trade secrets that make up the “special sauce” of each of the brands products? No. There is still a line between transparency and giving out classified info, and smart consumers know this. They know there are certain things that are solely between the stakeholders and founders, while there are is increasingly more that they CAN let the public “in on. When brands first began tweeting, we didn’t know who was sitting at their computer typing out the tweets. Today we do get to know the “face behind the brand,” and brand messages aren’t just about what the company is offering. Today we get to know how the employees of the brand spend their free time, and why they like their job at that company (and sadly for some brands, as we’ve seen, why some employees absolutely hate their jobs and are simply there for a paycheck). It makes it easier today to support brands you believe in, not just because they make a good product, but because they’re also a good company. Transparency can often make the difference between us choosing one brand over another, when they both have nearly identical products and price points.

 How does a brand learn to open up a little more and let a bit more of their teams personalities show through to their community?

·        Tell the truth: transparent brands admit when they’ve made a mistake, or sent out an errant tweet, or put out a marketing campaign that has missed the mark. They don’t ignore it, or delete it, or hope it just goes away. They own up to their mistakes and let their audience know how they will go about fixing the error and changing for the future. Oftentimes what may seem like a mistake that will cost them their business, can be easily forgiven by how well they recover and transparently engage with their community on what went wrong and what they will do to fix it.

·        Engage with open communication: Transparent brands don’t send out broadcasts all day, but rather they take the time to respond to tweets and messages people are sending to them. They make themselves available, even if it’s not on whatever editorial calendar they are working from. They pivot and change and adapt to what the community is asking for and letting the brand know they need, and they do their best to give those answers or resources to their audience.

·        Be a source for your community/consumers: By honestly listening to what your community is asking for and being in the right places where they are talking about what they need, brands are then able to give that information to them. If brands can openly and honestly discuss their corporate identity, their policies and their values, consumers can further realize they can trust this brand to focus on their needs, and help with their decision-making. Employees in a transparent company are accessible and there to truly help their community.

In this “digital age,” transparency helps keeps companies accountable. With more eyes than ever watching a brands every move on social media, “truth will out” faster than it ever has before. HOW a company does things is more important than WHAT it does, today.

It continues to be increasingly apparent that people trust recommendations from people they know more than any other form of marketing such as advertisements. Our trust increases when we see and believe in the transparency of a brand.

Why is every company not transparent? Are companies scared to be too transparent? I believe companies should be more scared NOT to be.

What are your thoughts? What brands do you see "doing transparency right?" Tweet me @lucyrk78 and let me know!

 

20 Things Chicagoans Never Say

 

1.      It’s 2am. There won’t be a line at Garrett’s.

2.      I’ve never had deep dish pizza.

3.      There’s 2 feet of snow and a lawn chair at the curb. I wonder why?

4.      Freeway.

5.      Let’s take the 90. Unlike our friends in the West, we’re on a last name basis with our expressways.

6.      Yes, I’d love to spend the day on Michigan Avenue!

7.      Want to get Superdawg? I can just run in and pick it up. Why sit in the car?

8.      I don’t own a North Face.

9.      Who’s Billy Dec?

10.   Let’s grab lunch at Taste of Chicago. It’ll be fun.

11.   What windchill?

12.   I never put on weight in the winter.

13.   Wait til next year? Nah. We’re goin’ all the way THIS year!

14.   I sure wish I could find a Starbucks.

15.   Jay Cutler totally deserved that contract.

16.   Michael who?

17.   I’ve never dated a guy with a beard.

18.   What do you mean “The Mob?”

19.   The Dan Ryan? Easiest way to get around the city.

20.   Earthquake!

Michelle Has Blown Into Chic-ago!

This past Thursday night, Blowtique, Chicago’s premier blow-out only salon as featured in Vogue’s recent “Best Dressed” Issue, introduced Michelle Sparkling Wine to press and tastemakers in Chic-ago. Guests enjoyed her company along with tasty macarons, complimentary blow-dry styles, custom nail files, door prizes, and a gift basket raffle benefitting Locks of Love, which has for fifteen years provided prosthetic human hairpieces to children and young adults who have lost their own hair from any diagnosis, disease or accident.

 

Michelle is a fresh take on the sparkling wines of Domaine Ste. Michelle, who have been crafting highly acclaimed, quality wines in Washington State for more than 35 years. 

Michelle is flirty, feminine and fun, featuring refine cuvees crafted in the traditional method champenoise style from winemaker Rick Casqueiro.

Michelle comes to the party in three styles sourced from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes in Washington’s Columbia Valley. Predominantly a blend of the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Michelle Brut features delicate flavors of apples and citrus with vibrant acidity. Michelle Extra Dry is a slightly sweeter wine with notes of cream and a toasty finish. Michelle Brut Rose is a medium-dry sparkling blush wine made predominantly from Pinot Noir grapes, with soft impressions of berries. “We enhanced the cuvees for more body and concentration,” Casqueiro explains. “The wines are elegant, with bright flavors, beautiful structure and crisp acidity.” Michelle’s newly and stylishly dressed as well – in an elegant bottle shape labeled in white with soft pastel accents of pink and blue.

 ABOUT MICHELLE

Michelle by Domaine Ste. Michelle is the largest producer of sparkling wines in Washington State. The winery has crafted highly acclaimed wines for over 35 years since the wines were introduced in 1978. Michelle wines are crafted using the traditional method champenoise technique. The winery offers a Brut, Brut Rose and Extra Dry Sparkling Wine.

 

ABOUT BLOWTIQUE CHIC-AGO

Blowtique is Chicago’s PREMIER blow-out only salon as featured in Vogue’s recent Best Dressed Issue! Catering to the locks that make Chicago fabulous, Blowtique introduces patrons to the idea that a blow-out can be as convenient and as accessible as a polish change. From “the Sunset” to “the 5^th Avenue” (and every stylish street in between), Blowtique tames the manes of women everywhere!

ABOUT LOCKS OF LOVE

ocks of Love, a public non-profit organization that provides vacuum fitted hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. They meet a unique need for children by using donated human hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. Others have suffered severe burns or injuries or endured radiation treatment to the brain stem or other dermatological conditions that result in permanent hair loss. The vacuum fit is designed for children who have experienced a total loss of scalp hair and does not require the use of tape or glue. The prostheses they provide help to restore self-esteem and confidence, enabling these children to face the world and their peers. The organization, which began operation in 1998, provides the prostheses to children under the age of 21. These hairpieces require between 6-10 ponytails and take approximately 3-4 months to manufacture. Thousands of bundles of donated hair arrive as a result of the national publicity that Locks of Love receives in newspapers, magazines and television programs. It is estimated that children comprise over 80% of the donors, making this a charity where children have an opportunity to help children.

 

Why Chicago Is > Los Angeles

 

 

 

1.       Chicagoans will tell you like it is. Though this may not always be want you want to hear, they’re not telling you what they think you want to hear, or what they think will advance their position in some way with you. They’ll speak the truth.

2.       If a Chicagoan asks you “What’s new?” or “How was your day?” they will sit and listen to hear your answer. It’s not just a space/time filler question when a Chicagoan takes the time to engage you. They won’t ask you the question then proceed to tell you about themselves, or check their phone, or aimlessly play with their phone to avoid hearing your answer.

3.       Chicagoans are real people. We’re not all the same size, with the same “latest” hairdo and clothing. Chicagoans are who they are, and are comfortable with who they are (for the most part). When you look into a Chicagoans face, you can see that they’re having thoughts. Actually thinking, right there in front of you. Not just looking you up and down, comparing your thigh size to theirs, your dress size to their own, seeing how they are better than you, guessing how much money you make and what you do, and thinking how sad it is that you have to work in the first place.

4.       If you’re in Chicago and a native asks you out to dinner, know that you can actually eat said dinner at the designated time. Your dinner partner won’t simply be consuming water or a side salad or booze and claim that they’re “too full” from those items to eat anything else. The native won’t have spent the last hour eating alone in hiding in their apartment so they won’t be hungry at the dinner, and no one will see them eating.

5.       “Nobody walks in LA?” Well everybody walks in Chicago. Even if it’s raining. Even if it’s snowing. Even if it’s hot. Why? Because we’re human, and humans walk. Don’t tell anyone, but humans even sweat when walking in the heat. I know, Angelinos, I’ve just given up one of your biggest secrets, but it’s gotta be said sometime. Another reason why? Because Chicagoans know that their “walking outdoors days” are often numbered due to weather that will surely come, so they take advantage of the time they can spend out of doors.

6.       Chicago. Is. Beautiful. Not artificially beautiful with pretty trees flown in and forced to survive in a desert they’re not accustomed to, but with true beauty. With a gigantic natural lake and a beautiful skyline.

7.       Chicagoans know that good things come to those that….wait for it….work for it. Not simply those that are born into it.

8.       Chicagoans work. They’re not afraid to get a little dirty on their (non) designer clothes. You won’t ever sit in traffic at random times of the day not moving an inch in your car wondering, “why is everyone on the road right now? Why isn’t anyone working?” Because everyone will be.

9.       Chicago isn’t afraid to show it’s age. We’ve got historical buildings and a rich history of mobsters and fire that people are all too excited to share with a newbie. Not everything was “just built” and looks it.

10.   People who live in Chicago love living in Chicago. If you happened into Chicago on any given day, you might think it was “Chicago Pride Day” as the majority of the people you pass will be wearing clothes with their favorite Chicago sports team’s logo emblazoned across the front, or a Wrigley shirt of some sort, or simply the Chicago flag (and some will even have said flag permanently inked somewhere on their body). You won’t overhear the majority of people complaining about the city or the people or the fakeness or saying, “At least the weather’s great,” in hopes of trying to convince themselves, along with the person they’re speaking with that they haven’t made the mistake of their lives moving to this city. Yes, we all complain about the winter, but then, guess what? Spring comes. Every year. Like clockwork. You can even (literally) set your watch to it, so to speak. And just like that, you’re back with nothing to complain about. Except the sales tax.