Why I can't quit Twitter, yet

Rihanna’s halftime show. The Grammy’s hip hop tribute. Damar Hamlin’s injury on a Monday night. The White Lotus finale.

During cultural moments like these, Twitter is still the place I want to be while witnessing the action live.

No other social media platform has yet to provide a live, second screen experience the rivals twitter, especially during live sporting events.

Watching news and commentary live is 100% what keeps me on the bird app. The sense of community it provides during cultural moments that we’re all watching collectively makes it special. The live news stream is like a colour commentator watching along side us. Being on Twitter during live events is like watching television with all your most interesting friends in the same room. Or attending a lecture of a mentor or creator you’ve always wanted to hear speak.

This sense of community twitter fosters is why what’s happening to the rest of it is so sad. :(

Feeling the same. Still seeing real time tweets but the 2nd screen behavior hasn’t been there for monoculture moments for a while.

Super Bowl might be the exception? https://t.co/1dz7YvHm3B

— Michael J. Miraflor (@michaelmiraflor) February 6, 2023

To be crystal clear, hate speech should never tolerated, online or off. And the proliferation of it on my favourite platform is disgusting. Likewise, the bots, the fakes, the “who knows what else is being created” by evil people (governments or not), is also really, really concerning. In a world where trust and truth are hard to come by, these bad actors are trying to flood our town halls with evil to keep us from congregating.

And sadly, it seems to be working. During live events our timelines are being sucked of relevant tweets to join the conversation. Even sadder, lately it seems some of my well-curated sports timeline has just moved along from the app all together. And don’t get me started on the “For You” tab. It’s so disappointing to watch Twitter let “the algorithm” curate our feeds based on engagement, instead of in real time like we’ve all come to love.

So hey Twitter, could you maybe clean up your act just a smidge? We all just want our online water cooler back so we can hang out again.

What I'm looking forward to this February

I’m a few days late on here, but I’m holding myself accountable to look towards the positive for our new month. Reflecting back for a moment on January…

Six on Tour was AMAZING. Full of girl power and cast that oozed charisma, it was 80 minutes of fun, and the soundtrack is constantly streaming in my home. My Apple watch challenge for January was 17 outdoor walks and I managed to complete it! The fresh air and sunshine was a godsend for my mental health to kick off the new year. And we really lucked out with some mild weather (which I never thought I’d be grateful for!). I know we won’t get this lucky in February. The one thing I didn’t get to in January was soup! But I’m looking forward to digging into my cookbooks this month, or maybe try one of these.

1. Our Blooming Youth. I’ll always make time for a new Park Hyung-Sik drama, especially if its a romance! This will be the perfect cozy treat during the week.

2. All the rom coms! I’m not as pumped for the Superbowl or the Grammy’s as I have been in years past, but what I am pumped for is all the rom-coms that release this month. I love the frothy escape they provide and I’m especially excited for the Reese/Ashton one.

3. 6pm sunsets. Give me all the daylight! The perks of being on the west side of EST is our late sunsets. Soon I’ll be able to get in more walks after work as the sun sets later, and I can’t wait. soon i’ll get more walk after works.

4. Retreat Fashion. It’s corporate retreat month at my job. These days have a tendency to be a lot for my introverted self, but the one positive they do offer is a chance to play with fashion. Playing with a more relaxed silhouette sounds fund, and I’m excited to see what I come up with.

5. A day off! Speaking of said retreats - I’m treating myself to a day off shortly after one of them. I’m excited to decompress, maybe catch up with a friend, and have a well-deserved ME day.

6. Valentine’s Day Candy - on my unofficial candy rankings, Valentine’s Day candy comes in at a solid #2. Easter, of course, is number one, (mini-eggs, DUH), but the plethora of dark chocolate the Valentine’s Day brings to the table is second to none. Isn’t dark chocolate the kind that’s good for you too?

Why January is the most important month for your email list

There's no denying that email is the number one channel for revenue. A busier than normal holiday season sent email volumes through the roof, from discounts and deals from our favourite retailers, to last second appeals from nonprofits we love. As consumers and donors, we've been conditioned to gobs and gobs of email is November and December. We expect it, embrace it, and know in January that we'll eventually delete all of it. 

But what we sometimes forget is that email is a relationship channel. It's not a push notification, and it's definitely not a tweet, it's one corner of the internet where we expect personalization and are actually okay with it. So while chasing ROI and the highs that coming with it might be enticing, cultivating a relationship with our consumers and donors should be our number priority for email, and there's no better month to start that than the month of January.

Here are some reasons why January is the time to do so.

“Dads at Sephora” - aka new non-traditional donors and consumers

Doesn’t it feel good heading into a New Year with a bunch of new email subscribers? Ask yourself this, how many new donors or consumers fit into a non-traditional profile of your subscribers? Enter the Dad’s at Sephora example. The Stripe Facebook Group, hosted by Grace Atwood, had a thread recently where readers shared what gifts (with links) were okay to send to family members to purchase for the holidays. One reader mentioned how easy online shopping at Sephora was for her Dad, she sent him the exact link to the product she wanted, he purchased it easily, and it arrived and was gifted to her with no problem. Great, right? But then she went on to mention that her Dad forwarded the purchase follow-up email from Sephora with instructions on how to use the actual product. This “how to use your new stuff” follow-up email is genius, but is Dad really the one that should be receiving it?

As marketers, how can we learn that our shopper was “Dad at Sephora”? How do we know our new donor only donated because they were supporting a peer? Use your January communications to ask these relationship building questions. You’ll find ways to connect, nurture and steward these non-traditional subscribers, which might open up new, untapped revenue streams down the line.

Breaking through the New Year’s Resolution-ers

How many of us have made a resolution in the past to get organized? To reduce clutter? To get our sh*t together? And how many times has our inbox been included in this resolution?

It’s no secret that January is unsubscribe season. Which we might not think is a big deal coming off the high of a successful holiday season, that is until next year’s holiday revenue targets come out and we really wish we could get all those subscribers back.

That’s why your January communications should be about VALUE. For non-profits, show your donors how their gift is creating capacity to impact new things for those you serve and thank them for it. For consumers, show them products that can supplement or work with a previous purchase, to create longer value out of their investment. Whatever you send, make sure it shows you value the time of your subscriber reading it, so that they find value in your messages and relationship and stay subscribed.

Make your first impression full of expectations

You only get one first impression.

That phrase wouldn’t have been around forever if it wasn’t true. Consider your first message of the year your reader’s first impression of you for the new year. Sending a donation appeal first thing? Your readers will assume you’ll be asking for money all year long. Pushing new products? Your emails will essentially become window shopping until it’s time for your reader to make a purchase (hopefully with you).

This January, why not tell your reader’s what they can expect from you this year? Share with them how you hope to inspire and encourage them, how together you’ll help them achieve a goal. And most importantly, share that this is a journey we’re on together.

What I'm looking forward to this January

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Intentions. Resolutions. Goals. Whatever.

In year’s past I’ve waltzed into the New Year with grandiose plans to try new things. Sometimes these things have worked, other times they’ve been derailed by me, by external forces, and even a global pandemic.

This year I’m taking a new approach. Instead of tackling a year full of (unattainable) goals, instead I’m going to attempt something much more positive. Writing down a handful of things I’m looking forward to monthly. From upcoming events, to new tv shows, to even rest and relaxation, creating the habit of a monthly check-in sounds a lot more feasible to me, and a lot less stressful.

Here’s what I’m looking forward to this January:

• SIX! I wavered this year on getting Broadway in Columbus season tickets again, but this is the show that ultimately triggered my renewal. I can’t wait to finally see it.

• A Haircut. I was lucky enough to snag a hair appointment with my stylist for early January during my Boxing Week Break and I couldn’t be more exited. There’s nothing like starting the new year with a fresh trim.

• Winter Outdoor Walks. I love cold weather walks. The crisp air and frigid temps put a huge spring in my step, and the faster pace puts a huge smile on my face. As good as these walks are for my physical health, these winter ones are even better for my mental health.

• Fresh planners and calendars. I love the smell of fresh school supplies - new notebooks and planners were one of my favourite things about going back to school each fall. The New Year is now my return to school, and I’m looking forward to the blank slate new planners and calendars provide.

• Sunsets Getting Later. I’ve never been an early riser, I’ve tried and failed miserably 700 bazillion times to be one. But the one thing I do look forward to every January is the sun setting later. The race to get home before its dark isn’t as rushed, and often gives me the opportunity to spend a little bit more time outside.

• Soup Season! I love soup. It’s cozy, filling and warm and the perfect meal when its cold. I’m excited dig out my dutch over and cook some of my old faves (this one, this one) and try out a few new recipes as well.

• No-pressure evenings. After the craziness of the holiday season, I’m looking forward to cozy evenings on the couch this month. A cup of tea, a warm blanket, and a good book or tv show sound like the perfect low-key evening for this month.
  
  

Favourite Purchases of 2022

One of the reasons I love shopping so much is the chance to discover something new. A new piece of fashion, a new beauty product, even a trip to a new destination all provide the opportunity to try something and even transform into something new.

Without further ado, here are some of my favourite purchases of 2022.

1. Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray: during the summer heat and after a weeklong trip to Canada where masks were still mandated, my skin started to FREAK. OUT. I had been watching Katie Jane Hughes use this spray in her instagram stories for awhile and pulled the trigger on trying it. This stuff lives up to its name, it calmed the freakouts on my skin, balanced it back to normal, and now has become a staple item in my morning skincare routing. Highly recommend.

2. Coldplay Music of the Spheres Concert tickets: when one of my favourite bands schedules a show for my birthday, its a no-brainer that I’ll purchase tickets no matter where they play. Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres show was a transcendant experience, three hours of the band’s hit songs coupled with a light show the rivals any other. The trek to Atlanta made it all the more special, with a chance to re-explore and fall back in love with a city I hadn’t visited in years.

3. Zara Wool Blend Black Maxi Skirt: yes I inadvertently purchased the maxi that went viral on Instagram, but it’s so easy to see why. A sturdy suited material, a flattering mid-rise waist and belt loops (!) made this maxi skirt one of the most versatile pieces in my wardrobe this fall. It was effortless to style, dressed up comfy everyday basics, and added a dose to posh and confidence to all my WFO looks.

4. Kindersalmon Mia Oversized Bag: I LOVE my hybrid work schedule, but it does require quite a bit of schlepping of stuff back-and-forth during the week. And while I love a structured leather bag for the office, I just couldn’t handle a work bag that literally weighed me down multiple times a week. I came across this oversized hobo while browsing one of my favourite online shops earlier this year and I couldn’t hit purchase fast enough. It’s lightweight, yet classic, and the touch of leather provides the polish to take this into any boardroom I need to travel too.

5. La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 60 Sunscreen Stick: once you own a sunscreen stick, you never, ever have an excuse to leave the house without it again. I picked this stick up at Shopper’s Drug Mart in Canada upon recommendation of one of their beauty advisors, and I’m already researching how to repurchase it without crossing the border because I love it so much much. It makes applying sunscreen so easy, but even better, the sunscreen wears like a dream for workouts. It’s thick but not greasy, and best of all doesn’t run down your face at the first sign a sweat.