Welcome to my website

Welcome to Jessica Hart’s website.  Here you will get a glimpse into the mind of Jessica Hart.  This may be anything from career oriented perspectives, nifty case studies or just daily happenings.  Thanks for visiting and come back often!

Building Strong Relationships

I had the misfortune this week to be completely burned (for lack of better words) by someone I had given the chance to trust.  It kinda hurt, but mainly just made me feel miffed and concerned that I would be more skeptical over trusting people that come into my life.  But, I believe in giving everyone a chance and to think the best in each individual.  Only after I’ve been proven wrong, will I be less trusting of the particular offender.  Although it would be great to trust one explicitly off the bat, it just doesn’t happen due to past experiences.  A relationship, whether professional or personal, is something that must be nurtured over time and proven through actions, not words.

Maintaining a strong relationship amongst clients is important to me for the sake of business and my reputation, as well as my moral views.   Starting a new business relation is fun and exciting, because you both see the possibilities for success, but you also enter with a bit of caution to protect the business you’ve created.  Over time, that relationship matures and each party knows what to expect.  That’s when it becomes fun.  Each knows what has happened in the past and how to proceed with the present.  But, take caution.  If you damage that relationship with false promises, or lack of communication, the relationship can be destroyed.  This can be just as true for a brand and its consumers.

Here are some obvious tips that many just seem to overlook:

1.  Communication:  To me, communication is #1.  Without it, assumptions may be made for the worse.  Keeping open communication is important.  You have to let them know what’s going on with their project and their brand.  Letting a client know the status of a project means a lot to them and is pretty quick and simple to complete.   Part of this involves contacting your clients back in a timely manner.  Even if you just don’t want to, call or email them back!  Especially if they’re upset.  It’s hard to face someone when things aren’t going well, but returning the call to someone who has had a bad day may just turn their day around.  Think of yourself becoming their hero.  A returned call shows maturity and the willingness to continue on.  Showing someone that you can stick with them not only through the good, but also the bad will increase their trust in you.

2.  Integrity:  Be honest.  If something happened, just tell them the truth.  It’s so much easier to keep up with the truth and you’ll be respected more for having the courage to share it.  It also keeps them from wondering when you’re telling them a lie.

3.  Follow through:  If you say you’re going to do it, do it!  The moment you promise something, write it down in whatever note or to-do system you keep.  If you don’t have a system, I encourage you to find one.  If you don’t know when something can’t be completed, don’t make something up.  Instead, tell them you’ll have to get back to them by a specific time to let them know when they can expect it.  It’s something small to you but something big to them.  Actions speak louder than words.  If your actions don’t match your words, you will not be taken serious for long.

4.  Set expectations:  If you promise your clients something you can’t deliver or can’t deliver on time, you loose face with them.  It’s more important to set reasonable expectations with them.  It will not only develop a strong business relationship, but also keep you from loosing sleep over a project with unreasonable timelines.  Often, they have no idea what is involved in the creation of a project (that’s not their job) and therefore assume an early delivery.  It’s up to you to let them know what a reasonable expectation is for the sake of your team.  It’s also important to remind them what is within scope.  This is part of that communication process.

5.  Humility: Leave your ego at the door.  Especially when you’ve miscommunicated or misstepped.  It happens.  We’re all human.  It’s how you handle yourself when you do that keeps the relationship going.  To let someone know that you were wrong and to apologize shows maturity.  That’s when they will let you know they understand and appreciate your honesty and how you handle yourself.  If you act as if you did nothing wrong, you’ll loose respect and could ultimately loose your client.

A strong client relation is just part of reputation management that is so important.  What have you found has helped or even hurt your relationships and reputation?

-Jessica Hart

Southwest Air keeps the conversation going

Through difficult times and a decrease in travel, Southwest Airlines has proven to remain strong with continued brand loyalty.  How?  They continue to speak with and not to their customers.  Yes, the free bag check and low fares help.  Yes, they have great customer service.  But, it’s the on going discussion they maintain with their customers that reinforces that brand identity.  Check out their Twitter page, Facebook page or Blog and notice the constant engagement they cultivate.

This communication is what helped them avoid a damaging image when an incidence occurred with Kevin Smith earlier this year.  Through careful PR and use of Twitter, they were able to keep colorful comments at bay which were posted on Twitter by someone that has well over 1 million followers.  Kudos to Southwest.  I’m looking forward to seeing the next controversy you manage. 

Team in Training

One of my hobbies during my free time has been to train with Team in Training while raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  I went to a “kickoff party” this evening at the House of Blues where the alumni could sign up for the next season of events.  This time, I’ve decided to train for an Olympic Triathlon!  I will be doing the SuperSeal Triathlon in Coronado, California on March 27,2011.  Training begins some where toward the middle or end of November, so I’ll post my progress later.

Last week, we were asked if we could share our experience during the first season with Team in Training for tonight’s event, so I typed something out and wanted to share it for my posting for today.  If you are interested in seeing what Team in Training is about and if you would want to take part, please contact your local chapter.  You may find it at their website.

My running history in the past had been sporadic at best.  I was a swimmer in high school and a wakeboarder in college.  I used to run now and then until I sprained my ankle one fine day trail running and ended up in a boot for two months.  Needless to say, running was never considered my sport.  That all changed in the Fall of 2008, when a collision of personal events got me running again.  From there, I ran almost every day and raced my first 5k in under 30 minutes (that was an accomplishment in my eyes).  I had thought about training for a half marathon like my friend had that past Fall.  I just wasn’t sure how I was going to do that many miles by myself!  At about the same time in the Spring, I received a brochure about TNT in the mail.  It’s as if they were reading my mind!  I was thinking, hey, why not?!  Let’s stop thinking just about myself and focus on doing something good for others as well.  I had planned on going to an information meeting until I broke my wrist the day before.  So fast forward a couple of weeks.  My friend drove me to an information meeting held at Luke’s Locker in Dallas because I was on pain killers from a surgery that happened less than a week before.  That’s when I met Jenna and Kathy for the first time and they looked at me as if I were crazy with my soft cast and big (probably drug induced) smile.  I signed up right then.

Training started in May of 2009 which was when I was cleared by my surgeon to run again.  I was so excited and so nervous to be able to do three miles after not running for about two months.  I got to Run On, bought a new pair of shoes and ran with Adrienne.  I couldn’t believe I was able to do it!  From there, my mentor, Mark, talked me into training for a full marathon.  I agreed and started training.  I couldn’t believe how easily the mileage progression was week after week.  I was always nervous for the miles, because every week was the furthest I’ve ever ran.  But, with the support of fellow runners, friends, mentors and Coach Kathy, I completed it every week.  Talk about a runner’s high!

A lot had happened while I was training in those six months for the San Antonio Rock and Roll marathon.  I got both a boyfriend and a dog in that time.  Which, was an interesting change for me.  I hosted lots of fun fundraising parties and was always excited to see the donations accumulate in my fundraising account.  I sent out emails and facebook messages and couldn’t believe that people I didn’t even know would donate after seeing the link.  I started running every morning with an acquaintance that became a good friend.  And, I started to get to know several of the team members which I ran with every Saturday.  Later that Fall, my boyfriend’s brother fell ill and was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia on a Friday.  By that Monday, he passed away.  That was a real eye opener.  Originally, I had been running for myself and in the memory of my aunt that passed away 12 years ago from cancer.  Now, I remembered the real reason I was running.  Because this disease still exists and it still takes lives.

After a lot of hard work, my marathon finally came around.  My brother ran it with me and it was definitely a challenge.  But, I completed that challenge and I’m proud to say that challenge didn’t just include running 26.2 miles, but also fundraising $2,900 to benefit a great charity.  It reminded me that I can do anything I set my mind to with enough determination and hard work.  I found out how many people there were that truly cared and how many friends I had that supported me along the way.  The most surprising thing out of it was all the great friends I’ve made along the way.  Somehow, I thought that I was going into this alone and later realized that I really was a part of a team.  The people that join Team in Training are some awesome people to meet, and that alone, is reason enough to join.

Since then, I’ve run a half marathon in June 2010 and mentored for the Fall 2010 season.  Now, I plan to sign up for the Coronado Triathlon and start a whole new endeavor.  I’m excited to be a part of another team doing incredible things.

If you’d like to support my fundraising to fight cancer, please visit my fundraising website.

-Jessica Hart

Starbucks launches new Facebook app feature

This week, Starbucks announced a new way for its consumers to spend their money – through Facebook.  I’m already in love with the idea of registering one’s card to access additional benefits and attain a personalized gold card once a predetermined amount of visits have been made to the store.  Especially when said blogger is considered a member since 2005 on said card.  With the addition to their new feature on their Facebook application, that loyalty program just gained momentum.  The launch of this feature allows Facebookers to gift each other credit on their friends’ cards (when registered).  Ah ha!  That’s the catch.  One must register.  One must find out what this card is all about.  And once they do, they’ll become even stronger followers of the brand.

One thing I didn’t know about Starbucks until looking further into this, was that is part of a list of consumer driven ideas that spurred this initiative.  It was number 100 – “Buy a Friend a Beverage Remotely“.  That’s where we can learn from the big brands.  Not just the innovation, but true desire to maintain a dialogue and relationship with their consumers.  Listening, after all, is what makes us all happy.

-Jessica Hart

Location based apps

I read today that Foursquare is expected to hit four million users by the end of this week.  Now that’s mainly an assumption based on a source Mashable claims to have, but I’m sure it’s a pretty accurate one.  Foursquare was brought to my attention sometime last year and I have found it to be a pretty fun app that I’m increasingly using.

I also find myself recommending it to businesses that I’m in contact with more often because it’s a low cost platform that is trackable and can result in high returns. One can claim their business through a few steps on Foursquare (which they verify) and then have rights to publish specials in whichever way the business deams appropriate.  Currently, there is no cost to the business to host these specials, but they are advertised for free when a user checks in the location or a nearby location.  How perfect is that!  Location based advertising to a responsive audience on a platform that is not yet saturated. It’s also fairly new and many businesses aren’t even aware of Foursquare.  This is a hot app with much to offer and has yet to be flooded.  In addition to the ability to offer specials like free coffee to the mayor (Whole Foods in Austin does it), there are several other pros:

1. Brand advocacy of friends telling friends where to go and what’s good is key these days to building a reputable business.

2. Current analytics by Foursquare is helpful to business owners.

3. It’s a great way to establish relationships with those that come to your store.

4. Many tie in their twitter account.  Following those that come into your shop lets you know when they mention the company and the possibility to retweet or respond to a tweet.

5. It’s Free.

Larger companies can make use of Foursquare as well by building their own API or offering highly coveted badges for multiple check-ins.  I find myself trying to check in to as many Apple stores as possible for the Steve Jobs badge.  The History Channel has taken advantage of the coolness of this app and created a way to show historical areas close to a user’s position when they check in a nearby spot – but only if they friend the History Channel.

What’s next?  There are two apps that I’m keeping my eye on to see how they will evolve and if they gain the traction Foursquare has.

The first one is Foodspotting.  This is a site that users share images of good food they’ve found and enjoyed.  It’s currently an iPhone app and will be coming to the Android soon.  I’m excited about this because it’s location based and I love food!

The second location based app is Unsocial.  They market themselves as a “mobile application that connects you with business professionals in your proximity that you need to know.”  You are able to connect your LinkedIn account to the app.  It’s available for the iPhone and Android and will be coming shortly to the Blackberry as well.  It’s only available in San Francisco at the time being, so I can’t test it out yet.

Please let me know your experience with these location based apps and how they’ve helped your company or client.  Are there any other apps you would recommend?

-Jessica Hart

You can find me through Foursquare here.

Special thanks to Mashable for giving me certain insight and inspiration for today’s blog.

Jack gives cents

I’ve revisited the Jack in the Box facebook page to see how they are currently doing on their fan count.  Why should I care?  Other than just morbid curiosity, I care because they sent out an email campaign on October 6, 2010, incentivising people to join their facebook page.  They stated that they would put a nickel in a jar for every fan they receive and will then give away that amount to one lucky winner that enters the contest through said facebook page.  I managed to check it out on October 7, when they had over 100,000 fans.  They are currently close to 200,000 fans.  Increasing to 100,000 fans in 11 days is a substantial raise.  The contest closes on October 25, so let’s see what happens till then.  I’m interested to see just how many fans they receive and if it’s worth the campaign.  I’d also love to win that $10,000+, but that’s a long shot.

-Jessica Hart

Jack in the Box email

Jack in the Box Facebook page on 10.7.10

Jack in the Box Facebook page on 10.18.10

My love for Stila

Since I am just starting this blog, I was worried about how to start it.  What should I write?  I have lots of ideas for blog postings, but keep thinking the first few should be gems.  Then I thought, just write!  Every post will be a gem.  One category I’d like to fill out are brief case studies.  I love what some companies are doing with integrated marketing campaigns.  It’s important to straddle many platforms in a cohesive message.  The first example I’d like to present is Stila Cosmetics.  They’ve been doing a phenomenal job with that.  They slowly did a complete makeover on their site and messaging sometime over this past summer.  Since then, I’m tempted to buy more and more from them because of the engagement they keep with their consumers and potential consumers.  Let me show you.

It first started a little over a year ago when a friend told me about some great items Stila was having on sale.  I purchased their items and forever remained on their email list.  I’m the type that never unsubscribes from an email list unless they just do a terrible job with their emails.  So, they now send out an email every Thursday and every Friday.  Thursday introduces new items and Friday they provide a “sale” of sorts that they call “Friday Happy Hour”.  Some deals are better than others, but they always have something I really want to get.  Now it doesn’t stop there.

They continuously stay up to date with what’s going on through their Facebook, Blog, Twitter, YouTube and MySpace accounts.  They keep to relevant topics that include items such as makeup tips, trends and specials.  They’ve done a superb job on interacting with their consumers.  If you are going to have a social media presence, you should have follow-up.  Media such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. is not like a website, they are there to interact, to have a conversation.  My personal favorite are the tutorials on YouTube.  I by no means am a makeup expert – far from it.  So to see how to use all the new colors and tools they have, makes me more susceptible to purchasing it.

This email was sent out to remind me to check out the new facebook page and for me to fan it - which I did.

Check them out and see for yourself what great job they’ve been doing and try not to buy too much!

-Jessica Hart