BlogHer12 Pathfinder Day: Amy Jo Martin

Keynote Speaker: Amy Jo Martin

A boss asked Amy Jo Martin to pick from family, self, work – said she could only pick 2 because no one can do all 3.  Amy Jo quit the job and set out to find a way to make all 3 work.  She began working with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns  as their director of digital media and research.  She was essentially a pioneer  in the early days of entities such as professional sports figures leveraging social media and was behind the first ever professional sports tweetup with Shaquille O’Neal.  Amy Jo has shown how vital social media is to branding and how that branding must be humanized.  Here are my favourite nuggets from her talk:

You need to recognize innovation allergies (a  great expression for those who resist change) in those you’re attempting to reach.  Colour outside the lines without crossing the line.  You can be disruptive without being destructive.

“Show some skin.”  Get in front of your audience. Humans connect with humans not logos.  We want human interaction.  Humanize to monetize. ROI in Amy Jo’s terms = Return on influence. There is a direct correlation here.  When your ROI goes up, so does your monetization.

Unmask your motives.  Why are you doing what you are doing?  The idea is to connect with others who share your values…who believe what you believe.   People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. Have a clear purpose.  Diversify your value. What do your fans value?

Motivation by fear is dead.  Foster the intersection of skill, purpose, and passion = Royal Bliss.  Where skill, purpose, and passion collide, bliss resides.

Have a personal board of directors made up of friends, family, and mentors.

Design your own day. Work in some #readysetpause time.

Aspire to create before you consume media each day.

Make the world a better place through learning, innovation, and social serendipity.

The act of good can be scaled. Get one give one.

Personal branding:  We all have a personal brand even if it seems odd to us to say so.  Do a self brand audit.  Work, family, self. Check  your alignment on this. Get in balance.  Your funeral is the ultimate personal brand audit.  Audit and make the changes now while you can.  What are your brand values?  What are people saying about you? How/in what context do people connect with you?