A strong dose of no B.S. reality

Mike Koehler of Smirk New Media and #clarkclass

Groundbreaker. That's Mike Koehler, former newspaper sports guy who could see the future of media changing.
With the growth of the internet and digital media changing traditional media, he quit a full time job, used his business contacts, and started the first all-digital media marketing  company in the city ten years ago. 
Today, SmirkNewMedia with an office in Automobile Alley, employs more than 10 people, some remotely, and handles services for some major clients.

Smirk's office lobby

What I like about Mike is his non-nonsense approach to life and business, seasoned with more than a little newspaperman's snarkiness. In addition, he has provided student internships, and will only hire people who can write, passing an interview test, demanding knowledge to the Associated Press stylebook.

Here are some of my students' takeaways when we debriefed following Mike's visit:

• We have an internal clock when we are consuming media.
• Give readers what they want not what you think they need
• Time is of the essence
• Get to the point.
• Niches get riches.
• Think about the future not just what’s popular today.
• The digital feedback you get online is better than any other.
• Don’t be afraid to ask the question
• More consumers take their complaints to social media than to the help lines.
• He’s a no BS kind of guy.
• I like that he was an English major.
• No matter what you’re doing, you’re selling.

Creative dynamo--welcome to Mooseville

The dynamic mayor of Mooseville with #clarkclass

If there's a short word for "creativity," it must be "Moose." Moose Tyler, my friend, former UCO colleague and perhaps the most multi-talented creative person I've ever known.
I know, that sentence is too long. So?

What a pleasure to have her return to campus  with her non-political correctness conversation in media and experience  to energize, astound, and make all of us laugh and learn.
Moose is now doing social media and more for several clients, including photography in Mexico, writing another novel, doing video, etc. (She "fired" a lucrative marijuana dispensary because  they were too "stoned" to plan and cooperate.) 
Student comments and #Moosequotes afterwards:

• “If you’re posting sh*t, it’ll make your brand look like sh*t”. -
• "YouTube - the trailer park of video sharing.
• "You have to engage to be effective but you have to engage the right way."
• "Twitter is really difficult to wrangler for a brand”-
• “When you hit your limit, it is really important not to short yourself. Take care of yourself, learn how to say no.”
• Social media is a 24/7 job and always have a goal for what you post.
• "No business wants to do social media, but they want to pay people to do it."
• What prepared Moose for her work? Answer: Teaching a lot. Also, working in media in New York. Before social media was big. “My learning hasn’t stopped.”
• “You have to engage to be effective, but you have to engage the right way.”
• “Your work/life balance is critical.”
• "If you don't know what to post, take a professional stance. Journalists, post journalism related things. Business, art, what ever your topic is"
• Be purposeful with social media posts.
• Social media takes consistency, it’s not a “now media.”
• Moose Tyler is an incredible human! She is real and raw and I learned so much from her today. She told us to be consistent and to always have creative content!
• Not every post needs a deep meaning, but every post should have meaning.

Former students set standards for success

Former Vista editor Zach Nash after detailing the City of OKC's media programs

The rewards of long university careers as a professor multiply with the students, including those who become friends and respected professionals.
Such an example is Zach Nash, communications and marketing manager for the City of Oklahoma City. He moved from being editor of The Vista, to newspaper journalism and photography using that experience and constant learning.
One key to his success? I loved his comment to the students:
"If you're not learning, you're dull."
Always true, especially in these fast-changing media and other worlds. 
He now helps manage 71 different city media accounts, in a job that is never routine, and will continue to change.
Here are some student takeaways of his comments and advice for success in media and life, as we debriefed:

• Turn your notifications off
• If you don’t keep learning you’ll become dull
• Don’t over post
• Be sure to not profit off of others misfortune
• Plan in advance
• Make a social media calendar
• Wake up early
• Spell check
• Listen to what’s being said on social media and monitor the responses.
• Balancing the quality of your content.
• 3 out of 4 crimes are being solved on social media.
• Have two way conversations. listen.
• Try to reply to everybody
• Don’t take it personally.

Original advice on life and the future--"Travel and vote."

Jenny Grigsby and #clarkclass 13.0

An always welcome returning speaker to this class is Jenny Grigsby of RefreshCreative, because she brings experience in not just social media like twitter, but in success in living, going beyond what a college degree means.
She  parlayed a UCO theater degree into her own digital media management company.
Her story of working  for nonprofits and the State Fair before branching out on her own is punctuated with humor and hard work, as she manages media for some major companies. 
Add her sense of humor--showing up in costume on Halloween, no-nonsense conversations with our students, and record of self taught media savvy, and she offers genuine insights.
How different is she? Asked what advice she'd give the students facing graduation, the answer was unexpected, and so important:
"Travel, and vote,"
Here are other student takeaways of her sometimes unorthodox advice in our debriefing after she left: 

• You learn by doing, from experience.
• Constant communication with clients.
• The goal is to make the clients look good and not yourself.
• Oklahoma City is collaborative and friendly.
• Content is king.
• Nobody has it figured out.
• It's not about promoting yourself; it's about selling tacos.
• It's alright to take a risk.
• Do everything as organically as possible.
• Don’t mix your business and your personal.
• Broaden your horizon.
• Personalize your content.
• Took Google classes to learn SEO.
• If I can do it you can to.
• Be authentic.

A leader in living, and success

Scott Williams challenging #clarkclass

Twitter for media started out 13 sessions ago as a technology class. It quickly transformed into a practical class about living.
That's because of the multitude of professional speakers who have become the bedrock of the class, who bring lessons about not just using twitter or other media in their professions, but about their successes, failures and inspirational examples.
Such a person is Scott Williams, UCO grad, author, speaker, international consultant, pastor and founder of NxtLevel Solutions here in Edmond.
After he spoke last week, here are some of my students' debriefing comments, recorded by @JamesDJackson.

• I liked how he said you’ll never be ready so just go for it. Like how he didn’t think he was ready to be a warden at age 25.
• Learn how to tell your story. Because that’s what’s going to make you marketable in an interview and learning your competitive advantages.
• Knowing your failure resume. When I go to job interviews they always ask that and how I’ve grown from that.
• Always say “Yes” to anything even if you’re not ready.
• I liked what he said to be G.A.P. “Genuine, Accurate, and Possible.” Also setting your core values.
• If you know who you are then you know who you’re not.
• What was the last book you read was? That’s an interesting thing to know.
• Don’t be afraid to be who you are.
• Twitter is a river not a lake.
• We’re only taking 20 percent of the knowledge that we learn in college.
• Brought up the seasons of change. Success is different. What you define success as now will be different in a couple of years.
• Helping others is your definite goal.
• You don’t always have to be happy to keep it positive.
• Everyone and organization needs to know their competitive advantage.
• Get an internship. More important than coursework.