THE ONLY THING MATURE ABOUT THIS STUDENT IS AGE

I have a unique distinction of attending some sort of educational institution in every decade since the 1970’s, going way back to Kindergarten.

Looking back at it now, that was over thirty-five years ago but something happens to memories over time. They become one and every event seems to feel like it “Happened just yesterday” Of course, they didn’t.

In September I was forty years old walking up towards that front entrance, backpack on and some kid shaking my hand and stuffing a T-Shirt in my face,

“Welcome to St. Lawrence”

Just over a year ago I was looking for work. After submitting over 150 resumes and no luck, It was time to update my resume. It wasn’t exactly the format of the resume, because every councillor and HR professional that looked it over agreed that it looked fine.

There was something deeper. It was the content. Just like a Mac and a PC needs updating from time to time, my experience and education needed an upgrade. The last time I was in a post secondary classroom, a blackboard was the wall at the front of the class.

The big selling point of the Interactive Marketing and Communications (iMC)program is that it’s only a year, and once you hit thirty-five folks, one year goes by pretty damn quick.

Interactive Marketing and Communications has taught me the necessary tools to succeed in today’s ever changing employment landscape. It wasn’t that long ago when employers were saying,”Social media? That’s what the kids do.”

Not so.

What companies are asking themselves now is,”How can we use this to fulfill our marketing objectives?” and that’s where the iMC program comes in.

Building a successful digital strategy can and will fulfill any companies marketing objectives.

During the course of the year, we’ve learned how to create compelling content through iMC and Social Media Marketing Campaigns, branding and using Adobe Creative Suites under the guidance of professors and folks who have worked in marketing agencies and have “Real World” experience. It’s important to me because out there’s a scary place and this course is helping me with the transition into the field.

The adjustment to school life has been smoother than I thought. Homework, projects and getting back in the groove, hell, it’s like riding a bike all over again. Plus, it feels good to learn something new. Before September, I never used a Mac in my life. Ok, that was a challenge.

It’s scary, exciting and you know those four flights of stairs in the front lobby?

I took them two at a time all the way to the top.

The proudest moment came when my son and I started school together. Sometimes the best lessons are learned through a child. Darcy’s taught me how to dream again and maybe the lesson in life is to always believe in it.

It’s almost like “passing of the torch”

First You Dream it. Then you live it.

Social Media is Like Saving A Cat!

There’s a great book on the market and it’s called, “Save The Cat” and it’s brought to you by Blake Snyder, the man who gave us, “Stop! or My Mom Will Shoot”.

Yeah, that movie. Trust me, the book is better. Much, much better.

Save The Cat is a term used by screenwriters when the hero does something that the audience suddenly likes the character. Rick tells the gambler to put down on the roulette wheel in Casablanca, just after he says that he doesn’t “Stick his neck out for nobody” That’s Saving The Cat. In Shawshank Redemption, Andy asks what the inmate’s name was after the guards tortured him. We like them. Oh wait, Rocky walks Little Marie home. That’s not fair, we all love Rocky.

Screenwriting is a difficult endeavour. Writers are rejection. Might as well frame that because if you want to get noticed in the industry, you will be rejected. I guarantee it.

Blake Snyder has a great template for structuring a screenplay, it’s called, The Beat Sheet. It’s a fantastic resource for screenplay structure and here’s an example: Toy Story 3, a great film and I’d go as far as saying it is one of the best sequels ever made.

So, why not use this structure when creating content for social media? Start with an image or set the tone of the content. Then you have to set everything up and then once you do that, here comes the zinger, the catalyst the golden letter that sets everything in motion.

Don’t forget to State a Theme. What are we talking about or showing with the content?

But wait! Our hero doesn’t want to go? Suddenly, things are blurry but then our now fearless hero goes on the quest.

So now the content becomes thought provoking. Intriguing. This is the heart of your content.

Now, things get a little fun. This is the meat and potatoes of the content. This is the reason why people decided to click on the link. Boo Ya! As Blake puts it, the Promise of The Premise.

But what happens when you get to the middle of the content? A ticking clock, raise the stakes, bring in the bad guys, up the ante!

Just like a great film, content in the Digital Age needs to be interesting, thought provoking, educating, but most importantly, entertaining.

Always keep your audience coming back for more.

I’m going to challenge each and everyone of you to go out, pick a movie and apply these Blake’s Techniques to the film. See if it works?

I guarantee it.

Now, apply it to your Digital Content. Does it work?

—Mark