The Most Wonderful Day of Spring!

Hey there, Parker here. It's the wonderful day that occurs each spring - a happy birthday! Shoes, Cupcakes and well, you know the drill.

I'm learning life isn't linear, its one great experience. I live in the happiness of family, the sadness of loss, the joy of dancing and the comfort of spiritual growth.

Today, I accept my right to be happy with myself, just as I am.

Best, 
Parker

Cheers Web Content Nom Du Jur - Technology Needs Us!

Hey there, Parker here.

I’m writing again. I won’t rant and rave in this post. I want to acknowledge a select group in my field that is quick to adapt to the rapid expansion of technology and digital touchpoints.

If you’re new to this site – Welcome! I am the resourceful, creative and quick to smile web content manager (nom du jur) Talitha Parker. Just call me Parker. There weren’t many of us when I started, and now there’s an entire industry of web content professionals. So stay with me, if only to increase the time spent on this page (I’m winking).

Previous Nom Du Jur
Marketing Communications Specialist    Web Marketing Technologists Technical Product Manager Expert Consultant – Communications Web Content Manager Engineering Intern Tier 3 Tech Support Specialist

Cheers to us who’ve turned our niche position as the bridge between IT and marketing/communications into an essential role within the communications and marketing team!

We are the lynchpin in a solid content strategy dedicated to making the best impression possible at every engagement of our company’s brand. It’s no secret that I derive much joy and happiness in my career, and I delight being a lynchpin in previous organizations, teams and several large projects.

We are free to be creative geniuses, happily living in our marketing and communications world. We dream of new ways to expand our digital reach. It is our visions that drive technology to continually develop new tools, systems and techniques to meet our needs.

I stand among a select group who rapidly adapt to new ways of managing content, integrate fresh analytic tools, and apply the knowledge of front end markup and web languages to balance appearance and functionality.

We were the back end programmers, front end developers, and information technology specialists when IT owned both the presentation and data access of a website.

A Great Website is Branded, Practical,
Functional, Mobile, Resourceful and Useful.

We followed the presentation layer of the website to its rightful owner – marketing and communications – embracing our passion for brand, engaging content, natural flow and SEO.

Web Content pros are the bridge between Marketing/ Communications and Information Technology, even when we were the few. Now we are many and we drive technology to keep pace with our goals. Our presence and expertise is the lynchpin in every content strategy for targeted markets as well as the extended reach because we love a great website..

Yes, I’ve been away from my rants, raves and marketing career observations blog for a while. But one thing hasn’t changed; I make it all look good.

Best,

Parker

Take Time to Relax

Hey there, Parker here.  Actually, I'm here, there and everywhere in between.  I'm accessible by home phone, work phone, iphone, blackberry, email, gmail, instant message, facebook, foursquare, linkedin, google video chat, msn messenger, skype, text, voicemail and yellow post-it notes.


At any given moment you can reach me in my car, in my house, in my yard, at the park, at the grocery store and even at the dentist office while I'm waiting in the chair.


But as of next week, all of that changes.

gratuitous pic of cute guy

I will be out of reach, out of the office, out of pocket, out of touch, off the grid, offline and checked-out for the first time in a very long time.  That's right, folks - Parker is taking a vacation!


My standard away messages have always been "leave a message and I'll get back to you."  Not this time.  If you call me, text me, skype me, email me, instant message me, ping me, or knock on my door you will get this:  I'm out.  Peace.


And why is this important?  Because we all need to take time out and regroup.  Everyone should have a moment of silent reflection to gather their thoughts and understand the big picture in life.  If you work hard you deserve to play just as hard.  So I encourage everyone to take time out and rest.  Just know that when you return to the hustle and bustle of your daily routine, you will handle it with a better frame of mind.


And with that - I'm out!  Peace!


Parker

Parker's Thoughts: Social Media and Your Personal Brand Risks

Hi there, it's Parker here.  This has been on my mind lately so I have to say something.  Often you hear stories of a person who accidentally leaves the speaker phone unmuted and speaks his true feelings about the boss aloud for the entire group to hear.  Or someone who gossips about another in the restroom, not knowing said person is in the next stall.  Embarrassing right?  Well people, that's called risk.


You open your mouth, you take a risk that your words will come back to haunt you.


Does that mean you should stop talking, sew your mouth shut or rip out a vocal cord?  Well, maybe (don't get offensive, some of you should consider those options).  But why do that when your instant message, tweet, facebook status update or 4-square check-in could be just as incriminating?


Social media allows you to broadcast your every thought, your every whim, to a world-wide audience in real-time.  Your forum comments and blog posts get collected in search engines and displayed in search results.  If you're a celebrity, your tweets are often screen-captured and that image is saved for later reference.  Take it from me, 7 years later and my rant about Beyonce still comes up!


Just like you can't unspeak those disparaging remarks about your boss, you can't always un-tweet the 140 character text about your night filled with binge-drinking and debauchery that lead to you calling your boss requesting time off to care for your ailing family-member (the hangover).  Either way, your boss finds out the truth.


If your personal marketing strategy involves a venture into online social media, understand that every keystroke and finger tap is contributing to your personal brand.  For better or for worse.  


Here are some options:

• Lose the brand equity you've spent years cultivating and start all over with a new online identity. (no!)
  
• Split your energy in half, worrisomely manage two completely separate personal and professional online identities, and never the twain shall meet. (pffft!)
  
• Treat risk management and social media as a high priority and develop a zero tolerance policy. (yes!)

The choice is simple.


Best, 
Parker