It is important to listen to your inner voice, a higher power or consciousness, a la Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams. However, in today’s digital world, we can drive results with an integrated paid, owned and earned media strategy (POEM). It’s simple:

1. Establish goals and develop a content strategy to meet business objectives.
2. OWNED – Plan, develop and distribute relevant content on media channels you own (like your website, email, social, brick and mortar spaces and events, to name a few.)
3. PAID – Unless you already have a following on owned channels, who will see it? Amplify content with paid ads on relevant channels to your target audiences.
4. EARNED – Encourage key influencers and advocates to engage with your brand by providing the tools for them to co-create and share your message. Reward these advocates.
5. Lather, rinse, repeat: measure performance and optimize to reach goals.

“If you build it they will come” is just a field of dreams. Fuel owned with paid to get earned media. #contentmarketing #thoughoftheday

— Kara Clark (@SoKarasmatic) February 2, 2015

As a career manager, I place high value on having a great attitude, being transparent and coaching (versus instructing) to enable self-discovery and personal growth. I customize training tactics to suit the individual—some prefer verbal and some prefer written instruction, some prefer to think aloud in groups and others need time alone to conceptualize. But everyone will benefit from coming to conclusions on their own through coaching.

This style is also evident in my classes as a Les Mills fitness instructor. One-third of the time is spent delivering setup cues, i.e. when, where and how long to do a move. One-third is spent on practical coaching, or explaining to participants how to get more from the move, i.e. “raising arms will burn 30% more calories.” And the last third of the time spent is on motivational coaching, i.e. “what would happen if we did that move again? And if you did it every day?” The questions are key to self-discovery.

Many of my mentors have mottos that I have adopted as my own. As a career manager, bringing all knowledge to the table is crucial in developing new talent to produce great work. Many thanks to these fine folks for their words of inspiration.

• Clear over clever – Ellen Curtis
• Client first, then team, then agency – Tammy Soares
• Watch the point of diminishing returns – Micheal Vidor
• Make it consistently inconsistent – Ed Midgett
• Content is the experience – Pam Didner
• That’s not all you are – Griselda Fernandez
• Be prepared – Girl Scouts