That Pesky Mattress Sheet

Alright, how many times have you struggled to fold that annoying mattress sheet? 

I know I have fought that battle way too many times. I typically end up getting so angry that I ball up the sheet, throw it in the corner of my room, and forget about it until I need it weeks later. It is for that reason along with a class assignment that I decided to do a "how to" video about it. You can either click on the link to watch it on YouTube or simply watch it below. 

The video is about 90 seconds long and is as straight forward as is has to be. As I said in the video, there are probably thousands of ways that one can fold the sheet, but I found that the way I show in the video is the easiest and quickest way. 

  

I know I do not have the best video quality but the concept is still there. I hope the video was insightful and helps with your future folding battles. 

Until Next Time,

Matt 

Seven Steps to Measurement Success

New and exciting news is happening in our Social Media Principles class, we have moved on to a new book for us to focus on. Katie Paine titles the book “Measure What Matters.” As you might have guessed from the name and what class it is for, the book focuses around the online tools that are needed for understanding customers, social media, engagement, and key relationships.

Keep in mind I have not read super far into the book yet, but there is one chapter that really stuck out thus far. Within Chapter 3 of Katie Paine's book, she revolves around the "seven steps to the perfect measurement program."  I completely agree with these steps and the reasoning behind why each one of them are vital for measurement success. 

1. Define your goals and objectives

                 I knew this was going to be the first one, if not in the first few steps, because it really is almost the first step in anything successful. I completely agree with it being the first step because it really does set the foundation for a measurement program to be successful.  

2. Define your environment, your audiences, and your role in influencing them

                 This step is one that is more self-explanatory. Overall, I could not agree with this step more.

3. Define your investment

                 This step focuses around the ideas of "what will it cost" and what will be needed for investment. I love the fact that Katie brings up the idea that "the rule of thumb is to spend five to seven percent of your marketing program's budget on measuring that program." 

4. Determine your benchmarks

                 Again, another self-explanatory step but is one that is absolutely needed. 

5. Define your key performance indicators

                 This is step is more so about establishing the "criteria of success" or better known as the key performance indicators. Katie highlights that there is a difference between "visibility" and "awareness" within this step, but both are greatly needed for success to be earned.

6. Select the right measurement tool and vendors and collect data

                 Again, another self-explanatory step but is one that is absolutely needed. 

7. Turn data into action

                 Within this step, we can see the analysis of the data, draw actionable conclusion, and then make recommendations. The segment of making accurate and meaningful recommendations is what all of these steps was working towards. With this, the researcher can then leverage the results to get what it wants, whether that is asking the boss for more funding to saying no a program is not working and is wasting money. 

Until Next Time,

Matt

21, the Truly Magical Number

Something amazing happen last night and or this morning (depending on how you view the time change), I took the next step into adulthood and turned 21 years old. That is right everyone, my driver’s license is now horizontal rather than vertical. But forget all those bogus details about turning one year older; let us talk about the real topic of how that night is one for the record books.

Well to set the scene, Halloween this year fell on a Saturday. Instead of staying around and celebrating both events at my campus, Ohio Northern University (ONU), I decided to make a four and a half hour trip up to Mount Pleasant to do such there. Now Mount Pleasant is home of one of the biggest party schools in Michigan, Central Michigan University (CMU). Anyways, on Friday and Saturday we celebrated Halloween and "socialized" until the break of dawn. It was not until Sunday though that I found out that Timeflies was set to perform at a bar/club within walking distance of the apartment to which I was staying. My friends already purchased tickets for the event, so it was down to me to make the call if I go to the concert or go back to ONU that night.  

Sure enough, I jumped on the opportunity to not only see Timeflies perform, but turn 21 years old at the concert. The concert was absolutely crazy leading up to the stroke of Midnight. When it finally hit midnight on November 2nd, I sprinted over to the bar, pulled out the ID, and ordered my first legal drink with the biggest smile on my face. Keep in mind that I am the baby within our friends group, so I was the last to hit this milestone.

As you can see from the smiles on all of our faces, the concert was a success, my birthday was a success, and the memories gained are ones never to be forgotten. We rarely are all in the same place at the same time, so for a moment such as this made it even more special.

As a side note, I was responsible with my drinking choices and made smart decisions that represented not only myself in a positive way, but as an ONU student as well. I would and will never condone underage drinking and I believe that as a young professional, we should be under control of our own actions at all times. 

Until Next Time,

Matt