Posts Tagged ‘On The Ball’
On the Ball presses onto Wordcamp Miami
Posted by Lyndsi | Filed under Articles, On The Ball
On the Ball presses onto Wordcamp Miami
Upon graduating from college, I assumed my days of tests, all-nighters, and classes were over. While I don’t miss those late night cram sessions and red ink scribbled across my papers, I did miss being a student. As a student, my sole responsibility was simply to learn.
This past Saturday the On the Ball thinkers, Jonathan Brownfield, Michelle Esposito and myself had the opportunity to be students again. I was pretty excited. Yes, call me a nerd, but there is something exciting about sitting in a lecture hall after graduating.
WordCamp is the opportunity to learn more about the blogging and website platform, WordPress. The conference was April 5-7 in Miami, Florida. An attendee can choose between three tracks, a users/bloggers track, designers and developers. Michelle and I resided nicely in the users track, since it was more of an introductory level. We attempted a developer class that left us extremely confused yet filled with admiration for those who understand code.
If you are new to WordPress and would like to begin blogging or website design, the On the Ball team can provide three themes during the conference. Overall, what better way to share our knowledge than through WordPress itself?
WordPress.com verses WordPress.org:
This was a common theme at the conference. How do you know which site is best for you? WordPress.com is perfect for someone looking to simply blog. The .com version does limit additional services. These services are called PlugIns. PlugIns change and enhance the functionality of your site. On the other hand, WordPress.org allows for plugins and more versatility. If you are interested in creating a website or a more active blog, the .org version may be better for you.
Viewing your website your mobile phone:
Before picking a theme for your WordPress site, we suggest choosing a theme that is responsive. This means that the theme can scale to any screen you are viewing, whether it is mobile, an Ipad or computer. This characteristic is often mentioned in the description of the theme.
Where to start:
In the famous words of Nike, Just Do It. In order to learn, you must first try. The WordPress site contains support articles and forums for further aid. Benjamin Franklin said it best, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
David Lucoff preparing for the 2014 PGA Championship
Posted by Lyndsi | Filed under On The Ball, Press Release
It is with great sadness to announce the one-year leave of our managing partner, David Lucoff. Lucoff aspires to compete in the 2014 PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky. The tournament, starting August 4-10, 2014, will provide ample time for him to train and compete against the world’s greatest golfers including Tiger Woods and Bubba Watson.
“It has always been a dream of mine to play in the PGA Championship,” said Lucoff sheepishly. “Sometimes you have to shut one door and open another.”
Dressed in a pastel, Peter Millar shirt and shiny FootJoys, Lucoff is prepared for a challenging and exciting journey ahead. He is already planning a rigorous training schedule to enhance all aspects of his game.
Lucoff has been playing golf ever since he could remember; swinging clubs in the house at the young age of three. From bogeys to birdies, Lucoff established himself as a reputable player in South Florida.
The On the Ball team could not be more proud of our future golf champion. He will surely be missed. We look forward to his arrival back at the office with the Wanamaker Trophy in hand.
Rules of Engagement: How to get the most out of networking
Posted by Lyndsi | Filed under How To, Social Media/Networking
As On the Ball prepares for Eat. Drink. Think, our networking event occurring the last Tuesday of the month, we highlight the importance of these events and how to do it right. While it is nice to socialize with friends, grab a few hors d’oeuvres, and a drink, networking is about stepping out of your comfort zone and talking to those you do not know.
Steve Nudelberg, founder of On the Ball, can also be crowned the king of networking. He suggests looking around the room, picking three people and approach them with a smile, stating that you want to personally introduce yourself. At the end of the day (or should we say networking event), it’s all about quality over quantity. Having meaningful conversation with three people trumps swiftly handing out your business cards to the entire room.
Networking can open many doors for both business and personal opportunity if it is done right. Therefore, we provide five rules for a successful event:
1. Always say ‘yes.’ Network as often as possible; start out with one event a week and continue to add more events each week.
2. Resist the urge to arrive late. Yes, we know traffic is bad at 5pm so leave work a little early.
3. Start with a compliment; this is a great way to break the ice.
4. Win business for your contact. Zig Ziglar once said, “You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”
5. Follow Up. This is the best way to stay in touch for all future communication.
We look forward to seeing you at our next Eat.Drink.Think event occurring at the O Lounge the last Tuesday of the month. For more information on this event visit the On the Ball website at www.otbthink.com. Happy networking!
On the Ball attends one of the largest social media conferences, SXSW
Posted by Lyndsi | Filed under On The Ball, Social Media/Networking
Whether you call it South By South West, South By, or #SXSW…the town of Austin, TX turned into a Spring Break for the tech savvy during the Interactive session March 8-12. Amongst the crowd were Zack Stein and Jonathan Brownfield, two of the Thinkers from On The Ball. Overwhelmed with new technology, mobile startups, and insight from the leaders in the digital world, these were the topic of conversations taken place at hotels, food trucks, and yes, the wild parties!
Here are some take aways
Engage your fans…your REAL fans.
New technology feeds innovation
This is the year of the hardware…3D Printing trends coming alive
Brands are coming to you and Social is now the trusted source
Polaroid Fotobar unveils first store opening in Delray Beach
Posted by Lyndsi | Filed under Press Release, Social Media/Networking
The On the Ball team, friends, and family captured a sneak peak of the store last night; a beautiful design combining the nostalgic nature of Polaroid and the modern twist of an Apple retail store. The vibe of celebration echoed through the walls as people enjoyed wine, hor d’oeuvres, and the different mediums to display their favorite photos.
On the Ball helped deliver the experience through social media using an active tweet wall, Instagram posts, and filling the Facebook newsfeed. Amidst the still photos and the live chatter, On the Ball would like to congratulate the founder and creator of Fotobar, Warren Struhl, a man who had a vision and turned that vision into a reality.
Love is in the air: Find out the Most Romantic States in the U.S
Posted by Lyndsi | Filed under Humor, Social Media/Networking
Valentines Day, a mixed emotion holiday, leaving some with flowers and chocolates and others ordering-in chinese. Whether you’re feeling the love or not, you can’t avoid the Valentine’s celebration especially in a world of social media.
In fact, IQ Agency and social media analysis firm Crimson Hexagon examined 2.1 million conversation threads on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other online forums in the first two weeks of February to identify the most romantic states in the U.S.
Their original findings suggest that many of us are not keen on the holiday. 40% of posts contained a negative response to the concept of Valentines Day. Another 23% were indifferent.
So where are those birds-of-a-feather romantic couples? The number one romantic state, California. Trailing close behind is Wyoming, and coming in third, Texas.
For all those cynics out there, the least romantic states are Kentucky, Rhode Island and North Dakota. Interested in the details of each state? Read the State of the Love report at http://mashable.com/2013/02/14/romantic-states-social-media/
Florida may not have come in the top three, but our Director of Account Services, Kassie, may have experienced the #1 romantic gesture. The morning of Valentines day, her husband set forth from West Palm Beach to our offices at On the Ball (Plantation, Florida). This may not sound very romantic, but this poor guy did not have access to a car. Through train, bus, walking and another bus and more walking he managed to carry a boutique of flowers and donuts through a 50 mile journey. He arrived safely to the office, with story equivalent to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Whether you had a romantic evening, or an evening like any other, On the Ball wishes you a Happy Friday and wonderful weekend!
Morgan, the most romantic man in the world, stands next to the most interesting.
LinkedIn Reveals Most Viewed Members
Posted by Lyndsi | Filed under On The Ball, Social Media/Networking
Last month LinkedIn hit an exciting milestone of 200 million members. To honor that achievement, they wanted to provide a personal email to those who made the achievement happen. According to the LinkedIn blog, “We’re sending personal emails to many who have been instrumental in helping us reach this milestone to recognize their part in our journey.”
Five of the On the Ball thinkers were recognized as being the most viewed profiles on the social media site. Owner and principle thinker, Steve Nudelberg received the top 1% of views within LinkedIn. Michelle Esposito, Director Business Development, Andrea Simon, Creative Director, and David Lucoff, Managing Partner received the top 5% view. Jonathan Brownfield, our Director of Everything Digital received the top 10% viewed.
While we celebrate the achievements of the On the Ball thinkers, we also applaud LinkedIn for such a genius marketing effort. Since revealing the most viewed profiles, LinkedIn shares are soaring. Buzz throughout all social media forums are spreading. Those receiving the email for being the top 1% or 5% are tweeting or sharing the information thus generated even more noise.
Congratulations to both LinkedIn and the On the Ball team for reaching new achievements!
The Best Advice I Ever Got – From Katie Couric, Barbara Walters and Steven Spielberg
Posted by Lyndsi | Filed under Great Thinking, On The Ball
I am always looking for advice. Not the – bring a jacket, it might be cold advice, but something substantial. Something that helps you grow as a person. So I started reading a book by Katie Couric called, The Best Advice I Ever Got. Within the book contains stories from Madeline Albright, Maya Angelou, Morgan Freeman, Drew Brees, Barbara Walters and much much more. It was if these leaders individually told me bedtime stories each night, allowing me to dream big.
I start to dream and wonder, what makes a leader? How does someone rise above the mediocrity? I ask these question as I head to the Gold Coast Magazine 40 Under 40 ceremony. In fact, our very own On the Ball thinker, Jonathan Brownfield, Director of Everything Digital is one of the nominees! Here are 40 talented, smart and ambitious individuals within South Florida. What attributes cause them to succeed?
I thought I would share some of the most salient and valuable stories within the book by Katie Couric, in hopes it can help you through a difficult time, motivate or simply entertain. Think of it like the Cliffnotes we all read in high school, instead of the 1400-page War and Peace novel.
Stand Out
Katie Couric: “When it comes to going for a job, a promotion, or just about anything in life, I’m pretty convinced that the meek will not inherit the Earth.” You need to stand out from the pack.
Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy
Bill Cosby: When Cosby was given the opportunity to perform at San Francisco’s hottest comedy club, he completed bombed it. “I was not funny and I had no business performing,” he would think to himself. The second show he decided to change his mindset. He knew he was better than that. “And then Bill Cosby – the Bill Cosby in me – came out.” The entire experience allowed him to realize not to be so hard on yourself, and not be your own worst enemy.
Pay Attention
Chelsea Handler: “As long as your paying attention you’ll grab inspiration from everything and create something that’s a little different and a little new.” Oh and she also suggests not to sleep with your boss.
Listen
Steven Spielberg: “When you listen, you learn. You absorb like a sponge – and your life becomes so much better than when you are trying to be listening to all the time.” (I have to work on this one.)
Follow Your Bliss
Barbara Walters: “Decide what you really would love to do. Start at any level. Get there first thing in the morning. Leave last at night. Fetch the coffee. You will succeed.”
Take Time to Know Yourself
Beyoncé Knowles: “Take at least twenty minutes everyday to be still and quiet. Think. Reflect. Choose something you learned that will make you a better person.”
It Doesn’t Matter Where You Start
Colin Powell: Colin graduated from City College of New York with a 2.0 average. Now he is four-star general and the United States Secretary of State. To him, “it doesn’t matter where you start in life but where you finish and, along the way, whether you do something that you love and enjoy doing.”
Be Grateful
Michael J. Fox: ”None of us is entitled to anything. We get what we get not because we want it, or we deserve it, or because it’s unfair if we don’t get it, but because we earn it, we respect it, and only if we share it do we keep it.”
Sometimes You Gotta Go Off Course
Matt Lauer: During his senior year Matt was given an opportunity to intern at a local television station. However, there was a big issue. Accepting the internship meant missing core classes to graduate. Faced with the decision to postpone graduation or continue school, Matt decided to take the road less traveled and accept the internship. “Every bone in my body told me to stay on campus,” he said. He saw the internship as a chance to learn things that textbooks could not teach. The internship resulted in a valuable experience. Opening doors to the television industry and where he is…Today.
Say Yes
Eric Schmidt (Executive Chairman of Google): “Find a way to say yes to things. Even if it’s a bit edgy, a bit out of your comfort zone, saying yes means that you will do something new, meet someone new, and make a difference.”
With that said, I will say yes to the jacket if it’s cold, and accept the advice given by those who rose above, and made a name for themselves. I would like to congratulate all the young men and women nominated for Gold Coast’s 40 under 40. Who knows maybe after this advice you could be next on the list…
Make Your Resolutions Stick
Posted by Lyndsi | Filed under How To, On The Ball
As we enter the year 2013 resolutions are made, goals are set and the promise of a great year lies ahead. We have all experienced big moments in life when you close one door and open another. I am opening a door to a brand new job at On the Ball. I could not be more excited.
My first day I was already thrown into client meetings, pure thinking, story telling and the adoption of the OTB Think blog. Forget sitting back and signing papers on the first day, I was officially an On the Ball thinker. As I place my new thinking cap on, I would like to mold this blog as an opportunity to shed light on the company, share insight of the marketing world and whatever else may find its way into this virtual space.
On the Ball team was quite busy this holiday season! While I thought my holiday break of eggnog and sitting by the pool was exciting, On the Ball employees put me to shame. The stories began with our Social Media Manager Kassie eloping in Key West with her boyfriend from Africa. Zack, our New Business Manager, snowboarding at an elevation of 12,500 feet! Creative Director Andrea vacationing among the historical sites of Israel. Principal Thinker, Steve and Business Development Director, Michelle celebrating the holidays among friends and enjoying a stay at the Atlantic hotel in Fort Lauderdale. Golf is the main focus of our Managing Partner, David, and Jonathon, the Director of Everything Digital spending time with his family.
As we say goodbye to 2012 and the fun memories we created, On the Ball is looking forward to 2013. While you write goals for the New Year, On the Ball is doing the same. In fact, according to a study by Harvard University, students who wrote down their goals were earning ten times as much than those who had no specific goals at all. With the importance of goal setting and start of the new year, On the Ball would like to provide three simple tips for creating resolutions and sticking to them.
- Create clear and concise goals: Whether it’s losing ten pounds or quitting smoking, it is important to write details of exactly how you are going to achieve your goals, and when you would like to achieve it.
- Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. By reading and saying your goals out loud everyday you’re training your brain to make it happen.
- Old habits die hard. It takes time for one to become acclimated to something new. Allow yourself time to ease into this new lifestyle change. Slip-ups do happen, just remind yourself to stay on track.
On behalf of On the Ball, we hope you achieve all the goals you pursue in 2013! Make sure to follow the OTB Think blog as we will continue to share all the fun we are having. As you embark on 2013, I would like to leave you with a quote by Tony Robbins, “setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
The OTB Social Media Team: The ‘Under 30’ Club
Posted by kassie | Filed under Social Media/Networking
Johnny, our Director of Everything Digital at OTB
Back in July, an article came out by University of Iowa student Cathryn Sloane entitled “Why Every Social Media Manager Should Be Under 25.” Well, here at On The Ball, we don’t age discriminate. One of our social media managers is 27 years old.
While we’re confident that there are great social media managers in their 30s and 40s, there is something to be said about social media marketing done by 20-somethings, hence our ‘under 30’ team.
Social media trends show that while a large number of social media users are well into their 30’s, 40’s and 50s (more than 50% of Facebook users are over the age of 25), most consumers as a direct result of social media marketing are under the age of 30.
So if our goal is to sell a product via social media and the most likely consumer is someone in their 20’s, it’s vital to include the knowledge of a consumer of a similar age in our social media marketing approach. Social media can and does generate sales across all age groups, but often more traditional marketing methods are incorporated into a social media strategy when directed at an older demographic.
At On The Ball, we can do it all! But we do love social media. What’s not to love?
Written by Kassie, OTB Social Media Manager
