Creative Heart

Love your Mentor

It’s tough starting out in this business. It’s competitive, it’s mentally exhausting and it can be a financial struggle. The process can be so difficult that it might be more than you can handle. But often times, the greater the hardship you face -  the greater the reward is. And that’s where a mentor comes in.

A mentor is one of the most valuable people you are ever going to meet in your whole life. EVER. So listen up: 

Always give your mentor the utmost respect. 

Imagine your advertising career as if you were walking on a tight rope 100 feet in the air - for the first time. Scary right? Well your mentor is the meshy net that’s underneath you. He or she is your lifesaver. They will keep you from falling. And plummeting to the ground.

They are the ones who will show you the ropes and who will keep you walking in the right direction. 

If you’re on the lookout for a mentor, or have one in your midst right now - here are 5 reasons why you’d be lucky to have one and why they deserve your admiration.

#1. They give you your shot. This is what you’ve been WAITING for! This person is actually giving you a chance. Without them, you are an advertising hopeful waiting to get your foot in the door. 

#2: They believe in you. They are giving you a chance because they think you could have potential. And there’s no greater feeling than having someone see the passion that’s inside you and the greatness that is just waiting to get out. 

#3: They give you the freedom to grow. Mentors determine your learning curve. They give you challenges that they feel you can handle, when you’re ready. It’s a kind of guidance that gives you enough room to enhance your creativity, without overstepping either of your comfort levels.

#4: They give you their knowledge. When you get a mentor, you also get their years experience and knowledge. They pass on nuggets of information that they’ve learned along the way. And if you’re smart, you’ll take them with you.

#5: They give you experience. The only way you’re going to know if you can do a task is if you try it. Mentors let you try things. They watch you move along as you either fail or succeed. Expect to learn lessons in either outcome.

Another thing to point out is that mentors don’t owe you a single thing. They are helping you out of the kindess of their hearts. So appreciate them and be grateful.

To this day, I am extremely grateful for my mentor. She is one of the most talented creative people I know and I am so lucky to have learned from her. She gave me my start and for that I give her my never-ending thanks.  

Wake up and smell the social ROI

In my 3 years as a social community manager, there is one question that has plagued me: “What’s the ROI of social media?” If you are a fellow community manager, social media strategist, or other similar role; you probably understand my discomfort and are nodding your head in agreement right now.

@kristanehr, writer of The Marketess blog shares an example of her typical conversation regarding this subject. 

You see, the trouble with determining the value of social media is that it’s difficult to “measure”. People don’t go onto Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest to buy. They go on to browse. Which means it’s challenging to quantify a like, share, retweet, mention, favourite, or pin (although people are trying to create formulas every day). What ends up happening is that companies are left blinded, not really aware of what exactly they are getting from being on a social platform.

Krista’s conversation got me thinking about how valuable social media actually is. The more I thought about it, the more advantages came to mind and the more I felt the need to share my winning answer with the world.

• Post likes: Getting a like on a Facebook post means that your content is interesting. The user likes it. It’s your job to figure out why and what that can mean for your brand. 
• Comments: Comments on a post are one of my favourite interactions to see. Not only do they provide insights on what products they are interested in, but they can also be feedback on products and services users like/dislike. Plus, Facebook comments can also reflect whether a user had a positive or negative experience with your brand.
• Praise: Recommendations on Facebook are great because they show that people are satisfied with what you offer. By writing a recommendation, users are declaring a company’s best qualities. It’s a form of promotion that gives your brand credibility and trust. 
• Brand awareness: When users “share” your content, they are sharing it with their friends. This means that your brand just got a whole bunch of eyes on it that it wouldn’t have before. Sharing gives your brand the potential to increase its reach with just one click.
• Communication: This is by far the most beneficial factor in having a social media presence. By asking the right questions, you can have conversations with your online community and gain an insight of who they really are. 

You Know You’re A Creative When…