There are a few people whose blogs affect me in a substantial way for one reason or another, and I came to the conclusion that I should be sharing these with you as well. Knowledge doesn’t flow from just one point. If you want to learn, you should be learning from different valuable sources. If I am aware of some of these resources, then I believe it’s my job to point them out to you. So today, I present an interview with a blogger that deserves to be shared with the rest of you. Hope you enjoy it. Please welcome Nathania from Bold Interactive.

Me: Although I know logically that Bold Interactive is primarily an online marketing blog, somehow I tend to think of it in more far-reaching terms. I almost feel like I’m listening to my own life coach when I read the posts. Because of that, I decided I needed to pick Nathania’s brain, and find out why I felt that way.

Nathania, your company’s online marketing blog affects me in a personal, life-coach kind of way. Why is that? What point of view do you have that transforms marketing into something much broader?

Nathania: Thank you. That’s a huge compliment! The types of marketing we’re encouraging companies to do are new - at least to them. Social media, blogging, conversation marketing - it can all seem intimidating if you’re used to direct mail, broadcast media, and traditional PR. Even if you’ve been doing online marketing for years, the way online marketing is being conducted and received is changing. So my goal is to help people feel positive about the change.

There’s a ton of bloggers out there who write about specific technical tips for SEO, paid search, social media, etc. But I know that long-term success is based on the values behind these techniques. There is a reason why social media works. There is a reason why blogging increases conversions. I’m here to help you with the why.

Me: Ok, in layman’s terms, what is conversational marketing? It sounds so…friendly.

Nathania: Conversational marketing is when companies stop pushing products and start engaging customers. It has to be friendly because if it’s not, it won’t work. The core component of conversational marketing is listening. Think about times when you truly felt listened to. That’s how everyone wants to feel, but these moments seem unfortunately rare. So if you’re looking to stand out among the competition, then conversational marketing is the way to go. (Of course, you have to be genuine about it.) But even if all of your competitors engage in conversational marketing, you’ll still stand out. Because no one can communicate and connect authentically in exactly the same way that YOU can.

Me: I know you’re a part of a team at Bold Interactive, but you seem to be the blogger of the bunch. Are you the official blogger, or do you just have the most to say? And more importantly, does that have anything to do with your past political consulting job? (ducks and runs)

Nathania: Anyone at Bold can blog, but so far I’m the only one who does it. That has made me the face of Bold by default, I guess you could say. But it’s not because I have the most to say. Adam Schultz, our CEO, has the most to say. He just doesn’t have the time or patience to type it all out. His mind works at a million miles an hour.

Your question about my blogging being related to my prior work as a political consultant was unexpected! I hadn’t quite thought of them being related. My career has been in marketing, communications, and PR no matter what industry I’m working in at the time. But now that I think about it, my work in politics has shaped who I am as a blogger. Mostly, it has taught me what NOT to do! Politics is a nasty, dirty game whether you’re a donkey or an elephant. It’s so ironic to watch the parties smear each other because they both engage in the same dirty tactics.

Politics is the antithesis of where marketing is trending right now. It’s not about real conversation. No one really feels listened to. And when there’s so much at stake, desperate measures usually take hold. Consumers are almost always the ones to lead an industry into the realm of social media and conversation marketing. But consumers have yet to truly lead politicians in that direction. Don’t be fooled by YouTube debates or MySpace profiles. We have a long way to go before politicians from either party start being transparent!

Me: If you could package up some bold words of wisdom into a one-line fortune in a fortune cookie, what would it be?

Nathania: Ha! This question is so ironic because my previous employer was Fortune Interactive. So we like to say Fortune Favors the Bold. But if you’re looking for something original, try this:

“Stop chasing after other people’s success, and instead create your own.”

Me: Finally, do you have any other sites we should know about?

Nathania: I have my personal blog (nathaniajohnson.com) where I write about TV, Movies, Music, Politics, Fashion, Religion, etc. TV is dominating my posts right now because I love TV and there are a ton of incredible new shows on. Pushing Daisies, Life, Aliens in America, Journeyman, Private Practice, and Bionic Woman - I’m just blown away by the quality of television this season. That might make me sound like a couch potato, but I’m a screenwriter, improvisor, and indie filmmaker “on the side.”

Me: I can’t thank Nathania enough for taking the time to answer my questions and letting us all get to know her just a bit better. Add her to your roster of people to learn from, would you? She’s a great resource to have.

There’ll be another great interview with someone else on Monday. Look for it!

(from Smash Mouth. "AllStar" Astro Lounge. Interscope Records, 1999.)

Posted on October 5th, 2007 by DazzlinDonna
Filed under: Places I Visit