Welcome to “The Pond,” the whimsical domain of Mike Frey, the Chief Visionary Officer of Paradux Media Group. In his blog, “Beyond the Pond,” Mike extends a warm welcome to fellow enthusiasts, offering a unique blend of musings that reflect his diverse interests and, undoubtedly, captivate yours.
As the Chief Visionary Officer, Mike Frey brings a wealth of experience and a distinctive perspective to his blog. A brief introduction by Mike himself sets the tone—a friendly greeting inviting readers to dive into a space where curiosity, passion, and a touch of humor converge. “Beyond the Pond” is more than a blog; it’s a portal into the mind of a visionary who explores topics that resonate with him, hoping to strike a chord with his audience.
Expect an engaging journey through the realms of Media, Ducks, and Golf—themes that may seem disparate at first but come together seamlessly in Mike’s narrative. The blog is a canvas where each post paints a vivid picture of his interests, and the casual yet insightful tone creates an inviting atmosphere. Whether you share a love for media intricacies, have a soft spot for ducks, or enjoy the laid-back elegance of golf, “Beyond the Pond” promises something for everyone.
Mike’s writing style is a reflection of authenticity, offering readers an unfiltered glimpse into his thoughts and the stories that pique his curiosity. This blog is a testament to the idea that, in the world of Mike Frey, there’s always something interesting just beyond the pond. So, whether you’re a media aficionado, a duck enthusiast, a golf aficionado, or simply someone seeking a refreshing perspective, step into “Beyond the Pond” and let Mike guide you through a delightful exploration of his captivating world.
3 Little Must Do’s for your Business Facebook Page
It’s the simple things that always separate you from your competitors. Nothing is more evident of that fact than with Facebook. It’s not hard to tell the difference between businesses that do the homework before they jump in and those that jump in for the sake of jumping in. It’s not hard, nor is it…
Separation of Personal Page and Business Page Like Separation of Church and State
A lot of us have Facebook personal pages as well as business pages. A pet peeve of mine is people who spend most of their time on their pages talking about their business, sharing the links from their business, and then asking me to ‘Like’ their business page. Why? You’re filling me in with all…
We Can’t All Speak the Same Can We?
We see blogs every day with five ways to do this and ten ways to do that—this is how you need to do social media. If we all operated our social media the way the gurus say, then what would separate social media from everything else? One of the things I enjoy about social media…
If Organization Networking Why Not Social Media Networking?
For years, local business owners have joined networking organizations and clubs. Regional Chamber, 20/30, Rotary, BNI, to name a few. Some are exactly what they are networking, and some are disguised as charitable, although we know that 90% of the reason we are involved is for networking. Most clubs/organizations then have sub-committees for whom you…
Why Twitter? Maybe for the News
Everyone talks about how to use social media, and if you follow their ten steps, you’ll succeed. The one category that is using Twitter the right way is our local journalists. That is why you, the local small business owner, should be involved in Twitter. No matter the size, you cannot find a market that…
Fine Tune Your Social Media Like Your Golf Game
Social Media is nothing more than communication. Certain individuals will always be naturally better and more talented than others at communicating. Social media, like life, offers several different forms of communication. It is essential to play in as many different forms as possible; some will be more suitable, and others will be more difficult to…
The Innovative Ducks a Little Like Social Media?
Have you watched the Oregon Ducks play football this year? If not, you’re missing out. As I watch how innovative Coach Kelly and the Oregon Ducks are on the field, I can’t help but think of the comparisons they make with social media. Some traditional football fans and writers complain that their offense is gimmicky…
Layers, the more the better
Today, marketing requires more layers than ever before. Years ago, the business owner could choose one or more of the three traditional media outlets and call it good. With traditional media’s continual downward spiral, business owners must find layers to define their business’s position in the community. Social Media is a great way to add…
Blogging-Like Eating Vegetables
I wouldn’t say I like blogging. I do find it a necessary evil today, no matter what business category you fall into. Blogging seems to lend credibility to who and what you do. It can make you an expert in the field that you work in. It adds excellent material to your website, tweets, and…
So What’s Your Social Media Strategy?
So, what’s your social media strategy? I’m sure that when it comes to most marketing endeavors, you attach some strategy to it. Have you done that for social media? No, I’m not talking about an ROI; I’m talking strategy. What is the base for your social media, Facebook? Twitter? Is location-based social media like Foursquare…
Are You a Pioneer or a Settler?
All sorts of numbers are being thrown out there regarding how many companies have implemented social media plans and strategies. Most numbers are probably a little inflated. It’s going to come down to region and category. Some categories are more suited to social media right now; similar to when the dot com boom was happening,…
Where is Your Audience?
As a small business owner, one of the most critical questions you must ask is: Where is my audience today? Years ago, reaching customers was more straightforward. Placing an ad in the local Saturday newspaper could bring a decent return on investment (ROI). Radio was another effective tool for building Top of Mind Awareness (TOMA)…
Tweeting is Word of Mouth
We were recently out of state attending a client’s strategic planning session. We didn’t know much about the area and had been very busy in the weeks leading up to that, so we didn’t do much investigating on the Internet. It wasn’t a vacation to pull up all the to-do’s of the place you’ll be…
Social Media-Build Your Own Audience
Traditional Media has been doing it for years, building an audience through programming and marketing and then turning around and selling your business the opportunity to talk to its audience. Social Media is an opportunity for YOU, the local business owner, to create your own audience to communicate to and through. Building an audience in…
Traditional Media Created Social Media
Before conglomeration, there was a time when radio, television, and print were local community outlets. The big three were locally owned and focused on the local community. Most decisions for communities regarding their major media are made thousands of miles away. What music to play, what programming to air, and cuts made in print to…
What’s Next For Social Media?
While the big brands and big boxes have taken early advantage of social media, if social media continues to grow, it will be because of the smaller local businesses. Big brands are paving the way, which makes sense since social media is more popular in larger markets. The next phase will take place in the…
Grassroots Marketing: Where Social Media Makes Perfect Sense
We belong to a local Chamber of Commerce that represents many small communities where we live. It means small communities with populations as high as 8,000, but most closer to 1,000. Like many small communities, the summers are filled with unique and creative weekend events. The events have no accurate media budgets; they are all…
Mainstream Social Media: Is That What Users Want?
Every day, we further mainstream social media. It’s hard to watch a news program that isn’t talking about what’s going on in tweet-land or what’s being posted on Facebook. How many TV and radio commercials now ask you to follow, like, and print ads with Twitter and Facebook logos? My perception of social media’s growth…
Practice Patience
For local business owners worldwide and in Southern Oregon, the three keywords for opening or running a business are location, location, and location. In today’s economic and marketing environment, the new three keys to success are patience, patience, and patience. From a financial standpoint, disposable income doesn’t exist like it did a few years ago.…
5 Reasons a Local Business Owner Should be Involved in Social Media
There are many reasons that every local business should be involved in local social media. I’ve found that if it takes more than five reasons, they are afraid of what they don’t understand or of change. To go beyond five, you are just reaffirming to someone who believes in what you are talking about, and…