I am a passionate, energetic, and influential marketing executive with ability to take responsibility for corporate brand management and marketing communications. I have a “can do” attitude with a strategic vision, promote attractive and sticky ideas, and successfully measure campaign performance and success. I am a self-starter and straight-shooter with exceptional instincts and work well with teams.
Please view my résumé at: kcossin.strikingly.com
by: Kenneth Cossin
With over 775,000 apps in the Apple App Store and more than 800,000 in Google Play Store, it’s always nice to get quick tips and reviews of apps that are worth downloading. Well, you’re in luck! There are three apps that you can download today for free that are not only useful but also that you will enjoy using.
TV Show Tracker
There is an app called TV Show Tracker, created by Pixel Perfect Widgets, that allows you to track all of your favorite TV shows. Simply add your shows to the app, and it will remind you before your show airs. Therefore, you don’t have to miss that new episode.
Snip Snap
SnipSnap, is a mobile social couponing app that allows you to quickly find, snip, and save coupons for almost any store. No more forgetting your coupons at home or searching for them in the newspapers or flyers. SnipSnap allows you to take photos with your smartphone of any coupon, and it will decipher it for you. You can also find coupons that others have already snipped and save them for your use. And the pièce de résistance, SnipSnap notifies you a couple of days before the coupon expires!
Paper Karma
Junk mail plagues us all, right? Well, there is an app that allows you to take photos of your junk mail, add your address, and PaperKarma, created by Readibl, inc., will stop that junk mail from cluttering your mailbox. PaperKarma does all the work by contacting the company that mailed it and get your name removed from the distribution lost. You can also request a status of your request to stop junk mail to see if it was successful.
In summary, you can have fun and be productive with your smartphone. Enjoy!
Image credit: emergingtech.tbr.edu
By: Kenneth Cossin
We all know someone that seems to continually stand out from everyone else. They make it look completely effortless, and they always seem to be happy. How do they possibly keep up this façade?
People that naturally have a personality that stands out in a crowd have honed skills that many of us have not. Here is a list of seven tools that you can use to be on your way to standing out in the crowd, too!
Confidence
Being able to walk up to anyone and start a conversation is a great test of confidence. Challenge yourself to talk with others about subjects that you know well. You will want to practice many times with friends that you trust. Get feedback on how you did and what you can improve. Pay attention to your gestures, speaking voice, and intonation. Each of these secondary personality traits speaks to your level of confidence.
Comfort
When we’re in a room of people that we do not know, we tend to feel awkward, shy, and a multitude of other uneasy feelings. A simple way to overcome this feeling is to learn to do things alone and to trust that everything will be ok. Try going to the movies or dinner alone. Being around others that you do not know will help you become comfortable in your own skin.
Perception
When observing people that stand out, you will notice that they perceive and record in their minds many personality traits. They gauge conversation direction, tone, and level of formality and respond to the personalities around them accordingly. Listen closely to what people are saying and how they are saying it. Try to use what is being said to your advantage, and try to fit your perceptions of others into your knowledge and experience.
Trust
People tend to judge one another within the first few moments of meeting. Trust is a key element in this judgment process, therefore, be sure that your appearance is appropriate to the situation. Dress in a non-threatening manner, and ensure that you speak in a way that fits those around you. Regional accents and dialects can affect perception and affect how much someone trusts you.
Authority
Everyone loves someone who is knowledgeable, but no one likes a know-it-all. Therefore, even if you do know it all, don’t present yourself in this fashion. Speak and present in a way that you are making others feel like they are your intellectual equal.
The Three “S’s”
Stay informed, stay educated, and stay connected. Always knowing what is happening around you, remaining current on your knowledge, and creating a network not only makes you authoritative but also is a great strategy to successfully standing out.
Happiness
Last but not least, always exhibit a happy personality. People are naturally attracted to happy, upbeat, and positive people. While we’re not happy all of the time, it pays off in many ways to always show others a genuine smile.
Practice these skills whenever you are in public, at work, at school, wherever. Remember that practicing something for 10,000 hours will make you an expert! They take a lot of hard work, but you, too, can stand out in the crowd!
image credit: feedio.net
by: Kenneth Cossin
I know there are so many ways to write a tweet, but are you writing yours to make it easily readable by your followers? I can guarantee that your readers are not likely to read what you are tweeting if they cannot read it quickly. Here are my tips on writing a good tweet.
Verify the Link You are Sending
Make sure that the link to the article, story, video, photo, etc. you are sending is well-written and easy to read with no misspellings, the video plays and is short and sweet, and the photos are attention-grabbing.
Use Hashtags in the Correct Locations
Use hastags in sentences to a minimum. Place them at the end so as to not interrupt the flow of reading. Overuse of hashtags makes your tweets look like gibberish.
Place Usernames after Your Links
Typically we will put a Twtter username when we are mentioning someone because of an article they wrote. Be sure not to place the usernames strewn about throughout the tweet.
Example of a Bad Tweet
#Apple @MacRumors releases the new #iPad #Mini http://boguslink.notreal
Example of a Good Tweet
Apple releases the new iPad Mini http://boguslink.notreal via @MacRumors #Apple #iPad
by: Kenneth Cossin
I was thinking about the truly great people that I know or have known in my lifetime. What makes them stand out in my mind? What makes them special? What makes them interesting? Why do I wish to emulate them? There is one common thread that each possesses — it is the unique ability to merge creativity with an analytical mind.
Technical Thinking
Let’s take a quick look at technical thinking. In most cases, technical thinking involves some sort of predictable outcome. When there are many possible answers, we draw on past experiences to structure how we think. We create a logical flow in our minds, focus on the answers or what outcome we want to achieve, then seek the safest route to achieve our objective.
Creative Thinking
Looking at creative thinking, we see that there is a less ordered or focused approach. Typically we think with our emotions, daydream, and even brainstorm ideas. We are inspired by our creative thinking to do things that are unexpected and unpredictable. It is very important to realize that we also demonstrate an attitude through our creative thinking, therefore, we need to focus on portraying a positive attitude.
People that can truly connect with both ways of thinking will typically find that they have richer lives. They often employ the ideas featured in my post on “The Right-Brained Revolution” to solve everyday questions. I find these individuals fascinating and quite wise, thus why I wish to emulate them.
Each of us has the ability to be both creative and analytical. It depends on what we choose to exercise most. I would love to challenge everyone to do both. You just may be surprised by the results!
by: Kenneth Cossin
Last week, the Film Program’s makeup department here at Full Sail University put on a
demonstration for students on how to do Halloween makeup for cheap. These makeup tips are easy to do and easy to duplicate.
Some suggested makeup purchases:
local drug store
Mix and match any or all of the above to create different themes. Use photos as a reference. Be creative and have fun!
Happy Halloween
by: Kenneth Cossin
In 2006, Nokia released the first mobile phone to have Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. The thought behind initially including this technology was for ease of sharing information and content with other devices.
Photo: iPhone 5 Forum
As smartphones became popular in the market in 2008, developers of these devices started to think of new ways to use NFC. The idea of using our smartphones as a way to store our credit card and banking information became the new concept. Consumers could pay with their smartphones at any NFC terminal.
Although, Near Field Communication has seen a rough road for several reasons. One is that merchants are wanting consumers to have the capability to use NFC for payment before investing in the technology for their businesses. Consumers want merchants to offer payment methods like NFC at their locations. Hardware developers are concerned about security, and major players such as Apple have shied away from adding this technology. Therefore, traction for this technology is lagging… for now.
Apple is in the process of working out a plan for its own version of NFC. While some may see this choice as a delay tactic or a way to control what is going on with NFC, I believe that Apple is being cautious. Whether or not this path is the right one, I believe that mobile developers need to solidify mobile couponing and creating worth-while in-app deals and incentives before moving on to the next big thing.
by: Kenneth Cossin
Have you ever worked for a company that did not focus on building trust, relationships, and competence? If you have, it was probably one of the most unfulfilling jobs that you have ever had. When it comes to strategic marketing, these three qualities are paramount.
Building Trust
Trust is simple to identify but very difficult to maintain. The components of trust are truth, honesty, and openness. We try to emulate these traits, but they are not always as easy to demonstrate as they are to say. Complexities of business can hinder our truthfulness, honesty, and openness especially when it comes to communicating with our competitors. We do not want to give away our trade secrets for obvious reasons, but trying to give away the water without giving away the baby is a good practice. In general, people will appreciate our openness.
Building Relationships
Relationships are the key element of human interaction. They help us to relate to one another, they help fortify our self-esteem, and they strengthen our customer loyalty. Why do we do business with particular companies? Typically it is because we have built a strong relationship with that business. These relationships can help us not only grow on a personal level but also help us grow our business, our career, and our fulfillment in life.
Building Competence
Knowing how to solve issues and problems efficiently is part of success. Therefore, when we continue to grow and learn, we continue to step out of our comfort zone, and we continue to see all points of view on different topics, we become more effective marketers. Competence also fosters great relationships and trust.
In summary, each of these key points has to be part of our plan if we are to be successful and happy marketers. Remember that each of these cannot exist without the other and that they are easy to forget when our days become hectic. So, occasionally remind yourself of these points and fulfill your business, career, and life.
We all love deals and incentives, and we especially love things that are free, right? So, why not apply this simple concept to our blogs?
We write blog posts and create great content to our blogs in hopes that our readers will gain knowledge and insight from our hard work. It is not easy coming up with new content, and many times when we start creating the content, we really aren’t sure how it will be recieved by our audience.
By putting forth a deal or incentive to have new followers or to keep your current followers, you can always create a deal or incentive, such as a contest, to entice audience members that land on your blog to not only read what you write but to sign up to follow your blog.
Thus, for all the new members that sign up for MY blog within the next five days of my post, I will enter your name into a random drawing to receive some Full Sail University swag! Please follow the rules within the following form to enter.
by: Kenneth Cossin
What three social media outlets do you use most? This question is answered differently for each person, but I believe that there are three that will come out on top. They are Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Google+ runs a distant 4th.
by spinsucks.com
In the world of marketing, the three aforementioned social media outlets are heavily used today. Facebook is ingrained in our everyday lives, Twitter is a great way for business to reach and connect with other like-minded companies, and LinkedIn provides an avenue for individuals to share their personal knowledge with companies and to get discovered. Therefore, these three social media tools provide the most exposure with minimal effort.
Just a few years ago, this list of social media outlets was different, and in the future, I am sure it will change again. Maybe Google+ will move up in the rankings if Google can make their product more intuitive and user-friendly. Other social media outlets, such as StumbleUpon, Digg, and Reddit may have potential, but they do not offer what these three top social media outlets do. It will be interesting to see where social media takes us in the near future.
Cossin's Corner 
You must be logged in to post a comment.