The Wax Blog

Since I recently listed several of my favorite PR sites – I thought it would be a good idea to post some of my favorite sites on the marketing side here too. I love RSS feeds – not only is it easy to stay up to date it shows me how prolific and smart many of my colleagues are in this business. Here are some of the blogs I’m following right now – and why. If you don’t mind, take a minute and list your own favorites in the comments section.

If I was only allowed one blog to read, for sure it would be Marketing Profs Daily Although many of us on Twitter are quite familiar with the brilliant Beth Harte, there are TONS of great posts on any marketing topic from sales to social media. The archive is huge and easy to search. I don’t pay for the “premium” option but I’ve been told it’s well worth it if you have the time. I try to read anything by Stephanie Miller and Kim Stearns but the site also links good posts from other blogs as well. It’s  a great collection of articles on just about any topic I need from a broad range of experts.

Although most people bow down to the OTHER Chris, I really like Chris Garrett’s site. He’s taught me a ton about new media, and blogging in particular. I wouldn’t say his posts are for blog neophytes or those just dabbling in it, but for someone who’s really trying to become adept at blogging and using the new media toolset, ChrisG is an excellent resource. I haven’t shelled out the $397 for his Authority Blogger course – anyone out there tried it?

Everybody knows that Seth Godin is brilliant – although I think his books are MUCH better than his blogging, I still love to read his blog. (Everyone should read Tribes, by the way)  The guy can say more in a few sentences than anybody else I know.  One thing that drives me nuts is his insistence on just continuing to put several posts on one page, so you end up scrolling around alot. But that’s just a nit. Seth’s a god of marketing.

John Jantsch’s Duct Tape Marketing is not a blog that I read daily, but it is required reading for my small business clients. This blog manages to take the mystery out of marketing and really boils it down to its simplest (but most effective) elements for small business. Case in point – his post on marketing strategy points out the critical questions every small business should ask themselves when planning a marketing campaign. Really good, back to the basics blog with some fun personal musings. Again, if you own a small business this should be a daily read.

Finally, maybe it’s because I’m the daughter of a pathologist but I love Brand Autopsy. The dramatic readings are hysterical and it’s a bit pop but it’s a fast read. The author, John Moore, is a former Starbucks/Whole Foods marketer who seems to know his stuff as far as word of mouth marketing goes. And it’s fun – I particularly like his “brands I would miss” series. Again, a fun, fast read.

AdAge’s has a great list of 150 marketing and PR sites if you’re looking for a specific topic.

I saw that Barbie turned 50 recently – I mean the doll, NOT my friend Barbie who is MUCH younger. Since I blame Barbie and Cinderella for most our society’s  fascination with blonde hair, black eyelashes and a large “smile” I started to wonder whether online media portrayed women in the same objectified fashion that we often see in TV and print.

I’m leaving the video games and men’s websites out of this discussion – that’s a given. But when I googled “how women are portrayed online” I got nothing that really matched. Lots of posts about traditional media but nothing for social media. It’s true, through avatars and aliases, we can all be who we want to be online. But  if Barbie and Cinderella are still as pervasive in traditional media, why don’t my women friends on Twitter have a Christie Brinkley lookalike photo? Does it mean that online we can drop the facade and be ourselves? Or is it merely that the bimbos and himbos can’t figure out how to work their phones?

Personally, I think that social media gets rid of alot of the Barbie syndrome. A writer at Fast Company tried to make a case for what she thought were sexist or offensive comments recently. I think the very fact that we don’t have to be that politically correct online is in and of itself an equalizing factor.  Do women that look “hotter” in their Twitter picture get more male followers? Maybe but it’s the prerogative of the follower to decide their own criteria. 

I know I feel much freer in my interactions online than on a day to day basis out there in the real world. (If you’re not following ME on twitter already I’m waxgirl333.)  I’m being judged on my intellect and wit, not my face or figure. I think it’s a huge empowering factor for women, and for men too.

And yes, that picture of me has been photoshopped. After all, I do want to look my best.  And it looks like on Twitter, Barbie is Italian and has brown hair.

PS My friend Kim Jones just graciously showed me where the bimbos are online. Watch this it’s hilarious.