#SeaTweetup – What to Expect [Images]

What are you waiting for!?! Come aboard the #SeaTweetup on Norwegian Sky from November 18-21! 

#SeaTweetup Itinerary

Why should you come aboard the @SeaTweetup? Because Norwegian Cruise Line, Kaufman, Rossin & Co., SocialBuzzTV, Soul of Miami, Social Esquire, Cruise Deals, Jeff Cohen, Rich Tucker and I have planned this kick ass itinerary!

$100 a day for your cabin, meals (there are 10 different dining options), entertainment, fitness center, bars & lounges, pools, shops, casino, the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay (Norwegian’s private, renovated island) and parties! Where can you get all this on land for $100 a day? Put down that deposit to secure the current cruise rate, priority cabin preference, free WiFi minutes (first 30 to book get 30 free minutes; <30 free minutes to those who book thereafter), and the opportunity to speak at our roundtable presentation!

#SeaTweetup Itinerary (all activities listed below are optional)

Friday, November 18, 2011

• 12:00-4:00pm – Boarding onto the NCL Sky
• 12:00-2:00pm – Meet & Tweet (meet the planning committee and the tweeps who will be aboard for the next 3 days. Internet access in port)
• 2:00-4:00pm – Social Media Scavenger Hunt (friendly competition against the other #SeaTweetup participants. Can you solve our clues and complete our social media tasks while in port? Be sure your camera phone is charged 😉 )
• 5:00-6:00pm – Sail Away Tweetup & BBQ (enjoy networking and meeting the #SeaTweetup participants all around a delicious BBQ poolside and at Champs Bar)
• 8:00-9:00pm – Group Dinner @ Garden Café
• 10:00-11:30pm – Karaoke @ Outrigger Lounge
• 11:30-12:15am – 70’s Groove Dance Party @ Dazzles Nightclub
• 12:15am – South Beach Rave Dance Party @ Dazzles Nightclub

Saturday, November 19, 2011

• 8:00-4:30pm – Free time + free BBQ @ Great Stirrup Cay (NCL’s private, renovated island)
• 6:00-8:00pm – How Can We Improve Twitter – 15 presenters in 45 minutes (roundtable presentation with cocktails @ Plantation Club. Book now to have the opportunity to present!)
• 8:00-9:00pm – Group Dinner @ Crossings Main Dining Room
• 9:00-11:00pm – Stardust Showtime: Comedy and Magic of Rich Purpura @ Stardust Lounge
• 11:00pm – White Hot Dance Party – poolside

Sunday, November 20, 2011

• 8:00-2:00pm – Free time @ Nassau
• 2:00-4:30pm – Show & Tell Tweetup @ Senor Frogs (opportunity for #SeaTweetup participants to come together after 2 days of relationship-building to share what they’ve discussed and learned. We’ll be connecting to Senor Frogs’ free WiFi and projecting the #SeaTweetup hash tag to see what everyone’s been tweeting!)
• 4:30pm – All aboard the Sky
• 6:00-8:00pm – Cocktails @ Longboard Bar
• 8:00-9:00pm – Group Dinner @ Palace Main Dining Room
• 9:00-10:00pm – Dancing in Dazzles @ Dazzles Nightclub
• 10:15-11:00pm – Game Show: Over in 60 Seconds @ Dazzles Nightclub
• 11:00-11:30pm – Country Hits @ Dazzles Nightclub
• 11:45-12:00am – Farewell “Burlesque Party” @ Dazzles Nightclub
• 12:00-1:00am – Battle of the DJs Dance Party @ Dazzles Nightclub
• 1:00am – Late Night Party with DJ Watson @ Dazzles Nightclub

So… WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? 🙂

Helpful links:

• Learn about the Norwegian Sky
• Cabin options
• Dining options
• Bars, lounges, clubs & drinking options
• Things to do on-board the Sky
• Reserve Your Spot on the #SeaTweetup
• More information on Facebook
• Follow @SeaTweetup
• Join the #SeaTweetup discussion

Cruise + Bahamas + Tweeps = #SeaTweetup

First thing’s first, I’d like to apologize for being a busy bum and not blogging since…um…end…of…May… (YIKES!) But my laziness worked out to my strategic advantage because now I can return with a BANG! *BANG*

Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to invite you to the FIRST ever #SeaTweetup!!!

#SeaTweetup = social media enthusiasts + networking + tweetups + cruising + boozing + Bahamas + social media presentations + social media scavenger hunt + special events + no work!

Organized by South Florida social media enthusiasts – Jeff Cohen @iamJeffCohen, James Echols @SoulOfMiami, Rochelle Gapere @roriffic, Annette Peikert @thepumagirl, Sebastian Rusk @sebrusk, Rich Tucker @RichTucker, and myself @Aubrey_Swanson – along with the support of Kaufman, Rossin & Co., Norwegian Cruise Line, SocialBuzzTV, Social Esquire and Soul of Miami, the world’s first ever tweetup at sea will bring together social media enthusiasts from across the globe for a one-of-a-kind 3-day/3-night networking event to build lasting relationships!

The back-story: The #SeaTweetup idea was sparked after Norwegian Cruise Line hosted their first tweetup on their largest cruise ship, The Epic. Attendees were given an amazing tour of the ship and treated to a delicious meal while tweeting #TwEpic. But then, we had to exit the Epic so that the real cruisers could board. It was kind of a bummer, especially for someone who’s never been on a cruise before! So we had a great idea – why not extend this #TwEpic idea and actually set sail?! #SeaTweetup was born 🙂

#SeaTweetup logistics:

• Date: November 18-21, 2011

• Location: Norwegian Sky, private island, Nassau

• Cost: $301.32 ($100 refundable deposit due by September 10th. Full payment or cancellation due by September 10th.)

Itinerary includes:

• Meet & Tweet
• Social Media Scavenger Hunt
• Sail Away Tweetup & BBQ
• Roundtable presentation – “How Can We Improve Twitter – 15 presenters in 45 minutes”
• Show & Tell Tweetup
• Private island excursions
• Nassau adventures
• Cocktail parties
• Group dinners
• Discussions
• Parties
• Anything and everything your hopes and dreams desire (as long as it’s legal)

I’m incredibly excited for this social media extravaganza at sea! I’ve never been on a cruise, and I’ve never to the Bahamas! I cannot wait to meet new people and have fun with those I already know. If you like social media/cruises/networking/partying, then I think this is the trip for you!

For more information and to join the discussion, visit the SeaTweetup Facebook Fan Page, check the #SeaTweetup hash tag and follow @SeaTweetup as well as the organizers mentioned above.

Can’t wait to jump on board with you 🙂

Let Summer Begin with June Festivities!

Feel the summer heat wave, grab your flip flops, slather on your sunscreen, and put on your hat because it’s SUMMER time and the livin’s easy….

Bold = I’ve already RSVP’d!

• Miami HEAT vs. Dallas: May 31 @ 9pm
• Wine Down Wednesday: June 1
• Taste of the Gables: June 2
• Summer Shorts at Arsht Center: June 2
• Miami HEAT vs. Dallas: June 2 @ 9pm
• NetUpNow On The Rocks – I’m featured as a Miami Social Media Maven: June 3
• Fedde Le Grande at Liv: June 3
• Hair: June 5
• Miami HEAT vs. Dallas: June 5 @ 8pm
• Coral Gables Restaurant Week: June 6 – 19
• Miami HEAT vs. Dallas: June 7 @ 9pm
• Jim Kaufman’s Annual End-Of-The-Year Seminar: June 8
• Miami HEAT vs. Dallas: June 9 @ 9pm
• Ludacris Performing at Marlins v. Diamondbacks: June 11
• Miami HEAT vs. Dallas: June 12 @ 8pm
• Miami HEAT vs. Dallas: June 14 @ 9pm
• 60 Second Cocktails by Bacardi Benefiting United Way: June 16
• Father’s Day: June 19
• Vacation: June 21 – June 30
• TattooLaPalooza: June 24

Be sure to check back as I’ll update this events list!

For more Miami events, check out: What Miami, Soul of Miami, Miami New Times!

#PetPeeve…What’s Yours?

Wikipedia defines a pet peeve as the following:

A pet peeve (or pet hate) is a minor annoyance that an individual identifies as particularly annoying to him or her, to a greater degree than others may find it.

Today I realized I have quite a few pet peeves. Now I shall enlighten you as to what those are… Oh, and I’ve included my own commentary on each one. Enjoy 🙂

• Miami drivers. You’re all crazy!
  
• [Miami] drivers who don’t understand what that lever to the left of their steering wheel is…Hey, guess what! It’s called a “turn signal” or a “blinker.”
• [Miami] drivers who insist on driving in the left lane and making me pass on the right! Left = fast, right = slow. Did you guys not have driver’s ed???
• Runners/walkers/bikers who also don’t follow the above bullet point. We are in the USA, not the UK or Australia.
  
• When I spend valuable time cleaning and organizing and 10 minutes later someone screws it all up. F you!
• Flaky people. Why make plans in the first place?
• Anything and everything my current roommate does (hope she doesn’t read this…)
• When people who speak both English and a foreign language engage in a foreign language conversation right in front of you, knowing you only speak English. Stop talking about me biatch!
• People on power trips. Get over yourself.
• People who ask dumb questions. Are you effing kidding me!?!
• People who flash their money around and take their blessings for granted. I was raised on a farm – I know the meaning of hard work and the meaning of a $1.
• The politics of life. Why can’t life be simple?
• Shitty customer service. I’ve been a waitress, it’s not that hard to split checks – stop making lame excuses!
• Kids who jump off the diving board when they know they can’t swim. I used to be a lifeguard. I mean… This seems like common sense. Can’t swim = don’t go in 10ft. deep water… Just sayin…
• Line skippers. Wait your turn like the rest of us, asshole!
• Slow computers. Ugh! I have work to do!
• Liars. I can see right through you.
• Whiners and complainers. Shut your pie hole ’cause I don’t want to hear it (unless you’re my good friend, of course 🙂 )
• Catty estrogen females. Take yo drama to yo mama.
• People constantly bumping into me at a show. I know I’m 5’1″ but yes, I do exist, and yes, I’m standing here.
• Restaurants that run out of menu items. You’re a restaurant – do some better forecasting! If you know sweet potatoes are popular and you always run out, order more! Duh!
• Ex-boyfriends. Can’t you just stay out of my life for good?
• Guys who play games. Stop saying you don’t play them, ’cause you do! And it’s very annoying.
• People who can’t carry on a conversation. If I wanted to have a one-sided conversation, I’d talk to the wall. Please, enlighten me.
• Overly competitive people. It’s just a game.
• People who don’t flush. Step 1) Place finger or foot on button/handle/lever, Step 2) Push down.
• People who pee on the toilet seat. WTF?! EW!
• People who knock it before they try it. You don’t have a valid opinion unless you’ve actually experienced ___ first-hand!
• When people step on the back of my shoe. Either slow the eff down or walk around me, but don’t step on me! It hurts and you’re ruining my shoe.
• When people are bitchy to your face and act like everything is okay the next time they see you.  No, I have not forgotten that you’re a rude b*tch.
• People with no manners. There is such a thing as “please” and “thank you”. Now that I’ve taught you this, you’re welcome. See how this works now?
• People who don’t clean up after their dog. Carry a plastic bag and pick up the poop so pedestrians don’t have to walk facing down watching out for dog crap, and so we don’t step in it and smell like $h*t for the rest of the day (literally).
• Not receiving my Twitter mentions via my Hootsuite android app. I paid $2.99 (or something like that) for this app! I want to see when people are tweeting @ me!
• Lastly… This (see picture below). Enough said.

Now I know I said my blog would be more about social media and what not… So, to tie this into social media (and for shits ‘n giggles), I’m asking YOU to add your #petpeeve in a comment below this post. Then, kindly tweet it (if you have Twitter) and be sure to include @Aubrey_Swanson and #PetPeeve. I’m way too excited to see what ticks you off 🙂

So…What Exactly Does a Social Media Marketer Do?

Imagine a crisp, beautiful, sunny evening on the patio of one of Miami’s most popular restaurants. Name tag in place (top right of my chest), glass of wine (red) in my left hand, hors d’oeuvres (quiche) in my right hand. There’s a crowd of business suites and dresses beyond the horizon. Then, this happens:

Random Person: “Hi, I’m Random Person. What do you do? Where do you work?”

Me: “Hi, I’m Aubrey! I’m the social media coordinator at Kaufman, Rossin & Co., an accounting firm, and Lit Software, LLC, the developers of TrialPad.”

Random Person: *chuckle* “So… What exactly do you do? Do you just play on Facebook and Twitter all day?”

Me: “Um…No.”(Proceeds by throwing red wine in Random Person’s face)

Hahaha just joking! I wouldn’t waste my red wine!

In all seriousness, I do get asked this question quite often. And in contrast to the make-believe scenario above, I actually do like when people ask me about what my job entails and why a CPA firm hired me. It’s fun to disprove  stereotypes and assumptions 🙂

Since nowadays everyone has a short attention span (thank you Twitter for the infamous 140 character tweet and thank you text/SMS abbreviations “OMG!”), I will share with you via bullet-point what I, and other social media marketers, do on a day-to-day basis (in no specific order):

• Represent the mission, values and voice of the brand online
• Manage social media accounts such as a Facebook Fan Page, Twitter Profile, LinkedIn Company Page, YouTube Channel, Flickr Photo Stream, Blog and Website
• Post relevant, interesting and timely news, articles, events, updates and happenings on the above sites
• Respond to and engage with others online
• Be interesting, resourceful and factual yet creative, fun and witty
• Shoot, upload, edit, produce and describe photos and videos
• Search, follow/fan and reach out to specific target markets
• Monitor online conversations for mentions, new opportunities and intriguing conversations
• Attend and add value to marketing meetings
• Strategize new marketing initiatives, projects and events
• “Live” tweet during conferences, seminar, tweetups and twitter chats
• Create suspense in 140 characters or less
• Analyze data and statistics
• Write blog posts
• Promote the benefits and values of the brand
• Provide insightful and beneficial feedback and opinion to others
• Create successful marketing campaigns
• Research, Research, RESEARCH
• Educate and influence colleagues to join specific social media networks for specific purposes
• Attend lots of Firm, social and networking events
• Stay up-to-date with the ever-changing social media updates
• Double and triple check spelling and grammar on everything that’s publicized online
• Build and maintain a strong and dedicated follower list/fan base
• Increase photo and video views
• Cross-promote
• Customer service
• Bounce ideas off of and help others in the industry – sharing is caring 🙂
• Be on-call 24/7 – social media never sleeps; thank goodness for smart phones!
• Continuing education – read articles, attend seminars, join organizations, watch webinars, etc…
• Establish one’s own individual brand online and in the community
• Speak and present at internal and external presentations

This is honestly just a taste of what I do (for two companies!). It may sound boring in a blog post, but I assure you, I have the BEST and most exciting job out there! And of course I don’t want to give away all my secrets 😉 So if you’d like to learn more, contact me!

I encourage other social media mavens to share their responsibilities and experiences in the comments section below!

And if you still think social media is just a fad…You’re WRONG! And I recommend you watch this video: Social Media Revolution 2!

“I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead”

– Blaise Pascal

The Best Month of the Year…May!

May has always been one of the best months of the year (excluding final exams)!  Spring is winding down… Summer is about to begin… And… It’s BIRTHDAY bananza month! Please join me at the following events, especially my birthday celebrations!

Bold = I’ve already RSVP’d!

• Merrell Down & Dirty Mud Run: May 1
  
• Cinco de Mayo: May 5
• South Beach Art Walk: May 5
• MY BIRTHDAY: May 6
• My Birthday Celebration at Liv with Steve Angello: May 6
• My Birthday Party at Fado – “23?! F*ck I’m Getting Old!”: May 7
• Mother’s Day: May 8
• Damn Good Burger (DGB) Grand Opening: May 10
• Brooklyn Water Bagel Blogger Sampling Event: May 11
• Cocktails & Cupcakes Networking Event: May 11
• Rik Rak Salon & Spa Spring into Beauty@ JW Marriott: May 12
• Steve Aoki at Set: May 12
• 4th Annual Fashionably Conscious Benefiting Coconut Grove Cares: May 13 – 14
• Wynwood Art Walk: May 14
• Laidback Luke at Liv: May 18
• Girl Talk at the Fillmore: May 19
• Sonic C at Grand Central: May 20
• Dirty South at Mansion: May 21
• UM Young Alumni Social: May 25
• Electric Daisy Carnival – Orlando: May 27 – 28
• Key West for Karla Castillo’s birthday: May 27-29

As always, I will add/update events as needed 🙂

To find more events in Miami and South Florida, please visit:

• What Miami
• Soul of Miami
• Miami New Times

PM Pick-Me-Up from Dunkin’ Donuts

Sometimes I don’t blog in the most timely fashion… But hey, better late than never, right? Just nod your head and go with it… 🙂

17 days ago (if you can’t do the math, that makes it April 5th, 2011), I was invited to be part of Dunkin’ Donuts South FL‘s special Afternoon Blogger Sampling Event. First of all, I got REALLY excited because this was the first time I was specially recognized and acknowledged as a South FL blogger (thank you Dunkin’ Donuts)! Plus, they DM’d me on Twitter so it made me feel extra “special” and “elite” (even though I know I am not… *sad face*). Secondly, if you know me at all, you know I love food + you know I have a lot of student loan debt (thank you UM) = I try to be cost-effective when encouraging my #fatkid status but that usually never works…!

So why was Dunkin’ Donuts South FL hosting this event? Turns out, they’re releasing a new line of PM (afternoon) snacks & beverages and they wanted a select few to be the first to taste-test their newest creations!

Upon arrival at the #PMsnack event, we were fed the following:

• Cuban Flatbread Sandwiches (exclusive to S FL)
• Munchkins (mini donut balls)
• Cheeseburger and pepperoni-stuffed breadsticks
• Warm apple pie (get your mind out of the gutter)
• Cheddar bagel twists
• Lemon-filled donuts + other flavors
• Mountain Dew Coolatta
• Cuban coffee
• I hope I’m not missing anything…

I thought these PM snacks were all pretty tasty! I especially enjoyed the stuffed breadsticks, apple pie and lemon-filled donuts #nomnomnom. Sadly I’ve lived in Miami for the past 4 1/2 years and have yet to try a real Cuban sandwich so I can’t really compare Dunkin’ Donuts’ new Cuban Flatbread Sandwich to the real thing, but I’m sure they were pretty close yet far enough to have its own distinguishment (hence using flatbread and not whatever bread they use to make traditional Cuban sandwiches – Cuban bread?).

This was a really unique experience. Of course like all tweetups and events, there was great networking and meeting new people, as well as bonding with the old (hey Carlos Miller, aka The Social Media Puto)! I definitely have to give Dunkin’ Donuts their props for being such a huge chain yet being able to cater their menu items to different geographical locations and holding these one-of-a-kind events for their local consumers. That is, after all, what really matters these days and converts those consumers into #customers4life 🙂

In case you’re hungry… Try licking your computer/mobile/tablet screen and seeing how these Dunkin’ Donuts food images taste.

PS – We also received these kick-ass DD swag bags with a tumbler, DD USB drive and pen!

Don’t forget to check out Carlos Miller’s Social Media Puto review and VIDEO!

A Second Wind for April

If you were able to survive March Madness, prepare a second wind for April because things in Miami are NOT slowing down…

Bold = I’ve already RSVP’d!

• Aubrey Swanson & Joy Batteen Presenting Social Media 101 for FIU Beta Alpha Psi Students: April 1
• Miami River Day: April 2
• Rave on the River – Solaris: April 2
• WAKA Kickball Playoffs (Downtown): April 3
• Aubrey Swanson Speaking on UM AMA Panel: April 4
• Dunkin Donuts Blogger Sampling Event #PMsnacks: April 5
• Lil Wayne’s “I Am Still Music” Tour with Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross & Travis Barker: April 5
• The Sparrow – Exclusive Dress Rehearsal at Adrienne Arsht Center: April 6
• Univ. of Miami Student & Alumni Career Symposium: April 7
• Gary Vaynerchuk at Books & Books: April 7
• Art in the Park Miami: April 9 – 10
• Pizza Tweetup: April 11
• Social Buzz TV Networking Event: April 11
• Social Media Club South Florida – Linkedin: Oh, What’s the Use?: April 12
• United Way Miami Wine & Food Festival: April 14 – 17
• Relay for Life Coral Gables: April 16 – Help me reach my fundraising goal!
• The Great Taste of the Grove: April 16 – 17
• Kaufman, Rossin’s Tax Season Party: April 18
• Borscht Film Festival: April 23
• Mercedes-Benz Corporate Run: April 28
• Miami Beach Veiled Wine Society Benefiting Voices for Children: April 30
• Brew at the Zoo: April 30

WAKA Kickball - Texas Theme!

For more events and information, please visit my friends’ websites: What Miami and Soul of Miami!

Love your life. Live your life.

One Hashtag: #ChevyPizzaCrawl

Free Pizza + Drive New Chevys (and an Escalade) + Meet Tweeps In-Person = #ChevyPizzaCrawl 4

So my friends on Facebook (not Twitter) see pictures like this one below and ask, “What?! How did you get to do this? Where do you sign up?”

Here’s how:

1. Join Twitter!
2. Follow @Lapp, @midtownchica and @ChevyFlorida!
3. Watch out for #ChevyPizzaCrawl tweets and follow instructions!

The Chevy Pizza Crawl is one of the most creative collaborations I’ve been been lucky enough to partake in in South Florida. Our gracious host, Craig Agranoff, founder of www.worstpizza.com (among other things) teamed up with Chevy Florida and Stephanie Camargo to let  20 +/- tweeps…Wait, get this… Drive around the tri-county area in brand new Chevy vehicles (and a Hybrid Escalade) to taste cheesy, dough-ey, saucy goodness at three delicious pizza restaurants (for free)! It’s truly a remarkable experience. Not only did I get to taste pizza from That Pizza Place (New York-style), Nino’s of Boca 2 (upside-down-style), and Esposito’s (Detroit-style), and not only did I drive an $88,000 Hybrid Escalade, Chevy Cruze, Chevy Equinox, and Chevy Traverse, but I got to meet some of South Florida’s most exceptional locals and social media enthusiasts!

[A little bit of ranting… With a valid point in the end] People always complain about online social networking and how it’s so anti-social because you sit at your computer instead of actually going out and physically socializing and blah blah blah… Well the Chevy Pizza Crawl is a perfect example of social media going above and beyond the internet. Twitter really does bring like-minded individuals together and some of my best friendships have been the result of Twitter! It’s like those online dating TV commercials say, “one in eight married couples met online,” well… I say, “one in eight friendships are created online.” Maybe someday I’ll find my future hubby online…Hmm…Maybe I think I’ll stick to single life for now 😉 You never know what the future holds though…

All three pizza restaurants were #NomNomNom! I especially fell in love with Esposito’s Detroit-style pizza! But I enjoyed all of my 7 huge slices I consumed throughout the day 🙂 #FatKid.

Oh and did I mention there were PRIZES given away for Best Tweet, Best Chevy Tweet, Best Pizza Tweet, Funniest Tweet and more! I actually won a trophy and a $50 AMEX gift card for Best Twit Pic (see below my Best Twit Pic of @Lapp)! I also spent that $50 an hour later on one of my Ultra Music Festival outfits… Oops! We parted ways with full bellies just after GM in the Southeast handed us Chevy goody bags (mind you, they also provided us with Dunkin Donuts BEFORE the Chevy Pizza Crawl commenced)!

THANK YOU to EVERYONE for letting me spend their Saturday with them 🙂 I had a blast and can’t wait until we meet again!

Picture courtesy of Carlos Miller / The Social Media Puto

View all the Chevy Pizza Crawl 4 Photos

See all the Chevy Pizza Crawl 4 participants

Watch Carlos Miller’s hilarious video + blog post