My Interview with Social Media Maven Christine Bode

Christine Bode was one of the first to catch my eye out of the numerous people that I had met on Facebook back in November of 2011. My connection with Christine made me want to learn more about her. Christine’s web site (http://scullylovepromo.wordpress.com) had such rich content that I stayed there for awhile just reading and connecting to the different links. As I read I could feel the positive energy. Her site read like a social media adventure story and I saw the workings of social media management in a whole new way. I knew at that moment that I had found a mentor and a new friend. It has been a great honor to interview Christine Bode. Her strength, brilliance and her willingness to share so much about the work she loves is what I admire about her the most.

Social Media Mavens are described as exhibiting innovation in creating and connecting online communities.  They demonstrate leadership in the field by skillfully using social tools to bring in likes, comments, tweets, etc., to deliver an unparallel level of community engagement. This truly describes Christine Bode, who has an impressive social media portfolio. Christine has worked with a wide range of musicians, bands, singer-songwriters, novelists, children’s book authors and independent business owners.

Christine Bode, Professional Social Media Manager, and Internet Promoter, is the owner of Scully Love Promo, which she started in 2008. Scully is the name of Christine’s beautiful dog (a female Goldendoodle).

The Interview with Christine Bode:

RMcDade:  Please share what's going on with your latest project, the social media workshops.

Christine Bode:  I have just started hosting social media workshops and gave my first one last week.  It went really well and gave me the confidence to continue with them in 2012.  I hope to host at least one a month.  I will concentrate on teaching people about the sites I know the most about which include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Wordpress.

RM:  While working as a Social Media Manager for almost 4 years, please share what you see as the most repetitive need that your clients ask for help with?

CB:  My clients know that they need to have a social media marketing campaign in place but they’re not sure exactly what to do in order to make it effective.  I help them to get everything up and running, teach them how to use each site properly, and assist with expanding their audience.  My clients need someone to help them with social media because they don’t have the time to do everything that’s required to share all their content, build their network and actually run their business or create their products.

RM:  What inspires you to continue your work in Social Media in spite of the ups and downs over the years?

CB:  To be honest there haven’t been any downs.  I just started working for myself full-time late this year (I’ve always had another part-time job to help supplement my income) and the only thing that’s a bit nerve-wracking is wondering if I’ll make enough money to pay my rent & bills every month.  I love this job though and I find it very interesting because I have to keep learning more and more about social media marketing myself all the time in order to remain relevant.  I also love being my own boss and keeping my own schedule!

I started working with Facebook for one client (a British author) in 2008 and since then, every year I’ve been blessed to work with more and more interesting, talented people.  My client roster has increased significantly this year.  I’m a huge fan of the Arts, so I work primarily with musicians, authors and artists.  A couple of my clients have recommended me to a number of people so my business income doubled this year.  I love them for that!  The best thing about working in Social Media is the people that I get to work with.

RM:  Christine please share your definition of success and true wealth?  For you, what is

'enough'?

CB:  I do believe in 'ENOUGH' and I know that I am richer already than most of the world's population.  I know that we can't take cash, toys, or any other material things with us when we die and I truly believe that the most important thing in life is to spend as much quality time as possible with the people we love and to never stop learning or sharing.

Money is important insofar as we need to have our basic needs met and it's even nice to have a little extra once in a while (I really need a vacation as I haven't had one in 8 years so I'll spend any extra cash that comes my way on travel when I have the chance and I confess I do buy CDs, DVDs & books regularly), but I've never cared about it enough to focus on "getting rich"...I couldn't care less.  I'd rather have free time to read a good book, go to the movies or a play or concert with a friend, or just spend time in nature with my dog.

I quit a $50K per year job working for Canada's leading entertainment lawyer in Toronto in 2004 to move back to Kingston to be closer to my family when my beloved cousin died at age 50 from prostate & bone cancer.  I realized after a two year period during which I went to 8 funerals and had several other tragic things happen in my life that all that really mattered to me was spending as much time with my family & loved ones as I can.  So I moved back to Kingston where my whole family is and although finances & employment have been a constant challenge ever since, I'm not sorry that I made the move.  I enjoy every moment that I get to spend with my parents and my two sisters and their families and my close friends here to the fullest.  I don't have the same kind of stress in my life and I knew it was time to stop watching capitalist lawyers make millions of dollars a year while their assistants made a pittance in comparison and they weren't in the least bit grateful for how hard we worked.  It's so true that absolute power corrupts absolutely and I don't think that people, just because they can, need to make their services so exclusive that only a select few can afford them.  I met someone this year who taught me about being a social entrepreneur and I really admire her.

RM:  To date, what has been your most rewarding accomplishment or moment with your Social Media work?

CB:  This year has definitely been the most rewarding and some of the things I’m proud of accomplishing are: working for several Juno-nominated musicians; assisting a music publishing company in getting almost 60,000 views of a single video on YouTube in 3 months; collaborating with an author, healer & public speaker with the launching of her successful social media marketing campaign that has resulted in the sale of hundreds of copies of her book; helping the creator of a 2D animated YouTube series to get noticed by the William Morris Agency in LA & Fashion Television; and being able to provide social media assistance and online promotion to three of my favorite Irish singer-songwriters.

RM:  What advice would you give to anyone just beginning to work in Social Media as it relates to the following: finding their niche market, connecting and networking, and what kind of person do you have to be to stick with this business?

CB:  First and foremost you have to love people to work in this business.  You have to enjoy working on the computer, being sociable, and learning new things all the time.  Work with people who you admire, who move you, and who could call you their fan.  Work with people who work in businesses or industries that interest you.  Concentrate on being really good at a few things and don’t try to be all things to all people.  Don’t be afraid to set boundaries because people will try to take advantage of you.  Don’t under sell yourself (I made that mistake)!  Don’t be upset if someone deletes you as a friend online.  Be friends with people you have lots in common with.  Be open, be honest, be willing to share and don’t compromise your personal integrity for anyone.

Christine Bode lives in Kingston, Ontario

Social Media Management, Internet Promotion, Virtual Assistance, Proofreading & Editing

For more information or to contact Christine Bode:

http://www.facebook.com/christine.bode

http://scullylovepromo.wordpress.com/about/

Interview by Renee McDade/RMcDade News Network