Janet Lee Johnson | The Art of Marketing

I’m sitting at my desk on a monday morning for the first time in 18 months. I’ve just moved from being a full-time employee back to consulting again. Today is my first day in my consultancy again.

During those 18 months, I have been extremely fortunate, as I’ve:

• Rebuilt a marketing organization around a re-tooled business
• Developed a lead-generation mindset in marketing for those there - delivering more than 65,000 leads, mostly online
• Helped turn our online education business into something that was thriving enough to attract a buyer that shares the space and will propel our efforts forward

At the same time, I’m excited to be out in the world again.

• I have a passionate and successful company - K12 - as my first client, for whom I’m going to do some extremely interesting work.
• I’m going to have the freedom and flexibility to write more for myself. (I’ll do it here, in case there are folks out there still interested in reading…)
• I’m very much looking forward to applying the lessons learned from my last time around as a consultant in order to improve that experience as well.

So today, I celebrate the delicious in-between - the morning of a new beginning and the successful wrap of a lovely new experience and adventure. The in-between of anticipation and satisfaction. Of excitement and edginess. Of delight and deliberation. I’ll live here for a day.

Let’s go!

I have a new job. A full-time, back-into-the-corporate-world new job. And I’m very excited about it.

When I was young, and I imagined my life’s trajectory, I always saw myself teaching once I hit my 50’s. Which surprised me… since I had no plans to become an educator. But today I’m getting closer to that imaginary scenario than I ever thought possible.

I’ve been working at KC Distance Learning for five months, full time. And I’m going “back in” to run marketing for the organization. My long-term stint there is why I’ve gone “dark” here and in many other social media venues since June, causing some to forget me, and some to wonder whether I’ve forgotten them… (I can assure you, I haven’t!)

I’ve been focused. On a new market, education, which is ripe for change.

When I started there, I was shocked to learn that 30% of high school kids across the country drop out. Last spring, congress heard testimony that nationwide:

• 7,000 students drop out every day
• 2,000 US high schools produce more than half of all dropouts
• In the 50 largest cities, only 53 percent of students graduate on time

Why? I’m sure there are 7,000 unique reasons kids drop out every day. But something has to be done.

What’s KCDL doing about it? We are helping school districts deliver middle school and high school classes online through our iQ Academy and Aventa Learning brands. We power a private, online middle and high school experience for kids in the US and in scores of countries around the world with Keystone National School.

Technology is a natural tool to help revolutionize education. Kids in rural areas can take world-class courses in Mandarin, and Flash programming, for example, using an online delivery platform and subject-and state-certified teachers. Adjudicated kids can continue their courseware while serving their terms.

But technology isn’t enough. People from many different disciplines are taking the opportunity to change the way kids learn, as private organizations attack this very public problem.

So, dear readers, I plan to continue to post and tweet. And know that my new focus on education is highly likely to be reflected here.

And maybe we’ll all learn something new.

This post isn’t exactly ‘publish or perish,’ but it is definitely born of a push to publish. It’s been weeks since my last confession here. I’m hoping an explanatory post will help those who’ve:

• Been awaiting a response to an overdue email from me
• Gotten used to a certain rhythm of tweets
• Been wondering why I’m almost impossible to schedule these days

…to understand why. But mostly, this post is to help me feel better about finally being back here, blogging.

Full-time Focus

It seems I’m a contrarian once again: millions are leaving corporate work. I’ve just taken a five-month, full-time assignment within a corporation.

Just as social media has heated to the point where I have been invited to speak almost every week on the subject; my focus has shifted (for the past few weeks anyway) to traditional marketing strategy and best-practices in communications.

And I must say, I love the pace, the practice, and the product. (And, apparently, alliterations.)

I’m reticent to say exactly whom I’m working for yet - especially in such a public forum. But I shall “let the cat out of the bag” as soon as possible. I’m just awaiting permission. I hold client trust and confidentiality dear. I’m not one to speak about any client without express permission. Patience, please…

Missing Social Media

As a result, I’ve lived almost completely off the social media grid for weeks. It’s been an interesting hiatus. As time has gone by, I’ve gotten increasingly twitchy about my social interactions.

Not so much on Facebook or Twitter, but here. On my blog. Which has surprised me.

I’ve spent more time on Twitter recently, and have really appreciated the discipline and creativity of 140 characters. And (as a business tool) I’ve been a huge proponent of clients exploring the possibilities of the micro-blogging platform. So those who’ve listened to me for years might be surprised at the fact that I’m really

Missing my Blog…

My blog! I actually have been:

• Visualizing the date listings down the side of the page here, each day wondering when July 2009 will show up in the Archives… list.
• Trying to imagine what I’d write about next that would make George Dearing want to syndicate another post over on his Content Management Connection blog. (He’s got fabulous taste, and is selective, so this one won’t show up over there…)
• Ruminating mostly, though, about my readers; two of whom encouraged me to just get back to writing. (Thanks again, Jeremy and Georell!)

Turns out my blog is a real relationship… Between me and my thoughts. Between me and my readers. It’s sometimes a conversation, and sometimes a voice in the wilderness. But it’s a relationship I’ve nurtured for almost five years now.

So tonight I feel better. Not for the Archives… list being updated. Nor for the content (or lack thereof) of this particular post. I feel better for my reconnection to this relationship. This is a purely selfish post.

Sometimes, simply doing the thing you really miss is enough.

I’ve not really done any links posts before, but I thought I’d give one a try this morning. Hey, it’s Monday, I’m being active on Twitter, and I’m not quite ready to get serious on my blog for the week. I’ll give this a shot and see whether people like it or not.

• Most inspirational: Photos from the Hubble Spacecraft of our galaxy (via Daily Beast)
• Most useful: A tie between a primer on hashtags (via Mashable) and a list of Rachel Levy’s top favorite Twitter tools.

…And, in support of “throwing sheep,” (thank you @missrogue and your HorsePigCow blog!):

• Most fun: WolframAlpha says I was born on a Friday, 19057 days ago. On Saturday, Dec. 11, 2011 I will be 20,000 days old.

In support of a new me, I’m going away for a few days. I’m going off the grid, I’m not taking my laptop, and plan to rest, relax and rejuvenate under the warm Arizona sun. My love arranged my trip for me as a birthday gift during a recent two-week bout with the flu.

I'm Outta Here

Taking care of myself (with a lot of help from my family) by taking regular vacations finally makes sense to me. It’s a simple answer to the question: would I rather spend four or five days on vacation, or four or five days too sick to work?

So I’m off to write (by hand, on paper… imagine!), contemplate nature, and take a moment of reflection in the midst of a whirling world. See you on the other side.