Spotlight on Lauren Nicholson Nonni, Digital Media Strategist

This month's NSM Employee Spotlight series is on our Digital Media Strategist, Lauren Nicholson Nonni. 

What is your favorite social media platform and why?
Instagram, hands down. I’m a very visual person and I love looking at pretty things, so Instagram is a win for me. That being said, I’m really disappointed that Instagram is shifting from the chronological timeline feed to an algorithmic one. 

What tips do you have for someone trying to grow their business via social outlets?
Social media is very much a pay-to-play business now. If you are looking to reach your target demographic I suggest allocating a budget to paid spend (it doesn’t have to be big either!). You can also team up with like-minded businesses/bloggers to promote each other’s accounts for free.  Most importantly, be consistent and be authentic. Your customers are following you because they love your product/service and want to interact with you, so always remember to engage them in conversation. Here’s my general rule of thumb for content: don’t post it unless you find it interesting or engaging. Never throw quick content up on social media just because you feel like you have to post something. Social media content deserves your time and attention - develop your tone of voice and be interesting or you’ll risk losing followers.

Do you think social platforms will expire in their marketing/advertising capabilities?
No, I think they are just getting started with a wide scope of advertising capabilities. There are so many different ways to reach customers, drive traffic and increase engagement now.  And the best part is you can tailor a campaign to fit your exact needs and budget so you aren’t spending blindly.  

Favorite thing to Instagram? 
On my personal account, I love to Instagram nature landscapes and my dog Louie (he’s seriously the cutest).  Recently, my friend and I started a handmade card business called Little Ink Studios, so I’ve been obsessed with posting our calligraphy and paper quilling projects.

Favorites accounts you follow?
Instagram: @glutenfree.followme (yummy gluten-free food), @alexstrohl (insanely gorgeous nature pics) and @roomsforrent (interior design envy)
Facebook: Tasty (those videos are hypnotizing!) and MindBodyGreen (my favorite healthy living website)

What are your favorite things to do when you aren’t working at NSM?
I’m not much of a city person, so reconnecting with nature often is a must for me. Weekends are usually spent road tripping to go skiing or hiking and swimming, plus a lot of relaxation and fresh air. I’ve also been really focused on building a meditation and mindfulness practice for myself. It’s incredible how much positive progress I’ve seen over the past year from meditating daily.

Spotlight on Gabriella Stevens, Account Coordinator

We're running a Spotlight series on our employees at Nonni Strategic Marketing so you can get to know our talent a bit better! This month we're introducing you to our Account Coordinator, Gabriella Stevens. 

Tell us a little bit about yourself. What's your role at NSM entail?
I was introduced to PR through my media relations position with Good Housekeeping. After attending some press events while working there, I made the transition. I started with a tech agency in the city and from there moved into my current role at NSM. My mornings usually start with iced coffee, checking emails, responding to opportunistic HAROs, following up with journalists and touching base with colleagues. From there, I lay out a strategy for the day whether it be focusing on pitch drafting and media list creation, researching for new business proposals or organizing clips and monthly reports. Every day is something different and that’s the best part. 

What are the most memorable moments you've had working at NSM?
One of the most exciting parts of NSM thus far was an event we planned for St. Patrick’s Day. Our Irish oatmeal client, Flahavan’s Irish Oats, hosted a dinner for the New York Women’s Culinary Alliance at Good Housekeeping. I love event planning and food so what could be better than a dinner event? Plus, I had the chance to reconnect with the lovely ladies of GH.

What are your favorite blogs and/or social media accounts that you follow?
Instagram is my favorite social platform. I follow a good handful of foodie accounts. Some of my favorites are new_fork_city, lettucedine and eater.  

What's your favorite dish? 
My favorite thing to make is chicken enchiladas with green sauce and Mexican rice. My mom and I have an assembly line down for this dish and they’re always better when we make them together.

What's your favorite thing to do in NYC?
When the weather is right, I love walking through Central Park with my boyfriend and some hot chocolate from Maison Kayser. Some people go to people watch, I go to puppy watch. 

Best place you've ever traveled to?
Big Sur, California hands down. I want to get married there. There isn’t a place more beautiful. 

5 Steps to Being a San Diegan in NY

Whether you’ve never been to San Diego or you’re a San Diego native like I am, here’s the how-to on living like a Californian in NYC.

1. Get really excited any and every time you cross the Brooklyn Bridge. The Coronado Bridge in San Diego is a thing. Most people don’t get to cross it daily so when it happens, you’ll usually hear “Oh my gosh! We’re crossing the bridge!” followed by hopes that there’s no fog that day.

2. Eat acai bowls. Every day. Unfortunately those super-fruity bowl NYC prices won’t make you feel like you’re running carefree along the ocean but nonetheless, it’s a necessary step. Beware: anything straying from acai, fruit, granola and honey probably isn’t the good stuff. You can snag a bite at your local Juice Generation.

3. Eat burritos and then complain about them. True San Diegans will never admit to there being a better burrito than from a grungy Mexican place that ends in -erto’s. Estrellita Poblana III in the Bronx does a pretty bang-up job, though.  

4. Work out in Central Park. I know the glam of Equinox is pretty enticing but if you want to impress your (858)/(619) friends, you got to get outside. If you can’t find a San Diegan running outside, you can probably find them biking across the 56 or hiking Cowles Mountain. So if you can spot yoga in the Park, even better.

5. Shop at Trader Joe’s. Gristedes and Morton Who? Those places don’t exist in San Diego so bracing a 100-person Trader Joe’s check-out line is a necessary evil. Even the prices will make you feel like you’re cheating on the city so go ahead and grab that extra box of Gone Bananas!

Lauren’s Lil Guide: Brooklyn Summer 2016

Ahh, summer in BK! Scents composed of equal parts incense, trash, and vintage windbreakers swirl delicately into your nostrils as you stroll through the streets of your neighborhood. Warm sunrays reflect off a nearby boutique yoga studio and gently stroke your cheek as you buy dried papaya chunks at a moderate price. But, midway through a pick-up soccer game with the kids on your block, you stop in your tracks and call a time-out, realizing that it’s almost summer and you were so busy trying to perfectly Instagram kimchi Buddha bowls that you have no idea what events are coming up. 

Don’t stress—Lauren’s Lil Guide is designed to give you the 411 before time-in.

 Smorgasburg

When: Saturdays and Sundays @ 11am – 6pm

Where: Saturdays – Williamsburg, East River State Park, 90 Kent Ave. (at N. 7th)

Sundays – Prospect Park, Breeze Hill (at Lincoln Road)

Basically: A food market of ~100 food vendors that the New York Times once called “The Woodstock of Eating.”

How Much: Free admission! (with potential to be expensive if you eat as much as I do)

Also see: Brooklyn Flea, Berg’n

Sakura Matsuri

When: April 30th – May 1st @ 10am – 6pm

Where: Brooklyn Botanical Gardens

Basically: Dance, drum, and J-pop performances, martial arts, regular arts, lectures by tea masters, workshops, markets and, of course, cherry blossoms in full bloom.

How Much: $25 for adults, $20 for seniors students. Buy tickets here and here.

Also see: Waku Waku Festival

Jazz Age Lawn Party

When: June 11th –12th & August 13th – 14th

Where: Governors Island (Okay, this is legally in the jurisdiction of Manhattan but I wasn’t going to exclude it from the list. Deal with it.)

Basically: Dance lessons & contests, carnival games, a vintage photo booth, pie contests, and live jazz performances (obviously).

How Much: $55 General Admission. Buy tickets here.

Also see: New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks—Prospect Park, Barbès

Coney Island Mermaid Parade

When: June 18th @ 1pm

Where: Parade begins @ West 21st St & Surf Avenue, ends @ Steeplechase Plaza

Basically: A mythological, creative, honky-tonk, all-ages parade created by artists, full of handmade costumes, wildly decorated floats, and tons of self-expression.

How Much: Free admission! (Register here to be in the parade)

Also see: New York Pet Expo

Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival

When: July 13th – 16th

Where: Various locations in BK

Basically: Performances by huge hip-hop artists, film screenings, lectures, panels, workshops, and a showcase/gathering for young emerging dancers, graffiti/visual artists, mc’s, deejays, beat makers, and sneakerheads.

How Much: $61.50 General Admission. Buy tickets here.

Also see: AFROPUNK Fest