We are pleased to share with you a video interview of Twin Creek Media that was showcased by The Fire Within on ShawTV. We hope you enjoy the behind the scenes look of the team at Twin Creek Media. : )

Since 2004, Twin Creek Media has been a strategic and creative marketing agency located in Kelowna, British Columbia. The firm has carved a place in the marketing world by becoming known for integrated marketing: combining the best of internet and digital with the traditional mediums of print, radio, and TV.

Twin Creek Media employs an executive team of five and a part-time creative team of 12 who together form a powerhouse of talent and experience. We are passionate about marketing and especially leading Okanagan businesses to integrate their current communications with the digital methods, such as lead-generating websites, ads on Google (Google AdWords), and engaging clients with current social media like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

http://www.facebook.com/twincreekmedia
http://twitter.com/twincreekmedia
http://www.linkedin.com/companies/twi...

Today Internet Marketing is at the forefront of most business improvement, marketing and advertising initiatives. We provide our clients with a single resource for dynamic, fully-integrated and seamless communication services. Our solutions for each chosen media are based on their individual and supportive strengths.

http://www.twincreekmedia.com/

Read our company blog on internet marketing, our marketing services and latest company news:

http://www.twincreekmedia.com/blog/

As part of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce's Breakfast Education Series, Twin Creek Media was invited to give a presentation on the topic of Social Media Marketing for Business. The presentation is included below for reference. Press play, and use the arrows to navigate through. When you're finished, don't forget to "share" the knowledge with others using the buttons below.

Please connect with us and let us know what you think...
Web: www.twincreekmedia.com
Twitter: @twincreekmedia.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/twincreekmedia

The presentation covers:

• What is social media?
• What's the "big idea"?
• What are the benefits for small businesses?
• How are others successfully using social media for marketing and promotion?
• What are the current trends?
• How do I get started?
• Good tips and tools?

Breaking News... Twin Creek Media is the highest valued company in Kelowna, BC with share prices north of 11 dollars! (wait, sorry, not real money...um, no "e's", the in-game currency).

What's this all really about?  Well, our company has joined (yet another) social network online.  The fun part is this social network, called Empire Avenue, is set up like a stock exchange where you can buy and sell shares of PEOPLE and COMPANIES.  Cool idea, eh?!  The initial value of your own shares are mostly dependent on your online influence.  Empire Avenue's software goes out into the vast expanses of the internet and sees how much "influence" you have out there... things like blogs, Twitter and Facebook accounts all add to the influence.  It looks for what you're saying online and who is listening and responding.  All this conversational activity adds up to "influence".  If you're thinking this is all mumbo-jumbo in the real business world, read a little book called The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell.  Influencers hold a lot of power.

In spite of all the excitement building over the Empire Avenue social network/game structure, it appears things are just getting going... the game is still in beta.

But hey, for now the Twin Creek Media team will bask in the glory of having a higher stock value than Enquiro!   We even bought 100 shares of Enquiro just to support local biz.  We care.  We heart Kelowna.  Ya know?  Peace.

So go create an account (sign up to be notified on the homepage and they'll probably send you an invite to beta test).  Then go buy some TCM shares while they're cheap!

~ James

Okanagan Valley Entrepreneur's Society - Using Social Media to Drive Business: Entrepreneur's Edition

Town Hall Series Event
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010, Ramada Hotel Kelowna

Speakers:
James Shaw - CEO/Creative Director, Twin Creek Media
Susan Knight - Radio Announcer, SunFM99.9
Nick Kellet - Entrepreneur and Creator of GiftTrap board game

Do you Twitter? Are you Linked in? Is your face on Facebook? Have you updated your blog today?
A decade or so ago these questions would have puzzled most people. Today's entrepreneur faces these questions daily. Have you ever said to yourself "Should I jump on board and do what everybody else is doing or should I wait to see what happens?" or "I don't have time to do it. I need to work on my business!"

Note: the video was shot impromptu with a hand held device.  Apologies for the low image/audio quality!

Should you use Social Media?

What is the difference between Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn?

How should entrepreneurs use Facebook?

How often should you update your Facebook fan page?

How to use Linkedin for business purposes

New Okanagan Regional Library website

Press Release
February 17, 2010
For Immediate Release

NEW OKANAGAN REGIONAL LIBRARY WEBSITE GOES LIVE

The Okanagan Regional Library (ORL) launched its totally redesigned website on Wednesday, February 17 at its previous URL www.orl.bc.ca. Customers visiting the site will see several new features that enhance their ability to find everything from events at their local branch, to answers for reference questions, to lists of librarian-recommended books for children and adults.

“The redesign of our website has been much more than cosmetic,” says ORL Executive Director Lesley Dieno. “This website has been in development for a year and includes improvements so our customers can more easily access the information they need online.”

Some of the features include:

• A master events calendar, searchable by branch, date or event type
• Searchable ORL and BC Library to Go catalogues
• A news and events page for up-to-date information
• Links to the ORL’s Facebook and Twitter pages
• In-depth financial and administrative information about the ORL
• Online “Join” form
• Links to booklists, recommended websites, a eResources for children, teens, and book lovers

The website was created by a team at the ORL and Kelowna marketing firm Twin Creek Media.

Name the Marmot Competition

“This has been an extremely satisfying, and challenging project for our company,” says Twin Creek Media owner James Shaw. “The Okanagan Regional Library is complex – there are so many services available!  We worked hard with the ORL team to design a great online experience.  I think this new website will highlight the amazing services and resources that ORL offers to people of all ages.”

As part of the web launch, the ORL is unveiling its new kid’s mascot and announcing a contest to “Name the Marmot”. Children aged 3-15 years old are encouraged to submit their suggestions for a name online at www.orl.bc.ca/kids/marmot.  A customized $200 prize pack will go to the person coming up with the winning name.

Backgrounder on the ORL and use of technology (stats based on the 2009 year):

• The ORL website had 1.2 million hits, a 29% increase over 2008.
• Besides the ORL catalogue, the most popular page accessed was the “Branches” page.
• ORL customers downloaded 10,305 Audiobooks and eBooks from BC Library To Go, a 86% jump from 2008.
• 14,264 users accessed free wireless Internet at ORL branches
• Computer stations at ORL branches were used 171,028 times
• eResources subscription-only databases were accessed 36,077 times, with the most popular resources being Library To Go, Auto Reference Centre, Ancestry.com, and AskAway reference service
• Customers used the website to make 11,118 suggestions for purchase

Marla O'Brien
Public Relations Officer
Okanagan Regional Library
1430 KLO Road, Kelowna, BC

Since 2004, Twin Creek Media has been a strategic and creative marketing agency located in Kelowna, British Columbia. The firm has carved a place in the marketing world by becoming known for integrated marketing: combining the best of internet and digital with the traditional mediums of print, radio, and TV.

We've structured our company a little differently than other marketing agencies.  We have 4 people on our executive team, and 12 part-time specialists on our creative team.   Clients get consistent leadership and project management, while scoring the specialized resources that make up our "dream teams".

Normally, clients get "A" there, "B" the other place, "C" somewhere else, and run around between various companies fitting things all together.  The result: lack of clarity, lack of continuity, lack of harmony in the marketing message.  Instead, at Twin Creek Media clients get a well-rounded range of marketing services... from assessing the need, creating the materials, and choosing the right tool(s) for the job.  We fit in very nicely with SMBs (small/mid sized businesses) - companies with 10 to 50 employees.

Twin Creek Media aims to be the gold standard in integrated marketing.  Roughly half our staff are Gen X and Y - we understand the digital world.  We live the internet.  We breathe Google, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blogs, digital video, SEM, SEO, mobile apps... we know how to integrate the best of what today's technology has to offer with what is tried and true in the advertising universe - the big 3: print, radio, TV. 

"We love integrated marketing. Assessing your market and understanding your target audience is critical.  Creating the concept, designing the visuals, and crafting the words are undeniably important.  But the correct delivery of the message is crucial for successfully engaging your audience.  Marketing channels are all different and each have there own strengths and weaknesses.  We want to use the right marketing mix for each client." - Cara Reed, Account Director

We will not limit our services to one industry or one marketing tool.  Imagine marketing channels were colours of the rainbow... (oh boy, here comes the metaphor!) We will not limit our offerings to one colour.  If you want an just an expert in the colours of black & white, there are a million of them these days... just Google it.  We want to use any and all colours appropriate to tell your marketing story!

Actually, to be accurate, we have a redesigned our visual identity - the logo.  The brand itself remains intact: same name, same people, same goals, same focus of being one of BC's top digital marketing agencies.

PS. Brief article on the Anatomy of a Logo... http://www.search-this.com/2007/03/28/the-anatomy-of-a-logo/

Licensed under CreativeCommons from Jim Frazier

While most other marketing companies in the Okanagan are focusing on a particular industry (like real estate or non-profit) or a particular service (like only web development), we find the need growing for a true full-service marketing firm.  In the changing landscape of the Kelowna marketing scene (see Richard Taylor's recent analysis here), many of the larger marketing firms in the Okanagan have suddenly left the party or changed gears entirely.  The result of the changes has been an odd shortage of what I call "marketing generalists".

Suddenly, everyone in the marketing world has scrambled to find a niche of their own. Over the last few years, we've witnessed some local marketing companies go hard into a niche market, like real estate development.  Others choose a niche tool -  just one channel of marketing...  "We do strategic consulting." or "We do web design." or "We do radio." or "We do print." or "We do Search Engine Optimization." or "We do video."  Where's the company that does it all?  Where in the world did all the MARKETING companies go?  Well, that's where Twin Creek Media fits in.

Ironically, we are experts in being general.  We offer... a full range of marketing services (click for list).

Ah, but I hear the objections... no one can do all things well.  Yes, I agree.  That's why we've structured our company a little differently than most.  We have 4 people on our executive team, and 12 part-time specialists on our creative team.  I think this is the best business model for our industry in 2010.  It is very flexible for us, offering financial and operating agility, and brings huge advantages to our clients.  They get consistent leadership and project management, while scoring the specialized resources that make up our "dream teams".  Normally, clients get "A" there, "B" the other place, "C" somewhere else, and run around between various companies fitting things all together.  The result: lack of clarity, lack of continuity, lack of harmony in the marketing message.  Instead, at Twin Creek Media clients get a well-rounded range of marketing services... from assessing the need, creating the materials, and choosing the right tool(s) for the job.  We seem to fit in very nicely with SMBs (small/mid sized businesses) - companies with 10 to 50 employees.  The Okanagan and BC in general is swimming with companies of this size, from high tech to hospitality to government agencies.

"You can't be all things to all people" is a famous truism that is passed down from parent to child, teacher to student.... and marketing firms around Canada seem to be really taking it to heart.  The downside is extreme fragmentation.  Since most marketing companies have given up trying to please everyone by offering both digital and traditional media services, the marketplace has birthed a new niche market: the un-niche.

Yes, the un-niche is the newest niche. Like black is the new white, or is it already white is the new black?  Anyway, in marketing, Twin Creek Media aims to be the gold standard in general marketing.  Roughly half our staff are Gen X and Y - we understand the digital world.  We live the internet.  We breathe Google, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blogs, digital video, SEM, SEO, mobile apps... we know how to integrate the best of what today's technology has to offer with what is tried and true in the advertising universe - the big 3: print, radio, TV.

"We love integrated marketing. Assessing your market and understanding your target audience is critical.  Creating the concept, designing the visuals, and crafting the words are undeniably important.  But the correct delivery of the message is crucial for successfully engaging your audience.  Marketing channels are all different and each have there own strengths and weaknesses.  We want to use the right marketing mix for each client." - Cara Reed, Account Director

We will not limit our services to one industry or one marketing tool.  Imagine marketing channels were colours of the rainbow... (oh boy, here comes the metaphor!) We will not limit our offerings to one colour.  If you want an expert in the colours of black & white, there are a million of them these days... just Google it.  We want to use any and all colours appropriate to tell your marketing story!