Okay ... HERE WE GO!

"Live an extraordinary life. One where each day begins with unlimited opportunities and ends knowing no regrets." ~ Me.

A few years ago I got that saying tattooed on my back ... a reminder of the life I used to have and the future I deserve to create for myself. Needless to say it didn't take long for me to realize the only option was to do everything I could to succeed and never look back. But ... I then started wondering, "WHAT EXACTLY DOES THAT MEAN?" .

I decided to start with the path of least resistance and focus on what it would take to win the East Village Resident Ambassador contest. That may take a lot of work but I can get into the East Village faster and it won't "physically" cost me any money at all! I then went back and had to think about everything I would need to do to establish myself as the RIGHT social media expert for this job:

1. Social media profiles (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram)
2. Website (not associated with any of my existing sites; completely personal)
3. Even more research ... Research ... RESEARCH !!

It may only be a short list of three things ... but the work behind each one of those is enormous (if you do them right).

My background working with a website marketing and development company is that I learn from the smartest people on the planet when it comes to websites, SEO and the Internet. I know how much manpower is required in order to launch a successful website and social media campaign (even though I have only a few years of experience compared to my counterparts and am just scratching the surface). Being the only person on this task ... I have to make sure I plan this out carefully so I can successfully finish what I am starting.

The challenge with this contest is that there is limited information provided by the CMLC regarding the criteria for selecting the finalists. I simply received an email after submitting my online application (which included my YouTube submission and "optional" social media information - which directed them to my existing fitness website) that stated:

"Thank you so much for sending us your application for Calgary’s Best Job! We will get back to you via email by July 15th if you qualify as a finalist for the position. Remember to share your entry via social media using #evLiving to increase your chances of being selected."

In reading through the "terms and conditions" it then says:

"Each applicant is encouraged to share video entry via social media channels as a means to promote their entry and demonstrate ability to utilize and engage an audience on social media channels."

And that's it.

Immediately I started thinking, "If they are ONLY counting views of a YouTube video it is a number that can be easily manipulated because all it takes is someone (including yourself) to click on the video hundreds of times to get to an impressive number.". But, knowing the organization behind this multi-year development projects, they thought more strategically about this. So, there will be NO shortcuts (not that I'm a fan of shortcuts to begin with) and the clock is ticking.

Today is now June 19th ... I have eleven days to get the attention of the CMLC panel of judges who are selecting the finalists. LET'S DO THIS!

(This post was originally published on www.sixfootcanasian.com on June 19, 2015)