New Website Project....COMPLETE!

Over the past year, I have been working so very hard on helping to design a new website for the company I work for, Lantek Corporation. I was presented with this project from one of the owners who currently manages our parent company in the UK. He asked me to start looking into ideas, researching competitors, and pretty much everything possible to start pondering some ideas for a completely new site. I was 100% on board and ready to rock and roll. I previously had a relationship with a designer from the company I was interning at, and knowing the quality of work and the type of relationship the company had with their clients, I decided to reach out in a friendly "Hey, do you remember me?" kind of way and yes, they sure did!

Being that I am a one woman show in the Marketing department, I had a lot of work ahead of me. From the research, to the abundance of ideas flipping through my head, to bouncing ideas off of my designers and co-workers, I am here a year later with a newly improved and designed website!

Now, you think you bang your head on a desk over a test, but try working on a website! You really don't understand the amount of time and effort that goes into these types of things, unless you're the one behind the scenes working through it all. I wouldn't have changed this opportunity for anything in the world. Not only was it challenging, but it was a lot of fun & of course, now that we have hit that "launch" stage, it's extremely rewarding. I didn't want to make the website all about me, so I made sure to include my sales team and all the other departments just because someone may see something that could be beneficial to us that I may have missed. This was also a really awesome experience for my designers because they had never designed a website in my particular industry so everyone walked away from this project learning a lot and seeing things in a whole new perspective.

To make things even more exciting, I put together a really cool newsletter to let all of our customers know about the new website. I'm also sending out something a little fun in the shipments we send out! I decided to make a flyer and on the one side it says "Bounce on over to our new site" and I threw a bouncy ball in there. I mean common, who doesn't LOVE a bouncy ball and it will definitely get someone to open it up. And to make it even more appealing, I ordered metallic blue envelopes so that it looks cool & is just screaming "OPEN ME!" In addition, my sales team is responsible for promoting the website to their everyday customers and I'm really looking forward to all the good things that are going to come because of this.

And then this below is some marketing material I will be using in newsletters & shipments going out to keep promoting the website. We want everyone to know! We've had numerous complaints about our old site being hard to navigate, too text heavy, so this will rid us of those problems and only bring on faster and better results!

There you have it. I was thinking today, this is really sad. LOL, I mean I've worked on this for a little over a year and after all the hard work and dedication I put forth, it's launched and that's all she wrote! Please, I welcome EVERYONE'S feedback. I would love to know what you think! While it's not goodbye, it's hello to bigger & better things for the company I work for!

I also have to give a BIG shout out to my designers in Wayne, NJ at Fast Forward Unlimited. They are seriously the best and they made all of my ideas come to life in ways I could have never imagined! After my numerous phone calls, crazy amounts of emails, relationship building, and millions of laughs, we've arrived at a finished product and I've never been happier! They rock & be sure to check out their work online: www.fastforwardunlimited.com

And, if you ever require their services, please tell them Lyndsay sent you!

Before you go wander off to do whatever else with your day or evening, be sure to pop on over to www.lantekcorp.com and see my pride and joy! Remember, your feedback is welcomed & encouraged by yours truly!

From The Eyes of The Blogger...

It's June 7th....like really? It's June 7th? I sit back and think how slow time use to go, pretty much back in the days of elementary school, and now reality is in full swing and you just can't keep up with the flying days! Life has been pretty exhausting the past week. I came down with a pretty nasty sinus infection, which led to me being hospitalized last night, but I am recovering and taking it to the blog since I can talk about some things that have been going on in my life, while also venting how miserable a sinus infection can be, especially when you need to work your butt off to meet deadlines!

So yes, I woke up yesterday morning with one wicked headache, but mind you, I had a lot going on at work and I was pushing myself to just go. I ended up getting ready, hopping in my car, and getting just about 15 minutes away from my house when I realized I was in no shape or form to drive my 40 minute commute! I ended up making a u-turn and headed back home. BEST DECISION I MADE OF THE DAY! I had been at the doctor 2 days earlier, got an antibiotic, and things just seemed to get worse before they got better. The headache passed a little but but then around 5PM, it was back full force and I was in way too much pain. So off to the hospital I went and long story short, the sinus infection was more severe than I thought. Note to self & everyone else: if you start feeling congested and blah, don't wait a week to see the doctor! This was my first sinus infection experience, and it will sure be my LAST because those things are horrible! I'm on the road to recovery!

Now, we all know I'm ok because I still have my sense of humor and my boss had emailed me to check in and I told him "he worked me too hard this past week!"

Anywho, I had the chance to attend a social media conference about 2 weeks ago and while many of us know a ton about social media already, there is always something new to learn! Did you know that Facebook is on the decline? I mean really, declining! The site that we find ourselves stalking, whether it be ex-best friends, ex-boyfriends, people we don't really like, but want to spy on their lives anyway! Oh yes, it's on the decline, but that just means another phase is coming. Are you ready for it? You may be surprised or not surprised, but LinkedIn is actually on the rise and a lot of people are turning towards this professional network, especially to find jobs. This is a great topic for current students and alumni because just when you think there is no avenue for you to turn down, you can turn to LinkedIn. This is a great way to post your experience online and you never know who may find you on there. There is a ton you can do to network with people and its a great "in" for you, especially if you network the right way!

Since I don't have my notes with me from the meeting due to being out of the office, there is only some insight I can share with you, but overall, social media is going to continue to grow & grow. It's going to hit its phases, will be big for a while, but then we will see it fade and the next big thing will roll around.

Other exciting news in my life....the web commercial is still in the works so I look forward to sharing that when I am able to. I'm also working very hard on my company's new website, which is estimated to be about 3 or so more weeks, so I am VERY excited about that! It's been a long, but fun journey and I can't wait to share that success with everyone!

I look forward to sharing some more insight with you from the social media conference I attended and I'll also link you to some pretty awesome marketing sites that you may find interesting yourself! The speaker is definitely one to check out so stay tuned!

I hope everyone has an awesome weekend...and until next time, LYNDSAY OVER & OUT! :)

Lights, Camera, Action!

You hear the crew moving around cameras, you hear construction going on outside, you hear students rehearsing what they're going to say, and then you hear the joy & excitement of alumna blogger Lyndsay, getting ready to be put in front of the green screen, nerves in full effect & all. (I had to get my makeup done first though!)

A few short days ago on Friday, May 17th, I was preparing to be involved with in an alumni web commercial project. Throughout my student days, I was heavily involved in promoting the school through the use of my blog, as well as participating in some video projects with some students outside of the classroom. So when this opportunity arose for me to be involved in the alumni world, I was way to excited to pass the opportunity up!



Ok so step one, would my boss let me take off work to go back to school? Seems silly right, but no, he was totally excited for me and had no problem with it. Sweet....Step two, what do I have to do? Just show up and be myself? Double check! And for step three, get in front of that green screen & kill it! Done, done, and DONE!

I usually let me nerves get the best of me, but being that I was surrounded by really enthusiastic people and people who put me at ease, it made the experience really enjoyable and comfortable. In the beginning, I felt stiff and trying to be as natural as possible was difficult, but with some boost from the crew, I came out of my shell & just let it flow. By the end, they were telling me to calm down a bit because at this point I was totally into it! LOL....who knew you could be too punchy & energetic on film.

Overall, it was a fantastic day & we have plans for the crew to come to my job & film me in my work environment. My co-workers are going to think I found a new calling. Even when I mentioned it to my boss he said "What are you a movie star or something?"




AND.....many of you will recognize this young lady, Angela Freeman, another student blogger who recently just graduated from Berkeley! She also took part in the web commercial & of course we had to have a photo-op as she got her makeup done!




If you couldn't tell, I had a really awesome time & I'm looking forward to bringing a little fame into my work life too! Once the video is ready to rock & roll, I shall share it, but until then, keep smiling and I'll catch you guys later!

Recovering From A Week of Agony!

And it was true agony at it's best! Just a week ago, last Saturday, I was awaking not feeling so very Lyndsay-ish, and feeling more like I was hit by a ton of bricks...True story! Each and every one of us have those morning when we wake up and just feel like garbage, so I assumed, maybe it's that one time thing, but boy was I wrong! I started to feel progressively worse throughout the weekend, and being the over-achiever I am, I awoke Monday morning and sent myself to work. Well, I lasted a half day and needless to say, my visit to the doctor on Tuesday, resulted in news that I am battling a really bad case of......BRONCHITIS! The coughing, the fever, the aches, the pains, and yes THE AGONY! After sounding like an old man for a week and being miserable confined to my bed, I am relieved to share with you that I am feeling about 85% better! As my image states above, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired!

Not exactly a good way to start off the New Year, but I am hoping this is it for me this whole entire year! I'm just getting it over with early! I still am blaming my brother for this since he & my mom were just as sick, and it started with him, but shhhhh, don't tell him I ratted him out on the internet!

So what is the point of telling you I was suffering, well, simply because I wouldn't want ANY of you to go through what I went through. The flu epidemic in the United States is out of control this year and while I didn't have the flu, I was on a prescription to prevent my bronchitis from advancing to the flu. It's a very serious matter and by doing a few simple things in your everyday life, you can protect you and your family from this epidemic. I heard just last night that there are 29 children who have passed away from the flu epidemic this year. 29!! Currently, 48 states are suffering from the flu outbreak and thousands of people are being hospitalized for it. It's not a joke, so please take this very seriously.

From the CDC, here are some actions to fight the flu and protect your loved ones!
(Source: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm)

Remember, if you are an on-site student at one of our Berkeley campuses, there are hand sanitizer devices outside the bathrooms and all over campus for you to use when your on your way to class! Take advantage of them as they are there to help you stay germ-free or at least avoid picking up those unwanted germs around campus! My best advice, if you know a friend or family member is sick, stay as far away as you can. In my scenario, my mom, brother and I were all sick at the same time, so no one had to be quarantined or locked up to avoid all the unwanted germs!

So please, take my advice & stay healthy while we battle one of the worst flu seasons ever!!

It's The Holiday Season...

Hello Berkeley Family, Friends, Staff, & random visitors! How is it going?!

I'm still trying to shake the fact that Christmas is only 9 days away. Yes, 9 days! So for all of you who have been stalling and not noticing how quickly the calendar is changing, you better get your boots on and get out there to battle the mall crowd! I jynxed myself at the end of last month because I ended up taking my last two vacation days for the year at work and went Christmas shopping. Well, after I "thought" I finished, I really hadn't. The talk of Secret Santa came up at work & then I realized I hadn't picked up some gifts for another family member, so it was back to the starting board! I think I can at least say now, that I am CLOSE to finished, so thank goodness for that!

I'm getting super excited because this is my last week of work for the year! Since I work for a European company, we shutdown between Christmas & New Years! This year we actually get 12 whole days off, which is so awesome! So with time counting down, it's definitely going to be a little hectic before we leave the office for those 12 days, but I can't deny that I am truly looking forward to it!

I bet the Berkeley student body is ready for their vacation as well! Berkeley College will be closed from December 17th to January 1st. All classes will resume on Thursday, January 2nd, 2013, so be sure to get enough sleep during this time & be ready for a fresh start come the new year! Make your resolutions now & if they include improving your current status at Berkeley College (which if you're asking yourself now, "Is she serious?" YES, I am), then I send my best wishes your way!

Since you will have ALL that time off, I URGE each and every one of you to check out Berkeley College's newly launched website, Berkeley Knightline! Have you seen it yet?!

If not, take a look at: http://berkeleyknightline.com/

Be sure to add Berkeley Knightline to your favorites so you can stay "in the know!" with all of our social media updates and all the great blogs out there from our student bloggers at Berkeley College. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, & LinkedIn! There is always a way to know what's going on, so get connected!

I also want to send my prayers out to all of the families who lost their children & loved ones during the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. It's very unfortunate & my deepest sympathies are with each and every one of those families. Please join me in sending prayers their way as they will need it during their long road to recovery.

Check Me Out...

Alumna Uses Skills Learned at Berkeley College to Advance in the Workplace

^^CLICK ME!!^^

Hey, that's me! A few weeks ago, I was interviewed about my skills learned at Berkeley College and how I applied them to my full time job.Above is the final article that I wanted to share with everyone regarding my current employment. Taking a brief moment to reflect on this article, I did use a lot of my skills learned at Berkeley College to advance in the work place. One of the many things I've learned over the course of my college education was to always "Think Outside The Box...." Do something you have NEVER done before and see what the results are. This is basically what I did when I first began at my new job. (Well, it's not so new anymore, but you know what I'm saying!)

As I've mentioned in my blogs when I first started my job, I was put in a predicament with this company who was so set on doing the same things each and every month. The promotions didn't vary much & it was more repetitive than anything else. Being that this was my first time in charge of a marketing department, I wanted to branch away for doing the same things, and try something new and fun! One of the many things I think about when I think about different companies is: Have they done any charity work or asked their customers to make purchases that will result in a donation towards a charity? What it comes down to is social responsibility. Since it was approaching Spring time when I began working at Lantek, I decided, why not do something in honor of Earth Day and branch away from the repetitiveness in the company? Here I was, thinking outside of the box!

It was an honor to be selected for this article & I'm in the works on working with the media relations team on an internship story. I hope everyone finds inspiration in my words and can relate to my journey in some type of way as well. You may not realize it now, but later on down the road, you're going to reflect on your college education and see all these skills learned at Berkeley that you utilize in everyday life!

Let me know what your thoughts are about my article! Would love to hear any feedback and/or comments about what skills you utilize daily that were learned from your time at Berkeley College!

My Holiday Mail For Heroes!

Hello everyone!

In my last post, I mentioned that I would be teaming up on the Holiday Mail for Heroes with Berkeley College, and I stuck to my word! I have to announce that from the generous support of my friends, family, and co-workers, I was able to collect 104 Holiday cards to send to the troops this holiday season! As soon as I found out about this project, I knew a lot of my friends & family would be more than happy to help out.

We all either know someone or have a family member currently serving our country. Many of these individuals don't get to come home for the holidays, which is why it's so important to make them feel special and honored during the holiday season. I mentioned this project at work a few weeks ago and everyone was excited to become involved. I'm going to share this information in an upcoming newsletter at work as well that goes out to our customers. Lately, I've been doing a lot of charity work with my job. In October we honored Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In November, we honored the Hurricane Sandy victims, and now we can expand our charity work by sharing our Holiday mail for the heroes involvement.

Not only do all these projects make us feel good about ourselves, it shows our customers and the community that we are dedicated to changing lives and making generous donations to those in need and those, much like the service members, who are unable to make it home to their families for the holidays.

Being that I'm Miss Marketing & creativity over here, I took the initiative to make my own holiday cards. Give me a pair of scissors, colorful paper, and all other artsy products and I will let my imagination run wild. You can see my progress below, as I was sure to snap many photos during this project. I also bought a box of cards and had members of my family sign them as well.

I know that if I were a service member, I would love getting these holiday cards in the mail. It makes me smile knowing that in a few weeks, these cards will be received and a smile will be returned on their end. I made sure in every card to thank them for their service & that I wish for them to get home safely & soon!

Below, check out a slideshow of my photos from my Holiday Mail for Heroes journey...(make sure you turn your volume on too for some holiday music!)

Holiday Mail for Heroes - picture slideshow

Thank you everyone who became involved in this project this holiday season! Myself and the service members appreciate it!

Also, how many of you saw snow yesterday? It snowed in my area ALL DAY and getting

out of my town was ridiculous. No one believed me when I said it was bad up by me....but I have the proof! Luckily the ride home was much better after work! Hope everyone enjoyed it, as it was very beautiful. West Milford even made the news for getting 6 inches of snow...which was suppose to only be 1-3 inches! I don't know weatherman....LOL

Please, feel free to leave your feedback on my Holiday Mail for Heroes involvement & Happy Holidays to all!