Hello everyone, and welcome to today’s Twitterview of @LuluGrimm (Lisa Grimm) of the @MallOfAmerica. Lets get things started!
Lisa: Happy to be doing a Twitterview, @JoelECarlson
Q – #1 To start of @LuluGrimm, tell us a little bit about your early years. Where did you grow up and go to High School?
Lisa: I grew up in South Minneapolis and attended Cretin-Derham Hall (@CD_H)
Q – #2 What kinds of classes do you enjoy and do well at when you attended @CD_H?
Lisa: I LOVE the social sciences. I took psych @ch_h. Also loved biology and senior seminar – and women’s spirituality
in college (went to @MetroStateU) I feel in love with comm, but took a lot of anthropology and sociology courses. People and what
and what motivates us is what I love more than anything
Q – #3 Was social media being used/taught in the classrooms at all then? Where did you intern when you were in college?
Lisa: Not at all. Social for business was new… My capstone in college examined “How social networks are effecting the PR discipline.”
I interned at an integrated, with focus on public affairs, agency called ASI Communications. I was a writing and research intern, but
focused a lot on social for a carbon credit company – building relationships with key stakeholders. We used MySpace and Facebook
Q – #4 “Old School” MySpace huh? :) So how did you end up at the @MallofAmerica? What were your first assigned duties?
Lisa: A little old school, yes:-) From my internship, I moved to @RMPR and was exposed to many B2B and B2C clients, doing a lot of writing
and working with @cydneyw and @kareemy in online marketing. I LOVED working on truly integrated campaigns and with other disciplines
From there, I went to a sales training company called @ActionSelling as a Marketing Manager, which was amazing experience and taught
me a lot about sales and business channels beyond comms. VERY beneficial for so many reasons. I also spent a lot of time doing social
When the social media specialist position came up @MallofAmerica, I hopped on it and was fortunate to land in the role. First duties
included developing formalized social media strategy, finalizing social media policy, community management and digital strategy
Q – #5 Was developing and coming up with strategies a bit challenging at first for a mall, with SM being relatively new?
Lisa: Not really. There was a nice foundation laid. @MallofAmerica had 75k Facebook fans and about 4k followers on Twitter, so it was
relatively easy to visualize and set the plan in motion that included goals, objectives, tactics and measurement
Q – #6 How about setting up @Foursquare or @Gowalla for the @MallOfAmerica? Each store or just the mall itself?
Lisa: Very easy actually. The thing people don’t really think about with @MallofAmerica is that we are just the house to 520+ tenants
It is each tenants responsibility to claim their venues, etc., but we do provide a lot of marketing communications support to them
Q – #7 I see what you’re saying. More about YOU! FAVORITE(S): Restaurant, store, comfort food, recent book or blog. Hobby.
Lisa: Wow. Hard questions! Fave Restaurant is tough for me. I am obsessed with good food. I LOVE Bar La Grassa, Masu Sushi and Robata
Turtle Bread Company, Victory 44 and Whole Foods Pizza (sausage and onion). As for books – The Help was fantastic and right now I’m
reading “The Most Human Human: What Talking with Computers Can Teach Us About Being Human.” It’s really good.
I read a lot of blogs and don’t have a favorite. I do love Tech Crunch, even though it’s mainstream. They do good work.
And finally… hobbies – I LOVE my American Bulldog (Hank), hanging with my dude family and friends, yoga and good conversations:-)
Q – #8 What’s on your docket of events that you will attend and may or may not speak at the next few months?
Lisa: I’m speaking, along with @bmjewell at #MIMASummit workshops next Tuesday. We’re presenting on developing a social business strategy
In addition, I’m speaking at @SMBMSP end of Oct. I may attend #Blogworld #bwela in November to watch @bmjewell chat digital crisis
Q – #9 Lastly, what advice would you share with HS or college students interested in getting into your field or work?
Lisa: Advice for HS/College students: SEEK YOUR TRUTH AND WHAT YOU LOVE, THEN TAKE ACTION. Be CURIOUS and LOVE MANY THINGS:-)
and… work your off and hang out with people who have what you want (a.k.a. mentors). Everything else falls into place.
@JoelECarlson: Thanks for your time and participating in today’s Twitterview with me. Have a great week Lisa! :)
Lisa: Thank you @JoelECarlson! It was my pleasure. Thanks for facilitating this and your many other Twitterviews