October 14th, 2009
by Sarah Caminker
Wild Web Woman Shelly Kramer is the Co-Founder of V3 Integrated Marketing
At Web Marketing Therapy we cannot get enough of successful and inspirational women who rock the social web and are committed to doing great work!
The Wild Web Women are HUGE fans of Shelly Kramer (@ShellyKramer)–she’s a social media expert and marketing maven (although she would deny it, because she eats a ton of humble pie)!! Twitter Queen and Co-founder of V3 Integrated Marketing, Shelly’s authentic and personable approach, savvy web skills and total web domination make her an ultimate Wild Web Woman!
Shelly was kind enough to share her story and provide some amazing insight regarding this wild web. Read on for your dose of inspiration!
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1. Why did you choose your current career and how did you get started?
I started my career in marketing in 1989 (aack, I’m old) because I’d decided not to go to law school and
the headhunter with whom I was working decided she had the “perfect” job for me. It was working with a guy who had a horrible personality, who couldn’t find anyone to put up with him, but who was a marketing genius. I like a challenge – and love it when I hear that there’s an opportunity that no one else can handle. Got the job, of course 
You can’t find two more disparate fields than advertising and the legal field, but I instantly knew my left brain self had found a fantastic home.
2. If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Direct, Tenacious, Thoughtful
3. What online social media platform are you most addicted to? (i.e. Twitter, Facebook, Digg, Linkedin…etc).
Today, I prefer Twitter. I also love Digg and Delicious, as I’m an information junkie and they quench my thirst for knowledge. I used to like LinkedIn – but that was before the economy tanked and it became, in my opinion, a place for people to look for jobs and pitch themselves rather than congregate, share and learn.
4. You are a major player in the social media sandbox! You are always engaging with thousands of people and providing new, fresh content. How do you balance it (work, family, personal time, social media)?
I balance those things like any other working person does. Sometimes poorly, and occasionally well. Information is what fuels my ability to do a great job for my clients, so when I’m catching up on great articles, blog posts, etc.,it is a necessary part of my day-to-day responsibilities. And being able to so easily share that information via social media is a pleasure. I also love people, so interacting with them, whether in the social media realm or some other kind of online communication or in the “real world” in face to face communications, is something I love. I am a communicator at heart, so I am very blessed to have chosen a career path that is specifically suited to both my personality and my skill set. And I’m also very aware that that doesn’t happen to too many people. As such, I continually remind myself that I am truly living a dream. Makes the juggling process more palatable!
5. As far as utilizing social media tools to communicate your business to your clients, what are some of the challenges and what are some of the benefits to your business?
The challenges are typically related to both time and appropriateness. I’m a freak about not promoting myself and my business in the social media realm – other than posting a link to a blog post from time to time. And I’ve found that that lack of interest in self-promotion is very obvious to others. In fact, it often makes me more attractive to people who ultimately seek me out and inquire about putting my services to work for them – because they know that I am adverse to pimping myself and they like that. There’s a certain sense of self-confidence that rings true when someone isn’t standing on a hilltop shouting about how great they are and people are ultimately drawn to confidence. The other challenge is, of course, time. There never seems to be enough hours in a day, but thankfully, I have a personality that thrives in a bit of chaos, so it makes popping in and out of the real world versus the online world easier to juggle and manage.
6. What are some of the valuable mistakes you have made in the past regarding online marketing/social media marketing and what have you learned from these past setbacks?
I should have started blogging sooner, but always put my own “work” on the back burner. I also waited a long time to dive into the social media realm, but I don’t really consider that a mistake – just that I missed out on a lot of new friendships, potential collaborators, etc., by not getting started sooner.
7. Please share a professional phobia or obsession….confession session!
I loathe people who claim to be something they are not. Like today, when all the “social media experts” have climbed out of the woodwork, taking people’s money and making wild, unsupportable claims about all they can do for them. I am obsessed with treating people right and respecting the money they are able to allocate to marketing. So, when I run across charlatans who are just in the business to grab a quick buck from an ill-informed, unsuspecting small business owner it makes me crazy.I want to publicly denounce them every time I run across them, but hold myself back. I am a freak about doing the right thing for people.
8. What is your favorite word or phrase? Why?
I have been told that I say “in my opinion” too often, so that must be one of them! But I am always trying to make it clear when I communicate that I’m not saying “my way is the only way,” rather, I’m saying, “this is what I believe to be true and I respect your opinion, too.”
9. What do you believe successful “Wild Web Woman” traits are?
I think successful traits of WWW are being honest and true to self and to the world. Admitting that we’re human, therefore, not perfect, and that we’re usually all women operating in a crazy world, with lots of responsibilities, in addition to busy careers. I think another trait of WWW is the ability to reach out to other women, support and encourage them whenever possible, lend a hand, an ear or a shoulder when needed, and build strong, nurturing relationships. Women who are the most successful don’t view other women as competitors, but as great collaborators. I think that’s always something worth remembering.
10. Do you have a personal mantra that you would like to share with other Web Marketing Therapy readers?
Be real. It’s the only you, and the best you, that you’ve got.
*For More Social Media and Web Marketing Insight Check Out Part Two of Shelly Kramer’s Interview!
Web Marketing Therapy Related Links:
- Featured Wild Web Woman Wednesday Interview with Shelly Kramer (Part Two)
- Featured Wild Web Woman Wednesday Interview with Small Business Expert Amy Swift (Part One)
- Featured Wild Web Woman Wednesday Interview with TV and Web Series Writer, “The SlackMistress” (Part One)
- Featured Wild Web Woman Wednesday Interview with Small Business Expert Amy Swift (Part Two)
Twitter Trackbacks for Web Marketing Therapy » Blog Archive » Featured Wild Web Woman Wednesday Interview with Shelly Kramer (Part [webmarketingtherapy.com] on Topsy.com
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Lorrie Thomas
(October 15th, 2009 at 9:17 pm)
Shelly - THANK YOU for such an inspiring interview! I hope you share this with your clients and followers as it really captures the TRUE social media spirit and shares who you are as a person and professional.
As a professional who is not balancing it all well, I have been saving the time to read your interview (off to part two in a minute) and I tell you (in my opinion hehee) that it was worth the wait!
Thanks for being a fabulous wild web woman and an inspiration to your readers!
Your virtual wild web sister,
Lorrie
PS - I love your quote “I loathe people who claim to be something they are not. Like today, when all the “social media experts” have climbed out of the woodwork, taking people’s money and making wild, unsupportable claims about all they can do for them.”
People who claim they can help you make money in your sleep with social media or push the social media crack do not get the true meaning, how it works and they make those of us who use SMM for relationship building (not sales whore-ing) have to spend more time de-programming them!
Emilia Doerr
(October 16th, 2009 at 10:43 am)
Hi Shelly - checked out the V3 site and blog. So much great info, you can bet I”ll be returning to it regularly! Looking forward to connecting with you on Twitter and beyond!
Kelly Kohen
(October 16th, 2009 at 12:12 pm)
Shelly - If anyone wondered why the Wild Web Women are some of your biggest fans, all they had to do was read through your responses and learn that you are brilliant, experienced, ethical and real-not to mention a true EXPERT who walks the walk! Thanks for sharing a little about yourself and being such an inspiration!
Shelly Kramer
(October 16th, 2009 at 12:35 pm)
Wow! You guys are so amazing. Thanks for reading the interview and for your lovely compliments. Never forget, we are all in this together, juggling a million priorities, never really being appreciated and never, ever finding enough hours in a day. And, in my opinion (there I go again), it’s the love, friendship and support of great girlfriends (and Wild Web Women) who make it possible to get through each and every day (mostly). That and red wine. You guys rock - thank you for making my day with your kind comments.
Lorrie Thomas
(October 16th, 2009 at 12:48 pm)
There is no “I” in TEAM - women tend to think they can do it all solo and WE CAN’T - even in cyberspace.
Happy Friday Wild Web Sisters!
Kelly Kohen
(October 16th, 2009 at 12:53 pm)
We are all about the CYBER love! And we value YOUR opinion!
Sarah Caminker
(October 16th, 2009 at 12:55 pm)
I can’t get enough of this Wild Web Women love!
Shelly, thank you again for your educating and inspiring interview. We are all in this together and having a strong support system is so important. *Virtual Hugs* to all the Wild Web Women out there~
Kate
(October 16th, 2009 at 2:50 pm)
Remember, even though it’s your opinion, you’ve worked your whole life and have built valuable skills and expertise to create that opinion - I often find women tend to qualify their expertise through words like, “I just think that…” or “… just my $0.02″ or “imho” — there’s no need for bullying behavior, but we women need to remember the value of our ideas! Shelly’s statement, “another trait of WWW is the ability to reach out to other women, support and encourage them whenever possible, lend a hand, an ear or a shoulder when needed, and build strong, nurturing relationships. Women who are the most successful don’t view other women as competitors, but as great collaborators” rings especially true when it comes to encouraging each other as “real” authorities!
Pamela Sherman
(October 16th, 2009 at 6:32 pm)
Shelly –Love your mantra! –Thanks for being real and sharing your story (hey btw, you’re not old, you’re \seasoned’, like me.) And, thank you so much Sarah for shining the light and connecting us all. So important to connect…there’s magic in it, with good people.