Courtney Price is the Founder of Courtney Price Design.
WHAT LED YOU TO START WORKING IN DIGITAL/MEDIA PUBLISHING?
Years ago I started a blog, www.CourtneyPrice.com. I was very fortunate because it led to opportunities to see the world, meet and learn from industry peers, write and photograph for publications, and collaborate with brands. I started getting hired to work closer with some of the brands, and then word of mouth brought a more diverse set of brand opportunities. So now I have a company that consults for brands running their online presence.
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
My typical day starts very early with lots of coffee and a review of trending topics, brand initiatives, content for the day, and a detailed review of all social media channels for each client. The review alone tends to take on a life of its own and set the tone for the day with additions or modifications to the content to be rolled out that day. Organization and previous preparation of the day’s content are paramount because the nature of anything social requires LIVE TIME focus and the ability to be agile with the content rollout. So basically, if you run social media accounts, you are in a way on the front line of customer service, with the responsibility to be present and responsive in a timely manner. I know of one major brands who did not realize that they had gotten a long scathing complaint in an Instagram comment, which became an unattended conversation ON the brand’s feed. It wasn’t even noticed until the end of the year wrap-up when it showed up in the brand’s the “Top 9 Posts of the Year.” Only then did the brand respond to the displeased and now underwhelmed ex-customer. Not good. An online presence can make or break a brand. A lot of monitoring, content creation and scheduling fill my days and ending with a setup for the following day. Stepping away can be the hard part because social media never stops.
WHAT’S YOUR WORK SETUP LOOK LIKE? (YOUR APPS, PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS, ETC.)
I work with a MacBook Pro, a large display to line up multiple channels side by side, an iPad, and iPhone. The ringer is usually turned off to minimize disruption.
WHAT DO YOU DO TO GET INSPIRED?
Read, read, read. I study the industry from all angles, watching the rapid change of trends and online behaviors.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PIECE OF WRITING OR QUOTE?
“If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm.” — Vince Lombardi
WHAT IS THE MOST INTERESTING/INNOVATIVE THING YOU HAVE SEEN ON ANOTHER OUTLET OTHER THAN YOUR OWN?
Augmented Reality fascinates me. It will be fun to see how brands use it. So far it is enabling people to try on eyeglasses and furniture or paint, specific to their faces or spaces, without ever leaving their desk. I can’t wait to see what else people come up with.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR AMBITIOUS DIGITAL PUBLISHING AND MEDIA PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE JUST STARTING OUT?
Things change overnight. Stay up with the changes, don’t be afraid to experiment with online strategies and develop new skills, use good images, be consistent, and always be positive.
