I’m an outstanding digital conversationalist with a background in social media, public relations, community/political affairs and corporate communications. I have a knack for setting the right tone and guiding discourse with carefully crafted messages and strategic content distribution. Take a look at some of my work and see for yourself.
2. linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite @anthonynwhite anthonynwhite@gmail.comAnthony Nathan White
Social Media Strategy
LEADING THE WAY
In early 2010, Vulcan Inc. had virtually no social
media presence. Recognizing a need, I took action
to move Vulcan into the social sphere. I was
promoted to become Vulcan’s first dedicated
social media professional by the end of 2010. As
the lead on multiple accounts, I implemented a
social strategy which saw growth that more than
doubled the average following on each account
over three years.
FOLLOWERS BY YEAR
2011 2012 2013
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
Vulcan Facebook
Vulcan Twitter
Idea Man Facebook
Living Computer Museum Facebook
The Living Computer
Museum Facebook page saw
800% growth in 2013.
3. linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite @anthonynwhite anthonynwhite@gmail.comAnthony Nathan White
Social Media Strategy
CARPE VIDEO
In late 2011, I worked as part of the team
announcing a new space initiative from Paul G.
Allen, Stratolaunch Systems. We commissioned
a video to show how the project works, and
I seized the chance to start Vulcan’s YouTube
account. When international media showed up
to the press conference in December 2011, a
link to our YouTube account was included in the
digital press kit. As a result, the vast majority of
press coverage included the embedded video. It
garnered over a million views and drove attention
to other Vulcan videos, which I had organized into
playlists after performing an asset audit.
The ~1.5 million viewers
of the Stratolaunch video also
contributed tens of thousands of
views to Vulcan’s other videos.
4. linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite @anthonynwhite anthonynwhite@gmail.comAnthony Nathan White
Social Media Strategy
BUILDING AN EXECUTIVE
BRAND ONLINE
In 2011, I was part of the marketing team
behind the release of Paul Allen’s memoir
Idea Man: A Memoir by the Cofounder of
Microsoft. To ensure Mr. Allen’s fans were
able to gather and interact with each other
online, I launched and managed his first
public Facebook page. My content strategy
for the page focused on providing rarely or
never-before seen items from Mr. Allen’s
life and long career in computing, along with
frequent updates about his current projects.
It remains a busy hub of fan activity to this
day. I also began assisting Mr. Allen with his
Twitter account, which grew in leaps and
bounds over the next three years.
5. linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite @anthonynwhite anthonynwhite@gmail.comAnthony Nathan White
Social Media Strategy
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
In early 2013, Vulcan’s communications team
organized a celebration in honor of the opening
of the Living Computer Museum. I saw an
opportunity to kickstart the new museum’s social
media presence, and worked with museum staff
to recreate a classic photograph featuring the
cofounders of Microsoft. I tweeted the image
from Paul G. Allen’s account, and it was an
instant hit with the media. The photograph I took
was featured in coverage by Forbes, Gizmodo,
Mashable, CBS News, and many others. It was
Paul Allen’s most retweeted tweet of 2013, and
it prompted explosive growth on the Living
Computer Museum’s Facebook page. original photo
MEDIA COVERAGE
6. linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite @anthonynwhite anthonynwhite@gmail.comAnthony Nathan White
Social Media Strategy
EXPLORING NEW CHANNELS,
EXPANDING OLD CHANNELS
I began working at Colliers International, one of the
world’s top commercial real estate firms, as Global
Social Media Manager in 2014. Within six months of
my hire, Colliers was leading all of its top three global
competitors in growth rates across three out of the
four most common social media channels. Using a
content strategy that demonstrates Colliers’ global
presence, I won Colliers’ new Instagram channel the
second-highest following among all commercial real
estate Instagram accounts in that time.
COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL 21%
COMPETITOR A 20%
COMPETITOR B 17%
COMPETITOR C 16%
COMPETITOR B 26%
COMPETITOR A 19%
COMPETITOR C 20%
COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL 19%
COMPETITOR C 42%
COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL 90%
COMPETITOR A 57%
COMPETITOR B 46%
COMPETITOR C 7%
COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL 14%
COMPETITOR A 13%
COMPETITOR B 12%
FOLLOWER GROWTH BY NETWORK
7. linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite @anthonynwhite anthonynwhite@gmail.comAnthony Nathan White
Social Media Strategy
EMPOWERING EMPLOYEES TO
ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES—
AND THEIR BRAND
When it comes to social media advocacy on
behalf of a brand, employees are overlooked far
too often. That’s a shame, because they are every
company’s greatest asset. In order to activate
the social power of Colliers’ employees—and
to empower those employees with assets that
engage their own social media networks—I
organized and executed an employee advocacy/
social engagement program for Colliers in the
first half of 2015. The program was aptly named
Share It, and it arms Colliers employees with all
of the Colliers-related and commercial real estate
news they need to stay relevant and connected
with their social media following. In Q4 of 2015,
the program was opened to all U.S. employees.
1.5 million social media
impressions and rising
8. linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite @anthonynwhite anthonynwhite@gmail.comAnthony Nathan White
Blogging + Copywriting
ENGAGING COPY
When I started writing for the Vulcan
Voice in 2010, it was a seldom-read
internal blog underutilized by employees.
In 2011, I became the lead writer and
editor for the blog, and I soon turned
the numbers around. Using the same
engagement tactics that I employed in
public social media channels, I increased
employee readership by over 300% within
months. The Vulcan Voice became Vulcan’s
primary channel for intracompany news,
replacing mass email.
Before I became the lead
blog writer and editor, only
20% of employees read the
blog daily. Afterwards, 85%
of employees visited daily, an
increase of over 300%.
9. linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite @anthonynwhite anthonynwhite@gmail.comAnthony Nathan White
Blogging + Copywriting
MOTIVATE TO PARTICIPATE
In 2012, Vulcan kicked off an employee wellness program.
Human Resources came to me for help in making the
program a success. I named the program VIBE (an
acronym for Vulcan: Involved, Balanced, and Enriched) and
as the lead writer and editor of employee news, assumed
responsibility for promoting and discussing the program
on the company blog. It was a resounding success; HR
originally aimed for 50% participation, and at the close
of 2012 80% of employees were involved. By the end
of October 2013, 95% of the company had joined VIBE,
motivated in large part by my efforts.
95% participation in
employee wellness program
10. linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite @anthonynwhite anthonynwhite@gmail.comAnthony Nathan White
Blogging + Copywriting
CONTENT MARKETING FOR
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
In October of 2014, I was part of the launch team
for Knowledge Leader, the first commercial real
estate blog with a content marketing approach by
a global CRE firm. Within a year, Colliers’ top two
global competitors had launched their own content
marketing blogs.
I was originally in charge of the social strategy and a
contributing author on the blog. In September of 2015,
I took over as Managing Editor. Today, I help a roster
of over 50 authors from around the world to develop,
craft and distribute their writing.
Almost 300 stories have been
published on Knowledge Leader,
leading to interviews with media, new
business opportunities, and syndication
across the Web for the authors.
11. linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite @anthonynwhite anthonynwhite@gmail.comAnthony Nathan White
Blogging + Copywriting
WRITING SAMPLES
As Vulcan’s constant voice in social media and a
daily blogger of company news, I was a natural
choice to contribute copy to Vulcan’s website re-
launce in late 2013. You can find my writing all over
Vulcan.com, but I am particularly proud of how I
told the story of Vulcan’s green design principles
and the historical view I imparted of Paul Allen’s
acquisition of the Seahawks.
As the Managing Editor of Colliers’ Knowledge
Leader blog, my primary role is to refine the
writing of others. Nevertheless, I still publish
under my own name on occasion.
Writing samples from Vulcan.com and the
Knowledge Leader blog are included on the
following pages.
12. linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite @anthonynwhite anthonynwhite@gmail.comAnthony Nathan White
Blogging + Copywriting
GREEN DESIGN
Thoughtful design is the key to building sustainable communities.
It’s a simple concept that guides Vulcan’s development in the
Pacific Northwest. At Vulcan, we’re building with the future
in mind. We know that the next generation will need efficient
facilities to conserve precious resources and thoughtful design to
enliven their surroundings.
Seattle’s South Lake Union is a prominent example of
environmentally-conscious urban real estate development. Since
2002, Vulcan has worked in South Lake Union to redevelop
industrial sites, increase residential density, and provide access
to jobs and transit. The massive urban revitalization project has
integrated sustainably-constructed life science, office, retail, and
residential buildings into a walkable urban landscape with access
to parks, arts and preserved history. In 2011, South Lake Union
was recognized with the first LEED-certified neighborhood plan in
Washington State. It’s a world-class community where people live,
work and play together in a sustainable urban environment.
Vulcan’s green design standards also extend to the Pacific
Northwest’s most prominent sports and entertainment venues:
CenturyLink Field, CenturyLink Field Event Center and the WaMu
Theater in Seattle and the Moda Center in Portland. The Moda
Center, Oregon’s largest entertainment venue and the home of
the Portland Trail Blazers, was the first major sports arena to
earn LEED Gold Certification. The CenturyLink Field complex,
home to the Seattle Seahawks and the Seattle Sounders FC, is
also home to Washington State’s largest solar array. 2.5 acres
of solar panels soak up the sun’s energy atop the event center,
lowering the facility’s energy costs along with its carbon footprint.
Both CenturyLink Field and the Moda Center are members of the
Green Sports Alliance, holding themselves to the highest possible
standards of energy efficiency and waste diversion.
13. linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite @anthonynwhite anthonynwhite@gmail.comAnthony Nathan White
Blogging + Copywriting
SAVING THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
The Seattle Seahawks have been a rallying point for Seattle’s citizens
since 1975. The 12th Man, as Seahawks supporters are known in
Seattle, is an enthusiastic bunch known for breaking crowd noise
records and shaking the earth with their cheers. But there was a time
when Seattle nearly lost its beloved Seahawks. If it wasn’t for Paul
Allen, the team might be known as the Los Angeles Seahawks today.
During the mid-90s, Ken Behring, a Californian who had owned the
Seahawks since 1988, saw an opportunity to bring the team to Los
Angeles. In 1995, the Rams left L.A. for St. Louis. In February 1996,
Behring moved the Seahawks headquarters to Anaheim, California.
Seattle was outraged. Behring’s explanation for the move—the seismic
vulnerability of the crumbling Kingdome—rang hollow with Seattleites.
Who moves a team to Southern California to avoid earthquakes? Who
would step in to save the team from this rogue owner? These were the
questions asked by the public and the press at the time.
In April 1996, Paul Allen answered. He purchased an option to buy
the Seahawks from Behring, but there was one condition: The public
needed to partner with him to build a new stadium. Behring was right
about the Kingdome; it was unsafe for spectators. Falling tiles from the
roof of the stadium endangered players and fans. It had to go.
The Washington Public Stadium Authority Bill, also known as
Referendum 48, passed after a special election in June 1997. True to his
word, Paul Allen took ownership of the team in August 1997, beginning
the process of building the team into Super Bowl contenders. In
September of 1998, CenturyLink Field began construction, and in 2002
construction it was completed.
The Seattle Seahawks finally had an owner who lived in and loved
Seattle. The 12th Man finally had a stadium which could handle a Beast
Quake. Thanks to Paul Allen, the Seahawks were ready to take flight.
14. linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite @anthonynwhite anthonynwhite@gmail.comAnthony Nathan White
FIVE WAYS SOCIAL MEDIA MAKES YOU BETTER AT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
The Internet is integral to modern life. You’re
probably reading this online, so I don’t have to tell you
that. But it’s also clear that online social experiences
are an essential part of daily life: In 2013, 85 percent
of adults in the United States used the Web, and as
of Jan. 2014, 74 percent of those adults used social
networking sites. It makes sense, after all. We’re all
online, anyway. Shouldn’t we be interacting?
Of course we should. And while social media is still
in its infancy, it’s already demonstrated the ability
to facilitate human interaction on a scale never seen
before. That’s why it’s always a shock to me that so
many commercial real estate professionals aren’t
engaged with social media.
As new social networking sites proliferate across
the Web, we have the opportunity to harness this
medium into a tool that works for professionals. Here
are five ways social media can make you better at the
commercial real estate business:
Social media makes you smarter.
Experts agree that the Internet enhances intelligence.
Want to know what you’ve learned today? Look
through your browser history.
In an age where every question is answered with
a search on Google or Wikipedia, it pays to be
better informed. If you use Twitter and LinkedIn to
monitor conversations about commercial real estate,
you’ll always have access to the crème de la crème
of breaking news, expert opinions and industry
trends. And if you have questions, ask your network.
Crowdsourcing frequently proves many brains are
better than one.
Social media can boost your credibility.
Have you been learning anything from your customers
and colleagues? Prove it.
By sharing and commenting upon social media
posts that are relevant to your business, you can
demonstrate your own knowledge and be useful
to others. Do it consistently and you might even
gain a following of your own. To see an example
of a commercial real estate pro who uses social
media very, very well, look no further than Colliers
International’s Coy Davidson.
Of course, boosting your own image isn’t (or shouldn’t
be) the ultimate goal of social media interaction.
Which leads us to my next point …
Social media allows people to get to know you.
Everyone wants to trust the people with whom they
do business. And if you think that your clients and
colleagues haven’t entered your name into a search
engine, well… Hopefully you won’t be too shocked
to learn that your name and online identity are
Googled every now and then. And that is OK! It
doesn’t hurt a bit.
Your social media presence is a chance to show off
not only your knowledge but also your personality
and accomplishments. People can learn a lot about
you by visiting your LinkedIn profile and reading a
few Facebook updates. Every post on social media is
a thought frozen in time. Just don’t forget that you’re
broadcasting those thoughts to an audience.
Social media is a great way to learn about
new people.
Online social media is social networking on a
gargantuan, global scale. Of course you’re going to
run across someone whose commercial real estate
acumen is a boon to you. And when you do, you’ll
be able watch them interact with others, see the
information they share and the commentary they
provide. If you’re new to the game, watch for a while
before you dive in.
Social media is also a great way to check out potential
clients and understand their needs, which brings us to
our final item …
Social media is the next level of customer service.
When you think about it, most of the benefits listed
above are already traits of successful business people.
Research, reputation, due diligence and networking
are all common elements of “real-life” interaction.
Social media simply scales these traits upward to fit
the massive platform of the World Wide Web.
You know what’s (unfortunately) not so common in
real-life interaction? Outstanding customer service.
Luckily for you, social media makes it easy to
provide personalized customer service. Social media
interaction makes you more informed, empowers you
to trade all types of information with ease and allows
you to stay in touch with clients long after any deal is
done.
Want to make your customer service
memorable? Maybe try a 21st century solution to
the age-old problem.
Blogging + Copywriting
15. linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite @anthonynwhite anthonynwhite@gmail.comAnthony Nathan White
WHY YOU SHOULDN’T DREAD THE ADVANCE OF MILLENNIALS IN THE WORKPLACE
By now, you might have heard that 2015 is the year
Millennials take over the workforce. Does the thought
fill you with dread? If so, you aren’t the only one.
Media coverage of Millennials in recent years has been
a parade of hand-wringing and selfie-loathing. They’ve
been called a “generation of deluded narcissists” by
Fox News, financially illiterate by USA Today and the
“least entrepreneurial generation” by Quartz. As Baby
Boomers and Gen Xers head towards retirement, are
they doomed to work alongside incompetent, self-
centered sloths?
Take a deep breath. It’s true that Millennials aren’t
perfect, but the good news is this: Millennials bring
some unique and positive qualities with them to the
workplace.
Millennials are digital natives, which is a
good thing.
Millennials have taken a lot of criticism for constant
engagement with the Internet and technology, but
this is only a sign of the times. We live in a fast-paced,
technology-driven world. Keeping in touch with the
latest tech trends and social media is essential to
the modern workforce—and will be for the
foreseeable future.
We’ve already discussed how social media can make
you better at commercial real estate. Social media
is also a great platform for employees to function
as brand advocates for their company; a Nielsen
study from 2013 concluded that 84% of respondents
found word-of-mouth recommendations (also
known as earned advertising) to be trustworthy.
That makes earned advertising the most trusted
form of advertising by a wide margin. Social media
is the world’s biggest channel for word-of-mouth
recommendations, and it is growing every day.
We need to stop chastising Millennials for using
social media and turn their behavior into a business
advantage. The Millennial penchant for learning new
digital platforms is actually a huge bonus; the problem,
it seems, is motivating them. This brings us to our
next point…
Millennials are motivated by company values,
not just money.
Millennials expect a little more from their employers.
They are more likely to seek out flexible working
hours, offices with a diverse workforce and a company
with which they share values. This desire is driven
by the weight Millennials place on their personal
relationships and their desire to work toward a
greater good.
According to a 2014 survey, a company’s involvement
with causes is the third most important factor for
a Millennial when deciding to apply for a job. A
company’s diversity ranks high on their list too,
coming in at fifth most important. This makes sense,
given that Millennials are the most racially diverse
generation in American history. In short, if you want
to attract Millennials to your business, hire a diverse
team and give them a cause to rally around.
However, it’s not clear if Millennials are more
motivated by values than money. To be frank, most
Millennials haven’t had a chance to engage with wealth.
According to this Pew report, 25- to 32-year-olds of
every education level faced higher unemployment in
2013 than any comparable age cohort since the Silent
Generation. Given the job market during the recent
global recession, it makes sense that Millennials
opted to stay in school rather than join the workforce.
All those diplomas produced a lot of debt, but they
also produced a generation of well-educated people.
In fact…
Did you know Millennials are the most
educated generation in American history?
It’s true. It’s also true that high levels of education (and
a willingness to learn more) impact the way Millennials
work. According to the 2015 Millennial Majority
Workforce Study, 82% of hiring managers agree that
Millennials are more technically adept, and 60% agree
that Millennials learn new things more quickly.
In our knowledge economy, better-educated workers
are better workers. This is a rising tide that will lift
all economic boats. Even though Millennials have
been suffering under the same wage stagnation as
previous generations in recent decades, higher levels
of education will help them climb toward the top of
the pay scale.
It’s time to welcome Millennials.
Have no fear, old-timers. Despite what you might have
heard about Millennials in the workplace, the business
world will keep turning. You’ll get to engage with
social media and tech a little more often, and you’ll be
working with well-educated people who care about
company values. Doesn’t sound so bad, does it? Let’s
roll out the welcome mat.
Maybe the real worry for industry veterans is this:
As technological innovations and new demographics
roil the waters of commercial real estate, will older
generations be able to keep their hands on the rudder
until retirement?
Blogging + Copywriting
16. Connect with me.
Anthony Nathan White
linkedin.com/in/anthonynwhite
@anthonynwhite
anthonynwhite@gmail.com
(206) 512 9738