(4135,4,'2020-10-02 15:33:34','2020-10-02 19:33:34','','pexels-anna-shvets-4226140-1','\nPhoto by Anna Shvets from Pexels\n','inherit','open','closed','','pexels-anna-shvets-4226140-1','','','2020-10-02 15:33:43','2020-10-02 19:33:43','',4131,'https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pexels-anna-shvets-4226140-1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(4136,4,'2020-10-02 15:34:06','2020-10-02 19:34:06','<strong>We\'ve all become Zoom pros, or have we?</strong>\r\n\r\nSure, we know what Zoom is, and we\'ve probably used it dozens of times in the past few months, but are we really pros at it? Based on my recent experiences with Zoom presentations, I would say no.\r\n\r\nJust yesterday, I was on two different online meetings. In the first meeting, one of the presenters was having audio difficulties (her talk was garbled). She went on for several minutes and the audience could not make out what she was saying. Then several minutes more were wasted in telling her to call in, etc. In the second meeting, somebody \"forgot\" to turn off his/her mic and we could hear cooking sounds in the background, and then chewing as this person settled down with the dinner he/she had prepared. It was immensely distracting and annoying.\r\n\r\nWasting time and making it hard to hear a speaker adds up to audience frustration.  So, if your organization uses online video conferencing to engage with your audience/conduct meetings/host events, it is time to lay out some ground rules so that you can avoid chaos and a have a smooth online experience.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4135\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pexels-anna-shvets-4226140-1.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-4135 size-large\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pexels-anna-shvets-4226140-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <br />Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Select the correct online video conferencing provider and package</strong>\r\n\r\nAlthough Zoom has become the most popular platform, there are other video conferencing providers, including GotoMeeting, Webex and others. Read more about the best alternatives to Zoom in<a href=\"https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-video-conferencing-software-and-services-for-business/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> ZDNet</a> and <a href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/6-popular-video-conferencing-tools-compared-zoom-skype-houseparty/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wired. </a>\r\n\r\nTo select the proper platform, you\'ll need to determine what will suit your needs best. Questions to ask yourself include:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>What will you be using the videoconferencing for? Staff meetings, presentations, online conferences</li>\r\n 	<li>What functionality do you need? Recording capability, audience interaction, question and answer, breakout sessions, ability to share screens/videos/slides, etc.</li>\r\n 	<li>What\'s your budget?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Map out your online event.</strong>\r\n\r\nYour meeting or presentation should be planned out, with time allocating to each participant/speaker, and with a written agenda if possible. Mapping out how an event will go, will make it easier to keep it on track.\r\n\r\n<strong>But, build in time and plan for technical difficulties\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\nThere will be glitches. Your presenter may not have strong enough internet signal, or the provider could be experiencing problems. Know beforehand what you will do if a presenter can\'t log on, or the video software is not working. Have a Plan B, which could include a reschedule date, alternative presenter, alternative software, etc.\r\n\r\n<strong>Have a moderator and make sure he or she sets up ground rules</strong>\r\n\r\nDo not start any meeting or presentation without making sure everybody is following some ground rules. Perhaps everybody\'s mic is muted, or everybody\'s video is on (or off).  Tell your audience who to contact if there are technical difficulties, and how. Make sure to let people know if you are recording, and when/whether the recording will be available.  If this event is public, you could sent participants an email explaining the ground rules, and also make sure your moderator repeats them at the beginning of the event.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understand Zoom fatigue is real</strong>\r\n\r\nOnline video conferencing has been a godsend, but it is not the same as an in-person event. When we\'ve convened people in person, we probably have given them comfy seats, or provided snacks and drinks, and time to schmooze. But when we present online, people are sitting where they always have,  in an environment that is probably the same day after day. Dispense with the long introductions, and the long lists of thank yous. Send those in an email. Get to the point. People have limited patience for you.\r\n\r\n<strong>The bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nCut down the distractions, and make the screen time worth your audiences while.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Avoid Zooming and frustrating your audience','','inherit','closed','closed','','4131-revision-v1','','','2020-10-02 15:34:06','2020-10-02 19:34:06','',4131,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/10/4131-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4137,4,'2020-10-02 15:34:53','2020-10-02 19:34:53','<strong>We\'ve all become Zoom pros, or have we?</strong>\r\n\r\nSure, we know what Zoom is, and we\'ve probably used it dozens of times in the past few months, but are we really pros at it? Based on my recent experiences with Zoom presentations, I would say no.\r\n\r\nJust yesterday, I was on two different online meetings. In the first meeting, one of the presenters was having audio difficulties (her talk was garbled). She went on for several minutes and the audience could not make out what she was saying. Then several minutes more were wasted in telling her to call in, etc. In the second meeting, somebody \"forgot\" to turn off his/her mic and we could hear cooking sounds in the background, and then chewing as this person settled down with the dinner he/she had prepared. It was immensely distracting and annoying.\r\n\r\nWasting time and making it hard to hear a speaker adds up to audience frustration.  So, if your organization uses online video conferencing to engage with your audience/conduct meetings/host events, it is time to lay out some ground rules so that you can avoid chaos and a have a smooth online experience.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4135\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pexels-anna-shvets-4226140-1.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-4135 size-large\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pexels-anna-shvets-4226140-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <br />Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Select the correct online video conferencing provider and package</strong>\r\n\r\nAlthough Zoom has become the most popular platform, there are other video conferencing providers, including GotoMeeting, Webex and others. Read more about the best alternatives to Zoom in<a href=\"https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-video-conferencing-software-and-services-for-business/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> ZDNet</a> and <a href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/6-popular-video-conferencing-tools-compared-zoom-skype-houseparty/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wired. </a>\r\n\r\nTo select the proper platform, you\'ll need to determine what will suit your needs best. Questions to ask yourself include:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>What will you be using the videoconferencing for? Staff meetings, presentations, online conferences</li>\r\n 	<li>What functionality do you need? Recording capability, audience interaction, question and answer, breakout sessions, ability to share screens/videos/slides, etc.</li>\r\n 	<li>What\'s your budget?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Map out your online event.</strong>\r\n\r\nYour meeting or presentation should be planned out, with time allocating to each participant/speaker, and with a written agenda if possible. Mapping out how an event will go, will make it easier to keep it on track.\r\n\r\n<strong>But, build in time and plan for technical difficulties\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\nThere will be glitches. Your presenter may not have strong enough internet signal, or the provider could be experiencing problems. Know beforehand what you will do if a presenter can\'t log on, or the video software is not working. Have a Plan B, which could include a reschedule date, alternative presenter, alternative software, etc.\r\n\r\n<strong>Have a moderator and make sure he or she sets up ground rules</strong>\r\n\r\nDo not start any meeting or presentation without making sure everybody is following some ground rules. Perhaps everybody\'s mic is muted, or everybody\'s video is on (or off).  Tell your audience who to contact if there are technical difficulties, and how. Make sure to let people know if you are recording, and when/whether the recording will be available.  If this event is public, you could sent participants an email explaining the ground rules, and also make sure your moderator repeats them at the beginning of the event.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understand Zoom fatigue is real</strong>\r\n\r\nOnline video conferencing has been a godsend, but it is not the same as an in-person event. When we\'ve convened people in person, we probably have given them comfy seats, or provided snacks and drinks, and time to schmooze. But when we present online, people are sitting where they always have,  in an environment that is probably the same day after day. Dispense with the long introductions, and the long lists of thank yous. Send those in an email. Get to the point. People have limited patience for you.\r\n\r\n<strong>The bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nCut down the distractions, and make the screen time worthwhile for your audience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Avoid Zooming and frustrating your audience','','inherit','closed','closed','','4131-revision-v1','','','2020-10-02 15:34:53','2020-10-02 19:34:53','',4131,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/10/4131-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4142,4,'2020-10-23 09:36:15','2020-10-23 13:36:15','The pandemic has left many desperate for business. These are tough economic times and lot of people around the globe are hurting.  I get it.  But the need to grow your business  doesn’t mean you can overlook best practices. In fact, doing things in a slipshod manner may even backfire.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do I know you?</strong>\r\n\r\nA couple weeks ago, I started receiving emails from “Debra” with no last name and no affiliation. The subject line had something to do with yoga classes. I figured it was spam from a company that knew I had signed up for a yoga event. I kept deleting these emails.\r\n\r\nBut on Monday, the subject line said something about outdoor yoga this week. I opened the email and found it was from a yoga studio in Washington, DC. I have never attended this studio. And I don’t recall signing up for its emails. I unsubscribed because it is highly unlikely I will ever go in to Washington for a yoga class.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pexels-lukas-684385.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4143 size-large\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pexels-lukas-684385-1024x678.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"678\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Email marketing best practices</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>1.) Introduce yourself</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Bad:</strong> Adding people without permission; sending emails to a new list without introduction or buy-in.\r\n\r\n<strong>Best practices:</strong> It\'s best to requiring consent, but if you are building your email marketing list, and you have new names, <em>always</em> end an introductory email explaining who you are and what you want, and then ask whether those people want to be on your list. You achieve this by segmenting your list.\r\n\r\n<strong>2.) Use your business name</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Bad</strong>:  Not having a professional/identifying sender name on your emails.\r\n\r\n<strong>Best practice</strong>: Use your business name in the return email unless you are the business, and then you should use first and last names. Think about how emails show up in your inbox. Would you open an email from someone you don\'t know?\r\n\r\n<strong>3.) Use your subject line to inform</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Bad</strong>: Uninformative or vague subject lines that don\'t provide any specifics or needed details.\r\n\r\n<strong>Best practice:</strong> No need to be clever, but don’t be obtuse. Be clear as to what your email contains. If I don’t know you, your subject line has to provide enough information for me to open your email.\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line:</strong>\r\n\r\nThe pandemic is no excuse for forgetting your best business practices. By letting desperation for new business lead you to doing things thoughtlessly you are bound to hurt yourself more than help yourself.','Don\'t let pandemic cause pandemonium in your business practices','','publish','open','open','','dont-let-pandemic-cause-pandemonium-in-your-business-practices','','','2020-10-23 09:36:15','2020-10-23 13:36:15','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4142',0,'post','',1),
(4143,4,'2020-10-23 09:24:34','2020-10-23 13:24:34','','pexels-lukas-684385','','inherit','open','closed','','pexels-lukas-684385','','','2020-10-23 09:24:34','2020-10-23 13:24:34','',4142,'https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pexels-lukas-684385.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(4144,4,'2020-10-23 09:25:16','2020-10-23 13:25:16','The pandemic has left many desperate for business. I get it.  A lot of people around the globe are in a similar situation. These are tough economic times. But that doesn’t mean you overlooking best practices in business.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do I know you?</strong>\r\n\r\nA couple weeks ago, I started receiving emails from “Debra” with no last name and no affiliation. The subject line had something to do with yoga classes. I figured it was spam from a company that knew I had signed up for a yoga event. I kept deleting these emails.\r\n\r\nBut yesterday the subject line said something about outdoor yoga this week. I opened the email and found it was from a yoga studio in Washington, DC. I have never attended this studio. And I don’t recall signing up for its emails. I unsubscribed because it is highly unlikely I will ever go to Washington for a yoga class, especially now.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pexels-lukas-684385.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4143 size-large\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pexels-lukas-684385-1024x678.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"678\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Email marketing best practices</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>1.) Introduce yourself</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Bad:</strong> Adding people without permission, sending emails to a new list without introduction or buy-in.\r\n\r\n<strong>Best practices:</strong> Requiring consent. If you are building a list, and you have new names, send an introductory email explaining who you are and what you want, and then ask whether those people want to be on your list.\r\n\r\n<strong>2.) Use your business name</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Bad</strong>:  Not having a professional/identifying sender name\r\n\r\nBest practice: Use your business name in the return email unless you are the business, and then you should use first and last names.\r\n\r\n<strong>3.) Use your subject line to inform</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Bad</strong>: Uninformative or vague subject lines that don\'t provide needed detail\r\n\r\n<strong>Best practice:</strong> No need to be clever, but don’t be obtuse. Be clear as to what your email contains. If I don’t know you, your subject line has to provide enough information for me to open your email.\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line:</strong>\r\n\r\nThe pandemic is no excuse for forgetting your best business practices. By letting desperation for new business lead you to doing things thoughtlessly you are bound to hurt yourself more than help yourself.','Don\'t let pandemic cause pandemonium in your business practices','','inherit','closed','closed','','4142-revision-v1','','','2020-10-23 09:25:16','2020-10-23 13:25:16','',4142,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/10/4142-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4145,4,'2020-10-23 09:35:32','2020-10-23 13:35:32','The pandemic has left many desperate for business. These are tough economic times and lot of people around the globe are hurting.  I get it.  But the need to grow your business  doesn’t mean you can overlook best practices. In fact, doing things in a slipshod manner may even backfire.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do I know you?</strong>\r\n\r\nA couple weeks ago, I started receiving emails from “Debra” with no last name and no affiliation. The subject line had something to do with yoga classes. I figured it was spam from a company that knew I had signed up for a yoga event. I kept deleting these emails.\r\n\r\nBut on Monday, the subject line said something about outdoor yoga this week. I opened the email and found it was from a yoga studio in Washington, DC. I have never attended this studio. And I don’t recall signing up for its emails. I unsubscribed because it is highly unlikely I will ever go in to Washington for a yoga class.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pexels-lukas-684385.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4143 size-large\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pexels-lukas-684385-1024x678.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"678\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Email marketing best practices</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>1.) Introduce yourself</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Bad:</strong> Adding people without permission; sending emails to a new list without introduction or buy-in.\r\n\r\n<strong>Best practices:</strong> It\'s best to requiring consent, but if you are building your email marketing list, and you have new names, <em>always</em> end an introductory email explaining who you are and what you want, and then ask whether those people want to be on your list. You achieve this by segmenting your list.\r\n\r\n<strong>2.) Use your business name</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Bad</strong>:  Not having a professional/identifying sender name on your emails.\r\n\r\n<strong>Best practice</strong>: Use your business name in the return email unless you are the business, and then you should use first and last names. Think about how emails show up in your inbox. Would you open an email from someone you don\'t know?\r\n\r\n<strong>3.) Use your subject line to inform</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Bad</strong>: Uninformative or vague subject lines that don\'t provide any specifics or needed details.\r\n\r\n<strong>Best practice:</strong> No need to be clever, but don’t be obtuse. Be clear as to what your email contains. If I don’t know you, your subject line has to provide enough information for me to open your email.\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line:</strong>\r\n\r\nThe pandemic is no excuse for forgetting your best business practices. By letting desperation for new business lead you to doing things thoughtlessly you are bound to hurt yourself more than help yourself.','Don\'t let pandemic cause pandemonium in your business practices','','inherit','closed','closed','','4142-revision-v1','','','2020-10-23 09:35:32','2020-10-23 13:35:32','',4142,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/10/4142-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4146,4,'2020-10-26 09:56:59','2020-10-26 13:56:59','Some event marketers are killing it. I have been impressed with Boston University Alumni Association\'s efforts. They are doing everything right: well-timed, well-designed event invitations,  pre-event reminders, and always a post-event thank you email.\r\n\r\nNot everyone is doing so well. Some event marketing, especially by small nonprofits, seems haphazard, with little planning and even smaller attention paid to details. And really, better event marketing pays attention to the details, the logistics, and the user experience.\r\n\r\n<strong>First, plan good events</strong>\r\n\r\nMarketing an event successfully starts with the event itself. Is it interesting or relevant to your audience? Is the date good, with few conflicts?\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4066\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kaboompics_Woman-preparing-invitations-1.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-4066 size-large\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kaboompics_Woman-preparing-invitations-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> Photo by Karolina Grawbowska on Kaboompics.com[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Entice and inform your audience</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce you have chosen the event, the date and the venue you are ready to market it to your audience. You will have to develop a description of the event that entices but also informs. Why would your audience want to come to this event? Who is speaking? Why are you hosting the event? What makes this event special or important? And you must provide all the important logistical information, such as: date, time, venue name and address, cost (including if free to attend), and ways to sign up.\r\n\r\n<strong>Time the invitation properly</strong>\r\n\r\nThink about how much time your audience needs to make a decision. If it is an event that requires travel and hotel reservations (e.g., annual conference, wedding), you will need to send it with a few months lead time. If the event is local, then you can market closer to the event time. However, don\'t send out an invitation too far in advance because it will be forgotten, but don\'t do it too close to the event because your audience may already have made other commitments.\r\n\r\n<strong>What to include in the actual invitation</strong>\r\n\r\nEmails must have text and a link to sign up. <em>Do not</em> ever have an image/graphic-only email, since some email programs do not automatically open images and require them to be downloaded.\r\n\r\nAgain, make sure to include all the details your audience needs to decide whether to attend or not (look at the list above).\r\n\r\n<strong>Signing up should be easy</strong>\r\n\r\nYou should have an easy way to sign up—do not make me jump through hoops such as making me scroll through multiple screens, and having to create accounts and passwords. You are not selling tickets for an international flight. Think about what information you absolutely need (e.g., name, contact info such as address and email, credit card information), and start with that. Other information (e.g., phone number, demographics, etc.) that might be good to have should be weighed carefully. Asking for too much information can be a huge turn-off.\r\n\r\n<strong>Always acknowledge sign-ups</strong>\r\n\r\nThis should go without saying, but once people sign up for your event, they should get an email confirmation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Calendar links!</strong>\r\n\r\nBe sure that the software you are using has a universal calendar link both in the sign up screen and in the acknowledgment/confirmation email.  Attendees should be able to download the event info to any major calendar (i.e., Apple, Outlook, Google).\r\n\r\n<strong>Friendly reminders are welcome</strong>\r\n\r\nAlways send a reminder at least one day ahead. Include all important logistical information (i.e., start time, address, directions, public transportation/parking information, and any requirements (e.g., picture ID, cash on hand, laptop, etc.).\r\n\r\n<strong>After the fact</strong>\r\n\r\nAlways send something after the event—it can be a simple “thank you for attending,” or a survey/request for feedback, or sharing of information relevant to the event (e.g., contact information for speakers, handouts, bibliographies, etc.)\r\n\r\n<strong>Would be nice if...</strong>\r\n\r\nThe software you use would be smart enough not to send event invites to people who have already registered. When I get another invitation to an event I have signed up for, I always think that I forgot to register or that my payment didn\'t go through.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nMake your event marketing better: Always think about your audience and what they need in order to make a decision and attend your event.','How to be better at event marketing','','inherit','closed','closed','','4065-revision-v1','','','2020-10-26 09:56:59','2020-10-26 13:56:59','',4065,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/10/4065-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4148,4,'2020-11-06 08:46:00','2020-11-06 13:46:00','Among the COVID economic downturn, some companies are getting desperate for business,  as I wrote in <a title=\"Don’t let pandemic cause pandemonium in your business practices\" href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2020/10/dont-let-pandemic-cause-pandemonium-in-your-business-practices/\">my last post</a>.\r\n\r\nIf you are desperate for business, does this mean you should do desperate things or act in a desperate manner? In one word, the answer is no. Appearing desperate or doing desperate things will backfire, guaranteed.\r\n\r\n<strong>Jane Doe thought that she would reach out</strong>\r\n\r\nTake for example the case of Jane Doe (using this name to protect this person\'s privacy). Jane Doe attended an online business presentation a couple of weeks ago, as did I. There was a networking component to the presentation, but I did not participate. After the event, the organizers sent a follow up email that included a list of all who attended. Several days later, I got an email from Jane Doe. This is what it said, in part:\r\n<blockquote>It was great meeting you at the virtual event last week.\r\n\r\nI am passionate about travel, having traveled to over 80 countries and 60 cruises on 5 continents. At award-winning [our company], we create amazing customized travel experiences for you, your friends, family, colleagues and clients, saving you a lot of money, time and stress, on your “ideal vacation”, all with risk-free booking guarantees!\r\n\r\nI would like to know more about you and your business and see how we can help grow each other\'s businesses. Are you open to a 15 minute phone call? What is a good day/time/phone number?\r\n\r\nI would like to add you to our email list where you will receive travel deals and travel tips. If you do not wish to receive these emails, kindly let us know via this email address at your earliest convenience.\r\n\r\nI look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.</blockquote>\r\nRight off, I am irritated by this email. First, we didn\'t meet. Second, this email is not personalized.  And third, she says she will add me to her email list unless I opt out. And last, she says (twice) she needs to hear from me at my \"earliest convenience.\" Apparently, Jane repeated it because she meant immediately as she added me to her list and sent me a marketing email just two days later.\r\n\r\n<strong>Jane Doe became a spammer to her email marketing company</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I got her marketing email, I immediately unsubscribed. When asked why, I said I had never requested being on this list. That response will most likely categorize Jane Doe as a spammer, since she didn\'t follow CAN-SPAM rules. People should opt in to your email, not opt out.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is there a less desperate way?</strong>\r\n\r\nYou don\'t have to take desperate or even illegal measures just because things are grim. Jane Doe could have reached out and said something like this:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Hello [name of person],</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I got your name from the [event name] list, since we both attended the presentation by [presenter]. I enjoyed the presentation and wanted to reach out to attendees to introduce myself and my business.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">My travel company, [name of business] specializes in customized travel experiences. For example, we recently created an unforgettable business retreat for a small company, in which we [insert salient details of special trip].</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Is customized travel something you\'d be interested in? If so, I\'d love to chat with you. Please email me at [insert email] and we can set up a phone appointment. In the meantime, I invite you to visit my website at [insert website address and link] and view some of the many customized experiences we have created. Learn more about our other services, and take a moment to sign up for our weekly newsletter, which is chock full of travel specials and other great information. You can also click here [insert newsletter sign up] to sign up.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I look forward to staying in touch.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>The bottom line and three better business tips</strong>\r\n\r\nThere\'s a difference between wanting to get more business and being desperate to get new business. Here are my for non-desperate, best business and email marketing practices:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Don\'t spam people. Know the CAN-SPAM rules and remember you need audiences to opt in, not opt out.</li>\r\n 	<li>Customize outreach emails  and personalize when possible.</li>\r\n 	<li>Write a compelling introductory email.  Think about your audience—what\'s in it for them?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Desperate times call for desperate measures?','','publish','open','open','','desperate-times-call-for-desperate-measures','','','2020-11-06 08:46:00','2020-11-06 13:46:00','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4148',0,'post','',0),
(4149,4,'2020-11-05 09:44:30','2020-11-05 14:44:30','Some companies are getting desperate for business, among the COVID economic downturn, as I wrote in my last post.\r\n\r\nIf you are desperate for business, does this mean you should do desperate things or act in a desperate manner? In one word, the answer is no. Appearing desperate or doing desperate things will backfire, guaranteed.\r\n\r\n<strong>Jane Doe thought that she would reach out</strong>\r\n\r\nTake for example the case of Jane Doe (using this name to protect this person\'s privacy). Jane Doe attended an online business presentation a couple of weeks ago, as did I. There was a networking component to the presentation, but I did not participate. After the event, the organizers sent a follow up email that included a list of all who attended. Several days later, I got an email from Jane Doe. This is what it said, in part:\r\n<blockquote>It was great meeting you at the virtual event last week.\r\n\r\nI am passionate about travel, having traveled to over 80 countries and 60 cruises on 5 continents. At award-winning [our company], we create amazing customized travel experiences for you, your friends, family, colleagues and clients, saving you a lot of money, time and stress, on your “ideal vacation”, all with risk-free booking guarantees!\r\n\r\nI would like to know more about you and your business and see how we can help grow each other\'s businesses. Are you open to a 15 minute phone call? What is a good day/time/phone number?\r\n\r\nI would like to add you to our email list where you will receive travel deals and travel tips. If you do not wish to receive these emails, kindly let us know via this email address at your earliest convenience.\r\n\r\nI look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.</blockquote>\r\nRight off, I am irritated by this email. First, we didn\'t meet. Second, this email is not personalized.  And third, she says she will add me to her email list unless I opt out. And last, she says she needs to hear from me at my \"earliest convenience.\" Apparently, she meant immediately because she added me to her list and sent me a marketing email just two days later.\r\n\r\n<strong>Jane Doe became a spammer to her email marketing company</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I got her marketing email, I immediately unsubscribed. When asked why, I said I had never requested being on this list. That will most likely categorized Jane Doe as a spammer, since she didn\'t follow CAN-SPAM rules. People should opt in to your email, not opt out.\r\n\r\nIs there a less desperate way?\r\n\r\nYou don\'t have to take desperate or even illegal measures just because things are grim. Jane Doe could have reached out and said something like this:\r\n\r\nHello (name of person),\r\n\r\nI got your name from the [event name] list, since we both attended the presentation by [presenter]. I enjoyed the presentation and wanted to reach out to attendees to introduce myself and my business.\r\n\r\nMy travel company, [name of busines] specializes in customized travel experiences. For example, we recently created an unforgettable business retreat for a small company, in which we [insert salient details of special trip].\r\n\r\nIs customized travel something you\'d be interested in? If so, I\'d love to chat with you. Please email me at [insert email] and we can set up a phone appointment. In the meantime, I invite you to visit my website at [insert website address and link] and view some of the many customized experiences we have created. Learn more about our other services, and take a moment to sign up for our weekly newsletter, which is chock full of travel specials and other great information. You can also click here [insert newsletter sign up] to sign up.\r\n\r\nI loo\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Desperate times call for desperate measures?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4148-revision-v1','','','2020-11-05 09:44:30','2020-11-05 14:44:30','',4148,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/11/4148-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4150,4,'2020-11-05 10:30:57','2020-11-05 15:30:57','Some companies are getting desperate for business, among the COVID economic downturn, as I wrote in my last post.\r\n\r\nIf you are desperate for business, does this mean you should do desperate things or act in a desperate manner? In one word, the answer is no. Appearing desperate or doing desperate things will backfire, guaranteed.\r\n\r\n<strong>Jane Doe thought that she would reach out</strong>\r\n\r\nTake for example the case of Jane Doe (using this name to protect this person\'s privacy). Jane Doe attended an online business presentation a couple of weeks ago, as did I. There was a networking component to the presentation, but I did not participate. After the event, the organizers sent a follow up email that included a list of all who attended. Several days later, I got an email from Jane Doe. This is what it said, in part:\r\n<blockquote>It was great meeting you at the virtual event last week.\r\n\r\nI am passionate about travel, having traveled to over 80 countries and 60 cruises on 5 continents. At award-winning [our company], we create amazing customized travel experiences for you, your friends, family, colleagues and clients, saving you a lot of money, time and stress, on your “ideal vacation”, all with risk-free booking guarantees!\r\n\r\nI would like to know more about you and your business and see how we can help grow each other\'s businesses. Are you open to a 15 minute phone call? What is a good day/time/phone number?\r\n\r\nI would like to add you to our email list where you will receive travel deals and travel tips. If you do not wish to receive these emails, kindly let us know via this email address at your earliest convenience.\r\n\r\nI look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.</blockquote>\r\nRight off, I am irritated by this email. First, we didn\'t meet. Second, this email is not personalized.  And third, she says she will add me to her email list unless I opt out. And last, she says she needs to hear from me at my \"earliest convenience.\" Apparently, she meant immediately because she added me to her list and sent me a marketing email just two days later.\r\n\r\n<strong>Jane Doe became a spammer to her email marketing company</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I got her marketing email, I immediately unsubscribed. When asked why, I said I had never requested being on this list. That will most likely categorized Jane Doe as a spammer, since she didn\'t follow CAN-SPAM rules. People should opt in to your email, not opt out.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is there a less desperate way?</strong>\r\n\r\nYou don\'t have to take desperate or even illegal measures just because things are grim. Jane Doe could have reached out and said something like this:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Hello (name of person),</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I got your name from the [event name] list, since we both attended the presentation by [presenter]. I enjoyed the presentation and wanted to reach out to attendees to introduce myself and my business.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">My travel company, [name of business] specializes in customized travel experiences. For example, we recently created an unforgettable business retreat for a small company, in which we [insert salient details of special trip].</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Is customized travel something you\'d be interested in? If so, I\'d love to chat with you. Please email me at [insert email] and we can set up a phone appointment. In the meantime, I invite you to visit my website at [insert website address and link] and view some of the many customized experiences we have created. Learn more about our other services, and take a moment to sign up for our weekly newsletter, which is chock full of travel specials and other great information. You can also click here [insert newsletter sign up] to sign up.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I look forward to staying in touch.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThere\'s a difference between wanting to get more business and being desperate to get new business.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Desperate times call for desperate measures?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4148-revision-v1','','','2020-11-05 10:30:57','2020-11-05 15:30:57','',4148,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/11/4148-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4151,4,'2020-11-06 08:42:33','2020-11-06 13:42:33','Among the COVID economic downturn, some companies are getting desperate for business,  as I wrote in <a title=\"Don’t let pandemic cause pandemonium in your business practices\" href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2020/10/dont-let-pandemic-cause-pandemonium-in-your-business-practices/\">my last post</a>.\r\n\r\nIf you are desperate for business, does this mean you should do desperate things or act in a desperate manner? In one word, the answer is no. Appearing desperate or doing desperate things will backfire, guaranteed.\r\n\r\n<strong>Jane Doe thought that she would reach out</strong>\r\n\r\nTake for example the case of Jane Doe (using this name to protect this person\'s privacy). Jane Doe attended an online business presentation a couple of weeks ago, as did I. There was a networking component to the presentation, but I did not participate. After the event, the organizers sent a follow up email that included a list of all who attended. Several days later, I got an email from Jane Doe. This is what it said, in part:\r\n<blockquote>It was great meeting you at the virtual event last week.\r\n\r\nI am passionate about travel, having traveled to over 80 countries and 60 cruises on 5 continents. At award-winning [our company], we create amazing customized travel experiences for you, your friends, family, colleagues and clients, saving you a lot of money, time and stress, on your “ideal vacation”, all with risk-free booking guarantees!\r\n\r\nI would like to know more about you and your business and see how we can help grow each other\'s businesses. Are you open to a 15 minute phone call? What is a good day/time/phone number?\r\n\r\nI would like to add you to our email list where you will receive travel deals and travel tips. If you do not wish to receive these emails, kindly let us know via this email address at your earliest convenience.\r\n\r\nI look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.</blockquote>\r\nRight off, I am irritated by this email. First, we didn\'t meet. Second, this email is not personalized.  And third, she says she will add me to her email list unless I opt out. And last, she says (twice) she needs to hear from me at my \"earliest convenience.\" Apparently, Jane repeated it because she meant immediately as she added me to her list and sent me a marketing email just two days later.\r\n\r\n<strong>Jane Doe became a spammer to her email marketing company</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I got her marketing email, I immediately unsubscribed. When asked why, I said I had never requested being on this list. That response will most likely categorize Jane Doe as a spammer, since she didn\'t follow CAN-SPAM rules. People should opt in to your email, not opt out.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is there a less desperate way?</strong>\r\n\r\nYou don\'t have to take desperate or even illegal measures just because things are grim. Jane Doe could have reached out and said something like this:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Hello (name of person),</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I got your name from the [event name] list, since we both attended the presentation by [presenter]. I enjoyed the presentation and wanted to reach out to attendees to introduce myself and my business.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">My travel company, [name of business] specializes in customized travel experiences. For example, we recently created an unforgettable business retreat for a small company, in which we [insert salient details of special trip].</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Is customized travel something you\'d be interested in? If so, I\'d love to chat with you. Please email me at [insert email] and we can set up a phone appointment. In the meantime, I invite you to visit my website at [insert website address and link] and view some of the many customized experiences we have created. Learn more about our other services, and take a moment to sign up for our weekly newsletter, which is chock full of travel specials and other great information. You can also click here [insert newsletter sign up] to sign up.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I look forward to staying in touch.</p>\r\n<strong>The bottom line and three better business tips</strong>\r\n\r\nThere\'s a difference between wanting to get more business and being desperate to get new business. Here are my for non-desperate, best business and email marketing practices:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Don\'t spam people. Know the CAN-SPAM rules and remember you need audiences to opt in, not opt out.</li>\r\n 	<li>Customize outreach emails  and personalize when possible.</li>\r\n 	<li>Write a compelling introductory email. Remember to think about your audience—what\'s in it for them.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Desperate times call for desperate measures?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4148-revision-v1','','','2020-11-06 08:42:33','2020-11-06 13:42:33','',4148,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/11/4148-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4152,4,'2020-11-06 08:45:32','2020-11-06 13:45:32','Among the COVID economic downturn, some companies are getting desperate for business,  as I wrote in <a title=\"Don’t let pandemic cause pandemonium in your business practices\" href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2020/10/dont-let-pandemic-cause-pandemonium-in-your-business-practices/\">my last post</a>.\r\n\r\nIf you are desperate for business, does this mean you should do desperate things or act in a desperate manner? In one word, the answer is no. Appearing desperate or doing desperate things will backfire, guaranteed.\r\n\r\n<strong>Jane Doe thought that she would reach out</strong>\r\n\r\nTake for example the case of Jane Doe (using this name to protect this person\'s privacy). Jane Doe attended an online business presentation a couple of weeks ago, as did I. There was a networking component to the presentation, but I did not participate. After the event, the organizers sent a follow up email that included a list of all who attended. Several days later, I got an email from Jane Doe. This is what it said, in part:\r\n<blockquote>It was great meeting you at the virtual event last week.\r\n\r\nI am passionate about travel, having traveled to over 80 countries and 60 cruises on 5 continents. At award-winning [our company], we create amazing customized travel experiences for you, your friends, family, colleagues and clients, saving you a lot of money, time and stress, on your “ideal vacation”, all with risk-free booking guarantees!\r\n\r\nI would like to know more about you and your business and see how we can help grow each other\'s businesses. Are you open to a 15 minute phone call? What is a good day/time/phone number?\r\n\r\nI would like to add you to our email list where you will receive travel deals and travel tips. If you do not wish to receive these emails, kindly let us know via this email address at your earliest convenience.\r\n\r\nI look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.</blockquote>\r\nRight off, I am irritated by this email. First, we didn\'t meet. Second, this email is not personalized.  And third, she says she will add me to her email list unless I opt out. And last, she says (twice) she needs to hear from me at my \"earliest convenience.\" Apparently, Jane repeated it because she meant immediately as she added me to her list and sent me a marketing email just two days later.\r\n\r\n<strong>Jane Doe became a spammer to her email marketing company</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I got her marketing email, I immediately unsubscribed. When asked why, I said I had never requested being on this list. That response will most likely categorize Jane Doe as a spammer, since she didn\'t follow CAN-SPAM rules. People should opt in to your email, not opt out.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is there a less desperate way?</strong>\r\n\r\nYou don\'t have to take desperate or even illegal measures just because things are grim. Jane Doe could have reached out and said something like this:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Hello [name of person],</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I got your name from the [event name] list, since we both attended the presentation by [presenter]. I enjoyed the presentation and wanted to reach out to attendees to introduce myself and my business.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">My travel company, [name of business] specializes in customized travel experiences. For example, we recently created an unforgettable business retreat for a small company, in which we [insert salient details of special trip].</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Is customized travel something you\'d be interested in? If so, I\'d love to chat with you. Please email me at [insert email] and we can set up a phone appointment. In the meantime, I invite you to visit my website at [insert website address and link] and view some of the many customized experiences we have created. Learn more about our other services, and take a moment to sign up for our weekly newsletter, which is chock full of travel specials and other great information. You can also click here [insert newsletter sign up] to sign up.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I look forward to staying in touch.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>The bottom line and three better business tips</strong>\r\n\r\nThere\'s a difference between wanting to get more business and being desperate to get new business. Here are my for non-desperate, best business and email marketing practices:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Don\'t spam people. Know the CAN-SPAM rules and remember you need audiences to opt in, not opt out.</li>\r\n 	<li>Customize outreach emails  and personalize when possible.</li>\r\n 	<li>Write a compelling introductory email.  Think about your audience—what\'s in it for them?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Desperate times call for desperate measures?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4148-revision-v1','','','2020-11-06 08:45:32','2020-11-06 13:45:32','',4148,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/11/4148-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4157,4,'2020-12-10 09:14:14','2020-12-10 14:14:14','While many businesses, especially restaurants and small retailers, have seen their revenue drop because of COVID-19, others have thrived.\r\n\r\nSome business failures are due to circumstance and public health regulations, such as lock down orders and capacity restrictions.  But in some cases, businesses failed because they were unable to respond to the new situation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Not adapting to the situation:</strong>\r\n\r\nI know  a small, local gift store carries an item I was shopping for. I went to Google and found the store has no website. According to the Google business information, this store opens weekdays at 10:00 a.m. I headed out to the store on a Wednesday around 2 p.m.  I found a handwritten note on the door listing the shop’s (reduced) hours, which said the store opens Monday through Thursday noon to 4:00 p.m. However,  the lights were off and the store was closed, and I was not able to buy what I needed.\r\n\r\nTo recap, this store has:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>No website (and thus no way to shop online)</li>\r\n 	<li>No updated Google business information</li>\r\n 	<li>No social media</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Making the best of the situation:</strong>\r\n\r\nThen, because I still needed this item, I checked out a larger gift store within 10 miles of the small store. This other store does have a website, with online ordering, so I was able to determine  whether they carry what I am looking for. It also has updated its Google information, which reflects that it provides curbside pickup. I explore the website, and I find out exactly what COVID measures the store is taking (i.e., requiring masks, providing sanitizer, restricting the number of people in store, widening the aisles to allow for social distancing, and increasing the air circulation).\r\n\r\nThis second store has:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Updated website that includes COVID-specific information and the ability to order online</li>\r\n 	<li>Updated Google business information</li>\r\n 	<li>Social media, with a robust Facebook presence that includes videos and special deals.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>How do businesses thrive during COVID? Here are three must-dos:</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Embrace digital more than ever.</strong> Restaurants and small retailers embraced online ordering (just as the big box stores have done for years). My local library switched to an online ordering and appointments-based way to get books. Successful organizations use all types of digital presence:—social media,  websites,  Google profiles, e-newsletters, etc.—to communicate with customers, clients, or donors.  With many people choosing to stay home or working from home, the internet has become even more important.\r\n\r\n<strong>Be aware of the situation and explain how you are responding.</strong> Do you understand how your customers feel? Are they anxious about getting the virus? Do they want to shop safely? Do they want to save money? COVID has changed the reality for everyone. You have to make changes, and more importantly, you have to make sure your customers know what you are doing to respond to the situation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Go virtual and like it.</strong> Many organizations and businesses use events to drum up support and sales. In 2020, events went from being in person to being virtual. Using a virtual format is not the same as being in person, but to succeed, organizations need to embrace this reality and adapt to it. Churches and synagogues started using Zoom and other livestreaming software to provide religious services to their congregants. Associations moved their annual meetings to be virtual. Some stores, such as the second example above, switched their product demonstrations to platforms such as Facebook Live.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nThe bottom line is that to thrive during COVID, businesses have to adapt. Failure to adapt will also mean failure to thrive.\r\n\r\nHave you seen good examples of adaptation? Please share in the comments.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What helps businesses thrive during COVID-19?','','publish','open','open','','what-helps-businesses-thrive-during-covid-19','','','2020-12-10 09:14:14','2020-12-10 14:14:14','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4157',0,'post','',0),
(4158,4,'2020-12-09 15:20:16','2020-12-09 20:20:16','While many businesses, especially restaurants and small retailers, have been harmed by COVID-19, others have thrived.\r\n\r\nSome business failures are due to circumstance and public health regulations, such as lockdown orders and capacity restrictions.  But in some cases, business failed because they were unable to respond to the new situation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Not adapting to the situation:</strong>\r\n\r\nI know that a small, local gift store carries an item I am looking for. I go to Google and find that the store has no website. According to the Google business information, it opens weekdays at 10:00 a.m. I head out to the store and get there on a Wednesday around 2 p.m.  There’s handwritten note on the door listing the shop’s (reduced) hours. It says that the store opens Monday through Thursday noon to 4:00 p.m. And yet, the lights are off and the store is closed.\r\n\r\nTo recap, this store has:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>No website (and thus no way to shop online)</li>\r\n 	<li>No updated Google business information</li>\r\n 	<li>No social media</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Making the best of the situation:</strong>\r\n\r\nThen, because I still need this item, I check out a larger gift store within 10 miles of the small store. This other store does have a website, with online ordering, so I can check whether they carry what I am looking for. It also has updated its Google information, which reflects that it provides curbside pickup. I explore the website, and I find out exactly what COVID measures the store is taking (i.e., requiring masks, providing sanitizer, restricting the number of people in store, widening the aisles to allow for social distancing, and increasing the air circulation).\r\n\r\nThis second store has:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Updated website that includes COVID-specific information and ability to order online</li>\r\n 	<li>Updated Google business information</li>\r\n 	<li>Social media, with a robust Facebook presence that includes videos and special deals.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>How do businesses thrive during COVID? Here are three must-dos:</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Embrace digital more than ever.</strong> Restaurants and small retailers embraced online ordering (big box stores have had that for years). My local library switched to an online ordering and appointments-based way to get books. Successful organizations are relying on all types of digital presence: social media,  websites,  Google profiles, e-newsletters, and so forth. Nobody can afford to ignore digital.\r\n\r\n<strong>Be aware of the situation and explain how you are responding.</strong> Do you understand how your customers feel? Are they anxious about getting the virus? Do they want to shop safely? Do they want to save money? COVID has changed the reality for everyone (yes, even the COVID deniers have had to adapt). You have to make changes, and more importantly, you have to make sure your customers know what you are doing to respond to the situation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Go virtual and like it.</strong> Many organizations and businesses use events to drum up support and sales. In 2020, events went from being in person to being virtual. Using a virtual format is not the same as being in person, but to succeed, organizations need to embrace this reality and adapt to it. Churches and synagogues started using Zoom and other livestreaming software to stream services. Associations moved their annual meetings to be virtual. Some stores, such as the second example above, switched their product demonstrations to platforms such as Facebook Live.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What helps businesses thrive during COVID-19?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4157-revision-v1','','','2020-12-09 15:20:16','2020-12-09 20:20:16','',4157,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/12/4157-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4159,4,'2020-12-10 09:08:09','2020-12-10 14:08:09','While many businesses, especially restaurants and small retailers, have seen their revenue drop because of COVID-19, others have thrived.\r\n\r\nSome business failures are due to circumstance and public health regulations, such as lock down orders and capacity restrictions.  But in some cases, business failed because they were unable to respond to the new situation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Not adapting to the situation:</strong>\r\n\r\nI know  a small, local gift store carries an item I was shopping for. I went to Google and found the store has no website. According to the Google business information, this store opens weekdays at 10:00 a.m. I headed out to the store on a Wednesday around 2 p.m.  I found a handwritten note on the door listing the shop’s (reduced) hours, which said the store opens Monday through Thursday noon to 4:00 p.m. However,  the lights were off and the store was closed, and I was not able to buy what I needed.\r\n\r\nTo recap, this store has:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>No website (and thus no way to shop online)</li>\r\n 	<li>No updated Google business information</li>\r\n 	<li>No social media</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Making the best of the situation:</strong>\r\n\r\nThen, because I still needed this item, I checked out a larger gift store within 10 miles of the small store. This other store does have a website, with online ordering, so I was able to determine  whether they carry what I am looking for. It also has updated its Google information, which reflects that it provides curbside pickup. I explore the website, and I find out exactly what COVID measures the store is taking (i.e., requiring masks, providing sanitizer, restricting the number of people in store, widening the aisles to allow for social distancing, and increasing the air circulation).\r\n\r\nThis second store has:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Updated website that includes COVID-specific information and the ability to order online</li>\r\n 	<li>Updated Google business information</li>\r\n 	<li>Social media, with a robust Facebook presence that includes videos and special deals.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>How do businesses thrive during COVID? Here are three must-dos:</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Embrace digital more than ever.</strong> Restaurants and small retailers embraced online ordering (big box stores have it for years). My local library switched to an online ordering and appointments-based way to get books. Successful organizations are relying on all types of digital presence: social media,  websites,  Google profiles, e-newsletters, and so forth. Nobody can afford to ignore digital.\r\n\r\n<strong>Be aware of the situation and explain how you are responding.</strong> Do you understand how your customers feel? Are they anxious about getting the virus? Do they want to shop safely? Do they want to save money? COVID has changed the reality for everyone. You have to make changes, and more importantly, you have to make sure your customers know what you are doing to respond to the situation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Go virtual and like it.</strong> Many organizations and businesses use events to drum up support and sales. In 2020, events went from being in person to being virtual. Using a virtual format is not the same as being in person, but to succeed, organizations need to embrace this reality and adapt to it. Churches and synagogues started using Zoom and other livestreaming software to provide religious services to their congregants. Associations moved their annual meetings to be virtual. Some stores, such as the second example above, switched their product demonstrations to platforms such as Facebook Live.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nThe bottom line is that to thrive during COVID, businesses have to adapt. Failure to adapt will also mean failure to thrive.\r\n\r\nHave you seen good examples of adaptation? Please share in the comments.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What helps businesses thrive during COVID-19?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4157-revision-v1','','','2020-12-10 09:08:09','2020-12-10 14:08:09','',4157,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/12/4157-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4160,4,'2020-12-10 09:14:14','2020-12-10 14:14:14','While many businesses, especially restaurants and small retailers, have seen their revenue drop because of COVID-19, others have thrived.\r\n\r\nSome business failures are due to circumstance and public health regulations, such as lock down orders and capacity restrictions.  But in some cases, businesses failed because they were unable to respond to the new situation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Not adapting to the situation:</strong>\r\n\r\nI know  a small, local gift store carries an item I was shopping for. I went to Google and found the store has no website. According to the Google business information, this store opens weekdays at 10:00 a.m. I headed out to the store on a Wednesday around 2 p.m.  I found a handwritten note on the door listing the shop’s (reduced) hours, which said the store opens Monday through Thursday noon to 4:00 p.m. However,  the lights were off and the store was closed, and I was not able to buy what I needed.\r\n\r\nTo recap, this store has:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>No website (and thus no way to shop online)</li>\r\n 	<li>No updated Google business information</li>\r\n 	<li>No social media</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Making the best of the situation:</strong>\r\n\r\nThen, because I still needed this item, I checked out a larger gift store within 10 miles of the small store. This other store does have a website, with online ordering, so I was able to determine  whether they carry what I am looking for. It also has updated its Google information, which reflects that it provides curbside pickup. I explore the website, and I find out exactly what COVID measures the store is taking (i.e., requiring masks, providing sanitizer, restricting the number of people in store, widening the aisles to allow for social distancing, and increasing the air circulation).\r\n\r\nThis second store has:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Updated website that includes COVID-specific information and the ability to order online</li>\r\n 	<li>Updated Google business information</li>\r\n 	<li>Social media, with a robust Facebook presence that includes videos and special deals.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>How do businesses thrive during COVID? Here are three must-dos:</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Embrace digital more than ever.</strong> Restaurants and small retailers embraced online ordering (just as the big box stores have done for years). My local library switched to an online ordering and appointments-based way to get books. Successful organizations use all types of digital presence:—social media,  websites,  Google profiles, e-newsletters, etc.—to communicate with customers, clients, or donors.  With many people choosing to stay home or working from home, the internet has become even more important.\r\n\r\n<strong>Be aware of the situation and explain how you are responding.</strong> Do you understand how your customers feel? Are they anxious about getting the virus? Do they want to shop safely? Do they want to save money? COVID has changed the reality for everyone. You have to make changes, and more importantly, you have to make sure your customers know what you are doing to respond to the situation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Go virtual and like it.</strong> Many organizations and businesses use events to drum up support and sales. In 2020, events went from being in person to being virtual. Using a virtual format is not the same as being in person, but to succeed, organizations need to embrace this reality and adapt to it. Churches and synagogues started using Zoom and other livestreaming software to provide religious services to their congregants. Associations moved their annual meetings to be virtual. Some stores, such as the second example above, switched their product demonstrations to platforms such as Facebook Live.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nThe bottom line is that to thrive during COVID, businesses have to adapt. Failure to adapt will also mean failure to thrive.\r\n\r\nHave you seen good examples of adaptation? Please share in the comments.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What helps businesses thrive during COVID-19?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4157-revision-v1','','','2020-12-10 09:14:14','2020-12-10 14:14:14','',4157,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/12/4157-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4165,4,'2021-01-14 09:24:31','2021-01-14 14:24:31','Count me in as one of the many who are glad that 2020 is over. I am optimistic about the year ahead, in spite of the horrendous and deadly insurrection last week at the U.S. Capitol.\r\n\r\nThere’s a lot to look forward to this year: a new administration, worldwide COVID vaccinations, and the subsequent return to normalcy. Maybe by the end of 2021 we’ll be back to attending in-person events!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/pexels-olya-kobruseva-5417637.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4167\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/pexels-olya-kobruseva-5417637-684x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"684\" height=\"1024\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAs a communicator, I thought the biggest lesson of 2020 was the need to adapt and quickly. Events went from in-person to virtual. Many workers were no longer commuting to their offices (I wonder what happened to drive time radio costs!). There was (and continues to be) a lot of stress and anxiety. Those realities impacted marketing efforts.  We saw an increase in email marketing,  on-line presentations and events, and a general toning down of advertising.\r\n\r\nNow that we are in a new year, I have five wishes to make 2021 the year for more effective, high-impact communications.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li><strong> Use email marketing more effectively</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nAt the end of the year I got bombarded with donation pleas from many nonprofits—and I  mean several in just one day. On December 31, 2020 it was particularly bad, as I got emails from each and every organization I have supported, and one organization sent me four or five emails!  And then there\'s Overstock.com, which sends at least an email every single day—one day offering me 12% off and the next 15%. The lesson here is: Don\'t overwhelm your customer or donors. Be strategic and think of your recipient. And then there\'s the many small groups who are still sending all-image emails. The problem here is that unless the received downloads the images, your email appears blank.  Follow some guidelines before you send out that next email. Jill Kurtz wrote a great <a href=\"https://kurtzdigitalstrategy.com/2021/01/12/email-marketing-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Email Marketing Checklis</a>t, which is worth a read.\r\n<ol start=\"2\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Leverage your website </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nYour website is your reception desk to the world. If people have questions, chances are they will check your website before they call.  It follows your website should have all the information they need. Keep it updated, especially with any COVID protocols you are following. For many, the idea of spending money to update a website in these times may be anathema. However, an outdated website will result in customer frustration and maybe even lost business.\r\n<ol start=\"3\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Focus your social media efforts. </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nThis is they year to choose your social media platforms and embrace them. The truth is that you can’t effectively manage too many platforms. You won\'t be able to have meaningful engagement if you have to monitor too many streams. Choose the platforms that <em>perform</em> best for you, where you have the most traction and/or where the majority of your audience is. Do you really need to be on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc? I am not saying that you can’t try out a new outlet, but if you do, and it works well, perhaps you replace instead of adding.  And if you are using multiple platforms, create content with each platform in mind. The post you use on LinkedIn should not be the same as the one you use on Twitter.\r\n<ol start=\"4\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Use Zoom or Livestream more effectively. </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nCheck out <a title=\"Avoid Zooming and frustrating your audience\" href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2020/10/avoid-zooming-and-frustrating-your-audience/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">my post</a> about this. I’ve spent too much time having to hear people explain how to use Zoom, muting/unmuting, and just plain wasting time reading lengthy presenter bios.  People are spending much more time in front of computer screens, and want you to get to the point. I can read the bio myself if you send it in an email or provide a link to it during the presentation.\r\n<ol start=\"5\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Copy edit and proofread all your marketing materials, including (perhaps especially) social media posts.</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nThe other day, my local police department posted about how a driver ended up with her car on the train tracks because she used the gas pedal instead of the \"breaks.\" And the local weather Twitter feed told me there would be \"peaks\" of sun. These are very small examples, but when you make these type of mistakes, you are showing a lack of care. So, proof everything before it goes live. And say what you mean clearly and concisely, and if you need help doing so, use a copy editor!\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nHappy New Year 2021! Let\'s work on making it better for our communications. If you have a 2021 communications wishes, share them with me in the comments.','Wishing for better communications in 2021','','publish','open','open','','wishing-for-better-communications-in-2021','','\nhttps://deborahbrody.com/2020/10/avoid-zooming-and-frustrating-your-audience/','2021-01-14 09:24:31','2021-01-14 14:24:31','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4165',0,'post','',0),
(4166,4,'2021-01-13 12:00:26','2021-01-13 17:00:26','Count me in as one of the many who are glad that 2020 is over. I am optimistic about the year ahead, in spite of the horrendous and deadly insurrection last week at the U.S. Capitol.\r\n\r\nThere’s a lot to look forward to this year: a new administration, worldwide COVID vaccinations, and the subsequent return to normalcy. Maybe by the end of 2021 we’ll be back to attending in-person events!\r\n\r\nAs a communicator, I thought the biggest lesson of 2020 was the need to adapt and quickly. Events went from in-person to virtual. Many were no longer commuting. There was (and continues to be) a lot of stress and anxiety. Those realities impacted marketing efforts.  We saw an increase in email marketing,  on-line presentations and events, and a general toning down of advertising.\r\n\r\nNow that we are in a new year, I have five wishes to make 2021 the year for more effective, high-impact communications.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li><strong> Use email marketing more effectively</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nAt the end of the year I got bombarded with donation pleas from many nonprofits. I mean several in a day. And then there\'s Overstock.com, which sends at least an email every single day—one day offering me 12% off and the next 15%. The lesson is don\'t overwhelm your customer or donors. Be strategic and think of your recipient. And then there\'s the many small groups who are still sending all-image emails. The problem here is that unless the received downloads the images, your email appears blank.  Follow some guidelines before you send out that next email. Jill Kurtz wrote a great <a href=\"https://kurtzdigitalstrategy.com/2021/01/12/email-marketing-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Email Marketing Checklis</a>t, which is worth a read.\r\n<ol start=\"2\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Leverage your website </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nYour website is your reception desk to the world. If people have questions, chances are they will check your website before they call.  It follows your website should have all the information they need. Keep it updated, especially with any COVID protocols you are following. An outdated website will result in customer frustration and maybe even lost business.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ol start=\"3\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Focus your social media efforts. </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nThis is they year to choose your social media platforms and embrace them. You can’t effectively manage too many platforms. Choose the ones that perform best for you and/or where the majority of your audience is. Do you really need to be on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc? I am not saying that you can’t try out a new outlet, but if you do, and it works well, perhaps you replace instead of adding.m And if you are using multiple platforms, create content with each platform in mind. The post you use on LinkedIn should not be the same as the one you use on Twitter.\r\n<ol start=\"4\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Use Zoom or Livestream more effectively. </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nCheck out <a title=\"Avoid Zooming and frustrating your audience\" href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2020/10/avoid-zooming-and-frustrating-your-audience/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">my post</a> about this. I’ve spent too much time having to hear people explain how to use Zoom, muting/unmuting, and just plain wasting time with lengthy bios. That is why we have the chat function and the email confirmation. People are spending much more time in front of computer screens, and want you to get to the point.\r\n<ol start=\"5\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Copy edit and proofread all your marketing materials, including (perhaps especially) social media posts.</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nThe other day, my local police department posted about how a driver ended up with her car on the train tracks because she used the gas pedal instead of the \"breaks.\" And the local weather Twitter feed told me there would be \"peaks\" of sun. These are very small examples, but when you make these type of mistakes, you are showing a lack of care.\r\n\r\nHappy New Year 2021! Let\'s work on making it better for our communications.','Wishing for better communications in 2021','','inherit','closed','closed','','4165-revision-v1','','','2021-01-13 12:00:26','2021-01-13 17:00:26','',4165,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/01/4165-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4167,4,'2021-01-13 12:52:54','2021-01-13 17:52:54','','pexels-olya-kobruseva-5417637','','inherit','open','closed','','pexels-olya-kobruseva-5417637','','','2021-01-13 12:52:54','2021-01-13 17:52:54','',4165,'https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/pexels-olya-kobruseva-5417637.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(4168,4,'2021-01-13 12:56:44','2021-01-13 17:56:44','Count me in as one of the many who are glad that 2020 is over. I am optimistic about the year ahead, in spite of the horrendous and deadly insurrection last week at the U.S. Capitol.\r\n\r\nThere’s a lot to look forward to this year: a new administration, worldwide COVID vaccinations, and the subsequent return to normalcy. Maybe by the end of 2021 we’ll be back to attending in-person events!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/pexels-olya-kobruseva-5417637.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4167\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/pexels-olya-kobruseva-5417637-684x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"684\" height=\"1024\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAs a communicator, I thought the biggest lesson of 2020 was the need to adapt and quickly. Events went from in-person to virtual. Many were no longer commuting. There was (and continues to be) a lot of stress and anxiety. Those realities impacted marketing efforts.  We saw an increase in email marketing,  on-line presentations and events, and a general toning down of advertising.\r\n\r\nNow that we are in a new year, I have five wishes to make 2021 the year for more effective, high-impact communications.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li><strong> Use email marketing more effectively</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nAt the end of the year I got bombarded with donation pleas from many nonprofits. I mean several in a day. And then there\'s Overstock.com, which sends at least an email every single day—one day offering me 12% off and the next 15%. The lesson is don\'t overwhelm your customer or donors. Be strategic and think of your recipient. And then there\'s the many small groups who are still sending all-image emails. The problem here is that unless the received downloads the images, your email appears blank.  Follow some guidelines before you send out that next email. Jill Kurtz wrote a great <a href=\"https://kurtzdigitalstrategy.com/2021/01/12/email-marketing-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Email Marketing Checklis</a>t, which is worth a read.\r\n<ol start=\"2\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Leverage your website </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nYour website is your reception desk to the world. If people have questions, chances are they will check your website before they call.  It follows your website should have all the information they need. Keep it updated, especially with any COVID protocols you are following. An outdated website will result in customer frustration and maybe even lost business.\r\n<ol start=\"3\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Focus your social media efforts. </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nThis is they year to choose your social media platforms and embrace them. The truth is that you can’t effectively manage too many platforms. You won\'t be able to have meaningful engagement if you have to monitor too many streams. Choose the platforms that <em>perform</em> best for you, where you have the most traction and/or where the majority of your audience is. Do you really need to be on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc? I am not saying that you can’t try out a new outlet, but if you do, and it works well, perhaps you replace instead of adding.m And if you are using multiple platforms, create content with each platform in mind. The post you use on LinkedIn should not be the same as the one you use on Twitter.\r\n<ol start=\"4\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Use Zoom or Livestream more effectively. </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nCheck out <a title=\"Avoid Zooming and frustrating your audience\" href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2020/10/avoid-zooming-and-frustrating-your-audience/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">my post</a> about this. I’ve spent too much time having to hear people explain how to use Zoom, muting/unmuting, and just plain wasting time with lengthy bios. That is why we have the chat function and the email confirmation. People are spending much more time in front of computer screens, and want you to get to the point.\r\n<ol start=\"5\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Copy edit and proofread all your marketing materials, including (perhaps especially) social media posts.</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nThe other day, my local police department posted about how a driver ended up with her car on the train tracks because she used the gas pedal instead of the \"breaks.\" And the local weather Twitter feed told me there would be \"peaks\" of sun. These are very small examples, but when you make these type of mistakes, you are showing a lack of care. So, proof everything before it goes live. And say what you mean clearly and concisely, and if you need help doing so, a copy editor is your best bet.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nHappy New Year 2021! Let\'s work on making it better for our communications.','Wishing for better communications in 2021','','inherit','closed','closed','','4165-revision-v1','','','2021-01-13 12:56:44','2021-01-13 17:56:44','',4165,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/01/4165-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4169,4,'2021-01-14 09:24:31','2021-01-14 14:24:31','Count me in as one of the many who are glad that 2020 is over. I am optimistic about the year ahead, in spite of the horrendous and deadly insurrection last week at the U.S. Capitol.\r\n\r\nThere’s a lot to look forward to this year: a new administration, worldwide COVID vaccinations, and the subsequent return to normalcy. Maybe by the end of 2021 we’ll be back to attending in-person events!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/pexels-olya-kobruseva-5417637.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4167\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/pexels-olya-kobruseva-5417637-684x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"684\" height=\"1024\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAs a communicator, I thought the biggest lesson of 2020 was the need to adapt and quickly. Events went from in-person to virtual. Many workers were no longer commuting to their offices (I wonder what happened to drive time radio costs!). There was (and continues to be) a lot of stress and anxiety. Those realities impacted marketing efforts.  We saw an increase in email marketing,  on-line presentations and events, and a general toning down of advertising.\r\n\r\nNow that we are in a new year, I have five wishes to make 2021 the year for more effective, high-impact communications.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li><strong> Use email marketing more effectively</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nAt the end of the year I got bombarded with donation pleas from many nonprofits—and I  mean several in just one day. On December 31, 2020 it was particularly bad, as I got emails from each and every organization I have supported, and one organization sent me four or five emails!  And then there\'s Overstock.com, which sends at least an email every single day—one day offering me 12% off and the next 15%. The lesson here is: Don\'t overwhelm your customer or donors. Be strategic and think of your recipient. And then there\'s the many small groups who are still sending all-image emails. The problem here is that unless the received downloads the images, your email appears blank.  Follow some guidelines before you send out that next email. Jill Kurtz wrote a great <a href=\"https://kurtzdigitalstrategy.com/2021/01/12/email-marketing-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Email Marketing Checklis</a>t, which is worth a read.\r\n<ol start=\"2\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Leverage your website </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nYour website is your reception desk to the world. If people have questions, chances are they will check your website before they call.  It follows your website should have all the information they need. Keep it updated, especially with any COVID protocols you are following. For many, the idea of spending money to update a website in these times may be anathema. However, an outdated website will result in customer frustration and maybe even lost business.\r\n<ol start=\"3\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Focus your social media efforts. </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nThis is they year to choose your social media platforms and embrace them. The truth is that you can’t effectively manage too many platforms. You won\'t be able to have meaningful engagement if you have to monitor too many streams. Choose the platforms that <em>perform</em> best for you, where you have the most traction and/or where the majority of your audience is. Do you really need to be on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc? I am not saying that you can’t try out a new outlet, but if you do, and it works well, perhaps you replace instead of adding.  And if you are using multiple platforms, create content with each platform in mind. The post you use on LinkedIn should not be the same as the one you use on Twitter.\r\n<ol start=\"4\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Use Zoom or Livestream more effectively. </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nCheck out <a title=\"Avoid Zooming and frustrating your audience\" href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2020/10/avoid-zooming-and-frustrating-your-audience/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">my post</a> about this. I’ve spent too much time having to hear people explain how to use Zoom, muting/unmuting, and just plain wasting time reading lengthy presenter bios.  People are spending much more time in front of computer screens, and want you to get to the point. I can read the bio myself if you send it in an email or provide a link to it during the presentation.\r\n<ol start=\"5\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Copy edit and proofread all your marketing materials, including (perhaps especially) social media posts.</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nThe other day, my local police department posted about how a driver ended up with her car on the train tracks because she used the gas pedal instead of the \"breaks.\" And the local weather Twitter feed told me there would be \"peaks\" of sun. These are very small examples, but when you make these type of mistakes, you are showing a lack of care. So, proof everything before it goes live. And say what you mean clearly and concisely, and if you need help doing so, use a copy editor!\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nHappy New Year 2021! Let\'s work on making it better for our communications. If you have a 2021 communications wishes, share them with me in the comments.','Wishing for better communications in 2021','','inherit','closed','closed','','4165-revision-v1','','','2021-01-14 09:24:31','2021-01-14 14:24:31','',4165,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/01/4165-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4174,4,'2021-02-12 09:53:06','2021-02-12 14:53:06','<strong>When you\'re left shaking your head</strong>\r\n\r\nThe other day I got an email from someone who wanted to write a guest blog post (presumably for this website) about how to get better sleep. Do you know what I did with that email? I deleted it. Why? Because if you take even a cursory look at this blog/website, you will note that it is not about sleeping, or health, or wellness, or anything related to getting better sleep. Also of note is that I write all posts on the blog. I don\'t have guest bloggers or any information on how to submit a guest blog.\r\n\r\nA friend was telling me just the other day how she got a call about her expired car warranty. Except she doesn\'t even have a car.\r\n\r\nAnd then there\'s the gas company that calls about your gas bill, and you don\'t even have gas at your house.\r\n\r\n<strong>It probably is spam</strong>\r\n\r\nYes, these are all examples of spam. We know spammers don\'t have time to research and target a message that is specific to you. That is why they are spammers. They send out the same message to everyone and hope that one hits the right target.\r\n\r\n<strong>Effective marketing is not spam. It is targeted.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe opposite of spamming is targeting. If you target your message to the right audience, you have a much better chance of success.\r\n\r\n<strong>How do you target?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo be targeted,  you have to start with definition. You must understand exactly who needs or wants your product or service, and be able to describe those people or organizations. Once you know who you are selling to, you know your target audience. For example, if you are selling extended car warranties,  your audience is people who own cars that are out of warranty. Perhaps you can further narrow it down by how old the car is and where these people are located.\r\n\r\nOnce you\'ve defined your target audience, you have to figure out where you can find this group. Where does this group go to find information?\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nSend your message to the right audience and you will be much more effective.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Success starts with being targeted','','publish','open','open','','success-starts-with-being-targeted','','','2021-02-12 09:53:06','2021-02-12 14:53:06','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4174',0,'post','',0),
(4175,4,'2021-02-11 11:17:26','2021-02-11 16:17:26','<strong>When you\'re left shaking your head</strong>\r\n\r\nThe other day I got an email from someone who wanted to write a guest blog post (presumably for this website) about how to get better sleep. Do you know what I did with that email? I deleted it. Why? Because if you take even a cursory look at this blog/website, you will note that it is not about sleeping, or health, or wellness, or anything related to getting better sleep. Also of note is that I write all posts on the blog. I don\'t have guest bloggers. I don\'t have any information on how to submit a guest blog.\r\n\r\nA friend was telling me just the other day how she got a call about her expired car warranty. Except she doesn\'t even have a car.\r\n\r\nAnd then there\'s the gas company that calls about your gas bill, and you don\'t even have gas at your house.\r\n\r\n<strong>It probably is spam</strong>\r\n\r\nYes, these are all examples of spam. We know spammers don\'t have time to research and target a message that is specific to you. That is why they are spammers. They send out the same message to everyone and hope that one hits the right target.\r\n\r\n<strong>Effective marketing is not spam. It is targeted.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe opposite of spamming is targeting. If you target your message to the right audience, you have a much better chance of success.\r\n\r\n<strong>How do you target?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo be targeted,  you have to start with definition. You must understand exactly who needs or wants your product or service, and be able to describe those people. This description is your target audience.\r\n\r\nFor example, if you are selling extended car warranties your audience is people who own cars that are out of warranty. Perhaps you can further narrow it down by how old the car is and where these people are located.\r\n\r\nOnce you\'ve defined your target audience, you have to figure out where you can find this group. What\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Success starts with being targeted','','inherit','closed','closed','','4174-revision-v1','','','2021-02-11 11:17:26','2021-02-11 16:17:26','',4174,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/02/4174-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4177,4,'2021-02-11 15:26:29','2021-02-11 20:26:29','<strong>When you\'re left shaking your head</strong>\r\n\r\nThe other day I got an email from someone who wanted to write a guest blog post (presumably for this website) about how to get better sleep. Do you know what I did with that email? I deleted it. Why? Because if you take even a cursory look at this blog/website, you will note that it is not about sleeping, or health, or wellness, or anything related to getting better sleep. Also of note is that I write all posts on the blog. I don\'t have guest bloggers or any information on how to submit a guest blog.\r\n\r\nA friend was telling me just the other day how she got a call about her expired car warranty. Except she doesn\'t even have a car.\r\n\r\nAnd then there\'s the gas company that calls about your gas bill, and you don\'t even have gas at your house.\r\n\r\n<strong>It probably is spam</strong>\r\n\r\nYes, these are all examples of spam. We know spammers don\'t have time to research and target a message that is specific to you. That is why they are spammers. They send out the same message to everyone and hope that one hits the right target.\r\n\r\n<strong>Effective marketing is not spam. It is targeted.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe opposite of spamming is targeting. If you target your message to the right audience, you have a much better chance of success.\r\n\r\n<strong>How do you target?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo be targeted,  you have to start with definition. You must understand exactly who needs or wants your product or service, and be able to describe those people or organizations. Once you know who you are selling to, you know your target audience. For example, if you are selling extended car warranties,  your audience is people who own cars that are out of warranty. Perhaps you can further narrow it down by how old the car is and where these people are located.\r\n\r\nOnce you\'ve defined your target audience, you have to figure out where you can find this group. Where does this group go to find information?\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nSend your message to the right audience and you will be much more effective.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Success starts with being targeted','','inherit','closed','closed','','4174-revision-v1','','','2021-02-11 15:26:29','2021-02-11 20:26:29','',4174,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/02/4174-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4176,4,'2021-02-11 15:25:03','2021-02-11 20:25:03','<strong>When you\'re left shaking your head</strong>\r\n\r\nThe other day I got an email from someone who wanted to write a guest blog post (presumably for this website) about how to get better sleep. Do you know what I did with that email? I deleted it. Why? Because if you take even a cursory look at this blog/website, you will note that it is not about sleeping, or health, or wellness, or anything related to getting better sleep. Also of note is that I write all posts on the blog. I don\'t have guest bloggers or any information on how to submit a guest blog.\r\n\r\nA friend was telling me just the other day how she got a call about her expired car warranty. Except she doesn\'t even have a car.\r\n\r\nAnd then there\'s the gas company that calls about your gas bill, and you don\'t even have gas at your house.\r\n\r\n<strong>It probably is spam</strong>\r\n\r\nYes, these are all examples of spam. We know spammers don\'t have time to research and target a message that is specific to you. That is why they are spammers. They send out the same message to everyone and hope that one hits the right target.\r\n\r\n<strong>Effective marketing is not spam. It is targeted.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe opposite of spamming is targeting. If you target your message to the right audience, you have a much better chance of success.\r\n\r\n<strong>How do you target?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo be targeted,  you have to start with definition. You must understand exactly who needs or wants your product or service, and be able to describe those people or organizations. Once you know who you are selling to, you know your target audience. For example, if you are selling extended car warranties,  your audience is people who own cars that are out of warranty. Perhaps you can further narrow it down by how old the car is and where these people are located.\r\n\r\nOnce you\'ve defined your target audience, you have to figure out where you can find this group. Where does this group go to find information?\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nSending your message to an audience who could be receptive to the message will be much more effective than sending the same message to everybody.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Success starts with being targeted','','inherit','closed','closed','','4174-revision-v1','','','2021-02-11 15:25:03','2021-02-11 20:25:03','',4174,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/02/4174-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4181,4,'2021-03-12 09:31:46','2021-03-12 14:31:46','Marketing is not just about promotion, sales, or pricing. Marketing is also customer service and customer communication.  Marketing is about operations and logistics. In other words, can you fulfill the orders? If your operations are not working well, no amount of marketing is going to close a sale.\r\n\r\n<strong>Where is my order?</strong>\r\n\r\nA couple of weeks ago, a friend recommended some face masks (I am not going to give this company any other publicity, so I will refer to it as the company). She even had a promotional discount to share with me. I went to the company website, and I bought a set of three masks.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 2:51 p.m., I got an email with my receipt.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 3:01 p.m.  got another email confirming my order, which said there would be a one to three day processing time before shipping.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 3:03 p.m. I got another email, this one thanking me for my order and asking me to submit a review to Facebook. Mind you, I don’t yet have the product.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 3:05 p.m. I got an email with the subject line: “Deborah, You Forgot Your Filters!” (I didn’t forget the filters, I just chose not to order them.)</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 3:08 p.m., I got a fifth email with the subject line:  “You Forgot Your Filters.”</p>\r\n<strong>In the space of 15 minutes, I got FIVE emails. That’s too many.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe next day, I got two emails:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">“Your Orders (sic) About To Ship Out…Don’t Forget Your Filters”</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">And</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">“Deborah, Your Orders (sic) About To Ship…Don’t Forget Your Filters.”</p>\r\nNow, I am getting very irritated. Clearly, they want me to order filters before they ship out my order, and they are not being subtle about it.\r\n\r\nOne week later, I still hadn\'t gotten a shipment notification. I email the company asking where my order is. I get this email reply:\r\n<blockquote>Greetings Deborah,\r\n\r\nThank you so much for taking the time to reach out to us :)\r\n\r\nWe would like to thank you for your patience and we sincerely apologize for any delays in delivering your order!\r\n\r\n<strong>I will personally reach out to our fulfillment team and ensure that your order gets expedited and sent out for delivery ASAP.</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce your order has shipped, you will automatically receive an email containing the tracking information.\r\n\r\nThank you for being so patient with us, it has not gone unnoticed &lt;3\r\n\r\nIf there is anything else we can ever help you with, please, just let us know — it would be our pleasure to serve you.</blockquote>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOkay. Nice enough email, but no answer to my query, “Where is my order?”\r\n\r\nI replied telling the customer service agent that if my order was not shipping that day, I wanted it cancelled. The agent replied:\r\n<blockquote>Hello Deborah,\r\n\r\nThank you so much for your reply and apologies for the inconvenience.\r\n\r\nI have reached out to our fulfilment (sic) team and found that there are orders that haven\'t been shipped due to courier delays affected by the pandemic. I\'ve refunded your last order as requested.\r\n\r\nPlease allow 5-10 business days for the refund to be processed. Reimbursement of funds will be allocated back to the original form of payment used for purchase.\r\n\r\nAgain, we are truly sorry about the delays.</blockquote>\r\n<strong>One full year into the pandemic, this company is blaming it for shipping delays!</strong>\r\n\r\nWow. If this were happening sometime in 2020, perhaps this excuse would ring true. Or even during the USPS breakdown in December. But in March of 2021? This is just a stupid excuse.\r\n\r\n<strong>There are plenty of other mask providers</strong>\r\n\r\nI got my refund, but then I went to another mask maker, where I ordered masks on Sunday, got a confirmation email (just one email, not five), and then on Tuesday, got an email saying my masks shipped. I got my new masks yesterday. No muss, no fuss. Just the way any other transaction should be. I have gotten no marketing emails. And actually, if I did get a promotional email now, I would most likely buy from this company, since I had a positive experience.\r\n\r\n<strong>How to fail at marketing</strong>\r\n\r\nThe first company does not understand marketing.\r\n\r\nHere\'s just some of the issues:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Focusing on its needs or goals (in this case, selling filters), not the customer’s</li>\r\n 	<li>Not delivering what it promised.</li>\r\n 	<li>Blaming an external circumstance instead of taking responsibility.</li>\r\n 	<li>Communicating aggressively to sell and not to service.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>And how to succeed</strong>\r\n\r\nThe second company just did what anyone expects from any sales transaction: take an order and then fulfill it. It is that simple.\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nBefore you blame your marketing efforts for lackluster sales, take a look at your operations. Are you fulfilling orders in a timely manner? Is customer service working well? Are you communicating any issues to your customers? Marketing can\'t solve operational issues.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Marketing does not work if your operations aren\'t up to the task','','publish','open','open','','marketing-does-not-work-if-your-operations-arent-up-to-the-task','','','2021-03-12 09:31:46','2021-03-12 14:31:46','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4181',0,'post','',0),
(4182,4,'2021-03-12 09:23:30','2021-03-12 14:23:30','Marketing is not just about promotion, sales, or pricing. Marketing is also customer service and customer communication.  Marketing is about operations and logistics. Can you fulfill the orders? If you don’t have all these elements in place, no amount of marketing is going to close a sale.\r\n\r\n<strong>Where is my order?</strong>\r\n\r\nA couple of weeks ago, a friend recommended some face masks (I am not going to give this company any other publicity, so I will refer to it as the company). She even had a promotional discount to share with me. I went to the company website, and I bought a set of three masks.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 2:51 p.m., I got an email with my receipt.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 3:01 p.m.  got another email confirming my order, which said there would be a one to three day processing time before shipping.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 3:03 p.m. I got another email, this one thanking me for my order and asking me to submit a review to Facebook. Mind you, I don’t yet have the product.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 3:05 p.m. I got an email with the subject line: “Deborah, You Forgot Your Filters!” (I didn’t forget the filters, I just chose not to order them.)</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 3:08 p.m., I got a fifth email with the subject line:  “You Forgot Your Filters.”</p>\r\n<strong>In the space of 15 minutes, I got FIVE emails. That’s too many.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe next day, I got two emails:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">“Your Orders (sic) About To Ship Out…Don’t Forget Your Filters”</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">And</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">“Deborah, Your Orders (sic) About To Ship…Don’t Forget Your Filters.”</p>\r\nNow, I am getting very irritated. Clearly, they want me to order filters before they ship out my order, and they are not being subtle about it.\r\n\r\nOne week later, I still hadn\'t gotten a shipment notification. I email the company asking where my order is. I get this email reply:\r\n<blockquote>Greetings Deborah,\r\n\r\nThank you so much for taking the time to reach out to us :)\r\n\r\nWe would like to thank you for your patience and we sincerely apologize for any delays in delivering your order!\r\n\r\n<strong>I will personally reach out to our fulfillment team and ensure that your order gets expedited and sent out for delivery ASAP.</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce your order has shipped, you will automatically receive an email containing the tracking information.\r\n\r\nThank you for being so patient with us, it has not gone unnoticed &lt;3\r\n\r\nIf there is anything else we can ever help you with, please, just let us know — it would be our pleasure to serve you.</blockquote>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOkay. Nice enough email, but no answer to my query, “Where is my order?”\r\n\r\nI replied telling the customer service agent that if my order was not shipping that day, I wanted it cancelled. The agent replied:\r\n<blockquote>Hello Deborah,\r\n\r\nThank you so much for your reply and apologies for the inconvenience.\r\n\r\nI have reached out to our fulfilment team and found that there are orders that haven\'t been shipped due to courier delays affected by the pandemic. I\'ve refunded your last order as requested.\r\n\r\nPlease allow 5-10 business days for the refund to be processed. Reimbursement of funds will be allocated back to the original form of payment used for purchase.\r\n\r\nAgain, we are truly sorry about the delays.</blockquote>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>One full year into the pandemic, this company is blaming it for shipping delays!</strong>\r\n\r\nWow. If it were sometime in 2020 this would fly. Or even during the USPS breakdown in December. But in March of 2021? This is just a stupid excuse.\r\n\r\n<strong>There are plenty of other mask providers</strong>\r\n\r\nI got my refund, but then I went to another mask maker, where I ordered masks on Sunday, got a confirmation email (just one email, not five), and then on Tuesday, got an email saying my masks shipped. I got them yesterday. No muss, no fuss. Just the way any other transaction should be. I have gotten no marketing emails. And actually, if I did get a promotional email now, I would most likely buy from this company, since I had a positive experience.\r\n\r\nThe first company does not understand marketing.\r\n\r\nHere\'s just some of the issues:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Focusing on its needs or goals (in this case, selling filters), not the customer’s</li>\r\n 	<li>Not delivering what it promised.</li>\r\n 	<li>Blaming an external circumstance instead of taking responsibility.</li>\r\n 	<li>Communicating aggressively to sell and not to service.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe second company just did what anyone expects from any sales transaction: take an order and then fulfill it. It is that simple.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Marketing does not work if your operations aren\'t up to the task','','inherit','closed','closed','','4181-revision-v1','','','2021-03-12 09:23:30','2021-03-12 14:23:30','',4181,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/03/4181-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4183,4,'2021-03-12 09:30:53','2021-03-12 14:30:53','Marketing is not just about promotion, sales, or pricing. Marketing is also customer service and customer communication.  Marketing is about operations and logistics. In other words, can you fulfill the orders? If your operations are not working well, no amount of marketing is going to close a sale.\r\n\r\n<strong>Where is my order?</strong>\r\n\r\nA couple of weeks ago, a friend recommended some face masks (I am not going to give this company any other publicity, so I will refer to it as the company). She even had a promotional discount to share with me. I went to the company website, and I bought a set of three masks.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 2:51 p.m., I got an email with my receipt.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 3:01 p.m.  got another email confirming my order, which said there would be a one to three day processing time before shipping.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 3:03 p.m. I got another email, this one thanking me for my order and asking me to submit a review to Facebook. Mind you, I don’t yet have the product.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 3:05 p.m. I got an email with the subject line: “Deborah, You Forgot Your Filters!” (I didn’t forget the filters, I just chose not to order them.)</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">At 3:08 p.m., I got a fifth email with the subject line:  “You Forgot Your Filters.”</p>\r\n<strong>In the space of 15 minutes, I got FIVE emails. That’s too many.</strong>\r\n\r\nThe next day, I got two emails:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">“Your Orders (sic) About To Ship Out…Don’t Forget Your Filters”</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">And</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">“Deborah, Your Orders (sic) About To Ship…Don’t Forget Your Filters.”</p>\r\nNow, I am getting very irritated. Clearly, they want me to order filters before they ship out my order, and they are not being subtle about it.\r\n\r\nOne week later, I still hadn\'t gotten a shipment notification. I email the company asking where my order is. I get this email reply:\r\n<blockquote>Greetings Deborah,\r\n\r\nThank you so much for taking the time to reach out to us :)\r\n\r\nWe would like to thank you for your patience and we sincerely apologize for any delays in delivering your order!\r\n\r\n<strong>I will personally reach out to our fulfillment team and ensure that your order gets expedited and sent out for delivery ASAP.</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce your order has shipped, you will automatically receive an email containing the tracking information.\r\n\r\nThank you for being so patient with us, it has not gone unnoticed &lt;3\r\n\r\nIf there is anything else we can ever help you with, please, just let us know — it would be our pleasure to serve you.</blockquote>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOkay. Nice enough email, but no answer to my query, “Where is my order?”\r\n\r\nI replied telling the customer service agent that if my order was not shipping that day, I wanted it cancelled. The agent replied:\r\n<blockquote>Hello Deborah,\r\n\r\nThank you so much for your reply and apologies for the inconvenience.\r\n\r\nI have reached out to our fulfilment (sic) team and found that there are orders that haven\'t been shipped due to courier delays affected by the pandemic. I\'ve refunded your last order as requested.\r\n\r\nPlease allow 5-10 business days for the refund to be processed. Reimbursement of funds will be allocated back to the original form of payment used for purchase.\r\n\r\nAgain, we are truly sorry about the delays.</blockquote>\r\n<strong>One full year into the pandemic, this company is blaming it for shipping delays!</strong>\r\n\r\nWow. If this were happening sometime in 2020, perhaps this excuse would ring true. Or even during the USPS breakdown in December. But in March of 2021? This is just a stupid excuse.\r\n\r\n<strong>There are plenty of other mask providers</strong>\r\n\r\nI got my refund, but then I went to another mask maker, where I ordered masks on Sunday, got a confirmation email (just one email, not five), and then on Tuesday, got an email saying my masks shipped. I got my new masks yesterday. No muss, no fuss. Just the way any other transaction should be. I have gotten no marketing emails. And actually, if I did get a promotional email now, I would most likely buy from this company, since I had a positive experience.\r\n\r\n<strong>How to fail at marketing</strong>\r\n\r\nThe first company does not understand marketing.\r\n\r\nHere\'s just some of the issues:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Focusing on its needs or goals (in this case, selling filters), not the customer’s</li>\r\n 	<li>Not delivering what it promised.</li>\r\n 	<li>Blaming an external circumstance instead of taking responsibility.</li>\r\n 	<li>Communicating aggressively to sell and not to service.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>And how to succeed</strong>\r\n\r\nThe second company just did what anyone expects from any sales transaction: take an order and then fulfill it. It is that simple.\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nBefore you blame your marketing efforts for lackluster sales, take a look at your operations. Are you fulfilling orders in a timely manner? Is customer service working well? Are you communicating any issues to your customers? Marketing can\'t solve operational issues.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Marketing does not work if your operations aren\'t up to the task','','inherit','closed','closed','','4181-revision-v1','','','2021-03-12 09:30:53','2021-03-12 14:30:53','',4181,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/03/4181-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4194,4,'2021-06-17 14:21:36','2021-06-17 18:21:36','There\'s so much bad marketing out there: Ads that don\'t convince. Unconvincing pitches that get ignored. Generic email marketing that gets discarded.\r\n\r\nAll of them fail to answer one simple (not easy) question: Why?\r\n\r\n<strong>Give a reason to make me want to connect on LinkedIn</strong>\r\n\r\nRecently, I got a LinkedIn connection request from someone I don’t know. She’s a marketing manager at a local service provider. We’ve never met and we don’t have any connections in common. And she didn’t personalize the invitation. In other words, she didn’t say why she thought we should connect.  I clicked ignore. And I clicked ignore on another half-dozen requests I got this month that weren’t personalized. None of those people thought they should provide any reason why we should connect.\r\n\r\n<strong>A politician who is an outsider. So what?</strong>\r\n\r\nIn the recent Virginia primary, the Republican candidate for governor was running an ad touting his experience and background. Then he said this: \"It’s going to take an outsider [to fix Virginia’s issues]” What he didn’t address is why. Why would it take an outsider? What does an outsider bring to the situation?\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s about answering the why</strong>\r\n\r\nTo market your product or service effectively, you must tell your audience <em><strong>why</strong></em> they should choose your offering. People need to have a reason (preferably a good reason) to act.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nHere\'s the bottom line: Provide an answer to why, and you will improve your marketing. It’s really that simple.','The one question you must answer in marketing','','publish','open','open','','the-one-question-you-must-answer-in-marketing','','','2021-06-17 14:21:36','2021-06-17 18:21:36','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4194',0,'post','',0),
(4195,4,'2021-06-17 14:18:29','2021-06-17 18:18:29','There\'s so much bad marketing out there. Ads that don\'t convince. Generic requests that get discarded. Unconvincing pitches that get ignored. All of them fail to answer one simple (not easy) question: Why?\r\n\r\n<strong>Give a reason to make me want to connect on LinkedIn</strong>\r\n\r\nRecently, I got a LinkedIn connection request from someone I don’t know. She’s a marketing manager at a local service provider. We’ve never met and we don’t have any connections in common. And she didn’t personalize the invitation. In other words, she didn’t say why she thought we should connect.  I clicked ignore. And I clicked ignore on another half-dozen requests I got this month that weren’t personalized. None of those people thought they should provide any reason why we should connect.\r\n\r\n<strong>A politician who is an outsider. So what?</strong>\r\n\r\nIn the recent Virginia primary, the Republican candidate for governor was running an ad touting his experience and background. Then he said this: It’s going to take an outsider [to fix Virginia’s issues]” What he didn’t address is why. Why would it take an outsider? What does an outsider bring to the situation?\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s about answering the why</strong>\r\n\r\nTo market your product or service effectively, you must tell your audience why they should choose your offering. People need to have a reason (preferably a good reason) to act.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the bottom line: Provide an answer to why, and you will improve your marketing. It’s really that simple.','The one question you must answer in marketing','','inherit','closed','closed','','4194-revision-v1','','','2021-06-17 14:18:29','2021-06-17 18:18:29','',4194,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/06/4194-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4196,4,'2021-06-17 14:20:03','2021-06-17 18:20:03','There\'s so much bad marketing out there: Ads that don\'t convince. Generic requests that get discarded. Unconvincing pitches that get ignored.\r\n\r\nAll of them fail to answer one simple (not easy) question: Why?\r\n\r\n<strong>Give a reason to make me want to connect on LinkedIn</strong>\r\n\r\nRecently, I got a LinkedIn connection request from someone I don’t know. She’s a marketing manager at a local service provider. We’ve never met and we don’t have any connections in common. And she didn’t personalize the invitation. In other words, she didn’t say why she thought we should connect.  I clicked ignore. And I clicked ignore on another half-dozen requests I got this month that weren’t personalized. None of those people thought they should provide any reason why we should connect.\r\n\r\n<strong>A politician who is an outsider. So what?</strong>\r\n\r\nIn the recent Virginia primary, the Republican candidate for governor was running an ad touting his experience and background. Then he said this: It’s going to take an outsider [to fix Virginia’s issues]” What he didn’t address is why. Why would it take an outsider? What does an outsider bring to the situation?\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s about answering the why</strong>\r\n\r\nTo market your product or service effectively, you must tell your audience <em><strong>why</strong></em> they should choose your offering. People need to have a reason (preferably a good reason) to act.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nHere\'s the bottom line: Provide an answer to why, and you will improve your marketing. It’s really that simple.','The one question you must answer in marketing','','inherit','closed','closed','','4194-revision-v1','','','2021-06-17 14:20:03','2021-06-17 18:20:03','',4194,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/06/4194-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4197,4,'2021-06-17 14:21:36','2021-06-17 18:21:36','There\'s so much bad marketing out there: Ads that don\'t convince. Unconvincing pitches that get ignored. Generic email marketing that gets discarded.\r\n\r\nAll of them fail to answer one simple (not easy) question: Why?\r\n\r\n<strong>Give a reason to make me want to connect on LinkedIn</strong>\r\n\r\nRecently, I got a LinkedIn connection request from someone I don’t know. She’s a marketing manager at a local service provider. We’ve never met and we don’t have any connections in common. And she didn’t personalize the invitation. In other words, she didn’t say why she thought we should connect.  I clicked ignore. And I clicked ignore on another half-dozen requests I got this month that weren’t personalized. None of those people thought they should provide any reason why we should connect.\r\n\r\n<strong>A politician who is an outsider. So what?</strong>\r\n\r\nIn the recent Virginia primary, the Republican candidate for governor was running an ad touting his experience and background. Then he said this: \"It’s going to take an outsider [to fix Virginia’s issues]” What he didn’t address is why. Why would it take an outsider? What does an outsider bring to the situation?\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s about answering the why</strong>\r\n\r\nTo market your product or service effectively, you must tell your audience <em><strong>why</strong></em> they should choose your offering. People need to have a reason (preferably a good reason) to act.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nHere\'s the bottom line: Provide an answer to why, and you will improve your marketing. It’s really that simple.','The one question you must answer in marketing','','inherit','closed','closed','','4194-revision-v1','','','2021-06-17 14:21:36','2021-06-17 18:21:36','',4194,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/06/4194-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4201,4,'2021-07-21 09:57:40','2021-07-21 13:57:40','When the pandemic forced the country into lockdown last year, yoga studios were among the many non-essential businesses forced to close.  Although yoga is best practiced in person with close instructor supervision, yoga studios adapted to the situation and figured how to provide classes online.\r\n\r\nHaving good email lists became essential as yoga studios had to contact students to let them know how to proceed. Good websites were also important. There, yoga studio owners could post new COVID policies and new schedules. Most yoga studios were already using the online Mindbody software for people to enroll and pay for classes, so that aspect was seamless.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4202\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pexels-dmytro-2394051.jpg\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4202\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pexels-dmytro-2394051-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"680\" /></a> <br />Photo by Dmytro from Pexels[/caption]\r\n\r\nUp to this point, all three studios I have attended in the past couple of years were doing the same. Each studio was offering  classes on Zoom and registering  for them was easy to do online. Studios would send out links to the Zoom class and with the click of a mouse, we were doing yoga in our spare rooms and basements.  In June 2020, Maryland started lifting restrictions and began allowing non-essential businesses to reopen with capacity limits. Also,  the weather got nicer. And that’s where these three studios showed their business savvy.\r\n\r\nStudio A found a nearby park and negotiated a permit with the city to start providing outdoor classes. Outdoor classes cost $25 ($5 more than the pre-pandemic drop-in cost) but were offered several times a week over the course of the summer and into early fall.\r\n\r\nStudio B found a several locations that were willing to host outdoor classes, including a brewery and a plant nursery. Pretty soon, they were offering various outdoor classes. This studio charged regular drop-in ($18 or donation) and offered a minimum once a week outdoor option in addition to its Zoom offerings.\r\n\r\nStudio C kept doing Zoom and found a place to offer outdoor classes on a limited basis (four times total in the summer of 2020) and charged a workshop price of $30 for these. Drop-in classes at this studio had been $18, and it offered a $15 Zoom drop-in rate.\r\n\r\nAs cooler weather started and Maryland further scaled back pandemic restrictions, Studios A and B started offering limited in person classes, with few students, air purifiers and open windows, lots of social distancing,  and masks required. In the spring of 2021, as more people were getting vaccinated, Studios A and B added more in-person classes and as the weather got warmer, also added more outdoor options.  Studio C opened last, but not before announcing a GoFund Me campaign to raise funds to be able to open its doors.\r\n\r\nI don’t know the financial situation of any of these studios, but it seems to me Studio C\'s situation was precarious to be asking for donations. And not coincidentally, out of the three, Studio C did the worst at marketing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #1: Failure to adapt</strong>\r\n\r\nStudios A and B were the quickest to figure out that people wanted to do in-person yoga instead of over Zoom, and the only way to do it was to hold classes outdoors. Studio C, on the other hand, was very slow to figure out how to offer outdoor yoga, and when it did, it only did so infrequently and at a high cost.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #2: Failure to communicate</strong>\r\n\r\nStudios A and B sent weekly email blasts about current classes and upcoming changes and generally to stay in touch. Studio C only sent emails sporadically and instead spent the pandemic redesigning its website. When Studio C sent out an email announcing its new website it failed to announce (disclose) that it had also raised prices. During the pandemic, there was a Zoom drop in rate of $15. From one week to the next, the drop in rate for Zoom classes became $19, a 25% increase. Once Studio C opened its physical location, it started sending out semi-weekly emails announcing “new in studio offerings” and a link to those, except that link never worked. Studio C didn\'t use email marketing to its potential.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #3: Failure to check out the competition</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you don’t know what others are doing, you can’t effectively compete with them. If Studio C had taken a moment to sign up for other studio\'s emails or even check out their websites, it would have seen that these other studios were offering in-person classes outdoors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure#4: Failure to seek out reliable business advice</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen interviewed by a local TV station about pandemic effects, Studio C’s owner admitted that she did not like to ask for help but that she was forced to run a GoFund Me campaign to be able to pay back rent and open. If Studio C\'s owner had sought out business advice early on in the pandemic, she may have been in a better position. We are not all born with business sense, but we should have sense enough to know we don’t have it and that we should seek it.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>The bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nKeeping your business open, and by extension, doing a good job at marketing, was hugely challenging during a global pandemic. The businesses that survived were all able to adapt to the changing circumstances. And those that did the best job at marketing, not only survived but thrived.','4 Avoidable Pandemic Marketing Failures','','publish','open','open','','4-avoidable-pandemic-marketing-failures','','','2021-07-21 09:57:40','2021-07-21 13:57:40','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4201',0,'post','',0),
(4202,4,'2021-07-21 09:11:23','2021-07-21 13:11:23','','pexels-dmytro-2394051','\nPhoto by Dmytro from Pexels\n','inherit','open','closed','','pexels-dmytro-2394051','','','2021-07-21 09:11:51','2021-07-21 13:11:51','',4201,'https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pexels-dmytro-2394051.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(4203,4,'2021-07-21 09:16:23','2021-07-21 13:16:23','When the pandemic forced the country into lockdown last year, yoga studios closed.  Although Yoga is best practiced in person with close instructor supervision, yoga studios figured out they could provide classes online, generally via Zoom.\r\n\r\nHaving good email lists became essential as yoga studios had to contact students to let them know how to proceed. Good websites were also important. There, yoga studio owners could post new COVID policies, new schedules. Most yoga studios were already using the Mindbody software for people to enroll and pay for classes.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4202\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pexels-dmytro-2394051.jpg\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4202\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pexels-dmytro-2394051-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"680\" /></a> <br />Photo by Dmytro from Pexels[/caption]\r\n\r\nUp to this point, all three studios I have attended in the past couple of years were doing the same. Everybody had classes on Zoom and online registering was easy. Studios would send out links to the Zoom class and with the click of a mouse, we were doing yoga in our spare rooms and basements.  But then a couple of things happened: Maryland started lifting restrictions and allowing non-essential business to reopen with capacity limits, and the weather got nicer. And that’s where these three studios showed their business savvy.\r\n\r\nStudio A found a nearby park and negotiated a permit with the city to start providing outdoor classes. Outdoor classes cost $25 ($5 more than the pre-pandemic drop-in cost) but were offered several times a week over the course of the summer and into early fall.\r\n\r\nStudio B found a several locations that were willing to host outdoor classes, including a brewery and a plant nursery. Pretty soon, they were offering various outdoor classes. This studio charged regular drop-in ($18 or donation) and offered a minimum once a week outdoor option.\r\n\r\nStudio C kept doing Zoom and found a place to offer outdoor classes on a limited basis (four times total in the summer of 2020) and charged a workshop price of $30 for these. Drop-in classes at this studio had been $18, and it offered a $15 Zoom drop-in rate.\r\n\r\nAs cooler weather started, Studios A and B started offering limited in person classes, with few students, lots of social distancing, and masks required. As more people were vaccinated, Studios A and B added more in person classes and as the weather got warmer, added outdoor options too. Studio C opened last, but not before announcing a Go Fund Me campaign to raise funds to be able to open its doors.\r\n\r\nI don’t know the financial situation of any of these studios, but it seems to me Studio not doing well to be asking for donations. And not coincidentally, out of the three, Studio C did the worst at marketing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #1: Failure to adapt</strong>\r\n\r\nStudios A and B were the quickest to figure out that people wanted to do in person yoga instead of over Zoom, and the only way to do it was to hold classes outdoors. Studio C, on the other hand, was very slow to figure out how to offer outdoor yoga, and when it did, it only did so sporadically and at a high cost.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #2: Failure to communicate</strong>\r\n\r\nStudios A and B sent weekly email blasts about current classes and upcoming changes and generally to stay in touch. Studio C only sent emails sporadically and instead spent the pandemic redesigning its website. When Studio C sent out an email announcing the new website it failed to announce (disclose) that it had also raised prices. During the pandemic, there was a Zoom drop in rate of $15. From one week to the next, the drop in rate for Zoom classes became $19, a 25% increase. Once Studio C opened its physical location, it started sending out semi-weekly emails announcing “new in studio offerings” and a link to those, except that link never worked.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #3: Failure to check out the competition</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you don’t know what others are doing, you can’t effectively compete with them. If Studio C had taken a moment to sign up for area studio emails or even check out their websites, it would have seen that these other studios were offering in person classes outdoors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure#4: Failure to seek out reliable business advice</strong>\r\n\r\nStudio C’s owner admitted that she did not like to ask for help but that she was forced to run a GoFund Me campaign. If she had sought out advice early on in the pandemic, she may have been in a better position. We are not all born with business sense, but we should have sense enough to know we don’t have it and we should seek it.\r\n\r\nKeeping your business open, and by extension, doing a good job at marketing, was hugely challenging during a global pandemic. The businesses that survived were all able to adapt to the changing circumstances. And those that thrived did the best job at marketing.','4 Avoidable Pandemic Marketing Failures','','inherit','closed','closed','','4201-revision-v1','','','2021-07-21 09:16:23','2021-07-21 13:16:23','',4201,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/07/4201-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4204,4,'2021-07-21 09:18:23','2021-07-21 13:18:23','When the pandemic forced the country into lockdown last year, yoga studios closed.  Although Yoga is best practiced in person with close instructor supervision, yoga studios figured out they could provide classes online, generally via Zoom.\r\n\r\nHaving good email lists became essential as yoga studios had to contact students to let them know how to proceed. Good websites were also important. There, yoga studio owners could post new COVID policies, new schedules. Most yoga studios were already using the Mindbody software for people to enroll and pay for classes.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4202\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pexels-dmytro-2394051.jpg\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4202\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pexels-dmytro-2394051-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"680\" /></a> <br />Photo by Dmytro from Pexels[/caption]\r\n\r\nUp to this point, all three studios I have attended in the past couple of years were doing the same. Everybody had classes on Zoom and online registering was easy. Studios would send out links to the Zoom class and with the click of a mouse, we were doing yoga in our spare rooms and basements.  But then a couple of things happened: Maryland started lifting restrictions and allowing non-essential business to reopen with capacity limits, and the weather got nicer. And that’s where these three studios showed their business savvy.\r\n\r\nStudio A found a nearby park and negotiated a permit with the city to start providing outdoor classes. Outdoor classes cost $25 ($5 more than the pre-pandemic drop-in cost) but were offered several times a week over the course of the summer and into early fall.\r\n\r\nStudio B found a several locations that were willing to host outdoor classes, including a brewery and a plant nursery. Pretty soon, they were offering various outdoor classes. This studio charged regular drop-in ($18 or donation) and offered a minimum once a week outdoor option.\r\n\r\nStudio C kept doing Zoom and found a place to offer outdoor classes on a limited basis (four times total in the summer of 2020) and charged a workshop price of $30 for these. Drop-in classes at this studio had been $18, and it offered a $15 Zoom drop-in rate.\r\n\r\nAs cooler weather started, Studios A and B started offering limited in person classes, with few students, lots of social distancing, and masks required. As more people were vaccinated, Studios A and B added more in person classes and as the weather got warmer, added outdoor options too. Studio C opened last, but not before announcing a Go Fund Me campaign to raise funds to be able to open its doors.\r\n\r\nI don’t know the financial situation of any of these studios, but it seems to me Studio not doing well to be asking for donations. And not coincidentally, out of the three, Studio C did the worst at marketing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #1: Failure to adapt</strong>\r\n\r\nStudios A and B were the quickest to figure out that people wanted to do in person yoga instead of over Zoom, and the only way to do it was to hold classes outdoors. Studio C, on the other hand, was very slow to figure out how to offer outdoor yoga, and when it did, it only did so sporadically and at a high cost.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #2: Failure to communicate</strong>\r\n\r\nStudios A and B sent weekly email blasts about current classes and upcoming changes and generally to stay in touch. Studio C only sent emails sporadically and instead spent the pandemic redesigning its website. When Studio C sent out an email announcing the new website it failed to announce (disclose) that it had also raised prices. During the pandemic, there was a Zoom drop in rate of $15. From one week to the next, the drop in rate for Zoom classes became $19, a 25% increase. Once Studio C opened its physical location, it started sending out semi-weekly emails announcing “new in studio offerings” and a link to those, except that link never worked.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #3: Failure to check out the competition</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you don’t know what others are doing, you can’t effectively compete with them. If Studio C had taken a moment to sign up for area studio emails or even check out their websites, it would have seen that these other studios were offering in person classes outdoors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure#4: Failure to seek out reliable business advice</strong>\r\n\r\nStudio C’s owner admitted that she did not like to ask for help but that she was forced to run a GoFund Me campaign. If she had sought out advice early on in the pandemic, she may have been in a better position. We are not all born with business sense, but we should have sense enough to know we don’t have it and we should seek it.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>The bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nKeeping your business open, and by extension, doing a good job at marketing, was hugely challenging during a global pandemic. The businesses that survived were all able to adapt to the changing circumstances. And those that did the best job at marketing, not only survived but thrived.','4 Avoidable Pandemic Marketing Failures','','inherit','closed','closed','','4201-revision-v1','','','2021-07-21 09:18:23','2021-07-21 13:18:23','',4201,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/07/4201-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4205,4,'2021-07-21 09:51:18','2021-07-21 13:51:18','When the pandemic forced the country into lockdown last year, yoga studios were among the many non-essential businesses forced to close.  Although yoga is best practiced in person with close instructor supervision, yoga studios adapted to the situation and figured how to provide classes online.\r\n\r\nHaving good email lists became essential as yoga studios had to contact students to let them know how to proceed. Good websites were also important. There, yoga studio owners could post new COVID policies and new schedules. Most yoga studios were already using the online Mindbody software for people to enroll and pay for classes, so that aspect was seamless.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4202\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pexels-dmytro-2394051.jpg\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4202\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pexels-dmytro-2394051-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"680\" /></a> <br />Photo by Dmytro from Pexels[/caption]\r\n\r\nUp to this point, all three studios I have attended in the past couple of years were doing the same. Each studio was offering  classes on Zoom and registering  for them was easy to do online. Studios would send out links to the Zoom class and with the click of a mouse, we were doing yoga in our spare rooms and basements.  In June 2020, Maryland started lifting restrictions and began allowing non-essential business to reopen with capacity limits. Also,  the weather got nicer. And that’s where these three studios showed their business savvy.\r\n\r\nStudio A found a nearby park and negotiated a permit with the city to start providing outdoor classes. Outdoor classes cost $25 ($5 more than the pre-pandemic drop-in cost) but were offered several times a week over the course of the summer and into early fall.\r\n\r\nStudio B found a several locations that were willing to host outdoor classes, including a brewery and a plant nursery. Pretty soon, they were offering various outdoor classes. This studio charged regular drop-in ($18 or donation) and offered a minimum once a week outdoor option in addition to its Zoom offerings.\r\n\r\nStudio C kept doing Zoom and found a place to offer outdoor classes on a limited basis (four times total in the summer of 2020) and charged a workshop price of $30 for these. Drop-in classes at this studio had been $18, and it offered a $15 Zoom drop-in rate.\r\n\r\nAs cooler weather started and Maryland scaled back pandemic restriction, Studios A and B started offering limited in person classes, with few students, lots of social distancing, and masks required. In the spring of 2021, as more people were getting vaccinated, Studios A and B added more in-person classes and as the weather got warmer, also added more outdoor options.  Studio C opened last, but not before announcing a GoFund Me campaign to raise funds to be able to open its doors.\r\n\r\nI don’t know the financial situation of any of these studios, but it seems to me Studio C\'s situation was precarious to be asking for donations. And not coincidentally, out of the three, Studio C did the worst at marketing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #1: Failure to adapt</strong>\r\n\r\nStudios A and B were the quickest to figure out that people wanted to do in-person yoga instead of over Zoom, and the only way to do it was to hold classes outdoors. Studio C, on the other hand, was very slow to figure out how to offer outdoor yoga, and when it did, it only did so infrequently and at a high cost.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #2: Failure to communicate</strong>\r\n\r\nStudios A and B sent weekly email blasts about current classes and upcoming changes and generally to stay in touch. Studio C only sent emails sporadically and instead spent the pandemic redesigning its website. When Studio C sent out an email announcing its new website it failed to announce (disclose) that it had also raised prices. During the pandemic, there was a Zoom drop in rate of $15. From one week to the next, the drop in rate for Zoom classes became $19, a 25% increase. Once Studio C opened its physical location, it started sending out semi-weekly emails announcing “new in studio offerings” and a link to those, except that link never worked. Studio C didn\'t use email marketing to its potential.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #3: Failure to check out the competition</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you don’t know what others are doing, you can’t effectively compete with them. If Studio C had taken a moment to sign up for other studio\'s emails or even check out their websites, it would have seen that these other studios were offering in-person classes outdoors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure#4: Failure to seek out reliable business advice</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen interviewed by a local TV station about pandemic effects, Studio C’s owner admitted that she did not like to ask for help but that she was forced to run a GoFund Me campaign to be able to pay back rent and open. If Studio C\'s owner had sought out business advice early on in the pandemic, she may have been in a better position. We are not all born with business sense, but we should have sense enough to know we don’t have it and that we should seek it.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>The bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nKeeping your business open, and by extension, doing a good job at marketing, was hugely challenging during a global pandemic. The businesses that survived were all able to adapt to the changing circumstances. And those that did the best job at marketing, not only survived but thrived.','4 Avoidable Pandemic Marketing Failures','','inherit','closed','closed','','4201-revision-v1','','','2021-07-21 09:51:18','2021-07-21 13:51:18','',4201,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/07/4201-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4206,4,'2021-07-21 09:57:21','2021-07-21 13:57:21','When the pandemic forced the country into lockdown last year, yoga studios were among the many non-essential businesses forced to close.  Although yoga is best practiced in person with close instructor supervision, yoga studios adapted to the situation and figured how to provide classes online.\r\n\r\nHaving good email lists became essential as yoga studios had to contact students to let them know how to proceed. Good websites were also important. There, yoga studio owners could post new COVID policies and new schedules. Most yoga studios were already using the online Mindbody software for people to enroll and pay for classes, so that aspect was seamless.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4202\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pexels-dmytro-2394051.jpg\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4202\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pexels-dmytro-2394051-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"680\" /></a> <br />Photo by Dmytro from Pexels[/caption]\r\n\r\nUp to this point, all three studios I have attended in the past couple of years were doing the same. Each studio was offering  classes on Zoom and registering  for them was easy to do online. Studios would send out links to the Zoom class and with the click of a mouse, we were doing yoga in our spare rooms and basements.  In June 2020, Maryland started lifting restrictions and began allowing non-essential businesses to reopen with capacity limits. Also,  the weather got nicer. And that’s where these three studios showed their business savvy.\r\n\r\nStudio A found a nearby park and negotiated a permit with the city to start providing outdoor classes. Outdoor classes cost $25 ($5 more than the pre-pandemic drop-in cost) but were offered several times a week over the course of the summer and into early fall.\r\n\r\nStudio B found a several locations that were willing to host outdoor classes, including a brewery and a plant nursery. Pretty soon, they were offering various outdoor classes. This studio charged regular drop-in ($18 or donation) and offered a minimum once a week outdoor option in addition to its Zoom offerings.\r\n\r\nStudio C kept doing Zoom and found a place to offer outdoor classes on a limited basis (four times total in the summer of 2020) and charged a workshop price of $30 for these. Drop-in classes at this studio had been $18, and it offered a $15 Zoom drop-in rate.\r\n\r\nAs cooler weather started and Maryland further scaled back pandemic restrictions, Studios A and B started offering limited in person classes, with few students, air purifiers and open windows, lots of social distancing,  and masks required. In the spring of 2021, as more people were getting vaccinated, Studios A and B added more in-person classes and as the weather got warmer, also added more outdoor options.  Studio C opened last, but not before announcing a GoFund Me campaign to raise funds to be able to open its doors.\r\n\r\nI don’t know the financial situation of any of these studios, but it seems to me Studio C\'s situation was precarious to be asking for donations. And not coincidentally, out of the three, Studio C did the worst at marketing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #1: Failure to adapt</strong>\r\n\r\nStudios A and B were the quickest to figure out that people wanted to do in-person yoga instead of over Zoom, and the only way to do it was to hold classes outdoors. Studio C, on the other hand, was very slow to figure out how to offer outdoor yoga, and when it did, it only did so infrequently and at a high cost.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #2: Failure to communicate</strong>\r\n\r\nStudios A and B sent weekly email blasts about current classes and upcoming changes and generally to stay in touch. Studio C only sent emails sporadically and instead spent the pandemic redesigning its website. When Studio C sent out an email announcing its new website it failed to announce (disclose) that it had also raised prices. During the pandemic, there was a Zoom drop in rate of $15. From one week to the next, the drop in rate for Zoom classes became $19, a 25% increase. Once Studio C opened its physical location, it started sending out semi-weekly emails announcing “new in studio offerings” and a link to those, except that link never worked. Studio C didn\'t use email marketing to its potential.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure #3: Failure to check out the competition</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you don’t know what others are doing, you can’t effectively compete with them. If Studio C had taken a moment to sign up for other studio\'s emails or even check out their websites, it would have seen that these other studios were offering in-person classes outdoors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Failure#4: Failure to seek out reliable business advice</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen interviewed by a local TV station about pandemic effects, Studio C’s owner admitted that she did not like to ask for help but that she was forced to run a GoFund Me campaign to be able to pay back rent and open. If Studio C\'s owner had sought out business advice early on in the pandemic, she may have been in a better position. We are not all born with business sense, but we should have sense enough to know we don’t have it and that we should seek it.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>The bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nKeeping your business open, and by extension, doing a good job at marketing, was hugely challenging during a global pandemic. The businesses that survived were all able to adapt to the changing circumstances. And those that did the best job at marketing, not only survived but thrived.','4 Avoidable Pandemic Marketing Failures','','inherit','closed','closed','','4201-revision-v1','','','2021-07-21 09:57:21','2021-07-21 13:57:21','',4201,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/07/4201-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4211,4,'2021-08-26 14:22:34','2021-08-26 18:22:34','Is your idea of marketing to send out the same offer over and over and over and over again in the hopes that your target will get so tired of hearing from you that they’ll just pay up to get rid of you? No? Well, it seems to be the force behind a lot of marketing, especially direct mail and email marketing. I call it marketing by attrition and I think it is probably the least effective type of marketing there is (not too mention the most annoying to recipients).\r\n\r\n<strong>An example</strong>\r\n\r\nCase in point is Sirius XM. A few months ago, I bought a new car that included three months free of Sirius XM radio. Before I even had the car a couple of weeks, I got a letter from Sirius that said I could sign up for $5 per month for a year(!). But then, I read  in the small print, I would be charged $16.99 per month after.  SiriusXM  sent me this exact offer in a letter several more times. Then, when my three-month trial was over, they sent me another slew of letters. So many in fact, I don’t have an exact number.\r\n\r\nThe offer is always the same. I am still not interested, but I bet they will continue sending me letters for the next year or more.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Is there a strategy?</strong>\r\n\r\nWhat is the strategy here? Is there a strategy? Or is it a mandate that hasn’t been ever reviewed?\r\n\r\nIt seems to me that there\'s some sort of mandate or directive at large companies, which have hundreds of thousands of potential clients, to keep marketing the same offer to each person who doesn’t sign up for the product or service. And keep sending it until they sign up.\r\n\r\n<strong>But what happens if the target doesn\'t respond?</strong>\r\n\r\nExperience says that if a target doesn\'t respond to your marketing, you may need to change something. Perhaps you need to revise the offer. Or perhaps you need to change your marketing tactics. In the marketing by attrition \"strategy,\" there seems to be no course correction other than eventually giving up. I wonder if there is a certain number of mailings that these companies send out, perhaps based on cost, after which they conclude the cost of having you as client is too high.  This method seems highly ineffective and costly.\r\n\r\n<strong>What would work better?</strong>\r\n\r\nPerhaps what would work better is to really understand what motivates each particular potential customer. This could involve sending out a survey or having a better sense of each customer through demographic and psychographic data.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you are marketing by attrition, you may be fighting a long and losing battle.','Marketing by attrition?','','publish','open','open','','marketing-by-attrition','','','2021-08-26 14:22:34','2021-08-26 18:22:34','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4211',0,'post','',0),
(4212,4,'2021-08-26 14:20:30','2021-08-26 18:20:30','Is your idea of marketing to send out the same offer over and over and over and over again in the hopes that your target will get so tired of hearing from you that they’ll just pay up to get rid of you? No? Well, it seems to be the force behind a lot of marketing, especially direct mail and email marketing. I call it marketing by attrition and I think it is probably the least effective type of marketing there is (not too mention the most annoying to recipients).\r\n\r\n<strong>An example</strong>\r\n\r\nCase in point is Sirius XM. A few months ago, I bought a new car that included three months free of Sirius XM radio. Before I even had the car a couple of weeks, I got a letter from Sirius that said I could sign up for $5 per month for a year(!). But then, I read  in the small print, I would be charged $16.99 per month after.  SiriusXM  sent me this exact offer in a letter several more times. Then, when my three-month trial was over, they sent me another slew of letters. So many in fact, I don’t have an exact number.\r\n\r\nThe offer is always the same. I am still not interested, but I bet they will continue sending me letters for the next year or more.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Is there a strategy?</strong>\r\n\r\nWhat is the strategy here? Is there a strategy? Or is it a mandate that hasn’t been ever reviewed?\r\n\r\nIt seems to me that there\'s some sort of mandate or directive at large companies, which have hundreds of thousands of potential clients, to keep marketing the same offer to each person who doesn’t sign up for the product or service. And keep sending it until they sign up.\r\n\r\n<strong>But what happens if the target doesn\'t respond?</strong>\r\n\r\nExperience says that if a target doesn\'t respond to your marketing, you may need to change something. Perhaps you need to revise the offer. Or perhaps you need to change your marketing tactics. In the marketing by attrition \"strategy,\" there seems to be no course correction other than eventually giving up. I wonder if there is a certain number of mailings that these companies send out, perhaps based on cost, after which they conclude the cost of having you as client is too high.  This method seems highly ineffective and costly.\r\n\r\n<strong>What would work better?</strong>\r\n\r\nPerhaps what would work better is to really understand what motivates each particular potential customer. This could involve sending out a survey or having a better sense of each customer through demographic and psychographic data.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you are marketing by attrition, you may be fighting a long and losing battle.','Marketing by attrition?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4211-revision-v1','','','2021-08-26 14:20:30','2021-08-26 18:20:30','',4211,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/08/4211-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4216,4,'2021-09-22 11:00:05','2021-09-22 15:00:05','I am a huge Scandi-noir fiction fan. Recently, I was reading (yet again) a mystery by an Icelandic author (in translation, of course).  I noticed the writing was a bit stilted. Some of the phrases didn’t sound right, and I can only imagine this was a translation/translator issue. Translating is hard work. You need to understand the language, obviously. And you also need to understand author’s tone and intent so you can choose the best word or phrase when many will do. This is especially true with colloquial expressions that don’t translate directly. And I am sure these colloquialisms, and some peculiarities of Icelandic culture didn’t quite make it in the translation. And yet there was a blurb on the book jacket by an American crime author, praising the Icelandic author, saying she was a “magnificent writer.” I doubt that the American read the work in the original Icelandic, so she had no way to judge the writing. What she was judging, and rightly so, was the <em>storytelling</em>.\r\n\r\n<strong>Storytelling versus writing</strong>\r\n\r\nGood storytelling is not the same as good writing, and neither is good writing also good storytelling. Writing and storytelling are two different, albeit related, skills.\r\n\r\nGood storytelling pulls you in. It makes you want to know more.\r\n\r\nGood writing is about knowing how to use language and its mechanics to communicate ideas clearly.\r\n\r\nCan you have one without the other? Yes, you can. And I would argue that the best stories are also the best written.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4218\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"683\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pexels-yaroslav-shuraev-5608541.jpg\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4218\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pexels-yaroslav-shuraev-5608541-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" /></a> <br />Photo by Yaroslav Shuraev from Pexels[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Think about your favorite book</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you’ve ever read a book with an intriguing plot, but with utilitarian writing, you understand that storytelling is a skill separate from writing. Books written by good storytellers who are mediocre writers are readable because you are interested in the story and you want to know more.\r\n\r\nIf you’ve ever read a book that’s so well written, where the words sing, but there is no discernible plot or the story being told is boring, chances are you stopped reading or read the book super slowly. Beautiful writing alone does not make a readable book.\r\n\r\nAnd I would bet that your favorite books, the ones you recommend or perhaps even re-read, are the ones that have a great story and are well written.\r\n\r\n<strong>Here\'s the bottom line for content writers</strong>\r\n\r\nFor those of us who write any sort of content, focusing on <em>what </em>we are trying to say should come first. Then, we should think about <em>how </em>to say it. If we get both these elements—storytelling and writing— done right, we’ll create content worth reading.','Storytelling versus writing','','publish','open','open','','storytelling-versus-writing','','','2021-09-22 11:00:05','2021-09-22 15:00:05','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4216',0,'post','',0),
(4217,4,'2021-09-22 10:55:15','2021-09-22 14:55:15','','Storytelling versus writing','','inherit','closed','closed','','4216-revision-v1','','','2021-09-22 10:55:15','2021-09-22 14:55:15','',4216,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/09/4216-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4218,4,'2021-09-22 10:57:34','2021-09-22 14:57:34','','pexels-yaroslav-shuraev-5608541','\nPhoto by Yaroslav Shuraev from Pexels\n','inherit','open','closed','','pexels-yaroslav-shuraev-5608541','','','2021-09-22 10:57:53','2021-09-22 14:57:53','',4216,'https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pexels-yaroslav-shuraev-5608541.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(4219,4,'2021-09-22 10:58:45','2021-09-22 14:58:45','I am a huge Scandi-noir fiction fan. Recently, I was reading (yet again) a mystery by an Icelandic author (in translation, of course).  I noticed the writing was a bit stilted. Some of the phrases didn’t sound right, and I can only imagine this was a translation/translator issue. Translating is hard work. You need to understand the language, obviously. And you also need to understand author’s tone and intent so you can choose the best word or phrase when many will do. This is especially true with colloquial expressions that don’t translate directly. And I am sure these colloquialisms, and some peculiarities of Icelandic culture didn’t quite make it in the translation. And yet there was a blurb on the book jacket by an American crime author, praising the Icelandic author, saying she was a “magnificent writer.” I doubt that the American read the work in the original Icelandic, so she had no way to judge the writing. What she was judging, and rightly so, was the <em>storytelling</em>.\r\n\r\n<strong>Storytelling versus writing</strong>\r\n\r\nGood storytelling is not the same as good writing, and neither is good writing also good storytelling. Writing and storytelling are two different, albeit related, skills.\r\n\r\nGood storytelling pulls you in. It makes you want to know more.\r\n\r\nGood writing is about knowing how to use language and its mechanics to communicate ideas clearly.\r\n\r\nCan you have one without the other? Yes, you can. And I would argue that the best stories are also the best written.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4218\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"683\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pexels-yaroslav-shuraev-5608541.jpg\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4218\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pexels-yaroslav-shuraev-5608541-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" /></a> <br />Photo by Yaroslav Shuraev from Pexels[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Think about your favorite book</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you’ve ever read a book with an intriguing plot, but with utilitarian writing, you understand that storytelling is a skill separate from writing. Books written by good storytellers who are mediocre writers are readable because you are interested in the story and you want to know more.\r\n\r\nIf you’ve ever read a book that’s so well written, where the words sing, but there is no discernible plot or the story being told is boring, chances are you stopped reading or read the book super slowly. Beautiful writing alone does not make a readable book.\r\n\r\nAnd I would bet that your favorite books, the ones you recommend or perhaps even re-read, are the ones that have a great story and are well written.\r\n\r\n<strong>Here\'s the bottom line for content writers</strong>\r\n\r\nFor those of us who write any sort of content, focusing on <em>what </em>we are trying to say should come first. Then, we should think about <em>how </em>to say it. If we get both these elements—storytelling and writing— done right, we’ll create content worth reading.','Storytelling versus writing','','inherit','closed','closed','','4216-revision-v1','','','2021-09-22 10:58:45','2021-09-22 14:58:45','',4216,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/09/4216-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4223,4,'2021-10-12 15:11:19','2021-10-12 19:11:19','<div><img style=\"margin-right: 20px; margin-bottom: 40px;\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/picture.jpg\" alt=\"\" align=\"left\" />Deborah Brody is a writer and consultant with more than 25 years of public relations, advertising, and marketing experience. Her firm, Deborah Brody Marketing Communications (DBMC), provides high-level writing, copy editing, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses and nonprofits.</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div>Prior to launching DBMC in 2002 and helping organizations refine marketing materials, write blog posts, create website content, and generate press releases, the bilingual (English/Spanish) Deborah worked at several leading South Florida-based agencies, including Everett Clay Associates (public relations), The Jeffrey Group (public relations focused on Latin America), and  Peter Nasca Associates (corporate communications). In 2001,  Deborah taught Advanced Public Relations Writing at Florida International University.</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div>Upon her move to the Washington, D.C. area in 2005, in addition to running DBMC, Deborah worked as the interim Media Director at B\'nai B\'rith International. She also worked with Communications Resources, a communications consultancy, and served as writing tutor at the Kogod School of Business at American University. In 2012, Deborah launched a series of  blogging workshops to teach effective blog writing techniques.</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\nDeborah is a graduate of Brandeis University (B.A., Politics) and of Boston University\'s College of Communications, where she earned a Master\'s degree in Mass Communication. She lives in Rockville, Maryland where, when not writing and editing, she enjoys cooking, following current events and politics, going on hikes and long walks, and doing yoga.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://static.licdn.com/scds/common/u/img/webpromo/btn_viewmy_120x33.png\" alt=\"View Deborah Brody\'s profile on LinkedIn\" width=\"120\" height=\"33\" border=\"0\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>','About','','inherit','closed','closed','','18-revision-v1','','','2021-10-12 15:11:19','2021-10-12 19:11:19','',18,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/10/18-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4224,4,'2021-10-13 11:03:02','2021-10-13 15:03:02','Clear communications provide accurate and up-to-date information. Being clear will help your audience know what is going on and what to expect from you. This requires making sure that  you are not undermining your message by having different information in different places.\r\n\r\n<strong>Pandemic challenges</strong>\r\n\r\nThe pandemic has created some macro communications challenges around vaccine hesitancy and public health measures and mandates. On a micro level, I’ve noticed issues for businesses and organizations in communications changes to their customers and patrons. One that keeps cropping up is mask wearing rules. In Montgomery County, Maryland, where I live, mask mandates were dropped in the late spring/early summer and then brought back in early August in response to the Delta variant. These zig zag changes made it difficult for organizations to keep up. When the mask mandates went out, they changed certain webpages and email templates and when they came back, they may have not changed all their communications to reflect the new reality.\r\n\r\nTake for example a yoga studio I go to which requires proof of vaccination for attendance. When you go to its website, it tells you that you can unmask because everyone will have shown their vaccine cards. But when you get your class enrollment confirmation email, you are instructed that you must mask up in class.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is that your latest menu?</strong>\r\n\r\nBut it is not only around COVID and masks that we see different information from different sources from the same organization. It could be different hours of operation on a sign versus the website. Or a spring menu being listed on a restaurant’s website when it’s already fall.\r\n\r\n<strong>Be accurate and consistent—here\'s how</strong>\r\n\r\nYou can make sure that your communications are accurate and consistent across all your channels. Following are the three steps you’ll need to take.\r\n\r\n<strong>Step 1: Create a trigger list</strong>\r\n\r\nWhat kinds of things do you need to tell your audience about?\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li><em>Changes (including updates) to:\r\n</em>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Policies</li>\r\n 	<li>Staff/personnel</li>\r\n 	<li>Hours</li>\r\n 	<li>Location</li>\r\n 	<li>Dates</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n 	<li><em>Additions</em>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li> For example, you\'ve added new classes or staff members</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n 	<li><em>Deletions</em>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li> Perhaps your pool is closed for the season, or you are no longer offering a product.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Step 2: Audit your communication platforms</strong>\r\n\r\nYou\'ll have to do an in-depth assessment of all the places you communicate with your customers, patrons, or donors. You want to know everywhere that people get information about you. While you are doing this, take the opportunity to make sure the information is consistent and updated. This includes (and is not limited to):\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Website (and remember to list ALL pages/areas of the website where information is listed). For example, you may have your hours listed on your homepage and then on your contact page.</li>\r\n 	<li>Email communications</li>\r\n 	<li>Signage</li>\r\n 	<li>Advertising and other marketing materials</li>\r\n 	<li>Staff (e.g., receptionist, information desk personnel, etc.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Step 3: Create a checklist</strong>\r\n\r\nCreate a checklist that you follow whenever a trigger occurs. You may choose to make this very specific. If your organization changes board members every year, you would list it followed by the places you need to update, such as the website about us or leadership page, the organizational letterhead, signage in your office, and so forth. The checklist could be a Word or Excel document that is accessed each time one of your trigger list items occurs. You\'ll then have a systematic way to make sure that each of your communication platforms is updated at the same time.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nBottom line is that  maintaining all your information updated, accurate and consistent keeps your customers and other patrons in the know.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','3 steps to clear customer communications','','publish','open','open','','3-steps-to-clear-customer-communications','','','2021-10-13 11:03:02','2021-10-13 15:03:02','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4224',0,'post','',0),
(4225,4,'2021-10-13 10:48:59','2021-10-13 14:48:59','Clear communications provide accurate and up-to-date information. Being clear will help your audience know what is going on and what to expect from you. This requires making sure that what you are not undermining your message by having different information in different places.\r\n\r\n<strong>Pandemic challenges</strong>\r\n\r\nThe pandemic has created some macro communications challenges around vaccine hesitancy and public health measures and mandates. On a micro level, I’ve noticed issues for businesses and organizations in communications changes to their customers and patrons. One that keeps cropping up is mask wearing rules. In Montgomery County, Maryland, where I live, mask mandates were dropped in the late spring/early summer and then brought back in early August in response to the Delta variant. These zig zag changes made it difficult for organizations to keep up. When the mask mandates went out, they changed certain webpages and email templates and when they came back, they may have not changed all their communications to reflect the new realities.\r\n\r\nTake for example a yoga studio I go to which requires proof of vaccination for attendance. When you go to its website, it tells you that you can unmask because everyone will have shown their vaccine cards. But when you get the confirmation email, people are instructed that they must mask up in class.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is that your latest menu?</strong>\r\n\r\nBut it is not only around COVID and masks that we see different information from different sources from the same organization. It could be different hours of operation on a sign versus the website. Or a spring menu being listed on a restaurant’s website when it’s already fall.\r\n\r\n<strong>Be accurate and consistent—here\'s how</strong>\r\n\r\nYou can make sure that your communications are accurate and consistent across all your channels. Here are the three steps you’ll need to take\r\n\r\n<strong>Step 1: Create a trigger list</strong>\r\n\r\nWha<strong>t </strong>kinds of things do you need to tell your audience about?\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li><em>Changes (including updates) </em>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Policies</li>\r\n 	<li>Staff/personnel</li>\r\n 	<li>Hours</li>\r\n 	<li>Location</li>\r\n 	<li>Dates</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n 	<li><em>Additions</em>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li> For example, you\'ve added new classes or staff members</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n 	<li><em>Deletions</em>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li> Perhaps your pool is closed for the season, or you are no longer offering a product.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Step 2: Audit your communication platforms</strong>\r\n\r\nYou\'ll have to do an in-depth assessment of all the places you communicate with your customers, patrons, or donors. You want to know everywhere that people get information about you. While you are doing this, take the opportunity to make sure the information is consistent. This includes (and is not limited to)\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Website (and remember to list ALL pages/areas of the website where information is listed). For example, you may have your hours listed on your homepage and then on your contact page.</li>\r\n 	<li>Email communications</li>\r\n 	<li>Signage</li>\r\n 	<li>Advertising and other marketing materials</li>\r\n 	<li>Staff (receptionist, information desk personnel, etc.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Step 3: Create a checklist</strong>\r\n\r\nCreate a checklist that you follow whenever a trigger occurs. You may choose to make this very specific. If your organization changes board members every year, you would list it followed by the places you need to update, such as the website about us or leadership page, the organizational letterhead, signage in your office, etc.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nBottom line is that  maintaining all your information updated, accurate and consistent keeps your customers and other patrons in the know.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','3 Steps to Clear Customer Communications','','inherit','closed','closed','','4224-revision-v1','','','2021-10-13 10:48:59','2021-10-13 14:48:59','',4224,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/10/4224-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4226,4,'2021-10-13 11:02:31','2021-10-13 15:02:31','Clear communications provide accurate and up-to-date information. Being clear will help your audience know what is going on and what to expect from you. This requires making sure that  you are not undermining your message by having different information in different places.\r\n\r\n<strong>Pandemic challenges</strong>\r\n\r\nThe pandemic has created some macro communications challenges around vaccine hesitancy and public health measures and mandates. On a micro level, I’ve noticed issues for businesses and organizations in communications changes to their customers and patrons. One that keeps cropping up is mask wearing rules. In Montgomery County, Maryland, where I live, mask mandates were dropped in the late spring/early summer and then brought back in early August in response to the Delta variant. These zig zag changes made it difficult for organizations to keep up. When the mask mandates went out, they changed certain webpages and email templates and when they came back, they may have not changed all their communications to reflect the new reality.\r\n\r\nTake for example a yoga studio I go to which requires proof of vaccination for attendance. When you go to its website, it tells you that you can unmask because everyone will have shown their vaccine cards. But when you get your class enrollment confirmation email, you are instructed that you must mask up in class.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is that your latest menu?</strong>\r\n\r\nBut it is not only around COVID and masks that we see different information from different sources from the same organization. It could be different hours of operation on a sign versus the website. Or a spring menu being listed on a restaurant’s website when it’s already fall.\r\n\r\n<strong>Be accurate and consistent—here\'s how</strong>\r\n\r\nYou can make sure that your communications are accurate and consistent across all your channels. Following are the three steps you’ll need to take.\r\n\r\n<strong>Step 1: Create a trigger list</strong>\r\n\r\nWhat kinds of things do you need to tell your audience about?\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li><em>Changes (including updates) to:\r\n</em>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Policies</li>\r\n 	<li>Staff/personnel</li>\r\n 	<li>Hours</li>\r\n 	<li>Location</li>\r\n 	<li>Dates</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n 	<li><em>Additions</em>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li> For example, you\'ve added new classes or staff members</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n 	<li><em>Deletions</em>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li> Perhaps your pool is closed for the season, or you are no longer offering a product.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Step 2: Audit your communication platforms</strong>\r\n\r\nYou\'ll have to do an in-depth assessment of all the places you communicate with your customers, patrons, or donors. You want to know everywhere that people get information about you. While you are doing this, take the opportunity to make sure the information is consistent and updated. This includes (and is not limited to):\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Website (and remember to list ALL pages/areas of the website where information is listed). For example, you may have your hours listed on your homepage and then on your contact page.</li>\r\n 	<li>Email communications</li>\r\n 	<li>Signage</li>\r\n 	<li>Advertising and other marketing materials</li>\r\n 	<li>Staff (e.g., receptionist, information desk personnel, etc.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Step 3: Create a checklist</strong>\r\n\r\nCreate a checklist that you follow whenever a trigger occurs. You may choose to make this very specific. If your organization changes board members every year, you would list it followed by the places you need to update, such as the website about us or leadership page, the organizational letterhead, signage in your office, and so forth. The checklist could be a Word or Excel document that is accessed each time one of your trigger list items occurs. You\'ll then have a systematic way to make sure that each of your communication platforms is updated at the same time.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nBottom line is that  maintaining all your information updated, accurate and consistent keeps your customers and other patrons in the know.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','3 steps to clear customer communications','','inherit','closed','closed','','4224-revision-v1','','','2021-10-13 11:02:31','2021-10-13 15:02:31','',4224,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/10/4224-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4232,4,'2021-11-30 12:01:35','2021-11-30 17:01:35','It seems obvious that your readers should understand whatever it is you are writing for them. But it only <em>seems</em> that way because too many writers, especially those who write legal documents, don’t stop to think whether their readers will get it. I know this because I’ve attempted to read contracts and other legal documents. Although I understand most of the words, sometimes I can’t fathom the meaning.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you speak medical jargon? I don\'t</strong>\r\n\r\nSame goes for medical stuff. A few years ago, I had an MRI done. I got the report from the radiologist and try as I might, I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. In this case, it was the vocabulary. I gave it to the doctor, and I told him that I didn’t understand the report. This doctor, as is usual with any insider, gave me a look indicating he thought I must be very slow because it was obvious to him that this report said I had a torn rotator cuff. But it wasn’t obvious to me. And it’s not because I am slow. It’s because the radiologist wrote this using medical jargon that I don’t understand.\r\n\r\n<strong>Plain language required</strong>\r\n\r\nYou’d think the plain language movement were new. It’s not. In fact, government agencies are mandated to write in plain English since President Obama signed the Plain Writing Act in 2010. But the directive to make things clearer goes back to the 1970s (<a href=\"https://www.plainlanguage.gov/about/history/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">read the timeline at plainlanguage.gov</a><em>).</em>\r\n\r\nBut there are  no such mandates for other industries. Sure, writing in plain language should be common sense and many businesses strive to make their writing clearer and more user friendly but others write (and speak) in industry jargon, making it hard for the average person to understand.\r\n\r\nOf all the posts I’ve shared on LinkedIn, the following from Bloomberg Law really struck a chord:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/use-plain-language-in-contracts-no-one-wants-legalese\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Use Plain Language in Contract—No One Wants Legalese</a></p>\r\nIt was viewed hundreds of times and shared by many readers, making it my best performing post of all time.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nHere\'s the bottom line: There’s a real need for people to understand what you are writing. If you need help, there are some courses available online. You may find the \"Oxford Guide to Plain English\" by Martin Cutts helpful. Or you could hire someone like me to copy edit your documents with plain language in mind.','People should understand','','publish','open','open','','people-should-understand','','','2021-11-30 12:01:35','2021-11-30 17:01:35','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4232',0,'post','',0),
(4233,4,'2021-11-30 11:53:02','2021-11-30 16:53:02','It seems obvious that your readers should understand whatever it is you are writing for them. But it only <em>seems</em> that way because too many writers, especially those who write legal documents, don’t stop to think whether their readers will get it. I know this because I’ve attempted to read contracts and other legal documents. Although I understand most of the words, sometimes I can’t fathom the meaning.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you speak medical jargon? I don\'t</strong>\r\n\r\nSame goes for medical stuff. A few years ago, I had an MRI done. I got the report from the radiologist and try as I might, I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. In this case, it was the vocabulary. I gave it to the doctor, and I told him that I didn’t understand the report. This doctor, as is usual with any insider, gave me a look indicating he thought I must be very slow because it was obvious to him that this report said I had torn my rotator cuff. But it wasn’t obvious to me. And it’s not because I am slow. It’s because the radiologist wrote this using medical jargon that I don’t know.\r\n\r\n<strong>Plain language required</strong>\r\n\r\nYou’d think the plain language movement were new. It’s not. In fact, government agencies are mandated to write in plain English since President Obama signed the Plain Writing Act in 2010. But the directive to make things clearer goes back to the 1970s (<a href=\"https://www.plainlanguage.gov/about/history/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">read the timeline at plainlanguage.gov</a><em>).</em>\r\n\r\nBut there are  no such mandates for other industries. Sure, writing in plain language should be common sense and many businesses strive to make their writing clearer and more user friendly.\r\n\r\nOf all the posts I’ve shared on LinkedIn, the following was viewed hundreds of times and shared by many readers:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/use-plain-language-in-contracts-no-one-wants-legalese\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Use Plain Language in Contract—No One Wants Legalese</a></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nHere\'s the bottom line: There’s a real need for people to understand what you are writing. If you need help, there are some courses available online. You may find the \"Oxford Guide to Plain English\" by Martin Cutts helpful. Or you could hire someone like me to copy edit your documents with plain language in mind.','People should understand','','inherit','closed','closed','','4232-revision-v1','','','2021-11-30 11:53:02','2021-11-30 16:53:02','',4232,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/11/4232-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4234,4,'2021-11-30 12:01:35','2021-11-30 17:01:35','It seems obvious that your readers should understand whatever it is you are writing for them. But it only <em>seems</em> that way because too many writers, especially those who write legal documents, don’t stop to think whether their readers will get it. I know this because I’ve attempted to read contracts and other legal documents. Although I understand most of the words, sometimes I can’t fathom the meaning.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you speak medical jargon? I don\'t</strong>\r\n\r\nSame goes for medical stuff. A few years ago, I had an MRI done. I got the report from the radiologist and try as I might, I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. In this case, it was the vocabulary. I gave it to the doctor, and I told him that I didn’t understand the report. This doctor, as is usual with any insider, gave me a look indicating he thought I must be very slow because it was obvious to him that this report said I had a torn rotator cuff. But it wasn’t obvious to me. And it’s not because I am slow. It’s because the radiologist wrote this using medical jargon that I don’t understand.\r\n\r\n<strong>Plain language required</strong>\r\n\r\nYou’d think the plain language movement were new. It’s not. In fact, government agencies are mandated to write in plain English since President Obama signed the Plain Writing Act in 2010. But the directive to make things clearer goes back to the 1970s (<a href=\"https://www.plainlanguage.gov/about/history/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">read the timeline at plainlanguage.gov</a><em>).</em>\r\n\r\nBut there are  no such mandates for other industries. Sure, writing in plain language should be common sense and many businesses strive to make their writing clearer and more user friendly but others write (and speak) in industry jargon, making it hard for the average person to understand.\r\n\r\nOf all the posts I’ve shared on LinkedIn, the following from Bloomberg Law really struck a chord:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/use-plain-language-in-contracts-no-one-wants-legalese\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Use Plain Language in Contract—No One Wants Legalese</a></p>\r\nIt was viewed hundreds of times and shared by many readers, making it my best performing post of all time.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nHere\'s the bottom line: There’s a real need for people to understand what you are writing. If you need help, there are some courses available online. You may find the \"Oxford Guide to Plain English\" by Martin Cutts helpful. Or you could hire someone like me to copy edit your documents with plain language in mind.','People should understand','','inherit','closed','closed','','4232-revision-v1','','','2021-11-30 12:01:35','2021-11-30 17:01:35','',4232,'https://deborahbrody.com/2021/11/4232-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4239,4,'2022-01-11 14:47:51','2022-01-11 19:47:51','<strong>First, a story</strong>\r\n\r\nOver the holidays, I flew in and out of Dulles Airport, which has an (exclusive?) arrangement with the Washington Flyer taxi company.  I made a reservation for a Washington Flyer taxi to pick me up and drive me to the airport.  The driver arrived early to pick me up. He carried my suitcase down my front steps to the car. He asked me if I had everything I needed and then we were off. We had a nice chat, and before you knew it, we were at the airport, where he wished me a safe journey. It was a five-star experience.\r\n\r\nOn my way back, however, my experience rated two stars at best. Why? It was the same company (Washington Flyer), the same route, but a different driver. The driver on the return stretch did not speak to me. He would not engage in any small talk about the weather or the traffic. So we traveled in silence. And then, when we arrived at my house, he took out my suitcase out of the trunk and left it there, not offering to carry it up the stairs for me. I am not sure if he didn’t speak English very well, or perhaps was hard of hearing, but the lack of engagement made the taxi ride tedious and the driver\'s lack of attention was irritating.\r\n\r\n<strong>Your experience matters</strong>\r\n\r\nHaving a friendly interchange makes a difference in how you feel about your experience. Think about when you go to a store and the clerk can’t be bothered to help you. You probably just buy what you came for or you just walk out of the store. Then think about the store where you go in and you are greeted with a friendly smile and a “what can I help you find today?” You feel welcome, which may lead to you spending more time in the store or even buying more than you planned. Or when you go to a party, and the host greets you warmly and introduces you to others. Or when you are a networking event, and someone smiles and comes over to speak to you. Or when you are traveling, and can\'t find an address until someone offers to show you the way.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4241\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/pexels-belle-co-1000445.jpg\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4241\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/pexels-belle-co-1000445-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <br />Photo by Belle Co from Pexels[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>What is it to be friendly?</strong>\r\n\r\nFriendliness is a positive attribute.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/friendly\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Merriam-Webster</a> provides several definitions for the word \"friendly,\" among them:\r\n<blockquote>showing kindly interest and goodwill\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong><u>cheerful</u>, <u>comforting</u>\r\n\r\nserving a beneficial or helpful purpose\r\n\r\neasy to use or understand\r\n\r\ndesigned or intended to accommodate particular needs, users, etc.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;</blockquote>\r\n<strong>What is friendly marketing?</strong>\r\n\r\nFriendly marketing creates a better, more positive experience for your audience.\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Friendly marketing considers you (the audience/end users) its first priority.</li>\r\n 	<li>Friendly marketing makes things clear and easy to understand.</li>\r\n 	<li>Friendly marketing gives you the information you need to make a decision.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>What\'s not friendly marketing?</strong>\r\n\r\nUnfriendly marketing creates annoyance and frustration, and results in a negative experience for your audience.\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>It’s not friendly to overwhelm your audience with email marketing messages.</li>\r\n 	<li>It’s not friendly to use jargon and hard to understand language.</li>\r\n 	<li>It\'s not friendly to make your website visitors struggle to find what they need.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line: Make it your marketing resolution for 2022 to be more friendly</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','One attribute to improve your marketing efforts in 2022','','publish','open','open','','one-attribute-to-improve-your-marketing-efforts-in-2022','','','2022-01-11 14:47:51','2022-01-11 19:47:51','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4239',0,'post','',0),
(4240,4,'2022-01-11 10:46:25','2022-01-11 15:46:25','<strong>First, a story</strong>\r\n\r\nOver the holidays, I flew in and out of Dulles Airport, which has an arrangement with the Washington Flyer taxi company.  I made a reservation for a Washington Flyer taxi to pick me up and drive me to the airport.  The driver arrived early to pick me up. He carried my suitcase down my front steps to the car. He asked me if I had everything I needed and then we were off. We had a nice chat, and before you knew it, we were at the airport, where he wished me a safe journey. It was a five-star experience.\r\n\r\nOn my way back, however, my experience rated two stars at best. Why? It was the same company, the same road, but a different driver. The driver on the return stretch did not speak to me. He would not engage in any small talk about the weather or the traffic. So we traveled in silence. And then, when we arrived at my house, he took out my suitcase out of the trunk and left it there, not offering to carry it up the stairs for me. I am not sure if he didn’t speak English very well, or perhaps was hard of hearing, but the lack of engagement made the taxi ride tedious. It was not a good ending to my vacation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Your experience matters</strong>\r\n\r\nHaving a friendly interchange makes a difference in your experience. Think about when you go to a store and the clerk can’t be bothered to help you. You probably just buy what you came for or you just walk out of the store. Then think about the store where you go in and you are greeted with a friendly smile and a “what can I help you find today?” You feel welcome, which and may even lead to you spending more time in the store or even more money.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>What is it to be friendly?</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/friendly\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Merriam-Webster</a> provides several definitions, among them:\r\n<blockquote>showing kindly interest and goodwill\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong><u>cheerful</u>, <u>comforting</u>\r\n\r\nserving a beneficial or helpful purpose\r\n\r\neasy to use or understand\r\n\r\ndesigned or intended to accommodate particular needs, users, etc.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;</blockquote>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>What is friendly marketing?</strong>\r\n\r\nFriendly marketing thinks about the audience/end users and makes them the first consideration. This means clear communications, free from jargon and meaningless phrases.\r\n\r\nA friendly website makes it easy for you to find what you are looking for instead of making you click through endless menus.\r\n\r\nFriendly materials give you the information you need.\r\n\r\nBeing friendly creates positive feelings in your audience.\r\n\r\nIt’s not friendly to overwhelm your audience with email marketing messages.\r\n\r\nIt’s not friendly to require personal information when making a transaction.\r\n\r\nIt’s not friendly to require sign ups and\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line: Make it your marketing resolution for 2022 to be more friendly</strong>\r\n\r\nFriendly marketing will make for a better experience for your audience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','One attribute to improve your marketing efforts in 2022','','inherit','closed','closed','','4239-revision-v1','','','2022-01-11 10:46:25','2022-01-11 15:46:25','',4239,'https://deborahbrody.com/2022/01/4239-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4241,4,'2022-01-11 14:31:51','2022-01-11 19:31:51','','pexels-belle-co-1000445','\nPhoto by Belle Co from Pexels\n','inherit','open','closed','','pexels-belle-co-1000445','','','2022-01-11 14:32:08','2022-01-11 19:32:08','',4239,'https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/pexels-belle-co-1000445.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(4242,4,'2022-01-11 14:32:24','2022-01-11 19:32:24','<strong>First, a story</strong>\r\n\r\nOver the holidays, I flew in and out of Dulles Airport, which has an (exclusive?) arrangement with the Washington Flyer taxi company.  I made a reservation for a Washington Flyer taxi to pick me up and drive me to the airport.  The driver arrived early to pick me up. He carried my suitcase down my front steps to the car. He asked me if I had everything I needed and then we were off. We had a nice chat, and before you knew it, we were at the airport, where he wished me a safe journey. It was a five-star experience.\r\n\r\nOn my way back, however, my experience rated two stars at best. Why? It was the same company (Washington Flyer), the same route, but a different driver. The driver on the return stretch did not speak to me. He would not engage in any small talk about the weather or the traffic. So we traveled in silence. And then, when we arrived at my house, he took out my suitcase out of the trunk and left it there, not offering to carry it up the stairs for me. I am not sure if he didn’t speak English very well, or perhaps was hard of hearing, but the lack of engagement made the taxi ride tedious. It was not a good ending to my vacation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Your experience matters</strong>\r\n\r\nHaving a friendly interchange makes a difference in your experience. Think about when you go to a store and the clerk can’t be bothered to help you. You probably just buy what you came for or you just walk out of the store. Then think about the store where you go in and you are greeted with a friendly smile and a “what can I help you find today?” You feel welcome, which and may even lead to you spending more time in the store or even more money. Or when you to a party, and the host greets you warmly and introduces you to others. Or when you are a networking event, and someone smiles and comes over to speak to you. Or when you are traveling, and can\'t find an address until someone offers to show you the way.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4241\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/pexels-belle-co-1000445.jpg\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4241\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/pexels-belle-co-1000445-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <br />Photo by Belle Co from Pexels[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>What is it to be friendly?</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/friendly\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Merriam-Webster</a> provides several definitions, among them:\r\n<blockquote>showing kindly interest and goodwill\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong><u>cheerful</u>, <u>comforting</u>\r\n\r\nserving a beneficial or helpful purpose\r\n\r\neasy to use or understand\r\n\r\ndesigned or intended to accommodate particular needs, users, etc.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;</blockquote>\r\n<strong>What is friendly marketing?</strong>\r\n\r\nFriendly marketing creates a better, positive experience for your audience.\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Friendly marketing considers you (the audience/end users) its first priority.</li>\r\n 	<li>Friendly marketing makes things clear and easy to understand.</li>\r\n 	<li>Friendly marketing gives you the information you need to make a decision.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>What\'s not friendly marketing?</strong>\r\n\r\nUnfriendly marketing creates annoyance and frustration, and creates a negative experience for your audience.\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>It’s not friendly to overwhelm your audience with email marketing messages.</li>\r\n 	<li>It’s not friendly to require personal information when making a transaction.</li>\r\n 	<li>It’s not friendly to use jargon and hard to understand language.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line: Make it your marketing resolution for 2022 to be more friendly</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','One attribute to improve your marketing efforts in 2022','','inherit','closed','closed','','4239-revision-v1','','','2022-01-11 14:32:24','2022-01-11 19:32:24','',4239,'https://deborahbrody.com/2022/01/4239-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4243,4,'2022-01-11 14:47:51','2022-01-11 19:47:51','<strong>First, a story</strong>\r\n\r\nOver the holidays, I flew in and out of Dulles Airport, which has an (exclusive?) arrangement with the Washington Flyer taxi company.  I made a reservation for a Washington Flyer taxi to pick me up and drive me to the airport.  The driver arrived early to pick me up. He carried my suitcase down my front steps to the car. He asked me if I had everything I needed and then we were off. We had a nice chat, and before you knew it, we were at the airport, where he wished me a safe journey. It was a five-star experience.\r\n\r\nOn my way back, however, my experience rated two stars at best. Why? It was the same company (Washington Flyer), the same route, but a different driver. The driver on the return stretch did not speak to me. He would not engage in any small talk about the weather or the traffic. So we traveled in silence. And then, when we arrived at my house, he took out my suitcase out of the trunk and left it there, not offering to carry it up the stairs for me. I am not sure if he didn’t speak English very well, or perhaps was hard of hearing, but the lack of engagement made the taxi ride tedious and the driver\'s lack of attention was irritating.\r\n\r\n<strong>Your experience matters</strong>\r\n\r\nHaving a friendly interchange makes a difference in how you feel about your experience. Think about when you go to a store and the clerk can’t be bothered to help you. You probably just buy what you came for or you just walk out of the store. Then think about the store where you go in and you are greeted with a friendly smile and a “what can I help you find today?” You feel welcome, which may lead to you spending more time in the store or even buying more than you planned. Or when you go to a party, and the host greets you warmly and introduces you to others. Or when you are a networking event, and someone smiles and comes over to speak to you. Or when you are traveling, and can\'t find an address until someone offers to show you the way.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4241\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/pexels-belle-co-1000445.jpg\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4241\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/pexels-belle-co-1000445-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <br />Photo by Belle Co from Pexels[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>What is it to be friendly?</strong>\r\n\r\nFriendliness is a positive attribute.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/friendly\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Merriam-Webster</a> provides several definitions for the word \"friendly,\" among them:\r\n<blockquote>showing kindly interest and goodwill\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong><u>cheerful</u>, <u>comforting</u>\r\n\r\nserving a beneficial or helpful purpose\r\n\r\neasy to use or understand\r\n\r\ndesigned or intended to accommodate particular needs, users, etc.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;</blockquote>\r\n<strong>What is friendly marketing?</strong>\r\n\r\nFriendly marketing creates a better, more positive experience for your audience.\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Friendly marketing considers you (the audience/end users) its first priority.</li>\r\n 	<li>Friendly marketing makes things clear and easy to understand.</li>\r\n 	<li>Friendly marketing gives you the information you need to make a decision.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>What\'s not friendly marketing?</strong>\r\n\r\nUnfriendly marketing creates annoyance and frustration, and results in a negative experience for your audience.\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>It’s not friendly to overwhelm your audience with email marketing messages.</li>\r\n 	<li>It’s not friendly to use jargon and hard to understand language.</li>\r\n 	<li>It\'s not friendly to make your website visitors struggle to find what they need.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line: Make it your marketing resolution for 2022 to be more friendly</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','One attribute to improve your marketing efforts in 2022','','inherit','closed','closed','','4239-revision-v1','','','2022-01-11 14:47:51','2022-01-11 19:47:51','',4239,'https://deborahbrody.com/2022/01/4239-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4261,4,'2022-04-07 15:28:51','2022-04-07 19:28:51','It seems not a day goes by without me spotting at least one typo or other error in blog posts, newsletters and other communications (generally the digital type). I’ve even seen errors on the chyrons for the local news.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/pexels-george-becker-374918.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4262\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/pexels-george-becker-374918-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\n\r\nHere’s a sampling from the past couple of weeks:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">In a sub-headline on a TV news website, it said <strong>baht</strong> instead of bath (and spellcheck didn’t pick it up because baht is the currency in Thailand).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">On a headline on WETA’s Tellyvisions blog, there’s mention regarding the new season of a show called <strong>Saniton</strong> (which, in actuality is called Sanditon). (I just checked and this typo has been fixed).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">In a newsletter from a restaurant it says a new menu will debut on <strong>Wedensday</strong>.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">The call-to-action button on a communications agency’s newsletter says, “Read the full case study on our <strong>wesite.</strong>”</p>\r\nThose are glaringly obvious typos. There are many other not-so-glaring mistakes on stuff such as grammar (e.g., using the wrong pronouns or having a dangling modifier) and wrong information (e.g., saying an event is taking place on Tuesday when it is really taking place on Thursday).\r\n\r\nIt’s human to make mistakes. We all do it.  But when you make mistakes on professional or official communications, it undermines your credibility. It makes you look unprofessional, and sometimes it makes you look ignorant.\r\n\r\nThis need for checking your work is summarized beautifully in the The Freelance Creative article <a href=\"https://contently.net/2021/10/27/resources/content-marketing-writers-editors-fact-checking/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“Why Marketing Writers and Editors Need to Master Fact-Checking”</a> when it says:\r\n<blockquote>“The more reliable and high-quality [the content] is for readers, the more it confers trust in and value of the brand behind it,” Dimond said. “If a reader can’t depend on the basic facts of a blog post, it’s a clear message that they can’t trust the brand.”</blockquote>\r\nIn other words, copy that is accurate and error-free helps build your brand. Yet lately, I’ve noticed more mistakes  than ever. It seems nobody is bothering to proofread, let alone fact check or copy edit.\r\n\r\nWhat is causing this?\r\n\r\nI think there are three reasons that account for the avalanche of mistakes I’ve seen lately:\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Speed</strong>\r\n\r\nThe biggest culprit is most likely speed. People are under pressure to get things done quickly, at the pace of social media. But rushing to get a newsletter out or post an article invariably leads to sloppy or no proofreading.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. You don’t know what you don’t know and you don’t even know to ask</strong>\r\n\r\nI got a newsletter a few days ago from a journalist. In it, he writes he made a mistake spelling a subject’s name in the previous day\'s newsletter, something which was pointed out to him by a reader. This says to me that this journalist didn’t even do basic fact checking (e.g., Google subject’s name to see how it is spelled) nor had a copy editor look at his copy (copy editors routinely check spelling and other facts).\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Lack of quality control</strong>\r\n\r\nToo many times people overestimate their abilities and don’t take the step to have another person read/proof their work. Sometimes, there simply is no process in place to create a quality check before a communication goes out to the public.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nMistakes hurt your credibility. You can minimize the damage by creating a proofreading/fact checking/copy editing process that you follow before sending or publishing every single piece of public communication.','Proofing to improve your credibility','','publish','open','open','','proofing-to-improve-your-credibility','','','2022-04-07 15:28:51','2022-04-07 19:28:51','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4261',0,'post','',0),
(4251,4,'2022-02-22 11:24:52','2022-02-22 16:24:52','<strong>Improving marketing means making it effective</strong>\r\n\r\nIt’s not enough for your marketing efforts to include a clever headline, a fantastic design or great graphics. Your marketing communications need to be effective. To be effective, your communications must <em>resonate</em> with your intended audience. That is,  audiences must <em>understand</em> what you are saying, <em>agree</em> with the premise, and then <em>act </em> (e.g., buy your product, donate to your cause, vote for your candidate).\r\n\r\nBut sometimes, marketing communications efforts don’t achieve their goals. Here are three actions you can take that are guaranteed to improve your efforts. And improving your marketing communications could improve your results.\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Explain the why</strong>\r\n\r\nYour primary task is to explain why your customer should do business with you. Is it because you have the best quality,  the best prices, the highest reliability? Do you solve an issue your customer has? You also have to establish why someone would choose your organization over another organization that does the same thing.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Use plain language</strong>\r\n\r\nPlain language is about making it easy to understand what you are saying. Perhaps you think using big words and industry terms makes you look more knowledgeable. It doesn’t. It makes it harder for your audience to understand what you are saying. So lose the jargon and the multi-syllable words. Focus on making things easy to read and understand.\r\n\r\n(Read my post on plain language: <a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2021/11/people-should-understand/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">People should understand</a>)\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Pay attention to details</strong>\r\n\r\nThe other day three packages were delivered to my door. I wasn’t expecting anything, and when I opened the door, I saw none of them were for me. The delivery truck  was still outside so I called out to the driver. She claimed that the GPS sent her to my house. The house number on the packages was the same as my house, but not the street. If you don’t pay attention to details, you end up delivering packages to the wrong address.\r\n\r\nYou have to check and double check. Fact check and proofread everything, from the headline or the subject line to the website link to the caption. EVERYTHING. If you don’t, you risk making sloppy mistakes.\r\n\r\nMistakes (sloppy or factual) result in lost credibility. Lost credibility results in lost support. Yes, details do matter.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nHere\'s the bottom line: Prioritize the basics of communications to improve your marketing efforts and boost your results.','3 actions to improve your marketing communications','','publish','open','open','','3-actions-to-improve-your-marketing-communications','','','2022-02-22 14:12:09','2022-02-22 19:12:09','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4251',0,'post','',0),
(4252,4,'2022-02-22 11:21:29','2022-02-22 16:21:29','<strong>Improving marketing means making it effective</strong>\r\n\r\nIt’s not enough for your marketing efforts to include a clever headline, a fantastic design or great graphics. Your marketing communications need to be effective. To be effective, your communications must <em>resonate</em> with your intended audience. That is,  audiences must <em>understand</em> what you are saying, <em>agree</em> with the premise, and then <em>act </em> (e.g., buy your product, donate to your cause, vote for your candidate).\r\n\r\nBut sometimes, marketing communications efforts don’t achieve their goals. Here are three actions you can take that are guaranteed to improve your efforts. And improving your marketing communications could improve your results.\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Explain the why</strong>\r\n\r\nYour primary task is to explain why your customer should do business with you. Is it because you have the best quality,  the best prices, the highest reliability? Do you solve an issue your customer has? You also have to establish why someone would choose your organization over another organization that does the same thing.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Use plain language</strong>\r\n\r\nPlain language is about making it easy to understand what you are saying. Perhaps you think using big words and industry terms makes you look more knowledgeable. It doesn’t. It makes it harder for your audience to understand what you are saying. So lose the jargon and the multi-syllable words. Focus on making things easy to read and understand.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Pay attention to details</strong>\r\n\r\nThe other day three packages were delivered to my door. I wasn’t expecting anything, and when I opened the door, I saw none of them were for me. The delivery truck  was still outside so I called out to the driver. She claimed that the GPS sent her to my house. The house number on the packages was the same as my house, but not the street. If you don’t pay attention to details, you end up delivering a package to the wrong address.\r\n\r\nYou have to check and double check. Fact check and proofread everything, from the headline or the subject line to the website link to the caption. EVERYTHING. If you don’t, you risk making sloppy mistakes.\r\n\r\nMistakes (sloppy or factual) result in lost credibility. Lost credibility results in lost support. Yes, details do matter.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nHere\'s the bottom line: Prioritize the basics of communications to improve your marketing efforts and boost your results.','3 actions to improve your marketing communications','','inherit','closed','closed','','4251-revision-v1','','','2022-02-22 11:21:29','2022-02-22 16:21:29','',4251,'https://deborahbrody.com/2022/02/4251-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4253,4,'2022-02-22 11:24:52','2022-02-22 16:24:52','<strong>Improving marketing means making it effective</strong>\r\n\r\nIt’s not enough for your marketing efforts to include a clever headline, a fantastic design or great graphics. Your marketing communications need to be effective. To be effective, your communications must <em>resonate</em> with your intended audience. That is,  audiences must <em>understand</em> what you are saying, <em>agree</em> with the premise, and then <em>act </em> (e.g., buy your product, donate to your cause, vote for your candidate).\r\n\r\nBut sometimes, marketing communications efforts don’t achieve their goals. Here are three actions you can take that are guaranteed to improve your efforts. And improving your marketing communications could improve your results.\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Explain the why</strong>\r\n\r\nYour primary task is to explain why your customer should do business with you. Is it because you have the best quality,  the best prices, the highest reliability? Do you solve an issue your customer has? You also have to establish why someone would choose your organization over another organization that does the same thing.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Use plain language</strong>\r\n\r\nPlain language is about making it easy to understand what you are saying. Perhaps you think using big words and industry terms makes you look more knowledgeable. It doesn’t. It makes it harder for your audience to understand what you are saying. So lose the jargon and the multi-syllable words. Focus on making things easy to read and understand.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Pay attention to details</strong>\r\n\r\nThe other day three packages were delivered to my door. I wasn’t expecting anything, and when I opened the door, I saw none of them were for me. The delivery truck  was still outside so I called out to the driver. She claimed that the GPS sent her to my house. The house number on the packages was the same as my house, but not the street. If you don’t pay attention to details, you end up delivering packages to the wrong address.\r\n\r\nYou have to check and double check. Fact check and proofread everything, from the headline or the subject line to the website link to the caption. EVERYTHING. If you don’t, you risk making sloppy mistakes.\r\n\r\nMistakes (sloppy or factual) result in lost credibility. Lost credibility results in lost support. Yes, details do matter.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nHere\'s the bottom line: Prioritize the basics of communications to improve your marketing efforts and boost your results.','3 actions to improve your marketing communications','','inherit','closed','closed','','4251-revision-v1','','','2022-02-22 11:24:52','2022-02-22 16:24:52','',4251,'https://deborahbrody.com/2022/02/4251-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4254,4,'2022-02-22 14:11:36','2022-02-22 19:11:36','<strong>Improving marketing means making it effective</strong>\n\nIt’s not enough for your marketing efforts to include a clever headline, a fantastic design or great graphics. Your marketing communications need to be effective. To be effective, your communications must <em>resonate</em> with your intended audience. That is,  audiences must <em>understand</em> what you are saying, <em>agree</em> with the premise, and then <em>act </em> (e.g., buy your product, donate to your cause, vote for your candidate).\n\nBut sometimes, marketing communications efforts don’t achieve their goals. Here are three actions you can take that are guaranteed to improve your efforts. And improving your marketing communications could improve your results.\n\n<strong>1. Explain the why</strong>\n\nYour primary task is to explain why your customer should do business with you. Is it because you have the best quality,  the best prices, the highest reliability? Do you solve an issue your customer has? You also have to establish why someone would choose your organization over another organization that does the same thing.\n\n<strong>2. Use plain language</strong>\n\nPlain language is about making it easy to understand what you are saying. Perhaps you think using big words and industry terms makes you look more knowledgeable. It doesn’t. It makes it harder for your audience to understand what you are saying. So lose the jargon and the multi-syllable words. Focus on making things easy to read and understand.\n\n(Read my post on plain language: People should unders\n\n<strong>3. Pay attention to details</strong>\n\nThe other day three packages were delivered to my door. I wasn’t expecting anything, and when I opened the door, I saw none of them were for me. The delivery truck  was still outside so I called out to the driver. She claimed that the GPS sent her to my house. The house number on the packages was the same as my house, but not the street. If you don’t pay attention to details, you end up delivering packages to the wrong address.\n\nYou have to check and double check. Fact check and proofread everything, from the headline or the subject line to the website link to the caption. EVERYTHING. If you don’t, you risk making sloppy mistakes.\n\nMistakes (sloppy or factual) result in lost credibility. Lost credibility results in lost support. Yes, details do matter.\n\n<hr />\n\nHere\'s the bottom line: Prioritize the basics of communications to improve your marketing efforts and boost your results.','3 actions to improve your marketing communications','','inherit','closed','closed','','4251-autosave-v1','','','2022-02-22 14:11:36','2022-02-22 19:11:36','',4251,'https://deborahbrody.com/2022/02/4251-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4255,4,'2022-02-22 14:12:09','2022-02-22 19:12:09','<strong>Improving marketing means making it effective</strong>\r\n\r\nIt’s not enough for your marketing efforts to include a clever headline, a fantastic design or great graphics. Your marketing communications need to be effective. To be effective, your communications must <em>resonate</em> with your intended audience. That is,  audiences must <em>understand</em> what you are saying, <em>agree</em> with the premise, and then <em>act </em> (e.g., buy your product, donate to your cause, vote for your candidate).\r\n\r\nBut sometimes, marketing communications efforts don’t achieve their goals. Here are three actions you can take that are guaranteed to improve your efforts. And improving your marketing communications could improve your results.\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Explain the why</strong>\r\n\r\nYour primary task is to explain why your customer should do business with you. Is it because you have the best quality,  the best prices, the highest reliability? Do you solve an issue your customer has? You also have to establish why someone would choose your organization over another organization that does the same thing.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Use plain language</strong>\r\n\r\nPlain language is about making it easy to understand what you are saying. Perhaps you think using big words and industry terms makes you look more knowledgeable. It doesn’t. It makes it harder for your audience to understand what you are saying. So lose the jargon and the multi-syllable words. Focus on making things easy to read and understand.\r\n\r\n(Read my post on plain language: <a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2021/11/people-should-understand/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">People should understand</a>)\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Pay attention to details</strong>\r\n\r\nThe other day three packages were delivered to my door. I wasn’t expecting anything, and when I opened the door, I saw none of them were for me. The delivery truck  was still outside so I called out to the driver. She claimed that the GPS sent her to my house. The house number on the packages was the same as my house, but not the street. If you don’t pay attention to details, you end up delivering packages to the wrong address.\r\n\r\nYou have to check and double check. Fact check and proofread everything, from the headline or the subject line to the website link to the caption. EVERYTHING. If you don’t, you risk making sloppy mistakes.\r\n\r\nMistakes (sloppy or factual) result in lost credibility. Lost credibility results in lost support. Yes, details do matter.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nHere\'s the bottom line: Prioritize the basics of communications to improve your marketing efforts and boost your results.','3 actions to improve your marketing communications','','inherit','closed','closed','','4251-revision-v1','','','2022-02-22 14:12:09','2022-02-22 19:12:09','',4251,'https://deborahbrody.com/2022/02/4251-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4262,4,'2022-04-07 12:08:22','2022-04-07 16:08:22','','pexels-george-becker-374918','','inherit','open','closed','','pexels-george-becker-374918','','','2022-04-07 12:08:22','2022-04-07 16:08:22','',4261,'https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/pexels-george-becker-374918.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(4263,4,'2022-04-07 12:09:27','2022-04-07 16:09:27','It seems not a day goes by without me spotting at least one typo or other error in blog posts, newsletters and other communications (generally the digital type). I’ve even seen errors on the chyrons for the local news.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/pexels-george-becker-374918.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4262\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/pexels-george-becker-374918-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\n\r\nHere’s a sampling from the past couple of weeks:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">In a subheadline on a TV news website, it said baht instead of bath (and spellcheck didn’t pick it up because baht is the currency in Thailand).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">On a headline on WETA’s Tellyvision blog, there’s mention in a headline about the new season of a show called Saniton (which, in actuality is called Sanditon). (I just checked and this typo has been fixed).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">In a newsletter from a restaurant it says a new menu will debut on Wedensday.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">The call to action button on a communications agency’s newsletter says “Read the full case study on our wesite”</p>\r\nThose are glaringly obvious typos. There are many other not-so-glaring mistakes on stuff such as grammar (e.g., using the wrong pronouns or having a dangling modifier) and wrong information (e.g., saying an event is taking place on Tuesday when it is really taking place on Thursday).\r\n\r\nIt’s human to make mistakes. We all do it.  But when you make mistakes on professional or official communications, it undermines your credibility. It makes you look unprofessional, and sometimes it makes you look ignorant.\r\n\r\nThis need for checking your work is summarized beautifully in the article <a href=\"https://contently.net/2021/10/27/resources/content-marketing-writers-editors-fact-checking/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“Why Marketing Writers and Editors Need to Master Fact-Checking”</a>  on The Freelance Creative when it says:\r\n<blockquote>“The more reliable and high-quality [the content] is for readers, the more it confers trust in and value of the brand behind it,” Dimond said. “If a reader can’t depend on the basic facts of a blog post, it’s a clear message that they can’t trust the brand.”</blockquote>\r\nAnd yet I’ve noticed more mistakes lately than ever. It seems nobody is bothering to proofread, let alone fact check or copy edit.\r\n\r\nWhat is causing this?\r\n\r\nI think there are three reasons that account for the avalanche of mistakes I’ve seen lately.\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Speed</strong>\r\n\r\nThe biggest culprit is most likely speed. People are under pressure to get things done quickly, at the pace of social media. But rushing to get a newsletter out or post an article invariably leads to sloppy or no proofreading.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. You don’t know what you don’t know and you don’t even know to ask</strong>\r\n\r\nI got a newsletter today from a journalist. In it, he writes he made a mistake spelling a subject’s name in yesterdays newsletter which was pointed out to him by a reader. This says to me that this journalist didn’t even do basic fact checking (e.g., Google subject’s name to see how it is spelled) nor had a copy editor look at his copy (copy editors routinely check spelling and other facts).\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Lack of quality control</strong>\r\n\r\nToo many times people overestimate their abilities and don’t take the step to have another person read their work. Or there simply is no process in place that creates a check before a communication goes out to the public.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nMistakes hurt your credibility. You can minimize the damage by having a proofreading/fact checking/copy editing process in place for every public communication.','Proofing to improve your credibility','','inherit','closed','closed','','4261-revision-v1','','','2022-04-07 12:09:27','2022-04-07 16:09:27','',4261,'https://deborahbrody.com/2022/04/4261-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4264,4,'2022-04-07 15:14:14','2022-04-07 19:14:14','It seems not a day goes by without me spotting at least one typo or other error in blog posts, newsletters and other communications (generally the digital type). I’ve even seen errors on the chyrons for the local news.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/pexels-george-becker-374918.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4262\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/pexels-george-becker-374918-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\n\r\nHere’s a sampling from the past couple of weeks:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">In a sub-headline on a TV news website, it said <strong>baht</strong> instead of bath (and spellcheck didn’t pick it up because baht is the currency in Thailand).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">On a headline on WETA’s Tellyvisions blog, there’s mention in a headline about the new season of a show called <strong>Saniton</strong> (which, in actuality is called Sanditon). (I just checked and this typo has been fixed).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">In a newsletter from a restaurant it says a new menu will debut on <strong>Wedensday</strong>.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">The call to action button on a communications agency’s newsletter says “Read the full case study on our <strong>wesite</strong>”</p>\r\nThose are glaringly obvious typos. There are many other not-so-glaring mistakes on stuff such as grammar (e.g., using the wrong pronouns or having a dangling modifier) and wrong information (e.g., saying an event is taking place on Tuesday when it is really taking place on Thursday).\r\n\r\nIt’s human to make mistakes. We all do it.  But when you make mistakes on professional or official communications, it undermines your credibility. It makes you look unprofessional, and sometimes it makes you look ignorant.\r\n\r\nThis need for checking your work is summarized beautifully in the article <a href=\"https://contently.net/2021/10/27/resources/content-marketing-writers-editors-fact-checking/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“Why Marketing Writers and Editors Need to Master Fact-Checking”</a>  on The Freelance Creative when it says:\r\n<blockquote>“The more reliable and high-quality [the content] is for readers, the more it confers trust in and value of the brand behind it,” Dimond said. “If a reader can’t depend on the basic facts of a blog post, it’s a clear message that they can’t trust the brand.”</blockquote>\r\nAnd yet I’ve noticed more mistakes lately than ever. It seems nobody is bothering to proofread, let alone fact check or copy edit.\r\n\r\nWhat is causing this?\r\n\r\nI think there are three reasons that account for the avalanche of mistakes I’ve seen lately.\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Speed</strong>\r\n\r\nThe biggest culprit is most likely speed. People are under pressure to get things done quickly, at the pace of social media. But rushing to get a newsletter out or post an article invariably leads to sloppy or no proofreading.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. You don’t know what you don’t know and you don’t even know to ask</strong>\r\n\r\nI got a newsletter a few days ago from a journalist. In it, he writes he made a mistake spelling a subject’s name in the previous day\'s newsletter, something which was pointed out to him by a reader. This says to me that this journalist didn’t even do basic fact checking (e.g., Google subject’s name to see how it is spelled) nor had a copy editor look at his copy (copy editors routinely check spelling and other facts).\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Lack of quality control</strong>\r\n\r\nToo many times people overestimate their abilities and don’t take the step to have another person read their work. Or there simply is no process in place that creates a check before a communication goes out to the public.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nMistakes hurt your credibility. You can minimize the damage by creating a proofreading/fact checking/copy editing process that you follow before sending or publishing every single piece of public communication.','Proofing to improve your credibility','','inherit','closed','closed','','4261-revision-v1','','','2022-04-07 15:14:14','2022-04-07 19:14:14','',4261,'https://deborahbrody.com/2022/04/4261-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4265,4,'2022-04-07 15:27:37','2022-04-07 19:27:37','It seems not a day goes by without me spotting at least one typo or other error in blog posts, newsletters and other communications (generally the digital type). I’ve even seen errors on the chyrons for the local news.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/pexels-george-becker-374918.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4262\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/pexels-george-becker-374918-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\n\r\nHere’s a sampling from the past couple of weeks:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">In a sub-headline on a TV news website, it said <strong>baht</strong> instead of bath (and spellcheck didn’t pick it up because baht is the currency in Thailand).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">On a headline on WETA’s Tellyvisions blog, there’s mention regarding the new season of a show called <strong>Saniton</strong> (which, in actuality is called Sanditon). (I just checked and this typo has been fixed).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">In a newsletter from a restaurant it says a new menu will debut on <strong>Wedensday</strong>.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">The call-to-action button on a communications agency’s newsletter says, “Read the full case study on our <strong>wesite.</strong>”</p>\r\nThose are glaringly obvious typos. There are many other not-so-glaring mistakes on stuff such as grammar (e.g., using the wrong pronouns or having a dangling modifier) and wrong information (e.g., saying an event is taking place on Tuesday when it is really taking place on Thursday).\r\n\r\nIt’s human to make mistakes. We all do it.  But when you make mistakes on professional or official communications, it undermines your credibility. It makes you look unprofessional, and sometimes it makes you look ignorant.\r\n\r\nThis need for checking your work is summarized beautifully in the The Freelance Creative article <a href=\"https://contently.net/2021/10/27/resources/content-marketing-writers-editors-fact-checking/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“Why Marketing Writers and Editors Need to Master Fact-Checking”</a> when it says:\r\n<blockquote>“The more reliable and high-quality [the content] is for readers, the more it confers trust in and value of the brand behind it,” Dimond said. “If a reader can’t depend on the basic facts of a blog post, it’s a clear message that they can’t trust the brand.”</blockquote>\r\nIn other words, copy that is accurate and error-free helps build your brand. Yet lately, I’ve noticed more mistakes  than ever. It seems nobody is bothering to proofread, let alone fact check or copy edit.\r\n\r\nWhat is causing this?\r\n\r\nI think there are three reasons that account for the avalanche of mistakes I’ve seen lately:\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Speed</strong>\r\n\r\nThe biggest culprit is most likely speed. People are under pressure to get things done quickly, at the pace of social media. But rushing to get a newsletter out or post an article invariably leads to sloppy or no proofreading.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. You don’t know what you don’t know and you don’t even know to ask</strong>\r\n\r\nI got a newsletter a few days ago from a journalist. In it, he writes he made a mistake spelling a subject’s name in the previous day\'s newsletter, something which was pointed out to him by a reader. This says to me that this journalist didn’t even do basic fact checking (e.g., Google subject’s name to see how it is spelled) nor had a copy editor look at his copy (copy editors routinely check spelling and other facts).\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Lack of quality control</strong>\r\n\r\nToo many times people overestimate their abilities and don’t take the step to have another person read/proof their work. Sometimes, there simply is no process in place to create a quality check before a communication goes out to the public.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nMistakes hurt your credibility. You can minimize the damage by creating a proofreading/fact checking/copy editing process that you follow before sending or publishing every single piece of public communication.','Proofing to improve your credibility','','inherit','closed','closed','','4261-revision-v1','','','2022-04-07 15:27:37','2022-04-07 19:27:37','',4261,'https://deborahbrody.com/2022/04/4261-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4271,4,'2022-05-25 13:45:45','2022-05-25 17:45:45','<strong>What are you trying to accomplish?</strong>\r\n\r\nRecently, I saw a query on a listserv looking for a copy editor. The author said she needed a “basic proof” done for spelling, grammar, and for the “missed half sentence in the middle of a paragraph.” In fact, she didn’t need a copy editor—what she needed was a proofreader. Proofreading is a different skill than copy editing. While copy editors can be proofreaders, that is not their main function.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/pexels-rodnae-productions-76480341.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4272\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/pexels-rodnae-productions-76480341-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>How to get your writing from draft to finished product</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen you are creating any type of written work, you should follow these steps:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>Write a rough draft</li>\r\n 	<li>Review and rewrite</li>\r\n 	<li>Copy edit</li>\r\n 	<li>Incorporate edits</li>\r\n 	<li>Produce final document</li>\r\n 	<li>Proofread</li>\r\n 	<li>Publish</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<strong> What is copy editing?</strong>\r\n\r\nCopy editing reviews your work for clarity, consistency, style, and accuracy. This can include everything from fact checking to rearranging copy for flow to flagging duplicate content.  Copy editing allows your thoughts to be expressed in the clearest way possible. A thorough copy editing job will shore up your thesis by making sure your main points are clear and supported.\r\n\r\n<strong>What is proofreading?</strong>\r\n\r\nProofreading checks your copy for errors, such as typos, misspellings, and missing punctuation. The best proofreaders will  fact check to make sure dates and numbers are accurate, and names are spelled correctly. Proofreading does not rearrange your copy unless it is a spacing issue. More importantly, proofreading is not designed to make your writing clearer but to ensure your copy is error-free.\r\n\r\nKeep in mind that using your word processor’s spell check is not the same as proofreading. Spell check checks the spelling of a word, not its usage. For example, you could\'ve typed \"fair\" instead of \"fare\" in an article about subway prices, and though the word is spelled correctly, it is not used correctly.\r\n\r\n<strong>So many (preventable) mistakes</strong>\r\n\r\nToo many folks skip the copy editing and think that they can get by with doing a proofreading. For sure, you should always proofread, since it prevents your work from being riddled with typos and other embarrassing mistakes. A copy edit would improve the content.\r\n\r\nHere\'s a sampling of errors I\'ve collected over the past few days.  Proofreading before publishing would\'ve prevented these:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Using the word<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong> isles</strong></span> instead of aisles in an article in today’s <em>Washington Post</em>.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">A email subject line that says “Stay on top of the governor’s <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>rack</strong></span>” (instead of race).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Or an email that tells me to “<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Pre oreder</strong></span> your set today.”</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Or a survey (from a professional editing association, no less) answer option that says “Professional <strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Devlopment</span></strong>”</p>\r\nAnd so many more. It’s as if most organizations have given up on proofreading. Perhaps they don’t think it’s worth the time, effort, or cost.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nBottom line: If you take your work seriously and want to give it credibility, spend the effort required to get your work both copy edited and proofread before you publish.','Do you need a proofreader or a copy editor?','','publish','open','open','','do-you-need-a-proofreader-or-a-copy-editor','','','2022-05-25 13:45:45','2022-05-25 17:45:45','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4271',0,'post','',0),
(4272,4,'2022-05-25 08:45:56','2022-05-25 12:45:56','','pexels-rodnae-productions-7648034(1)','','inherit','open','closed','','pexels-rodnae-productions-76480341','','','2022-05-25 08:45:56','2022-05-25 12:45:56','',4271,'https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/pexels-rodnae-productions-76480341.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(4273,4,'2022-05-25 08:48:33','2022-05-25 12:48:33','<strong>What are you trying to accomplish?</strong>\r\n\r\nRecently, I saw a query on a listserv looking for a copy editor. The author said she needed a “basic proof” done for spelling, grammar and  for the “missed half sentence in the middle of a paragraph.” In fact, she didn’t need a copy editor. What she needed was a proofreader. Proofreading is a different skill than copy editing. While copy editors can be proofreaders, that is not their main function.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/pexels-rodnae-productions-76480341.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4272\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/pexels-rodnae-productions-76480341-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>How to get your writing from draft to finished product</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen you are creating any type of written work, you should follow these steps:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>Write a rough draft</li>\r\n 	<li>Review and rewrite</li>\r\n 	<li>Copy edit</li>\r\n 	<li>Incorporate edits</li>\r\n 	<li>Produce final document</li>\r\n 	<li>Proofread</li>\r\n 	<li>Publish</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<strong> What is copy editing?</strong>\r\n\r\nCopy editing reviews your work for clarity, consistency, style, and accuracy. This can include everything from fact checking to rearranging copy for flow to flagging duplicate content.  Copy editing allows your thoughts to be expressed in the clearest way possible. A thorough copy editing job will shore up your thesis, making sure your main points are clear and supported.\r\n\r\n<strong>What is proofreading?</strong>\r\n\r\nProofreading checks your copy for errors, such as typos, misspellings, missing punctuation.\r\n\r\nProofreading does not rearrange your copy. It does not make it clearer. It makes sure your copy is error-free. The best proofreaders will fact check to make sure dates and numbers are accurate.\r\n\r\n<strong>Why you shouldn’t skip copy editing OR proofreading</strong>\r\n\r\nToo many folks skip the copy editing and think proofreading will solve their issues. It does not. It does prevent typos and other glaring (and embarrassing mistakes).\r\n\r\nKeep in mind that your word processor’s spell check is not proofreading. Spell check checks the spelling of a word, not its usage. You might have written fair instead of fare and it is spelled correctly, but it is not used correctly.\r\n\r\n<strong>So many (preventable) mistakes</strong>\r\n\r\nToo many publishers skip proofreading, which is how we end up mistakes such as:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">The word isles instead of aisles in today’s Washington Post.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">A subject line that says “Stay on top of the governor’s rack” (instead of race)</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">or another email that tells me to: “Pre oreder your set today”</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Or a survey (from a professional editing association no less) option that says “Professional Devlopment”\r\n\r\n</p>\r\nAnd so many more. It’s as if most organizations have given up on proofreading. Perhaps they don’t think it’s worth the time, effort or cost.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nBottom line: If you take your work seriously and want to give it credibility spend the time and the money to get your work copy edited and proofread before you publish.','Do you need a proofreader or a copy editor?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4271-revision-v1','','','2022-05-25 08:48:33','2022-05-25 12:48:33','',4271,'https://deborahbrody.com/2022/05/4271-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4275,4,'2022-05-25 12:01:47','2022-05-25 16:01:47','<strong>What are you trying to accomplish?</strong>\r\n\r\nRecently, I saw a query on a listserv looking for a copy editor. The author said she needed a “basic proof” done for spelling, grammar and  for the “missed half sentence in the middle of a paragraph.” In fact, she didn’t need a copy editor—what she needed was a proofreader. Proofreading is a different skill than copy editing. While copy editors can be proofreaders, that is not their main function.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/pexels-rodnae-productions-76480341.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4272\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/pexels-rodnae-productions-76480341-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>How to get your writing from draft to finished product</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen you are creating any type of written work, you should follow these steps:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>Write a rough draft</li>\r\n 	<li>Review and rewrite</li>\r\n 	<li>Copy edit</li>\r\n 	<li>Incorporate edits</li>\r\n 	<li>Produce final document</li>\r\n 	<li>Proofread</li>\r\n 	<li>Publish</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<strong> What is copy editing?</strong>\r\n\r\nCopy editing reviews your work for clarity, consistency, style, and accuracy. This can include everything from fact checking to rearranging copy for flow to flagging duplicate content.  Copy editing allows your thoughts to be expressed in the clearest way possible. A thorough copy editing job will shore up your thesis by making sure your main points are clear and supported.\r\n\r\n<strong>What is proofreading?</strong>\r\n\r\nProofreading checks your copy for errors, such as typos, misspellings, and missing punctuation.The best proofreaders will  fact check to make sure dates and numbers are accurate, and names are spelled correctly. Proofreading does not rearrange your copy unless it is a spacing issue. More importantly, proofreading is not designed to make your writing clearer but to ensure your copy is error-free.\r\n\r\nKeep in mind that using your word processor’s spell check is not the same as proofreading. Spell check checks the spelling of a word, not its usage. You might have written fair instead of fare and it is spelled correctly, but it is not used correctly.\r\n\r\n<strong>So many (preventable) mistakes</strong>\r\n\r\nToo many folks skip the copy editing and think proofreading will solve their issues. It does not. Proofreading does prevent typos and other embarrassing mistakes. Here\'s a sampling from the past few days of errors that a proofreader would\'ve prevented:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">The word isles instead of aisles in today’s <em>Washington Post</em>.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">A email subject line that says “Stay on top of the governor’s rack” (instead of race).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Or an email that tells me to “Pre oreder your set today.”</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Or a survey (from a professional editing association, no less) answer option that says “Professional Devlopment”</p>\r\nAnd so many more. It’s as if most organizations have given up on proofreading. Perhaps they don’t think it’s worth the time, effort, or cost.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nBottom line: If you take your work seriously and want to give it credibility spend the time and the money to get your work both copy edited and proofread before you publish.','Do you need a proofreader or a copy editor?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4271-revision-v1','','','2022-05-25 12:01:47','2022-05-25 16:01:47','',4271,'https://deborahbrody.com/2022/05/4271-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4276,4,'2022-05-25 13:37:07','2022-05-25 17:37:07','<strong>What are you trying to accomplish?</strong>\r\n\r\nRecently, I saw a query on a listserv looking for a copy editor. The author said she needed a “basic proof” done for spelling, grammar, and for the “missed half sentence in the middle of a paragraph.” In fact, she didn’t need a copy editor—what she needed was a proofreader. Proofreading is a different skill than copy editing. While copy editors can be proofreaders, that is not their main function.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/pexels-rodnae-productions-76480341.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4272\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/pexels-rodnae-productions-76480341-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>How to get your writing from draft to finished product</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen you are creating any type of written work, you should follow these steps:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>Write a rough draft</li>\r\n 	<li>Review and rewrite</li>\r\n 	<li>Copy edit</li>\r\n 	<li>Incorporate edits</li>\r\n 	<li>Produce final document</li>\r\n 	<li>Proofread</li>\r\n 	<li>Publish</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<strong> What is copy editing?</strong>\r\n\r\nCopy editing reviews your work for clarity, consistency, style, and accuracy. This can include everything from fact checking to rearranging copy for flow to flagging duplicate content.  Copy editing allows your thoughts to be expressed in the clearest way possible. A thorough copy editing job will shore up your thesis by making sure your main points are clear and supported.\r\n\r\n<strong>What is proofreading?</strong>\r\n\r\nProofreading checks your copy for errors, such as typos, misspellings, and missing punctuation. The best proofreaders will  fact check to make sure dates and numbers are accurate, and names are spelled correctly. Proofreading does not rearrange your copy unless it is a spacing issue. More importantly, proofreading is not designed to make your writing clearer but to ensure your copy is error-free.\r\n\r\nKeep in mind that using your word processor’s spell check is not the same as proofreading. Spell check checks the spelling of a word, not its usage. For example, you could\'ve typed \"fair\" instead of \"fare\" in an article about subway prices, and though the word is spelled correctly, it is not used correctly.\r\n\r\n<strong>So many (preventable) mistakes</strong>\r\n\r\nToo many folks skip the copy editing and think that they can get by with doing a proofreading. For sure, you should always proofread, since it prevents your work from being riddled with typos and other embarrassing mistakes. A copy edit would improve the content.\r\n\r\nHere\'s a sampling of errors I\'ve collected over the past few days of errors. Using a proofreader would\'ve prevented these:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Using the word isles instead of aisles in an article in today’s <em>Washington Post</em>.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">A email subject line that says “Stay on top of the governor’s rack” (instead of race).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Or an email that tells me to “Pre oreder your set today.”</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Or a survey (from a professional editing association, no less) answer option that says “Professional Devlopment”</p>\r\nAnd so many more. It’s as if most organizations have given up on proofreading. Perhaps they don’t think it’s worth the time, effort, or cost.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nBottom line: If you take your work seriously and want to give it credibility spend the time and the money to get your work both copy edited and proofread before you publish.','Do you need a proofreader or a copy editor?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4271-revision-v1','','','2022-05-25 13:37:07','2022-05-25 17:37:07','',4271,'https://deborahbrody.com/2022/05/4271-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4277,4,'2022-05-25 13:45:45','2022-05-25 17:45:45','<strong>What are you trying to accomplish?</strong>\r\n\r\nRecently, I saw a query on a listserv looking for a copy editor. The author said she needed a “basic proof” done for spelling, grammar, and for the “missed half sentence in the middle of a paragraph.” In fact, she didn’t need a copy editor—what she needed was a proofreader. Proofreading is a different skill than copy editing. While copy editors can be proofreaders, that is not their main function.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/pexels-rodnae-productions-76480341.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4272\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/pexels-rodnae-productions-76480341-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>How to get your writing from draft to finished product</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen you are creating any type of written work, you should follow these steps:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>Write a rough draft</li>\r\n 	<li>Review and rewrite</li>\r\n 	<li>Copy edit</li>\r\n 	<li>Incorporate edits</li>\r\n 	<li>Produce final document</li>\r\n 	<li>Proofread</li>\r\n 	<li>Publish</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<strong> What is copy editing?</strong>\r\n\r\nCopy editing reviews your work for clarity, consistency, style, and accuracy. This can include everything from fact checking to rearranging copy for flow to flagging duplicate content.  Copy editing allows your thoughts to be expressed in the clearest way possible. A thorough copy editing job will shore up your thesis by making sure your main points are clear and supported.\r\n\r\n<strong>What is proofreading?</strong>\r\n\r\nProofreading checks your copy for errors, such as typos, misspellings, and missing punctuation. The best proofreaders will  fact check to make sure dates and numbers are accurate, and names are spelled correctly. Proofreading does not rearrange your copy unless it is a spacing issue. More importantly, proofreading is not designed to make your writing clearer but to ensure your copy is error-free.\r\n\r\nKeep in mind that using your word processor’s spell check is not the same as proofreading. Spell check checks the spelling of a word, not its usage. For example, you could\'ve typed \"fair\" instead of \"fare\" in an article about subway prices, and though the word is spelled correctly, it is not used correctly.\r\n\r\n<strong>So many (preventable) mistakes</strong>\r\n\r\nToo many folks skip the copy editing and think that they can get by with doing a proofreading. For sure, you should always proofread, since it prevents your work from being riddled with typos and other embarrassing mistakes. A copy edit would improve the content.\r\n\r\nHere\'s a sampling of errors I\'ve collected over the past few days.  Proofreading before publishing would\'ve prevented these:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Using the word<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong> isles</strong></span> instead of aisles in an article in today’s <em>Washington Post</em>.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">A email subject line that says “Stay on top of the governor’s <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>rack</strong></span>” (instead of race).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Or an email that tells me to “<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Pre oreder</strong></span> your set today.”</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Or a survey (from a professional editing association, no less) answer option that says “Professional <strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Devlopment</span></strong>”</p>\r\nAnd so many more. It’s as if most organizations have given up on proofreading. Perhaps they don’t think it’s worth the time, effort, or cost.\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nBottom line: If you take your work seriously and want to give it credibility, spend the effort required to get your work both copy edited and proofread before you publish.','Do you need a proofreader or a copy editor?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4271-revision-v1','','','2022-05-25 13:45:45','2022-05-25 17:45:45','',4271,'https://deborahbrody.com/2022/05/4271-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4304,4,'2023-01-12 11:53:57','2023-01-12 16:53:57','It’s been [gasp] seven long months since I posted anything on this blog. Before my last post, I had been posting about monthly (ish), but it became harder to come up with good ideas. And I believe if you have nothing worthwhile to say (blog), then don’t say (blog) anything.\r\n\r\nBut here we are in a new year, and it is time for a fresh start. I need to jumpstart my blog, and here is how to do it.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do I really want to blog again?</strong>\r\n\r\nThe most crucial question to ask is do I really want to or need to start blogging again? There’s no getting around that blogging requires a good deal of work, commitment, and time. Perhaps you don’t have the resources to blog, or the motivation to do it consistently.\r\n\r\nIf you decide not to start blogging again, I recommend eliminating or at least hiding the blog from your website. An outdated blog is the equivalent of a dusty, cobweb covered office. When I visit a website, I always check on the blog to see when it was last updated, and if it hasn’t been updated in a while, I am not sure if the business or organization is still active.\r\n\r\n<strong>If you do want to blog, take these 5 steps:</strong>\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li><strong> Get clear on your motivation or goal for the blog. </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nRemember or reset your objective for blogging. What do you want to accomplish? It could be:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Thought leadership</li>\r\n 	<li>Lead generation</li>\r\n 	<li>Inform your target audience</li>\r\n 	<li>Advocate for a cause</li>\r\n 	<li>Provide added value for your customers</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol start=\"2\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Brainstorm topics and issues</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nOnce you know what you want to do, then you have to think of ideas or topics. I recommend setting up a brainstorming session (if you have a team, definitely get them involved). Start with topics/categories and then get down to specifics. For example, an animal defense charity could list topics such as: animal rights, endangered species, etc.  With that topic list in mind, start thinking of specific issues you want to cover, such as: new laws that are affecting animal rights, new additions to endangered species, , etc.\r\n<ol start=\"3\">\r\n 	<li><strong> List your keywords</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nBlogs still work to improve your search engine optimization (SEO). You may have a plug-in on your blog to help with SEO (such as All in one SEO or Yoast). However, you have to be strategic in your blogging and use keywords and key phrases that you want your website to rank for.  Take the time to do some <a href=\"https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo/keyword-research\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">keyword research</a> and then list your target keywords/key phrases.\r\n<ol start=\"4\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Set up an editorial calendar</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nWhen you put things in writing, you have a better chance that they get done. An editorial calendar is a great tool to make blogging happen. You will have an overview of what you want to write and when you will publish it. It doesn’t need to be complex or require special software.\r\n\r\nTo create an editorial calendar, set up a table or spreadsheet with these tabs (at minimum):\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Month/Date</li>\r\n 	<li>Topic/category</li>\r\n 	<li>Subject/working title</li>\r\n 	<li>Author</li>\r\n 	<li>Target keywords</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIf you need some inspiration, read<a href=\"https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/business-blog-editorial-calendar-templates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> “How to Create an Editorial Calendar [example + templates]”</a> on Hubspot or <a href=\"https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/articles/editorial-calendar-tools-templates/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\"Editorial Calendar Tools and Templates To Help You Master Your Content To-Do List\"</a> from the Content Marketing Institute.\r\n<ol start=\"5\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Find inspiration</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nTo make it easier to find relevant issues to write about, seek out inspiration. Here are a few ways to find inspiration:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Set up Google Alerts for your topics</li>\r\n 	<li>Follow relevant hashtags on social media</li>\r\n 	<li>Read industry publications</li>\r\n 	<li>Attend professional development events or presentations about your subject</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNow, you should be set to start blogging [again].','How to jumpstart your blog','','inherit','closed','closed','','4303-revision-v1','','','2023-01-12 11:53:57','2023-01-12 16:53:57','',4303,'https://deborahbrody.com/2023/01/4303-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4306,4,'2023-01-12 12:46:52','2023-01-12 17:46:52','It’s been [gasp] seven long months since I posted anything on this blog. Before my last post, I had been posting about monthly (ish), but it became harder to come up with good ideas. And I believe if you have nothing worthwhile to say (blog), then don’t say (blog) anything.\r\n\r\nBut here we are in a new year, and it is time for a fresh start. I need to jumpstart my blog, and here is how to do it.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do I really want to blog again?</strong>\r\n\r\nThe most crucial question to ask is: Do I really want to or need to start blogging again? There’s no getting around that blogging requires a good deal of work, commitment, and time. Perhaps you don’t have the resources to blog, or the motivation to do it consistently.\r\n\r\nIf you decide not to start blogging again, I recommend eliminating or at least hiding the blog from your website. An outdated blog is the equivalent of a dusty, cobweb covered office. When I visit a website, I always check on the blog to see when it was last updated, and if it hasn’t been updated in a while, I am not sure if the business or organization is still active.\r\n\r\n<strong>If you do want to blog, take these 5 steps:</strong>\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li><strong> Get clear on your motivation or goal for the blog. </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nRemember or reset your objective for blogging. What do you want to accomplish? It could be:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Thought leadership</li>\r\n 	<li>Lead generation</li>\r\n 	<li>Inform your target audience</li>\r\n 	<li>Advocate for a cause</li>\r\n 	<li>Provide added value for your customers</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol start=\"2\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Brainstorm topics and issues</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nOnce you know what you want to do, then you have to think of ideas or topics. I recommend setting up a brainstorming session (if you have a team, definitely get them involved). Start with topics/categories and then get down to specifics. For example, an animal defense charity could list topics such as: animal rights, endangered species, etc.  With that topic list in mind, start thinking of specific issues you want to cover, such as: new laws that are affecting animal rights, new additions to endangered species, , etc.\r\n<ol start=\"3\">\r\n 	<li><strong> List your keywords</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nBlogs still work to improve your search engine optimization (SEO). You may have a plug-in on your blog to help with SEO (e.g., All in One SEO, Yoast). However, you have to be strategic in your blogging and use keywords and key phrases that you want your website to rank for.  Take the time to do some <a href=\"https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo/keyword-research\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">keyword research</a> and then list your target keywords/key phrases.\r\n<ol start=\"4\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Set up an editorial calendar</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nWhen you put things in writing, you have a better chance that they get done. An editorial calendar is a great tool to make blogging happen. You will have an overview of what you want to write and when you will publish it. It doesn’t need to be complex or require special software.\r\n\r\nTo create an editorial calendar, set up a table or spreadsheet with these tabs (at minimum):\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Month/Date</li>\r\n 	<li>Topic/category</li>\r\n 	<li>Subject/working title</li>\r\n 	<li>Author</li>\r\n 	<li>Target keywords</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIf you need some additional information or templates, check out<a href=\"https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/business-blog-editorial-calendar-templates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> “How to Create an Editorial Calendar [example + templates]”</a> on Hubspot or <a href=\"https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/articles/editorial-calendar-tools-templates/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\"Editorial Calendar Tools and Templates To Help You Master Your Content To-Do List\"</a> from the Content Marketing Institute.\r\n<ol start=\"5\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Find inspiration</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nTo make it easier to find relevant issues to write about, seek out inspiration. Here are a few ways to find inspiration:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Set up Google Alerts for your topics</li>\r\n 	<li>Follow relevant hashtags on social media</li>\r\n 	<li>Read industry publications</li>\r\n 	<li>Attend professional development events or presentations about your subject</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNow, you should be set to start blogging [again].\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nPlease let me know in the comments if you\'ve stopped blogging and why, and whether you plan to restart your blog.','How to jumpstart your blog','','inherit','closed','closed','','4303-revision-v1','','','2023-01-12 12:46:52','2023-01-12 17:46:52','',4303,'https://deborahbrody.com/2023/01/4303-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4307,4,'2023-01-12 12:49:40','2023-01-12 17:49:40','It’s been [gasp] seven long months since I posted anything on this blog. Before my last post, I had been posting about monthly (ish), but it became harder to come up with good ideas. And I believe if you have nothing worthwhile to say (blog), then don’t say (blog) anything.\r\n\r\nBut here we are in a new year, and it is time for a fresh start. I need to jump-start my blog, and here is how to do it.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do I really want to blog again?</strong>\r\n\r\nThe most crucial question to ask is: Do I really want to or need to start blogging again? There’s no getting around that blogging requires a good deal of work, commitment, and time. Perhaps you don’t have the resources to blog, or the motivation to do it consistently.\r\n\r\nIf you decide not to start blogging again, I recommend eliminating or at least hiding the blog from your website. An outdated blog is the equivalent of a dusty, cobweb covered office. When I visit a website, I always check on the blog to see when it was last updated, and if it hasn’t been updated in a while, I am not sure if the business or organization is still active.\r\n\r\n<strong>If you do want to blog, take these 5 steps:</strong>\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li><strong> Get clear on your motivation or goal for the blog. </strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nRemember or reset your objective for blogging. What do you want to accomplish? It could be:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Thought leadership</li>\r\n 	<li>Lead generation</li>\r\n 	<li>Inform your target audience</li>\r\n 	<li>Advocate for a cause</li>\r\n 	<li>Provide added value for your customers</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ol start=\"2\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Brainstorm topics and issues</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nOnce you know what you want to do, then you have to think of ideas or topics. I recommend setting up a brainstorming session (if you have a team, definitely get them involved). Start with topics/categories and then get down to specifics. For example, an animal defense charity could list topics such as: animal rights, endangered species, etc.  With that topic list in mind, start thinking of specific issues you want to cover, such as: new laws that are affecting animal rights, new additions to endangered species, , etc.\r\n<ol start=\"3\">\r\n 	<li><strong> List your keywords</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nBlogs still work to improve your search engine optimization (SEO). You may have a plug-in on your blog to help with SEO (e.g., All in One SEO, Yoast). However, you have to be strategic in your blogging and use keywords and key phrases that you want your website to rank for.  Take the time to do some <a href=\"https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo/keyword-research\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">keyword research</a> and then list your target keywords/key phrases.\r\n<ol start=\"4\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Set up an editorial calendar</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nWhen you put things in writing, you have a better chance that they get done. An editorial calendar is a great tool to make blogging happen. You will have an overview of what you want to write and when you will publish it. It doesn’t need to be complex or require special software.\r\n\r\nTo create an editorial calendar, set up a table or spreadsheet with these tabs (at minimum):\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Month/Date</li>\r\n 	<li>Topic/category</li>\r\n 	<li>Subject/working title</li>\r\n 	<li>Author</li>\r\n 	<li>Target keywords</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIf you need some additional information or templates, check out<a href=\"https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/business-blog-editorial-calendar-templates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> “How to Create an Editorial Calendar [example + templates]”</a> on Hubspot or <a href=\"https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/articles/editorial-calendar-tools-templates/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\"Editorial Calendar Tools and Templates To Help You Master Your Content To-Do List\"</a> from the Content Marketing Institute.\r\n<ol start=\"5\">\r\n 	<li><strong> Find inspiration</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\nTo make it easier to find relevant issues to write about, seek out inspiration. Here are a few ways to find inspiration:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Set up Google Alerts for your topics</li>\r\n 	<li>Follow relevant hashtags on social media</li>\r\n 	<li>Read industry publications</li>\r\n 	<li>Attend professional development events or presentations about your subject</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNow, you should be set to start blogging [again].\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\nPlease let me know in the comments if you\'ve stopped blogging and why, and whether you plan to restart your blog.','How to jump-start your blog','','inherit','closed','closed','','4303-revision-v1','','','2023-01-12 12:49:40','2023-01-12 17:49:40','',4303,'https://deborahbrody.com/2023/01/4303-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4327,4,'2023-07-18 16:48:38','2023-07-18 20:48:38','This morning, I was reading an personal advice column in the Washington Post. It was about a woman whose mother-in-law is constantly bad mouthing her and who is trying to protect her son from the MIL\'s barbs. The columnist\'s advice was to keep the MIL away from her impressionable son. But a reader offered a different perspective, saying that kids can see through those things and they can develop good relationships with grandparents in spite of this negativity. I don\'t know who is right, but it shows the need to look at something from a different perspective or even various viewpoints. In other words, the woman seeking advice needed a reality check.\r\n\r\n<strong>What is a reality check?</strong>\r\n\r\nA reality check often provides a perspective we hadn\'t considered before or that we have discounted. It\'s why we often seek advice when making big decisions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Why do you need a reality check?</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you are facing any sort of challenge—marketing, communications, interpersonal—you need a reality check. When you don\'t get advice or outside perspective, you will make decisions that are not always sound. This is  why there\'s value to doing research and holding focus groups before you launch a product. It\'s the value of hiring consultants to provide non-organizational viewpoints when you are trying to find a solution.\r\n\r\nIt\'s like when you don\'t get someone to proofread your work and it goes out with a typo or two. (As an aside, last month I saw a big typo in a poster for a large consulting firm\'s advertising campaign. It was classic...I wish I had a picture). You are so involved in something you no longer have a clear-eyed view of it. You don\'t see the shortcomings or the mistakes or the errors in judgement.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4329\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pexels-fauxels-3184292.jpg\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4329\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pexels-fauxels-3184292-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" /></a> Pic by Fauxels from Pexels.com[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s the value of professional advice and an outside perspective</strong>\r\n\r\nIn communications, the lack of a reality check often results in you missing the target or having a miscommunication. If you think something is clear because you understand it, it could be that somebody else does not get it. Perhaps you are using jargon that only people in your field use. Perhaps you are using language that is above the grade level of your audience. For example, a few years ago, I wrote some marketing copy for a hotel booking software company. I wrote that using this software would give hotel operators exponential growth. The client hated it! He said that most people won\'t understand what exponential means. I am not 100% sure he was right, but at the same time, he gave me a reality check about the words I was choosing to use.\r\n\r\n<strong>Reality checks help avoid mistakes</strong>\r\n\r\nReality checks in the form of outside counsel can often save you from making costly mistakes. You get a reality check whenever you hire a professional to do something for you. It could be market research, or graphic design, or UX design, or copy editing. Let someone who has experience and an outside perspective help you.\r\n\r\nDo you need a reality check?','You need a reality check','','publish','open','open','','you-need-a-reality-check','','','2023-07-18 16:48:38','2023-07-18 20:48:38','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4327',0,'post','',0),
(4328,4,'2023-07-18 16:43:39','2023-07-18 20:43:39','This morning, I was reading an personal advice column in the Washington Post. It was about a woman whose mother-in-law is constantly bad mouthing her and who is trying to protect her son from the MIL\'s barbs. The columnist\'s advice was to keep the MIL away from her impressionable son. But a reader offered a different perspective, saying that kids can see through those things and they can develop good relationships with grandparents in spite of this negativity. I don\'t know who is right, but it shows the need to look at something from a different perspective or even various viewpoints. In other words, the woman seeking advice needed a reality check.\r\n\r\n<strong>What is a reality check?</strong>\r\n\r\nA reality check often provides a perspective we hadn\'t considered before or that we have discounted. It\'s why we often seek advice when making big decisions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Why do you need a reality check?</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you are facing any sort of challenge—marketing, communications, interpersonal—you need a reality check. When you don\'t get advice or outside perspective, you will make decisions that are not always sound. This is  why there\'s value to doing research and holding focus groups before you launch a product. It\'s the value of hiring consultants to provide non-organizational viewpoints when you are trying to find a solution.\r\n\r\nIt\'s like when you don\'t get someone to proofread your work and it goes out with a typo or two. (As an aside, last month I saw a big typo in a poster for a large consulting firm\'s advertising campaign. It was classic...I wish I had a picture). You are so involved in something you no longer have a clear-eyed view of it. You don\'t see the shortcomings or the mistakes or the errors in judgement.\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s the value of professional advice and an outside perspective</strong>\r\n\r\nIn communications, the lack of a reality check often results in you missing the target or having a miscommunication. If you think something is clear because you understand it, it could be that somebody else does not get it. Perhaps you are using jargon that only people in your field use. Perhaps you are using language that is above the grade level of your audience. For example, a few years ago, I wrote some marketing copy for a hotel booking software company. I wrote that using this software would give hotel operators exponential growth. The client hated it! He said that most people won\'t understand what exponential means. I am not 100% sure he was right, but at the same time, he gave me a reality check about the words I was choosing to use.\r\n\r\n<strong>Reality checks help avoid mistakes</strong>\r\n\r\nReality checks in the form of outside counsel can often save you from making costly mistakes. You get a reality check whenever you hire a professional to do something for you. It could be market research, or graphic design, or UX design, or copy editing. Let someone who has experience and an outside perspective help you.\r\n\r\nDo you need a reality check?','You need a reality check','','inherit','closed','closed','','4327-revision-v1','','','2023-07-18 16:43:39','2023-07-18 20:43:39','',4327,'https://deborahbrody.com/2023/07/4327-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4329,4,'2023-07-18 16:47:38','2023-07-18 20:47:38','','pexels-fauxels-3184292','Pic by Fauxels from Pexels.com','inherit','open','closed','','pexels-fauxels-3184292','','','2023-07-18 16:48:01','2023-07-18 20:48:01','',4327,'https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pexels-fauxels-3184292.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(4330,4,'2023-07-18 16:48:19','2023-07-18 20:48:19','This morning, I was reading an personal advice column in the Washington Post. It was about a woman whose mother-in-law is constantly bad mouthing her and who is trying to protect her son from the MIL\'s barbs. The columnist\'s advice was to keep the MIL away from her impressionable son. But a reader offered a different perspective, saying that kids can see through those things and they can develop good relationships with grandparents in spite of this negativity. I don\'t know who is right, but it shows the need to look at something from a different perspective or even various viewpoints. In other words, the woman seeking advice needed a reality check.\r\n\r\n<strong>What is a reality check?</strong>\r\n\r\nA reality check often provides a perspective we hadn\'t considered before or that we have discounted. It\'s why we often seek advice when making big decisions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Why do you need a reality check?</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you are facing any sort of challenge—marketing, communications, interpersonal—you need a reality check. When you don\'t get advice or outside perspective, you will make decisions that are not always sound. This is  why there\'s value to doing research and holding focus groups before you launch a product. It\'s the value of hiring consultants to provide non-organizational viewpoints when you are trying to find a solution.\r\n\r\nIt\'s like when you don\'t get someone to proofread your work and it goes out with a typo or two. (As an aside, last month I saw a big typo in a poster for a large consulting firm\'s advertising campaign. It was classic...I wish I had a picture). You are so involved in something you no longer have a clear-eyed view of it. You don\'t see the shortcomings or the mistakes or the errors in judgement.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4329\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pexels-fauxels-3184292.jpg\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4329\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pexels-fauxels-3184292-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" /></a> Pic by Fauxels from Pexels.com[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s the value of professional advice and an outside perspective</strong>\r\n\r\nIn communications, the lack of a reality check often results in you missing the target or having a miscommunication. If you think something is clear because you understand it, it could be that somebody else does not get it. Perhaps you are using jargon that only people in your field use. Perhaps you are using language that is above the grade level of your audience. For example, a few years ago, I wrote some marketing copy for a hotel booking software company. I wrote that using this software would give hotel operators exponential growth. The client hated it! He said that most people won\'t understand what exponential means. I am not 100% sure he was right, but at the same time, he gave me a reality check about the words I was choosing to use.\r\n\r\n<strong>Reality checks help avoid mistakes</strong>\r\n\r\nReality checks in the form of outside counsel can often save you from making costly mistakes. You get a reality check whenever you hire a professional to do something for you. It could be market research, or graphic design, or UX design, or copy editing. Let someone who has experience and an outside perspective help you.\r\n\r\nDo you need a reality check?','You need a reality check','','inherit','closed','closed','','4327-revision-v1','','','2023-07-18 16:48:19','2023-07-18 20:48:19','',4327,'https://deborahbrody.com/2023/07/4327-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4391,4,'2025-01-23 14:47:58','2025-01-23 19:47:58','<strong>When you take a break...</strong>\r\n\r\nI haven\'t blogged in nearly a year and a half, and now, as I\'ve recommitted to blogging more regularly, I come to find out that my content can end up being used by AI. I\'ve seen some content producers say that they\'ve cut back on the amount of information they share on blogs and other social media channels because they are tired of seeing it stolen and used by AI without attribution or compensation.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, more and more businesses are embracing AI to produce content and other written materials, such as emails, social media posts, etc. In fact, not a day goes by that I don\'t get spam emails offering me AI training.\r\n\r\n<strong>AI has changed our world</strong>\r\n\r\nWhat is happening is that AI is going over everything in the public domain to answer queries and produce documents. It is also \"learning\" from your data and content.\r\n\r\nAI may be taking over the world, but should it take over our intellectual property?\r\n\r\nWhat differentiates my blog and any written material I produce is me—my experience, my creativity, my point of view. I choose how to write something, what to include, the angle it takes, and the tone it uses. It doesn\'t seem right that AI could take what makes my writing unique to me and use it to recreate content for others to use. What can be done?\r\n\r\n<strong>You need to protect your content</strong>\r\n\r\nIt turns out as content producers, we now must protect our websites and blogs from AI bots. Although AI is not supposed to use material that is copyrighted (you do have a copyright on your website, don\'t you?), I am not sure that is stopping those bots.\r\n\r\nIt seems we have to go on the offensive and create actual obstacles for these bots.  Dave Morelo provides several actions you can take in the article <a href=\"https://www.maketecheasier.com/protect-website-from-ai-scraping/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Protect Your Website From AI Scraping. </a>However, many of Morelo\'s suggestions also mean reducing the visibility of your content. This will also impact your website and blog as it will most likely reduce visits, and maybe impact your SEO.\r\n\r\nThe bottom line is that right now we are living in the wild world of AI, and it has consequences for those of us who produce original content. We\'ll  have to find a balance between protecting our content and allowing people to find it.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Can we protect our intellectual property from AI?','','publish','open','open','','can-we-protect-our-intellectual-property-from-ai','','','2025-01-23 14:47:58','2025-01-23 19:47:58','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4391',0,'post','',0),
(4392,4,'2025-01-16 10:31:29','2025-01-16 15:31:29','I haven\'t blogged in nearly a year and a half, and now, as I\'ve recommitted to blogging more regularly, I come to find out that my content can end up being used by AI. I\'ve seen some content producers say that they\'ve cut back on the amount of information they share on blogs and other social media channels because they are tired of seeing it stolen and used by AI without attribution or compensation.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, as more businesses embrace AI to produce content and other written materials, t\r\n\r\nWhat differentiates my blog and any written material I produce is me--my experience, my creativity, my point of view. I choose how to write something, what to include, the angle it takes and the tone it uses. And because I have years of experience, I write clearly and correctly.\r\n\r\nIt doesn\'t seem right that AI could take what makes my writing unique to me and recreate content for others to use.\r\n\r\nIf you remember the entertainment writers\' strike one of the main points was just this. Getting credit and compensation for your work.\r\n\r\nHow can we keep producing material, whether it be on social media or our own websites, that feeds AI without getting anything for it in return?','Can we protect our intellectual property from AI?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4391-revision-v1','','','2025-01-16 10:31:29','2025-01-16 15:31:29','',4391,'https://deborahbrody.com/2025/01/4391-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4394,4,'2025-01-23 14:41:00','2025-01-23 19:41:00','<strong>When you take a break...</strong>\r\n\r\nI haven\'t blogged in nearly a year and a half, and now, as I\'ve recommitted to blogging more regularly, I come to find out that my content can end up being used by AI. I\'ve seen some content producers say that they\'ve cut back on the amount of information they share on blogs and other social media channels because they are tired of seeing it stolen and used by AI without attribution or compensation.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, more and more businesses are embracing AI to produce content and other written materials, such as emails, social media posts, etc. In fact, not a day goes by that I don\'t get spam emails offering me AI training.\r\n\r\n<strong>AI has changed our world</strong>\r\n\r\nWhat is happening is that AI is going over everything in the public domain to answer queries and produce documents. It is also \"learning\" from your data and content.\r\n\r\nAI may be taking over the world, but should it take over our intellectual property?\r\n\r\nWhat differentiates my blog and any written material I produce is me—my experience, my creativity, my point of view. I choose how to write something, what to include, the angle it takes, and the tone it uses. It doesn\'t seem right that AI could take what makes my writing unique to me and use it to recreate content for others to use. What can be done?\r\n\r\n<strong>You need to protect your content</strong>\r\n\r\nIt turns out as content producers, we now must protect our websites and blogs from AI bots. Although AI is not supposed to use material that is copyrighted (you do have a copyright on your website, don\'t you?), I am not sure that is stopping those bots.\r\n\r\nIt seems we have to go on the offensive and create actual obstacles for these bots.  Dave Morelo provides several actions you can take in the article <a href=\"https://www.maketecheasier.com/protect-website-from-ai-scraping/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Protect Your Website From AI Scraping. </a>However, many of Morelo\'s suggestions also mean reducing the visibility of your content. This will also impact your website and blog as it will most likely reduce visits, and maybe impact your SEO.\r\n\r\nThe bottom line is that right now we are living in the wild world of AI, and it has consequences for those of us who produce original content. We know have to find a balance between protecting our content and finding actual people who want to read what we write.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Can we protect our intellectual property from AI?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4391-revision-v1','','','2025-01-23 14:41:00','2025-01-23 19:41:00','',4391,'https://deborahbrody.com/2025/01/4391-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4395,4,'2025-01-23 14:47:58','2025-01-23 19:47:58','<strong>When you take a break...</strong>\r\n\r\nI haven\'t blogged in nearly a year and a half, and now, as I\'ve recommitted to blogging more regularly, I come to find out that my content can end up being used by AI. I\'ve seen some content producers say that they\'ve cut back on the amount of information they share on blogs and other social media channels because they are tired of seeing it stolen and used by AI without attribution or compensation.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, more and more businesses are embracing AI to produce content and other written materials, such as emails, social media posts, etc. In fact, not a day goes by that I don\'t get spam emails offering me AI training.\r\n\r\n<strong>AI has changed our world</strong>\r\n\r\nWhat is happening is that AI is going over everything in the public domain to answer queries and produce documents. It is also \"learning\" from your data and content.\r\n\r\nAI may be taking over the world, but should it take over our intellectual property?\r\n\r\nWhat differentiates my blog and any written material I produce is me—my experience, my creativity, my point of view. I choose how to write something, what to include, the angle it takes, and the tone it uses. It doesn\'t seem right that AI could take what makes my writing unique to me and use it to recreate content for others to use. What can be done?\r\n\r\n<strong>You need to protect your content</strong>\r\n\r\nIt turns out as content producers, we now must protect our websites and blogs from AI bots. Although AI is not supposed to use material that is copyrighted (you do have a copyright on your website, don\'t you?), I am not sure that is stopping those bots.\r\n\r\nIt seems we have to go on the offensive and create actual obstacles for these bots.  Dave Morelo provides several actions you can take in the article <a href=\"https://www.maketecheasier.com/protect-website-from-ai-scraping/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Protect Your Website From AI Scraping. </a>However, many of Morelo\'s suggestions also mean reducing the visibility of your content. This will also impact your website and blog as it will most likely reduce visits, and maybe impact your SEO.\r\n\r\nThe bottom line is that right now we are living in the wild world of AI, and it has consequences for those of us who produce original content. We\'ll  have to find a balance between protecting our content and allowing people to find it.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Can we protect our intellectual property from AI?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4391-revision-v1','','','2025-01-23 14:47:58','2025-01-23 19:47:58','',4391,'https://deborahbrody.com/2025/01/4391-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(4468,7,'2020-01-01 00:00:00','2020-01-01 00:00:00','{\"nav_menu_item[1886201608]\":{\"type\":\"nav_menu_item\",\"user_id\":7,\"value\":{\"_invalid\":false,\"attr_title\":\"\",\"classes\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"menu_item_parent\":0,\"nav_menu_term_id\":0,\"object\":\"\",\"object_id\":0,\"position\":0,\"status\":\"publish\",\"target\":\"\",\"title\":\"generated\",\"type\":\"custom\",\"url\":\"https://example.invalid/\",\"xfn\":\"\"}}}','changeset','','publish','closed','closed','','fb690188-d4b9-4c51-9c87-54f77c374221','','','2026-07-19 01:51:11','2026-07-19 05:51:11','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/01/fb690188-d4b9-4c51-9c87-54f77c374221/',0,'customize_changeset','',0),
(4441,4,'2026-02-12 14:59:37','2026-02-12 19:59:37','<h2>How I Can Help You</h2>\r\nAt Deborah Brody Marketing Communications, you\'ll work directly with me, an experienced marketing professional offering an integrated approach to marketing communications.\r\n\r\nI will work with you to find the best, most effective solution to your marketing challenge.\r\n\r\nLet\'s create, recreate or refine your marketing materials (both in English and in Spanish).\r\n<h2>Why Choose DBMC</h2>\r\nDeborah Brody Marketing Communications is a <strong>reliable, creative, professional and knowledgeable marketing partner</strong>.\r\n\r\nYou\'ll find that my services are a more <strong>focused and personalized</strong> alternative to the traditional advertising, marketing or public relations agency.\r\n\r\n<strong>You won’t pay agency prices</strong> and you won\'t have to deal with inexperienced staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Home','','inherit','closed','closed','','2-revision-v1','','','2026-02-12 14:59:37','2026-02-12 19:59:37','',2,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4441',0,'revision','',0),
(4451,4,'2026-04-21 16:41:19','2026-04-21 20:41:19','<em>UPDATE: I just received an email invitation that incorrectly stated the event took place on EST (Eastern Standard Time).  Furthermore, the event invitation stated it was free for all. When I went to register I found that there are different fees for members, nonmembers, and students. Not only was the event not free, it had different costs that were not listed. I\'ve updated the checklist below to include these items.</em>\r\n\r\nI went to an event yesterday afternoon for which I got two (conflicting) reminder emails. Both emails detailed where the event was taking place and how to get there, including the nearest Metro stops and parking garages. Both had the date and time, but the first reminder said the event took place at 3:00 p.m. and the second said it was at 3:30 p.m.\r\n\r\nThe second email had the correct information, although the organizers did not bother to clarify that it was an update. I was left wondering which email was right.\r\n\r\n<strong>Event email checklist</strong>\r\n\r\nMaking mistakes like these is common (and human). Having someone to edit or proofread your copy often prevents these kinds of errors. But if you are a one-person shop, here’s a handy checklist of items to always check (and double-check):\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li><strong>Dates</strong>: Using a calendar, check the date is correct and that it corresponds to the day of the week that you are saying it is. For example, today is Tuesday, April 21 not Monday, April 21 or Tuesday, April 20.</li>\r\n 	<li><strong>Times:</strong> Make sure you have the correct start time, and double-check that you are indicating the right time of day (a.m. or p.m.). Additionally, if your event is online, add the time zone (e.g., Eastern (ET), Central (CT), Mountain (MT), Pacific (PT), etc.). If you are adding Standard or Daylight time, make sure to use the right one. To avoid this issue, it is best to use ET instead of EST or EDT, CT instead of CST or CDT, etc.</li>\r\n 	<li><strong>Location</strong>: Is the street address correct? Have you included any additional information, such as floor number or suite number if in a building?</li>\r\n 	<li><strong>Directions</strong>: If you have included directions, are they accurate? Will anything be happening on the day of event that would create changes, for example, roadwork or street closures?</li>\r\n 	<li><strong>Names and titles:</strong> Double-check <em>every single name and title</em> of your speakers, panelists, presenters, moderators, etc. For example, if your speaker is named Allison, make sure she spells it with two ls not one.  Additionally, if you are referencing the name/title of a book, building, school, etc. ensure you are using the official/complete title and that you have double-checked the spelling against an official source such as the organization’s website. Perhaps you call it MoMA (note the capitalization), but it’s officially The Museum of Modern Art (you can call it MoMA on second reference).</li>\r\n 	<li><strong>Cost/Fees:</strong> If your event requires payment, double-check the dollar figure and whether there are different costs for different audiences (e.g., members, nonmembers, students, etc.).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Fix your mistakes!</strong>\r\n\r\nAnd finally, if in spite of checking and double-checking, your email contains a mistake, send an updated, corrected email. In the subject line, write [UPDATE] or [CORRECTION] to indicate this email has different information than the last. You may also want to include a line in the body of the email indicating the error or update. For example: Our last email incorrectly stated that the event takes place on Tuesday, April 21. The correct date is Wednesday, April 22.','[UPDATED] How to prevent mistakes in your event emails','','publish','open','open','','new-how-to-prevent-mistakes-in-your-event-emails','','','2026-04-27 14:02:38','2026-04-27 18:02:38','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4451',0,'post','',0),
(4452,4,'2026-04-21 16:40:05','2026-04-21 20:40:05','I went to an event yesterday afternoon for which I got two (conflicting) reminder emails. Both emails detailed where the event was taking place and how to get there, including the nearest Metro stops and parking garages. Both had the date and time, but the first reminder said the event took place at 3:00 p.m. and the second said it was at 3:30 p.m.\r\n\r\nThe second email had the correct information, although the organizers did not bother to clarify that it was an update. I was left wondering which email was right.\r\n\r\n<strong>Event email checklist</strong>\r\n\r\nMaking mistakes like these is common (and human). Having someone to edit or proofread your copy often prevents these kinds of errors. But if you are a one-person shop, here’s a handy checklist of items to always check (and double-check):\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li><strong>Dates</strong>: Using a calendar, check the date is correct and that it corresponds to the day of the week that you are saying it is. For example, today is Tuesday, April 21 not Monday, April 21 or Tuesday, April 20.</li>\r\n 	<li><strong>Times:</strong> Make sure you have the correct start time, and double-check that you are indicating the right time of day (a.m. or p.m.). Additionally, if your event is online, add the time zone (e.g., Eastern (ET), Central (CT), Mountain (MT), Pacific (PT), etc.).</li>\r\n 	<li><strong>Location</strong>: Is the street address correct? Have you included any additional information, such as floor number or suite number if in a building?</li>\r\n 	<li><strong>Directions</strong>: If you have included directions, are they accurate? Will anything be happening on the day of event that would create changes, for example, roadwork or street closures?</li>\r\n 	<li><strong>Names and titles:</strong> Double-check <em>every single name and title</em> of your speakers, panelists, presenters, moderators, etc. For example, if your speaker is named Allison, make sure she spells it with two ls not one.  Additionally, if you are referencing the name/title of a book, building, school, etc. ensure you are using the official/complete title and that you have double-checked the spelling against an official source such as the organization’s website. Perhaps you call it MoMA (note the capitalization), but it’s officially The Museum of Modern Art (you can call it MoMA on second reference).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Fix your mistakes!</strong>\r\n\r\nAnd finally, if in spite of checking and double-checking, your email contains a mistake, send an updated, corrected email. In the subject line, write [UPDATE] or [CORRECTION] to indicate this email has different information than the last. You may also want to include a line in the body of the email indicating the error or update. For example: Our last email incorrectly stated that the event takes place on Tuesday, April 21. The correct date is Wednesday, April 22.','[New] How to prevent mistakes in your event emails','','inherit','closed','closed','','4451-revision-v1','','','2026-04-21 16:40:05','2026-04-21 20:40:05','',4451,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4452',0,'revision','',0),
(4454,4,'2026-04-27 14:01:57','2026-04-27 18:01:57','UPDATE: I just received an email invitation that incorrectly stated the event took place on EST (Eastern Standard Time).  Furthermore, the event invitation stated it was free for all. When I went to register I found that there are different fees for members, nonmembers, and students. Not only was the event not free, it had different costs that were not listed. I\'ve updated the checklist belo\n\nI went to an event yesterday afternoon for which I got two (conflicting) reminder emails. Both emails detailed where the event was taking place and how to get there, including the nearest Metro stops and parking garages. Both had the date and time, but the first reminder said the event took place at 3:00 p.m. and the second said it was at 3:30 p.m.\n\nThe second email had the correct information, although the organizers did not bother to clarify that it was an update. I was left wondering which email was right.\n\n<strong>Event email checklist</strong>\n\nMaking mistakes like these is common (and human). Having someone to edit or proofread your copy often prevents these kinds of errors. But if you are a one-person shop, here’s a handy checklist of items to always check (and double-check):\n<ul>\n 	<li><strong>Dates</strong>: Using a calendar, check the date is correct and that it corresponds to the day of the week that you are saying it is. For example, today is Tuesday, April 21 not Monday, April 21 or Tuesday, April 20.</li>\n 	<li><strong>Times:</strong> Make sure you have the correct start time, and double-check that you are indicating the right time of day (a.m. or p.m.). Additionally, if your event is online, add the time zone (e.g., Eastern (ET), Central (CT), Mountain (MT), Pacific (PT), etc.). If you are adding Standard or Daylight time, make sure to use the right one. To avoid this issue, it is best to use ET instead of EST or EDT, CT instead of CST or CDT, etc.</li>\n 	<li><strong>Location</strong>: Is the street address correct? Have you included any additional information, such as floor number or suite number if in a building?</li>\n 	<li><strong>Directions</strong>: If you have included directions, are they accurate? Will anything be happening on the day of event that would create changes, for example, roadwork or street closures?</li>\n 	<li><strong>Names and titles:</strong> Double-check <em>every single name and title</em> of your speakers, panelists, presenters, moderators, etc. For example, if your speaker is named Allison, make sure she spells it with two ls not one.  Additionally, if you are referencing the name/title of a book, building, school, etc. ensure you are using the official/complete title and that you have double-checked the spelling against an official source such as the organization’s website. Perhaps you call it MoMA (note the capitalization), but it’s officially The Museum of Modern Art (you can call it MoMA on second reference).</li>\n 	<li><strong>Cost/Fees:</strong> If your event requires payment, double-check the dollar figure and whether there are different costs for different audiences (e.g., members, nonmembers, students, etc.)</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Fix your mistakes!</strong>\n\nAnd finally, if in spite of checking and double-checking, your email contains a mistake, send an updated, corrected email. In the subject line, write [UPDATE] or [CORRECTION] to indicate this email has different information than the last. You may also want to include a line in the body of the email indicating the error or update. For example: Our last email incorrectly stated that the event takes place on Tuesday, April 21. The correct date is Wednesday, April 22.','[UPDATED] How to prevent mistakes in your event emails','','inherit','closed','closed','','4451-autosave-v1','','','2026-04-27 14:01:57','2026-04-27 18:01:57','',4451,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4454',0,'revision','',0),
(4455,4,'2026-04-27 14:02:38','2026-04-27 18:02:38','<em>UPDATE: I just received an email invitation that incorrectly stated the event took place on EST (Eastern Standard Time).  Furthermore, the event invitation stated it was free for all. When I went to register I found that there are different fees for members, nonmembers, and students. Not only was the event not free, it had different costs that were not listed. I\'ve updated the checklist below to include these items.</em>\r\n\r\nI went to an event yesterday afternoon for which I got two (conflicting) reminder emails. Both emails detailed where the event was taking place and how to get there, including the nearest Metro stops and parking garages. Both had the date and time, but the first reminder said the event took place at 3:00 p.m. and the second said it was at 3:30 p.m.\r\n\r\nThe second email had the correct information, although the organizers did not bother to clarify that it was an update. I was left wondering which email was right.\r\n\r\n<strong>Event email checklist</strong>\r\n\r\nMaking mistakes like these is common (and human). Having someone to edit or proofread your copy often prevents these kinds of errors. But if you are a one-person shop, here’s a handy checklist of items to always check (and double-check):\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li><strong>Dates</strong>: Using a calendar, check the date is correct and that it corresponds to the day of the week that you are saying it is. For example, today is Tuesday, April 21 not Monday, April 21 or Tuesday, April 20.</li>\r\n 	<li><strong>Times:</strong> Make sure you have the correct start time, and double-check that you are indicating the right time of day (a.m. or p.m.). Additionally, if your event is online, add the time zone (e.g., Eastern (ET), Central (CT), Mountain (MT), Pacific (PT), etc.). If you are adding Standard or Daylight time, make sure to use the right one. To avoid this issue, it is best to use ET instead of EST or EDT, CT instead of CST or CDT, etc.</li>\r\n 	<li><strong>Location</strong>: Is the street address correct? Have you included any additional information, such as floor number or suite number if in a building?</li>\r\n 	<li><strong>Directions</strong>: If you have included directions, are they accurate? Will anything be happening on the day of event that would create changes, for example, roadwork or street closures?</li>\r\n 	<li><strong>Names and titles:</strong> Double-check <em>every single name and title</em> of your speakers, panelists, presenters, moderators, etc. For example, if your speaker is named Allison, make sure she spells it with two ls not one.  Additionally, if you are referencing the name/title of a book, building, school, etc. ensure you are using the official/complete title and that you have double-checked the spelling against an official source such as the organization’s website. Perhaps you call it MoMA (note the capitalization), but it’s officially The Museum of Modern Art (you can call it MoMA on second reference).</li>\r\n 	<li><strong>Cost/Fees:</strong> If your event requires payment, double-check the dollar figure and whether there are different costs for different audiences (e.g., members, nonmembers, students, etc.).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Fix your mistakes!</strong>\r\n\r\nAnd finally, if in spite of checking and double-checking, your email contains a mistake, send an updated, corrected email. In the subject line, write [UPDATE] or [CORRECTION] to indicate this email has different information than the last. You may also want to include a line in the body of the email indicating the error or update. For example: Our last email incorrectly stated that the event takes place on Tuesday, April 21. The correct date is Wednesday, April 22.','[UPDATED] How to prevent mistakes in your event emails','','inherit','closed','closed','','4451-revision-v1','','','2026-04-27 14:02:38','2026-04-27 18:02:38','',4451,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4455',0,'revision','',0),
(4462,4,'2026-06-10 16:42:24','2026-06-10 20:42:24','Yesterday, I got an email from \"verizon wierless\" with the subject line: \"By tomorrow, review your points to keep them.\"\r\n\r\nAlthough my spam filter didn\'t catch this, I certainly did. I didn\'t have to look further than the sender\'s name to know this wasn\'t legit, not to mention I don\'t have a Verizon account. With two typos in the sender\'s name and a clumsy subject line, this was not written by anyone who cared about accuracy, wording, etc.  It seems spammers don\'t have the budget or the inclination to copy edit or even to proofread.\r\n\r\nDid you know that having spelling errors, typos, and even improper capitalization impacts the trustworthiness of your written information? Research has proven this. Check out this research article, <a href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7315370/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\"Spelling Errors and Shouting Capitalization Lead to Additive Penalties to Trustworthiness of Online Health Information: Randomized Experiment With Laypersons\"</a> published on the National Library of Medicine website, which states:\r\n<blockquote>The mean trustworthiness ratings of the control excerpts ranged from 32.59 to 62.31 (rating scale 0-100). Compared with the control excerpts, excerpts containing only misspellings were rated as being 8.86 points less trustworthy, those containing inappropriate capitalization were rated as 6.41 points less trustworthy, and those containing the combination of misspelling and capitalization were rated as 14.33 points less trustworthy (<em>P</em>&lt;.001 for all). Misspelling and inappropriate capitalization show an additive effect.</blockquote>\r\n<strong>Basically, the more mistakes, the less trustworthy the information. </strong>\r\n\r\nThe obverse is true: the fewer mistakes, the more we trust the information.\r\n\r\nCan you imagine if spammers were more careful with their work?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?','','publish','open','open','','what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders','','','2026-06-10 16:42:24','2026-06-10 20:42:24','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4462',0,'post','',0),
(4463,4,'2026-06-10 16:41:38','2026-06-10 20:41:38','Yesterday, I got an email from \"verizon wierless\" with the subject line: \"By tomorrow, review your points to keep them.\"\r\n\r\nAlthough my spam filter didn\'t catch this, I certainly did. I didn\'t have to look further than the sender\'s name to know this wasn\'t legit, not to mention I don\'t have a Verizon account. With two typos in the sender\'s name and a clumsy subject line, this was not written by anyone who cared about accuracy, wording, etc.  It seems spammers don\'t have the budget or the inclination to copy edit or even to proofread.\r\n\r\nDid you know that having spelling errors, typos, and even improper capitalization impacts the trustworthiness of your written information? Research has proven this. Check out this research article, <a href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7315370/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\"Spelling Errors and Shouting Capitalization Lead to Additive Penalties to Trustworthiness of Online Health Information: Randomized Experiment With Laypersons\"</a> published on the National Library of Medicine website, which states:\r\n<blockquote>The mean trustworthiness ratings of the control excerpts ranged from 32.59 to 62.31 (rating scale 0-100). Compared with the control excerpts, excerpts containing only misspellings were rated as being 8.86 points less trustworthy, those containing inappropriate capitalization were rated as 6.41 points less trustworthy, and those containing the combination of misspelling and capitalization were rated as 14.33 points less trustworthy (<em>P</em>&lt;.001 for all). Misspelling and inappropriate capitalization show an additive effect.</blockquote>\r\n<strong>Basically, the more mistakes, the less trustworthy the information. </strong>\r\n\r\nThe obverse is true: the fewer mistakes, the more we trust the information.\r\n\r\nCan you imagine if spammers were more careful with their work?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?','','inherit','closed','closed','','4462-revision-v1','','','2026-06-10 16:41:38','2026-06-10 20:41:38','',4462,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4463',0,'revision','',0),
(4474,0,'2026-07-20 11:44:28','2026-07-20 15:44:28','<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"rYHJOHrVrT\"><a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/\">What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?</a></blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"“What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?” — Deborah Brody Marketing Communications\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/embed/#?secret=8JYtcT14Mz#?secret=rYHJOHrVrT\" data-secret=\"rYHJOHrVrT\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','','','publish','closed','closed','','5f737244d34b8ef72f88c2f4e3aa1ed5','','','2026-07-20 11:44:28','2026-07-20 15:44:28','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2026/07/5f737244d34b8ef72f88c2f4e3aa1ed5/',0,'oembed_cache','',0),
(4469,0,'2026-07-19 01:51:05','2026-07-19 05:51:05','<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"4caOsfG07M\"><a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/\">What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?</a></blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"“What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?” — Deborah Brody Marketing Communications\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/embed/#?secret=wNAgw3h3LJ#?secret=4caOsfG07M\" data-secret=\"4caOsfG07M\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','','','publish','closed','closed','','79ff34ae199df8775e900437664991dc','','','2026-07-19 01:51:05','2026-07-19 05:51:05','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2026/07/79ff34ae199df8775e900437664991dc/',0,'oembed_cache','',0),
(4470,1,'2020-01-01 00:00:00','2020-01-01 00:00:00','parse','parse','','parse','closed','closed','','parse','','','2026-07-19 01:51:11','2026-07-19 05:51:11','',0,'',0,'request','',0),
(4472,4,'2026-07-19 18:19:29','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Auto Draft','','auto-draft','open','open','','','','','2026-07-19 18:19:29','0000-00-00 00:00:00','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/?p=4472',0,'post','',0),
(4473,0,'2026-07-20 11:44:28','2026-07-20 15:44:28','<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"TsITzB6UNX\"><a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/\">What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?</a></blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"“What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?” — Deborah Brody Marketing Communications\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/embed/#?secret=gyxWYysWR5#?secret=TsITzB6UNX\" data-secret=\"TsITzB6UNX\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','','','publish','closed','closed','','59c4971954e9ad1ac1f31ecb09cb87bb','','','2026-07-20 11:44:28','2026-07-20 15:44:28','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2026/07/59c4971954e9ad1ac1f31ecb09cb87bb/',0,'oembed_cache','',0),
(4475,0,'2026-07-20 11:44:28','2026-07-20 15:44:28','<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"8KWm7ynqpH\"><a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/\">What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?</a></blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"“What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?” — Deborah Brody Marketing Communications\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/embed/#?secret=i9r2S67qWd#?secret=8KWm7ynqpH\" data-secret=\"8KWm7ynqpH\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','','','publish','closed','closed','','83a8842413f23d60e13ea035571f017c','','','2026-07-20 11:44:28','2026-07-20 15:44:28','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2026/07/83a8842413f23d60e13ea035571f017c/',0,'oembed_cache','',0),
(4476,1,'2020-01-01 00:00:00','2020-01-01 00:00:00','{\"nav_menu_item[1846154185]\":{\"type\":\"nav_menu_item\",\"user_id\":7,\"value\":{\"_invalid\":false,\"attr_title\":\"\",\"classes\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"menu_item_parent\":0,\"nav_menu_term_id\":0,\"object\":\"\",\"object_id\":0,\"position\":0,\"status\":\"publish\",\"target\":\"\",\"title\":\"generated\",\"type\":\"custom\",\"url\":\"https://example.invalid/\",\"xfn\":\"\"}}}','changeset','','publish','closed','closed','','27294caf9d2219ba-60b4-98bf-a6e5-6927799da0076ded','','','2026-07-20 12:40:25','2026-07-20 16:40:25','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/01/27294caf9d2219ba-60b4-98bf-a6e5-6927799da0076ded/',0,'customize_changeset','',0),
(4480,0,'2026-07-21 07:11:39','2026-07-21 11:11:39','<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"njxv12rhPg\"><a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/\">What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?</a></blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"“What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?” — Deborah Brody Marketing Communications\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/embed/#?secret=dNjZtpeaUi#?secret=njxv12rhPg\" data-secret=\"njxv12rhPg\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','','','publish','closed','closed','','870ec9b8fe6aeff35eef14c39997a313','','','2026-07-21 07:11:39','2026-07-21 11:11:39','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2026/07/870ec9b8fe6aeff35eef14c39997a313/',0,'oembed_cache','',0),
(4477,0,'2026-07-20 12:40:20','2026-07-20 16:40:20','<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"WkT8auNL4L\"><a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/\">What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?</a></blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"“What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?” — Deborah Brody Marketing Communications\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/embed/#?secret=Jc5LGA25LX#?secret=WkT8auNL4L\" data-secret=\"WkT8auNL4L\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','','','publish','closed','closed','','cc9431eb700b2e6cae593cd922487512','','','2026-07-20 12:40:20','2026-07-20 16:40:20','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2026/07/cc9431eb700b2e6cae593cd922487512/',0,'oembed_cache','',0),
(4478,1,'2020-01-01 00:00:00','2020-01-01 00:00:00','parse','parse','','parse','closed','closed','','parse-2','','','2026-07-20 12:40:25','2026-07-20 16:40:25','',0,'',0,'request','',0),
(4479,1,'2020-01-01 00:00:00','2020-01-01 00:00:00','{\"nav_menu_item[1839807731]\":{\"type\":\"nav_menu_item\",\"user_id\":7,\"value\":{\"_invalid\":false,\"attr_title\":\"\",\"classes\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"menu_item_parent\":0,\"nav_menu_term_id\":0,\"object\":\"\",\"object_id\":0,\"position\":0,\"status\":\"publish\",\"target\":\"\",\"title\":\"generated\",\"type\":\"custom\",\"url\":\"https://example.invalid/\",\"xfn\":\"\"}}}','changeset','','publish','closed','closed','','7c30ff74427ba14a-c447-172e-887a-314d4be203bef0d5','','','2026-07-21 07:11:50','2026-07-21 11:11:50','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/01/7c30ff74427ba14a-c447-172e-887a-314d4be203bef0d5/',0,'customize_changeset','',0),
(4483,0,'2026-07-21 07:21:56','2026-07-21 11:21:56','<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"w4bDd2BSbS\"><a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/\">What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?</a></blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"“What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?” — Deborah Brody Marketing Communications\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/embed/#?secret=dqGmHQRLiK#?secret=w4bDd2BSbS\" data-secret=\"w4bDd2BSbS\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','','','publish','closed','closed','','47808ed5d6ffe2e311f6fc4616d66193','','','2026-07-21 07:21:56','2026-07-21 11:21:56','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2026/07/47808ed5d6ffe2e311f6fc4616d66193/',0,'oembed_cache','',0),
(4481,1,'2020-01-01 00:00:00','2020-01-01 00:00:00','parse','parse','','parse','closed','closed','','parse-3','','','2026-07-21 07:11:50','2026-07-21 11:11:50','',0,'',0,'request','',0),
(4482,1,'2020-01-01 00:00:00','2020-01-01 00:00:00','{\"nav_menu_item[1839509622]\":{\"type\":\"nav_menu_item\",\"user_id\":7,\"value\":{\"_invalid\":false,\"attr_title\":\"\",\"classes\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"menu_item_parent\":0,\"nav_menu_term_id\":0,\"object\":\"\",\"object_id\":0,\"position\":0,\"status\":\"publish\",\"target\":\"\",\"title\":\"generated\",\"type\":\"custom\",\"url\":\"https://example.invalid/\",\"xfn\":\"\"}}}','changeset','','publish','closed','closed','','5465c5f7fbe4fb28-cc48-76c6-546e-348ee1a9a5769f32','','','2026-07-21 07:22:05','2026-07-21 11:22:05','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/01/5465c5f7fbe4fb28-cc48-76c6-546e-348ee1a9a5769f32/',0,'customize_changeset','',0),
(4487,0,'2026-07-21 11:56:27','2026-07-21 15:56:27','<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"qNLMj7vKm6\"><a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/\">What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?</a></blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"“What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?” — Deborah Brody Marketing Communications\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/embed/#?secret=G7AEcj95EU#?secret=qNLMj7vKm6\" data-secret=\"qNLMj7vKm6\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','','','publish','closed','closed','','69e70c572a36018af953de6ee660f98b','','','2026-07-21 11:56:27','2026-07-21 15:56:27','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2026/07/69e70c572a36018af953de6ee660f98b/',0,'oembed_cache','',0),
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(4496,0,'2026-07-23 01:43:24','2026-07-23 05:43:24','<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"t7ave0XVCn\"><a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/\">What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?</a></blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"“What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?” — Deborah Brody Marketing Communications\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/embed/#?secret=uSwNmxq7od#?secret=t7ave0XVCn\" data-secret=\"t7ave0XVCn\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','','','publish','closed','closed','','d952420f131ea60da223b534814a16b4','','','2026-07-23 01:43:24','2026-07-23 05:43:24','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2026/07/d952420f131ea60da223b534814a16b4/',0,'oembed_cache','',0),
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(4502,0,'2026-07-23 16:01:32','2026-07-23 20:01:32','<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"EXwuxUQuSX\"><a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/\">What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?</a></blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"“What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?” — Deborah Brody Marketing Communications\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/embed/#?secret=tGGcs4LrX4#?secret=EXwuxUQuSX\" data-secret=\"EXwuxUQuSX\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','','','publish','closed','closed','','46a5473c57b69c0c93d57b16b8467405','','','2026-07-23 16:01:32','2026-07-23 20:01:32','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2026/07/46a5473c57b69c0c93d57b16b8467405/',0,'oembed_cache','',0),
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(4505,0,'2026-07-24 05:58:30','2026-07-24 09:58:30','<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"6uWevAc7To\"><a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/\">What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?</a></blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"“What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?” — Deborah Brody Marketing Communications\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/embed/#?secret=oMAasO4uUI#?secret=6uWevAc7To\" data-secret=\"6uWevAc7To\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','','','publish','closed','closed','','3bf26426d8451fb3430c8674c0a1222f','','','2026-07-24 05:58:30','2026-07-24 09:58:30','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2026/07/3bf26426d8451fb3430c8674c0a1222f/',0,'oembed_cache','',0),
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(4508,0,'2026-07-24 09:44:57','2026-07-24 13:44:57','<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"c935ERnJWk\"><a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/\">What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?</a></blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"“What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?” — Deborah Brody Marketing Communications\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/embed/#?secret=3pSxtPnHld#?secret=c935ERnJWk\" data-secret=\"c935ERnJWk\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','','','publish','closed','closed','','74aefeaee13bb23d08a555e9dd01c2a5','','','2026-07-24 09:44:57','2026-07-24 13:44:57','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2026/07/74aefeaee13bb23d08a555e9dd01c2a5/',0,'oembed_cache','',0),
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(4509,0,'2026-07-24 09:44:57','2026-07-24 13:44:57','<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"wTRubdtmx2\"><a href=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/\">What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?</a></blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"“What if spammers had the budget for copy editors and proofreaders?” — Deborah Brody Marketing Communications\" src=\"https://deborahbrody.com/2026/06/what-if-spammers-had-the-budget-for-copy-editors-and-proofreaders/embed/#?secret=GZCguaPNfR#?secret=wTRubdtmx2\" data-secret=\"wTRubdtmx2\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>','','','publish','closed','closed','','3f30bfea19d82ba6993185590b076d5b','','','2026-07-24 09:44:57','2026-07-24 13:44:57','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2026/07/3f30bfea19d82ba6993185590b076d5b/',0,'oembed_cache','',0),
(4510,1,'2020-01-01 00:00:00','2020-01-01 00:00:00','{\"nav_menu_item[1870176781]\":{\"type\":\"nav_menu_item\",\"user_id\":7,\"value\":{\"object_id\":0,\"object\":\"\",\"menu_item_parent\":0,\"position\":0,\"type\":\"custom\",\"title\":\"generated\",\"url\":\"https://github.com/khadafigans\",\"target\":\"\",\"attr_title\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"classes\":\"\",\"xfn\":\"\",\"status\":\"publish\",\"nav_menu_term_id\":0,\"_invalid\":false}}}','changeset','','publish','closed','closed','','cdc74f33-3aac-4bf8-9519-cb190ba14547','','','2026-07-24 10:44:01','2026-07-24 14:44:01','',0,'https://deborahbrody.com/2020/01/cdc74f33-3aac-4bf8-9519-cb190ba14547/',0,'customize_changeset','',0),
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--
