(3081,4,'2015-10-27 09:35:05','2015-10-27 13:35:05','This weekend I noticed the mums in front of my house were looking a bit sad...all droopy and discolored. Apparently, they were in dire need of watering.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3079\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/20151026_135130.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3079\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/20151026_135130-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Sad mums\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Sad mums[/caption]\r\n\r\nWhat do dying mums have to do with marketing communications? Let me tell you.\r\n\r\nA couple of weeks ago, I bought these mums at my local farmer\'s market . I asked the farmer/vendor how long they would last. She told me that mums are hardy and should last through Thanksgiving, providing some color as the flowering annuals die.\r\n\r\nBut at the rate my mums were going, they wouldn\'t make it to Halloween. So this past Saturday during my weekly visit to the farmer\'s market I asked the vendor about the mums: Should I water them or would it be OK to wait until it rained on Sunday? She told me that I should most definitely water them as soon as I got home,<em> because mums need a lot of water. </em>\r\n\r\nWell, then. I had made the incorrect assumption that because mums are hardy plants, it meant they needed little water. If, when I bought them, she had mentioned that mums should be watered frequently, I would have done so. But she hadn\'t and this is exactly the type of information I needed to know to help my plants survive.\r\n\r\n<strong>Customers don\'t know what they don\'t know. Period.\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\nIt\'s your job as a marketing/communications person (let\'s include sales under marketing here) to make sure they have the information they need to use your product or service appropriately and get the most out of it.\r\n\r\n<strong>You are the expert...not the customer\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\nCustomers  don\'t know your product or service as well as you do. You are the real-life expert on your product or service. You know what it does, how it does it and why.\r\n\r\n<strong>So, ask yourself this one simple question:</strong>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>What does the customer/ client have to know about my product or service?</em></p>\r\nOnce you have the answer to this question, your content marketing, copywriting, and especially your customer/client interaction, will all be easier.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">If you need help figuring out what your customers should know about your product or service, get in touch! I can help.</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What does the customer have to know?','','inherit','open','open','','3077-revision-v1','','','2015-10-27 09:35:05','2015-10-27 13:35:05','',3077,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/10/3077-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3083,4,'2015-11-03 12:57:44','2015-11-03 17:57:44','This post is about a phenomenon that I\'ve noticed on Twitter (just in case you aren\'t on Twitter, I\'m letting you know now so you can stop reading).\r\n\r\nFirst of all,  here\'s a question: do you expect a thank you or other acknowledgement when you re-tweet something? I would like to know for sure (I would appreciate your thoughts, please do share them in the comments) but my gut tells me most people appreciate a thank you but don\'t expect it or need it.\r\n\r\nAnd yet, there\'s been an explosion (or at least it seems so to me) in automated \'thanks for your interaction\' tweets. You\'ve probably seen the ones I mean:\r\n<blockquote><span data-reactid=\".0\">My best RTs this week came from: @xxx  @xxx <a class=\"_quickSearchPopup hash\" title=\"thankSAll\" href=\"https://hootsuite.com/dashboard#\">#thankSAll</a> Who were yours? <a href=\"https://t.co/sog7FmAmWy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">sumall.com/thankyou</a></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">or</span></p>\r\n<span data-reactid=\".0\">Thanks to my top interactors!\r\n@xxxx @xxxx\r\n<a class=\"_quickSearchPopup hash\" title=\"tweetjukebox\" href=\"https://hootsuite.com/dashboard#\">#tweetjukebox</a></span></blockquote>\r\nI see why some people would think this is a good idea. Perhaps they were raised by parents who insisted that you must write a thank you note whenever you get a gift. Or perhaps, they think any interaction, even automated interaction, is better than no interaction.\r\n\r\nIt\'s similar to when you send a company an email outlining some concern or question you have and you then receive at automated reply thanking you for your email but not addressing your issue. You could have said that the company\'s product is killing you and the reply would still say \"thank you for your email.\"\r\n\r\nAutomated replies and automated tweets may be expedient but they are empty gestures. They have no content. They have no context. And they are basically useless in terms of creating the social media \"engagement\" everyone talks about.\r\n\r\nIf the only way you can think of interacting with others on Twitter is by automated thank yous, I respectfully suggest you get yourself off the platform immediately.\r\n\r\nSimilarly, if you absolutely, positively need to have an app send out canned tweets for you, you may not have the time or inclination to be on social media.\r\n\r\nHere are some truths about social media engagement:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>its time-consuming</li>\r\n	<li>there\'s effort involved</li>\r\n	<li>personal beats automated every day</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhat do you think? Are you using these automated thank you generators? If so, what are you hoping to achieve? Are you achieving what you are hoping?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Is lazy interaction better than no interaction?','','publish','open','open','','is-lazy-interaction-better-than-no-interaction','','','2015-11-03 16:51:53','2015-11-03 21:51:53','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3083',0,'post','',2),
(3084,4,'2015-11-02 13:39:35','2015-11-02 18:39:35','This post is about Twitter.  I\'m  just letting you know so you can stop reading. in case you aren\'t on Twitter or were looking for some other type of information.\r\n\r\nFirst of all, here\'s a question: do you expect a thank you or other acknowledgement when you re-tweet something? I would like to know for sure (so would appreciate your thoughts--share them in the comments) but my gut tells me most people appreciate a thank you but don\'t expect it or need it.\r\n\r\nAnd yet, there\'s been an explosion (or at least it seems so to me) in automated \'thanks for your interaction\' tweets. You\'ve probably seen the ones I mean:\r\n<blockquote><span data-reactid=\".0\">My best RTs this week came from: @xxx  @xxx <a class=\"_quickSearchPopup hash\" title=\"thankSAll\" href=\"https://hootsuite.com/dashboard#\">#thankSAll</a> Who were yours? <a href=\"https://t.co/sog7FmAmWy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">sumall.com/thankyou</a></span>\r\n\r\nor\r\n\r\n<span data-reactid=\".0\">Thanks to my top interactors!\r\n@xxxx @xxxx\r\n<a class=\"_quickSearchPopup hash\" title=\"tweetjukebox\" href=\"https://hootsuite.com/dashboard#\">#tweetjukebox</a></span></blockquote>\r\nI see why some people would think this is a good idea. Perhaps they were raised by parents who insisted that you must write a thank you note whenever you get a gift. Or perhaps, they think any interaction, even automated interaction, is better than no interaction.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Is lazy interaction better than no interaction?','','inherit','open','open','','3083-revision-v1','','','2015-11-02 13:39:35','2015-11-02 18:39:35','',3083,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/11/3083-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3085,4,'2015-11-03 12:57:44','2015-11-03 17:57:44','This post is about a phenomenon that I\'ve noticed on Twitter (I\'m  just letting you know so you can stop reading in case you aren\'t on Twitter or were looking for some other type of information).\r\n\r\nFirst of all,  here\'s a question: do you expect a thank you or other acknowledgement when you re-tweet something? I would like to know for sure (so would appreciate your thoughts--share them in the comments) but my gut tells me most people appreciate a thank you but don\'t expect it or need it.\r\n\r\nAnd yet, there\'s been an explosion (or at least it seems so to me) in automated \'thanks for your interaction\' tweets. You\'ve probably seen the ones I mean:\r\n<blockquote><span data-reactid=\".0\">My best RTs this week came from: @xxx  @xxx <a class=\"_quickSearchPopup hash\" title=\"thankSAll\" href=\"https://hootsuite.com/dashboard#\">#thankSAll</a> Who were yours? <a href=\"https://t.co/sog7FmAmWy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">sumall.com/thankyou</a></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">or</span></p>\r\n<span data-reactid=\".0\">Thanks to my top interactors!\r\n@xxxx @xxxx\r\n<a class=\"_quickSearchPopup hash\" title=\"tweetjukebox\" href=\"https://hootsuite.com/dashboard#\">#tweetjukebox</a></span></blockquote>\r\nI see why some people would think this is a good idea. Perhaps they were raised by parents who insisted that you must write a thank you note whenever you get a gift. Or perhaps, they think any interaction, even automated interaction, is better than no interaction.\r\n\r\nIt\'s similar to when you send a company an email outlining some concern or question you have and you then receive at automated reply thanking you for your email but not addressing your issue. You could have said that the company\'s product is killing you and the reply would still say \"thank you for email.\"\r\n\r\nAutomated replies and automated tweets may be expedient but they are empty gestures. They have no content. They have no context. And they are basically useless in terms of creating the social media \"engagement\" everyone talks about.\r\n\r\nIf the only way you can think of interacting with others on Twitter is by automated thank yous, I respectfully suggest you get yourself off the platform immediately.\r\n\r\nSimilarly, if you absolutely, positively need to have an app send out canned tweets for you, you may not have the time or inclination to be on social media.\r\n\r\nHere are some truths about social media engagement:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>its time-consuming</li>\r\n	<li>there\'s effort involved</li>\r\n	<li>personal beats automated every day</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhat do you think? Are you using these automated thank you generators? If so, what are you hoping to achieve? Are you achieving what you are hoping?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Is lazy interaction better than no interaction?','','inherit','open','open','','3083-revision-v1','','','2015-11-03 12:57:44','2015-11-03 17:57:44','',3083,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/11/3083-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3086,4,'2015-11-03 16:51:21','2015-11-03 21:51:21','This post is about a phenomenon that I\'ve noticed on Twitter (just in case you aren\'t on Twitter, I\'m letting you know now so you can stop reading).\n\nFirst of all,  here\'s a question: do you expect a thank you or other acknowledgement when you re-tweet something? I would like to know for sure (so would appreciate your thoughts--share them in the comments) but my gut tells me most people appreciate a thank you but don\'t expect it or need it.\n\nAnd yet, there\'s been an explosion (or at least it seems so to me) in automated \'thanks for your interaction\' tweets. You\'ve probably seen the ones I mean:\n<blockquote><span data-reactid=\".0\">My best RTs this week came from: @xxx  @xxx <a class=\"_quickSearchPopup hash\" title=\"thankSAll\" href=\"https://hootsuite.com/dashboard#\">#thankSAll</a> Who were yours? <a href=\"https://t.co/sog7FmAmWy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">sumall.com/thankyou</a></span>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">or</span></p>\n<span data-reactid=\".0\">Thanks to my top interactors!\n@xxxx @xxxx\n<a class=\"_quickSearchPopup hash\" title=\"tweetjukebox\" href=\"https://hootsuite.com/dashboard#\">#tweetjukebox</a></span></blockquote>\nI see why some people would think this is a good idea. Perhaps they were raised by parents who insisted that you must write a thank you note whenever you get a gift. Or perhaps, they think any interaction, even automated interaction, is better than no interaction.\n\nIt\'s similar to when you send a company an email outlining some concern or question you have and you then receive at automated reply thanking you for your email but not addressing your issue. You could have said that the company\'s product is killing you and the reply would still say \"thank you for your email.\"\n\nAutomated replies and automated tweets may be expedient but they are empty gestures. They have no content. They have no context. And they are basically useless in terms of creating the social media \"engagement\" everyone talks about.\n\nIf the only way you can think of interacting with others on Twitter is by automated thank yous, I respectfully suggest you get yourself off the platform immediately.\n\nSimilarly, if you absolutely, positively need to have an app send out canned tweets for you, you may not have the time or inclination to be on social media.\n\nHere are some truths about social media engagement:\n<ul>\n	<li>its time-consuming</li>\n	<li>there\'s effort involved</li>\n	<li>personal beats automated every day</li>\n</ul>\nWhat do you think? Are you using these automated thank you generators? If so, what are you hoping to achieve? Are you achieving what you are hoping?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Is lazy interaction better than no interaction?','','inherit','open','open','','3083-autosave-v1','','','2015-11-03 16:51:21','2015-11-03 21:51:21','',3083,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/11/3083-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3087,4,'2015-11-03 16:51:53','2015-11-03 21:51:53','This post is about a phenomenon that I\'ve noticed on Twitter (just in case you aren\'t on Twitter, I\'m letting you know now so you can stop reading).\r\n\r\nFirst of all,  here\'s a question: do you expect a thank you or other acknowledgement when you re-tweet something? I would like to know for sure (I would appreciate your thoughts, please do share them in the comments) but my gut tells me most people appreciate a thank you but don\'t expect it or need it.\r\n\r\nAnd yet, there\'s been an explosion (or at least it seems so to me) in automated \'thanks for your interaction\' tweets. You\'ve probably seen the ones I mean:\r\n<blockquote><span data-reactid=\".0\">My best RTs this week came from: @xxx  @xxx <a class=\"_quickSearchPopup hash\" title=\"thankSAll\" href=\"https://hootsuite.com/dashboard#\">#thankSAll</a> Who were yours? <a href=\"https://t.co/sog7FmAmWy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">sumall.com/thankyou</a></span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">or</span></p>\r\n<span data-reactid=\".0\">Thanks to my top interactors!\r\n@xxxx @xxxx\r\n<a class=\"_quickSearchPopup hash\" title=\"tweetjukebox\" href=\"https://hootsuite.com/dashboard#\">#tweetjukebox</a></span></blockquote>\r\nI see why some people would think this is a good idea. Perhaps they were raised by parents who insisted that you must write a thank you note whenever you get a gift. Or perhaps, they think any interaction, even automated interaction, is better than no interaction.\r\n\r\nIt\'s similar to when you send a company an email outlining some concern or question you have and you then receive at automated reply thanking you for your email but not addressing your issue. You could have said that the company\'s product is killing you and the reply would still say \"thank you for your email.\"\r\n\r\nAutomated replies and automated tweets may be expedient but they are empty gestures. They have no content. They have no context. And they are basically useless in terms of creating the social media \"engagement\" everyone talks about.\r\n\r\nIf the only way you can think of interacting with others on Twitter is by automated thank yous, I respectfully suggest you get yourself off the platform immediately.\r\n\r\nSimilarly, if you absolutely, positively need to have an app send out canned tweets for you, you may not have the time or inclination to be on social media.\r\n\r\nHere are some truths about social media engagement:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>its time-consuming</li>\r\n	<li>there\'s effort involved</li>\r\n	<li>personal beats automated every day</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhat do you think? Are you using these automated thank you generators? If so, what are you hoping to achieve? Are you achieving what you are hoping?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Is lazy interaction better than no interaction?','','inherit','open','open','','3083-revision-v1','','','2015-11-03 16:51:53','2015-11-03 21:51:53','',3083,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/11/3083-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3089,4,'2015-11-10 10:40:58','2015-11-10 15:40:58','Last night, I happily attended the <a href=\"https://www.press.org/news-multimedia/videos/kalb-report-sunday-talk\" target=\"_blank\">latest Kalb Report at the National Press Club</a>. The topic was the Sunday morning public affairs shows and the guests were Chuck Todd of Meet the Press and John Dickerson of Face the Nation (and in case you didn\'t know, moderator Marvin Kalb was moderator of Meet the Press in the 80s). As is usually the case, the program was very interesting, especially to someone like me, who always watches Meet the Press or Face the Nation on Sunday and has been doing so for decades.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3090\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151109_195227.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3090\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151109_195227-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Todd and Dickerson at Kalb Report\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Chuck Todd and John Dickerson at Kalb Report, November 9, 2015[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Not paying attention</strong>\r\n\r\nBut apparently, not everybody else was as interested or at least, not everybody was giving the program their full attention. Next to me, two women were whispering to each other during most of the program. On my other side, a woman was busy on her iPhone. I wasn\'t sure what she was doing--maybe texting or maybe taking notes--but she was at it the whole time. Behind me, a gentleman kept fiddling with his camera. In front of me, two women were whispering to each other every few minutes. An official-seeming photographer (although I am not sure he was there officially) kept photographing the stage (and annoyingly, had his camera set to make clicking noises as though it were an old-fashioned camera).\r\n\r\n<strong>Distracting others</strong>\r\n\r\nEven though I was very interested in the program, I was getting distracted by what was going on around me. Other people\'s lack of attention (or perhaps, it was lack of manners) was attracting my attention!\r\n\r\n<strong>Lack of manners or short attention span?</strong>\r\n\r\nI have been seeing this lack of attention a lot and in many different types of venues. Just last week, I took an email marketing class along with about 15 other people. Two women were busy whispering for a good portion of the class, while the instructor was explaining something. These women showed a complete disregard for the instructor, and also for the rest of the class. Were they just completely unaware of how distracting they were being? Were they bored? Was something else more important happening that had to be discussed right there and then? I don\'t know, but again, their rudeness (because talking while someone else is presenting is just plain rude) was distracting me.\r\n\r\nMore and more, short attention spans are making it hard for anybody or anything to retain attention for any length of time. If people watch live television, they start fiddling with their tablet or phone during the commercials. If people are at the movies, they fiddle with their phone during the trailers (and sometimes, during the movie too).\r\n\r\n<strong>A real challenge for marketers</strong>\r\n\r\nPeople seem more restless and less able to focus and that\'s a real challenge for communicators and marketers. We\'ve seen an increase in image-based marketing precisely because people are not reading text. Marketing materials must grab attention quickly and only hope to hold on to it for seconds.\r\n\r\n<strong>The impact</strong>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">1. Shorter messages</span>. Marketers have to keep in mind that their messages are competing with thousands of other messages and with a shortened attention span. This means we really have to know what we are selling (or advocating), and how to distill it into as few words as possible.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">2. Customization.</span> We also need to realize that people are living in little bubbles, where they choose to pay attention to only what they want to pay attention to. Mass messaging doesn\'t work anymore. People are demanding to get only what they want to get.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">3. Becoming part of the discussion.</span> Messages alone don\'t do it. Now, you have to become part of the conversation. Take the REI announcement a couple weeks ago that it was closing on Black Friday \"to let associates be outside.\" Everyone got in on this conversation. REI used the hashtag #OptOutside in the announcement. Discussions on social media and mass media ensued. Brilliant!\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Have you noticed the drop in attention? What are you doing to counter it? Can you? Please let me know in the comments.</span> </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','You are competing for attention with attention itself','','publish','open','open','','you-are-competing-for-attention-with-attention-itself','','','2015-11-10 10:40:58','2015-11-10 15:40:58','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3089',0,'post','',1),
(3090,4,'2015-11-10 10:08:18','2015-11-10 15:08:18','','20151109_195227','Chuck Todd and John Dickerson at Kalb Report, November 9, 2015','inherit','open','open','','20151109_195227','','','2015-11-10 10:08:59','2015-11-10 15:08:59','',3089,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151109_195227.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3091,4,'2015-11-10 10:39:51','2015-11-10 15:39:51','Last night, I happily attended the <a href=\"https://www.press.org/news-multimedia/videos/kalb-report-sunday-talk\" target=\"_blank\">latest Kalb Report at the National Press Club</a>. The topic was the Sunday morning public affairs shows and the guests were Chuck Todd of Meet the Press and John Dickerson of Face the Nation (and in case you didn\'t know, moderator Marvin Kalb was moderator of Meet the Press in the 80s). As is usually the case, the program was very interesting, especially to someone like me, who always watches Meet the Press or Face the Nation on Sunday and has been doing so for decades.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3090\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151109_195227.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3090\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151109_195227-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Todd and Dickerson at Kalb Report\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Chuck Todd and John Dickerson at Kalb Report, November 9, 2015[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Not paying attention</strong>\r\n\r\nBut apparently, not everybody else was as interested or at least, not everybody was giving the program their full attention. Next to me, two women were whispering to each other during most of the program. On my other side, a woman was busy on her iPhone. I wasn\'t sure what she was doing--maybe texting or maybe taking notes--but she was at it the whole time. Behind me, a gentleman kept fiddling with his camera. In front of me, two women were whispering to each other every few minutes. An official-seeming photographer (although I am not sure he was there officially) kept photographing the stage (and annoyingly, had his camera set to make clicking noises as though it were an old-fashioned camera).\r\n\r\n<strong>Distracting others</strong>\r\n\r\nEven though I was very interested in the program, I was getting distracted by what was going on around me. Other people\'s lack of attention (or perhaps, it was lack of manners) was attracting my attention!\r\n\r\n<strong>Lack of manners or short attention span?</strong>\r\n\r\nI have been seeing this lack of attention a lot and in many different types of venues. Just last week, I took an email marketing class along with about 15 other people. Two women were busy whispering for a good portion of the class, while the instructor was explaining something. These women showed a complete disregard for the instructor, and also for the rest of the class. Were they just completely unaware of how distracting they were being? Were they bored? Was something else more important happening that had to be discussed right there and then? I don\'t know, but again, their rudeness (because talking while someone else is presenting is just plain rude) was distracting me.\r\n\r\nMore and more, short attention spans are making it hard for anybody or anything to retain attention for any length of time. If people watch live television, they start fiddling with their tablet or phone during the commercials. If people are at the movies, they fiddle with their phone during the trailers (and sometimes, during the movie too).\r\n\r\n<strong>A real challenge for marketers</strong>\r\n\r\nPeople seem more restless and less able to focus and that\'s a real challenge for communicators and marketers. We\'ve seen an increase in image-based marketing precisely because people are not reading text. Marketing materials must grab attention quickly and only hope to hold on to it for seconds.\r\n\r\n<strong>The impact</strong>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">1. Shorter messages</span>. Marketers have to keep in mind that their messages are competing with thousands of other messages and with a shortened attention span. This means we really have to know what we are selling (or advocating), and how to distill it into as few words as possible.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">2. Customization.</span> We also need to realize that people are living in little bubbles, where they choose to pay attention to only what they want to pay attention to. Mass messaging doesn\'t work anymore. People are demanding to get only what they want to get.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">3. Becoming part of the discussion.</span> Messages alone don\'t do it. Now, you have to become part of the conversation. Take the REI announcement a couple weeks ago that it was closing on Black Friday \"to let associates be outside.\" Everyone got in on this conversation. REI used the hashtag #OptOutside in the announcement. Discussions on social media and mass media ensued. Brilliant!\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Have you noticed the drop in attention? What are you doing to counter it? Can you? Please let me know in the comments.</span> </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','You are competing for attention with attention itself','','inherit','open','open','','3089-revision-v1','','','2015-11-10 10:39:51','2015-11-10 15:39:51','',3089,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/11/3089-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3092,4,'2015-11-17 10:44:42','2015-11-17 15:44:42','You\'ve heard of <a href=\"https://www.georgetowncupcake.com/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Georgetown Cupcake</a>, right? In case you haven\'t (seriously?), the company started in a small space in Georgetown back in 2008 and has now expanded to six locations, including stores in New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, and Atlanta, plus a thriving mail order business. The founders--sisters Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis Lamontagne--even starred in a reality TV show for TLC called \"DC Cupcake.\"\r\n\r\nBut getting to a point where Georgetown Cupcake sells 25,000 cupcakes a day on average did not happen overnight. It took a lot of hard work. Katherine and Sophie shared how they did it at the Inc. Magazine/Capital One Founders Forum last week in Washington, DC, which I attended (it was free and yes, they served cupcakes).\r\n\r\nThe Georgetown Cupcake ladies shared a lot of information about what it really takes to get a business off the ground (working all hours, every day, and incurring a lot of debt for starters). Their success seems to be tied to how hands-on they are and how personal their motivation is (they learned to make cakes from the grandmother and wanted to recreate that).\r\n\r\nThey also shared some very interesting marketing insights. From my notes, following are  six marketing and communications takeaways:\r\n\r\n<strong>Use data to drive your business processes and collect data wherever you can</strong>\r\n\r\nEveryone keeps talking about metrics and analytics. Well, here\'s why: data can fuel your bottom line. In Georgetown Cupcake\'s case, they used shipping data to choose the locations where they have opened stores. The sisters say you need to ask yourself what information you need, and then collect it.\r\n\r\n<strong>Prove your business model and have a good product before getting marketing help</strong>\r\n\r\nYou have to have something people want to buy before you market it. The sisters got great publicity early on because lines were forming out the door at the first (and at the time, only) Georgetown location. They were able to get stories in the <em>New York Times</em> and the<em> Washington Post</em> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">without</span> public relations assistance.\r\n\r\n<strong>Word of mouth is the best advertising</strong>\r\n\r\nYou haven\'t seen ads for Georgetown Cupcake because they don\'t advertise. Instead, they rely on word of mouth. Which is how they got those lines out the door in the first place. Which is what led to the major newspaper coverage. Which is what led to the TV show. Which has led to their success.\r\n\r\n<strong>Use social media (and do it well)</strong>\r\n\r\nFrom the start, Georgetown Cupcake has been on social media. First they had a Facebook page, then Twitter, and now Instagram and Pinterest. One of their early social media innovations was to announce a special flavor of the day which you could mention at the store to get a free cupcake. They are still doing it--in fact, I just checked and today\'s free flavor is Apple Caramel. Why this works is that it gives people a tangible reason to follow, giving them \"inside\" knowledge. Katherine says she PERSONALLY handles their Twitter feed, which has 101,000 followers.\r\n\r\n<strong>Stay true to your brand experience and mission</strong>\r\n\r\nIt was important to the sisters that each new store reflect exactly the brand experience that the first store embodied. They wanted customers to feel a certain way when they walked through the doors, whether in New York or Atlanta. Because brand experience is not easy to replicate, the sisters are not rushing to expand nationwide (although you can order the cupcakes to be shipped anywhere in the U.S.).\r\n\r\n<strong>Focus on employee communications</strong>\r\n\r\nBecause the sisters cannot be at all the locations every day, they keep in touch with their employees constantly. They have a weekly internal newsletter, and they email each store several times a day. All employees are trained to understand the company\'s mission.\r\n\r\nIn a world where cupcakes chains have come and gone, it is interesting to see that Georgetown Cupcake is still doing well. Perhaps it\'s because the sisters are so involved and committed to their business. In any case, it was fascinating to hear them talk about their business.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','How to sell 1000s of cupcakes','','publish','open','open','','how-to-sell-1000s-of-cupcakes','','','2015-11-17 10:44:42','2015-11-17 15:44:42','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3092',0,'post','',0),
(3117,4,'2015-12-31 09:36:46','2015-12-31 14:36:46','I don\'t know what happened to 2015. It started with such potential, all shiny and bright (and cold here in the Washington, DC area). And it went downhill fast.\r\n\r\nHere are  six \"trends\" that were everywhere in 2015 and that I hope we don\'t see in the coming year:\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Overuse of emojis and gifs</strong> (they are especially egregious in professional communications). Oxford Dictionary even chose an emoji as \"word\" of the year. Enough said.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Multiple emails asking for money, </strong>especially on New Year\'s Eve (today alone I have already deleted at least a dozen) from organizations that have already sent multiple emails at Thanksgiving, on Giving Tuesday, before Christmas, after Christmas. If I wanted to give, I would have already.\r\n\r\n<strong>3</strong>. And speaking of email, too many were <strong>not responsive/mobile-friendly</strong>. This wasn\'t good in 2015 and it certainly won\'t fly in 2016. Most people read email on their smartphones or tablets. Deal with it.\r\n\r\n<strong>4</strong>.<strong> Auto-video/audio on websites</strong>. This year I felt that every website I went on had a (loud, obnoxious) video pop-up. Having the video or audio auto-play ensures I will click out of your website really fast.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Over-capitalization.</strong> In American English, we have simple rules for capitalizing words: we use capitals to start a sentence and in proper names. We don\'t capitalize to show something is important, even if it sounds important (e.g., \"we elect a president every four years\" not \"we elect a President every four years\"). And unlike Germans, we don\'t capitalize every single noun.\r\n\r\nAnd last, but not least:\r\n\r\n<strong>6. Obsessive news coverage and its partner, endless speculating.</strong> It didn\'t start this year, and probably won\'t end this year, but we saw too many examples of obsessive coverage of selected news stories this year. Going all out on one news story, like the Paris bombings, sending every reporter and anchor to the scene, and then providing all sorts of baseless \"analysis\" does not qualify as actual journalism. It does not clarify the story. Instead, it gives rise to fear and uncertainty. This is what\'s given rise to blowhard politicians such as the millionaire real estate developer who will say the most outrageous things because he knows it will attract attention and speculation.\r\n\r\nWhat trends got your goat in 2015? Share them in the comments.\r\n\r\n<strong>Let\'s hope for a better 2016. Happy New Year everybody!</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Six trends I don\'t want to see in 2016','','publish','open','open','','six-bad-2015-trends','','','2015-12-31 09:36:46','2015-12-31 14:36:46','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3117',0,'post','',0),
(3095,4,'2015-11-18 14:14:44','2015-11-18 19:14:44','In case you\'ve missed a newsletter, just check this archive:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/987fe6\" target=\"_blank\">November 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"September 2015 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/2f17a6\" target=\"_blank\">September 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/f0dc46\" target=\"_blank\">June 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/83c206\" target=\"_blank\">March 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"January 2015 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/594ec5\" target=\"_blank\">January 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/p/9a6295?fe=1&amp;pact=26384901049\" target=\"_blank\">November 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/f95d35\" target=\"_blank\">September 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/c3e405\" target=\"_blank\">July 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://mad.ly/3625c4\" target=\"_blank\">April 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"February newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/dc2584\" target=\"_blank\">February 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"December 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/bb9454\" target=\"_blank\">December 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"October 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/f27424\" target=\"_blank\">October 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"July 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/eb30f3\" target=\"_blank\">July 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"May 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/9003c3\" target=\"_blank\">May 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"March 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/d82a93\" target=\"_blank\">March 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"January 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/a12873\" target=\"_blank\">January 2013</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Newsletters','','inherit','open','open','','2509-revision-v1','','','2015-11-18 14:14:44','2015-11-18 19:14:44','',2509,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/11/2509-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3102,4,'2015-12-08 12:53:51','2015-12-08 17:53:51','Back in October I pledged to myself to complete National Novel Writing Month or <a href=\"http://nanowrimo.org/\" target=\"_blank\">NaNoWriMo</a>. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s an annual event where the goal is to write 50,000 words during November. People self-monitor and track their word count on the NaNoWriMo website. Once the “novel” is done, you upload the document for “validation.” And if you indeed wrote the 50K words, then you are labeled a “winner.” Although you can order a winner t-shirt (and pay for it), there are no prizes. The only reward you get is self-satisfaction.\r\n\r\n<strong>Try, try again?</strong>\r\n\r\nI had tried to complete NaNoWriMo once before, and only got to about 9,000 words. This time, I made it all the way to 20,000. I wasn’t even half-way through and I only had about 10 days left. The website helpfully reminded me that to complete the “novel,” I would have to write at least 3,000 words a day or, if I stayed at the pace I was going, I would finish sometime at the end of December or early January. It was then that I realized that I simply didn’t have it in me.\r\n\r\nThe “novel” I was writing was not compelling. I did not have a sense of how to keep the plot (such as it was) moving forward. And here’s the thing: Novels are not a bunch of words strung together to beat the clock.\r\n\r\n<strong>What\'s a novel, really?</strong>\r\n\r\nIn fact, the word novel has two meanings. As an adjective, novel means new and fresh. As a noun, Merriam-Webster defines novel as “an invented prose narrative that is usually long and complex and deals especially with human experience through a usually connected sequence of events.” If we put both definitions together, a novel should be a new, fresh, and long narrative or story.\r\n\r\n<strong>Writing is a discipline</strong>\r\n\r\nHere’s the good thing about NaNoWriMo: If you develop the discipline to write every day, and if you work toward a clearly defined goal, you will get somewhere with your writing. In other words, you become a writer if you write consistently.\r\n\r\n<strong>But is writing is more than that</strong>\r\n\r\nOn the other hand: A successful writer has to communicate something specific and has to do it clearly. Just hitting a word count does not make you a writer (certainly not a good writer). It makes you someone who has placed a certain number of words on paper (screen).\r\n\r\n<strong>You have to tell a story</strong>\r\n\r\nFor me, the big lesson of NaNoWriMo is that writing is not enough. You have to have a story to tell. There’s got to be more than words on a page.\r\n\r\nI have always been an avid fiction reader. And doing the NaNoWriMo experiment gave me much more appreciation and respect for published writers. Writing 50,000 words is hard. Writing 50,000 words (or more) that actually are interesting, make sense, and share a story is immeasurably harder.\r\n\r\nHave you tried NaNoWriMo? If so, what are your lessons learned? Did you write something that was published?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','One invaluable writing lesson','','publish','open','open','','one-invaluable-writing-lesson','','','2015-12-23 12:52:29','2015-12-23 17:52:29','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3102',0,'post','',0),
(3097,4,'2015-11-24 10:29:28','2015-11-24 15:29:28','During this season, and especially during Thanksgiving week, we see a lot of talk of gratitude. At least one DC-area TV channel is asking people to post what they are grateful for (and hashtag it, of course).\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151124_101824.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3098\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151124_101824-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Thank you card\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Those that do</strong>\r\n\r\nI have been getting several email thank you notes—from airlines, rewards programs and organizations that I have supported in the past. It’s nice to get an email that is simply expressing thanks and not trying to sell or promote or convince.\r\n\r\nAnd every end of year, I get a couple “Season’s Greetings and Thank You for your Business” holiday cards in the mail. I generally get one from my accountant and one from a company that painted the exterior of my house three years ago. I get so few actual printed holiday cards, especially from vendors, that I really notice them.\r\n\r\n<strong>And those that don\'t</strong>\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, I don’t get anything from the painting company that painted the interior of my house, or from the company that installed the hardwood floors in my house (a much bigger job than the house painting) or from the company with which I had a multi-year service contract.\r\n\r\nPerhaps these companies don’t send any thank yous at all. Or perhaps they don’t value my patronage.\r\n\r\nI have been thinking about this because I just had a new HVAC unit installed. It is the largest purchase I have made this year, and it was a hard decision to make. The company that sold and installed the unit was very professional. The salesperson followed up and answered a ton of my questions and concerns. The installers were on time and worked diligently, leaving everything clean and tidy. All the paperwork was in order.\r\n\r\nBut a week later, I have not heard a word from this company. No follow up to see how the system is working, no inquiry about my experience with the installation, and most surprisingly, no thank you for buying the product/service.\r\n\r\n<strong>Polite, and meeting expectations</strong>\r\n\r\nWe don’t expect thank you notes from the grocery store (even though we probably spend money there more consistently and frequently than almost anywhere else) or for the vast number of regular transactions we all make during the year. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">But when we buy something big—a car, a house, a time share—we do expect a thank you.</span>\r\n\r\nWriting (or emailing) thank you notes is what polite people do when they’ve received a gift. And it is what companies should do when you’ve made a big purchase or done business with them. Because so few companies do it, sending a thank you is what differentiates them. It also shows, in a tangible way, that a company values your patronage. It’s a marketing win.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Do you send thank you notes to your customers or clients? If not, why not? If so, how do you do it--electronically or with a printed card?</span>\r\n\r\n<strong>And with that, let me say thank you for reading this post, and this blog. Have a very happy Thanksgiving!</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Why giving thanks is a marketing win','','publish','open','open','','why-giving-thanks-is-a-marketing-win','','','2015-11-24 10:29:42','2015-11-24 15:29:42','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3097',0,'post','',0),
(3098,4,'2015-11-24 10:26:03','2015-11-24 15:26:03','Thank you card','20151124_101824','','inherit','open','open','','20151124_101824','','','2015-11-24 10:26:20','2015-11-24 15:26:20','',3097,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151124_101824.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3099,4,'2015-11-24 10:27:54','2015-11-24 15:27:54','During this season, and especially during Thanksgiving week, we see a lot of talk of gratitude. At least one DC-area TV channel is asking people to post what they are grateful for (and hashtag it, of course).\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151124_101824.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3098\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/20151124_101824-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Thank you card\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Those that do</strong>\r\n\r\nI have been getting several email thank you notes—from airlines, rewards programs and organizations that I have supported in the past. It’s nice to get an email that is simply expressing thanks and not trying to sell or promote or convince.\r\n\r\nAnd every end of year, I get a couple “Season’s Greetings and Thank You for your Business” holiday cards in the mail. I generally get one from my accountant and one from a company that painted the exterior of my house three years ago. I get so few actual printed holiday cards, especially from vendors, that I really notice them.\r\n\r\n<strong>And those that don\'t</strong>\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, I don’t get anything from the painting company that painted the interior of my house, or from the company that installed the hardwood floors in my house (a much bigger job than the house painting) or from the company with which I had a multi-year service contract.\r\n\r\nPerhaps these companies don’t send any thank yous at all. Or perhaps they don’t value my patronage.\r\n\r\nI have been thinking about this because I just had a new HVAC unit installed. It is the largest purchase I have made this year, and it was a hard decision to make. The company that sold and installed the unit was very professional. The salesperson followed up and answered a ton of my questions and concerns. The installers were on time and worked diligently, leaving everything clean and tidy. All the paperwork was in order.\r\n\r\nBut a week later, I have not heard a word from this company. No follow up to see how the system is working, no inquiry about my experience with the installation, and most surprisingly, no thank you for buying the product/service.\r\n\r\n<strong>Polite, and meeting expectations</strong>\r\n\r\nWe don’t expect thank you notes from the grocery store (even though we probably spend money there more consistently and frequently than almost anywhere else) or for the vast number of regular transactions we all make during the year. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">But when we buy something big—a car, a house, a time share—we do expect a thank you.</span>\r\n\r\nWriting (or emailing) thank you notes is what polite people do when they’ve received a gift. And it is what companies should do when you’ve made a big purchase or done business with them. Because so few companies do it, sending a thank you is what differentiates them. It also shows, in a tangible way, that a company values your patronage. It’s a marketing win.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Do you send thank you notes to your customers or clients? If not, why not? If so, how do you do it--electronically or with a printed card?</span>\r\n\r\n<strong>And with that, let me say thank you for reading this post, and this blog. Have a very happy Thanksgiving!</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Why giving thanks is a marketing win','','inherit','open','open','','3097-revision-v1','','','2015-11-24 10:27:54','2015-11-24 15:27:54','',3097,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/11/3097-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3103,4,'2015-12-08 12:52:55','2015-12-08 17:52:55','Back in October I pledged to myself to complete National Novel Writing Month or <a href=\"http://nanowrimo.org/\" target=\"_blank\">NaNoWriMo</a>. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s an annual event where the goal is to write 50,000 words during November. People self-monitor and track their word count on the NaNoWriMo website. Once the “novel” is done, you upload the document for “validation.” And if you indeed wrote the 50K words, then you are labeled a “winner.” Although you can order a winner t-shirt (and pay for it), there are no prizes. The only reward you get is self-satisfaction.\r\n\r\n<strong>Try, try again?</strong>\r\n\r\nI had tried to complete NaNoWriMo once before, and only got to about 9,000 words. This time, I made it all the way to 20,000. I wasn’t even half-way through and I only had about 10 days left. The website helpfully reminded me that to complete the “novel,” I would have to write at least 3,000 words a day or, if I stayed at the pace I was going, I would finish sometime at the end of December or early January. It was then that I realized that I simply didn’t have it in me.\r\n\r\nThe “novel” I was writing was not compelling. I did not have a sense of how to keep the plot (such as it was) moving forward. Andn here’s the thing: Novels are not a bunch of words strung together to beat the clock.\r\n\r\n<strong>What\'s a novel, really?</strong>\r\n\r\nIn fact, the word novel has two meanings. As an adjective, novel means new and fresh. As a noun, Merriam-Webster defines novel as “an invented prose narrative that is usually long and complex and deals especially with human experience through a usually connected sequence of events.” If we put both definitions together, a novel should be a new, fresh and long narrative or story.\r\n\r\n<strong>Writing is a discipline</strong>\r\n\r\nHere’s the good thing about NaNoWriMo: If you develop the discipline to write every day, and if you work toward a clearly defined goal, you will get somewhere with your writing. In other words, you become a writer if you write consistently.\r\n\r\n<strong>But is writing is more than that</strong>\r\n\r\nOn the other hand: A successful writer has to communicate something specific and has to do it clearly. Just hitting a word count does not make you a writer (certainly not a good writer). It makes you someone who has placed a certain number of words on paper (screen).\r\n\r\n<strong>You have to tell a story</strong>\r\n\r\nFor me, the big lesson of NaNoWriMo is that writing is not enough. You have to have a story to tell. There’s got to be more than words on a page.\r\n\r\nI have always been an avid fiction reader. And doing the NaNoWriMo experiment gave me much more appreciation and respect for published writers. Writing 50,000 words is hard. Writing 50,000 words (or more) that actually are interesting, make sense and share a story is immeasurably harder.\r\n\r\nHave you tried NaNoWriMo? If so, what are your lessons learned? Did you write something that was published?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','One invaluable writing lesson','','inherit','open','open','','3102-revision-v1','','','2015-12-08 12:52:55','2015-12-08 17:52:55','',3102,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/12/3102-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3104,4,'2015-12-08 12:53:51','2015-12-08 17:53:51','Back in October I pledged to myself to complete National Novel Writing Month or <a href=\"http://nanowrimo.org/\" target=\"_blank\">NaNoWriMo</a>. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s an annual event where the goal is to write 50,000 words during November. People self-monitor and track their word count on the NaNoWriMo website. Once the “novel” is done, you upload the document for “validation.” And if you indeed wrote the 50K words, then you are labeled a “winner.” Although you can order a winner t-shirt (and pay for it), there are no prizes. The only reward you get is self-satisfaction.\r\n\r\n<strong>Try, try again?</strong>\r\n\r\nI had tried to complete NaNoWriMo once before, and only got to about 9,000 words. This time, I made it all the way to 20,000. I wasn’t even half-way through and I only had about 10 days left. The website helpfully reminded me that to complete the “novel,” I would have to write at least 3,000 words a day or, if I stayed at the pace I was going, I would finish sometime at the end of December or early January. It was then that I realized that I simply didn’t have it in me.\r\n\r\nThe “novel” I was writing was not compelling. I did not have a sense of how to keep the plot (such as it was) moving forward. Andn here’s the thing: Novels are not a bunch of words strung together to beat the clock.\r\n\r\n<strong>What\'s a novel, really?</strong>\r\n\r\nIn fact, the word novel has two meanings. As an adjective, novel means new and fresh. As a noun, Merriam-Webster defines novel as “an invented prose narrative that is usually long and complex and deals especially with human experience through a usually connected sequence of events.” If we put both definitions together, a novel should be a new, fresh and long narrative or story.\r\n\r\n<strong>Writing is a discipline</strong>\r\n\r\nHere’s the good thing about NaNoWriMo: If you develop the discipline to write every day, and if you work toward a clearly defined goal, you will get somewhere with your writing. In other words, you become a writer if you write consistently.\r\n\r\n<strong>But is writing is more than that</strong>\r\n\r\nOn the other hand: A successful writer has to communicate something specific and has to do it clearly. Just hitting a word count does not make you a writer (certainly not a good writer). It makes you someone who has placed a certain number of words on paper (screen).\r\n\r\n<strong>You have to tell a story</strong>\r\n\r\nFor me, the big lesson of NaNoWriMo is that writing is not enough. You have to have a story to tell. There’s got to be more than words on a page.\r\n\r\nI have always been an avid fiction reader. And doing the NaNoWriMo experiment gave me much more appreciation and respect for published writers. Writing 50,000 words is hard. Writing 50,000 words (or more) that actually are interesting, make sense, and share a story is immeasurably harder.\r\n\r\nHave you tried NaNoWriMo? If so, what are your lessons learned? Did you write something that was published?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','One invaluable writing lesson','','inherit','open','open','','3102-revision-v1','','','2015-12-08 12:53:51','2015-12-08 17:53:51','',3102,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/12/3102-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3106,4,'2015-12-16 10:30:29','2015-12-16 15:30:29','<strong>I needed pizza and water STAT</strong>\r\n\r\nLast week, I was enjoying one perfect sunny day on the beach in Hollywood, Florida (it rained a lot in South Florida last week!). After going for a run along the boardwalk, I stopped into a pizza shop to get a bottle of water and a slice of pizza for lunch. There was an older man milling about waiting but nobody seemed to be at the counter. Finally, a guy appeared at the other end of the counter. I signaled him. He ignored me. I said \"excuse me\" and he ignored me. Then I said \"Could we get some service down here?\" and he said something like this: \"in a moment, I am taking care of something else.\"\r\n\r\nWhat else could be more important to him than paying customers who wanted to buy something? Apparently, anything was more important. Right after that, this guy picked up something and went outside to put it in storage or something. He was not helping other customers and he was avoiding helping me.\r\n\r\nLuckily for me, there are several pizza joints along the Hollywood boardwalk, and so I walked out of this one and on to next one. There, I was served a slice of pizza and a bottle of water in a flash, and with a smile.\r\n\r\n<strong>We all have tasks galore</strong>\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing: we all have things to do. We all have endless lists of tasks to do daily, weekly and even monthly.  Since we have limited hours every day, we prioritize those tasks. For example, if you need to invoice your customers, that task comes before choosing sandwiches for the holiday party. Perhaps party planning is more fun, but invoicing brings in the money that will pay for the party.\r\n\r\nIf we want to stay in business, we need to prioritize our <em>current</em> clients and customers. We need to prioritize the work that pays, and the people that pay us. And yet, we see businesses who are so busy chasing potential customers that they ignore current ones.\r\n\r\n<strong>Losing sales</strong>\r\n\r\nOr worse, we see salespeople who are too busy with tasks (to put it kindly) to focus on the potential sales that are right in their store. That scenario happened to me a few weeks ago when I was shopping for some furniture. I walked into a mega furniture store whose name rhymes with Carlo, and <em>nobody</em> approached me. There were plenty of salespeople around but none of them even greeted me. Then I went up to a salesperson who was busy not doing anything and asked her where I could find medium sized media cabinets (I described a very specific need). She shrugged. She didn\'t seem know but what was worse is that she didn\'t seem care to help me. Do you think I bought anything at that store? Do you think I am ever going back there again?\r\n\r\nIn the pizza place scenario, there was absolutely no reason that guy behind the counter couldn\'t have come over or sent someone to take my order right away. What he \"had\" to do could wait an extra two minutes, but as a thirsty, hungry customer, I couldn\'t wait.  That pizza place lost my business, not only on that day, but at any other time I happen to be in Hollywood Beach and have a hankering for pizza.\r\n\r\n<strong>Priorities, priorities</strong>\r\n\r\nCurrent business pays us now. And if we do a good job, it continues to pay in the future. Potential business must also be cultivated so we can continue to grow, but not at the expense of our current customers.\r\n\r\nIn the end, it\'s all about priorities.\r\n\r\n<strong>What are your business priorities? How do you communicate to your customers or clients that they are important to you?</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','How to alienate customers and lose business forever','','publish','open','open','','how-to-alienate-customers','','','2015-12-16 10:30:29','2015-12-16 15:30:29','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3106',0,'post','',0),
(3107,4,'2015-12-15 15:54:02','2015-12-15 20:54:02','Last week, I was enjoying one sunny day on the beach in Hollywood, Florida (it rained a lot in South Florida last week!). After going for a run along the boardwalk, I stopped into a pizza shop to get water and a slice of pizza for lunch. There was a guy waiting and nobody seemed to be at the counter. Finally, a guy appeared at the other end of the counter. I signaled him. He ignored. I said \"excuse me\" and he ignored me. I said \"could we get some service down here\" and he said \"in a moment, I am taking care of something else.\"\r\n\r\nWhat else could be more important that potential customers? Well, not much. He picked up something and went outside to put it in storage or something. He was not helping other customers or making pizza.\r\n\r\nLuckily for me, there are several pizza joints along the Hollywood boardwalk, and so I walked out of this one and on to next one. There, I was served a slice of pizza and a bottle of water in a flash, and with a smile.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing: we all have things to do. We all have endless lists of tasks to do daily, weekly, monthly and so on. Since we have limited hours every day, we prioritize those tasks. For example, if you need to invoice your customers, that task comes before choosing sandwiches for the holiday party .Perhaps party planning is more fun, but invoicing brings in the money that will pay for the party.\r\n\r\nIf we want to stay in business, paying customers should come first.\r\n\r\nIn the pizza place scenario, there was absolutely no reason that guy behind the counter couldn\'t have come over or sent someone to take my order right away. What he had to do could wait an extra two minutes, but as a thirsty, hungry customer, I couldn\'t wait. And didn\'t have to. The pizza place lost my business, not only on that day, but any other time I happen to be in Hollywood Beach and have a hankering for pizza.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','','','inherit','open','open','','3106-revision-v1','','','2015-12-15 15:54:02','2015-12-15 20:54:02','',3106,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/12/3106-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3108,4,'2015-12-16 10:26:48','2015-12-16 15:26:48','<strong>I needed pizza and water STAT</strong>\r\n\r\nLast week, I was enjoying one perfect sunny day on the beach in Hollywood, Florida (it rained a lot in South Florida last week!). After going for a run along the boardwalk, I stopped into a pizza shop to get a bottle of water and a slice of pizza for lunch. There was an older man milling about waiting but nobody seemed to be at the counter. Finally, a guy appeared at the other end of the counter. I signaled him. He ignored me. I said \"excuse me\" and he ignored me. Then I said \"Could we get some service down here?\" and he said something like \"in a moment, I am taking care of something else.\"\r\n\r\nWhat else could be more important to him than paying customers who wanted to buy something? Apparently, anything was more important. Right after that, this guy picked up something and went outside to put it in storage or something. He was not helping other customers and he was avoiding helping me.\r\n\r\nLuckily for me, there are several pizza joints along the Hollywood boardwalk, and so I walked out of this one and on to next one. There, I was served a slice of pizza and a bottle of water in a flash, and with a smile.\r\n\r\n<strong>We all have tasks galore</strong>\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing: we all have things to do. We all have endless lists of tasks to do daily, weekly and even monthly.  Since we have limited hours every day, we prioritize those tasks. For example, if you need to invoice your customers, that task comes before choosing sandwiches for the holiday party. Perhaps party planning is more fun, but invoicing brings in the money that will pay for the party.\r\n\r\nIf we want to stay in business, we need to prioritize our <em>current</em> clients and customers. We need to prioritize the work that pays, and the people that pay us. And yet, we see businesses who are so busy chasing potential customers that they ignore current ones.\r\n\r\n<strong>Losing sales</strong>\r\n\r\nOr worse, we see salespeople who are too busy with tasks (to put it kindly) to focus on the potential sales that are right in their store. That scenario happened to me a few weeks ago when I was shopping for some furniture. I walked into a mega furniture store whose name rhymes with Carlo, and <em>nobody</em> approached me. There were plenty of salespeople around but none of them even greeted me. Then I found someone and asked her where I could find medium sized media cabinets (I described a very specific need). She shrugged. She didn\'t seem know but what was worse is that she didn\'t seem care to help me. Do you think I bought anything at that store? Do you think I am ever going back there again?\r\n\r\nIn the pizza place scenario, there was absolutely no reason that guy behind the counter couldn\'t have come over or sent someone to take my order right away. What he \"had\" to do could wait an extra two minutes, but as a thirsty, hungry customer, I couldn\'t wait.  That pizza place lost my business, not only on that day, but at any other time I happen to be in Hollywood Beach and have a hankering for pizza.\r\n\r\n<strong>Priorities, priorities</strong>\r\n\r\nCurrent business pays us now. And if we do a good job, it continues to pay in the future. Potential business must also be cultivated so we can continue to grow, but not at the expense of our current customers.\r\n\r\nIn the end, it\'s all about priorities.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','How to alienate customers and lose business forever','','inherit','open','open','','3106-revision-v1','','','2015-12-16 10:26:48','2015-12-16 15:26:48','',3106,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/12/3106-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3109,4,'2015-12-16 10:30:29','2015-12-16 15:30:29','<strong>I needed pizza and water STAT</strong>\r\n\r\nLast week, I was enjoying one perfect sunny day on the beach in Hollywood, Florida (it rained a lot in South Florida last week!). After going for a run along the boardwalk, I stopped into a pizza shop to get a bottle of water and a slice of pizza for lunch. There was an older man milling about waiting but nobody seemed to be at the counter. Finally, a guy appeared at the other end of the counter. I signaled him. He ignored me. I said \"excuse me\" and he ignored me. Then I said \"Could we get some service down here?\" and he said something like this: \"in a moment, I am taking care of something else.\"\r\n\r\nWhat else could be more important to him than paying customers who wanted to buy something? Apparently, anything was more important. Right after that, this guy picked up something and went outside to put it in storage or something. He was not helping other customers and he was avoiding helping me.\r\n\r\nLuckily for me, there are several pizza joints along the Hollywood boardwalk, and so I walked out of this one and on to next one. There, I was served a slice of pizza and a bottle of water in a flash, and with a smile.\r\n\r\n<strong>We all have tasks galore</strong>\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing: we all have things to do. We all have endless lists of tasks to do daily, weekly and even monthly.  Since we have limited hours every day, we prioritize those tasks. For example, if you need to invoice your customers, that task comes before choosing sandwiches for the holiday party. Perhaps party planning is more fun, but invoicing brings in the money that will pay for the party.\r\n\r\nIf we want to stay in business, we need to prioritize our <em>current</em> clients and customers. We need to prioritize the work that pays, and the people that pay us. And yet, we see businesses who are so busy chasing potential customers that they ignore current ones.\r\n\r\n<strong>Losing sales</strong>\r\n\r\nOr worse, we see salespeople who are too busy with tasks (to put it kindly) to focus on the potential sales that are right in their store. That scenario happened to me a few weeks ago when I was shopping for some furniture. I walked into a mega furniture store whose name rhymes with Carlo, and <em>nobody</em> approached me. There were plenty of salespeople around but none of them even greeted me. Then I went up to a salesperson who was busy not doing anything and asked her where I could find medium sized media cabinets (I described a very specific need). She shrugged. She didn\'t seem know but what was worse is that she didn\'t seem care to help me. Do you think I bought anything at that store? Do you think I am ever going back there again?\r\n\r\nIn the pizza place scenario, there was absolutely no reason that guy behind the counter couldn\'t have come over or sent someone to take my order right away. What he \"had\" to do could wait an extra two minutes, but as a thirsty, hungry customer, I couldn\'t wait.  That pizza place lost my business, not only on that day, but at any other time I happen to be in Hollywood Beach and have a hankering for pizza.\r\n\r\n<strong>Priorities, priorities</strong>\r\n\r\nCurrent business pays us now. And if we do a good job, it continues to pay in the future. Potential business must also be cultivated so we can continue to grow, but not at the expense of our current customers.\r\n\r\nIn the end, it\'s all about priorities.\r\n\r\n<strong>What are your business priorities? How do you communicate to your customers or clients that they are important to you?</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','How to alienate customers and lose business forever','','inherit','open','open','','3106-revision-v1','','','2015-12-16 10:30:29','2015-12-16 15:30:29','',3106,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/12/3106-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3112,4,'2015-12-23 12:52:28','2015-12-23 17:52:28','Back in October I pledged to myself to complete National Novel Writing Month or <a href=\"http://nanowrimo.org/\" target=\"_blank\">NaNoWriMo</a>. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s an annual event where the goal is to write 50,000 words during November. People self-monitor and track their word count on the NaNoWriMo website. Once the “novel” is done, you upload the document for “validation.” And if you indeed wrote the 50K words, then you are labeled a “winner.” Although you can order a winner t-shirt (and pay for it), there are no prizes. The only reward you get is self-satisfaction.\n\n<strong>Try, try again?</strong>\n\nI had tried to complete NaNoWriMo once before, and only got to about 9,000 words. This time, I made it all the way to 20,000. I wasn’t even half-way through and I only had about 10 days left. The website helpfully reminded me that to complete the “novel,” I would have to write at least 3,000 words a day or, if I stayed at the pace I was going, I would finish sometime at the end of December or early January. It was then that I realized that I simply didn’t have it in me.\n\nThe “novel” I was writing was not compelling. I did not have a sense of how to keep the plot (such as it was) moving forward. And here’s the thing: Novels are not a bunch of words strung together to beat the clock.\n\n<strong>What\'s a novel, really?</strong>\n\nIn fact, the word novel has two meanings. As an adjective, novel means new and fresh. As a noun, Merriam-Webster defines novel as “an invented prose narrative that is usually long and complex and deals especially with human experience through a usually connected sequence of events.” If we put both definitions together, a novel should be a new, fresh, and long narrative or story.\n\n<strong>Writing is a discipline</strong>\n\nHere’s the good thing about NaNoWriMo: If you develop the discipline to write every day, and if you work toward a clearly defined goal, you will get somewhere with your writing. In other words, you become a writer if you write consistently.\n\n<strong>But is writing is more than that</strong>\n\nOn the other hand: A successful writer has to communicate something specific and has to do it clearly. Just hitting a word count does not make you a writer (certainly not a good writer). It makes you someone who has placed a certain number of words on paper (screen).\n\n<strong>You have to tell a story</strong>\n\nFor me, the big lesson of NaNoWriMo is that writing is not enough. You have to have a story to tell. There’s got to be more than words on a page.\n\nI have always been an avid fiction reader. And doing the NaNoWriMo experiment gave me much more appreciation and respect for published writers. Writing 50,000 words is hard. Writing 50,000 words (or more) that actually are interesting, make sense, and share a story is immeasurably harder.\n\nHave you tried NaNoWriMo? If so, what are your lessons learned? Did you write something that was published?\n\n&nbsp;','One invaluable writing lesson','','inherit','open','open','','3102-autosave-v1','','','2015-12-23 12:52:28','2015-12-23 17:52:28','',3102,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/12/3102-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3113,4,'2015-12-23 12:52:29','2015-12-23 17:52:29','Back in October I pledged to myself to complete National Novel Writing Month or <a href=\"http://nanowrimo.org/\" target=\"_blank\">NaNoWriMo</a>. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s an annual event where the goal is to write 50,000 words during November. People self-monitor and track their word count on the NaNoWriMo website. Once the “novel” is done, you upload the document for “validation.” And if you indeed wrote the 50K words, then you are labeled a “winner.” Although you can order a winner t-shirt (and pay for it), there are no prizes. The only reward you get is self-satisfaction.\r\n\r\n<strong>Try, try again?</strong>\r\n\r\nI had tried to complete NaNoWriMo once before, and only got to about 9,000 words. This time, I made it all the way to 20,000. I wasn’t even half-way through and I only had about 10 days left. The website helpfully reminded me that to complete the “novel,” I would have to write at least 3,000 words a day or, if I stayed at the pace I was going, I would finish sometime at the end of December or early January. It was then that I realized that I simply didn’t have it in me.\r\n\r\nThe “novel” I was writing was not compelling. I did not have a sense of how to keep the plot (such as it was) moving forward. And here’s the thing: Novels are not a bunch of words strung together to beat the clock.\r\n\r\n<strong>What\'s a novel, really?</strong>\r\n\r\nIn fact, the word novel has two meanings. As an adjective, novel means new and fresh. As a noun, Merriam-Webster defines novel as “an invented prose narrative that is usually long and complex and deals especially with human experience through a usually connected sequence of events.” If we put both definitions together, a novel should be a new, fresh, and long narrative or story.\r\n\r\n<strong>Writing is a discipline</strong>\r\n\r\nHere’s the good thing about NaNoWriMo: If you develop the discipline to write every day, and if you work toward a clearly defined goal, you will get somewhere with your writing. In other words, you become a writer if you write consistently.\r\n\r\n<strong>But is writing is more than that</strong>\r\n\r\nOn the other hand: A successful writer has to communicate something specific and has to do it clearly. Just hitting a word count does not make you a writer (certainly not a good writer). It makes you someone who has placed a certain number of words on paper (screen).\r\n\r\n<strong>You have to tell a story</strong>\r\n\r\nFor me, the big lesson of NaNoWriMo is that writing is not enough. You have to have a story to tell. There’s got to be more than words on a page.\r\n\r\nI have always been an avid fiction reader. And doing the NaNoWriMo experiment gave me much more appreciation and respect for published writers. Writing 50,000 words is hard. Writing 50,000 words (or more) that actually are interesting, make sense, and share a story is immeasurably harder.\r\n\r\nHave you tried NaNoWriMo? If so, what are your lessons learned? Did you write something that was published?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','One invaluable writing lesson','','inherit','open','open','','3102-revision-v1','','','2015-12-23 12:52:29','2015-12-23 17:52:29','',3102,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/12/3102-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3114,4,'2015-12-23 12:59:25','2015-12-23 17:59:25','Here we are, a couple days before Christmas or Festivus or Kwanzaa. Or perhaps it\'s a few days after Hanukkah. Whatever you celebrate, this time of the year is full of holidays. And it\'s time that\'s devoted to friends and family more so than to work. So in that spirit, and no matter what you celebrate,  I wish you all very happy holidays! Have a wonderful time and enjoy some well-earned rest.\r\n\r\nI am working on a year-in-review post and could use your help. What things did you learn this year? What did you resolved to do differently next year? What were your pet peeves or  major aggravations (communications-wise!)? Let me know in the comments or send me an email.','Happy holidays (and that is not a political statement)','','publish','open','open','','happy-holidays-and-that-is-not-a-political-statement','','','2015-12-23 12:59:25','2015-12-23 17:59:25','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3114',0,'post','',0),
(3115,4,'2015-12-23 12:59:25','2015-12-23 17:59:25','Here we are, a couple days before Christmas or Festivus or Kwanzaa. Or perhaps it\'s a few days after Hanukkah. Whatever you celebrate, this time of the year is full of holidays. And it\'s time that\'s devoted to friends and family more so than to work. So in that spirit, and no matter what you celebrate,  I wish you all very happy holidays! Have a wonderful time and enjoy some well-earned rest.\r\n\r\nI am working on a year-in-review post and could use your help. What things did you learn this year? What did you resolved to do differently next year? What were your pet peeves or  major aggravations (communications-wise!)? Let me know in the comments or send me an email.','Happy holidays (and that is not a political statement)','','inherit','open','open','','3114-revision-v1','','','2015-12-23 12:59:25','2015-12-23 17:59:25','',3114,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/12/3114-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3118,4,'2015-12-31 09:35:27','2015-12-31 14:35:27','I don\'t know what happened to 2015. It started with such potential, all shiny and bright (and cold here in the Washington, DC area). And it went downhill fast.\r\n\r\nHere are  six \"trends\" that were everywhere in 2015 and that I hope we don\'t see in the coming year:\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Overuse of emojis and gifs</strong> (they are especially egregious in professional communications). Oxford Dictionary even chose an emoji as \"word\" of the year. Enough said.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Multiple emails asking for money, </strong>especially on New Year\'s Eve (today alone I have already deleted at least a dozen) from organizations that have already sent multiple emails at Thanksgiving, on Giving Tuesday, before Christmas, after Christmas. If I wanted to give, I would have already.\r\n\r\n<strong>3</strong>. And speaking of email, too many were <strong>not responsive/mobile-friendly</strong>. This wasn\'t good in 2015 and it certainly won\'t fly in 2016. Most people read email on their smartphones or tablets. Deal with it.\r\n\r\n<strong>4</strong>.<strong> Auto-video/audio on websites</strong>. This year I felt that every website I went on had a (loud, obnoxious) video pop-up. Having the video or audio auto-play ensures I will click out of your website really fast.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Over-capitalization.</strong> In American English, we have simple rules for capitalizing words: we use capitals to start a sentence and in proper names. We don\'t capitalize to show something is important, even if it sounds important (e.g., \"we elect a president every four years\" not \"we elect a President every four years\"). And unlike Germans, we don\'t capitalize every single noun.\r\n\r\nAnd last, but not least:\r\n\r\n<strong>6. Obsessive coverage and its partner, endless speculating.</strong> It didn\'t start this year, and probably won\'t end this year, but we saw too many examples of obsessive coverage of selected news stories this year. Going all out on one news story, like the Paris bombings, sending every reporter and anchor to the scene, and then providing all sorts of baseless \"analysis\" does not clarify a story. Instead, it gives rise to fear and uncertainty. This is what\'s given rise to blowhard politicians such as the millionaire real estate developer who will say the most outrageous things because he knows it will attract attention and speculation.\r\n\r\nWhat trends got your goat in 2015? Share them in the comments.\r\n\r\n<strong>Let\'s hope for a better 2016. Happy New Year everybody!</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Six trends I don\'t want to see in 2016','','inherit','open','open','','3117-revision-v1','','','2015-12-31 09:35:27','2015-12-31 14:35:27','',3117,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/12/3117-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3119,4,'2015-12-31 09:36:46','2015-12-31 14:36:46','I don\'t know what happened to 2015. It started with such potential, all shiny and bright (and cold here in the Washington, DC area). And it went downhill fast.\r\n\r\nHere are  six \"trends\" that were everywhere in 2015 and that I hope we don\'t see in the coming year:\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Overuse of emojis and gifs</strong> (they are especially egregious in professional communications). Oxford Dictionary even chose an emoji as \"word\" of the year. Enough said.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Multiple emails asking for money, </strong>especially on New Year\'s Eve (today alone I have already deleted at least a dozen) from organizations that have already sent multiple emails at Thanksgiving, on Giving Tuesday, before Christmas, after Christmas. If I wanted to give, I would have already.\r\n\r\n<strong>3</strong>. And speaking of email, too many were <strong>not responsive/mobile-friendly</strong>. This wasn\'t good in 2015 and it certainly won\'t fly in 2016. Most people read email on their smartphones or tablets. Deal with it.\r\n\r\n<strong>4</strong>.<strong> Auto-video/audio on websites</strong>. This year I felt that every website I went on had a (loud, obnoxious) video pop-up. Having the video or audio auto-play ensures I will click out of your website really fast.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Over-capitalization.</strong> In American English, we have simple rules for capitalizing words: we use capitals to start a sentence and in proper names. We don\'t capitalize to show something is important, even if it sounds important (e.g., \"we elect a president every four years\" not \"we elect a President every four years\"). And unlike Germans, we don\'t capitalize every single noun.\r\n\r\nAnd last, but not least:\r\n\r\n<strong>6. Obsessive news coverage and its partner, endless speculating.</strong> It didn\'t start this year, and probably won\'t end this year, but we saw too many examples of obsessive coverage of selected news stories this year. Going all out on one news story, like the Paris bombings, sending every reporter and anchor to the scene, and then providing all sorts of baseless \"analysis\" does not qualify as actual journalism. It does not clarify the story. Instead, it gives rise to fear and uncertainty. This is what\'s given rise to blowhard politicians such as the millionaire real estate developer who will say the most outrageous things because he knows it will attract attention and speculation.\r\n\r\nWhat trends got your goat in 2015? Share them in the comments.\r\n\r\n<strong>Let\'s hope for a better 2016. Happy New Year everybody!</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Six trends I don\'t want to see in 2016','','inherit','open','open','','3117-revision-v1','','','2015-12-31 09:36:46','2015-12-31 14:36:46','',3117,'http://deborahbrody.com/2015/12/3117-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3121,4,'2016-01-12 09:47:20','2016-01-12 14:47:20','Do we agree that your website is one of your largest (if not<em> the</em> largest) marketing properties? If so, then read on.\r\n\r\nWhen you are a solo business owner like me, you don’t have an IT department or a webmaster. And so it’s up to you to deal with your website. Last week I changed web hosts  for the fourth time in the more than 15 years that I’ve had this website. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while for many reasons (perhaps the subject of an upcoming post) and I am glad I did. Going through the process showcased exactly why it’s so important to choose the right host.\r\n\r\n<strong>Choosing a website host is a crucial business decision</strong>\r\n\r\nSince your website is your front office on the Internet and it needs to remain open and accessible at all times, choosing your web host is a critical business decision. There are dozens if not hundreds of website hosts (do a search and you will see), many offering dirt cheap hosting packages. The host you choose can have a tremendous impact on your business, and your decision should not involve price alone.\r\n\r\n<strong>Here’s what you want from a website host:</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Near perfect reliability.</strong> In hosting parlance, this is called \"uptime\" and you want to make sure it is as close to 100% as possible. If your host’s servers go down frequently, that means your website goes down frequently, which basically means lost business for you. And when servers are down, you won’t get email either, which also means lost business.\r\n\r\n<strong>Fast website loading times.</strong> Website loading is partially due to your host’s servers (capacity, whether they are shared or dedicated) and partially due to factors on your website (number of plug-ins, design). According to my current host, the closer the servers are to your customers, the faster the website loading times. Website loading times may even affect your SEO ranking (read more about it <a href=\"https://www.searchenginejournal.com/web-hosting-can-impact-page-load-speed/145547/\" target=\"_blank\">here)</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>Good if not great customer service</strong>. If there’s a problem, you want to be able to speak to someone who can (and wants) to help you. You are looking for customer service that is available 365/24/7, and if you are in the U.S., preferably based here. You may also want to look for an employee-owned company, because the people you talk to will have a real interest in solving any problems you may have.\r\n\r\n<strong>Clean record.</strong> Some hosts, due to their cheap rates, attract a lot of spammy businesses, which in turn get the host blacklisted by some ISPs. This is big. Your host\'s standing can affect whether your emails get delivered (my previous host was blacklisted by Yahoo and my emails to Yahoo addresses would all bounce back) and even your SEO standing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Ability to deal with your website specifications.</strong> You want to make sure tech support understands your platform. For example, if you run a WordPress site, you want a host that works with WordPress; and if you run ecommerce on your website, you want a host that can handle secure transactions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Ease of use.</strong> My last hosting provider had two different accounts for me. One was a billing account, with a separate user name and password, and a “cPanel” account, for handling website administration.  If I needed to update credit card information, I had to log in to billing, and to change website parameters, to cPanel. To make it worse, you couldn’t access cPanel from the the main hosting website, but rather through an obscure URL you had received when you signed up. Needless to say, this was not easy or simple. It wasted a lot of my time too.\r\n\r\n<strong>Here are three other important tips:</strong>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><strong>Don’t rely on your developer/designer’s recommendation.</strong> Many website developers have reseller accounts with a website host, so it\'s in their own interest to sell you that. Do your own research. There are several resources to help you identify a good host. I like<a href=\"Needless%20to say, this was not easy or simple.\" target=\"_blank\"> SiteGeek</a>. Check out reviews and see what people are saying. Are many people having the same issue? What is the main complaint? Are more people leaving a host than transferring in?</li>\r\n	<li><strong>NEVER register your domain with your website hosting company.</strong> If there’s a problem, they will be able to hold your website hostage. Instead, choose a separate registrar. It may not be the cheapest option, but it will save you hassle in the long run, and let you maintain control of your website.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Have a separate email account on Gmail or something similar</strong>. Use this for the administrative emails that you get from your website hosting company and domain registrar. If your website and email are down you will still be able to access your stuff, particularly if you forgot your user name and/or password, or need to respond to a work ticket.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nRemember your website is an integral part of your business and marketing efforts. Money you spend on your website—whether it be on design and development, hosting, listing—is a business/marketing expense that I can assure you will provide you a return on your investment. Cheaper, especially in website hosting, is just cheaper, not better.','How to make one of your biggest marketing decisions','','publish','open','open','','how-to-make-one-of-your-biggest-marketing-decisions','','','2016-01-12 09:47:20','2016-01-12 14:47:20','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3121',0,'post','',0),
(3122,4,'2016-01-12 09:28:49','2016-01-12 14:28:49','Do we agree that your website is one of your largest (if not<em> the</em> largest) marketing properties? If so, then read on.\r\n\r\nWhen you are a solo business owner like me, you don’t have an IT department or a webmaster. And so it’s up to you to deal with your website. Last week I changed web hosts (and lost a blog post in the process, but that’s another story) for the fourth time in the more than 15 years that I’ve had this website. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while for many reasons (perhaps the subject of an upcoming post) and I am glad I did. Going through the process showcased exactly why it’s so important to choose the right host.\r\n\r\n<strong>Choosing a website host is a crucial business decision</strong>\r\n\r\nSince your website is your front office and it needs to remain open and accessible at all times, choosing your web host is a crucial business decision. There are dozens if not hundreds of website hosts (do a search and you will see), many offering dirt cheap hosting packages. The host you choose can have a tremendous impact on your business, and your decision should not involve price alone.\r\n\r\n<strong>Here’s what you want from a website host:</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Near perfect reliability.</strong> In hosting parlance, this is called \"uptime\" and you want to make sure it is as close to 100% as possible. If your host’s servers go down frequently, that means your website goes down frequently, which basically means lost business for you. And when servers are down, you won’t get email either.\r\n\r\n<strong>Fast website loading times.</strong> Website loading is partially due to your host’s servers and partially due to factors on your website suchs as number of plug-ins and design . According to my current host, the closer the servers are to your customers, the faster the website loading times. I am not sure how accurate that is, but website loading may even affect your SEO ranking. You can read more about it <a href=\"https://www.searchenginejournal.com/web-hosting-can-impact-page-load-speed/145547/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>Good if not great customer service</strong>. If there’s a problem, you want to get a live person to talk to. You want customer service that is available 365/24/7, preferably U.S.- based. If you can get a company that is employee-owned, so much the better.\r\n\r\n<strong>Clean record.</strong> Some hosts, due to their cheap rates, attract a lot of spammy businesses, which in turn get the host blacklisted by some ISPs. This is big. It can affect whether your emails get delivered and even your SEO standing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Ability to deal with your website specifications.</strong> You want to make sure tech support understands your platform. For example, if you run a WordPress site, you want a host that works with WordPress and if you run ecommerce on your website, you want a host that can handle secure transactions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Ease of use.</strong> My last hosting provider had two different accounts for me. One was a billing account, with a separate user name and password, and a “cPanel” account, for website stuff.  If I needed to update credit card information, I had to log in to billing, and to update email addresses to cPanel. To make it worse, you couldn’t access cPanel from the the main hosting website, but rather through an obscure URL you had received when you signed up. Needless to say, this was not easy or simple. It wasted a lot of my time too.\r\n\r\n<strong>Here are three other important tips:</strong>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><strong>Don’t rely on your developer/designer’s recommendation.</strong> Many website developers have reseller accounts with a website host, so it\'s in their own interest to sell you that. Do your own research. There are several resources to help you identify a good host. I like<a href=\"Needless%20to say, this was not easy or simple.\" target=\"_blank\"> SiteGeek</a>. You should read the reviews and see what people are saying. Are many people having the same issue? What is the main complaint? Are more people leaving a host than transferring in?</li>\r\n	<li><strong>NEVER register your domain with your website hosting company.</strong> If there’s a problem, they will be able to hold your website hostage. Instead, choose a separate registrar. It may not be the cheapest option, but it will save you hassle in the long run, and let you maintain control of your website.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Have a separate email account on Gmail or something similar</strong>. Use this for the administrative emails that you get from your website hosting company and domain registrar. If your website and email are down you will still be able to access your stuff, particularly if you forgot your user name and/or password, or need to respond to a work ticket.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nRemember your website is an integral part of your business and marketing efforts. Money you spend on your website—whether it be on design and development, hosting, listing—is a business/marketing expense that I can assure you will provide you with return on your investment. Cheaper, especially in website hosting, is just cheaper, not better.','How to make one of your biggest marketing decisions','','inherit','open','open','','3121-revision-v1','','','2016-01-12 09:28:49','2016-01-12 14:28:49','',3121,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/3121-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3124,4,'2016-01-12 09:47:20','2016-01-12 14:47:20','Do we agree that your website is one of your largest (if not<em> the</em> largest) marketing properties? If so, then read on.\r\n\r\nWhen you are a solo business owner like me, you don’t have an IT department or a webmaster. And so it’s up to you to deal with your website. Last week I changed web hosts  for the fourth time in the more than 15 years that I’ve had this website. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while for many reasons (perhaps the subject of an upcoming post) and I am glad I did. Going through the process showcased exactly why it’s so important to choose the right host.\r\n\r\n<strong>Choosing a website host is a crucial business decision</strong>\r\n\r\nSince your website is your front office on the Internet and it needs to remain open and accessible at all times, choosing your web host is a critical business decision. There are dozens if not hundreds of website hosts (do a search and you will see), many offering dirt cheap hosting packages. The host you choose can have a tremendous impact on your business, and your decision should not involve price alone.\r\n\r\n<strong>Here’s what you want from a website host:</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Near perfect reliability.</strong> In hosting parlance, this is called \"uptime\" and you want to make sure it is as close to 100% as possible. If your host’s servers go down frequently, that means your website goes down frequently, which basically means lost business for you. And when servers are down, you won’t get email either, which also means lost business.\r\n\r\n<strong>Fast website loading times.</strong> Website loading is partially due to your host’s servers (capacity, whether they are shared or dedicated) and partially due to factors on your website (number of plug-ins, design). According to my current host, the closer the servers are to your customers, the faster the website loading times. Website loading times may even affect your SEO ranking (read more about it <a href=\"https://www.searchenginejournal.com/web-hosting-can-impact-page-load-speed/145547/\" target=\"_blank\">here)</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>Good if not great customer service</strong>. If there’s a problem, you want to be able to speak to someone who can (and wants) to help you. You are looking for customer service that is available 365/24/7, and if you are in the U.S., preferably based here. You may also want to look for an employee-owned company, because the people you talk to will have a real interest in solving any problems you may have.\r\n\r\n<strong>Clean record.</strong> Some hosts, due to their cheap rates, attract a lot of spammy businesses, which in turn get the host blacklisted by some ISPs. This is big. Your host\'s standing can affect whether your emails get delivered (my previous host was blacklisted by Yahoo and my emails to Yahoo addresses would all bounce back) and even your SEO standing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Ability to deal with your website specifications.</strong> You want to make sure tech support understands your platform. For example, if you run a WordPress site, you want a host that works with WordPress; and if you run ecommerce on your website, you want a host that can handle secure transactions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Ease of use.</strong> My last hosting provider had two different accounts for me. One was a billing account, with a separate user name and password, and a “cPanel” account, for handling website administration.  If I needed to update credit card information, I had to log in to billing, and to change website parameters, to cPanel. To make it worse, you couldn’t access cPanel from the the main hosting website, but rather through an obscure URL you had received when you signed up. Needless to say, this was not easy or simple. It wasted a lot of my time too.\r\n\r\n<strong>Here are three other important tips:</strong>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><strong>Don’t rely on your developer/designer’s recommendation.</strong> Many website developers have reseller accounts with a website host, so it\'s in their own interest to sell you that. Do your own research. There are several resources to help you identify a good host. I like<a href=\"Needless%20to say, this was not easy or simple.\" target=\"_blank\"> SiteGeek</a>. Check out reviews and see what people are saying. Are many people having the same issue? What is the main complaint? Are more people leaving a host than transferring in?</li>\r\n	<li><strong>NEVER register your domain with your website hosting company.</strong> If there’s a problem, they will be able to hold your website hostage. Instead, choose a separate registrar. It may not be the cheapest option, but it will save you hassle in the long run, and let you maintain control of your website.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Have a separate email account on Gmail or something similar</strong>. Use this for the administrative emails that you get from your website hosting company and domain registrar. If your website and email are down you will still be able to access your stuff, particularly if you forgot your user name and/or password, or need to respond to a work ticket.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nRemember your website is an integral part of your business and marketing efforts. Money you spend on your website—whether it be on design and development, hosting, listing—is a business/marketing expense that I can assure you will provide you a return on your investment. Cheaper, especially in website hosting, is just cheaper, not better.','How to make one of your biggest marketing decisions','','inherit','open','open','','3121-revision-v1','','','2016-01-12 09:47:20','2016-01-12 14:47:20','',3121,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/3121-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3123,4,'2016-01-12 09:40:46','2016-01-12 14:40:46','Do we agree that your website is one of your largest (if not<em> the</em> largest) marketing properties? If so, then read on.\r\n\r\nWhen you are a solo business owner like me, you don’t have an IT department or a webmaster. And so it’s up to you to deal with your website. Last week I changed web hosts (and lost a blog post in the process, but that’s another story) for the fourth time in the more than 15 years that I’ve had this website. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while for many reasons (perhaps the subject of an upcoming post) and I am glad I did. Going through the process showcased exactly why it’s so important to choose the right host.\r\n\r\n<strong>Choosing a website host is a crucial business decision</strong>\r\n\r\nSince your website is your front office and it needs to remain open and accessible at all times, choosing your web host is a crucial business decision. There are dozens if not hundreds of website hosts (do a search and you will see), many offering dirt cheap hosting packages. The host you choose can have a tremendous impact on your business, and your decision should not involve price alone.\r\n\r\n<strong>Here’s what you want from a website host:</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Near perfect reliability.</strong> In hosting parlance, this is called \"uptime\" and you want to make sure it is as close to 100% as possible. If your host’s servers go down frequently, that means your website goes down frequently, which basically means lost business for you. And when servers are down, you won’t get email either.\r\n\r\n<strong>Fast website loading times.</strong> Website loading is partially due to your host’s servers (capacity, whether they are shared or dedicated) and partially due to factors on your website (number of plug-ins, design).  According to my current host, the closer the servers are to your customers, the faster the website loading times. I am not sure how accurate that is, but website loading times may even affect your SEO ranking, so it\'s something to be aware of. You can read more about it <a href=\"https://www.searchenginejournal.com/web-hosting-can-impact-page-load-speed/145547/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>Good if not great customer service</strong>. If there’s a problem, you want to be able to speak to someone who can (and wants) to help you. You are looking for customer service that is available 365/24/7, and if you are in the U.S.,  preferably based here.  You may also want to look for an employee-owned company, because the people you talk to will have a real interest in solving any problems you may have.\r\n\r\n<strong>Clean record.</strong> Some hosts, due to their cheap rates, attract a lot of spammy businesses, which in turn get the host blacklisted by some ISPs. This is big. Your host\'s standing can affect whether your emails get delivered (my previous host was blacklisted by Yahoo and my emails to Yahoo addresses would all bounce back) and even your SEO standing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Ability to deal with your website specifications.</strong> You want to make sure tech support understands your platform. For example, if you run a WordPress site, you want a host that works with WordPress; and if you run ecommerce on your website, you want a host that can handle secure transactions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Ease of use.</strong> My last hosting provider had two different accounts for me. One was a billing account, with a separate user name and password, and a “cPanel” account, for handling website administration.  If I needed to update credit card information, I had to log in to billing, and to change website parameters, to cPanel. To make it worse, you couldn’t access cPanel from the the main hosting website, but rather through an obscure URL you had received when you signed up. Needless to say, this was not easy or simple. It wasted a lot of my time too.\r\n\r\n<strong>Here are three other important tips:</strong>\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><strong>Don’t rely on your developer/designer’s recommendation.</strong> Many website developers have reseller accounts with a website host, so it\'s in their own interest to sell you that. Do your own research. There are several resources to help you identify a good host. I like<a href=\"Needless%20to say, this was not easy or simple.\" target=\"_blank\"> SiteGeek</a>. Check out reviews and see what people are saying. Are many people having the same issue? What is the main complaint? Are more people leaving a host than transferring in?</li>\r\n	<li><strong>NEVER register your domain with your website hosting company.</strong> If there’s a problem, they will be able to hold your website hostage. Instead, choose a separate registrar. It may not be the cheapest option, but it will save you hassle in the long run, and let you maintain control of your website.</li>\r\n	<li><strong>Have a separate email account on Gmail or something similar</strong>. Use this for the administrative emails that you get from your website hosting company and domain registrar. If your website and email are down you will still be able to access your stuff, particularly if you forgot your user name and/or password, or need to respond to a work ticket.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nRemember your website is an integral part of your business and marketing efforts. Money you spend on your website—whether it be on design and development, hosting, listing—is a business/marketing expense that I can assure you will provide you a return on your investment. Cheaper, especially in website hosting, is just cheaper, not better.','How to make one of your biggest marketing decisions','','inherit','open','open','','3121-revision-v1','','','2016-01-12 09:40:46','2016-01-12 14:40:46','',3121,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/3121-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3126,4,'2016-01-20 09:53:06','2016-01-20 14:53:06','In case you\'ve missed a newsletter, just check this archive:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/d7ed27\" target=\"_blank\">January 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/987fe6\" target=\"_blank\">November 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"September 2015 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/2f17a6\" target=\"_blank\">September 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/f0dc46\" target=\"_blank\">June 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/83c206\" target=\"_blank\">March 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"January 2015 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/594ec5\" target=\"_blank\">January 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/p/9a6295?fe=1&amp;pact=26384901049\" target=\"_blank\">November 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/f95d35\" target=\"_blank\">September 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/c3e405\" target=\"_blank\">July 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://mad.ly/3625c4\" target=\"_blank\">April 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"February newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/dc2584\" target=\"_blank\">February 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"December 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/bb9454\" target=\"_blank\">December 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"October 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/f27424\" target=\"_blank\">October 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"July 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/eb30f3\" target=\"_blank\">July 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"May 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/9003c3\" target=\"_blank\">May 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"March 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/d82a93\" target=\"_blank\">March 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"January 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/a12873\" target=\"_blank\">January 2013</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Newsletters','','inherit','open','open','','2509-revision-v1','','','2016-01-20 09:53:06','2016-01-20 14:53:06','',2509,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/2509-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3127,4,'2016-01-21 09:28:49','2016-01-21 14:28:49','<em>Warning—this post is somewhat political since it uses a politician as an example, and not in a flattering way.</em>\r\n\r\nIn case you missed it on Tuesday, Sarah Palin endorsed Donald Trump in the campaign for Republican presidential nominee. Her speech (if in fact what she did can be called that) has been described as rambling, patriotic, fiery. What is has not been described as is clear (or meaningful for that matter). The New York Times has a great article, <a href=\"http://nyti.ms/1Owhayh\" target=\"_blank\">The Most Mystifying Lines of Sarah Palin\'s Speech</a>, that analyzes different parts of the speech and interprets what Palin may have meant, a kind of Palin translation if you like.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3128\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/assorted-foods-1324828-1278x855.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3128\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/assorted-foods-1324828-1278x855-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Tossing up a salad\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a> Tossing up a salad[/caption]\r\n\r\nFollowing is an excerpt of Palin’s speech (taken from a <a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/01/20/sarah-palins-rambling-remarkable-and-at-times-hard-to-understand-endorsement-of-donald-trump/?postshare=1801453291953204&amp;tid=ss_tw\" target=\"_blank\">Washington Post article and transcrip</a>t):\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">“Trump’s candidacy, it has exposed not just that tragic ramifications of that betrayal of the transformation of our country, but too, he has exposed the complicity on both sides of the aisle that has enabled it, okay? Well, Trump, what he’s been able to do, which is really ticking people off, which I’m glad about, he’s going rogue left and right, man, that’s why he’s doing so well. He’s been able to tear the veil off this idea of the system. The way that the system really works, and please hear me on this, I want you guys to understand more and more how the system, the establishment, works, and has gotten us into the troubles that we are in in America. The permanent political class has been doing the bidding of their campaign donor class, and that’s why you see that the borders are kept open. For them, for their cheap labor that they want to come in. That’s why they’ve been bloating budgets. It’s for crony capitalists to be able suck off of them. It’s why we see these lousy trade deals that gut our industry for special interests elsewhere. We need someone new, who has the power, and is in the position to bust up that establishment to make things great again. It’s part of the problem.\"</p>\r\n<strong>Here’s how this paragraph could be rewritten for clarity:</strong>\r\n\r\nTrump’s candidacy has exposed all sorts of problems in politics and has shown people how the system really works. Seeing these problems has made people angry. Campaign donors have been dictating to the politicians they support, in order to keep our borders open to get cheap labor from Mexico. Also, the politicians have been creating bad trade deals that help special interests in other countries. We need a new type of politician who has the power to bust the establishment, which is part of the problem.\r\n\r\nNotice the difference?\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>It’s shorter, it gets to the point, and it avoids jargon and cliches.</strong></p>\r\nYes, I know, it no longer has “color.” Palin is known for throwing in all sorts of colorful phrases such as “he’s going rogue left and right.”  When giving a speech, the speaker has more leeway to use attention-getting phrases than in written communication. In Palin’s case, her reliance on “color” overwhelms any message that she may actually be trying to deliver.\r\n\r\nPalin has been criticized for delivering “word salad” speeches that toss together a bunch of words and phrases. Her speech on Tuesday seems a perfect example of this tendency.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Too many words, too little meaning','','publish','open','open','','too-many-words-too-little-meaning','','','2016-01-21 13:27:00','2016-01-21 18:27:00','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3127',0,'post','',0),
(3128,4,'2016-01-21 09:26:50','2016-01-21 14:26:50','','assorted-foods-1324828-1278x855','Tossing up a salad','inherit','open','open','','assorted-foods-1324828-1278x855','','','2016-01-21 09:27:14','2016-01-21 14:27:14','',3127,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/assorted-foods-1324828-1278x855.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3129,4,'2016-01-21 09:27:47','2016-01-21 14:27:47','<em>Warning—this post somewhat political since it uses a politician as an example, and not in a flattering way.</em>\r\n\r\nIn case you missed it on Tuesday, Sarah Palin endorsed Donald Trump in the campaign for Republican presidential nominee. Her speech (if in fact what she did can be called that) has been described as rambling, patriotic, fiery. What is has not been described as is clear (or meaningful for that matter). The New York Times has a great article, <a href=\"http://nyti.ms/1Owhayh\" target=\"_blank\">The Most Mystifying Lines of Sarah Palin\'s Speech</a>, that analyzes different parts of the speech and interprets what Palin may have meant, a kind of Palin translation if you like.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3128\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/assorted-foods-1324828-1278x855.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3128\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/assorted-foods-1324828-1278x855-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Tossing up a salad\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a> Tossing up a salad[/caption]\r\n\r\nFollowing is an excerpt of Palin’s speech (taken from a <a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/01/20/sarah-palins-rambling-remarkable-and-at-times-hard-to-understand-endorsement-of-donald-trump/?postshare=1801453291953204&amp;tid=ss_tw\" target=\"_blank\">Washington Post article and transcrip</a>t):\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">“Trump’s candidacy, it has exposed not just that tragic ramifications of that betrayal of the transformation of our country, but too, he has exposed the complicity on both sides of the aisle that has enabled it, okay? Well, Trump, what he’s been able to do, which is really ticking people off, which I’m glad about, he’s going rogue left and right, man, that’s why he’s doing so well. He’s been able to tear the veil off this idea of the system. The way that the system really works, and please hear me on this, I want you guys to understand more and more how the system, the establishment, works, and has gotten us into the troubles that we are in in America. The permanent political class has been doing the bidding of their campaign donor class, and that’s why you see that the borders are kept open. For them, for their cheap labor that they want to come in. That’s why they’ve been bloating budgets. It’s for crony capitalists to be able suck off of them. It’s why we see these lousy trade deals that gut our industry for special interests elsewhere. We need someone new, who has the power, and is in the position to bust up that establishment to make things great again. It’s part of the problem.\"</p>\r\n<strong>Here’s how this paragraph could be rewritten for clarity:</strong>\r\n\r\nTrump’s candidacy has exposed all sorts of problems in politics and has shown people how the system really works. Seeing these problems has made people angry. Campaign donors have been dictating to the politician they support, in order to keep our borders open to get cheap labor from Mexico. Also, the politicians have been creating bad trade deals that help special interests in other countries. We need a new type of politician who has the power to bust the establishment, which is part of the problem.\r\n\r\nNotice the difference?\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>It’s shorter, it gets to the point, and it avoids jargon and cliches.</strong></p>\r\nYes, I know, it no longer has “color.” Palin is known for throwing in all sorts of colorful phrases such as “he’s going rogue left and right.”  When giving a speech, the speaker has more leeway to use attention-getting phrases than in written communication. In Palin’s case, her reliance on “color” overwhelms any message that she may actually be trying to deliver.\r\n\r\nPalin has been criticized for delivering “word salad” speeches that toss together a bunch of words and phrases. Her speech on Tuesday seems a perfect example of this tendency.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Too many words, too little meaning','','inherit','open','open','','3127-revision-v1','','','2016-01-21 09:27:47','2016-01-21 14:27:47','',3127,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/3127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3130,4,'2016-01-21 13:26:25','2016-01-21 18:26:25','<em>Warning—this post somewhat political since it uses a politician as an example, and not in a flattering way.</em>\r\n\r\nIn case you missed it on Tuesday, Sarah Palin endorsed Donald Trump in the campaign for Republican presidential nominee. Her speech (if in fact what she did can be called that) has been described as rambling, patriotic, fiery. What is has not been described as is clear (or meaningful for that matter). The New York Times has a great article, <a href=\"http://nyti.ms/1Owhayh\" target=\"_blank\">The Most Mystifying Lines of Sarah Palin\'s Speech</a>, that analyzes different parts of the speech and interprets what Palin may have meant, a kind of Palin translation if you like.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3128\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/assorted-foods-1324828-1278x855.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3128\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/assorted-foods-1324828-1278x855-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Tossing up a salad\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a> Tossing up a salad[/caption]\r\n\r\nFollowing is an excerpt of Palin’s speech (taken from a <a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/01/20/sarah-palins-rambling-remarkable-and-at-times-hard-to-understand-endorsement-of-donald-trump/?postshare=1801453291953204&amp;tid=ss_tw\" target=\"_blank\">Washington Post article and transcrip</a>t):\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">“Trump’s candidacy, it has exposed not just that tragic ramifications of that betrayal of the transformation of our country, but too, he has exposed the complicity on both sides of the aisle that has enabled it, okay? Well, Trump, what he’s been able to do, which is really ticking people off, which I’m glad about, he’s going rogue left and right, man, that’s why he’s doing so well. He’s been able to tear the veil off this idea of the system. The way that the system really works, and please hear me on this, I want you guys to understand more and more how the system, the establishment, works, and has gotten us into the troubles that we are in in America. The permanent political class has been doing the bidding of their campaign donor class, and that’s why you see that the borders are kept open. For them, for their cheap labor that they want to come in. That’s why they’ve been bloating budgets. It’s for crony capitalists to be able suck off of them. It’s why we see these lousy trade deals that gut our industry for special interests elsewhere. We need someone new, who has the power, and is in the position to bust up that establishment to make things great again. It’s part of the problem.\"</p>\r\n<strong>Here’s how this paragraph could be rewritten for clarity:</strong>\r\n\r\nTrump’s candidacy has exposed all sorts of problems in politics and has shown people how the system really works. Seeing these problems has made people angry. Campaign donors have been dictating to the politicians they support, in order to keep our borders open to get cheap labor from Mexico. Also, the politicians have been creating bad trade deals that help special interests in other countries. We need a new type of politician who has the power to bust the establishment, which is part of the problem.\r\n\r\nNotice the difference?\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>It’s shorter, it gets to the point, and it avoids jargon and cliches.</strong></p>\r\nYes, I know, it no longer has “color.” Palin is known for throwing in all sorts of colorful phrases such as “he’s going rogue left and right.”  When giving a speech, the speaker has more leeway to use attention-getting phrases than in written communication. In Palin’s case, her reliance on “color” overwhelms any message that she may actually be trying to deliver.\r\n\r\nPalin has been criticized for delivering “word salad” speeches that toss together a bunch of words and phrases. Her speech on Tuesday seems a perfect example of this tendency.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Too many words, too little meaning','','inherit','open','open','','3127-revision-v1','','','2016-01-21 13:26:25','2016-01-21 18:26:25','',3127,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/3127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3131,4,'2016-01-21 13:27:00','2016-01-21 18:27:00','<em>Warning—this post is somewhat political since it uses a politician as an example, and not in a flattering way.</em>\r\n\r\nIn case you missed it on Tuesday, Sarah Palin endorsed Donald Trump in the campaign for Republican presidential nominee. Her speech (if in fact what she did can be called that) has been described as rambling, patriotic, fiery. What is has not been described as is clear (or meaningful for that matter). The New York Times has a great article, <a href=\"http://nyti.ms/1Owhayh\" target=\"_blank\">The Most Mystifying Lines of Sarah Palin\'s Speech</a>, that analyzes different parts of the speech and interprets what Palin may have meant, a kind of Palin translation if you like.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3128\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/assorted-foods-1324828-1278x855.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3128\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/assorted-foods-1324828-1278x855-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Tossing up a salad\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a> Tossing up a salad[/caption]\r\n\r\nFollowing is an excerpt of Palin’s speech (taken from a <a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/01/20/sarah-palins-rambling-remarkable-and-at-times-hard-to-understand-endorsement-of-donald-trump/?postshare=1801453291953204&amp;tid=ss_tw\" target=\"_blank\">Washington Post article and transcrip</a>t):\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">“Trump’s candidacy, it has exposed not just that tragic ramifications of that betrayal of the transformation of our country, but too, he has exposed the complicity on both sides of the aisle that has enabled it, okay? Well, Trump, what he’s been able to do, which is really ticking people off, which I’m glad about, he’s going rogue left and right, man, that’s why he’s doing so well. He’s been able to tear the veil off this idea of the system. The way that the system really works, and please hear me on this, I want you guys to understand more and more how the system, the establishment, works, and has gotten us into the troubles that we are in in America. The permanent political class has been doing the bidding of their campaign donor class, and that’s why you see that the borders are kept open. For them, for their cheap labor that they want to come in. That’s why they’ve been bloating budgets. It’s for crony capitalists to be able suck off of them. It’s why we see these lousy trade deals that gut our industry for special interests elsewhere. We need someone new, who has the power, and is in the position to bust up that establishment to make things great again. It’s part of the problem.\"</p>\r\n<strong>Here’s how this paragraph could be rewritten for clarity:</strong>\r\n\r\nTrump’s candidacy has exposed all sorts of problems in politics and has shown people how the system really works. Seeing these problems has made people angry. Campaign donors have been dictating to the politicians they support, in order to keep our borders open to get cheap labor from Mexico. Also, the politicians have been creating bad trade deals that help special interests in other countries. We need a new type of politician who has the power to bust the establishment, which is part of the problem.\r\n\r\nNotice the difference?\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>It’s shorter, it gets to the point, and it avoids jargon and cliches.</strong></p>\r\nYes, I know, it no longer has “color.” Palin is known for throwing in all sorts of colorful phrases such as “he’s going rogue left and right.”  When giving a speech, the speaker has more leeway to use attention-getting phrases than in written communication. In Palin’s case, her reliance on “color” overwhelms any message that she may actually be trying to deliver.\r\n\r\nPalin has been criticized for delivering “word salad” speeches that toss together a bunch of words and phrases. Her speech on Tuesday seems a perfect example of this tendency.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Too many words, too little meaning','','inherit','open','open','','3127-revision-v1','','','2016-01-21 13:27:00','2016-01-21 18:27:00','',3127,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/3127-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3135,4,'2016-01-27 09:51:46','2016-01-27 14:51:46','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n1. <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR professional who focuses on digital PR, I’d consider writing to be my most important skill, and something that quickly sets me apart from competitors. It drives over 90 percent of my revenue, since I specialize in content marketing, messaging and search engine optimization, allowing me to achieve amazing results for my clients. I constantly work to improve my storytelling skills, too, which is a fascinating trend to watch right now. My love of writing and helping others led to publication of my first book, Above The Noise. It launched just this week, and can be found at Amazon, Barnes &amp; Noble and many bookstores.\r\n\r\n<strong> 2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?   </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting absolutely matters! From a great headline driving social shares and viral activity to a 140-character tweet, our ability to wordsmith drives conversion and success, or feeds client failure. A picture might say a thousand words, but a few words strung together creatively have REMARKABLE power. As an industry, communications professionals don’t put nearly enough emphasis on the importance of writing skills. It’s an essential skill. In my opinion, every minute you invest in improving your writing skills (and reading – which improves writing skills almost by osmosis!) delivers a huge dividend. As far as self-education goes, the benefits far outweigh the energy and time it requires to improve. LinkedIn long-form posts or Medium are great places to practice if you don’t want to create your own branded blog. LinkedIn particularly works well, since it also helps you build a personal brand – always a solid career move.\r\n\r\n3. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead as much as possible, since it boost your vocabulary and grammar skills through exposure, write as much as possible to practice your skills, and invest at least a few hours each month learning something new. Michael Margolis provides a wonderful free eBook on business storytelling skills at GetStoried.com. I’m excited to say he’ll be a guest on <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/prprochat-pr-twitter-chat-for-public-relations-professionals/\">#PRprochat</a> in April, if you’d like to join us!\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>W</strong><strong>hat are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t use very many tools, actually, I just write as often as possible. My blog is my #1 tool, since it is the primary place that I practice my writing skills. Twitter is fabulous for teaching brevity while remaining compelling. I also curate marketing and PR content every day, which keeps me on top of new trends and tips throughout the day.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. </strong><strong>Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nI follow the AP style guide for public relations content that will be exposed to journalists or formal media platforms – such as press releases, byline articles for a media publication and media pitches. For other kinds of content however, such as blogging or infographics, I fit the style to the outlet. Many non-journalistic media use the Chicago Manual of Style or Strunk &amp; White. A blog post for a business journal might use AP style, but a blog post for a client should be consistent with the style already used on their site. Blogging especially can often use a less formal style of writing. I match the style to the platform as much as possible.\r\n\r\n6. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy biggest pet peeve? That’s a tough one.... I really hate it when people retweet something with an error in it. If you liked it enough to share it, take a second to fix the error before you pass it on. Otherwise their error becomes YOUR error. Another pet peeve are press release quotes that sound like every other quote. Be bold, take a stand and write something with a bit of thought leadership to it.\r\n\r\n7. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word is “heinous”—I think because it’s a word my teenage son really hates, so the look on his face and his reaction when I use it encourage me to repeat it as much as possible. My least favorite word is any misspelled word.\r\n\r\nCarrie has just released her book\r\n\r\n<strong>How long did it take you to write this book?</strong>\r\n\r\nThis book is several years in the making, because I started out with a different book than the one actually published this week. It took FAR more time to write than I expected, though – about six months of weekends and nights. Building the platform before I approached publishers with my book proposal was about eighteen months of solid effort, on top of time invested to actually write the book.\r\n\r\n<strong> Did you face any obstacles and how did you overcome them?</strong>\r\n\r\nIt was an interesting journey! For my first book idea, Digital Haystack, I spent over a year and a half building my platform, then reached out to New York book agents until I landed one, thinking that would help me land a book deal. It wasn’t a good experience. Basically, all the agent did was take a book proposal I’d already created, and email it out to a small database of contacts. I had to push her and babysit the process every step of the way. When we finally landed a deal, I ended up firing the publisher (who wanted to change the name of the book, a decision from its board of directors who knew nothing about marketing as an industry and wanted to use a term that’s been outdated for a decade on a book of modern best practices – ha!). After I’d cancelled that contract, with no help from the agent, I ended up also firing the agent because she made no effort to resell the book. So that I wouldn’t have to pay her a commission, I restructured the book and sold it within twenty minutes of sending out my new book proposal. It was an interesting process, for sure, and I learned some valuable lessons. I’m already working on my second book.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Any tips for people thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBuild an audience before you write the book, and begin marketing LONG before the book is published, otherwise you’ll never rise above the noise to be heard. You also won’t be able to draw the interest of publishers, if that’s your goal. They want pre-existing audience for the book. There’s also a common misperception that publishers will do the book marketing for you. False! They are printers with lackluster marketing skills who only invest budget marketing authors who are already proven to be successful. They do next to nothing for new authors. You must be prepared to do it yourself AND have a budget for that marketing. Also, be very careful of self-publishing. I’d estimate that 90% or more of self-published books were written for vanity reasons and missing the kind of quality a publisher would require, but it’s a huge market where everyone makes money except for the author. Also know that self-publishing carries a different kind of clout than something put out by a publishing house. Know the difference, and make sure the road you choose fits your goals for the book. One last thought: before I began the journey to being an author, I had no clue that over 95% of authors make next to NO MONEY on their book. Write it for other reasons. I wrote my book to build up my reputation as a consultant, not to sell books. That would be nice, but... I won’t hold my breath.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Carrie Morgan rocks the status quo','','inherit','open','open','','3134-revision-v1','','','2016-01-27 09:51:46','2016-01-27 14:51:46','',3134,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/3134-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3136,4,'2016-01-28 10:04:30','2016-01-28 15:04:30','','Carrie Morgan headshot 4','Carrie Morgan','inherit','open','open','','carrie-morgan-headshot-4','','','2016-01-28 10:04:42','2016-01-28 15:04:42','',3134,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3137,4,'2016-01-28 10:09:05','2016-01-28 15:09:05','','13','','inherit','open','open','','13','','','2016-01-28 10:09:05','2016-01-28 15:09:05','',3134,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),
(3138,4,'2016-01-28 10:11:15','2016-01-28 15:11:15','Welcome to the first \"On Writing\" interview, a monthly series in which a marketing communications pro will answer seven questions about writing. This month, Carrie Morgan of Rock the Status Quo agreed to be the first. She gets a few extra questions because she just published her first book, Above the Noise.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3136\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"220\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3136\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4-220x300.jpg\" alt=\"Carrie Morgan\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" /></a> Carrie Morgan[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Carrie Morgan\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization</strong>:   <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Rock The Status Quo</a>\r\n\r\nAuthor of <em>Above The Noise: Creating Trust, Value &amp; Reputation Online Using Digital PR</em>. Senior digital PR consultant - public relations, content marketing, social media &amp; SEO. Author. Feisty word nerd. #PRprochat founder.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> @morgancarrie\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n1. <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR professional who focuses on digital PR, I’d consider writing to be my most important skill, and something that quickly sets me apart from competitors. It drives over 90 percent of my revenue, since I specialize in content marketing, messaging and search engine optimization, allowing me to achieve amazing results for my clients. I constantly work to improve my storytelling skills, too, which is a fascinating trend to watch right now. My love of writing and helping others led to publication of my first book, Above The Noise. It launched just this week, and can be found at Amazon, Barnes &amp; Noble and many bookstores.\r\n\r\n<strong> 2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?   </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting absolutely matters! From a great headline driving social shares and viral activity to a 140-character tweet, our ability to wordsmith drives conversion and success, or feeds client failure. A picture might say a thousand words, but a few words strung together creatively have REMARKABLE power. As an industry, communications professionals don’t put nearly enough emphasis on the importance of writing skills. It’s an essential skill. In my opinion, every minute you invest in improving your writing skills (and reading – which improves writing skills almost by osmosis!) delivers a huge dividend. As far as self-education goes, the benefits far outweigh the energy and time it requires to improve. LinkedIn long-form posts or Medium are great places to practice if you don’t want to create your own branded blog. LinkedIn particularly works well, since it also helps you build a personal brand – always a solid career move.\r\n\r\n3. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead as much as possible, since it boost your vocabulary and grammar skills through exposure, write as much as possible to practice your skills, and invest at least a few hours each month learning something new. Michael Margolis provides a wonderful free eBook on business storytelling skills at GetStoried.com. I’m excited to say he’ll be a guest on <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/prprochat-pr-twitter-chat-for-public-relations-professionals/\">#PRprochat</a> in April, if you’d like to join us!\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>W</strong><strong>hat are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t use very many tools, actually, I just write as often as possible. My blog is my #1 tool, since it is the primary place that I practice my writing skills. Twitter is fabulous for teaching brevity while remaining compelling. I also curate marketing and PR content every day, which keeps me on top of new trends and tips throughout the day.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. </strong><strong>Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nI follow the AP style guide for public relations content that will be exposed to journalists or formal media platforms – such as press releases, byline articles for a media publication and media pitches. For other kinds of content however, such as blogging or infographics, I fit the style to the outlet. Many non-journalistic media use the Chicago Manual of Style or Strunk &amp; White. A blog post for a business journal might use AP style, but a blog post for a client should be consistent with the style already used on their site. Blogging especially can often use a less formal style of writing. I match the style to the platform as much as possible.\r\n\r\n6. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy biggest pet peeve? That’s a tough one.... I really hate it when people retweet something with an error in it. If you liked it enough to share it, take a second to fix the error before you pass it on. Otherwise their error becomes YOUR error. Another pet peeve are press release quotes that sound like every other quote. Be bold, take a stand and write something with a bit of thought leadership to it.\r\n\r\n7. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word is “heinous”—I think because it’s a word my teenage son really hates, so the look on his face and his reaction when I use it encourage me to repeat it as much as possible. My least favorite word is any misspelled word.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3137 size-large\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13-1024x512.png\" alt=\"13\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" /></a>\r\n\r\nCarrie has just released her book,<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Above-Noise-Creating-Reputation-Digital/dp/1628652586/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449082739&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=above+the+noise+carrie+morgan\" target=\"_blank\"><em> Above the Noise</em></a>. Writing a book has its own special challenges, so I asked Carrie to elaborate.\r\n\r\n<strong>How long did it take you to write this book?</strong>\r\n\r\nThis book is several years in the making, because I started out with a different book than the one actually published this week. It took FAR more time to write than I expected, though – about six months of weekends and nights. Building the platform before I approached publishers with my book proposal was about eighteen months of solid effort, on top of time invested to actually write the book.\r\n\r\n<strong> Did you face any obstacles and how did you overcome them?</strong>\r\n\r\nIt was an interesting journey! For my first book idea, Digital Haystack, I spent over a year and a half building my platform, then reached out to New York book agents until I landed one, thinking that would help me land a book deal. It wasn’t a good experience. Basically, all the agent did was take a book proposal I’d already created, and email it out to a small database of contacts. I had to push her and babysit the process every step of the way. When we finally landed a deal, I ended up firing the publisher (who wanted to change the name of the book, a decision from its board of directors who knew nothing about marketing as an industry and wanted to use a term that’s been outdated for a decade on a book of modern best practices – ha!). After I’d cancelled that contract, with no help from the agent, I ended up also firing the agent because she made no effort to resell the book. So that I wouldn’t have to pay her a commission, I restructured the book and sold it within twenty minutes of sending out my new book proposal. It was an interesting process, for sure, and I learned some valuable lessons. I’m already working on my second book.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Any tips for people thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBuild an audience before you write the book, and begin marketing LONG before the book is published, otherwise you’ll never rise above the noise to be heard. You also won’t be able to draw the interest of publishers, if that’s your goal. They want pre-existing audience for the book. There’s also a common misperception that publishers will do the book marketing for you. False! They are printers with lackluster marketing skills who only invest budget marketing authors who are already proven to be successful. They do next to nothing for new authors. You must be prepared to do it yourself AND have a budget for that marketing. Also, be very careful of self-publishing. I’d estimate that 90% or more of self-published books were written for vanity reasons and missing the kind of quality a publisher would require, but it’s a huge market where everyone makes money except for the author. Also know that self-publishing carries a different kind of clout than something put out by a publishing house. Know the difference, and make sure the road you choose fits your goals for the book. One last thought: before I began the journey to being an author, I had no clue that over 95% of authors make next to NO MONEY on their book. Write it for other reasons. I wrote my book to build up my reputation as a consultant, not to sell books. That would be nice, but... I won’t hold my breath.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Carrie Morgan rocks the status quo','','inherit','open','open','','3134-revision-v1','','','2016-01-28 10:11:15','2016-01-28 15:11:15','',3134,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/3134-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3139,4,'2016-01-28 10:21:12','2016-01-28 15:21:12','Welcome to the first \"On Writing\" interview, a monthly series in which a marketing communications pro will answer seven questions about writing. This month, public relations consultant and author Carrie Morgan of Rock the Status Quo agreed to be the first <del>victim</del> pro to participate. Find her thoughts below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3136\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"220\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3136\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4-220x300.jpg\" alt=\"Carrie Morgan\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" /></a> Carrie Morgan[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Carrie Morgan\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization</strong>:   <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Rock The Status Quo</a>\r\n\r\nAuthor of <em>Above The Noise: Creating Trust, Value &amp; Reputation Online Using Digital PR</em>. Senior digital PR consultant - public relations, content marketing, social media &amp; SEO. Author. Feisty word nerd. #PRprochat founder.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> @morgancarrie\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n1. <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR professional who focuses on digital PR, I’d consider writing to be my most important skill, and something that quickly sets me apart from competitors. It drives over 90 percent of my revenue, since I specialize in content marketing, messaging and search engine optimization, allowing me to achieve amazing results for my clients. I constantly work to improve my storytelling skills, too, which is a fascinating trend to watch right now. My love of writing and helping others led to publication of my first book, <em>Above The Noise</em>. It launched just this week, and can be found at Amazon, Barnes &amp; Noble and many bookstores.\r\n\r\n<strong> 2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?   </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting absolutely matters! From a great headline driving social shares and viral activity to a 140-character tweet, our ability to wordsmith drives conversion and success, or feeds client failure. A picture might say a thousand words, but a few words strung together creatively have REMARKABLE power. As an industry, communications professionals don’t put nearly enough emphasis on the importance of writing skills. It’s an essential skill. In my opinion, every minute you invest in improving your writing skills (and reading – which improves writing skills almost by osmosis!) delivers a huge dividend. As far as self-education goes, the benefits far outweigh the energy and time it requires to improve. LinkedIn long-form posts or Medium are great places to practice if you don’t want to create your own branded blog. LinkedIn particularly works well, since it also helps you build a personal brand – always a solid career move.\r\n\r\n3. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead as much as possible, since it boost your vocabulary and grammar skills through exposure, write as much as possible to practice your skills, and invest at least a few hours each month learning something new. Michael Margolis provides a wonderful free eBook on business storytelling skills at <a href=\"http://www.getstoried.com/\" target=\"_blank\">GetStoried.com</a>. I’m excited to say he’ll be a guest on <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/prprochat-pr-twitter-chat-for-public-relations-professionals/\">#PRprochat</a> in April, if you’d like to join us!\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>W</strong><strong>hat are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t use very many tools, actually, I just write as often as possible. My blog is my #1 tool, since it is the primary place that I practice my writing skills. Twitter is fabulous for teaching brevity while remaining compelling. I also curate marketing and PR content every day, which keeps me on top of new trends and tips throughout the day.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. </strong><strong>Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nI follow the <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook</a>  for public relations content that will be exposed to journalists or formal media platforms – such as press releases, byline articles for a media publication and media pitches. For other kinds of content however, such as blogging or infographics, I fit the style to the outlet. Many non-journalistic media use the Chicago Manual of Style or Strunk &amp; White. A blog post for a business journal might use AP style, but a blog post for a client should be consistent with the style already used on their site. Blogging especially can often use a less formal style of writing. I match the style to the platform as much as possible.\r\n\r\n6. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy—writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy biggest pet peeve? That’s a tough one.... I really hate it when people retweet something with an error in it. If you liked it enough to share it, take a second to fix the error before you pass it on. Otherwise their error becomes YOUR error. Another pet peeve are press release quotes that sound like every other quote. Be bold, take a stand and write something with a bit of thought leadership to it.\r\n\r\n7. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word is “heinous”—I think because it’s a word my teenage son really hates, so the look on his face and his reaction when I use it encourage me to repeat it as much as possible. My least favorite word is any misspelled word.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3137 size-large\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13-1024x512.png\" alt=\"13\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" /></a>\r\n\r\nCarrie has just released her book,<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Above-Noise-Creating-Reputation-Digital/dp/1628652586/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449082739&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=above+the+noise+carrie+morgan\" target=\"_blank\"><em> Above the Noise</em></a>. Writing a book has its own special challenges, so I asked Carrie to elaborate.\r\n\r\n<strong>How long did it take you to write this book?</strong>\r\n\r\nThis book is several years in the making, because I started out with a different book than the one actually published this week. It took FAR more time to write than I expected, though – about six months of weekends and nights. Building the platform before I approached publishers with my book proposal was about eighteen months of solid effort, on top of time invested to actually write the book.\r\n\r\n<strong> Did you face any obstacles and how did you overcome them?</strong>\r\n\r\nIt was an interesting journey! For my first book idea, Digital Haystack, I spent over a year and a half building my platform, then reached out to New York book agents until I landed one, thinking that would help me land a book deal. It wasn’t a good experience. Basically, all the agent did was take a book proposal I’d already created, and email it out to a small database of contacts. I had to push her and babysit the process every step of the way. When we finally landed a deal, I ended up firing the publisher (who wanted to change the name of the book, a decision from its board of directors who knew nothing about marketing as an industry and wanted to use a term that’s been outdated for a decade on a book of modern best practices). After I’d cancelled that contract, with no help from the agent, I ended up also firing the agent because she made no effort to sell the book. So that I wouldn’t have to pay her a commission, I restructured the book and sold it within twenty minutes of sending out my new book proposal. It was an interesting process, for sure, and I learned some valuable lessons. I’m already working on my second book.\r\n\r\n<strong>Any tips for people thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBuild an audience before you write the book, and begin marketing LONG before the book is published, otherwise you’ll never rise above the noise to be heard. You also won’t be able to draw the interest of publishers, if that’s your goal. They want pre-existing audience for the book. There’s also a common misconception that publishers will do the book marketing for you. False! They are printers with lackluster marketing skills who only invest budget marketing authors who are already proven to be successful. They do next to nothing for new authors. You must be prepared to do it yourself AND have a budget for that marketing. Also, be very careful of self-publishing. I’d estimate that 90% or more of self-published books were written for vanity reasons and missing the kind of quality a publisher would require, but it’s a huge market where everyone makes money except for the author. Also know that self-publishing carries a different kind of clout than something put out by a publishing house. Know the difference, and make sure the road you choose fits your goals for the book. One last thought: before I began the journey to being an author, I had no clue that over 95% of authors make next to NO MONEY on their book. Write it for other reasons. I wrote my book to build up my reputation as a consultant, not to sell books.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Carrie Morgan rocks the status quo','','inherit','open','open','','3134-revision-v1','','','2016-01-28 10:21:12','2016-01-28 15:21:12','',3134,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/3134-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3141,4,'2016-01-28 10:24:31','2016-01-28 15:24:31','Welcome to the first \"On Writing\" interview, a monthly series in which a marketing communications pro will answer seven questions about writing. This month, public relations consultant and author Carrie Morgan of Rock the Status Quo agreed to be the first <del>victim</del> pro to participate. Find her thoughts below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3136\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"220\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3136\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4-220x300.jpg\" alt=\"Carrie Morgan\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" /></a> Carrie Morgan[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Carrie Morgan\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization</strong>:   <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Rock The Status Quo</a>\r\n\r\nAuthor of <em>Above The Noise: Creating Trust, Value &amp; Reputation Online Using Digital PR</em>. Senior digital PR consultant - public relations, content marketing, social media &amp; SEO. Author. Feisty word nerd. #PRprochat founder.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/morgancarrie\" target=\"_blank\">@morgancarrie</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n1. <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR professional who focuses on digital PR, I’d consider writing to be my most important skill, and something that quickly sets me apart from competitors. It drives over 90 percent of my revenue, since I specialize in content marketing, messaging and search engine optimization, allowing me to achieve amazing results for my clients. I constantly work to improve my storytelling skills, too, which is a fascinating trend to watch right now. My love of writing and helping others led to publication of my first book, <em>Above The Noise</em>. It launched just this week, and can be found at Amazon, Barnes &amp; Noble and many bookstores.\r\n\r\n<strong> 2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?   </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting absolutely matters! From a great headline driving social shares and viral activity to a 140-character tweet, our ability to wordsmith drives conversion and success, or feeds client failure. A picture might say a thousand words, but a few words strung together creatively have REMARKABLE power. As an industry, communications professionals don’t put nearly enough emphasis on the importance of writing skills. It’s an essential skill. In my opinion, every minute you invest in improving your writing skills (and reading – which improves writing skills almost by osmosis!) delivers a huge dividend. As far as self-education goes, the benefits far outweigh the energy and time it requires to improve. LinkedIn long-form posts or Medium are great places to practice if you don’t want to create your own branded blog. LinkedIn particularly works well, since it also helps you build a personal brand – always a solid career move.\r\n\r\n3. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead as much as possible, since it boost your vocabulary and grammar skills through exposure, write as much as possible to practice your skills, and invest at least a few hours each month learning something new. Michael Margolis provides a wonderful free eBook on business storytelling skills at <a href=\"http://www.getstoried.com/\" target=\"_blank\">GetStoried.com</a>. I’m excited to say he’ll be a guest on <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/prprochat-pr-twitter-chat-for-public-relations-professionals/\">#PRprochat</a> in April, if you’d like to join us!\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>W</strong><strong>hat are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t use very many tools, actually, I just write as often as possible. My blog is my #1 tool, since it is the primary place that I practice my writing skills. Twitter is fabulous for teaching brevity while remaining compelling. I also curate marketing and PR content every day, which keeps me on top of new trends and tips throughout the day.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. </strong><strong>Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nI follow the <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook</a>  for public relations content that will be exposed to journalists or formal media platforms – such as press releases, byline articles for a media publication and media pitches. For other kinds of content however, such as blogging or infographics, I fit the style to the outlet. Many non-journalistic media use the Chicago Manual of Style or Strunk &amp; White. A blog post for a business journal might use AP style, but a blog post for a client should be consistent with the style already used on their site. Blogging especially can often use a less formal style of writing. I match the style to the platform as much as possible.\r\n\r\n6. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy—writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy biggest pet peeve? That’s a tough one.... I really hate it when people retweet something with an error in it. If you liked it enough to share it, take a second to fix the error before you pass it on. Otherwise their error becomes YOUR error. Another pet peeve are press release quotes that sound like every other quote. Be bold, take a stand and write something with a bit of thought leadership to it.\r\n\r\n7. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word is “heinous”—I think because it’s a word my teenage son really hates, so the look on his face and his reaction when I use it encourage me to repeat it as much as possible. My least favorite word is any misspelled word.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3137 size-large\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13-1024x512.png\" alt=\"13\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" /></a>\r\n\r\nCarrie has just released her book,<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Above-Noise-Creating-Reputation-Digital/dp/1628652586/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449082739&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=above+the+noise+carrie+morgan\" target=\"_blank\"><em> Above the Noise</em></a>. Writing a book has its own special challenges, so I asked Carrie to elaborate.\r\n\r\n<strong>How long did it take you to write this book?</strong>\r\n\r\nThis book is several years in the making, because I started out with a different book than the one actually published this week. It took FAR more time to write than I expected, though – about six months of weekends and nights. Building the platform before I approached publishers with my book proposal was about eighteen months of solid effort, on top of time invested to actually write the book.\r\n\r\n<strong> Did you face any obstacles and how did you overcome them?</strong>\r\n\r\nIt was an interesting journey! For my first book idea, Digital Haystack, I spent over a year and a half building my platform, then reached out to New York book agents until I landed one, thinking that would help me land a book deal. It wasn’t a good experience. Basically, all the agent did was take a book proposal I’d already created, and email it out to a small database of contacts. I had to push her and babysit the process every step of the way. When we finally landed a deal, I ended up firing the publisher (who wanted to change the name of the book, a decision from its board of directors who knew nothing about marketing as an industry and wanted to use a term that’s been outdated for a decade on a book of modern best practices). After I’d cancelled that contract, with no help from the agent, I ended up also firing the agent because she made no effort to sell the book. So that I wouldn’t have to pay her a commission, I restructured the book and sold it within twenty minutes of sending out my new book proposal. It was an interesting process, for sure, and I learned some valuable lessons. I’m already working on my second book.\r\n\r\n<strong>Any tips for people thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBuild an audience before you write the book, and begin marketing LONG before the book is published, otherwise you’ll never rise above the noise to be heard. You also won’t be able to draw the interest of publishers, if that’s your goal. They want pre-existing audience for the book. There’s also a common misconception that publishers will do the book marketing for you. False! They are printers with lackluster marketing skills who only invest budget marketing authors who are already proven to be successful. They do next to nothing for new authors. You must be prepared to do it yourself AND have a budget for that marketing. Also, be very careful of self-publishing. I’d estimate that 90% or more of self-published books were written for vanity reasons and missing the kind of quality a publisher would require, but it’s a huge market where everyone makes money except for the author. Also know that self-publishing carries a different kind of clout than something put out by a publishing house. Know the difference, and make sure the road you choose fits your goals for the book. One last thought: before I began the journey to being an author, I had no clue that over 95% of authors make next to NO MONEY on their book. Write it for other reasons. I wrote my book to build up my reputation as a consultant, not to sell books.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> Stay tuned to this space for upcoming On Writing interviews. And remember, if you need to create or recreate marketing materials, I am here to help!</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Carrie Morgan rocks the status quo','','inherit','open','open','','3134-revision-v1','','','2016-01-28 10:24:31','2016-01-28 15:24:31','',3134,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/3134-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3140,4,'2016-01-28 10:23:35','2016-01-28 15:23:35','Welcome to the first \"On Writing\" interview, a monthly series in which a marketing communications pro will answer seven questions about writing. This month, public relations consultant and author Carrie Morgan of Rock the Status Quo agreed to be the first <del>victim</del> pro to participate. Find her thoughts below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3136\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"220\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3136\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4-220x300.jpg\" alt=\"Carrie Morgan\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" /></a> Carrie Morgan[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Carrie Morgan\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization</strong>:   <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Rock The Status Quo</a>\r\n\r\nAuthor of <em>Above The Noise: Creating Trust, Value &amp; Reputation Online Using Digital PR</em>. Senior digital PR consultant - public relations, content marketing, social media &amp; SEO. Author. Feisty word nerd. #PRprochat founder.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/morgancarrie?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author\" target=\"_blank\">@morgancarrie</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n1. <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR professional who focuses on digital PR, I’d consider writing to be my most important skill, and something that quickly sets me apart from competitors. It drives over 90 percent of my revenue, since I specialize in content marketing, messaging and search engine optimization, allowing me to achieve amazing results for my clients. I constantly work to improve my storytelling skills, too, which is a fascinating trend to watch right now. My love of writing and helping others led to publication of my first book, <em>Above The Noise</em>. It launched just this week, and can be found at Amazon, Barnes &amp; Noble and many bookstores.\r\n\r\n<strong> 2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?   </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting absolutely matters! From a great headline driving social shares and viral activity to a 140-character tweet, our ability to wordsmith drives conversion and success, or feeds client failure. A picture might say a thousand words, but a few words strung together creatively have REMARKABLE power. As an industry, communications professionals don’t put nearly enough emphasis on the importance of writing skills. It’s an essential skill. In my opinion, every minute you invest in improving your writing skills (and reading – which improves writing skills almost by osmosis!) delivers a huge dividend. As far as self-education goes, the benefits far outweigh the energy and time it requires to improve. LinkedIn long-form posts or Medium are great places to practice if you don’t want to create your own branded blog. LinkedIn particularly works well, since it also helps you build a personal brand – always a solid career move.\r\n\r\n3. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead as much as possible, since it boost your vocabulary and grammar skills through exposure, write as much as possible to practice your skills, and invest at least a few hours each month learning something new. Michael Margolis provides a wonderful free eBook on business storytelling skills at <a href=\"http://www.getstoried.com/\" target=\"_blank\">GetStoried.com</a>. I’m excited to say he’ll be a guest on <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/prprochat-pr-twitter-chat-for-public-relations-professionals/\">#PRprochat</a> in April, if you’d like to join us!\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>W</strong><strong>hat are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t use very many tools, actually, I just write as often as possible. My blog is my #1 tool, since it is the primary place that I practice my writing skills. Twitter is fabulous for teaching brevity while remaining compelling. I also curate marketing and PR content every day, which keeps me on top of new trends and tips throughout the day.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. </strong><strong>Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nI follow the <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook</a>  for public relations content that will be exposed to journalists or formal media platforms – such as press releases, byline articles for a media publication and media pitches. For other kinds of content however, such as blogging or infographics, I fit the style to the outlet. Many non-journalistic media use the Chicago Manual of Style or Strunk &amp; White. A blog post for a business journal might use AP style, but a blog post for a client should be consistent with the style already used on their site. Blogging especially can often use a less formal style of writing. I match the style to the platform as much as possible.\r\n\r\n6. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy—writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy biggest pet peeve? That’s a tough one.... I really hate it when people retweet something with an error in it. If you liked it enough to share it, take a second to fix the error before you pass it on. Otherwise their error becomes YOUR error. Another pet peeve are press release quotes that sound like every other quote. Be bold, take a stand and write something with a bit of thought leadership to it.\r\n\r\n7. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word is “heinous”—I think because it’s a word my teenage son really hates, so the look on his face and his reaction when I use it encourage me to repeat it as much as possible. My least favorite word is any misspelled word.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3137 size-large\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13-1024x512.png\" alt=\"13\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" /></a>\r\n\r\nCarrie has just released her book,<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Above-Noise-Creating-Reputation-Digital/dp/1628652586/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449082739&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=above+the+noise+carrie+morgan\" target=\"_blank\"><em> Above the Noise</em></a>. Writing a book has its own special challenges, so I asked Carrie to elaborate.\r\n\r\n<strong>How long did it take you to write this book?</strong>\r\n\r\nThis book is several years in the making, because I started out with a different book than the one actually published this week. It took FAR more time to write than I expected, though – about six months of weekends and nights. Building the platform before I approached publishers with my book proposal was about eighteen months of solid effort, on top of time invested to actually write the book.\r\n\r\n<strong> Did you face any obstacles and how did you overcome them?</strong>\r\n\r\nIt was an interesting journey! For my first book idea, Digital Haystack, I spent over a year and a half building my platform, then reached out to New York book agents until I landed one, thinking that would help me land a book deal. It wasn’t a good experience. Basically, all the agent did was take a book proposal I’d already created, and email it out to a small database of contacts. I had to push her and babysit the process every step of the way. When we finally landed a deal, I ended up firing the publisher (who wanted to change the name of the book, a decision from its board of directors who knew nothing about marketing as an industry and wanted to use a term that’s been outdated for a decade on a book of modern best practices). After I’d cancelled that contract, with no help from the agent, I ended up also firing the agent because she made no effort to sell the book. So that I wouldn’t have to pay her a commission, I restructured the book and sold it within twenty minutes of sending out my new book proposal. It was an interesting process, for sure, and I learned some valuable lessons. I’m already working on my second book.\r\n\r\n<strong>Any tips for people thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBuild an audience before you write the book, and begin marketing LONG before the book is published, otherwise you’ll never rise above the noise to be heard. You also won’t be able to draw the interest of publishers, if that’s your goal. They want pre-existing audience for the book. There’s also a common misconception that publishers will do the book marketing for you. False! They are printers with lackluster marketing skills who only invest budget marketing authors who are already proven to be successful. They do next to nothing for new authors. You must be prepared to do it yourself AND have a budget for that marketing. Also, be very careful of self-publishing. I’d estimate that 90% or more of self-published books were written for vanity reasons and missing the kind of quality a publisher would require, but it’s a huge market where everyone makes money except for the author. Also know that self-publishing carries a different kind of clout than something put out by a publishing house. Know the difference, and make sure the road you choose fits your goals for the book. One last thought: before I began the journey to being an author, I had no clue that over 95% of authors make next to NO MONEY on their book. Write it for other reasons. I wrote my book to build up my reputation as a consultant, not to sell books.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> Stay tuned to this space for upcoming On Writing interviews. And remember, if you need to create or recreate marketing materials, I am here to help!</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Carrie Morgan rocks the status quo','','inherit','open','open','','3134-revision-v1','','','2016-01-28 10:23:35','2016-01-28 15:23:35','',3134,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/3134-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3142,4,'2016-01-28 10:25:24','2016-01-28 15:25:24','Welcome to the first \"On Writing\" interview, a monthly series in which a marketing communications pro will answer seven questions about writing. This month, public relations consultant and author Carrie Morgan of Rock the Status Quo agreed to be the first <del>victim</del> pro to participate. Find her thoughts below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3136\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"220\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3136\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4-220x300.jpg\" alt=\"Carrie Morgan\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" /></a> Carrie Morgan[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Carrie Morgan\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization</strong>:   <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Rock The Status Quo</a>\r\n\r\nAuthor of <em>Above The Noise: Creating Trust, Value &amp; Reputation Online Using Digital PR</em>. Senior digital PR consultant - public relations, content marketing, social media &amp; SEO. Author. Feisty word nerd. #PRprochat founder.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/morgancarrie\" target=\"_blank\">@morgancarrie</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR professional who focuses on digital PR, I’d consider writing to be my most important skill, and something that quickly sets me apart from competitors. It drives over 90 percent of my revenue, since I specialize in content marketing, messaging and search engine optimization, allowing me to achieve amazing results for my clients. I constantly work to improve my storytelling skills, too, which is a fascinating trend to watch right now. My love of writing and helping others led to publication of my first book, <em>Above The Noise</em>. It launched just this week, and can be found at Amazon, Barnes &amp; Noble and many bookstores.\r\n\r\n<strong> 2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?   </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting absolutely matters! From a great headline driving social shares and viral activity to a 140-character tweet, our ability to wordsmith drives conversion and success, or feeds client failure. A picture might say a thousand words, but a few words strung together creatively have REMARKABLE power. As an industry, communications professionals don’t put nearly enough emphasis on the importance of writing skills. It’s an essential skill. In my opinion, every minute you invest in improving your writing skills (and reading – which improves writing skills almost by osmosis!) delivers a huge dividend. As far as self-education goes, the benefits far outweigh the energy and time it requires to improve. LinkedIn long-form posts or Medium are great places to practice if you don’t want to create your own branded blog. LinkedIn particularly works well, since it also helps you build a personal brand – always a solid career move.\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead as much as possible, since it boost your vocabulary and grammar skills through exposure, write as much as possible to practice your skills, and invest at least a few hours each month learning something new. Michael Margolis provides a wonderful free eBook on business storytelling skills at <a href=\"http://www.getstoried.com/\" target=\"_blank\">GetStoried.com</a>. I’m excited to say he’ll be a guest on <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/prprochat-pr-twitter-chat-for-public-relations-professionals/\">#PRprochat</a> in April, if you’d like to join us!\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>W</strong><strong>hat are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t use very many tools, actually, I just write as often as possible. My blog is my #1 tool, since it is the primary place that I practice my writing skills. Twitter is fabulous for teaching brevity while remaining compelling. I also curate marketing and PR content every day, which keeps me on top of new trends and tips throughout the day.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. </strong><strong>Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nI follow the <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook</a>  for public relations content that will be exposed to journalists or formal media platforms – such as press releases, byline articles for a media publication and media pitches. For other kinds of content however, such as blogging or infographics, I fit the style to the outlet. Many non-journalistic media use the Chicago Manual of Style or Strunk &amp; White. A blog post for a business journal might use AP style, but a blog post for a client should be consistent with the style already used on their site. Blogging especially can often use a less formal style of writing. I match the style to the platform as much as possible.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy—writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy biggest pet peeve? That’s a tough one.... I really hate it when people retweet something with an error in it. If you liked it enough to share it, take a second to fix the error before you pass it on. Otherwise their error becomes YOUR error. Another pet peeve are press release quotes that sound like every other quote. Be bold, take a stand and write something with a bit of thought leadership to it.\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong> <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word is “heinous”—I think because it’s a word my teenage son really hates, so the look on his face and his reaction when I use it encourage me to repeat it as much as possible. My least favorite word is any misspelled word.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3137 size-large\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13-1024x512.png\" alt=\"13\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" /></a>\r\n\r\nCarrie has just released her book,<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Above-Noise-Creating-Reputation-Digital/dp/1628652586/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449082739&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=above+the+noise+carrie+morgan\" target=\"_blank\"><em> Above the Noise</em></a>. Writing a book has its own special challenges, so I asked Carrie to elaborate.\r\n\r\n<strong>How long did it take you to write this book?</strong>\r\n\r\nThis book is several years in the making, because I started out with a different book than the one actually published this week. It took FAR more time to write than I expected, though – about six months of weekends and nights. Building the platform before I approached publishers with my book proposal was about eighteen months of solid effort, on top of time invested to actually write the book.\r\n\r\n<strong> Did you face any obstacles and how did you overcome them?</strong>\r\n\r\nIt was an interesting journey! For my first book idea, Digital Haystack, I spent over a year and a half building my platform, then reached out to New York book agents until I landed one, thinking that would help me land a book deal. It wasn’t a good experience. Basically, all the agent did was take a book proposal I’d already created, and email it out to a small database of contacts. I had to push her and babysit the process every step of the way. When we finally landed a deal, I ended up firing the publisher (who wanted to change the name of the book, a decision from its board of directors who knew nothing about marketing as an industry and wanted to use a term that’s been outdated for a decade on a book of modern best practices). After I’d cancelled that contract, with no help from the agent, I ended up also firing the agent because she made no effort to sell the book. So that I wouldn’t have to pay her a commission, I restructured the book and sold it within twenty minutes of sending out my new book proposal. It was an interesting process, for sure, and I learned some valuable lessons. I’m already working on my second book.\r\n\r\n<strong>Any tips for people thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBuild an audience before you write the book, and begin marketing LONG before the book is published, otherwise you’ll never rise above the noise to be heard. You also won’t be able to draw the interest of publishers, if that’s your goal. They want pre-existing audience for the book. There’s also a common misconception that publishers will do the book marketing for you. False! They are printers with lackluster marketing skills who only invest budget marketing authors who are already proven to be successful. They do next to nothing for new authors. You must be prepared to do it yourself AND have a budget for that marketing. Also, be very careful of self-publishing. I’d estimate that 90% or more of self-published books were written for vanity reasons and missing the kind of quality a publisher would require, but it’s a huge market where everyone makes money except for the author. Also know that self-publishing carries a different kind of clout than something put out by a publishing house. Know the difference, and make sure the road you choose fits your goals for the book. One last thought: before I began the journey to being an author, I had no clue that over 95% of authors make next to NO MONEY on their book. Write it for other reasons. I wrote my book to build up my reputation as a consultant, not to sell books.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> Stay tuned to this space for upcoming On Writing interviews. And remember, if you need to create or recreate marketing materials, I am here to help!</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Carrie Morgan rocks the status quo','','inherit','open','open','','3134-revision-v1','','','2016-01-28 10:25:24','2016-01-28 15:25:24','',3134,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/3134-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3143,4,'2016-01-28 10:29:00','2016-01-28 15:29:00','Welcome to the first \"On Writing\" interview, a monthly series in which a marketing communications pro will answer seven questions about writing. This month, public relations consultant and author Carrie Morgan of Rock the Status Quo agreed to be the first <del>victim</del> pro to participate. Find her thoughts below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3136\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"220\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3136\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4-220x300.jpg\" alt=\"Carrie Morgan\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" /></a> Carrie Morgan[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Carrie Morgan</strong>\r\n\r\nAuthor of <em>Above The Noise: Creating Trust, Value &amp; Reputation Online Using Digital PR</em>. Senior digital PR consultant - public relations, content marketing, social media &amp; SEO. Author. Feisty word nerd. #PRprochat founder.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization</strong>:   <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Rock The Status Quo</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/morgancarrie\" target=\"_blank\">@morgancarrie</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR professional who focuses on digital PR, I’d consider writing to be my most important skill, and something that quickly sets me apart from competitors. It drives over 90 percent of my revenue, since I specialize in content marketing, messaging and search engine optimization, allowing me to achieve amazing results for my clients. I constantly work to improve my storytelling skills, too, which is a fascinating trend to watch right now. My love of writing and helping others led to publication of my first book, <em>Above The Noise</em>. It launched just this week, and can be found at Amazon, Barnes &amp; Noble and many bookstores.\r\n\r\n<strong> 2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?   </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting absolutely matters! From a great headline driving social shares and viral activity to a 140-character tweet, our ability to wordsmith drives conversion and success, or feeds client failure. A picture might say a thousand words, but a few words strung together creatively have REMARKABLE power. As an industry, communications professionals don’t put nearly enough emphasis on the importance of writing skills. It’s an essential skill. In my opinion, every minute you invest in improving your writing skills (and reading – which improves writing skills almost by osmosis!) delivers a huge dividend. As far as self-education goes, the benefits far outweigh the energy and time it requires to improve. LinkedIn long-form posts or Medium are great places to practice if you don’t want to create your own branded blog. LinkedIn particularly works well, since it also helps you build a personal brand – always a solid career move.\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead as much as possible, since it boost your vocabulary and grammar skills through exposure, write as much as possible to practice your skills, and invest at least a few hours each month learning something new. Michael Margolis provides a wonderful free eBook on business storytelling skills at <a href=\"http://www.getstoried.com/\" target=\"_blank\">GetStoried.com</a>. I’m excited to say he’ll be a guest on <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/prprochat-pr-twitter-chat-for-public-relations-professionals/\">#PRprochat</a> in April, if you’d like to join us!\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>W</strong><strong>hat are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t use very many tools, actually, I just write as often as possible. My blog is my #1 tool, since it is the primary place that I practice my writing skills. Twitter is fabulous for teaching brevity while remaining compelling. I also curate marketing and PR content every day, which keeps me on top of new trends and tips throughout the day.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. </strong><strong>Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nI follow the <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook</a>  for public relations content that will be exposed to journalists or formal media platforms – such as press releases, byline articles for a media publication and media pitches. For other kinds of content however, such as blogging or infographics, I fit the style to the outlet. Many non-journalistic media use the Chicago Manual of Style or Strunk &amp; White. A blog post for a business journal might use AP style, but a blog post for a client should be consistent with the style already used on their site. Blogging especially can often use a less formal style of writing. I match the style to the platform as much as possible.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy—writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy biggest pet peeve? That’s a tough one.... I really hate it when people retweet something with an error in it. If you liked it enough to share it, take a second to fix the error before you pass it on. Otherwise their error becomes YOUR error. Another pet peeve are press release quotes that sound like every other quote. Be bold, take a stand and write something with a bit of thought leadership to it.\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong> <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word is “heinous”—I think because it’s a word my teenage son really hates, so the look on his face and his reaction when I use it encourage me to repeat it as much as possible. My least favorite word is any misspelled word.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3137 size-large\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13-1024x512.png\" alt=\"13\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" /></a>\r\n\r\nCarrie has just released her book,<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Above-Noise-Creating-Reputation-Digital/dp/1628652586/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449082739&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=above+the+noise+carrie+morgan\" target=\"_blank\"><em> Above the Noise</em></a>. Writing a book has its own special challenges, so I asked Carrie to elaborate.\r\n\r\n<strong>How long did it take you to write this book?</strong>\r\n\r\nThis book is several years in the making, because I started out with a different book than the one actually published this week. It took FAR more time to write than I expected, though – about six months of weekends and nights. Building the platform before I approached publishers with my book proposal was about eighteen months of solid effort, on top of time invested to actually write the book.\r\n\r\n<strong> Did you face any obstacles and how did you overcome them?</strong>\r\n\r\nIt was an interesting journey! For my first book idea, Digital Haystack, I spent over a year and a half building my platform, then reached out to New York book agents until I landed one, thinking that would help me land a book deal. It wasn’t a good experience. Basically, all the agent did was take a book proposal I’d already created, and email it out to a small database of contacts. I had to push her and babysit the process every step of the way. When we finally landed a deal, I ended up firing the publisher (who wanted to change the name of the book, a decision from its board of directors who knew nothing about marketing as an industry and wanted to use a term that’s been outdated for a decade on a book of modern best practices). After I’d cancelled that contract, with no help from the agent, I ended up also firing the agent because she made no effort to sell the book. So that I wouldn’t have to pay her a commission, I restructured the book and sold it within twenty minutes of sending out my new book proposal. It was an interesting process, for sure, and I learned some valuable lessons. I’m already working on my second book.\r\n\r\n<strong>Any tips for people thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBuild an audience before you write the book, and begin marketing LONG before the book is published, otherwise you’ll never rise above the noise to be heard. You also won’t be able to draw the interest of publishers, if that’s your goal. They want pre-existing audience for the book. There’s also a common misconception that publishers will do the book marketing for you. False! They are printers with lackluster marketing skills who only invest budget marketing authors who are already proven to be successful. They do next to nothing for new authors. You must be prepared to do it yourself AND have a budget for that marketing. Also, be very careful of self-publishing. I’d estimate that 90% or more of self-published books were written for vanity reasons and missing the kind of quality a publisher would require, but it’s a huge market where everyone makes money except for the author. Also know that self-publishing carries a different kind of clout than something put out by a publishing house. Know the difference, and make sure the road you choose fits your goals for the book. One last thought: before I began the journey to being an author, I had no clue that over 95% of authors make next to NO MONEY on their book. Write it for other reasons. I wrote my book to build up my reputation as a consultant, not to sell books.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Stay tuned to this space for upcoming On Writing interviews. And remember, if you need to create or recreate marketing materials, I am here to help!</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Carrie Morgan rocks the status quo','','inherit','open','open','','3134-revision-v1','','','2016-01-28 10:29:00','2016-01-28 15:29:00','',3134,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/3134-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3144,4,'2016-01-28 10:30:23','2016-01-28 15:30:23','Welcome to the first \"On Writing\" interview, a monthly series in which a marketing communications pro will answer seven questions about writing. This month, public relations consultant and author Carrie Morgan of Rock the Status Quo agreed to be the first <del>victim</del> pro to participate. Find her thoughts below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3136\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"220\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3136\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Carrie-Morgan-headshot-4-220x300.jpg\" alt=\"Carrie Morgan\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" /></a> Carrie Morgan[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Carrie Morgan</strong>\r\n\r\nAuthor of <em>Above The Noise: Creating Trust, Value &amp; Reputation Online Using Digital PR</em>. Senior digital PR consultant - public relations, content marketing, social media &amp; SEO. Author. Feisty word nerd. #PRprochat founder.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization</strong>:  <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Rock The Status Quo</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/morgancarrie\" target=\"_blank\">@morgancarrie</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR professional who focuses on digital PR, I’d consider writing to be my most important skill, and something that quickly sets me apart from competitors. It drives over 90 percent of my revenue, since I specialize in content marketing, messaging and search engine optimization, allowing me to achieve amazing results for my clients. I constantly work to improve my storytelling skills, too, which is a fascinating trend to watch right now. My love of writing and helping others led to publication of my first book, <em>Above The Noise</em>. It launched just this week, and can be found at Amazon, Barnes &amp; Noble and many bookstores.\r\n\r\n<strong> 2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?   </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting absolutely matters! From a great headline driving social shares and viral activity to a 140-character tweet, our ability to wordsmith drives conversion and success, or feeds client failure. A picture might say a thousand words, but a few words strung together creatively have REMARKABLE power. As an industry, communications professionals don’t put nearly enough emphasis on the importance of writing skills. It’s an essential skill. In my opinion, every minute you invest in improving your writing skills (and reading – which improves writing skills almost by osmosis!) delivers a huge dividend. As far as self-education goes, the benefits far outweigh the energy and time it requires to improve. LinkedIn long-form posts or Medium are great places to practice if you don’t want to create your own branded blog. LinkedIn particularly works well, since it also helps you build a personal brand – always a solid career move.\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead as much as possible, since it boost your vocabulary and grammar skills through exposure, write as much as possible to practice your skills, and invest at least a few hours each month learning something new. Michael Margolis provides a wonderful free eBook on business storytelling skills at <a href=\"http://www.getstoried.com/\" target=\"_blank\">GetStoried.com</a>. I’m excited to say he’ll be a guest on <a href=\"http://rockthestatusquo.com/prprochat-pr-twitter-chat-for-public-relations-professionals/\">#PRprochat</a> in April, if you’d like to join us!\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>W</strong><strong>hat are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t use very many tools, actually, I just write as often as possible. My blog is my #1 tool, since it is the primary place that I practice my writing skills. Twitter is fabulous for teaching brevity while remaining compelling. I also curate marketing and PR content every day, which keeps me on top of new trends and tips throughout the day.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. </strong><strong>Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nI follow the <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook</a>  for public relations content that will be exposed to journalists or formal media platforms – such as press releases, byline articles for a media publication and media pitches. For other kinds of content however, such as blogging or infographics, I fit the style to the outlet. Many non-journalistic media use the Chicago Manual of Style or Strunk &amp; White. A blog post for a business journal might use AP style, but a blog post for a client should be consistent with the style already used on their site. Blogging especially can often use a less formal style of writing. I match the style to the platform as much as possible.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy—writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy biggest pet peeve? That’s a tough one.... I really hate it when people retweet something with an error in it. If you liked it enough to share it, take a second to fix the error before you pass it on. Otherwise their error becomes YOUR error. Another pet peeve are press release quotes that sound like every other quote. Be bold, take a stand and write something with a bit of thought leadership to it.\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong> <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word is “heinous”—I think because it’s a word my teenage son really hates, so the look on his face and his reaction when I use it encourage me to repeat it as much as possible. My least favorite word is any misspelled word.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3137 size-large\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/13-1024x512.png\" alt=\"13\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" /></a>\r\n\r\nCarrie has just released her book,<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Above-Noise-Creating-Reputation-Digital/dp/1628652586/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449082739&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=above+the+noise+carrie+morgan\" target=\"_blank\"><em> Above the Noise</em></a>. Writing a book has its own special challenges, so I asked Carrie to elaborate.\r\n\r\n<strong>How long did it take you to write this book?</strong>\r\n\r\nThis book is several years in the making, because I started out with a different book than the one actually published this week. It took FAR more time to write than I expected, though – about six months of weekends and nights. Building the platform before I approached publishers with my book proposal was about eighteen months of solid effort, on top of time invested to actually write the book.\r\n\r\n<strong> Did you face any obstacles and how did you overcome them?</strong>\r\n\r\nIt was an interesting journey! For my first book idea, Digital Haystack, I spent over a year and a half building my platform, then reached out to New York book agents until I landed one, thinking that would help me land a book deal. It wasn’t a good experience. Basically, all the agent did was take a book proposal I’d already created, and email it out to a small database of contacts. I had to push her and babysit the process every step of the way. When we finally landed a deal, I ended up firing the publisher (who wanted to change the name of the book, a decision from its board of directors who knew nothing about marketing as an industry and wanted to use a term that’s been outdated for a decade on a book of modern best practices). After I’d cancelled that contract, with no help from the agent, I ended up also firing the agent because she made no effort to sell the book. So that I wouldn’t have to pay her a commission, I restructured the book and sold it within twenty minutes of sending out my new book proposal. It was an interesting process, for sure, and I learned some valuable lessons. I’m already working on my second book.\r\n\r\n<strong>Any tips for people thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBuild an audience before you write the book, and begin marketing LONG before the book is published, otherwise you’ll never rise above the noise to be heard. You also won’t be able to draw the interest of publishers, if that’s your goal. They want pre-existing audience for the book. There’s also a common misconception that publishers will do the book marketing for you. False! They are printers with lackluster marketing skills who only invest budget marketing authors who are already proven to be successful. They do next to nothing for new authors. You must be prepared to do it yourself AND have a budget for that marketing. Also, be very careful of self-publishing. I’d estimate that 90% or more of self-published books were written for vanity reasons and missing the kind of quality a publisher would require, but it’s a huge market where everyone makes money except for the author. Also know that self-publishing carries a different kind of clout than something put out by a publishing house. Know the difference, and make sure the road you choose fits your goals for the book. One last thought: before I began the journey to being an author, I had no clue that over 95% of authors make next to NO MONEY on their book. Write it for other reasons. I wrote my book to build up my reputation as a consultant, not to sell books.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Stay tuned to this space for upcoming On Writing interviews. And remember, if you need to create or recreate marketing materials, I am here to help!</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Carrie Morgan rocks the status quo','','inherit','open','open','','3134-revision-v1','','','2016-01-28 10:30:23','2016-01-28 15:30:23','',3134,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/01/3134-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3147,4,'2016-02-03 12:00:12','2016-02-03 17:00:12','Organizations  often spend a lot of time creating (or redesigning) the perfect website. It could take months to get the best design, the right content, and everything running smoothly. Then, finally, the website is launched or relaunched. But it won\'t be perfect.\r\n\r\nThere will be kinks: broken links, missing information, pictures not loading correctly, etc.   Some of these kinks get worked out once they are found. But many times, the kinks are not discovered right away.\r\n\r\n<strong>I can\'t find it and you don\'t know it if you don\'t use it.</strong>\r\n\r\nJust last week, I needed information on putting a stop payment on a check. I first went to my bank\'s website. I looked around and could not find any information on how to do it or how much it would cost. I was forced to call. I spoke to a representative, who explained the costs and the process. I asked if I could do it online. Yes, she said, of course. I asked how. She had to transfer me to a website customer service agent. I posed the same question. She looked around, and finally discovered where this information lay. It was not obvious, or easily found. And doing a search did not turn it up. The bank had no idea.\r\n\r\n<strong>Does it happen the way you say it happens?</strong>\r\n\r\nI went to a website that offered a free ebook if you signed up for an email newsletter. After inputting my email address, I got a pop-up saying  I would get a link in my inbox very soon to which I\'d then have to respond. And once I\'d done that, I\'d have to wait to get another link to get the ebook (process seems a bit too long but that is another story). It took quite a while for the first link to show up. And then it took another long while for the other link to show up.  I am pretty sure that the website\'s owner has never had to sign up to download the ebook.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Your website needs continual oversight','','inherit','open','open','','3146-revision-v1','','','2016-02-03 12:00:12','2016-02-03 17:00:12','',3146,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3146-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3148,4,'2016-02-03 12:53:15','2016-02-03 17:53:15','Organizations  often spend a lot of time (and money) creating (or redesigning) the perfect website. It could take months to get the best design, the right content, and everything running smoothly. Then, finally, the website is launched or relaunched. But it won\'t be perfect. It still need scrutiny and probably, more work.\r\n\r\n<strong>You can\'t stop working on your website--it\'s a continuous process</strong>\r\n\r\nFirs of all, your newly launched website will most certainly have all sorts of kinks: broken links, missing information, pictures not loading correctly, etc.  Some of these kinks get worked out once they are found. But many times, the kinks are not discovered right away.\r\n\r\n<strong>You need user feedback.</strong>\r\n\r\nYour website should be designed with the user in mind (user experience or UX design). And perhaps it was, but how do <em>your</em> users interact with the website? What information do they need to find? What do they like and what don\'t they like? OK, so maybe they won\'t come out and tell you, but you probably do know what areas of your website are being visited and which aren\'t.\r\n\r\n<strong>Bank website: I can\'t find what I need!\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\nJust last week, I needed information on putting a stop payment on a check. I first went to my bank\'s website. I looked around and could not find any information on how to do it or how much it would cost. I was forced to call. I spoke to a representative, who explained the costs and the process. I asked if I could do it online. Yes, she said, of course. I asked how. She had to transfer me to a website customer service agent. I posed the same question. She looked around, and finally discovered where this information lay. It was not obvious, or easily found. And doing a search did not turn it up. The bank had no idea that something so common as a stop payment was not addressed on its website.\r\n\r\n<strong>Does it happen the way you say it happens?</strong>\r\n\r\nI went to a website that offered a free ebook if you signed up for an email newsletter. After inputting my email address, I got a pop-up saying  I would get a link in my inbox very soon to which I\'d then have to respond. And once I\'d done that, I\'d have to wait to get another link to get the ebook (process seems a bit too long but that is another story). It took quite a while for the first link to show up. And then it took another long while for the other link to show up.  I am pretty sure that the website\'s owner has never had to sign up to download the ebook.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Your website needs attention','','inherit','open','open','','3146-revision-v1','','','2016-02-03 12:53:15','2016-02-03 17:53:15','',3146,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3146-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3149,4,'2016-02-09 14:43:09','2016-02-09 19:43:09','I only watched the first part of Super Bowl 50, and halfheartedly at that. I am not a football fan, and I had no reason to root for either the Broncos or the Panthers. Also, I wasn\'t at a Super Bowl party. The only part that I was paying some attention to was the commercials.\r\n\r\nI have always been interested in Super Bowl advertising from a professional standpoint, ever since my first job as a media buyer at a now defunct Boston ad agency. While I was there, one of the media directors gave a presentation about why it had been worth it to spend $1 million (this was in the 1990s) to run one 30-second spot for a small, up to then unknown, company:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>He said it increased national <strong>brand recognition</strong> dramatically</li>\r\n	<li>And also, perhaps even more important strategically, made this company <strong>look like a big player</strong>, since the other Super Bowl advertisers are generally well established (well funded) brands such as Budweiser and Coca Cola.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nToday, Super Bowl ads cost close to $5 million for each 30-second spot. And then there are the other costs: advertising agency fees, production, talent (and famous talent ain\'t cheap), which probably tack on another $1-2 million, making it a huge chunk of the company\'s marketing budget.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is it worth it?</strong>\r\n\r\nClearly, advertisers think Super Bowl advertising is worth it. And since we don\'t know what their objectives are (brand recognition, sales, image bolstering), it is hard to say whether these are achieved.\r\n\r\n(You can check out who the advertisers were on Super Bowl 50 and link to all the spots in this AdAge article <a href=\"http://adage.com/article/special-report-super-bowl/super-bowl-50-ad-chart-buying-big-game-commercials/301183/\" target=\"_blank\">Super Bowl 50 Complete Ad Chart</a>.)\r\n\r\nIn my opinion, one of the best ads of the night was the Bud Light commercial featuring Seth Rogen and Amy Schumer.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/JohgwbpQuy8\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\nIt was genuinely clever and funny. And packed a whole lot of celebrity punch. But, are you going to start drinking Bud Light? I bet that if you already drink Bud, perhaps you will feel more secure about your choice. This is called <strong>social proof,</strong> which means that we believe behavior (drinking Bud Light) is cool if other people (Seth Rogen! Amy Schumer!) think it is.\r\n\r\nBut, on the other hand, if you are like me, you will never, ever, drink Bud Light. No amount of cute or smart or funny commercials are going to make me choose Bud Light the next time I am at a bar, restaurant or liquor store. I just don\'t like it.\r\n\r\nI have a<strong> hardened opinion</strong>, and it is very hard to change this type of view. By the way, the same goes for my opinion of several other big Super Bowl advertisers including Doritos (don\'t eat them), Taco Bell (just not going there), and Mountain Dew (really, a monkey-baby nightmare?).\r\n\r\nBut, on issues where people don\'t have an opinion or don\'t have enough information, a Super Bowl commercial can really make a difference. Another ad that was not only funny but very effective was this one for the Amazon Echo, featuring Alec Baldwin, Jason Schwartzman, Dan Marino and Missy Elliot:\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/qTz5jAn-XX8\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\nThis introduced a product and also piqued interest. I\'d be curious to know how Echo sales do after this, but just based on Twitter, there was a lot of chatter about it (brand recognition, check!).\r\n\r\nIn sum, Super Bowl advertising expenditure is somewhat overblown for brands with strong brand recognition but can be worth it for new products or brands.\r\n\r\nWhat do you think? If you watched the Super Bowl, did you focus on the commercials? Did any make you think differently about a product or brand? Let me know in the comments.','Do Super Bowl ads change minds?','','publish','open','open','','do-super-bowl-ads-change-minds','','','2016-02-09 17:39:35','2016-02-09 22:39:35','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3149',0,'post','',0),
(3150,4,'2016-02-09 14:41:50','2016-02-09 19:41:50','I only watched the first part of Super Bowl 50, and halfheartedly at that. I am not a football fan, and I had no reason to root for either the Broncos or the Panthers. And I was not at Super Bowl party. If I do watch the Super Bowl it is to check out the ads.\r\n\r\nI have always been interested from a professional standpoint, ever since my first job as a media buyer at a now defunct Boston ad agency. While I was there, one of the media directors gave a presentation about why it had been worth it to spend $1 million (this was in the 1990s) to run one 30-second spot for a small, up to then unknown, company:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>He said it increased national <strong>brand recognition</strong> dramatically</li>\r\n	<li>And also, perhaps even more important strategically, made this company <strong>look like a big player</strong>, since the other Super Bowl advertisers are generally well established (well funded) brands such as Budweiser and Coca Cola.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nToday, Super Bowl ads cost close to $5 million for each 30-second spot. And then there are the other costs: advertising agency fees, production, talent (and famous talent ain\'t cheap), which probably tack on another $1-2 million, making it a huge chunk of the company\'s marketing budget.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is it worth it?</strong>\r\n\r\nClearly, advertisers think Super Bowl advertising is worth it. And since we don\'t know what their objectives are (brand recognition, sales, image bolstering), it is hard to say whether these are achieved.\r\n\r\n(You can check out who the advertisers were on Super Bowl 50 and link to all the spots in this AdAge article <a href=\"http://adage.com/article/special-report-super-bowl/super-bowl-50-ad-chart-buying-big-game-commercials/301183/\" target=\"_blank\">Super Bowl 50 Complete Ad Chart</a>.)\r\n\r\nIn my opinion, one of the best ads of the night was the Bud Light commercial featuring Seth Rogen and Amy Schumer.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/JohgwbpQuy8\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\nIt was genuinely clever and funny. And packed a whole lot of celebrity punch. But, are you going to start drinking Bud Light? I bet that if you already drink Bud, perhaps you will feel more secure about your choice. This is called <strong>social proof,</strong> which means that we believe behavior (drinking Bud Light) is cool if other people (Seth Rogen! Amy Schumer!) think it is.\r\n\r\nBut, on the other hand, if you are like me, you will never, ever, drink Bud Light. No amount of cute or smart or funny commercials are going to make me choose Bud Light the next time I am at a bar, restaurant or liquor store. I just don\'t like it.\r\n\r\nI have a<strong> hardened opinion</strong>, and it is very hard to change this type of view. By the way, the same goes for my opinion of several other big Super Bowl advertisers including Doritos (don\'t eat them), Taco Bell (just not going there), and Mountain Dew (really, a monkey-baby nightmare?).\r\n\r\nBut, on issues where people don\'t have an opinion or don\'t have enough information, a Super Bowl commercial can really make a difference. Another ad that was not only funny but very effective was this one for the Amazon Echo, featuring Alec Baldwin, Jason Schwartzman, Dan Marino and Missy Elliot:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/qTz5jAn-XX8\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\nThis introduced a product and also piqued interest. I\'d be curious to know how Echo sales do after this, but just based on Twitter, there was a lot of chatter about it (brand recognition, check!).\r\n\r\nIn sum, Super Bowl advertising expenditure is somewhat overblown for brands with strong brand recognition but can be worth it for new products or brands.\r\n\r\nWhat do you think? If you watched the Super Bowl, did you focus on the commercials? Did any make you think differently about a product or brand? Let me know in the comments.','Do Super Bowl ads change minds?','','inherit','open','open','','3149-revision-v1','','','2016-02-09 14:41:50','2016-02-09 19:41:50','',3149,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3149-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3151,4,'2016-02-09 17:38:56','2016-02-09 22:38:56','I only watched the first part of Super Bowl 50, and halfheartedly at that. I am not a football fan, and I had no reason to root for either the Broncos or the Panthers. Also, I wasn\'t at a Super Bowl party. The only part that I was paying some attention was t\n\nI have always been interested from a professional standpoint, ever since my first job as a media buyer at a now defunct Boston ad agency. While I was there, one of the media directors gave a presentation about why it had been worth it to spend $1 million (this was in the 1990s) to run one 30-second spot for a small, up to then unknown, company:\n<ul>\n	<li>He said it increased national <strong>brand recognition</strong> dramatically</li>\n	<li>And also, perhaps even more important strategically, made this company <strong>look like a big player</strong>, since the other Super Bowl advertisers are generally well established (well funded) brands such as Budweiser and Coca Cola.</li>\n</ul>\nToday, Super Bowl ads cost close to $5 million for each 30-second spot. And then there are the other costs: advertising agency fees, production, talent (and famous talent ain\'t cheap), which probably tack on another $1-2 million, making it a huge chunk of the company\'s marketing budget.\n\n<strong>Is it worth it?</strong>\n\nClearly, advertisers think Super Bowl advertising is worth it. And since we don\'t know what their objectives are (brand recognition, sales, image bolstering), it is hard to say whether these are achieved.\n\n(You can check out who the advertisers were on Super Bowl 50 and link to all the spots in this AdAge article <a href=\"http://adage.com/article/special-report-super-bowl/super-bowl-50-ad-chart-buying-big-game-commercials/301183/\" target=\"_blank\">Super Bowl 50 Complete Ad Chart</a>.)\n\nIn my opinion, one of the best ads of the night was the Bud Light commercial featuring Seth Rogen and Amy Schumer.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/JohgwbpQuy8\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\n\nIt was genuinely clever and funny. And packed a whole lot of celebrity punch. But, are you going to start drinking Bud Light? I bet that if you already drink Bud, perhaps you will feel more secure about your choice. This is called <strong>social proof,</strong> which means that we believe behavior (drinking Bud Light) is cool if other people (Seth Rogen! Amy Schumer!) think it is.\n\nBut, on the other hand, if you are like me, you will never, ever, drink Bud Light. No amount of cute or smart or funny commercials are going to make me choose Bud Light the next time I am at a bar, restaurant or liquor store. I just don\'t like it.\n\nI have a<strong> hardened opinion</strong>, and it is very hard to change this type of view. By the way, the same goes for my opinion of several other big Super Bowl advertisers including Doritos (don\'t eat them), Taco Bell (just not going there), and Mountain Dew (really, a monkey-baby nightmare?).\n\nBut, on issues where people don\'t have an opinion or don\'t have enough information, a Super Bowl commercial can really make a difference. Another ad that was not only funny but very effective was this one for the Amazon Echo, featuring Alec Baldwin, Jason Schwartzman, Dan Marino and Missy Elliot:\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/qTz5jAn-XX8\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\n\nThis introduced a product and also piqued interest. I\'d be curious to know how Echo sales do after this, but just based on Twitter, there was a lot of chatter about it (brand recognition, check!).\n\nIn sum, Super Bowl advertising expenditure is somewhat overblown for brands with strong brand recognition but can be worth it for new products or brands.\n\nWhat do you think? If you watched the Super Bowl, did you focus on the commercials? Did any make you think differently about a product or brand? Let me know in the comments.','Do Super Bowl ads change minds?','','inherit','open','open','','3149-autosave-v1','','','2016-02-09 17:38:56','2016-02-09 22:38:56','',3149,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3149-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3152,4,'2016-02-09 17:39:35','2016-02-09 22:39:35','I only watched the first part of Super Bowl 50, and halfheartedly at that. I am not a football fan, and I had no reason to root for either the Broncos or the Panthers. Also, I wasn\'t at a Super Bowl party. The only part that I was paying some attention to was the commercials.\r\n\r\nI have always been interested in Super Bowl advertising from a professional standpoint, ever since my first job as a media buyer at a now defunct Boston ad agency. While I was there, one of the media directors gave a presentation about why it had been worth it to spend $1 million (this was in the 1990s) to run one 30-second spot for a small, up to then unknown, company:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>He said it increased national <strong>brand recognition</strong> dramatically</li>\r\n	<li>And also, perhaps even more important strategically, made this company <strong>look like a big player</strong>, since the other Super Bowl advertisers are generally well established (well funded) brands such as Budweiser and Coca Cola.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nToday, Super Bowl ads cost close to $5 million for each 30-second spot. And then there are the other costs: advertising agency fees, production, talent (and famous talent ain\'t cheap), which probably tack on another $1-2 million, making it a huge chunk of the company\'s marketing budget.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is it worth it?</strong>\r\n\r\nClearly, advertisers think Super Bowl advertising is worth it. And since we don\'t know what their objectives are (brand recognition, sales, image bolstering), it is hard to say whether these are achieved.\r\n\r\n(You can check out who the advertisers were on Super Bowl 50 and link to all the spots in this AdAge article <a href=\"http://adage.com/article/special-report-super-bowl/super-bowl-50-ad-chart-buying-big-game-commercials/301183/\" target=\"_blank\">Super Bowl 50 Complete Ad Chart</a>.)\r\n\r\nIn my opinion, one of the best ads of the night was the Bud Light commercial featuring Seth Rogen and Amy Schumer.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/JohgwbpQuy8\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\nIt was genuinely clever and funny. And packed a whole lot of celebrity punch. But, are you going to start drinking Bud Light? I bet that if you already drink Bud, perhaps you will feel more secure about your choice. This is called <strong>social proof,</strong> which means that we believe behavior (drinking Bud Light) is cool if other people (Seth Rogen! Amy Schumer!) think it is.\r\n\r\nBut, on the other hand, if you are like me, you will never, ever, drink Bud Light. No amount of cute or smart or funny commercials are going to make me choose Bud Light the next time I am at a bar, restaurant or liquor store. I just don\'t like it.\r\n\r\nI have a<strong> hardened opinion</strong>, and it is very hard to change this type of view. By the way, the same goes for my opinion of several other big Super Bowl advertisers including Doritos (don\'t eat them), Taco Bell (just not going there), and Mountain Dew (really, a monkey-baby nightmare?).\r\n\r\nBut, on issues where people don\'t have an opinion or don\'t have enough information, a Super Bowl commercial can really make a difference. Another ad that was not only funny but very effective was this one for the Amazon Echo, featuring Alec Baldwin, Jason Schwartzman, Dan Marino and Missy Elliot:\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/qTz5jAn-XX8\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\nThis introduced a product and also piqued interest. I\'d be curious to know how Echo sales do after this, but just based on Twitter, there was a lot of chatter about it (brand recognition, check!).\r\n\r\nIn sum, Super Bowl advertising expenditure is somewhat overblown for brands with strong brand recognition but can be worth it for new products or brands.\r\n\r\nWhat do you think? If you watched the Super Bowl, did you focus on the commercials? Did any make you think differently about a product or brand? Let me know in the comments.','Do Super Bowl ads change minds?','','inherit','open','open','','3149-revision-v1','','','2016-02-09 17:39:35','2016-02-09 22:39:35','',3149,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3149-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3154,4,'2016-02-16 12:53:37','2016-02-16 17:53:37','I just watched the movie <a href=\"https://youtu.be/MqOz8-Sto1g\" target=\"_blank\">\"Truth,\"</a> starring Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford, about questionable documents, used by producer Mary Mapes and reported by Dan Rather on <em>60 Minutes II</em>, which purported to prove that George W. Bush may not have served his full duty in the National Guard.\r\n\r\nThe movie came out last year around the same time as <a href=\"https://youtu.be/Zg5zSVxx9JM\" target=\"_blank\">\"Spotlight,\"</a> also a movie about journalists. \"Spotlight\" (which I saw last year) tells the story of the <em>Boston Globe</em> reporters who investigated child abuse by Catholic priests in Boston, and the subsequent Church cover-up. Both movies are based on real stories, and both deal with reporting, but that is where any similarity ends.\r\n\r\n\"Truth\" portrays a major screw-up at CBS. \"Spotlight\" portrays a major triumph by the <em>Boston Globe</em>.\r\n\r\nAlso, \"Truth\" is about broadcast journalism and \"Spotlight\" is about print journalism and the differences are stark. In \"Truth,\" facts are not properly sourced essentially because of time constraints associated with broadcast deadlines. In \"Spotlight,\" the reporters are told they have to dig out and track down the sources until the story is right.\r\n\r\nThe bottom line is that having enough time to fact check and substantiate a story is the deciding factor between getting things right and screwing up.\r\n\r\nThese movies also show a different understanding of what a journalist’s role is. As the title implies, \"Truth\" is about getting at a truth, even though the facts may not be right. \"Spotlight\" is about not only getting the facts right, but getting enough information so that what is being presented can’t be easily challenged.\r\n\r\n<strong>Facts and truth are not the same.</strong>\r\n\r\nFacts are provable. The high temperature in Washington, D.C. on February 15<sup>th</sup> was 29F as recorded by the weather watchers at Reagan National Airport. You can check that.\r\n\r\nTruth is a belief, and it is changeable. What is true to someone, such as he/she believes that chocolate is the best flavor may not be true to someone who prefers vanilla. The only facts here are that chocolate and vanilla are flavors.\r\n\r\nWhen we write, and especially when we edit, we have to check the facts. Are names spelled correctly? Are the numbers used accurate? And further, we have to check the sources. Just because many people are saying something on social media does not make it factual. Not being careful with fact-checking leads to a story blowing up as it did in \"Truth.\" It may or may not be true that President Bush skirted his National Guard service, but it will never be proven without checking sources (are they reliable?) and facts carefully and thoroughly.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is the campaign trail a fact-free zone?</strong>\r\n\r\nAnd that brings me to political journalism today. As has been evidenced countless times on the campaign trail, many of the candidates are not dealing in facts, but rather in their own truths or beliefs. And many political journalists are caught up in trying to question the “truth” without knowing or researching or checking the facts. So we hear statements that are not fact-based such as America is “less safe” today because of Barack Obama’s policies or that Obamacare is hurting the economy. These are not facts. They are beliefs and they are not provable.\r\n\r\nJournalists who are covering the campaign have a duty to find and point out the facts. Sometimes we’ll see them do this. For example, on <em>Fox News Sunday</em>, Chris Wallace pushed back against Ted Cruz’s assertion that Obamacare has been a job killer by quoting the jobless rate, which is the lowest it’s been since 2008. Cruz then punted and blamed the fact checkers, saying they were not impartial. You can read more<a href=\"http://www.mediaite.com/tv/thats-changing-the-subject-chris-wallace-confronts-cruz-on-health-care-claims/\" target=\"_blank\"> here.</a>\r\n\r\nBut not all journalists point to facts. We’ve seen many debates where the candidates’ assertions are not challenged. This is partially because there are so many such assertions, and partially because journalists do not necessarily know the facts. Just this weekend during the Republican debate, most of the candidates said that Obama should not (could not?) appoint a justice to the Supreme Court to replace Antonin Scalia (who died Saturday). Some claimed there was precedent for this. We’ve since learned of the so-called Thurmond rule, where, according to Senator Strom Thurmond, no appointments would be confirmed in the summer previous to the end of a president’s term. However, this is not actually a “rule” but rather a tradition, and one that is not really enforced. But, facts aside, Republican candidates keep insisting there is precedent. We even saw Ted Cruz state that if Obama appoints someone, the Second Amendment would “die.” I didn’t see any push back, perhaps because this is so belief-based there are no facts to counter the argument with.\r\n\r\n<strong>And then, if journalists do push back…</strong>\r\n\r\nRemember when Donald Trump claimed he saw Muslims celebrating the 9-11 attacks in the streets of New Jersey? To him, the truth was United States Muslims celebrated the country being attacked. The facts were that no such outdoor celebration occurred in New Jersey. None. Some journalists pushed back, citing the facts, but Trump doesn’t care about facts, especially if they do not substantiate his beliefs. And especially if continuing to refute facts gives him more publicity, but that’s another story.\r\n\r\nOur democracy is in real danger when beliefs trump facts. Journalists must do their job make sure that they are presenting facts and not beliefs. They should not let the pressures of the 24-7 news cycle make them into Mary Mapes, seeking some higher truth but not checking the facts. They should not let candidates’ questionable assertions go unchallenged. Many people—voters—get all their information from one source, their favored news outlet, and don’t fact check or examine the source of the information. They assume the information is reliable and make decisions based on it. Those decisions help elect presidents and do have consequences.\r\n\r\nDo you feel that journalists are doing the best they can? Could they do better? What makes a good journalist? Please share your opinions in the comments.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Truth vs. facts vs. journalism: an editorial','','publish','open','open','','truth-vs-facts-vs-journalism-an-editorial','','','2016-02-16 12:53:37','2016-02-16 17:53:37','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3154',0,'post','',0),
(3155,4,'2016-02-16 12:20:26','2016-02-16 17:20:26','I just watched the movie <a href=\"https://youtu.be/MqOz8-Sto1g\" target=\"_blank\">\"Truth,\"</a> starring Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford, about questionable documents, used by producer Mary Mapes and reported by Dan Rather on 60 Minutes II, which purported to prove that George W. Bush may not have served his full duty in the National Guard.\r\n\r\nThe movie came out last year around the same time as <a href=\"https://youtu.be/Zg5zSVxx9JM\" target=\"_blank\">\"Spotlight,\"</a> also a movie about journalists. Spotlight (which I saw last year) tells the story of the <em>Boston Globe</em> reporters who investigated child abuse by Catholic priests in Boston, and the subsequent Church cover-up. Both movies are based on real stories, and both deal with reporting, but that is where any similarity ends.\r\n\r\n\"Truth\" portrays major screw-up at CBS. \"Spotlight\" portrays a major triumph by the <em>Boston Globe</em>.\r\n\r\nAlso, \"Truth\" is about broadcast journalism and \"Spotlight\" is about print journalism and the differences are stark. In \"Truth,\" facts are not properly sourced essentially because of time constraints associated with broadcast deadlines. In \"Spotlight,\" the reporters are told they have to dig out and track down the sources until the story is right.\r\n\r\nThe bottom line is that having enough time to fact check and substantiate a story is the deciding factor between getting things right and screwing up.\r\n\r\nBut these movies also show a different understanding of what a journalist’s role is. As the title implies, \"Truth\" is about getting at a truth, even though the facts may not be right. \"Spotlight\" is about not only getting the facts right but getting enough information so that what is being presented can’t be easily challenged.\r\n\r\n<strong>Facts and truth are not the same.</strong>\r\n\r\nFacts are check-able and provable. The high temperature in Washington, D.C. on February 15<sup>th</sup> was 29F as recorded by the weather watchers at Reagan National Airport. You can check that.\r\n\r\nTruth is a belief, and it is changeable. What is true to someone, such as he/she believes that chocolate is the best flavor may not be true to someone who prefers vanilla. The only facts here are that chocolate and vanilla are flavors.\r\n\r\nWhen we write, and especially when we edit, we have to check the facts. Are names spelled correctly? Are the numbers used accurate? And further, we have to check the sources. Just because many people are saying something on social media does not make it factual. Not being careful with fact-checking leads to a story blowing up as it did in \"Truth.\" It may or may not be true that President Bush skirted his National Guard service, but it will never be proven without checking sources and facts carefully and thoroughly.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is the campaign trail a fact-free zone?</strong>\r\n\r\nAnd that brings me to political journalism today. As has been evidenced countless times on the campaign trail, many of the candidates are not dealing in facts, but rather in their own truths or beliefs. And many political journalists are caught up in trying to question the “truth” without knowing or researching or checking the facts. So we hear statements that are not fact-based such as America is “less safe” today because of Barack Obama’s policies or that Obamacare is hurting the economy. These are not facts. They are beliefs and they are not provable.\r\n\r\nJournalists who are covering the campaign have a duty to point the facts. Sometimes we’ll see them do this. For example, on Fox’s Sunday program, Chris Wallace pushed back against Ted Cruz’s assertion that Obamacare has been a job killer, saying that the fact is that the jobless rate is the lowest it’s been since 2008. Cruz then punted and blamed the fact checkers, saying they were not impartial. You can read more<a href=\"http://www.mediaite.com/tv/thats-changing-the-subject-chris-wallace-confronts-cruz-on-health-care-claims/\" target=\"_blank\"> here.</a>\r\n\r\nBut not all journalists point to facts. We’ve seen many debates where the candidates’ assertions are not challenged. This is partially because there are so many such assertions, and partially because journalists do not necessarily know the facts. Just this weekend during the Republican debate, most of the candidates said that Obama should not (could not?) appoint a justice to replace Antonin Scalia. Some claimed there was precedent for this. We’ve since learned of the so-called Thurmond rule, where, according to Senator Strom Thurmond, no appointments would be confirmed in the summer previous to the end of a president’s term. However, this is not actually a “rule” but rather a tradition, and one that is not really enforced. But, facts aside, Republican candidates keep insisting there is precedent. We even saw Ted Cruz state that if Obama appoints someone, the Second Amendment would “die.” I didn’t see any pushback, perhaps because this is so belief-based there are no facts to counter the argument with.\r\n\r\n<strong>And then, if journalists do push back…</strong>\r\n\r\nRemember when Donald Trump claimed he saw Muslims celebrating the 9-11 attacks in the streets of New Jersey? To him, the truth was United States Muslims celebrated the country being attacked. The facts were that no such outdoor celebration occurred in New Jersey. None. Some journalists pushed back, citing the facts, but Trump doesn’t care about facts, especially if they do not substantiate his beliefs. And especially if continuing to refute facts gives him more publicity, but that’s another story.\r\n\r\nOur democracy is in real danger when beliefs trump facts. Journalists must do their job make sure that they are presenting facts and not beliefs. They should not let the pressures of the 24-7 news cycle make them into Mary Mapes, seeking truth and not checking the facts. They should not let candidates’ questionable assertions go unchallenged. Many people—voters—get all their information from one source, their favored news outlet, and don’t fact check or examine the source of the information. They assume the information is reliable and make decisions based on it. Those decisions help elect presidents and do have consequences.\r\n\r\nDo you feel that journalists are doing the best they can? Could they do better? What makes a good journalist?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Truth vs. facts vs. journalism: an editorial','','inherit','open','open','','3154-revision-v1','','','2016-02-16 12:20:26','2016-02-16 17:20:26','',3154,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3154-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3156,4,'2016-02-16 12:48:04','2016-02-16 17:48:04','I just watched the movie <a href=\"https://youtu.be/MqOz8-Sto1g\" target=\"_blank\">\"Truth,\"</a> starring Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford, about questionable documents, used by producer Mary Mapes and reported by Dan Rather on <em>60 Minutes II</em>, which purported to prove that George W. Bush may not have served his full duty in the National Guard.\r\n\r\nThe movie came out last year around the same time as <a href=\"https://youtu.be/Zg5zSVxx9JM\" target=\"_blank\">\"Spotlight,\"</a> also a movie about journalists. \"Spotlight\" (which I saw last year) tells the story of the <em>Boston Globe</em> reporters who investigated child abuse by Catholic priests in Boston, and the subsequent Church cover-up. Both movies are based on real stories, and both deal with reporting, but that is where any similarity ends.\r\n\r\n\"Truth\" portrays a major screw-up at CBS. \"Spotlight\" portrays a major triumph by the <em>Boston Globe</em>.\r\n\r\nAlso, \"Truth\" is about broadcast journalism and \"Spotlight\" is about print journalism and the differences are stark. In \"Truth,\" facts are not properly sourced essentially because of time constraints associated with broadcast deadlines. In \"Spotlight,\" the reporters are told they have to dig out and track down the sources until the story is right.\r\n\r\nThe bottom line is that having enough time to fact check and substantiate a story is the deciding factor between getting things right and screwing up.\r\n\r\nThese movies also show a different understanding of what a journalist’s role is. As the title implies, \"Truth\" is about getting at a truth, even though the facts may not be right. \"Spotlight\" is about not only getting the facts right, but getting enough information so that what is being presented can’t be easily challenged.\r\n\r\n<strong>Facts and truth are not the same.</strong>\r\n\r\nFacts are provable. The high temperature in Washington, D.C. on February 15<sup>th</sup> was 29F as recorded by the weather watchers at Reagan National Airport. You can check that.\r\n\r\nTruth is a belief, and it is changeable. What is true to someone, such as he/she believes that chocolate is the best flavor may not be true to someone who prefers vanilla. The only facts here are that chocolate and vanilla are flavors.\r\n\r\nWhen we write, and especially when we edit, we have to check the facts. Are names spelled correctly? Are the numbers used accurate? And further, we have to check the sources. Just because many people are saying something on social media does not make it factual. Not being careful with fact-checking leads to a story blowing up as it did in \"Truth.\" It may or may not be true that President Bush skirted his National Guard service, but it will never be proven without checking sources (are they reliable?) and facts carefully and thoroughly.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is the campaign trail a fact-free zone?</strong>\r\n\r\nAnd that brings me to political journalism today. As has been evidenced countless times on the campaign trail, many of the candidates are not dealing in facts, but rather in their own truths or beliefs. And many political journalists are caught up in trying to question the “truth” without knowing or researching or checking the facts. So we hear statements that are not fact-based such as America is “less safe” today because of Barack Obama’s policies or that Obamacare is hurting the economy. These are not facts. They are beliefs and they are not provable.\r\n\r\nJournalists who are covering the campaign have a duty to find and point out the facts. Sometimes we’ll see them do this. For example, on <em>Fox News Sunday</em>, Chris Wallace pushed back against Ted Cruz’s assertion that Obamacare has been a job killer by quoting the jobless rate, which is the lowest it’s been since 2008. Cruz then punted and blamed the fact checkers, saying they were not impartial. You can read more<a href=\"http://www.mediaite.com/tv/thats-changing-the-subject-chris-wallace-confronts-cruz-on-health-care-claims/\" target=\"_blank\"> here.</a>\r\n\r\nBut not all journalists point to facts. We’ve seen many debates where the candidates’ assertions are not challenged. This is partially because there are so many such assertions, and partially because journalists do not necessarily know the facts. Just this weekend during the Republican debate, most of the candidates said that Obama should not (could not?) appoint a justice to the Supreme Court to replace Antonin Scalia (who died Saturday). Some claimed there was precedent for this. We’ve since learned of the so-called Thurmond rule, where, according to Senator Strom Thurmond, no appointments would be confirmed in the summer previous to the end of a president’s term. However, this is not actually a “rule” but rather a tradition, and one that is not really enforced. But, facts aside, Republican candidates keep insisting there is precedent. We even saw Ted Cruz state that if Obama appoints someone, the Second Amendment would “die.” I didn’t see any push back, perhaps because this is so belief-based there are no facts to counter the argument with.\r\n\r\n<strong>And then, if journalists do push back…</strong>\r\n\r\nRemember when Donald Trump claimed he saw Muslims celebrating the 9-11 attacks in the streets of New Jersey? To him, the truth was United States Muslims celebrated the country being attacked. The facts were that no such outdoor celebration occurred in New Jersey. None. Some journalists pushed back, citing the facts, but Trump doesn’t care about facts, especially if they do not substantiate his beliefs. And especially if continuing to refute facts gives him more publicity, but that’s another story.\r\n\r\nOur democracy is in real danger when beliefs trump facts. Journalists must do their job make sure that they are presenting facts and not beliefs. They should not let the pressures of the 24-7 news cycle make them into Mary Mapes, seeking some higher truth but not checking the facts. They should not let candidates’ questionable assertions go unchallenged. Many people—voters—get all their information from one source, their favored news outlet, and don’t fact check or examine the source of the information. They assume the information is reliable and make decisions based on it. Those decisions help elect presidents and do have consequences.\r\n\r\nDo you feel that journalists are doing the best they can? Could they do better? What makes a good journalist?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Truth vs. facts vs. journalism: an editorial','','inherit','open','open','','3154-revision-v1','','','2016-02-16 12:48:04','2016-02-16 17:48:04','',3154,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3154-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3157,4,'2016-02-16 12:53:37','2016-02-16 17:53:37','I just watched the movie <a href=\"https://youtu.be/MqOz8-Sto1g\" target=\"_blank\">\"Truth,\"</a> starring Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford, about questionable documents, used by producer Mary Mapes and reported by Dan Rather on <em>60 Minutes II</em>, which purported to prove that George W. Bush may not have served his full duty in the National Guard.\r\n\r\nThe movie came out last year around the same time as <a href=\"https://youtu.be/Zg5zSVxx9JM\" target=\"_blank\">\"Spotlight,\"</a> also a movie about journalists. \"Spotlight\" (which I saw last year) tells the story of the <em>Boston Globe</em> reporters who investigated child abuse by Catholic priests in Boston, and the subsequent Church cover-up. Both movies are based on real stories, and both deal with reporting, but that is where any similarity ends.\r\n\r\n\"Truth\" portrays a major screw-up at CBS. \"Spotlight\" portrays a major triumph by the <em>Boston Globe</em>.\r\n\r\nAlso, \"Truth\" is about broadcast journalism and \"Spotlight\" is about print journalism and the differences are stark. In \"Truth,\" facts are not properly sourced essentially because of time constraints associated with broadcast deadlines. In \"Spotlight,\" the reporters are told they have to dig out and track down the sources until the story is right.\r\n\r\nThe bottom line is that having enough time to fact check and substantiate a story is the deciding factor between getting things right and screwing up.\r\n\r\nThese movies also show a different understanding of what a journalist’s role is. As the title implies, \"Truth\" is about getting at a truth, even though the facts may not be right. \"Spotlight\" is about not only getting the facts right, but getting enough information so that what is being presented can’t be easily challenged.\r\n\r\n<strong>Facts and truth are not the same.</strong>\r\n\r\nFacts are provable. The high temperature in Washington, D.C. on February 15<sup>th</sup> was 29F as recorded by the weather watchers at Reagan National Airport. You can check that.\r\n\r\nTruth is a belief, and it is changeable. What is true to someone, such as he/she believes that chocolate is the best flavor may not be true to someone who prefers vanilla. The only facts here are that chocolate and vanilla are flavors.\r\n\r\nWhen we write, and especially when we edit, we have to check the facts. Are names spelled correctly? Are the numbers used accurate? And further, we have to check the sources. Just because many people are saying something on social media does not make it factual. Not being careful with fact-checking leads to a story blowing up as it did in \"Truth.\" It may or may not be true that President Bush skirted his National Guard service, but it will never be proven without checking sources (are they reliable?) and facts carefully and thoroughly.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is the campaign trail a fact-free zone?</strong>\r\n\r\nAnd that brings me to political journalism today. As has been evidenced countless times on the campaign trail, many of the candidates are not dealing in facts, but rather in their own truths or beliefs. And many political journalists are caught up in trying to question the “truth” without knowing or researching or checking the facts. So we hear statements that are not fact-based such as America is “less safe” today because of Barack Obama’s policies or that Obamacare is hurting the economy. These are not facts. They are beliefs and they are not provable.\r\n\r\nJournalists who are covering the campaign have a duty to find and point out the facts. Sometimes we’ll see them do this. For example, on <em>Fox News Sunday</em>, Chris Wallace pushed back against Ted Cruz’s assertion that Obamacare has been a job killer by quoting the jobless rate, which is the lowest it’s been since 2008. Cruz then punted and blamed the fact checkers, saying they were not impartial. You can read more<a href=\"http://www.mediaite.com/tv/thats-changing-the-subject-chris-wallace-confronts-cruz-on-health-care-claims/\" target=\"_blank\"> here.</a>\r\n\r\nBut not all journalists point to facts. We’ve seen many debates where the candidates’ assertions are not challenged. This is partially because there are so many such assertions, and partially because journalists do not necessarily know the facts. Just this weekend during the Republican debate, most of the candidates said that Obama should not (could not?) appoint a justice to the Supreme Court to replace Antonin Scalia (who died Saturday). Some claimed there was precedent for this. We’ve since learned of the so-called Thurmond rule, where, according to Senator Strom Thurmond, no appointments would be confirmed in the summer previous to the end of a president’s term. However, this is not actually a “rule” but rather a tradition, and one that is not really enforced. But, facts aside, Republican candidates keep insisting there is precedent. We even saw Ted Cruz state that if Obama appoints someone, the Second Amendment would “die.” I didn’t see any push back, perhaps because this is so belief-based there are no facts to counter the argument with.\r\n\r\n<strong>And then, if journalists do push back…</strong>\r\n\r\nRemember when Donald Trump claimed he saw Muslims celebrating the 9-11 attacks in the streets of New Jersey? To him, the truth was United States Muslims celebrated the country being attacked. The facts were that no such outdoor celebration occurred in New Jersey. None. Some journalists pushed back, citing the facts, but Trump doesn’t care about facts, especially if they do not substantiate his beliefs. And especially if continuing to refute facts gives him more publicity, but that’s another story.\r\n\r\nOur democracy is in real danger when beliefs trump facts. Journalists must do their job make sure that they are presenting facts and not beliefs. They should not let the pressures of the 24-7 news cycle make them into Mary Mapes, seeking some higher truth but not checking the facts. They should not let candidates’ questionable assertions go unchallenged. Many people—voters—get all their information from one source, their favored news outlet, and don’t fact check or examine the source of the information. They assume the information is reliable and make decisions based on it. Those decisions help elect presidents and do have consequences.\r\n\r\nDo you feel that journalists are doing the best they can? Could they do better? What makes a good journalist? Please share your opinions in the comments.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Truth vs. facts vs. journalism: an editorial','','inherit','open','open','','3154-revision-v1','','','2016-02-16 12:53:37','2016-02-16 17:53:37','',3154,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3154-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3170,4,'2016-03-03 16:01:06','2016-03-03 21:01:06','As a huge fan of British mysteries, I am always reading books by authors such as Peter Robinson, Peter Lovesey, Ann Cleeves, and Ian Rankin. And I watch many British detective shows such as \"DCI Banks,\" \"Inspector Morse,\" \"Lewis,\" and \"Vera.\" Many of these shows are directly based on British authors’ books (\"Vera\" is based on Ann Cleeves’ Vera Stanhope series), or based on the characters developed by the authors (Colin Dexter’s character Inspector Morse has inspired three TV shows: \"Inspector Morse,\"  \"Lewis,\" and \"Endeavour\").\r\n\r\nLast Friday, I finished reading Ann Cleeves’ <a href=\"http://www.anncleeves.com/vera/harbour.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Harbour Street\"</a> and coincidentally (weirdly, really), the \"Vera\" episode (\"On Harbour Street\") that aired Saturday on WETA UK was based on that very book! It was a great opportunity to see how the TV adaptation of the book stacked up-- what was the same, what was different.\r\n\r\n<strong>The same</strong>\r\n\r\nThe main premise of the story was exactly the same: an older woman, Margaret, is stabbed on the Metro. Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope’s sergeant, Joe Ashworth and his daughter are on the train when the dead woman is found. Vera investigates, leading her to a house on Harbour Street in the the town of Mardle, where the murdered woman lived. Vera pursues the investigation by talking to several people who knew the victim. Most of the main characters are the same: Vera, Joe, Margaret, Kate, and Dee (Margaret’s friend, an alcoholic prostitute).\r\n\r\n<strong>Yet different</strong>\r\n\r\nOther characters are different or even completely eliminated. For example, in the book, Vera has a constable named Holly, but in the TV adaptation, her name is Shep. Also, last names are different for many of the characters. The TV episode follows the same general plot as the book but eliminates a few side stories (e.g., a burning down of a building for insurance purposes), changes several details (e.g., Dee falls to her death in the TV show whereas she is stabbed in the book) and even has a different murderer (not going to give that away!). The action in the book takes place right before Christmas and it is cold, snowy and the roads are icy. In the TV adaptation, the action is set in what could be summer (or late spring, early fall).\r\n\r\n<strong>What is content marketing?</strong>\r\n\r\nContent marketing is essentially re-purposing content, that is, taking various types of informational material (for example: a how-to video, a news article) at your disposal, and using it in different ways to help market your product or advocate for your cause.\r\n\r\n<strong>How do you re-purpose content?</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen you re-purpose content, you are generally taking material that was produced for a certain purpose and/or medium (e.g., a long-form article in a trade publication) and you are adapting to a different purpose and/or medium (perhaps a blog post).\r\n\r\n<strong>Screenwriters re-purpose content, right?</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you want to adapt or re-purpose content successfully, you can learn from what the \"Vera\" screenwriters did with \"On Harbour Street.\" Basically, they took a 376-page book and made it fit the time and story constraints of a one-and-a-half hour TV show. To achieve this, they concentrated on the main character, Vera (since she’s the title character of the TV series), while cutting out non-essential stories and extraneous characters. Perhaps because it is easier to film outside during the warmer months, the timing of the action was changed from winter to summer.\r\n\r\nThere are three steps you should follow when re-purposing content:\r\n\r\n<strong> 1. Know and understand the original material</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>What is the essence of this content?</li>\r\n	<li>What are the content\'s most important points or key messages?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>2. Understand the medium where the content is to be re-purposed.</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>What are the length/time/space constraints?</li>\r\n	<li>When is the content going to appear?</li>\r\n	<li>Will you need graphics or better explanations?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> 3. Understand and know the audience</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li> Who will be accessing the content?</li>\r\n	<li>How will they be accessing the content?</li>\r\n	<li>How are they different or the same as the audience for the original content?</li>\r\n	<li>Do they have special needs?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Bottom line: To re-purpose any type of content, you must be able to maintain the content’s original meaning while making it relevant to new audiences and different media. </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','How watching TV can make you a better content marketer','','publish','open','open','','how-watching-tv-can-make-you-a-better-content-marketer','','','2016-03-03 16:01:06','2016-03-03 21:01:06','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3170',0,'post','',0),
(3160,4,'2016-02-25 08:38:56','2016-02-25 13:38:56','This month, I asked Chuck Tanowitz to give me his thoughts on writing. He studied journalism, and later worked in radio and television news. From there, he made the transition to public relations. Throughout his communications career, Chuck has relied on having strong writing skills and a sharp mind, as you will read in his answers below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3164\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"199\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Chuck-Tanowitz-003.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3164\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Chuck-Tanowitz-003-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Chuck Tanowitz\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a> Chuck Tanowitz[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Chuck Tanowitz\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/ctanowitz\" target=\"_blank\">@ctanowitz</a>\r\n\r\nChuck Tanowitz is a content, marketing and PR professional living in the Boston area. His written pieces have appeared under his name and under that of his clients,  in everything from the<em> New York Times</em> to the deepest trade technology publications.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nPublic relations relies on writing. Pitching media requires it, but so does social engagement and the by-lined articles that clients want us to write all the time.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?  </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters now more than ever. Writing well is not just about typing in a few words, it’s about communicating. Even if you’re using a few emojis in your texting, your job as a communicator is to convey a thought, emotion or opinion using the tools at your disposal that are appropriate of the medium of choice. If that medium is text and the emoji helps convey some crucial aspect of that thought, then go ahead and use it. But the words remain necessary and the shortened length mean that the editing skills honed over a lifetime are all that much more important.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nGood writing is good editing.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt sounds silly, but my top writing resource remains Google. It helps me with spelling, grammar, usage and fact checking. You can’t trust everything, but mostly it’s a solid resource.  My second-favorite is my social network of fellow writers. Third is the <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook.</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nBeing a former journalist, I tend to follow AP Style. An old employer of mine hated the Oxford comma, and now I continue to struggle with it.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nI hate passive writing. Not that I hate it in all circumstances, but I find a lot of young writers fall back on it to hide that they’re actually missing information and facts. We used to do that in TV when we would say “a man was shot” when we lacked information about who fired the gun. TV got around some of that by eliminating verbs altogether, with lines such as “gunshots today leave one dead and two injured.” But if writers simply looked for the verb “to be” and cut it back, they’d find their writing greatly improved.\r\n\r\n<strong>7.  What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nNo one word is better or worse than another, the context matters most.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">What resonates for you? Let me know in the comments. And be on the lookout the last Thursday of every month for On Writing, where professionals share their thoughts on one of the most important communications skills.</span>','On writing: Chuck Tanowitz thinks like a journalist','','publish','open','open','','on-writing-chuck-tanowitz-thinks-like-a-journalist','','','2016-02-25 08:38:56','2016-02-25 13:38:56','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3160',0,'post','',0),
(3163,4,'2016-02-24 09:41:49','2016-02-24 14:41:49','This month, I asked Chuck Tanowitz to give me his thoughts on writing. He studied journalism and worked in radio and television, later in public relations. Throughout, he has relied on having strong writing skills and a sharp mind, as you will read in his answers below.\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Chuck Tanowitz\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> @ctanowitz\r\n\r\nChuck Tanowitz is a content, marketing and PR professional living in the Boston area. His written pieces have appeared under his name and under that of his clients, appearing in everything from the New York Times to the deepest trade technology publications.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nPublic relations relies on writing. Pitching media requires it, but so does social engagement and the bylined articles that clients want us to write all the time.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?  </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters now more than ever. Writing well is not just about typing in a few words, it’s about communicating. Even if you’re using a few emojis in your texting, your job as a communicator is to convey a thought, emotion or opinion using the tools at your disposal that are appropriate of the medium of choice. If that medium is text and the emoji helps convey some crucial aspect of that thought, then go ahead and use it. But the words remain necessary and the shortened length mean that the editing skills honed over a lifetime are all that much more important.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nGood writing is good editing.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt sounds silly, but my top writing resource remains Google. It helps me with spelling, grammar, usage and fact checking. You can’t trust everything, but mostly it’s a solid resource.  My second-favorite is my social network of fellow writers. Third is the AP Stylebook.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nBeing a former journalist I tend to follow AP Style. An old employer of mine hated the Oxford comma and now I continue to struggle with it.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI hate passive writing. Not that I hate it in all circumstances, but I find a lot of young writers fall back on it to hide that they’re actually missing information and facts. We used to do that in TV when we would say “a man was shot” when we lacked information about who fired the gun. TV got around some of that by eliminating verbs altogether, with lines such as “gunshots today leave one dead and two injured.” But if writers simply looked for the verb “to be” and cut it back, they’d find their writing greatly improved.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>7.  What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nNo one word is better or worse than another, the context matters most','On writing: Chuck Tanowitz thinks like a journalist','','inherit','open','open','','3160-revision-v1','','','2016-02-24 09:41:49','2016-02-24 14:41:49','',3160,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3160-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3161,4,'2016-02-24 09:13:40','2016-02-24 14:13:40','This month, I asked Chuck Tanowitz to give me his thoughts on writing. He studied journalism and worked in radio and television, later in public relations. Throughout, he has relied on having strong writing skills and a sharp mind, as you will read in his answers below.\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Chuck Tanowitz\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> @ctanowitz\r\n\r\n<strong>Short bio (two or three sentences):</strong>  Chuck Tanowitz is a content, marketing and PR professional living in the Boston area. His written pieces have appeared under his name and under that of his clients, appearing in everything from the New York Times to the deepest trade technology publications.\r\n\r\nSeven questions about writing\r\n\r\n<strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nPublic relations relies on writing. Pitching media requires it, but so does social engagement and the bylined articles that clients want us to write all the time.\r\n\r\n<strong>Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?  </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters now more than ever. Writing well is not just about typing in a few words, it’s about communicating. Even if you’re using a few emojis in your texting, your job as a communicator is to convey a thought, emotion or opinion using the tools at your disposal that are appropriate of the medium of choice. If that medium is text and the emoji helps convey some crucial aspect of that thought, then go ahead and use it. But the words remain necessary and the shortened length mean that the editing skills honed over a lifetime are all that much more important.\r\n\r\n<strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>Good writing is good editing.\r\n\r\n<strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt sounds silly, but my top writing resource remains Google. It helps me with spelling, grammar, usage and fact checking. You can’t trust everything, but mostly it’s a solid resource.  My second-favorite is my social network of fellow writers. Third is the AP Stylebook.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nBeing a former journalist I tend to follow AP Style. An old employer of mine hated the Oxford comma and now I continue to struggle with it.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI hate passive writing. Not that I hate it in all circumstances, but I find a lot of young writers fall back on it to hide that they’re actually missing information and facts. We used to do that in TV when we would say “a man was shot” when we lacked information about who fired the gun. TV got around some of that by eliminating verbs altogether, with lines such as “gunshots today leave one dead and two injured.” But if writers simply looked for the verb “to be” and cut it back, they’d find their writing greatly improved.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nNo one word is better or worse than another, the context matters most','On writing: Chuck Tanowitz thinks like a journalist','','inherit','open','open','','3160-revision-v1','','','2016-02-24 09:13:40','2016-02-24 14:13:40','',3160,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3160-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3162,4,'2016-02-24 09:21:46','2016-02-24 14:21:46','This month, I asked Chuck Tanowitz to give me his thoughts on writing. He studied journalism and worked in radio and television, later in public relations. Throughout, he has relied on having strong writing skills and a sharp mind, as you will read in his answers below.\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Chuck Tanowitz\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> @ctanowitz\r\n\r\nChuck Tanowitz is a content, marketing and PR professional living in the Boston area. His written pieces have appeared under his name and under that of his clients, appearing in everything from the New York Times to the deepest trade technology publications.\r\n\r\nSeven questions about writing\r\n\r\n<strong>1.What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nPublic relations relies on writing. Pitching media requires it, but so does social engagement and the bylined articles that clients want us to write all the time.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?  </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters now more than ever. Writing well is not just about typing in a few words, it’s about communicating. Even if you’re using a few emojis in your texting, your job as a communicator is to convey a thought, emotion or opinion using the tools at your disposal that are appropriate of the medium of choice. If that medium is text and the emoji helps convey some crucial aspect of that thought, then go ahead and use it. But the words remain necessary and the shortened length mean that the editing skills honed over a lifetime are all that much more important.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nGood writing is good editing.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt sounds silly, but my top writing resource remains Google. It helps me with spelling, grammar, usage and fact checking. You can’t trust everything, but mostly it’s a solid resource.  My second-favorite is my social network of fellow writers. Third is the AP Stylebook.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nBeing a former journalist I tend to follow AP Style. An old employer of mine hated the Oxford comma and now I continue to struggle with it.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI hate passive writing. Not that I hate it in all circumstances, but I find a lot of young writers fall back on it to hide that they’re actually missing information and facts. We used to do that in TV when we would say “a man was shot” when we lacked information about who fired the gun. TV got around some of that by eliminating verbs altogether, with lines such as “gunshots today leave one dead and two injured.” But if writers simply looked for the verb “to be” and cut it back, they’d find their writing greatly improved.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>7.  What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nNo one word is better or worse than another, the context matters most','On writing: Chuck Tanowitz thinks like a journalist','','inherit','open','open','','3160-revision-v1','','','2016-02-24 09:21:46','2016-02-24 14:21:46','',3160,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3160-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3164,4,'2016-02-25 08:28:02','2016-02-25 13:28:02','','Chuck Tanowitz (003)','Chuck Tanowitz','inherit','open','open','','chuck-tanowitz-003','','','2016-02-25 08:28:26','2016-02-25 13:28:26','',3160,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Chuck-Tanowitz-003.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3165,4,'2016-02-25 08:35:03','2016-02-25 13:35:03','This month, I asked Chuck Tanowitz to give me his thoughts on writing. He studied journalism, and later worked in radio and television news. From there, he made the transition to public relations. Throughout his communications career, Chuck has relied on having strong writing skills and a sharp mind, as you will read in his answers below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3164\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"199\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Chuck-Tanowitz-003.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3164\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Chuck-Tanowitz-003-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Chuck Tanowitz\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a> Chuck Tanowitz[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Chuck Tanowitz\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/ctanowitz\" target=\"_blank\">@ctanowitz</a>\r\n\r\nChuck Tanowitz is a content, marketing and PR professional living in the Boston area. His written pieces have appeared under his name and under that of his clients,  in everything from the<em> New York Times</em> to the deepest trade technology publications.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nPublic relations relies on writing. Pitching media requires it, but so does social engagement and the by-lined articles that clients want us to write all the time.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?  </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters now more than ever. Writing well is not just about typing in a few words, it’s about communicating. Even if you’re using a few emojis in your texting, your job as a communicator is to convey a thought, emotion or opinion using the tools at your disposal that are appropriate of the medium of choice. If that medium is text and the emoji helps convey some crucial aspect of that thought, then go ahead and use it. But the words remain necessary and the shortened length mean that the editing skills honed over a lifetime are all that much more important.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nGood writing is good editing.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt sounds silly, but my top writing resource remains Google. It helps me with spelling, grammar, usage and fact checking. You can’t trust everything, but mostly it’s a solid resource.  My second-favorite is my social network of fellow writers. Third is the <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook.</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nBeing a former journalist I tend to follow AP Style. An old employer of mine hated the Oxford comma and now I continue to struggle with it.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI hate passive writing. Not that I hate it in all circumstances, but I find a lot of young writers fall back on it to hide that they’re actually missing information and facts. We used to do that in TV when we would say “a man was shot” when we lacked information about who fired the gun. TV got around some of that by eliminating verbs altogether, with lines such as “gunshots today leave one dead and two injured.” But if writers simply looked for the verb “to be” and cut it back, they’d find their writing greatly improved.\r\n\r\n<strong>7.  What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nNo one word is better or worse than another, the context matters most.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">What resonates for you? Let me know in the comments. And be on the lookout the last Thursday of every month for On Writing, where marketing communications pros will share their thoughts.</span>','On writing: Chuck Tanowitz thinks like a journalist','','inherit','open','open','','3160-revision-v1','','','2016-02-25 08:35:03','2016-02-25 13:35:03','',3160,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3160-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3166,4,'2016-02-25 08:35:57','2016-02-25 13:35:57','This month, I asked Chuck Tanowitz to give me his thoughts on writing. He studied journalism, and later worked in radio and television news. From there, he made the transition to public relations. Throughout his communications career, Chuck has relied on having strong writing skills and a sharp mind, as you will read in his answers below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3164\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"199\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Chuck-Tanowitz-003.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3164\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Chuck-Tanowitz-003-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Chuck Tanowitz\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a> Chuck Tanowitz[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Chuck Tanowitz\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/ctanowitz\" target=\"_blank\">@ctanowitz</a>\r\n\r\nChuck Tanowitz is a content, marketing and PR professional living in the Boston area. His written pieces have appeared under his name and under that of his clients,  in everything from the<em> New York Times</em> to the deepest trade technology publications.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nPublic relations relies on writing. Pitching media requires it, but so does social engagement and the by-lined articles that clients want us to write all the time.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?  </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters now more than ever. Writing well is not just about typing in a few words, it’s about communicating. Even if you’re using a few emojis in your texting, your job as a communicator is to convey a thought, emotion or opinion using the tools at your disposal that are appropriate of the medium of choice. If that medium is text and the emoji helps convey some crucial aspect of that thought, then go ahead and use it. But the words remain necessary and the shortened length mean that the editing skills honed over a lifetime are all that much more important.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nGood writing is good editing.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt sounds silly, but my top writing resource remains Google. It helps me with spelling, grammar, usage and fact checking. You can’t trust everything, but mostly it’s a solid resource.  My second-favorite is my social network of fellow writers. Third is the <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook.</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nBeing a former journalist I tend to follow AP Style. An old employer of mine hated the Oxford comma and now I continue to struggle with it.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI hate passive writing. Not that I hate it in all circumstances, but I find a lot of young writers fall back on it to hide that they’re actually missing information and facts. We used to do that in TV when we would say “a man was shot” when we lacked information about who fired the gun. TV got around some of that by eliminating verbs altogether, with lines such as “gunshots today leave one dead and two injured.” But if writers simply looked for the verb “to be” and cut it back, they’d find their writing greatly improved.\r\n\r\n<strong>7.  What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nNo one word is better or worse than another, the context matters most.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">What resonates for you? Let me know in the comments. And be on the lookout the last Thursday of every month for On Writing, where marketing communications pros will share their thoughts.</span>','On writing: Chuck Tanowitz thinks like a journalist','','inherit','open','open','','3160-revision-v1','','','2016-02-25 08:35:57','2016-02-25 13:35:57','',3160,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3160-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3167,4,'2016-02-25 08:37:46','2016-02-25 13:37:46','This month, I asked Chuck Tanowitz to give me his thoughts on writing. He studied journalism, and later worked in radio and television news. From there, he made the transition to public relations. Throughout his communications career, Chuck has relied on having strong writing skills and a sharp mind, as you will read in his answers below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3164\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"199\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Chuck-Tanowitz-003.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3164\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Chuck-Tanowitz-003-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Chuck Tanowitz\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a> Chuck Tanowitz[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Chuck Tanowitz\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/ctanowitz\" target=\"_blank\">@ctanowitz</a>\r\n\r\nChuck Tanowitz is a content, marketing and PR professional living in the Boston area. His written pieces have appeared under his name and under that of his clients,  in everything from the<em> New York Times</em> to the deepest trade technology publications.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nPublic relations relies on writing. Pitching media requires it, but so does social engagement and the by-lined articles that clients want us to write all the time.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?  </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters now more than ever. Writing well is not just about typing in a few words, it’s about communicating. Even if you’re using a few emojis in your texting, your job as a communicator is to convey a thought, emotion or opinion using the tools at your disposal that are appropriate of the medium of choice. If that medium is text and the emoji helps convey some crucial aspect of that thought, then go ahead and use it. But the words remain necessary and the shortened length mean that the editing skills honed over a lifetime are all that much more important.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nGood writing is good editing.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt sounds silly, but my top writing resource remains Google. It helps me with spelling, grammar, usage and fact checking. You can’t trust everything, but mostly it’s a solid resource.  My second-favorite is my social network of fellow writers. Third is the <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook.</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nBeing a former journalist I tend to follow AP Style. An old employer of mine hated the Oxford comma and now I continue to struggle with it.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nI hate passive writing. Not that I hate it in all circumstances, but I find a lot of young writers fall back on it to hide that they’re actually missing information and facts. We used to do that in TV when we would say “a man was shot” when we lacked information about who fired the gun. TV got around some of that by eliminating verbs altogether, with lines such as “gunshots today leave one dead and two injured.” But if writers simply looked for the verb “to be” and cut it back, they’d find their writing greatly improved.\r\n\r\n<strong>7.  What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nNo one word is better or worse than another, the context matters most.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">What resonates for you? Let me know in the comments. And be on the lookout the last Thursday of every month for On Writing, where professionals share their thoughts on one of the most important communications skills.</span>','On writing: Chuck Tanowitz thinks like a journalist','','inherit','open','open','','3160-revision-v1','','','2016-02-25 08:37:46','2016-02-25 13:37:46','',3160,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3160-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3168,4,'2016-02-25 08:38:56','2016-02-25 13:38:56','This month, I asked Chuck Tanowitz to give me his thoughts on writing. He studied journalism, and later worked in radio and television news. From there, he made the transition to public relations. Throughout his communications career, Chuck has relied on having strong writing skills and a sharp mind, as you will read in his answers below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3164\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"199\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Chuck-Tanowitz-003.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3164\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Chuck-Tanowitz-003-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Chuck Tanowitz\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a> Chuck Tanowitz[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Chuck Tanowitz\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/ctanowitz\" target=\"_blank\">@ctanowitz</a>\r\n\r\nChuck Tanowitz is a content, marketing and PR professional living in the Boston area. His written pieces have appeared under his name and under that of his clients,  in everything from the<em> New York Times</em> to the deepest trade technology publications.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nPublic relations relies on writing. Pitching media requires it, but so does social engagement and the by-lined articles that clients want us to write all the time.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?  </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters now more than ever. Writing well is not just about typing in a few words, it’s about communicating. Even if you’re using a few emojis in your texting, your job as a communicator is to convey a thought, emotion or opinion using the tools at your disposal that are appropriate of the medium of choice. If that medium is text and the emoji helps convey some crucial aspect of that thought, then go ahead and use it. But the words remain necessary and the shortened length mean that the editing skills honed over a lifetime are all that much more important.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nGood writing is good editing.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt sounds silly, but my top writing resource remains Google. It helps me with spelling, grammar, usage and fact checking. You can’t trust everything, but mostly it’s a solid resource.  My second-favorite is my social network of fellow writers. Third is the <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook.</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nBeing a former journalist, I tend to follow AP Style. An old employer of mine hated the Oxford comma, and now I continue to struggle with it.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nI hate passive writing. Not that I hate it in all circumstances, but I find a lot of young writers fall back on it to hide that they’re actually missing information and facts. We used to do that in TV when we would say “a man was shot” when we lacked information about who fired the gun. TV got around some of that by eliminating verbs altogether, with lines such as “gunshots today leave one dead and two injured.” But if writers simply looked for the verb “to be” and cut it back, they’d find their writing greatly improved.\r\n\r\n<strong>7.  What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nNo one word is better or worse than another, the context matters most.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">What resonates for you? Let me know in the comments. And be on the lookout the last Thursday of every month for On Writing, where professionals share their thoughts on one of the most important communications skills.</span>','On writing: Chuck Tanowitz thinks like a journalist','','inherit','open','open','','3160-revision-v1','','','2016-02-25 08:38:56','2016-02-25 13:38:56','',3160,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/02/3160-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3171,4,'2016-03-03 15:53:18','2016-03-03 20:53:18','As a huge fan of British mysteries, I am always reading books by authors such as Peter Robinson, Peter Lovesey, Ann Cleeves, and Ian Rankin. And I watch many British detective shows such as \"DCI Banks,\" \"Inspector Morse,\" \"Lewis,\" and \"Vera.\" Many of these shows are directly based on British authors’ books (\"Vera\" is based on Ann Cleeves’ Vera Stanhope series), or based on the characters developed by the authors (Colin Dexter’s character Inspector Morse has inspired three TV shows: \"Inspector Morse,\"  \"Lewis,\" and \"Endeavour\").\r\n\r\nLast Friday, I finished reading Ann Cleeves’ <a href=\"http://www.anncleeves.com/vera/harbour.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Harbour Street\"</a> and coincidentally (weirdly, really), the \"Vera\" episode (On Harbour Street) that aired Saturday on WETA UK was based on that very book! It was a great opportunity to see how the TV adaptation of the book stacked up-- what was the same, what was different.\r\n\r\n<strong>The same</strong>\r\n\r\nThe main premise of the story was exactly the same: an older woman, Margaret, is stabbed on the Metro. Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope’s sergeant, Joe Ashworth and his daughter Jess, are on the train when the dead woman is found. Vera investigates, leading her to a house on Harbour Street in Mardle, where the murdered woman lived. Vera pursues the investigation by talking to several people who knew the victim. Most of the main characters are the same: Vera, Joe, Margaret, Kate, and Dee (Margaret’s friend, an alcoholic prostitute).\r\n\r\n<strong>Yet different</strong>\r\n\r\nOther characters are different or even completely eliminated. For example, in the book, Vera has a constable named Holly, but in the TV adaptation, her name is Shep. Also, last names are different for many of the characters. The TV episode follows the same general plot as the book but eliminates a few side stories (e.g., a burning down of a building for insurance purposes), changes several details (e.g., Dee falls to her death in the TV show whereas she is stabbed in the book) and even has a different murderer (not going to give that away!). The action in the book takes place right before Christmas and it is cold, snowy and the roads are icy. In the TV adaptation, the action is set in what could be summer (or late spring, early fall).\r\n\r\n<strong>What is content marketing?</strong>\r\n\r\nContent marketing is essentially re-purposing content, that is, taking various types of informational material (for example: a how-to video, a news article) at your disposal, and using it in different ways to help market your product or advocate for your cause.\r\n\r\n<strong>How do you re-purpose content?</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen you re-purpose content, you are generally taking material that was produced for a certain purpose and/or medium (e.g., a long-form article in a trade publication) and you are adapting to a different purpose and/or medium (perhaps a blog post).\r\n\r\nIf you want to adapt or re-purpose content successfully, you can learn from what the \"Vera\" screenwriters did with \"On Harbour Street.\" Basically, they took a 376-page book and made it fit the time and story constraints of a one-and-a-half hour TV show. To achieve this, they concentrated on the main character, Vera (since she’s the title character of the TV series), while cutting out non-essential stories and extraneous characters. Perhaps because it is easier to film outside during the warmer months, the timing of the action was changed from winter to summer.\r\n\r\nThere are three steps you should follow when re-purposing content:\r\n\r\n<strong> 1. Know and understand the original material</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>What is the essence of this content?</li>\r\n	<li>What are the content\'s most important points or key messages?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>2. Understand the medium where the content is to be re-purposed.</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>What are the length/time/space constraints?</li>\r\n	<li>When is the content going to appear?</li>\r\n	<li>Will you need graphics or better explanations?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> 3. Understand and know the audience</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li> Who will be accessing the content?</li>\r\n	<li>How will they be accessing the content?</li>\r\n	<li>How are they different or the same as the audience for the original content?</li>\r\n	<li>Do they have special needs?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>To re-purpose any type of content, you must be able to maintain the content’s original meaning while making it relevant to new audiences and different media. </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','How watching TV can make you a better content marketer','','inherit','open','open','','3170-revision-v1','','','2016-03-03 15:53:18','2016-03-03 20:53:18','',3170,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3170-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3172,4,'2016-03-03 16:01:06','2016-03-03 21:01:06','As a huge fan of British mysteries, I am always reading books by authors such as Peter Robinson, Peter Lovesey, Ann Cleeves, and Ian Rankin. And I watch many British detective shows such as \"DCI Banks,\" \"Inspector Morse,\" \"Lewis,\" and \"Vera.\" Many of these shows are directly based on British authors’ books (\"Vera\" is based on Ann Cleeves’ Vera Stanhope series), or based on the characters developed by the authors (Colin Dexter’s character Inspector Morse has inspired three TV shows: \"Inspector Morse,\"  \"Lewis,\" and \"Endeavour\").\r\n\r\nLast Friday, I finished reading Ann Cleeves’ <a href=\"http://www.anncleeves.com/vera/harbour.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Harbour Street\"</a> and coincidentally (weirdly, really), the \"Vera\" episode (\"On Harbour Street\") that aired Saturday on WETA UK was based on that very book! It was a great opportunity to see how the TV adaptation of the book stacked up-- what was the same, what was different.\r\n\r\n<strong>The same</strong>\r\n\r\nThe main premise of the story was exactly the same: an older woman, Margaret, is stabbed on the Metro. Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope’s sergeant, Joe Ashworth and his daughter are on the train when the dead woman is found. Vera investigates, leading her to a house on Harbour Street in the the town of Mardle, where the murdered woman lived. Vera pursues the investigation by talking to several people who knew the victim. Most of the main characters are the same: Vera, Joe, Margaret, Kate, and Dee (Margaret’s friend, an alcoholic prostitute).\r\n\r\n<strong>Yet different</strong>\r\n\r\nOther characters are different or even completely eliminated. For example, in the book, Vera has a constable named Holly, but in the TV adaptation, her name is Shep. Also, last names are different for many of the characters. The TV episode follows the same general plot as the book but eliminates a few side stories (e.g., a burning down of a building for insurance purposes), changes several details (e.g., Dee falls to her death in the TV show whereas she is stabbed in the book) and even has a different murderer (not going to give that away!). The action in the book takes place right before Christmas and it is cold, snowy and the roads are icy. In the TV adaptation, the action is set in what could be summer (or late spring, early fall).\r\n\r\n<strong>What is content marketing?</strong>\r\n\r\nContent marketing is essentially re-purposing content, that is, taking various types of informational material (for example: a how-to video, a news article) at your disposal, and using it in different ways to help market your product or advocate for your cause.\r\n\r\n<strong>How do you re-purpose content?</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen you re-purpose content, you are generally taking material that was produced for a certain purpose and/or medium (e.g., a long-form article in a trade publication) and you are adapting to a different purpose and/or medium (perhaps a blog post).\r\n\r\n<strong>Screenwriters re-purpose content, right?</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you want to adapt or re-purpose content successfully, you can learn from what the \"Vera\" screenwriters did with \"On Harbour Street.\" Basically, they took a 376-page book and made it fit the time and story constraints of a one-and-a-half hour TV show. To achieve this, they concentrated on the main character, Vera (since she’s the title character of the TV series), while cutting out non-essential stories and extraneous characters. Perhaps because it is easier to film outside during the warmer months, the timing of the action was changed from winter to summer.\r\n\r\nThere are three steps you should follow when re-purposing content:\r\n\r\n<strong> 1. Know and understand the original material</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>What is the essence of this content?</li>\r\n	<li>What are the content\'s most important points or key messages?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>2. Understand the medium where the content is to be re-purposed.</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>What are the length/time/space constraints?</li>\r\n	<li>When is the content going to appear?</li>\r\n	<li>Will you need graphics or better explanations?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong> 3. Understand and know the audience</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li> Who will be accessing the content?</li>\r\n	<li>How will they be accessing the content?</li>\r\n	<li>How are they different or the same as the audience for the original content?</li>\r\n	<li>Do they have special needs?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Bottom line: To re-purpose any type of content, you must be able to maintain the content’s original meaning while making it relevant to new audiences and different media. </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','How watching TV can make you a better content marketer','','inherit','open','open','','3170-revision-v1','','','2016-03-03 16:01:06','2016-03-03 21:01:06','',3170,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3170-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3174,4,'2016-03-08 15:39:54','2016-03-08 20:39:54','Written materials are the cornerstone of marketing communications. Clear, concise and convincing writing will make your marketing materials and your business stand out.\r\n\r\nDeborah Brody Marketing Communications writes:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Website content</li>\r\n	<li>Blog posts</li>\r\n	<li>Marketing collateral\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Brochures</li>\r\n	<li>Flyers</li>\r\n	<li>Taglines</li>\r\n	<li>Ebooks</li>\r\n	<li>Newsletter copy</li>\r\n	<li>Email copy</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Advertising copy</li>\r\n	<li>Public relations materials\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Press releases</li>\r\n	<li>Executive biographies</li>\r\n	<li>Position papers</li>\r\n	<li>White papers</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Messaging materials\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Key messages</li>\r\n	<li>Company descriptions</li>\r\n	<li>Boilerplate</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWriting fee: $100 per hour','Writing/Copywriting','','inherit','open','open','','49-revision-v1','','','2016-03-08 15:39:54','2016-03-08 20:39:54','',49,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/49-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3175,4,'2016-03-08 15:42:42','2016-03-08 20:42:42','Copy editing helps bring clarity, consistency and accuracy to your documents.\n\nDepending on the document, you may need more or less editing. In all cases, your document will be checked for clarity (what you really mean to say), grammar, spelling,  punctuation, usage, and consistency. With heavier editing, your document will also get re-worked for clarity.\n\n&nbsp;','Copy Editing','','inherit','open','open','','2850-autosave-v1','','','2016-03-08 15:42:42','2016-03-08 20:42:42','',2850,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/2850-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3176,4,'2016-03-08 15:42:56','2016-03-08 20:42:56','Copy editing helps bring clarity, consistency and accuracy to your documents.\r\n\r\nDepending on the document, you may need more or less editing. In all cases, your document will be checked for clarity (what you really mean to say), grammar, spelling,  punctuation, usage, and consistency.\r\n\r\nCopy editing fee: $50 per hour\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Copy Editing','','inherit','open','open','','2850-revision-v1','','','2016-03-08 15:42:56','2016-03-08 20:42:56','',2850,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/2850-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3177,4,'2013-04-26 17:28:27','2013-04-26 17:28:27','Where does your brochure or website fit in with your marketing and communications plan? Every marketing piece you put out should be a tactic in the larger strategy of marketing your product, service or company. Deborah Brody Marketing Communications will give you specific, creative marketing ideas, tactics and strategies.\r\n<h3>Blog consulting</h3>\r\nWhere does your blog fit in your overall communications plan? Is it achieving results?\r\n<h3>Social media consulting</h3>\r\nAre you using social media effectively? Are you reaching your goals? We\'ll help you determine what is working and what is not, and how to fix it.\r\n<h3>Communications audits</h3>\r\nAre your key messages relevant? What marketing collateral do you need and which could you get rid of? We will assess your materials and provide recommendations.','Consulting','','inherit','open','open','','51-revision-v1','','','2013-04-26 17:28:27','2013-04-26 17:28:27','',51,'http://deborahbrody.com/2013/04/51-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3178,4,'2016-03-08 15:43:41','2016-03-08 20:43:41','Where does your brochure or website fit in with your marketing and communications plan? Every marketing piece you put out should be a tactic in the larger strategy of marketing your product, service or company. Deborah Brody Marketing Communications will give you specific, creative marketing ideas, tactics and strategies.\r\n<h3>Blog consulting</h3>\r\nWhere does your blog fit in your overall communications plan? Is it achieving results?\r\n<h3>Social media consulting</h3>\r\nAre you using social media effectively? Are you reaching your goals? We\'ll help you determine what is working and what is not, and how to fix it.\r\n<h3>Communications audits</h3>\r\nAre your key messages relevant? What marketing collateral do you need and which could you get rid of? We will assess your materials and provide recommendations.\r\n\r\nCommunications consulting fee: $100 per hour','Consulting','','inherit','open','open','','51-revision-v1','','','2016-03-08 15:43:41','2016-03-08 20:43:41','',51,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/51-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3179,4,'2016-03-10 09:25:47','2016-03-10 14:25:47','We’re all familiar with the “no response” response, right? That’s the response that we don’t actually get but that in effect means no.\r\n\r\nIt happens with all sorts of queries and in all communication modes. Perhaps you sent a text message asking your friend if he wants to go to the movies, and you don’t hear back. Perhaps you sent an email inquiring about a job, and all you got in response was nothing. Maybe you are old school, and left a colleague a voice mail message, and she never called back.\r\n\r\nSince this “no response” has become the <em>de facto</em> “no” response, we\'ve come to assume if we haven’t heard from somebody that he or she is not interested in what we are offering, or proposing, or asking about. But, this assumption can be problematic.\r\n\r\n<strong>No more follow ups</strong>\r\n\r\nSometimes (not many times but still it happens) people genuinely did not get your message. The email ended up in the spam folder or the voice message got inadvertently deleted. But because you’ve become used to not expecting an answer unless the person is interested, you’ve stopped following up. And you and the recipient may miss out on a potential opportunity.\r\n\r\n<strong>Too many follow ups</strong>\r\n\r\nAnd then there are people who don’t give up until they get an answer. They may be clueless or they may be aggressive or both. When they don’t hear back from you, they keep getting in touch. The keep calling and texting and emailing. They don’t get that your lack of response means no and it also means “please stop getting in touch, I don’t want to deal with you!”\r\n\r\n<strong>It’s just plain lazy</strong>\r\n\r\nBy assuming that everybody understands that no response means you aren’t interested, in effect, you are taking the lazy (and rude) approach. Why bother answering an email with a polite “thank you but not interested” response when it is much easier to just ignore and delete?\r\n\r\n<strong>It may make you look bad</strong>\r\n\r\nYou may think that not responding communicates that you are too/so busy. You may actually be coming off as self-important or uncaring.\r\n\r\n<strong>What to do?</strong>\r\n\r\nWe’ve all been on either side of the “no response” response. Sometimes, we get overwhelmed and we forget to respond. And sometimes we sit around waiting for a response that never comes. What, if anything, can we do about it?\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>If you get the “no response” response:</strong> Accept that you can’t control what other people do. You don’t know their motivations or reasoning. So, don’t automatically assume a “no response” equals no unless you really know the person and his/her <em>modus operandi.</em> Do follow up once, but probably no more than that. If again, you don’t get a response, let it go. Remember, you can only try to get in touch but you can’t force an interaction.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>If you are avoiding responding:</strong> Become aware of the messages you are sending when you don’t respond. Is it that you can’t or don’t want to say no? Why is that? Are you not responding because you are overwhelmed? If so, perhaps you need to see about reducing your workload. Perhaps you do it because you don’t like confrontation. If so, ask yourself what you think will happen.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">What are your thoughts? What do you think when someone fails to respond to you? Or are you the one failing to respond?</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What to do about the “no response” response ','','publish','open','open','','what-to-do-about-the-no-response-response','','','2016-03-10 09:25:47','2016-03-10 14:25:47','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3179',0,'post','',5),
(3180,4,'2016-03-10 09:25:26','2016-03-10 14:25:26','We’re all familiar with the “no response” response, right? That’s the response that we don’t actually get but that in effect means no.\r\n\r\nIt happens with all sorts of queries and in all communication modes. Perhaps you sent a text message asking your friend if he wants to go to the movies, and you don’t hear back. Perhaps you sent an email inquiring about a job, and all you got in response was nothing. Maybe you are old school, and left a colleague a voice mail message, and she never called back.\r\n\r\nSince this “no response” has become the <em>de facto</em> “no” response, we\'ve come to assume if we haven’t heard from somebody that he or she is not interested in what we are offering, or proposing, or asking about. But, this assumption can be problematic.\r\n\r\n<strong>No more follow ups</strong>\r\n\r\nSometimes (not many times but still it happens) people genuinely did not get your message. The email ended up in the spam folder or the voice message got inadvertently deleted. But because you’ve become used to not expecting an answer unless the person is interested, you’ve stopped following up. And you and the recipient may miss out on a potential opportunity.\r\n\r\n<strong>Too many follow ups</strong>\r\n\r\nAnd then there are people who don’t give up until they get an answer. They may be clueless or they may be aggressive or both. When they don’t hear back from you, they keep getting in touch. The keep calling and texting and emailing. They don’t get that your lack of response means no and it also means “please stop getting in touch, I don’t want to deal with you!”\r\n\r\n<strong>It’s just plain lazy</strong>\r\n\r\nBy assuming that everybody understands that no response means you aren’t interested, in effect, you are taking the lazy (and rude) approach. Why bother answering an email with a polite “thank you but not interested” response when it is much easier to just ignore and delete?\r\n\r\n<strong>It may make you look bad</strong>\r\n\r\nYou may think that not responding communicates that you are too/so busy. You may actually be coming off as self-important or uncaring.\r\n\r\n<strong>What to do?</strong>\r\n\r\nWe’ve all been on either side of the “no response” response. Sometimes, we get overwhelmed and we forget to respond. And sometimes we sit around waiting for a response that never comes. What, if anything, can we do about it?\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>If you get the “no response” response:</strong> Accept that you can’t control what other people do. You don’t know their motivations or reasoning. So, don’t automatically assume a “no response” equals no unless you really know the person and his/her <em>modus operandi.</em> Do follow up once, but probably no more than that. If again, you don’t get a response, let it go. Remember, you can only try to get in touch but you can’t force an interaction.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>If you are avoiding responding:</strong> Become aware of the messages you are sending when you don’t respond. Is it that you can’t or don’t want to say no? Why is that? Are you not responding because you are overwhelmed? If so, perhaps you need to see about reducing your workload. Perhaps you do it because you don’t like confrontation. If so, ask yourself what you think will happen.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">What are your thoughts? What do you think when someone fails to respond to you? Or are you the one failing to respond?</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What to do about the “no response” response ','','inherit','open','open','','3179-revision-v1','','','2016-03-10 09:25:26','2016-03-10 14:25:26','',3179,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3179-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3182,4,'2016-03-16 09:53:09','2016-03-16 13:53:09','In case you\'ve missed a newsletter, just check this archive:\r\n\r\n<a title=\"March 2016 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/a50a67\" target=\"_blank\">March 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/d7ed27\" target=\"_blank\">January 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/987fe6\" target=\"_blank\">November 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"September 2015 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/2f17a6\" target=\"_blank\">September 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/f0dc46\" target=\"_blank\">June 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/83c206\" target=\"_blank\">March 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"January 2015 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/594ec5\" target=\"_blank\">January 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/p/9a6295?fe=1&amp;pact=26384901049\" target=\"_blank\">November 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/f95d35\" target=\"_blank\">September 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/c3e405\" target=\"_blank\">July 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://mad.ly/3625c4\" target=\"_blank\">April 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"February newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/dc2584\" target=\"_blank\">February 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"December 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/bb9454\" target=\"_blank\">December 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"October 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/f27424\" target=\"_blank\">October 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"July 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/eb30f3\" target=\"_blank\">July 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"May 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/9003c3\" target=\"_blank\">May 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"March 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/d82a93\" target=\"_blank\">March 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"January 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/a12873\" target=\"_blank\">January 2013</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Newsletters','','inherit','open','open','','2509-revision-v1','','','2016-03-16 09:53:09','2016-03-16 13:53:09','',2509,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/2509-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3183,4,'2016-03-18 10:39:52','2016-03-18 14:39:52','\"Can someone share what they use to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>backup</em></span> their files?\"\r\n\r\nThis was the subject line in an email to a Listserv I\'m on. In this case, the person wrote backup (one word), which is an adjective, when he meant to say back up (two words), which is a verb.\r\n\r\nThere are several things about English that seem to trip up a lot of people. This is one of those things.\r\n\r\nIt happens when you have two words that are often used as a pair and you put them together in one word. However, the new word is not the same as the  pair. In some cases the pair is a verb and the resulting new word is an adjective. In some cases the resulting word is a noun.\r\n\r\n<strong>Back up is not the same as backup.</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen back up is two words, there\'s some sort of action taking place, which means it\'s a verb. You put your car in reverse gear so you can <em>back up</em> (verb) out of your driveway. Maybe you <em>back up</em> (verb) your files on an external hard drive (I don\'t but I should). You <em>back up </em>(verb) your claims with proven information (although some presidential candidates don\'t).\r\n\r\nWhen backup is one word, it can be an adjective, meaning the word is modifying or describing something. You may have a <em>backup </em>computer in case your usual computer conks out. You may have a <em>backup plan</em> in case something goes wrong. Sometimes, a backup is a noun:  You may have your<em> backup</em> with you on a thumb drive.\r\n\r\n<strong>Shut down is not the same as shutdown.</strong>\r\n\r\nAt the end of your work day, perhaps you <em>shut down</em> (verb) your computer. Now your computer is in <em>shutdown </em>(adjective) mode.\r\n\r\nThis past Wednesday here in the Washington area, the Metro was <em>shut down</em> (verb) for more than 24 hours to conduct emergency inspections and repairs.  Metro\'s general manager said the <em>shutdown</em> (noun) was necessary.\r\n\r\n<strong>Every day is not the same as everyday.</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Every day (noun)</em> that passes I think about some <em>everyday</em> (adjective) tasks that can get done quickly.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Just some everyday information to pass on to you. Happy Friday!</span>\r\n\r\nP.S. If you get tripped up with this type of thing in your documents, I can help fix it. Contact me about copy editing.','One word plus one word equals new word','','publish','open','open','','one-word-plus-one-word-equals-new-word','','','2016-03-18 19:02:55','2016-03-18 23:02:55','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3183',0,'post','',0),
(3184,4,'2016-03-18 10:39:52','2016-03-18 14:39:52','\"Can someone share what they use to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>backup</em></span> their files?\"\r\n\r\nThis was the subject line in an email to a Listserv I am on. In this case, the person wrote backup (one word), which is an adjective, when he meant to say back up (two words), which is a verb.\r\n\r\nThere are several things about English that seem to trip up a lot of people. This is one of those things.\r\n\r\nIt happens when you have two words that are often used as a pair and you put them together in one word. However, the new word is not the same as the two-word pair. In some cases the two-word pair is a verb and the resulting new word is an adjective. In some cases the resulting word is a noun.\r\n\r\n<strong>Back up is not the same as backup.</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen back up is two words, there\'s some sort of action taking place ,which means it\'s a verb. You put your car in reverse gear so you can <em>back up</em> (verb) out of your driveway. Maybe you <em>back up</em> (verb) your files on an external hard drive (I don\'t but I should). You <em>back up </em>(verb) your claims with proven information (although some presidential candidates don\'t).\r\n\r\nWhen backup is one word, it can be adjective, meaning the word is modifying or describing something. You may have a <em>backup </em>computer in case your usual computer conks out. You may have a <em>backup plan</em> in case something goes wrong. Sometimes, a backup is a noun:  You may have your<em> backup</em> with you on a thumb drive.\r\n\r\n<strong>Shut down is not the same as shutdown.</strong>\r\n\r\nAt the end of your work day, perhaps you <em>shut down</em> (verb) your computer. Now your computer is in <em>shutdown </em>(adjective) mode.\r\n\r\nThis past Wednesday here in the Washington area, the Metro was <em>shut down</em> (verb) for more than 24 hours to conduct emergency inspections and repairs.  Metro\'s general manager said the <em>shutdown</em> (noun) was necessary.\r\n\r\n<strong>Every day is not the same as everyday.</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Every day (noun)</em> that passes I think about some <em>everyday</em> (adjective) tasks that can get done quickly.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Just some everyday information to pass on to you. Happy Friday!</span>\r\n\r\nP.S. If you get tripped up with this type of thing in your documents, I can help fix it. Contact me about copy editing.','One word plus one word equals new word','','inherit','open','open','','3183-revision-v1','','','2016-03-18 10:39:52','2016-03-18 14:39:52','',3183,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3183-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3185,4,'2016-03-18 14:10:29','2016-03-18 18:10:29','\"Can someone share what they use to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>backup</em></span> their files?\"\n\nThis was the subject line in an email to a Listserv I\'m on. In this case, the person wrote backup (one word), which is an adjective, when he meant to say back up (two words), which is a verb.\n\nThere are several things about English that seem to trip up a lot of people. This is one of those things.\n\nIt happens when you have two words that are often used as a pair and you put them together in one word. However, the new word is not the same as the two-word pair. In some cases the two-word pair is a verb and the resulting new word is an adjective. In some cases the resulting word is a noun.\n\n<strong>Back up is not the same as backup.</strong>\n\nWhen back up is two words, there\'s some sort of action taking place, which means it\'s a verb. You put your car in reverse gear so you can <em>back up</em> (verb) out of your driveway. Maybe you <em>back up</em> (verb) your files on an external hard drive (I don\'t but I should). You <em>back up </em>(verb) your claims with proven information (although some presidential candidates don\'t).\n\nWhen backup is one word, it can be an adjective, meaning the word is modifying or describing something. You may have a <em>backup </em>computer in case your usual computer conks out. You may have a <em>backup plan</em> in case something goes wrong. Sometimes, a backup is a noun:  You may have your<em> backup</em> with you on a thumb drive.\n\n<strong>Shut down is not the same as shutdown.</strong>\n\nAt the end of your work day, perhaps you <em>shut down</em> (verb) your computer. Now your computer is in <em>shutdown </em>(adjective) mode.\n\nThis past Wednesday here in the Washington area, the Metro was <em>shut down</em> (verb) for more than 24 hours to conduct emergency inspections and repairs.  Metro\'s general manager said the <em>shutdown</em> (noun) was necessary.\n\n<strong>Every day is not the same as everyday.</strong>\n\n<em>Every day (noun)</em> that passes I think about some <em>everyday</em> (adjective) tasks that can get done quickly.\n\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Just some everyday information to pass on to you. Happy Friday!</span>\n\nP.S. If you get tripped up with this type of thing in your documents, I can help fix it. Contact me about copy editing.','One word plus one word equals new word','','inherit','open','open','','3183-autosave-v1','','','2016-03-18 14:10:29','2016-03-18 18:10:29','',3183,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3183-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3186,4,'2016-03-18 14:10:44','2016-03-18 18:10:44','\"Can someone share what they use to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>backup</em></span> their files?\"\r\n\r\nThis was the subject line in an email to a Listserv I\'m on. In this case, the person wrote backup (one word), which is an adjective, when he meant to say back up (two words), which is a verb.\r\n\r\nThere are several things about English that seem to trip up a lot of people. This is one of those things.\r\n\r\nIt happens when you have two words that are often used as a pair and you put them together in one word. However, the new word is not the same as the two-word pair. In some cases the two-word pair is a verb and the resulting new word is an adjective. In some cases the resulting word is a noun.\r\n\r\n<strong>Back up is not the same as backup.</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen back up is two words, there\'s some sort of action taking place, which means it\'s a verb. You put your car in reverse gear so you can <em>back up</em> (verb) out of your driveway. Maybe you <em>back up</em> (verb) your files on an external hard drive (I don\'t but I should). You <em>back up </em>(verb) your claims with proven information (although some presidential candidates don\'t).\r\n\r\nWhen backup is one word, it can be an adjective, meaning the word is modifying or describing something. You may have a <em>backup </em>computer in case your usual computer conks out. You may have a <em>backup plan</em> in case something goes wrong. Sometimes, a backup is a noun:  You may have your<em> backup</em> with you on a thumb drive.\r\n\r\n<strong>Shut down is not the same as shutdown.</strong>\r\n\r\nAt the end of your work day, perhaps you <em>shut down</em> (verb) your computer. Now your computer is in <em>shutdown </em>(adjective) mode.\r\n\r\nThis past Wednesday here in the Washington area, the Metro was <em>shut down</em> (verb) for more than 24 hours to conduct emergency inspections and repairs.  Metro\'s general manager said the <em>shutdown</em> (noun) was necessary.\r\n\r\n<strong>Every day is not the same as everyday.</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Every day (noun)</em> that passes I think about some <em>everyday</em> (adjective) tasks that can get done quickly.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Just some everyday information to pass on to you. Happy Friday!</span>\r\n\r\nP.S. If you get tripped up with this type of thing in your documents, I can help fix it. Contact me about copy editing.','One word plus one word equals new word','','inherit','open','open','','3183-revision-v1','','','2016-03-18 14:10:44','2016-03-18 18:10:44','',3183,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3183-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3187,4,'2016-03-18 19:02:55','2016-03-18 23:02:55','\"Can someone share what they use to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>backup</em></span> their files?\"\r\n\r\nThis was the subject line in an email to a Listserv I\'m on. In this case, the person wrote backup (one word), which is an adjective, when he meant to say back up (two words), which is a verb.\r\n\r\nThere are several things about English that seem to trip up a lot of people. This is one of those things.\r\n\r\nIt happens when you have two words that are often used as a pair and you put them together in one word. However, the new word is not the same as the  pair. In some cases the pair is a verb and the resulting new word is an adjective. In some cases the resulting word is a noun.\r\n\r\n<strong>Back up is not the same as backup.</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen back up is two words, there\'s some sort of action taking place, which means it\'s a verb. You put your car in reverse gear so you can <em>back up</em> (verb) out of your driveway. Maybe you <em>back up</em> (verb) your files on an external hard drive (I don\'t but I should). You <em>back up </em>(verb) your claims with proven information (although some presidential candidates don\'t).\r\n\r\nWhen backup is one word, it can be an adjective, meaning the word is modifying or describing something. You may have a <em>backup </em>computer in case your usual computer conks out. You may have a <em>backup plan</em> in case something goes wrong. Sometimes, a backup is a noun:  You may have your<em> backup</em> with you on a thumb drive.\r\n\r\n<strong>Shut down is not the same as shutdown.</strong>\r\n\r\nAt the end of your work day, perhaps you <em>shut down</em> (verb) your computer. Now your computer is in <em>shutdown </em>(adjective) mode.\r\n\r\nThis past Wednesday here in the Washington area, the Metro was <em>shut down</em> (verb) for more than 24 hours to conduct emergency inspections and repairs.  Metro\'s general manager said the <em>shutdown</em> (noun) was necessary.\r\n\r\n<strong>Every day is not the same as everyday.</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Every day (noun)</em> that passes I think about some <em>everyday</em> (adjective) tasks that can get done quickly.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Just some everyday information to pass on to you. Happy Friday!</span>\r\n\r\nP.S. If you get tripped up with this type of thing in your documents, I can help fix it. Contact me about copy editing.','One word plus one word equals new word','','inherit','open','open','','3183-revision-v1','','','2016-03-18 19:02:55','2016-03-18 23:02:55','',3183,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3183-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3189,4,'2016-03-23 13:32:55','2016-03-23 17:32:55','Last week, I attended the <a href=\"http://www.theatlantic.com/live/events/women-and-business/2016/\" target=\"_blank\">Women &amp; Business: An Atlantic Exchange</a>, which was an event showcasing women\'s business concerns organized by The Atlantic magazine. One of the segments included an interview with Melanie Whelan, CEO of SoulCycle, a boutique indoor cycling studio.\r\n\r\nMs. Whelan spoke at length about the SoulCycle culture and its business model. Soul Cycle concentrates on providing a special experience to its customers, where they feel part of a community. She said that SoulCycle has never advertised, instead relying on satisfied users to become brand ambassadors, to discuss their positive experience with friends and in social media, promoting the company. In this way, SoulCycle has grown from being a one-of studio on the Upper West Side of New York to having several  studios in many large metropolitan areas.\r\n\r\nMs. Whelan offered several interesting insights about her company\'s corporate culture, brand experience and market growth, and it\'s worth watching her presentation:\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/XoSLXPUazVo?list=PLwj46yNDLyTU0QBEVX0bhPqCWaobJ2Lv1\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n<strong>Word-of-mouth marketing</strong>\r\n\r\nOver and over, you hear businesses claim that their best marketing is word-of-mouth and/or referrals. In SoulCycle\'s case, it seems that word-of-mouth marketing has paid off in spades.\r\n\r\nAnd yet, at this very forum, which was intended both to help women entrepreneurs get some solid information and to network with each other, I saw first hand how hard it is for most people to network and connect with each other.\r\n\r\n<strong>Networking can be hard for some</strong>\r\n\r\nThere were women who seemed very shy, and couldn\'t seem to even smile or even look at strangers.\r\n\r\nThere was a woman with bad body odor.  Whether or not she was aware of the issue, I am not sure, but I would think many people steered clear of her.\r\n\r\nThere was a woman, standing next to me at the buffet line, who barely acknowledged an ice breaker comment I made. Even after being given an easy way to chat, she refused to do so. I am not sure if it was lack of interest or shyness or perhaps she was just hungry.\r\n\r\nThen there was the socially awkward woman I sat down next to inside the auditorium. She dropped her papers and I picked them up and handed them to her, and she didn\'t even acknowledge me or thank me. She then started taking notes off my printed agenda, without so much as a word or an \"excuse me, but may I see your agenda.\" And even worse, she kept falling asleep and leaning on me. Seriously.\r\n\r\n<strong>But networking is an essential business skill</strong>\r\n\r\nThen there was a woman who smiled, shook hands and introduced herself, making it easy to converse. She understood the power of networking. As she said to me, networking isn\'t about closing a sale, but rather about meeting people who will remember you and perhaps refer to you later on when a need arises for them or in their circle.\r\n\r\nNetworking is the most basic form of marketing communications. It\'s your opportunity to introduce yourself and your business on a personal, one-to-one level. It is an essential part of business and professional development.\r\n\r\nIt\'s not easy for most folks, myself included, to walk into a room full of strangers and just chat it up. But there are ways to make it less intimidating.\r\n\r\n<strong>Think quality versus quantity</strong>. You don\'t have to meet everyone in the room. If you meet one or two people, and get to know them, you will be doing well.\r\n\r\n<strong>Think about what you do and how to best communicate it.</strong> It\'s easy to get stuck in  thinking everybody understands what you do, but chances are good that they won\'t. Think of a simple way of introducing yourself and your business, and that allows for questions to follow.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understand that other people in the room are just as uncomfortable as you are</strong>. A smile goes a long way in making people relax.\r\n\r\nIf you are still having trouble connecting, perhaps you should consider some outside help. Perhaps you can hire a business coach to help you refine your approach and to give you pointers.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">How do you network? What works best for you? Please share in the comments.</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Business networking is a form of marketing communications','','publish','open','open','','business-networking-is-a-form-of-marketing-communications','','','2016-03-23 13:32:55','2016-03-23 17:32:55','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3189',0,'post','',0),
(3190,4,'2016-03-23 13:28:58','2016-03-23 17:28:58','Last week, I attended the <a href=\"http://www.theatlantic.com/live/events/women-and-business/2016/\" target=\"_blank\">Women &amp; Business: An Atlantic Exchange</a>, which was an event showcasing women\'s business concerns organized by The Atlantic magazine. One of the segments included an interview with Melanie Whelan, CEO of SoulCycle, a boutique indoor cycling studio.\r\n\r\nMs. Whelan spoke at length about the SoulCycle culture and its business model. Soul Cycle concentrates on providing a special experience to its customers, where they feel part of a community. She said that SoulCycle has never advertised, instead relying on satisfied users to become brand ambassadors, to discuss their positive experience with friends and in social media, promoting the company. In this way, SoulCycle has grown from being a one-of studio on the Upper West Side of New York to having several  studios in many large metropolitan areas.\r\n\r\nMs. Whelan offered several interesting insights about her company\'s corporate culture, brand experience and market growth, and it\'s worth watching her presentation:\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/XoSLXPUazVo?list=PLwj46yNDLyTU0QBEVX0bhPqCWaobJ2Lv1\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n<strong>Word-of-mouth marketing</strong>\r\n\r\nOver and over, you hear businesses claim that their best marketing is word-of-mouth and/or referrals. In SoulCycle\'s case, it seems that word-of-mouth marketing has paid off in spades.\r\n\r\nAnd yet, at this very forum, which was intended both to help women entrepreneurs get some solid information and to network with each other, I saw first hand how hard it is for most people to network and connect with each other.\r\n\r\n<strong>Networking can be hard for some</strong>\r\n\r\nThere were women who seemed very shy, and couldn\'t seem to even smile or even look at strangers.\r\n\r\nThere was a woman with bad body odor. I am sure many people steered clear of her.\r\n\r\nThere was a woman, standing next to me at the buffet line, who barely acknowledged an ice breaker comment I made. Even after being given an easy way to chat, she refused to do so. I am not sure if it was lack of interest or shyness or perhaps she was just hungry.\r\n\r\nThen there was the socially awkward woman I sat down next to inside the auditorium. She dropped her papers and I picked them up and handed them to her, and she didn\'t even acknowledge me or thank me. She then started taking notes off my printed agenda, without so much as a word or an \"excuse me, but may I see your agenda.\" And even worse, she kept falling asleep and leaning on me. Seriously.\r\n\r\n<strong>But networking is an essential business skill</strong>\r\n\r\nBut then there was a woman who smiled, shook hands and introduced herself, making it easy to converse. She understood the power of networking. As she said to me, networking isn\'t about closing a sale, but rather about meeting people who will remember you and perhaps refer to you later on when a need arises for them or in their circle.\r\n\r\nNetworking is the most basic form of marketing communications. It\'s your opportunity to introduce yourself and your business on a personal, one-to-one level. It is an essential part of business and professional development.\r\n\r\nIt\'s not easy for most folks, myself included, to walk into a room full of strangers and just chat it up. But there are ways to make it less intimidating.\r\n\r\n<strong>Think quality versus quantity</strong>. You don\'t have to meet everyone in the room. If you meet one or two people, and get to know them, you will be doing well.\r\n\r\n<strong>Think about what you do and how to best communicate it.</strong> It\'s easy to get stuck in  thinking everybody understands what you do, but chances are good that they won\'t. Think of a simple way of introducing yourself and your business, and that allows for questions to follow.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understand that other people in the room are just as uncomfortable as you are</strong>. A smile goes a long way in making people relax.\r\n\r\nIf you are still having trouble connecting, perhaps you should consider some outside help. You many need a business coach to help you refine your approach and to give you pointers.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">How do you network? What works best for you? Please share in the comments.</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Business networking is a form of marketing communications','','inherit','open','open','','3189-revision-v1','','','2016-03-23 13:28:58','2016-03-23 17:28:58','',3189,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3189-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3191,4,'2016-03-23 13:32:55','2016-03-23 17:32:55','Last week, I attended the <a href=\"http://www.theatlantic.com/live/events/women-and-business/2016/\" target=\"_blank\">Women &amp; Business: An Atlantic Exchange</a>, which was an event showcasing women\'s business concerns organized by The Atlantic magazine. One of the segments included an interview with Melanie Whelan, CEO of SoulCycle, a boutique indoor cycling studio.\r\n\r\nMs. Whelan spoke at length about the SoulCycle culture and its business model. Soul Cycle concentrates on providing a special experience to its customers, where they feel part of a community. She said that SoulCycle has never advertised, instead relying on satisfied users to become brand ambassadors, to discuss their positive experience with friends and in social media, promoting the company. In this way, SoulCycle has grown from being a one-of studio on the Upper West Side of New York to having several  studios in many large metropolitan areas.\r\n\r\nMs. Whelan offered several interesting insights about her company\'s corporate culture, brand experience and market growth, and it\'s worth watching her presentation:\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/XoSLXPUazVo?list=PLwj46yNDLyTU0QBEVX0bhPqCWaobJ2Lv1\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n<strong>Word-of-mouth marketing</strong>\r\n\r\nOver and over, you hear businesses claim that their best marketing is word-of-mouth and/or referrals. In SoulCycle\'s case, it seems that word-of-mouth marketing has paid off in spades.\r\n\r\nAnd yet, at this very forum, which was intended both to help women entrepreneurs get some solid information and to network with each other, I saw first hand how hard it is for most people to network and connect with each other.\r\n\r\n<strong>Networking can be hard for some</strong>\r\n\r\nThere were women who seemed very shy, and couldn\'t seem to even smile or even look at strangers.\r\n\r\nThere was a woman with bad body odor.  Whether or not she was aware of the issue, I am not sure, but I would think many people steered clear of her.\r\n\r\nThere was a woman, standing next to me at the buffet line, who barely acknowledged an ice breaker comment I made. Even after being given an easy way to chat, she refused to do so. I am not sure if it was lack of interest or shyness or perhaps she was just hungry.\r\n\r\nThen there was the socially awkward woman I sat down next to inside the auditorium. She dropped her papers and I picked them up and handed them to her, and she didn\'t even acknowledge me or thank me. She then started taking notes off my printed agenda, without so much as a word or an \"excuse me, but may I see your agenda.\" And even worse, she kept falling asleep and leaning on me. Seriously.\r\n\r\n<strong>But networking is an essential business skill</strong>\r\n\r\nThen there was a woman who smiled, shook hands and introduced herself, making it easy to converse. She understood the power of networking. As she said to me, networking isn\'t about closing a sale, but rather about meeting people who will remember you and perhaps refer to you later on when a need arises for them or in their circle.\r\n\r\nNetworking is the most basic form of marketing communications. It\'s your opportunity to introduce yourself and your business on a personal, one-to-one level. It is an essential part of business and professional development.\r\n\r\nIt\'s not easy for most folks, myself included, to walk into a room full of strangers and just chat it up. But there are ways to make it less intimidating.\r\n\r\n<strong>Think quality versus quantity</strong>. You don\'t have to meet everyone in the room. If you meet one or two people, and get to know them, you will be doing well.\r\n\r\n<strong>Think about what you do and how to best communicate it.</strong> It\'s easy to get stuck in  thinking everybody understands what you do, but chances are good that they won\'t. Think of a simple way of introducing yourself and your business, and that allows for questions to follow.\r\n\r\n<strong>Understand that other people in the room are just as uncomfortable as you are</strong>. A smile goes a long way in making people relax.\r\n\r\nIf you are still having trouble connecting, perhaps you should consider some outside help. Perhaps you can hire a business coach to help you refine your approach and to give you pointers.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">How do you network? What works best for you? Please share in the comments.</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Business networking is a form of marketing communications','','inherit','open','open','','3189-revision-v1','','','2016-03-23 13:32:55','2016-03-23 17:32:55','',3189,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3189-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3192,4,'2016-03-31 09:13:50','2016-03-31 13:13:50','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as a communications agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter: </strong><a href=\"https://twitter.com/juliemmullen\" target=\"_blank\">@juliemmullen<strong>\r\n</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\"\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we even begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like <a href=\"http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Home.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">PR Daily</a> or <a href=\"http://www.prweb.com/\" target=\"_blank\">PRWeb.com.</a> But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook</a> is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as their/there/they\'re; affect/effect; than/then. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite word, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron, and love.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Do you agree with Julie that your livelihood in public relations depends on being able to write well? Share your thoughts in the comments. And be sure to check this space on the last Thursday of every month for more thoughts on writing.</span></strong>','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','publish','open','open','','on-writing-julie-mullen-buzzes','','','2016-03-31 09:28:26','2016-03-31 13:28:26','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3192',0,'post','',0),
(3193,4,'2016-03-30 09:42:39','2016-03-30 13:42:39','','buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image','','inherit','open','open','','buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image','','','2016-03-30 09:42:39','2016-03-30 13:42:39','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3194,4,'2016-03-30 09:44:15','2016-03-30 13:44:15','This month, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who after a stint in journalism, has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches, but now, a PR agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3193\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:  </strong>Julie Mullen,\r\n\r\nThe Buzz Agency\r\n\r\nDelray Beach, FL\r\n\r\n<strong>Website:</strong> thebuzzagency.net\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong>  @juliemmullen | @thebuzzagency\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nJulie Mullen is co-founder  and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n1. <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-30 09:44:15','2016-03-30 13:44:15','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3204,4,'2016-03-30 16:29:14','2016-03-30 20:29:14','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as  an agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. [epq-quote align=\"align-right\"][/epq-quote]Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-30 16:29:14','2016-03-30 20:29:14','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3195,4,'2016-03-30 14:00:02','2016-03-30 18:00:02','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who after a stint in journalism, has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches, but now, a PR agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3193\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a><strong>Julie Mullen</strong>\r\n\r\nJulie Mullen is co-founder  and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong>  @juliemmullen | @thebuzzagency\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n1. <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-30 14:00:02','2016-03-30 18:00:02','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3198,4,'2016-03-30 14:06:59','2016-03-30 18:06:59','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as  an agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-30 14:06:59','2016-03-30 18:06:59','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3196,4,'2016-03-30 14:02:19','2016-03-30 18:02:19','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as  an agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong>\r\n\r\nJulie Mullen is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong>  @juliemmullen | @thebuzzagency\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-30 14:02:19','2016-03-30 18:02:19','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3197,4,'2016-03-30 14:03:50','2016-03-30 18:03:50','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as  an agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong>\r\n\r\nJulie Mullen is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>                                                                                     Twitter:</strong>  @juliemmullen |                                                                                                           @thebuzzagency\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-30 14:03:50','2016-03-30 18:03:50','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3199,4,'2016-03-30 16:09:56','2016-03-30 20:09:56','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as  an agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. [epq-quote align=\"align-right\"]Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?[/epq-quote]\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-30 16:09:56','2016-03-30 20:09:56','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3201,4,'2016-03-30 16:11:53','2016-03-30 20:11:53','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as  an agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it.Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-30 16:11:53','2016-03-30 20:11:53','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3200,4,'2016-03-30 16:11:12','2016-03-30 20:11:12','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as  an agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. [epq-quote align=\"align-right\"]Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?[/epq-quote]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-30 16:11:12','2016-03-30 20:11:12','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3203,4,'2016-03-30 16:27:17','2016-03-30 20:27:17','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as  an agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-30 16:27:17','2016-03-30 20:27:17','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3202,4,'2016-03-30 16:21:24','2016-03-30 20:21:24','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as  an agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. <span class=\"pullquote\">Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?</span>\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-30 16:21:24','2016-03-30 20:21:24','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3205,4,'2016-03-30 16:33:40','2016-03-30 20:33:40','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as  an agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it.[bctt tweet=\" Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\"]\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. [epq-quote align=\"align-right\"][/epq-quote]Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-30 16:33:40','2016-03-30 20:33:40','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3206,4,'2016-03-31 09:00:13','2016-03-31 13:00:13','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as a communications agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter: </strong><a href=\"https://twitter.com/juliemmullen\" target=\"_blank\">@juliemmullen<strong>\r\n</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\"\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Do you agree with Julie that your livelihood in public relations depends on being able to write well? Share your thoughts in the comments. And be sure to check this space on the last Thursday of every month for more thoughts on writing.</span></strong>','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-31 09:00:13','2016-03-31 13:00:13','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3207,4,'2016-03-31 09:02:06','2016-03-31 13:02:06','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as a communications agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter: </strong><a href=\"https://twitter.com/juliemmullen\" target=\"_blank\">@juliemmullen<strong>\r\n</strong></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\"\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Do you agree with Julie that your livelihood in public relations depends on being able to write well? Share your thoughts in the comments. And be sure to check this space on the last Thursday of every month for more thoughts on writing.</span></strong>','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-31 09:02:06','2016-03-31 13:02:06','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3208,4,'2016-03-31 09:02:22','2016-03-31 13:02:22','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as a communications agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter: </strong><a href=\"https://twitter.com/juliemmullen\" target=\"_blank\">@juliemmullen<strong>\r\n</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\"\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like PR Daily or PRWeb.com. But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, AP Stylebook is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Do you agree with Julie that your livelihood in public relations depends on being able to write well? Share your thoughts in the comments. And be sure to check this space on the last Thursday of every month for more thoughts on writing.</span></strong>','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-31 09:02:22','2016-03-31 13:02:22','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3209,4,'2016-03-31 09:08:19','2016-03-31 13:08:19','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as a communications agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter: </strong><a href=\"https://twitter.com/juliemmullen\" target=\"_blank\">@juliemmullen<strong>\r\n</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\"\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like <a href=\"http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Home.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">PR Daily</a> or <a href=\"http://www.prweb.com/\" target=\"_blank\">PRWeb.com.</a> But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook</a> is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as THEIR/THEY’RE/THERE; AFFECT/EFFECT; THAN/THEN. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron and love.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Do you agree with Julie that your livelihood in public relations depends on being able to write well? Share your thoughts in the comments. And be sure to check this space on the last Thursday of every month for more thoughts on writing.</span></strong>','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-31 09:08:19','2016-03-31 13:08:19','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3210,4,'2016-03-31 09:13:18','2016-03-31 13:13:18','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as a communications agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter: </strong><a href=\"https://twitter.com/juliemmullen\" target=\"_blank\">@juliemmullen<strong>\r\n</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\"\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we event begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like <a href=\"http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Home.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">PR Daily</a> or <a href=\"http://www.prweb.com/\" target=\"_blank\">PRWeb.com.</a> But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook</a> is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as their/there/they\'re; affect/effect; than/then. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite word, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron, and love.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Do you agree with Julie that your livelihood in public relations depends on being able to write well? Share your thoughts in the comments. And be sure to check this space on the last Thursday of every month for more thoughts on writing.</span></strong>','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-31 09:13:18','2016-03-31 13:13:18','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3211,4,'2016-03-31 09:28:26','2016-03-31 13:28:26','This month, for the third edition of On Writing, I reached out to Julie Mullen, who has had a long and very effective career in public relations. Julie has not only worked in the trenches of the PR world, but now, as a communications agency owner, directs communications strategy, and hires and manages staff.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3193\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3193 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"buzz-agency-julie-mullen-image\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Julie Mullen Partner/Co-Founder The Buzz Agency[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Julie Mullen</strong> is co-founder and partner of one of South Florida’s largest communications firms, The Buzz Agency, based in Delray Beach. The firm specializes in public relations, social media, community outreach, and event management. A proud Air Force brat, Julie has lived in 10 states and one foreign country. Her PR career includes director-level positions in broadcast and print media, as well as in agency, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization:</strong> <a href=\"http://thebuzzagency.net/\" target=\"_blank\">The Buzz Agency</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter: </strong><a href=\"https://twitter.com/juliemmullen\" target=\"_blank\">@juliemmullen<strong>\r\n</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nAt this point in my career, I spend much more time editing than writing. I do enjoy giving \"track changes\" a hearty workout. Most of the writing I do currently is geared towards new business development (e.g., proposals, RFP’s). Is it important? Absolutely. Our livelihood depends on it. Who wants to hire a communications firm that can’t craft an interesting message? Or spell?\"\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many platforms our industry uses to create compelling messages. Press release writing is obviously much different than creating content for a Tweet. But regardless of <em>what</em> you are writing, it’s critical to know <em>how</em> tell the story in an effective way. Additionally, I will not even consider an applicant whose writing skills are sub-par. From their initial introductory email, to their resume, to their writing samples, and if we give them a writing project, we look at the compilation of it all before we even begin to take the next steps.  I don’t want recent college graduates mistaking their for they’re, for example.\r\n\r\n<strong> 3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nRead, read, read. If you’re a publicist, read content that is relevant to your client – newspapers, magazines, industry trades, etc. Get to know what kind of information those outlets require and what style of writing they tend to use, then format your written pitches, releases, presentations accordingly.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. </strong><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nAP Stylebook has always been my go-to source. I also use industry sources like <a href=\"http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Home.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">PR Daily</a> or <a href=\"http://www.prweb.com/\" target=\"_blank\">PRWeb.com.</a> But the best source I have is an editor I know, who, I believe, is the best in the business.\r\n\r\n<strong> 5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, <a href=\"https://www.apstylebook.com/\" target=\"_blank\">AP Stylebook</a> is like the Bible of proper grammar and punctuation for journalists, so if it’s good enough for them, it certainly is good enough for me!\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nImproper use of homophones, such as their/there/they\'re; affect/effect; than/then. It drives me NUTS!\r\n\r\n<strong> 7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy least favorite has to be any form of hyperbole, such as AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! MOUTH-WATERING! Wow, it’s hard to pick a favorite word, but contenders include serendipity, oxymoron, and love.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Do you agree with Julie that your livelihood in public relations depends on being able to write well? Share your thoughts in the comments. And be sure to check this space on the last Thursday of every month for more thoughts on writing.</span></strong>','On writing: Julie Mullen buzzes about PR ','','inherit','open','open','','3192-revision-v1','','','2016-03-31 09:28:26','2016-03-31 13:28:26','',3192,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/03/3192-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3213,4,'2016-04-07 13:38:08','2016-04-07 17:38:08','Going by the emails I receive, some companies think that I don’t do business with them solely because I can’t afford to.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/money-9-1238441-1279x850.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3215\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/money-9-1238441-1279x850-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"money-9-1238441-1279x850\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" /></a>Every few weeks, a yoga studio I used to attend until my favorite teacher left sends me a dollars-off promotion. Come back, they say, here’s an $8 discount.\r\n\r\nThen there’s the company that is always sending me discounts for handyman services.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd there’s a cosmetics company that sends emails telling me how I can get a free something or other with purchase (Only today! Only friends and family!).\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s not about money.</strong>\r\n\r\nNone of these companies has any idea why I am not a return customer. They’ve never asked me, but I\'ll tell you my reasons.\r\n\r\nI haven’t been back to the yoga studio because I don’t like the teacher that is currently teaching during the time slot that is convenient for me. Additionally, I hurt my shoulder and I can’t do yoga right now.\r\n\r\nI haven’t used the handyman company because I don’t have a current need. That’s not to say I won’t in the future, but there’s nothing (knocking on wood here) that needs fixing right now.\r\n\r\nThe cosmetics company just yesterday was offering me a free lash-extender mascara. I wear contact lenses and I never use mascaras that extend because it bothers my eyes, so even a free mascara is not an enticement.\r\n\r\n<strong>But at least they are tracking.</strong>\r\n\r\nTo their credit, these companies have noticed that I haven’t been a customer for a while and they want me back. But they err in thinking that doing business is simply about money.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing: Getting customers back is not as easy as offering a discount or a gift with purchase. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">You have to understand what motivates your customer</span>.\r\n\r\nThe decision to buy something or do business with a company is often about more than just price. There are other factors, both tangible (e.g., need, convenience, timing) and intangible (e.g., trust, satisfaction, appreciation) that affect whether you shop somewhere or buy a certain product.\r\n\r\n<strong>Sometimes, you have to ask.</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you’ve lost business or aren’t getting repeat business, you have to ask why. Don’t assume that everything can be fixed with a dollars-off promotion. Companies are collecting emails to do marketing or to send reminders. Well, they can also send a survey or even a personalized email.\r\n\r\nImagine how much more effective it would be if the yoga studio owner sent me an email saying she\'s noticed I haven\'t been there in several months and she\'d like to know if I am still living in town or doing yoga.\r\n\r\nHow do you track your clients or customers? How do you entice them to come back? Let me know what works for you in the comments.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','It’s not always about the money  (customer feedback part 1)','','publish','open','open','','its-not-always-about-the-money-customer-feedback-part-1','','','2016-04-13 09:34:00','2016-04-13 13:34:00','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3213',0,'post','',0),
(3214,4,'2016-04-07 09:44:29','2016-04-07 13:44:29','Going by the emails I receive, some companies think that I don’t do business with them solely because I can’t afford to.\r\n\r\nEvery few weeks, a yoga studio I used to attend until my favorite teacher left sends me a dollars-off promotion. Come back, they say, here’s an $8 discount.\r\n\r\nThen there’s the company that is always sending me discounts for handyman services.\r\n\r\nAnd there’s a cosmetics company that sends emails telling me how I can get a free something or other with purchase (Only today! Only friends and family!).\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s not about money.</strong>\r\n\r\nNone of these companies has any idea why I am not a return customer. They’ve never asked me, but let tell you my reasons.\r\n\r\nI haven’t been back to the yoga studio because I don’t like the teacher that is currently teaching the time slot that is convenient for me. Additionally, I hurt my shoulder and I can’t do yoga right now.\r\n\r\nI haven’t used the handyman company because I don’t have a current need. That’s not to say I won’t in the future, but there’s nothing (knocking on wood here) that needs fixing right now.\r\n\r\nThe cosmetics company just yesterday was offering me a free lash-extender mascara. I wear contact lenses and I never use mascaras that extend or volumize because it bothers my eyes, so even a free extender mascara is not an enticement.\r\n\r\n<strong>But at least they are tracking.</strong>\r\n\r\nTo their credit, these companies have noticed that I haven’t been a customer for a while and they want me back. But they err in thinking that doing business is simply a cash transaction.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing: Getting customers back is not as easy as offering a discount or a gift with purchase. You have to understand what motivates your customer.\r\n\r\nThe decision to buy something or do business with a company is often about more than just price. There are other factors, both tangible (e.g., need, convenience, timing) and intangible (e.g., trust, satisfaction, appreciation) that affect whether you shop somewhere or buy a certain product.\r\n\r\n<strong>Sometimes, you have to ask.</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you’ve lost business or aren’t getting repeat business, you have to ask why. Perhaps you send a survey. Or perhaps you do a market study. Don’t assume that everything can be fixed with a dollars-off promotion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','It’s not always about the money --customer feedback part 1','','inherit','open','open','','3213-revision-v1','','','2016-04-07 09:44:29','2016-04-07 13:44:29','',3213,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/3213-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3215,4,'2016-04-07 13:24:26','2016-04-07 17:24:26','','money-9-1238441-1279x850','','inherit','open','open','','money-9-1238441-1279x850','','','2016-04-07 13:24:26','2016-04-07 17:24:26','',3213,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/money-9-1238441-1279x850.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3216,4,'2016-04-07 13:36:02','2016-04-07 17:36:02','Going by the emails I receive, some companies think that I don’t do business with them solely because I can’t afford to.\r\n\r\nEvery few weeks, a yoga studio I used to attend until my favorite teacher left sends me a dollars-off promotion. Come back, they say, here’s an $8 discount.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/money-9-1238441-1279x850.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3215\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/money-9-1238441-1279x850-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"money-9-1238441-1279x850\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThen there’s the company that is always sending me discounts for handyman services.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd there’s a cosmetics company that sends emails telling me how I can get a free something or other with purchase (Only today! Only friends and family!).\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s not about money.</strong>\r\n\r\nNone of these companies has any idea why I am not a return customer. They’ve never asked me, but I\'ll tell you my reasons.\r\n\r\nI haven’t been back to the yoga studio because I don’t like the teacher that is currently teaching during the time slot that is convenient for me. Additionally, I hurt my shoulder and I can’t do yoga right now.\r\n\r\nI haven’t used the handyman company because I don’t have a current need. That’s not to say I won’t in the future, but there’s nothing (knocking on wood here) that needs fixing right now.\r\n\r\nThe cosmetics company just yesterday was offering me a free lash-extender mascara. I wear contact lenses and I never use mascaras that extend because it bothers my eyes, so even a free mascara is not an enticement.\r\n\r\n<strong>But at least they are tracking.</strong>\r\n\r\nTo their credit, these companies have noticed that I haven’t been a customer for a while and they want me back. But they err in thinking that doing business is simply about money.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing: Getting customers back is not as easy as offering a discount or a gift with purchase. You have to understand what motivates your customer.\r\n\r\nThe decision to buy something or do business with a company is often about more than just price. There are other factors, both tangible (e.g., need, convenience, timing) and intangible (e.g., trust, satisfaction, appreciation) that affect whether you shop somewhere or buy a certain product.\r\n\r\n<strong>Sometimes, you have to ask.</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you’ve lost business or aren’t getting repeat business, you have to ask why. Don’t assume that everything can be fixed with a dollars-off promotion. Companies are collecting emails to do marketing or to send reminders. Well, they can also send a survey or even a personalized email.\r\n\r\nImagine how much more effective it would be if the yoga studio owner sent me an email saying she\'s noticed I haven\'t been there in several months and she\'d like to know if I am still living in town or doing yoga.\r\n\r\nHow do you track your clients or customers? How do you entice them to come back?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','It’s not always about the money --customer feedback part 1','','inherit','open','open','','3213-revision-v1','','','2016-04-07 13:36:02','2016-04-07 17:36:02','',3213,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/3213-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3217,4,'2016-04-07 13:37:00','2016-04-07 17:37:00','Going by the emails I receive, some companies think that I don’t do business with them solely because I can’t afford to.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/money-9-1238441-1279x850.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3215\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/money-9-1238441-1279x850-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"money-9-1238441-1279x850\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" /></a>Every few weeks, a yoga studio I used to attend until my favorite teacher left sends me a dollars-off promotion. Come back, they say, here’s an $8 discount.\r\n\r\nThen there’s the company that is always sending me discounts for handyman services.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd there’s a cosmetics company that sends emails telling me how I can get a free something or other with purchase (Only today! Only friends and family!).\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s not about money.</strong>\r\n\r\nNone of these companies has any idea why I am not a return customer. They’ve never asked me, but I\'ll tell you my reasons.\r\n\r\nI haven’t been back to the yoga studio because I don’t like the teacher that is currently teaching during the time slot that is convenient for me. Additionally, I hurt my shoulder and I can’t do yoga right now.\r\n\r\nI haven’t used the handyman company because I don’t have a current need. That’s not to say I won’t in the future, but there’s nothing (knocking on wood here) that needs fixing right now.\r\n\r\nThe cosmetics company just yesterday was offering me a free lash-extender mascara. I wear contact lenses and I never use mascaras that extend because it bothers my eyes, so even a free mascara is not an enticement.\r\n\r\n<strong>But at least they are tracking.</strong>\r\n\r\nTo their credit, these companies have noticed that I haven’t been a customer for a while and they want me back. But they err in thinking that doing business is simply about money.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing: Getting customers back is not as easy as offering a discount or a gift with purchase. You have to understand what motivates your customer.\r\n\r\nThe decision to buy something or do business with a company is often about more than just price. There are other factors, both tangible (e.g., need, convenience, timing) and intangible (e.g., trust, satisfaction, appreciation) that affect whether you shop somewhere or buy a certain product.\r\n\r\n<strong>Sometimes, you have to ask.</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you’ve lost business or aren’t getting repeat business, you have to ask why. Don’t assume that everything can be fixed with a dollars-off promotion. Companies are collecting emails to do marketing or to send reminders. Well, they can also send a survey or even a personalized email.\r\n\r\nImagine how much more effective it would be if the yoga studio owner sent me an email saying she\'s noticed I haven\'t been there in several months and she\'d like to know if I am still living in town or doing yoga.\r\n\r\nHow do you track your clients or customers? How do you entice them to come back?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','It’s not always about the money --customer feedback part 1','','inherit','open','open','','3213-revision-v1','','','2016-04-07 13:37:00','2016-04-07 17:37:00','',3213,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/3213-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3218,4,'2016-04-07 13:38:08','2016-04-07 17:38:08','Going by the emails I receive, some companies think that I don’t do business with them solely because I can’t afford to.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/money-9-1238441-1279x850.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3215\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/money-9-1238441-1279x850-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"money-9-1238441-1279x850\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" /></a>Every few weeks, a yoga studio I used to attend until my favorite teacher left sends me a dollars-off promotion. Come back, they say, here’s an $8 discount.\r\n\r\nThen there’s the company that is always sending me discounts for handyman services.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd there’s a cosmetics company that sends emails telling me how I can get a free something or other with purchase (Only today! Only friends and family!).\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s not about money.</strong>\r\n\r\nNone of these companies has any idea why I am not a return customer. They’ve never asked me, but I\'ll tell you my reasons.\r\n\r\nI haven’t been back to the yoga studio because I don’t like the teacher that is currently teaching during the time slot that is convenient for me. Additionally, I hurt my shoulder and I can’t do yoga right now.\r\n\r\nI haven’t used the handyman company because I don’t have a current need. That’s not to say I won’t in the future, but there’s nothing (knocking on wood here) that needs fixing right now.\r\n\r\nThe cosmetics company just yesterday was offering me a free lash-extender mascara. I wear contact lenses and I never use mascaras that extend because it bothers my eyes, so even a free mascara is not an enticement.\r\n\r\n<strong>But at least they are tracking.</strong>\r\n\r\nTo their credit, these companies have noticed that I haven’t been a customer for a while and they want me back. But they err in thinking that doing business is simply about money.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing: Getting customers back is not as easy as offering a discount or a gift with purchase. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">You have to understand what motivates your customer</span>.\r\n\r\nThe decision to buy something or do business with a company is often about more than just price. There are other factors, both tangible (e.g., need, convenience, timing) and intangible (e.g., trust, satisfaction, appreciation) that affect whether you shop somewhere or buy a certain product.\r\n\r\n<strong>Sometimes, you have to ask.</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you’ve lost business or aren’t getting repeat business, you have to ask why. Don’t assume that everything can be fixed with a dollars-off promotion. Companies are collecting emails to do marketing or to send reminders. Well, they can also send a survey or even a personalized email.\r\n\r\nImagine how much more effective it would be if the yoga studio owner sent me an email saying she\'s noticed I haven\'t been there in several months and she\'d like to know if I am still living in town or doing yoga.\r\n\r\nHow do you track your clients or customers? How do you entice them to come back? Let me know what works for you in the comments.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','It’s not always about the money --customer feedback part 1','','inherit','open','open','','3213-revision-v1','','','2016-04-07 13:38:08','2016-04-07 17:38:08','',3213,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/3213-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3220,4,'2016-04-13 09:39:36','2016-04-13 13:39:36','Is asking for feedback the same as asking for a review? Nope. Not even close.\r\n\r\nThere’s a huge difference between feedback and reviews: First of all, each targets a different audience. And second, each serves a different purpose.\r\n\r\n<strong>Feedback is about you (service/product/offering)</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you ask for feedback, you want to know what works and what doesn’t, (presumably) in order to improve the offering. Do you want to know what customers/supporters really think about you? Then ask for feedback.\r\n\r\n<strong>Reviews are about your customers/supporters (potential and current)</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you ask for reviews, you are asking customers to <em>share </em>their thoughts, both good and bad, about your product or service <em>with other customers</em>.\r\n\r\nMany organizations make the mistake of asking for a review when what they want is feedback and some ask for feedback when all they want is a review.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3221\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640-300x150.jpg\" alt=\"five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>You need both, but for different reasons</strong>\r\n\r\nOrganizations should try to get both feedback and reviews from their customers, but not at the same time or using the same method.\r\n\r\nFeedback benefits the organization, because it provides honest insights meant to correct any issues.\r\n\r\nReviews are important too. They help with SEO, they can entice new customers, and they add credibility. Of course, not all reviews are positive, but negative reviews can serve as a red flag to businesses.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you want feedback or just an inflated review?</strong>\r\n\r\nI am taking a course on Udemy (an online “school”). The course is super long, and I am almost finished with it. About half-way through, Udemy asked me to rate the course. I rated it three stars out of five, mainly because the course is too long, repetitive and somewhat disorganized.\r\n\r\nAnd then I got this email from the course’s instructor (in full below, except I removed the instructor’s name):\r\n<blockquote>Hey Deborah,\r\n\r\nThank you for enrolling in my course.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI noticed you left a 3 star review. Was there something specifically wrong with the course that I can help you with? If the course simply isn\'t for you, I can surely help you get a refund.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTeaching on Udemy is part of my livelihood, and as you can see from the thoroughness of the course, I put a huge amount of effort into making it as useful as possible. I know the course could get boring from time to time, but I tried my best to be as thorough as possible for the beginner.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nUdemy reacts very negatively toward 3 star reviews, and it tells them not to give my course as much visibility. It also hurts my livelihood generated from course sales.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you can modify your review, that would be very much appreciated and it will go a long way toward helping me continue to teach on Udemy.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOnce again, please let me know what was wrong with the course, and if you need me to get a refund processed for you, please let me know.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThank you very much for your consideration,</blockquote>\r\nBasically, the Udemy instructor wants me to give him a five-star review, <em>because it benefits him</em>, not because it benefits his potential customers.  By the way, in my book, a three-star review is not negative, but fair/middling.\r\n\r\nIt occurs to me that if reviewers are pressured to change their reviews, and provide glowing reviews for something that is not five-star worthy, it can create problems down the road. Say this instructor gets all five-star reviews for a non-five-star course. People sign up based on those reviews and they are then disappointed because the course does not live up to the reviews. In turn, they provide not-so-glowing reviews. The instructor contacts them and offers to negotiate a refund, like he did for me. In the end, he will make less money.\r\n\r\nIf instead, the instructor asked for specific feedback and disassociated it from the review or from the money I paid for the course, I would provide a critique. And if he were interested in actually improving his course rather than just improving the reviews, he would weigh it carefully and maybe consider incorporating my feedback.\r\n\r\n<strong>So, ask for both</strong>\r\n\r\nBusinesses and organizations who want to improve, should always ask for <em>private, anonymous</em> feedback.\r\n\r\nBusinesses who want to build up credibility and SEO should ask for reviews. However, businesses need to be prepared for negative comments, and they need to have a way to deal with them.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">What are your thoughts? Do you use reviews and feedback interchangeably? Do you solicit either feedback or reviews or both? How do you do it? Let me know in the comments.</span>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Feedback is not a synonym for review (customer feedback part 2)','','publish','open','open','','feedback-is-not-a-synonym-for-review-customer-feedback-part-2','','','2016-04-13 09:39:36','2016-04-13 13:39:36','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3220',0,'post','',1),
(3221,4,'2016-04-13 09:30:35','2016-04-13 13:30:35','','five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640','','inherit','open','open','','five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640','','','2016-04-13 09:30:35','2016-04-13 13:30:35','',3220,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3222,4,'2016-04-13 09:32:27','2016-04-13 13:32:27','<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"></span>Is asking for feedback the same as asking for a review? Nope. Not even close.\r\n\r\nThere’s a huge difference between feedback and reviews: First of all, each targets a different audience. And second, each serves a different purpose.\r\n\r\n<strong>Feedback is about you (service/product/offering)</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you ask for feedback, you want to know what works and what doesn’t, (presumably) in order to improve the offering. Do you want to know what customers/supporters really think about you? Then ask for feedback.\r\n\r\n<strong>Reviews are about your customers/supporters (potential and current)</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you ask for reviews, you are asking customers to <em>share </em>their thoughts, both good and bad, about your product or service <em>with other customers</em>.\r\n\r\nMany organizations make the mistake of asking for a review when what they want is feedback and some ask for feedback when all they want is a review.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3221\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640-300x150.jpg\" alt=\"five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>You need both, but for different reasons</strong>\r\n\r\nOrganizations should try to get both feedback and reviews from their customers, but not at the same time or using the same method.\r\n\r\nFeedback benefits the organization, because it provides honest insights meant to correct any issues.\r\n\r\nReviews are important too. They help with SEO, they can entice new customers, and they add credibility. Of course, not all reviews are positive, but negative reviews can serve as a red flag to businesses.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you want feedback or just an inflated review?</strong>\r\n\r\nI am taking a course on Udemy (an online “school”). The course is super long, and I am almost finished with it. About half-way through, Udemy asked me to rate the course. I rated it three stars out of five, mainly because the course is too long, repetitive and somewhat disorganized.\r\n\r\nAnd then I got this email from the course’s instructor (in full below, except I removed the instructor’s name):\r\n<blockquote>Hey Deborah,\r\n\r\nThank you for enrolling in my course.\r\n\r\nI noticed you left a 3 star review. Was there something specifically wrong with the course that I can help you with? If the course simply isn\'t for you, I can surely help you get a refund.\r\n\r\nTeaching on Udemy is part of my livelihood, and as you can see from the thoroughness of the course, I put a huge amount of effort into making it as useful as possible. I know the course could get boring from time to time, but I tried my best to be as thorough as possible for the beginner.\r\n\r\nUdemy reacts very negatively toward 3 star reviews, and it tells them not to give my course as much visibility. It also hurts my livelihood generated from course sales.\r\n\r\nIf you can modify your review, that would be very much appreciated and it will go a long way toward helping me continue to teach on Udemy.\r\n\r\nOnce again, please let me know what was wrong with the course, and if you need me to get a refund processed for you, please let me know.\r\n\r\nThank you very much for your consideration,</blockquote>\r\nBasically, the Udemy instructor wants me to give him a five-star review, <em>because it benefits him</em>, not because it benefits his potential customers.  By the way, in my book, a three-star review is not negative, but fair/middling.\r\n\r\nIt occurs to me that if reviewers are pressured to change their reviews, and provide glowing reviews for something that is not all that, it can create problems down the road. Say this instructor gets all five-star reviews for a non-five-star course. People sign up based on those reviews and they are disappointed. They provide lesser reviews. The instructor contacts them and offers to negotiate a refund, like he did for me. In the end, he will make less money.\r\n\r\nIf instead, he asked for feedback and disassociated it from the review or from the money I paid for the course, I would provide the feedback. And if he were interested in actually improving his course rather than just improving the reviews, he would weigh it carefully and maybe consider incorporating my feedback.\r\n\r\n<strong>So, ask for both</strong>\r\n\r\nBusinesses and organizations who want to improve, should always ask for <em>private, anonymous</em> feedback.\r\n\r\nBusinesses who want to build up credibility and SEO should ask for reviews. However, businesses need to be prepared for negative comments, and they need to have a way to deal with them.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">What are your thoughts? Do you use reviews and feedback interchangeably? Do you solicit either feedback or reviews or both? How do you do it? Let me know in the comments.</span>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Feedback is not a synonym for review (customer feedback part 2)','','inherit','open','open','','3220-revision-v1','','','2016-04-13 09:32:27','2016-04-13 13:32:27','',3220,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/3220-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
