(293,4,'2009-03-01 09:55:16','2009-03-01 14:55:16','We\'ve spoken about it before on this blog, and the bad news for newspapers continues to come in.  As you probably know, the <em>Rocky Mountain News</em>, Colorado\'s oldest newspaper, ceased publication as of Friday (Feb. 27). Add to that, the continual bad news concerning all print media, and you know that the outlook for newspapers in particular, and print media in general, is not good.  The reasons boil down to: 1) fewer advertisers/less ad dollars; 2) the Internet and 3) the environment (and perhaps not in that order).  We\'ve seen the print news industry has been battered by reductions in advertising, and also, in reductions in people buying the print edition since they can get most content for free online. And some people are not buying paper because of the environmental consequences. So there you have it-- we know the reasons why print media is going to be gone sooner rather than later.  But how will we get our news if there are no newspapers?\n\nIn today\'s <em>Washington Pos</em>t there are two articles I\'d like to bring to your attention. <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Newspapers\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/28/AR2009022801964.html\" target=\"_blank\">In one,</a> Howard Kurtz, the Post\'s media commentator, discusses this phenomenon in detail. And <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Marc  Fisher\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/28/AR2009022801964.html\" target=\"_blank\">another</a>, by Marc Fisher, has to do with the lack of reporters covering Washington news. Indeed, this is the problem. If there are no newspapers, there are no reporters. With no reporters, there is no news.\n\nOf course,  part of the answer is adaptation. Newspapers will have to figure out a revenue stream from the online versions of their products and they will have to adapt what was essential reporting for print to reporting for the Internet age.  However, the issue of advertising and paying for content will be just as relevant for the online versions of newspapers. If advertisers are cutting back, they are cutting back across the board. And if people are watching their pennies, they will also not pay for content.\n\nWell, time will tell. In the meantime, I will continue to read my print newspaper as long as it continues to exist. And I will also read it and other newspapers online (after all, I am a news junkie). What will you do?\n\n[polldaddy poll=1413884]\n\n\n\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa100m05.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/03/01/the-death-of-newspapersthe-death-of-newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa101m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F01%2Fthe-death-of-newspapersthe-death-of-newspapers&amp;title=The%20death%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa102m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F01%2Fthe-death-of-newspapersthe-death-of-newspapers&amp;title=The%20death%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa103m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F01%2Fthe-death-of-newspapersthe-death-of-newspapers&amp;title=The%20death%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa104m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F01%2Fthe-death-of-newspapersthe-death-of-newspapers&amp;title=The%20death%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa105m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F01%2Fthe-death-of-newspapersthe-death-of-newspapers&amp;Title=The%20death%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa106m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F01%2Fthe-death-of-newspapersthe-death-of-newspapers&amp;title=The%20death%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa107m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F01%2Fthe-death-of-newspapersthe-death-of-newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa108m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F01%2Fthe-death-of-newspapersthe-death-of-newspapers&amp;t=The%20death%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa109m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F01%2Fthe-death-of-newspapersthe-death-of-newspapers&amp;h=The%20death%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa110m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa111m05.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','The death of newspapers','','publish','open','open','','the-death-of-newspapers','','','2009-03-01 09:55:16','2009-03-01 14:55:16','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=293',0,'post','',0),
(297,4,'2009-03-03 16:28:15','2009-03-03 21:28:15','Print ads need to work hard for you. They must grab your attention and then they must tell you something interesting. Lastly, they should motivate action. Generally speaking, this is the AIDA model (attention, interest, desire, action).  It is not always easy to do all this within the constraints of a small space. If you are a small business, chances are you can\'t afford a full page, or even a half page. So you have to pack it in to small ads. The smaller the ad the more you have to think about what you write.\n\nI came across an ad for a ballet studio in a local women\'s magazine.  The headline says: \"4 Week Introductory Sessions $30.\"  That left me thinking--does this mean  four  weeks for $30? How many classes per week? Does the introductory session last four weeks? Already not clear.\n\nThe body copy goes like this:\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"color:#888888;\">Teen &amp; Adult Classes</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"color:#888888;\">Jazz,Ballet, Pilates, Zumba, Musical Theater</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"color:#888888;\">Just for you!This wonderful program will ignite your passion for dance and exercise. Our extraordinary teachers will guide you every step of the way with a specialized curriculum in our lovely studios. Join us in class! (Telephone number and email address follow).</span></p>\n\nOK. What is missing here? LOCATION! From the phone, I know it is located in Maryland, but that could be anywhere in a 30-mile radius. No website either--I can figure it out from the email. Basically, missing key details.\n\nWhat about the copy? Well, its like someone looked up adjectives and strung them all together in a sentence: wonderful, extraordinary, lovely, specialized.  Those meaningless (and overused) words take up valuable real estate. Also,  the copy refers to a (single) program, yet they tell me they offer at least five different types of classes.\n\nMy conclusion is that this ad does not work.  If you are a small business, and you are going to spend money on advertising, think about what you want to accomplish. Of course, a professional can help you with this, but using some common sense is always helpful.\n\n<strong>UPDATE:  I checked out the studio\'s website,  and it turns out they have multiple locations. However, the website was not updated to reflect the aforementioned classes. If you are going to start running advertising, you better have information to back it up. Don\'t make potential customers work so hard to find out!!!!</strong>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa100m01.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/03/03/its-all-in-the-details\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa101m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F03%2Fits-all-in-the-details&amp;title=It\'s%20all%20in%20the%20details\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa102m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F03%2Fits-all-in-the-details&amp;title=It\'s%20all%20in%20the%20details\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa103m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F03%2Fits-all-in-the-details&amp;title=It\'s%20all%20in%20the%20details\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa104m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F03%2Fits-all-in-the-details&amp;title=It\'s%20all%20in%20the%20details\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa105m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F03%2Fits-all-in-the-details&amp;Title=It\'s%20all%20in%20the%20details\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa106m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F03%2Fits-all-in-the-details&amp;title=It\'s%20all%20in%20the%20details\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa107m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F03%2Fits-all-in-the-details\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa108m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F03%2Fits-all-in-the-details&amp;t=It\'s%20all%20in%20the%20details\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa109m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F03%2Fits-all-in-the-details&amp;h=It\'s%20all%20in%20the%20details\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa110m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa111m01.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','It\'s all in the details','','publish','open','open','','its-all-in-the-details','','','2009-03-03 16:28:15','2009-03-03 21:28:15','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=297',0,'post','',0),
(303,4,'2009-03-04 19:02:08','2009-03-05 00:02:08','<p style=\"text-align:justify;\">I love this! Check out the <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"National Grammar Day\" href=\"http://nationalgrammarday.com/\" target=\"_blank\">National Grammar Day</a> website.  I especially like the Top Ten Grammar Tips. CRUCIAL reading for anyone who writes for a living (or just writes).</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify;\">Thanks to <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Inkthinker\" href=\"http://inkthinkerblog.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Kristen King</a> for tweeting and blogging about this.</p>\n\n<a class=\"a2a_dd\" href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkname=Happy%20Grammar%20Day!&amp;linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F04%2Fhappy-grammar-dayhappy-grammar-day%2F\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_171_16.png\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Share/Save/Bookmark\" width=\"171\" height=\"16\" /></a>','Happy Grammar Day!','','publish','open','open','','happy-grammar-day','','','2009-03-04 19:02:08','2009-03-05 00:02:08','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=303',0,'post','',0),
(306,4,'2009-03-05 15:59:28','2009-03-05 20:59:28','As I was driving up Wisconsin Avenue,  fairly congested and busy road here in Bethesda, I saw those yellow signs plastered in the windows of two stores: Store Closing! Going Out of Business! Everything Must Go! It got me thinking about what message that sends us. On the one hand, the bargain hunter in us always goes into alert mode when we see those blaring signs. Perhaps we can get a great deal. And that is the main reason those signs go up, and are so prominent. But, if we are not shopping say, for Oriental rugs, then what do we think when we see those signs? I, for one, see them as the tangible signs of the economic recession. And I think that it adds to the burdens of the troubling economic news we see every day.  It adds to the perception that business is buckling completely under the strain of the economic downturn.  It also makes you feel it is everywhere. Another bad sign (sorry for the inevitable play on words) is all the For Lease signs in now empty store windows. Restaurants and retailers are closing their doors and all the landlords can do is post signs. But if you see too many For Lease signs on one block or area, what do you think?\n\nWhat do you think about this? Should businesses blare that they are closing?\n\n<strong>Update:  On Reuters I found a story on what a town in England is doing about empty shop windows: displaying art. I tried to link here but could not. </strong>','Everything Must Go!','','publish','open','open','','everything-must-go','','','2009-03-05 15:59:28','2009-03-05 20:59:28','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=306',0,'post','',0),
(308,4,'2009-03-06 09:12:46','2009-03-06 14:12:46','Two separate items caught my attention this morning on Yahoo! News.\n\nFirst, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer may become an online-only newspaper. Its owner, Hearst, has been unable to find a buyer and had threatened to close  down the paper completely. Read the story <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Seattle PI\" href=\"http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090306/ap_on_hi_te/seattle_p_i_online\" target=\"_blank\">here.</a>\n\nThe second item has to do with President Obama. Apparently, he NEVER gives any speech, to large or small audiences, without using a teleprompter.  According to<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Teleprompter\" href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090305/pl_politico/19663\" target=\"_blank\">the article  (found on Yahoo! but originally from Politico.com)</a>, he wanted to wean himself off this habit during the campaign, but when he has given a speech without the help of  visual aids, he has stumbled. His aides say it is especially important during this time to not mess up.  I find it interesting that everyone compliments Obama\'s oratory, but the truth is he only gives good speeches when he can read them (they are canned). He has shown what happens when he ad-libs:  he screws up. A few weeks ago I wrote about him speaking off the cuff, and now I know he truly has a problem being casual.\n\nSo, the moral of these stories is simple. The future of print is online and it is important to stay on message.','Going online and staying on message','','publish','open','open','','going-online-and-staying-on-message','','','2009-03-06 09:12:46','2009-03-06 14:12:46','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=308',0,'post','',0),
(316,4,'2009-03-10 11:09:22','2009-03-10 16:09:22','You\'ve probably seen or heard some words or phrases  in ads/commercials  so much that they have become meaningless. They do nothing to bring you in or tell you anything about the product or service.  Yet, you will continue seeing and hearing  them. Why? Because copywriters and in certain cases the advertising manager is enamored of the word or words and can\'t think of others.\n\nAt the top of my list of most overused words in advertising (and thus most meaningless) is the word <strong>unique</strong>.  You\'ve heard things  like \"a unique product,\" \"unique way,\" etc. BTW, this is also overused in PR.  Very few things in this world are unique, and then ad folk decide that some things are not only unique, but truly unique. Truly? (as opposed to fakely?).  Other words/phrases  that are overused as to become meaningless are:  special, best, time of your life, out of the box, outside the lines, and so on.\n\nIf you find yourself about to use an overused phrase, think to yourself, is this a cliche? What other thing can be highlighted about my product? What is its USP--and that can\'t be that it is unique, but what MAKES it unique. No, it is not easy, and that is why we see these words and phrases used over and over. But if you want your materials to communicate the essence of what you are trying to sell, then you will benefit from being unique in avoiding this word.\n\nWhat are your most overused words?\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m03.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/overuse-syndromeoveruse-syndrome/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F10%2Foveruse-syndromeoveruse-syndrome%2F&amp;title=Overuse%20syndrome\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F10%2Foveruse-syndromeoveruse-syndrome%2F&amp;title=Overuse%20syndrome\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F10%2Foveruse-syndromeoveruse-syndrome%2F&amp;title=Overuse%20syndrome\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F10%2Foveruse-syndromeoveruse-syndrome%2F&amp;title=Overuse%20syndrome\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F10%2Foveruse-syndromeoveruse-syndrome%2F&amp;Title=Overuse%20syndrome\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F10%2Foveruse-syndromeoveruse-syndrome%2F&amp;title=Overuse%20syndrome\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F10%2Foveruse-syndromeoveruse-syndrome%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F10%2Foveruse-syndromeoveruse-syndrome%2F&amp;t=Overuse%20syndrome\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F10%2Foveruse-syndromeoveruse-syndrome%2F&amp;h=Overuse%20syndrome\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m03.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','Overuse syndrome','','publish','open','open','','overuse-syndrome','','','2009-03-10 11:09:22','2009-03-10 16:09:22','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=316',0,'post','',0),
(320,4,'2009-03-13 07:57:58','2009-03-13 12:57:58','The bad news for print continues to pour in. New <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Pew\" href=\"http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1147/newspapers-struggle-public-not-concerned\" target=\"_blank\">research from Pew </a>indicates that many Americans do not consider having a local newspaper important.  It is as if management knows this. McClatchy, the owner of the M<em>iami Herald </em>and other newspapers, just announced personnel cuts this week. The bottom line is that newspapers are hurting and many people don\'t care. Why? Because many people get their news online or from TV.\n\nRecently, I read how a PR guy was lamenting the downfall of trade publications. I read this on his BLOG. He, like many PR folk, schooled in the \"old\" days, learned that to do media relations you reached out to print journalists.  A nice, print piece in a trade magazine was truly a prize for the client. I also learned to do PR this way. And nothing was more exciting than seeing your client\'s name in the newspaper, especially on the front page. But the reality has shifted. More and more, the news is being reported on and broken online. Many people do not read the newspaper, and during the day, certainly do not watch TV. What these people do however, is access the Internet. Many offices allow unlimited Internet access, and certain folk, do their work ON the Internet.  In any case, it is time for PR people, and advertising people, and in fact, all communications people, to accept this reality.\n\nInstead of lamenting that blogs now are main sources of  information, and that no one is reading trade publications, you must ADAPT to the new realities. Of course, newspapers are not quite dead yet, but teach yourself how to use the online world. Here are a few suggestions:\n\n1) Are there<strong> influential blogs</strong> in your area of expertise? Find out and follow. Not every blog is created equal. The PR guy I mentioned before made the blanket statement that blogs are unreliable. How wrong he is.  Very few people would call The Huffington Post or Politico or the Daily Beast unreliable. Yes, they contain opinion, but it is LEADING opinion.\n\n2) <strong>Learn where your potential clients/customers/target audience goes to get their news AND entertainment.</strong> After all, the Web is not just about information. Lots of people play games on the Internet, listen to music and find out about their hobbies.\n\n3) Enhance your <strong>web writing skills</strong>. Writing for the web is not the same as writing for print. You have to be more concise. You have to be more choppy. People read differently online than in print.\n\n4) <strong>Explore multimedia.</strong> People are more visual on the web. And the web allows for video/audio in addition to text.\n\nIn sum, stay ahead of the game. Nothing is to be gained from wringing our hands and lamenting the end of print. Instead, find new opportunities. I am sure in the late 1940s, PR people everywhere were concerned about the box in everyone\'s livingroom. By now, most PR agencies are experts at B-roll and media training. Right?\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m04.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/time-to-sharpe…-online-skillstime-to-sharpen-your-online-skills\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F13%2Ftime-to-sharpe…-online-skillstime-to-sharpen-your-online-skills&amp;title=Time%20to%20sharpen%20your%20online%20skills\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F13%2Ftime-to-sharpe…-online-skillstime-to-sharpen-your-online-skills&amp;title=Time%20to%20sharpen%20your%20online%20skills\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F13%2Ftime-to-sharpe…-online-skillstime-to-sharpen-your-online-skills&amp;title=Time%20to%20sharpen%20your%20online%20skills\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F13%2Ftime-to-sharpe…-online-skillstime-to-sharpen-your-online-skills&amp;title=Time%20to%20sharpen%20your%20online%20skills\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F13%2Ftime-to-sharpe…-online-skillstime-to-sharpen-your-online-skills&amp;Title=Time%20to%20sharpen%20your%20online%20skills\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F13%2Ftime-to-sharpe…-online-skillstime-to-sharpen-your-online-skills&amp;title=Time%20to%20sharpen%20your%20online%20skills\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F13%2Ftime-to-sharpe…-online-skillstime-to-sharpen-your-online-skills\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F13%2Ftime-to-sharpe…-online-skillstime-to-sharpen-your-online-skills&amp;t=Time%20to%20sharpen%20your%20online%20skills\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F13%2Ftime-to-sharpe…-online-skillstime-to-sharpen-your-online-skills&amp;h=Time%20to%20sharpen%20your%20online%20skills\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m04.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','Time to sharpen your online skills','','publish','open','open','','time-to-sharpen-your-online-skills','','','2009-03-13 07:57:58','2009-03-13 12:57:58','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=320',0,'post','',0),
(330,4,'2009-03-17 16:25:06','2009-03-17 21:25:06','Well folks, Facebook has done it again. It has irritated its legions of users by changing its layout. Apparently the folks at Facebook are not too savvy when it comes to public perception. If this was the first time, then we could let it pass. After all, Matt Zuckerberg is all of 12 years old or something such. But this is the upteenth time the company does something that alienates its core public, and thus creates NEGATIVE publicity for itself. Case in point, read this<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Facebook redesign\" href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-willman/facebooks-lousy-facelift_b_175358.html\" target=\"_blank\"> blog entry</a> in the Huffington Post.  Facebook has been down this road before. And it doesn\'t learn. I really wonder if Facebook understands anything at all about public relations. I don\'t expect Zuckerberg to understand, but he should know enough to hire somebody that can provide him with communications counsel. If the company keeps doing stuff like this, it will become the Tylenol Poisoning example for the next generation (you know, how Tylenol dealt with crisis back in the 80s when someone tampered with its products...).  This is not a crisis, per se, but it creates ill will. Some people will use Facebook less, and that translates into fewer eyeballs for its one major source of revenue, the ads. And do I have to spell out what less revenue means? If so, let me introduce you to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, now online only.\n\nIt is ironic in the nth degree that Facebook is an online meeting place for friends. Friends like each other, generally speaking, and I am not liking Facebook right now.\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m02.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/how-not-to-make-friendshow-not-to-make-friends/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2Fhow-not-to-make-friendshow-not-to-make-friends%2F&amp;title=How%20Not%20to%20Make%20Friends\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2Fhow-not-to-make-friendshow-not-to-make-friends%2F&amp;title=How%20Not%20to%20Make%20Friends\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2Fhow-not-to-make-friendshow-not-to-make-friends%2F&amp;title=How%20Not%20to%20Make%20Friends\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2Fhow-not-to-make-friendshow-not-to-make-friends%2F&amp;title=How%20Not%20to%20Make%20Friends\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2Fhow-not-to-make-friendshow-not-to-make-friends%2F&amp;Title=How%20Not%20to%20Make%20Friends\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2Fhow-not-to-make-friendshow-not-to-make-friends%2F&amp;title=How%20Not%20to%20Make%20Friends\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2Fhow-not-to-make-friendshow-not-to-make-friends%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2Fhow-not-to-make-friendshow-not-to-make-friends%2F&amp;t=How%20Not%20to%20Make%20Friends\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F17%2Fhow-not-to-make-friendshow-not-to-make-friends%2F&amp;h=How%20Not%20to%20Make%20Friends\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m02.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','How Not to Make Friends','','publish','open','open','','how-not-to-make-friends','','','2009-03-17 16:25:06','2009-03-17 21:25:06','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=330',0,'post','',0),
(334,4,'2009-03-18 09:29:44','2009-03-18 14:29:44','In today\'s <em>Washington Post</em>, <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"AIG\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/17/AR2009031703022.html?hpid=topnews&amp;sid=ST2009031703578\" target=\"_blank\">Steven Pearlstein writes </a>about Wall Street executives (more specifically AIG executives) who are so blind to public perception that they keep stumbling and looking worse.  In case you have been avoiding the news, AIG gave some of its top executives millions of dollars in bonuses, while on the receiving end of government/taxpayer money. Nobody but AIG is happy about this. Currently and mostly due to the economic crisis, there is a tremendous amount of populist rage and ill will toward Wall Street and \"fat cats\" such as Bernie Madoff, who seem to be living the high life while many people are down in the dumps.\n\nYesterday I wrote about the Facebook redesign and many others have been writing/complaining across the blogosphere and in real life.\n\nWhat do AIG and Facebook have in common? Not understanding how they are perceived and that perception matters. Both companies have proceeded with business as usual without so much a look in the rear view mirror. Perception is currency, in the most real, dollar sense, which is why the practice of public relations exists. Companies hire PR agencies to help them manage and in most cases improve the public perception of them.\n\nSometimes, as in the case of Facebook, there seems to be a complete disregard for how core audiences will react to news and changes. There are simple ways to prevent this: testing in the form of focus groups or surveys or even simple conversations with current users.  It\'s about getting outside the bubble. Come to think of it, don\'t bubbles always burst? Soap bubbles, housing bubbles, tech bubbles to name a few.\n\nIn the case of AIG, it has much to do with Wall Street culture, in which greed is good (as the movie Wall Street pointed out) and money is king. The more money, the better.  After all, Wall Street is not some nonprofit organization with some altruistic purpose in mind. The whole raison d\'etre for it is to make money. So it stands to reason that the only thing AIG execs understand is money. Something soft and unmeasurable like public anger is a small price to pay. Except when it isn\'t. I think the fat cat era may be nearing its end (at least until the next bubble forms).\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m03.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/again-with-public-perceptionagain-with-public-perception\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F18%2Fagain-with-public-perceptionagain-with-public-perception&amp;title=Again%20with%20public%20perception\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F18%2Fagain-with-public-perceptionagain-with-public-perception&amp;title=Again%20with%20public%20perception\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F18%2Fagain-with-public-perceptionagain-with-public-perception&amp;title=Again%20with%20public%20perception\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F18%2Fagain-with-public-perceptionagain-with-public-perception&amp;title=Again%20with%20public%20perception\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F18%2Fagain-with-public-perceptionagain-with-public-perception&amp;Title=Again%20with%20public%20perception\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F18%2Fagain-with-public-perceptionagain-with-public-perception&amp;title=Again%20with%20public%20perception\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F18%2Fagain-with-public-perceptionagain-with-public-perception\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F18%2Fagain-with-public-perceptionagain-with-public-perception&amp;t=Again%20with%20public%20perception\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F18%2Fagain-with-public-perceptionagain-with-public-perception&amp;h=Again%20with%20public%20perception\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m03.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','Again with public perception','','publish','open','open','','again-with-public-perception','','','2009-03-18 09:29:44','2009-03-18 14:29:44','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=334',0,'post','',0),
(338,4,'2009-03-21 10:11:26','2009-03-21 15:11:26','<strong>Is it HFCS?</strong>\n\nIn the past few months, the Corn Refiners Association has been running some ads featuring the much-maligned high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). In case you haven\'t heard, many doctors and researchers blame HFCS for the obesity epidemic because HFCS is found in millions of food items and seems to be metabolized differently in the body. Recently some research found that the way HFCS is manufactured causes the release of mercury. Bottom line, corn refiners had to act. After all, their product is beginning to be perceived as bad for you.\n\n<strong>The commercial</strong>\n\nI am sure you\'ve seen the commercials. A couple is sitting on blanket in a park (oh so idyllic) and she offers him a ice pop made with HFCS. When he recoils, she counters telling him it is made from corn and it\'s fine in moderation.\n\nYou can see the commercials and read the \"facts\" about HFCS at the Corn Refiners Association <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"HFCS\" href=\"http://www.sweetsurprise.com/\" target=\"_blank\">website</a>.\n\n<strong>The backlash or the return of sugar</strong>\n\nIt turns out that sugar is not about to roll over and play dead. It is making a comeback. In fact, many products are using it as a selling point, as pointed out in this <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Sugar\" href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/dining/21sugar.html\" target=\"_blank\">New York Times article</a>. Of course, some products are just advertising that they are not made with HFCS (like the Thomas English Muffins\' package that blares no high fructose corn syrup).\n\n[polldaddy poll=1474842]\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m04.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/whats-making-you-sweetwhats-making-you-sweet\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F21%2Fwhats-making-you-sweetwhats-making-you-sweet&amp;title=What\'s%20making%20you%20sweet%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F21%2Fwhats-making-you-sweetwhats-making-you-sweet&amp;title=What\'s%20making%20you%20sweet%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F21%2Fwhats-making-you-sweetwhats-making-you-sweet&amp;title=What\'s%20making%20you%20sweet%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F21%2Fwhats-making-you-sweetwhats-making-you-sweet&amp;title=What\'s%20making%20you%20sweet%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F21%2Fwhats-making-you-sweetwhats-making-you-sweet&amp;Title=What\'s%20making%20you%20sweet%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F21%2Fwhats-making-you-sweetwhats-making-you-sweet&amp;title=What\'s%20making%20you%20sweet%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F21%2Fwhats-making-you-sweetwhats-making-you-sweet\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F21%2Fwhats-making-you-sweetwhats-making-you-sweet&amp;t=What\'s%20making%20you%20sweet%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F21%2Fwhats-making-you-sweetwhats-making-you-sweet&amp;h=What\'s%20making%20you%20sweet%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m04.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','What\'s making you sweet?','','publish','open','open','','whats-making-you-sweet','','','2009-03-21 10:11:26','2009-03-21 15:11:26','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=338',0,'post','',0),
(340,4,'2009-03-23 10:58:57','2009-03-23 15:58:57','<strong>Is it just me?</strong>\n\nOr is it the 24 news cycle, but it seems that more and more the media is reporting on the media. Witness the Jon Stewart-CNBC debacle. It was reported on in every other media outlet.  Today, on a<em> Washington Post</em> blog, instead of doing any original reporting or commentating, the writer posted video of President Obama\'s interview with 60 Minutes.  As well as there was a large piece in the Style section about Steve Kroft, who conducted the aforementioned interview.\n\nHas the media itself become more newsworthy? Doubtful.','It\'s the media','','publish','open','open','','its-the-media','','','2009-03-23 10:58:57','2009-03-23 15:58:57','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=340',0,'post','',0),
(343,4,'2009-03-26 12:09:19','2009-03-26 17:09:19','<strong>Are you a small business with a tight marketing budget?</strong>\n\nIf you are, you probably have fallen prey to the idea that you should do (marketing)  things as you can afford them. You know, an ad here, a brochure there. Budget-wise, this may make sense. After all, you can\'t afford a large campaign, or an ad agency. Branding-wise, not so much. It\'s tough to build up an image on unconnected pieces of the puzzle. The missing link is the connection, or the reason, behind each piece.\n\n<strong>Think strategically</strong>\n\nIn business, there is strategy and there are tactics. Often companies fall into tactics without thinking about the strategy.  Many people can\'t tell the difference. Here\'s a quick example:  sending a press release is a tactic, achiving positive publicity is a strategy.  Ideally, tactics should follow your strategy.\n\n<strong>You must know what you want to accomplish so that you can figure the steps to make it happen.</strong>\n\nOften, small business owners are overwhelmed with trying to do everything: managing staff, invoicing, doing the books, buying inventory, negotiating. Marketing may be a distant thought, something to do when there is down time. This is unfortunate because marketing will bring business in. Neglecting your marketing will result in a business downturn, for sure.\n\n<strong>Develop a  basic marketing plan</strong>\n\nThe easiest thing to do is to devote some time to thinking about what you want to accomplish. Perhaps you want more female customers, or larger organizations. Write these goals down. Figure out who your current customers are. Figure out how much budget you can afford to devote to marketing. See what you already have and what you need.\n\nHere are some elements of a marketing plan:\n<ul>\n	<li>Current situation/Situation analysis</li>\n	<li>Goals</li>\n	<li>Target audience</li>\n	<li>Budget</li>\n	<li>Tactics for reaching target audience (and this is where your ads, brochures, press releases fit in)</li>\n</ul>\nRemember, doing marketing piecemeal will only result in getting small chunks of  your target audience.\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m05.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/on-doing-things-piecemeal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F26%2Fon-doing-things-piecemeal&amp;title=On%20doing%20things%20piecemeal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F26%2Fon-doing-things-piecemeal&amp;title=On%20doing%20things%20piecemeal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F26%2Fon-doing-things-piecemeal&amp;title=On%20doing%20things%20piecemeal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F26%2Fon-doing-things-piecemeal&amp;title=On%20doing%20things%20piecemeal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F26%2Fon-doing-things-piecemeal&amp;Title=On%20doing%20things%20piecemeal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F26%2Fon-doing-things-piecemeal&amp;title=On%20doing%20things%20piecemeal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F26%2Fon-doing-things-piecemeal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F26%2Fon-doing-things-piecemeal&amp;t=On%20doing%20things%20piecemeal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F26%2Fon-doing-things-piecemeal&amp;h=On%20doing%20things%20piecemeal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m05.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','On doing things piecemeal','','publish','open','open','','on-doing-things-piecemeal','','','2009-03-26 12:09:19','2009-03-26 17:09:19','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=343',0,'post','',0),
(346,4,'2009-03-28 11:09:12','2009-03-28 16:09:12','<strong>How do you respond when someone asks you for a favor?</strong>\n\nIdeally, when someone asks you for a favor (some information, a quote, some advice) you respond nicely. Sometimes you may not be able or willing to grant the favor, and in this case, you still should be nice. Why? because people do business with people they like. And being not nice makes people not like you.\n\n<strong>Sample negative conversation</strong>\n\nMe: Hi, I am looking for a web designer for my client, and I am wondering if I could get a quote from you.\n\nGraphic designer (sounding grouchy): (Big sigh) well, I don\'t know. What kind of website?\n\nMe: Mostly static, about 10 pages or so, and with some room to make changes, like on the staffing page.\n\nGD (mumbling and sounding pissed): Hmm, well, we work with CMS, and it\'s hard to just give you a quote, but you know websites start around $20,000.\n\nMe: Well, it sounds like we aren\'t a good fit for each other. Thanks.\n\nGD (sounds relieved to not have to deal with me): OK.\n\nThis graphic designer, whom I had found listed through the AIGA (contact me if you want her name), was downright nasty. I have made many of these calls, and for the most part, the designers I have spoken to have been helpful. They ask questions, and they say they will get back to me with an estimate. Even if the estimate is not in my ballpark, I now have a graphic designer contact. You never know what can come up.\n\n<strong>What would have made this conversation go better.</strong>\n\nIf she had said something like: \"Thanks for your call. I am happy to do an estimate for you, but you should know our website designs start at $20,000. Is that within your budget?\"\n\nMarketing is personal because it is people who make decisions,  and personal biases affect decisions. Like I said before, we\'d rather do business with people we like (or at least respect). Sometimes it is not your credentials, or your abilities, or your writing skill or your design skill, it is your likeability. Being polite and being nice can go a long way to getting you business, and conversely, being rude and being nasty can almost assure you of losing business.\n\n\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m03.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/03/28/marketing-is-personalmarketing-is-personal/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F28%2Fmarketing-is-personalmarketing-is-personal%2F&amp;title=Marketing%20is%20personal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F28%2Fmarketing-is-personalmarketing-is-personal%2F&amp;title=Marketing%20is%20personal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F28%2Fmarketing-is-personalmarketing-is-personal%2F&amp;title=Marketing%20is%20personal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F28%2Fmarketing-is-personalmarketing-is-personal%2F&amp;title=Marketing%20is%20personal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F28%2Fmarketing-is-personalmarketing-is-personal%2F&amp;Title=Marketing%20is%20personal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F28%2Fmarketing-is-personalmarketing-is-personal%2F&amp;title=Marketing%20is%20personal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F28%2Fmarketing-is-personalmarketing-is-personal%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F28%2Fmarketing-is-personalmarketing-is-personal%2F&amp;t=Marketing%20is%20personal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F28%2Fmarketing-is-personalmarketing-is-personal%2F&amp;h=Marketing%20is%20personal\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m03.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','Marketing is personal','','publish','open','open','','marketing-is-personal','','','2009-03-28 11:09:12','2009-03-28 16:09:12','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=346',0,'post','',0),
(349,4,'2009-03-31 10:43:58','2009-03-31 15:43:58','<strong>Newspapers are in a downward spiral</strong>\n\nEvery day there is more bad news for the newspaper industry. The <em>New York Times</em> will eliminate its City section, Chicago Sun-Times is filing Chapter 11, <em>Washington Pos</em>t is offering its fourth buyout in 6 years, and on and on.  Even CBS Sunday Morning covered the coming \"death\"  of newspapers.\n\n<strong>Paid opinions</strong>\n\nOne area that is fairly unique to newspapers is the paid opinion ad. Usually a full page, this ad will carry the unadultarated opinion of an organization, group, industry or even individual. The target is public opinion and/or lawmakers. We\'ve seen \"it\'s our fault\" ads and \"you\'re wrong and here\'s why\" ads. In fact, this is a time honored way of getting opinions across without the filter of an editor or a reporter.\n\n<strong>Where will they go?</strong>\n\nSure there is advertising on the Internet, between pop ups and banners, we\'re often inundated with advertising messages. However, we can pretty much ignore these ads. Only if we are in the market for say, acai diet supplement, do we click to find out more. Opinion ads use the full page newspaper format because they need the space to communicate a complicated message. It\'s not about a sale or product attributes. I can\'t see how these type of ads will subsist in an Internet-only market.\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m05.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://comm.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/the-opinion-adthe-opinion-ad\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F31%2Fthe-opinion-adthe-opinion-ad&amp;title=The%20opinion%20ad\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F31%2Fthe-opinion-adthe-opinion-ad&amp;title=The%20opinion%20ad\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F31%2Fthe-opinion-adthe-opinion-ad&amp;title=The%20opinion%20ad\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F31%2Fthe-opinion-adthe-opinion-ad&amp;title=The%20opinion%20ad\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F31%2Fthe-opinion-adthe-opinion-ad&amp;Title=The%20opinion%20ad\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F31%2Fthe-opinion-adthe-opinion-ad&amp;title=The%20opinion%20ad\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F31%2Fthe-opinion-adthe-opinion-ad\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F31%2Fthe-opinion-adthe-opinion-ad&amp;t=The%20opinion%20ad\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F31%2Fthe-opinion-adthe-opinion-ad&amp;h=The%20opinion%20ad\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m05.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','The opinion ad','','publish','open','open','','the-opinion-ad','','','2009-03-31 10:43:58','2009-03-31 15:43:58','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=349',0,'post','',2),
(354,4,'2009-04-04 04:12:37','2009-04-04 09:12:37','<strong>Advertising dollars</strong>\n\nIt doesn\'t make it into the news too often, but radio is hurting from the same causes as the newspaper industry is: advertising losses. In radio\'s case, it has a lot do with Ipod and MP3 players. But it has a lot to do with the recession too.\n\n<strong>Format change! That\'s the solution!</strong>\n\nI was just reading this <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Cerph\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/03/AR2009040304084.html\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Washington Post </em>article</a> about a classic rock station here in Washington that is (AGAIN) changing formats to adult/pop contemporary.  The station\'s owners seem to think this will attract a younger, female audience. It might, if it weren\'t for the fact that nearly every other radio station in the market plays Pop and AC. It seems inane/insane to switch formats in this economy. The article says that they station had good numbers, yet it was not enough.\n\n<strong>You can\'t (and shouldn\'t) please everybody</strong>\n\nIt seems to me this has something to do with what brought Wall Street down: GREED. The idea that you have to have the most, and by a large margin, to be the absolute leader. It does not serve the listener, and it certainly will not accomplish it in the end. People become fiercely loyal to a radio station and its DJs. Whenever there is a format change there will be upheaval and resentment. And frankly, in this market, this particular change causes a homogenization that is truly unbearable.\n\n<strong>What about segmentation and target audiences?</strong>\n\nWhen all radio stations play the same music, you can assume they all have the same audience, right? So, if you are trying to reach older people, where are you supposed to advertise in Washington? My point is that a variety of formats allows media buyers to reach different target audiences. Not everybody is seeking for women, 18 plus. Some may want adults, 40 plus or another segment.  In a sense, format changes affect the entire market.\n\n<strong>Losing sight of what you are</strong>\n\nIt seems to me that when you aim for the mass, you actually end up losing what makes you special. This particular radio station has gone through several format changes and I predict will either change again or go off the air. In the era of the Ipod/MP3 player and declining revenue, the solution is to offer something that can NOT be found elsewhere. That is how you find an audience, and more importantly, how you build a LOYAL following.\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m05.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/04/04/are-we-losing-radio-too/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F04%2Fare-we-losing-radio-too%2F&amp;title=Are%20we%20losing%20radio%20too%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F04%2Fare-we-losing-radio-too%2F&amp;title=Are%20we%20losing%20radio%20too%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F04%2Fare-we-losing-radio-too%2F&amp;title=Are%20we%20losing%20radio%20too%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F04%2Fare-we-losing-radio-too%2F&amp;title=Are%20we%20losing%20radio%20too%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F04%2Fare-we-losing-radio-too%2F&amp;Title=Are%20we%20losing%20radio%20too%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F04%2Fare-we-losing-radio-too%2F&amp;title=Are%20we%20losing%20radio%20too%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F04%2Fare-we-losing-radio-too%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F04%2Fare-we-losing-radio-too%2F&amp;t=Are%20we%20losing%20radio%20too%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F04%2Fare-we-losing-radio-too%2F&amp;h=Are%20we%20losing%20radio%20too%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m05.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','Are we losing radio too?','','publish','open','open','','are-we-losing-radio-too','','','2009-04-04 04:12:37','2009-04-04 09:12:37','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=354',0,'post','',0),
(360,4,'2009-04-06 07:51:24','2009-04-06 12:51:24','There is a commercial that annoys me because its tag line is just plain stupid. OK, there are probably several commercials like that, but I just saw the one for Smucker\'s this morning. You know Smucker\'s --it makes jam and jelly. It is widely available. It may even be good (if you happen to like a little High Fructose Corn Syrup in your jam). But Smucker\'s assumes that you and everyone else on the planet thinks Smucker\'s is good. They can be forgiven for that, after all, they are in the business of promoting their product. What I can\'t fathom is why they think their name conveys the goodness of their product. Smucker\'s? It looks remarkably like a word in Yiddish that is not exactly complimentary. And yet, the company\'s marketers tell us: With a name like Smucker\'s, it has to be good. I am left thinking, really? Why? What is it about the NAME Smucker that makes it good? Is Smucker will known for all the good things he did? Am I missing something? If the tag simply said: With Smucker\'s, it has to be good, then I would buy it. But the name is meaningless to me and other than we know that Smucker\'s makes jams, we don\'t know from the name alone that they are good.\n\nDo you have a tag line that makes you wonder or even cringe? Let me know in the comments!\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m04.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/04/06/when-the-tag-l…-doesnt-add-up/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F06%2Fwhen-the-tag-l…-doesnt-add-up%2F&amp;title=When%20the%20tag%20line%20doesn\'t%20add%20up\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F06%2Fwhen-the-tag-l…-doesnt-add-up%2F&amp;title=When%20the%20tag%20line%20doesn\'t%20add%20up\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F06%2Fwhen-the-tag-l…-doesnt-add-up%2F&amp;title=When%20the%20tag%20line%20doesn\'t%20add%20up\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F06%2Fwhen-the-tag-l…-doesnt-add-up%2F&amp;title=When%20the%20tag%20line%20doesn\'t%20add%20up\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F06%2Fwhen-the-tag-l…-doesnt-add-up%2F&amp;Title=When%20the%20tag%20line%20doesn\'t%20add%20up\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F06%2Fwhen-the-tag-l…-doesnt-add-up%2F&amp;title=When%20the%20tag%20line%20doesn\'t%20add%20up\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F06%2Fwhen-the-tag-l…-doesnt-add-up%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F06%2Fwhen-the-tag-l…-doesnt-add-up%2F&amp;t=When%20the%20tag%20line%20doesn\'t%20add%20up\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F06%2Fwhen-the-tag-l…-doesnt-add-up%2F&amp;h=When%20the%20tag%20line%20doesn\'t%20add%20up\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m04.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','When the tag line doesn\'t add up','','publish','open','open','','when-the-tag-line-doesnt-add-up','','','2009-04-06 07:51:24','2009-04-06 12:51:24','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=360',0,'post','',0),
(365,4,'2009-04-07 11:00:13','2009-04-07 16:00:13','A few months ago, I wrote about airline advertising. You have probably all seen the ads on traytables and on the backs of tickets. This is fine as long as it keeps the beverages free and keeps the airlines flying. But today I am writing about airport advertising. Airports have always had plenty of places to advertise, from the bag carousels to the luggage carts. But now, I have seen the most unusual type of airport advertising yet: advertising on the outside of the gate connector.\n\nYesterday I was at Miami International Airport, not my favorite airport but that would be the subject for a whole other blog,  and as our airplane pulled up to the gate, I noticed that all the gate connectors were sporting HSBC Bank advertising.\n\nI have never seen this type of advertising before, and I wonder two things, how much it costs and how much impact it can have. Sure, lots of passengers are potentially trapped audiences for this type of advertising, but why would a bank choose this type of advertising? More sense would be for a fast food restaurant (one with a branch inside the airport) or a soft drink or something that you would buy soon, but a bank? Are you going to go open an account because you see that it is advertised quite literally on the airport structure itself?\n\nIn any case, this shows that advertising can be placed almost everywhere.  Creativity or business greed?','Everything can be bought','','publish','open','open','','everything-can-be-bought','','','2009-04-07 11:00:13','2009-04-07 16:00:13','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=365',0,'post','',0),
(367,4,'2009-04-12 07:58:58','2009-04-12 12:58:58','It\'s on the minds of people everywhere: should I Tweet on Twitter? Some people think it is silly. Some people think it is stupid. Some people think it is a waste of time. I even saw a letter to the editor in the Washington Post where some guy was saying that he was above hearing all about how people enjoyed breakfast or whatever (he must be down to brass tacks guys, because God knows, in real life everybody talks about extremely important stuff all the time).  Well folks,  in order to answer this question, I have decided to let you see what other people out in the blogosphere think about it:\n\n<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Is twitter worth it\" href=\"http://janetfouts.com/is-twitter-worth-the-time/\" target=\"_blank\">Janet Fouts from Social Media Enabler,   says it is worth it.</a>(I found this post through <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Social Media Today\" href=\"http://www.socialmediatoday.com/SMC/\" target=\"_blank\">Social Media Today,</a> worth a look through if you are interested in this topic)\n\n<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Neil Patel\" href=\"http://www.quicksprout.com/2008/04/29/twitter-is-it-really-worth-using/\" target=\"_blank\">Neil Patel from QuickSprout</a> sees pros and cons.\n\nCopyblogger says you can <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Business with Twitter\" href=\"http://www.copyblogger.com/grow-business-twitter/\" target=\"_blank\">grow your business with Twitter</a> and that you can <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Twitter Writing\" href=\"http://www.copyblogger.com/twitter-writing/\" target=\"_blank\">improve your writing </a>with it.\n\n<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Twitter\" href=\"http://www.workitmom.com/bloggers/36hourday/2009/03/16/do-you-twitter-heres-why-its-worth-it/\" target=\"_self\">Work it Mom</a> is in favor of Twitter\n\nAnd finally, <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Chris Winfield Twitters\" href=\"http://www.10e20.com/blog/2008/06/18/twitter-ultimate-time-waster-or-great-tool/\" target=\"_blank\">Chris Winfield uses Twitter </a>to find out if it is a time waster or not.\n\nAnd me? I think you can\'t beat the ROI. Twitter is free, and if I learn something it is totally worth it, and if I am wasting my time, it is also worth it.\n\nThoughts from the peanut gallery?\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m02.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/04/12/the-question-o…ttter-worth-it\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F12%2Fthe-question-o…ttter-worth-it&amp;title=The%20question%20of%20the%20day%3A%20Is%20Twittter%20Worth%20It%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F12%2Fthe-question-o…ttter-worth-it&amp;title=The%20question%20of%20the%20day%3A%20Is%20Twittter%20Worth%20It%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F12%2Fthe-question-o…ttter-worth-it&amp;title=The%20question%20of%20the%20day%3A%20Is%20Twittter%20Worth%20It%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F12%2Fthe-question-o…ttter-worth-it&amp;title=The%20question%20of%20the%20day%3A%20Is%20Twittter%20Worth%20It%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F12%2Fthe-question-o…ttter-worth-it&amp;Title=The%20question%20of%20the%20day%3A%20Is%20Twittter%20Worth%20It%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F12%2Fthe-question-o…ttter-worth-it&amp;title=The%20question%20of%20the%20day%3A%20Is%20Twittter%20Worth%20It%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F12%2Fthe-question-o…ttter-worth-it\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F12%2Fthe-question-o…ttter-worth-it&amp;t=The%20question%20of%20the%20day%3A%20Is%20Twittter%20Worth%20It%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F12%2Fthe-question-o…ttter-worth-it&amp;h=The%20question%20of%20the%20day%3A%20Is%20Twittter%20Worth%20It%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m02.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','The question of the day: Is Twittter Worth It?','','publish','open','open','','the-question-of-the-day-is-twittter-worth-it','','','2009-04-12 07:58:58','2009-04-12 12:58:58','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=367',0,'post','',0),
(371,4,'2009-04-14 10:03:08','2009-04-14 15:03:08','<strong>Does change frighten you?</strong>\n\nIf so, you are not alone. Many people are so frightened of change that they cling to outmoded things.  For some people, it is that shoulder-padded 1980s look that keeps them grounded. In business, especially the marketing business, resistance to change may not look as jarring as a 1980s ensemble, but it still causes plenty of pain.\n\n<strong>The only constant is change</strong>\n\nFortunately or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, change is constant. Technology is especially fond of change and this kind of change is not only hard to deal with but expensive. Upgrade to Vista anyone?  A few years ago, we would have never dreamed that we would be communicating with each other in warp speed via text messages or Twitter, but yet here we are.\n\nI have noticed that many people in the marketing industry resist change. Some PR practitioners may stil insist on sending out press releases via fax or regular mail. Some may keep their website static, never updating. Many scoff at Twitter or blogs or Facebook, thinking that they are flavor of the moment and quickly gone.\n\nWhether Twitter will be here a year from now is debatable, but what is not debatable is that it changes the way people communicate and connect. If anything has derived from the new social media world, is how close connections can be to anyone anywhere. One can be in contact with an Australian designer or a French writer. And the other reality is that there is more information out there than ever before. It IS hard to keep up. But ignoring it because you don\'t like it will not make it go away. I have heard many people say they \"don\'t have time for blogs or for Twitter.\" Do you also not have time for the news and for email? My point is that the way people are communicating and learning is changing, and by resisting that change, especially if you are a marketing person, you are staying behind the times.\n\nThis reminds me of a friend who refuses to be on Facebook. She and I were catching up and she relayed information about a mutual friend, whom I haven\'t spoken to in a while. I told her I already knew. She wondered how I knew. I told her I saw it on Facebook.  The point is people communicate with each other via social media, and it is necessary for marketing people to understand where people find out things.\n\nLet me know what things you are resisting, and why. I really want to know!','Resisting change','','publish','open','open','','resisting-change','','','2009-04-14 10:03:08','2009-04-14 15:03:08','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=371',0,'post','',0),
(374,4,'2009-04-15 14:39:02','2009-04-15 19:39:02','We judge people by their appearance\n\nHave you heard about the lastest YouTube sensation? Apparently, on the show<a class=\"wp-caption\" href=\"http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/04/15/talent.show/index.html\" target=\"_blank\"> \"Britain\'s Got Talent,\"</a> a woman who is not a) young; b) thin or c) beautiful wowed the judges, because, get this, she can sing.  The show is about talent, and yet the woman was pre-judged on her appearance.\n\nWhile I think that judging talent by appearance is not wise, it remains part of how the world operates. We do judge the book by its cover. What does this mean for your marketing?\n\nEvaluate what people are seeing about you: website, brochure, business cards, etc.  Will people think you have less talent because your website is outdated or your cards have typos?\n\nAre you projecting what you want people to think? I have written before about this, but if you have a dated look (a website designed in the 90s) are people going to think you are  \"with it?\"  If you are a graphic designer and you have no samples on your website, what does that say?\n\nAppearance is easy to fix. Talent/quality is a lot harder.','It\'s all about appearance','','publish','open','open','','its-all-about-appearance','','','2009-04-15 14:39:02','2009-04-15 19:39:02','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=374',0,'post','',0),
(379,4,'2009-04-21 10:38:50','2009-04-21 15:38:50','Nothing in the online universe is more annoying than spam. This past week, my email host was not working properly and a lot of spam got through. As I was busy deleting unwanted email, I got to thinking about what spammers do that works and what they do that doesn\'t.\n\nWhat works:\n\n1) Spammers know exactly what they are selling (online drugs, weight loss promises and other items).\n\n2) Identifying the keywords associated with their product and focus on those words.\n\n3) Trying again and again.\n\n4) Using official-looking return addresses to look legitimate\n\n5) Personalizing emails (which is scary but effective)\n\nWhat does not work\n\n1) Typos and spelling/grammar mistakes  in the subject line\n\n2) Using foul language\n\n3) Not targeting\n\nMost spam does a bit of both these lists, which is why, ultimately, many of us don\'t open this junk. You may wonder why they keep trying. Simple: it costs next to nothing to send these emails out. And there are always people looking for a fix, so someone must click on these emails.\n\nDo you open spam? Do you report spam? Have you ever seen a great spam subject line? If you have, let me know in the comments.\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m01.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/what-we-can-learn-from-spam\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F21%2Fwhat-we-can-learn-from-spam&amp;title=What%20we%20can%20learn%20from%20spam\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F21%2Fwhat-we-can-learn-from-spam&amp;title=What%20we%20can%20learn%20from%20spam\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F21%2Fwhat-we-can-learn-from-spam&amp;title=What%20we%20can%20learn%20from%20spam\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F21%2Fwhat-we-can-learn-from-spam&amp;title=What%20we%20can%20learn%20from%20spam\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F21%2Fwhat-we-can-learn-from-spam&amp;Title=What%20we%20can%20learn%20from%20spam\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F21%2Fwhat-we-can-learn-from-spam&amp;title=What%20we%20can%20learn%20from%20spam\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F21%2Fwhat-we-can-learn-from-spam\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F21%2Fwhat-we-can-learn-from-spam&amp;t=What%20we%20can%20learn%20from%20spam\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F21%2Fwhat-we-can-learn-from-spam&amp;h=What%20we%20can%20learn%20from%20spam\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m01.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','What we can learn from spam','','publish','open','open','','what-we-can-learn-from-spam','','','2009-04-21 10:38:50','2009-04-21 15:38:50','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=379',0,'post','',0),
(382,4,'2009-04-23 08:54:15','2009-04-23 13:54:15','Does your business have a tagline? If yes, does it accurately convey what you do?  If not, why not?\n\nEvery business should have a tagline, no doubt. <strong>A tagline is an additional bit of information that clarifies what you do to your potential customers.</strong> Now, a tagline is not a motto. Webster\'s defines a motto as \"a short expression of a guiding principle.\"  A motto could be something generic, like \"we always do our best,\" which can be seen as something your employees rally around but that does not communicate anything about what your business does.\n\n<strong>What is a slogan? </strong>Webster\'s gives three definitions: 1) a war cry; 2) phrase used to express a characteristic position or goal; 3) attention-getting phrase used in promotion.  Clearly definition number 1 is not what we are after. And the difference between two and three is really the difference between a slogan and a tagline. A slogan should be unchanging, something that is more universal (your goals or your purpose) and your tagline can change for a particular ad campaign. And yes, a slogan and a tagline can be one and the same.\n\nFor instance, if you are a hospital or clinic, your slogan might be your commitment to a healthy future for all. If you are running an ad campaign, you might focus on a certain aspect of your practice like cardiology and your tagline might focus on helping patients achieve heart health. All the while your motto could be something about maintaining  the highest standard in hygienic practices.\n\nSo, how do you develop a tagline? First make sure you are not developing a motto.  Be more specific about what you are trying to communicate about your product or service.\n\nSteps:\n\n1) <strong>Understand your product or service and its USP</strong>. This seems fairly obvious but you would be surprised at how very few people can communicate succintly what they do. You might start with a short description of your product and service. Think about attributes, descriptors and differentiators\n\n2)<strong> Brainstorm</strong>. Write out 10-20 short lines (5-10 words) about your product or service. Incorporate some descriptors and attributes from above.\n\n3) <strong>Evaluate. </strong>Which is catchy? Which is comprehensive? Which is too generic? Eliminate anything that is cliche, generic, or just doesn\'t say enough.\n\n4) <strong>Narrow down your list</strong> to 3-5 choices and show them to your principal stakeholders.\n\n5) Have a<strong> vote</strong>. Generally, one tagline will emerge as the best one.\n\nOne more thing. People often confuse  logo and slogan. A logo is a GRAPHIC representation of your slogan/motto.  A logo is never a written piece. And logos are best left to design professionals. I would strongly counsel you to not try doing this at home!\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m05.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/04/23/how-to-develop-a-tagline/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F23%2Fhow-to-develop-a-tagline%2F&amp;title=How%20to%3A%20Develop%20a%20tagline\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F23%2Fhow-to-develop-a-tagline%2F&amp;title=How%20to%3A%20Develop%20a%20tagline\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F23%2Fhow-to-develop-a-tagline%2F&amp;title=How%20to%3A%20Develop%20a%20tagline\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F23%2Fhow-to-develop-a-tagline%2F&amp;title=How%20to%3A%20Develop%20a%20tagline\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F23%2Fhow-to-develop-a-tagline%2F&amp;Title=How%20to%3A%20Develop%20a%20tagline\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F23%2Fhow-to-develop-a-tagline%2F&amp;title=How%20to%3A%20Develop%20a%20tagline\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F23%2Fhow-to-develop-a-tagline%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F23%2Fhow-to-develop-a-tagline%2F&amp;t=How%20to%3A%20Develop%20a%20tagline\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F23%2Fhow-to-develop-a-tagline%2F&amp;h=How%20to%3A%20Develop%20a%20tagline\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m05.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','How to: Develop a tagline','','publish','open','open','','how-to-develop-a-tagline','','','2009-04-23 08:54:15','2009-04-23 13:54:15','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=382',0,'post','',1),
(387,4,'2009-04-30 13:38:36','2009-04-30 18:38:36','If you are a media buyer, and you are given the choice of only the online edition or the print edition of your local daily newspaper, which do you choose? Kind of a tricky question, right?\n\nLast week, I attended a panel on business news and media, specifically tailored for public relations people. One of the panelists was the tech writer at the Washington Post. He told us how his column on personal tech runs in the paper on Sunday but is posted online on Friday.  When I heard this I thought that the Post is cannibalizing itself. After all, if you can get the exact same content plus  links and commentaries, online, why ever would you subscribe to the Post? (Note to self: think about whether I should cancel Post subscription).\n\nBut, apparently, the two editions (print and online) have different audiences. Most people who exclusively read online NEVER read the print edition, and those who read the print edition will only go to the online version when they want more information. This is what came out of a survey of the attendees to this panel (put on by the Washington Network Group Communications Roundtable).\n\nWhat online offers that print does not is a multimedia experience, plus more (more info, links, comments, blogs).  Online is also more current, updated frequently and that is what people expect.\n\nAnother panelist, the editor for the Washington Business Journal, said that they do have different content online than on the print edition, and it is more updated. However, they just started a blog, get this, TWO WEEKS ago.  But WBJ may have an older base, who still wants the print edition and may not even visit the online edition.\n\nBottom line to answer the question is this:  is the online version better than the print version? And, what is your core target audience? If the online version is better, and has a better readership, certainly buy online only. If the online version is a skeleton version of the print, buy the print. And ultimately, look at the audience numbers. You want to buy where most of your audience is.\n\nYour thoughts and experiences welcome!\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m01.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/print-or-online/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F30%2Fprint-or-online%2F&amp;title=Print%20or%20online%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F30%2Fprint-or-online%2F&amp;title=Print%20or%20online%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F30%2Fprint-or-online%2F&amp;title=Print%20or%20online%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F30%2Fprint-or-online%2F&amp;title=Print%20or%20online%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F30%2Fprint-or-online%2F&amp;Title=Print%20or%20online%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F30%2Fprint-or-online%2F&amp;title=Print%20or%20online%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F30%2Fprint-or-online%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F30%2Fprint-or-online%2F&amp;t=Print%20or%20online%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F30%2Fprint-or-online%2F&amp;h=Print%20or%20online%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m01.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','Print or online?','','publish','open','open','','print-or-online','','','2009-04-30 13:38:36','2009-04-30 18:38:36','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=387',0,'post','',0),
(390,4,'2009-05-04 10:53:28','2009-05-04 15:53:28','<span style=\"color:#993366;\">UPDATE: A GenY blogger, Josh Groth made some great comments. (His blog is </span><a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Echodemic\" href=\"http://echodemic.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">http://echodemic.blogspot.com/</a>) <span style=\"color:#993366;\">Please read them in the comment section. But some stuff he pointed out is that GenY uses email for business communications and Facebook for personal use. They look stuff up on Wikipedia when they don\'t understand something. And they subscribe to magazines. I would love more input from anybody else out there who is a GenY person.</span>\n\nFull disclosure: I am a member of Generation X.  I have been \"fortunate\" to meet many members of GenY and have come across some universal behavior that impact communications with this young group of people.\n\n<strong>GenY loves to text.</strong> In fact, if you want a GenYer to respond to you, you should send a text first. Do not call and do not email.\n\n<strong>GenY loves Facebook.</strong> Well, so do many other people, but GenY is the first generation to adopt Facebook, and it could be argued, it was designed for them.\n\n<strong>GenY does not read printed materials </strong>as in a daily newspaper. Online baby! Yes, they read the Washington Post/NY Times/LA Times, but ONLINE only. I would venture to guess that the subscription level among this group for printed newspaper hovers near 0%.\n\nOther things to bear in mind when communicating with a 20-something:\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Frame of reference.</span> They are not historically minded and will not get a reference to Ronald Reagan or LP records or anything that happened prior to 1990.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">They tend to be conflict-averse.</span> GenY has been brought up to get along well with others (thanks to Rodney King and other influencers). If they don\'t like you (your product, your service) they won\'t argue or discuss, they will IGNORE.  You probably won\'t get much feedback unless you ask them nicely. Via text.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Their social mores are more fluid than previous generations</span>. They aren\'t easily shocked.\n\nAny other tips for communicating with GenY? Please comment.\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m04.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/05/04/communicating-with-geny/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fcommunicating-with-geny%2F&amp;title=Communicating%20with%20GenY\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fcommunicating-with-geny%2F&amp;title=Communicating%20with%20GenY\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fcommunicating-with-geny%2F&amp;title=Communicating%20with%20GenY\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fcommunicating-with-geny%2F&amp;title=Communicating%20with%20GenY\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fcommunicating-with-geny%2F&amp;Title=Communicating%20with%20GenY\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fcommunicating-with-geny%2F&amp;title=Communicating%20with%20GenY\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fcommunicating-with-geny%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fcommunicating-with-geny%2F&amp;t=Communicating%20with%20GenY\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fcommunicating-with-geny%2F&amp;h=Communicating%20with%20GenY\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m04.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','Communicating with GenY','','publish','open','open','','communicating-with-geny','','','2009-05-04 10:53:28','2009-05-04 15:53:28','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=390',0,'post','',1),
(393,4,'2009-05-06 11:36:15','2009-05-06 16:36:15','Keywords. They are the mantra of the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) people.  Some websites are written in a weird, keyword heavy format to make them seem like candy for the search engines.  Websites also have metatags and alt-text and other areas for keywords. Search engines read text, which is why content is king on the Internet. Search engines do not read images, unless they are labeled or tagged.\n\nSome companies set up blogs just to increase their likelihood of being found. And SEO people think you should have keywords there too.\n\nIf you ever doubted that keywords are important, then do a little experiment on Twitter. Use a keyword like marketing, writing, or golf (if that is your thing) and see how many people start following you. Yesterday, I re-tweeted a story about the Christian Science Monitor getting rid of its religion reporter (fairly ironic, and that is why I shared it). Guess what, no less than three people of a heavy Christian persuasion started following me. Even though none of my posts and my bio say anything about Christianity. These people were simply keyword surfing and leeched on to the word Christian in Christian Science Monitor.\n\nSo, how do you create a list of keywords? Easy.  Start with your industry and work from there. Say you are a civil engineer. You would have the following: engineering, civil engineering, building, and so on. The important thing is to think of variations and related words. If you are in advertising, you would naturally choose marketing, and perhaps sales.  You may also want to include location (city, state, country) and specialties. You may want to use the names of your principals. <strong>Just ask yourself: what would people ask if they needed to find me or someone that does what I do? </strong>\n\nFinal thought: a popular word on this blog has been Twitter. In fact, I am sure if I tagged this article with the word Twitter, I will get plenty of search engine hits.  <strong>\n</strong>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m05.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/words-are-key/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F06%2Fwords-are-key%2F&amp;title=Words%20are%20Key\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F06%2Fwords-are-key%2F&amp;title=Words%20are%20Key\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F06%2Fwords-are-key%2F&amp;title=Words%20are%20Key\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F06%2Fwords-are-key%2F&amp;title=Words%20are%20Key\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F06%2Fwords-are-key%2F&amp;Title=Words%20are%20Key\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F06%2Fwords-are-key%2F&amp;title=Words%20are%20Key\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F06%2Fwords-are-key%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F06%2Fwords-are-key%2F&amp;t=Words%20are%20Key\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F06%2Fwords-are-key%2F&amp;h=Words%20are%20Key\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m05.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m05.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','Words are Key','','publish','open','open','','words-are-key','','','2009-05-06 11:36:15','2009-05-06 16:36:15','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=393',0,'post','',0),
(399,4,'2009-05-13 08:06:37','2009-05-13 13:06:37','OK, not quite as sexy as Sex, Lies and Videotape...\n\nLately, I have been reading/hearing a lot about comments on blogs. Most people seem to favor comments. One of the ways we know that people are responding or finding what we write interesting and worthwhile is when we get comments. It is also a way to know what our audience is thinking.  Others are not so keen on allowing comments because there might be some negative or disparaging statements, and opening up you/your organization to what the public thinks.\n\nClearly, some organizations are more likely to want to know how the audience thinks and some are not so inclined. <strong>I would counsel those who want to remain hermetic not to have a blog. A blog, almost by definition, is a forum (it can be internal, but nevertheless it is about exchange of ideas). </strong>\n\nThose who are OK with audience interaction should probably have guidelines to govern the comments. In fact, you don\'t HAVE to publish each and every comment if you don\'t want. Right here on Caffeinated we\'ve received some fairly self-serving comments along with some out of left field observations that we have decided to let live in the netherworld.\n\nCourtland Milloy, a columnist at the <em>Washington Post</em>, has <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Courtland Milloy\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/12/AR2009051203181.html\" target=\"_blank\">a piece in today\'s paper</a> about nasty/ignorant/vicious comments. He wants readers to tone down the invective. I agree with him--I have followed some comment streams on opinion pieces and people give wind to the most disagreeable thoughts.  And Milloy argues that even though these commenters are counted as visitors to the site, some advertisers may not want to be associated with them.  Is this true? I am not sure that advertisers/marketers look at comments other than as a numbers game. We all know that there are some kooky people out there who are bored/irritated/deranged and take it out on comments boards. <strong>What we endorse as marketers is the content on the site, not the comments.</strong>\n\n<strong>As marcomm folks, what we need to worry about is our policy for comments</strong>.  I don\'t think you should discourage comments, but you should make clear that not everything is fair play and that not every utterance will see the light of the blogosphere. You may want to set this out in a terms and conditions somewhere on your blog.\n\nDavid Griner, in his blog, The Social Path, has had a series of articles on comments. It is worthwhile to read<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Social Path\" href=\"http://www.thesocialpath.com/2009/05/blog-comment-chaos3.html\" target=\"_blank\"> this one,</a> about whether you are LEGALLY liable for comments made on your blog. As I point out above, this type of concern should be part of the policies that govern your site, and something you must consider if you do have a blog.\n\nYour thoughts? Comment, but please no racist, slanderous, sexist remarks!\n<h5>Copyright 2009 Deborah Brody All Rights Reserved</h5>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m01.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/blogs-comments-and-marketing/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F13%2Fblogs-comments-and-marketing%2F&amp;title=Blogs%2C%20comments%20and%20marketing\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F13%2Fblogs-comments-and-marketing%2F&amp;title=Blogs%2C%20comments%20and%20marketing\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F13%2Fblogs-comments-and-marketing%2F&amp;title=Blogs%2C%20comments%20and%20marketing\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F13%2Fblogs-comments-and-marketing%2F&amp;title=Blogs%2C%20comments%20and%20marketing\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F13%2Fblogs-comments-and-marketing%2F&amp;Title=Blogs%2C%20comments%20and%20marketing\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F13%2Fblogs-comments-and-marketing%2F&amp;title=Blogs%2C%20comments%20and%20marketing\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F13%2Fblogs-comments-and-marketing%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F13%2Fblogs-comments-and-marketing%2F&amp;t=Blogs%2C%20comments%20and%20marketing\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F13%2Fblogs-comments-and-marketing%2F&amp;h=Blogs%2C%20comments%20and%20marketing\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m01.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','Blogs, comments and marketing','','publish','open','open','','blogs-comments-and-marketing','','','2009-05-13 08:06:37','2009-05-13 13:06:37','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=399',0,'post','',0),
(402,4,'2009-05-20 14:09:06','2009-05-20 19:09:06','There are hundreds of professional associations, representing every imaginable industry and career path. There is even an association for associations (or at least for association executives): ASAE. The ASAE has been advertising itself on TV lately, something I have never seen before. It is doing it mostly on Sunday morning talk shows, and the campaign is called the Power of A.\n\nAssociations, like other donor or member-based organizations, have to work to maintain the number of donors or members. A drop is serious, as it means a cut in income. At the same time, these associations or organizations have to work extra hard to entice people to join.\n\nIn the last few weeks, several associations I could be a member of because of my profession, have been having membership drives. They are offering one or more of the following:\n<ul>\n	<li>Reduced membership costs</li>\n	<li>Gifts with membership</li>\n	<li>Waived application fees</li>\n</ul>\nDo these enticements work? I think the one that works the best is reduced membership costs, <strong>IF </strong>there is sufficient benefit to joining. And therein lies the problem. Often, these associations have events that are open to the public. Non-members pay more than members.  If you like what you see, and you want to go to more events, perhaps membership is worth it, in pure cash value. However, you can still go when you want even if you aren\'t a member. But what else does membership offer? What exclusive, member-only benefits does the association offer? What can you get nowhere else?\n\nIn some cases, people want the \"cachet\" of being a member. Or they want the opportunity to network, or raise their leadership profile by serving on committees and boards. All these are valid reasons to join.  Being an association member shows that you are really  interested in/committed to the field.\n\nAnother issue is that there may be several associations representing your field. Which do you choose? In my case, I could be in the American Marketing Association, Public Relations Society of America, International Association of Business Communicators, the Association for Women in Communications, and so forth. For me, the problem is the cost of joining is not subsidized by an employer, since I work for myself.  I have to choose carefully. And yes, the money incentive works. Making it more affordable to join is an incentive.\n\nBottom line is memberships have to do with cost and value.  Providing sufficient value for members makes membership worthwhile.\n\nWhat makes you join an association? Is it worth it?\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m02.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/05/20/marketing-prof…l-association\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F20%2Fmarketing-prof…l-association&amp;title=Marketing%20professional%20associations\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F20%2Fmarketing-prof…l-association&amp;title=Marketing%20professional%20associations\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F20%2Fmarketing-prof…l-association&amp;title=Marketing%20professional%20associations\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F20%2Fmarketing-prof…l-association&amp;title=Marketing%20professional%20associations\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F20%2Fmarketing-prof…l-association&amp;Title=Marketing%20professional%20associations\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F20%2Fmarketing-prof…l-association&amp;title=Marketing%20professional%20associations\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F20%2Fmarketing-prof…l-association\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F20%2Fmarketing-prof…l-association&amp;t=Marketing%20professional%20associations\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F20%2Fmarketing-prof…l-association&amp;h=Marketing%20professional%20associations\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m02.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','Marketing professional associations','','publish','open','open','','marketing-professional-associations','','','2009-05-20 14:09:06','2009-05-20 19:09:06','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=402',0,'post','',1),
(406,4,'2009-05-25 09:22:00','2009-05-25 14:22:00','It was a matter of time, I suppose.  The newspaper industry has finally woken up and realized it needs to defend itself. It is as if the newspapers industry decided to say to the world, much like  Mark Twain did, the rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated.\n\nToday (which is Memorial Day), buried in the Style section of the Washington Post (which makes me wonder) is a half-page ad entitled: The Reality About Newspapers, paid for by the Arlington, VA-based Newspaper Association of America.  The ad attempts to defend the viability of newspapers. It proposes to set the record straight about the following \"myths:\"\n<ol>\n	<li>No one reads newspapers (they say more than 104 million people read every day --in the US? Worldwide?)</li>\n	<li>Young people don\'t read newspapers (they say 61 percent of 18-24 year olds read a paper or visit a newspaper website)</li>\n	<li>Newspaper readership is tanking (They say newspaper readership declined a \"mere 1.8% compared to 10% decline in prime time TV viewership)</li>\n	<li>Many newspapers are going out of business (they say newspapers remain profitable????)</li>\n	<li>Newspaper advertising doesn\'t work (Google research says 56% of consumers researched product that they saw in a newspaper)</li>\n	<li>No creative options in newspapers (says who?)</li>\n	<li>If newspapers close, you will still be able to get news from other sources (newspapers are the premiere source of journalism--no quibble there)</li>\n</ol>\nThe ad concludes with the idea that the newspaper industry is transforming itself, and invites you to visit <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Newspaper Association\" href=\"http://www.newspapermedia.com\" target=\"_blank\">www.newspapermedia.com</a>.\n\nI am not sure that these are all  \"myths,\" or that they are widely held, and I am not sure the ad did a good job of refuting them. The facts don\'t all add up and they don\'t clarify who is reading newspapers and where. Additionally, the placement day and place within the newspaper makes it highly unlikely that many people will see this. Besides, isn\'t printing an ad about defending newspapers in the newspaper preaching to the choir?\n\nIt was time to hear the newspaper side of the story. But the facts are there:  several newspapers have closed their doors in the past few months and many are seeing falling ad revenues and decreasing readership.  If the Newspaper Association wants to salvage its industry it must do a better, more clever job of getting its message across. This may be one of the lamest ads I have ever read, and I read a newspaper every day!!!!\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m02.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/05/25/the-defense-of-newspapers/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F25%2Fthe-defense-of-newspapers%2F&amp;title=The%20defense%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F25%2Fthe-defense-of-newspapers%2F&amp;title=The%20defense%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F25%2Fthe-defense-of-newspapers%2F&amp;title=The%20defense%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F25%2Fthe-defense-of-newspapers%2F&amp;title=The%20defense%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F25%2Fthe-defense-of-newspapers%2F&amp;Title=The%20defense%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F25%2Fthe-defense-of-newspapers%2F&amp;title=The%20defense%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F25%2Fthe-defense-of-newspapers%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F25%2Fthe-defense-of-newspapers%2F&amp;t=The%20defense%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F25%2Fthe-defense-of-newspapers%2F&amp;h=The%20defense%20of%20newspapers\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m02.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','The defense of newspapers','','publish','open','open','','the-defense-of-newspapers','','','2009-05-25 09:22:00','2009-05-25 14:22:00','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=406',0,'post','',0),
(409,4,'2009-06-02 07:16:53','2009-06-02 12:16:53','According to Netflix, the British/BBC series Gavin and Stacey garners four and a half stars. This is why I added it to my queue. But I watched the first season (all on one DVD) and I rated the thing two stars. (Quick plot explanation: Gavin, who lives in Essex, and Stacey, who lives in Wales,  meet over the phone and decide to meet in person after six months. They fall in love. Meanwhile, they each have a best friend: Smithy for Gavin and Nessa for Stacey, who also get involved.)\n\nI have no doubt that many people find Gavin and Stacey hilarious. In fact, some of the acting is very good, and some of the situations are painfully relevant. However, it is clear that the intended audience is British. For instance, the whole Wales is another country joke. In the United States, we would be hard pressed to find Wales on the map of the UK, and for the British, Wales is quite literally another country (just like Scotland). There is rivalry between them, and there is some kind of joke on how the Londoners can\'t understand what the Welsh are saying. OK, I get it, but I don\'t really get it in the way a British person would.\n\nAnd then, there is the culture of a place. Apparently, smoking is still a normal thing to do in Britain. There is smoking indoors and out, by everyone. In the U.S., we have steered away from showing this much smoking, and I don\'t think I have seen much on TV. In Britain, the culture is OK with smoking. To me, it is jarring (and adds nothing to the plot).\n\nIn short, I didn\'t find Gavin and Stacey quite as amusing as if I had been British. That is because the series is written by the British for the British. Yes, some things are universal (weird in-laws, weird friends, not wanting to reveal secrets), which is why we can watch programs from different countries and get it. Humor though, is harder to convey.\n\nThe bottom line is that you write for your audience. To do this, you must understand who your audience is and what makes them tick. We define audiences in all sorts of ways: demographically, geographically and so on.  Case in point: you would not write an ad directed to a 65 plus demographic using teen slang. It just wouldn\'t make sense.\n\nUnderstand your audience and tailor your word choice and message to their needs and sensibilities.\n<h6>Copyright 2009 Deborah Brody</h6>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m02.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/writing-for-your-audience/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F02%2Fwriting-for-your-audience%2F&amp;title=Writing%20for%20your%20audience\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F02%2Fwriting-for-your-audience%2F&amp;title=Writing%20for%20your%20audience\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F02%2Fwriting-for-your-audience%2F&amp;title=Writing%20for%20your%20audience\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F02%2Fwriting-for-your-audience%2F&amp;title=Writing%20for%20your%20audience\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F02%2Fwriting-for-your-audience%2F&amp;Title=Writing%20for%20your%20audience\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F02%2Fwriting-for-your-audience%2F&amp;title=Writing%20for%20your%20audience\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F02%2Fwriting-for-your-audience%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F02%2Fwriting-for-your-audience%2F&amp;t=Writing%20for%20your%20audience\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F02%2Fwriting-for-your-audience%2F&amp;h=Writing%20for%20your%20audience\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m02.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','Writing for your audience','','publish','open','open','','writing-for-your-audience','','','2009-06-02 07:16:53','2009-06-02 12:16:53','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=409',0,'post','',0),
(413,4,'2009-06-04 13:16:38','2009-06-04 18:16:38','We can dub it newspaper suicide when newspapers do things that are guaranteed to reduce subscription rates, and I don\'t mean by endorsing an unpopular candidate or showing bias on their pages. It is by cannibalizing their own print readers.\n\nLet me give you a case in point about my local newspaper, the fabled Washington Post. Last Friday, I am checking the weather and blogs on the Washington Post website, and lo and behold, I see columnist Mark Fisher\'s LAST column. I read it to learn that he is leaving the Post, why, etc. Fast forward to Sunday. I settle in with my ever-thinner newspaper, and guess what, I see Mark Fisher\'s last column in PRINT.  Now let me rephrase this in monetary terms. I read Mark Fisher\'s column on Friday online for FREE, and I read the same column in print for a price.  (P.S. you can read lots of Sunday print columns online, on Friday).\n\nThen, if this is not enough to get me thinking that I am a sucker for paying to have the newspaper delivered to me when all I have to do is turn on my computer to read the same stuff online, that I see that TV Week has now become an opt-in to the paper, meaning I have to actually call the Post to tell them that I want to continue receiving this handy-dandy TV guide.  Let me repeat this again: I have to tell them to deliver it.\n\nA couple of months ago, the Post folded its printed Book World supplement, making it online only. And in fact, if you want a listing of paperback bestsellers in the DC area, you have to go online, because the printed edition just lists the hardcover bestseller list.\n\nAnd here\'s another piece of the suicide pact that the Post seems to have: they are now touting a special online only investigation on the front page of the printed paper. So, it seems, they want me, a reader of the print version, to go online. If I haven\'t been online before, then I will realize that the entire newspaper plus much more is available for free.\n\nIn effect, the newspaper is driving me to go online. Special investigations, columns available before their print date, up to date event reviews, blog posts, discussions....why would I want to pay to get a newspaper delivered? I am asking that every day, and I bet a bunch of people are too. The thing is the paper is still making money from subscriptions and print advertising, right? So why are they not giving subscribers more not less????\n\nIn my opinion, this is a conscious attempt to drive people to the online version so that they can stop issuing a print version. Then, they will save printing and delivery costs, and finally, start charging for the online version once the printed version disappears.  You will only pay for something if there is no alternative, right? The Post has been doing this piecemeal, but we are seeing the effects in a much reduced printed version, a heftier online version and a mandate for all reporters to blog, Tweet, and have a Facebook page. Obviously, the future in online.\n\nWhat do you think?\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m04.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/how-newspapers…ing-themselves/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fhow-newspapers…ing-themselves%2F&amp;title=How%20Newspapers%20Are%20Killing%20Themselves\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fhow-newspapers…ing-themselves%2F&amp;title=How%20Newspapers%20Are%20Killing%20Themselves\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fhow-newspapers…ing-themselves%2F&amp;title=How%20Newspapers%20Are%20Killing%20Themselves\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fhow-newspapers…ing-themselves%2F&amp;title=How%20Newspapers%20Are%20Killing%20Themselves\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fhow-newspapers…ing-themselves%2F&amp;Title=How%20Newspapers%20Are%20Killing%20Themselves\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fhow-newspapers…ing-themselves%2F&amp;title=How%20Newspapers%20Are%20Killing%20Themselves\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fhow-newspapers…ing-themselves%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fhow-newspapers…ing-themselves%2F&amp;t=How%20Newspapers%20Are%20Killing%20Themselves\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fhow-newspapers…ing-themselves%2F&amp;h=How%20Newspapers%20Are%20Killing%20Themselves\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m04.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','How Newspapers Are Killing Themselves','','publish','open','open','','how-newspapers-are-killing-themselves','','','2009-06-04 13:16:38','2009-06-04 18:16:38','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=413',0,'post','',0),
(416,4,'2009-06-05 11:55:57','2009-06-05 16:55:57','When you host an event, you want people to attend, right? If you don\'t think so, just ignore this post.\n\nSo, how do you get people to attend your event? It may seem self evident, but many organizations do not follow these promotional tips:\n\n<strong>0) Before you start, be sure to have all the following info for inclusion: title and purpose of event, date of event, hours of event, exact location and directions to event, cost, contact information, whether you need to RSVP or not (and who the RSVP contact is).  You would be surprised at how many invitations miss some of this critical data.</strong>\n\n1) Invite people.  Be sure to send out an invitation to all members, interested parties, people who have attended your events in the past, etc.\n\n2) Post the event on your website or blog or both. Ask a third party to check and see if you have included all necessary information.\n\n3) Send a calendar item listing to your local newspaper, event aggregator, tv station.\n\n4) Include in your newsletter. If it is an annual event, add to your signature line on email and include on all communications, internal and external.\n\n5) Remind people. There are many events competing for people\'s attendance, so be sure to send reminders. This is where social media like Twitter could be useful.\n\n6) Create an event page on Facebook or other social media sites.\n\n7) To be really efficient, you may want to use an electronic event management database to help you to keep track of attendees, send out invites and take RSVPs. Two that come to mind are <a class=\"wp-caption\" href=\"http://www.cvent.com/\" target=\"_blank\">CVent</a> and <a class=\"wp-caption\" href=\"http://www.eventbrite.com/\" target=\"_blank\">EventBrite</a>.\n\nA note about timing:  You want to give people enough time to plan to attend, but not too much time so that they may forget about the event. Perhaps you can invite three to four weeks in advance, and remind people two weeks and one week before the event.\n\nAgain, the most important thing about publicizing an event is to provide all the information somebody would need to attend the event. Don\'t take this for granted. I can\'t tell you how many events I have seen listed that lack basic info such as DATE!\n\nIf I have overlooked anything, please remind me in the comments!\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m02.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/06/05/are-you-hosting-an-event\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F05%2Fare-you-hosting-an-event&amp;title=Are%20you%20hosting%20an%20event%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F05%2Fare-you-hosting-an-event&amp;title=Are%20you%20hosting%20an%20event%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F05%2Fare-you-hosting-an-event&amp;title=Are%20you%20hosting%20an%20event%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F05%2Fare-you-hosting-an-event&amp;title=Are%20you%20hosting%20an%20event%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F05%2Fare-you-hosting-an-event&amp;Title=Are%20you%20hosting%20an%20event%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F05%2Fare-you-hosting-an-event&amp;title=Are%20you%20hosting%20an%20event%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F05%2Fare-you-hosting-an-event\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F05%2Fare-you-hosting-an-event&amp;t=Are%20you%20hosting%20an%20event%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F05%2Fare-you-hosting-an-event&amp;h=Are%20you%20hosting%20an%20event%3F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m02.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m02.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','Are you hosting an event?','','publish','open','open','','are-you-hosting-an-event','','','2009-06-05 11:55:57','2009-06-05 16:55:57','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=416',0,'post','',1),
(420,4,'2009-06-08 10:18:15','2009-06-08 15:18:15','You\'ve probably heard of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, right? Well it doesn\'t exist anymore. It changed its name to the Susan G. Komen GLOBAL Race for the Cure.  This is the second year I participated and I think the rebranding is bogus and confusing. From a marketing perspective I understand why they would do it. After all, now they are able to call it the \"first ever\" global Race.  But that is BS. It is not the first Race and anyone who has ever participated knows that.\n\nWhat this rebranding accomplish? Not much that I can tell. In fact, this year the Race here in the Washington DC area had fewer participants (45,000 vs. 50,000 last year) and raised less money.  Last year, Cynthia Nixon and Condoleeza Rice addressed the participants, and participated in the Race. Also, Mayor Adrian Fenty raced. This year, the only \"celebrities\" were Jill Biden and her husband.\n\nIn any case, I think that any established cause or organization needs to carefully evaluate what it aims to get from a rebranding. Is it worth the cost? Is it worth the confusion?\n\nUltimately, I felt that the \"Global\" Race for the Cure was very disorganized compared to last year. I did not feel appreciated for raising money or participating and I don\'t think I will participate next year. And I did not get that it was global in nature (other than the very long and ridiculous speech by some \"royal\" from Bosnia). In fact the whole point of Komen is to raise funds for the LOCAL community.\n\n[polldaddy poll=1689540]\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m03.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/06/08/thoughts-about-a-rebranding\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F08%2Fthoughts-about-a-rebranding&amp;title=Thoughts%20about%20a%20rebranding\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F08%2Fthoughts-about-a-rebranding&amp;title=Thoughts%20about%20a%20rebranding\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F08%2Fthoughts-about-a-rebranding&amp;title=Thoughts%20about%20a%20rebranding\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F08%2Fthoughts-about-a-rebranding&amp;title=Thoughts%20about%20a%20rebranding\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F08%2Fthoughts-about-a-rebranding&amp;Title=Thoughts%20about%20a%20rebranding\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F08%2Fthoughts-about-a-rebranding&amp;title=Thoughts%20about%20a%20rebranding\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F08%2Fthoughts-about-a-rebranding\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F08%2Fthoughts-about-a-rebranding&amp;t=Thoughts%20about%20a%20rebranding\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F08%2Fthoughts-about-a-rebranding&amp;h=Thoughts%20about%20a%20rebranding\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m03.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m03.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','Thoughts about a rebranding','','publish','open','open','','thoughts-about-a-rebranding','','','2009-06-08 10:18:15','2009-06-08 15:18:15','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=420',0,'post','',3),
(424,4,'2009-06-16 13:21:04','2009-06-16 18:21:04','I recently read that to get leads for your business, white papers are the answer. (For those that don\'t know, white papers are backgrounders, in-depth write ups about a subject area.) For one second I thought, yeah! that is the answer and I was about to put it on my to-do list. But wait, I thought, there is never ONE answer to marketing. That is the magic bullet thinking that gets lots of people in trouble.\n\nMarketing should be about using a mix of strategies and tactics that can promote your service or product to its target audience. For instance, say you are marketing denture paste. You could advertise in the AARP magazine (if the budget allows) or in a local seniors newspaper. You could sponsor an event targeting those 65+. You could do many things, but you wouldn\'t necessarily advertise in Blender Magazine or choose a skateboarding teen as your spokesperson. You have to go where your target audience goes.\n\nSo, my advice to you is that if someone tells you that to market your business, all you need to do is this one thing, walk away. Walk away fast. There is never a one-size solution nor any kind of magic bullet. Marketing is about creating awareness and that can take time and many forms.\n\nI had a client once who was looking for the magic bullet. So, he hired me to re-do some copy, and he hired a PR guy to get some publicity, and he redesigned his website. He thought that each thing he did would bring a huge influx in business. And none of it did. Sure he got a better website, and good publicity, but because nothing was strategic and everything was a quick response to I need to get more business, it didn\'t work. And he kept wasting money wanting to find the one thing that would work instead of working on many different tactics that would give his brand cohesiveness.  I could never make that client happy because one piece of copy or one press release is not going to turn you into a million dollar business.\n\nA couple of nights ago, I was watching CNBC and they had a show entitled The Oprah Effect. As you no doubt know, anything that is seen on Oprah, almost automatically becomes a bestseller. You may think then that Oprah is a magic bullet. Well, yes and no. It does get you tremendous exposure, but in order to get on Oprah, you have to have a good product, good marketing and a good story. Those are part of the marketing mix. You also have to be ready to play in the big leagues. What if you can\'t deliver? Then your business is going down the tubes.\n\nIn sum, stop looking for one solution and look at the whole picture. What do you need to do to give yourself a marketing boost?\n\n\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m04.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/06/16/the-answer-to-…arketing-needs/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F16%2Fthe-answer-to-…arketing-needs%2F&amp;title=The%20answer%20to%20your%20marketing%20needs\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F16%2Fthe-answer-to-…arketing-needs%2F&amp;title=The%20answer%20to%20your%20marketing%20needs\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F16%2Fthe-answer-to-…arketing-needs%2F&amp;title=The%20answer%20to%20your%20marketing%20needs\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F16%2Fthe-answer-to-…arketing-needs%2F&amp;title=The%20answer%20to%20your%20marketing%20needs\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F16%2Fthe-answer-to-…arketing-needs%2F&amp;Title=The%20answer%20to%20your%20marketing%20needs\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F16%2Fthe-answer-to-…arketing-needs%2F&amp;title=The%20answer%20to%20your%20marketing%20needs\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F16%2Fthe-answer-to-…arketing-needs%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F16%2Fthe-answer-to-…arketing-needs%2F&amp;t=The%20answer%20to%20your%20marketing%20needs\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F16%2Fthe-answer-to-…arketing-needs%2F&amp;h=The%20answer%20to%20your%20marketing%20needs\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m04.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m04.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','The answer to your marketing needs','','publish','open','open','','the-answer-to-your-marketing-needs','','','2009-06-16 13:21:04','2009-06-16 18:21:04','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=424',0,'post','',1),
(427,4,'2009-06-17 12:43:25','2009-06-17 17:43:25','How many of you use enewsletters? I bet a fair amount do, and a larger amount receive many enewsletters each day.\n\nCertainly enewsletters are more environmentally-friendly than printed newsletters, and are more timely, since there is no lag time getting to a printer. And for sure, enewsletters are cost-effective, costing nothing to a few centers per newsletter. But, and this is a big but, are enewsletters effective in achieving their objective?\n\nAn enewsletter intends to inform or to promote or both.  There are internal and external enewsletters too. Some serve as employee communications, others as corporate communications.\n\nWhat I am wondering is with the overwhelming amount of information (email, Twitter, Facebook, RSS feeds, blogs, news aggregators) that we are exposed to each day, are enewsletters serving their purpose? Or have they become one more piece of nuisance in our inboxes? I am not sure, but I sure would like to hear your opinions. Vote in the poll or send me thoughts in the comments.\n\n[polldaddy poll=1714351]\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa200m01.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/enewsletters/\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa201m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Facebook\" /></a><a href=\"http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F17%2Fenewsletters%2F&amp;title=Enewsletters\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa202m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Digg\" /></a><a href=\"http://del.icio.us/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F17%2Fenewsletters%2F&amp;title=Enewsletters\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa203m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Del.icio.us\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F17%2Fenewsletters%2F&amp;title=Enewsletters\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa204m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Stumbleupon\" /></a><a href=\"http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F17%2Fenewsletters%2F&amp;title=Enewsletters\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa205m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Reddit\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.blinklist.com/index.php?Action=Blink/addblink.php&amp;Description=&amp;Url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F17%2Fenewsletters%2F&amp;Title=Enewsletters\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa206m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Blinklist\" /></a><a href=\"http://ma.gnolia.com/bookmarklet/add?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F17%2Fenewsletters%2F&amp;title=Enewsletters\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa207m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Ma.gnolia\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F17%2Fenewsletters%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa208m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Technorati\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.furl.net/storeIt.jsp?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F17%2Fenewsletters%2F&amp;t=Enewsletters\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa209m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Furl\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.newsvine.com/_wine/save?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F06%2F17%2Fenewsletters%2F&amp;h=Enewsletters\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa210m01.png\" alt=\"Add to Newsvine\" /></a><img style=\"border:0;margin:0;padding:0;\" src=\"http://getsocialserver.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gsa211m01.png\" alt=\"\" /></p>','Enewsletters','','publish','open','open','','enewsletters','','','2009-06-17 12:43:25','2009-06-17 17:43:25','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=427',0,'post','',0),
(430,4,'2009-06-19 10:19:04','2009-06-19 15:19:04','<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Radio Commercials</span>\n\nDoes it seem to you that every time you are listening to the radio, and a commercial break comes on,  you get commercials on all other stations as well? Does it also seem to you that commercial breaks/DJ gab fests on radio go on for way too long?\n\nIt\'s great that there is still so much advertising on radio, but I think that by making the commercial breaks so long radio stations risk losing their listeners. If I am listening to station, and a long commercial break comes on, I switch stations until I find one that is playing music. If these breaks were shorter, there would be less risk of alienation, IMO.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Different name, same location</span>\n\nWhy is it that store owners think that by changing the name of a store they will get tons of new business? I was just walking home and saw that a day spa/salon just changed their name (and to something a lot more utilitarian). I thought, well, the problem was not the name of the salon, it is the location! Hard to get to, off the beaten path, etc. I don\'t know if the salon was sold to another owner, but in any case, when I see too many names on the same store front I tend to think problems.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">As if we thought Iran was democratic</span>\n\nI am not sure why Iran bothered to hold elections. Why pretend they are a democracy? Let me point out that the actual leader of Iran is not the president but the Ayatollah, the so-called Supreme Leader. Anytime you have someone ruling a country who is not elected and calls himself the Supreme Leader you are not dealing with a democracy. The problem is that the west wanted to believe that elections=democracy. They do not. It is not good marketing for Iran to hold elections and then repress the protests when it appears the election is a sham. Talk about a public relations fiasco!','Random thoughts','','publish','open','open','','random-thoughts','','','2009-06-19 10:19:04','2009-06-19 15:19:04','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=430',0,'post','',0),
(433,4,'2009-06-24 09:13:14','2009-06-24 14:13:14','As you have no doubt read somewhere else, the governor of North Carolina, Mark Sanford, had disappeared for a few days and no one seemed to know where he was. His staff first said they didn\'t know, and then they said he was hiking the Appalachian Trail. Well, it turns out the good governor was a lot farther away...he was in Argentina. And when he arrived back in the United States he expressed surprise about the amount of coverage.\n\nFirst, let\'s start with the public relations aspect of this.  Sanford screwed up, and not by going out of town, but by being secretive about it. He could have easily said he was taking a few vacation days and that would have been the end of the story. Instead, he chose secrecy and his staff chose disinformation or misinformation. These decisions reflect poorly on the governor\'s and his staff\'s judgements. Clearly, these poor folks don\'t understand how the media works. News is instantaneous and has a wide net. Everyone reported his \"disappearance\" and they also reported the explanation and now they are reporting (and commenting) on what really happened.  Not being able to understand the consequences of your actions is the definition of lack of judgement.\n\nWhen you are in a political position you are also in a public position. It is probably hard to adjust to losing your privacy but that is the what happens when you get elected to office. President Obama has made comments to this effect, about how he is living in a bubble and so forth. Nonetheless, it is best to acknowledge and deal with the situation. Not understanding that the public is now invested in an elected official\'s moves is not understanding how politics works.\n\nIn any case, this case shows that a being upfront is good policy and good politics. Not talking or being secretive always carries a negative connotation. People imagine the worse and in today\'s hyperfast communications environment, negative comments can transverse the globe in seconds.\n\nYou can read great insight on this situation in <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Politico\" href=\"http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/24131.html\" target=\"_blank\">Politico.com</a> and on <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"The Fix\" href=\"http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/governors/sanford-from-bad-to-worse.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Fix blog</a> in the Washington Post.','Being upfront is good policy','','publish','open','open','','being-upfront-is-good-policy','','','2009-06-24 09:13:14','2009-06-24 14:13:14','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=433',0,'post','',0),
(435,4,'2009-06-30 07:59:19','2009-06-30 12:59:19','Evening news broadcasts skew older on audience demographics, which is why you will often see medications for cholesterol, ED, and other diseases that affect older people advertised there.  Of all three network evening news, I would venture to say that ABC World News with Charles Gibson skews the oldest, simply because Charlie is the oldest anchor.  Lately, all evening newscasts have been tending to soft news, with a smattering of hard news. NBC Nightly News has a segment called Making a Difference and ABC does the New Normal. If you want hard news, you\'d turn to BBC or the Internet. If you want in-depth news, you\'d probably tune into the News Hour with Jim Lehrer on PBS.\n\nLast week, there were at least four celebrity deaths. Per usual, all were covered by all networks. On Friday night, ABC World News covered the Michael Jackson death for the entire broadcast, except for about one minute devoted to other news. The other networks did much the same, except for PBS.  In my opinion, this is more reflective of the news editors interests than of the news viewers interests, and it will result in more audience loss for ABC, etc. Don\'t believe me. Read viewers responses to the ABC news decision to devote its broadcast to Jackson\'s death <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"ABC News Comments\" href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/comments?type=story&amp;id=3029898\" target=\"_blank\">here.</a>\n\nWorld News for sure lost me as a viewer. I watch the evening news broadcasts for the news, as quaint as that may seem. I understand some coverage of the premature death of a pop star, but I don\'t understand the 24-7 coverage that has been going on, in spite of some pretty major international and domestic news.  From now on, I will watch the News Hour.  Less hype, more news (maybe too much news, but that is another story).  I will be curious to see Nielsen ratings for this week. It seems to me that people interested in the Jackson story do not watch ABC World News. They watch Access Hollywood or Inside Edition.\n\nI have written of this before, and I will continue to defend this position. You communicate to your core/target audience first. Perhaps ABC was seeking a younger demographic,  or trying to appeal to people who normally don\'t watch Charlie Gibson. However, what they did was ignore their core audience and even alienate said core audience.  The core audience, the audience who watches Charlie every evening because they admire his editorial choices, was disgusted as is apparent in the comments made to ABC. And, the \"new\" audience is not sticking around for Person of the Week next week, unless said person is Michael Jackson.','Ignore your core audience at your peril','','publish','open','open','','ignore-your-core-audience-at-your-peril','','','2009-06-30 07:59:19','2009-06-30 12:59:19','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=435',0,'post','',0),
(437,4,'2009-07-14 11:41:56','2009-07-14 16:41:56','Last week, I was working at a conference. I was hired to write reports about several workshops. Two other women were hired in the same role. One of these women was warm and friendly. She wanted to chat and have lunch. She swapped business cards. The other was very reserved. She did not seem interested in having lunch, chatting, or even the conference itself. The friendly woman has her own business. She says it\'s going well. The second woman had recently been laid off. She was searching for work and was using the conference as an additional source of income. She had business cards from her previous employer, which obviously was not the correct contact information.\n\nHere are a few lessons on personal marketing this second woman could learn:\n<ul>\n	<li>Friendliness can create connection. Connection can lead to other opportunities. Also people will want to help if they can, but not if they don\'t like you.</li>\n	<li>Business cards are important. If you have been laid off, use an online service like Vista Print to get cards printed cheaply or free. Print pertinent contact information on the card.</li>\n	<li>Look beyond the current opportunity and be future oriented.</li>\n</ul>\nIt is hard to gauge how you are presenting yourself. However, why not try and see how people are responding to you. Are they smiling, interested in what you have to say? Or are you sending signals that you are not interested?You never know where the next opportunity could come from, or what you can learn from other people. Closing yourself off is not a good path to expand your opportunities.','More thoughts on personal marketing','','publish','open','open','','more-thoughts-on-personal-marketing','','','2009-07-14 11:41:56','2009-07-14 16:41:56','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=437',0,'post','',0),
(441,4,'2009-07-15 07:52:47','2009-07-15 12:52:47','Electrasol  is now called finish. Brinks Home Security is now Broadview.  My question is why? Why would two established brands change names?  And in this case, the new names are a whole lot more generic than the originals. Electrasol has a lot more stand-alone recognition than finish. Finish, after all, is a verb. It is not a name. Same with Brinks. Every one knows Brinks--why would you become Broadview? That is one of those meaningless marketing names that doesn\'t really separate you from the crowd. It\'s as if Hertz changed its name to Roadview.  Makes it less memorable.\n\nBrand or company name changes should be few and far between. It is confusing and dilutes your brand/name recognition. Obviously, sometimes a personnel change makes it necessary, as in the band Crosby, Still, Nash and Young, which added/lost Young.  But when you have a time-honored name, such as Electrasol (or Cascade, its largest competitor) you make  it harder for the consumer who has been using your brand for years to find you if you change your name. And, I don\'t think in this case \"finish\" is going to attract any younger/new consumers.\n\nPerhaps you want to be \"cooler\" or more in step with the times. We know AT&amp;T stands for Atlantic Telephone and Telegraph, but clearly, they had to lose the Atlantic and the telegraph parts if they wanted to be known as a national telephone company. So they used their initials. Same with KFC. They have not changed their name from Kentucky Fried Chicken but they wanted to be known for more than fried food, so they use their initials instead.\n\nOwnership changes bring about name changes as in the case of New England Telephone, which later became Nynex and now is Verizon.\n\nIn sum, some name changes are necessary and some are just gimmicky and maybe even plain stupid. In my eyes, finish and Broadview fall in this category.\n\nWhat do you think?','Name changes','','publish','open','open','','name-changes','','','2009-07-15 07:52:47','2009-07-15 12:52:47','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=441',0,'post','',0),
(445,4,'2009-07-16 06:02:34','2009-07-16 11:02:34','William Shatner pitches Priceline and Catherine Zeta-Jones represents T-mobile. They are just two of the many celebrities that are paid big bucks to endorse a product or appear in advertising for the product.  The question really, is does it work? I think it works to gain attention but not necessarily to stimulate sales.\n\nThere was a poll, sponsored by Adweek, on LinkedIn, to see if celebrities make people likely to buy a product or not. The overwhelming response (78%) was that it made no impact at all.  You can access the poll <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"LinkedIn Poll\" href=\"http://polls.linkedin.com/poll-results/47171/aoqcb\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.\n\nAre you swayed by celebrity?','So, did the celebrity make you buy it?','','publish','open','open','','so-did-the-celebrity-make-you-buy-it','','','2009-07-16 06:02:34','2009-07-16 11:02:34','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=445',0,'post','',0),
(447,4,'2009-07-20 11:42:01','2009-07-20 16:42:01','This post is about \"about\" pages. You know, the pages that describe your organization. On blogs, the about pages gives a sense to visitors who the author is.  I would say this is crucial information. It helps us judge the trustworthiness of the content. Say that I am a student of public relations,  at the PhD level, and I say so on my about page. You may surmise that my content has a scholarly bent based on my research. However, say that I am a student, in high school. And I write about public relations.  You may conclude that I am still learning and that my blog is an attempt to explore social media.\n\nI have come across many blogs lacking an about page. That is a mistake. A big mistake. Your about page does not have to be long and fancy. Just tell me who you are and what you are doing. That\'s it. Use it to build your credibilty.\n\nJust today I came across this blog: http://prnext.wordpress.com/ It purports to be a monthly ezine about PR. It gives some rather dubious advice and info (like PR took a backseat to advertising in the 90s, really? says who?). In any case, I want to know who is behind the blog, and guess what, the about page is blank. Immediately, I think these people do not know ANYTHING about PR if they don\'t even have any basics about themselves.  So, their credibility is challenged.\n\nTake a look at your blog, your website, your LinkedIn. What have you done in the about sections? Have you communicated who you are and what you do, at the very least?\n\nIn','What\'s it all about?','','publish','open','open','','whats-it-all-about','','','2009-07-20 11:42:01','2009-07-20 16:42:01','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=447',0,'post','',0),
(450,4,'2009-07-23 06:19:48','2009-07-23 11:19:48','Work to find out who you are,  is what I mean.\n\nYesterday, I was perusing the various coupons in the ValPak mailing. Along with the usual assortment of restaurant discounts and bathroom re-fitter ads, there was a simple coupon for $10, $15 or $20 off (depending on the amount of purchase) at Finish Line.  I am pretty certain Finish Line is a sporting goods store, but short of their website URL, there was no other information. No tag line. No locations. Nothing other than a logo with what could be interpreted as a runner, that would indicate what this store is.  In fact, for all I knew, it\'s online only.\n\nI went to the Finish Line website and discovered they are indeed an athletic equipment purveyor. They are located in many states, so perhaps that explains the lack of specificity in the ad.\n\nHere\'s a note to the Finish Line marketing department: customers don\'t want to work to figure out why they should patronize your store. It is YOUR job to tell them. For sure, give them your Web address, but don\'t expect them to visit without a reason.\n\nThere was no headline or tagline on the ad. And unless you were familiar with Finish Line, the simple enticement of money off is not going to attract you unless it is something that you want to buy.\n\nIn any case, this is an example of narcissism in marketing. Everyone knows who I am therefore I don\'t have to tell them. There are a few brands that can do that--Coke, Pepsi, McDonalds. But Finish Line is not one of those brands.\n\nAds need to motivate customers to buy. That is the intent. A savings coupon for something I don\'t know I want is not going to do the trick.\n\nProduct shots, headlines, taglines are all used in advertising for a reason. You know?','Customers don\'t want work','','publish','open','open','','customers-dont-want-work','','','2009-07-23 06:19:48','2009-07-23 11:19:48','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=450',0,'post','',0),
(453,4,'2009-07-27 15:44:51','2009-07-27 20:44:51','The best marketing is positive word of mouth, no doubt about it. Think about it: If  a trusted friend raves about something or someone, you are more likely interested. Even if your friend just gives you a name without a rave, you are more likely to check it out.\n\nCompanies do not seem to grasp the importance of positive word of mouth and instead rely on expensive ad campaigns. Take Comcast for instance. They spend mucho dinero on all sorts of  print and broadcast messages, but everyone knows someone who has had a bad customer service experience with Comcast. In fact, Comcast probably NEEDS to spend that much money to overcome all the negative reviews out there.\n\nOn the other hand, no company should rely solely on word of mouth. For instance, near me there is a pizza shop. It is always jammed at lunch, which is a good indicator. However, the store does not list its hours. It doesn\'t have a website, or provide menus, or have flyers in the local coupon book. Unless you are in the know it seems, you don\'t know.\n\nWhat are your thoughts?','The best marketing','','publish','open','open','','the-best-marketing','','','2009-07-27 15:44:51','2009-07-27 20:44:51','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=453',0,'post','',0),
(456,4,'2009-08-04 07:29:47','2009-08-04 12:29:47','It\'s hard to remember what communications was like back even a decade ago. When I started in advertising, we faxed insertion orders and delivered artwork. When I started in PR, we faxed press releases and mailed photos. Now, we all just use the Internet.  In the past two or three years, we\'ve evolved past email and launched into new media: blogs, Twitter, social networks, and so forth. \"Old\" media is dying a bit more every day. Newspapers are disappearing or slimming down. News broadcasts are relying on Twitter and Facebook for user interaction. We\'ve become a nation of citizen journalists, wielding our cameraphones and uploading our viewpoints. I read somewhere that a large liquour advertiser will be spending 90% of its ad budget on new media.  On the other hand, a study showed that 60% of Americans use print media to make shopping decisions.\n\nIn any case, there is a new paradigm in how people acquire information. Fewer people are turning to traditional media and more people are turning to new media. That is the reality and your communications efforts must reflect that.\n\nA few days ago, I was having a conversation with a graphic designer. He\'s pretty old school, to such an extent, that although he has worked in web design, he had never heard of Wordpress.  I spoke with a technical writer who knows nothing about blogs, and dismissed them as useless. Do you think these people are ready for the present, not to mention the future? In my opinion, they will be left behind.\n\nI believe that if you are in communications, you must learn about new media. You may not use it, but you need to know about it. People are making lots of money training other people on how to use blogs and Twitter for communications efforts.  In fact, for a mere $395 you can go to an all-day Twitter conference.  Why would people spend this type of money?Because we are looking to know what the next big thing will be. In the early 90s, glossy magazines were the big thing. In the early 00s, dot-com/websites were the rage. Now we are in the blogosphere.\n\nIn a sense, communications is way more challenging now than ever. We have a very segmented audience and extremely targeted media. I am not sure we have much left in the way of mass media.  Communications practitioners have to become adept at many forms of media.\n\nSo, to answer my own question, no, you cannot succeed in communications without new media.\n\nWhat do you think?','Can you succeed in communications without new media?','','publish','open','open','','can-you-succeed-in-communications-without-new-media','','','2009-08-04 07:29:47','2009-08-04 12:29:47','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=456',0,'post','',1),
(459,4,'2009-08-12 12:37:04','2009-08-12 17:37:04','Last night I saw the movie Julie &amp; Julia,  about Julia Child and Julie Powell. Julie Powell wrote a book about her experience blogging about cooking her way through Child\'s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I liked the movie and would recommend it, especially if you enjoy food and want to feel inspired.\n\nBut this is not a movie review blog, it is about marketing communications. And here\'s the thing: the movie has stimulated the sales of Julia Child\'s books, biographies and of course, of Julie Powell\'s Julie &amp; Julia.  In fact, there is a renaissance in interest in all things Julia Child. This is probably due to Meryl Streep\'s excellent personification of Julia on screen and a compelling storyline about following your dreams and believing in yourself.\n\nThe marketing lesson to draw from the success of Julie and Julia is that interest stimulates action. It goes back to the AIDA principle we have discussed before: attention, interest, desire and action.  If you make something interesting, you will stimulate action on the part of your intended target audience. The movie made all things Julia and Julie interesting. The audience was loving the food, and now, naturally, wants to partake in it. The audience was inspired to learn more about Julia (and Julie for that matter).\n\nMovies are great marketing vehicles because they reach mass, captive audiences. This is why we see so much product placement in the movies, and why there is advertising at the movie theater. A good movie is by nature, interesting. If it has to do with a historical figure, we want to learn more. If it showcases music (like Walk the Line did for Johnny Cash), you want to go out and listen to the music again.\n\nThe other lesson is to put things in front of the right audience. In Julie &amp; Julia\'s case, the thing is both cooking and following dreams, for a female audience. Last night, I would say that 90% of the audience was female, and I would venture to say that most were under 45.\n\nIn any case, Julie &amp; Julia reached its intended audience and is proving that people always want to know more if they are stimulated to do so.\n\nDid you see the movie? What did you think?','Interest and Julie & Julia','','publish','open','open','','interest-and-julie-julia','','','2009-08-12 12:37:04','2009-08-12 17:37:04','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=459',0,'post','',0),
(461,4,'2009-08-13 07:31:33','2009-08-13 12:31:33','If you are a new business, or a small business, or any business at all, there are a couple essentials for your marketing. I am assuming you already have a business name and have done all the necessary paperwork to get yourself set up.\n\nThe number one item you need is a website. Buy your own domain. If you can\'t afford a fully designed website you can use templates through vendors such as Network Solutions or Go Daddy. If you are more technologically inclined, you can use WordPress, but host it at your domain name. Your website, at minimum, should answer these questions: who are you, what do you do, why should anyone hire you or purchase your product, how to reach you. If you are a restaurant or deal with the public, include your hours and directions to your location. Remember, this is a minimum. If you are a restaurant, you could also include menus. Service businesses could include case studies, client lists, testimonials.\n\nThe number two item you need is business cards. You can get them for cheap or you can have them professionally designed. Whatever you do your business cards should have your name, primary phone, website URL and email address (preferably at your domain).\n\nIf you have money or a good friend who is a graphic designer, get a logo and letterhead package done.\n\nOnce you are set up, you may consider developing a tagline or a slogan for your business. Use it on everything.\n\nThese are the essentials. There are plenty of other marketing communications collateral materials you could develop for yourself, including brochures, ads, press releases, white papers and so forth. You also have to think about your social media strategy: Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn for starters.\n\nStart with the essentials. Work from there.\n\nIf you want help figuring out what marketing materials you need, contact me.','New business: marketing essentials','','publish','open','open','','new-business-marketing-essentials','','','2009-08-13 07:31:33','2009-08-13 12:31:33','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=461',0,'post','',1),
(463,4,'2009-08-19 08:37:12','2009-08-19 13:37:12','<a title=\"Thank You by 2Shutter, on Flickr\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/10257372@N02/2239533936/\"><img src=\"http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2136/2239533936_76f6203779.jpg\" alt=\"\" /></a>\n\nThank you for reading this post, and thank you for reading my blog. I probably haven\'t thanked you before, so I apologize, because this post is about how thank you is really a marketing tool.\n\nWe\'ve all heard of customer appreciation. Often, it is a deal available to new customers. Sometimes it is a gift with purchase. In many cases, the customer has to do something additional to get appreciated--sign up for a new service or buy more.\n\nWhat about customers that just use a service, like a gym, cable, phone and have been using it for years. Do they ever get thanked? No, they often don\'t. Why? Because companies take the bulk of their customer base for granted. They imagine that if they are providing the service, and there is no problem, the customer will remain loyal. But in fact, customers are not always loyal. They will switch for lower prices, or better service. They may also switch because a company does not seem to appreciate they have a choice in service providers. This is why more banks and customer service agents start any conversation with you by saying things like \"thank you for banking with us.\"\n\nThe bottom line is that saying thank you is about expressing appreciation. And most everyone likes to be appreciated.  And yet, thank yous are sometimes hard to come by.\n\nIn your personal marketing or personal branding, saying thank you may be even more important. Think about it: What are you saying when you don\'t say thank you? You are communicating that you are uninterested, unappreciated, or that you take the gesture for granted.  It makes you seem rude and self-involved.  Some people will claim they are too busy to respond. Are you too busy to make sure that you are perceived properly?\n\nRemember, no one is forced to be your customer unless you are a monopoly. And no one is required to help you out unless he or she wants to. It is simple to say thank you.  Saying thank you boosts the perception that you care, that you are aware that what the customer or friend has given you has some value.','Why a thank you is good marketing','','publish','open','open','','why-a-thank-you-is-good-marketing','','','2009-08-19 08:37:12','2009-08-19 13:37:12','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=463',0,'post','',7),
(466,4,'2009-08-20 11:48:05','2009-08-20 16:48:05','Did you hear about <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"jetblue all you can fly\" href=\"http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/12/news/companies/jetblue_unlimited_flight_pass/?postversion=2009081312\" target=\"_blank\">JetBlue\'s unlimited pass</a>? For $599  you can go anywhere during a month.  You probably already heard about it, but now you can no longer get the pass because it is <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"JetBlue sells out\" href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/08/20/business/AP-US-JetBlue-All-You-Can-Jet.html\" target=\"_blank\">sold out</a>. That\'s right, in just about a week, JetBlue was able to create so much demand that it was able to  sell out. To me, that is the definition of a great marketing campaign.\n\nWhy is this such a great marketing campaign? For many reasons:\n<ul>\n	<li>First and foremost it <strong>sold product</strong>, in this case, seats on planes.</li>\n	<li>It was <strong>creative</strong> and different from most airline promotions. It caused JetBlue to stand apart.</li>\n	<li>Its creativity created buzz, and loads of<strong> publicity</strong>. Google is telling me that there were at least 226 articles about the promotion, and 50 articles about the selling out.</li>\n</ul>\nJetBlue has tapped into something customers want: lower cost air travel. But its not all about being cheap--Spirit Airlines is also cheap, but it does not offer the same experience. JetBlue is comfortable, offers snacks, TV in each seat, and it\'s generally a good experience. But it also distinguishes itself  for being cutting edge.  JetBlue has embraced Twitter by offering their \"cheeps\" (travel promotions). And its tries hard to provide good customer service.\n\nIt is a really good day in marketing when a promotion reaches its target while generating front page news, all for a comparatively low marketing dollar investment.','JetBlue sells out ... in a good way','','publish','open','open','','jetblue-sells-out-in-a-good-way','','','2009-08-20 11:48:05','2009-08-20 16:48:05','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=466',0,'post','',0),
(468,4,'2009-08-25 09:52:43','2009-08-25 14:52:43','I came across this <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Useful Lunacy\" href=\"http://usefullunacy.typepad.com/useful_lunacy/2009/08/doing-the-hard-stuff.html\" target=\"_blank\">blog post</a> from copywriter Tim Brunelle regarding tired tactics, and how sometimes strategy is ignored. That got me thinking about the topic. Usually each piece of marketing material is a tactic: the brochure, the press release, even the website. Hopefully, each piece is guided by a strategy.\n\nIf you are launching a marketing campaign, it should never start with \"we\'ll run an ad.\" It should start with figuring out who you want to reach, where those people are located and what you want them to do with the information you want to share with them.\n\nA few months ago, a potential client contacted me. He wanted me to write copy for an ad. He was about to open up a new business and wanted to promote it. My first thought was \"wait a second, what?.\" I asked him who his target audience was. He told me. I asked him where this ad would run. He told me he thought it should run in one of those free newspapers so common on the subway. I asked why. His reasoning was lots of people read that (true) and the cost is relatively low (true). But what this guy was missing completely was a strategy, a vision, a long term plan. Sure, running a \"cheap\" ad in a mass publication could promote your business. But spending a few dollars here and few dollars there does not further your purpose and it certainly does not strengthen your brand. In fact, you have to think about the larger picture to create a brand personality and make sure that you are not hurting yourself with some misplaced tactics.\n\nPeople are sold tactics by ad sales reps because those reps are there to sell advertising now and not to tell you how to create a brand image for yourself. Many times, small businesses fall into this trap. The local paper will call and tell them they are running a special and so forth. It sounds reasonable. And boom, a tactic is launched which may or may not have something to do with your larger strategy.\n\nSave yourself some marketing dollars and think of each tactic as a piece of the marketing strategy puzzle. Instead of blindly following some promotion because it is inexpensive, figure out whether that furthers your overall goals.','Strategy vs. Tactics','','publish','open','open','','strategy-vs-tactics','','','2009-08-25 09:52:43','2009-08-25 14:52:43','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=468',0,'post','',0),
(470,4,'2009-09-01 15:12:02','2009-09-01 20:12:02','Perhaps I should have titled this blog post \"Back to Basics,\" because it is all about hitting the essential notes. When marketing anything, you need to show the potential buyer why he or she would want to buy something. Seems fairly obvious. And yet, how many times have you seen products advertised for which there is no clear reason given that would cause buyers to buy?\n\nI got the following anecdote from Sara Cormeny (who is a web developer at <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Paper Lantern\" href=\"http://www.paperlantern.com\" target=\"_blank\">www.paperlantern.com. )</a>Please note I edited slightly:\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\">I just recently purchased a product on Amazon called the Standers Bed  Cane, for my dad.  It\'s a handle that you attach to the side of your  bed, in order to have something secure and sturdy to hold onto as you get in and out of bed.</p>\n\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\">For  people who are still having a hard time convincing a parent  to get one, I noticed that they have cleverly added an organizer pouch, useful for holding glasses, the remote control, a pen, etc.  More than\none of the Amazon user reviews mentioned that her mom was willing to  consider the Bed Cane because she actually thought the organizer was  worth it, even if she insisted that she didn\'t need one of those cane-\nassists.\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\">I thought it was really clever that the makers added this to the  product -- now it appeals to both parties who are likely to be  involved in the buying process, and lets the user save face with a  product that screams \"old lady who can\'t get in and out of bed on her  own.\"</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\">I was also impressed that the seller  included  five photos of the product, which were clearly taken and showed it in  use with a person in the bed, in a close-up attached to the bed  without a person, and two photos of it removed from the bed so you  could see all the parts and see it folded up for storage.  For me, all  the photos made it so much easier to understand how it would work and  how it would fit with my parents\' bed, and that was really what sold  me (along with the competitive price).\"</p>\n\nWhat Sara is pointing is that there should be COMPELLING reason to buy and also proof, in the way of pictures, that the product serves the purpose. Any marketing should include these basics.  Advertising and marketing should not always leave everything to the imagination. Being clear and transparent is often the way to go (more on this on my next post).\n\nThoughts? Have you bought something because the photographs made it clear how the product worked?','A reason to buy (plus photographs)','','publish','open','open','','a-reason-to-buy-plus-photographs','','','2009-09-01 15:12:02','2009-09-01 20:12:02','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=470',0,'post','',0),
(475,4,'2009-09-03 09:19:08','2009-09-03 14:19:08','I am sure you have heard by now that Charlie Gibson is stepping down from the anchor position at ABC World News and that Diane Sawyer will be taking his place come January. It was probably Charlie\'s time to go, he looked tired and somewhat out of touch. I am not a huge Diane Sawyer fan, although I think she will do well in the slot. However, is Diane going to be judged solely by her accomplishments? No. Absolutely not. She will be judged by her gender. It has already started. All the talk about how \"historic\" it is that now there will two female evening news anchors, blah blah blah.  I have news for all (mostly male) pundits and TV critics out there: It is 2009. There are women everywhere.  This is not news. Katie Couric is in third place not because she is a woman, but because she has a bad delivery for news, in my opinion. Diane has much more gravitas. But it will be inevitable that they will be compared on things like appearance and clothing.\n\nUPDATE: Carole Simpson opines that Diane Sawyer being promoted to network news is too little, too late. Simpson thinks that network news is in tremendous decline, and that with women at the helm, they may end up being blamed. Interesting take. Here\'s the <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Carole Simpson\" href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/08/simpson.sawyer/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">link to her piece on CNN.</a>\n\nGender is old news. For Generation Y especially (not that they watch the evening news) the idea of judging someone based on something innate like gender, race or sexual orientation is anathema.  So here\'s a plea to all the old fogies that are stirring up flames about how amazing it is that there will two female anchors--drop it! Concentrate on real news. Judge all anchors on their ability to deliver the news, on their editorial choices and not on the shape of their genitals.\n\nIt was Marshall McLuhan who said the medium is the message. Well, the message is the message. Here\'s a<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Health Care Obama\" href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/09/03/obama.social.media.health.care/index.html\" target=\"_blank\"> piece from CNN </a>on how Obama is losing the health care fight because of social media. No, Obama is losing the health care fight because his MESSAGE is not resonating. It is not the medium, it is the message.\n\nThoughts?','Gender and Message','','publish','open','open','','gender-and-message','','','2009-09-03 09:19:08','2009-09-03 14:19:08','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=475',0,'post','',2),
(479,4,'2009-09-09 10:53:28','2009-09-09 15:53:28','We\'ve all heard of MDs, MBAs, and PhDs.  We usually deal with a CPA once a year. I don\'t have to tell you what these stand for. You know. You are familiar with them, and therefore you understand their value.  What about MPS? Do you know what that is? I don\'t. The point is that titles are important, but only if you know what they mean.\n\nWould you go to a doctor that didn\'t have a MD after his or her name? Probably not.  MD stands for medical doctor. You may need to go to a PsyD, which is a doctor of psychology. You may want your lawyer to be a JD and he or she probably uses the abbreviation to Esquire in his/her cards.\n\nThere are some titles that are obscure, like the MPS. Does it mean anything at first glance? Probably only to those who have it. MP, on the other hand, stands for Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom, which may be a pretty important title.  Some organizations, such as the IABC (International Association of Business Communicators) and the PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) issue certificates like the ABC and APR respectively. The problem is that no one outside of a small circle knows what it means. In fact, you can be a business communicator or a public relations practitioner WITHOUT being accredited. On the other hand, you cannot practice medicine legally without your proper degree.\n\nMy point is that we all like titles. In fact, some cultures love titles. However, if you are going to use them as a marketing point, you better be sure that people know what the title is and what it stands for.  I got an invitation to an event where the speaker is the aforementioned \"MPS.\" Am I supposed to be impressed?  I  don\'t even know what it stands for!\n\nAnybody have a title they have seen and don\'t know what it is?','The value of a title','','publish','open','open','','the-value-of-a-title','','','2009-09-09 10:53:28','2009-09-09 15:53:28','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=479',0,'post','',1),
(481,4,'2009-09-10 09:00:44','2009-09-10 14:00:44','Now, I am not claiming that I don\'t use profanities. I do, probably too much, in private conversations or when I am in the car behind some incompetent driver. However, I never use profanity in a public forum such as Twitter or Facebook.\n\nProfanities can get you in trouble.  People have varying degrees of comfort toward the use of profanities.  The point is you have to watch out for what you put out there. People will judge you. And some people get in trouble. A state senator in California was forced to resign because of some salacious comments he made, which were recorded and replayed.  A few weeks ago, a local religious-sponsored organization here in DC used unnecessary expletives in its Twitter stream. I cringed when I read that. It is public, and it\'s on the record.\n\nThere is a self-important blog expert here in DC who has an Internet radio show. I tuned in only to hear him use an expletive every other word, apparently because he could. It made him sound dumb, and my respect for him is now non-existent.\n\nIn general, marketing communications should never contain profanities.  Unless you are communicating with a target audience that enjoys using expletives every other word, you will offend someone, somewhere. Not to mention that using expletives can make you seem rude and coarse. In an age where manners are dwindling, it is important to be mindful of our PUBLIC language, especially language that may be etched in cyberspace, just waiting for someone to find it.','Profanities','','publish','open','open','','profanities','','','2009-09-10 09:00:44','2009-09-10 14:00:44','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=481',0,'post','',0),
(484,4,'2009-09-11 10:09:56','2009-09-11 15:09:56','Yesterday, I attended a networking/information lunch put on a by a group to which I had never been before. The topic was business strategies. This was the fall kick-off event and I thought it was a good time to think about strategy as I move forward with my business and so forth. Well, the speaker was more interested in telling us about how he doesn\'t take clients under $20,000. He made the point that we should think about doing strategy and not tactics. No word about how to develop strategies for your business.  He also took a bunch of self-centered questions from the audience. In a word, the event was disappointing. Not to mention expensive and not very satisfying.\n\nThe group put out a survey and I gladly responded that the event did not meet my expectations and why. The organizer wrote me and said that \"he had no control over the speaker\" even though he agreed with me about content. He asked me to give the group another chance.\n\nHere are my thoughts.\n\n1) Organizers do have some control over the speaker. It is not total of course, but the organizer could have reminded the speaker of the topic, and OUTLINED EXPECTATIONS FROM THE SPEECH, QUESTIONS AND TOPIC TO BE COVERED.\n\n2) It is not enough to ask me to try again.  It was money out of my pocket, and perhaps he could have offered a discount for next time or something such.\n\n3) The organizer needs to be aware that you only get one chance to make a first impression. If you don\'t make a good first impression, YOU MUST make a better second impression or else all is lost. My second impression is that the organizer doesn\'\'t get it. He did not take full responsibility. Etc.\n\nOh, and when I arrived at the event, there was no name tag for me, even though I pre-registered. Nothing irritates me more at these types of events than having a handwritten Hello, I am... tag. Awful. My handwriting is not that clear and I think it looks unprofessional.\n\nIronically, this group is a public relations related group.  What is the saying about doctors healing themselves?\n\n','You only have one chance to make a first impression','','publish','open','open','','you-only-have-one-chance-to-make-a-first-impression','','','2009-09-11 10:09:56','2009-09-11 15:09:56','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=484',0,'post','',1),
(488,4,'2009-09-14 08:34:35','2009-09-14 13:34:35','<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong>Dos and Don\'ts</strong></p>\n\n<strong>Do have a business card,</strong> even if you don\'t yet have a business off the ground. There is nothing worse than people who go to networking events and don\'t have business cards. Go get plain cards with your name, phone and email at the very least. When you are more set up then spend more money.\n\n<strong>Do use both sides of the card.</strong> The other side can hold more information about your services. It is extra real estate space, use it.\n\n<strong>Don\'t make your cards super unusual.</strong> Cards that are odd sizes, vertical instead of horizontal or folded are hard to put away easily. Most people either put them in a Rollodex of some sort or scan them. If your card is too small or too big for these applications it will get lost. I particularly hate vertical cards and folded cards.\n\n<strong>Do use a professional design</strong>. When possible, hire a graphic designer to do your entire letterhead package. It looks nicer.\n\n<strong>Don\'t go too cheap.</strong> Unless you are brand spanking new, don\'t go for the cheapest black ink on white crappy paper cards from your inkjet if you can all avoid it. It looks, well, cheap.\n\n<strong>Don\'t use other people\'s cards.</strong> If you work for yourself do not under any circumstances just fill out your name on someone else\'s card. Looks bad.\n\n<strong>Do make sure you have the correct information.</strong> By this I mean, your card should have your name, company name, phone number, email address, at a minimum. You can add street address, fax, cell phone number, Twitter handle, and other info.\n\n<strong>Don\'t sacrifice legibility for information.</strong> If you have to use a ridiculously small point size to fit in too much information on the card, forget about it. The point of the card is to let people find you EASILY, without the help of a magnifying glass.\n\nI have said it before and I will say it again, if you are in business of any kind, you need a business card. It is an easy way to provide other people your information. Before you go to your next networking event, take a look at what you are giving out. Does it help or hinder you?','Business cards','','publish','open','open','','business-cards','','','2009-09-14 08:34:35','2009-09-14 13:34:35','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=488',0,'post','',3),
(491,4,'2009-09-15 09:31:35','2009-09-15 14:31:35','Have you seen the latest USPS ad campaign? It says that you can send anything that fits in a box, anywhere in the country for a flat fee.  Fabulous USP. Great deal. Easy.\n\nBut, and here is the rub, you have to deal with the post office unless your handy dandy mail carrier comes by to pick up your packages. Folks who don\'t work in offices or who work out of home actually have to make the trek down to the post office. And guess what, at the post office you are going to have to wait. And wait. And wait some more.\n\nI was at the post office today. There were at least 10 people in line. And only two clerks were working. The supervisor was not working. And one of the clerks was trying to get people to use the automated machine, with her help, which sort of defeats the purpose of AUTOMATION.  At one point, only one clerk was helping customers. All I needed was one international stamp, for which I wanted to pay cash.  I was frustrated but realized this is the perfect example of marketing disconnect.\n\nWhat is marketing disconnect?  It is when the marketing does not match the product. Let\'s say you see a gorgeous ad for a luscious chocolate shake. You go buy it, and the product you get is far from luscious, in fact, it tastes more like talcum powder than chocolate. That is marketing disconnect. What happens is that you will never buy that product again. And heck, you may stop trusting advertising altogether.\n\nSame here. Why would you want to continue dealing with the post office if you don\'t have to? Which, is probably why more and more people are paying bills on line. The USPS is hurting. In fact, they are thinking of closing branches (which of course means that you will have longer waits because more people have fewer places to go). I felt bad for them until today. The USPS is often a model of inefficiency, when it comes to customer service. I think the back end people and the letter carriers do a tremendous job.\n\nFor marketing to continue working, operations and products need to be in line with the offering. In this case, if the post office wants to boost the sales of the flat fee packages it must also do something about the customer service experience in its offices.','USPS: Marketing Disconnect','','publish','open','open','','usps-marketing-disconnect','','','2009-09-15 09:31:35','2009-09-15 14:31:35','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=491',0,'post','',0),
(494,4,'2009-09-17 08:25:38','2009-09-17 13:25:38','Mom was right about minding your manners. Although behaving appropriately and properly seems to be lost these days,  it is still the best way to behave, especially if you care about your personal brand and personal marketing.\n\nThis evening I was at an event about social media. Lots of people were tweeting and in this context that is acceptable behavior. However, lots of people, especially a very obnoxious man behind me, were chit-chatting during the panel presentation. This is not acceptable. It shows lack of respect for the speakers, the audience, and very poor manners. Of course, this is no way compares to the congressman shouting \"you lie\" to the president or the obnoxious rants of a self-absorbed, self-important rap/pop star (I am omitting the names because you know who I am talking about and I am sick of giving them any more publicity).\n\nManners and considerate behavior are in free fall in our society and we should be concerned from a personal branding and marketing perspective, among others. Why? Because someone who has bad manners shows him/herself to be very self-absorbed, even narcissistic. And do you want to do business with someone like that? In the end, we always want to do business with people we like and maybe even respect. Let me tell you, if I ever see the man whom I mentioned  was seated behind me, I will not want to meet him. And why should I? He has shown me through his behavior that he lacks common courtesy.\n\n<strong>The takeaway is this: mind your manners to show the world your best self, and in the process you will help improve your personal brand perception.</strong>\nOn Monday, Kami Huyse discussed this very issue on her blog, <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Personal branding and character\" href=\"http://overtonecomm.blogspot.com/2009/09/beyond-personal-brand-to-character.html\" target=\"_blank\">Communication Overtones</a>. She came to a different conclusion. She thinks the overemphasis on personal branding has allowed character to fall by the wayside. I think society and culture have more to do with that.  I was thinking about it this evening and really, I don\'t think you can fault personal branding at all. In fact, as I said before, if you care about your personal brand, you should aim to be civil, be polite. It is better to be known for your ideas, your experiences than for your crassness and lack of manners. Right?\n\nWhat are your thoughts on this subject?','Proving once again Mother was right','','publish','open','open','','proving-once-again-mother-was-right','','','2009-09-17 08:25:38','2009-09-17 13:25:38','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=494',0,'post','',0),
(498,4,'2009-09-18 12:08:07','2009-09-18 17:08:07','Many of us have blogs to help our business, express our opinions or other reasons. I\'d like to have a more scientific approach. If you have a blog, please complete the following survey (it will take about 1 minute):\n\n<a href=\"http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=bCzG8BZ1DHZsLnBfuj7m8g_3d_3d\">Click Here to take survey</a>\n\nThanks! I will post results here.','Why we blog','','publish','open','open','','why-we-blog','','','2009-09-18 12:08:07','2009-09-18 17:08:07','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/2009/09/18/why-we-blog/',0,'post','',0),
(499,4,'2009-09-22 09:59:25','2009-09-22 14:59:25','I just finished reading Malcolm Gladwell\'s very insightful <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Outliers\" href=\"http://www.gladwell.com/outliers/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Outliers</a>. I recommend it if you want to think about success as being a meeting of opportunity, chance and ability. And,  my friend and colleague Daria Steigman just posted a question about culture in social media on her blog, <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Daria Steigman\" href=\"http://www.steigmancommunications.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Independent Thinking</a>.\n\nDaria wants to know if culture affects communication. Outliers can answer this question. Without a doubt, the answer is yes. In Outliers, Gladwell talks about the Avianca plane crash a few years ago on Long Island, NY. The plane crashed because it had run out of fuel after circling for hours due to bad weather in the area. Gladwell thinks that if the culture of the first officer flying the plane had allowed him to be less deferential toward the JFK control tower, he would have been able to make an emergency landing at Kennedy. Instead, he was not forceful in telling the tower that the plane was dangerously low on fuel. I highly recommend you read the book to fully understand this concept.\n\nSuffice it to say that different cultures expect different communications from different people. Some cultures are more hierarchical and others less so. Some are more cooperative. Some are more focused on results. Whatever the differences are, any communications messages must reflect these nuances.\n\nIn Spanish, for instance, there is a difference between the more familiar \"tu\" and the more formal \"usted.\" In certain Spanish-speaking countries, everyone uses tu and it is considered old-fashioned to use usted. In other countries, if you don\'t know someone, you automatically use usted. Clearly, an ad written in one of the pronouns that doesn\'t take into consideration the norm of the country may insult or offend or not reach its intended audience.\n\nCulture matters in communications. A good communicator always knows his or her target audience, and one of the most important qualifiers to that target is culture.','Culture in communications','','publish','open','open','','culture-in-communications','','','2009-09-22 09:59:25','2009-09-22 14:59:25','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=499',0,'post','',2),
(501,4,'2009-09-23 10:28:25','2009-09-23 15:28:25','\"Quick, acute, and intuitive cognition.\" That is how Merriam-Webster defines perception. It is a quick assessment of what is before us. It is how we form impressions and judgments.\n\nHave you ever considered how you are perceived by a potential client?  Potential friend? Man/woman on the street? Obviously, we may not care how a complete stranger perceives us, but in business we should definetely be concerned with the image we are giving potential customers, clients or partners (a partner can be anyone who we do business with--from someone we network with, to someone who refers business to us or an acquaintance we run into occasionally).\n\nThere are many angles from which you are perceived:\n<ul>\n	<li>Personal appearance and demeanor</li>\n	<li>How you sound</li>\n	<li>Online presence, which includes your websites, what is written about you, your blog, and your social media presence</li>\n	<li>Articles about you</li>\n	<li>Articles you\'ve written</li>\n	<li>Your marketing materials (brochures, postcards, reports, etc)</li>\n	<li>Your behavior and actions</li>\n	<li>Your associations</li>\n</ul>\nIf people have a positive perception of you it will help get business. A negative perception on the other hand will impede your success.\n\n<strong>How to assess</strong>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">Start with a simple Google search on yourself to see what comes up. Negative, positive or neutral?</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">Turn a critical eye on your website and/or blog. Would a visitor to your site know what you do and why you are qualified to do what you do? What would he/she think of your services?</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">How are people responding to you on social media? How many followers do you have? More importantly, who is following you? Quality is important here. How about on Linked In--do people accept your requests for connection? Are you giving them enough for them to want to connect with you?</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">When you go to an event, do you feel confident? Do you ever feel unprepared or frazzled? If so, what aspects of you appearance and demeanor need work?</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">It is hard to self-assess from all these angles so it may be best to ask a trusted friend or colleague to give you some feedback.  A marketing consultant (such as me!) can help assess your marketing materials.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\">Have you assessed how you are perceived? Please let me know how you did it and what helped.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"></p>\n<p style=\"text-align:left;\"></p>','How are you perceived?','','publish','open','open','','how-are-you-perceived','','','2009-09-23 10:28:25','2009-09-23 15:28:25','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=501',0,'post','',0),
(504,4,'2009-09-25 10:12:47','2009-09-25 15:12:47','<strong>A Caffeinated Op-Ed</strong>\n\nToday I want to question the Washington Post. Specifically, I want to know why it bothers searching for subscribers, and indeed, printing its newspaper every day.  It seems to me, more and more, that the Post wants to get rid of subscribers and concentrate on giving away its content for free.\n\nI often visit washingtonpost.com to see the weather, latest news, blogs, etc. I also get a subscription to the paper because I like to read printed material with my morning coffee.  Today, as I was checking the WaPo website I saw that they have redesigned the Sunday magazine. And this is the kicker--all of it is available online for free, two days earlier than subscribers get the same material.\n\nSubscribers PAY. Website visitors do not pay. Why on earth would you make MORE content available earlier at NO COST? How is this a smart business decision? Why would you not embargo content until paid subscribers can access it?\n\nIt seems to me that the Post is doing what it can to make sure people do not buy or subscribe to the printed newspaper. Anyone looking to save 75 cents per issue can just log on to the website and get all the content of the printed piece plus early content and not pay a cent. That translates to at least a $6.00 per week (the Sunday paper costs $1.50).\n\nShould I cancel my subscription? I ask that to the Washington Post. Why on earth should I continue to pay for something I could get for free????','Why bother with print?','','publish','open','open','','why-bother-with-print','','','2009-09-25 10:12:47','2009-09-25 15:12:47','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=504',0,'post','',0),
(508,4,'2009-09-29 10:48:39','2009-09-29 15:48:39','We know of course that a good slogan or tagline is key in helping to make a business stand out. Slogans should be short and sweet and descriptive.  Many slogans lack this last one: descriptive. They may be short and sweet, and maybe even clever, but they don\'t say anything.\n\nI came across this <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Slogans\" href=\"http://current.newsweek.com/budgettravel/2009/09/central_americas_tourism_sloga.html?wpisrc=newsletter\" target=\"_blank\">wonderful blog entry </a>in Budget Travel\'s blog about travel slogans. The post talks about some memorable slogans such as \"Virginia is For Lovers\" and other not so memorable ones.  The author talks about many of the Central American tourism slogans that just don\'t seem to translate. El Salvador uses \"Impressive!\" and Guatemala uses \"The Soul of the Earth.\"\n\nIn any case, let this be an example about why you should choose your slogan carefully. Although brevity is good, description is better. What do you do? What makes you special? (The answer to this is never that you are unique...as I have said before few things are unique).\n\nDo you have examples of slogans that you just love? Or that you just hate? Please share!','Slogans have impact','','publish','open','open','','slogans-have-impact','','','2009-09-29 10:48:39','2009-09-29 15:48:39','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=508',0,'post','',0),
(510,4,'2009-09-30 12:49:50','2009-09-30 17:49:50','Are you trying to sell something?  A product or a service? You probably are if you are reading this post, and my blog generally. You want more people to know about what you do, what you produce, what you sell. That is the entire point of any marketing communications effort.\n\nHowever, beyond your product brochure, your social media strategy and your web page lies something much more important in your quest to sell: what it is that you are selling, exactly. Are you selling a product? If so, what is that product? What makes it good? What gives it the edge over other similar products in the marketplace? Are you providing a service? What does that service do for the customer?  Why does the customer need that service?\n\nI bring these questions up because the number one marketing tip is  this:\n\n<strong>Know your product or service. </strong>\n\nIf you don\'t, you will not be able to sell it to anyone. Period.\n\nLet me give you an example. I was shopping for mascara the  other day at a department store cosmetics counter. I wear contact lenses so mascaras that flake are not an option, since it would make my eyes water. I had been buying one particular type but wanted to try something different. I asked the saleswoman about several different types. She could not explain what the differences were, and whether they would be suitable for me other than to assure me that they would be fine. I was not convinced because she did not seem to understand her product. I ended up buying the same old product because I knew it. She did not sell me. And the reason she did not sell me is because she simply did not know her product.\n\nI don\'t care if you are selling mascara or high end real estate. If you don\'t know what you are selling people will not buy it. It really is that simple.','The number 1 marketing tip','','publish','open','open','','the-number-1-marketing-tip','','','2009-09-30 12:49:50','2009-09-30 17:49:50','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=510',0,'post','',0),
(512,4,'2009-10-06 11:22:20','2009-10-06 16:22:20','Yesterday came the news that Conde Nast will be folding its long running and popular publications Gourmet and Modern Bride. A few other magazines are also ceasing publication, resulting in more people being laid off at Conde Nast. The reason? Decline in both ad sales and circulation.\n\nWhat does it mean?\n\nIt means that print is on its last legs. With advertising down across the board, and people abandoning print for various reasons (cost, environmental concerns, can get content online), I see a not-so-distant future where there will be no print magazines at all. The costs to print will outweigh the revenue generated, as was the case with Gourmet and Modern Bride.\n\nEven with loyal readers, quality content and a weighty history, Gourmet will print its last issue in November. For now, C-N plans to keep printing Bon Apetit. Modern Bride\'s last issue is the current one. Brides will up its printing to monthly. Mergers in the print world mean less choice for advertisers.  We may see ad prices jump.  And then, will advertisers stick with print? Doubtful.\n\nWhat are your thoughts?','What does the folding of Gourmet and Modern Bride mean?','','publish','open','open','','what-does-the-folding-of-gourmet-and-modern-bride-mean','','','2009-10-06 11:22:20','2009-10-06 16:22:20','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=512',0,'post','',0),
(514,4,'2009-10-08 09:21:31','2009-10-08 14:21:31','Do you attend many networking events? I have gone to my fair share. Some are better than others. Here\'s what I think makes a good event:\n\n1) <strong>A topic. </strong> I appreciate that happy hour events draw people interested in getting a drink after work, but they don\'t inform or give you anything to talk about. Having a topic and a speaker gives events an edge.\n\n2) <strong>Allocating time to networking</strong>. Many times there is a speaker and/or a meal and no time to meet and mingle.  Specifically allocated meet and mingle time is very important.\n\n3) <strong>Easy access. </strong>If you are asking people to drive to your event, make sure there is plenty of parking (preferably free). If you want people to take public transport, then be close to the bus/subway stop.\n\n4)<strong>The right price.</strong> Too expensive can be a real turnoff to people. The price should reflect the value, but it should also be within the range of other similar events. This morning I saw an event about social media that was comparable to other events I have been to/seen advertised, but was priced twice as much. Would I go? No.\n\n5) <strong>Organizational ambassadors.</strong> Some people are shy. If you are hosting an event, have members of your organization or group be hosts: greet people, tell them about your group and introduce them to others.\n\n6) <strong>Choosing  day and time carefully</strong>. Your event can be derailed by competing events. If possible, try to avoid conflicts.\n\nUpdate: How could I forget this one?\n\n7) <strong>Food and drink.</strong> There is nothing worse than going to an event that offers nothing. I once went to a wine and cheese that had neither wine nor cheese. Instead, we got leftover SoyJoy bars from another event and water. I kid you not.\n\nWhat would you add?','Elements of a successful event','','publish','open','open','','elements-of-a-successful-event','','','2009-10-08 09:21:31','2009-10-08 14:21:31','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=514',0,'post','',6),
(519,4,'2009-10-12 15:58:03','2009-10-12 20:58:03','HGTV (one of my favorite channels) has a show called <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Real Estate  Intervention\" href=\"http://www.hgtv.com/real-estate-intervention/show/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Real Estate Intervention</a>. It features a truth-telling real estate agent Mike Aubrey who brings a dose of reality to homeowners who are having a hard time selling their house.  While we could discuss the fact that HGTV has had to adjust to the reality of a hard housing market (as <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Wallepop\" href=\"http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/10/hgtvs-real-estate-intervention-a-new-housing-show-for-a-new-er/#comments\" target=\"_blank\">this blog</a>discusses) what I want to talk about is giving advice.\n\nAs a marketing consultant, I am required to give advice. I deal with questions like should you do a brochure, update your website or what your tag line should be. You would think that clients, who are paying for my opinion, would listen to it, but often, this is not the case. Many times, people want an outsider to bolster their ideas. For instance, if you think your website is fine as is, you want me to agree. If I don\'t agree, you dismiss me.\n\nIn the Real Estate Intervention show, people seem  reluctant to listen to Mike because they often do not like what he has to say. His advice (usually, lower your asking price) is not what they want to hear. In spite of the fact that Mike shows comparable houses that sold for much less, the homeowners seem to believe that their houses are better and that people would pay much more money for it (even though they have not been able to sell their house at the asking price). The show really illustrates how hard it is to give advice.\n\nAdvice is tricky because people have preconceived notions. Most people think that they know as much or more than you know and if your advice does not match up to their ideas, then you must be wrong. Even when all evidence points to the contrary.  We\'ve seen lots of businesses pushing back against social media, for instance. Business owners don\'t believe it can help. Even though it does. But because it is not their reality they push back.\n\nWhat can you do if you are in the business of giving advice? Well, the best is to be like Mike Aubrey. Make your case in the most concrete way possible. Facts and figures are very helpful. Never say \"because I think so.\" That won\'t cut it. In the end, advice will only be received well by someone who is receptive. Accept this.','A bit of advice','','publish','open','open','','a-bit-of-advice','','','2009-10-12 15:58:03','2009-10-12 20:58:03','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=519',0,'post','',0),
(522,4,'2009-10-16 07:53:28','2009-10-16 12:53:28','Organizations that deal with the public typically have one or more frontline people. These people deal directly with the public, perhaps by giving directions, meeting and greeting or assisting in some way. Many times, these frontline people are also some of the least well compensated in the organization. But they are crucial in shaping how the public perceives the organization.\r\n\r\nHave you ever walked into an office where the receptionist didn\'t even bother to greet you? Have you stood waiting for help at a \"customer service\" booth? Then you know that your interaction with people that are supposed to assist you can color how you perceive the organization that they represent.  However, many organizations don\'t seem to grasp this simple concept and continue to deploy people in \"helping\" positions that are unwilling or unable to help, therefore damaging the credibility and perception of the organization.\r\n\r\n<strong>Here\'s a tip: if you are hiring someone to help you to deal with the public make sure that persons LIKES helping people. </strong>\r\n\r\nOn my last trip, I had trouble checking in on the kiosk. So, a very unhelpful, surly guy came over, growled at me and told me to go wait in line. He was absolutely rude and unpleasant. Do you think that makes me feel positive toward the airline in question?\r\n\r\nYesterday, I was in downtown DC to meet with a client. She had her laptop with her and we needed to go somewhere with WiFi. I couldn\'t think where the nearest Cosi was, but DC has deployed Downtown DC people in the Gallery Place area. I went up a woman with the Downtown DC jacket and asked her if she knew where the nearest Cosi was. She did. She gave us specific, perfect directions. She was helpful (and right). Contrast that with an exchange I had witnessed earlier inside a Metro station. A gentleman had approached the booth to ask a question, and the  lady in the booth was BERATING him for tapping on her window. Does that make Metro look helpful? (BTW, I have had similar experiences with people in the booths...they just don\'t want to be bothered to do their jobs, that is, assisting people.)\r\n\r\nAs a marketing consultant, I can advise you to take a good look at who is dealing with public in your organization. These people are crucial because they create the first (and maybe the only) impression the public will have of your organization.','Who is helping you to help others?','','publish','open','open','','who-is-helping-you-to-help-others','','','2011-08-14 07:34:03','2011-08-14 07:34:03','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=522',0,'post','',0),
(1362,4,'2026-02-12 14:51:53','2026-02-12 19:51:53','I help you to create or improve your marketing and communications materials.\n<h2><a title=\"Writing/Copywriting\" href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/services/writing/\">Writing</a></h2>\n<h2><a title=\"Copy Editing\" href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/services/copy-editing/\">Copy Editing</a></h2>\n<h2><a title=\"Communications Consulting\" href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/services/communications-consulting/\">Communications Consulting</a></h2>\n<h2></h2>\nIf you need further information, or want to discuss how we can work together, please <a title=\"Booking\" href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/events/booking/\">book a free 15-minute consultation</a> with me.','Services','','inherit','open','open','','14-autosave-v1','','','2026-02-12 14:51:53','2026-02-12 19:51:53','',14,'http://deborahbrody.com/2011/08/14-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),
(2154,4,'2011-11-21 14:37:02','2011-11-21 14:37:02','We work with clients to create or improve marketing and communications materials. In order to do so, we provide the following services:\r\n<h2><a title=\"Writing/Copywriting\" href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/services/writing/\">Writing</a></h2>\r\n<h2><a title=\"Translation\" href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/services/translation/\">Translation</a></h2>\r\n<h2><a title=\"Communications Consulting\" href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/services/communications-consulting/\">Communications Consulting</a></h2>\r\n<h2><a title=\"Communication Audit\" href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/services/communication-audit/\">Communications Audit</a></h2>','Services','','inherit','open','open','','14-revision-v1','','','2011-11-21 14:37:02','2011-11-21 14:37:02','',14,'http://deborahbrody.com/2011/11/14-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),
(526,4,'2009-10-19 15:38:36','2009-10-19 20:38:36','Here\'s a tip: if something does not work the first 50 times, don\'t do it again.  Seriously. Stop. Re-evalauate. Don\'t waste your efforts.\r\n\r\nSure, practice makes perfect, if you are headed to Carnegie Hall. With marketing, practice (repetition) can lead to annoyance and disconnect.\r\n\r\nLast November, I started collecting all the marketing mail that relates to FIOS, Verizon\'s fiber-optic service.  To date, I have received nearly five pounds of direct mail and many robo-calls (although I finally got them to stop the robo-calls). Here\'s the clincher though: I have not signed up for FIOS. Verizon keeps sending me the same marketing pieces, over and over and over and over. Most egregious is the one that is marked:<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> Important Information About Your Verizon Service. </span>Really, how many times do you think I am going to fall for this? Once, maybe twice, but not dozens.\r\n\r\nI am not sure what Verizon\'s strategy is here, but in my case, they are wasting tons of money and not to mention, killing many trees (yeah, I know you want me to switch to paperless billing, but I bet if you just cut out excessive direct mail you would save a ton).\r\n\r\nMy other example is from a online listing service I used to pay for.  It changed, without informing me, and suddenly, I was getting no inquiries or  even visits to my website from it. I stopped paying for the premium service. I tried to inform them why. No feedback form or even email address was available. And the guy who runs the service sends me emails at least twice a week asking me to sign up again. The same exact email, twice a week. I am not exaggerating. Again, why would you continue to do something again and again if you are getting no results from it? Do you think I missed the email the first 25 times?\r\n\r\nIn any case, marketing communications is about strategy and tactics. You use certain tactics to implement your overall strategy. The thing is, you have many tactics at your disposal and you should fine tune your tactics so that you are achieving the result you want. If a tactic does not seem to work, shelve it. Put it away.\r\n\r\nYour adaptability will help set you apart. Trust me on this. Don\'t waste your resources with tired tactics that don\'t work.','Don\'t try the same trick over and over','','publish','open','open','','dont-try-the-same-trick-over-and-over','','','2011-08-14 07:33:38','2011-08-14 07:33:38','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=526',0,'post','',2),
(530,4,'2009-10-23 10:30:03','2009-10-23 15:30:03','Have you seen signs/logos/headlines that make you stop, and not because you are intrigued, but rather because you are confused? If you have, you know what I mean.\n\nI just say a delivery truck with the following sign:\n<blockquote>Sanford Foods\n\nPoultry Distributor\n\nPork Beef Supplies</blockquote>\nThe \"Poultry Distributor\" part was highlighted. So I thought to myself, what is it?  Poultry or pork? Yes, I know they distribute all of it, but why highlight poultry? My point is that there is too much contradictory information in a few words. It is not clear. They could have said: Sanford Foods: Distributors of Fine Poultry and Meats. And that would have been fine.\n\nMy advice is to have one overarching message in your logo or slogan. Too much is confusing.\n\nThoughts? Or better yet, examples?\n\n','Whatever do you mean?','','publish','open','open','','whatever-do-you-mean','','','2009-10-23 10:30:03','2009-10-23 15:30:03','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=530',0,'post','',0),
(533,4,'2009-10-26 07:11:15','2009-10-26 12:11:15','I came across an item in Reuters today that says that Verizon Communications had an increase in revenue (i.e more subscribers) but a decrease in profit in the third quarter of 2009.  What this means is that the company\'s expenses are rising.  Expenses could be anything from salaries to office supplies to marketing. One area where I believe Verizon is probably bleeding expenses is in marketing. I wrote before that I have received nearly five pounds of direct mail from the company during the past year. Multiply five pounds by millions and you will get a sense of the amount of paper Verizon has generated just to market one product: FIOS. In my opinion, this is wasteful and useless.\n\nIf Verizon spent as much on customer service as on their repetitious direct mail campaign, they might have a more satisfied customer base. That would strengthen their revenue and profit streams.\n\nThis is just my opinion. I do not work for Verizon or any Verizon affiliated business or with any of Verizon\'s competitors.  My only affiliation with Verizon is as a customer.\n\n','Revenue is good, but not at the expense of profit','','publish','open','open','','revenue-is-good-but-not-at-the-expense-of-profit','','','2009-10-26 07:11:15','2009-10-26 12:11:15','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=533',0,'post','',0),
(536,4,'2009-10-27 08:14:49','2009-10-27 13:14:49','Newspapers are in decline. It\'s a fact.\r\n\r\nThis is the first paragraph from a <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Newspapers\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/26/AR2009102603272.html?wprss=rss_business\" target=\"_blank\">Washington Post article entitled \"The accelerating decline of newspapers by Frank Ahrens</a>:\r\n<blockquote>\"U.S. newspaper circulation has hit its lowest level in seven decades, as papers across the country lost 10.6 percent of their paying readers from April through September, compared with a year earlier.\"</blockquote>\r\nThe numbers were released by the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC), which measures circulation for print media across the United States.  Some interesting (and sad)  facts from the study:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>30.4 million Americans buy daily newspapers, 40 million on Sundays</li>\r\n	<li>Daily circulation has been declining since 1987</li>\r\n	<li>In 1940, 31 percent of Americans bought a newspaper. Today, it is 13%.</li>\r\n	<li>The top five newspapers are:  Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Times, Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post (all except the Journal have lost readers)</li>\r\n	<li>USA Today suffered the highest reader loss, declining by 17.2%, due in part to a decline in the travel industry</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nAs fewer people buy print newspapers, fewer advertisers will pay fewer dollars for the chance to display their ads therein. What will happen to the industry? More cuts and less paper, that is for sure. The New York Times recently announced another round of layoffs from its newsroom. The Washington Post is desperate to reinvent itself and recently went through a complete redesign.\r\n\r\nIs there a solution? Your thoughts?','Numbers don\'t lie','','publish','open','open','','numbers-dont-lie','','','2011-08-14 07:33:09','2011-08-14 07:33:09','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=536',0,'post','',0),
(1360,4,'2009-10-19 15:38:36','2009-10-19 20:38:36','Here\'s a tip: if something does not work the first 50 times, don\'t do it again.  Seriously. Stop. Re-evalauate. Don\'t waste your efforts.\n\n[picapp src=\"0285/a01e718c-884d-4663-a8b2-4af514245669.jpg?adImageId=6209289&amp;imageId=289428\" width=\"234\" height=\"331\" /]\n\nSure, practice makes perfect, if you are headed to Carnegie Hall. With marketing, practice (repetition) can lead to annoyance and disconnect.\n\nLast November, I started collecting all the marketing mail that relates to FIOS, Verizon\'s fiber-optic service.  To date, I have received nearly five pounds of direct mail and many robo-calls (although I finally got them to stop the robo-calls). Here\'s the clincher though: I have not signed up for FIOS. Verizon keeps sending me the same marketing pieces, over and over and over and over. Most egregious is the one that is marked:<span style=\"color:#ff0000;\"> Important Information About Your Verizon Service. </span>Really, how many times do you think I am going to fall for this? Once, maybe twice, but not dozens.\n\nI am not sure what Verizon\'s strategy is here, but in my case, they are wasting tons of money and not to mention, killing many trees (yeah, I know you want me to switch to paperless billing, but I bet if you just cut out excessive direct mail you would save a ton).\n\nMy other example is from a online listing service I used to pay for.  It changed, without informing me, and suddenly, I was getting no inquiries or  even visits to my website from it. I stopped paying for the premium service. I tried to inform them why. No feedback form or even email address was available. And the guy who runs the service sends me emails at least twice a week asking me to sign up again. The same exact email, twice a week. I am not exaggerating. Again, why would you continue to do something again and again if you are getting no results from it? Do you think I missed the email the first 25 times?\n\nIn any case, marketing communications is about strategy and tactics. You use certain tactics to implement your overall strategy. The thing is, you have many tactics at your disposal and you should fine tune your tactics so that you are achieving the result you want. If a tactic does not seem to work, shelve it. Put it away.\n\nYour adaptability will help set you apart. Trust me on this. Don\'t waste your resources with tired tactics that don\'t work.\n\n','Don\'t try the same trick over and over','','inherit','open','open','','526-revision','','','2009-10-19 15:38:36','2009-10-19 20:38:36','',526,'http://deborahbrody.com/2009/10/526-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(541,4,'2009-10-28 15:12:12','2009-10-28 20:12:12','http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/cropped-coffee078.jpg','cropped-coffee078.jpg','','inherit','closed','open','','cropped-coffee078-jpg','','','2009-10-28 15:12:12','2009-10-28 20:12:12','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/cropped-coffee078.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(542,4,'2009-10-28 15:17:53','2009-10-28 20:17:53','http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/cropped-coffee0781.jpg','cropped-coffee0781.jpg','','inherit','closed','open','','cropped-coffee0781-jpg','','','2009-10-28 15:17:53','2009-10-28 20:17:53','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/cropped-coffee0781.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(543,4,'2009-10-28 15:19:40','2009-10-28 20:19:40','http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/cropped-coffee0782.jpg','cropped-coffee0782.jpg','','inherit','closed','open','','cropped-coffee0782-jpg','','','2009-10-28 15:19:40','2009-10-28 20:19:40','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/cropped-coffee0782.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(544,4,'2009-10-28 15:20:53','2009-10-28 20:20:53','http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/cropped-coffee0783.jpg','cropped-coffee0783.jpg','','inherit','closed','open','','cropped-coffee0783-jpg','','','2009-10-28 15:20:53','2009-10-28 20:20:53','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/cropped-coffee0783.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(545,4,'2009-10-28 15:23:12','2009-10-28 20:23:12','http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/cropped-coffee0784.jpg','cropped-coffee0784.jpg','','inherit','closed','open','','cropped-coffee0784-jpg','','','2009-10-28 15:23:12','2009-10-28 20:23:12','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/cropped-coffee0784.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(546,4,'2009-10-29 10:34:07','2009-10-29 15:34:07','Last night, I was fortunate to visit a magnificent exhibition at the <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"US Holocaust Museum\" href=\"http://www.ushmm.org\" target=\"_blank\">United States Holocaust Memorial Museum</a>, entitled State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda.\r\n\r\nAs the curator explained, propaganda is inherently linked with advertising and public relations. In the beginning of modern advertising and PR, propaganda people were running the show. Edward Bernays, the \"father of modern PR\" was a propagandist. But propaganda is not inherently negative. Propaganda is simply the propagation of an idea, using various means.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, as with Hitler and the Nazis, propaganda has been used to propagate evil and incite violence and murder. It is a testament to the power of propaganda that the Holocaust was as widespread and supported as it was.\r\n\r\nThe Nazis understood the power of mass media, and they understood the power of symbolism and word choice. They understood that you had to dehumanize your enemy. They used words that had emotional appeal to the Germans of the day, like \"freedom.\"\r\n\r\nThe Nazis made radios cheaper and widely available, and then proceeded to use radio as a way to send out their propaganda within music shows. It became illegal in Nazi Germany to listen to foreign radio broadcasts, punishable by long imprisonment. So the way propaganda worked within Nazi Germany was to use all media possible and by the suppression of all opposing viewpoints.\r\n\r\nIn any case, the lesson to learn is that words are powerful.  We that work in the promotion business, be it advertising, PR or marketing have the power to persuade and that is not something to be taken lightly.','Propaganda','','publish','open','open','','propaganda','','','2011-08-14 07:32:43','2011-08-14 07:32:43','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=546',0,'post','',1),
(550,4,'2009-10-30 10:03:06','2009-10-30 15:03:06','What is better is to speak and write plainly, a lesson that is being forced on the U.S. Government according to the <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Federal Diary\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/29/AR2009102904525.html\" target=\"_blank\">Federal Diary column</a>by Joe Davidson  in the Washington Post. To make that happen (I could have written: In order to facilitate the transition), there will be a symposium on plain language this afternoon at the National Press Club, held by the<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Center for Plain Language\" href=\"http://www.centerforplainlanguage.org/\" target=\"_blank\"> Center for Plain Language</a>.\r\n\r\nThere is no doubt that the government (and many in the legal community) loves to make things complicated. The more obtuse, the better. The more wordy the better. Passive voice? They love it. Big words when smaller words would do, check.\r\n\r\nBut, more disturbing in my opinion (since I already expect government/legal communications to be convoluted), is that marketing folk are jumping on the complicated bandwagon.  This blog post, from the <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Branding Strategy Insider\" href=\"http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Branding Strategy Insider</a>, claims that \"<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Complex Language\" href=\"http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/2009/10/complex_language_weakening_brands.html\" target=\"_blank\">Complex Language Weakens Brands.\"</a> As the post says:\r\n<blockquote>A serious impediment to communications is this constant upgrading of the language. No aspect of life is left untouched by the upgrade police. Not only does a term have to be politically correct, it has to be as long and as complicated as possible.</blockquote>\r\nA great example from the post is that UPS went from being in the parcel delivery business to being a logistics company. How many people on the street instinctively understand what logistics is???? Not many, my friends. The only people who understand logistics are in logistics.\r\n\r\nIn any case, if you want to be clear, speak and write plainly. Using big words when small ones would do does NOT make you look more intelligent (if anything, it makes you look less so). From the Center for Plain Language website:\r\n<blockquote>A communication is in plain language if the people who are the audience for that communication can quickly and easily\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>find what they need</li>\r\n	<li>understand what they find</li>\r\n	<li>act appropriately on that understanding</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</blockquote>\r\nI think the bullet points above are the point of ANY communications.\r\n\r\nAnd you thought plain vanilla was the boring choice.','Plainly speaking, it is better','','publish','open','open','','plainly-speaking-it-is-better','','','2011-08-14 07:32:16','2011-08-14 07:32:16','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=550',0,'post','',0),
(1358,4,'2009-10-29 10:34:07','2009-10-29 15:34:07','Last night, I was fortunate to visit a magnificent exhibition at the <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"US Holocaust Museum\" href=\"http://www.ushmm.org\" target=\"_blank\">United States Holocaust Memorial Museum</a>, entitled State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda.\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n\n[picapp src=\"3/b/e/9/HOLOCAUST_MUSEUM_SHOOTING_45bd.JPG?adImageId=6981117&amp;imageId=4976299\" width=\"234\" height=\"156\" /]\n\nAs the curator explained, propaganda is inherently linked with advertising and public relations. In the beginning of modern advertising and PR, propaganda people were running the show. Edward Bernays, the \"father of modern PR\" was a propagandist. But propaganda is not inherently negative. Propaganda is simply the propagation of an idea, using various means.\n\nUnfortunately, as with Hitler and the Nazis, propaganda has been used to propagate evil and incite violence and murder. It is a testament to the power of propaganda that the Holocaust was as widespread and supported as it was.\n\nThe Nazis understood the power of mass media, and they understood the power of symbolism and word choice. They understood that you had to dehumanize your enemy. They used words that had emotional appeal to the Germans of the day, like \"freedom.\"\n\nThe Nazis made radios cheaper and widely available, and then proceeded to use radio as a way to send out their propaganda within music shows. It became illegal in Nazi Germany to listen to foreign radio broadcasts, punishable by long imprisonment. So the way propaganda worked within Nazi Germany was to use all media possible and by the suppression of all opposing viewpoints.\n\nIn any case, the lesson to learn is that words are powerful.  We that work in the promotion business, be it advertising, PR or marketing have the power to persuade and that is not something to be taken lightly.\n\n','Propaganda','','inherit','open','open','','546-revision','','','2009-10-29 10:34:07','2009-10-29 15:34:07','',546,'http://deborahbrody.com/2009/10/546-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(554,4,'2009-11-11 16:36:24','2009-11-11 21:36:24','If you are in marketing communications -- advertising, public relations, direct marketing, design or anything else involving promotion, you should be conversant in social media. You should know what it is and you should be using some social media tools yourself.  How will you be able to recommend \"new media\" to clients if you are not on any social networks yourself?\n\nI am not covering any new ground here, I know.  However, I am continually shocked when I meet people who are in the marketing biz and who are completely out of the loop in terms of social media. Or, what I think is worse, is people in marketing who have dipped their tippy toes into social media only to have Twitter accounts they never use, or incomplete LinkedIn profiles with 10 connections or a blog that was last updated in 2007. Do you know these people?  Are you one of these people? Don\'t be!\n\nOK. If you buy in to the paragraphs above let\'s proceed.\n\n<strong><span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">LinkedIn--your professional social networking site</span></strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Set up your profile, and include a photograph of yourself.  You can most likely use the same photograph on other networks as well. Make sure you have a robust description of what you do now, and an informative headline. If you have older profiles, get rid of them. Make it easy for people who know you to find you.</li>\n	<li>If you own your company, set up a profile for your company. Include your company logo and website.</li>\n	<li>Link your blog to your profile.</li>\n	<li>Grow your network! When you meet people you\'d like to do business with, see if you can add them to your network.</li>\n	<li>Answer questions. LinkedIn has an \"answers\" section...see if you can contribute to it.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong><span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Blog already!</span></strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>If you have a website, that is fine. But keep in mind that websites are static and don\'t invite interaction. If you can add a blog to your website you will keep it fresher.</li>\n</ul>\n<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"><strong>Twitter</strong></span>\n<ul>\n	<li>Set up a twitter account. If it is personal, use your name. If it is business, use your business name. Getting long and complex doesn\'t pay off. Remember, your name is part of any re-tweeting, so don\'t take away precious characters from the 140 you are given.</li>\n	<li>Your Twitter profile should have either a photograph of you or your company logo. Do not use the Twitter bird. Be sure to write up a bio and include your website or blog URL.</li>\n	<li>Follow people. Make lists (the newest Twitter feature)</li>\n	<li>Tweet! Have something to say.</li>\n</ul>\n<strong><span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Facebook</span></strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>In my book, Facebook is personal. However, you can and should set up a fan page for your business. It is a no-cost way of promoting your business.</li>\n</ul>\nTo succeed in social media, you must invest some time, be consistent and be persistent.\n\nTo recap, get on one or more social networks already!!!!\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n\n','Your minimum social media presence','','publish','open','open','','your-minimum-social-media-presence','','','2009-11-11 16:36:24','2009-11-11 21:36:24','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=554',0,'post','',0),
(557,4,'2009-11-17 08:50:45','2009-11-17 13:50:45','Have you ever wondered why some ads work and some don\'t?  Some ads don\'t work because they are missing crucial information or they are too convoluted or weird. Some ads just don\'t stimulate interest or excitement. And some ads miss their target completely by being placed in the wrong medium.\r\n\r\nYes, sometimes, it is the marketing effort that is to blame. Sometimes the creativity wasn\'t there or the strategy was not the best.\r\n\r\nBut (of course there is a but), sometimes it is what you are selling, your offer, that is to blame.  In other words, your marketing is fine but your offer is not.\r\n\r\nMany times I get dozens of emails advertising an event. The event is posted everywhere. All the correct information is there. Perhaps there is a great headline. But the date conflicts with something else. But the price is too high. But you just bought something similar. <strong>The offer is off. </strong>\r\n\r\nSometimes, what you are offering is not what the customer wants.\r\n\r\nFor instance, a local marketing association is having an event about LinkedIn. Another organization in town had a similar event just a few weeks ago. Furthermore, the event costs $60. It is too much for me.  There was nothing wrong with the marketing for the event except the offer didn\'t entice me (in this case it was the cost).\r\n\r\nIf you are failing to bring in people to your event or buyers to your store, examine your offer. Is the offer fair? Is the offer special? Do people like the offer? Don\'t blame your marketing until you make sure you have a good offer.\r\n\r\nSometimes you have to think, it\'s not you, it\'s me.\r\n\r\nDo you have examples of an ad with a bad offer? Please share!!!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','It\'s not you, it\'s me','','publish','open','open','','its-not-you-its-me','','','2011-08-14 07:31:32','2011-08-14 07:31:32','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=557',0,'post','',0),
(1357,4,'2009-10-30 10:03:06','2009-10-30 15:03:06','What is better is to speak and write plainly, a lesson that is being forced on the U.S. Government according to the <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Federal Diary\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/29/AR2009102904525.html\" target=\"_blank\">Federal Diary column</a>by Joe Davidson  in the Washington Post. To make that happen (I could have written: In order to facilitate the transition), there will be a symposium on plain language this afternoon at the National Press Club, held by the<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Center for Plain Language\" href=\"http://www.centerforplainlanguage.org/\" target=\"_blank\"> Center for Plain Language</a>.\n\nThere is no doubt that the government (and many in the legal community) loves to make things complicated. The more obtuse, the better. The more wordy the better. Passive voice? They love it. Big words when smaller words would do, check.\n\n[picapp src=\"0181/f294844b-5c9f-40ef-9512-b62697ae4b04.jpg?adImageId=7005915&amp;imageId=185271\" width=\"234\" height=\"312\" /]\n\nBut, more disturbing in my opinion (since I already expect government/legal communications to be convoluted), is that marketing folk are jumping on the complicated bandwagon.  This blog post, from the <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Branding Strategy Insider\" href=\"http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Branding Strategy Insider</a>, claims that \"<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Complex Language\" href=\"http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/2009/10/complex_language_weakening_brands.html\" target=\"_blank\">Complex Language Weakens Brands.\"</a> As the post says:\n<blockquote>A serious impediment to communications is this constant upgrading of the language. No aspect of life is left untouched by the upgrade police. Not only does a term have to be politically correct, it has to be as long and as complicated as possible.</blockquote>\nA great example from the post is that UPS went from being in the parcel delivery business to being a logistics company. How many people on the street instinctively understand what logistics is???? Not many, my friends. The only people who understand logistics are in logistics.\n\nIn any case, if you want to be clear, speak and write plainly. Using big words when small ones would do does NOT make you look more intelligent (if anything, it makes you look less so). From the Center for Plain Language website:\n<blockquote>A communication is in plain language if the people who are the audience for that communication can quickly and easily\n<ul>\n	<li>find what they need</li>\n	<li>understand what they find</li>\n	<li>act appropriately on that understanding</li>\n</ul>\n</blockquote>\nI think the bullet points above are the point of ANY communications.\n\nAnd you thought plain vanilla was the boring choice.\n\n','Plainly speaking, it is better','','inherit','open','open','','550-revision','','','2009-10-30 10:03:06','2009-10-30 15:03:06','',550,'http://deborahbrody.com/2009/10/550-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(561,4,'2009-11-23 15:03:06','2009-11-23 20:03:06','Say you want to sell something. You think: I\'ll place an ad to get buyers. Buyers will come, see the item and pay for it. Deal done. For simple transactions, this simple paradigm works. Take note of all the individual ads for used furniture, bikes and other stuff on Craigslist.\r\n\r\nHowever, there must be more thought put in when you are trying to market for a large store, retail operation or national distributor.  First, you are selling more than one item. When you are advertising for a larger operation you are trying to accomplish at least two things. One is to move product and another is to get people in your store. The idea being that if someone is there to buy 2-for-1 widgets, he or she may also buy some gidgets.\r\n\r\nSo your ad agency created a great ad, the pricing is great both for the customer and for your bottom line, and you\'ve done a comprehensive media buy. All you have to do now is sit back and wait. Right? Wrong!\r\n\r\nRetailers, from the smallest to the largest, have to be a bit more proactive. First, they have to make sure they have enough stock of what they are attempting to sell. Second, they have to have contingency plans if the demand is too large. Are you going to honor the same price when a new shipment arrives? Are you going to give rainchecks?\r\n\r\n<strong>In short, advertising must be connected to your operations and customer service policies.</strong>\r\n\r\nLet me share a misadventure I had at a well known office supply store (email me if you want the name).  They had advertised a certain desk chair on sale. On the second day of the sale, I showed up at a store and wanted to buy said desk chair . The store was \"out of stock.\" In fact, most every store in the area was out of stock. I had to ask the manager to locate stores with the chair in stock and both had only one chair. At no point did he offer to call and have the other store hold the chair for me. The manager also did not offer to give me a coupon or the same price on a similar chair.  In fact, the whole experience was illustrative of terrible customer service, but also of the disconnect  between advertising and operations.\r\n\r\nThe store had advertised a sale for an item that it did not have in stock. Perhaps it was bait and switch and perhaps it was the fault of the advertising manager.Whatever the reason, it did not result in a sale, quite the opposite, it resulted in an irritated potential customer who will think twice before going to this store for anything, much less anything advertised in the weekly circular.\r\n\r\n<strong>Advertising gets people to the door but it does not make the sale.  Customer service and sales staff make the sale. </strong>\r\n\r\nThe truth is advertising alone is rarely enough.','Advertising is not enough','','publish','open','open','','advertising-is-not-enough','','','2011-08-14 07:30:29','2011-08-14 07:30:29','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=561',0,'post','',0),
(1356,4,'2009-11-17 08:50:45','2009-11-17 13:50:45','Have you ever wondered why some ads work and some don\'t?  Some ads don\'t work because they are missing crucial information or they are too convoluted or weird. Some ads just don\'t stimulate interest or excitement. And some ads miss their target completely by being placed in the wrong medium.\n\nYes, sometimes, it is the marketing effort that is to blame. Sometimes the creativity wasn\'t there or the strategy was not the best.\n\nBut (of course there is a but), sometimes it is what you are selling, your offer, that is to blame.  In other words, your marketing is fine but your offer is not.\n\nMany times I get dozens of emails advertising an event. The event is posted everywhere. All the correct information is there. Perhaps there is a great headline. But the date conflicts with something else. But the price is too high. But you just bought something similar. <strong>The offer is off. </strong>\n\n[picapp src=\"0168/1d557998-f397-45c1-938d-75ec415931ac.jpg?adImageId=7569637&amp;imageId=172510\" width=\"234\" height=\"351\" /]\n\nSometimes, what you are offering is not what the customer wants.\n\nFor instance, a local marketing association is having an event about LinkedIn. Another organization in town had a similar event just a few weeks ago. Furthermore, the event costs $60. It is too much for me.  There was nothing wrong with the marketing for the event except the offer didn\'t entice me (in this case it was the cost).\n\nIf you are failing to bring in people to your event or buyers to your store, examine your offer. Is the offer fair? Is the offer special? Do people like the offer? Don\'t blame your marketing until you make sure you have a good offer.\n\nSometimes you have to think, it\'s not you, it\'s me.\n\nDo you have examples of an ad with a bad offer? Please share!!!\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n\n','It\'s not you, it\'s me','','inherit','open','open','','557-revision','','','2009-11-17 08:50:45','2009-11-17 13:50:45','',557,'http://deborahbrody.com/2009/11/557-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(564,4,'2009-11-28 11:23:03','2009-11-28 16:23:03','Perhaps we have been lulled into thinking that our writing is OK because we have spell-check on our word-processing programs. Or perhaps we just think that we make no mistakes. But we do make mistakes, and some are just awful.\n\nHere\'s a paragraph from a story posted on the <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"WJLA\" href=\"http://www.wjla.com/\" target=\"_self\">WJLA</a> website, today, about Virginia\'s smoking ban:\n<blockquote>For the first time, patrons will walk through the doors without smelling smoke for the first time in15 years at Ireland\'s Four Courts in Arlington. Friday morning, work started before dawn.</blockquote>\nHow many mistakes can one short paragraph have? Apparently, WJLA does not believe in copyediting or editing of any sort. I have seen more mistakes on this one website than on any other major news website I visit. You know what it does? It makes me think that they don\'t check ANY aspect of the stories they post. How can you trust what they say if they can\'t even say it right?\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n\n','We still need editors','','publish','open','open','','we-still-need-editors','','','2009-11-28 11:23:03','2009-11-28 16:23:03','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=564',0,'post','',0),
(567,4,'2009-12-01 10:34:45','2009-12-01 15:34:45','What do I need to know in order to make a decision about hiring you? That is what your ABOUT section on your blog or website must answer.  On the rare occasion that someone is going to make a decision about contracting services or buying products from you, that person will want to know your credentials.\r\n\r\nHere are a few questions that you should answer:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>How long have you been in business?</li>\r\n	<li>What is your experience?</li>\r\n	<li>Do you have any special credentials?</li>\r\n	<li>What makes you special?</li>\r\n	<li>Who are you?</li>\r\n	<li>Where or with whom have you worked?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nRecently, I was \"shopping\" for a doctor. The insurance website listing is not helpful other than to give me the distance the doctor is located from my house and where he or she went to school. So I checked to see if some of the practices had websites. I found one that was very simple yet answered questions I had: does the practice do its own lab work? What kind of healthcare do they practice? What are the doctors\' backgrounds?  It all sounded good to me and now I have an appointment. I will let you know.\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, I came across a new marketing company\'s website. Their \"About us\" says this:\r\n<blockquote>We are uniquely qualified “marketing experts” as our seasoned management team has a combined 50 years of success in executing revenue generating strategies across numerous industries.  We’ve been the leaders of Sales, Marketing, Business Development and Product Marketing teams.  We have made cold calls, designed and launched products, catapulted public relation campaigns, pontificated press releases, and of course, successfully executed hundreds of marketing campaigns for small, medium, and large businesses.\r\n\r\nOur team not only creates the programs, they are on the front lines executing and analyzing them.  However, our success isn’t measured in our experience and ROI alone.  We are customers too and know the importance of rapport-building and customer service.  We treat each customer as honor, and mind our customer’s marketing campaigns as they were for our own company.</blockquote>\r\nWhy not tell me who you are, with whom you have worked, and where you are located, for starters?  Hell, I am a \"seasoned marketing expert\" myself, right? (Not to mention the excessive capitalization.)\r\n\r\nWhat other things do you look for when you are looking to hire/contract/buy services? Comments please!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Why should I hire YOU?','','publish','open','open','','why-should-i-hire-you','','','2011-08-14 07:29:59','2011-08-14 07:29:59','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=567',0,'post','',0),
(1355,4,'2009-11-23 15:03:06','2009-11-23 20:03:06','Say you want to sell something. You think: I\'ll place an ad to get buyers. Buyers will come, see the item and pay for it. Deal done. For simple transactions, this simple paradigm works. Take note of all the individual ads for used furniture, bikes and other stuff on Craigslist.\n\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=advertisement&amp;iid=5075860\" src=\"4/8/9/7/Sale_advertisment_on_f89e.jpg?adImageId=7763211&amp;imageId=5075860\" width=\"234\" height=\"351\" /]\n\nHowever, there must be more thought put in when you are trying to market for a large store, retail operation or national distributor.  First, you are selling more than one item. When you are advertising for a larger operation you are trying to accomplish at least two things. One is to move product and another is to get people in your store. The idea being that if someone is there to buy 2-for-1 widgets, he or she may also buy some gidgets.\n\nSo your ad agency created a great ad, the pricing is great both for the customer and for your bottom line, and you\'ve done a comprehensive media buy. All you have to do now is sit back and wait. Right? Wrong!\n\nRetailers, from the smallest to the largest, have to be a bit more proactive. First, they have to make sure they have enough stock of what they are attempting to sell. Second, they have to have contingency plans if the demand is too large. Are you going to honor the same price when a new shipment arrives? Are you going to give rainchecks?\n\n<strong>In short, advertising must be connected to your operations and customer service policies.</strong>\n\nLet me share a misadventure I had at a well known office supply store (email me if you want the name).  They had advertised a certain desk chair on sale. On the second day of the sale, I showed up at a store and wanted to buy said desk chair . The store was \"out of stock.\" In fact, most every store in the area was out of stock. I had to ask the manager to locate stores with the chair in stock and both had only one chair. At no point did he offer to call and have the other store hold the chair for me. The manager also did not offer to give me a coupon or the same price on a similar chair.  In fact, the whole experience was illustrative of terrible customer service, but also of the disconnect  between advertising and operations.\n\nThe store had advertised a sale for an item that it did not have in stock. Perhaps it was bait and switch and perhaps it was the fault of the advertising manager.Whatever the reason, it did not result in a sale, quite the opposite, it resulted in an irritated potential customer who will think twice before going to this store for anything, much less anything advertised in the weekly circular.\n\n<strong>Advertising gets people to the door but it does not make the sale.  Customer service and sales staff make the sale. </strong>\n\nThe truth is advertising alone is rarely enough.\n\n','Advertising is not enough','','inherit','open','open','','561-revision','','','2009-11-23 15:03:06','2009-11-23 20:03:06','',561,'http://deborahbrody.com/2009/11/561-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(572,4,'2009-12-05 09:45:12','2009-12-05 14:45:12','This is not or should not be a newsflash, but social media has changed public relations.  Yet many people are resisting.\n\nYesterday, I was fortunate to have attended a presentation on social media strategy given by Sally Falkow, and hosted by the PRSA-NCC, here in Washington DC. Ms. Falkow presented a case for social media (newspapers in decline, people looking for new sources of information) and gave some advice on how to use social media to achieve public relations/marketing goals. You can access this valuable presentation here:\n\n﻿[slideshare id=2655269&amp;doc=prsadcsocialmedia-091205063755-phpapp02]\n\nAlthough her presentation gave me lots of new perspectives and ideas, what fascinated me the most was the audience reaction. Specifically three or four people, who are decidedly old school, immediately started questioning Ms. Falkow. One person in particular, who claimed she had been a White House reporter, was quite acid about new media, saying \"no one has time to watch video news releases\" and \"blogs are not credible.\"  Obviously, this woman is not keen on social media, and thinks it just is not up to snuff,  certainly not comparable to old media.\n\nThese questioners actually were quite disruptive, but mostly, they were a sad reminder that some people will fight change. This is why so many organizations are having a difficult time communicating these days. Sure, I know that getting a clip in a major newspaper or coverage from a major broadcaster felt good and was the result of good media relations. But that is not where the majority of the audience is these days. Newspapers are dying, major news broadcasts are losing ground, and more importantly, legions of people have embraced social media.  Although you could ignore this situation, you would be doing it at your own peril.\n\nIf you practice PR, or advertising, or marketing, you MUST consider social media. It is not optional any more. It is not just a way to get young people or techies. It is where a large majority of people are getting their news and information.  Railing against it, questioning its legitimacy and refusing to change your ways will only result in your public relations efforts going to waste. You will be left out in the cold.\n\n','Social media has changed PR','','publish','open','open','','social-media-has-changed-pr','','','2009-12-05 09:45:12','2009-12-05 14:45:12','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=572',0,'post','',3),
(577,4,'2009-12-08 14:15:03','2009-12-08 19:15:03','Check out my guest post: <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"GBA\" href=\"http://www.greenbuzzagency.com/the-golden-rule-of-marketing-4-actions-your-company-should-take\" target=\"_blank\">\"The Golden Rule of Marketing: 4 Actions your Company Should Take\"</a> at the Green Buzz Agency blog.\n\nLet me know what you think!\n\n','Be consistent!','','publish','open','open','','be-consistent','','','2009-12-08 14:15:03','2009-12-08 19:15:03','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=577',0,'post','',0),
(581,4,'2009-12-10 08:55:44','2009-12-10 13:55:44','It is too bad that marketing people often are  not involved in the pricing process within a company. Because as you probably know, price is one of the four \"Ps\" (product, placement, price, promotion) involved in marketing. Often, especially if you are in a  public relations/advertising agency, you had absolutely no input on price. None. And yet, you are being asked to promote a product/service that may not be priced correctly.\r\n\r\nWhat is the correct price? The one the public will pay for that product or service.\r\n\r\nFor instance, say you see a great ad campaign for a product. You go look for it, but it is priced too high. You don\'t buy it. Of course, perhaps you are not the target audience. Perhaps the target is people with higher household incomes than you. That is possible.\r\n\r\nHowever, I often see pricing that is more reflexive of a small committee of people who decide the price than of market research or a target audience strategy.\r\n\r\nPrices can be too high and they can be too low. If something is too cheap, you may doubt its value.\r\n\r\nIn any case, if as a marketing communications person you can participate in talks about price, do so. If you can get market research to back up price decisions, do so.  The right price can sell a product more readily than any campaign, press release or social media blitz.\r\n\r\nYour thoughts?','The price is right!','','publish','open','open','','the-price-is-right','','','2011-08-14 07:29:14','2011-08-14 07:29:14','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=581',0,'post','',0),
(1354,4,'2009-12-01 10:34:45','2009-12-01 15:34:45','What do I need to know in order to make a decision about hiring you? That is what your ABOUT section on your blog or website must answer.  On the rare occasion that someone is going to make a decision about contracting services or buying products from you, that person will want to know your credentials.\n\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=why&amp;iid=92499\" src=\"0088/d2b1497e-b34e-4a65-b807-da66a7111dbc.jpg?adImageId=7963926&amp;imageId=92499\" width=\"234\" height=\"351\" /]\n\nHere are a few questions that you should answer:\n<ul>\n	<li>How long have you been in business?</li>\n	<li>What is your experience?</li>\n	<li>Do you have any special credentials?</li>\n	<li>What makes you special?</li>\n	<li>Who are you?</li>\n	<li>Where or with whom have you worked?</li>\n</ul>\nRecently, I was \"shopping\" for a doctor. The insurance website listing is not helpful other than to give me the distance the doctor is located from my house and where he or she went to school. So I checked to see if some of the practices had websites. I found one that was very simple yet answered questions I had: does the practice do its own lab work? What kind of healthcare do they practice? What are the doctors\' backgrounds?  It all sounded good to me and now I have an appointment. I will let you know.\n\nOn the other hand, I came across a new marketing company\'s website. Their \"About us\" says this:\n<blockquote>We are uniquely qualified “marketing experts” as our seasoned management team has a combined 50 years of success in executing revenue generating strategies across numerous industries.  We’ve been the leaders of Sales, Marketing, Business Development and Product Marketing teams.  We have made cold calls, designed and launched products, catapulted public relation campaigns, pontificated press releases, and of course, successfully executed hundreds of marketing campaigns for small, medium, and large businesses.\n\nOur team not only creates the programs, they are on the front lines executing and analyzing them.  However, our success isn’t measured in our experience and ROI alone.  We are customers too and know the importance of rapport-building and customer service.  We treat each customer as honor, and mind our customer’s marketing campaigns as they were for our own company.</blockquote>\nWhy not tell me who you are, with whom you have worked, and where you are located, for starters?  Hell, I am a \"seasoned marketing expert\" myself, right? (Not to mention the excessive capitalization.)\n\nWhat other things do you look for when you are looking to hire/contract/buy services? Comments please!\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n\n','Why should I hire YOU?','','inherit','open','open','','567-revision','','','2009-12-01 10:34:45','2009-12-01 15:34:45','',567,'http://deborahbrody.com/2009/12/567-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(586,4,'2009-12-11 08:09:08','2009-12-11 13:09:08','What does it say about the publishing industry when the venerable, 108-year-old trade journal covering the industry is folding?Read the story <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Crains NY Biz\" href=\"http://www.crainsnewyork.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091210/FREE/912109995/1040\" target=\"_blank\">here.</a>\r\n\r\nIt seems inevitable that we will see continued downturn in the magazine market. More and more, people are turning to digital media for all their news and information. And why not? It is there, at your fingertips. It is continually updated and often, you don\'t have to pay for it.\r\n\r\nMagazines are starting to seem as quaint as LPs (vinyl records for those who don\'t remember).','Editor & Publisher to shut down','','publish','open','open','','editor-publisher-to-shut-down','','','2011-08-14 07:28:48','2011-08-14 07:28:48','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=586',0,'post','',0),
(1353,4,'2009-12-10 08:55:44','2009-12-10 13:55:44','It is too bad that marketing people often are  not involved in the pricing process within a company. Because as you probably know, price is one of the four \"Ps\" (product, placement, price, promotion) involved in marketing. Often, especially if you are in a  public relations/advertising agency, you had absolutely no input on price. None. And yet, you are being asked to promote a product/service that may not be priced correctly.\n\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=price+tag&amp;iid=5276512\" src=\"3/8/f/6/Blank_price_tag_0c55.jpg?adImageId=8192228&amp;imageId=5276512\" width=\"234\" height=\"234\" /]\n\nWhat is the correct price? The one the public will pay for that product or service.\n\nFor instance, say you see a great ad campaign for a product. You go look for it, but it is priced too high. You don\'t buy it. Of course, perhaps you are not the target audience. Perhaps the target is people with higher household incomes than you. That is possible.\n\nHowever, I often see pricing that is more reflexive of a small committee of people who decide the price than of market research or a target audience strategy.\n\nPrices can be too high and they can be too low. If something is too cheap, you may doubt its value.\n\nIn any case, if as a marketing communications person you can participate in talks about price, do so. If you can get market research to back up price decisions, do so.  The right price can sell a product more readily than any campaign, press release or social media blitz.\n\nYour thoughts?\n\n','The price is right!','','inherit','open','open','','581-revision','','','2009-12-10 08:55:44','2009-12-10 13:55:44','',581,'http://deborahbrody.com/2009/12/581-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(590,4,'2009-12-14 13:17:37','2009-12-14 18:17:37','<strong>Prescriptives:  One Customer\'s Quest for Makeup</strong>\n\nToday, I went to the mall in search of a replacement for my dwindling bottle of Prescriptives foundation, which I love. First I went to Nordstrom, where I originally found it. The Prescriptives counter was very small, and a salesperson from a different counter \"helped\" me.  She was not very familiar with the brand and she said they were out of what I needed. Next stop, Bloomingdales. I looked everywhere and no Prescriptives counter. I asked someone who answered me with a look as if I had just asked for Cover Girl, that Prescriptives does not have a counter at Bloomingdale\'s. I walked out.\n\nNext stop was Macy\'s. A young sales guy informs me that Prescriptives is being discontinued. This is news to me. I ask whether I can purchase the foundation online. He tells me no, but that he can custom blend some foundation from me at exactly double the price. I asked if I could find a similar foundation with the parent company, Estee Lauder. He says probably, and walks me over to the Estee Lauder counter, where he explains what I need to a saleswoman who then proceeds to ignore me. No joke. I walk out.\n\nFinally, I get to Lord &amp; Taylor. I find their Prescriptives counter and the salesperson tells me they are sold out of that particular foundation. She shows me a couple of others,  which I don\'t like. She assures me I can find something similar at Estee Lauder. We go over there, and the Estee Lauder looks up in her sales book and yes, she finds the \"equivalent\" to my foundation in the Estee Lauder lineup. OK. She is a good salesperson. She is nice and helpful and I buy the Estee Lauder offering.\n\nI get home. I check on the Internet and guess what? I can buy my exact foundation online. I do it.\n\nWhat is the moral of this makeup quest? A company must communicate with its associates and the public just a wee bit better.\n<ul>\n	<li>First, I did not know Prescriptives was being phased out. It is probably buried in some news somewhere but a large ad would have made that clear to me.</li>\n	<li>Second, the counter people did not know enough to say the following: Prescriptives is being phased out. You can still purchase our existence here or check online until X date. One of these sales people even had the wrong information. Not helpful.</li>\n	<li>Third, the physical displays/counters at the stores did not have any of the above information.</li>\n</ul>\nPrescriptives is part of Estee Lauder. It is in EL\'s best interest to make sure that Prescriptives customers migrate to one of their brands, and be happy about it. In order to do this, the company needs to communicate better. Period. End of story.\n\nHave you ever had to deal with a brand that was being discontinued? What did you do?\n\n','Lack of communication may cost you a sale','','publish','open','open','','lack-of-communication-may-cost-you-a-sale','','','2009-12-14 13:17:37','2009-12-14 18:17:37','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=590',0,'post','',1),
(593,4,'2009-12-15 09:05:23','2009-12-15 14:05:23','When you are surrounded by something, you assume everyone else is as well. You are taking for granted that everyone has the same experience. But, this is simply not so. And taking things for granted results in bad communication, for sure.\n\nHow many times have you tried to talk to a real tech-y person? Chances are you ended up nodding your head because it was easier than asking what each word meant or gadget or program did. This happens whenever you try to communicate with someone who is immersed in a world, and does not realize you aren\'t.\n\nOn Saturday, I was at a talk about research on the Internet. Some terms came up like \"delicious\" or \"brand reputation,\" which did not strike a chord amongst the attendees.  You have to know who your audience is and adjust your explanations accordingly. If you are tweeting on Twitter,  you don\'t have to explain what a tweet up is. If you are in a room where people feel very cutting edge because they finally put up a picture of their dog on Facebook, you will have to explain, and it will not be as obvious as you think.\n\nA rule for good communication is not to take things for granted. Explain what you mean using common terms. Avoid jargon. Jargon is the ultimate insider language, and it takes for granted that you understand it.  Remember, just because it is obvious to you does not mean it is obvious to everyone else.\n\n','Taking things for granted','','publish','open','open','','taking-things-for-granted','','','2009-12-15 09:05:23','2009-12-15 14:05:23','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=593',0,'post','',0),
(597,4,'2009-12-28 15:04:39','2009-12-28 20:04:39','As the last year in the first decade of 21st century, 2009 was certainly a year of flux. We saw lots of changes in media. Many magazines were shuttered, and some newspapers became online only.  The Internet, in the Web 2.0 format was king. Twitter flourished, as did Facebook. Blogs continued to pop up everywhere.  All the mainstream newscasts routinely place more information, video, interviews  online. The divide between haves and have-nots is certainly growing.\r\n\r\nSome trends that I personally disliked:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>The rise of personal branding to the level of ridiculous self-promotion.</li>\r\n	<li>The failure of old guard public relations/advertising practitioners to embrace new media</li>\r\n	<li>The idea that new media/social networks are THE solution (they are not)</li>\r\n	<li>Social media \"experts\" (having a Twitter account and a blog does not make anyone an expert)</li>\r\n	<li>Endless self-promotion on multiple platforms of social media</li>\r\n	<li>Linking every Tweet to Facebook and LinkedIn and everything in between</li>\r\n	<li>Feeling the need to tweet everything, have hashtags for everything and  \"follow Friday\"</li>\r\n	<li>Rise in sexist images in advertising</li>\r\n	<li>Decline in thoughtful public relations campaigns</li>\r\n	<li>Decline in traditional media, especially print journalism</li>\r\n	<li>Endless hype/hysteria about the supposed big story of the minute (Tiger Woods, Octomom, Balloon Boy, etc.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nBut on the bright side\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Social media has presented great opportunities for small businesses</li>\r\n	<li>The new PBS NewsHour</li>\r\n	<li>Increased desire for measurement and return on investment</li>\r\n	<li>Twitter, in spite of the above problems, has allowed for new relationships and allegiances, not to mention new parlance (tweetup, tweetsgiving, etc)</li>\r\n	<li>Acceptance of blogs as legitimate journalistic outlets</li>\r\n	<li>Citizen journalism and subsequent empowerment</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhat are your best/worst for the year?','Was 2009 a good year for marketing communications?','','publish','open','open','','was-2009-a-good-year-for-marketing-communications','','','2011-08-14 07:28:05','2011-08-14 07:28:05','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=597',0,'post','',1),
(602,4,'2010-01-06 10:44:56','2010-01-06 15:44:56','We all have gone to see a movie that our best friend raved about only to find we thought it was just OK.  Same happens with restaurants that receive glowing reviews. What happens is that our expectations have been set too high and naturally, we are disappointed with reality.\r\n\r\nIt\'s a like a present that is wrapped beautifully....what will be inside? Will it be better than its wrapping?\r\n\r\nBuzz is about forming expectations and then exploiting them.  Marketing people love buzz or WOM (word-of-mouth) because few things are as powerful as a recommendation from someone we know.\r\n\r\nThe down side of creating high expectations is having to deliver or even over-deliver on such expectations.  We can have stuff go very wrong when things don\'t live up to expectations.\r\n\r\nLately, I have been paying attention to hotel websites and ratings. Usually, there is a picture of a perfect room. We don\'t see anything wrong.  But what happens if we book this room, and show up at the hotel only to find that the bathroom is filthy, the carpets (which did not show up in the room picture) are grimy and the noise level is unbearable. What happens is that we are very unhappy. But what makes it worse is that we <em>expected </em>better.\r\n\r\nClearly there is a fine line to walk for marketing people. We have to create expectations  and we have to be able to meet them in a reasonable way.\r\n\r\nTastes differ of course, so what I absolutely love, you may hate. Humans are more forgiving of taste not being met, but with service and other issues that are quantifiable we are not so forgiving. For instance, I went to a restaurant with a friend. We both order the same thing, and I like it but she doesn\'t. Taste  is at play (she prefers less spicy). However, we can both agree on the service (good), ambience (lovely), parking (difficult).\r\n\r\nMarketing that succeeds creates high enough expectations to attract a customer without creating a situation that the customer may actually be upset. The latter happens a lot with sales. Stores run a sale, drawing customers expecting to get a great price on an item they really want. Expectations are not met and tempers are raised if the item is out of stock or is not as it appeared.\r\n\r\nWhat do you do to create reasonable expectations? How do you navigate this  line?','Expectations','','publish','open','open','','expectations','','','2011-08-14 07:27:41','2011-08-14 07:27:41','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=602',0,'post','',0),
(1351,4,'2009-12-28 15:04:39','2009-12-28 20:04:39','As the last year in the first decade of 21st century, 2009 was certainly a year of flux. We saw lots of changes in media. Many magazines were shuttered, and some newspapers became online only.  The Internet, in the Web 2.0 format was king. Twitter flourished, as did Facebook. Blogs continued to pop up everywhere.  All the mainstream newscasts routinely place more information, video, interviews  online. The divide between haves and have-nots is certainly growing.\n\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=calendar+planner&amp;iid=76650\" src=\"0073/08c3ff1e-7f6b-42e0-b817-62f37ccc72c2.jpg?adImageId=8702577&amp;imageId=76650\" width=\"234\" height=\"351\" /]\n\nSome trends that I personally disliked:\n<ul>\n	<li>The rise of personal branding to the level of ridiculous self-promotion.</li>\n	<li>The failure of old guard public relations/advertising practitioners to embrace new media</li>\n	<li>The idea that new media/social networks are THE solution (they are not)</li>\n	<li>Social media \"experts\" (having a Twitter account and a blog does not make anyone an expert)</li>\n	<li>Endless self-promotion on multiple platforms of social media</li>\n	<li>Linking every Tweet to Facebook and LinkedIn and everything in between</li>\n	<li>Feeling the need to tweet everything, have hashtags for everything and  \"follow Friday\"</li>\n	<li>Rise in sexist images in advertising</li>\n	<li>Decline in thoughtful public relations campaigns</li>\n	<li>Decline in traditional media, especially print journalism</li>\n	<li>Endless hype/hysteria about the supposed big story of the minute (Tiger Woods, Octomom, Balloon Boy, etc.)</li>\n</ul>\nBut on the bright side\n<ul>\n	<li>Social media has presented great opportunities for small businesses</li>\n	<li>The new PBS NewsHour</li>\n	<li>Increased desire for measurement and return on investment</li>\n	<li>Twitter, in spite of the above problems, has allowed for new relationships and allegiances, not to mention new parlance (tweetup, tweetsgiving, etc)</li>\n	<li>Acceptance of blogs as legitimate journalistic outlets</li>\n	<li>Citizen journalism and subsequent empowerment</li>\n</ul>\nWhat are your best/worst for the year?\n\n','Was 2009 a good year for marketing communications?','','inherit','open','open','','597-revision','','','2009-12-28 15:04:39','2009-12-28 20:04:39','',597,'http://deborahbrody.com/2009/12/597-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(607,4,'2010-01-08 06:44:19','2010-01-08 11:44:19','You may remember that back last spring a big announcement was made that Leno would be in prime time, every day at 10:00 p.m, and Conan O\'Brien would have the Tonight Show. The idea seemed to be that Leno is pretty popular, and a variety show is cheaper to produce than say a quality show like Law &amp; Order, so why not have Leno take up this real estate which had so long been the province of the good TV dramas.\r\n\r\nWell, the programming folks over at NBC are now discussing moving Jay Leno back to his original 11:35 p.m. spot, after the news.\r\n\r\nAnyone could have told NBC that this would fail. In fact a TV station in Boston was going to refuse to run Leno, because they thought it would hurt their lead for the late night news. It did. They were right. NBC strong-armed their stations into accepting the Leno show by saying they would be dropped if they did not go along.\r\n\r\nWhat this shows, in my opinion, is the isolated world that TV programming folks live in. It shows hubris. It shows lack of research and a lack of common sense. I think most people questioned whether Leno could succeed at the earlier hour. Especially, up against what ABC and CBS offer at that hour. Leno is about about late night humor. He is not Barbara Walters, up to interviewing all sorts of folks.\r\n\r\nIn the end, the Leno Show was not bringing in the viewers that the 11:00 p.m. news needed (a very profitable franchise). NBC was probably bleeding viewers at the 10:00 pm and 11:35 pm hours too (Conan was no Jay). Bottom line, it was costing money to produce a lower costing show.\r\n\r\nWhat do you think?\r\n\r\n<strong>UPDATE:</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Steven Pearlstein, columnist for the Washington Post hits the nail on the head regarding what NBC did in business terms. <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Pearlstein\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/12/AR2010011203671.html\" target=\"_blank\">Read his column here</a>.</strong>','The unmaking of Jay Leno/UPDATED','','publish','open','open','','the-unmaking-of-jay-leno','','','2011-08-14 07:27:04','2011-08-14 07:27:04','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=607',0,'post','',1),
(610,4,'2010-01-11 15:31:04','2010-01-11 20:31:04','Although I am not a fan of New Year\'s resolutions, I think January is a great time to set goals for oneself. You have a whole year ahead of you to meet those goals. And goals are tangible. You either meet them or not, whereas resolutions like \"I want to be healthier\" are vague.\r\n\r\nHere are some personal marketing goals:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Upload a headshot to LinkedIn</li>\r\n	<li>Answer at least one question a month on LinkedIn</li>\r\n	<li>Refine your LinkedIn headline</li>\r\n	<li>Increase your LinkedIn contacts by 25% (minimum)</li>\r\n	<li>Get business cards if you don\'t have them</li>\r\n	<li>Update and polish your elevator speech and then practice it!</li>\r\n	<li>Attend networking events at least twice a month</li>\r\n	<li>Join a professional association</li>\r\n	<li>Join a committee or volunteer group</li>\r\n	<li>Start a blog if you don\'t have one (Posterous is easy!) or post regularly on your existing blog</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhat goals are you setting for yourself?','Personal marketing goals for 2010','','publish','open','open','','personal-marketing-goals-for-2010','','','2011-08-14 07:26:21','2011-08-14 07:26:21','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=610',0,'post','',0),
(1349,4,'2010-01-08 06:44:19','2010-01-08 11:44:19','You may remember that back last spring a big announcement was made that Leno would be in prime time, every day at 10:00 p.m, and Conan O\'Brien would have the Tonight Show. The idea seemed to be that Leno is pretty popular, and a variety show is cheaper to produce than say a quality show like Law &amp; Order, so why not have Leno take up this real estate which had so long been the province of the good TV dramas.\n\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=jay+leno+show&amp;iid=5813316\" src=\"c/9/f/7/Summer_TCA_Tour_d3f7.jpg?adImageId=8858848&amp;imageId=5813316\" width=\"234\" height=\"254\" /]\n\nWell, the programming folks over at NBC are now discussing moving Jay Leno back to his original 11:35 p.m. spot, after the news.\n\nAnyone could have told NBC that this would fail. In fact a TV station in Boston was going to refuse to run Leno, because they thought it would hurt their lead for the late night news. It did. They were right. NBC strong-armed their stations into accepting the Leno show by saying they would be dropped if they did not go along.\n\nWhat this shows, in my opinion, is the isolated world that TV programming folks live in. It shows hubris. It shows lack of research and a lack of common sense. I think most people questioned whether Leno could succeed at the earlier hour. Especially, up against what ABC and CBS offer at that hour. Leno is about about late night humor. He is not Barbara Walters, up to interviewing all sorts of folks.\n\nIn the end, the Leno Show was not bringing in the viewers that the 11:00 p.m. news needed (a very profitable franchise). NBC was probably bleeding viewers at the 10:00 pm and 11:35 pm hours too (Conan was no Jay). Bottom line, it was costing money to produce a lower costing show.\n\nWhat do you think?\n\n<strong>UPDATE:</strong>\n\n<strong>Steven Pearlstein, columnist for the Washington Post hits the nail on the head regarding what NBC did in business terms. <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Pearlstein\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/12/AR2010011203671.html\" target=\"_blank\">Read his column here</a>.</strong>\n\n','The unmaking of Jay Leno/UPDATED','','inherit','open','open','','607-revision','','','2010-01-08 06:44:19','2010-01-08 11:44:19','',607,'http://deborahbrody.com/2010/01/607-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(614,4,'2010-01-14 08:00:22','2010-01-14 13:00:22','There are followers and lists and getting many of each seems to be the focus for many people on Twitter.  Some people make pleas for more followers and then there is \"Follow Friday\" in which people recommend to their followers other people to follow.\r\n\r\nIf this sounds a bit like a high school popularity contest, it is, for some people.  Many people use Twitter to give and get information and ideas, but there is a subset of people who use Twitter to prove their hotness/coolness/hipness/in-the-knowness.  These people go so far as to form cliques on Twitter, endlessly referencing their clique friends in every Tweet. They converse in public with each other and rarely engage with non-clique/inner circle people. Several of these people are \"social media experts,\" which is ironic since they are not being very social (I must credit <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Daria Steigman\" href=\"http://www.steigmancommunications.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Daria Steigman of Steigman Communications</a> with this idea).\r\n\r\nI have theories as to why Twitter becomes like a high school for these people but I won\'t share them here.  It is important to remember what social networks are for, and that is to make it easy to create connection. If all you are doing on Twitter is sending shout-outs to your five closest buddies or endlessly promoting yourself, you are not using Twitter to its full potential. I can\'t say that you are not using Twitter for what it is intended because I have no idea what its founder was thinking when he created the microblogging site.\r\n\r\nTwitter is a great learning tool and it is a great sharing tool. It democratizes access and can really serve to mobilize people around causes. Eugene Robinson makes excellent observation in today\'s Washington Post, saying:\r\n<blockquote>Twitter and other networking sites are unfiltered by editors or other gatekeepers. They rely on the wisdom of the crowd to sort out what is accurate and what is not. To someone (like me) who has spent his career as a gatekeeper, this was tremendously unsettling -- at first. During the Iran protests, I saw how quickly Twitter users identified misinformation that was being posted by government propagandists. The self-policing capability of the medium is impressive.\r\n\r\nThe other big difference is that social networking offers not just information, but also the opportunity to take action. Twitter users were able to work together to mask the identities of the Iranian demonstrators who were using the site to tell the world what was happening. Last night, along with the news from Haiti came suggestions for how the Twitter community could most effectively help the relief effort.\r\n\r\nIs this “news” the way we used to think of it? No. But it’s news people can use.\r\n\r\nRead <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Eugene Robinson\" href=\"http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/01/following_the_earthquake_in_ha.html#more\" target=\"_blank\">complete article</a> here.</blockquote>\r\nTo  those popularity hounds on Twitter I say put high school behind you.  If you have something worthwhile to say people will follow you no matter who your friends are or aren\'t.','Is Twitter a High School for Adults?','','publish','open','open','','is-twitter-a-high-school-for-adults','','','2011-08-14 07:25:57','2011-08-14 07:25:57','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=614',0,'post','',2),
(619,4,'2010-01-18 16:31:44','2010-01-18 21:31:44','I am not sure if it is just another way to establish your influence or another popularity measure on Twitter, but now there are several tools to measure your rank and influence on Twitter.\n\nThis<a class=\"wp-caption\" href=\"http://www.cio.com/article/515966/Got_Twitter_Clout_New_Tools_Rate_You_?page=1&amp;taxonomyId=3119#readerFeedback\" target=\"_blank\"> post</a> from CIO presents five options to measure your Twitter clout.:\n<ul>\n	<li><a class=\"wp-caption\" href=\"http://www.buzzom.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Buzzom</a></li>\n	<li><a class=\"wp-caption\" href=\"http://topsy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Topsy</a></li>\n	<li><a class=\"wp-caption\" href=\"http://twinfluence.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Twinfluence</a></li>\n	<li><a class=\"wp-caption\" href=\"http://twitter.grader.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter Grader</a></li>\n	<li><a class=\"wp-caption\" href=\"http://twscore.net/\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter Score</a></li>\n</ul>\nTwo other tools not mentioned in the article are:\n<ul>\n	<li><a class=\"wp-caption\" href=\"http://klout.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Klout</a></li>\n	<li><a class=\"wp-caption\" href=\"http://twitteranalyzer.com/Default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Twitteranalyzer</a></li>\n</ul>\nI tested my score on a couple of these.  I liked both Twitter Grader and Klout,  although they do not coincide. According to Twitter Grader I have a 95 out of 100 whereas on Klout it is 25. Hmm...\n\nI did not like Twitter Score.  Twinfluence tells you who has the most followers and does not really help you with your own effectiveness.\n\n<strong>In my opinion, the most important measure for your communications effectiveness is how often you are being re-tweeted. If you share good material, people will share it. </strong>\n\nDid you try any of the above? What is your take?\n\n','Got clout?','','publish','open','open','','got-clout','','','2010-01-18 16:31:44','2010-01-18 21:31:44','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=619',0,'post','',0),
(621,4,'2010-01-20 07:41:07','2010-01-20 12:41:07','We\'ve all heard it before, \"it is not what you say, but how you say it. \"  Well, in my opinion,  it is both. What you say is also important, but how you say it makes the difference in how it is received. One person who does not seem to understand or care about this is President Obama\'s press secretary, Robert Gibbs.  Gibbs is forever being snarky, sarcastic and just plain unpleasant. I would lay bets that most, if not all, of the White House press corps despise his guts.\r\n\r\nIn my opinion, Gibbs is one of the worst press secretaries I have ever seen. He can\'t answer questions straight on, he uses big words he doesn\'t seem to understand, but worst of all, he seems bored and above the job. This morning, I read a great <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Robert Gibbs \" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/19/AR2010011904347.html?hpid=opinionsbox1\" target=\"_blank\">column on Gibbs in the Washington Post, by Dana Milbank</a>. Most of the time, Milbank\'s own sarcasm and unpleasantness make his column a must-skip, so imagine my surprise when he points out his own apparent dislike of Gibbs\' snark. Here\'s an excerpt from the column:\r\n<blockquote>Gibbs acts as though he\'s playing himself in the movie version of his job. In this imaginary film, he is the smart-alecky press secretary, offering zippy comebacks and cracking jokes to make his questioners look ridiculous. It\'s no great feat to make reporters look bad, but this act also sends a televised image of a cocksure White House to ordinary Americans watching at home.\r\n\r\nThis is the most visible manifestation of a larger problem the Obama White House has. Many Obama loyalists from the 2008 race still seem, after a year on the job, to have trouble exiting campaign mode. They sometimes appear to be running a taxpayer-funded rapid-response operation</blockquote>\r\nIf Obama is sinking in the polls, and his agenda is failing (and now he has managed to lose a historically Democratic Senate seat, although that may have had more to do with the Democratic candidate\'s lack of campaign skills --Read this great blog post on it by my friends over at <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Fresh Ground on Mass elections\" href=\"http://itsfreshground.com/2010/01/mass-election/\" target=\"_blank\">Fresh Ground Communications</a>). It may have something to do with HOW the White House is communicating its message, which is poorly.  Gibbs\' holier-than-thou approach to everything and everyone is not helping one bit. If Obama wants to regain some footing I would suggest he replace Gibbs with someone a bit kinder, a bit gentler.  Replace Gibbs with someone who gets that how you say things really does make a difference.\r\n\r\nWhat are your thoughts? Do you like Gibbs? How about a poll:\r\n\r\n[polldaddy poll=2560587]','How you say it','','publish','open','open','','how-you-say-it','','','2011-08-14 07:25:30','2011-08-14 07:25:30','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=621',0,'post','',1),
(626,4,'2010-01-26 12:10:20','2010-01-26 17:10:20','','McCann\'s Old Package','McCann\'s Irish Oatmeal Before Redesign','inherit','open','open','','img013','','','2010-01-26 12:10:20','2010-01-26 17:10:20','',624,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/img013.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(627,4,'2010-01-26 12:12:13','2010-01-26 17:12:13','','McCann\'s new package','McCann\'s Irish Oatmeal Redesigned Packaging','inherit','open','open','','img014','','','2010-01-26 12:12:13','2010-01-26 17:12:13','',624,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/img014.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(625,4,'2010-01-26 12:17:46','2010-01-26 17:17:46','You can judge a book by its cover because it is what initially attracts you to even pick it up. In a bookstore with thousands if not millions of titles vying for your attention, a boring cover will make you pass it over. But the cover is also the title, and this is also why titles (and headlines) that grab your attention are so important.\n\nHowever, I am not here to write about books today. What I want to talk about is packaging and how important it is.  Packaging helps sell a product, and yet, I bet, nine out of ten times, packaging design is NOT handled by the marketing department.\n\nSometimes, product packaging needs a redesign. Much has been written about Tropicana\'s redesign (last year) where the familiar Tropicana interface was replaced with a minimalist approach, which some thought looked generic. Redesign is important, but companies need to be careful not to alienate their core buyers.\n\nI am a huge McCann\'s Irish Oatmeal fan. I have been eating it for years, and thus buying the boxes for a long time.  This is what I have always bought:\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_626\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" caption=\"McCann&#39;s Irish Oatmeal Before Redesign\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/img013.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-626\" title=\"McCann\'s Old Package\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/img013.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"295\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe other day, I was getting my supply of oatmeal, and I was momentarily confused when I saw this:\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_627\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"281\" caption=\"McCann&#39;s Irish Oatmeal Redesigned Packaging\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/img014.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-627\" title=\"McCann\'s new package\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/img014.jpg?w=281\" alt=\"\" width=\"281\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIs this what I have always bought? It doesn\'t look the same, nor does it tell me that it is a new packaging design anywhere. In fact, I think McCann\'s not only redesigned the package but changed the contents slightly. And they did not bother to tell me. As I mentioned, I am a long time consumer of McCann\'s and there was no indication of whether this was the same Quick Cooking Irish Oatmeal.\n\nIn any case, the moral is definitely, redesigns can be good, but tread carefully.  Don\'t confuse your customers or you may lose them.\n\n','Yep, you can judge a book (or your oatmeal) by its cover','','publish','open','open','','yep-you-can-judge-a-book-or-your-oatmeal-by-its-cover','','','2010-01-26 12:17:46','2010-01-26 17:17:46','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=625',0,'post','',0),
(631,4,'2010-02-01 10:37:06','2010-02-01 15:37:06','Are you a social (media) butterfly?\r\n\r\nSocial media and social networks are not new anymore. In fact, there is talk of a Web 3.0.  Social media is mainstream. After all, you have the White House and most television anchors tweeting and lots of businesses have Facebook  pages.  I bet your grandmother is on Facebook and your grandpa is blogging.  Social media has served to connect lots of people, across demographics and geography.\r\n\r\nWith the rise of social media,  and its usefulness in \"friend\" raising, being social is becoming a bigger asset. How social are you?\r\n\r\nTake the following quiz to gauge your sociability:\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Do you read blogs regularly?</li>\r\n	<li>Do you use a reader? (extra points if you can define RSS)</li>\r\n	<li>Do you ever comment on other people\'s blogs?</li>\r\n	<li>Do you have  a blog?  If so, do you blog regularly, or was your last post last summer?</li>\r\n	<li>Do you have a Twitter account? Do you actually tweet?</li>\r\n	<li>Do you know what Foursquare is?</li>\r\n	<li> Do you use a service to post your blog content to your Twitter stream? If so, have you customized the settings?</li>\r\n	<li>Do you respond to @ tweets and DMs?</li>\r\n	<li>Have you met anyone from your social media world in real life?</li>\r\n	<li>Have you ever been to a Tweet-up?</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nIf you answered yes to all 10 questions, you are a certified social media butterfly.\r\n\r\nIf you answered yes to at least five questions, you are earning your social media wings.\r\n\r\nIf you answered yes to less than three questions, you are a social media wallflower.','Hello there social butterfly!','','publish','open','open','','hello-there-social-butterfly','','','2011-08-14 07:25:01','2011-08-14 07:25:01','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=631',0,'post','',1),
(638,4,'2010-02-03 11:27:11','2010-02-03 16:27:11','Our inboxes are cluttered with hundreds of email messages--some from friends asking us to join for dinner and most from companies looking to sell us something.  We may have signed up for a few enewsletters. We may have met some people at networking events. Regardless, our inboxes  are overwhelmed with email.\r\n\r\nIn the past week, my company sent out its enewsletter. It got two unsubscribes, one report for spam (the person who did it may have had some sort of personal vendetta, not sure) and a fairly good open rate. I am going to call it a moderate success.  The newsletter did not have a call to action, so it is hard to measure its effectiveness.\r\n\r\nIn the past couple of day, I got two emails from two sources. Both caught my eye for different reasons. The first was from someone I met a while back who just started a new business venture. The subject line said \"Hi Deborah.\" The body was the following (with identifying info cut out):\r\n<blockquote>Dear Mr.  Sample:\r\n\r\nPlease allow me to  introduce myself.  My name is XXXX,  Director of Media Services for XXXX and XXXX– two truly groundbreaking companies that have recently joined together to  become one of Washington’s newest and most innovative full-service production  resources.  If you’re in the  neighborhood, I hope you’ll stop by for a tour of our facility, just off XX here in downtown D.C.\r\n\r\nOur owner-operators  are award-winning media professionals with more than 25 years of experience, and  our list of long-term clients include companies like X, Y and Z, together with advertising and public relations  agencies, corporations, associations and government agencies, both local and  nationwide.\r\n\r\nWe’d like to show  you exactly what we can do.  By  addressing your creatitve and technical needs with our deep expertise in all  forms of broadcast and corporate production, creative editorial, 2-D and 3-D  graphics, sound design and audio mixing.   With our detailed approach to client service, we can easily guide your  next project from concept through completion.\r\n\r\nFeel free to look  through our demo reels and check out the bios of our skilled artists, editors  and producers.  Just go to (website)  and (website) to find out more. Or  give me a call personally, at 999-999-9999   I’ll be happy to answer your questions or set up a convenient time when  you can pay us a visit.  I look forward  to the opportunity to meet you in person.\r\n\r\nWarm  Regards,</blockquote>\r\n<strong>W</strong><strong>hat is wrong with this email? </strong>First, the personalization is not working. Second, the formatting was off. Third, there are several grammatical mistakes (and at least one typo).  The first paragraph is a waste.  The sender could have mentioned a reason that I would be interested in this email and new venture. Instead it is an \"introduction\" to someone I met already. The email was sent out in plain format--and this is a multimedia production company? Why not make it look pretty and professional? There is no signature from the sender.  No way of opting out of the email. No permission. I could go on and on.\r\n\r\nThe other email I got was announcing a group trip. But guess what? No dates were listed for the trip on the email, forcing me to go to the website. Maybe this was on purpose, to get a click-through to the website.  In my opinion, when you don\'t give people some basic information, you lose them at hello.\r\n\r\n<strong>Lessons about email marketing:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Have a call to action.</li>\r\n	<li>Mind your ps and qs--details like grammar are important.</li>\r\n	<li>Include relevant information: dates, locations, contact information, pricing (don\'t make me work so hard to figure it out).</li>\r\n	<li>If possible, personalize.</li>\r\n	<li>Make it look nice (there are many enewsletter/email marketing companies out there at various price points).</li>\r\n	<li>Be careful with SPAM laws. Give people a way to opt-out. Explain why they are receiving your email.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhat drives you crazy when you get an email?','Improve your email marketing!','','publish','open','open','','improve-your-email-marketing','','','2011-08-14 07:24:35','2011-08-14 07:24:35','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=638',0,'post','',0),
(1345,4,'2010-02-01 10:37:06','2010-02-01 15:37:06','Are you a social (media) butterfly?\n\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=butterfly&amp;iid=307505\" src=\"0304/0000304219.jpg?adImageId=9781108&amp;imageId=307505\" width=\"234\" height=\"351\" /]\n\nSocial media and social networks are not new anymore. In fact, there is talk of a Web 3.0.  Social media is mainstream. After all, you have the White House and most television anchors tweeting and lots of businesses have Facebook  pages.  I bet your grandmother is on Facebook and your grandpa is blogging.  Social media has served to connect lots of people, across demographics and geography.\n\nWith the rise of social media,  and its usefulness in \"friend\" raising, being social is becoming a bigger asset. How social are you?\n\nTake the following quiz to gauge your sociability:\n<ol>\n	<li>Do you read blogs regularly?</li>\n	<li>Do you use a reader? (extra points if you can define RSS)</li>\n	<li>Do you ever comment on other people\'s blogs?</li>\n	<li>Do you have  a blog?  If so, do you blog regularly, or was your last post last summer?</li>\n	<li>Do you have a Twitter account? Do you actually tweet?</li>\n	<li>Do you know what Foursquare is?</li>\n	<li> Do you use a service to post your blog content to your Twitter stream? If so, have you customized the settings?</li>\n	<li>Do you respond to @ tweets and DMs?</li>\n	<li>Have you met anyone from your social media world in real life?</li>\n	<li>Have you ever been to a Tweet-up?</li>\n</ol>\nIf you answered yes to all 10 questions, you are a certified social media butterfly.\n\nIf you answered yes to at least five questions, you are earning your social media wings.\n\nIf you answered yes to less than three questions, you are a social media wallflower.\n\n','Hello there social butterfly!','','inherit','open','open','','631-revision','','','2010-02-01 10:37:06','2010-02-01 15:37:06','',631,'http://deborahbrody.com/2010/02/631-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(643,4,'2010-02-08 14:49:45','2010-02-08 19:49:45','I watched part of the Super Bowl last night, but really wasn\'t interested in the game. I wanted to report on the commercials--those famous, expensive spots that seem to make advertising history each year.  But, I just didn\'t have the patience to sit there and watch them. And you know what? The ones I did see offended me. Apparently, advertising agencies have been taught to believe that:\n\n1) Only men watch football\n\n2) Aforementioned men prefer to drink Bud Light while trying to fulfill every male stereotype out there\n\n3) Sexism sells\n\nThe absolute worst from the sexist standpoint was the Dodge Charger commercial, where a man is emasculated by having to do everything his wife nags him to do, and makes up for it by taking a ride in this ridiculous car.  Close behind is the always offensive GoDaddy, a company that believes men will buy websites if scantily clad women appear in the ads.\n\nMy vote is that as marketers we stop paying heed to this one time event. We give these commercials too much power by endlessly commenting and analyzing them.  The bottom line is that it is a one-time deal that proves certain companies have outmoded advertising ideas---thinking that by advertising during the big game they will get so many eyeballs they won\'t have to do much else.\n\nYour thoughts?\n\n','Super sexist','','publish','open','open','','super-sexist','','','2010-02-08 14:49:45','2010-02-08 19:49:45','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=643',0,'post','',0),
(647,4,'2010-02-10 08:20:13','2010-02-10 13:20:13','','Buried under two feet of snow','','inherit','open','open','','p2060181','','','2010-02-10 08:20:13','2010-02-10 13:20:13','',645,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/p2060181.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(646,4,'2010-02-10 08:23:16','2010-02-10 13:23:16','Both Toyota and snow are causing lots of problems for people, that is what these two have in common. But that is where the similarity ends.\n\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/p2060181.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-647\" title=\"Buried under two feet of snow\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/p2060181.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" /></a>\n\nAlthough snow does not have an official representative (although lots of people keep talking about Mother Nature), it has a leg up on Toyota. People who deal with snow (utility companies, county government,  forecasters) are all telling us what is going on, almost every second of every day of the storm (s). If you live in the Washington, DC area you have no doubt seen interviews with representatives from various organizations involved in snow removal, such as the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). You have seen the PEPCO (Potomac Electric Power Company) spokesperson explain why power hasn\'t been completely restored and so forth. You know what is going on.\n\nToyota, on the other hand, has not, apparently, been telling us what is going on. As you no doubt know, Toyota is having a \"few\" problems with many of its most popular models, including the Prius. Problems include sudden acceleration and braking issues. Dangerous stuff.  Yet, apparently, Toyota was slow to realize there was a mechanical/electronic problem in the cars\' manufacturing process. At first, they blamed faulty floor rugs. Now, they have recalled hundreds of thousands of vehicles, stopped production at some plants and have finally taken to the airwaves, paid advertising and even <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Toyoda oped\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/08/AR2010020803078.html\" target=\"_blank\">op-ed pieces </a>to explain what happened and defend the integrity of the company.\n\nBut the damage has been done. Not communicating with your customers, especially when there is a problem, is a recipe for disaster. This is the essence of crisis communication. One has to wonder what type of communications counsel Toyota has received. Clearly, it is of the \"too little, too late\" variety.  Of course, there is the possibility that Toyota management ignored communications counsel, which in addition to their inability to realize the problem, says that management is completely out of touch.\n\n<strong>More communication is always better that no or too little communication. People want to know what is going on, whether how long the snow is going to last or what to do about their faulty Toyota vehicle.</strong>\n\n','What do Toyota and snow have in common?','','publish','open','open','','what-do-toyota-and-snow-have-in-common','','','2010-02-10 08:23:16','2010-02-10 13:23:16','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=646',0,'post','',0),
(651,4,'2010-02-19 10:17:42','2010-02-19 15:17:42','Are you by chance speaking in jargon? Why are you doing that?\r\n\r\nAs a writer and a consultant, I often ask my clients what their \"keywords\" are. It is helpful, and sometimes crucial, to use the right terminology for any given industry.  Especially when you are working in a business to business environment, you need to know how these businesses look for the services/products that they need. But when an outsider lands on one of these B-to-B web pages or marketing materials,  he or she will most likely end up not understanding a word.  For instance, a client of mine uses the terms \"professional services.\"  For general marketing purposes, this is the emptiest phrase out there, but in the client\'s world, it carries a specific meaning.\r\n\r\nSetting aside the need for industry-specific terminology, and recognizing the importance of specific terminology in a B-to-B setting, what is going on with language today? Why are so many people talking in gobbledy-gook? Lately, I have heard the following phrases/terms on TV, in conversation and seemingly, everywhere else:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Drilling down (apparently, this means getting to the heart of the issue or talking specifically)</li>\r\n	<li>Sweet spot (as in where the perfect opportunity lies)</li>\r\n	<li>Being out of pocket (never got this one although it means being unreachable)</li>\r\n	<li>Getting your ducks all in a row (oldie but goodie, means be prepared)</li>\r\n	<li>Leveraging an opportunity (making the most of something)</li>\r\n	<li>Staying ahead of the curve (presumably, leveraging opportunities to get to your sweet spot)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIn a sense, these universally used phrases serve as a crutch. Use them and other people will understand what you mean, even when the meaning isn\'t entirely clear. Sometimes, using touch phrases makes someone look like an insider, someone who is in the know.\r\n\r\nIn the end, jargon and catch phrases muck up your meaning. It\'s one thing to use these in conversation where I can stop and ask you what you mean. It\'s another to use them in writing.  When things are written (especially printed) there is no easy or quick way to ask the writer what he or she means.\r\n\r\nCatch my drift?','What language are you speaking?','','publish','open','open','','what-language-are-you-speaking','','','2011-08-14 07:23:40','2011-08-14 07:23:40','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=651',0,'post','',0),
(1344,4,'2010-02-03 11:27:11','2010-02-03 16:27:11','Our inboxes are cluttered with hundreds of email messages--some from friends asking us to join for dinner and most from companies looking to sell us something.  We may have signed up for a few enewsletters. We may have met some people at networking events. Regardless, our inboxes  are overwhelmed with email.\n\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=inbox&amp;iid=86001\" src=\"0082/a30fdd89-9ecc-42fd-80a7-42ec67bf3b69.jpg?adImageId=9872274&amp;imageId=86001\" width=\"234\" height=\"156\" /]\n\nIn the past week, my company sent out its enewsletter. It got two unsubscribes, one report for spam (the person who did it may have had some sort of personal vendetta, not sure) and a fairly good open rate. I am going to call it a moderate success.  The newsletter did not have a call to action, so it is hard to measure its effectiveness.\n\nIn the past couple of day, I got two emails from two sources. Both caught my eye for different reasons. The first was from someone I met a while back who just started a new business venture. The subject line said \"Hi Deborah.\" The body was the following (with identifying info cut out):\n<blockquote>Dear Mr.  Sample:\n\nPlease allow me to  introduce myself.  My name is XXXX,  Director of Media Services for XXXX and XXXX– two truly groundbreaking companies that have recently joined together to  become one of Washington’s newest and most innovative full-service production  resources.  If you’re in the  neighborhood, I hope you’ll stop by for a tour of our facility, just off XX here in downtown D.C.\n\nOur owner-operators  are award-winning media professionals with more than 25 years of experience, and  our list of long-term clients include companies like X, Y and Z, together with advertising and public relations  agencies, corporations, associations and government agencies, both local and  nationwide.\n\nWe’d like to show  you exactly what we can do.  By  addressing your creatitve and technical needs with our deep expertise in all  forms of broadcast and corporate production, creative editorial, 2-D and 3-D  graphics, sound design and audio mixing.   With our detailed approach to client service, we can easily guide your  next project from concept through completion.\n\nFeel free to look  through our demo reels and check out the bios of our skilled artists, editors  and producers.  Just go to (website)  and (website) to find out more. Or  give me a call personally, at 999-999-9999   I’ll be happy to answer your questions or set up a convenient time when  you can pay us a visit.  I look forward  to the opportunity to meet you in person.\n\nWarm  Regards,</blockquote>\n<strong>W</strong><strong>hat is wrong with this email? </strong>First, the personalization is not working. Second, the formatting was off. Third, there are several grammatical mistakes (and at least one typo).  The first paragraph is a waste.  The sender could have mentioned a reason that I would be interested in this email and new venture. Instead it is an \"introduction\" to someone I met already. The email was sent out in plain format--and this is a multimedia production company? Why not make it look pretty and professional? There is no signature from the sender.  No way of opting out of the email. No permission. I could go on and on.\n\nThe other email I got was announcing a group trip. But guess what? No dates were listed for the trip on the email, forcing me to go to the website. Maybe this was on purpose, to get a click-through to the website.  In my opinion, when you don\'t give people some basic information, you lose them at hello.\n\n<strong>Lessons about email marketing:</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Have a call to action.</li>\n	<li>Mind your ps and qs--details like grammar are important.</li>\n	<li>Include relevant information: dates, locations, contact information, pricing (don\'t make me work so hard to figure it out).</li>\n	<li>If possible, personalize.</li>\n	<li>Make it look nice (there are many enewsletter/email marketing companies out there at various price points).</li>\n	<li>Be careful with SPAM laws. Give people a way to opt-out. Explain why they are receiving your email.</li>\n</ul>\nWhat drives you crazy when you get an email?\n\n','Improve your email marketing!','','inherit','open','open','','638-revision','','','2010-02-03 11:27:11','2010-02-03 16:27:11','',638,'http://deborahbrody.com/2010/02/638-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(656,4,'2010-02-23 07:52:39','2010-02-23 12:52:39','If you work in any aspect of marketing, you know that appearance matters. We look at various marketing materials and we judge whether they look professional, or home-made, cutting-edge or stuck in time. We advise our clients to re-do logos, update brochures, set up Facebook pages. Our goal is to make sure that their appearance is up to par with the expectations in the marketplace.\n\nRecently, I wrote<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Book cover\" href=\"http://wp.me/paBca-a5\" target=\"_blank\"> a post </a>saying that you CAN judge a book by its cover. After all, designers spend a lot of time designing that cover to entice you to read it. Perhaps the book won\'t be up to your literary standards, but as a marketing piece you know the book accomplished its mission (getting you to buy it if not to read it).\n\nIn personal marketing, appearance matters even more. Again, I have written about this before, but I want to revisit it. If you are in the market for a job, say, then you are ALWAYS job hunting. If you are going to a networking meeting, you must look professional. If you look sloppy or like you just rolled out of bed then you will be perceived as someone who doesn\'t care.\n\nLast Friday, I was indulging a guilty pleasure and watching <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"What not to wear\" href=\"http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/whatnottowear/whatnottowear.html\" target=\"_blank\">What Not to Wear on TLC</a>.  The episode was about a 38-year old professor of non-verbal communication who dressed frumpily. She actually looked at least 20 years older than her age. Stacy and Clinton (the show\'s hosts, in case you haven\'t seen it) kept telling her that she was communicating to her students that she just didn\'t care about her appearance, and thus did not care about herself. She had a hard time understanding that what she wore, how she wore it, indeed her appearance, was undermining her message that we send out all sorts of nonverbal cues.  It was fascinating to watch because here is a case of someone who understands that everything you put out there (clothing, etc.) is communication. In the end, she came around and by the end of the show she looked much closer to her age than when she started. She also looked far more professional and modern.\n\nIt is hard to judge how we appear. We see ourselves day after day and we lose perspective. Same can be said for our marketing materials. This is why we often need to get a third-party opinion. And we need to listen carefully to that third-party. Perhaps they are saying something we don\'t want to hear. For your graphics and marketing pieces, an expert can do wonders. Sometimes an update makes the difference. For personal appearance, start with trusted friends or associates, and if you are very serious, hire an image consultant.\n\n<strong>We are judged by our appearance. And our appearance contributes to how people perceive us. Take control of your appearance. Make sure people perceive you the way you want to be perceived.</strong>\n\n<strong>\n</strong>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F23%2Fappearance-matters%2F&amp;linkname=Appearance%20matters\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F23%2Fappearance-matters%2F&amp;linkname=Appearance%20matters\">\n</a>','Appearance matters','','publish','open','open','','appearance-matters','','','2010-02-23 07:52:39','2010-02-23 12:52:39','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=656',0,'post','',0),
(660,4,'2010-02-25 08:40:31','2010-02-25 13:40:31','The definition of obtuse I am referring to is this one, from Merriam-Webster: difficult to comprehend; not clear or precise in thought or expression.\n\nHave you ever visited a website or picked up a brochure that makes you wonder what is really being said? Sometimes there is too much information, sometimes there is not enough and sometimes what is there is hard to understand, unclear. And in certain cases, the information is being presented in a hard to comprehend way ON PURPOSE.\n\nLet me tell you why I am writing this.  I ordered my business cards from a place called Overnight Prints. I have ordered my cards there before, and they are of good quality. They are also fast. As the name implies, they print \"overnight.\" Well, I ordered my cards on Thursday and on the next Tuesday, it occurred to me that I had not received a notification that the cards had shipped. I checked my account on line, and it told me that the order was \"in process.\" I wrote an email to their customer service asking why my cards had not yet printed. A few hours later I received a notification that my cards had shipped. Hmmm.\n\nMore than 24 hours later I received an email response from customer service telling me that my cards had shipped. I replied telling them that when I checked the cards had NOT shipped, and that I expected they would have shipped by Monday at the latest, and that a more than 24 hour response was not acceptable.  The CSR replied that their new policies suggest that if you choose ground shipping (the least expensive choice) your cards are also printed later. I replied that shipping time is not equal to printing time. Amazon, for instance, will ship your book within 24 hours, and depending on how you pay for it, you may get it the next day or the next week.  I also told the CSR that perhaps they should make this little rule of theirs clearer by saying: We expect to print your order on DATE and ship on DATE.  Fairly simple and straightforward in my opinion. Well, apparently Overnight Prints is committed to being obtuse. This is the response I got back from them:\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"3\" height=\"28\" valign=\"top\">Our print and ship time differs by product. Please see charts below  for more details. For Business Cards &amp; 4x6 Postcards the print &amp; ship  times are as follows:</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"54\" height=\"102\"></td>\n<td width=\"562\" align=\"middle\" valign=\"top\">\n<table border=\"0\" bgcolor=\"#e3ebf3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\"><strong>Shipping Service</strong></td>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\"><strong>Your Order Will  Ship...</strong></td>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\"><strong>Your Order Will Arrive  In...</strong></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">Next Day Air</td>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">The Next Business Day</td>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">2 Business Day</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<table border=\"0\" bgcolor=\"#e8e8e8\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">2 Day Air</td>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">The Next Business Day</td>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">3 Business Days</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">3 Day Select</td>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">Next Business Day</td>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">4 Business Days</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<table border=\"0\" bgcolor=\"#e8e8e8\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">Ground w/ Priority Printing</td>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">Next Business Day</td>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">4-6 Business  Days</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">Ground</td>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">Within 3 Business Days</td>\n<td width=\"33%\" align=\"middle\">5-7 Business  Days</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\nClearly, if you truly want overnight printing from Overnight Prints you need to pony up more money for SHIPPING.  If you pay less money for SHIPPING, your PRINTING will also be delayed.\n\nAs a customer, I am irritated. I have ordered from this outfit before and I am still paying a fairly high price for printing as well as a high price for ground shipping. I know the shipping will be slower, but the printing should  be the same. If you have changed your policies, it is not clear. Your wording is not clear. And when I point that out to you, you revert to your unclear wording. Why endanger a customer relationship over lack of clarity?\n\n<strong>In any case, it is a good exercise to try to see what your customers are seeing when they read your marketing materials. Are you being clear?  Or are you being obtuse?</strong>\n\n<strong>\n</strong>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F25%2Fare-you-being-obtuse%2F&amp;linkname=Are%20you%20being%20obtuse%3F\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Are you being obtuse?','','publish','open','open','','are-you-being-obtuse','','','2010-02-25 08:40:31','2010-02-25 13:40:31','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=660',0,'post','',0),
(663,4,'2010-03-04 08:05:15','2010-03-04 13:05:15','Today, March 4th, is officially designated here in the United States as <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"National Grammar Day\" href=\"http://nationalgrammarday.com/\" target=\"_blank\">National Grammar Day.</a> How will you celebrate?\n\nIf I may offer some suggestions:\n<ul>\n	<li>Read a grammar book or my favorite book about punctuation:  Eats, Shoots &amp; Leaves by Lynne Truss</li>\n	<li>Mind your apostrophes (here\'s a hint: apostrophes do not make a word plural)</li>\n	<li>Practice gender neutrality, but don\'t use \"they\" to signify ONE person.</li>\n	<li>Read a well written book, any book.</li>\n	<li>Try to effect change by not using big words you don\'t understand (it affects how people perceive your writing and speaking)</li>\n</ul>\nWhat would you like to see on National Grammar Day?\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F04%2Fits-national-grammar-day%2F&amp;linkname=It%27s%20National%20Grammar%20Day!\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','It\'s National Grammar Day!','','publish','open','open','','its-national-grammar-day','','','2010-03-04 08:05:15','2010-03-04 13:05:15','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=663',0,'post','',0),
(667,4,'2010-03-08 14:15:54','2010-03-08 19:15:54','Timing is everything. You\'ve heard it when you walk up to a fast food counter,  and breakfast is no longer being served.  So perhaps it\'s more accurate to say good timing is everything.  So many times it seems that had you shown up five minutes earlier, called two days later, or whenever was the \"right\" time, your outcome may have  been different.\r\n\r\nOf course, the right timing is also key in communications. For instance, if you are promoting an event, you want to send out calendar listings and email blasts with plenty of lead time, but not too much lead time so that the event gets buried. If you have an enewsletter or a printed newsletter, you also want to make sure that any highlighted events don\'t happen before the newsletter gets to its audience.  I know this seems like plain common sense, and yet how many times have you gotten an invitation that is not timed right?\r\n\r\nAnother aspect is when to send things out. In media relations, if you want to bury some news, you release the news on Friday. Same goes for a press conference. Often, you don\'t reach out to broadcast venues during busy times in the broadcast day cycle (right before the evening news for example).\r\n\r\nGood timing is about finding the right time to reach your audience, or when your audience will be most receptive.  I would never send out an enewsletter on Monday. Why? Because Mondays are catch up days, and people are busy getting back into the groove of the work week.\r\n\r\n<strong>Consider your audience and what works best in order to figure out the right time to communicate.</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F08%2Ftiming-is-everything%2F&amp;linkname=Timing%20is%20everything\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Timing is everything','','publish','open','open','','timing-is-everything','','','2011-08-14 07:22:45','2011-08-14 07:22:45','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=667',0,'post','',1),
(673,4,'2010-03-11 10:16:37','2010-03-11 15:16:37','Obviously,  as a marketing communications person, I believe that marketing is helpful and mostly necessary if you want to promote an event, sell a product or service or obtain support. If people don\'t know you are there, they can\'t  buy from you or support your cause.  However, at some point marketing ends and customer service starts.\n\nLet me share a story with you.  I have been going to a hair salon in DC for a bit over a year.  It doesn\'t advertise much and really depends on word of mouth. They have my business solely based on my experience.  My last visit was last week.  I had to wait and then the hairdresser, who has been cutting my hair for a year, did not remember me. It was as if I had never been there. She was unfriendly and she made me late for my next appointment. My hair did not  look good. I felt upset and in general, the experience was bad. Would I go back? Absolutely not. Would I recommend the place to anyone? Not a chance. So Fiddleheads on17th Street, NW in Washington, DC, not only have you lost a customer but you have lost my word-of-mouth marketing on your behalf.\n\nCould this situation be averted? Yes. Communication would have helped, as would a system where the salon keeps track of its customers, their preferences, when they\'ve visited, etc. Can it be fixed retroactively? No. There is nothing that can fix a bad experience once it has happened. I would never trust my hair to this nasty woman who clearly does not care who she is working with.\n\nMy point is that marketing, including word-of-mouth marketing can only go so far. T<strong>he service/product/cause has to live up to the expectation or else you won\'t buy it or use it or support it</strong>.  I want to point you also to this article on Adweek, by Joseph Jaffe, <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Customer Service Adweek\" href=\"http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/community/columns/other-columns/e3i755f10fb8f89b6263fef173da51c5c3e\" target=\"_blank\">\"Customer Service is Key Strategy.</a>\"  Give it a read.  Jaffe\'s point is that customers are lifeblood to a business and serving them should be one of your marketing strategies (interestingly, the article changed names from when I read it earlier today, when it said Customer Service is a Key Differentiator).\n\nWhat are your experiences? Have you ever been turned off by a service experience to such an extent that you never bought from the vendor? Heck, let me do a poll:\n\n[polldaddy poll=2827189]\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F11%2Fwhere-marketing-ends%2F&amp;linkname=Where%20marketing%20ends\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Where marketing ends','','publish','open','open','','where-marketing-ends','','','2010-03-11 10:16:37','2010-03-11 15:16:37','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=673',0,'post','',0),
(677,4,'2010-03-16 13:05:00','2010-03-16 18:05:00','<strong>PLEASE READ UPDATES AT THE END OF POST</strong>\n\nIn the last couple of weeks, I have come across a few blogs where the authors are complaining about inappropriate public relations  overtures  or of getting mass and untargeted pitches.  I have come across a great deal of grammatically incorrect, spelling challenged and generally poorly written PR material.\n\nI also have met several PR people who don\'t really follow the news  or ever read a newspaper (including online). A few months ago I witnessed a gathering of PR professionals who expressed fear of social media, and resistance to change.\n\nToday I came across this excellent and cautionary article, <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"PR Forbes\" href=\"http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/15/public-relations-mistakes-leadership-managing-obama_2.html\" target=\"_blank\">Almost Everyone Gets PR Wrong  by Nick Morgan</a> in Forbes, about public relations and public perception, and how PR folk just don\'t seem to know how to shape the narrative. Morgan writes the following:\n<blockquote>Executives everywhere take note: Beware the power of the narrative. Stop  keeping score, and instead look at your organization from the outside.  What is your basic job, as far as the world is concerned? And what is  the story that has developed over the years? That\'s where your PR  efforts should be focused. That narrative has to be simple, consistent  and all about your functional role in the world. You\'ve only got one  story. Make it a good one.</blockquote>\nAll this made me think about what makes a good public relations person (no matter if he/she specializes in media relations, crisis communications or strategic communication).  Following a list of qualities a PR pro should have, in my opinion:\n<ul>\n	<li>Ability to use the language correctly (grammar, spelling, word usage), both written and spoken</li>\n	<li>Common sense: being able to see what is important and what won\'t make a difference</li>\n	<li>Interest in the news and the news business</li>\n	<li>People skills and emotional intelligence (e.g. being able to pick up cues)</li>\n	<li>Understanding what public relations attempts to accomplish (getting the big picture)</li>\n	<li>Ability to network (meeting people and being able to connect with them is a learned and important skill)</li>\n	<li>Eager to learn new skills and communication trends</li>\n	<li>Seeing the possibilities and being creative (\"thinking outside the box\")</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>UPDATE: As per the two comments below: </strong>\n<ul>\n	<li><strong>Listening skills (not as easy as it sounds!)</strong></li>\n</ul>\nIn short, a PR pro should be a great communicator and should be able to understand how communications works to shape perception.\n\n<strong>UPDATE: Just read this <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"14 attributes\" href=\"http://davefleet.com/2009/08/14-key-attributes-public-relations-professionals/\" target=\"_blank\">great post about the 14  attributes for new PR practitioners.</a> Matches up quite nicely.</strong>\n\nWhat makes a PR pro in your opinion?\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F16%2Fqualities-of-a-pr-pro%2F&amp;linkname=Qualities%20of%20a%20PR%20Pro\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>\n\n','Qualities of a PR Pro','','publish','open','open','','qualities-of-a-pr-pro','','','2010-03-16 13:05:00','2010-03-16 18:05:00','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=677',0,'post','',5),
(684,4,'2010-03-19 06:23:27','2010-03-19 11:23:27','This morning\'s Washington Post is full of interesting media/marketing news.  First is <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"FDA cigarette advertising\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/18/AR2010031803004.html\" target=\"_blank\">the announcement</a>that the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has enacted tough new rules on cigarette/tobacco advertising as part of the agency\'s new authority to regulate the industry.\r\n\r\nAccording the Post, tobacco companies will be banned from sponsoring sports and entertainment events and from offering free samples, among other restrictions. The FDA also tried to limit advertising to text only (banning color and graphics) but a judge has ruled in favor of the tobacco companies, which the FDA is appealing.\r\n\r\nTobacco advertising and the federal response to it  has always been fascinating.  Tobacco is a  legal product, sold and taxed in stores like any other product, but when used as directed, causes wide-ranging health problems (cancer, heart disease) not only to smokers but those exposed to smoke. The Feds have tried to curb the appeal of smoking by restricting advertising and putting warnings on cigarette packs.  This has always raised the question of first amendment rights--after all, the companies that manufacture cigarettes are trying to sell a legal product. But the government is concerned that increased sales of tobacco mean increased health risks.\r\n\r\n<strong>The point here is that advertising and marketing efforts, when done right, are powerful. They can steer consumer behavior.</strong> Personally, I abhor smoking and I applaud the FDA for stepping up regulation of tobacco marketing. To me,  marketing tobacco is marketing death, yet the issue of free speech remains. The real issue may well be why we allow companies continue to produce and market a product that kills.\r\n\r\nAnother piece of news that is fascinating is that Christiane Amanpour, the famed CNN war reporter, will move over to ABC, to host This Week. If ever there was a least likely candidate for this position it was Amanpour, who is more comfortable confronting dictators and dodging bullets in war-torn areas.  I think David Brinkley would turn over in his grave! Will the round table with George Will, Cokie Roberts and the rest continue? I doubt it. And I doubt that with Amanpour at the helm, This Week will be able to compete with Meet the Press on domestic political coverage. <strong>But that seems to be the point--hiring Amanpour is meant to change This Week into a program with a more international focus.  And differentiate it will, but will that also result in increased viewership? That is the question.</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F19%2Fads-are-powerful-differentiation-is-important%2F&amp;linkname=Ads%20are%20powerful%3B%20differentiation%20is%20important\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Ads are powerful; differentiation is important','','publish','open','open','','ads-are-powerful-differentiation-is-important','','','2011-08-14 07:22:21','2011-08-14 07:22:21','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=684',0,'post','',0),
(1342,4,'2010-03-08 14:15:54','2010-03-08 19:15:54','Timing is everything. You\'ve heard it when you walk up to a fast food counter,  and breakfast is no longer being served.  So perhaps it\'s more accurate to say good timing is everything.  So many times it seems that had you shown up five minutes earlier, called two days later, or whenever was the \"right\" time, your outcome may have  been different.\n\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=clock&amp;iid=6278118\" src=\"0/7/b/5/Clock_on_wall_720c.jpg?adImageId=11113175&amp;imageId=6278118\" width=\"234\" height=\"174\" /]\n\nOf course, the right timing is also key in communications. For instance, if you are promoting an event, you want to send out calendar listings and email blasts with plenty of lead time, but not too much lead time so that the event gets buried. If you have an enewsletter or a printed newsletter, you also want to make sure that any highlighted events don\'t happen before the newsletter gets to its audience.  I know this seems like plain common sense, and yet how many times have you gotten an invitation that is not timed right?\n\nAnother aspect is when to send things out. In media relations, if you want to bury some news, you release the news on Friday. Same goes for a press conference. Often, you don\'t reach out to broadcast venues during busy times in the broadcast day cycle (right before the evening news for example).\n\nGood timing is about finding the right time to reach your audience, or when your audience will be most receptive.  I would never send out an enewsletter on Monday. Why? Because Mondays are catch up days, and people are busy getting back into the groove of the work week.\n\n<strong>Consider your audience and what works best in order to figure out the right time to communicate.</strong>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F08%2Ftiming-is-everything%2F&amp;linkname=Timing%20is%20everything\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Timing is everything','','inherit','open','open','','667-revision','','','2010-03-08 14:15:54','2010-03-08 19:15:54','',667,'http://deborahbrody.com/2010/03/667-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(1341,4,'2011-08-14 07:21:56','2011-08-14 07:21:56','This morning\'s Washington Post is full of interesting media/marketing news.  First is <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"FDA cigarette advertising\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/18/AR2010031803004.html\" target=\"_blank\">the announcement</a>that the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has enacted tough new rules on cigarette/tobacco advertising as part of the agency\'s new authority to regulate the industry.\r\n\r\nAccording the Post, tobacco companies will be banned from sponsoring sports and entertainment events and from offering free samples, among other restrictions. The FDA also tried to limit advertising to text only (banning color and graphics) but a judge has ruled in favor of the tobacco companies, which the FDA is appealing.\r\n\r\nTobacco advertising and the federal response to it  has always been fascinating.  Tobacco is a  legal product, sold and taxed in stores like any other product, but when used as directed, causes wide-ranging health problems (cancer, heart disease) not only to smokers but those exposed to smoke. The Feds have tried to curb the appeal of smoking by restricting advertising and putting warnings on cigarette packs.  This has always raised the question of first amendment rights--after all, the companies that manufacture cigarettes are trying to sell a legal product. But the government is concerned that increased sales of tobacco mean increased health risks.\r\n\r\n<strong>The point here is that advertising and marketing efforts, when done right, are powerful. They can steer consumer behavior.</strong> Personally, I abhor smoking and I applaud the FDA for stepping up regulation of tobacco marketing. To me,  marketing tobacco is marketing death, yet the issue of free speech remains. The real issue may well be why we allow companies continue to produce and market a product that kills.\r\n\r\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=christiane+amanpour&amp;iid=8238522\" src=\"7/1/9/9/The_Daily_Beast_17c6.jpg?adImageId=11436100&amp;imageId=8238522\" width=\"234\" height=\"293\" /]\r\n\r\nAnother piece of news that is fascinating is that Christiane Amanpour, the famed CNN war reporter, will move over to ABC, to host This Week. If ever there was a least likely candidate for this position it was Amanpour, who is more comfortable confronting dictators and dodging bullets in war-torn areas.  I think David Brinkley would turn over in his grave! Will the round table with George Will, Cokie Roberts and the rest continue? I doubt it. And I doubt that with Amanpour at the helm, This Week will be able to compete with Meet the Press on domestic political coverage. <strong>But that seems to be the point--hiring Amanpour is meant to change This Week into a program with a more international focus.  And differentiate it will, but will that also result in increased viewership? That is the question.</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F19%2Fads-are-powerful-differentiation-is-important%2F&amp;linkname=Ads%20are%20powerful%3B%20differentiation%20is%20important\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Ads are powerful; differentiation is important','','inherit','open','open','','684-revision-2','','','2011-08-14 07:21:56','2011-08-14 07:21:56','',684,'http://deborahbrody.com/2011/08/684-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),
(691,4,'2010-03-25 09:14:18','2010-03-25 14:14:18','Yesterday, I attended a networking event. It was your typical meet and greet with many real estate salespeople and financial advisors of all stripes. Many of these people believe in numbers, that is, the greater number of business cards they pass out, the better the outcome. I don\'t like this approach. Why?  Because if I get a card with no context, why would I contact that person? Especially for a very personal service like financial planning?\n\n<strong>Lesson #1: Do not do a mass pass of your business cards. That is not marketing, it is just a waste of cards.</strong>\n\nThe event was set up so a sponsor would deliver his talk and be able to provide more information (brochures, etc). The person who did this yesterday did a good job with his 10-minute speech. But his brochure and card were not so good. The brochure was printed on one side, leaving the other side blank. That other side is valuable real estate. There was no website listed on his business cards or his brochure.\n\n<strong>Lesson #2 Use your marketing materials to their fullest potential. Be more creative and never leave blank space. Definitely include your website URL!!!!</strong>\n\nEveryone in the room stood up and gave a 15-second introduction. Most did well.\n\n<strong>Lesson #3 Have a concise 15-second elevator speech ready to go, and be certain to tell people why they should work with you. One reason is sufficient.</strong>\n\nThe organizer was diligent about reminding people about the  low cost of joining this group, but he concentrated more on the numbers than the quality. He talked about all you could get for the price (lots of lunches and happy hours).  He did not say that the group fomented meaningful connections or anything about the type of people who go to his events.  And he kept offering add-ons--joining on the spot gave you a gift certificate, for instance. As one attendee said, it was like an infomercial: and if you buy right now, we will also give you...\n\n<strong>Lesson #4 The value is not just about money.  If there is no real value, people will not respond, no matter how good the money offer is.</strong>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F25%2Flessons-from-a-networking-session%2F&amp;linkname=Lessons%20from%20a%20networking%20session\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Lessons from a networking session','','publish','open','open','','lessons-from-a-networking-session','','','2010-03-25 09:14:18','2010-03-25 14:14:18','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=691',0,'post','',1),
(697,4,'2010-03-26 12:03:12','2010-03-26 17:03:12','We go to networking events. We chat. We shake hands. We exchange business cards. And then we follow up. Or at least that is what we are \"supposed\" to do.\n\nHere\'s my take: you follow up with whom you want to stay in touch with or want to do business with. Can you follow up just to be polite? Yes, of course. Nothing wrong with it. But if your time is limited, then be selective.\n\nNow, if you are following up, there is a wrong way, a better way and the best way.\n\nThe<span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\"> wrong way</span> is like this follow up email I received:\n<div style=\"padding-left:30px;\">\n\n<span style=\"font-family:Arial;font-size:x-small;\">Hi Deborah: </span>\n\n</div>\n<div style=\"padding-left:30px;\">\n\n<span style=\"font-family:Arial;font-size:x-small;\">It was good to hear  about what you do for companies. I hope to see you soon. </span>\n\n</div>\n<div style=\"padding-left:30px;\">\n\n<span style=\"font-family:Arial;font-size:x-small;\">Sincerely, </span>\n\n</div>\n<div style=\"padding-left:30px;\">\n\n<span style=\"font-family:Arial;font-size:x-small;\">(name of person)</span>\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<span style=\"font-family:Arial;font-size:x-small;\">The thing is, I never spoke to this guy directly. He got my card somehow. And it is vague. And impersonal. And gives me no reason to follow up with him.</span>\n\n</div>\n<div>\n\n<span style=\"font-family:Arial;font-size:x-small;\"><span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Better</span> is the following:</span>\n\n</div>\n<span style=\"font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:x-small;\"> </span>\n<div style=\"padding-left:30px;\">It was nice meeting you yesterday.  Attached please find a brochure about  our company.  Please feel free to email this out to other business owners. We  are happy to pay a 10% referral fee (minimum of $1,000) when you refer a  business owner to us.</div>\n<div style=\"padding-left:30px;\">Look forward to seeing you at the next event.</div>\n<div>I did meet this person, who is giving me more information about her business.  However, there is no personal note. She doesn\'t seem to say anything about me.</div>\n<div></div>\n<div><span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">Best</span> is something like this:</div>\n<div>\n<div style=\"padding-left:30px;\">Hi Deborah,</div>\n<div style=\"padding-left:30px;\">You had great ideas and suggestions. Thanks for sharing the information.</div>\n<div style=\"padding-left:30px;\">I\'ll contact you in two weeks. As I mentioned, I am working on a XXX program for XXX. I\'ll share  with you the structure that I am developing.</div>\n<div style=\"padding-left:30px;\">Best regards,</div>\n<div style=\"padding-left:30px;\"></div>\n</div>\n<div>A little about me and a little about her. A firm follow up time frame, and something particular to discuss.</div>\n<div></div>\n<div>What do you look for in a follow up call/email? What are your best practices?</div>\n<div></div>\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F26%2Ffollowing-up%2F&amp;linkname=Following%20up\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>\n\n','Following up','','publish','open','open','','following-up','','','2010-03-26 12:03:12','2010-03-26 17:03:12','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=697',0,'post','',0),
(701,4,'2010-03-30 09:04:36','2010-03-30 14:04:36','Ralph Waldo Emerson is often quoted as saying that consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds. The quote actually says that it is a <em>foolish </em>consistency.\n\nIn communications, consistency is a necessity. Case in point, using your logo. If you use your logo only some times, you are not building your brand identity. On the other hand, if you use your logo all the time, then you are consistently working on reinforcing your brand.\n\nIf you blog, you should blog consistently. If you abandon your blog for months, your readers will abandon you. If you run a networking group, you should have meetings on a consistent basis. If not, then your group may think you are no longer in business.\n\nI just read this blog post about <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"tips\" href=\"http://unclutterer.com/2010/03/30/incredibly-obvious-tips-to-save-you-time/\" target=\"_blank\">obvious tips to save you time</a> on Unclutterer.com. In communications there may be one obvious tip to communicate more effectively: be consistent!\n\nYour thoughts?\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F30%2Fconsistency%2F&amp;linkname=Consistency%20\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Consistency ','','publish','open','open','','consistency','','','2010-03-30 09:04:36','2010-03-30 14:04:36','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=701',0,'post','',0),
(705,4,'2010-04-05 10:45:48','2010-04-05 15:45:48','Yes, we all make mistakes. But the key is to realize our mistakes and correct them, right? And yet, I see the same grammar mistakes over and over again. And the people who are making said mistakes work in a language-based industry like PR, advertising, social media consulting and so forth.\n\nI have seen the following grammar mistakes so many times I want to scream:\n<ul>\n	<li>Affect versus effect. No one seems to know or recognize the difference.</li>\n	<li>Me versus I. So many people refer to themselves as I in the reflexive.</li>\n	<li>Assure versus ensure. They mean different things, really.</li>\n</ul>\nI am currently reading Grammar Girl\'s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing by Mignon Fogarty. I suggest reading it too. Or check out Mignon\'s tips  online at<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Grammar Girl\" href=\"http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Grammar Girl</a>.\n\nLike I said, we all make mistakes. But let\'s learn how to avoid them.\n\nThe bottom line is that bad grammar makes you sound ignorant.\n\nWhat do you think? What grammar mistakes do you see repeated?\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F05%2Fgrammar-rules%2F&amp;linkname=Grammar%20rules\">\n</a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F05%2Fgrammar-rules%2F&amp;linkname=Grammar%20rules\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Grammar rules','','publish','open','open','','grammar-rules','','','2010-04-05 10:45:48','2010-04-05 15:45:48','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=705',0,'post','',6),
(709,4,'2010-04-06 14:37:35','2010-04-06 19:37:35','I think I hit a nerve yesterday with my post Grammar rules. I got the second highest number of visitors in one day to my blog in its two plus years of existence. And, several of you commented.  First, let me say thanks for checking it out, and second, let me issue a plea to everyone who works with words, spoken or written, pay attention! Make grammar, spelling and proper usage a priority in your communications.\n\nThe response made it clear that many people are irritated by the lack of care we are seeing in English usage. Please take a look at the comments to the post to see what different people are experiencing.\n\nWhat is not so clear is the reason behind the lapse in grammar. Is it laziness? Is it improper/insufficient instruction? Is is sheer ignorance? What do you think?\n\nHow do we change this? Mignon Fogarty, \"Grammar Girl,\" gives seminars on grammar across the country. She has also written a couple of books on the subject. But how do we get people to a) realize they need to improve their grammar and b) learn what they are doing wrong?\n\nPlease let me know your ideas. I am so frustrated when I see my colleagues and otherwise educated folk use English so poorly.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F06%2Fgrammar-rules-again%2F&amp;linkname=Grammar%20rules%20again\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Grammar rules again','','publish','open','open','','grammar-rules-again','','','2010-04-06 14:37:35','2010-04-06 19:37:35','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=709',0,'post','',1),
(714,4,'2010-04-08 10:16:47','2010-04-08 15:16:47','You\'ve probably heard about the flap involving Bob McDonnell, Virginia\'s new Republican governor. McDonnell issued a proclamation calling April Confederate History Month in his state. But he had omitted a key belief of the Confederacy--its support of slavery. Naturally, there was outrage from civil rights leaders, African-Americans and the media.  And guess what, McDonnell had to amend his statement to include language about slavery.\n\nNow, I think McDonnell was speaking his mind the first time. I also think Virginia has a large racist population who would be happy to be Confederate once again. And clearly, I think the whole Confederate declaration is a ridiculous, shameful attempt to pander to the more right-wing, racist elements in Virginia. But, from a public relations perspective, I want to know what was McDonnell thinking? Indeed, was he thinking?\n\nMcDonnell either is unaware that large segments of the population consider slavery an outrage or he has really bad advisors or simply is ignorant of how the media works. Anybody could have told him that many people would be offended by this offensive proclamation. And furthermore, that the media would pick it up and tear it apart. Sure, he reacted within a day and issued a\n\"fix\" and an apology, but why on earth was the governor not aware of the furor his decision would cause?\n\nOn the one hand, I think that McDonnell probably does not realize that being associated with confederacy equals racism because he does not see that as racist. He buys the whole Confederate argument that the Civil War was a fight about states\' rights. On the other hand, I also think McDonnell does not understand public perception or perhaps he lacks in the public relations advice department.\n\nWhether on purpose, or unwittingly, McDonnell has contributed further to the perception that he is a good ol\' boy, happy to maintain Virginia\'s commitment to Confederate ideals where African-Americans are second class citizens, if citizens at all.  McDonnell did not even consider that African-Americans live in his state and that they may not share his rosy view of the importance of celebrating Confederate history.\n\nSo, what was he thinking? He was not thinking nor was he receiving any type of credible public relations advice when he issued the proclamation. Obviously, once the criticism started, his PR folks woke up or showed up to the office.\n\nThe moral of this story is that perception matters, and that if you do or say something offensive, and you are in public office, you will have to face the music.\n\nUPDATE: Washington Post columnist Robert McCartney makes very good points in his<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Wa po Column\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/07/AR2010040704956.html?hpid=news-col-blog&amp;sid=ST2010040705182\" target=\"_blank\"> column today</a>.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F08%2Fwhat-was-he-thinking%2F&amp;linkname=What%20was%20he%20thinking%3F\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','What was he thinking?','','publish','open','open','','what-was-he-thinking','','','2010-04-08 10:16:47','2010-04-08 15:16:47','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=714',0,'post','',0),
(719,4,'2010-04-16 09:06:27','2010-04-16 14:06:27','Are you looking for the magic bullet? The one solution to your marketing problems? Well, I can\'t help you. That\'s right--I can\'t help you find the magic bullet because there is no  magic bullet!\r\n\r\nA while back I had a client who was trying to re-grow his dwindling business. So he launched a social responsibility program. And when that failed to work as planned, he tried a new product and used postcards to sell it. And then that didn\'t work, so he tried doing do-good projects and used press releases to promote them. And then that didn\'t quite work either. You know why? Because all of these are tactics and there was no overall strategy or vision. One tactic, whatever it may be, will not result in sustained and increased sales.\r\n\r\nWhen I was in grad school, we learned all about a new concept at the time: Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). The concept was that your marketing efforts should integrate various tools, such as advertising, public relations, sponsorships, other one umbrella. I have always believed in this view.\r\n\r\nToday, people seem to believe that the magic bullet is social media. Build a Facebook Fan Page and you will get clients! Be on Twitter and you will get clients! Write a blog and you will get clients! No, no, no!!! You certainly should consider social media, but one or all of these tools will not guarantee marketing success, especially if you are pursuing each of them haphazardly without an overarching strategy.\r\n\r\nThere really is no magic bullet. Marketing communications is about strategy and also about trial and error. Some things will work better than others. Something close to a magic bullet may be measurement. If you measure success, you will find out what works best for you. If you don\'t measure, how will you know your impact?\r\n\r\nHave you been looking for a magic bullet? What have you found?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F16%2Flooking-for-the-magic-bullet%2F&amp;linkname=Looking%20for%20the%20magic%20bullet...\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Looking for the magic bullet...','','publish','open','open','','looking-for-the-magic-bullet','','','2011-08-14 07:20:49','2011-08-14 07:20:49','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=719',0,'post','',0),
(1340,4,'2010-03-19 06:23:27','2010-03-19 11:23:27','This morning\'s Washington Post is full of interesting media/marketing news.  First is <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"FDA cigarette advertising\" href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/18/AR2010031803004.html\" target=\"_blank\">the announcement</a>that the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has enacted tough new rules on cigarette/tobacco advertising as part of the agency\'s new authority to regulate the industry.\n\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=cigarette+advertising&amp;iid=3079259\" src=\"2/7/5/2/Supreme_Court_Rules_ec52.jpg?adImageId=11436178&amp;imageId=3079259\" width=\"234\" height=\"171\" /]\n\nAccording the Post, tobacco companies will be banned from sponsoring sports and entertainment events and from offering free samples, among other restrictions. The FDA also tried to limit advertising to text only (banning color and graphics) but a judge has ruled in favor of the tobacco companies, which the FDA is appealing.\n\nTobacco advertising and the federal response to it  has always been fascinating.  Tobacco is a  legal product, sold and taxed in stores like any other product, but when used as directed, causes wide-ranging health problems (cancer, heart disease) not only to smokers but those exposed to smoke. The Feds have tried to curb the appeal of smoking by restricting advertising and putting warnings on cigarette packs.  This has always raised the question of first amendment rights--after all, the companies that manufacture cigarettes are trying to sell a legal product. But the government is concerned that increased sales of tobacco mean increased health risks.\n\n<strong>The point here is that advertising and marketing efforts, when done right, are powerful. They can steer consumer behavior.</strong> Personally, I abhor smoking and I applaud the FDA for stepping up regulation of tobacco marketing. To me,  marketing tobacco is marketing death, yet the issue of free speech remains. The real issue may well be why we allow companies continue to produce and market a product that kills.\n\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=christiane+amanpour&amp;iid=8238522\" src=\"7/1/9/9/The_Daily_Beast_17c6.jpg?adImageId=11436100&amp;imageId=8238522\" width=\"234\" height=\"293\" /]\n\nAnother piece of news that is fascinating is that Christiane Amanpour, the famed CNN war reporter, will move over to ABC, to host This Week. If ever there was a least likely candidate for this position it was Amanpour, who is more comfortable confronting dictators and dodging bullets in war-torn areas.  I think David Brinkley would turn over in his grave! Will the round table with George Will, Cokie Roberts and the rest continue? I doubt it. And I doubt that with Amanpour at the helm, This Week will be able to compete with Meet the Press on domestic political coverage. <strong>But that seems to be the point--hiring Amanpour is meant to change This Week into a program with a more international focus.  And differentiate it will, but will that also result in increased viewership? That is the question.</strong>\n\n<strong>\n</strong>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F19%2Fads-are-powerful-differentiation-is-important%2F&amp;linkname=Ads%20are%20powerful%3B%20differentiation%20is%20important\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>\n\n','Ads are powerful; differentiation is important','','inherit','open','open','','684-revision','','','2010-03-19 06:23:27','2010-03-19 11:23:27','',684,'http://deborahbrody.com/2010/03/684-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(723,4,'2010-04-19 14:37:03','2010-04-19 19:37:03','<strong>Who are you? Why are you here? </strong>\r\n\r\nLots of people ask themselves these questions, especially around milestone birthdays and during the \"mid-life crisis.\"  For individuals, there is no one right answer. Some people spend their whole lives seeking for the answers and some people just go for \"one day at a time\" philosophy.\r\n\r\nBut what do you do if your business has an identity crisis? First,  determine if your business does have an identity crisis. Here are some signs:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>You offer many types of services or products that can\'t easily be grouped together</li>\r\n	<li>Your company name and tagline do not readily communicate what you do/everything you do</li>\r\n	<li>You have several different logos/different taglines</li>\r\n	<li>You don\'t have clear-cut branding (no signature color, font, tagline, key messages)</li>\r\n	<li>If someone asks you what you do, it takes several sentences to explain (you just can summarize it in one phrase)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIf you answered yes to even one of these descriptors, you probably are suffering from an identity crisis. You brand is not  strong and your business mission is not clear.\r\n\r\nHaving a business identity crisis can result in your business going under. Just down the street from where I live was a \"wellness center.\"  It was a retail outlet that sold vitamins and baby clothes made from organic cotton. They offered massages and facials. They held yoga and qi gong classes.  They probably would have described themselves as a lifestyle store, which is  generic. They weren\'t known for any of these offerings. And they closed.  To me, this was a classic example of an identity crisis.  Too many products and service offerings. No clear differentiation. And a vague description that can mean different things to different people.\r\n\r\nIn a crowded marketplace, differentiation can make the difference (I am so punny). You won\'t be able to differentiate if you have an identity crisis.\r\n\r\nDoes your business suffer from an identity crisis?  Time to ask yourself some hard, existential questions.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F19%2Fidentity-crisis%2F&amp;linkname=Identity%20crisis\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Identity crisis','','publish','open','open','','identity-crisis','','','2011-08-14 07:20:21','2011-08-14 07:20:21','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=723',0,'post','',0),
(1339,4,'2010-04-16 09:06:27','2010-04-16 14:06:27','Are you looking for the magic bullet? The one solution to your marketing problems? Well, I can\'t help you. That\'s right--I can\'t help you find the magic bullet because there is no  magic bullet!\n\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=bullet&amp;iid=190986\" src=\"0187/898bfdba-7a53-427e-af34-11892e2b48c3.jpg?adImageId=12494427&amp;imageId=190986\" width=\"234\" height=\"351\" /]\n\nA while back I had a client who was trying to re-grow his dwindling business. So he launched a social responsibility program. And when that failed to work as planned, he tried a new product and used postcards to sell it. And then that didn\'t work, so he tried doing do-good projects and used press releases to promote them. And then that didn\'t quite work either. You know why? Because all of these are tactics and there was no overall strategy or vision. One tactic, whatever it may be, will not result in sustained and increased sales.\n\nWhen I was in grad school, we learned all about a new concept at the time: Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). The concept was that your marketing efforts should integrate various tools, such as advertising, public relations, sponsorships, other one umbrella. I have always believed in this view.\n\nToday, people seem to believe that the magic bullet is social media. Build a Facebook Fan Page and you will get clients! Be on Twitter and you will get clients! Write a blog and you will get clients! No, no, no!!! You certainly should consider social media, but one or all of these tools will not guarantee marketing success, especially if you are pursuing each of them haphazardly without an overarching strategy.\n\nThere really is no magic bullet. Marketing communications is about strategy and also about trial and error. Some things will work better than others. Something close to a magic bullet may be measurement. If you measure success, you will find out what works best for you. If you don\'t measure, how will you know your impact?\n\nHave you been looking for a magic bullet? What have you found?\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F16%2Flooking-for-the-magic-bullet%2F&amp;linkname=Looking%20for%20the%20magic%20bullet...\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Looking for the magic bullet...','','inherit','open','open','','719-revision','','','2010-04-16 09:06:27','2010-04-16 14:06:27','',719,'http://deborahbrody.com/2010/04/719-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(727,4,'2010-04-21 11:34:55','2010-04-21 16:34:55','I love Twitter.  I love reading articles others share, seeing what people are up to, and generally the no-boundaries community that exists on the micro-blogging site. I follow and am followed by people in other states, countries, continents.  In a sense, Twitter connects the world!\n\nBut there is a downside to Twitter: the people who don\'t use Twitter wisely.  These people can ruin the experience, until you block them. These people are the reason for my top-ten  list of Twitter pet peeves:\n<ol>\n	<li><strong>Following and unfollowing and following again.</strong> This tactic is meant to getting followers but if I didn\'t follow you the first time, or the second, chances are I AM NOT INTERESTED.</li>\n	<li><strong>Excessive self-promotion.</strong> Tweets that always start with I or include the word me.  Being on Twitter exclusively to promote self and not offering any value.</li>\n	<li><strong>Lurking. </strong>People who follow you and never engage or retweet.  They are just watching you. Why?</li>\n	<li><strong>Not giving credit</strong>. If I tweeted something that you think is so worthwhile that you re-tweeted it, just credit me, please?</li>\n	<li><strong>Follow Friday.</strong> I hate this. It makes Twitter into a popularity contest, and makes you ripe for spamming. Thanks for the shout-out but don\'t add me to your list.</li>\n	<li><strong>Being super selective.</strong> You have thousands of followers, yet you start your mornings saying hi to five of your favorite friends. I remind you: Twitter is not high school and all of us can see you didn\'t single us out. If you want to say hi to just a few people, might I recommend DM or (gasp) EMAIL?</li>\n	<li><strong>Spammers.</strong> People who send you @messages that have nothing to do with anything except what they are trying to get you to buy. There is a special place in hell for you.</li>\n	<li><strong>Incomplete profiles.</strong> If you don\'t have a bio, or a website, or preferably both, on what should I base my decision to follow you? Your inability to fill out your profile? This also goes for not posting a picture.</li>\n	<li><strong>Cursing. </strong>I curse all the time in real life, but I don\'t want to read obscenities on my Twitter stream. It generally is not necessary to put that out to the world.</li>\n	<li><strong>Never acknowledging retweets or @messages.</strong> Sure I understand that reporters or celebrities with tens of thousands of followers can\'t possibly respond to all these messages, but if you have under 500 followers, most likely you can spend a couple minutes each day responding. Remember you are on Twitter to create community!!!</li>\n</ol>\nOf course, these are MY pet Twitter peeves. You may not agree. Which is why you can feel free to leave your top Twitter peeves on the comments! (Or hey, write your own blog!)\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F21%2Ftweeting-and-not-failing-a-top-ten-list%2F&amp;linkname=Tweeting%20and%20not%20failing%20(a%20top%20ten%20list)\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Tweeting and not failing (a top ten list)','','publish','open','open','','tweeting-and-not-failing-a-top-ten-list','','','2010-04-21 11:34:55','2010-04-21 16:34:55','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=727',0,'post','',5),
(732,4,'2010-04-22 11:51:10','2010-04-22 16:51:10','<strong>Editorial</strong>\n\nSocial media has definitely changed the Internet, marketing,  news gathering. Many people feel more in touch with long lost friends because of social networks. In short, there is lots to praise and like about social media. But, because it is social, and mostly free, social media has increased the reach of hate groups, racists and other people who previously relied on getting their message out only to a small circle of similar miscreants.\n\nTake for example a group on Facebook that is dedicated to \"praying\" for President Obama\'s death. I won\'t link to it here but this hateful group has already amassed almost one million followers (or likers in the new Facebook parlance).  As you know, social media works as an amplifier.  So if someone sees one of their friends likes organic yogurt, then he or she can also like said product. Same thing happens with these hate groups. And then it becomes a numbers game. Sadly, many people join these groups because they think its \"funny\" or as a joke. But what they are doing is lending weight, via numbers, to a hateful cause.\n\nRemember the Holocaust Museum shooter? Well he had several rantings on the Web. And the guy who killed a bunch of women at a gym in Pittsburgh, and then killed himself? He had an entire blog devoted to his hatred of women.  Social media is easy to access and has little or no cost. Anyone can set up a blog or a website, a Facebook page or a Twitter stream.\n\nThere is a lot of hate and plenty of malcontents out there. It\'s unfortunate that social media, which generally serves to build community and share interesting ideas, can also be used to share the hate and spread the ignorance.  I am not sure what, if anything, we can do about this.\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F22%2Fthe-dark-side-of-social-media%2F&amp;linkname=The%20dark%20side%20of%20social%20media\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','The dark side of social media','','publish','open','open','','the-dark-side-of-social-media','','','2010-04-22 11:51:10','2010-04-22 16:51:10','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=732',0,'post','',2),
(736,4,'2010-04-23 09:38:47','2010-04-23 14:38:47','Mark Zuckerberg has done it again. He has made some serious threats to your privacy, if you are a Facebook user. Zuckerberg does not believe in privacy, he has said so in those very words, so it is not too surprising that he further damaged your privacy to enhance his bottom line.\n\nThere are tons of articles about the new issues with privacy that came out of the f8 conference. This <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Facebook privacy\" href=\"http://gigaom.com/2010/04/22/your-moms-guide-to-those-facebook-changes-and-how-to-block-them/\" target=\"_blank\">one on GigaOm</a> is a good one (and thank you to Downtown Women\'s Club for posting it on Facebook...the irony).  Sadly, most Facebook users will never know about these changes, which directly affect them.\n\nI have been a steady Facebook user for more than two years. I had rarely logged out and usually checked in several times a day to see what everyone is up to. I also recently launched a Facebook Fan Page, which is now called a like page. But today, I logged out. I will log out every single time I visit Facebook and furthermore, I will limit my visits to Facebook. I am just not comfortable with what they are doing over there. And more pernicious, is that other sites I visit, like CNN and Washington Post now have my information and friends. Unless I logout of Facebook, CNN knows who my friends are and what they are doing online. Talk about Big Brother!\n\nI also hate the new \"like\" feature on Facebook. A Fan page is not a \"like\" page. They are inherently different. Like Kim Woodbridge from <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Kim Woodbridge\" href=\"http://www.kimwoodbridge.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Anti Social Development</a> said to me about the change:  \"I like peas, but I am not a fan of peas.\"\n\nI am not sure that Facebook cares what people think.  It is feeling high because it has 400 million users worldwide, and that gives the company a lot of power, not to mention marketing might. For now, if you care about your privacy, protect yourself. Do not let Facebook use you for its gain. So logout, opt out, or do what you have to do.\n\nFeel free to share your thoughts in the comments. Are you a fan of the Facebook?\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F23%2Fthoughts-on-the-new-facebook%2F&amp;linkname=Thoughts%20on%20the%20new%20Facebook\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>\n\n','Thoughts on the new Facebook','','publish','open','open','','thoughts-on-the-new-facebook','','','2010-04-23 09:38:47','2010-04-23 14:38:47','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=736',0,'post','',4),
(743,4,'2010-05-05 08:29:24','2010-05-05 13:29:24','Although marketing communications can help brand your business, differentiate you from the crowd and even increase sales, it cannot make your business succeed.  To succeed in business, you have to provide something useful or necessary--a product or service people want or need. And you have to provide that something consistently. You can have great advertising, but if your product is not available or is not of good quality, guess what? You are going to get nowhere fast.\n\nLots of people spend time on their marketing strategies. And they develop great websites and fabulous collateral materials. Some people spend lots of time coming up with fancy names and lovely logos. But what they fail at is defining AND providing their product/service.\n\nThis morning I read <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Philly Biz Jrnl\" href=\"http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/othercities/philadelphia/stories/2010/04/26/smallb2.html?b=1272254400^3234551&amp;s=sbc:3&amp;ana=e_sol\" target=\"_blank\">an article from the Philadelphia Business Journal</a> about two local small businesses: a gas/service station and a dry cleaner. Both business owners work very hard and show up every day to run their businesses. People can count on them.  Neither business does much in the way of marketing because they don\'t need to. If you need your car fixed, you go to one, and if you need some shirts cleaned, you go to the other.\n\nYesterday, I came across <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Myth of Beautiful Design\" href=\"http://www.copyblogger.com/myth-of-beautiful-design/\" target=\"_blank\">this post over on Copyblogger</a>. It is about how it doesn\'t matter whether you have a beautiful website if you don\'t have a message. I would go further--you have to know what you are doing, and to quote Nike, just do it.\n\nTime and again I meet successful business people. You know why they are successful? Because they provide the goods. On the other hand, how many times have you seen a restaurant fail? Probably dozens of times. You know why restaurants fail? Because people didn\'t go there to eat. And why didn\'t they go? Probably because the food was bad or the service was bad.\n\nBasically, it boils down to having the product or the service. Of course, if you want to increase your market presence and/or let people know you are there, you are going to have to engage in marketing. But marketing alone will not get you business.\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F05%2Fbeyond-marketing%2F&amp;linkname=Beyond%20marketing\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Beyond marketing','','publish','open','open','','beyond-marketing','','','2010-05-05 08:29:24','2010-05-05 13:29:24','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=743',0,'post','',1),
(747,4,'2010-05-11 13:47:07','2010-05-11 18:47:07','Perhaps this post should be called Marketing 101, but it is about marketing one to one, person to person.  It is perhaps the most basic of marketing techniques, yet the most dismissed.\n\nCompanies spend lots of time and money and effort coming up with brilliant marketing/communications plans. They develop beautiful websites, and attention-grabbing ads. They do media outreach and get great publicity. And then the potential customer walks in the door, and the surly receptionist (or clerk or bank teller or any other frontline person) ruins the experience. He or she makes the customer feel unwelcome, unwanted, unserved. And guess what, the customer either walks away never to come back, or he/she becomes a NEGATIVE brand ambassador, sharing negative stories about your organization wherever he/she goes.\n\nYou see, many, if not all organizations, forget that marketing is really about getting people to buy your products or services or mission. It is about making it easy for them to realize how your product/service/mission fits in with their lifestyle and needs.  <strong>It is about people. </strong>\n\nPeople want to be treated nicely and politely.  It really is that simple.  I would argue that part of your marketing  plan should be to train your frontline employees to treat people nicely  and politely. If your sales are down, perhaps you should try to figure  out what is going on at the point of contact.  We\'ve discussed the four  \"Ps\" here before:  price, product, promotion, place. What is the place  of contact with your customer? What is happening there?\n\nWith the rise of Internet commerce, we are losing the sense of the importance of people--their feelings, their needs--when making a purchase. But in a bricks-and-mortar world it should definitely be front and center.\n\nI am writing this post because of two positive (gasp, right?) interactions I had today on the phone.  I was making a doctor\'s appointment at an office I have not been to, and the receptionist was helpful, informative and friendly. She made me feel confident that I will get professional service when I arrive there.  The other was the reminder phone call from the hair salon where I have an appointment tomorrow. The receptionist was polite (called me Ms. Brody) and friendly. I asked a question and he nicely answered me. It shows me that the salon VALUES its customers.\n\nAre you showing your customers you value them? Are you treating them as people? Are you making sure that the one on one interactions with your organization are positive?\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F11%2Fmarketing-one-to-one%2F&amp;linkname=Marketing%20one%20to%20one\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Marketing one to one','','publish','open','open','','marketing-one-to-one','','','2010-05-11 13:47:07','2010-05-11 18:47:07','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=747',0,'post','',2),
(751,4,'2010-05-12 12:12:02','2010-05-12 17:12:02','Recently, I have been noticing jobs that require someone with technology skills (html, programming) to handle web development and social media. It is interesting that in some organizations social media efforts are housed under the IT umbrella. But should they be?  I don\'t think so.  That is like asking the kitchen installer to cook a meal. Just because you know the appliances and how to work them does not mean that you can use them to their best potential.\n\nLast week, I attended a social media workshop (not worth my while, but that is a topic for another post). One of the presenters was a tech guy, and he came out and said that he didn\'t know marketing.  He understood the power and importance of social media tools, but not how to use them for marketing purposes.\n\nThen there is the whole web developer versus web designer issue.  A web designer is concerned with the aesthetics of the website, and the web developer makes the site work.  Some people claim to provide both services, but in my experience, a web developer\'s websites never look pretty. And a web designer who does his/her own development probably can\'t do complex back-end stuff.\n\nIt boils down to what technology can and cannot do. Technology is a tool, a very specialized tool. And in the \"internet age,\" keeping up with evolving technology is crucial. But technology alone cannot communicate, it cannot market. A superior tech website with no communications strategy or well written content will not do the job.  Technology is not communication.  Tech people are notorious for being hard to understand.  They speak a specialized language and have skills that your average communications person just doesn\'t have.\n\nThe bottom line is that to have your IT department handle social media does not make good marketing sense.  Social media is completely about communication. It is not about the technology that allows said communication. I don\'t have to understand how Twitter works to use it for marketing promotion. I need to understand how people communicate, what information they are seeking. This is not to say you shouldn\'t involve your IT department--they can probably help facilitate what you are trying to do.  Just leave the communicating to the communicators.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F12%2Ftech-vs-communication%2F&amp;linkname=Tech%20vs.%20communication\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Tech vs. communication','','publish','open','open','','tech-vs-communication','','','2010-05-12 12:12:02','2010-05-12 17:12:02','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=751',0,'post','',0),
(755,4,'2010-05-19 09:58:53','2010-05-19 14:58:53','Are you truly making the best use of the many marketing opportunities out there? Probably not.  This is understandable since there are so many things we can do and only a finite amount of time and staff to do it in. However, there are some opportunities that you SHOULD NOT be missing out on.  These are:\n<ul>\n	<li>Responding to your emails</li>\n	<li>Tracking your mentions on the Web and social media</li>\n	<li>Responding to social media mentions</li>\n	<li>Following up when necessary</li>\n</ul>\nLet me provide you with one example of a really big missed opportunity. A couple of weeks ago, I wanted to visit a coworking space in Baltimore. I sent an email to see if I could just drop by. It took someone there more than 24 hours to respond (the answer was yes, just come on by).  With that in mind, I did just that. I was welcomed and given a spot to sit. I tweeted about it. No one responded, even a week later. No one asked me for my card or information. In fact, no one said much of anything. There was absolutely no follow up. Even though I believe the coworking space offers a great convenience and is a wonderful concept, I think this particular one won\'t survive. They are missing opportunities to engage with potential customers, and they are doing nothing to market themselves.\n\nIf we\'ve learned anything about social media and the Internet, it is that people expect a response (most expect an immediate response).  My website host is on Twitter, and if I tweet them, they certainly respond. Why? Because they realize that it is giving them an opportunity to engage with a customer and try to fix any problem that is happening.\n\nWhen you don\'t respond to what is being asked of you or being said about you, you are truly missing an opportunity. Social media makes it easy to find out when people are talking about you. Perhaps you can\'t monitor it all day, but do it once a day and make sure to engage.\n\nIf you want to make the most of easy opportunities, track and respond, and do so sooner rather than later.  What are you doing to make sure you are responsive?\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F19%2Fmissing-opportunities%2F&amp;linkname=Missing%20opportunities%20\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Missing opportunities ','','publish','open','open','','missing-opportunities','','','2010-05-19 09:58:53','2010-05-19 14:58:53','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=755',0,'post','',0),
(759,4,'2010-05-20 09:00:13','2010-05-20 14:00:13','As you have no doubt read elsewhere, Facebook keeps changing privacy settings. It has created marketing partnerships with other sites, that now have access to your preferences and can customize their offerings to you. And just yesterday Facebook unilaterally decided that only Facebook Fan Pages with more than 10,000 fans can have customized landing pages, only to apparently back down today.\n\nAll these changes have a few things in common:\n<ul>\n	<li>They are surreptitious, behind-the-scenes changes that are not well communicated</li>\n	<li>They assume what the consumer wants.</li>\n	<li>They are difficult to understand and have no clear rationale</li>\n	<li>The advantage may be wholly for Facebook with little if no benefit to consumers.</li>\n</ul>\nThere has been a growing backlash against Facebook, although the site is in no danger of going under.\n\nThere are some marketing take-aways:\n<ul>\n	<li>Customers want upfront communications.</li>\n	<li>Customers do not want to be taken for granted.</li>\n	<li>Customers want to feel as if they have some level of control, especially over their personal information.</li>\n	<li>Customers do not want to feel excessively marketed to.</li>\n</ul>\nFacebook is one of the few companies that could actually survive this type of backlash. Why? Because people like what it offers, and it is free. If people paid for services, then this would definitely not fly.\n\nNext time you are planning a big marketing change or push, think of Facebook.  Are you going to raise concerns? Will you have to backtrack and explain yourself?\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F20%2Fwhat-the-facebook-fracas-can-teach-us-about-marketing%2F&amp;linkname=What%20the%20Facebook%20fracas%20can%20teach%20us%20about%20marketing\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','What the Facebook fracas can teach us about marketing','','publish','open','open','','what-the-facebook-fracas-can-teach-us-about-marketing','','','2010-05-20 09:00:13','2010-05-20 14:00:13','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=759',0,'post','',2),
(762,4,'2010-05-26 09:29:09','2010-05-26 14:29:09','Marketing communications is about persuading people that your product, service or organization offers something that is of value to them. It\'s really that simple.  <em>How</em><em> </em> you do it may not be so simple as there are many different strategies and tactics that you can use. Perhaps you will show the benefits of the product, perhaps you will make people feel good about choosing your service. But, whatever you do, you should not alienate your audience.\r\n\r\nBusinesses and organizations can alienate their customers and supporters by taking certain negative actions.  Perhaps it is raising prices or cutting back services. Sometimes unpopular actions are necessary, which is why how you communicate those actions becomes even more important. In fact, taking a negative action does not have to translate into alienation if it is handled correctly. Perhaps, you work on making the case more forcefully.\r\n\r\nYet, how often do we see companies doing things that alienate their  audiences?   We see it  often.  Two recent examples stand out for me:  Facebook with its privacy  problems and Spirit Airlines with its decision to charge for carry-on  bags. Both situations have been widely reported in the media, and both companies have done a mediocre job of explaining why they have taken those decisions. Facebook seems to think that what benefits it as a company should benefit you as customer. And Spirit actually claims that by charging for carry on baggage you benefit from lower fares. Both companies insult their customers\' intelligence, thus, alienate them.\r\n\r\nHere are a few tips to avoid alienating your customers\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>If you must take a negative action, explain it from your own perspective before the media/others do it for you.</li>\r\n	<li>Don\'t underestimate your audience\'s intelligence: they can usually see right through a bad explanation.</li>\r\n	<li>When you communicate, avoid being too self-promoting or too self-serving. You customers and supporters are more interested in what you can do for them than in what you did for yourself.</li>\r\n	<li>Be forthright and say what you mean.</li>\r\n	<li>Research! It is amazing how many organizations and companies don\'t understand who their audiences are and what they want.</li>\r\n	<li>Offer good-will gestures. If you\'ve done something that is bad (cancelled a concert for instance), give your customers a carrot (make it easy to get money back, give an additional discount, etc.).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nHow do you think companies can avoid alienating customers?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F26%2Favoid-alienating-nearly-anybody%2F&amp;linkname=Avoid%20Alienating%20(nearly)%20Anybody\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Avoid Alienating (nearly) Anybody','','publish','open','open','','avoid-alienating-nearly-anybody','','','2011-08-14 07:19:41','2011-08-14 07:19:41','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=762',0,'post','',0),
(1338,4,'2010-04-19 14:37:03','2010-04-19 19:37:03','<strong>Who are you? Why are you here? </strong>\n\nLots of people ask themselves these questions, especially around milestone birthdays and during the \"mid-life crisis.\"  For individuals, there is no one right answer. Some people spend their whole lives seeking for the answers and some people just go for \"one day at a time\" philosophy.\n\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=identity+card&amp;iid=5212228\" src=\"2/c/4/c/mid_section_view_86a0.jpg?adImageId=12563260&amp;imageId=5212228\" width=\"234\" height=\"310\" /]\n\nBut what do you do if your business has an identity crisis? First,  determine if your business does have an identity crisis. Here are some signs:\n<ul>\n	<li>You offer many types of services or products that can\'t easily be grouped together</li>\n	<li>Your company name and tagline do not readily communicate what you do/everything you do</li>\n	<li>You have several different logos/different taglines</li>\n	<li>You don\'t have clear-cut branding (no signature color, font, tagline, key messages)</li>\n	<li>If someone asks you what you do, it takes several sentences to explain (you just can summarize it in one phrase)</li>\n</ul>\nIf you answered yes to even one of these descriptors, you probably are suffering from an identity crisis. You brand is not  strong and your business mission is not clear.\n\nHaving a business identity crisis can result in your business going under. Just down the street from where I live was a \"wellness center.\"  It was a retail outlet that sold vitamins and baby clothes made from organic cotton. They offered massages and facials. They held yoga and qi gong classes.  They probably would have described themselves as a lifestyle store, which is  generic. They weren\'t known for any of these offerings. And they closed.  To me, this was a classic example of an identity crisis.  Too many products and service offerings. No clear differentiation. And a vague description that can mean different things to different people.\n\nIn a crowded marketplace, differentiation can make the difference (I am so punny). You won\'t be able to differentiate if you have an identity crisis.\n\nDoes your business suffer from an identity crisis?  Time to ask yourself some hard, existential questions.\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F19%2Fidentity-crisis%2F&amp;linkname=Identity%20crisis\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Identity crisis','','inherit','open','open','','723-revision','','','2010-04-19 14:37:03','2010-04-19 19:37:03','',723,'http://deborahbrody.com/2010/04/723-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(766,4,'2010-05-28 08:13:42','2010-05-28 13:13:42','Some companies just don\'t get it.  They actually seem to want to lose customers. Here are two examples.\n\n<strong>Citibank</strong>\n\nJust one day after I wrote my last post on alienating customers, I got a letter from Citibank informing that my credit card  account is changing.  But not to fear, these changes include several \"enhancements.\"  But the changes are not enhancements. They are making the card even more useless--no more picture ID, no more 2% cash back for supermarket and drugstore purchases, AND, they are changing the name of the card and issuing a new number.  The thing about the account number was in the last paragraph.\n\nYou know what this is: it is a way of further alienating me as a customer. Why? Because first, it insults my intelligence. I know an enhancement when I see one--it usually involves something positive for me as a customer. Second, it forces me to do some work. Now, I have to call places where I have recurring charges to change my card number. And third, it is giving me something I didn\'t ask for nor did I want AGAINST MY WILL, WITH NO OPT-OUT.\n\n<strong>Verizon</strong>\n\nAlthough I have few service issues with Verizon, when I do, it is a nightmare to deal with this company. Its customer service truly is atrocious.  I dread having to call them for anything.  I usually get a phone tree, followed by an inept customer service rep who then drops the call when transferring me to the correct department. Just ugh. So, the idea of adding any services with this company is unthinkable.\n\nVerizon seems to think that if they send me enough direct mail, I will buckle in and get FIOS. So, every single week, I get a minimum of one piece of direct mail with an offer to install FIOS. This week, I got three pieces. This has been going on for two years.  Every time I see a letter from Verizon it goes in the trash and I think what a stupid company this is. Spending millions of dollars on direct mail, killing trees and for what? If they had an inkling on how to get customers they would figure out what customers want, and work on serving those needs first (better customer service comes to mind). Instead of doing real work, Verizon keeps sending useless direct mail. How many people are signing up? I bet not many.\n\nHow to alienate people and lose customers? Keep hitting them over the head with offers they don\'t want, insult their intelligence and make them do all the work.  On that end, Citibank and Verizon, you are doing a great job.\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F28%2Fhow-to-alienate-people-and-lose-customers%2F&amp;linkname=How%20to%20alienate%20people%20and%20lose%20customers\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','How to alienate people and lose customers','','publish','open','open','','how-to-alienate-people-and-lose-customers','','','2010-05-28 08:13:42','2010-05-28 13:13:42','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=766',0,'post','',4),
(770,4,'2010-06-01 08:14:23','2010-06-01 13:14:23','We all have pet peeves and things that make us go bonkers. Right? Unfortunately, we can\'t always tell what will make other people feel like they are listening to nails scratching a blackboard, and sometimes our communications misfire because of it.\r\n\r\nI wish I could say these are universal peeves and that you should avoid them at all costs (you <em>should </em>avoid them with me), instead I am asking you to think of what makes you crazy and what you would like to see avoided. Please be sure to share in the comments.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Using words that you don\'t understand or saying something complicated when simple would do (like utile--why can\'t you say useful?)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Having really obvious grammatical mistakes (example: using I instead of me or having problems with subject-verb agreement)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n(Please read this entry over at OpenForum: <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Open Forum\" href=\"http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/marketing/article/5-common-word-usage-mistakes-that-make-you-sound-stupid-or-worse-pompous-ann-handley\" target=\"_blank\">5 Common Word Usage Mistakes that Make You Sound Stupid</a>)\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Capitalizing Everything Instead of Bolding: more and more people are doing this in white papers and other texts. <strong>Capitals are for proper names and the beginning of sentences only.</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Threatening: If you don\'t do it this now... For instance, I got an email from the IPRA (a division of the PRSA-NCC) about an event, and then I got another email, and another. Then, I got one that said \"final notice.\" Like if it was an overdue bill and I hadn\'t paid it. And then I get an email telling me it\'s my \"last chance.\" Here\'s a newsflash IPRA: threatening me is not going to make me more interested in seeing Mike McCurry,  who sold out his boss for the chance to sell his book. Nope.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Saying or claiming things that are obviously not true: I am planning to write a post about this specifically, but what I am referring to are ads or brochures that seem to ignore reality.  Like those Cox Communications commercials that claim the company has great customer service, when plenty of people can attest to the opposite. Or American Airlines claiming to be empathetic, telling me they know why I fly.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Insulting my intelligence: enough said.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Excessive self-promotion:  I see this a lot on Twitter and Facebook. When you feel the need to tell me how great you are all the time, I immediately think you are insecure.  I used to follow someone who was very proud of her WeightWatchers progress. And that is fine, but she needed all her followers to pat her on the back too. There is a moving line somewhere between excessive self-promotion (and neediness) and genuine pride and promotion of accomplishments. Figure out where it lies.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhat\'s on your list?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F01%2Fthings-that-make-me-crazy%2F&amp;linkname=Things%20that%20make%20me%20crazy\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Things that make me crazy','','publish','open','open','','things-that-make-me-crazy','','','2011-08-14 07:19:12','2011-08-14 07:19:12','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=770',0,'post','',0),
(1337,4,'2010-05-26 09:29:09','2010-05-26 14:29:09','Marketing communications is about persuading people that your product, service or organization offers something that is of value to them. It\'s really that simple.  <em>How</em><em> </em> you do it may not be so simple as there are many different strategies and tactics that you can use. Perhaps you will show the benefits of the product, perhaps you will make people feel good about choosing your service. But, whatever you do, you should not alienate your audience.\n\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=disgust&amp;iid=275463\" src=\"0272/25010306-707f-4a9e-8022-c505f8386590.jpg?adImageId=12993817&amp;imageId=275463\" width=\"319\" height=\"480\" /]\n\nBusinesses and organizations can alienate their customers and supporters by taking certain negative actions.  Perhaps it is raising prices or cutting back services. Sometimes unpopular actions are necessary, which is why how you communicate those actions becomes even more important. In fact, taking a negative action does not have to translate into alienation if it is handled correctly. Perhaps, you work on making the case more forcefully.\n\nYet, how often do we see companies doing things that alienate their  audiences?   We see it  often.  Two recent examples stand out for me:  Facebook with its privacy  problems and Spirit Airlines with its decision to charge for carry-on  bags. Both situations have been widely reported in the media, and both companies have done a mediocre job of explaining why they have taken those decisions. Facebook seems to think that what benefits it as a company should benefit you as customer. And Spirit actually claims that by charging for carry on baggage you benefit from lower fares. Both companies insult their customers\' intelligence, thus, alienate them.\n\nHere are a few tips to avoid alienating your customers\n<ul>\n	<li>If you must take a negative action, explain it from your own perspective before the media/others do it for you.</li>\n	<li>Don\'t underestimate your audience\'s intelligence: they can usually see right through a bad explanation.</li>\n	<li>When you communicate, avoid being too self-promoting or too self-serving. You customers and supporters are more interested in what you can do for them than in what you did for yourself.</li>\n	<li>Be forthright and say what you mean.</li>\n	<li>Research! It is amazing how many organizations and companies don\'t understand who their audiences are and what they want.</li>\n	<li>Offer good-will gestures. If you\'ve done something that is bad (cancelled a concert for instance), give your customers a carrot (make it easy to get money back, give an additional discount, etc.).</li>\n</ul>\nHow do you think companies can avoid alienating customers?\n\n\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F26%2Favoid-alienating-nearly-anybody%2F&amp;linkname=Avoid%20Alienating%20(nearly)%20Anybody\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','Avoid Alienating (nearly) Anybody','','inherit','open','open','','762-revision','','','2010-05-26 09:29:09','2010-05-26 14:29:09','',762,'http://deborahbrody.com/2010/05/762-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(774,4,'2010-06-07 07:28:41','2010-06-07 12:28:41','Have you heard of Milton Glaser?  Perhaps you haven\'t heard of him by name, but you certainly have seen his work. Glaser was the originator of the I (heart) NY concept, the co-founder of New York Magazine, and designer behind Ms. Magazine and countless other publications.\r\n\r\nLast night I watched <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"You Tube Trailer\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdHBOv6utks\" target=\"_blank\">MILTON GLASER: TO INFORM AND DELIGHT. </a>What a revelation. Every communicator should watch this documentary to learn both how good design can transform, and the importance of communicating simply and directly.\r\n\r\nGlaser rightly believes that design can transform the world, that better design leads to better communication. One campaign that gave him great pleasure was working on supermarket design--from the layout to the signage and the logo. He made it easy for people to find what they were looking for. We take things like this for granted, and we really shouldn\'t.  How many times do we have trouble finding something because signage is lacking?\r\n\r\nGlaser attended New York City\'s famed (and in fact on which the movie Fame! was based) La Guardia High School of Art&amp;Music and Performing Arts.  The high school approached him about redesigning its logo, and first he suggested changing the high school\'s name to LaGuardia Arts, as being simpler. And then he did a fabulous logo that he says can be sung. <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"LaGuardia Arts\" href=\"http://www.laguardiahs.org/home.html\" target=\"_blank\">See it here</a>.\r\n\r\nI have seen people take short cuts with design--trying to save a few bucks or thinking it is no big deal. But design is a big deal. Good design will make communication easier.  For those of you who have clients who think this way, show them MILTON GLASER: TO INFORM AND DELIGHT.','Communicating better by design','','publish','open','open','','communicating-better-by-design','','','2011-08-14 07:18:41','2011-08-14 07:18:41','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=774',0,'post','',2),
(778,4,'2010-06-09 13:10:53','2010-06-09 18:10:53','Unless you are in a highly specialized field, you are facing increased competition.  Bricks-and-mortar stores are facing competition from Internet retailers.  And goodness, if you have an Internet-only storefront, you are facing more competition than ever.\n\nThere are two big reasons for the increase in competition:\n<ol>\n	<li>The economy. Because many people have been laid off/lost their jobs, many are becoming entrepreneurs.</li>\n	<li> The Internet.  It is easy and relatively inexpensive to set yourself up with a website/blog and to promote said website/blog.</li>\n</ol>\nWhat do you do?\n\n<span style=\"color:#ff0000;\">First let me tell you what NOT to do: nothing. Doing nothing ensures that you will remain less visible. Nothing also refers to not pursuing opportunities or answering inquiries. There is more competition out there, and if prospects don\'t sign up with you, it is easy for them to find someone else.</span>\n\nHere are a few things to do:\n<ol>\n	<li><strong>Research your competition.</strong> What are they doing that you are not doing? What are you doing that they are not?</li>\n	<li>Based on your research, <strong>figure out what you offer that is different than your competition</strong>:  do you have better turn-around times, better prices, more experience?</li>\n	<li><strong>Figure out who your real target audience</strong> is. Are you wasting time and energy by targeting the wrong people?</li>\n	<li><strong>Assess your materials</strong>: website, brochure, business cards, blog, Twitter stream. Does anything need tweaking? Are you really transmitting your message?</li>\n	<li><strong>Network</strong>. I know this is not new advice, but people you know are more likely to give you work/buy your product or refer you.</li>\n</ol>\nI\'d like to thank<a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Michele Lerner\" href=\"http://michelelerner.com/Michele_Lerner/Home.html\" target=\"_blank\"> Michele Lerner</a> for the idea for this post--we were discussing the freelance writing market this morning. And if you are looking to buy a home, check out Michele\'s book: <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"Homebuying\" href=\"http://www.internationalpubmarket.com/clients/cap/books/BookDetail.aspx?productID=213957\" target=\"_blank\">Homebuying: Tough Times, First Time, Anytime. </a>\n\nWhat are you doing to deal with competition?\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F09%2Fwhat-to-do-when-theres-too-much-competition%2F&amp;linkname=What%20to%20do%20when%20there%27s%20too%20much%20competition\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>\n\n','What to do when there\'s too much competition','','publish','open','open','','what-to-do-when-theres-too-much-competition','','','2010-06-09 13:10:53','2010-06-09 18:10:53','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=778',0,'post','',2),
(785,4,'2010-06-11 14:28:47','2010-06-11 19:28:47','Sometimes we are all about the how and why, and we forget about the when. When is just as important.\r\n\r\nTiming can really make a difference in what you do. Yesterday, I watched a salesman be turned away by a restaurant manager because as she said \"we are in the middle of lunch service.\" If your beat is restaurants, shouldn\'t you be aware of when is a good time to visit said restaurants? It seems logical that a restaurant will be busy during lunch and dinner.  If you do nightclubs, you would not go after 9 p.m.  Right?\r\n\r\nThe same idea applies to events. Plan your event for a time when people are able to attend. If you are trying to get busy professionals, perhaps daytime is not a good time.  In busy places like Washington DC you can never really find a day that doesn\'t have an event already planned. You can\'t avoid all events, but you should avoid planning events too close to other similar events. For instance, a local medical organization may want to avoid planning an event on the same day as a local surgeon\'s meeting. There may be too much crossover.\r\n\r\nTiming will affect how your message is received and whether its effective. If you invite people to an event with one day\'s notice, you are going to lose a lot of possible attendees. Similarly, publicizing an event too far in advance will guarantee people will forget about it.\r\n\r\nPutting out a press release on a Friday is a good way to bury it, and in my opinion, doing it on Monday achieves the same result.\r\n\r\nSo next time you are busy planning a communication strategy or an event, go beyond the what, where, how and why and think about the when.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F11%2Fits-when-you-do-it%2F&amp;linkname=It%27s%20when%20you%20do%20it\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','It\'s when you do it','','publish','open','open','','its-when-you-do-it','','','2011-08-14 07:17:41','2011-08-14 07:17:41','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=785',0,'post','',0),
(1335,4,'2010-06-07 07:28:41','2010-06-07 12:28:41','<p>Have you heard of Milton Glaser?  Perhaps you haven\'t heard of him by name, but you certainly have seen his work. Glaser was the originator of the I (heart) NY concept, the co-founder of New York Magazine, and designer behind Ms. Magazine and countless other publications.</p>\n<p>[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=i+love+ny&amp;iid=5067476\" src=\"http://view3.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/5067476/love-new-york-key-chains/love-new-york-key-chains.jpg?size=500&amp;imageId=5067476\" width=\"234\" height=\"undefined\" /]</p>\n<p>Last night I watched <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"You Tube Trailer\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdHBOv6utks\" target=\"_blank\">MILTON GLASER: TO INFORM AND DELIGHT. </a>What a revelation. Every communicator should watch this documentary to learn both how good design can transform, and the importance of communicating simply and directly.</p>\n<p>Glaser rightly believes that design can transform the world, that better design leads to better communication. One campaign that gave him great pleasure was working on supermarket design--from the layout to the signage and the logo. He made it easy for people to find what they were looking for. We take things like this for granted, and we really shouldn\'t.  How many times do we have trouble finding something because signage is lacking?</p>\n<p>Glaser attended New York City\'s famed (and in fact on which the movie Fame! was based) La Guardia High School of Art&amp;Music and Performing Arts.  The high school approached him about redesigning its logo, and first he suggested changing the high school\'s name to LaGuardia Arts, as being simpler. And then he did a fabulous logo that he says can be sung. <a class=\"wp-caption\" title=\"LaGuardia Arts\" href=\"http://www.laguardiahs.org/home.html\" target=\"_blank\">See it here</a>.</p>\n<p>I have seen people take short cuts with design--trying to save a few bucks or thinking it is no big deal. But design is a big deal. Good design will make communication easier.  For those of you who have clients who think this way, show them MILTON GLASER: TO INFORM AND DELIGHT.</p>\n','Communicating better by design','','inherit','open','open','','774-revision','','','2010-06-07 07:28:41','2010-06-07 12:28:41','',774,'http://deborahbrody.com/2010/06/774-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
(792,4,'2010-06-22 09:36:42','2010-06-22 14:36:42','Last week was Digital Capital Week here in Washington, DC.  The event consisted of workshops, meet-ups, parties and other events. It was well attended and well tweeted. As is now the custom, event attendees tweet out the little nuggets of shareable information followed by a hashtag, thus sharing with their following and publicizing the event.\n\nHere are some that I saw:\n\n\"Be authentic.\"\n\n\"Search your name on YouTube to see if there is any videos of you that you\'ve forgotten.\"\n\n\"Engage with your followers.\"\n\n\"Blogging is hard work.\"\n\nMy reaction to these on my Twitter stream: Really? Is that so? I have never heard that before.\n\nOn my Google Reader this morning, I came across this piece from HubSpot: \"Responding to a Social Media Crisis: #Intuit Outage Takeaways.\"  Here are its four rules for dealing with such a crisis:\n<blockquote><strong>1. Practice what you preach</strong>.  If you tout the  importance of transparency, then make sure that you can be transparent  during a crisis, too.  For example, at HubSpot, we use <a href=\"http://trust.hubspot.com/\">trust.hubspot.com</a> to show our  portals and report on downtimes.\n\n<strong>2.  Respond fast, respond often</strong>.  You’re only  hurting yourself if you wait too long before releasing information, and  when you finally do speak up there isn’t a lot of substance to what  you’re saying.  Give frequent updates, even if the update is just “no  new information”.\n\n<strong>3.  Apologize for the right thing</strong>.  Make sure you  aren’t alienating your customers further with your apology.  They may be  more upset if they feel like you are not addressing how the error  impacted their livelihood.\n\n4)   <strong>Make amends</strong>.  Try to find a way you can make it  up to your customers.  They are the backbone of your business, so it\'s  in your best interest to keep them happy.</blockquote>\n<div>Read more:  <a href=\"http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/6101/Responding-to-a-Social-Media-Crisis-Intuit-Outage-Takeaways.aspx#ixzz0raltVJsj\">http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/6101/Responding-to-a-Social-Media-Crisis-Intuit-Outage-Takeaways.aspx#ixzz0raltVJsj</a></div>\n<div>All these pieces of advice are fine.  They aren\'t saying anything new, but we are supposed to think that social media somehow needs these rules. Being authentic and credible? Yes, you should be IN ALL ASPECTS of life. Engage with your audiences? Yes, of course you should.  And the Hubspot advice to deal with a \"social media\" crisis? That is just plain crisis communication 101.</div>\n<div>Social media may be new media, but the communications \"rules\" and advice that apply to older media apply here too. Perhaps because so many people are coming into media/communications because of social media, that so-called experts can recycle this advice and call it social media expertise.</div>\n<div>My conclusion is that people are very eager to learn, but they are being snookered by the \"social media experts\" who seem to recycle advice and bring very little value to the conversation. So my advice, and this you should definitely not ignore, is to question any advice social media experts give.</div>\n<div>P.S. If you need someone to tell you that being authentic and credible is important, then I really don\'t want to do business with you.</div>\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F22%2Fadvice-you-shouldnt-ignore%2F&amp;linkname=Advice%20you%20shouldn%27t%20ignore!\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>\n\n','Advice you shouldn\'t ignore!','','publish','open','open','','advice-you-shouldnt-ignore','','','2010-06-22 09:36:42','2010-06-22 14:36:42','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=792',0,'post','',2),
(797,4,'2010-06-24 11:43:28','2010-06-24 16:43:28','As anyone who has been through media training knows, what you say to a journalist is always on the record, even if you think it\'s not. When you talk to a journalist, he or she is gathering information, and whether you are quoted directly or not, you have been used as a source.\r\n\r\nRecently, there have been two widely publicized media gaffes.  The most recent involves comments made by General Stanly McChrystal and his staff to Rolling Stone magazine. Those comments, widely seen as being proof of insubordination, led to McChrystal\'s resignation from his post as commanding officer of the war in Afghanistan.\r\n\r\nIt is hard to believe that McChrystal, a former head of Special Ops, would be so candid with a journalist not knowing his comments would make it to print.  Anyone who has had as much exposure to the media would know that a journalist is always pursuing a story. In my opinion, McChrystal knew exactly what he was doing, and had his own motivations for getting on the record with his views of President Obama and the direction of the war in Afghanistan.\r\n\r\nThe other media gaffe also cost a job. I am talking of Helen Thomas and her anti-Semitic barrage, caught on video by a citizen journalist and blogger.  Thomas, when asked on her views on Israel, did not hold back her contempt or her extremist views. Some have asked whether she understood the implications of talking to a non-journalist.  In her fifty years plus of experience, Thomas must have come across a hand-held camera before. As a journalist herself, she knows that anything you say in front of other people can be quoted or at least, used as source material. Even if Thomas had not been captured on video, the Rabbi who interviewed her could have publicized her comments.\r\n\r\nBecause, as we said before, now more than ever, NOTHING is off the record. And all of us are going on the record all the time, on Twitter, Facebook, blogs and wherever else we are interacting. We need to be mindful that what we say can and will be used against (or for) us.\r\n\r\nYour thoughts?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F24%2Fits-always-on-the-record%2F&amp;linkname=It%27s%20always%20on%20the%20record!\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','It\'s always on the record!','','publish','open','open','','its-always-on-the-record','','','2011-08-14 07:17:08','2011-08-14 07:17:08','',0,'http://cuppamarcomm.wordpress.com/?p=797',0,'post','',0),
(1334,4,'2010-06-11 14:28:47','2010-06-11 19:28:47','Sometimes we are all about the how and why, and we forget about the when. When is just as important.\n\n[picapp align=\"center\" wrap=\"false\" link=\"term=clock&amp;iid=7277784\" src=\"http://view1.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/7277784/portrait-businessman/portrait-businessman.jpg?size=500&amp;imageId=7277784\" width=\"234\" height=\"351\" /]\n\nTiming can really make a difference in what you do. Yesterday, I watched a salesman be turned away by a restaurant manager because as she said \"we are in the middle of lunch service.\" If your beat is restaurants, shouldn\'t you be aware of when is a good time to visit said restaurants? It seems logical that a restaurant will be busy during lunch and dinner.  If you do nightclubs, you would not go after 9 p.m.  Right?\n\nThe same idea applies to events. Plan your event for a time when people are able to attend. If you are trying to get busy professionals, perhaps daytime is not a good time.  In busy places like Washington DC you can never really find a day that doesn\'t have an event already planned. You can\'t avoid all events, but you should avoid planning events too close to other similar events. For instance, a local medical organization may want to avoid planning an event on the same day as a local surgeon\'s meeting. There may be too much crossover.\n\nTiming will affect how your message is received and whether its effective. If you invite people to an event with one day\'s notice, you are going to lose a lot of possible attendees. Similarly, publicizing an event too far in advance will guarantee people will forget about it.\n\nPutting out a press release on a Friday is a good way to bury it, and in my opinion, doing it on Monday achieves the same result.\n\nSo next time you are busy planning a communication strategy or an event, go beyond the what, where, how and why and think about the when.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcuppamarcomm.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F11%2Fits-when-you-do-it%2F&amp;linkname=It%27s%20when%20you%20do%20it\"><img src=\"http://static.addtoany.com/buttons/share_save_256_24.png\" alt=\"Share\" /></a>','It\'s when you do it','','inherit','open','open','','785-revision','','','2010-06-11 14:28:47','2010-06-11 19:28:47','',785,'http://deborahbrody.com/2010/06/785-revision/',0,'revision','',0),
