Feeds
The Private Nature of Public Relations
To do public relations well you need to have a critical mind -- to develop compelling content. You need to be able to see fresh angles and points of view in a company, product, or service story so that benefits to the reader come across in all their glory, without writing a sell sheet in a press ...
Be a Joiner
I remember having this conversation frequently over the years. People would come up to me and ask me what was my secret to knowing seemingly everyone. They noticed that every place I went -- networking event, seminar, even the central train station -- I'd be saying hi to someone I had met, and have a quick catch up ...
Me.Anything
Instead of having anything.me. I like me.anything better. Although it might not be as SEO-friendly, it reflects more what happens when we focus on understanding and appreciating who we are. It's important because what we can do -- literally anything -- then follows. The Web doesn't love ambiguity, so doesn't business. Anything what, exactly?As a business owner, you need ...
Persistence Pays – But Not Enough to Cover the Rent
A Guest Post by Wayne E. Pollard, Creator of Bo’s Café Life I believe that persistence is the most important trait you should have if you want to get published. To get my first piece published in The New York Times, I pitched it to at least five different editors until I found one who was interested ...
Third Round
It is time for a new round of our poetry competition. In the last round the winner made it by just three votes, so the competition is definitely heating up. Remember that the voting session of each round lasts for 48 hours after the round goes live. The poem with the highest number of votes gets promoted to the semi-finals, ...
The Power of Confident Writing
There’s a wonderful European-style market and bakery in the Oak Lawn area of Dallas. They serve everything from made-to-order salads and sandwiches to chef-prepared, ready-to-eat meals. But what I love most about the place is the sign on the door when you leave. It’s classic. The sign doesn’t read “Please Come Again” or “Thank You for Your Business” or some ...
Executing a Content Strategy for Buyers Research/Evaluation Phase
With digital media and search, you need to think about a whole new set of considerations when you write content if you want to appeal to buyers who are researching and evaluating products or services. It's not just thinking about the top keywords and inserting them in your copy.As John Battelle writes in a post that revisits his own database ...
What To Do About Non-standard English
One of our readers expresses the dilemma faced by conscientious speakers and writers who value a standard form of English, but recognize that rapid changes are taking place. So, just where do we draw the line? Now that I’m no longer a “prescriptivist,” what is acceptable? When can I start pulling out my hair again?! Good question. “Prescriptivist” is a ...
What Do You Do When You Run Out of Knowledge?
Bloggers have a distinct disadvantage. When someone hires an expert in — oh, let’s say marketing — that expert can dispense the same information she did for the last client. And the client before that one. And the one before that. Not bloggers. Blogging is about breaking down everything you know into bite-sized chunks so that people can learn it ...
Make What you Offer Customers Stand out
In their minds and get word of mouth for your business. Trust is fragile. In a recent post about the intangible art of trust at American Express OPEN, Matthew May cited consumer behaviorist Ernest Dichter. In the 1950s, Dichter determined that most people perceive at least five dimensions of downside risk every time they engage in ...
