Say Everything: How Blogging Began

From the Berkeley Arts and Letters and The Berkeley Cybersalon

You’ve heard all the arguments about blogging, pro and con. Blogs are a wondrous innovation, keys that have unlocked a vast treasury of self-expression and allowed underdogs everywhere to challenge giants. No, wait! Blogs are a scourge that is debasing journalism, undermining traditional authority, drowning us all in meaningless chatter, and destroying civilization as we know it.

Over the last dozen years, while everyone was arguing about blogging, the new medium came into its own. What started as the passion of a handful of geeky pioneers evolved into the pursuit of millions. That is the story Scott Rosenberg tells.

Say Everything chronicles blogging’s unplanned rise and improbable triumph, tracing its impact on politics, business, the media, and our personal lives. What blogging has become, Rosenberg says, is a new kind of public sphere – one in which we can think out loud together.

Watch the program by clicking here…

Make a Larger-Than-Life Impression: Add Jumbo Postcards to Your Marketing Plan

Postcard marketing remains one of the most cost-effective means of getting your name and message in front of prospective buyers. With a postcard, you can target your message to only those customers and prospects who are most likely to want your services.
Unfortunately, standard-sized postcards can sometimes get buried in a stack of mail. When that happens, they can be easily over-looked. Jumbo postcards help to solve this dilemma. They stand out, get attention, and offer more space for your important messages. Here are some more great reasons why jumbo postcards should be included in your marketing plan:
• Jumbo postcards are convenient. Your message is right in front of your customers. They can read your offer or find out about a sale without having to open an envelope.
• They’re inexpensive. Printing costs for jumbo postcards are small, considering the large impact they can have on buyers.
• They’re easy to test. Because they’re so inexpensive, postcards are a great medium for testing the effectiveness of your messaging. Start by sending postcards to a small sampling of your mailing list. When you’re satisfied with the results, have more printed, and spread out from there.
• They’re easy to track—especially if you include a coupon or special offer on the card.
• They make a more lasting impression. How many TV or newspaper ads do you remember after just one viewing? The reason we forget most conventional ads is because they’re a distraction, not the main focus of our attention. A jumbo postcard has staying power. It leaves a more lasting impression because of its size, its content (especially if it includes a coupon or special offer), and its ability to reach a person when they have time to concentrate on reading it.

Leading Your Company Through Times of Change

Some young people like change. Some just want a job.

Change is an inevitable part of the business world. Companies must continually adapt to the conditions around them if they want to stay ahead. Unfortunately, many people find comfort in routine. They relish the status quo and view any change — even a positive one — with uneasiness or fear.
As leaders, we must help our employees not only deal with change, but learn to embrace it. When the change involves making tough decisions like cutting staff or decreasing budgets, accomplishing this goal can become even more difficult. But whatever the change — whether positive or negative — there are some ways you can make the transition go more smoothly for everyone involved:
• Acknowledge and understand your employees’ fears. Any change can bring with it fear, particularly fear of the unknown. With layoffs, those remaining may fear losing their jobs, too. Acknowledging those fears and reassuring your staff that they are important to you should help a bit.
But even a promotion, which on the surface seems like an extremely positive change, can bring fear. The promoted employee may worry about failing or becoming over-whelmed by the new responsibilities. In those cases, assure the person that you believe in her and that you will be there to help her make a smooth transition into her new duties.
• Keep everyone informed. When change occurs, make sure your staff hears about the change from you — not through the office grapevine. Be open and honest about the change and your reasons for making it. Don’t try to gloss things over or oversell the benefits of the change. Both will hurt your credibility and only increase resistance and fear. Encourage questions from your staff, and let them know how things are going throughout the process.
• Give affected people an active role in implementing the change whenever possible. If you’re planning to make a change that affects a particular employee or team, try to give that person or group a say in how the change will happen. This may not always be possible, but when it is, it will give your staff a sense of ownership and control over the situation, helping to ease some of their fears and replace them with excitement for the change.
• Remain visible and accessible. Check in with staff members affected by change frequently to see how things are going. Offer encouragement, answer questions, and let them know you are proud of the accomplishments they are making.
• Give people time to adjust. Change, both positive and negative, affects different people in different ways. Some people need time to let go of the old ways (even grieve for them) before they can come to terms with the change and move on. Give your employees time to work through this adjusting process.

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Employee of the month is so outdated. Try Customer of the Month instead

A couple of weeks back I darted into a Starbucks near Seattle and as I was waiting for my latte, I noticed this sign on the counter. It proudly displayed “The Customer of the Month.” Apparently, this chosen client really gets hooked up, according to them. So I asked her, “Have you noticed an improvement in your customers’ behavior?

She thought about it for a moment. But she nodded and said, “Yeah, especially from our regulars.”

What a great idea this is. We always encourage our employees with incentives for being good at their job. Why not flip that over? After all, if your customers have incentives to be on their best behavior as well, it makes your job easier, and increases your customer service abilities.

I think the old saying “The customer is always right” is now officially outdated. There are some customers that are just plain wrong. There’s not much you can do about them. But this little Starbucks has the right idea about the good people that count. Let’s make good behavior a two way street.

Want to Get Paid Fast? Include a Return Envelope with All of Your Mailings

She's smiling because she uses return envelopes. It's easy to be happy.

If your company wants to increase its response rates, maybe it’s time to include return envelopes in all of your mailings. While some companies may want to avoid the additional cost of printing personalized return envelopes, the companies who do use them often find that their many benefits offset their cost. Here are just a few benefits of printed return envelopes:

Better response rates. The sheer convenience of printed return envelopes often doubles the response rate. Another way to increase and quicken the response rate even more is to use postage-paid envelopes.

Increase cash flow. By quickening the rate of responses, your company can look forward to faster payments and an increased cash flow.

Ensure correct addresses. If customers make mistakes when writing out your company address on an envelope, it could greatly slow down or cut back the number of responses. The post office will also appreciate the fact that return addresses are accurate and easy to read. Increase company awareness. Not only will recipients become more familiar with your company’s logo, everyone who handles your return envelope will see it as well.

Oldie, but a goodie. While some people take advantage of the opportunity to interact online, whether it be paying bills or answering a questionnaire, the majority of people still prefer the traditional method of paying their bills through the mail.

Creative freedom. As long as your envelope follows the post office’s guide-lines, you have the freedom to be as simplistic, colorful, creative, or professional as you want. Many companies even create return envelopes that will reflect their corporate image. If you would like to increase response rates by using a return envelope, or perhaps by spicing up your current envelope, stop by your local printer. Not only can they show you previously printed examples, they can also give you money-saving advice and help you create the perfect return envelope for your business.

Proposals that Sell

Write it up!

Many sales proposals fail because they are written from the seller’s point of view. Others fail because they lack accuracy, persuasiveness, or are simply too vague.
Here are some tips on how to write a customized, client-based proposal that is clear, persuasive, and professional:
Focus on your customer. Sales proposals should be customer-oriented, define the buyer’s current situation, and offer a proposed plan for improvement.
Customize your proposals. While two different companies be very similar, they still deserve individual attention.
Relay financial benefits. Be clear about the ways your business can help make or save money.
Show non-financial benefits. Non-financial benefits can be even more influential to your buyer than financial benefits because they show you care about them as an individual.
Describe your plan. Offer details about how you plan to carry out your solution, including the amount of time it will take, and the people you will need.
Sell your company. Help your buyer feel confident that your organization can deliver on what it promises, by including a company profile that differentiates your company from your competition.
Speak their language. Perhaps the use of technical or industry related terms makes you feel more knowledgeable about your subject matter, but it could also be a big turnoff for your prospective buyers. Always be sure your customers can easily understand the terms they are agreeing to.
Maintain a standard of excellence by putting forth the time and effort needed to create a professional and appealing proposal for your buyers.
Include a closing argument. After explaining exactly what you have to offer, how your products and services can benefit their company, and how you have been successful in helping others in the past, tie up your proposal letter with a closing argument that uses a combination of both logic and emotion to convince prospects to buy.

Don’t Let the Fear of Success Slow You Down!

She's a successful person, or is she?

You may wonder how anyone could fear something as positive as success. Though it sounds odd, the thought of success is a very scary concept for many people. Here are a few reasons why one may fear success:

Change itself is scary. While it’s easier to live on auto-pilot where everything is familiar and comfortable, you may allow many exciting opportunities to pass while you are waiting on the sidelines.
People will come to expect your successes. You may feel like people are waiting for your next success, and you may doubt that you can do it again. The good part of this is that you now have a push to succeed.
Your time demands may change. New performance levels often create new demands on your time, however, the key is to create a healthy balance and use your time wisely.
You may receive more attention. While the thought of extra attention may be a thrill for some, many people want to run and hide when they think of extra attention. Overall, the easiest way to accept praise is to smile and say, “Thank you.”
You may feel limited. People may expect that your talents lie only in areas in which you have previously excelled. However, your success may give you an opportunity to use your many talents, including those that are hidden from others.
While the thought of leaving your comfort zone to explore foreign waters may be terrifying, once the waters calm down, the change can be very rewarding and empowering.

Here are a few tips on how to overcome the fear of success:
Identify what actually scares you. Be honest with yourself and admit your fear. For example, you may be afraid of rejection, envy, the unknown, or not living up to expectations.
Face the fear head on. Use the energy you spend on worries and self-doubt and channel it positively toward new experiences.
Don’t obsess about your ability to live up to expectations. While it’s natural to have doubts, you shouldn’t pass up an opportunity just because you are unsure of yourself.
Do not be set back by failures. Instead, see them as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Take responsibility for your failures and successes. Realize that you can’t succeed or excel at everything.
Explore your talents. While you may not be good at everything, you may find some things that you are really good at, and wish you had tried them sooner.
Believe in yourself. After all, if you don’t believe in your own talents, why would someone else believe in them?

Let The Games Begin… in 2016

One of my favorite books is the “Olympic Image” a history of Olympic graphic design from 1886 until 1996. If one would want to know the trends of graphics, look no further than the marketing and branding done for the olympics. To see what the four cities bidding for the games in 2016 are up to, you’ll get a sneak preview of the future. Although, I miss the original Chicago logo, which featured a burning torch that emulated the city skyline which was eventually rejected by the olympic committee for breaking guideline restrictions. Of course, all I could think of was the Great Chicago Fire, so maybe two wrongs did make a right.

PETA ad misses the mark. Or does it? Lessons in advertising.

Veggies. Who knew?

What is going on! Are we all hot and bothered after eight years of far right-wing policies? A week after U2 releases the single “Get Your Boots On” aka “Sexy Boots” PETA jumps on the sexy chic bandwagon, making a lot of noise with their banned Super Bowl ad featuring a pile of sexy models playing with vegetables.

Of course, comments and responses have been all across the board (especially on the Chicago Sun Times) ranging from “at least they didn’t have cucumbers” to “reminds me of my frat days.” So my initial impression is that it may not be doing much more than attracting crass attention, and not selling the idea. But I’m thinking they wanted the ad banned on purpose just to stir up interest and web searches, which I’m sure are skyrocketing.

As for the content, it’s mostly harmless. In America we can show horror movies at three in the afternoon with a beautiful girl getting chainsawed, body parts and blood flying in all directions, followed by her mutilated carcass laying on the ground. That’s disturbing! Even commercials for upcoming horror movies are far more distasteful than a naughty little 30 second spot. Either we have our priorities completely mixed up, or we’re still metaphorically enjoying the smell of burning witches at the stake. Perhaps make love not war should be the new slogan for broadcasting.

On a technical level, was is necessary to have the heavy metal soundtrack with the zippy text? A little early 90s don’t you think? The spot would have benefited from a lot more humor.  Maybe a suggestive cucumber wouldn’t have been such a bad idea after all. But it is a welcome change from the typical animal slaughter visuals PETA usually tosses around like confetti.

This ad is hitting on a lot of different topics it did not intend to, mainly the relentless immaturity of Americans in regards to sex. And yes, it did go a little too far for a was is considered to be a family broadcast. Perhaps they can sell the ad in a spot on the upcoming LINGERIE FOOTBALL LEAGUE instead of the Super Bowl.