To read. To write. To love.

Image by ~ Phil Moore via Flickr

Someone recently asked, “Who influenced your writing, your obsession with words and/or your love of reading?” So…here goes:

It all started when I was four. How to Be a Grouch was my favorite book, and I begged my mom to read it constantly to the point that the binding was loose, the pages falling out and poor Oscar was looking considerably tattered – even for him.

And then it happened.

I stopped reciting the story and began reading it! I was amazed, awed and, yes, proud. I couldn’t wait to start reading everything I could get my hands on.

Story Time

This love of the written word continued throughout gradeschool, and was spurred by Mrs. Nodeen, who was brave enough to hold story time for a bunch of ‘we’re-too-mature-to-be-read-to-like-preschoolers’ fourth graders! She read classics, like Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, Pollyanna and The Secret Garden, which many in the class would never have ‘read’ had it not been for her determination and passion for reading/writing.

By eighth grade, I was on to Great Expectations, The House of Seven Gables, Jane Eyre and the like, and by high school my love for all things written was firmly entrenched. I excelled in English, and loved the nuances of this language and others, including French and Spanish.

Finding Perspective

Enter Mr. Bittle. Do you remember the movie ‘Dead Poets Society’? English teacher John Keating was the reincarnation of my own high school English teacher, Mr. Bittle, who died tragically in a car accident my senior year. He was the stand-on-your-desk-to-gain-a-fresh-perspective-on-life kinda guy, and encouraged us to read books that pushed the envelope in a small Midwestern town, including Slaughter House V and Catcher in the Rye.

He encouraged us to try new things, understand our inner voice and not be afraid to express ourselves. To make a difference. To espouse a controversial opinion – if we believed in it. To embrace differences. To celebrate life.

To read. To write. To live.

Through his teaching, encouragement and unique bent on life, we learned it was okay to offer unpopular ideas and express ourselves in words. I wanted to a make a difference as he continued to make a difference in the lives of his students.

Changing Course

Along the path to becoming a teacher, I took a Marketing course and changed my direction. I graduated college with a multidisciplinary degree in English, Business/Marketing and French/Spanish.

My first ‘real’ job was at a quaint bookstore in downtown Geneva, Ill. And from there, I jumped into advertising, quite literally falling into a writing gig. I was never one of those people who knew she wanted to write from day one. Read? Yes. Write? Not so much.

Of course, I’d silently breathe a sigh of relief each time a test was essay to which others would outwardly groan, received compliments on papers, and continually had teachers/professors encourage me to go into writing, which I’d quickly dismiss. I thought they were being overly kind, and didn’t see how I could possibly make a living writing.

Write for a Living

Little did I know I’d have a career writing professionally for the past 15 years. With the change to my most recent role, the writing is more strategic, less creative. This has enabled me to return to my love of writing in my personal life, starting two new blogs and trying my hand at a cozy mystery.

I can’t wait to see what other adventures are waiting around the corner.

Your turn! What spurred your love for reading, writing and the written word?

Solve Problems: Stand on Your Desk

Image credit: virtual film history

Unorthodox English teacher John Keating encouraged his students to stand on his desk to gain a new perspective about the world around them in the movie, Dead Poet’s Society.

The idea is to look at your world – the one you live in, breathe in and walk around in every day – from a different perspective.

We all lose sight of what’s right in front of us every day because we get used to it. By changing our perspective – by doing something as simple as standing on a desk – we gain previously unnoticed insights into our world, our situation, our environment.

Why not take the same approach to solving problems? Clients often come to us with the crisis of the day. Because they’re close to the problem at hand, it can seem overwhelming.

The solution? Stand on your desk. (If the boss is around, it may be best to do this metaphorically.) Look at things from a new perspective. You may be surprised at how simple the solution is from that angle.

How do you tackle new problems?

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Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. I don’t know about dogs, but I do know that you can teach old cats new tricks. I’ve done it.

So, why not people?

I know several people in their 60s who continually find ‘new’ ways to do ‘old’ things by using new technology. And, I have a grandfather in his 80s who just bought his first Mac, recently joined Facebook, and is now videoconferencing (via iChat) with my parents and me. And, by the way, he’s not in the least bit worried that he doesn’t fit the typical demographic segment partaking in social media.

So, when I hear people in the corporate world saying we can’t do this or that because our primary audience is middle-aged and won’t embrace the technology because, of course you know, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” I just don’t buy it.

Just because someone falls into a particular age group does not automatically mean their luddites. It means we shouldn’t be judging a book by its cover. (Guess it’s time to pull out all the idioms, huh?)

Why not teach an old dog new tricks? After all, he’s probably bored with the ones he knows and would appreciate some variety.

Agree? Disagree? Why or why not?

Image credit: webecho

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Feeling overwhelmed? Not so much, no.

Maybe I’m naive. Maybe I’m clueless. Maybe I’m just overly optimistic.

These were the thoughts swirling through my head recently as I listened to the opening question of a ‘social media seminar speaker.’

Who in this room isn’t overwhelmed by social media?

As I scanned the room, nary a soul raised their hand. Including me. But, that was because I was so in awe and disbelief that all 60-plus marketing leaders in the room were truly overwhelmed by social media. Really?

I find myself shaking my head again as I’m writing this post. Really? How is that possible? It’s still marketing. It’s still communication. It’s still PR. As a good friend of mine keeps saying, “Communication is communication.”

He’s absolutely right. Social media just presents a new set of vehicles we, as marketers, communicators, sales people and business leaders, can use to share our message, engage with our customers, have an exchange of information and participate in conversations.

It’s that simple.

Now, are there things to learn about these new vehicles and the technology that goes along with it? Sure, as is always the case with anything new. Are there best practices we can cull and adapt? Of course, as is always the case with any marketing, communication or business endeavor. Are there ways to improve and enhance what we’re currently doing with social media? Absolutely, as is always the case with any of our marketing and communication practices.

So…feeling overwhelmed with social media? Not so much, no. You?

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The ER Meets Communication & Engagement…or Not

As I was sitting in the emergency room last night waiting for the medical staff to fill us in as to what was happening with my mother, I realized all companies ultimately face the same communication challenges – regardless of industry.

They all need to find ways to connect with their customers, keep them informed and engaged throughout the sales or service cycle, and ensure they feel comfortable and assured of the product or service being provided.

Had any one of the staff asked my opinion about how I’d prefer to be informed about the service being provided and the overall process, I’d have gladly given it.

1. Connect with me, your customer, where I live and breathe. Am I standing right in front of you (as in this case)? Talk to me. Are your customers tweeting all day? Connect and engage with them online. Do they prefer to communicate via e-mail? E-mail them. Do they read your blog? Invite comments and respond when appropriate. Just make sure you connect where they are.




2. Keep me informed in a timely and predictable manner. Regardless of whether or not anything has changed, stop by/e-mail/call/text/tweet at a consistent interval to let me know what’s going on. In this case, stop by our hospital room every 10 to 15 minutes to offer an update. It could be as simple as, “Nothing has changed, we’re still waiting for the CAT scan machine to be ready.” That’s okay. Just keep me informed.
   
   
   
   The same holds true for other businesses and their customers. Select a predictable pattern of communication that resonates with your customers and stick to it. Even if there’s nothing going on: touch base and let them know nothing has changed – that they can continue to expect the same great level of service from you or that the latest sale will occur this Thursday just like every week. Whatever the case, keep them informed.




3. Reassure me. Make sure I’m comfortable with the way you’ve chosen to connect with and engage me in the process. Ask my opinion, and then make adjustments accordingly. Make me feel as though I matter, as though my opinion matters, as though my problems, concerns and worries matter. Then, address them and reassure me.

It sounds simple, but it’s astounding how many companies fall down on the job. Will you? How will you connect and engage your customers today? Leave me a comment. I’d love to know.

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Capture Their Attention: Off-Center

Nissan cube®

As I was crawling in Chicagoland rush-hour (what an oxymoron!) traffic the other night, I found myself wedged between a semi and a Nissan cube^®. Have you ever seen a cube? It’s completely bizarre.

As I shook my head and wondered who in the world would want a car that was essentially a box (hence ‘cube’) on wheels, and if aerodynamics were considered in the least, I noticed the back window.

It’s off-center.

Given I wasn’t going anywhere fast, I had plenty of time to ponder this oddity. The window’s molding covers only three sides of the rear window. The fourth side is protected, but not with the normal car-colored molding. How different…and intriguing.

Use ‘Different’ to Your Advantage

This got me thinking. Off-center captures attention. It always has. Good or bad, people notice when something or someone is different. That’s human nature.

So why not use that to your advantage? Find new ways of looking at existing problems to lead you to new solutions.

Nothing irks me more than hearing our favorite naysayers spout the ever-infamous, “This is how we’ve always done it.” And that’s your problem. If you’re not looking at problems and challenges and writing assignments with from different perspectives, you’ll never change a thing.

Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting the same results.

–Albert Einstein

Are you approaching your writing and marketing and business challenges the same way you always have? Are you finding the innovative solutions that make your clients smile? If not, it’s time to capture their attention, and try something off-center.

I know you can do it. Let me know how it goes.

Image credit: 2010 Nissan cube^® wallpaper | Nissan USA Official Site

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Online Thoughts Crash Into Reality

At least it did for my reality.

SOBCon 2010

The theme for this year’s SOBCon, held in Chicago April 30 to May 2, is: Where Virtual Meets Concrete, and the cofounders are encouraging us to talk about:

…how our relationships online help our lives and businesses online and off…[by writing] a blog post about a person (or people) online who has (or have) made a difference in your life. Celebrate how they have made your life easier, better, smarter, more productive, more meaningful.

There are five people online who have directly influenced (completely without their knowledge) how I’m tackling challenges and changing my life offline.

Speak boldly. (#1)

I’ve been struggling with the best “voice” for this blog for some time now. And thanks to the Copyblogger website, founded by Brian Clark, and an article by Pace Smith, I’m making a change in my own life. (I’m counting this as one – not two. It’s fine, really.)

The only way to write powerfully is to be bold, and to write boldly you must stop qualifying yourself and being overly respectful.

Hmmm…pretty sure I’ve been qualifying too much. I’m always worried about how the words on this page could be misconstrued. And that’s just silly. How can you possibly be motivated by any ideas I share if I can’t even declare them with conviction? You can’t.

Change in Voice

So from now on, I’m not going to hold anything back. I’m going to be myself, which means sometimes you’ll agree with me wholeheartedly and other times you’ll want to toss your laptop across the room in complete disagreement. And that’s okay.

Check out these comparisons between the “qualified” way of writing and the “bold” way of writing Pace provides. Love them!

Qualified version: There are many factors that can affect buying decisions. But in my experience, I’ve found that prospect fear is the most important factor that can cause potential customers to choose not to buy.

Bold version: There’s a hideous troll hiding under the bridge. Every time you get close to making a sale, the troll springs out and scares your prospect away. Get rid of the troll and your copy will start converting better than it ever has before.

The ugly, smelly, dirty, bad-mannered troll is prospect fear. And it’s sitting there right now, stinking up your landing page and scaring good customers away.

Big difference, right? Which one would you rather read? Right. Me too.

Stop making excuses. Make a change instead. (#2, 3, 4, 5)

There are four more people online that continue to shape the way I view social media, marketing, writing and achieving my goals. Their blog posts and tweets continue to inspire and nudge me toward positive change. They are: Amber Naslund, Teresa Basich, Rebecca Thorman and Keith Jennings.

I’ve gained great insight into the world of social media from Amber’s blog posts. Her thoughts often coincide with my own (of course, that may be why I’m so drawn to her thinking), and she frames things in a way that is persuasive, thought-provoking and point-on.

By reading the writings of Teresa and Rebecca, I’ve realized I was born into the wrong decade. 🙂 Instead of letting life dictate the way, these young women understand how to grab life by the horns and move it in the direction they want it to go. We could all learn from their confidence and tenacity.

As for Keith, I like his honesty, courtesy and bold belief in how marketing can and should be used in business today. I thoroughly enjoy reading his take on this topic as often as possible.

Rethinking Me

What’s really weird (or a coincidence? or a twist of fate? or God’s way of nudging me in the right direction?), is how their ideas – along with my own – converged recently. This convergence started a chain of events, causing me to rethink how I’d been approaching my own endeavors. I realized that if I wanted things to be different, I’d need to make my own change. Which is exactly what I’m doing.

I’ve made some small changes in my life – like using a different voice with this blog, for example – and there are more coming (I hope). I can’t wait to see where this new approach and desire to make a difference in my own life takes me.

Which online personalities have made a difference in your life? How will you take things you’ve learned online and ensure they crash into your own reality? I’d love to hear it.

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Hats Off to the Superstars

I’ve been talking a lot recently about my frustration and utter disbelief with folks who aren’t willing to take the necessary steps to rise above the mediocre. I’d like to shift the focus a bit today.

Let’s talk about those individuals who always take it to the next level to meet and typically exceed your expectations. You know who I’m talking about. The superstars.

Are you one of them?

Defining Stardom

Let’s be clear up front. I am not talking about “yes-men.” You know, those people who choose to go along with whatever the boss (regardless of the boss) says? Not them. I’m talking about the true superstars. Those who think for themselves, understand the corporate objective, and find creative, innovative and effective ways to move toward that goal – even if it’s outside the norm.

I love working with these people.

Superstars have great ideas for how to achieve any challenge tossed their way. They don’t worry that “we’ve always done it this way.” They’re more than willing to tackle any obstacle, and they take all the “oh-my-gosh-how-are-we-ever-going-to-do-this-and-get-it-done-on-time” catastrophes with grace and panache.

These are your go-to people. If you think about it for a minute, you’ll be able to figure out who the superstars are in your company. Who’s the one person you’d turn to to get something done that had to be done on time, within budget and done right?

That’s your superstar. Is it you?

Achieving Stardom

Do you want it to be you? Achieving superstardom isn’t rocket science. It simply means you have to have an open mind, be willing to work hard, make informed, yet quick decisions and be willing to accept the risk/reward for those decisions.

Sounds pretty simple, right? (That’s because it is.) It really comes down to willingly meeting the needs of others to help them fulfill their goals. In doing so, you’ll end up fulfilling your own.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about how you’ve acheived superstardom. Drop me a line. Today’s your day to shine!

Hire a ‘Professional’ Writer

I recently read a post at Writing Roads that referenced “reason 731 to hire a copywriter,” and it got me thinking. Here’s an excerpt:

“So, Reason 731 to use a copywriter? We write speeches, video spots, announcements. We craft your message so that you don’t sound like an idiot. We wordsmith your ideas so that people don’t make YouTube videos that mock you…I dare say, old chap, we’re critical to your successful marketing and promotional experience.”

Do you know any ‘professional’ writers?

I’ve been lucky in my career to work primarily for companies large enough to support their own internal creative staff, including both writers and designers. The business clients rely on these departments for the majority of their writing and design needs.

This is why I’m always amazed at the many times I hear these same clients say things like, “Wouldn’t it be great if we had the money to hire an ad agency?” or “Hey, you’re a copywriter. Do you know any professional writers?”

Huh? Of course I know professional writers. And, so do you. They’re the same professional graphic designers and writers we have on staff. You know, our own creative agency?

Define ‘Professional’

The dictionary defines ‘professional’ as: “engaged in a specified activity as one’s paid occupation rather than as a pastime.” Often times, however, our internal clients forget this fact. They forget that the copywriters, designers and marketers they work with daily are ‘professionals.’

Demonstrate Your Value

This means you have to remind them. You have to constantly demonstrate your value. Show them how you can write it or design it better, faster and cheaper than an external agency. (Not that there’s anything wrong with an external agency, of course, but if you have one in-house, use it!)

And the best part is: You already know them. You know their business. You know their likes and dislikes. You know what it takes to market their product because their product is your product. You work for the same company.

Use this to your advantage. Demonstrate your value, and your clients eventually will come to rely on the service you provide and even begin to think of you as the true ‘professional’ you are.

What challenges do you face in proving your value as a true professional? I’d love to hear them.

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Is ‘mediocre’ the new ‘give it your all’?

I left a meeting the other day completely flabbergasted. I learned that a standard level of service previously provided is no longer the “norm.” The reason? Lost resources and no time.

Really? So, instead of suggesting easy ways to improve copy, messaging and positioning to clients, it’s preferable to offer a quick proof, catching only typos and glaring errors, overlooking the rest because it’s “not too horrible.”

Huh. That just doesn’t sit well with me.

The thought is that until more resources exist, providing the standard level of service just isn’t possible. My response to that is, no one’s going to see a reason to give you more resources if they don’t value the services you’re currently offering.

If the value provided is less-than-needed, why use the service at all?

Give It Your All – Regardless of Time or Resource Constraints

To all writers, editors, marketers, consultants, gurus, experts: Please, please, please give it your all – no matter what you’re doing, how tight you are on time or how low you are on resources. Yes, it’s tough. Yes, it’s less-than-ideal. But, by providing the best service you possibly can, you reinforce your clients’ belief that the service you provide is truly valuable, absolutely necessary and something they never want to live without.

What are your thoughts? How do you ensure you offer value to your clients?

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