Wonder how well your next ad, website, or brochure will communicate with your readers? Here’s a simple test that’s remarkably powerful. Count the number of times that your company’s name appears in the text. Then count the number of times words “we,” “us,” and “our” appear in there, and add it to your first number. … Read more
Not long ago, I spoke to a group of high school students about resume writing. My goal was to help them understand what resumes really are – a tool that allows companies to quickly eliminate people from the application and interview process. I spoke with some experience, having been the resume screener at several jobs. … Read more
No, I’m not advocating violence against punctuation. And I’ll admit that the ampersand (that little “&” mark) can be handy now and then. But it’s one of the most-misused tools in the punctuation toolbox. The ampersand serves as a graphic replacement for the word “and.” When used in graphic design, it can even be a … Read more
As the federal government debates the latest batch of tax proposals, maybe they need to give thought to what officials in Washington State did some time back. At a time when tax revenues are hard to come by, those officials boosted use-tax revenues by a whopping $800,000! Did they raise rates? No. Hire private investigators? … Read more
If you’ve ever attended a spouse’s office party, you’ve probably found yourself staring at your drink after one employee says something like, “Yeah, but don’t ever give Bob a glass of 7-Up!,” and everyone else in the room collapses into convulsions of hysterical laughter. When the laughter dies down, your blank expression is answered with … Read more
Remember when Cheap Trick serenaded Budokan with “I endeavor you to endeavor me/I desire you to desire me”? No, you don’t quite remember the lyrics sounding like that? Why did Robin Zander and company sing “I want you to want me/I need you to need me” instead of the substitutions in the last paragraph? … Read more
Most people whose jobs require that they sit through many presentations are well-acquainted with the concept (if not the term) of “death by PowerPoint.” It’s a reference to any number of excruciating presentation types. Perhaps the worst offender is the presenter who subjects you to copy-heavy slide after copy-heavy slide, and makes it worse by … Read more
One of the many lessons I learned during my ad agency days was the importance of a good “swipe” file. Never heard the term? It’s simply a file (or box) where you threw ads, articles, brochures – anything you liked or thought was particularly effective. When you were given a tough assignment, you’d sift through the swipe … Read more
Want to know one of the most effective ways to connect with your audience? Instead of just telling them about you and your product or service, tell them a story. Our roots as humans go back to oral communication, and from the time we were children, stories have captivated us — not just the fairy … Read more
“Will instant replay settle baseball’s furries?” That was the headline on an online story in the Hendricks County Flyer. I didn’t read the story, so I’m not sure whether it was a discussion of arguments between mascots or just a misspelling of “furies.” I’m also not sure if someone stumbled onto a miracle … Read more