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15 job openings in the PR and marketing world

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:00:47 GMT

Cheap denim blue jeans.

A bad spray tan.

Poorly dyed hair.

Sometimes, it’s worth opening up that wallet a little wider if it means getting lasting color that won’t fade or run.

Then again, it apparently sometimes pays to let those colors run, as is the case for The Color Run’s new online marketing manager. The organizer behind the multi-city 5K races of happy hues is seeking someone to help it paint the planet by driving its digital advertising strategy and tracking its online metrics.

So, make like cool and get to running right here for all the details on how to apply.

Not the job for you? See what else we have in our weekly professional pickings:

Brand creative manager—Chick-fil-A

Electronic communications coordinator—Butler University

Public relations director—Getty Images

Assistant media manager—VML

Marketing specialist, digital—DeVry

Creative services writer—West Interactive Corp.

Marketing communications associate—JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Event marketing specialist—United Way of Metropolitan Dallas

Director of communications—Prudential

Marketing manager—Cisco

Communications intern—Intel

Director, ecommerce marketing—Under Armour

Social media manager—PepsiCo

Associate brand manager—Pizza Hut

If you have a job you would like to see highlighted on PR Daily, please email me or send me a message on Twitter @iquotesometimes.

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As Facebook hashtags roll out, what’s ahead for marketers?

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:00:51 GMT

What do Facebook hashtags mean for marketers?

The short answer: Nothing. Yet.

That’s because the darned things aren’t even rolling out to all users for a while. (See Facebook’s formal announcement from last week.)

Once they do, there will be substantial implications for marketers and brands.

[RELATED: Master the can't-ignore social media tools after Mark Ragan's one day social media boot camp.]

For now, it’s mostly a matter of user experience. Users can now search Facebook more easily—combined with Graph Search, Facebook is making strides here—and, obviously, this move makes content discovery much easier.

A few months from now, when more (or all) users have the ability to use hashtags on Facebook, what will the rub be for marketers? Here are a few things that come to mind:

It’ll be easier to track “campaign” conversations on Facebook.

You know those campaign hashtags that brands use on Facebook—the ones they listed on all those Super Bowl ads this year? Well, those will actually be useful on Facebook once the hashtags are rolled out. Obviously, the volume won’t be as great on Facebook for most brands (there are far more tweets than status updates), but this should help brands looking to accurately track conversations around campaigns down the road, especially those without access to paid monitoring tools.

Your Twitter chat potential just expanded.

Brands that either sponsor or organize Twitter chats will be able to open up a whole new door to Facebook—again, arguably a more engaged (and larger) community. Of course, brands can do this now with tools like Shoutlet, but many brands don’t have access to paid tools like that. With hashtags, brands that participate or organize Twitter chats will be able to have those same chats on Facebook. Of course, coordinating that might be tough, but I’m sure someone will develop a tool to fit the need.

You will be able to pay to trend—eventually.

Trending topics/hashtags will probably come to Facebook soon. They’re not there yet, obviously, but I’m sure it’ll happen. Trending topics on Twitter are so popular—and it’s another great way for Facebook to enhance content discovery. Plus, you will probably be able to pay to be included (as on Twitter). Whatever they can make money on, they probably will.

Once they enable mobile use, possibilities will expand.

Here’s a curious thing: Facebook didn’t enable mobile use of hashtags at the outset of the launch. That’s funny, because as we all know mobile phone use is exploding. Capturing real-time conversations largely means capturing conversations on the go—not just in front of the TV, which is what Facebook is probably after here. Those mobile conversations are key for brands: customers at events, customers near their stores shopping, customers in their stores shopping. With hashtags, they’ll all be easier to track—and respond to (again, provided customers actually use the hashtag, which as we know is a big leap).

What do you think? What will be the major marketing implications of hashtags on Facebook?

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Podcasting: Why it matters and how to do it

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:00:58 GMT

You’ve got talent and ideas to share in your organization.

Learn how to create an audience and extend your influence by podcasting.

In the Ragan training module “Master the Podcast: What podcasting is, why you need to be doing it, and how to get it right,” Social media visionary Shel Holtz explains why podcasting boosts your brand, is easy to do and costs almost nothing.

Just 90 minutes is all you’ll need to learn:

· How podcasting creates a following for your organization;
· Why the ease and economy of podcasting make it a natural for internal communications;
· Why Disney, Oracle, Microsoft and IBM use digital talks to connect with customers and employees.

Find out why podcasting can be done from your home or office, and where you can get the software you need.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn how podcasting will extend your organization’s voice—and win you new fans and customers.

To order or learn more about this newest Ragan training module, click here.

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9 reasons fans don’t ‘like’ your Facebook updates

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:59:26 GMT

You know those times when you find a great meme/image/anecdote, and you share it on your Facebook page, only to see nothing?

Yeah, I hate that, too.

You’re thinking, “Oh, this is going to be great,” and then it falls flat. Ouch.

Why do I care so much?

Because I care about our community, and I want to make them laugh or say “Ah-ha! Yvette’s a genius!”

Kidding. I just want you to enjoy our page.

A few weeks ago on Open Forum, Christopher Litster, senior vice present of sales and marketing at Constant Contact, shared Facebook “faux pas”—the reasons people don’t “like” your Facebook status updates.

Are you guilty of these?

Asking questions that are too broad or personal.

According to a recent article on Inc., messages on Twitter with a question mark drew 52 percent fewer clicks for B2C companies and 39 percent fewer for B2B companies. So if you’re going to ask questions Facebook is the place to do it, but stay away from open-ended ones. Give your community a choice or create a poll. Have fun, but don’t get too personal.

The tone is uninspiring.

Yes, you’re creating posts for an organization, but that doesn’t mean you should sound like a corporate robot. See previous comment about having fun.

Every post is pure text.

It’s fine to have an all-text post. However, you don’t want all of your posts to be just text. Litster suggests using “any image that’s visually appealing and relates to your post or company.” It’s easy, so take the extra five minutes to do it.

[RELATED: Master the can't-ignore social media tools after Mark Ragan's one-day social media boot camp.]

There’s too much focus on selling, or you’re talking only about your business.

Your page is for your business and your fans. Of course you should share company news, but keep this in mind: “People go to Facebook to catch up and connect. When they want to buy, they’ll go to your website,” says Litster.

The message isn’t in sync with your audience or business.

Make sure each post serves the interests of your community and your business. Whether it’s funny, a tip or trick, or something interesting—it should align with your company and audience.

You’re not responding.

You should always respond. Enough said.

Your page has an identity crisis.

Use an editorial calendar. They help provide structure, but they’re flexible so you can change a post at a moment’s notice.

You’re not offering anything.

“One of the reasons people become fans is for the perks,” says Litster, so offer deals or insider offers.

One of my favorites is Sprinkles Cupcakes. They have a word of the day, and if you’re one of the first 50 people to say it in their retail store, you get a free cupcake. Not everyone can offer a free cupcake, but simple things, such as highlighting a fan as the Facebook Fan of the Week (ahem), show you care about your community.

You give up too easily.

Still don’t know what your community wants? According to Inside Facebook, Facebook has started highlighting the most engaging posts in the page admin panel. They also notify you when a post performs better than average, so start there.

Growing a social media presence takes patience; it won’t happen overnight. Take time to find valuable content and engage with your fans, and soon you’ll be successful in social media. What do you love to see on a company Facebook page? What do you loathe?

Yvette Pistorio is an account executive and community manager at Arment Dietrich. A version of this story first appeared on the Spin Sucks blog.

‘Tweet’ becomes an official word

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:58:47 GMT

It’s either a sign of progress or the mark of a decaying society, but “tweet” (as a social media term) is now officially a word.

The Oxford English Dictionary has added tweet as both a noun and a verb. The following meaning has been added to the previous bird-related definitions: “To make a posting on the social networking service Twitter. Also: to use Twitter regularly or habitually.”

John Simpson, chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, had this to say about the move in a blog post:

“The noun and verb tweet (in the social-networking sense) has just been added to the OED. This breaks at least one OED rule, namely that a new word needs to be current for ten years before consideration for inclusion. But it seems to be catching on.”

The OED had also added social-media-related entries for the words “follow” and “follower.”

[RELATED: Master the can't-ignore social media tools after Mark Ragan's one day social media boot camp.]

Other words and phrases added to the OED this year include: “flash mob,” “geekery” (in the devotion to pursuits sense), “have a cow,” “big data,” “cludgie,” and “metabolic syndrome.”

Check out the full list at the OED blog.

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Colorado fighting fire with social media

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:52:17 GMT

With devastating forest fires raging in communities across the state, Colorado residents turned to social media for the latest information.

As traditional media—newspapers and television—are doing their best to be a clearinghouse of information, social media has made it easier for people to get real-time information, without any filters or time delays, direct from sources.

Colorado had a dry run for this year’s fires last summer, when the state was again hit by blazes. At the time, law enforcement agencies had to change the way they communicated the news. The Jefferson County Sheriff's office used its blog and Twitter to keep the public and the press updated about the Lower North Fork fire last March.

"The world has changed,” sheriff's spokesman Mark Techmeyer told the Denver Post. "Traditionally, you had a press conference in the morning and the afternoon, but people won't settle for that now. Our protocol is to make the emergency blog live and then a tweet goes out to link back to the blog. The speed and accuracy cannot be matched with a written press release and a press conference in three hours—those days are gone."

Every local, state and federal agency is pushing out the latest news on their Twitter accounts. The most destructive fire, just north of Colorado Springs was tagged #BlackForestFire.

Some of the best sources for getting information about this fire and others across the state are:

• El Paso County Sheriff: @EPCSheriff
• Colorado Springs Police Department: ‏@CSPDPIO
• Colorado Springs Fire Department: @CSFDPIO
• Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control: @COStateFire
• Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper: @hickforco
• Pikes Peak Red Cross: ‏@PPRedCross
• Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management: @COEmergency

A great example of the how the agencies are using social media are the quick updates by the Colorado Springs PD. On Sunday morning, it sent this out:

12 p.m. Press Conference #BlackForestFire 3,600 homes unaffected, 482 destroyed, 17 partial. -65% contained -The... http://t.co/beavT9Zytc
— Springs Police (@CSPDPIO) June 16, 2013

It details the punch-list of vital information, including a link to an accounting of all the homes destroyed in the blaze.

[RELATED: Master the can't-ignore social media tools after Mark Ragan's one-day social media boot camp.]

When it began to rain on Sunday in the area of the Black Forest fire, residents took to social media with comments and photos. Throughout the week, you could get an insider look at the firefighting efforts and the devastation through Instagram, using the #BlackForestFire tag.

Social media also served as a complaint board for some residents affected by the fires. One family that lost its home called to cancel its DirecTV service; they were promptly informed they were still on the hook for the burned satellite dish and other equipment.

News got out and spread on Twitter and DirecTV’s Facebook page, and the next day DirecTV apologized, saying it was a mistake.

Donna Archuleta Volden said, “Instead of all this you should be posting a retraction and stating publicly that you will not be taking advantage of the folks in the Black Forest area.”

Gil Rudawsky heads the crisis communication and issues management practice at GroundFloor Media in Denver. He is a former reporter and editor. Read his blog or contact him at grudawsky@groundfloormedia.com.

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11 creatively branded ‘404 error’ pages

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:51:55 GMT

No one particularly enjoys encountering a 404 error, which occurs when the website you’re trying to load isn’t recognized. There are a few companies, however, that have found a way to make the unfortunate experience a little more palatable.

Creating a clever 404 message has become a bit of an art among design-savvy companies.

Here are just a few of our favorites:

Angry Birds

Darkpony

Milkable

BRB (Be Right Burger)

South Park Studios

Homestar Runner

Coca-Cola

Titleist

Lululemon

TechCrunch

Lego

Making the most of your brand’s Wikipedia page

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:48:02 GMT

If students writing term papers are any indication, Wikipedia is one of the first resources people turn to when trying to get a feel for a topic or a company.

The same holds true for many journalists, industry analysts, and other influencers. Though it’s too infrequently considered a communications priority, a company’s Wikipedia page isn’t something that should be left to Wikipedia community editors.

In case you didn’t know, anyone can edit Wikipedia. (That’s both wonderful and scary.) The website doesn’t ask for account registration before allowing someone to do so. Before embarking on any Wikipedia edits, remember that Wikipedia prides itself on letting community forces drive content to a neutral point of view on any given topic. As a result, verifiability and citing reliable sources are crucial to developing a well-regarded Wikipedia page doesn’t get flagged as having too much “marketing speak.”

Still think it’s a good idea to include a few marketing statements? Think again—just as anyone can edit a page, anyone can flag a page that reads like an advertisement.

Read on for a primer of Wikipedia best practices that Bhava uses to help clients build out a strong presence on the world’s favorite online encyclopedia.

Building a Wikipedia page for a company from scratch

First, do a search on the company and see whether it has a Wikipedia page. If it does, then you can directly edit that page. If no Wikipedia page pops up for that company, you can create a page. This step is done simply from the returned search results page.

Building the actual content is trickier. To help with style questions, Wikipedia has shared a comprehensive style guide.

Citations

Wikipedia’s guidelines state:

“In particular, sources are required for material that is challenged or likely to be challenged—if reliable sources cannot be found for challenged material, it is likely to be removed from the article. Sources are also required when quoting someone, with or without quotation marks, or closely paraphrasing a source. However, the citing of sources is not limited to those situations—editors are always encouraged to add or improve citations for any information contained in an article.”

With company pages, any claim that is not verified by a third party has the potential to be called into question by anyone ranging from competitors to a 13-year-old on a justice rant.

[RELATED: Hear how top companies adapted to the digital PR industry changes at this August event.]

To guard against such challenges, Bhava recommends weaving together quotes from published articles to tell the larger company story, carefully citing each sentence back to the original article. Backlinks to independent blogs tend not to carry too much weight when put through the verification test. Working with a PR team can help generate those published stories that make for strong Wikipedia references, emphasizing the vital importance of integrating good public relations strategy in your overall communications plan.

Editing an existing Wikipedia page to include company perspective

Extensive, abrupt changes to a Wikipedia page will raise a flag for Wikipedia’s army of bots. So, if a company page already exists, be careful about excessive editing. You can reframe and guide a page, but not raze it and rebuild it. It’s OK to add new material or revise content that needs to be updated since a previous edit and then reorder the page where necessary to place emphasis on facts and events you would like to prioritize.

So your company’s Wikipedia page is flagged as marketing material—now what?

Whatever you do, don’t just delete that flag. What you do next requires finesse.

First, start by going through the text, sentence by sentence, highlighting each unsubstantiated claim. For each loose statement, find corroborating support from third-party materials. It’s useful to go through media coverage of a launch, grabbing tidbits from press releases that reporters have repurposed, as well as original commentary or analyst opinions. After you validate each statement through these references, your work is done. You can remove the code at the top of the editing box that flags an article, and save the page.

Ongoing Wikipedia management

It’s not enough to create a company page and then let the Wikipedia community speak for your company. Here at Bhava, we believe it’s important for companies to play a proper role in the accuracy and completeness of their Wikipedia page, adding content with each relevant announcement and compelling milestone. Important hires, product announcements, and media and analyst coverage should all be considered fodder for ongoing Wikipedia updates.

Kate Frost is an account manager at Bhava Communications. A version of this story originally ran on the agency's blog.

10 essentials of Twitter etiquette

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:51:02 GMT

This is the first installment of a series in which PR Daily will look at decorum for brands and individuals to employ when using various social media channels and platforms.

Whether tweeting as yourself or from a brand account, there are certain guidelines—let’s call them rules of the road—by which we all must abide. When people don’t follow proper Twitter etiquette, we all cringe, it’s awkward, everyone feels deflated, and you just look unenlightened.

So here are 10 Twitter etiquette rules:

Always add value. This can’t be stressed enough. Everything you tweet should add value to your followers’ day. This rule applies especially to brands, but you should follow it in your personal tweets as well. We’ve come so far from the days when everyone made the joke that Twitter was just a collection of what people ate for breakfast. Don’t drag the platform back to those days—unless what you had for breakfast was truly remarkable, in which case there had better be a pic!

#Dont #Overuse #Hashtags #In #Your #Tweets #It #Looks #Ridiculous #Stick #To #Three #Or #Fewer #TwitterEtiquette Need we say more? No? Good, ‘cuz we’re out of space.

A follow-back is nice, but it’s not required. It’s not a bad idea to follow influential users and people who frequently retweet or comment on your post, but don’t feel that you have to follow everyone who follows you.

Don’t just tweet headlines and links. I realize it’s easier to just send out a headline of a relevant article with a link, but if you really want to add value, give your take on the article or pull out some interesting quote or nugget from it. The exception might be news organizations and publishing companies, but a good rule to follow is to go beyond the headline. Think of it like a shopping mall food court. Sure, the bourbon chicken is listed on the menu at the Chinese food kiosk, but it’s not until you try the sample that you really take notice.

[RELATED: Hear how top companies adapted to the digital PR industry changes at this August event.]

The people you follow say something about you. This may be a personal thing, but I like to ensure that the people I follow are relevant and adding value. You’d be surprised—especially if you’ve been using the platform for some time—at how many of the people you follow add no value. SocialBro is a great tool to help you clean up your following list. Twitter frowns upon following/unfollowing en masse. What does this have to do with etiquette? If you’re invited to a dinner party with a plus-one, you’re going to want to make sure the person you bring is an engaging guest, not a total mess.

No manual retweets. If you manually put “RT” in your tweet and just copy/paste a person’s thoughts, you’re seen as stealing that user’s thunder. It’s a small thing, and some might disagree, but few will question the use of the handy retweet button. Do a quick search on “manual retweet” in Twitter, and watch the hatred spew forth.

No automatic DMs. I’m surprised that this is still done, but about once a month I’ll get a DM thanking me for the follow and claiming that he or she is excited to connect with me. Don’t need it. Come to think about it, no one should do anything automated on Twitter. (Please see next item.)

Avoid automation if possible. Scheduling tweets is tricky. It’s not the worst thing in the world, as long as the tweets still sound human and there’s someone to engage with people once the tweets are sent, but something about it just feels icky.

Avoid negativity. Criticism of a thing, a piece of media, or something inanimate is OK if you know what you’re talking about, but criticizing individuals opens a door that you don’t want to walk through in social media. Keep it positive, and you’ll never have a problem. Go negative, and not much good will happen.

If you have to write “spoiler alert,” maybe just don’t tweet it. Writing “spoiler alert” in a post almost guarantees that you’ll spoil something for someone.

So, there you have a batch of guidelines for you and your followers to follow. (That’s a hint, by the way: Please tweet the link to this article, adding a comment of your own, of course. Always add value.)

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Social media secrets you can’t miss

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:50:52 GMT

No debate. Social media MUST be a huge part of your communications.

Learn to use it to bond with employees, boost media coverage and engage customers at our Social Media Boot Camp for Corporate Communicators. We’ve made it easy to attend with two dates and locations:

- Sept. 20 at the TransAlta HQ in Calgary
- Oct. 7 at the BC Hydro HQ in Vancouver

See the full agenda here.

Get must-use ideas for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, blogging sites, Pinterest and wiki pages. See how others use these tools to re-charge their business and connect with customers as well as employees.

Join Mark Ragan, CEO of Ragan Communications, for this one-day workshop and walk away with the ability to:

· Get new ideas: Interact with customers on social media;
· Drive employee activity in internal communications with social media;
· Deal with crises instantly on social media;
· Build your social media presence without busting your budget;
· Increase blogger outreach to boost media coverage.

You’ll come back to the office with tactics that will produce immediate results. You’ll know how to persuade execs that expanded social media is vital for your business.

Don’t take our word for it. Here’s what one attendee said:

“I enjoyed the nitty-gritty, down-in-the-trenches tips and practical advice. Engaging, entertaining, informed and credible.”

Register now to secure your promotional discount!

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The 5 most popular stories on PR Daily this week

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:48:24 GMT

Here are the five most widely read stories this week on PR Daily:

20 pieces of advice every young professional should follow

What 9 Internet trends mean for PR

The best—and worst—times to post to social media

9 non-PR skills every PR professional needs

Marketing agencies will disappear in 10 years, study says

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HGTV’s American-flag ‘tablecloth’ draws outrage

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:47:55 GMT

In a segment about table settings for the Fourth of July, an article on Home and Garden Television’s website suggested that an American flag would make “a bright and festive table runner.” The article even noted the flag should be nylon to avoid staining from spills, so the flag could be flown later.

The result? Bombs bursting in air, so to speak.

“It's Flag Day,” one commenter wrote on HGTV’s Facebook page. “Let me guess - HGTV is going to celebrate by burning one today?”

Quite a few of the recent comments on HGTV’s Facebook page lash out at the cable network over the flag suggestion, which hit Fox News Radio on Wednesday and then spread to Gawker and other sites.

Gawker caught this comment about the suggestion: “No one dies for a table cloth.”

HGTV apologized in a Facebook post, saying:

“This was a regrettable use of our flag and it never should have happened. We sincerely apologize and have removed the post from our website. We want to assure our fans that HGTV is proud of the American flag and everything it symbolizes for our people.”

The original post on HGTV’s website suggesting the flag tablecloth appears to have been taken down.

[RELATED: Hear how top companies adapted to the digital PR industry changes at this August event.]

HGTV’s Facebook apology earned more than 2,200 “likes,” though quite a few of the nearly 800 commenters who replied didn’t seem satisfied.

“While I appreciate your willingness to apologize after so many Americans pointed out your mistake, I am still more than disappointed that you weren't knowledgeable enough before the fact,” said one commenter.

Others took the opportunity to offer additional gripes.

“I can accept their apology for this one, but what I can't accept or stomach, are endless endless reruns of ‘Love it Or List It,’” one person chimed in. “God I'm sick of that show. What happened to Candice Olsen or Sarah Richardson?”

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The new flex balance: Staying connected on vacation

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:53:15 GMT

Is it possible to “turn it all off” while on vacation?

Apparently not.

For those of us working in the PR, marketing, or digital worlds, disconnecting from work is rarely an option; staying plugged in is now an accepted career requirement.

Gone are the days of leaving the office behind and later returning with a post-vacation glow, sifting through the little phone message slips, and easing back into work mode.

That behavior is a thing of the past. Personal devices, Wi-Fi, and businesses’ relying on digital platforms have increased the necessity of staying connected. Further, the communications industry is rife with professionals running startups and small consultancies; being cut off from business even for just a few days can mean putting out fires for the next week.

Rather than bemoan the need to check in, many North American professionals I talked to felt more relaxed by staying tuned into work. Here’s how they do it:

Stop, look, but don’t respond: Being in touch doesn’t mean you have to respond to email; staying informed is often enough to maintain peace of mind while travelling.

“I think unplugging is tough on vacation, especially because I want to have my phone to look at other things,” says Justin Goldsborough, SVP at FleishmanHillard in Kansas City. “I have tried to make a habit of reading emails to keep up to speed during downtime but not responding to them; I can stay educated, but no one expects me to do anything.”

[RELATED: Learn how companies like NASCAR drive engagement with content marketing at Ragan’s Content Summit.]

Pre-vacation prep: Returning to a mountain of emails or languishing projects can make you forget you even went on vacation. Stacy O’Rourke, communications manager with Nova Scotia Provincial Lotteries and Casino Corp., preps as many projects as possible in advance.

“It's a bit of extra work before I leave, but it helps me to relax while I am away; as well as being able to hit the ground running when I come back.”

The new blogging reality: What about bloggers? Those who have carved a living out by blogging find it extremely difficult, if not downright stressful, to turn off—especially when traveling on behalf of tourist boards. Press trips often have rigorous schedules that don’t afford much sleep.

“I have moved away from live-tweeting,” says renowned food and travel blogger Andrew Dobson of DobbernationLoves. “I’ve learned to really stay in the present, then taking an hour or so at the end of the day to share my favorite experience. Ever since I adopted this technique I've felt a lot less stressed while on press trips. Allowing myself to be more present also reflects the quality and detail in my writing, too.”

Always on call: Running a tech startup means always being on call, even when you have a business partner. Rebecca Levey, co-founder with Nancy Rabinowitz Friedman of the popular tween site KidzVuz, is keenly aware of this. “I wish I could take a week off and completely disengage, but right now there are just the two of us making all the decisions.

“After we closed our round of financing, one of our investors said, ‘No more vacations for you!’ and that’s been totally true for me.”

Window of opportunity: If you want to respond to clients/colleagues, create a window of opportunity when they can contact you. Everyone will respect your commitment to the business, but they’ll also respect your need to enjoy your time off.

"Prior to going on vacation, I socialize my itinerary with my clients so they know my level of accessibility,” says Peter Cosentino, president of DEC Sports & Entertainment Marketing in Toronto. “I then allow myself a 30-minute window every morning to check emails and respond. I feel better knowing I have dealt with any issues that may arise as I turn all my electronics off for the balance of the day."

Staying wired = peace of mind: Observers may look with disdain at those tapping out messages while lounging at a seaside café. For others, it means peace of mind.

“Ten minutes of plugged-in time equals a full day of R&R,” says Holly Roy, principal at Pumpkin PR in Edmonton, Alberta. “Knowing that everything is going smoothly on the work front—which is almost always the case—is well worth the quick reconnection.

8 guidelines for a great blog

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:47:25 GMT

If you're not confident in your writing skills, can you still be a great blogger?

Let's be honest. Good writing matters. But there are a few simple ideas any one can learn to dramatically improve the quality of their blog posts.

Let's take a look at a few tricks of the trade that are explored in detail in a new book I've co-authored with Stanford Smith called "Born to Blog":

Read it out loud

"I feel like you're talking to me."

That's common feedback I receive about my books and blog posts. If you can't write, you can still talk, right? I suggest that you literally read your blog posts aloud before publishing. If something does not roll off the tongue in a natural and conversational way, change it.

Cut, cut, cut

The biggest problem I see in the guest posts I receive is that they are far too wordy. Eliminate every word and sentence that does not move the story along. If your post is more than 1,000 words that is a sure danger sign.

[RELATED: Master the can't-ignore social media tools after Mark Ragan's one day social media boot camp.]

Write upside down

In school and at work, we are taught to write linearly—with a beginning, a middle, and an end. That usually does not work in the blogging world, because people don't have the patience to wait for your conclusion. Start with the conclusion, and then explain it. I see too many posts that do not get to the guts of the issue until you are one-third down the page.

The beginning matters

Spend time creating an accurate, interesting headline. If your headline does not compel people to "click," they will never even get to the blog post. Create an opening sentence that grabs people by the throat and makes them read what you have to say.

Get another view

Do you have a close friend or family member who can write? Why not at least run posts by them for a few weeks to help you improve?

Don't just write; rewrite

Here's a simple but magical trick I've learned to be a better writer. Let it sit a few days.

I don't know how or why, but I might think something is really great, yet when I return to it after a few days I see so many obvious ways it can be improved.

I rarely "crank out" a blog post. They usually gestate a few days, sometimes even a few weeks.

This a gentle art, though. You can't let it sit there until it is "perfect," because that will never happen. At the end of the day, the most important characteristic of a successful blogger is having the courage to push that publish button.

Get help

I do not enjoy auto mechanics. So, I hire a professional who can get the job done right at a fraction of the cost and time compared with my trying to hack through a repair.

If you don't enjoy writing, you're going to suck at blogging. But maybe you still have a desire or a legitimate business reason to blog. I think it is a perfectly viable option to hire a professional writer to help you. Provide a purpose statement for a blog post and three or four key bullet points, and let a professional work his or her magic.

Start

You cannot become a great blog writer in one day, in one week, or one month. It takes experience and practice. You will get better, faster, and more effective over time as you find "your voice," get feedback from your community, and figure out your own system. Starting is the hardest part, but to become a competent writer, there is no choice.

I'm 100 percent convinced that almost anybody can be a successful blogger with the right framework, dedication and attitude. I hope these insider tricks help and that you take the leap.

What tips and tricks would you add to help a beginner blogger?

A version of this article first appeared on Mark Schaefer's {grow}.

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The 8 most annoying social media personalities

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:51:38 GMT

Social media is part of our everyday life. It gives us a convenient platform to share personal insights and happenings with family and friends.

However, some people intentionally or unintentionally abuse social media, inflicting negativity, anxiety, and unhappiness on others.

[RELATED: American Red Cross, UNICEF and other nonprofit organizations will spill their social media secrets at this September summit.]

Without further ado, let me present the eight most annoying personalities on social media:

1. The enthusiastic stranger

This type wants to chat with you so much that he or she will ask about your hobby, your occupation, the name of your pet, your parents, where you like to go on your next vacation, and so on to infinity. He or she will just keep on "building the rapport" with you to a point where it gets a little freaky. Best way to deal with enthusiastic strangers? Block them.

2. The 'every day is a bad day' ranter

Don't let negative people bring you down. The ranter complains about everything under the sun; negativity can sour your mood, so avoid the ranter as much as possible. Help if you can, but try not to be brought down in the process.

3. The anonymous stalker

Though we have heard from a lot of people saying that social media means that we are more open now, you still have to keep a little bit of privacy and space for yourself. Parents of children and young teens, beware.

4. The shadow backstabber

Hidden in the shadow of anonymity, your co-worker might be waiting patiently for the opportunity for you to air your dirty laundry or rant about work; once you do that, the backstabbing could begin at any time.

5. The "why you didn't like my posts" dude

This happened to my friend recently. An acquaintance (X) whom she met just one time, added her on Facebook. A few days later, X messaged my friend to "like" his Facebook page. Well, my friend ignored his request as she is not interested in his Facebook page. X messaged her again. This time, my friend told X explicitly that she is not interested in his page. X then messaged her several times to ask her for the reasons why she dislikes his page. To make a long story short, my friend unfriended X.

Story's over, right? Not so fast. X called my friend on the phone and asked her why she "unfriended" him on Facebook. (I then advised my friend to call the police.)

You won't die if people do not like your page, your posts, your tweets, your pins, and other social media updates. Do not obsess about the social media thing. Move on.

6. The announcer of literally everything

Sometimes we get people posting these nothing updates:

"Hi, all. I am now at the barber."

"Wow, I just woke up from sleep!"

"I bought a pen! Cool, right?"

"Hey, friends, you know what? Lisa fell down and has a small bruise on her knee!"

If an event is exciting, or an insight new and interesting, then tell the world. However, if your "updates" are generally boring or banal, try not to overdo it.

7. The hard-selling "friend"

Sometimes it is difficult to reject a friend, but if the "friend" has the intention of profiting from you, then he or she cannot be a true friend. A true friend will never hard-sell anything to another, so just ignore these hard-selling people online.

8. The ruthless critic

Ruthless critics are dream killers. It's fine to accept constructive criticism, but not a personal attack in the guise of advice from a friend.

Well, there you have them: the eight most annoying personalities on social media. Ignore or avoid them if possible; do not let them stress you out or taint your mood.

Jacky Tan is a professional writer who teaches modern marketing and social media skills that are not taught in textbooks. A version of this article first appeared on Marketing Strategy Expert.