Communication, Simplified

Recognizing referrals

2008-05-06T21:20:30Z

Many people are apprehensive when they visit a doctor for the first time. It is comforting to them when they have been referred by a relative or friend who is already a satisfied patient. This was the case recently when a new patient seen in our office mentioned that you recommended us.

That's the start to a really nice letter I received from chiropractor Beth Adams Spencer after sending a yoga-injured patient her way. (I know it's funny, but he was really hurting.)

Dr. Spencer has lots of neat client correspondence. In this case, I'm not even a client, but she thought to send her regards anyway. It's efforts like this that keep small businesses front-of-mind to clients and potential clients, especially while consumers in general are starting to be more mindful of where they spend their pennies.

Three cheers for Dr. Spencer!

April 19: Lisa is speaking at the Clinton County FEST

2008-04-15T15:21:53Z

During the first-ever Clinton County FEST on Saturday, April 19, area business leaders and community members will be able to interact and learn about all of the educational and employment opportunities available to them. Also during the free event, freelance writer, editor, and media relations consultant Lisa Munniksma will be among the presenters with two interactive sessions for attendees and vendors.

At 1:15, Networking: Marketing Yourself will explore networking ideas and how the process of networking can improve career and business opportunities. At 2:15, Promoting Your Business will assist small business owners with options for effectively marketing their products and services to the community.

As a follow-up to her presentations at the Clinton County FEST, Purdue Extension’s Learning Network will host a four-part image-building seminar led by Munniksma. The seminar will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursdays in May (May 1, 8, 15, and 22). Pre-registration is required at $105 for the series or $30 per session.

In four interactive sessions, participants will learn about what contributes to a positive business image, how to examine a company’s or group’s image, and how to present the best image possible to your customers and community. Sessions 1 and 2 will cover your “Garden of Image” and image-building basics. Session 3 is about building an image by working with the media. In Session 4, participants will examine word-of-mouth marketing.

Lisa Munniksma has worked in writing, editing, and media relations since 1996. She’s been published in more than 35 publications and her clients have been featured on television news and profile programs and in trade and consumer magazines and newspapers. Lisa lives in Frankfort, Ind., and makes her home online at www.lisa-writes.com.

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Media mention

2008-04-15T14:39:52Z

Just wanted to direct you to the April 11 issue of Doug Emerson's "Profitable Horseman" newsletter.

In writing about the impact that today's economy is having on the equine industry, Doug inquired about what we're experiencing in Indiana. I was happy to provide some input that's less depressing than what's being heard from mainstream news outlets, although I believe the outlook can be described best as cautiously optimistic.

Is that a gelding?

2008-04-14T18:22:31Z

My horse Rooster and I had a great time at Linda Black's "Softer Side of Horsemanship" clinic this weekend at Cross 9 Ranch. I arrived on Friday afternoon along with my friend Susan. We quickly found ourselves helping out with farm chores, and soon after that, I stumbled upon the fodder for this blog post.

We were asked to move several horses to different pastures and to bring one horse back to the barn. No problem. With a few decades of horse experience between us, certainly we're over-qualified for leading around a few horses. We sent the first group of horses to their new locations without a hitch.

The original instructions for the second group of horses was that we were to put the mares that were in the paddock on the side of the barn in another larger pasture. We were supposed to leave Roy, the Palomino gelding, in that lot. We headed outside and looked at the three horses there. I knew all but one: CJ, Dolly, and a Palomino horse. I didn't think the Palomino was Roy, and I asked Susan, "Is that a gelding?" She said yes, so I figured it'd just been a while since I saw these horses (it had been since the fall, at least).

We delivered the two mares we knew and checked in again to see if there was anything else we could help with. We were asked why we didn't move the Palomino horse.

"Isn't that Roy," we both asked. Nope. The horse we left in the paddock was a mare. Roy is a gelding. Someone else already took care of him.

When I asked her about the gelding, Susan thought I asked whether Roy was a gelding, not whether that horse in the paddock was a gelding. How simple is that miscommunication? I thought I was clear in my question; but she gave me the answer to the question she thought I was asking. It's amazing how many times communication glitches like that happen with our horses, our customers, and our family and friends.

The good thing about horses, family, and friends is they (most) always forgive you; customers don't always forgive.

Award-winning magazines

2008-04-04T11:27:18Z

I write for a really wide variety of publications, and I love the range of assignments they provide. Every day and every article is different. I also love the reputation that many of these publications hold.

Just yesterday, I received an e-mail from my editor at Lafayette Magazine saying the publication took third place in the Best of Gannett competition. This magazine is only a year old, but it's been well received in the community, and now it's being recognized by the industry.

Last year, Hoof Beats magazine won the General Excellence award for Association or Subsidized Magazine(circulation under 15,000) from American Horse Publications. Barrel Horse News won General Excellence for Best Tabloid/Newspaper--admittedly, I wasn't writing for them during this awards period, but it's exciting, nonetheless. Equine Veterinary Management received a General Excellence honorable mention for Self-Supported Magazine (circulation under 15,000). Western Horseman received a General Excellence honorable mention as Self-Supported Magazine (circulation 15,000 and over)--again, I started writing for them just this year.

There are other measures of merit that are worth paying more attention to, most important being reader and source satisfaction--getting the story right and making it useful. This week, I got a note from someone whose business we profiled in The Indianapolis Star's "Suburban Homescape" section. She offered to send a small token of appreciation. We don't accept gifts, but her thanks was a nice reward.

Family affairs

2008-03-20T13:26:55Z

I am thankful to have had the opportunity to speak about image building and word-of-mouth marketing at the "Marketing Made Easy" seminar in Plymouth, Ind., on Tuesday. We had a good turnout of agricultural-business owners who wanted to learn how to better inform the public of the products and services they provide. I love talking with groups like this because their businesses are literally their lives. These folks are hungry for this kind of information.

I was taken by the passion they all exhibited for their businesses. In the beginning, the coordinator asked everyone to go around the room and tell us about themselves. The first participant to introduce himself first told us his name. Then he told us about his children. Right there, I knew this group was going to be different. This wasn't just a crowd of small business owners who are in business because they thought they would enjoy it--although they are doing it for that reason, too. This was a crowd of people whose whole families were involved in their businesses.

When your business is more than just a place you go to every day, you exhibit a passion that others don't regularly experience. I believe this passion is communicated to your customers. It shows in your products and services. I encouraged them to never lose that passion, because that's what will set them apart from others in their field.

The $5 fight

2008-03-14T08:27:54Z

My husband and I recently joined a fitness center. We paid approximately an arm, a leg, and the promise of our first-born child for the privilege of sweating off our tails for the next two years. After a few weeks of attending, Brad remarked that their customer service isn't the best. I agreed, but then, of all of the gyms I've ever belonged to, I've never found customer service to be a priority.

Just this week, we received our permanent membership cards in the mail. It's funny that I have a monster last name, which was spelled correctly, while Brad's last name is 1/3 shorter, much more common, and they managed to spell it wrong. Sure, it's just a gym membership card. But having your name spelled correctly on a document that you paid two weeks' salary for is, in my opinion, your right as a customer.

Brad went to the gym on Wednesday and asked the employee at the counter if he could get a new card. He explained they spelled his name wrong. The employee told Brad sure, no problem. For $5. I wish I was there when this happened. I'd have taken a picture of Brad's face to post here.

Brad tells him that it's the club's mistake. The employee, apparently unaware of his idiocy, says, but $5 is what it costs for a new card. Brad's just about ready to ask for a manager (Again, I recognize that this is not that big of a deal--We're operating on principle.) when a manager walks up to the counter. So, the employee tells him the problem. The manager says they'll absolutely fix the card; after all, it was their mistake.

I hope they fix their customer service training, too. Isn't it common sense that the customer is always right, especially when you're wrong?

Geeky punctuation humor

2008-03-12T11:45:40Z

Huge thank you to my friend Karen who sent along this link to a New York Times article. It's possible only big writing geeks (sorry, Karen) like us would get a kick out of it. "Celebrating the Semicolon in a Most Unlikely Location" is a full story about semicolon use on New York City Transit signage. It's fantastic--both the article and the agency's use of punctuation.

In an even geekier twist of irony, the article quotes "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" author Lynne Truss but mispunctuates the title of her book. If you've read that book--and you really need to, because it's not often a book about punctuation can make you laugh out--you know why proper placement of the comma in the title is so important. The New York Times did realize its error and run a correction.

It's just a good day for punctuation humor.

New class: "Marketing Made Easy" on March 18

2008-03-05T14:29:28Z

According to the 2002 United States Department of Agriculture Census, Indiana had 3,205 farm with direct sales valued at $17,968,000. That's a lot of carrots!

Recognizing that sellers and direct-to-consumer producers need to seek new ways to market their farm products, Purdue Extension and the Purdue New Ventures Team put together "Marketing Made Easy," a day-long seminar to assist them in creating a successful marketing plan.

When: March 18, 2008, from 9-4

Where: Marshall County Extension Office in Plymouth, Indiana

Cost: $20; additional members from the same operation or family are $10. Cost includes handouts, refreshments, and Indiana Resource Guide for Agritourism

Schedule:
8:30-9:00  Registration

Program: It Begins with You
9:00-9:15  Welcome and introductions
9:15-9:30 Marketing 101: What is it, really?
9:30-9:45  Creating your Marketing Action Plan
9:45-10:30  Locally Grown...Organic...Why Buys What?
                    By Kris Parker, Purdue Extension Educator in Economic and Community Development, Porter County
10:30-11:00  Break
11:00-11:15  Creating your Elevator Statement
                      By Kelly Easterday, Purdue Extension Educator in Agriculture and Natural Resources, Kosciusko County

Program: A Promotional Campaign that Results in Sales
11:15-12:15  Garden of Image
                      By Lisa Munniksma, freelance writer and marketing consultant
12:15-1:00  Lunch
1:00-2:00  Build Better Buzz: Word of mouth marketing
                  By Lisa Munniksma, freelance writer and marketing consultant
2:00-2:15  Break
2:15-2:30  Indiana Market Maker program
2:30-3:30  Where are you Going and How will you get There?
                  By Jennifer Dennis, Purdue Extension, via IP video
3:30 Review your Marketing Action Plan

Check out full details and registration info in the Marketing Made Easy brochure.

Registrations are due by March 12! Contact Kelly Easterday at 574-372-2340 or keasterday@purdue.edu.

High-resolution digital photography

2008-02-29T17:02:24Z

Who doesn't love digital photography? The technology has become inexpensive enough that it's available to the masses. It's become low-tech enough that anyone can learn to use it. There's no film, so there's no worry that it's going to cost you a fortune to develop your images (until, of course, you actually decide to develop your images).

That question isn't hypothetical, though: Who doesn't love digital photography? Editors and writers like me who have to deal with people who don't understand digital photography.

I'm sometimes asked to gather photos for the stories I write. Sometimes it's a matter of just going to my barn and taking pictures with my Canon 20D. That's easy enough, it's fun, and I'll know I'll get the shots I want. I don't love digital photography, though, when I have to work with sources and product reps who don't understand the resolution requirements of the publications I work with. Here's a quick tutorial, in case you're not familiar:

Photos are actually made up of teeny-tiny colored dots. When you publish a website, you can use very low resolution photos, and they look just fine because of the configuration of computer screen resolution. When we print photos in a publication--magazine, newspaper, brochure--the photos need to have so many dots per inch (dpi) in order to print crisp and correct. The minimum resolution for most of the publications I work with is 300 dpi. Lower than that, and Foxy's face will be fuzzy.

People who don't know the difference tend to set their digital cameras on the lowest setting. They figure that the images will be easier to work with (smaller files e-mail easier and upload to websites faster), and they realize they can get more images on a photo card because lower quality photos consume less memory. What they end up with is a lot of tiny, fuzzy images for personal use. What I end up with is nothing that's suitable to print.

High resolution, folks, is the way to go! Just spend the extra money on the larger memory card. Better yet, buy two in case one of them fails. And please, please don't argue with me when I ask for a better-quality image. I'm usually not knocking your photography skills; I'm just looking for something that's suitable to print. I'm not making up this 300 dpi rule, I swear.

There'll be more on this, as patience allows. I can only take so much low-res talk in one day before I start cursing.

Above all, formatting?

2008-02-27T12:01:32Z

Today's students won't really get this post, but anyone who went to school before everyone had a laptop can appreciate it.

I used to dread the writing assignments given in English class. It wasn't the writing that I hated (thank goodness, given my chosen profession) but all of the pressure surrounding the formatting of the assignment. It had to be typed and double-spaced. There were to be two spaces after a period, one space between paragraphs, and a one-tab indent to start the paragraph. Oh, and don't forget the clear plastic report cover with the rigid plastic spine.

I was reminded of this formatting non-sense when my husband came across some old school projects in a box upstairs. He showed me his essay on foreshadowing, aptly titled "My Essay on Foreshadowing." I don't know what his final grade was, but I noticed he got a lot of points deducted because of formatting errors. The one that really gets me is five points off for the cover page. I guess "English Period 4, Teacher: Miss Lyons" was supposed to be spaced down to the bottom of the page, rather than centered along with his title, name, and date.

No kidding kids hate English class! As a recovering perfectionist (OK, slowly recovering perfectionist), I remember the terror of hitting the wrong key on the keyboard (OK, watching my mom hit the wrong key on the keyboard). I remember the words flowing like mad. But I remember more the worry over how well I formatted my paper.

Maybe kids would enjoy the creativity and release that putting words to paper can bring them if they didn't have to worry about how many points would be deducted for using the wrong size font. I'm sure part of the thinking behind the formatting rules is to instill in us the ability to follow directions. I wonder, though, if my average writing audience would be reading above an eighth-grade level if we were taught more about the art and craft of the English language and less about counting returns.

Opening the lines of communication

2008-02-25T18:00:15Z

Back to the Midwest Women in Agriculture conference, our lunch speaker on the last day was Jane Ade Stevens of the Indiana Soybean Alliance. She talked about what's "hot" in agriculture. It turns out, what's new, hip, and fly is communication. Watch me try to curb my excitement while someone talks about two of my favorite things (communication and agriculture, in case you didn't know) in the same sitting!

Jane issued a challenge to everyone in the room: In the next year, she wants everyone to get to know one local policy maker by name. Just one, but make it a good connection.

The issue is this: agriculture isn't going away. Neither is urban sprawl. This combination means agriculturally uneducated people will continue moving into agricultural territory. As we've seen repeatedly in the recent past, once urbanites get there, they're probably going to try to oust the farmers. Sometimes it's greed and selfishness, but more often it's stereotypes and ignorance.

Developing relationships and opening lines of communication are the only ways for the people who are disconnected to agriculture to understand agricultural practices and appreciate what this industry contributes to the community. These communication lines are better off initiated by the farmers--much to their collective dismay--because proactive beats reactive in nearly every hand.

What are you passionate about? Think about your cause--an industry, charity, or issue that you feel strongly about--and think about how you can better communicate it to your community citizens and leaders. Get to know one local policy maker by name. Learn about them on a professional and a personal level. Open or strengthen your lines of communication, and challenge everyone you know to do the same. Look back in a year, and see how far your cause has come. I can only hope the women eating lunch with me that day will do the same.

Techno-overload

2008-02-22T22:01:53Z

For as much as I preach free publicity, I sure do have a lot to learn about all that's available to bloggers. Do you use Technorati as a means of visibility for your blog? I'm giving it a go. Apparently, I need to write a post (hence, this post) and paste in code for a Technorati Profile and viola, I'm ready to be crawled by Technorati spiders.

If you do the Technorati thing, let me know how it's going for you. And if you wouldn't mind giving me a nod on the site, I would appreciate you sharing the ...

Grace

2008-02-22T15:37:28Z

I am just back from two days at the Midwest Women in Agriculture conference. I met great women who are each finding paths through the challenges posed by lives immersed in agriculture. Some of them grew up in farming families as children and are dedicated to raising their own kids in the same environment. Some of them are "city girls" who married farm boys and are adjusting to life in rural America. Others were like me, involved in agriculture in a peripheral manner, through profession or hobby.

One thing I got from most everyone I was able to talk with was her sense of spirituality. There was not a whole lot of shallowness in the gathering. When you rely on Mother Nature to provide for your livelihood, it's difficult to go it alone. Before meals, we were asked to observe a moment of silence--I've honestly never heard a room of 150 women go quiet like that before!

Kelly Easterday, a Purdue University Extension educator from Kosciusko County, Indiana, requested: "Let's please take a moment of silence and return thanks in your own way."

That was the nicest way I'd ever been led into a moment of prayer or observance. Allowing everyone to recognize her faith on her own was totally unassuming and brought together the whole group without imposing on anyone.

Showing some love to your colleagues, partners, and employees

2008-02-18T11:31:27Z

Kris Taylor is a consultant who assists corporations in change management. I've gotten to know Kris and her business through my Association of Women Business Owners group. I appreciate the way Kris puts her writing skills to work in her marketing. She sends occasional letters to her network--actual "snail mail" letters--with a personal reflection that's somehow impacted her business. It's like blogging via the US Postal Service, and I've not received one yet that's wasn't worth the read.

This month's letter centers around Valentine's Day and February as the month we focus on love. She closes her letter with a list of ways you can "show some love at work."

With Kris's permission, I share that with you here:

What if you…
• Sent a personal note of appreciation to 2 people at work each week
• Had a surprise indoor picnic to break the winter blues
• Sent your team home early on Friday after meeting a very big goal
• Created a space where people could post photos of their loved ones
• Challenge everyone in your next meeting to share as many positive thoughts as they can in three minutes
• Decorate the break room and bring in some special treats
• Asked your customers what they appreciate about your team’s work and shared that information in very visible ways
• Made breakfast for your staff
• Had an ice cream social
• Passed out Kudos candy bars when your team reaches a goal or milestone
• Sent a gift or thank you to the spouses / families in appreciation for their support of long hours put into a project or heavy work time
• Start a meeting by sharing what you appreciate about each person there
• Have people share what they “love” about work at the start of a meeting
• Take one employee to lunch each week for some positive one on one time
• Schedule an afternoon recess one day – 20 minutes of a fun, physical activity
• Send Thank You balloons to recognize an accomplishment
• Asked each person on your team how they like to be recognized and then followed through during the year at appropriate times
• Gave 4 positive statements for every negative one
• Have a group laugh – two minutes of steady laughter together
• Create a team birthday celebration ritual
• Play hooky one afternoon and do something fun together
• Found a way to unleash the power of appreciation and had a team that loved their work

I first explored this idea in my Saying Thank You post almost a year ago. Thanks, Kris, for letting me revisit this incredibly important and so often overlooked idea!

Who, what, when, where, and why still apply

2008-01-31T19:26:27Z

It seems many "rules" surrounding writing press releases and advertising copy have been shattered, largely because of the new social mores that the Internet imposes. One rule that should never, ever be overlooked is the simple rule of clearly communicating the facts:

Who is affected by your news?
What is your news?
When is/did your news taking/take place?
Where is/did your news taking/take place?
Why should the audience care?

While the ideas might not be presented in that order, they should still be presented in your message.

I was disappointed when I received an ad via e-mail today from a "partner" of a magazine I write for. It's promoting the "BIGGEST Sales Event of the Year" (including those caps, which must mean it's really big, right?). The company is holding an open house to celebrate. They give the dates, time, and the why I should care. I have no idea where the event is being held, though. There's also no contact information for me to ask questions. If I click on the ad embedded in the e-mail, I think I'll be taken to the company website (I haven't tried it), but what if I want to call instead?

The company advertising here is a fairly reputable company in their industry. If they can forget to employ these rules, certainly others can, too. I'm sure the magazine charged a decent amount to use their good name and their mailing list. I think it could've been money better spent if they'd included just those few other details.

Plain 'ol English

2008-01-30T13:35:59Z

I love the "Plain talk pays off for public, agencies" article written by Amanda Crawford of The Arizona Republic newspaper. The story was picked-up by newspapers nationwide, and I couldn't be happier about their assistance in spreading the word: Real people don't understand bureaucratic language. That goes for corporate speak and technical jargon, as well.

The gist of the article is that Arizona has saved thousands of dollars by rewording government correspondence. By rewriting just 100 form letters, they've found higher customer service ratings, better compliance, and fewer people asking the same questions. Their residents actually understand what's being asked of them.

Three cheers for Arizona and the other states that have gotten on board the plain-language movement!

Familee Nite Tusday

2008-01-24T19:40:19Z

Would you take your kids to a restaurant whose marquee displayed that message?

I wished I had my camera with me last night as I drove past a fairly reputable national-franchise fast-food restaurant that displayed "Familee Nite Tusday" on its sign. This isn't a case of the letters falling off because of the wind--the sign bordering a major state road is digital.

Being borderline psychopathic about these things, I checked the sign again--certainly the words must be spelled this way because they didn't have enough space for all of the letters to fit. Unfortunately, there was room for all of the letters with the words spelled correctly. Even if there wasn't, an acceptable abbreviation of that day of the week is "Tues." I'd even let it pass if it were without the period.

If only digital marquees had spell check!

Just how far can you push a writer?

2008-01-18T22:16:00Z

Pet peeve: sources who insist on seeing an article they've been interviewed for. Maybe it's wrong of me to hate it, but I just do.

Sometimes, sure, I'd like to have someone look at my story, see if I've overlooked anything major or mis-stated a fact. This is especially true when I'm doing veterinary-related articles--I'd hate to provide information that could injure someone's animal. When it comes to things like careers or real estate, I probably have the subject covered. It's not like an editor is going to publish something that's blatantly incorrect (OK, that happens, too, but not usually.).

If there's a controversial slant to the article, I can see someone wanting to see how they're portrayed. Then again, if you said it, you said it. If you don't want to be portrayed as pro-this or anti-that, you should've declined the interview.

For the most part, when a source insists on seeing an article, it's for vanity's sake. They just want to be sure their quote sounds good. They might like to rewrite parts that have nothing to do with them. I've even had them try to rewrite others' quotes. I've just been burned too many times by this to feel good about sending off my story before I submit it.

I do sometimes let sources review, even when I don't feel like they have to. Sometimes I get good feedback, and sometimes I get garbage that I dismiss. Luckily, as the writer, I can dismiss it. I just feel like if they think they can do my job better, they should give it a try under their own byline, not mine.

I recently ran into a situation that got under my skin. I had two articles due one morning. They were both on the short side and both about related topics. I knew I could get them done in a relatively short period of time. I had two sources who wanted to e-mail me their responses (which I happen to love). Neither one, it turns out, got their responses e-mailed to me in the time that I'd asked--I did have a plan to write these articles on the evening before they were due and then to polish and turn in the stories the next morning. Sucks that they didn't get them in when I'd hoped, but it wasn't the end of the world.

What pushed my buttons was one of the sources asked me in her e-mail to read the article before submission. Thank goodness I was under no obligation to deliver. Here, she'd turned in the information late, so I had to scramble and do last-minute story construction the morning they were due, and she turned in the information in writing. Exactly what did she think I was going to screw up between her e-mail and my article? Ugh. It still bothers me.

To answer the question posed in the title, you probably shouldn't be asking how far to push, rather how can you help the writer get her story done well and by deadline. Insisting on seeing the story before publication will probably not win you points.

Less is almost always more

2008-01-17T16:50:11Z

I attended a Professionals in Communications lunch on Tuesday. The panel discussion was "writing for the ear." Radio- and speech-writing professionals talked about the differences in writing for reading and writing for speaking. It was an interesting topic for someone like me who does both.

One speaker got a chuckle from the group when he said, "I'm sure you've had a client who insists that more words are better."

Um, yes.

He went on to say that there is a misconception out there that if your audience can't understand your message, you need to keep adding words until they do. I wanted to march him out of the room and down the crowded street with a bullhorn so he could better spread the word:

Less is almost always more.

If your audience can't understand your message, find another way to craft your message, don't just keep adding words to it. At that rate, they'll never be able to understand what you're saying, let alone remember and act upon it later.

Another of the speakers talked about a script he wrote for a 90-second radio spot. That's a long period of time to fill with a corporate message. He did write the spot and was pretty happy with it--until the client changed their mind. The client decided this message needed to be able to fit into a 60-second spot instead. But they didn't want to cut any words (more knowing laughter from the group). By the time this piece aired, the message sounded like the disclaimers that run at the end of car commercials with a voice running so fast that you really can't comprehend what's being said.

That's what happens when you try to pack your message with too many words. You usually don't make things clearer for your audience. It's likely that the more they have to read or listen to, the less they will understand and remember. That's why I am so interested in my work. It's like a puzzle, trying to find a way to say it all well without saying too much.