I’ve had a lifelong aversion to being the center of attention, and there’s no time where you’re more on display than when you’re speaking in public. I’ve been increasingly more comfortable with it over time, but it’s still nothing that I’ve ever actively sought out.
Yesterday, I had to deliver my branding and messaging presentation to [...]
Clarifying Complex Ideas
Category Archives: marketing
Public Speaking: The Center of Attention
Branding a Nonprofit
I’ve been involved in countless branding and rebranding projects with various corporations, but most have involved high-priced agencies setting guidelines while those of us on the ground try to finesse them in real-world applications. But it’s rare to have the opportunity to be involved in a branding and messaging project from the ground floor. That’s [...]
Crisis Communications
It seems like everyone is talking about the quality problems and subsequent fall from grace at Toyota. The most startling, to me, is when someone casually says, “Well, you just know that they’re going to find an email that proves that they knew something was up before they announced it.”
It’s a discussion that follows nearly [...]
The Pen That I Love
I’ve seen lots of ads for the Uni-Ball 207 pen, all focused on prevention of check fraud. What they never seem to mention is that these pens are really great to write with. The ink flows nicely without smearing, and the specialty colors are vibrant and fun.
The orange pen, in particular, is fantastic. It’s as [...]
“Hello, I’m Really Good At…”
If I’ve learned anything at the AMWA conference, it’s that writers are not necessarily marketers. Perhaps more accurately, writers are not self-marketers. I’ve handed out a few dozen business cards and every person has commented on my tagline: “Clarifying complex ideas! That’s fantastic — how did you come up with that?”
Two words: Dyana Valentine.
I met [...]
