I subscribe to the e-newsletter from Jakob Nielsen. He's a Web usability genius and leader in the industry for many many years. I got this exciting (but to me, obvious) news in my inbox today.
Summary:
As 3 studies of journalists show, they use the Web as a major research
tool, exhibit high search dominance, and are impatient with bloated sites
that don't serve their needs or list a PR contact.
What does this tell us, PR people? EVERYTHING. To me, it reinforces my main point in this business, that your Web site is your BEST PR tool. So use it! Use it to your full advantage! At least this is what I'll be telling clients and working toward for the rest of my working life.
For more on the study: http://www.nngroup.com/events
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
My Dad got my computer up and running. I'm going to start working on a site for my sister's photography and photo editing. We sat down and planned out how we want it to look and what we want it to do, drew it all up on paper. Now I just have to make it beautiful and digital.
I have found some good Web site building help sites. This one is my favorite. http://www.tutvid.com/ The guy shows you how to do all the steps in Flash. Not only that, he goes slowly enough and anticipates possible confusion that he explains as he goes. I want to learn the sparkly letter technique (because my sister wants that on her site) and the scrolling pictures technique (because it's awesome). And now my laptop should be running super fast so I can actually do things on it without waiting an entire minute between each click.
Itching to get to work.
I have found some good Web site building help sites. This one is my favorite. http://www.tutvid.com/ The guy shows you how to do all the steps in Flash. Not only that, he goes slowly enough and anticipates possible confusion that he explains as he goes. I want to learn the sparkly letter technique (because my sister wants that on her site) and the scrolling pictures technique (because it's awesome). And now my laptop should be running super fast so I can actually do things on it without waiting an entire minute between each click.
Itching to get to work.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
My Theories
Whitney’s Theories
On user-friendly interfaces:
Pretend there is no BACK button
On social media:
Be available to talk, even if you don’t talk all the time
People are online to look at pictures almost more than they are to network
On PR:
Know what’s going on at all times with all audiences who may have even an ounce of interest in you or your clients- yes, it’s a big job
Have a great Web site. It's the best PR tool.
On design:
If it’s ugly or unprofessional it’s not worth a second look.
No matter what, everything should be nice to look at- smooth, exciting, themed, clear, artistic. That goes for Web sites, books, presentations, essays, pictures, columns, comments, outfits, houses, cuisine, makeup … get the idea? This is my way of saying to do things 100%, especially if they are things other people are going to see.
On relationships:
Just think about what the other person is feeling. And ask every day "Am I being considerate?"
Then make them happy no matter what it takes.
They take work. Like homework. Put in the time, effort and thought and you'll do well. Don't fall behind or you'll get lost.
On family:
They are the ONLY people who will still be around at the end of the day. They are genetically programed to care. (in many cases, anyway)
On food:
Just eat it. Life's too short. But don't pig out.
On exercise:
So easy to imagine doing it, but so hard to actually put your shoes on.
On work:
You will like your job if you love the people you work with.
You only get one life, don't waste it on a job/people who are going to make it miserable.
On politics:
Work for what you want. Don't expect things, earn them. Pay attention. Plan for the future. Protect your interests. Give if you can afford it. Have an open mind.
On user-friendly interfaces:
Pretend there is no BACK button
On social media:
Be available to talk, even if you don’t talk all the time
People are online to look at pictures almost more than they are to network
On PR:
Know what’s going on at all times with all audiences who may have even an ounce of interest in you or your clients- yes, it’s a big job
Have a great Web site. It's the best PR tool.
On design:
If it’s ugly or unprofessional it’s not worth a second look.
No matter what, everything should be nice to look at- smooth, exciting, themed, clear, artistic. That goes for Web sites, books, presentations, essays, pictures, columns, comments, outfits, houses, cuisine, makeup … get the idea? This is my way of saying to do things 100%, especially if they are things other people are going to see.
On relationships:
Just think about what the other person is feeling. And ask every day "Am I being considerate?"
Then make them happy no matter what it takes.
They take work. Like homework. Put in the time, effort and thought and you'll do well. Don't fall behind or you'll get lost.
On family:
They are the ONLY people who will still be around at the end of the day. They are genetically programed to care. (in many cases, anyway)
On food:
Just eat it. Life's too short. But don't pig out.
On exercise:
So easy to imagine doing it, but so hard to actually put your shoes on.
On work:
You will like your job if you love the people you work with.
You only get one life, don't waste it on a job/people who are going to make it miserable.
On politics:
Work for what you want. Don't expect things, earn them. Pay attention. Plan for the future. Protect your interests. Give if you can afford it. Have an open mind.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Dead Squirrel
I am such a softy when it comes to animals- particularly squirrels.
Let me tell you why...
One time my dad brought home an infant squirrel that had fallen from its nest in a parking lot. That squirrel became a part of the family for the next year. We nursed "Rocky" to a healthy adolescence. He was so much fun. I remember having a canopy bed that Rocky would sleep in sometimes. It was a sheer canopy, so when I lay beneath him I could look up and see him curled in a ball where the canopy drooped in the center. I would poke him with a toe to wake him and he'd bounce up ready to play any time. One of his favorite games was boxing. We would fake punch the air in front of him and he'd do the same in our direction. Nobody ever made contact but we ducked and swerved as if in a real fight. Rocky would crawl around in our doll houses, too. When he was very small, he could fit perfectly onto a doll's bed. He seemed to always be putting on a show. We took home videos of him boxing, playing house and napping. Eventually, as all young boys do, Rocky began to get rambunctious beyond our control. He would bound around the house and chew on things he shouldn't. Our vet assured us his pep was a result of puberty, and he probably needed more room to roam. So, Dad took him up to the restaurant where he works. There, Rocky had a freedom to explore the hill country. He still thought he was a human, so when he was tired from scaling the trees and dining tables across the deck, he would wait near the door for Dad to bring him inside. When Dad wanted to play with him, all he had to do was shout "Rocky!" and there he came, swirling up Dad's leg, until he landed on Dad's shoulder. Once there, he'd swish his tiny hands around Dad's hair and circle from one shoulder to the next. Eventually Rocky became a part of, the work (restaurant) family, too. He was so at home at the restaurant that even during business hours he would hop around the dining tables, which startled customers. They had no idea the squirrel was a pet and they would complain to a manager every time he greeted someone. Once people saw how friendly Rocky was, and how tame, they would lighten up and couldn't deny his cuteness. However, we had to make the responsible business decision and find Rocky a more suitable home. We ended up finding a couple who takes care of animals like Rocky. On their land, they had a few pet ducks, some deer and dogs. The day Rocky left was a tough one, especially for Dad. They had one last round of boxing before Rocky was picked up. This time, Rocky used a blue ink pen to box with but it ended up exploding all over his face! So now the people who adopted Rocky say that they see him playing with all the other squirrels every day, can call him to their back porch and he has made good friends with a duck on the property. They can always tell him from the other squirrels because of the permanent blue ink stain across his cheeks and chest.
So, if you are ever around the Austin hill country and see a squirrel with blue ink on him trying to cross the street or if he comes running up your leg to perch on your shoulder - please don't be alarmed. He's great.
And on a larger scale: I know it's dangerous to avoid hitting squirrels on the road, but when you can do so safely, please try. I saw three dead squirrels on my way to work this morning, which prompted this post. So sad.
Let me tell you why...
One time my dad brought home an infant squirrel that had fallen from its nest in a parking lot. That squirrel became a part of the family for the next year. We nursed "Rocky" to a healthy adolescence. He was so much fun. I remember having a canopy bed that Rocky would sleep in sometimes. It was a sheer canopy, so when I lay beneath him I could look up and see him curled in a ball where the canopy drooped in the center. I would poke him with a toe to wake him and he'd bounce up ready to play any time. One of his favorite games was boxing. We would fake punch the air in front of him and he'd do the same in our direction. Nobody ever made contact but we ducked and swerved as if in a real fight. Rocky would crawl around in our doll houses, too. When he was very small, he could fit perfectly onto a doll's bed. He seemed to always be putting on a show. We took home videos of him boxing, playing house and napping. Eventually, as all young boys do, Rocky began to get rambunctious beyond our control. He would bound around the house and chew on things he shouldn't. Our vet assured us his pep was a result of puberty, and he probably needed more room to roam. So, Dad took him up to the restaurant where he works. There, Rocky had a freedom to explore the hill country. He still thought he was a human, so when he was tired from scaling the trees and dining tables across the deck, he would wait near the door for Dad to bring him inside. When Dad wanted to play with him, all he had to do was shout "Rocky!" and there he came, swirling up Dad's leg, until he landed on Dad's shoulder. Once there, he'd swish his tiny hands around Dad's hair and circle from one shoulder to the next. Eventually Rocky became a part of, the work (restaurant) family, too. He was so at home at the restaurant that even during business hours he would hop around the dining tables, which startled customers. They had no idea the squirrel was a pet and they would complain to a manager every time he greeted someone. Once people saw how friendly Rocky was, and how tame, they would lighten up and couldn't deny his cuteness. However, we had to make the responsible business decision and find Rocky a more suitable home. We ended up finding a couple who takes care of animals like Rocky. On their land, they had a few pet ducks, some deer and dogs. The day Rocky left was a tough one, especially for Dad. They had one last round of boxing before Rocky was picked up. This time, Rocky used a blue ink pen to box with but it ended up exploding all over his face! So now the people who adopted Rocky say that they see him playing with all the other squirrels every day, can call him to their back porch and he has made good friends with a duck on the property. They can always tell him from the other squirrels because of the permanent blue ink stain across his cheeks and chest.
So, if you are ever around the Austin hill country and see a squirrel with blue ink on him trying to cross the street or if he comes running up your leg to perch on your shoulder - please don't be alarmed. He's great.
And on a larger scale: I know it's dangerous to avoid hitting squirrels on the road, but when you can do so safely, please try. I saw three dead squirrels on my way to work this morning, which prompted this post. So sad.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Bless America
If you own expensive items, a array of clothes and shoes, a car made a after the year 1990 and go on trips and to shows you should NOT be asking for ANY government assistance whatsoever.
I use a Go Phone from TMobile. It's ugly, box shaped and doesn't have a camera on it (gasp). I have a $100 television set that can be lifted only with the support of two people. I rent a duplex and eat at Taco Bell because it's super cheep. I have no health insurance, no dental insurance, a 10 year old vehicle with 230,000 miles under its belt and still- I have not applied for any government assistance. I know I can afford a comfortable lifestyle though, and I'm proud of what I do have because I have worked to earn it for the last eight years of my young life. I also know that in the next ten years, I'll have even more to be proud of if I continue to work hard.
Why?! Why do I personally know more than three people in my network of friends, who were raised in middle class families, attend college and have all the latest gadgets who apply for things like food stamps and other forms of government assistance. They know they can get away with it. I know of one couple that doesn't get a job because their parents give them - GIVE THEM - more than $600 per month to live on and then they applied for aid. Wow! I can't belive my taxes go towards people who drive nicer cars than I do when there are actually people in this country who need that help. I would understand if there was a war vet with three kids who has only one leg and his home burned down by accident getting some help. That person more than deserves a hand up. I would personally help him rebuild and buy his kids dinner and I'm not even rich. But I believe in supporting people who are down and out- and willing to work to start over. I have also heard stories of these people and I'm happy to live in a country where they have the chance to survive, too. They use this chance for actual survival, not just a savings plan to that left over money goes towards a new Blackberry. I'm ashamed when I see my friends benefiting from flaws in the system. What's the old saying? "Character is what you do when nobody else is looking." It speaks to someones character when you see them running up credit card debt to buy fun toys but using government aid on the side.
In America, people have the opportunity to start over, to work from the bottom and reach the top (or at least close). I am proud to live in a country of opportunity. I'm proud of the ideas our country was founded on, and I live by them. I will not take advantage of them.
I use a Go Phone from TMobile. It's ugly, box shaped and doesn't have a camera on it (gasp). I have a $100 television set that can be lifted only with the support of two people. I rent a duplex and eat at Taco Bell because it's super cheep. I have no health insurance, no dental insurance, a 10 year old vehicle with 230,000 miles under its belt and still- I have not applied for any government assistance. I know I can afford a comfortable lifestyle though, and I'm proud of what I do have because I have worked to earn it for the last eight years of my young life. I also know that in the next ten years, I'll have even more to be proud of if I continue to work hard.
Why?! Why do I personally know more than three people in my network of friends, who were raised in middle class families, attend college and have all the latest gadgets who apply for things like food stamps and other forms of government assistance. They know they can get away with it. I know of one couple that doesn't get a job because their parents give them - GIVE THEM - more than $600 per month to live on and then they applied for aid. Wow! I can't belive my taxes go towards people who drive nicer cars than I do when there are actually people in this country who need that help. I would understand if there was a war vet with three kids who has only one leg and his home burned down by accident getting some help. That person more than deserves a hand up. I would personally help him rebuild and buy his kids dinner and I'm not even rich. But I believe in supporting people who are down and out- and willing to work to start over. I have also heard stories of these people and I'm happy to live in a country where they have the chance to survive, too. They use this chance for actual survival, not just a savings plan to that left over money goes towards a new Blackberry. I'm ashamed when I see my friends benefiting from flaws in the system. What's the old saying? "Character is what you do when nobody else is looking." It speaks to someones character when you see them running up credit card debt to buy fun toys but using government aid on the side.
In America, people have the opportunity to start over, to work from the bottom and reach the top (or at least close). I am proud to live in a country of opportunity. I'm proud of the ideas our country was founded on, and I live by them. I will not take advantage of them.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Thoughts on traditional PR
I'm looking for PR agencies who are not afraid to try new techniques. I understand that traditionally, press releases sent to specific reporters followed by a phone call or check- up e-mail can do the job. But what about sending more impersonal notes or more elaborate press releases. What about NOT sending a press release (gasp!)? Does everything have to have a title, background information, contact information and ###? I don't think so. If I were a reporter, I would not mind hearing about something in a new way. So it is my new mission to create a catalog of all the ideas that pop up on creative PR.
A job where you exist to let people know what is new and exciting, should always be exciting and challenging. There is tedious work to be done in every profession. But in this one, even the list making and research can be thrilling. I am a planner, naturally so research and preparation are fun for me because I'm always anticipating the outcome of what I prepare. How can I use this? How can I make this interesting? How can I relate this to my project? Will people like this? How can I get recognized for this? What are other people doing that I can leverage off of?
These are just a few questions that persist in my mind, constantly. I can't help it. I want to know how to gather information, reformat it, twist it around, put some bows and ribbons on it, show everyone what I found and why I'm so intrigued with it. It doesn't sound like work to me. It sounds like fun!
Tradition is restricting while necessary, which leaves me confused. You might say I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. Your client wants a press release but they hire you thinking you can really get them noticed and you'll do whatever it takes to make it happen. So many agencies claim to want to branch away from tradition, be more creative, be innovative but who really is consistently shocking? And are shocking new approaches to publicity really working? There must be a balance between a structured release paired with a couple of lunch dates and crazy parties and stunts. What is that balance? Who has mastered it? That's who I'm looking for.
A job where you exist to let people know what is new and exciting, should always be exciting and challenging. There is tedious work to be done in every profession. But in this one, even the list making and research can be thrilling. I am a planner, naturally so research and preparation are fun for me because I'm always anticipating the outcome of what I prepare. How can I use this? How can I make this interesting? How can I relate this to my project? Will people like this? How can I get recognized for this? What are other people doing that I can leverage off of?
These are just a few questions that persist in my mind, constantly. I can't help it. I want to know how to gather information, reformat it, twist it around, put some bows and ribbons on it, show everyone what I found and why I'm so intrigued with it. It doesn't sound like work to me. It sounds like fun!
Tradition is restricting while necessary, which leaves me confused. You might say I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. Your client wants a press release but they hire you thinking you can really get them noticed and you'll do whatever it takes to make it happen. So many agencies claim to want to branch away from tradition, be more creative, be innovative but who really is consistently shocking? And are shocking new approaches to publicity really working? There must be a balance between a structured release paired with a couple of lunch dates and crazy parties and stunts. What is that balance? Who has mastered it? That's who I'm looking for.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
My Mentee
I'm mentoring a great little guy. His name is D and he is so much fun. He's 8 and is new to his school. He loves chocolate milk, snakes and football. I can't wait to get to know him better. I have never had such an easy time talking to someone.
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