Em dashes are woefully underused and misused. Here are five sentences that would be much improved by their proper use, or by proper use of other punctuation in cooperation with them. Determine how each sentence would benefit from changes in punctuation and compare your revisions with my suggested solutions at the bottom of the page: 1. “Not in years, like more than ten years, have I seen someone so committed to owning the stage.” 2. “Such pioneers trigger and indeed hope for gentrification — leading to more and more middle-class home buyers being willing to take a chance on the…
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Most Topular Stories
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A Quiz About Parenthetical Punctuation
Daily Writing Tips9 Feb 2012 | 4:13 am -
Hallmark Considers Entering the Scripted Prime-Time Battle
Advertising Age - GoodWorks9 Feb 2012 | 11:25 amHallmark has traditionally focused on original movies and daytime programming. Weeknight prime time is currently devoted to "Little House on the Prairie" and "Frasier." -
Is Perfectionism Stalling Your Productivity?
@ProBlogger9 Feb 2012 | 12:04 pmWe’ve all been there … You sit down to write a post. You get the opening line down, but half-way through the second sentence, you go back to tweak the first. A bit further on, you decide to chop up the paragraphs you’ve done so far and rearrange them … but on second thought, is that really the better option? In two minds, you “finish” the post, then spend a half-hour writing and rewriting the “ideal” headline. Finally, happy(ish!) your cursor hovers over the Publish button … but you just can’t press it. You decide to give it some… -
Investors clamoring for clear disclosure of political spending
PRSA Tactics and The Strategist Online8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pmShareholders are seeking greater transparency in how company money is spent to influence politics. As Politico.com reports, stockholders in companies from Apple to Ford and Pepsi are petitioning corporate boards this proxy season, demanding an accounting of funds spent on campaigns, super PACs and political causes. Corporate-governance experts and some members of Congress are pressing for new federal rules. -
What Komen Should Do Next to Rebuild Trust
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog7 Feb 2012 | 3:31 pmThe apology that Susan G. Komen for the Cure issued on Friday was the first step. The obligatory resignations are next. But if Komen is going to repair the damage done by its behavior last week, they have quite a few more steps in the process. “What should Komen do next?” That’s the question many of you have asked me, and it was certainly the top question asked of me in my role as nonprofit marketing pundit last week. Here’s what I think they need to do next: Diversify the staff and board The decision to defund Planned Parenthood ended up being extremely political…
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Daily Writing Tips
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A Quiz About Parenthetical Punctuation
9 Feb 2012 | 4:13 amEm dashes are woefully underused and misused. Here are five sentences that would be much improved by their proper use, or by proper use of other punctuation in cooperation with them. Determine how each sentence would benefit from changes in punctuation and compare your revisions with my suggested solutions at the bottom of the page: 1. “Not in years, like more than ten years, have I seen someone so committed to owning the stage.” 2. “Such pioneers trigger and indeed hope for gentrification — leading to more and more middle-class home buyers being willing to take a chance on the… -
16 Misquoted Quotations
7 Feb 2012 | 8:09 pmMany quotations attributed to famous people are at best paraphrases — though often superior to the original. Others might be subtly altered in the retelling, sometimes with little impact on their effect, at other times irresponsibly changing the meaning. Here is a selection of well-known sayings or writings that aren’t quite accurate (followed by a couple that are but are mistakenly identified as erroneous): 1. “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” This quotation attributed to Gandhi is a later invention by an unknown person, likely inspired by the following passage: “As… -
50 Synonyms for “Idea”
7 Feb 2012 | 2:47 amWhat’s the big idea? Or, more appropriately, what kind of idea is it? Many ways of expressing the idea of an idea await your consideration; here’s an extensive but not necessarily comprehensive list (including other connotations and meanings of the various synonyms): 1. Abstraction: a theoretical idea; also, the process of abstracting, the condition of being disassociated, an abstract work of art, or the quality of being preoccupied 2. Apprehension: the act or quality of becoming aware or grasping a meaning; also, the act of arresting someone or to a sense of foreboding 3. Assumption: a… -
A Quiz About Missing Connections
5 Feb 2012 | 8:01 pmWriting is often compromised by a writer’s failure to think a sentence through to its logical conclusion. Often, along the way, a small but crucial word or phrase is omitted that leaves a gap in a parallel construction, thereby contributing to the reader’s confusion. In each sentence below, determine the missing element, then check my revisions at the bottom of the page to see how our solutions compare: 1. “The corporation runs hydropower plants from Maine to Montana.” 2. “Because Martinez was so young, it was natural to compare his potential with Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy… -
75 Synonyms for “Hard”
3 Feb 2012 | 8:31 pmIt’s easy to write about how hard something is, because so many synonyms exist for that vague word and its more formal cousin difficult. Many of these terms are somewhat interchangeable (that’s why they call them synonyms), but even then, the senses are often slightly distinct; do a little more research on usage when you find a promising variation for that abstract (or is it abstruse?) phrasing you’re attempting to finesse. 1. Abstract: disassociation from a practical reference that would aid in comprehension 2. Abstruse: difficult because of technical considerations 3. Arduous: great…
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Advertising Age - GoodWorks
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Hallmark Considers Entering the Scripted Prime-Time Battle
9 Feb 2012 | 11:25 amHallmark has traditionally focused on original movies and daytime programming. Weeknight prime time is currently devoted to "Little House on the Prairie" and "Frasier." -
Mindshare Opens Mobile Hub in India for Global Clients
9 Feb 2012 | 11:00 amMindshare is the latest agency to set up an international hub in India, broadening the scope of its existing mobile practice in Mumbai to service global clients. -
Apple Stores Get Consumer Petitions Over Worker Treatment in China
9 Feb 2012 | 10:30 amThe petitions' 250,000 signatures comprise perhaps the most tangible showing of consumer outrage over labor conditions in the iPhone and iPad maker's supply chain. -
Indian Travelers Take on the World in Thomas Cook Campaign
9 Feb 2012 | 10:05 amAs India's middle class grows and tourism becomes more popular, funny spots from JWT show travelers what could go wrong if they don't book with Thomas Cook. -
Does Pre-Super Bowl Buzz Last After the Game?
9 Feb 2012 | 9:30 amThe advertisers enjoying the biggest buzz lift before the game were Volkswagen, GM, Acura, Audi and Doritos. In the days afterward, only Acura was still in the top five.
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@ProBlogger
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Is Perfectionism Stalling Your Productivity?
9 Feb 2012 | 12:04 pmWe’ve all been there … You sit down to write a post. You get the opening line down, but half-way through the second sentence, you go back to tweak the first. A bit further on, you decide to chop up the paragraphs you’ve done so far and rearrange them … but on second thought, is that really the better option? In two minds, you “finish” the post, then spend a half-hour writing and rewriting the “ideal” headline. Finally, happy(ish!) your cursor hovers over the Publish button … but you just can’t press it. You decide to give it some… -
6 Powerful Guest Post Tactics that No One’s Talking About
9 Feb 2012 | 6:05 amThis guest post is by Tom Ewer of Leaving Work Behind. Guest posting is a hot topic amongst startup bloggers. It is one of the most widely-adopted blog promotion strategies in existence, and has been made perhaps even more popular by the success of “serial” guest posters such as Danny Iny of Firepole Marketing. His “blitzkrieg” strategy may come across to some as a triumph of quantity over strategy, but nothing could be further from the truth. He understands the key concepts that we will be exploring in this post, and executes them in a highly effective manner. Whilst… -
How to Succinctly Report a Blog Issue to Tech Support
8 Feb 2012 | 6:07 amThis guest post is by Matthew Setter of Malt Blue. How often do you find it happening to you? You discover an issue with your site, or one of your community members emails you to tell you about it, and soon you start to see tweets about it too. Maybe it’s as simple as an error message that detracts from the professional appearance of your site. Perhaps the contact form doesn’t send messages to your contact email address. Or is it that the whole site just displays as a blank page, otherwise known as the white page of death? You’re not a programmer, a software engineer or a seasoned… -
Make Your Blog Load Faster than ProBlogger: Part 2
7 Feb 2012 | 12:05 pmThis guest post is by Devesh of WP Kube. A few months ago, I wrote a guest post here called How to Make Your Blog Load Faster than ProBlogger. Today, I’ll go into some more detailed advice to help you speed up your site even more. If you’re a blogger, you already know about the importance of blog loading speed, and the role it plays in search engine rank and marketing your blog. But if this is new territory for you, here are three quick reasons why you need to speed up your blog: Google includes website loading speed as an important metric in their ranking algorithm. If you want… -
How I Beat my Best Month Ever by Doing Something Good, Better [Case Study]
7 Feb 2012 | 6:04 amMid-December 2010: on my photography site, we launched a new campaign—our first ever 12 Days of Christmas promotion. The result was my biggest month of earnings ever up to that point. The idea was simple: offer discounts on 12 products over the 12 days leading up to Christmas. I used a mix of my own ebooks and products from other photography sites with affiliate commissions. The result was massive. Not only did we see some great revenue generated, it created some lovely buzz on the site. Due to the success of the 2010 campaign, in mid-December 2011 we launched our second 12 Days of…
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PRSA Tactics and The Strategist Online
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Investors clamoring for clear disclosure of political spending
8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pmShareholders are seeking greater transparency in how company money is spent to influence politics. As Politico.com reports, stockholders in companies from Apple to Ford and Pepsi are petitioning corporate boards this proxy season, demanding an accounting of funds spent on campaigns, super PACs and political causes. Corporate-governance experts and some members of Congress are pressing for new federal rules. -
Young CEOs fuel debate on experience versus energy
7 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pmThe ascension of Mark Zuckerberg and other young tech CEOs is renewing arguments that pit creativity and familiarity with emerging technologies against the need for disciplined decision making and experience in dealing with hard times -
Cable news and Internet remain top campaign news sources; others decline
7 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pmRegarding political news, cable is now the top regular source for Americans, according to a Pew Research Center study released yesterday. Thirty-six percent of respondents said that they commonly learn about candidates and the campaign trail on these types of networks. In 2000, 34 percent of people were regularly getting this information from cable news, as compared to 38 percent in both 2004 and in 2008. -
Getting it write? Surveys point to declining writing skills among young professionals
5 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pmMost people agree that good writing is the most important skill for success in public relations, especially at the entry level. Unfortunately, the level of writing in public relations is not where it needs to be. -
How Penn State PR students gathered community for vigil
5 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pmPenn State students took matters into their own hands in the wake of the child abuse scandal on campus and the university’s subsequent failure to communicate through the crisis. Here, two students share their story.
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Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
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What Komen Should Do Next to Rebuild Trust
7 Feb 2012 | 3:31 pmThe apology that Susan G. Komen for the Cure issued on Friday was the first step. The obligatory resignations are next. But if Komen is going to repair the damage done by its behavior last week, they have quite a few more steps in the process. “What should Komen do next?” That’s the question many of you have asked me, and it was certainly the top question asked of me in my role as nonprofit marketing pundit last week. Here’s what I think they need to do next: Diversify the staff and board The decision to defund Planned Parenthood ended up being extremely political… -
In Direct Mail, All Responses, Even Complaints, Are Good
6 Feb 2012 | 10:30 amTom Ahern Tom Ahern is my go-to guy for all things direct mail. Afraid your direct mail piece goes too far and will solicit a negative response? Tom explains why that may not be a bad thing. Plus he quotes one of my other favorite fundraising bloggers, Jeff Brooks. If you are interested in Tom critiquing your direct mail appeal, sign up for our Direct Mail for Small Nonprofits e-clinic in May. Like our Facebook page, and you’ll find a $50 off coupon code on our Freebies & Coupons tab for the e-clinic. ~Kivi Guest Post by Tom Ahern of Ahern Communications It had arrived. And I… -
Top 5 Words to Avoid to Achieve Messaging Awesomeness
3 Feb 2012 | 11:30 amErica Mills Last week on the main Nonprofit Marketing Guide site (you are reading the blog now), I published an article called, “Blah, Blah, Blah: What to Do When You Write Too Much.” In today’s guest post, Erica Mills of Claxon Marketing takes it to the next step by showing how specific words can actually debilitate your messaging. ~Kivi Guest Post by Erica Mills of Claxon Marketing We all crave an awesomely compelling way to talk and write about our organizations. But finding the right words is hard. It’s easy to convince yourself that your messaging is ‘good… -
Logo Trends: How Does Yours Stack Up?
2 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amJulia Reich For those of you interested in the ongoing Komen-Planned Parenthood story, I will continue to update yesterday’s post at the bottom of the original content. Today we are moving on with a new topic . . . Our resident design expert, Julia Reich, is back with the latest trends in logos. And if you are embarrassed with your organization’s current logo or think it’s just time for a change, be sure to join us February 8th for Julia’s webinar called, “Help! My Logo Sucks!” Julia will take a look at why some logos work and some don’t, and teach… -
The Accidental Rebranding of Komen for the Cure
1 Feb 2012 | 8:42 am(Updates to this post can be found at the bottom.) Yesterday afternoon, and continuing into today, I believe we are witnessing the accidental rebranding of what is surely one of America’s biggest and most well-known, and even well-loved, nonprofit brands. Komen for the Cure, it seems, is no longer a breast cancer charity, but a pro-life breast cancer charity. Let me stop right here and say this post is not about abortion per se, one way or the other, other than the fact that it is the single most divisive issue in American politics today. My personal beliefs are very clear and public.
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Strategic Public Relations
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Links for 2012-02-06 [del.icio.us]
7 Feb 2012 | 12:00 amSuper Bowl Twitter, Facebook Use Up More Than 6X Over 2011 If you remember that mobile doesn't simply mean outside and that most everyone watching the game probably owned a mobile phone or had access to a laptop, the above is not a surprise. Advertisers had plenty of "conversation starters" -- from hashtags to shazam tags -- in their ads this year too. Balance your Mix of Stock and Flow Content Like A Pro | The Content Strategist The need for a mix of content and the advantages of mixing it. -
Links for 2012-02-05 [del.icio.us]
6 Feb 2012 | 12:00 amNYPL Labs | The New York Public Library New York Public Library is doing some interesting things in their labs. 4 Ways to Tweet as a Visual Brand Some helpful reminders from mashable that apply to more than visual tweets. Not sure I agree about only using Twitter. As a default, it makes sense. But if you're a luxury brand, for example, I'd suggest using instagram. It all depends on audience...per usual. -
Like Angry Birds [Flickr]
1 Feb 2012 | 3:38 pmprblog posted a photo: Great to see folks skipping the F icon and simply using the thumbs up. Makes sense as its a clear call to action. In fact, Facebook changed the Fan action to Like because twice as many people would click Like. And now we will be seeing similar actions offered on Facebook. It's a move to create more "lightweight user actions" on Facebook and create an environment of frictionless sharing. It helps their advertising for one. But it also makes it easier to participate on Facebook. -
Like Orange Tic Tacs [Flickr]
1 Feb 2012 | 3:38 pmprblog posted a photo: Great to see folks skipping the F icon and simply using the thumbs up. Makes sense as its a clear call to action. In fact, Facebook changed the Fan action to Like because twice as many people would click Like. And now we will be seeing similar actions offered on Facebook. It's a move to create more "lightweight user actions" on Facebook and create an environment of frictionless sharing. It helps their advertising for one. But it also makes it easier to participate on Facebook. -
Links for 2012-01-27 [del.icio.us]
28 Jan 2012 | 12:00 amTips for Better Listening based on 7 Types of Listeners | Lead Change Group There's a great stat about how much of communication involves listening. And it's a higher percentage than you think. Yet we're never taught about it in professional development of even college.
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Frogloop
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Top 10 Most Generous Cities in the U.S.
8 Feb 2012 | 12:12 pmEver wonder how charitable your city is? You’re in luck because Convio recently released their report on the 273 most generous cities across the United States. Convio analyzed cities with total population of more than 100,000 based on per capita online giving and the total amount donated through the Convio platform. The average gift size remained steady in 2011 at about $65 with more than $435M donated to charities. The donors in the most generous cities increased their total online contributions by more than 11 percent over 2010, which is pretty impressive considering the tough… -
Upcoming Conference Roundup (February - March 2012)
6 Feb 2012 | 12:26 pmWith the new year in full swing, we're looking forward to all the great events that are coming up this year by refreshing our own 2012 Conferences calendar. Here you'll find a list of upcoming events that are sure to be buzzing with cause-minded folks. And wherever there's a cause to be championed, you'll find the Care2 Team -- this month delivering a trifecta of tips and tactics, with three of our Nonprofit Services directors presenting at three different conferences on three different topics over the next three weeks: -Eric Rardin will be talking about Cause Marketing & High Level… -
Webinar: eCampaign 2012 - Killer Tactics to Drive Elections with Online Fundraising And Social Media
5 Feb 2012 | 2:46 pmElectoral campaigns are important incubators of new techniques and tactics in online fundraising and organizing. From Barack Obama's campaign to the thousands of state and local races across the country, campaigners are relentlessly testing new approaches and refining proven tactics in online fundraising and social media to gain an edge over their rivals -- and in some cases to make history. Join us on February 16, 2012 at 2:00 PM ET for "eCampaign 2012 - Killer Tactics to Drive Elections Using Online Fundraising & Social Media" and hear from two experts who are… -
Lessons Learned When Your Community Revolts
2 Feb 2012 | 6:40 amThere are three pillars to building an online community and engaging on social media channels: 1. Honesty, transparency, and being upfront. 2. Listening and being responsive to members of the community no matter how lame or silly you find the questions or feedback. 3. Thanking your community for their support, feedback and guidance. If you don’t practice these principals every single day somewhere along the way your community is going to revolt. And it won’t be pretty. For example, yesterday, Planned Parenthood released a statement saying that the Susan G. Komen Foundation… -
Year-End Fundraising Up in 2011
30 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amIn January of last year I wrote up a quick summary on how some of our clients' end-of-year fundraising campaigns did vs. the prior year, and I thought it’d be nice to repeat the exercise to see how nonprofits fared in 2011. The results below come from aggregate data from 14 organizations we work with – a big thanks to them for letting us include their data in this post. These aren’t necessarily the same organizations we included in our write-up last year; this analysis compares two years of data for these 14 groups. So without further ado, here’s the scoop: A lot more…
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Helping Help
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Real Leaders Inspire Ongoing Action
16 Jan 2012 | 4:49 pmThe day after MLk day is more important than the holiday itself. It is the day that we truly see who the real leaders are. It is the day that the celebrating masses give way to the nonconforming minority of change-makers. MLK taught us to lead fearlessly, selflessly, and righteously. His accomplishments - and sacrifice - is worth celebrating and remembering, and I am proud that we take a day every year to do it. But celebrating is easy. The day after MLK day is where true leaders shine. And they continue to shine for the weeks and months in between celebrations. Right now, the world doesn't… -
Passionate Leaders are Better Leaders
9 Jan 2012 | 6:05 pmLeadership Passion Pyramid To be a truly inspiring and effective leader, you must have passion. But not any passion will suffice, the best leaders focus their passion on 4 main areas: Passion for the development and fulfillment of the people they lead Passion for the cause they are working towards Passion for making an impact Passion for their own personal growth The ordering is just as important as the area of passion. Why? Nothing happens if the people you lead don't make things happen. Be invested in the people you lead, as their happiness and… -
Look Back Before Moving Forward
24 Dec 2011 | 8:40 amAt the end of every year, I dedicate a day to looking back. I think about a lot of things, and I use Who, What, Where, When, Why, How as a framework... Who slowed me down Who helped me What I set out to do What I did When I was struggling When I was happiest Where I tripped Where I soared Why I failedWhy I succeeded How I lost motivationHow I inspired, motivated, and empowered others and myself I look within myself to find balance, and I look outside to find knowledge. I listen and learn from experts in all fields, knowing the diversity of… -
Inspire Others To Exceed Their Expectations
17 Dec 2011 | 4:12 pmForbes.com just published a brilliant article on leadership that was written by Russell Raath. In it, Russell share a scene from the movie Invictus where Morgan Freeman plays Nelson Mandela: Morgan Freeman’s Mandela offers some final words of wisdom. “We need inspiration,” he says, “because in order to build our nation, we must all exceed our own expectations.” You can read the full article on Forbes and I highly recommend it. The takeaway is simple and powerful. As a leader, your job is to do more than just setting and achieving goals. Your imperative is to inspire and… -
Increase Motivation, Inspire Action and Drive Behavior
4 Dec 2011 | 2:09 pmNo matter your position, role, and responsibilities - you have the ability to motivate others and inspire action. There are thousands of books, research reports, and case studies on this topic - and out of all of them that I have come across, the three best resources are the following two videos and link Dan Pink on the Surprising Science About What Motivates Us (video) Simon Sinek on How Great Leaders Inspires Action (video) Chip and Dan Heath on How to Change Things When Change is Hard (book, and article) Here are the videos and book summary for your convenience: Dan Pink on the…
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Beth’s Blog
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How Generosity Day Is Building A Movement
9 Feb 2012 | 7:33 amGenerosity Day is an effort to rebrand Valentine’s Day – and make it about love, connection, and well generosity. We’re rebooting Valentine’s Day as Generosity Day: one day of sharing love with everyone, of being generous to everyone, to see how it feels and to practice saying “Yes.” Let’s make the day about love, action and human connection – because we can do better than smarmy greeting cards, overpriced roses, and stressed-out couples trying to create romantic meals on the fly. You can join Generosity Day over at their Causes page and invite your friends. -
What does monitoring your brand on social media channels really mean?
8 Feb 2012 | 8:49 amSource: journalism.org via Lucy on Pinterest “Listening” or tracking what people are saying about your brand or issue has always been hailed at the first most important step in building your social media or network strategy. Listening is the process tracking brand mentions or related key words and transforming a “river of noise” into insights that allow you to make decisions. Listening can help your organization craft messages/content, keep your finger on how your network thinks about your issue or brand, help with curation of content, identify influencers… -
The Five Stages of A Social Media PR Disaster
7 Feb 2012 | 7:43 amSource: tomfishburne.com via Beth on Pinterest Update: Just as I hit the publish button on this post, I got news that Komen’s Karen Handel resigned. Perhaps the sixth stage is fire the staff person who was primarily responsible for the mess. Now that we’ve had a few days to let the dust settle from the Komen-Planned Parenthood firestorm, it is time to think about takeaways for other nonprofits. Deanna Zandt presents an analysis of what made this particular pr crisis different from others and the teachable moments that are useful other nonprofits. The bottom line is:… -
Taking Baby Steps to Social Media Maturity with Your Peers
6 Feb 2012 | 9:42 amFlickr Photo by Johnny Hall Note from Beth: This past year has been a deep exploration into how nonprofits can use measurement and reflection to improve their practices as a networked nonprofit and social media. As part of my work at the Packard Foundation, I designed and facilitated several peer learning groups and exchanges. It was a fantastic laboratory to explore the power of peer learning and the right mix. Also, as a trainer how you create a co-learning opportunity versus the “sage on the stage.” I’ve been reflecting, doing an after action review to… -
Heroes with A Heart Grant Recognizes Unsung Nonprofit Heroes
3 Feb 2012 | 8:56 amHeroes with A Heart Grant Recognizes Unsung Nonprofit Heros – Guest Post by John Haydon If you’re like most people, you get most of your inspiration from people who are quietly changing the world each and every day. They’re not on the front page of the newspaper, and they’re not mingling with the Gates and Buffets of the world. They’re everyday people like you and me who have shown extraordinary commitment to making this world better than when they found it. The CTK Foundation “Heroes with a Heart” Grant Award asks YOU to nominate a “Hero with a…
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YouTube Videos
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Benefits of Using Google Apps for Nonprofits
3 Feb 2012 | 11:31 amBenefits of Using Google Apps for Nonprofits Why should nonprofits consider using Google Apps? First of all, like all cloud computing solutions it gives you free back-ups, excellent security, and the ability to shrink and grow your licenses quickly and easily based on your nonprofits needs. In addition to these benefits, Google also gives qualifying nonprofits use of their Apps for free or at discounted rates. If your organization is on the small size and does not have a way to share documents and collaborate like a Microsoft SharePoint site, Google Apps ability to allow groups to collaborate… -
Nonprofits can save thousands with cloud computing and Microsoft Office 365.
3 Feb 2012 | 10:49 amNonprofits can save thousands with cloud computing and Microsoft Office 365. Why should nonprofits check out Microsoft Office 365? Rick Birmingham, technology services manager at MAP for Nonprofits, shares with us his top reasons: * Ditch your server (and save thousands!) Computing on the cloud allows you to avoid investing in expensive server equipment that will eventually become defunct. * Maintain the same Office experience users love. Unlike cloud based computing with other companies, Microsoft's Office 365 products allow you to offer volunteers and staff remote access to the same… -
Nonprofits to KnowTM: The Minnesota Project and Farmers' Legal Action Group
27 Dec 2011 | 10:04 amNonprofits to KnowTM: The Minnesota Project and Farmers' Legal Action Group Nonprofits to KnowTM is a web video series produced by Minnesota Philanthropy Partners. This video features The Minnesota Project and Farmers' Legal Action Group, Inc. (FLAG). The Minnesota Project is a nonprofit organization that connects people with policy to nurture collaborations that build strong local economies. FLAG is a non-profit law center dedicated to providing legal services to family farmers and their rural communities in order to help keep family farmers on the land. Minnesota Philanthropy… -
Nonprofits Helping Others
13 Dec 2011 | 8:55 amNonprofits Helping Others Nonprofit leaders discuss the benefits of volunteering and serving on King Day. From: nationalservice Views: 399 1 ratings Time: 02:13 More in Nonprofits & Activism -
Nonprofits to Know: TU Dance
6 Dec 2011 | 6:50 amNonprofits to Know: TU Dance Nonprofits to KnowTM is a web video series produced by Minnesota Philanthropy Partners. This video features TU Dance, a nonprofit dance organization and aims to revel the connective power of dance and celebrate diversity on stage. Minnesota Philanthropy Partners regularly feature a new video highlighting Minnesota nonprofits doing important work in our communities. To learn more about TU Dance, visit their website at: www.tudance.org From: mnpartnersvideo Views: 354 3 ratings Time: 04:09 More in Nonprofits & Activism
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South Korea: News & Videos about South Korea - CNN.com
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South Korea's school bullying has deadly consequences
18 Jan 2012 | 9:55 pmIt took two teenage suicide cases due to school bullying last year in South Korea for people to notice something was very wrong. -
Freighter blast kills 3 in South Korea
15 Jan 2012 | 12:16 amA freighter carrying oil exploded off the South Korean port city of Incheon, killing three crew members, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported Sunday. -
S. Korea expresses sympathy to N. Korean people
21 Dec 2011 | 12:04 amThe South Korean government expressed its sympathy to the people of North Korea following the death of Kim Jong Il, South Korea's unification minister said Tuesday. -
S. Korea: Chinese fishermen kill coast guard member
12 Dec 2011 | 10:02 amA South Korean coast guard commando was stabbed to death and another injured Monday after they boarded a Chinese fishing vessel they suspected of fishing illegally in the Yellow Sea, the coast guard and a South Korean news agency said Monday. -
South Korea boosts review of social media
2 Dec 2011 | 6:03 amSouth Korea plans to intensify the review of its social networking sites and smart phone applications to combat a surge in "illegal and harmful" information, government officials said.
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PR-Squared - Social Media Marketing and Public Relations
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Open Letter to Havas CEO David Jones
8 Feb 2012 | 8:12 amHi Mr. Jones. I caught your MSNBC interview this morning with Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski re: your new book, Who Cares Wins: Why Good Business is Better Business. You made some excellent points re: how transparency, authenticity and speed will win the day for corporations; about how companies who expect to do well must increasingly expect to do good, as it is becomes ever easier for consumers to suss out egregious behavior and punish bad actors (from un-friending to public humiliation). This is all well-worn territory for Social Media geeks, of course, but it’s always good… -
Facebook IPO is Good for Everybody
6 Feb 2012 | 6:35 amDepending on who you ask, the Facebook IPO will result in boundless glory or is destined to be remembered as the final pinprick in an impending burst of the current tech bubble. For my part, whereas in the past I likened Facebook to previous Walled Garden successes like AOL (the AOL of the early 90′s, not the AOL of today – which is a SHIFT client!), in the past 18 months or so I’ve only been impressed by Facebook’s ability to embed itself across the larger, open expanses of the Web. It “rides alongside” us as we surf, versus dictating how and where we experience the… -
Susan G. Komen PR Disaster: Lessons Learned
3 Feb 2012 | 11:27 amWow. It’s been nearly two weeks since my last blog post. Sorry about that. I was out sick. And wow, what a crazy time to sit on the sidelines… Facebook IPO. Hello! More on that in a future post. Susan G. Komen vs. Planned Parenthood. Sheesh! Let’s talk about that! (Caveat: I am a Blue State progressive; whose mother died of breast cancer; who marched on Washington as a college student in support of women’s rights; and whose dear-departed grandmother spoke with horror of the days prior to Roe v. Wade. Got all that? You’ve been warned.) Just as I started… -
It’s the End of the Web as We Know It … or, Speed Kills
23 Jan 2012 | 9:46 amThose of you who follow me on other social nets like Twitter or Facebook know that I am pretty opinionated when it comes to politics. Suffice to say that I am a card-carrying member of the “Liberal Coastal Elites.” (I try not to over-indulge or bore folks with it; and I certainly can play nice with my right-leaning friends.) I bring it all up only as a segue to the fact that I am a big fan of Andrew Sullivan’s Dish blog. Sullivan’s one of the big dogs in blogging; he’s been freshly-empowered by his move to the Daily Beast to experiment… -
Thoughts on a Twitterversary
19 Jan 2012 | 7:18 amLet’s take a ramble. One of those automated spambots on Twitter informed me that today was my 5–year anniversary of microblogging. Wow. Five years. Really? What was I up to five years ago? I was living in Boston, in-between my family’s quinquennial moves to San Francisco. My brain was on fire, as I’d hit upon a worthy successor to the Social Media News Release concept and was just a couple of weeks away from debuting the Social Media Newsroom template. As I look back, 2007 was a prolific time for the entire Social Media industry. It was not only the year Twitter…
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Entrepreneur Update
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Main Street Merchants Say They're Not Handcuffed by Regulations
9 Feb 2012 | 12:01 pmAs politicians vilify regulations on the campaign trail, consider the results from a recent survey of small-business owners. It seems regulations aren't as onerous as some think. -
Eight Creative Marketing Ideas to Make Your Business Stand Out
9 Feb 2012 | 8:00 amIf your marketing could use a new twist, consider these new ideas to reach today's customers. -
Four Questions to Ask Before Setting a Price
9 Feb 2012 | 5:03 amBefore you figure out your pricing, figure out your business. -
Three Ways to Extend the Battery Life of Smartphones and Tablets
9 Feb 2012 | 4:00 amConsider these options for extending the battery life of your mobile devices. -
Fashion Mogul Christopher Burch Talks Business
9 Feb 2012 | 2:00 amAs Fashion Week kicks off, we sat down with the man behind brands like Tory Burch and Monika Chiang to find out what it takes to make it in the business.
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Forbes - Entrepreneurs
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Banks Agree to $25 Billion to Help Homeowners
9 Feb 2012 | 2:20 pmBloomberg reports that US Banks have reached a $25 billion agreement to pay homeowners in one of the largest federal-state civil settlement in the nation's history. It is estimated there are 10 million-plus homes underwater. -
Startup Lessons from Rick Santorum
9 Feb 2012 | 1:50 pmWith a shoestring budget and a whole lot of elbow grease, Rick Santorum is going toe-to-toe against a candidate with a dapper brand and piles of money -- sounds like the political version of a scrappy startup to me. -
The Auto Industry, The Obama Administration, Clint Eastwood, And The Rest Of The Story
9 Feb 2012 | 1:49 pmClint Eastwood has come under attack this week by those who believe he acted in support of the President and the White House in the Super Bowl commercial he made for Chrysler -- "Halftime in America? ? or as right-wing blogger Michele Malkin put it, for ?fronting an auto bailout ad.? -
Kodak Closes Camera Business
9 Feb 2012 | 1:28 pmKodak, the maker and inventor of the digital camera, has closed its digital camera and pocket video cam business today. Reuters reports the move as part of its bankruptcy filing and cost cutting. -
Data in New World Bank Report Shows that Large Public Sectors Reduce Economic Growth
9 Feb 2012 | 12:11 pmWhen Ronald Reagan said that big government undermined the economy, some people dismissed his comments because of his philosophical belief in liberty.
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Planning Startup Stories
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3 Questions Business Owners Need to Ask About Employee Expenses
9 Feb 2012 | 10:09 amDo you own a business? Do you run a business? Then I recommend you follow me through this simple math and some reasonable conclusions. Assume you have a person making a $50,000 gross salary. Assume their true cost — including health insurance, overhead, work space, computers, Internet, electric power, payroll taxes, etc. — is $80,000. That person costs your company about $40 per hour. For that calculation, I divide the $80,000 by 49 to calculate the weekly cost of $1,633 (I take off two of the 52 weeks in a year for vacation and another for national holidays). I divide that… -
Challenge: Can You Tell a Business Model from a Business Plan?
7 Feb 2012 | 8:45 amWhat’s the difference between a business model and a business plan? It depends on who you ask. Business plan means a lot of different things to different people, and so does business model. I’ve complained occasionally about confusing terminology, but I guess it’s just the way things are. There are similar problems with strategic plan, annual plan, etc. What I really don’t like is people saying “don’t do a business plan; do a business model instead.” My favorite definition of the business model is the excellent book Business Model Generation, by… -
How Contagion Can Help You Forecast Sales
6 Feb 2012 | 8:45 amCan we talk about beauty in numbers? Amidst all the nervousness about forecasting new products, does it not make sense, and add elegance too, to talk about the classic s-curve we see in nature? So many natural phenomena show an increase along a natural S-curve and bell curve like the two shown here on the right. Which, by the way, was done with Excel. And I’m going to explain it here and give you the formulas, so you can use them in your own sales forecasting. If you like this sort of thing. What we see there is a natural projection of a good product — like cell phones or… -
Make My Business Analysis Intuitive, Please.
3 Feb 2012 | 8:42 amAre you thinking type or feeling? Analytical or intuitive? There are studies, there are tests, there’s a whole body of work on personality types dividing people into types. Most of us have heard of this, but if you haven’t, and you’re curious, you could find out more with this google search. It’s about the work of Carl Jung, the Myers Briggs tests, etc. There are more factors than just this one division, but this division — thinking vs. feeling, analytical vs. intuitive — is interesting to me. I’ve had a career focused on business planning, metrics,… -
Blaming Angels and VCs for Choosing is Like Blaming Up for Down
2 Feb 2012 | 2:35 pmI was happily reading Sramana Mitrea’s The Other 99% of Entrepreneurs on Read/Write Web, agreeing with every detail, when I ran into a snag. It’s in italics in this quote from Sramana’s post. Over 99% of entrepreneurs who seek funding get rejected. Yet, the entire world is focused on the 1% that is “fundable.” The media, when pitched a startup story, is interested in who funded the venture. They seldom ask how much revenue the company has or if it is profitable. Incubators take pride in how exclusive they are and how many “deals” they…
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PR at Sunrise
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5 Tips on How to Manage Up in the Workplace
8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amTaking the initiative + building relationships = Managing Up Pretty easy and fairly simple, but many of us still struggle with this in the workplace. As such, here are some of the best tips I can provide on how to accomplish this feat: 1. Take Initiative- Do not wait to be told do something just do it. Look for ways to improve day-to-day operations. Suggest ideas with outside the box thinking. By taking initiative, you increase visibility within the company. Management will take notice. 2. Keep the Boss Informed- Communication is the key. Make sure they know everything there is to know about… -
The End of Social Media … If SOPA Passes
31 Jan 2012 | 4:36 amWe all remember the days when we bought CD’s, burned them, and then subsequently made copies for all of our friends. It was not until later that we realized these acts were illegal; and the government found ways to stop this so called ‘piracy’. After that, all of your favorite songs, videos, and even movies went digital. But we found a way to steal that too, or at least watch and listen online for free. Nevertheless, the government got involved and made a good example out of a few easy people to scare us … well, it was supposed to. The fact is, whenever there is too much… -
How to Find and Secure a Part-Time Teaching Position in Public Relations
24 Jan 2012 | 5:55 amOpportunities abound for public relations professionals willing to share their expertise and passion through teaching. Here’s an overview of how to find these part-time teaching jobs at higher education institutions, based on techniques I’ve employed during fourteen years of teaching such classes. - Check out regional listings under Yahoo by visiting here to identify universities where you’d like to teach. Next, visit a university’s website, identify academic programs that offer relevant classes, then move on to other university departments that may offer degree and non-degree… -
3 Ways to Get the Brand Awareness Your Company Deserves
18 Jan 2012 | 4:56 amYou want people to know you and your company. But that’s not enough. You have to keep people excited, informed and hungry for more of what you offer. And that starts with omnipresent – or as close to it as you can get! So how do you get your brand the attention it deserves? Find out what your audience cares about by leveraging social media platforms There are powerful tools that can help you understand what your audience wants. So what can you do with them? -Ask followers what they’d like to see more of -Conduct polls about your products or services -Take note of which posts people… -
To Stick with your Social Media Program or to Abandon It, That is the Question
12 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amGetting yourself into social media is a breeze. Membership is free and setting up shop on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn takes all of about an hour. Getting yourself out of social media is another question altogether. How do you judge program performance? How do you know if the ends justify the means? How can you tell whether you’re one Tweet away from roaring success or only throwing good money after bad? Here are factors to consider when determining whether it’s time to make a strategic withdrawal from social media. Decide with Metrics One of the silliest ideas floating around…
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Holy Kaw!
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Bear and wolf, friends for life [video]
9 Feb 2012 | 2:12 pmAll too often we lose track of our friends from childhood, but this bear and wolf appear to be BFFs despite the differences. Full story at YouTube via io9. Can’t we all just get along? Permalink | Leave a comment » -
Can dessert for breakfast help you lose weight?
9 Feb 2012 | 1:39 pmNew research suggests that, in the early morning, you can have your cake and shed pounds too A new study from Tel Aviv University finds that eating a small dessert as part of a balanced breakfast can actually help you shed unwanted pounds. Staying skinny and eating chocolate? Here, a brief guide to what sounds, frankly, impossible: Full story at The Week. Photo: CC by ::paqman:: All the top stories from The Week. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
Romance survey [infographic]
9 Feb 2012 | 12:02 pmVia Hotels.com. Infographics to put you in the mood. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
Do aliens go invisible by 'going green'?
9 Feb 2012 | 11:24 amAs we discover more and more planets around other stars, the Fermi Paradox is becoming, well, more paradoxical. The Fermi Paradox simply asks the question "where are they?" Our Milky Way galaxy is so big and so old -- and we are estimated to be accompanied by at least 100 billion planets -- that aliens should have visited us by now. Instead, when we peruse the heavens, we are faced with the Great Silence, which is one of the biggest challenges to modern astronomy. Full story at Discovery News. More news from Discovery Communications. Photo credit: Fotolia Permalink | Leave a… -
Mysterious sounds reported around the world
9 Feb 2012 | 11:23 amPeople around the world have reported hearing strange sounds from the skies over the past month. Sometimes they describe it as a hum or low rumble; other times it’s a whine, thump, or even a melody. Often the sounds have been recorded and posted online, fueling rumors and conspiracy theories. One blogger wrote, "either the world is ending, aliens are landing or everyone is getting hoaxed. Or, possibly, there’s an actual scientific explanation for the mass amount of YouTube videos capturing bizarre sounds that are being heard around the globe. Are we witnessing the beginning of a…
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A PR Guy's Musings - Stuart Bruce
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FIR Interview: Stuart Bruce and Phil Gomes on PR and Wikipedia
14 Jan 2012 | 5:35 amGlobal PR podcast FIR co-hosts Neville Hobson and Shel Holtz used Google+ Hangout to record a special FIR Interview show with Phil Gomes (Senior VP, Edelman Digital) and myself discussing current initiatives to improve how public relations professionals can work with Wikipedia. Related articles CIPR to work with Wikipedia on how PR professionals should interact with the Wikipedia community (stuartbruce.biz) Wikipedia and PR have got to work it out (stuartbruce.biz) Wikipedia & the PR Pro: Friend or Foe? (forbes.com) -
CIPR to work with Wikipedia on how PR professionals should interact with the Wikipedia community
6 Jan 2012 | 9:12 amIn my post calling on Wikipedia and PR to work it out I said I’d raise the issue at the next meeting of the CIPR social media panel. Well since then things have moved a bit faster than that and today the CIPR issued a statement about its intention to work with Wikipedia to provide guidance to members on how to interact with the Wikipedia community. I’ve pasted a copy of the statement below. Another development this week is that Tom Watson MP tweeted Phil Gomes (who published an open letter to Jimmy Wales and Wikipedia) and myself offering to broker a meeting at the House of Commons… -
Social media managements system analysis and comparison
6 Jan 2012 | 1:52 amSocial media research company Altimeter has released a new report authored by Jeremiah Owyang that provides a good overview of social media management systems. As the use of social media grows within companies and large organisations there is a need to be able to coordinate the management of a wide range of accounts with potentially multiple identities across several different social media and social network platforms. This helps companies to deal with issues such as governance and social media policies, as well as manage workflow across the multiple people within the organisation that might… -
Wikipedia and PR have got to work it out
4 Jan 2012 | 8:46 amStill in the midst of his highly successful campaign against News International UK MP Tom Watson has embarked on a second campaign – this time to sort out the relationship between the PR business and Wikipedia. On a Wikipedia talk page Tom says: “The general point that I think is more important for the site. I suspect a number of PR firms have edited entries for their clients potentially breaching conflict of interest rules. I am going to write to the trade bodies to ask that they work with Wikipedia to issue guidelines.” The UK Chartered Institute of Public Relations already has… -
Looking forward to 2012
3 Jan 2012 | 5:50 amIn my personal reflections on 2011 blog post I promised/threatened to write a post about my professional plans and hopes for 2012. If 2011 was the year that I decided to pursue a portfolio career, then 2012 will have to be the year that brings it all together. Client / PR agency online PR and social media doctor One consistent message that I’m hearing from in-house corporate communications and public relations professionals is that they recognise the importance of online PR and social media, but are reluctant to add yet more consultancies and agencies to their existing roster. What they’d…
