Don't market that...

After seeing several things that have fallen on my desk to fix, I have decided to write the top 10 things I wouldn't do when creating a flier.

1. You can have too many pictures. Keep it simple, images are a great way to visually enhance a flier/poster or brochure but too many can either be distracting or competing.

2. Keep it simple. Avoid mission statements, goals and long paragraphs. It is not about what you think people want to know, it's about what they need to know.

3. Make your point, fast. Make a big headline and then support it. Remember, this is your first impression with someone and you don't want it to be your last.

4. Action words matter. Implementing a call to action is to your benefit, people prove to be more responsive if you call them out. Verbs are a great tool, use them!

5. Avoid dull colors. Unless your business gains revenue for every person that ignores you, stay away from too much gray or earth tones.

6. Your ego does not have to be represented. Avoid using pictures of yourself. Especially that head shot that looks like it should be hanging in a hallway somewhere. Remember it is about them. Not you.

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7. Don't create only a flier. Integrate your communications, if you only hang up posters to promote your event, don't be shocked when only your closest friends show up.

8. If using images, make them matter. Sure the classic lake shot or country scene is relaxing, but unless you are selling a vacation package, ditch them.

9. Fonts can make it or break it. Don't use fonts because you like them, use them because you can read them and you don't have to interpret or call someone just to figure out what it is.

10. Unless you are a designer, don't do it. DO NOT use microsoft word to create a piece, no matter what it is. If you are trying to save money, ask a student who is trying to build a portfolio or trade.

Feel free to comment more if you can think of them! If you need ideas, don't be afraid to ask.

Creative and Informed Communications

Are we communicating fast enough? Or are we not taking the time to listen anymore? We live in a world where email has evolved dramatically. It seems that what use to be a communication that we lent on continuously, has now become an alternative source. How can a company keep up when most electronic communications have become what some people would refer to as snail mail? Here are a few tips that you may want to think about before trying to get the message across:

1. Be creative: Think outside the box to make sure your message is seen. Change their desktop backgrounds to list important annoucements, post holiday information only in the break room, reward staff members who are the most informed. Create customized mouse pads with important deadlines for the year.
2. Be alert: How are your employees communicating with each other? Do they use an instant messaging system? Are they using Twitter? Are they using Facebook to avoid walking across the office to communicate with colleagues? Pay attention an it may surprise you that email may be an archaic method for your company.
3. Be informed: What are employees saying about your company? Are they wasting company time by using social networks? Increasing company morale can increase productivity. Think about creating a point system for answering questions at the bottom of an email. Reward them for taking the extra effort and you may be surprised on how much more work you get out of your employees.

These are just a few tips to think about before communicating with your employees. For an interesting comparison of communications and their evolution go to http://bit.ly/vsZlt.

Standards of Education

90% of jobs require a degree, why do only 24% of Americans have them? The educational standards and expectations in the K-12 grades are dropping. Constantly I see youth that are learning the same material that I did five years earlier then them. When did our standards drop? We are teaching less in our schools because of time constraints, low staff and parents being too busy to put a pressure on quality. What is the major contributing factor?

As we travel around and talk to youth of all ages. I have realized that my generation is being tainted by the technology driven high-speed world. Knowledge has become secondary to some institutions and teachers are becoming burned out. We focus so much on the technology that we loose the message. The amount of time people spend online in the United States is increasing while half of Italy only spends 1.5 hours a month. Are we afraid that we will miss the next wave? Or have we turned social networks and connections into the primary concern and education second? People consistently ask me what do I believe me what I believe web 3.0 is or “the next wave.” I hope it is a library card and we put the demand back on education.

How to save the economy

Urban planning and development seems to be an arising concern in this time of economic crisis. Defining your town as a signature place to be and increasing the amount of traffic to even local area businesses can be difficult. Previously I have attended Michigan Main Street Programs and the Cool Cities process for downtowns. After doing some individual research and discussing with a few economists on the current financial situation I realize that there is only one thing we can do in our cities and communities. No major plans or committees can solve this. We have to work together, we have to embrace good will, and barter systems and more importantly develop partnerships to support our cities. Now don’t get me wrong, the last thing I would want to do is discourage any individual it may seem like a lot but it is possible. I believe we need to see more then ever that individually we can create change. But it has to start somewhere you can’t change the world by waiting for someone else to do it. I have had the pleasure of working with some amazing people and seen the ripple effect and I believe more then ever that not only is change inevitable but also impact is achievable. I would love to see Michigan develop back into what it used to be. So who’s with me?

Social Media: Marketing

In today's day and age we need to focus more on what is going around in the world around us. Generations are becoming more and more technology focused and this is going to result in a challenge for those in the marketing and advertising industry. The last week I have spent countless hours reviewing the studies and attempting to evaluate what would be the most strategic action plan to make our event successful. One of the most interesting facts that I came across is that in males 18-34, 85% are influenced by an ad or online advertisement to purchase a product. Most of them spend on average 6 hours a day online. Think about the tremendous impact that this has taken on. In regards to social networking sites I think there is a boundary that lays. One being that some people prefer not to be contacted through these sites, they prefer email. But when leaning more towards the younger “teens” they have a 30% higher response rate when it comes to messages and invitations off these mainstream sites (facebook and myspace).

As a result I have realized that social media when it comes to not invading the privacy of the individual, or the feel of for that matter then it is truly a beneficial approach to any marketing campaign. Just keep in mind that when you add them as a friend, treat them like the individual that they are. You are in their space, it’s not “your space.”