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    The 10 Commandments of Promotional Marketing
    Oh ye of little faith. If you’re a small, independent restaurant, you’re probably convinced you can’t possibly compete in the marketing arena against those big chains with their huge ad budgets and big-time ad agencies.Actually, nothing could be further from the truth.Local restaurants can not only survive, but thrive, in an industry increasingly filled with deep-pocketed national competitors. In fact, independent eateries have unique advantages that can put larger businesses on the defensive. Al
    design style guide. Everyone needs to be on the same page when it comes to getting the word out. The standards featured in your style guide will make it easy for them to do so.

    A style guide will also make it unnecessary for you and your colleagues to re-invent the wheel each time, saving you a great deal of effort.

    Action Pla

    Starting A Business From Ground Zero
    A business can often be referred to a tree. You plant the seed first, and then water it everyday for months or a year till it grows into a nice big tree with flowers blossoming in spring. Starting a business is quite similar, except that it needs a lot of planning initially. The favorite dream is starting a business and being successful. The dream that most college kids and young executives harbor is of becoming as big as or maybe even bigger than Bill Gates or Steve Jobs.But this is where the dream end
    There's never enough time when you're getting communications out the door. But when two different spellings of the same word (both correct) are used in a membership drive campaign, or the way your nonprofit is described varies from letter to letter within the campaign, or your logo appears in different colors and different sizes in different places, your audiences will be confused. The answer? Style standards clearly defined and published in a style guide.

    The Problem

    Due to the ubiquitous nature of advertising and promotion, we're all bombarded by communications. In the face of this morass, you're making it difficult for your audiences to recognize, at a glance, that your communications are all coming from your organization. Remember, we're all scanners these days.

    In addition, it's likely that those who do recognize that these divergent communications are from you won't think much of your organization or your sloppy communications effort.

    Consistency is the key to your audiences absorbing your messages, and for them to be able to "whisper down the lane" – repeating those messages to others. No other form of communication is as powerful as this natural network.

    A Style Guide Is a Long-Term Solution

    An easy way to ensure clear and consistent communications is to create a two to three page editorial and design style guide. Everyone needs to be on the same page when it comes to getting the word out. The standards featured in your style guide will make it easy for them to do so.

    A style guide will also make it unnecessary for you and your colleagues to re-invent the wheel each time, saving you a great deal of effort.

    Action Plan

    Business Process Consulting – Four Keys to Thinking Strategically
    Thinking strategically is critical to our success. In the first instance, we must develop this mindset ourselves, as an integral part of our own leadership skill development. Then, through our mentoring staff development approach, help the people around us understand what this means for them and their roles in our business.Fortunately, thinking strategically is a skill that can be learned and taught. There is a great deal written about strategy, and so a clarification of what we mean when we use the
    es, your audiences will be confused. The answer? Style standards clearly defined and published in a style guide.

    The Problem

    Due to the ubiquitous nature of advertising and promotion, we're all bombarded by communications. In the face of this morass, you're making it difficult for your audiences to recognize, at a glance, that your communications are all coming from your organization. Remember, we're all scanners these days.

    In addition, it's likely that those who do recognize that these divergent communications are from you won't think much of your organization or your sloppy communications effort.

    Consistency is the key to your audiences absorbing your messages, and for them to be able to "whisper down the lane" – repeating those messages to others. No other form of communication is as powerful as this natural network.

    A Style Guide Is a Long-Term Solution

    An easy way to ensure clear and consistent communications is to create a two to three page editorial and design style guide. Everyone needs to be on the same page when it comes to getting the word out. The standards featured in your style guide will make it easy for them to do so.

    A style guide will also make it unnecessary for you and your colleagues to re-invent the wheel each time, saving you a great deal of effort.

    Action Pla

    The Badge of PI Honor
    Private investigators are people who undertake investigations on behalf of private individuals not involved in any governmental organization. Private eyes usually do work outside of governmental institutions and are not associated with working for any government agency.Although most private eyes are ex-police officers, they do work outside of police jurisdiction and do so to satisfy or to be of service to a private client.The work of private investigators usually covers a lot of investigative wor
    ce, that your communications are all coming from your organization. Remember, we're all scanners these days.

    In addition, it's likely that those who do recognize that these divergent communications are from you won't think much of your organization or your sloppy communications effort.

    Consistency is the key to your audiences absorbing your messages, and for them to be able to "whisper down the lane" – repeating those messages to others. No other form of communication is as powerful as this natural network.

    A Style Guide Is a Long-Term Solution

    An easy way to ensure clear and consistent communications is to create a two to three page editorial and design style guide. Everyone needs to be on the same page when it comes to getting the word out. The standards featured in your style guide will make it easy for them to do so.

    A style guide will also make it unnecessary for you and your colleagues to re-invent the wheel each time, saving you a great deal of effort.

    Action Pla

    Why A Selfish Jerk Is 100% Guaranteed To Fail On eBay
    Tens of millions of people are trying to earn money on eBay these days and most of them will make only small amounts and eventually quit trying and drift away. Most of those millions will wrack their brains, trying to figure out how to win riches from eBay, and never really understand why it didn't happen. Sometimes it's easier to observe failure and know what NOT to do.This email is from a man who is guaranteed to fail and the reasons aren't hard to figure out. Here are his exact words ...Hello
    g your messages, and for them to be able to "whisper down the lane" – repeating those messages to others. No other form of communication is as powerful as this natural network.

    A Style Guide Is a Long-Term Solution

    An easy way to ensure clear and consistent communications is to create a two to three page editorial and design style guide. Everyone needs to be on the same page when it comes to getting the word out. The standards featured in your style guide will make it easy for them to do so.

    A style guide will also make it unnecessary for you and your colleagues to re-invent the wheel each time, saving you a great deal of effort.

    Action Pla

    Summer Job Hunting 101
    Sooner than later, the lines at your local fast food joints will be filled with more summer job seekers than hungry customers. Mallrats will be replaced by well-mannered students with r?sum?s in hand. And your parents will begin a steady, annoying cadence that will only end when you’ve got a place to finally stamp your timecard:“Have you’ve found a job yet… Have you’ve found a job yet? Have you’ve found a job yet?!?!”Well, have you?Sure, you can choose to diss the job searchdesign style guide. Everyone needs to be on the same page when it comes to getting the word out. The standards featured in your style guide will make it easy for them to do so.

    A style guide will also make it unnecessary for you and your colleagues to re-invent the wheel each time, saving you a great deal of effort.

    Action Plan

    Here is a step-by-step plan approach to putting together, or updating, your style guide.

    • Spread out communications samples in front of you, including pages printed out from your web site and your e-newsletter.
    • Jot down standards that work best in the following areas. Keep your audience in mind when you do so. You'll want input from communications staff or consultants.
    Traditionally, style guides covered punctuation, and spelling. I suggest that you expand this concept to include graphic guidelines and key messages. This way, you have a single point of reference to shape your communications.
    • Logo: Sizing; colors; position on the page; what elements should be included when logo is used.
    • Colors: Official colors -- with exact Pantone numbers if possible (Pantone is a color numbering system used by designers and printers) and notes on how those colors are to be used.
    • Words not to use.
    • Word style preferences (e.g. web site vs. website, grant making vs. grantmaking).
    • The title of the published grammar style guide that your group uses: Communicate the title of the guide that your writers need to follow when deciding whether to insert that final comma or not, or selecting the right preposition to follow the word parallel (to or with).

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