tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51986912011-09-21T14:38:22.499-07:00The official blog of Blue Ferret Communications. Chris Williams, a Web copywriter and communications consultant, talks about technology, writing, and the communication strategies (and pitfalls) that occur between them. Oh, and ferrety things. Visit <a href="http://www.blue-ferret.com">Blue-Ferret.com</a> for creative, powerful Web marketing services.Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.comBlogger2001100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-4880633141141434512007-02-28T14:23:00.000-08:002007-02-28T14:31:27.422-08:00

I don't really want to do this. But I feel I have to.Effective today, I'm ceasing activity on this blog. It's possible I may resume posting at a later date, but I doubt it. Right now, I want to spend the time on other marketing pursuits. These are the ideas I'm tossing around:--A new marketing strategy, based off my website. A full site rework is in progress anyway - new CMS, new content and

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-27471321969716982902007-02-26T13:29:00.000-08:002007-02-26T13:30:48.871-08:00

I checked this morning's RSS feeds and found this little feature on Lifehacker:Hotspotr.com's Wifi Hotspot Locator. Looks fairly complete (San Francisco's ranked #1! Yay!), and the mashup interface is dead simple.I added it to my wireless bookmarks. Then I thought about what to BlogTip on today. Hmm....Wi-Fi use is growing, although most of what I come across requires me to pay for time. If I

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-41478417359266020212007-02-21T12:00:00.000-08:002007-02-20T21:42:51.664-08:00

Sadly, there will be no BFC blog article today. I know, I know. I'm spending today working on my newsletter for February. (The signup link's to your right, all bright and blue.)Normally I do this on Thursdays and Fridays, but I'll be traveling tomorrow for a court hearing on Friday. (Family member hit by SUV; I'm speaking at the sentencing. I didn't go commit assault and battery with a

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-9424545647269882012007-02-19T12:39:00.000-08:002007-02-20T12:09:37.761-08:00

As we all know, one of the biggest problems in lead generation is finding names. Rented lists only go so far, and networking wears on us after a while. In the past I've blogged about using Web services like Google Local to find valuable contacts. Now I'm adding another such service to the self-promo arsenal.Jigsaw.com is a website with the slogan, "Buy and Trade Business Contacts." The idea

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-61998120751510396092007-02-14T14:04:00.000-08:002007-02-14T14:07:53.257-08:00

Despite the wild, unrestrained nature of the Web, there are some things you really shouldn't say. Especially on a business website. I'm talking about language which causes a noticeable, but hard-to-pinpoint dent in your response factor.I'm listing below three things I've come across in the past few years. Each of these language gaffes either irritated, confused or amused me. (You'll have to

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-70944150054047096292007-02-12T14:04:00.000-08:002007-02-12T14:06:27.094-08:00

As you can see, I'm running a new template. I began to suspect a few readers didn't like the hard-to-read dark blue of the last one (partially because my eyes were hurting too). Drop me a comment if you like it.I'm also happy to report that new submittal efforts, to Reddit and Sphere are bringing in a surprising amount of traffic. Thanks, to all of you!Afraid that's all I have for right now.

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-86946374654123719522007-02-07T14:57:00.000-08:002007-02-07T14:58:49.826-08:00

A lot of small business websites don't get updated.The company puts the site up, breathes a sigh of relief now that it's "out there," and goes back to work. Thinking the site will magically know to inform visitors if anything changes.Sound old hat? Sound Web 1.0 (not to be overly cliche)? It is, but it's common. I've even seen companies who regularly blog, or issue a newsletter forget to

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-64201080681508811102007-02-05T14:18:00.000-08:002007-02-05T14:19:14.335-08:00

I've used StatCounter and Performancing to track both my blog and my website for a while now. Both have excellent detail. But recently, Performancing's RSS feed showing my stats went kaput. I don't know why, but I suspect it has something to do with their recent troubles.I've been very grateful for having StatCounter as a backup. It's made me consider the wisdom of having more than one

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-42620037160882874312007-01-31T14:34:00.001-08:002007-01-31T14:34:41.021-08:00

Last week, I read an article that irritated me enough to schedule it into my blog.It referenced several parts of an extensive study on family behavior, done by Nickelodeon. You can read the full article here: http://news.com.com/2009-1025-6153574.html?tag=ytWhen I started reading, I saw a few things I agreed with - technology blurring boundaries between work and home, the vast majority of kids

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-85537092441710777512007-01-29T13:34:00.000-08:002007-01-29T13:35:07.879-08:00

Social networking. It's been called the Web's true form, the ultimate collaboration, the universal conversation, etc. I'm not even going to try picking one. Whatever it truly "is" I'll leave up to the historians.Instead, I'd like to muse on a few things the social networking phenomenon proves. (These are from a writer's perspective, of course.) Simple, basic truisms brought about by this

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-6597656841088699302007-01-24T13:56:00.000-08:002007-01-24T13:57:28.829-08:00

I was working on my newsletter last Friday and happened upon one of those "enlightened moments."I'd typed out, "Be mindful of scheduling factors in your customers' lives." Then I caught myself. Would it sound better with clients instead? I changed it, and yes, "Be mindful of scheduling factors in your clients' lives" looked clearer.(Okay, so it was a small enlightenment. Humor me.)What's the

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-81655932394290974222007-01-22T13:44:00.000-08:002007-01-22T13:45:19.641-08:00

Relax - you're selling too hard.People don't really like being "sold." They like making a decision that benefits them. The mark of a super-marketer is the ability to lean a prospect's decision in your favor. But is there such a thing as trying too hard to do this?In my experience, yes. You can only persuade as far as they want to go. Keeping this give and take in mind while selling, or

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-64033916142365795932007-01-17T13:52:00.000-08:002007-01-17T13:53:11.084-08:00

I have absolutely no idea what I want to write about today. So I'll take the escapist route and post some links from my favorite websites.Run Ubuntu on Windows SystemsI didn't think there would be an easier way for Linux virgins to experience the OS...until now.What I especially like about this is the automatically-installed option of switching into Linux at boot. Switching operating systems at

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-80255820636207415232007-01-15T12:24:00.001-08:002007-01-15T12:24:48.872-08:00

Today our nation pauses to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.I have always had great respect for King. Not only for the courage to stand up when he did, but for the foresight to understand what real unity means. Out of acknowledgement for this man's fervent desire to aid our society, there will be no BlogTip today. I'm heading out to do some volunteering.

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-47080766708698125502007-01-10T15:00:00.001-08:002007-01-10T15:00:42.378-08:00

Ever had a project trip out of the gate?You toil over research, write drafts, move paragraphs around, check some metrics, weigh SEO keywords, dress it up, put the copy out there - and it falls on its face.Nothing. Cricket-chirps. Celebrities coughing get more attention.Of course, you want to edit or replace the piece so you'll get a better result, right? But we're left with a dilemma. How do

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-31318842090790634252007-01-08T12:19:00.001-08:002007-01-08T12:19:43.159-08:00

Since it's a new year, I thought I'd list a few industries I'm looking to work with in my 2007 marketing plan. Haven't before, but I'd love to try them out. Mostly due to my personal interest in their topics.Also, these are all industries projected to experience significant growth/attention in the coming year. All the better for me, huh? And for you. Good writers share. Consider adding these

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-39496159204278133922007-01-03T13:15:00.001-08:002007-01-03T13:15:27.846-08:00

We're back for 2007! I trust I didn't lose any readers this weekend?Good. Welcome back. And now, onward to a new year of written wit and marketing mayhem!Today I'll talk about something that clicked in my brain while working yesterday. (Yes, back to the grind like everyone else.) I received some revisions back from a client for their website project. They only wanted a few changes, nothing

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-36563448714105964372006-12-26T23:26:00.000-08:002006-12-26T23:28:58.909-08:00

BLUE FERRET “COMMCHANNELS”: 3 MINUTES A MONTH FOR CLEARER WRITING AND STRONGER MARKETING :::::BLUE FERRET NEWS/EVENTS::::: Welcome back to CommChannels! You're receiving this month's issue a week early for a very simple reason. Like most of you, I'm taking next week off. Computer – off. Schedule – closed. Mental activity level – minimal. To my colleagues, friends and everyone else who's

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-49677883954873928572006-12-20T14:16:00.001-08:002006-12-20T14:16:31.143-08:00

Story of the New Year. We make a resolution or three, tell ourselves we'll make the time, recite to our bathroom mirror, and...we fizzle out a couple weeks in. No lasting change.Depressing, isn't it? Now, what if I told you there was a method with which you could set 2007's resolutions in stone before the year even starts?It's called the S.M.A.R.T. principle.http://

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-81587254241450409362006-12-18T12:43:00.000-08:002006-12-18T12:44:07.028-08:00

Like many of you, I'm taking next week off. And since the end of the year approaches rapidly, I decided to focus this week on planning for 2007.First, let me put down some links dealing with trends awareness. If you want to plan for a new year, it pays to get a sense of where to look. Some things I think writers/marketing consultants should be aware of include open source, business moving into

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-27089156828837365002006-12-13T15:32:00.000-08:002006-12-13T15:33:22.491-08:00

Copywriters are there to make words sell. We spend years figuring out what phrase has the most impact where. Along the way, it's a natural inclination to avoid repetition. We don't like writing the same thing over and over any more than the audience likes reading it.However, a problem lurks in this always-wanting-creativity preference.It is known as The Obvious Description.You might be tempted

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-18314543855450207662006-12-11T14:11:00.000-08:002006-12-11T14:12:19.658-08:00

"To be or not to be..."Shakespeare hit on something powerful.It's one of the most fundamental verbs in the English language - "be." It's probably used millions of times every day in speech alone.But it can slow down marketing copy like tar on a hot road.Copywriting experts talk about strengthening your writing by eliminating "to be" and its derivatives. I've seen this referenced in so many

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-84051062600663803192006-12-07T14:29:00.000-08:002006-12-07T14:30:21.534-08:00

John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing posited an interesting challenge last night.He's asked for 500 blog mentions of his new book, of the same title as his business. I'm looking forward to it (though I haven't pre-ordered mine yet - holiday budget and all).While I'm of course happy to answer John's call for action, I want to throw in my own viewpoint.He mentioned in his announcement that his

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1165452541935135702006-12-06T16:49:00.000-08:002006-12-06T16:49:01.970-08:00

(Fair warning - I've had a monster headache all day. Today's article might sound a bit off.)Flow is extremely important to copy. Without flow, there's no story. No foundation on which to build. No steady persuasion effort. You've read copy like this: you get lost, can't figure out what's being said, don't feel like reading more, and so on.Flow depends on connecting ideas. I guess I'm an atypical

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1165266176354275782006-12-04T13:02:00.000-08:002006-12-04T13:02:56.410-08:00

Think twice about ditching all those holiday offer envelopes unopened.Identity theft, the nation's fastest-growing crime, is a particular danger during the holidays. We throw away more during this month alone than some countries do the entire year.Think about all the mail you receive that gets dumped without a second thought - boxes you've received mail orders in, holiday sales offers addressed

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1164833335621790632006-11-29T12:48:00.000-08:002006-11-29T12:48:55.706-08:00

I know some of my readers have NOT subscribed to my newsletter (shame-shame). As of this morning, the first issue went out. 30% open rate in 6 hours. I'll consider that a pretty good return.CommChannels 1 talks about what the reader will get from the coming issues. So no one will miss this very important issue, I'm reposting it on my blog. Subscription Link: www.blue-ferret.com===============

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1164662999347081532006-11-27T13:29:00.000-08:002006-11-27T13:29:59.353-08:00

It's been said many times. But it doesn't get any less powerful each time.I was lying in bed Saturday night, and my mind drifted toward business. (I wasn't trying to, honest.) Since it's a common problem, my thoughts landed on what titles by which I address myself. Anyone who's been to a mixer knows the frustration that comes from this.I say I'm a copywriter and their eyes cross.I say I'm in

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1164153406620208572006-11-21T15:54:00.000-08:002006-11-21T15:56:46.636-08:00

They're called case studies. Short, real-life accounts of instances where your product/services succeeded in solving a customer's problem. They're supposed to be about glowing examples of your professionalism, timeliness, service quality, expert followup...Okay, I can't keep writing that stuff. Too candy-coated.Let's face it - it's impossible to make every customer 100% happy 100% of the time.

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1164060100640907432006-11-20T14:01:00.000-08:002006-11-20T14:01:40.646-08:00

Today's BlogTip is a reminder in 2 parts.The first is a reminder for you to check back here tomorrow. With holiday preparations bound to eat up (pardon the pun) much of this week, I'm posting my weekly blog article tomorrow instead of Wednesday. It's about an unusual use of case studies that just might produce a whole new twist on Web marketing.The second reminder? Remember the origins of our

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1163637042347096372006-11-15T16:30:00.000-08:002006-11-15T16:30:42.430-08:00

I know this won't be a complete list. There's no possible way it could be. But any such list has value. Especially to writers strapped for time and in a mental fog (face it, we all get them).I'm talking about questions your finished copy must answer. Not what you had to answer before you started writing, but what answers the reader is looking for in the text. The other half to their own

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1163452720590324812006-11-13T13:18:00.000-08:002006-11-13T13:18:40.656-08:00

A good marketer never has too many avenues for finding out things about his audience. Last week, I added two more to my repertoire. They both work for all audience types. Both come straight from the customers' mouths. Er, keyboards.1. Amazon CommentsTechnically they're called "Customer Reviews," but you know what I mean. Input from a book's readers, right on its page. I've found opinions

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1163025111278539922006-11-08T14:31:00.000-08:002006-11-08T14:31:51.330-08:00

Time for another technology post!Yesterday I spent part of the day working with content management systems (CMSes). I'm redoing my website for modern organization, easier uploads and article marketing. A CMS is virtually required now for regular content updates, but I've struggled along without one until now. Mostly because it's a fairly high learning curve, and I lack time.Time to bite the

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1162855244525367632006-11-06T15:20:00.000-08:002006-11-06T15:20:44.590-08:00

Managing In A Technology-Driven World - WebProNewsThis article makes two good points. One, really successful companies spend time with their customers, learning everything they can. Two, technology should be used to make our lives easier, not overcomplicated.I'm making a response to the second point today's BlogTip. It's repeated all over the place, and for a good reason: it needs to be said

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1162425985621289692006-11-01T16:06:00.000-08:002006-11-01T16:06:25.683-08:00

Once in a while, when I get really into writing on a project, I "zone in" a little too far. I forget certain things - who I'm writing to, what I want the piece to do, etc.It's easy to tell when I do that. I go to edit later and think, "AGH! What possessed me to write THIS? It's way off-base! Garbage! Wasted time! #$(*&@%&^#$!"One of the oft-forgotten items is the reader. It's easy to blur

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1162244251320506852006-10-30T13:37:00.000-08:002006-10-30T13:37:31.380-08:00

Because I'm feeling irritated and silly today (a weird combination, believe me), I thought I'd list out a few words no self-respecting copywriter should ever use in their work. They're an ideal way to confuse readers and drive off sales. Read, have a laugh, and go back to your day."Growth Cycle" - We're not pod people!"Metro-" anything that's not a big train or a pink polo - Meaning runs away

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1161822641457510162006-10-25T17:30:00.000-07:002006-10-25T17:30:41.550-07:00

It's rare that I do a political posting on here. Usually because there's not a lot in politics I can relate to writing/marketing. However, my California absentee ballet had some interesting fodder for discussion.Halfway down my sample ballot, there's a list of judge confirmations. "Shall So-and-So be elected to the office for the term provided by law?" State Supreme Court, appellate courts, 4

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1161635364868275832006-10-23T13:29:00.000-07:002006-10-23T13:29:24.923-07:00

In 2004, I went back to school to finish my English degree. The first class on my first day was an English Literature class, taught by one of the hardest teachers on campus. His name's Robert Coleman-Senghor. We called him Bob.Bob's the kind of English teacher people think about and shudder, 20 years later. He makes your brain take the shape of an Escher sketch. He pounded things into your

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1161199081209417032006-10-18T12:18:00.000-07:002006-10-18T12:18:01.276-07:00

Last night, my sister was hit head-on by a drunk driver. She was in surgery for 6 hours to put steel rods into her legs and refit the breaks. I have only an initial report, but it sounds like she'll be okay.Needless to say, there's not going to be an article today. I'm heading up to Redding in a little bit. (Someone's going to have to handle the legal side of this; my parents are not very

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1161030088943574812006-10-16T13:21:00.000-07:002006-10-16T13:21:29.016-07:00

The number of bloggers writing paid-for reviews - their own ads, in other words - will increase in the coming years. The controversy is already flaring up, as you can see in the comments to TechCrunch's post on pay-per-post outfits.Personally, I don't like the idea of an independent blogger dishing out their credibility for a quick paycheck. But the whole point of blogging is the freedom to

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1160604281616331212006-10-11T15:04:00.000-07:002006-10-11T15:04:41.673-07:00

We put a lot of power into small statements.They're an end result of work. Oftentimes this work is an overwhelming amount of time. So much so that it can't all be described. It has to be encapsulated in a bold "small statement."Months of study. Hours upon hours of coding practice. Constant fiddling around. Neverending knowledge upkeep.Result = "I know C++."Reading dozens of books for tips.

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1160426037643972192006-10-09T13:33:00.000-07:002006-10-09T13:33:57.700-07:00

As most everyone knows, today is Columbus Day. Wasn't perfect, but he did something bold for what he believed, and reaped a sizable reward.When he appeared before the rulers of Spain, do you think he talked about how he would only need 3 ships? How his course would only take so many weeks, as opposed to months the "traditional" way?Nope. Those were features of his proposal. Parts. The

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1160005188383615592006-10-04T16:39:00.000-07:002006-10-04T16:39:48.700-07:00

You don't want to blog today. Anything but that. Cleaning the file cabinet (which has papers growing out of it like Mel Gibson's beard) seems preferable. Wait until tomorrow. Nobody cares if you don't update. Why'd you start this blog, anyway?Yes, I've been there. I'm sure my fellow bloggers have too. Many times. When it comes, my fellow bloggers look for a way to kick themselves into

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1159822660872216852006-10-02T13:57:00.000-07:002006-10-02T13:57:40.930-07:00

Nobody wants to do the same thing forever. That includes self-employment. We've all had that day when we wanted to be doing something, anything other than run our business.Here's something I've found relieves a bunch of will-I-make-it stress: Try setting an end date for your business.Complete its life cycle in your head. And decide what form this end will take. Setting an end date, and what

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1159480516883055092006-09-28T14:55:00.000-07:002006-09-28T14:55:16.930-07:00

Marketers of all stripes know the value of a call to action.I'm making one such call today.Let's each find our real differences. Unique selling points we can use.Let me tell you what I mean. Every company is unique. No, really. You might have to dig quite a ways to find something that truly makes you different, but you'll find it. The problem is, 90% of the businesses out there don't dig.

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1159218810496544962006-09-25T14:13:00.000-07:002006-09-25T14:13:30.600-07:00

What location or activity must you be in for the ideas to flow? It's different for everyone. It even changes often for the same person. When it comes to ideas, it pays to explore. In more ways than one.For today's BlogTip, I'm listing the idea-generating locations/states of being I find common (and which tend to work for me).Fairly common places include:Lying in bed (this is why you should

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1158797015457618272006-09-20T17:03:00.000-07:002006-09-20T17:03:35.570-07:00

There's an 800-pound cinderblock in the middle of conference rooms across the world.When companies start thinking about what to write about their products - and to whom they're writing - a nagging concern pops up whenever it's inconvenient. Do we change our copy for the Web, or just lift it straight from print?My readers know I've addressed this issue vehemently in the past. However, I feel the

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1158631292287290092006-09-18T19:01:00.000-07:002006-09-18T19:01:32.286-07:00

(Sorry this one's late - very bad traffic plagued me today.)A couple weeks ago, the eminent Duct Tape Marketing blog posed this question to its readers - What business are you really in?He gave four possible choices:The Information businessThe Community-Building businessThe Experience businessThe Transformation businessWhen I first read it, I thought John was talking about choosing one of the

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1158268907932158112006-09-14T14:21:00.000-07:002006-09-14T14:21:48.040-07:00

Today marks the 150th post on the Blue Ferret Communications Blog!In honor of this milestone (hey, I'm entitled to celebrating once in a while), I've decided to do something big. But not yet. You'll have to wait...and check back, of course.Now, on to the Wednesday post.==================I'm beginning to think there should be another page added under the "website" umbrella.We have the homepage,

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1158002127238900502006-09-11T12:15:00.000-07:002006-09-11T12:15:30.410-07:00

Like most everyone, I took a moment to pause and reflect on the events of 9/11.Then I got back to work.Why? I don't see stopping our lives as an honorable reminder of those who died.These people were not layabouts. They were professionals, all across the board. They did not stand around that day. Why should we now?Others will disagree with me, of course. That's fine. I'm aware that it's my

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1157586523443176052006-09-06T16:48:00.000-07:002006-09-06T16:48:43.543-07:00

On Monday, frequent Lockergnome contributor Dave Taylor wrote in his blog about the issue of companies asking bloggers to review their products.While I read Dave's post, I thought, "How would a business respond to this article?" If they were smart, they'd pay close attention to the ethical issues surrounding the whole topic of blog reviewing.A thorny ethical dilemma, asking someone impartial to

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1157400175287642512006-09-04T13:02:00.000-07:002006-09-04T13:02:58.756-07:00

I originally wanted to spend today doing nothing. Using the time to completely unwind. And while I plan on doing that later, I'm spending part of this Labor Day doing some planning for the coming months. Mostly on my marketing campaigns. It's an ideal time.That's today's BlogTip: use the day to plan where you want to be by year's end. Labor Day has become a turning point in business, between

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1156989285266419942006-08-30T18:54:00.000-07:002006-08-30T18:54:45.333-07:00

This weekend I'll be going to the annual Pleasanton Highland Games. It's a blast. The entire county fairgrounds turns into a spectacle of Celtic/Medieval celebration. Bagpipes, Celtic music, Scottish sports, animal shows, clan organizations, food food FOOD, and enough vendor booths to deck yourself from head to toe in period fashion.I visited the website a couple days ago, because I wanted to

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1156793475020456292006-08-28T12:31:00.000-07:002006-08-28T12:31:15.136-07:00

This morning, like I do every Monday, I received my Monday Morning Memo from the Wizard of Ads. You can read it here:MondayMorningMemo.comI highly recommend signing up, too. Great way to start the week off. Especially with this one.Today's Memo talked about one of the things I hate the most in the business world: Ad-Speak. I sometimes call it "marketing-speak" too. And to date, I've never

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1156452454647453902006-08-24T13:47:00.000-07:002006-08-24T13:47:35.406-07:00

(Apologies on this one being late. I'm still getting over a back injury from last weekend. Makes it hard to sit down.)The amount of copy needed to market on the Web is staggering, and growing all the time. Successful firms hire copywriters to wring the best returns out of their marketing projects - websites, direct marketing campaigns (on- and offline), landing pages, white papers, case

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1156196577675285532006-08-21T14:42:00.000-07:002006-08-21T14:42:57.746-07:00

I was fumbling around earlier, trying to come up with an idea for today's BlogTip. Then I glanced over at my planner. I'd written a note to submit www.blue-ferret.com to a search engine I hadn't heard of until last Friday.It's called Jayde.com, and it's strictly a B2B search engine. That's right, only business-to-business companies are listed on Jayde.An entire ENGINE devoted to collecting B2B

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1155769919483373012006-08-16T16:11:00.000-07:002006-08-16T16:11:59.566-07:00

Okay, I promised you Ferrety readers a report on the LinuxWorld Expo, so here you go. I've noticed much of the coverage by news outlets focuses on the presentations/seminars, and not so much on the expo floor. I know there's a good reason for that, but I'm there for the expo. So this is one visitor's account of the state of Linux. Take from it what you will.I noticed some differences from

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1155597875537926182006-08-14T16:24:00.000-07:002006-08-14T16:26:05.420-07:00

Tomorrow I'll be riding into San Francisco, heading for the LinuxWorld Convention Expo.This will be my third year attending. The expo is free, and it's always a blast. Lots of tech-people to talk with, big-name brands with latest-product news...and of course, lots of freebies. (Hey, we all like those.)So today I thought I'd list a couple things I've learned about going to tech conventions. A

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1155167395639888302006-08-09T16:49:00.000-07:002006-08-09T16:49:55.696-07:00

We writers need to remember too many things.Motivational phrases, industry tactics, different page structures, communication strategies, themes, audience awareness, "power" words, approach tips, persuasion techniques...Whew!I don't know how the rest of you do it, but I tend to put my most important tips, techniques and affirmations up on my wall. I've got most of the office's western wall

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1155072268134478302006-08-08T14:24:00.000-07:002006-08-08T14:27:28.576-07:00

For fellow writers, looking for an edge in their marketing.For marketing pros who need a confidence boost.For small businesses, to make operations easier and marketing stronger.For anyone who needs to convince their boss about adding value on the Web.Available free for your reading pleasure:What's the Value of a Freelance Copywriter vs. a Staff Writer? - From Blue Ferret Communications.==========

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1154984359627853292006-08-07T13:59:00.000-07:002006-08-07T13:59:19.733-07:00

I was going to post my new white paper as today's BlogTip, but something zoomed across my radar this morning that begs attention:Digg - PR Firm Hired by San Francisco to Delete Craigslist Postings?I saw this on Digg's homepage while browsing news. Now, it didn't take long to figure out that it was a hoax. However, at the moment I saw it, it had 481 "Diggs" and 78 comments. Right now it's up to

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1154637704743211352006-08-03T13:41:00.000-07:002006-08-03T13:41:44.803-07:00

Update #1 - I'm afraid that Zookoda has not been working well. There seems to be some problem in the broadcast setup. I've tried emailing their customer service, changing my settings, etc. to no avail. The email hasn't worked in the two times I've made the attempt. I'm hoping the problem will be corrected soon. But in the meantime, I'm looking into another email marketing solution. My

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1154563930506748932006-08-02T17:12:00.000-07:002006-08-02T17:12:10.563-07:00

Today I'm going to talk about the drawbacks to personalization marketing.Why, what could possibly go wrong with personalization, you ask? It's the wave of the future! It allows marketers to talk to every prospect, by name, in a one-on-one conversation. We can insert copy elements fitted to specific demographics, even specific personalities! How could there possibly be any drawbacks?Simple.

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1154381929952988312006-07-31T14:38:00.000-07:002006-07-31T14:38:50.033-07:00

Warming up over on the East Coast, isn't it? Stay inside and stay cool, Ferrety readers.It's also starting to warm up in the business world. Summer's winding down; soon we'll be back in get-busy season. With that in mind, today's tip covers a question often asked, rarely answered in terms of marketing.What's the difference between writing copy for B2C, and for B2B?(I'm talking about the main

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1153951472395159822006-07-26T15:04:00.000-07:002006-07-26T15:04:32.460-07:00

Odd how circumstances collide to tell you to pursue an idea sometimes, isn't it?I was mulling through ideas to blog on today, and checked a mailing list for copywriters I belong to (Marketing Mastermind - Yahoo Groups if anyone's interested.) One of the members asked the group what they thought of the surge in teleseminars being offered by copywriters, marketing consultants, entrepreneurs,

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1153774491581911942006-07-24T13:54:00.000-07:002006-07-24T13:54:51.663-07:00

With the rise of online video and open-source development, Flash is becoming the tool of choice for presentations and interactive Web applications.You most often see Flash in the form of a movie - an SWF file played in your browser, thanks to Macromedia's most popular plugin. But viewing those SWF files outside of the browser is a lot harder - especially when you want to save some good jokes, or

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1153462869597976352006-07-20T23:21:00.000-07:002006-07-20T23:21:09.666-07:00

Lately I've noticed a big jump in job postings for staff writers. While I definitely like companies recognizing the value of copywriting, it does make me wonder - why so many staff positions? At most, a quarter of the job posts I see are for contracts.Why aren't businesses paying more attention to freelance copywriters?A simple explanation would be that they don't know about them, or don't

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1153168861025123502006-07-17T13:41:00.000-07:002006-07-17T13:41:01.110-07:00

I'm not feeling well, and the heat's not helping. I should mention that I've been working on a longer and more detailed piece for this week, though. So be sure to check back later!Stay cool.--Chris, The Blue Ferret

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1152740744937153792006-07-12T14:45:00.000-07:002006-07-12T14:45:44.996-07:00

A couple days ago, I went to some printers' websites to see about getting quotes. (It's time for a DM self-promo campaign, yay!) As we all know, there are a couple of ways to get quotes. Most of us simply pick up the phone, even though many printers now use their websites to take orders, offer quotes, track shipping, etc. I thought I'd try using the online Quote Request forms.Four aspirins

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1152563077487524772006-07-10T13:24:00.000-07:002006-07-10T13:27:52.456-07:00

We're back! Hope everyone had fun last week.Today's BlogTip is about emails. Yes, the snippets of conversation and "I need this ASAP" we fire off without so much as an extra glance. Often, we make several assumptions specific to the topic - but a coffee meeting I had with a local photographer (*cough*Stephanie Gordon*cough*) highlighted two common and very dangerous assumptions people

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1151947742058258782006-07-03T10:29:00.000-07:002006-07-03T10:29:02.183-07:00

Blue Ferret Communications honors the men who risked everything to forge a new ideal, and the men & women who have since stood in defense of it.I am taking the week off, so I can relax and work on a new book. But instead of mindlessly wishing everyone a happy 4th of July, I'd like to ask you to do something.Stop and look around. Remember what we as a nation accomplished, when great men got up

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1151537529387853882006-06-28T16:32:00.000-07:002006-06-28T16:32:09.456-07:00

I got a call from my friend Jason in San Diego last week. He's a very to-the-point kind of guy, so he wasted no time. "Hey Chris, got a question for you. Do I sound condescending?"Threw me a bit. Usually I'm the one who gets accused of coming across that way when we're in public together. Jason's much more open and charismatic than I am (he's usually the one who ends up with the girl). But

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1151357670841583762006-06-26T14:34:00.000-07:002006-06-26T14:34:30.910-07:00

Happy Monday, Ferret fans! Here's today's tip, straight from the BlogPulse Website.BlogPulse is a blog metrics and search engine, and a darn fast one. It focuses on "trend search" - polling its blog lists for up-to-the-second keywords uses. When I checked the site today, it reported over 30 million blogs, and almost 700,000 blog posts indexed in the past 24 hours.This RSS feed: BlogPulse Key

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1150927846266824792006-06-21T15:10:00.000-07:002006-06-21T15:10:46.343-07:00

Has anybody ever seen a company use the phrase, "Now more complicated and breakable than ever!" in their advertising?Me neither. So why do companies continually try to differentiate themselves with language like "Simpler, easier to use, better quality than ever!" over and over?Part of the reason marketing & advertising get such a bad rap is because they reuse language. The same language

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1150755593767730882006-06-19T15:19:00.000-07:002006-06-19T15:19:57.180-07:00

Like every writer, I sometimes get to the end and find I'm in a different place than where I intended. I use an editing checklist when that happens. So far it's never failed to put my copy back on track.For Monday's BFC Blog Tip, I thought I'd share this checklist with everyone. For those "I don't have any time at all but this doesn't sound right AGH how do I fix it?!" moments. It only takes

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1150489017510912002006-06-16T13:16:00.000-07:002006-06-16T13:16:57.563-07:00

My presentation went over well. I received some nice compliments on my speech, and on the handout i brought (which you lucky blog readers had a day before).Now, it's time for the second blog exclusive I promised!The 5 Types of Customers You Meet on the WebTechnically, one's not a customer. But they should be given the same consideration. I've described what all 5 want at your site, and how to

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1150322795690222152006-06-14T15:06:00.000-07:002006-06-14T15:06:35.760-07:00

As I promised! A day before I'm set to give my speech, here's the full text of:3 Website Content Tricks That Keep Small Business Customers Coming Back.(I've posted it on my site's Articles page, since it's quite long.)You can also download it here in PDF: 3 Website Content Tricks PDFFor today's post, I'll expound somewhat on why I felt it necessary to write this presentation/report.I've said

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1150148256269025212006-06-12T14:37:00.000-07:002006-06-12T14:37:36.306-07:00

Today I'm making a couple announcements. There will be extra activity on my blog this week.As I've mentioned in the past, I'm a member of my local B2B Gathering. Each month, two members present are given the floor for five minutes. Most talk about their businesses, field questions from other members, etc.This week, it's my turn. The last time I presented, I gave the Google Local speech. This

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1149812352073293632006-06-08T17:19:00.000-07:002006-06-08T17:19:12.150-07:00

I've been dealing with an increasingly-irritating eBay seller this past week. The item I ordered did not work. I requested a refund; the seller pointed me to some obscure return policy he obviously hadn't written himself as justification for not giving me one. I informed him that I would be reporting him to eBay if he tried to refuse me a return of a dead product. He suddenly coughed up 90%

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1149627758470432572006-06-06T14:02:00.000-07:002006-06-06T14:02:38.556-07:00

I'm asked time and again where I came up with the name, "Blue Ferret Communications." I like telling the story behind the three words, but I've always lacked one element.I chose 'blue' because I'd found a list of color perceptions in business. For example, Red is seen as passionate, intense, almost furiously dedicated in the business world. Conversely, Blue is seen to represent integrity,

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1149123032811716642006-05-31T17:50:00.000-07:002006-05-31T17:50:32.890-07:00

It's been a couple weeks since I posted about learning to Be More Convincing. I've spent considerable time in the past few days going through additional resources. What I find continually amazes me. Not only in terms of how much knowledge there is out there on the subject of persuasion, but how simple and downright HONEST it is! (Which is very refreshing.)Let me go over some of the articles

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1148932474774276532006-05-29T12:54:00.000-07:002006-05-29T12:54:34.860-07:00

My grandfather fought in Korea.My uncle served in the Air Force for 20 years.My great-uncle fought in WWII was in the Army so long he was awarded general's stripes upon retirement.Blue Ferret Communications honors and remembers our veterans, living and dead.

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1148595247697083372006-05-25T15:14:00.000-07:002006-05-25T15:14:07.786-07:00

Sometimes I read communications that have holes in them.Usually it's a marketing piece or article. Sometimes it's web content. The problem's the same - a hole is a place where my line of thinking is derailed. Nobody likes to be left hanging, yet I find these holes all over the place.Time for the Blue Ferret to educate!First off, how do you know when you've come across a hole? One of three

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1148364996693344242006-05-22T23:16:00.000-07:002006-05-22T23:16:36.776-07:00

Sorry everyone. I didn't have time to come up with a Blog Tip today, on account of my computer's hard drive once again giving me a hard time. (I stopped it from crashing, but it fought back.) I think I'm going to go out and buy a Maxtor tomorrow.There WILL be an exceptionally-relevant article post later this week, though! I got the idea reading through a newsletter this morning. It's called,

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1147998404571308182006-05-18T17:26:00.000-07:002006-05-18T17:26:44.636-07:00

You've heard the marketing dictum, "know your audience," right? Nowadays, the audience is almost guaranteed to be online. They form their own groups, ask questions, offer feedback with services like RapLeaf.What makes these activities so valuable is that you can tap these groups and feedback for insight into your audience's thinking. There are a lot of ways to do this (forums, mailing lists,

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1147731452415844362006-05-15T15:17:00.000-07:002006-05-15T15:17:32.486-07:00

After last Monday's link collection, I went to Zookoda to sign up. Took a little tweaking, but I'm happy to announce that the Blue Ferret Blogletter is now operational!According to Brian at Copyblogger, asking for subscriptions is the most effective way to get your blog out there. Now, thanks to Zookoda, my blog posts can show up in your inbox!I've configured Zookoda to only send out one notice

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1147464616356125232006-05-12T13:10:00.000-07:002006-05-12T13:10:16.426-07:00

By Cthulhu's work ethic! When you put something out, it DOES come back!I've got a two-part special update today. Both are about happenings from yesterday.First, it's been less than 48 hours. But I've already had resources on Being More Convincing flung at me from the Web's far reaches.1. A friend I emailed over something unrelated recommended a book to me:Mind Hacks - Tips & Tricks For Using

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1147303229170492352006-05-10T16:20:00.000-07:002006-05-10T16:20:29.246-07:00

"Copywriting is salesmanship in print." - John E. Kennedy, 1905. (Thanks to Michel Fortin for the source.)I send out copy that reads wonderfully. My clients rave. I know I'm a good copywriter.But I still worry I'm not convincing enough to customers.I'm sure you've felt the same way at some point. It's like a little gremlin sitting on top of my keyboard, taunting me. Even after hours of

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1147121150013488572006-05-08T13:45:00.000-07:002006-05-08T13:46:34.616-07:00

A few marketing/technology links for everyone today! Blue Ferret Communications, doing everything we can to help information overload.Duct Tape Marketing - Should Small Businesses Care About Web 2.0 Marketing Tools?John does it again. An info-packed article on Web 2.0 marketing tools. There's stuff in here I didn't know about at all!I think Trend #3 is the one to pay attention to. Bloggers

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1146776447347666392006-05-04T14:00:00.000-07:002006-05-04T14:00:47.416-07:00

Any company serious about its marketing pays attention to the copy they're using. (And any company serious about staying in business pays attention to its marketing.) But as we all know, copywriting is a skill all by itself. Many small businesspeople would admit that it's not something they want to spend time messing with. Okay, some of us use that as an excuse because we know we write

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1146529606765619082006-05-01T17:26:00.000-07:002006-05-05T23:51:24.756-07:00

UPDATE 5-5-06: Duct Tape Marketing has posted a snappy bunch of tips on writing testimonials. What I said about writing them for your clients is right smack in the middle of the bunch, too. As always, John Jantsch gives us some great value.******I met with Alice, a longtime friend of mine, last Thursday for a coffee-shop chat. This woman makes my multitasking look like trudging through tar, so

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1146175117959809062006-04-27T14:58:00.000-07:002006-04-27T15:02:18.860-07:00

I'm going to break a little from sharing information this week. This article's going to be about illuminating what I see as a destructive trend in modern communication.You've probably heard this snag in conversation before. You might have even heard it in a presentation. It likely left you puzzled, wondering what was said, losing track of what's being said right then while you spend time

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1145919379427564142006-04-24T15:56:00.000-07:002006-04-24T15:56:19.503-07:00

I'm still working on this week's article post. But I had so many links flood into my RSS reader today that it seemed a shame to waste them all on just me. So here's Monday's Blog Tip. Go follow the links!Geeks and Communication Skills - NOT a Contradiction in TermsA solid common-sense expression of why IT people are so often misunderstood when they try to communicate. Plus, some tips on what

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1145495363994495482006-04-19T18:09:00.000-07:002006-04-19T18:09:24.043-07:00

Look what I ferreted out! (Hey, I said it would be something ferrety today.)Cooking up Web Content, at the WebDev BuzzThe article focuses on how to come up with ideas for content. A quick, simple read, it does a good job at giving a quick snapshot of what happens before a web content writer (such as myself) puts fingers to keyboard on his latest project.However, there's a secondary power in its

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1145304857433282622006-04-17T13:14:00.000-07:002006-04-17T13:14:17.516-07:00

I have two announcements to make today. Yes, there IS such a thing as good news on Tax Day.1. There's new content on the Blue Ferret website! I've updated the Portfolio with some new samples, the Services page has longer & more precise descriptions, there's some new Home content, and two of my best blog posts are now posted as Articles.2. The more I look, the more I have to blog about.

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1144975654550923712006-04-13T17:47:00.000-07:002006-04-16T23:03:07.480-07:00

You know the old phrase, "Learn by doing?" I'm currently doing so much learning in my doing (though I'm not sure how well it's doing), that my learning by doing is learning new ways of doing!Say THAT ten times fast.On second thought, don't. Wouldn't want anyone to lean out of their cubicle to look at you, now would we?I've been prospecting like crazy for the past few weeks. I like to think my

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1144794937615895372006-04-11T15:35:00.000-07:002006-04-16T22:57:51.770-07:00

I went sniffing around the Web earlier today, looking for trackbacks to my sites. Lo and behold, who was on Page 1...but the Open Document Format Alliance!ODF Alliance: About Us/MembersA couple weeks ago, I sent an email to the Alliance asking to be listed as a member. I believe in the usability of a simple, universal text format. (Especially after having worked with literally dozens of word

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1144280957617134262006-04-05T16:49:00.000-07:002006-04-16T23:04:57.636-07:00

Cue the minor-key pipe organ! Call up those webpages! Put the 'appalled gasp' sound effect on standby!The Blue Ferret has gone mad...MAD, I tell you! Well, okay, just peeved. I see the same thing all over the Web, every day, and it's bugging me. Dull, unconvincing writing in various formats from companies that should know better. Online writing that falls on its face, that doesn't sound

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1144110407123516502006-04-03T17:26:00.000-07:002006-04-16T22:53:43.000-07:00

Okay, I got a few emails from my readers saying they felt an introduction would be a good addition to my IM tipsheet. (I love having writers in my audience!) So, naturally, I added one. The link's the same, but I'll repost it so you don't have to scroll down (lazy Web readers that some of you are).10 Ways To Make Sure People Understand You Over IM - Version 2That's all for right now! Come

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1143681914704666852006-03-29T17:25:00.000-08:002006-04-16T22:52:13.506-07:00

In my quest to beef up my knowledge on white papers and their uses in marketing communications, I was reading the "5 Laws" page at Hoffman Marcomm (another excellent writing company I know and recommend): Hoffman Marcomm - The Five Laws.While I read it, I noticed a quote in the left-hand margin. "A well-written white paper is more likely to be read and influence buying decisions."What grabbed me

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5198691.post-1143068040340137892006-03-22T14:54:00.000-08:002006-03-22T14:54:00.383-08:00

Last week I came across an article that pounded into my head like a mallet shooting out of the screen. It was a transcript of a conversation between John Seely Brown, former chief scientist of Xerox, and Shannon O'Brien, a senior at a California high school.Here's the article: The Future's So Bright...The now-consultant and the gymnastics instructor talked about innovations, communications

Blue Ferrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10249461355543733668noreply@blogger.com0