10/31/2006
Where's OUR Candy?
| It’s Halloween…one of my (Mary Kay’s) favorite holidays. Don’t ask me why, but I’ve always loved it (and it’s not just about the treats, honest). But now that I’m all grown up and going trick or treating would probably be frowned upon, I do have a question. Where’s our candy. Halloween is one of our more creative holidays. Awards are given for the best costumes and I’ll bet the kids who are the most creative in what they wear, get the better treats…I’m talking the Snickers bar versus the box of raisins. But just about anyone can tie a scarf around his or her head, put on a gold earring and say, “Aargh.” So whoopdedoo, you’re a pirate, here’s your candy. What about the rest of us? Get It In Writing is a team of professional copywriters producing strategic communications for businesses. We’re among the people who are creative every day. So, where’s our candy? Maybe it’s when we see our clients succeed. It’s knowing that the copy we produced – whether for a newsletter, brochure, website, press kit, ad or whatever the vehicle – helped a business reach its goals and increase its bottom line. So there’s our candy. Maybe it’s not as crunchy as a Snickers bar, but it’s not as fattening and it sure is sweet. Now back to this trick or treating issue. So who cares if it’s frowned upon. Now where did I put my scarf and earring? |
10/30/2006
The Great Machine Rebellion
| Mary Kay, the "Blog Queen," here (again). Our office is pretty much like any other. We come to work. If it's a Monday (like today), we exchange a few pleasantries about how our weekends went. Then we get down to work, in our case, writing copy. Actually, in our case, writing great copy. We work hard, we bat ideas and strategies back and forth, we produce. Sometimes--again being like other workplaces--our computers go down. This, I believe, is where we may differ. Everyone--and I mean everyone--from dentists to dry cleaners to doggie daycares have websites or blogs or both or--at a minimum--use computers for customer information and billing. Blog-wise, 40,000 new ones pop up each day. Website-wise, there are so many, I've lost count. The point is, we all depend on computers...including us here at Get It In Writing. So when the machines rebel (or is it revolt?), what's a body to do? For many, a computer crash is a great excuse to take a reeeeaalllly looong break. You may hear phrases like "The computer went down, so I couldn't work," echoing throughout offices. Here's an idea. Think! What? Think! Remember that...when you stop typing or looking up information on the Internet long enough to...well...engage your noodle? That's when you stop doing what you're doing long enough to sit and quietly reflect and come up with fresh ideas about the project at hand. Sometimes, in our case, if all the computers are down or even if they're working, we stop and engage in a group think. We exchange thoughts and ideas, and if the machines have rebelled, we write things down on paper. What? Paper! Yes, we use a pencil or pen and write ideas on a sheet of paper. Often, when we quit depending on the machines and turn on our creativity...that's when the really innovative ideas emerge. So take that, Machines!!! |
10/26/2006
ZOOMing into the 21st Century
| Get It In Writing is made up of a team of professional copywriters -- moi being the eldest. Again, please note that this is being written by Mary Kay, NOT Allison, our president and chief copywriter. She -- Allison -- is a child of the information age, whereas I come from an era where I began editing on long galley sheets, marking changes with old, classic editorial marks using a blue pencil. And if an error was found that had been made by the printer, I had a rubber stamp that indicated "Printer's Error" in big, bold, red letters. This was a not-so-subtle indication that we, the customer, did not intend to pay for corrections to mistakes that the printer had made. My evolution slowly moved into the late 20th century where I began typing on a Digital Equipment Corporation or "DEC" computer (whatever happened to them?) and eventually a Mac. But I must admit that initially learning to maneuver the mouse was difficult (but I'm also a bad dancer, so I guess it figures). So now the fact that I'm actually writing a blog and occasionally have written about blogs kind of blows my mind. My point (yes, I do have one) is that it's important to keep up with technology -- and with what's going on in the world in general. I really believe it's critical to keep one's brain in gear. Case in point: I just checked to see what happened to DEC. They didn't adapt to changing technology (even though they started out as a computer pioneer) and the company was eventually sold off in pieces to a variety of other corporations. So, no matter your age, stay active, stay with it, keep up with things and when you need a real physical and mental challenge, go shopping and then go home and watch Jeopardy. I rest my case! |
Will these elections EVER be over?
| Please note: This is being written by Mary Kay -- not Allison, our "top banana," -- so the ideas put forth herein do not necessarily reflect those of the big cheese. Why do I keep using food analogies? Maybe because it's lunch time. Anyway, back to the topic at hand, the forthcoming elections...not just here in South Florida, but throughout our great land. A couple of years ago, I moved from Chicago (home of "vote early and vote often") to Palm Beach County (home of butterfly and hanging chads). I've long been a political junkie and still find the process immensely interesting. I've also noticed that there's really not much of a difference between Chicago and the Palm Beach area, with the exception that there are undoubtedly more Rebublicans in this neck of the woods. But despite my fascination with politics, I'm really sick of the commercials. Politician A accuses Politician B of whatever heinous act he or she can come up with. Then Politician B attacks Politician A, citing some other awful thing and it goes back and forth ad nauseum. When A and B as well as C, D, E, F, G, etc. do talk about the issues (which is seldom) they do so in such broad terms that it's hard to know where they really stand. Can't we just forget all this back-and-forth fighting and have a group hug? Or will I have to read the newspapers to see where they really stand? Yes...I can't wait until the elections are over! But will I vote? You bet, I will. And I can't wait until the presidential race in 2008. Then we can really get into some good mud slinging. |
10/23/2006
Perception really is everything
| Recently, a male friend asked me this seemingly-innocent question: "So, do you work five days a week or do you work part-time?" I answered him that this is a question that only a man would ask a woman, assuming that he was assuming that a woman with a family couldn't work full time. I mean, would a woman ever ask a man this question? Meanwhile, his reasoning for asking the question was entirely different: In his experience and to him, success means choosing your hours and choosing not to fo the 9-to-5 thing. He sensed I was progressing successfully in business and wanted to get some context on what success really meant as far as working and work hours. This exchange made me realize how each and every one of us assumes what we want to assume, understands what we want to understand and interprets and perceives according to our own point of view. To an extent this is natural, but what it leads to is dialogue, conversation and even marketing messages that may not be hitting the mark or making much sense to the receiving end. So what's the solution? I have no idea. Ask more questions? Be more "real?" Say what you mean and mean what you say? |