5 pieces of jargon to erase from your vocabulary

Public relations, as with any communications discipline, can be plagued by awful language.

Journalists and authors have editors to eliminate bad word choices, but unless we vigorously police ourselves, even the best PR practitioners can be guilty of using phrases we wish would disappear from the industry’s vocabulary.

These terrible PR phrases are five of the worst offenders: 

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1. Leverage. Don’t use this unless you are talking about an actual lever using a pivot action to physically move an object.

This tops the list of offenders because it breaks a cardinal rule of clear writing: Avoid using a more complicated word to express something when a simple word does the job better.

“Leverage” is an overblown—and not entirely correct—way of saying “use,” so why not just say “use?” Please don’t upgrade it to “utilize.”

2. Circle back. I’ve gotten enough feedback from journalists to know this phrase is irksome. What does it mean, anyway? It might be an attempt at glorifying the “follow up,” which often is a necessary tool for getting things done.

3. Status quo. This is anotherempty phrase that’s too often abused by communications professionals when trying to make something sound better than it is. If there’s no progress or action to report, be direct and to the point rather than trying to dress up the language.

4. Disruptive. Tobe fair to PR professionals, this term tends to be abused by those in business and tech, but it’s fair game for this list.

The term, coined by Harvard’s Clayton Christensen, has a specific meaning that’s been co-opted too often. Next time you’re tempted to use this word, ask yourself: Does this so-called “disruptive technology” displace established competitors by providing a service at the bottom of the market and relentlessly pushing its way upmarket?

If not, it might simply be a smart new service or product. There’s nothing wrong with that.

5. Turnkey. Apparently, this means “off the shelf,” or a total package ready to be implemented. It’s an insider term that, as shorthand, doesn’t do justice to what it’s meant to convey.

Terms to continue using

Not all shorthand terms are bad. Here are a few phrases I like, along with reasons for the thumbs up:

1. No-brainer. Use it sparingly, but it implies punchy clarity.

2. Key learnings. Somewill push back against “learnings” as a noun, but I think it’s evocative. It takes the older phrase “lessons learned,” which is passive, and transforms it into something more descriptive and active.

3. Elevator pitch. It’s been around for a long time, but it’s accurate and vivid. There’s something appropriately dramatic about it.

4. Bandwidth. It may be dated, but it’s clear and is a common way to refer to capacity.

What would you add to these lists, Ragan readers?

Michelle Han is a senior account supervisor at Crenshaw Communications. A version of this article originally appeared on PR Fish Bowl.

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Are these measurement tools in your internal comms arsenal?

Tracking your internal communications’ effectiveness once required little more than an occasional employee survey to gauge response to your newsletter.

With today’s plethora of communications tools, anyone in charge of internal communications needs a suite of measurement tools to fully understand what is working and what isn’t.

Below is a discussion of the tools we recommend. They’re all widely available, and many may already be in place in your organization.

An output measurement tool

What you must understand first is whether the “output” that you are distributing is reaching your internal audience. You need a tool that will answer these crucial questions:

• Are the memos and emails being read?
• Are they getting to the people and/or departments in a timely manner?
• Are they being passed along or instantly deleted?
• Are they reaching the right people?

There are three methods for getting that information:

1. Internal message analysis: This works just as external media analysis does. Human or automated sentiment analysts scan email conversations on your intranet and internal blogs for keywords, messages and sentiment. This technique is useful for determining where and how extensively internal and external sentiment overlap.

We recommend analyzing all outgoing communications—including emails, newsletters, memos, voicemails, videos, speeches and presentations—to determine what messages are being communicated, who is getting the messages and what they are doing with them (e.g., deleting, forwarding or saving them).

Download this free white paper to discover smart ways to measure your internal communications and link your efforts to business goals.

More sophisticated clients actually analyze the email traffic to determine developing connections and networks. For large organizations, systems such as Valdis Kreb’s “Inflow” map the forwarding and response patterns of email. BananaTag can do this just as well as customized measurement companies such as CyberAlert and Prime Research.

2. Survey on email use: Most organizations worry about over-surveying employees, but a quick survey (Qualtrics, Benchpoint or SurveyMonkey ) on email use generally pays off. JPMorgan Chase discovered that by organizing and managing email communications more efficiently, the organization could save several million dollars a year.

3. Intranet traffic stats: Another important metric to track is available from your intranet log files via Omniture, Google Analytics or WebTrends. How many people are clicking on various pages on your intranet? To what extent are they downloading content?

An outtake measurement tool

This tool is typically a more in-depth survey that will help you identify the takeaways from your messaging:

• Did they understand the message, and did they interpret it correctly?
• Did the message change their morale or their work habits?
• Did the communications impact their outlook toward the company?

We recommend quarterly “pulse checks” of employee attitudes to determine how perceptions change over time.

An outcome measurement tool

Outcomes are the behaviors that you want to engender and promote within your organization. Ideally, your communications efforts are intended to make employees more loyal, more efficient and more knowledgeable. So the outcome metrics might be employee retention, performance, turnover or efficiency ratings.

One company developed an ongoing “Trivial Pursuit” quiz to test employees’ knowledge and understanding of the messages. They awarded prizes for the most correct answers. It significantly increased the entire company’s understanding of and belief in the key messages.

Another important outcome metric is available by studying your intranet’s log files. Data such as how long employees spend in each area, to what extent employees are hitting various pages, and the extent to which they download the information you provide are all measures of employee behavior.

A tool to pull it all together

Internal communications never functions in a vacuum. Employees are just as likely to get news of company developments from local media outlets or gossip at a soccer game as they are from your emails. Therefore it is essential that you also monitor local news outlets to have a complete understanding of what the employee is seeing.

Further, you’ll probably want to compare and contrast internal versus external communications vehicles to test the degree to which media outlets and particular tactics are successful in communicating your messages.

Many organizations focus on “cost per message communicated” as a way to evaluate the efficiency and efficacy of different programs. Another option is to compare the reach and frequency of message communications in your delivery channels, including email, local media outlets and internal communiqués.

Increasingly, organizations are using dashboard products like Tableau to weave together data from HR, finance, marketing and communications to demonstrate the relationships spanning internal communications, employee behavior and customer loyalty.

A version of this article first appeared on Katie Paine’s Measurement Advisor.

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A spectator's guide to office politics

I was lousy at office politics when I was on the client side.

I had absolutely no interest in it. I didn’t want the corner office. I didn’t necessarily want more responsibility or a bigger team. I simply didn’t want to play the game.

That said, I have 20 years of “observing” office politics and have learned a lot about what to do and what not to do.

As a consultant, I often use this knowledge to my advantage. It helps to understand how to work a room in a big meeting (even if I’m not the one “working it”). It helps to know why my client can’t make the project move forward—because “Jerry” in marketing is stonewalling her through her boss.

So, I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it.

Here are some observations from a consultant’s viewpoint on how to navigate the complex world of office politics:

Rule No. 1: When it doubt, keep your head down and crank out good work on deadline.

Resist the urge to “grease the wheels,” to gossip, to badmouth your cube mate.

Just do your work, and do it well.

Rule No. 2: Let your colleagues gossip; you should focus on listening.

When your work friends are gossiping, listen.

Don’t talk, don’t join the party, don’t even comment. Just listen. Half the time, your work friends just want to get stuff off their chest anyway.

Learn the dos and don'ts of reaching millennial employees in this free guide.

This way, you’re being a good compatriot, you’re not a component of the evil gossip machine, and you’re probably learning a few interesting things about your colleagues along the way. Best of all, you won’t feel guilty 24 hours later.

Rule No. 3: Learn how to merchandise results.

Make no mistake about it—this is a big part of any job.

Regardless of your role in the organization, merchandising the results of your work is a big deal.

If done well, it means:

• More budget for projects down the road

• More people on your team

• More recognition from your boss and your boss’s boss

• More money for you in the form of raises and job offers in the years ahead

Merchandising results is an art form, not a science: You must read your boss and know how and when to share the results.

This is a hidden skill that no one talks about, and I’m not sure why.

Rule No. 4: Follow the Golden Rule-always.

I’m amazed at how some managers and leaders treat those around them—their peers and those who report to them.

They usually don’t treat their managers poorly, for obvious reasons. Then there’s everyone else. If you follow the Golden Rule in your work life, you will be playing office politics—or, rather, engaging in workplace relations—the right way.

The leaders I’ve admired over the years have done exactly that. They have been fair with direct reports, sympathetic with peers and just as even-keeled with managers as with those who report to them. Those are the people that 99.9 percent of employees want to work for.

That’s good office politics.

A version of this article first appeared on Communications Conversations.

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10 reasons you hired the wrong employee

Despite a widely touted uptick in the economy, it’s still tough out there for job candidates in many industries, marketing included.

If you’re hiring people these days, you’ve probably encountered a sea of eager candidates. (There are, of course, exceptions in certain emerging job roles and highly technical positions, but in general there’s a lot of great marketing talent out there.)

Despite a deep talent pool, hiring mistakes are still common. You’ve probably experienced one of those “ohhhhhhh, nooooooo” moments upon the realization that a relatively new hire just isn’t going to work out. It’s a horrible moment (made even more horrible when a manager is afraid to admit defeat and remedy the situation).

Some marketers learn from hiring mistakes. Sadly, others don’t, but if you’d like to minimize your “ohhhhhhh nooooooo” moments (not to mention the wasted time and money associated with making the wrong hire), then here are the mental biases that you should keep in check while screening and interviewing candidates.

He said a lot (without saying anything)

We’re marketers, so a lot of us talk purty. Confidence and smooth talking are often part of the job. Thankfully, in most cases (I hope) there are also some skills and expertise under the hood.

There does seem to be a small pocket of unfathomably silver-tongued job candidates out there who talk a big game, but, completely strike out when put to the test. They get hired because they use the right buzzwords in interviews and generally endear themselves to people. But they don’t bother to acquire the actual skill set required to execute on their verbal promise.

You can often spot these folks by their resumes, which are often filled with impressive positions that lasted only a brief while. These folks rarely have been laid off or fired. They’ve learned to move on before their lack of skills can be taken to task—and often before their hiring managers can fully realize that they fell for some fancy talk.

So how do you screen for this? It can be tough, but a good place to start is to ask more about execution than ideas. Ideas are the easy part, but they’re also the most mesmerizing. So if someone has good ideas, be sure to find out exactly how he or she might see them to fruition.

He (only) looked the part

This one ties closely in with the previous point. Contrary to popular belief, clothes do not actually make the man; they’re just clothes. And though good taste is a noble quality and our outward appearances are important in marketing, you shouldn’t allow yourself to be dazzled or intimidated by someone who out-dresses you or simply shares your own sense of fashion. Good taste and impressive looks can be a nice bonus in a job candidate, but please, please make that person back it up in the interview with some substance. I realize this is Interviewing 101, but in an industry of good-looking, well-dressed people, consider this an important reminder.

She was available immediately

If your team is short on resources (and whose isn’t these days?), even a short gap between the departure of an employee and the hiring of that person’s replacement can hurt. So, although it is important to put in place efficient recruiting and onboarding processes, it’s equally important to not let your desperation to fill a role lead you to hire the wrong person.

Often, the right candidate for the job is the person who requires at least two weeks’ notice to do right by a current employer. This is not a drawback to hiring that candidate versus the slightly less qualified applicant who can start tomorrow. Rather, you should take a candidate’s commitment to a current employer as a testament to strong character and an indication of the respectful employee she will be at your company as well.

You forgot to check references

Again, this is Hiring 101, but its importance can’t be overstated. Screen people thoroughly. Call their references. And, particularly when making marketing hires, verify that the candidate did the work that he said he did. You’d be surprised by how many portfolios fudge the truth. (Well, you might not be surprised, but with full knowledge of how many people take credit for work they were only loosely tied to, it’s up to you to keep them honest.)

You thought he’d be easy to retain

Hiring is a stressful and often expensive process. Thus, it’s tempting to look for candidates who you think will hunker down with you for the long haul so you never have to deal with filling that role again. And yes, it is good to look for candidates who you think will stick around long enough for you to recoup your training expenses.

However, if you get needy and look for only those candidates who are willing to “settle in” with you, then you’re probably passing over some rock stars—and you shouldn’t. Rock stars might move on quickly, but they almost always leave cool things in their wake. So you shouldn’t pass them over. Just be thankful for the time you do get with them, and try to make them happy.

[RELATED: Learn about the latest digital communication technology and methods—and how they motivate employees to achieve your organization’s goals—at this March conference.]

You ignored overqualified candidates

We just climbed out of a recession, people. Some very skilled people out there need jobs, and a lot of them are willing to take steps back in order to secure gainful employment. I know you might feel bad offering them a salary or tasks that aren’t quite up to where they should be. But take a step back. This is the candidate’s decision to make. Don’t make assumptions that might (1) keep a capable person unemployed and (2) prohibit you from hiring a rock star who might do more than you expect in a role (see previous point).

You insisted on a certain college degree (or one at all)

It’s most important for those of you with advanced degrees to hear this: There are a lot of valuable candidates out there who might not have a college degree in marketing or a related field. Hell, some of the most valuable marketing job candidates might not have degrees at all. Though I’m not here to thumb my nose at the notion of relevant education (or education in general), I would like to encourage you to broaden your thinking when it comes to job requirements. Focus on skills and experience, not on degrees.

He went to your alma mater

See the previous point. I understand that college is an influential time in one’s life and that you might think that anyone who experienced what you experienced during that time is more qualified to work alongside you. But please, just because you both sing the same fight song and threw up at the same frat house (albeit, a decade apart) does not mean he’s the perfect fit for the job. Dig deeper.

You ignored office culture

Most of my points have urged you to focus on skill sets rather than more superficial attributes of job candidates. Though I stand by the notion that you need to look beyond a person’s shoes and university choice, I do firmly believe that a person’s personality and ability to mesh with your existing team are just as important as his or her ability to get the job done.

If you knowingly introduce a hyperactive person to your otherwise laid-back team (or vice-versa), you might be asking for trouble. That’s not to say you should never introduce new personality types to your team. But if you can already foresee a conflict while you’re interviewing the person, think twice before hiring them based on on-paper qualifications alone.

You failed to think outside the job description

Last, and most important, don’t get obsessed with whatever is written in that job listing. Interviewing and recruiting new hires can be an interesting and enlightening process. You might meet people who don’t exactly fit the definition of what you think a job is, but that person might open your eyes to what that job should be.

Be willing to rewrite requirements and responsibilities on the fly (including salaries, when possible and if warranted). Hiring the right person means more than just avoiding the wrong ones.

Drew Hubbard is a social media strategist and owner of LA Foodie. A version of this article originally appeared on iMedia Connection. Follow Hubbard at @LAFoodie. Follow iMedia Connection at @iMediaTweet.

This article first appeared on Ragan.com in February 2014.


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6 rules for using gestures in presentations

Research shows that audiences view presenters who gesture as more effective and competent than those who keep their hands still.

Consider this: According to The Washington Post, the least-watched TED talks have an average of 124,000 views and include an average of 272 gestures. The top-ranked TED talks, however, have an average of 7.4 million views and 465 gestures.

Why do gestures affect speakers’ effectiveness?

Studies show that our hand movements constitute a second language. They add information that’s absent from our words.

How can you ensure your gestures add the appropriate information to your spoken message? Check out the tips below:

1. Be natural.

Don’t force unnatural gestures, and practice extensively before using new movements in front of an audience. If your gestures seem inauthentic or over the top, they’ll probably distract your audience.

Practice at least seven times before you try new gestures in public. Practicing less than that will probably be insufficient, so commit the time to ensure you get the most out of your gestures.

2. Display numbers.

Displaying numbers with your hands is one of the easiest gestures to add to your repertoire. If you’re going to present three main ideas, show three fingers when introducing your talk’s structure.

If a quantity exceeds 10, forming the number will obviously be challenging. Use your hands to communicate numbers of 10 or fewer; communicating quantities of five or fewer will feel the most natural given that they require only one hand.

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3. Open your palms.

Open palms are a simple way to put your audience at ease. Humans around the world use open palms to demonstrate lack of a threat. When police surround a suspect, the suspect may display empty palms to show he doesn’t have any weapons.

In his TED talk, Allan Pease shared the results of a case study that examined palms’ persuasiveness. In the study, the speaker who held his palms upward had up to 40 percent more success than the speaker who held his palms down.

Watch Pease’s talk to learn more:

4. Stay in the strike zone.

The strike zone is the most natural area in which to gesture. It ranges from your hips to just below your shoulders.

Sometimes your gestures will go outside of this area, and that’s OK. However, aim to keep your gestures within it. If your hands frequently wander outside of the strike zone, you’ll distract the audience.

5. Don’t point.

Just don’t do it. Pointing communicates aggression and will make your audience uncomfortable. If you tend to point a lot while speaking, find an alternative gesture to use instead. It’s best to opt for open palms or other motions that more accurately communicate your message.

If you absolutely must point, point at your slides or a physical object—not people.

6. Remember to relax.

Every now and then, take a break from gesturing and let your hands relax naturally at your sides. This ensures your most meaningful gestures will retain their impact.

For example, if you want to gesture during your most important points, keep still in the moments immediately before your key takeaways. This brief break will help you emphasize your main points.

What you do with your hands during a presentation matters. Your gestures are a second language that communicates powerful messages to your audience. Practice your gestures before your next presentation to make sure you take advantage of their power.

A version of this article originally appeared on LinkedIn.

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4 keys to reviving evergreen content for a new audience

Good evergreen content is always relevant to your target market.

It might not include information that’s new or trendy, but it should provide good advice, be entertaining or solve a problem for potential readers.

Whether it’s two months or two years old, the best content drives traffic on its own through organic means or ongoing social media sharing. As an example, here’s the traffic to one of our best evergreen blog posts:

Sometimes good content doesn’t rise to the top, it’s not optimized around the right keyword, or it’s hard to discover because it’s buried in your site. Good content that doesn’t catch on may still be relevant and informative, but its traffic over time probably looks more like this:

Though there’s no surefire formula for delivering high-performing evergreen material every time, a few best practices will improve your odds. This post will explore a few things you should ask yourself to make sure content that’s worthy gets the results it should:

• Is optimized for search?
• Does it deliver value to readers?
• Is it still relevant?
• Does it have a strong point of view?

If your evergreen content isn’t getting the traction you want, make sure you’re hitting all four of those points to give it new life.

Optimize it for search

After you publish a piece of content, you blast it on social media, you put it in an email, you feature it on your blog or website, and if it’s something big, you might even do some PR around it. What happens, though, when the content scrolls to page two of your blog and people stop tweeting about it?

Well, nothing happens if it’s not optimized for search. Maybe there’s some referral traffic or maybe people find it within your site, but the content won’t have any ability to drive traffic unless you make an effort to promote it.

The good news is that optimization of existing content doesn’t take much work. To quickly get a read on how you’re doing, take these two steps:

1. Keyword research

Enter the most important words that describe the content in your piece into Google’s Keyword Planner. Using this article as an example, I put the term “evergreen content” into the keyword planner, but didn’t find many interesting variants:

• The phrase “evergreen content” gets 590 monthly queries.
• The phrase “what is evergreen content” gets 110.

There were other related terms that got fewer than 40 queries per month, but it looks like the only chance this article has for consistently driving traffic is to rank for one of those two terms.

2. Competition check

Look to see whether the content that shows up in the search results is consistent with what your article is about-and make sure the content that’s ranking isn’t vastly superior to the content you’ve got. Here’s the top of the current search results:

These look like my content marketing peers, so I’m targeting the right audience. The trouble is that there’s a lot of competition from reputable sites with good authority. Nonetheless, I’ve got an interesting take and insights that aren’t in some of those articles, so I’m on the right track.

Next, make sure you’re using those verified keywords well. This image includes the basics for optimizing around your keyword and its variants (if your keyword is “chocolate doughnuts,” that is). It also includes technical elements you should build into your site, but if you use your keyword as “chocolate doughnuts” is used here, you’re well on the way to winning the battle:

Deliver value in your evergreen content

If your content isn’t performing, you also want to look in the mirror and ask yourself whether it’s any good. Be honest with yourself. If it reads like a poor man’s Wikipedia article, it’s probably not something your audience (or Google) is likely to dig.

Download the free white paper, “Creating a Consistent Message,” to discover how to keep your organization’s message and voice on track across all your internal communications platforms.

For example, it would have been easy for me to write this article like this:

What is evergreen content?

It’s content that’s perpetually relevant to its readers.

Why do I need evergreen content?

Because it makes you more efficient. You can create the content once and reap the benefits forever!

And so on.

That article would’ve met the requirements of the perfectly optimized page infographic above, but would it have been useful for the reader? Bottom line, content will never be successful if it doesn’t inform, entertain or help solve a problem.

When people Google something, they’re looking for an answer. Google’s goal is to give people that answer without having to click around much. Thus, your job when you create evergreen content is to deliver the best answer possible.

If you wouldn’t want to read the content you’re creating, it’s likely that nobody else will either.

“Quality content is stuff that your audience actually wants to consume and share,” Michele Linn, vice president of content at Content Marketing Institute, says in an interview with Scripted.com. “Quality content is whatever drives the business for your organization.”

Make sure your content is still relevant

Say you’ve created a blog post called “Top Social Media Sites.” You did a bunch of research, you optimized it right, and you delivered value to your reader, but then you let it sit around a few years. This is what you’d have:

A page like this is going to fall out of the rankings because it’s simply not valuable (except as a time capsule—where’s Friendster, by the way?).

Often, refreshing a post like this won’t take a lot of work and-especially with a post that has had some success and a bunch of backlinks—it can be a quick win to bring it up to date.

Develop a point of view

Finally, evergreen content tends to do better if it has a point of view. That is an extension of making sure it’s both valuable and relevant. When you include your unique perspective, you’re going to set yourself apart from people who produce similar content.

Your perspective (and the way you share it) can be the value your readers are looking for. Having a strong point of view will also get people commenting and sharing.

A version of this article originally appeared on the Visually blog.

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Infographic: 5 reasons why infographics are e­ffective

When I met with my guidance counselor as a junior in high school ready to plan my collegiate career, we talked about how much I enjoyed writing.

Because of that, we determined that I ought to pursue a major related to communications. At no point in that discussion did I think a communications career would require graphic design knowledge.

When you chose a major or got hired for your first communications job, you probably didn’t think so, either.

But here we are in 2015, and infographics are everywhere.

[RELATED: Master your visual communications prowess at this conference at the National Geographic Museum.]

There’s a reason these visual wonders are so popular—five reasons, actually. An infographic by Identity PR discusses each one. Infographics:

1. Capture attention: A well-designed visual will hook readers. It only takes our brains one-fourth of a second to understand visual information.

2. Increase retention: We process images 60,000 times faster than text.

3. Boost SEO: Traffic to your site can increase about 12 percent after you post an infographic.

4. Build brand awareness: Use your organization’s colors, fonts and other branding elements to remind readers who created this stunning piece of helpful, insightful content.

5. Increase credibility: When you present valuable information in a professional and appealing way, people take notice. Infographics are an effective way to show potential customers you know your stuff.

Check out the infographic below:

(View a larger image.)

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How Instagram widens views in an increasingly mobile world

When Izzy Ramos’ boyfriend Neil asked her to move with him from their rental apartment in Miami to his home state of Washington, she was intrigued.

When Neil explained that he had lived in a little town called Shelton, she did what any millennial today does when considering a move: She hashtagged it.

Though the hashtag for Shelton didn’t result in much, a few clicks around her smartphone landed her at the hashtag #AberdeenWA. It was then that Ramos agreed to move.

“I loved it here the minute I finally found some images,” Ramos said. “It was so different from anything I had ever seen before, I had to experience it.”

For someone born in Puerto Rico and raised in Miami and who spent years working in Louisiana, the Pacific Northwest is an enchanting world. Much like every person with a smartphone in their hand today, Ramos was eager to share the sights of this new locale.

There’s an app for that

That desire explains the very rapid rise of Instagram in the last few years. The phone-based app enables users to upload photos, add filters, crop and stylize the image before posting it along with a caption of unlimited length. Followers can “like,” comment on and share the image.

When an entire generation that grew up using Facebook migrated quickly to Twitter, Facebook felt the threat. So Facebook bought the photo-sharing startup Instagram in 2012, and it took off. The app gave millennials a new way to talk to each other and to anyone who would listen.

It seems now everyone’s listening.

[RELATED: Learn new, innovative ways to escalate your social media game at our Social Media Conference for PR, Marketing and Corporate Communications in Walt Disney World.]

Very quickly, marketers pounced on Instagram, and within a year it had surpassed Twitter for followers. Today, Instagram has more than 400 million active users boasting 3.5. million “likes” per day. By comparison, Twitter has around 320 million active users, and Facebook still dominates the field with 1 billion active users.

Though Facebook remains the grandpappy of all social media, its little company Instagram is exciting and engaging today’s smartphone user.

Which is precisely what drew Ramos to the app.

A handheld travelogue

It’s been three years since Ramos and her beau moved to Aberdeen together and almost the same amount of time since she started her Instagram account @GraysHarborLiving.

What struck Ramos the most about her arrival here, was how few photographs of the beauty of the area she was seeing online. She initially posted a few on her Facebook so that her friends and family could see where she had moved, but then the idea struck to be more proactive about sharing this unique area with the world.

“With positive images about life in Grays Harbor through the eyes of those who cherish living here, the hashtag #GraysHarborLiving plays a key role in this mission,” Ramos said. “It’s not all about my own experience; it’s about everyone who takes pride in living in this beautiful jewel of a place.”

Britta Folden agrees. She started the Instagram account @LilHipPocketGuide about a year ago to showcase Grays Harbor County in the way that she felt wasn’t being portrayed.

“I find that Instagram is the best way to reach a wide geographical audience of people who love beautiful places,” Folden said by email. “It’s fun to share the nooks and crannies of Grays Harbor with the rest of the world (and a lot of locals, too).”

The art of the matter

Kyle Pauley of Cosmopolis agrees. He uses his profile @Weareaxb to share his artwork, his own experiences and, recently, as his home marketing base for his campaign for a seat on the council in Cosmopolis.

His experience using the app is like that of most users. City councils everywhere commit budgets and long-term efforts to municipal beautification projects, but those aren’t really what today’s Instagram users are interested in photographing.

The very nature of the app inspires an individualized experience. Users are looking to show the world their view of it, or their experiences, so they’re more likely to photograph recognizable monuments that are universally recognized as cool.

“No one is coming to Aberdeen and getting selfies in front of the murals,” Pauley said. “They’re taking selfies at the Cobain park and in front of the ‘come as you are sign’; those landmarks are the parts of the city that are recognized around the world.”

Instagram inspires the user to find the quirks in everyday life and share them. The quirkier the better, the more unique the better, and all of it adds up to more different views of the same place to a larger audience.

Pauley believes that the use of Instagram around town allows for the people to share the Aberdeen they see every day, from their own perspective. The world sees a wider view of the area that isn’t filtered through a marketing directive.

Big cities, small world

It’s a developing trend of citizen marketing that makes meet-up groups called “Insta-meets” one of the most popular forms of getting to know your neighbor in big cities such as Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Detroit and New York.

It’s also a way to express a love of photography.

“I’m a photographer, and I’m in Portland earning my bachelor’s degree in communications,” said Sierra Duarte, whose grandmother owns Clark’s Restaurant in Artic. “With the food movement so dominant here, I had to get our little family-owned place on the map.”

Duarte started @ClarksWA about a year ago and has been able to tap into hashtags that attract visitors coming through town, one of the elements that all marketers use to build their customer base.

For locals like Ramos who just want to show off their town, it’s an in-her-pocket way of showing off our little corner of the country.

“My followers are growing every day,” Ramos said. “It’s exciting to introduce people who have never heard of Aberdeen and show them this amazing little town.”

A version of this article first appeared on The Daily World.

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The marketer's guide to landing that next great job

When most of us think of marketing, it’s usually associated with a product or service or with driving a company’s brand message to the right audience.

Effective marketing defines the distinctive features and benefits of products or services, but marketing is also relevant to your job search and career advancement.

I’ve often found that my marketing candidates overlook basic marketing fundamentals when applying those principles to themselves in the job market. I think of the adage, “The shoemaker’s children have no shoes.”

Those who are successful at building their career, whether they are looking for a new job or a promotion, understand how to use marketing to their personal advantage. The first step is to promote yourself as you would a product or, as many career advisors like to say, a “brand.”

As with any good marketing campaign, you must highlight your wins, benefits and distinctive skills—such as driving sales through digital marketing campaigns, turning around declining businesses, creating a product that was well received, and managing winning teams. As in any well-run business, you need a plan.

Career plan

If you go about a career change without a plan, you may not be optimizing your search. Ask yourself these questions in relation to your career path:

• Where have I been, where am I now, and where do I want to be in the future?
• How do I get to where I want to go?
• How do I convert my plan into action steps?
• How do I correct my course if I am not finding success?

Career homework

It’s important to unearth and grasp the trends in your particular field and to gather detailed information about the companies you would like to work for. Market research is essential.

Not only will this information help you in writing your cover letter, but it is crucial when you are invited to an interview. Today’s information world makes doing your homework easy, interesting and fun, so you have no excuse for being unprepared.

Beyond using websites, LinkedIn and job boards, you should look into informational interviewing.

Reach out to your network or get introduced to key professionals in your area of expertise, your field of experience or a field you want to gain experience in. Most people enjoy sharing their knowledge with others. It’s their way of giving back, and they’ll find it flattering that you perceive them as an expert.

Career marketing mix

In the interest of marketing yourself, remember the basics, including you the (product), your resume, social media profiles (promotion), your background (positions), and salary or title increase (price). Just like your marketing plans at work, which are geared to achieve certain goals, your career marketing mix gives you the tools to achieve career search success.

You are the product

As mentioned above, you are the product. You should examine what physiognomies, features and skills make you unique. Most of you already know to include work experience, leadership experience, professional memberships and, of course, your education and training.

However, we often don’t include our professional achievements or our unique selling proposition. What one thing makes you stand out? What are your accomplishments (not duties or job titles)? How special are you, and what will make you stand out to potential employers?

No matter how appealing you are, employers may not recognize your value unless you have properly positioned yourself. Positioning is how you want people to perceive you and what you bring to the table. As you position yourself in the market, think about the following:

• List the achievements that give you a competitive advantage. Do these wins appeal to these specific potential employers?
• Selecting the right achievements for your audience is important, because different employers seek different strengths and skills.
• Are you effectively communicating and delivering your position to the market? Bulleting is the best way to communicate with those seeking your bottom-line achievements.

Promotion

The strength of your promotion tools may be the most vital piece of your career’s marketing mix. Promotion—as it relates to job-searching—includes cover letters, resumes, phone calls and interviews. Include anything you can use to get a job interview and, ultimately, a job offer.

No matter how well you are positioned and how strong your unique selling proposition is, if you cannot properly communicate these benefits to employers, you will not get the job.

Distribution channel/network

Just as distribution is often underestimated in a company’s marketing strategy, distribution is often overlooked in the job search. Your distribution channel is your network. It’s not what you know; it’s whom you know.

In career search terms, your delivery channel includes all the methods you are using to broadcast your promotional tools in your pursuit of a new job. Don’t forget these useful tools:

• Networking
• Cold calling
• Job postings
• University career centers/alumni offices
• Headhunters/recruiters/executive search firms

When you think of your network, reach out to former co-workers, colleagues, bosses, professional gathering attendees, fellow college alumni and recruiters. Don’t check off a list of people you don’t know.

When you do speak with someone—whether it’s at the beach, a college reunion or your son’s birthday party—let people know that you’re looking for your next career move. You never know who might be able to help.

Salary and title

There is a budget for marketing and advertising. The same is true for you—the product.

What compensation are you seeking and expecting from a potential employer? There are industry standards, as well as geographic considerations.

Usually the first thing a potential employer will ask is: “How much are you looking for in a salary?” Answer: “I’m looking for your best offer.” When pressed for more information, simply state what your salary requirements are: “Here is my salary expectation.”

Be special, and be yourself

What’s most important is to be yourself. If they don’t hire you, then you were not a cultural fit. Don’t despair. You want to work in an environment that appreciates you.

I always counsel candidates to show up to the interview as the same person who shows up on the first day on the job. So if you have 10 earrings in each ear, and that’s your style, please, by all means, wear all 20 to the interview.

Erika Weinstein is CEO and founder of eTeam Executive Search. A version of this article originally appeared on LinkedIn.

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Refresh and strengthen your writing and editing

Are you satisfied with your own writing? Answer honestly.

It’s time to reignite your excitement for the written word. For over 13 years, writers have joined Mark Ragan and Jim Ylisela at our Advanced Writing and Editing for the Corporate Communicator workshop. There’s a reason it’s been around so long: Communicators are consistently impressed with the immediately useful strategies and inspiration they walk away with.

We’re always adding new dates and cities, which means you can join us when and where it’s most convenient for you:

Nov. 16—Jacksonville, Florida
Dec. 3—Baltimore

Don’t miss this hands-on, personal instruction from two experts with over 30 years of communications experience. Here’s a peek at some of the takeaways you’ll collect:

• Find good stories. Where are they? Hint: They’re not sitting on your desk or in your email.
• Get your readers’ attention. Take your best shot through headlines that grab your audience and lead sentences that pull them in.
• Package your print. Use all the tricks to craft a compelling story and keep readers on the page.
• Match words with pictures. Enhance your video, images and infographics with engaging narrative.

Get registered here.

P.S.: When you use the above link, you can save $100 on your registration!

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What are the PR turkeys of 2015?

Every year, a few public relations efforts blow up in the face of organizations.

Other crises are caused not by communicators, but by a product failure or shoot-yourself-in-the-foot comment by a chief executive that leaves a mess for PR pros to clean up.

Either way, as Thanksgiving approaches, we rounded up some of the top PR turkeys of 2015.

Citing the year’s PR flops, Robert Barrows, president of R.M. Barrows Advertising and Public Relations, reminds us that mistakes can be costly. He says he often asks clients whether they are looking for more coverage or less.

“If they want me to try to keep their names out of the news, that will cost them a lot more,” he says.

The following are a few suggestions we collected from communicators. We present them as cautionary tales, large and small, and in no particular order.

Volkswagen’s emissions scandal

When a company leader says “We’ve totally screwed up,” as a VW boss did, you know things are not going well. Volkswagen AG admitted that hundreds of thousands of diesel-powered vehicles engines sold in the U.S. since 2008 contain illegal “defeat devices” capable of gaming emissions tests. The group’s CEO resigned as a result of the scandal.

Robert Sax of Sax Public Relations adds, “It’s hard to top Volkswagen’s engine emissions cheating debacle for sheer brand-killing potential.”

The brand wasn’t doing very well in the U.S. anyway, and now company officials reportedly have admitted to cheating emissions tests in the U.S., Sax adds. “‘Das auto’ indeed!” he says.

Are you prepared for a crisis? Learn how to build a world-class crisis communications playbook in this free guide.

Turing Pharmaceuticals’ 5,000 percent price hike

When Turing Pharmaceuticals boosted the price of a drug called Daraprim from $13.50 to $750 per pill, Martin Shkreli, founder and CEP, posted prolifically—and, many argued, insensitively—on social media in defense of the action.

“Due to the sudden price hike, Shkreli, whose company only acquired Daraprim last month, has already dethroned the dentist who killed Cecil the Lion as the most-hated man in America,” The Daily Beast opined.

His image wasn’t helped when he flipped a middle finger at critics via an Eminem song in a tweet. Turing later backed off the price hike, but the outcry apparently drew the attention of the New York Attorney General’s Office.

Ed James, president of CHQ Media, cites these blunders (among others) by Shkreli:

• He showed no sense that he was stepping on a land mine.

• He doubled down on his original statement.

• He gave the media an easy “evil company” headline.

• Though understanding that it’s a business, he still failed to make it clear that he knew lives were at stake.

Starbucks 'race together’

When Starbucks announced that its baristas would be writing “race together” on cups, the words were intended as an edgy invitation for customers to converse with its staff about race.

Social media, however, blew up. While some praised Starbucks’ good intentions, many mocked the notion that customers hurrying to catch a commuter train would eagerly wade into one of America’s socio-political minefields with employees of a company that “can’t even call a 'small’ coffee a 'small.’” The company also offered seemingly scolding “conversation starters,” among them this: “In my Facebook stream, ____ % are of a different race.”

As the backlash grew, Starbucks’ senior VP of communications deleted his Twitter account, saying he was being “personally attacked.” In the end, Starbucks backed off, and Eater.com summed it up, “Starbucks Nixes Its Terrible 'Race Together’ Cup-Writing Campaign.”

Not sure what @Starbucks was thinking. I don’t have time to explain 400 years of oppression to you & still make my train. #RaceTogether

— April (@ReignOfApril) March 17, 2015

Tennessee anti-DUI campaign

Taylor Hathorn, communications manager for Mary Beth West Communications, notes that the State of Tennessee was forced to apologize for a federally funded anti-drunken driving campaign that went awry.

The campaign—involving coasters, posters and table tents—sounded as if it had been drawn up after too many shots of Tennessee whisky, and it drew derision from as far afield as The Washington Post.

Among the more tin-eared messages: “After a few drinks the girls look hotter and the music sounds better. Just remember: If your judgement is impaired, so is your driving.”

“I’m all in favor of being snarky in a campaign, but you don’t have to be sexist to do that,” a Nashville marketing strategist told The Tennessean.

Deflategate

When I sought suggestions for this story, the New England Patriots’ “deflategate” scandal was on one Twitter user’s mind.

@ByWorking @PRDaily You mean other than #DeflateGate?

— Mass Ombudsman (@MassOmbudsman) November 20, 2015

In May, an NFL report found it “more probable than not” that two New England employees had deliberately released air from the team’s game balls at a 45-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in January, making it easier for Patriots receivers to catch them. The league ruled that quarterback Tom Brady conspired with the ball handlers and tried to obstruct the league’s investigation.

A U.S. District judge, however, overruled Brady’s four-game suspension. Though the scandal may have worsened the Patriots’ reputation in the rest of the country, it’s unlikely that many diehard fans in New England switched their allegiance to the New York Jets over the issue.

Subway’s Jared Fogle

The scandal surrounding Jared Fogle, the Subway ex-spokesman convicted of paying for sex with underage girls, “demonstrates the importance of thoroughly vetting spokespeople that will hold the image of a company in their hands,” says Léo Newman, media relations specialist with Nurse Next Door Home Care Services.

“It’s also a reminder to have key crisis communications plan with multiple spokespeople ready to speak for situations that are even a remote possibility,” Newman says.

Billionaire withdraws gift to small college

How better to improve your reputation than to make a big, fat donation to a struggling college? Well, that holds true only if you don’t yank the gift back.

This year Wall Street billionaire Sanford I. Weill and his wife, Joan, offered $20 million to a struggling northern New York college, notes Doug Haney, founding partner at GreatRange. That donation was made, however, on the condition that the school change its name to Joan Weill-Paul Smith’s College, The New York Times reported. A judge ruled that this would run contrary to the will of the man who established the institution in memory of his father, and the Weills withdrew their offer.

Naturally, this list is only a beginning. Other suggestions for PR turkeys included Takata’s air bags scandal, the E.coli outbreak at Chipotle Mexican Grill and a rape scandal at Vanderbilt University.

What other turkeys are missing? In the comments section, please offer your nominees for PR moves that ran a-fowl of common wisdom.

@ByWorking

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How to write a memorable out-of-office reply for the holidays

Most of us will take a break for the holidays. It might be a day, or maybe a week. Either way, you’ll have to set the “out of office” message on your email.

If you’re like most of the workforce, you stick with the basics:

“Thanks for your message. I’m out of the office for the holidays from Dec. 24-Jan. 2. I’ll respond to your message as soon as I can upon my return. If your message is urgent, please contact (INSERT NAME HERE).

“Happy holidays!

“(NAME HERE)”

It’s benign, and it’s safe. For many people, the example above adheres to “corporate guidelines.” In fact, some companies have templates for out-of-office replies.

If you don’t have to adhere to corporate guidelines (strictly), please consider a little creativity with your message. Here’s why:

• You’ll take folks by surprise. Few people use the creative out-of-office message, although they are more popular than a few years ago. So it gives you an opportunity to zig when everyone else is zagging.
• You’ll get some laughs. Most folks go for the laughs with their out of office. Even if you’re not inherently funny, you’re bound to get a laugh or two. And this time of year, who couldn’t use a good laugh?
• You’ll be remembered. Countless people have commented on my creative out-of-office messages the last few years. It’s almost like a marketing tool for me. (I can thank Chicago-based PR executive Gini Dietrich for that one; she was the first person I noticed using out of offices effectively and creatively.)

So, how do you go about creating an out-of-office that will get you remembered?

Here are a few ideas to consider:

Include the basics

You want to be creative, but you also want to communicate the basics to those emailing you. Make sure to include: How long you will be out of the office; who to contact when you are out; and when you will return.

Get specific

Most of my out of offices aren’t necessarily funny, but they are pretty specific. For instance, when I took my family to the North Shore of Minnesota this fall, I explained in my out-of-office message what I was doing: “I’m heading up to the North Shore with my family to sit by a fire, drink coffee and read a book for four straight days.” Chances are, many of the people with whom you interact via email are interested in your life outside work—so tell them.

Go for one joke

Don’t get crazy here. The out of offices that work well go for one joke. If you try multiple yuks, you don’t have enough room (the message should be kept short), and you look like you’re trying too hard. One joke feels perfect. For example, when I went to Bayfield, Wis., last year for a wedding with my wife, my out of office went something like:

“I’m heading to beautiful Bayfield for a wedding this week. I’ll likely be either 1) On a boat, 2) On a beach, or 3) On a boat or on a boat with a drink in my hand for most of the weekend. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can when I return on Monday.”

Learn the dos and don'ts of reaching millennial employees face to face and via email, video, your intranet and chat/text in this free guide.

Don’t get crass

People like funny; they don’t like crass. Avoid vulgarities and the urge to take your joke too far. You will regret it.

What approach do you take with your out-of-office messages?

Arik Hanson is principal of ACH Communications. He blogs at Communications Conversations, where a version of this article originally appeared.

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This article first appeared on Ragan.com in December 2014.

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How to tell the same old story in a new way

Smart branding professionals are embracing brand journalism to tell stories directly from their organizations. What if your stories (and brand) feel stale?

Skilled brand journalists can take a ho-hum piece of content and uncover fresh angles that are relevant to their target audience. The result is media attention that often leaves communicators enjoying a new sense of creativity.

These tips can help you repurpose stories within your brand. (Editor’s note: The examples included below are all clients of MediaSource, except Buzzfeed.)

1. Know how to find new stories and sources.

When was the last time you assessed how and where you find stories? You might be looking in the wrong places.

Just as journalists must refresh their sources, you should consider looking to other departments or contacts to boost your creativity. A savvy brand journalist appreciates the tenacity and relationship building that’s needed to develop compelling content.

You can funnel stories from different departments and assign “beats,” similar to those covered by professional reporters. You’ll be able to reach out to different people for different topics within your company.

Download the free white paper, “How to be a brand journalist,” to learn how to tell your organization’s compelling stories.

2. Write in reverse.

If you think you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, think again. It’s all about flipping things.

For instance, to promote your hospital’s cardiac services, last year’s story may have been titled, “5 ways to avoid a heart attack.” Now consider the topic from another angle, such as, “3 surprising ways you’re hurting your heart.”

Buzzfeed uses this tactic on a regular basis. Consider how they flipped a story on makeup tips. The first one, “21 beauty tips for makeup addicts in training,” was published in 2014. A new post on the same subject, “18 things you should never do when applying makeup,” went live last month.

3. Create company-owned data.

If your story seems like a broken record, use company-owned data. Most brands don’t have the infrastructure to conduct their own research. However, you can commission a third-party survey to document new trends.

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center implemented this tactic to create data about women and strokes. The hospital then featured results in multimedia content. An infographic for their company-owned channels also garnered widespread coverage.

4. Tie into news and pop culture.

A saturated topic often ties into breaking news or a trend in pop culture. If you pay attention and act quickly, you’ll probably be able to newsjack and culture-jack.

Once you identify a trending story that complements your brand, immediately contact journalists looking for sources and experts. Preparation is crucial; work to understand the issues you want to align with. Your content—and experts—will be ready when the story breaks.

Orlando Health used this tactic to promote its dieticians during Halloween. A candy quiz and guest blog on U.S. News & World Report brought sweet results.

5. Switch the style.

If your content was written in a traditional news style, repurpose it into a listicle or quiz. Use photos to tell your story in a slide deck.

Communicators at The Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center landed this msn.com story on the five exercises people are doing wrong. The hospital’s brand journalist shot and supplied high-quality photos of the exercises done incorrectly and correctly, which helped secure the story placement.

Have you tried any of the above tips? If not, use our suggestions for your 2016 editorial calendar and planning.

Lisa Arledge Powell is president of MediaSource, a public relations firm that specializes in brand journalism. MediaSource has been named Best Health Care Agency in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in Ragan’s Health Care PR & Marketing Awards. Connect on Twitter: @LisaArledge. 

This article was created in partnership with MediaSource.

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4 ways to protect your online privacy

On the Internet, “delete” doesn’t actually mean delete.

Just ask any of the Ashley Madison users who paid $19 to delete their account information. It turns out more than enough information remained to get those users into hot water at home.

Oops.

Many people don’t realize the extent to which social media posts, Google search history and just about everything else you do online is preserved—and discoverable as evidence in the event of a criminal case or civil lawsuit.

Facebook even has data on what you start typing into a post but decide not to share.

Social media networks don’t even pretend that “delete” means delete. Facebook’s legal terms liken deleting to placing information in your computer’s recycle bin. The terms also state that, by using Facebook, you acknowledge “that removed content may persist in backup copies for a reasonable period of time.”

What’s reasonable? Only Facebook knows.

Twitter expressly reserves the right to “preserve or disclose your information if we believe that it is reasonably necessary to comply with a law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request; to protect the safety of any person; to address fraud, security or technical issues; or to protect Twitter’s rights or property.”

I especially like that last bit about protecting Twitter’s property.

So, the delete key is like the escape key—it doesn’t work the way you expect it to.

[RELATED: Learn about the latest digital communication technology and methods—and how they motivate employees to achieve your organization’s goals—at this March conference.]

Deleting posts could cost you—legally

If you’re part of a legal case in which your social media posts might be relevant, you’re prohibited from deleting them. Removing posts or deleting social media profiles might be considered “spoliation of evidence” and could result in civil (or even criminal) liability.

In cases where parties to a lawsuit have deleted relevant social media content that isn’t recoverable through forensics, the court instructs the jury to conclude that the evidence would have been damaging to the party’s case.

In other words, the photos you deleted just because they were embarrassing (though unrelated to your case) could be the reason you lose. This has led some lawyers to deem spoliated evidence even “better than the real thing.”

How can you legally protect your privacy? Follow these guidelines:

1. Trust people.

Realize that most judges and jury members use social media, too. They can put into context the information you’ve shared. They know that even if you were happy at your job a year ago that doesn’t mean your boss didn’t start sexually harassing you six months ago.

Even if it’s too late to legally delete your social media posts, trust that people will understand (and that the court will redact anything that’s irrelevant or would unfairly prejudice your case).

2. Be proactive.

Carefully consider what you say on Facebook, Twitter, Google and other sites before you hit “post,” and don’t be afraid to delete if you immediately regret posting something.

Stay ahead of your search history, too. We all search for exes now and then, but it’s mortifying to view those searches in a log, even if no one else ever sees it.

Deleting your Facebook search history is a chore, but it’s doable. First, go to “Settings.”

(IMAGE)

Next, click “Privacy.” Then click “Use Activity Log.”

(IMAGE)

(IMAGE)

Once you’re in your activity log, click “More” under the category that starts with “Photos.” Then click “Search.” (Facebook doesn’t make it easy to find.)

(IMAGE)

You can now see everything you’ve searched for in Facebook.

Click “Clear Searches” to delete your Facebook search history.

(IMAGE)

Twitter also saves searches, but it’s relatively easy to delete them. Just click in the search box, and select “Clear All” in the upper right corner.

(IMAGE)

Google makes deleting your search history somewhat easier. You can even prevent future searches from being saved by adjusting your settings. (See below.)

3. Adjust your settings.

Google lets you decide what it does and doesn’t save, but you have to adjust your settings.

Facebook doesn’t allow users to opt out of saving searches, so you’ll have to manually delete your search history periodically.

Twitter lets you opt in or out of saving searches, but the site also collects location data unless you opt out. Make sure to turn off your location in your settings.

While you’re at it, turn off the location feature for Facebook Chat, too. You never know when that might prove embarrassing, but that’s a different article.

4. Don’t post anything personal.

The least realistic option is to not post anything personal online. Share only recipes and article links, and provide minimal comment.

That’s drastic, but it’s easier not to post than to remove posts later. Facebook, for instance, lets you delete only certain data if you delete your entire account.

Remember, don’t delete your profile or any posts because of a threatened lawsuit or dispute, or you might eviscerate your case. Continually maintain your social media presence, and be thoughtful about what you post.

Now I’ll just go and clear my search history of “how to delete Facebook searches” and “how to keep Twitter from saving my searches” so I don’t look like I’m laundering money for the mafia or something.

Kerry O'Shea Gorgone is a writer, lawyer, speaker and educator. She’s also the instructional design manager of enterprise training at MarketingProfs and host of the weekly Marketing Smarts podcast. A version of this article originally appeared on {grow}.

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How bosses can help reduce employees' bad days

When was the last time you had a bad day at work?

A recent survey by the Danish firm Woohoo posed that question to employees worldwide. The survey defined a bad day as:

A day where [sic] you feel lousy on the job. You’re unhappy at work, and when you come home, you definitely don’t feel like having more of those days.

Because bad days are influenced by numerous factors both related and unrelated to the workplace, it’s not surprising that nearly all of us have had them. Only 8 percent of employees claim to never, or almost never, have experienced such a day.

Of the many factors that influence our workdays, which have the greatest effect?

What makes for a bad day at work?

Here are the top responses to the question, “Which workplace factors played a role in your most recent bad day at work?”

1. A lack of help and support from my boss (40 percent)
2. Negative co-workers (39 percent)
3. Lack of praise or recognition for my work (37 percent)
4. Uncertainty about the workplace’s vision and strategy (37 percent)
5. Busyness/high work load (36 percent)

I’m not surprised by any of these factors.

• Nos. 1 and 5 are closely related. Bosses who don’t lead, guide, coach or pitch in when the work gets overwhelming don’t deserve their title.
• Nos. 3 and 4 are also intertwined. At its core, recognition conveys this crucial message: “I see you. The work you do makes a difference to how we achieve our mission and strategy.”
• No. 2—co-worker negativity—is a miasma that permeates the atmosphere, bringing down everyone’s energy and making it difficult to pull together as a team.

The solution is to recognize great work. The ROI of reducing employees’ bad days is significant.

By helping employees balance their workloads and recognizing them when their efforts contribute to the company strategy and vision, bosses convey their support and help employees see the important impact they have on the organization’s success.

Learn the dos and don'ts of reaching millennial employees face to face and via email, video, your intranet and chat/text in this free guide.

Better yet, enable all employees to recognize and appreciate those they see doing great work. Recognition has as much of an effect on the giver as the receiver, and it’s a great way to overcome persistent negativity.

It would be unrealistic to think we could eliminate all bad days at work, but as responsible leaders we must acknowledge our role in reducing our direct reports’ bad days, as well as those of the people in our broader circle of influence.

An abundance of bad days hurts productivity.

As the Woohoo study points out:

Of course it should always be allowed for a person to have the occasional bad day at work. No one can be happy every single day and we can’t create perfect workplaces where everyone is ridiculously happy every day. But when workplaces cause their employees to have many bad days at work, it lowers productivity and customer satisfaction and increases absenteeism and employee turnover. In short, it costs a ton of money.

When was the last time you had a bad day at work? What caused that experience? What can you do to help alleviate your or your colleagues’ bad days?

This article originally appeared on the Compensation Café blog.

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Final deadline is fast approaching for Ragan's Employee Communications Awards

 

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32 alternatives to 'a lot'

“A lot” is a piece of land, or so said many of my high school English teachers whenever anyone used “a lot” to describe an amount.

Unfortunately, in much of the work we’re asked to edit, “a lot” is used…a lot.

Here are a few examples of how the term is commonly used:

• “There will be a lot of drinking after work tonight.”
• “Our style guide does not appear to be used by a lot of people.”
• “I try not to ask for a lot of help from the IT Department.”
• “There’s not a lot we can do about the CEO’s use of run-on sentences.”
• “I know he says it a lot, but your brother cannot trade you for an iPad.”

Its use in formal writing is lazy and colloquial. And as a quantifier, it’s meaningless. How much is “a lot,” exactly?

Download this free white paper to discover 10 ways to improve your writing today.

What follows is a list of alternatives to “a lot.” Consider using these more descriptive words and phrases in your next project.

• a good deal
• a great deal
• a large number
• ample
• a whole heap
• an abundance
• bunches
• copious, copious amount
• endless amount
• enormous amount
• enormously
• excessive amount
• heaps
• infinite
• legion
• loads
• many
• masses
• much
• millions
• myriad
• numerous
• plenty
• plethora
• reams
• scads
• several
• slew
• surplus
• thousands
• tons
• trillions

Let’s give those example sentences another try:

• “There will be an excessive amount of drinking after work tonight.”
• “Our style guide does not appear to be used by a many people.”
• “I try not to ask for any help from the IT Department.”
• “There’s not much we can do about the CEO’s use of run-on sentences.”
• “I know he says it constantly, but your brother cannot trade you for an iPad.”

Ragan.com readers, care to add any other synonyms to the list?

Laura Hale Brockway is a medical writer and editor from Austin, Texas. She writes about writing and editing at impertinentremarks.com.

This article first appeared on Ragan.com in November 2014.

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Dogs of war: Wells Fargo tells brand journalism stories

Editor’s note: This story is taken from Ragan’s distance-learning portal RaganTraining.com. The site contains hundreds of hours of case studies, video presentations and interactive courses.

A bank’s website, eh? Must have plenty of stories about checking accounts and ATM locations.

Actually, Wells Fargo & Co.’s brand journalism site is full of livelier fare on topics such as a surfer veteran recovering from a brain injury and a donation of guitars to a children’s epilepsy unit at a hospital.

Launched in 2014, Wells Fargo Stories offers news about employees, customers and nonprofit partners beyond the usual corporate promotions or news covered by financial journalists. The strategy pays dividends internally and externally, says Arati Sontakay Randolph, the bank’s head of enterprise and executive communications and new media.

“Finally! I’ve been trying to share some of these great stories with family, friends and customers,” she quotes an employee as saying. “I’m so excited to finally be able to show off the wonderful company I work for.”

In the Ragan Training webinar, “Create, market and measure brand journalism: Lessons from Wells Fargo Stories,” two key figures running the site offer tips for those with similar ambitions to extend their organizational voice.

The session is also led by Heather Sheriff, who heads content strategy and execution for Wells Fargo Stories.

The website not only broadens the reach of Wells Fargo’s messages, but it also draws an enthusiastic response from those featured in the blog, such as customers or nonprofits that receive donations.

“When we publish a story that they feel proud enough to share with their customers and their business partners, that’s the true mark of our work,” Sheriff says.

Mining for stories

At Wells Fargo, content creators are assigned to a beat so that together they can keep track of all areas of the company, Sheriff says. The team selects stories based on factors such as their alignment to themes important to their audiences and the potential to tell a human narrative, not just a dull corporate message.

The bank already had in place an internal communications team of writers, video producers and other content creators, so it was able to harness their skills. Participants meet weekly to go over story ideas.

Among the questions they ask are, “What’s the potential in a given story idea to tell the human story versus the public story?” Sheriff says.

She contrasts the bank’s prior approach to the new brand journalism style of content. Before, a story on a donation to Clemson University scholarship program would have led with the company’s $500,000 gift and quoted an executive high up, she says. The piece also would have linked to a page with more perspective from the company.

Under the new approach, the story focuses on the recipients:

With tears, hugs, selfies, and promises to stay in touch, it looks like any other graduation.

But this one is different. Twenty-eight rising high school seniors celebrate the completion of the Emerging Scholars program at Clemson University that’s lifting graduation rates and creating a college-going culture in some of South Carolina’s poorest communities.

Wells Fargo’s involvement isn’t mentioned until the eighth paragraph—in a quote from the university program director. The link for more information now goes to a personal account from one of the students.

Marketing the stories

Wells Fargo is promoting the content beyond its website, Sheriff says. Its ATMs highlight stories, and users can print out a summary with a URL directing them to the full piece.

“We’re not just pushing the content out to the site and calling it a day,” she says. “We’re making sure to then get that content in front of our audience in the channels where they are.”

One such story tells how a graphic designer with Wells Fargo volunteers with The Puppy Rescue Mission―a Texas nonprofit that reunites military personnel with their pets from war zones abroad.

The story leads with an army sergeant who brought home her dog, Poptart, a stray she encountered one day while meeting with tribal leaders as an advisor to the Afghan army.

“She walked up to me and was so hungry,” Wells Fargo quotes her as saying. “The only thing I had on me was Pop-Tarts, so I broke off a piece and shared it. She gobbled that one, and then another, and then another, and I thought, ‘Poptart is your name, girl!’”

The company invites employees to share its content with their social networks, and more than 120 corporate communications team members actively build relationships with stakeholders via Twitter. Customers, nonprofits, community partners and others also share content. Naturally, the company pushes stories through its social media channels as well.

“They are not just pushing out company and branded content day in and day out,” Sheriff says. “They are having real conversations. They are sharing news and personal accounts and insights from around the country. They’re weighing in on conversations.”

@ByWorking

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What Facebook’s new video hub means for PR pros

The battle for video dominance is heating up.

Facebook recently announced the launch of its dedicated video hub, which could alter the way YouTube segments are posted and viewed on Facebook. This change brings new benefits and implications for PR pros who have relied on YouTube for sharing their brands’ video content.

What are Facebook’s new video enhancements?

Though the hub hasn’t officially launched yet, Facebook has released details of the plan. For each user, the video repository will include clips from Facebook friends, pages they follow and other video publishers. The space will be similar to YouTube, but with Facebook as a primary hosting platform.

Other features include:

• Suggested videos based on user preferences and history

• Ability to watch clips in a smaller window while scrolling through regular a newsfeed

• New video formats

The number of segments viewed on Facebook has doubled since April. Mark Zuckerberg’s empire reports an average of eight billion video views per day and predicts it will be mostly video in a few years.

However, critics assert that Facebook’s three-second definition of a “view” is cheating, because it includes recordings on mute that play automatically when users scroll through their newsfeeds.

Download the free white paper, “How to be a brand journalist,” to learn how to tell your organization’s compelling stories.

How should brands use native video on Facebook?

To enhance content marketing strategies, consider these tips for producing successful Facebook videos:

1. (Bite) size matters.

It seems the world is full of “news snackers”; people who scroll quickly through content and move on in a matter of seconds. Facebook users are no different. They prefer short and snappy videos. The average length of videos shared by six top Facebook publishers this past September ranged from 25 to 90 seconds. Keep your videos clear, concise and compelling.

2. Keep the square screen in mind.

According to Buzzfeed, 75 percent of its top-viewed Facebook videos in a month were square. That’s because viewers didn’t want to reposition their phones in order to watch a short clip. When producing video for Facebook, remember the square screen, which might mean you have to create multiple formats and versions of your video for specific channels.

3. Quiet is good.

Users scrolling on Facebook won’t hear the audio contained in your video. Make sure your visuals are exciting enough to catch their eye. If the pictures are lacking, add graphics and easy-to-read subtitles to bolster your message.

(Find more advice on these tactics in 5 Tips for Producing Great Video.)

As Facebook enhances its video presence, don’t ditch your YouTube strategy. Each of these entities serves a different purpose and has the potential to achieve discrete goals. YouTube will continue to be a great hosting site for sharing video on other platforms. Facebook’s sharing ability to directly reach its many millions of users remains unmatched.

Lisa Arledge Powell is president of MediaSource, a public relations firm that specializes in brand journalism. MediaSource has been named Best Health Care Agency in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in Ragan’s Health Care PR & Marketing Awards. Connect on Twitter: @LisaArledge.

This article was created in partnership with MediaSource.

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