Singing The Blues...In a Good Way.

I was in Chicago earlier this week for an interview. It was one of the best trips I've ever taken. The company flew me in and everything was first class. Limo ride from the airport. Posh hotel. Amazing city skyline view. Limo ride to the airport. The whole trip was seamless.

Happy to report that after 395 days of unemployment....I have a job. I flew back to Orlando on Wednesday, and Thursday they called me with an offer. So in two weeks I'll be living in the heart of the Windy City and I couldn't be happier. If you've been following my blog, you'll know that my employment search started in Chicago when I lost my job last year. Feeling really blessed right now. It's all come full circle.

As elated as I am for FINALLY having a job, the best part of the trip took place on Tuesday night.

I decided to hit a small jazz club on Rush street for dinner and drinks before sinking into my comfy hotel bed. I carefully counted my money to see what I could afford to eat and how many drinks I could fit in. I settled on a salad and a SoCo & D. Coke.

The quaint club, Jilly's (quoted to be Frank Sinatra's favorite Chicago bistro) was packed and full of energy. It was ALL Chicago. I soaked it all in. The jazz trio was sensational and I had the perfect high-top to take it all in. At one point, I saw a gentleman trying hard to find a place to sit and since I was by myself, I offered my other seat to him.

My new friend, Martin Jack, was in town on business and pretty much doing what I was doing... getting a bite to eat before making it an early night. It's fun meeting new people.

When the band took a break, I asked if they would let a wanna-be jazz singer sit in with the band? After spewing out my singing credentials, they obliged.

I got my chance to finally sing in a Chicago jazz club and it was a TRUE highlight of my life. Big check mark on that bucket list. I sang a song by Oleta Adams called "Get Here," as the pianist accompanied me. We followed each other's cues and it was like we had worked together for years. They asked me to sing another song, but I didn't have anything else memorized so I passed. Go out on a high note, right?

When I sat down, the owner stopped by and handed me his business card and asked if I would come and sing here again and I said.."If I get a job tomorrow, definitely!" What a thrill!!!!!!!! Man, it felt so good. Another gentleman stopped by my table and said, "When my wife and I walked in, we actually thought Oleta Adams was here singing!" And I replied, "Then you saw me and thought about leaving, right?"

Seriously, it was an incredible feeling. I was ready to call it a night and asked for my check. Before I could reach into my purse, the waitress told me that Martin paid for my entire tab. I was so taken back. He said, "Someday, when you're famous, you'll buy me dinner."

Such a great night. I walked back to the hotel room with a smile that my face hadn't seen in a long time. Every inch of me was alive from that experience and all I could think was, "I hope I get this job! I must be here!"

And now...I will be.

This keyboard design clearly illustrates the power of brands! Can you make it out? The letters are replaced for the logos we know and, for some of us, love. M = Mcdonald's. D = Disney. E = ebay. And so forth. If you're a keyboard "pecker" this may not be for you. But for those who can type like nobody's business, this would be kinda fun. What if we forgot the actual alphabet and started to think of letters as logos?

I have to say, I never did understand why the APPLE key on the Mac didn't have the Apple logo on it? Just makes sense.



Read the full story on this at brandinfection.com

Take A Break

If you don't believe in the power of advertising, tell me you don't want a KitKat right now?

This takes me to a wonderful point about where advertising creative is headed...NON-TRADITIONAL!

Want to reach motorists? Paint an ad on the street. Want to reach people in a high-rise? Advertise on top of trucks and buses. Want to reach people taking a break? Turn your bench into an ad!!!!

Why think in terms of print ad, radio spot, or TV campaign? Sometimes the best way to reach your audience is in ways someone has never done before.

This kind of creative gets me excited about advertising. And for chocolate too!

Source: www.brandinfection.com

Writing for The Web

Some great tips I use for writing for the web. I know that many of my followers are not writers, but hopefully you can get something from this and offer some additional ideas for how YOU use the web.

Here it goes...

Principles of copywriting for the web

Writing effective web copy isn't easy. But good copy is essential to ensuring that your readers — and your customers, if you run a business — can understand how your website works and what it can do for them.


Remember three key things about web users

People don't read websites the same way they read print material. There are three key characteristics that affect how web users react to online content (and consumer-related content in particular):

1. Web users are active, not passive: One click and they're gone. If they don't see a reason to stay on your site, they'll leave — in as little as 15 seconds after they get there.
2. The longer the text, the less likely they are to read it — and the faster they'll skim it, if they bother to skim it at all.
3. They don't believe hype. If you want a web user to believe what you say, you have to back it up.

To be effective, your web copy must take these characteristics into account.

Anticipate your site's users' questions

There are four basic questions a user has that you must answer on every page: "What am I doing here," "How do I do it," "What's in it for me," and "Where can I go next?" If your site's navigation and design don't make the answers obvious to even a first-time visitor — which they should, if at all possible — then you should use copy to explain them.

Don't count on your site's visitors to figure things out for themselves — half of them won't bother to try, and half the rest won't succeed.

Keep most copy short

Unless a visitor arrives at a particular page on your site expecting to find something to read, he or she probably won't read more than one or two lines of text. And the longer the text, the less likely he is to read any of it. Don't add long copy to any page where your visitors aren't looking for it.

Keep short copy simple

The complexity of your copy matters as much as its length. Make sure visitors can understand short copy on its first reading, without stopping to think about it. (They won't.)

Typically, you can convey one key idea effectively in one or two lines. You can sometimes get two, if they're both simple. Don't try for three; try to say too much and you ruin the chance that even the first idea will get through. (And if a new user isn't going to be able to understand a page on your site without learning three new things first, it's time to think about a redesign.)

If you anticipate that readers will want to learn more about something they find on a page where they weren't expecting a lot of copy, add a link to another page where they can get the information they need.

Organize longer copy effectively

Even when readers are expecting to find a text-heavy page, they won't necessarily be willing to put much effort into reading it. Make it easy for them by dividing distinct ideas into separate paragraphs, using helpful headings, sub-headings and bulletted lists, and introducing key ideas deliberately.

Don't assume readers will read longer pieces of text in their entirety — write the copy so that readers can skim it and read only the parts they're interested in.

Longer copy needn't be as direct as short copy, but it must be just as easy to read. If your visitors have to work too hard to understand what it's saying, they'll stop reading.

Make it lively

Be clear, but don't be boring. Write vividly and aim for a light, unassuming tone of voice. It takes a little while for boring or overbearing copy to affect a reader, but once it does, practically nothing you say with it will get through.

Focus on your core audience

You can't reach everyone. Make sure your copy addresses your site's most important audience directly and lets them know what the site can do for them in particular. Don't weaken its effectiveness by adding words intended for readers you don't need.

If you are targeting more than one kind of visitor, design your site to direct the different audiences to different pages on the site. If a web user doesn't think your site has something of value to him, he'll go somewhere else. But if your message speaks directly to his needs, he'll listen.

Use a consistent voice throughout

The more consistent a voice you create — and the better it speaks to your intended audience in particular — the quicker your visitors will recognize it and become familiar with it. And the more familiar it is to them, the more effective it will be.

Let the facts speak for themselves

Don't talk down to or past your audience. Make your descriptions compelling, but not excessive. Web readers read hype as hype, and remember it that way, too. Skip it.


Thanks Google for your help!

Sharon: 1 David Maus: 0

Every single person, whether you're in advertising or not, can relate to this story. You see it every time you turn the TV on. They sponsor the news. They come on between sitcoms. They invade the precious space in your brain you don't want to surrender to them.

LOCAL CAR DEALERSHIP ADS!

Here, in the Orlando area, there is ONE specific car dealership I have an issue with – David Maus Toyota. His slogan is "Whatever It Takes." Yeah, David, what's it going to take for you to reconsider your TV ads? Did you review these ads and think, "Yup, awesome...done."? Didn't the director of your spots say, "Ok, David, that was a good take, but this time, let's go for something less dealery."?

Let me give you an idea of these ads. Typical car dealership ad. Guy stands in front of dealership and a host of cars. The script makes my brain itch. But more than that, Mr. Maus' demeanor is the worst.

No. 1 rule in advertising: RELATE to your audience.

So.....I wrote to him. Yup...I wrote to David Maus through his website and this is a sample of what I said.

Dear Mr. David Maus Toyota, Lincoln, Lexus whatever:

See, I don't even really know what kind of cars you sell. I'm reaching out to you as both a consumer and as someone who's been a creative in the advertising industry for two decades now.
What are you doing? Your TV ads hurt my eyes...and why? Because you have the potential to do so much better. Ask yourself this, "Is this how I would talk to a customer?" Would you point to them the second they get on the lot and say "Whatever it takes!" Would you refer to them as "Central Florida" and then gently cup your hands to resemble a circle? I just want you to know that you may be reaching a small part of your prospective customers, but you could be doing SO much better. You could be relating to them. You could talk to them like they are a VALUED customer. And make the spots not about how awesome you think YOU and YOUR dealership are, but instead focus on the BENEFITS that the consumer is looking for.
And whomever told you to wear all black for a black background surely did not consider the use of color on tv and in advertising.

Happy to give you some ideas. You have my email.


So there you have it. Haven't heard from him, but whatevs. Have you ever hated your local car dealership ads? If yes..then, you're welcome.