Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Exercise: Where does your curiosity take you first?

Diane is putting together a Speaker 1 Sheet and we are building that visual resume.
This exercise is meant only see where the eye wishes to go first. No other design elements, fonts etc. have any bearing on what the actual graphic designer will do.






My design theory is that the reader's eye will be most curious about the design with more pictures - up to a point.

The buyer will look into the eyes and capture the essence of the speaker. The speaker is shown doing the actions that speakers do - there is no wannabe thing going on. The text will support the buyers decision to hire which was made by looking at the action shots.

That's the theory. Single head shots or full body shots are just too common. Show your self in action.
It is that step between a static, single head shot and an expensive, full blown video that will set Diane apart.

Text is in an important and supportive role.

Friday, December 24, 2010

When writing a short message ...

... try not to call attention to the fact that it is a short message. The reader already knows that and it distracts from your noble intention.

In this case she might simply have written:

We appreciate your business. Happy Holidays - or whatever.



You do NOT have to fill up the white space just because it's there.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Dumping Text

Dumping text into a webform allows spaces to disappear sometimes.

Proofreading still required.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The Cinderella Ball - A Father and Daughter Event in St. Francis, WI!

Help us bring the magic of the Cinderella Ball to St. Francis, WI!

A Father and Daughter Event promoting family values, encouraging
youth philanthropy and creating magical memories that last a lifetime.

Cinderella Ball
Saturday, October 9, 2010
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
at the Marian Center for Nonprofits
3211 S. Lake Dr.
St. Francis, WI 53235
http://www.clare-oasis.org


Tickets are $50 per person. Reservations are limited and will be accepted
until Saturday, September 25, 2010 or until all seats in the ballroom are filled.

Woman-owned businesses.
Women of Wisdom Sponsor $50
Please offer your words of encouragement to our future women leaders
and the men who are supporting them.

Other sponsorships available.

http://www.clare-oasis.org

For more information please contact:

Mary Rose Accetturo
Clare Oasis

maccetturo@clare-oasis.org
414-530-0916

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Message from Katie's Candy Shop

We are in traffic as you can tell from the picture.

Katie's Candy Shop might generate a little more business if they'd include contact info. Phone. Web. Something.

And, we could all read it better they filled in the letters with a big, black marker. And we'd also not notice that they had a little stenciling error with the spelling of SHHOP.

Well, we are where we are, doing what we can. I am helping all I can with words and images. Go, Katie, go!

This morning Pat was looking something up in the dictionary and the page header she was on read: Stupendously - Subjective. I think it's a great headline inviting us to the party called Life in the Universe.



Friday, August 20, 2010

Testimonial

 Testimonial re: my post on wisconsin / illinois below.

________________________________________________

Just read your note on Facebook.

Would recommend a stronger adjective than "outside" eyes…

Your eyes for these things are exceptional, astute, amazing, incomparable
don't be afraid to let people know that within your branding messages.

Regards,
George Lottermoser
george@imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com/blog
http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist

A Little Change Goes a .....

A little extra proofreading goes a long way, too.
Thanks to eagle-eyed Jenny for sending this in.

A penny saved is still a penny erned ...... ERNED?
Click the pic for an eagle-eyed view.


Wisconsin in Illinois?

August 20, 2010

Dear PTA,

When I type Franklin in the City box and select Wisconsin I get results for Illinois. That's not as helpful as I would like.

How many others are not bothering to follow up with you and your service offerings?

http://pta.org/jp_find_your_pta.html

Please contact me when you think you need some outside eyes on your site.

David L. White - YourMessageDoctor @ gmail.com
800-642-9050 - 414-282-7185


Friday, August 13, 2010

Milwaukee in Indiana?

The Cinderella Ball will be held at Clare Oasis in Milwaukee, WISCONSIN on October 9th, 2010, not in Milwaukee, Indiana as listed.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Four typos - front page

We did not feel like going out Sunday morning to listen to Celtic harp in the rain.

We changed our minds and went anyway. The sky cleared. Our reward was the wonderful lilting harp in the early August breeze.

Before we left I looked for the performer online and found her website - and the four typos mentioned in the headline.

Near the end of the session we wondered if we might buy a couple of her CD's and then I got the brilliant idea to offer a trade: proofreading for prerecorded music.

Well, she said no thanks. Her nephew did the site. She knows it's a mess. She's having a Mexican redesign it (or something about a new site and a Mexican) and, finally, she didn't think anyone reads the fine print on sites anyway.

Really? She doesn't think anyone reads it? Why put it there?
(note: it seems more like a bio than fine print, but that's just me).

Perhaps I might revise my barter approach, but to ... I just don't know what else to say.

In the shock of the moment we caved and bought a CD anyway.
I don't know whether to give her a pro bono checkup from the Message Doctor or not. At least I got another case to report from the Emergency Room.

Don't let this happen to you. Get your message checked.

Here they are - four typos on the front page -as promised. 



___________________________________________________


Kim Robertson's is a renowed performer and recording artist who combines an improvisational spirit with a passionate sense of tradition, bringing a contemporary touch to a centuries’ old instument.

Kim Robertson
renowned
centuries-old 
instrument

Four typos on the front page. 
Actually a little verb tense editing could be popped in there, too.
... artist who combines ....., >and> BRINGS a contemporary blah blah blah...
combines and brings

U P D A T E - Monday 8/9/10 @ 4 p.m. - The website has already been updated. Good for her!






Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Check your message

We've all done it. We've shot our message out there and have not gone back to look at it.

Our credibility is at stake. What's that worth?


It's hard to quantify people that come to our door and do not ring the bell. Will they return?

You might be surprised how valuable a small investment can be. Let's set a time for a free evaluation. Call David at 414-282-7185 or email: davidwhite@YourMessageDoctor.com




Thursday, June 24, 2010

Before and After is not the whole story

While a picture might be worth a thousand words they actually have to be written, arranged and edited down to a reasonable and readable number.

Are you telling your own story or letting potential clients talk themselves out of calling you?




Friday, March 5, 2010

Try this prescription when 'your' means 'you are'.



You can have a program customized to your needs.

I can help with big little things like this.

When your means you are - try this - you're.

Your Message Doctor makes house/phone calls.

David L. White - 414-282-7185
YourMessageDoctor.com

or email yourmessagedoctor@gmail.com

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

e-media guy

I met an e-media guy today that had two domains on his biz card.

They were:
email@ [here is the domain] my-website.com
and www. [here is the domain] mywebsite.com

I hate to have to be so explicit but not everyone knows that construction.

Anyway, I went to
http://www.my-website.com
and
http://www.mywebsite.com
(the difference being a hyphen, or dash, or not)
and neither of them worked.
Neither of them worked.

One was for sale and one said the site was unavailable.

This from a new media guy.

I took a couple screen shots and emailed them to him and ............
.........
.....
...
..
.

Okay.

What. Ever.

I hurried right back here to tell YOU about it.

That's about all I can do.

Get a check up. Doctor Dave - at your service.



David White
414-282-7185
yourmessagedoctor@gmail.com

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Pricing

This afternoon I got an opportunity to talk more about pricing.

On Jan 10, 2010, at 3:13 PM, Janet wrote:

Hi David – If I gave you topics and details, would you be able to write pitch letters to broadcast media? What would the turn around time be – approximate? What would you charge me for each letter?

Janet,

Yes. Thanks for asking.

I think that flat pricing is usually quoted high to handle situations
that are not covered by asking a few questions.

So, the estimate is in the details. Let's take a couple minutes.
We can do this on the phone if you like.

Is this for you or one of your clients? Are you marking it up?

Actual client or potential client?

Are these pitch letters from a single client on different topics?

Or, a single client and single topic slanted to different media outlets?

Would I have phone access to the person with the details in order to
fill in any blanks?

Is this new or a continuation of earlier relationships?

Who are the media outlets?

Who will provide the actual name of the person at the outlet?
In other words, do I do that research, or not?

Delivery times? What would you like to have happen?
Do we have a couple days?
A week?
Longer?

Or, are these questions hypothetical and you'd like a dollar range to state in your materials?

I like to quote $50 to $75 an hour and this might seem to take a couple hours each depending on everything.


Is this helpful?

David L. White
414-282-7185

Maybe Janet just wanted a number.
One hundred. Five hundred. One thousand.
We'll see.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Positive Feedback

This letter just in refers to the post below it.
http://tinyurl.com/yglbzk3
_____________________________

David,

Many positive comments from recipients - nice work.

FYI - I am on a 3 wk dist cycle. So the next one is sched to go out on Jan 27. I look forward to your next idea/article. If you ever feel your well (of ideas) is running dry, I will make suggestions - otherwise, as we originally discussed, the main point (and benefit to me) of our arrangement is to free me as much as possible from this important marketing task, thus allowing me to focus on growing the business in other ways.

Thx,

Bill


William B Rush
Ph 847 395 4002
Fax 866 892 4881
billrush@rushtech.net

www.rushtech.net

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Ghost Post - a recent email blast.

Bill Rush, of Rush Tech, needs to focus on his core Tech. And he also knows he needs to stay in front of his clients. I write email blasts for him. Here's the latest.

He decided we should say something about productivity. I am glad he brought it up. Two minds are better than one and his name is on the email.


=====

A friend of mine was having neck pain. It had gotten so bad as to be interrupting his sleep at night. Rolling over had gotten to be a major undertaking.

He went to the chiropractor for an X-ray and was told that there was some disk compression and he needed traction in two directions to bring it back into alignment.

He started a 16-session course of action only to be alerted by his insurance that this did not seem to be anything but maintenance and further paid care was denied. And the appeal was denied. The additional out-of-pocket cost was nearly $500 and remains prioritized somewhere down on the budget list.

He finally wondered about his day long working posture and did a little research. With a few small adjustments to the height of his keyboard, monitor and desk, the pain rapidly subsided. He did not even need to purchase a new chair. He now takes more short breaks during the work day to get up and move about the room.

It’s a new year with a new deductible. There’s hope again.

Start here:
http://ergonomics.about.com/od/office/ss/computer_setup_4.htm
or search on these and similar terms - how to ergonomic posture.

Take better care of yourselves. Put this near the top of your list of new things for the new year.

Happy New Year, friends.

Bill Rush
Rush Tech


###

Contact David @ YourMessageDoctor@gmail.com or 414-282-7185

I can help you stay in front of your clients.