Comments
Adorable kids!
I have three boys too. We should start a blog about keeping them from fighting...I have some good tips. :-)
It is indeed a sign of the times. The proliferation of social media applications means that your character can be attacked easily and aggressively. People from your high school can post your (irrevelant?) dirt for the world to see. The takeaway: Stay ethical or you might have your Camaro-loving, fuzzy dice, ripped sweatshirt days broadcast to millions of clients and potential clients.
Disgusting lack of ethics. Why do these folks never assume they'll get caught?
Writing a technical report is like writing features for magazines...no good editor will let a writer get away with generalizations.
Studies show...what studies?
Experts agree...which experts?
Polls show...which polls?
Clarity is key here. Your writing will improve if you back it up with facts and skip the generalizations. Expert writers agree.Great post, Dianne. The key is specialization. If you're the same as everyone else, why would someone use you? Think about your area of expertise and WRITE! Firms that market in tough times position themselves for success when things turn around. Article writing is a great way to get your name out there, but you don't have to be a good writer to get published. You can use a ghostwriter or work with the publication's editors to help you polish your message. A key mistake is failing to take advantage of the article once it's published. There are tons of ways to spread the word. I'm writing all about how to get published for a banking magazine right now. I'll link the article on cg when it's available. Blogs, forums, white papers...all easy ways to spread the word.
PS IVI's a great firm, and they're no strangers to taking advantage of the numerous opportunities to get published. They've gotten ink countless times in the last sevearl months...which doesn't hurt when trying to win over prospects or keep clients. Smart move. It also costs far less than advertising and is far more credible.
Thanks, all. I'm going to print your responses in ESA Report, EDR's Phase I newsletter. Please e-mail me if you DO NOT want your comments published.
Thanks, Dianne. A quick search of the topic didn't turn up the blog...I must not have mistyped. Great info. and great discussion.
Reminds me of the early days of EDR when we wrote each day's order on a big white board (all two of them). After we sold a report we had to go do the research and then type it up. And then get it ready for FedEx. I don't think I even had a computer then, and e-mail was years away. Good times. Now 90% of what I do is conducted via Internet.
Great post, Dianne. I know your story was about due diligence, but on another note: What about the future of objective journalism? As I've watched many of my fellow members of the Society of Environmental Journalists get laid off this year from the Boston Globe and other papers, I worry about the future of the industry. Blogs and SEO content are great, but they're not objective news. Just like we have Phase I chop shops, we have a lot of hacks willing to work for pennies or for free just to get their byline published. I worry about this "news" and the future of reporting (and the teens, tweens and others who get their news from online sources of questionable reputation).
Great discussion! I'd like to explore it more in next month's ESA Report. Any objection to posting your comments in EDR's monthly newsletter? Anything else you'd like to add?