September 2005 Archives

When leaving a voice mail for someone, take a deep breathe, then force yourself to speak slower than you would in normal conversation. Be sure to clearly annunciate your words. Voice mail playback is not always as clear as a live telephone connection, particularly if you are on a cell phone.

I'm working on a big conference right now and getting dozens of voice mails every day. The challenge with many of the messages is understanding the person's name or, even worse, their phone number. Most of us will stop for clarification if we miss something someone is saying during a conversation, but we don't have that luxury when listening to a voice mail. I often replay a message three and four times yet still am unable to understand what the caller is saying.

Of course, even if I can't get the caller's name, I still call them back, telling whomever answers the phone I am returning a voice mail but did not understand the caller's name. Usually I am able to get to the caller, but not always. Unfortunately, if I can't understand their phone number, I have no way to call them back and have to just sit back hoping they will call again.

Another good rule of phone etiquette to follow: Always leave your phone number twice.

Earlier this month, we videotaped Josh Hallett's blogging seminar. We're using parts of the footage to create a demo tape for Josh and the rest of the material to create a good training video that Josh could ultimately sell on his website. It may be a while before we have the training part done, so until then, here are some highlights from the seminar:

Some of Josh's General Rules of Blogging:
Note the word "some" (in case you're wondering about the numbering)

1. Blogs are written by people, not corporations.
2. Good blogs are updated frequently.
6. Never, ever delete a blog post.
8. Treat readers and your fellow bloggers as well as you would a Wall Street Journal reporter - they may have more influence [can you say Dan Rather?]!
9. Learn how to use RSS...and use it.

Want to see if your name is mentioned in someone's blog? Check out PubSub.

Need an RSS that integrates with Outlook? Try NewsGator. [Editorial note: Josh also recommended FeedDemon when I was starting out. I liked the free trial so when it expired, I paid the nominal $30-ish purchase price.]

Looking for a summary of recent activity, trends, personalities and issues in the blogosphere? Blogpulse.

Josh's presentations always incorporate a great mix of humor, information and interaction. If you need a great speaker to talk about blogging at your next meeting, seminar or conference, let me know and I'll hook you up.

David Sifry pointed me to Technorati's new blogging survey designed "to better understand how blogging and traditional PR intersect, and what bloggers think about communication from mainstream companies."

Learn more about the survey.

I took the survey and am very interested in the results, so against my normal practice, I provided my name and email address so they can send me a copy of the completed white paper. They promise my info will only be used to send me the white paper:

Thank you for your input! Edelman and Technorati will analyze the data you provided and include aggregated information in its white paper on Corporate Blogging Communications scheduled for a late October release. Would you like to receive a copy of the completed white paper? Please enter your name and e-mail address below and we will be sure to let you know once the white paper is available. Your name and email is not associated with your survey response. Your name and email will only be used for the purpose of sending you the white paper.

It was a little creepy, though, when I later tried to click on the survey link again to copy and paste in this post...I was transferred to a "Thank you" page that says the following:

You have already replied to this survey. Thank you.

After an unintentional blogging hiatus these past two weeks (during which time I kept track of my activities and now have my best-ever check list for industry conference planning), I hope to get several posts up this week, including:

- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Programs tip sheet that Rebecca Hart and I created for our presentation at PRSA's Sunshine District QuickStart conference in Orlando this past weekend.

- The Ultimate Conference Planning Checklist, compiled the week before last, when I spent nearly 60 hours working on some of the nitty-gritty, behind-the-scenes details that go into successful conference planning (note I said "some" of the details - these 60 hours were in addition to the normal planning and preparation efforts that have been going on over the past nine months).

- My notes from Josh Hallett's fantastic blog training earlier this month.

- Highlights from Mark Victor Hansen's 2005 MEGA Book Marketing University conference (especially important since the MEGA Speaking Conference is barely more than a month away).

Oh, and here's the latest battle update:

Inbox: 127
Sent: 489
Trash: 111 (which will be 0 after I publish this post)

The Department of Health and Human Services has set up a toll-free hotline for people in crisis in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: 1-1-800-273-TALK. Callers will be connected to a network of local crisis centers across the country to receive counseling from trained staff at the closest certified crisis center in the network.

According to the news release:

"The network is run by HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and involves more than 110 certified crisis centers. People who are in emotional distress or suicidal can call at any time from anywhere in the nation to talk to a trained worker who will listen to and assist callers in getting the mental health help they need. People will be provided with immediate access to local resources, referrals and expertise."

NBC 8:00 p.m. live on the east coast, tape delayed on the west coast. All proceeds go to the American Red Cross. CapitalOne is underwriting the costs.

The lineup includes Tim McGraw, who is from Louisiana, and his wife Faith Hill, who is from Missippi.

Wayne Kelly and I are hosting a complimentary preview for our publicity course at 3:00 p.m. this afternoon (East Coast). We'll be giving participants a sneak peek into the full course, which launches September 22 and will enable you to:

* Create an effective media release
* Identify your target audience
* Determine the station formats best suited for your business, product or services
* Develop your personal pitch for radio and TV producers with help from industry experts
* Compile a list of target stations to whom you can pitch
* Consult one-on-one with award-winning experts Wendy Kurtz and Wayne Kelly
* Confidently and competently promote yourself, your book, your product or your service

Sign up by visiting our publicity site and the dial-in number and passcode will be emailed to you.

I'm taking John-Paul and Deborah Cole Micek up on their offer to match my donation.

Make a donation to any disaster relief organization by 11:59 p.m. Hawaii time on September 1 and they will match your total donations up to $1000 (I don't know if they mean total or per donor).

Today has been designated blog relief day for Hurricane Katrina. NZ from The Truth Laid Bear is tracking some of the action on a special blog relief participant page. Make your donation then register it on the site.

I'm sending my check to the American Red Cross of Central Florida. My husband is on the board and I know the CEO personally, so I vouch for their ethical use of donations.

If you have trouble getting on the home page, google your local chapter (e.g., "Orlando American Red Cross"). I couldn't get the national home page to load, but the Central Florida page, part of the same site, came right up via a google link.

Glen's roundup post has a list of charities and other related resources, including the Hurricane Katrina help wiki link.

Disclaimer: While I may not agree with, endorse or support the views expressed on the blogs listed herein, that's irrelevant today, I do agree with and support their efforts to raise relief funds. My focus is on getting the word out about the blog relief effort and motivating as people as possible to donate.