While reading the comments in response to a great little blog post about grammar from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (thanks, Mom!), I discovered a reference to what could be one of the best blogs out there: the “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks. If you understand the abuse of quotation marks in the previous sentence, then you’ll probably appreciate the blog.
I’m still perusing it, but so far the entry for March 23 is my favorite. Look closely for the ”alarm sounds like” reference. Simply fantastic!
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45 percent of CMOs say they are spending more time managing their agencies than just two years ago.
“…45 percent of CMOs say they are spending more time managing their agencies than just two years ago. Only 21 percent of respondents say they are getting the best work from their agencies.” — Todd Wasserman of BrandWeek, citing a study indicating that many marketers are not fully satisfied with their agencies.
Thanks to Alison for flagging this story for us!
Further reading: Study: 45% of CMOs See Agencies as Time Sucks
Twitter: @lizkelly
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Work is something we do, not a physical location.
The concept of a virtual company – one without traditional shared office space – has been around for years. While there’s nothing new about the idea, there are more reasons than ever that a virtual structure can benefit communications agencies, their team members and their clients.
Low overhead. In a lousy economy, every dollar counts. Virtual agencies save enormous amounts of money by eliminating many traditional office costs, such as real estate leases, large equipment and office personnel. Unless they’re complete crooks, they’ll pass these savings on to their clients.
No geographic limitations. In a knowledge-driven business, does it really make sense to hire people based ...
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Remember our top 10 list of words to avoid like the plague? We’ve added two more, and we’re taking suggestions. Check out the latest words to make the list:
“Ask” as a noun. I’ve now heard multiple people abuse the word “ask” on more than one occasion, which leads me to believe that this might be the start of a horrifying new trend. Here’s an example: “What’s our ‘ask’ of the client?” There’s a perfectly good word that serves the same purpose: “question.” Use it.
Execute. There’s too much violence in the world already – business people don’t need to contribute to it by “executing” plans. By the way, in case you accuse me of ...
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Happy Friday, all! We were featured in an article about building successful client relationships on the Mopwater PR + Media Notes blog, and we just had to share.
Check it out: Post Networking: How to Build a Business Relationship Online
Twitter: @lizkelly
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Have you noticed that everyone thinks he/she is a good writer? Even if you’re a naturally talented, brilliant writer, a refresher on the basics never hurt anyone. We assembled the 10 tips below for a recent workshop with small business owners – check ‘em out:
1. Know your audience. The better you understand them, the better you’ll communicate with them.
2. Proofreading is a must. Never send an important email, post a blog entry or finalize a document for ... Read more »
In case you missed it, a recent a NY Times editorial took President Obama to task for his incorrect use of the word “I” when he really should have been using “me.” It turns out that even the Harvard-educated can have an occasional grammar malfunction – how refreshing for my own non-Ivy League ego!
In case you’re similarly pronoun-challenged, here’s a quick refresher on when it’s appropriate to use “me,” “myself” and “I”:
Choose ”I” when you’re the subject of a sentence: “Michelle and I are honored to have you join us.”
Choose ”me” when you’re the object of the sentence: ”Being here means a lot to Michelle and me.”
Use “myself” for emphasis or clarification: “I’ll do it myself” or “I was ...
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I can’t believe I almost missed a most important occasion - National Grammar Day! Many thanks to Ann for notifying me of the event just in time for me to blog about it before it’s over. Check out the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar for their awards to the U.S. city and celebrity with the worst grammar. I can’t tell if this is a post from last year or this year, but either way it’s still funny. Their website also has links to several other blogs about grammar.
Happy Grammar Day!
Twitter @lizkelly
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I haven’t updated the Brilliant Blog in several days, and there’s a reason for this: I’m absolutely drowning in content. There’s my Yahoo! home page, customized with all my daily headlines. Then there’s Twitter – I’m following several interesting people who seem to have plenty of time to post links to all kinds of fascinating but time-consuming web content. Over the past week, I’ve distracted myself with nightmare X-rays, a cool animation of flight 1549 (which landed in the Hudson in January), and a countdown of the top 50 business schools – none of which has any real relevance to me.
Add to this my multiple ... Read more »
