What Does Your Unit Do Best?

Venue change for Nov 30 event! Maximizing Your Social Media Influence

Expert Insights: Maximizing Your Social Media Influence

November 30, 3 p.m
Akerman Hall, Room 319 McNamara Alumni Center, Room 235
Presenters are Jennifer Kane and Kary Delaria of Kane Consulting

Jen and Kary are social media
consultants with an impressive client list. They will talk about how to
set goals and measure success in social media beyond return on
investment. For those of you who haven't heard them speak -- they are
insightful and entertaining. Heavy appetizers will be served.

Shoestring Events

I stumbled across this piece on planning budgetary-conscious events at the U. I would venture to guess that budget dictates most, if not all, events here on campus, so any tips are always helpful. I especially like the free tools to get the word out on campus, and the emphasis on collaboration. While it may not be ground-breaking, it's a nice reminder that we're all in the same boat- working with a little to create so much more.

Poll: Paying for online content

The Star Tribune recently announced that they will start charging for their online content. The New York Times did the same earlier this year with much media coverage and public debate. MinnPost operates on a reader-supported model.

As more and more communications channels are moving to a paid-service model, we're curious: do you pay for online content?

Link Roundup: Photography

Mastering photography is an elusive art. But, practice makes perfect and building photographic skills is an enjoyable hobby.

Here's an edition of link roundup on getting good at taking pictures.

-- 14 Ways to Improve Your Photography in a Few Days
-- 90+ Online Photography Tools and Resources
-- How to Stay Up Late and Make an HDR Image
-- How To: Master Smartphone Photography 
-- iPhone Photography + Social Networking = Instagram
-- The Washington Post Wants Your Instagram Photos to Illustrate Health of U.S. Economy

The drive behind the Driven to Discover student campaign

Guest blogger: Drew Swain, U Relations marketing coordinator, manages the University's overall brand and assists in the development of the yearly Driven to Discover campaigns. Swain says the focus of this phase of the campaign is on students, and gives some insight at how that came about, and what's coming next.

Here's Drew:

You've seen professors explain mind control. Professors growing hearts. Professors teaching classes from the Arctic. Professors even lecturing on what makes Superman faster than bullets. So what about the students? Where do they fit into the University's mission to discover?

That's the focus of the new iteration Driven to Discover, the Driven to Discover Student Campaign, which was just released. You might have already seen some of the TV spots.

The inception of the campaign was really a confluence of factors. We wanted to take an uncharted path to further the Driven to Discover brand and one of President Kaler's incoming initiatives centered on students. Meanwhile, the U of M Foundation was starting its new scholarship drive. It was a natural fit to make students the campaign's "heroes."

As higher education communications pros, when you look at Discover Student, you should notice its unique approach. While student related campaigns of other schools are direct recruiting tools, we're telling our audiences how the student experience at the U is unbeatable. There's nowhere else in the state and most of the region where students can be paired up with elite faculty like Andy Van de Ven, one of the world's top minds in managing innovation. Nowhere they have such an array of opportunities to discover their passion and profession through partnerships like the Guthrie BFA Program. And nowhere they can be exposed to such distinct student-related experiences (hello, Sheep, Goat, and Lama Club).

The next step in the student campaign will make it even more focused on students, when it asks them to directly participate in a scholarship video contest. Students will be asked to submit 30-second videos of themselves explaining what they have discovered at the U. Winners will be chosen based on "Likes" on the U's Facebook page, so stay tuned in mid-December when voting begins!

Buzzword (BS) Bingo

My office, U Relations, had a meeting this morning, and our new chief passed out bingo cards with some overused words on them. Words like, "Value-added, Win-win, Think outside the box, At the end of the day," etc... She encouraged us to call her out if she used any of them. Refreshing.

The concept, if you're unfamiliar, is to prepare bingo cards with buzzwords and tick them off when they're said during a meeting or speech until you "win-win."

The moral to the game is that the listener feels that the speaker, through the subterfuge of an infinite echoing of trite terminology, is masking a lack of actual knowledge and just spouting off a bunch of buzzwords rather than providing information or ideas of actual value. In other words, our chief was saying, "I actually know what I'm talking about. Feel free to question me on it." Refreshing...because it's actual, mutual communication. 

Just look at what one recent winner said about the game:

"Thanks Bingo creator for thinking outside the box and proactively creating this value-added knowledgebase that is a strategic fit with my core competencies and current client focused mindset. I can leverage our existing process and exploit the inherent synergies to expand the knowledgebase to cater to our result driven folks who will work 24/7 to put it on a fast-track. This cascading game-plan is what I call a truly win-win situation."

I'm happy to say that no one "won" the game today.

Have you followed @PrezKaler?

Guest blogger: Elizabeth Giorgi ( egiorgi at umn.edu )

Elizabeth Giorgi (Liz), social and multimedia coordinator in University Relations, has some words of wisdom about the whimsical world of social media. Liz manages the U's Facebook page, YouTube channel, and the recently launched @PrezKaler Twitter account. In her free time, she also blogs about social media, Internet culture, and general geekiness at beinggeekchic.com. Her conclusion here may seem intuitive: ask yourself the most important question of all: Would I read this? But the road to a good Twitter post and indeed much social media is fraught with the perils of tedium.

Here's what Liz has to say:

You may have noticed that our 16th President has a beard. Did you know that he is the first since U president William Watts Folwell? It's these kind of quirky details that we hope to capture with the @PrezKaler Twitter account.

People are already starting to ask me what my goals for our social media accounts will be in 2012. The introduction of the @PrezKaler account is a huge part of what I see as the future of social media at the U. Here's why: we tend to pay attention to and share the things that we see from friendly faces. As a large entity, we're not always effective in doing that.

When you break down the walls of academia and focus on one voice, you can make the conversation more personal and more impactful. So, how does the beard come in? One of the ideas we're playing with for November is to have people tweet their pictures of their "Novembeards" to @PrezKaler as a sign of solidarity. Who would you be more likely to send a photo of yourself to? A nameless face acting as a large department? Or a guy you see on TV or in the halls? We're betting on the latter.

Getting Twitty with it
In a nutshell: We need to be sassier, more personal, more risky, and more ever-present.
 
As for the larger accounts that do represent us as a whole, aka the University of Minnesota page on Facebook, the U's page needs to find a way to more clearly distinguish ourselves from other information on your news feed. That's where sassiness comes into play. We recently posted a photo album on Facebook with some autumnal scenes. One caption reads: "The Lilly Plaza is a little-known study spot. Oops, did we just let out the secret?!"

When you look to establish your goals for social media this coming year, think about what you can do to distinguish yourself and use a more personal voice. And ask yourself the most important question of all: Would I read this?

Poll: Revisiting ebooks

A year ago we asked, "Do you use a portable device like the iPad or Kindle for reading books?" Results:


So...today we're wondering what you're using:

Communicating with your faculty about the value of research and expertise publicity

Jeff Falk (the handsome fellow to the left, in full professional regalia), assistant director of the U's News Service, has some helpful advice today on getting University research and researchers in the news. First step: making sure faculty see the value of media relations. That's where you (we all) come in. Here's Falk's post:

"If your research is stale, if your classroom is boring, if your community engagement is ineffective, you must reinvent yourself, or, frankly, you must step aside," President Kaler implored faculty in his Sept. 22 inauguration ceremony address. "As you expect me to deliver on my job, I expect you to deliver on yours."

Here at the University News Service, we believe there are few better and simpler ways to highlight the value of faculty research and expertise than through focused and strategic media relations. Here are some suggested talking points to emphasize with faculty when discussing the importance of media relations:

--News stories on University of Minnesota research and expertise are read by state legislators, the governor, and Minnesota's Congressional delegation as well as citizens, donors and, when there is national publicity, people at federal funding agencies.

--Research results can help inform decisions on important public issues.

--Many grant applications require public outreach and education, and there certainly is a need to improve public appreciation of science and how research benefits society.

--Popular press coverage makes it more likely research will be seen and cited by other scientists

--Announcements about grants, appointments, and awards rarely get more coverage than brief mentions in local newspapers. This is why it is important to focus on publicizing research findings and faculty expertise.

--Finally, popular press coverage of research often results in valuable contacts with potential collaborators. Most national and international publicity about the U comes from coverage of peer-reviewed research findings.

As faculty have been charged to push the envelope, we as communicators need to take advantage of this opportunity and help them understand the value and impact of telling their stories.

--Jeff Falk ( jfalk at umn.edu )

Communicators are Connectors and Crafting Leadership: Link Roundup

Communicators have an uncanny ability to get to know people across varied disciplines and familiarize themselves with many professional niches. At the U, for example, communicators are tucked away in their colleges becoming experts on vastly different topics--from veterinary medicine to cultural studies, or whatever discipline it may be.

Although spread far and wide, it's apparent there is a thread running through our group that knits us together. Communicators relish in swapping stories, sharing information, and making connections. And we do just that at the U--especially those who participate in the Communicators Forum.

It's easy to forget that this inherent attribute is a skill that many people do not possess. As connectors, we have access to people that others may not. Using that opportunity to relay important messages is an interesting concept--think of the impact that could be made by stepping outside our traditional roles.

To me, it makes sense that making a difference in my profession and making a difference in the lives of others requires both excellent communications skills and the ability to project my knowledge to others confidently. So, complimenting my people skills with leadership skills seems like a no-brainer.  

Here's an edition of link roundup on leadership, career success, verbal communication style, and more.

1. Steve Jobs and
   the Seven Rules of Success



2. The Hazards of Confidence



3. Optimism Scores the Extra Point


4. The Conversationalist: Talking Without Technology


5. Networking is a PR Mandate


6. 10 Must-Read Public Relations And Marketing Books

Review: Promoting Strategies on a Budget: Internal PR

*Note: This review will appear in next week's "Preview/Review" column in Brief.

Sometimes when we think about communications we believe them to be the sole job of professionals with focused job titles like "communications specialist." But communications--helping others understand the value and role of an organization--are most effective and persuasive in numbers.

Anna Kucera, director of marketing and public relations with the Upper
Midwest Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, had a clear
message for the several dozen attendees at the Oct. 20 UMCF event, "Promoting Strategies on a Budget: Internal PR."



Everyone in your department should be involved in communications, and
ultimately, everyone in your organization is anyway, she said. A
conversation is happening--online, in coffee shops, and in
backyards--people talk about work. Providing the tools to enable
employees to lead the conversation, and to advocate on behalf of [the
U], is ultimately a communicator's job.



"The people who work for the University need to be able to speak about what they do for the U and why it matters," Kucera said.



At her own organization, Kucera said "A lot of times our employees are
the people best connected to the communities we serve. We want to
empower them to get the word out about upcoming events, and our agenda."



Her advice was to train everyone, in the key messages (the value) of
the University, and in the use of social media (by holding social media
brown bags)--an inexpensive way to amplify 20,000 faculty and staff (and
60,000 students) who make up the U.



"Social media policy should be not only a list of what not to do, but
"to do's" and "how to's." Facilitate interactions among employees.
Empower them to reach out to their own networks in a way that
positively represents your organization," she said.



Certainly food for thought as the U approaches another important
legislative session, with tens of millions of dollars on the line.

 

One way to get involved is to join the U's Legislative Network, get informed, and get ready for action at the U's 2012 Legislative Briefing, coming Feb. 1.



Follow the U's new legislative network on its new Facebook page, and continue the conversation online.

Technology and Communicating With Students

This article from UW Milwaukee caught my eye because my friend's sweet son is in the lead photo.

Technologies help students pass to head of the class

But as I read, I was stunned by this statement:

"Summarizing a recent study from Ball State University, UWM First
Year Center Director Ericca Pollack says 30 percent of students
regularly use email, while 97 percent use some form of text messaging." [Emphasis is mine]

Am I super old-school because I still email? Can I even connect with students today without texting?

UW-Milwaukee's students are meeting with advisers via Skype and taking virtual field trips online. Some of our Forum members work in student services and classroom technology; what do you think of this piece? How have you changed the way you communicate with students over the past few years? How has the classroom changed? Please share your comments.

Community Fund Drive

Every year the UMTC Community Fund Drive rolls around I have to say I enjoy it. My office (University Relations) usually does a pretty good job of contributing, and the U on a whole raises more than $1 million each year for community charities. It's a testament to the true character and deep commitment of U faculty and staff, I think, to give so much of their time and money. But we're a little behind this year (participation is at about 13%). It's a tough economy, but during tough economic times,
donations go down and needs go up--and this fund drive fulfills a lot of
needs (the U is the biggest donor for most of the charities). As communicators, we can help spread the word. So let people know.

Online you can find a list of many of the charitable organizations.
If you can't find a charity you like, you can give to your favorite
charity, even if it's not on the list, as long as it is a 501c3.

I'd also like to give a shout out to the people who make this happen every year. All the volunteers--dozens of them--make this happen. UMCF member Lisa Bentzen, communications staff in OHR, deserves a shout out as the communications committee member. If I'm forgetting anyone, thank you, too.  

Watch the First Expert Insights Program

For members who couldn't make it--or just want to watch the event again--we recorded the September 15 Expert Insights program. Amy Phenix and Diana Harvey discussed "Communications as Strategic Partner: Best Practices" and shared lots of useful information.

Not a Communicators Forum member? Join today to get access to all upcoming events, including the rest of the Expert Insights series, the email list, and many other networking and professional development opportunities!

How does the Forum benefit you?

Tricks (or Treats) of Volunteer Management

I love volunteers. They help me set up decorations and signage, greet and check-in guests, and clean-up and bring supplies back to my office. Volunteers are like my extra set of arms carefully helping me execute multiple event tasks expertly.

In this economy, volunteers are highly desirable; therefore, we need to treat them well. It's taken me time to understand how to effectively communicate and treat volunteers in order to best manage them. Below are some tricks of the trade compiled from both my experiences and from the Donor Relations Guru Blog that I follow.

1. Have realistic expectations of your volunteers. Volunteers are donating their time; therefore, don't overload them with several projects or tasks.

2. Clearly define a volunteer's role. Manage their expectations along with your own. Define what the role's tasks are from the beginning and talk to the volunteer prior to your event to make sure they understand of what's being asked of them.

3. Appreciate your volunteers. I understand - we're all busy, but taking some time to write a personal note of appreciation and thanks to your volunteers goes a long way and helps to develop a relationship. Remember - a happy volunteer = a repeat volunteer.

To learn more volunteer tricks, go to www.donorrelationsguru.com/.

Have any volunteer horror stories or best practices (either your own volunteer experiences or managing volunteers)? If so, let us know. 

Are you a specialist or a generalist?

During Amy Phenix's talk at our September 15 program, she asked the audience if they felt they were generalists or specialists. The majority raised their hand for generalist.

Amy then went on to suggest that future reorganizing of communications at the U may favor specialists. It remains to be seen where this all will go, but in the meantime, let's ask the question again of our blog readers.

Wanted: Guest bloggers

Welcome to another academic year and the re-ignition of the Comm Forum blog. It has been a shotgun start for many of us, and with a new president, and soon, a new provost, a time of certain change. That means all kinds of things are going to be happening--shiny, new, and otherwise--and we want to hear about them from you.

So first, an invitation: We're looking for guest bloggers. Whether you have some expertise to share or creativity in any of its manifestations, we want to hear from you. Commit to as few as one post. Contact overland@umn.edu and we'll work out the details.

Second, how the blog will proceed: This year, the Forum board will do our best to post on Wednesdays and Fridays, primarily in three categories (and again--we need your help): polls and queries, member profiles, and link round-ups. Send suggestions of people to profile, questions you're curious about, and links to resources you've found valuable, as well as communication success stories from around the U.
 
We want to recognize good people, good work, and share proven ways to help everyone raise their game to the next level.
 
The Forum blog is a volunteer effort, and we've had successes in the past both informational and entertaining, like how the condemnation of new technologies (social media) is nothing new, a poll on how Forum members get to work, where we were before the U, and a philosophical meandering that posits there is too much "me" in social media, concluding with the words of Neil Diamond. Plus, humorous 404 pages.

Enjoy, and please keep the ideas coming.

 
--Adam Overland,

CF blog editor (Fall 2010-present)

Save the Date: 2012 UMCF Annual Conference

When: Thursday, July 26, 2012, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Where: St. Paul Continuing Education and Conference Center

An official save the date will be emailed to all members during fall 2011.

Registration will open early 2012. RSVP on Facebook to view ongoing updates about the conference.

• RSVP on Facebook

Expert Insight Event: Amy Phenix on Thurs., Sept. 15!

Amy Phenix, President Kaler's new chief of
staff, and Diana Harvey, our new chief communications officer, will be
speaking to the Communicators Forum on Thursday, September 15 at 3pm in
STSS
230. Amy's topic will be "Communications as Strategic Partner: Best
Practices." The program will begin promptly at 3 with an opportunity
for socializing afterward. Light appetizers will be from Kafe 421. Please register for this program on the UMCF website.

This program and all other Expert Insight events will be available by UMConnect.

Robert Sevier's Presentation at "Making Our Case"

For those of you who wish to revisit Robert Sevier's breakout session on "Developing an Experience Marketing Strategy," please download this attachment.

2011 - Experience Marketing - Final SG.pdf

2011 Maroon & Gold Awards Recipients

Maroon & Gold awards are presented annually to UMCF members whose work
best embodies the University's core values: excellence,
innovation, integrity, diversity, academic freedom, collaboration,
sharing of knowledge, accountability, stewardship, and
service.

 Congratulations to the 2011 winners, listed below!

CATEGORY: WRITING

• GOLD
  Rebuilding Faces, Rebuilding Lives: Reconstructive Surgeons Give People Another Chance For a Normal Life
  Minnesota Medical Foundation
• MAROON - Short Feature
  
  Alumni Spotlight: Janis Amatuzio M.D.-Adding Compassion to Forensic Pathology
  Minnesota Medical Foundation
• MAROON - Long Feature
  Second Hand: Art That Speaks to Our Relationship to Stuff
  Institute on the Environment
• MAROON - Instructional
  
  Extension Website Governance Guidelines
  Extension Center for Food, Agriculture & Natural Resource Sciences
• MAROON - Script
  About University of Minnesota Extension presentation slides
  Extension Center for Food, Agriculture & Natural Resource Sciences

CATEGORY: MULTIMEDIA

• GOLD
  Promise of the Prairie Documentary
  Morris University Relations
• MAROON - Website
  Student Unions & Activities Website Redesign
  Student Unions & Activities
• MAROON - Video/DVD
  Water for Mulobere
  Institute on the Environment
• MAROON - Coordinated Social Media
  Institute on the Environment
  Facebook, Blog, Twitter, YouTube

CATEGORY: PRINT

• GOLD
  Momentum Magazine, Summer 2010
  
  Institute on the Environment
• MAROON - Multi Sheet
  Enhancing Minnesota
  College of Food, Agriculture & Natural Resource Sciences
• MAROON - Single Sheet
  
  Spring Events Calendar
  Student Unions & Activities
• MAROON - Card
  Kerlan Award Postcard
  University Libraries
• MAROON - Specialty
  University of Minnesota, Morris Vision for Sustainability
  Morris University Relations
• MAROON - Magazine
  Reach Magazine, Spring 2010
  College of Liberal Arts Media & Public Relations

CATEGORY: CAMPAIGN

• GOLD
  Discovery Showcase
  Minnesota Medical Foundation
• MAROON - Informational
  
  25 Years of MnTAP Success
  Minnesota Technical Assistance Program
• MAROON - Promotional
  
  Andersen Horticultural Library Promotional Campaign
  
  University Libraries

CATEGORY: GREEN

• EFANS Connects: A Quarterly Webinar For Employees
  Extension Center for Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences

CATEGORY: MARGO

• Extension Program Website Pilot Project
  
  Extension Center for Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences

CATEGORY: MIKE

• Andersen Horticultural Library Promotional Campaign
  University Libraries

Volunteer at UROC in North Minneapolis. They need your help.

Not sure if you've been following it, but there's a big effort going on among U of M staffers to help out North Minneapolis in the wake of the tornado. Much of the word has been driven by social media. Find out more on the Brief Facebook page. Here are a few of the most recent updates, viewable in the notes section of Facebook:

May 27 update, 10 a.m.:
Over 100 volunteers again at UROC this a.m.

--City-led long-term recovery committee met at UROC this morning: 45-50 city/county officials and community leaders in attendance (including UROC exec director Heidi Lasley Barajas)

--Outreach team now on the ground on the North Side; Senior VP Jones and Dr. Barajas part of the group.

--One outreach shift tomorrow, May 28 (Saturday)--9 a.m.-1 p.m. Volunteers needed. No van from campus.

--UROC will continue to be involved in tornado recovery efforts next week in a variety of ways. No on-the-ground outreach is planned out of UROC, but UROC staff will refer volunteers wherever they might be needed on the North Side.

May 26, noon update: Reports are coming in that volunteers are running out of food to meet community needs on the north side. Teams are coming across homes and apartment buildings where cupboards are empty and refrigerators full of spoiled food.

Nonperishable food can be dropped off at the UROC building, 2001 Plymouth.

The 2011 Communicators Forum conference is THIS Thursday--don't miss it!

Still haven't registered? Register right now (Yes, right now!) for the conference. Our fantastic keynote this year is John Moe, host of Marketplace Tech Report and the Wits series at the Fitzgerald Theater. We also have an array of fabulous sessions, including Wing Young Huie's session on the University Avenue Project, a session with the Geek Girls, a Burlesque-related session, and much more! The day ends with our much anticipated Maroon and Gold Awards and a reception at the Campus Club.

Hope you all join us at Coffman Union on Thursday, May 12!

Tweet late, email early, and don't forget about Saturday: Using data to develop a social media strategy

At this point in the social media game, there's a lot of pontification being pitched about and not whole lot of the Dragnet ethic. It's hard to say what's what about social media at this point, but this analysis gives a few great pointers. Try them out and see for yourself. A few I'm going to try to ride with:

• Tweet a lot to accumulate as many followers as possible, but if your goal is to drive more traffic to your site, you should show a little more restraint; accounts that share two or more links an hour show a dramatically lower clickthrough rate than those who share no more than one.

• Reach people when the noise of the crowd has died down. It turns out that time is often the afternoons, when blogs and news sites are slower, and the weekend, when they're all but asleep.

• Retweet activity is highest late in the work day, between 2 and 5 p.m., and the sweet spot (tweet spot?) is 4 p.m. Late in the week is most retweetable, too.

Use TweetWhen to analyze your Twitter account to see what time days and times yield the most retweets.

Read the full story at Nieman Journalism Lab.

I sure could use some inspiration...

My creative brain is sleepy, and lately I just can't seem to wake it up. Can you help me out here? Where do you go for inspiration? Are there any sites or blogs out there that I should know about? My sleepy brain thanks you in advance!

Don't skimp on content strategy

When developing a website, it's tempting to jump right into the fun design phase. But left in its wake is the neglected content strategy.

A website can look pretty, but if the content stinks or it's tough to find--you've lost your audience. If you are driving people to your website, give people a reason to stay and a clear idea of what you want them to do. Do you want people to give? Say so. Do you want them to attend an event? Make that clear--don't hide the info.

A new book out a few months ago, The Elements of Content Strategy, lays the groundwork if you're still having to make the argument of why content strategy matters. Here is a write up about it: Jason Santa Maria.

I plan to pick up this book. Have any of you read it? I'd love to hear what you think--share in the comments field.

Register now! How to avoid death by PowerPoint.

Register now for the last monthly program of the academic term:

"How to avoid death by PowerPoint: Tips for giving better presentations"
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Networking and registration: 3 p.m.
Program: 3:30- 4:30 p.m.
3-180 Keller Hall

Wordle word cloud of Comm Forum blog posts

So this is a word cloud (courtesy of Wordle) of all the blog posts on the Comm Forum blog since Jan. 2011. If you're unfamiliar with word clouds, this weights words according to appearence frequency, presenting them within an image.

It seems "communicators" has been a big topic this year so far. Makes sense, since that is the topic of the May 12 conference. "Forum" is (quite literally) big, too. We like to toot our own horn, it seems. Social media mentions include "social," "media," and a fat "Facebook," but I don't see Twitter...Hmmm... So maybe the question here is, "What don't you see?" Because Twitter is BIG. I do see a slightly smaller "Neil." That would be as in Neil Diamond. If you missed that post, you better go find it.

What else are you missing?

Making Our Case: Jeff Falk

The Council of Academic Professionals and Administrators (CAPA) monthly newsletter features a P&A Audio Spotlight with News Service assistant director Jeff Falk. Jeff does a fabulous job talking about how their office helps make the case for the University, using the stadium campaign as an example. As communicators, we all make the case for the U of M on a regular basis--but maybe we don't make the case for ourselves enough. Think about it as you listen to Jeff's brief interview.

Mobile, Mobile, Mobile

The current issue of EDUCAUSE Review highlights mobile technology within the realm of higher education. It includes articles on e-books, iPads, websites, devices, and change.

Even if talk about developing for mobile devices might be what you hear all day long, the future of technology is not about specific devices. It's more about enabling change in communication structures and empowering people. This reminds me of what Meghan Wilker and Nancy Lyons suggested to the MinneWebCon audience on Monday: taking down cubicle walls does not change workplace culture -- people do.

Meghan and Nancy will also be presenting at the Communicators Forum "Making Our Case" conference on May 12. Check out their Geek Girls Guide.

Last day for Early Bird Registration!

Save some money and register right now (this very second) for "Making Our Case," the 2011 Communicators Forum conference. I am most looking forward to the keynote speech by Mr. John Moe, host of "Marketplace Tech Report" and the "Wits" series going on throughout the spring at the Fitzgerald Theater. Also on my agenda for the day is Wing Young Huie's session on the University Avenue Project, the Burlesque guys' session on how they became so awesome, and of course, the reception at the Campus Club. Hope you all join us at Coffman Union on Thursday, May 12!

Content for today's web

At MinneWebCon this morning, Luke Wroblewski's keynote address focused designing for today's web--which now, more than ever, means designing for mobile use. He discussed online trends in mobile vs. PC use, projections into the future, and showed examples of how to do it well and not so well...

But, in my opinion, by far the best takeaway was Luke's emphasis on content strategy--thinking about the audience and how they are using the information on each specific device, be it a pc or phone.

It's no secret that people use mobile devices in a different way than they use their home laptop or tablet. So, it makes sense that the information provided on a mobile site should be different from what's available on a standard website. For some businesses and academic departments, landing on a solid mobile content strategy may be easier than others.

One example I was able to find from the U is the new Gopher Athletics mobile site, www.gophersports.com. It's not as comprehensive as their main website, but seems to give the relevant information that people would most likely be seeking from their phone.

Are any of you working on a mobile site? Does anyone have another mobile site to share or insight on mobile content strategy?

How Faculty Handle Disruptive Colleagues--And How We Can Borrow the Lesson

I'm catching up on some of my Chronicle of Higher Ed reading today, and I came across a gem of a blog post that gives faculty advice about how to handle disruptive colleagues during meetings.

I was hoping that at the very least it would shed a bit of light on faculty culture, something I am always trying to wrap my brain around. And it didn't disappoint! More than that, though, it showed me that faculty meetings have the same set of challenges that any meeting might have:

+The know-it-all
+The bully
+The talker
+The we-already-tried-it-and-it-didn't-work person
+and many more

The post is an open-ended question, asking readers for feedback. My favorite comments come from reader bethelcollege, who suggests that the know-it-all be assigned the role of recorder, because, "the minutes will likely not only be adequate, but hilarious, as he or she expands on actions and debate."

Running and participating in meetings is fraught with politics and feelings and time-management issues. Our training services office offers a great class on effective meetings (and this online primer). But read this Chronicle blog for a great starter on ideas to improve your meetings culture.

Where did all the communicators go?

What is it about communicators that make them seem so expendable to others? I mean, sometimes these communication specialists perform tirelessly to say the right thing at the right time to the right people. Yet, when it comes down to it, some people seem to think that, even without experience, they can do just as well. Not this person!

A good communicator has to convey something to some audience at a certain time and date in an exact way so that the message is clear, concise and appropriate. Not an easy task, if you ask me. People with degrees in communications and the like pursued them because of their passion for it, have a natural gift or both. They have honed their craft through years of training on how best to share any given message in any given circumstance. They use the right colors and graphics. Their words are chosen ever so carefully. Their sentence structure is impeccable. The message is clear. All combine to form a message that all can understand.

I marveled at a recent debate of late which was the discontinuation of the University Style Guide. I followed the discussion closely, respecting both sides of the argument. Frankly, I had never heard of this manual, but was impressed at the knowledge held by the professionals and their differing, but clear way of conveying each side of the debate. Please remember here that I am an Office Manager with a Bachelors of Music degree. I can chime in when motets, contrapuntal lines or Baroque is the topic. When it comes to the U Style Manual vs. AP vs. Chicago, I defer to the experts!

All debates aside, where do these people go when they are no longer deemed necessary? Who can adequately convey the message in their stead? I guess you can say this about any profession... career... trade that, hopefully, there are individuals around who were able to glean some skill set from the expert. After all, hasn't this been done for millennia? It's called apprenticeship. I wonder, though, if the communicators of old had interns at their disposal like carpenters, blacksmiths and seamstresses. Although, if the phrase "don't kill the messenger" is any indication of a communicator's fate, no wonder they were hard-pressed to find replacements!

I digress. Sorry. Having never been formally trained in writing or graphic design or communication, for that matter, I don't know if there is a term for my way of writing. I'm sure there is a fancy phrase that includes such words as "rambling" and "nonsense" and ...

Again, I digress. I guess that's what you get when I write at 2:00 a.m.

Being on the Communicators Forum board this past year has been so rewarding and enjoyable. I have marveled at how well everything seems to come together because, as communicators, everyone on the board and committees has this great passion for communicating effectively. As such, (most of the time), everyone involved in any given part of the program knows exactly what his or her part is! Remember, these are professional communicators! They COMMUNICATE!

I applaud each and every OFFICIAL communicator who continues to convey what needs to be said in the most appropriate of ways. Not being an official communicator, I still need to communicate both internally and externally. I have learned so much from the membership and board. Though I am not an apprentice, I only hope that I have gained some knowledge and developed some insight into what it takes to perform these all-important tasks of making sure people know what is going on and when!

I am proud to be a Communicators Forum member and encourage people - official communicators and not - to consider joining. For $40 per year, the value is unsurpassed. Programs, information sharing, networking... It's great!

I do not claim to be a communicator. I humbly and proudly defer to the experts. Thank you for your continued guidance.

Respectfully,
The one and only Non-Official Communicator on the Communicators Forum Board

Social media: conversation, not directives

The judges for last year's Maroon & Gold Awards were underwhelmed with how University communicators were using social media. Their comments could be summed up by saying that they feel we who are using Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube need to start thinking of those formats as ways to communicate back and forth, not as one-way conversations with our audiences.

As I look at how my colleagues have been using these media during the past year, I would say we've made great strides in that direction. I'm not on the Awards Committee this year so haven't seen the entries, but my guess is the judges gave higher marks this year for all the great social media work that's been done.

Here's an article that I think makes some good, basic points about social media and how to best use it: http://tinyurl.com/4at2gr4.

Turning inspiration into action

If you're like me, attending a conference--be it for the Communicators Forum or other groups--results in a host of new ideas and inspiration. I leave recharged and ready to use my new-found knowledge on the job.

And then I get back to the office.... there are a flurry of emails to catch up on, printer's proofs to review, and--of course--back-to-back meetings. I often struggle to make time to put these new ideas to the test.

When thinking about the fantastic lineup prepared for the Communicators Forum conference on May 12, I decided that I need a new post-conference strategy...

I booked an hour of desk time after the conference to review my notes and think about how I can incorporate what I learned into my upcoming work projects. If my boss reads this, she can hold me to it. :)

Hopefully this will help turn my inspiration into action.

If you've put conference-inspired ideas into action on the job, we'd love to hear about it. Post in the comment field and share your ideas.

And, for those of you who haven't yet--be sure to register for the May 12 Communicators Forum conference BEFORE April 12 for the early bird rate.

Friday (Random) Links Roundup

Remember Links Roundup? I am reviving it, if only for one post. Here are some of the places I'm getting my ideas and advice of late.


TargetX is a provider of interactive marketing technology and services
in higher education, helping more than 400 colleges and universities
recruit web-savvy students. Even if you aren't actively working in
recruiting, their Recruitment Minute emails on Friday are a quick
insight into the working mind of the typical tech-using 16- to 18-year
old. Register for the Recruitment Minute by scrolling down their iThink
blog (on the left).



SmartBrief on Social Media is a daily compendium of social media actions
and trends mostly in the corporate world. Sometimes a bit overwhelming,
but when I do read I usually see something useful. Read the sample
issue to see if it's for you.



Brandmanager's Notebook is all about higher ed branding and marketing.
Recent topics: The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Student-Made Videos, Branding a
Schizophrenic, and Help and Support Pages in Higher Ed.



Some of you will remember Leslie O'Flahavan from our conference a few
years ago. She and partner Marilynne Rudick run the Writing Matters
blog, and their advice is so down-to-earth and real world, I just love
it. Check in to their blog and there is always a fantastically bad
example. If you want advice about clear, concise writing, especially if
you communicate with external audiences or in any sort of customer
service venue, this is a must-subscribe.



What are your favorite online resources? Share with us in the comments section.

Brief is on Facebook!

It was inevitable. After 41 years as the U's internal news digest for faculty and staff U-wide, Brief has dipped a toe into the cool waters of social media via Facebook.

From the salmon colored paper of old delivered in a frenzy of envelope stuffing parties, to today's all electronic variety, Brief continues its evolution. We're just now getting our feet wet, but expect that this supplement to Brief proper will go swimmingly. Our content will very often highlight faculty and staff at the U, with a particular focus on community and culture--the manifestations of our aspirations, expectations, values, systems, and programs as embodied in our people that characterize the U.

So tell us about your people. Come post on our wall.

Befriend us at http://z.umn.edu/2uv

Membership system upgrade

Hello, Forum members.
You asked and we listened! We've simplified our membership system.

In the past, Communicators Forum membership has been tied to joining/renewing when registering for the annual May conference. However, many of you expressed concern, because if you joined later (say in March) your membership would be up for renewal just a few months after, in May.

To simplify the process, we have upgraded our membership system. Effective now all Communicators Forum memberships will be set for renewal one full year after you join (or one full year after your last renewal) date.

You will be assured to get a full year of member benefits--regardless of when you joined. Plus, the cost for the annual conference will be slightly lower, because the fee will no longer include your membership renewal. ***All conference attendees must still be current with their Forum memberships to attend the conference and submit entries for the Maroon and Gold Awards.

Our next program is Tuesday, March 15. Hope to see you there!

Robyn White
Communicators Forum, chair

The Lost Art of the Hand-Written Note

What to do? What to do? What to do?

"It" happens every year about this time. Well, "it" happens almost every year and I do believe that "it" has been several years now so "it" is particularly time-intensive, thought provoking and messy this time around. I ask myself the same questions every time...

"Why do I keep all of this STUFF and what am I going to do with it?"

I go through the boxes from storage, decide to throw away a few items, rearrange the contents of said boxes, re-label each box with the current date and, invariably, end up with approximately the same number of boxes. The boxes are then returned to their proper places in a somewhat more organized fashion. But why? I think it is as if I need to re-establish a relationship with all of my possessions and reaffirm that they exist.

Yes, toddler outfit from 1969 that my mother saved so that one day you can adorn another child in a different era, I affirm your existence. Now, get back in the box until I reaffirm you next year!

You got it. I not only save my own stuff, I save stuff my mother saved so that one day I can pass along another box to my daughter who can then save the same stuff and go through the same tormenting procedure every year. It is a vicious cycle that no one seems willing to break. Now, don't get me wrong. It is not harmful in any way to me, or the general public for that matter, so why change now? Well, the truth is that now is the time because our 750 square foot condo and two storage lockers cannot retain the amount of stuff we currently own. My sanity is at stake!

Some stuff is easier to part with than others. The Animal Muppet I kept because I thought someday I would be a millionaire by selling it on EBay is now gone. The third set of dishes we acquired when selling our cabin - donated. And, yes, the 1969 toddler outfit is, well, actually back in the box because my sister is pregnant and I think if she has a girl it would look adorable on my niece! I admit here that I am not fully cured of my pack rat syndrome, but ask me again next year if she has a boy.

The dilemma herein emerged when I rediscovered all of the letters, cards and correspondences that I have kept. Until now, these letters and such have been spread out among multiple boxes in various locations. I would only come across them in fleeting moments when I scanned through a handful of boxes every so often. Following the sale of our cabin, all of our possessions have become contained within the previously mentioned limited space. It has been, therefore, much easier to find all of the correspondences and subsequently organize them.

But, now back to my original question, "what to do?" These letters and cards are dated before I was born and continue until today, though decreasing in number exponentially since the advent of Facebook. The communications, conversations and memories that they represent are irreplaceable. The information, though dated, is an important reflection of the times that were.

Who, besides me of course, keeps cards or letters anymore? Who actually receives cards or letters anymore? Even around the holidays the postal carrier is twiddling his thumbs wondering where the cards are. The written - truly hand-written - word is becoming a lost art. Whose penmanship and correspondence skills are up to snuff these days? I suspect the answer to this question is those over the age of "I-remember-when-there-were-dot-matrix-printers-and-when-computer-screens-were-green."

Regardless of when they were written and from whom they were sent, what is their purpose in my life right now? Yes, they take up space in my storage - at least one Rubbermaid box full of space. Is there something more to them? I suppose I could go through and read every one. I could just recycle them. But there seems to be more to these correspondences than just the paper on which they are written.

The letters are these individuals' life experiences at that moment. Birth announcements, thank you cards, wedding invitations, "just because" letters from friends and family members... I did read some of them. I cried a few tears reading thoughtful expressions of sympathy when my dad passed away. I laughed out loud when I found a five-dollar bill in a birthday card from my grandparents. I struggled to figure out who "Barb" was and still don't know! What are these letters but communications from the past?

Based on some serious reflection, I now know what to do. My resolution is this:

 - Correspondence, I acknowledge your existence.
 - I acknowledge your purpose in my life and in the life of the individual
   who sent you.
 - I acknowledge those individuals who are still in my life and even some
   who are not.
 - For those individuals who are still on this earth, you will receive a small
   package from me. It will contain memories that you may or may not
   remember along with a handwritten note from me thanking you for being
   in my life, then and now.

My point in all of this? Send someone a note today... hand-written... thanking him or her for being in your life today. Who knows? This little communication may be saved for several decades only to resurface at the most opportune moment in that person's life.

Facebook at work

I find out more about what's going on around the U through Facebook than anywhere else except The Brief. I regularly see news from four or five colleges, Coffman, and many other units when I check into FB every morning, as well as from U Relations' University posts. And those are just the ones I've friended or fanned.

It's an excellent place to post press releases, video, podcasts, and ephemera that feels like it needs more exposure but would never meet Adam's strict standards for The Brief. :-)

Best of all, it gives you a reliable way to track interest on various topics, to get feedback through "Likes" and comments.

What interests me is that I am a relatively unimportant audience for most of these posts (not a student, not an alum, not a U-student parent--any more, not a donor). Are these more important audiences on Facebook? i.e. Is Facebook a useful tool for all of you out there taking the time to use it so well?

What is your strategic purpose in using FB? Communicating with students? Alums? Do any of you have metrics that show the value of using FB for particular audiences? Do you see it as a potential conversation starter or just a way to push people to your website?

Central Corridor Light Rail construction special presentation

The Central Corridor Light Rail construction is going to be a significant disruption to lives on the Minneapolis campus. Please join us for this special presentation:

Friday, March 4, noon-1 p.m., 108 Mechanical Engineering.

After years of discussion and planning, major on-campus construction of the CCLRT has begun. The 11 mile line will travel through campus on Washington Avenue as it links downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, and will include stops on the West and East Banks and in Stadium Village. When the trains begin running in 2014, the transit and pedestrian mall planned for Washington Avenue is expected to become a University of Minnesota landmark much like the Northrop Mall or The Knoll.

Over the next three years, the scope of the project and closure of Washington Avenue will create challenges on and around campus. This presentation will provide an overview of the project, outline the construction schedule, and discuss plans for minimizing campus disruptions and protecting University research. Please join us if you are able. All are invited--bring (or send) your non-communications colleagues!



Central Corridor Light Rail construction and the U

Presenter:

Tim Busse
Communications Director
University Services

Making the case for communicators

The preliminary details released about the University's economic impact on the state illustrates the important role that the University plays from a broad perspective. With shrinking budgets and economic uncertainty, making the case for the U has never been more important.

But beyond making the case for the University, communicators should look at how they can "make the case" for the important role that they play.

Think about all that communicators make possible... We expand the public's knowledge of important issues and engage audiences--alumni, students, the public, etc...--to support our respective causes. We raise awareness and in many cases, help raise funds as well.

Many communicators seek to make the case for their work through data gathered in readership surveys and web analytics. How have you illustrated your impact as a communicator? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

You will see this "making the case" theme carried through our May conference programming. Stay tuned for more in the coming months!

Mission impossible

"Graphic design will save the world, right after rock and roll does." -- David Carson

First Wednesday Happy Hour is Coming Soon

Join your fellow Forum members for
First Wednesday Happy Hour

Call it networking, socializing... whatever you wish. Just be there.

Campus Club Bar
Wednesday, March 2, 4:30 p.m.

The Forum will provide delicious Campus Club appetizers--you cover your drinks.

See you there!

Writing for the web: When an "F" pattern = Fail

Something within me wants to believe that writing for the web is really no different from writing for any other medium. The key to all writing, in the end, has to be quality. The key to all everything, in the end, has to be quality. And so very often I tell myself,
that if people
are reading
things on the
web in an "F"
pattern, then
perhaps what
we're reading isn't worth the time that it took to read. Perhaps
what we're reading isn't worth the time that it took to create.
Maybe, we're wasting our minds away with quantity and meaning-
less drivel to
satisfy some
some compul-
sion external to...
what we'd
write about
if we cared.
Maybe if we
wrote about
meaningful
things, readers
would read
in another
pattern.
Maybe they'd
read an "O"...
maybe "F"
equals FAIL.
More on this
in a later post.
In the meantime,
here's some interesting
thought on the matter.

"Design solves problems in the world." An interview with U of M design dean Tom Fisher

It looks like The Line online magazine is beginning a "Big Picture" interview series. Their first interview happens to be a conversation on designing the future with U of M design dean Tom Fisher.

What to publish online and when?

The subject of this month's Forum program "What to Publish Online-And When" has no doubt been on the minds of any communicator who works with publications.

Creating any type of web presence to go along with a publication presents many challenges. You're dealing with a potentially different audience online, so you need to factor that in. You also need to create something compelling enough to drive print readers to your website--offering them something more to go along with the story.

The best way I've heard this described is as a "companion site." It's not merely a reproduction of the magazine in an online format, but a site that works with the print publication to present online content that enriches each story.

I'd love to see some examples of publications doing this well. If you know of some, please post a link in the comments section of this blog post.

For those of you who haven't registered for the program yet, here is the info:

Thursday, February 17, 2010
Networking and registration: 3 pm
Program: 3:30 - 4:30 pm
1-105 Hanson Hall, West Bank

We will be raffling off another FREE one-year membership to the Communicator's Forum at the end of the program. Don't miss your chance to win.

As always, this program is free to UMCF members; $10 for non-members, $5 for students.

Register at https://umcf.umn.edu/programs/index.php

Social Media Blunders: We Know Better

I read with some relish this piece posted today from SmartBrief on Social Media:
The Suxorz pick the worst social media moves of 2010.

I can't help it, I love to see the bad. I learn so much from it.


Remember Cisco's "Ted from Accounting"? Barely, right? It was their lame attempt to mimic Old Spice's brilliant campaign where Ismail Mustafa made videos on the fly based on tweeted suggestions.

Did you hear about Denny's asking their customers to "join the conversation"--by directing their customers to an abandoned Twitter account held by a boy in Taiwan? Anyone can make an error, but it took Denny's many months to even notice their mistake.

My favorite blunder? The Price Chopper grocery store complained to a customer's boss when she complained about the store on their Facebook page. Yikes!

As I read about these beautiful losers, I couldn't help but think that we know better here. I thought of the monthly program we had a couple years ago with Katie Elfering from Iconoculture, who taught us viral videos can be nurtured, but never controlled. And while entering social media is nerve wracking, Liz Giorgi reminded us at a social media brown bag that we have to let the audience have their say and police themselves--there is no absolute control, and that's ok. The benefits outweigh the risk.

And finally, we don't need a monthly program to tell us to check our work. The Denny's mistake is hysterical because their real Twitter accounts are much longer than simply @dennys, and they just simply didn't notice or bother to correct their mistake. We know better: check, test, recheck, retest. Then click send.

Texting is Here to Stay... Whether You Like It or Not!

As I scold my two teenagers for texting at the dinner table,
I am secretly harboring anxious, worrisome thoughts about my own cell phone. It
sits on the counter, initially vibrating thrice before the alert phases into a
persistent, flashing red light. It is teasing me mercilessly with information
that I cannot know unless I jump over my chicken Caesar salad and pounce. What
is it about the message light that gets me so riled up? There must be something
animalistic - primordial even - in me because I seriously detest the concept of
texting. Or so I tell myself.


Try as I might to resist the urge to fore go any truncated conversation
using only my thumbs, I cannot. Too many people are texting other people who
are texting other people hundreds of times every day. It is almost impossible
to slow let alone stop this moving train unless the special effects director
says so. So, alas, I feel I must give in or rather chalk it up to progress and
enjoy the ride!

So, I ask myself what is it about texting that bugs me so? I
think first it is because texts are like secrets shared in front of others. I
find myself asking my kids, "who are you talking to?" I am sure I know, but I
feel the need to ask nonetheless. Their answers?

"Brett [daughter's boyfriend]" or "Mitch [son's best friend]."

Ah. Now that I know, what do I do with that information?
Nothing! What CAN I do with it? They are communicating with each other with no
sense of including me in their teenage musings (not that they would regardless
of mode of communication). Are not they essentially whispering in each others
ear, telling secrets? In a sense, they are. But if I desperately feel the need
to know, I ask. They are invariably discussing the upcoming statistics test or
the science fair. Whew! That was close!

Texting also takes away the beauty of the written word and
bastardizes all things grammatically good. It is an affront to the spelling bee
where you either spell stromuhr
correctly or go home empty handed. It is an insult to professional writers
where strict rules must be adhered to in order for works to be published. LOL.
IKR. :)

Not surprisingly, texting greatly affects our social skills.
Much of our communication is through sights, sounds, facial expressions, tones,
etc. Texting nullifies all of that. Will this permanently affect texters'
abilities to communicate effectively in other situations? My guess is that it
already has.

However, texting is here to stay. I am sure that eventually,
the next step in human evolution will incorporate elongated, more aerodynamic
thumbs and weakened vocal cords. As long as there are texting contests from the Kansas
State Fair prize of $1,000 to the LG
Mobile Phone national texting grand prize of $100,000, people will text.
After all, we are human and the quick fix (though it never really is just that)
is our specialty... that and the fact that we crave instant gratification which
texting wholly provides.

I suspect that, in the future, individuals in power will not
have succumbed to the texting phenomenon, will have retained short stubby thumbs
and developed booming operatic voices. They may even have professional "texters"
who text for them should the need arise. Who am I to say, though, that this may
already be a reality for some individuals. Not this individual, I am happy to
say. I will text on my own, thank you very much.

What is it about texting that draws us nigh and holds us to
its bosom? Something exciting and instant about the whole thing, I suspect. We
all know not to text and drive. I could list out a whole host of etiquette pointers
from any of a number of blogs about when not to text. That is not my purpose
here. I am just musing, I guess, at what will happen with the texting revolution.
Will anyone just send me a handwritten card in the mail other than on my
birthday? Wait, I only get birthday wishes on Facebook now. Geez. Yet another
reason the US Post Office is downsizing... but that's another blog.

When you're not on Facebook . . . .

I have this approach to writing that could be viewed as nonproductive. When I worked in daily newspapers and came back from reporting a story, I would often talk it through with colleagues--telling the story helped me to figure out how to write it. Inevitably, the most interesting and crucial pieces to the story became evident in the verbal recitation. I could then sit down at the keyboard and rattle it out in plenty of time for that day's deadline.

Obviously I couldn't do this all the time, but when I did, I found the writing flowed more easily after having verbalized the key points with someone who often prompted fresh realizations and/or potential approaches. It wasn't unusual to be recounting something I was not really that focused on only to have a colleague say, "Well, there's your lead."

This kind of rehashing isn't feasible in my current environment. So I come back from an event or a meeting with a client, my head full of facts and my notebook filled with quotes, but no fellow writers with whom to bounce the story around.
 
So I:
1) Go through my notes with a highlighter.
2) Stare at the screen.
3) Draft a lead that I immediate erase.
4) Get a cup of coffee.
5) Go through the notes again. Organize collateral material.
6) Try a new lead. Erase it.
7) Play a game of solitaire.
8) Write the first five paragraphs in a burst of inspiration.
9) Stare at the screen some more.
10) Do a forced march through the rest of the story, knowing I will come back to it in the morning and revise, revise, revise.

Fortunately I'm a fast writer and my assignments don't back up due to this round-about approach. But I'm curious what others do to jump-start their writing assignments. Maybe some of you are lucky enough to have other writers/editors with whom to jawbone the story. Others may have certain little tricks to get things moving on the screen that you'd be willing to share.

I just know that when I tell a co-worker who wanders into my office that a game of solitaire is sometimes what I need to loosen my brain for writing, he or she is bound to give me that look that says, "Sure, you slacker."

Quality Fair 2011

In case you hadn't heard--and most likely you're locked in a closet if you haven't heard--the 2011 Quality Fair is tomorrow, Feb. 3, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Carlson School of Management. Every year, I expect this event to be boring, and every year I'm always surprised with the creativity and ideas that I come across. Lots of U of M communicators are there presenting posters; plus, I think there are some free snacks...you can't lose. Stop on by.

You're Gonna Love This

Like probably maybe most of you, I receive several forwards a day from
friends and fellow designers, who freely declare, "you're gonna love this." And while
I'd heard of tilt-shift photography,
I'd never seen the technique applied to art. Here, a select few Van Gogh paintings, many of which I know
well and admire greatly, are dramatically transformed with the tilt-shift treatment.

It was as if I was experiencing them if for the first time. And since
then, I've not stopped thinking about this dreamy perspective or how I wish I could travel at a slant into all
the paintings at the MIA.

Try your hand at the tilt-shift technique in Photoshop. 

Social media: Put a ring on it

Anyone who has managed a social media presence knows that you have to roll with the punches and accept that sometimes you will have no control over what happens. Oftentimes you can only control your response to issues that arise.

But committing to social media strategy can make inevitable challenges easier to deal with and give you the opportunity to have more strategic responses.

So, to quote Beyonce: Put a ring on it.

For example, sometimes a cranky "friend" will dis a professor on your department's Facebook page--this can present an opportunity to engage students on what the department can do better and hopefully cause others to chime in about what they like about the department now.

Or, let's say someone hacks into your account and spams everyone. While that can be embarrassing, it also provides you with an opportunity to show some humor with your audience when notifying them that you are not, in fact, a princess from a small foreign nation looking for help in managing your vast fortune.

This article gives a helpful snapshot of how to establish a successful social media strategy and plan for the unexpected: http://rushprnews.com/2011/01/29/establishing-a-sustainable-social-media-marketing-strategy?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Writing for radio, Barry White, and the importance of being an organ donor

It still surprises me that soul-singer Barry White died of kidney failure. It seems like, with a voice so smooth--responsible for hits like, "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe", and "You're The First, The Last, My Everything"--that someone (a lady?) would have just given him a kidney if he'd asked*(if you are offended by this joke, see the asterisk below and calm down. If still offended, see the double "**" asterisk).

Evidently, a great voice isn't the only factor when it comes to persuasive messaging.

Writing for radio
Take radio storytelling as an example, and in an example totally opposite ladies man Barry White, listen to this radio spot a friend of mine wrote: Instant Birth Control (it has three variations, and it's worth listening to all three).

My friend, a successful copywriter with a Minneapolis ad-agency, had this to say about the process:

"Radio writing is one of the hardest in advertising. It requires a knack for writing believable dialogue and good voiceover talent to deliver it...It's theater of the mind--your script has to get the listeners there, has to build a scene in their heads."

Filling in details
The U's Ryan Maus, who with voice talent and U writer Rick Moore does the weekly U of M Moment, echoes the sentiment. For the Moment, Maus sometimes repurposes audio from a U video, but in some cases they'll lose the supplementary visual context and have to rewrite the script so Rick's smooth voice can fill in the details. Listen to "Researcher brings mind control into 3D" as an example. I mean, how does radio compete with 3D! (Err...imagination?).

Writing for time
I've been thinking a bit about writing for radio lately, getting some tips from an MPR higher-up. His critique of my first submission included "think about out loud delivery/read out loud--your sentences are too long," and "the whole piece should be 2-3 minutes, and each sentence should be able to be read in 5 to 6 seconds."

Radio is simple, direct, and brief, and that's not always the case with writing for the eye. Sentences on a page have the luxury of time...they can run their fingers through your hair all day if you like, just like Barry White. You can go back and read, and read, and read some more until you're satisfied and understand. With radio (radio proper, not online fidget-with-the-controls-radio), you hear it once, probably in your car. It needs to be clear and crisp and you can't (or likely won't) go back again.

In any case, it's another adventure in writing, and one that I'm just beginning. I think it's going to help my writing to really stop and think about whether I need this word or that; whether "excessive use of verbal ornamentation" can't be trimmed down to mean "too many words."

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to read this post out loud.

---------------------------------
*I fully realize kidney failure is not a laughing matter. More than 4,000 people died along with Barry White in 2003 (U.S.) because of the lack of available donors, and that number approaches 5,000 per year now, with more than 80,000 waiting for a donation. It is important to talk about these things in the ways we best communicate. Be an organ donor. Further, a U study has shown there are no adverse long-term consequences of kidney donation.

**My mother has one functioning kidney and another that is functioning at something like 20 percent. I love my mom, and should it come down to it, I'm prepared to go to bat for her, and convince my brother to donate one of his kidneys.

More information:

Writing For Radio: Journalism 2.0

How Writing a Radio Ad will Improve your Copywriting

Mysterious 111

Maybe you've heard? This is WEIRD:

1. Take the the last two digits of your birth year.


2. Add that number to the age you will turn
   on your birthday this year.


3. The answer will be 111.

Well, not really that weird. Here's the "how." Simple math, right.

(For all the kids born after 2000, your answer will be 11.)

"I am," I said: Social Media and me (and Neil Diamond)

A new me is rumored to be in the works, with public release to occur later this week. The new me, called "iMe," will feature a me that can be downloaded for various tasks and fun times, ranging from "work" to "friendship" to "party buddy," without actually needing the real me to be present. The new tool will save those who acknowledge my existence considerable time. Real me could not be reached for comment, and may not, in fact, actually exist at all.

I wrote that about a year ago as a status update on Facebook. It's ironic that I'm now using it as a lead for a post about the potential ills of social media and media tech in general.

I'm not going to harp on it too much here though, except to say that there will come a day when I run screaming into the woods leaving a trail of cell phones, laptops, and probably pants, behind. Besides, plenty of dire warnings are already cropping up; but with warnings come the potential for solutions and balance. Two in particular from this past week are worth a read:

The first regards Susan Maushart, who unplugged her teenagers for six months. No Internet, TV, iPods, cell phones, or video games. She calls her book The Winter of Our Disconnect. In my opinion, the best takeaway, in easy-to-digest sound bite (tweet?) format, of course, is this line: "Her girls had become mere 'accessories of their own social-networking profile, as if real life were simply a dress rehearsal for the next status update.'"

The second comes from MIT professor Sherry Turkle, who writes in her new book Alone, Together, that loneliness is failed solitude, explaining, "If you don't learn how to be alone, you'll always be lonely. We're raising a generation that has grown up with constant connection, and only knows how to be lonely when not connected...if you grow up thinking it's your right and due to be tweeted and retweeted, to have thumbs up on Facebook, we're losing a capacity for autonomy both intellectual and emotional."

My own greatest concern with social media--and remember, we're talking about me here--is with the development--or rather, overdevelopment--of the ego. So much of the focus of so much social media is on "me."

Before you denounce me, a disclaimer: I'm not going to even begin to contend that social media is a bad thing overall (just that it is an all-consuming monster that feeds on the flesh of humans and which can never be satiated). It has the capacity to do and has already done many wonderful things, particularly in the way of charity and disaster response.

But today, it seems more and more that the new American Dream is to go "viral;" a celebrity culture where everyone is a celebrity. In point of fact, no matter how much you tweet about yourself, or how awesome and interesting your status updates are, or whether 100 million people watch your YouTube video--the majority of the world will never have any idea who you are or were. It's true: of the nearly 7 billion people in the world, nearly 7 billion of them have no friggin' idea who you are, and they never will. Fact. In some ways then, you are already dead. Sorry. My point, I guess, is this: you better make sure your intentions for using social media are about more than you.

Neil Diamond: social media pioneer
In any case, take heart: the majority of the world also has no idea who Neil Diamond is, even though he's been pumping out hit after hit for more than 30 years, and looking awesome doing it, particularly during his sequined phase. But there's an important philosophical question about Neil here apropos to my point: Is Neil Diamond's sequined shirt an accessory to Neil Diamond, or is Neil Diamond an accessory to his sequined shirt?

Neil, of course, has already posted on this exact issue, in his hit, ""I am," I said.

I leave you with some of the lyrics:

"I am," I said
To no one there
An no one heard at all
Not even the chair

"I am," I cried
"I am," said I
And I am lost, and I can't even say why
Leavin' me lonely still

I am available for karaoke upon request.

Every tear, on every face, tastes the same

I was listening to a Mavis Staples song the other day, (accompanied by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco on the album, "You are not alone," which he produced), when I heard that lyric. I thought to myself, "Damn, that is a beautiful line." In so few words it says so much about shared human experience and emotion, and in this case, pain and sadness. It's poetry, and it got me stuck in time for just a second.

Do all tears taste the same?
But then I thought, "Wait, do all tears really taste the same?" I'd be lying if I hadn't tasted my own, and maybe a couple others'...but I haven't done the necessary research. So I read through some studies performed by trained researchers.

It turns out, most tears consist of electrolytes, proteins, albumin, lipids, mucins, and other small molecules, all in varying degrees, but particularly affected should the crier be beset by disease. So, Jeff Tweedy, all tears do not taste the same, especially to the refined palate.

This is sometimes what happens when you look too deeply into something; you can forget where you started from, and what it meant. But don't confuse this with the cliché, ignorance is bliss; it's not quite that. The beauty I knew and the emotion I felt for a moment from hearing that phrase wasn't ignorance. Quite the contrary.

The value of a good communicator
It turns out Jeff Tweedy is a good communicator. Mavis and Jeff probably wouldn't have gotten very far with "You are not alone," singing about albumin and mucins in varying degrees.

Often, this is what being a communicator means--finding meaning in something which is frankly uninteresting to very many people, and making it understandable, interesting, and even inspiring. If you've done any science writing, you may know this.

Deane Morrison just had a piece the other day, a perfect example of taking the mundane to many and making music from it. Read "From sunlight to synfuels," to see what I mean. Think of the difference if the researchers had simply published 100 pages of their findings. Maybe being a good communicator is about staring into the abyss and coming right back out again, only to say, "it's not that deep; I found a way out."

Don't get me wrong, though. I'm not saying that there isn't beauty in an atom, a quark, or even dark matter. They're beautiful to someone--namely, most likely, the brilliant scientists and researchers many of us work with. The parts, the whole: the atom, the universe. The tear, the pain, the sadness, the disease, and the mucin. We need everybody at every level to understand this world and make it better, but that understanding always comes from communication, and the best of it from those capable of staring into the abyss unscathed.

Query: Your favorite online tools

Have you tried wordmark.it? It's a fun and helpful online application that lets you preview words with the fonts installed on your computer. Definitely a time saver when you're trying to choose an appropriate font.

What about your favorite online tools? Have you recently come across any great online resources like this?