After Deadline is a blog featuring comments taken from a weekly newsroom critique overseen by Philip B. Corbett, the deputy news editor for the New York Times (who is also, coincidentally) in charge of The Times’s style manual. "The goal [of After Deadline] is not to chastise, but to point out recurring problems and suggest solutions," writes Corbett.

I find his comments interesting and also take his advice to heart. For example, in his August 18th post, Corbett writes:

"Colloquial or slang words detract from the polished, literate style of our best writing. What’s worse, they often seem trite and lazy, rather than fresh or sharp. 'Posh,' along with close cousins like 'glitzy' and 'tony,' is both colloquial and tired. But it has popped up a number of times recently."

You won't have to remind me not to use "posh" in any upcoming pitches, press releases, bylines or case studies!

What I like best about After Deadline is that Corbett provides examples, real life instances, of less than perfect writing published by the famous paper. Not only do the examples illustrate his point but they teach you how to avoid making the same mistakes in the future.

If you haven't already checked out the After Deadline for yourself, take some time today to do so!

A few months ago, I went to a PRSA luncheon on social media. Being a Millennial, I thought I would be head and shoulders above the rest of the (Boomer) crowd. Afterall, I knew what YouTube was. I had a Facebook account. I’d connected through LinkedIn. The rest of the crowd would be impressed and amazed at my Web 2.0 prowess. They would ask me cute questions like, “What’s a wall post?” Glory would be mine.

 

I think it was about three minutes into the presentation when I realized how wrong I was. The moderator began by asking who was on Facebook. I proudly shot my hand in the air and looked around. So had everybody else. He then asked who knew of YouTube. Everybody. RSS? SecondLife? Wikis? Technorati? Flickr? Digg? Twitter? The Boomers kept their hands raised, while I sat there: face red, eyes wide and hand down.

 

I left that luncheon scared, embarrassed and motivated to get my behind in gear. If I was going to succeed in PR, I’d need to know about this stuff, whether I wanted to or not, and use it to my advantage.

 

The thing about Web 2.0 sites/applications is that they’re all easy to learn. The trick is learning why the heck people use them, and there’s not always a clear-cut answer. Probably the biggest mystery to me was Twitter. If you aren’t familiar, Twitter is a micro-blogging site. You set up a profile and update it with 140 character snippets that answer, “What are you doing?”

 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a super cool girl. People to see, places to go, whatnot. But honestly, I don’t even care what I ate for breakfast. Why would anyone else? But I was confident I would get the hang of this thing, I mean, the old people had, why couldn’t I? So, I set up a profile, uploaded a picture, and made my background all pretty.

 

Though I’m not particularly sure what I posted first. It was probably something to the effect of, “I’m not sure what the heck I’m doing here, but hi?” I “followed” some co-workers, a few social media types, Ron Paul (I know, right?) and hoped for the best.

There is always a bit of excitement in the air when starting to work with a new client. I began working for my newest client, CareerScribe, at the beginning of this month and I can feel anticipation building as the launch of the Alpha version of their Web site is quickly approaching. 

 

CareerScribe is the future of hiring and career management.  It leaps and bounds ahead of any other online job resource site. It has everything you like from other sites but brings the art of searching, interviewing and hiring into the digital age…the ‘YouTube generation’! And it’s launching right here in Indianapolis – recently ranked by Forbes as one of the hottest growing business communities!

To check out this site and/or create your own profile please visit: http://www.careerscribe.com/

The recent phenomenon and popularity of blogs, especially the extent to which they've grown in the past few years, astonishes me. The fact that something that never existed until very recently can provide a lucrative career for people now seems crazy. But that is the world we live in - where new technology is developed every day, and new developments very quickly become obsolete.

I vaguely remember becoming aware of what a blog was sometime when I was in college. A blog was then simply a means of online communication for friends, family or a group of people with similar interests. It was a simple forum for discussion, which until the past year I really had no interest in. But modern-day communication is constantly evolving, which requires everyone - businesses and individuals alike - to not only take notice of the trends but to join them. These days, you can find a blog on just about any topic you're interested in - from sports to politics, education to ice cream. Corporations and political candidates have their own blogs as do college students and retirees. Here at Dittoe PR, every account executive has her own blog for which she writes on a regular basis.

Online news sites have largely replaced print newspapers and magazines. While many people still enjoy picking up a hard copy of their favorite news source to read on a Sunday morning or when they're traveling on an airplane, it is far easier to read news on the computer - especially when so many people are in front of one all day long. Online news sites can still make money by selling advertisements on their web pages. Similarly, bloggers who are able to generate enough traffic to their sites can sell ads as a means of income - supplementary or even full time.

For example, I just read an article this morning in the New York Times on a woman, Heather Armstrong, who runs her own blog for other women - particularly mothers - called "Dooce." Her site has become so wildly popular that she's been able to sell ads to corporate giants like J.C. Penny, Crate & Barrel, Walgreens and Starwood. She's generating enough income through these ads that both she and her husband have since quit their regular jobs to focus on running the blog!

With forms of communication changing so rapidly - not to mention the other technological advancements that are constantly happening in our world - students in college today are likely to have a job in something that didn't exist when they were preparing for their careers. And for the rest of us - we'd better stay up to date with the changes, or we'll be left behind!

 Why do the fish at the Indiana State Fair ALWAYS die?

This week I went to the Indiana State Fair with my family and it was a blast. I honestly don’t think I have gone to the fair since I was six years old or younger. It was such a great way to spend time with my parents, grandpa and brother, and I recommend everyone in Indiana go for at least one night. Attendance records were actually set at this year’s fair.

One of the highlights of the trip for me was riding a train to and from the fair. Train rides were provided from the station near my house in Fishers, Ind. to the fair and back. I’ve never been on a train before, so it was a pretty cool experience. One of the conductors even came into the railroad car we were riding in and played railroad songs on his guitar for us. I wanted him to play Casey Jones by the Grateful Dead, but I settled for some more historic tunes I’m not familiar with.

Once we arrived, my first stop was at the corn dog stand, naturally. I am a huge corn dog fan and it was delicious. Then, we made our way through petting some of the animals, riding the carnival rides (I just watched everyone else) and playing games. That brings me to the purpose of my blog post…

My grandparents used to take me to the fair when I was very young and every time I would have to play the game where you can win a goldfish. You know the game- there are a ton of small fish bowls on a table and you have to throw a ping pong ball into one. Well, since I hadn’t attended the fair in so many years, I decided I had to play this game until I won a fish. And, I did! I was ecstatic! Seriously, I was so happy. But, that feeling was very short lived.

I remember many years back when I won a fish, by the morning following the fair it was dead. I was determined not to let that happen this year. So, as soon as I arrived home, I went to the store and bought fish food. I fed the little guy, who I named Phelps the Fish after the Olympic record setting Michael Phelps, before going to bed. Then, I woke up this morning, got ready for work and went to his bowl. I was going to make him the mascot of Dittoe Public Relations, but he was dead. Our time together was cut far too short.

Seriously, can someone please tell me what the deal is? I have NEVER won a fish from the Indiana State Fair and had it live longer than 12 hours. I have had goldfish as pets in the past that I did not win at the fair, and they lived for a very long time. Any insight you have is much appreciated. I need to know ASAP, so I can go win another one before the fair ends.

In public relations, there is no better feeling than landing a great piece of coverage for a client. At times, I am convinced that I’m even happier about securing a story or interview than my client is. Not to say that the client isn’t thrilled, but it’s just an unbelievable feeling that never seems to get old. Regardless of the size of the media outlet, from a large national newspaper to a small trade publication, the feeling of accomplishment is exactly the same. The fact of the matter (and this is widely under recognized) is that a story in a small trade publication may bring a client even more business than a story in the Wall Street Journal or New York Times. It’s all about the audience and the message.

This week, one of my favorite things in PR happened. Actually, it happened twice. I was contacted by two media outlets that I last corresponded with three months ago about doing stories (one television and one print) on one of my former clients, Sonicu. It all goes back to the age old saying, “Timing is everything.” The bottom line is a great story will get picked up, but not necessarily when you expect it to.

As put best by the president of Sonicu, it is “Interesting how seed planted a while back can still grow.” Throughout this weekend, he will be appearing on Indiana's most watched weekly business television program, Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick.  The first airing of the week’s show is on Friday nights at 10:00 p.m. CHECK IT OUT!

Every spring for the past couple of years, my husband and I have played flag football with some friends from work and school.  It’s always good exercise and lots of fun.  We did really well this year – minus a few issues with game attendance (for our team).

This fall, for the first time ever, we are participating in a local, co-ed softball league with some good friends.  Our team, “Team Schweaty,” has several ladies who played softball in high school and one who played in college.  The guys are all pretty competitive and overall, we’re pretty excited for our first game on Sunday.

Tonight will be our first “official” practice.  I have to admit, I’m a little nervous.  I played varsity softball in high school, but only my sophomore year… and I lived in Hong Kong at that time (translation = not a very difficult region/conference for an American school with regards to softball).

To make matters worse, I couldn’t even get my number for my jersey.  My college field hockey number was 17 – which was also our friend Brandt’s football number.  My freshman year of college I was 18 (because it was all that was left) – that number just happens to by my husband’s football number.  Last but not least, my high school field hockey number, 21, and basketball number, 12, were both taken by other members of the team.

So what number did I pick?  The only number guaranteed to get me in the “Hall of Fame in 20??,” #85… That’s right, ocho cinqo.

For those of you not into football, 85 is Bengals WR Chad Johnson’s number.  No, I’m not a Bengals fan (GO COLTS!) – but I am a Chad Johnson fan.  Known for his outbursts, big mouth, crazy hair and end zone celebrations/dance moves, Mr. Johnson is now my inspiration for this fall’s softball season.

I’ll be sure to post my stats, because I know they’ll be wonderful and really of interest to the few of you who actually read my blog. 

Until the stats are up, I’ll leave you with these parting words from the original Ocho Cinqo, “Some people are old-school and I'd rather not hear the negative things that they have to say about celebrations.  Anyone who has anything positive and would like to see anything on Sundays, feel free to contact me.”

As someone who loves dogs, I have been thinking a lot lately about getting one of my own. My parents have had a dog for the past five years (a lively, loyal, and very friendly Wheaton Terrier named Freddie), and even though I don't live with them anymore, I still consider him part of the family and love getting to see him when I visit home. Many residents at my apartment complex have dogs, so I get to see them walking around the parking lot and courtyard on a regular basis.

Although I'm currently not in a life situation where I can get a dog (financially, time commitment, and my living situation) I'm very excited to get one in a few years. I have even looked around some at breeds that I might be interested in. I really just love dogs and whenever I see an adorable labrador puppy or a handsome German shepherd, it makes me excited to get the first dog of my own.

There have even been studies done and surveys taken about the psychological and emotional benefits of having a pet. So if you're not already a dog lover like me, you might still want to consider getting one - it will probably be a very positive addition to your life! Here are my top five reasons to have a dog:

1. It's fun! Playing with a cute, happy dog and having a constantly loyal companion is great. You know how some people say that the simple things in life are the best? I think ALL dogs would agree with that. Well, it's probably because dogs' lives are more simple than humans. But just think: a dog gets so excited and happy about the littlest things - seeing his or her owner (even if you've only left for 5 minutes), eating (even if it's dog food), going outside, hearing another dog bark, etc. Having a pet around who is constantly excited about the simplest pleasures in life can make you appreciate these things as well.

2. They're great company. You're greeted exuberantly every time you come home and worshipped like a king when the dog wants to eat. A dog can also improve your mood and overall sense of well-being. Studies have even shown that people who own pets are less likely to suffer from depression and more likely to have good emotional health.

3. They can help you stay fit. Since dogs require daily exercise (some breeds certainly need more than others), it gives the owner an excuse to take long walks or even runs. If your dog is well enough trained, you can even take him or her to a park and run around, playing fetch or another game. Since dogs generally love to run around and be active, it may inspire you to be more active as well.

4. Have something to care for. Particularly for the elderly, having a pet to care for can provide a meaningful everyday purpose to people who aren't very busy. Since dogs often demand a good amount of work - taking them on walks, cleaning up after them, grooming them, bathing them, feeding them, etc. - it can actually provide some people with a desirable degree of responsibility for someone besides just themselves.

5. They will always love you! Dogs are so often called "man's best friend." I can't think of another creature, besides humans (and not all humans are this way), who will love you unconditionally, remain loyal to you no matter what and sometimes even risk their lives to save you. I always smile when I hear stories of dogs who selflessly put themselves in harm's way to defend their owners.

Probably one of the most important aspects of public relations is longevity.  Defined by the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, longevity is “1 a: a long duration of individual life b: length of life <a study of longevity>2: long continuance: permanence, durability.”

You want to work with a public relations professional and/or firm who you can stay with long-term not just because it adds stability and undoubtedly a continued stream of coverage – but also because you like calling one person, the same person, every time you need some PR assistance.

In my first job, I traveled across the country training businesses on how to use the computer software my company sold and supported.  Even years after I last visited a site, the managers or salespeople would call me asking for help with the software.  Why?  It was typically because every time they called customer support they reached a different technical specialist or their salesperson left their territory/region and they just wanted to talk to one person who understood their situation, not be passed around from person to person.

I was someone my former clients could call, no matter what, and they knew I would work to help solve their problem until they were 100% satisfied.

That’s what we do at Dittoe.  Every account manager deals with different clients, client contacts and media contacts on a daily basis.  Not only are we charged with telling our clients’ stories and getting them coverage in the media outlets they want to be in on a regular basis – but we work hard to ensure everyone we communicate with is happy.

Our clients know who their Dittoe account manager is.  We communicate with them multiple times a week and they know our mobile numbers – so even at 10:00pm, when someone gets an idea or a last minute decision is made, we’re on it.

I think our accountability and availability plays major roles in our longevity with many clients.  The proof is in the pudding…

We currently work with clients who were some of the first to try out Dittoe Public Relations back when Chris and Liza founded the company.  Clients don’t “come and go” here… they stay, and if they leave, they typically come back.

Longevity.  It’s a major key to the success of any company, whether you’re B-to-B or B-to-C.  You want to be good ole reliable.  You want to be the first name that pops up in your client’s mind.

“Failure is not an option.” Feels like I've lived my whole life by those words. But lately, I’ve begun to feel like it’s a flawed M.O., and I don’t think I’m alone.

 

I've mentioned before that I attended Butler University. It was my dream school. Busted my rear to get in there. Busted my rear, and sacrificed my physical well-being*, while there. When I graduated from Butler in May of 2006, our convocation speaker was James McBride. He’s the author of The Color of Water, a book that spent two years on the NY Times Bestseller list. Seems a guy that wouldn't know much about the topic of failure, eh? But that was exactly his point. McBride believed that fearing failure was, in itself, the ultimate failure, for if you feared what you didn’t know, you’d never push yourself to try the "impossible."

 

After graduation, my father came up to me, visibly irritated. “Who the hell encourages a room full of new graduates, and their parents who’ve scraped and sacraficed to educate them, to fail?!”

 

While my father may have** missed McBride's point, he articulates mine beautifully. Our whole lives we're taught that failing is bad. We play it safe because we're too afraid of what will happen if we step outside the lines to try what’s never been done before. But how are we rewarded? It seems that those people who do the “impossible” are the ones that reach their true potential, while the rule followers end up carrying out the dreams of others.

 

But as inspiring as pushing the envelope and risking everything is, sometimes we do fail. And it doesn't feel good. The inspiration for this post actually came from a blog post I recently read by Julie Wainwright. Wainwright was the CEO of Pets.com, the infamous company that suffered irreversibly after the dotcom bust. What's more, the very week Pets.com went belly-up, Wainwright's marriage of seven years did the same. She's had people laugh in her face upon introduction. She’s been called a loser and one of the biggest failures ever. On national media.

 

That's a hard burden to bear. But what her recent post and subsequent new venture smartnow.com, a Web site and community for women around 40, have taught me is that people can and do overcome mistakes and are often the better for it. Sure, feeling like a failure sucks. Failing sucks. But you know what sucks even worse than failing? The feeling of regret or what might have been. I can't say that I've been through something like Wainwright. I haven't even failed that much in my meager 24 years, but hearing the adversity that she overcame to become the woman she is today gives me the courage to say "Why not?"

 

There are of course times when failure is not an option*** but honestly, those times are few and far between. So I challenge you today to do something that scares the bejesus out of you, not with reckless abandon, but with a fearlessness and confidence that people will be given no choice but to respect. Chances are, you will learn something great, and if you fail, well, just remember, the opinions expressed (and advice given) by Laura Kassenbrock do not necessarily reflect those of Dittoe Public Relations.

 

* My average hours of sleep in college averaged five; the same as my average cups of coffee/day. And on many occasions, I swear I felt an ulcer coming on. I know, I know.  "Cry me a river, private school girl."

** OK, definitely. Love you, dad.
*** Bungee jumping, drug testing, defusing bombs (who are you, MacGyver?)

Remember Ashlee Simpson's infamous performance on Saturday Night Live?  It was reminiscent of Milli Vanilli's "coming out" only it was her voice on the recording.  Well lightning has struck again... It appears the event planning team for the Beijing Olympics ignored the lesson to be learned from Rob and Fab during the opening ceremony by placing a lip synching young Chinese girl center stage and a not-quite-as-cute girl's voice on the recording.

According to the Associated Press, "A 7-year-old Chinese girl was not good-looking enough for the Olympics opening ceremony, so another girl with a pixie smile lip-synched 'Ode to Motherland,' an official said."

I blogged yesterday about how China was hoping the Olympics, and the opening ceremony especially, would change world views of the highest populated country on the globe.  Now the PR work the Beijing Olympics committee has worked so hard to spread internationally - portraying China as a technological world leader and advanced society - is being seen for exactly what it is.

Lin Miaoke, the little girl the whole world thought was singing, was really just moving her lips to the voice of Yang Peiyi... who, I consider, to be adorable.

Why all this fuss?  Maybe because it's China and it's the Olympics. 

Just last week, news surfaced that the guy in the FreeCreditReport.com commercials (you know, driving the sub-compact car or working in the seafood restaurant) doesn't sing the songs we all have stuck in our heads after seeing one of the commercials.  In fact, he's French Canadian and apparently has quite an accent - BUT he has the look, so he got the part!

It's really not uncommon for actors and actresses to lip synch or even be dubbed over.  For instance, Andie McDowell was in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" but her voice wasn't.  The actress we heard was Glenn Close.  Apparently her voice was perfect for the role but she didn't look the part.

My argument is this: Lin Miaoke is an actress.  The planning committee for the opening ceremonies selected her to be the child who sings "Ode to the Motherland" because she was cute and was seemingly unafraid to be center stage at the largest global event of 2008.  The committee realized that while she looked the part, she did not have a good enough or strong enough voice to sing the part... enter Yang Peiyi, a Chinese girl who could sing leaps and bounds above the other young girl but just didn't have "the look" the planners had in mind.

"'The national interest requires that the girl should have good looks and a good grasp of the song and look good on screen,' Chin [Qigang] said. 'Lin Miaoke was the best in this.  And Yang Peiyi's voice was the most outstanding,'" reported the AP.

That's show business, baby.

Last night, I was one of millions of Americans who I'm sure witnessed the amazing finish in the Olympic men's 400 meter freestyle relay swim race for the gold metal. The United States relay team, led by swimmer phenom Michael Phelps, was not expected to win the race. While commentators said that they had a shot if each individual swimmer put in a perfect effort, the general concession was that the French team would take the gold.

There was also mention of the French team doing some trash talking prior to the race. The Americans, however, focused only on swimming their very best in this race. As the race began, with Phelps leading off, the excitement started to build. Phelps swam his lap in record speed but was still behind the French leader. The second and third legs of the race went similarly, with the Americans remaining in first or second place throughout. Once the fourth leg of the race - swam for the U.S. by 32-year old Jason Lezak - began, the French had a considerable lead. Lezak swam hard but remained about 4 or 5 feet (I'm judging this simply by the appearance on TV; I'm no swim expert, so that might be a little off) behind Alain Bernard, the French anchor, until the final half length of the race. In what seemed like an impossible burst of speed, Lezak make up the distance, pushing just past Bernard, to win the race by a finger-tip.

The members of the U.S. team went crazy, celebrating their victory after it had seemed to have slipped from their grasp. American TV commentators roared with excitement and the crowd went wild. It was certainly a great Olympic moment for the United States. Michael Phelps was particularly excited, because winning this gold medal meant that his quest to win a record 8 gold medals at the Beijing Olympics was still alive.

I find it inspiring the way that Americans support their athletes at the Olympics on the world stage. I generally have no particular interest in many of the sporting events that our athletes compete in. I would usually never watch swimming, diving, fencing, or volleyball - they're just not sports I find particularly entertaining. However, when it comes to the Olympics - when U.S. athletes are competing for our country, against the greatest athletes in the world, and as part of an event where members of countries worldwide come together - I find myself drawn to watch and to cheer for the American athletes in all sports.

I also love getting to see the powerful stories behind some of the athletes competing. One example is of a gymnast on the German women's team. At 33 years old, Oksana Chusovitina is an Olympic veteran and more than twice the age of many fellow competitors. After winning team gold at the Barcelona games in 1992 with the Soviet Union, she went on to compete for Uzbekistan prior to 2006. In 2001, when her son was diagnosed with leukemia, she and her family moved to Germany to seek treatment for him. The treatments were successful, and his cancer is now in remission. Chusovitina went on to gain Germain citizenship and compete in gymnastics for the country that "saved her son." The Beijing Olympics mark her fifth time competing in the Olympic games. Despite wanting to see the U.S. do well in every sport, I think I'll be silently hoping for her to do well - after all that she's been through with her son's illness, she deserves it!

Friday night my friends and I gathered at one of our houses to eat some Chex Mix, queso and candy to watch the opening ceremony for the Summer Olympics in Beijing.  While our attention wasn't 100% focused on the dancing, symbolism and pyrotechnics, we were all impressed at the lengths China went to in efforts to show the world they are now a leader in the 21st century.

I didn't understand a lot of the negative buzz surrounding this summer's games... you know all the talk about the pollution and then of course, the protests.  I guess I was looking at the situation with rose colored glasses on.  After living in Hong Kong for three years, I had formulated my own opinions and thoughts on China and they are just so different from most of my friends'.

That being said, China really entered into this Olympics fighting an uphill battle.  Everything about the Olympics coming out of China needs to be positive... it's as if they are in "damage-control PR mode" without really having a "disaster" to be trying recovering from.

China is working extremely hard to impress the world... to show their culture, people and technology.  They are a world leader, and really have been for a long time but no one has ever noticed.  Their political issues and decisions both nationally and internationally have overshadowed anything else which could be a positive reflection of the country and its people.

This is a really good example for businesses worldwide to take notice of.  A series of questionable decisions, a bad product release or corporate scandal can put a bad taste in your clients' mouths which can last a few hours or maybe a few decades.  As consumers, we all put a lot of faith into the brands we trust.  If tomorrow you wash your clothes with Tide and they are ruined - will you use Tide again?

Now, of course, a bad experience with laundry detergent isn't quite the same as the political dealings of the world's largest communist society but you get the idea!

Overall, I think China's doing a great PR job positioning itself as a world leader and innovative society.  Many people's eyes are being opened for the first time to Chinese culture and what an exciting way to do so!

If you haven't seen it, you heard about it... Sen. McCain's ad comparing Sen. Obama to international celebrities Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.  The morning shows and evening news broadcasts talked about it non-stop and even Paris's mommy spoke out - turns out the Hiltons contributed the maximum amount of money allowed to the McCain campaign... whoops.

However, this morning I saw the best comeback I've ever witnessed in a presidential election - you know when one candidate "zings" the other and then they try to come up with something witty to respond with?  Well, Obama didn't respond this time around (well, he did, but it wasn't this good)... Paris did.


You have to check out this video ASAP.  Get ready, because Paris is, "like totally ready to lead."

It's no secret I love politics.  I love the rhetoric.  It's also no big surprise that celeb-u-tants like Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie infuriate me to no end.  Seriously, what have they ever done (other than be born to or adopted by a wealthy family)?  But Paris's response is witty and really comes off more like a Daily Show or SNL false advertisement.  So kudos to Miss Hilton!

Oh, and Sen. McCain's camp has responded to the young heiress:
"It sounds like Paris Hilton supports John McCain’s ‘all of the above’ approach to America’s energy crisis - including both alternatives and drilling. In reality, Paris Hilton may have a more substantive energy policy than Barack Obama,” spokesman Tucker Bounds said. 

ZING.

Have you ever used NO-AD sunscreen on vacation?  It's really good stuff... great value for the money too because the bottles are ginormous.  What makes this sunscreen really different than Banana Boat, Panama Jack and Coppertone is they don't advertise - hence the name "no-ad."

This company has relied on word of mouth marketing for years.  I first started using it when I was in middle school because I saw a friend with a hot pink bottle of 15 SPF.

While it makes for an interesting case study, NO-AD is also very unique.  Many companies are creating "word of mouth" marketing campaigns which rely heavily on social media sites like Facebook or MySpace, emails (like those sent out by Indianapolis-based ExactTarget), blogs (like your's truly here) and SMS text messaging.  NO-AD really relied on good, solid, old-fashioned word of mouth.

On the American Marketing Association's Web site, Marketing Power, they currently have a survey posted which I found to be extremely interesting.  They ask, "What is your most effective word-of-mouth technique?"  The responses are what got my attention:

• Social Media Sites - 22%
• Email - 54%
• Blogs - 16%
• SMS - 8%

Honestly, I voted for blogs.  I have experienced a great deal of success in gaining coverage for my clients in blogs.  Many blogs have a daily traffic snapshots reaching over 2.2 million making their online viewership greater than the printed circulation of the same company or other reputable media outlets in the same space.

I believe people are more likely to believe the word of a blogger than some group on Facebook or some email they've received.  Emails have a leg-up on blogs though... many campaigns are opt-in and all [should be] opt-out compliant.  To find a blog takes more effort than just checking your inbox - I'll give you that!

I am sad to see that SMS isn't appearing to catch on as quickly as I had anticipated.  I've yet to participate in any opt-in SMS campaign and I really don't think it's for me.  I equate it to receiving a phone call from a telemarketer right when I sit down for dinner.  There's never a good time to receive a random text message from a stranger... not for me, at least!

So what about you?  How will/would you vote?

This morning, I saw a video on Inc. magazine's website talking about "How to choose a PR agency." This was interesting to me, coming from the agency side, to look at what clients must think about in deciding to work with us. So I started thinking about each of the five "tips" given in light of Dittoe PR and our clients.

1.Use references.
Talk to friends and business contacts you know and trust to see what firms they think will be a good fit for your organization. I know we've gotten several of our clients through references and word of mouth. Since we're located in Indianapolis, it's easy for companies here to see our work and for Dittoe to attract the attention of more local clients.

2. Does a PR agency know your business?
Engage the PR agency in dialogue about your industry and business challenges. Ask them how they would likely approach your account. Dittoe works with a wide variety of clients but has particular expertise in the high tech industry. However, after working with several clients in the education industry recently, we've gained a great deal of knowledge about this industry over the past year. Similarly with working with other clients, we're continually learning as much as possible about the marketplace and various industries in order to be able to serve an increasing range of clientelle.

3. Test the chemistry between your company and the agencies that you’re looking at. Who do you think you’ll get along with best and be able to work well with? With any business partnership, it's very important to understand one another and be able to communicate well. Dittoe has a wide range of clients and therefore a wide range of client relationships. Some clients like to talk on the phone with us every day, while others will go days or sometimes even weeks between emails with us. It's our responsibility to understand our clients' needs and cater specifically to them, communicating in the method they prefer.

4. Be a partner. Make sure to let the agency know all the relevant information they might need in order to best tell your story. This is very important to a PR agency. Since what we do is "tell our clients' stories" essentially, it is critical that we have all the necessary information to paint a picture for the media. Clients who withhold information from us are doing themselves a disservice.

5. Define success. Make sure you and the agency have the same goals in mind. It is important for Dittoe to know what our clients expect of us and what will make them happy. That way, we can set our expectations - and help set theirs realistically. All clients usually say they want to be on Oprah, but unfortunately that rarely happens. Landing coverage like Good Morning America, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times is incredible and we're always so excited when stories like these run for our clients. Also, knowing where a client would most like to be featured is important. Some clients would actually prefer to be included in trade publications - written specifically for people in their industry - instead of national newspapers or magazines written for the general public.

Dittoe PR is very good at what we do, and we know how to achieve media coverage successfully for our clients. Anyone looking for a PR agency who would like national exposure should give us a look!

So this morning while I was getting ready to come into work (seriously, can you believe it's the last day of July?), I decided to wear my charm bracelet in a last minute grab for jewelry as I headed downstairs.

When I sat down at my desk today with coffee in hand, the jingling of the few charms I do have rattled against the laminate desktop and instantly I remembered the sound of this bracelet in high school and college.  Each time it seemed a little heavier -- and a little bit more "jingly."

It all started when I was 12 years old.  For Christmas my Grandmother gave me her mother's charm bracelet with one single charm on it... my Dad's silhouette with his name engraved on it.  She had one for every grandchild, I was told. 

After that Christmas, I began to receive new charms each year.  For my 13th birthday I got an ice skate since I had started skating lessons and surprisingly, was doing well at the sport.  For my 14th birthday a viola for the instrument I started playing at age 11 - and still play from time to time.  At 15, my mom gave me one of her charms for typing 60 words a minute - in honor of my own typing skills. 16 - a basketball hoop and ball to commemorate when I made the varsity basketball team that fall.  17 - a graduation cap and the number "2000," and at 18, the state of Indiana since I chose to attend Hanover College.

I didn't receive another charm after June 2000, until last year.  On the night before my wedding, my mother-in-law gave me a charm with my "new" initials on it, our wedding date and a special message just from her.

In a way, this charm bracelet is the story of my life and a continuation of my great-grandmother's. The jingling is a constant reminder of where I've been and what I've done.  I think for Christmas this year I'll ask for a new charm... maybe a telephone or a computer to mark my employment at Dittoe Public Relations?

On July 28, Laura Olson, a reporter from the Indianapolis Star wrote the article, "Indy-area volunteers not stingy with time." She stated in the article, "Indianapolis is one of the top 10 metro areas in volunteer hours per resident, according to a federal report released Sunday."

Many Indianapolis residents are always itching to learn more about where they can volunteer their time and services.  I know of a great volunteer opportunity that you can partake in at any time of the year and as much or little as you would like! 

Eagle Creek Park on the Northwest side of Indianapolis is looking for volunteers to help out at the park doing various activities.  Some of them include taking children on hikes, gardening, working at the marina, working at the newly built Discovery Center, answering phones, taking care of animals and setting up for art shows that exhibit four times a year at the Discovery Center.



If you or someone you know is interested please contact Rosie Johnson, the volunteer coordinator at Eagle Creek Park.  Her number is (317) 327-7148.

One thing I loved about Notre Dame is that a huge percentage of the student body is comprised of athletes - which meant there was always someone to toss a football, shoot hoops or play a game of pick up soccer on the quad with. As someone who loves sports and played competitively through high school, being part of this atmosphere was a lot of fun for me. Since Notre Dame's varsity sports teams are very competitive, a lot of students who attend Notre Dame are good enough at (one or more) sports that they could have played their sport(s) at another college. I actually considered applying to several smaller, Division 3 schools so that I could keep playing soccer during college. Ultimately, I decided that I cared more about attending Notre Dame than I did about playing soccer at the college level. However, I was lucky that this didn't mean I had to give up sports all-together.

In fact, during my years at Notre Dame, I played intramural flag football, soccer, basketball, volleyball and broomball - and had an absolute blast doing it. I met some of my best friends through these teams, and my experiences playing on them remain some of my favorite memories from college. I'll never forget when my freshman year flag football team - from the smallest dorm on campus - beat the team from the largest dorm on campus in the intramural championship game. The coolest part of this, though, was that the game was held in Notre Dame stadium. For a huge ND football fan like myself, getting to step foot on (much less getting to play a game of our own on!) this field was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Another one of my favorite intramural experiences was with my broomball team. If you're not familiar with this sport, let me give a quick outline. It's played on half of an ice rink, with goals at either end. Members of each team run on the ice in shoes (not skates) and hit a ball (not a puck) with a stick that literally could be made at home with a broom handle and a wider piece of plastic at the bottom. Games are twenty minutes long, and in this league they're played at night - usually at 10pm, 11pm, or 12am. My team, which played together for three years, was called Fr. Sorin and the Funky Bunch. (Fr. Sorin was the founder of the university.) For each game, we dressed up in ridiculous non-matching outfits and had so much fun out on the ice. The best part was that despite the recreational nature of the game, we actually took it seriously and got really pumped up for each game. One night we even had a friend who was in the school's band accompany us over to the hockey rink playing music & cheering us on.

Since graduating in May of '07, I've definitely missed getting to play on all these teams with my close friends. This fall, I'm hoping to help coach a soccer team. I think it will be a lot of fun getting to be around the game again, teach it to younger girls, and see them enjoy it the way I did for so many years. Maybe I'll even get to play a little too - although my footskills have definitely gone downhill over the past few years. Oh well, I guess I'll see if a little practice can help bring them back!

OK, remember the movie "Being John Malkovich" where a puppeteer discovers a door in his office that allows him to enter the mind and life of John Malkovich for 15 minutes? Of course, the puppeteer then tries to turn the portal into a small business like any normal person who is out to make money. Well, that's kind of how I feel today -- only I'm not in the mind of John Malkovich... I'm in the mind of my co-worker Meg Charlebois.

Last week I lifted weights with Meg... we each showed each other specific exercises which we enjoy or get a lot out of (read: are really hard but worth it in the long run even if you look like an idiot while doing it).

Yesterday we made an emergency run to Walgreen's for some much needed Diet Coke (which they were out of) and while there, we decided to buy little note pads to track our workouts - and in my case, a food journal as well.

Last night while noting my brisk walk in my "journal" it suddenly occurred to me that at some point last week I walked through a portal and entered the mind of Meg Charlebois.  What else could have caused me to suddenly begin lifting weights, running and tracking my caloric intake in a purple, pink and brown spiral notebook?

The weird thing is, I like "being Meg Charlebois."  I've found I feel better of a morning, sleep better at night and I'm able to run farther in the hot sun than I was previously able to -- when I was being Lauren Littlefield.  Heck, today I'm even lifting and doing abs at lunch (which is then followed with either a smoothie or salad, I haven't decided). *If you know me, you are probably wondering what I'm smoking, right?*

Of course, I'm not really trying to be like my healthy co-worker... but she does inspire me to be healthier, which is an amazing result of our friendship and relationship as Dittoe employees.  Consequently, I think I've inspired her to blog more often!  I'll try to keep you posted on my progress at "being Meg Charlebois."  They say imitation is the highest form of flattery, right?  Meg won't mind...