The Annotated Pretty Penny

No More Fancy Pants Writing*

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 03:29:00 -0500

A tendency to think in “fancy” terms shouldn’t bleed onto the paper/screen/conversation and make it difficult for the audience—any audience—to understand.

If you need a dictionary to slog through content, it’s probably because the writer has serious room for improvement. After all, this makes it almost impossible to quickly and easily pull information from content.

Thank Seth Godin for the realization. In his book We Are All Weird, Godin writes:

If you need a map and a manual, it’s probably because you’re creating a problem.

Actually, he was explaining his idea of a factory, not writing style:

… any organizational effort that’s built around repeated interactions and mass.

The Godin factory model ignores or even resents the rise of niches, unique consumers and markets that do not appear immediately profitable (the “weird”) in favor of the relative safety of the masses.

* 20 points to anyone who can offer the appropriate AP styling for “Fancy Pants”

WTF QR Codes

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 03:47:00 -0500

You can’t imagine how badly I wish I’d taken a picture last week of the bloody aftermath of a poorly placed QR code. Alas, I’m one of the 83 percent of smartphone users who don’t whip out their phones at a moment’s notice to snap a shot of something unsightly.

It’s bad enough that someone would want to hold up traffic just to dig through her comically oversized purse and frame a shot of a hideous QR code plastered to the glass door. I suppose she thought it would be worth it to see where that rabbit hole would lead her, even if it meant viewing it on a 1.5” screen.

Ah, but what happens when the door is covered with a semi-transparent ad for an upcoming feel-good family movie? Bless her misguided heart, how could she have known that the QR code money shot would come at the price of her own safety?

Enter disaster.

Stooping to get a better shot of the butt-ugly black and white square and all the promises it offered, her nose only inches from the glass, she must have missed the sign above the door: Entry Only. You can imagine her surprise when the QR code pitched toward her face, set violently into motion by an incoming herd of teenage boys. I’ve never seen so much blood.

What’s the moral of this story?Not only do QR codes offend the eye, they also break the nose.

If I had a picture, I’d submit it to WTFQR Codes, a blog by Brad Frost and Craig Villamor. I encourage you to do the same.

Three to read for more on QR codes:

11 Reasons QR Codes Are Not Engaging Customers

15 More Appalling QR Code Fails

QR Code Usage Fails

WTF QR Codes

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 03:04:40 -0500

WTF QR Codes:

Yes.

Hey Whipple, Squeeze This! Chapter 1 Takeaways

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 23:42:00 -0500

Just starting in on this one - Hey Whipple, Squeeze This! A Guide to Creating Great Ads (2nd ed.) by Luke Sullivan.

It seems that every Half Price Books in the area has at least 3 copies of this one, so I was wary at first. At $2*, however, I felt I’d be a fool to leave it behind. So far? So-so. I have a weakness for any writer with a sarcastic streak, though, so onward.

At this point the most insightful bits are culled from notable admen and industry pioneers—not from Sullivan—but I give him credit for including them and am optimistic about the upcoming chapters. He really is a kickass copywriter, so I’ll stick it out.

From Chapter 1 - Salesman Don’t Have to Wear Plaid: Selling without selling out

“In the middle of a meeting, the client spat on the conference-room table and said: “You have just seen me do a disgusting thing. Ugly word, spit. But you’ll always remember what I just did.” — From Fred Wakeman’s novel The Hucksters, 1946

“Put ‘new’ in that headline. Drop that concept and pick up an adjective.” — hypothetical direction from the new breed of 1970s advertising managers

“Essentially, it’s like finding a seat on a crowded bus. You look at the market place. You see what vacancy there is. You build your campaign to position your product in that vacancy. If you do it right, the straphangers won’t be able to grab your seat.” - Ted Morgan, explaining the concept of positioning

“The more intellectual you grow, the more you lose the great intuitive skills that really touch and move people.” — William Bernbach

“It’s not wise to violate the rules until you know how to observe them.” — T.S. Eliot

“I have no use for rules. They only rule out the brilliant exception.” — copywriter Ed McCabe

* is there anything more glorious than those yellow Clearance stickers used by Half Price Books? The red stickers used by Target are a close second, though.

"”The most memorable, savored brands of the future will be those that … adopt religious..."

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 18:20:57 -0500

“”The most memorable, savored brands of the future will be those that … adopt religious characteristics as they simultaneously make full, integrated use of sensory branding—period. Each fully integrated brand will boast its own identity, one that’s expressed in its every message, shape, symbol, ritual, and tradition—just as sports teams and religions do.””

- Martin Lindstrom on the similarities between branding and spirituality, from Brand Sense: Sensory Secrets Behind the Stuff We Buy, p. 5

Unmarketable Takeaways, Ch. 2 (Scene for Sale)

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:49:00 -0500

Excerpts from Unmarketable: Brandalism, Copyfighting, Mocketing, and the Erosion of Integrity by Anne Elizabeth Moore

Skewering the hell out of Lovemarks:

“Marketers wishing to stay competitive will connect with consumers emotionally, tapping directly into those snap decision-making skills and bypassing the need for product information.” - p. 26

“… iconic brands that are infused with mystery, sensuality, and intimacy—and exploit the hell out of them for money.” - p. 27

“Where branding relies on metaphor (where things seem in close proximity to each other over and over become confused) and reification (where things are confused with their descriptions), lovemarks are meant to inspire “loyalty beyond reason.” - p. 28

“It’s a forged connection to authenticity, a borrowed veil of integrity, a disingenuous stab at honesty.” - p. 29

On the appeal of Jones Soda, which allows fans to submit artwork for its labels: ”It was a welcome change from the mandated identities of brands like Coke and Pepsi.” - p. 35

“When you’re marketing without money, you have to stay true to the fact that you need to make an emotional connection.” - p. 37

Interesting idea: ”They have now started a program for moms called VocalPoint and inspired the Girl’s Intelligence Agency, a slumber party-based word-of-mouth provider. Also in 2001, a similar peer-to-peer marketing style was adopted by the Boston firm BzzAgent, which places a relatively austere 60,000 volunteer marketers on the streets for a wide variety of products to perform one-on-one promotions for [its clients].” - p. 38

An article to check out later: The Hidden (in Plain Sight) Persuaders by Rob Walker in the New York Times, 2004

7 Deadly Sins of Marketing

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 17:32:46 -0500

7 Deadly Sins of Marketing

Amazon.com: Asperger's on the Job: Must-have Advice for People with Asperger's or High Functioning Autism, and their Employers, Educators, and Advocates (9781935274094): Rudy Simone, Temple Grandin: Books

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 01:04:31 -0500

Amazon.com: Asperger's on the Job: Must-have Advice for People with Asperger's or High Functioning Autism, and their Employers, Educators, and Advocates (9781935274094): Rudy Simone, Temple Grandin: Books:

Winning at New Products: Accelerating the Process from Start to...

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 00:59:00 -0500

Winning at New Products: Accelerating the Process from Start to Launch by Robert Cooper

Psst: Fund my education and further your knowledge! Click the image to purchase this book on Amazon!

Half Price Books haul: The X and Y of Buy by Elizabeth...

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 00:55:00 -0500

Half Price Books haul: The X and Y of Buy by Elizabeth Pace

First impression: Wonder if it focuses solely on product marketing or also includes insight into marketing services? Should be interesting.

Psst: Fund my education and further your knowledge! Click the image to purchase this book on Amazon!

Facebook Fan Pages: Botching Engagement

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 23:35:00 -0500

I love perfume. Makeup. Sparkly things. Naturally, I like Company S. Not just literally, of course, but also in the social media sense of the word: I “Like” Company S on Facebook.

Or at least I did.

Then Company S underwent a change to a more aggressive/intrusive social media strategy that included seven posts per day on my Friends feed. It’s hard enough to sift through endless updates from friends and immediately identify what’s interesting and what’s, well, a recap of what someone ate for breakfast.

And then Company S goes and clutters it up with even more worthless Wall posts about every single damned shade of lipstick in their not-inconsiderable repertoire of cosmetics—-neon purple, anyone? So not only is this information not even remotely relevant (doesn’t work with my skin tone, out of my price range, tested on animals, etc.), it’s threatening to take over my Wall.

There is an option to “Hide All” by Company S, which I did. Because of this blackout, however, I wasn’t privy to news of a phenomenal sale on my all-time favorite overpriced skincare product. What did I do? I went out and threw my dollars at Company S’s top competitor, which had saved my purchase history and preferences and used that information to send me a well-timed email message informing me of the promotion.

I still like Company S. I just don’t “Like” it. Is there a lesson to be learned here? Are you over-engaging? Do your attempts to engage your fans actually lead to disengagement and resentment?

You decide.

Social Media Marketing Evaluation for Facebook

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 20:19:33 -0500

I used Google Docs to create a form that can be used to perform a basic evaluation on a Facebook business page. Enjoy.

Loading…

Content Marketing Workflow template by Bob Squirrell on Google...

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 17:32:56 -0500

Content Marketing Workflow template by Bob Squirrell on Google Docs

DIT Facebook Analysis (6/4 to 6/18)

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 16:04:40 -0500

Most engaging content: photos (11 likes, 33 comments)
Majority of wall posts are one-time commenters
Most common inquiries focus on pricing and discount codes
Timely, professional responses from Administrator
Few negative comments, but few positive comments. Majority of comments are neutral.

Of course, these stats describe a limited time range. The rate of engagement for the photo post is very high, which may represent an excellent opportunity to interact with fans/users.

Using Analytics to Measure and Engage Audience (Facebook ed.)

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:43:00 -0500

Fan growth (Social Bakers)
Engagement Rate: (Likes + Comments)/Fans
Admin Response Rate
Most Engaging Content Types (text, link, image, etc.)

"Average number of Likes and Comments / # of Fans : Does content actively engage fans?"

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:22:00 -0500

“Average number of Likes and Comments / # of Fans : Does content actively engage fans?”

- How GoPro Measures Social Engagement | Inc.com - Brand Audience Rate of Engagement

Idea Flight

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 14:01:00 -0500

Idea Flight allows you “the pilot” to remotely control up to 30 iPads “passengers” on a single network. Dropbox is integrated, allowing you to invite participants to download the app and join the presentation. Users can read along with the presenter (sync) and download the presentation for future reference.

Fighting Crime With Jewelry | Inc.com

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 13:53:00 -0500

Fighting Crime With Jewelry | Inc.com:

Jessica Mindich, owner of Jewelry for a Cause, transforms guns obtained through a gun buyback program into beautiful jewelry. 20 percent of sales go to non-profits like DoSomething.org and the Alzheimer’s Association.

"Is creativity stifled? Or is it easier to be creative at a company that is extremely well run?"

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 13:45:26 -0500

““Is creativity stifled? Or is it easier to be creative at a company that is extremely well run?””

- Feedback from May 2012 Inc. = support for my “structured creativity” approach

Doctors in Training - Required Reading

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 08:16:00 -0500

List of articles and information I’m using to prepare for an interview (Marketing Manager) with Doctors In Training next week. So interesting!

For links and abstracts, email me.

Medical Marketing

Selling Educational Events to Healthcare Professionals: Twelve Tips on the Design and Function of Trigger Leaflets
Best Use of Direct Marketing to Healthcare Professionals
Immune to Marketing?
Medical Students Face Heavy Drug Marketing
Marketing to Healthcare Professionals Online: Online Promotion to Healthcare Professionals is Growing in Promise and Importance
The Market Research Project: Lessons From a Healthcare Rebranding Project

Med Students (General)

Burnout Syndrome in Medical Students During Clinical Training
Comparison of Blogged and Written Reflections in Two Medicine Clerkships
Gender and Pre-Clinical Experiences of Female Medical Students: A Taxonomy
Impacting Student Anxiety for the USMLE Step 1 Through Process-Oriented Preparation
Medical Students’ Use of Facebook to Support Learning
‘Next Generation’ Medical Students: Technological Experiences of Clinical and Pre-Clinical Students
On the Predictive Value of Entry-Level Skills for Successful Studying in Medical School
Progress of Medical Students After Open Admission or Admission Based on Knowledge Tests
Ready or Not: Expectations of Faculty and Medical Students for Clinical Skills Preparation for Clerkships
Reassuring the Medical Students’ Disease: Health-Related Anxiety Among Medical Students
Revisiting the Cost of Medical Student Education
Study-related Health and Behavior Patterns of Medical Students: A Longitudinal Study
The Medical School Curate: An Examination of Student Need
The Prevalence, Causes, and Consequences of Experiencing a Life Crisis During Medical School
Beyond Good and Evil: Exploring Medical Trainee Use of Social Media
Career Choices of Medical Students: A National Survey
Doctors in Training Juggle Studies With Family
Doctor, Heal Thyself Before Clocking in for Duty
Friending Facebook? A Minicourse on the Use of Social Media by Health Professionals
Long Hours for Doctors in Training Unnecessary
Motivation as an Independent and a Dependent Variable in Medical Education: A Review of the Literature
Net Generation Medical Students: Technological Experiences of Pre-Clinical and Clinical Students
Personality Traits Associated With Intrinsic Academic Motivation in Medical Students
Second-year Medical Students’ Motivational Beliefs, Emotions and Achievement
Stability of Values During Medical School
The Medical Student Stress Profile: A Tool for Stress Audit in Medical Training
Thriving, Not Just Surviving in Emotionally Demanding Fields of Practice
What is Medicine and What is a Doctor? Medical Students’ Perceptions and Expectations of Their Academic and Professional Career

Medical Students and Learning

Approaches to Learning and Studying in Medical Students: Validation of a Revised Inventory and its Relation to Student Characteristics and Performance
Training Physicians in the Digital Age: Use of Digital Media Among Medical Trainees and Views on Professional Responsibility and Regulation
Twelve Tips for Studying Medical Education at Doctoral Level
The Learning Environment and Medical Student Burnout: a Multicentre Study
Students’ Approaches to Learning in Clinical Interprofessional Context
Self-Assessed Learning Style Correlates to Use of Supplemental Learning Materials in an Online Course Management System
Preclinical Students’ Predispositions Towards Social Forms of Instruction and Self-Directed Learning: A Challenge for the Development of Autonomous and Collaborative Learners
Revitalising Student Motivation in Problem-Based Learning with Computer Enhancement
Perceived Academic Quality and Approaches to Studying in the Health Professions
Can We Influence Medical Students’ Approach to Learning?
Comparison of the Effect of Post-Instruction Multiple-Choice and Short-Answer Tests on Delayed Retention Learning
Doctors in Training: How Do We Provide Appropriate Training, Safe Handovers and Continuity of Care?
Electronic Education of Health Professionals
Evaluation of Information Literacy Skill Development in First Year Medical Students
Evidence-Based Information-Seeking Skills of Junior Doctors Entering the Workforce: An Evaluation of the Impact of Information Literacy During Pre-Clinical Years
Felder-Soloman’s Index of Learning Styles: Internal Consistency, Temporal Stability, and Factor Structure
Final Year Medical Students’ Views on Simulation-Based Teaching: A Comparison With the Best Evidence Medical Education Systematic Review
How We Offer All Medical Students Training in Basic Teaching Skills
Materials Employed By Medical Students Preparing For Subject Examinations: Supporting Collection Development
Junior Doctors: The Influence of Gender on the Provision of Medical Education
Maximizing Student Preparation for Clinical Teaching Placements
Medical Informatics in the Curriculum: Development and Delivery of an Online Elective
Medical Student Characteristics Associated With Time in Study: Is Spending More Time Always a Good Thing?
Medical Students’ Learning of Anatomy: Memorization, Understanding, and Visualization
Medical Students’ Perceptions of Their Teachers’ and Their Own Cultural Competency: Implications for Education
Multimedia Tutor for Med Students
Strategic Use of MCQs in Undergraduate Medical Students to Improve Objectivity of Formative Assessment
Students’ Opinions About Their Preparation for Clinical Practice
Teaching Exchange: How to Support Medical Students in Difficulty: Tips for GP Tutors
The Challenge of Integrating New Online Education Packages into Existing Curricula: A New Model
The Educational Impact of Weekly E-Mailed Fast Facts and Concepts
The Influence of Familiar Non-Diagnostic Information on the Diagnostic Decisions of Novices
Using Game Theory to Teach Psychopharmacology to Med Students
Virtual Patient Simulation for Learning and Assessment
Web-Based Elective Courses for Medical Students: An Example in Pain
Why Don’t They Know Enough About Anatomy?
Analysis of the Psychological Impact of Problem Based Learning Towards Self-Directed Learning Among Students in Undergraduate Medical Education
Assessment of Critical Thinking Ability in Medical Students
Assessment of Student Learning Behaviors to Guide the Integration of Technology in Curriculum Reform
Changing the Learning Environment: The Medical Students’ Voice
Computer-Assisted Modules to Enhance the Learning of Anatomy by Dissection
Critical Care Training: Using Twitter as a Teaching Tool
Discriminant Validity and Test-Retest Reliability of a Self-Administered Internet-Based Questionnaire Testing Doctors’ Knowledge in Evidence-Based Medicine
Electronic Education of Healthcare Professionals
eMedical Teacher
Impacting Student Anxiety for the USMLE Step 1 Through Process-Oriented Preparation
Is There a Place for E-Learning in Clinical Skills?
Medical Students’ Perceptions of Using E-Learning to Enhance the Acquisition of Consulting Skills
Metacognitive Awareness and Self-Regulated Learning Skills of Medical Students in Different Medical Curricula

Med School Dynamics

Accuracy of Medical Staff Assessment of Trainees’ Operative Performance
COI Policies Up Among Med Schools
Expanded Partnerships Between Medical Faculty and Medical Students
Myth Busting: An Examination of Teachers’ Beliefs About First-Year Medical Students
Opportunity or Threat: The Ambiguity of the Consequences of Transitions in Medical Education
Where Do Medical Students Turn? The Role of the Assigned Mentor in the Fabric of Support During Medical School
At-Risk Medical Students: Implications of Students’ Voice
Current Medical Student Interviewers Add Data to the Evaluation of Medical School Applicants
Factors that Influence First-Year Medical Students’ Choice of Student-Selected Component

The Annotated Pretty Penny

No More Fancy Pants Writing*

WTF QR Codes

WTF QR Codes

Hey Whipple, Squeeze This! Chapter 1 Takeaways

"﻿”The most memorable, savored brands of the future will be those that … adopt religious..."

Unmarketable Takeaways, Ch. 2 (Scene for Sale)

7 Deadly Sins of Marketing

Amazon.com: Asperger's on the Job: Must-have Advice for People with Asperger's or High Functioning Autism, and their Employers, Educators, and Advocates (9781935274094): Rudy Simone, Temple Grandin: Books

Winning at New Products: Accelerating the Process from Start to...

Half Price Books haul: The X and Y of Buy by Elizabeth...

Facebook Fan Pages: Botching Engagement

Social Media Marketing Evaluation for Facebook

Content Marketing Workflow template by Bob Squirrell on Google...

DIT Facebook Analysis (6/4 to 6/18)

Using Analytics to Measure and Engage Audience (Facebook ed.)

"Average number of Likes and Comments / # of Fans : Does content actively engage fans?"

Idea Flight

Fighting Crime With Jewelry | Inc.com

"Is creativity stifled? Or is it easier to be creative at a company that is extremely well run?"

Doctors in Training - Required Reading

"”The most memorable, savored brands of the future will be those that … adopt religious..."