Well, maybe it does want to keep me, although that isn’t clear.

I went to the website to check options because I had been thinking of getting a competitor’s paper on just one day. Did it make sense to stop the other paper for that day or just leave the suscription as it was? While checking prices, I discovered that new subscribers — not yet VALUED subscribers — could get the paper for half price for six months.

I called to ask politely why VALUED subscribers weren’t offered a similar deal. Eventually I was able to get  half price for four months if I paid with automatic monthly billing. But why did I have to ask?

Meanwhile, I’ve let a magazine subscription lapse, although I’m wavering. To encourage me to renew, the magazine just sent me a promise to send me a free cookbook as part of the Special Renewal Savings Rate.

If we as subscribers and customers are so valued and appreciated, why aren’t companies stepping up to SHOW us that appreciation with the goodies they dangle in front of people who aren’t yet customers? Why do they wait until we hear that someone else got a cheaper rate, a bonus something, a sweeter deal? Why do they make us call and demand better treatment, the same treatment a prospective customer would get?

I know, it’s a sign of the times. A sad sign, to be sure.

Image credit: Salvatore Vuono and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

I was out with a friend recently and we got to talking about how people seldom pick up the phone and call each other any more. Even when it would be easier and faster to actually talk about an issue, we get caught in back-and-forth email messages. Or worse, we’re one of many people “cc’d” on an endless round of email back-and-forthing. So an answer or decision that could be hammered out in a couple of minutes by telephone ends up adding to everyone’s overflowing in-box. (Typically those messages also contain every previous note, plus they change directions a few times and end up discussing something that isn’t reflected in the subject line, too, but that’s a rant for another day!)

The noise of other messages fills your cellphone as well as your in-box. The Pew Internet & American Life Project research from September 2011 shows that one-third of text message users prefer them to voice calls, and cellphone users between the ages of 18 and 24 exchange an average of 109.5 messages on a normal day! Good luck getting attention that way, except perhaps for your teenaged kids.

Then there are the scams based on a “friend” emailing or messaging through Facebook, claiming to have been mugged and needing cash. Really, if you seriously needed money from a friend, wouldn’t you call your best friend or your parents to ask, rather than relying on email? But people have fallen for these scams because we’re so used to email and texting.

So here’s a thought. Next time you have something complicated or important to discuss, pick up the phone first. True, you might get voice mail, but it’s worth a try!

What about you? Do you prefer to use email and texting no matter what, or are you more likely to call?

Image credit: Ambro and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

It’s not that you aren’t getting in touch with or hearing from other people. You send and receive dozens, maybe hundreds of emails every day. You read newspapers and magazines and listen to the radio. You probably exchange tweets and Facebook updates, or read and write blog posts. So you’re communicating.

But there’s something about an actual letter that cuts through the noise and says, “Wait a minute. This is important. YOU are important.”

I collect my own mail from a community mailbox down the street, and most days, I find bills and flyers waiting for me. Once in a (happy) while, there’s a cheque. Even more rarely, I’ll find a hand-written note, which makes it all the more magical. I ran into a neighbour at the mailbox the other day, and we agreed how special it was to get REAL mail — and how unlikely.

Author, entepreneur, speaker and blogger Peter Shankman recently wrote a post with some great advice, including his encouragement to say thanks:

“Thank people. Not just when they do something. Thank them randomly. When you finish reading this post, send an email to your best client, thanking them for being your best client.”

Sending an email is good. But if you want to go one step better, send a note by mail.

Image credit: Digitalart and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

9/11. It’s become shorthand instantly understood around the world for a day filled with tragedy. Can it really be 10 years since we watched, horrified, as one plane and then a second crashed into the World Trade Center?

I was at work in my home office when my husband called. He was on his way to the U.S. by car, and was stuck in a lineup at a border that had suddenly slammed shut. “Turn on the television,” he said.

Funny how work that seemed so important minutes earlier instantly became pointless.

Today, newspapers, television, social and other media are filled with memorials and memories — like Life Magazine‘s 25 most powerful photos — and reminders to treasure the people who are important to you. Let’s hope that spirit will translate into a stronger movement for peace.

Image: Doves for peace, from Paul Brentnall and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

In fact, I suggested she should have replied, “Oh, then a more seasoned professional would be a great fit with your team.” And it would; those of us with some years in the communications business have talent, experience and training, not to mention an extensive list of contacts and resources to draw upon. Chances are, we know our way around social media, too, and we have a good grasp on the importance of strategy and measurement to making a social media campaign — or any other kind of communications — work.

My colleague didn’t think the recruiter had meant the comment as a reference to her own age, but I’m not so sure. There are laws that would prevent him from rejecting her strictly based on age, but that doesn’t mean her resume wouldn’t end up at the bottom of the pile anyway.

Former IABC chairman D. Mark Schumann has a three-part (so far! there may be more to come) series on age bias in the communications profession. Like the colleague I mentioned above, he ran into a recruiter with the opinion, “This is a young person’s profession and there’s not a lot of room for older people.” Ouch!

Mark wrote a post about it, saying he thought he would “simply experience the therapeutic benefits of blogging” after the encounter. But it struck such a chord among his blog readers that it triggered a second post and a third, with some suggestions on how we can keep ourselves “ageless,” do what it takes to take age out of the discussion, and educate business on “how essential the contributions from experienced communicators can be.”

I haven’t run into the issue myself, yet, although it’s probably only a matter of time. The good news for an independent is that age is probably less of an issue; we’re often hired for a particular skill or to complete a particular project, when being “seasoned” is looked on as a good thing. But that doesn’t let independents off the hook for educating business on the value of our colleagues.

Are you a “mature” communicator who has run into subtle age bias? Or are you a younger, less-seasoned professional running into the reverse? I’d love to know if the issue is widespread in both the U.S. and Canada, or if there are any differences in how we value communicators of any age.

The last couple of weeks have been crazy busy, without much time for an online life. But — shh! don’t tell! — I still allowed myself the guilty pleasure of watching Dancing With The Stars on Monday and Tuesday nights. And yes, I even had dibs on the TV with NHL playoffs going on.

Although in general I despise so-called “reality” shows, I am a sucker for this one. Maybe it’s because I can’t dance, and I enjoy watching others with two left feet turn into elegant partners, especially during those lovely and graceful waltzes.

While I was enjoying my guilty pleasure, I decided that DWTS can actually impart some lessons about communications:

• Just like a piece of corporate writing or a stirring speech, dance isn’t just a technical performance. Sure, the mechanical steps have to be there, but if it doesn’t tell a story and reach people’s emotions, it won’t inspire action.

• You may be upset about your performance, but pick yourself up and carry on. Whining is unattractive, and while it might win you some sympathy at first, people eventually tire of your “poor me” attitude and want you to suck it up.

• Whether it’s dancing, or writing, or giving a dynamite speech, skills don’t come naturally to all of us. Having said that, however, you can always improve. Just don’t bill yourself as an expert when we can clearly see your flaws!

• Only one person wins a competition like this, whether it’s a Mirrorball Trophy or Communicator of the Year, but that doesn’t mean others won’t benefit. Look at how many celebrities have lost weight, gained dancing skills, made friends. The process of trying something new and making progress, however slight, has value, even if a judge gives you a 5 out of 10 along the way.

What other communications or life lessons do you see in shows like Dancing With The Stars? What’s your guilty TV pleasure?

I think it’s pretty silly to be upset. The dictionary is updated four times a year to reflect current language, which changes all the time. As the editors note, some of these initialisms (abbreviations consisting of the initial letters of a name or expression) “are strongly associated with the language of electronic communications (email, texting, social networks, blogs, and so on).” They’re easy to tap out on a keyboard or smartphone, and they can be used to “signal an informal, gossipy mode of expression.” Like it or not, including them makes sense.

The site notes that most of us think these are recent coinages, but OED’s research shows surprising historical use: OMG was first found in a personal letter from 1917, and FYI goes back to a memo in 1941.

OMG!

I do scan mail in the junk folder, especially because postings to my school forums often seem to end up there. “Thought you might be interested in this” is almost a classic spam line, so it’s only because the sender’s name was vaguely familiar that I opened this piece. I won’t embarrass the sender by identifying him, but let’s just say he’s in the PR business and should know better.

Email marketing experts at MarketingSherpa say, “When done right, email can be one of the most effective tools you have in your marketing arsenal.”

So what is “done right”?

1. Make it descriptive and inviting.

In a February 2011 study, email newsletter specialists MailChimp analyzed the open rates for over 200 million emails. While factors like the sender, the frequency and nature of the message all affect whether the recipient will open the message or not, the best email subject lines provide the reader with a reason to explore the message further. “Put yourself in your recipient’s shoes,” MailChimp says. “People are flooded with spam and increasingly pressed for time.”

2. Keep it short

Try to keep to 50 characters or less. Many people will be reading your message on a mobile device, which will cut off much of it anyway. So will many email programs.

3. …unless length adds value

For newsletters, including something about what’s inside can encourage opening the issue. The emailguide.com says shorter is better for click-through rates, but the line must be long enough to convey your message. Describe the content, use a deadline, appeal to the emotions.

4. Focus on the benefits.

What’s in it for the reader? emaildesignreview.com says  “use pyramid writing,” where you put the key point or offer right at the start. So instead of “Buy a new toaster and save 50%” make it “Half off toasters.”

5. Avoid spammy sounding words

Words like free, help, hello, special offer, percent off and reminder all act as red flags to email programs. So do using all caps and exclamation marks.

6. Test before you send

A company described in one of MarketingSherpa’s many case studies tested a longer, stronger “call to action” and a shorter, less-direct phrase. The call to action significantly beat the shorter line, which made the reader think too much.

In the case of the message from the PR guy, the content actually mentioned an interesting webinar. THAT was information that should have been in the subject line.

Have you seen any subject lines worthy of the Hall of Shame? I’d love to hear about them.

A new requirement this time was instruction on the back of the requisition form to have no caffeine for three days before — specifically no coffee, tea or chocolate. Having followed the instruction, although I didn’t know the reason for it, I have desperately wanted a cup of tea and a piece of chocolate for three days.

After the mammogram, I found out that the reason for “no caffeine” is that caffeine may make you more likely to find the procedure painful. And if you’ve ever had a mammogram, you know that soft tissue + hard plate + compression is kind of headed in that direction anyway.

How many women disregarded the instruction about caffeine, not understanding its value to them? How many women didn’t even SEE the instruction, because it was on the back page of the requisition that was already dense with text? Why didn’t the office staff share the good news that I could possibly make the whole visit more agreeable, by telling me about it?

My point is this: Whether you are a doctor or a CEO or a parent, it helps if you explain WHY you want something to happen. It also helps if you explain this in multiple ways. Don’t assume everyone already knows what to do and why it’s a good thing to do it.

Oh, and get your mammogram. It’s not gentle, but it’s a smart thing to do.

Photo credit: Paul at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

While you might wish many of these words to actually be banished forever, that’s just wishful thinking. The list for 2011 includes epic, fail (which actually are often combined into the annoying “epic fail”), man up, just sayin’, and using Facebook and Google as verbs.

It’s funny that some of the words voted to be banished this year — such as tweet, BFF, my bad, viral and friend/unfriend as verbs –  recently made it into The Oxford American Dictionary. No doubt the two lists reflect the two ends of the spectrum: how much some people dislike the words, and how much others use them.

Take the corporate world, for example. Many of the words on the banished lists over the years live on — and on! — in corporatespeak: going forward (banished in 2001), sea change (2000), solutions (2002), speaks to (2001), and my all-time most despised pair, utilize (1987) and win-win (1993).

The university started keeping the list in 1976. The originator was the now retired PR director, Bill Rabe, who released the first list on New Year’s Day, a traditionally slow news day, to gain media coverage for the university. Well over 1,000 nominations pour in every year, and feel free to submit your own wishlist for banishment any time.

Do you have a word that you wish would be banished forever? One that pops to my mind is monetize. Yech.