Tragically, Gord’s gone, but his words live on
Like many Canadians, I was dismayed to hear of the death this week of Gord Downie, just 53, quirky lead singer of Canada’s Tragically Hip. His diagnosis with an incurable brain tumour last year made the ending inevitable, but it still came as a shock. Like many...
Businesses lose when they don’t follow up
When a company fails to follow up with a customer who is ready to buy, or who has stopped coming back for service, you have to wonder. Is business so great the people running the place don’t care? No, more likely the problem is lack of followup. Customers want help...
Stop email subject line fail with one last look
The subject line – “Done like Thanksgiving dinner” – probably seemed appropriate, casual and timely to the marketers who sent the email. It rounded up things that would help you prepare and serve a Thanksgiving dinner, like a roasting pan, pots, glasses and dishes....
4 steps to boost your ranking with SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a fancy way of describing how to get you or your business in front of search engines like Google. The ideal is that someone searches for your name, of course, but SEO helps if the searcher doesn’t know you or have your name in mind....
How to bury negative search results
(Updated Oct. 3, 3018) Ouch. You Googled yourself and found false and nasty comments about you coming up on page one of search results. You need to take action. If someone has taken the time to smear your reputation, they are unlikely to respond to a polite request to...The ABCs of SEO (event recap in tweets)
(Updated April 30, 2018) If you run a small business, you want to be found for both your company name and the products or services you offer. At a meeting of IABC/Toronto’s Professional Independent Communicators this week, speaker Ray Litvak shared some tips for doing...
Networking tips for comms/PR students and new grads
(Updated Oct. 12, 2022) The fall is as much a time of new beginnings as New Year’s. If you’re a PR or communication student, your new beginnings probably include building your network and launching your career. You can do both by making the most of your professional...
Avoid confusion by keeping it simple
“What does eponymous mean?” I’m usually your go-to gal for the meaning of words, but this one stopped me. I knew I should be able to explain the meaning, but the question sent me to the dictionary. Good for you if you know “eponymous” is an adjective relating to the...