Unpersonalized communication in our relational times
SPAM. Unsolicited emails. Unpersonalized invitations. Untargeted press releases. Odds are you received some of these types of communication in the last couple of hours. You may have received a message that might have the appearance of being personalized, yet a quick scan shows that it was the simple use of a mail merge. I receive […]
Integrating the university communications role into the student experience
Look at any university / school communicator job posting and odds are you won’t see any mention on how the role correlates to improving the student experience. Performance reviews doubtfully will highlight how communicators can actually help educate students. Often overlooked, I believe university communicators can play an important, direct role in students’ education. I […]
Communications advice to all the people giving Marissa Mayer communications advice
It has been interesting, entertaining and alarming to see all the criticism coming at Yahoo and CEO Marissa Mayer following the leaked internal announcement from the company’s HR director to ban all telecommuting. Numerous “experts” have voiced their dismay at how the communications was handled. Many of us enjoy being pundits and giving our opinion. […]
What is your social media storyline?
Hypothetical – you are planning a trip to Bora Bora. You can spend hours reading books, watching videos and asking your friends about Bora Bora. Surely this will provide some insights but nothing compares to being there in person. Ditto for exploring any social media channel. Strategizing will only take you so far and sometimes […]
Restoring trust through open communications
Do you trust banks’ press releases? When a Fortune 500 CEO gives a talk about the company’s outlook, is he/she believable? Do you think organizations’ claims about being sustainable and environmentally friendly are really accurate? Do you feel that your superiors and senior leadership are honest? If you reflect public opinion, odds are your answers […]
Bucking the western trends – the media landscape in India
Trivia – which newspaper listed has the highest circulation? a) The Times of London b) The New York Times c) The Wall Street Journal d) The Times of India
Communications advice from Mexico’s Tourism Secretary – “Focus on your Assets”
Let’s play word association – what is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word Mexico? Do you think of Mexico’s beautiful beaches? Immigration? Danger? Or do you think about some other unique and positive attribute of Mexico? Gloria Guevara Manzo contemplates such questions as the country’s Tourism Secretary. She’s […]
Communicating impact as a global think tank
We all want our communications to generate impact among our audiences. But how does one do that when your key audience is Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and other prominent policy makers? Tom Carver contemplates this question as the head of global communications at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a private, nonprofit organization dedicated […]
Global education in your own backyard
The questions were a combination of basic, naive and cute. But as an underprivileged group of 8th grade students in Durham, North Carolina watched country profile videos and interacted with Duke Cross Continent MBA students from India, Spain, Qatar and China, it was clear that many of the young kids’ interest was peaked about the world. The […]
Celebrating Petra and learning from the Nabateans during the US presidential campaign
Saturday, August 25th was the deadliest day of fighting in Syria as over 300 deaths were reported. Yet the news cycle in the United States focused on the latest slander and pettiness from the US presidential election. Most all of the Sunday morning talk shows focused solely on the upcoming Presidential election – how hurricane […]