My response email to resume critic

Philip,

Thanks much for the feedback it is really always appreciated. I hear what you're saying and there is justification as to why that statement is included. The simple fact is it eliminates the need to "...talk people into paying [me] $35,000." If we remove the need to negotiate at any level outside of my range I may save a hiring organization valuable company time.

As a general principle, clarity of intent allows for an honest dialogue with no room for confusion. There's no inherent difference in a company setting new hire salary caps and my being clear as to the minimum offer that is acceptable.

It's telling that an employee who advocates for themselves and creates an environment for full disclosure would be immediately tagged "...hard to handle" versus self-aware and honest. Most of the work cultures in which opportunities for improved communications go unfulfilled exist becaue employees do not want to be seen as "troublemakers" and prefer the label of "good" over "valuable." Since my honest disclosure was received negatively, I would definitely not be a good fit for your company culture.

Thank you again and best of luck,

David

Email received today in response to my resume

david, your package is very good. you look good and you sound good.
but you blew it when you wrote:

> $35,000 - $40,000 annually, *non-negotiable*

first of all if you are as strong as you think then you can talk people
into paying you 35k. the right person will get that at the right company.

second and worse then being naive, it makes you sound hard to handle and
like you will be a trouble maker.

You could say that; My target salary is 37.5k or currently I am earning
35K as a free lance.

but to say: $35,000 - $40,000 annually, *non-negotiable* is a turn off.

what do you think?

My "non-negotiable" salary angers a potential employer

I am looking for "steady" work at a large company. Specifically, I'd like to find something in the communications arena where copywriting, speech writing and report drafting is a part of my function. Needless to say, in this type of environment there's the need to send a large amount of resumes to get even a single response.

In order to keep testing new formats my resume was recently updated, again. The final entry on the 1-page resume (they shouldn't be too lengthy) is salary. Instead of just writing a range of numbers I also detail that the figure is "non-negotiable." It's simple and to the point. I wouldn't want an employer to lead me into an interview and try to offer something less because it will not be accepted. In fact, the range which is offered already contains a built in "discount".

My perspective is that this is transparent and helps to clarify my income need.

Apparantly, the message was received very differently than intended.

Finally, you can market to a new audience

Small businesses can be an incredible amount of hard work. Though the ability to manage your own time can be a lure this isn't a walk in the park. As "the" face of your business time is a very precious commodity. In order to move from the research and information gathering phase of a new service launch the question should be "Is this enough?"

Many times, in general, there can be a safety net like feeling of over-investing in continuous conjecture and "talk" about a plan without ever putting it into practice.

Once all exploratory information is on deck crafting the messages to your audience is really exciting. It can take several months and tons of schedule jockeying to get to this point so why not move full steam ahead? With all of the reading and market surveying that generally falls into the previous stage all of the language used by your clients is fresh in the "cabeza" so now is the time to put it to good use.

The audience is new, the information is new so it's important not to follow up by immediately reverting to all of those ancient email formats. This audience is supposed to be pulled in with awareness emails and then slowly "developed" for your conversion email. That's when you drop the bomb:
THE ASK....the reason you actually contacted them in the beginning

Just pay close attention to what the research showed. If your potential client pool noted that time was so very precious and family/work balance is impossible don't inundate them with needless information. Anything which might streamline information and make listening to you easier should be rolled into the marketing program. The newest strategy to keep the attention of an increasingly busy society is video e-newsletters. They don't have to read massive amounts of text, just play it in the background while they cook (or dial for the local delivery guy).

Are your conversion emails too fluffy?

In a world where bunches, and that means a lot, of emails are floating to potential viewers staying focused is a unique skill. In my experience, this is especially true when referring to emails from organizations offering services. Contained deep within their flowery descriptions of services they finally get to the point - asking for money.

Today, there was such an email from a very reputable organization that teaches folks nonviolent, aka non-judgmental, communication. The text at the top of the email was huge describing the benefits. There were large blocks of color and other add-ons included; italics, underline, bold and etc. My quest became to find the actual cost associated with the event.

I actually didn't even see it and sent an email suggesting the ask be made more clear. The response was that the location of the price was at "the bottom" of the page on the right. Well, that's an interesting place since most studies have shown that folks tend to look at the top left first (we're taught to read that way).

When I finally saw the price it was in itsy bitsy tiiiinnny letters. If there is value in what you are proposing, don't be ashamed to be upfront. Once I have to scroll down to search for a price that doesn't mean there's much committment there. Either I have the money, or not. Those are the only possible outcomes.

CC's can be dangerous

In a world of ever increasing email communication ideas can get easily lost in CC bundling. That's especially true when someone is trying to pitch a new idea or move a group of people. If possible, these kinds of conversations should take place one on one, a phone call perhaps.

What might happen if a group of folks is copied on a pitch email is that criticism becomes public and that can be demeaning. If there is a particular member of a group that needs to be spoken to about a policy it's good practice to send that person, and only that person, the message.


If there's a negative response, at least it's confined to two people. Once they hit "reply all" the initital intent of the email might get drowned out in any emotional or self interested responses.

As a side note an idea is to always respond to these types of emails to the entire group. Instead of replying as is, i.e. sent to one person and everyone else is carbon copied, move all recipients to the top and remove the CC's. That way, the message isn't targeted to one person with everyone else just "listening in." That creates a more lateral conversation so all the ideas can be heard without making anyone feel singled out.

Email addresses are people too

I was at Barnes and Nobles the other day reading a fascinating book about email marketing. The essential crux is really significant in an age where email is ubiquitous: treat email communication with care.

From a marketing perspective I've seen organizations send out mass emails without the slightest regard to who's actually receiving them. How the audience receives them and behaves afterwards isn't necessarily developed.

Quite the contrary as email is very important in developing a close relationship with audience members. Think of the number of emails you use to keep you informed by an organization (listservs, newsletters, offers and etc). Once you are "in" their inbox only one of three things can happen with that message:

1. You are deleted... bummer
2. You are not high priority...that matters if the email is time sensitive
3. You are opened nearly immediatly

Conversion emails are more concerned with what happens next. If the object is just to get awareness out about a future "thing" option three is all that matters.

Each email address also has a monetary value. Yet another thought which rarely gets associated with viral campaigns. The sheer volume (i.e. thousands of recipients) creates an aura that the actual person opening a message isn't as important as the "effort." The authors report each email address has a value of roughly $120.

Unfortunately, if you are sending any email including an "ask" (conversion) the assumption that copy editing is more important than actually providing relevant information is wrong. Dazzling isn't as important as remaing on each recipients mental radar.

Think beep beep beep...

The first consulting Craigslist ad was just posted

A creative communications consultant that can help frame your message. I am experienced in marketing for both charitable and for-profit organizations. My services include: speech reviews/proofreading, message clarity, email etiquette and copy edits. As a public speaker for many causes I can also help you shape the message without being scared to death.

We can work in person or via telephone at very low rates.

Copy Editing $15 per page
Speech Reviews $15 per hour
Email Etiquette $8 for a phone session, $12 in person included)
White paper critique $20 per page
Small biz marketing $20 per hour for historical marketing review
(additional $25 for delivery of draft report)

Call me on Google Voice at 347-471-0192 or respond to my email above. If we establish your project as onging pro bono initial services are offered.

Comminicating effectively in a new group

I have just joined a very active organization mobilizing folks for the single payer initiative. The depth of commitment of time/energy is really inspirational to me.

Today, as I'm sitting around the room my "editor-of-conversation" began filtering a lot of what was said. First, I noticed my comments were outweighing others, so I wanted to slow down. Where would all those thoughts go then, I wondered? Instead, I tried a system of spreading the idea around. My speech pattern can be pretty bulky: a lot of words at one time. If I summarized what the main idea was in smaller chunks everything could get done. Also, the need to not seem intrusive (a new member) or egotistical can be met.

This is always something of which I am aware when joining new groups. While reviewing other pages for communications consultants (have to understand the landscape) a great point lept off the screen. It can take up to 12 times to undo a negative first impression. Most people, especially in a 2.0 world, don't give you that many opportunities.

The filtration system works in different ways when we're at work. Even with friends, family and members of our innermost circles there's ususally a bit of editing. I need to just let myself be heard and also interact in a way that fulfills the desire to be accepted.

Just say it

I have been going back and forth with a client for about a week. I needed them to basically reroute a few processes in a more clarified manner. More specifically, emails were being sent out for a project that weren't very clear. Some referred to the project in one tone, others styled it differently.

My point: At some point we need to be able to know what works and what doesn't. If there's no point of reference, that's impossible.

Client Stance: The processes that are in place are great. We don't need to move to some systematic way of communicating. This is just meeting people and making really solid connections, not quantity.

The issue: The client didn't dispute anything I was saying. What I was saying wasn't what needed to be said. Instead of saying "we need to be able to track," the intended message was "this isn't powerful and it's kind of sloppy."

Lesson learned.

Rough copy edit for single payer leaflet

Here's the link to the NYC PNHP Site

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PNHP-NY Metro Chapter

$36,000 IN RETIREMENT FUNDS AVAILABLE

We are so glad to have your time.

How much money are you putting into savings each month? Do you have an emergency fund to last for 4 months should your job end? If not, PNHP wants to offer you a solution to your money troubles. We care about you leading a healthy and fulfilling life.

Which bill do you pay that is not fixed and is guaranteed to increase every year? Is it the mortgage? Could it be your credit card payments?

This bill had doubled every month has doubled since 2004.

If you are 35 years old, from right now until the time you retire $36,960 of your money is spent on overhead, and not what you're paying for. It's not your mortgage, or the credit cards. We are talking about your health insurance costs.

Do you have $6.500 in savings right now? That’s the typical health insurance premium and deductible payment every year.

We want you to be protected with guaranteed care, not insurance.

You matter, not an organization.

Communications requires hypnotic writing

I am currently skimming a great book by Vitale, Joe
Hypnotic Writing; How to Seduce and Persuade Customers with Only Your Words
"Here's the link to Joe's book


The essential point of view (POV) is that we need to remember the audience at all times. There is very little time to win someone over and a copy edit must jump off the page, so to speak. We each have a little editor in our heads that reads through our own eyes. However, what is being written isn't for us, but for the target. If we lost that editor in our heads and simply wrote, with conviction, to the target audience our time would be a lot more efficiently spent.

That's where I am in the current debate about healthcare, it's a messaging issue. There have been so many media pieces, from both sides, about this issue but somehow, that's not connecting. I created a rough copy edit of the type of messaging I feel might be more powerful. Any ideas are welcomed.

Finetuning messages to brand new audiences

I had a coffee meeting with a board member of a national nonprofit. She has an aim at redirecting the website. Her own descriptive was "horrible." Yikes.

Through her I met someone who has a background in policy on the state and federal level. This person will be coordinating the effort to update the website. While she is learning hopefully this will be a great opportunity to learn new skills of website development. At my previous employer I edited a little section every now and then but it mainly involved textual information.

During the meeting she mentioned there's a conference in September that would be great for me as a public speaking engagement. It would involve presenting on the implications of social media for an aging population. It's interesting that sometimes I don't realize my level of understanding of something until asked to teach someone brand new. I am definitely a novice, per my age group, in social media. The label of expert is very different as applied to a much older audience.

Message point: As the audience becomes less familiar with the information the message must be crafted more from a "freshman" approach.

I think that's one of the communications barriers with the Single Payer movement. It's been going on for so long, i.e. legilsation introduced way back to the 1970's, that those who are educated use advanced language and understand complex organizational structures, i.e. health insurance companies and legislative bodies. At the end of the day, though, this message must resonate also with those who don't live and breathe healthcare policy.

Asking someone who has put substantial energy into crafting a message to dilute it's content strikes them as odd and sometimes offensive.

Internal communication influencing audience mesages

Ususally, when one is part of an organization they know a lot about some topic. Regardless of their industry, it just seems that you talk about it all day long...it's second nature. We forget sometimes that "we" are not the audience. It's their language, not ours, that needs to be spoken.

An example is numbers. I personally love them and think they add an unbeatable argument to everything under the sun. The average person, though, doesn't care as much as I do. Sometimes, there's the assumption of intent (stolen from my former VP of Human Resources). We think "Oh sure, they want all the facts and data to support everything."

Not really.

They just want whatever you are offering to ease their burden or fulfill a need. The message is figuring out where's their connection? What is the language they speak and understand?

Actually, if more nonprofits used this method instead of feeling that "the cause" and emotion create a captive audience their events would be much more successful. Mind you, I did horribly at fundraising because I didn't follow these simple rules. Just assumed everyone was "on board." At the end, I was floating in the sea, far far away from shore.

Upfront gains for long term losses?

Anyone doing work with a small start up should think seriously of their need. Are they in dire straits and steady income is the priority. Well, that doesn't lend itself to much strategizing. If there is wiggle room, though, short term cuts for long term relationships shouldn't be overlooked.

I met with the founder of a start up today. There's no revenue, the product is essentially in the exploratory "pre launch" phases. My bid for a one month contract was $0. Why? Because, the relationship (since it's an amazing product with huge growth potential) is much more valuable long term. Concessions are a part of any successful business. Whether that means toiling away for decades under the thumb of a horrible boss or being dead broke to start your dream.

It's only a month and the long term gains (please don't think that synonymous with money) are worth far more than $1,000.

Contract negotiations must be thought through long term. What do you need from this person and what are they telling you. If their message is "wow, this is really expensive" does it make sense to try to leverage the most money possible right now? Of course not, waiting is a skill. If it takes off and the revenue is much higher you're also positioned as someone who believes in the product...big time.

It's about the clients' needs, not your wants

A very important vehicle to developing solid business relationships is hearing what clients say. I am a very creative, data-driven individual who loves to implement out-the-box adaptive strategies. Furthermore, I've taken it for granted that digital-based work is how most people operate.

Oh, those assumptions.

I'm hearing some clients prefer to work with a hard filing system, others prefer digital management. In addition, regardless of the advice that I might give it's up to the client to either implement or not. As an employee of an event management co. that point was lost. Regardless of how effective or data driven an idea might be, institutionalized processes die hard. Really slowwwly and painfully. After tons of meetings, many an email and sheer objection.

Birds of a twitter brand promote like crazy

I just updated my Twitter account and scrolled through a few of the pages. It seems that for general searches, i.e. communications, the results aren't really that specific.

Everyone is on there. The space can get kind of crowded, and it's a brand (pun intended) new phenomenon (ten seconds is old on earth 2.0). I have found a few friends and will get into the program to understand how it can be utilized. There are job posts, individual looking for services and a whole host of things.

If anyone is going to get a page which will at all talk about work or look for clients - keep that apart from personal silly stuff. Don't promote a business with @2sxxy4u. The same rules we followed with email kind of apply.

Some of the pages are simply pictures of business cards, which is a great idea. I am imagining that flow of communication. Someone sees a twicture of a business card and picks up the phone. They then contract with a business that way. Nope. They would do research and Twitter may help if there is a pre-existing relationship. It's the metrics and following what streams bring in which pools of leads that are key to understanding this new connector of people.

"Free"siest way to manage all contacts?

EVE, Highrise HQ I'm playing around with those to understand contact management. In terms of what I need, though, don't Google and Excel offer a whole range of products that should basically do the trick?

The question is: What does a communications consultant have to track?

Conversations, emails, projects, deadlines, meetings, contacts.

An Excel spreadsheet with infinite amounts of entries can definitely handle notes on conversations, email/call dates and all contacts. Google documents also handle this data on the go, with real time updates (there are implications for device usage).

Google calendar can keep track of all meetings and timeline needs.

Do we really need more than that? Everyone always says they need to have it on their mobile device. I say hogwashery, or something like that. If you need access to large files, presentations and spreadsheets a laptop bag will follow you everywhere. Only a tiny group of people would ever pay the money for programs to actually edit that stuff on mobile interfaces. As an independent consultant is it necessary to build anything more. Does cost make us feel it's automatically better?

Meeting with new prospective client on Tuesday!

I received a response from the President of a linguistic service company. Essentially, his product helps consumers retain a larger vocabulary in a user-friendly format. Even this grueling niche market of test-takers is moving away from the hard copy (books, study supplements and etc) towards digital methods.

The website is very intuitive. Starts with a test to rank the consumer and assigns words thereafter. Helps with pronunciation, memory and all kinds of wonderful add-ons.

He is hoping to start a media campaign soon to "launch" the service. It will be targeted towards education (obviously) and there's a lot of currently mined contacts.

Intelligent e-mail marketing. Data shows us the way.

It is getting late but there's a great webinar on Brighttalk. It's being hosted by Stephanie Miller of Return Path. They're a company that, from what I gather, helps businesses understand what works and doesn't with their emails.

So beautifully simplistic.

The name of the webinar is Intelligent Data Mining for Higher Email Marketing Return. If anything my experience working for an event planning for-profit company taught me it's that metrics often act as filler. There's so much going on that people don't pay attention to what drives the audience. We create so much process that the humans are actually just squeezed right out of the equation. Isn't that funny? (Well, not if you work in accounting)

Case and point. I worked as a recruiter. We used a communication protocol. Day A= Email. Day B= Phone Call. A + D days old= You're not contacted

I ended up with the highest conversion rate in the office for weeks on end. More of my people actually bought our service (i.e. event) than my peers. Turns out, my Outlook wasn't even connected!!! When the Operations Manager turned it on I had over 5,000 emails in my outbox!!!!

That's a very bad employee.

Do you think anyone said "Well, perhaps we should evaluate the way our communications stream works. Maybe, we're sending out thousands of emails that nobody actually reads," of course not.

Emails can break, or build, relationships too. Treat them just as you would a phone conversation. That's your point of contact.

My tester with BlogTalkRadio is on August 10

Wow. I never knew so much content was possible to deliver over the web. In testing out which means of relationship building works the best I've created an account at BlogTalkRadio. Public speaking has always been a favorite of mine. This would be a chance to speak to an audience (though intitally without metrics it's hard to say who) about communications.

Taking a step back, it's hard to think of myself as speaking on how to position with an audience. My own experience has been colored by a lack of understanding in the moment how I play a role as a participant in the theatre of conversation.

Many consultants have said they are very frustrated because clients won't implement their advice. The point is that all feeback one gives, consultant or otherwise, is honest. Don't lie or be so afraid of actually getting to the point that you finesse it so much that the main point gets lost. That's what I've learned. The truth might hurt you professionally but a lie will damage you internally.

Say it. Mean it. Own it.

My communications strategy for how to connect with clients, freelancers and new friends alike is to step back (a few days) and think of the "it" I can deliver. What do I need in return? That's the starting ground.

Intent of email subject lines. (I wish I could recall it).

Ok, so here's a quick bite of a lesson. Just in communication with a friend whom I haven't spoken to in a good while. She is going through some very difficult times with serious emergencies happening in 2008 and currently.

In order to reach out and extend that warm olive branch what do I send? With all the finesse of my social skills the email subject line, which I just reread is this:

Same schedule as you, let's keep in regular contact
[bold is for the emphasis of where my intent seriously delivered poorly]

I have the same schedule as you even though all is great on my end. Why can't you return the favor? Why are you a bad friend?

OMG (feel free to share and add your own virtual emotions)

Mytwitspaceberryphone?

Ok, whoa. I am so overwhelmed right now at the prospect of wading into this media overload. As a communicator, it's the expectations which are set by pronouncing "availability" on any site. Once the message is out there folks expect you to be "there." That implies activity, with an implied degree of regularity.

It makes no sense to say i'm on: LinkedIn, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Friendster, Enemyster without a plan of action. I honestly just revamped my Facebook and hope to get a few comment strings started. That, then, should loop back to the consulting site because, that's the common thread. Consulting isn't like another business where it may float a bit separate from the ship of "personal stuff." These two barges float, or come to a dark blue death, together.

It's a fine line to get so involved, specifically for business, without any focus or clarity. Being "on" doesn't mean that's doing anything. How do you measure return for the hours upon hours spent connecting?

Inevitable frenzy of social media.

I read through The Social Media Bible which is really interesting. It basically lists all of the channels of communicating (B2B or otherwise) and stresses how people can use them.

From what I've gathered here are sites and tools I want to learn about:

www.podbean.com(A means to add cross format content)
iGoogle
www.flickr.com (fotos are creeping into all sorts of communication)
Eventful
www.google.com/alalytics (scary at first, lots of HTML stuff)

If you know about this sorta thing or any great media gathering, sharing things Drop me an email


A wealth of information and a headache.

Who knew this would be actual work?

I have sat down to start thinking of a 4 week timeline for what needs doing. That involves meetings with a National ranking member of the Gray Panthers. I also have two exploratory (totally lifted that from Jezra) meetings just for learning. Thinking of the over-reaching goal of self dependent work and producing concise messages for businesses is very tantilizing. I love communications and how people influence each others behavior.

One meeting is with a long time friend at a nonprofit who heads their Public Relations activities. The agenda there is to figure out what he's realizing is changing but what principles may be static. Work style, relationship-building and the "pain" of that industry. Next up, a meeting with a very cool and successful businesswoman here in New York City. Roberta is so intelligent and so in your face, it's really very refreshing. A powerful, smart woman in business who can help with direction, planning and overall plan formulation.

I'm really excited to work with a member of the Gray Panthers. It's an organization of senior women who want to introduce a nonviolent approach to social policy issues. Hopefully, website optimization can come from that as their NY chapter page is in need of a huge facelift.

Still waiting to hear back from the Brooklyn Green Party, they are so slow in turn around. Email really needs to be returned within 48 hours, sorry but it's a general rule. PNHP has a meeting next week and I hope to be able to work on the communications strategy there as well. At the Riverside Church, I have contacted Joya (an amazing and kind church member) about any need there. With the political fallout of the current new Senior Minister, Rev. Brad Braxton, leaving soon due to church in fighting there should be great opporunity for PR work. LOL. It's not a fun thought, but honest.

Ok, let's get not just my name but pro bono business help (hopefully leading to paid projects) out there. FB, Myspace and others are very useful to manage contacts. These will never replace (perhaps Webinars come close) direct smiles and handshakes.

Just joined the Freelancers Union. Thoughts?

In this economy, it's all coming screaming down towards the earth. Well, it's not so bad but I know the corporate big biz way to of doing things isn't working. Maybe I don't want to work until I'm 65. Creativity is really something. A curse if you ask me. Big jobs pay well but I feel dead. My pocket profits while my soul dies. Okay, that's a bit Years of Our Lives, but I do feel it a little bit.

Since I'm not working, here's an attempt to wade into the freelance pool. I have my first gig. It pays...get ready, $20 a week. Wow, who knew college degrees were so profitable?

I did join the Freelancers Union. They have a ton of discounts on office space, pending my development continues and I meet good people. Right now the main thing is income. Finding out what people are charging who for what service. It's a SWOT analysis. Yes, those fun metrics that can help us find out who our adverseries are and crush them like tiny insect squishy things. (Insert totally inappropriate laughter).

There's so much to do, say and all that. It's just the beginning. There are a lot of upcoming projects and meetings. Let's blast off.