5 Quotes About Trains

Inspired by the #AmtrakResidency, of course!

1. “Trains tap into some deep American collective memory.”― Dana Frank, Local Girl Makes History: Exploring Northern California's Kitsch Monuments
2. “...what thrills me about trains is not their size or their equipment but the fact that they are moving, that they embody a connection between unseen places.” ― Marianne Wiggins
3. “Trains are beautiful. They take people to places they've never been, faster than they could ever go themselves. Everyone who works on trains knows they have personalities, they're like people. They have their own mysteries.” ― Sam Starbuck, The Dead Isle
4. “It's my experience that most folk who ride trains could care less where they're going. For them it's the journey itself and the people they meet along the way. You see, at every stop this train makes, a little bit of America, a little bit of your country, gets on and says hello.” ― David Baldacci, The Christmas Train
5. “I like trains. I like their rhythm, and I like the freedom of being suspended between two places, all anxieties of purpose taken care of: for this moment I know where I am going.” ― Anna Funder, Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall

#AmtrakResidency #throwmamaonthetrain

Three Things I Learned from the #AmtrakResidency for Writers

No, I haven’t been accepted. Given the odds, I might get a letter to Hogwarts before Amtrak gives me a ride on the rails. No matter: It’s already benefited my writing in three valuable ways.

1. I updated my blog...for the first time in almost a year. (I call myself a writer?) The social nature of the #AmtrakResidency reminded me of how awful I am about blogging. To be fair, I’ve been writing a lot. And blogging isn’t for everyone. Yet I rarely write for myself. Writing this shameless and self-promoting post reminded me how fun it is to play with my own words.
2. I connected with other writers. Writers are a funny bunch. Programs like #AmtrakResidency set us up as competitors. Yet the writers I know are incredibly supportive. I've been propped up more times than I can count. I hope I do the same for other writers.
3. I counted my blessings. The #AmtrakResidency reminded me that I’m already living the dream. I make a living as a writer. Sure, I have plenty of room to grow. And the dedicated time and space the program provides could help push my writing to the next level. But I’m darn lucky, even if Amtrak tells me I’m staying put. 

Thanks for the opportunity for reflection, #AmtrakResidency. Cheers to the writers you select, and *fingers crossed* maybe one will be me.

#throwmamaonthetrain

The Success of Dove’s Real Beauty Sketches Campaign Makes Me Wonder: Can Business Save the World?

The Dove Real Beauty Sketches Campaign recently became the most watched ad—ever.

It beat out the Evian Roller Babies. Which means it’s been watched more times than adorably chubby half-naked babies street skating and kickin’ it ol’ skool.

That says something.

I recently stumbled—quite literally—into a library shelf containing the book The Seven Lost Secrets of Success by Joe Vitale. It explains the ideas of an ad man who was a household name the ‘20s and ‘30s and is now, largely forgotten.

His name was Bruce Barton. He’s the second “B” in Batten, Barton, Durstine, and Osborn, an advertising agency that still operates today. There, Barton helped unknowns such as Andrew Carnegie and Henry Ford succeed by using advertising to promote their goods.

So what did Barton “know” that others did not?

Barton believed business would save the world.

Funny, right? In a world where corporate corruption dominates, it’s much easier to buy into the idea that business could "save" the world. Or that business would change the world. But "would save"?

Well, the success of Dove’s campaign may be a good example of his theory at work. Barton encouraged clients to “reveal the business nobody knows.” Americans know what Dove sells. So the company aligned itself with a “universal” need it could help us meet: Dove helped us feel beautiful.

I feel a compulsive need to instill in my daughter the truth of her own beauty. She’s almost three. Beautiful inside and out. And she already pretends to put on makeup so she can be “pretty.”

She watches mama put foundation on her “blotchy complexion,” mascara on her “squinty eyes,” and blush on her “ghostly-white skin.”

What kind of hideous monster would my sketch artist draw? Worse, what will the little girl who looks a lot like mama see in the mirror at age 13?

Whether the campaign’s success will encourage us to buy more of Dove’s products, I don’t know and won’t attempt to speculate. But I do know this: Dove’s campaign changed my thinking--personally and professionally. Maybe it changed yours, too.

Like Barton said, “Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things . . . I am tempted to think . . . there are no little things.”

How can your business “save” the world?  

Why don't I blog more? It's all my mom's fault.

Me and my pretty mama, circa 1989

What's the number one thing I tell my clients to do before launching a social media campaign or other like
project?

Create an editorial calendar.

Number two?

Develop a few "evergreen" posts for those days/weeks you are too busy or you have a nasty case of the Writer's Block.

What does Carie Sherman do 90 percent of the time?

I wing it.

And it gives me a tummy ache. So, why don't I stop?

I suspect it's because of my mother.

Yep, two days shy of Mother's Day, and I'm telling the world how it's all her fault.

See, my mom is crazy-skilled in the organizational realm. With three kids running amuck, a husband who worked from home, and a farm to manage--it was necessary.

Apparently I felt stifled by her rigid* schedules.

Which is exactly why I haven't found time to create my editorial calendar and write those posts. I'm far to busy re-washing the load of laundry I started on Sunday, digging through stored flower pots to find my rain boots, and tearing every room of my house apart looking for my dog's vaccination papers (which were conveniently located in my bedroom closet tucked in the purse I carried last summer).

Systems. Who needs 'em? Not me, I tell ya. Not me. Now, where did I put our water bill...

Happy Mother's Day to my amazing how-does-she-do-it-all Mom. If I do half as good raising my daughter as she did with me...well, we may actually lose her under a pile of toys and clothes for a few years, but I'm sure she'll emerge a confident, creative, and loving human being. Thanks, ma. 

*She had certain days that she did laundry--and she folded and put each load away within minutes of the dryer beep. She had a grocery day, where she would purchase enough food to feed us for a week, which she knew because she PLANNED A MENU. She picks up the house each night and makes her bed every morning. Every. Morning. Madness, I tell you! Pure madness.

The “WIIFM” Approach: Should This Rule Ever Be Broken in Business Marketing?

“Thou shalt not talk about thyself in marketing messages. Thou’s customers only care about what’s in it for thy own self.”

Or so says the gospel according to Mark (-eting experts, that is).

I’m a fan of this approach. But a recent client experience has shown me just how wrong assumptions can be.

I have had the pleasure helping a client express itself using a unique voice. The voice emerged after the client completed an extensive look at its brand.

During this brand exploration, the team also determined that said client’s customers wanted to know more about the company. More specifically, customers wanted to know who the people they worked with daily were. Personally.

Okay, I thought. But when asked to help with their newsletter, I decided that I knew best. No one could possibly care about the people at the company. After all, the gospel says they only care about what’s in it for them…right?

Wrong. We’ve included customer-focused stories about products. Customer-centric service articles. Links to articles that customers are sure to like. A whole lot of information about “what’s in it for me.”

And…nothing. But the newsletter gets opened. And it gets plenty of unique clicks. So what do the customers link to?

Employee profiles. Links to pics of the receptionist’s new baby. Links to the CEO’s own blog. Stories about employee participating in charity runs and golf tournaments. And the most clicked on link ever? A picture of the dog that an employee had just adopted from the Denver Dumb Friends League.

Branding expert Anastasia Toomey of Agency Zero says it’s time that brands start knowing their customers.

“Don't assume! Everyone thinks that in today's world, consumers are more fickle than ever and they don't really care about you. Ask them!” she says. “When you talk to your customers on a regular basis and decide to become a learning organization, you will learn a whole new world about your brand its relevance.” 

So what’s the takeaway? Says Anastasia: “Engage with your customers and you will learn what they love, why they stay with you, what more they want from you, and how you can help them spread the word about you.”

My advice? Know the rules (a quick google search with supply you with, oh, about a billion). But get on with your bad self, and know when to break them.

Three Steps that Can Help You Become a Freelance Marketing/Communications Writer

Getting started as a freelance writer isn’t as difficult as you might think. You just need to break the steps down into manageable chunks.

I’ve been a full-time freelancer since 2011. It didn’t happen overnight. I prepared for this role for three years before coming out of the corporate closet.

So I’ll assume that 1) you’re a decent writer; 2) you enjoy writing for someone other than yourself; and 3) you’re willing to work hard.* If you’re nodding your head yes, then consider these tips.

1. Read The Well-Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman. Bowerman says he can take you to “financial self-sufficiency as a freelance commercial writer in six months or less.” Bowerman covers everything: From deciding if it’s a good fit to setting up your office to how much to charge—hell, he even covers lifestyle, attitude, ego, and more.
   
   Bowerman doesn’t teach you how to write, so depend on the classics and their contemporaries (think Zinnser’s On Writing Well, anything by copywriter Bob Bly, Ann Wylie, Ragan’s PR Daily, the entire CopyBlogger website…to name a few.)
   
2. Dedicate yourself to freelancing. Once you’ve decided to do it, make yourself legit. This might mean setting up an LLC, opening a dedicated bank account, and naming your business. Business cards can be helpful, as can having a business email address (clients will balk at your "sugarmama01 at aol.com" address).
   
   At the very least, you need a portfolio of your best writing samples. It’s easy and cheap to put your portfolio online or create a website (I’ve used free resources like WordPress and Wix). If you have the funds, find a great web designer** who focuses on function and form.
   
3. Tell everyone that you’re a freelancer. Think of all of your contacts as being sources for potential clients. I’m talking co-workers, aunts, in-laws, colleagues from 15 years ago, college buddies, college professors, high school friends, friends of friends, neighbors, your favorite barista, your podiatrist—you get the picture.
   
   And yes, this also means…networking. If you’re like me, and your networking strategy is finding the one person you know and talking to him or her as long as they can stand you, try getting involved. My role as Membership Co-Chair at the Colorado Healthcare Communicators has forced helped me meet some great people. And some of those people need freelancer writers.

There you have it. Three things that helped me launch my career. I hope they help you as well.

Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Please share.

 *Freelancing is hard work. Writing well is even harder.

**I can refer you to some great designers. An added bonus? Designers often need writers. Just the kind of people you’ll want to know.

It's Saturday. Fart around.

Inspiration comes in the strangest forms.

Which is exactly why we all must take time to fart around.

Happy Saturday, blog-o-sphere. Do what makes you uniquely you. Your writing is sure to benefit.

Kurt Vonnegut can't be wrong.