Talk about mis-cast. Katie Couric was never right for the CBS Evening News. Miss Perky was a big success in the morning, on the Today show. But her brand was all wrong for an evening newscast. She was too soft for hard news. [Aside: Dan Rather was all wrong, too, imho. Too edgy and twitchy […]
Author Archives: Tom McKay
Uh, hey, Time Magazine? Over here…
How the heck did Time mag miss this one in their list of Top 25 blogs? (No, I didn’t forget a link — I’m talking about the blog you’re reading!) I mean, really, what has the Huffington Post or Lifehacker got that I don’t got? Besides worthwhile content, I mean. Which is sooo overrated. You […]
Two secrets that make your message seem personal
To make your writing seem personal, write like a person, for cryin’ out loud. That goes for most corporate communications as well as speeches and presentations, as Dick Cavett pointed out in a recent NY Times blog post. The former talk show host was referring to political candidates’ speeches, but the same principles hold true […]
Seth: Write like a blogger (but not this blogger!)
Seth says write like a blogger. Good advice. The two biggies on Seth’s list that hit home for me were: #3: Drip, drip, drip. Bloggers don’t have to say everything at once. We can add a new idea every day, piling on a thesis over time. #9: Say it. Don’t hide, don’t embellish. I’m always […]
New Zillow service protects borrowers' privacy
Let’s face it, none of us like dishing out our personal information online, especially to a company we don’t know or haven’t done business with before. It can result in all sorts of unpleasantness, including spammy emails. Zillow, the real estate valuation website, is launching a service that I think is simply brilliant. Mortgage Marketplace […]
Marketing in a recession
I’m not saying this roller-coaster economy is a recession, mind you — although Bernanke now seems willing to consider it a possibility. Faced with hard times like these, what does a small business do about its marketing? How do you continue to attract customers and clients now, when it’s most important? Marketing gurus say, “Keep […]
Amazon strikes again. Retailers, be very afraid.
Amazon, which has already revolutionized the way we shop and buy, has taken what I think will be another giant step forward. It is satisfying our passion for comparison shopping with a new service that lets you compare prices — and make a purchase, of course — with a few quick taps on your cell […]