Successful Blog

Open Mic 7pm Chgo Time: We’ll Be Talking about Web Design

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Join Us Tonight

What Do You Care About?

I know. It’s a problem. We all think we’re designers. On the other hand, we all know what we find attractive and comfortable — and what gets in our way. So let’s see how alike we are. Tonight we’re talking about web design:

  • What blogs and websites know your socks off?
  • What do you think are the qualities of a good design?
  • What do you find major irritants?
  • If you could tell designers one thing, what would it be?

    • ahem . . .

Oh, and bring example links of great designs to share —

The rules are simple — be nice.

Do be nice. 🙂

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

Thanks to Week 154 SOBs

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muddy teal strip A

Successful and Outstanding Bloggers

Let me introduce the bloggers
who have earned this official badge of achievement,

and the right to call themselves
Successful Blog SOBs.

I invite them to take a badge home to display on their blogs.

muddy teal strip A

They take the conversation to their readers,
contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better, and make our businesses stronger.

I thank all of our SOBs for thinking what we say is worth passing on.
Good conversation shared can only improve the blogging community.

Should anyone question this SOB button’s validity, send him or her to me. Thie award carries a “Liz said so” guarantee, is endorsed by Kings of the Hemispheres, Martin and Michael, and is backed by my brothers, Angelo and Pasquale.

deep purple strip

Want to become an SOB?

If you’re an SO-Wanna-B, you can see the whole list of SOBs and learn how to be one by visiting the SOB Hall of Fame– A-Z Directory . Click the link or visit the What IS an SOB?! page in the sidebar.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

SOB Business Cafe 10-03-08

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SB Cafe

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the titles to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

GasPedal is doing something special for folks who deserve it.
We’re trying to raise a ton of money for some very deserving groups that need the cash, so we put a few BlogWell tickets up on eBay. 100% of the proceeds — EVERY PENNY — goes to charity.

PR 2.0 lays out the state of affairs in our socialsphere.
As networks become densely populated and new communities arise and thrive, we’re experiencing a fundamental shift in content creation, distribution, and consumption, thus creating an Active and Participatory Media society that is inspiring and seeding a more literate and enlightened generation.

Business is Personal lays out the meaning of real.
When marketing a product to women, there’s one thing you simply have to try to do if you want to hit a grand slam home run: Get yourself or your product on Oprah.

The reason is simple and I hope, obvious: Oprah’s viewers trust her.

Doc Searls Weblog explores our relationship with living inside each others’ heads.
Traditional journalism is static. Its basic units are the article, the story, the piece. The new journalism is live. It doesn’t have a basic unit any more than a river or a storm have a basic unit. It’s process, not product.

The Ripple Effect reports on what the economy didn’t cause.
A customer in front of me asked why they were closing and one of the employees remarked because, “You don’t come in on Sundays. We don’t make any money so we are closing.” The comment was said in such a way that it could have easily been taken to mean their livelihood or lack thereof on Sunday’s was somehow this poor lady’s fault.

Remarkable Parents address problems with human resources.
First, a word about the incident that prompted this memo and took place at headquarters yesterday. Many of you, I know, heard it—or heard of it—and I need to clarify actual events to dispel any notion that the CEO of Coddled Teenage Boy Enterprises was at fault.
Because, as you know, it’s never my fault.

Confident Writing addresses a timely writing issue.
We live in a time poor, information overloaded world. That means your readers are information overloaded, time poor too.

That makes time (and energy, and attention) a big potential barrier to engaging your readers.

It also means you can use time to your advantage by showing your readers that you respect, and value, their time.

Related ala carte selections include

Do It Myself shows us the real deal.

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like. No tips required. Comments appreciated.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

The Mic is On: It’s about Shiny Object Syndro-

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It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

The Mic Is On

Here’s how it works.

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME.
The rules are simple — be nice.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

Oh Look!

Surely, you’ve heard of Shiny Object Syndrome — that behavior that allows any small change to be a distraction. Are you plagued by it? Shiny objects seem to be everywhere these days. Tonight we’re talking about shiny objects:

  • Do you get distracted easily?
  • Is it getting harder and harder to hold people’s attention?
  • Do you think shiny objects are a bigger problem than they once were?
  • Is shiny object syndrome only found on the Internet?

    • ahem . . .

shiny object

And, whatever else comes up, including THE EVER POPULAR, Basil the code-writing donkey . . . and flamenco dancing (because we always get off topic, anyway.)

Oh, and bring example links of shiny objects to share.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
image: sxc.hu
Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

Open Mic 7pm Chgo Time: It’s about Shiny Object Syndr-

by

Join Us Tonight

Oh Look at . . .

Surely, you’ve heard of Shiny Object Syndrome — that behavior that allows any small change to be a distraction. Are you plagued by it? Shiny objects seem to be everywhere these days.

  • Do you get distracted easily?
  • Is it getting harder and harder to hold people’s attention?
  • Do you think shiny objects are a bigger problem than they once were?
  • Is shiny object syndrome only found on the Internet?

    • ahem . . .

Oh, and bring example links to share — shiny objects are fun.

The rules are simple — be nice.

Do be nice. 🙂

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

Thanks to Week 153 SOBs

by

muddy teal strip A

Successful and Outstanding Bloggers

Let me introduce the bloggers
who have earned this official badge of achievement,

and the right to call themselves
Successful Blog SOBs.

I invite them to take a badge home to display on their blogs.

muddy teal strip A

They take the conversation to their readers,
contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better, and make our businesses stronger.

I thank all of our SOBs for thinking what we say is worth passing on.
Good conversation shared can only improve the blogging community.

Should anyone question this SOB button’s validity, send him or her to me. Thie award carries a “Liz said so” guarantee, is endorsed by Kings of the Hemispheres, Martin and Michael, and is backed by my brothers, Angelo and Pasquale.

deep purple strip

Want to become an SOB?

If you’re an SO-Wanna-B, you can see the whole list of SOBs and learn how to be one by visiting the SOB Hall of Fame– A-Z Directory . Click the link or visit the What IS an SOB?! page in the sidebar.

–ME “Liz” Strauss