blog-promotion Archives - Page 68 of 78

We’re All Creative 3: Three Year Olds Are the Masters

August 3, 2006 by Liz

Creative Curiosity

ItÃ¢â¬â¢s true. ItÃ¢â¬â¢s hard to get highly creative folks thinking inside the proverbial box. Curiosity gets us looking at the box inside, outside, and from every direction. Creativity motivates us. Curiosity nurtures and energizes us. Ã¢â¬ÅWhat ifsÃ¢â¬Â drive our vocabulary. Put those qualities together and you have Jean Luc Picards going forth where no one has gone before and enjoying every minute immensely.

It had to be a caveperson’s creativity that got us fire. The wheel is surely an example of human creative thinking. Yet, the best example of creativity is any three-year old. [Read more…]

Think You’re Not Creative? That Could Cost You Your Job

August 2, 2006 by Liz

Balderdash and Piffle

Creativity comes from the sum of oneÃ¢â¬â¢s life experience. It pulls from knowledge, abilities, and skills. It uses neural pathways in the brain made by everything a person has learned and makes new ones as new connections form. It calls upon an ability to get beyond the ordinary, automatic responseÃ¢â¬âto explore the inside and the outside of that darned proverbial box.

Still think you’re not creative? Maybe your definition of creative is too narrow. Some folks, who call themselves “creatives,” would have you believe that all creativity lies only in artistic endeavor. That brings me back to balderdash and piffle. Those folks aren’t creative in how they define creativity.

Ordinary folk have the power for creative thinking.

Creative thinking is essential to most every career on the planet. Businesses need creative thinkers to innovate, to manage risk, to meet ever-changing customer needs, to build efficient processes and solve complex problems.

If you argue for your lack of creativity, that could cost you your job. [Read more…]

12+1 Things Every Reader Wants from a How-To Article

July 26, 2006 by Liz

How to Or Not How to

People are always teaching each other. We show each other new and easier ways to do things. As writers we teach people what we’ve learned. As readers, they teach us new stuff. All of this teaching surrounds one question, How?

How do I spot trends before they happen? How do I brand my business blog? How do I write compelling articles? How do I become an idea magnet? How do I code links? How do I make a contact form?

As a reader ready to learn, I find nothing more frustrating than a how-to article that doesn’t work. As a writer writing one, I know how hard it is not to miss something important. I’ve scoured my files to compile a list — a baker’s dozen — of things readers want when we answer How? [Read more…]

Flow: Zen and the Art of Having Fun Writing

July 25, 2006 by Liz

Flow

I want to tell you about one of my heroes. His name is Mihaly Csikzentmihalyi (pronounced chick-sent-me-high-ee). He became a cult figure in the creative world when he published a book called Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. The book came out in 1990 and writers, artists, others who need to be creative still tell others about it.

Everyone experiences flow. We call it being “in the zone.” What you might not know is why and how it happens or that you can make it happen more often. [Read more…]

Technorati Has a Birthday and We Get the Present!

July 24, 2006 by Liz

Customer-Centered Technorati!

In honor of their third anniversary as a company, Technorati has rolled out a major upgrade. The billboard that Technorati has changed their view to customer-centered is that when you sign in, you’ll find the home page is about you, your blogs, and what you might find interesting — not about Technorati.

I’m already liking these changes.

The Home Page brings what I need together. Everything I use daily is there. I love that the ping is right on top. I can click directly to my indexed posts.
The link counts are a lot more accurate. Thank you.
Favorites makes sense and is easier. I’m MUCH more likely to use Favorites Now.
Technorati Browser Buttons are one reason I’m more likely to use Favorites now.
The Search function is faster and has more filters. I very much like that I can filter by language.
The Search results have extended excerpts. (Show details.) I can take a closer look without having to click through.
The support text is written clearly. That’s a BIG deal to me. Thanks Technorati for getting a great writer to write these bits and pieces. No confusion or ambiguity whatsoever in anything I’ve read so far.
I also love the quieter new layout.

Check out this tool for business blogging, blog promotion, and branding. You can read about it and see a video of the features at Sifry’s Alerts by clicking on this title.

Happy Birthday, Technorati! Thank you, David and Technorati, for the present!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Bloggy Question 16 — Customer Feedback

July 23, 2006 by Liz

What Do They Think?

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week, I offer this Blogging Question.

A friend comes to you and says she wants to know what folks really think about her blog and her business. What advice would you give her to help her find out?

–ME “Liz” Strauss