Getting Past Arrested Development: How I Stuck To My Fitness Resolution *And You Can TOO!* Part 2

It’s been a few weeks since Part 1! How is that resolution coming? Have you moved past frustrivation and onto determination, thoughtfully formed a winning plan and written that excellent plan down? Are you having trouble putting it into action? Results don’t happen overnight. Unless you’re on some pretty elaborate Steroids (don’t do Steroids..) Let’s talk about keeping it going for the long run (ohh accidental pun!). Still with me? Let’s do this.

Making it Happen

Putting your plan into action is all about channeling that determination we talked about. All of the things you’d rather be doing than working out are also less important. And they’ll still be there when you are finished your workout. Some things I keep in mind to swing myself into action are:

It’s only 30 minutes. Less if I run faster
Staying on track and getting in a workout doesn’t require 4 hours at the gym. A half hour can be enough. And you don’t even have to go to the gym. If you’re really not feeling your regular routine, grab a bike and hit the trails. Go for a yoga class, or join a friend for a hike. It can be OK to “think outside the plan” as long as you are still heading towards your goal. The point is: do something.

I will regret missing this workout

Not doing it is not worth another hour in bed. It’s just not. That extra time cozy in bed might feel good for a moment but the regret will set in. It will and it’s not pretty. It will lead to self-doubt and frustration – not the motivating kind. The “I can’t do this” kind. When you are a day short in your workout plan you will rue the day you shrugged off a scheduled sweat session. Just don’t.

It’s not that bad
Why do we have so much trouble lacing up our runners and moving our bodies? It feels great during and after. Glorious, some might even say. Your body is meant to be put through its paces and with all of the great options we have to work up a sweat, why do we resist? Once you get there, and get into it, if you’re anything like me you won’t want to stop. Endorphins people! Nature’s opiate! 

It only takes one workout to get off track
This is a lot like the regret thing but with a poignant twist. If you slip once or twice it can very, very, quickly become a habit. And your wonderful plan will be all for naught. Do not let this happen.  Obviously there are going to be times when you will need to miss a planned workout. Illness, injury, last minute dance parties – these things happen! Don’t beat yourself up or shrug it off. Come up with a work-around. Plan ahead to avoid missing a workout if you know you will be travelling or otherwise interrupting your schedule.

Fat Pants
Ever lost a bit of weight, started shrinking out of those regrettable clothes you wore at your heaviest and felt awesome? If so you will know the giddy thrill of owning fat pants. And perhaps you will also be familiar with the evil flip-side of fat pants…growing back into them. There is no worse feeling on God’s Green Earth than losing weight only to gain it back. It’s a total downer and it’s terrible for your self-esteem. Think of your fat pants next time you are tempted to skip the gym for a pub lunch.

Exceptions VS Excuses

I am master of excuses. If there were a doctorate one could achieve for excellence and expertise in the field of excuse-making I would have a shiny certificate framed on my wall. I would be teaching lectures in the finest educational institutions in the English-speaking world. Why limit myself? That’s what translators are for.

If I want to talk myself out of doing something and pluck some sort of justification for it out of the ether, I can do it. But the problem with having this kind of skill is that it is utterly USELESS. Worse than useless it is downright destructive.

We are naturally lazy, pleasure-seeking creatures. Wanting to get out of doing something we don’t find easy or immediately pleasurable is part of our DNA (I am not a scientist). If you are going to be successful at changing your lifestyle and achieve your goals, you need to find a way to override excuses. Shut them down at the source. I’ve already discussed my favourite things to tell myself as a sort of mind-hack to get myself into the gym. You need to find what things hit home for you.

HOWEVER - in this world of bullshit excuses there are a few EXCEPTIONS that need to be heeded. Yes, there are some valid reasons to skip a workout or two.

Injury
Injuries happen, especially when you over-train. If you’ve been injured and your doctor tells you to rest, rest. [That about does it for the painfully obvious portion of the explanation.] If your injury is minor and localized enough, AND your doctor oks it, you may be able to modify your workouts and continue to get your sweat on in a way that will still allow you to properly heal.

Illness
If you are sick, the last thing your body needs is to be put through its paces and use up the last of its remaining desperately depleted resources. Stay at home for the love of kale. Nobody at your gym wants to be assaulted with the germ wave miasma you will leave behind on anything you touch or breathe on. Do us all a favour and skip that workout to get healthy. As soon as you get a clean bill of health – get back in there! Don’t let this temporary setback derail your program. Ease back into it as soon as possible and continue being awesome.

Exhaustion

Maybe your body is having trouble adjusting to all the extra calorie-burning you are doing, or maybe you are really gung-ho and have become addicted to that amazing post-workout high. Either way you are tired. Mind-numbingly, soul-crushingly tired. A change in routine can often mess with your sleep patterns on top of everything. Being absolutely exhausted is a common result of beginning a new lifestyle. We all get a little burned-out sometimes and need a rest. The key is in being able to recognize when you are truly exhausted from life and need a temporary break, and when you are just feeling peaky and not in the mood for a sweat-session. There could be something completely unrelated at work here as well. It would not be unwise to consult a doctor if you experience exhaustion. Get your much-needed rest and get back out there when you are ready.

Crisis
Sometimes things catch us completely off-guard and turn our lives upside down. Emergencies at work, at home, with your family, with your dog – hell if it qualifies as an emergency in any way, it is probably worth missing a workout for. Take the time to deal with it. Nothing is more important than your health – mentally and physically. That being said, sometimes when life is really pooping on your sense of well-being there is no better therapy than a good, sweaty workout. Evaluate and act accordingly.

Feat of Strength
Have you just run a marathon? Competed in the Olympics? Pushed a child through your own birth canal? Your body might need a bit of recovery time from this act of super-human bravado. I suggest consulting a medical professional and taking it easy for a bit. Maybe get a massage.

Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity

Let’s have some truth-time. There are times when something truly epic comes along and pushes your regularly scheduled workout to the very bottom of your list of priorities. Along with sticking to a budget, getting to sleep at a decent hour, and drinking responsibly. It has to be unexpected (ergo you could not have planned around it) and it has to be worth it (ie not exfiles re-runs with your roommate). Examples of an unforeseen event just epic enough to skip your workout for include but are not limited to:

* Your favourite celebrity sighted at the pub doing karaoke
* Best friend surprises you with free trip to Fiji
* Impromptu street party with free beer and Pearl Jam
* Monster snowstorm and freshly waxed snowboard

I think you get the idea. Now, you might get a free pass for the event itself but as soon as you sober up and can locate your runners, get ye back to the gym.

Feeding Off Success

Miracle of Miracles! You have done what you should and updated your lifestyle by adopting a reasonably healthy diet and workout regime! You are beginning to see results! Huzzah! That feeling of warmth and accomplishment, boost of confidence and can-do attitude are the delicious fruits of your dedication and labour. Congratulations! You deserve this. I bet you are getting compliments, regular pats on the back and feel absolutely wonderful. Good! Use that! Hold onto it and squeeze it into a pocket-sized ball of magic and ecstasy that you can carry around with you everywhere you go and use it to inspire expanding on your goals and continuing on the road to success.

Alas, you have begun the journey to a new, better, healthier, all-around spicier you. You have learned what in my opinion are the biggest stumbling blocks you could experience and you can employ work-arounds, hacks flat out self-manipulation to get the job done. Get out there and make some magic! 

Tune in next time for Part 3

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By phyatt with No comments

Getting Past Arrested Development: How I Stuck to My Fitness Resolution *And You Can TOO!* Part 1

It’s another new year!  Happy 2014! And with the changing of the year, comes the inevitable tidal wave of resolutions. This is the time of year for professing vows of positive change! “I will quit smoking!” “I will save money!” And the always popular “I will lose weight!” The gyms are banking on it.

Making resolutions is a great idea. I am a strong advocate of constant self-improvement. We are none of us close to perfect and it is within our power to do things to make our lives healthier, wealthier, smarter…better! So making a list of resolutions is fabulous  -  in concept.

Time for some real talk. How likely are we to be successful at achieving these goals? For years I kept a diary. Several years in a row I would write a list of my New Year’s Resolutions - things I was motivated to change in my life ranging from “Drink More Water” to “Learn Gaelic”. When I look back through the lists I can count on one hand how many I completed successfully. I did learn to drink more water but it was on my list 2 years in a row.

I looked up New Year’s Resolutions on Wikipedia and I quote:

“A 2007 study by Richard Wiseman University of Bristol involving 3,000 people showed that 88% of those who set New Year resolutions fail,^[7] despite the fact that 52% of the study's participants were confident of success at the beginning.”

Damn that’s depressing.

But I didn’t write this article to make you want to rip up your list and go back to eating Oreos for breakfast. Achieving a resolution, especially a fitness one, is not just a matter of wishing, writing it down and feeling inspired. It’s about reaching a point where you are ready and determined to change your lifestyle. For years my goals were facing Arrested Development. And in the spirit of that genius, gut-busting, glorious show let me tell you how I finally got there.

Determination VS Motivation

One of the genius touches in Arrested Development is the ring of truth in each gleefully satirical, ridiculous character. Most of us can identify with having someone in their life passing off unsubtle criticism as caring advice.

“I don’t criticize you! And if you’re worried about criticism, sometimes a diet is the best defense.”

Lucille is always quick to remind Lindsay, what others think of you and your own body image can provide the motivation to prompt you to want to change. But I’ve found that this type of motivation alone is not enough to get my bum in the gym every morning, or launch lasting improvements in my lifestyle. I’ve often felt down and out on myself because of how I think others see me, or how I see myself. Having a tough time buttoning up those once perfect-fitting jeans can create a cocktail of self-loathing and angry-motivation. But frustration-motivation, or frustrivation, (you’re welcome, world) rarely leads to fixing the problem. Negative attitudes don’t create results. Even being “inspired” by seeing others reach their goals and positive motivation will only take you so far. Motivation can be a stepping stone for getting on the right path, but it needs a heavy dose of determination to get you off the ground.

I tried for ages to get myself into a gym routine and on a cleaner diet, and although I had a strong dose of the frustrivation, I just couldn’t stick to my guns. I would easily get discouraged and irrationally justify going back to my old habits. My problem was that although I had some motivation, I just didn’t have the determination.

Motivation is – the reason to act in a certain way; inducement, cause, impetus

Determination is - the act of coming to a decision or of fixing or settling a purpose

I was in an almost constant state of motivation. Not liking the way I looked and felt, seeing others be strong, healthy and successful - these were everyday experiences. It was enough to get me to turn away sweets some days and go to the gym on occasion. It was enough to make me choose “low fat” products in grocery stores but not to make everyday good decisions, and crucially – not enough to get results.

The real change waited until I found my determination.

How I Got There

To make a long story short, I had been living so long with this unhappiness about my weight that it was affecting my relationship, my social life, my sleep, my energy, and ultimately my health. Long had I had the motivation – now it was time to find the determination. It’s hard for me to help you get there. It’s an Aha moment where you reach a stage beyond frustrivation and the feeling is so strong you are able to make a definitive decision - and that decision lights a fire under your ass that will make you do crazy things like stop what you’re doing, put on some ill-fitting jogging pants and go immediately to the gym. And then keep doing that every day.

End Game

In order for any goal to be successfully met it needs to be measurable. This allows you to concoct a plan, follow through, reassess it and ultimately reach that goal. This is what I learned in Marketing 101. But it holds true. Your resolution might be “I will lose weight” or “I will gain muscle” or “I will run faster” but your goal needs to be “I will lose 10lbs by my sister’s wedding” or “I will gain 10lbs of muscle by the time I leave for Muscle Beach” or “I will be able to run from here to my supersecret bunker in less than 30 seconds before the coming of the Zombie Apocalypse”

So while my desire was to say goodbye to those love-handles, nothing much was happening for me until my end game goal looked more like “lose X lbs by X date”. By making it measurable I was making it easier to track my progress which was super duper good for keeping me on track. Alternatively, it let me know when I needed to tweak my routine when I was stalled.

The Plan

Alright, so I finally had a measurable goal. Surprisingly, (or not, depending on how cynical you are in day to day life) this is where a lot of resolutions come to die. The desire is there, the motivation and the goal, but the plan remains vague, unfulfilled or non-existent.

Again, this is where I had failed many times. A vague plan is hard to realize, so my “plan” to go to the gym “a few times/week” and “eat better” was doomed to fail from the start. A non-plan like this inevitably results in lackluster performance and leaves way to much wiggle-room to slack off. I found myself making gym check-ins once/week, or maybe twice/week or not at all. I was eating a healthy breakfast and lunch and eating pub food for dinner - some weeks doing a lot, others very little. You get the idea. I found – surprise! – just as my goal had to be specific, so did my plan, in order to see any results.

What DID work for me was to do my research, find out what was most practical for me in terms of what I could stick to, and what would get me to my goal. This included scheduled gym sessions and tracking my diet on *Sparkpeople.com. Determination plays a strong part in this.

Then I wrote it down. I kept it with me. It was practically carved in stone.

Now to put this plan in motion.

Stay tuned for part 2 

*Sparkpeople is a wonderful website that provides a meal tracking tool. You can input everything you eat in a day and it gives you a breakdown of how much fat, calories, fibre, protein…etc you are getting. You set goals and get lots of guidance and support along the way. Tracking my diet this way for a few weeks helped me get to know what I actually SHOULD be eating. Highly recommend.

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By phyatt with No comments

Top 10 Most Misunderstood Christmas Song Lyrics

Ah, Christmas carols. Every year the same tunes bless us with their overwhelming presence, getting lodged firmly in our collective brains until sometime mid-July. And though many brave souls have attempted (successfully or not) to add to them over the years with more modern entries, most of the songs you’ll hear this season hark from the days of yore. While tradition is great and everything, not everything stays entrenched in our collective psyches as well as an unbearably catchy ditty. And so it has come to pass that there are a few interesting, often mistaken, commonly misunderstood lyrics in our favourite seasonal melodies. In fact, the situation is so common that there is even a term for misunderstood lyrics. So when you hear your friend hum along about a “proud young virgin” you can call them on their…wait for it… “ mondegreen”.

Santa's tired of this bullshit!

Tis the season to hear Christmas carols everywhere you go, 24hrs a day, for the weeks on end until every shopper drops, bank account drains, and belt pops. Whether you revel in belting out the omnipresent, undeniably catchy tunes from October to January, or cringe at the very jingle of a bell, these songs will be a big part of your life for the next few weeks. Best to get those lyrics nailed down eh?

1. Good King Wenceslas

Pick up thy rolls before I toss ye in yon snowbank

The Confusion: Who was King Wenceslas?

Why do we sing a carol about a King no one has heard of or can pronounce? Just who was this King Wenceslas anyway?

Well, this traditional carol was written in its current form in 1852 by a gentleman named John Jason Neale. The popularity and endurance of the song is owed largely to its catchy melody that was lifted directly from a 13^th century Easter carol (yes Easter carols were a thing) rhapsodizing about the coming of spring.
So Neale decides to write about “King Wenceslas” (can be pronounced Wens-ess-loz or Wensless to make things more confusing) who is based on the historical 10^th century Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia. In life Wenceslaus was a noble, not a king, who was known for being a charitable fellow after several legendary biographies were written after his death. “Good King Wenceslas” was based on the legend that he would awake in the night and bring alms to the poor. He was posthumously elevated to kingly status by the Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I because why not, and declared a saint for good measure.

2. Here WeCome A-Wassailing

Wassailing tip: bring cups or instruments that can be used as cups

The Confusion: How does one go Wassailing?

The simple answer is wassailing = caroling. To go into more detail, wassailing is an ancient tradition most likely dating back to Anglo-Saxon times when people would go door to door singing Christmas carols. The term "wassail" derives from the Saxon toast of "Wæs þu hæl" meaning “Be thou hale” or “Be in good health”. In old middle English this was said "waes hael". In the middle ages wassailing was done on Twelfth Night when peasants would visit their feudal lords and sing in exchange for charitable giving. Perhaps dropping King Wenceslas's name wouldn't hurt.

3 & 4. Jingle Bells

Upsot indeed

The Confusion: Why do Bells on Bobtails ring
Bonus! How does one get Upsot?

Jingle Bells 2^nd verse: The horse was lean and lank 

Misfortune seemed his lot

We got into a drifted bank

And then we got "upsot"

Jingle Bells; what a delightful old carol full of whimsy, getting hammered and falling on your arse. If you’ve ever taken the time to sing and/or take in the full 4 verses of Jingle Bells you’ll know that it is about taking a fast-paced sleigh ride with your lady friend, getting quite drunk in the process, falling down a lot and getting laughed at by passers-by.

The second verse features the above line about driving a malnourished horse into a snow bank and getting "upsot" which is an obscure, olden times past-participle of “upset” AND/OR a popular slang term for being duly inebriated.

Jingle Bells 4^th verse: Just get a bobtailed bay 

Two forty as his speed

Hitch him to an open sleigh

And crack! you'll take the lead

You may have assumed (rightly so) that a bobtailed bay is a type of horse. Indeed - "Bobtail" refers to the method of tying or cutting the horse’s pony tail so that it doesn't get caught in the harness. A sleigh being pulled through the snow made very little noise so bells would be attached to the harness to avoid collisions with other sleighs at blind intersections. Hence, "bells on bobtails ring". Hope that clears it up for you.

"Two forty as his speed" refers to a mile in 2 minutes 40 seconds while trotting. This is considered an excellent speed, therefore suggesting the horse is of good quality. In case you were wondering.

5. Silent Night

Soon

The Confusion: What's going on with the Virgin? Round young virgin? Proud young virgin?

This is a simple case of olden day language and modern day laziness. The confusion comes from this line:

Silent night, holy night/All is calm, all is bright/'Round yon virgin mother and child.

It means, my friends, that all is calm and all is bright AROUND YON (yonder….ok, yonder: at some distance in the direction indicated) virgin, mother and child (that’s Jesus!). Yes, old English is tricky.

6. We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Yum! A steaming pile of figgy pudding!

The Confusion: Tell us about this supposedly delicious 'Figgy Pudding'

Arguably the most fun part to sing in this Christmas carol staple is the verse demanding “figgy pudding” at threat of a sit-in.

O Bring us some figgy pudding

O Bring us some figgy pudding

O Bring us some figgy pudding

And bring it right here

And we won’t go until we’ve got some

We won’t go until we’ve got some

We won’t go until we’ve got some

And bring it right here

Not a good lesson in manners.

Figgy pudding was an early version of the ever-present Christmas cake or Christmas pudding that was flavoured mainly with figs. It can be baked, steamed, boiled or fried and looks just as tasty as the stuff you can break your teeth on every year. Earliest references to figgy pudding date back to 16^th century England. Mmmm figgy.

7. Walking in a Winter Wonderland

I'm legally qualified!

The Confusion: Who on earth is Parson Brown?

In the meadow we can build a snowman, then pretend that he is Parson Brown.

He'll say 'Are You Married?' We'll say 'No man,

but you can do the job while you're in town!'

The explanation for this is simple, really. The characters in the song have built a snowman, pretended it was a traveling clergyman and decided to spontaneously get hitched. Just your average snow day.

When “Walking in aWinter Wonderland” was written, back in 1934, it was common for Protestant ministers to travel from town to town to perform wedding ceremonies and other religious services in rural areas where they did not have a local minister or “parson”, as they were then called. Brown was inserted as a common last name. Thus, Parson Brown, the travelling clergyman made of snow – equipped to declare those crazy kids hitched.

8 & 9. The 12 Days of Christmas

9 and 10 are hosting this year's office party

The Confusion: Why would I want Turtle Doves? Calling Birds? Or a Partridge in a Pear Tree for that matter?

OK, so what gives here? Why would my true love give me all these birds I’d never heard of over a 12 day period?

“The 12 Days of Christmas” has been suggested to be full of symbolism and meaning. I could go on for pages on the significance of all 12 gifts but I’m thinking at this point you've been awfully patient to stay with me this far into the article. Let’s keep it simple and start with the 12 days thing. For the uninitiated, Christmas was traditionally celebrated over a period of 12 days, beginning with Christmas day, Dec 25, and ending on January 7 or “Twelfth Night”, ergo, one gift per day.

So why would someone give me two turtle doves? Turtle doves, a species found in most parts of the world, have evolved to embody devoted love. They form strong pair bonds and have a mournful call that is considered romantic. Crucially, they are featured in the bible, a pair of them being sacrificed for the birth of Jesus. Two turtle doves it is.

These two turtle doves are currently not speaking to each other

That true love of mine also gives me 4 Calling Birds or is it Colly Birds? The original version of the song, written in 1780, features 4 Colly Birds as the fourth. Colly being an archaic way to say black – referring to soot or grime like coal dust. The Colly Bird the song refers to is the common blackbird. Over time “colly birds” has morphed to “calling birds” because that just makes more sense to our modern-time brains.

So what is the significance of a partridge in a pear tree? No one knows.

10. Auld Lang Syne

Friends Forever!

The Confusion: Auld Lang Huh?

With lyrics taken from a poem written on old Scots by legendary Scottish poet Robbie Burns, it’s no wonder this New Year’s Eve favourite is one of the most gleefully misunderstood songs in the Carol books. It could be argued that part of the charm of Auld Lang Syne is the fact that it’s sang with such (often inebriated) gusto.  As people give themselves over to the general sentiment of the song, the words in particular are of little importance. However, for the curious let’s do a bit of translating.

So what/who/where is Auld Lang Syne? The Scots words translate into English literally as “old long since” or as you would say “long, long ago” or “once upon a time”. Alright, that part of the mystery solved, what are we really singing about? Well you might have gotten the feeling, being that the song is sang rather emotionally at the turn of the new year, at funerals and other rites of passage, that the song is about honouring the good old days and remembering  every “auld acquaintance”. Sometimes the sentiment of a song speaks louder than it’s confusing misheard Scottish lyrics.

The main part of the song we sing today goes like this:

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

The complete original lyrics and their translations / modifications can be found here: Auld Lang Syne

So raise your glass and impress your acquaintances, young and old, with your now-extensive knowledge of the obscure, archaic and wonderfully misunderstood Christmas Carols we sing today.

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By phyatt with No comments

Copywriters: Disappearing into Obscurity or More Relevant than Ever?

Image courtesy of Just2Shutter freedigitalphotos.net

For better or worse the glamorous days of the cocktail swilling, designer suit wearing, fast talking Madison Avenue copywriters are behind us. Copywriters, in the classic sense, are a dying breed. The position of the traditional copywriter is being eclipsed by a newer, more technical model with all sorts of bells and whistles.

The term “Copywriter” doesn’t cover the simple definition it used to. It is now used as a blanket term that covers writers inhabiting a wide range of specialties and skills.  

Types of copywriter job titles include:

Online Article Copywriting, SEO Copywriting, Website Copywriting, Copywriting for Publishers, Agency Copywriter, and Freelance Copywriter

Let’s talk about the different breeds that exist today:

Traditional Copywriter
-includes Copywriting for Publishers, Agency Copywriter

The traditional copywriters of today are an updated version of that Mad Men creature we love. They usually work for creative agencies in a collaborative environment, attending client and strategy meetings, coming out with a creative brief and working closely with art directors and other creatives.  Brainstorming, scribbling furiously, writing, rewriting, “killing your darlings” and writing again - a typical day for a traditional copywriter. They are coming up with ingenious slogans, copy for print ads, radio, television, and increasingly digital and interactive media. Today’s traditional copywriters are using a lot more analytical and market research to reach their audience. Cocktails may still occasionally be on the menu, but hashing out ideas over a quick coffee is more the order of the day.

SEO Copywriter (or Content Writer)
-Often employed in-house or contracted out directly for businesses
-Includes Website Copywriting, often Freelance

Digital, mobile, social media, web, all of these shiny new(ish) elements of marketing strategy involve a hefty amount of Search Engine Optimization. SEO has become so relevant and important to the success of online marketing that possessing that skill set has skyrocketed in demand. SEO copywriters have the ability to create content so engaging that people want to share it, promote it and link to it. This has become vital in search engine ranking, driving traffic to websites, and ultimately establishing trust and reputation with potential clients. SEO copywriters are the new whiz kids and there is an element of what they do permeating every form of copywriting. You may recognize them sitting in a dark corner of a coffee shop muttering about “keyword density”, “adwords”, “gizmos” , “indexing”, “linking”, “spiders”, “splogs” and “widgets”….etc

Content Strategist

-Shiny new term for do-it-all copywriters, often employed by agencies or in-house directly for businesses
-includes elements of SEO Copywriting, Website Copywriting, Online Article Copywriting and Traditional Copywriting

Strangely enough, this type of copywriter doesn’t necessarily do that much writing. While many content strategists do produce their own copy, the main facet of a content strategist position is that of strategist. Surprise! They come up with the action plan for the copy being produced for a project. They do keyword searches, set key phrases and linking, and may then hand that over to a copywriter to do the actual writing. Often they come from a copywriting background and have a track record of expertise in crafting compelling, shareable content packed with well-researched keywords. These experts are in demand.

The Need for Words

Just like the advertising/marketing world itself, the role of copywriters is ever evolving. The value of strategic, creative, well-written copy will never be lost in obscurity. It will continue to be relevant as long as the written word is a key form of human communication. But the position of a copywriter will morph and adapt to the new media as it comes. Today’s copywriters have the ability and the necessity to be more hands on with the strategy, using analytic research more than ever and applying the principles of good SEO. Fear not! Copywriters will continue to be an integral part of marketing world for many, many years to come.

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By phyatt with 1 comment

Social Media’s Impact on Marketing

The use of social media has become ubiquitous in business strategy, incorporated in marketing plans from multinational corporations to mom & pop doughnut shops. It has gotten to the point that if your business doesn’t have a social media presence it seems suspect, a sign that you don’t have the resources or are simply behind the times.

For a marketing vehicle to get this kind of universal implementation, it must change the very face of marketing itself. So how can we define social media’s impact on marketing?

Here are the Top 4 Ways Social Media has Impacted Marketing

Immediate Data

Data has always been at the centre of marketing decisions, but with the birth of social media marketers have more information than ever at the tips of their fingers. Targeting has never been easier or more efficient with the abilities many platforms provide to choose their audience based on a multitude of demographics. Hyper-targeting is allowing businesses to reach their clients in a way that was never available before without expensive, time consuming market research. Marketers are spending less money in traditional media like print, not because print is losing relevancy, but because it is less efficient than social media.

Tracking the results of a campaign has become a lot easier as well. With social media the numbers roll in while you watch, monitoring and measuring reactions in real time.

The 2-Sided Conversation

Social media’s interactive nature has allowed businesses to reach their audience in a completely interactive way, creating a valuable (though not without its pitfalls) back-and-forth.  For the first time companies have been able to create a real dialogue, eliminating the middlemen and speaking directly to their audience. This gives businesses new options to speak not only through a well-strategized corporate representative, but directly from the employees, the experts and other customers. Marketers can now take the time to nurture new leads before directly selling to them - what a wonderful opportunity to build relevancy in a new way. Hearing a brand’s story from “real people” like front-line employees creates trust. Add to that some great, well-placed content to build a reputation that the skeptical consumer of today can relate to.

Shifting from Interruption to Inbound

The way that consumers are hearing marketing messages has largely shifted from interruption (tv commercials, pop-ups, spam) to inbound (videos, blogging, webinars, content marketing). This means the audience has increased control over what they see, when & where. Truly effective marketing has begun to evolve from specific campaign talking points to a brand-aligned conversation that is not always about products. For marketers to make a valuable impact it is vital to adjust their messaging to fit mobile formats, providing quick hits of info in smaller, more bite-sized pieces.

The New Marketing Category

The popularity of social media has in essence created the new category of DIGITAL MARKETING, a genre buzz word that covers marketing and advertising using mobile devices and digital media. In reality what has been created is a new set of platforms to reach the audience.  What marketers should really look at is how social media has changed the way we should categorize marketing strategies. Social media has a hand in several categories including advertising, customer communications and public relations. Digital marketing is not something to be tacked on to a campaign; it should be integrated. The ability to reach people instantly, optimally, and interactively has the potential to magnify the impact of the message if properly integrated.

The Song Remains the Same

At the end of the day, the heart of marketing hasn’t changed. Messaging content needs to stay creative, clever, entertaining and ultimately engaging to the audience. Businesses need to reach the right people at the right time in the right places and have something to say. All the old tactics are there – simply updated using increasingly efficient tools and technology. At the end of the day no matter how flashy and fun a new mobile platform may be, if the return on investment isn’t there, it’s back to the drawing board.

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By phyatt with No comments

Your $50,000 Starbucks Habit. Make Your Own Coffee and Retire Early?

I was recently sent this article on Forbes.com that I read in a feverish frenzy. Retiring young seems completely unattainable for my generation. For recent grads - those nearing 30, the idea of retiring someday is itself a miracle that only a few of us will achieve. And that has a lot to do with our spend-happy culture and our need for everyday luxuries. The real brain-blaster in all this is the fact that not only is this spending NOT making us happy, but it is probably contributing to being less happy in the future.

The figures brought to attention in this article may make your jaw hit the floor. Do you realize that seemingly small weekly Starbucks expenditure contributes to tens of thousands of dollars/decade?! This eye-opening interview gives us a starkly realistic view on holding debt and spending needlessly. And what we're missing out on. What a lot of this early retirement stuff boils down to is your grandmother's banal advice "a penny saved is a penny earned"

Yep, you better read this! 

How Mr. Money Mustache Retired at Age 30 and How You Can Too

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By phyatt with No comments

Paper Books Still Alive and Well

Here's a great article explaining how the struggling publishing industry will survive to see another day. A great, comforting read for those of us who love books in their traditional form, and especially for those who dream of someday getting published. 

http://www.salon.com/2013/03/21/books_arent_dead_yet/

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By phyatt with No comments