Web Copy Specialist

You can’t be sick and write well…at least not for long.

Oh, you think you can? Think again. You need your health. It’s not just something that’s nice to have around. It’s the core essential to any job you do or any career you have.

Now put down that diet cola and repeat after me…I want to be healthy. ( I want to be healthy) I need to be healthy (are you repeating after me?) If I’m not healthy, I’m no good to anyone. (say it…it’s true) And if I’m healthy, I can overcome obstacles in my mind, body, and work.

OK. Do you believe it?

Well…believe it. Chew on this. You eat fast food everyday. You don’t exercise. You definitely don’t drink enough water, and even when you’re drinking it, it’s mixed with tea or coffee. And you think you can take your little one-a-day so-called vitamins and keep the bad times away.

Wrong.

You gotta stay well. People are depending on you to do your best. And when you’re constantly reaching for a tissue to honk your nose…or running for an umpteenth bathroom break…how much good work are you getting done? Have you seen a recent commercial where the guy doesn’t know how to get dressed or make breakfast or even get in his car? Turns out he gave up smoking, and he’s having to re-learn how to do everything without a cigarette in his hand.

Don’t be like that guy. Stay well. Be well. Start now. Be happy. Grin. It’s good for you. And you’ll keep your mind free to think up all kinds of things to write about.

It just worked for me.

I’m ready to listen,

Tags: be happy, be well, overcome obstacles, write well

I remember way back when…when I was going to school in Pasadena, Texas. Our house was near a paper mill, not far from refineries, and the air and water looked and smelled awful.

I’m putting it mildly.

That was quite some time ago, and we’ve learned a lot about where we should and shouldn’t throw our waste products since then. We still need to improve, but at least we’re aware and working on it. However; something you may not be as aware of is how toxic and polluted your everyday products are…and how toxic and polluted you may be. Sorry…it’s weird but true.

You may be going along day-to-day thinking you’re doing your part for the environment, and yet you don’t realize what you’re doing to yourself. Your soft drinks, water, condiments, cookies, meats, and just about everything else you consume are found in plastic containers nowadays. Research is really starting to show how the pollutants in the plastic are leaching into the products they contain.

And that means they’re getting into you, too.

Do you live in a house with carpet on the floor. More evidence shows carpets contain adhesives which give off toxic emissions. Still want to roll around on the floor?

OK…so you jump up from the floor, and as you’re leaning on the wall eyeing your carpet, think about this. Is your wall covered in paint loaded with high level VOC’s? (volatile organic compounds) Is the paint free from heavy metals? (cadmium or lead) Even if it doesn’t have these substances, it could still have formaldehyde, ammonia, acetone, or odor-masking agents.

Your daily exposure to all these toxins and pollutants can be detrimental. Don’t get me wrong. You may not be at risk, and you may have a great genetic make up which helps keep you immune to the effects of this type of environment. Then again…why just risk it? Why not clean up your personal environment? You won’t be of any good to any environmental issues if you’re too sick to care.

My recommendations are simple. Get back to basics…

• Move around more…in the sunshine and fresh air
• Drink plenty of water…and please, not out of plastic bottles…filtered water (more on that another time)
• Eat sensibly…don’t make this complicated. Remember what your Grandmother told you…start there.
• Use glass; not plastic
• Stay away from aluminum…containers and cookware
• Make your own cleaning products…it’s easy, safer, and they smell great!

That’s enough for now, but remember it like this…

Be Basic…Be Better

I’m ready to listen,

Tags: carpet, heavy metals, plastic containers, toxic emissions, VOC's, waste products

There’s no good reason why direct response, direct marketing, and creative can’t all be great pieces of the same successful pie. Well…maybe one reason is a bias for or against one of these areas. Other than that; it’s a beautiful thing to see companies who “get it” with their marketing…especially online.

I’m always curious why a business doesn’t see the benefit and/or potential of reaching a consumer through the “ear-gate” and the “eye-gate”. Not just one or the other. For example…some of the most memorable ads of the 20th century were jingles. Little tunes that stuck in your head, and the words were easy to remember, too. Talk about building a brand.

The following Podcasts include an interview about this very subject. Click on the one that says:

“DMNews’ executive editor Sharon Goldman chats with G2 creative director Holly Pavlika about the role of creative in DM; the challenges of developing creative based on driving ROI; and how DM is changing.”

Talk to me…I’m ready to listen,

Tags: jingles, marketing, memorable ads