Magic Trick

I got an email from Structural Graphics offering me a chance to win an Ipad. You can enter too at www.makemymagic.com.

Here's what they have to say:

Tip #1: It's not about you, your product or service, it's about the recipient of your marketing message. Replace headlines and copy that focus on your company, product or service, and rewrite them to focus on the benefits that the recipient will receive.

Tip # 2: Add credibility by employing a buckslip or lift note. Brand marketers too often consider these additions to a direct mail package as unwanted waste and/or additional clutter. When done correctly, they add value and often make or break whether or not the recipient responds or not.

Tip # 3: Measure your campaigns. A recent AMA survey found nearly 54 percent of marketers said they did not have a formal response rate or ROI tracking system. Measure your campaigns by including multiple tracking mechanisms such as campaign specific toll free numbers, landing pages, personal URL’s, e-mail links and response cards.

Tip # 4: Stand Out! We face an estimated 2904 daily media messages. Studies say we may remember 52 of them… but only 4 of them will imprint a favorable impression. High-impact designs will capture your prospects' attention, visually communicate your message and evoke an emotional response. Since actions and pictures both speak louder than words, high-impact media is sure to help your message stand out from the clutter.

Tip # 5: Combine Marketing Mediums to improve campaign effectiveness. According to a PODI study, well executed multi-channel marketing campaigns generate a sales lift of 7-34% versus traditional marketing approaches. Combine relevant images and messages with direct mail, e-mail and intelligent landing pages to increase response rates, learn more about your customers and prospects and provide relevant follow up information.

Lights My Inspire

Back in '08, I featured Decor8 as one of my most favorite blogs. Three years later it still is. Holly Becker rocks and is now testing the waters in book publishing with DECORATE.

Follow her, read her and buy her. Way to go Holly!

Lifehacker's Flickr Pic:

I love having an organized office (not so much at home, but I digress...) and these pictures make my heart smile:

New Widget

Wow, I am so lovin' www.viralblog.com. So much so, that I added a widget below. Check it out, its well worth the time investment. They have won several awards and is a must read for anyone in the marketing industry, no matter who you are speaking to.

Check 'em out and pass it on:

OM Needs You!

We are up to our eye balls in RSS feeds this month at Organized Manager. There is so much good stuff out there; and we are SO worried we'll miss something. Hence the reason for the beautiful poll to the right. Please take a moment and vote. I will publish the results soon.

So, are you buried in mass blog articles as well? (And yes, this is a blog article, ha!)

By the way, I made this poll free at Micropoll.

Dropbox Rocks!

Dropbox is an online storage system that offers its users 2GB of free space. Myself and many others swear to its usability. I highly recommend you checking this out; immediately. Dropbox will be releasing an iphone app very shortly and this app alone may convince me to purchase one. (finally)

So the reason for the post is the message I received from them this morning:

The Dropbox team has been hard at work these past few months and we'd like to tell you about some upcoming changes and enhancements to the Dropbox service.

We're Changing Undo History
Did you know that Dropbox automatically:

• Safeguards any files you delete in case you need to undelete them
• Saves old file versions in case you need to go back to them later

It's like having "undo" for all your files and folders.

Today, Dropbox keeps these deleted files and old file versions ("undo history") forever. For many people this creates clutter, and it also wastes space.

Because of this, beginning August 1st, our new policy will be to keep 30 days of undo history. If you'd like to have unlimited undo history, then you need to upgrade to one of our paid accounts.

While this feature has been a fantastic safety net, I understand the eClutter it can create!

Open Source Project Management Tool

Anyone interested in getting their eClutter (mails, calendars, tasks, etc.) must check this out. This is a "web office suite" mashed up and created by its users. The forums are fantastic and the activity is constant and current.

I have friends using this currently and are very pleased with it; especially those that call themselves developers. My major beef with it: it must be downloaded.

Using Twitter to get you organized and informed.

By now you have at least heard the somewhat awkward term "Twitter". It took me about six months to finally cave in and sign up, and that was last summer. Just in the past two months or so, have I found that it is one of the most useful tools out there. I am in love with Twitter, and it just keeps getting better. Actually Twitter is still the same, it's the third party developments that keep expanding Twitter's influence and capabilities.

I like information to be short, simple and current. So needless to say, my introduction to Twitter was not simple and left me very frustrated. My first experience with a third party "handler" of Twitter was Twitterfox. This worked well for me due to my short list of follows and therefore its sporadic pop up in my browser was not distracting. Back then I followed a mere 10 people and it was more of an open chat circle from my perspective. However, the more people I followed, the more annoying Twitterfox became. That's when my friend Peter Cook introduce me to an application called TweetDeck.

Both Twitterfox and Tweetdeck are free applications. Download them and dive in.

Here's how I use Twitter to keep me organized and informed:

1. Groups within Tweetdeck. With Groups, I have organized my follows into these categories: Facebook Statuses, News, Entertainment, Designers, Organizers, Friends and Replies. Tweetdeck is a stand alone application that can always be running in the background. Now first thing in the morning, I grab my coffee and open up Tweetdeck. Here I get to see what's up with my friends, the news (local and world), weather and what really cool famous people are up to.

Here are some follows I think you would benefit from: @cnnbrk, @TWCi (search your cities weather in "find people" search bar on your twitter page.) @heraldleader (I am in Lexington, KY), @uncluttertips, @clutterdiet, @hungrygirl, @jimmyfallon, @theofficenbc, @rainnwilson, @TheEllenShow


2. Twittercal. The first step is setting up a gmail account and from there you can begin a new calendar. Once that is set up you need to follow @gcal and allow it to follow you back. Using this you can now add appointments directly to your Google calendar. I take this one step further and sync my Google calendar to my iCal (calendar used with the MacOS), thus reducing my need to go directly my browser to see what's going on with my day/week/month. Additionally I use Google Sync with my Blackberry; bringing my appointments not only to my computer but also to my handheld device.

Here are a couple of articles that really helped wrap my brain around this tool and its "handlers".

Lifehacker: http://lifehacker.com/280837/add-events-to-gcal-and-why-twitter-may-boost-productivity-yet

Mashable: http://mashable.com/2007/07/16/twittercal/

A thorough how-to-guide: http://www.yourbloghelper.com/2009/01/26/how-to-use-tweetdeck/

A Patient Process: Featured at Cre8tiveGroup.com

This month I was able to share some insights on bringing process into the work place. The blog was written to prepare you to take on the undertaking, not on a specific process. Stayed tuned for more posts on this subject.

Click here and pass it on:

The Reason for My Absence: Blog of the Month

During the winter months I tend to abandon my "things to do" and take on other people's. Actually, I do this all year, however, I've just ended a long stint at getting nothing done.

Here's where Lorie Marrero of the Clutter Diet has helped me refocus. Check out her January 31st blog post : Overdoers Anonymous

A must read for my fellow freelancers

Check out what Michelle Goodman says about:

Working For Nothing

We have the same idea when it comes to "free time". Respect yourself people!

OM's "Blog" of the Month: Recourses

Recourses is the home of David Baker, a thought leader in the advertising/design management sector. This site provides an incredible amount of free resources on best practices your firm can start using today. Baker provides insight and practical information that works. I use this site regularly and I am continually referring my peers to it. I encourage you to visit and sign up for his newsletter today.

If you want proof his theories work, feel free to email me at angie@organizedmanager.com

Just Trust; A gateway to a successful process.

Do you trust the process? Could you?

Most business types I encounter don't have a process to trust. No wonder the world is stressed out and overworked.

I must reiterate that I say "most". I think as human nature, we want to react to the situation at hand and just "git-r-done". Adopting a process can be the smartest thing your company can do, even if your company is small.

In order for your business to establish its own process a series of steps must take place.

1. Getting the right people in the right place.

2. Establishing that person's role in the "right place". (See ARCI)

3. TRUST

The third step is the hardest step in ensuring a successful process. Once step one and two have been accomplished, the third step should fall in place; this is rarely the case. So many of us believe we can do it the best. Even the best delegators still find themselves emotionally connected to the task "given" away.
Take a look at the Dictionary.com definition of the word:

Trust

1.	reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence.

2.	confident expectation of something; hope.

Can you trust? Maybe not the "process", but how about the person? If it is the person that you can not trust, you must do yourself a favor and evaluate the reason. The first step in creating the process is getting the right person, period. It must start there.

A page for everything...

It feels like Christmas morning for me today. I stumbled upon the site I've needed for more than six months. Its www.printablepaper.net, and the best resource for all types of note taking needs. Here's two situations that I can think of where this would have been an ideal site to have:

1. My favorite way to take notes in a meeting: Cornell Notes

2. When I was searching my office for graph paper, a coworker offered to whip some up in Illustrator for me. With this new bookmark the problem is solved!

OM's Blog of the Month - decor8

Most of you know that I was crafted out of a creative mound of clay. I began my career pursuit specifically in graphic design and crossed over into the business world. Honestly, I could not be happier.

However, I love great design. What I love more is great design that allows us to breathe and think. The blog of the month, decor8, directs us well to find just that. I could spend hours at this site, and the selections in its blogroll.

Enjoy, my friends, and thanks decor8!

Breaking Apart the ARCI - C

Consulted -

1. To seek advice or information of
2. To exchange views; confer.
Dictionary.com

Within the ARCI model this seems to be one of the most widely used roles. Because we work within a community structure and our world is creative, it is important for us to exchange ideas as much as possible. That of course, could be considered the pro, but must also be seen as a con. If there are too many ideas being exchanged and too many people being sought out for an opinion and stop gap is inevitable and very painful. This role is important and must be reasonable.

In referring to our garbage analogy, who is consulted is not as clear. As it is in most households, Mom is never simply "told" what is going on. Mom may have a better idea on how to most effectively get the trash collected around the house. (And, she WILL have an opinion) So, in other words, Dad would consult with Mom on his plan and ask her for an opinion. This is two-way communication, and the true definition of the Consulted role of the ARCI.

Breaking Apart the ARCI -A

Accountable -

"1. subject to the obligation to report, explain, or justify something; responsible; answerable.
2. capable of being explained; explicable; explainable."Dictionary.com

Within our ARCI structure, the accountable is listed first for a reason. "A" is where the finger points or, more accordingly, where the point of tensions either begin or end.

This is feeling somewhat negative to me, so let me shine some light: Being accountable is rewarding and challenging. Knowing who is doing what, when, how and why is everything the A is aware of and part of. Within the ARCI, there is no guessing. Everyone falls into place on the chart and is well aware that conflict is on its way before those without an ARCI would.

In our analogy of the "garbage day", Dad is accountable.

OM's Blog of the Week (or Month)

Its called Unclutterer, and its perfect.

I read it daily and it is just the right size. Some of my RSS feeds pile on oodles of posts, to which most I won't read, yet Unclutterer gives me just a few with very direct titles. On the site the categories are filtered very accurately, with an abundance to choose from. I have gained so much from reading this blog. See below for my favorite post to date:

"I had a conversation with Intern Julia the other day over lunch that has stayed with me. During the conversation, she talked about how college forces many students to live with very few possessions. That a dorm room can only hold a limited number of things and most kids survive on a couple dollars a day.

I thought about my own experience, and she was right. I had a lot of fun in college even though I didn’t have much money or much stuff. I have a few more responsibilities now, but not many. I had a part-time job, 18 hours of course work most semesters, and a car. Now, I have a full-time job, no classes, a spouse, a house, and a car. The list isn’t drastically different, but I have acquired significantly more stuff since college.

I’ve made a sign and hung it above my desk that reads “Simple living frees you to simply live.” I need it to help me remember that it isn’t stuff that makes me happy, but the people and experiences I choose to bring into my life. Thank you, Intern Julia, for reminding me of this valuable fact." June 10, 2008

And thank you, Unclutterer, for this very simple yet powerful post.

The Perfect Whiteboard

Finally! This search spans over many months, and it is now over. I was browsing my Bed Bath and Beyond circular and my world instantly brightened. (I know that it seems dramatic, but its true.)
Even better news, they are only $9.99, plus there was a $5 coupon on the back of the circular.

Is it my birthday? It sure feels like it!

Breaking Apart the RACI - R

Responsible -

"chargeable with being the author, cause, or occasion of something" Dictionary.com

Responsible is listed first in the RACI chart with the understanding that the "do-er" is where the heat lies. However, at Cre8tive Group, we have collectively decided that A (accountable) is where most of the tension is present. (I mean, being held accountable for someone else's work is tough business!)

Therefore, from this point on I will refer to this as ARCI, accordingly.

Those tagged with R are the ones that are doing the job (or task at hand). For Example: In your household, Tuesday is garbage night. Dad is the one that takes the cans down to the curb, and he has asked that the kids collect the trash from various locations in the home. He tells Mom what he has delegated and then tells the kids that he is taking the cans down at 7pm.

The kids are responsible.