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Literature / 5 Ways An Author Blog Could Kill Your Writing (and What To Do Instead) by TRWConsult(m): 10:54pm On Jul 12, 2023
Writers: There is a a good chance you don’t need an author blog.

Static author websites are great, and you’d be crazy not to have one. But starting an author blog is a different (and often tragic) story.

In fact, your author blog might even kill your writing. There are hundreds of authors who started blogs, churned out posts for a year, and let it come to a dead stop.

Why? Because they realized it wasn’t worth the effort.

I’ll show you the five major reasons an author blog can be bad for your writing (with examples). We’ll cover some other, better audience-building methods to focus on instead.

And, since I’m a complete hypocrite and I run my own author blog, I’ll show you the one and only reason you might want to start one anyway.

Ready? Let’s save your writing…

1. Blogging Will Steal Your Valuable Writing Time
Literature / How To Free-write by TRWConsult(m): 10:41pm On Jul 12, 2023
Do you have trouble writing? Did you choose a topic or idea to develop, but now you find yourself stuck? Try free writing! This exercise is used by writers to gather their thoughts and ideas before they begin a document, with the result being an endless, non-punctuated, and free-flowing paragraph that will be immensely helpful in the preliminary writing process.

Doing Your Own Free-writes

1. Set a timer or use the clock on your computer screen.
Give yourself 5 to 10 minutes to write continuously. This is so you get going and write quickly. Spend the time writing, not worrying about the time.
2. Select a topic for your free writing.
If you have chosen to do focused free writing, write this topic at the top of your page. If you just wish to write without a topic, go ahead without one. You may be surprised at what you write even on days when you begin with “I can’t think of anything to write here.”
3. Start your timer.
4. Write down whatever comes to mind.It can be in relation to your topic if you have one or if you are doing unfocused free writing because you are trying to come up with an idea or topic, just write down every random thought that crosses your mind as quickly as possible.
5. Continue writing until the designated time has run out.Do not stop until that point.

Do not pay attention to grammar or typos.
If there are any incomplete sentences or misspelled words, do not worry. Just keep going.
If you run into a dead end or draw a blank, keep writing the same word or phrase over and over again until something else pops into your mind. One idea is to take a quick glance around the room and choose one object to describe.
When the time has run out, look over what you have written and circle or underline ideas that you like or that you think that might be useful for your project.
Group your marked ideas and phrases and decide where they lead you in your writing process.

Use online tools such as 420fables.com to make free-writing a regular part of your daily writing discipline.

Begin your rough draft. If you have enough to start your paper or document, then begin working on your rough draft. If you do not have enough ideas, free write for another session, or try another informal invention technique such as brainstorming or mind mapping.


Credit:
Wikihow
Business / Rebrand Your Business Without Losing Your Audience by TRWConsult(m): 2:09pm On Jul 10, 2023
The rebrand of your business can take many forms, from picking a new name to implementing a new business model. While these changes are taking place, businesses must still work to connect and communicate with customers.

Is it possible to rebrand a business without losing your audience and disappointing current customers? Five business owners shared their tips on how to make it all work.

Know why you are rebranding.
A rebrand is a major undertaking, involving your marketing, web presence, client list, employees and mission. The process is more likely to succeed if you have compelling reasons for the change.

David Black, head of marketing and customer support for Retire Ready Solutions, helped guide his company through a rebrand that involved both a major name change and a refocusing of services. In their case, a rebrand was necessary to encourage growth and clarify their services. However, if that’s not the case for your business, he said, rebranding could do more harm than good.

“If it isn’t essential, there may be easier ways to grow your business,” said Black. “If [your] company is leaning toward rebranding, make sure to think through everything that will be affected and consider the time, expense, and work that will need to go into it and whether the [return on investment] will justify the expense and effort.”

When Rod Hughes, the vice president of Kimball Hughes Public Relations, helped oversee the company’s rebrand from Kimball Communications, he worked hard to communicate that the change was primarily about earning and maintaining their clients’ trust.

“I became an owner [and] partner in the business in 2016, and we wanted clients to understand when they worked with me, they were working with a decision-maker for the business,” said Hughes. “Our agency president, Gary Kimball, plans to retire in 2020, and we felt it was important to our existing clients, as well as prospective clients, to see a continuity of leadership and a long-term transition plan for management of the agency.”

Don’t commit to a rebrand without clear, strategic, customer-centered reasons. And once you do, make sure customers know exactly what those reasons are if you want to maintain their loyalty.

Have a comprehensive strategy before you start.
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Literature / Dedication And Willingness To Be Terrible: How Ishiguro Won The Nobel by TRWConsult(m): 1:54pm On Jul 10, 2023
Kazuo Ishiguro wrote the bulk of The Remains of the Day in four weeks. All it took was extreme dedication—and a willingness to be terrible.

In the way the sculpture or carpentry is a craft, writing is a craft. There is art, lifestyle, and romance to it. Writers don’t just jumble words on blank pages; writing is a mix of discipline, dedication, a staring into the abyss of the subconscious, and a unison with the supernatural. Like a worker of clay, writers mash words, and are themselves mashed and caked in the clay of the art.

Writing is a delicious work, but it is for the most part simply work. It’s often lonely. It’s rarely romantic. “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect,” Anaïs Nin said.

Writing is refreshing and exciting, and it is also a public service. Writers of literature are public servants in that they use their stage not just to celebrate literature but to also put the creation of literature in its place – of mirroring the society. And it’s especially refreshing when writers at the highest levels of the field do that. One of them has been Kazuo Ishiguro, the British novelist and the latest winner of the Nobel Prize.

On Thursday, 5th October 2017 the Nobel Committee announced Ishiguro as its 2017 laureate for literature. The Committee noted in its citation, that came in part because the author, “in novels of great emotional force, has uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world.”
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Literature / Why Should Authors Care About Digital Marketing? by TRWConsult(m): 11:29am On Jul 10, 2023
One of the biggest challenges for independent authors is getting their book in front of readers. There are millions of books published every year, and unless you’re very famous independently of your book, odds are that you’re nervous about how to get people interested. That’s where digital marketing comes in. You’ve probably heard this term before, especially as you travel down the road of independent publishing. You’re probably asking questions like: What does digital marketing entail? How does it get books in front of readers? And how could it work for me?

Digital marketing is simply getting your book information in front of Internet consumers, typically in the form of online advertising. So why should you develop a digital marketing strategy?

People Are Online
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Literature / 6 Terrific Tips To Writing A Gripping Horror Story by TRWConsult(m): 6:28pm On Jul 06, 2023
This guide to how to write a horror story covers the basics — a basic understanding of the definition of horror and common elements of horror fiction gives a good foundation on what is needed to write a gripping horror story. These tips can be applied to evoke an intense feeling in your readers, even if you don’t exclusively write horror.

The word ‘horror’ means ‘an intense feeling of fear, shock or disgust’ (Oxford English Dictionary). The word comes from the Latin horrere, meaning ‘to tremble or shudder’.

5 common elements of the best horror stories
The best horror stories share at least five elements in common:

1. They explore ‘malevolent’ or ‘wicked’ characters, deeds or phenomena.
2. They arouse feelings of fear, shock or disgust as well as the sense of the uncanny – things are not what they seem. There is a heightened sense of the unknown and/or mysterious.
3. They are intense (as the dictionary definition reminds us). Horror books convey intense emotion, mood, tone and environments. Together, these produce the sense that everything is charged with ominous possibility.
4. They contain scary and/or shocking and scintillating plot twists and story reveals (unlike episodes of the cartoon Scooby Doo, in which the bad guys are typically conniving realtors dressed as paranormal beings – ghosts, werewolves). In horror the ghosts and werewolves are very, very real.
5. They immerse readers in the macabre. Horror tends to deal with morbid situations, from repetitive cycles of violence to death-related uncanny scenarios. Zombies march, vampires make you join their legion, or (in subtler scenarios) long-dead friends or relations pay unexpected visits.

How do you write a horror story or novel like Stephen King, Clive Barker or (looking further back in the genre’s history) Edgar Allan Poe? Start with these six tips:
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Literature / 5 Facts About Publishing That Could Change Your Writing Career by TRWConsult(m): 6:19pm On Jul 06, 2023
I hear people tell me all the time they want to write a book. But wanting and doing aren’t the same, are they? It’s time to shed the myths about book publishing and start facing the facts. If you’re one of those eight in 10 people dreaming of writing a book, this might change everything for you.

What if everything you’ve heard was wrong?

We’ve all heard the old wives’ tales and urban legends about what it takes to get a book contract or hit the best sellers list. We’ve been subjected to silly little formulas and hype about how to go from “writer” status to author.

And we’ve all been duped.

I’m not here to tell you everything you know about publishing is wrong. But I can tell you for five years I believed a lot of lies that kept my writing career from taking off. Here’s what I believed:

“I can do this on my own.”

“All it takes is a good message.”

“Once I land the contract, the publisher will do all the work.”

“Media attention =best seller.”

“Once I’m published, I’m all set.”

Turns out, none of those were true. And for the longest time, I resisted acknowledging this, because I was scared of doing the work. But when I finally succumbed to the truth, it set me free.

Maybe it will for you, too.

Fact #1: You need an agent
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Business / 3 Essentials For A Successful Brand Diversification Strategy by TRWConsult(m): 6:08pm On Jul 06, 2023
In an attempt to expand their market size and invigorate their brand, many firms take a shot at diversifying their brand. ‘Brand diversification’ commonly refers to a process of launching a new product in a new market, as seen in Ansoff’s Growth Matrix; examples of such strategy are the McCafe, Nike’s golfing collection, IBM’s business intelligence & analytics, and UberEATS.

Some cases are more extreme; for instance, Amazon Studios. Most people would agree that there is little connection between ecommerce and movie production.

Typically, firms choose to diversify to utilize their current brand equity, leverage current know-how, gain economies of scale, or simply to become its own supplier.
McCafe is an example of using current brand equity to gain success in another area. McDonald’s is known for its cheap prices, consistent quality, and efficient operations, all of which can be used in a café as well. Essentially, they’re just altering the menu items, while delivering the same experience.
IBM’s move into business intelligence and analytics is an example of a firm using its current know-how (and partially its brand equity, too) for obtaining success in a new market. IBM has delivered corporate technology for decades, and have proved to be quite good at what they do, which they then take into a new market — with great results.

#1: Stay True to Yourself
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Business / The 5 Best Strategies To Win Back Lost Customers For Your Enterprise by TRWConsult(m): 1:29pm On Jul 05, 2023
Think of them as your customers—even when they’re heading out the door. That’s the ideal approach when a customer lapses. Churn is built into every business model, but just because churn is expected doesn’t mean it has to be accepted.

Today’s customer-centered economy means every customer should feel your product is built around their needs. After investing time and effort into helping your customer through the onboarding and adoption phase, it can be discouraging to see them leave.

You don’t have to give up on your customers, though. There are several strategies to win back lost customers that can rekindle your relationship and retain the investment you made in their success.

Why Did They Churn?
Every cancellation is an opportunity to learn more about how customers experience your business and how you can improve your customer success efforts. Viewed this way, customer churn can provide valuable insight for customer success teams.

Many factors can contribute to churn, but generally, customer cancellations are driven by the following motivations:
1. Your service has not provided sufficient value.
2. Your customer needs to reduce costs.
3. Your solution is no longer needed.
4. Your service wasn’t fully adopted.
5. There was poor visibility into the value your product provided.
6. Your customer changed key personnel.
7. Cheaper or trendier alternatives become available.

Many of these motivations can be matters of perception. If your customers say your service isn’t returning value, for instance, the real problem may lie in the way you educate and engage with your customer. The good news is that improved communication and targeted campaigns are the best weapons at your disposal when trying to win back a lapsed customer.

The 5 Best Strategies to Win Back Lost Customers
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Literature / 6 Ways To Make More Money With Your Book by TRWConsult(m): 1:18pm On Jul 05, 2023
A lot of authors want to write a book, sell it and make millions of money, but in reality, it doesn’t always work that way. The royalty you get from books can be so small that it might even be hard to break even on the money you spent in publishing your book. However, it doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways you can make money from your book. There are – and we are glad to share it with you.

These are the six ways to make more money with your book.
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Literature / How A Strong Character Arc Can Make Readers Love Your Protagonist by TRWConsult(m): 1:07pm On Jul 05, 2023
Rags-to-riches stories result in the most common dramatic character arcs. But the best character arcs result in inner change, not just changes in circumstance.

Novel readers love it when a protagonist dramatically transforms from Page One to The End.

What is Character Arc?
Simply how your lead character moves from his status quo to become heroic.

That doesn’t mean he [and I use he inclusively to mean he or she] has to become a comic book superhero. It just means he develops new muscles by facing every obstacle — and failing until his predicament ultimately appears hopeless.

He develops skills and strength along the way, attempting overcome all these obstacles, until in the end he’s become a different person and can finally succeed.

The more challenges your main character faces the better. Bestselling novelist Dean Koontz recommends “plunging your character into terrible trouble ASAP.”

You’ll be tempted to show mercy on him. Don’t! Only the toughest challenges force your character to become heroic.

A Classic Example of Character Arc
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Business / The 3 Stages Of Social Media Marketing For Events by TRWConsult(m): 11:06am On Jul 04, 2023
Social media revolutionized the way people experience events. From promoting concerts to organizing protest marches to simply throwing a party, social media platforms are important tools for communicating and mobilizing people.

For nonprofits, social media marketing is now an instrumental part of growing an event. And while social media is often thought of as in-the-moment and spontaneous, effective social media marketing requires forethought. When planning a social media campaign for your nonprofit event, it helps to break it down into phases. Read on to learn about the three phases of social media event promotion and how to succeed every step of the way.

Social Media Marketing: How to Handle Your Event Promotion
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Literature / Writing The First Chapter Of Your Manuscript by TRWConsult(m): 10:51am On Jul 04, 2023
Although we often have our story already fully crafted in our head, it is always still difficult writing the first chapter. Writers, emerging and veteran writers inclusive experience troubleshooting when it comes to creating a compelling first page capable of hooking the readers. Though hook sentences play a major role, they are however not enough to grip the reader throughout the first chapter. Readers need to be engaged with stakes that would make them commit and get equally immersed with the book. If you’re finding it difficult to write the first chapter of your manuscript, here are some tips to get you started.
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Literature / Step By Step Guide To Write Content Better And Faster by TRWConsult(m): 10:16am On Jul 04, 2023
If you are a writer, you might already have written various types of content or you might be starting now.

An expert writer will have no trouble creating blogs, guest posts, articles, eBooks, digital newsletters, brochures, flyers, promotional emails, and other types of content.

Anyone would break out in a cold sweat considering the volume of work that writers are expected to complete each day.

Additionally, even as a freelancer, it can occasionally be challenging to come up with ideas for a project and see it through to completion.

This overwhelming sensation causes writers to procrastinate because it makes them feel stressed and overwhelmed.

That situation has happened to all of us.

But do not worry; we will provide you with some advice on this blog on how to enhance and perfect your writing abilities as well as organize your work with the aid of proper tools.

Here Is a Step-By-Step Guide to Writing Better Content in a Faster Way
There are many uses for content writing, but marketing and business use is where it is most frequently employed.

Its goal is to inspire and educate readers while promoting and/or selling a range of goods, services, and knowledge.

Here’s how to write content better – and faster too:
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Business / 7 Steps For An Effective Social Media Marketing Plan by TRWConsult(m): 10:38am On Jul 03, 2023
Social media is a vital marketing channel for businesses of all sizes. The common question a few years ago, “why should our business use social media?”, is now being replaced with, “how can our business grow with social media marketing?”.

As a social media marketer, this makes me very excited. What doesn’t make me excited is how many businesses are still trying to market on social media without a documented strategy. In this post, you will learn the seven steps your business must take to create an effective social media marketing strategy.
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Literature / How To Stem Book Piracy Using The Lean Principle by TRWConsult(m): 10:30am On Jul 03, 2023
Book piracy is the biggest obstacle for publishing firms across the globe. Book piracy is described as an illegal and illegitimate reproduction of other people’s intellectual property for economic reasons, without prior consent or authorization. Forms of book piracy include local reproduction of fast-moving titles using newsprints or textured paper, abuse of publication rights, hi-tech reproduction overseas, circumventing the e-book version, illegal reprography, unauthorized or excessive production by printers, and translation without permission.

The effect of this illegal act is not limited only to the destruction it brings to the image and profits of the publishers, but also the immensity of economic, educational and intellectual losses it brings upon any country. Thus, book piracy is a crime that must be fought from multilateral fronts: from government, publishers, authors, marketers and other stakeholders. Since authors and publishers work more closely in the publication process, this article shares tips about the lean principle in fighting book piracy and bringing it to the barest minimum
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Literature / Professional Writing: How To Ace Writing In The Second Person Narrative by TRWConsult(m): 10:20am On Jul 03, 2023
Writing in the second person narrative means speaking to the audience from the perspective of a second person (other than yourself). What this means is that the writing will have a conversational feel to it, like you are interacting or speaking directly to another person.

Because of the conversational feel of second person narrative, this style is used less often in novels and short stories. Conversely, it is one of the most commonly used perspectives in songs and poetry. However, it is in business and technical writing that the second person narrative really shines.

Give Me a You!
When writing in the second person narrative, it is all about the pronoun “you.”

First, let’s cover the word “you” from a grammatical perspective. “You” is a really flexible pronoun. Generally, pronouns are either subjective (i.e., subject of the sentence), or objective (i.e., the object of the sentence). Here are a couple of examples:

You light up my life.

Here, “you” is clearly the subject of the sentence where “life” is the object.

I can’t live without you.

However in this sentence, “I” is the subject and “you” is the object. Sounds like “you” is also the object of someone’s affections. (Let’s hear it for love!) Also, unlike most pronouns, “you” can be either singular or plural.

You take the trash out.
I love all of you.

As you can see, “you” is singular in the first sentence and plural in the second. That is one flexible pronoun!

Isn’t It Romantic?
One great thing about the second person narrative is that it draws the reader or listener into the dialogue. It’s inclusive. It makes the reader a part of the action. Second person narrative does a better job of this than first person and a much better job than the third person. Let’s look at poetry for example.

You are my heart and my life.

Gives you goosebumps, doesn’t it? You are the object of this affection so you feel like you’re part of that relationship.

Now let’s change the sentence to a first-person narrative.

I see you as my heart and my life.

See? Not as many goosebumps. It’s a little more formal because it is coming from another person’s perspective. It is still romantic but the sentiment loses some power.

How about third-person perspective?

He saw her as his heart and his life.

Yeah, there are no goosies at all in this one. And if they are, it is from a distance. The action is happening to someone else, and while the reader may feel empathy and warm fuzzies for whoever the “her” in the sentence is, they still feel like they are on the outside looking in. Nothing is directed toward the reader so it’s not as personal.

If you think about it, the same could be said for music. How many love songs have been written to “you”? I don’t know for certain, but I’d guess the number is in the millions! And that is because—by writing the song about “you”—it puts the listener in the position of the one being loved, so they tend to feel it more. They can relate to the song as if a person (probably someone they know) is singing the song to them.

Examples of Second Person Narrative
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Literature / Do You Really Need That "Very" by TRWConsult(m): 10:33pm On Jul 01, 2023
As both adjective and adverb, the word very is appropriate in many contexts, but when prefixed to a strong word like chaotic, it weakens the expression.

Very has its place in numerous useful idioms:


That lamp is the very thing for my new end table!

Private car ownership is all very well, but billions of cars take a toll on the planet.

–Do you like me? –Very much so!

This is the very last size six they have in the store.

–Private Jones, bring me my rifle. –Very good, Sir!


A phrase associated with Elvis Presley is, “Thank you very much.”

The word very derives from Latin verus, “true,” and in some contexts, it can still mean true in English:

“She’s the very epitome of class.”

“That’s the very truth, so help me.” (literally, the “true truth.”)


The use of very becomes questionable when it’s slapped indiscriminately onto adjectives that don’t need it.

With throwaway adjectives like good, bad, and nice, adding a very does no harm; it may even contribute a little meaning to mostly meaningless words. But with expressive adjectives like gory, heartbroken, and chaotic, adding a very has the effect of diminishing their power.

Here are examples of precise and powerful adjectives being vitiated by the unnecessary use of very:


The growth of the receipts has been very phenomenal.

I have a very stupefying headache today.

This guy committed very, very heinous crimes.

The man became very disconsolate after his wife’s death.

A child’s death leaves the mother very heartbroken.

All of these adjectives–phenomenal, stupefying, heinous, disconsolate, and heartbroken–already convey intensity of meaning:

phenomenal: (in this context) marvelous, extraordinary, fantastic.

stupefying: numbing, deadening.

heinous: hateful, odious; highly criminal or wicked; infamous, atrocious.

disconsolate: of a person: lacking consolation or comfort; forlorn, inconsolable.

heartbroken: overwhelmed with anguish, despair, or grief.

And, the adjective that prompted this post:

chaotic: utterly confused or disordered. (In Greek myth, Chaos is the “formless void” from which the universe came: earth, air, sky, water–all are mixed up and without order.)

Very has its uses, but next time you are tempted to put it in front of an adjective like overwhelming, you might want to reconsider.


**

Maeve Maddox
Business / 4 Reasons Why You Must Build An Email List by TRWConsult(m): 10:27pm On Jul 01, 2023
In a world where social media plays an important role in marketing, business owners often forget to build an email list. For some reason, they understand they need to be on social channels, but when I ask them about email lists they are lost.

Here’s where the problem comes in. You need to build an email list if you want to make it in business and there are several reasons why you should.

You don’t own social media.
Just last week, Facebook announced that it was doling out yet another algorithm change. In this change, Facebook said it would be prioritizing content from personal pages on newsfeeds (among other things).

This means business owners who don’t have the money for pay to play are up the creek without a paddle. It’s hard enough to get attention for free on business pages, now it will be practically impossible.

This is just one example of how you don’t own social media. Twitter and Instagram can make changes whenever they want as well. About a year ago, Pinterest was working great for me and then the algorithm change killed me.

So if you don’t want to get killed every time a social media company decides to make a change, build an email list. Even when you use social media, use it in a way that helps you build an email list by letting people know they can join one.
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Business / How To Put Together A Marketing Plan For Your Book by TRWConsult(m): 10:19pm On Jul 01, 2023
If you are an author, then one of your goals in writing is probably to make sales and you most likely will if you have friends and family who are willing to buy your book.

But if you want to have large sales for your book, then it is important that you draw up a marketing plan. This is because having a marketing plan will help organize your sales strategies for professional review, help you save your time when marketing your book and it will also help you clearly define your goals. Now, your marketing plan doesn’t have to be very lengthy, it can be something you jot down in your note book or it could be something you write down on a word document page on your system, depending on what makes you feel comfortable.

So, here is a guide on how to put together a marketing plan for your book.
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Business / 5 Tips To Improve Your Marketing Mix by TRWConsult(m): 1:13pm On Jun 28, 2023
It’s not about one marketing piece, it’s about the whole thing. To be effective, your business needs a presence both offline and online. It needs to use print and digital marketing tools. It needs both advertising (paid) and publicity (free). It’s the marketing mix that gets and keeps your company message “out there” in front of your target audience.

Here are five marketing mix tips to seriously consider and implement:
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Literature / Sharing Our Writing Doesn't Have To Be Scary by TRWConsult(m): 1:03pm On Jun 28, 2023
I started writing less than 8 months ago and I’m almost certain that it shows.

I see places in my writing where my sentences aren’t as precise as I’d like them to be, where my phrasing makes the entire meaning of a sentence unclear.

I do what I can to fix these issues. I keep ironing out these rudimentary mistakes in editing with the hope that I won’t make them next time.

No matter how hard I try to keep them from popping up, they do. To me, these slight flaws reek of immaturity, of naivete, of even corniness.

For the writer to feel dissatisfied with their own writing is natural. It’s common knowledge that beginning artists can identify great art but have challenges creating it.

But making it in the modern digital writing economy revolves around getting as many views as possible. Getting these views means marketing. And marketing means putting your work everywhere it can fit.

These forces create a predicament for many writers. They have to share their work everywhere, every day to make money, build a following, or even get freelance work.

But what if they don’t believe in what they’re putting out into the world?
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Literature / Tips For Academic Writing And Other Formal Writing by TRWConsult(m): 12:14pm On Jun 28, 2023
Rules for formal writing are quite strict, though often unstated. Formal writing is used in academic and scientific settings whenever you want to convey your ideas to a wide audience, with many possible backgrounds and assumptions. Unlike casual conversation or emails to friends, formal writing needs to be clear, unambiguous, literal, and well structured.

General Guidelines
Let’s start with some general information about what your writing should look like.

Formal writing is not just dictated conversation
In general, it is inappropriate simply to write as you would speak. In conversation, the listener can ask for clarification or elaboration easily, and thus the speaker can use imprecise language, ramble from topic to topic freely, and so on. Formal writing must instead stand on its own, conveying the author’s thesis clearly through words alone. As a result, formal writing requires substantial effort to construct meaningful sentences, paragraphs, and arguments relevant to a well-defined thesis. The best formal writing will be difficult to write but very easy to read. The author’s time and effort spent on writing will be repaid with the time and effort saved by the (many) readers.

Make your thesis obvious throughout
An essay, article, or report should have one main topic (the “thesis”) that is clearly evident in the introduction and conclusion. Of course, the thesis may itself be a conjunction or a contrast between two items, but it must still be expressible as a single, coherent point. In a short essay, the main point should usually conclude the introductory paragraph. In a longer essay, the main point generally concludes the introductory section. The reader should never be in any doubt about what your thesis is; whenever you think it might not be absolutely obvious, remind the reader again.
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Literature / 6 Tips For World Building In Your Fantasy by TRWConsult(m): 4:34pm On Jun 27, 2023
Because of my love of world building, I’ve always been drawn to the fantasy genre and knew I wanted to try writing a fantasy. But I found out very quickly that crafting a breathing, living world isn’t as easy as reading about one. Suddenly, I needed to know how long it would take to get from one city to the next on horseback. And how long could a horse travel at top speed in a day anyway? When the main character got to that next town, what does the architecture look like? What’s the hierarchy of authority?

It occurred to me then that I wasn’t just building a world where the main character lives, I was building a world where thousands of people exist. If I wanted to make my fantasy feel real, then I was going to have to understand what was going on beyond my main character’s point of view.

With that in mind, here are a few tips I’ve learned to help craft realistic fantasy worlds. Read more...
Business / The Seven Most Common Email Marketing Mistakes by TRWConsult(m): 4:25pm On Jun 27, 2023
1. Unsolicited messages (but you don’t believe they are)
Are you absolutely sure that you have your customers’ consent to send them a specific message? If you send a commercial message to customers (or prospects) who did not subscribe to receive such messages from you in a direct and verifiable way (i.e. they received a subscription confirmation request and confirmed the subscription), you are sending SPAM. It doesn’t matter if you believe it isn’t, or if you think that the recipients will definitely be interested in what you are about to tell them. Don’t do it. It will negatively impact your reputation, the perception and respectability of your brand, the deliverability of future messages (as users will complain), and – of course – the effectiveness of the message itself.

Some businesses send spam because they believe it has a positive return on the investment. Apart from being illegal, unsolicited messages typically have a minuscule return on the investment. Responsible and well-managed marketing campaigns – even on small numbers – will deliver a much higher return.

2. Sending without testing
It’s a jungle of desktop- and Web-based email software out there! That said, many businesses can spot and resolve problems in just a few minutes by testing a message on the most popular email clients (e.g. Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo!, Outlook,…). Make sure links work, images are loaded correctly (once permission has been granted), and there are no grammar and spelling mistakes. Then, focus on how the message is displayed across the different email programs.

For a more in-depth review of the message, you can use a service like Email Analysis.

In terms of testing the results of a campaign – if you are becoming a pro – you can use A/B testing to test variations of the same message on a small portion of the list, and then send the best-performing one.

3. Underestimating subject and sender
Read more
Business / The Dark Side Of Marketing: How Adverts Destroy Businesses by TRWConsult(m): 3:08pm On Jun 23, 2023
Companies focus on the pros of marketing. With the right amount of investment and the correct target audience, you can increase traffic one hundred percent. This will lead to better lead generation and a boost in sales and profits. Usually, this is how bosses think when they consider advertising, but the cons go under the radar.

Yes, being witty and creative and unique can raise brand awareness; however, there is a dark side to the industry which turns off customers. Slip into this category and the firm’s reputation may take a hit from which it can’t come back.

Here’s how adverts destroy businesses and the solutions.

Too Annoying
In the past, shoppers used to have to walk past billboards and fliers before they saw a company’s message. Even if they were everywhere, they were unobtrusive because the advertising was passive. You saw it, but you never had to engage. Today is different thanks to the internet. Now, one click can result in endless pop-up ads which relate to nothing whatsoever. The result is an annoyed and frustrated shopper that would rather leave than continue with the experience.

The solution is simple: think before you accept advertisements. If it’s vital for monetary reasons, then keep it to space on the pages. Avoid pop-ups at all costs.

Not Trustworthy
There are millions of adverts on the Worldwide Web, and all of them look the same. So, it’s difficult to tell which are real and which ones are fakes. As a result, online consumers avoid them like the plague because the risk isn’t worth the reward. Sure, they may get 10% off their next order, but they may give a hacker access to their bank account.

One way to attract attention while being trustworthy is through SEO. www.vistacomm.com shows that shoppers are more likely to click-through on a search engine rather than an ad. So, pleasing Google can lead to a better conversion rate.

They’re Plain Bad
Ads are annoying, but only if they’re bad. It turns out customers don’t have them equally; just the ones which waste their time. www.vieodesign.com puts this into perspective by saying 91% of people are bothered by intrusive ads, 87% by too many of them, and 79% by trackers. However, none of the samples were bothered if the quality was high because it added value.

The obvious thing to do is make sure the marketing effort correlates with the audience beforehand. To do this, set up a focus group and ask for feedback.

Misleading
Also known as click-bait, it’s when a title refers to a search term but redirects them to a different page. As soon as they land and read a few sentences, people tend to bounce. Okay, the traffic rate is high but the conversion rate is way down, and that’s what counts. 15% of all ads trick people into clicking so you can imagine a person’s frustration.

As tempting as it is, you have to avoid clickbait. Be real and genuine because that’s what counts.
Wouldn’t that get you to click on something if the shoe was on the other foot?


Do you and your business need help marketing the right way? [https://trwconsult.com/contact-us/]Contact TRW Consult here.[https://trwconsult.com/contact-us/]

Culled from Open Business Council

Post Tags:
#adverts
#business
#Marketing
Family / Njideka Udochi – The Renaissance Family Physician by TRWConsult(m): 3:09pm On May 08, 2021
Njideka Udochi is an accomplished specialist and healthcare professional with expertise in medical education, epidemiology, pediatrics and emergency medicine. She is recognized as a top primary care doctor in USA and beyond and has featured as a medical expert on doctors’ interviews on CNN, FOX News, CNBC and many others. With numerous medical qualifications, certifications and over 33 years of work experience in her kitty, Njideka is licensed to practice medicine in the United States, and her specialties include family medicine, geriatrics, infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS patient care.

In the wake of her reputed efficiency and uncompromising devotion to her patients, Njideka was announced Baltimore Magazine’s Top Doctor in 2019. Recently too, she was recognized as the Family Physician of the Year 2021 by the Maryland Academy of Family Physicians [MAFP] in Maryland, United States. It is noteworthy that she is the first black female winner of this prestigious award.

She is currently the President of Millennium Health Group, a consortium of multi-specialty physicians committed to providing top-quality healthcare, reducing health disparities, improving access to quality healthcare, and reducing inequalities in the health arena. She is also affiliated to multiple hospitals in the United States, including Ascension St. Agnes Hospital, Baltimore and Howard County General Hospital, amongst others.

Academic Background
Njideka obtained her first degree in Medicine at the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu, in 1989. After this, she proceeded for a master’s degree in Public Health at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She then completed her internship and residency at Holy Cross Family Practice and George Washington University between 1995 and 1998.

In 1999, Njideka successfully pursued a fellowship in geriatric medicine at the George Washington Medical Centre, Washington DC. With a strong belief in the power of continued education, she is currently seeking additional qualifications in Executive MBA as well as Master in Healthcare Leadership [MHS] from Cornell University SC Johnson School of Business and Weill Cornell School of Medicine, respectively.

Work Experience
Njideka began her career in medicine as a house staff physician at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. There, she provided primary care to patients in four medical disciplines: internal medicine, pediatrics, OBGYN [obstetrics and gynecology] and surgery. She assisted in the emergency room care of patients and supervised family planning and STDs clinics. From 1991 to 1993, she served as Research Associate at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, where she focused on childhood immunization study in Baltimore. She also coordinated data collection activities, developed abstraction forms and telephone interview surveys. Additionally, she also trained and supervised staff on medical record abstraction and telephone interviewing techniques whilst also assisting in analyzing data.

In 1993, Njideka became Project Director at the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, where she designed, implemented and assisted in the analysis of data evaluating the State of Maryland’s Personal Care Program. There she also trained and supervised staff and prepared reports of findings for funding agencies and the state.

Between 1994 and 1995, Njideka held the position of Director, Clinical Methods Development at the Center for Health Program Development and Management, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore. A posting she undertook with a mission to enhance the level of care to ailing patients and improve the cost-effectiveness of healthcare. She achieved her goals by developing a screening instrument to identify high-cost Medicaid patients. She also developed training guidelines for screening instruments, oversaw field testing and validation of the tools, identified low-cost interventions and case management options needed for high-cost Medicaid patients. Not stopping there. She also provided medical consultation, clinical direction and oversight of clinical record reviews as well as assisted in the preparation of reports for funding agencies, legislature, research community, as well as national and state organizations.

From 1999 to 2003, Njideka worked as Medical Director of Healthcare for the Homeless (HTH) in Baltimore. In that role, she was responsible for assuring the delivery of quality healthcare to adult and geriatric clients seeking services at the HTH. She also provided clinical leadership to the medical team, whilst recruiting and supervising nurses and physicians, teaching medical students, residents and fellows rotating at HCH. Her remit also included clinical supervision to the operations and management team, implementation and evaluation of program activities, while also developing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). She was also responsible for overseeing the pharmaceutical program at HCH while representing the institution at local, state and national forums.

Furthermore, Njideka took on the role of Medical Director of the Health Education Resource Organization HERO in Baltimore where she put her trademark professionalism to bear in developing, implementing and overseeing the medical clinic providing primary and preventive health services for patients with HIV/AIDS. She also performed supervisory functions and guided all quality assurance activities, combining those with developing and reviewing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with JCAHO measures.

Not stopping there, she also worked as Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantis, Rockville, Maryland, USA, where she attended to children and adults seeking urgent medical problems at Kaiser Permanente urgent care facilities in Maryland and the District of Columbia. She also supervised nurses and physician assistants.

In 2003, Njideka Udochi founded the Millennium Family Practice, Columbia, Maryland a facility that provides primary care services to children, adult and geriatric patients with roots from about 120 countries in a private suburban practice using a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) care model.

In this role, Njideka has worked with over 200,000 patients from Maryland and Washington, DC. She prides herself on providing quality medical healthcare to first-generation immigrants who are new to the United States. She is widely regarded by patients and colleagues alike as a doctor who treats her patients like family. Although an outstanding medical professional in every respect, she also believes in a healing method apart from prescription only. Therefore, she encourages her patients to draw and paint, while she decorates her office with their handcrafted artworks.

Dr Njideka Udochi’s commitment to humanity, exceptional service to her patients and stellar performance as a medical student and practitioner have earned her many awards and recognitions. Notable among them are:

• Federal Government of Nigeria Scholar, 1982-1988
• Resident Teaching Award: George Washington University Hospital, 1999
• Excellence in Teaching Award: George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 1999
• Local Hero Award: Health Care for the Homeless Clinicians Network for dedication and commitment to improving the health and quality of life of homeless people, 2002
• Herbert Macaulay Humanitarian Award: CMS Old Grammar School Americas for dedication in improving the care and health of vulnerable populations in Nigeria and the United States, 2017
• Sheroes Award: Maryland Commission for Women for work in the community, improving access to testing and treatment for entire communities during the Covid-19 pandemic, 2020
• Family Physician of the Year: Maryland Academy of Family Physicians, 2021
• Nigeria Women’s Annual: 100 Leading Women, 2021
• Cornell Students Making a Difference: Weill Cornell School of Medicine for collaborative and innovative work to ident and treat patients with Covid-19, 2021

Licenses, Certifications, Fellowships & Memberships
Njideka is licensed to practice medicine in the United States by the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia. She has also been certified by a significant number of professional bodies; these include:

• 1998 American Board of Family Medicine
• 1999 Pediatric Advanced Life Support
• 1999 Advanced Cardiac Life Support
• 2002 Fellow, American Academy of Family Physicians
• 2003 Certified HIV Specialist American Association of HIV medicine
• 2009 American Association of Disability Analysts
• 2015 Certified Medical Examiner Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
• 2019 National Board of Physicians and Surgeons: Family Medicine

As a further testament to the quality of her work, Njideka has earned the membership of numerous Associations and Professional Societies, namely:

• American Academy of Family Physicians
• Maryland Academy of Family Physicians
• American Medical Women’s Association
• American Association of Physician Leaders
• Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas
• American Association of HIV Medicine
• American Society of Addiction Medicine

Knowledge Transfer
Njideka is purpose-driven with a mission to create a remarkable healthcare system not only for the present but also for the future. For this reason, she has undertaken numerous initiatives where she freely shared knowledge and experience with others in the medical field. Some of these are highlighted below:

1999-2003 Taught medical students from various medical schools in the United States, including the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

1999-2003 Taught residents in the Internal Medicine Program and Medicine/Pediatric Programs at the University of Maryland during monthly ambulatory rotations at HealthCare for the Homeless.

Taught residents from the Harbor Hospital Internal Medicine Program during ambulatory rotations at HealthCare for the Homeless.

Teaching Assistant for Introduction to Clinical Practice to 1st-year Medical students at the University of Maryland Medical School.

2013-Present Preceptor for Nurse Practitioners. Teaching Family Nurse Practitioner students during ambulatory outpatient rotation at the University of Maryland Department of Nursing.

2016 – Present Providing clinical oversight and teaching to medical students in outpatient clinical practice. Overseeing Resident Physicians in Nursing Home at Ross University School of Medicine, Miramar, Florida.

Clinical Instructor/Preceptor, teaching medical students during monthly ambulatory care rotation at George Washington University School of Medicine.

2019-2020 Provided clinical oversight and teaching to medical students in outpatient clinical practice at the Trinity School of Medicine St Vincent and the Grenadines Adjunct Faculty.

Research Capabilities
Njideka has not only demonstrated a history of performance as a top-rated physician, but she is also an adept researcher. For three years, she researched at The Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health in Childhood Immunization Study. During her research, she coordinated data collection activities, developed abstraction forms and telephone interview surveys. She also assisted in the analysis of data collected. Her research was supported by a grant from the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

Following this, she undertook research in Personal Care Study at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, for a year. She designed, implemented and analyzed data collected to evaluate the effectiveness of the State of Maryland’s Personal Care Program. Her research was supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Subsequently, she carried out further research in High Cost User Initiative at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County/D.H.M.H., Baltimore, between 1994 and 1995. She designed and coordinated a study to evaluate healthcare and healthcare expenditures provided to the highest cost patients in the State of Maryland. Her research was supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Publications & Volunteer Work
In pursuit of her mission to advance the medical practice, Njideka has contributed to the existing body of knowledge with several journal publications and presentations to her name. Some of them include Influenza A or Covid 19 Reinfection? Making the Right Diagnosis during the Covid 19 pandemic; Abdominal Pain, a Red Herring for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) A Case Report; Premature Discontinuation of Allergy Immunotherapy-Inadequate Reimbursement by Health Insurers - A Major Factor; Assessment of the effect of Body Position on measurement of peak expiratory flow rate; Primary Care of Covid 19; Covid 19 in Africa (Andach Group WEBINAR); Facts in the Times of Coronavirus (Africa Center Facebook Live) amongst a host of many others.

Njideka has also been actively involved in volunteer works including founding the Central Maryland Equity Vaccine Initiative to save lives. It is a diversity, equity and health promotion targeting under-vaccinated communities for testing and Covid-19 vaccinations. She was also engrossed in her erstwhile role as Education Chair for the Maryland Academy of Family Physicians, whilst she also served as Board Member to Foreign born Information and Referral Network (FIRN).

Current Endeavors
Njideka Udochi seeks to elevate the quality of healthcare delivery worldwide, and this is why as Medical Director and CEO of Millennium Family Practice, she prioritizes providing compassionate and rapid service to all patients. The clinic itself has a wide reputation for providing caring, efficient and affordable healthcare to its patients. Millennium Family Practice is also well known for its diverse, international patients, and equally boasts of richly diverse workforce who can speak over 10 languages. Millennium Family Practice is committed to providing only the very best of medical assistance to all its patients.

Jobs/Vacancies / Job Vacancy by TRWConsult(m): 10:16am On Feb 24, 2021
Job Vacancy: Executive Assistant to the GMD/Founder and the ED

Title
Executive Assistant to the GMD/Founder, and the ED

Reporting Structure
Reporting to the ED

Position Overview
The Executive Assistant will support the day-to-day activities of the GMD/Founder and Chief Operations Officer (ED). The Assistant will also be the primary staff liaison to the Board of Directors and will support the needs of the Board members and the Board committees.

The Assistant must be organized, dedicated, and self-directed, with excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to independently prioritize and multi-task. S/he will have a global awareness and knowledge of cultural differences and business practices. S/he will be comfortable working in a small fast-paced office and interacting with business and international leaders. S/he must be willing to occasionally work long hours and be available to respond to urgent emails or calls from the GMD and ED on weekends or holidays.

Responsibilities & Qualifications
• Executive and Board Support

• Will complete a variety of administrative tasks including managing calendars; arranging travel plans and itineraries; writing and preparing correspondence; coordinating board meeting materials and completing expense reports.

• Will successfully complete critical deliverables with a hands-on proactive approach, including drafting acknowledgement letters, personal correspondence and tasks that leverage the GMD and ED’s time.

• Will prioritize conflicting needs; handle matters expeditiously, proactively, and follow projects to successful completion, often with deadline pressures.

• Will coordinate and ensure the GMD and ED schedules are well planned, followed, and respected. Will provide “gatekeeper” and “gateway” role, enabling win-win situations in interactions with senior leadership.

• Will act as a “barometer,” having a sense of priority of issues as they arise, keeping the GMD and ED updated regularly and whenever necessary. Will accompany GMD and/or ED to special events and meetings, as necessary.
• Will support communications staff as needed (for op-eds and other pieces relevant to the GMD/Founder and ED).

Qualifications
• Strong organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail.

• Strong writing and interpersonal skills including the ability to build relationships with stakeholders, including staff, board members, external partners, and donors.

• Demonstrated proactive approach to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability.

• Emotional and intellectual maturity.

• Resourceful team-player, with the ability to be effective independently.

• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

• Demonstrated ability to achieve high-performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Education and Experience Requirements
• Minimum bachelor’s degree required. Strong background or interest in social justice, education, and/or experience in non-profit work.

• Experience and interest in writing internal and external communications, partnership development, and fundraising documents.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint), Adobe Acrobat, and social media web platforms.

• Minimum of 2 years relevant work experience or comparable combination of education and experience.

Compensation
Commensurate with experience - full benefits package provided.

Other Details
Applicant must reside within the Lekki-Epe axis of Lagos State.

How to Apply
Applicants should submit a résumé and cover letter to jobs@trwconsult.com with “Executive Assistant” and your last name in the subject line.

Only selected applicants will be contacted for interviews. Those applicants will be informed whether or not their application will move forward after the interview. We will be unable to respond to candidates who are not called for interview.

Deadline for Submission of Application is Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Jobs/Vacancies / Re: Vacancy for SEO Expert/Web Administrator by TRWConsult(m): 8:58pm On Dec 24, 2019
Unfortunately, we don't discuss salaries on a public forum, for obvious reasons. But the job is a very rewarding role for someone who appreciates the value of work.
Promotions:
let's hear the salary 1st

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