“Hey, Spaceman!” I was breathing heavy when Jimmy woke me from my daydream. He was sitting in the driver’s seat of the company’s white Ford Ranger. Beads of sweat were dripping down his round, sunburnt face. “Earth to Spaceman!” he said. It was muggy as hell that mid-August day in Northumbria Cemetery. Harry Belmont, the […]
Author Archives: John Gilson
Why You Should Always Aim for the Stars
A few weeks ago, I asked my 5-year-old son what he wanted to be when he grew up. “I want to be an astronaut,” he replied. “I want to visit the moon, planets and stars in my spaceship.” Like many children, my son lives in an exciting world full of potential. He isn’t afraid to […]
“Orange Is the New Black” and the Disruptive Force of Digital Communications
Image source Digital communications has had a profound effect on society. The combined trio of the Internet, social media and mobile technologies has been a democratizing force. These technologies give a megaphone to the masses and provide a formidable counterweight to the media and corporate public relations. The disruptive force of digital communications played an […]
4 Organizational Crises Made Worse because of Poor Communications
This article originally appeared in the May 2017 issue of “Communicator”, the official publication of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Toronto. As communications professionals, we know that a public relations crisis is always around the corner. According to crisis management expert Ian Mitroff, “every organization is virtually guaranteed to experience at least one […]
How to Create a Comprehensive Social Media Strategy in 5 Simple Steps
To be successful in social media communications, you need to be aware of your organization’s brand, goals and target audience. You also need to develop an awesome content strategy, complete with powerful imagery and persuasive messaging. Read more >
Why a Picture Is Worth 2.5 Times More Retweets
You may have heard the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, but did you also know that an image is worth 2.5 times more retweets? According to a study by Buffer, a social media company, tweets with images received 150% more retweets. Browser-friendly elements The results shouldn’t be surprising. Images are one […]
What “The Alchemist” Teaches Us About Goal Setting: 4 Valuable Lessons
In the workplace, having goals gives us and our projects direction. Without goals, we and the organizations we work for become rudderless vessels. If you’re looking for inspiration in your goal-setting efforts, look no further than Paolo Coelho’s perennial bestseller The Alchemist. For those of you not familiar, The Alchemist is the fictional story of […]
How to Create Your Own Email Newsletter From Scratch [Infographic]
Originally published December 15, 2014 No matter what your business, having a professional email newsletter is a fantastic way to engage people. An email newsletter allows you to communicate directly with your target audience, while providing your followers and potential customers with the content they want, whether it be gardening tips, celebrity gossip or political […]
How to Prioritize Your Work Day When Dealing with Competing Projects and Deadlines
For those of us who work in an office environment, prioritizing our daily projects can be difficult task. Last-minute requests seem to fly at us from all corners. Deadlines are always on the horizon. And that’s not even including our day-to-day routines! So how does one prioritize in the middle of the office storm? Consider […]
5 Ideas You Should Consider Before Launching Your Website
Launching a new website can be a Herculean task that requires a lot of time, commitment and some cash. You need to purchase a domain name and hosting service. You also need to create a brand and plan your website’s design/layout. And this is before you get to creating your content and value proposition. What’s […]