Purple Wren

Wordless Wednesday: Creative Weddings

Using visuals to enhance life.

I love the creativity of this couple and their wedding party. It makes me smile and LOL every time I view it. And they have used the response to their video to collect donations for Sheila Wellstone Institute - an organization working to end domestic violence. How have you used visuals?

Cast your vote in the Doodle 4 Google contest

If you're like me, you probably use Google a lot and don't always pay attention to the links on the home page. Yes, the changing designs of the name are neat to watch (like on holidays). It's the strength of the Google brand that allows them to be creative with the look and yet people still know what it represents. I don't always take time to see what's going on though.

To get to my point - for some reason I clicked on this link recently and read about the Doodle 4 Google contest. The contest was open to K-12 students and the challenge was to play with the Google logo and come up with new designs. This year the theme was "What I Wish for the World" and open to U.S. kids.

Go ahead, take a break and see what the kids are thinking about. It's thought-provoking and their art is amazing. And best part is you still have time to cast your vote in the online public vote through May 18. The winning art will be showcased on May 21st.

SOBCon09 is Next Week!

Can you believe it's almost May?

SOBCon is next week. If you're serious about blogging - or want to be - you have to attend this event. Check out all the people who are already signed up. Look at all the opportunities to learn and socialize with other bloggers.

I still am unsure if I can attend. It's been a scary year so far for me and I have not been working as much as I would like. So my reasons for not attending have been based on finances. And then today a fellow blogger, Deb at debworks told me that Naomi from IttyBiz is unable to attend and is giving away tickets. You can be sure I went right over and signed up. And I told Jim about it because he really enjoyed SOBCon08.

I figure "if it's meant to be" we'll get tickets. It was a "meant to be" event that brought Deb and me together just as I am contemplating my future as a blogger.

Time is running out! Sign up today.

I'm sorry Naomi can't make it though. Be sure to check out the IttyBiz blog.

Purple Wren Teams Up with Kelly Moore Consulting

Purple Wren has formed a strategic alliance with Des Moines-based PR consulting firm Kelly Moore Consulting to expand the services offered to communications clients.

After collaborating on a Web and blog development project for a southwest Iowa biodiesel producer, we saw an opportunity to repeat the success for more clients.

With a team of expert writers and new media consultants, Kelly Moore Consulting brings editorial skills to Web development projects. The team helps organize information, writes copy and edits existing documents for online publication. 

The firm focuses on media relations and writing for clients in a range of industries. Other services offered include copy and ghostwriting, Website development, social media consultation, tradeshow support and media training. For more information, visit kellymooreconsulting.com.

Wordless Wednesday: Hoarfrost in Grinnell

St. Paul's Epispocal Church in Grinnell, Iowa.

Photo by James G. Lindberg

 

Office Clutter

Tonight I was searching for a binder with examples of my work to use at a vendor show tomorrow. Funny - finally found it beneath a purple file folder marked "office organizing."

How's your paper clutter situation? I'm determined to get rid of mounds of paper this year.

What Do Frozen Pears Have to Do With the Customer Experience?

I just arrived home to a driveway full of snow that needed shoveling and a box of pears from my favorite fruit supplier. It's a holiday gift we get every year from a much loved relative. Imagine my joy at seeing that little box beside my door - epecially after a major winter storm and being snowed-in at another location.

Unfortunately, the little box was sitting in a couple inches of snow and there were footprints in the unshoveled driveway. The UPS driver left them beside the door and they are now frozen pears that have been sitting out overnight.

I wish I had thought to take a picture...

Would you leave the box of delicate fruit in a snowbank? In my mind it's an example of poor customer service. Next time I hope they leave them with a neighbor. Maybe the drivers have guidelines to follow, but it didn't make much sense to me.

Another example of customer service - this time excellent - is the staff member at Harry and David who assured me they will send out a replacement box at no charge. Can't wait to get them!

Hope we're here next time to receive delivery.

What experiences of customer service - good or bad - have you noticed lately?

It's Official - Age of Conversation 2 is Now Available

Are you ready? After months in the works, Age of Conversation 2 is available for purchase in hardback, paperback and e-book at http://www.lulu.com/ageofconversation.

You have a chance to raise money for a charity (our goal is to raise over $15K for Variety) and hear what authors from 15 countries have to say. It's a collaboration that started in the spring of 2007 when 103 authors created the first book, Age of Conversation. It has raised over $14,000 for Variety, the Children's Charity.

Thanks to Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton, we published again!

Only this time there are 237 authors.

Each author had a limit of one page and 400 words. The topics were

• Manifestos
• Keeping Secrets in the Age of Conversation
• Moving from Conversation to Action?
• The Accidental Marketer
• A New Brand of Creative
• My Marketing Tragedy
• Business Model Evolution
• Life in the Conversation Lane
  

Buy several today! You don't want to miss it.

Here's the final author list.

Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andrew Odom, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock, Angela Maiers, Ann Handley, Anna Farmery, Armando Alves, Arun Rajagopal, Asi Sharabi, Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Bernie Scheffler, Bill Gammell, Bob LeDrew, Brad Shorr, Brandon Murphy, Branislav Peric, Brent Dixon, Brett Macfarlane, Brian Reich, C.C. Chapman, Cam Beck, Casper Willer, Cathleen Rittereiser, Cathryn Hrudicka, Cedric Giorgi, Charles Sipe, Chris Kieff, Chris Cree, Chris Wilson, Christina Kerley (CK), C.B. Whittemore, Chris Brown, Connie Bensen, Connie Reece, Corentin Monot, Craig Wilson, Daniel Honigman, Dan Schawbel, Dan Sitter, Daria Radota Rasmussen, Darren Herman, Dave Davison, David Armano, David Berkowitz, David Koopmans, David Meerman Scott, David Petherick, David Reich, David Weinfeld, David Zinger, Deanna Gernert, Deborah Brown, Dennis Price, Derrick Kwa, Dino Demopoulos, Doug Haslam, Doug Meacham, Doug Mitchell, Douglas Hanna, Douglas Karr, Drew McLellan, Duane Brown, Dustin Jacobsen, Dylan Viner, Ed Brenegar, Ed Cotton, Efrain Mendicuti, Ellen Weber, Eric Peterson, Eric Nehrlich, Ernie Mosteller, Faris Yakob, Fernanda Romano, Francis Anderson, Gareth Kay, Gary Cohen, Gaurav Mishra, Gavin Heaton, Geert Desager, George Jenkins, G. Kofi Annan, G.L. Hoffman, Gianandrea Facchini, Gordon Whitehead, Greg Verdino, Gretel Going & Kathryn Fleming, Hillel Cooperman, Hugh Weber, J. Erik Potter, James Gordon-Macintosh, Jamey Shiels, Jasmin Tragas, Jason Oke, Jay Ehret, Jeanne Dininni, Jeff De Cagna, Jeff Gwynne & Todd Cabral, Jeff Noble, Jeff Wallace, Jennifer Warwick, Jenny Meade, Jeremy Fuksa, Jeremy Heilpern, Jeroen Verkroost, Jessica Hagy, Joanna Young, Joe Pulizzi, John Herrington, John Moore, John Rosen, John Todor, Jon Burg, Jon Swanson, Jonathan Trenn, Jordan Behan, Julie Fleischer, Justin Foster, Karl Turley, Kate Trgovac, Katie Chatfield, Katie Konrath, Kenny Lauer, Keri Willenborg, Kevin Jessop, Kristin Gorski, Lewis Green, Lois Kelly, Lori Magno, Louise Manning, Luc Debaisieux, Mario Vellandi, Mark Blair, Mark Earls, Mark Goren, Mark Hancock, Mark Lewis, Mark McGuinness, Matt Dickman, Matt J. McDonald, Matt Moore, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Michelle Lamar, Mike Arauz, Mike McAllen, Mike Sansone, Mitch Joel, Neil Perkin, Nettie Hartsock, Nick Rice, Oleksandr Skorokhod, Ozgur Alaz, Paul Chaney, Paul Hebert, Paul Isakson, Paul McEnany, Paul Tedesco, Paul Williams, Pet Campbell, Pete Deutschman, Peter Corbett, Phil Gerbyshak, Phil Lewis, Phil Soden, Piet Wulleman, Rachel Steiner, Sreeraj Menon, Reginald Adkins, Richard Huntington, Rishi Desai, Robert Hruzek, Roberta Rosenberg, Robyn McMaster, Roger von Oech, Rohit Bhargava, Ron Shevlin, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Karpeles, Ryan Rasmussen, Sam Huleatt, Sandy Renshaw and James G. Lindberg, Scott Goodson, Scott Monty, Scott Townsend, Scott White, Sean Howard, Sean Scott, Seni Thomas, Seth Gaffney, Shama Hyder, Sheila Scarborough, Sheryl Steadman, Simon Payn, Sonia Simone, Spike Jones, Stanley Johnson, Stephen Collins, Stephen Landau, Stephen Smith, Steve Bannister, Steve Hardy, Steve Portigal, Steve Roesler, Steven Verbruggen, Steve Woodruff, Sue Edworthy, Susan Bird, Susan Gunelius, Susan Heywood, Tammy Lenski, Terrell Meek, Thomas Clifford, Thomas Knoll, Tim Brunelle, Tim Connor, Tim Jackson, Tim Mannveille, Tim Tyler, Timothy Johnson, Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Toby Bloomberg, Todd Andrlik, Troy Rutter, Troy Worman, Uwe Hook, Valeria Maltoni, Vandana Ahuja, Vanessa DiMauro, Veronique Rabuteau, Wayne Buckhanan, William Azaroff, Yves Van Landeghem

Can you believe it? It's time for Bathroom Blogfest '08

OK - it took something special for me to stop my crazy schedule and logon and write some new blog posts. Bathroom Blogfest '08 has been going on all week. This is the third year I have participated.

The topic  is ‘cleaning up forgotten spaces around us’ and how this affects the customer experience. Take a look around your store, office, restaurant, etc. What does the customer see? Maybe you ought to approach it with a new eye for details. You want the customer experience to be positive. After all, that's why you are in business.

Take a look at your entry ways, changing rooms, checkout areas, or any spaces that affect the customer experience but haven't been paid the attention they deserve.

Here's a couple photos I took on a recent trip to Sioux Falls, SD. We visited a local Panera. What a pleasant surprise to find this great shelf next to the sink. Very simple and... the perfect place to hold your purse, jacket, drink, package, or whatever while you wash up. Do you have convenient shelves or hooks for your customers?


 











Here's the official list for this year's Bathroom Blogfest Community. Check out these sites for some fun and informative reading. It might open your eyes!

Susan Abbott at Customer Experience Crossroads
Katia Adams at Transcultural Marketing
Shannon Bilby at Floor Talk!
Laurence Borel at Blog Till You Drop
Jo Brown and the blogging team at Kohler Talk
Lisbeth Calandrino at Lisbeth Calandrino
Sara Cantor at The Curious Shopper
Becky Carroll at Customers Rock!
Katie Clark at Practical Katie
Iris Shreve Garrott at Circulating
Ann Handley at Annarchy
Marianna Hayes at Results Revolution
Elizabeth Hise and C.B. Whittemore at The Carpetology Blog
Maria Palma at Customers Are Always
Sandra Renshaw at Purple Wren
Kate Rutter at Adaptive Path
Claudia Schiepers at Life and its little pleasures
Carolyn Townes at Becoming a Woman of Purpose
Stephanie Weaver at Experienceology
C.B. Whittemore at Flooring The Consumer

Wordless Wednesday: Traveling

My apologies for the lack of posts. My only excuse is I've been traveling and living life. What have you been doing this summer?

Learning to Travel, originally uploaded by firma.

 

Book Giveaway at Drew's Marketing Minute

Drew McLellan is giving away books at his place. Check it out! There are details about how you can win the drawing.

How your Business can Survive and Prosper in a Recession by Scott Aughtmon. Sounds like a great read.

Go ahead and submit your entries - what do you have to lose?

Tough times can hit any business at any time. This ebook is a wealth of ideas on changing adversity into opportunity

--Ron McDaniel,CEO, Buzzoodle

Wordless Wednesday:

As a small business owner I'm always on the lookout for articles that pertain to us. This one has a lot of really useful tips and examples of how other business owners are coping in today's business world.  I don't know about you, but I tend to get "consumed" with work and need a reality check every once in awhile. Besides, we function better when we have balance and don't work all the time.

Burnout Beckons for Those Starting Businesses

Photo on flickr by Thomas Hawk