Ad Man David Ogilvy had his business heart in the right place.

The Wall St. Journal featured an article today about David Ogilvy (1911-1999), the advertising pioneer and first true “Mad Man” (meaning advertising executives working on Madison Avenue in New York). I didn’t know much about him, but after reading the article I became a fan of his sentiments, work ethic and beliefs.  He was one true visionary who understood his responsibility toward his clients and the public.

Here’s a couple of his aphorisms, which I think are so right on the money.

Apparently, Ogilvy was known to dress in clothes that would capture one’s attention. For a while he wore a cape with red lining and even showed up at black-tie events wearing a kilt.  His reasoning…“If you can’t advertise yourself, how can you hope to advertise for your client?” That is so true, don’t you agree?

He held on to the deep beliefs that one should be honest in advertising and always display respect for the consumer.  Here’s what he said about those key issues…”The consumer is not a moron, she is your wife. You wouldn’t lie to your wife. Don’t lie to mine.” Good words Mr. Ogilvy.

Man, these were so good I went hunting to find more.  These Ogilvy quotes are taken from Brainyquote.com.

• If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we shall become a company of giants.
• Political advertising ought to be stopped. It’s the only really dishonest kind of advertising that’s left. It’s totally dishonest.
• First, make yourself a reputation for being a creative genius. Second, surround yourself with partners who are better than you are. Third, leave them to go get on with it.
• Don’t bunt. Aim out of the ball park. Aim for the company of immortals.

I really loved his words, especially the last one. Are you bunting or you aiming for greatness.

Have a great weekend.

Cindy

What Shape is Your Resume In?

How’s your resume?  Is it in tip-top shape and includes your most recent position? Or is it something that needs life support-a document that just overwhelms you at the thought of updating it?

If you are like most, you dread having to work on your resume.  But, today’s the day for those of you who need to give it some attention will do just that.

Yes, I know that I am supposed to be writing about PR and I really am for your resume is an important aspect.  Your resume is a tool that will help keep you sharp, well-defined and on target. It’s your road map…it tells you where you’ve been and points others to your next direction. It is the single most important thing you can do for yourself.

So again, I ask you – how’s your resume?

If the thought of revising it brings a dark cloud of misery your way – ignore it.  If confusion enters your mind because you think you should pay to have someone do it – don’t go that route until you’ve at least tried to update the one you already have. I just want you to start to write it.  Why?

There’s something about thinking about all the past experiences you have had that is good for your soul.  Remembering and recounting all the wonderful things you have done in college or on the job is a great morale booster and who doesn’t need that during these difficult times.

If you think you are alone, you are not. I’m in the same boat.  I just re-tweaked my resume yesterday and will probably again later this week.  For me, I’m not sure if I’m being clear enough describing what I bring to the table. It’s a work in progress, but I’m working on it.  And so should you with yours.

As I’ve mentioned, 97 percent of all jobs are found as a result of someone helping you get that job.  With that being the case, you never know when an opportunity may come around and you need a resume in less than an hour.  That perfect job may be lost because you had to frantically whip together a resume that didn’t characterize your true strengths.

Like any good Boy Scout, please be prepared and have your resume ready at a moment’s notice.  You’ll be glad you did the advance work, believe me.

There are some great resources on the web for resume writing.  However, here are some key points that I would like to leave you with about resume construction.

1) OBJECTIVE STATEMENT – You do not need to include objective statements any longer so don’t fret about writing that section. However, I still like to use a summary statement to start each resume.

2) RESPONSIBILITIES – Drill down on each past position and write out the responsibilities you handled.  Write out each task.  I love this exercise because you often forget the little stuff which is actually the big stuff like the fact that you handled a 3 million budget or that your idea saved the company thousands of dollars.

3) SUCCESS STORIES – After you’ve written your job tasks, pick out the best three to five responsibilities.  These responsibilities should be the ones that set you apart…they are your success stories…how you saved the company money…organized the entire office….etc., etc.

4) CONTACT INFO – Make sure your email address is your name.  Please do not use any vanity email addresses like “fuzzycat1000″ or “lovetoboat”…If you impressed an HR rep and they wanted to find your thank you email…they will search for your name….so be sure to make a new email address for job search using your formal name.

5) PRESS THROUGH – Keep on keeping on.  Don’t become discouraged about this process. Just start it and complete at least one version of your resume. You can subsequently keep enhancing it and changing it as you go a long.

And if that all fails, send me a note. I’ll send you some encouragement and am more than happy to take a look at your resume and offer a few suggestions.  We’re all in this together…but now is the time for you to address your resume.

Happy writing,

Cindy

The Sun Will Rise and This Will Pass

I hope you don’t mind that I’m writing this post to be a source of encouragement, mainly for me today, and if you get some relief from this thought, well, that would be awesome too.  But, you know, with the state of today’s job market and employment trends, it is a bit rough out there for us professionals who are used to working on a daily basis at the same company and performing the tasks that we love.

This economy and new employment structure for consultants/freelancers requires one to have incredible amounts of patience, understanding and fortitude as well as flexibility and humor.  It certainly is character building and I am really learning how to pull up my bootstraps.  At times, its fun and other times, it can be overwhelming as you realize everything is out of your control. (Addendum-Good PR pal Marc Grossman sent me this link to cheer me up…if you need an immediate laugh please check this out. Thanks Marc…it worked.   (Please Fire Me!)

If you are like me you have a routine that you follow – each day hours are spent on job search, networking and/or researching potential clients.  You keep re-working your elevator speech and tweaking your resume.  You talk to friends seeking advice and watch the world trends to find clues as to where the new currency is hiding.

Day after day you follow this procedure.  Then the days turn into weeks and then months. I can’t believe it’s almost July!

I know this feeling well. The days fly by and you feel like you are not making progress.

When I review what I’ve accomplished I can feel that I haven’t achieved much – but, I know that I have.  My growth may not be in tangible items, but I have gained knowledge and connections.  And those carry a currency as well. I have to remember I am making progress.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed that they are playing “Cast Away” a lot this month on cable.  And I’ve been stumbling upon it quite frequently.  In this season of my life, I’m sympathizing with the main character played by Tom Hanks, Chuck Noland.  I mean when I’m working by myself in my home, I sometimes feel like I’m in a cave.  I miss going with co-workers to lunch.  I understand how you have to be as resourceful with what you possess and you must keep a close eye on budgets.  But, it’s the line he says at the tail end on the movie that always provides me with a sense of hope….Chuck Noland says to a friend (I’ve paraphrased it a bit), “I had power over nothing. I knew somehow I had to stay alive. I kept breathing and one day the tide came in and gave me a sail.  And now here I am.  I have ice in my glass.  But, I know what I have to do now.  I have to keep breathing because tomorrow the sun will rise and who knows what the tide could bring.”

Since I have some extra time on my hands I’m leading a job search work team at a local transitional housing center.  And, every meeting we always say, “We’re all going to find jobs, we just don’t know when.”  And this post is for those in-between times, when you feel you have no power over anything and you don’t feel like making one more phone call, or attending one more networking event, or submitting one more resume online or attending one more class to learn a new trade.

So, if that’s you right now…I’m telling you, well really me, try it one more time…for you never know what the tide may bring today. The sun will rise and you have to keep breathing and hoping…you will be employed steadily again.

Here’s the actual clip from the movie. Mr. Hanks does a much better job than I did in communicating this simple, but truthful way of life.

We will be sailing back to civilization.

Now the Public Can Capture An Image of You Anytime

Before cell phones became recording or filming devices, an executive or PR person dealing with the media could use the words “off the record” to the press and feel comfortable not having those words re-printed or broadcast.  But, now, EVERYONE needs to realize that potentially every move or word they say can end up “on the record,” because of the public’s use of their cell phones as cameras.

How so?

Play along with me here. I’m your publicist for the moment whether you need me or not.  But, as your publicist, I would like to warn you that wherever you are – whether shopping at WalMart, attending a cousin’s baby shower, walking down the street or speaking in front of class at church, school or conference – your images may have been recorded through someone’s cell phone and uploaded to the web.

The reason for this post is to bring awareness to this “on the record” style of living and that as individuals we need to take it seriously in order to protect our brand and/or personal integrity.

I have to admit I may be going a bit overboard on this matter, but if you could see me at a party you’d think I was behaving crazily. I’m always diving or ducking around any one who appears to be taping or taking my image.  Even though I may know you – I don’t want you to take my photo. Why? Since I don’t have the editing rights to your images, I can’t approve the photo(s) you post about me on your Facebook wall.  Yes, you may not have tagged me, but the photo stays up there forever. And that’s a long time.  I carefully censor and filter everything I ever post online to ensure that I am conveying the right message about me to potential employers, clients and friends. I want to control where my image is posted or transmitted at all times and you should too.

Why? It’s because of sites like these….People of Walmart.com. How many times on a weekend have you left your house with bedhead or mismatched clothes to run errands.  I must admit I may look like a wreak at times, but I’ve never shown any bad “cracks” or dressed in costumes other than Halloween like some visiting WalMart.   People of Walmart.com is intended to be a site that people can post photos of customers at WalMart.  And this site and others are hilarious, when it’s not a photo of you or a family member.

Don't Leave the House Without Looking Yourself Over

More importantly, if you are ever speaking at a conference, seminar or large class setting, you should assume someone in that audience is recording your content and that it will appear online somewhere. With that being the case, be very careful about any assumptions or stereotypes you address without proper backing or this “on the record” recording may back fire upon you.  I promise to blog more about this soon.

So, in the meantime, the next time you venture out to WalMart make sure you look presentable.

A showered and shampooed Cindy

Church was out in the Community This Past Weekend

Please forgive me for being a bit preachy today…but, in addition to presenting posts about the public relations industry I do like from time to time to write about things in my life that make me a better person. And this past weekend was one of those examples.  And it’s best described in the first two paragraphs of the national best-seller by Pastor Rick Warren, “A Purpose Driven Life.”

If you are reading this post and want to stop, please don’t.  I promise that the message will benefit you no matter your religious views or what you think of Pastor Rick.  But, his opening salvo, is right on for everyone.

“It’s not about you.

The purpose of your life if far greater that your own personal fulfillment, your peace of  mind, or even your happiness.  It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions.  If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God.  You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.”

What really gets me is the first line- “It’s not about me.” And here’s why.

For those of you who personally know me, you are aware that I am in transition.  My career has been interrupted and I believe it has for a reason.  Due to this break in the action, I am becoming a “richer” person by being able to receive additional training and being able to devote more time to others.  I am learning “it’s not about me.”  The stuff that I am learning for me, I now want to share with you, my loyal readers.  I am learning that my education, skills, talents and experiences are not only intended for me, but they are meant to be shared with others who in turn will do the same and continue to help others.

If you happened to catch Bret Michaels (The Celebrity Apprentice, Lead Singer of Poison) on “Oprah” last week you heard him talk about the only things that mattered to him while he was in the hospital with a potentially life threatening brain hemorrhage. He said the only thoughts he had in his mind were of his family and loved ones.  That’s who he wanted nearby.  At that crucial time, he wasn’t focusing on his accolades or how much stuff that he owns or how big a celebrity he is….at the core…all that mattered was his family and that thought became real to me just this morning.

Bret Michaels understands life's true precious gifts. He's holding one in his arms - his daughter Raine.

For you see, for the last five years my church (Whittier Area Community Church ) “kicks” us out – yes it actually closes its doors and offers us volunteer projects to sign-up for to help the community. These projects cover a wide range of objectives from landscaping public playgrounds, feeding the firefighters, painting teacher’s lounges, fixing up a pregnancy clinic, repairing computers to helping single moms with odds and ends.  There’s something for everyone.  And my projects this year were not my typical – it was a great feeling stepping out of my comfort zone.

Thanks to my mom’s prodding I joined her for a project that scares me to death – we visited the neighborhood hospice homes and provided singing to the patients there who literally come to this wonderful home/hospital for their last breaths. Everyday the staff there deals with how to make people’s lives the most comfortable as possible as their lives on earth end.  They are there for the patient and the caretakers. They are angels.  So, a group of volunteers gathered in the living room of this house and we sang.  It’s well documented that the last sense to go is hearing and I know that to be true for I experienced it with my father.  So as we sang songs like “Amazing Grace,” one particular family member of a patient came out and told us that our singing made her unconscious family member smile.  And that smile was the best gift to the caregiver as well for who doesn’t want the best for the people whom you love who are in pain.

The point I really want to make is — I received much more than that patient did in return. That smile made me feel like I was born for a purpose and my life has purpose. All it took was me spending one hour out of  the year when it wasn’t about me.  I shed so many tears during this project for I sensed how precious life really is and at these times, when someone we love is passing that everything else in life is so unimportant.  Things like the economy, unemployment, the oil spill, bills, etc.  What matters is exactly what Bret Michaels said-it’s our loved ones.  You want them close, they are all that matter and if you can bring a smile to their last moments….is there anything better?

After we concluded with visiting those patients we then stopped by a local transitional housing facility and meant some more incredible people.  Although we all come from different walks of life and circumstances, we all face obstacles and hurdles and trials.  And it’s far easier going through them with others by your side offering support than alone.  We sat in a circle and supported one another and we just talked. We shared our concerns and prodded each other on, providing encouragement and a dose of hope.  It was great medicine for everyone.

I’m going to be extremely honest here now and say…my biggest worry about getting my next job is that I don’t want it to consume my life like it has before. I was recently reminded of this when I attended my industry’s convention last week. The entire time I was there I listened to those walking the floor and all I could hear non-stop was everything about work, work, work-I don’t mind talking business, but I also like to talk about things in life too.  Don’t get me wrong-one should put in a the work required for the job….but, for me, in my next job I don’t want to loose the power behind making someone smile alongside the work.  For “it’s not about me.”  It’s about making a difference in others lives…even if I only do it once a year when my church closes its doors.

This weekend was life changing, in a good way.  My hope is that it inspires you to do volunteer as well.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on volunteering.  So many people do remarkable work as volunteers and I’d love for you to share.

Thank you for allowing me to tell you how “Serve Weekend” impacted me, making me a better person.

Cindy

Episode 8 Was a Tribute to John Basilone

I was simply awe-struck at the manner in which HBO’s episode 8 of “The Pacific” portrayed John Basilone last Sunday.  This episode was remarkable and unforgettable. What stood out, wasn’t the episode’s production value or even Jon Seda’s portrayal of the Congressional Medal of Honor recipient – it was the subject matter.  Since this series is based on true events, I knew that what I was watching really did happen and that this man from the Bronx, deserves the title of hero.

The episode progresses along nicely giving us viewers a glimpse into his life after he tires of selling war bonds.  After being a PR puppet and treated with celebrity status for over a year, he missed home which was The Marines and he wanted to come back. And so he did. He was assigned to train Marines at Camp Pendleton, near San Diego, CA.  In doing so, he started to feel like his old self again by wearing fatigues, eating in the mess tent and being a gunnery sergeant.

Basilone is forever remembered near Camp Pendleton with a Street and Freeway Named After Him

Now, like most soldiers and you could have put me in that category too, I would have run right out of the service as fast as I could when my discharge was up.   But, not Basilone.  When his time was up, he enlisted for a third time even though he just got married.

The scene that brought me to my feet and made my eyes tear up and my jaw drop was his last charge leading his troops in Iwo Jima.  It was an amazing sight of heroism to witness. The battlefield was this man’s playing field.  He was one of the best as he led his Company through heavy artillery falling from the sky and direct shots and he kept going.  Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, the executive producers of “The Pacific,” did him justice.  They re-created the magic that was this man – how different and special he was from the rest.  We were eye-witnesses as viewers and thus, we were able to see this soldier’s courage, determination, persistence and leadership.

I guess Basilone’s courage and heroism made such an impact on me because the world desperately needs heroes.  We don’t have too many walking around at the moment. Sadly, sports celebrities fall under this title from time to time – but, this heroism does not match that of Basilone – that’s entirely something else.

He Deserves A Book Deal

I mean I am just sick and tired of whining financiers who say they’ve got screwed in the meltdown.  Anyone who is angry that they didn’t get their million dollar bonuses…well, that means nothing to me and tells me about their selfish characters.  Our heroes are the men and women who are currently serving our Country everyday and because there’s no cameras on them we can’t see their heroism, but it’s there and they should be applauded.

This Basilone tribute was needed and it came none too soon.  America needed a sobering reminder that we should honor those who overcome great obstacles and make a difference in the world and we should spend less time following those who don’t  (I could name several here.)

I also wanted to recognize the LA Times too. On Monday, they had an article on the front page of its Calendar section written by William Lansford, a fellow marine, who cleared the air about Basilone’s last day in battle. I was so pleased to learn even more about this great man who deserves to be remembered – just like our past leaders.  Heck, based on his life and accomplishments, I think he deserves to have a national holiday named after him.

Be sure to pay honor to our true heroes, our service personnel, and thanks for letting me write about a man that made an impact in my life, some 65 years later.

Only two more episodes left…

Cindy

In Store Price Match Plus Policy Wasn't Transparent

I visited four establishments that sell appliances and each had crazy deals with convoluted extended warranty/maintenance plans. I’ve always known that Sears was a trusted brand and so I almost purchased a new fridge there, but something inside just didn’t sit well.  I knew that Home Depot sold appliances, but it never crossed my mind to check them. So since Sears promotes that it will price match competing prices at other stores I asked my wonderful sales associate if she could price check my particular fridge at other stores. She said sure and off we went to the appliance area computer kiosk.

Well, we couldn’t connect to the Internet. I swear that the store was using a dial-up connection. It was painful and it felt like the 90′s.  I have never seen a more slow computer and that just pushed me out the door to visit other stores. It was a red flag for me.

Home Depot Came Through Like a Champ

So I next visited Home Depot and I found a much better offer. I saved $200 bucks and got a warranty at half the price and at more years than what Sears was offering.  And when I asked the sales associate to price check the fridge for me, he said sure. So we went to his desk which housed a state-of-the-art computer system and large flat screen.  In half a second we were looking at competing stores together. But, in the end, Home Depot had the best price.

Home Depot provided the right customer service. That sold me right there. They stood behind competitive price checking versus Sears just pretending that they do.  Now I have to admit that perhaps this Sears boondoggle may just be an isolated incident. But, it did leave me with a bad taste in my mouth for every Sears.

Since I write about PR practices, Sears did not stand behind their words. Yes, they did provide price matching, but the system was inferior.  They did not break any ethical laws since they provided the service – but, the quality certainly needed help.  As a savvy consumer, I saw right through this tactic. Home Depot is my new hero and my new place to shop for of major appliances.

And yes, Virginia…I now can buy my favorite mint chip ice cream again.  I’ve missed my freezer.

I'm living the high life again with a new fridge.

Come over for some ice cream!

Cindy

But with these dryers, you don’t waste any paper and they’re fun to use and well, I could leave my hands in there all day.  The air feels so good against your skin.

The only negative thing is that they say your hands are dry in 12 seconds.  That’s not entirely true. It’s closer to 30 seconds. But it does work and its something different than plain old paper. I wish more places had them, which leads me to think that these revolutionary things are expensive.

Here’s an ad with its inventor.

Do you have one by you? What do you think about them?

Yearning for more Airblade time. I can hardly wait till they have a home version.

Cindy

DirecTV made me a happy customer today

Do you have a twitter account?

If you don’t, this post today may change your mind, because the best device out there right now, hands down, for customer service is twitter. And to back up my words, here’s a real-life case study that happened to me this morning.

I was starting out the day by paying bills and when I opened my DirecTV notice I saw an increase. Yup, DirecTV had a cost of living increase on my bill. It went from $109 to $115.  I had been paying for the premier service and hence, I knew that I was paying for a higher priced package.  But, now that I am in transition, every penny counts so I knew it was time to change packages.

So I called the 800 phone number to DirecTV and got a nice enough, but non-understanding drone. She read and re-read me my options and didn’t hear a word I said. All she could offer me was a $10 discount for 12 months or $20 off for six – and then after that period of time it would jump back again to the $115 package.  Even though I have been a loyal customer since I became a home owner in 1999, it didn’t matter. DirecTV was not budging one inch even after I asked to speak to her supervisor, Shauna, a resolution specialist.  Shauna was an exact copy of the first one. Just read me my rights.

Now, I did tell the sales reps that I am a cable executive and know how this end of the business works. I also added that I was an industry blogger and that I know several executives at the company (which is the truth). I didn’t tell them this to leverage a better deal, but mostly to warn them that I would probably blog about this. They didn’t seem to care.  So the conversation ended with me telling them that I wanted to talk to someone else at DirecTV who would care that I have been a loyal customer. Shauna replied that there was no one else for me to talk to at DirecTV.  I said I’d call someone at its El Segundo Headquarters and bid her good day.

I was a bit furious so I got on twitter and starting asking if anyone else had similar problems.  And then after a clear moment of thought, I searched for DirecTV on twitter and realized that they had an account. So I sent them a tweet.

Here’s how it played out.

After my little twitter rants, about five minutes later I got a message from DirecTV on twitter.  Marvelous.

After I tweeted that info …about six minutes later, Rita, called me.  She listened to me and understood what I was asking, but more importantly she thanked me for being a loyal customer. She told me about other packages that were available, but not included on the website and she got me to a happy place, where I felt like I mattered to DirecTV.  Bravo.  And because my mom trained me well, I made sure that I thanked them publicly on twitter.

Also, as an added bonus. Fred Farrar saw my complaints on twitter and provided me with helpful advice.  And better yet, after a brief discussion we both realized our paths crossed during our careers. It was such a nice surprise.  Fred writes a daily ratings round-up  article titled “Hot off The Press” that is a great must-read for those who follow TV.

So besides customer service, twitter connects you with colleagues…just like that.

At this point in time, major corporations are all installing twitter customer relations departments. Most airlines have them (remember Kevin Smith and Southwest); Toyota now has one as do most others. You can find companies on twitter at search.twitter.com. Also, to sign up for account, it’s super easy and takes two minutes. If you have any trouble, just give me a shout.

See you on twitter.

@cindyronzoni

@godgirl