Archive for August 2009

Nancy Henderson photo

Nancy Henderson

Jargon be Gone!

As soon as employees read the words, “synergistic opportunities” their eyes glaze over. Similarly, when customers read self-congratulatory prose about process management improvements, you’ve lost them. While the news being shared may be relevant or even critical to the intended audience, if it is masked in corporate jargon, it will never be heard. One of the most important things a CEO can do to improve his or her communication skills is to stop thinking about the audience and instead focus on the people in it.

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Kristen Steele photo

Kristen Steele

Why are email open rates deceptive?

One of the most touted benefits of using email to communicate with customers is the ability to measure recipients’ interactions with the email, via extensive tracking systems. And the first statistic most companies look at is the open rate. Big mistake.

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Nancy Henderson photo

Nancy Henderson

Proofing Counts

Ever picked up a magazine or scanned a website and noticed a misspelled word or grammar mistake? Errors on the printed page or the digital screen can impact a reader’s impression of a publication, brand or writer. So, how do you ensure your company’s proofing process is comprehensive enough to maintain your stellar corporate image? Parthenon editors Nancy Henderson and Katie Neal offer the following advice...

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