1. Be generous, not defensive.
2. Acknowledge problems.
3. Find new ways to say things.
4. Remember reporters want to get it right.
5. Don't try to prove, try to tell the truth.
6. Who you are is part of the message.
7. Speak from the heart.

Richard, I hope you don't mind, but I'll be using this with my clients - giving you credit, of course.

Laying off the Loyal

1. Turn down all offered board positions for six months. Karma will understand if you need a rest.
2. Turn down all no-pay speeches for six months.
3. Attend only two business lunches per month.  You might have time to get some work done! And done work leads to free time.
4. Turn off your cell phone in the evening for two hours.  Same goes for the rest of the family.
5. Stay away from all electronics for eight hours every weekend. And yes, that includes TV.  Electronic can openers, microwaves, computerized washers/dryers, etc. are OK.
6. Buy a hard copy book.  Don't scan it.  READ it.
7. Ask to meet a reporter in-person.  It will be hard to get her/him to do it, but it really works well.
8. Go for a stroll.  No aerobics.  STROLL slowly.  Study flowers, dirt, rocks, urban animals.  Stand under a pine tree.  The language of nature speaks volumes of comfort to frayed nerves.
9. Stop goal setting for six months.  Let yourself fall into your own personal cycle of expectation and achievement.
10. Dismantle your ego.  Every time you catch it being offended or fluffing up, fold it up neatly like a soft down blanket and put it on a shelf.  That done....you'll start to learn who you truly are.

Layoffs. Disappointing earnings. Plant closings. Embezzlement. The way you communicate news of this ilk could make or break your career. Done badly, and your 15 minutes of fame may be those you never outlive. Done well, and your praises could be sung by pundits, reporters, employees and your boss.

So why do many executives fail to prepare for the day they are the bearer of bad, even tragic news? As the saying goes, stuff happens, and it will happen to your organization.

Delivering bad news well is both a science and an art. These suggestions should give you some guidance on how to prepare yourself to do it well.

Before the Bad –

“It is much easier to communicate bad news to someone who is used to hearing from you regularly...—not only at monthly meetings—[and] especially during tough economic times,” said Communication Strategist Matt Eventoff. Following are a few ideas compiled from Eventoff, other experts, and our own experience on how to prepare yourself and your organization for tough times.

• Strengthen and maintain the good relationships you have with your board members and investors. Never take the lack of criticism as a sign all is well—they may just be disconnected.
  
  
• Communicate often and in-person. Misunderstood emails and voice mails can quickly become both “nuclear” and “viral.”
  
  
• Be accessible to your internal audiences. Yes, you’ve heard this before. Have you taken it seriously? Sometimes the boss who brags about their open door is the least accessible.
  
  
• Take special care of your top talent. You’ll need their expertise—especially in tough times.
  
  
• Never forget that news media, business and community leaders, and government leaders should always be looped in.
  
  
• Are you willing to be told the brutal truth? Make sure you have several confidants that you will never punish for being blunt.

Creating an environment and processes that facilitate healthy communication and feedback will make a huge difference in how well your organization reacts to both the catalyzing incident, and the way it was communicated.

The Deed

Once you’ve created the ideal environment for the big discussion, there’s still a lot of work to do to get it right.

Be the One: If you have bad news, be the one to break it to others. According to Eventoff, “Trying to hide bad news is a) no longer possible, and b) will absolutely destroy all credibility.” Look at the situation as an opportunity to tell your story on your terms. If you wait too long and the information gets out through other sources first, which is increasingly likely given the 24/7 news cycle and social media outlets, you will spend ridiculous amounts of time doing damage control. And despite the good work you might do in this mode, it’s extremely difficult to fully recover the reputation and relationships you’ve already lost.

Be Brave, Be Clear: One of the two natural human responses to danger is flight. And fleeing the scene, getting into a bunker, or at least trying to hide behind niceties, is one of the most common impulses that ignites as we sit across the table from someone to whom we must tell bad news. “Delivering disappointing information…is often sugar-coated…given in non-direct ways or wrapped up in other neutral news. Many people aren’t experienced enough and to be frank, resilient enough to cope with the pressure. What frequently results is avoidance or a mumbled, poorly delivered message,” advises author and consultant Simon Stapleton.

In a handbook from the American Medical Association (AMA) titled ‘”Education for Physicians on End-of-Life Care,” the AMA instructs doctors on how to deliver life-and-death information to patients. Most of us will never have to communicate that kind of bad news, but the advice definitely applies. “Deliver information in a sensitive but straightforward manner. Say it and then stop... Use simple language… avoid technical jargon or euphemisms… well intentioned efforts to ‘soften the blow’ may lead to vagueness and confusion.”

Be Kind: As a business owner or manager, your first responsibility is to ensure the health of your organization. However, whenever you’re delivering bad news, the recipient will always be another person or group of people. Before you start, put yourself in their position. How will they receive the information? What do they need to know to accept and move past the news? How would you like to be treated if you were in their place? This doesn’t mean you should apologize or waffle. However, answering these questions yourself creates an environment of respect and compassion that will smooth the experience for everyone.

Be a Solution: When there’s bad news to communicate, a good manager can, or should be able to anticipate the questions and concerns that result. If you have to lay off employees, they’ll want to know about severance, benefits, and finding a new job. If you need to tell media about a plant closing, they’ll want to know how it will affect the local economy, and what it means for the future of the company. Be prepared with solutions to your audience’s concerns. An old rule of communication says that people can handle just about any bad news, as long as you give them tools to navigate the situation.

Bad news need not devastate you, your organization, or the people on the receiving end. Care, prepare thoroughly, execute well, and respect your audiences. Failing to do so can have far reaching effects that impact morale, media coverage, productivity, and your bottom line. It’s up to you.

Sources:

Matt Eventoff at matteventoff.com

Education for Physicians on End-of-Life Care—Participant’s Handbook, American Medical Association

Fred Wilson, owner, Union Square Ventures at avc.com

Charles Day at thelookingglass.com

Josh Kopelmen at redeye.com

Your employees are talking about your company. They're posting messages online or blogging. They are discussing their coworkers and bosses with friends. They are chatting with strangers at the grocery store. As their employer, are you giving them what they need to be good ambassadors?

Most organizations don't question the importance of developing strategic communications plans for media, shareholders, customers, and other external audiences. But many forget about their first, and most important audience: employees.

In an article titled "The Neglected Strategic Element," Robert Bacal made this observation:

"Determining what should be communicated to staff, when it should be communicated, and how it should be communicated... [is usually] developed, reactively, when there is a crisis or major event that clearly requires addressing communication issues. Where communication is planned out, it is often around upheavals like major corporate or organization change, layoffs and downsizing, and technological change. However, once the initiating focus has been eliminated communication tends to go back to an unorganized incoherent process."

In other words, after the crisis has passed, companies stop talking to employees again, and that's a shame. In a world of instantaneous cell phone calls, texting, and social media postings, lax internal communications can quickly translate into negative, and very convincing PR, spreading like H1N1 across the ether.

There are all kinds of operational and cultural benefits that can be gained by communicating well with your internal folks. From a communications standpoint, however, there are two very obvious pluses. First, they are either your most influential spokespeople-or most convincing detractors. And second, an informed, cohesive internal audience can significantly increase your success with external audiences.

Although most internal communications strategies are developed "reactively," for some organizations, keeping employees well informed and connected to company goals is just the way they do business. Take Qqest Software Solutions.

While speaking with Qqest's President and CEO, Burke Plummer recently about why he thinks his company is doing so well, despite the economic downturn, he named a few of the typical reasons: a solid product, good employees, great customer service. That's to be expected. And then he launched into a veritable testimony on the importance of good internal communication. From getting, and actually utilizing employee input, to improving information flow between departments, and even letting employees know the whats and whys behind the company's business strategy.

"You know, it's my policy to be inclusive. I really value employee input, and I use it to take the business in new directions," said Plummer. "I want them to understand our company's strategic goals-why we are doing the things we do. I hope they know how much we value their involvement."

Two of Plummer's employees, Clint Huffman, professional services manager, and Guy Evans, director of customer service, gave us a chance to find out just how effective the company's internal communications policies really are.

"We have a great company culture of listening-to each other and to our customers," said Evans. "It starts with Burke, and goes all the way down the line."

Huffman spoke about how his team addresses challenges. "Everyone works well together because they know what they have to say is valued. We are always able to get the right people in the room working on a solution. They're happy to be there. We don't always agree on the outcome, but we're satisfied because we were part of the process."

Evans also noted Plummer's "open door" policy. "While it doesn't make sense to have my team knocking on Burke's door all the time with ideas, they do it when it makes sense. They know they can go directly to him and that he'll listen, and take their advice when it's what's best for the company."

Qqest's culture of open communication didn't happen by accident. The company internal communications tactics that include feedback processes, a robust intranet, employee training programs, and committees that are continually retooled to keep that internal information flow as healthy as possible.

When your employees are both well informed, and genuinely included in the company conversation, you gain an army of ambassadors who spread the good word to their friends (future employees), your customers, their neighbors (future customers), someone at a cocktail party (reporter), and so on. And with the continuing growth of new media, even a casual happy mention in a personal blog can find infinite life in the e-sphere.

Just like in a family, we often forget to talk to, and take care of those closest to us. However, a genuine investment in our employees can go a long way toward achieving organizational objectives like growth and profitability. It can increase your chance of positive media coverage and marketing successes-and it can help make your company a great place to work.

When we begin working with a client, the first thing we recommend is creating or revisiting their strategic messaging. We have heard more than a few moans, and witnessed some not-too-subtle eye rolling when we insist starting here, instead of immediately firing off a story pitch to the Wall Street Journal. Yes, we think it's that important.

Betsy Linaberger, senior vice president at Tierney Communications in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, describes messaging this way: "Concise thoughts, ideas, arguments or impressions you most want to leave with your target audiences. [Messaging] should complement your vision and mission, and provide you with a practical way to articulate your position, reinforce your brand."

Our emphasis in solid messaging can be summed up in the words inscribed in gold over the portico of the temple at Delphi: Know thyself. "To communicate effectively, you really have to understand who you are," said Christopher Liechty, vice president of communications at Bank of American Fork. "You have to know who your customer is, and how you're different. But once you have it boiled down to the essence-the core messages-your ability to connect with your audiences increases, and the relationships are much more genuine."

Developing messaging is not necessarily a process of creation. Instead, it is a process of refinement; of distillation. It involves putting all of the pieces out there, and having the courage to cut what doesn't fit. And while the message development process is definitely not a science, there are steps you can take that will encourage an outcome that is true to who you are, and effective with your audiences.

Step 1: Internal Audit

In this step, key stakeholders inside the organization come together to give their input, brainstorm, and begin the elimination process. In addition to discussing who you are and what you do, it is also important to draw a line at who you are not, and what you don't do. Trying to be all things to all people dilutes both your brand and messaging.

Step 2: External Audit

This phase includes several steps designed to keep you honest. The first is a competitive evaluation. Take a look at your competitors, what you feel their strengths and challenges are, and how they communicate these things will give you a better idea of how your organization fits into the landscape, and which differentiators are most compelling.

The second step in this stage is talking to people outside your organization to find out how they feel about you. This process often reveals disconnects between internal and external perceptions, and can even identify serious customer service and product issues. Listen, and act on the feedback so that what you say genuinely reflects what your audiences experience.

Step 3: Test and Refine

Once you've drafted your core messages, don't forget to test and refine them with both internal and external audiences. And remember, messaging is never finished. Revisit them often to make sure they reflect any changes.

The results of messaging exercises-when done right-are simple, yet powerful statements that capture your organization's soul. The process of getting to that point isn't easy, but it is as valuable as the outcome. Coming to know who you are, and why your customers, the media, and all of your other audiences should believe and care about what you have to offer, will give your organization a depth and authenticity that nothing else can replace.

Utah Mama & Today's Mama

Websites: www.UtahMama.com, www.todaysmama.com

Blog: www.utahmama.com/connect

Location: Salt Lake City, UT

Creators: Rachael Herrscher & Stephanie Peterson

Focus: Personal, professional, and parenting resources for women and mothers everywhere

Followers: 350,000 impressions per month to an influential demographic, moms

Making money: Yes

Allowing advertising: Yes

Employees: Yes

The post on the Utah Mama website made us LOL: "I dined with wild monkeys last night!" This from a struggling, yet humorous mom deployed on the front-lines of parenting.

Utah Mama is no one-person endeavor. There are seven paid employees: Three full-time and four part-time. It is supported by online advertisers and publishing revenue from 12 Mama's Handbooks. Rachael Herrscher, a co-founder of the site, doesn't publicize Utah Mama with traditional ads. Instead, she uses social networking tools to spread the word.

At the online site you'll find a free weekly newsletter with 7,000 Wasatch Front subscribers, submissions that include topics such as: How to deal with biting, throwing, screaming, and other frustrating toddler behavior (challenging, indeed). You'll also find coupons and back-to-school savings, a directory of local "Mom friendly" businesses, family friendly event listings, discussions about money, family food planning, a parenting handbook and a blog. On the blog, you can pick from a directory of Mom blogs around the world. Or you can watch the Utah Mama blog posts roll in. Prepare to be entertained:

"There is a cupcake shop opening in Layton, Utah. Helloooooo elastic waist pants."

A mom referring to young child: "I just fed her pureed squash, but not pureed to death and there was a lot of gagging. She will look funny drinking lunch in preschool."

"How do you ladies battle the mommy cliques?"

Utah Mama started when Rachael and a friend, Stephanie Peterson, were pushing strollers through a local shopping mall. Both wondered aloud why there wasn't a more central location for information and resources to help mothers. That's when Rachael Herrscher caught the entrepreneur bug. Her first venture was on paper, not online, with the Utah Mama Handbook. Later, Rachael developed Utah Mama online and created a national parent network called Today's Mama, which has 27 licensed locations across the country. Rachael's staff manages many of the markets from her Utah office location, with help from on-the-ground editors who live in each geographical Today's Mama community.

Questions we asked Rachael Herrscher:

What do you think of the term "Mommy Blog?" What advice would you give businesspeople about Mommy Blogs?

I don't necessarily love the term, but what else do you call Moms who blog? There are a lot of terms that don't sound great, like the other day when someone said "Cute, housewives who have a business!"

Business people are in a complicated boat when interacting with mommy blogs. They need to treat us with the respect and professionalism they would use with any business owner. "Mommy Bloggers" have a wide range of experience and skills. Some have little to no background at all, while others are very seasoned and savvy marketers with good business minds.

How are you applying Twitter and Facebook to Utah Mama and Today's Mama?

I use Twitter to connect with people, to promote content and contests and expand our network. We have a fan page on Facebook.

What are your thoughts about the traditional news media - TV news, newspapers?

Sadly, I do think they are in a lot of trouble. In my opinion they are still poised as organizations with a lot of opportunity. They have content, they have distribution, they have local partnerships and events. But they have a tough time innovating and seem to continue with the same old leadership they relied on when newspapers and broadcast media were king. They need technology and marketing innovators in their ranks, but I don't think those people are flocking to traditional media right now.

Do you consider yourself a new media outlet?

Yes. I do think we approach advertising in a different way. We are a targeted online community, which tends to be a more effective way to reach moms by region or moms in general.

Do people try to persuade you to write about them or their product or business, and do you pay attention to these requests?

Yes - and definitely. We can find genuine and effective opportunities to work with people and their products. We are, however, not a product review site. Send us an email if you have an idea that fits our target audience.

What advertisers seem to find the most success on Utah Mama?

It's pretty broad when you think about the kind of advertisers that want to reach moms. If the product or service is relevant to a mother, it is a good fit for our site.

Rachael Herrscher oversees Utah Mama's general business operations, new market development, partnerships, and marketing initiatives. She is a featured blogger on Entrepreneur.com, a contributor to StartupPrincess.com, and is a regular speaker at new media, women in business and mom conferences.

She was a finalist for the 2007 Stevie Awards "Best Young Entrepreneur" award, has a Bachelor's degree from the University of Utah and currently serves on the marketing board of Discovery Gateway.

Utah Stories

Website: www.utahstories.com

Geographic Location: Salt Lake City, UT

Creator: Richard Markosian

Focus: Hyper-local issues from the perspective of small business owners

Website Followers: 12,000 monthly unique visitors

Twitter Followers: 650

Twitter ID: @utahstories

Making money: Yes

Allowing advertising: Yes

Employees: Yes

His passion? Producing in-depth news and documentaries. His niche...traditional news outlets that once supported these formats are fighting for their financial lives. What chance did he have of pursuing his profession? His action plan? Richard Markosian created his own online newsroom. A place, he says, where average citizens can be heard. It's called www.utahstories.com.

"When I first began the site in 2006, I put a few of my favorite local businesses up as ‘free' advertisers," said Richard. Most of his original news content was in video format. "Once Utah Stories was receiving more than 200 page views per day and we were also printing hard copy stories about the downtown Farmer's Market, we had four paying sponsors."

Richard initially covered concerns about City Creek Center and the Sugar House Granite Block. "I found a niche in examining issues from the perspective of small business owners," he admits. "They are often the first to be sacrificed when local leaders have their eyes on attracting new corporate business to their cities."

Working full-time, with the assistance of four part-time staff writers and one video editor, everything he has made for the last 15 months has gone right back into the business. He says he is "getting by" and very happy about growing his business organically without borrowing to meet expenses. A little recognition sure helps. In 2009, Utah Stories was chosen as "Best Citizen Journalism" by City Weekly's Best of Utah issue.

Our questions for Richard:

Do you consider yourself a new media outlet?

New media is such a catch phrase right now, but I really see "new media" as just an evolution from paper to digital. Many bloggers believe that they can operate without any journalistic integrity -- no fact checking, basing their "news" on other blogs that may or may not be accurate. I was taught that if you are ever breaking something new, facts must be checked with three different sources. This is the old way of doing things and I think this tradition will stand the test of time.

What is your ultimate goal for Utah Stories?

To provide stories that are engaging and provide insight into the changing world. I especially like stories that don't just report what, but also how and why. This format requires digging, which is why sometimes our writers will spend weeks on a single topic. One reader described it as "news you would never find from a wire service."

Do you hold events for your readers?

We offer weekly giveaways to readers that help steer our coverage and content. These giveaways feature some of our great sponsors such as Divas, Brewvies, Dodo and Blue Star. One of the features of Utah Stories magazine is our Go Local Guide, which features the best local restaurants in different categories. We also hold monthly events at various local businesses.

What advice would you give to people who try to persuade you to write about them or their product or business?

Utah Stories is the only news provider where readers have a huge impact on editorial decisions. We strongly rely on the feedback we receive from our readers to help drive future coverage. We want to use the website and magazine to build community of informed and engaged citizens who understand that their opinions count and they can make an impact through citizen journalism. If someone has an interesting local business and they contacted me to write about them, I would look into it, but we get our best leads from our readers rather than PR folks.

How do you advertise the existence of Utah Stories?

We have a unique method for getting advertisers: We distribute 12,000 hard copies of Utah Stories magazine to 420 locations. We still have no sales staff because we have the best advertising rates found anywhere. We can do this because we don't pay commissions. Utah Stories is a guide to the best of local Utah. Rather than offer a free publication saturated with ads, every advertiser in our magazine or on our website is a great business we personally endorse.

How are you applying Twitter and Facebook to Utah Stories?

We Twitter our stories and post them on Facebook. I like both of them to a degree.

I think there is a disconnect with kids that are 12-18 years old. They get all of their news from Facebook and Twitter. News to them is news about their friends -- who is dating who, who did something dorky or mean. They need to learn from their parents that news is about more than gossip. If the younger generations never learn that being informed is an essential component to democracy and freedom, our future looks grim.

When you want the latest local news, where do you go?

Very good question. If you find out please let me know. I don't consider local news to be about the guy who was hit by a car or the latest police chase. I want to know what my local city council is doing. I want to know what the state legislature and my elected members of congress are up to. These people can have an impact on my life.

Richard Markosian landed a job at Allen Communication less than a year after graduating from high school. He worked his way up to become an art director in e-learning, working with many high level companies, including Toyota, Boeing and 3M. In 2001 he enrolled at the University of Utah to pursue a degree in filmmaking and journalism and graduated with a BUS degree customization between several disciplines. Richard loves gardening, hiking, mountain biking and road biking and taking his wife and dog, Keeks, to the mountains. "The mountains recharge my batteries, and restore my creativity. I think if I didn't have the mountains to retreat to I probably couldn't work nearly as hard as I do."

Mom It Forward

Blog site: www.momitforward.com/blog Technorati rank: 21,136

Twitter weekly event held at: http://momitforward.com/category/gno

Twitter followers: 7700+

Website: www.momitforward.com

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/momitforward

Facebook fans: 800

Creator: Jyl Johnson Pattee, Draper, Utah

Focus: Stories and events that inspire women

Allowing advertising: Yes. Sponsorship packages for live events, advertising on the Website and newsletter

Jyl's husband once painted his toenails BYU blue. It was a statement. His wife spent so much time online, he wanted to see how long it would take for her to notice. It took an entire week.

Jyl Johnson Pattee began her new media journey with a weekly Twitter event for moms. It morphed into a blog, website and a cause-oriented network comprised of women around the world. The mantra: Changing the world one mom at a time.

She recently held a Twitter party with people in Kenya. Via online and offline fundraising events from San Diego to New York City, she was able to raise $15,000 benefitting the Yehu Microfinance organization that helps poor Kenyans obtain micro-loans to start small businesses.

She also conducted five simultaneous satellite parties across the US that were video-streamed on momTV.com and broadcast on Blog Talk Radio.

And once a week, Jyl holds a real time event on Twitter called #gno, short for Girl's Night Out. Don't go thinking this is a group of stay-at-home moms. Women may be moms, but they are also hard-working employees, CEOs, management...you name it.

We joined Jyl's #gno event on Twitter one night. The topic: "Strengthening relationships through photography." The sponsor was Kodak. We were prompted to enter our contact information into a contest for a Kodak camera give-away. Kodak even had a social media representative join the group to comment. It was a fast and furious two-hour experience. Women checking in, checking out - much like a conference call-and each comment in less than 140 characters, offering suggestions, talking about cameras, and simply checking in to say "hi."

Ask Jyl for a short bio, and in true Twitter form, you'll get it in 140 characters or less: @jylmomIF is a mom to 2 boys, founder/hostess of Tues Twitter #gno parties, CEO of Mom It Forward, can't get enough cheese, loves 2 travel.

Our questions to Jyl:

Do you consider Mom It Forward a type of new media outlet?

Yes! Sponsoring on websites is not new, but sponsoring Twitter events is. The combination of Twitter, website, and live event advertising is potent and gives a business a reach it often hasn't experienced, especially so affordably. Imagine chatting one-on-one with your target market. It is amazing and powerful.

Do people try to persuade you to write about them or their product or business?

Yes. I pay attention to all of the requests. I respond to those that meet my mission, vision, and values. E-mail me. I'm always open to discussing a potential story or answering any questions anyone may have.

When did you first start getting interest from advertisers?

Last winter, but I didn't reach out and sign up sponsors until this summer. I wanted to get my business model right. For me, community comes first.

I get pitched by agencies and brands all the time to review and promote their products, but so far, I haven't offered reviews on my Mom It Forward site. I do offer sponsorship packages to brands, which include sponsoring a #gno event, advertising space on momitforward.com, and other services such as social media consulting, live events, blogger outreach and tours, etc.

How much time do you spend online daily?

A minimum of six hours. I spend the rest on business development calls, public relations, or business strategy. I have a contributing writer on my site, #gno ambassadors, and Mom It Forward chapter presidents and all of these positions are voluntary. The Mom It Forward team is amazing!

What is your ultimate goal with Mom It Forward?

Changing the world one mom at a time, starting with women as individuals, then in their roles as moms and/or influencers, and extending into their communities and beyond. I truly believe change on a massive level happens as individuals change within. Do I have financial goals? Absolutely! I want to be able to influence as much as possible and money makes that easier. But, money isn't what drives me or how I measure my success.

Jyl Johnson Pattee has a passion for connecting with new people. As a copywriter she connected with clients. As a newspaper reporter she connected with the people she interviewed. As a project manager at Franklin Covey for nine years she connected with the likes of Microsoft, Avon, and the U.S. Air Force. Her current incarnation is as a mom, business owner, and social media consultant.

Newspaper Girl

Blog site: www.newspapergrl.com

Creator: Janet Thaeler, Fruit Heights, Utah

Focus: Stories about internet marketing and PR

Followers: 6,000 on Twitter, @Newspapergrl

Making money: Yes

Allowing advertising: Yes

She's concerned about balance in her life, thus she only spends 7-10 hours a day online...not as much on weekends. She always wanted to be a reporter, but then learned how little it paid. She still misses the rush of writing in a noisy newsroom. Blogging is "so solitary," she says. We went to her site and saw four display ads in the right column. She is making some money at this. We think she is an important facet of emerging new media.

Janet Thaeler calls herself a blogger. We think she is an important facet of emerging new media. Much like a traditional newspaper, which she does read, Janet creates online articles providing content people want. The result? Advertisers want her subscribers to notice them.

Pay some serious attention to this wave of new and influential Utah media. It will define the way business, government, and non-profit organizations communicate with their audiences. Janet cites recent research from "BlogHer" that shows:

* People go to blogs to read about products.
* Blogs have a big impact on their decision to buy.
* Blog posts can rank high in search engine results.

Questions we asked of Newspaper Girl:

1) When and why did you create newspapergrl.com?

I started blogging in 2005. I had been a web developer but it didn't fit me. Someone I worked with told me about internet marketing. I knew instantly it was what I wanted to do. I hoped that by blogging I would get to know other internet marketers and mentors. I also blogged to remember what I read and learned ... and to make it searchable.

2) Geographically, where does your audience come from?

The majority of my traffic is from Utah and California. Surprisingly, my most loyal readers are from India and Germany.

3) Do people try to persuade you to write about them or their product or business?

Yes. I like getting requests if they fit my audience. Get to the point quickly and give me links to learn more. If it's complex, offer to walk me through the product or let me try it out. If you're doing something innovative with social media, I'm interested in hearing about it.

Recently I've attended local events specifically for social media influencers. The next one will be an event for a new restaurant opening. They want us to come, eat, take pictures and video, then write about it on our blogs.

4) Have you experienced any "lack of respect" from the general business community or traditional media?

The business community has a tough time believing that mom bloggers can be so influential (Janet began blogging as an at-home mom). It's a pretty small group, yet they have a large network and reach, often larger than large publications and newspapers.

5) Additional advice for those companies afraid of new media?

Even if you're not online, your customers are. They're searching for local businesses and researching online before making a decision. If you're not there or if your competitor are easier to find, you'll miss out on the business.

What you need to understand is that bloggers are opinionated and we talk. Most of us won't write a negative review -- we just don't write anything, but we will not recommend you if asked. You'll miss out on the leads you'd otherwise get if we had a good experience.

6) Are you making a living at this? Is it a goal of yours?

My blog doesn't make my living. The connections and reputation I have built because of it does. I develop affiliate sites, contract to write search engine optimized press releases, blog and manage bloggers. These business leads often come as a result of my blog.

More about Newspaper Girl: Janet Meiners Thaeler has been in the online marketing industry for four years. Her expertise is online PR and blogging. Beyond her own blog, she writes for sites including Marketing Pilgrim, Small Business Trends, and American Express OPEN Forum®. She works for OrangeSoda as a social media specialist and as an independent consultant. Her new book "I Need a Killer Press Release, Now What?!? A Guide to Online PR" is coming out this fall on Amazon.com and in e-book format.

My summer staycation: Eight precious days with minimal technology. No computing, checking e-mail or using social media. I even taped a piece of paper over the blinking message light on my landline phone. It was my great experiment.

The day before embarking upon my staycation, I received sad, tragic news. A cousin, planting flowers in her garden, was killed when a speeding vehicle lost control and landed in her yard.

Mid-week, I learned that a friend’s teenage son had died. End of week, I decorated family graves. On the way to the cemeteries, I barely avoided a high-speed head-on crash with a vehicle coming at me in the wrong lane. My hand covered my pounding heart. I gasped for breath. These events were both sad and frightening, but I chose to consider them a gift. They made life feel more precious, and made me more determined to make my days off very meaningful.

I’ve returned from my staycation. Here are some observations:

1) The first two days were the hardest. At first I threw myself into house projects. Then I remembered I was supposed to be on staycation, and backed off.

2) I learned to “space out” again, to take a brain break. While sipping a drink at a sidewalk cafe, I became bored and automatically reached for my smart phone. STOP! I put it back and learned the art of staring at city birds on cement.

3) I started noticing people again — their smiles, frowns and other expressions.

4) I wanted “throughout the house” music. Couldn’t do it without firing up iTunes. I hadn’t used my stereo in years.

5) I ran out of a number of supplements that cannot be purchased locally. I HAD to go online to order them.

6) When the computer is on, I shop. When it is off, I don’t. Hmmm … turn off technology, save money?

7) My nerves are calmer. The odd facial twitches I developed from stress at the computer simply went away.

8) I learned to garden, something I have never done.

9) I couldn’t indulge in my hobbies — they are all computer-based.

10) When I needed a phone number or directions, I was forced to use my iPhone. I don’t think I know how to use a phone book anymore.

11) I didn’t eat over my desk. The art of enjoying, truly tasting food, made a comeback.

12) Best of all, I spent quality time on the front porch giving delicate head rubs to my pet parrot Snicker and gecko Larry.

As I write this, eyes on the glare of the screen, fingers relearning the keyboard, I have a sense of longing for the simple. I gaze through the window. A gloriously green world and light rain beckon. Yet here I sit, robbing myself of nature’s calm.

Don’t get me wrong — I love technology. But I hate what it has done to my moments of serenity.

Back to work.

Was it Steve Rubel, the director of insights for Edelman Digital, who predicted a coming “attention crash”? Well Steve, I think a new superbug hit me today: digital exhaustion.

Are you at risk? Read on. On a recent morning, a glorious Saturday full of sunshine, I chose to skip a walk and stroll to my computer, determined to make my first blog post in several weeks. I couldn’t do it. My heart was heavy. My back and my wrists were limp. Brain fog did not respond to caffeine.

The information in my daily workload has been sliced so thin that my brain and the splintered messages it receives feel pulverized, like Jamba Juice in a blender.

Don’t get me wrong. The digital world is a blast. I love it — to my own detriment. I think we call that “addiction.”

Here’s my story:

Each morning ...

1. Hundreds of e-mails arrive. Scanning to find the urgent ones in record speed hurts the mind and the eyes.

2. My e-mail software informs me I send 3,000-4,000 e-mails each month.

3. The social and new media world grabs me by the throat asking me to acknowledge new friends on LinkedIn and Facebook or come up with “30 things about me...”

4. I hit the brakes to visit Twitter, TweetDeck and others. I’m just getting a grip on a new world of communication spinning out of control.

5. Dozens of online industry newsletters with the latest research and great advice scream for my attention, and I really do try to read a few of the stories.

6. Incredible free Webinars tempt me to log on and use my lunch hour for more digital education.

7. More Google alerts arrive — more than I can manage.

8. Oh yeah ... the news. I remind myself it still exists and pay a visit to my aggregator, hoping my community and the world survived the night.

9. Rigor mortis sets in. Resting on a couch, I give myself the luxury of holding a newspaper in my hand. New blood pays a visit to long-numb body parts. An ergonomic work space can't perform miracles.

10. Clever and highly professional phishing has forced me into regular and unwelcome investigative duties. Precious free time ticks away. I must make sure those e-mails warning me of breached and compromised credit card, stock investment info, etc, ARE NOT REAL. “Just ignore them you say?” Impossible. Sometimes I’ve found that a phish isn’t a phish. Spooky.

11. I can’t contain all the passwords in my head. “Write them down,” you say? I once had my password list stolen. I’m too paranoid to do that again.

12. A nice organized e-mail message no longer exists. Now they contain things like “yes,” “no,” and bit after bit of a major assignment. My daily job? Piece five to 10 e-mails together to discover what I’m supposed to do. More time, more work.

13. Those who can't cope with managing minuscule e-mail threads ask me to do the searching and resend it all to them ... more work.

And then there’s the personal absurd stuff that further raids personal time:

1. The phone rings. An automated voice warns me someone has stolen my credit card number…saying: “For more information please press any key.” I press any key. Nothing happens. But the calls continue, so I call my credit card company and find out that, yes, my card has been stolen. Weary fingers reach for the keyboard to go online immediately and create a new account.

2. The phone rings. It’s an automated voice from Delta Air Lines, which reminds me of an April flight and coyly encourages me to go to the Web site for further details. I think that means there’s been a flight change…but the message is vague. Once again, I’m forced to go online.

3. I receive five airline e-mails about flight changes for one trip. I can’t keep track of the data. I set up an airline and trip change filing system — on paper for safety.

Have I said enough? Way too much. I bet no one makes it to the end of my rave on digital exhaustion. Not even past the first paragraph.

Why hello! You did hang with me and read this entire piece — congrats! There’s hope for you. You believe in living for the moment. You refuse to scatter your attention as I have. You are not the adrenaline junkie I seem to be. You, my friend, have a healthy immune system ... able to fight off digital exhaustion.

Getting interviewed for a news story can be one of the best ways to score publicity and spread word of your business—and it positions you as an expert in your field. “You’ll earn more credibility and become a community name,” says Jeri Cartwright, president of Cartwright Communications, LLC, in Salt Lake City.

Connecting with reporters and effectively communicating with them when they call can be tricky, but it’s definitely doable. Just follow Cartwright’s tips, and your phone will be ringing with press inquiries—not to mention potential customers—in no time:

Share the scoop. Do you have an angle on industry trends or current research? Did you successfully solve a major problem? Have you done something innovative with your business? Be the first to tip off roving reporters. “They’re always looking for stories,” says Cartwright, a former reporter.

Reaching reporters can be as easy as shooting them an email. Kick off your message with a concise yet succinct subject line that compels the reporter to open it, such as “Fear Relief.” That’s the subject line Cartwright recently used for a successful story pitch about a university offering free psychological counseling. In the body of the email, share your ideas—as well as a few possible story angles—to establish your credibility as a source. And be sure to include detailed contact information so it’s easy for the reporter to respond.

Master your media outlets. If you have a story pitch to share, you’ll need to determine what type—and what size—of media outlet to pursue. Large-scale media outlets such as a metropolitan newspaper may have a broad reach, but small community papers boast a faithful reader base, Cartwright says. And consider trade publications that relate to your business. Because they’re distributed to members of specific industries, associations or clubs, they have a very targeted audience. Case in point: If you supply medical devices, for example, you could aim for a publication that’s distributed to a nurse’s association. According to Cartwright, Utah Nurse, a Utah Nursing Association publication, is distributed to 18,000 members. “That may not sound like a lot, but if you’re a member of that organization, you’ll have a more personal connection to that publication and will read it with more loyalty and interest,” she says.

Meet deadlines. Anytime you receive a message from a reporter, respond ASAP. Always. “Chances are, the reporter has put out seven to 10 calls to other potential sources,” Cartwright says. “If you respond too late, they’ll probably have the story done.” Plus, Cartwright adds, the faster you get back to them, the more likely you’ll be asked to weigh in on future stories. Should you field a press call when you’re in the midst of a project—or you need time to prepare—ask for story details and tell the reporter you’ll call back in 10 to 15 minutes.

Do your homework. Round up necessary research or chat with knowledgeable colleagues to prepare for an interview. And take time to carefully consider how your statements could potentially affect the image of your business. If you think a neutral trade organization would be more qualified to speak to the story topic, it’s OK to politely decline, Cartwright says.

Memorize your message. Walk into your interview knowing exactly what you want to say. A short, sweet quote incorporating a metaphor, comparison or a true story is the best approach, Cartwright says. Weave your main point throughout the interview and remember, “Regardless of the direction of the interview, you have a right to interject your message,” she says.

Answer with confidence. Few things are as daunting as answering a challenging or harsh question when you’re on the record. If such a question is thrown your way, stay calm and collected—and answer negatives with positives, Cartwright advises. “Don’t dwell on the past,” she says. “Speak to the future.” One example: If your competitor just laid off employees, take the long view when reporters ask your opinion. Speak of overall market trends without judging the local folks.

As for questions urging you to make a prediction? “Answer with great care,” Cartwright says. “You have no crystal ball, nor does anyone else.” And if you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t make something up. Look up the answer and get back to the reporter right away.

Time your answer. If you’re lucky enough to score a television or radio interview, aim to provide short, punchy answers—usually around 5 to 15 seconds—and stay on topic. “You’d be amazed at what you can say in that time if you use metaphor or comparison,” Cartwright says.

Do it NOW. Talk to you employees. Tell them how your business has been affected by the current economic situation. Now is the time to head off inaccurate and highly charged rumors with transparent communication. If you do, you will earn loyalty, trust and most importantly, your employees will take the message to their friends and families when they aren't on the clock. This is called community relations...and it works.

This concerns me. In a new survey, released October 13 and commissioned by the Global Communications firm Weber Shandwick, there are some frightening findings. Employees are more concerned than you may realize. From the survey:

1) 70 percent expect the current economic and financial problems in the U.S. will have a negative impact on the company they work for over the course of the next year.

2) Of those 70 percent, 26 percent believe their company will have to lay off employees and 62 percent said their company would have trouble meeting its goals.

3) 71 percent said that their company leadership should be communicating more about current economic problems.

4) 54 percent have not heard from company leaders AT ALL on the impact of the financial crisis on their company.

The length of any recession is affected by many factors. Many of those are out of our control. But the emotional security of your employees is something you CAN assist with. For the sake of your business health, do it now.

Blog. What a weird word. None of the spell checks in my Microsoft Word software recognize the word blog. Nor does the spell check in the blog software I use? Yet, professionals, the masses, politicians and reporters are using blogs. Chances are your kids have at least one (hopefully not with photos of you in the shower). Blogs are changing the world, for better and for worse.

CEOs are now blogging. Political campaigns and issue promoters/detractors are using bloggers to bring instantaneous messages to the masses, or even to create or carry rumor. No pamphlets, no printing bills, no postage. And, there are tracking services to tell you exactly what bloggers are saying about companies, products, new pharmaceutical drugs, the latest technological products and on and on and on.

Isn’t this just like having a Web site? Afraid not. Blogs are not stagnant information that you have to find. You can subscribe to blogs and other sites via RSS (real simple syndication). Think of RSS as a radio broadcast. You tune into a particular blog’s “broadcast band” and whenever the blog is updated, the information from it arrives in your e-mail. You can respond to the content, have your comment posted (hopefully edited of nasty or mean content), and eureka, an ongoing open-to-the-world conversation takes place.

This rise of “citizen journalism” is both invigorating and terrifying. The average citizen now has a worldwide mouthpiece. Do these citizen journalists abide by journalistic standards? Do they understand the danger of libel? Do they realize that some information needs research before it can be trusted?

Don’t get me wrong — I love reading blogs. I have five of them … sick, I know. There’s some incredible creative talent out there, with people willing to freely share ideas. But I’ve seen the dark side. Bloggers can use malice, lies, retaliation and revenge to hurt companies, elected officials and even average Joes and Josephines and their families.

Once, I attended a media relations summit and heard what it is like to be a journalist in today’s newsrooms. The big guys were there: Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today and NPR. Reporters at the conference confessed that just as PR people attempt to get news stories about clients in mainstream media (often called lamestream media by bloggers), some reporters write their stories and hope they get read. To encourage readership, reporters e-mail appeals to bloggers to carry and comment on their news stories (“Long Tail” effect). Essentially reporters are now practicing PR to get their articles read. That’s ironic.

Blogs have created immediate worldwide conversation. At any given moment, with a few strategic blog searches, you can determine the hot topics of the day, the latest pop culture, and even get an understanding of how blogs are affecting U.S. elections, government and business decisions.

Daily, millions of new blogs claim online real estate. Where is it headed? No one knows. But I do know this: It’s time to get into the game. Don’t stand by and shake your head. Be one of the pioneers.

At least a handful of names have been given to public relations practitioners throughout the history of the profession. Among the most notable (or perhaps notorious) are spokesperson, publicist, spinmeister and flak.

Although Jeri Cartwright, president of Cartwright Communications, has been in the industry long enough to recognize all those labels, she doesn’t claim any as her own. “I consider myself a story broker,” Cartwright said. “A story teller, a story gatherer, a story hunter — something like that.”

The PR veteran’s self-imposed titles aren’t traditional, but neither is the way she runs her media relations firm.

“We usually do things completely different than the way they are being done in other PR shops,” said Cartwright, winner of two Golden Spike awards for excellence in public relations. “We are very strategic. We pick and choose the clients we want, and we don’t take on everyone. We don’t fit with everyone.”

Cartwright founded her firm in 1996 after a decade-long career in broadcast news. She worked as the evening anchor and reporter at KOLD TV (a CBS affiliate) in Tucson, Arizona, and as anchor, reporter and producer at KUTV (another CBS affiliate) in Salt Lake City.

The Utah native says she loved the creativity and excitement of broadcast news but decided to leave the profession after a 10-year career because of the stressful, 24-hour on-call environment.

“I’d say the biggest part of the decision was the burnout in broadcast television at the time,” she said. “I started noticing that people in newsrooms, their families didn’t get to see them. There were a lot of divorces happening, and I was being asked to do some things that I didn’t feel right about.”

Cartwright and her husband, at the time a radio disc jockey, decided to make career changes together and seized the opportunity to move back to the Beehive State. The public relations field was a natural choice for the businesswoman, given her skill set.

“It is just one heartbeat away from being in the media,” she said. “In broadcast, I loved finding those unique stories, editing them, writing them up. I didn’t want to get away from that. It was so creative.”

By working in media relations, Cartwright still gets to be a reporter of sorts. Instead of working for big media, she is hired by clients to go into their companies and sniff out stories that people would like to read or watch. Cartwright looks for information about the company, but also searches for human interest stories that serve the greater good.

“Now, I find all of the great stories about my clients. I take them to a reporter, the reporter gets excited, I give them all of the information and then I get to walk away and they have to meet the deadline. I still get the jolt of creativity and excitement that I got in the newsroom but without the stress of the deadlines,” she said.

She also uses her creativity to set her business apart from other media relations firm. Cartwright Communications is a virtual agency, with all contractors working out of their homes. Foregoing a brick-and-mortar headquarters has helped keep the company flexible and enabled Cartwright to “pick and choose” the clients that she wants.

“I’ve never been tempted to change it, it has been wonderful,” she says.

Cartwright, who was selected in 2005 as one of “30 Women to Watch by Utah Business magazine, embraces unconventional ways of getting her clients’ messages across.

In this day of e-mail and text messaging, Cartwright has been known to send a telegram. (Lest you think her antiquated, note the aforementioned telegram got immediate attention in the ABC newsroom).

When she served on the board of Salt Lake’s Tracy Aviary, Cartwright helped devise an ingenious fundraising campaign to place plastic flamingos in people’s yards. For a fee, the Aviary would remove the flamingos and allow you to pick the next person to get the flock.

Instead of sending out a traditional news release to announce the campaign, Cartwright had the lawns of then Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon’s private residences littered with the pink birds (the gentlemen were dually warned). She then called the media to let them know of the bird attacks and “that got the fundraising started quite nicely.”

“It used to be that media outlets would cover quite similarly the same story. Now, everyone is trying to have something no one else has. The broad strokes of a news release still has its place but not very often,” Cartwright said. “The best stories are cultivated and thought about and put in a nice little basket and given to the reporter we think would like it best.

“It’s more successful because we don’t play favorites with reporters, we see which reporters like what types of stories and we go to the right ones.”

Cartwright helped host the NBA All-Star Game and the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Nagano Olympics media briefing event. One day prior to the start of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Cartwright helped Reebok host its annual Human Rights Awards at the city’s Capitol Theatre. Desmond Tutu and Robert Redford presented at the awards, which Cartwright says were a highlight of her 12-year career.

“It was really empowering” to the young people who attended, Cartwright said. “I loved every minute of it.”

Cartwright views herself as a resource for reporters, as well as an informant for her clients. Every morning, she scans hundreds of news clippings through an online service that includes major newspapers and blogs. Cartwright identifies the issues of the day both locally and nationally, then sends out the coverage to her clients via e-mail. If the issues have any tie-ins to the companies she represents “we’ll start discussing if we should have a voice in it.” She also monitors editorial calendars for dozens of publications, and subscribes to numerous online newsletters.

Cartwright and her contractors have been seriously monitoring online publications for the past several years, and the businesswoman has been experimenting with social media as much as possible, she says. Cartwright maintains two blogs: Media Relations and Executive Gems.

“Social media is the new frontier,” she said. “I love it. I am concerned, though, because I have become addicted. I can’t seem to stay away from the computer. The information comes at you so fast and furious, and it is so exciting to know something almost the moment it happens.”

PR salaries are up according to PRWeek’s recent Korn/Ferry Salary Survey. The bad news: Women, though dominant in this profession, still lag behind in compensation. At a time when the PR field is infused with new money and embraced by top management, we need to take urgent action.

The details: According to the 1,401 PR professionals surveyed, men make an average salary of $123,310, compared to women at $80,940. More frightening: The fresh faces those with less than five years of experience show differences, too. Specifically, median male wages = $65,620. Median female earnings = $45,280.
We dominate the field. We’re really good at it. So what has gone wrong? More important: What can we do about it?

The answer: Ask for the money. The best guarantee that this disparity will change lies in each woman’s willingness to stand firm in salary negotiations. I’m not suggesting that you storm into management offices making demands. I am encouraging you to realize your worth.

However, you can’t ask for the money until you believe that you are worth the money. Management easily sniffs out insecurity during pay negotiations. In my own working life, at my first true professional job, my soon-to-be boss abruptly asked what kind of pay I wanted. I was stunned. I didn’t really have a firm number. I had a range. Ranges are dangerous. Find that firm number, even if it flies in the face of salary surveys. Make it yours.

Once I started using a firm number with true courage, it worked. I got the money, but only when I believed. When you and your future or current boss face off in a discussion of worth, the slightest blink, the smallest of twitches will scream insecurity. And if you bill by the hour, examine your rates. Have you been afraid to ask for what you are worth? Do you back off and try to please?

I envy the built-in confidence many men radiate, deserved or not. Who or what shortchanged women in the psychologically confident department along the way? Is it hormones? Upbringing? The current social environment? The answer: It doesn’t matter!

As the industry becomes more respected, women must insist on and aggressively claim a financial stake or prepare to lose ground that might not be re-won for years. Breaking through to senior management often happens when you already roost in the company of the highly paid. You’ve seen it. When someone applies for a job and indicates past salary history, the higher the price, the more respect they gain in the interview. They may not get the job (budget considerations), but they will get a job one day and their tenacity will have raised the bar for all future employment opportunities.

Whatever you must do to internalize this courage, do it now. Sounds good in theory, right? To help you put this to practice, here are eleven ideas I’ve used for cultivating dollar-demanding strength:

1. Live more simply. High mortgages and debt make you a weak negotiator.

2. Do you work in an environment that is not family friendly? Don’t talk about your kids, even when encouraged. Superiors will worry that you won’t be up to the long days, or that you may abandon deadline projects when family issues come up. America is full of single co-workers who quietly resent the extra work they must do to cover for women who regularly take time off for their children. This may sound cruel, but it is the truth. If women rise in the ranks, we will have the power to implement new business models to solve this family/work imbalance.

3. A labor pool shortage looms as boomers start to retire. Take advantage of it.

4. In a company where you honestly feel you’ll never make the money you need, aggressively look for another. “Catching up significantly means moving to new organizations when the market will pay a premium for talent,” insists Judith Cushman, president of Judith Cushman & Associates. She has a blog that is currently tracking job departures, not openings.
Pay a visit: www.jc-a.com/Blog/JCABlog.htm

5. A job well done is never enough. Always anticipate the future and share your ideas with management in the form of proposals. If your boss is paranoid and doesn’t appreciate this, see #3, and find a place where entrepreneurial ideas are rewarded.

6. Learn and understand the language of your management. Speak it regularly, and management will come to trust and value your ideas. If they don’t, see #3.

7. Take one day. Treat yourself to an upscale restaurant for a quiet solo lunch. Watch the suits talk. Who looks confident? Who looks frightened or ineffective? Which one are you when in the company of management?

8. Retreat to nature with pen and paper. Spend the time itemizing the experience and wisdom you should know you already have. Practice “sound bites” out loud to summarize who and what you are. When people used to ask me what I did for a living, I drew a blank. PR is hard to explain. I now say: “I’m a story broker. I find good stories and tip off the right reporter.” When asked about my company, I surgically go to our most unique point: “We are all former journalists.”

9. Adopt an intern or be a career mentor to someone. Don’t assign them the busy work. Make them a part of your executive life. Let them see what you do. As you teach them, you will teach yourself about yourself.

10. Dress like those already in upper management. Until you do, they will never see you as their equal. When I landed my first job as a television news producer, I dressed for it. On my first day, I walked into the newsroom and everyone stared. My new boss said, “We’re pretty casual around here. Don’t worry about dressing up.” The room was full of jeans and T-shirts. But he was dressed up. As an anchorman and managing editor, he had to be. So I did, too. Within six months, I was on the air.

11. Seek the observations of a stranger. Olympic athletes have coaches, why not you? Hire one. She (or he) will root out your internal enemies. It cools the emotions and teaches objectivity.

Ask for the money. “You must take your chance,” wrote William Shakespeare. And we will all be better off for it.