I went back into my archives of videos from days working for the fledging CNN/WTBS sister stations, and I found an interview with Dick Clark that I conducted when he was recording in Nashville and produced for an old TV magazine show called, “Winners.”

Back “in the day” we were producing pieces that were six minutes long and, at the same time, we’d struggle to squeeze everything into the story.  We actually thought these pieces might even be too fast-paced for the viewer!

What a luxury it was to be able to let a story leisurely unwind and to be able to spend some time on a topic or reveal a person’s personality.  Hope you enjoy this few minutes (don’t worry, it’s been edited down significantly) with the late, great Dick Clark.

But take note.  Understanding passive voice – and its emasculating impact on otherwise good prose – is crucially important to improving one’s writing.   If the goal is to write strong, persuasive, behavior-changing content, the writer must eliminate passive voice in all but the most impactful instances.

While the Internet is replete with examples of poor writing, it provides many good sources to help the student writer (and I hope even the most accomplished novelist, journalist, essayist and scribe would count him/herself in this hungry crowd) learn, detect and destroy passive voice.  Such resources can be found here, here and here (and note that I just used passive voice).  But as an appetizer to a heartier serving of study in passive voice, I offer a few quick tips to assist the average editor and proofreader in spotting this destructive tendency.

Avoid almost any use of the word “there.”

The glaring “there” is a certainly the most flagrant demonstration of passive voice.  Like a bald, fat, shirtless man who has proudly painted the logo of his favorite NFL team on his hairy chest and rounded abdomen, “there” makes no bones about its upbringing. Sentences built on “there is” or “there are” are so weak they can be completed in literally millions of ways.  Consider these wildly contrasting examples:

“There is … a quiet beauty in the act of baptism.”

“There is … nothing but depravity and course behavior resting on the limbs of their family tree.”

“There is … a delicious surprise wrapped in the waffle cone of a nutty buddy.”

“There is … a sniper in the state capitol.”

Do you really want to employ a construct that can be so easily manipulated?

Look for subjects hiding at the end of the sentence.

“The trainer was scratched by the lion.”

In this example, the subject of this potentially powerful sentence cowers at the end of the copy, limiting the action of the thought and almost eliminating the possibility of augmentation. (How does one modify “was”?)

Just imagine the possibilities when active voice prevails: “The lion scratched the trainer” is quickly and easily evolved to “The brooding lioness quickened her pace and turned on the unsuspecting trainer, snapping a massive paw against his trousers and tearing fabric, fringe and flesh in the blink of her feline eye.”

Watch out for sentences that rely on “to be.”

In truth, I think most all acts of passive voice can be blamed on this particular flaw (don’t miss that I just used passive voice … again).

While not every sentence with a verb form of “to be” is passive – or necessarily bad – the discerning write will certainly review it carefully.  Consider this:

“The cake in the break room has been eaten.”

As passive voice is wont to do, it devours the subject in this sentence. (Go ahead, try to diagram it and see for yourself). We know that eating is (or was) the action here, but who actually did the eating?  We don’t know!

As with the example above, this sentence can really come to life when converted to active voice: “The devious data center representatives slipped from their cubicles one by one, surreptitiously devouring the cake in fork-sized bits until the icing read only “Hap … ay” and even the exclamation point was consumed.

As with most of society’s serious woes, the first step to overcoming passive voice is knowing how to identify it. Microsoft Word offers a “grammar check” option that catches most uses of passive voice and can be a helpful tutor as you refine your active voice skills.

What is your favorite trick for avoiding passive voice?

Growing up in the South, my mother instilled this bit of wisdom in me at a young age.  And I try to take her advice to heart – even if I don’t always follow it to the letter. For example, when the neighborhood restaurant we regularly order take-out from recently messed up my order for the fourth time in as many weeks, I chose to email the manager directly rather than blast the business on Facebook.

However, as business owners and brand managers everywhere can attest, I am not your average customer. Social media and sites like Trip Advisor, Yelp and Insider Pages have created a new breed of consumer – one that not only has plenty to say, but more forums than ever in which to say it. Negative tweets and posts have long ago replaced comment cards at retail establishments and, in hospitals, they’ve become the new nurse call button. While negative posts can take a toll on a brand’s reputation, research suggests they also affect the bottom line. According to a recent survey, more than 80 percent of consumers say they are heavily influenced by online reviews and search results. It’s a fundamental power shift that has caused many businesses to think twice about embracing social media.

Though engaging directly – and publicly – with consumers is scary for many brands, it’s increasingly necessary. Businesses simply can’t afford to bury their heads in the sand by ignoring negative comments. However, responding to an unhappy customer or a negative review requires a special kind of cool – not to mention a solid strategy. Here are five tips to help brands – large and small – make the most of these interactions.

-          Silence speaks volumes. The first thing clients facing a negative post often ask is “Should I respond?” The answer is almost always yes. People want to feel heard and they want to know what you’ve done to fix the problem. In fact, research suggests that 88 percent of consumers are less likely to do business with a company that fails to address customer questions or complaints. Providing a timely response shows customers that you are not only listening, but that you also care. On the flip side, positive posts can be opportunities to show customers you appreciate their feedback too.

-          Cooler Heads Prevail. It sounds simple but never respond to a negative post while angry. It’s easy to take criticism personally but take a deep breath – or a long walk – before responding.

-          Sorry works. When answering a complaint or bad review, follow many of the same rules you would use to respond to a negative media story. Don’t make excuses or place blame. Apologize and accept responsibility as appropriate and briefly explain what you have done to fix the issue. Keep it simple and move the conversation offline to discuss details.

-          Be human. I’ve blogged about the importance of humanity in PR before, but it’s especially important when engaging online. People want to deal with other people. This isn’t the time for corporate speak. Identify yourself as a representative of the company, keep the focus on the customer and make sure your tone is warm and conversational.

-          Listen. Really Listen. Perhaps the biggest mistake a business can make in dealing with a negative commenter is moving on too quickly. It’s human nature to want to resolve the issue and put it in the past, however doing so without taking the time to understand what went wrong (or right) is a huge missed opportunity. Businesses have a unique window to mine valuable insight from their most vocal customers … so take advantage of it!

While you’ll never make everybody happy all of the time, common sense and good digital manners can earn you the respect – and business – of your most vocal customers. Wouldn’t Mom be proud?

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Most people are familiar with Grammar Girl (I actually have her book The Grammar Devotional sitting on my desk) but probably don’t visit her as much as they should. Her web site is full of informative and easy to remember tips, and so is GrammarBook.com. In my opinion, here are some of the most useful tips from those sites:

Rule #1: Use a comma when an -ly adjective is used with other adjectives.

Lucy is a lovely, young girl.

Helpful Hint: To test whether an -ly word is an adjective, see if it can be used alone with the noun. If it can, use the comma.

Rule #2: Use commas to set off expressions that interrupt sentence flow.

She is, as everyone expected, very excited about the promotion.

Rule #3: When starting a sentence with a weak clause, use a comma after it. Conversely, do not use a comma when the sentence starts with a strong clause followed by a weak clause.

If these comma examples are not helpful, please let me know.
Let me know if these comma examples are not helpful.

Rule #4: A comma splice is caused when two strong clauses, which could be independent sentences, are separated with a comma without using a conjunction, a semicolon, or a period.

Incorrect:
Kristen wrote an award-winning press release, Steven created an impressive web site.

Correct:
Kristen wrote an award-winning press release, and Steven created an impressive web site.

Rule #5: Sentences that include “if clauses” are called conditional sentences. When this type of clause is at the beginning of a sentence you need a comma, and when it’s at the end you can leave it out.

If I don’t get enough sleep, I am worthless the next day.

I am worthless the next day if I don’t get enough sleep.

And, don’t forget the simple ones like use commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more; and use a comma to separate two adjectives.

Here is a recent article in The New Yorker about commas: it’s a funny read.

Do you have a common comma quandary?  And, how did I handle my commas?

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The central home screen provides users with three simple options: Updates, Profile, and Inbox.  The “Updates” portion of the app is comparative to Flipboard, a social networking aggregation which collects content of social media and other websites and presents it in magazine format allowing users to simply “flip” through their social-networking feeds.  LinkedIn users are able to flip through their friends’ stories and updates and even check the local weather.

The “Profile” option on the app is where you can view your own profile, update your status and see who has recently viewed your profile.  This section of the app also allows members to send invitations to connect with other LinkedIn users.

Finally, the “Inbox” is where you will find messages sent by connections, along with connection requests. The app’s tools allow for simple follow up messages and initiation of new conversations.

The app’s new calendar feature is also able to pull information from your existing Google Calendar or Exchange calendar and display profile information for the people you’re meeting with.

As mobile devices continue to become more and more prevalent, sites such as LinkedIn will flourish as users move to use apps as a quicker and easier way to check-in on social networking sites.  What do you think of the new iPad app? Let us know in the comments section!

Well, before you start plopping synonyms on the page, consider how differences in meaning and connotation can dramatically affect the tone of your writing.

Tone, as you’ll recall from high school English courses, is the mood of a particular piece of writing. And word choice is one factor that determines mood.

For example, in writing for some of our healthcare clients, I’m frequently tasked with describing services provided by hospitals or physicians. Instead of describing cardiology is a “critical service” for the hospital, I’m better off calling it a “vital service,” given the positive connotations of the word vital (life, energy, etc.) and the more negative connotations of the word critical (crisis, criticism, etc.). Similarly, it’s preferable to describe how a client has “reduced costs,” which has positive implications of strategy and planning, than say it has “cut” or “slashed” its costs.

In addition, word choice determines whether the tone of your writing is casual or formal. Did you “talk about” or “debate” a topic? Did the researchers “look into” or “examine” a subject? Were you “mad” or “angry”?

The next time you’re putting the finishing touches on a piece of writing – or getting ready to reference a thesaurus – take a moment to consider the word choices you’ve made and how they impact the message you’re trying to deliver. A short editing session can mean the difference between a positive and professional piece of writing and a passage that unintentionally frowns at its reader.

For more tips, check out our previous posts on writing and copywriting.

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We were thrilled this year to be recognized with 12 awards for work on behalf of nine clients and our own firm. In the category of community relations, Lovell received a Parthenon Award for our work on behalf of LifeCare Hospitals and its acquisition of five long term acute care hospitals in 2011. We also received two awards of merit for public relations and public affairs campaigns, including TeamHealth’s 2011 P.R. campaign and the Tennessee Rural Communications Cooperative Association’s Save Rural Telecom campaign.

In the category of internal communications, we received a Parthenon Award for Ardent Health Service’s CareBridge rollout and an award of merit for our work with Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals employee benefits communication.  We also received a Parthenon Award for crisis communications for Troy Regional Medical Center’s patient data theft incident.

For writing, we were pleased to receive three awards, including a feature writing award of merit for “Heart of the Matter” for Crestwood Medical Center and an award of merit in bylined articles and a Parthenon Award for technical writing for the LifeCare Hospitals article “Reducing Preventable Hospital Admissions.”

In media relations, our media placement for Souls4Soles in Shape magazine was recognized with an award of merit as was our direct mail piece for Strength for Service.  And last but certainly not least, Lovell was thrilled to be recognized with a New Media Parthenon Award for the work of our digital team in increasing online discovery of http://lovell.com/.

We shared this evening of recognition with our Nashville PR peers at Marathon Village, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its buildings, built between 1881 and 1912, were once home to Marathon Motor Works, which manufactured the Marathon automobile in Nashville from 1911 to 1914. Thanks to an ongoing historic restoration project, Marathon Village today is four-block complex of studios, offices and unique businesses like the American Pickers Store and two Tennessee distilleries.

You can probably tell we’re proud of our hometown, but we’re even more proud and honored to represent our valued clients, with operations in all 50 states. Thanks to each of our clients for the opportunity to do great work for you. Now, when are ya’ll coming to Nashville!?

There are MANY services available to conduct virtual meetings; from highly robust and paid services to free and simple ones. Recently updated, the Google+ platform allows for online video conferencing which it calls “Hangouts.” Other major services include GoToMeeting and Cisco’s WebEx. And did you know Facebook also allows for video chats between friends?

Facebook video conferencing is actually powered by one of our favorite services that we highly recommend, Skype. Skype can be used for free video conferencing directly with another Skype user, including online messaging and file sending.  We recommend Skype to clients as a way to conduct meetings between organizational employees when not located in close enough proximity. If you haven’t tried it out already and would like to, Skype requires a quick set-up process before online communication can begin. To make it easy for you, we’ve created a How to Set Up Skype video below that will walk you through the process.

What services do you like using for virtual meetings? Please let us know your recommendations in the comments below!

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A few weeks ago, Google released its monthly report of “search quality highlights” for March. According to WebProNews, the report included a total of 50 changes, including modifications to Google’s search engine algorithms, aimed to provide the best search results as fast as possible.

Here are some of Google’s most recent changes:

Better indexing of profile pages.

Public profile pages are indexed from more than 200 social sites. Previously, Google+ profile pages were appearing at the top of search results, even if they were not the most relevant. This change has been addressed, and now Facebook, Twitter, and other social profiles are more likely to appear ahead of Google. Speaking of social platforms…

Better handling of password changes.

If you use your Google account to log onto other platforms, such as Blogger or YouTube, you may have noticed that a password change would not automatically log you out. The new change ensures that creating a new password consistently signs you out of any linked accounts for better account security and protection.

More relevant image search results.

In the past, Google tended to show high-quality pages over low-quality, even if the pictures on the page were not the most applicable to the search. The new change tunes signals related to landing pages to make it more likely that the most relevant images will appear in the search results.

Better local results and sources in Google News.

Google is improving upon its search signals to return more pertinent and local Google News results from the best possible sources. The search engine has also improved the systems that are used to classify search terms, in an attempt to keep results more accurate to the original query.

These algorithm changes can greatly influence SEO practices, such as keyword analysis research. This practice helps companies and brands target specific market keywords and surpass competition in order to achieve the top Google rankings. Discovering a company’s best keywords and measuring how well it dominates those keywords involves detailed research and analytics, and there are several SEO tools and software available to help.

While free tools such as Hootsuite and Tweetdeck are certainly useful, we’ve found that paid services such as Raven Tools are much more robust and provide a more efficient analysis of a brand’s “big picture” on social media. Raven Tools was designed as an analytics resource by a SEO agency five years ago but has since integrated vital social media tools such as an email campaign platform; content managers for Facebook, Twitter, and WordPress; website analytics and pay-per-click advertising.

Google stays in a contact state of evolution to ensure that its systems aren’t artificially (or even malignantly) manipulated.  It’s important to stay tuned in to Google’s major algorithm modifications and search engine news, as these changes occur frequently and can impact your site and your business. If all of this seems overwhelming, your best bet may be to hire a search engine optimization and social media management company to help you keep up with these ever changing services.

Photo Credit: Stuart Miles