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Happy Thursday <<First Name>> –

Like many marketers, I'm a list person. I make lists to solve problems. I make lists to make sense of the world. At any given moment, I'm surrounded by a series of lists. I've got long-term lists of where I want to be in 10 years and how I'm hoping to get there. And I've got short-term lists reminding me to write this email to you and take the trash out later. 

Today, as you read this, I'm moving our oldest child into his dorm to start his freshman year of college. Once again, lists have gotten me through most of this emotional peak on the parenting roller coaster. College search? Let's make a list of what you're looking for in a school. Graduation? Work the list: Turn in your work, fill out the forms, get the robe ("Did you order the robe?!"), show up at the ceremony, walk across the stage. Graduation party? It's a list party—guest list, supply list, thank-you-card list! Orientation? The university gives you several lists. Packing? Let's make a list of what you have and what we need to go get.  

I say list-making has gotten me through most of this. That's because, as I'm writing this to you now, it's the day before he moves out and I'm out of lists. Left to my own devices, I find myself making lists that make me blubber and cry. Last family meal (for a while) ... Last time we'll all sit and watch a movie together (for a while) ... List-making is a blessing and a curse. I'm trying to focus on other lists. The lists that come with moving on to exciting new phases in life. A list of crazy, fun times that college and your first experiences of living alone brings. A list of new friends, dynamic teachers, divergent views, and more.

College is an amazing time—especially at the University of Iowa where my son is headed. That's probably why I never really left. I came to Iowa City in the fall of 1997 and graduated in 2001. After a decade in the field, I returned to teach and have been there since. Things change. But sometimes they haven't changed as much as you thought. Or feared. And sometimes you don't know that until you stop and look at the lists behind you and think about the lists that lie ahead.

So I'm putting on a proud, happy face and moving him in. Next week classes start for us both. More on that below. Without further ado, let's look at what you may have missed this past week. 
 

Not All Dashes Are Created Equally

With a new school year around the corner, I'm slipping back into "teacher mode." One of the courses I teach is business communication, which focuses on writing and presenting for the modern world of work. One thing I often have to point out is the difference between an em dash, an en dash, and a hyphen. The New York Times took up the cause this week with a look at the em dash in particular. And if you like a good dissection of punctuation and style, you'll love this ...
 

Lead vs. Lede? 

Marketing writing, like journalism, is best if you don't bury the ... lead or lede? Which is it? Roy Peter Clark (author of 50 Writing Tools and several other useful writing books) has a thoughtful essay on the Pointer website clarifying the lead vs. lede debate


What TV-Related Content Are Social Media Users Engaging With? 

For years, we've heard the promise of more "social TV" through multi-screen viewing and engagement. But what TV-related content really sparks social conversations? TDG has the latest—and it's ... er, not what you may expect. 
 

One Detail Explains Why Steve Jobs Was the Best at Public Presentations 

I mentioned I teach writing and presentation, right? Here's something from the presentation side of the house. Steve Jobs was an amazing public speaker. Well, there's one of his speaking habits that you can easily adopt and it's related to our conversation on grammar, style, and word choice. 
 

How to Build a Challenger Brand 

“A challenger brand is defined by an ethos — a mindset. They have ambitions that outweigh their internal marketing resources. They have to outthink. They can’t outspend.” As the author of a book called Get Scrappy, I love this. So how do you punch above your weight class? We talked about this with Door Number 3’s Prentice Howe, author of The Empowered Challenger Playbook. Listen now.

Speaking of the On Brand podcast .. I need your help. 
 

Intermission: Help Me Take the On Brand Podcast to Austin

 

I've put together a special LIVE edition of the On Brand podcast for SXSW 2020 focusing on "How to Build a VR Brand." I'll be joined by Amber Osborne of Doghead Simulations and Joanna Popper from HP. But I also need YOUR help. Can you take a moment and head to the Panel Picker site and give my session a quick up vote? That's how sessions are chosen for the event. And, if you're voting, can you take a second and leave a comment as well? I'm really excited about bringing this exciting topic to the SXSW podcast stage. Hurry—voting ends tomorrow, FRIDAY, AUG. 23rd.

Thanks again for your help!

VOTE AND COMMENT NOW >

Funnel Problems

Guess what? As marketers we have consistently leaky funnels. And, to make matters worse, few know how to focus on funnel ROI. So what works best when? A new report from GetResponse has the answers
 

See Me Speak

Look for me alongside Seth Godin and speakers from Google, Ford, and LinkedIn at Digital Summit Detroit on September 25th-26th. I hope to see you at one of these great events. To learn more about bringing me to your event, check out my website or just reply to this email.
 

Storytelling Summit for Marketers 2019

The ability for marketers to tell engaging stories isn't just a "nice to have." That's why I'm thrilled to be joining Nancy Duarte and Ron Ploof as part of MarketingProfs new online storytelling summit. Register now.

There you have it! If you have ideas on stories we could share or content you’d like to see in any format (blog posts, podcast guests, ebooks, events, etc) simply reply to this email and we can chat. I’d love to hear from you.

Until next week, see you on the Internet!
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