University of Minnesota Communicators Forum

Best Times to Post to Social Media

2012-05-09T18:44:34Z

I should be posting this to Facebook or Twitter right now instead of a blog. Why?

The Poynter Institute has just released this report showing the highest click-through days/times for Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. Peak time for Facebook and Twitter are right now: 2:30 p.m. on a Wednesday.

This will change how we schedule our postings. Have you seen anything different in your campaigns? Click through for neato graphs.

Bitly data shows the best times to post links to Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr

Conference Early Bird Deadline Extended to May 18!

2012-05-07T19:39:06Z

Go for the Maroon and Gold

Communicators Forum 2012 Conference

Thursday, July 26, 2012
7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
St. Paul Continuing Education and Conference Center
Parking Map and Directions

The early bird deadline has been extended! Register by May 18 »

Session topics and speakers are now available online »

Go for the Maroon and Gold: Training Tip

2012-04-27T21:23:19Z

Ever been put on the spot to produce a great idea...? And, realized that your creative juices were not flowing? Drumming up creativity can be a tricky thing, especially if when you get stuck on these hang ups (http://www.copyblogger.com/mental-blocks-creative-thinking/).

That's why it's important to put aside some time during your week to exercise your creative muscles.... starting with this: 29 ways to stay creative (http://vimeo.com/24302498).

Also, don't forget the UMCF annual conference is coming up July 26! And, we're pleased to announce that Beth Perro-Jarvis and Mary Van Note, Partners of Ginger Consulting, will be leading a session on creativity.

P.S. Check out this cool story about Ginger Consulting on Star Tribune (http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/148329235.html).

Go for the Maroon and Gold: Training Tip

2012-04-16T21:00:16Z

Screen printing. This is quite possibly one of the coolest forms of visual communication. Conveying a message or brand through images is compelling and, if you're an art enthusiast like me, more engaging than other forms of communication (when done well).

A great example is Twin Cities illustrator and print maker Adam Turman who tells the story of biking in the Twin Cities through his collection of cycling prints.

Check out how to create the final product in this screen printing tutorial written by Turman.

And, plan to attend Turman's UMCF conference session "Let's Print" where he'll talk about the process of screen printing, but more importantly, he'll be teaching how to pull some actual prints that attendees can take with home.

Register by April 23 for the discounted rate.

Link Roundup: Sustainable Design

2012-04-13T15:00:00Z

In celebration of Beautiful U Day which is happening next week, some sustainable links:

Companies are revolutionizing sustainable product design by using environmental life cycle assessment to benchmark their product impacts.
Heard about the U's RFID program? Faculty and staff can bicycle towards points to reduce 2013 medical program rates.
See art out in the open and year-round at Mankato's CityArt Walking Sculpture Tour.
RiverFIRST is the winning design proposal for the Minneapolis riverfront. Watch the design team's video and learn about the 2010 international design competition which was sponsored by the Mpls. Park Board and Parks Foundation, with creative partners the U of M College of Design and Walker Art Center.

Finding Your Niche in a Social Media Explosion

2012-04-11T16:33:56Z

It seems I can't do anything in the communications world without bumping elbows with yet another one of the billion social media tools popping up these days. In the crowded room of businesses, college departments, and organizations all screaming for your attention through their various social media, it can be hard to decide what tools are best or applicable to you and your place of work. Here's a quick article on some of the newer buzz-tools out there: the new Facebook Timeline for businesses, Pinterest, and Instagram.

What's your take on these new platforms? Do you see an opportunity to use them in your workplace?

Go for the Maroon and Gold: Training Tip

2012-03-31T14:14:01Z

Email marketing. It's a quick and direct way to communicate with your audience. But, when should it be used and what's the messaging like? Integrating email marketing with a broader communications plan (probably including both traditional and new media) is often key to its success. Also, writing engaging and relevant messages is a must for standing out in the flurry of emails.

Check out ten best practices for email marketing. And, plan to attend the UMCF conference session on email marketing, "Having a Blast: Making Mass Email Work for You," with U of M University Relations' electronic communications specialist Pete Wiringa.

Learn about the conference agenda and session topics. Register by April 23 for the discounted rate.

Introvert or extrovert? (or, How come no one shows up to UMCF happy hours?)

2012-03-27T16:10:32Z

What would you guess is the personality type of a communicator? Probably extrovert, right? But there are many of us in varying job functions, from graphic design to PR. Let's see how it shakes out:

Go for the Maroon and Gold: Training Tip

2012-03-23T19:10:00Z

Social media is a constantly changing suite of tools. While each platform offers communicators valuable ways to engage with their audience and deliver key messages, managing all of them can be a challenge. That's why developing a social media strategy is crucial to posting successful updates.

Learn how to build a social media strategy in three steps and plan to attend the UMCF conference session on developing social media strategy. Rita Greenberg, interactive media specialist at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, will present.

To register for the conference, click here. If you register by April 23, you'll pay the discounted rate of $120. Go for the Maroon and Gold!

Link Roundup: Olympic Design

2012-03-21T17:14:39Z

In light of the upcoming "Go for the Maroon and Gold" conference, happening a day before the 2012 Olympic Games begin, some Olympic design-related links:

39 Olympic Logos From 1924 to 2012
Summer Olympic logos from 1896 to 2012, including many of the more colorful posters and logos
The London Olympic Games Organising Committee on the 2012 Olympic brand: "The number 2012 is our brand. It is universal and understandable worldwide."
According to an Olympic medals timeline, the London 2012 design is the largest Summer Olympics medal to date.
Finally, who doesn't love the 2012 Olympics logo?

And don't forget to register for the conference. Rates go up after April 23!

Confessions of a Copyblogger Junkie

2012-03-19T14:00:00Z

I'll admit right now that I'm a Copyblogger junkie. Writers, if you don't follow this uber helpful copywriting blog, DO IT NOW. Seriously. Someday, after you've been twirling in your swivel chair for 30 minutes singing "la-la-la-la-la" after hitting writer's block, you'll thank me. Whether it's a headline that isn't packing a punch, an uncooperative blog post, or simply a complete lack of focus due to the unseasonably warm March weather, Copyblogger will pop up in your inbox with an incredibly insightful, clear, and concise article to pull you out of your rut. Here are a few recent articles that I've found incredibly valuable:

The 10-Minute Technique to Becoming a More Productive Writer On the importance of having a personal long-term writing vision in order to help you become more efficient with your daily writing tasks.

3 Simple Storytelling Methods That Can Do Your Selling For You On the power of storytelling in sales copy, broken down into the personal story, the historical story, and the "meet the guru" story.

8 Quick Tips for Writing Bullet Points People Actually Want to Read On the importance of effective, readable bullet points in a digital, "Twitterized" world.

Enjoy, folks.

Millennials. Not so community-oriented?

2012-03-15T20:50:41Z

A few years ago a Forum conference session focused on the mindset of millennials. We were told that they are into their group, the betterment of their community, being part of the gang. New research is showing that perception may be way off. Since many of us communicate to millennials (and work with them here in the Forum, :-) ) here's that article, from The Chronicle.

Millennials Are More 'Generation Me' Than 'Generation We,' Study Finds

By Joanna Chau

Millennials, the generation of young Americans born after 1982, may not be the caring, socially conscious environmentalists some have portrayed them to be, according to a study described in the new issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

The study, which compares the traits of young people in high school and entering college today with those of baby boomers and Gen X'ers at the same age from 1966 to 2009, shows an increasing trend of valuing money, image, and fame more than inherent principles like self-acceptance, affiliation, and community. "The results generally support the 'Generation Me' view of generational differences rather than the 'Generation We,'" the study's authors write in a report published today, "Generational Differences in Young Adults' Life Goals, Concern for Others, and Civic Orientation."

About That Job Study, part 2

2012-03-09T19:08:37Z

Thank you to all who have commented on my previous post about the Communications Job Study. In addition many people contacted me privately. I was surprised by the disappointments that people shared with me because the process in my own unit was as expected and drama-free.

We derive a great deal of pride and identity from the work we do; besides that, it's our livelihood. The results of the job study are a big deal.

I am reaching out to the team that led the Communications Job Study to see if we can host an open meeting for Forum members to ask their questions. More on that to come. Meanwhile, a number of people posted questions about the job descriptions so they could compare. Here is a PDF of 6 of those jobs that I was able to put together. If you find a link to these online or want to share additional descriptions please contact me.

JobClassSpecifications.pdf

PrincEdWriter.pdf

Annual Conference with NPR's Michele Norris

2012-03-06T14:41:27Z

"Go for the Maroon and Gold"

Thursday, July 26, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., St. Paul Continuing Education and Conference Center

• Register for the conference »

This year's keynote is Michele Norris host of NPR's "All Things Considered." To us communicators, she is an Olympian. She has done so much to advance the field and reach her goals that she is an inspiration, much like a traditional Olympian, to communications professionals.

• Read Michele Norris' biography »

Tune in on the UMCF Facebook page and Twitter feed for weekly training tips--the tips will preview the conference and provide helpful tricks of our trade along the way!

So, about that job study...

2012-03-03T14:14:00Z

Everyone who participated in the job study last August should have received the news about their new classification by yesterday. So, how did it go? What do you think, after all is said and done? Did you land where you thought you would? Are you disappointed by anything?

Let's have a forum for everyone's thoughts here in the comments section.