My talk was about creating websites with great user experience. While “user experience” doesn’t sound sexy (many people don’t even know what it means), it’s a critical part of any website development. At its most basic level, it’s about having good organization and solid content. More specifically, I focus on three things:

1. Great content
2. Easy Navigation
3. A Little Mind Reading

What it all boils down to is asking yourself what your user’s main needs might be and going over the top to deliver on that. Whether it’s letting them embed your videos on their Facebook page, linking them to research that supports buying your product or making your navigation foolproof. The mind reading comes in when you anticipate something they haven’t even thought of yet that delivers even better customer service.

We had some great questions about the value of usability studies (I am an advocate) and about how to talk clients out of their bad navigation ideas . A good time was had by all. Hope to see you next time.

Andrea Zuegel

For November, Jeff Gabel, Chief Creative Officer at Partners + Napier will share his observations on the “common constructs of great ideas”. Jeff is a unique package of big idea, business savvy, and passion for execution. In fact, I recently subjected Jeff to an MRI brain scan, and discovered both left and right sides uniquely well developed and working flawlessly together. Actionable insight yours for the taking. Here are the details:

Tuesday November 17th, 5:30 pm
Tap & Mallet; 381 Gregory Street
$5 non-RAF members, free to members

See you there. Here’s Jeff and I prior to the MRI. When we pulled him out, tube was covered in sketches and post-its.

mj

I watched my neighbors across the way: Cobblestone School was trying to entice kids over by handing out little pipe-cleaner animals; a breast cancer survivor group was handing out calendars. I wouldn’t call any of this terribly engaging. How about the Finger Lakes Burn Unit (no disrespect, but really?). I put this question out there, because I believe that event marketing is really important. People at events usually have money, they’re in a location for a period of time, therefore somewhat captive, and it’s a great time for face-to-face communication, which is rare. Thoughts?

The PRisms acknowledge the highest standards of performance in public relations. This year’s theme—“Who Says PR Is Easy?”—speaks to the process of making our clients look good while we make it look easy.

Categories are included for web and print materials, direct mail, brochures, and press kits, among others. Both corporate and not-for-profit sectors are recognized in each category. For the very first time, the PRSA Rochester Chapter extended the awards to include social media categories. (With full disclosure on shameless self-promotion, Martino Flynn was honored for its innovative work in two of these non-traditional categories, including “blog” and “blogger relations”). This year’s Best of Show for the Corporate category went to Text 100 for their B2B campaign, “Xerox Takes the Headache Out of Office Printing.”

Individual PR professionals from the area are also recognized, like the CEO of The Year. The Rising Star award is rewarded to someone who demonstrates exceptional competence, skill, and leadership, and has no more than seven years of experience. The Sharleen M. Bruse award goes to a PRSA member with more than 10 years of experience who epitomizes the integrity and professionalism of a public relations practitioner. This recipient is also very involved in community service and routinely help advance the career development of other chapter members.

So congrats to all the 2009 PRism winners. As well, a BIG thanks to everyone in the profession for their contributions that are fostering growth in the field and taking us to new heights.

Apparently, advertising talent runs in the family. David is the nephew of Rochester ad & marketing veteran Joe Nardone of Eastman Kodak.

With over 60,000 entries annually, the ADDY® Awards are the world’s largest and arguably toughest advertising competition. The ADDY® Awards represent the true spirit of creative excellence by recognizing all forms of advertising from media of all types, creative by all sizes and entrants of all levels from anywhere in the world. The American Advertising Federation, a not-for-profit industry association conducts the ADDY® Awards through its 200 member advertising clubs and 15 districts. It is the only creative awards program administered by the advertising industry for the industry.

Check out all the 2009 winners here.

Also, Kodak CMO and Twitterer extraordinaire, Jeff Hayzlett will demystify the benefits of tweeting and Joan Rivers celebrity apprenticeship with Donald Trump (still trying to figure out how that is going to work).

This is one of the Ad Council’s largest fundraising events of the year, helping them raise funds in support of their work and the community. Show your support by marking your calendars and reserving your seat or table today!

Keynote Speaker:
Jeffrey Hayzlett, Chief Marketing Officer, Eastman Kodak Company
twitter.com/jeffreyhayzlett

When:
Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Time: Noon

Where:
Hyatt Regency Rochester
125 East Main Street
Rochester, NY 14604
(585) 546-1234

Be on the look out for announcements regarding contests to win prizes via Twitter and Facebook (to be held both prior and during the luncheon!)

Join us to show your support for the Ad Council and its work in the community, and to help us say thanks to some of the people who have made it all possible.

2009 Lantern Award Honorees
Matt Jones, Wegmans Food Markets
John Myers, John Myers Photography

2009 W.B. Potter Founder’s Award Honorees
Water Education Collaborative
SIGMA Marketing Group

2009 Chairman’s Awards
B. Thomas Golisano Foundation
VanDamme Associates

2009 Beacon Award
Catalyst Direct

2009 Legacy Award
Jeff Gutenberg

Registration:

For more info or to reserve a seat, click today.

First, view “Not A Cornfield,” a photography and video installation at the Eastman House that captures the transformation of a 32-acre brownfield in historic central Los Angeles into a cornfield for one agricultural cycle. Meet artist Lauren Bon in person. The project was created to raise questions about the nature of urban public spaces and to convey redemption and hope. Light refreshments will be served, 6 til 8 pm.

Continue your evening at Rochester Contemporary Art Center. View the exhibition in between, featuring paintings and sculptures by Brooklyn-based artists Malin Abrahamsson and Ricky Sears inspired by their first experiences with Rochester’s vacant lots, and visit the P.L.A.N.T. Reading Room. Inspired by the Metabolic Studio, the P.L.A.N.T. Reading Room is a new space dedicated to participatory art practice and a healthier Rochester. (P.L.A.N.T. = Place, Land, Art & Agriculture, Neighbors, and Technology) Light refreshments, 7:30 til 10 pm.

By leveraging Twitter and other social media, organizers of the Rochester Twestival 4 Foodlink were able to coordinate the event within a short time span, as well as bring to light the hunger crisis within our own community. Tonight’s event has been organized by the same core group of volunteers, who rallied the community’s participation in the global Twestival event back in February.

This was the first event of its kind that united communities worldwide on the same day, using social media to raise money and awareness for the global water crisis. Rochester ranked 18th in overall fundraising out of the more than 200 participating communities, with $2,690 raised for the benefitting non-profit, Charity: Water.

The overarching concept behind the Twestival is “social media for change.” Twitter is not only showing explosive growth in connecting people, but is also becoming a premier technological platform to pay it forward.