Even with the many template options, there are many times that the best option for a blog is a custom design. And while the term “blog” used to refer to an online journal, blogs have now become a portal to your full site. Your “blog” site may include a store, media, events calendars and galleries.
Whether you’re running a dog grooming business or giving parenting advice, one size does not fit all. Custom blog development should start with the strategic question, “What do we ultimately want visitors to do?” and then create an online experience that uniquely expresses the individual’s or organization’s personality and drives conversions.
This video has made its rounds on the blog circuit, but it is so powerful I had to share it as well. My world continues to be rocked as God opens my eyes in a new way to those who are suffering. Buckle your seatbelt…
I’ve heard it said, “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.” Luckily, I found out that “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s ALMOST gone” is also true.
Five years ago today was the darkest day of my life. On a morning drive on I-65 with my then 2-yr-old daughter Abby, a distracted teenage driver (there’s an entire post on this that I’ll refrain from for now) ran me into the median. My SUV tires hit gravel and immediately went from 70 mph to flipping 4 or 5 times. As the car came to a stop, my world stood still. I was conscious but disoriented, and within moments heard strangers shattering the sunroof to pull us out.
Some time in the Vanderbilt trauma unit, a couple of surgeries and a blood transfusion soon had me well enough to head home and begin the long recovery process.
Five years later, I have a pretty clear perspective in the rearview mirror and here’s what I know:
1. I would not trade the experience for anything. It gave me a new perspective on life, living, and eternal significance.
2. My marriage and family are forever stronger for the struggles that we went through together.
3. There is nothing that can happen to me that my faith and a personal relationship with God will not see me through.
4. I can empathize with people who are struggling, unsure of tomorrow or suffering anxiety in a way that would not be possible if I hadn’t been through a truly dark time.
5. I am honestly grateful for the pain and struggle.
If I had it to do all over again and had a choice, I think I would. Life is too short and without a wake-up call, we seem to drift through without purpose. Today I’m renewing my commitment to live with intention, realizing that few things are lasting and life is short.
As one of our adoption requirements, we’ve completed a detailed and rigorous “inspection” process. From medical records and tests to long questionnaires about faith, family and adoption, we’ve totally opened up our lives and our family to a social worker. At the end, her job is to determine whether we are fit to be parents. Had we begun this process eight years ago, it might not have been so stressful. But the thought of someone deciding whether you should be a parent…when you already have two children…is a little intimidating.
After interviews, paperwork, and meetings, we were ready for our last step – the home visit. At this visit the social worker would meet our children, talk with them and tour our home. I honestly was not that worried. My kids are really good kids! They’re excited about the adoption and couldn’t wait for the visit. Little did I realize that “excitement” in a 7 and 3 year old can manifest itself in many ways. Here a few highlights:
Our 3-yr-old Macy decided she wanted to strip off her clothes and put on her Cinderella dress – RIGHT NOW! I had said no…so as a good parent I had to carry through. Which meant I had to drag her kicking, screaming and clothesless out of the room. Great start to the visit.
When asked if she liked to play outside, our 3-yr-old said, “I can’t go outside because I don’t want to step in all the dog poop.” Huh??
Somehow when the social worker asked our girls to show her their rooms, they heard, “Please race through the house, spring off the back of the couch, and then jump on your beds. Then rip the covers off the beds and hide under them.”
We had just returned from vacation and I suggested that the girls go get the pictures to show her. This turned into an all-out war as my girls returned each holding onto one side of a photo. They pulled and screamed until the younger let go, flying back into a shelf and hitting her head.
I think the culmination was this exchange:
Worker: “Wow! Your home is so nice and neat. Mine isn’t usually this clean.”
Abby: “Yeah – neither is ours.”
What can I say? It was a MEMORABLE experience. And our very kind social worker told us at the end that we were a lovely family and she would approve us for up to two more children. We’re moving forward in faith…
I am a big fan of Hilton hotels. I repeatedly choose Hilton over other brands. I like their Hilton Honors rewards program. I like their hotels. And I usually like their customer service.
Recently I stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn (one of my favorite chains) in Atlanta for a conference. As we walked up, the young guy at the front desk showed great Hilton-like hospitality. But as we walked through the check in process, it was clear that he had studied his policies manual. From room cancellation times to the free bottles of water given to Diamond level Honors members, he knew – and enforced – ALL the policies. I understood what he was doing and politely pushed, but finally agreed. After all, a policy is a policy.
But as he continued, he began enforcing policies (only two breakfast coupons, no free soda only free water) that I’ve never heard of. It became clear that his focus was on serving his company and not on serving his client. After he had said “no” so many times, one “yes” would have gone a long way. But he stood his ground. Ultimately he won…but Hilton lost.
Front line employees are the most critical, yet often among the lowest paid. From the church receptionist to the checkout person at retail, we staff our first impression positions with entry-level employees. We must be sure these roles are filled with creative individuals who see beyond the black and white of policies. They must be trained and empowered to serve their customers. They should know the limits and yet be given the freedom to make decisions that ultimately “win” for the company.
Have you ever met a “rule-follower”? How did the interaction make you feel about the experience?
Evaluating your organization in today’s rapidly-changing world can be overwhelming. But having a clear picture of what should change and what should stay the same helps you focus your strategy and keeps you from making changes just for the sake of change.
There are two essentials critical to developing a business idea or organization:
“What you do” – the marketplace need that you answer
“How you do it” – the methods that you use to meet the need
The “what” will often remain the same. As long as the need exists in the marketplace, you’re in business. When the “what” is too often changed, organizations and businesses become diluted and unfocused.
The “how” is what we must relentlessly evaluate and change. The way we meet the need today may not be the most effective or profitable way to meet the need tomorrow. An ongoing analysis of the marketplace and methods is necessary to make sure that the “how” is on the mark.
When we started The A Group nearly ten years ago, we set about to offer effective communication solutions to ministry and non-profit entities. Though we’ve seen a dramatic change in our business, that “what” is still the same.
What has changed is the “how.” In the early days, we used direct mail, brochures, billboard and advertising. Our “how” was often a print piece. As the market changed, we shifted our skill set and strategies to take advantage of a new online world. Today we develop interactive campaigns and online communities that engage today’s consumer.
Organizations that are not flexible with the “how” will die – some slowly and some quickly, but all painfully. Only those that are constantly looking for a better way to meet a need will grow with the changes in their market.
What will The A Group look like in another ten years? I have no idea. I can tell you one thing – we’ll be creating effective communication solutions. The “how” probably doesn’t even exist yet.
This past Sunday I was at a team retreat with Growing Leaders staff. Though not at our usual churches, we didn’t miss out on a chance for some….”worship” time….as we watched this together.
It’s perfect timing for me. I finally took the leap last week. I gave up my Blackberry and got an iPhone. I’m hoping to audition for the band by year’s end.
“If we do what they want, we always get what we want.” – S. Truett Cathy
I’ve always loved Chick-fil-A. But this week, my fan status rose to a whole new level as I spent the day at their corporate headquarters in Atlanta. I was part of a “think tank” – a brainstorming session to create CFA experiences where adults and kids can connect and learn leadership lessons. As CFA marketing staff laid out the objectives for the day, it became clear why the food chain is so unique – and successful.
1. Respect for leadership. I can’t tell you how many times during the day I heard “Truett says…” or “Dan says…” referring to quotes from the Chairman and the President. There is a profound respect for the leadership of their organization, most likely because they feel that respect in return.
2. Respect for the team. Chick-fil-A is unashamedly a family-owned organization. But rather than letting that be a point of contention, it has been woven positively into the culture. CFA treats every team member like part of the family, right down to the family lunch that employees share at headquarters (at no charge) each day. And I’m not talking about a sandwich and a Coke, but rather a full buffet, with salad bar, specials of the day, dessert options, and of course, lots of chicken.
3. Clear direction. As an organization, CFA has done a great job of defining their corporate values, getting the full buy in from their team and seeing the values through from the corporate office to the end consumer. These values include a) Organizational Excellence b) Second-mile service and c) Emotional Connection. It’s one thing to post your values on the wall at headquarters. It’s another to live them out in 1,600 locations. As I look at those values, I see a clear picture of the local restaurant that I know so well.
Without a doubt, Chick-fil-A employees have bought in and are fans themselves. I think I’m starting to understand how they develop fans as “raving” as this:
Do you see this difference when you walk in a Chick-fil-A store?
I just returned from a great – albeit exhausting – trip to Disney World with our two girls, ages 3 and 7. As we ran around the resort and parks, I was fascinated by the mix of families and children from so many countries. I’ve described it as a “24-hour display of tired kids, frustrated parents and bad parenting from all over the globe.”
Around day 3, I started to notice a strange similarity that crossed race and cultural boundaries. Parents from around the world had paid a lot of money to come to Disney, but instead of quality family time, they were texting, sending emails or talking on the phone. I know this happens everyday. I know I do this everyday. But for some reason it was a powerful realization. As I watched – really watched – the children as they walked silently alongside parents who were so UNengaged, it was a real wake-up call.
Editorial Note: This is not my family. If it were, the mom would be texting and the dad would be rolling his eyes.
At one late night family meal, I watched a father on his iPhone through the entire hour dinner. His wife was tending to a screaming child while his parents-in-law sat by helplessly. Not ONCE did he even look up at his family. It made me wonder if it would do less damage to his family if he just didn’t join them. I’m honestly not sure which is worse – an absent parent or a physically present parent who blatantly demonstrates that he has no interest in his family.
The last couple days of vacation I intentionally left my Blackberry in the hotel room. I made sure that my vacation priority was not about staying plugged in, but rather about plugging in to my family. I’m in the process of taking a close look at my personal boundaries and practicing more “unplugged parenting.”
“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you;” Isaiah 66:13
I’ve received so much encouragement since I shared a couple weeks ago about our upcoming adoption of a little boy from Ethiopia. So many people want to know what they can do to help. We’re working through budgets, documents, and details now, but above all I’m asking for prayer. Every night as I lay down, I am overwhelmed with the realization that I have a son across the world in Africa. I don’t know who he is yet, but I know he’s there. And whatever terrible situation occurs (death of parents, family unable to feed their children, abandonment) to cause him to be an orphan, it is likely happening now.
Orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Pete Wilson, in his book Plan B, says “The greatest of all illusions is the illusion of control.” As a mother, I’ve always intended to put my children’s well-being in God’s hands. But the truth is, from pregnancy on, I’ve felt responsible for feeding them, protecting them, and loving them. I’ve been under the illusion of control when it comes to my family. Now, as we follow a very God-directed plan to adopt from Africa, there is no more illusion that I can protect all my children. As I pray each night for our son, I truly put my child in God’s care.
So tonight as you tuck your children into bed, I’d love for you to say a prayer for a little boy in Ethiopia who is resting in the hands of God.
Shannon Litton is Partner in The A Group, Brand Development. She works as a
publishing agent, brand manager and marketing consultant. Her most important
titles are “wife” to Joel and “mom” to
four children – ages 7, 4, 2 and 1 (the two youngest adopted in 2011
from Ethiopia). In her spare time, she sleeps. Read more…
