Category Archives: E-mailing

An Atta’ Boy from BtoB

From time to time, business owners are asked to throw their proverbial hat into the ring for various graphic design awards, Best Places to Work lists, Smart CEO honors and the like. So, it was no big deal when earlier this year we received a Top Agency nomination from BtoB, the magazine for marketing strategists, and were asked to complete a survey. All in a day’s work; answer their questions and move on.

Imagine our surprise a few weeks ago when we learned that Fixation had been named to BtoB’s (www.btobonline.com) 150 Leading Agencies list in their March 2010 issue. This particular honor stands out because a) it’s a national recognition that finds us listed among some of the nation’s biggest and best “name brand” agencies; and b) the questions took into consideration not just our personality or number of employees, but some deeper questions about year-over-year growth and how we were helping our clients deal with a fragile economy.

Look, we know this business is not all about awards. But as a small agency, we rarely get consideration in the rarefied company of the “big boys” like BBDO and Ogilvy & Mather North America. Let’s hear it for the little guy! And let me take this opportunity to first thank a great small-and-smart staff here at Fixation who work hard and produce terrific stuff that is sometimes unheralded. Second, let me honor our clients—many of them long-standing—who hire us to provide creative strategy, design and interactive marketing solutions that help keep them successful and help keep us on top of our game.

Congratulations to all. I’m so proud of this company.

Does E-mail Make Us More or Less Productive?

The votes are in and the answer is… just kidding. I don’t think we’ll ever figure that one out. And it doesn’t matter because e-mail is here to stay. Let’s face it, we all love it. It ensures that we will always be busy: writing e-mails, answering e-mails, and then answering the answers that came in while you were answering another e-mail. See how much fun we’re having?

It’s e-mail etiquette that we really need to learn, remember, teach our staff, teach our children, then remind ourselves again over and over or else this can happen. Here are the “rules” that spring to my mind:

  • Always, always, always check the “To:” box before pressing “Send”
  • Never respond to an e-mail with another e-mail if someone is upset or angry
  • Use e-mail when multiple people require information that needs to be in writing
  • Do not use e-mail when the information is just as easily communicated verbally
  • Do not put information in an e-mail that you wouldn’t print out and post on the refrigerator for all to see (i.e. hurtful or confidential info).

I’m sure you have more e-mail rules to live by. If you have some good ones to remember, please share!