Posts Tagged: communications

The Top 5 Books of 2015 on Elections & the Political Process… So Far

Although we’re only a mere two months into the year, a deluge of incredible books on the topics of elections and the political process — fiction and non-fiction alike — has occurred.  In the words of George Mason, “The freedom of the press is one of the great bulwarks of liberty, and can never beRead… Read more »

Don’t Fight the Email Laws – Know Them!

You probably already know that email marketers must abide by certain laws when sending messages for any commercial reason. But did you know that the sending of messages on behalf of a government entity is governed by additional rules and regulations? Learn the fundamentals of these requirements and the basics for implementing them into your… Read more »

Gov-Love At Igniting Innovation 2015

‘Tis the Valentine’s Day season, and I’m feeling the gov love – and gov seems to be feeling it, too. Lately, there have been a great number of efforts by the government to make citizens’ lives easier. These programs and initiatives push the boundaries of what government is generally seen to do for its peopleRead… Read more »

Gov Gobbledygook And How To Change It

There’s a million witty words for bureaucratic language…. gobbledygook, gibberish, mumbo-jumbo, jargon, double-talk, bureaucratese, technobabble! There are probably so many words for it because it’s such a widespread, and exasperating, problem. Including in the government. It’s fun to use crazy words, but it’s certainly not a best practice in terms of government efficiency. Annetta Cheek,Read… Read more »

5 Storytelling Best Practices at the Heart of Humans of New York

Everyone is talking about Humans of New York. It’s a success story worth the airtime. It’s also an inspiration that can help you find the heart in your storytelling and communications. Recently, Brandon Stanton, who runs the popular photography blog, shared a photo of a 13-year-old boy who attends school in one of the mostRead… Read more »

The Power of the Drip Part 2: Email Personalization and Relevancy

Developing a clear picture of the types of email subscribers you have is key to tailoring your messages to address the specific needs of each audience member. This means abandoning the traditional approach that “blasts” the same, long message filled with disparate content to your entire audience on a pre-determined schedule and employing a new… Read more »

Gov Should Hire & Promote More “Moses Managers”

All employees want great managers, yet not everyone is fortunate enough to enjoy that luxury. But what really makes an awesome manager? Some people say that an inclusive and positive can-do management style is best to promote leadership and productivity. Others argue it’s more effective for a manager to use fear tactics to get resultsRead… Read more »

The 5 Most Unforgettable Blogs by Government Agencies

There’s been a lot of chatter lately about the “death of blogging” or about its already-in-progress resurrection. Yet a stroll around the blogosphere reveals a lively culture of content creation and sharing that seems untouched by any death throes. Blogging started as—and often, at its best, continues to be—an online personal journal perfect for oversharing. So, one might not think thatRead… Read more »

State Technology: A Case For Less Rules, And More Collaboration

Less rules and more talking. Sounds fun, right? Mitch Herckis, Director of Government Affairs at the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO), is a proponent of more communication and less outright bans for government cybersecurity. He recently spoke with Christopher Dorobek, host of the podcast DorobekINSIDER, on cybersecurity regulations on the state governingRead… Read more »

Tell Me Straight: Plain Language in Governance

Reading wordy language is a real pain. As a graduate student of a social sciences discipline (I recently got a Masters’ in gender studies), I saw some of the most ridiculous examples of convoluted and elaborate language out there – social theory seems to spontaneously inspire this habit. It was annoying as a student, asRead… Read more »