Three Years!

Today is an exciting day for me.  Three years ago, January 19 fell on a Monday.  It was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  The next day was the Presidential Inauguration.  As you can see, a lot of historic things were going on around that time.

It was also a day where I decided to start a new venture.  After really enjoying my college years of blogging on the one-time coolest kid in school, MySpace, I found out that starting a “big boy” blog can be tough.  People don’t comment as much.  People don’t see what you wrote as often without steady promotion.  This, along with some serious writer’s block, discouraged me into closing the doors of several blogs.

But I knew I wasn’t finished writing online.  Every time I saw one of my friends had a new blog, it made me miss having my own hunk of space on the Internet.

I began 2009 with a goal in mind to do one thing new every day.  I’m honestly not sure how far along I got on that goal, but some cool things did happen that year–I gave Twitter a second chance; I got interactive with Scripture reading on YouVersion; I got back into the awesome life-changing experience that is small group Bible study; and I also started this blog.

Although there have bee large gaps between postings at times, I have enjoyed being able to come here and write what I’m feeling.  And knowing I’d probably just start another blog if I shut this one down over being in a dry season, I decided to keep it going!

It is truly great to see people come and comment, follow this blog, and have my friends write about and like posts on Facebook, as well as give me some retweet love.  It’s very encouraging.

I’ve been able to do some great things on here, too.  Highlights include my first book giveaway (ever!) with Granger Community Church’s Communications Director and author of Less Clutter. Less Noise: Beyond Bulletins, Brochures and Bake Sales, Kem Meyer!  Not to mention my second book giveaway with pastor/author/my small group leader, Gene Jennings for his book Laughing with Sarah (see outtakes here).

My goal for this blog has remained the same, and that is, in addition for the random stuff that pops out of my head, to bring forth inspiration, thought and further action.  To that extent, it’s been great to share what God has put on my heart, my reflections of what I’ve experienced, and ways people can get involved in changing the world.

Thank you for letting this be a place you’ve visited over the past three years.  I look forward to continue sharing things that I hope serve as motivation.

P.S. If you’re thinking about starting/shutting down a blog of your own, I hope this serves as a nudge to keep at it.  Your thoughts can and will impact somebody.

Congratulations!

In order to select a winner of Less Clutter. Less Noise. by Kem Meyer from the book tour contest, I took a trip to RANDOM.ORG and entered the number of comments on the author Q&A post by the contestants (there were eight).  From there, the handy-dandy mechanics chose the following number:

So the question that remains on my mind is… who does number two work for?

(Sorry.  Couldn’t resist the chance to incorporate an Austin Powers reference.)

No. 2 is representative of the second person to comment, and according to this screenshot, the second person to comment and therefore the winner is…

Alicia Nordeen!!!

Congratulations, Alicia!

Thank you to everyone else who participated. 

Even though the contest is over, check out the Q&A with Kem Meyer.  It’s good stuff.

Oh!  And be sure to pick up a copy of the book for yourself.

Less Clutter. Less Noise. Book Tour

If you’re looking for proven “now” communication strategies to make every aspect of a person’s engagement with your church or organization more rewarding, then make this book happen for you.  Reading Less Clutter. Less Noise. will shape the way you do things.  Author and Communications Director Kem Meyer knows her stuff and shares her experiences, as well as practices that are currently in play.

Kem, what ways have you found effective to communicate to regulars, who like the way things are, why changes are necessary in order to better connect with guests?

The best technique I’ve found is to create space for conversations with leaders (staff or volunteer). If I invest in them, they help carry the torch to their sphere of influence. I ask the same types of questions to “lead the witness” and navigate around talking points to help shape shift perspectives (for me and them). A friend of mine had the title of Communications Director but said it should be changed to Communications Redirector because he spent 50% of his time redirecting people and projects. I think it is a fair perspective and good example to follow, regardless of what your role or job title may be.

Sometimes there is tension, though, because people are coming to you to get something done. They really aren’t interested in being “re-directed” or processing more questions with you. Other times, the tension is there because what they’re asking you for isn’t going to help them. In fact, it might even hinder them—and you know it. But, they didn’t come for you to tell them they’re wrong. You can’t sell what they’re not looking for.

Every conversation and project has different dynamics, but if you can find a system that helps you avoid spending too much time creating or too much time regulating, it’s a win. It’s never a win if you consistently find yourself playing the role of the communications police. One way is to start every project with a healthy skepticism and simply…ask questions.

Somebody smart told me about the three areas they evaluate for everything they do. I don’t remember the who, but the what stuck, and it is a system we use. Here are the three areas we use as a filter to evaluate everything we do and some of the questions we ask along the way.

• Is it appealing (context)? Are we focusing our energy from the “inside out” or from the “outside in”? Do we know why people will spend their time and attention on us? Does it apply to their life in a practical way? What makes it worth the hassle? Do we know the comfort zone?
• Is it engaging (presentation)? Are we unifying our message or diluting it? Are we reducing the noise in people’s life or adding to it? Are we removing the barriers to entry? What problem is this solving? Does this support or compete with the intended experience for our audience? Are we making things easy for them to find? Easy to understand? Easy to do?
• Is it helpful (content)? Are we giving people what they want, when they want it? Or, are we answering questions they haven’t asked yet? What expectations are we setting that are unrealistic or out of our control? Are we promising something we can’t deliver on?  Are we making statements as if they were facts, when in reality they are subjective and left to personal interpretation? Are we baiting people with exaggerated benefits?

Sometimes, you’ll end up leading the witness with your questioning; other times, the two-way collaboration comes naturally. Either way, the result is breakthrough thinking and new insights from everyone on the same page.

[The contest portion is now closed. Thank you for the excellent dialogue.  Keep it coming.  Congratulations to Alicia Nordeen for winning a copy of the book!]

Comment on the Q&A with the answer to one of the questions below.

• What kind of potential can better communication have where you work or worship?
• Where is there a need for less clutter and noise in your life?
• Bonus: Create your own and answer it! [But be surrious about it. React to the Q&A, if you’d like.]

Have fun!

Handle With Care

I’m not sure what happened to “handle with care” in the United States Postal Service, but this is how I received a package containing good stuff for you today.

Rest assured, the content of the package, your free copy of Less Clutter. Less Noise. for the giveaway tomorrow, is safe and secure in the comfort of my (mother’s) own home.

Check back tomorrow at 10:00 AM EST for your chance to win it!

Turning 100 Never Looked so Good

I teased I had some news for you today.  The rest of this paragraph isn’t the news, but it is what we call build.  This is blog post number 95.  That means this blog is about to be 100!  A hundred posts on what is probably my 800th blog attempt.  And you’re still here!  Man, I owe you one.

You know what?  Not only do I owe you one, I’m going to give you one.

One heck of a one hudredth blog post featuring one guest.

Next Friday, May 29 at 10:00 AM ET, author and communications connisseur Kem Meyer will be stopping by for a little Q&A!  If you don’t know who Kem is, check out her blog here.  Whether you know who she is or not, she’s still making something really cool happen for you; she’s hooking me up with a copy of her book Less Clutter. Less Noise. to hook you up with!

Since you knew there had to be one, here’s the deal:

From the time the Q&A goes up next Friday (10 AM ET) until the following Monday, June 1 at 8:00 PM ET, your comments on the post will put you in a drawing to win the book!  And, believe me, you want that to happen.

Just comment beginning next Friday with the answer to either one of these two questions:

1. What kind of potential can better communication have where you work or worship?
2. Where is there a need for less clutter and noise in your life?
3. Bonus: Create your own and answer it! [But be surrious about it.  React to the Q&A, if you’d like.]

A big spell-out to Kem and the fine folks at thirty:one press for making this happen.

Be checking back for new posts each day next week, and thanks for playing the game at home!

Link Love: Less Clutter. Less Noise.

Link: http://www.lessclutterlessnoise.com

I discovered Kem Meyer’s blog a few months ago and have enjoyed reading her posts ever since.  Meyer is the Communications Director at Granger Community Church.  Being in the field myself, it’s been great reading thoughts and tips from someone else in ministerial communication.

Kem Meyer’s website just launched with information about her and her upcoming book, Less Clutter. Less Noise.  The book is available for pre-order now with a March release date.  It offers communication strategies and stories concentrated on engaging people in today’s culture.

To find out more about Meyer and her book, check out the new website.