Sherrie Besecker

Involving #PeopleWithDisabilities early in the SDLC, training, #UXResearch and review of your design kit are all key elements in the #InclusiveDesign journey.

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I saw so many website redesign conversations in forums starting with "What CMS should I use?" that it was starting to bug me. Ten years ago, that may have been a more appropriate starting point, but today, if you're partnered with a legit digital agency using one of the top-tier CMS systems, you'll get what you need. So, what is the right question to start with? I have thoughts on this, so many thoughts, enough to fill an ebook. #memberfirst #website ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership ASAE Marketing Professionals Advisory Council California Society of Association Executives (CalSAE)

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Extraordinary #product imagery comes from respecting the details. See our value proposition here (and some cool visuals too): https://lnkd.in/gs_RY9yP #cgi #render #3d #visualization #marketing #productmarketing #video #animation Made in California with KeyShot

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There has been a lot of really thoughtful commentary on the state of the creative business in Detroit, by Lianne and adam j. wilson and others. I stayed up last night, thinking about all of this and here are a couple of extra thoughts: 1) It's not just the marketing community that's hit, it's everyone in the region. These are middle class and upper middle class jobs. These are the jobs that restaurants in Birmingham, Royal Oak and Grosse Pointe count on. These are the jobs that prop up the real estate economy in Pleasant Ridge, Farmington Hills, and Plymouth. These are the jobs held by the shoppers in Troy or at the new stores downtown. This is a good chunk of Detroit's economy. So, if you're here in town and you feel the stress levels rising, be kind, be generous, be patient. 2) A Detroit Auto Agency isn't what most people think it is, it certainly isn't what I thought it was when I moved here from Brooklyn. Some folks are from Detroit, some of them are from Brazil, London, New Jersey, and San Francisco. No matter where they are from, they were hired because they have skills, some of them have mad skills and all the Effies, Lions, and Addys. The marriage of global creative strength and institutional knowledge about how to sell cars has created a unique regional expertise. This is the reason car accounts generally come back to Detroit. 3) This market has been so disrupted over the past fifteen years by everything from bankruptcies to agency roster changes, that by now, to a great degree, the wheat has been separated from the chaff. If you're working in an agency in Detroit right now, odds are you're pretty damn good. Which means you can and should approach the market with confidence. 4) It's a tough and anxious time. I wish Lafayette American was a monstrously big agency and we could pull everyone on board. But then I have to remind myself that this has never been our model. We've always wanted to grow slow, flexing and rolling with freelancers and partners. So, that said, if you're interested in freelancing with us, please reach out at [email protected]. We will also work to alert people through the @gigalert alert. So, stay alert :) 5) In the words of one of my heroes, Yvon Chouinard, "It's not an adventure til something goes wrong." Amid all the stress, stay open to new paths and new opportunities, keep flexing your muscles, make ads, be creative, express yourself, stay connected to those you respect, and, above all, stay positive with those you love. Onward.

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Creating great content is only half the battle. How do you ensure your new website pages are as effective as the content itself? In my latest article, I share practical tips on: • Understanding user intent • Leveraging design principles • Prioritizing accessibility

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One of today's deliverables: "A one-page PDF (front and back) that will mostly be viewed online." Designing something for print that most people will experience digitally is an apt metaphor for the advertising industry right now.

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Want to improve the quality and consistency of AI’s written output? Wonder how prompts, context, and templates can help?   In this article, we explore AI prompting techniques for getting quality written results. Why It’s Important to Balance AI Assistance With Human Creativity and Expertise There are currently two extreme views on artificial intelligence (AI) in […] The post AI Prompting for Writing: How to Get High-Quality Output appeared first on Social Media Examiner.https://https://lnkd.in/e8RvRCWy

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"I don't need a project manager, I just need a writer." I beg to differ. If your project is bigger than a single deliverable, has multiple reviewers, has multiple delivery dates, has phases that build on each other, might need to pivot mid-way through, is missing information or has unknowns there really is no substitute for a writer with a project manager. You'll gain efficiency and keep your writer focused on what they're best at...Writing.

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🎧 New Episode Alert! 🚀 We're excited to bring you the latest episode of the Modern Marketing Podcast! This time, our host Melissa M. Reeve sits down with Teresa Bonick, an agile marketing coach with a rich background in communications, software, and construction industries. 🎙️ In this episode, Teresa shares her wealth of knowledge and experience in agile coaching and the pivotal importance of focusing on #value and #mindset in Agile practices. Key Takeaways: - The critical role of customer centricity and the challenge of breaking down organizational silos. - The nuances of adopting Agile across different functions like software development, HR, and marketing. - The necessity of aligning the mindset before jumping into actions, ensuring sustainable transformations. - Stories from real-world transformations, including a compelling customer stories 💡 Whether you're a marketer, a coach, or just passionate about Agile methodologies, this episode is packed with insights that you won’t want to miss! Listen now and let’s continue to learn, share, and grow together ➡️ #Agile #Marketing #Podcast #AgileTransformation #CustomerCentricity

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Accessible websites don’t happen by accident. They require intentional design, thoughtful development, and ongoing maintenance. By focusing on these three areas, we ensure that our digital spaces serve all users, creating a more inclusive web. Position #WebAccessibility #InclusiveDesign #Development #DigitalInclusion #UIDesign

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If you don’t have time to read it all this sums it up: “In my experience, these are usually the same executives who want to see work done faster, but have no willingness to invest in the change management—and the candid feedback, including feedback on their own decisions—that’s necessary to make Agile a success.” I tend to agree. Most cases where I have seen Agile be significantly challenged have been when stakeholders cannot or will not invest their time in the outcome of the project.

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My friend and fearless content marketing expert, Jenny Magic, is working on a survey about change fatigue and corporate project management. It takes just a few minutes. She's hoping for 500 responses and is about halfway there. 👏 I just took the survey and it's worth every bit of the 3 minutes. ⏱️ So many points I can relate to, and I'm sure you will, too! Employee burnout is real, and Jenny needs your insight to convince leaders to invest in change management support on EVERY project. 💯 It's a lot of work to gather this data. Every response counts — help Jenny today! https://lnkd.in/gVyyB5-c

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This is why consistency matters. If your teams are making their own off-brand decisions in the name of “creativity,” 9.9/10 times they need more consistency and stronger guidelines inside which to create. It feels counterintuitive, but we see it time and time again. Establish a strategy that’s different from the other guys, matters to your target (not everyone, just the right ones) and true to your business strengths. Then stick with it. Getting tired of it? Stick with it. That’s when it’s starting to work.

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Marketing Research, UXR, and CXR: Complementary, Not Competitive Recently, I saw a post suggesting that User Experience Research (UXR) and Customer Experience Research (CXR) would soon overtake Marketing Research (MR). While both UXR and CXR are gaining prominence, they serve unique purposes. Rather than one replacing the other, they are complementary, offering a holistic understanding of consumers, users, and customers. Marketing Research is broader in scope, driving product innovation, shaping brand strategy, and tackling business challenges like pricing and market segmentation. Meanwhile, UXR and CXR excel in refining digital interactions and optimizing customer journeys across touchpoints. When these disciplines work together, they deliver deeper, actionable insights that enhance business decisions, brand loyalty, and user experiences. At Q2 Insights, we use cutting-edge AI-driven techniques to blend MR with UXR and CXR, ensuring businesses remain proactive and innovative. Together, these fields ensure success through strategic foresight and optimized interactions. This article provides more detail: https://lnkd.in/g5k-EAfd #MarketingResearch #UXR #CXR #AI #CustomerExperience #MarketInsights #BusinessStrategy

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Planning your channel strategy for an upcoming medical conference? Check out this article from Amanda Changuris breaking down volume of conversation on X. ⬇️

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Gen AI can't do it all, but it's a good start. This is a great article for marketers, creatives, and product designers. https://lnkd.in/gKAFNdVu #generativeAI #genAI #artificialintelligence #modernmarketing

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I definitely leave money on the table. 🤫 Yes: I'm aware of opportunities to earn more for referrals, white labeling, up-charging, and the like. In fact, all that is pretty standard practice at most marketing agencies (I used to work at one where it was standard), and most clients wouldn't begrudge their agency for doing so. 🤷‍♂️ But the only way I know how to operate is as a "Trusted Advisor,"—someone you can always count on to give straight advice, even if the advice is "You probably don't need this." I find this creates the best long-term partnerships, which is what I prefer as a marketing & strategy consultant. I genuinely loath making recommendations where I have a financial incentive in the deal. 🫰 Here's what I *do* charge for: 1️⃣ My expertise (though I give this away for free on initial calls) 2️⃣ My creative thinking, attention, and management of other resources 3️⃣ The thing I can do better than almost anyone else: writing & content Everything else is billed as a pass-through or directly to the client. No matter the recommendation, I’m always looking for the best value within budget, just as I do for my own life and work. 🏦 At the end of the day, I want my clients to honestly say: "I trust Russell to give me his absolute best advice no matter the situation. Usually, the advice is good, and sometimes it's invaluable. Maybe we don't follow all of it, but at least we know he's working in our best interests. Oh—and he's a great writer 😉"

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🤔 Every communicator (designers included) should ask themselves one, hard question: 🎰 Am I creating a great content brand OR am I creating an efficient content machine? (hat tip to Doug Kessler) Why can’t it be both, you ask? There’s an old mantra called the Iron Triangle: fast, good, cheap. Choose 2.

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