Inkwell Marketing Notes

Win a Marketing Makeover!

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:46:00 +0000

Calling all boring websites, clip art logos and bland brochures:

Win a MARKETING MAKEOVER worth over $10,000.
You’re in business, and you know the way you’re perceived is important. And while you’re careful to leave your house looking polished, your brand looks like it’s wearing sweatpants.

If your marketing needs a face-lift, you should enter our contest.

13thirtyone Design and Inkwell Marketing are accepting applicants for a Marketing Makeover that includes:

Website design (four pages)
Website content (four pages)
Logo design
Tag line creation
Stationary design (letterhead and envelopes)
Brochure design
Brochure content
Press release

The value? Dollar-wise: over ten grand. Reality-wise: a heckofa lot more. (We can’t put an exact number on increased confidence, perceived professionalism, and infinite new clients.)

Even if you don’t win the package, you could come in second and get 50% off a marketing service of your choice.

Does this sound like a good deal? Cool. Before you apply, read our application requirements and fine print.

Application requirements:
1. You’ve been in business for two years or longer.
2. You have current marketing materials you use to woo prospects and win clients. You are not pleased with these pieces. These should include (but are not limited to) logo, website, tag line, etc.
3. You want your brand to work harder for you.
4. No whining: you are willing to allow two professionals do their job. Simply: you hand over creative control. (No worries, you’re not going to get something you hate. We take client input very seriously, but in this case the idea is to give a makeover. We need freedom to do this.)
5. Before you apply, please view our web sites for our styles: www.13thirtyone.com and www.inkwell-marketing.com. It’s important that you like our aesthetic and writing style before you sign-on. Sure, this is a chance to win something FREE, but it’s pointless unless you’re happy with it.

RULES AND REGULATIONS (Otherwise known as fine print.) PLEASE READ.

All entries must be received by 11:59pm Eastern time, December 18, 2009.
Only one entry is accepted per business.
All fields on the application must be completed in order for entries to be accepted.
By submitting the application form you certify the following statement "I certify that I am the author of the material I am submitting to 13thirtyone Design and Inkwell Marketing. 13thirtyone Design, Inkwell Marketing, and their licensees may reproduce, distribute, publish, display, edit, modify, create derivative works and otherwise use the material for any purpose in any form and on any media. I agree to indemnify 13thirtyone Design and Inkwell Marketing for all damages and expenses that may be incurred in connection with the material."
A grand prize and first place winner will be selected.
Winners will be announced January 22, 2010 on the 13thirtyone Design and Inkwell Marketing blogs and newsletters.
Grand Prize winner will receive a professional marketing package provided by sponsors 13thirtyone Design and Inkwell Marketing. First place winner will receive 50% discount on desired marketing project.
Prizes do not include printing costs, domain name fees, or hosting costs. Unfortunately, eCommerce sites are not included.

Does everything sound kosher?

CLICK HERE FOR APPLICATION.

Positive Mental Attitude is Mandatory for Success.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:07:00 +0000

I'm a fan of Jeffrey Gitomer: he's a great motivator, with a no B.S. attitude. I like that about him. Anyway, I know there's a lot going on in the world right now, but when it comes down to it, WE are in control of how we react (or don't react) to things. This video is a little reminder that with the right mental attitude, anything is possible. Enjoy!

Oh Seth Godin, I think you're great.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:34:00 +0000

Happy Friday: another great Seth Godin video. (And, it so happens, a message to all those Twitter spammers--you're just annoying me, I'm not going to buy from you.)

Website Launch: Flavors of Italia

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:08:00 +0000

If you're ever in Stillwater, MN and want some caffeine, you should stop in at the Daily Grind Espresso Cafe. They offer up the finest coffee in town, AND a platform to do serious networking with entrepreneurs of all kinds. It's simply a hub for indie-business types, and it's where I met Barb Brandt and her daughter Molly.

Barb and Molly are two of the most adventurous people I've met: Barb is a travel-junkie and has been to so many places she could serve as U.S. ambassador to the world, and Molly has been to almost as many places, with a brief hiatus to become a fantastic chef and graduate from the CIA in record time. (By the way, that's Culinary Institute of America to all us laymen, not C.I.A. like spies and stuff.)

Well, I was sipping coffee when Barb and Molly told me about their latest project: setting up culinary-focused villa vacations in Tuscany. They needed a website and I was hooked. Hello people, we're talking about pampered vacations: Molly will cook for you, you'll have a personal English-speaking concierge named Giorgio, and Barb will make sure everything you need is taken care of on your stay.

I was thrilled when Barb and Molly asked me to do the writing for their site: when I was punching my computer keys, I literally traveled to Italy in my mind and took a virtual vacation (yes, I know I'm nuts). If you have time today, jump over to their site and take a mini-vacation as well. Better yet, book a real vacation: I know you won't be sorry!

Here's the address if you missed it: www.flavorsofitalia.com. And a few pictures for your viewing pleasure:

Website Launch: Kevin Weinstein Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:56:00 +0000

It's been a crazy summer for me. As you've probably noticed, I've written nary a blog post and I apologize. On the good side of things, it's because I've been really busy. And today, I want to share with you one of the projects I've completed.

Introducing Kevin Weinstein Photography. Kevin is a wedding photojournalist based in Chicago, and his work is simply awesome. If I ever get married (still single fellas), he's definitely the number one candidate for photography.

Of course, I'm a writer. Things like coding and designing are WAY beyond my skill-set, and I'm proud to have worked with the FANTASTIC Deb Pang Davis of Cococello. If you're looking for design, I cannot recommend her highly enough: she's diligent, thorough, fun, and extremely talented. Also, be sure to check out her letterpress stationary as well at Coco Paperie.

This project spanned the country: from the Midwest to West Coast, and it was a blast. If you've ever read a good book or series (Harry Potter comes to mind), the end of this project brought on a twinge of melancholy. The process was exciting and fun, so the ending was a little sad: this collaboration left me wanting more.

Anyway, check out the pictures below, but a click-over is worth it: www.kevinweinstein.com.

Seth Godin's 10 Secrets of the Marketing Process.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:39:00 +0000

If Seth Godin wasn't married, I'd marry him. But not in that lovey-dovey sort of way. More like the kids on the playground "if you love pickles so much, why don't you marry them" sort of way.

I love his outlook. I love his common-sense, insight, and advice.

I feel like I need to share this post with you. It's an old post (circa 2006). But, it's still relevant, it's still important. But, as you know, most great ideas stand the test of time. (Please note, this is verbatim Seth Godin. I did not write it. It's in a different font to indicate as much. In addition, here's another link to the original: link.)

Enjoy:

If my previous post confused you, it's because of the difference between tactics and innovation. Try these 10 ideas to get you started down the path of scientific marketing tactics:

1. Don’t run out of money. It always takes longer and costs more than you expect to spread your idea. You can budget for it or you can fail.

2. You won’t get it right the first time. Your campaign will need to be reinvented, adjusted or scrapped. Count on it.

3. Convenient choices are not often the best choices. Just because an agency, an asset or a bizdev deal are easy to do doesn’t mean that they are your best choice.

4. Irrational, strongly held beliefs of close advisors should be ignored. It doesn’t matter if they don’t like your logo.

5. If it makes you nervous, it’s probably a good idea. If you’re sure you’re right, you probably aren’t.

6. Focusing obsessively on one niche, one feature and one market is almost always a better idea than trying to satisfy everyone.

7. At some point, you’re either going to have to stick to your convictions or do what the market tells you. It’s hard to do both.

8. Compromise in marketing is almost always a bad idea. Extreme A could work. Extreme B could work. The average of A and B will almost never work.

9. Test, measure and optimize. Figure out what's working and do it more.

10. Read and learn. There are a million clues, case studies, books and proven tactics out there. You can't profitably ignore them until you know them, and you don't have the time or the money to make the same mistake someone else made last week. It's cheaper and faster to read about it than it is to do it.

Tribes

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:36:00 +0000

I'm reading Seth Godin's book, Tribes.

So far, I like it.

But....

I'm not that far into it.

For a book that has this much hype, I think a review is in order.

I'll post my thoughts when I finish.

Super-inspiring.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:18:00 +0000

It's Friday.

If you're looking for a little something inspiring to help you push through to weekend-time, look no further than Live Now.

A pretty fun website, you click on the pictures for inspiring illustrations and quotes (like the one below). They're all positive messages and each encourages you to live now.

Picture created by idrawallday.

Yes, I'm still alive.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:25:00 +0000

Sorry I haven't been posting at all. With all the summer activities, new projects, and extra things that I say "yes" to, I've been neglecting my blog. My apologies.

Here's the good news:

I am working on a blog re-design! YAY. This new and "improved" blog will include fresh new posts, a great new look, and more regular contributions.

In the meantime, I hope some cool pictures of hot air balloons will tide you over. (In my spare time, I crew for a local company.) Let's just say it's my super random hobby.

Have a great day everyone!

Twitter 101: How to use it for business.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:47:00 +0000

It's no secret: I use Twitter. If you're interested, you can follow me @lindsayberger.

Anyway, I came across an interesting article today that shares how to use Twitter for business, and I thought you'd be interested, too.

Here's the link: http://business.twitter.com/twitter101/

I hope you get some great ideas and insight about how to use this tool to grow your business.

Cheers!

Marketing kick in the butt.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:14:00 +0000

Today, as I was doing my usual online "research," I came across a post on Biznik by fellow marketer Robert Middleton. He challenged fellow networkers to reveal the marketing projects that they've been putting off for too long. Here's the post:

Bet your car marketing projects.

Recently, with a group of business owners I'm coaching, I gave them a challenge to take on a marketing project that they were resisting or procrastinating about. In addition, there was a consequence if they did not complete this project by a given time - usually a donation to a group they'd prefer not to donate to!

Here's the challenge: What is a marketing project that you will initiate (or complete) by a certain time? And would you "bet your car" that you'll complete it? No, I won't come and collect your car if you don't, but thinking this way really changes your perspective and often propels you into action.

Just list the project you will initiate or complete and, if you like, the consequence you will pay if you don't complete it.

I thought that his post was very thought-provoking and interesting. Having a consequence for not doing my marketing puts it in perspective: if I had to donate money to a group I despised, I would definitely get my projects going!

Isn't it funny how motivated you become once there's some negative reinforcement?

What marketing projects have you been putting off and would get started if the consequence was really bad? Share, please!

Think you need a website? Consider this.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:12:00 +0000

Marketing conclusions.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:01:00 +0000

Ok, as you know I had my marketing brainstorm on Monday. One thing is crystal clear: I need to get my crap together!

I've heard that publicly announcing one's goals encourages them and motivates them to get them done quicker. So, I'm going to do just that.

Here's some marketing to-do tasks I identified during my "brainstorm":

1. Blog redesign: Wordpress or Squarespace? I dunno, still debating on that one.

2. More frequent blog posts

3. More participation and article posting on Biznik, LinkedIn, and Freelance Switch

4. Email newsletters: get em done! (Grr).

5. Perhaps a direct mail campaign. I'm debating on the logistics of this. It would definitely require me creating a mailing list.

What items are on your marketing to-do list? What things fall by the wayside, despite your best intentions? Share, please: misery loves company!

Marketing brainstorm.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:24:00 +0000

Recently, I've been inundated with client projects (yay--I'm NOT complaining). But, because I've been focusing on these projects, my personal marketing plan has fallen by the wayside. I've neglected it--readers of this blog have probably noticed I've been posting less and less regularly. Thanks for sticking around, though--I appreciate you putting up with my crap.

So, to get back on track, my friend Angela (owner of 13thirtyone) and I are going to have a marketing brainstorm day at her office in Hudson. Her office is the perfect place for ideation: there's a whiteboard, large table, and huge windows perfect for zoning out (don't laugh, but some of my best ideas come when I daydream)! The whole day devoted to nothing but generating ideas, plans, and action steps.

I'm pretty excited about it. Plus, I'm hoping the result will be a blog-makeover (this standard blogger lay-out just isn't doing it for me anymore), some cool direct mail ideas, and perhaps more consistency in my email newsletters.

Here's my question, dear readers: do you find it difficult to manage your marketing plan when you're busy? How do you balance consistent marketing with client projects? Any tips or strategies? Do tell.

Why you need to know your target audience.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:02:00 +0000

It's 1:06 on the Friday afternoon before Independence Day weekend. I'm really trying to be a good business owner: I'm diligently finishing some work before I shut down my computer. But, I need a break.

So what do I do?

I decide to rock-out to Aerosmith. Out loud. I turn on my iTunes and start playing "Amazing."

Shoot. It's really embarrassing to sing out loud and mess up the lyrics. So what do I do? Type in "Aerosmith Amazing Lyrics" into Google. I click on the first link:

http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/a/aerosmith/amazing.html

I bust out! Yes. Vocal heaven (or hell if you're my neighbors).

But, as I'm singing I notice an annoying undercurrent of noise. What's this? A video advertisement in the corner of my lyrics page! (See those owls in upper left hand corner of the picture?)

Seriously.

Don't the owners of this site know that people only look up lyrics when they want to sing along with the song? A loud advertisement only ruins my experience and motivates me to never visit this site again.

Know your audience. When you do, you'll know why they're purchasing your service or product. You'll know why they visit your website. When you know when and why they use you, you can figure out how to make them happy, not annoyed.

Video you must see!

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:36:00 +0000

Angela, from 13thirtyone posted this video to her blog today, and I had to share it with you. All I can say is "enjoy."

Need a thesaurus?

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:05:00 +0000

Ok, so maybe this isn't a surprise, but I like words. A lot.

So, I want to share one of my favorite word tools with you: Visual Thesaurus.

If you're a fan of brain mapping, you'll love Visual Thesaurus because it's a map of related words. Try it once and let me know if you become as addicted as me.

The most important word you can ever say.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:37:00 +0000

NO.

I'll explain more later.

When to quit blogging.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:48:00 +0000

Are you a blogger? Do you want to be a blogger?

I love blogging. Sure, it can be a challenge to balance posting regularly with my client projects, but I enjoy the process and sharing my information. (Maybe some of you enjoy my randomness, too?)

But, from time to time I wonder if all this blogging is working for me is it time to upgrade platforms? Brainstorm a bunch of ideas? How do I really make this blog work!?!

Today, I found the perfect article to answer my questions over at Copyblogger: "It's time to shoot your blog." I highly recommend reading it if you have a blog and have ever considered quitting. It's great motivation to keep trying and improving even if the current version of your blog leaves much to be desired.

The article just motivated me to improve on this blog: stay tuned for improvements! Also, feel free to leave a comment about what you'd like to read about. (Isn't that what it's all about, anyway?)

How to get a lot of traffic on Twitter. (And a FREE iPhone.)

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:59:00 +0000

Run a promotion and give away something for free. (Something that almost everyone wants, that is.)

For 30 days, SquareSpace is giving away a $199 Apple gift certificate to a lucky winner that tweets the keyword: #squarespace. This is a good way to get a lot of attention (and traffic) fast.

If you don't know what SquareSpace is, I bet you're now a tiny bit interested.

Brilliant.

What can you give away? How can you use social media to promote your product and make people interested in YOU?

Wordpress or Blogger?

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:06:00 +0000

Hi All, I hope your week is off to a fantastic start.

Say, I have a question for all of you who have blogs: Wordpress or Blogger? As a blog writer, which do you find easiest to use? As a blog reader, which do you find easiest (most pleasant) to read?

I'm looking for your opinions, here, because I'm thinking of making the transition from Blogger to Wordpress and I'm desperately seeking expert guidance!

Thanks in advance!

Does your home page content suck?

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:59:00 +0000

A quick look at common home page content problems and solutions.

Most likely, your website is the hub of your marketing.

Here’s the thing: if you have a bad home page or landing page, you’re not making a good impression. When your home page sucks, you make it easy for customers to click over to your competitor’s website and throw marketing dollars down the toilet.

A good website is more than a standing brochure: it provides information, collects sales leads, and (hopefully) converts prospects into clients. How can you tell if your website stinks? Below, I’ve listed four common content problems.

Problem #1: Over-saturated with keywords (keyword stuffing).

Yes, we want to rank high on Google and we want our website to be search engine optimized. Too bad many of us have forgotten the definition of moderation. Stuffing your content with keywords does two things:

Turns off human site visitors and does absolutely nothing to convert them into customers.
Makes your site look spammy. The search engine spiders will pick this up, and it may hurt your TrustRank (your credibility with automated bots).

Fix #1: Write like you talk, and (try to) be natural.

Yes, by all means use your keywords. Just don’t go overboard--keep your writing natural. If you find that you have too many keywords and are frustrated because you can’t get them all into one space, relax. Google ranks pages, not sites: create different pages to focus on specific keyword categories instead of jamming them all onto your home page.

Problem #2: Too much info (or not enough info and too many words).

It’s a hot debate: long vs. short home page content. While there doesn’t seem to be a clear winner, I feel comfortable reading less content on the home page. Maybe it’s just me, but for some reason I just don’t trust web pages with sales copy that scrolls down for eons. (Why are they trying so hard to convince me?)

Fix #2: Less is more.

When too much information comes to me at one time, I feel overwhelmed. I don’t know about you, but I visit websites because I want specific information. If I have to scroll down a page and sift through tons of content, I become frustrated and get annoyed; when I don’t get answers easily, I go somewhere else. When you keep your *quality* content short and sweet, visitors get what they want: answers. Because you helped them, they’re happy and more likely to stick around for a while.

Problem #3: Generic, “play it safe” content.

Too often, small business owners try to appeal to everyone--they put on a marketing hat and start writing content the way they think they’re supposed to. In their attempt to sound “official” and “professional” they end up sounding boring and generic. They lose what appeals to their target audience: their voice.

Fix #3: Shock and awe.

Ok, ok. So shock and awe is a little extreme. But, you do want your home page content to stand out and get visitors to sit up and take notice. (Trust me, the same old just won’t do it for you.) It’s common knowledge that people do business with people they like and trust, but I’ll take it one step further: people do business with people like themselves. Website visitors want to relate to what you’re saying and they want to relate to you. The people you want to work with (your target audience) sound like you. So quit trying so hard to write “right.” Take the monkey off your back: write like you talk. Your website customers will thank you.

Problem #4: Hiding your USP.

In journalism, this problem is called “burying the lead.” Your USP (unique selling proposition) is what distinguishes you from your competition and is why customers buy from you in lieu of a competitor. If your customers can’t tell you apart from your competition, you’re making things hard for yourself. Too often, we hide what makes us THE choice. We bury our USP down the page or leave it off the home page entirely.

Fix #4: Display your USP prominently.

Recently, I needed a dry cleaner (oh joy) and had a choice to make: there are around 15 cleaners in my small city. Fortunately, I was looking for an eco-friendly cleaner and only one of my 15 options offered this service. Had they not explained this on their home page, I might have gone elsewhere (left with no other green options, of course). Other ways cleaners differ: specializing in wedding gowns, restoration, laundry delivery, or having an in-store laundromat. Find out how you differ from your competition and feature it prominently on your home page. Your point of difference is why people purchase from you.

Long story short:

While this is by no means an exhaustive list for making your home page content the best-ever, it’s a start to improve what you have. When it comes down to it, your home page is your first introduction to new clients and a large component of your marketing: use it to put your best foot forward.

Take your social media offline.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:44:00 +0000

I have a dirty little secret.

Ok, so it's not so dirty, but it's kinda sad: my best friend is my computer.

My computer is

1) With me all the time.

2) Provides all the advice I need.

3) My entertainment.

The worse part? I miss it when I leave the house. I feel "empty." (Don't take me seriously, folks.)

If you've found that your computer is your best friend lately, I'm here to tell you that you're not alone: with the explosion of social media sites and pressure small business owners feel to keep up with the craze, it's no surprise that computers are "man's" new best friend. We're spending more hours than ever networking, socializing, and doing business online.

I don't know about you, but I think it's time we take a break from our computers. Let's take our businesses offline (sort of) by combining the best social media has to offer with real-world experiences.

Here are three ways merge social networking with offline marketing:

1. Promote your business around town with posters or fliers. Offer a prize to the first person who poses with your promotional piece and posts to Twitter.

2. Create a video contest for the best home-made commercial for your business on YouTube.

3. Join Biznik: the site offers online networking with real-world events. (Yes, real human to human interaction.)

Of course, this is just a short-list of ideas and the possibilities are endless. I hope, though, these are enough to get your wheels turning and get you away from the computer for at least a little while.

I'm interested to hear about any of your efforts to blend new technology with offline marketing efforts--how'd they work?

Toxic people to avoid.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:51:00 +0000

It's no secret that negative people can get you down. As a solo-entrepreneur, though, these people can be bad for business (you have so much on your plate, you don't need people squashing your dreams, too).

I read an article by Brett Blumenthal about the 8 Toxic Personalities to Avoid on Yahoo today, and I think it's worth a look. In this post, I've included the personalities I think are the most detrimental to your business. They're below with Brett's description:

1. Judgmental Jims:

When you see things as cute and quirky, they see things as strange and unattractive. If you find people's unique perspectives refreshing, they find them 'wrong'. If you like someone's eclectic taste, they find it 'disturbing' or 'bad'.

Why they are toxic:

Judgmental people are much like Debbie Downers. In a world where freedom rings, judgment is sooo over. If the world was a homogeneous place, life would be pretty boring. Spending a lot of time with these types can inadvertently convert you into a judgmental person as well.

2. Dream Killing Keiths:

Every time you have an idea, these people tell you why you can't do it. As you achieve, they try to pull you down. As you dream, they are the first to tell you it is impossible.

Why they are toxic:

These people are stuck in what is instead of what could be. Further, these individuals eat away at your self-esteem and your belief in yourself. Progress and change can only occur from doing new things and innovating, dreaming the impossible and reaching for the stars.

3. Insincere Illissas:

You never quite feel that these people are being sincere. You tell a funny story, they give you a polite laugh. You feel depressed and sad and they give you a 'there, there' type response. You tell them you are excited about something and you get a very ho-hum response.

Why they are toxic:

People who aren't sincere or genuine build relationships on superficial criteria. This breeds shallow, meaningless relationships. When you are really in need of a friend, they won't be there. When you really need constructive criticism, they would rather tell you that you are great the way you are. When you need support, they would rather see you fail or make a fool of yourself.

4. Never Enough Nellies:

You can never give enough to these people to make them happy. They take you for granted and have unrealistic expectations of you. They find ways to continually fault you and never take responsibility for anything themselves.

Why they are toxic:

You will spend so much time trying to please them, that you will end up losing yourself in the process. They will require all of your time and energy, leaving you worn out and your own needs sacrificed.

What type of people do you feel are most detrimental to your business? How do you deal with them? What if they're your clients?

Quote binge. (No more for a while, I promise.)

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsay Berger) — Sun, 24 May 2009 19:38:00 +0000

Two quotes in a row is a bit much for me, but this is a good reminder to listen to people, clients, and loved ones (I couldn't help but share):

"The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause."

--Mark Twain