Communications in Business

I have been going to Gateway for a couple of years now… whittling away at my business management degree.  After this semester, I will only have 4 more classes (possibly 5) in order to achieve a my degree.  There have been a few classes that I felt were a poor use of time and money, something that I would never use again.  Then there were some classes that make you realize you need a refresher.  Algebra was one of those classes… something I absolutely loathed in high school, but learned to appreciate as an “adult student”.  Also on that list of useful classes is Business Communications.  I’ve been at my current job for almost 10 years and a lot has changed outside of my little bubble.  This is definitely a class that would be worth taking every 5 to 10 years, just to learn new skills for the current workplace.  Even if you don’t use everything on a regular basis, you are going to come across at least one of these skills later.

For instance, LinkedIn has made recommendation letters more commonplace than ever.  Some people aren’t easy to write for, but having a background on how to properly draft one is a great start.

I found out rather quickly that my old resume had some serious cobwebs on it.  I also realized that I have never submitted a cover letter to a resume… ever.  Learning how to properly word things is key in today’s work environment.  Same is true for e-mails or other professional correspondence.  Whether it be grammar or spelling, keeping an eye on how you communicate is crucial.

All in all, I’m happy I took this course.  It was beneficial!

Cheers!

Info-graphics and Craft Beer

It’s true, we are getting lazier as we advance through this life.  If something doesn’t catch our eye immediately we are able to flick to the next thing that may keep our attention for a little longer.  In our house, we joke about the movie “Up” and how Doug the dog says Squirrel, quite often.  Especially when one of us isn’t focusing on something and it’s painfully obvious.  It’s a squirrel moment.

Enter info-graphics.  Easy to read, complete with pictures and short verses about the topic you want to read about.  It’s something that is made simple enough to keep your short attention span in check and maybe teach you a thing or two.

I had fun searching for info-graphics surrounding a passion of mine, craft beer and brewing beer.  The following site shows 20 “awesome” beer info-graphics about the barley infused beverage.  These info-graphics cover not only the history of beer itself but everything from the water that goes in it to how alcohol makes you drunk.

http://obizmedia.com/20-awesome-beer-infographics-for-beer-lovers/

Finding the site above made it rather difficult to come up with two more sites to share with you regarding beer.  They covered so much that I changed my topic… slightly.

Where would craft beer be without Craft Breweries.  This info-graphic shows data from 2015 on the state of craft breweries in the United States.  From how many opened to how many closed.  Also revenue growth and how many jobs they produced.  It helps give a perspective into how something that was nonexistent a short time ago, has boomed into a multi-billion dollar business.

https://www.brewersassociation.org/press-releases/2015-craft-beer-data-infographic/

Lastly, I chose to focus on the art of brewing beer.  Home-brewing became legal in 1978 after prohibition made it illegal in 1919.  Each state is left to how they govern this law now… thank goodness Wisconsin is pretty relaxed, as long as you don’t try to sell it.

The link below shows you info-graphics on the art that is home-brewing.  Everything from the ingredients you need, to the equipment used.  One staggering fact this info-graphic points out is that home-brewers produce one-million barrels of beer per year… yet that is only one-percent of the total production in the United States.  Crazy when you think about it.  Happy reading!

http://infographic.city/beginners-guide-to-home-brewing-infographic/

Here is a site I found offering easy ways to create info-graphics.  Enjoy!

https://infogram.com/

 

I’m not saying we don’t need to read books, that’s not the case at all.  When something interests you enough, diving into a book will help to answer many questions you may have or take you places you’ve never been.  I have a couple books on the history of beer as well as how-to’s for home-brewing.

But getting the “cliff-notes” from info-graphics can give you enough information on a subject to get you by, and keep your interest long enough to teach you some things.  It may hook you in to want to read more… or it may be forgotten knowledge you never need/use again.  But I’m sure you learned a thing or two about the craft beer industry that you never knew before.  I can see why they are popular… look, a squirrel!

 

Using What I Learned

I recall taking an Algebra course a few years back, when I first started back to college.  I realized as an adult that these things are more important to me than when I was in high school.  But I still had that feeling, wondering when I was ever going to use Algebra…

… sure enough, it came up at work where I had to find the answer for “X” and only had a few pieces to the puzzle.   Turns out I needed it after all.  Now many semesters in, each class has offered it’s own useful tidbits.  Business Communications has already proved to be helpful.

Just recently I had a colleague come to me with a problem.  A client of ours was unhappy that we disposed of his extra print work, and questioning our design charges.  She had drafted an e-mail that pretty much blamed the client for the way the files came in, and was less than professional in regards to wording of things.  So she and I sat down and revised the e-mail so it wasn’t so… abrasive.  Not a single ounce of blame was placed on the client, instead we were able to inform him how we would prefer to have files sent to us.  And that if they are not sent this way then he would incur extra design charges.  He responded back kindly and nothing transpired beyond this small interaction.

Had my colleague sent her first draft, based largely on emotion, this situation would have gone a completely different direction.

I find myself double (even triple) checking e-mails before sending them out.  This helps me get an idea of how my client is reading my e-mail.  Sarcasm is difficult to get out in an e-mail… or is it?  I have also made it so that Spell-Check runs before the e-mail is sent, as I was finding myself making spelling errors that were getting out to the client.

There have also been a few times where I am in the middle of drafting an e-mail and find myself getting too long winded without actually getting to the point… that’s where I end up picking up the phone.  When dealing with disappointed customers I try my best to call them but often times explaining over an e-mail lets them soak it in over time, then get back to me at their leisure.

All these things prove to be helpful in most all professional settings.  Particularly if you are working with end users of product, for example, as I do.

 

My First Blog Post – The Sky is the Limit

Actually, this my first “from scratch” blog post.  I have had two different blogs in the past.  One I wrote while I was working for a creative agency.  Adding blog posts to their website helped our overall SEO (Search Engine Optimization).  The second blog I wrote was for a website my friends and I created that high-lighted our annual brewery tours we went on.  This last website was a short lived experience, but worthwhile none the less.

These blogs were already set up for me.  I didn’t have to create it from scratch.  Creating this blog was surprisingly easy.  WordPress has tutorials set up along the way explaining features.  There is no pressure to upgrade, however they make mention of what comes with more premium subscriptions.  The hardest part, so far, was describing this blog page accurately so I wasn’t given a strange name for the over all site.

As for customization, I found that to be easy as well.  I chose to skip the standard image at the header and insert a photo I took while visiting my sister in Brooklyn.  It’s an upward shot of the support cables and towers on the Brooklyn Bridge.

Another favorite photo I found was this one of my daughter standing at a park in Dumbo.

The font was chosen instead of the standard as well as the background color.  As of this writing, I’m still making minor tweaks here and there.

There are many benefits of blogging in a professional setting.  Employees have an outlet to share their expertise with a larger audience.  Sharing knowledge that may help others in a similar workplace or situation.  Employees may also personalize their blogs with information about themselves.  This could allow customers or partners to see a more human side of the business they are working with, building loyalty.  Giving a voice to your employees can be a risk.  If properly monitored, a blog can become a great asset to a company.