I’ve made a living for almost 20 years as a professional communicator: writer, editor, public relations consultant and marketing professional. And I’ve done those things for a variety of organizations, from tiny nonprofits to Fortune 50 public companies. I’ve been a freelancer, in-house communications chief and now work in an agency. I started blogging before the word “blog” was coined and have embraced social media.
Here’s what I believe:
- Your customers, prospects and stakeholders live in an increasingly cluttered media environment. If you want to get your message across and engage people, you’ve got to earn their attention. You can do that by creating compelling content, engaging with individuals one-on-one and providing value in everything you do.
- You’ve got to go to your audience. And for almost every brand and almost every audience, that means being online: On the Web, ranked in search engine results, engaged in social media and available via mobile devices. Many companies have only half-heartedly adopted these technologies or, worse, are still hanging back “figuring out their strategy.” You don’t want to be the last one to figure it out — leave that distinction to your competitors.
- There are better ways to communicate and engage with people. I see too many spammy emails, unengaged Twitter accounts and poorly written news releases. All of us who are professional communicators can do better, and gain a competitive advantage, by producing powerful content, delivering it smartly and engaging our people one-on-one.
My goal is to make MarkTzk.com a resource for those whose jobs demand effective communications: public relations and marketing professionals, plus anyone else involved in those activities. And because I believe that being an effective communicator starts with being effective, you’ll also get tips, ideas and resources on productivity, networking and personal communication skills along the way.
If you’re interested, here’s a few more biographical tidbits about me:
- I have two college degrees — a B.A. in English from N.C. State University and an MBA from Elon University.
- Before earning the English degree, I majored in physics, computer science and accounting. This may explain my affinity for technology and business, or it may just mean I was a slow learner.
- I’ve worked as a newspaper reporter, newspaper editor, freelance journalist, nonprofit communications director, independent public relations consultant and now manage client strategy at RLF Communications, a marketing and public relations agency in Greensboro, N.C.
- I’m married with two children, an SUV, a pair of cats and the usual suburban paraphernalia.
- Like most writers I know, I secretly believe I have a bestselling novel inside me. The problem is getting it out …
Also, please connect with me on LinkedIn (use the email mark [at] marktzk.com and mention that you saw this note) and follow me on Twitter.
