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  • Politics Is Like Hiring A Hitman
    by Scott Woods inPolitical on2020-08-13

    For me, politics is like hiring a hitman. I have values and things I care about. I care enough about them to at least bother voting for 5 minutes every year for one issue or another. And because I care at least that much, I vote for people who align with the ability to realize the things I care about.

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  • Punching Above Our Weight
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-07-24

    I believe our vote is the punctuation of our voice. Without that resounding exclamation mark, I believe our voices are just incoherent noise.

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  • BLACK PROGRESS AMIDST SOCIAL CHAOS
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-06-16

    Recent events have raised the profile of historical injustice and inequities here in the USA. The entire world has taken note of the fact that BLACK LIVES MATTER.   We invite all of our friends to engage in actions that result in the greatest movement for change in our history. It is imperative that we take advantage of this opportunity to affect a positive change by ACTING IN OUR SELF-INTERESTS.

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  • Living in a Black No-Man's Land
    by Roger Madison Jr. inOur Community on2019-10-28

    There are many narratives that define the Black experience in America in this 2nd decade of the 21st century. Our striving over the centuries of our sojourn in this nation is a tapestry of every human experience -- oppression, enslavement, forced assimilation, dehumanization, exclusion, segregation, isolation, struggle, perseverance, achievement, excellence, celebration, mourning, despair, progress, setbacks, lynching, assassination, genocide, terror, self-hatred, low esteem, pride,...

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  • Fighting Racism
    by Scott Woods inOur Community on2018-10-25

    I had a boss who was racist. Not an outright bigot, of course; her toolbox was more subtle than most. We bumped heads a lot over inconsequential things. She frequently couldn’t keep my name out her mouth. Lot of gaslighting. You know…2018 style. I tried a lot of ways to combat or navigate her issues. None of them worked, and that’s saying a lot because I’m really good at fighting racism. But at the end of the day – every day – she was my boss, I had to deal with her, and that was that. Finally I...

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Is "Black Dick for Hire" Clever Advertising?

The following was the headline for a press release I read:

Black Dick for Hire/Private Eye: Black private investigator emerges from the shadows to provide investigative consulting to discerning clientele.

What do you think about this headline?  Is it clever, smart, offensive or obscene? Is it the kind of advertising and/or marketing strategy that would make you want to learn more about this individual and his business?  

If you read further into the press release you find that “Black Dick” refers to  Dick Pierre A. McLean, who is a black private eye.  Perhaps he was using a play on names, modeling himself after the comic strip character Dick Tracy.  But when you add the word Black in front of Dick, it gives it an entirely different meaning whether intended or not. 

As a media trainer and someone who helps people self-promote, I do believe how we label (or brand) ourselves will determine how we are perceived by the public (our potential clients and customers). 

Here are some suggestions on how you can shine in a press release headline:

Cut the hype:  Don’t treat your press release like an advertisement for your products and services.

Make sure the headline is accurate:  Don’t try to trick editors into reading your press release by misleading them in your headline. A misleading headline might grab their attention for a moment, but will quickly get tossed if they discover the headline has nothing to do with the overall content in the release.  This will cause you to lose credibility.  

Follow the K.I.S.S. Rule:  Keep it short and simple.  You should be able to say what you want to say on one page.  

Sex does not always sell:  Incorporating sexual innuendos into your press release headline may not be the smartest way to promote yourself or your business if the reference has absolutely nothing to do with the overall content of your release.  

Last but not least, ALWAYS be mindful of how you present yourself.  To learn more about how I can help you shine in your business, click here:  http://beverlymahone.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Your-Time-to-Shine-Services-Information2.pdf