In catching up with my Google Reader subscriptions I see a post on Writing Forward about the reading level of one’s blog. This little widget allows for a nice bridge into writing for the broadest audience possible. In my infinite curiosity, I went and had this blog analyzed.

Is this really a bad thing? Blog author Melissa Donovan seems to think so:

Writers who use big words and fancy phrases will not reach the broadest audience possible, and in fact, will turn many potential readers away. Who wants to expend a whole lot of energy to decipher a short story or understand a blog post? When a writer tries to come off as brilliant by using complex language, the effort usually outshines the material.

Personally I’m not so sure it’s a bad thing to exhibit my intelligence. I wouldn’t say that I write in a manner that excludes people… I’m pretty sure that anyone I know could chime in and join the conversation. And I don’t know many geniuses. So what is it about a post that makes the reading a genius level read? I’m very curious what standards this particular website is using on making that assessment.

Thoughts? Do I need to dumb this down, so to speak?

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It’s the end of a 2 year streak for me here running our Mailing Services at PsPrint. I’m passing it on to an able-bodied lieutenant and the Customer Service department… probably where it should have been the whole time. At this point the majority of the day to day stuff has been passed on and it is a bit strange to come in and not have to do these things.

But what will I do with my days? More of the same, really, just with more time to focus. We’re still transitioning our current affiliate program into a reseller program and have begun our true affiliate program over at Commission Junction. I’ll have more time to properly manage both programs and follow up with affiliates and resellers alike.

There will also be more time to focus on our email marketing campaigns, trade shows, advertising opportunities, blogging, social network marketing, reputation management, new media, and our green printing initiative.

So the end of an era has come and 2008 will be a fresh year for me here. I’m excited, and yet, anxious. Bring it on!

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7. Give stuff away for free. (I don’t think this contradicts the previous point but maybe?) People love free. Offer a free version of your product, provide coupon codes, etc. Whenever we include a coupon code in a newsletter, there’s a big uptick in upgrades.

Over at 37 Signals, they have a great post today on 10 Ways to Get Ink. While we’re not giving something away outright for free, we are sponsoring another contest with PhotographyCorner.com. This time we’re providing some prizes for their 2007 Photograph of the Year Contest. I joined the forums over there myself last week when I got word we were sponsoring Contest Corner Challenge #43: Holiday Alphabetography. It’s a great little community over there, being a hobby photographer myself. Room for professionals and amateurs alike!

So go on over, join the forums, get to postin’, and enter to win!

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