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Katie Konrath
Minneapolis, MN
I help companies reach their consumers as a Content Marketing Lead at TopRank Online Marketing
Recent Activity
Why You Must Choose One Benefit to Rule Them All.
Posted Nov 9, 2014 at Katie Konrath - Mind on Marketing
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The Secret Throne of Queen Elizabeth I
Posted Sep 29, 2014 at Another Think Coming
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Steal ideas like Cleopatra
Posted Sep 4, 2014 at Another Think Coming
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An unexpected tech addition that can save a life.
Posted Sep 1, 2014 at Another Think Coming
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Never Rule Out a Zebra
Posted Jun 16, 2014 at Another Think Coming
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@Perry What's even more interesting than the fact that there are results of students performing better - is the fact that people completely disregard those results.
The author I wrote about above talks a lot about this in his book. I highly recommend his TED talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_asks_are_we_in_control_of_our_own_decisions.html
Where Innovation Is Not Welcome
Not long ago, I highlighted a school district in Minnesota that is flipping the typical educational approach around. Students learn their lessons as "homework" and then do their assignments in class under the instruction of the teacher. Reactions were mixed, as they always are for radical new...
@Kay No one is asking Zenyatta's owners to burn her out. We simply want them to run her in a similar campaign to the male horses she will face at the end of the year in the Classic. If she's their equal (which she certainly appears to be) she should be able to handle it.
There's no reason she should race in the same female-only races she's competed in, and won for 3 years - unless her owners don't want to challenge her.
In my opinion, Zenyatta is great. And she should be allowed to continue proving it by racing and winning against the best horses in the US.
As for why Zenyatta's owners raced her in open competition last year for the Breeder's Cup instead of the Ladies Classic - they finally understood that Zenyatta couldn't win Horse of the Year if she didn't race against the best.
She's a great horse. Run her like one. And that means taking risks and going after challenging victories.
Zenyatta and the Burden of Perfection.
Last weekend, Zenyatta, one of the greatest racehorses in America, proved that she is one of the all-time greats. Rocketing from last-to-first in a desperate finish where she won by a tiny margin, Zenyatta became the first racehorse in American history to win 17 top-level races in a row. Zen...
Katie Konrath is now following The Typepad Team
Mar 15, 2010
To get everyone started and demonstrate what I'm looking for:
One of my favorite surprises was a billboard for a local auto repair shop. Normally billboards are very unremarkable, so I was really surprised when I looked up at this billboard to see a full-sized rear end of a car sticking out of it! (With 4-way lights flashing as well!)
The slogan on the billboard... "Uh dad, about the car..."
POW! How much do you like surprises?
Pow! Right Between the Eyes! is a book about surprises. Not surprisingly, the first time I heard about this book, I was surprised. That's because the author, Andy Nulman, was giving away 200 copies of his book to bloggers - and all we needed to do to get one was write on our blogs that we w...
Is this with advanced templates? Or were you just able to do this with css?
Simple Rounded Corners for TypePad
I did a complete makeover for the Jambaz Blog recently. My buddy Jonas' layout required rounded corners for each content area, so I did a quick search for "rounded corners in CSS," and came up just shy of 2 million results in Google. I looked at about half a dozen and tried out a couple of them....
One problem I've had recently was that when I write a post, the paragraphs are separated by html tags instead of tags.
This is just a recent occurrence. Is that an error, or is that how the html in posts work now?
I ask because it's causing problems with inserting pictures.
Commenting Fixes, Facebook Integration, and Beta Improvements
A big shout-out to everyone in the TypePad community for your feedback and suggestions these last few weeks. We’re hard at work improving TypePad for you. Here’s the highlights from this week’s release update: Commenting We fixed a lot of small, but important, commenting issues. These were affec...
Some thoughts while we're discussing improvements:
I'd really appreciate it if we could publish a post without automatically notifying all the publicity services. Since the Preview window is not an accurate depiction of how a post will look on the blog, it would be nice to be able to publish secretly so I can make sure everything looks the way I want it to.
Also, it would be great to have a "print this" capability available. Currently, posts print with the banner on one page, and the content on the other. That's a problem, as well as a big waste of paper.
Another fix I, and many others, would love is the ability to re-arrange items in a Typelist. Currently I do it using html, but it would be much nicer and easier for non-tech people if they could just re-order items similarly to the Blog Design content selections.
Those are three features I've been hoping for for a long time, so I hope this gets it on Typepad's radar.
Commenting Fixes, Facebook Integration, and Beta Improvements
A big shout-out to everyone in the TypePad community for your feedback and suggestions these last few weeks. We’re hard at work improving TypePad for you. Here’s the highlights from this week’s release update: Commenting We fixed a lot of small, but important, commenting issues. These were affec...
Tried it, thought it was a very good idea... and it took 10 minutes for me to uninstall it.
The recommended readings aren't even from my blog. Frustrating. I'd be much more likely to use this widget if I could pick where the recommended posts came from.
I know that Typepad didn't create this widget, but thought I'd give a heads-up about the recommendations to anyone interested in installing the widget.
Add Recommended Reading and Star Ratings with the Outbrain Widget
Outbrain lets you easily add a ratings widget so your readers can rate your posts between one and five stars. It also brings up recommended posts based on those ratings. Here's how to add it to TypePad: (text instructions below) Go to http://www.outbrain.com/ and click on the TypePad icon. F...
I love how you're getting people to talk about your book before it's even available. Can't wait to read it.
Here's my post: http://www.getfreshminds.com/2009/01/pow-giveaway.html
200 Free Pow! Books--An Offer You CAN'T Refuse!
Well, the third installment of the Pow! video series is up on 800 CEO Read, and this one makes like Marlon Brando in The Godfather. In other words, I'm making you an offer you can't refuse: I've got 200 FREE COPIES of my upcoming Pow! book to GIVE AWAY to ANY LEGITIMATE BLOGGER who simply a...
Congrats! That's a nice way to end the year! It's a great indication you've been doing a lot right.
Have fun writing it. Any more clues about what it won't be about? ;-)
An Announcement: My New Book!
A while back I tweeted about some big news (for me that is). And now here it is: I've just signed a deal for BOOK NUMBER 3. Like "Life after the 30-second spot" and "Join the Conversation", it will be published by Wiley and is scheduled for publication in February of 2010. I can't share the nam...
I'm not a tech person, so it's taken me a lot of work to figure out how to do some modification to the navigation bar.
I thought I'd share what I've learned so it's easier for others who have a hard time with CSS.
First of all, if you want your links to align right instead of left, use this css:
.nav-list-item
{
float: right;
}
"Text-align: right;" didn't work for me, the "float" command was the only one that did. Make sure you have it in the .nav-list-item brackets.
Also, in the ".nav-list-item a" brackets, here are some clues how to make changes:
text-decoration: can be underlined, strike-though, etc.*
text-transform: This can be used to make all the list items in all caps, or all lowercase, etc.*
color: Use the 6 number code from the regular website design. If you need more options, or have your colors in RGB, go to http://www.drpeterjones.com/colorcalc/ for a converter.
font-family: This lets you pick your font if you want something specific.
font-size: Options are: xx-small, x-small, small, medium, large, x-large, xx-large
font-weight: Options include: normal, bold, bolder, lighter. Also can use numbers: 100, 200, 300...
letter-spacing: How close you want the letters to be together.
* For options on text-transform and text-decoration, search "text-transform css" or "text-decoration css".
Here's also a key to CSS font commands: http://www.w3schools.com/css/css_font.asp
For Typepad, could you explain how to add images in between links in the horizontal navigation menu?
Also, like a previous commentator, I'm having trouble with the links not pointing to the address I set because I also have a custom-sized banner. I've submitted a help ticket as well.
New! Add a horizontal navigation bar to your blog
Today, we started rolling out the ability to add a horizontal navigation bar to your blogs (one of your top requests!). It’s dead easy to configure and can make your blog much easier to navigate. Look at how our own Michael Sippey used it on his blog: To set this up on your own blog, go to De...
Oh thank you! I can't wait for my blog to be switched over.
Now, could Typepad come up with a function so readers could print an individual post with the blog banner intact? Then everything would be perfect!
AutoSave to the rescue
We know how frustrating it is to lose a post before you've have a chance to save it -- whether to a browser window closed accidentally, a power outage that shuts down your PC, or a spilled cup of tea that shorts out your laptop. So, we're very happy to announce that we're adding AutoSave -- one ...
Several things I'd love:
1. Ability to post posts without automatically notifying subscription services. The preview button doesn't show posts in the blog, so it's impossible to tell if everything is perfect without publishing first. I hate it that un-refined posts are then sent to subscribers.
2. Ability to move around items in Typelists. This is really frustrating, and everyone I know wants this feature.
3. More reliable comment notification system. Typepad has not notified me recently about a lot of comments. It used to be very reliable, but now I have to go into Typepad to check for new comments because I'm no longer notified for most of them. I've submitted several help tickets, but this has never been resolved. I have only a single-author blog and I have checked the email multiple times.
4. Ability to designate an account manager to do administrative things without revealing the essential account ownership details. This is in the business account, but it would be fabulous to have it in the pro account as well.
5. A print-this-post button. This would be very helpful!
6. Fixing the custom banners so that they show-up when the rest of the blog is printed.
Hope this helps.
A Bright New TypePad in 2008
Dear TypePad members, Since I became CEO of Six Apart back in September, we’ve been working aggressively on our strategy for the New Year and I wanted to share with you some of our plans for TypePad in 2008. First, I wanted to take a moment to tell you that we’re grateful for the opportunity to ...
I'm going to make an educated guess that that iPhone doesn't do everything anymore!
That's a fun video. Thanks for sharing!
For Those of You That Are Tired of Hearing About the iPhone
Tired of hearing about the iPhone? If so you may enjoy the following: Without question the iPhone has lived up to its potential in this instance. Now about all those news stories about Paris Hilton . . .
Hi Kent,
Thanks for linking to my post. For me, one of the best parts of the creative process is working with, and building off the ideas of others. So, I love it when someone says something on there that jump-starts my brain.
Confession: I practice creativity a lot, but every idea I have results from what's already in my head. On the other hand, bringing someone else into the conversation is fun because it adds a completely new knowledge base and perspective. They might see connections I don't, or say something that provokes me into thinking in a new way. Or I might say something that gets them going.
Either way, I feel like I win.
So, I would disagree that your comment was "small". Yes, the text you wrote was not long in length, but it led to new ideas on my end.
Creativity and innovation is not about waiting for the grand, world-changing statements... it's about making new connections and building off the beginnings of ideas.
Also, I enjoyed the other links as well. I'm trying right now to figure out how to adapt Billie's post ideas to my blog!
~Katie
Thursday Links: Katie Konrath (again) and other interesting voices
I start the link fest this week with another reference to Katie Konrath. Katie just started blogging in May, and already she's managed to hit me right between the eyes at least five times. She has a way of taking what I thought I knew and making it into something really insightful. The late...
I must admit, there's more than one reason to count strokes in swimming! If you're swimming backstroke in a pool, not counting will result in a pretty hard bump to the head.
There's also a major benefit to counting strokes during 4am early morning swim practices--mostly that it allows you to doze off a little during each length!
The meditative part of swimming is very true though. It's easy to get lost in it.
Quotes of the Day
"What made the United States frontier experience different from, say, the Russian or the South American was precisely the role of government in surveying the land ahead of time and providing pioneers clear titles to it — the basis of their freedom and security." - Michael Harris reviewing The Fa...
Some very good links to posts there! I particularly like Christine Kane's article on creativity and Scot Herrick's annalysis of how Al Gore reinvented himself. Very interesting. And Mike Schaffner's statement that the iPhone is the next step in the way we interact with computers is very thought-provoking. Maybe I'll add that to my list!
And thank you very much for mentioning my post too. I think too many people allow themself to take sides regarding the iPhone without thinking of how it possibly changes the cell phone industry. I'm hoping my questions get people imagining possibilities instead of just taking one side or the other.
Thursday links: branding, focus, simplification, time away, mid-year questions
This week I was intrigued by posts about branding, simplification, taking time away from work, focus, the iPhone, and by two great lists of questions to ask yourself. Here's a very interesting post by John Moore about the financial value of a great brand. Interesting factoid: If Wal-Mart had...
Hi Ben, If you happen to swing by northern Germany, I'd love to meet up. Otherwise, here's some tips:
For Mexico City, go see the pyramids and climb to the top. It's long way up, but worth it.
And I'm very jealous that you're going to St Petersburg now... when I went there to take an innovation course, it was January, 20 degrees below zero and the classrooms were barely heated! But St Petersburg is amazing. If you get a chance, look up TRIZ before you go. TRIZ is an innovation system that predicts the next stages of technical invention. It was based of Genrich Altshuller's study of thousands of Russian patents. It's very complex and very good. Several American companies, like Boeing, HP and IBM, use it:
http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/may2006/id20060531_965895.htm?chan=innovation_innovation+%2B+design_innovation+and+design+lead
As for Ukraine, I might get back to you. My flatmate last year is from there.
BTW, bring black socks for Europe. We Americans are notorious for our white socks.
Going to Mexico, Ukraine, Russia
My (international) travels in the coming weeks will take me to: Guadalajara, Mexico Mexico City, Mexico Odessa, Ukraine Kiev, Ukraine Moscow, Russia St. Petersburg, Russia I haven't been to any of these countries before. If you have any tips, or if you live there and want to meet up, drop me a ...
A lot of times, it's harder to write in an easy-to-read and simple style! That's actually one thing that blogs are good at teaching writers--how to create short articles that focus on only one thing.
When I was younger, my mother (Selling to Big Companies expert Jill Konrath) read that the best business writing is written at a level that a 5th grader could understand. As I was in 5th grade at the time, I became her guinea pig!
But it does work. My mom has had amazing success with her book, newsletter, and blog because everyone can understand how to use her material. She doesn't need to try to sound smart because people can quickly see the value of her work.
As someone once told me: "Never use a big word when a diminutive one will suffice!" ;-)
How to Be a Better Writer
Scott Adams, of Dilbert fame, is hilarious. He is also wise. Yesterday on his blog he divulged 80% of the rules for good business writing. Here are his tips: The main technique is keeping things simple. Simple writing is persuasive. A good argument in five sentences will sway more people than a...
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