By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD It seems that subscription services surround us: from Dollar Shave Club to HP Instant Ink, to Microsoft 365. For the record, I’ve passed on all three, though I recently questioned that decision as I made another trip to the office supply store to purchase printer ink. Nonprofits also embrace this […]
Being in a creative environment offers writers many benefits not found elsewhere A few weeks ago I attended a writers conference, the Festival of Faith and Writing. Setting a record, there were over 2,100 attendees who invaded the campus of Calvin College. I wasn’t planning on going and then changed my mind at the last […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD With allergy season upon us, I recall when I realized I sneezed just like my dad. Not that there was anything wrong with how Dad sneezed, just that it was distinctive. At first, I chalked this up to heredity, but that wasn’t it. Instead, it was likely a byproduct of […]
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May is Short Story Month
Celebrate the resurgence of short-form fiction this May: write, read, and share May is short story month. It even has its own Twitter account: @ShortStoryMonth, which often uses the hashtag #shortreads. After falling out of favor for a time, interest in short-form fiction is rebounding. Fueled by e-readers and online publishing, the resilient short story […]
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How to Combat Survey Fatigue
Too Many Poorly Implemented Surveys Have Conditioned People to Disregard Them By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Organizations of all types know the importance of receiving feedback from their stakeholders, be it their customers, clients, stockholders, prospects, users, participants, donors, volunteers, or advocates. A stakeholder who feels heard is one who feels valued. This results in […]
5 Tips to keep your mind sharp and creativity flowing Last week we talked about being physically healthy as a writer. We also need to stay mentally ready so that we can write when the time comes. Here are five tips to fuel our writer’s mind: Consume Creative Content: Mental readiness is spurred by filling […]
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How to Be a Healthy Writer
8 tips to staying physically fit while spending hours at the keyboard I’m not a medical doctor, and I don’t play one on TV. But I have compiled a list of what it takes to be a healthy writer. Some I’ve learned through research, others through experience and a couple by common sense. The main […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Having a professional website is essential for any telephone answering service that wants to grow. The emphasis is on the word professional. Though collectively our industry websites are much better than a decade ago, too many TAS websites still aren’t professional looking or professional sounding. Here’s how to develop a […]
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Providing Quality Service
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Growing up, I remember a radio commercial with the tag line, “Service sold it.” Even as a young kid I was able to grasp the concept that providing quality service was a great way to close more sales and gain new business. Over the years, I have heard this mantra […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD A friend recently switched his healthcare insurance. His new provider declared that his weight was an issue and charged him a premium as a result. His former insurer had done so too, along with the two before that. Each time he’d shrug his shoulders with an “Oh, well” attitude. This […]