One of my favorite snacks is Cheetos Natural, which funnily enough, is sold in the health food aisle at the grocery store. They really are “crack snacks”; I’ve been known to go through an entire bag in one sitting.

They aren’t your normal Cheetos, though – they are made of white cheddar, so your shirt and fingers don’t look Oompa-Loompa orange after devouring a bag. As far as the “all-natural” labeling, well, arsenic is “all-natural”, too, so you have to take it with a grain of salt, which I’m sure there’s plenty of as well.
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Technology has been improving rapidly and, well, let’s be honest – these days, the business model you started your company with isn’t quite working out as much as you had hoped.

What’s a business to do?
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“All of us are now wrestling with this idea that there are no great middle-class jobs where someone tells you exactly what to do all day.” 

So says uber marketing guru Seth Godin. On Friday, Goden spoke with Kai Ryssdal of Markeplace fame about the flux that our economy has been going through and how every single one of us has to change what we think about our roles in the workplace. 
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Here’s a headline for you: Big Changes Sweeping Online News. 

But reading about it may cost you. As it should.

Having tried for years to find a way to get people who read online news to pay for it, on Friday, The New York Times announced plans to charge readers for online content. (more…)

Account / Project Manager Dynamo of Web Design & Development
Go ZapIT is looking for an account / project manager dynamo with infectious enthusiasm to join our small boutique team and work on-site in our Cincinnati office. This will be both a hands-on and high-level position – doing project work as well as directing the project team from concept to completion.

At the core, we’re looking for a trust worthy, dependable person that has a great attitude (smile), experience working [well] with other people and being a great communicator. Minimum 4+ years experience in one of the following areas: marketing / branding / advertising agency / public relations / creative design / web design or web development company / in-house creative group / or similar marketing communications environment. We’d love to have someone with web designer and/or web developer experience – but it is not required. If you fit the bill so far and sounds of interest, read on.

Does this sound like you?

You provide excellent client services – a quick learner and always willing to listen, engage and learn more. You have the unique ability to connect with clients. You are a reliable, pleasant relief to anyone on the other end of the phone line, email stream or across the table.

You create a positive energy in everything you do but always handle it with a high level of professionalism and grace. You tackle questions, risks and issues with a can-do mindset and follow through to resolution. You can cut through the red tape to get the job done, yet at the end of the project, everyone on the team still loves you.

When you’re on a project there is never any concern about it being completed on time with the highest quality. As part of your responsibilities, you enjoy the variety of preparing the site map for the newest project, developing wireframes for a website, adding content to another website, QA’ing a website before launch, training clients on new tools, troubleshooting an issue, of course while balancing the management of your project deliverables, due dates, contacts, budgets.

Add in to the mix, spending time with prospects and clients to gain a deep knowledge about the business problems that they are solving and suggest solutions and options by marrying knowledge of website with the understanding of the client challenges. Write creative briefs, ensure that project requirements are clearly understood by all involved, and make sure that the team has all they need to do their work. Meet client deadlines, serve as the client advocate and review internal iterations and interim deliverables before the client sees them to increase the likelihood that they will meet with the client’s approval.

Phew! That’s a lot but there’s more – make sure that the client understands what was done and why it was done (ideally relating what was done back to the creative brief), gently remind the client if they delay in providing feedback, capture client feedback in a structured manner so that each iteration moves the deliverable closer to finalization, and ensure proper project close-out, including archiving of files. Sure, there‘s a lot to be done, but you thrive on the variety (and appreciate a thorough job description).

Oh, and you’re not afraid to roll up your sleeves in a small company and pitch in other ways – such as answering ringing phones, creating ticket in the web enabled help desk system for a client request (but don’t worry we’ll carry out the trash) – all in a week’s work. Your satisfaction comes from keeping everything running smooth, being an important part of making web projects happen, helping complete the work and making clients smile.

You’re excited to work for a small company rather than a big one. (We’re intentionally small with a 4 person core team and selective and intimate team of consultants with extensive experience in all facets of the web. A smaller team keeps you focused.) Look forward to working with the Company owner and project development team and resources. You want to be part of a team that lives and breathes the web – a team that is engaged – a growing team evolving with the changing landscape of technology and web design. Does this sound like you? Then take the next step.

Skip the resume, show us the real YOU!

While we’re all professionals, we find reading a series of bullet sentences all starting with verbs dry and artificial. Send us a cover letter to hireme@gozapit.com and tell us why we should get together and talk. Include links to your LinkedIn profile, Facebook page and Twitter page. If you have designer or developer experience don’t forget to show off your website and portfolio or send us some links of projects you’ve worked on. We can’t wait to meet you!

Let’s make one thing clear: your brand is not sacred.  There is nothing about your brand that is above reproach by smart alecks.  You may be the most wholesome, healthy, squeaky-clean, family-friendly brand in the entire world, but someone will find a way to mock you.

In fact, they’ll probably mock you even more.  But do your brand a favor – don’t be stupid and ask for it. (more…)