Insights from Nebo

Sometimes, the most exciting projects are — surprisingly — the easiest. At least, that was the case for our most recent endeavor here on the Nebo email team: creating email accessibility standards.

Wait, that can’t be right! you say. Accessibility means more code, more thought about design and copy, more time spent considering what it’d be like to need accessible email. How could all of that be easy? The answer: most of what ended up in our accessibility standards was stuff we were already doing.

That’s because accessibility isn’t some strange new frontier. It’s a continuation of making content that puts people first by ensuring they can access it in the best way possible.

If you’re in the business of business, LinkedIn is the place to be. First off, it’s the only social media that’s acceptable to mindlessly scroll during business hours (how else are you supposed to keep up with industry trends?). But more importantly, it’s a place to find customers. 

For B2B marketers, a whopping 80% of social media leads come from LinkedIn. Check out the infographic below to take your B2B marketing campaigns to the next level.

Via PBS

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In America, these are basic human rights. They have been since 1777. And yet in 2019, not everyone can access them. 

The Information Age is upon us, and liberty has a whole new meaning. We’re living in the Internet of Things, where we can summon a car with the swipe of finger or get the latest news buzzed to our smartwatches. 

The internet can give us all more freedom than ever — especially people living with physical limitations. For a grandmother with arthritis, a simple voice command can turn on the lights or control the thermostat. For someone with a visual impairment, a website designed with screen-reader capabilities can help them apply for a new job. 

For people with disabilities, technology means independence — but that’s only if we make it accessible.

It was a beautiful November day in 2015 when I spectated my first marathon in NYC. Standing at mile 23, I observed thousands and thousands of runners making their way down 5th Avenue to the Central Park entrance, so close to finishing their 26.2-mile trek. At the time, I didn’t quite understand what it took to get to that moment, but it inspired me to sign up for the next year’s race. 

Since then, I’ve trained for and completed two marathons, both of which taught me many things, not only about running, but about hard work, dedication, focus and... marketing campaigns. 

As a project manager at Nebo, I began to notice the similarities between training for a marathon and running a marketing campaign. I had set and defined goals for my marathon, similar to how Nebo and our clients have goals for all campaigns. My ability to manage my time was a true gift, especially as the runs got longer and more frequent. And patience, dedication and focus are a priority of life.

Marathon training is hard. And sometimes, agency life is too, especially when you’re building a brand-new marketing campaign. But both can also be extremely rewarding. All the early mornings, sweat, tears and exhaustion make crossing that finish line even sweeter. 

It turns out marathons and marketing are pretty similar. Here’s how I prep for both. Let’s dive (run?) right in. 

A quick heads up about being a copywriter: there’s more to it than hiding behind a laptop. You’re signing up for all kinds of writing (and even “not writing”). Journalism, reporting, concepting and advertising, which means *gulp* interviewing people — writing about them, or for them, and sometimes even trying to use their own words. Gasp!

Welcome to the world of interviewing … as an interviewer, that is. Even though you’re not in the hot seat, it can be just as sweaty and awkward. That’s why I try to learn something new every time, so that the next one will be even less awkward. Here are a few tips to help make that happen. I don’t have any advice for the sweating though. 

According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (yes, that’s a thing), Americans will eat a whopping 150 million hot dogs this Fourth of July. That’s enough to stretch from D.C. to L.A. five times, in case you were wondering about the length of those weiners. 

To many, this statistic is positively revolting. And yet, this suspect blend of tube-shaped mystery meat remains a national icon. From the hot dog carts of New York City to the beanie weenie bowls of America’s youth, hot dogs are woven into the fabric of our culture.