DORKY: A style of writing, primarily used in self-promotion, which is predictable, boring, boilerplate or just plain blah. See also The Dorky Announcement Letter, The Dorky Business Card and the Dorky Online Profile.
I really really really wanted to post this blog about nine months ago. A quick look at the calendar would tell you that nine months ago was right around the 2009 holiday season. But smarter heads prevailed, and advised that I hold off until a more "neutral" time of year - e.g. the middle or end of summer. Wise heads, my friends have.
Why wait? Because what I'm about to say probably would have hurt a lot of feelings had I posted it during the heat of the season -- because it would have applied to just everyone who read it. Which means, of course, that everyone who reads it today may still be a little hurt, but at least it's not as, um, timely. You'll see what I mean shortly.
Starting around Thanksgiving, the e-greetings start coming out. You know what an e-greeting is, don't you? Basically a seasonal greeting card that is delivered to your email inbox instead of your snail-mail box. Nothing wrong with that.
But the messages in these e-greetings are... well... predictable. Pithy. Sappy, yet meaningless. Boring. DORKY.
Here's an example of a well-intended message I received last year:
May the spirit of the holiday fill your heart with warmth and love. Enjoy this wonderful time with your family and loved ones. It is with gratitude that we say thank you for our friends, our health and another year in our lives.
May you have a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous 2010.
It's only one of several dozen I got just like it; I'm sure you did, too. And don't get me wrong - I appreciate being on so many distribution lists and there's nothing WRONG with sending out a Dorky message, but here's the thing.
It's not memorable.
No matter how beautifully written, no matter how grammatically correct, no matter how gracefully your words flow, those words are forgettable. And therefore (sorry), your well-intentioned greeting will be forgotten.
And we definitely don't want to be forgotten! After all, isn't that the reason we send these greetings out? To be remembered?
How ‘bout something different this year? Something from the heart - YOUR heart that is - something that actually says something you mean; something you might actually say out loud if you were wishing someone you cared about a Happy Holiday.
Here's an example of a e-greeting card I got from one of my readers. I laughed out loud as I read it. I got a clear picture of my reader friend in my mind, and thought of him fondly. It's his voice, his personality. Might not be YOUR voice or YOUR personality and that's fine. But find YOUR voice... and USE that voice with this year's holiday wishes!
I know the standards of writing I've set in the past are causing you right now to eagerly anticipate sage pearls of wisdom from me; carefully selected words expressed in such an articulate, heartfelt fashion with a message so touching and meaningful as to make you pause, look into the deepest recesses of your heart and reflect on the things you should be thankful for in spite of the troubled times we live in. Sentences so eloquently constructed they'll render mental and emotional images that will make you cry (just a little). You'll vividly and fondly remember all the joyful Thanksgivings of years past and look forward with hope and eager anticipation to all the Thanksgivings yet to come.
WELL......
Sorry to tell you - I got nothing!
Just enjoy your time off with family and friends and don't eat too much stuffing.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
So, open your mind to a new way to say Happy Holidays to the people you care about. YOUR way...
GOOD MORNING JENNIFER! Perfect time to start thinking about holiday cards ... and keeping it unique! It's just too easy to go with something standard and dorky -- but it's more fun to do something different that shows maybe a side to you that hasn't been explored yet! --Gabrielle
Well, yours IS much more memorable. And, certainly not playing it safe! But, I always like a good laugh, and that you provided. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too! And, take that swimsuit off....it's November!
Jennifer- He obviously caught your attention. I agree that the sappy and predictable do nothing to make you memorable. Personally I avoid e-greetings to my SOI, it really does not show much effort.
Every year, I've given more thoughts to my Year-End letter. I tell them a story and I assume that the people who receive them care about my success. That's the relationships I've built with my clients.
Love the narrative....and it does make you remember the sender and the real reason for the season....to be thankful for what we have.
Diane - Just be creative about all th at thankfulness!
Loreena - I agree... I really DO enjoy those year-end letters... and they're actually a lot of fun to write, too.
Ellie - I'm up in the air about e-greetings, as well as other stay-in-touch technology. I think if you use it cleverly, it IS memorable and effective. But just pushing a button and calling it a day is not.
Don - I live in Florida! The swimsuit stays ON!
Gabrielle - Yep! It's a little more work, but SO worth the effort!
I agree! I'd much rather receive a personal "Merry Christmas, Sue!" than one of the sappy generic e-greetings.
OMGosh, Sue, I'm SO glad you mentioned that!!!! Here's the thing! If you send a personal email to as many of your SOI as you can, think of all the conversations you can start up. Will it take time? Yep. Will it pay off? Yep.
So, if you're not the clever-est person on the planet, how about an individual, simple, sincere Merry Christmas to everyone you care about (even care about just a little bit!)?
YES!!!
Jennifer,
But... But... Golly, gee, where do you say, "Remember, I am never too busy for your referrals in 2011?"
Jennifer, love your way of doing this, just wish I had creativity in great measure. I try and post a personal message Sue's way, if I can't come up with something more memorable.
Mike beat me to it - where is the bid for referrals in all of this? ROFL
For major holidays, though, I gotta say, I'm all about hand written REAL cards, none of the e-stuff. Yeah, it's time consuming...and expensive...but that's just me.
Jennifer: Your second example definitely does stand out from the crowd. Wonder how many Rainers will be borrowing that message, or something like it this year?
I could have sent that last one!
I have always said, my "stuff" needs to sound like ME... granted I do have some packaged crap that is on auto pilot - but it is important to keep "you" in the equation so people know it came from you!
LOVE IT! If it's not memorable, then why bother? This post makes me want to go get started on my holiday cards right away!
Great job on the timing.
Well, Shannon - I'm so happy I inspired you!!!
Rob - You CAN take dorky auto-pilot stuff and make it your own, you know!
Chris Ann - I wondered the same thing...
Susan - I do handwritten as well, but if I thought of something uber-clever, I'd be fine with sending it digitally...
Lora/Leah - Yep - if nothing brilliant occurs to you, don't resort to DORKY; just be REAL!
Mike - Shoot! I totally forgot about that important bit! Thanks for the reminder!
But - what does he send this year? Next one has to be bigger, even less dorky and funnier. Could be a real challenge.
Rick - you are correct. What a pickle he's gotten himself into. I'll let you know!
I agree Jennifer. I also get tired of PC cards that wish me a wonderful "Season." I do send out Hanuka cards or appropriate cards if I know where the person is coming from. I think being afraid of the word "Christmas" is too PC. You can say Christmas without being preachy.
JA - Here I am thinking about Hurricanes and what we'll be grilling for Labor Day and you've got me wondering about turkey and Thanksgiving instead. I'm feeling a little hurt, but I get your point. Feliz navidad!
Hi Jen, And those types of letters do nothing to make the person feel special. One of my friends commented on my New Years letter, saying if it was anyone else they would have thought what the heck, but knowing that it was coming from, she knew what I wrote was heartfelt, sincere and true to me. She called me up as soon as she opened to say thank you.
Holiday cards are such a challenge. I finally resorted to Jacki Lawson ecards. They are very imaginative without being ridiculous. People LOVE them. Also, Christianity is something of the minority religion around here - so Holiday cards good - anything religous - BAD. Santa is OK - as long as its a holiday type of setting.
Jennifer,
I don't do too many e-cards. I start the day after Thanksgiving writeing a family newsletter and addressing snail mail cards. I try to be creative with the newsletter, but am always sure its dorky and boring.
I LOVE THAT! I really, really want to steal it, but I won't...sigh...I wish I was so creative :)!
I'm completely on the fence about e-letters and snail mail letters. I've been doing snail mail ones for a long time to friends and family during the holidays, but I like how a conversation can be instantly opened up by using e-mail. This may be the year I make the switch...and I might just start with the e-letter I drafted a while ago to my SOI announcing non-dorkily (I hope) that I'm in real estate now...which you saw but I never did send :( Time to start prospecting WITH soul : )
Tanya - I agree about the ease of conversation via email. I stopped doing printed newsletters years ago because I'd get so discouraged after each expensive batch went that I didn't hear from anyone.
Brenda - you ARE that creative... just BE Yourself...
Ann - I seriously doubt it! Feel free to share yours with me if you like...
RM - How interesting! Growing up in the midwest and now living in the south, it's the opposite, of course. And yes, your Jacquie Lawson cards are wonderful.
Christine - you must have done something right if someone called you to say thanks!
Kevin - Sorry 'bout that ;-]
Gene - I imagine you and I agree on an awful lot of things...