PENGUINscore.com

What's Your PENGUINscore™?

The worst kept secret in business communications is boredom. Boring newsletters, boring presentations, mundane, run-of-the-mill, boring emails — all of this and more is what we've come to tolerate and expect from business messages.

We don't sit still for this in our personal lives — even news reporting has become more about entertainment than information. But hang a tie around our necks and stick a briefcase in our hands and we accept the "fact" that professional must equal dull.

It doesn't have to be that way. It can't be that way. The same people who impatiently click their TV remotes, scurry from web page to web page, and download music at a moment's notice are the recipients (victims?) of your business communications. They are your audience, and if you don't find a way to engage them, you'll lose them. They may not get up and walk out (today), but they will no longer be listening.

Enter the PENGUINscore™. Inspired by the APGAR score — the universally accepted system for assessing the general physical condition of a newborn baby — the PENGUINscore™ assesses the effectiveness of your business communications. It's equally simple to use and in terms of the "health" of your message, equally critical.

Seven letters (P-E-N-G-U-I-N), each one representing a critical variable that needs to be present in everything you say or write if you want your audience to hear it, understand it and share it with others.

You don't need to buy or sign up for anything to start using the PENGUINscore™. Everything you need is right here, and it's all free. Simply follow the instructions below.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. For each PENGUINscore™ attribute listed below, assign a grade of 0,1 or 2 (2 being the best) to what you've written.

2. Add up your total score.

3. Take the appropriate action:

11 - 14: Go with it!

8 - 10: Keep working.

5 - 7: Start over.

0 - 4: Have you considered a career in politics?

PENGUINscorecard

Don't like math? Click here and we'll instantly calculate your PENGUINscore™ for you.

Don't like computers? Click here to download and print a one page worksheet

for calculating your PENGUINscore™ by hand. (PDF format)

Don't like penguins? Shame on you. Click here to purchase a

set of beautiful PENGUINscore™ cards. These will change your mind.

Here's what others are saying about the PENGUINscore™:

"Love your PENGUINscore concept. As a guy who really appreciates simple and direct metrics, yours is a winner!"

— Christopher Wray, Communiqué Marketing Solutions

"As a freelancer working in a variety of genres within several industries, this easy system will really help me to better evaluate content. Sometimes, it all starts to sound the same. Thanks for a fresh way to critically look at my work before the client does."

— Pat Short Hornsby, PoSH Comm

"Love the penguin score idea. Gives me a concrete roadmap to assess my emails."

— Michele O'Mara, O'Mara and Associates

"I think the score cards are a wonderful, UNboring way to get people to put some thought and effort into turning Boring Business Communications around."

— Fran Sammis, Marketing Services

"The PENGUIN Score is brilliant."

— Judith Rothbaum, Judith Rothbaum Consulting

Thanks for spreading the word, and remember, before you hit "send" on your next e-mail, finalize your next article, or step up to your next podium, make sure to first calculate the PENGUINscore™ of your communication. Your eager-for-a-breath-of-fresh-air audience will thank you.

All the best,

Michael Katz

Founder and Chief Penguin

Blue Penguin Development, Inc.

Blue Penguin Development, Inc.

One Ash Street

Hopkinton, MA 01748

508-497-0900

http://bluepenguindevelopment.com/

Send your comments, suggestions and effusive praise here:

PENGUINscore@BluePenguinDevelopment.com

No penguins were harmed in the production of this web site.