While your clients are at the beach or vacationing up north at the family cottage, take time to recharge and refresh by enrolling in a 4-week class or a few 1/2 day seminars. Writing Headlines for the Web, Telling Stories with Sound and Multimedia Storytelling are all offered at News University by The Poytner Institute.

You can also jump on a plane or pick up the phone to participate in PRSA's selection of onsite conferences and teleseminars, including 12 Ways To Generate Story Angles. Data Driven PR or Bringing the Outside in: Using Proven PR Tools to Engage Employees. Also, sign up for E-learning programs, found here.

My sister once declared it wouldn't be the big things that sent me over the edge, but the little grain of sand in my shoe.

She is absolutely right. So is Jakob Nielsen when he asks: Does user annoyance matter?

I've saved this email alert from the delete key for nearly 3 months because the question is so dead on. Of course it matters. If you're in the service business, what else does matter? It's all about respecting your customer.  Doing the right thing is the foundation for building successful, long-term relationships.

With so many new ways to reach consumers, the power of the 30-second TV spot is fading.

What's next? Check out what Frank Cooper has to say. He's a panelist on Managing the Emerging Media Landscape this Friday, June 8, at the American Advertising Federation National Conference in Louisville.