Online Outreach Then and Now: From Problem to Priority
May 4, 2012

When Mac and I looked back at where we were five years ago when we formed Click Communications, we were struck by how much has changed in the world of online publicity since then.

When we first formed Click, we would tell stories about how, back in 2003, no one cared about reaching online audiences, and online journalists didn’t care about home entertainment. We compared that with 2007, a time when many studios realized they needed to be in front of online audiences, but the pool of interested online media had gotten so large that matching the right product and story with the right sites was a fairly daunting proposition.  As such, we were often hired to “solve the online problem.” In fact, once word got out about how handily we could navigate the web, we got really busy really fast, and our company grew from two people to seven in a few short months.

Today, of course, there are a myriad of different ways to “solve the online problem” because the problems are as vast and unique as the people and agencies prepared to take them on. The major difference between online publicity Then and Now, however, is that online has shifted from Problem to Priority.

When online outreach is viewed as a problem to be solved, it automatically makes it a problem to be solved. Everything becomes last-minute and fast breaking, not just because of the dynamic pace of the online medium, but because most long-lead attention is still placed with traditional media. And if traditional media publicity doesn’t meet expectations, online coverage becomes the consolation prize.

When online outreach is viewed as a priority, on the other hand, wonderful things can start to happen. For example, if you wait until the last couple weeks of a campaign to roll out your online strategy, then what happens earlier in the campaign when you’re pitching broadcast and long-lead print publications about your new brand that no one’s ever heard of? Those producers and writers will Google your product and come up with…. Nothing. By contrast, if you prioritize your online outreach early on to take place throughout the life of your campaign, then you build up Google results, conversations and the all-important Buzz.

Our approach at Click has elevated online outreach beyond a priority to become a driving force in campaign strategy. This frees us from some of the old rules and restrictions that can apply to available assets, allowing our team to parcel out exclusive content, premium items, compelling interviews and exciting event opportunities across multiple mediums to reach true market saturation with our ideal audience.

The Click team is also particularly deft at finding new ways of maximizing assets in fresh, creative ways. After all, when it comes to rolling out publicity and marketing materials over a period of time to your target audience, you have to be careful. Think of your assets like ingredients, and your press as a mix of carnivores, vegetarians, foodies and picky children.  You can either parcel out your interviews, video clips and widgets (or meat, vegetables and cheese, if you will), to the people who want each individual item the most. Or you can put them together to form, say, a delicious pizza—something unique and mouth-watering for everyone.

The trick, especially with a long campaign, is to make sure that you’re not pitching the same story to the same person over and over again. I don’t care how much a person likes a pizza—if they hear about it three times a week, they’re going to get sick of it and stop returning your emails.

Luckily for our clients, the Click team avoids this kind of creative fatigue with the right blend of targeting, timing, and our signature Click creativity and genuine enthusiasm. Our online experts are well-rounded, strategic publicity and marketing professionals, ready to lead the way on our clients campaigns, and deliver outstanding (and occasionally delicious) results.

By: Dinah McLean

A Fireside Chat with Dre Birskovich
Nov 10, 2011

We’d now like to take a moment with one of Click Communications’ veteran staffers, Dre Birskovich, to learn a little more about where she came from and how she gets by in the world of Click.  With the winter season upon us, there’s nothing better than the crackle of a roaring fire. Let us begin.

What is your favorite thing about working at Click? The people, hands down. From my awesome Click teammates to the journalists and bloggers we get to work with, the people that I’ve met, worked and hung out with are the best!

What skill has been most valuable to you while working here at Click? Well, I was a Communications major in college, but when I was studying, it always seemed so intuitive like common sense. I’ve learned not to take my skills as a communicator for granted in my job. Reaching out to so many different folks with such diverse interests, it’s become a fun challenge to try to reach and connect with people using appropriate language, assets, and products. My communication skills also come in handy as the majority of our work is done via email or in phone calls.

What would you consider to be your area of specialty? I’ll tell what I’ve been told my specialties are. When I first started with Click- nearly 4 years ago- I started cutting my teeth by pitching Disney Channel releases. I was constantly digging up new Teen and Tween sites and reaching out to them to cover, as they were the core demographic for my titles. I also have a bit of an addiction to celebrity gossip, so I really wasn’t so far removed from the demo in terms of our shared interest. As my campaigns started to build in size, I became known as the Tween Whisperer at Click.

More recently, we’ve seen the surge in popularity and opportunities to work with the blogger community. As I’ve worked mostly on family-oriented products, and our clients have become increasingly more interested in partnering with bloggers, I’ve really delved deep into the world of Parenting Bloggers. These relationships have become some of my most treasured, and I’m now being called the Mommy Whisperer at Click!

In my opinion, I think that my specialty is really my interest and immersion with the audiences for the products we get to work on. It’s like learning a new language, and when I start to get fluent, I can reach people in new and fun ways!

What is the best part of your workday? The best part of my work day is when I get an email from a journalist or blogger that says, ‘Thanks so much for all that you do. We loved the opportunity to work on this campaign with you!’ When you work with hundreds outlets on a single campaign, it’s that kind of appreciation that really keeps you going.

I also love seeing a pitch I’ve written pop-up on sites across the web. If I’ve written something that is cute or humorous or compelling enough that folks think it’s worthy to simply re-post on their site to help promote my clients, I feel pretty proud of that

What is the best advice you have ever received? “Tis better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.” My first job out of college was in a boutique retail ad agency, and media deadlines always seemed to come up quickly when my clients were unavailable for consultation. My boss always said to me, “Don’t wait; take action! I can apologize for you if you make a mistake, but I can’t apologize for your inability to act.”

What websites do you frequent the most that aren’t necessarily work-related? Um, do I have to answer this??

Okay, well, I like gossip so TheSuperficial.com is an excellent source for photographic evidence of the latest celeb blunders, and PerezHilton.com has made it possible for me to give up all weekly tabloid subscriptions. I also like Mashable and HuffingtonPost for my “real” news. Social networking can also nab a significant portion of my free time, as well as exploring new apps on my iPhone 4s.

If I looked in your DVR, what would I find? DVR? What the heck is that? I just got cable after 7 years of going without- HA! In my Netflix queue, you will find The Walking Dead, Parenthood, RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Tutors and Intervention among my TV selections.

What book are you currently reading and what else might one find on your shelves? Currently, I’m reading Comfortably Numb: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd by Mark Blake out loud to my brother. I’m listening to an audiobook for When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin by Mick Wall in the car. I also really enjoyed reading The Help and Portia de Rossi’s biography Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain this past summer.

Where in the world is your favorite place to travel or spend a dream vacation? I LOVE the beach, so for a short weekend getaway I love driving up the coast to meet my best friend at her parents’ place in Pismo Beach for a weekend of yoga, walks on the sand, ocean gazing and family home cookin’. If I’m throwing the budget to the wind, I adore Greece and Hawaii, and would very much like to experience Costa Rica and the Caribbean.

Obligatory superpower question: What would it be & why? Flying. I’ve dreamed of weaving around city skyscrapers and soaring over the ocean with a flock of pelicans for as long as I can remember. I don’t need wings or a special cape, just hollow bones. : )

In her free time, you can find Dre bustin' a move at the local roller rink.

By: Julie Camberg

A Fireside Chat with Dinah McLean
Sep 22, 2011

We’d now like to take a moment with one of Click Communications’ excellent Partners, Dinah McLean, to learn a little more about where she came from and how she gets by in the world of Click.  With the Fall season upon us, we’re reminded that there’s nothing better than the crackle of a roaring fire. Let us begin.

What is your favorite thing about working at Click? I love it when we get thank yous and positive feedback about the Click Team from our clients and press. Mac and I have worked hard to cultivate a specific culture here at Click. While feedback can be a rare thing, I feel like we often hear about how much our team’s passion, expertise, professionalism and speed have contributed to our clients’ and press partners’ success. To me, that means we’re doing something right.

What skill has been most valuable to you while working here? Since 2003, I’ve been a leader of some form of remote team, either managing the “virtual office” of Click or, before that, as the Sales & Marketing Director for Ticketmaster’s Western Region. Managing a team of telecommuters definitely requires a very specific skill set that I’ve honed over the years, and I have learned that there are three key secrets to success: Communication, communication, communication.

What would you consider to be your area of specialty? I’m definitely way more into the musicals than my fellow Clickers, and would also consider myself a go-to person to consult on anything relating to classical music, cooking shows & chefs, dance films and shows, teen comedies and the 90s. I’m also Click’s resident “data geek,” so I specialize in our reporting, analytics and all things Excel. (And I do use Excel for almost all things.)

What is the best part of your workday? Working with my husband. I couldn’t ask for a better partner in work, in life, in crime… The fact is, Mac McLean is an online publicity genius, and in addition to being someone that I respect and learn from every day, he’s also just the best man I know. And hearing his loud laugh in the other room never fails to make me smile.

What websites do you frequent the most that aren’t necessarily work-related? After years of working with parenting sites and blogs for Click’s clients, now that I’m a mom I find myself going online regularly to seek the advice offered up by the mighty Moms of the Internet.

Dinah with her other baby/job/obsession, Duncan.

What is the best advice you have ever received? My dad’s advice on how to write a really kickass cover letter is stellar and timeless. It opened countless doors for me throughout my career, plus I keep it in mind when reviewing applications to Click. (Take note, would-be Clickers.)

Who’s your favorite celebrity you’ve ever met?

This Guy!

What book are you currently reading and what else might I find on your shelves? Ready Player One by Ernest Cline: it’s super geeky 80’s-tastic, and I am enjoying the hell out of it. Mac & I also started up a Comic Book Club with some fellow geeks (it’s just like book club, where you read books & discuss over wine, only with comics, and it’s awesome), and we just finished the gorgeous Daytripper by Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon. Our current assignment is Astro City by Kurt Busiek.

If I looked in your DVR/BD player, what would I find? Fall TV! I am very excited to try on some of the new offerings this fall (Terra Nova, Grimm, Once Upon a Time) but am also excited to see my old friends return: Dexter, Castle, Bones, Modern Family, Glee, Grey’s Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, Community… I’m actually not sure when I’m going to watch all of these, now that I think of it.

Dexter

Where in the world is your favorite place to travel or spend a dream vacation? Right now, any vacation would be a dream vacation! There are countless corners of the world that I want to explore, but if I’m being totally honest my favorite places on the planet are the Colorado Rocky Mountains and the Big Island of Hawaii. California’s wine country is pretty sweet, too.

Obligatory super power question: What would it be and why? Oh, how I wish I could teleport. My beloved family and friends live all over the globe, and I miss them like crazy. My dream would be to be able to teleport me, Mac & Duncan to Colorado for Sunday night supper with my parents & brother one weekend, pop by to watch Glee with my nieces in Washington on Tuesday, maybe teleport my friend Mikey out from DC to have some dinner with us on Friday, then spend Saturday at the Toledo Zoo with my sister Matti & her family, then Sunday football in Minnesota with my sister Amy & her family. Actually, that’s a lot of family time; I might have to spread that out a little. But you know what I mean.

By: Julie Camberg

Web Working: When To Ask For Help
Aug 10, 2011

Help!

With the DreamWorks Pictures film The Help hitting theaters nationwide today, we thought it might be the perfect time to talk a little bit about help, when it’s time to ask for help, and the difficulties many web workers (and even typical office workers) feel when asking for the help they often need. You enjoyed our tips for being your own boss so much and now that we’ve boosted your ego, here are some ways to not bite off more than you can chew.

When you’re a web worker it’s easy to feel like you’re working in a vacuum. Even if you are part of a strong, stable team of workers in large (or small) business, the isolation of working from home can make it difficult to make connections with the people in your group. The feeling that you’re an island adrift in a sea of continually-piling-up work is not uncommon for a web worker. All this, however, should not deter you from seeking the help of your co-workers and superiors. Asking for help may not be an easy task for some people (for some, I’m sure, it’s a nearly insurmountable leap of faith), but it can be one of the most beneficial things you can do. Not only for you and your career, but also for the best interest of the company.

HELP So how do you know when it’s time to ask for help? Simple common sense can answer that question most of the time, but there are certainly tricky scenarios where you might feel that asking for help could put you in an awkward position. The general rule of thumb is: if you’re wondering if you should ask for help, you should probably ask for help. It may feel like a quick blow to the ego muscle, but it’s worth it in the end and most bosses will look highly upon you for asking for assistance before it’s too late. To get you started, here are five times when you should definitely press the help button.

  • 1: When you feel like you’re starting to drown. In fact, if you’re feeling like you’re starting to drown, you’ve probably waited too long. Ask for help immediately. In theory, you should be asking for help when you feel your legs start to cramp under you and your arms are getting tired. At this point, you can still tread water, but not for much longer. This is when the words “I need help” should start to form on your lips. Your colleagues are there for a reason and they’re almost always willing to help, especially if it means saving a sinking ship. Put your ego aside and ask for help early. It will save you (and your team) from missed deadlines, botched jobs, and a lot more work in the long run.
  • 2: When you’re confused and struggling to understand how something works. So your boss just gave you a big new project to work on and he spent about thirty minutes explaining every aspect of it in detail. The only problem is, you didn’t understand a lick of it. Uh oh! Time to ask for help. Call your boss back, explain to him or her that you need the details broken down in a less confusing manner, and make sure that you’ve got it right before you hang up that phone. They’ll probably praise you for being so honest and diligent. The truth is, you can’t do your work if you don’t understand what you’re instructed to do.
  • 3: When you’ve made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. It’s human nature. Nobody’s perfect. The big mistake comes when you’ve screwed up but you’re still too stubborn to admit it. Suck it up, tell your boss, and ask for help. Trust in the fact that every single member of your team has made a mistake at one time or another. This time is yours.
  • 4: When you feel like you’ve hit a roadblock. We all get stuck sometimes. Even Stephen King gets writer’s block once in a while, right? Well, maybe not Stephen King, but 99.9% of writers do. When you feel like you’re blocked, stuck, or getting stagnant on a task, a little help with a fresh perspective can give you just the boost you need to tackle the project head on. Clear eyes often bring fresh ideas with them. That’s one of the major benefits of working with a talented group of people.
  • 5: When you begin to wonder if you need help. I said this before, and I’ll say it again, if you’re wondering if you need help, you probably need help. This is the earliest you can possibly ask for assistance and it’s the very best time to do so. It allows your co-workers (or boss) to evaluate the situation at its infantile stage, diagnose the problem, and put you on the right path to fixing it. Ask early and ask often. That’s the very best motto you can have when it comes to asking for help. You’ve probably heard the phrase “there are no stupid questions” about a million times in your life and there’s a reason for that: it’s true.

Help!

Those five tips should get you started on your way to becoming a help-seeking machine! OK, maybe you don’t want to be asking for help from your boss and co-workers for every little situation that pops up, but it’s always good to err on the side of caution. If you trust your team and your own abilities to excel at the tasks given to you, it shouldn’t be any problem at all. It may, in fact, help you boost your presence in the business, increase your productivity, and ensure that you’re doing your very best work at all times. Give it shot. It’s easy. Just open up and say H E L P!

Oh, and if you find yourself in need of help pretty often, maybe it’s time to hire The Click Team to handle your integrated outreach! Wink, wink.

By: Scott Neumyer

A Fireside Chat with Tyler Gagnon
Jul 29, 2011

We’d now like to take a moment with one of Click Communications’ excellent staffers, Tyler Gagnon, to learn a little more about where he came from and how he gets by in the world of Click.  It may be nice and warm out, but there’s still nothing better than the crackle of a roaring fire. Let us begin.

What is your favorite thing about working at Click? My favorite thing about Click beyond the amazing crew of Clicksters is how my superiors value my input and ideas.

What skill has been most valuable to you while working here at Click? I am fairly tech-savvy, which has helped with the learning curve of working in online publicity.

What would you consider to be your area of specialty? Finding new outlets in the far corners of the Interwebs. I love to find a great site that I think we can use when researching a new genre of outlets.

What is the best part of your workday? My late afternoon coffee, which gives me a moment to relax and an extra boost to power through until the end of the day.

Which work event has been the most fun for you to be involved in? When Click sponsored the Entertainment Aids Alliance event. I am fairly new to the company and it was a great opportunity for me to get to know my fellow Clicksters.

What is the best advice you have ever received? People can only do to you what you let them do.

What are some of your favorite movies? Clerks, Pulp Fiction, Army of Darkness, Back to the Future. I could keep going and going.

If I looked in your DVR/BD player, what would I find? Breaking Bad on Blu-ray.

What book are you currently reading and what else might I find on your shelves? I am currently reading Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis. On my shelf you would find some Tony Fletcher, the Harry Potter series, and The Lord of the Rings.

Where in the world is your favorite place to travel or spend a dream vacation? I have always wanted to go to the Norwegian fjords, such as Hordaland or Sogn & Fjordane. To see what I mean, Google image search “the fjords Norway.”

Tyler in Orvieto, Italy

Obligatory super power question: What would it be and why? The ability to fly. Besides being totally awesome, it is economical and green. No more high priced plane tickets or gas prices.

By: Scott Neumyer

Click Hearts Harry Potter
Jul 14, 2011

With Warner Bros’ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 hitting theaters today, we finally get to see the end of the historic eight-film series. To celebrate the occasion, I asked the Click crew to recall their favorite things about Harry Potter. It could be a memory. It could be a moment. It could be from the movies, books, video games, amusement park, or anything else Potter related. It’s all up for grabs. So check out our Click Picks below and feel free to hit up the comments to tell us about your favorite thing about Harry Potter!

Mac

“My favorite thing about the Harry Potter movies is the spot-on casting. It’s been brilliant from the get-go and everyone who’s stepped into the roles has really captured the character from the books.

As far as favorite memories go, when Order of the Phoenix came out, we were moving to LA from Seattle and some good friends of ours gave us the audio book. That thing SAVED MY LIFE. It got me through the cleaning of our old place, the drive to LA and setting up the new apartment. I barely remember any of the activities themselves, just the book!”

Dinah

“Perhaps my favorite thing about the Harry Potter movies is the score. There’s a short list of movies that have a definitive musical theme — Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jaws, Gone with the Wind — and thanks to the genius of John Williams, Harry Potter is on that list. Those first two haunting bars transport us to the magical world of witchcraft and wizardry better than any port key.

One of my favorite memories of Harry Potter goes back to when Mac & I first started reading the books. In January 2000, I moved from Denver to Seattle so that Mac & I could be together. Shortly after that, we took ourselves up to Vancouver for a weekend of shopping & Canadian fun. We picked up the first two Harry Potter books in paperback (which is why we have a copy of the Philosopher’s Stone, not the Sorcerer’s Stone). I don’t remember who started reading them first, but once we started, we couldn’t stop. One of us would finish a book and the other would immediately grab it. After burning through the first two we ran back to the bookstore to grab the next two in hardback. We barely left our hotel room, and while saying that about a young, newly-minted couple on a weekend getaway would normally infer all kinds of things that are totally inappropriate for a company blog, Mac and I are nerds. We couldn’t put the books down, and have been huge Harry Potter fans ever since.”

Scott

“My favorite thing about Harry Potter is probably the gutsy move Warner Bros. made by allowing Alfonso Cuaron to direct Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Coming off what I personally felt was a lackluster effort (and my least favorite Potter film) in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, I had my doubts about the rest of the series. Cuaron, however, injected the series with a brand new sense darkness and maturity. It was a breath of fresh air and easily helps …Azkaban continue to be my favorite film of the series. Those Dementors are just so damn creepy!”

Jackie

“Who wouldn’t want to throw a dinner party in the Great Hall at Hogwarts Castle with those endlessly long tables piled with trays of tasty treats, walls that reach up to the ceiling that look like the sky above and floating candles in the air where the occasional ghost or owl post drops by? Whether it’s a quiet game of Wizard Chess or a Sorting Hat ceremony, the Great Hall is a truly magical destination.”

Dre

“I’m a big fan of secret passages and things hidden in plain sight. So, Diagon Alley and Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross Station are probably some of my favorite HP elements! It reminds of celeb magician David Copperfield’s 1986 televised stunt “Walk Through the Great Wall of China.” I was 7 when I saw that, and spent my hours, when no one was around, crashing into walls and doors with the hopes of ‘passing through.’ These HP passages make me feel like maybe I just haven’t found the right passages yet, or maybe I just need the magic words?”

Emily

“My favorite book, by a landslide was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It was the first time I had ever wanted to reach into a book and cause physical harm to a character. Dolores Umbridge was so deliciously evil! Order of the Phoenix was also the first time in the series that I really started to see Harry behaving like a stroppy teenager. It brought such a new element to his growth as a character for me.”

Tyler

“I love the way Rowling has cleverly crafted the character of Harry Potter. By including the common things an adolescent teenager goes through over the seven year course of his teenage maturation Harry’s character, even though he’s a wizard, becomes instantly relatable. Dealing with the mean kid at school, concern for his friends, starting to like girls, mean teachers, homework; all the issues a young boy goes through creates a character and a series that the reader can’t help but relate to. As the character matures so do the obstacles he must overcome.”

Julie

“In the world of Harry Potter, Hogwarts will always be a favorite! I couldn’t imagine a better environment for academia! You get to live with your friends, play loads of Quidditch, and learn incredibly relevant information! It makes me wonder why I ever wasted so much time on Geometry and Algebra, when I could have been focusing my attention on truly useful subjects – like transfiguration, potions, and flying! Gryffindor for life!”

By: Scott Neumyer

Web Working: Being Your Own Not-So-Horrible Boss
Jul 8, 2011

Working From Home

With the Warner Bros. film Horrible Bosses hitting theaters nationwide today, we thought it might be the perfect time to talk a little bit about bosses and their role for you as a web worker (or someone who just happens to work from home). No, no… We’re certainly not going to rail against our bosses here at Click! We have two amazing bosses in Mac and Dinah McLean. They are the epitome of everything you’d want your boss to be; communicative, helpful, straightforward, and the perfect mixture of hands-off and hands-on. But, as a crew that works primarily from home (aside from weekly conference calls, meetings, and the occasional check-in at the “home office”) we also have an additional boss: Ourselves.

To be an effective web worker, it’s absolutely essential that you also be your own boss. You need to stick to your own schedule, produce work that would be up to any boss’s standard, and essentially manage yourself on a minute-to-minute basis. It’s a lot of pressure, to be sure, but something that’s becoming more and more common for workers who now find themselves working directly from their homes. If you want to turn out stellar work, you need to be your own stellar boss.

Working from Home.Managing yourself (especially if you’re new to web working) can take some getting used to. It’s an adjustment that doesn’t exactly come naturally. Most people who have worked since they were teenagers are used to having a boss that tells them what to do, where to do it, how to do it, and when it needs to be done. Now that you’ve joined the work-from-home team, you need to do all that yourself and if you don’t know where to start the task can be daunting. That’s where we come in. Here are a few tips on adjusting to working from home that, as your own boss, should help make the transition a little bit easier. That is, if you follow them just as strictly as if any boss assigned them.

  • 1: Create a work schedule and stick to it. If you don’t have a work schedule, you have nothing. Working from home takes an insane amount of self-discipline. You need to be able to know what you need to do, when you need to do it, and you need to stick to that schedule like glue. It’s incredibly easy to get distracted and derailed when your office is also your home. A schedule will help you keep those distractions to a minimum.
  • 2: Get showered and dressed as if you’re going into a normal office setting. Yeah, we all know that one of the perks of working from home is the ability to work in your pajamas and we’re cool with that. Every once in a while, that is. You see, when you never get changed out of your jammies you tend to let other things (like that schedule we mentioned) slack as well and that’s a slippery slope for a web worker. Being dressed also helps in the event that you need to run out for some reason.
  • 3: Have a dedicated area of your home that is for work only. It’s fine if you want to work on the living room couch, in front of the TV, every now and then (if you have something to do that doesn’t take deep concentration), but having a dedicated “work area” in your home will allow you to close the door and enter “work mode” every day. It’s a great form of muscle memory that can help you kick it into gear the minute you step in the door. It’s also a great tool to help you balance work and life as you can breath easy and be with your family once you shut the door to the work area behind you.
  • 4: Don’t procrastinate. Duh, right? Yes, this can really work for just about any type of work, but it’s especially important for the web worker. When you are your own boss, procrastination simply leads to more procrastination, which leads to missed deadlines, poor work, and maybe even loss of job. Don’t do it.
  • 5: Stay connected. Everyone needs some kind of human interaction. Some kind of connection to someone outside of ourselves. In a typical office setting, you get this every single day (whether you like it or not). When you first start working from home, the break from this interaction can be exhilarating. “Wait, you mean I don’t have to hear Tommy belch after lunch every day anymore? Yes! Sign me up!” But after a while, the lack of connection can be a detriment not only to your emotional well-being but also to your work. Stay connected via IM, telephone, email, Skype, and whatever else you think will help you be as close as possible to your co-workers and management. Interaction goes a long way toward being a great team.

There you have it: five tips to get you started on the path to becoming your own not-so-horrible boss. Of course, there are plenty of other little tidbits of information that can help you successfully transition to working from home, but we’ll save those for a future blog post. These five are a good primer and should have you well on your way to doing some of your best work yet…from home.

54 gratitude: working from home day

Web working (and working from home in general) is easily one of the most rewarding and gratifying things you can do as a professional. It not only instills a sense of complete responsibility over your own destiny, but it also teaches you brand new ways to creatively connect, intelligently produce fantastic work, and flourish as both an individual and part of a larger team. If you have any tips on successful ways to work from home, please feel free to leave them in the comments. We’d love to hear what you have to say!

By: Scott Neumyer

Click Hearts Pixar
Jun 24, 2011

With Pixar’s Cars 2 hitting theaters today, we here at Click thought it might be fun to do a quick post about our favorite Pixar movies. As of today’s release, Pixar has now released twelve theatrical films (and even more short films) and nearly every single one has been a massive financial and critical success so the choices we had to make were certainly not easy. Feel free to hit up the comments and tell us about your favorite Pixar film!

Mac

“Oh, man! Such a hard decision! Do I go with the superhero antics of The Incredibles? The epic beauty of Finding Nemo? Or the mad-cap originality of Monsters, Inc.? I’ll go with Monsters, Inc. So many great characters, Boo is ridiculously adorable and probably the best Ratzenberger cameo in all of the Pixar films.”

Dinah

“Since everyone else here has mentioned my favorite, Monsters, Inc., I’m going to go with a tie between the oceanic gorgeousness of Finding Nemo and super-fun superhumans in The Incredibles. They both have all the elements you expect from a great Pixar film: astounding animation, fun adventure, hilarious dialog brought to life with great voice talent, plus the clever, imaginative details that are both surprising and delightful. And, of course, more than anything else: HEART. Maybe it’s the New Mom thing, but both of these films tug at my heartstrings and make me excited to show them to my son someday.”

Scott

“Every single one is magical in its own way. From the highly underrated A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc., and Cars to the genius of the Toy Story trilogy, the action of The Incredibles, the quiet confidence of Ratatouille, and the otherworldy silence of WALL-E. They’re all special. My favorite though, comes down to a close race between Up and Finding Nemo with the fish taking it by a fin. Michael Giacchino’s score in the marriage montage of Up brings me to tears every single time, but it’s the ethereal beauty and never-say-die attitude of Finding Nemo that catapults it to the very top of my list.”

Jackie

“Toy Story 3 was a solidly entertaining story on par with most live action films, but I also love the Pixar shorts which bring back the surprise and joy of what it felt like to watch Saturday morning cartoons. Presto has adventure, laughs and heart in under six minutes!”

Dre

“Monsters, Inc. hands down. Boo & ‘Kitty’s’ relationship was so sweet and heartwarming, and the entire idea was just awesome – a town that runs on screams! Adorbs.”

Brigid

“So many good ones to choose from! Up and Finding Nemo are my favorites.”

Emily

“Monsters, Inc. – I remember being floored by the incredible animation of the individual hairs and scales on the monsters.”

Tyler

“Its hard to beat Toy Story when it comes to my favorite Pixar movie. I remember all the hype around it being the first animated movie made entirely with CGI. Also, the hilarity and sophistication of the screenplay still stands up 16 years later!”

Julie

“Although Toy Story takes the cake for me in the world of Pixar, I feel inclined to also comment on my love for WALL-E. I remember being so immediately floored by the stunning visuals, that at times, I forgot I was even watching an animated film! I found WALL-E and EVE’s relationship to be absolutely charming, and the social commentary sprinkled throughout the film, hilarious!”

By: Scott Neumyer

Click Hearts 80′s Amblin
Jun 10, 2011

With Amblin Entertainment’s Super 8 hitting theaters this weekend, we here at Click thought it might be fun to do a quick post about our favorite 80′s Amblin movies. We all can’t wait to check out what’s being called a fantastic “throwback” to the days of old days of Amblin Enterainment films. Feel free to hit up the comments and tell us about your favorite Amblin film!

Mac

“So many good flicks! I would have to say Gremlins really sticks out for me because it was probably the first real monster movie I saw, having only seen a few stop-motion Harryhausen flicks before that. I think it was the gore in the kitchen and Stripe’s melted head that really made an impact. Been a fan of monsters ever since.”

Dinah

“Last year’s Back to the Future Blu-ray release just reminded me how very much I loved that movie. Though, The Goonies is an all-time favorite. Call it a tie. And of course my favorite television show from Amblin is Animaniacs.”

Scott

“There are so many great films to choose from, but I have to go with The Goonies, followed incredibly closely by Gremlins. There’s something about watching The Goonies and watching neighborhood friends go out on a crazy adventure that just brings back so many great memories of running around town with my friends as a kid. It’s a hugely nostalgic film for me and one that I can watch over and over again.”

Jackie

“I could not stop crying when I first saw E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial and he got sick, as I was really little. It still kind of upsets me. Ha!”

Dre

“I definitely liked Innerspace! Martin Short screaming, “I’m possessed!” made me and my brother laugh so hard we nearly peed our pants.”

Brigid

“Who Framed Roger Rabbit”

Emily

“So many good ones, how to choose! I love E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, but The Goonies has to take my vote. That movie made me want to be an adventurer when I was a kid, fighting pirates and exploring caves.”

Tyler

“This is a tough one, so many great classics! I loved The Goonies, Gremlins, Jurassic Park, and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. But I would have to with Back to the Future. I have watched that movie thousands of times and it never gets old for me. I still have the original VHS from when I was kid.”

By: Scott Neumyer

Canned Goods for Good | Movies, Free Stuff & Charity
May 12, 2011

3rd Annual Canned Goods for Good Charity Ball & Swag Bag Party Official Flyer

Three things I think most people can agree that they appreciate:

  1. Movies – don’t lie, everyone’s got a favorite; even people who only go to the theater once a year.
  2. Free stuff. – really don’t think anyone will debate me on this.
  3. Giving to a good cause – every one wins with this one.

What may you ask could possibly embody all of this awesome into one night?  The 3rd Annual Canned Goods for Good Charity Ball & Swag Bag Party.

This event aims to bring together things people want: free (movie related) stuff & fun with things many desperately need: donations.

This year, benefitting MY FRIEND’S PLACE: My Friend’s Place assists and inspires homeless youth to build self-sufficient lives.

For those of you based in LA, come join us
Monday, May 16th, 7:00PM-11:00PM
J-Lounge | 1119 Olive Street | Los Angeles, CA

For those of you elsewhere who may still want to donate, you still can, direct through MyFriendsPlace.org

Here’s the official Facebook page for the event as well: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=139258136143042

By: Emily Ronkar

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