Category: Communications

I have managed cutting-edge and strategic communication projects, developed high-impact marketing campaigns effectively utilizing multiple social media and traditional media channels, project management plans that heavily utilize collaboration with diverse stakeholders, and increased positive interaction within teams, customers, as well as with critics.

I view communication as more than just writing. Over the years I worked in print, including a stint in a print shop (three-stage-web, AB Dick, and even an antiquated Heidelberg press). I witnessed the shift from “shooting-plates” printing through the emergence of desktop publishing. I bear many memories of Quark’s beauty and its transformative impact. And have been part of the journey as we’ve moved from Quark to InDesign.

Creating and managing newsletters delights me to this day. Memories of bulk mailing and the aggravations of the postal system evolved into navigating email newsletters. I’ve come to deeply value Mailchimp and modern CRM tools.

I see the web as the future of mass media and communications. I have over a decade of blogging experience, both personal and professional. I’ve used the medium to engage with the full range of stakeholders: clients, customers, and critics. Successful at building organic SEO as well as online advertising (pay-per-click, Facebook and Twitter ads, etc) to increase market presence. I know how to maximize email campaigns with various CRM tools and Mailchimp. And I’m familiar with traditional media as well, everything from writing and distributing press releases to creating flyers, brochures, posters, and bulk mail newsletters.

And I’ve deployed websites with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JQuery, and PHP. I also know tools like FrontPage and WordPress.  Wix and Squarespace also reside within my repertoire.

Some of the results I’m proud of:

  • 150% increase in Facebook followers
  • 250% increase in Twitter followers
  • Increased SEO optimization – achieved page 1 Google Ranking for key search terms
  • 1000% increase in Facebook engagement (“People Talking About This”)

Economics, Austerity, and Dignity

Carl SetzerLeave a comment
wrinkled south korean flag

I recently discovered Amy Kim, a creator posting on Instagram about Korean culture and history. As a black belt in Taekwondo, I have a deeper exposure to Korean culture than many folks in the States. But I still have a lot to learn. I had never heard of Korea’s IMF bailout in 1997.

For me, the most powerful lesson here is one of awareness. As something of an analyst, I can easily get immersed in numbers and spreadsheets. So much so that the impacts of decisions, the HUMAN impacts of decisions, can get abstracted away. I understand, at that abstract level, the value that this bailout and the ensuing austerity brought. Yet there were huge human impacts on people. Lives lost. And a rippling trauma that still haunts the Korean people.

So, the bold question: how do we manage things like economies, societies, and all that while recognizing human dignity? I wonder if there was a way to implement this solution in a way that mitigated the social destruction? Communicate, in some way, that the impacts upon these folks’ lives were not their fault, not a reflection upon their worth and value. That, in a project of this scale, managing the social impacts is just as valuable, perhaps even more so, than the economic ones.

Some Additional Thoughts on Rebranding Myself

Carl SetzerLeave a comment
woman in white dress shirt and blue denim jeans standing beside man in brown long sleeve

If you’ve read this site for a while, you’ll know I’ve been considering comms as a formal career path for ages. Here’s some additional background into how I got here.

I started studying photography back in junior high. I fell in love with writing in high school. These are the related things that have lingered in my life the longest. They’re also key things that brought me into blogging, though my love of technology also helped with that.

Over the years, I’ve spent time creating web content, creating and managing social media accounts, writing strategies, blogs, Google and Bing business pages. I’ve created social media audits. Crafted press releases. Google and Facebook ads. Flyers, postcards, billboards, Facebook pages, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram accounts.

And the web! I built and managed websites on WordPress, Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace. I also used Microsoft Front Page and FTP. And, holding an ATA in web design, I’ve built sites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Also, I’ve managed newsletters. Back in the olden days, I wrote mailings in Quark, Publisher, and InDesign. With that, I loved my design classes focused on InDesign and Photoshop. I created email newsletters in Outlook, but have also used Mailchimp extensively. I’ve also used several CRM tools and built many types of campaigns within that.

Video? Yeah, I’ve created and edited videos in Premiere Pro. I’ve run cameras, audio, and media for live events and livestreams. I’ve streamed them via both YouTube and Facebook.

There are the basics: creating decks in PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Mediashout.

I did public policy and advocacy work for AARP, where I created postcard mailers, flyers, and t-shirts for a telemarketing campaign in Montana.

I worked for a printing company, where I got to do paste-up and other press assistant work, as well as bindery and bulk mailings.

So, I have an extensive background in this stuff. And it’s all stuff I’m proud of. I guess I see this as not so much a pivot, but as a focus. It’s where I’ll focus my skill growth and development. For instance, I’m leaning towards working towards a Communications Degree through WGU. I also want to spend some time diving deeper into data analytics, as I think that’s a crucial part of comms going forward.

AI, Communications, and Career Explorations

Carl SetzerLeave a comment
freelancer browsing laptop and taking notes in notebook during work

I watched this video yesterday from Network Chuck, and went and followed his advice.

Basically, I asked Claude Fable Five to consider my resume, what I’ve posted on my blog, and social media, tell me what kinds of themes you see, what I’m missing and what I should be doing. I was expecting something about project management, perhaps IT, maybe admin work. I was not expecting this summary:

  • You’re a translator and a noticer, not a builder
  • You’re a steward of place and memory
  • Attention is your actual discipline

Nor was I expecting this: “Careerwise, that points to communications/digital stewardship for mission-rooted local organizations (which you’re already doing at EWC and Trinity, and which the web-consulting lane extends). Lifewise, it points to the writing.” So, I’ve long loved writing. It’s what I do in order to process life, whether that’s my haiku, or longer journaling, it’s what my soul loves and needs. Way back when, I quit a computer science major to study writing. My heroes are writers. It makes sense in so many ways. And, as Claude points out, I have >2k subscribers of this blog. I guess I’m doing something wright, er, right.

I’ve spent so much time exploring career options, trying to find the right place for me in this career world. Years of work, really. Even so, this was an eye opening exercise.

Writing has long been highly important to me. As such, it is also a focal point of my insecurities. I nickpick myself hard. Needless to say, it’s very affirming to read this from the AI luminary Claude Fable Five. I still have work to do to quell my insecurities, of course.

So, related to this, Claude suggests the following for my work: “Aim the job search at communications and community engagement roles, not IT or PM”. I’ve been working with it today to build a plan to move forward. I’ve started by tweaking this website, as well as my LinkedIn profile. I’m not in a raging hurry, so I’m fine with baby-steps.

It’s also recommending WGU’s Communications Degree as a pathway for growth, which is something I’ve played with. My hope is for an employer to cover that via tuition benefits. However, I might want to start that on my own, as neither of my roles offer that right now, and are unlikely to offer that sooner.

So, years of work, both exploring opportunities as well as writing/creating, I’m pleased to see this alignment coming forth. As I plan this pivot into something that aligns nicely with my interests and experience, I see a LOT of work on the horizon. But not a sense of dread. Looking forward to the next wave in my career.

Death By A Thousand Cuts, Er, Text Messages

Carl Setzer
close up of scalpel blades on rough surface

There’s an adage about “death by a thousand paper cuts”. Well, that’s akin to what I’ve been dealing with for some time now. The GOP (ostensibly) has been burying me in a barrage of texts. Here’s one from today that’s pretty amusing, actually.

I mean, in order to fix the fact YOU are sending me “too many messages”, I NEED to click on a link from a spammer/scammer? Um, no. There is no way in hell I’m clicking on a link from these folks. Jeez!

What might not be clear is that I never signed up for these. They’re often addressed to “friend”, and sometimes reference a zip code that’s in the greater Seattle area, but is not close to mine. This is the last org I want anything to do with. When they first started coming in, I did what the message says and replied “stop”. That only increased the message count. Currently, I’m averaging between 30 (the exact number from yesterday) and 50. To say 900-1,000 text messages a month is disruptive is quite the understatement. I’m glad that I have unlimited texts.

At first, I assumed that it was a mistake. That “friend” had signed up but mistyped their phone number. But, really, would you blast someone you liked like this? Or maybe someone thought this would be funny, someone who knows me. However, this has started to feel more like harassment. It’s surreal to get so many MAGA messages. Even if I were aligned with them, exploding my phone seems counterproductive. If I were pro-Trump, I would imagine getting a spam message every couple of minutes would cause me to rethink that. As it is, it is growing my dislike for the Republican Party.

What’s weirder is that bulk SMS isn’t free. I mark them as spam and block each one, and my spam filter is doing a modest job blocking them. Yet, since each one comes from a different phone number, lots slip through. Ugh!

I’m unsure what I want to do going forward. I guess, in the end, it’s a first-world problem. Though it’s annoying, it’s not like I’m getting direct, threatening messages. It’s annoying and disruptive. I am missing important messages that get buried in the sea of garbage. I am going to explore options, but am not likely to contact an attorney or law enforcement, as I see there’s a high likelihood that it’s NOT the formal GOP establishment. I mean, it’s a dumb way to spend money. But, man, I really hope these people go out of business soon.

Power lies not in control, but in connection

Carl Setzer1 Comment

I found the above image on Pinterest

In today’s world, so many in power are about controlling and manipulating others in order to get solely what they want. The powerful exploit, and the masses lose. Exploitation is not sustainable. One-sided economic growth is not sustainable. This leads, eventually, to collapse. I’ve long believed there’s another way.

Create a sustainable system, one that does not rely upon exploitation and the poverty of many. One that builds others up, that helps people grow. One that’s creative, not extractive. I’ve often simply called this “long-term focus”.

Leadership within this system would understand how people are motivated and how to use that knowledge to help them be the best people they can be. That’s how I see it, at least.

My hope is found in like-minded people, working towards these goals. And there’s great power in hope, don’t you think?

Tonight’s Haiku: May 31, 2025

Carl Setzer 
this rain's gentleness 
flowing over the blossoms 
before the sun's grace

I’m a Word Nerd!

Carl Setzer4 Comments
person holding white ceramci be happy painted mug

Good ol’ Grammarly! I don’t generally pay attention to these updates, but this one struck me.

As I value my writing skills, this made me happy. I’m lapping the competition? Cool!

I’m more productive than average and have higher mastery, too.

And I’m more creative, or at least have a broader vocabulary, than most:

I find this satisfying as I deeply value my communication skills, especially my writing. The hard work I’ve done over the years has benefitted me. Which I find wonderful.

Ever been tempted to replace your Adobe Apps? Check this video out!

Carl Setzer

Some time ago, I created a list of alternatives to Adobe’s and Microsoft’s key software offerings. A filmmaker by the name of Joris Hermans created a video featuring a nice list of Adobe alternatives.

I’ve explored a few of these, but most are unfamiliar to me. I want to explore them, but it will be challenging to do so in the near future.

Have any of you explored any of these tools? Oh, and Joris closes with a request for Acrobat alternatives. Do you have any suggestions? I’d love to hear them, and I’m sure Joris would, too.

Some video work today

Carl Setzer

I spent some time this morning trimming this video out of Trinity’s service last Sunday. A local choir, the Evergreen Ensemble, performed with us; their music was stunning. As I was watching (I was running media that service), I thought “I want to pull this out and post it on our socials”. So, I whipped open Premier Pro and made this little piece to share (posted on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok).

I am always pleased when I get to create fun projects, even small ones like this. Though I’m no master of Adobe stuff, I enjoy getting in with this stuff. For a bit of creative diversity I used Canva to create the thumbnail. I’ve come to deeply appreciate Canva’s simplicity. It makes creating something like this fast and clean.

I do love creating content and managing websites and social media. I find this work delightful and fulfilling. I guess I should find ways to get more of this in my life.

Some Design Work

Carl Setzer

I spent the day editing a video for distribution on social channels. I do love that kind of work. This image is one of the thumbnails I created on Canva. It boggles my mind how quickly I can create something like this. I have many memories of using Photoshop for such things. I love living in the future!