Thanks to...

Gini Dietrich, of Arment Dietrich, for her thought-provoking comments at the April meeting of PRSA Chicago:

* Facebook is  fast becoming the Wal-Mart of the Web. Next year, there will be a big rush to exit Facebook.

* Twitter is in even greater jeopardy because they haven't figured out how to monetize it. 

* If you specialize only in social media, your business won't be alive in two years. Companies will want someone with a broader marketing background. 

Lunch is on

me if...

You're the first reader to tell me the meaning of J/K.

Hint: it's one of the "50 most popular text and chat acronyms" found by my ace assistant Tammy Martin.

E-mail me at chris@chrisruys.com

When was the last time you even looked at your Website, let alone made changes to it? Maybe it's time for a Website rehab.

Nat Rosasco, who helped build my new site, offers these tips.

1. Modern Websites have a big, bold expansive look and feel. They are 960 pixels wide with headers and footers going completely across the screen.

2. Make sure you have valuable content on each page -- content that is worth a visitor's time.

3. Use thoughtful, intuitive navigation to guide a visitor through your site with ease.

4. Larger fonts are in style. They make your text easy to read.

5. Your site should be viewable on iPads, iPhones and an Android.

If you need new content or design help for your Website, we can help. For a free consult, call 312-337-7746 or send an e-mail to chris@chrisruys.com.

Is it bad form to ignore a Connection request on LinkedIn -- if you don't like the person?

I know a couple of people who say they sometimes ignore an invitation, but is that wise? Why risk offending the other person, who may be in a position to help you one day?

Gini Dietrich, a marketing expert at Arment Dietrich, has a different take. "I think it's all so personal that it's hard to say. Sure people might think it's rude, but the boundaries you set are entirely up to you, not the people sending you requests."  

What's your take? Is it rude to reject a LinkedIn invite? Send an email to chris@chrisruys.com, and I'll publish your comment in the next issue.

Winning awards provides business owners with a way to set themselves apart, attract new customers and become part of an elite category of people designated as remarkable leaders.

My long-time client Hedy Ratner, co-president of the Women's Business Development Center who is a frequent judge for business award competitions, wrote about it in her column in the April issue of Today's Chicago Woman.

She suggests identifying the business and industry awards for which you are most qualified, taking time to fill out the nomination form thoroughly and accurately, and preparing for an in-person interview, if there is one. And, of course, you'll want to publicize your award. For a copy of her column, email me at chris@chrisruys.com.

Hedy, by the way, has won countless awards herself. A smidgen of them are on her bio; take a peek.