PR pros pride themselves on mastering the art of the written word, but it’s time to get into a new mindset. Pounding out prose to populate press releases, fact sheets and talking points can be all consuming, client-pleasing and often mentally rewarding (“I nailed that lead”). No matter how perfectly fashioned, words on paper sometimes fail to…
The revelation that the same background-checking firm vetted National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden and Washington Navy Yard shooter Aaron Alexis has made me think about the importance of support and trust in a process. Trusting a team, and each individual member, to do the right thing without much supervision is something that most employees…
A couple of weeks ago I had a really straightforward, but smart question from someone looking to hire a PR firm. He asked, “What should I watch out for when interviewing PR firms?” I thought it was a great question to ask and I find it a little puzzling that I don’t hear it more…
It’s the dead of summer. School is out for another month, traffic is “Friday light” on a daily basis and most us feel the urge to leave the office promptly at 3:00 p.m. But for public relations professionals, the dead of summer is no excuse for lacking media results for our hungry clients. Our biggest…
This week the biggest advertising company merger in history was announced – between Omnicom and Publicis. The combined stock market value is $35 billion and there will be 130,000 employees in the newly formed entity. Those of us in the public relations industry are familiar with the two, as they are also the holding companies for a…
My fiancé shared an ad with me recently that was compelling, funny, and true (which also happens to be the basic formula for capturing attention of key audiences). The ad, from the UK’s mobile carrier O2, points out a universal truth about the way we view technology on a day-to-day basis without even mentioning their…
It’s hard to imagine that the leaks of PRISM and other national security programs could have a silver lining for the Obama Administration, but there just might be one in terms of public relations. The exposure of PRISM and the Administration’s reactions to the leaks have at least taken some attention away from the IRS…
If there’s one thing that really grabs the attention of reporters and readers alike, it has to be data. Facts, figures and stats can really back up a story, add perspective to the market and demonstrate thought leadership for your organization. And one of the hottest trends with data right now is presenting it visually….
Is there a future for standalone social media and digital marketing agencies? Not if you ask the next generation of marketing and communication pros, at least in Europe. According to a study of 2,000 students there, 80 percent believe these specialized agencies will disappear within 10 years. Nearly as many – 70 percent – believe marketing will be dominated…
Every day we see new survey findings in the news – everything from the cleanest city and the best beaches to the unhealthiest states and most stressful careers. Nationally known research companies such as Kelton Research, Gallup and Harris Interactive are making a killing organizing consumer surveys for foundations, corporations and consumer interest groups. However,…
While I consider myself a fairly seasoned PR pro, I certainly don’t hold the secret recipe for client happiness. There are a lot of variables involved in the client-services industry – boards, budgets, staff, strategic shifts – all of which affect the relationship between you, our clients, and us, your PR firm. What we can…
As part of an ongoing series, I will be discussing how differing perspectives can create opportunities and challenges in driving success in customer representations, communications efforts, messaging approaches, and marketing strategies. This segment on Perspectives focuses on measurement and some pitfalls that may occur if shifting expectations are not carefully monitored. On Measuring Success The…
