Monthly Archives: February 2012

When Social Media Outreach Becomes an Obligation

One of the most fascinating things about social media is how businesses are inventing new ways to capitalize on its potential to meet unique objectives they set relevant to their own verticals. Few thought prior to the explosion of this medium that using it to connect with communities would permeate so quickly to virtually everyRead the rest of this entry

Sincerely, Truly Yours…Or Are You?

Some email signatures are so ridiculous. Why doesn’t anyone use ‘Yours Truly,’ ‘From,’ or ‘Sincerely’ anymore? It seems like everyone tries to be lovey-dovey in a last attempt to create a bond with someone. Honestly, some lines just make me want to vomit. Here are some closing lines that I can’t stand and my interpretationsRead the rest of this entry

10 Reasons To Think About Getting Your APR

We all know there are good PR Pros and there are the “other” PR imposters. These imposters go around selling our profession short of what it is and throwing mud on the industry name. It is hard to show that you are not one of “those” to a reporter, client or boss who has beenRead the rest of this entry

Book Review: Like

I was recently graced with a review copy LIKE: Seven Rules and 10 Simple Steps for Social Media in Your Campaign by Kelly Groehler with Dave Ladd, Greg Swanholm, and Bass Zanjani.  The book is available as both an e-book, hardcopy and has presences on Facebook and Twitter.  The foreword is available as a free download at the bottom ofRead the rest of this entry

Building Relationships Through Marketing

How many times have you heard it: You need to grow your followers and fans on social platforms to foster trust and growth of your brand. Maybe you are sick of hearing this, but it’s very true. Someone who I have enjoyed following on Twitter and her blog for a while now is Mari Smith.Read the rest of this entry

The Myth of Advanced Media Relations

In the past several years I’ve attended seminars, webinars, and a couple of conference sessions about “advanced media relations.” You’d think after the first one I would have learned, or you’d think after spending dollar-after-dollar and hearing the same thing over-and-over,  I would have figured it out: advanced media relations is a myth.  Yet, IRead the rest of this entry

Reputation Management: A Proactive Practice

It was February 2009 that Chris Brown was in LAPD custody for his brutal fight with Rihanna after Clive Davis’s pre-Grammy party.  Under two weeks ago, just three years later, Brown accepted a Grammy for R&B Album of the Year.  Part of me wants to commend Brown’s public relations team for creating such a comeback;Read the rest of this entry

The Funny Thing About The Media

The media never ceases to amaze me. In my 15 years in the PR business, I am still amazed at the impact news outlets have in influencing its audience. Moreover, it is still quite enlightening to see how the press decides what to cover in their news outlets. I don’t typically cite clients when I’mRead the rest of this entry

5 Essential Characteristics of a Successful PR Pro

In order to be successful in the modern world of PR, there are certain essential characteristics that one must possess to fight adversity, capitalize on opportunities, maintain a positive image, encourage word of mouth, and build strategy. When initially coming up with the idea for this post, I jotted down 17 must have characteristics. HereRead the rest of this entry

McDonald’s McBombs: Latest Brand Brouhaha is a Dog

Kansas City radio listeners had a front-row seat to a recent McDonald’s advertising gaffe set afire by social media. An ad introducing the fast-food giant’s new Chicken McBites not only didn’t work; it resulted in a vocal backlash against the company. The radio ad, which aired for several days in the Kansas City market, readRead the rest of this entry