As I help nonprofits improve their public relations and social media efforts, I’m struck by the fact that, regardless of size or mission, they often ask similar questions. I’m sure other groups have similar questions, which is why I’m excited to start this new PRBC series, which aims to answer nonprofits’ most burning questions.

Question: I’m having trouble establishing tangible goals & objectives in regards to media measurement for my non-profit organization. I’ve gotten stories placed in the paper or on local tv & radio stations in the past, but that was reactive, nothing strategically planned. Any advice? Read the rest of this entry

Did you know that there are more than a dozen inudstry “Twitter chats” that focus on PR, social media, marketing and blogging? You may participate in one or two of these conversations, but it’s impossible to find time to chime in on all of them, right?

Until now.

You’re invited to join us for the ultimate chat mixer, taking place this Tuesday, March 9, starting at 8 p.m. EST. Justin Goldsborough, Valerie Simon and I are hosting this party to help people interested in PR and social media forge new connections and build their network. Read the rest of this entry

As a small business owner, I see customer service from a whole new perspective. When I opened my business banking account, I received exceptional customer service – far better than I had ever received before. Now, it could be this particular bank’s branch, but the cynic in me thinks reps cater more to the business owners than the individual with a regular account.

Businesses tend to prioritize their customers. It’s not unreasonable to think bigger customers get better service, right? But, by providing less-than-stellar service to a smaller customer, are you assuming that that account will always be “small potatoes?” Read the rest of this entry

If content is king, then it’s about time we crown collaboration the queen.

By now, we all understand the value of quality content — in terms of SEO, traffic, engagement, readability, and so on. But, only recently have PR people begun to rethink our uber-competitive nature. And, we’re discovering that working together leads to better results for our clients.

For example: How many of you have seen a HARO query, and thought “Hey, that would be a perfect fit for X.” If X is another PR person, technically they’re a competitor. I don’t know about you, but when I first started my career, I never would have shared a lead with a competing agency. But, now I don’t think twice about giving someone a heads up if I see a HARO that might be relevent to them or their clients. If nothing else, it’s good karma, right? Read the rest of this entry

Whether you’ve been an independent PR consultant for 15 years (like Kellye) or are just starting out on your own (like Heather), being a solo PR pro can be an incredibly rewarding (and lucrative) career path.

It’s exciting to be free to choose your own course. But there can be some intimidating moments when you realize success or failure depends entirely on you. If you’re looking at PR consulting and facing some difficult decisions, here are 5 tips to help: Read the rest of this entry

If you’ve hung around the PR Breakfast Club for even a short amount of time, you know these bloggers subscribe to the “give more to get more” mantra. In fact, I’m amazed at how willing my “online” friends are to share information … give advice … lend an ear.

But, generosity doesn’t stop there. It’s heart-warming to see how many individuals are using their platforms to do some good. As the holidays approach, what’s better than social media for social good, right? Some recent examples: Read the rest of this entry