What U.S. Presidents Have Taught us about PR and Reputation Management

Since before I can remember, I have been a fan of history. So it should come as no surprise that I learned my first lessons about public relations and reputation management from my U.S. history textbooks, and more specifically, from our former presidents. Even though some of these leaders lived long before the days of Twitter and iPhones, they still had recommendations that can be applied to brands and individuals in the 21st century. So for any of you who have ever questioned a history major as to why he or she entered into communications, here is a look at what the past taught me about my future career: Continue reading

Power to the People

Every agency has its own unique culture, but the general stereotype is that agency life is fast-paced and creative, and that a successful PR professional is one who can “sell” an idea. It takes a special environment to enable employees to promote their ideas both internally and to the editors and others being pitched. In my experience, the most successful agencies are those that foster a productive, creative agency environment in which individual employees feel passionate about their work, feel empowered to bring new strategies, take initiative, and share a sense of team spirit. This environment enables the fulfillment of client, agency and individual goals. The agency I am a part of, Vantage PR, is not the only agency that has developed a culture of inclusion, but it is my “home,” so I will use Vantage as an example of an agency that gives power to its people. Continue reading

A Study In Compassionate Communications

12924877474_6c16be2fec_bLet’s stop and consider the public relations industry for a moment. What is it that we do, really? Informing the public about any number of corporate strategies aimed at increasing the revenue for our agency or clients. Right? Maybe that’s a tad cynical, and I’m certainly not the folks at Gawker, but what good in the world does public relations do? If you’re unaware of the #Milaap4Hope effort going on today, allow me to enlighten you. Continue reading

Spin Doesn’t Suck- A PRBC Book Review

As an individual and PR professional, I enjoy learning something new every day.  Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to learn something new daily? When I was given the opportunity to review the book, “Spin Sucks: Communication and Reputation Management in the Digital Age,” (Que Publishing) by Arment Dietrich founder and CEO, Gini Dietrich, I was excited. Gini has great respect in the PR/marketing/social media world. My only concern was that the book would be a collection of blog posts from her blog of the same name. I should have known better. Continue reading

Avión Tequila “Health Claim” PR Snafu Part of Bigger Problem

In late March, Avión Tequila’s PR firm, Allison Brod PR, sent a media pitch claiming “consuming tequila has some serious health benefits.” The pitch offered cocktail recipes and sourced an American Chemical Society study that suggested agave could lower blood sugar, aid in weight loss and boost insulin production.

The pitch did not point out an important finding in the study: Continue reading

5 Things a Young Pro Should Know Before Starting her Own Business

#1 Recognize the massive demand on your time

Young female entrepreneurs are often shocked to learn how demanding it can be on their schedule and time. You will be working around the clock. You can’t afford to stop strategizing, planning, and selling both yourself and your business. Be prepared to make sacrifices. Continue reading

10 Reasons Why Wearing Google Glass is Going to Hurt

Everyone is inundated with news about Google Glass, the wearable computer the world wanted, but maybe isn’t the iteration the world needed. Let’s be honest – it’s not a fashionable wearable. Even people who need glasses hate glasses, with many opting for laser surgery or contacts. Sure, the ease of just using voice commands with minor touch interactions on the right temple of the frame is groundbreaking, but there’s a very high risk of focusing too much in the upper right-hand corner of your field of vision where Glass is positioned.

Here are 10 reasons why wearing Google Glass just might hurt more than it helps:

1. Glass doors just became your worst enemy

Continue reading

What The 90’s Taught Us about Public Relations

Although I was born in the 80’s, I consider myself to be a full-blown 90’s child. The TV show Wishbone was where I first developed a love of history. If someone uses the word “bop,” my mind immediately goes to my first Bop It game and I want to yell back “Twist it – Pull it – Flick it!” When parents complain about their kids having too many stuffed animals, I cringe and think about the multiple boxes of Beanie Babies living in my attic that I continue to hope will be worth something one day. But the 90’s weren’t just about all the must have toys and wonderful TV shows; they were also a time when future PR professionals like myself had the opportunity to learn a thing or two about how to bring clients success. Below are a few examples of PR tips we learned from 90’s culture and icons. Continue reading

…..a chance to start the day off right.