Tag Archives: PR

Marie Baker

Billy Corgan and Jessica Simpson: My official PR statement

4 Comments

V Festival 2008 - SydneyLet’s get this out of the way first: I’ve had an unnatural obsession with Billy Corgan and The Smashing Pumpkins since the 7th grade.  Sparing you (and me) all the potentially embarrassing details, let’s just say everyone who knows me, knows this little factoid.

As you can imagine, anytime there is a “news” item involving Billy Corgan, I hear from people I haven’t heard from in years. Recently, I’ve been flooded with e-mails, Facebook messages, tweets, IM’s – all asking if I’ve heard about the “news” and what do I think of the whole thing. Well duh, of course I have and here’s what I think. Continue reading →

Kristen Massaro

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow…

22 Comments

Close-up of a mid adult man throwing away papersDid I really just Google “resignation” letters?! Four years, six months and 19 days after stepping foot in the doors of STC Associates I was making the choice to accept an opportunity at a new agency. At the same time I would be saying goodbye to the place I’ve called home for nearly a fifth of my life … and continue to work there as a technical employee until my “notice” was complete. Continue reading →

Kate Ottavio

Where do you find inspiration? Apparently I get mad

14 Comments

Businessman standing under light bulbI find inspiration to write PRBC blog posts in the strangest places at the oddest times. This one (not so strange or odd) was after a long day at the office while driving home on the parking lot us Connecticut-ites like to call I-84.

Let’s face it. We all hit a “wall.” Some of us blog daily, some weekly, some monthly. At some point inspiration runs a little thin…if not entirely OUT. Coming up with fresh blog posts all the time gets a little bit tiresome, draining and can be overwhelming. Even being surrounded daily by our topic of choice (PR and Social Media), we can be at a loss. Continue reading →

Josh Sternberg

Manager vs Leader: Are You A Trusted Advisor?

4 Comments

Portrait of a businessman standing with his four colleagues in opposite directionsBarely a year into my journey as a small business owner, I’m learning valuable skills and lessons that enable me to do my job better. Now, I’m not talking about building media lists or drafting messaging documents, but what it means to be a trusted advisor, someone who has the ear of a client, offering counsel to help their business grow.

I’m learning that to be an advisor I need to focus on the client’s needs and not my own; to help them grow will help me grow. I’m learning that I can’t rest on what’s “tried and true” all the time and that I need to undergo constant reinvention; to find new ways to service my client. Most importantly, I’m learning to place the highest value on maintaining the relationship; to prove to my clients that I am here for the long haul, not just for the length of the immediate contract. Continue reading →

Marie Baker

Think Tank: Music Publicity – Then and Now

8 Comments

Close-up of a young man listening to an MP3 playerEach area of public relations, from crisis to consumer, fashion to technology, all have their own specific rules and methodologies. I kicked off my PR career in the music industry, and I continue to have a strong interest in this particular sector.  I left music in the midst of the exploding blogosphere – where music criticism was in question, magazines were folding one by one, and bloggers were becoming the new tastemakers.

I thought this would be the perfect time to take a look at what’s going on in the music PR world and see what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and what the future holds. Continue reading →

Nathan "PRCog" Burgess

PR Pro’s New Year’s Resolutions

2 Comments

Boy and Girl in Party Hats Blowing NoisemakersIt’s that time of year again – time for reflection over the last 12 months, time to consider our victories and our losses, time for copious amounts of champagne and other adult beverages, and time to improve ourselves for the coming year.  And so, in no particular order (and with varying degrees of humor, sarcasm and (hopefully) wit)… Continue reading →

CTMichaels

Ugh, Time Management

6 Comments

Businessman Using Credit Card Online

Well being that it has been one month, and one week, since my last post, it’s probably time to jump back on the bandwagon.  Between a new job, moving to NYC, and the holidays, balancing everything has been quite difficult for me.  Honestly, if it has been difficult for me, it most likely has been difficult for more out there, hence the post on Time Management.

I feel like every interview I go on, when someone asks “What is your weakness?” I always say, ‘Time Management.’ It’s definitely an easy out, because most people have time management issues so it’s pretty acceptable – and I’m not about to admit a fault that I have that isn’t acceptable…Now, don’t get me wrong, some people have natural time management skills, have minor OCD, can stick to agendas, and fit everything in their life, but this is definitely something that takes time.  The real question is how does one learn time management skills? Continue reading →

Keith Trivitt

Get Out of the Way of Success

2 Comments

Businesspeople talking in office

We all have opinions. Hell, those opinions, and its cousin – counsel – are a major part of what we as communications and brand management professionals are sought out and paid for. But at a certain point, no matter how great we think our opinions, ideas and strategies/tactics are, once the ideas are all out on the table, and our clients (or potential clients) and bosses have had a chance to mull them over, that’s when the really hard work begins. That’s when it’s time to compromise.
And listen. And not get all bent out of shape when someone questions your motives or puts it right out there and says they just don’t like/get your concept or proposal. That can be a tough thing to accept, I’m learning. And yet, it’s actually quite a relief. It means we don’t always have to be perfect, and not all of our ideas have to be world-changing, save-the-planet and/or the-next-greatest-thing.
It means we listen a little harder in 2010 and relinquish the silly “guru” and “expert” tags from our bios and Twitter intros and just listen to people’s needs. The economy may still be sour, but at the end of the day, there is still a great need for tons of companies, non-profits and organizations to cut through the clutter and make 2010 a hell of a lot better than 2009.
Our job is to continue to give our opinions and stellar counsel and don’t get too bent out of shape because the new year is sure to present just as many questions as the past 12 months.

We all have opinions. Hell, those opinions, and its cousin – counsel – are a major part of what we as communications and brand management professionals are sought out and paid for. But at a certain point, no matter how great we think our opinions, ideas and strategies/tactics are, once the ideas are all out on the table, and our clients (or potential clients) and bosses have had a chance to mull them over, that’s when the really hard work begins. That’s when it’s time to compromise. Continue reading →

Kate Ottavio

Now I know how “the spammed” feel

8 Comments

I’ve seen it. The template pitch. The “cut this person’s name out <here> and insert next person’s name <here>.” Outlook usually has this cute feature where any new text in a forwarded e-mail turns a different color making any changes obvious. I cannot stand when people carelessly forward along identical e-mails. Even more when they make it so obvious. It makes me wonder how many of these e-mails editors, producers and reporters receive… And I shiver.

Below is an e-mail I received from a guy we’ll call Jason. Jason is a very nice man. He came into my office, asked for some business contacts I knew and said he’d be happy to refer me any clients he had looking for PR. Great! All the greatness ended when Jason sent me this e-mail: Continue reading →