Airbnb, formerly a big, bad corporate bully, has found a way to endear itself to local communities. What it’s done serves as a modern model for excellent community relations and earns five stars from this public relations consultant.
In 2013 the company launched its Open Homes Program, a disaster response initiative that makes it easy for Airbnb hosts to provide space for people in need when disasters strike. As far as I can tell, Airbnb receives no financial gain from doing this.
Recent floods in Northern California prompted Airbnb to activate the program in February and then extend the program to March... ⇢ read more
As reputation keepers, much jargon continually tries to make its way into our vocabulary and play deck. Some of it’s for a season, but some stand the test of time and become best practices. Being authentic is one of the latter.
Merriam-Webster defines authentic as “true to one’s own personality, spirit... ⇢ read more
As public relations counselors, we’re used to preparing our clients for how to deal with bad news. But, this past September 2018, our client experienced the opposite issue – how to avoid being overwhelmed by good news!
United Food Bank of Mesa, Arizona, learned that it would receive an abundance of... ⇢ read more
By Fran Stephenson, Principal, Step in Communication
If you haven’t yet heard of the Fyre Festival, there are two new documentaries—one on Netflix and one on Hulu -- which highlight the massive failure of a 2017 luxury music festival promoted by entrepreneur Billy McFarland and rapper Ja Rule.
It was such a... ⇢ read more
By Amy Kossoff Smith, President Write Ideas, Inc. and Power Hour Editing, and Editor/Founder of PRCG Powerlines
Note - Picture taken in the PV (Polar Vortex)
When you ask PR professionals to battle the elements, find a workaround with canceled flights, and dig out parkas, face masks, and hand warmers, what happens? You get... ⇢ read more
By Brian Chandler, APR
If you’re looking for a so-called “Victory Royale” with your public relations work, or counsel to clients, you might want to set your crosshairs on how Epic Games handles public relations and marketing around its popular game Fortnite.
In case you’ve been off the grid or stuck under... ⇢ read more
Today, I took a few minutes for the PRConsultants Powerlines blog to speak with Janet Tyler, former owner of Airfoil Public Relations and currently the founder of True Depth, an executive coaching and management consulting firm specializing in working with business owners and senior leaders in the technology, manufacturing and... ⇢ read more
PR professionals work hard to craft messages, communications, and presentations that get key points across to the target audience. We inform, educate and persuade. It’s our strength. It’s what we do in PR.
However, without strong public speaking and presentation skills, audiences become distracted, messages aren’t received, and brands are diluted.
Competency... ⇢ read more
It’s been 15 years since I decided to leave the “comfortable” lifestyle of having a secure, well-paying bi-weekly paycheck to enter the rollercoaster life of being self-employed. In 2003, becoming an entrepreneur and opening a startup was not a cool, hip trend as it is today. For many, I was... ⇢ read more
What crisis management lessons can a disaster like Hurricane Florence provide to organizations and the PR pros who support them?
Recently, I flew into North Carolina to help a friend with what started as a small, rural nonprofit dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. My friend saw a need and... ⇢ read more
Each year, we are lucky to have the opportunity to attend the “Valley Publicity Summit,” hosted by the Valley of the Sun Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. It’s a great gathering of PR folks and media representatives -- producers, editors and reporters – from traditional and online outlets.
Beyond... ⇢ read more
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