A number of years ago, we represented the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY), which has provided patients with in-home nurses for 125 years. The services provided by VNSNY are essential, and they help many patients and their families, but to many people, the health care industry is dry and incredibly serious. So, how do we promote such an organization to the press in a way that is fun and interesting, while still highlighting the importance of the service it provides?
Finding the Story
We found our answer in Sandra Fleming, the VNSNY nurse who zipped from client to client on... ⇢ read more
(Excerpted from original post on February 20, 2018 on CuriousAndClever.com, a website founded by Julie Dennehy and Toni Antonetti)
Each year at our annual meeting we present our favorite tech tools to our colleagues at PRConsultants Group, a consortium of senior PR professionals who represent the top U.S. media markets. They're a very discerning audience, so we know that the apps we recommend need to be easy to use, practical and attractively priced. This year, it was all about tools that help us collaborate with co-workers and clients, and connect with the media and the world.
Our picks for 2018:
Slack: Every team... ⇢ read more
I love being a public relations consultant for the past few decades, and have enjoyed representing New England's largest and longest-running Renaissance Faire for the past five. Running your own PR firm can be fascinating, and we are required to keep all the “balls in the air” at all times. Just like a good juggler at the Faire, I’ve uncovered eight life lessons gleaned from observing master performers, including my favorite: the “grand finale” is a simple compilation of many smaller achievements.
Whether you are striking out pitching a story or creating a clever idea, or just need extra motivation for a personal goal, here are tips... ⇢ read more
Smart public relations practitioners are always looking for ways to expand the visibility of their clients’ plans and programs. Adding opportunities for outreach to social influencers is one way to do that.
Identifying the Right Influencers
Identifying the right influencers involves the same mindset as identifying “beat” reporters or other key stakeholders. Look at the clients’ media channels to see if certain names keep popping up. Someone who is already a fan could be the right approach. Another approach is to find a local bloggers group or Social Media Breakfast if you’re targeting within a specific geographic area. In my hometown of... ⇢ read more
It’s time to vote! Perhaps you ran to the polls this morning to help the candidate you love become our next president. Or, maybe your vote just celebrates your right to do so and the end of a very long ad season. Either way, there’s no denying the Trump/Clinton race has been particularly intense. Dominated by unprecedented levels of mudslinging and scandals—the effect may last longer than Election Day.
A sky-high level of controversy is characteristic of this year's election. But, it begs a question about whether Trump and Clinton are that much more controversy worthy than candidates in the past. Could this level of... ⇢ read more
By Solveig Raftery, The Firm Public Relations & Marketing
It's a turning point many companies and organizations eventually reach: After establishing a promising product or service, you decide to hire a PR agency to promote your valuable efforts. You conduct due diligence, research PR companies, and find one that offers the services you seek and that understands your vision and goals. You sign a contract.
Now what?
Hiring a PR agency is a significant investment, and of course you want to ensure this investment is effective. Fortunately, when an organization and a PR firm collaborate well, they can reap very satisfying results.
Listed below... ⇢ read more
By Solveig Raftery, The Firm Public Relations & Marketing
It's a turning point many companies and organizations eventually reach: After establishing a promising product or service, you decide to hire a PR agency to promote your valuable efforts. You conduct due diligence, research PR companies, and find one that offers the services you seek and that understands your vision and goals. You sign a contract.
Now what?
Hiring a PR agency is a significant investment, and of course you want to ensure this investment is effective. Fortunately, when an organization and a PR firm collaborate well, they can reap very satisfying results.
Listed below... ⇢ read more
Our future is coming together.
As a profession, public relations will redefine itself by casting off the label of “public relations.” Our future is in earning the mantle of strategic counselor and providing leaders with creative solutions to their problems. Clients don’t care what the marketing mix is—and neither should we.
The lines between digital, social media, advertising and public relations are more blurred (and unnecessary) than ever before. Most strategic communication efforts will not require every channel or discipline, but if we fail to consider each one, we run the risk of missed opportunities.
Coming together in this way creates a more... ⇢ read more
In the weeks following the Germanwings Flight 9525 crash, Lufthansa Group and its Chief Executive Carsten Spohr faced tremendous pressure as they crafted messaging for customers, employees, investors and the general public. PR practitioners (myself included) have closely observed the company’s response strategy unfold. One of the biggest twists came in late March, when Lufthansa said it knew of the pilot’s depression diagnosis, but did not prevent him from working.
The recent history of flight disasters underscores the critical need for airlines to deploy swift and decisive crisis communication, but not at the expense of accuracy.
My evaluation of Lufthansa’s crisis response aligns most... ⇢ read more
By Hope Brown, APR
Principal, PublicCity PR
If you ask the average six-year-old what he or she dreams of becoming when they grow up, I’m betting “public relations professional” doesn’t rank high on the roster of responses…you know, probably somewhere just behind fairy princess or superhero, I assume. That said, even a “grown-up PR professional” can feel like they’re making a difference in the world, if given the opportunity. The team at PublicCity PR (PCPR) was recently given such an opportunity, thanks to our partners at Brogan & Partners, and the dedicated team at the Michigan Women’s Foundation (MWF). Together – with... ⇢ read more
By Deborah Trivitt, APR
http://www.trivittpr.com
I’m not a fan of the recent fad to make a list of the “best,” “worst,” “most,” “least” of anything. I’m pretty sure the people making the lists are arbitrarily picking from their favorites or least favorites to make the list. I doubt any real research goes into the making of any of them.
Recently PRSA Tactics columnist Tim O’Brien, APR, invited me to participate in making the list 4 Myths About Being an Independent Practitioner
http://www.prsa.org/intelligence/tactics/articles/view/10969/1106/4_myths_about_being_an_independent_practitioner#.VRMfwjvF_lM
As I prepare to begin year 18 as an Independent Practitioner, I can assure you his list is “well-researched, and insightful.”... ⇢ read more
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