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Category: APR

Clairemont’s Tracy Lathan Featured as PRSA District Speaker

Clairemont’s Tracy Lathan Featured as PRSA District Speaker

March 20, 2018July 15, 2022 Cherith AndesAPR, Blog, The Clairemont TeamAPR, PR Speaker, PRSA Conference, PRSA Southeast District Conference, public speakingLeave a Comment on Clairemont’s Tracy Lathan Featured as PRSA District Speaker

Clairemont’s very own Tracy Lathan, APR, is stepping on stage as a featured speaker at the PRSA Southeast District Conference in Raleigh, N.C.

An account strategist at Clairemont Communications, Tracy brings a vast wealth of experience in the public relations industry. Prior to joining the Clairemont team, Tracy led integrated marketing programs for two Fortune 500 companies, John Deere and Target Corporation. She was responsible for planning and executing media events for John Deere’s new product launches, efforts that secured a PRSA Silver Anvil award. For Target, Tracy led media relations efforts, industry events and new initiatives targeting influencers and bloggers.

Tracy has been instrumental in creating Clairemont’s blogger engagement program, leading employee communications initiative for clients and providing strategic counsel to Clairemont’s retail, restaurant, education, design and real estate clients. In addition, Tracy currently serves as the accreditation chair on the NCPRSA Board of Directors.

As one of the area’s leading experts on APR, Tracy will be hosting a pre-conference session about the accreditation process, along with Eva Hornak, APR, and Stephanie Llorente, APR. This workshop will equip both students and professionals with strategies to prepare for the accreditation process and to build their accreditation portfolios.

Get all the details about the conference, coming April 18-20, 2018!

 

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Masters vs. APR

Masters vs. APR

July 11, 2017July 15, 2022 Dana PhelpsAPR, Blog, The Clairemont TeamAPR, masters in communication, professional development, PRSALeave a Comment on Masters vs. APR

Seeking to advance your knowledge of public relations? There are numerous ways to do so, and here Sarah Hattman provides insights through the lens of earning her APR while Cherith Andes offers her perspective based on her masters degree in communication and media studies.


Prepping for the Job: APR vs. Masters in Communication

SARAH HATTMAN: APR

APR. It might make you think annual percentage rate, but for those of us who are PR practitioners it means Accredited in Public Relations. It’s a credential earned by public relations professionals who prove their competency in the knowledge, skills and abilities required to practice public relations with an effective and well-rounded approach in today’s business world. It’s a great tool for anyone who works in PR and is looking to to advance their career or simply expand their knowledge beyond their immediate experience. The path to accreditation is challenging but attainable as long as you commit to the multiple step process.

I first heard about the APR process while attending a professional development luncheon when I lived in Albuquerque and was a member of PRSA’s New Mexico Chapter. It was 2011, and I was only a few months into my PR career. After working in news for a decade, I saw it as a great opportunity to embrace and learn more about the profession.

My APR at Work

  • Building Blocks for My PR Career: PRSA defines PR as, “a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” The APR process forced me to further consider all the facets of PR: how it works, what’s the best strategy to make my message known, how the methods we use to communicate are always changing and how I can be a better communicator?
  • Challenging Myself: Often times, people tend to fall into a routine and develop a certain way of doing things. However, in the world of PR, no two clients or strategies are the same. To be the best that you can be you have to recognize this and challenge yourself to look at each project from all angles in order to develop a successful plan.
  • Moving Out of My Comfort Zone: Before I started the APR process my comfort zone was media relations. I had first-hand experience on both sides. First as a television producer, reporter and anchor who worked with PR people fairly regularly, and then as a PR practitioner who pitched stories to the media. I recently read Frédéric Harper’s blog post “The Magic Happens Outside Your Comfort Zone,” and it really resonated with me. While my background in the media is useful for my PR career,  it was earning my APR that gives me the confidence to move beyond of my comfort zone.

CHERITH ANDES: MASTERS IN COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA

After several years in the communications and marketing industry, I found myself returning to the same question: “But why this approach?” Strong PR requires a fountain of fresh ideas, but simply put, creativity without strategy fails to produce results. Effective communication campaigns marry targeted research with comprehensive strategy to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time. Without the guiding hand of research, even the most innovative marketing campaigns fizzle and fade, and potentially epic ideas join a graveyard of missed opportunities.

I refused to follow that demise.

To build my “communication tool box,” I pursued my masters degree in communication and media studies. Through two years of late nights and hefty papers, I sought to uncover the academic bedrock supporting accurate research, strategy development and–ultimately–effective PR campaigns. Now a few years after graduation, my masters undeniably provided knowledge, skills and tools that inform my work on a daily basis.

My Masters at Work

  • The Big Picture: Many practitioners fall into the trap of a tactics-only approach to PR while failing to consider the broader factors at play. During my masters, I studied key theories that illuminate the patterns behind interpersonal and organizational communication. Step beyond Grunig’s basic Four Models of PR, for example,to examine how muted group theory or Noelle Neumann’s Spiral of Silence theory affects behavior adoption. Eye-opening, I promise. PR practitioners cannot afford to ignore this types of influences when crafting a campaign, and my masters trained me to examine PR strategies within a wider theoretical context.
  • Reliable Research: Ever read an article that cites something like “Sixty-eight percent of all middle-class Americans prefer XYZ?” Statistics can be misleading, especially if not defined, conducted and represented with precision. My masters provided hands-on work with quantitative and qualitative research methods, from focus group methodology to public survey coding (down to the intricacies of margin of error relative to sample size). These concepts translated into well-honed skills for collecting and integrating scientifically accurate data into relevant communication campaign.
  • The Old Hats: Here’s to the ones who have gone before! During my masters, I had the opportunity to learn from some of the leading communication researchers in the nation. Their experiences provided a wealth of case studies: what works, what doesn’t in a real-life dynamic. From Toyota’s crisis communication strategy to Binder’s research on Twitter and public opinion, I’m armed with an arsenal of applied communication examples (not to mention a network of great advisors) to guide my projects.

I have had the pleasure of working with both of these smart and talented women and admire their commitment to the field of public relations. Want to know some other things I find pretty awesome about my colleagues? Check out our other posts on The Clairemont Team.

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Mike Herman Scholarship

Mike Herman Scholarship

January 1, 2016July 15, 2022 Dana PhelpsAPR, Blog, Public RelationsCounselors Academy, Mike Herman, mike michalowicz, NC State, NCPRSA, NCSU, PRSALeave a Comment on Mike Herman Scholarship

Mike Herman was a friend of Clairemont, PR mentor to more than can be counted and considered family (by blood or not!) by people all over the world. He inspired us to do our best. In honor of him, we are supporting the Michael Lee Herman Memorial Award Fund.

Mike, we promise to do our best to continue to encourage, teach and support the next generation of public relations professionals. We love and miss you, buddy!

xoxox

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The Beauty of Raleigh PR: Day 11 – Q&A with Sarah

The Beauty of Raleigh PR: Day 11 – Q&A with Sarah

January 22, 2015July 15, 2022 Jasmin SessomsAPR, Blog, Entry-Level PR Jobnetworking, PR Agency, PRSALeave a Comment on The Beauty of Raleigh PR: Day 11 – Q&A with Sarah

Creating a positive work environment is the responsibility of every employee. I think it’s a good idea to get to know your co-workers. I find that in many settings no matter what walk of life you come from, you can always learn something from someone else.

Sarah Hattman, APR, has a passion for storytelling. From a decade in television news to creating award-winning campaigns for her clients, she is always searching for a memorable way to tell the story. Sarah spent nearly 10 years in television working as a producer, reporter and anchor at WECT in Wilmington, N.C. and KRQE in Albuquerque, N.M.

She made the transition from journalist to public relations practitioner with James Korenchen Public Relations in Albuquerque. In 2013, Sarah earned her Accreditation in Public Relations designation. As a member of the Clairemont Communications team, she oversees multiple accounts and provides clients guidance in all aspects of public relations.

Today, I interviewed Sarah to learn more about her experiences at Clairemont and her career switch from journalist to PR practitioner.

Jasmin: “Sarah, How did you know you wanted to make a career change?”

Sarah: “During my ten years in news, I worked with a lot of PR professionals and one of them really stood out to me. I met James Korenchen, president of James Korenchen Public Relations, while working at KRQE and he really influenced my career path. A lot of PR people are former news people, and when I first thought about making the switch from news to PR, I reached out to James to learn more about the PR profession. At the time I wasn’t sure I was quite ready to leave news, but it just so happened that he had an opening and made me an offer. I decided to take the leap and have never looked back or regretted my decision.”

Jasmin: “Since you made the career switch, I observed that you have found a love for PR. What exactly does Pubic Relations mean to you?”

Sarah: “For me PR is another version of storytelling. The difference is that in PR I don’t just tell the story, I get to shape it.”

Jasmin: “What attracted you to Clairemont?”

Sarah: “The people behind the agency. In 2012 when I moved back to North Carolina, I became active with the local PRSA chapter. It was there that I first met Tracy and Dana. I admired their hard work and dedication to the profession and considered myself lucky when I had the opportunity to join the Clairemont team in 2014.”

Jasmin: “What is your personal mantra?”

Sarah: “Be present. (laughs) It’s so cliche, but in a PR agency you often find yourself switching tasks quickly which can make it difficult to focus. When I have to switch gears quickly, I always try to take a deep breath and give the new task 100 percent of my focus. It’s something that is easier said than done, but I strive to do it each and every day.”

Jasmin: “Describe your best moment at Clairemont.”

Sarah: “That’s a tough one. There have been so many great moments but the one that stands out the most in my mind is the night of the T.MAC social at the Clairemont House. The event was developed as to way to introduce T.MAC to influencers in the Triangle. After weeks of planning and hard work, it was fun to see the house bustling in the moments before we welcomed our first guest. The head chef from T.MAC was cooking in our kitchen as well as in our driveway under a tent. Furniture was being a re-arranged, tables and linens were being delivered and Fortnight Brewing Company was setting up a tasting station. It was a fun night and a great feeling to see all of the team’s hard work come together to create a great event.”

Jasmin: “What skills have you found that you didn’t know that you had until you entered the PR world?”

Sarah: “I would say creativity. In news it’s all about the facts. Sure, you can be creative with reporter standups and when editing the video for the story, but its nothing compared to the creativity that I have found in the world of PR.

Jasmin: “What advice would you give to someone like me who is fresh in the PR world that you wish you would have been told?”

Sarah: “Don’t take it personally. It’s actually something I have been told for many years and am still told on occasion. There are times when you will take your best idea to a client, journalist or contact only to be told no. Don’t let it get to you. It’s not that they don’t like you; they just don’t like your idea as much as you do.”

Jasmin: “What legacy do you want to leave behind in this field?”

Sarah: “I want to be known for my go-getter attitude. I love a good challenge and finding a way to work through it.”

I think its safe to say, Sarah is qualified for this gig, and is an amazing asset to the Clairemont team. She is a joy to work with, and I am proud to be her co-worker.

Sarah and I

Editor’s Note: Clairemont enthusiastically welcomes Jasmin Sessoms to our team! Follow this former beauty queen’s journey as she documents her first 30 days in a Raleigh PR agency.

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Strategies, Goals, Objectives…Oh My!

Strategies, Goals, Objectives…Oh My!

January 22, 2014July 15, 2022 Tracy LathanAPR, Blog, Marketing, Professional Development, Public RelationsClairemont Communications, professional development, PRSA, Public Relations1 Comment on Strategies, Goals, Objectives…Oh My!

Have you ever been writing a PR plan and found yourself questioning whether something was an objective or a strategy? I know I have.  It can be easy to get confused, but when I was studying for the APR a few years ago, I found some helpful guidelines from the PRSA APR Study Guide as follows:

Goals

Keep these few in number. Identify no more than three to five. One may be enough.

Be consistent with management goals and mission.

Think in terms of end results, not process alone.

Objectives

Think in terms of the awareness, attitude or action you desire—not the process but the end result.

Articulate with verbs that reflect changes in awareness, attitude, or behavior: Recognize, acknowledge, know (awareness); favor, accept, oppose, believe (attitude); and purchase, participate, endorse, discard, write, visit (behavior).

Phrase objectives in terms of specific results you desire, and what you think is possible.

Each objective should cite an audience, outcome, attainment level (%) and time frame. (Example: At 
the end of six months, 65 percent of employees will be in a car pool or ride-share program.)

The same objective may fit a number of audiences but strategies may need to be different.

Strategies

The military definition is the science and art of employing political, economic, psychological and military forces to support policies or achieve goals; to meet the enemy under advantageous conditions.

In planning, how will you approach the challenge of working toward your objectives? On what can you build or take advantage in your situation? What devices will you employ?

Your strategy may describe the diplomacy, psychology, philosophy, themes and appeals you will use, or the message you will convey.

It may describe how you will work with community groups.

You probably will have several strategies for an objective.

Some strategies may serve several objectives.

Vehicles or channels you will use to communicate can appear here, or in tactics or activities.

Examples include media relations, third-party endorsement and public engagement.

Tactics

How will you use your resources to carry out your strategy and work toward objectives?

You can have several tactics per strategy.

These serve as specific elements of a strategy or specific tools, more specifically “how to.”

Examples include meetings, publications, tie-ins, community events, news releases, etc.

 

Here is another great post that tackles The Difference Between Strategies and Tactics. Hope you found these tips to be helpful…if so, print them out and use as a quick reference next time you are working on a PR plan!

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