Category: Public Relations

On The Record: The North Carolina 100

Sarah HattmanBlog, On the Record, Public Relations, , , , ,

Shrinking newsrooms. It’s something PR professionals have been battling for years, and news opportunities only seem to be getting slimmer. Two and a half years ago, Chris Schroder, president of SPR in Atlanta, started the 100 Companies and the Atlanta 100 as a way to help spread the word about PR and content marketing in a model appropriate for shrinking newsrooms.

Chuck Norman, owner and principal of S&A Communications, launched the North Carolina 100 in April. Let’s go On the Record to learn more about the project and how it works.

 

Click here to subscribe to the North Carolina 100. Connect with us on Facebook and let us know how you are navigating the shrinking newsroom.

 

Read More

On the Record: Lost in Translation

Sarah HattmanBlog, On the Record, Public Relations, , , , ,

Can you believe texting has been around for more than 20 years? From pressing numbers on the dialpad to form a word (that was guessed by your phone) to the qwerty keyboard and now the smartphone, texting has come a long way over the decades, and it’s no wonder that it is now more popular than ever.

In fact, according to Pew Internet, texting is the most widely and frequently used app on a smartphone with 97 percent of Americans using it at least once a day. And check out these figures: 8.3 trillion text messages were sent last year alone. That’s 23 billion texts a day or nearly 16 million messages a minute!

Text messaging is now being viewed as a powerful way for businesses to connect with their customers, but it’s not without its drawbacks. Let’s go On the Record to explore how to make sure your text message isn’t lost in translation.

How do you ensure your text messages are clear and concise? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter.
Read More

On the Record: Client Relationships

Sarah HattmanBlog, On the Record, Public Relations, , , , , ,

Have you ever heard the phrase “a business is only as good as the clients it serves?” It’s an interesting perspective that highlights the importance of building relationships with clients that go beyond one-time projects and provide value to them on an ongoing basis.

Karl Sakas is the president and founder of Sakas & Company, a coaching and consulting company for digital marketing agency owners. He recently spoke at NCPRSA’s professional development luncheon on the topic of client relationships. I had the opportunity to go On the Record with Karl to take a closer look at building a productive and enduring client rapport.

How do you develop relationships with clients? Connect with us on Twitter and continue the conversation.

Read More

PR Experts on Changing Times

Dana PhelpsBlog, Counselors Academy, Public Relations, , , , ,

What does the search for the best piña colada in San Juan have to do with public relations? In this month’s issue of Tactics, my column, “Striving to Be the Best in Our Evolving Profession,” tells the story of what happened when some of the smartest PR agency leaders in the country were intrigued by two local establishments making the same claim.

As a member of PRSA‘s Counselors Academy executive committee, I’ve been collaborating with Tactics editor John Elsasser for several months as a liaison of sorts to secure contributors for the publication’s monthly column called “Changing Times.” It was started by Michael Herman, APR, Fellow PRSA, friend and mentor to many. There was no one better than Mike to write about changes in the public relations industry, and his only published column appeared in January 2015, the same month he unexpectedly left this world.

Since then, members of PRSA’s Counselors Academy have been contributing their thoughts on the evolution of our profession. It’s an honor for me to be the featured author for this month and next month’s issues and to get to write about something near and dear to my heart, the Counselors Academy Conference, that’s coming up May 1-3 in San Juan. Incidentally, it was Mike who encouraged me to get involved with the conference planning and the executive committee. (I hope I’ve done you proud, buddy!)

Want to know more about Counselors Academy and its members? Read our previous posts here.

Read More

#MajorKey: DJ Khaled Inspires My PR

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Public Relations, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , ,

I recently discovered DJ Khaled’s Snapchat. If you’ve never heard of DJ Khaled, he is on almost every single rap song. Ever. He even yells his name at the beginning of most of his anthems, like “All I Do Is Win”.

On his Snapchat story, the multi-millionare takes us step-by-step through his entire day. He is always on “the pathway of more success” and uses funny, motivational slogans that serve to empower his followers. He recently started using “keys” that – interestingly enough – inspire my own career as a PR practitioner.

Key One: Chef Dee

Every morning, Khaled walks around his mansion and blurts out, “ChefChef Dee Dee, what you got cookin’ for me today?” His personal chef answers by listing all the healthy meal options that she has prepared for breakfast. DJ Khaled explains that “they don’t want us to eat healthy, so we must eat healthy.” He never tells us who “they” is, but I assume he is referring to negative-minded people.

Although I am not making major million-dollar deals like Khaled his simple key to success still rings true for me. He reminds us that eating a healthy, balanced meal helps to start the workday off on the right note. Starting with a full stomach increases my productivity and helps my creative juices flow for our clients.

Key Two: DJ Khaled Gets Lost At Sea

Who else dreams of having the luxury to jet ski all day? I do. While I was swooning over the lavish lifestyle that the music guru lives, something hilarious happened. Khaled got lost in the ocean on his jet ski.

As funny as it sounds, this is also a “major key” to my career in PR and at Clairemont. We have all faced a time where we were so overwhelmed we felt lost. Khaled teaches that “the key is to never give up, to win more.”

How can we use this lesson in agency life? Don’t be afraid to ask your team members or colleagues for help or support. I have found that it’s always beneficial to ask for help when needed so that you don’t get lost at sea with your projects.

If you need a giggle, watch the entire “Lost at Sea” Snapchat.

Key Three: Business is Always Boomin’

Ben, a 16 year-old that we know absolutely nothing more about than his name, appears regularly on the mogul’s Snapchat story debuting the hottest new sneaker trends. When Ben is asked, “How’s business?” The simple yet dramatic reply is always, “BOOMIN’.” Ben

How can we keep business boomin’? First, I make sure that I know and clearly understand our clients’ goals and needs. What are they trying to accomplish as a business? What does success look like to them? I keep business boomin’ by staying connected with client contacts and working to develop a reliable, open relationship with them, working in tandem to meet these goals.

Key Four: Elliptical talk

If you have ever seen a photo of Khaled, you know he isn’t a particularly skinny man. Recently, he has taken health and wellness to another level on his elliptical.

Elliptical talk is a “major key to success” for the star. We see him in his home gym on an actual machine exercising and reciting lyrics to some of the week’s hottest songs. How does this translate to our industry?

Khaled reminds us that we have to cultivate our best selves in order to help others. If we aren’t in shape (mentally and physically), we can’t secure top media placements and create top-notch client campaigns. The Clairemont team expands our knowledge by watching webinars and attending luncheons. On Well Wednesday, our team trades its business dresses for yoga pants in the office, this allows us to go for a run or attend a boxing class when our schedules allow. Get on your “elliptical to success” and create a positive-minded person so that your clients can’t imagine a day without you.

Elliptical talk

What are the “major keys” that keep business boomin’ in your office? Comment to us on Facebook!

 

 

 

Read More