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Visibility, Credibility, and Growth.

From media strategy to reputation management, we explore the trends shaping public perception and share the approaches that drive measurable results for growing brands.

Making Use of LinkedIn Applications

Here at Communiqué PR, we are huge fans of LinkedIn. Although not an end-all resource, it is hugely helpful for recruiting, staying up to date with contacts, and maintaining your personal and business’ online brand. LinkedIn is most effective when updated frequently, as it is an easy tool that lets colleagues know what you are up to—and the more accurate and up-to-date, the better. Keeping your profile relevant is essential to cultivating an effective LinkedIn presence.

To this end, LinkedIn has developed LinkedIn Applications, a tool that makes maintaining and updating your profile easier and more streamlined. Despite being incredibly useful, I rarely see my own LinkedIn connections making use of the LinkedIn Applications feature.

So what does LinkedIn Applications do, exactly? According to LinkedIn itself, the feature “enables you to enrich your profile, share and collaborate with your network, and get the key insights that help you be more effective. Applications are added to your homepage and profile enabling you to control who gets access to what information.”

Currently, there 17 LinkedIn applications officially offered through LinkedIn.com. The following list is organized by the industry for which each is best suited.

All industries

  • Blog Link by SixApart

Blog Link connects your blog to your LinkedIn profile. You can then display your recent posts from your personal or company blog, letting visitors to your page know about what you’re currently writing.

  • WordPress by WordPress

With the WordPress app, you can feature all your WordPress blog posts on your LinkedIn profile. This is the only LinkedIn application I currently use, and when I publish this blog post, it will post directly to my LinkedIn profile! Just like Blog Link, it’s a great feature to keep your profile appearing updated, without a lot of extra work from your end.

  • SlideShare Presentations by SlideShare Inc.

Share SlideShare presentations directly through your LinkedIn account. Have a recent project that went well? Want to showcase some of your work in an aesthetically pleasing manner? The SlideShare application could be a great addition to your profile.

  • Reading List by Amazon

A great way to enrich your professional profile, this application shares the books you’re reading with other LinkedIn members. For the avid reader, it lets you stay up to date on what others recommend. Looking to stay current when it comes to industry literature? Follow industry thought leaders’ reading lists on Amazon, and get a peek inside from where they’re getting their information!

  • E-Bookshelf by FT Press

Less personal than Amazon’s Reading List application, E-Bookshelf lets you look at “essential reading” materials from experts in various fields. The content is catered to your expressed industry and interests on LinkedIn, and you are able to share articles with your connections as you see fit.

  • Projects and Teamspaces by Manymoon

Utilize this application to manage projects directly from your LinkedIn profile with other LinkedIn connections. The software is totally free, and allows you to track and share unlimited tasks, projects, documents and Google Apps with your LinkedIn connections.

  • My Travel by TripIt, Inc.

Follow where your network is travelling, and see when you are in the same city as other colleagues. This is great for someone on the go. Update your network on where you’re going, and why, and potentially network while you’re on the road!

  • Polls by LinkedIn

The Polls application allows you to collect data from your connections on LinkedIn. This may be especially helpful for brand pages, or just for maintaining interaction with your connections.

  • Box.net Files by Box.net

The cloud storage giant has created a LinkedIn application that allows you to share content directly with other connections. You can manage files directly from your LinkedIn, and shared current projects with colleagues and connections.

  • Events by LinkedIn

This application allows you to search for and publicize professional events. From conferences to local meet ups, the events application helps take LinkedIn networking into the real world.

Real Estate

  • Real Estate Pro by Rofo

This application accesses your local real estate and office space market, displaying new property listings and available spaces. Ideal for use by those in the real estate industry, it can feature listings directly on your LinkedIn page, rather than simply a link.

Creative

  • Portfolio Display by Behance

An excellent addition for those in the creative world, the Portfolio Display application allows you to feature your portfolio directly on your LinkedIn profile. For creatives, a resume is more about showing rather than telling. The Portfolio Display application can let you do just that, making your LinkedIn a more accurate representation of your body of work.

Tech

  • GitHub by LinkedIn

Use this application to showcase your GitHub projects on your LinkedIn profile. Ideal for those in the coding and web development community on LinkedIn, this application allows you to easily display your work.

Law

  • Lawyer Ratings by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell

For legal professionals, this is an absolute must. Showcase your Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ and Client Review Ratings™ to establish your credentials on your profile. This application gives a stamp of approval to your LinkedIn profile from an outside, well respected source.

  • Legal Updates by JD Supra

Lawyers, you can use this application to upload your own articles and content. Or, simply use the application to stay up to date on legal news that is relevant to your business—and easily share stories with your connections.

If you are looking for a way to enhance your LinkedIn profile, increase your presence on the network, or just take some of the tedium out of updating your profile, LinkedIn Applications may be able to provide a solution that fits your needs.

For more from Communiqué PR on LinkedIn, check out the following blog posts:

And for more on LinkedIn Applications, look at the following resources:

 

Do you use LinkedIn Applications? Do you find them useful? Why or why not?

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Rwanda Girls Initiative’s Back to School Celebration

Last night, the Communiqué PR team attended a “back to school” celebration in support of the Rwanda Girls Initiative (RGI), a not-for-profit organization formed with the goal of opening a girls’ secondary school in Rwanda. The school is now open, in its third academic year, and its first class will graduate on October 4, 2013.

We were first introduced to the RGI team in early 2011 when we worked with Co-Founders Suzanne Sinegal McGill and Shalisan Foster to generate awareness in the New York Times, Seattle Times and other news outlets for the February 2011 opening of the Gashora Girls Academy (GGA), an upper-secondary boarding school for 270 girls.

We have been impressed by the founders’ vision for the Academy, their passion for helping others, and the grit and determination they showed with the fundraising, construction and initial opening of the school throughout the process of making RGI’s visions a reality. However, last night we found ourselves even more moved by the GGA girls’ stories, drive and hard work, and ambition to be change agents in the world.

At the sold-out event, two young Rwandan students, Celeste and Witness, from GGA gave speeches about the impact their education will have on them, their communities, their nation and the world. Their first-hand testimonials were moving and inspiring – not to mention courageous as English is a second language, and this is both students’ first time leaving Rwanda.

Celeste and Witness’ dreams and aspirations were incredibly refreshing. Both students had found the power to dream—one aspired to be a pediatric cardiac surgeon, the other a civil engineer and fashion designer. For these girls, however, there is only a small leap between dreaming and doing. Each is actively pursuing the futures they envision for themselves. The success of GGA, exemplified in the stories of Celeste and Witness and the countless tales of academic and personal successes achieved daily on the Academy’s grounds are a testament to the potential available in our world. RGI’s “Back to School” event reminded us how often we take our opportunities for granted, and how instrumental the opportunity of education can be.

Many people in the room were clearly moved and compelled to donate money, and it is a wonderful example of the power of stories in fundraising. RGI is an incredibly well run institution, in both its work in Rwanda and its fundraising efforts at home. The authentic presentation of anecdotal stories and success statistics, the colloquial and familiar conversations with Academy students during a 12-minute video clip on their experiences with RGI, the involvement of the local Seattle community, and the inspiring words of Celeste and Witness helped RGI continue a successful fundraising campaign. We are proud of our involvement with RGI and hope you’ll take a minute to learn more about the organization by visiting its website – http://www.rwandagirlsinitiative.org/.

 

 

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How to Become One of PRWeek’s Rising Stars: The 40 Under 40 List

Photo Credit: PRWeekMany of us in the PR profession know that August is a time to celebrate some of the best and brightest talent in the PR world. Specifically, August marks the time when PRWeek releases its prestigious 40 Under 40 list, which recognizes standout PR professionals from both agency and in-house roles. According to Steve Barrett, editor-in-chief of PRWeek, the people who make this list are a tribute to the breadth, depth and potential of the communications industry and also represent a mature communications environment where PR is increasingly recognized as a desirable and rewarding profession.

So how can you grace the 40 Under 40 list with your presence? Well first, you must be nominated by a colleague or peer who believes you’ve made a long-lasting impression on the industry. But, what does it really take to receive such an honor?

I did a deep dive into the 40 Under 40 rising stars to uncover some common characteristics that the honorees possessed. Here’s what I found:

  • Drive: This attribute is a given. You can’t be considered a trailblazer in the PR world without having the gumption. PRWeek’s 40 Under 40 have pushed themselves beyond their comfort zones to engage in important issues facing the world and shift attitudes on things that matter.
  • Innovative Thinking: The 40 Under 40 PR pros don’t make the list by maintaining the status quo. They push the envelope. Many of them revamped existing communication programs to exponentially increase media exposure, launched new practices within their agencies, created new ways of measuring and monitoring results or developed programs to better connect with customers.
  • Diversity: One size doesn’t fit all for the 40 Under 40. Everyone comes from all avenues in the PR industry. From sports marketing, to public affairs to crisis communication to digital marketing, they all possess a wide variety of skill sets and experience. Most importantly, the 40 Under 40 don’t pigeon hole themselves into a box, rather they’re constantly expanding their knowledge and exploring different ways of communicating.
  • Relationship Builders: Whether they are spokespeople for their own company or charged with connecting with stakeholders on behalf of their clients, the 40 Under 40 have mastered a fundamental element of PR — the art of building relationships and connecting with people. The 40 Under 40 are adept at mentoring a team, building strong relationships with media and reaching customers. They are respected leaders who know how to inspire others and get their voices heard.

Do you want to make PRWeek’s 40 Under 40 list one day? Embody these characteristics and you’ll be well on your way!

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Tying to Relevant Technology Trends

The success of reaching out to media with a story idea is largely dependent on what you can offer the journalist in terms of a story angle, interviews and visuals. You have to have something newsworthy to share. However, if you are able to tie to an industry trend and offer an interesting perspective, this can increase your chance of coverage.

Recently, we partnered with our client Attachmate to increase its thought leadership on the hot topic of mobility. Currently, the way people work is dramatically impacted by the availability of mobile technology such as laptops, smartphones and tablets. Today’s workforce wants access to materials anytime, anywhere and this can create a challenge for IT. Attachmate’s Verastream offers a solution.

To help folks understand how Attachmate’s Verastream can help, we reached out to media and offered up Verastream Product Manager, Ron Nunan, to speak about this trend and its implications for IT. With this approach, we were able to secure two bylined articles. We’ve included the links below.

Bylined articles present an excellent opportunity to establish credibility and position you as a thought leader. The majority of bylined articles are vendor neutral, but the articles help to draw attention to the company and its products and solutions.  For Attachmate, it was a great opportunity for Ron Nunan to be a part of the conversation and raise awareness. This is a win-win for media and companies looking for coverage. The outlet gets content and the business gets visibility. For additional information on why contributed content is good for business, read our blog post, “Three Reasons to Contribute Company-Neutral Editorial.”

 

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How Not to Land Your Pitch in a Reporter’s Trash Bin

There’s no question that the PR industry is evolving at a rapid pace. With the social and digital media boom, PR professionals are quickly developing new and innovative ways to engage target audiences, increase brand awareness, and positively influence the bottom line. However, while the industry evolves to incorporate strategies not known 10 years ago such as Facebook contests, Tweetups or video campaigns, a core element to successful PR remains the same — effective media relations.

While there are several tips and tricks available on how to build strong relationships with media, there are less resources around what pitfalls to avoid and common mistakes that will undoubtedly get your pitch or press release tossed in the trash folder. Ragan’s PR Daily recently posted a helpful blog titled, “5 ways to get on a reporter’s blacklist” by Mickie Kennedy, CEO and founder of eReleases and blogs at PR Fuel. While some tips may seem like common knowledge, unfortunately, the mishaps that Kennedy conveys happen all too often, and are good reminders for us all.

Here are his top five snares that will drive reporters crazy.

1. Send them stuff they can’t use.

You have a great, well written pitch. It’s clear, concise and compelling. Unfortunately you send it to a reporter who is no longer covering the topic. Make sure you do your due diligence and research, research, research. No reporter wants to feel like you pulled him or her out of a random search or a blast press list. Do some background research to ensure your pitch is relevant to the recipient.

2. Forget to proofread.

This should be a no brainer. Unfortunately, however, it doesn’t always happen. Make sure you proofread your work before sending it. I often send my pitches to my colleagues for review in order to get a fresh pair of eyes. Even then, I still read and reread before I send. If your materials have errors in them, not only will no one want to print your content, but it genuinely damages your credibility and annoys reporters. You never want to be that PR professional that the media often rant about.

3. Tell a reporter you sent the press release to someone else.

As I mentioned in snare no. 1, no reporter wants to feel like they’re a part of a big blast list. Journalists are less likely to write a story if they know half the world is getting the same scoop. Make sure you customize your outreach. Let a reporter know why your pitch is relevant to their specific publication and coverage area.

4. Ask about the press release.

There’s a fine line between being aggressive and being annoying. Don’t call a reporter to see if he or she got the release five minutes after you sent it. Don’t bug them about sending you the article before it goes to print. Reporters are busy. Eight times out of 10, reporters will get back to you when they have time and will contact you if they need any additional information. If a reporter’s ignoring you, it’s likely because they’re not interested. While some reporter follow up is acceptable, don’t inundate your media targets with constant contact.

5. Write a boring press release.

While some say press releases are a thing of the past, interesting and relevant press releases still have a place in the PR world. What’s important is that the press release has news value. A compelling press release can be an extremely valuable tool for media who are pinched for time and resources. However, if you’re not passionate about the story you’re pitching, then why would a journalist be passionate enough to write? If your press release isn’t communicating anything of significance, then it probably shouldn’t exist.

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How to Delegate Effectively

As a manager, or those seeking to grow into a managerial role, it’s a requirement that you delegate work to a strong team so you can focus on other important aspects of your role or business. It frees up your time, but also allows your team members to feel productive, grow their skills and add value to the organization.

Delegating can be challenging to some, and reminders of best practices are always helpful, so I set off to find tips in delegating effectively.

Here are some of the most helpful pieces of advice I uncovered:

  1. Consistent standards and clear requests. Whether male or not, the Art of Manliness blog post, “Leadership: The Importance of Knowing How to Delegate,” contained great advice. Knowing what you’re asking for ahead of time prevents you from being upset when the delivered project isn’t what you had in mind. But judging the quality of work once received should be consistent as well so your team knows what you expect. When delegating, give the team member all the information that’s needed for the work and be available (within reason) to discuss questions and challenges.

    Image Credit: Duration Driven

  2. Check in. There is a fine line between micromanaging and being supportive. Check in halfway to ensure there aren’t questions, challenges or bottlenecks, but as this article in BusinessWeek notes, trust your employee to figure things out as well. If you don’t find them competent to do the work, or they’ve destroyed your trust to meet deadlines in the past, it might be beneficial to delegate the task to someone else.
  3. Don’t just delegate, explain. There won’t always be time to talk through the reasoning behind a delegated task, but I often find myself more motivated to complete a task when I understand its importance. When giving instruction, be sure to include some of the rationale behind your decision to delegate the work.

I will definitely use these tips as I delegate more tasks and I’m sure I’ll learn a few more along the way. What guidance have you found helpful in delegating work to your team?

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