Back to the Basics: Building Relationships With Media
It’s no secret that social media has drastically changed the PR landscape and how PR professionals engage with media. Twitter, Facebook and other social media services can provide great vehicles for connecting with journalists. However, with the social media trend generating so much online chatter and shifting at a rapid pace, it’s important to not […]
The Spam Stops Here
With the invention of email, reporters got the proverbial short end of the stick. They are targets of many organizations who want to share information that may be of interest to the reporters and their audiences. Unfortunately, this means that reporter inboxes are filled each day with mail that they need to sort through for […]
Subject Lines That Are Sexy
Half of the battle of pitching is getting a reporter to open your email. Now-a-days like many industries reporters are doing more with less. That means less time available, they need the information fast and efficiently. Before coming to Communiqué PR, I was a reporter at a small TV station and managing my inbox was […]
Building Teams Based on Talent, Not Skill
Teamwork. Some people love that word. Others despise it. Regardless, teams are a part of life. As an employee, your individual success will in part depend on your ability to exist as part of a team. As a manager, the success of your department, work group or organization is a function of how well you […]
Five Tips for Asking for Feedback
Part of delivering excellent client service is to solicit feedback. But this can be tricky. How do you set the stage or get busy managers, directors or VPs to take a few minutes to tell you how you’re doing? I have found this five-step process to be very helpful in effectively soliciting specific feedback so […]
Netflix’s Launch of Qwikster: A Good Reminder for Developing Effective Messaging
With the recent headlines around the Netflix/Qwikster PR blunder, we are reminded once again the importance of developing effective messaging when communicating to key influencers – particularly consumers. Whether you are announcing a change in your business model, introducing a new product or an update to an existing service, effective messaging allows organizations to articulate […]
Credit Card Processing Options for Nonprofit Organizations
When Molly McWhinnie and I were speaking last week to the group with the Washington State Community Action Partnership, we were asked for recommendations on credit card processing for those who want enable online donations on their nonprofit organization’s website. Since we have not had much experience with this, we decided to take our question […]
Maintaining Your Social Media Presence During Transitions
By Joni Kirk Social media has exploded over the last several years. Companies are using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube as well as other platforms and tools to connect with customers, employees, stakeholders and the public. With this explosion comes the simultaneous development of best practices for social media. But one aspect of social media […]
Fashion’s Night Out at The Bravern 2011
Once again The Bravern was the place to be to celebrate Fashion’s Night Out (FNO) in the Pacific Northwest. The gorgeous weather and sunset were the perfect backdrop for the event. People mingled outside on the patios enjoying music and drinks as they visited various shops and attended the fashion shows at Neiman Marcus and […]
Leveraging Social Media for Fundraising: Our Presentation to WSCAP
In today’s world, organizations both large and small are all forced to do more with less. However, for nonprofit organizations that are already under constant pressure to run a lean operation, increase efficiencies and keep costs low, the need to raise money is a constant. The agencies that comprise Washington State Community Action Partnership (WSCAP) […]