tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46457283121834619432024-03-13T11:51:59.948-04:00PR Nibletswww.feintuchcommunications.comAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06607548278295967914noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-8488463700148563832021-01-05T09:00:00.001-05:002021-01-05T09:00:05.166-05:002020 Practices That We Should Bring into the Future<p>By Ashley Blas</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8iEunNzh4gM/X_O1RcLUHpI/AAAAAAAANHk/MNLIcD5hNVooEED7sj1rQUVZ6UqqggUfACLcBGAsYHQ/1160%2Bmeme.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="302" height="201" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8iEunNzh4gM/X_O1RcLUHpI/AAAAAAAANHk/MNLIcD5hNVooEED7sj1rQUVZ6UqqggUfACLcBGAsYHQ/1160%2Bmeme.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>On December 31, 2019 at 11:59 p.m., my
friends and I stood in front of Seattle’s Space Needle and started counting
down the seconds leading into the new year. We were all waiting to enjoy the
spectacular fireworks show at midnight but were seriously disappointed when it was
cancelled due to unsafe wind speeds. In retrospect, I think that was the first
bad omen foreseeing the year to come.<p class="MsoNormal">Nobody could have predicted all that happened in 2020. Sometimes
I can't even believe it myself. Luckily for us, the year is has come to a close,
and while there are plenty of things we will be leaving behind in 2020, here
are four things that we should bring forward into 2021 and beyond. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>1. Embracing the virtual work environment</b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LNCtHwDXU_k/X_O0JqBptBI/AAAAAAAANHA/cehCLnGvWsUatNcOoqXSqlygr7-FofE1ACLcBGAsYHQ/Virtual%2BWork%2BEnvironment.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="153" data-original-width="264" height="185" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LNCtHwDXU_k/X_O0JqBptBI/AAAAAAAANHA/cehCLnGvWsUatNcOoqXSqlygr7-FofE1ACLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h185/Virtual%2BWork%2BEnvironment.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Earlier this year, businesses were forced
to quickly adapt to an all-virtual workplace. Many of us were tasked with creating
makeshift offices in our bedrooms, living rooms and even garages. Here I am at
my first job in a public relations firm and I too am working 3,000 miles away –
remotely. But by this time next year, we will all be on our long commutes back
to the physical office…or will we? My hope for 2021 and beyond is that
businesses will be more flexible with allowing their employees to work
virtually or with a hybrid workweek. For many people, including myself, working
virtually has been more beneficial and more productive than working in a
physical office. After this year, businesses will already have the technological
infrastructure to support a virtual workplace and it would be a shame to let
this opportunity go to waste. Allowing workers to choose a virtual or in-office
workplace takes into consideration employees' personal situations, creates more
worker autonomy, encourages a safer work environment and, in turn, produces a
higher level of productivity.<div><b style="text-indent: -24px;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="text-indent: -24px;">2. Thanking essential workers</b><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MVE5SixDIrA/X_O04wageOI/AAAAAAAANHQ/mP7gl52-XWIiIS1DhlbZvu1IzEqhemxwACLcBGAsYHQ/Thank%2BYou%2BEssentail%2BWorkers.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="330" height="141" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MVE5SixDIrA/X_O04wageOI/AAAAAAAANHQ/mP7gl52-XWIiIS1DhlbZvu1IzEqhemxwACLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h141/Thank%2BYou%2BEssentail%2BWorkers.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">From managing crowds of pandemic shoppers
to dealing with people refusing to wear masks, essential workers have risked
their health and the health and safety of their families in order to keep
shelves stocked, people fed and society running. When a COVID-19 vaccine is widely
distributed and we try our best to put this year behind us, we shouldn't forget
everything essential workers have done and will continue to do keep our society
functioning. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="text-indent: -24px;">3. Embracing online interactive campaigns</b><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I6lLpg5ocGE/X_O3QAIrRCI/AAAAAAAANIE/ZvhmwJABxCsJ0CqZI0eZLetaY-qs35BqgCLcBGAsYHQ/AOC%2BPlaying%2BAmong%2BUs.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="522" height="180" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I6lLpg5ocGE/X_O3QAIrRCI/AAAAAAAANIE/ZvhmwJABxCsJ0CqZI0eZLetaY-qs35BqgCLcBGAsYHQ/AOC%2BPlaying%2BAmong%2BUs.png" width="320" /></a></div>Thanks to streaming
platforms like IG Live, Facebook Live and Twitch, businesses are more connected
to consumers than ever before. Online interactive campaigns are an effortless
way for businesses to connect with an audience real-time and encourage two-way
communication while promoting their brand’s products or messaging. For example,
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently held a live Twitch stream while playing the
popular game “Among Us” to encourage more young people to vote. These types of
campaigns were already gaining popularity among public relations and marketing
firms in an effort to attract younger audiences, but soon became the “go-to
solution” once in-person events were cancelled due to COVID-19. In the future,
I hope businesses will continue to use online interactive platforms in their
campaign plans because they not only promote open communication between a brand
and its consumers, but also encourage transparency and accountability within
the company. </div><div><br /></div><div><b style="text-indent: -24px;">4. Higher standard of cleanliness</b><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fVOzEteoKyI/X_O2mdp8DdI/AAAAAAAANH0/esC9scUQAMc4oK75eP47EqSdkz3kJ-XBgCLcBGAsYHQ/Cleanliness.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="247" height="214" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fVOzEteoKyI/X_O2mdp8DdI/AAAAAAAANH0/esC9scUQAMc4oK75eP47EqSdkz3kJ-XBgCLcBGAsYHQ/Cleanliness.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>With plastic shields and hand sanitizer at every cash register
in every store, public health and safety has never been taken more seriously. My
fourth hope for 2021 and beyond the pandemic is that individuals will continue
to wear masks if they are sick or have been exposed to someone who is sick. We've
all gotten that nervous feeling when we hear coughing in the store and that
feeling won't go away just because COVID-19 is gone. We also shouldn’t forget the
flu, for example, that comes and goes every fall and winter. As a society, we
should continue to practice healthy habits that reduce the exposure of sickness
to ourselves and others.</div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class="MsoNormal">2020 will undoubtedly be a long and complex chapter in the
history books. But as the year comes to a close, now is the time to look back
at what we did (or didn't do), how we reacted and how we are going to change
for the better.</p></div></div>Ashley Blashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226606830700699907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-70224540561460814592020-09-21T17:29:00.001-04:002020-09-21T17:29:05.463-04:00Taking the Long View in New Employee Training
<p>Doug Wright</p><p><b><br /></b></p>
<p>Whenever you bring in a bright, recent college grad as an
entry-level employee, you want to make sure you take every opportunity to train
them well so that they can get in the swing of things as soon as possible. By
doing this, you not only efficiently integrate them into your team, but you are
also facilitating the proliferation of your corporate culture. </p>
<div><blockquote dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" dir="rtl" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7JEQYHIUbN0/X2kKA_kMfpI/AAAAAAAACxc/iLEsuyMyjCcdxqkotuAhhvSPHok_2rqjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s249/mentorimage.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7JEQYHIUbN0/X2kKA_kMfpI/AAAAAAAACxc/iLEsuyMyjCcdxqkotuAhhvSPHok_2rqjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s249/mentorimage.JPG" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="179" data-original-width="249" height="144" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7JEQYHIUbN0/X2kKA_kMfpI/AAAAAAAACxc/iLEsuyMyjCcdxqkotuAhhvSPHok_2rqjgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h144/mentorimage.JPG" width="200" /></a>As you work with new
staffers to get their feet wet in day-to-day projects and responsibilities, you
will undoubtedly find that you are reinforcing in your own mind the best
practices and philosophies you’ve learned throughout your career. At a higher
level, you are drawing on your personal benchmarks for what makes a “good” PR
person. This will impact the new hire not just for the time he or she works at
your firm, but throughout their careers. Your onboarding efforts take on a whole new significance when considered this way.</div></div>
<p>Here are some basic points I share with new colleagues as
they begin their development as PR professionals:</p>
<p style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b>Present yourself well:</b> It is important
always to make a good first impression. While you can become friendly with
colleagues and clients over time, don’t forget that you’re on the job. Pay
attention to how you dress. Be on time. Focus on listening and what’s going on
around you. Ask for your next assignment when you find you have free time on
your hands.</p>
<p style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b>Be accountable and transparent:</b>
Communicate with your team. Let them know when things are going well and when
they are not going so well. Let people know if you need help before getting
overwhelmed and missing assignments. If you made a mistake, own up to it.</p>
<p style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b>Look forward, not
back:</b> Relating to the last point, you are bound to make mistakes as you are
learning the job. Do learn from them, but do not dwell on them. It’s simply a
part of your development and most people understand this.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<p style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><b>Seek out and recognize strategic thinking:</b>
In an entry level position, you may not be asked for input on higher level strategy
for your client. However, by keeping your eyes and ears open, you will get an
invaluable education that will position you to take on tasks that give you more
responsibility going forward.<a><br /></a></p><p></p>
<p style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b>Lean into teamwork and helping out</b>: We
all get busy and feel we have too much to do at times. It is still important to
take the time wherever possible to assist co-workers in proofreading a document
or making some extra follow up calls behind a client announcement. Besides
being simply a nice thing to do, the sweat equity you expend will put you in a
position to call in favors when you need them.</p>
<p style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b>Take pride in your work:</b> Whether it’s a
press release, pitch letter or even a quick piece of correspondence, you want
to take a moment to read what you’ve written before passing<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9cEdhSFx4k/X2kWkRIbt5I/AAAAAAAACxs/e0BxrOoWNpYSPoSZuFrub7EdwjpZEgrXgCLcBGAsYHQ/s492/Picture6.png" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a> it on to colleagues
or clients. Don’t just look for typos, but make sure you are saying what you
mean to clearly. Is there anything else that can be added to make the piece
better?</p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hSf5sglfIh4/X2kWzoDCSBI/AAAAAAAACxw/Fi_gXroGDMc8iQlvYp2PwrYVDLuK4jMEQCLcBGAsYHQ/s296/Picture7.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="296" height="149" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hSf5sglfIh4/X2kWzoDCSBI/AAAAAAAACxw/Fi_gXroGDMc8iQlvYp2PwrYVDLuK4jMEQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h149/Picture7.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Of course, it is
rarely one person that is solely responsible for working newcomers into their
agency and the PR field. It takes a village, as they say. However, the support
you offer young PR professionals is invaluable as it will not only benefit them,
but, by extension, the many entry-level practitioners they will need to train
later in their careers. <p></p>
<p></p></span><p></p>Henry Feintuchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17269188327187250083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-21585090906988653942020-08-25T18:10:00.000-04:002020-08-25T18:10:01.969-04:00Shifting Job Expectations in the Midst of a Global Crisis<div class="separator"> Ashley Blas</div><p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">On
March 23, 2020, I got an email from my employer stating that I am being laid
off from my internship, effective immediately. This was the third time in five
years that I had been laid off from a job. Did I see this coming? Yes. Did it
still shock me? Absolutely. I, along with millions of other people in the
United States, had lost my job because of COVID-19.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aNuSEj-3tXM/X0V_vWCW3BI/AAAAAAAACuQ/nfa9ciuW9L8Tr5H7nLKhe0WoBSyhMO8IACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h200/Ashley%2BBlas.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Ashley Blas" width="200" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashley Blas<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">A
month passed and I was chatting with a friend on Facebook Messenger, checking in
with each other while following our respective states' stay-at-home order.
"What have you been doing since quarantine started," she asked. To be
honest, my days consisted of logging into my Zoom classes while lying in bed,
making lunch and playing Animal Crossing while watching TV. “Oh, nothing much,”
I said. “How about you?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>While
I was on a mission to watch every episode of Criminal Minds, my friend, on the
other hand, had become proficient in Adobe Photoshop. As a marketing major, she
told me that her extra time in quarantine was an opportunity to learn a
transferable skill that could give her an advantage in the job market; she was
right. While I knew employers weren't going to ask why I wasn't employed, they would
certainly ask what I had done in lieu of working.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Professional
growth isn’t measured by how quickly you land a job after graduation or how
many certifications you have. Rather, it’s about the ability to lay the
groundwork for your career by staying engaged and continuing to improve personally
and professionally. Instead of putting all my focus into finding a job, here
are four other things I did to grow as a new college graduate.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">#1: Expand connections through online
networking</span></b></p>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g3c6Xo33hBI/X0WG-X96kdI/AAAAAAAACuc/OUVtxxyHK5wl63RYvHpGyiujdK70I3XJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s482/1-Expanding%2BConnections.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="482" height="270" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g3c6Xo33hBI/X0WG-X96kdI/AAAAAAAACuc/OUVtxxyHK5wl63RYvHpGyiujdK70I3XJgCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h270/1-Expanding%2BConnections.png" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"></span></div><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">There's a common saying in the PR
field that it's not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what</i> you know,
but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">who</i> you know. Like many of my
peers, I met most of my professional connections in a face-to-face setting,
either at a networking night, club speaking event or something similar. This
meant that many of my connections were limited to Seattle and the surrounding
area. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>The
forced transition from meeting f</span>ace-to-face to entirely online was frustrating,
even for a tech-savvy young adult like me. However, I found that this shared
frustration combined with excess time saved from not commuting to work helped
me connect with professionals across the country. Even with the uncertainty
that their job may not survive the upcoming months, many of the people I talked
to were supportive of my goals and were willing to give me advice. My goal was
to move to a new city after graduation and connecting with people outside of my
immediate area helped lay the groundwork for job opportunities outside of
Seattle.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">#2: Take advantage of online skill
and career-building programs</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 18.4px;">Man</span>y academic and professional institutions have started to offer a range of free programs and courses through platfor</span><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 18.4px;">ms such as</span><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 18.4px;"> Coursera and edX. LinkedIn Learning offers a wide variety of free and paid courses from</span><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1440" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9KNJ0oyHky0/X0WJxLPqDaI/AAAAAAAACvE/cBD6LBB2MpkDaygFeJsguP0TtW2s361rgCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h200/2-LinkedIn%2BLearning.png" width="320" /><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 18.4px;"> T</span><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 18.4px;">ime Manage</span><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 18.4px;">ment Fundamentals to Figure Drawing: Tonal R</span>endering to Social Media Marketing Foundations.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Personally,
I wanted to find a free program that could help me grow in the field of public
relations. After scrolling through LinkedIn, I came across the PR Council's Agency-Ready Certification,</p>which was designed specifically for college
students and recent college graduates to learn more about the ins and outs of
working in a PR agency environment.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span>Usually
I would say that education doesn’t make up for a lack of experience. While this
certification didn't make up for my lack of agency experience, it shows that I
have taken the initiative to broaden my professional skill set.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">#3: Use the quarantine to learn a new
skill</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_4" o:spid="_x0000_s1027"
type="#_x0000_t75" style='position:absolute;margin-left:193.9pt;margin-top:.3pt;
width:245.1pt;height:138.5pt;z-index:-251658238;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;
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mso-position-horizontal-relative:margin;mso-position-vertical:absolute;
mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;
mso-width-relative:margin;mso-height-relative:margin'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/HenryFeintuch/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image005.jpg"
o:title="" croptop="1f" cropbottom="-3184f" cropleft="545f" cropright="5835f"/>
<w:wrap type="tight" anchorx="margin"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-okf7-zcTL6g/X0WKjIT2UII/AAAAAAAACvQ/euhSnzh3jzACiJsbhF5uc8pgqhk8tBkFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2220/3-Rosetta%2BStone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="2220" height="156" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-okf7-zcTL6g/X0WKjIT2UII/AAAAAAAACvQ/euhSnzh3jzACiJsbhF5uc8pgqhk8tBkFgCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h156/3-Rosetta%2BStone.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">Whether transferable or not, learning
a new skill shows employers that you are taking advantage of an opportunity to
grow personally and/or professionally. I had studied Japanese for a year during
college but forgot mo</span>st of it by the time summer was over. I had been meaning
to practice, but it was always put on the backburner. Since then, the extra
amount of free time that I had during my day was the perfect opportunity to
practice Japanese, even if it was for 30 minutes every day. While I am in no
position to translate or use it in a professional setting, the small victories
of being able to understand what a passerby is saying tells me that I'm making
progress.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">#4: Set small goals to stay
motivated, on task and at least a little organized</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_5" o:spid="_x0000_s1026"
type="#_x0000_t75" style='position:absolute;margin-left:3.2pt;margin-top:.4pt;
width:231pt;height:144.35pt;z-index:-251658237;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;
mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;
mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;
mso-position-horizontal-relative:margin;mso-position-vertical:absolute;
mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;
mso-width-relative:margin;mso-height-relative:margin'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/HenryFeintuch/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image007.png"
o:title=""/>
<w:wrap type="tight" anchorx="margin"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1440" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LrFBAmQorDE/X0WHCLHGoBI/AAAAAAAACuo/iVrghT_dNkMFyJRwKaGWJdnch9zn1chwgCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h200/4-Job%2BApp%2BSpreadsheet.png" width="320" />While I worked on long-term career
goals, I never stopped applying for jobs. Every day, I set a goal to apply to
at least five entry-level positions in public relations or a similar field. By
the time I graduated, I had an Excel sheet with a list of over 100 completed
job applications. Unfortunately, I was usually met with the generic "Thank
you for your interest. Unfortunately, we are not hiring at this point because
of COVID-19 but will keep your resume on file for future opportunities,"
reply email. However, I would rather get a rejection than to wonder if I had
missed the perfect job opportunity. I also set a goal to only have one snack
between lunch and dinner. Sometimes it’s the small wins that keep you going.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>I
recognize that my ability to utilize my time in quarantine is a privilege
compared to others who may be dealing with financial issues, taking care of
their family or just don’t have the time or capacity to be working on other
projects. Nobody could have predicted the experience that we are all going
through. This is an unprecedented time for all of us, and we all deserve a
little slack for just making it day-by-day.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>For
many of us, this is not how we wanted to be starting our careers. My
experiences throughout the last few months have shifted my expectations and
helped me realize that the journey towards my dream job was never a single
road, but rather a series of paths leading to the same destination.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>With
a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work, I recently accepted a position
with Feintuch Communications, a strategic relations firm based in New York City.
Even in the midst of a global pandemic, I’m thankful that I’ve been given the
opportunity to utilize the skills I’ve gained in a more professional setting.</span></p>Henry Feintuchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17269188327187250083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-6414090055697115812020-03-31T17:37:00.000-04:002020-03-31T17:37:44.530-04:00The Right Communication in a Time of COVID-19<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 106%;"><a href="https://voxia.ch/en/">Voxia Communication</a>, a Switzerland-based firm and our partner in the PR World Alliance, offers practical wisdom for companies and individuals to heed as the world navigates the coronavirus pandemic. <a href="https://voxia.ch/bien-communiquer-au-temps-du-covid-19/">Originally posted in French</a> on its website on March 24. See below for some actionable advice, as well as a reminder that the pandemic will<i> </i>end.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 106%; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Covid-19 - comment bien communiquer?" height="180" src="https://i1.wp.com/voxia.ch/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/fusion-medical-animation-EAgGqOiDDMg-unsplash.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1" width="320" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 106%;">By </span></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Guillaume Coet, PR consultant Geneva, and </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Laurent Ashenden, founding partner </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">The COVID-19 or coronavirus pandemic has an impact on all aspects of
private and societal life. This event for which no one was really prepared illustrates the famous "black swan theory," well known to financiers. We look
back at the essential measures in times of crisis, the lessons that can be
learned from them and propose a critical outline of some actions already taken.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">Offer a rapid and coordinated response<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">Ideally, your company should list and anticipate all the crisis
scenarios it could face. This preparation includes a prior distribution of
responsibilities, the development of key messages internally and externally,
and the drafting of documents that can be easily adapted to each situation. All
these arrangements will allow you to offer a rapid and coordinated response
from the very beginning of the crisis that affects you.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">In the case of COVID-19, communication is key. There are several main
objectives. First, it is a matter of informing the public and fighting against
misinformation, particularly by basing your response on the recommendations of
experts in the medical field. Whether internally or externally, transmit the
measures to be respected in order to curb the pandemic: frequent hand washing, social
distancing or the implementation of teleworking when possible.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">Secondly, reassure your employees, partners and customers in a time of sanitary
and economic uncertainty. Keep in mind the human drama that is currently happening
by conveying benevolent messages and showing understanding towards the various
stakeholders. Nevertheless, remain transparent, as any deliberate omissions on
your part can cause the crisis to worsen.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">Ensure continuity<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">Beyond the tone to be set for your messages, it is essential to ensure
the continuity of your activities throughout the crisis. Information must be
kept up to date in order to deploy relevant communications across all channels.
Community engagement is also of critical importance: it will allow you to
obtain essential feedback to address the crisis as effectively as possible and
strengthen unity within your structure. It will always be easier to convince
employees who feel listened to and understood, even when difficult measures
need to be taken.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;">Every crisis is also synonymous with opportunities. Several companies
have been able to play their cards right by offering their support in the fight
against the pandemic: </span><span lang="FR"><a href="https://www.imd.org/news/updates/Firmenich-turns-hand-to-sanitizer-to-support-Geneva-healthcare/"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">perfumer Firmenich promised 20 tons of hydroalcoholic
solutions to the HUG (Geneva University Hospitals)</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 150%;">, while </span><span lang="FR"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-24/companies-revamp-to-make-hand-sanitizer-and-coronavirus-products?srnd=businessweek-v2"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Pernod Ricard donated 70,000 liters of alcohol to make
hand sanitizer</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 150%;">. Several luxury groups such as
LVMH, Coty, Moncler, Prada, Armani and Versace are also making their financial
and logistical resources available to participate in the "war effort"
against the virus. While these actions undoubtedly have positive effects on the
image of these companies, they can also be perceived as a form of
reputation-washing or a diversion of philanthropy for mercantile purposes. It
is therefore very important to anticipate all the repercussions, both positive
and negative, that may result from each action. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;">On a more local scale, the initiative of </span><span lang="FR"><a href="https://www.lematin.ch/suisse/offre-500-pizzas-soignants-chuv/story/17941268"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">a pizzaiolo who delivered 500 pizzas to the CHUV
caretakers</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 150%;"> demonstrates that even a small
company with few resources can take symbolic actions in times of crisis. (<b>Update
03.26.2020:</b> due to health and safety concerns, the delivery finally had to
be cancelled. Nevertheless, the importance of the message remains.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;">Poor communication management can, on the other hand, create irreparable
damage to your image even in the long term. It is therefore necessary to be
wary of hasty announcements and to always explain the reasons behind your
choices. While </span><span lang="FR"><a href="https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/santander-pledges-no-temporary-layoffs-in-spain-during-outbreak-1.1410925"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">the Spanish bank Santander has pledged to avoid any
layoffs or reduction</span></a></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> of working time</span></span><span style="line-height: 150%;">, </span><span lang="FR"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-19/virgin-atlantic-staff-back-unpaid-leave-in-bid-to-save-carrier"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Virgin Atlantic has announced that it will put 8,500
employees on unpaid leave for at least 8 weeks</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 150%;">. The measure may be unavoidable for the company to survive, but it
remains draconian and requires particularly thoughtful communication.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">Political communication also provides an opportunity to learn lessons
from the COVID-19 crisis. The drastic changes of course by political leaders
create a climate of uncertainty and reinforce the mistrust of the population.
The initial positions taken by Donald Trump or Boris Johnson, which minimized
the impact of the virus, are likely to be detrimental in the long term and may
be at the origin of a preventable mortality wave. These examples highlight the
importance of maintaining a clear and consistent line of communication. Policy
changes can of course occur, but sudden reversals must be avoided at all costs.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">Anticipate the return to normal life<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">All crises come to an end, and although uncertainties remain about the
course of the pandemic, the coronavirus will be no exception. It is therefore
necessary to plan follow-up campaigns and a proactive communication plan. The
economic impact that accompanies the health shock will create demand from
companies that will have to adapt to the situation and resume their activities
under the best possible conditions. Communication is a privileged area to improve
this economic recovery.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">The crisis will also create new trends. While some sectors are suffering
heavily, others are experiencing exponential growth with demand for online
entertainment and home delivery services constantly increasing. There are
opportunities to be seized in these areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">Models that were introduced during the crisis will also be gradually
integrated into everyday life. One example is teleworking, which has become an
obligation today, but which will also be better accepted in the working world
of tomorrow.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-49307861144770512672020-03-11T15:39:00.001-04:002020-03-11T15:39:48.485-04:00Communicating in a Time of Coronavirus<div>
<a href="http://www.denterlein.com/" target="_blank">Denterlein</a>, a Boston-based communications firm and our partner in the PR World Alliance, has outlined some precautions that communications professionals can take in light of the current Coronavirus pandemic. They posted their <a href="http://www.denterlein.com/blog/communicating-in-a-time-of-coronavirus">first set of guidelines</a> on March 2, and on March 9 followed up with a Part 2. So while you're here, take a quick break to Purell your hands, read their insightful posts, and then Purell again.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<img alt="Communicating in a time of Coronavirus (Covid-19): Part 2" height="196" src="https://www.denterlein.com/hubfs/outbreak-coronavirus-world.png" width="400" /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>By Denterlein Team</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
As the facts and situation around Covid-19 (Coronavirus) continue to evolve, with the number of new cases growing daily, most of our clients have already communicated at least once to employees, customers and partners. However, communications needs are ongoing and diverse.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
Some additional thoughts to build on our <a href="http://www.denterlein.com/blog/communicating-in-a-time-of-coronavirus" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #f47321; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: none;">previous post</a> (also full of useful tips) on the topic of communicating in a time of Coronavirus:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Update policies regularly and communicate accordingly</strong>. As new facts become available, companies are considering a broader array of policy changes designed to keep employees and customers healthy, as well as limit business interruption risk. These policies (and your process for making them) should be communicated in a consistent, timely manner. Some areas where we have seen clients provide updates:</div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 18px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Modifications to travel policies</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Changes to meeting and events policies; this includes policies for ordering and sharing food</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Information about how you will manage upcoming major events (for example, letting event attendees know that if cancellation happens or a switch to a webinar format occurs, you will communicate it 48-hours in advance and provide refunds)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Updates to sick leave policy (Trader Joe’s, for example, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trader-joes-employees-additional-paid-sick-time-coronavirus-2020-3" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #f47321; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: none;">recently extended sick leave benefits</a> to all associates)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Updates to policies around who should work from home; we are increasingly seeing that not only are companies asking sick employees to stay at home, they are requesting that asymptomatic individuals who may have had contact with a presumptive case (one where initial test results are positive, awaiting confirmation by the CDC) of Covid-19 stay home</li>
</ul>
<strong style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Be consistent in information sharing</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: "raleway" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">: Whenever possible, information should be shared from a single source and be consistent, in both content and tone. Keep a log of the questions you are getting asked, develop a single company response and share it in a place where all manager, customer-facing employees or others likely to get that question can access it. Update answers regularly (and date/time stamp them) so that information is timely, consistent and, most importantly, accurate when shared.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></strong>
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Remind people what you <u style="box-sizing: border-box;">can’t</u> talk about</strong>: Sharing private health information or information about the travel patterns of your employees violates a number of federal regulations (and likely your internal privacy policies). You can let employees know if they may have been exposed in some way to a presumptive case of Covid-19 and provide context around that case without sharing personal health information of an employee. And be sure that both your internal and external audiences know that all official information about the virus and its spread is coming from the Department of Public Health (or other relevant agency).</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Plan for media attention</strong>: If you are a consumer facing company and an experience an interruption to your business because of sick employees or a need to sanitize a facility due to potential exposure, you will receive media interest. If you are an event company and media believe you may be seeing a drop off in business, you will receive media interest. If you are an essential retail provider (think grocer, pharmacy, gas station), that must take remain operating even if as Coronavirus becomes more widespread, you will receive media interest.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
Consider how you will:</div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 18px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Communicate with the media (statement, spokesperson or defer to public health officials)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">What you will say directly to your employees and customers (particularly if there is confusion based on media reports)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">How you will provide updates when media interest has passed, but your situation has changed</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Whether and when you will use your social channels to share information directly to consumers if there is media misinformation</li>
</ul>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Share information about your contingency planning</strong>. Though many companies typically plan for crisis behind closed doors, Covid-19 is the topic on everyone’s mind. While you need not share all of the details of your planning process and possible steps, it will help employees and customers/business partners to know that you are:</div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 18px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Carefully monitoring CDC, state Department of Public Health, WHO and other trusted sources for information</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Consulting with your own experts if necessary</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Assuring that IT systems and other technologies are in place to support a robust process of tele-meeting with clients, working from home and continuing operations</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Considering alternative business models to allow work to continue uninterrupted while maintaining the health of your team members</li>
</ul>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Make sure employees feel confident making personal health decisions</strong>: While most reports indicate that Covid-19 does not create a major risk for healthy individuals, you are likely not aware of all of the details of a colleague’s health risks or personal life. Perhaps a colleague has an immune-disorder they have not disclosed, shares a home with an elderly relative or is the sole caretaker for an individual at risk. Let employees know that regardless of corporate policies around meetings, travel or sick time, you want them to raise any concerns they have and can work through them on an one-on-one basis.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Create communications channels</strong>: This piece of advice from our first post bears repeating. As evidenced around the world, this is a fast-moving situation and changes in information can happen in a matter of hours. Establish communications channels for all of your important audiences, make sure those audiences know that these are the preferred methods for sharing information and keep them up to date. We like having separate channels for employee and customer information, since their needs and concerns are likely to be different. We’re also encouraging clients to monitor social media channels even more closely than normal to assure that rumor doesn’t take over and that facts remain primary.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
Finally, be aware that this is not only the biggest news story in the world, it is likely a source of serious and legitimate concern among the audiences most important to your organization. Be relentless in your focus on communicating in a way that is both factual and compassionate.</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-59437856780188844742019-12-16T10:00:00.000-05:002019-12-16T11:03:27.807-05:00The Strategic Intersection of Business, PR and Marketing<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<i><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">By Henry Feintuch</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<i><br /></i>
<i>Click <a href="https://omny.fm/shows/food-for-thought-lunch-break-with-steve-bookbinde/talking-about-the-strategic-intersection-of-busine">here</a>
to listen to Henry’s appearance on </i><span style="background-color: white;">Food for Thought: Lunchbreak with Steve Bookbinder</span><i>.</i><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4645728312183461943" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4645728312183461943" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4645728312183461943" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4645728312183461943" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C7YhxsFVu7U/XfK46Yo7c6I/AAAAAAAACag/HdgFSuDJneIjvUaMFT7iJSaGQZDyezZDACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Food%2Bfor%2BThought.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="199" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C7YhxsFVu7U/XfK46Yo7c6I/AAAAAAAACag/HdgFSuDJneIjvUaMFT7iJSaGQZDyezZDACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Food%2Bfor%2BThought.png" /></a>A few months ago, my
phone rang. On the other end was <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stbookbinder/">Steve Bookbinder</a>, a
long-time business friend and CEO/lead trainer at DM Training, a professional
sales training and coaching business. Steve had recently started a podcast
series, <a href="https://omny.fm/shows/food-for-thought-lunch-break-with-steve-bookbinde">Food
for Thought: Lunchbreak with Steve Bookbinder</a>, as a vehicle to share his
expertise and attract prospective clients. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Now, Steve is a
salesman’s salesman. As a former actor, salesperson, entrepreneur, business
owner and more, Steve has an uncanny ability to be able to sell any product,
service or concept. And I mean that in the most flattering sense – he’s that
good. Companies from around the world pay top dollar to fly Steve to meet with
their sales teams to teach, motivate and expand their ability to grow and sell
better in order to achieve their boldest sales objectives.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4645728312183461943" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4645728312183461943" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BDo9HDp2w5I/XfK4_njAmTI/AAAAAAAACak/jt5c__be5eAeuC6WLnK2yP_BGKnO6mKTQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Steve%2BBookbinder.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="247" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BDo9HDp2w5I/XfK4_njAmTI/AAAAAAAACak/jt5c__be5eAeuC6WLnK2yP_BGKnO6mKTQCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/Steve%2BBookbinder.png" width="163" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But back to the call. Steve was looking to broaden his
podcast’s content by bringing in external subject matter experts. He wanted to
know if PR had a direct impact on the sales process and – if so – could I join
him for an episode to provide practical and actionable information for his listeners?
I had no choice but to accept.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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You see, his request hit me dead-on in my philosophical
viewpoint regarding strategic public relations. Nearly every time I meet with a
prospective client, after they express their want/desire/need for PR support, I
ask, “why are you here?” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Now that’s not a glib question. I’m an entrepreneur and
business owner, and my company’s income fluctuates based on the number and size
of the PR programs I sell. But, as an ethical PR practitioner who really cares
about his career and industry’s reputation, I always want to understand the motivation
behind the need for PR – not just the perceived need. After all, how can my
team design an actionable campaign to achieve each company’s business
objectives unless we comprehend each organization’s needs and business
challenges?<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Is the prospective client losing business (or
not growing as much) as a competitor?</span></li>
<li>Are there misperceptions about the company in
the market?</li>
<li>Is there a business challenge in building
distribution?</li>
<li>Are competitors quoted more frequently and
prominently in the media?</li>
<li>Is there a long-term M&A or IPO strategy in
the works and can PR help familiarize the market with a company?</li>
</ul>
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…. Or any one of a hundred different underlying business
reasons motivating the need for PR. <o:p></o:p></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oc0WCYXsSPI/XfK5CQi7v-I/AAAAAAAACao/rasexYGuv3gEFVbMX9Iu9gO2zPC8Skx8gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/What%2Bwe%2Bdo%2Bchart.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="825" height="190" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oc0WCYXsSPI/XfK5CQi7v-I/AAAAAAAACao/rasexYGuv3gEFVbMX9Iu9gO2zPC8Skx8gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/What%2Bwe%2Bdo%2Bchart.png" width="320" /></a>PR is far more than
generating press releases and publicity; it’s about helping companies to build
their thought leadership, generate more sales leads, improve their reputation,
find more and better distribution channels, influence the thinking of their
target audiences and more.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, I recorded that podcast episode with Steve. The
15-minute segment turned into 34 minutes of airtime. I suspect I could have
gone on all afternoon if Steve didn’t put an end to our “shop talk” segment. And
you can listen to the episode <a href="https://omny.fm/shows/food-for-thought-lunch-break-with-steve-bookbinde/talking-about-the-strategic-intersection-of-busine">here</a>
– perhaps during your lunch break. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Stop me sometime, whether you have 34 minutes or a couple of
hours, to discuss strategic PR. It’s a critical part of this industry I love.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Henry Feintuchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17269188327187250083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-68180596145143010392019-12-02T10:31:00.000-05:002019-12-03T08:46:29.719-05:00Developing Creative Social Media Content for “News Challenged” Organizations<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><i>By Doug Wright, Senior Account Director</i></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BtyXmn2BmCU/XeUnhB8iFxI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/5TlgwjFLe48cZmkGlj5ck83snG-gx4E8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/social%2Bmedia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BtyXmn2BmCU/XeUnhB8iFxI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/5TlgwjFLe48cZmkGlj5ck83snG-gx4E8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s200/social%2Bmedia.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Social media has come into its own as a widely accepted and
sought-after PR tool. It’s hard to imagine that any business today that would go
without LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook as a baseline for promoting themselves
and their products and services.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Once you set up your social media platforms of choice, what
are you going to say? This may seem particularly challenging for organizations that
offer highly technical or niche products or services. So, what do you post when
your company hasn’t generated much news recently? </span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">With a little creativity, you’ll find there are many opportunities
to take the conversation in relevant directions that will connect with your
audiences. Here are several opportunities to widen your perspective to new
ideas that will keep your company’s or client’s social media content fresh and
interesting</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px 48px; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
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<br /></div>
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<div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1350" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MlE0s-j6MZ0/XeUnrAa2RwI/AAAAAAAAA-o/OSUc1NBCc5YuEtZMpoxoL8Xv0WkRV9-CACPcBGAYYCw/s200/event.jpg" width="200" /></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.33px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span>1)</span></span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.33px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: xx-small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.33px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Promote
or look back on event</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.33px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> Is your company sponsoring or attending
any upcoming events, such as training sessions, presentations, company off-sites
or simply visiting customers? Social media provides a great way to drive
traffic to these events. Posting about events after they happen, preferably
with photos, also makes for engaging content.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.33px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1350" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qtc10sMswiU/XeUn2611K3I/AAAAAAAAA-s/zxq_Sbs0NRARRa1nzIEftrrIGLxcZFA5QCPcBGAYYCw/s200/lecture.jpg" width="200" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">2<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">)</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span><b>Share
executive expertise</b></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px 48px; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"> Who at your company is an industry expert?
Have they been recognized by a professional organization? Or have they written
an article or report that would be of interest to the company’s followers? Even
a simple shout-out to an employee who has accomplished something helps put a human
face on your organization. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px 48px; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px 48px; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">3<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><b>Leverage
case histories</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px 48px; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"> H</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">ere’s the opportunity to share a third-party
endorsement of your company’s products or services. Where has your product or
service been used to solve a problem in the markets you serve? Posting the
story of how your offerings improved performance, efficiency and productivity can
forge a powerful sales message.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">
</span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">
</span>
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</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px 48px; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
4<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Post industry-relevant
media coverage</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px 48px; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"> Obviously, positive news stories about your
organization and company should be a mainstay of your social media messaging. But
as contributors and consumers of media, you should also post stories that are
relevant to your industry and product areas. Be sure to vet these stories
carefully as you do not want to introduce any unnecessary controversy or share
news that promotes a competitor. Reporters also appreciate when you showcase
their work and may tend to watch your feed for story ideas. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">5) </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><b>Celebrate special occasions</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"> Is there an upcoming national holiday or a
certain awareness day, week or month that is relevant to your market? Holidays
and national celebrations provide excellent opportunities to wish your
followers well and show a little more personality, perhaps with a GIF or photo.</span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike> </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g-T_5Yn7o1A/XeUpskoQADI/AAAAAAAAA_M/aJfs_GlV5E01uIKOuy-8G4eCdQ0wUm8pwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/silly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="131" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g-T_5Yn7o1A/XeUpskoQADI/AAAAAAAAA_M/aJfs_GlV5E01uIKOuy-8G4eCdQ0wUm8pwCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/silly.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"> 6<span style="margin: 0px;">)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span><b>Get a
little silly</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"> While giving your company a means to wisecrack
may not be the reason you set up your corporate social media platforms,
everyone can appreciate a good joke or meme—particularly if it is good natured
and positive. You’ll get extra points for keeping the gags relevant to your industry,
products and services. Steer away from controversial subject matter, such as
religion, politics, inappropriate language and themes. </span></span><br />
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7<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Contribute
to conversation</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">All too often social media platform
administrators are focused on posting their own content, but not reacting to
their followers’ content. Social media is a conversation rather than a soap box
for broadcasting your company’s messages. By liking, sharing or commenting on
others’ posts, you are engaging with others. Also, by doing this you will
undoubtedly find additional topics that are of interest to your audiences in
real time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">As you hone your profiles and posts, a distinct voice will
develop that your followers will be able to identify – smart, arrogant, funny,
mean, happy or cynical. These tips will help you veer away from coming off as dull,
repetitive and insular. Making your company’s platforms varied, interesting and
attractive to your key audiences is well worth the effort and will help to keep
your audiences engaged with your company brand for the long term.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-64159137227805057862019-11-11T11:00:00.000-05:002019-11-13T09:40:51.884-05:00Workplace Gender Equality Has Come A Long Way, But Still Has Work to Do<span style="color: #004000;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>by Elana Spivack, Assistant Account Executive</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What does a story about a woman in Harvard’s physics
department have to do with public relations?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A lot, it turns out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Right now, more women can work – and are working – than ever
before. Public relations happens to be a <a href="https://www.prnewsonline.com/women-Top+Women+in+PR-leadership"><span style="color: #0563c1;">women-dominated</span></a>
field, one in which women occupy positions at all levels and run entire agencies. However, an <a href="https://instituteforpr.org/mind-the-gap-womens-leadership-in-public-relations/"><span style="color: #0563c1;">estimated
80%</span></a> of C-level executives in the industry are men. Many people who work in
PR are women, but most leaders are men, meaning women perform a great deal of
work and might go unrecognized.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here’s where that story comes in. In 1962, Miriam Rykles was
hired to work in Harvard’s physics department as an administrative assistant.
But, the duties she performed far exceeded her job description, and she often
did her male bosses’ work.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While there are far more women in the work place than there
were in 1962, and they possess far more power, gender inequality remains an issue. Much like how Miriam and her
fellow assistants did hard work without thanks in a man’s world, women
outnumber men but more men still sit at the top.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">[This story was <a href="https://jwa.org/blog/knocking-harvards-glass-ceiling">originally published</a> on the
Jewish Women’s Archive Blog on October 17, 2019]</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vr9C3MCM3RM/XcXmkOsFG0I/AAAAAAAAA8g/3__Y6hBmR9oYfoi9G_a2YYt1cY8yhYFJwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/mrykles_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vr9C3MCM3RM/XcXmkOsFG0I/AAAAAAAAA8g/3__Y6hBmR9oYfoi9G_a2YYt1cY8yhYFJwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/mrykles_0.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Miriam Rykles at the Harvard lab, 1967.</div>
<div>
Photo courtesy Miriam Rykles.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“I’ll be frank with you: Harvard is a man’s institution. Women don’t get anywhere. But, [they] run the university.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">T<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">his was the answer Miriam Rykles, now 94, received when she applied to work in Harvard University’s physics department in 1962. In the more than 30 years that followed, Rykles would work with Nobel Prize-winning physicists, help manage the lab’s <a href="https://physicstoday.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1063/1.3058208?journalCode=pto" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007cbf; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Cambridge Electron Accelerator</a>, and witness one of the first US-Russia relationships during the Cold War, all under the modest title of Administrative Assistant.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This story may sound familiar because it’s also the story of many other women who sought careers in the mid-twentieth century and were met with skepticism. While working conditions for women in America have improved significantly, it’s crucial to acknowledge that for decades, women have been performing the grunt work—and more—to help run institutions like Harvard.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rykles doesn’t have more than a high school background in physics. In fact, her story begins a long way from Harvard. Originally from Wilno, Poland (present day Vilnius, Lithuania), Rykles was only sixteen when she was forced into the city’s ghetto in 1941. After the ghetto’s liquidation two years later, Rykles was sent to labor camps until Europe’s liberation in 1945 after the Nazis surrendered. This story, unfortunately, also resonates with many people. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After the war, she made her way to Warsaw. Competent in Yiddish, Polish, English, German, and Russian, she found work there as a translator. That same year, a French cousin persuaded her to move to Paris. In the early 1950s, more relatives found Rykles through the Red Cross and invited her to live with them in America. In October 1952, at age 27, Rykles arrived in Massachusetts. She initially found work with an insurance company, but found it dull. Unwilling to settle for any old American job, she went to Harvard in search of more interesting work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“At that time, women were looking for something interesting to do,” Rykles says. “For a woman to apply for an office job, it meant being a clerical worker, a secretary. You were answering the phone, typing, taking shorthand.” However, the duties a secretary performed often went beyond this job description. Rykles and her female colleagues were on the lowest rung, but performed work at levels comparable to their male superiors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“I spent time talking to the other secretaries who were taking dictation, answering the phone, but at the same time, they were answering very important questions for their bosses,” Rykles says. She describes the “impossible task” of trying to show the other women that they were as capable and intelligent as the other men in the office. “I would talk to a secretary who was running the office and really answering questions of policy and all kinds of things. I would sit there and watch her work and catch her each time she’d say something about policy. I’d say, ‘Look, Carol, this is not secretarial work. This is your boss’s work. You just told him the policy.’ And she just couldn’t get it.”</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xcHD2snbWIA/XcXm8w09v6I/AAAAAAAAA8o/LHFMv-pIDFkZQ8bpL5gKs9NYF4CxQv19ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/mrykles3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xcHD2snbWIA/XcXm8w09v6I/AAAAAAAAA8o/LHFMv-pIDFkZQ8bpL5gKs9NYF4CxQv19ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/mrykles3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Miriam Rykles, front and seated, in her office, 1968.</div>
<div>
Photo courtesy Miriam Rykles.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 25.76px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rykles describes women at Harvard as “shadows”—they were nearly invisible, but moved in lockstep with their male bosses, sometimes doing their work for them. Her boss, leading high-energy physicist <a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2001/03/harvard-gazette-karl-strauch/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007cbf; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Karl Strauch</a>, noticed her curiosity and nurtured it. He trusted her with more responsibilities. In addition to teaching two classes at Harvard, Strauch was involved in cultivating America’s scientific relationship with Europe. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“He had an office in Switzerland where he had an experiment going,” Rykles says. “There was always a relationship between <a href="https://home.cern/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007cbf; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">CERN</a> (European Council for Nuclear Research) and Harvard…He had certain committees on that.” Some of Rykles’s work included preparing materials and changing contracts for such committees.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As Strauch was so involved with CERN, he was close to physicists from the USSR. Consequently, Rykles had access to all phases of the fledgling relationship between the US and the USSR, held together by the tenuous connection of physics. According to<a href="https://lss.fnal.gov/archive/1990/pub/fermilab-pub-90-351.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007cbf; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank"> a 1990 paper</a> by Roy Rubinstein, former director of particle physics and accelerator laboratory <a href="http://www.fnal.gov/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007cbf; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Fermilab</a>, the two nations began collaborating on high-energy physics in 1966. Rykles helped to organize the 6<sup style="line-height: 9.2px;">th</sup> International High-Energy Accelerators Conference in Cambridge in 1967. She had access to one of the first amicable connections between these sparring nations.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rykles’s language skills, which initially won her a translation job in Warsaw after the war, proved critical at Harvard. She used Russian for translating letters between the department director and Soviet physicists. Eventually, in the 80s, a personal telegraph was installed in her office so she could communicate directly with the <a href="http://www.ras.ru/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007cbf; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Russian Academy of Sciences</a>. Her Russian was so good that when one of the department’s physicists began learning the language, she jokingly told him, “You will never catch up with me!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although Rykles and the other women working in the physics department were performing duties outside their job descriptions, they didn’t receive commensurate compensation. So, why did she stay?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“I liked the work,” she says. “I had access to everything.” Between her curiosity and Strauch’s support, she had the freedom to do what she wanted. She realized just how much power she wielded, all things considered, and how much knowledge her curiosity afforded her. “I...learned things that no women would probably dare learn; women were really supposed to ‘not know’ and so they didn’t.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rykles’s influence was subtle but effective. Her efforts may have gone undetected, but they were of consequence. Her curiosity compelled her to pore over the documents in her possession, and often keep things because she found them interesting. At one point, this tendency led her to make a crucial discovery.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Experimental physicists are known for not keeping their papers. When it’s done and served the purpose, they throw the papers out,” Rykles says. “I did not.” She describes one experiment done at Cornell University that included participants from Harvard. One of the participating scientists wrote a “tongue-in-cheek” paper on the experiment, ridiculing its proposal. “I read it and it was fascinating,” Rykles says. Even though she was instructed to throw out these papers, she kept them because they were “too interesting to throw out.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Twenty-five years later, Rykles learned that Nobel Prize-winning physicist <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1979/glashow/biographical/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007cbf; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Sheldon Glashow</a> was trying to commercially develop a particular experiment. He found investors and was going full force. Rykles got ahold of his project description and noticed it looked familiar. She went to her files and found that wry paper from years ago, and realized it was the same experiment that Glashow was developing. “Officially, he would have to invite the former director of that project into his cooperation,” Rykles says. After Rykles made this catch, Glashow appointed the former director of the experiment as a corporate member. However, the one who originally wrote that wry paper “knew all along that it wouldn’t work.” And it didn’t.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rykles worked as an administrative assistant for 30 years, and continued working freelance after her retirement in 1991 to assist Strauch, who had Parkinson’s. While her path is unique, her story as a curious, tenacious woman at Harvard is part of a larger, shared history of accomplished but unrecognized women. There are certainly many others like Rykles: women and other marginalized people who worked (and still work) as administrative assistants, but performed higher level jobs without recognition. Men’s successes are built on the backs of these people, and while, yes, men did make strides in research, physics, and beyond, they didn’t complete this work unaided. One doesn’t have to look too closely to see an army of women pushing progress forward.</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-36200689586804729732019-04-08T21:25:00.000-04:002019-04-08T21:25:38.520-04:00How to Make It in America by Patryk Slodzinski, NBS Communications<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Patryk, an account executive at NBS
Communications, in Warsaw, Poland, and a member of the first class of the
participants in the PRWA Exchange programme, shares his thoughts on the
programme and the time he spent at Feintuch Communications in New York City and
Stanton Communications in Washington D.C. at the beginning of this year.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">When I
first learned about the PR World Alliance’s exchange programme I was instantly
sold on the idea. Despite a pretty fair deal of time spent living abroad, I had
pretty limited experience of exchanges, Erasmus student exchange being the most
notable I ever participated probably, but I’ve always found such opportunities
alluring. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">At NBS, I am
usually involved in projects with a strong Public Affairs component, and
although I am very much engaged in those issues and find that part of the job
really interesting, I was curious about broader PR practices. NBS is pretty
open organization and I am often asking around to learn more about what else we
are doing, however our strong IR pedigree makes it a specific place, not an
archetype of the industry at large. I realized that the exchange could serve as
a good occasion to look beyond all that limitations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R2bIyLA7OeY/XKvzUwygf8I/AAAAAAAACHw/ZceOTEF81zAlAakNbENLr5vBDTKumDTOwCLcBGAs/s1600/Patryk%2Band%2BHenry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R2bIyLA7OeY/XKvzUwygf8I/AAAAAAAACHw/ZceOTEF81zAlAakNbENLr5vBDTKumDTOwCLcBGAs/s200/Patryk%2Band%2BHenry.jpg" width="150" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I submitted
the eleventh-hour application and the next thing I knew I was crossing the
Atlantic. I’ve picked the United States as I imagined that there couldn’t be a
public relations market, in the PRWA network, more different to Polish one than
the American. The public relations industry did not develop in Poland until the
early nineties, with NBS dating back to 1990 considered as one of the founding
fathers of the industry, whereas modern PR in the US has been present since the
beginning of the century.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As for many
before me, my first step on the American soil was New York City, where Henry
Feintuch hosted me for a week at Feintuch Communications. Henry set me up at
hip place at heart of Williamsburg so every day I had a proper NY millennial
experience with a morning commute to Manhattan and constant nagging at the
L-train delays, topped with a great deal of after-hours fun in ever-changing
Brooklyn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Work-wise,
I’ve came just after the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, an important
event for technology-oriented Feintuch Communications. The aftermath turned out
to be “an extremely quiet period”, per Henry’s estimation. However, that
allowed me to have more time to talk and discuss with Henry and his team. We
often exchanged information and opinions on how both our firms worked, identifying
the areas of similarity and comparing differences between the market realities
in Poland and the U.S. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The other
advantage of that relative lack of pressure, was that it made room for more
casual socializing with Henry and his staff and made a great combination with
Henry’s hospitable attitude. Henry was an amazing host that eagerly carved some
of his after-hours time to hang around Brooklyn, get an after-hours drink or
see a Broadway show. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In terms of
the programme’s objectives I’ve been regularly invited to client meetings and
internal brain storming sessions, where I could contribute as well. Even if I
didn’t know the client, or the industry that well it was genuinely interesting
and informative as Henry and his staff were really forthcoming and frank in
those exchanges. On my own I was able to do stuff I mostly don’t do at home
which was really refreshing such as pitching journalist for the upcoming trade
show in Amsterdam. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AXIGizxd4D4/XKv0UVTzcnI/AAAAAAAACH4/TkGdytL0ghozNZeYEPEBLFPkX03UJkhFgCLcBGAs/s1600/Stanton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AXIGizxd4D4/XKv0UVTzcnI/AAAAAAAACH4/TkGdytL0ghozNZeYEPEBLFPkX03UJkhFgCLcBGAs/s200/Stanton.jpg" width="200" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The next
stop was D.C. where I’ve spent another week with Peter Stanton and his team.
The general framework was kind of similar. I could get involved in practically
anything that was in the pipeline, with my engagement ranging, from just
observing, a kind of fly on the wall arrangement to full participation,
according to my preference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Coming to
Washington I had also bit of a different goal in mind, as I’ve imagined that
D.C. could be a great place to observe some of the best practices from my
particular turf – Public Affairs. And even if Stanton Communications did not
have any on-going project in this field my conversations with Peter allowed me
to get a fair deal of quality insight. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">During my
time across the pond, both Peter, Henry and their respective teams have been
equally open, candid and willing to share their know-how and opinions with me
while I was involved in many projects at various stages. Thanks to that
sensibly loose structure I was able to have a broad perspective and see many
aspects of the PR profession I am not exposed in my daily routine. On the other
hand, the workload made it possible to stay in the loop with the developments
back at NBS, and whenever I felt I need it catch up with some assignments there
I was free to do so. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I highly
recommend participating in the programme, I came back with a different, wider
perspective and many fresh ideas I hope
to implement at home.</span></div>
Henry Feintuchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17269188327187250083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-58471631923355859082018-09-24T12:15:00.000-04:002018-09-25T08:54:09.545-04:00PR Worldwide: Employee Advocacy as a Strong Link in Your PR strategy<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyone who
wants to implement a PR campaign internationally is faced with various
challenges. The language and cultural barriers and other working methods do not
often simplify things. Yet as a company you want to have one voice to be heard
and achieve the best results in every country with a universal strategy. How
can you handle this? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sKa0_k3_JV8/W6kD3SbHp6I/AAAAAAAACAQ/pY7YGPPct7Me5yo6ifd45U8UZSH3kOjLgCLcBGAs/s1600/PR%2BWorld%2BAlliance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="91" data-original-width="269" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sKa0_k3_JV8/W6kD3SbHp6I/AAAAAAAACAQ/pY7YGPPct7Me5yo6ifd45U8UZSH3kOjLgCLcBGAs/s1600/PR%2BWorld%2BAlliance.jpg" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">With this
question in mind, the PR World Alliance (PRWA) – Feintuch Communications is a
founding member – recently visited the Netherlands at the invitation of
Marcommit, our local market partner. Ten offices from different countries came
together in Amsterdam to discuss international PR issues. Fake news and
employee advocacy popped up as the two main themes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In this
first part of this two-part blog series we will dive deeper into employee
advocacy and the role that PR can have in this. What do our eastern neighbors
say about the use of social media among employees? How do French organizations
successfully attract candidates and what core values are relevant in American
labor market communications? You read it in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">la
première partie</i> of this international series!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A stage for your own employees<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Netherlands is currently dealing with an employee shortage. This means that
employee advocacy is in vogue. We can see the examples all around us. For
example, think about police vlogger <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmxePybUpZj8RRuWz6r8uTQ">Jan-Willem</a>
and the Dutch online police series <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouJFapN-mD0">RobuustBlauw</a>. Both vlogs
attract many youngsters (and therefore potential employees) and give them a
glimpse behind the scenes of the Dutch police world. It is not surprising that
more and more companies are committed to the ambassadorship of their employees.
For example, research from <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://business.linkedin.com/elevate/employee-advocacy">LinkedIn</a></span>
shows that companies with involved employees have a 58-percent greater chance
to attract top talent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hTJA6p3CyCg/W6ov0vvf7FI/AAAAAAAACCQ/JQvyCpawiuoBUGQRE9OEET1THtdbVbkwgCLcBGAs/s1600/Eline%2BVisser.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hTJA6p3CyCg/W6ov0vvf7FI/AAAAAAAACCQ/JQvyCpawiuoBUGQRE9OEET1THtdbVbkwgCLcBGAs/s200/Eline%2BVisser.JPG" width="133" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Eline
Visser is managing director at Marcommit and observes that an increasing number
of companies are using creative ways to reach out to potential employees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">"By
activating employees to share relevant content in which the organizational
culture emerges, an effective form of word-of-mouth advertising is deployed.
After all, it is much stronger and much more credible to let your own employees
tell others that you are a good employer, than that you do that as a company.
This makes employee advocacy a truly strategic marketing tool: it can achieve a
high organic reach and appeal to a wider audience. However, it is important
that you start from the right objective and adjust your approach accordingly.
Do you want more reactions to vacancies? Or strengthen your employer brand? Do
not forget the objectives for participating employees. What can they get out of
their ambassadorship? Think, for example, of strengthening their authority
position. Only in this way do you encourage employees to voluntarily share
content. You do not want to oblige them."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Define the DNA of your organization<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uIFfbAF5wjY/W6kFqX30S5I/AAAAAAAACAo/fgnlfVhYzpI_08EqRK0bxiFdEjQ4Cc0dACLcBGAs/s1600/Peter%2BStanton.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="505" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uIFfbAF5wjY/W6kFqX30S5I/AAAAAAAACAo/fgnlfVhYzpI_08EqRK0bxiFdEjQ4Cc0dACLcBGAs/s200/Peter%2BStanton.JPG" width="194" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Companies
that want to do labor market communications in the United States, need a strong
emphasis on communicating their core values. Peter Stanton of Stanton
Communications in the United States recognizes four core values that are
frequently present at the moment: respect, freedom, opportunities and
transparency. These values are characterized by offering flexible working
hours, having a good work-life balance and realizing career growth. Stanton
explains: "Especially in the context of #metoo, respect is a very
important core value. All employees must be treated equally. In this sense, the
core value of freedom is the opportunity to give your opinion as an employee
and to be able to express yourself without any negative consequences. By
contributing these four core values internally and externally, employees can
transfer a good image of the organization to their own network. It is their
challenge to give it their own twist!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Authenticity as a guideline<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3LEjfohzTlg/W6kJZv1rgVI/AAAAAAAACBU/EWVnLtbIsVo1rddUZ6oAsoGyfw01GP7CwCLcBGAs/s1600/Meike%2BGrisson.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="321" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3LEjfohzTlg/W6kJZv1rgVI/AAAAAAAACBU/EWVnLtbIsVo1rddUZ6oAsoGyfw01GP7CwCLcBGAs/s200/Meike%2BGrisson.JPG" width="135" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After all,
individuality is vitally important for the success of employee advocacy. You
want to stand out, not using empty phrases and boring generalities. Meike
Grisson from the German Panama PR talks about how they are tackling this:
"Certainly in Germany it is noticeable that employees are eager to work on
their thought leadership position. When they do not have a clear idea of
content that is worth sharing, you can help employees and provide them with
authentic content. There is already a lot of handy technology for this, such as
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://business.linkedin.com/elevate">LinkedIn
Elevate</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://getbambu.com/">Bambu</a></span>
or <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://drumup.io/employee-advocacy">DrumUp</a></span>.
Make sure that it is not pre-fabricated news. "<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Grisson
also explains that in Germany, they pay a lot of attention to best practices,
such as the story of a new employee who enthusiastically discusses his training
and how he already uses the learnings of this in his daily work. By choosing
someone to which new candidates can mirror themselves, you show that you
recognize the wishes of job-seekers and actually acknowledge them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Show your workplace<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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</div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q8Xmu-nBDgA/W6kHZr7ZTbI/AAAAAAAACBE/t1WCqFx-Ka0uuoyNygLxF49kbqcskxJegCLcBGAs/s1600/Catherine%2BKable2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="433" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q8Xmu-nBDgA/W6kHZr7ZTbI/AAAAAAAACBE/t1WCqFx-Ka0uuoyNygLxF49kbqcskxJegCLcBGAs/s200/Catherine%2BKable2.JPG" width="140" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In addition
to the company's own channels and employees, external channels can maximize
results. For example, in France external online platforms are often used, says
Catherine Kablé of Kablé Communication: "In France, a lot of use is made
of the job board <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.welcometothejungle.co/">Welcome to the Jungle</a></span>.
Here employers can be put in the spotlight through attractive content. Photos
of the office, videos with the daily activities, what the male – female ratio
is: you can find all sorts of information. This content brings the
organizational culture to life, shows the core values and is therefore very
effective for attracting new talent. Employees can also add content to the
company profile themselves. In addition, links can be placed to the social
channels of the organization."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And the viewpoint from Feintuch Communications? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5MZOerI-E7o/W6kNN_OFN5I/AAAAAAAACBs/oZqcFWIqA6wrQXHrji4gz9MTHuuq-Bm7gCLcBGAs/s1600/Henry%2BFeintuch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="339" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5MZOerI-E7o/W6kNN_OFN5I/AAAAAAAACBs/oZqcFWIqA6wrQXHrji4gz9MTHuuq-Bm7gCLcBGAs/s200/Henry%2BFeintuch.JPG" width="116" /></a><span style="color: #1f3864;">"In the U.S., where thousands of PR firms of all sizes compete – and new
physical and virtual organizations join the competition each month – it’s
critical to communicate who and what your organization stands for on an ongoing
basis. It’s also about listening and understanding the wants and needs of the
talent pool," states Henry Feintuch, president, Feintuch Communications.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f3864;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #1f3864; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Today’s millennials, for example, want far more than just a steady job;
they want to learn, be able to experiment (and fail) and be given
responsibility. Salary, benefits and job title alone will not attract and
retain these professionals. It’s about job satisfaction and work/life balance. With
the competition for talent so keen, employers must communicate their respect
for employees, the opportunities for growth and ability to enjoy their work."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eline
Visser has another tip for extra involvement: "In order to motivate your
employees, it is effective to show them their contribution. How much coverage did
his or her blog, vlog or article get and how much engagement has been achieved?
If you really want to bring it, you can set up an internal competition across
the entire width of the organization, which will keep track of which employee
generates the most interaction with his or her messages. That way you make it
fun and make your results visible to everyone. Your ambassadors program will
spread quickly!"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Real and sincere<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Whether you
want to deploy employee advocacy in Europe or in the United States, one thing
is obvious. Organizations need to show their personality more than ever through
their employees. What is stronger than having your own employees talk about
what your company really stands for and what it is all about? For example,
content distributed by employees on social channels reaches no less than 561
percent more persons than messages distributed through their own company
channels<a href="file:///C:/Users/Henry.Win7HF/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/GMK1BHXT/PR%20worldwide%20Employee%20advocacy%20as%20a%20strong%20link%20in%20your%20PR%20strategy_EN.DOCX#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>.
By drawing up core values and communicating them clearly to your employees,
they can identify themselves better with the organization and communicate these
values externally. Then you can look at a good advocacy strategy that brings
your company to the attention of new talents. The right strategy not only helps
your employees to acquire a stronger thought leadership position, but at the
same time it is also cheaper than purchasing social media ads. By offering
authentic content and giving employees insight into the results they achieve,
they remain motivated to share their expertise with their network. New
employees, come on in!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In part two
of this series we will discuss fake news. What does this mean for the PR world
and how do international PR agencies deal with this? Should they take more
responsibility, or leave this up to journalists? Stay tuned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Henry.Win7HF/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/GMK1BHXT/PR%20worldwide%20Employee%20advocacy%20as%20a%20strong%20link%20in%20your%20PR%20strategy_EN.DOCX#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="NL"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="NL" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>According to <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.postbeyond.com/blog/45-stats-employee-advocacy/">PostBeyond</a></span>,
2018<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />Henry Feintuchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17269188327187250083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-77083451646307665872018-08-20T09:00:00.000-04:002018-08-20T09:00:00.164-04:00What are the Similarities Between Journalism and PR?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5r1F1T6fp54/W3qxegAEJVI/AAAAAAAAiIo/vCmncNwsrhUkbW8p_67kV0DH43tgNr9ZACLcBGAs/s1600/Word%2BArt%2B%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="996" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5r1F1T6fp54/W3qxegAEJVI/AAAAAAAAiIo/vCmncNwsrhUkbW8p_67kV0DH43tgNr9ZACLcBGAs/s400/Word%2BArt%2B%25282%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last July, after being a television news producer for over
three years, I left the journalism industry to pursue a new career path in
public relations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many former
journalists (including our very own Henry Feintuch) have successfully made the
switch to the new, yet related field of public relations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that I would face some challenges in
the transition, but I also knew that there was a strong relationship between
both professions and I was excited to translate the skills I’d developed as a
producer to my new career as a PR professional.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are probably more similarities than there are
differences between journalism and public relations but here are, in my humble
opinion, the top five similarities:<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">No two days are the same<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Much like in a newsroom, where your work is
determined by the news of the day, no two days are alike as a PR
professional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I find exciting about
PR is the variety of work from day to day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We represent many different clients, with many different needs and
objectives that require different approaches and strategies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether you’re a journalist or a PR
professional, your days are busy and full and there’s always something new to
tackle each day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Clear and concise writing reigns supreme<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
In both professions, efficient and timely
communication is the key to success. Journalists and PR professionals keep
their intended audience in mind when writing and try to relay information
that’s both engaging and easy to understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Whether it’s writing a press release or a feature story, to grab the
audience’s attention and keep them engaged, the writing and the message must be
clear and concise.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It’s all about the story<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Both journalists and PR professionals are
in constant communication with the public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes, there is more strategy involved on the PR side of things, but
ultimately, it’s all about telling your clients’ story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had to put on my “journalist thinking
cap” to interview some of our own clients to gain a new perspective or a new
angle that could then be turned into a pitch, by-lined article or press release.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Journalists know there’s always a story
waiting to come out if you’re willing to look for it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Trust and credibility are imperative<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
To be successful in both journalism and PR,
it’s crucial to develop credible and meaningful relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>PR professionals need to build relationships
with reporters in order to get coverage for their client and reporters must
have credibility with the public in order for their story to gain an
audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both journalists and PR
professionals build these relationships through relaying honest and credible
information. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Using your “news sense”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
Journalists are constantly asking themselves,
“will people care about my story and if not, how do I shape it so that they
do?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>PR professionals, on the other
hand, are asking themselves a very similar question when shaping press
releases: “will a journalist buy this and if not, how do I make them
interested?” At the end of the day, the goal is to use your “news sense” to
determine how to best shape a story for your intended audience.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve been an account executive for nine months now and I
still learn something new every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I look back on my short tenure in public relations, I’m thankful
for my time as a news producer and the invaluable perspective it’s given me as
I continue to grow and learn as a PR professional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my next post, I’ll cover the major
differences between journalism and public relations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until then, thank you for reading and feel
free to share your thoughts in the comments!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-21286049824357430422018-08-06T10:24:00.000-04:002018-08-06T10:24:40.908-04:00Small Talk is Big for PR Pros
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-79BK9K5Nobc/W2hYl0nnHII/AAAAAAAALfE/GzwaBMpaWQs3xP3fog-7dPpN5K0dpUABACLcBGAs/s1600/SmallTalkBlog%2Bimage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="564" height="212" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-79BK9K5Nobc/W2hYl0nnHII/AAAAAAAALfE/GzwaBMpaWQs3xP3fog-7dPpN5K0dpUABACLcBGAs/s320/SmallTalkBlog%2Bimage.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
I remember
how my professors at Syracuse University would bristle when they heard a
student say the reason they selected PR for a career was because “I like
people.” They were offended at the implication that PR is merely about shaking
hands, smiling, slapping backs, etc., rather than a serious practice within the
communications field.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
That said,
liking and taking interest in people is not a bad thing for the PR
professional. After all, the cornerstone of what we do revolves around creating
and maintaining relationships. While these are mostly professional
interactions, the personal side of the equation should not be overlooked.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
We’re all
aware that just about any meeting we participate in will start or end with small
talk. It could be a discussion of the weather, weekend plans or a shared
interest. This banter is a natural warm up and cool down to the business at
hand and makes the work day a little more pleasant. However, it can represent
more—an opportunity to learn more about your clients and co-workers. Do they
have kids or play a musical instrument? Are they health nuts, foodies or
travelers? These casual chats can forge important connections that will likely
serve you well over the course of your career.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
For example,
I have a colleague that is a hardcore biker. We worked with a client that was
also a biking fanatic, and the two of them would have intense exchanges that would
cover all manner of bike equipment and the ungodly numbers of miles they each
biked the previous weekend and for the year-to-date. While I never felt as out
of shape in my life as when I listened to these discussions, I could appreciate
the friendly connection between the two of them. This client has moved on, but they
remain friendly and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were to find occasion to
work together again.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Personally,
I look forward to being one of the first on the line for the conference call to
chat up the client before we all roll up our sleeves to pay the bills. However,
small talk comes more naturally to some than others. Case in point: I have a
friend in the business who used to drive to client meetings with his boss. On
the way, he’d be asked about his family – where did he grow up, where did he
live now, did he have any brothers or sisters, etc. This is nice, right? The
problem was that over the course of 10 to 12 of these trips – he’d be asked THE
SAME QUESTIONS EVERY TIME! It was clear his boss was going through the motions
and didn’t really care to know anything about him. Not a great way to forge a
connection. (While this disingenuousness would seem an unfavorable trait for a
PR professional, it occurs to me that this person is one of the most successful
PR people I know of. So what the hell do I know?)</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Regardless, I’m
going to stick with my premise that PR is a “people” business and that it is
worthwhile to make the effort to get to know those with whom you associate. More
often than not, you’ll find it will add enjoyment to the job and may even lead
to your professional enrichment and advancement.</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
</div>
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06607548278295967914noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-87739311935638307202018-07-24T17:22:00.001-04:002018-07-24T17:36:35.298-04:00Public Relations: The Next 50 YearsRecently, the editorial team at O'Dwyer's approached a group of PR industry veterans and asked them to contribute articles, tributes and comments regarding the approaching 50th anniversary of the PR industry publication family.<br />
<br />
Though the years are ticking by, I surely didn't have first-hand insight into the O'Dwyer Newsletter's<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2cap55qzGzw/W1eX7K7gXfI/AAAAAAAAB-E/NkZg7GwXm4QubTijvkUqJ_41h5ehOzTiACLcBGAs/s1600/O%2527Dwyers%2B50th%2BAnniversary%2BCover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="812" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2cap55qzGzw/W1eX7K7gXfI/AAAAAAAAB-E/NkZg7GwXm4QubTijvkUqJ_41h5ehOzTiACLcBGAs/s400/O%2527Dwyers%2B50th%2BAnniversary%2BCover.JPG" width="340" /></a></div>
first decades. But I have been in the journalism industry (briefly) and PR for nearly 35 years. That's long enough to have watched the profession -- and the O'Dwyer editorial franchise -- change and expand.<br />
<br />
In my guest article, featured in the <a href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/story/public/11006/2018-07-19/public-relations-next-50-years.html" target="_blank">O'Dwyer's July 2018 50th Anniversary Magazine</a>, I wrote about my personal interactions with publisher and editor Jack O'Dwyer. The article went on to look at changes over the past 50 years in public relations, and then, through the thoughts of some industry experts and friends, it took a look at what the next 50 years might bring.<br />
<br />
The Feintuch team welcomes your reaction to those forecasts and opens the pages of our blog to your own thoughts and forecasts -- script a paragraph or a column and send it over.<br />
<br />
Let's all meet up in another 50 years and see how we did!<br />
<br />Henry Feintuchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17269188327187250083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-75993668445724774942017-09-25T09:30:00.000-04:002017-09-28T10:30:21.986-04:00Trade Show Reflections En Route to - of Course - a Trade Show<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s a Saturday afternoon and if it were my regular weekend
routine, I would have worked out with my trainer at the gym, paid some bills,
gone shopping with my wife and would be making plans for dinner out.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3ppWUQw0XGI/WccA7LhUKWI/AAAAAAAABu4/r9FMCyFNfYovrkqqYTDW_qforsxx7Yr8QCLcBGAs/s1600/Shop.org.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1600" height="92" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3ppWUQw0XGI/WccA7LhUKWI/AAAAAAAABu4/r9FMCyFNfYovrkqqYTDW_qforsxx7Yr8QCLcBGAs/s200/Shop.org.PNG" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But instead, I’m 39,000+ feet above the Rockies headed to
Los Angeles for a major e-commerce trade show called <a href="http://shop.org/">Shop.org</a>, sponsored by the
<a href="https://nrf.com/">National Retail Federation</a>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IWIYdcTr5uk/WccCA25m7WI/AAAAAAAABvE/GFSEFSHny3Iu8kuWxiN4ca70dffXCR70ACLcBGAs/s1600/Klarna.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="1600" height="118" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IWIYdcTr5uk/WccCA25m7WI/AAAAAAAABvE/GFSEFSHny3Iu8kuWxiN4ca70dffXCR70ACLcBGAs/s200/Klarna.PNG" width="200" /></a>Our client, <a href="http://www.klarna.com/">Klarna</a>,
is an online payments company that provides innovative ways for merchants to make the online checkout experience “frictionless” and “smoooth.” They’re a big deal globally – the financial
community calls Klarna a unicorn due to its private valuation in excess of $2b.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the show, Klarna will have a booth (where I’ll be living
during show hours), is a sponsor and will be speaking on the show stage with
one of its client partners. Our team will put out a press release for Klarna
Tuesday morning and I’ll be handling media relations for Klarna’s North
American CEO and the company’s featured client. Over the course of the next few
days, there will be informal company meetings to attend, press materials to print
and assemble, participation in an industry party on Monday night, long booth
hours, visits to the press room, press interviews, industry analyst meetings,
planning and more.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve been doing this for more than 30 years and know
what? It hasn't grown stale. It’s every
bit as exciting as my first trade show, though perhaps a bit less scary.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I remember my first trade show, in Miami, when I was a
younger pup working for a small PR department in an ad agency called Paul
Kaufman Associates. I was the lead account executive for a company called
Periphonics, a mainframe computer, voice response technology company (and small
subsidiary of Gilbarco, which in turn was an Exxon portfolio company) that was
pushing its way into the banking industry. It was Periphonics’s vision and plan
to support a then new concept called banking by phone. They would do that by
making it easy for consumers and business people to call their bank’s computer,
and by pushing touch tone buttons, find out their balance and complete simple
banking transactions. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3BOrbFr6UYM/WccCxlFc5zI/AAAAAAAABvM/suMO9lpFDcIl1KN0caEAvKg3E4eJacC3QCLcBGAs/s1600/ABA.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="96" data-original-width="340" height="90" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3BOrbFr6UYM/WccCxlFc5zI/AAAAAAAABvM/suMO9lpFDcIl1KN0caEAvKg3E4eJacC3QCLcBGAs/s320/ABA.PNG" width="320" /></a>Similar to what I did last night, I packed for my trip,
clutched my press kits close to me to ensure they would be with me in Florida and
headed off to the American Banking Association’s National Operations and
Automation Conference. The "big time" for a kid growing up in Coney Island!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But concerns overtook me: Would I embarrass my agency in
some way? Would the media show up for their scheduled interviews? Would my client
take me seriously? Would I fit in with its booth staff?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The show and my efforts turned out well. We handled many trade
media interviews and I politely nagged all Miami-area reporters including the
local AP correspondent. And surprise, AP ran an item and it was picked up by the
New York Times. I returned to New York standing a little bit taller – a conquering
business war hero and a little bit more experienced in the ways of PR.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Between then and now, I’ve attended several hundred trade
shows in banking and financial services, consumer electronics, AV, oil and gas,
food products, dairy products, packaging, paper and plastics, insurance, photography,
e-commerce, aviation, mining, advertising, public relations, ergonomics,
electrical and electronics and more. Trade shows provide the opportunity for PR
practitioners to learn more about their clients, their clients’ industries and
emerging issues; meet the media in person; interact with customers and
prospects; and for a while, immerse into another world.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It never grows stale! Wonder what I’ll learn this week…</div>
Henry Feintuchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17269188327187250083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-64727149513332888012017-06-13T10:30:00.000-04:002017-06-27T11:05:29.064-04:00A New Kind of City<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lY11xu53NOA/WT_2oivTMeI/AAAAAAAAAAM/CrjVCX0AlxYQUnPIoJ0rJ02XjtrvDO0lQCLcB/s1600/245_ParkBuilding_200x300.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lY11xu53NOA/WT_2oivTMeI/AAAAAAAAAAM/CrjVCX0AlxYQUnPIoJ0rJ02XjtrvDO0lQCLcB/s1600/245_ParkBuilding_200x300.jpg" /></a><br />
As a native San Franciscan, I assumed my transition to New York would be relatively easy. I grew up going to the city often, well-acquainted with the multitude of people, high-rise buildings and active public transportation systems. City life has truly never been a stranger to me. However, for the last three years I have been living in Dallas and studying public relations and strategic communications at Southern Methodist University.<br />
<br />
While Dallas is still very much a city, there are many notable differences when comparing it to metropolises such as New York and San Francisco. In Dallas, everything goes at a slower pace: business, nightlife, even speech patterns. The people also have a southern charm I have unknowingly adopted and have come to expect in most day-to-day interactions. In short, my first few days in New York have been shocking. <br />
<br />
Although I've visited many times, the sheer scale of New York City never ceases to amaze me. The amount of people here makes it feel as if during the day everyone is stacked on top of each other in sky high buildings until breaks in business hours where people in suits flood the streets and filter into one of the seemingly millions of restaurants and bars. On top of all the working people, I've noticed that for each person rushing to get to work there is a touring family of five strolling down any given street taking in the scenery. This pedestrian traffic often doubles or triples my projected 10-minute walk to our Park Avenue office.<br />
<br />
Since arriving in New York, I have enjoyed the walkability of this city. I find myself walking on average six miles a day without even realizing it. Typically, I Uber everywhere, so this is a huge change of pace for me. Walking so much has inspired me to start running again. Upon visiting Central Park, I find it interesting that a city this dense has preserved a huge piece of natural real estate amid shops, apartment buildings and commercial buildings that have taken over this city. I also appreciate how the park sits in the center of the city as opposed to other cosmopolitan areas, such as Dallas, where the only scenic, open areas are a 20-minute drive outside of the city. There is something to be said about a place where you can run through the hills and the trees and then across the street for a donut.<br />
<br />
By the end of each day, I'm so tired. New York produces a new kind of exhaustion for me; it's not your end-of-the-day weariness, but head-to-toe fatigue from walking, running, working and socializing all over Manhattan in a single day. For “the city that never sleeps,” I don't know how anyone can stay up past 10 p.m.!<br />
<br />
In just a few short weeks, I have started to adjust to this new way of life. In my first few days I thought New Yorkers were unusually abrasive, but after adjusting, I have come to realize that the lack of outward charm says more about New York's culture rather than its residents’ attitudes. I've come to accept that people here are just more in their own heads, trying to get from one place to another without slowing down or interrupting the thoughts and lives of the people around them. But while New Yorkers seem more closed-off and poker-faced than the cities I’m used to, I have learned that everyone here is just as friendly as other parts of the country, but they certainly do not go out of their way to show it. <br />
<br />
Even though I still have plenty of adjusting to do, I can already see this summer will be transformational for me. I will be learning so much and working hard while running around and exploring this great city. I can't think of anything I would rather be doing during my last summer before graduation next year!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-71378113263457182992017-02-08T14:44:00.000-05:002017-02-08T14:44:53.034-05:00Growing Older (and More Experienced) with America’s Favorite Trade ShowBy Doug Wright<br />
<br />
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j3hwaRs-wrs/WJtzRxHxNcI/AAAAAAAADoQ/szt4aTmEFHo07VzdUgp8AW5fspki-XzZwCLcB/s1600/CES%2B2017%2B50th%2BAnniversary%2BPin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j3hwaRs-wrs/WJtzRxHxNcI/AAAAAAAADoQ/szt4aTmEFHo07VzdUgp8AW5fspki-XzZwCLcB/s200/CES%2B2017%2B50th%2BAnniversary%2BPin.jpg" width="195" /></a>The <a href="http://www.ces.tech/">Consumer Electronics Show</a> (CES) celebrated its 50th anniversary last month. This gave me pause, as I figured I must have attended nearly half of these renowned events showcasing the latest in technology and gadgets. I can’t decide whether this makes me feel more “old” or “experienced,” but the fact that I too turn 50 this year…<br />
<br />
My first CES experiences were in the early 90s, when the Consumer Electronics Association (now known as the <a href="https://www.cta.tech/">Consumer Technology Association</a>) hosted two shows per year, including a summer expo in Chicago in addition to the winter one we have today. During my career, I have been fortunate to represent many brands at these events, including Sharp, Sony, Maxell, Kenwood, Pioneer, Yamaha, Monster, Acclaim Entertainment and most recently <a href="http://www.hdmi.org/">HDMI Licensing Administrator</a> and <a href="https://healbe.com/us/">Healbe</a>. <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<br />
Over the years, preparation for this highly-anticipated show has certainly evolved. Here are a few pointers to help your company prepare for CES from a public relations standpoint:<br />
<br />
<b>Timing is everything when it comes to </b><b>press releases/announcements.</b><br />
<br />
Where it used to be generally preferred to announce new products at CES, the size of the show today has made it more difficult to break through the noise and clutter of it all. Consider these two alternatives to help your company stand out:<br />
<ul>
<li>Release your news in advance so you can invite media to your booth for more information, a live demo and/or an interview with a company spokesperson.</li>
<li>Offer the news to the most important media outlets in advance (but under embargo until launch day) to give your company a better chance at being featured when you want the coverage. I’ve also noticed more recently that editors are writing stories in advance to keep up with the demand for coverage at the show. In these cases, you’re actually doing them a favor.</li>
</ul>
<b>To press conference or not to press conference?</b><br />
The vastness of the show and its media days means your company is competing with press conferences for companies of all kinds. In order to stand out among all this competition and noise, weigh your news objectively and decide if it is best suited for a standalone press conference or an editor preview event (such as <a href="http://www.showstoppers.com/">ShowStoppers</a> or <a href="http://www.ces.tech/Events-Programs/CES-Unveiled">CES Unveiled</a>,) where hundreds of reporters go to learn about all the new products while enjoying a bite to eat with colleagues.<br />
<br />
<b>Social media is not optional – it is essential:</b><br />
When I started out, there was no social media; however, today you must have a plan to engage. Here are some tips to staying social at CES.<br />
<ul>
<li>Post content before, during and after the show with information about your booth, announcements and new products.</li>
<li>Share content live from the floor with lots of graphics to show off your displays and booth crowds.</li>
<li>Spread information about your company and products using official event hashtags (e.g. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CES2017&src=typd">#CES2017</a>) and encourage booth visitors to do so as well.</li>
<li>Post photos and shout outs tagging press and other booth visitors to increase engagement and attract new followers by soliciting replies and retweets.</li>
</ul>
For your next big trade show, whether it’s CES or otherwise, consider these tactics to help you secure quality media coverage and get the greatest value out of your time and allocated resources.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Healbe CEO Artem Shipitsin talking about the new GoBe 2 Smart Life Band<br />with Into Tomorrow Radio's Dave Graveline at Showstoppers.</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-68552740499158064432017-01-23T10:14:00.000-05:002017-01-23T17:43:51.383-05:00Setting New Year’s PR Resolutions for your Business<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nCj3Tsq6ByU/WIEATDIQqvI/AAAAAAAADFI/CiQpe7uuWnMktHr_8Bbs3fnUdowNYJ9zQCLcB/s1600/2016%2BFeintuch%2BHoliday%2BCard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nCj3Tsq6ByU/WIEATDIQqvI/AAAAAAAADFI/CiQpe7uuWnMktHr_8Bbs3fnUdowNYJ9zQCLcB/s200/2016%2BFeintuch%2BHoliday%2BCard.jpg" width="190" /></a>Running a company is a non-stop adventure, both fun and frustrating at times. Business owners are constantly running around doing everything they can to better serve clients or customers.<br />
<br />
As critical as it is for you to define and set your marketing and communications strategy for the year ahead, it’s easy to fall victim to your workload and “to do list” and keep shoveling in pursuit of sales and client needs while ignoring your own business development goals.<br />
<br />
So here we are in 2017 and perhaps you still haven’t made time to focus on supporting your company’s communications strategy. Sell yourself on the value you bring to your clients by implementing these five things for a focused, prosperous year ahead:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Get on social media.</b> If you aren’t already on social media, set up your accounts and start posting and engaging with your audiences. </li>
<li><b>Create a content calendar and start posting.</b> Draft blog posts, compose tweets, update your Facebook profile, connect on LinkedIn, post a photo from CES 2017 on Instagram. Let everyone know you’re still out there and what exciting stuff you’ve been doing.</li>
<li><b>Register for industry events. </b>Every industry boasts a slew of industry associations and trade shows/marketing events geared towards specific groups of professionals. If you already belong to one or several such organizations, consider attending their next big event or conference to meet prospects, enhance your sales queue and then even set up some media interviews to burnish your company’s brand and awareness.</li>
<li><b>Draft your corporate communications plan. </b>As the end of each year approaches, you start looking forward to budgeting, planning and goal-setting for company sales for the year ahead. It’s important to do the same for your marketing communications. Invest in your company’s communications strategy to stay ahead of your competition and make your voice heard.</li>
<li><b>Nominate yourself for industry awards. </b>Research industry award programs that are relevant to your industry and apply. Even if you don’t win, you will have put together an impressive presentation on your greatest work to share with clients and prospects.</li>
</ol>
<br />
The new year is a time for introspection and self-improvement and your PR/communications plans and outreach should be high on your radar. Make time for it; it’ll pay dividends all year long. And if you’re “buried” with deadlines and other work, reach out to your trusted PR and marketing advisors to help you get there.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-64925825744184714732016-07-05T10:00:00.000-04:002017-01-19T13:58:20.892-05:00Tip Tuesday: Integrity Matters<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
“Don’t lie, mislead or whitewash. It’ll come back to
haunt you. Integrity is like crystal: fragile and irreparable once
cracked.” – Richard Roher</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-34182477171363425212016-06-14T10:00:00.000-04:002017-01-19T13:59:00.413-05:00Tip Tuesday: Credibility is Everything <div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
“Your credibility and your truthfulness is all you have, so never
lie to a journalist. While there may be occasions where you can’t give
them the full situation, do not lie or distort the truth to win a pitch. Your
reputation and effectiveness will be limited substantially and it will reflect
poorly on your client. If you’re going to be effective in pitching a
journalist, remain honest and do your research. Check out samples of their work
to understand their beat, the publication they work for and the kind of stories
they write about. Pay attention to what they do, remain credible and don’t
waste their time.” - Henry Feintuch</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-34547562796601152602016-05-25T13:53:00.000-04:002017-01-19T14:13:53.338-05:00Top 3 Rules Every PR Professional Should KnowEvery industry has a rule book, whether or not you know about it! As a communications professional, our rule book is endless. With many years of professional and personal experience, we sat down with our Feintuch team member, Doug Wright, to come up with the top 3 rules that every communication professional should abide by.<br />
<div>
<ol>
<li><b>Go above and beyond. </b>Strive to do as much of your boss’s job as you can. Any part of his/her job that you can do frees them up to concentrate on higher level work that will benefit the company overall. (Of course, you need to make sure you are covering all of your job responsibilities first!)</li>
<li><b>Take ownership of the good and the bad.</b> Sins of commission are better than sins of omission. While no one likes to make mistakes, they are inevitable. A sin of commission—where you may have gone about trying to get something done the wrong way—is less offensive to most than a sin of omission where you simply dropped the ball.</li>
<li><b>Stay humble and motivated. </b>Don’t doubt yourself and keep worrying to a minimum. If you know what you are doing and performing due diligence in getting it done, that’s all you can do. Don’t be cocky, but keep this in mind even as questions arise from clients and supervisors about a news announcement that does not get the expected pick up or a lightly attended press conference. More often than not, if you are performing due diligence, things will work out the way they should.</li>
</ol>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-63067256791730149312016-05-17T10:00:00.000-04:002017-01-19T14:09:36.006-05:00Tip Tuesday: Social Media Basics<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"When trying to build a brand on social media, it is important to remember these four things: be smart, be relentless, be honest and most importantly, be on message. Once you post something on social media, it becomes a permanent part of the digital world." - Richard Roher.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-61577846421935133992016-04-25T15:04:00.000-04:002017-01-19T14:08:16.016-05:00Executive Series: Doug Wright<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wjhpk705LX8/Vx5mMYqbq5I/AAAAAAAAACM/1PKYWrkEP7caFC83u7KUXLHTNzB_3OG1wCLcB/s1600/Doug%2BWright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wjhpk705LX8/Vx5mMYqbq5I/AAAAAAAAACM/1PKYWrkEP7caFC83u7KUXLHTNzB_3OG1wCLcB/s200/Doug%2BWright.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
Doug Wright is our resident consumer electronics and music tech expert. He has an extensive background representing major brands, including Sharp, Maxwell, Sony, Kenwood, Yamaha and Pioneer. He’s also worked with clients in other industries, including video games, professional video, marketing premiums, health care, financial services and others.<br />
<b style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What is the biggest change you’ve seen in PR? </span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gEzNgKWMkmI/Vx5iYw_0o6I/AAAAAAAAABs/rQcGmaB6ojIFFIQO_BzDBb8ZUjLYuuXjgCLcB/s1600/Media%2BRelations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gEzNgKWMkmI/Vx5iYw_0o6I/AAAAAAAAABs/rQcGmaB6ojIFFIQO_BzDBb8ZUjLYuuXjgCLcB/s200/Media%2BRelations.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Media relations</b>. One thing I remember distinctly about my first jobs was how easy it was to get reporters out of their offices. Trade magazine writers and even mainstream media made time to meet with clients over lunch, which helped to build relationships.</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nowadays, no one has time. The economy and the way business is done has effectively changed the way relationships are built. Editorial teams are often short-handed, and any time out of the office is at a premium. In fact, it can be difficult to get an editor you do not have a relationship with on the phone.</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">This has made it all the more important to tighten up the other aspects of media relations. Pitches, both written and verbal, must be very efficient and even more compelling to get the attention of writers and editors.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">How do you generate news and build buzz for clients?</span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></b>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Finding and engaging key influencers.</b> For instance, you may want to offer an exclusive story to a major media outlet that your client is most excited about. If an exclusive is not possible, seeding stories to top mainstream or trade media under embargo is a great tool as well. This way, you can prepare them with materials/interviews/etc. to publish their stories when the news hits, not days later. It also lets the writers know that your client believes this is big news and will help you cut through the clutter of all the other news they may cover on a given day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Social media is also key. By helping a client to build strong social networks (Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, etc.), they can hint at upcoming news that would be of interest to their audiences. By engaging social media influencers in your client’s field (media, industry experts, enthusiasts, etc.), you can build a great deal of anticipation for a pending announcement and extend its reach.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What is the most challenging thing about PR?</span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Prospecting for new business.</b> This is the life blood of any agency and it can be a challenge to find the time to find new clients. I have found that the proper mindset is to make sure new business prospecting is part of the normal work week, to be tackled alongside regular client work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I try to make time to consider opportunities for business among colleagues, friends and new contacts. You never know, a well-timed phone call or email can be the first step to gaining a new client.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Is there anything happening in the industry that you find interesting?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WGEXB1B8kCw/Vx5ijjmw9tI/AAAAAAAAABw/Kp6vjepRW5MEjNoqUvRVrmZ5XJNxyEX_wCLcB/s1600/News%2Bgraphic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WGEXB1B8kCw/Vx5ijjmw9tI/AAAAAAAAABw/Kp6vjepRW5MEjNoqUvRVrmZ5XJNxyEX_wCLcB/s200/News%2Bgraphic.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Newsroom and editorial changes. With smaller editorial staff and advertising shifting to online media and other areas, print publications are getting thinner and even transitioning to online-only formats. The editorial landscape is changing rapidly and it is important to keep up to date with changes and new opportunities for more timely coverage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">An upside of a more online-centric media base is its tie to social media. Online stories can be more easily shared with clients’ audiences and other social media influencers to spread key news farther and faster.</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What is one thing you wish you’d known when you started out?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Being creative in the job hunt and adapting the job to your preferences.</b> The need for PR is everywhere—in corporations, financial institutions, art organizations, health care companies, non-profits and on and on—so there is a great degree of opportunity to find your passion within the field. As for adapting a current job, I now know you can use your strengths to bring a position even more in line with your interests—and maybe even create a new position. This, of course, needs to fall in line with your employer’s needs and goals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif;"><br /></b></span>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-24894191037905310832016-04-13T14:06:00.000-04:002017-01-19T14:19:19.993-05:005 Ways to Rock Trade Shows and Conferences<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
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Trade shows,
conferences and industry events present unique opportunities for PR
professionals for several reasons. You have the opportunity to learn more about
your client’s sector and the major players in their market, join a panel or two
and hear some insights from key figures in the industry and meet the media
you’ve been diligently working with. The best part of it all is being able to
see your clients interact with their customers and demonstrate their news
products. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.05pt;">Our
trade show guru, Doug Wright, shares his thoughts on the five best practices to
tackling a trade show or conference successfully:</span></div>
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<ol>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.05pt;">Listen and learn.</b><span style="text-indent: -0.05pt;"> Take note of the questions asked at
your client’s booth, as well as the answers. This will educate you and help you
become more conversant in your future presentations to editors.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.05pt;">Organization is key.</b><span style="text-indent: -0.05pt;"> Keep your head in the game for the
duration of the show. Keep track of all press appointments and make sure they meet
your client and see their most important offerings at the show. </span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.05pt;">Stay motivated</b><span style="text-indent: -0.05pt;">. While it is a long time to be on your
feet and your body starts to complain (foot and back pain), keep in mind that
everybody is in the same boat and that the show is not only important to your
client, but very expensive. Time is literally money to the tune of thousands of
dollars per hour. The client will be watching and evaluating what worked at
this show, as well as what did not. You do not want to be one of those things
that did not work because of a lackluster performance.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.05pt;">Nurture your relationship.</b><span style="text-indent: -0.05pt;"> Have fun with your client at the
show—on the floor and off. A great part of trade shows is the ability to build
a relationship with your client. While work obviously comes first, take this
time to learn more about your client and have them learn about you. Nobody
wants to work with an automaton.</span></li>
<li><b style="text-indent: -0.05pt;">Be focused.</b><span style="text-indent: -0.05pt;"> Perform due diligence in show related
activity. There is a lot going on and you need to own your part. There will not
be a lot of sympathy given to those who miss a key step in the trade show
effort because they got busy and forgot.</span></li>
</ol>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-21665451766723477542016-04-05T11:17:00.002-04:002017-01-19T14:10:31.527-05:00Tip Tuesday: Be Ahead of the Game<div style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 150%;">“Whether you’re in consumer,
tech or B2B public relations, you should read a noteworthy news publication
every day, like The Wall Street Journal, even though it may appear to be ‘off
subject.’ As PR professionals, we tend to focus too much on our clients’ niche
or sector, but you shouldn’t fall into that trap. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;">You’ll be a more
successful and well-rounded communications professional if you have a
comprehensive understanding of the larger business environment in which your
client operates. To be successful in this industry, you must always be ahead
of the game.”</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;">– Richard Anderson</span></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4645728312183461943.post-17658879826380976772016-03-28T10:20:00.000-04:002016-03-28T10:23:52.206-04:00Executive Series: Henry Feintuch<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Henry Feintuch was born a writer. Growing up, he’s always loved writing and had a strong interest in the news. When he was in the Boy Scouts, he was the editor of the newsletter for his local chapter. One Halloween, he even dressed up as a reporter and carried around a typewriter. As a news junkie, the move into broadcast journalism and, ultimately, PR was natural. With 30+ years in the industry, Henry sat down with us and shared his thoughts on the changes and what it means going forward.</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What is the biggest change you’ve seen in PR? </b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Internet.</b> I started as a broadcast journalist so I spent time at four different radio stations and Channel 2 News in New York before I shifted my career path. Since then, the biggest change was the availability of the Internet. It changed everything—the introduction of email, the ability to publish content directly to a targeted audience, the ease and accessibility of worldwide information and instant and mass communications. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">This significance wasn’t confined only to PR but the implications in the industry was evident—less efficiency, less time to think, more work. If an email is sent, immediate responses are seemingly expected. Taking longer than 30 minutes to respond makes you seem aloof and unengaged. The definition of being a service provider has changed but not necessarily for the better. The compression of time and lack of thinking leads to less strategic and more knee jerk responses. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>What is the most challenging thing about PR? </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Client expectations and reality.</b> Managing client expectations and educating clients about what is possible through PR is challenging. Some clients have their own ideas of results and the ROI PR should deliver. So it is essential to get everyone on the same page; otherwise the relationship won’t last and we can’t succeed regardless of the output. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the onset of the relationship, partner with the client even as we strive to manage both our roles in their program. Ensure you both understand the current assets you have and what results those assets can deliver. You can tell a client “no” if you know what they are asking for is wrong or not in their best interest. Keep them focused on the business outcomes they are looking to achieve, instead of simply generating buzz and media coverage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both are important but those are not the end game for me. The outcome should not only be the article in the WSJ but to increase product sales or enhance their reputation as an industry leader. Fundamentally, this goes back to their overall objectives and the best strategies and tactics we can employ to accomplish them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Is there anything happening in the industry that you find interesting?</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uxzeuuJsMMk/Vvk7EH-B_kI/AAAAAAAAAAo/69mIas9I_ngWvxCyCSX0baLfrp0F8YrXA/s1600/social%2Bmedia%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uxzeuuJsMMk/Vvk7EH-B_kI/AAAAAAAAAAo/69mIas9I_ngWvxCyCSX0baLfrp0F8YrXA/s200/social%2Bmedia%2B2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Social Media. </b>The social media hype is well out of proportion to the role that social media plays in client accounts. Social media is a channel for having a two-way conversation with an audience. If the audience can be reached by social, then it’s an appropriate tactic. But it’s not always the case. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">A social media program is more effective with media relations or thought leadership campaigns and should be valued alongside other valuable tactics instead of being the primary channel. It’s another way to communicate to an audience, no different to running an event, a press release, etc. Companies think they need these platforms so the medium or channel is saturated because everyone is doing it. The reality is that you need to see if it’s an appropriate channel to reach your audience. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What is important about writing and how can professionals improve their skills?</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Writing is an art. </b>You can be a great creative writer, but if you can’t write to convey the message of your campaign, you’ll never succeed.</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z6u_pPMLsN4/Vvk8SdEUHTI/AAAAAAAAAA4/u3OmQH0j72UWYnKKn8GSeUtx2Gi_V_KwQ/s1600/Writing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z6u_pPMLsN4/Vvk8SdEUHTI/AAAAAAAAAA4/u3OmQH0j72UWYnKKn8GSeUtx2Gi_V_KwQ/s200/Writing.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Writing is a key tool that communications professionals use to educate the market and capture the attention of their audiences. Through writing, we convey the voice of a company or brand, its goals, aspirations and/or point of view. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">You need to be flexible in your style of writing so you can produce copy that is appropriate for each intended use. There are two ways to improve your writing: by reading and by writing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">When you immerse yourself in reading different forms of writing (e.g., news, books, blogs, etc.), it influences the way you think and can help you become more creative. Similarly, the more you write, the better you write. By putting this skill into practice, you can essentially improve your writing over time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>How do you generate news and build buzz for clients?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>By listening.</b> Early on in my career, a seasoned professional told me, “Don’t just speak to hear yourself heard. Go into a meeting and listen and take notes.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Meetings with clients, reporters, customers, etc., provide an opportunity to ask questions. If PR people were less concerned about being authorities and more concerned with listening and asking the right questions, we’d get to the heart of their need faster. Being a great listener and great reporter have helped me immensely over the years. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I don’t like to build buzz for clients. I don’t even like the word buzz. I like to solve my clients’ business problems and realize their business goals. In fact, if part of what they need is buzz, publicity, word-of-mouth, then we will develop that but I look at that in a more holistic fashion. Clients won’t get the best from us if the goal is to just build buzz. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The approach, when we want to generate excitement in the marketplace, will vary from client to client and situation to situation. Building buzz means so many different things, based on who we are targeting, the industry and what we are trying to accomplish. </span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What publication do you read on a daily basis? </b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The New York Times.</b> Every day. I like the writing style of The New York Times, the editorial mix, the journalistic standards that are imposed and the resources available to staff to report from all around the world. They do a great job at giving a well-rounded view of the world. I also get news from difference sources—news radio, television, online—but it’s very important to read a paper of record in order to stay current with the world, opinion and things that are happening outside of your sphere. </span><br />
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