The Power of Public Relations: How does earned media really work?

At 8-years-old my son experienced his first press event to celebrate the more than 8,000 COVID-19 vaccinations the CATE mobile unit disseminated across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Public Relations. By definition, this term and the entire industry can be many different things. Often it's lumped into the large category of communications and outreach, spilling into …

Should I outsource my social media management?

It's a question I get asked often by clients and professional contacts. Should I outsource my social media management? Is it better to keep this in-house, or is it safe to have a firm or consultant take over? My answer, as it is with most things related to communications and public relations, is that it …

The Paramount Difference Between Simple and Easy

Think about how often we use the words simple and easy interchangeably in our daily language. Phrases like: "It shouldn't take you much time, it's a pretty simple task...." or "That outline will be easy to draw up." These sentences might seem common, even accurate, but are they? Well, it depends. The distinction between these two …

Tips for Protecting Yourself From Time Thieves

Time thieves…you know, those people, tasks, or distractions that cost us more time than we have allotted and throw our schedule – and sanity - off kilter. What’s important to keep in mind that even your friends, family, or clients you really like can be unintentional time thieves if they don’t realize what they’re doing …

6 Ways to Grow Your Media Relationships

If you work in the field of public relations, advertising, even marketing, it’s inevitable that you will need to interact (i.e. get along) with the media to some degree. In fact, it’s absolutely to your advantage to forge real relationships – you know, the kind where you know a little bit about each other and …

9 Tips for Planning a Successful Golf Outing Fundraiser

If you’ve ever planned a golf outing fundraiser, you know they can take up a lot of time and resources. However, they can also help your organization raise a good amount of cash…that is if you’re smart about it. I’ve personally seen golf outings net tens of thousands of dollars in a single day, and …

7 Mistakes that Push Away New Business

When you’re fortunate to have new business come knocking at your door, it’s still far from a done deal. Winning over a client takes time, patience and strategy. In my industry, things always begin with an initial client phone call or an in-person meeting. This casual, first meeting is the opportunity for both parties to …

How to Communicate a Consistent Message During a Crisis

No one ever wants a crisis to strike. In fact, simply talking about this devastating news can be enough for many business owners to change the conversation. Sure, it's uncomfortable, but talking about your crisis communication plan NOW can save you a lot of stress and damage in the future, should a bad situation actually …