Last week I had the opportunity to present at a conference held by Insight Venture Partners in New York City. In preparation for my discussion, I began thinking about my own experience working for a start-up company and how the practice of public relations has changed in the last decade. Twelve years ago I was working for a start-up in [...]
A company website can be a vital tool to educate and engage current and potential customers. Customers’ first brush with a business often comes through a search on the Internet. According to data from analyst firm iProspect, “62 percent of search engine users click on results within the first page of search results and 36 percent believe that companies whose [...]
By now, you’ve likely heard about the Carnival Triumph debacle: In early February, the Carnival Triumph cruise ship was on day three of a four-day outing when a fire broke out in the engine room and the ship lost power, leaving passengers and crew members stranded on the stalled ship in the Gulf of Mexico. Tug boats began towing the [...]
In public relations, identifying a company’s target audiences is a foundational step to ensure the right messages are reaching the right people. Defining target audiences also helps to provide clarity and direction throughout nearly every area of a marketing campaign (e.g., plan and strategy development, content mapping and development, media outreach, social media, etc.). Ultimately, effectively reaching the right audiences [...]
As a young economist, Michael E. Porter wrote a landmark article for the Harvard Business Review in 1979 that ignited a revolution in the field of strategy. So compelling was his “The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy” that it helped inform and mold an entire generation of academic research and business practice, and stretched across nations, regions, corporations, and [...]
In the century since its inception, commercial aviation has soared into modern life, becoming an indispensable mode of travel. Each day, more than 45,000 flights arrive to and depart from U.S. airports. The 2.9 million passengers who fly daily within the U.S. entrust their safety to airlines. That’s why a catastrophe like the one on January 5, when a door [...]
You’ve finally found the perfect editorial opportunity at your target publication – one that allows you to write the article. You spend time crafting a stellar pitch and send it off to the appropriate editor. You’re excited when the editor responds – that is until you read the email. “Thank you for your note. We would be interested in a [...]
Having a strong brand on social media is important not only for a company, but also for the user who is trying to learn more about the services it provides. If a company has multiple accounts on one social media platform it can cause confusion. Many times someone who is foreign to an organization will stop their search at the [...]
As a daily user of ChatGPT for the past several months, I've come to regard it as an indispensable resource in my digital toolkit. Since it’s still relatively new for many, I thought it might be useful to share a list of my favorite prompts with those curious about ChatGPT, as well as some essential security considerations. An important caveat [...]
Social media is changing business. Twitter enables anyone to broadcast anything to millions of people in an instant. The short 140 character updates seem casual, yet the impact of one message can have significant and sometimes drastic implications. Known brands such as Ketchum, JetBlue, Southwest and Domino's have all learned first-hand the effect Twitter can have on their reputations. With [...]
Two years ago, LinkedIn rolled out its employee advocacy platform, Elevate, a paid mobile and desktop app that makes it easy for its users to discover and share content from experts at their company. Designed for organizations with 2,000 or more employees, Elevate helps companies create and improve employee advocacy, and helps encourage employees to become more active professionals by [...]
These are polarizing times. Many companies not only have to navigate layoffs, economic headwinds and fiercely divided politics, but they must also create meaningful and savvy communications that resonate with key stakeholders and employees. Reaching different audiences that might be at odds is a challenge, but there are ways to craft forward-thinking communications that strike the right tone and balance. [...]
Oftentimes after reading an article or blog post I will read through reader comments with fascination. I find the comments interesting because these may surface a different perspective or counter claims made in the original post. Sometimes the comments can be positive and add to the conversation, and sometimes the comments can turn negative. As a PR professional and blogger, [...]
In the post below, and as part of our “Publication Spotlight” series, you’ll find background information on Fast Company, its readership, and its awards, along with other information. We've previously featured other publications, including Forbes, GeekWire and Inc. magazine, and look forward to profiling other outlets in the coming weeks and months. Q: How long has the publication been around? [...]
In an increasingly remote and cloud-based business ecosystem, companies across all industries continue to be targets of ongoing cyberattacks. From hospitals and banks to transportation companies and tech giants, the event of a cyber breach is unfortunately no longer a matter of if, but rather when it will occur. Having a corporate crisis communication plan on hand is wise, [...]
One interesting trend that surfaced in Ragan’s 2021 Communications Benchmark Report is that communicators are measuring their work more frequently. And, they are using the data more strategically with a streamlined focus on benchmarking, identifying the best channels and making better editorial decisions. According to the study, last year 30 percent of respondents described their measurement efforts as ad hoc. [...]
Today’s communicators are called on to write for an increasing number of mediums including print and broadcast media, social networks, and online media such as blogs and Web sites. Some of us are also writing scripts for podcasts or YouTube videos. So how do you – as a communicator – effectively write for these different mediums and ensure your communication [...]
Telling the story of your company draws your audiences into your business in the same way a novel captivates a reader, creating a powerful way to shift perceptions. "I think that we human beings have always enjoyed great stories," says Lee Weinstein, principal of Lee Weinstein & Associates and the former director of global corporate communications for Nike. "It's part [...]
Recently, I wrote about publishing capabilities on LinkedIn and the social media giant’s plans to invite all its members to contribute articles via long-form posts. Since that time, I began thinking about the implications of this new capability as it pertains to copyright, other forms of intellectual property, corporate guidelines and staff education. For instance, every person with Communiqué PR [...]
We've written often about the importance of blogging to engage customers, share company news, establish thought leadership and improve search engine rankings. A great example of a blog that has improved - and even created - business for its author is YouLookFab.com, by Angie Cox. A former specialist buyer for ladies' wear, Angie now runs a style consulting business in [...]
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