Effective crisis communication

By Brant Skogrand, APR, MBC  A crisis, or a “people-stopping, showstopping event that creates victims” according to crisis communications expert Jim Lukaszewski, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, can create major havoc for an organization. One aspect particularly known to cause hand-wringing for CEOs is the negative media coverage that usually accompanies a crisis. Lukaszewski, however, never worries about…

Details

Mastering tech content marketing

Everyone seems to be jumping on the content marketing bandwagon. However, not everyone is doing it successfully, which is not good for either party. To help content marketers and consumers alike, check out this infographic, “Mastering Tech Content Marketing.” The infographic shares content marketing best practices and this blog post interprets and then applies a…

Details

What makes something newsworthy

By Brant Skogrand, APR, MBC   In my work with clients, I always try to find the newsworthy aspects of the information that they want to announce. To assist them in understanding what makes something newsworthy, it helps to take the viewpoint of a news reporter or editor. I found the following news values list from…

Details

Business Wire releases ‘A Guide to Press Release Optimization’

Major changes in search algorithms in the past couple of years have kept search engine optimizers and public relations professionals on their toes. Press releases, a key tactic in a public relations professional’s toolkit, can have an impact on SEO if done correctly. To advise the public relations, investor relations and communications industries, Business Wire recently issued…

Details

Event planning insights from Minnesota community festivals

By Brant Skogrand, APR, MBC   With a vibrant community festival scene including the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, the Basilica Block Party and more, Minnesotans love to get together. Attendees at a recent Minnesota PRSA panel had the opportunity to hear from some local event planning organizers, including: Roseanne Bump, executive director of the St. Paul Winter…

Details

Why attend the PRSA Midwest District Conference

By Brant Skogrand, APR, MBC   Given that the polar vortex has made this winter one for the record books, it comes as no surprise that Midwesterners already are booking their summers with fun vacations. You’ll get to hear excellent programming sessions. Jim Lukaszewski, APR, Fellow PRSA, also known as “America’s Crisis Guru,” will deliver the conference…

Details

Working with recruiters to find public relations jobs

By Brant Skogrand, APR, MBC   Many job seekers are continually frustrated by applicant tracking systems. You know — the software that just about every company seems to use where you enter in your background, hit submit, and it feels like your information is just going into a black hole? Apparently recruiters aren’t enamored of the…

Details

Public relations case study: Target data breach

    Although Target is still dealing with the fallout related to its pre-Christmas data breach, let’s take a look at how the company is doing so far in managing the crisis. I’ll use the eight laws of crisis communications that Jack Yeo and John Brooks presented at the 2012 PRSA Midwest District Conference in Chicago: Protecting…

Details

Meet the media: Bill Sherck of “Due North Outdoors”

By Brant Skogrand, APR, MBC   Those who love the outdoors probably would consider Bill Sherck’s job the position of their dreams. Sherck, known as “The Man About The Woods,” can be seen on some of the country’s most popular outdoor television programs, including:  “Backroads with Ron & Raven” on The Versus Network, “Legends of Rod and Reel” and…

Details