By Megan R. Auren Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) recently hosted the webinar “Collaborate with Corporate Brands for Fundraising Success,” in which presenter Cyndee Woolley, APR, discussed effective methods for nonprofits to strategically approach corporate sponsors. Woolley began her presentation by sharing the five driving forces that make a nonprofit fundraiser successful: 1. Successful outcomes…
By Aliki Vrohidis Media relations has many uses, but is often used for one goal: promoting your business. One of the most economical ways to gain mass exposure is to be included in news media stories. Although your story pitches for features on your business may not be picked up by reporters, there is another way to position yourself…
By Megan R. Auren Where research fits into public relations Public relations activities are often explained with acronyms like ROPES and RACE. ROPES: Research, objectives, programming, evaluation, stewardship. RACE: Research, action, communication, evaluation. It is important to note research is the foundation of all public relations activities and should operate on a continuous cycle. However,…
By Aliki Vrohidis The art of the media pitch is a difficult skill to master. Media pitching begins with a newsworthy story, customized media list and typically, a specially crafted email. After delivering what you think is a brilliant, personalized pitch, reporters may take hold to the idea or may not even respond. The question of…
Despite the fragmented nature in which people receive information today, there’s still value in using media relations to secure a positive story in traditional media outlets. Some of the benefits of media coverage on a TV or radio station, or in a newspaper or magazine include: Visibility. In my hometown of Minneapolis, the Star Tribune…
By Aliki Vrohidis America is thought of as a large melting pot. Different races, ethnicities and cultures come together, sharing ideas and intermixing values. In regards to communications, though, a one-size-fits-all approach simply does not work. While leaving out groups of society can cause damage to a brand, sometimes these niche messages are not cost…
Melinda Emerson’s “Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months” book is the perfect go-to guide for individuals wanting to leave corporate life and transition to becoming an entrepreneur. Now in its second edition, she covers everything that I had to learn very quickly when I was laid off in 2010 and subsequently decided to start…
Independent public relations/social media/search engine optimization consultancy Skogrand PR Solutions is looking for an intern. You would be working with Brant Skogrand, APR, MBC, the 2012 president of Minnesota PRSA and 2013 chair of the PRSA Midwest District. Brant has more than 20 years of experience on both the agency and corporate sides of public…
Melinda Emerson, Twitter’s @SmallBizLady, offers advice and encouragement to more than three million entrepreneurs every week online. Forbes magazine named her the top woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She’s a successful businesswoman, a social media expert and journalist, and a dynamic and stimulating speaker. We decided to turn the tables on her and…
Excited to be a part of today’s @BusinessWire “Meet the media” panel with: @ojezap @DPDREW @nlebens @mspbjHammer pic.twitter.com/ljwncVsUul — Dave Schwartz (@Dave_Schwartz) October 9, 2014 Journalists in Minneapolis/St. Paul are in the midst of a “new paradigm for news generation,” and a few of them recently shared what that means for public relations professionals. A…