Rate the tops in social media, PR & marketing

Here’s your chance to cast your vote for the best in social media, public relations and marketing in the Washington, DC area.  I can recommend up to six in each category in my Examiner.com Social Media column and my Examiner.com Marketing and Public Relations column. Please let me know your top rated in any or [...]

The trends that will power public relations in 2010

Planning for Success in 2010
Many public relations consultants and agencies are regrouping in the wake of one of the worst economic crises in our lifetime. As PR professionals plan for 2010, their questions may include where to look for new business, which competencies to develop, and how to satisfy the revised expectations of current and [...]

Fall is time to plan next year’s marketing and PR budget

Before you know it, 2009 will be a memory.  If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to develop your marketing and public relations plans for 2010, and that means setting a budget.  But where to start?
Every situation is different, but it can be helpful to have some general guidelines on what is [...]

Media Relations Ettiquette

Ms. Manners won’t tell you…but your friends at Fletcher Prince won’t let you make a faux pas!  Unless you love exasperated sighs, these no-no’s are to memorize.

Don’t send out dozens of press releases to several reporters and editors at each publication.
Don’t expect the press release to be printed verbatim. A press release is not an [...]

The Basics of Crisis Public Relations

Power outages happen, of course. When they do, I (like most people) have a battery-powered lantern, emergency radio, and a few other things to get me through an emergency. Well, to be honest, I have a full disaster preparedness kit — everything the Red Cross says I should have. Not because I live day to [...]

Obtaining Publicity Through Bloggers

Prosumers—professional consumers who are so knowledgeable about the product or service that they review and influence the marketing of those products and services—love blogs. According to eMarketer, there are more than 26 million prosumers on the Internet. Some manufacturers and retailers offer social networking opportunities on their corporate websites to attract prosumers.
A few companies, notably [...]

Writing Your Crisis Relations Plan

Create a short and readable crisis plan.
It should be 3 pages MAX- Think about it, members have to be able to read and implement the plan quickly during a crisis.  Outline all possible crises.  Create four or five main messages for each possible crisis scenario. Clearly state the crisis strategy, including what actions to take [...]

Ethical PR Practice with Bloggers

Having an influential blogger promote your product, service, or cause can work wonders for your marketing efforts.  But relationships with bloggers have to be carefully managed to preserve the trust that consumers place in word of mouth recommendations, comments, and reviews.  The Word of Mouth Marketing Association has come up with 10 Principles for Ethical [...]

Publicity Guide for Small Business Owners

Have you ever wondered how your competitors are featured in news and feature articles in your local newspapers?
Chances are, these companies have employed a public relations practitioner or public relations agency to craft and execute a strategic communications plan for them. Writing and placing a press release takes time, effort, and expertise, and the best [...]

Anatomy of a Press Release

Basic Information to Include

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: name, title, phone, email
Dateline: city, state, and date of the release
A headline — the title of the release (may be in all caps)
Lead paragraph: most important information–who, what, when, where, why
Body: important details, quotes
Boiler-plate: last paragraph is the company’s positioning statement, location, website address, etc.
Press Release Format
Be brief. [...]