Posts Tagged ‘Coles PR’

We’re back from the holidays and, as a PR/marketing professional, diving head first back into one of the most stressful jobs of 2012, according to CareerCast. You might already be

planning some coveted vacation time. Not only is it a time to relax and refresh, but according to recent research, it gets your creativity juices flowing.

A 2011 IBM global survey of CEOs found that creativity was regarded as the “most crucial factor for future success” in a “highly volatile, increasingly complex business environment.”

In his article, Seth Schulman offers some simple suggestions for structuring your next vacation to maximize your own creative development:

• Use time away to catch up on sleep. Most of us don’t get enough of it, and it’s essential for performing creative tasks well.
• Create psychological distance from work. It’s tempting to keep our smartphones on, even if we travel to another country. Unfortunately, that might damage our ability to replenish our creative stores. Several studies have shown that just thinking about things distant from the here and now can enhance creativity.
• Vacation with people you love. When participants in one study were “primed with thoughts of love,” they grew more creative. On the other hand, they became less creative “when primed with carnal desire.” (I’ll leave it to you to figure out what to do with that…)
• Read something crazy. Those of us who like to read might be tempted to choose the latest business book or a title that otherwise bears directly on our work. Think again: Research has found that reading absurd stories by Kafka increased the ability to recognize hidden patterns. Apparently, absurdity forces our minds to work harder to make meaning out of what we encounter, thus enhancing our creative skills.
• Play games — especially video games. Believe it or not, a recent study has found that playing video games makes kids more creative.
• Spend time with your kids. If you spend time interacting with children, you might find yourself more inclined to think like them. And one study has found that just thinking about life from the point of view of our 7-year-old selves improves our creative performance.

And when your vacation is over, plan a mindful re-entry into work. Come up with a plan to deal with the onslaught of post-vacation emails and other work, so that the effect of the stress doesn’t sap up all the creative energies you’ve had so much fun unleashing during your time off.

Yet again, CareerCast has listed PR as one of “The 10 Most Stressful Jobs of 2012.” Are you surprised? Ahead of PR were enlisted soldier, firefighter, airline pilot, military general and

police officer — and rightly so. So why are public relations and marketing professionals so stressed out? This article from PRNewser boiled it down to the top five reasons:

1. Clients. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them. From “unrealistic expectations” to limited budgets, respondents talked about how difficult some clients can be to work with. Based on our unscientific observation, this was the number one reason for the industry’s tension.

2. Constant change. Media changes never stop. And technology always has something new to offer. But there’s more to it than that.

“’Doing’ PR is stressful because: You’re working toward a creative vision that changes as it develops,” @Vivacions told us on Twitter. On top of that, there’s a ton of multitasking to be done.

“PR is so stressful because you often have to have a hundred different balls in the air at one time, and you have to be able to make that look effortless to your clients. Demands and expectations are high, budgets are often low, and dealing with the media can be challenging and draining!” wrote Erin Nevicosi in our comments section.

3. Because that’s the way relationships are. @AmyPR tweets, “…it’s based on relationships with people, and everyone is so different & [you] have to manage emotions.”

Commenter Heidi Groshelle says it’s also the number of relationships. “We are managing multiple relationships: Media, Analysts, Clients, Our Team, Advisors.”

4. PR personalities. “Cuz we touch everything. And we’re Type A control freaks,” @JennPet told us, an attribute that we’ve actually heard before.

“The type of personality required to make a great PR pro wants to please everyone from the client>media>customer,” said @MeganePR.

5. Lack of research. Frank Walton makes a case in the comments for the need for more data about outcomes.

“PR people know the principles of the practice and have past experience to draw on and (often) good intuitions. But we have just about no evidence, no data to predict the outcome of a PR tactic or strategy,” he writes.

Other stressful careers that made the top 10? Event coordinator, corporate executive, photojournalist and … taxi driver. And check out what stress factors were measured to create the top 10 list.

You’re sitting at your desk, viewing a website for your favorite brand. Just then, you have to run an errand where you’ll be sitting in a waiting room, and you want to view that same website on your mobile phone … but, can you? It all depends on the website.

With our on-the-go society, it’s a safe bet that many people not only have a desktop computer or a laptop but also have access to the Internet through an iPad or tablet device as well as some variety of smartphone. With all these devices and the constant desire for information, it is becoming more popular — and sometimes essential — to create a website that can be easily viewed on all devices.

“Having different versions of the same website makes it easier for the user to navigate the content no matter which device they are using,” says Kevin Moore, our multimedia designer here at Coles Marketing. “Without having different versions available, the user is limited in being able to view all content, such as video and images.”

For one of our clients, Dealer Services Corporation, Kevin has designed three different versions of their DSC Unplugged site — for the desktop, iPad and the mobile device. Certain content has to be designed specifically for each of those three versions. For example, the main difference between the desktop and the iPad version of DSC Unplugged is in places where Flash is used on the main site, still images are used on the iPad version because it doesn’t support Flash. And the mobile site is a significantly sized-down version of the main site, highlighting the core content from the site with little or light use of images.

What’s the best part? The site will detect which kind of device you are using and automatically take you to the particular version you need for the best view. I even tried it on my trusty BlackBerry, and sure enough, after typing in the main website address it took me straight to the mobile version of the site.

And with all the new devices and upgrades of older devices appearing at a quickening pace, it becomes a must to start considering the use of different versions of your brand’s website. Otherwise, you may not be reaching all possible consumers who are grabbing their phone or tablet and going on their way — without seeing your website. Need help with retooling your website and making it tablet and mobile-friendly? Let us know!

This year, the Indianapolis Home Show will combine with its companion show, the Indianapolis Home & Flower Show, for attendees to visit two great shows at one price!

Celebrating its 90th anniversary, the 10-day Indianapolis Home Show is the nation’s oldest and the Midwest’s largest home-focused extravaganza at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Since the Home Show was founded in 1922, it has become a tradition within the community, offering generation after generation the best in home products, decorating, construction and remodeling ideas. It is the largest consumer home event in Indiana, attracting crowds of homeowners primarily interested in home improvements and renovations.

And now the show is bigger and better than ever, offering those attendees primarily interested in gardens and outdoor living their own feature areas. An additional building in the South Pavilion will offer 25,000 square feet devoted to landscaping and gardening, with more than 20 lavish, landscaped feature gardens. From lovely lilies and ravishing roses to dazzling dahlias and jazzy jasmines, the gardens will offer a grandeur of greenery.

“We’re very excited to combine the Indianapolis Home Show with the Home & Flower Show,” Keller said. “With the excitement of the Super Bowl coming to Indianapolis at the beginning of February, we didn’t want residents to miss out on all the Home & Flower Show has to offer. Combining the two shows will cater to Indianapolis area residents’ continuous desire to learn, compare and shop for products and services for their homes and gardens. And the added bonus is they can visit two jam-packed shows in one location at one great price.”

The Indianapolis Home Show opens Friday, Jan. 20, and continues through Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Admission is $13 for adults, $3 for children ages 6 to 12 and free for children 5 and younger.

For more information, call 317-705-8719 or visit the Indianapolis Home Show website at www.IndianapolisHomeShow.com.

Hopefully something men and women can enjoy together, Kathy Ireland will be on stage at the Indianapolis Home Show on Saturday, January 21. If you are male and grew up in the 80′s, like me, you will likely know that Kathy Ireland was a swimsuit model for Sports Illustrated.

However, what you might not know is she launched her own line, Kathy Ireland Home®. Kathy Ireland Home® works to offer both home solutions and products to make your personal spaces your home. Her products include everything from indoor and outdoor accessories to furniture, fabrics and home décor trimmings such as decorative pillows, clocks and area rugs.

So, could 2012 Indianapolis Home Show tickets be an excellent stocking stuffer for men AND women? I think so. Oh, and don’t wait to buy tickets at the door — buy tickets online and save!

Good manners=
“Say please and thank you.”
“It’s not nice to stare.”
“Keep your elbows off the table.”
“Don’t speak unless you’re spoken to.”

These might be some of the things you heard from parents and grandparents as you were growing up. Manners and courtesies seem to change as society evolves, but the basics remain the same. And how would those common courtesies apply to today’s world of social media?

Check out “10 things your grandmother can teach you about social media” from Eric Fulwiler.

1. Mind your manners. Social media is still social. Even though we are interacting in a virtual space, the same traditional social rules, laws and faux pas still apply. If you act like a jerk, don’t expect many friends.
2. Tuck in your shirt. How you present yourself is just as important in the virtual world as it is in the real world. Make sure you are always aware of how you appear to others.
3. Send a thank you card. People still appreciate being appreciated. It really doesn’t take much to convert an acquaintance to a friend, which will offer exponentially more value. A simple thank you or any genuinely human interaction of gratitude goes a long way towards this goal.
4. Keep your elbows off the table. Acting respectfully in front of others proves that you value them, which will usually make them value you more. And in social media, it’s all about value.
5. Turn your music down. Don’t contribute to the noise. Listen to whatever you want in your own personal space, but when your personal preferences start to become a distraction to others, people will tune you out.
6. Finish what you started. Any way you look at it, engagement is a commitment. When you make an effort to become part of a community, it’s not only up to you when or how often you interact with other members. If you put yourself out there as a friend, be prepared to be there when people reach out to you.
7. Finish your vegetables. There are some aspects of social media that aren’t sexy. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t important to your growth and health. Make sure you are keeping up with the essentials and not just chasing that buzz you get from a social sugar high.
8. Whatever happened to a good old fashioned…? Sometimes all these new gadgets and thing-a-ma-bobs aren’t as important or effective as we make them out to be. Sometimes a good old-fashioned email, phone call, or even in-person “get-together” can accomplish things that social media can’t.
9. A man is only as good as his word. The currency of social media is trust (or social capital). And if people can’t trust you, you have no value to them.
10. Think twice before you speak. You can always say something, but you can never take it back. Especially in social media where everything you say can be heard by anyone, forever, there are just too many “finites” to not reconsider everything you say before you say it.

Let Grandma’s old-fashioned advice help you, and in return, you can help her tweet.

Politics and sports – Two things I try not to pay too much attention to and certainly try not to get into discussions about, probably because I’m not too knowledgeable about either subject. But unless I totally cut off all my exposure to the news of the world – which sometimes I try to do – there’s no way I was able to miss two of the biggest stories capturing the public’s attention, involving two men: Herman Cain and Joe Paterno.

Herman Cain – a Republican presidential hopeful
Joe Paterno – one of the most well-known and respected football coaches in college history

And what scandal topic are they both involved in? Sexual misconduct.

I read a very interesting article by Aaron Perlut regarding the commonalities between the two scenarios, especially highlighting the crisis communication issues with each.

“Joe Paterno will soon be followed by Herman Cain into retirement, one due to his action, and one due to inaction. And while each case obviously veers well beyond just communications planning, it was a lack thereof that catapulted them to a level that could have been avoided and greatly limited the damage.”

A well-thought-out communication plan is a MUST – for any organization, company or celebrity/public figure. As we have so clearly seen in both cases, scandals – and the poor communication surrounding them – led to two high-profile demises.

Did the first 22 signs make you smile? Laugh? Sigh? Shake your head?

[PR Daily published a story this year from PR professional Lauren Fernandez on the 11 signs that someone works in public relations. (The story originally appeared on Fernandez’s blog.) The article unleashed a flood of comments that PR Daily compiled into a second story (“42 more signs you work in PR“).]

Here are the rest of the signs. (You know some of these – okay, MANY of these – describe you.)

23. You engage in weekly conversations with your clients that start with, “Why weren’t we included in this WSJ article?”

24. You’ve heard all the lines about sleep: “Sleep is overrated.” “You can sleep all you want when you die.” “Do you ever sleep?”

25. You start your day by digging out of client and competitor alerts and checking email, all before you’re out of bed.

26. You check HootSuite in the morning before you get out of bed just to monitor what has been said about your clients overnight.

27. Every Friday around 5:00 p.m. you think, “This could be crisis time!” (And sometimes even look forward to a good one.)

28. You know what time it is anywhere in the world and every country’s phone code, all without having to look at a reference guide.

29. You’re afraid to go more than 15 minutes (max) without checking Twitter/Facebook/news feeds to make sure you’re not missing anything.

30. You rely on to-do lists (yes, plural) to get you through your day, but often don’t get to cross anything off until 4 p.m. (after managing a few surprise crises).

31. You wake from a dream in the middle of the night, rolling over to grab the pen and paper you keep on your nightstand to jot it down so you won’t forget an idea for yet another crazy PR stunt. Work on the mind during the day and work on the mind while you sleep!

32. You can’t look at or listen to any form of media without thinking, “My client should be on/in that.”

33. My iPhone is my girlfriend. My MacBook Pro, my best friend.

34. You’re the only person groaning out loud when reading the paper on the bus. How were we not included?

35. You check your smartphone before brushing your teeth.

36. People have asked you if you sleep in your office and you’ve actually thought about where you’d put the sleeping bag … if it ever got to that.

37. Checking of smartphones and news becomes an everyday routine before bedtime and in the mornings.

38. You read/hear about a company’s crisis and instantly think, “I wonder who their AOR is.”

39. You have one copy of the AP Stylebook at work, one at home, one on your Kindle and the app on your phone.

40. At cocktail parties, you speak in quotable sound bites.

41. You never plan meetings on Fridays afternoons or make personal plans on Friday evenings. You know that “the call” is coming at 4:45 p.m., and everything will need to be dropped anyway.

42. You actually take surveys. It’s good client karma, right?

43. You think and speak in 140 characters or less.

44. You call taking any photo a “Photo-op.”

45. Post-it notes are your lifeblood.

46. You almost die if your BlackBerry is sent for servicing!

47. Your friends think you’re crazy for your undeniable attachment to your social networks.

48. Client’s products are decorations on your desk.

49. You eat every meal at the office and have a shelf dedicated to your favorite snacks, most of which include some kind of protein or snack bar.

50. You work out at 4:00 a.m.

51. You watch televised press conferences for fun and to steal really good talking points.

52. Your morning consists of simultaneously pitching different campaigns, for different clients, across different media markets, and often, in different languages.

53. Something really bad happens and you’re the first to announce, “We don’t have problems; we have opportunities.”

PR Daily published a story this year from PR professional Lauren Fernandez on the 11 signs that someone works in public relations. (The story originally appeared on Fernandez’s blog.) The article unleashed a flood of comments that PR Daily compiled into a second story (“42 more signs you work in PR“).

Here are the first 22 signs – How many can you relate to? (And don’t lie! )

1. Your day starts and ends with a cup of coffee.

2. You can power-walk in 5-inch heels with your laptop bag while checking your BlackBerry.

3. Inside jokes with your colleagues will get you through the day — especially the insanely stressful ones.

4. You constantly engage in “PR is dead” and “the press release doesn’t have a place in business” arguments.

5. You are so used to putting the client first that you usually forget to eat lunch.

6. It’s detrimental to your health and workday when you forget your headphones.

7. You can toggle among a PowerPoint presentation, a press release, Twitter strategy and PSA outlines — all in an hour.

8. You recite billing codes in your sleep.

9. You preface Happy Hour with: “Sorry, I need to keep my phone on the table. I have to be connected to email and phone just in case.”

10. You know more about AP style than Microsoft Office. Because of this, you’re a regular in the IT department.

11. You proudly put “PR pro” in your Twitter bio, knowing it’s the one place you don’t have to explain your job.

12. Your speed-dials connect to the CEO, CFO, CIO, CRO and Arby’s.

13. Your BlackBerry sleeps with you every night. Your better half does not.

14. You no longer count calories — just your re-tweets.

15. You start to rock in your chair when you can’t catch a look at your BlackBerry over dinner.

16. “Relax” time is in the shower when you always seem to come up with the best PR pitches.

17. After your coffee, you spend 20 minutes deleting Google Alerts of clients, competitors and everything in between.

18. Your home number is on your office voicemail “just in case a reporter calls,” and non-PR people regularly express surprise that you’d let it out. You don’t understand why they even think that.

19. The first thing you do when you start your day is “communications triage,” and it often begins at home.

20. Your client wants to be on Oprah. Alternately, you are beyond grateful that this is Oprah’s final season — so you never have to hear a client say they want to be on Oprah again.

21. EVERYTHING in your life — from doing the laundry to playing a round of golf — is recorded in your mind in 15-minute billable increments.

22. You set three alarms to rise at 4 a.m. to make the early morning in-studio segment.

Sound like you? Standby for the remainder of the list – there’s more to come!

Do I matter? Does what I do matter? These are questions that many people probably ask themselves every day, both on a personal and professional level. If you’re working in the world of public relations and marketing, though, you may have reason to doubt the validity of your work, due to phrases such as “the press release is dead” and “PR is dead” being tossed around.

But as Doug Flora says, nothing could be further from the truth. In this article, “10 reasons PR matters,” he lists the following reasons why the importance of effective communications has never been more pronounced than in today’s integrated media environment.

1. In the social universe, messaging is key.
It isn’t enough to engage on social media, or have lots of “likes” and followers. If an organization isn’t communicating its key messages, then the social media effort is a waste of time. That’s where the professional communicators come in.

2. Reputation is a C-level concern.
Reputation is top of mind, even at the executive level, and especially at the biggest companies. We’re even seeing chief reputation officers being appointed. Good reputation management is good PR.

3. Crisis is chronic.
Recent history has shown us how crucial effective crisis management is. And in today’s fast-paced media landscape, an ultra-quick response with finely-tuned messaging is a must.

4. Visibility is a both an art and a science.
The rise of social media and SEO metrics have convinced some that brand visibility is solely a matter of numbers. However, good positioning is also the product of craftsmanship. We can’t forget that the quality and targeting of the message is of paramount importance.

5. Marketing people are not necessarily social media geniuses.
It’s popular to say that social media management is the domain of marketing. But social media is about communities and engagement, and the goal is to achieve earned influence. While PR has some work to do when it comes to mastering social media, it is still the best equipped to leverage the social message.

6. The media is alive and kicking.
The scenery has changed, but the media remains the primary influencer of public opinion. And while PR people have had to grow and adapt to keep up with the media’s new modus operandi, they are still the pros at this.

7. It’s the economy, stupid.
Many organizations, especially smaller ones, are on tighter budgets and don’t have as much to spend as they might like on integrated marketing. PR is the most cost-effective way to communicate to a broad audience. It’s just a matter of convincing this to clients and prospects.

8. Content and context
From blog posts to bylines to webinars to tweets, good content builds the face of the organization. PR should steer that ship because communicators know when, why and how best to send the message. Providing the right context gives content the chance to really flourish.

9. Values make your brand.
Especially in the era of the Global Village, an organization’s values are of utmost important to the public and make up a bigger portion of its brand strength than ever.

10. There is, in fact, a ROI.
But don’t just slap a dollar value on media placements and call it a day. Part of the challenge of communicating ROI is convincing the C-level that PR builds a reservoir of goodwill and that public confidence in a brand is the measure of that goodwill. Quantifying public confidence can be accomplished through a combination of surveys, media tone analysis, traditional ad values and circulation numbers, market penetration, brand buzz, etc.

So, say it with me: “I matter. What I do matters. PR matters.”