Public Relations Solutions

It’s Monday, it’s raining outside, and the economic forecast hasn’t really brightened since Friday, but that doesn’t give us a free pass to curl up on the couch and retreat from the world.  On the contrary, now is the time to seek motivation where we can find it — it’s the time to discover our strengths and pursue our passions. How else can we ensure a brighter tomorrow?

Here are three approaches that can inspire a more positive, productive mindset: Read the rest of this entry »

It has been an inspiring week, both at work and in marathon training – two areas of life that are somehow intertwined.  Is it the more rigorous training that is fueling more energy and focus at work?  Or is the self-discipline and organization practiced at work making training more productive?  Maybe a little of both… Read the rest of this entry »

Today is Day 1 of my personal training program at Fitness Together Fort Myers and so far, I see many parallels between their personalized, one-on-one attention and an effective public relations plan that focuses on achieving client’s goals and objectives.

Read the rest of this entry »

Those of us in the field of public relations are trained from early on about the importance of creating a thorough, specific crisis communication plan. In most cases we file it away, secure in the fact that it’s there if we need it.  For me, that was yesterday. The beauty of a well thought out crisis communication plan? It actually works.

Leaving out names to protect the innocent, no sooner had I completed a crisis plan for a new client than a crisis occurred: a key employee walked off the job without notice. She was the only full time person licensed to manage one of the major functions of this organization and without a replacement, the regulatory agencies warned they would shut down the business within the next two days. To complicate matters, this same employee called the media about the impending shut down and two TV stations got right on it.  We had five hours to get control of the situation until the 6 p.m. news. What to do? Refer to our newly minted, trusty crisis plan, of course.

Within two hours, we appointed a spokesperson, drafted a statement for the media, coached the client, contacted the media with a response and set a time with the reporters for an update. The result? While the news stories ran as scheduled, the facts were presented fairly and the points we made in the statement were mentioned right up front.  The positive, timely communication with the media allowed the story to be reported accurately with little drama and minimal impact.

Here were the lessons learned:

1. By planning calmly and rationally in advance, we were prepared for the worst.

2. We had an immediate plan to put into action – no time was wasted.

3. Because we were so calm and organized, the client was too – and that made a huge difference in the outcome.

I highly recommend preparing a thorough crisis communication plan for your client’s or organization’s peace of mind – and yours as well! To learn more, visit my website.

Working from our vacation home in the mountains of North Carolina has its pros and cons.  For one thing, by creating an advance to-do list of projects that require some thought and concentration, I usually head up here with specific things to accomplish and end up getting a lot more done than I anticipated.  Still, the spotty internet connection (and sometimes no service at all!) spurs intense anxiety attacks about what I am missing, unanswered emails and yes, even unviewed Facebook updates.

For this trip I decided since my Sprint aircard is mostly unreliable up here that I would try Verizon’s version — to no avail.  Same intermittent connection that throws me off every 15 minutes until it cuts out entirely…perhaps we should have considered a beach house for our getaways?

Today, after my initial hair pulling, hand wringing fit, I decided to take a more positive approach.  Surprisingly, I felt much better and discovered five ways to make the most of the time “unplugged.”

1. TIME TO THINK

Aaaah….with the surrounding quiet except for the patter of raindrops, I actually took some time to think about my next writing project — how would I approach it, how I could make it different, what angle I could take.  My focus definitely improved with this single-minded effort.

2. TIME TO WRITE

Next, I was able to write an advertorial piece straight through — no stopping to check email because there weren’t any coming in! I was able to finish surprisingly quickly with little editing needed, probably because I was not trying to do several things at once.

3. TIME TO FINISH A CONVERSATION

When I completed the advertorial I actually maintained my side of a short conversation with my husband without once sneaking a peek at my inbox — that way I fully comprehended what he was saying and was able to answer intelligently.  (Not be be misunderstood: I do actually uphold my side of personal conversations — just not during business hours!)

4. TIME TO TAKE A WALK

Before moving on to a new project, since the connection was still not working, I took a short walk outside, breathed some fresh mountain air, watched two deer walking the path behind our property and then came in from the rain.  Quite refreshing and good to take a little break!

5. TIME TO FEEL HAPPY ABOUT BEING RECONNECTED

While all that was good for a time, a hint of anxiety started to creep back in when I realized I could not finish my next project without some internet research. Packed up my bags and headed a mile away to my aunt’s house where for some reason I can always get a connection.  Aaaaah….sweet relief, and happiness to be back up and running! Looking forward to doing it all again tomorrow!

To learn more, please visit me and my firm at www.pkecreative.com

One of the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of working on the agency side of public relations is the diversity of businesses you can explore and share with the world. Read the rest of this entry »