Subscribing on Facebook

Facebook has a new subscribing feature. You may have heard. While it will have very little implication for most of us in our personal usage, it could directly impact how you use it for your business or organization. Do you want to know when you get a new subscriber? Do you want everything you post to be viewable? The key to everything we do should be this: strategy.

Read "The Complete Guide to Facebook's Subscribe Button."

St. Louis event with Valeria Maltoni

See the message below from Ben Smith, Social: IRL.

I'd hoped to bring Social: IRL back to Springfield this year with a follow up to February's boot camp with Sarah Evans.

Unfortunately the timing didn’t work out for this year, but I hope to schedule another event in Springfield for the Summer of 2012. In the meantime, we will be in St Louis on November 3 with "Relationships and Brand Building in the Social Media Age."

Since I wasn’t able to return to Springfield this year, I'm offering each of you who attended the Sarah Evans boot camp a special $50 discount if you'd like to make the drive and join us in St Louis. I can promise an event that is well worth the trip, and the $50 discount can be applied to both the regular rate and the early bird rate this is currently available. If applied to the early bird rate it would take registration to just $95.

This  event delves a lot deeper than the event you attended with Sarah and features Valeria Malltoni, known online under the "Conversation Agent" brand. Valeria brings more than 20 years of real-world business experience, specializing in taking companies to "what's next" in their business cycle by planning and building value creating systems that add momentum and performance to deliver strength, resilience and endurance to the business. Valeria has been responsible for overseeing engagements for companies including Busch, InBev, Allstate and GE Appliances. During her career, she's held senior business roles executing growth strategies at global Fortune 500, mid-sized businesses and small start up companies in five industries. Her Conversation Agent blog is consistently ranked among the top 30 marketing blogs in the world on the AdAge Power150. You can also connect with Valeria on Twitter @conversationage.

You can learn more about the event and register at:

http://socialirl.com/relationships-brand-building-conversation-in-the-social-media-age/

If you attended the Feb. conference in Springfield, use discount code IRLSGF to get the 50% discount.

Hope to see you in St Louis.

Ben

Distractions Detract from Work

Ironic that I'm blogging about distractions detracting from work, when I probably could be doing something more productive myself. I just saw this article being tweeted about by Vocus, and I was intrigued.

Once, after a loss, former Tennessee Titans’ coach Jeff Fisher made this statement to the media about his team’s effort:

“I think you have to be able to deal with distractions, put them in perspective and move on. Distractions are the primary reason for losing football games. ”

He didn’t chalk up the loss to a poor planning, a bad strategy, or lack of effort. He pinned the losing effort on distractions.

Read more about "Why Distractions Mean Failure in Football and Marketing."

Reflections on Sept. 11

I've been challenged for the past week with the numerous options of mediated remembrances of Sept. 11. I have avoided consuming most any of it because I was skeptical of the motivations behind some of the programming (ratings vs memorials). Until now.

The PRSA Tactics post by John Milton Wesley is a must read. And, if you don't develop a little catch in your throat, and maybe a teary eye, you're not human.

Growing up, I remember my parents and a few teachers talking about how they remembered what they were doing when they heard Pearl Harbor had been attacked and JFK was assassinated. After Sept. 11, 2001, I understood this completely. To this day, I can tell you absolutely everything about that day.

Sept. 11 was a turning point for this country, for business and certainly for the profession of public relations. Wesley's personal story is heart-wrenching. But, his five rules are good reminders when we, as professional communicators, are put in difficult positions sharing the stories of tragedy and loss.

10 years later: Reflecting on the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001: PRSA

Volunteer, Nominate, Attend: 3 Easy Ways to Support "An Evening of Stars!"

Mark your calendar for “An Evening of Stars!”

Thursday, Nov. 17 ¶ 6 p.m.

Wellington South, 5021 S. National Ave.

From Melinda Arnold

Join your SWMO PRSA colleagues for our inaugural banquet, an evening to celebrate our successes and recognize outstanding contributions to the public relations profession. The flier (PDF attachment) includes the details for the evening. (Note: This event takes the place of our November “holiday” meeting.)

As chair of the event, I’m asking for three actions from each chapter member:

1.       Mark your calendar today and plan to attend the banquet. Details will be posted soon on the SWMO PRSA website for purchasing tickets.

2.       Give thought to our members and consider those who you believe should be nominated for the “Rising Star” or “Intrepid” awards. While we’re specifically focused on those two awards, we also have three additional awards that could be given if there are nominations to support them. Again, complete details are on the flier.

3.       Think beyond “I’m busy,” and consider volunteering for the either the event or awards committee. We’re all busy, but neither of these committees will take a tremendous amount of time. And, the more the merrier (and easier)! Contact me by email or phone (833-1570) if you are willing to serve.

Making QR Work for Your PR

We all know what QR codes are, and what they do, but few of us have figured out how to use them consistently and effectively in our public relations and marketing efforts. We might have stuck a toe in the water to see if the general public knows what to do with them, but being tentative in this case doesn't get the job done. Just like any effort in public relations, there must be solid strategy behind it.

Read 5 Steps to a Successful QR Campaign

Videos available from August meeting

We've tried with varying degrees of success to catch video of speakers this year during the meetings - sometimes forgetting the camera, sometimes not having the speakers' permission to post, sometimes I was gone on maternity leave, sometimes I just got bogged down and never edited the videos- but I thought it was particularly fitting that this set of videos from yesterday's meeting should be accessible. It is in 3 parts, and while it is a study in exactly what NOT to do according to our speaker (just pointing and shooting a lecture on a blank background), it might still be a resource for those who were unable to attend, would like to hear a specific section again, want to share some ideas, need to look up some resources that he mentioned.
Part 1: http://youtu.be/_RijcSqTZ2k
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUdHMzvJj7c
Q&A Session: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcK9K8laYvQ

Slides are also available at http://t.co/5c65W03.

Listen up! Network. Get engaged.

Listen up! Network. Get engaged.


A new era for PR and marketing professionals.

2011 Professional Development Conference

September 20, 2011

Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce


Register now and get $10 off at http://www.swmoprsa.org/.

Sessions are geared toward professionals at small and large businesses alike. Sessions include:

• GET ENGAGED! BE A LEADER FROM WITHIN YOUR COMPANY. David Grossman, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, founder and CEO, The Grossman Group, in Chicago, will talk about the importance of getting communication “right” and will provide proven and practical insights, methods and tools to enhance results and ensure overall organizational engagement.

• PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD! ETIQUETTE TIPS FOR BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS. Shari Hawkins, owner, 2balance, a PR and communications agency in Springfield, will discuss best practices when it comes to etiquette in today’s business world.

• LISTEN UP! BE SOCIAL. GET TANGIBLE RESULTS FROM YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS. Mike Koehler, president and chief strategist, Smirk New Media in Oklahoma City, will delve into best practices and the how-to’s for effective online brand monitoring and engagement through social media networking -- in a way that provides tangible benefits for your business or organization.

• EXTREME NETWORKING. Students and professionals will get a chance to meet and learn from one another. Students should bring resumes and questions. Professionals, this is your chance to learn how education is evolving and ideas on staying current.

NEW! Showcase Sponsor

We've added a new sponsorship level for just for attendees. Showcase your company throughout the conference for an additional $50.

As a Showcase Sponsor you receive:

-- Placement of promotional material on Showcase Tables inside the conference room

-- Recognition during the event

-- Special designation as a Showcase Sponsor on your name tag

-- Recognition via Facebook, Twitter and other social media as applicable

PR boot camp July 28

The SWMO PRSA chapter is sponsoring a PR Boot Camp, featuring Maria Neider, Jonathan Groves, Joel Alexander, Zac Rantz and Mark Miller. This promises to be a strong program with practical tips and suggestions for improving media relations for businesses and non-profits. Complete information and registration is available online. See you there!

Are you ready for a digital crisis?

I'm preparing for a crisis communication presentation next week, and this Forbes post listed on today's "PRSA Issues & Trends" caught my eye. Maybe it caught yours, too.

What do you think? How prepared are you for a social media/digital crisis? Do you have a social media crisis communication plan?