It's membership promotion time!

Joining PRSA right now could save you $35 on professional membership costs during July and August, 2012!

If you know a colleague who has expressed interest, please tell them about this promotion.   Membership benefits of networking, professional development, exchanging ideas and product discounts will pay for your membership many times over as your career takes off.  You can sign up either online or by mail.

For additional concerns or questions, please contact Paula Ringer, 2012 Membership Chair at large. 417-818-1339 or e-mail to: paula@plankproductions.com

Get your communication skills in shape at the PR Boot Camp

The Southwest Missouri Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) will hold a Public Relations Boot Camp workshop on Friday, July 13 for individuals wanting to build or improve their public relations skills. This one-day event will be held from 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, 202 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway. Registration begins at 8 a.m.

The Public Relations Boot Camp is designed to help people who want to learn or brush up on tools to promote their business or organization, whether it’s a small business, non-profit, church or public office. The event includes four sessions presented by area public relations professionals and current and former members of the news media. The sessions include:

·      The power of words: What you say is more important than where you say it.
Dr. Regina Waters, Chair of the Dept. of Communication at Drury University

·      Managing issues and what to do when a reporter comes knocking.
Mark Miller, M.A., Associate Director of Marketing and Communications at Drury

·      Putting it all together: Developing a public relations plan.
Cora Scott, Director of Public Information and Civic Engagement, City of Springfield

·      Media Panel.

News professionals from local print, radio and television outlets will tell you what makes a good news story and how and when to contact them with news.

To register and for more information, please visit http://swmoprsa.org/events/pr-bootcamp/. The cost for this one-day workshop is $40 for PRSA member, Chamber of Commerce members and students. The cost is only $50 for non-members. This fee includes a light breakfast, lunch and all program materials. For more information, contact Dan Ortega at 573-201-1408 or danortegaPR@gmail.com.

Submit your work for An Evening of Stars

In addition to honoring our local chapter members for their service, this year's An Evening of Stars will feature awards for four new categories:

Community Relations - Recognizes an organization’s programs that aim to improve relations with or seek to win the support/cooperation of, people or organizations in communities in which the sponsoring organization has an interest, need or opportunity.

Events and Observances - Showcases events or programs that fulfilled at least one of the organization’s public relations goals. This may include commemorations, observances, openings, celebrations or other special activities.

Integrated Communications - Awarded to a program that demonstrates leadership of public relations strategies and tactics in a creative and effective integrated campaign, along with other marketing or communications. The program must demonstrate the clear leadership of public relations, along with its integration with other disciplines.

Marketing/Public Relations Campaign - Given for outstanding campaigns – including programs, communications or publications – that seek to fulfill the organization’s marketing or public relations goals.

Start thinking now about what you might like to submit. The early bird deadline is Aug. 20, and the final deadline for submissions is Sept. 4.

Visit http://swmoprsa.org/an-evening-of-stars/ for all the details. 

Social Media conference planned Aug. 23

“Social Media for Non-Profit Organizations” will be presented Aug. 23 in Springfield by Social: IRL, a social media training and consulting firm in Lawrence, Kan.  The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Veridian Event Center, 309 South Avenue. 

Non-profit organizations may send up to two registrants free of charge, subject to approval to assure they meet requirements for non-profit status.  Because the Southwest Missouri Chapter of PRSA is a sponsor, any of our members who do not qualify for non-profit status may attend at a discounted rate of $50, a $25 savings. 

Event information and registration is at: http://socialirl.com/social-media-for-non-profit-organizations/.  Use discount code PRSA to receive the $50 rate.

You can also view the current attendee list at: http://nonprofitssgf.eventbrite.com/.

Attendees will learn from each other – connecting, sharing, hearing case studies, discussing what’s worked and how challenges have been overcome. Attendees will also learn through expert lead sessions covering important practical issues such as social media integration, community management, monitoring and measurement, handling negative PR, crisis response, developing an effective social media strategy, best practices, creating and sharing social media friendly content, and content marketing. The conference also will explore the latest social networks and trends. A powerful combination of practical advice and support along with valuable "lessons from the front lines.”

For more information, visit http://socialirl.com/social-media-for-non-profit-organizations/ or contact Social: IRL at http://socialirl.com/contact/.

Accreditation Month

If you are interested in enhancing your career with public relations accreditation, keep reading.

If you want to gain a deeper knowledge about the PR industry's only post-graduate certification program, don’t stop now.

APR is a mark of distinction for public relations professionals who demonstrate their commitment to the profession and to its ethical practice, and who are selected based on broad knowledge, strategic perspective, and sound professional judgment.

PRSA has designated April as Accreditation Month.

Our chapter has registered for the national presentation of the Accreditation Power Play webinar from 2 – 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 19, at the Great Southern Bank Operations Center Board Conference Room, 218 S. Glenstone just south of St. Louis Street in Springfield.  (Where our March meeting was held.  Go to the main entrance at the sound end of the building.)  This gives the chapter one Internet connection in one room at one time for any participant(s).

If there is enough interest among Joplin members, a location could be established there.

If you are interested in the April 19 webinar, please send an email to Rod Surber at surber-r@mssu.edu by noon Friday, April 6.

Members can learn more about APR through this webinar and other special events, including:

• Free Online Course Open House – 2 p.m. (CDT), April 24;
• Free On Demand Webinars:
  - Knowing Your Business is Good PR          

- Getting Ready for the Readiness Review

• Members are encouraged to use the "Invite-a-Peer" tool at http://www.prsa.org/Learning/Accreditation/APRInviteAPeer to help spread the word about APR.

Dr. Joe McAdoo Memorial Scholarship

Dr. Joe McAdoo was a founder and past president of the Public Relations Association of Springfield (which evolved into SWMO PRSA) and former chair of the Department of Communication at Drury University. He was committed to fostering educational opportunities that maintain the distinction and integrity of the public relations profession.

One (1) $1,000 scholarship will be awarded for the 2012-2013 academic year ($500 Fall/$500 Spring).

The recipient also may attend SWMO PRSA monthly membership meetings and our annual professional development seminar free-of-charge (a $150 value) during the academic year.

To read more about this scholarship and eligibility requirements, please click here.

PRSSA Day

From our President Tom Ellis:

Earlier this month, the PRSSA chapter at Missouri State University asked our chapter to host the 2012 PRSSA Day tentatively scheduled for April 27.  Your board of directors enthusiastically agreed.  This is a great fit for our chapter.  We enjoy having a good relationship with the PRSSA chapter and one of our goals for 2012 is to further strengthen those ties. 

Our SWMissouri Chapter will also host a booth at the event and donate $100 to PRSSA to help with the costs of the event.  

Chapter members Claire Faucett and Andrea Harp are serving on the planning committee.  Anyone interested in helping out should contact Claire at claire@springfieldchamber.com or 862-5567 or Andrea at aharp@ochonline.com or 874-4523.

Wikipedia & PR

I am writing you today to provide information on a matter of importance to every PRSA member. PRSA has been engaging in a series of discussions regarding the proper role of public relations professionals in editing entries on Wikipedia, the self-described “free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.” Given that Wikipedia is one of the most widely used information resources in the world, we believe it is important that our members are made aware of this ongoing debate.

Marcia DiStaso, co-chair of PRSA’s National Research Committee, has developed a survey that examines the profession’s experiences with Wikipedia. You can take the survey here.

Survey: Wikipedia and PR

We encourage you to send this survey to members of your Chapter, Section or Committee and ask them to take a few minutes to answer the questions. Please also post it to your website, LinkedIn groups, Facebook pages and other forums.

We believe that PR professionals should engage with Wikipedia in a responsible manner that respects the community’s rules and protocols, while also ensuring they act in their clients' best interests. But the engagement must be a two-way street in which Wikipedia is willing to see and accommodate both sides of the issue.

We have made this position clear in a variety of forums. Recently, I wrote an op-ed for technology news publication, Techdirt, in which I made the case the for PR professionals editing Wikipedia. We have also provided the profession’s perspective in PRWeek, The Financial Times and through a special Facebook group dedicated to this discussion.

There are many other initiatives and causes in which PRSA is currently engaged.  From modernizing the definition of public relations to enhancing the business value of public relations, we are committed to advancing the profession and the public relations professional. We hope you will continue to stand beside us in this commitment by encouraging your members to share their wisdom via this important PRSA survey.

Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. Your input is always welcomed and appreciated.

Best regards,

Gerard Corbett, APR, Fellow PRSA
PRSA Chair and CEO

Integrating Social Media in your Marketing

The Association for Women in Communications presents: "Integrating Social Media in your Marketing"

Learn to use social media strategically to advance your business while keeping it from eating your life! Dana R. Fowler, founder and President of Media Flashpoint in St. Louis, will be in Springfield on Tuesday, February 7 to answer your most troubling questions. The extended lunch will be from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm.

Ms. Fowler has 20 years of experience in broadcast journalism and marketing, specializing in video and interactive production and development. She started Media Flashpoint in 1994 (formerly called DRF Productions). As President and CEO, her responsibilities include hands-on project management as well as vendor and client relations.

Previously, Dana served as Executive Producer of Interactive Marketing for Busch Creative Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch and Director of Interactive Marketing for Adamson Advertising in St. Louis, MO. She has also served as Executive Producer of television news for an NBC affiliate in Oklahoma City, OK where she produced a nationally award winning documentary in the former Soviet Union.

Join us at 425 Downtown, which is located at 425 W. Walnut, Springfield 65806. Parking is available across the street in the lot marked 425 Downtown, as well as in the garage on Campbell Avenue.

The cost for the luncheon is $15 for members and first time guests, $18 for returning guests and $14 for AWC student members and full-time degree-seeking students. RSVP to ecoulter@pension-consultants.com.

The Association for Women in Communications is a professional organization that champions the advancement of women across all communications fields by recognizing excellence, promoting leadership and positioning its members at the forefront of the evolving communications era. New members are welcome!

New year, new officers and new goals

The new year is here, and the new board is already planning another spectacular year.The following members have been selected for the 2012 board of the Southwest Missouri Chapter of PRSA.

• President: Tom Ellis
• President-Elect: Lori Marble
• Immediate Past President: Don Hendricks
• Secretary: Becky Lucas
• Treasurer: Tamera Heitz-Peek
• Chapter Liaison Director-at-Large: Regina Waters
• Membership Director-at-Large: Paula Ringer
• Communications Director-at-Large: Jill Finney
• Assembly Delegate: Andrea Mostyn

These new board members met on Jan. 12 and began making plans for the year.
Chapter goals for 2012:

• Offer PRSA webinars to the community as a membership recruitment tool and to create the potential to generate new revenue
• End the year with at least 50 members (we are currently at 46).
• Create a Speaker’s Bureau to share chapter members’expertise with the community.
• Strengthen student chapter relations.