Step In Communication

In the early days of my public relations career, it was an accepted fact that you should train the key people in your organization who may be called upon to speak to the media. In some organizations, this “training opportunity” was geared to one or a few key executives. In larger organizations, it was often [...]

Is PR talk value?  At a recent professional development event I attended, the speaker continually  referred to talk value as PR. The first couple of times, it was okay. By the seventh or so reference, I started to cringe each time the phrase was used. What is it about this reference which grates on my [...]

I attended the “Rockstars vs. Roadies, Who Makes a Better Employee?” session at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival last month. This session was a real stretch for me because I am a one person shop, so I don’t hire people, at least not right now.  A thread which emerged during the session about interview [...]

During a recent Twitter chat with solo PR practitioners, the subject of recovering from the loss of a client became a hot topic.  As the chat progressed, the group serendipitously compiled a list of signs that all, in hindsight, recognized were signs that a client was about to change their mind about the relationship. Change [...]

Happy birthday Girl Scouts! Today this venerable organization for girls turns 100.  I attribute my success in my life and my career to a great Girl Scouting experience. The motto “Be Prepared” has served me well in public relations and in my family life. I was a Girl Scout for the ten best years of [...]

A SWOT Analysis, often used by businesses in strategic planning, is a great way to determine your next career step.  By now, you’ve created a SWOT Analysis with your “trusted advisors,” so  it’s time to look at it and analyze your results. Reflect on Results Put all the Strengths | Weaknesses | Opportunities |Threats together [...]

You know it’s coming because it happens every year at this time.  Annual performance reviews are a ritual that we love to hate. Here’s why:  we are rarely prepared for them, they are often poorly written or vague, and we are not always convinced they are a true measure of our performance. Not to mention [...]

Nonprofits depend on volunteers for all sorts of things.  In some organizations, they may answer phones or process donations.  In others, they may assist clients or staff.  But volunteers also direct strategic campaigns to bring millions of dollars into organizations.  And they often govern the very structure of the nonprofit, through board service and operations. [...]

It’s the end of another summer season and tourism destinations are about to ask themselves the hard questions as they start to plan next year. What worked? What didn’t? What should we change for next year? It’s hard for some destinations to rise above the well-funded voices of the “biggies” like New York City, Orlando [...]

You hear this frequently in the tourism industry. Particularly during the week, because tourism is not a Monday-through- Friday type occupation. At SeaWorld, when someone said “Today’s my Friday,” it meant they were getting ready to celebrate the end of a busy week – especially in the summer when the majority of park employees worked [...]