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Tips and information for effective public relations - Summer 2015  

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Here's a sampling of what's going on with our clients and staff:

Recycling Tip Tuesdays! Check out Brown County Resource Recovery's

Facebook page for quick recycling tip videos. A new video is posted each Tuesday to encourage residents to #KnowBeforeYouThrow! Check them out! 

National nursing publications ran stories about a new e-tool developed by two UW- Green Bay nursing faculty members in conjunction with NANDA, an international nursing organization. The app makes student-patient assessments more efficient and effective.

 

TSA Pre-Check is now available at Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB). Brown County and the Transportation Security Administration made the announcement at GRB media event.

 

Congratulations to Amerequip, a Kiel-based designer and manufacturer of custom equipment for the lawn, landscape, agricultural and construction markets. The firm received Progress Lakeshore's 2015 Corporate Investment Award.  

 

Just in time for football season: 1919 Kitchen & Tap will open this July at Lambeau Field in the Atrium. The name of the newest Packers restaurant pays homage to the year the Packers were formed. Meanwhile, the newly renovated

Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame will also open later this summer in the Atrium. 


More than 16,000 runners and walkers participated in this year's Bellin Run
and, by all accounts, it was another successful event. If you haven't taken part in the past, mark your calendar for next year's 40th
anniversary run. It's sure to be even bigger and better!

 

The Salvation Army of Brown County has welcomed new leadership. Major Bob Mueller, who was the Senior Kroc Center Officer, is now the Brown County Coordinator, while Major Lisa Mueller becomes the new Senior Kroc Center Officer. Coming to Green Bay from Burlington, Iowa, Captains Jeffery and Dawn Russell are the new Union Court Corps Officers. Meanwhile, Lt. Alejandro Yanez is now the Kroc Center Officer for Congregational Life and Lt. Carolina Yanez is the Kroc Center Officer for Programs and Community Development.

 

Local officials toured the two water storage tanks being constructed in Ledgeview for the Central Brown County Water Authority. One tank will hold 8 million gallons and the other 3.5 million. When completed this fall, the tanks will provide additional storage capacity for the Authority's member communities and help reduce energy costs associated with pumping the water from Manitowoc Public Utilities.  

 

Congrats to GLC Minerals, LLC on receiving the Growth Award at the 2015 Greater Green Bay Chamber Business Recognition Luncheon! GLC Minerals, LLC won the award for its significant growth in sales and service.


The PR Dog Days of Summer
 

There's a belief among many in the business world that it's tough to get things done during the summbeach-chairs2.jpger. You'll hear people say that "everyone is on vacation," "it's impossible to reach anyone," or "decision makers just aren't available." It's the Dog Days of Summer.

 

Or is it? If, in fact, decision making slows down during the summer for many, or at least some businesses, maybe this is the time of year for you to make an extra push with your public relations program. One of the keys for PR success is to be consistent and persistent. So, rather than slowing things down during the summer months, why not push ahead or even step up your efforts?

 

Here are a few thoughts for ramping things up:

  • Start with a review of what you've done over the first half of the year. It's important to know where you've been to help guide where you're going. Determine what has worked and what maybe didn't produce the results you were looking for.
  • Summer may be a good time to reach out to your local newspaper or industry publications to see if they're looking for an expert column. Consider a "summer" topic that fits with your industry.
  • The summer months are also a bit slower for newsrooms. Take advantage by pitching lighter stories that aren't time sensitive.
  • It is also a good time to work on those news media relationships. Reach out to the reporter or editor that covers your business or industry and set up a short meeting or lunch date.
  • Take a look at the local events in your community. You may be surprised by the sponsorship opportunities that will carry your name to the public and future customers. Look even further down the road a bit and start planning for fall.

With the right PR approach, you can use the summer months to your advantage and even score some PR hits.

Today's wild west is social media

How  you communicate with the media during a crisis situation has changed dramatically in the past few years.

 

Less than eight years ago, you essentially only needed to concern yourself with how to control and respond to the three types of media: television, radio and print, during a crisis situation. Depending upon the type of crisis and its

severity, working to control the messaging for these media posed challenges at times. The positive in these situations was that the reporters followed an industry set of standards for journalistic integrity. Well, at least most of them did.  

 

In today's world of social media, you can throw some of the past PR rules and standards for addressing a crisis right out the window. Yes, we still have the three traditional media that continue to abide to journalistic standards. However, now you also have to be prepared to deal with personal blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and a whole variety of other online apps that allow anyone the opportunity to say whatever they want, whenever they want. And often it's said with few or no facts to back up their allegations.  

 

Knowing what social media apps to stay informed about, who is using them and why, and understanding how to address issues when they arise on social media are essential. This doesn't just apply to the individual that frequently posts things online. It also applies to traditional media that are relying more and more on social media as tools to stay relevant as a news source.

  

There are similarities in dealing with traditional media and social media. It's about being proactive and controlling your message.  

 

The main difference between traditional media of the past and today's social media is that, unless your crisis was significant enough to gain national or international media attention, most traditional media had limits on the number of listeners or readers they could reach based on the size of the demographic market area (DMA). In addition, it often took 30 minutes to several hours for the news to be broadcast or put into print.  

 

Social media has no such borders. It's global and can reach anyone just about anywhere, at any time, instantaneously. Compound that with the fact that they can directly target your customers and suppliers and those using it are not bound by journalistic standards and it's a recipe for disaster.  

 

In many ways, it's like the wild wild west where anything goes and, often times, does. And, it's not only limited to an unhappy customer who's voiced a concern. It can be activists that decide to target your business, a disgruntled employee or, in some cases, business competitors that turn to social media to damage your reputation.  

 

Having a strong understanding of social media and how to manage and control your messaging is another key element to business success or, in the case of a crisis, business survival. The key, as always, is to be prepared. 

Are you ready if a reporter calls?
   

Being prepared can be the difference between a good interview and one that you hope no one sees. Leonard & Finco Public Relations has the experts to help you understand today's media and help you prepare if you're approached for an interview. For more information, contact us at (920) 965-7750 or info@LFpublicrelations.com.

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Quick Quote 
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"Communication - the human connection - is the key to personal and career success."

-Paul J. Meyer