A great public relations campaign – by today’s standards

When we talk with clients about their public relations campaign strategy we divide activity into traditional and digital media. Traditional media being TV, radio, and print and digital being anything we do online. 

Online activity plays a major part in communicating with stakeholders. But you can’t just throw out content, hope it sticks, and that it influences behavior. You must be strategic. 

Consumers jump around online; from Facebook to a news page, to a Google search to Instagram, back to Facebook, next a blog, online shopping, and then back to Facebook. So, in order to capture their attention you must be visible. 

It doesn’t matter how many likes or followers you have on your Facebook page, the way in which you influence your audience has nothing to do with this. It’s about your ability to affect change through your stakeholders. And by the way – this has never changed – it’s always been the case that the job of public relations is to persuade. We’re just applying it to the online world in this instance. The key here is engagement. The actions that follow a post will prove whether your campaign is a success or not. 

If you’re not thinking about SEO, when planning a public relations campaign, then you might as well go home. SEO should be part of your integrated approach today. As public relations professionals we are perfectly placed to impact search results. 

Traditional media can also play a vital role here. A TV interview or newspaper article is highly likely to appear online at some point – and on multiple platforms. It’s what you do with this content that matters. 

Artificial intelligence and augmented reality also play a part in the field of public relations – and even more so in the future. In fact, we already work with clients to ensure that intelligent assistants, such as Siri and Alexa, are working in their favor. 

For years, those in the field have struggled with evaluation and measurement. Thanks to the data we are now able to extract online we can make improvements in real time. We’re also better able to prove ROI. 

I actually remember the day I sent a fax to the media when there was a crash landing at the airport and the airline was the client of a consultancy I worked for. A fax! Civic journalism and the digital world now take care of ‘breaking news’ now. This is what crisis comms people live for – the fast paced unfolding of a story that’s likely to hit the World Wide Web before you can even utter the word ‘let’s get out in front of the story’. Therefore you need a solid plan when it comes to crisis comms.  

Whatever your budget and timeframe, you need to make sure all of the above is fully considered – and acted upon – to deliver a successful public relations campaign.

Sensible Innovations

For more than a year now, we have been working with Rasha Said, founder and CEO of Sensible Innovations. When we first met with Rasha in early 2015 she had recently launched the first version of the Aware app. Aware is designed to help improve the lives of America’s 21 million visually impaired, using Apple iBeacon technology to communicate information about a person’s surroundings.

The app has been created with the visually impaired in mind, but is also being used by people with dyslexia and the elderly, who find it difficult to navigate a new environment. The iBeacons' signals trigger the app, which identifies the location, downloads the information and a text reader on the smartphone describes the environment. Access to information at the right time and place for the visually impaired, or individuals who have difficulty understanding signs, negates the need for memorization or fear of getting lost. Rasha’s ultimate goal has been to provide the visually impaired the opportunity to explore the world without limitations – and she’s doing exactly that. 

After her pilot installation at Glenwood High School in Chatham, Illinois, Rasha then placed iBeacons, free of charge, at The Mary Bryant Home for the Blind in Springfield, Illinois. Gem PR & Media has worked with Rasha to develop a pro-active public relations campaign, which has built brand recognition here in Springfield, in the state of Illinois, across America (especially amongst her target market), and around the world. Rasha is now installing iBeacons across the country and will have a pilot scheme go live in London, UK, later this year. 

We have spread word of Sensible Innovations’ Aware app through a number of channels, including attendance at conferences for the visually impaired, technology symposiums, building a relationship with and installing iBeacons at Chicago Lighthouse, speaking occasions, interviews on TV, in newspapers and magazines – including, and perhaps one of our most successful activities, an interview in the American Foundation for the Blind’s publication and online. 

Most recently, and the reson for this blog, we entered Rasha for two regional awards: the ATNENA Leadership award, which is presented to female leaders in the community for their personal and professional dedication and the Springfield Business Journal’s Women of Influence award. Rasha has been shortlisted for the ATNENA award, of which there are 10 nominees, and is one of five 2017 winners of the Women of Influence award. 

It goes without saying how extremely proud we are to work with Rasha, continue to help her build the Sensible Innovations brand, and deliver the Aware app to those who will benefit from it most around the world. 

If there was ever the perfect example when it came to a client who understood the positive impact of public relations Rasha Said and Sensible Innovations is it. 

Gem PR & Media shapes message for Sangamon County Fair 2017

We were delighted to have the opportunity to work with the committee to promote this year’s Sangamon County Fair, which takes place between Tuesday 13 and Sunday 18 June. 

The most important messages that we needed to deliver to the fair’s stakeholders were changes to the event, which is steeped in tradition – and expectation. The committee decided that this year, following feedback from previous years, that it would reduce the admission fee to the fair – with a separate fee for grandstand entertainment. Also, we announced that the 2017 Sangamon County Fair would run six days instead of the usual five with the Sangamon County Fair Queen Pageant taking place on Tuesday (opening day of the fair) opposed to the Wednesday. The committee made these changes with the aim to increase attendance, particularly for families. 

With Gem PR & Media being headquartered in Sangamon County (home to Springfield, IL) we are always excited to get involved in local events. The Sangamon County Fair committee had the challenge of sending out a clear message about changes to the event so we were only too happy to provide them with the support they needed.

As a result of the campaign so far, multiple news organizations in Central Illinois have reported on the fair and the changes positively, which were announced on Friday 31 March. 

We look forward to continuing to manage the public relations campaign for this year’s Sangamon County Fair. 

Why you should hire a social media manager

Gem PR & Media can improve your social media and manage the day- to-day operation of your accounts.  We know you're busy and social media often is pushed back to take care of your clients. That’s where a social media manager comes in. 

The main role of a social media manager is to represent your business through the various social platforms and engage with your stakeholders. The return on investment comes with his or her know-how, experience, and time. 

If you work with a team, such as ours, you don’t just get the support of just one, but of many. When immersed in the world of social media it’s easier to respond quickly to changes on individual platforms – and to stay abreast of current trends. We know the central Illinois community and manage numerous accounts in the area successfully.

A good social media manager should respond effectively to questions from your stakeholders, create original content, remain informed about best practices and provide feedback after analyzing results. 

If you want a successful social media campaign there must be a strategy, defined goals, and a chance for evaluation. You should expect to engage with your social media manager on a regular basis. He or she should develop a relationship with your key staff and have an opportunity to meet with them to find out about activity within the business so that they can inform your stakeholders. 

Make sure you work with someone who is enthusiastic about social media. And, like I’ve said before, don’t be afraid to ask for samples of work from past clients, this is a good way to evaluate whether he or she has a clear understanding of how social media plays a key part in any marketing plan. It certainly doesn’t hurt to do a Google search of the social media manager and their own social media platforms. Their image is as important as yours. 

Writing award entries

It’s that time of year when we sit with our clients and recommend a list of awards they should enter some local, some statewide, and others that are national. Our experience and some research mean we are able to identify award opportunities that will not only suit them best, in terms of their business development goals, but we genuinely believe they have a chance of winning.

 
In the past, I’ve talked about the importance of award entries in building brand awareness, but I haven’t talked about how to write an award entry, which I will do now. 

First, you must identify which awards suit you, and your goals, best. If you want to build your brand in the community perhaps you need to look at a volunteer award. If it’s the community you want to relate to you must focus on local opportunities. If you want to demonstrate your capabilities then you’ll want to enter a business award, such as the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce awards, for example. Perhaps you want to gain recognition for something more specific to your industry. If that’s the case you may need to look to an association. We have a number of female clients who have not only excelled as entrepreneurs – there are plenty of award opportunities here too. 

Once you’ve identified the award to enter you need to read over the criteria. Can you fulfill all of the criteria? Will you stand out against others in the same category? If so, you can begin drafting your responses. If you don’t meet the criteria, work out what it is you need to do in order to meet the requirements of the award entry and work towards this over the next year. 

I always start by copying and pasting all of the questions into a word document. Often, these awards are entered online so it’s a good idea to create a draft in case the site crashes. It’s also a great reference point for future entries. 

Make sure you have all the salient details correct, such as contact numbers, email address, names etc. When responding to a question I like to highlight the words that explain what the judges are looking for. That way I can refer back to make sure I’m answering the questions.  
I always try to write award entries in the first person. This demonstrates the relationship between the nominator and the nominee. It is a much stronger entry if the judge believes he or she is reading the words of the person who has nominated the nominee.

 
If you’re entering your business for an award, opposed to an individual, you need to write passionately about your business. As in all good stories, especially if the entry form calls for it, start at the beginning, work through the crux of the business, and talk about your future goals. 
If the entry asks for additional documents, in support of the nomination, choose wisely – don’t send too much that you’ll drown out the reasons for the nomination. 
Proof your responses, errors are frustrating for judges who must read multiple entries and, if you’re entering an award for your business, appear unprofessional. Don’t waffle; get to the point. Have another member of staff review the entry; there may be something you have forgotten, which is crucial. 

Finally, make sure you make yourself available to the judges if there are any further questions.  

Public relations and media outsourcing

Have you ever considered outsourcing your company's communications to a consultancy like Gem PR & Media? Well, if you haven’t, you should. We think you might be surprised at how cost effective it really is. 

Recruitment costs are high; you have to get the word out about the fact you’re hiring, pay for advertising in print or online, sift through resumes, conduct interviews and negotiate a salary, plus benefits. Once you’ve hired your new public relations, marketing, or social media manager you then have to train them, again, this can be costly and extremely time-consuming. After all that, you’re only getting one person for your money. That person may get sick, for example, and then you’re left without the support you need to promote your business successfully.

What a consultancy, like Gem PR & Media, offers is an experienced, knowledgeable, and qualified team right at your fingertips. There’s no such thing as a sick day – because we are not one individual person, but a well-oiled, fully functioning team that gets to know your business as well as you do.

We have a wide skills base, which is difficult to find in one person. And, we’re well connected in the community. We have a network of clients, suppliers, software, and contacts that we can call on when you need something. We can even manage the tender process for you – acting as a go-between so you can concentrate on running your company smoothly.

Outsourcing is a great way to manage your time and finances. Having an expert team on hand to support you, your staff, and your business in the most cost-effective way is the road to success. 

So what’s stopping you? 

Experience speaks volumes in our opinion

Lead by our CEO, who has not one, but two degrees in Journalism, a diploma from the Press Association and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, one of the largest bodies representing public Relations professionals in the world, our team has worked in marketing, PR, and media roles around the world.

Together we have worked on political campaigns, helped bring companies back from the brink, and won numerous awards for our clients. We believe in creating and delivering a strategy tailored to each client and their business’ individual needs.   

So, next time you hear or see that someone ‘does’ PR, social media, or marketing ask what it is exactly that they do. Don’t be shy about asking for examples of their work.

Ask to speak with clients to find out if they had a good experience. Do clients feel they have achieved a return on investment? And, with that in mind, did the consultancy meet the objectives set at the beginning of the campaign?

For the team at Gem PR & Media, it’s about putting into practice the skills we’ve learned, the knowledge we’ve gained and the experience that sets us apart from all others that say they are experts or visionaries in the field.

Redundant vocabulary

I love proofing articles.  One of the most common issues, in addition to poor grammar and punctuation, is the use of redundant vocabulary. 

Some of the most common redundant vocabulary currently in use includes: 

• Really/very unique – Something is unique or it isn’t – it can’t be really unique. 
• Empty out – Empty is all you need. 
• End result – The result comes at the end.
• Frozen ice – Ice is frozen water.
• He died from fatal injuries – It's obvious his injuries were fatal if he died.
• Local residents – Avoid the word local in news stories at all costs.  How do you define local?
• A new innovation - If something is innovative it’s generally new. 
• Past experience - If you’ve experienced something it happened in the past. 
• Sum total - The sum or the total will do, no need for both. 
• Never before - Never makes it pretty clear.
• Added bonus – The bonus is the addition of something. 
• At the present time - At this time or the present work perfectly well. 
• Collaborate together - Collaborate means together. 
• Filled to capacity – One or the other, please.
• Final conclusion - A conclusion means the end. 

The next time you’ve been asked to write an article, post or blog have a read through and make sure you’re not making any of the mistakes above. 

11 business networking tips

Networking and building relationships have been key to the growth of Gem PR & Media. Making time for networking is tough, I know, but it is important. I’m talking about making the best of your time, building relationships, and giving back. 

So here are my top tips when it comes to networking: 

1. Join the committee or board of a non-profit
2. Volunteer at a non-profit
3. Join an association
4. Join a networking group – in which you will be the only one representing your field
5. Use your LinkedIn profile wisely -spend a few minutes every day updating your contacts, commenting on, sharing or posting content
6. Attend open days or ribbon cuttings
7. Offer yourself as a speaker
8. Always make sure you have business cards on you – keep them in your car, house, or office
9. Offer yourself as a commentator to various media outlets
10. Hold an open house or coffee morning at your place of work
11. Always follow up with someone once you’ve secured his or her business card

Make networking part of your everyday work life and I promise if you think of it this way it will become less of a burden and more of a pleasure. 

Internal communications

I would strongly argue that internal communication is just as important, if not more important, than external comms. Your people are your brand. They are the ambassadors for your company. If you want to develop a great reputation and relationship with your stakeholders you must first address the way you communicate with your team. 

There are a number of ways of you can improve your internal comms. One is simply to communicate clearly with your staff. Make sure they understand all policies and procedures. Ensure there is two-way communication – do your staff have someone they can go to at any time to discuss questions they have? Do you keep your staff updated with the latest information about your business, whether that’s the opening of a new branch, the recruitment of additional staff, or a new bonus scheme? How do you keep your staff updated? Do you have regular meetings? By regular meetings, I mean more than once a month. Do you have an internal newsletter or blog where you can share the success of staff members – inside and out of the workplace? Do you recognize when someone you employ reaches a milestone – say their fifth year of employment? Do you have an employee of the month program or an internal awards process? 

If you develop clear communication with your staff when the going is good you’ll have a much easier time when things get tough. If you’re unlucky enough to experience a crisis the first person you should tell is your public relations consultant and the first thing they will tell you is to inform all staff so that everyone is on the same page. In my experience, if you are going through the closure of a division of your business or redundancies an open line of communication with those involved will prevent rumors and upset from the outset. 

If you don’t have an internal comms plan then I highly recommend that you speak with your public relations team about creating and enacting one. Happy staff mean happy clients and a better bottom line. 

What makes a good story?

One of the first things you discuss as a journalism student or newbie journalist is ‘what makes a good story?’ Something that public relations professionals also face on a daily basis. 
Sometimes your client thinks they have a great story, but really it’s just the promotion of a new service or product – and you’re the one that has to tell them it’s a no go. On the other hand, clients, who understandably are busy in their day job, often miss the signs of a great story – so it’s your job to seek out the good stories by asking the right questions and staying abreast of the issues. 

If you know you have a good story, you must now consider whose interest it will pique. Is it a news story? Does this have feature written all over it? Do you need to speak to the sports editor? Is there a special section of the newspaper or magazine where your client’s story will feature more prominently? Is there a radio program that features topics such as this? Is there room for an interview? Could you organize or offer photos to accompany the story? If you find the right slot for your client’s story and the editor or journalist bites then you’re golden. 
Another thing to consider is timing. Sometimes it’s worth holding onto a good story, which will gain increased traction at a certain time of the year or on a certain date. 

I talk about the need for corporate social responsibility often, however, when it comes to the media, this market is becoming saturated so you need to look at alternative ways to gain exposure for your clients. I have turned to blogs and online newsletters where I know I have a decent story to tell for my client, but at the same time know that I’m almost certainly wasting my time and my client’s money when it comes to the daily newspaper. 

I’d also consider, in this day of 24-hour news, how your story will play out online – including social media – and at what time of day you might want to release it to the media – if you know they will want to run with it a.s.a.p. 

Also, do you want to provide an exclusive to ensure coverage versus a blanket approach?  This may not gain the exposure you were hoping for. 

And finally, if you’re approaching an editor or journalist make sure you can quickly and easily provide them with a synopsis of the story and/or the who, what, when, where, why and how. Oh, and don’t pitch to them as they are approaching deadline wait until they have time to listen to your idea. 

Welcome to 2017!

After the Holidays, as is often the case, many of us are thinking about the year ahead; job satisfaction, work life balance and bottom lines. I know that’s something always at the top of my agenda come each January. It’s months since I sat down with Chris, my husband, and business partner, and we wrote our business plan for the year, but now is the time to put it into action. 

As well as setting budgets and targets for the 12 months ahead I also use this time to reflect on the professional relationships I’ve built over the past year or so and begin to make a list of those I can reach out to for a catch-up, coffee, or glass of wine. This takes time and patience, but if you do it right and with enthusiasm the results can be rather pleasing. What you have to remember is that everyone else, or those on the ball, is doing the same. Many have already set their budgets and targets but may have scope for growth if you can prove your worth. 

Last year I reached out to more than 25 connections I’d made over the previous 12 months, met for coffee, shared a lunch and networked like there was no tomorrow. It paid off. In a matter of months our business here, and in Europe, grew as a result. Hence, we’ll be doing the same this year. I’m not saying you need to be the world’s greatest salesperson because that’s not what it’s about. It’s about offering a service that helps increase that person’s/company’s bottom-line – in the world of public relations anyway. Our goal is to build brand awareness, create a positive relationship between the client and their stakeholders and, ultimately, grow profits. 

If any of this sounds like a good plan to you feel free to get in touch with the team – we’re here to help! 

What a year!

Like I’ve said before, it’s important to celebrate the wins in this competitive world of public relations and media. So, now’s the time to recap on the year and celebrate all the good stuff! 

Our business has doubled in size in the past 12 months! We are working with clients in Springfield, IL, St Louis, MO, Guernsey and Jersey (the Channel Islands, Europe). Our portfolio of clients is rich and diverse. We’ve worked on state projects. We have worked with politicians. We are involved in a number of non-profits, civic and networking organizations. We sit, and advise, on several boards. We have opened our US headquarters in Springfield. We have welcomed two new faces to the team and we have launched our free, online, lifestyle magazine – Eighteen21.com. 

But what is most important is the recognition, awareness and revenue growth we have achieved for our clients. Several have been shortlisted and won awards. Others have appeared in a range of publications from The State Journal-Register to Guernsey’s Chamber of Commerce magazine, Contact, and on TV from Good Day Marketplace Illinois with host Melanie Streeper to Fox 32’s Good Day Chicago with former Springfield native Natalie Bomke. We’ve seen their businesses grow and as a result the need to increase staff numbers and move into large offices or workshops. 

It’s been a great year and we cannot wait to see what 2017 brings.  Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Ten tips for social media managers

If you’re the one in the public relations department, or business, tasked with creating and curating content for your online activity – on a daily basis – we know it’s tough at times. Coming up with new content when you’re between campaigns, or there’s a lack of inspiration, can cause the equivalent of writer's block. So, here are a few tips to help get you started – or keep you moving in the right direction when it comes to creating and curating content for social media. 

1.    Follow daily themes. What’s trending? Who’s #s are getting noticed? Are there any world events you can piggyback on? Look to others for inspiration.

2.    Can you use daily #s to your advantage? #ThrowbackThursday or #TriviaTuesday, for example. 

3.    Mark unusual holidays. There are a plethora of daily holidays out there (and easy info to access on the internet) from doughnut day to black cat day. Use these to your advantage – especially when fun or relevant to your business or cause. 

4.    Ask questions of your audience – make sure they are engaging – and one thing social media marketers often forget is to a) tell people why you are asking the question and b) follow up and let your audience know the outcome/response. 

5.    I say this to all our clients ‘people are inherently nosey’ they want to know what goes on behind the scenes of your organization – and they want to learn about the people running it. I think it’s important for your employees or volunteers to build a relationship with your audience, customers or clients, on and offline. So why not profile an employee or volunteer once a month? 

6.    Share news about your local community and what’s going on in it. I always say ‘It’s nice to be nice’ so why not share upcoming events in your local area and give a shout out to the charities or non-profits working to improve the lives of the people who may be the friends or family of your employees or customers? 

7.    Share links to updates on your website or blog. This is a great way to improve your SEO and curate untapped content. It’s good to remind your audience of the places they can find more info about you – your website and alternate social media channels are right there and waiting for you. 

8.    If you are REALLY struggling here’s an easy go to. There’s no reason you can’t revisit and share an old post! If the subject or topic is still relevant then what harm is there in reminding people of the post that already exists. I’m not saying this should be your everyday fallback. However, on the odd occasion when you have a million things going on and you’ve got to social something out – go for it. 

9.    If you’ve got a big event approaching what about a weekly countdown? Or, if you’re fundraising, what about a weekly, or daily, count? When people are contributing to an event or cause they like to remain informed. When the head coach of the Springfield Jr Blues was raising funds for the ‘Men Making Strides’ campaign to raise funds for breast cancer during October we asked each of his team’s players (during the countdown to the end of the month/fundraising goal) to tell us why they were supporting their coach and wanted to help beat cancer. The posts did exceptionally well because people related to the players and their own stories of cancer. 

10.    Share news with your audience. I get most of my news from the internet and I’d say 50% to 75% of that through social media. If you’re competing in a busy marketplace – and you can’t afford paid content, advertising or boosting, share valuable, relevant and FREE information with your audience. Look to the news for inspiration – is there a journalist or reporter that you follow because they are industry relatable – will your audience gain from this info also? There is always something interesting, funny, quirky out there in the news to share. 

Eight ways to engage with your local audience online

It’s all very well wracking up the likes on your Facebook page or increasing your followers on Twitter, but how do you make sure you’re engaging with your local audience – the people that will walk into your gym for an annual membership or those who need a good realtor to find their forever home? Well, here are a few tips from the team at Gem PR & Media when it comes to engaging with your local audience. 

1.    Encourage your Facebook followers to check in when they visit your store or showroom. You could even run a competition; for anyone that checks into your location, a certain number of times each month, they get entered into a draw for a prize. 

2.    Use key messaging to target your local audience. This is so important. You need to remind people, your potential customers, and clients, why they are spending their valuable time visiting your social media platforms. Use local #s to emphasize messaging. We use #Springfield #SpringfieldIL and #LoveSpringfield in our local client posts all the time. 

3.    Relate to local events, activities, and news. Give people a reason to engage with your page. Post about an event and ask people to send in their own photos so you can share them on your page too. 

4.    Think of your social media as your very own newsfeed. If you don’t have the capacity for a blog or news page on your website, use your social media to disseminate important information, such as opening and closing times around the holidays, any special offers you have, when an employee has been promoted, or a new volunteer has joined the team. 

5.    Join local Facebook groups or professional groups on LinkedIn. 

6.    Create a call to action. We manage the Illinois Women in Leadership Facebook page, and so, in the run-up to a major event such as the annual women’s symposium or the ATHENA awards, I create a call to action – such as ‘Book now’ on the page and link that directly to the group’s booking system. Sometimes, I even create a banner for the page that reminds the audience the option is available. 

7.    Join in on the conversation, whether you’re focusing on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter, engage in a dialogue with a business or individual in your area about a topic that interests you or relates to your audience. Remember, the key to a successful social media campaign is two-way communication – this is when our clients see the best results. 

8.    Give your audience a reason to ask questions. You always want to provide people with accurate and up-to-date information, but at the same time, you want your audience to engage with you. If you’re a retailer and posting images of products you have for sale perhaps leave off the cost of each product in order to prompt your audience to ask for it – this may seem counterproductive, especially when it comes to making your life ‘easier,’ but it will lead to open dialogue and create further interest in your post. 

Journalism versus public relations

I feel like I can talk about this topic honestly and openly because I’ve sat on both sides of the fence. Having trained and worked as a journalist in the UK, Channel Islands, and Australia and as a public relations consultant in Europe and the USA I believe I have a unique perspective on the matter. 

I can tell you now that not all journalists dislike public relations consultants and not all public relations consultants dislike journalists. I think, for those who have crossed over to the ‘dark side,’ we have a different point of view because we’ve experienced the riggers of being a journalist and the frustrations of working in public relations. 

As a news editor, I had, even more, respect for good public relations consultants and companies out there, dare I say it, at times I even relied on them to help fill the paper. I fondly recall, and he knows who he is, exchanging calls with a PR chap (who’s gone on to do great things by the way) about the state of my basket (usually on a Friday at 3pm while I was putting to bed Saturday’s paper, planning Monday’s and worrying about Tuesday’s edition) was it full, room for improvement, or empty. On the other side of the coin I once heard a PR colleague or mine say (following a presentation by an economist) ‘well, if he (the journalist) can write a story so can I,’ I hasten to add that she struggled, mostly because she didn’t have shorthand or a Dictaphone so missed chunks of information. This is what I’m talking about when it comes to respect for the other team. Journalists are trained to extract the salient details of a story, report accurately, and interpret information even a seven-year-old can understand. I loved being a journalist – I love the newspaper industry – it’s where I learned my trade and I put a lot of the success we have now at Gem PR & Media down to the fact I was taught by some of the best journalists I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. When I was news editor (and if you’re a West Wing fan you’ll know what I’m talking about) I had a post-it note on my computer and it read ‘WWJD’ – short for ‘what would X do’ J will remain unnamed. And, for the first year in the job I often got calls from J challenging my editorial decisions and pushing me to look at the newspaper I’d helped produce with fresh eyes – for this, I am truly thankful. One of my best friends crossed over from the dark side to the newspaper world and still, today, I hear her voice giving me advice when it comes to making decisions about my clients because she too understands the relationship between PR and journalism. 

From a PR perspective, I think my best advice is to always go with your gut – if it doesn’t feel right then trust your instincts. It’s also the way you can justify your decisions. Experience counts for a lot. I’ve made some mistakes, the kind that causes sleepless nights, but I’ve always come away thankful for the experience and the knowledge I’ve gained to better serve my clients. 
At the end of the day if you can build great relationships with the media, show respect for their work, and confidently provide good quality content you’ll do ok! 

Volunteerism

Not only does volunteering in your community provide a means to give back, make friends and feel good about yourself, but it also builds your personal brand.

We work with a host of businesses that encourage their staff to volunteer whether multiple times a year or a weekly basis. You don’t have to look far to find a cause that you could get involved with.

If you’re looking to donate your time wisely I would recommend using the skills you have that others may not. For example, whenever I am asked to join a board or committee one of the first things I ask is ‘what’s your PR plan’ if the response is well thought out, and there is already a member of the board or committee who is tasked with this role, I feel that the organization is good hands. If there’s room for improvement then I take this into consideration.

I think it’s also important to share the love, as they say. I look to organizations supporting different areas of the community or causes that strike a cord. So, I currently share my time between a professional organization, which supports women of all ages; Illinois Women in Leadership, one that supports the arts; Springfield Ballet Company, and Friends of Memorial because I have witnessed the excellent work the group is doing and not only want to be a part of that but also want to ensure it is getting the recognition it deserves. Finally, I also join groups that I do not sit on the board but am able to help with public relations activity such as Rotary and The Junior Chamber of Commerce.

If you can’t give up the time to volunteer on a weekly basis there are plenty of organizations that have projects that need support, whether that’s planting trees, ‘shaking buckets’, or making/delivering meals.

A client once asked me, ‘how do I get my name out in the community?’ My response was ‘join a civic group or two and volunteer your time and expertise?’ The client was shocked when he found that one organization I had introduced him to required three days of volunteer work per year. I was disappointed he thought that was too much.

Between me and Chris, my husband and business partner, I estimate we volunteer 20% to 30% of our time, each week, to non-profits or community causes – of which I am exceptionally proud. Not only have we made friends and given back to the community, but we have also developed a network of contacts that we can introduce to one another when they have something to give. 
Through Eighteen21.com we are hoping to further spread the word about organizations in Springfield, and Central Illinois, that need – deserve – our support. So if you’re involved in a non-profit and trying to get the word out get in touch by emailing team@gemprmedia.com. If you are not already involved in volunteer work and want to be we can certainly point you, your staff or colleagues in the right direction. 

Ten tips for content creation

There’s no doubt that I’ve blogged about content creation previously. However, it’s such an important subject, when it comes to public relations I believe it’s worth revisiting. 
I am of the opinion that a key role for PR professionals these days is content creation. We’ve always created content, but I feel more so now than ever before. 

So often clients say to me ‘I don’t have the time to write blogs, press releases, or social media posts.’ Well, as content creators, that’s what we do. I can knock out a Gem PR & Media blog in 20 minutes. Admittedly I’ve been writing thousands of words a week for more than at decade so as long as I know what I want to say it’s pretty simple. Yes, when I have to research or write about something new, it takes longer. But when I’ve switched into writing mode and I have a list of blogs, posts, or press releases that need writing – I’m raring to go. 

I believe the content creation services that we offer clients are of great value because we have access to information from newsfeeds, third party bloggers, journals etc., we can commit the time we need to getting an article or blog written and have the writing skills; punctuation, grammar, and syntax to boot. 

I don’t mind that my role moves between consulting with clients on their campaigns to creating the content for them – it’s actually the best part of what we do. So, I say, bring it on. 
However, for those of you creating your own content, here are a few tips: 

1.    Always keep your target audience in mind
2.    Don’t waffle – get to the point
3.    Blogs don’t need to be 1000s of words long – 300 words is sufficient
4.    It sounds obvious, but always include a beginning, middle, and end
5.    Cover the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How
6.    Use key terms for online content
7.    Writing a headline for a newspaper article is different to writing one for online content – make sure you grasp the difference
8.    Include links to your website, social media platforms and/or your email
9.    If you’re including quotes from the company owner, CEO or manager, for example, make sure you introduce him or her
10.    Make your content interesting, relevant, and timely 

How to write a blog

I love writing blogs. The casual conversational approach suits my character. A blog can take you to places a newspaper article cannot. You can express your opinion openly and be creative. 
I often ghostwrite for clients so it’s important that I can put myself in their shoes. We work closely to understand their businesses better so that when it comes to ghostwriting blogs, or anything else for that matter, we are able to speak with their voice. 

Whether you need to do research to write a blog really depends on the depth of your knowledge on the subject matter. We write blogs for clients in the insurance, mortgage and banking world and, although much of my time overseas was spent writing about the financial services industry, new trends and topics arise that need to be looked into further, understood, and discussed. Plus, if you’re producing content on a weekly, and for many of our clients a daily basis, you need to develop new angles and points of interest regularly. 

If you’ve been tasked with writing blogs for your business don’t fret. Help is here. I have a few tips to help get you started or, if you’re already knee deep in blogs, provide some inspiration. 
First of all, make sure you’re in a writing mood. I find it’s much easier when you get going and the words are flowing onto the page, to knock out a few blogs in one go. Second, because of the more casual nature of a blog, walk away from your desk, and take your laptop with you to a breakout area – a change of scenery can make all the difference. If you have to do research for the blog reliable sources such as journals, trade media, or even colleagues are a great place to start. On the other hand, if you’re writing about a subject you know extremely well, don’t gloss over the salient details. 

I tend to keep my blogs to between 300 and 450 words. A blog, in my opinion, is meant to peak someone’s interest in a subject about which they are already intrigued. You are providing them with insight and expertise so that they might explore further – you don’t want to go to heavy and bore them. 

Finally, with a blog, or with any piece of writing, it’s a good idea to have someone read it over for you. You want to prevent spelling or grammatical errors from creeping in and ensure you have the right tone for the business you are representing. 

So, go forth and get writing. It’s good fun, I promise. 

Election 2016

It’s Election Day 2016 and although I can’t vote in the national election yet, I’ve had a busy morning liaising with various UK media outlets. As a former journalist and UK/Guernsey resident people back home are interested in how the last weeks, days, and hours of this election have played out from someone on the ground.  American elections are local with global implications.  

I’ve been honest about where I stand and my impression of the race so far. I’ve given my thoughts to my old paper, The Guernsey Press, and I’ll be up early tomorrow to do an interview with BBC Radio Guernsey. 

I’ve always enjoyed providing commentary, in a way that’s what I do each week with this blog, so I’m pleased to be asked and to contribute in a small way to raising awareness of the democratic system.  I’ve also been lucky enough to be involved with a few political campaigns since my arrival in the US.  

Whatever happens tomorrow it’ll be an interesting few weeks to follow. Locally, in Springfield, I think little will change for some time – our economy is stable, despite the continued political impasse. Our clients seem pretty confident that their business models are robust enough to weather the storm – and we know ours is!