Cancer is something that everyone fears and for those who have already been hit, long for recovery. Heal and Cure magazine have found the place in cancer patients lives to help them recover. In the up and coming blog supporting these magazines, the home page of the blog should have a welcoming tag line that draws in the audience. Knowing that cancer patients are aware of the magazines Heal and Cure, because my grandmother has been diagnosed and is currently being treated for breast cancer who reads Cure, the mission statement provides a credible statement cancer patients are aware of.
I believe it is important, being on the Relay For Life board at SMU, that people are aware of fundraiser events that are going on to support cancer research. A side bar would be great on the blogsite of Heal and Cure to have fundraiser information: money being raised, goals, entertainment, and how survivors and cancer victims could help and contribute by volunteering or being included in survivorship programs during the events. These women and men should have the opportunity to share their cancer story with the groups that strive to cure and research cancer. The American Cancer Society website, www.cancer.org, provides links to different fundraising events as well as survivorship ideas and facts as a way to be healthy.
Who wouldn’t enjoy a spa day? I am trying to put myself in the shoes of our audience, and personally would enjoy a “Spoil yourself” type of section including spas and group exercise facilities such as water aerobics and yoga information for those who are still weak from treatments to enjoy. After a long treatment process, every woman and man deserve a little bit of spoiling, why not a day at the spa. We could provide links to spas to encourage relaxation and allowing cancer patients and survivors that it is okay to spoil themselves.
Cancerfightingstrategies.com is a site that would be a great addition to the Heal and Cure blog as a way for patients and visitors to research ways in which they can aim at focusing on their life and making it cancer free. My grandmother, who I mentioned before, finds great encouragement in reading recommended strategies towards a cancer free life. I think it calms her mind and fills her heart with joy knowing that people out there are providing this type of information and finds it enjoyable to read.
“The Cancer Blog” provides great factual information on different types of cancer that could be worth posting as a sidebar on the blog. Although patients are bombarded with statistics of their illnesses, I still find importance of having this information available on the blog, especially for those who are family members to cancer patients who research for their loved ones.
Medicineworld.org
In working with the new Heal blog, I have researched some websites I think would be good to add to the site. Medicineworld.org gives advice for good herbs to take while going through chemotherapy and good herbs to take to prevent cancer. It suggests good behavior changes to adopt in the road to prevent cancer. The site provides information on chemotherapy treatments and the latest health news involving cancer as well as multiple links to cancer statistics and information sites.
The Cardio Blog
The Cardio blog is full of information on healthy tips for your heart. I think it is important to provide this type of information to those who link to cancer.
Texas Childrens Cancer Center
This site provides a link with information for parents of children with cancer. It includes information on different Children's hospitals and what they are doing as far as research, treatment and money raised for cancer.
Cancer Kids
Cancer Kids is my favorite children's cancer site I came across. It is appealing to children because they are able to read about other children's stories that link to cancer and their treatment. I believe it is important for children to realize that they aren't alone. The site includes tons of stories from children all over the country.
You can visit the sites at:
www.medicineworld.org
thecardioblog.com
www.txccc.org
cancerkids.com
cancerfightingstrategies.com
thecancerblog.com
Friday, February 23, 2007
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Tips for PR Workers from Journalists!
As we all should know going into this profession, journalists and PR people share a love-hate relationship, but can't seem to do without each other. I have found some tips that I believe would shift this relationship between PR people and journalists to appreciate each other a little more. The following tips are from journalists giving advice to PR people, so we should probably all consider them!! Here are my favorites!!
1. If you call to make a pitch, make sure you keep the pitch to 10 seconds. If you haven't persuaded them to write the story in 10 seconds, you will never persuade them. We are talking about first impression here. If they aren't completely sure that your pitch will make a good story, you can forget about it.
2. Spell and pronounce their name right. I think we all understand why this is important. How many times has someone pronounced your name wrong, especially when they need a favor.
3. Don't ask for informaiton you can find on the website. We should probably all learn not to be lazy. Do your research and background checks before you ask something that is easily given to you.
4. Don't call them after 5 pm. Journalists know this is crunch time, but be respectable to them and call before 5.
5. Make the story easy for them to understand. If it is not easy for them to understand, they aren't going to work with you and try to understand what you are trying to tell them.
I got these tips from a couple websites... check them out!
http://www.valleywag.com/tech/flacks/dont-be-a-flack-tips-for-pr-workers-from-the-journalists-who-hate-them-200494.php
http://indiapr.blogspot.com/2006/09/what-journalists-hate-in-pr-people.html
http://www.businessblogconsulting.com/2006/03/pr-case-study-how-not-to-email-a-blogger.html
1. If you call to make a pitch, make sure you keep the pitch to 10 seconds. If you haven't persuaded them to write the story in 10 seconds, you will never persuade them. We are talking about first impression here. If they aren't completely sure that your pitch will make a good story, you can forget about it.
2. Spell and pronounce their name right. I think we all understand why this is important. How many times has someone pronounced your name wrong, especially when they need a favor.
3. Don't ask for informaiton you can find on the website. We should probably all learn not to be lazy. Do your research and background checks before you ask something that is easily given to you.
4. Don't call them after 5 pm. Journalists know this is crunch time, but be respectable to them and call before 5.
5. Make the story easy for them to understand. If it is not easy for them to understand, they aren't going to work with you and try to understand what you are trying to tell them.
I got these tips from a couple websites... check them out!
http://www.valleywag.com/tech/flacks/dont-be-a-flack-tips-for-pr-workers-from-the-journalists-who-hate-them-200494.php
http://indiapr.blogspot.com/2006/09/what-journalists-hate-in-pr-people.html
http://www.businessblogconsulting.com/2006/03/pr-case-study-how-not-to-email-a-blogger.html
Friday, February 9, 2007
Media Relations Tips
Having the right contacts and knowing how and when to deliver the right message is the key to getting results in the media relations industry.
What would be the strengths as a public relations professional if they moved to a new city and knew no journalists? The strengths the public relations professionals would have are communication, planning ability, understanding the media expectations in that area, and the industry. The challenge, then of course would be how fast they can adapt to the public relations scene in the new area and get acquainted with the local journalists. There is a known thought that says it is the relationship with the media that counts. If you know a journalist well enough, they will find a news angle just out of anything and do a story for you. Many media heads in public relations agencies will agree that it is because of their good bonding with journalists that have saved many public relations accounts at crisis situations. It is a good tip for public relations professionals to help their clients to build these strong relationships with journalists, invite them over to meet your client personally. It is an easy way to start a relationship with reporters by commenting on their blogs or sending them information that is not just a blatant pitch for you or your clients company. Become part of journalists’ network of sources. This comes into play with blogging. Remember that buyers, reporters and editors read blogs for story ideas and to understand market trends. Also, if the reporter has a blog, read it, comment on it, and track back to it.
Public relations agencies that have figured out the importance of relationships with the media agree that it pays off. Story angles work on good ideas and content, but good media relationships can give these story angles a push into becoming print items.
As many know, public relations professionals have been sending news releases and blind pitches to hundreds and thousands of journalists at a time without giving any thought to what each reporter actually covers. Sending large groups of journalists with public relations materials is not a good strategy to get reporters and editors to pay attention to you. In order to get your work in the hands of journalists and reporters, pay attention to what individual reporters write about by reading their stories and write specific and targeted pitches crafted especially for them. Before you pitch your stories, read the publication you’ll be pitching to.
I have found two lists dealing with international media relations I thought would be helpful to those students looking into public relations around the world!
Golden Rules:
1. Remember journalists have a demanding and often difficult job to do, so make their work easier.
2. Always return calls.
3. Be accurate, clear and concise.
4. Brief the press when any major event occurs within your company.
5. Listen to journalists and make your best efforts to comply with their requests.
6. Check announcements for clarity and cultural nuances; make sure to take different time zones into account.
7. Make management accessible.
8. Get to know the foreign press clubs.
9. Build personal relationships with foreign editors and correspondents.
Deadly Sins:
1. Unresponsiveness.
2. Trade jargon and slang.
3. Treating foreign journalists with disdain.
4. Treating foreign journalists as secondary citizens.
5. Assuming foreign journalists are hostile.
6. Bluffing, snowing, spinning.
www.prsa.org
www.businessfordiplomaticaction.org/files/fmrg_proof_20061108.pdf
http://indiapr.blogspot.com/2006/05/media-relations-content-or.html
www.gittinsgranado.com/communityrelations.html
Please comment your thoughts!!
What would be the strengths as a public relations professional if they moved to a new city and knew no journalists? The strengths the public relations professionals would have are communication, planning ability, understanding the media expectations in that area, and the industry. The challenge, then of course would be how fast they can adapt to the public relations scene in the new area and get acquainted with the local journalists. There is a known thought that says it is the relationship with the media that counts. If you know a journalist well enough, they will find a news angle just out of anything and do a story for you. Many media heads in public relations agencies will agree that it is because of their good bonding with journalists that have saved many public relations accounts at crisis situations. It is a good tip for public relations professionals to help their clients to build these strong relationships with journalists, invite them over to meet your client personally. It is an easy way to start a relationship with reporters by commenting on their blogs or sending them information that is not just a blatant pitch for you or your clients company. Become part of journalists’ network of sources. This comes into play with blogging. Remember that buyers, reporters and editors read blogs for story ideas and to understand market trends. Also, if the reporter has a blog, read it, comment on it, and track back to it.
Public relations agencies that have figured out the importance of relationships with the media agree that it pays off. Story angles work on good ideas and content, but good media relationships can give these story angles a push into becoming print items.
As many know, public relations professionals have been sending news releases and blind pitches to hundreds and thousands of journalists at a time without giving any thought to what each reporter actually covers. Sending large groups of journalists with public relations materials is not a good strategy to get reporters and editors to pay attention to you. In order to get your work in the hands of journalists and reporters, pay attention to what individual reporters write about by reading their stories and write specific and targeted pitches crafted especially for them. Before you pitch your stories, read the publication you’ll be pitching to.
I have found two lists dealing with international media relations I thought would be helpful to those students looking into public relations around the world!
Golden Rules:
1. Remember journalists have a demanding and often difficult job to do, so make their work easier.
2. Always return calls.
3. Be accurate, clear and concise.
4. Brief the press when any major event occurs within your company.
5. Listen to journalists and make your best efforts to comply with their requests.
6. Check announcements for clarity and cultural nuances; make sure to take different time zones into account.
7. Make management accessible.
8. Get to know the foreign press clubs.
9. Build personal relationships with foreign editors and correspondents.
Deadly Sins:
1. Unresponsiveness.
2. Trade jargon and slang.
3. Treating foreign journalists with disdain.
4. Treating foreign journalists as secondary citizens.
5. Assuming foreign journalists are hostile.
6. Bluffing, snowing, spinning.
www.prsa.org
www.businessfordiplomaticaction.org/files/fmrg_proof_20061108.pdf
http://indiapr.blogspot.com/2006/05/media-relations-content-or.html
www.gittinsgranado.com/communityrelations.html
Please comment your thoughts!!
Friday, February 2, 2007
Blogging: The New Trend
Blogs offer a unique channel for developing and maintaining relationships and communication between organizations and publics and allow you to put new information on the web frequently and efficiently. Corporations use blogs to connect with customers, put a face on their business, promote themselves, and therefore, customer loyalty is increased. Blogs have evolved from both online and offline modes of communication and have characteristics of both personal and professional communication. Basically, blogging is word of mouth opinions that can reach the entire world. Consumers are looking for authenticity, and blogs is where they can find that.
In my research through public relations blogs, I found credible information that suggests blogging is useful in the hotel industry. The Maine Innkeepers Association says that with a blog, there’s no waiting for someone to help with your website, and there is no need to pay money every time you want to add new information to the site. You just write as casually as you would talk to a guest. The Maine Innkeepers Association says that once a prospective customer has found your blog, they’ll see marketing messages and perhaps even links to where they can reserve a room directly from the blog. This makes it easy for the customer and gives the hotel an upper hand compared to it’s competitors. They are also allowed to see other interesting posts about activities nearby the hotel to make the customers stay even better. It gives the hotel industry the opportunity to share personal stories in their own voices. A human voice is created by making messages personal and developing relationships. This is the most cost effective way to promote the industry. Blogging has helped the industry and is proven by its statistics that 1.49 percent more rooms per day are sold in comparison to last year. The industry says that due to online technology, spending over a five year growth period of 53 billion dollars increased to 111 billion.
Owner of Marriott Hotels, Mr. Bill Marriott, says this is where the action is if you want to talk to your customers directly and believes strongly that blogs will be a huge communication tool in the 2008 presidential campaign. He says that blogging will allow the hotel to do what they’ve been doing for years, speak directly to the customers, only on a global scale and more efficient. “We are a company that is built on opportunity, and the foundation has made us successful,” says Marriott, “I believe in communicating with the customer, I’d rather engage directly in dialogue with you because that’s how we learn and grow as a company.” The hotel industry is now able to get feedback from their customers and have conversations with them about their experience.
Mr. Gratsch has strong intentions of expanding the use of RSS at Microsoft. He says before, you had to make an active attempt to visit sites to check and see if things have changed. With RSS, you don’t have to actively pursue that information, it’s delivered to you if changes have been made. Forrester’s Young said that RSS enablement is becoming popular for mainstream applications. For example, Spanning Partners’ Spanning Salesforce is a tool that lets Salesforce.com send out information about new leads and contacts to salespeople by an RSS reader.
An Indian restaurant in Minnesota used blogs to rally customer support when threatened with the loss of its lease. They were able to put the truth in what happened and had the opportunity for customers and the workers to share their stories with credibility. Clip-n-Seal is a small business that used blogs to market a device for resealing bags. In their case, customers could learn about the product in a way that cost nothing for the company.
The Pew Internet and American Life Project reported that blog readership had increased by 58 percent in 2004, claiming that blogs had established themselves as a key part of online culture. In Fortune’s 2005 issue, it was said that blogs are changing working practices in the areas of advertising, marketing and PR. The Harvard Business Review commented that blogs are the most conversational of all the forms of media, and marketers can’t afford to be left out of this new trend.
After companies took the opportunity to use the new technology trend, they realized that blogs provide a source where managers are able discuss new products with developers and put questions to answers for their customers. I think this new type of online technology will continue to grow as companies see the positive results it has given.
Check out more on these topics by viewing these links:
http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol11/issue2/kelleher.html
Maine Innkeepers Association
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2084409,00.asp
http://jeffreyhill.typepad.com/voiceblog/files/mbadissertation.pdf
http://www.blogs.marriott.com/default.asp?item=435095
www.businessblogconsulting.com
prblog.com
In my research through public relations blogs, I found credible information that suggests blogging is useful in the hotel industry. The Maine Innkeepers Association says that with a blog, there’s no waiting for someone to help with your website, and there is no need to pay money every time you want to add new information to the site. You just write as casually as you would talk to a guest. The Maine Innkeepers Association says that once a prospective customer has found your blog, they’ll see marketing messages and perhaps even links to where they can reserve a room directly from the blog. This makes it easy for the customer and gives the hotel an upper hand compared to it’s competitors. They are also allowed to see other interesting posts about activities nearby the hotel to make the customers stay even better. It gives the hotel industry the opportunity to share personal stories in their own voices. A human voice is created by making messages personal and developing relationships. This is the most cost effective way to promote the industry. Blogging has helped the industry and is proven by its statistics that 1.49 percent more rooms per day are sold in comparison to last year. The industry says that due to online technology, spending over a five year growth period of 53 billion dollars increased to 111 billion.
Owner of Marriott Hotels, Mr. Bill Marriott, says this is where the action is if you want to talk to your customers directly and believes strongly that blogs will be a huge communication tool in the 2008 presidential campaign. He says that blogging will allow the hotel to do what they’ve been doing for years, speak directly to the customers, only on a global scale and more efficient. “We are a company that is built on opportunity, and the foundation has made us successful,” says Marriott, “I believe in communicating with the customer, I’d rather engage directly in dialogue with you because that’s how we learn and grow as a company.” The hotel industry is now able to get feedback from their customers and have conversations with them about their experience.
Mr. Gratsch has strong intentions of expanding the use of RSS at Microsoft. He says before, you had to make an active attempt to visit sites to check and see if things have changed. With RSS, you don’t have to actively pursue that information, it’s delivered to you if changes have been made. Forrester’s Young said that RSS enablement is becoming popular for mainstream applications. For example, Spanning Partners’ Spanning Salesforce is a tool that lets Salesforce.com send out information about new leads and contacts to salespeople by an RSS reader.
An Indian restaurant in Minnesota used blogs to rally customer support when threatened with the loss of its lease. They were able to put the truth in what happened and had the opportunity for customers and the workers to share their stories with credibility. Clip-n-Seal is a small business that used blogs to market a device for resealing bags. In their case, customers could learn about the product in a way that cost nothing for the company.
The Pew Internet and American Life Project reported that blog readership had increased by 58 percent in 2004, claiming that blogs had established themselves as a key part of online culture. In Fortune’s 2005 issue, it was said that blogs are changing working practices in the areas of advertising, marketing and PR. The Harvard Business Review commented that blogs are the most conversational of all the forms of media, and marketers can’t afford to be left out of this new trend.
After companies took the opportunity to use the new technology trend, they realized that blogs provide a source where managers are able discuss new products with developers and put questions to answers for their customers. I think this new type of online technology will continue to grow as companies see the positive results it has given.
Check out more on these topics by viewing these links:
http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol11/issue2/kelleher.html
Maine Innkeepers Association
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2084409,00.asp
http://jeffreyhill.typepad.com/voiceblog/files/mbadissertation.pdf
http://www.blogs.marriott.com/default.asp?item=435095
www.businessblogconsulting.com
prblog.com
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