All relationships take effort, and that includes the one between client and communications agency. Considering that “communication” is the function, these relationships deserve a bit more time and effort! Setting things up correctly at the start is key. If both client and agency understand relationships, responsibilities and expectations, it’s usually smooth sailing. Here are five… Continue reading Five Steps to Manage Client-Agency Relationships
Growing up in a small town on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Western Montana, I was lucky to be surrounded by a strong community, including the consolidated Salish and Kootenai Native American Tribes. The Tribes’ goal was for their community to succeed by leading with their values. Over the years, the tribal organizations worked to… Continue reading How a Values-Aligned Mission is Good for Business
It’s that moment when you realize that the situation could soon spin out of control. Something has happened within the organization, and only a few select people are aware of it for now. If, or indeed when, the news gets out, the information will spread fast, and reactions will be swift. Your customers will be… Continue reading Steps to Avoid a PR Crisis When You Have a Corporate Crisis
In the world of public relations and communications, having a seat at the table is essential, but who occupies that seat is equally critical. The active involvement of executive leaders and their understanding of the role of communication can significantly impact an organization’s brand reputation and success. By embracing storytelling, empowering executives, and implementing consistent… Continue reading Leadership Buy-In is Essential for PR and Communications Success
In the ever-dynamic world of public relations, we all know that there are many hats to be worn, various tasks to be juggled and conflicting deadlines to be met. Without the ease and convenience of digital PR tools, your competitors will beat you to the punch every time. But by building a robust arsenal of… Continue reading 5 PR Tools That Will Boost Your Communications Team’s Productivity
In a career defined by busy, unpredictable days, PR pros are always looking for ways to be more productive. Here are five ways to help you work smarter – not harder – and prioritize productivity. Guard Your Mornings Many studies have shown that looking at your phone first thing in the morning can leave you… Continue reading Five Habits That Improve a PR Pro’s Productivity
There is a lot of chatter in the events industry around sustainability and how frameworks such as the triple bottom line (TBL) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors influence event planning. The triple bottom line leans into the impression a company makes on its people, profit, and the planet, while ESG uses a more… Continue reading Event Sustainability — The Triple Bottom Line
C-suite executives play a pivotal role in shaping an organization’s vision and strategy, and they rely on skilled communicators – such as their PR professionals or the chief communications officer – to translate their vision into impactful messaging to the organization and its stakeholders. This involves a careful balance of positioning the issues correctly, and… Continue reading Translating C-Suite Vision into Impactful Messaging
No matter what social media channels you frequent, you’ll surely find yourself as a target of influencer marketing. With millions of influencers to choose from, PR professionals should keep a few things in mind before launching a partnership. Here are five steps to pick the right influencers for your brand. Clearly Define your Target Audience… Continue reading How to Pick the Right Influencers for Your Brand
I had another opportunity to engage in a thought-provoking podcast conversation on PRGN Presents. Abbie Fink from HMA Public Relations and I delved into the ever-changing priorities in business and marketing. Recognizing the unprecedented economic environment and evolving buyer behavior, I shared some thoughts on the need for marketing managers to reprioritize their strategies recommending… Continue reading Navigating Changing Priorities in Business and Marketing
In a highly competitive business landscape, a company’s success depends not only on its innovative products and services but also on its effectiveness to communicate with its target audience. As a tech company, due to the complexities of the digital realm, truly understanding your audience and how to communicate with them is crucial. By narrowing… Continue reading Top 5 PR Needs of a Tech Company
Both for in-house communications teams and PR agencies, it is not uncommon to face a mid-year reduction in the communications budget. The cuts can be a result of various causes, such as economic conditions, a shifting focus or a strategy review. When it happens it is very challenging for the comms team, especially if there… Continue reading Navigate Mid-Year Budget Cuts With These Comms Strategies
Effective public relations is an indispensable component of the business strategies for professional services firms, which include everything from an investment banking entity to an architectural firm, and more. While the primary function is to establish and uphold the reputation, credibility, and visibility of these firms within their respective markets, a well thought out strategic… Continue reading Mastering Communications: Top Five Strategies for Professional Services Firms
Israel is one of the fastest-growing countries in the world. At just 75 years old, it has become a significant player in the global economy and a true contributor to the development of technology. Israel is known as the startup nation, with thousands of startups operating in a country of 9.5 million people. This, and… Continue reading Communications in Israel: the Challenge
Today, media relations outreach and social media programs are considered basic fundamentals in a public relations program, but in truth, they are just one component of a successful business strategy. Given public relations is an integral component in today’s business landscape, a strategic investment in communications efforts can drive results and help companies stand out… Continue reading Making Sure Your Public Relations Efforts Generate New Business
When you’re living in a material world, instant gratification is the name of the game and your business-to-consumer marketing approach should cater to its audience accordingly. However, when your focus is on B2B marketing, your clients’ services are the product and the purchasing process is not as simple as clicking “Add to Cart” nor should… Continue reading Playing the Long Game in B2B Marketing
Technology has a central role in communications and organisational operations, to the degree that a technology blind spot on a company board can have serious and wide-ranging implications for a company. A board’s lack of understanding of the technology landscape can cause missed opportunities for growth that stems from the evaluation and adoption of or… Continue reading The Use of Data and Technology in PR
When a crisis hits a business and affects its reputation, the response must be prompt, transparent, and effective. Here are the most important things a business should do when a crisis hits the media, affecting its reputation. Firstly, a business should acknowledge the crisis publicly. Silence can make the situation worse and lead to negative… Continue reading What to do When a Crisis Hits Your Business
In today’s economic environment, every company is looking for ways to improve efficiency, cut costs and pack the new business pipeline. For savvy C-suite executives, public relations is a key component to building the right personality for their brand. As a result, it also sets the stage to build the new business pipeline. How does… Continue reading How Digital PR Strategies Drive New Business
We have seen so much change in recent years. The world has rapidly shifted towards digital, and Industry 4.0 is sweeping across value chains of most if not all economic sectors. The age of PR (or Public Relations) 4.0 has arrived together with the massive shift to digital and social. PR4.0 is more than just… Continue reading PR4.0 Has Arrived – Are You Ready For It?
For thousands of years, humankind has chronicled stories to learn from and teach others, and it is through the recounting of these stories that lessons have been passed down for generations. As a species, we have progressed greatly from those early days and technology has made way for more detailed representations of these lessons. While… Continue reading Storytelling: Four Tips to Succeed in 2023
At a time when the metaverse and metaverse marketing are simultaneously erupting with popularity and widely misunderstood, Lauren Reed, owner of REED Public Relations, sat down with Jennifer Poythress, founder of The Rabbit Hole VR & Virtual Marketing, to discuss all things metaverse marketing. Poythress, who has a background in virtual reality, public relations, digital… Continue reading Meet The Hottest Housing Market Around: The Metaverse
Inflation is skyrocketing. Economies around the world are stalling. And on top of all this – we have a war in Europe. However you look at it, these are challenging times. Many people feel anxious about money, health, and their future; people are increasingly in a state of chronic stress because they face multiple crises.… Continue reading The Art of Communication in Challenging Times
It is five minutes to midnight, at least when it comes to sustainability and corporate reporting. We are living in a time where demands from several stakeholder groups – be it NGOs, customers, investors or governments – have never been higher. To give you an example: no one wants to buy a T-shirt that has… Continue reading Why Every Company Will Need Good ESG Reporting
In a recession, it’s common to put on the brakes, forget about your long-term plans and cut back spending to save as much as you can. However, if not done strategically, this short-term gain can create long-term pain, and any immediate savings are simply an illusion when you look at the overall business outlook. PR… Continue reading How to Maintain and Build Brand Awareness and Market Share During a Recession
New Year’s resolutions are destined to be broken. It takes more than a statement of intent to change a behaviour. At least that’s what we know from behavioural science. It requires a change of habit and that’s easier said than done. When it comes to making a resolution for your brand there are two parts… Continue reading What Your Brand’s Sustainability Resolutions Should Be For 2023
In an increasingly connected world, it’s critical for public relations, marketing, and communications specialists to understand the dynamics that exist when communicating across cultural lines. Throughout the year, billions of people celebrate hundreds of holidays, religious events, and festivals. Communications specialists need to understand how to effectively navigate and understand holidays of the world, especially… Continue reading Holidays of The World: A Communicator’s Guide for Cultural Diversity
In the last two decades, digital advancements have drastically changed the way people select products and services. Newspapers, magazines, TV news and press releases are all still relevant and valuable forms of communication, but social media platforms have had an explosive impact on an entire generation and offer more contemporary tools to connect with your… Continue reading Signs to Watch When Selecting the Matching Influencer for Your Brand
Something any public relations person or business can do today that will make a difference is to embrace sustainable development. The move will set them up as individuals or companies for success. Embracing sustainable development means understanding and reporting the social and environmental (non-financial) impacts and risks associated with a company’s operations. Soon, sustainability reporting… Continue reading Why Sustainable Development is Important to Business
One of three tenets upon which Mileage Communications was built, and which guides interaction with clients, partners, staff, vendors, the media and other stakeholders, is observing integrity. Integrity refers to being honest, reliable, and trustworthy. It is about seeking to always do the right thing, standing up for what is right, and addressing conflict respectfully.… Continue reading Observing Integrity – Your Key to Long-Term Success in PR
The past few years have brought previously unseen challenges for societies globally – pandemic, war, inflation and increasing social demands and tensions. Communications professionals will have to take these new factors into account when advising their clients on day-to-day activities as well as when drafting communications plans. Increasingly, it is not the communications theory behind,… Continue reading How to Build Successful Communications Plans for 2023
In 2019, I wrote a piece for Forbes called “Don’t Go Dark in a Downturn.” In the article, I shared how to leverage marketing and PR during enduring times, such as a recession. Luckily, the advice still held true for 2020 and beyond. Brands need marketing momentum to get through economic downturns – but it… Continue reading How to Pitch PR to C-Suite Leadership
As the global Covid-19 pandemic has so clearly demonstrated over the past few years, every organization—no matter its size or industry—is vulnerable to the ever-looming threat of a crisis. These threats can range from security breaches and product recalls, to natural disasters and workplace violence incidents. As PR professionals, we understand that a company’s response… Continue reading 7 Simple Steps to Developing a Crisis Communications Plan
The relationship between organizations and professional communicators is a very complex and intimate one. It takes time for both parties to know and understand each other to achieve success. That’s why we should always aim for long-term partnerships, the kind that can be compared to a marriage. When you marry, you bind yourselves to a… Continue reading The People Behind the Brands – Living Happily Ever After
How the Largest Free, Open-Source and Decentralized Microblogging Network in the World Works As a result of Elon Musk’s interest in acquiring Twitter, and despite some hesitation about the examination of fake accounts, the name of another social network has been bouncing for months, so that it would represent the ethical alternative to the most… Continue reading Mastodon: The Social Network Alternative to Twitter?
The practice of public relations requires a variety of skills: strategy, communication, analytics and creativity. All of these components blend to create a colorful, evocative, engaging and informative landscape. Those who excel in the strategic and analytical side may not have the same natural aptitude when it comes to creativity, and even the best strategy… Continue reading How to Put the Creative Into Public Relations
Every organization, business and brand relies heavily on its public reputation for success. Publicity gives brands the power to reach a large audience and share their stories with the world. By leveraging the art of public relations (PR), brands gain access to a powerful tool that can help them reach their goals—from building greater brand… Continue reading Dissolving the Myth: How Public Relations Helps Brands Sell
Remember the saying “There’s no such thing as bad publicity?” Well, that’s not entirely accurate. More and more, brands are seeing the impact of PR scandals and crises and how they impact their market positions. Depending on the circumstances, a crisis can cast a brand in a bad light, destroy a hard-earned reputation, and put… Continue reading Top 5 Corporate Crises in 2021 to Learn From
You’ve taken the deep dive and designed a PR campaign that you hope will advance your goals. You’ve planned, organized the team and rallied stakeholders. That’s a lot of work. For what? That’s right. Begin with the end in mind! Here are five outcomes you should expect from any well-designed PR campaign: 1. Hitting your… Continue reading 5 Outcomes to Expect from Your PR Campaign
More and more enterprises acknowledge their responsibility to share their profits with the society in which they work and grow. It is not just a matter of “good consciousness”, but rather a step that is quite logical and well based in human everyday experience: Sooner or later you will need another one’s support and help,… Continue reading Social Giving – How Should Corporations Approach It?
It seems like ages ago, but when a public relations or marketing professional wanted to create buzz for their client or brand, they used to quickly fall back on media relations. These days, that’s not necessary the case. Thanks to the rise of the internet and social media, all media are being consumed differently and… Continue reading A New Approach for Media Relations
Choosing the right NGO for a brand’s meaningful social project is a very important step – the first of many. The hard work continues by building and developing a long-term and sustainable relationship. For a deeper dive into the matter – and to get an authentic glimpse of the NGOs’ perspective – we have interviewed… Continue reading Companies-NGOs-PR Agencies – Creating the Perfect Alliance for Impactful Collaboration
There’s a saying that there are two things you shouldn’t talk about at parties: religion and politics. That’s because talking about either one is liable to get you into hot water with people who might otherwise be your best friends. Similarly, the decision for a brand to engage in a public affairs campaign—a political communications… Continue reading How to Launch a Public Affairs Campaign If Your Brand Has Never Done It Before
From its origin as a trendy new way to promote a brand, content marketing has grown into a versatile and easily customizable strategy to reach a highly targeted audience. Businesses and organizations across all industries now utilize content marketing to build brand awareness, thought leadership and lead generation. However, it takes more than publishing a… Continue reading Content Marketing at its Best
A traditional communication tool ended up in the shadows, thanks to the advent of social media, but newsletters are back and are on the rise again. Newsletters are now seen as the most suitable strategy for effective communication with consumers, especially in times of lockdown, according to the Talkwalker and Hubspot report on Social Media… Continue reading The Return of Newsletters
Over the last year, many companies have asked themselves: are we doing enough to address social justice issues that affect our customers and employees? And is it wise for brands to publicly take a stance on such issues? Leaders are understandably hesitant to step out of their comfort zone and court any kind of controversy.… Continue reading Why Your Company Should Get Involved in Social Justice Issues
Let’s be honest: Not every client has a compelling story to tell if you look just at their products or services. So, a little investment in a poll or survey can help raise their profile as a thought leader and relevant voice in their respective industry. But there are a few caveats to observe so… Continue reading How to Use Polling for More Effective PR Communication?
At its core, PR is all about reputation management with stakeholders. People and brands rightly expect PR professionals to help them connect with important stakeholders, build meaningful relationships and effectively communicate the right messages to them. However, many make the mistake that PR can help them solve a real leadership and business problem especially when… Continue reading The Best PR Can’t Replace Real Leadership
We used to think of Millennials and Gen Z-ers as, well, the young people in our lives, but in recent months the difference between the two generations has become a viral topic. Open any social media platform and you’ll see one generation mocking the other about clothing and hairstyle choices, but the differences between the… Continue reading Millennials vs. Gen Z – The Importance of Generational Marketing
Over the past 15 months, the global pandemic has challenged mankind in so many ways, from our very existence to the way we do business, and thankfully, the worst part appears to be behind us. As life goes on, so is the need to communicate, promote, salvage, interact, advise, contain, create – connections, ideas, plans,… Continue reading What Should PR Firms Be Prepared For In the Post-Covid Era?
Last year was epic in terms of disruption to most businesses and few industries were as disrupted as the real estate industry. While the disruption was immense, it wasn’t all negative. In fact, real estate is having a banner year in 2021, fueled in part by the way the real estate had to change its… Continue reading Real Estate PR: Top Five Trends for a Hot Market
Pitching attorneys to the media as subject matter experts is an effective way to bring exposure to a particular law firm or practice. While pitch topics may not always be law-focused, partners can still bring a unique perspective to the media landscape while highlighting their expertise. However, depending on the size of the law firm,… Continue reading What Makes an Attorney a Good Source for the Media?
Competition in the Food & Beverage industry is always fierce. With consumers choosing from hundreds of restaurants, F&B brands need to get creative when promoting new products and initiatives. A few PR campaigns from the past several years have stood out above the rest. Read on for a sample of our favorites and our takeaways… Continue reading Top Five Examples of Successful Food PR
Millennial moms are more than their skinny jeans. Eighty percent of children in the U.S. are born to millennial mothers, and with moms controlling 85% of household purchasing decisions, millennial moms grasp about $2.4 trillion in spending power, according to Forbes. Communicating with millennial moms requires rethinking your biases and reworking marketing strategies to ensure… Continue reading Side Parts and Sippy Cups: Speaking the Language of Millennial Moms
Tourism and hospitality are two of the most affected industries following the COVID-19 global crisis. Many jobs have disappeared, many companies have gone bankrupt, and many services no longer have a reason to exist. Today, a year later from the pandemic’s onset, we are struggling to adapt to this new normal. The hospitality and tourism… Continue reading Five Key Campaign Reboot Elements For Tourism Brands After Covid-19
You can’t swing a unicorn these days without bumping into a SPAC conversation (sorry, bad Silicon Valley joke). In days of yore (pre-COVID), the technology PR world would hum with conversations about IPOs, vesting schedules and year-long plans for going public. Like everything else, things are different today. Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t… Continue reading SPAC Attack – What They Are, Why You Should Care and How Communications Plays a Role
It’s been a long and challenging 12 months since the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Many businesses have moved to remote work or a hybrid workplace model, while others were forced to shut their doors permanently. However, with vaccine rollouts across the United States on a fast track by… Continue reading Five Ways Communicators Should Prepare to Reopen After Covid-19
NEW YORK-LONDON – Member agencies of the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN) have reported an unprecedented surge of new business success in the first two months of 2021. Despite the global pandemic and its economic impacts worldwide, independent agencies prove resilient, agile and successful in expanding their business offering – an internal survey at PRGN… Continue reading Public Relations Global Network Agencies Start 2021 With More Than 100 New Client Assignments
Once upon a time, we only talked about “hybrid” in science class. Today, the word is ubiquitous. In any language, we’re referring that in-between world blending in-person and remote – in the classroom, office and, yes, events. Ready or not, hybrid events are in your future; depending on where you are, maybe sooner than later.… Continue reading How to Successfully Host a Hybrid Event
Doing your first ESG (environmental, social and governance) report is not as simple or straight-forward as it seems. In no way are we trying to deter you from producing your first ESG report. It is one of the most important reports a company does for responsible investors and key stakeholders. Yet, our experience with first-time… Continue reading What Most Companies Get Wrong When Doing Their First ESG Report
It goes without saying that 2020 was a year we’d all rather forget. While the vaccine proliferation in many parts of the world offers a light at the end of the COVID tunnel, public relations professionals should keep five potential crises in the back of their mind as we work to normalize again. Vaccine rollout… Continue reading The Five Crises to Watch for in 2021
Sustainability is becoming more and more important: People are aware of global challenges like climate change, pollution and social inequality, and they discuss them and ask for solutions. It is clear that companies have a major impact on social and ecological issues, so the pressure on them to operate sustainably is increasing accordingly. Not only… Continue reading Six Reasons Why Sustainability Matters for all Companies – and Two Common Mistakes They Should Avoid
What a year. 2020 might as well have been “the year of crisis.” Or maybe it was just one big 365-day crisis. It certainly felt like it, as The Castle Group’s crisis communications practice managed more than 100 crises for 57 clients in 19 states and two countries. As we reflect on 2020, we all… Continue reading 2020 – The Year of Crisis
As we look forward to this new year of 2021, what do companies need to do to move their brand forward and increase the bottom line? As members of the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN), we are all given this challenge by our clients regularly. Of course, the world is in a different place globally… Continue reading Why Companies Should Invest into PR & Digital in 2021 and Beyond?
For most business leaders, 2020 almost certainly will be viewed similarly to sports accomplishments that include asterisks to denote records set under questionable circumstances. Yet, many of us as senior communications advisers are wired for this time in history. While we admittedly prefer to function through carefully planned and crafted strategies and tactics, most of… Continue reading Three Lessons of 2020 That Help You Prepare PR Programs in 2021 and Beyond
The world has a plan to end poverty, fight inequality and save the planet from climate change – the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs contain 17 goals and 169 targets. The plan sounds lofty and daunting, right? Even so, the SDGs are forming part of the DNA of business, government and civil… Continue reading Why Stakeholder Engagement is the First Step to Reach Your SDGs
Corporate stocks have seen a rollercoaster year due to Covid-19, political turmoil and social unrest all impacting market sentiments. And now news on the vaccines have arrived and are spreading hope on the stock markets again. How can publicly traded companies – especially midcaps and small firms not sitting on large marketing budgets – keep… Continue reading 5 Simple Ways to Boost Visibility of a Stock
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to rage on, the world is learning how to cope with it and businesses are looking for new opportunities the crisis presents. In the travel and leisure industry – my closer area of expertise – professionals are already brainstorming now not only about how to survive, but also how to… Continue reading New Angles That Work in Travel and Leisure PR in the Midst of the Pandemic
Successful content marketing takes time and energy and let’s be honest, as you begin to develop your strategy, you simply can’t do everything at once. Writing a daily or even weekly blog may seem simple at first, but when you add keyword research, interviews, graphics, photographs, CTAs and careful integration into your broader digital marketing… Continue reading Five Secrets of Successful Video Marketing
We live in an era of hyper-connectivity and information overload. Stakeholders are bombarded with messages every moment of the day. This crowded and cluttered marketplace has not only made stakeholders more informed, it has also made them more demanding about what they expect when they interact with brands and corporations. Communicating corporate and brand values… Continue reading Leadership Is Communication
Digital PR is simply the evolution of what has until now been known as “traditional” PR. It’s the opportunity to step away from the credibility crises that traditional PR practitioners have had to face so often in the past with new-age tools and tactics that are customisable, effective and measurable. To a certain extent one… Continue reading What does a PR firm do in the digital age?
The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly disrupted the marketplace and accelerated the move towards digitization, which is now embraced even by traditional “brick and mortar” industries. Digital transformation is certainly the first imperative for businesses and brands to reimagine themselves for the new marketplace in this Covid-19 era. In fact, businesses, big or small (including mom… Continue reading Being Purpose Driven: The New Imperative to Reinventing Businesses Post Covid-19
The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly disrupted the marketplace and accelerated the move towards digitization, which is now embraced even by traditional “brick and mortar” industries. Digital transformation is certainly the first imperative for businesses and brands to reimagine themselves for the new marketplace in this Covid-19 era. In fact, businesses, big or small (including mom… Continue reading Being Purpose Driven: The New Imperative to Reinventing Businesses Post Covid-19
While I’m writing this, the vast majority of all commercial passenger aircraft are grounded as global and domestic travel is mostly prohibited. However, once this picture changes, airlines will need to quickly regain the trust of passengers and get back into a professional communications mode. This is when communications agencies can step in. But what… Continue reading How to be Pro When Doing PR for Aviation?
Don’t expect a big surprise when reading our answer to this question: No, a formal certificate of any kind of curriculum is definitely not necessary to work and survive in PR – as many agency owners, pr managers and employees without a degree can tell you from their experience. But having said this, of course,… Continue reading Is a College Degree Necessary to Work in PR?
So, how do you keep an eye on your competitors? One of the best and easiest ways to keep watch is to audit your competitors’ communications. It requires you (or your agency) to keep an eye on (as well as an ear out) for what they are saying. The right places to look and… Continue reading Keeping an eye on the competition
Nowadays, PR is much more than media relations, press releases or launch events. PR becomes a modern combination of classical and new communication trends – integrated, 360 degree PR strategy including visuals, digital solutions, and, of course, blogging. Blogs fit the taste of those who are looking for interesting pieces of news, non-traditional recommendations or… Continue reading Why should blogging be a part of your PR strategy?
Name: Márk Németh Title: Head of Consumer PRGN Agency: Goodwill Communications Years at your agency: 7 Why did you choose to enter PR? I was working as a journalist at a print business daily when the world financial crisis hit. The editorial staff shrank and I found I had less time for the part of… Continue reading Ten Questions with Márk Németh
There used to be a way to reach your target market with just a few touch points. Send out a press release. Produce an event. Sponsor a program. According to the Online Marketing Institute, it now takes 7-13 touches to reach a potential customer. Today’s consumers are immune to traditional marketing, PR and advertising strategies.… Continue reading Integrating Your Marketing and PR Strategies
