How you communicate is just as important as what’s actually said Many business execs think of written statements as powerful tools, tools that satisfy reporters and the public while quelling any questioning or doubt. The rest of the world…not so much. In an article for his website, Mr. Media Training, Brad Phillips composed a solid …

Press Releases, Tweets — even, or especially, email subject lines — demand strong, catchy headlines. Imagine the volume of words that cross an editor’s or reporter’s eyes each hour! Guess which subjects they will be drawn to? Those that creatively thread the needle of journalism are the ones that will get sewn into the fabric …

Crisis management and social media are like PB&J Ruh roh. A new survey from German consultancy Gartner Communications found that while nearly 85% of companies worldwide have general crisis plans in place (yea!), only 20.7% have social media crisis plans set (boo!). Moreover, while 71% of in-house communicators think social media will become even more …

The first Winter Storm Watch has been issued for the Twin Cities area this weekend, with a possible 5-8 inches of heavy wet snow. Hardware stores are downright giddy. Weatherpersons on TV glow with qualified excitement (hoping the storm will track through these parts). Fans of winter are oiling snowmobiles, waxing skies and sharpening skates …

Popular drink maker’s poor crisis communications could be its downfall You would think one of the nation’s largest independent PR firms would know better than to argue with a reporter, but when Edelman PR, which represents Phusion Projects, makers of the controversial caffeinated alcoholic drink Four Loko, contacted the writers of a Seattle Weekly blog …

It’s appropriate penning this blog on the Day After the Day of The Dead election date. The votes are in, the surprises are in. The Republicans are back — in most places! Seems like only yesterday they were here (shall we call them Zombies?!). Is this the change we can believe in? For many Democrats …

Search Engine Optimization & PR: Google Me This I am not a Geek. Let’s get that out there right away. I’m a former pop culture writer and editor and now a PR guy, a flack, a publicist (mostly, 8-5 anyway) with some good ideas and communication skills. And like most people I know, I try …

Although crisis management continues after the crisis is over, its focus must shift During a crisis, all focus is on the problem at hand. The problem that some encounter, though, is that they continue to dwell on the situation after it has ended, rather than strengthening themselves, shoring up holes, and moving on. In a …

The latest trend in attacks presents new crisis management challenges You’ve probably already heard of the fake Chevron PR campaign, an elaborate and temporarily effective attack by activists. For those that missed it, the elaborate prank, whose aim was to draw attention to questionable environmental practices, involved not only a fake website, but an entire …

What if you could broadcast your company news, brand attributes, or something especially cool about what you do with a few disciplined hours each week at your computer? Of course, you know that you can….by start blogging. You’re thinking, old news, right? Sure it is. But I’m here to reinforce the newsy part in the …