My 17-year-old daughter just called me from her U.S. History class to ask for a ride home. Her teacher – who will remain nameless since I want him/her to keep a job – allowed her to call as long as she told me that she loved me in front of the whole class. Which she did. Twice.
I think letting her call from class was a wise communication move on the teacher’s part. (more…)
Last week, I had a client, who wants to be better known in the market, pass on a sponsorship opportunity because they didn’t think they would get a whole lot of media mileage out of it. The sponsorship meant getting access to eight key companies, working in partnership with a major university and a handful of influential state and local agencies, and being included in a wide swath of social media strategies. But the client was right – they most likely were not going to get a major media mention from it. (more…)
I was on vacation last week, which meant I had plenty of time to catch up on all the books I’ve been meaning to read. One of them, “How the Irish Saved Civilization” by Thomas Cahill, has been on my To Read list for five years. Since the rest of the book deals with how the seemingly uncivilized Irish preserved great literature and history after the fall of the Roman Empire, I was surprised to read a passage that dealt with marketing and public relations. (more…)
At lunch with a prospective client last week, I was asked if I was a publicist. I inwardly recoiled at the term. Then I decided I’d better make sure I understood his definition of publicist before I answered. (more…)
I have been reading a lot about patience lately. In this hyper-connected, 24-hour news cycle world, it seems patience is becoming a virtue rarely practiced. Yet countless business coaches continue to emphasize the importance of time and perseverance. I couldn’t agree more. (more…)
This Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Lent is a period of 40 days that some Christians say represents the time Jesus spent wandering the desert, enduring temptations and reflecting on his life’s purpose. In modern times, it has become a time for Catholics and others to give up their own temptations or, better yet, add good habits to fulfill their own personal goals and purpose.
Most of my friends, when polled, have decided to give up their bad habits – everything from too much meat and Diet Coke to chocolate and alcohol. Two of my friends are giving up Facebook. More on that in a minute…
This got me to thinking. What if we communications professionals gave up our bad habits for as well? (more…)
Over the holiday break, I had a conversation with my teenagers about how boring their lives are. My daughter suggested that if life were just more stimulating, teenagers wouldn’t have to work so hard to create drama. They crave the excitement that comes from a constant stream of break-ups, make-ups, new clothes, new electronic toys, hot gossip, etc.
Unfortunately, a number of businesses approach their communications strategy just as teenagers approach high school, seeking out the rush of being first, being popular, being the best. (more…)