Evelyn Tipacti's blog listings. Feed Zend_Feed_Writer 1.10.8 (http://framework.zend.com) http://www.profnetconnect.com/evelyntipacti SPOTLIGHT: Julie Wernau, The Chicago Tribune Welcome to our SPOTLIGHT feature, where we highlight a journalist and ProfNet user to share their personal story and insight with you.

This SPOTLIGHT belongs to Julie Wernau, energy and green technology reporter for The Chicago Tribune.

We hope you find SPOTLIGHT both enjoyable and informative.



Julie, was journalism what you always wanted to do or did you become a journalist by chance?

Until I became a journalist, I’d never considered journalism. In college, I double-majored in English and Psychology, a combination which, if I recall correctly, translated into reading dark poetry in dimly lit coffee shops and spending untold hours entering data for psychological studies, including one that asked people to guess the lengths of various metal objects while blind-folded. I thought I’d be a poet or a clinical psychologist. A wise English professor pulled me aside and bluntly told me that I was a better critic than a poet. As for being a psychologist, an internship working with assault victims convinced me that I wasn’t ready to take on the world’s problems at such an intimate level.

Where was your first journalism job?

Soon after graduation, I landed a job working at The Waterford Standard, a weekly newspaper that covered a town by the same name in Connecticut. The paper defined community news: Nearly every byline in the newspaper was mine, senior citizen commission meetings were legitimate news and no announcement was too small for the front page. The most important lessons I’ve ever learned as a journalist I learned in that job. Big stories start with the little things – chief among them, compassion, a genuine interest in the people you cover and humility.

How did you become an energy reporter?

Waterford, the town I covered at my first journalism job, is home to a nuclear power plant. In covering the town, first for the weekly and later for the area’s daily newspaper, I became a bit of an expert in electricity markets, nuclear waste storage, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and a host of other issues related to the nuclear industry. After spending a couple of years as a police reporter, I moved to Chicago, took on the business beat and found myself, again, drawn to energy issues. The energy beat is where it’s at – politics, business, the environment, the economy … all wrapped into one crazy package. Plus, we all need it. It keeps the lights on. It powers our smart phones. It heats our homes. It cooks our food. It powers our vehicles. It doesn’t get more personal than that.

What type of stories do you usually cover?

Illinois is ripe with energy stories. We have more nuclear plants than any other state, a thriving coal industry, a fierce political scene, a bevy of wind companies competing for wind-rich farmland, pending regulations for massive oil drilling operations (A.K.A. “fracking’) and big plans for electric vehicles. My goal is to boil down this complexity for readers so that they can understand what is happening, how it impacts them and why they should care. A story has layers. It has bite. It matters. It tells me something I didn’t know before. 

What's your favorite part about being a journalist?

I learn something new literally every single day. And, sometimes, when I learn it, I’m inside a coal mine or at the base of a wind turbine or on the roof of a skyscraper or talking to one of the smartest people on the planet. So, that’s not so bad.

Do you work with PR professionals and what advice do you have for them if they want to pitch you a story?

Yes, all the time. If I could give them one piece of advice it would be: Be real. Journalists are real people. Get to know me (or at least Google me) before you pitch me a story. Take the time to figure out what I’m about and I’ll be more likely to take the time to listen to your pitch.

What should they always do and never do?

If you pick up the phone to call me, always ask if it is a good time to talk. Never ask if you can read my story before it goes to print. I’m happy to check facts. But you aren’t my editor.   

What's the best way for someone in public relations to develop a working relationship with you? 

Again, be real. If you aren’t sure what kind of stories I’m into, ask me. Or, better yet, ask me to coffee. Also, honor deadlines. 

What has been the biggest challenge you've experienced? 

When I make a mistake, I make it in front of millions of readers.

Is there a career highlight that sticks out?

When I was a police reporter, I uncovered a predatory lending scheme that was bloating the local real estate market and destroying the credit and lives of dozens of homeowners. The stories gained the attention of the state’s attorney general and the FBI and led to the convictions of several co-conspirators. At one point, the state’s attorney general called me into his office and asked me for help so that he could develop a case against the scheme’s perpetrators. It was the first time I truly realized the power of the printed word.

What's your advice for someone just starting their journalism career?

Rise above. When people tell me journalism is dead, I tell them they obviously aren’t reading. Journalism is a field that is in a constant state of flux. Learning to live in a constant state of change is an art. But it isn’t impossible. Focus on doing good work and don’t get distracted by all the drama happening around you. The rest will follow.

If a young journalist wants to cover the energy industry, how should they prepare?

Read. Read. Read.

Is social media a big part of your job? How so?

I’m particularly hooked in to Twitter. I use it to get a quick gauge on what people are talking about, particularly in the energy sector. With a couple of search tricks, I’ve even used it to find “real people” for stories.

How has ProfNet helped you?

ProfNet has been a great way to find fresh sources for stories on my beat. It’s easy to keep going back to the same sources for quotes or advice. ProfNet has helped me find new angles and insight I hadn’t considered for topics I’m writing about.

What would you be doing if you weren't a journalist?

I’d probably be a career counselor. I love mentoring and giving career advice. I worked at a career center in college and never quite lost the bug. I’m still the one my friends turn to when they need resume advice.

When you're not at the Chicago Tribune working on a story, what do you like to do?

Any excuse to be outside, I’m there – biking, kayaking, hiking, picnics, outdoor concerts. It makes Chicago winters a bit rough.

About Julie Wernau

Julie Wernau is the energy and green technology reporter for the Chicago Tribune’s business section. She covers electric and natural gas utilities, energy markets, green tech start-ups, battery technology, energy legislation, the country’s largest owner of nuclear power plants, the coal, oil, natural gas, wind and solar industries and their associated regulators.

She tends toward stories that explore the impact business and economic trends have on the lives of real people: employees, business owners and consumers.

Before coming to the Tribune in 2009, Wernau enjoyed a stint in media relations at Connecticut College, a private non-profit higher-education institution. Prior to that, Wernau worked at The Day Publishing Company, a daily newspaper covering Southeastern Connecticut, where she was a multi-award-winning police/fire reporter.

Her stories about a local predatory lending scheme led to investigations by the FBI and the state’s attorney general and the convictions of several co-conspirators.

Whether you're a reporter, blogger, author or other content creator, ProfNet can help you with your search for expert sources. You can send a query to tens of thousands of experts and PR agents, search the more than 60,000 profiles on ProfNet Connect, or get timely experts and story ideas by email -- all for free! Need help getting started? Email us at profnet@profnet.com 

1 Comments - Leave a Comment
]]> Thu, 16 May 2013 12:37:55 -0500 http://www.profnetconnect.com/evelyntipacti/blog/2013/05/16/spotlight:_julie_wernau,_the_chicago_tribune http://www.profnetconnect.com/evelyntipacti/blog/2013/05/16/spotlight:_julie_wernau,_the_chicago_tribune Welcome to our SPOTLIGHT feature, where we highlight a journalist and ProfNet user to share their personal story and insight with you.

This SPOTLIGHT belongs to Julie Wernau, energy and green technology reporter for The Chicago Tribune.

We hope you find SPOTLIGHT both enjoyable and informative.



Julie, was journalism what you always wanted to do or did you become a journalist by chance?

Until I became a journalist, I’d never considered journalism. In college, I double-majored in English and Psychology, a combination which, if I recall correctly, translated into reading dark poetry in dimly lit coffee shops and spending untold hours entering data for psychological studies, including one that asked people to guess the lengths of various metal objects while blind-folded. I thought I’d be a poet or a clinical psychologist. A wise English professor pulled me aside and bluntly told me that I was a better critic than a poet. As for being a psychologist, an internship working with assault victims convinced me that I wasn’t ready to take on the world’s problems at such an intimate level.

Where was your first journalism job?

Soon after graduation, I landed a job working at The Waterford Standard, a weekly newspaper that covered a town by the same name in Connecticut. The paper defined community news: Nearly every byline in the newspaper was mine, senior citizen commission meetings were legitimate news and no announcement was too small for the front page. The most important lessons I’ve ever learned as a journalist I learned in that job. Big stories start with the little things – chief among them, compassion, a genuine interest in the people you cover and humility.

How did you become an energy reporter?

Waterford, the town I covered at my first journalism job, is home to a nuclear power plant. In covering the town, first for the weekly and later for the area’s daily newspaper, I became a bit of an expert in electricity markets, nuclear waste storage, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and a host of other issues related to the nuclear industry. After spending a couple of years as a police reporter, I moved to Chicago, took on the business beat and found myself, again, drawn to energy issues. The energy beat is where it’s at – politics, business, the environment, the economy … all wrapped into one crazy package. Plus, we all need it. It keeps the lights on. It powers our smart phones. It heats our homes. It cooks our food. It powers our vehicles. It doesn’t get more personal than that.

What type of stories do you usually cover?

Illinois is ripe with energy stories. We have more nuclear plants than any other state, a thriving coal industry, a fierce political scene, a bevy of wind companies competing for wind-rich farmland, pending regulations for massive oil drilling operations (A.K.A. “fracking’) and big plans for electric vehicles. My goal is to boil down this complexity for readers so that they can understand what is happening, how it impacts them and why they should care. A story has layers. It has bite. It matters. It tells me something I didn’t know before. 

What's your favorite part about being a journalist?

I learn something new literally every single day. And, sometimes, when I learn it, I’m inside a coal mine or at the base of a wind turbine or on the roof of a skyscraper or talking to one of the smartest people on the planet. So, that’s not so bad.

Do you work with PR professionals and what advice do you have for them if they want to pitch you a story?

Yes, all the time. If I could give them one piece of advice it would be: Be real. Journalists are real people. Get to know me (or at least Google me) before you pitch me a story. Take the time to figure out what I’m about and I’ll be more likely to take the time to listen to your pitch.

What should they always do and never do?

If you pick up the phone to call me, always ask if it is a good time to talk. Never ask if you can read my story before it goes to print. I’m happy to check facts. But you aren’t my editor.   

What's the best way for someone in public relations to develop a working relationship with you? 

Again, be real. If you aren’t sure what kind of stories I’m into, ask me. Or, better yet, ask me to coffee. Also, honor deadlines. 

What has been the biggest challenge you've experienced? 

When I make a mistake, I make it in front of millions of readers.

Is there a career highlight that sticks out?

When I was a police reporter, I uncovered a predatory lending scheme that was bloating the local real estate market and destroying the credit and lives of dozens of homeowners. The stories gained the attention of the state’s attorney general and the FBI and led to the convictions of several co-conspirators. At one point, the state’s attorney general called me into his office and asked me for help so that he could develop a case against the scheme’s perpetrators. It was the first time I truly realized the power of the printed word.

What's your advice for someone just starting their journalism career?

Rise above. When people tell me journalism is dead, I tell them they obviously aren’t reading. Journalism is a field that is in a constant state of flux. Learning to live in a constant state of change is an art. But it isn’t impossible. Focus on doing good work and don’t get distracted by all the drama happening around you. The rest will follow.

If a young journalist wants to cover the energy industry, how should they prepare?

Read. Read. Read.

Is social media a big part of your job? How so?

I’m particularly hooked in to Twitter. I use it to get a quick gauge on what people are talking about, particularly in the energy sector. With a couple of search tricks, I’ve even used it to find “real people” for stories.

How has ProfNet helped you?

ProfNet has been a great way to find fresh sources for stories on my beat. It’s easy to keep going back to the same sources for quotes or advice. ProfNet has helped me find new angles and insight I hadn’t considered for topics I’m writing about.

What would you be doing if you weren't a journalist?

I’d probably be a career counselor. I love mentoring and giving career advice. I worked at a career center in college and never quite lost the bug. I’m still the one my friends turn to when they need resume advice.

When you're not at the Chicago Tribune working on a story, what do you like to do?

Any excuse to be outside, I’m there – biking, kayaking, hiking, picnics, outdoor concerts. It makes Chicago winters a bit rough.

About Julie Wernau

Julie Wernau is the energy and green technology reporter for the Chicago Tribune’s business section. She covers electric and natural gas utilities, energy markets, green tech start-ups, battery technology, energy legislation, the country’s largest owner of nuclear power plants, the coal, oil, natural gas, wind and solar industries and their associated regulators.

She tends toward stories that explore the impact business and economic trends have on the lives of real people: employees, business owners and consumers.

Before coming to the Tribune in 2009, Wernau enjoyed a stint in media relations at Connecticut College, a private non-profit higher-education institution. Prior to that, Wernau worked at The Day Publishing Company, a daily newspaper covering Southeastern Connecticut, where she was a multi-award-winning police/fire reporter.

Her stories about a local predatory lending scheme led to investigations by the FBI and the state’s attorney general and the convictions of several co-conspirators.

Whether you're a reporter, blogger, author or other content creator, ProfNet can help you with your search for expert sources. You can send a query to tens of thousands of experts and PR agents, search the more than 60,000 profiles on ProfNet Connect, or get timely experts and story ideas by email -- all for free! Need help getting started? Email us at profnet@profnet.com 

1 Comments - Leave a Comment
]]> 0 World Press Freedom Day 2013

May 3 is World Press Freedom Day, which according to UNESCO is "a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession."

On this 20th anniversary, we reflect on the fact that here in the United States we have freedom of the press, freedom of expression, while too many nations around the globe do not have this basic right. Media outlets are censored and journalists are attacked or murdered for exposing the truth or for reporting something unfavorable in regards to a certain person or group.

We often take for granted that we go to work, do a story and return home. The most someone will do is write a negative comment after our story on a website, call and say they did not like or agree with a story, but other than that we do not usually fear going to bed that night or worry every time we dine al fresco at our favorite restaurant. For the most part, journalists are respected. Not to say violence against journalists does not happen here because it does, but not in the same manner as in other countries.

Overseas, many never return home, their next stop being a morgue instead of their living room. It is a sad and terrible situation, but one that cannot be forgotten and ignored. Critics of journalists who place themselves in precarious situations or who work in dangerous countries will often say to simply find another profession or to get out of such a place.

What these people fail to realize is the concept that being a journalist is sometimes not "just" a profession, but a calling. It can be a way for that journalist to stand up for what is right and to report about a violent and corrupt government or to bring awareness to the unthinkable events and atrocities that take place daily. It is not something they just like to do but need to do, the same way one may know from childhood they want to be a surgeon or a performer.

Let us take some time to read the stories of some journalists who never returned home this year, who made it their life's work to speak for those with no voice, to expose the truth, to tell a story that needed to be told:

Whether you're a reporter, blogger, author or other content creator, ProfNet can help you with your search for expert sources. You can send a query to tens of thousands of experts and PR agents, search the more than 60,000 profiles on ProfNet Connect, or get timely experts and story ideas by email -- all for free! Need help getting started? Email us at profnet@profnet.com 

0 Comments - Leave a Comment
]]> Thu, 02 May 2013 15:48:24 -0500 http://www.profnetconnect.com/evelyntipacti/blog/2013/05/02/world_press_freedom_day_2013 http://www.profnetconnect.com/evelyntipacti/blog/2013/05/02/world_press_freedom_day_2013

May 3 is World Press Freedom Day, which according to UNESCO is "a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession."

On this 20th anniversary, we reflect on the fact that here in the United States we have freedom of the press, freedom of expression, while too many nations around the globe do not have this basic right. Media outlets are censored and journalists are attacked or murdered for exposing the truth or for reporting something unfavorable in regards to a certain person or group.

We often take for granted that we go to work, do a story and return home. The most someone will do is write a negative comment after our story on a website, call and say they did not like or agree with a story, but other than that we do not usually fear going to bed that night or worry every time we dine al fresco at our favorite restaurant. For the most part, journalists are respected. Not to say violence against journalists does not happen here because it does, but not in the same manner as in other countries.

Overseas, many never return home, their next stop being a morgue instead of their living room. It is a sad and terrible situation, but one that cannot be forgotten and ignored. Critics of journalists who place themselves in precarious situations or who work in dangerous countries will often say to simply find another profession or to get out of such a place.

What these people fail to realize is the concept that being a journalist is sometimes not "just" a profession, but a calling. It can be a way for that journalist to stand up for what is right and to report about a violent and corrupt government or to bring awareness to the unthinkable events and atrocities that take place daily. It is not something they just like to do but need to do, the same way one may know from childhood they want to be a surgeon or a performer.

Let us take some time to read the stories of some journalists who never returned home this year, who made it their life's work to speak for those with no voice, to expose the truth, to tell a story that needed to be told:

Whether you're a reporter, blogger, author or other content creator, ProfNet can help you with your search for expert sources. You can send a query to tens of thousands of experts and PR agents, search the more than 60,000 profiles on ProfNet Connect, or get timely experts and story ideas by email -- all for free! Need help getting started? Email us at profnet@profnet.com 

0 Comments - Leave a Comment
]]> 0 Media News Highlight Media News Highlight shares articles and stories from the worlds of media and journalism that may be of interest to professionals who work in said industries at newsrooms across the country.

We hope these links will help you stay aware of what’s happening in these fields and provide some beneficial information.

Waking Up on the Wrong Side of a Rating War (via The New York Times by Brian Stelter)

"One Wednesday last month, Ann Curry, camouflaged in a hat and trench coat, trudged into the art-deco lobby of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. It had been nine months since she was pushed out as co-host of the 'Today' show."

Major breaking news errors giving rise to new responses in Boston coverage (via Poynter by Craig Silverman)

"There is nothing new about the fact that a major breaking news event unleashed a torrent of rumors, hoaxes, reporting errors and misinformation. That some of them still reverberate, and will continue to, is also par for the course."

The Remarkable Decline in the Wall Street Journal's Long-Form Journalism (via The Atlantic by Alexis C. Madrigal)

"I do not have any particular expertise in the inner workings of the Wall Street Journal newsroom, but this chart speaks for itself. It shows the number of stories the Journal published that were over 2,500 words from 2002 to 2011. Dean Starkman of Columbia Journalism Review created the chart and referenced it again today. (He used to work at the publication.)"

Social media and the Boston bombings: When citizens and journalists cover the same story (via Nieman Journalism Lab by Hong Qu)

"In a breaking news situation, journalists get an adrenaline rush. There is a palpable eagerness to get the scoop, to be the first to bring the story to the public. In today’s world of social media, mobile phones, and the real-time 24/7 news cycle, though, journalists face competition from all sides: eyewitness accounts, official sources, and even friends and family are sharing news before mainstream news institutions have 'published' the official news story."

#ConnectChat Recap: Succeed in Freelancing With ASJA (via ProfNet Connect by Maria Perez)

"With the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) holding its annual conference in a few weeks, we thought it would be a good time to catch up with Alexandra Owens, executive director of ASJA, to get the inside scoop on the conference and what’s going on at ASJA. [Full disclosure: ProfNet is a sponsor of this year’s conference. We hope to see you there!]"

Diller: Death Will Come for 'Irrelevant Media' (via NetNewsCheck by Michael Depp)

"Barry Diller has good news and bad news for newspapers, and local TV should listen, too."

Next FCC chairman will impact journalism (via Columbia Journalism Review by Tracie Powell)

"Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced last month that he was stepping down, and journalism advocates have since been lining up to voice opinions on what Genachowski’s successor should do differently in dealing with media."

Family of Missing GlobalPost Journalist James Foley to Hold Event on World Press Freedom Day (via press release by Northwestern University)

"The family of missing GlobalPost journalist and Northwestern University graduate James Foley is holding an event to raise awareness on World Press Freedom Day on May 3rd in Boston."

Tumblr's David Karp on The Closing of Storyboard: It 'Didn't Work' (via Capital New York by Joe Pompeo)

"'We gave it a year, and after evaluating it, we decided it wasn't really the right tool in our tool box,' said Karp, speaking at a conference hosted by the website paidContent. 'It was working in some regards. It wasn't working in the ways we intended.'"

Breaking News and Social Media: Stop Fighting It (via 10,000 Words/mediabistro by Karen Fratti)

"Social media and journalism are back in the ring this week. They’re both pretty strong contenders, but not without their weaknesses. In the immortal words of Paulie Pennino, let’s blow these punch-outs."

Whether you're a reporter, blogger, author or other content creator, ProfNet can help you with your search for expert sources. You can send a query to tens of thousands of experts and PR agents, search the more than 60,000 profiles on ProfNet Connect, or get timely experts and story ideas by email -- all for free! Need help getting started? Email us at profnet@profnet.com 

0 Comments - Leave a Comment
]]> Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:42:54 -0500 http://www.profnetconnect.com/evelyntipacti/blog/2013/04/18/media_news_highlight http://www.profnetconnect.com/evelyntipacti/blog/2013/04/18/media_news_highlight Media News Highlight shares articles and stories from the worlds of media and journalism that may be of interest to professionals who work in said industries at newsrooms across the country.

We hope these links will help you stay aware of what’s happening in these fields and provide some beneficial information.

Waking Up on the Wrong Side of a Rating War (via The New York Times by Brian Stelter)

"One Wednesday last month, Ann Curry, camouflaged in a hat and trench coat, trudged into the art-deco lobby of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. It had been nine months since she was pushed out as co-host of the 'Today' show."

Major breaking news errors giving rise to new responses in Boston coverage (via Poynter by Craig Silverman)

"There is nothing new about the fact that a major breaking news event unleashed a torrent of rumors, hoaxes, reporting errors and misinformation. That some of them still reverberate, and will continue to, is also par for the course."

The Remarkable Decline in the Wall Street Journal's Long-Form Journalism (via The Atlantic by Alexis C. Madrigal)

"I do not have any particular expertise in the inner workings of the Wall Street Journal newsroom, but this chart speaks for itself. It shows the number of stories the Journal published that were over 2,500 words from 2002 to 2011. Dean Starkman of Columbia Journalism Review created the chart and referenced it again today. (He used to work at the publication.)"

Social media and the Boston bombings: When citizens and journalists cover the same story (via Nieman Journalism Lab by Hong Qu)

"In a breaking news situation, journalists get an adrenaline rush. There is a palpable eagerness to get the scoop, to be the first to bring the story to the public. In today’s world of social media, mobile phones, and the real-time 24/7 news cycle, though, journalists face competition from all sides: eyewitness accounts, official sources, and even friends and family are sharing news before mainstream news institutions have 'published' the official news story."

#ConnectChat Recap: Succeed in Freelancing With ASJA (via ProfNet Connect by Maria Perez)

"With the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) holding its annual conference in a few weeks, we thought it would be a good time to catch up with Alexandra Owens, executive director of ASJA, to get the inside scoop on the conference and what’s going on at ASJA. [Full disclosure: ProfNet is a sponsor of this year’s conference. We hope to see you there!]"

Diller: Death Will Come for 'Irrelevant Media' (via NetNewsCheck by Michael Depp)

"Barry Diller has good news and bad news for newspapers, and local TV should listen, too."

Next FCC chairman will impact journalism (via Columbia Journalism Review by Tracie Powell)

"Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced last month that he was stepping down, and journalism advocates have since been lining up to voice opinions on what Genachowski’s successor should do differently in dealing with media."

Family of Missing GlobalPost Journalist James Foley to Hold Event on World Press Freedom Day (via press release by Northwestern University)

"The family of missing GlobalPost journalist and Northwestern University graduate James Foley is holding an event to raise awareness on World Press Freedom Day on May 3rd in Boston."

Tumblr's David Karp on The Closing of Storyboard: It 'Didn't Work' (via Capital New York by Joe Pompeo)

"'We gave it a year, and after evaluating it, we decided it wasn't really the right tool in our tool box,' said Karp, speaking at a conference hosted by the website paidContent. 'It was working in some regards. It wasn't working in the ways we intended.'"

Breaking News and Social Media: Stop Fighting It (via 10,000 Words/mediabistro by Karen Fratti)

"Social media and journalism are back in the ring this week. They’re both pretty strong contenders, but not without their weaknesses. In the immortal words of Paulie Pennino, let’s blow these punch-outs."

Whether you're a reporter, blogger, author or other content creator, ProfNet can help you with your search for expert sources. You can send a query to tens of thousands of experts and PR agents, search the more than 60,000 profiles on ProfNet Connect, or get timely experts and story ideas by email -- all for free! Need help getting started? Email us at profnet@profnet.com 

0 Comments - Leave a Comment
]]> 0 #ConnectChat Recap: Using Pinterest for Business On Tuesday, April. 16, we hosted our latest #ConnectChat, "Using Pinterest for Business," with guest Karen Leland (@KarenLeland), the best-selling author of nine business books and the president of Sterling Marketing Group.

Karen provided advice on how to start using Pinterest if you've never used it, tips on what to 'pin' on boards, creating your own pins, increasing sales and much more.

Please follow @ProfNet and @editorev on Twitter for more information on future chats or check back right here on ProfNet Connect for details.

Welcome & thank you for joining today’s #ConnectChat with Karen Leland.

This is Evelyn Tipacti, taking over @ProfNet for the duration of the chat. Our guest today is Karen Leland, the best-selling author of nine business books and the president of Sterling Marketing Group.

Her latest book is called, "Entreprenuer Magazine’s Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business." Hi, Karen! Thanks for being our guest on today's #ConnectChat.

I'm thrilled to be here. This is my first Twitter party!

Karen, please tell us a bit about yourself and what you do.

I'm President of Sterling Marketing Group, a branding and strategy implementation firm. I help with personal, team and business brands. I'm an author-- Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Guide to Pinterest and 8 other books. I love photography and am a total foodie!

Karen, Pinterest is still a new thing to many people so can you please tell us exactly what it is?

Ever New Years day I sit down and cut and paste from magazines a vision board for the year. Pinterest is a bit like that. Pinterest is an online pinboard organized around topics of your choice by category. It's part of the trend of the visual web.

Are the pins placed on a board things you create or mainly pins created by others?

Most pins statistically are re-pins from other people's images. I think it's very important to curate and create your own. For example you can go to imagechef.com  or shareasimage.com  and make all sorts of fun things to pin such as quotes. These sites let you create for example customized sticky notes, quotes etc., which you can pin. A mix of re-pinning others stuff and your own creates the most vibrant board.

How do you go about creating your own pin(s)?

In the book I mention 10 ways. One way is be like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz & look no further than your own back yard. What logos, diagrams, drawings, pictures, models, videos or other visual content do you use on your website/business you could pin? Photos and videos you have taken yourself are also great. There are some tips to follow, however. Images shot with a smartphone can be fabulous. You don't need to be Ansel Adams or Annie Leibovitz to shoot a Pinterest-worthy picture. To shoot great pins with a smartphone, fill the frame with the focal point, crop liberally and shoot in HDR, just to mention a few.

What's your policy for giving image credit on Pinterest?

Image credit on Pinterest is simple. It's automatic when you re-pin. Use the ‘Pin It’ button in your browser and source is given. If you pin another way where the credit is not automatic, it's good manners and protocol to always give credit.

How can a business start to use Pinterest? Many use Twitter and Facebook but seem to be excluding this one.

Pinterest is easy to set up, but deciding what boards to create and then curating the images is what takes some time. As with any other social media, Pinterest requires a strategy. What is your main reason for using it? Is your goal with Pinterest driving traffic to your website, boosting your brand awareness, expanding customer engagement? Some Pinterest boards can include video how to, educational, hobbies, passions and interests, new services and products.

Karen, does Pinterest have the potential to be bigger than FB or Twitter from a business perspective?

IMHO Pinterest's future size relative to Facebook & Twitter will largely be dependent on expansion into business-friendly categories.

How much time should one invest in Pinterest to see a difference?

On May 1 when my new Pinterest Book is released, a free chapter called "Pinterest in 15 Minutes A Day" will be available free. You can download at t.co/1sCeuuHkmO, but in the meantime my answer is 15 minutes a day is all it takes to work. One way to manage your Pinterest time is to spend 5 minutes re-pinning, and 5 minutes creating or uploading a fresh pin. Spend 5 minutes doing a search on Pinterest to see what is trending and popular, so you can take advantage and pin.

How can one develop a strategy with Pinterest?

Develop strategy for Pinterest via target market. Age? Income? Gender? 72% users are female, aged 25-54. Think on that, Grasshopper.

Karen, what should your profile include and what type of image should you use?

For your Pinterest profile picture, please no shots of you doing tequila shooters in your bathrobe. Axe the avatars as well. A great Pinterest picture shows you face forward in the camera, and your current image - not the one from a decade ago. Pinterest profile should be free of hats, sunglasses, big earrings and lots of bling. Your face alone is a great brand. If you are doing business on Pinterest as a business and you are a company, use your company logo for your profile picture.

How do use Pinterest to drive traffic to your site?

One great way to drive traffic to your site with Pinterest is to put a live link to your web in pin descriptions.

What about to increase sales and attract clients?

To increase sales on Pinterest rev up anticipation for a new product or service launch by dedicating a board to it. You can attract clients on Pinterest by using keywords in your boards, pins and descriptions. Hashtags, as well.

What type of pins receive the most views?

Pins that have to do with food, fashion, home decor are some of the most popular.

Can you use Pinterest with your other social media sites/pages, a personal blog or website? How so?

Pinterest is great for cross promotion with other social media. You can tweet and Facebook images and pin your posts. The best way to pin your blog posts on Pinterest is to give every, and I mean every post a great picture so it can be pinned.

What is a board and should you have several or is one enough?

A board on Pinterest is a set of pins crated around a specific topic. For example,  I love dark chocolate and have a board around it.

There are no set number of boards you can have on Pinterest. However, one would be like you are not even trying. I think at least eight or 10 boards on Pinterest is a good start and shows you are serious. But these have to have some pins on them!

Karen, what is social proof and how does it tie in to Pinterest?

Social proof is basically the idea that if other people are using your services or products, they must be good! To create social proof on Pinterest, encourage customers to pin pictures of themselves using your product.

Are there any analytical tools available so you can keep track of how many likes and re-pins you're getting?

You can keep track of your analytics on Pinterest by verifying your website in your account and using the new analytics feature.

How can multimedia be used on Pinterest and what are the benefits?

Pinterest is great for multimedia. Videos and podcasts are a wonderful way to spruce up your boards and create more engagement.

Should bloggers use Pinterest? How can Pinterest benefit them?

Bloggers should absolutely use Pinterest! They can pin posts via a good image and get flow through traffic. Bloggers can also place their url in their Pinterest profile to encourage click-throughs.

Karen, please tell us about your latest book. I'm sure many here are interested to learn more about it.

My new book, “Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business” is out May 1 and available for pre-order now! I wrote the book to be a business bible for Pinterest with lot's of A-Z info on how different professions can use Pinterest.

Where can we find it?

“Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business” can be purchased on Amazon at t.co/y7zAob8ktR. Ultimate Guide to Pinterest For Business and bonus items such as additional chapter and cheat sheet go to t.co/1sCeuuHkmO.

Karen, thanks for being our guest and for giving us all of this wonderful information! Unfortunately, we're at the end of today's #ConnectChat.

Thanks for being on the chat. Please connect at t.co/n7sNoyug7A for questions about social media, branding or dark chocolate. :-)

Whether you're a reporter, blogger, author or other content creator, ProfNet can help you with your search for expert sources. You can send a query to tens of thousands of experts and PR agents, search the more than 60,000 profiles on ProfNet Connect, or get timely experts and story ideas by email -- all for free! Need help getting started? Email us at profnet@profnet.com 

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]]> Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:45:37 -0500 http://www.profnetconnect.com/evelyntipacti/blog/2013/04/17/connectchat_recap:_using_pinterest_for_business http://www.profnetconnect.com/evelyntipacti/blog/2013/04/17/connectchat_recap:_using_pinterest_for_business On Tuesday, April. 16, we hosted our latest #ConnectChat, "Using Pinterest for Business," with guest Karen Leland (@KarenLeland), the best-selling author of nine business books and the president of Sterling Marketing Group.

Karen provided advice on how to start using Pinterest if you've never used it, tips on what to 'pin' on boards, creating your own pins, increasing sales and much more.

Please follow @ProfNet and @editorev on Twitter for more information on future chats or check back right here on ProfNet Connect for details.

Welcome & thank you for joining today’s #ConnectChat with Karen Leland.

This is Evelyn Tipacti, taking over @ProfNet for the duration of the chat. Our guest today is Karen Leland, the best-selling author of nine business books and the president of Sterling Marketing Group.

Her latest book is called, "Entreprenuer Magazine’s Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business." Hi, Karen! Thanks for being our guest on today's #ConnectChat.

I'm thrilled to be here. This is my first Twitter party!

Karen, please tell us a bit about yourself and what you do.

I'm President of Sterling Marketing Group, a branding and strategy implementation firm. I help with personal, team and business brands. I'm an author-- Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Guide to Pinterest and 8 other books. I love photography and am a total foodie!

Karen, Pinterest is still a new thing to many people so can you please tell us exactly what it is?

Ever New Years day I sit down and cut and paste from magazines a vision board for the year. Pinterest is a bit like that. Pinterest is an online pinboard organized around topics of your choice by category. It's part of the trend of the visual web.

Are the pins placed on a board things you create or mainly pins created by others?

Most pins statistically are re-pins from other people's images. I think it's very important to curate and create your own. For example you can go to imagechef.com  or shareasimage.com  and make all sorts of fun things to pin such as quotes. These sites let you create for example customized sticky notes, quotes etc., which you can pin. A mix of re-pinning others stuff and your own creates the most vibrant board.

How do you go about creating your own pin(s)?

In the book I mention 10 ways. One way is be like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz & look no further than your own back yard. What logos, diagrams, drawings, pictures, models, videos or other visual content do you use on your website/business you could pin? Photos and videos you have taken yourself are also great. There are some tips to follow, however. Images shot with a smartphone can be fabulous. You don't need to be Ansel Adams or Annie Leibovitz to shoot a Pinterest-worthy picture. To shoot great pins with a smartphone, fill the frame with the focal point, crop liberally and shoot in HDR, just to mention a few.

What's your policy for giving image credit on Pinterest?

Image credit on Pinterest is simple. It's automatic when you re-pin. Use the ‘Pin It’ button in your browser and source is given. If you pin another way where the credit is not automatic, it's good manners and protocol to always give credit.

How can a business start to use Pinterest? Many use Twitter and Facebook but seem to be excluding this one.

Pinterest is easy to set up, but deciding what boards to create and then curating the images is what takes some time. As with any other social media, Pinterest requires a strategy. What is your main reason for using it? Is your goal with Pinterest driving traffic to your website, boosting your brand awareness, expanding customer engagement? Some Pinterest boards can include video how to, educational, hobbies, passions and interests, new services and products.

Karen, does Pinterest have the potential to be bigger than FB or Twitter from a business perspective?

IMHO Pinterest's future size relative to Facebook & Twitter will largely be dependent on expansion into business-friendly categories.

How much time should one invest in Pinterest to see a difference?

On May 1 when my new Pinterest Book is released, a free chapter called "Pinterest in 15 Minutes A Day" will be available free. You can download at t.co/1sCeuuHkmO, but in the meantime my answer is 15 minutes a day is all it takes to work. One way to manage your Pinterest time is to spend 5 minutes re-pinning, and 5 minutes creating or uploading a fresh pin. Spend 5 minutes doing a search on Pinterest to see what is trending and popular, so you can take advantage and pin.

How can one develop a strategy with Pinterest?

Develop strategy for Pinterest via target market. Age? Income? Gender? 72% users are female, aged 25-54. Think on that, Grasshopper.

Karen, what should your profile include and what type of image should you use?

For your Pinterest profile picture, please no shots of you doing tequila shooters in your bathrobe. Axe the avatars as well. A great Pinterest picture shows you face forward in the camera, and your current image - not the one from a decade ago. Pinterest profile should be free of hats, sunglasses, big earrings and lots of bling. Your face alone is a great brand. If you are doing business on Pinterest as a business and you are a company, use your company logo for your profile picture.

How do use Pinterest to drive traffic to your site?

One great way to drive traffic to your site with Pinterest is to put a live link to your web in pin descriptions.

What about to increase sales and attract clients?

To increase sales on Pinterest rev up anticipation for a new product or service launch by dedicating a board to it. You can attract clients on Pinterest by using keywords in your boards, pins and descriptions. Hashtags, as well.

What type of pins receive the most views?

Pins that have to do with food, fashion, home decor are some of the most popular.

Can you use Pinterest with your other social media sites/pages, a personal blog or website? How so?

Pinterest is great for cross promotion with other social media. You can tweet and Facebook images and pin your posts. The best way to pin your blog posts on Pinterest is to give every, and I mean every post a great picture so it can be pinned.

What is a board and should you have several or is one enough?

A board on Pinterest is a set of pins crated around a specific topic. For example,  I love dark chocolate and have a board around it.

There are no set number of boards you can have on Pinterest. However, one would be like you are not even trying. I think at least eight or 10 boards on Pinterest is a good start and shows you are serious. But these have to have some pins on them!

Karen, what is social proof and how does it tie in to Pinterest?

Social proof is basically the idea that if other people are using your services or products, they must be good! To create social proof on Pinterest, encourage customers to pin pictures of themselves using your product.

Are there any analytical tools available so you can keep track of how many likes and re-pins you're getting?

You can keep track of your analytics on Pinterest by verifying your website in your account and using the new analytics feature.

How can multimedia be used on Pinterest and what are the benefits?

Pinterest is great for multimedia. Videos and podcasts are a wonderful way to spruce up your boards and create more engagement.

Should bloggers use Pinterest? How can Pinterest benefit them?

Bloggers should absolutely use Pinterest! They can pin posts via a good image and get flow through traffic. Bloggers can also place their url in their Pinterest profile to encourage click-throughs.

Karen, please tell us about your latest book. I'm sure many here are interested to learn more about it.

My new book, “Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business” is out May 1 and available for pre-order now! I wrote the book to be a business bible for Pinterest with lot's of A-Z info on how different professions can use Pinterest.

Where can we find it?

“Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business” can be purchased on Amazon at t.co/y7zAob8ktR. Ultimate Guide to Pinterest For Business and bonus items such as additional chapter and cheat sheet go to t.co/1sCeuuHkmO.

Karen, thanks for being our guest and for giving us all of this wonderful information! Unfortunately, we're at the end of today's #ConnectChat.

Thanks for being on the chat. Please connect at t.co/n7sNoyug7A for questions about social media, branding or dark chocolate. :-)

Whether you're a reporter, blogger, author or other content creator, ProfNet can help you with your search for expert sources. You can send a query to tens of thousands of experts and PR agents, search the more than 60,000 profiles on ProfNet Connect, or get timely experts and story ideas by email -- all for free! Need help getting started? Email us at profnet@profnet.com 

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]]> 0 Upcoming #ConnectChat: Using Pinterest for Business Pinterest, a social bookmarking site that allows users to create a visual, online pinboard with images they love, is the fastest-growing social media site in history, the third-largest network after Facebook and Twitter, and has over 25 million members and 10 million unique visitors a month.

How can your business take advantage of this popularity to reach new audiences? On our next #ConnectChat, Karen Leland, author of the new book, “Entrepreneur Magazine’s Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business,” will share her tips on the top ways businesses can use Pinterest to reach prospects and increase profits.

To participate in the chat with Leland, simply join us on Twitter on Tuesday, April 16, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. EDT, and follow the #ConnectChat hashtag to view all updates from @KarenLeland, @ProfNet and the rest of the chat participants. We'll start off the chat with a few questions to get the conversation going, but feel free to jump in with your own questions at any point.

If you do not have a Twitter account or won’t be able to make it to the chat, you can find a recap on ProfNet Connect the following day. To view past #ConnectChat recaps, click here.

About Karen Leland:

 

Leland is the best-selling author of nine business books and the president of Sterling Marketing Group, where she has worked with small businesses and Fortune 500 companies around the globe on building stronger personal and business brands and creating more effective organizations. Her clients have included AT&T, American Express, Marriott Hotels, Apple Computer and Johnson & Johnson, among others. 

Leland is a regular speaker for business groups, including the Young Presidents’ Organization, American Management Association and Direct Marketing Association. She is a frequent guest of the media and has been interviewed on the “Today” show, CNN, CNBC and Oprah. She writes a column for Entrepreneur.com and Huffington Post, and has been published in Woman’s Day, Self, Los Angeles Times and more.

Whether you're a reporter, blogger, author or other content creator, ProfNet can help you with your search for expert sources. You can send a query to tens of thousands of experts and PR agents, search the more than 60,000 profiles on ProfNet Connect, or get timely experts and story ideas by email -- all for free! Need help getting started? Email us at profnet@profnet.com 

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]]> Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:57:20 -0500 http://www.profnetconnect.com/evelyntipacti/blog/2013/04/12/upcoming_connectchat:_using_pinterest_for_business http://www.profnetconnect.com/evelyntipacti/blog/2013/04/12/upcoming_connectchat:_using_pinterest_for_business Pinterest, a social bookmarking site that allows users to create a visual, online pinboard with images they love, is the fastest-growing social media site in history, the third-largest network after Facebook and Twitter, and has over 25 million members and 10 million unique visitors a month.

How can your business take advantage of this popularity to reach new audiences? On our next #ConnectChat, Karen Leland, author of the new book, “Entrepreneur Magazine’s Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business,” will share her tips on the top ways businesses can use Pinterest to reach prospects and increase profits.

To participate in the chat with Leland, simply join us on Twitter on Tuesday, April 16, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. EDT, and follow the #ConnectChat hashtag to view all updates from @KarenLeland, @ProfNet and the rest of the chat participants. We'll start off the chat with a few questions to get the conversation going, but feel free to jump in with your own questions at any point.

If you do not have a Twitter account or won’t be able to make it to the chat, you can find a recap on ProfNet Connect the following day. To view past #ConnectChat recaps, click here.

About Karen Leland:

 

Leland is the best-selling author of nine business books and the president of Sterling Marketing Group, where she has worked with small businesses and Fortune 500 companies around the globe on building stronger personal and business brands and creating more effective organizations. Her clients have included AT&T, American Express, Marriott Hotels, Apple Computer and Johnson & Johnson, among others. 

Leland is a regular speaker for business groups, including the Young Presidents’ Organization, American Management Association and Direct Marketing Association. She is a frequent guest of the media and has been interviewed on the “Today” show, CNN, CNBC and Oprah. She writes a column for Entrepreneur.com and Huffington Post, and has been published in Woman’s Day, Self, Los Angeles Times and more.

Whether you're a reporter, blogger, author or other content creator, ProfNet can help you with your search for expert sources. You can send a query to tens of thousands of experts and PR agents, search the more than 60,000 profiles on ProfNet Connect, or get timely experts and story ideas by email -- all for free! Need help getting started? Email us at profnet@profnet.com 

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