Grace Lavigne

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    • Member Type(s): Content Publisher
      Media - Print Journalist
      Media - Web-only/Blogger
    • Title:Writer and Editor
    • Organization:Grace Lavigne
    • Area of Expertise:Writing, Editing, Social Media
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    Grammar Hammer: A Curmudgeon-y Perspective on "50 Shades of Grey"

    Friday, July 27, 2012, 3:06 PM [Grammar Hammer]
    0 (0 Ratings)

    Via this column, we'll explore one grammar rule each week. If you have a grammar question you'd like me to address, please drop me a line at grace.lavigne@prnewswire.com and I'll do my best to answer it.

     

    "50 Shades of Grey" has taken the "literary" nation by storm. Whether you love it or love to hate it, it seems like it's being read in every book club, every bedroom, every coffee shop right now. With more than 31 million copies sold worldwide (according to Hollywood Reporter), the novels' dull vocabulary, flat characters and unfulfilling plot hold no weight compared to the sexy and enticing fantasy escape being offered. For many readers, it's like a mental vacation from everyday life -- and I can appreciate that. If "50 Shades of Grey" gets people to enjoy reading, who am I to criticize?

    But in total, brutal honesty, I read "50 Shades of Grey" after hearing the hubbub, and hated it. I'll spare you the recap -- you probably have some idea of what it's about by now anyway. But the silver lining of reading a book I didn't like is that I've gotten a great deal of enjoyment reading the critiques by people who also found it to be subpar.

    One reviewer in particular pointed out an irksome grammar mistake in the first chapter of the first book, when author E.L. James is initially describing main squeeze and heartthrob, Christian Grey:

    • He's tall, dressed in a fine gray suit, white shirt, and black tie with unruly dark copper colored hair and intense, bright gray eyes that regard me shrewdly.

    Wow! Where can I buy a tie like that?!

    There's something essential missing from the second sentence of the quote: a semicolon. Without a semicolon after "black tie," it makes the rest of the description that's supposed to be about Christian Grey seem likes it's actually about the black tie -- as in, a black tie with hair and eyes. As Anastasia Steele would say, "Oh my!"

    Without rewriting the sentence entirely (which seems like the best option), here's what the sentence should look like:

    • He's tall, dressed in a fine gray suit, white shirt, and black tie; with unruly dark copper colored hair and intense, bright gray eyes that regard me shrewdly.

    Lesson: Always be conscious of the subject of the sentence!

    Also, check out my post on semicolons: Sherlock Holmes and the Mysterious Case of the Semicolon

    What did you think of "50 Shades of Grey"?

    ProfNet, a service of PR Newswire, has helped journalists and experts connect since 1992. Writers can search the ProfNet Connect database of more than 50,000 profiles; send a ProfNet query by email to thousands of subscribers around the globe; or get timely experts and story ideas by email.

    Dear Gracie: Clearing the Hurdles of Sports PR

    Thursday, July 26, 2012, 8:22 AM [Dear Gracie]
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    Each week, Dear Gracie answers questions from ProfNet Connect readers with advice from our network of over 50,000 ProfNet experts. Has there been a question burning in your mind lately, something you've been wondering that none of your colleagues can answer? Please send it to grace.lavigne@prnewswire.com

     

    Dear Gracie,

    I recently acquired a professional athlete as a client, although I have no experience in sports PR specifically. Any advice? Unique challenges?

    Athletic Amateur

     

    Dear Athletic Amateur:

    Three ProfNet experts with sports PR experience weigh in:

     

    What to Know About Sports PR

    1. Professional vs. Fan: “If you choose to get involved in sports PR, understand that the fan element must be removed from the equation,” says Christopher Navalta, senior account executive for Graham and Associates, who also has prior experience managing NBA players and teams, as well as minor league baseball players and teams.
    2. Long Hours: And while you don't have to have a passion for sports to work in sports PR, you probably won't like it if you don't, warns Adam Siepiola, assistant athletic director for media and external relations at Adelphi University, a Division II institution in New York. Sports PR includes long hours at games, and the ability to know what you're watching and writing about. "As a collegiate PR professional, we are required to travel with our teams regularly and to be at all home games," says Siepiola. "Your work day really starts after the game."
    3. Unstructured Work: "Every day is different," says Navalta. "Managing a team is obviously more structured than managing an athlete, but if you're the type of person who enjoys every day being different, then this is the perfect fit." From head injuries in the NFL to ethics violations in the NCAA, the sports industry faces many challenges that require the assistance of PR professionals, agrees Amy Littleton, senior vice president of KemperLesnik, a PR, events and sports marketing agency in Chicago.
    4. No Riches: "Sports PR doesn't pay very much," says Littleton. "You have to do it for the love of the game." It's long hours, average pay, weekends spent working and no real time off until June, warns Siepiola. "But the good outweighs the bad!"
    5. Untapped Stories: "There is so much more beyond just the final score," says Siepiola. "For example, we had a four-time All-American women’s lacrosse player who has been dealing with diabetes since she was 6; she overcame that to become one of the best in the country!"

    Potential Challenges

    1. Competition and Clutter: "There are so many sports and events competing for the attention of consumers, that it is often difficult to break through," says Littleton. "This is exacerbated by the fact that ESPN holds a lot of power when it comes to sports news and coverage." You have to find compelling, human-interest stories -- anything that goes beyond wins and losses -- to get coverage sometimes, says Siepiola.
    2. Changing Minds: Because professional athletes are paid millions of dollars, they are considered one-man institutions. Unlike working in a PR agency, where there is plenty of structure, working with athletes can be challenging, depending on who you’re working with, because athletes have the ability to change their minds constantly when it comes to their brand, says Navalta.
    3. Brand Direction: “Like any business, the sports industry is about building a brand,” says Navalta. “I’ve run into a lot of athletes and coaches who have wanted to build their own brand, but really never had any direction or foresight on what they wanted to do with it.”
    4. Damage Control: We frequently see professional athletes in trouble with the law, says Navalta. These athletes obviously do not have a lot of the necessary structure to build and maintain a brand because they’re around the wrong people. “If sports leagues want to avoid having the reputation of having athletes who are always getting into trouble, they need a better PR plan.” Plus, damage control is always time consuming. Avoid athletes or teams with histories of bad PR, unless you're the kind of person who thrives on helping underdogs.
    5. Uncensored Social Media Chatting: Social media is a great place to grow a personal brand, says Siepiola. But since it's also a place to vent and talk with friends, social media can be risky business. A PR professional can educate and monitor this type of social media usage. At some point, an issue will come up, so have a crisis management plan in place, warns Siepiola.

    Perks

    • Sports PR pros get to watch games up close for free and do a lot of traveling, says Navalta.
    • "Getting inside the ropes, courtside or into locker rooms to get up close and personal with players and see behind the scenes at events is pretty awesome," says Littleton.
    • "I vividly remember a time this past spring -- an April afternoon at around 2 p.m. -- when I was out at our softball field watching and keeping statistics for a game," says Siepiola. "It was in the mid-70s and sunny, and I remember thinking: 'I get paid to do this -- how cool is that?!"
    • Siepiola also says that he's travelled to places he probably never would have been to otherwise.

    Gracie

    ProfNet, a service of PR Newswire, has helped journalists and experts connect since 1992. Writers can search the ProfNet Connect database of more than 50,000 profiles; send a ProfNet query by email to thousands of subscribers around the globe; or get timely experts and story ideas by email.

    picture by Flickr user *sean

    Grammar Hammer: Is It Presently or Currently Storming?

    Friday, July 20, 2012, 4:28 PM [Grammar Hammer]
    0 (0 Ratings)

    Via this column, we'll explore one grammar rule each week. If you have a grammar question you'd like me to address, please drop me a line at grace.lavigne@prnewswire.com and I'll do my best to answer it.

    Storms have been tearing through the U.S. in recent weeks, causing severe power outages, frenzied hoarding trips to the grocery store, paranoid people staying home from work, excessive online shopping for rain boots, and an unreasonable number of check-ins with the weathermen.

    When the clouds start rolling in, do you say it's currently or presently storming? Well, it depends what you mean. So before you start battening down the hatches and squirreling away your freeze-dried food and batteries, consider the subtle difference in meaning between these two adverbs, according to Merriam-Webster.com:

    • Presently: before long
    • Currently: occurring or existing in the present time

    Confusingly, presently doesn't mean "at present," it means "in the near future." Only currently refers to "right now."

    Examples:

    • The wind's picking up; it will storm presently.
    • There is currently thunder and lightning.

    Pro Tip: Replace "presently" with "soon" to double check grammaticality and correctness.

    So if it's currently thundery outside, you'll need an umbrella presently!

    ProfNet, a service of PR Newswire, has helped journalists and experts connect since 1992. Writers can search the ProfNet Connect database of more than 50,000 profiles; send a ProfNet query by email to thousands of subscribers around the globe; or get timely experts and story ideas by email.

    image via Flickr user Reckless Dream Photography

    Expert Alerts: Repairs, Catholicism, Tax Planning, More

    Friday, July 20, 2012, 3:08 PM [Expert Alerts]
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    ProfNet is a free service that provides journalists, bloggers, authors and other writers with links to experts and story ideas on the topics they cover. You’ll also find links to job opportunities and other news and resources we think you’ll find useful. To receive these updates by email, send a note to profnet@profnet.com with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition.

    If you are in need of an expert source, you can also submit a free ProfNet query and have qualified sources come to you, or search the free ProfNet Connect database, which features nearly 50,000 user profiles, all searchable by keyword. If you are looking for Spanish-speaking experts, you can also opt to send your query via ProfNet en Español; just select that option when submitting your request.

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    EXPERT ALERTS

    • Don’t Trust Repairs to Door-to-Door Help
    • St. Hildegard von Bingen: Mother of All Dissident Nuns
    • Planning Can Help Avoid Tax Uncertainty

    MEDIA JOBS

    • Web Editor - Denver
    • Reporter - Washington, D.C.
    • Writer/Editor - Ramsey, N.J.
    • Junior Reporter - San Diego

    OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

    • #ConnectChat Recap: How Social Media Is Changing PR
    • Don't Run Afoul of Olympic Games Marks Use Restrictions
    • Do You Have Confidence in Television News?
    • Grammar Hammer: It's All Pun and Games

     

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    EXPERT ALERTS

    Expert Alerts are listings of ProfNet members who are available to discuss timely news topics. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact their media representative at the end of the listing. You can also find Expert Alerts online at bit.ly/pncalerts

    Don’t Trust Repairs to Door-to-Door Help
    Marc H. Fanning
    Insurance Attorney
    Fanning Harper Martinson Brandt & Kutchin in Dallas
    "Homeowners trying to find an available contractor for repairs to storm-damaged roofs may be tempted by the ‘too-good-to-be-true’ deals promised by workers who arrive on their doorsteps. While they may promise to handle all the insurance claim details in addition to the needed repairs, these contractors far too often are inexperienced and untrained for the job at hand. Assigning part of your insurance claim to these so-called contractors could be a huge mistake. After suffering any type of home damage, consumers need to contact their insurance agent immediately, then work with the adjuster assigned to the claim and gather estimates from licensed, reputable contractors. Working with a random ‘Chuck in a Truck’ can jeopardize your ability to get your home properly repaired and the claim resolved in a timely fashion."
    News Contact: Rhonda Reddick, rhonda@androvett.com or +1-800-559-4534

    St. Hildegard von Bingen: Mother of All Dissident Nuns
    Mary Sharratt
    Author
    On Oct. 7, Pope Benedict XVI will elevate medieval composer and polymath Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) to Doctor of the Church, a rare and solemn title reserved for theologians who have significantly impacted church doctrine. Presently, there are only 33 Doctors of the Church, and only three are women (Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila, and Therese of Lisieux).
    "Ironically, Benedict's elevation of St. Hildegard comes at a time when the Vatican is launching a vendetta against her contemporary counterparts, the sisters of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, which represents 80 percent of the Catholic sisters and nuns in the United States, some 57,000 women who stand accused of 'serious doctrinal problems' and of promoting 'certain radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith.' Von Bingen has a great deal in common with some of these women, such as Sister Margaret Farley, Yale professor emeritus, who was rebuked for writing frankly about human sexuality -- as von Bingen herself did. An outspoken critic of church corruption, von Bingen was embroiled in controversy. At the age of 80, von Bingen and the nuns at her abbey were subject to an interdict, or collective excommunication, because they refused to dig up a supposed apostate buried in their graveyard. The interdict was lifted only a few months before her death, otherwise Hildegard would have died an outcast. Far from being a poster girl for Pope Benedict XVI's ironclad orthodoxy, I believe that St. Hildegard was the mother of all dissident nuns."
    Sharratt is author of "Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October 2012).
    News Contact: Diane Saarinen, dianesaarinen@gmail.com, info@saimaagency.com or +1-718-422-9199

    Planning Can Help Avoid Tax Uncertainty
    Dan Baucum
    Tax Attorney at Shackelford Melton & McKinley in Dallas
    Former Special Assistant to the IRS Associate Chief Counsel
     "With promised gift and estate tax changes, and the expiration of the $5.12 million gift tax exemption at the close of 2012, the well-to-do are turning to exotic techniques in a last-ditch effort to save their investments from the looming tax uncertainty. Some families have tried to delay the inevitable death tax through provisions in their Last Will and Testament documents, and a few have created 'Family Limited Partnerships.' But for those with working assets, such as a family farm or business, these options won't work. Instead, they are opting for a ‘Defective Grantor Trust’ where parents make a seed gift or sale to a trust with special terms that treat themselves as the owners. This gives them control, but gifts future appreciation to their heirs."
    News Contact: Rhonda Reddick, rhonda@androvett.com or +1-800-559-4534

     

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    MEDIA JOBS:

    Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: bit.ly/pncjobboard

    See more listings here.

     

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    OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

    Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at profnetalerts@prnewswire.com

    • #CONNECTCHAT RECAP: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA IS CHANGING PR: ProfNet Editor Grace Lavigne interviews PR expert Deirdre Breakenridge on how social media is changing skills and mindsets in the PR industry: goo.gl/w3dUA
    • DON'T RUN AFOUL OF OLYMPIC GAMES MARKS USE RESTRICTIONS: PR Newswire's Sarah Skerik reminds content creators on how to avoid copyright infringements during the "Big Game": goo.gl/V1h0y
    • DO YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE IN TELEVISION NEWS? ProfNet Editor Evelyn Tipacti discusses the significance of the recent Gallup poll that confirmed people are losing faith in broadcast news: goo.gl/9gZGx
    • GRAMMAR HAMMER: IT'S ALL PUN AND GAMES: ProfNet Editor Grace Lavigne explains what puns are and how to use them: goo.gl/sEF2J

    #ConnectChat Recap: How Social Media Is Changing PR

    Wednesday, July 18, 2012, 4:50 PM [#ConnectChat]
    0 (0 Ratings)

    Every other week on Tuesdays from 3-4:30 p.m. EDT, ProfNet editors interview one professional to jumpstart dialogue about an industry topic. You can follow the conversation by checking out the #ConnectChat hashtag on Twitter. If you're interested in being a featured guest, email me at grace.lavigne@prnewswire.com

     

    In this week's #ConnectChat on Tuesday, July 17, we featured PR, marketing and social media expert Deirdre Breakenridge (@dbreakenridge) who discussed "How Social Media Is Changing PR." The chat featured information on new skills and practices PR professionals need to master, what it means to be a hybrid PR pro, the role of social media in a company, where the PR industry is headed, and more.

    Deirdre is the founder and CEO of Pure Performance Communications (@PurePerComm). She speaks nationally and internationally on PR, marketing and social media topics; and is the author of five Financial Times books, including her most recent, "Social Media and Public Relations: Eight New Practices for the PR Professional." She also co-hosts her own chat, #PRStudChat (or @PRStudChat), which is a conversation between PR students, educators and professionals.

     

    @ProfNet: Welcome to #ConnectChat! This is Grace Lavigne, taking over @ProfNet for our chat today with Deirdre Breakenridge (@dbreakenridge).

    ProfNet: Feel free to jump in with questions and comments. Just remember to include the #ConnectChat hashtag so we can all see your input!

    ProfNet: Today, Deirdre will discuss how social media is changing the PR industry, and how we can shift our mindsets accordingly.

    @dbreakenridge Hi everyone, thanks for joining us today for #ConnectChat!

     

    ProfNet: Q1. With the rise of social media, what new skills do PR pros need to master?

    Breakenridge: 1) New skills include competency in information technologies. We have to be PR tech testers. 2) PR pros must be able to start a dialogue and build relationships through new channels. 3) It's great to see PR embracing video, SEO, website analytics, monitoring technology, CMS, etc. 4) PR must strategize to connect directly with stakeholders, especially our customers.

    @jgombita Google Analytics (and some SEO).

    Breakenridge: Yes! RT @jgombita: Google Analytics (and some SEO).

    @comminternships: PR students, take note, you need to understand these to get a job today: RT @jgombita: Google Analytics (and some SEO).

    @jgombita: I can't believe how many people in PR/marketing diss Google+, given how significant is search for modern-day PR.

    Breakenridge: @jgombita: Yes, you're right. Google+ is good for search.

    @jgombita: Not JUST search, but other elements of PR. @marktraphagen agreed to do a guest post on @prconversations about it.

    Breakenridge: Yes, Google+ is a great way to engage (broadcast video hangouts).

    @AllthingsIC: How to translate requirements for conversation into achievable outcomes. Keeping updated and cutting through "noise."

    @CourtneyGHuber: @AllthingsIC Agree re: keeping up. There's so much content/news out there and much to learn in my own industry for which I do PR.

    Breakenridge: @AllthingsIC Yes, it's tough to rise above the noise!

    @AllthingsIC: Remembering the "basics" too -- e.g., writing, grammar and ability to create and maintain good conversations and relationships.

    @OregonPRGirl: So important! "Remembering basics: writing, grammar, ability to create/maintain good relationships" via @AllthingsIC

    Breakenridge: A must! RT @OregonPRGirl: So important! "Remembering basics: writing, grammar, ability to create/maintain good relationships."

    @jgombita: @AllthingsIC: Agreed. But not corporatease or speechifying.

    @AllthingsIC: @jgombita: Heaven forbid. Agreed, key is jargon-free, plain English. Alienating people through language = less than ideal!

    @higginbomb: Data analysis is so important to PR in social media. So much new data, so few rules on what to do with it...

    Breakenridge: @higginbomb Agreed!

    @BlancandOtus: Getting across the main point of the news in 140 characters or less!

    @optimeUSA: Not only implementing social media, but doing so with tactics and strategies that interact and reach the right audience!

     

    @comminternships: I constantly encounter students who want to major in PR, but don't want to take writing classes. What do you tell them?

    Breakenridge: @comminternships Writing is so important. It's one of our core competencies. Good writing takes practice.

    @comminternships: That's what I tell students, but they don't listen! And social media make writing even more important!

     

    @rsmithing: What's your advice for convincing reticent clients to consider social media?

    Breakenridge: @rsmithing They should realize their customers might be there, and their competitors too!

    @OGPR: Show them what their competitors are doing. Most likely they are there already.

     

    ProfNet: Q2. What does it mean to be a hybrid PR professional?

    Breakenridge: 1) Moving the best of traditional forward, integrated with digital/social communications. 2) Working cross functionally with other areas of marketing, and moving outside of the PR silo. 3) PR pros are learning and applying other areas of marketing into their practices. 4) Working more closely with marketing, Web, IT, sales, etc. 5) Customer service and PR work very closely together as a result of social media.

    @jgombita: Don't you need to define what the elements are of your particular "hybrid"?

    @BlancandOtus: @dbreakenridge We agree -- working with other areas of marketing is crucial to make sure you maintain your edge as a PR pro.

    @jgombita: @dbreakenridge major OUCH. Do you see public relations as only being a part of marketing?!

    Breakenridge: @jgombita Public relations integrates throughout the company. Involved in sales, HR, customer service too!

    @jgombita: @dbreakenridge per @commAMMO, "All marketing is communication, but not all communication is marketing." Same with PR. #ConnectChat

    Breakenridge: @jgombita True!

    @AllthingsIC: Being a hybrid pro means the ability to adapt and evolve. Keeping audience firmly in mind and making smart decisions.

    @comminternships: @AllthingsIC Adaptability is key in any communications career today.

    Breakenridge: @AllthingsIC @comminternships Yes, must be very flexible and be able to adapt to a global communication environment.

     

    @joseph_davis: Should the emphasis be less about SM channels, and more about the content, delivery, engagement?

    Breakenridge: Have to make sure your audience congregates in a community, and then it's all about the engagement.

    @joseph_davis: @dbreakenridge Agreed.

    @optimeUSA: It's not enough to be in the community, if you don't connect and get involved! Social = engagement!

    @comminternships: So true. Many businesses thing social media is one-way communication. It's not.

    @AllthingsIC: @joseph_davis Yes always -- first defining what it is you're trying to achieve, then choosing the channel, social media or otherwise.

    Breakenridge: @AllthingsIC @joseph_davis Know why!

    @AllthingsIC: @dbreakenridge Absolutely, "why" is crucial.

    @joseph_davis: @AllthingsIC I think those steps are often forgotten. Many see the channels first, without defining goals.

    @AllthingsIC: Absolutely, easy to get blinded by shiny, whizzy channels and forget the core competencies!

     

    ProfNet: Q3. What are some new PR roles or practices?

    Breakenridge: 1) The Internal Collaboration Generator knows good communication starts on the inside with sharing technology. 2) The Pre-Crisis Doctor who plans for crisis through a new approach, process and recovery. 3) The Relationship Analyzer takes relationships to deeper levels through technology and visualization.

    @AllthingsIC: Social media creates many opportunities -- job titles vary, but essence is same -- creating and connecting with employees/customers.

    @rsmithing: @AllthingsIC Yes! @BrianSolis even says now is a PR renaissance in a @dbreakenridge foreword: ow.ly/ciXjf

    @jgombita: I think the most POWERFUL (and underused) is creating communities of interest. Note: don't mean blog-commenting communities.

    Breakenridge: @jgombita Yes, communities where you can move past just comments and begin idea sharing/crowdsourcing.

    @jgombita: @dbreakenridge Meant more common background, but different employers. Like the "engineering" mindset. Give them a space.

    @AllthingsIC: @jgombita Agreed, and important that they're "of interest" and enable you to go beyond purely commenting. Ooh, thanks for @cjoh info.

    @jgombita: @AllthingsIC Have you read @cjoh's The Information Diet (which inspired my Nutrition Byte)? Be careful where you spend time.

    @ccduong: The social media guru: not actually putting info out, but rather teaching and getting internal employees up to speed.

    @SuperDU: Lots of old roles, but with new tools. Monitoring customer sentiment, for instance. Ombudsman is old title, but with new tools.

    Breakenridge: @SuperDU Sometimes hard to get move past old rules to learn, embrace and implement new tools.

    @SuperDU: @dbreakenridge: True... requires internal champion to get the "old school" leadership to better understand benefits of new tools.

    @AllthingsIC: I think a "new practice" is to keep up! Now more than ever, PR/comms pros need to be aware of what's around and help educate. Brian Solis' Conversation Prism captures this really well, I blogged about this last week: www.rachmiller.com/?p=2571

    Breakenridge: @AllthingsIC I'll never retire the prism! Although it's constantly changing. I love the Conversation Prism! Discussed this in my book with Brian. Greatest infographic ever!

    @AllthingsIC: I love the prism, used it for about three years now -- mainly to demo the breadth and variety of what's around.

    @higginbomb: How about evangelism?

    Breakenridge @higginbomb Yes, there is the Chief Evangelist role.

    @BlancandOtus: We are definitely seeing a request for social media experts; also experts trying to solve the ongoing metric issue with PR.

    @jgombita: @BlancandOtus: Hope you're hiring senior-level people. Knowing how to use the tools is not the same thing as being PR/biz savvy.

    @BlancandOtus: @jgombita Completely agree! Having both is key to successful communications.

    @SpectorPR: PR industry is developing social media measurement standards to meet this demand bit.ly/NxGW6j

    @jgombita: @SpectorPR @BlancandOtus Interesting that the standards are coming "out" of Europe, n'est-ce pas?

     

    ProfNet: Q4. Which new practices are the most challenging for communications professionals?

    Breakenridge: Being a technology tester because you have to constantly test new apps, resources and platforms.

    @SuperDU: @dbreakenridge It's tiring!

    @abbyatsmith: Learning the etiquette of pitching/finding sources via social media.

    Breakenridge: It's so important to understand and use technology the way your stakeholders do.

    @SuperDU: THE hardest new practice is participating in real dialogue without tons of legal and management approvals!

    Breakenridge: Becoming a Master of the Metrics requires a new understanding of metrics tracked over time. With measurement, you have a wide variety of metrics and you must know how to track them back to your goals.

    @SuperDU: @dbreakenridge I actually think new media provides more and better metrics than PR pros could use before!

    @rsmithing: @SuperDU Absolutely. Where's Google Analytics or Facebook "likes" on press releases, direct mail and print ads of yore?

    Breakenridge: @SuperDU Yes, there are really good metrics. It's just a matter of knowing which the executives want to see.

    @SuperDU: @dbreakenridge What I'm seeing is we have to provide the old metrics AND new ones = more work.

    @INBlaqkInk: @dbreakenridge @SuperDU Agree with both. It's also about presenting in a format that's understandable and useable for their needs.

    @AllthingsIC: @dbreakenridge Aha the return on investment (ROI) position! Agreed, knowing what execs want to see = very important.

    Breakenridge: @AllthingsIC The vanity numbers won't get us very far.

    @jgombita: The amount of transparency you should have about your company -- and what areas? Financial? Innovation?

    @AllthingsIC: Comms pros know "selling-in" within orgs = crucial. Social media provides many opportunities, and talking language of the business is vital.

    @higginbomb: Don't forget "old" practices. So many dive in to new stuff and forget effectiveness of face-to-face.

    Breakenridge: @higginbomb We must take the best of traditional forward!

    @AllthingsIC: Comms pros need to be brave and "retire" old channels. If you introduce a new one, reassess what can go.

    @MichWalkden: @AllthingsIC Good advice. Just wish it was easier to convince the "brains trust" that came up w the format in the first place.

    @AllthingsIC: @MichWalkden Ha, like that "brains trust" -- indeed!

    @comminternships: And keep in mind that today, "old" channels may only be a few years old.

    @AllthingsIC: @comminternships: That's true, better to admit when a channel isn't working than keep banging that drum, regardless of its age.

     

    @comminternships: Do you see the messages of PR professionals getting lost today amid the urgency to keep up with tech changes?

    @SuperDU: PR messages shouldn't get lost with new tech… should actually become more targeted.

    Breakenridge: @SuperDU I agree.

    Breakenridge: If we master the tech changes, the messages will be more meaningful -- greater impact to our stakeholders.

     

    @KreeBeau: What are your thoughts on Google+ Hangouts/chats -- is there an demographic they best suit?

    @comminternships: Google employees. LOL.

    Breakenridge: LOL! That's pretty funny about Google employees :)

    Breakenridge: That's a really interesting question. Are you thinking younger because of musicians who broadcast in Hangouts live?

    Breakenridge: I've used them for closed Hangouts, but willing to try the open forum.

    @KreeBeau: Actually for business professionals. I have not seen them be successful so wanted to see if you had any tips #connectchat

    Breakenridge: I think the verdict is still out. I hear both the positive and negative. Negative mostly with technology.

    @jgombita: Think they are FABULOUS for international groups. @nealschaffer held one "in" Japan this week, for example.

    @KreeBeau: Great to hear! I will take a look at what he did. Is there an industry you see Google+ chats working for?

    @jgombita: I suspect Google Hangouts will be more effective for B2B companies, charities, governments, etc., over B2C.

    Breakenridge: I know a hospital group that was holding learning sessions in Google+ Hangouts.

     

    ProfNet: Q5. How can social media help you become a more strategic communications professional?

    Breakenridge: Social media gives incredible intelligence, and when filtered, you can plan more strategically.

    @JochemKoole: @dbreakenridge Definitely. However, you'll need both tools, and people to manage that.

    Breakenridge: @JochemKoole Yes!

    Breakenridge: With social media you can be better prepared for negative and crises.

    @higginbomb: @dbreakenridge And you can react quicker.

    @SuperDU: With social media, we're also more exposed to negatives and crises (so we HAVE to be more prepared). Goes both ways.

    @AllthingsIC: Agree you're better prepared for negative and crises. Then also able to respond in real time with employees and customers.

    Breakenridge: @AllthingsIC Response is immediate -- it's what the public expects and they want to be involved.

    @JochemKoole: @dbreakenridge You'll need both the tools and your crisis management on board. Reaction speed is of great importance.

    @AllthingsIC: @O2 in the UK were great example of a good response to crisis last week, turning into PR win: tinyurl.com/crqcuwm

    @SuperDU: Creating long-term relationship with audience via social media is very strategic (removing media middlemen).

    @MichWalkden: @SuperDU Still can't neglect media relationships -- may need them one day.

    @SuperDU: @MichWalkden: Agreed. It just means we're doing double duty with traditional and new media right now!

    @BlancandOtus: Social media helps you gain visibility into your target audience/stakeholders; helps to increase effectiveness of your communications.

    @AllthingsIC: Social media helps you be more strategic, as you're able to have rounded view of the world -- makes it smaller by connecting you.

    Breakenridge: @AllthingsIC Great!

    @isalara: Social media helps to find reporters on our beat who aren't in our press lists, and to improve summarizing and pitching skills.

    Breakenridge: @isalara Good point

    @OregonPRGirl: Social media helps communicators target messages better and more precisely, and with fewer words.

     

    @joseph_davis: Does social media make you better prepared for crisis or aid in response to crisis?

    Breakenridge: It's both. You have the intelligence and training to be prepared. Response is quicker and involves groups to help.

    @jgombita: Drives me crazy what is considered a "crisis" in social media, given what's going on in the (real) world…

    Breakenridge: @jgombita You're right. There are levels of escalation. So not everything is a crisis.

    @MichWalkden: Agreed. Sometimes it seems the social media storm creates a crisis where one didn't exist.

    @jgombita: @MichWalkden Social media storms pass really quickly; rarely true damage done to reputation.

    @MichWalkden: @jgombita Completely agree. Twitter storms in particular seem to generate negative PR because they become the story.

    Breakenridge: You can strategically engage for more valuable outcomes -- leads, sales, registration, better CS, more productivity.

    @joseph_davis: @jgombita I suppose "real world" crisis can now be interpreted through social media channels.

    @SuperDU: "Crisis by Social Media" remains real threat to corporate/personal reputation, though, which means more vigilance required.

    @jgombita: @SuperDU Keep telling people they need to examine "social media crises" into the NEXT financial quarter to see if real impact.

    Breakenridge: @jgombita Yes, you can have the big shark attack right down to those nibbles! :)

    @jgombita: @dbreakenridge: I was proud to use "minnowizing" a social media "crisis." :)

    @MichWalkden: @joseph_davis @jgombita Do you mean we are redefining what a crisis is?

    @jgombita: @MichWalkden More likely redefining the timelines.

    @SuperDU: @jgombita I guess I'm referring to real stories that gain more legs via social media than through traditional media, upping response times.

    @jgombita: @SuperDU Like @belvederevodka's (really dumb) Facebook ad?

    @MichWalkden: But how much real impact do those "flash" stories have? If they persist and permeate mainstream as well…

     

    @Open_Budget: I'm just curious if you would be able to suggest a good book or article about PR in relation to museums and galleries?

    Breakenridge: Hmmm... What about the PRAM (Public Relations Association of Museums)? They would be a good resource.

     

    ProfNet: Q6. Is social media the sole responsibility of PR? Do marketing, advertising and branding departments have a role?

    Breakenridge: Social media moves across the organization -- groups working together, with different objectives.

    @INBlaqkInk: Absolutely not. The main messaging of social media should be crafted to match the marketing goals of the organization. PR just tells a story.

    @MichWalkden: Since social media has so many purposes and so many targets, it can't be controlled by one function. But an overall policy is needed.

    @JochemKoole: Social media is not a responsibility. Everyone's responsible for using social media for their own goals (if possible).

    @SuperDU: @JochemKoole: Not everyone. Should be clearly defined roles and responsibilities about who "speaks" for organization via social media.

    @JochemKoole: @SuperDU Agreed. Everyone within our organization (@DeloitteNL) can speak about the firm. Just a few can speak for the firm.

    @abbyatsmith: While PR seems to have the most success in social media, a good advertising or marketing campaign is possible.

    Breakenridge: @abbyatsmith Yes and when those areas work together, the campaign is even better!

    @comminternships: Every single employee who has a Twitter account plays a role in the social media policy of the organization.

    @INBlaqkInk: @comminternships Don't agree. Too many messages usually results in the wrong message.

    @comminternships: @INBlaqkInk I think you missed my point. Any employee with a Twitter account can use it to stay on message or embarrass organization. It's why every organization needs to develop and enforce a social media policy for all employees.

    Breakenridge: PR works with other areas, from social governance and planning to content curation and monitoring of programs.

    Breakenridge: @jgombita: I think PR should spearhead/guide, but not own social media. I think PR should be part of a core team of social media strategists/visionaries in an organization.

    @SuperDU: In the end, doesn't there need to be one function that is accountable for an organization's social media presence?

    Breakenridge: Yes and right now a lot falls on the CMO's shoulders.

    @curtbizelli: Playing publicist and CMO -- knowledge of both.

    @MichWalkden: Brand management yes, but what about social media for customer service?

    @jgombita: @MichWalkden Not huge on it. Fave post @conversationage's Fair Not Special post: www.conversationagent.com/2011/01/why-cu...

    @MichWalkden: I meant, should PR have the lead in social media when applied to customer service?

    @jgombita: @MichWalkden I would say no. I don't actually believe customer service should "report" to PR.

    @curtbizelli: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that viral marketing social media is a form of publicity.

    Breakenridge: Working with other groups doesn't mean we lose our core purpose; we have just expanded our opportunity!

    @AllthingsIC: @comminternships Any employee could embarrass an organization, but Twitter only one of the ways that's possible.

    @SuperDU: @comminternships Twitter and other social media are just more visible ways employees can embarrass organization.

    @comminternships: @AllthingsIC True. But it's also one of the most visible ways.

    @AllthingsIC: @comminternships Definitely visible, if people want to be negative they'll always find a way to have their voice heard.

    @curtbizelli: @tweetchatbot I believe you can make something go viral. It takes similar creative strategy as used in PR.

    @SuperDU: @curtbizelli: The goal often is to make something go viral, but it's not as easy as some in leadership roles think!

    @MichWalkden: @SuperDU @dbreakenridge I doubt that's really possible without creating social media police, which goes against the point of interaction.

    @SuperDU: @MichWalkden @dbreakenridge If organization has marketing/reputation goals/campaigns related to social media, someone has to own them.

    @OGPR: @SuperDU @curbizelli So true. You never know if something will end up going viral. It's hard to predict.

    @MichWalkden: @SuperDU @dbreakenridge Completely agree. Strategy/goals have to be owned for consistency, but no one can completely govern social media.

     

    ProfNet: Q7. How do you use metrics to interpret success? How do you drive metrics?

    @Edu_Qui: PR industry is developing social media measurement standards to meet this demand bit.ly/NxGW6j

    Breakenridge: First must have objectives and know what you're trying to achieve! Select the metrics that track back to your objectives/goals. It's important to know what you're measuring: leads, sales, registration, awareness (buzz), community growth, etc. Selecting the right metrics for your executives is critical. They are less concerned with follower counts and retweets.

    @joseph_davis: Excellent point about selecting the right metrics. Follower count and RTs can be misleading.

    @AllthingsIC: Chartered Institute of Public Relations in the UK (@CIPR_UK) ran a measurement summit recently: www.rachmiller.com/?p=2544

    @JochemKoole: @dbreakenridge And "layers" of metrics/goals. Followers = reach, Interactions = engagement, Contact = sale.

    @curtbizelli: What do you feel are the proper metrics?

    @abbyatsmith: @dbreakenridge @curtbizelli I'm curious as well, I can measure my trade PR success, but still in the dark with social media.

    @SuperDU: For @DavenportU, we measure audience engagement -- leading (we hope) to student retention.

    Breakenridge: @SuperDU So important!

    @curtbizelli: Yes and influence is very important. I believe measuring influence of brand advocates is far more important than follower count.

    Breakenridge: @curtbizelli Influence definitely plays a role!

    @JochemKoole: The most challenging thing about social media is that you are no longer in control. Accept it and roll with it.

    @SuperDU: @JochemKoole: Cannot control, yes. However, you can strongly influence.

    @jgombita: I'm a fan of @sheldrake's definition of "influence" and "outcomes." See @Sheldrake's The Business of Influence book!

    @curtbizelli: @jgombita I'm definitely adding it to my reading list :) Thank you for turning me on to @sheldrake's definition of influence. Sounds VERY INTERESTING!

    @AllthingsIC: I second the @sheldrake recommendation.

    @jgorbita: See @sheldrake's online glossary: www.influenceprofessional.com/2011/04/gl...

     

    ProfNet: How do you systematically map out audience connections?

    Breakenridge: Listening to conversations, and identify influencers driving the discussion.

    @AllthingsIC: Listen, listen, listen.

    Breakenridge: @AllthingsIC Yes, yes, yes!

    Breakenridge: Understand the culture, critical issues and passion in the community to make better connections. Use crowdsourcing, contests, and promotions for deeper engagement. PR will be entrenched in new technologies and we will educate our execs on consumer behavior.

    @abbyatsmith: @dbreakenridge Do you use any formal method for mapping these connections or is it purely a "gut" thing?

    Breakenridge: @abbyatsmith You can use MentionMapp and TouchGraph to visualize connections.

    @jgombita: When it comes to SOCIAL media, I'm really not a fan of the term "audience." I don't like it.

    @brightmatrix: @jgombita Why is that? Because it implies that they're purposefully coming 'round to listen to your every word (not always case in social media)?

    @jgombita: @brightmatrix Yeah. Like "playing to the room." I'm not here to perform. And if I amuse, it's because I'm amused myself.

    @6cSocial: "Audience" implies "broadcast" in my view... (also implies MARKETING)

    @curtbizelli: @jgombita: I use the word "audience" naturally, because I am partner in two media outlets.

    @jgombita: @curtbizelli I was having a convo with my @cbcradio journo pal last week. Said with radio it feels like people are IN THE ROOM.

    @curtbizelli: @jgombita Sorry, lol, maybe I don't understand the "in the room" concept because I'm not a host.

    @jgombita: @curtbizelli I meant radio is a medium whereby it does not sound like hosts/interview subjects are "playing to an audience."

    @curtbizelli: @jbombita It's all about audience (from the perspective of VP of media outlet, producer/director)... they are our lifeblood. Maybe that's why I'm a "broadcaster" on @klout

    @jgombita: @curtbizelli Maybe in traditional media. But I can tell you that journos who participate in social media only work well if they engage.

    @curtbizelli: @jgombita Oh no! I very much believe in engaging. Very important.

    Breakenridge: @jgombita Technically, we're not supposed to say "audience" anymore because it implies "mass." Old habits are hard to break.

     

    ProfNet: Q9. Where is PR headed? What's on the horizon?

    Breakenridge: 1) PR will continue to integrate with other areas and strategize cross functionally. 2) PR can look forward to interactive living rooms, touch experience, augmented reality, etc. 3) PR will gain influence by telling more meaningful stories through technology and educating others on best practices.

    @MassAvePR: Micro-agencies and honest pricing.

    @abbyatsmith: Faster story development, media connections via social media. It feels as though we're moving closer to consumers and the media, my pitching feels more organic the more I interact.

    @curtbizelli: Bigger gap between pros and amateurs.

    @comminternships: All of those need to be considered, but mobility, I think, is the dominant mode of communication for the near future.

    @isalara: Audience so fragmented, PR must use social media channels to reach niche markets, user/client feedback -- more important than ever.

    @JayOuellette: PR is viewed much more strategically today. We need to take the view of the customer and go up and be front of the line.

    @jgombita: On @prconversations, @greenbanana and I are lobbying for PR/social media to focus on the "organizational narrative" (not MSM dependent).

     

    ProfNet: Q10. Any PR pros you'd recommend following?

    Breakenridge: Yes, follow @SarahEvans @GiniDietrich @GeoffLiving @MisusP @PRTini @valeriesimon

    @abbyatsmith: I suppose it would be cheating if I recommended @SmithPublicity? But do I love @GalleyCat @prnewser and @PRNewswire for my news.

    @Publitek: A couple, @jangles @steveology

     

    ProfNet: Deirdre, what are you working on now?

    Breakenridge: Working on #PRStudChat -- July 18 at 8:30 p.m. EDT. Also doing a lot of training with respect to my book and the #8newpractices.

     

    Final Comments

    @SuperDU: Glad I stumbled upon #ConnectChat… great conversation with communications leaders I greatly respect! Thanks all!

    @AllthingsIC: Thanks all, interesting chat. Good to discover new people and perspectives. Thanks for hosting.

    Breakenridge: @AllthingsIC Thanks for a great chat session. Appreciate all the good insights shared.

    @rsmithing: @dbreakenridge Solid advice. Thanks also to @GnightGracie, @ProfNet, @OGPR and @AllthingsIC for an engaging #ConnectChat.

    @melvinvoskuijl: Interesting Q&As over social media via #ConnectChat.

    @BlancandOtus: Thanks for the great discussion, it's been fun!

    @comminternships: Thanks for a great #ConnectChat today. This was an outstanding topic and discussion.

    @OGPR: Great chatting with everyone!

    @SuperDU Thanks for leading #ConnectChat today Grace… perfect anecdote to a slow afternoon.

    @Called2Connect: I learned a lot from #ConnectChat. I can't wait for the next one.

    Breakenridge: Thanks everyone for the great discussion. I really enjoyed #ConnectChat!

    @dbreakenridge: Thank you @ProfNet for asking me to participate in #ConnectChat. Had a great time today! A great session with a lot of really good insight from the community.

    @ProfNet: That's a wrap! Thanks to all for the great participation in #ConnectChat today. Hope everyone found it informative!

    Expert Alerts: Summer Olympics, Workplace Heat, Patents, More

    Wednesday, July 18, 2012, 2:42 PM [Expert Alerts]
    0 (0 Ratings)

    ProfNet is a free service that provides journalists, bloggers, authors and other writers with links to experts and story ideas on the topics they cover. You’ll also find links to job opportunities and other news and resources we think you’ll find useful. To receive these updates by email, send a note to profnet@profnet.com with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition.

    If you are in need of an expert source, you can also submit a free ProfNet query and have qualified sources come to you, or search the free ProfNet Connect database, which features nearly 50,000 user profiles, all searchable by keyword. If you are looking for Spanish-speaking experts, you can also opt to send your query via ProfNet en Español; just select that option when submitting your request.

    Submit a free ProfNet query

    Search the ProfNet Connect experts database


    EXPERT ALERTS

    • The Summer Olympics and Politics
    • Planning Can Help Avoid Tax Uncertainty
    • FRC Not Best Solution for Oilfield Workers
    • Combating Workplace Heat Starts With Employees
    • Patent Office Unlikely to Impact Local Courts

    MEDIA JOBS

    • Web Editor - Springfield, Va.
    • Video Producer - NYC
    • News Writer - Oakland, Calif.
    • Traffic Reporter - Seattle
    • Editor - Lubbock, Texas

    OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

    • Don't Run Afoul of Olympic Games Marks Use Restrictions
    • Do You Have Confidence in Television News?
    • Grammar Hammer: It's All Pun and Games

     

    ****************
    EXPERT ALERTS

    Expert Alerts are listings of ProfNet members who are available to discuss timely news topics. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact their media representative at the end of the listing. You can also find Expert Alerts online at bit.ly/pncalerts

    The Summer Olympics and Politics
    Derick "Sandy" Hulme
    Professor of Political Science
    Alma College
    The Summer Olympics in London are the first games since the Great Recession. Hulme can discuss the political aspects of the summer games, including its potential impact on the upcoming presidential election.
    "The competition between the United States and China in the 'medal count' has taken on increased significance in the wake of the Great Recession. Europe's implosion and continued U.S. economic weakness, in the context of sustained Chinese growth, have called into question the ability of the U.S. and Europe to maintain their global position of leadership in the 21st century. A victory for China at the games would help to cement international perceptions that the 21st century will be one dominated by Asia in general, and by China specifically, at the expense of the U.S. and Europe."
    Hulme, professor of political science at Alma College, is the author of "The Political Olympics," a book about the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Olympics. He also is the author of books on U.S. foreign policy and America's response to terrorism.
    Website: www.alma.edu
    News Contact: Mike Silverthorn, silverthorn@alma.edu or +1-989-463-7290

    Planning Can Help Avoid Tax Uncertainty
    Dan Baucum
    Tax Attorney at Shackelford Melton & McKinley in Dallas
    Former Special Assistant to the IRS Associate Chief Counsel
     "With promised gift and estate tax changes, and the expiration of the $5.12 million gift tax exemption at the close of 2012, the well-to-do are turning to exotic techniques in a last-ditch effort to save their investments from the looming tax uncertainty. Some families have tried to delay the inevitable death tax through provisions in their Last Will and Testament documents, and a few have created 'Family Limited Partnerships.' But for those with working assets, such as a family farm or business, these options won't work. Instead, they are opting for a ‘Defective Grantor Trust’ where parents make a seed gift or sale to a trust with special terms that treat themselves as the owners. This gives them control, but gifts future appreciation to their heirs."
    News Contact: Rhonda Reddick, rhonda@androvett.com or +1-800-559-4534

    FRC Not Best Solution for Oilfield Workers
    Celeste Yeager
    Labor & Employment Attorney
    Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP in Dallas
    "With fires, one of many dangers facing oilfield workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has pushed to require flame-resistant clothing (FRC) for all oilfield workers while at jobsites. However, FRC only protects against short-duration flash fires, rather than sustained fires. So despite OSHA's efforts to require all oil and gas employees to wear FRC, the benefits in the unlikely event of a flash fire are outweighed by the additional risks, including increased heat-induced illnesses such as heat stroke. Injuries from fires are better prevented through engineering, mechanical and administrative controls, rather than the use of FRC as an additional item of personal protective equipment."
    Yeager recently successfully overturned Wyoming OSHA citations against a client who was targeted after a crew member died in a fire while not wearing FRC.
    News Contact: Rhonda Reddick, rhonda@androvett.com or +1-800-559-4534

    Combating Workplace Heat Starts With Employees
    Matt Scott
    Labor Attorney
    The Kendall Law Group in Dallas
    "As the dog days of summer drag on, it may be up to the employees who bear the brunt of the heat to remind supervisors about keeping common sense in mind when managing work assignments. No labor statute requires additional breaks when the weather gets warmer. However, if employers are working employees into the ground, or to the point where they are getting ill, then you are facing a situation where a workman's compensation case is possible. Threatening a lawsuit isn't the most productive way to speak with an employer at a worksite, so workers should first make requests for additional shade, regular breaks for water and cooling down, and other reasonable accommodations aimed at combating the extreme heat.”
    News Contact: Dave Moore, dave@androvett.com or +1-800-559-4534

    Patent Office Unlikely to Impact Local Courts
    Max Ciccarelli
    Attorney
    Thompson & Knight in Dallas
    "The choice of North Texas as the location of one of four new U.S. Patent and Trademark Offices is expected to bring more than 100 jobs and solidify the area's reputation as a research and technology hotbed. But it may not result in more patent litigation in the Northern District's federal courts, as the focus of the office will be patent prosecution. The location of the prosecution has almost no impact on a plaintiff's decision of where to file any litigation. As the region's technology environment thrives, and litigants see how well Northern District judges manage patent litigation, and as the new office adds examiners and the backlog decreases, more patents may be issued and more litigation filed locally -- but that will take some time."
    News Contact: Barry Pound, barry@androvett.com or +1-800-559-4534

    ***************

     

    MEDIA JOBS:

    Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: bit.ly/pncjobboard

    See more listings here.

    ******************

     

    OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

    Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at profnetalerts@prnewswire.com

    • DON'T RUN AFOUL OF OLYMPIC GAMES MARKS USE RESTRICTIONS: PR Newswire's Sarah Skerik reminds content creators on how to avoid copyright infringements during the "Big Game": goo.gl/V1h0y
    • DO YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE IN TELEVISION NEWS? ProfNet Editor Evelyn Tipacti discusses the significance of the recent Gallup poll that confirmed people are losing faith in broadcast news: goo.gl/9gZGx
    • GRAMMAR HAMMER: IT'S ALL PUN AND GAMES: ProfNet Editor Grace Lavigne explains what puns are and how to use them: goo.gl/sEF2J

    Expert Alerts: Taxation, Building Repair, Workplace Heat, More

    Monday, July 16, 2012, 2:35 PM [Expert Alerts]
    0 (0 Ratings)

    ProfNet is a free service that provides journalists, bloggers, authors and other writers with links to experts and story ideas on the topics they cover. You’ll also find links to job opportunities and other news and resources we think you’ll find useful. To receive these updates by email, send a note to profnet@profnet.com with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition.

    If you are in need of an expert source, you can also submit a free ProfNet query and have qualified sources come to you, or search the free ProfNet Connect database, which features nearly 50,000 user profiles, all searchable by keyword. If you are looking for Spanish-speaking experts, you can also opt to send your query via ProfNet en Español; just select that option when submitting your request.

    Submit a free ProfNet query

    Search the ProfNet Connect experts database


    EXPERT ALERTS

    • Planning Can Help Avoid Tax Uncertainty
    • FRC Not Best Solution for Oilfield Workers
    • Don’t Trust Repairs to Door-to-Door Help
    • Combating Workplace Heat Starts With Employees

    MEDIA JOBS

    • Reporter - NYC
    • Arts and Culture Editor - Richmond, Va.
    • Reporter - Port St. Joe, Fla.
    • Editor - Lubbock, Texas
    • Assignment Editor - Phoenix

    OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

    • Upcoming #ConnectChat: How Social Media Is Changing PR
    • Do You Have Confidence in Television News?
    • Dear Gracie: Personal Branding Tips Every Social Media User Should Know

     

    ***************
    EXPERT ALERTS

    Expert Alerts are listings of ProfNet members who are available to discuss timely news topics. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact their media representative at the end of the listing. You can also find Expert Alerts online at bit.ly/pncalerts

    Planning Can Help Avoid Tax Uncertainty
    Dan Baucum
    Tax Attorney at Shackelford Melton & McKinley in Dallas
    Former Special Assistant to the IRS Associate Chief Counsel
     "With promised gift and estate tax changes, and the expiration of the $5.12 million gift tax exemption at the close of 2012, the well-to-do are turning to exotic techniques in a last-ditch effort to save their investments from the looming tax uncertainty. Some families have tried to delay the inevitable death tax through provisions in their Last Will and Testament documents, and a few have created 'Family Limited Partnerships.' But for those with working assets, such as a family farm or business, these options won't work. Instead, they are opting for a ‘Defective Grantor Trust’ where parents make a seed gift or sale to a trust with special terms that treat themselves as the owners. This gives them control, but gifts future appreciation to their heirs."
    News Contact: Rhonda Reddick, rhonda@androvett.com or +1-800-559-4534

    FRC Not Best Solution for Oilfield Workers
    Celeste Yeager
    Labor & Employment Attorney
    Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP in Dallas
    "With fires, one of many dangers facing oilfield workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has pushed to require flame-resistant clothing (FRC) for all oilfield workers while at jobsites. However, FRC only protects against short-duration flash fires, rather than sustained fires. So despite OSHA's efforts to require all oil and gas employees to wear FRC, the benefits in the unlikely event of a flash fire are outweighed by the additional risks, including increased heat-induced illnesses such as heat stroke. Injuries from fires are better prevented through engineering, mechanical and administrative controls, rather than use of FRC as an additional item of personal protective equipment."
    Yeager recently successfully overturned Wyoming OSHA citations against a client who was targeted after a crew member died in a fire while not wearing FRC.
    News Contact: Rhonda Reddick, rhonda@androvett.com or +1-800-559-4534

    Don’t Trust Repairs to Door-to-Door Help
    Marc H. Fanning
    Insurance Attorney
    Fanning Harper Martinson Brandt & Kutchin in Dallas
    "Homeowners trying to find an available contractor for repairs to storm-damaged roofs may be tempted by the ‘too-good-to-be-true’ deals promised by workers who arrive on their doorsteps. While they may promise to handle all the insurance claim details in addition to the needed repairs, these contractors far too often are inexperienced and untrained for the job at hand. Assigning part of your insurance claim to these so-called contractors could be a huge mistake. After suffering any type of home damage, consumers need to contact their insurance agent immediately, then work with the adjuster assigned to the claim and gather estimates from licensed, reputable contractors. Working with a random ‘Chuck in a Truck’ can jeopardize your ability to get your home properly repaired and the claim resolved in a timely fashion."
    News Contact: Rhonda Reddick, rhonda@androvett.com or +1-800-559-4534

    Combating Workplace Heat Starts With Employees
    Matt Scott
    Labor Attorney
    The Kendall Law Group in Dallas
    "As the dog days of summer drag on, it may be up to the employees who bear the brunt of the heat to remind supervisors about keeping common sense in mind when managing work assignments. No labor statute requires additional breaks when the weather gets warmer. However, if employers are working employees into the ground, or to the point where they are getting ill, then you are facing a situation where a workman's compensation case is possible. Threatening a lawsuit isn't the most productive way to speak with an employer at a worksite, so workers should first make requests for additional shade, regular breaks for water and cooling down, and other reasonable accommodations aimed at combating the extreme heat.”
    News Contact: Dave Moore, dave@androvett.com or +1-800-559-4534

    ***************

     

    MEDIA JOBS:

    Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: bit.ly/pncjobboard

    See more listings here.

     

    *****************

    OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

    Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at profnetalerts@prnewswire.com

    • UPCOMING #CONNECTCHAT: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA IS CHANGING PR: ProfNet Editor Grace Lavigne will interview PR expert Deirdre Breakenridge on Tuesday, July 17, from 3-4:30 p.m. EDT, on emerging PR practices: goo.gl/5pbvH
    • DO YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE IN TELEVISION NEWS? ProfNet Editor Evelyn Tipacti discusses the significance of the recent Gallup poll that confirmed people are losing faith in broadcast news: goo.gl/9gZGx
    • DEAR GRACIE: PERSONAL BRANDING TIPS EVERY SOCIAL MEDIA USER SHOULD KNOW: ProfNet Editor Grace Lavigne shares expert advice on how to control and enhance your online reputation: goo.gl/XVX4u

    Grammar Hammer: It's All Pun and Games

    Friday, July 13, 2012, 3:47 PM [Grammar Hammer]
    0 (0 Ratings)

    Via this column, we'll explore one grammar rule each week. If you have a grammar question you'd like me to address, please drop me a line at grace.lavigne@prnewswire.com and I'll do my best to answer it.

     

    According to the book "Comedy Writing Secrets," a pun is "the intentional confusion of similar-sounding words or phrases" that is used as the basis of a joke.

    In other words, a pun is humorous word play that allows for two possible interpretations at the same time.

    Pro Tip: Because puns generally make word plays phonetically, they tend to be better when spoken or heard vs. being written or read.

    Here's are some examples of puns: I recently read an article about a family that got lost in a corn maze for hours and couldn't find their way out -- they actually had to call the police to be rescued.

    • Being lost in corn maze at night must have been earie.
    • I wonder if one of the search dogs was a husk-y.
    • How earesponsible of the parents!
    • What did they expect entering a maize?
    • The poor kids were probably shrieking to Dad, "Pop, corn!" over and over.
    • They had the feeling they were being stalked.
    • Hominy idiots does it take to get out?

    Puns can also take the forms of double entendres, riddles, and homonyms and near homonyms:

    • A double entendre (literally "double meaning" in French) is the use of an ambiguous word or phrase that allows for a second interpretation (warning: frequently risqué!). The idea is that the listener assumes one meaning, and the speaker slips in another meaning. Consider these headlines, taken from YourDictionary.com:
      • Panda mating fails: Veterinarian takes over
      • Miners refuse to work after death
      • New obesity study looks for larger test group
      • Children make nutritious snacks
      • Criminals get nine months in violin case
    • A riddle according to Merriam-Webster.com, is a puzzling question to be guessed or solved that usually has a double or veiled answer.
      • What kind of bird writes letters? A pen-guin.
      • What do all inches follow? Their ruler.
      • Why couldn't the strings ever win? They could only tie.
      • What position does a cat play in baseball? A cat-cher.
    • A homonym is two or more words that are spelled and pronounced alike but differ in meaning. A near homonym is two or more words that sound alike due to an intentional mispronunciation.
      • Why was six afraid of seven? Because seven eight (ate) nine.
      • What do you call a smelly chicken? A foul fowl.
      • Do you want this pasteurized? No, just up to my mouth'd be fine!

    What's your favorite pun?

     

    ProfNet, a service of PR Newswire, has helped journalists and experts connect since 1992. Writers can search the ProfNet Connect database of more than 50,000 profiles; send a ProfNet query by email to thousands of subscribers around the globe; or get timely experts and story ideas by email.

    image via Flickr user andertoon

    Upcoming #ConnectChat: How Social Media Is Changing PR

    Thursday, July 12, 2012, 12:23 PM [#ConnectChat]
    0 (0 Ratings)

    In the last decade, social media has drastically changed our business and community worlds. But how has social media changed the public relations industry specifically? What PR practices have evolved or arisen in the digital era?

    On Tuesday, July 17, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. EDT, seasoned PR professional Deirdre Breakenridge will discuss the exciting and challenging new roles of PR as a result of social media. She'll delve into how and why we need to shift our mindsets to achieve better brand communications.

    To join the chat, just follow the #ConnectChat hashtag to view all updates from @dbreakenridge, @ProfNet and the rest of the chat participants. We'll kick off the chat with a few questions for Breakenridge just to get the conversation going, but feel free to ask questions or add comments at any time.

    If you do not have a Twitter account, or will not be able to participate in the chat, you can find a recap on ProfNet Connect the following day (July 18).

    View past #ConnectChat recaps

     

    About Deirdre Breakenridge

    Deirdre K. Breakenridge is Chief Executive Officer at Pure Performance Communications. A veteran in PR and marketing, Breakenridge has counseled senior level executives at companies like the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Empire Today, Hershey's, JVC, Kraft and the World Bank.

    Breakenridge is the author of five Financial Times books. Her most recent book, "Social Media and Public Relations: Eight New Practices for the PR Professional," was published in May and is available in print and digital formats. Her other books include, "Putting the Public Back in Public Relations," "PR 2.0, New Media, New Tools, New Audiences," "The New PR Toolkit" and "Cyberbranding: Brand Building in the Digital Economy."

    Breakenridge speaks nationally and internationally on the topics of PR, marketing and social media communications. This year, she was the keynote speaker at The Social Conference in Amsterdam; the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Southwest District Conference in Tulsa, Okla.; and the Canadian Public Relations Society Annual Conference in Victoria, British Columbia.

    In 2011, she delivered the keynote address for the Maine Public Relations Counsel, and presented the keynote at USA Gymnastics Conference: Visa Championships. Breakenridge has also presented for BlogWorld, Social Media Congress, Public Relations Institute of Australia, Marketing Executives Networking Group, Public Relations Association of Museums and Women's Presidents Organization.

    Breakenridge is a member of PRSA and has served on the board of PRSA NJ, as well as the New Jersey Advertising Club. Top Rank named Breakenridge among the "25 Women That Rock Social Media" and Traackr recognized Breakenridge as the "No. 1 PR 2.0 Influencer in 2011."

    Breakenridge blogs about PR 2.0 strategies and is the co-founder of #PRStudChat, a dynamic Twitter discussion scheduled monthly for PR students, educators and PR pros.

     

    ProfNet, a service of PR Newswire, has helped journalists and experts connect since 1992. Writers can search the ProfNet Connect database of more than 50,000 profiles; send a ProfNet query by email to thousands of subscribers around the globe; or get timely experts and story ideas by email.

    Dear Gracie: Personal Branding Tips Every Social Media User Should Know

    Wednesday, July 11, 2012, 4:20 PM [Dear Gracie]
    0 (0 Ratings)

    Each week, Dear Gracie answers questions from ProfNet Connect readers with advice from our network of over 50,000 ProfNet experts. Has there been a question burning in your mind lately, something you've been wondering that none of your colleagues can answer? Please send it to grace.lavigne@prnewswire.com

     

    Dear Gracie,

    What are some general tips that I can give my clients about creating a personal brand on social media?

    Branding for Beginners,

     

     

    Dear Branding for Beginners:

    "Because of the open Web, explosion of user-generated content, social media and mobile apps -- anyone who uses the Internet has a personal brand, whether they know it or not," says Stefan Pollack, president of The Pollack PR Marketing Group.

    Therefore, all public interactions must ultimately contribute to a controlled perception of how one wants to be perceived, Pollack continues. Whatever the objectives, only contribute information that supports that identity and an online personal brand will be formed.

    "The Internet has already branded you, so it is up to you to cultivate that into a brand that supports your ideal online identity," he says.

    Determine Your Personal Brand

    • There are six ingredients for an engaging personal brand, says Joellyn Sargent, principal of BrandSprout LLC. Consider:
      1. Who you are
      2. Who you want to be
      3. How you see yourself
      4. What you want people to see
      5. What others perceive (how they receive your message)
      6. What they believe (what resonates, or "sticks" from your message)
    • Like company brands, consider what your personal brand has to offer that competing brand don't, says Catherine Kaputa, author of the book "Breakthough Branding: How Smart Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs Transform a Small Idea Into a Big Brand." Analyze your strengths and weaknesses, and do some fun brainstorming with friends to determine what sets your brand apart.
    • Share a compelling narrative, instructs Kaputa. The best profiles tell a personal or career story that ties all of the pieces of the journey together into a coherent whole. Profiles with captivating narratives are sticky -- they're easy to remember.
    • There are so many social media platforms, it can be overwhelming, says Kaputa. Begin broadly where you can catch the most clients by focusing on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter. Then branch out to Google+, Pinterest, etc., that are more targeted to your industry.

    Create a Plan of Attack

    • Try to express your brand idea in one catchy, differentiating line that defines your brand, says Kaputa. (Analogy can be a memorable device, e.g., a market researcher calling herself the "Oprah of Madison Avenue" or a finance executive calling himself the "Steve Jobs of Finance.")
    • Set both short-term and long-term goals, and come up with a mission statement to identify what you want to be known for, says Bill Corbett, Jr., president of Corbett Public Relations.
    • Determine which vehicles are best for promoting your brand and reaching your target market, says Corbett. For example: website, blog, videos, social media, e-newsletters, real-world marketing, networking, speaking, trade shows, etc.
    •  "Create a social media and marketing schedule for your brand marketing," says Corbett. "Identify how much time you will spend each week on social media and stick to it."
    • Consider automating tweets, blog posts, updates, etc., using services like Feedblitz, HootSuite or Social Oomph to help you manage your brand, suggests Kaputa.
    • "The real challenge is not discovering your personal brand; it's adjusting and augmenting your brand to work across multiple social mediums," notes Elliot Tomaeno, head of consumer technology at Morris + King Company. Your voice on Twitter is not your voice on Facebook -- each medium requires a different approach.

    Share Compelling Content

    • If you only tweet client news, you will not be establishing any personal brand -- you will only be furthering your client's agenda, explains Tomaeno. Share original thoughts, and add personal comments when sharing other's work.
    • "Your brand is most effective if you mix your personal experience with business interests, skills and expertise," Corbett continues.
    • "Publish your brand content and messages frequently," says Corbett. The content should be interesting, helpful and consistent. This will drive people to your brand and lead them to become regular followers, and eventually customers.
    • Keep the content simple, and keep it you, suggests Grace Kang, founder and chief buyer of Pink Olive Inc. "You don't want to overload people with information, but you do want them to be able to see your overarching style and philosophy."
    • Balance sharing best practices from thought leaders with original content, says Jeff Bunch, digital strategist at LANE PR.
    • Support complementary brands and businesses, and they'll be more likely to spread the word about your brand in return, explains Kang. You'll build a community with similar ideals and audiences.
    • "Make sure you have quality photos and headshots on your social media sites," says Corbett.

    Monitor Feedback and Activity

    • Develop key talking points and see what resonates with your audience, says Bunch. Where does your community think you're adding value?
    • Ask for feedback from trusted fans and brand ambassadors, says Corbett. Don't be afraid to change your approach!
    • Protect your reputation online by monitoring your brand by using Google Alerts and regular online searches, says Corbett.
    • "Make it easy for people to pass along your content or your professional information," says Kaputa. Consider adding Twitter and Facebook buttons, for example, to your website or blog so that people can spread the buzz about you. "People tend to pass on what moves them emotionally."
    • "Create a system for capturing contact information from people you meet in the real world and online," says Corbett.

    Be Generous, Interesting and Inspirational

    • Be generous and promote good work by others, says Bunch.
    • Don't try too hard to make your personal brand about only one thing, says Tomaeno. Everyone is multifaceted! Clients, partners and even your boss want to know that you have a life outside of work. Have a sense of humor sometimes!
    • Be inspirational and inspirational, says Kang. "Customers want to find experts that they can trust and follow implicitly. Hold yourself and your brand up to a high ideal and only post what you feel truly represents the core of your brand and vision."

    Gracie

    ProfNet, a service of PR Newswire, has helped journalists and experts connect since 1992. Writers can search the ProfNet Connect database of more than 50,000 profiles; send a ProfNet query by email to thousands of subscribers around the globe; or get timely experts and story ideas by email.

    image via Flickr user laszlo-photo


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