North Florida PRSA

Sunshine District News: 2009 Slate of Officers & Facebook Page

noemail@nfprsa.org — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:00:00 GMT

The Sunshine District 2009 Slate of Officers is posted online. Visit the Web site: http://prsasunshine.wordpress.com.

Also, don't forget to join the Sunshine District Facebook page!

7-Nov-08 2:00 PM

2009 PR Grants Available for Not-for-Profit Organizations

noemail@nfprsa.org — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:00:00 GMT

CyberAlert, Inc., an online media monitoring service, will award a minimum of 15 public relations grants to not-for-profit organizations. Each grant consists of one full year of free news monitoring/press clipping services, ranging in value from $2,700 to $3,900.

All not-for-profit, educational and charitable organizations in the United States and Canada are eligible to apply for the grants, except previous grant recipients.

For the past five years, CyberAlert has awarded 102 grants to not-for- profit organizations. The list of 2008 recipients include Action Against Hunger, America's Second Harvest, Campaign Finance Network, Canadian Breast Cancer Network, Gilda's Club Worldwide, Jour de la Terre (Earth Day) Quebec, NAACP, National Coalition Against Censorship, Special Olympics, and United Nations Association of the U.S.A.

CyberAlert is accepting grant applications until Dec. 31 and will announce grant recipients in January. More information and a simple and secure grant application is available online at https://secure.cyberalert.com/grants.html.

7-Nov-08 2:00 PM

PR News & Ragan Communications Launch Full-Day Virtual Media Pitching Conference Dec. 11

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Contact: Amy Jefferies
ajefferies@accessintel.com
www.prnewsonline.com

PR News & Ragan Communications Launch Full-Day
Virtual Media Pitching Conference

November 6, 2008, www.prnewsonline.com - Heeding the call to provide a day of practical tactics and strategies for pitching story ideas and getting positive media coverage, PR News and Ragan Communications have developed a one-day “virtual” conference on December 11 that will take PR professionals to the next level of media relations without having to leave their offices.

The “Perfect Pitch” conference is an online, one-day program designed for PR teams of all sizes to hear what's working with journalists, what's not working and how to penetrate the wall of the blogosphere so messages can be heard. With 2009 around the corner, the Perfect Pitch is timed to get media relations teams in gear to get ink and raise the exposure of their brands.

Among the speakers at the December 11 virtual conference are Don Clark of the Wall Street Journal; Steven Gray of Time, Charlie Caudill, former CNN producer; Kevin Allen of the Chicago Sun-Times; Richard Laermer, of the Bad Pitch Blog;, Seth Arenstein of CableFAX Daily; Mark Ragan of Ragan Communications; Courtney Barnes of PR News; and Brian Solis of FutureWorks.

The one-day conference is divided into roughly one-hour segments. Viewers log on to a Web site to view the conference and listen to the speakers. Among the sessions are “What journalists really want;” Getting ink in the blogosphere,” “It's called earned media for a reason”; and “What you need to know about today's journalists and how to pitch them”.

“This is a very practical way to get your team trained on the proven strategies and brass tacks to get positive media coverage,” says Diane Schwartz, vice president and group publisher of PR News. “We’re excited to be partnering with Ragan Communications to bring the hottest issues to the fore in this highly-interactive forum.”

The unique one-day conference is designed for companies to attend from one location, such as their conference room, at one low registration rate.

Mark Ragan, CEO of Ragan Communications, says, “Nobody else has done this: PR News and Ragan are bringing PR professionals a hard-hitting, practical seminar on how to become the first person reporters under the gun go to. And we’re bringing it right to their work desks. I think they’ll love the convenience and the money they save.”

About PR News
The PR News family of products includes PR News, PR News Webinars and Workshops, the Platinum PR Awards, PR People Awards, CSR Awards, Nonprofit PR Awards, The 100 Best Case Studies Book, Guidebook to Best Practices in CSR; Guidebook to Best Practices in Measurement, Digital PR, Crisis Management and Media Training Guidebooks and PR News Webinars. Conferences include the Digital PR Summit and the Media Relations Forum. For more information, go to www.prnewsonline.com.

About Ragan Communications
Ragan Communications is a Chicago company that for forty years has given expert advice on corporate, association, and government communications to tens of thousands of corporate editors, communications executives, and PR professionals. Ragan pioneered the world’s first daily news site for internal and external organizational communicators, www.ragan.com. A second Ragan social and professional networking site for communications professionals, www.myragan.com, now boasts more than 14,000 members.

7-Nov-08 11:00 AM

New Addition for Carrie and Rob McLaren

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Carrie and Rob McLaren are proud to announce Maggie Leigh McLaren who arrived Monday, November 3, at 8 lbs and 21 inches. Mom and baby are home and doing fine.

5-Nov-08 8:00 PM

Welcome to new PRSA members - October

noemail@nfprsa.org — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to our newest PRSA members!

Jennifer Bryant

Communications Manager
Visit Jacksonville

Shalin Compton

Megan Seery

Public Relations Manager

Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Florida

15-Oct-08 8:00 PM

E-News - National PRSA Member Newsletter

noemail@nfprsa.org — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Here is a preview of what you'll find in this issue:

Lou Capozzi Joins the PRSA 2008 International Conference Keynote Lineup
Check Out What's Happening in “The D” While In Town for the Conference
Denver Business Journal and Congressional Quarterly Feature Jeffrey Julin
“PRSA Diversity Today” Podcast Focuses on the Lack of Men Entering the Public Relations Profession
The Public Relations Journal Summer Issue is Available Online
Get Particular — Subscribe to a Job Feed
PRSA Announces Sponsors for the 2008 College of Fellows Induction Dinner
FREE Webinar: Marketing Synergy: 30 Years of Communications Lessons Create a Positive New Brand Image
PRSA Offers $20 Discount for Joining a Professional Interest Section in October
Leveraging Low and High Tech for Social Media Relations (by Lee Odden)

To view the entire issue of E-News, click HERE.

This issue of E-News is sponsored by Boston University.

E-News is a monthly online publication for PRSA members, Chapter leadership and PRSA employees. Please contact pr@prsa.org with questions and comments.

5-Oct-08 10:00 AM

NFPRSA is on Facebook!

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 03:00:00 GMT

You must request access to join and view this Facebook page. Check it out at http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=21796550554.

27-Sep-08 11:00 PM

Local Member, Cheryl Munn, in the News

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 02:45:00 GMT

Chapter Member Cheryl Munn was profiled in the Jacksonville Business Journal's People on the Move section in early September. Below is the text of that article.

Communicating Change

Public relations seems to be the career of choice in Cheryl Munn's family. Her husband works in media relations for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc; her daughter is in PR and Cheryl was recently hired as the director of marketing and communications for the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce.

There, she is in charge of internal and external communications with members and employees. To accomplish that, she produces Access, the chamber's monthly magazine, and manages its web site and e-newsletter among other things.

"This, so far, is my dream job," she said. "It's fun, it's out there in the city and I like that the mission is to help grow regional business. That's where my interest lies."

Munn started her career in journalism, working in radio in Richmond, Va., and then as a weekend news anchor for 10 years in Bristol.

"I thought I wanted to teach college. I worked as an adjunct at the University of North Florida and Jacksonville University, but I realized I really liked the marketing and PR more.

"I like that it has the same elements as journalism: constant change, you get to deal with a variety of people and you can hopefully help people when things go well."

Munn joined the chamber after three years as the public relations manager for Brooks Health system, where she and her partner won multiple awards for the company's newsletters.

She hopes to duplicate that success at the chamber.

"I hope we can take everything and make it just a little better than it is."

And she already has plans in place to help her reach that goal. The chamber plans to talk to focus groups about Access to find out what new features would be helpful. Munn also said the chamber plans to pursue more social marketing, using Facebook as an example.

She embraces a philosophy she borrowed from a story she read about CIA Deputy Director Stephen R. Kappes: "Keep calm and carry on."

"He had it on his wall and I liked the sentiment. You waste so much time freaking out."

In her free time, she is training for the Marine Corps Marathon, held in October in Washington, D.C. It will be her third marathon.

"I did the 26.2 with Donna in February. It was just amazing. At mile 15, I was flagging; I was ready to quit. It was hot; I was tired. But then I saw a bald woman on the side of the road, cheering. And I though, 'No, you have no problems.'"

27-Sep-08 10:45 PM

Resource for PR Professionals

noemail@nfprsa.org — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Check out Communitelligence for links to all types of resources, information and downloads at http://www.communitelligence.com.

27-Sep-08 9:00 PM

PRSA Job Center

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Posting a Job

Include as many details about the job as possible in an easy-to-read format (e.g., bullets).
Try to include a “ball-park” salary.
Make the job name something that's catchy and descriptive.
Purchase upgrades for more exposure (i.e., banner ads, ads in publications).
To help better screen candidates, allow the “apply online” feature.
View resumes from the PRSA Jobcenter and the Resume Network (resumes posted across the Internet).
Post during the summer for discount prices ($250 for members and $350 nonmembers)
Recruiters contribute content to our Jobcenter Bulletin and receive a Recruiter Profile.

Searching for a Job

Use our Career Library for articles on resume writing and job interviewing tips.
Read our archived Jobcenter Bulletins for additional advice from recruiters.
Sign up for Job Alerts and have the jobs come to you.
View the Career Pak if you are new to the public relations field.
When viewing jobs, use keywords to narrow your search.
Select jobs by job function, industry, organizational setting or state to get the most targeted jobs for your needs.

Check out the PRSA Job Center at http://www.prsa.org/jobcenter.

27-Sep-08 9:00 PM

Ford travels for autism awareness

noemail@nfprsa.org — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:00:00 GMT

Ford travels for autism awareness

For five years, Neighborhood Ford Store (NFS) has sponsored the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix (PVGP), a 10-day event held July 6 to 15 that draws more than 100,000 attendees. The event raises money for the Autism Society of Pittsburgh and Allegheny Valley School, which serves the disabled in Pennsylvania.

Todd Lynch, VP and director of PR for St. John & Partners (SJ&P), says the cars tended to overshadow the charity. NFS asked SJ&P to elevate its visibility, drive awareness of the charities, and increase relevance to the Ford dealers that paid for the sponsorship.

Strategy
Lynch says researching past media coverage and shows helped determine that establishing a tie-in with the charities would best enhance NFS' sponsorship. “We wanted to give this thing legs... beyond [PVGP],” says Dan Taylor, special events chairman for NFS.

The team devised an art exhibit and contest called “Through Their Eyes” (TTE). Kids attending PVGP would draw their impressions of the event, which would be posted on NFS' Web site and go on a traveling exhibit to various Ford dealerships. People would vote online for their favorite piece, and NFS would donate $500 to each charity in the winning artist's name, Lynch says.

Tactics
Art supplies and space to create were provided in a tent at the PVGP. Lynch says SJ&P designed and created a crayon-themed TTE's Web site to host the art online. The site also included the traveling exhibit schedule, a news page, and information and links to the charities' sites.

The exhibit traveled to seven dealerships in four markets. The dealerships were selected based on location to ensure maximum media coverage in each market. Pamphlets from both charities were featured in the traveling exhibit, he adds.

Voting took place online from October 24 to December 15.

PVGP volunteers, Allegheny Valley School employees, and families of the kids who created the art helped spread the word to vote.

The team pitched local and regional media about the art activity, the contest, and the donation presentation, Lynch says. It also pitched local media when the exhibit traveled to various dealerships. All interviews focused on extending the charities' messages and emphasizing NFS' community involvement, he adds.

Results
About 400 children created artwork. Online page views totaled 4,422, and 295 votes were cast, exceeding NFS' goal by 47% and 18%, respectively. Media coverage included the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

“[TTE] brings Ford and Ford dealers into a really good light during very bad times,” Taylor says.
He adds that the campaign boosted internal morale, and he was “thrilled” with the results.

Future
NFS and SJ&P will continue to work together on a number of projects. TTE is in progress again this year. Taylor notes that bad weather hurt one day of attendance at PVGP this year, but Lynch adds that art entries aren't significantly down from last year.

PRWeek's View
This was a great idea that covered so many bases. Lynch points out that because car dealerships have a lot of open space, they're ideal for showing art. The traveling exhibit was brilliant in terms of visibility, tie-ins to dealerships, and media opportunities.

Engaging kids in this way for such a good cause at a huge public event was a great way to engender goodwill from parents. The effort benefitted both NFS and the charities. This team really understood the power of creating a win-win situation.

PR team: Neighborhood Ford Store (Pittsburgh, PA) and St. John & Partners (Jacksonville, FL)
Campaign: Through Their Eyes Art Exhibit to Benefit Autism
Duration: July 2007-January 2008
Budget: about $7,500

From the September 22, 2008 Issue of PRWeek

22-Sep-08 7:00 AM