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9/11 Anniversary Offers a New Set of Social Media Challenges
This week, media is offering countless stories to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. On Sunday, it’s safe to assume that will kick into high gear. But, how does that translate to social media? If you manage social channels for...
Digital Storytelling: 30+ Social Tools to Create Sharable, Memorable Stories
How often do we see companies leverage social media for generic asks: “Follow us on Twitter,” “Support our cause,” “Like us on Facebook.” But, why? How does having Brand X in my online world benefit me? One core tenant of effective public...
“We Don’t Email,” Says a Customer Service Rep
Normally, I try to avoid personal rants on this blog, but I’m so dumbfounded by this, I had to share … As I was getting off the phone with a local utility company, I requested documentation of the service changes we’d just made. I was thinking...
Facebook Groups and Collaboration
I’m working on a blog post about Facebook groups as collaboration tools. I’m a member of the HAPPO (Help a PR Pro Out) group, so I’ve seen how Arik and Valerie used the group to plan a series of events across the country along with a live Twitter...
Two PR Lessons from Kenneth Cole’s Twitter Mishap
Kenneth Cole — yes, that Kenneth Cole — made a very big, very public mistake: He tweeted an ill-fated attempt to inject some humor in the Egypt protests (a decidedly non-funny situation), which led to a flurry of negative tweets and articles. A...
10 Press Release Alternatives
More than a few PR people want to declare the press release dead; however, as long as reporters continue to ask for releases — and sometimes run them verbatim — the press release is alive and well. That said, a media release isn’t the perfect tool...
Can You Measure the ROI of Custmer Service?
“Break the service paradigm in your industry or market so that customers aren’t just satisfied, they’re so shocked that they tell strangers on the street how good you are.” — Jack Welch Is customer service the new PR? There’s no shortage of articles...
Review Sites Pose Ethical Challenges
In a perfect world, ethics would be black and white. Right vs. wrong. But, we don’t live in a simple world. Every day, we’re forced to evaluate situations and determine how best to respond. Sometimes, the situation is so clear cut that cutting...
Social Media, Independence Day & #WhyWeCelebrate
This weekend, we’ll all be attending fireworks and picnics to celebrate Independence Day. That’s fun (who doesn’t like fireworks, right?!), but there are lots of people who aren’t here to partake in the 4th of July festivities. Regardless of...

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