| The
monthly newsletter for the Hampton Roads Virginia Chapter
of PRSA |
February 2009 |
Effectively
Reaching the Hispanic Market With PR and a Total
Marketing Plan
The Magic is Not Just in the Translation!
Diversity marketing initiatives have opened
the door for many opportunities to really make an impact
on your selected target market. Unfortunately, it has
also opened the door to corporations who want to use the
concept of an "initiative" to mask an advertising or marketing
campaign. There is a great difference between a
"campaign" and an "initiative", and both are extremely
viable and successful approaches to making an impact on
your bottom line. Know the difference and build the foundation
that's required before you pass the program on to your
PR professionals.
In today's overly messaged environment, corporations have
a responsibility to create real programs that actually
mean something to their target markets. Corporate strategic
marketing professionals must take responsibility for creating
a Hispanic program's infrastructure, be it an initiative
or campaign. Then the PR professionals have the
proper foundation in order to do their jobs effectively
and efficiently. Learn tips to getting started with
a Hispanic communications and public relations initiative
for your group, company or organization, or taking your
program to the next level.
Martee Pierson, Director of Diversity Marketing
for Liberty Tax Service will review the ABC's
of creating an initiative; how to avoid partnership messaging
errors that lead to bad PR in the Hispanic community;
and when an initiative is ready for PR activity.
Eva May, Founder and President of Espaņol Marketing
& Communications, Inc. will cover keys
to partnering successfully with Hispanic media:what to
expect, how to create a partnership, highlights of
similarities and differences one can expect when
working with typical Hispanic media partners, and mistakes
to avoid.
Wednesday,
February 4
11:00 a.m. - Networking and registration
11:30 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. - Lunch and program
The Murray Center
455 E. Brambleton Avenue, Norfolk
Cost:
$35 members and military
$45 guests
$25 students
Reservations
Reservation deadline:
Monday, February 2 at noon
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From
the President
by
Harry Kenyon, APR
Change - the Mantra for 2009
Throughout the last year we were inundated
with messages promising changes. It seems like
everywhere you look there's talk of universal change--the
government, the economy, the work force and yes, our
profession.
I like to believe that the basics of public relations
are constant and looking back over history we see the
same basic elements used to inform and influence behaviors
and attitudes. What has changed and will continue
to change are the ways we send and receive information.
As a traditionalist, I value the time I take every morning
to read the newspaper and enjoy an eye-opening cup of
coffee. But now it seems that we are becoming
less reliant on the mainstream media to keep us informed.
Now we live in a complicated world of the worldwide
web where information and opinion flows at lightning
pace and anyone can report and comment on the issues
of the day. For many traditional journalists,
it's their worst fears realized as their faithful readers
are swept away into the vortex of the digital age.
Social media, where anyone can participate in the reporting
and interpreting of the issues, is having what I would
consider to be the greatest impact on public relations
since the advent of papyrus. We are no longer
just reading and absorbing the news, we are becoming
active participants who are able to choose to be the
targets of issues we care about and engage in digital
repartee. Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, RSS feeds
and the many other new words in our vocabulary can leave
some of the veterans (old fogies like me) scratching
their heads wondering what happened to the past reliable
means of communication. Years ago, if someone
said they were going to "google" someone else, it may
have been interpreted quite differently.
Don't get me wrong, I embrace change and I'm in awe
of the new and innovative ways we have to communicate
and relate with such a widely diverse spectrum of people.
New technology is changing the ways we relate and communicate
with each other at an incredible pace and we are quickly
becoming a far more global community. As public
relations professionals our jobs have changed with the
times and we are continually challenged to stay abreast
of innovations.
Still, I look back fondly on the days before the Internet
forever changed how we do business. I yearn to
rap out a column on an IBM Selectric II (for those of
us who remember the typewriter), hold a finished piece
of copy in my hands, wax a galley of type and create
an mechanical layout for the technician in the print
shop to make a plate. Ahhh...those were
days, forever gone.
Still, tomorrow morning I'll pour myself a cup of coffee
and open the newspaper to get caught up on the news
and opinions of the day. There are some things
that I refuse to change.
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PR Marvels & Miscues
An excerpt from the
blog of PRSA HR member David Rourk
 Who
Stepped Up
Every public relations agency and small business owner
has their own definition of public relations.
I define public relations and marketing on several
levels, but for this discussion, I say: public relations
is anything the public sees, hears, touches, tastes
or smells about your product, service, issue or cause.
And that includes your logo.
Small business owners would be wise to make sure they
launch their business with a polished, professional
logo that connects with their target audience and
serves as a PR tool.
Alperin Law in Virginia Beach recently stepped up
by investing in a professional logo which is polished
and strong, and contains colors that indicate trust
and leadership. When designing a professional
logo, the keys to success are:
- Your logo should uniquely reflect your company and
be memorable.
- Clean, simple logos present a strong identity and
reproduce well in various sizes and file formats.
- Steer clear of complicated detail and special effects
such as gradients and drop shadows that will not reproduce
well when scaled down to small size.
- Your logo should be just as effective in black
and white as in color.
Other public relations tips to consider about a logo:
- Don't confuse a busy logo with business brilliance.
That's like confusing motion with progress.
The fancier you get, the further you move from the
rationality of most people. Logos need to match
your business.
- Don't design a logo with every color in the rainbow.
Logos with four or more colors can greatly increase
your printing costs for letterhead, trifolds, marketing
folders, ads, and other PR material. My public
relations agency has designed many top-notch two-color
logos for clients in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake,
Hampton Roads, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport
News, and throughout Virginia that look great and
are easy on the pocketbook.
- Don't buy your logo from a logo-farm website and
think you've gotten one over on the "expensive" graphic
designers and public relations consultants.
Think a few steps ahead and you'll discover you may
need: the logo in a vector format for a business sign;
the logo in black and white for simple envelopes;
the logo in a jpeg for a marketing PowerPoint presentation
or website; or the logo in an EPS format for quality
printing. Even worse, what if another business
in your area and industry buys the same logo for $40?
Having your own unique logo is smart public relations
and worth the one-time investment.
- Stay away from logos embellished with shading, shadows,
and beveling, and public relations consultants enamored
with them. The true mettle and power of a logo
is its ability to stand on its own in black and white
with no embellishments. All the powerful logos
that stand the test of time are just as powerful in
black and white: McDonalds, NIKE, Prudential (The
Rock), Microsoft, Rolls Royce, HBO, MTV, and Sony.
- Don't get consumed by the colors you like.
Always look at your business from an outside-in perspective
... from the client's point of view. Get feedback
from people whose judgment you trust -- family, friends,
co-workers, and colleagues. We all live in industry/personal
bubbles, so outside feedback is important. Your
fetish for screaming pink may be an immediate turn-off
to potential clients.
- Don't stick to an obviously outdated logo designed
10 years ago because you think changing it will hurt
your business. You can always tweak your logo
to bring it into the 21st Century and connect with
today's smart, jaded consumer.
Are you asking the right questions when buying a logo,
or are you walking into a great deal that will cost
you time, money and frustration down the road?
|
 Leadership
Spotlight - Teresa Diaz
Chapter
member Teresa Diaz recently chaired the 2008 Professional
Development Conference, which was one of the most successful
events in PRSA HR's history. Here's a closer look
at Teresa:
Full name: Teresa Buckley Diaz
Hometown: I was born and raised in
New York City, but have considered Hampton Roads my home since
moving to Virginia Beach in 1976.
Family/Pets: I am married to a loving
and supportive man, Richard, and we have a son, Joe, who is
26. Our four-legged children are two dogs, Nieko, 12, & Sully
Boy, who just turned 1.
What brought you to Hampton Roads? My
parents had friends who moved here after falling in love with
area. They convinced us to join them here and trade city life
for "country" life. For those that haven't lived in this area
for very long, Virginia Beach was still very country in the
70s. I couldn't sleep well for the first few years;
it was too quiet!!
How long have you been in the PR field? I've
been with the Media & Communications Group (MCG), a division
of the Virginia Beach City Manager's Office, for seven years.
Current position: Media & Communications
Coordinator
What do you like to do on a day off? I am addicted
to ladies' consignment boutique and thrift store shopping.
I am always in search of the deal of the century!
What has been your most memorable PR challenge?
My most memorable PR challenge also gave me the "PR
bug." Soon after I joined MCG in 2003, Virginia Beach
was chosen as the site for the John Allen Muhammad sniper
trial. I was on the ground floor of the team that
prepared, planned and executed what turned out to be the
largest media event the city has ever experienced. We successfully
hosted more than 200 media outlets over a period
of almost eight weeks, facing new issues by the hour.
It was exciting, interesting and challenging all at once!
I was fascinated and impressed by my public relations colleagues
and the work that was accomplished. From that point forward,
I shifted my focus and began working toward a career in
PR. After four years of working with a very supportive team
of professionals who mentored and encouraged me, I became
a coordinator in 2007.
Who do you most admire? The person
I most admire is my brother, Douglas. Through sheer determination
and years of hard work, he put himself through school (earning
both bachelor's and master's degrees at Virginia Tech),
and moved overseas to pursue his career as a math teacher.
He is now one of the most highly respected and admired educators
at the prestigious American School of London. Doug
is the most honest, humble and decent man I've ever known
and I just swell with pride when I think of the great life
he has made for himself, against great odds. I miss him
dearly as we only get to see each other once or twice a
year, but thankfully, between email and the telephone, were
are constantly in touch.
What is the most valuable feature of being a PRSA HR member?
PRSA membership gives those in PR and related fields
incredible networking and professional development opportunities.
It helps us stay current with the latest global and local
trends and issues. Membership helps advance the profession
and is especially vital to those new to the field or new
to their community. PRSA HR is a vibrant, diverse chapter
and we are eager to increase our ranks as each new member
brings something different to the table. Join us today!
Current PRSA HR leadership role(s): Board of Directors,
Board Liaison for the Professional Development Conference
Committee chair
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Valentine's Day 2009: Feb. 14
Opinions abound as
to who was the original Valentine, with the most popular
theory that he was a clergyman who was executed for secretly
marrying couples in ancient Rome in spite of Emperor Claudius
II, who felt that marriage weakened his soldiers. In any
event, in A.D. 496, Pope Gelasius I declared Feb. 14 as
Valentine Day. Through the centuries, the Christian holiday
became a time to exchange love messages, and St. Valentine
became the patron saint of lovers. Esther Howland, a native
of Massachusetts, is given credit for selling the first
mass-produced valentine cards in the 1840s. The spirit of
love continues today as valentines are sent with sentimental
verses, from and to young and old romantics.
Check out some interesting facts compiled by the
U.S. Census Bureau. For the complete report, click here.
$13.9 billion
Total value of shipments in 2006 for firms producing chocolate
and cocoa products. Nonchocolate confectionery product manufacturing,
meanwhile, was a $7.2 billion industry. Source: Annual Survey
of Manufactures http://factfinder.census.gov/
24.5 pounds
Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2007.
Source: Current Industrial Reports
Flower Power
$416 million
The combined wholesale value of domestically produced
cut flowers in 2007 for all flower-producing operations
with $100,000 or more in sales. Among states, California
was the leading producer, alone accounting for about three-quarters
of this amount ($320 million). Source: USDA National Agricultural
Statistics Service
$29 million
The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut
roses in 2007 for all operations with $100,000 or more in
sales.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service http://www.nass.usda.gov
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 You
could win a free PRSA membership this month!
If you are not yet a member of PRSA but would like to
be, here is your opportunity. PRSA will give away a free
one-year PRSA National membership, along with other prizes
including: a black leather backpack with drawstring
top, travel clock with calculator and calendar, a blue and
black nylon messenger bag, and a baseball visor cap.
Click here
for more information.
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Member News
Local public
relations professionals have not been imune to job cuts
and layoffs. Sadly, several of our members have
lost their jobs in recent months and are looking for new
employment opportunities.
One of
the best ways to keep up-to-date on current public relations-related
positions is by subscribing to PRSA HR's Job Bank.
It's a one-stop site that includes a listing of available
PR jobs in Hampton Roads And what's best is that
it is a FREE benefit with your membership! All
you need is your Membership Directory ID and password.
(If you have forgotten either of these, click here.)
Non-members
may subscribe or renew a supscription for a fee to the Job
Bank for periods of 60, 90 or 180 days.
To go to the Job Bank, click here!
December 2008 Treasurer's
Report
Mindy
Hughes, APR, Treasurer
December income:
$1,923.37
December expenses: $920.50
YTD income: $50,582.21
YTD expenses: $35,806.31
Total assets: $22,825.40
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