For the past six weeks, I have had the honor of participating in the annual Nancy Bacher Long PR Institute, PRSA Philly’s intensive training program for junior-level public relations practitioners. Participants are split into mock agency teams that compete to create a comprehensive communications plan for a local nonprofit.
Public Relations
This is our public relations blog.
Raising Funds While Raising Good Corporate Citizens
If you’re responsible for raising money for your nonprofit organization, you might be thinking of approaching corporations for support. And it might make sense. But there are a few things you should consider before starting out.
Will PR’s Use of Social Media Make People Nicer?
I am not a good flyer. But when your daughter is spending a semester abroad in London, you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the city with a personal travel guide, so my husband and I recently bit the bullet and climbed on an airplane to fly over the pond. We had a great time for five days, and then it was time to come home.
Modern Day Mad Men
As an avid viewer of Mad Men, I have an ongoing love-hate relationship with the hit series’ main character, Don Draper. One episode I’m critical of his womanizing, demoralizing behavior and the next I’m in admiration of his creativity and uncanny ability to command a situation. 
This intended roller-coaster effect has left me drawing parallels between back-in-the-day and modern-day techniques of advertising and PR.
9 Things I’ve Learned in 9 Years of PR
Last weekend, I ran the 10-mile Broad Street Run here in Philadelphia. This was the first year that I did not yearn to be trampled by the masses so that I could peacefully succumb to an overwhelming exhaustion. Where I’m typically ready to give up at mile 9, I actually felt ready to tackle mile 10 with vigor. With college graduations in full swing this time of year, the run got me thinking of my nine years post-undergrad and the things I’ve learned that have prepared me for this 10th year of my public relations career, my mile 10.
Not Just Getting Coffee
When family members and friends asked me what I would be doing after graduating from Franklin & Marshall College in December, it was with a great deal of trepidation that I shared my plans: “I have an internship.” The title “intern” often conjures up images of coffee runs, copy duty and menial work in general. 
But, luckily, my internship at Buchanan Public Relations shattered all previously held notions about the insignificance of interns, and it is with pride that I look back on my past four months here.
The Lost Art of Customer Service in Public Relations
Last weekend, I traveled to the Waldorf Astoria Orlando for the wedding of one of my closest childhood friends. I had booked round-trip transportation to and from the airport and, when my return shuttle never arrived, I immediately assumed I’d be on my own. After briefly explaining my situation to the hotel concierge, she stepped out from behind the desk, whispered something to a bellhop and – in a matter of minutes – something amazing 
happened.
Community Managers: If You Have Nothing Nice to Say, Don’t Say Anything At All
Another senseless tragedy. Another brand lacking compassion.
More people use Twitter today than ever before, making it the place to share breaking news. Twitter’s reach is especially evident during times of crisis, when many of its 200 million users flood the network with much-needed information, real-time updates, positive thoughts and prayers.
But without fail, it seems every major tragedy in the last year has been followed by an insensitive tweet from a brand trying to use the event to their gain. And also without fail, this strategy backfires – each and every time – in the form of a social media crisis followed by negative press, a tarnished image and lost customers, not to mention even more upset for the families and friends of the victims.
Dear College Professor: Stop Wasting Our Time and Give Your Students a Meaningful Assignment
Dear Professor:
I have a bone to pick with you. After I do that, I am going to hand you a feast-on-a-platter of an idea.
I think I speak for a vast portion of the public relations profession when I implore you: Please stop giving your students the silly task of locating a PR professional whom they can interview for your class.
Social Media: Not the Only Tool in the PR Shed
Albert Einstein once said, “I fear the day when technology surpasses our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” This quote resonates with me because, in the constantly evolving world of social media, I sometimes see the “social” aspect missing. Have you ever found yourself alone in a crowded room, a party or restaurant and noticed just how many people were more occupied with their smartphones than with observing what’s around them? Have you felt disconnected or almost panicked when you forgot your phone at home? In a world where we are always connected, we’re all guilty of it, but there is a time and a place for using these platforms. Social media is simply one tool in the PR toolbox.