It’s the middle of summer and it’s my turn to write a blog post. I don’t feel like writing a blog post. In fact, I don’t feel like doing much of anything. Did I say it’s the middle of summer?
So – how to stay motivated and productive during the dog days of summer, when frankly we’d prefer to be at the beach or in the mountains rather than sitting at our desks?
This week’s blog post comes from David Fuscus, president and CEO of Xenophon Strategies. Based in Washington, DC, Xenophon is a member of the Public Relations Global Network, of which Buchanan PR was a founding member.
“Year of the Retailer Breach” was how Verizon recently described 2013 in its annual Data Breach Report, saying that it “was a year of transition… to large scale attacks on payment card systems.” The report documented 1,367 confirmed data breaches, the largest and most infamous of which was the massive amount of customer information stolen from Target during the busy Christmas shopping season.
Public relations professionals are rarely offered the opportunity to gain insider knowledge from members of the media with whom we work every day.
Last week, however, as a member of PRSA Philly and a co-chair of the Nancy Bacher Long PR Institute committee, I was given the chance to mingle with a few of Philadelphia’s finest media minds at the annual media panel hosted at NBC 10’s studios. 
Moderated by Lee Marshall, a top-notch communications consultant, the panel actively discussed pitching preferences, thoughts on social media and tips for PR professionals working to build long-term relationships. Here are some key takeaways from the region’s top media professionals:
It’s common as an undergrad and early in your PR career to associate pitching with news releases and phone calls. But how do reporters feel about this (sometimes) old school way of doing things?
PR pros have to juggle multiple projects at once, and I often think that we can easily forget who’s on the receiving end of many of our initiatives: reporters. That’s partly why we’ve gotten such a bad rap over the years (and why PR pros think reporters are grumpy people).
Here are three things we need to stop doing – or, at a minimum, carefully consider – when pitching journalists.
Having a mentor, especially in the beginning stages of your career, is arguably one of the most valuable assets to your professional growth. He or she can teach you new skills, introduce you to networking contacts, and help you blossom – all without passing judgment. I’m lucky to have several co-workers here at Buchanan PR whom I can count on for guidance, constructive criticism or a friendly chat.
So, to all college students, interns or professionals entering a new industry, here are five tips to get the most from your mentor(s).
A few years ago, we at Buchanan PR decided to develop an ongoing series for our blog called “Where Are They Now?” Our aim was to reconnect with former interns, review their career trajectories to-date and solicit their advice for current students looking to break into PR.
Our most recent submission is from former intern Diane Bizzarro, who worked with us during the summer of 2012. A graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, Diane currently works as a Client Relationship Advisor at a New York City-based translation company.
This week’s blog post comes from our friend Uwe Schmidt of agency Industrie-Contact AG in Germany, which is part of PRGN, a global consortium of independent public relations agencies. Buchanan PR was a founding member of PRGN 15 years ago.
Google has changed the search algorithms three times between 2011 and 2013. The following tips will help you to land as far as possible above on the searches hit list:
“To err is human, to forgive divine.”
While this old adage applies to many areas of life, it doesn’t exactly ring true on social media and for social media managers. Ever made a spelling or grammar error on a client’s post? You get eaten alive! That’s minimal – a little embarrassment, flak from fans and a lesson learned. But imagine being part of a fail that makes headlines! I shudder at the thought.
As of Thursday morning, Philadelphia is in the midst of its top five snowiest winters of all-time. As witness to a record-setting snowfall of more than 49 inches in one season (with more still to come), we at Buchanan PR have become experts at working from home during a storm.
Here are 5 ways to survive a snow day – and keep your sanity – while working remotely:
To all of the college seniors studying PR out there, it’s okay that you’re freaking out a bit right now. Graduation is just months away, and it doesn’t help that your peers studying business probably already have job offers (don’t worry; that’s totally normal. The PR industry does not work the same way that finance and accounting industries do).
Whether you’re a soon-to-be grad or still have a few years of college bliss left, here are four things to do that can help ease your transition into the “real world:”