President's Perspective: A Look Back At The Year

My favorite part of the 2011 PPRA Annual Meeting – besides our esteemed speakers – was the opportunity I had to look back and review the year.

We started a mentorship program that pairs professionals with less than 10 years in the profession with more experienced practioners that many of you are helping to make a success.

We continued to offer programming that meets the needs of our members. Feedback from events early in the year indicated you wanted to hear from experts on some of the trickier social media issues. So, we brought in experts from up and down the East Coast to share their insights. We also responded to your need for more information on crisis communications by stacking a panel of experts from around the city who have handled some of the region's major crises. In other events, we brought in editors from Time and People, leadership of the Inquirer and Fox-29, and the cities top non-profit leaders.

Part of the fun at PPRA is recognizing leaders who understand the value of public relations for their company or organization. This year we had the opportunity to honor Dr. Amy Gutmann, president of the University of Pennsylvania, with our Gold Medal award. Later in the year, we were honored to induct Matt Cabrey, senior director of communications at Shire Pharmaceuticals, into our Hall of Fame.

In order to recruit members, we launched a 'member-get-a-member' effort that has helped add new people to our group. We also added this blog – which if you don't know already, as a member, you can submit posts to add to your portfolio. We tweet on Twitter and post on Facebook daily, which takes a lot of effort by some of our most active members.

In conjunction with Temple University, we also officially launched the archives of PPRA, a multi-year effort to solidify the legacy of our organization and of our members.

Most importantly, we take time to give back to those who are in need of help. Our pro bono program, Philly Proactive, provided promotional services to Girls, Inc. and Rock to the Future. Members also participated in the annual Philly Clean-up Day.

Many thanks to the great members of the Board of Governors! Without them this hard work could not have been accomplished.

PPRA Board of Governors, 2011-2012

Kera L. Armstrong
Meredith Z. Avakian
Ashley Berke
Lisette Bralow
David W. Brown
Matthew Cabrey
Michael Cavacini
Danielle Cohn
Eric Cortes
Bill Cowen
Catherine Engel
Farrah Farnese
Sharla Feldscher
Jill Flanagan
Bonnie L. Grant
Sylvia Kauders
Jessica Lawlor
Christopher Lukach, APR
Melissa Marsili
Silvana Pop
Larry D. Rubin
Megan R. Smith
Bonnie Squires
Mark A. Tarasiewicz
Meredith Wertz
Caryn Williams

This blog post was written by PPRA President Beth Archer.  Beth is a Senior Account Manager at Anne Klein Communications Group in Mount Laurel, N.J., where she works with clients in the utility, healthcare and higher education industries.  She had her first internship when clips where still clipped out of a newspaper. Connect with Beth on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Congratulations to PPRA's new Board of Directors

At last week's Annual Meeting, PPRA's 2011-2012 Board of Directors was officially announced. Congratulations to the new board! Stay tuned later this summer for blog posts from the new board about the exciting plans in store for next year.

President
Christopher Lukach
Anne Klein Communications Group, LLC
(assumes position as outlined in the PPRA Bylaws)

President-Elect
Kera Armstrong
Ceisler Media & Issue Advocacy
 
Vice President for External Affairs
Bonnie Grant
Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
 
Vice President for Programs
Meredith Avakian
DuPont Co.
 
Vice President for Membership
Ashley Berke
National Constitution Center
 
Vice President for Communications
Jill Flanagan
Villanova University
 
Secretary
Michael Cavacini
The Star Group   

Treasurer
Caryn Williams 

Comcast Cable Communications, Inc.

 
Directors
Lisette Bralow
Philadelphia Folksong Society
(Term expires June 2012)

Eric Cortes 

WWSI Telemundo Philadelphia

(Term expires June 2013) 

Darren Behuniak
Devon International Group
(Term expires June 2014)  

Immediate Past President (Chair)
Beth Archer 
Anne Klein Communications Group, LLC
(assumes position as outlined in the PPRA Bylaws)

PPRA Annual Meeting: Meet the Mayor

Every year, PPRA members look forward to the organization's final event of the year, the Annual Meeting. This highly-attended event draws some of Philadelphia's finest public relations professionals to network, listen to speakers, honor award winners and vote on PPRA's new board of directors.

Mayor Nutter speaking at PPRA's Annual Meeting

This year's Annual Meeting theme was Meet the Mayor. Attendees had the opportunity to listen to Mayor Nutter, his Chief Spokesperson Mark McDonald and his Director of Communications Desiree Peterkin Bell.

McDonald spoke about how he spends much of his time writing speeches and speaking with the media on behalf of Mayor Nutter. Since McDonald came from a journalism background, he feels that he is able to better understand the media's wants and needs when it comes to building a story.

A few minutes later, Peterkin Bell took to the podium. Impressive fun fact about Peterkin Bell: she has worked for four mayors in her career, including working for Mayor Bloomberg in the years after 9/11. Peterkin Bell then took the opportunity to explain her role in the administration as compared to McDonald. She explained that McDonald is truly the voice of the mayor, while her role as Director of Communications involves overseeing strategy for the entire administration.

Peterkin Bell received applause when she said that PR/communication professionals need to be at the table when decisions are being made in their companies. She also added that PR professionals should be involved in the implementation of those decisions from the very beginning. As PR and communication pros, this is certainly something we can all cheer for!

After hearing from McDonald and Peterkin Bell, President Beth Archer presented the PPRA archives to a

Cathy Engle, Dr. Jean Brodey and Brodey Award Winner Rachel Santella

representative from the Temple University Library. Next, Archer turned the microphone over to Jill Flanagan who thanked the Philly PRoactive teams who offered pro bono PR services to two Philadelphia non-profits: Rock to the Future and Girls, Inc.

Shortly following, Archer presented two PPRA awards. The Dr. Jean Brodey Student Achievement Award went to Drexel University student Rachel Santella. The PPRA Fast Track Award went to Darren Behuniak. Stay tuned to the blog later this month for interviews with both award winners!

PPRA's 2011-2012 Board of Directors

Finally, the PPRA membership voted for PPRA's 2011-2012 Board of Directors. Congratulations to the new Board!

Between multiple useful events, launching a blog, developing a mentorship program and providing several opportunities for members to continue advancing their careers, PPRA certainly had an incredible year.

Since this was the last PPRA event of the year, please share your favorite PPRA member in the comments. 

*Photo credits: Bonnie Squires

This blog post was written by Jessica Lawlor. Jessica currently works on the public affairs team at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia. She serves as PPRA's social media chair and blog editor.

Media Relations: Pitching to Win

Public relations firms are always looking for the freshest angle to get our clients in the best media outlets. If there’s one thing I’ve learned since I started in this industry, though, it’s that sending out a blanket email to the media while pitching, even if it’s a great story, won’t produce results.  I’ve had plenty of reporters never respond to my messages or emails, rush me off the phone or respond to me like I’m secretly trying to get them to hand over credit card numbers.  Not because I didn’t have a good angle, but because I didn’t package the information how they like it.

There is no fool-proof formula that will work for all media.  However, I’d like to share a few simple steps I’ve picked up from my own discussions with reporters that can increase you chances at a winning pitch:

Research Your Target

Reporters often have very specific beats beyond just business, technology, or healthcare.  They may only be interested in stories about small businesses with a diversity angle, cloud computing technologies, or biomedical research.  These beat writers find it extremely annoying to receive emails that are off-topic, but it is easy to avoid.  The easiest way to know if your target reporter is a good fit for a pitch is to actually read his or her past work.  Doing your homework on a reporter is also a great way to see how you can tailor your current pitch copy to match a trend that he has already covered.

Don’t Make Contacts. Build Relationships.

I’ve been to several media panels during which editors have stressed the importance of building a rapport with their writers, even suggesting coffee or lunch appointments to introduce yourself and ask questions.  This may seem intimidating at first, but the relationship you seek to build is a two-way street.  PR professionals need reporters to take interest in their clients, and reporters need interesting stories to engage their readers.  They need us as much as we need them!  Since you’ve already done your research, use that initial knowledge to engage in a mutual conversation about what you want to place and what the reporter wants to write. 

Know When “No” Means “No”

Another of the biggest qualms the media has with PR pros is our persistence in follow up. It is certainly important to check on the status of a pitch, especially with key targets for your client.  However, calling every day and sending eight emails for the same pitch will get you nowhere.  You have to respect that sometimes reporters don’t need or want the information we have to offer, whether it’s an issue of timing or disinterest.  In backing off gracefully, you safe yourself the possibility of ending up on a permanent block list.       

   

Incorporate these steps into your pitch routine and get ready for the placements to be rolling off the presses. 

         

This blog post was written by Christine Guerrini. Christine Guerrini is a member of the public relations team at Tierney agency in Center City Philadelphia. A Villanova grad, Christine specializes in media relations, social media and research. She has worked with clients in a variety of fields, including consumer, non-profit, and B2B. Outside of work, Christine is an avid fan of the Arts, whether exploring museums or sitting down with a novel. Connect with Christine on Twitter (@CMGuerrini) or at http://www.linkedin.com/in/christineguerrini .  

Have you registered for PPRA's Annual Meeting yet?

Join us at the beautiful Stotesbury Mansion in Rittenhouse Square as we celebrate another successful year of PPRA! It's not too late to register!

Our special guest speaker will be Mayor Michael A. Nutter, who will be accompanied by his Chief Spokesperson Mark McDonald and his Director of Communications Desiree Peterkin Bell. We’ll hear directly from the Mayor and his staff about lessons learned over the past three years and the value of public relations in running the city. We also will get a glimpse into his plans to maximize opportunities in the future.

In addition, we will honor our Fast Track and Dr. Jean Brodey award winners, say thank you to our outgoing president Beth Archer, and induct our incoming president Chris Lukach and PPRA's 2011-12 Board of Directors. It’s a celebration you won’t want to miss!

Date:
Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Time:
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM Registration/Networking Cocktail Reception
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Program

Location:
Stotesbury Mansion
1923 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Registration Fees:
$45 for PPRA Members
$60 for Non-Members
$25 for Students
$5 additional fee for walk-ins 

Want to register? Click here and visit the PPRA event registration page. 

Impacting Legislation and Public Policy

Communications strategist and PPRA past president Jeff Jubelirer joins two of our region's sought after lobbyists to discuss PR and Lobbying: the art of building relationships to impact legislation, public policy and government budgets.

Jeff Jubelirer, president of Jubelirer Strategies, is widely recognized as one of the top corporate communications and public relations strategists in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Perhaps best known for his unparalleled expertise in issue & crisis management and public policy advocacy, Jeff is the "go to" media person and political analyst for Fox 29 and NBC 10.

Daniel F. McElhatton is a partner in The Echo Group. For five years, he served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Allyson Schwartz, responsible for guiding the Congresswoman's legislative, policy and political priorities in both Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. as well as managing her Ways and Means Committee and Budget Committee legislative staff.  Prior to his work in Washington DC,  Dan served under Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, working in the Pennsylvania Department of Labor with a focus on post-secondary education and workforce development. 

Ted Christian oversees GSP Consulting's operations in Eastern Pennsylvania, bringing a background that has spanned the business, governmental and political arenas for the past 12 years.  Most recently, Ted was the State Director for the McCain-Palin campaign in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  Ted has also worked on congressional races, ran a state party and worked for a national party committee.  He served for nearly four years in the federal government, as senior adviser to the Regional Administrator for the U.S. General Services Administration's Mid-Atlantic region, the premier procurement and acquisition agency in the world.

Date:
June 21

Location:
Philadelphia CVB
1700 Market Street
Suite 3000
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Time:
 8:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Light Breakfast will be provided!

Registration Fees:
FREE for members only!  Space is limited to 35 people, so register early!

Want to register? Click here and visit the PPRA event registration page. 

Your Resume Speaks to Me, It Literally Did

Social media is changing how consumers and companies interact, that much is clear, but it is also changing how employers (and job seekers) are connecting on a previously unimagined variety of levels. Mobile technology is evolving, growing, consuming, and inundating every known subject area of PR and now it is influencing career paths.

The problem is a common one and many graduates who are now toiling away behind their computer screen or tablets are faced with a new spin on the traditional job search. 

“How do I make a traditional document feel unique?” 

"Do I need my own website?"    

"Who should I follow on Twitter?"

"How much information is too much?"    

 "Am I over-thinking this?"

Stephen D. Vujevich, a transplanted Pittsburgh native, self-proclaimed social media addict, and now a recent Communications-Public Relations graduate from Immaculata University is taking matters into his own hands, and utilizing the resume creativity that has been featured in one of Mashable’s latest stories.

He designed and launched his own personal webpage, tied in a Facebook fan page, added professional Twitter name adjustment, a LinkedIn, a Livestream show, and the list goes on.  It seemed that none of these approaches, despite his experience, were gaining enough attention from prospective employers.

Riddled with resume advice from workshops, advisors, professionals, and professors, something caught Vujevich’s eye in the form of Victor Petit’s “Content-Rich Resume” video. “I knew that when I first saw this concept passed around online that I needed to develop my own. It’s perfectly brandable; it’s bold and unique,” Vujevich proclaimed. Petit’s and Vujevich’s foray into more untraditional approaches to personal branding are not alone and in outstanding company.

Vujevich is now implementing QR code tech and fusing it with YouTube and his traditional black and white resume, is starting to turn some heads in the local industry, and has Five Tips for Creativity for fellow jobseekers:

1. Force Yourself to Think – Ask yourself, family, and friends what distinguishes you as a person and possibly transform it into a focus group scenario. 
2. Pick Keywords – Utilize words that describe your experience and your personality and paint a vibrant and unique image of yourself.   
3. Creative, not Crazy – DO NOT think that by planning some outlandish stunt or alternative way to garner attention that it is “backlash-proof.” Use your commonsense. 
4. Be Not Afraid – Ask for help, look to network, inquire from professionals, and dare to be different in your job hunt. We’re not going to bite. We understand. 
5. Embrace Tomorrow’s Technology – Just because you have an iPhone does not grant you omnipotent knowledge. Take time to research what is next in mobile tech and how it can benefit you.  

Stephen Vujevich is a new PR pro with a sweet spot for SM.  Earlier this month he received his bachelor’s degree in Communication and PR from Immaculata University, he has been quoted in two national AP articles related to social media, and is now acting as a volunteer SM consultant for the Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School project. Peruse www.stephendvujevich.com to find out what Stephen is working on next.