This morning, I came across an article via Twitter about why bloggers quit blogging. Many of the former bloggers quit blogging because they found it demanding, and did not see any results of their efforts. According to the article, many bloggers have developed aspirations based on just a few success stories like the Julie/Julia Project (author and blogger Julie Powell to master Julia Child’s recipes from her book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking). I even have a very good friend who recently had her first book published after a publishing company in England came across her blog.

As part of my job at Matrix Group, I ghostwrite for some client blogs. I also have a personal one, ironically called Sher in the City, where I tell tales of life in the nation’s capital. (I do it more for fun than anything else.) I have learned a lot since crafting my very first blog post, and I have seen my style progress with each one I write. And, similar to what this article stated, I spend time crafting each post, marketing them on my Facebook page, my Twitter profile and commenting on other blogs. I also contribute to other blogs like this one.

Like other public relations tools, a blog requires work and patience. Whether you are starting a blog or looking to improve it, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Continue reading " What Makes a Good Blog "

With the PRSA 2010 International Conference just a month away, I thought I would reminisce about working in Washington, D.C.’s, public relations world. When I moved to the nation’s capital, I had left my company in Charleston, S.C., to my business partner — a company that we had built together — for a  new adventure in Washington, D.C., working for a national organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger in the United States. I thought I knew everything about public relations — that is until I came to D.C. There was so much I simply did not know that I have learned over the course of the years I have lived here.

Continue reading " Things I Wish I Knew When Securing a Celebrity Spokesperson "

Did you know that the Duchess of Devonshire, Georgina Spencer, (who is known as the great, great, great aunt of Princess Diana) is recognized not only for her marital arrangements, sense of fashion and love of gambling, but as a pioneer in political campaigning? During the 18th century, she campaigned for Charles Fox, a British statesman, whose career spanned more than 30 years in the British Parliament.

Utilizing the means that have become recognized as traditional public relations, media relations, grassroots, word-of-mouth and celebrity campaigning, much of her success could be attributed to her understanding of the ins and outs of politics, which brings me to the point of my latest blog post — A highly successful public relations professional isn’t just an expert in PR, but an industry expert.

Continue reading " It’s Not Just About Being a PR Expert — Become an Industry Expert "

As public relations professionals, we are always looking for ways to build awareness about our companies’ brands, promote their products and services, and position senior executives as “thought leaders” within their industries. But what about building your personal brand? 

Whether you are an independent practitioner or employed by an agency or company, it is important to market your skills and qualifications to your internal and external clients, as well as your peers. I learned this very early as a young entrepreneur wanting to grow my company, but I didn’t stop there. Even as an employed practitioner, I followed the same rules within my current company. Why?

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I just started playing with Foursquare™, the geo-based social networking website (SN) that seems to be generating lots of attention these days. For certain industries, I understand the advantages of having a foursquare strategy. Venues, including restaurants, retailers and hotels, can not only gain publicity through this SN site, but can incorporate it into their overall listening strategies (a critical component of their social networking strategies). But, do we expect foursquare to be as popular as Facebook? Also, how can other industries incorporate a foursquare strategy into their outreach?

Continue reading " Foursquare for PR: Testing Out the Strategy "