Monday, September 17, 2012

September Member Spotlight

Sarah Nadal of Shell Point Retirement Community



How long have you been an FPRA member?

I have been a card-totin' member for nearly a year, thanks to Jessica Clark, APR.

What is your favorite part of your job working at Shell Point?

It's hard to pick just one favorite part! When I started at Shell Point Retirement Community as an intern many years ago, it was just a summer job that I thought would be a fun learning experience. But after nine months working with my boss and Shell Point's AVP of Marketing & Communications, Lynn Schneider, APR, CPRC, she had me convinced that I was destined for marketing. She turned my whole professional life around and I would not be who I am today without her guidance.

My primary role as a marketing assistant is to handle scheduling and “special projects as assigned.” Those are the best! Lynn has a keen eye for weaknesses and strengths, and provides me with diverse opportunities to hone both at every turn. She has assigned me to conduct interviews, write feature stories, draft press releases, coordinate the logistics of photo shoots, assist in planning events like our annual spring fashion show, and even to oversee production of our Shell Point Life magazine and six monthly newsletters while our editor took maternity leave. Lynn also encouraged me to develop graphic design skills, which I soon put into practice doing the layout of four monthly newsletters for a whole summer. And would you believe I have yet to take a single marketing class? While I am definitely excited to begin my major courses, I'm already starting to feel pretty capable! It's all because Lynn has pushed me and stretched me and trained me. I could not be more grateful.

So, if I had to pick one favorite part of my job, it would be the mentoring relationship that I have with Lynn, along with the learning opportunities which continually grow me into a better PR professional. 

What was the most useful and applicable information you took back from conference this year?

I thought I’d come away from conference with an itemized list that would justify why FPRA and Shell Point sent me to the conference. Instead, conference pushed me to see beyond the day-to-day public relations activities of my everyday work to see the bigger picture – the purpose and driving goals of PR as a field and discipline. During the speakers' sessions, I not only learned about technical aspects of our trade, but also gained a sense of how the different disciplines within PR fit together. At the end of the day, conference removed any lingering doubts I may have had about entering the field of PR and left me with an overwhelming enthusiasm for the future.

What are your goals as an FPRA member this year?

FPRA is my one stop shop for professional development and my goal this year is to get most out of my FPRA membership. I can't emphasize enough how much value I have found through the quality programming FPRA puts forth on a yearly basis. The practical knowledge gained by a training session like the recent crisis communications seminar through the Lee County Port Authority cannot be found through another organization. The many seasoned professionals in the Southwest Florida Chapter of FPRA readily share their expertise as monthly speakers and at networking events. Finally, the tours of various local media like WINK-TV and the News-Press provide a behind-the-scenes look at the other side of the table that is extremely helpful. 

Friday, September 14, 2012

A Call for Sponsors





The Southwest chapter has a great membership, and those members are supported by great organizations.  To make sure we offer the best to our members, we need to offer superb programs, opportunities, and networking events.  Our chapter operates as a business itself, and needs a healthy treasury to make sure that we are always offering the best and most up to date opportunities.  As a chapter, we would like to extend the opportunity for organizations to serve as annual chapter sponsors with multiple levels of participation.  There are five levels, ranging from $250 to $1,000. 
 


 Platinum Sponsor Level $1,000

·        Logo on Home Page of chapter website
·        Business featured in one issue of monthly newsletter with an article of 500 words or less and photo
·        Logo, link and 50 word company description on dedicated Sponsor Page of chapter website
·        Verbal acknowledgment of sponsorship at each meeting/event

Includes event sponsorship for all of the Chapter’s annual special events:
·        Pro-Bono Day
·        PRU professional development seminar
·        Local Image Awards
·        Media Breakfast
Consisting of:
o       Acknowledgment in news releases distributed regarding the event
o       Logo on all printed and/or electronic collateral promoting the event          
o       Opportunity to place promotional material in attendees’ swag bags
o       Two (2) complimentary admissions to each event – must register representatives online
o       Opportunity to display materials at a special table at the event
o       Opportunity to address attendees of each annual special event for 3 minutes

Includes monthly luncheon sponsorship of one of eight regularly scheduled business meetings consisting of:
o       Acknowledgment in all news releases distributed for meeting (does not guarantee placement in media)
o       Logo included on registration page for that particular meeting
o       Four (4) complimentary admissions to the event – must register representatives online
o       Opportunity to display materials at a special table at the event
o       Opportunity to address members for 3 minutes

Premium Sponsor Level $750

·        Logo on Home Page of chapter website
·        Business featured in one issue of monthly newsletter with an article of 500 words or less and photo
·        Logo, link and 50 word company description on dedicated Sponsor Page of chapter website
·        Verbal acknowledgment of sponsorship at each meeting/event

Includes event sponsorship for all of the Chapter’s annual special events:
·        Pro-Bono Day
·        PRU professional development seminar
·        Local Image Awards
·        Media Breakfast
Consisting of:
o       Acknowledgment in all news releases distributed regarding the event
o       Logo on all printed and/or electronic collateral promoting the event          
o       Opportunity to place promotional material in attendees’ swag bags
o       One (1) complimentary admission to each event – must register online
o       Opportunity to display materials at a special table at the event
o       Opportunity to address attendees of each annual special event for 3 minutes

Includes monthly luncheon sponsorship of one of eight regularly scheduled business meetings consisting of:
o       Acknowledgment in all news releases distributed for meeting (does not guarantee placement in media)
o       Logo included on registration page for that particular meeting
o       Three (3) complimentary admissions to the event – must register online
o       Opportunity to display materials at a special table at the event
o       Opportunity to address members for 3 minutes
 
 Deluxe Sponsor Level $500

·        Logo and 50 word company description on dedicated Sponsor Page of website
·        Verbal acknowledgment of sponsorship at each meeting/event

Includes event sponsorship for three of the Chapter’s annual special events as follows:
·        Pro-Bono Day
·        PRU professional development seminar
·        Media Breakfast
Consisting of:       
o       Logo on printed and electronic collateral promoting the event
o       Opportunity to place promotional material in attendees’ swag bags
o       One (1) complimentary admission to each annual event - must register representatives online

  
Includes monthly luncheon sponsorship of one of eight regularly scheduled business meetings consisting of:
o       Acknowledgment in all news releases distributed for meeting (does not guarantee placement in media)
o       Logo included on registration page for that particular meeting
o       Two (2)  complimentary admissions to the event – must register online
o       Opportunity to display materials at a special table at the event
o       Opportunity to address members for 3 minutes

Standard Sponsor Level $350

·         Logo and 50 word company description on dedicated Sponsor Page of website
·         Verbal acknowledgment of sponsorship at each meeting/event

Includes event sponsorship for two of the Chapter’s annual special events as follows:
·         Pro-Bono Day
·         PRU professional development seminar
Consisting of:
·         Logo on printed and electronic collateral promoting the event
·         Opportunity to place promotional material in attendees’ swag bags
·         One (1) complimentary admission to each event  - must register representatives online

Includes monthly luncheon sponsorship of one of eight regularly scheduled business meetings consisting of:
o        Acknowledgment in all news releases distributed for meeting (does not guarantee placement in media)
o        Logo and link included on registration page for that particular meeting
o        One (1) complimentary admission to the event - must register representatives online
o        Opportunity to display materials at a special table at the event
o        Opportunity to address members for 3 minutes

 Lunch Sponsorship Level $250
Sponsorship of one of eight regularly scheduled business meetings consisting of:         
o        Acknowledgment in all news releases distributed for meeting (does not guarantee placement in media)
o        Logo and link included on registration page for that particular meeting
o        Two (2) complimentary admissions to the event – must register representatives online
o        Opportunity to display materials at a special table at the event
o        Opportunity to address members for 3 minutes

Save the Date for 2012's PRU!

PR University:
Pump Up The Volume
Thursday, November 8
8:30 a.m.— 3:30 p.m.
Connecting you with principles, tactics and latest trends in communications!
Featuring: John Korff of Korff Enterprises; the event production team behind the NYC Triathlon and the inaugural Ironman USA Championship in NYC.
More Details to Come!
Sponsorship opportunities are available! For information, contact: carla.ulakovic@gmail.com

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Wecome to our Newest Members!!

Membership in FPRA has several professional and personal perks for each of us. Knowing this, it is always exciting to welcome new faces to our chapter! If you see any of these individuals at an upcoming meeting, please say hello and get to know them! I know that they have as much to offer our organization as FPRA has to offer them. If you want to contact them outside of a meeting, check out the membership list on the members’ only section of our website to get their information.
  • Glee Ann Agius – Salty Sam’s Waterfront Adventures
  • Ansley Campbell – Kreps DeMaria Public Relations & Marketing
  • Debra Kilpatrick – Lee County Supervisor of Elections
  • Allison Leone – Visually Impaired Persons of Southwest Florida
  • Lauren Marks – Kreps DeMaria Public Relations & Marketing
  • Kylee Pitts – AVOW Hospice
  • Kacey Schneider – FineMark National Bank & Trust
  • Jessica Stilwell – FineMark National Bank & Trust
  • Annette Vinditti – Pushing the Envelope, Inc.
  • Kate Walter – PKE Marketing & PR Solutions
  • Sarah Winner – MosesCloud, ASG

Monthly APR Trivia: September


Question: How many years of PR experience must a candidate have to pursue Accreditation in Public Relations?
A.    10 years
B.     5 years
C.     1 year
D.    There is no experience requirement









Answer: D. There is no experience requirement. Although there is no requirement, the Universal Accreditation Board strongly recommends candidates have five years of PR experience, because experience helps candidates apply the materials that must be commanded during the Readiness Review and written exam.

September Meeting Recap:


The FPRA meeting on September 11 had a great turnout as members and guests alike heard about the great experiences and presentations at the annual FPRA State Conference. Karen Ryan, APR, CPRC; Samantha Scott, APR; Melissa Cofta, APR; and Sarah Nadal provided some of the tips and secrets they learned while attending the conference this year while also thanking the chapter for giving them this opportunity through the conference scholarships they received. To get access to notes from each presentation at conference visit http://fprablog.org/ where you can access the blogs for each speaker. 

The September meeting also welcomed in the new Board and Leadership Team for 2012-2013. Most of the team members were in attendance and Lynn Schneider, APR, CPRC swore in all chapter leaders for the year. We are all excited for a fun year with this amazing team of leaders. 

The luncheon was another fun and informative event for our chapter, and we will have many more events and programs to enjoy throughout the year. Next up, a radio panel in October.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Social Media Corner: Hootsuite Riot!



By Jessica Boles

Social media is becoming the norm in businesses across the world. From small companies to the big brands, you are sure to see some type of social media outlet represented.

For the businesses that have more than one social media platform, the need for a “dashboard” comes into play. A “social media dashboard” is a tool that you download that will help keep all of your different accounts in one place, side by side. 

Maintaining all of your social media channels can be a juggling act and can get overwhelming. Hootsuite is probably the most popular in the social media dashboard world. Hootsuite syncs up Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and offers a free plan option. You can also add it to your WordPress blog for the more advanced.  Using Hootsuite’s unique dashboard, you can collaboratively schedule updates to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and WordPress via the web, desktop or mobile platforms. You can also track your campaign results to rapidly adjust your focus.

More than ever before, it's critical for businesses to use different social media channels to disseminate their brand, their message and their communication globally. Social media dashboards, such as Hootsuite make it easier to accomplish this goal. Using the dashboards adds to higher levels of interactivity with your consumers and the public and will increase awareness to your business immensely.

Resources:
·         HootSuite Connects More Social Apps: Videos, Polls, Twitter Analysis:http://www.cmswire.com/cms/customer-experience/hootsuite-connects-more-social-apps-videos-polls-twitter-analysis-017161.php