Member Spotlight: Betsy Clayton, Lee County Parks and Recreation

Our February Member Spotlight is a new member to our chapter! 

Betsy Clayton is the waterways coordinator for Lee County Parks and Recreation. She assists with Lee County Parks’ media relations with editing and writing, and also works with the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau in hosting eco-, outdoors and kayaking journalists from around the country and globe.

Her primary job is to market and coordinate the Great Calusa Blueway, a 190-mile mile marked canoe and kayak trail from Bonita Springs to Bokeelia via Estero Bay, Pine Island Sound and Matlacha Pass, the Caloosahatchee River and its tributaries (see www.calusablueway.com). She coordinates the Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival (www.calusabluewaypaddlingfestival.com), a 10-day countywide eco-festival with more than 70 events. It happens each year the last weekend of October through the first weekend of November.

Clayton also is a freelance journalist. She’s a columnist for The News-Press’ Tropicalia and an outdoors columnist for Florida Weekly. She writes for luxury lifestyle magazines and boating publications throughout the U.S. and Canada.

A graduate of the journalism school at the University of Oregon, Clayton also has lived in Washington State, California, Washington D.C. and – of course – Southwest Florida, her home for 16 years.

Chapter Members: Create a SWFL FPRA account for access to exclusive benefits!

Where can I find a current membership list? What in the world did I do with that last imPRess email? How can I get my job posting out to experienced public relations professionals?

These are just a few questions that can be answered very simply – just visit the Chapter Web site at http://www.fpraswfl.org/! Great resources, such as a current membership list, archived issues of the newsletter, meeting presentations and minutes, job postings and more are all just a couple clicks away. You can also catch up on our chapter blog, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts just by clicking the icons at the bottom of the homepage!

To make sure you have access to all the Web site has to offer, visit http://www.fpraswfl.org/. Under the Members Access tab, navigate down to “Create Member Account,” and fill out the form. Here, you'll create your own username and password and be on your way to making the most of your membership! When you submit your form, it will be reviewed and promptly approved for all current members. If you are not already a member, you can apply to join our chapter and begin receiving these exclusive benefits.

We are constantly working to improve our presence on the Web, so if you have any questions or comments regarding the site, please contact Web site Chair Erin Comerford at eecomerford (at) flylcpa (dot) com.

President's Word: Sharing Some Love

A love letter, mysteriously found…hmmm.

Dear Public Relations:

Through all the ups and downs, it is tough to know who will be there for you no matter what. But I have faith in you. You see me through a positive lens and lift me up when it seems the world is a very unfriendly place. When things aren't going so well or we make a mistake, you know how to speak the truth and keep focused on our company values and how to make it right. It's true, some may whisper slights like "spin doctor" or "flack" when they speak of you, but the truth is you are in touch with the needs of people and our diverse audiences, ready to build relationships and defend well-earned reputations. You work ethically and systematically, realizing that every project worth developing deserves a plan. Life is complicated, but you have a knack for writing and explaining the details and being creative all at the same time. Plus, you reach out and work so well with others, like Human Resources, Marketing, Accounting and Legal Services. Connecting with people at every step of the process, through all manners of traditional means and newfangled online tools, you, my dear Public Relations, are my life-line to the people on whom my very success or failure depends.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

All my love,

Business, Inc.

FPRA and AdFed: Stronger as Colleagues

Recently, the Southwest Florida chapter of FPRA has begun re-building bridges with the American Advertising Federation Southwest Florida chapter. VP of Community Relations Laura Puerto has been leading the effort for FPRA. Incidentally, FPRA members Wendy Payton-Enriquez and Angie Basile are also currently serving AAF-SWFL as president and vice-president, respectively!

In this economy, and with the continuous evolution of our communications-related professions, we each have much we can learn from each other, similarities to share and valuable connections we can make. We have agreed to cross-promote our events and look for ways we can offer our members greater benefits through ongoing partnerships. Watch for details about an upcoming joint event that you will not want to miss!!


Check out what AAF-SWFL is up to now on their Facebook page and or click on the event flyer posted to the right.

Image Tip #5: Time Flies!

The Aviation industry is a leader in technology. Current modernization programs are improving safety and reliability, while reducing fuel costs and consumption. The term “NextGen” is used to describe more efficient aircraft and engines, sustainable airport infrastructure projects and the move to satellite-based air traffic systems. The focus is on managing precious resources, supporting growth and ultimately having a positive effect on the environment.   

As most of you know, the end result of an Image campaign, especially in Division A, is a large binder filled with pages – and pages - of supporting documents in page protectors with sections and tabs. And of course, we do a back-up binder just in case. After all, PR professionals are organized and detail oriented!

And where do those books end up? Piled - forlornly - on a table at Golden Image to be sifted through, picked up, hauled to your room, returned to the office and then…stored on a shelf.  

In an effort to be “Next Gen,” your Image committee suggested an innovative idea to the Vice President of Golden Image. Let’s manage our resources and submit entries electronically? The VP of Golden Image was receptive to the concept and said she would discuss it with the State Office.

A few weeks later, the chapter chairs were told that the State Office liked the idea of Golden Image “going green!” Since it will take some logistical changes, the State is considering beta testing electronic submissions for Golden Image 2010. Entries would be submitted the traditional way, along with an electronic version. Judges would be able to see what changes or enhancements would be needed to support and evaluate electronic submissions in the future. Of course, you would not be penalized for anything related to the electronic version - it would just be used to work through the process of bringing Golden Image into the “jet age!”

As you are getting ready to work on your local Image entry, think about how you would submit it electronically. It may take a little scanning and use of different resources, but eventually you will end up with a complete digital file of your best projects on your hard drive, instead of collecting dust on your shelf.  

Thanks for your support in this effort to be creative and sustainable!


The Call for Entries will be available in early February, so start getting (or scanning) your award materials together now!

The Holy Grail of PR: Measurement

By Susan Bennett, APR, CPRC

What is the real value of PR? How do we measure its impact on the bottom line? These are questions we’re often asked to answer, especially around budget time.

Few of us have large enough budgets to hire research firms (even though current industry standards say that we should allocate 10 percent of PR program costs to evaluation).

Or – as a colleague once said – if we were to measure everything we do, we wouldn’t have any money left to do anything. So how do we justify our budgets, our programs and even our jobs to management?

There are a few key DIY ways that won’t break the bank. Most of us know the basics of measuring output goals. We count the number of news mentions our releases generate. We might even count the number of column inches or minutes of broadcast time in a news story and convert it into Ad Value Equivalency.

There are at least two other output measures to consider: prominence and tone, which concern the quality of the news mentions. Was the story negative or positive, did it communicate the message you desired, was your company mentioned in the headline? Is your company mentioned in the lead or buried further down in the body of the story?

Answering these questions will help in the evaluation of output measures, but the real PR test is determining what impact we had on the goals of our company or client. Outcome measures are the “holy grail” of PR. How did your public relations activities change public perception of your company or change behavior? That’s the real measurement that management wants to see.

How do you measure PR results? Do you set SMART (specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, targeted) objectives and evaluate your programs? Add your comments below!

APR Candidates: Feel More Prepared

From the most recent FPRA statewide newsletter, Vice President of Accreditation and Certification Jeff Nall, APR, CPRC wrote:

"FPRA’s mission is to enhance the profession, which includes the careers of its members. Both the APR and CPRC credential can do just that by affirming your commitment to professional development , the profession and to its ethical practice as well as the broad knowledge, experience and professional judgment necessary for today’s public relations executive or manager...As you start off the New Year with goals for love, habits, budgets and yes, even the quintessential Florida beach body, I encourage you to include your career in your resolutions for 2010."

We couldn't agree more!

For those who missed free Online APR Open House event: Good news! It will be repeated in April 2010.  Click here for details.

Also, here are the links to a recording of the session and a PDF of the slides from the session:
* Slides 
* Webcast

New and exciting plans are underway to support our chapter members interested in earning their Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation. The Southwest Florida Chapter rivals any in the state for helping and supporting our APR candidates onto a path for credentialing success, and our annual study sessions are set to begin soon!

This year’s study sessions will begin with two meetings to help candidates plan for the Readiness Review, the first important step in sitting for the APR exam. Meeting dates are Feb. 16 and March 2, both beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Next, we will host an informational and planning session at 5:30 p.m. on March 16 to launch the spring study sessions. We will share general information on the APR process and get input from candidates on the suggested meeting schedule for the study sessions.

Remember, there’s no perfect time to pursue your APR. You will always be busy at work and at home, so adopt Nike’s philosophy and “Just Do It!” We will help you every step of the way. For more information and details on the upcoming meetings, email Mary or Kara today!

Kara Winton, APR, CPRC kara(at)prioritymarketing(dot)com
Mary Briggs, APR, CPRC mary(at)briggsrogers(dot)com
Credentialing Co-Chairs

PR is not Dead! A Sneak-Peek Review of an Upcoming Annual Conference Speaker

by, Pamela Cox-Nulman, APR, CPRC

“PR is not dead; it’s being reinvented,” was the message from Deirdre Breakenridge during a presentation of hers I was fortunate to catch earlier this month in New York City. She will also be a speaker at the upcoming state FPRA Annual Conference in Naples, August 8-11.

Deirdre explores the changing landscape of Public Relations and how it fits in the new world order being created by social media. Co-author, along with Brian Solis, of the popular book Putting the Public Back in Public Relations, Deirdre will no doubt be a highlight of this year’s state conference.

Here's a snapshot of what she shared with PR colleagues in January:

• Public Relations is not dead, nor is it on life support. In fact, PR is in the perfect position to be a leader in the social media movement.

• No one “owns” social media. It is being driven by a global tsunami of individuals who communicate with different tools and have very different expectations.

• As PR professionals we need to listen first, then communicate (respond).

• Rules for measurement are changing:

     < Eyeballs & Impressions/OLD

     < Participation/NEW

• Engagement is the key: get “social”

• Transparency is critical for all organizations at all levels

In addition, PR professionals need to be aware the qualifications to participate in the new era of “Public Relations” are changing to include:

• Empathy

• Market expertise

• Understanding competitive landscape

• Relevant stories, benefits

• True intentions

• A customer approach

• Observance of online cultures

• Experience with social media tools

As a profession we need to move beyond studying traditional communication models and embrace sociology, psychographics and, humanize our communications to match the culture of our audience.

Want to learn more? Catch Deirdre at the FPRA State Conference, The Big Picture, August 8-11, 2010 at the Naples Grande Beach Resort. 

Register online today.

Deirdre Breakenridge is President, Executive Director of Communications at PFS Marketwyse. A veteran of the PR industry and well known author and speaker, Deirdre can be found blogging about PR 2.0 strategies at deirdrebreakenridge.com and you can follow her on Twitter @dbreakenridge. She is also the co-founder of #PRStudChat, a monthly Twitter discussion for PR students, educators and PR pros.

Social Media Ethics with Butch Ward

Managing Director and a member of the faculty of the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg FL, Butch Ward is a seasoned journalist, having spent 27 years at The Philadelphia Inquirer. Follow him on Twitter @butchward.

Case Study #1: Let's Be Friends
Are you representing a client on social media? There's an expectation that if a public figure sets up a Facebook friend page, you are communicating with the actual person. The word "expectations" is important because people have different expectations for different types of social media interactions. You might be in someway deceiving your audience with a friend page run by proxy, but the same expecations of a site run by the actual person is not inherent in a Facebook fan page.

Consider the Values: How do you make ethical decisions
A few of the values listed by the group as part of their ethics "policy" apply to social media: accuracy, honesty, transparency, clarity and accountability.

Listen to your gut, but don't stop there. Then...

• Name the issue. Is it a conflict of interest? Is it a misrepresentation of the truth?
• List your ethical concerns. When you talk something out, you begin to see solutions.
• Identify the stakeholders.
• Find at least three alternatives. We usually ask only one question: what should we do, asked in an either/or format. There are almost always more alternatives, but we're not trained to go there. The issues are generally simplified to an either/or.

Case study 2: Yelp Reviews for Advertisers
Should you review a product on a public site without disclosing you are involved with the company? What if you are a paid advertiser? Should you expect an enhanced presence with more postitve reviews posted to the top? There was a recent story that positive reviews are rising to the top for site advertisers (versus non advertising customers) as a result of Yelp's algorithm. How can Yelp address this accusation? Use fine print for a disclaimer? Be bold and upfront about it? What ethical dillemmas arise when you consider that Yelp is not presenting itself as an advertiser-driven site.

Be transparent. This means:

• Be accurate
• Be clear
• Include a working link (and test it!) - a dead link casts disparity on the legitimacy of the story

One word to remember - choice.We may start out wanting to be true to the values we hold dear (see above for some examples). But what happens is that we are challenged to make value-driven, ethical, angel-on-the-shoulder decisions in the face of very compelling reasons to chose the other path. Many people like to say in these circumstances that they "didn't have a choice." As we face these pressure points, rather than rationalize, we need to remember and uphold our values.

What if we're wrong?
Have you ever posted incorrect information on your social media networks? Perhaps you shared info that was a hoax, wrote the wrong date, or just made a mistake in general.  What do you do? Do you laugh or make a joke about it? Delete it? 'Fess up? Make excuses? Deny it? Point the finger at someone else?

This goes back to realizing who your stakeholders are, and what you are really trying to do for them. For example, if you are setting out to treat your audiences with dignity and respect, wouldn't you want them to have the facts straight. It's important to correct misleading information, particularly when you examine your decision in the light of this value.

As more people are getting on board with Social Media and using it both for personal and professional activities, we should be having discussions about policies and ethical guidelines before a crisis situation arises. Be proactive and  have these conversations about social media ethics with your employees and partners now.

You now have access to the public discourse in this country in a way you have never had before. But with that comes responsibility. There is a bigger reason that ever before to think about the ethics that guide you. This is a tremendous opportunity to communicate effectively.

Social Media: Tips and tools for integrating Social Media into PR Campaigns

Michelle Catin is the Digital and Social Media Manager of rbb Public Relations.
You can follow her on twitter:  @mimi2point0

What we know of social media is just the tip of the iceberg-- there's so much more to come.

• In 2008, Internet passed newspapers at a source of national and international news.  
• In 2007, Social Networking sites became more visited than porn sites.
• We should all use Facebook for business "If you're not on Facebook, you're not on the internet."
• Every second, a new member joins LinkedIn.
• Twitter use increased 1000% in February 2009.
• YouTube:  100,000,000 videos are viewed per day.
• Anyone can be a reporter on "Wikipedia."

When Maurice Jarre passed away, a student penned a fictitious quiote on the Maurice Jarre's wikipedia entry.  This quote was repeated in numerous newspapers and media outlets-- even though it was factually incorrect.  The media is using the internet for their research... just like the rest of us.
(read more about it here)


Social Media is "Not a fad-- but a fundamental shift in the PR industry.'

The Fundamentals of Public Relations can and should also be used in Social Media!
Research
Planning
Implementation
Evaluation

Research:
Listen.  Set up Google alerts, social media alerts utilizing socialmention.  Research the topics being discussed, the sentiment of these posts, the outlets being used to discuss your business, etc.
Other tracking sites:

• radian6
• converseon
• biz360
• trackur
  
• Use services like Tweetdeck to monitor your twitter mentions.

Survey your audience.  Find out how they're communicating about you.

Strategic Planning: Walk, don't run.  If you build it, they won't come.  You can't expect people to just find you.

• Build a foundation. Use familiy and friends to be your followers
• Use existing assets to promote your social media channels.  Use signature file, website, etc. to promote
• Establish critical mass
• Don't expect results overnight.  Social media is a commitment that requires a full-time commitment.

Implementation:  How to use different social media campaigns in your planning:

• Use Facebook for community events.  Create a virtual invitation.  When people say yes, it will show up on their profile.
• Use ustream to upload video of any event with your iphone. (other phones may be compatable)  You can also upload from your computer.
• Use Flickr to link photos to relevant keywords, which is ideal for Search Engine Optimization.
• Use cross-platform applications (example, set up your Flickr to automatically post to Facebook)
• Use press release distribution services to create links, SEO for your website/organization.  (She does not reccomend the expensive pay services... she beileves that their releases don't live as long on the internet as other services.  She prefers pressreleasepoint.com)
• Use Twitter to build relationships with reporters.  Find them using tweepsearch, which searches twitter bios.

Evaluating: An important process that we sometimes dismiss.  How do you show results?
Measure results using socialmention, bit.ly (which measures clicks to shortened links)
YouTube and Facebook all provide "insights" for measurements

Question:  How do you convince a client that they need to be involved in social media?
1) Measuring their current mentions in social media platforms to determine their online reputation.

2) Looking to see what their competitors are doing.
3) If they're afraid of losing control... they should know that they never really had control to begin with.

Question:  How does Google's recent search algorithm change my web approach?
Yes... they use "real-time" search now, which means that more social media, particularly Twitter, are indexed.  Recent mentions will put you higher in search results.

Question: How do you determine what keywords are most relevant for people looking for you?

Google Keyword tool.  You type in  bunch of phrases, Google generates a list of similar phrases, and tells you which ones are most used.


Question:  How can you take advantage of hashtags and trending topics on Twitter?
Use existing hashtags or keywords (or make up your own) whenever relevant.  She does not know of a tool which tracks the popularity of particular hashtags.  Yes, a lot of hashtags are spam... but they can also be a great tool.

Question:  What is your crisis plan for if your twitter account is hacked?
You can work with Twitter to repair situations like this. She recommends changing facebook and twitter passwords every month.

Question: How easy is it to get things like that repaired at Twitter.  Do they have "Operators standing by?"
You can leave them a message on the twitter forums, but it will take a long time to resolve.  You can also send a public tweet to twitter's administrators. 

Deep dive into blogging with Chris Griffith

Google Bonita Springs, Florida, and one of the first sites to pop up is http://www.lifeinbonitasprings.com/, a blog by Chris Griffith, a realtor with Keller Williams Elite Realty in Bonita Springs. Also known as Twitterzilla where she tweets about daily life in Bonita Springs, Chris is an avid user of all tools social to promote the community she loves first, and sell real estate, second.

While there are currently some 200 million blogs, many still fear blogging and are unsure what it can do for their business.

So – starting with the basics. Still not sure what blogging is? In simple terms - it’s a basic Web site that allows you to publish content and contact information. It’s an inexpensive means of marketing and unlike employees – a blog is working for you 24/7!

Ready to start? Chris recommends new bloggers use one of three free programs:

Wordpress
Typepad
Blogger

For more sophisticated bloggers, Chris recommends Windows Live Writer. A one-stop shop for building and maintaining blogs.

Not a do-it-yourselfer? You can always hire a professional to help you set up your blog, manage your blog and promote it through other social networking sites.

If you’re just getting started, these tools are risk free, easy to use and can get you up and running fast. However, Chris cautions, you need to decide what you’re going to blog about first.

Blogs become your “public” voice so think about your personal brand and how you want to be known. People become involved with you via your blog because they feel they know you and can engage with you. It’s personal – it’s social - and it’s all about building relationships.

Two types of blogging personalities initially emerge:

- Freezers: Not sure what to write about/immediate writer’s block
- Prolific writers: Rewriting War and Peace with every blog

The challenge is to find what’s right for you and use your own voice to share your information/point of view/etc.

Wondering what to Blog about? Focus on your customers and share:

- What we believe our customers need to know
- What they want to know
- What they are searching for
- Show our authority on a specific subject

Get personal! Showcase fun, “behind the scenes” stories and anecdotes. This is social media after all!

Need a few more pointers about blogging?

• Start with writing about what you know!

• Stay current with what’s happening socially, culturally and in business. Key posts off current events.

• Running out of ideas? Think green and recycle information such as emails, reports, forms, videos, pictures.

• To expand your reach stalk the search terms your followers used to find you.

• Sweet talk Google and she’ll come to you – in other words – know the right words to optimize your search in Google!

Yes! I have a Blog – now what?

Promote your Blog! Integrate your Blog with other social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Flickr.

Enhance your content by adding photos and videos. “A picture is worth a 1000 words – a video – a million!" (Credit to OnePersonToo).

And a few final thoughts when blogging:

• Be yourself
• Be polite
• Be cautious about photos your post
• Always remember – blogging is a marathon, not a sprint!

Utilizing YouTube for Community Engagement: Michelle K. Gardner

From her official bio: Michelle K. Gardner, John Scott Daily Florida Institute of Government (IOG) at the University of Central Florida (UCF), Utilizing YouTube for Community Engagement. Michelle K. Gardner lives on the World Wide Web. Michelle has a background in management, but her passions are for all things online. Through the IOG, Michelle is able to conduct direct research on how local governments engage their citizens, particularly through technology. Not content with her MS degree in management, Michelle is currently enrolled in the Texts and Technology PhD program at UCF. Primarily focusing on how we are using digital media tools and the World Wide Web. As a wife, mother, full time employee and PhD student, Michelle is grateful the World Wide Web is available 24/7!

And she's a self described "true geek." Love it! Her day-to-day work involves teaching people in government and non-profits how to engage citizens with social media tools. You Tube has been widely known for its entertainment purposes, not to mention "viral" videos, but there are ways to harness it for engaging your communities, measure results, and other business purposes.

YouTube is the leader in online video and the premier destination to watch and share original videos world wide through a Web experience.

YouTube is a part of our cultural change – no matter what your industry, social media resources are a new way that our culture is sharing and receiving information. This format can have a huge impact on your brand and company perceptions.

Benefits of YouTube:
• 24/7 availability
• Dynamic content (not “text on a page”) that is engaging
• Multi-viewer video (many people can watch it at the same time without hold-ups)
• Doesn’t eat up your server space, no paying for storage

YouTube is a great source for research! YouTube features about 40 percent user-generated content, including “vlogs” or video blogs, that you can watch to tap into ideas and opinions people are sharing. YouTube can also be highly useful in motivating a group of citizens by arming them with knowledge, and interesting, easy-to-share material.

A fun video example for your viewing pleasure:
“Forever” wedding dance down the aisle

This video spread like wild fire, prompting magazine articles, TV spoofs (on "The Office") and guest appearances. the song the "dance down the aisle" to is Chris Brown’s 2008 hit "Forever." With the viral spread of this homemade video posted to YouTube, Brown's song made a come back on the charts in July 2009.

As an intentional business example: This is UCF is a 1:42 video that serves as a commercial through YouTube and simple video technology. They have their own “channel” and people can see all your available content. To create your account, or channel, you only need your name password and basic settings, and voila! Easy right?

Creating content and getting started

All you need is a camera, tri-pod, video editing software, staff for video content…but you could even use videos shot from your mobile phone or device! You don’t have to spend a lot of money to incorporate these tools; it just takes a little learning or an extra hand. Getting extra staff to help out can be as easy as getting interns from local colleges or even engaged citizens or volunteers. Some of them may even have the video tools you need to get started.

Practical tips:
• HD video is great, but it ideally suited for less than 10 minute-long videos.
• Creative Commons, copywright licensing for social media content that ensures people get credit for the content they are sharing.
• As a side note in general about all things social media: Clarity of thought is important. You should know why are getting involved and have policies in place.
• Keep your logo on your video the whole time near the bottom of the screen (called a “bug” in the broadcasting world).
• Promote by sharing the link everywhere: company Web site, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
• Use Google Analytics to track your results.

And a final video piece from You Tube: Phil’s Phirst Philm

You can follow Michelle on Twitter at @oneperson2.

FPRA SWFL February 2010 Program: Building the Bridge Between You and Your Boss or Client

Art Stevens, APR, Fellow PRSA


Learn how to influence your company’s leadership or your client to commit to tested and sound PR practices. A former top twenty public relations agency owner will share his insights and experience on how to transpose yourself into an "agency" whether you work inside the organization or for an actual a public relations agency at the February FPRA meeting on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre's Cafe Cabaret. Networking and buffet lunch begins at 11:15 a.m. Reserve your seat on our Web site now.

This art of influence will be presented by Art Stevens, APR, Fellow PRSA, managing partner of StevensGouldPincus, a merger and management consulting firm to the PR and communications industries. He was co-founder, chairman and CEO of LobsenszStevens, one of the top twenty independent public relations firms in the country up to the time of its acquisition by Publicis Groupe in 2000.

Ever since he was named public relations director of Prentice-Hall Inc. at the age of 25, Art Stevens has contributed substantially to the public relations field. His background in corporate, financial, product, educational, marketing and political public relations has earned him lifetime achievement awards by his peers.

He is a PR industry leader, Fellow of PRSA, author, award-winning writer and is listed in Who’s Who in America. He has been published in Harvard Business Review and a long-standing contributing editor to the Public Relations Quarterly.

Mr. Stevens has served as instructor of public relations and management case studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University and has lectured at the New School, New York University and many other colleges and associations.

Mr. Stevens is a self-proclaimed snowbird alternating between his homes in Sanibel, Florida, and Somerset, New Jersey.

Special Thanks to Shell Point Retirement Community for sponsoring our February meeting!

Have you registered for the meeting yet?

Annual Conference Update: Think Business, Think Pleasure

For the Florida Public Relations Association's Annual Conference, "The Big Picture: Bringing Public Relations Strategy and Leadership Into Focus,"

Think Business, Think Pleasure

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: August 8 – 11, 2010 at the beautiful Naples Grande in Naples, Fla.
RESERVE YOUR HOTEL ROOM NOW: Only $125 per night! Reservation link is up at www.fpra.org
REGISTER NOW: Registration forms are ready! Take care of it now and relax! Go to www.fpra.org to download your registration form.

Attending Annual Conference is always a good bet on both the professional development side and from the angle of personal enjoyment!



Practicing what we preach, research before tactics, FPRA has a link to an Annual Conference survey (emailed to all members on Tuesday, January 19). Please click through and let them know your thoughts!

For the price conscious concerns (I’m sure we all think of these a bit more these days), the Naples Grande has just reduced their room rate to FPRA Annual Conference attendees! The cost per night has dropped from $149 to $125 per night. Even if you already booked your rooms, the hotel will honor these new rates. Just be sure to let them know you’re with FPRA, and you’re in! This is a real bargain on their rooms, by the way. The Annual Conference committee continues to keep costs in mind, looking for ways to further enhance the value of attending this year.

To help emphasize the value for our members (and those holding the budget strings), please continue to send in your testimonials about how the annual conference has benefited you and your employer, please e-mail it to wwacker (at) rtix (dot) com.

Social Media Cafe Schedule Announced

9:00 - 9:30 Registration

9:30 - 9:45 Morning session begins - Opening remarks

9:45 - 10:45 Michelle K. Gardner, UCF,
Utilizing You Tube for Citizen Engagement

10:45 – 11:45 Chris Griffith, Lifeinbonita.com
Understanding Blogs

11:45 Lunch Registration

12:15 Lunch and Meeting – President, Kathleen Taylor, APR

12:30 - 1:30 Lunch Speaker
Michelle Catin, RBB PR
Integrating Social Media into PR Campaigns

1:30 - 1:45 15 Minute Break
1:45 - 3:00 Butch Ward,Poynter, Social Media Ethics

Registration will close at end of business Friday, Jan. 15. Don't miss out on the opportunity to hear from this great line-up! For more information, visit: www.fpraswfl.org.

Registration is Open for the Social Media Cafe

That's right! We are shaking things up and heading downtown as we serve-up the Third Course of the Social Media Cafe Series. We invite you to join on on Friday, January 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Royal Palm Yacht Club, 2360 West First St., Fort Myers as we examine the trends, tricks and tips to successfully navigate the social media arena.

This lecture-style seminar will provide attendees a specialized look at incorporating social media with other Web 2.0 technologies with presentations from:

• Butch Ward, Managing Director and a member of the faculty of The Poynter Institute,Ethics in Social Media. As a 27-year journalist for The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Baltimore News-American, Butch served stints as managing editor at both newspapers. Before joining Poynter, he spent three years being covered by journalists as a spokesperson for Independence Blue Cross, the largest health insurer in Southeastern Pennsylvania. He leads seminars in leadership, editing and writing, and has taught for the Committee of Concerned Journalists and for APME NewsTrain. During the 2008 Presidential campaign, Butch helped journalists explore more effective ways to cover national elections for their local audiences.

• Michelle K. Gardner, John Scott Daily Florida Institute of Government (IOG) at the University of Central Florida (UCF), Utilizing YouTube for Community Engagement. Michelle K. Gardner lives on the World Wide Web. Michelle has a background in management, but her passions are for all things online. Through the IOG, Michelle is able to conduct direct research on how local governments engage their citizens, particularly through technology. Not content with her MS degree in management, Michelle is currently enrolled in the Texts and Technology PhD program at UCF. Primarily focusing on how we are using digital media tools and the World Wide Web. As a wife, mother, full time employee and PhD student, Michelle is grateful the World Wide Web is available 24/7!

• Chris Griffith - Realtor, www.LifeinBonitaSprings.com, An In-depth Look at Blogging. Chris Griffith is a real estate agent with Keller Williams Elite Realty in Bonita Springs, Florida. She has been licensed and selling real estate for nine years in the state of Florida. Outside of selling real estate, Chris writes a real estate column for the Naples Daily News, Bonita Bannera and a community blog-site: www.LifeinBonitaSprings.com. Chris also teaches tecnology, social networking and blogging for real estate agents. Her social networking knowledge took her to the National Association of Realtors Midyear Conference in May 2008.
  
  
• And More!

Registration and Networking begins at 9 a.m. with presentations beginning at 9:30 a.m. The cost for a full day registration is $25 for students, $35 for members and $50 for non-members. Members and guests must register on www.fpraswfl.org no later than Friday, January 15. Seats are limited. No shows will be billed.