A Call for Image Entries

2013 Local Image Awards

The 2013 Call for Entries is out! The deadline for submitting an entry is Friday, March 8 by 5 p.m.

The Local Image Awards competition is conducted annually by the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association to recognize outstanding public relations programs and to encourage and promote the development of public relations professionalism in our region.

The Local Image Awards have become a standard of public relations excellence in Southwest Florida. Winners demonstrate the very best examples of innovation, planning and design. The awards competition includes four divisions of categories: Public Relations Programs, Printed Tools of Public Relations, Audio/Visual/Online Tools of Public Relations and Student Projects in Public Relations. To qualify for judging, an entry must incorporate sound public relations research and planning. Entries also must meet the highest

standard of production, execution and evaluation of results and budget.

New Website Launch Update 1/24/2013

We would like to announce that the website redesign for the Southwest Chapter of FPRA has launched and it looks great!!!  We are still updating some of the information on the site, and working through any technical glitches, so we appreciate your patience as we work towards this great finished product!  Thanks to David Grey with Flame Productions for working with our chapter to offer this new and exciting website for the Southwest Chapter!

If you have difficulties with the website, please email our chapter president, Jessica Clark, at jclark5983@yahoo.com.

We apologize for any inconvenience you may encounter, but the end result will be well worth any momentary challenges. Thanks again and have a great day!!

New "Image Buddies" Program in Play This Year

 

For our 2013 Local Image Awards, we have developed a mentoring program called “Image Buddies” to help members who have not entered Image before or those that need a little bit of guidance in the Image process.

 

Your Local Image Committee has four seasoned “Image Experts” who have offered to help with this new program. This group will be able to encourage you and offer advice on how to submit an award-winning entry. By offering a hands-on experience with a trusted and knowledgeable “buddy”, we hope you will feel more comfortable about asking questions and make entering Local Image a little less daunting.

 

Thanks to our chapter volunteers who have stepped up to help – Mary Briggs, APR, CPRC, Pam Nulman, APR, CPRC, Carolyn Rogers, APR, CPRC and Karen Ryan, APR, CPRC.  If you have any questions about Local Image and/or would like help from an Image Buddy, please contact me so I can help match you up with one of our local experts!

 

 

 

 

I can't live without...

By Heidi Taulman

PR Daily!

Check this out!  LOVE it

http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/13492.aspx#

Monthly APR Trivia: January

Question: Which is NOT a KSA (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities) competency measured on the written exam for Accreditation in Public Relations?

A.     Media Relations

B.     Research, Planning, Implementation and Evaluating Programs

C.     Social Media

D.     Business Literacy

Answer: C. Social Media. This is an important communications medium and public relations tactic, but not a KSA evaluated on the exam.

Mark Your Calendar for Conference 2013!

Make sure that you plan ahead for Conference 2013!  It is sure to be a blast, as it is every year, and the information that guests receive during this conference is priceless!  The dates for FPRA State Conference are August 4-7, 2013 at the Vinoy in St. Petersburg Florida!  The rates will be $695 for members during early bird registration before July 20.  More details will be coming soon on this fun event!

President's Word

Well, I am sure we are all back in full swing after the holidays and with the start of the new year.  I know this time of year is considered ‘season’ here, and as PR professionals, we are always on the go, but even more so from January through April.  With so much going on, it can be hard to always make every meeting, but make sure to check out what is coming up in FPRA and try to make time.  I wanted to take a moment and get a few upcoming dates on your calendar.  The February 12 meeting will focus on sponsorships and how to make sure businesses are getting the most out of their participation, and the March 11 meeting will focus on how to prioritize your time and schedule between work and home life.  Two great meetings coming up, so make sure to get those on your calendar.  Also, note that we are approaching the Image Awards, and if you plan to submit, mark March 8 as your deadline to drop off your submission.  And, April 18 will be the Image Awards Ceremony at 6pm.  All of these are informative and fun events that you won’t want to miss.  

January Meeting Recap

The January FPRA Business meeting was busting out at the seams with members and guests in attendance.  Nearly 70 people were present to hear Allison Blankenship talk about how to get your message out and to you audience.  Her presentation, “I Wish I’d Said That! How to Motivate, Persuade, and Communicate Under Pressure,” was excellent, and her fun personality shined through.  She discussed how in today’s crazy world of tweets, texts, and viral videos, you only have a few seconds to get your message heard, and gave attendees tips on how to do just that. Everyone left with new tactics and ideas on how to cut through the clutter with their message, and it can be targeted and persuasive in just three simple steps.   The Rule of 3, and using the age old method of an introduction, body, and conclusion!  Guests were not only able to listen, but participated in group activities to help them think on their feet and use these tactics to get their message out.  

January Member Spotlight

Principal of The Cooper Group, Ginny Cooper is an experienced public relations and marketing professional, branding expert, published freelance writer, and effective communicator.

A dynamic speaker, she was a presenter at TWTRCON SF 10, a national conference on the use of Twitter for business, held in San Francisco and headlined by representatives from some of the world’s foremost social media-savvy corporations such as Ford Motor Co., PRNewswire, H&R Block, Southwest Airlines and Edelman Digital. Ginny was invited to speak again at the conference, rebranded as Realtime NY 11, and held in New York City, where executives from PepsiCo, Citibank, Delta and the NHL shared their social media insights.

Ginny has been a member of the Southwest Florida Chapter of FPRA since 2002. She served  as Image Chair in 2005 when the Chapter won the President’s Award for Image. Named Chapter Member of the Year in 2008, Ginny is  also a past president of the Chapter (2008-2009). During her tenure as chapter president she also served as the Website Chair and co-chaired the 2009 Image Awards. She served on the statewide Executive Committee of FPRA as Vice President of Golden Image in 2011.

“My biggest reward from being an FPRA member has been the personal friendships and professional relationships I have developed over the years, particularly during the period of time I served on the Board of Directors. As chapter president it was gratifying to bring home three President’s Awards from the 2009 Annual Conference, two of which I was personally involved with: the Technology Award for our first website redesign and our foray into social media (led by Carla Ulakovic and Kathleen Taylor, APR); and for Chapter Administration, primarily for the restructuring of our Board of Directors into the two-tiered system we have today, that resulted in greater efficiencies and brought experienced members back into leadership.”

“The one thing about me that not every member may know is that I am afraid of heights. What they also may not know is that I went skydiving in 2007 and hang gliding just this month in order to overcome those fears.”

FPRA Webinar Series Starting Jan 31st-Sign Up Today!

 

 

The Florida Public Relations Association is excited to present its new web-based professional development series! Kicking off this month will be two nationally recognized speakers: Jenny Schmitt and Jim Joseph. Cost to participate in the first two webinars for members have been significantly discounted and more webinars are coming online starting in March, many of them free of charge to members only!

Registration for the January 31st webinar with Jenny Schmitt on “Emerging Social Trends, Technologies & Tools” is open now. 

To ensure an interactive and efficient program, only 25 virtual seats are available … so register today! 

*If you are a member of FPRA, visit the Active Members page for your member webinar discount code. Your code will be at the bottom of the page under the FPRA e-facts news link. YOU MUST BE LOGGED IN TO ACCESS THE ACTIVE MEMBER PAGE. If you don't remember your username and or password, please contact the State Office at (941) 365-2135, ext. 306 or email state@fpra.org.

February Luncheon: Satisfying Sponsors

Satisfying Sponsors Join us on February 12th to hear from a panel of experts who are on the "other side" of fundraising.  Their businesses sponsor countless events, and they know what benefits they expect from the organizations they support.  You will learn how to think beyond typical sponsor benefits in order to satisfy your sponsors and keep them coming back year after year!

 Jessica Stilwell is Vice President of Marketing at FineMark National Bank & Trust. She is responsible for coordinating branding guidelines and standards throughout FineMark’s seven offices in Florida and Arizona. She generates the content for printed collateral, advertising, web content and events at the bank. Jessica also manages all of the sponsorships and donations for FineMark. Jessica studied Broadcast Journalism at the University of Southern California and spent 12 years as a news reporter and anchor in Fort Myers before starting her career at FineMark.
 

Brian Hamman is Market Development Manager at CenturyLink in Fort Myers. Brian is a former TV News Anchor who traded in his teleprompter for a Public Relations career.  Instead of reporting the news, he is now creating it as Market Development Manager for CenturyLink, Southwest Florida’s largest Telecommunications provider.

Brian manages PR, corporate sponsorship, philanthropy, community relations and local government affairs for a nine county area that includes Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Desoto, Hendry, Glades, Hardee, Highlands and Okeechobee.  He ensures his company stands out on Southwest Florida’s crowded social calendar by securing unique sponsorships and building relationships with influential organizations. 

Immediately before joining CenturyLink, Brian built a practice from the ground up as a Financial Advisor for Edwards Jones.  At the firm, he gained valuable business, financial and sales skills.

Brian’s TV news career spanned 10 years and included stints at WINK, FOX 4 and Joplin, Missouri’s ABC affiliate KODE.  At WINK, he worked his way up from his first job running teleprompter while still in high school to videographer.  He moved to FOX 4 for his first on-air job as a sportscaster.  In Joplin, Brian anchored KODE’s 5pm, 6pm and 10pm newscasts and also served as Executive Producer.

A Southwest Florida native, Brian is a graduate of Cape Coral High School.  He received an Associate in Arts degree from Edison State College and a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Florida Gulf Coast University.  He spends his free time touring Lee County’s wonderful beaches and parks with his wife Rebecca and 2 year old daughter Kaitlyn.   

Kevin Anderson is currently a Senior Manager with the National Store Support Center Operations Group for Chico’s FAS, Inc.  He joined Chico’s after a 25 year career with the Fort Myers Police Department.

Kevin has always been active in the community.  He was appointed to the Children’s Services Council of Lee County by Governor Chiles, currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Southwest Florida Safety Council, has served on the Board of Directors for the Coalition for Drug Free Southwest Florida and the Lee County Chapter of the American Red Cross and was the inaugural chair of the State of Florida Juvenile Justice Standards and Training Commission.

Kevin is a graduate of the University of Louisville Southern Police Institute, Edison Community College and Florida Gulf Coast University.  Kevin and his wife, Krista, live in old Fort Myers.  Their daughter, Kayla is a graduate of The Florida State University and recently started a job with Jeff Atwater, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer.  They are members of First Christian Church of Fort Myers.

Thank you to Habitat for Humanity
Lee & Hendry Counties for sponsoring this event!

A CALL FOR SPONSORS: Aim for the Stars-2013 Local Image Awards!

Aim for the Stars – Sponsor the 2013 Local Image Awards!

When you sponsor the 2013 Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association Local Image Awards, top communications and public relations professionals in the region will see that your company is a winner.
 
Image Awards is an annual event to recognize outstanding communications, marketing and public relations programs by area non-profits, government organizations and public relations firms. Image Awards have become a standard of excellence and demonstrate the very best of innovation, planning and design.
 
Your sponsorship offers a unique opportunity to reach an influential target audience – people who use and recommend services, purchase and promote products every day. And that’s just while they’re at the office!

We are currently looking for sponsors or in-kind donations for items or services that will be used at the event (food/beverage, giveaways/door prizes), to be held on Thursday, April 18, 2013. All levels of contribution are greatly appreciated. Please review the sponsorship levels to take advantage of this opportunity! The deadline to reserve your sponsorship is Friday, Feb. 1, 2013.

2013 Local Image Awards Committee

Sponsorship Opportunities

Sapphire Sponsor - $150

—         Two tickets to the Local Image Awards event

—         Table space to promote your company at event check-in

—         Your company’s logo and/or name on all event promotions (invitations, newsletter, programs, signage, website, etc.)

—         Your company’s logo on a PowerPoint slide visible during networking and other portions of the event

—         One collateral piece distributed at each seat

Silver Sponsor - $100

—         One ticket to the Local Image Awards event

—         Your company’s logo and/or name on all event promotions (invitations, newsletter, programs, signage, website, etc.)

—         Your company’s logo on a PowerPoint slide visible during networking and other portions of the event

—         One collateral piece distributed at each seat

Bronze Sponsor - $50

—         Your company’s logo and/or name on all event promotions (invitations, newsletter, programs, signage, website, etc.)

—         Your company’s logo on a PowerPoint slide visible during networking and other portions of the event

For further information or any questions, please contact us at: 239.590.4502 

Membership - 2013 Perks

Thank you very much to everyone who renewed by December 31st and welcome to our many new members! We are so excited to see the healthy membership roster and look forward to sharing lots of fun times and learning moments in 2013. 

We have many outstanding programs planned this year, not the least of which include a great line up of speakers, local Image Awards, Media Breakfast, PRU and more. Every month your leadership team works hard to offer you value for your membership - and we hope we succeed! If you have any suggestions, feel free to share them.

You can sign up for membership anytime. If you have questions or need help with your membership (or referring a friend or colleague), feel free to contact Samantha Scott, APR at samantha@getpushing.com.

 

 

Social Media Corner: Finding Ideas to Blog About

By: Jessica Boles

We all know how important blogging can be, but it’s easy to get hung up on writing on a new topic. If you find yourself looking for fresh ideas for your blogs, here are some tips to help get your creative juices flowing.

If you are you running out of ideas for blog posts, there are a lot of tips out there that can help you start to get some new ideas. One of the biggest tips is using Google alerts. Simply set your Google alerts for a few industry keywords and ask to deliver at least 20 stories a day. Go over the headlines and topics, add in some links and once you have some related stories-there is your next blog.

Another tip is to read your competitors blog. You can subscribe to their sites and scan their headlines for some topics related to your field as well.

One easy suggestion is to look over the national newspapers and magazine stories. How do the topics in the newspapers and magazines relate to your readers? You can write about national trends as well as local trends and your readers will soon look to you for the latest big news stories.

A last piece of advice is to read your social media groups questions. What are your groups chatting about right now? You can answer these questions on your blog and then create a follow up link on your social media outlet.

There are tons of ideas to help get your brain thinking of new topics and the more blogs and posts that you create, the farther your reach goes out to other readers. Be sure to create back links, turn to others for inspiration, use keyword tools and always remember that there are NO wrong topics in writing blogs!

Start the New Year Off Right with New Member Orientation!

Happy New Year from FPRA!

The SWFL Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association invites you to 
 attend a “new member orientation”  before our regularly scheduled monthly meeting at 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, January 8 at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. Please let us know if you’re interested, or know someone who is, and able to attend this informational session about the many ways FPRA can help you realize your professional goals and how to make the most of your membership. 

To RSVP or learn more, please contact Melissa Cofta, APR at (239) 425-2366 ext. 25 or melissa.cofta@pacecenter.org