Saturday, February 27, 2010
Publicity Client: First Impressions Training CEO Press Release Published in Local Paper
Pattie McNiel's announcement of election to Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors covered by local weekly. Read the story at the following link: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20100226/WILLIAMSTON08/2280505/1252
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Pattie McNiel Elected to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Ingham County Board of Directors
WILLIAMSTON -- Pattie McNiel, Founder & CEO of First Impressions Training and a Williamston resident, has been elected to the board of directors of the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Ingham County. Active in the local Habitat for Humanity organization for a number of years, McNiel said she is honored to join the Habitat Board of Directors.
“What interested me in Habitat for Humanity is that I believe it really fits in with my philosophical views on life,” McNiel said. “We simply must have a solid foundation of food, clothing, and shelter in order to move forward in life to be all that you can be.”
McNiel will serve on Habitat’s development committee. “I will be seeking help from the community both financial and getting volunteers in order to achieve our goals. We want to put as many partner families in homes as possible,” McNiel explained. “Volunteerism is central to our mission to eliminate substandard housing, as volunteers provide the labor with which we build houses for Ingham County families in need.”
According to McNiel volunteers do more than just work on houses. “Our ReStores are staffed with volunteers, they help run our fundraisers, and help in our office.” McNiel said the local Habitat organization is always looking for volunteers. With Spring just around the corner and the home construction season at hand, people interested to help with Habitat for Humanity projects are encouraged to join the group’s efforts.
The Habitat for Humanity of Greater Ingham County affiliate has been constructing homes in rural Ingham County since 1997. It is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian organization whose mission is to eliminate substandard housing.
“I believe in order to get out of the mess this country is in all of us must put forth 100 percent each and every day. When folks are worried about the fundamental needs such as food, clothing, and shelter it becomes very difficult to put forth extra effort,” McNiel emphasized.
To help the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Ingham County you can call 655-1872. Their service area includes the twelve townships to the south and east of the Lansing area, including the towns and villages of Mason, Williamston, Webberville, Stockbridge, Dansville, Leslie, and Onondaga.
About First Impressions Training
First Impressions Training (www.firstimpressionstraining.com) was established in 2001 and is based in Williamston, Michigan. The company’s mission is providing outstanding, high value, professional business etiquette workshops, food safety consulting and third party restaurant audits. First Impressions Training specializes in promoting professional business etiquette and civility. It has been providing training to businesses working in China with its focus on Chinese communication, culture, and manners for professionals doing business in China. First Impressions Training has trained thousands of students and employees from many organizations throughout the country.
“What interested me in Habitat for Humanity is that I believe it really fits in with my philosophical views on life,” McNiel said. “We simply must have a solid foundation of food, clothing, and shelter in order to move forward in life to be all that you can be.”
McNiel will serve on Habitat’s development committee. “I will be seeking help from the community both financial and getting volunteers in order to achieve our goals. We want to put as many partner families in homes as possible,” McNiel explained. “Volunteerism is central to our mission to eliminate substandard housing, as volunteers provide the labor with which we build houses for Ingham County families in need.”
According to McNiel volunteers do more than just work on houses. “Our ReStores are staffed with volunteers, they help run our fundraisers, and help in our office.” McNiel said the local Habitat organization is always looking for volunteers. With Spring just around the corner and the home construction season at hand, people interested to help with Habitat for Humanity projects are encouraged to join the group’s efforts.
The Habitat for Humanity of Greater Ingham County affiliate has been constructing homes in rural Ingham County since 1997. It is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian organization whose mission is to eliminate substandard housing.
“I believe in order to get out of the mess this country is in all of us must put forth 100 percent each and every day. When folks are worried about the fundamental needs such as food, clothing, and shelter it becomes very difficult to put forth extra effort,” McNiel emphasized.
To help the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Ingham County you can call 655-1872. Their service area includes the twelve townships to the south and east of the Lansing area, including the towns and villages of Mason, Williamston, Webberville, Stockbridge, Dansville, Leslie, and Onondaga.
About First Impressions Training
First Impressions Training (www.firstimpressionstraining.com) was established in 2001 and is based in Williamston, Michigan. The company’s mission is providing outstanding, high value, professional business etiquette workshops, food safety consulting and third party restaurant audits. First Impressions Training specializes in promoting professional business etiquette and civility. It has been providing training to businesses working in China with its focus on Chinese communication, culture, and manners for professionals doing business in China. First Impressions Training has trained thousands of students and employees from many organizations throughout the country.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Editorial Calendars: A Key to Publicizing Your Small Business or Non-Profit
What is the one thing that all of the best public relations
agencies do every year? They research and compile editorial calendars from publications that are pertinent to their client's business.
Small business owners in search of media coverage can do this, too.
Editorial calendars are schedules of what topics a publication
plans to cover for a particular month. Many publications post their editorial calendars on their Web sites -- usually they're found in their advertising
media kits. Otherwise, contact the publication's advertising
departments and ask for a calendar. Check for editorial deadlines
- many publications work 6 months in advance.
Bill Stoller, the "Publicity Insider", has spent two decades as
one of America's top publicists. For free articles, killer publicity tips
and much, much more, visit Bill's exclusive new site:
http://www.publicityInsider.com
agencies do every year? They research and compile editorial calendars from publications that are pertinent to their client's business.
Small business owners in search of media coverage can do this, too.
Editorial calendars are schedules of what topics a publication
plans to cover for a particular month. Many publications post their editorial calendars on their Web sites -- usually they're found in their advertising
media kits. Otherwise, contact the publication's advertising
departments and ask for a calendar. Check for editorial deadlines
- many publications work 6 months in advance.
Bill Stoller, the "Publicity Insider", has spent two decades as
one of America's top publicists. For free articles, killer publicity tips
and much, much more, visit Bill's exclusive new site:
http://www.publicityInsider.com
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Internet Radio Rolls Out in Lansing
Stepping out into a new direction, Internet radio debuts in Lansing at TalkLansing.net beginning at 6 a.m., Monday, February 15, 2010, with long-time radio voice Walt Sorg starting it off.
Quoting from their Website: “In the beginning there was AM radio. For 50 years it was the mainstay of broadcasting. Then came FM radio. The static was gone and it was in stereo, but was limited in geographic range. We're excited to bring the third generation of radio to Lansing in mid February. TalkLansing.net brings mid-Michigan nonstop local news/talk through the power of the Internet.
TalkLansing.net is truly local; with their lineup including some of this areas best known radio personalities. Corin Johnston and Walt Sorg will host AM Lansing every morning, Tim Nester will anchor mid-mornings, and veteran journalist Jim Fordyce will host MI Afternoon from 3 to 6. We'll be joined by many contributors including Lansing business guru Chris Holman with local business updates, weather reports from the meteorologists at News Center 6, among others.”
There's no conventional transmitter. You hear it using your smartphones including iPhone, BlackBerry, Palm, Windows Mobile, Symbian, and Android devices. You can also catch the Internet stream from your computer, or even your car.
Learn more and listen at http://talklansing.net/
Quoting from their Website: “In the beginning there was AM radio. For 50 years it was the mainstay of broadcasting. Then came FM radio. The static was gone and it was in stereo, but was limited in geographic range. We're excited to bring the third generation of radio to Lansing in mid February. TalkLansing.net brings mid-Michigan nonstop local news/talk through the power of the Internet.
TalkLansing.net is truly local; with their lineup including some of this areas best known radio personalities. Corin Johnston and Walt Sorg will host AM Lansing every morning, Tim Nester will anchor mid-mornings, and veteran journalist Jim Fordyce will host MI Afternoon from 3 to 6. We'll be joined by many contributors including Lansing business guru Chris Holman with local business updates, weather reports from the meteorologists at News Center 6, among others.”
There's no conventional transmitter. You hear it using your smartphones including iPhone, BlackBerry, Palm, Windows Mobile, Symbian, and Android devices. You can also catch the Internet stream from your computer, or even your car.
Learn more and listen at http://talklansing.net/
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Crisis Communications Strategy – Staying out of Hot Water
And the bad news keeps coming…Tiger Woods…Toyota. We’ve heard and seen it before. From a President to Hollywood stars, all caught up in a bad PR scenario that in many cases sounds and ends up worse because it is poorly handled right from the start.
I recently read some great advice in a Web article: A Primer for Crisis PR by Greg Sherwin and Emily Avila, giving their tips on how to handle bad news.
The first one sounds simple, but seems to be the hardest for most. Fess up. Get your story out.
As Sherwin and Avila note, it may sound strange, but the best-case scenario is when your company, organization, or you report the bad news first. This is proactive and prevents one from being put in a weakened, defensive position. If the crisis is foreseen -- impending bad financial news, for example -- make sure you have and discuss overall strategy.
This is a strategic move but make sure you know the difference between general, garden-variety bad news and a true corporate crisis.
If the crisis is not foreseen and you're forced into a reactive position, then react quickly. No issue skirting allowed.
In A Primer for Crisis PR, Sherwin and Avila advise to always consider your internal audience first.
If your company or organization is looking at its quarterly financials and they're not looking pretty, you owe it to your employees to hear it from you first. You don't want them visiting online news sites -- and their evil twin, rumor-mill sites -- and learning the company is in trouble.
Tell them first. Tell them how you're going to deal with the bad news, and communicate regularly with your employees and shareholders throughout the crisis. It's a risk that maybe they'll leak it. But maybe they won't.
More on this issue later; Give me your comments.
I recently read some great advice in a Web article: A Primer for Crisis PR by Greg Sherwin and Emily Avila, giving their tips on how to handle bad news.
The first one sounds simple, but seems to be the hardest for most. Fess up. Get your story out.
As Sherwin and Avila note, it may sound strange, but the best-case scenario is when your company, organization, or you report the bad news first. This is proactive and prevents one from being put in a weakened, defensive position. If the crisis is foreseen -- impending bad financial news, for example -- make sure you have and discuss overall strategy.
This is a strategic move but make sure you know the difference between general, garden-variety bad news and a true corporate crisis.
If the crisis is not foreseen and you're forced into a reactive position, then react quickly. No issue skirting allowed.
In A Primer for Crisis PR, Sherwin and Avila advise to always consider your internal audience first.
If your company or organization is looking at its quarterly financials and they're not looking pretty, you owe it to your employees to hear it from you first. You don't want them visiting online news sites -- and their evil twin, rumor-mill sites -- and learning the company is in trouble.
Tell them first. Tell them how you're going to deal with the bad news, and communicate regularly with your employees and shareholders throughout the crisis. It's a risk that maybe they'll leak it. But maybe they won't.
More on this issue later; Give me your comments.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Small Businesses Should Not Miss Out On Publicity Opportunities
During my years as an editor of a financial trade publication, I have found that smaller businesses generally are not sending news releases out about their successes. That’s unfortunate. Those that do, usually hand the press release assignment off to someone who does not have a media background. Often the releases that I receive fail to answer the 5 “Ws” of journalism.
My recommendation is to seek out assistance in this area. There is help on the Web in how to write a release, and consultation is available. You can use a ‘free lancer’ who can coordinate and advise on developing a publicity strategy. I offer that kind of assistance.
But most important; if you are a small business owner, you have a story to tell. It is worth your time to get that kind of information out to your local newspapers, trade publications and post it on Websites to get greater exposure through the Internet.
The bottom line: it will mean more customers for your products and services.
My recommendation is to seek out assistance in this area. There is help on the Web in how to write a release, and consultation is available. You can use a ‘free lancer’ who can coordinate and advise on developing a publicity strategy. I offer that kind of assistance.
But most important; if you are a small business owner, you have a story to tell. It is worth your time to get that kind of information out to your local newspapers, trade publications and post it on Websites to get greater exposure through the Internet.
The bottom line: it will mean more customers for your products and services.
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