Author: WWPR

In this issue:

From the President
Join the Strategic Partnerships and Sponsorships Committee
Global Opportunities for Women; Speed Networking; and Media Rountable
Recap: Online Metrics Bootcamp at Beekeeper Group
WWPR Visits WUSA9 Studio
Trends of the Trade
Member Spotlight
PR in Focus
Tips from Campus
Articles of Interest
Upcoming Events
Jobs
Membership News
Sponsor Spotlight

From the President

We hope everyone is enjoying the summer months!

We are busy gearing up for the fall which will feature a few of our signature offerings such as Speed Networking, Media Roundtable and the annual PR Woman of the Year events.

Another hearty congratulations to our Emerging Leader Awards (ELA) honorees Rachael Glaws, Lauren Wesley Wilson and Nell Callahan. If you ever have any questions about the ELAs, WOY or any member benefits please do reach out.  We are here to provide the best industry support possible.

Best,

Tina and Kendra

WWPR Co-Presidents

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Join the Strategic Partnerships and Sponsorships Committee

Are you looking to find a way to become more involved with WWPR?  The Strategic Partnerships and Sponsorships Committee is looking for committee members.  WWPR established its Strategic Partnerships and Sponsorships Committee to form beneficial relationships with women’s groups, professional societies and like-minded organizations. The purpose is to increase awareness of WWPR, secure sponsorships for key events and network with and learn about other groups in the community.  To learn more, see https://wwpr.org/committees/#partnerships. If interested, please contact Erin Flior, chair of WWPR’s Strategic Partnerships and Sponsorships Committee.

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Professional Development

WWPR is kicking off the fall season with not one, but two, September events:

Join us for the September Brown Bag Discussion: “How Washington is Unlocking Global Opportunities for Women” on Wednesday, September 10, 12:00 noon-1:30 p.m. at Fleishman Hillard DC’s offices located at 1615 L St., NW, Washington, DC.  Join host Fleishman Hillard for a panel discussion with experts who are advancing solutions in health, education, finance and politics for millions of women worldwide.  From non-profits to NGOs, corporations to agencies, hear the inspiring stories of women who are rolling up their sleeves to put action behind their vision.  This program will provide key insights on partnership building and the communication strategies necessary to execute on a global scale. The panel will be moderated by Kris Balderston, Fleishman Hillard DC’s General Manager and former Special Representative for Global Partnerships at the State Department.  Stay tuned for the list of panelists! Registration is open.

Back by popular demand, be sure to register for WWPR’s annual Speed Networking event!  Like speed-dating for professionals, but bring lots of business cards for exchanging contacts!  We’ll also have plenty of time for open mingling. This event is a great way for meeting communications folks across the industry.  Join us Wednesday, September 18, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. for networking, light appetizers and drinks at the National Association of Home Builders, 1201 15th St., NW, Washington, DC. Register now.

Mark your calendar for our annual Media Roundtable on Tuesday, October 22nd, 12:00 noon-2:00 p.m. at the American Chemical Society, 1155 16th St., NW, Washington, DC. This year’s program will have a broadcast focus and the panel of reporters, producers and editors will be moderated by a member of the Strauss Media Strategies team. Registration will open soon.

If you have a suggestion for a future program topic, please email PD Co-Chairs, Melanie Jordan and Erica Hiar at professionaldevelopment@wwpr.org.

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RECAP: Online Metrics Bootcamp at Beekeeper Group

by Anne Ladewig, WWPR Professional Development Committee Member

With so much information in PR distributed online, understanding and sharing the best online metrics is critical for sharing and reporting.  Free tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights and other quantitative tools can give you the hard numbers to demonstrate campaign success, in addition to more qualitative analysis.

During the WWPR July Brown Bag Discussion, “Online Metrics Bootcamp,” four leaders in digital communications discussed how to gather meaningful data, analyze it and then optimize it.

Shana Glickfield, Partner, Beekeeper Group, said to make the most of Google Analytics, because they can inspire what you might not know.

“Google Analytics can help you define your goals,” Glickfield said.  “They can help you determine who you are reaching, and how to decide what you want to include in a final report.”

Glickfield listed the figures that appear on the first page when logging on to Google Analytics.  The first number is page views.  It will be the largest, but is not necessarily the most important.  The next number is visitors, followed by unique visitors.

The fourth figure is pages per visit, where you can see if visitors are visiting your site frequently, or are they searching for something they can’t find on your page?  The next number is average visit duration.  Glickfield said that a visit of more than one minute is good, and five minutes means that they are really reading your content.

The last number is the bounce rate, the number of people who came to your site and left immediately. Glickfield said that the average is 40-60%.

Learn about the devices people are reading your content on, and optimize content accordingly.

Are you receiving direct traffic versus referral traffic versus search traffic?

Jenna Golden, from Twitter’s Political and Advocacy Sales office in DC said that Twitter has analytics available, but only active advertisers can see them.

“The followers dashboard gives you an aggregate look at who is following you and where your followers are coming from,” Golden said.

Active advertisers can also see a Twitter interest graph, which shows the dissects who you follow, it is not based on your tweets.  It also looks at the accounts of your followers and who they are following.

Golden said promoted tweets can count on 1-3% engagement, and by looking at your analytics, you can highlight moments where your content performs better.

When it comes to Facebook, Susanna Murley, Manager of Digital Media, for the Solar Energy Industries Association, said you must include photos with every post.

Facebook analytics show the number of people who actually see your post.  Murley said to start using hashtags (#) to make it easier for users to search for your key terms.

Cary Lawrence, VP, Agency Development, for SocialCode, said how topics are organized on the web is changing.

“We can’t expect people to go to the website, we must build the demand,” Lawrence said.

Social is no longer a silo, she said. Rather, it is a content layer and distribution system.

“Content is food for the newsfeed and stream,” Lawrence said.

She said communicators should turn their focus to social use by mobile users, and where the channels blur, such as social TV.

“People no longer just watch TV, they are tweeting and posting on Facebook while they watch,” Lawrence said.  “They are interacting with the content across the channels, so focus on the audience you want to reach, not the channel.”

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WWPR Visits WUSA9 Studio

By Kelly Mack, Environics Communications

On August 7, about 50 members visited the WUSA9 studio for a newsroom tour, viewing the noon news taping and a Q&A session with some of the producers and assignment editor.

The group came away with some great insights on WUSA9 and broadcast news in general:

• Broadcast is using Twitter like a police scanner and increasingly more stories are coming from Twitter.  Staffers monitor social media all day and share information on what’s trending or if news breaks online.  The news encouraged everyone to follow @WUSA9 as well as the producers and reporters.
• The morning executive producer said she is always looking for interesting people to interview.  This is also true for the noon news program.  Anchor JC Hayward has a special interest in nonprofits and people doing good in the community.
• When relevant news breaks for a client, this is a good time to immediately contact WUSA9.  They will be looking for experts to interview and will be eager for someone knowledgeable.  Have some background on the person, what they can talk about, and why it’s relevant.
• When pitching broadcast, think about visuals and uniqueness of the story.  Will it play well visually?  Does it tie in to current news trends?
• If you’re not sure where your pitch belongs, start with the news director or assignment editor.  Keep your pitch short and to the point.
• Another option is to pitch the reporter/producer who covers the kind of news you’re offering.  Similar to print reporters, it helps to watch their segments and follow them on social media.
• If you’re pitching an interview or event to cover, they appreciate advance notice for scheduling.  Otherwise, most coverage decisions are being made the day before or day of, so advance pitching is not helpful.  Broadcast also has to make coverage changes at the last minute, so ability to be flexible helps.
• The Sunday PowerBlock producer is open to receiving pitches on interesting speakers relevant to the content of the programs (energy, biotech/health, & defense).  She said they are always looking for experts on these topics and work with PR people to find panelists for the shows.

Trends of the Trade: Traditional Versus New Media

Trends of the Trade is a monthly column written by WWPR member Cory Churches exploring, well, trends in PR.Follow her @Coricita or reach her at Cory.Churches@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Washington Women in Public Relations

I just received my latest Fast Company (September 2013) and the cover story is all about Jeff Bezos, or as the text reads “King Bezos”. The issue went to press before the announcement that Bezos had agreed to buy the Washington Post for $250 million, cash. This announcement was on the heels of the sale of the Boston Globe for $70 million to John W. Henry, principal owner of the Boston Red Socks.

When the Boston Globe sale was announced, the scuttlebutt had more to do with the difference between the purchase price of $1.1 billion in 1993 to the sale price 20 years later of $70 million. Makes one wonder, not for the first time, about the future and value in the market place of traditional print media. Mind you, I’m not suggesting that this trend is a new one. Print journalism and traditional media outlets have been struggling to find a balance between business as usual and new ways in which consumers receive and interact with news stories.

There is still value in local news. Value investor, Warren Buffett, is purchasing newspapers across the country. He sees value in local newspapers. Forbes reports that in the past two years, Berkshire Hathaway, has acquired 28 local newspapers for $344 million. Buffett believes that there is no replacement for the delivery of local news. Global stories get barely a glance, yet a story about a local personality will be read start to finish.

READ MORE

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PR In Focus: Valuing the Truth

PR in Focus is a monthly column written by WWPR member Jessica Williams exploring a wide range of topics and current events from a public relations perspective

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Washington Women in Public Relations

Mark Twain once said, “Truth is the most valuable thing we have.  Let us economize it.”  But in a world where commodification is de rigueur, his statement could be argued both positively and negatively.  For public relations professionals, however, truth can define a career, a client relationship, and certainly the level of audience engagement, thus influencing the ultimate success of a campaign.  Not valuing the truth as an asset can be perilous and human history is littered with numerous examples of those who have chosen to tread that wayward path.

The term “PR flack” has historically meant a press agent who “flacked” or promoted about something, sometimes stretching or completely ignoring the truth.  Today, some embrace or even use the moniker, in part because public relations as a field has largely shed the “flack” image and instead become viewed as integral to the success of businesses and organizations across all sectors and industries.  Old norms of hollow promotion, disregard for the truth, and a narrow view of the public have fallen away to give rise to values like respect, integrity, quality, entrepreneurship, and global citizenship.  Public relations agencies in particular embrace values that serve as indicators of the level of service and competency that they can provide their clients.

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Tips from Campus

Tips from Campus is a monthly column written by WWPR member Jordan DeJarnette exploring a wide range of topics from a student’s perspective including guidance to young PR professionals beginning their careers in public relations.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Washington Women in Public Relations

The start of my senior year of college is closely approaching, bringing with it the reality of life sans school.  I, like many other young PR professionals, have the goal of moving to one of my favorite places in the world after graduation – DC. Now, as much as I hate to admit it, I do not in fact have a bottomless bank account that will fund this three hundred plus mile move. Because of this, the task of securing a post graduation job is imperative if I want to make my Capitol Hill dreams come true. I’ve gathered a list of tips below of things to do to prime you for the work world as you, and I, head into our senior year.

1. Secure an internship — The first tip on this list is one that falls under the category of something that every young PR professional is on the hunt for – useful experience. Senior year is the last chance to soak up all of the information you can, from a wide array of people, before being thrown into the pressure of a full time job.  It is a time to explore options of different fields that might interest you, or continue to pursue an avenue that you’ve previously decided on. At this point most structured internships with large firms and departments have already been filled.  Don’t let that discourage you!  Small businesses, non-profit organizations and even some of your university’s departments tend to have application deadlines that open up once the semester begins.  Use your campus’ career services or professional development center as a resource to find contact information and do your own research on local establishments in your area.  If a place that you are interested in doesn’t have a formal internship position, you can offer to help them manage their social media, or if they don’t have an online presence you can be the one to get them set up.  Even something as small as creating a Facebook page can translate into valuable experience on your resume!

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Member Spotlight

By Colleen Fogarty of the American College of Gastroenterology and WWPR Emerging Leaders Awards Committee Member

On July 18, three Emerging Leaders Awards honorees were named at WWPR’s signature event that celebrates young women (ages 23-30) who have significantly impacted the communications field and show the potential to make their mark on the industry as a whole for many years to come.  This month’s Member Spotlight features ELA honoree Nell Callahan, Senior Vice President at SKDKnickerbocker.

1. Congrats on being an ELA honoree, Nell. What does it mean for you to be honored by your peers in Washington?

Thank you! I’m honored to be included with the other finalists this year and to be recognized by WWPR.  I look forward to introducing more young women to WWPR so that they join the conversation on how we can improve our industry and individual skills.

2. You’ve been in PR for about 10 years now, with 3 of those years being at SKDKnickerbocker — what made you choose the PR/Comm field and what makes you stay?

I always loved writing and telling stories, so I naturally gravitated to journalism when I was in high school.  When I went to college, I realized how much I loved politics, found myself an internship in public affairs, and haven’t looked back since.  I love my job because I get to see the world from different people’s points of view every day; it’s exciting, challenging and rewarding.

3.  What kind of projects do you get excited about working on?  When have you been most proud?  You mentioned the recent marriage equality project in your video introduction shown at the ELA.

I like working on projects where you can achieve real change, whether that’s working on major social issues like marriage equality, policy issues like the legal status of Guantanamo detainees, or for organizations that are fighting for their voice to be heard. I’m so proud of all of SKDK’s work for marriage equality.  We led the New York and Washington efforts that made marriage legal in those states, and we led the communications strategy around the Windsor and Perry Supreme Court cases.  All three projects were a huge undertaking by our teams in New York and DC, and turned out to be historic victories.

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Articles of Interest

• Discovery, Not Link Building, is the Objective of Your Press Release (Business Wire Blog)
• Is the public relations industry leaning in? (PRWeek)
• No Tom, Google didn’t just kill PR agencies (PRWeek)
• Infographic: Evolution of the PR Industry (Ragan)

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Upcoming Events

-9/10/13 — 12:00 noon-1:30 p.m.: How Washington is Unlocking Global Opportunities for Women: September Brown Bag Discussion

-9/18/13 — 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.: WWPR Speed Networking

-10/22/13 — 12:00 noon-2:00 p.m.: Media Rountable — registration opening soon.

If you have a suggestion for a future program topic, please contact the Professional Development Committee at professionaldevelopment@wwpr.org.

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Jobs

– Research Director/Senior Vice President, Porter Novelli

– Public Relations Manager, TorchLight

– Senior Account Executive, Health Affairs, Ketchum

– Project Coordinator, McGinn and Company

– Public Relations Temp, Optical Society

– Publicity and Promotions Account Executive, Allied Integrated Marketing

– Text4Baby Communications Intern, National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition

– Senior Digital Media Strategist, Advancement Project

– Account Supervisor, JPA Health Communications

– Project Manager, Environmental Grassroots and Advocacy Campaign, Z Communications Company

– Account Executive, Digital Health, Edelman

– Public Relations Intern, GuideStar

– Communications Manager, Archdiocese of Washington

– Marketing and Communications Specialist, The Center for Public Integrity

– Full-Time Paid Intern, (available immediately), Environics Communications

– Video Editor or Motion Graphics Specialist, Green Buzz Agency

– Assistant Account Executive/Technical Project Manager, Edelman

– Junior Media Buyer/Planner, Porter Novelli

Post a Job

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Membership

July New Members

Jennifer Martin, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Helena Lehman, Leading Authorities
Libby May, The Hatcher Group
Jaclyn Meuleners, Student
Emily Tyner, XLA
Billie McCain, Student
Penelope Parker, P2 Marcomm Services LLC
Allyson Funk, AARP
Nissa Hiatt, National Association of Home Builders
Danielle Duff, Student
Sara Mischo, American Speech – Language Hearing Association
Jordan DeJarnette, Student
Meg Cangany, Plan International USA
Charlotte Seigler, Stratacomm
Juliet Daum, University of Virginia Darden School of Business
Jill Fisher, Student
Jaclyn Randolph, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
Lindsay Boroush, NAMIC
Melissa Braunstein, www.melissabraunstein.com
Linda Butcher, Korea Economic Institute of America
Lisa Matthews, Associated Press Televisions
Nell Callahan, SKDKnickerbocker
Ruihua Zhang, Student
Erin Donovan, Arnold & Porter LLP
Susanna Murley, Solar Energy Industries Association
Alison Schiffli, Burson-Marsteller

July Renewals

Lauren Smith, Melanoma Research Foundation
Diana Barris, New Enterprise Associates
Issara Pimpawathin, Student
Joan Coyle, American Chemical Society
Erin Flior, Adfero Group
Alicia Sellitti, iostudio
Amber Sheridan, Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers
Kari Hudnell, Freelance
Amanda Sawney, Software & Information Industry Association

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Sponsor Spotlight

Firm Overview

When it comes to dealing with the media, communicating with audiences who influence public policy, solving problems and amplifying a message, there’s no substitute for real-world experience.

Based in Washington, D.C., our staff has worked at the highest levels of government and politics, from the White House to Capitol Hill, political campaigns, advocacy organizations, corporations, media, law firms, state houses and regulatory agencies. We bring not only broad experience, but political diversity to our work.

Read more about what we do.

HISTORY

Powell Tate was created 20 years ago by two prominent former White House press secretaries — Democrat Jody Powell and Republican Sheila Tate — who believed that the best public policy and the most effective counsel requires left- and right-brain thinking. We still feel that way and, today, Powell Tate is one of the most respected agencies in Washington.

A division of Weber Shandwick, Powell Tate is a global network of partners who create and execute communications campaigns of all shapes and sizes for clients ranging from industry giants to local businesses. We have teams available in cities across the country and around the world. You can even visit Powell Tate offices in Beijing!

In addition, we offer clients access to the highest-quality research and advocacy advertising through our in-house units, KRC Research and Sawyer Miller Advertising.

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Trends of the Trade is a monthly column written by WWPR member Cory Churches exploring, well, trends in PR. Follow her @Coricita or reach her at Cory.Churches@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Washington Women in Public Relations

I just received my latest Fast Company (September 2013) and the cover story is all about Jeff Bezos, or as the text reads “King Bezos”. The issue went to press before the announcement that Bezos had agreed to buy the Washington Post for $250 million, cash. This announcement was on the heels of the sale of the Boston Globe for $70 million to John W. Henry, principal owner of the Boston Red Socks.

When the Boston Globe sale was announced, the scuttlebutt had more to do with the difference between the purchase price of $1.1 billion in 1993 to the sale price 20 years later of $70 million. Makes one wonder, not for the first time, about the future and value in the market place of traditional print media. Mind you, I’m not suggesting that this trend is a new one. Print journalism and traditional media outlets have been struggling to find a balance between business as usual and new ways in which consumers receive and interact with news stories.

There is still value in local news. Value investor, Warren Buffett, is purchasing newspapers across the country. He sees value in local newspapers. Forbes reports that in the past two years, Berkshire Hathaway, has acquired 28 local newspapers for $344 million. Buffett believes that there is no replacement for the delivery of local news. Global stories get barely a glance, yet a story about a local personality will be read start to finish.

Just a few days after the Boston Globe sale was announced, the Washington Post announced that Bezos had purchased the Post. The chatter this time was about how the globally renowned and respected publication, family owned since 1933 when Eugene Meyer purchased the paper at a bankruptcy auction, fit into a new information age. The purchase, to be clear, was a personal one and not part of an Amazon acquisition. That qualification does not quell the question of “what’s the plan” for the future of the Post.

So what is the plan? And what does this transition mean for traditional journalism, coverage of national and international issues, and delivery of said journalism and how we as communications professionals interact with outlets like the Post? As we all live in and around the circulation radius of the Post, I think we all have our eye on this issue, as it may influence more than just the distribution of the print edition.

The day after the announcement of the Post sale, the Diane Rehm Show addressed just that issue, The Sale of the Washington Post and the Future of Print Journalism. Her guests talked about the how the great “disrupter” Bezos might transform the media monolith with his fresh approach and see the potential of the Post with new eyes. Taking the paper private means that Bezos doesn’t have to answer to shareholders, focus primarily on revenue and profit, and can take some risks to transform the traditional media company into a forward thinking, innovative global purveyor of news and content.

As J.J. McCorvey of Fast Company says “Amazon is more than just a stellar retailer. It has reinvented, disrupted, redefined, and renovated the global marketplace. Last year, e-commerce sales around the world surpassed $1 trillion for the first time; Amazon accounted for more than 5% of that volume.” And while the Post won’t be part of Amazon, the man who’s charted the course of Amazon is at the forefront of the new era for the Post. Time will tell how this transformation will impact how we as communications, marketing, and PR professionals interact with journalists and news outlets.

In this issue:

2013 Emerging Leaders Awards Honorees
Debra Silimeo Joins WWPR Advisory Council
Toyota Tribute to Working Women Awards
Online Metrics Bootcamp and CBS Studio Tour/Taping
Trends of the Trade
Member Spotlight
PR in Focus
Articles of Interest
Upcoming Events
Jobs
Membership News
Sponsor Spotlight

Congratulations to the 2013 Emerging Leaders Awards Honorees!

The 2013 Emerging Leaders Awards (ELA) was a huge success! We extend our sincere gratitude to those who helped make this year’s ELA possible.

Congratulations again to ELA honorees Nell Callahan, Rachael Glaws and Lauren Wesley Wilson, who were celebrated along with finalists Kristine Austria, Liz Bartolomeo and Jackie Titusfor their significant impacts to the communications field and their potential to make their mark on the industry as a whole for many years to come.

At the July 18 reception Kori Bernards, Senior Vice President of Communications at Universal Pictures gave a lively keynote address that focused on lessons learned and behind the scenes stories from her illustrious career. She ended on a personal note with advice for attendees to “Dream big, revise often.”

Check out highlights from this year’s event here.

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Debra Silimeo, Washington PR Woman of the Year, to Join WWPR Advisory Council

Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR), is excited to announce that Debra Silimeo, executive vice president of Hager Sharp, will be joining the WWPR Advisory Council. The council, established in 2012, provides strategic advice on the direction of the organization focused on networking and peer-to-peer mentoring.

“WWPR is in a pivotal time of change to ensure it is meeting the needs of its members as women in the PR industry continue to achieve new professional heights,” said WWPR co-president Tina McCormack Beaty. “Almost half of PRWeek’s recent 50 Power List were women — as more women take strong leadership roles nationally and here in DC, it will be important for them to have a professional network of peers to learn from and lean on.”

Silimeo was named the 2010 PR Woman of the Year by Washington Women in Public Relations, an award recognizing a public relations strategist whose achievements have reached a pinnacle in the profession. As a member of the Hager Sharp’s management team, Debra leads the firm’s education practice and client services, including comprehensive national campaigns, and has helped the firm more than double in size and revenue. She has extensive experience in public policy communications, as a senior member of the Congressional Leadership staff and at two Cabinet level agencies. She began her career as a radio and TV journalist (WAMU, WTOP, NBC4/WRC-TV) covering local and national issues in the Washington region.

READ MORE
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Toyota Tribute to Working Women Awards Call for Nominations

Do you know a woman in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area who is making a positive difference at work and in the community? If the answer is yes, why not nominate her for the 19th Annual Toyota tribute to Working Women Awards. Please forward this to your friends, colleagues and clients.

Once again, ABC 7 in Partnership with 97.1 WASH-FM and The Washington Area Toyota Dealers will honor seven outstanding women on October 11, 2013 at the National Press Club. To nominate an individual , simply visit http://www.wjla.com/tribute, print the entry form and answer the four essay questions.

The deadline for entries is Friday, September 20, 2013. Please spread the word!

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Professional Development

WWPR has a number of exciting professional development events this summer.

On Tuesday, July 30 from noon-2 p.m., WWPR will partner with Beekeeper Group at its offices located at 1331 G Street, NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC to offer “Online Metrics Bootcamp: a Brown Bag Discussion“. With so much information in PR distributed online, understanding and sharing the best online metrics is critical for measuring and reporting. Free tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights and other quantitative tools, can give you the hard numbers to demonstrate campaign success, in addition to more qualitative analysis. Hear from the digital communications industry’s leading experts on how to gather meaningful data, analyze it and then optimize it. From bounce rates, to traffic sources, to keywords, we’ll walk you through the metrics that matter. Presenters include Shana Glickfield, Partner, Beekeeper Group; Jenna Golden, Political & Advocacy Sales, Twitter @jigolden; Susanna Murley, Manager of Digital Media, Solar Energy Industries Association @susannamurley; and Cary Lawrence, VP, Business Development, SocialCode.

Cost: free to WWPR members; $15 non-members. REGISTER TODAY.

Don’t miss the “August Brown Bag Discussion: WUSA9, CBS News Taping, Studio Tour and Meet and Greet.” Have you always wanted to be in the studio audience during the live broadcast of a television show? Well, now is your chance! On August 6, 11:30 AM-1:30 p.m., WUSA9 will give WWPR the chance to be part of its live audience for the local CBS News noon taping at its studios located at 4100 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC. Afterwards, there will be a Q&A brown bag session with the editors, producers and on-air reporters. Space is limited. Register today.

Mark your calendar for the “September Brown Bag Discussion: How Washington is Unlocking Global Opportunities for Women” on Wednesday, September 10, noon-1:30 p.m. at Fleishman Hillard DC’s offices located at 1615 L St., NW, Washington, DC. Join host Fleishman Hillard for a panel discussion with experts who are advancing solutions in health, education, finance and politics for millions of women worldwide. From non-profits to NGOs, corporations to agencies, hear the inspiring stories of women who are rolling up their sleeves to put action behind their vision. This program will provide key insights on partnership building and the communication strategies necessary to execute on a global scale. The panel will be moderated by Kris Balderston, Fleishman Hillard DC’s General Manager and former Special Representative for Global Partnerships at the State Department. Stay tuned for the list of panelists. Registration is open.

Join us for WWPR’s annual Speed Networking event! Like speed-dating for professionals, but bring lots of business cards for exchanging contacts! We’ll also have plenty of time for open mingling. This event is a great way for meeting communications folks across the industry. Join us in September for networking, light appetizers and drinks at the National Association of Home Builders, 1201 15th St., NW, Washington, DC. Register today.

If you have a suggestion for a future program topic or would like to join the Professional Development Committee, please email PD Co-Chairs, Melanie Jordan and Erica Hiar at professionaldevelopment@wwpr.org.

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Trends of the Trade: Achieving Audience Engagement

Influencers and Game Changers

Trends of the Trade is a monthly column written by WWPR member Cory Churches exploring, well, trends in PR.Follow her @Coricita or reach her at Cory.Churches@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Washington Women in Public Relations

If you attend any of the networking events hosted by the myriad of PR and communications groups, including WWPR and PRSA, you’ll likely hear discussions about audience engagement. It’s the ultimate goal for any public relations campaign and the ever-elusive goal for many organizations.

The sweet spot to achieving successful audience and client engagement lies in the intersection between content marketing, targeted communication and technology.

While creating quality content that customers and audiences want is always the challenge, sometimes the larger challenge is ensuring that they are receiving said content.

More than a few tools exist that can help you organize, track, distribute and proliferate your messages. Here are some that can get you started.

Gaggle Amp is “the social marketing platform that lets companies amplify their social media reach by leveraging individual employees, customers and partners.” The application allows companies, non-profits, political campaigns, and major brands share information and engage more of their audience by managing their social media channels and measuring the impact of campaigns.

READ MORE

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PR In Focus: At Your Service

PR in Focus is a monthly column written by WWPR member Jessica Williams exploring a wide range of topics and current events from a public relations perspective

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Washington Women in Public Relations

Communications as a discipline “…focuses on how people use messages to generate meanings within and across various contexts, channels and media…” and I would also add that we are inherently motivated by a sense of service as professionals. While our “discipline promotes the effective and ethical practice of human communications,” it also mandates, officially or unofficially, that we serve our clients to the best of our abilities.

Depending on your exact role, these clients may be external organizations or companies, internal project teams or the institution you serve as an “in-house” communicator. Providing wise counsel and expertise are the hallmarks of any successful professional, but perhaps more so when in a field where the power of our message and communicating it effectively can make or break a career or client relationship.

Community Connections

This correlation between what we do in our day-to-day jobs and volunteering in the greater community was underscored for me at the opening plenary session of the Points of Light’s 2013 Conference on Volunteering and Service a few weeks ago. Hearing speaker after notable speaker talk about what it means to be in service to one’s community made me think more about the role we play either for our clients, companies or organizations and in our own communities.

Over the course of four days, the conference showcased all the wonderful and uplifting examples of what happens when people are mobilized to “create real and lasting change through volunteering.” That communities can be transformed by the time and talents of people in various capacities-everything from helping prepare meals at local food banks to assisting in the monumental clean-up effort post-Hurricane Sandy, among others-is proof that collective action can truly improve our world.

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Member Spotlight

By Beth Stewart

With just a day away from this year’s Emerging Leaders Awards, I took a moment to speak with WWPR ELA committee chairs Emily Hughes and Lauren Smith to get a little background on the event and what we can all expect.

How did you prepare for this year’s ELA awards?

The first step was to recruit dedicated committee members. We immediately reached out to WWPR’s extensive network to find members, and then quickly coordinated biweekly meetings that began in February. The second step was to develop the timeline and set goals for the overall awards reception. We analyzed best practices established by previous WWPR events and awards ceremonies, and worked those elements through to this year’s ELAs.

What led you to choose Kori as the keynote speaker?

Kori herself is a great example of a young, outstanding communications leader. Through a partnership with Universal Pictures and the Melanoma Research Foundation, Lauren and Kori have worked together for a couple of years. Lauren saw Kori’s expertise and leadership firsthand, and knew that Kori’s diverse background in DC communications and Hollywood PR gave her a unique and interesting perspective that she can share with WWPR’s emerging leaders.

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Articles of Interest

• 11 Steps To Happiness At Work (Forbes)
• 5 Ways to Find, Train and Oversee the Ideal Intern (Entrepreneur)
• What CMOs Should Learn from Technologists (AdAge)
• Meet EyeEm, Instagram’s Chic Cousin (Forbes)

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Upcoming Events

-7/30/13 — WWPR July Brown Bag Discussion: “Online Metrics Bootcamp” Cost: Free to WWPR Members; $15 non-members.

-8/6/13 — 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: August Brown Bag Discussion: WUSA9, CBS News Taping, Studio Tour and Meet and Greet Cost: Free to WWPR Members; $15 non-members.

-9/10/13 — 12:00 noon-1:30 p.m.: How Washington is Unlocking Global Opportunities for Women: September Brown Bag Discussion

-9/18/13 — 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.: WWPR Speed Networking

If you have a suggestion for a future program topic, please contact the Professional Development Committee at professionaldevelopment@wwpr.org.

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Jobs

Communications Specialist, NTT DATA

Director of Community Engagement, Montgomery College

Grants and Annual Fund Manager, Washington Jesuit Academy

Temporary Social Media Marketing Specialist, Rosetta Stone

Communications Intern, The Aspen Institute

Post a Job

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Membership

June New Members

Barbara Hyde, Hyde Communications
Donna Vincent Roa, PhD, ABC Vincent Roa Group, LLC
Constance Troutman, NeighborWorks America
Emily Kuhn, Stratacomm
Olivia Kerr, The Coca-Cola Compnay
Nkechi Mogekwu, Student
Elaine de Leon, Student
Ashley Burwell, Student
Dylan Leckie, Student
Yewande Akinleye, Student
Katherin Thornhill, Carine’s Bridal Atelier
Tiffany Erickson, Consultant
Sarai Demien, Education
Alicia Dunn, Ketchum
Tina Asuagbor, Suit and Tie LLC
Katie Connell, Airlines for America

June Renewals

Joan Carrese Sineni, zcomm
Rachel Cagan, American College of Cardiology
Carrie Fox, C. Fox Communications
Jennifer Scungio, Financial Services Forum
Kate Barrett, New Enterprise Associates
Shannon Andrea, National Parks Conservation Association
Alison Zemanski Heis, National Parks Conservation Association

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Sponsor Spotlight

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