| Words of Wisdom: Catching Up with Former PR Woman of the Year Stephanie Fu | by Danielle Veira, a Communications Associate at Nahigian Strategies and a 2013 Washington PR Woman of the Year Committee Member. Follow Dani on Twitter @DaniV7101.  Don't miss a chance to hear more words of wisdom from Stephenie Fu at WWPR's 2013 Washington PR Woman of the Year Award Luncheon. Our annual signature event will be on Wednesday, November 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the W Hotel, 515 15th Street NW, Washington, D.C. This year's PR Woman of the Year will be chosen from three finalists who have excelled in their profession and are raising the bar in public relations. Register today! Discounted rates for WWPR and PRSA members. When you were announced the PR Woman of the Year, what was your first thought? My first thought was, I honestly can't believe I was selected, because the other two nominees are really so accomplished so it was really humbling and just a shock! I had honestly gone into that day just thinking it's a real honor to be nominated, but I'm just going to enjoy it because there's no way I'll win. I actually blanked out when they said my name! READ MORE Return to top |
| WWPR Media Roundtable Recap | by Angela Barnett, Credit Union National Association, WWPR Professional Development Committee Member The Annual WWPR Media Roundtable event, held on October 22nd, was another great learning experience for the WWPR attendees on what journalists and media producers want and need from public relations professionals in order to gain media attention. The expert panel consisted of:- Sara Just, Washington Deputy Bureau Chief, ABC NEWS @Sarajust,
- Lisa Matthews, Assignment Manager/Planning Editor, Associated Press Broadcast@LisaMatthews4ap
- Judy Taub, Editor, WTOP Radio @jtaubwtop
- Karin Caifa, Producer, CNN Newsource @karincaifaCNN
- Charlitta Rodrigues, Producer, NBC4, @CharlittaR
- Anetra Gaines, Morning Executive Producer, WUSA 9News Now, @Anetramarie
The main advice given by our experts was to know the media outlet you are pitching. This will give PR professionals a sense of the best time to pitch and how to successfully pitch your story. The advice varied from journalist to journalist, showcasing that each outlet is unique and requires individual attention. The days of sending the same press release or pitch to a multitude of publications and media outlets are gone. Our panelists gave great advice and information; here are the key highlights of what we learned:- E-mail is the best contact format.
- The subject line is key. Be short, to the point and topic descriptive. DO NOT write URGENT or IMPORTANT at the beginning of your subject.
- Do your research.
- Know their audience and tailor your pitch to them.
- Give more than just basic facts; paint a story of why this would matter to their audience.
- Be sure to provide logistical information for a news crew--where they can park, what time they should arrive, who they can interview, etc.
- Keep your pitch short and sweet. The days of long press releases are gone.
- Give after hours contact information and be available to talk.
- Send your pitch in a timely manner.
There are no easy ways to build relationships with journalists or news outlets but the best is by giving them well constructed pitches on good credible stories they can use. The easier you make it for them to use your story, the more likely they will. Thank you to all of our experts for the taking time to help the members of WWPR further develop their skills to successfully pitch media stories. Return to top |
| WWPR Annual Holiday Party | | Join Washington Women in Public Relations for our annual Holiday Party! The event will be held in a private space at Tonic, 2036 G St., NW, DC on Tuesday, December 17 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., featuring delicious appetizers and cocktails. Enjoy end-of-year cheer, door prizes, a raffle, and tasty treats! All guests will leave with a party favor from WWPR and an early release of the 2014 schedule of events! Raffle proceeds benefit WWPR's pro bono client, FLOW--Financial Literacy Organization for Women and Girls. Cost for WWPR and PRSA members: $20; Non-members: $35. Two drinks tickets per person and appetizers included. Space is limited so register today! Return to top |
| Trends of the Trade: Are You Pushing Data? Some DIY Infographics Can Help You | 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  Is your business data driven? Do you have great research findings that are complex and dense? If so, are you using infographics to help you reach your audiences? If not, there are plenty of ways you can create eye-catching infographics without being a designer. Let's back up a minute and talk about how infographics can boost your reach. An effective infographic can grab a reader's attention, provide important information at a glance, and give key takeaways that are reader friendly. Most people are visual learners and as such infographics are appealing and beneficial both to the reader and the provider (you). Key reasons to consider using infographics:- Easy to use. Think about it an infograph is sometimes easier than writing a new blog post.
- Attention getters. They have the ability to capture an audience where words alone would fail.
- Increase search marketing. Infographics work great in search engines, if someone publishes your infographic and provides a link back to your website, you win.
- Viral magnets. It's easy to share infographics because they are attractive and can easily be shared on social networks. This increases the chances of them going viral.
- Brand awareness. Add your logo and your website address and you've increased your brand awareness.
Position you as an expert. An infographic will show your knowledge of a subject and reveal your expertise in a subject. READ MORE Return to top |
| PR In Focus: Learning from Underdogs | 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. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/oysterviewpoint 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 ancient story of David the shepherd boy battling Goliath the Philistine giant serves as the foundation of Malcolm Gladwell's latest book, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants. Although this well-known tale gets credit in the title, the book is really "about what happens when ordinary people confront giants...powerful opponents of all kinds-from armies and mighty warriors to disability, misfortune, and oppression." Tales of underdogs triumphing against all odds and formidable enemies, have been told and retold throughout the ages and across all cultures. They provide us with inspiration and capture our hearts and minds in ways that other stories do not. I also think it's because most of us, at one point or another, have found ourselves in the position of being the underdog and overcoming adversity is a common thread in countless stories of human survival and success. READ MORE Return to top |
| PR in Politics | The Role of Public Relations in Politics is a monthly column written by WWPR member Margaret Mulvihill, examining the role of PR in politics. 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  A SPLIT DECISION IN TWO STATES When it comes to politics, is there any difference between public relations messaging and branding? I don't believe so. Much is being said these days about the implosion of the Republican Party brand - many believe that the electorate sees little or no difference between the GOP conservatives and the Tea Party ultra-conservatives. If that belief continues to take root and grow, the 2014 political landscape will be a very interesting one for all of us observers and commentators. Tomorrow's candidates will need to be clearly identifiable, preferably with a one-word campaign slogan (think FORWARD). They need to offer new ideas and a positive vision for the future to the electorate. WAR ON WOMEN An almost text-book example of messaging, the negative versus the positive, comes from the recent gubernatorial elections. Two races, one in Virginia and one in New Jersey, caught the interest of the nation and have been hot topics of discussion across all media platforms. The Republican Party was branded in the early stages of the Virginia campaign as a party waging a "War on Women." It is vital to note that this branding was foisted on them by their opposition, the Democratic Party. I can't stress it enough, brand yourself or someone else will do it for you. Make your message or someone else will make it for you. READ MORE Margaret Mulvihill is Director of Communications at Lawson Mulvihill in Washington, DC. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lawsonmulvihill Return to top |
| Seeking Thought Leaders in Public Affairs, Political Engagement & Communications; WWPR Members Receive Discount | This December the 2013 Professional Women in Advocacy Conference will welcome over 300 participants to Washington, D.C. for substantive policy discussions and professional development workshops. Since advocacy and public affairs are interconnected, we will host several sessions on hot topics in this area and are looking for speaker sponsors to participate. WWPR members receive a $50 discount off of registration.
Here are some examples of the types of sessions we will host:- Communicating with Pop! Special guest author Sam Horn will present
- Attention and Trust - Communicating with Congress presented by Dr. David Rehr
- Social Media to Power Up Your Advocacy
- Writing for Social Media
- Crisis and Reputation Management
- Visual Storytelling in a Digital World
There are many sponsorship opportunities available. Prices range from $1,000-$5,000 and include: Session sponsor: $5,000
Industry roundtable thought leader: $3,000
Half page program ad: $1,000
Goody bag insert: $500 Click here to download the full sponsor brochure. Click here to download the conference agenda or contact LeeAnn Petersen for more information at 202-744-6077 orleeann@womeninadvocacy.com. Return to top |
| Communicating Science Across Online and Social Media | On Friday, November 15th from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. come hear from reporters representing top U.S. media outlets at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Panelists will offer insights on how to better communicate research news to online media outlets and tips on how to effectively use social media to engage a broader audience. The program includes panelist testimonials, a question and answer session, and more. Speakers:- Elizabeth Landau, Writer & Producer, CNN.com
- David Freeman, Senior Science Editor, The Huffington Post
- James Gorman, Science Reporter, The New York Times
- Corey Powell, Editor at Large, DISCOVER
- Robin Lloyd, News Editor, Scientific American
- Brandon Keim, Freelancer, Wired.com
Moderator: Register Today Return to top |
| Membership | | October New Members - Lisa Mees, Porter Novelli
- Heather Crotty, TransVoyant
- Darcy Kohn, Ripple Communications
- Aliza Bran, Susan Davis International
- Chelsea Bailey, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
- Nancy Blount, American Chemical Society
- Adriana Spikes-Freeman, ADC Management Solutions
- Francie Israeli, KellenAdams Public Affairs
- Sara Neumann, C. Fox Communications
- Gisele McAuliffe, Advocacy Communications International
- Candace Wheeler, American Logistics Association
- Wendy Wade, Weswen Design
- Deltone Moore, Popcorn Monkey, LLC
- Joy Cameron, Home Front Communications
- Brianne Nadeau, Rabinowitz Communications
- Kara Noto, United States Coast Guard
- Allyson Burns, Case Foundation & Revolution
- Jade Floyd, Revolution Venture Capital/Case Foundation
- Melissa Springer, Social Driver
- Rosa Vivanco, Communications Strategy Group
- Victoria Palmer, Professional Development
- Ellen Birek, Ogilvy Washington
- Simran Kumar, Student
- Kristin Rosmorduc, LIN Digital October Renewals - Katie Test, ASCD
- Debra Silimeo, Hager Sharp
- Debbi Jarvis, Pepco Holdings, Inc.
- Alyssa Ritterstein, Green For All
- Caroline Rana, Strauss Radio Strategies
- Pattie Yu, The Yu Crew LLC
- Lauren Lawson-Zilai, Goodwill Industries International, Inc.
- Kirsten Seckler, Special Olympics
- Tacy Telego, RTM Communications, Inc. Return to top |
| Sponsor Spotlight | 
PRofessional Solutions, LLC began in 1994 as the Washington metropolitan area's first and only public relations temporary services agency. We still are. Since then we have filled the temporary PR and communications staffing needs of associations and non-profits, corporations and small businesses, government agencies and PR firms. And thanks to technology our locally-based associates have taken on assignments across the country. PRofessional Solutions is your solution for filling short-term staff leaves of absence, or meeting high-peak staffing needs, such as before and during trade shows, meetings, conferences, and conventions. Return to top |
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