We’ve completed the “assignment” in the South of France. The last grains of sand have found their way through the hourglass. The experience has been better than what Heather and I expected. And we had high expectations. Reflecting on the professional side — and putting to rest talk of a boondoggle — so many things …more
I made my first trip to China in 1998. To say it seemed like another planet doesn’t quite capture the feeling. Try a different universe. I remember attempting to place a classified ad in China that required signoff from multiple government entities. It turned into a Kafka-esque exercise when the third stop found something out …more
I’ve advocated that PR sits in the best position to lead the organic search charge or what I prefer to call “earned search.” As Google continues to squeeze the technical gamesmanship out of SEO, the signals most valued by Google in determining what to serve up for a given search tend to fall within the …more
All companies recognize that customers saying positive things about their products is marketing gold. Think about the last time you were searching for a ramen restaurant and put stock — can’t resist a bad pun — in Yelp to find your destination. Or your dependence on online reviews before shelling out money for the latest …more
Let me say up front that this post does not address the age-old quandary: “To meet or not to meet, that is the question.” Moving from Hamlet to Ford trucks, the company meeting is “built to last.” To resist is futile. Still, there is one simple action that would advance civilization in its quest to …more
I came across Gavin McMahon last year, listening to his webinar on presentations. Shockingly, he offered fresh takes. Better yet, he stayed away from the typical “use visuals, not bullets” and “don’t read your slides” and “don’t jingle the coins in your pocket” drivel that dominates 99 percent of the advice on presentations. His roadmap …more
Last year I wrote that PR should be treating Facebook like a media property. While you can’t pitch Facebook — the “Dear Zuck, next week company XYZ will announce the world’s first …” isn’t going to work — the fact that Facebook generates up to 20 percent of the traffic to news sites bears attention. …more
Every company website features an “About Us” section. Sometimes, it goes by a different name. Our Story. Corporate Overview. Company Info. Etc. Nomenclature aside, all strive to give the visitor a look inside the company, explaining its business, its values and what makes it tick. Naturally, it hopes to make a positive impression. Better yet, …more
