Report from Maine PR Council Annual Conference

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By Robin Schell, APR, Fellow PRSA, Yankee Chapter President

On Friday, Nov. 8th, I had the pleasure of representing Yankee Chapter PRSA at the Maine Public Relations Council annual conference, “Positivity and Progress: Adapting Your PR Strategy For A Changing World.”

Rebecca Emery, APR, Chair of MPRC’s Professional Development committee, and her crew put together an A-plus program of presenters, including a media panel discussion with moderator T.J. Winick, Essex Strategies, Morgan Sturdivant of WABI-TV, Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm of the Maine Monitor/Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting and Megan Gray of the Portland Press Herald.

We also heard words of wisdom from Michael Smart, CEO of MichaelSMARTPR, who gave us an overview of “The Realist’s Guide to AI and Communication” and asked us to think about how we use AI in these categories:  “Training Wheels”, “10-Speed” and “E-Bike.”

Mark McClennan, APR, Fellow PRSA, General Manager of G&C talked about “Training Your Ethical Mind:  Preparing to Survive and Thrive in Our Dynamic AI Environment,” urging us all to include AI in our crisis plans and be clear on our AI policies.  As an added bonus, I had a front-row seat to watch Rebecca Emery receive the Edward L. Bernays Award for her outstanding work on behalf of MPRC.

I really enjoyed the presentation by Felicia Knight, President of The Knight Canney Group, entitled, “How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love PR”.  After a 20-year career in journalism, Felicia had a successful 27-year career in PR and shared these 8 Life Lessons:

Lesson 1:  Don’t be afraid to change your situation. It was scary to pivot from her broadcast journalism career to serving as Communications Director for Sen. Susan Collins in DC, and then Communications Director for the National Endowment for the Arts.  But she was passionate about being able to make a difference and “be a part of history” and loved that she learned something new every day in these new roles.

Lesson 2:  Recognize and believe in your own success. Tired of being on the road and missing family events, she founded Knight Vision International, strategic media solutions, in 2008.  Not the best timing to launch a new business in a recession, but she succeeded – and at this point in her career she overcame the “imposter syndrome”.  She also joined the PRConsultantsGroup and the peer support and opportunities to collaborate were invaluable.

Lesson #3:  Delegate!  Felicia realized she would rather spend her time working directly with stakeholders, getting clients and offering strategic advice.  She hired her first employee and used contractors to get the rest of it done.

Lesson #4:  It is helpful to have backup.   You never know when life will throw you a curveball, and you’ll be out of commission for health issues or other reasons.  She made the decision to merge with Canney Communications and form The Knight Canney Group.

Lesson #5:  If you’re unhappy, speak up.  Though The Knight Canney Group was a great partnership, the pressure to support employees meant Felicia was taking client assignments just to pay the bills – so she pivoted again, going from an S-Corp model to an LLC.  She was loving PR again!

Lesson #6:  Life Is Short, No Matter How Long You Live.  Felicia suffered traumatic grief when she lost both her father and her brother in 2016.   It was an “aha” moment and she began letting go of the things she didn’t want to do and making more time for the things she DID enjoy.  She got more engaged in her Board roles and did more traveling for fun.

Lesson #7:  Let Go of What You Can’t Control.   COVID-19 hit everyone hard, so she did what everyone else did – joined the great baking frenzy!   She also got help from PPP (the Paycheck Protection Program).  Her business was back at full strength 18 months later.

Lesson #8:  Plan for your retirement.  Her message to everyone in the room was, “start now.”  Get a financial planner, put money aside from every paycheck and take advantage of company retirement or pension plans and 401K matches.  Her official retirement date will be Dec. 2024 at which point she will be very selective of the client assignments she will be taking.  “No more phone calls at 11 p.m.!”

We wish Felicia the best in her next chapter.

 

Reality Check! Real World Mash Up Arms Young Pros for Success

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What a great turnout for the Yankee Chapter’s Real World Mash Up! From free headshots to priceless advice from seasoned PR pros, the Mash Up brought together Communications students, young professionals and longtime Yankee Chapter members for a deep dive into the art and effort of getting that first PR job.

The event, held October 28 at Southern NH University, opened with a panel discussion about “Getting Hired in Today’s World.” Big thanks to our impressive panel of young PR pros and moderator Jon Boroshok, APR, professor in the SNHU Communications department. More than 20 students were on hand to hear our panel discuss the ways they used their contacts to land their first internships and jobs. Thank you to our panel:

  • Samantha Boselli, Freelance Consultant
  • Hannah Costello, Account Executive, Wireside
  • Sarah Davis, Marketing Specialist, Dartmouth Health Children’s
  • Lauren Materia, Social Media Coordinator, New England Center for Children

VIEW THE PANEL DISCUSSION HERE

Following the panel discussion, attendees engaged in a little “speed dating,” going from table to table to gain knowledge on topics of interest led by our industry experts. Thank you to our roundtable experts:

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI): Dave Humphreys, Director of AI Integration, SNHU
  • Communication Measurement: Katie Paine, Measurement, Insights, and Analytics Consultant, Paine Publishing
  • Crisis Communication: Lauren Keane, VP of Communications, SNHU
  • Effective Presentation Skills: Stacey Smith, APR, Fellow PRSA, Senior Counsel, Jackson Jackson & Wagner
  • Maximizing Social Media and LinkedIn: Keri Pappalardo, Director of Marketing, Lavallee Brensinger Architects
  • Personal Branding: Mary Flowers, Consultant.

    In case you missed it, you can view a recording of the panel discussion HERE

     

Mix & Jingle – Yankee PRSA Annual Meeting December 11, 2024

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Yankee Chapter PRSA Invites You to Save the Date:

Wed. Dec. 11, 2024

Meet The Media “Mix & Jingle,” presented by the Nackey S. Loeb School.

Location: Nackey S. Loeb School, inside the NH Institute of Politics on the campus of Saint Anselm College, in the West Wing room.

After our media panel, join us for mocktails, appetizers and holiday cheer sponsored by Northeast Delta Dental

SEE EVENT PAGE HERE FOR MORE INFO AND TO REGISTER

ICYMI: Ethics Month Professional Development Session

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Ethics Month Professional Development Session: Rebuilding Trust, Ethics and Communication In An Era Of Innovation

On Wed. Sept. 25th, the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications and the Yankee Chapter of PRSA partnered to present a virtual “lunch and learn” featuring highlights from Edelman’s 2024 Trust Barometer.  Drake Baer, Senior Vice President, Thought Leadership at the Edelman Trust Institute, led the discussion.  Here are some observations from that session:

Trends

  • Rapid innovation offers the promise of a new era of prosperity, but also risks exacerbating trust issues, leading to further societal instability and political polarization.
  • More people are doing their own research (Googling, etc.) to find information they trust.
  • If you want people to trust you, give them a voice. “Your constituents want you to hear their concerns and let them ask questions.”
  • In a year when half of the world’s population will elect new leaders, our communities are more politically polarized than ever. Only 30% of those surveyed would want to live with, help, or work with people who have different political views than they do.

Trusted Sources

  • Business is seen as ethical and competent, but Government is seen as the least competent and unethical of the sectors studied (there is a 52-point gap between Business and Government in the Trust Barometer).
  • While scientists are trusted sources, there are concerns that the government has too much influence on science. One observation was made that “scientists don’t know how to communicate,” and they need to make info transparent and accessible.
  • Businesses are seen as making sure innovations are safe, ahead of the sectors of government and media. “The switch from NGO’s as trusted sources to Businesses as trusted sources is striking.”
  • But, lack of confidence in government means declining trust in the institutions responsible for steering us through change.
  • Peers are among the most trusted sources of information among those surveyed.

Takeaways for Communicators

  • If more people are seeking their own information rather than relying on sources from sectors they trust, consider how your own organization’s SEO can help share information and drive inquiries to you. Build more online assets for independent research by your publics. How can you be a better, more trusted source of information about your sector?
  • Give your constituents more agency—help them to learn your goals and why they should align with your organization. “Paint the vision,” says Baer.
  • Know that the CEO is not always the best person to put out there, given subject matter expertise and peer influence—think about the best, most trusted messenger.
  • Implementation is as important as innovation. (it’s one thing to invent it and another to anticipate the issues that come along with that innovation).  Think: Issue anticipation.
  • Business must partner for change.  Think: Build collaborations with partners.
  • Science must integrate with society, as they are trusted. Think: Who are your subject matter experts? How do you build trust in these sources?

 

Laura Simoes is a member of Yankee Chapter PRSA and serves as Executive Director of the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communication.  For more information on other professional development workshops available, visit: Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications.

BLOG: The Simone Biles Effect

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Let’s take a brief break for some worthy observations about American gymnast, Simone Biles:

 

Biles was asked about the (GOAT) necklace, and she admitted the goat was a bit of provocative goof, that she knew some people would like it and others would hate it. She said she couldn’t believe she was in the all-time conversation at all. “I still just think I’m Simone Biles from Spring, Texas that loves to flip.

-Jason Gay, Wall Street Journal, August 3, 2024

 

A highlight among highlights of the two-week Olympic extravaganza will certainly be Simone Biles, proof that when you get the “twisties”, as we all do, what matters is that we get back up, and how.

 

From a leadership perspective, The “Simone Biles Effect” spotlights lessons in leadership.

 

In addition to getting back up (resiliency), lessons are:

  • Know ourselves. Know our surroundings. Know our strengths, our weaknesses, the personal and professional, and our threats. Situational awareness is key to emotional intelligence, which in turn is key to sustainable success.

 

  • Teamwork rules, even and especially in solo roles and endeavors. We are better when we get help from others who can help us to see and understand what we can’t see due to our blind spots. In turn, be at the ready to spot—-help—-others. Simone did this with her network of supporters and advisors in the period after Tokyo.

 

  • Be ever optimistic, and also realistic. Optimism is a force multiplier. Optimism is the secret sauce for seeing opportunities. After the struggles at the Tokyo Olympics, a lesser person might have thrown in the towel. Simone saw the opportunity of tomorrow.

 

  • ”No deposit, no return”, as Rowdy Gaines, the men’s Olympic swimming medal winner shares this motivational thought that to get a benefit, effort must be made.

 

  • Be grateful. In Simone’s response to her success, she demonstrates humility and gratitude. “I am who I am”. We are all the sum total of our life’s experiences.

 

  • We all have a reputation, and narrative, that is tangible and fungible.

 

  • And,
  • Be flexible and agile.

Pivot to opportunities.

 

See how I did that?!

 

#BeSimone as an inspiration!

🤸🏼‍♂️

 

Clark P. Dumont, APR, Fellow PRSA is a longtime Yankee PRSA member. A journalist turned communications professional and organizational leader with experience in health care, aerospace & defense, travel and hospitality and non profit organization leadership, he is a native Granite Stater.

 

BLOG: Purposeful Partnerships:  Building Trusted Relationships Among Collaborating Organizations

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Purposeful Partnerships:  Building Trusted Relationships Among Collaborating Organizations
by Robin Schell, APR, Fellow PRSA

“Trust is key to having successful collaborations”: that was a major takeaway from the powerful Yankee Chapter PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) Lunch & Learn session on Aug. 15th. Special thanks to moderator Jill Kimball, APR, Marketing Manager at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital and panelists Kate Luczko, Sr. Director of HealthForce NH and Peter Wright, President & CEO of Northwestern Medical Center, for sharing your insights.

VIEW LUNCH & LEARN SESSION HERE

 

Other Key Takeaways Included:

 

  1. Collaboration works when the participating organizations understand what they are going to get out of the collaboration. It’s very important to listen and not make assumptions – take the time to understand, what are their needs?  What are their concerns?
  2. Trust is the foundation for effective collaboration. Everything comes back to trust – what is the history of trust?  What are the psycho-social dynamics of trust?  How do I build trust?  “The more you are able to ‘let go’ to your partners, the more likely you are to get to that level of trust early in the relationship.”
  3. Define your shared vision and your objectives. “Take a step back and look at the big picture – where are we all trying to get to?”  Define your goals and objectives – start with the low-hanging fruit to get some early wins.  Use those goals and objectives to measure success.
  4. Be clear when you set expectations. This applies when working with all the collaborating organizations, but also when you are reporting back to your own organization – they may be looking for a “return on investment” sooner than is realistically possible.  Communication about that is key.  Sometimes the arrangements are more informal (e.g. feedback from an advisory board) and sometimes more formal (a signed Memorandum of Understanding)
  5. You need both accountability and flexibility. It’s important to have basic systems in place for clarity on how the organizations will share information, communicate between meetings, complete tasks etc.  Meeting minutes will capture who is responsible and what deadlines are involved.  Note: collaborations can start to fall apart when these expectations are not met – but sometimes, it is important to be flexible and “give each other some grace”.  Even with a plan, it’s important to be open to what you don’t expect. “Sometimes we have to fix the plane while it’s moving.”
  6. Not everything will go smoothly – expect that and make time to discuss “lessons learned” as intel for moving forward.
  7. Find the common ground. What will be beneficial for both sides?  Start with what is most easily acceptable and move forward.  “For example, people may not want to give away all their trade secrets when it comes to recruiting … but they can rally behind a goal of, ‘What can we do collectively to make healthcare more attractive’?”
  8. Get the right people in the room for decision-making. It is difficult to control which representatives an organization sends to the meetings of the collaborating partners – and if they don’t have decision-making power, they need to go back to get organization’s blessing and that doesn’t always work well.  “It’s best to define for the representatives what decision-making power they have, so they know that going in.”
  9. Renew and refresh. Specific partnerships may align for a certain period of time and in pursuit of a certain objective or audience. As organizational goals, priorities or circumstances shift, understand that partnerships – even long-serving relationships – may have to shift as well. Accept and embrace the opportunity, because it is a terrific way to align with new ways of thinking and foster additional beneficial relationships in your industry or community.

When asked what HealthForce is most proud of, Luczko talked about identifying barriers for hiring more respiratory therapists in NH.  “Instead of playing the middleman, we got practicing respiratory therapists in a room together with members of NH OPLC (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification), the NH Hospital Association, and River Valley Community College (who offers the Respiratory Therapy program) and facilitated a discussion on how to solve the problem – while an informal collaboration for now, this felt like a big win.”

According to Wright, the New England Collaborative is working well, with some early group purchasing wins and they have established themselves as a legal entity, hired an Executive Director and reached agreement on how they would be funded.  They are well-positioned for future progress. “Relationships are a marathon, not a sprint,” he said.

 

Robin Schell, APR, Fellow PRSA is Senior Counsel and Partner at Jackson Jackson & Wagner, a behavioral public relations and management consulting firm in the Seacoast of NH.  She is currently serving as President of the Yankee Chapter of PRSA.

Rebuilding Trust, Ethics, and Communications in an Age of Innovation

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Rebuilding Trust, Ethics, and Communications in an Age of Innovation

Wednesday, September 25, from 12-1pm EST, ONLINE

FREE

REGISTER HERE: https://loebschool.org/register/trust2024

 

Now in its 24th year, the Edelman Trust Barometer is a global research study measuring trust in society. The 2024 report highlights broad gaps in the public’s trust in government leaders, business leaders, journalists, and technology companies. The findings serve as a wake-up call for business and policy leaders to better manage communications to regain and grow public trust and have implications for organizations of all sizes which serve customers and stakeholders.

 

Your Instructor: Drake Baer is Senior Vice President, Thought Leadership at the Edelman Trust Institute, where he guides the narrative development of research.  A former editor-at-large at Business Insider and senior writer at New York Magazine, Drake has authored two books, including Perception: How Our Bodies Shape Our Minds.

 

This PD session for Yankee PRSA is offered in collaboration with the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications.

REGISTER NOW: Purposeful Partnerships: The Role of PR In Building Trust Among Collaborating Organizations

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Title:  Purposeful Partnerships: The Role of PR In Building Trust Among Collaborating Organizations

Date:  Thursday. Aug. 15, 2024 12-1 p.m., via Zoom

Cost:  Free to PRSA members and Maine PR Council members; $20 for non-members

Registration Link: lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/tykyyxe

Teamwork makes the dream work! We all know the saying, but in today’s cluttered communications and nonstop marketing environments, collaboration with external partners and like-minded organizations is a fundamental necessity. As many businesses undergo post-pandemic ‘re-sets’ or try to engage or retain audiences, partnerships or collaborations can help like-minded organizations achieve success by sharing resources, elevating messages, and broadening markets. But in reality – how does that collaboration flow? How do you build positive relationships, set goals and execute actions? How efficient is it? Where does conflict resolution come in? And what does ‘success’ look like?

Join the Yankee Chapter of PRSA August 15 for a productive one-hour lunch and learn session exploring this topic with leaders who are forging collaborations or have implemented successful partnerships. Jill Kimball, APR and the Marketing Manager at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury,

Vermont, will moderate the session.

MODERATOR:

 

Jill Kimball, APR is Marketing Manager at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, where she works with internal and external partners to demonstrate the value of high-quality health care services to community. Prior to NVRH, Jill was Community Relations Director at Ammonoosuc Community Health Services, Inc. a Federally Qualified Community Health Center in northern New Hampshire. She is the current VP of Public Relations for North Country Toastmasters, and founding member and Co-Chair of North Country Pride of Littleton, NH.

SPEAKERS:

Kate Luczko is the Senior Director of HealthForce NH, where she serves as a statewide leader on healthcare workforce issues. She promotes solutions to healthcare workforce challenges by engaging, collaborating with, and soliciting input from partners, employers, higher education, policymakers, funders, the public, groups representing historically underserved populations, and other stakeholders. Prior to joining HealthForce, Kate engaged with many community partners through her work as the President & CEO of the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce, and as the founding President & CEO of Stay Work Play New Hampshire.

 

Peter J. Wright, FACHE is the President & CEO of Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans, Vermont. Prior to coming to Vermont in January 2023, he served as the President of Bridgton & Rumford hospitals, two rural facilities within Central Maine Healthcare where he also served as a CMH Senior Vice President. Starting his career in marketing and public relations, he has more than two decades of leadership experience in healthcare operations and executive leadership. Peter served as an ACHE Regent for NH, Chair of the AHA Regional policy board for New England and as a Trustee for the American Hospital Association. Currently, Peter leads the New England Collaborative Health Network, a partnership of like-minded independent healthcare organizations established to enhance economic and financial stability, support clinical excellence, and strengthen communities for partners in the New England region.

How to Develop a Co-branded Marketing Strategy

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By Marnie Grumbach, Yankee Chapter member and Founder of Fluent IMC (Westbrook, ME)

Co-branding with another organization can be a powerful way to expand your reach — either to new geographic markets or to new audience segments.

READ MORE HERE AT MAINEBIZ

Highlights from “What’s Your Organization’s Secret Sauce?

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The Role of Marketing & PR In Building Your Brand”

Over 60 PR practitioners registered for Yankee Chapter’s March 13th “lunch and learn” session on the role of marketing and PR in building an organization’s brand. Themes from this excellent panel discussion, facilitated by Clark Dumont, APR, Fellow PRSA, with Gail Winslow, APR, Head of Marketing for Halloran Consulting Group; Sarah Moore, SVP of Marketing for MGM Resorts and Lauren Keane, APR of Communications for SNHU (Southern NH University), include:

Be Clear On Your Goals

“At MGM, we talk about ‘ruthless prioritization,’” says Moore. “We want to make sure we allocate our time and talent to the right things. Silos are born out of misaligned goals and misaligned priorities.”

“We have corporate goals and marketing goals; whatever we do ties directly back to either our vision, our purpose, our 5 competencies or our four core values,” adds Winslow.

The Power of Storytelling Is Real

“Storytelling – sharing the stories of our students — has been the root of our success,” says Keane. SNHU is a university with a global footprint that now has 22,000 students, 2,500 alumni, and 10,000 employees. Keane describes SNHU as a university for those “for whom higher education is not a guarantee.” She told the story of a recent graduate, 63-year-old Robyn Roberts, who is “a grandmother of 33 and completed her degree while driving a truck.” Good Morning America and the other Robin Roberts picked up the story and gave SNHU some national exposure.

Be Strategic

“Marketing without data is just guesses,” says Moore. “Our use of attribution modeling and measurement has skyrocketed. It all depends on what you are trying to do. We’ll go more ‘upper funnel’ to raise awareness about a new restaurant, but if we are trying to fill hotel rooms, we’ll go full lower funnel to drive those bookings. The most important thing to do is get out there and test.”

At Halloran, Winslow’s number one goal is lead generation. “I’m not afraid to leave channels behind,” she says. “We’re not going to get business on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram in our business, so I focus on LinkedIn.”

On PR/Marketing Tools

“We use social media to reach reporters – social media can be your friend,” said Keane. She described a “diploma drop” done on Broadway (one of the cast members from the play ‘Come From Away’ earned their SNHU degree). When the quick-turn video was picked up by the Broadway crowd, reach exploded – “especially after actress Sara Bareilles put it out there”. Keane put a plug in for Muckrack as a media monitoring service offered “at lower cost with great customer service.”

“Content is my number one weapon,” says Winslow. “Know that you can implement low-cost tools. We’re using digital advertising and workflow automation through Hubspot.”

AI: Best Used In Combination With The Human Touch

“We’ve learned what we’re NOT going to do with AI,” says Moore. We’ll use it, but our rule is ‘last touch human.’” Winslow agrees, saying they use AI as a “jumpstarter” but “nothing goes out the door unless it’s been edited by a human (and sometimes, too many humans).” Keane chimes in that she has seen content generated by AI only, humans only and a combination of the two; and often the combination of AI and humans produces the best result – “it is content that is more clear and precise.”

It’s All About Measuring Outcomes

Panelists agreed that while revenue is a mark of success, there are behavior-based metrics – like the number of hotel reservations, and the number of contacts with an organization – and more surface metrics like press coverage, hits to the website, and social media “likes”. We know from PRSA’s Barcelona Principles that the PR field is moving toward more outcomes vs. output measurement.