The PRofessional

November 2008

In This Issue

• President's Message                                                  Don't Miss Our Next
• December Meeting                                                       Professional Development
• 2008-09 Media Directory                                             Luncheon on December 5th!
• EDC & FPRA Workshop
• Community Service Update
• Media Breakfast Recap
• Accreditation News
• Welcome New Members!
• Anatomy of an Image Award
• Member News
• Invest in Yourself

Letter From The President

Debby Steele, CWC FPRA President

It is hard to believe that the holiday season is already approaching. It is my favorite time of the year, a time of thankfulness. With Thanksgiving right around the corner and Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza all approaching, many of us are preparing for festivities. I want to take this time to give my thanks and appreciation to the members of the Central West Coast Chapter of FPRA. Your professionalism cannot be beat. I cannot think of a better place to network with fellow public relations professionals. 

Here is what I have found to be so true in our chapter: we offer friendship, professional advice, excellent development opportunities and also fun. We are all so busy in our careers that we often forget to step back a minute and truly enjoy and appreciate the friendships we have found. Our chapter has a heart and we are here to serve and help each other. It is a great organization and we are proud to say we are the third largest chapter in Florida.

With that being said, I know that you will not want to miss our upcoming meetings:

• Our December professional development luncheon at the beautiful Bird Key Yacht Club on December 5th from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• An exciting special event on January 16 with the Economic Development Corporation, “New PR Strategies for Small Businesses: Low Cost Tools to Boost Your Bottom Line.”

I’d also like to share my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated, as a guest or as a presenter, in the Media Relations Breakfast on November 7. Our Special Events Committee, chaired by Peg Palmer of Senior Friendship Centers, put together a very successful, enlightening event for all of us. Click here to read about it in the blog. Many, many thanks to the other hard working committee members that helped bring it all together: Ginya Carnahan, APR, CPRC, Dattoli Cancer Foundation; Joe Curley , APR, Universal Studios; Amanda Eyre, atLarge, Inc.; Lynn Hobeck - Bates, John and Mable Ringling Museum; Alicia King, Clarke Advertising and Public Relations/EMA; Mischa Kirby, Sarasota YMCA; Erin McLeod, Senior Friendship Centers; Jennifer Moss, APR, Silverstein Institute; Thomas E. Nunan, APR, Public Relations Counsel; and Emily S. Sperling, Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County.

Thank you for your support and contributions to our award-winning chapter.

Debby Steele, President
FPRA/CWC Chapter

December Meeting

December 5th Professional Development Luncheon

Strategic Communications for Navigating Change –John E. “Jed” Wilkinson, President and Chief Executive Officer of First State Financial Corporation will speak about using tactical communications to raise employee morale and accountability in times of uncertainty.

Date: Friday, December 5
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Bird Key Yacht Club
Registration: $25 members; $30 non-members

Please contact Coleen Miller 941-915-4180 if you have an item to donate for the annual holiday auction to take place at the December meeting.

2008-2009 CWC FPRA Media Directory

Get Yours Now!
 
Having a hard time keeping up with the media layoffs and changes? You’ve already got enough on your plate so let FPRA do the work for you. Purchase your 2008-2009 Media Directory, the area’s most comprehensive list of local and regional media for print, broadcast and social media. Updated in October, the Directory lists the many changes in media over the past year. As an added value, we will send you quarterly updates to keep you abreast of the most recent changes in media across the board.
 
They are going fast so get yours now! Download this form, fill it out and send it in with your money and we’ll mail a directory to your doorstep.
 
Please contact Lynn Hobeck Bates at lynn.hobeck@ringling.org if you have any questions.

EDC and FPRA Workshop

PR Strategies for Small Businesses: Low Cost Tools to Boost Your Bottom-line 

The Economic Development Corporation and Central West Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association will partner to hold a workshop on January 16, 2009.

CEOs, small business owners and PR professionals will hear from industry experts about PR strategies for businesses. This half-day seminar will include hot topics such as search engine optimization, intellectual property and growing global. The backdrop for the seminar this year is beautiful Selby Botanical Gardens on Sarasota Bay! [register]

Community Service Update

In an effort to help meet demands in the community, CWC FPRA is collecting non-perishable food items at all monthly meetings. Donations will be dropped off at All Faith's Food Bank. Also in the spirit of giving during this holiday season, please bring an unwrapped gift for a child to the December meeting (diapers are always needed). These gifts will be shared with the children of SPARCC and Children First.

Please contact Coleen Miller 941-915-4180 if you have an item to donate for the annual holiday auction to take place at the December meeting. Proceeds will be shared between SPARCC and Children First. You won't want to miss out on this year's auction, items include a Wellness Shower, (increases skin hydration by 115% and used by the best health spas in the world) and a YMCA Membership (3 months).

Media Breakfast Recap

The CWC FPRA Fall Media Breakfast Nov. 7 at Bird Key Yacht Club brought together more than 60 communications and PR professionals eager to sharpening their media relations skills. Pulitzer Prize juror and University of Florida Master Lecturer Mike Foley shared insights gained into how to foster relationships with reporters and editors in order to gain their interest and respect.

All Things Considered host Susan Giles Wantuck of WUSF radio; WFLA News 8 Reporter Jackie Barron; Sarasota Magazine Executive Editor Kay Kipling; Sarasota Herald-Tribune Business Editor Matt Sauer and Gulf Coast Business Review Managing Editor Mark Gordon provided first-hand information into how they choose which news to cover and what they see as news.

“Media Talk,” by nationally recognized media trainer David Voss, drew the audience into the hands-on experience of preparing for media interviews and effectively presenting your message. David is a member CWC FPRA whose experience has spanned more than 25 years, including serving as Directing of Marketing for Apple Computer, and Communications Director for the Department of Education.

CWC FPRA’s blog team for the event - Suzanne Dameron, Susie Bowie and Lynn Hobeck-Bates, provided on-the-spot coverage and photography. CWC FPRA member Matt Holloman, served as the panel moderator and emcee.

One of the highlights was the debut of the new CWC FPRA Media Directory, which provides current contact information for all regional media outlets, Web 2.0, blogging strategies and exceptional media relations tips.

Special thanks to our event sponsors Aqua Plumbing and Air Conditioning, atLarge, inc., Serbin Printing, the Hyatt of Sarasota, Dattoli Cancer Center & Brachytherapy Research Institute, Beneva Flowers and Studio 217.

The CWC FPRA Special Events Committee includes Peg Palmer, Senior Friendship Centers, Chair; Ginya Carnahan, APR, CPRC, Dattoli Cancer Foundation; Joe Curley , APR, Universal Studios; Amanda Eyre, atLarge, Inc.; Lynn Hobeck - Bates, John and Mable Ringling Museum; Alicia King, Clarke Advertising and Public Relations/EMA; Mischa Kirby, Sarasota YMCA; Erin McLeod, Senior Friendship Centers; Jennifer Moss, APR, Silverstein Institute; Thomas E. Nunan, APR, Public Relations Counsel; Emily S. Sperling, Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County; and Debby Steele, Selby Botanical Gardens.

Accreditation News

Whether you’re seeking to gain more knowledge in our industry or expand your skills, professional development is always a smart choice.

If you are an APR, I encourage you to earn your CPRC or Certified Public Relations Counselor. CPRC is the second tier credential offered by the Florida Public Relations Association. The certification process was developed to recognize professional growth and achievement of senior members who have already earned the APR designation.

Candidates for CPRC must be a member of the Florida Public Relations Association and have a minimum of 10 years of professional practice in public relations. The exam, which is administered throughout the year, consists of a written section (comprised of case studies), and an oral component, which requires the candidate to make a presentation to a panel of certified evaluators.
If you’d like to know more about the CPRC process please contact Julie Platt, APR, VP of Accreditation at 954-1600 ext 1024 or email jplatt@scbb.org.

Members are also welcome to ask me about another professional development opportunity--the APR designation or Accreditation in Public Relations process.

Click here to read "How Competitive Are You in Today's Marketplace," an article on the CWC website about the benefits of accreditation.

Welcome New Members!

Caitlin Podaras 
G. Wiz

Elise Lipoff
Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc.

Natalie Norris
LWR Communities

Robyn Lynn LaPorta
Kirk Pinkerton, P.A.

Anatomy of an Image Award

Last month’s CWC e-newsletter reminded you of RPIE (+B) … the foundation of any PR program and the criteria for judging an Image Award entry.

When preparing your Image entry for the 2009 CWC Image Awards competition, you’ll write a two-page summary, which is worth 70% of the overall score. Your summary is supported by RPIE (+B).

Judges will score 0 -10 (10 = Excellent) on the summary sections of Research, Objectives (or Planning), Evaluation and Budget. A score of 0 – 30 (30 = Excellent) will be marked for your Implementation of the program or tool.

Judges will read, review and ask themselves some of the following questions while judging your award:

“How well did the entry identify (through formal and/or informal research methods) and explain the problem or issue?”

“How well were the targeted audiences selected and identified?”

“How clearly were the specific objectives (qualitative and/or quantitative) of the plan stated?”

“How well did the entry meet the stated objectives?”

“How successful was the entry overall in solving the problem or communicating the issue?”

“How well was the budget documented and did the end results justify the stated budget?”

By asking yourself the same questions when preparing your Image entry, you’ll minimize any confusion as to what you might think the judges are looking for in a “winning” entry.

Additionally, you’ll prepare a binder that will include your two-page summary and support materials. Your binder accounts for 30% of your overall score and allows the judges to see how well your support materials address the project’s objectives while rating the overall professionalism of writing, design and production.

In early 2009, CWC will hold an Image Workshop for interested members who would like a deeper look into the anatomy of an Image Award. In the meantime, if you have any questions about a project you’re considering entering, please contact Kate Barth at 941-906-1555 ext. 314 or barth@kscadvpr.com

Member News

KSC, INC. Launches New Web Site
KSC, Inc. launched its updated Web site this month, revealing a new look and fresh content. The Web site, located at www.kscadvpr.com , features an updated design and intuitive navigation. The new site contains a wealth of information, including a portfolio section, which showcases some of the firm’s award-winning work, and a case studies section, which outlines a sample of the firm’s campaigns. KSC, Inc. will be using this new Web site to unveil its “Extreme Makeover: PR Edition” program, which will be announced during this year’s giving season. This program is intended to provide donated public relations and marketing services to selected charities.

New Directors Join Blood Bank Board
Suncoast Communities Blood Bank (SCBB) announces the appointment of five new directors who will each serve a three year term on its board. The incoming directors were welcomed at SCBB’s annual board meeting on October 23rd following the installation of the 2008/2009 slate of officers. The new directors are: Colonel Bill Brockman; William Dooley; William Ferguson; Thomas Kelly, M.D.; and Robert Lindsay. The 2008/2009 officers are: Sara Bagley, president; Wayne Johnson, president-elect; Bill Herron, immediate past president; Jim Gabbert, vice-president; Alice Rau, secretary; Caroline Strickland, treasurer; and Jeff Toale, assistant treasurer.

Invest in Yourself

Attention FPRA Members!

Over the years, you’ve invested in your career by joining FPRA. During this tough economy, there’s no more important time to continue this investment. And now FPRA is going to reward you for renewing your FPRA membership and Investing in Yourself!

Click here for exciting information about the FABULOUS prizes you could win for renewing your FPRA membership by December 31st!