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WMPRSA

November 2006 E-Newsletter

In this issue

 November event:

Coffee, Breakfast and the USA Today

A view inside the nation’s largest newspaper

Cathy Grossman, Religion Editor for USA Today, w ill be sharing a day in the life from story sourcing and assignments to breaking news and how she interacts with PR people.  Grossman will also share what she values – and despises – in a PR person.

Religion was a beat unrecognized at USA TODAY until Cathy Lynn Grossman underscored its value with creative and important stories and moved to full time coverage of religion, ethics and spirituality in 1999. Grossman, 57, brings to the beat a fascination with how values and visions play out in society, and the reporting instincts of someone who cut her teeth on breaking news.

A graduate of Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, she spent 17 years at the Miami Herald in myriad reporting and editing positions. She covered the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, the 1976 Entebbe Rescue, wrote and directed prize winning feature projects, and was assistant editor of the Living Today section when it won the Penney Missouri Feature section prize in 1989. She joined USA TODAY that year and developed stories for news and features on the interplay of faith in society and politics, even sports.

Among Grossman’s honors, she was: a 1987-88 University of Michigan Fellow; in the first group of international science and religion reporters chosen for the 2005 Templeton-Cambridge Journalism Fellowship; and within USA TODAY, she was one of the top trend-trackers at a newspaper famous for this, a winner of the paper’s internal “Enterprise All-Star” award in 2001.

Special thanks to our Gold sponsor:

When:  Friday, November 17

            Registration: 7:30 - 8 a.m.

            Presentation: 8 – 9

Where: University Club

             10th Floor Fifth Third Bank Building

             111 Lyon, Grand Rapids

Cost: Members $25

         Non Members $35

         Students $20

Seating is limited – register soon!

To register, call the WMPRSA hotline at 616-336-0678 or fax to 616-451-3108 or send an e-mail to Sue Ann Clark at admin@WMPRSA.org.

All program reservations MUST be guaranteed with VISA or MASTER CARD.When you make a reservation we will need your name, company name, phone number, membership status, cr. cd. number and expiration date, and the zipcode where you receive your statement.

"No shows" will be billed. 48-hour notice required for full refund.

Recap: Student Job Preparation Planning

October 12

Students looking at careers in public relations or business communications gained valuable perspective from a young professional who has traveled a diverse and challenging road to becoming a partner for a major Michigan agency.

Matt Friedman, a partner at Marx Layne & Company, Michigan’s largest independent full-service public relations agency, shared his experiences and insights at the WMPRSA Student Forum held Oct. 12 in Kalamazoo.  A former radio news reporter and TV news producer in Michigan, New York, Georgia and Florida, Friedman spoke with students about the importance of internships, networking and the right way to build a resume..

“Many college students with PR degrees don’t have the skills and experience they need to quickly get their careers off the ground,” said Friedman.  “In my own professional life, I’ve been lucky to receive great advice to guide my career.”

Students from Grand Valley State University and Western Michigan University attended the forum.

Be sure to check www.wmprsa.org for updates.

  Chapter News

Welcome new members!

Amanda Dombek

Amanda joined Stiles in March 2003. Originally from Denver, Colo., Amanda settled in West Michigan after attending Calvin College in Grand Rapids. She graduated from Calvin with a English major and began her career as a technical writer for Castex (now Tennant) in Holland. She then transitioned into publicity and internet marketing for Eerdmans Publishing in Grand Rapids, where she implemented their first web site with complete e-commerce capabilities. Amanda began her career at Stiles as the Market Information Administrator, and her duties included competitive intelligence, market research, and customer data management. This spring, she was promoted to Information & Communications Specialist with the additional responsibility of PR. Outside of work, Amanda is a group fitness instructor at two local gyms for a class that combines yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi.

Thanks for the Backpacks

I am writing to express my deep appreciation to your organization for your recent donation of backpacks and school supplies for homeless students.  They were given, along with some other donations, to the homeless students who are staying with their families in the shelters of Grand Rapids.    Because of your help, all shelter students were able to start the school year with new supplies, and we were able to assist 312 homeless students so far this year.  Thank you very much for your generosity,

Sincerely,

Evelyn Kirchgessner

Grand Rapids Public Schools

Homeless Students Coordinator

Op-Ed: Benchmarking is Valuable PR Tool

Cheryl Procter-Rogers, APR, Fellow PRSA (as published in PR Week)

Benchmarking means selecting a standard and, in the context of PR, identifying best practices in a particular discipline or industry. Traditional benchmarking, which takes six to nine months, is a relic. The process should be afforded a fitting farewell with a tribute to Xerox, which established it some 20 years ago.

A retooled benchmarking process, which I'll get to later, can help PR pros accelerate learning curves for their organizations and inspire innovation. This, in turn, solidifies the PR pro as a facilitator for change and market growth. As a strategic tool, benchmarking is often under-utilized by the PR pro.

Perhaps it's fitting that the theme for the 2006 PRSA International Conference in Salt Lake City is "Benchmarking Your Public Relations Strategies With the Best." It forces us to consider the merits of benchmarking as we enter the season of 2007 strategic and budget planning and beyond.

An emerging trend in benchmarking takes a fresh approach to innovation in our global age. Termed "fast-cycle benchmarking,"it requires a streamlined tactical approach, focusing on a specific challenge or opportunity. No longer encumbered with identifying organizations of similar size, with similar products, consumers, etc., we can seek a variety of organizations to learn from, in addition to our competitors.

An example of great execution of this new strategy was when Mobil Corp. studied the customer loyalty factor of Home Depot and the fast turnaround of the Team Penske pit-stop crew. The pit crew study led to the introduction of the successful Speedpass - where Mobil customers can now wave their Speedpass key tag across the gas pump, which immediately and automatically communicates their payment method and preferences.

This type of benchmarking strategy can be executed in weeks instead of months, making organizations more nimble.

Given the rate at which the global marketplace is evolving, having tools to deliver results to employers and clients becomes critical. According to McKinsey & Co., almost a billion new consumers will enter the global marketplace in the next decade as economic growth in emerging markets pushes them past the threshold of $5,000 in annual household income - when people generally begin to buy discretionary goods.

Technology will ensure that borders continue to blur as consumers have access to information, products, and services worldwide. Benchmarking can be a valuable tool. However, only looking at the competition and successful organizations can be a risky oversight.

I often speak about the deadly results of confirmation bias - when we screen out information we may not agree with or that takes us out of our comfort zone. Benchmarking is fertile ground for validating our biases if we're not careful.

Thus, we must insist that, as PR counselors, we be allowed to benchmark successes and blunders. We sometimes review with intensity the major blunders that make the evening news. It's also important to benchmark those that elude public view. To avoid bias, diligence is key - in addition to asking the "what," an astute PR pro will also ask the "how."

My challenge to PR pros is to revisit benchmarking, to embrace it, and to advocate for its use with our companies and clients.

Cheryl Procter-Rogers is president and CEO of the PRSA.

Job Listings and Jobs Wanted

Senior Communications Associate

Develop and implement communications strategies that help Heart of West Michigan United Way improve lives and build a stronger community.  Increase visibility, awareness and confidence in United Way and its impact in our community.  Provide communications expertise for United Way’s staff, volunteers, investors and partners by focusing on fundraising, fund distribution and programming initiatives.   Develop and implement communications strategies for specific United Way programs and initiatives; develop and implement a technology strategy, utilizing United Way’s external website and eCommunications vehicles; utilize diagnostic tools, including surveys and focus groups; and plan, coordinate and implement special events.

Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, public relations, communications, English or another related field.
• Minimum of 3 to 5 years of communications- related experience.
• Strong writing, proofreading and editing skills.
• Outstanding technology application skills:  Web design (thorough knowledge of current practices for web design, experience with content management servers, email marketing systems, some HTML experience), advanced MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access).  Proficient in desktop design, including Adobe InDesign and Photoshop.
• Strong interpersonal skills.  Ability to build and maintain relationships with staff, volunteers and partners.
• Highly motivated self-starter.  Ability to take initiative with projects, use good judgment and work effectively on teams and independently.
• Experience with print production, proofing and management.
• Proven project management and organizational skills, detail oriented, proven problem solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple priorities and projects while meeting deadlines and expectations.
• Budget management experience.
• Media relations experience a plus.
• Fundraising experience a plus.

Submit resume and salary requirements as an attachment in MS Word format only to srex@unitedwaycares.com by Wednesday, Nov. 1.  Candidates selected for the interview process will be required to provide writing samples and complete an assessment tool.

Communications Specialist

Professional Marketing

Communications Specialist for Grand Rapids PR firm.  Gift, home décor, non-profit, retail and technology clients.  Assist with PR campaigns, eventing and national media call programs. Trade show travel. PR and/or marketing/communications degree.  0-4 years experience.  New grads
must have quality internship experience.  Superior organizational, writing and communications skills.  Eventing experience a plus, but not required.

Send cover letter with salary history, and resume to dcjones@ix.netcom.com or mail to Professional Marketing, Diane M. Jones, 2025 East Beltline SE, Suite 408, Grand Rapids, MI  49546.

Public Relations Specialist

Bronson Healthcare Group, Kalamazoo, Mich.

The newly created position requires a bachelor's degree in public relations, communications, journalism or related field and a minimum of five years professional experience in public relations, corporate communications or marketing.  Must have extensive knowledge of public relations practices, and be effective and comfortable communicating with various individuals and groups.  Extensive writing and editing experience is required.  Ad agency, health care or brand/product management background helpful.

Under the direction of the Manager of Corporate Communications, the Public Relations Specialist creates and produces written, multimedia and web-based internal communications and patient education materials.  These include brochures, videos, displays, flyers, forms, letters, manuals, patient cards, staff communications, articles, etc.  This position provides counsel to internal clients about effective ways to communicate with target audiences.   The position is also responsible for developing and implementing effective and creative internal communications programs to meet Bronson's strategic objectives, as well as writing and editing various types of Corporate Communications materials. Occasional weekends for special events and holidays for occasional on-call media coverage

This position requires excellent written and verbal communications skills; superior project management skills; the ability to handle multiple tasks under deadline pressure; a strong customer service orientation; aptitude for detail and accuracy; well-honed organized skills; creativity; and the ability to work independently in a team environment.  Bronson proudly supports diversity in the workplace.

To learn more or to apply for this position, visit www.bronsonhealth.com.

Director of Communications

Director-Human Resources, Michigan Education Association

The Director of Communications position is accountable for the development and execution of all communications functions for the Michigan Education Association, assuring appropriate impact, continuity, professionalism and propriety in all programs undertaken and to assure compliance with Association objectives and goals.  This includes the planning and management of program, personnel, and budgetary resources in the areas of member relations, public relations, marketing and media relations programs.

Qualifications include - Bachelor’s degree in journalism, public relations or related filed required, Master’s degree preferred; Demonstrated understanding of and accomplishment in the principles of message development; Experience in successful development and implementation of a comprehensive communications strategy; Experience in a broad range of communication activities; Knowledge of radio and television advertising, video production, still camera and digital photography; General knowledge and experience with internet, intranet and web technology and development.

Position to begin as soon as possible.

Excellent salary and benefits.  Send letter of application, resume and references to Courtney Pierce, MEA, PO Box 2573, East Lansing 48826 by October 11, 2006.  MEA is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.

Subscriptions and 2006 Newsletter

Editor Contact

This monthly electronic newsletter comes from the West Michigan Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.  Sponsorship of the newsletter is provided by http://www.pathwaynet.com, which also hosts the WMPRSA Web site.

WMPRSA
PO Box 68124
Grand Rapids, MI 49516
Phone: 616.336.0678
Fax: 616.451.3108

admin@wmprsa.org

www.wmprsa.org

Send newsletter feedback, ideas and accompanying photos to newsletter editor/webmaster Jill Ward at jhward@gmail.com.