I often buy new clothes and shoes without putting much thought into it. The excitement of owning a new shirt or pair of peep-toe heels overcomes me and soon I’m struggling to find room in my closet.

I also struggle with laundry day. There never seems to enough space to put away clean laundry. Did my closet shrink? No, it’s all those new items I “had to have.” It’s at this point I realize I need to donate some clothes to charity.

Beyond my love for shoes, I also love helping non-profits so I’m fortunate that Canyon takes on pro-bono clients. We work with A&A Cottages, a non-profit organization that provides residential services to teenage girls in Arizona’s foster care system.

Foster girls usually come to A&A Cottages with nothing but the clothes on their backs. So, A&A periodically hosts clothing drives—but the organization is always accepting donations. And, it works closely with a group home for boys, so it accepts male and female clothes of all sizes.

Cleaning out my closet and helping a great organization is often exactly what I need.

If you’re looking to clear space in your closet, call Megan Saffell at 480-792-0265 to schedule a drop-off or pick-up time.

What non-profits do you love supporting?

The airport is a great place to people watch. Yesterday, while returning from a trip, I overhead two young girls chatting about PR. Of course, my ears tuned into the conversation. As I listened to their far-fetched theories about the “glamorous world of PR,” it made me think, “Is this what the general public thinks of PR?”

As I sat there, I concluded that the public has a tainted view of PR—because Hollywood paints an inaccurate picture of the profession.

Characters like Samantha on Sex and the City portray PR as the most glamorous job in the world and one that involves attending parties and mingling with cocktails. I can’t remember the last time I attended a party on behalf of my job—especially one that came complete with party dresses and martinis.

PR is more than socializing; you have to be more than a “people person” to make it in the business, especially in B2B public relations. It takes hard work, dedication and many late nights, early mornings and weekends to meet deadlines or staff events (again, the non-martini kind). And, in B2B, you better be a good writer also.

I came across this post on the Bad Pitch Blog which discusses becoming a “PR superstar” and scoring “VIP passes.” It lists common mishaps that give PR people a bad name. And, it clears up some misconceptions about the profession.

What are your thoughts on the perception of PR among the general population?

Part Two of Two

Last week, I talked about an article in the New York Times, titled “Spinning the Web: P.R. in Silicon Valley.” I discussed how b2b companies should jump into social media and combine it with traditional PR for strong campaigns.

Some of you may be thinking, “What about return on investment (ROI)? How can I tell how many people my message reached?”

It’s true, there’s no mapped out route for determining ROI of social media campaigns. Gone are the days of spending countless hours calculating impressions, pass-along rates and public relations equivalency values. Social media is about conversations, not impressions.

When it comes to calculating ROI with social media, some people count number of followers or Retweets on Twitter; others count trackbacks, traffic from Facebook or even clicks on a link.

However it’s being measured, isn’t getting the buzz and conversation about your brand going just as important?

I’m curious; do you still create and/or see value in PR equivalency reports? And, what strategies, if any, are you using to determine ROI of social media?

Part One of Two

I read an article in the New York Times, titled “Spinning the Web: P.R. in Silicon Valley.” It got me thinking about how social media is changing the face of PR and how many b2b clients are flying under the radar when it comes to social media.

With new forms of communication popping up everyday, it’s critical for companies to understand how social media can influence them and how it can work with traditional PR to obtain a voice in the marketplace.

Gone are the days of blasting out press releases to a list of reporters and editors and endless smile-and-dialing for an article in your target publication.

Social media is about two-way communication. It’s about connecting with your target audience, listening and engaging in meaningful conversations. Getting people talking about your brand, and providing positive testimonials to others is, in my opinion, just as valuable as getting a hit in a publication. Why? Because messages spread quickly on social media sites, people share information with their connections who then pass it along—your message can potentially reach thousands of people almost instantly. 

I use Twitter to listen to what’s going on in the marketing industry and engage in conversations. But, I also use Twitter when I want advice. Where’s the best place to grab a drink after work? What’s happening this weekend? Where can I find good deals on summer sandals? I get recommendations instantly simply by sending out a Tweet.

So b2b clients, it’s time to stop flying under the social media radar. People are already out there chatting about your brand. Don’t you want to be involved in the conversation?