"Making Good" with PMG Creative

Partnership

Nicole Ravlin — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:17:33 +0000

Giving back to our local community is very important to all of us at PMG.

Due to H1N1 and concerns around the wellness of children in relation to this, we have been advised and have decided not to host the Vermont Toy Share this year. Our intention is to return in November 2010 with this event. Thank you to the local community for all of the interest and support for this event – it has been overwhelming.

When one door closes, another opens. After making the decision to shelf Toy Share for this year, we started to ask ourselves: how can we continue to make a difference within our local community? Sure, we could donate money to some non-profits… and we do. We could provide some services pro bono to worthy causes… and we do that too. We wanted to feel more tied to an organization and that our efforts were directly benefiting someone in our local community. After some brainstorming we got it!

Ken and I do a fair amount of public speaking in Vermont and across the US. Most times, we are offered an honorarium, and in most cases we politely decline. Preparing for these presentations, traveling to them and then presenting at them take time. And while we do not typically take the honorarium, we will now. We have decided that all honorariums that we collect between November 1, 2009 and October 31, 2010 we will donate to a charity.

For 2010, we are proud to announce that Spectrum Youth and Family Services will be our first partner in this effort. All monies for speaking honorariums collected by PMG during this time period will be donated to Spectrum to help them continue the great work that they do with teens in the Burlington, VT area.

Want to join us in supporting Spectrum? Here’s a couple of options:

Make a direct donation

Ask a PMGer to speak at your next event. For more information drop me a line at nicole(at)peoplemakinggood(dot)com

How Do You Self-Educate?

Nicole Ravlin — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:13:53 +0000

I have always been a big believer that you need to consistently be feeding your brain to be happy in life. I think most people feel that way.

When it comes to my career, I long ago realized that my education did not end when I graduated from college. That was merely a starting point. As a professional, I need to consistently educate myself on new trends, practices within my field, changes in business, etc., etc., etc.

Sure, in the past my employer has paid for me to attend seminars and get certifications. The problem with most of those “educational” experiences is that you lose what you learn within six months.

When you are self-guided in your education, you are more vested. I also think that that is the turning point when your job becomes your career. You see spending time outside of the office on this type of education as an investment in yourself.

At this point in my career I am still working at it. At the moment I am reading and studying the ever-changing world of social media . I am also reading up on sustainable business and corporate responsibility.

What are you working on?

It’s an honor…

Nicole Ravlin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:53:59 +0000

…to be nominated, really!

Sarah Evans (of Mashable, #journchat, and Twitter fame) started the Top 50 Tweeples to Follow on Twitter. Now in it’s second year, this award is a “people’s choice” style award where nominations come from the community and voting is open to anyone. The idea is that this list of 50 are the best people to follow to help other better understand Twitter and how to use it. There are several categories. Being nominated for this is really an honor for me as we do spend a lot of time trying to better understand social media tools and how to use them effectively in marketing and public relations. And as with social media – sharing what you know with others in the online community is part of the gig.

You can find more details here.

You can vote and see results here.

I am delighted to see PMG clients GreenHomes America and Boloco also nominated.

Good luck to all. Voting ends September 1st.

Who are your Tweeps?

Nicole Ravlin — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:38:38 +0000

I have been a little slack in updating the PMG blog, but with good reason… as they say, the cobblers children have no shoes. I have four, what I think, are great posts in the works. Watch for them to make it to the blog over the next week or so (I have a lot of plane time!).

In the mean time, Sarah Evans (who is one to watch in her own right) is bringing the Top 50 Tweeps award to Twitter once again. Check out the details on her blog, and then search #Top50Tweep on Twitter to see who has been nominated. Nominations are open until THIS tuesday, August 18, 2009.

PMG’s Lunch Adventure

8oh2 — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:36:21 +0000

Hello everyone, my name is Chris Garafola and I’m honored to say I’m one of PMG’s new PR Interns. I’ve only been working here for about a month and I’m already amazed at how much I’ve learned. Having the opportunity to have a hands-on learning experience is invaluable. Currently, I’m a senior at The University of Vermont and I’m majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.

Sometimes we PMG’ers like to get together and grab a nice lunch on the town. However, since there are so many great places to eat, deciding on where to have lunch is difficult. After a few suggestions were made, my fellow Intern Joe and I decided that today would be a great day for a burger—and that’s how our lunch adventure began.

Burlington, Vermont is known to many for its rolling green mountains and Lake Champlain. Yes, it’s even reported to be the stomping grounds of Champ the iconic lake monster. Almost anyone who has heard of Burlington has also more-than- likely heard of Church Street. The cobblestoned street is the center of Burlington’s energy. Everything from nightclubs, restaurants, live music and a cone of the highly acclaimed Ben and Jerry’s can be found here. However, nestled just a couple blocks away on North Street lays a hidden treasure—and I’m not talking about gold. I’m talking about burgers! Or more notably the best burger in Vermont!

This is truly a diamond in the rough. The Shopping Bag is located in what some claim to be a “rough neighborhood”. From the outside, The Shopping Bag looked uninspiring and didn’t seem like a place worthy of “Vermont’s best Hamburger.” However, after one of my roommates ate there the day prior and described it as, “the most delicious burger I’ve ever eaten!” I felt destined to try this burger. Not to mention, Joe the intern accompanying me also happens to be one of my best friends (this is when you say “awww… how cute”).

After we mustered up enough courage to enter the store we realized it wasn’t all that bad. We found out that we needed to see the cashier after deciding what we wanted to order. After we paid, Joe and I were given a scrap piece of paper that said “Scibec Sizzler”. From there, we were informed to give this scrap paper to the grill cook. My first impression of the grill cook was that of intimidation. He was a big man who had an angry look on his face. In other words, if you were ever in a fight, you would want him on your side. However, that didn’t phase me because for some reason I saw a little twinkle in his eye which said, “I may look mean but I make a meaner burger” Once the cook grabbed our slips he disappeared in the back for a little while. At first I was confused. I didn’t know whether he was going on his break or the two swipes of Old Spice I applied in the morning didn’t do the trick. I soon learned neither was the case because he returned with two of the biggest beef patties I’ve ever seen in my life. They keep the patties in the back cooler, almost as if the burger was a brick of gold and the back was a bank vault.At this point, I arrived at the realization that I was in for the most intense burger I’ve ever eaten.

While waiting for the mammoth burger to cook I decided to wander around the store. So I’m in my own little world humming Foreigner’s Cold as Ice (I had just heard it on the radio, and you know how that goes), when I came upon an attractive poster. The poster read, “Food Network, 50 States, 50 Burgers” and on it was the best ranked burgers from each state—and guess who made the list for Vermont? If you guessed our very own Shopping Bag—you guessed right! Not only was this burger hyped up by my friends, it was given national acclaim in a praised and respected magazine. My standards were rising higher and higher as the burger sizzled on the grill. Once the half pound burger was complete (and by complete I mean grilled and topped with: dill pickles, bacon, red onion, lettuce, tomato, toasted sesame seed bun, Montreal seasoning, three slices of American cheese, mustard, ketchup and mayo) it was time to eat.

Joe and I arrived back at PMG to eat our massive burgers. The once paper bags that were holding our Sizzlers now looked like see through plastic bags from all the grease that seeped through. However, it was all worth it because this burger was A M A Z I N G! Every bite I took created a juicy mouthful of flavors that wrapped around my tongue like a kid eating his first Popsicle. I was literarily in culinary heaven. Every ingredient and topping on the burger complemented each other perfectly. The experience was great and the burger was delicious. Granted it took me 17 minutes to completely finish eating it, but it was well worth it and I plan on making an excursion back to the Shopping Bag soon for round two.

Just one more thing, if you’re planning on getting a Sizzler, plan your day ahead of time. After you eat one of these bad boys you’re not going to want to strap on the old roller blades or hit the gym. Instead, you may want to lie down and watch VH1 I love the 80s while your food coma subdues.

Square Pegs: Not Just a Sarah Jessica Parker Sitcom

kristenoftheinterns — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:52:39 +0000

I have a window seat in the PMG office.

Okay, there’s only one desk that’s could be considered to be turned away from the windows, but that’s neither here nor there. I, the summer intern, have a window seat in the office. As a result, on occasion, I get to gaze upon the Waterfront. Or more truthfully, upon the people who are outside enjoying its splendor.

At least, some of them are. Others are parallel parking.

It’s a regular sight, people attempting to parallel park outside my window. Some succeed, some reevaluate, and some…well, some think that their Hummer is the size of a bread box. They wiggle, jiggle, and creep their way into a space that is not meant for them – it’s a little something called Square Peg Syndrome.

There’s a lot of Square Peg Syndrome in PR.

Imagine: You have a widget client – oh, what glorious widgets they produce! The bestest widgets you ever did see – plus, they’re nice people, which is always an added bonus.

The client has a dream: To reveal their latest widget on The Ubber Hip Show! Unfortunately, you know that The Ubber Hip Show doesn’t hit any of the widget’s targets and, in fact, may take away from other potentially potent placements (alliteration – love it!). But the client wants it – and they’re nice, remember?

So, you focus all of your energy on getting on The Ubber Hip Show. Days and nights of e-mails, calls, and, despite your best efforts, pleading that leads to…absolutely nothing. It’s a no-go and the widget client gets pitiable coverage on their latest and greatest invention.

And you know the sad truth? The Pretty Nifty Variety Hour, another popular show, would have hit your client’s target and their promotional dates perfectly – and you knew it, too. If only your focus wasn’t so pinpointed.

Sqaure Peg Syndrome AKA Over-targeting. It kills…your PR campaign.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some Waterfront gazing to catch up on.

Talkin’ Social Media

Nicole Ravlin — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:10:33 +0000

Last week I was invited to talk about the basics of social media on the Mark Johnson Show on WDEV as part of my participation in Vermont Business & Industry Expo.

As always, Mark was delightful to chat with. In case you missed it, here it is: Nicole’s Interview with Mark Johnson

Thanks again to Mark for welcoming me to the show.

If you missed the Expo video that we produced for the show, you should see it. Izabela Socha at PMG scrambled to get this together and did a great job! We now call her “Hollywood” – look for more from her soon!

Don’t Talk to Me!

Nicole Ravlin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:05:04 +0000

Social media done well includes three things:

Contribute to the conversation. Sure, there is a lot to be learned by reading tweets from others, but chances are you have nuggets of information that others would find incredibly valuable. Why not contribute your thoughts?
Listen to your customers, critics, competitors, brand evangelists… really to everyone who has something to say about your company, brands and you! Chances are you will learn something, and better yet, you may be able to get ahead of issues.
Engage. As a marketer it is easy to blast messages at your fan or follower base. This is not engagement. Engagement requires a give and take – kind of like a good relationship. If you are listening it is easy to react and engage.

It is pretty simple stuff. But, somewhere along the way we became comfortable with talking at and to rather than with people. Said that way, social media can really bring us back to basics—if you want to do it well. And with the global community that we now have access to thanks to the internet, our conversations have more reach.

Bottom line: don’t forget that social media is a conversation and requires interaction. Kind of like a dance, sometimes you lead and I follow. Other times, I lead and you follow.

Also, taking a step back and perhaps sending a note card to contacts from time to time, rather than an email, might set you apart from the crowd. A total retro move, I know, but I can guarantee you won’t get lost in the stream!

The “…ations” of Our Business

Nicole Ravlin — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:19:43 +0000

When did the occupation of public relations become so confusing to people? When I graduated from college, I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication. My studies were concentrated in public relations. I understood this to mean that my job would be to communicate a business’ message to the public: directly, through the media, and if needed and depending on the company I worked for, lobbying.

Today, there seems to be some question as to what this practice entails. Is it just effective writing? Is it a robust database to help your clients get traction in the media? Is it throwing a press release on the wire? Is it lobbying a bill on the Hill? Is it working with investors of a business to get the company’s messaging across? Is it social media?

The truth is, effective PR firms and people know how to do all of that, and in most cases, do much of it well. The business of public relATIONS is all about communicATION. And in today’s world that means communication to many types of people across multiple channels. The multiple channel piece of the equation is key.

From bloggers to national broadcast television placements, it is all important and beneficial. In fact, some of the smaller, less “glamorous” placements can do more for your bottom line. Consider the reach an outlet has AND how respected they are. A very targeted blog about a specific subject may get your client more traction than a mainstream newspaper placement. Think podcasters are important to target? You bet! Leave no stone unturned and achieve better results.

Bottom line: relate and communicate information effectively across all channels. That is what today’s PR is all about.

Twitter. Why Bother?

Nicole Ravlin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:13:51 +0000

Twitter. We have been hearing about it a lot more lately. In fact, as a pr person I have been seeing an increased number of queries from the media asking for “experts” on Twitter – so there must be something to it, right? Ellen tweets. And apparently Jay Leno did too for awhile.

I have blogged about it before… and here I go again!

A few of my non-marketing friends have recently dipped a toe into the Twitterverse and wonder what all the fuss is about. Well, friends… it takes more than a week to really figure it all out. If you are basically tweeting out what you had for dinner and how your commute went – then you are missing the bird… err, I mean boat!

Here are some quick suggestions on how to get some meaning out of your time on Twitter:

Search for people in your community that you want to follow. For example if I search the code #BTV (which is the airport code for Burlington, VT) I can see all of the stories that are related to people tweeting about Burlington. This works for most other cities too. And if there is a tweetup – go! You never know who you will meet and what sorts of handy tidbits you can pick up!

Find out what people are talking about by using the search function or visiting Hashtags.

Work in a specific industry? Find out if there is a virtual get together and tweet in! I rather enjoy Monday night when there is #Journchat and have connected with many a pr and journalist there for some engaging conversation.

What you tweet about is up to you… I find that a mix of my work life and helpful or good links with a small dash of personal works best for me. I have been able to start some great conversations and have learned a lot about topics that interest me and those that I did not know about before.

At the very least – secure your Twitter name. Like a domain name, once it is gone – it is gone!

I came across the following tonight and thought it was hysterical. Too bad that the writer of the clip has not realized that most people have moved past mundane tweets and have become more engaged… but it is fun to watch anyway!