Shedding light on the strategy, design and thinking behind the contents and layout of the Center for Civil and Human Rights -- planned for construction in Atlanta in 2012 -- the panel provided insight into the larger communication issues involved with informing the public about the mission and purpose of the Center.
Leveraging a comprehensive communications approach that comprised of traditional media relations, new media outreach and innovative tactics, the Center's communications team attempted to change preconceived notions about the Center and properly educate the community.
Seeking to expand the Center's influence, presence and reach beyond its physical parameters in Atlanta, executives emulated the approach of the Holocaust museum in Washington D.C. and aimed at establishing an international presence.
Additionally, Shipman spoke about the social media strategy employed by the Center to drive awareness and create a forum to encourage ongoing communication and input from the community. Using only one social media channel, Facebook, the Center sought to unify the conversation and solicit feedback from the community.
At the conclusion of the luncheon, outgoing PRSA GA President Mike Neumeier passed the proverbial torch (or in this case, gavel) to incoming President Tim Hussey, director of marketing and communications at Emory Law. Tim graciously thanked Mike for his dedication service to the chapter and for his continuing committment to helping advance the Chapter.
According to a study by email marketing provider Vertical Response, U.S. small businesses say they plan to bolster their use of social media and email marketing in 2010.
"The survey of 831 respondents at businesses with fewer than 500 employees found that 74% plan increase email marketing and 68% will increase their use of social media marketing."
Savvy companies have recognized the potential these cost-effective channels have in delivering value to their customers and prospects. Even more, they are great jumping-off points for companies looking to implement engagement strategies and establish ongoing dialogue with their constituents.
Additionally, public relations was identified as a top tool for businesses to use in 2010. Not very surprising as PR offers companies relatively cost-friendly avenues to build their brand, establish relationships with the media and engage in relevant industry conversations.
Arketi Group Creative Director, Rory Carlton, examines the premise of the recently launch Microsoft Bing campaign and assesses its effectiveness in converting loyal Google-ites.
Arketi recently spoke with University of Georgia professor, Dr. Kaye Sweetser, APR, after her PRSA GA September pre-luncheon seminar titled "Creating Your Social Media Playbook: A Pre-Season Training Camp."
Dr. Sweetser emphasized the importance of understanding the fundamentals of social media engagement and provided specific tips, tricks and tactics to consider when developing a social media strategy.
In addition to detailing components of an effective organizational Twitter account , Dr. Sweetser delved into Twitter best practices such as always providing a call-to-action, leaving space to be re-tweeted and using please & thank you.
The PRSAGA September Luncheon featured an informative panel comprised of two public relations managers from UPS. Lynnette McIntire and Debbie Curtis-Magley provided insight into strategies employed by UPS when faced with a massive viral threat from a competitor.
In an attempt to dispel the rumors and protect its reputation, UPS engaged proactively with a variety of social media channels to mitigate the misinformation.
Moderated by Dr. Kaye Sweetser (University of Georgia), panelists stressed the importance of proactive brand awareness and specifically highlighted social media monitoring tools as a valuable asset.
Other attendees spotted in the crowd were seen utilizing Twitter to keep colleagues not in attendance posted on the luncheon. Using the PRSA GA designated hashtags #PRSAgaSM and #prsaGA, the twitterer's amassed nearly five pages of "tweets" from the event.
Arketi Group recently spoke with Chris Sweigart, reporter and director of social media for 11Alive, about leveraging emerging social media technologies to expand the traditional newsroom.
In addition to opening up its editorial meetings to the public, Sweigart acknowledges that 11Alive encourages its reporters to interact with viewers on Twitter and Facebook. This dynamic helps facilitate a free flowing conversation between reporters and viewers that benefits the entire community.
Nearly 200 communications professionals gathered at the Georgia Tech Research Institute last Friday for the inaugural PR Camp Atlanta. The anticipated event consisted of a slew of PR, marketing and communications professionals engaging in highly interactive social media discussions. Focusing specifically on how to bridge the gap between digital natives and seasoned professionals, the event served as a hotbed for dynamic and insightful conversations.
Prompted by panelists such as Katie Mingo (Delta), Debbie Curtis-Magley (UPS) and Nick Ayres (Home Depot), attendees discussed how to capitalize on opportunities presented by social media and how to leverage these technologies to better serve our companies and clients.
Other panelists, including Jenny Schmitt (Cloudspark), Carol Flammer (mRelevance) and Matt Epstein (Definition6), facilitated discussions on ways to effectively track and measure success in the increasingly blurred world of marketing and PR.
Atlanta-based Arketi Group is a PR and marketing firm that helps BtoB tech organizations accelerate growth through intelligent strategy, PR, messaging, branding and demand generation. Consistently recognized by BtoB magazine as one of the nation's “Top BtoB Agencies,” Arketi’s core belief is that marketing generates revenue. Clients benefiting from this approach to BtoB marketing include Cbeyond, Convergys, Flo Healthcare, Sage Software and Xerox. More information, call 404-929-0091 ext. 202.
The PRSA GA December Luncheon featured an esteemed panel featuring Doug Shipman and Alisa Smallwood from Atlanta's Center for Civil and Human Rights as well as Bill Halter (HOK) and Alexis Scott (Atlanta Daily World).
At the conclusion of the luncheon, outgoing PRSA GA President Mike Neumeier passed the proverbial torch (or in this case, gavel) to incoming President Tim Hussey, director of marketing and communications at Emory Law. Tim graciously thanked Mike for his dedication service to the chapter and for his continuing committment to helping advance the Chapter.
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