So I sort of landed at Dittoe Public Relations unexpectedly (thanks Dietz!).  I was out of school and in dire need to get out of the house.  Long story short – I’m now in an office and probably the only person here that could be denoted as a religious symbol on the back of a mom’s minivan (Fish…a nickname).  But my given name is Brian Fisher and I am going to be a senior this fall at DePauw University.  I am a double major in Communications and Economics with aspirations to go to either law or business school.  I play on the DePauw baseball team and am a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity.  Growing up, I had aspirations of only going to a large state school and vowed never to conform to corporate America, which makes me nothing short of a hypocrite.  The fact is that going to DePauw was, without a doubt, the best decisions I have ever made, and I have been learning the last three years how to mesh with the corporate world.

     
Over the years, however, the primary lesson I have learned is to make the most of your opportunities.  And when there are none, create them for yourself.  The opportunity arose for me to intern this summer with Dittoe PR, and I jumped on it like Charles Barkley on a bail bond.  I am eager to learn and know it is going to be more than a worthwhile experience.  Before I left for college, I had lived in the same house in Terre Haute, Indiana, for eighteen years and had never really been out of the Midwest.  I longed to get out and see the world.  I have since studied in Europe, interned in Mexico, and have now landed in Indianapolis.  I am sincerely thankful to everyone and everything that have made these opportunities a reality.

          
This summer at Dittoe PR is another chapter and opportunity seized.  Besides Chris Dittoe, I am the only male in the office, which honestly, is a bit intimidating.  So I should have some good stories, hopefully some that I can share in future blogs.  Until next time…

One month- the amount of time I've spent at Dittoe Public Relations. How much can someone really learn in only a few short weeks? Well, let me assure you I have learned quite a lot in my time here so far.  From various PR tactics to Twitter, my eyes have been opened to the world of public relations and all that it has to offer. Coming off of my first two years of my undergrad experience, I have to admit that I was rather naive in the specific inner workings of communications and its range of specific fields. While I knew enough to get by and understand general conversations about industry-related topics, I am by no means near any level of expertise. However, in my short time as an intern, I have learned more in a month than in my first two years of college.  The hands-on experience I'm getting is truly invaluable and has really taught me how important an internship is in deciding my future career. I've learned how crucial the little things are in creating the big picture. Prior to this month, I didn't have a true understanding of pitching products and the importance of follow-ups. My views on this matter have developed significantly. For example, on of the accounts I help work on required a lot of pitching the last few weeks. Naturally, I sent out the first round of pitches and only heard back from a select few.  Initially, I have to admit I was a little frustrated. How could people not want to respond to my pitches immediately? Did people not like me? Was I doing something wrong? Being a typical first-time intern, I tend to take things way too personally.  Therefore, when I wasn't getting responses, I took it offensively. This is slightly ridiculous when you think about it, but rather humorous as well. Then came the realization that follow-ups were in order. I followed suite and you would've thought Christmas came early for me. I got some really great responses and I have to say it truly made my day (again, taking my job too personal)! While this may seem like an obvious step in any PR venture, it was a great discovery to me. Every day brings something new and I'm constantly learning about different aspects of the industry.  I have gained such a greater appreciation for the media and how it all works.  From local Indianapolis Public Relations to the greater Corporate Public Relations, I have already been fortunate enough to get a taste in a wide array of these various areas and forums.  While I still have much to learn and gain from this summer experience, I feel so grateful to be in the position I'm in. Learning public relations planning and strategies from the best Indianapolis PR Firm is truly a gift and an incredible opportunity.

This post comes from my personal blog but I felt it was extremly relevant to share these PR tactics with all of our readers here on the Dittoe Blog.

Now more than ever, internships are increasingly important for landing that first job. It is crucial that interns seek out relevant employment opportunities to help them achieve career goals. Getting started at an internship can be quite an adjustment, especially if you have never had one before. As a previous intern, I am going to offer my advice for starting your internship off on the right foot. Followed 10 tips on how employers can effectively work with and utilize their (PR) interns based on their skills and qualifications.
 

Before beginning your internship, it is important to have an idea of what you want to get out of it. What work are you looking to do and what value can you add to the company? When you begin your internship it is important to have an elevator pitch. We often hear about using these at networking events but I feel this is essential when meeting new people at the company. Not that you have to sell yourself once you have been hired, but so people can gauge your interests and career goals. Take a look at this excellent article from Examiner.com on getting your elevator pitch ready, there is even a contest to enter! Going out of your way to introduce yourself to everyone shows your eagerness to learn from each talented individual and your sincere interest in getting to know each and every person. Remember, first impressions are crucial!
 

Once you have been introduced, sit down with your supervisor and develop a communications plan between the two of you. What are the expectations? Decide the best means of communicating, how you will receive your weekly projects, the general format for all work and what types of updates you want to receive from one another. Weekly project lists with specified deadlines are a great way to stay focused and organized; in PR we cannot afford to miss any deadlines. Keep your supervisor and co-workers up to date on the status of your work at all time, especially if projects roll over from one week to the next. After that, work together and come up with a list of personal goals you have for the internship. It is imperative to go back and check these ever so often to make sure you are on track. Dive in, and don’t be scared. You cannot exceed if you never try!
 

Finally, here are some simple suggestions to make sure employers are effectively utilizing their interns:
 

1. Know your new intern- everyone should receive a copy of their resume so familiarize yourself past experiences and background information.
2. Based on your personal job description, find what areas you need the most help with and make a note of it- this is where your intern comes in.
3. Plan to individually meet with the intern and discuss your daily responsibilities and what role they have in assisting you.
4. Leave your apprehensiveness at the door- if you never give the intern a chance then how will they ever learn.
5. Begin with research projects and be sure they understand the importance of thorough research, no cutting corners here!
6. Let them sit in on phone calls or meetings, especially with clients. This will help them understand the importance of relationships and how you interact with your clients.
7. Expose them to writing, anything and everything helps. I have learned you can never do too much writing particularly since we have the opportunity to write in so many different styles. Have them take a stab at a pitch, byline or case study. There is no harm in letting them develop rough drafts.
8. If there any changes, comments or suggestions on work they have submitted, meet with them and explain why something is the way it is- don’t just change it and send it back to them.
9. Help them improve on their weaknesses- give them something forcing them to step out of their comfort zone!
10. Believe in your intern, you would actually be surprised what they can teach you!
11.  

To be the best, you have to produce the best. As a premier Indianapolis PR Firm, we pride ourselves on helping our interns get the most out of their time with us... are you doing the same?

I came across a great column that addresses something we too often forget in successful public relations - the all-powerful press release.



While PR efforts extend far beyond these carefully worded media announcements, they truly are the building blocks of successful and consistent relationships with media.

Writing them is also quite an art and is an opportunity for companies to completely control their message and the manner in which it is delivered to the masses.

Not to mention, they are an effective means to clearly communicate with multiple new outlets.

The press release is a tool that none of us should forget. However, it is important to always stay on top of how best to pen them. Written by Dave Hogan of APR this column provides some tips and tricks for picking up the press release, dusting it off and breathing new life into the way you approach them. Enjoy!

Securing any kind of media placement for our clients is always a good feeling. Every little bit counts from blog posts and newspapers to trade publications and major magazines. And depending what the client's PR needs are some can be more valuable than others.

But let's face it...some media opportunities are just incredibly cool and on behalf of our client, Klipsch Group Inc., we saw one of these opportunities come to fruition and the thrill was unbelievable....

Is your foot tapping with anticipation yet?

Alright, I will tell you because we all pretty much want to shout it from the roof tops.

On Thursday, May 21st the combination of our tireless pitching efforts and Klipsch's best-in-class products landed our client on the Ellen Degeneres Show!!

As a prize for her infamous 'Mystery Word' segment, Ellen gave away 350 pairs of Klipsch's newest headphone offering, the Image S4. The audience went nuts!

Ellen's producers were a pleasure to work with. But mind you, this was no easy process. Countless phone calls and emails were exchanged, contracts were signed, deadlines were constantly changing and it meant a lot of long work days. Yet, we couldn't be happier with the results.

With over 3 million viewers per episode this is a great win for Klipsch, the new headphones and their overall brand awareness. And a big win for our client is a big win for us. We are all flying high over here at Dittoe PR.

We are happiest when we our clients are receiving recognition for the innovative services and products they provide and create. And although we are incredibly happy right now,  we are also eager to continue generating valuable coverage for all of our clients.

With enough hard work and creative people, the big wins are always possible. On to the next one!

Last week, we received some amazing news - five of our clients have been selected as finalists for this year's TechPoint Mira Awards!

• ExactTarget is a leading provider of on-demand email and one-to-one marketing solutions for businesses wo rldwide.
• Precise Path Robotics designs and manufactures robotic golf course conditioning and maintenance equipment and unveiled the very first, fully-autonomous robotic greens mower this year.
• Compendium Blogware helps organizations acquire customers through blogging by making blogging and search engine optimization (SEO) benefits more accessible to organizations, publishers and individuals through its proprietary platform. 
• Vontoo is the world's first permission-based, on-demand voice messaging system, and enables organ izations to create, send and track voice messages tailored to the recipient's interests.
• EHOB, Inc. is the manufacturer of the WAFFLE® Brand Products for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers and provides acute care and long term care facilities, as well as home care. The company offers the most clinically based, cost effecti ve positioning and support surface solutions available.

So, CONGRATULATIONS to our wonderful clients - we can't wait to see you at the award ceremony next month! 
The 2009 winners will be announced at an award ceremony held on Sat., May 16th at The Westin Indianapolis - and we'll be there!

I wrote a good pitch. It was solid. Five sentences long with, what I believed to be, a fantastic subject line. The copy was equally impressive when spoken over the phone, too.

So why didn't I get a response?

Creating a story idea or angle that involves a client is not as easy as it appears. This is especially the case when the client creates intangible products like applications, Internet-based software or security. We, as PR professionals, understand what makes our clients different from their competition. We see the potential in each of every one of them - whether it's the potential to be a regularly featured columnist in a trade publication or to be a guest on the Today Show. But I often find myself wondering, "Why can't everyone else see it?!"

Writing a pitch is an art. It has to get the attention of the journalist, blogger or producer with 4-6 words (subject line) and hold it through a brief email that in some way tempts the recepient to press "reply" and ask for more information or an interview.

Sure, I've had those special pitches that were successful the first time I sent them out. But more often, I go back to the drawing board and try to determine why I wasn't able to generate any interest and re-work my copy.

Perhaps I targeted the wrong person - maybe they don't work at the media outlet any more or they switched beats. Maybe my subject line isn't punchy enough. What if my call to action isn't urgent enough? These are all questions I ask myself as I re-evaluate the pitch.

Today, when faced with this very situation, I changed three words - that's right, just three words, and sent out my pitch to contacts I have been unable to secure stories with so far. Those three words worked. Can you believe it? I had a response from each contact within the hour.


Writing services are so much more than news releases, case studies and bylines! Just one of the PR tactics we pride ourselves in here at Dittoe is our ability to write strong, targeted pitches - that lead to interviews and ultimately, coverage for our clients. ROI in the form of a blog post, article or news segment.

Just three words turned a good pitch into a successful pitch. What can three words do for you?

Not long ago, I received what I think has been the greatest compliment of my life. If not that, then certainly the greatest of my career. My first instinct - to spam everyone with it, including my boss, coworkers and yes, even family and friends (most of whom don't fully understand what I do nor do they care to).

For several months most of my pitching efforts for a specific client revolved strictly around product reviews. While these are fantastic to get published - a third party endorsement lets the public know your product or service can be trusted, I wanted to take things one step further and position my client as an expert in their industry.

After some thorough research, I developed a timely angle and selected a reporter I thought would be interested in my proposed piece. Long story short, he interviewed my client and published a column in which my client provided advice for his readers. Mission accomplished. However, this isn't what I am most proud of...

After writing the reporter an email to thank him for his time, cooperative attitude and the great story I received one back from him not only thanking me but taking it one step further. He said he could rest easy when working with me, knowing that when he requests something - I get it done. He then made my year by telling me I was a PR person he trusted.

So there it is, there's the statement that is now my point of pride, my great achievement. An established, respected journalist trusts and enjoys communicating with me. We so often hear of the media warning PR people with do's and don'ts, tweeting about ridiculous pitches they receive or blacklisting entire firms it is nice to know it can be done. We can work together to achieve a mutually beneficial relationship.

Journalists trust Dittoe PR. We cultivate our relationships with the media by providing them with useful information and staying in touch.

The best part of all this - good relationships with the media mean GREAT coverage for our clients.

Earlier this week I was reading an article in USA Today addressing marketers' usage of Twitter as a way to promote their businesses and drive people to their Web sites and ultimately, help drive sales.

Here at Dittoe PR we are Twitter evangalists and believe our clients can benefit from using the service, as well as our agency itself. Why? Because in 140 characters you can open a conversation, interact with customers or clients, get answers and gain knowledge. What an incredible platform for the exchange of information, one that facilitates open communication - communication that all parties involved can benefit from.

Twitter, along with blogs, can become a tool that allows business to humanize their services. One of the companies profiled in the piece, a bakery, uses the service to share with the public their love of all things cake. They tweet about current baking projects, their favorite frosting scents and what free samples they have available. This clearly communicates to the consumer this is a company who loves what they do, does that thing well and gives their employees a voice.

Now, when you are searching for a specific vendor, wouldn't those factors help you make a decision? It would certainly push me in one direction over another.

Twitter has become a favorite news topic with people publishing lists that advise people of the best and worst uses for the technology. I believe when utilized to inject personality, warmth and excitement into your brand and company - you are using Twitter in the best possible manner.

I’ve been a member of the “Twitter-verse” for several months now (2,500 tweets and counting) and it occurred to me this morning that not only has Twitter been a useful tool for me at work, at the best Indianapolis PR firm, but I’ve also learned quite a few things from the micro-blogging community. So here’s my list of what I’ve learned or gotten out of Twitter, along with some input from several of my followers:

1. Say it already! Type what you are thinking in 140 characters or less. As a result, my pitches are now shorter and get to the point faster.
2. Stay on top of things. Twitter is like watching CNN 24/7. The folks I follow are from all over the world and they share their current events by tweeting. I found out about the earthquake in California, the brush fires in Australia and the plane crash in the Hudson via Twitter.
3. Diversity is awesome. I follow journalists, lawyers, engineers, realtors, marketing pros and PR people (to name a few). Each one of these folks has a different perspective and can offer new information (and ways to interpret facts) that I may not have thought about otherwise.
4. Don’t knock it until you try it. “Many people ask, ‘why do you tweet?’ until they get it.” - @Kiteaton
5. Jump into the conversation. Share with the world what you’re doing. Don’t wait for someone to ask you or offer you advice on how to you Twitter. “I’ve learned that 98% of new Twitter users use ‘Trying to figure out this Twitter thing’ as their initial entry.” - @dlittlefield
6. “Social networking is a tool, NOT a solution.” - @nancymyrland
7. Facebook is a tool for connecting to people you already know. Twitter connects you to people you want to know better.
8. Get to know people better. Not just fellow graduates from your alma mater or folks from your hometown, but people you might even want to do business with in the future. Network.
9. “I’ve found many new sources of information and quicker ways to get answers. The amount of information posted is great!” - @AdrienneBailey
10. “Can use social networks to send out alerts, in addition to email alerts…” - @LindsayGriffith

So that’s just a sampling from me and some of the folks I follow day-to-day. What have you learned from Twitter? Let me know by clicking on the little bird below.

This spring marks my fifth year since college graduation, meaning this October I will be dragging my husband to the five-year reunion at homecoming. More importantly, it also means I have successfully grown and cultivated my career - continuing my education 'outside of the classroom' for half a decade. Not to toot my own horn, but this is a very exciting year for me.

Prior to working at Dittoe Public Relations, I don't think I could have named you five Indianapolis PR firms. Of course, I knew of a couple because of networking events I had attended or through word of mouth - but really, most of my "PR education" has happened here at Dittoe.

When I started working here, it was clear that Dittoe was not your typical PR agency. I came from a very corporate background and found the openness of the Dittoe office to be exciting and full of creative energy.

I've learned so much about marketing, communications and public relations planning & strategies in the past five years. It makes me excited to think about what I'll be discovering and working on from this summer through the spring of 2014!

Granted, it's hard to even conceive of that year - 2014 - but then again, five years ago from today I definitely could not have told you I would be married, living in Indianapolis and working at a PR firm!

I read an article this morning that I had to share - both because it provides an interesting perspective on marketing (specifically addressing advertising, but the analysis can be applied to marketing universally) and because it's pretty amusing. Mickey Lonchar of Quisenberry Marketing & Design, an ad agency in Washington state, wrote this article which was published in my MediaPost Marketing Daily Newsletter this morning: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=102586.

In the article, Lonchar discusses a phenomenon he has named "the 30% rule" - which is essentially his observation that approximately 30% of an audience will not understand an advertising campaign. He goes on to address the fact that, unfortunately, the general public at large is just not smart enough to comprehend many of the concepts, insinuations, attempts at humor and "food for thought" that many ad campaigns include in their messaging.

While I'm not sure how scientific Lonchar's selection of 30% is as a measuring point for this observation, I do think this "rule" of his can be applied more widely to marketing campaigns. The simple fact of the matter is that people come from a wide variety of backgrounds, with varying levels of life experience, education, interactions with others and ability to reason. Therefore, developing a message for the population at large is an incredibly difficult thing to do. Most marketers target a small segment of the population for this reason - knowing that a certain type of consumer is more likely than others to react to and purchase their product or service.

In public relations, we know and appreciate the importance of understanding our clients' audiences. For example, while some clients may have a product or service offering that is of mass appeal (these are most often consumer product offerings such as electronics, books, food or beverage, etc.) others provide an offering that is very specific to an industry (such as cable networking, scientific technology, education materials, or manufacturing capabilities). In researching and working to obtain the best possible media attention for our clients, we know how important it is to find opportunities for exposure to the proper audiences. It won't help our clients to have exposure to audiences that don't understand their businesses.

Always keep in mind the importance of A. knowing your audience, and B. communicating in a manner they understand and that will resonate effectively with them.

I've been thinking a fair amount lately about the importance, in business, of cultivating positive relationships with customers. This includes a variety of measures, all of which are important - from empathizing with consumers' positions to providing fast, professional and friendly service.

Consumers today have little discretionary income and want to make smart purchase decisions. Cultivating personal relationships with customers and providing understanding/caring for their well-being during this time of economic hardship can make a world of difference. By simply communicating that it understands the difficult financial positions in which consumers may find themselves, a business can bring itself closer to consumers. Businesses may even want to go a step further and provide special discounts or promotions to show appreciation for their customers and provide assistance to them during these tough financial times. This can help lead to customer loyalty as well as, ultimately, an improved bottom line for the business.

Another important measure for businesses to take in cultivating positive relationships with customers and building positive associations surrounding their brands is to make great service a priority. I read a recent interview in Inc. Magazine (http://www.inc.com/magazine/20070301/salesmarketing-qa-sernovitz.html) in which Editor Mike Hofman interviewed Andy Sernovitz, the co-founder of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association. In this interview, Sernovitz stresses that good word of mouth is critical to most companies' success. Customers' experience with the business and the level of service they receive can play a big factor in determining their reaction and subsequent communication to others regarding the company.

Thus, businesses should ensure they're giving their customers excellent service at all times - from the first interactions through any post-sale service that may be necessary. While the functionability and value of a product or service itself is important, a customer's experience interacting with the business can be just as important in determining whether a customer remains loyal.

These days, it's more important than ever for businesses to retain customers. In this spirit of this, companies should take some serious time to consider (and make changes, if necessary) how they interact and connect with their customers and whether they're doing all they can to ensure repeat customers who will also speak positively about their experiences to other consumers.

Many folks don’t realize that before a story runs in their local paper or on their favorite morning news broadcast, somewhere there was a public relations professional sitting on the story – searching for the perfect media outlet to share the news with the world. With the exception of breaking news of course, many news stories and features found in newspapers, magazines, Web sites and TV and radio shows, are the direct result of research, targeted pitching, positioning and constant follow-up.

There’s no better feeling during my work day than to hear a journalist say, “I really like your story idea – can we set up an interview for next week?” Not only is it excellent news to share with a client, but it’s very rewarding. Imagine… My story idea caught the attention of a journalist whom I’ve been researching and reading every day. My idea will come to fruition in his or her words. Very cool.

I’m not suggesting that every story you read in the paper is straight from the PR pro’s mouth, but sometimes our ideas can get creative juices going and lead a journalist or columnist in an entirely new direction.

As I write this, I am sitting on three relevant news stories for two very different industries. I am unable to share the news with the media because the announcements have yet to be approved by all parties involved – but when the time comes, I will be ready to spread the word.

Considering developing a public relations strategy?  Regardless if your company has ever dabbled in PR or not, it’s important to determine whether or not a PR plan is the answer to your prayers.  Hopefully, these questions can help you determine if PR is the right path for you to consider.

1. Do you have a value statement?  Is your company, product or service the “first ever” or a truly “unique” solution?  Without a key differentiator, the likelihood of creating a buzz with the media is minimal.
2. What level of expertise are you looking for?  Do you need help writing and/or distributing press releases, or are you looking for an experienced pro to create a strategy for you and then work on behalf of your organization to meet your goals?  The latter includes writing services such as press releases, bylines and case studies, nominations for awards and speaking opportunities, constant pitching to key media contacts, PR consulting, media relations services, etc… Both can be done by a PR agency but the fees are slightly different.
3. What is your goal?  Why are you even considering public relations?  Many clients tell us, “We want to be on Oprah,” but for some, this isn’t a realistic goal.  The benefits of getting some key industry media coverage may exceed those of a giveaway on a talk show, or a mention in a national business publication may generate more investment inquiries than being listing as a “favorite thing.”  Take a step back and think about what kind of media coverage will genuinely help you build your business.
4. Who is your target audience?  This goes hand in hand with #3.  Many products and services can be used and enjoyed by people of all ages, but oftentimes companies want to focus PR tactics on a particular segment of the population.  Maybe this is to increase sales or interest within a previously “uninterested” group of potential customers – or to generate more interest within the group already known to be most likely to purchase your gadget or gizmo.
5. When do you want to see results?  Typically, our clients see results within a month, even as soon as a week.  The timing has a lot to do with the public relations planning and strategies for the client and available editorial opportunities, queries from media contacts, etc.  I recommend signing on with a PR firm knowing that it’s a long-term investment.  Yes, we can get you coverage soon but we can get you better coverage down the road when we’ve really established you as an expert and/or your product as the best around.

I could probably make this post last forever, but instead, I think I’ll just follow up on a monthly basis with more tips as I come up with them or run across some – maybe from your comments?

I recently read an article written by an entrepreneur whose mother and father, as well as both grandfathers, were entrepreneurs.  She asserted, “Perhaps entrepreneurism is in my blood…” which got me thinking. How did I get into public relations?

My mom went to college to become a high school history teacher. My dad went to college and law school to become an attorney. No one in my family has ever worked in advertising, marketing, media relations services or corporate public relations.  

I won’t lie, part of me always dreamed about being a lawyer like my dad. In college, I found law to be too analytical for me. I wanted to be creative. I wanted to write. Oddly enough, neither of my parents are big writers.

Imagine my surprise during my parents’ last visit to Indianapolis when I found out one of my grandmothers wrote and printed her own newspaper as a child. My other grandmother wrote children’s stories and typed them up to be bound in a collection for her children one day.

Note: I actually created my own magazine in elementary school (with artwork) and created a book of poetry in high school. Maybe I caught the “creative bug” and my love of writing from these two women?

For me, my talents (both inherited and learned) are best suited to public relations and marketing. It’s just the way my mind works – I can’t not think like a consumer PR strategist or a student of evolving PR tactics.  

Indiana must be in my blood too, as my parents, grandparents and countless other relatives all started their careers in Indiana. Even after growing up in the south, I've ended up at an Indianapolis PR agency. Somethings just come naturally, I guess.

So, you tell me… what’s in your blood?

This past weekend, my mom came to visit from Boston. On the ride to the airport this morning at 5am, somehow we actually got into an intellectual discussion. (I say this with surprise because I am the farthest thing possible from a "morning person.") It started as a result of a discussion about my client Bob Compton's documentary Two Million Minutes and the media relations services work I do for him.We started talking about American K-12 education and how, all too frequently, the focus in this realm is on creating good teacher career paths and (largely because of teacher unions) improving teacher benefits, rather than on successfully and sufficiently educating children. My mom recalled a perfect example of this from my high school days.

My freshman year of high school, I took a couple of required science courses - physical science and ecology. My physical science teacher was a man on the verge of retirement who was obviously ready to move on from teaching. Apparently he had tried to retire the previous year, but the school system wouldn't award him the retirement benefits he wanted unless he taught for an additional year. As a result, he made a point of using every single sick day he had accululated over the years - which meant that he missed teaching my class at LEAST once every week. It was so painfully obvious the he was mentally checked out, which was extremely unfair for our class, all of whom were trying to learn the material essentially on their own - without a teacher present.

Juxaposed with this teacher was my ecology teacher (who later taught my high school AP chemistry class as well). He was passionate about science and instilled in his students a love of learning and desire to succeed. He stayed late to tutor struggling students and gave extra help during his "break" blocks during the day. He was truly a wonderful teacher who felt a responsibility to his students and wanted to positively impact their learning.

These two examples of teachers on both ends of the spectrum brought my mom and I to another topic related to American K-12 education - that of rewarding teachers for length of tenure, rather than achievement. With teachers' unions holding so much power, so frequently teachers' pay is determined purely by the amount of time they've invested. So my 64-year old (or so) physical science teacher who had mentally (and all-too-often physically) checked out was probably being paid more than my younger, dedicated and effective ecology/AP chemistry teacher. This seems extremely wrong in my mind. Why is the education system supporting and rewarding teachers who are ineffective and hurting students' learning simply because "they've put in their time"? Teachers should be rewarded based on how well they are teaching and how well their students are learning.

In the business world, professionals are rewarded and promoted (or should be, most of the time) based upon merit and results achieved. This is because it is in companies' interests to reward and retain talented workers, who contribute positively to the success of the business. Shouldn't education be looked at in a similar manner? The teachers who are successful and contribute positively to the education of children should be the ones rewarded and promoted - to help American schools strive for excellence. Those who are passive, ineffective or contribute negatively to students' success shouldn't continue to be rewarded and allowed to maintain the status quo.

Students' education is too important, and teachers play such a large role in their successes or failures, that it is critical that the U.S. examine K-12 education and make decisions in the interests of our students - the generation that will determine our future in today's global world. I only hope that the dedication of great teachers and education reformists - and possibly even some positive media relations services like we provide at Dittoe - will help move education in the right direction for students.

I recently read an article on Entrepreneur.com about a small florist in Faneuil Hall, Boston that improved its sales with a marketing sponsorship of the Red Sox. The marketing director for the florist negotiated a successful sponsorship deal with the Red Sox, making the small business the "Official Florist of the Boston Red Sox" for three years. As such, the florist was able to take advantage of Bostonians' love of their baseball team for their own sales purposes. By marketing themselves in this way, the business appealed to fans wanting to support their team as well as bring team insignia-themed floral arrangements into their homes, businesses, etc. The marketing director for the florist implemented a variety of creative tactics to take full advantage of this sponsorship - from decorating his store with Red Sox paraphranalia to selling flowers planted in dirt from Fenway Park. The article cites a 10% increase in the florist's business since the sponsorship began.

While I always enjoy reading about successful marketing campaigns and the creative means by which businesses execute them, I also love the home town camaraderie that such campaigns help generate.

Having grown up in a town about twenty minutes north of Boston, I love the Red Sox, and when I visit my family there I frequently notice the marketing campaigns and team tie-ins that are ever-present in the area. My favorite bakery, Perfecto's, sells gingerbread cookies frosted to look like Dustin Pedroia, Jon Lester and Jason Varitek. Not only are the cookies delicious, but the Sox player resemblances make them fun and make me, as a fan, more likely to purchase them. Similarly, when the Sox beat the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS - "reversing the curse" to advance to their first world series since 1918 - numerous ice cream shops in the Boston area created and named new ice cream flavors in the team's honor.

It's always fun sharing your love for a team with others around you. However, when you move somewhere new and are surrounded by opposing teams' fans, products and promotions, it's not quite so endearing. I moved to Indianapolis from my home town outside of Boston about 20 months ago and instantly went from living among fellow Red Sox and Patriots fans to being in Colts world. With the rivalry that exists between the Colts and the Patriots, it is often difficult being one Patriots fan among many Colts fans. However, as a marketing professional, I must admit that I've seen some great support from local businesses for the Colts. Aligning yourself, as a business, with a beloved team is a very smart and business-saavy tactic!

It seems that everywhere you turn there are news stories on Nadya Suleman, the “Octo-Mom” who made headlines earlier this month after giving birth to octoplets. Her PR firm dropped her as a client after receiving numerous death threats and the president of the firm, Joan Killeen, even spoke out on Larry King Live to explain her company’s actions:

“I just can’t run my business and continue to do the things that I need to do for my clients with constant death threats and phone calls and interruptions. You know, I took on this account because I’m a mom and a grandma, and I wanted to help someone who needs help with the media. I did this pro bono. I’ve made no money. I have no intention of getting any money. And I think people need to realize I just did this out of the goodness of my heart to help a woman who didn’t know how to work with the media.”

After reading the transcript of Ms. Killeen’s interview with Larry King, I remained perplexed as to why her firm even agreed to take on this client. Not every company, product or person is public relations material. In fact, many are public relations disasters and I think we can lump the Octo-Mom into this category!

In college, professors used to say they were more interested in the quality of our words than the quantity. If we could respond to a question in two sentences with all of the information needed to answer it appropriately, then they would be as satisfied with our work as if we filled up an entire blue book trying to prove our point. The hard part was taking all of that information that could fill up the blue book and fitting it into a couple of statements.

I believe this sentiment carries over into public relations. How many clients Dittoe PR has is not as important as the amazing coverage we are able to generate for our clients – whether there are two or twenty. As a boutique firm operating in a tough economy, it’s important to still uphold our standards and not take on accounts (especially pro bono) that can 1) reflect poorly on the firm; 2) take up hours of time each day that can be better spent on other accounts; and 3) increase the amount of hate mail and death threats we receive (we don’t get any, for the record).

It sounds like Ms. Killeen’s firm wasn’t prepared. With a little bit of digging, or even by just asking the right questions, Ms. Suleman's former PR firm could have found out about her umemployment, welfare, food stamps, plastic surgery and the missed mortgage payments on her mother's home.

Just like a company or person does research on public relations firms before deciding who they want to work with, PR firms must do the same amount of research to learn the good and the bad about a potential client. Being prepared for whatever might hit our desks is part of the job.