There is always a bit of excitement in the air when starting to work with a new client. I began working for my newest client, CareerScribe, at the beginning of this month and I can feel anticipation building as the launch of the Alpha version of their Web site is quickly approaching. 

 

CareerScribe is the future of hiring and career management.  It leaps and bounds ahead of any other online job resource site. It has everything you like from other sites but brings the art of searching, interviewing and hiring into the digital age…the ‘YouTube generation’! And it’s launching right here in Indianapolis – recently ranked by Forbes as one of the hottest growing business communities!

To check out this site and/or create your own profile please visit: http://www.careerscribe.com/

Have you ever used NO-AD sunscreen on vacation?  It's really good stuff... great value for the money too because the bottles are ginormous.  What makes this sunscreen really different than Banana Boat, Panama Jack and Coppertone is they don't advertise - hence the name "no-ad."

This company has relied on word of mouth marketing for years.  I first started using it when I was in middle school because I saw a friend with a hot pink bottle of 15 SPF.

While it makes for an interesting case study, NO-AD is also very unique.  Many companies are creating "word of mouth" marketing campaigns which rely heavily on social media sites like Facebook or MySpace, emails (like those sent out by Indianapolis-based ExactTarget), blogs (like your's truly here) and SMS text messaging.  NO-AD really relied on good, solid, old-fashioned word of mouth.

On the American Marketing Association's Web site, Marketing Power, they currently have a survey posted which I found to be extremely interesting.  They ask, "What is your most effective word-of-mouth technique?"  The responses are what got my attention:

• Social Media Sites - 22%
• Email - 54%
• Blogs - 16%
• SMS - 8%

Honestly, I voted for blogs.  I have experienced a great deal of success in gaining coverage for my clients in blogs.  Many blogs have a daily traffic snapshots reaching over 2.2 million making their online viewership greater than the printed circulation of the same company or other reputable media outlets in the same space.

I believe people are more likely to believe the word of a blogger than some group on Facebook or some email they've received.  Emails have a leg-up on blogs though... many campaigns are opt-in and all [should be] opt-out compliant.  To find a blog takes more effort than just checking your inbox - I'll give you that!

I am sad to see that SMS isn't appearing to catch on as quickly as I had anticipated.  I've yet to participate in any opt-in SMS campaign and I really don't think it's for me.  I equate it to receiving a phone call from a telemarketer right when I sit down for dinner.  There's never a good time to receive a random text message from a stranger... not for me, at least!

So what about you?  How will/would you vote?

This morning, I saw a video on Inc. magazine's website talking about "How to choose a PR agency." This was interesting to me, coming from the agency side, to look at what clients must think about in deciding to work with us. So I started thinking about each of the five "tips" given in light of Dittoe PR and our clients.

1.Use references.
Talk to friends and business contacts you know and trust to see what firms they think will be a good fit for your organization. I know we've gotten several of our clients through references and word of mouth. Since we're located in Indianapolis, it's easy for companies here to see our work and for Dittoe to attract the attention of more local clients.

2. Does a PR agency know your business?
Engage the PR agency in dialogue about your industry and business challenges. Ask them how they would likely approach your account. Dittoe works with a wide variety of clients but has particular expertise in the high tech industry. However, after working with several clients in the education industry recently, we've gained a great deal of knowledge about this industry over the past year. Similarly with working with other clients, we're continually learning as much as possible about the marketplace and various industries in order to be able to serve an increasing range of clientelle.

3. Test the chemistry between your company and the agencies that you’re looking at. Who do you think you’ll get along with best and be able to work well with? With any business partnership, it's very important to understand one another and be able to communicate well. Dittoe has a wide range of clients and therefore a wide range of client relationships. Some clients like to talk on the phone with us every day, while others will go days or sometimes even weeks between emails with us. It's our responsibility to understand our clients' needs and cater specifically to them, communicating in the method they prefer.

4. Be a partner. Make sure to let the agency know all the relevant information they might need in order to best tell your story. This is very important to a PR agency. Since what we do is "tell our clients' stories" essentially, it is critical that we have all the necessary information to paint a picture for the media. Clients who withhold information from us are doing themselves a disservice.

5. Define success. Make sure you and the agency have the same goals in mind. It is important for Dittoe to know what our clients expect of us and what will make them happy. That way, we can set our expectations - and help set theirs realistically. All clients usually say they want to be on Oprah, but unfortunately that rarely happens. Landing coverage like Good Morning America, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times is incredible and we're always so excited when stories like these run for our clients. Also, knowing where a client would most like to be featured is important. Some clients would actually prefer to be included in trade publications - written specifically for people in their industry - instead of national newspapers or magazines written for the general public.

Dittoe PR is very good at what we do, and we know how to achieve media coverage successfully for our clients. Anyone looking for a PR agency who would like national exposure should give us a look!

On July 28, Laura Olson, a reporter from the Indianapolis Star wrote the article, "Indy-area volunteers not stingy with time." She stated in the article, "Indianapolis is one of the top 10 metro areas in volunteer hours per resident, according to a federal report released Sunday."

Many Indianapolis residents are always itching to learn more about where they can volunteer their time and services.  I know of a great volunteer opportunity that you can partake in at any time of the year and as much or little as you would like! 

Eagle Creek Park on the Northwest side of Indianapolis is looking for volunteers to help out at the park doing various activities.  Some of them include taking children on hikes, gardening, working at the marina, working at the newly built Discovery Center, answering phones, taking care of animals and setting up for art shows that exhibit four times a year at the Discovery Center.



If you or someone you know is interested please contact Rosie Johnson, the volunteer coordinator at Eagle Creek Park.  Her number is (317) 327-7148.

We've all done it. You see a homeless person on the sidewalk or at an intersection and you give them what little change or maybe cash you have in your wallet. Maybe you've even given someone your doggy bag from your nice dinner out. Ultimately you feel sorry for the person and try to offer assistance without really getting involved, right?

My friend Matt did this for an "amputee" and Vietnam War veteran who was seemingly down on his luck in Louisville. Hours later, Matt was astounded to see the man stand up out of his wheelchair and run off with some very real legs and with all of the cash he was given. Matt was upset and everyone who witnessed it commented they would never give money to a homeless person again. 

While finishing up her masters, one of my best friends worked for a company committed to helping homeless people here in Indianapolis. Sadly, one day her purse was stolen out of her office. Though it was later found, the man seen taking it was one of the people her company had offered its services to in the past.

It's hard to help people when you know the odds of them taking your help and actually using it to better themselves (buy food, clothes, etc...) are slim to none. A friend of my Dad's offered to take a homeless man in my hometown of Greenville, SC to McDonald's and buy him lunch - anything he wanted. The man stared at him in disbelief and said, "Just give me money, man."

Unfortunately, many people who are forced to live on the streets face addictions ranging from alcohol to gambling. Their addiction is a disease, and any money they receive goes to feed it. Other large portions of homeless people in the U.S. are victims of foreclosures, bankruptcy and sadly - many are mentally ill.

OK - so why my rant on homeless people? Here in Indianapolis, we have a problem. You don't see it every where... but downtown, especially at night, there are a lot of folks who have nowhere to sleep, no shelter and no dinner. The worst part of this mess is the city is forcing them to get out from underneath the bridges that provide them with the only shelter available and is not providing them with any alternatives.

Every city has a dark side - a side tourists/visitors never see. By placing nice hotels close to attractions like museums, malls, monuments, sport & concert arenas and convention centers most visitors never have to see the "bad" part of town. But what about those of us who live in these bigger cities? We drive through rough areas sometimes. In fact, we probably drive out of our way to avoid them. I say it's time we stop driving around the problems plaguing society and make a change.

Write to your mayor today if you agree with me, and ask them what their plans are to provide the homeless with shelter and increase safety for citizens throughout the city - regardless of race, religion and income.

For those of you in Indianapolis, write to Mayor Greg Ballard here.

Last week, Dittoe's insurance company sent out a representative to our office to perform an annual "health screening" of all the employees ensured. We were informed that we would each have a finger pricked to draw blood for analysis and that we needed to complete surveys about our nutrition, lifestyles, etc.

During this process, I started thinking about how healthy I really am. While I feel like I've always been a pretty healthy eater and have always been involved in playing sports, I think I definitely owe it to myself to re-evaluate how healthy I currently am and to make necessary changes to my diet and excercise plan if necessary.

When I look at my diet, I know one thing I could stand to improve is eating more fruits and vegetables. I like the way I feel when I'm eating healthy, and I like most fruits and veggies. The difficulty lies in actually working these foods into my diet. I often seem to buy too many fruits or veggies which I'm not able to eat by myself, and they go bad. Or I won't feel like taking the time to cook or prepare veggies with dinner so I'll go without eating any. In taking a step back, though, I realize there are plenty of ways to work fruits and veggies into my diet fairly easily.

For the past week, I've tried to make a conscious effort to do so, and I've been happy surprised by how well it's gone. I bought cans of V-8 juice that I can drink with lunch at work - that give me a serving or two of veggies in each can. I bought and made an effort to eat green pepper and carrots with several dinners. And when buying fruit, I doled out portions that I knew I could eat before it went bad. (For example, I separated a smaller amount of grapes to buy from the huge, family-sized bags they're generally sold in.) The best part of my efforts to eat more fruits and veggies though, was that I allowed myself to buy berries. I generally don't buy raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries at the grocery store because of how expensive they are - even though I LOVE them. But this week I decided I was going to buy them anyway - because they're healthy and provide a nice break from eating an apple with every lunch. Yum :)

The second part of my self-imposed health evaluation was my exercise schedule. Growing up I played sports year-round and never had to worry about getting enough excercise. In college, 90% of the people I knew were extremely sports-oriented. I participated in intramural sports, ran with friends, and played pick-up sports all the time. A group of us even had a routine abs class - which one of my friends, who we affectionately dubbed the "Minister of Pain" led - that we held 2-3 times each week. Now that I'm living on my own, though, the responsibility to excercise falls solely on me, and without sports to play or a running partner it's much less fun, and it's more difficult to motivate myself to exercise.

This past May I ran the Mini Marathon in Indianapolis, which was a great excuse to get myself on a strict training schedule. For twelve weeks leading up to the race I ran at least three days a week, cross-trained on the non-running days, did a core/abs workout twice a week, and lifted twice a week. I was in the best shape I had been in for years! Unfortunately, once the race was over I reverted to my typical routine of just running when I felt like it and when the weather was ideal and not lifting weights at all.

So this week I decided I need to make a concerted effort to keep a stricter exercise schedule - where I make working out a priority. Even though I really dislike running on a treadmill, when it's 90 degrees outside that is the only option I have. So I've been doing that for several days over the past week, in addition to lifting some light weights. I'm also trying to attend the spinning class taught by my co-worker Christy Oberley at least once each week. It's a GREAT workout and is a lot of fun - and I know Christy will give me a hard time if I don't work hard!

It feels good to be healthy, and I know I'm doing a good thing for my body by remaining conscious of my health. Eating well and exercising gives me an increased energy level, puts me in a better mood, and gives me concrete goals to work toward with regard to my health. So thanks, insurance company, for coming to Dittoe PR and getting me thinking about healthy living!

This past weekend I headed home to South Carolina for the wedding of my best friend of over 20 years. 

She was the first friend I made in Greenville.  Last year she stood with me as I said "I do," and this year I was there for her.  It was an emotional experience for me -- and a lot of fun as I was able to hang out with her all weekend long and meet some of her new friends.

After the rehearsal dinner the entire bridal party headed out to celebrate with a few drinks, fresh oysters and live music downtown.  While getting to know everyone I quickly discovered what a small town I'm from... and what a small world we live in.

One of the other bridesmaids is dating a guy who will be in Indianapolis this week working at the new Lucas Oil Stadium.  I gave him some tips on where to go for dinner (St. Elmo of course!) and told him where he could find a good drink or two.

Another bridesmaid is getting married to a guy who lived with one of my best friends from high school while attending Clemson University.  We called him together and laughed while telling stories about him and some other folks we both had in common.

It was wild to know that I had so much in common with people I had never met before!

Overall, the weekend was great.  My friend looked amazing and the reception was a blast.  We did a little dancing, even though the humidity had us all sweating from the moment we stepped outside!  It made me miss home and everything "southern" I've been missing out on since I left for college. 

Who knows... maybe I'll run into someone from home up in Indy now.  If I learned anything from this past weekend, it's that it really is a small world after all.

Last night, along with several of my co-workers from Dittoe PR, I attended a dinner with the Two Million Minutes team and some special guests. This client account of mine is unique in that we get to meet people involved in the film from all over the world. This week, the two Chinese students from 2MM, Xiaoyuan and Ruizhang, are visiting Indianapolis as part of their first-ever trip to the United States.

Since Xiaoyuan sat at my table, I got to talk to her about her education, extra-curricular activities and the comparisons between China and the United States. I was very impressed with her English, as I had shown up to the dinner expecting our entire conversation to be translated by a Chinese/English interpreter. We were, however, able to talk freely, and she understood many topics that were brought up.

We talked about all the media attention Two Million Minutes has received here and how our national PR campaign has brought a lot of excitement to Dittoe. I asked about what she was studying in college and learned that she is a business major but also likes the arts. As a violinist and ballerina, she certainly has artistic talent.  

My favorite part of the night was when Xiaoyuan was asked to play her violin for the group. She had been asked to bring it with her from China and was happy to play a couple of songs for everyone. Now, let me preface this by saying that she had told me she'd been playing since she was four years old (she's now nineteen). Despite hearing this I didn't realize just how good she would be. The first piece she played was a fun, Irish dance song which made me want to go dance a jig at an Irish pub. I love Irish music, so I really enjoyed this one - and everyone clapped along as she played. The second piece seemed to be much more difficult and involved. It was a classical piece, and I was just amazed by how fast her fingers moved and the wide range of notes she was able to play.

It was pretty eye-opening to hear about China directly from Xiaoyuan as well. She mentioned the "one-child policy" which dictates that families residing in urban areas may only give birth to a single child, in order to curb the population growth. She also talked about how much more crowded it was in Shanghai than in Indianapolis.

Despite living across the world in a very different place, she also mentioned being familiar with American television shows such as Friends and CSI as well as some of the same athletes from around the world whom Americans watch. She mentioned that she loved to watch Rafael Nadal play tennis, her favorite sport.

It was definitely an interesting experience having dinner with these visitors from China. I learned a lot, and I hope the other Dittoe girls and I helped make their first dinner in America an enjoyable one!

They finally get it. I've tried to explain to my three best friends from college what the term Public Relations  means and what a Public Relations Practitioner actually does.  I've explained, given examples, had them meet my fellow peers in PRSSA and even brought them to my the PRSSA Relay For Life event(thanks again Ginny!).  As a teacher, nurse, and dietitian none of them have stepped foot in the communication school. 



I knew what my friends were going to be doing in their future careers but their lack of knowledge about my career choice was frustrating for me. Then I started to tell them what I do all day for eight or nine hours a day, and they all seemed interested in all the projects I presented to them. Then one night I asked them, do you really know what I'm talking about?  They told me the truth- "not...really."   

When I told them about my new client Katrina's Children, they began to understand the practice of Public Relations. Katrina's Children is a new documentary featuring nineteen children from different neighborhoods in New Orleans. The film examines the impact of Katrina on their lives and is told ENTIRELY from their point of view.  It is such a powerful documentary, and I encourage everyone to at least check out the trailer of the film.   





 It was a client that hit home to my college friends.  We attended college at The University of Alabama, so our school was canceled for a few days when Katrina made her way up through Mississippi and then upward through Alabama. 

We actually had a pretty sweet 'hurricane party' to make things a little bit better. I never thought I would really experience or come close to experiencing a hurricane due to the fact that I lived in Indiana my whole life- a state with NO BEACH!  This was my first time experiencing a hurricane- or the aftermath of one. We did get released from school for Hurricane Rita- but I played it safe and drove back to Indiana.

Back to the point- thanks to Katrina's Children, my friends from college have finally figured out what I do "in life" as we say.  I work at the best Public Relations firm in Indianapolis, specializing in high tech PR. 

It's not every day someone tells you what a fantastic job you're doing for them. Fortunately for me and the rest of the team at Dittoe PR, we hear it more than most people.

Part of me was jaded by corporate America. At 25 years old, I came to expect I would never receive a hardy handshake, pat on the back or even a complimentary email after performing above expectation. Continuously striving for perfection and approval in the eyes of my supervisors grew old and I soon became disenchanted with my role in the company. Not a good sign, right?

I regularly write about how lucky I am to work at Dittoe, how this is my dream job, how Dittoe is truly the best Indianapolis PR firm... What you may not realize is, I mean it.

Today I received the best compliment I have received to-date from a client. After sharing some good news with them I received a one-word email that will have me smiling for the rest of the week: "PHENOMENAL."

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." - Leo Buscaglia

Working at Dittoe has changed my life. No, I'm not going to get all sentimental on you but I am serious.  I thought I'd be doomed to a lifetime of working 9-5 at some job I hated. You know the feeling, waking up every morning wanting to call in sick, dragging yourself into the office and then spending your time counting down the seconds until quitting time.

Now I look forward to coming into work each day. I get excited thinking about the emails sitting in my inbox, messages in my voicemail and the ideas I came up with the night before to help bring more coverage to my clients.

Each day is another opportunity to ask, “What can I do now?" and provide the best service to my clients - the kind of service they've come to expect from Dittoe.

What's even more important is I want to work hard for my clients because they get excited when I'm successful and that excitement is what keeps me going. My hard work resulting in a "phenomenal" reaction is plenty reason for me to continue working my tail off here.

Please do me a favor today... when someone around you at work or even at home does something really well or impressive, tell them. It will make their day and encourage them to do it again.

When I take a look at today's date - June 13th (Friday the 13th!) - I realize how quickly the spring has gone by and that the official beginning of summer will occur next week. Even more amazing to me is the fact that next week will also mark one year of working at Dittoe PR for me.

It's hard to believe it's been a whole year since I moved to Indianapolis from Boston and joined the working world. Just over a year ago I graduated from Notre Dame and my friends spread out around the country (and outside the country!) to places like New York, Chicago, LA, Minneapolis, Dallas, and even Japan! The friends I had done everything with for the past four years - living together, going to countless meals, studying, playing sports, going on vacations, and enjoying many nights out - were going our separate ways to pursue careers in many different fields. I have friends who are now in medical school, law school, working in finance, accounting, consulting, teaching, psychology counseling, film production, engineering, and several friends in the navy and air force. It's pretty neat how wide a variety of interests and career pursuits have come out of a group of people who seem so similar in many ways and spent so much time together during college.

Although we're so spread out now and only get together several times a year (for those who are lucky and relatively close to each other), each time we do see one another it really feels like a continuation of our time at Notre Dame. It's like no time at all has passed - for the way it feels, we may as well have been hanging out at one of our senior year houses in South Bend the day before. That's what is so great about having such great, close friends - even though we're not together all the time like we used to be, we can still talk and hang out as though nothing has changed. I know I'll stay in touch with a lot of these friends for the rest of my life - and that we'll still be meeting up at ND football games when we're 50.

I'm taking a trip up to Notre Dame in a week, and I couldn't be more excited. Every time I return to campus, I feel like I am welcomed back home. I still get goosebumps sometimes when I drive up Notre Dame Avenue and see the Golden Dome shining in the sun. Not only is Notre Dame itself very special, but I'm always able to see some of my friends who are there for one reason or another. Each fall now, when a new freshman class begins their time at Notre Dame, I'm sure I'll continue to feel slightly jealous that they still have that time ahead of them. But I also know I will always be a part of the "Notre Dame family" and when I meet fellow alumni, we can talk about familiar experiences even if we never met while in school there.

Next summer, I'm getting married in the Basilica at Notre Dame. Since my fiance and I met while at school there, we both love Notre Dame and could think of no better place to get married. It will also be wonderful to gather many of our close friends together back at ND - and will probably be the first time we'll all be back on campus together since graduation.

Just over a year after graduation, it's strange to realize I've been away from Notre Dame for an entire academic year. In many ways, it feels like a lot has happened since graduation. But at the same time, it seems like just yesterday I was in the midst of college and called Notre Dame "home." I think I will always feel at home when I visit for years to come. In the words of the Alma Mater, "Golden is thy fame, and our hears forever Love Thee Notre Dame!"

One of the top ten worst things to do in a person's life has got to be moving, and I have to tell you that I've done it way too much over the past six years. 

First, there was moving out to Indianapolis from Sacramento, CA.  That was no easy task!  Imagine me, my mom, my grandma and 12 pieces of luggage (11 for me and one for my mom and grandma to share!)- boy was that a trip! Since then I have moved six times, and my next move will mark lucky number 7. 

Anyone who knows me and has lived through one of these horrific moves can tell you that I am the world's worst person when it comes to packing my stuff up and moving... I'm slow, distracted and pretty much impossible. I just love it when you come across that lost picture or shirt that you haven't seen in years and you begin to think about how it is that you could have possibly lived all of this time without it. Now imagine that happening at least fifty times throughout the course of your move, and spending a few minutes with each piece to reminisce and you've got it... me on moving day (or should I say moving week)!

I begin my next moving extravaganza this weekend, and the best part is- I've already had some of the girls at Dittoe PR volunteer to help me move! They have no idea how nice they're being by offering to help, but I have a pretty good feeling that after reading this post, they'll be renigging on this offer. It's a good thing I'm only moving a few short miles!

This weekend is one of my favorite times of the year...  For those of you not familiar with racing or Indianapolis, the 92nd running of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" happens this Sunday, May 25th. 

Every Memorial Day weekend for as long as I can remember, my family and I sat glued to the television watching the Indianapolis 500 -- even from the other side of the world when we lived overseas! 

The first year I lived in Indy I was disappointed to learn that the race isn't shown on TV locally until after it's over.  So I spent the day at the pool listening to the race on the radio with about 50 other people in my apartment complex.  I have been fortunate enough to visit the track during the month of May for the past two years to watch practice and tour the garages - even getting a picture of Mario Andretti.  However, this year I'm going to the race! 

I remember listening to my parents tell stories about the drivers they cheered for, the wrecks they witnessed and what it was like hearing Jim Nabors sing "Back Home Again" live -- from the stands when they made regular trips to Speedway, IN every Memorial Day weekend before I was born.  "There's nothing else like it," they'd say.  

There's just something about the tradition and history of the speedway and the race which makes it truly special and unique.  No where else does the winner drink milk from a glass bottle or kiss the bricks at the finish line as part of their celebration. 

I can't wait to watch the race from my seat in turn one with my husband and family.  Maybe if I'm lucky, I can hand out some business cards to a few drivers who might need a little PR from the racing capital of the world!

We are expanding our office space and adding to our team with two bright and shiny interns (who will surely be dark and demented upon completing their internship in August). Wahoo! This means that I will be getting a new office space complete with a brand-spanking new desk that smells of rich mahogany and enough storage to store my many leather-bound books.

 

I’m so happy to leave my cramped quarters and stretch out my legs. I’ll even have a window to gaze out while I’m brainstorming ideas for getting coverage for my clients and thinking of blog topics (as you can tell from the direction of this blog, the lack of natural sunlight is affecting my creativity).

 

As for another expansion within our office, Meghan Howard’s “Kardashian” ripped her jeans yesterday because she stopped coming to my spinning class. I enjoy making fun of her for this because in reality she hasn’t gained any weight and she is one of the naturally thinnest people I know.

 

Why is it that people with no metabolism (like moi) really enjoy it when thin people have things like this happen? I feel like it is karma’s way of telling me to hang in there because skinny people can rip their jeans, too. Karma is a funny lady.

 

Anyways, back to the expansion—in the office, that is—I am really excited to have a tasteful and refined area to kick some “Kardashian” and take some names.

 

Stay classy, Indianapolis!

 

In my experience, marketing, advertising and public relations agencies tend to have lots of turnover.  It's not because people are unhappy or not talented, but because over time clients are lost and there's a constant shifting of positions. 

I had a friend who worked on one account at a big firm in SC -- when the account left her agency, she was let go.  Two months later the firm landed an even bigger account and she had to essentially interview to get her old job back.  Her story always frightened me and I think it had a little bit to do with me starting my career in a corporate environment instead of with an agency.

Now that I'm in agency, I'm experiencing a very different world than she did.  Part of the reason is that we're a PR firm, not the all-encompassing advertising, marketing and PR agency.  However, I think the real reason is because of our clients, team and leadership.

The last time I checked, Dittoe PR ranks as the 5th largest public relations firm in central Indiana.  I think that's fabulous - we're not the biggest but we're definitely competitive in our space.  We have great clients who stick with us for years and we're constantly growing because word is getting around about our clients' successes.

After working here for just over six months, we're already expanding into the office space next door.  This summer we're adding five more desks and all but three will be occupied.  I'm guessing that by Christmas we'll have every desk filled. 

My friend in SC can hardly believe that we're expanding with the intention of not downsizing at a later time.  Deep down inside, I think she might be a little jealous.  It's an exciting time to be working at Dittoe.  We're moving on up -- well, moving next door.

This past Saturday, I ran the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon. I had been training for 12 weeks, and I was so excited to be finished. Prior to starting my training, the furthest I had ever run at once was about six miles. So the prospect of running 13.1 miles wasn't exactly exciting to me. But I started a training program that forced me to build up my running endurance, gradually increasing the distance. There were several times during my training when I doubted whether I could run 13 miles - and that I contemplated quitting. But I stuck with it and managed to feel pretty well-prepared when race day rolled around.

Saturday morning, I woke up at 5am and was downtown, lined up for the race by 6:40. By the time it was 7:30, the race began, and 35,000 people started running together. It was such a neat feeling, being surrounded by so many other people running the race. The course also had musicians lined up along it for most of the route, providing entertainment for all the runners. Spectators lined up at different points along the course, cheering us on.

We ran from downtown, out to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, took a 2.5 mile lap around the track, then returned downtown for the finish of the race. When I reached the Speedway - about 6.5 miles and just over an hour into the race - the winners were just crossing the finish line. Kenyans Lamech Mokono and Valentine Orare tied for first place with a time of 1:02.53. That's an average of 4.77 minutes/mile! (For comparison's sake, I ran the race at a pace of 9.11 minutes/mile.)


After we had turned in our timer chips and chugged a bottle of water, volunteers handed out fruit, gatorade, and other snacks. Photographers took pictures of runners who had finished, and metals were handed out. The whole experience was really neat, besides being a great excuse to get in shape! I'll definitely consider running the Mini again next year. And I'm so used to running all the time now, that after two days of rest since the race, I'm already itching to run again. I don't think I'll run 13 miles on a whim, but 5 or 6 sounds pretty good.

Getting started with a new client always provokes a feeling of excitement, but it can also lead to some stress and anxiety. Familiarizing yourself with a client in an entirely different industry than what you’ve been exposed to in the past is always fun, interesting and a huge challenge. Nailing down a new client’s key messaging, target audience, correct verbiage, competitors, angles to pitch, etc., are all things that are developed and perfected over time.

While all of the steps to get to know a new client may seem overwhelming and incredibly time consuming, to everyone here at Dittoe, it’s just another day on the job. Spending the time to get quickly and thoroughly acquainted with a new client and their industry is just one of the great things we do at Dittoe Public Relations that sets us apart from the rest.

This week I had the pleasure of getting a new client in the field of geriatric care management—Indianapolis-based, My Health Care Manager. Dittoe PR is honored to be working with a company that is providing such a positive service for aging seniors and their families. I know from personal experience how difficult it can be as family members get older and face serious health and independence issues. I think we’ve all been there at one time or another.

With the number of Americans over age 65 expected to skyrocket from 35 million to 72 million by the year 2030, there is a HUGE need for geriatric care management services. My Health Care Manager helps adult caregivers sort through all the complexities of eldercare. Their recommendations and resources are tailored to the senior and their families’ particular situation and meant to achieve the best possible solution. 

Dittoe PR is proud to say that we’ve already lined up an interview for MHCM with one of the biggest news sources out there- the Wall Street Journal. It’s an exciting feeling to know that others can see the need and importance for this service, and the truth is, that need is only going to get bigger as time goes on. 

If you’re looking for unbiased professional guidance related to the health and independence of an aging loved one, please visit  www.myhealthcaremanager.com to find out how they can help.

This week, I had the privilege of spending time with two Indian students who were featured in the documentary Two Million Minutes. Apoorva and Rohit are both 18 years old and in their first year of university in Bangalore, India. They came over to the states for a ten-day visit, which has involved sightseeing, several discussion groups and screenings of Two Million Minutes, and the opportunity to see the U.S. for the first time. While here, they've traveled around Indianapolis as well as to Chicago and Washington, D.C. They seem to be having a great time so far and have been taking lots of pictures to help them remember their trip.

Since I work on the PR for the film, I always felt like I "knew" Apoorva and Rohit to some extent - having seen them (albeit on camera) in their homes, in school, and hanging out with their friends. Every day at work, I communicate with editors and other people about the film and these students, so they are a large part of my daily activities. This made it very exciting when they arrived in the states a week ago. Last Friday, my co-workers and I got to spend a good portion of the day with them, taking them bowling and to lunch to experience some American culture (although I'm not sure how much bowling embodies American culture).

Apoorva and Rohit were both so friendly and interesting to talk to. Despite being in a foreign country exploring unfamiliar places, being exposed to new foods and activities, and being around lots of new people, they adapted amazingly well and smoothly. Both students seemed very comfortable meeting and talking to new people and were able to socialize remarkably well for being in unfamiliar territory. Rohit even knew the names of some American music artists better than I did!

It's been very enjoyable spending time with both these students - getting to know them and being able to help show them around Indianapolis. Yesterday morning, I took them to the Indiana State Capitol Building for a tour. It was a neat experience for me too, as I had never been inside. We got to see the Supreme Court chamber, the Governor's office, and another room where legislative decisions are made. My favorite part was seeing Apoorva and Rohit take pictures of themselves standing at the podium at the front of the room where the Speaker of the House usually stands.

Overall, it's been an exciting week for me, and I know that Apoorva and Rohit have been involved in some exciting and interesting things as well. I hope they've had a good experience on their first visit to the U.S. and that they'll want to come back and visit again!

A major component of what we do each day is build relationships.  In fact, you could even argue that the majority of good public relations professionals succeed because of their existing relationships and their ability to build their contact lists into much more than just names, email addresses and phone numbers.

Over time, PR executives begin to know their clients and their media contacts as much more than just CEOs, VPs and columnists.  It's inevitable -- bonds will be formed.

I've come to understand what types of coverage each of my client views as "solid," "dream come true" or "not what we were hoping for."  Each client is different -- as are their people, stories, products and/or services.  While one may be jazzed to be featured in a online review -- the other might prefer a review to run in a specific trade publication.  It's my job to determine what's going to provide my clients with the best amount of coverage AND keep them really happy with the services I provide.

It's almost like a marriage, really.  There are challenges and hurdles to overcome every once in a while -- but usually it's pretty smooth sailing because I want to keep my clients happy and they want to provide me with what I need to do just exactly that.

Yes, some marriages fall apart.  It's inevitable.  Not every company in this world is a perfect fit for Dittoe Public Relations.  Not only do our clients research us to find out why we're so successful and how we can help them -- but we research our potential clients to make sure their goals fit with our abilities. 

So why would a company or individual need a PR firm?  Well... think of it this way:  At my previous job I handled all of the public relations, which meant I cultivated all of the relationships on top of my other duties which included business development and marketing projects.  Here, not only does each account executive cultivate their own relationships for each one of their clients but we share contacts from time to time, producing hundreds, maybe thousands, of solid contacts who recognize the name "Dittoe Public Relations" when we call or email them. 

Remember, it's who you know.  At Dittoe we focus on public relations -- that's it -- not marketing, not advertising... just PR.  It's what we do and we do it well.  We cultivate relationships with members of the press on a daily basis because in the long run, they're the ones who are going to provide the "dream come true" coverage our clients are expecting.

Most people who have never spent an extended amount of time in the midwest just don't understand how wonderful spring can be here.  Growing up in the south, our yard was green all year long and spring started in March.  By the end of April, the daffodils were gone and the azaleas were in full bloom.  

Here, in Indiana, the daffodils just opened and dogwoods are blooming in the midst of bare branches, since most of the other trees still don't have leaves yet.  I'm so excited the world around us just seems to have come alive.  After harsh winters, spring seems to be like a well-deserved present in Indiana!

So you might be thinking, "What makes spring in the midwest so great?" 

1. Baseball - We have some of the craziest baseball fans in the midwest.  Cubs, Reds, White Sox, Cards - we got 'em all! 

2. Racing - Ever heard of the Indianapolis 500?  Enough said.

3. Milder climate - It's gorgeous out but the humidity is low, for right now at least.  It's perfect weather for visiting farmer's markets or state parks.

4. Derby - OK, so it's in Kentucky -- but Louisville is right on the Ohio River so I'm counting it.  The Oaks and the Kentucky Derby are always exciting and fun to attend or watch on television.  Mint Julep, anyone?

5. Lakes - So we're landlocked... that doesn't stop anyone from getting in the water.  Some of the biggest and most beautiful lakes and resevoirs are in the midwest, and they'll be filled with boats, jet skis and sunburned bodies very soon!

I can't describe how happy I am that spring is finally here!  I am going to make a big effort to experience everything I possibly can that makes the midwest so much fun this time of year.  Seriously, it's time for me to embrace my new home.