Garfield High School’s 19th Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon

This afternoon, our office attended Garfield High School’s 19^th Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon at the Prado. The students from Garfield High School’s Culinary and Hospitality program along with chefs from The Prado and Cohn Restaurant Group put together an incredible buffet-style Thanksgiving spread for nearly 400 people.  The menu consisted of fresh salads, garlic mashed potatoes, chorizo stuffing, roasted turkey and too many desserts to fit on your plate.

To accompany the delicious food, Garfield High students shared inspirational stories about how they persevered through hard times and how the teachers and counselors at Garfield brought hope and encouragement back into their lives. Garfield High School is a continuation school where at-risk youth are provided with comprehensive services through the use of exemplary instructional strategies, flexible scheduling, and guidance and counseling services.

We have been proudly supporting and attending the Garfield Luncheon since its inception and invite people to learn more about the school by clicking here.

We hope everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Press Release Ideas for Any Industry

More often than not, creating a topic for a press release is easy – your client just won an award or is hosting an event. But sometimes writer’s block creeps in and finding something to write about is difficult. You want to get press for your client, but don’t want to waste anyone’s time with fluff.

So what are some good ideas for any industry? Click here to learn more.

Our Clients Scored Three Out Of Three Last Night At The 43rd Annual Press Club Awards

Congratulations to three of our outstanding clients– East Village High School, Clairemont High School and Honorable Thomas P. Nugent, who were recipients of awards at San Diego Press Club’s 43^rd Annual Excellence in Journalism Awards! At this year’s event, there were approximately 1300 entries with around 450 awards in first, second and third combined. This is among the largest regional competitions in the United States, making it a huge honor for our clients to be recognized. As PR professionals, our work is first and foremost about being effective in everything that we do for our clients.

East Village High School took first place, being recognized under “General Writing for External Publications” for a press release featured in the Union Tribune entitled, “San Diego Early/Middle College, Now East Village High School, Offers a High School Diploma and a Whole Lot More.” The release announced the new name change of the high school, and its partnership with San Diego City College.  East Village High, a high school located in San Diego Unified School District, offers students a four-year high school diploma as well as up to two years of college credit — absolutely free.

Additionally, an on-line student recruitment brochure on behalf of Clairemont High School and the website design on behalf of Honorable Thomas P. Nugent for his mediation website, received third place honors behind big names such as the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego County Bar Association. For the Newsletter and Website categories, the judges took into account overall design as well as the copy and audience.

We couldn’t be more proud of our clients!

Check out the winners here:

• East Village High School
• Clairemont High School
• Honorable Thomas P. Nugent

Tips for Acing a Media Interview

If your client has an upcoming appearance on the news or a talk show, it is your job as their Public Relations team to make sure they are prepared.

Here are some tips to keep in mind in order to ease their nerves and to make the most of this opportunity:

1. Know your key messages. Try not to go down a rabbit trail. Stay focused on the key points you want the audience to remember.
2. Practice makes perfect. Write down questions you believe the reporter might ask and practice responding to them.
3. Dress the part. Steer clear from stripes, distracting patters, and loud colors. Look neat and professional.
4. Talk to the reporter. Stay focused on the reporter and avoid looking into the camera.
5. Have a call to action. Be sure you know all the information and have the correct spelling on your social media or website.
6. Watch your arms and hands. Be mindful of your hands when speaking and avoid crossing your arms.
7. Have fun! Be sure to smile and remember to have a good time!

4 Ways To Help Your Clients Network

Few things are more important than the personal relationships you build with people in your life. Especially working in the public relations industry, we understand that relationships are at the heart of our occupation. After all, it is our job to connect our clients to potential customers, suppliers, business partners, collaborators, inspirational leaders, mentors – even friends.

Here are 4 ways to help your clients to network and build the relationships they need:

• Invite your client to a networking breakfast, lunch or dinner as your guest: This is a great place for you to build a stronger relationship with your client, as well as the chance for them to expand their own networks.

• Host a smaller, more private event at your client’s workspace: You might invite consistent customers or suppliers that you want to thank; potential partners the client has not met before; or members of the media who are simply acquaintances. No matter what strategy you go with, inviting people to a small gathering is a surefire way to get to know them on a more personal level.

• Attend special events: Whether as a spectator or a volunteer, attending local events allows the client to give back to the community, while simultaneously meeting people along the way. Your client might also consider joining relevant boards or committees.

• Boost your client’s LinkedIn presence: It’s no surprise that social media plays a key role in networking these days. If used properly, LinkedIn is full of potential. Teach your client how to embellish their profile, invite others to connect and even message potential clients to get together for coffee.

Life-Saving PR Tips from “The Walking Dead”

The survivors of the zombie apocalypse become a family under the leadership of Rick, and their chaotic and unpredictable lives they now lead have forced them to learn new skills to survive.

In a similar manner, PR professionals must be prepared to handle situations quickly and without hesitation.

While we are not fending off zombies like Rick and crew, there are a few lessons PR pros can learn from “The Walking Dead”:

1. Avoid lifeless press releases. Reports will mostly likely delete or ignore your release if you do not write a captivating message with a concise headline. You need to captivate the reader or your release will float around the internet with other unread releases – much like a herd of roaming “walkers.”
2. Clear communication is crucial. In PR, your relationships with your clients should be your first and foremost priority. Just like when Rick lays out what must be done and by whom, you must have a clear strategy with goals and deadlines in order to provide the client with desired outcomes.
3. Plan ahead. Whether you are crafting a crisis management strategy or advising clients on their organizations’ day-to-day activities, PR pros must plan ahead. Likewise, Rick and his fellow survivors plan escapes and attacks ahead of time to keep themselves as safe as possible.
4. Tell your story. As a PR pro, you must continuously think of new and innovative ways to tell your stories. Similar to how Rick and his fellow zombie-apocalypse survivors find new ways of enduring the zombie apocalypse.