The Best Power Point Tip

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Kate Perrin

PowerPoint presentations can be powerful, but most often they make viewers squint across the room at tiny type crammed on the screen while the presenter reads it to them.  Ugh.

Joypowerpoint-2010ce Bosc of Boscobel Marketing Communications makes a terrific suggestion in her most recent Executive Tip e-mailing.  She suggests that you Pretend You’re Tweeting!

“People complain that it is too difficult to condense vital information in a presentation.  Social media proves the opposite,” she writes.

“What is the main point in 140 characters or less?  What if your presentation was thirty seconds instead of thirty minutes?”  What a great way to keep your slides lean and easy to comprehend!

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One More Reason to Love WWPR ~ Chocolate, Charity and Cheer!

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Kate Perrin

I avoid the big, expensive holiday parties where you’re surrounded by a couple of hundred strangers from various communications groups in a noisy venue.  So I’m glad that this year I can relish the sweetness of the holiday with colleagues I know at the appropriately proportioned Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) Chocolate Holiday Party.

Not only will this provide a charming and intimate venue (CoCo Sala Lounge and Chocolate Boutique) in which to mingle and jingle with fellow WWPR members, but there will be door prizes, a raffle and a gift from WWPR.

The price is sweet, too — only $12 for WWPR and PRSA members; $25 for non-members — AND the event benefits WWPR’s pro bono client, Thrive DC.  Talk about honoring the season!

Register for this charming Tuesday, December 4th event at http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e6o256ssb05222b4

See you there!

 

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PRofessional Solutions Hosts Next IABC Senior Communicators Program

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Kate Perrin

Reinventing the Role of the Communication Function From Tactical Implementers to Value-Adding Change Leaders

If you’re a communicator with 15 or more years in the field be sure to add this program to your calendar and register with IABC/DC Metro! 

PRofessional SImageolutions has been the exclusive sponsor of IABC/DC Metro’s Senior Communicators Council (SCC) programs this year, and at this next breakfast meeting you’ll learn about taking a more proactive role, moving from supporting to leading change initiatives.

WHEN:     Thursday, December 6,

8:00 a.m.-10:00a.m.

WHERE:  Pepco Conference Room, 701 9th Street, NW (Metro: Gallery Place)

SPEAKER:  Jim Shaffer, IABC Fellow and author of The Leadership Solutions (McGraw-Hill)

COST:     Free for IABC members with 15+ years in the field; $20 for guests and non-senior members.

 

 

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Colleages at the PR Woman of the Year Luncheon

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Kate Perrin

The speakers were excellent, the honorees worthy and the raffle a success to benefit Washington Women in Public Relations’ pro bono client Thrive DC.

PRofessional Solutions, LLC is a sponsor of Washington Women in Public Relations as part of the Boss Ladies Mean Business group, together with Core Association Services, Inc. and News Generation, Inc. 

For a thorough review of the event check out the Fletcher Prince blog.

Mary Fletcher Jones of Fletcher Prince was our guest at the event and provided a terrific recap of the entire event on her blog.

1998 PR Woman of the Year Pattie Yu celebrated her birthday at the luncheon!

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Congratulations to Stephenie Fu, 2012 Washington PR Woman of the Year!

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Melanie Jordan

PRofessional Solutions, LLC and other members of The Boss Ladies were proud to be sponsors of the 23rd annual Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) Washington PR Woman of the Year awards program on November 15 at the Grand Hyatt Washington.

Stephenie Fu Stephenie Fu, principal of SLF Strategies, pictured here giving her acceptance speech, was the recipient of this prestigious award. Fu, a former senior staff member at Ketchum, uses her communication skills to enhance the public’s health. Recently, she helped develop the USDA’s new MyPlate symbol to replace the former Food Pyramid and launched the campaign with First Lady Michelle Obama.

The Washington PR Woman of the Year luncheon featured a keynote address by Charlotte Beers, former CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide and former Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the State Department. After the luncheon, Beers was on hand to sign copies of her new book I’d Rather Be in Charge which gives women advice on how to advance their careers all the way to the C-suite, while establishing pride and power in the workplace.

A raffle was held during the luncheon to benefit WWPR’s pro bono client, Thrive DC, a nonprofit working to end homelessness.

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Will Hurricane Sandy Mean Business for PRofessional Solutions in July 2013?

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Kate Perrin

Last year “Snowmageddon”closed offices and kept people home for a prolonged period in the cold.  Offices closed and our temps couldn’t work.  But nine months later we reaped the benefits with a Blizzard of Babies and lots of maternity leave assignments.

Last week, Hurricane-turned-superstorm Sandy impacted thousands of employers as offices and transportation stopped for two days here in DC and power to millions of homes was cut up the East Coast.   Business Management Daily expects that East Coast workplaces may again experience the impact nine months from now, when pregnancy rates are expected to spike. Pregnancies rose after New York City’s famous blackout in November 1965, and the same is expected on the East Coast after Hurricane Sandy.

Will the DC area, which was spared the worst of the weather disaster but was shut down for two days, be part of that baby boom?  We’ll let you know this summer!

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Hurricanes? You Still Need to Dress for Success ~ and the White House!

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Kate Perrin

From the October issue of “Smart Solutions”, PRofessional Solutions’ e-newsletter:

We live in a casual age, but as communicators we know that image is powerful and first impressions are lasting.  Whether you think you’re more creative in jeans and sandals or that appearances shouldn’t count, it’s important to remember that you can’t predict what — or who — your day will include.

In August 1992 I was director of public relations for the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) when Hurricane Andrew, a Category 4 hurricane, struck the Gulf Coast. High winds caused  catastrophic damage in Florida, especially in Miami-Dade County. Approximately 117,000 houses were severely damaged or destroyed, people died and FEMA and the White House received heavy criticism for their response.

At about 9:30 a.m. one morning I received a call from the White House asking me to be at the White House at 11:00 a.m. to brief President George H. W. Bush, along with representatives from other charities and non-profits, about how our members were assisting in Florida. I called our chapter and was updated on how emergency physicians were coordinating the medical response. I prepared my notes and happily walked to the White House, allowing time to go through security.

But others were not so composed: several of the other organization representatives came running to make it on time, sweating and frantic. When they got the call they had to return home – the Virginia suburbs for a couple of them – to change clothes. They had no time to update information or identify their key messages.

After reading this story Greg Hernandez, FDIC Office of Communications, shared his experience:

“I thought your advice on attire was spot on.  It happened to me at the U.S. Mint.  I’m always in Washington attire.  It paid off.  The Mint Director was not feeling well, and I wound up on the NBC Nightly News discussing the Presidential dollar coin.  I heard from friends all across the country.”

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Image

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Kate Perrin

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WWPR President Tina McCormack Beaty (left) moderated the Media Roundtable panel. She is joined by Past President Kendra Kojcsich and Melanie Jordan of PRofessional Solutions, LLC and Mary Gotschall.

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10 Commandments of Career Success for Communicators

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Melanie Jordan

After nearly 20 years of providing public relations professionals to DC area businesses, we know what it takes to build a successful career in communications. Here are our top ten tips to ensure that your career stays on track:

 

  1. Build and maintain relationships all the time, not just when you are looking for a promotion or new job.
  2. Manners count! Always send cover letters, thank-you letters and notes; treat everyone with respect.
  3. Learn more about your industry and organization. Anticipate where your industry is going before your boss/members/clients.
  4. Update your style of resume, not just its contents, and keep a portfolio to show your accomplishments.
  5. Looks count! Dress for interviews in polished, conservative style, and don’t dress down at work–no “casual Friday”.
  6. Do PR for yourself, so your client/employer knows your value.
  7. Lifelong learning is absolutely required. Keep up with technology and societal changes.
  8. Be friendly, interesting and likeable! People want to work with someone they like being around.
  9. Be active! Help co-workers, volunteer for projects. Be involved with a professional society, club or charity.
  10. Be honest. Honesty isn’t the best policy; it’s the ONLY policy!
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Breakfast on Us — It Pays to Read

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Kate Perrin

The October issue of Smart Solutions,our monthly e-newsletter, went out on Tuesday with a new feature — a reward for reading.

We’re offering a yummy reward just for reading our tips for communicators.

At the very bottom, below the end of the articles, was a coupon.  It acknowledged that our readers receive a lot of newsletters and offered a $10 Starbucks gift card to the first reader to correctly answer a question answered in the newsletter’s copy.

How fun to get the correct answer before 9:00 a.m.!  We hope that Greg Hernandez in the FDIC Office of Communications enjoys a luxurious breakfast or coffee break on us.

If you’re not already a reader sign up on the front page of the website and maybe next month you’ll enjoy your favorite Starbuck’s treats for checking out our tips!

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