WWPR May Professional Development: E-mail Marketing

The next Washington Women in Public Relations program (open to men as well as women) is a bring-your-own brown bag lunch session on E-mail marketing. Mary Fletcher Jones will share tips to improve the appeal and "deliverability" of your email communications.

Learn how to craft effective subject lines, when and how frequently to send email newsletters, and how to keep your email relevant to your target audiences. She'll discuss special considerations to take into account when sending email to various audiences, including the news media, business clients, customers, and association members.

Fletcher Jones manages email marketing campaigns for clients, including a nonprofit organization with more than 50,000 members. She is a Business Partner with Constant Contact and publishes a monthly email newsletter, "The New Media Insider," as well as The Fletcher Prince Blog. She is an owner of Fletcher Prince, a creative marketing and public relations firm.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 21, 2008 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
WHERE: One Economy Corporation, 1220 19th Street NW, Suite 610, Washington, DC
COST: Free for members; $15 for non-members
REGISTER: online through Cvent

AND THE WINNER IS . . . . .

MICHELLE CARDOSO, a sophomore at the University of Maryland in the University Honors Program, majoring in Communications with an emphasis in public relations, received the 2008 AWC-DC Matrix Scholarship, sponsored by PRofessional Solutions, LLC.

Michelle Cardoso and Professional Solutions President Kate Perrin

Both photos by Maggie Szymanek, Uncommon Photography http://www.uncommonphotography.com/

PRofessional Solutions, LLC is proud to join AWC-DC in fostering the development of future women leaders in communications

through a long-term commitment to the Matrix Scholarship. Michelle and two past Matrix winners spoke at the luncheon, impressing those in attendance with their poise, determination and accomplishments.



The AWC (Association for Women in Communications) champions the advancement of women across all communication disciplines and the annual Matrix award luncheon presents the Matrix Award to an outstanding communicator. This year the winner was ELEANOR CLIFT, Newsweek contributing editor, who was introduced by the '07 Matrix winner Helen Thomas. The luncheon emcee was Maureen Bunyan, ABC-WJLA news anchor.

The event and last week's IABC Pinnacle Award featured impressive women communication leaders and convenient locations. So my question to all of you out there is, why don't such events get more attendance? Do you have any interest in such events and how would you like to learn about them?

Public Relations Executive Joan Hisaoka Dies

The public relations community and the entire Washington business community lost a leader this week when Joan Hisaoka, president of DC based Hisaoka Public Relations died May 14, after a long battle with colon cancer. She was 48.

Hisaoka, whom I met when she served on an IABC panel a couple of years ago, founded her company in 1988 and was named one of the 50 most powerful and influential women in the District in 2004 and was the recipient of the Washington Business Journal's "Women Who Mean Business Award." She was lively and interesting to be with and interested in others.
To learn more about her, read the Washington Business Journal article.

2008 PRSA-NCC Thoth Awards Competition Deadline Coming Up

ENTRY DEADLINE & FEES
The standard entry fee for the 2008 Thoth Awards competition is $95 for members of PRSA-NCC, $115 for non-members. Please note that the more you enter, the more you save on entry fees. Subsequent entries from the same individual or organization are $75 for members and $95 for non-members. All entries must be RECEIVED (not postmarked) no later than June 6, 2008. To save even more on entries, consider taking advantage of Thoth’s EARLY BIRD fees, which are $75 for members and $95 for non-members. Subsequent Early Bird entries from the same individual or organization are $55 for members and $75 for non-members. In order to qualify for reduced rates, All EARLY BIRD entries must be RECEIVED (not postmarked) by May 23, 2008. Send your entries to: Thoth Awards, PRSA-NCC10378 Democracy Lane, Suite A, Fairfax, VA 22030 (703) 691-9212. For the entry rules and application, visit http://www.prsa-ncc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=363&Itemid=74

WHAT ARE THE THOTH AWARDS? Named for the Egyptian god of communication, the Thoth (pronounced “tot”) Awards recognize the most outstanding, strategic public relations programs and components developed and produced in the Greater Washington area. Achievements are recognized in 27 categories, including 14 program categories that celebrate the very best PR campaigns and 13 component categories that highlight top accomplishments in PR tactics. The National Capital Chapter (NCC) of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) sponsors the Thoth competition to recognize and reward outstanding achievement in public relations and to encourage continued excellence in the field. Finalists in each category will be notified by e-mail in August following judging of the Thoth entries by senior practitioners. From these finalists, the Thoth Award and the Award of Excellence winners will be announced at the Thoth Award’s program on Thursday, September 25th. Did you enter PRSA’s National Silver Anvil or Bronze Anvil Awards program? If so, please note that the Thoth program and components category definitions and contest requirements closely follow the PRSA Silver and Bronze Anvil awards. Please consider submitting your program in the National Capital Chapter’s Thoth Awards. See below for “Tips on Winning.”

Mark Your May Calendar!

Thursday, May 8
AMA-DC's M Awards feature a sit-down dinner and award presentation at the Marriott at Metro Center. See the latest trends in marketing and hear from this year's Hall of Fame inductee, Catherine Meloy, president and CEO of Goodwill of Greater Washington. The Emcee is Horace Homes, co-anchor at WJLA-TV. More at http://www.mmsend2.com/ls.cfm?r=141518417&sid=3971040&m=484663&u=CAPITOLCOM&s=http://www.amadc.org/.

PRSA:
Tuesday, May 13
Expecting the Unexpected: Preparing for International PR Challenges
6:00- 8:00 p.m. at the National Press Club, 529 14th St., NW- 13th Floor
A panel discussion will explore a range of crisis communications issues .

Wednesday, May 14, 2008
PRONet Happy Hour Held the 2nd Wednesday of each month during the summer.
5:30-7:30 p.m. at Bohemian Mahogany, 2001 Eleventh Street, NW,

Thursday, May 15, 2008
Half-day Writing Seminar
8 a.m. to noon at Ogilvy Public Relations, 1111 19th Street, NW

For details and reservations for these PRSA programs check out http://www.prsa-ncc.org/ or
http://www.prsa-ncc.org/component/option,com_events/task,view_cat/catid,7/

Thursday, May 15
The Matrix Award is the Association for Women in Communications-DC’s biggest event of the year. The Matrix Award winner this year is Newsweek's Eleanor Clift, Emcee is Maureen Bunyan of WJLA-TV and the award presenter is Helen Thomas.
Noon at the National Press Club. Details and tickets at http://www.mmsend2.com/ls.cfm?r=141518417&sid=3971041&m=484663&u=CAPITOLCOM&s=http://www.awcdc.net/.

Wednesday, May 21
“An Inside Job: Holidng the Communications Keys to a Museum” presented by The
Capital Communicators Group features Tim Clarke, Jr. Public Affairs Officer for the National Museum of Health and Medicine and the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and Jessica Hall is a Producer at the newly-reopened Newseum discuss launching and promoting museums.
Lunch, noon-1:30 p.m. at The Green Turtle (in the Verizon Center), $20.
RSVP required: CapitalCommunicator@gmail.com

Eleanor Clift Wins Matrix Award; PRofessional Solutions Sponsors Matrix Scholarship

Each year the Association for Women in Communications (AWC) honors top women communicators with the Matrix Award. This year, Eleanor Clift, contributing editor at Newsweek, author, commentator and panelist on "The McLaughlin Group", will be honored by the Washington, DC chapter (AWC-DC) during the May 15, 2008 Matrix Awards Luncheon at the National Press Club.

Helen Thomas, the 2007 Matrix winner, veteran news service reporter, Hearst Newspapers columnist, member of the White House Press Corps and author will introduce Clift at the luncheon.

And this year PRofessional Solutions, LLC is beginning a new relationship with AWC-DC and Matrix. We have been a Matrix sponsor in the past, but this year PRofessional Solutions, LLC is delighted to be the sole sponsor for the Matrix Scholarship. Each year a talented local area college student is selected by AWC-DC to receive funds awarded through the Matrix Foundation and the award is made at the Matrix Award luncheon. PRofessional Solutions, LLC is proud to be able to show our support for preparing the next generation of women leaders in our profession.

When: Thursday, May 15, 2008
Time: 12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m.
Where: National Press Club, 529 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC

Cost: $75 AWC-DC and ANWC Members; $50 AWC-DC Student or Retired Members;

$95 Non-Members (*Note: There will be a $10 surcharge for all onsite registrations)
Register: At http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ysJT-2YYham6vRbGShgSD7Ha05zuHSqDOF4o56PwXAZOVoaPTVqVnc4yjwDCJ4onqQ0IFmvrPTwAPS1EoG8Wh3FWVadGTsEXJIIfL_UvPqw=

Radio Can't Be Stopped

Arbitron recently released data that finds that 233 million people listen to radio each week, which represents an increase of more than a million listeners from a year ago. Among its findings is the fact that 95 percent of adults ages 18 to 49 with a college degree and an annual household income of at least $50,000 are tuning in. These strong numbers span ethnic demographic groups as well, with listenership among Black Non-Hispanics at 94 percent and Hispanics at 95 percent.

While there is evidence of a slight decline in younger listeners, overall, radio listenership maintained its strength among the coveted 18 to 49 demographic.In our more than 10 years of experience in the radio arena, we find that consumers continue to count on radio for their local news, traffic and weather.

Radio is the go-to choice for many consumers, with morning drive radio in particular providing listeners with the news and traffic they need to start their day. Since broadcast radio’s beginning in the 1920s, there have always been naysayers. And, with every new technology that comes along, the critics predicted the end of the medium. Television’s arrival brought dire predictions of the end of radio’s relevancy. Who after all would want to listen to radio when they could watch moving pictures? But radio adapted, maintained and even grew its audience. When cable and the Internet came along, media pundits again predicted radio’s demise, but radio adopted streaming online content, among other things, to extend its listening audience and brand.Now MP3 players have media analysts predicting that radio will surely falter.

Again, radio is responding by providing things that listeners get best from radio, like local and breaking news, weather, traffic, and special listener programming. And by providing streaming and MP3 downloads, radio is embracing the very technology that was said to mean its downfall.We often survey radio stations about their audience and programming and consistently find that stations, rather than running away from new technologies, are embracing them to extend their listening audience and provide another outlet for branding and promoting their programming. If any medium has demonstrated staying power, it is radio.

As the cassette tape, walkman, discman, and other consumer mediums, have been ushered into the dustbin of technology’s yesteryear, radio has remained. And as television now begins the switch to a digital signal, radio likewise has increased its quality and accessibility through HD radio, satellite radio, streaming, podcasting, and a strong web presence. So tune in to radio and see what all the fuss is about – news, talk, music, weather, traffic, laughter and tears – all without those distracting moving pictures.

The Dish on Bias in the Media

The monthly Capital Communicators lunch was held at the Chophouse in D.C. on Tuesday, April 22. Th subject was Bias in the Media with talks by Ken Hoover, Washington bureau chief for the American City Business Journals, and Erika Falk, associate program chair for the Johns Hopkins University Master's Degree in Communication program and author of Women for President: Media Bias in Eight Campaigns.
Ken Hoover was effective in explaining how bias works in the media, and he made no attempt to deny it exists. That was refreshing. Clearly everyone comes to the table with a position and an opinion. The most effective journalists limit the way in which this colors their reporting, but in a world where the kooks at either end of the political spectrum are screaming conspiracy, it is impossible to win.
Erika Falk shared the findings of her study on media bias against eight women presidential candidates starting in 1872. The point of Ms. Falk's thesis was that since 1872 the media bias against women who seek the presidency has held steady, as in the trend line has remained flat. In each of the campaigns she cites the bias showed against women remained statistically consistent, and high. The statistics she cited are staggering in their indictment of the media's bias: things like a much higher percentage of articles written on women candidates mention appearance, and women are more likely to suffer dropped titles (so using Ms. or Mrs. Clinton, instead of Senator Clinton), and a lower percentage of articles on women candidates touch on actual public welfare issues.
I think the issue is more general. The media decline to focus on issues because they misunderestimate our interest and our ability to understand. No matter what, this upcoming election promises to be historical and exciting.

CCG dishes media bias tomorrow

There are still places left at the Capital Communicators Group luncheon tomorrow, April 22, on bias in the news media, to be held from 12 noon to 1:30pm at the District Chophouse restaurant Tuesday, April 22, 2008. Registration is cash only, $25 per person--but please RSVP to CapitalCommunicator@gmail.com and get a confirmation first. Also, check the CCG blog at the link above for job openings and other discussions.