Accreditation Readiness Review on July 23

Ready to challenge yourself by getting your APR? Accreditation Readiness Review is set for Saturday, July 23. For more details, visit:

http://www.prsa-ncc.org/option,com_events/task,view_detail/agid,421/year,2011/month,07/day,23/Itemid,0/

Thoth Early Bird Deadline Extended Until July 5

The Thoth Early Bird Deadline has been extended for more than two weeks! Here are the fees and details:

EARLY BIRD FEES: Received by Tuesday, July 5, 2011• PRSA-NCC Members: $120 for first entry, $100 for subsequent entries• Non-NCC Members: $160 for all entries

For all of the details, visit http://www.prsa-ncc.org/thoth_awards/

When a Crisis Strikes, presented on Wednesday, July 20, 2011

When a Crisis Strikes: Scenario-Based Training to Avoid Communication Regrets Before, During and After a High Stakes Event

Presented by the NCC Professional Development Committee

July 20, 2011
8:00 a.m. - Noon
(Registration/networking/continental breakfast 8:00-8:30 a.m.)

National Education Association
1201 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036-3290
Metro: Farragut North (red line)/McPherson Square or Farragut West (orange/blue lines)

Cost: $75 PRSA and WWPR members; $95 Non-members; $25 Students/retirees

Register here

In this half-day workshop, participants will develop the unique knowledge and skills required for communicating in a high stakes environment. Through high-energy scenarios and fast-paced interactive team exercises, attendees will gain invaluable experience in crisis communications planning and implementation.

In one team exercise, participants will be involved in developing and delivering simulated real-time communications to the public and media during the first few hours and days of a nuclear detonation in a high-density urban area.

Through this and other workshop activities, attendees will gain experience using communications principles and practices that they will be able to apply to the full spectrum of risks and crises they may encounter as part of their job – no matter the type of organization for which you work.

In the workshop, participants will:
• Learn and apply message best practices for effective communications before, during and after a high stakes crisis
• Apply message strategies and tools learned through mini-exercises and team problem-solving
• Gain experience and insights into assessing special threats, vulnerabilities and consequences of a crisis situation and the implications for high stakes communications to multiple and diverse audiences
• Learn how to maximize proven methods and techniques for delivering messages rapidly, accurately and with the intended effect.

A team of four crisis communication experts will:
• Lead attendees in a high-stakes scenario-based exercise and discussion
• Present advanced crisis communications best practices, and
• Facilitate small group mini-exercises, role-playing and other crisis communication activities

Presenters:
• Tim Tinker
Director of Booz Allen Hamilton’s Center for Risk and Crisis Communication and a Senior Associate on Booz Allen’s Strategy and Organization team

• John Rendon, Jr.
President & CEO of The Rendon Group, Inc.

• Jessica Wieder
Public Affairs Specialist, EPA Office of Radiation and Indoor Air

• Bob Davis
Communications Director, DHS Office of Health Affairs

Moderator: Mike Rothenberg, APR

If you have questions, please call the chapter office at 703.691.8733.

Get Recognized for the Star You Are!

The early bird Thoth Awards deadline is this Friday, June 17. Don't delay, send in your application today. All of the details including call for entries and FAQs can be found at: http://www.prsa-ncc.org/thoth_awards/

The regular deadline is Friday, July 8, so if you need more time, that deadline is more than three weeks away.

The Thoth Awards gala will be held on Thursday, September 22 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the National Press Club.

Perfect pitching: Winning over journalists and bloggers in the new media landscape

Media pitching coach Michael Smart’s most popular seminar offers hundreds of intensely practical tips that will immediately boost your media and blog coverage. The four-hour seminar will give specific strategies and tactics for getting the attention of top-tier media. People Michael has trained have scored coverage on the front page of The New York Times, in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and on CNN and NBC’s Today.
Smart is coming to PRSA on June 28 for a half-day workshop. For more information and to register, visit: http://www.prsa-ncc.org/option,com_events/task,view_detail/agid,416/year,2011/month,06/day,28/Itemid,0/

Recap of Media Relations in the Digital Age on June 8, 2011

From PRSA-NCC's blog: In today’s Digital Age, almost every public relations professional wants to see their client or organization’s story placed with journalists at prestigious and influential media outlets, as well as in prominent new online media outlets. The PRSA-NCC Professional Development seminar on June 8, 2011 held at the Navy Memorial provided a diverse group of journalist speakers that addressed many of the issues involved in media relations within their various reporting beats and media outlets. About 80 participants were on hand to listen to speakers from Al Jazeera, The Huffington Post, Bloomberg News and the National Journal, who related methods of accessing information for their news cycles, and how to pitch information for their news articles, broadcasts, or blogs.

Considering that most journalists have entered the Digital Age, the speakers related examples of some tried-and-true methods of getting information for their news reporting, such as talking to top officials as well as direct quotes and access to pre-interview press releases, but depending on the news topic and media outlet, they may or may not include the use of social media. Tony Capaccio, Pentagon Correspondent of Bloomberg News mentioned that although readers/followers might read Twitter for events coming up, it is usually only top officials who can provide information that he is seeking for his reporting for the specific information needed in Bloomberg’s Pentagon news. “I’ve only used social media twice to talk to defense officials, such as the Admiral in charge of NATO, and only because he was a reader of Facebook,” said Capaccio.

For those who are more tech-savvy, Maggie Fox, Managing Editor of Technology and Health Care, said that many PR professionals need to refocus how they appeal to journalists, because “most journalists have to wade through 600 email messages per day. It takes up all my time.” She stressed “knowing who you’re pitching and why, so that the journalists and you don’t waste your time,” Fox said. “Only pitch if you can offer something no one else is doing, and be quick, topical and concise. Don’t be one of the PR types who bug people all the time.”

The bottom line, according to Jeffrey Ballou, Deputy News Editor of Al Jazeera, is that “journalists are tired from all of the world’s major upheavals, and if you don’t watch the media you pitch, you are not aware what is being covered day-to-day, so your pitch will be irrelevant.” And delivering the actual newsmakers to the journalists is something all speaker panelists agreed on. “You must be able to offer a speaker that has current experience in the news topics covered, such as diplomacy in foreign relations in the case of Afghanistan.”

Social media plays a big role too for many media outlets now, such as Al Jazeera and The Huffington Post, who say most of their reporting is done on social media, i.e. blogs, Twitter or Facebook, which were also the main outlets cited by panelists. Jennifer Bendrey, Washington Correspondent for The Huffington Post, said “We think about the audience and their niches, and we do welcome pitches, but know who you’re talking to before you call, and it helps to offer a couple of knowledgeable sentences for the journalist to get a flavor of the story you are pitching.”

Take Me Out to the Ballgame!

Enjoy an Evening of Networking and Baseball!PRSA-NCC Membership Mixer and New Member Welcome

Washington Nationals vs. Seattle Mariners at Nationals Park on Wednesday, June 22, 2011

6:00 p.m. – networking starts

7:05 pm – baseball game starts

Red Loft Bar, Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol St., SE, Washington, DC 20003

$12 PRSA and WWPR Members$18 Non-Members -- Register here

PRSA-NCC members and guests are invited to mingle with their fellow PR professionals and friends while taking in a little evening baseball. Attendees should pre-register by June 20th to be able to pick up their tickets with a photo ID at Will Call and meet at the Red Loft Bar (Section 244) overlooking center field.

Networking will take place at the Red Loft Bar area before and during the game and group seating in the stands will also be reserved for when you want to sit down and focus on the game. This event is a great opportunity for the newest members of our National Capital Chapter to get to know fellow chapter members – so all you new members make sure to register as a fun way to jumpstart your involvement in the chapter! Registration costs cover entrance to stadium and seating (food and drink available for individual purchase) and the event is open to everyone so feel free to bring your friends and family!

Directions: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/was/ballpark/directions.jsp

Presented by the PRSA-NCC Membership Committee.For questions on the event or chapter membership, contact Membership Chair Ufuoma Otu at uotu@macstrategies.com

IABC Senior Communicators Discuss Financial Communications

PRofessional Solutions, LLC is proud to underwrite the Senior Communicators Council (SCC) breakfast series of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) DC Metro chapter.

Here, Karen Vahouny, a founding partner of Qorvis Communications LLC and one of the panelists discussing “The Delicate Matter of Financial Communications” is joined by Angelo Ioffreda, Senior Director, Employee Communications at NII Holdings, Inc. and President of IABC/DC Metro and fellow panelist Michael Toner, Senior Account Executive at Business Wire at the June 7, 2011 program.

The SCC meets quarterly for presentations and conversations that allow attendees to gain in-depth knowledge of specialized topics and build connections with other senior communicators.

DUELING PROGRAMS -- TWO GOOD CHOICES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA PROGRAMS

The Association for Women in Communications – DC Chapter Presents

BURSON BREAKFAST SERIES #3: Will You Be My Friend? (And other Facebook insights)

June 8 from 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. 

Burson Marstellar located at 1110 Vermont Avenue N.W., 12th floor

$25 for AWC members and co-sponsor members (Washington Women in Public Relations); $35 for non-members

Register at  http://www.awcdc.net/program_april11.shtml

Yes, this is the same day and time as the PRSA-NCC program on Media Relations in the Digital Age (see our item further below) but that means you have to pick which is most useful to you.  Like PRSA, it will open with 30 minutes for networking and breakfast, followed by a 90 minute, hands-on workshop

This is the third in the AWC-DC/Burson monthly breakfast series. There will be additional programs July 13, August 10 and September 14. 

Capital Communicators Group June Lunch: USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO PROMOTE YOUR CONFERENCE

Learning to use Social Media as a targeted tool to accomplish specific goals is just the kind of thing you want from a lunch time professional meeting, and this month's Capital Communicators Group should do offer just that.

WHEN:  Thursday, June 16th, Noon to 1:30 p.m.
WHERE:  RFD Restaurant, 810 7th St., NW (Metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown)
COST:  $22 ~ cash only; exact change preferred.
RSVP required: CapitalCommunicator@gmail.com**
This lunch is open to the first 40 who RSVP. After that, names will be placed on a waiting list.

Social media is changing everything in marketing conferences and events.  Organizers now can communicate with potential registrants and receive valuable feedback on the conference as it develops, encourage word-of-mouth marketing and -- perhaps most importantly -- they can turn a group of attendees into a community before they've even picked up their name badges.   Social media makes it possible to begin making those connections between audience members before the conference has even started, giving those potential attendees another pressing reason to register right away.

Speaker Tara Dunion, Director of Event Communications at the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is in charge of promoting the International CES, the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow, to attract the world's top media to attend and cover this global event.  She will share how CEA builds momentum for its meetings and how it uses social media to promote and enhance its events onsite. Attend and learn:

• how to use social media as a customer service and registration tool 
• how to use social media to promote your event and build a supportive community 
• how to use TweetDeck to schedule Tweets and share tweeting among several staff people 
• how to plan a successful TweetUp