PR Buzz
Fall 2005

Join the Blogging Revolution

Everybody’s doing it. . .blogging, that is!  A corporate blog is fast becoming an essential part of business marketing and PR strategies.

If your organization wants to create a sense of community, attract outside opinions related to your interests, and maximize your presence in cyberspace, let SCA help you explore the possibilities with a corporate blog.  We can manage your blog, from crafting your messages to handling the technical side.  

With a corporate blog, you can comment on current events, breaking news and emerging trends—and start a lively dialogue. Invite readers to post comments and questions, and then respond openly.   Corporate blogs work best when they're updated frequently, have an informal tone and engage the reader in ongoing discussion.   They can go a long way in personalizing your company and complementing your CRM initiatives.

Join the blogging revolution!  Contact us at sca@scapr.com.

A Wealth of Multi-Industry Experience 

Whatever your business, chances are a SCA associate knows it well!  While SCA’s focus for the last 17 years has been in the technology, finance and health care industries, our associates’ experience spans 20 industries and business sectors.

Services provided include media relations, marketing, strategic communications planning, print and Web design and production, writing and editing, and event management and promotion.  Our associates have also developed solid relationships with trade associations and publications serving these industries, providing our clients with a built-in network of public relations and media contacts. 

What Do Leasing Executives Really Want?

SCA Presents Service Provider Marketing Survey Results at ELA Convention

Susan Carol Associates braved Hurricane Wilma to attend the Equipment Leasing Association’s (ELA)  44th  annual convention.  The event was held October 23-25 in Boca Raton, Fla.   Susan Carol, chair of ELA’s Service Provider Business Council, presented findings of an association marketing survey revealing what lessors really want from their vendors.  For a synopsis of the study, contact Susan at sca@scapr.com.

Key Messages Drive Successful Media Interviews

Preparation and focus are the keys to success in media encounters.  Preparing your key messages before you meet with a journalist makes everyone’s job a little easier.  Rather than simply answering a reporter’s questions, or participating in an interview that seems disjointed, you can use key messages to keep the interview on track.

When developing key messages, consider the ultimate audience—the media outlet’s readers, viewers or listeners—and what about your organization will be most important to them.  Anticipate the reporter’s questions and then develop appropriate answers, subtly including your key messages where appropriate.  

During the interview, flag your key messages with signal phrases to alert the journalist that you are about to make a key point worth noting:

• What’s really interesting about all of this is . . .
• What’s really important here . . .
• The critical point is . . .
• Something I’d like to emphasize . . .
• The number one point I’d like you to walk away with is . . .

Want to learn more about optimizing media encounters and working with journalists to get your story told?  Contact SCA to schedule a media interview workshop for your executives and spokespeople.

Meet Hank Wieland, a Telecom and World Event Professional

SCA’s Hank Wieland is a seasoned public relations, trade show and marketing specialist.  He has 30 years of experience with corporate and nonprofit organizations, currently focused on the communications and information technology industry. Hank has worked with Susan Carol Associates for the last three years, editing and writing for several clients. He is expanding his role with SCA, based on international experience that includes more than 20 business trips to Asia.  For more on SCA’s veteran team of creative thinkers, visit www.scapr.com/team.          

Free Web Review and Proof

If you are not already a retained SCA client, you are eligible for a free review of your Web site.  Our newest associate, Hank Wieland, has offered to provide a complimentary proof and editorial feedback on your site content. Contact us at sca@scapr.com.

Articles were supplied for this edition by Sue Carrington and Susan Carol in Virginia, Joe St. Henry in Detroit, and Veronica Deschambault in Belgium.