text: Minnesota Public Relations Blog: March 2003Minnesota Public Relations Blog
  Organizes Local Interest Groups
  Does your industry involve health care, education, pop culture or sports? Whatever your business covers meetup.com can help you get an audience that is interested in listening. Or maybe your thinking about running for president like Gov. Howard Dean? Get some votes.
  Carmichael Lynch Spong Names New Senior Councelor
  Rachael Jarosh has been named senior counselor at Carmichael Lynch Spong Public Relations.
  What's Happening at the Capitol?
  Find out the latest happenings at the capitol at the next Minnesota Chamber of Commerce breakfast.
  The Association for Women in Communications -- Twin Cities and Concordia University St. Paul Continuing Education are co-hosting a Symposium for Women, April 25–26, 2003. Taking Care of Business: Leadership, Management & Other Critical Issues in Today's Workplace marks the first time the organizations have partnered to showcase 12 respected speakers about topics integral to the professional development of Twin Cities women.
  The two-day event features six interactive two-hour workshops on subjects that include leadership, strategic and financial planning, negotiation skills, business writing, self-marketing and creativity. Keynote speaker Beryl Deskin will address workplace generational issues on Friday and leadership on Saturday.
  Cost for Taking Care of Business is $110 for one-day Friday or Saturday noncredit registration; two-day registration is $140 noncredit or $395 for two CE credits. Prepayment is required for attendance. Watch your mailbox for the event brochure.
  Generate Publicity and Increase Sales
  The Sales, Marketing and Publicity Expo at the Metropolitan Event Center April 16, 2003 is all about how companies can generate awareness for their company so they can generating sales leads, close more sales and keep customers longer. It is meant to put these businesses in touch with the Advertising, Marketing and Sales Experts that can help them do it.
  Call it war on the Web.
  For those who want to know more about the war than newspapers or TV provide, the Internet offers an outpouring of multimedia news, pro and con war speeches, religious opinion and Web log, or blog, commentaries.
  Advertising, PR firms prepare for combat
  The Buisness Journal reported today that do to the war in Iraq, advertising and public relations executives in the Twin Cities are bracing for what many predict will be a difficult time for their craft and for the industry.
  Unless your paid to make news.
  That's right Ad-Fed Alive After Five Presents: James Bond Night! If the world is not enough, join your Alive After Five colleagues for a stirred (not shaken) evening of James Bond movies, trivia (can you name all five actors who played 007?) and prizes at Martini BLU. Sushi and other appetizers will be served. Sponsored by Finlandia Vodkas.
  Are You Under Paid?
  Not feeling like your making enough money for the amount of work you put in? Well, get the facts so you can be prepared for your next review. The Minnesota Workforce Center has set up an excellent tool to help you calculate how much your worth. It even has public relations specific information posted.
  Making your Public Relations Dollars Count
  Building a solid portfolio of clients can be tough, especially in a tight economy and with war on the horizon. One of the best ways to use your marketing dollars and bring in new clients is to get involved with your local chamber of commerce. The Minnesota Chamber, the Minneapolis Regional Chamber and the TwinWest Chamber are three of the most active chamber's of commerce in the Twin Cities.
  PR in a Time of War
  Has PR played a roll in selling war to America? More than likely PR has played a part in both sides of the arguement whether for peace or for war. As war looks to be on the horizon, it might be appropriate to examine how PR has impacted war in the past. PRWatch has an interesting article that gives some perspective on the first Persian Gulf War. If you know of any interesting articles on the Web related to this topic please let me know.
  Blogging Articles - Just Weeks Apart
  The Star Tribune published an article on blogging today that covers much of the same ground I covered in my article to be published in the April issue of PRSA Today. Blogs are catching on quickly!
  Someone You Should Get to Know
  In case your just starting out in public relations one of the Minnesota columnists you should read is Bob Geiger's weekly column in the Strib. Although Geiger generally covers the events of larger ad agencies he also covers public relations and has some interesting insight into the industry.
  AWC Twin Cities & Concordia University St. Paul Continuing Education co-hosting Symposium for Women
  A group of Twin Cities advertising and public relations experts — who know the buzz and how to create and sustain it – will share their wisdom in a panel discussion luncheon jointly sponsored by the Minnesota chapters of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and the Advertising Federation (Ad Fed) on April 9th.
  Featured panelists include Chris Werle, Weber Shandwick Worldwide; Brad Toll, St. Paul Convention and Visitors Bureau; Patti Morris, Patti Morris Public Relations; and Glenn Karwoski, Karwoski & Courage (Martin Williams). Pat Goodwin, principal of Goodwin Communications and adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas, will moderate the panel discussion.
  To register, call (651) 917-6251 or online at www.adfed.org or www.mnprsa.com.
  The Association for Women in Communications Extends Deadline for Crystal Clarion Awards
  The deadline for submitting entries for this year's Crystal Clarion Awards has been extended to March 26. Please remember that for this year only, you are able to submit entries for work performed in 2001 or 2002.
  For full details on how to enter, visit www.awctwincities.org.
  Looking for Newsletter Ideas?
  Do you manage your companies newsletter? Maybe you write internal newsletters for a client? If so check out pagesmag.com for some creative clip art and simple ideas for newsletter content.
  Graphics firm Xplane uses blogs as marketing tools
  Continuing coverage of the trend in using blogs as a public relations tool, the St. Louis Business Journal reports on Xplane's dynamic use of "xblogs."
  Carmichael Lynch and Lawson end relationship
  Always on top of the latest news the Business Journal reported today that "Carmichael Lynch Inc. announced it will part ways with St. Paul-based Lawson Software, a client the agency has had since August 2001." Get the rest of the details here.
  Help Improve Your Writing
  Public relations can often be very writing intensive. And I know I can always stand to work on my writing and editing skills, do you feel the same way? If so, check out this site for some helpful writing techniques and editing tools.
  Classics Award Winners Announced!
  Congratulations to all of this year's award winners and thank you for all your hard work. Special acknowledgements go to Paul G. Omodt the 2003 Minnesota PRSA Donald G. Padilla Community Classic Award winner and to the Best of Show award winner Kohnstamm Communications - Creating the Best Restaurant Opening in 25 years - Green Mill Restaurant Opening.
  Get a list of all of the Classics Award Winners at www.mnprsa.com.
  Looking for a Job PR?
  Looking for a job in PR? Check out www.workinpr.com for some helpful tips and hot jobs.
  Classics Awards Tonight!
  Please join Minnesota PRSA in celebrating the achievements of the past year at the 25th Annual Classics Awards program tonight.
  New Volunteer Project Opportunities for PR, Marketing and Fundraising Consultants
  MAP is seeking one or two volunteers to help with the VSA arts conference taking place in St. Paul, June 18th - 21st. Assistance is needed with writing, creation of conference binders, tracking budgets and additional help staffing this event.