Control. Alt. Delete.

I must admit deciding what to write in this message, and how to craft it, challenges me. Writing for writers every month is daunting! I know you're editing me right now because that's what we in the writing business do best.  There's always a better way to state a case.

We don't edit to be hateful (most of the time!). While it's sometimes fun to catch a major blunder, writers are simply trained to observe copy - on billboards, product packaging, even Facebook posts. It's simply how we learn catchier ways to grab readers' attention and lose message-cluttering words.

Having the knowledge to control what we write, make smart alterations, and use the power of delete to make copy succinct is imperative. In a world where words are a commodity more than ever, continuing to develop strong writing skills is a must to get messages noticed.

This month's luncheon, Write Tight, is a prime opportunity for all of us to brush up on ways to make our copy snappier. We'll learn new ways to sharpen our messages and slash unnecessary phrases. I hope to see you there.

Until then, feel free to edit this letter behind my back. I'll never know. 

Sincerely,

Sarah Hibner, president

PRSA Celebrates at 2010 PRism Awards Banquet

Bill Wharton, Public Information for Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County, received the Dayton Area Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Chapter's Communicator of the Year Award for 2010 at the Chapter's annual PRism Awards banquet.

Named for the late Rex Smith, a highly regarded public relations practitioner in Dayton for more than 40 years and a former chapter member, the Communicator of the Year Award is given to a person whose community contributions have occurred in part, or in whole, because of particularly effective communications and public relations.

The chapter named WHIO-TV news anchor and reporter Gabrielle Enright its Media Friend of the Year. The Media Friend of the Year Award is presented to a member of the local media who is invested in the success of the community and actively tries to report it. The award recognizes a member of the media who welcomes interaction with associates of PRSA and the public relations community and, in doing so, is accessible and conducive to media opportunities.

The PRism Awards commend the achievements of public relations professionals throughout the Dayton area. The awards recognize the research, planning and ingenuity that go into implementing an exceptional public relations initiative. This year's awards banquet was held on April 27^th at Sinclair Community College.

The highlights of the awards ceremony include the Judge's Choice Award, PRSA Media Friend of the Year Award and the Communicator of the Year Award. There are also several other categories where entries can win a PRism award, or an award of merit for their efforts.

Twenty entries received a PRism Award or an Award of Merit. One entry is also selected as the overall Best In Show, or Judge's Choice. This year's Judge's Choice Award winner is Bob Sadowski from Industramark^TM, a Standard Register business unit, with the Internal Communication's - For Profit entry Industramark: Branding a New Business.

Other PRism award winners are:

• Community Relations
  • Melanie Wilt, Wilt Public Relations
• Community Relations- Non-Profit
  • Holly Michael, Debbie Janis and Cathy Delk, Good Samaritan Hospital
  • Laura Woeste, Downtown Dayton Partnership
  • Natasha Baker, Sinclair Community College
  • Melanie Wilt, Wilt Public Relations
• Media Relations- For Profit
  • Bob Sadowski, Industramark^TM, a Standard Register business unit
  • Tony Castillo, Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations
• Special Events and Observances- For Profit
  • Bob Sadowski, Industramark^TM, a Standard Register business unit
  • Liz Sidor, Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations
• Special Events and Observances- Non-Profit
  • Holly Michael, Debbie Janis and Cathy Delk, Good Samaritan Hospital
  • Liz Long and Pam Blumensheid, Grace Lutheran Services
• Internal Communications- For Profit
  • Bob Sadowski, Industramark^TM, a Standard Register business unit
  • Meredith Leslie, P&G Pet Care
• Marketing Communications- For Profit
  • Bob Sadowski, Industramark^TM, a Standard Register business unit
•  
  • Tony Castillo, Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations
  • Tony Castillo, Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations
  • Tony Castillo, Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations

 The PRism award of merit winners are:

• Special Events and Observances- Non-Profit
  • Megan Grote, Edward Howard
• Internal Communications- For Profit
  • Patty Sorrelll and Julie McEwan, Mead-Westvaco
• Writing
  • Alison Bour

 Thank you to everyone who entered, attended and/or helped judge the San Antonio entries! Your support of the PRism awards is very much appreciated! Start brainstorming for the 2011 Awards today!

Mixed Messages: What is your news release saying about your organization?

By Glenn Gillen

This article ran in the December 2009 issue of Tactics. For a full text of the article, please go to http://www.prsa.org .

As professional communicators, we are often called upon to be consumers as well as producers of news content.

Whether it's scamming newswires and local e-news sites for noteworthy developments or competitive intelligence, PR professionals only trail journalists in the volume of news releases we read.

With the advent of the Internet, many releases are now posted and archived for the whole world to see. The following examples are barriers to the perception of the institutional integrity. These tactics should be avoided.

Headlines in all caps

"XYZ COMPANY INTRODUCES AMAZING NEW PRODUCT." There is no need to shout at your readers.

Grammar and punctuation errors

Proofread, proofread and proofread some more - or find somebody who can do it for you.

Long or too many quotes

Long quotes or sentences convey that your company is not focused. Quoting too many sources might signify that you're trying to massage everyone's ego and that your organization lacks strong leadership.

Too many fonts

In addition to decreasing the readability, this signifies amateurism and a lack of understanding of an editor's screening process.

Despite our objections, PR professionals occasionally have to distribute flawed releases "as approved" by clients. If clients knew what messages these releases were really sending, perhaps they would better understand and heed our counsel.

Glenn Gillen is an account manager with S&A Cherokee, a full-service communications company based in Cary, NC. He is presently the publicity chair for PRSA's North Carolina Chapter.

PRSA Member Profile:

Sharon Balderson

Although Sharon Balderson has only been a member of PRSA for two years, the opportunities to network and learn from others have proved her membership in PRSA is already well worth it.

Balderson has worked for the Greater Dayton RTA for about six and a half years as the Communications Coordinator. Prior to working for the Greater Dayton RTA, she gained majority of her writing experience in Chicago. While there, she worked as a managing editor secretary for a magazine as well as a reporter and editor at two different newspaper chains, Press Publications and Pioneer Press, Inc.

Through PRSA, Balderson has won a Prism in the writing category for her work on the customer newsletter OnBoard, published by the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority. Additionally Balderson has recently being taking classes for her APR.

The APR classes have helped her thinking more promotionally rather than as a journalist, one of the greatest challenges she has faced in her career. Currently she is studying for the APR review board, with the hopes of taking the exam later this year.

PRSA Seeks Leaders to Advance the Profession

The 2010 National Nominating Committee of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has begun its annual process of recruiting candidates for 2011 Board Officers and Directors, as well as for Assembly Delegate-at-Large and Assembly International Delegate-at-Large positions. The Nominating Committee strives to recruit a variety of applicants for consideration and encourages diverse candidates to apply.  More information can be found on the PRSA website.

March Luncheon recap: Dayton Dragons

Who's selling some of the most coveted sports tickets around? Stanley Cup winners? PGA tournament hosts?

Probably, but add the Dayton Dragons to that group, too. The team ranks number 10 on the Sports Illustrated hottest sports ticket list. So many people desire the baseball team's season passes, the waiting list sits at more than 8,000. Pretty spectacular for the minor leagues.

That reputation didn't happen by accident. It developed through a clearly defined audience and just the right message.

That was the topic of PRSA Dayton's March luncheon held at the Dragons' stadium downtown. Tom Nichols, director of broadcasting and media relations, and voice of the team on both radio and TV, gave a fun and poignant talk about hitting a home run when marketing a brand.

It turns out the team's largest audience isn't baseball fans but families seeking wholesome entertainment at a fair price. We've heard it a billion times: identify your audience and what resonates with them first. Execute branding strategies second. It sounds like a no-brainer but so many still approach it backwards.

Pick up a Dayton Dragons' souvenir book and you'll see players in action, but you'll also see the smiling faces of babies and kids dressed in (what else?!) Dragons' wear. 

"We have a different cover shot for every game," said Nichols. Additionally, hilarious videos entertain kids and parents during fights on the field. Wholesome fun. Fair prices. Simple. Effective.

"We sell the Dragons every day through community involvement and sponsorship opportunities that drive ROI," added Nichols.

Here's a few dos and don't from this successful brand manager:

• Don't send the same pitch to everyone. Divide your audience and give them the angle that fits.
•  Do the same for other mediums. One nighttime radio spot designed for hardcore sports fans means nothing to moms listing to morning shows.
•  Do paste the press release into an email if possible.
•  Don't write, 'Press Release' in the subject line!

 PRSA National Unveils New Logo

For the first time in six years, the Public Relations Society of America has updated its familiar "PRSA" logo. The simplified design presents a more modern image for the organization, while also creating process and cost efficiencies.
 

The PRSA logo now prints in a single color, Pantone^® 647. Gone is the previous color, Pantone^® 534, as well as the use of a second color, Pantone^® 4505, for the "S" and "A." The serif font remains the same; however, the font weight for the "S" and "A" has been reduced, to emphasize the "P" and "R" and restore the contrast previously achieved through the use of different colors.
 

The updated logo reproduces well in both print and online environments, using RGB or CMYK printing processes. And because it is now monochrome, the new logo reduces the cost of printing stationery items, such as letterhead and business cards.
 

"When we set about designing our new Web site, we were mindful of the fact that we'd need to reassess our logo once the site went live," said William M. Murray, CAE, president and COO of PRSA. "Now that the site is up, we felt it was appropriate to make some minor alterations to the logo, to create a look that is complementary of the Web site colors, but also more contemporary and reflective of PRSA's progressive new attitude."
 

Along with the roll out of the new logo, PRSA has also revised its Graphic Standards Manual. The manual offers specific guidelines for Section, Chapter and District usage of the logo with their local branding, as well as criteria for ensuring a consistent look and feel for all of PRSA's print and online communications.

Please visit www.prsa.org for more information.

Please join us Tuesday, May 25th at McCormick and Schmick's at The Greene for our monthly luncheon. The speaker is Nicole Amsler, who will be speaking on Write Tight. More details to come.

The next Sippin' Social will be May 14 at Savona in Centerville. Please join us for some casual networking with friends and colleagues in a fun environment!

Are you a public relations student living in Cleveland or Dayton this summer? Consider spending your summer with Fahlgren Mortine. We are looking for two outstanding PR students - one to support our team in Dayton and one to assist the Edward Howard group in Cleveland.

If you are a rising public relations student and are at least a sophomore in college looking to learn more about life at an agency, send your resume and cover letter to careers@fahlgren.com. The deadline for submitting your information is Friday, April 30. We look forward to hearing from you and hope to work with you this summer.

Interested in getting a sneak peek at what it's like to be an intern at Fahlgren Mortine? Join the Fahlgren Mortine PR Interns Alumni group on Facebook.

http://ow.ly/1AeSQ