Forbes Top 25 Web Celebs...

Forbes compiled this year’s list by looking at a “Web Celeb” as a person famous primarily for creating or appearing in Internet-based content, and for being highly recognizable to a Web-based audience. From the candidate list of 200 Web celebrities each candidate was ranked in five areas:1. Web references as calculated by Google 2. traffic ranking of their home page as calculated by Alexa3. Technorati rank of their primary Web site or blog4. TV/radio mentions and press clips compiled from Factiva5. bonus points if ‘Web Celeb’ regularly published their own videoblog or podcast. For the full list, go to
http://www.boxofficepsychics.com/?p=864

"Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus" - KYW 1060 Christmas

If you haven't heard it before, the KYW 1060 Newsradio reading by former Philadelphia anchor Vince Lee in his December 1976 recording of ''Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus,'' is just wonderful. I heard it tonight while my husband and I were driving home from my mother's house. It is so beautiful and truly captures the spirit of Christmas. Her'e the link to the KYW page http://www.kyw1060.com/pages/1375695.php and here's the link to the audiocast: http://www.kyw1060.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=1241068.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

New Blog Launch: Diabetes Pharmacist Blog

After months of hard work and anticipation, Focus Express Mail Pharmacy of Horsham, PA has announced the debut of their new educational and informational diabetes blog, the Diabetes Pharmacist Blog.

Focus Express Mail Pharmacy is an Internet-based pharmacy with a community agenda and practice that provides expert service, outstanding customer care and convenient home delivery of affordable prescription drugs and medical supplies to qualified patients with diabetes and chronic illnesses. Focus created the Diabetes Pharmacist Blog to provide persons with medical needs a sieve of information on medical breakthroughs, devices, as well as nutritional and health advice.

Follow this link to enjoy a plethora of information on diabetes and other related illnesses. For more information on Focus Express Mail Pharmacy, visit their website at http://www.focuspharmacy.com/.

Happy Holiday and New Year from Furia Rubel

At Furia Rubel, the holiday season is a time for giving back and showing appreciation and thanks to those who make a difference and impact in our lives; both personally and professionally.

On behalf of the entire Furia Rubel team, we wish you peace, joy and positive publicity in this New Year.

Be Aware of Toy Recalls this Holiday Season - It May Save a Loved Ones Life

With the holidays literally upon us, finding that perfect gift for loved ones is an absolute must. But make sure you are getting your family and friends safe holiday gifts this season.

Stephanie Farr of the Philadelphia Daily News paints a perfect picture of why all holiday shoppers need to be aware of recalls of all sorts. The article titled Near-Fatal Attraction tells the story of young, Drexel Hill boy Benjamin Palmer (represented by attorneys at the Feldman Shepherd firm) who swallowed a piece of a Magnetix set and how the recalled toy almost cost the 2-year-old his life. The two swallowed magnets ripped through the boy’s colon and caused a massive septic infection in little Benjamin’s body.

This toy was at one time one of the top selling children’s toys and not all are aware of its harmful effects or its recall last year. According to Philadelphia Daily News article, “In March 2006, unbeknown to Palmer’s mother, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalled the toy. Tiny magnets inside the plastic pieces were falling out and being swallowed by young children, which led to horrific consequences. ‘To date, there has been one death, one incident of a child inhaling the magnets through the nose and 27 intestinal injuries reported in connection with the toy,’ said Scott Wolfson, CPSC spokesman.”

With nieces, nephews, cousins and family to buy for this holiday season, I will most definitely be referencing The Consumer Product Safety Commission site before making any quick purchases.

See Philadelphia Daily News reporter Stephanie Farr’s, “Feds urge signing up for e-mail toy alerts” article for more details on toy recalls, The Consumer Product Safety Commission and safe practices handling recalls.

In Memory of DeAnn White - A Special Recognition

Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” I can’t agree more – and one of those thoughtful, committed citizens was DeAnn White.

On December 6, 2007, I was honored by my peers in the public relations industry with the PRSA Philadelphia Chapter award named in DeAnn White's memory. I began my acceptance speech with the amazing words of Margaret Mead. I wish to share my thoughts of DeAnn as I am so blessed to have been touched by her story and memory.

My words were as follows:

The DeAnn White Achievement Award honors the memory of a Philadelphia journalist and PR professional whose life was cut short at age 25 in the tragic Pier 34 collapse. DeAnn was not only one of our peers, but she was a trailblazer for African-American women . . . a true role model. She was an advocate for education, children, her Baptist ministry, and the Multiple Sclerosis Society -- to name a few. Just the thought, let alone the reality, of being bestowed this honor humbles me.

And while I am delighted and honored to be the 2007 recipient of the DeAnn White Award, it is not about me – it is about others. It is about the people who work in public service. It is about the countless hours we all donate to our community. It is about remembering the legacy of DeAnn White. And it is about fostering the ideals of giving back in our community. I share this recognition with everyone in this room – as so many of you give back in so many ways. Since this award is only given once a year, I hold it in trust on behalf of our profession.
….

This honor is a true testament to how much local public relations professionals value philanthropy and volunteerism. This is an award in memory of a fallen hero, DeAnn White and of our industry’s shared commitment to giving back.

I will keep DeAnn's family and friends in my prayers as I know that love is a true gift from God and her family's loss is one that is incomprehensible.

Challenges of a CEO: Becoming Influential

As new communication channels open up and the communication habits of consumers change, it is getting harder to identify what medium is most effective when trying to communicate with your audience.

In the November 12, 2007 issue of PR Week, Erica Iacono reported that, “CEOs are facing more challenges than ever as they try to establish influence within their industries, communicate effectively with internal and external audiences, and maintain corporate reputation”…and I couldn’t agree more.

85.4% of CEO’s perceive an extreme importance to be known as an influencer in the industry. Here are some tactics CEOs across the country are implementing to maintain their influence among consumers:

-68.1% - offer online tools for customers to interact with each others products
-77.1% - utilize PR as a tool for development of their company’s overall strategy

To find out more information, check out the “True Test of Leadership” article here.

IT Investments: Measuring Your Businesses ROI

I came across a live roundtable webcast, Get Better Results from Your IT Investments, featuring speakers Rob Whitley, Sr. Analyst for Forrester Research and Matt Gowarty, Sr. Product Manager with Fluke Networks along with moderator Sandra Gittlen, Technology Editor from NetworkWorld.

The panel offers some interesting information:

In a 2007 survey done by Forrester Research, Inc., it seems IT objectives are coinciding with those of the business world. Instead of focusing solely on security, IT trends show companies focusing on improving disaster recovery, consolidating multiple programs and upgrading applications to keep up with the changing business demands; all aspects that prove to provide headaches for many business leaders.

Measuring your ROI for your IT needs may not be as hard as you think.

According to the panelists, there are 3 aspects in which to keep an eye out for:

Optimization – Update your site regularly to ensure consistent web traffic
Control – Know your security applications and how to manage them
Visibility: Measure and monitor your activity to see the results you yield

To find out more information on what value can IT investments can bring to your organization, how to increase increase productivity among co-workers and associates, benefits of consolidating multiple IT applications and providing necessary IT security for your business, Register Here to see a free presentation.

Gina Rubel Receives Public Relations Society of America Achievement Award Award

We are proud to announce that Gina F. Rubel has been awarded the DeAnn White Achievement Award by the Public Relations Society of America for utilizing her public relations expertise in the fields of community service and volunteerism.

For more than two decades, Gina has devoted time to helping nonprofits tell their stories. She also encourages all staff to volunteer time during the workday and maintains three nonprofit pro bono accounts per year as a company policy. To her, giving selflessly is her definition of success.

Gina is often overheard saying, "If I were independently wealthy, I'd donate all my time to helping nonprofits raise awareness and money to make this world a better place." In short, that sums up not only why she is so deserving of this award, but that our staff is blessed to be her friend and colleague.

Cheers!

Ode to J.K. Rowling

This is an ode to one of my favorite authors of all time J.K. Rowling, who has proven that one voice and one person can make a difference in this world:

Craig Wilson of USA Today reported on something truly amazing - how a fantasy game called Quidditch from the popular children’s series, Harry Potter has made its way into the lifestyle of American college students.

To read more about the Quidditch phenomenon and J.K. Rowling’s effect on American college students, click here.

Apple iPhone & AT&T vs. Google gPhone & Verizon

The iPhone made a grand entrance and splash in the consumer product industry in 2007. Since AT&T was the only U.S. carrier able to capitalize on this successful product, it has left a bitter taste in many mobile carriers’ mouth; Verizon Wireless being one of them.

Google recognizes the disdain of many mobile carriers and is looking at Verizon Wireless to help make a splash in the wireless industry. Reuters.com reported that current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart stated, “If Google is going to make a splash, it’s going to have to say (to operators) ‘offer our phones and we’ll share the revenue’.”

If Google truly believes that a long key factor of their growth is in the wireless market, making concessions with America’s large mobile companies is a must. Although Google and Verizon are amidst talks of putting Google applications on Verizon phones, they still have many obstacles to overcome.

Being a Verizon Wireless customer myself, I would love to get a phone equivalent to an iPhone. Word on the street is that Google doesn’t offer much of a financial return for prospective mobile carriers, so I am afraid my dreams will have to be put aside for the moment.

How do you feel about an “all inclusive” phone put out by Google? Do you think it would be as successful as the iPhone and which Google applications do you think would be available?

If you want more information, check out Reuters.com

The Hepatitis B Foundation Launches Corporate Video

We're excited to announce that the Hepatitis B Foundation, located in the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center in Bucks County, Pa., launched their corporate video. The Foundation is the only national nonprofit organization solely dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for those affected with hepatitis B worldwide through research, education and patient advocacy.

The video is a must see. It's a great way to learn about all the wonderful things the Foundation is doing. And of course, we're proud to call them a client. To check out the video on YouTube, click here.

Cole Silver Launches Legal Expert Audio Series on FindCareerSuccess.com

Cole Silver, the Legal Marketing Secrets blogger, announced today that they will be launching an expert audio series through http://www.findcareersuccess.com/. He says the audio series will feature

interviews from world renowned experts and advisors that will provide you profitable and incisive information, secrets, and tactics that will help you create the legal career you desire.

The line up includes:

• Dan Janel, member of the public relations team that launched America Online.

• Harry Beckwith, one of the world's most respected marketers and author of What Clients Love.

• Gerry Riskin, world renowned expert in law firm management and rainmaking.

• Jim Hassett, founder of LegalBizDev and author of seven books and more than 70 articles on legal marketing.

• Margaret Grisdela, the author of "Courting Your Clients: The Essential Guide to Legal Marketing”.

• Trey Rider, one of the country’s premier legal marketing experts.

• Hindi Greenberg, author of the best selling, The Lawyer's Career Change Handbook.

• YOURS TRULY . . . Gina Furia Rubel, Esquire, a communications expert, attorney and publicist, is the owner of Furia Rubel Communications (We'll be talking about the advice in my book, Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers, due out mid-December)

• Mike Schultz, Principal of the Wellesley Hill Group and Publisher of RainToday.com.

I'll keep you posted about my audio interview. Be sure to check out Cole's blog too!

Do You Want Productivity in Your Life - Read Neen James

There's one productivity expert that I've worked with who has made a huge difference in my life and she's Neen James. Check out her blog at http://neenjames.blogspot.com/. The bottom line is this: if you want to get more done in less time, make more money and sleep better - just give Neen a call.

Two Union City High Schools End an Era and Begin Anew - New York Times

Today I share a great New York Times Story about the end of an era and new beginnings in Union City. Winnie Hu wrote “After 88 Years of Rivalry, the Last as Us and Them.”

Be sure to check out the multi-media program too.

The folks at the Union City Board of Education including the staff within the schools are some of the most dedicated educators I've ever met. This story is a beautiful tribute. If you happen to be near Union City today, it's a must-attend event.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

Your Full Time Job – Are You Happy?

Time Magazine surveyed ‘Happiness on the Job’ across America to find what professions make people the most happy.

In the spirit of the PRLawyer blog, we were curious to research the “happiness” factors of lawyers in America. It turns out that 43% of lawyers are “very happy” with their job. However, only 22.8% of legal assistants reported that they were “very happy.”

We sense a need for some internal public relations in American firms to boost morale. There is no better time than the holiday season! Need some suggestions…let us know?

To see where other professions ranked, check out the article here.

Green Practices – Giving Your Firm A Competitive Edge

Environmentally friendly trends such as recycling and energy conservation should be a part of our everyday lives. So how can you and your company capitalize on this trend?

In Hamilton Nolan’s, “Green Practices Can Benefit Firms’ Bottom Line,” in the October 1st, 2007 version of PR Week, Nolan incorporates great tips on how your company can save money by being environmentally friendly. Also, adopting “green” practices can be a great way to position your company as condoning revolutionary business practices.

General suggestions for day-to-day practices include:
-become conscience about energy consumption
-use recycled materials
-use energy conserving office equipment

There are many ways other ways to get business green.
-Hire an environmentally conscience cleaning service that uses all natural, non-toxic cleaning solutions like the one we use here in Doylestown, Pa.: Harmony Clean.
-Make sure recycling containers (especially paper) are available in all offices or at least departments in your firm.
-Recycle print cartridges by using the self-mailers that are included in the packaging. (Here’s an article on how to recycle laser and ink-jet print cartridges.) You can even turn you “trash into cash” at http://www.freerecycling.com/.

Taking steps to “green” your company’s practices can be as simple as turning off the lights when you exit a room or putting your computer on stand-by when not using it for more than 10 minutes. Post signs around the office to remind your staff to Be Green!

Little changes make a big difference. That concept is what potential clients are looking for – recognizing the little details that matter. In the end, wouldn’t you want your business relationship to care about the details?

If you want more information, check out the article online.

Rock the Vote : Youth Involvement in 2008 Presidential Elections

There is only a year until the voting for the next President of the United States gets underway. Campaigns such as MTV’s Choose or Lose or Rock the Vote have cultivated youth all across the America to stand up, voice their opinions, and vote!

As a recent graduate of Drexel University, I am glad to say that my alma matter supports this movement. Recently hosting the Democratic debates, the student response was overwhelming; inspiring some members of the student body to spar on “who won” the debate. Check the article out here, it’s a great read.

I also urge you to pass on a new youth campaign initiative, Scoop08.com that will utilize blogs, podcasts and networking tools that interest America’s youth.

The PR Lawyer Blog Available Via Email

We hope you're enjoying the new look of The PR Lawyer Blog. It is our goal to provide solid information on trends and issues facing lawyers and legal communicators alike. Along with the new look comes some added features.

In the next few weeks, my book, Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers, will be available for purchase via the blog.

And for all of you who find your way here but don't have RSS feed, you can now subscribe via e-mail. Just scroll down on the right and enter your e-mail address.

If there are any other features you'd like to see added, just let us know.

Google Squares Off Against Microsoft

Google has made it quite clear over that it wants to be a prominent contender in the social networking arena. So naturally, when Facebook was taking bids for a developer, Google jumped at the opportunity. Unfortunately, Facebook founders chose Microsoft for an undisclosed three year deal.

Google moved on and made an alliance with MySpace for $900 million dollars spread out for more than three years. Interestingly, Microsoft was denied the same deal from MySpace.

Google, being the social giant it is, then harnessed around a dozen additional social network partners such as LinkedIn, Friendster, and their own social networking site, Okrut, to build as big a base as possible. Google also plans to incorporate other applications like Flixster, iLike and RockYou for the music minded users.

Is this just a “I can do it better game” without having any real purpose? I don’t think so. Facebook software is notoriously known as costly and difficult to learn by developers and with Google creating a basic javascript and html code that can be used across most platforms, they offer a much needed remedy for unsatisfied developers.

TechCrunch, a leading blog on social media, “believes that the plan is likely to be a big hit with developers as well as Facebook’s rivals.” TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington states, “Developers have been complaining…Facebook-fear has clearly driven good partners to side with Google.”

I sense a schoolyard gang-up against Facebook. What do you think?

For more information, check out the article here.

"Make My Logo Bigger" is a Born Classic

There's a great viral campaign online called Make My Logo Bigger. The video is a hoot. All marketers must check it out. It's long but it's great for a laugh!

The PR Lawyer Makeover

We are excited to debut the new look of our blog; feel free to comment!

Also, check out Gina’s cover of her new book on the right hand side titled, “Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers,” which is due out in the next couple of weeks.

Chris Anderson of Wired Magazine Blocks PR People

This past Monday, Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine and author of The Long Tail, wrote, a blog entry titled, “Sorry PR people: you're blocked.”

In the blog entry, Anderson has this to say:

I've had it. I get more than 300 emails a day and my problem isn't spam
(Cloudmark Desktop solves that nicely), it's PR people. Lazy flacks send press
releases to the Editor in Chief of Wired because they can't be bothered to find
out who on my staff, if anyone, might actually be interested in what they're
pitching. Fact: I am an actual person, not a team assigned to read press
releases and distribute them to the right editors and writers (that's
editor@wired.com).

So fair warning: I only want two kinds of
email: those from people I know, and those from people who have taken the time
to find out what I'm interested in and composed a note meant to appeal to that
(I love those emails; indeed, that's why my email address is public).

Everything else gets banned on first abuse.

Anderson went on to publish a list of people and companies who had been blocked from his Outlook during the last 30 days. Just reading the comments took me 45 minutes so, as you can see, see this is a touchy subject.

Anderson posted a follow up yesterday which is well done and a good read for anyone planning to pitch media – especially Wired Magazine. One of the musings struck a personal cord with me. He says:

Amusing secondary effects include people pitching their business in the comments (which I thought was fine, btw), and even PR companies emailing the clients of people on the list and encouraging them to switch firms. "We're not on the list!" is their marketing tactic. Wow. [UPDATE: holy crap!]

I’d like to know how many of the practitioners telling their clients that they’re not on the list have never pitched a story to Wired in the first place?! I’d also like to know when Anderson is going to publish his next book on the crappy conundrums of PR practices. . .

Online Contest a Slam Dunk for Website Traffic

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) partnered with 5W Public Relations in New York to generate traffic to their newly redesigned website. The team devised a web based contest that I thought was absolutely brilliant and fun – check it out!

The web based contest, PetStyle Contest, invited animal lovers to upload their favorite picture of their pets. Piggy backing off of American Idol’s voting tactics, registered users were allowed to vote for their favorite picture. The top 10 pictures won various prizes.

This fun and innovative contest yielded great results for the SPCA:

Coverage by industry reporters on local and regional beats, publications and blogs
Viral penetration by “send a friend email option” which was utilized 9,500 times
Generated traffic – 1.5 million pageviews (doubling previous total)
Created new brand loyalty – 700 people offered to volunteer for SPCA
Active participation in event – 3,650 photos submitted and 12,500 voters

The next time you are thinking of a creative way to drive more traffic to your website and satisfy your customers – remember the SPCA’s creative efforts. It’s not only beneficial to you but also to your audience.

For more information check out http://www.spca.org/

Glossary of Web 2.0 and Social Media Terms by Digital Influence Group

For those of you still trying to figure out all of the new vocabulary used to identify all of the cool tools and features of Web 2.0 and social media, there is a great glossary of terms provided by Digital Influence Group - a company started by Larry Weber. Larry is the author of "Marketing to the Social Web" which is a must read!

Keeping Up With the Blog Conversation

Here are some tools to help you keep up with the conversation on blogs. These are tools you can use now to track what’s being said about you, your industry, your company and your competitors:

Ice Rocket (www.icerocket.com)
Blog digger (www.blogdigger.com)
Blog Hop (www.bloghop.com)
Plazoo (www.plazoo.com)
Feedster (www.feedster.com)
Google Alerts (www.google.com/alerts)

Online Investment – Survival Guide

Take a look at tips from Julia Hood’s “Survival Online Will Require Investment in Measurement,” article published in the September 24, 2007 edition of PR Week. This article succinctly outlines how to make your business survive in the world of online media.

Some of Hood’s tips for online survival include:

• Invest in internal measurement programs – hiring an external partner will cost you money and enable you to know your audience first hand
• Provide a clear message – like any branded campaign, messages need to be clear to capture audiences – so invest time in what you want your audience to know
• Track your audience – by consistently interacting and meeting the needs on your online audience, you will create loyalty among them
• Analyze feedback – generate new business leads or potential opportunities from data collected
  

If you take away one concept from this article, let it be the word INVESTMENT. The more time and energy you invest into tracking, measuring and analyzing feedback, the more benefits your company will see in return.

For more information on this topic, click here.

Mike Rubel, Castle Maker, Dies

My husband informed me today that his distant cousin, Mike Rubel, died this week. Alison Hewitt, Staff Writer for the Whittier Daily News reported that:

“Mike Rubel, a world traveler who, along with friends and volunteers, built a river-rock and glass-bottle castle in Glendora, died this week.

Michael Clarke Rubel, 67, lived in the turreted castle made from recycled materials. (Photo Gallery: Castle Master dies) A heart attack three years ago, from which he never fully recovered, forced him to give up life at "Rubel Pharm and Castle," as it was sometimes known.”

My husband has had the opportunity to visit the Rubel Castle, known as Rubelia. It’s a must see if you’re ever in Glendora, CA.

Our condolences to Mike’s family.

Web 2.0 is the New World of Public Relations

If you haven't read the article "Web 2.0 - The New World of Public Relations," it's a must read written by yours truly, the PR Lawyer.

Some of the Web 2.0 tips detailed in the article include:

• Registering your office address in Google Maps
• Creating a profile for your event on MySpace or Facebook
• Serving as a Wikipedia contributor
• Creating and managing your own blog
• Getting Really Simple Syndication
• Getting LinkedIn
• Craiging

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Here is an interesting article I found on Philadelphia.bizwomen.com: It's a must read and I hope you all enjoy!

Who wants to be a millionaire?
October 4th, 2007

Make Mine a Million, a contest for women business owners described as a cross between “American Idol,” “The Apprentice” and “Queen for a Day,” is featured in today’s New York Times.

The article by Lisa Belkin cites these two well know statistics:
More than half of today’s startup companies are owned by women. But 43 percent of women-owned businesses have sales of $10,000 or less.

That combination led to the formation of the Make Mine a Million contest, which lets women business owners who want to take their businesses to the $1 million mark and beyond compete for help to get big, including business coaching and a line of credit from OPEN by American Express.

The goal of the contest, according to the founding nonprofit Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence is to inspire a million women entrepreneurs to reach annual revenue of $1 million by 2010.

Rudy Giuliani Addresses Italian-Americans at NIAF

My cousin, Arthur Furia, who is an attorney in Miami, Florida, shared this wonderful video clip with me of Rudy Giuliani at National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Gala dinner in Washington this past Saturday night. It's a must see. Giuliani talks about his stint on Saturday Night Live (SNL). Enjoy!

Fortune's 50 Most Powerful Women

When I came across “Fortune’s 50 Most Powerful Women of 2007” on CNNmoney.com I couldn’t help but give a shout out to these powerful and dynamic women.

Let’s draw from each others’ success and use that inspiration to reach our dreams!

I encourage you to check it out, it's truly remarkable what one person can achieve.

"PR Works According to Mark Weiner"

A recent article by Mark Weiner, Senior VP and Global Director of Research at Ketchum, titled PR outshines advertising in return on investment published in O’Dwyer’s PR Report discusses PR myths. His conclusion, as all PR professionals agree is that PR works.

According to Weiner, “Analyses such as marketing-mix and communication-optimization models, have shown in every case that PR delivers among the very best values at par with and frequently much better than advertising, price promotions, trade marketing and all the rest. When mass-marketing advertising yields roughly $1.20 on the dollar and trade marketing yields $2.00 on the dollar, PR generates on average about $6.00 on every dollar invested and as much as $45.00 on the dollar!”

It is safe to say that PR is an effective choice. PR delivers worth, engagement and integrity where others practices fail.

Weiner goes on to talk about the “PR Measurement Conundrum.” .This really is an accurate term as measuring PR success is a constant hurdle for practitioners. He mentions that in the last 20 years emerging realities have reshaped the world of public relations and that these realities are constantly challenging us. We continue to see
- transformations in the media business;
- the declining impact of traditional mass-marketing;
- changing media consumption habits;
- higher levels of access, abundance and speed of information;
- decreasing brand loyalty;
- increasing distrust of large organizations; and
- the increasing desire for greater accountability.

Weiner’s conclusion is optimistic. He suggests utilizing these challenges as opportunities which PR is uniquely qualified to overcome.

Ad Age Reports Growth for Yellow Book USA

So many plaintiffs’ attorneys ask me if they should invest in Yellow Page advertising. My answer always depends on what the firm is trying to accomplish and what books are available in their market.

Ad Age recently reported on 2006 net U.S. revenue and growth for the top four Yellow Page companies. Check out the growth of Yellow Book USA. 11.1% growth in net revenue as compared to a loss for the other three. Nice work in a market where naysayers believe it’s the end of the printed directory. Just like the Internet didn’t do away with print newspapers (not yet anyway), printed directories aren’t going away any time soon.

The bottom line: Yellow Pages need to continue to diversify into the digital markets, capitalize on Web 2.0, and keep the medium affordable for advertisers.

Dan Cirucci on Life Celebrations - Philadelphia Inquirer

Daniel Cirucci contributes a brilliant commentary to The Philadelphia Inquirer titled Funerals needn't be so deathly. Dan is a PR guru, colleague and friend. He reflects on the trend toward "life celebrations." I like the idea of a life celebration personally. It makes mortality easier to digest. He says:

Death just ain't what it used to be.

So why not just forget about death altogether. Let's dwell on life and just party on - even in the presence of the corpse. Makes sense, right?

Dan - I love ya buddy! Yes, let's party on! Celebrate life!

Gmail: According to Steve Rubel

Long gone were the days of missed appointments, forgotten birthdays and no time to read the morning paper.

Steve Rubel’s blog, Micro Persuasion had crafted a unique way to utilize Gmail into your personal social networking hub.

Keep updated with your life and your friends’ lives with the ability to post to social nets, keep a “lifebase” and prioritize your everyday needs.

Check it out at Micro Persuasion.

Flat Rate vs. Billable Hours – Lawyers and Public Relations Practitioners

Sacha Pfeiffer of the Boston Globe reported in Beat the clock – that the Boston law firm of the Shepherd Law Group says no to billing by the hour, and its clients say they are pleased.

According to the article, The Shepherd Law Group has abandoned the billable hour all together. Pfeiffer reports that,

Shepherd, a five-lawyer firm that specializes in employment law, charges its
clients a flat annual fee or flat price per task. Clients can call the firm as
often as they want to discuss legal issues, although some services, such as
training and litigation, cost extra. The new approach helps clients determine
legal costs in advance and often prevents legal problems from escalating because
clients are no longer reluctant to seek advice out of fear of incurring a hefty
bill, said Jay Shepherd, the firm's founder.

The abandonment of billable hours has a small following in the U.S. with law firms and public relations agencies alike. It’s a refreshing shift but is it “the answer?”

I don’t believe the answer lies in determining “which form of billing is better” as a standard of practice – rather, “which form of billing is better in the individual situation and which will help deliver the best services to the client.” Clients do need options and as a recovering attorney, I agree with Pfeiffer that most people don’t like the billable hour but the key in that term is “most.” “Most” does not equal “all.”

I do find it both amusing and refreshing that Shepherd’s PR agent is quoted in the article since many firms are making the shift as part of their public relations and marketing strategy.

The bottom line: law firms and public relations agencies should offer options to their clients. When you entertain, it’s customary to offer coffee and tea.

Quality Not Quantity of Media Placement is Key

I am reminded that quality not quantity is what we really need in today’s media after reading an article in the New York Times written by Richard Pérez-Peña, “Why Big Newspapers Applaud Some Declines in Circulation.”

Pérez-Peña notes, “As the newspaper industry bemoans falling circulation, major papers around the country have a surprising attitude toward a lot of potential readers: Don’t bother.” He later goes on to report that this decline is due to a variety of reasons: the migration of readers to the Web, pressures from advertisers, marketing and delivery costs and the expense of finding, serving and keeping readers.”

Although in the end everyone is happy…

Advertisers are moving toward the Web as a way to reach a more narrowly targeted audience. And newspapers are content with the quality of readers that continue to read their traditional papers, ridding themselves of subscribers who cost more and generate less revenue.

Quality over quantity. In public relations, it is key to always do the research. By targeting the right beat reporter or trade publication, networking group, or client you will ultimately increase the quality of your results. It’s not how many media hits you get – it’s how many good media hits you get that reinforce your goals and objectives.

Join me in Philly at PRSA Conference Oct. 23rd

I'm going to address “The Do’s and Don’ts of Legal Communications” as detailed in mylatest book, Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers at the 2007 Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) International Conference in Philadelphia on October 23, 2007. I plan to explore how PR professionals can comply with the rules of ethics as required in every state in the U.S. while effectively getting their messages across to their key publics. If you plan to be at the conference, please stop by. (http://www.prsa.org/conf2007/).

The conference will be held at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown at 1201 Market Street. Public Relations professionals from around the world will gather to attend professional development workshops. The conference aims to provide various organizations with essential industry information from noted leaders within the profession.

Additional speakers include: Undersecretary of State Karen Hughes, Mia Farrow, acclaimed actress and humanitarian activist; Tim Russert, managing editor and moderator of “Meet the Press” and political activist for “NBC Nightly News” and “Today”; Donna Brazile, political commentator and chair of the Voting Rights Institute; Brian Tierney, Esq., CEO of Philadelphia Media Holdings and publisher of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News.

PRSA is an organization for public relations professionals. PRSA aims to heighten standards in the public relations profession, provide opportunities through various educational programs, and provide members access to professional information at the national and local levels. For more information visit http://www.prsa.org/.

The New "American Idol" - Internet Style

A recent video from YouTube called “Chocolate Rain” by Tay Zonday is proof that the Internet is an impenetrable machine to be reckoned with.

A Minneapolis graduate student was able to generate 9.5 million hits and has received so much national attention that he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel’s “Internet Talent Search.”

One can argue the level of talent, but my point is to show the power of online resources.

You can check the video out here:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NattlyH0IeM

How Does Your Credit Card Rate?

I came across an article, “The Best and Worst Credit Cards” on CNNmoney.com and wanted to share this information before the Holiday Season hits us all.

Topics include consumer satisfaction, all-in-one credit cards, interest rates and timeless money rules for credit cards.

Hopefully you will think twice before swiping your credit card after reading this article!

Facebook Warned It Could Face Fraud Charge for Safety Claims - Associated Press

Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. — The social networking Web site Facebook has been warned that it could face a consumer fraud charge for failing to live up to claims that youngsters there are safer from sexual predators than at most sites and that it promptly responds to concerns, a spokesman for New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said Sunday.

"We expect an immediate correction eliminating the dangers exposed by our investigation," said the spokesman, Jeffrey Lerner.

Cuomo announced last week that he had subpoenaed Facebook after he said the company did not respond to "many" complaints by investigators who were solicited for sex while posing as 12- to 14-year-olds on the site. Officials from Cuomo's office discussed the issue with Facebook by phone and fax Friday after they said Facebook took three days to answer calls and e-mails from state investigators.

An official in Cuomo's office said he and others are scheduled to meet with Facebook representatives this week and anticipate changes will follow immediately.

"We said, 'You have got to make accurate representations on your Web site," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because court filings haven't yet been made. "What we told them is, 'Correct the language describing the site and stop marketing yourself as this pristine Web site ... parents have a misimpression. You can't mislead people."

Lerner said Facebook's contention of being safer than most sites was accurate when it started out as a closed site 3 1/2 years ago. But it's now much larger, and the safeguards and apparently the response times for complaints aren't what they once were, he said.

There was no immediate response to e-mail and phone messages left for a Facebook representative. But a statement issued a week ago stated the company was concerned about Cuomo's claim that sexual predators could use the site to meet with children.

"We strive to uphold our high standards for privacy on Facebook and are constantly working on processes and technologies that will further improve safety and user control on the site," Fcebook spokeswoman Brandee Barker said in the statement.

Lerner said Facebook has continued to promise to cooperate.

Staying on Top of Your Game: WSJ, Drudge Report, Law.com

There is so much information out there that we’re constantly on overload. I tell all my clients to stay on top of the news and the reporters that cover their topic. Get a news aggregator and pull the RSS feed from your favorite blogs, and so on. Here are three more great places to start your morning: The Wall Street Journal’s The Morning Brief by Joseph Schuman which you can subscribe to online by going to “My Online Journal,” Law.com and of course The Drudge Report, known as one of the leading places for breaking news.

There’s a great piece today by Tony Mauro on Law.com titled, Supreme Court Heads into New Term. Among the issues to watch this year is that of Internet Free Speech.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

I was reading the August 27th, 2007 edition of PR Week and came across an article by Randi Schmelzer that could not be anymore relevant to the public relations profession and to professionals everywhere, “The most vital reputation to manage is your own.”

The article outlines three main points which are relevant to firms everywhere:
· Reputation management is vital to long term success
· Representing controversial issues or people can have lasting negative effects on a firms reputation
· Keeping relationships intact is often more important than accepting lucrative contracts

Head the warning signs and stick to who you want to be, who you are and how you want others to perceive you.

My parents always say, “You are who you keep around you”.

William Tell Overture for Moms

So if anyone ever asks what a mother's day is like, please watch this video! It's a classic.

Have a great day!

Law Firms Get Video Online With Yellow Page Ads

Dionne Searcey of The Wall Street Journal reported in her article Bulky Yellow Phone Books Turn the Page to Online Video that yellow page companies across the country are offering video advertisement as editions to Web listings.

My colleague, Kevin O’Keefe, commented that he believes this is a “gimmick meant to serve outmoded yellow pages business models” and that yellow page sales reps “don’t give a darn” how their customers’ ads look.

I disagree.

Studies indicate that consumers still turn to yellow pages ads first for their local buying needs.


My husband was a sales rep with Yellow Book USA and although he’s since moved into a management role, I’ve witnessed the depth and breadth of his commitment along with that of the countless other sales reps I’ve worked with and become acquainted with over the years. It’s their job to care – if an ad doesn’t produce a solid ROI and the advertiser cancels, it’s money out of their pockets.

According to eMarketer, August 2007, “Video's high engagement factor combined with the Internet's tracking and targeting capabilities, potentially offers (advertisers) a highly accountable method to sway the hearts and minds of their target audience.”

I love the idea of Plaintiffs’ firms adding video ads to their yellow page listings online. For firms that already produce commercials, this is a no-brainer. The cost of the Internet ad is going to be exponentially less than reaching their target audiences on television.

I’m not crazy about the idea of having any ads produced by directory-owned production. It’s not that the sales reps or their production assistants “don’t care.” Rather, I believe law firms would be better served by spending the money it takes to produce top-notch branded video ads that fit within their brand strategy, are targeted to the most important audiences, set them apart from their competition, and comply with the rules of ethics that are mandatory for all law firms in the U.S.

Bottom line: these ads are valuable tools to increase a firms business if done right.

Using Editorial Guidelines When Submitting Articles for Publication

A great way to get ink is to submit article for publication to industry trade magazines, e-zines and other sources of information. It’s important however to research and stick to the editorial guidelines. Some of the common matters addressed by editorial guidelines include:

• Length of article: The minimum and maximum word count. An optimum number of words per article might also be listed.
• Editorial calendars which include topics, themes, article types and required submission dates broken down by publication date
• Preferred format of articles for submission
• Topics accepted by the publication
• Copyright rules
• Use of illustrations and photographs
• Editorial style such as compliance with the Associated Press Stylebook for abbreviations, capitalization, grammar, punctuation and spelling
• Inclusion of an authors’ biography and headshot
• Compensation
• Query and submission requirements
  

It is important to comply with the editorial guidelines of your target publication in order to maximize your chances of publication. And if you’re not sure about something, contact the editor and ask. It’s a great way to open the door to conversation and to offer yourself as available for commentary on similar issues while getting the editorial information you need to submit your article. You should also remember not to boast or overtly promote your firm or your services. Such behavior is extremely frowned upon.

How To Be Productive

I have quickly realized that the angst of forging a balancing act between work and personal life is not just something I share with my fellow newbies to the workforce; instead it is bond that binds all ages of women and men in the workforce.

My boss encouraged me to read a book called, “Secrets of Super-Productivity: How to Achieve Amazing Things in Your Work Life,” by Neen James. The book is truly a breath of fresh air.

I encourage anyone, of all ages and genders, to pick up this uplifting and informative book that will give you valuable insight into managing yourself, work, career and position.

Honey, We're Ahead of the Curve

Yesterday, my husband sent me a link to a CNN.com article by Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor, titled "Working dads want more family time." If I didn't already know that my husband, Scott, is the ultimate family guy, I'd think he was try to tell me something. The article highlights three key findings:

• 37 percent of working dads would quit if spouse could support the family
• Another 38 percent say they would take a pay cut to spend more time with kids
• 36 percent say their job does not offer flexible arrangements like telecommuting

This data is so refreshing. In a country where we promote gender equality and the majority of two-parent homes have two working parents, it's encouraging to know that more than one-third of the dads surveyed prioritize home above work. What I've learned from my husband is that such sacrifice certainly comes with a price but the value of family time cannot ever be measured.

Let us not forget . . . .

We remember . . . all those who lost their lives and loved ones in the attack of September 11, 2007 and especially Noell Maertz and his family . . . . and the soldiers who have lost their lives fighting this war on terrorism.

God bless you today and always.