http://cig-pr.com/ee/index.php en megan@cig-pr.com Copyright 2010 2010-08-26T15:33:18+00:00 http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/blog/journalism_a_dying_art/ http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/journalism_a_dying_art/#When:14:33:18Z As many PR professionals do, the CIG staff often uses the terms “press release” and “news release” interchangeably. So the other day during a weekly staff meeting when the boss lady asked that we adopt the term “news release” across the board, it got me thinking… For starters, I’ll go ahead and state the obvious – the way we send and receive information is changing rapidly and dramatically. Between the instant accessibility of information and the ability to tailor exactly what information you want, how and when you get it, many existing methods of communication are becoming obsolete, including the old fashioned newspaper printing press (where the term “press release” is derived). A sign of the times that became undeniable last year when Denver’s Rocky Mountain News closed up shop for good. And just recently, the University of Colorado (CU) announced it would do-away with its School of Journalism and Mass Communication. In this line of work, I’m constantly surrounded by new methods of gathering, researching and communicating information to the masses – cool new tools, emerging and innovative technologies, evolving trends in the industry. But it’s my belief that no matter how the methods change, the art itself does not. CU’s Journalism school Dean Paul Voakes credits the decision partly with the fact that nowadays “more people keep themselves informed online.” Although the days of the old news press may be breathing their last breaths, journalism is not just defined by print media. Like all industries, it continues to evolve along with the tools of the trade. Despite all the blogs, Twitters and Facebooks in the world, nothing takes the place of good journalism and the ability to effectively report, write, edit and broadcast information – online or in print. As CU sticks a fork in the J-school, I have to wonder what’s next. In a world of changing media, are we beginning to lose sight of the art itself, or could this be an opportunity for the industry to take the next evolutionary step? 2010-08-26T14:33:18+00:00 http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/blog/a_bit_of_wisdom_from_the_legendary_john_wooden/ http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/a_bit_of_wisdom_from_the_legendary_john_wooden/#When:23:56:36Z John Wooden passed away earlier this year at the age of 99. Although famous as the former coach of 10 championship UCLA basketball teams, this simple man is remembered more for his ability to make each person he came in contact with feel special. He touched thousands of lives inside and outside the world of sports. Here are just a few of his thoughtful and inspirational “Woodenisms.” “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” “Never mistake activity for achievement.” “Adversity is the state in which man most easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then.” “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” “Be prepared and be honest.” “Be quick, but don’t hurry.” “You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one.” “You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” “Winning takes talent; to repeat takes character.” “A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.” “I’d rather have a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot of experience and a little talent.” “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?” “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a do-er makes mistakes.” “Ability is a poor man’s wealth.” “Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.” “Consider the rights of others before your own feelings and the feelings of others before your own rights.” “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” “Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.” “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” “The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.” “Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” “Success is never final; failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.” I hope that by sharing these “Woodenisms” you will be encouraged, entertained and enlightened. John Wooden was a great communicator, a remarkable motivator and the architect of many champion teams. 2010-08-17T23:56:36+00:00 http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/blog/but_who_cares/ http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/but_who_cares/#When:00:39:00Z While it seems the mass majority of people have caught on to social networking through sites like Facebook and Twitter, there are still some who maintain a “who cares?” mentality. In fact, the other night during a dinner with my parents and in-laws, the conversation turned to the topic of Facebook and my father-in-law said just that – “who cares?” As public relations professionals, it is our job to make sure your audience DOES care about what you post on these social networking sites. As the manager of these tools and behind-the-scenes “puppet master,” it is important to keep in mind that you are speaking on behalf of the organization, not as an individual. For example, it you think your post might be interesting enough for Failbook.com, it’s not meant for your organization. Organizations and personal pages are meant to be separate, which is why these parameters are key to keeping your organization on the right side of a fine line: 1. Brief Social media is for people on the go. They want to know all the details upfront to fit into the average eight-second attention span. 2. Timely As an organization, it is your job to give your audience information as soon as it happens. In cases like Facebook and Twitter, the user chooses where they receive information and, if they chose you, you better give them what they want, when they want it – or they won’t stick around for long. 3. Informative Unless you are involved in a political campaign, keep things objective. People want to hear the facts from your organization, not necessarily the opinions. It may sounds elementary, but stick to the who, what, when, where, how and why when it comes to your posts. 4. Positive People want to be around positive energy. The same applies to social networking. If you perpetually post positive tips, trends and news, people will be more likely to follow you to get a dose of your positive energy. Facebook and Twitter should never be an outlet for complaints or negativity. 5. Error-free Read twice, post once. A grammatical or spelling error can damage your credibility as an expert in your field or industry. Beyond these five tips, perhaps the most important is to have fun with your posts and updates. Social networking sites are made for casual communication, so skip the formal jargon and you’ll avoid the “who cares” reaction. 2010-08-12T00:39:00+00:00 http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/news_item/earn_up_to_75_when_you_choose_not_to_drive_solo/ http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/earn_up_to_75_when_you_choose_not_to_drive_solo/#When:19:41:32Z Join 36 Commuter CASH, an innovative program to combat traffic congestion on U.S. 36 and the Diagonal Highway. The program pays U.S. 36 and Diagonal Highway commuters who currently drive solo to work when they “make the switch” to a cleaner commute option. Participants can earn $2 per day, as much $75 in a 60-day pledge period. Instead of driving solo, get paid to try one of these clean commute options: • Bicycle • Carpool • Ride transit • Vanpool • Telework • Walk To get started, visit 36commutingsolutions.org or call 303-604-4385. For commute options resources and individual trip planning assistance, please contact Natalie at 303-604-4385 or natalie@36commutingsolutions.org.  Drive green, earn green! News of Note 2010-08-10T19:41:32+00:00 http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/news_item/rtd_and_union_pacific_railroad_sign_agreements_on_railroad_property_for_fas/ http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/rtd_and_union_pacific_railroad_sign_agreements_on_railroad_property_for_fas/#When:21:03:32Z Railroad property purchase marks major milesone in moving FasTracks forward News Release from RTD FasTracks Officials from the Regional Transportation District (RTD) and the Union Pacific (UP) Railroad held a signing ceremony today, Aug. 4, to finalize agreements for RTD’s purchase of railroad property and the construction and relocation of UP facilities necessary for the FasTracks transit expansion program. These agreements total $78 million and mark another major milestone for the FasTracks program, providing property needed to build the East Corridor (from Denver Union Station to Airport Boulevard), the Gold Line (from Pecos Junction to Ralston Road), and the West Corridor (relocation of UP’s Burnham Yard Lead to the south). This is the second property transaction between RTD and UP for FasTracks. The first transaction, which totaled $118 million to purchase the right-of-way to build the North Metro Corridor, occurred in 2009. “It is great to celebrate yet another milestone for the FasTracks investment initiative,” said Phil Washington, RTD General Manager. “The agreement we came to with Union Pacific is a demonstration of how well agencies can work together to benefit the greater good.” “Today marks the culmination of several years of diligent work by many,” said Tony Love, Union Pacific Railroad Assistant Vice President of Real Estate. “The end result of this hard work is an agreement with a focus on safety and customer service for both freight and commuter rail traffic.” The signing ceremony was held at the law office of Jacobs Chase LLC in Denver, Colo. FasTracks is RTD’s voter-approved transit program to expand rail and bus service throughout the RTD service area. FasTracks will build 122 miles of commuter rail and light rail, 18 miles of bus rapid transit service, add 21,000 new parking spaces, redevelop Denver Union Station and redirect bus service to better connect the eight-county District. The FasTracks investment initiative is projected to create more than 10,000 construction-related jobs during the height of construction, and will pump billions of dollars into the regional economy. CIG Clients in the News 2010-08-04T21:03:32+00:00 http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/blog/tmi_is_a_reality/ http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/tmi_is_a_reality/#When:17:39:56Z While it obviously depends on the unique nuances of each situation, I’d make the argument that it is entirely possible to share Too Much Information (TMI) with your audiences, damaging your relationship and causing more harm than good. Case in point – I was in a meeting with a client earlier this month, in which CIG had been asked to form a communications strategy to inform stakeholder groups of a policy change that would affect each and every one of them. The good news was we’d been brought in early – the policy decision hadn’t even been made yet! The bad news was rumors were rampant throughout the organization. We were asked to help spread facts (which were few) and dispel myths (which were many). The client’s initial thought was the best way to dispel rumors was to be seen as very transparent. In doing so, they’d be seen as acting transparently, which would help to accomplish two goals: 1. share that no decision had been made, and 2. communicate the basket of alternatives that was still under consideration. We agreed on the first point, but recommended against the second. Why did we take a position against communicating? Our position was that it was better to share that no decision had been made and provide a rough timeline for when the new policy was to be approved and when it would likely go into effect. Providing TMI about possible outcomes would only serve to worry, confuse, and otherwise rile up a group of people who honestly didn’t need to know details of what might become policy. We kept our powder dry and saved our breath; reserving it to help inform stakeholders of the outcome and ramifications of whatever decision is eventually made. In doing so, we kept from providing TMI, which helped us focus on our future messaging vs. defending the thousands of “what if?” questions that would doubtlessly have come in if we’d shared too much. 2010-07-28T17:39:56+00:00 http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/blog/simple_survival_tips_for_public_speaking/ http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/simple_survival_tips_for_public_speaking/#When:17:21:41Z For most people, the thought of public speaking sends shivers down their spines. According to national surveys, fear of public speaking surpasses the fear of illness, flying, terrorism and often the fear of death, among Americans. So what if I told you there was a way to make it easier – a way to ensure your presentation goes smoothly and leaves your audience wanting more? Interested? Can you believe that all of this can be yours if you follow two simple words? Hold on to your hat, here it is… Be Prepared. Yep, it’s that simple. Being prepared and knowing your game plan before going into your presentation can relieve loads of stress and actually lend itself to an enjoyable experience. Apple recently demonstrated what happens when even the top dogs aren’t prepared. When Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, gave a presentation introducing the new iPhone 4, I’d venture to guess he didn’t take much time to prepare. Otherwise, he probably would have had a backup plan for when his technology failed mid-presentation. So how does one prepare for a presentation and avoid the awkwardness that was Steve Jobs’ presentation (which even led to a nice slam against Apple when Jobs asked the audience if they had any ideas how to fix the problem and someone yelled out “Verizon!”)? Here’s my sure-fire list of steps to follow in order to be prepared for any presentation: 1. Know your audience and know what they expect from you. Don’t walk into a room assuming you know who will be sitting out there. Before your presentation, determine what exactly your audience wants to hear about and who will actually be listening. 2. Know how much time you have – don’t run over and always allow time for questions and answers. Know when to end your talk. 3. Know what you are going to say and practice your presentation several times. Make sure when you are practicing that you are using your audio-visual equipment so you know how to work it before the day of the presentation. 4. Special Step for to Steve Jobs – When using audio-visual aids to enhance your presentation be sure all necessary equipment is set up and in good working order prior to the presentation. If possible, have an emergency backup system readily available.  Check out the location ahead of time to confirm the seating arrangements, whiteboard, blackboard, lighting, location of projection screen, sound system, etc. are suitable for your presentation. 5. Provide handouts – this way your audience can focus on what you are saying instead of trying to take notes. Handouts are also important if you have a complete audio-visual meltdown. Participants can still follow your presentation by hard copy. 6. If and when all else fails, remember the most important step is to be able to adjust and adapt. If you have prepared possible “what if” scenarios and have ideas for how to handle them, you will be comfortable enough that you can handle any crisis without getting overly anxious. Being prepared allows you to roll with the punches while keeping a smile on your face! 2010-07-28T17:21:41+00:00 http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/blog/develop_the_plan_work_the_plan_then_ditch_the_plan_if_you_have_to/ http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/develop_the_plan_work_the_plan_then_ditch_the_plan_if_you_have_to/#When:20:43:07Z Like most public relations professionals, I am a planner. In PR, planning is the foundation for everything we do. It helps us think strategically, anticipate roadblocks and develop smart tactics for our clients. That’s great for PR. The problem is I can’t seem to turn it off in my personal life. I like to think that a plan can help me anticipate life’s twists and turns as well. The summers of 2009 and 2010 have taught me a valuable lesson that also translates into our business – a plan is a great tool but flexibility is key to the best outcome. Last summer at my house was labeled “The Craptastic Summer of 2009,” which started when my 5-year-old little girl was hit by a car while playing in our neighborhood. She spent most of the summer recovering emotionally and physically, and when she was better, she went to acting camp. There, she shared hats with other children (costumes, of course) and developed a wicked case of head lice that she spread to her sister. We spent the last part of the summer getting rid of it. That wasn’t supposed to happen. So, my family looked forward to this summer with great excitement. I, of course, decided we needed a plan. My oldest daughter and I made a list of all the fun things we wanted to do while the weather was warm – swim, play in the fountains, see a movie in the park, have a sleepover, go camping, etc. There. We had a plan. What could go wrong? Well, in a timeframe of about three weeks, my grandpa passed away unexpectedly and then so did our 10-year-old puppy. We were sent in a tailspin once again. But this year is different. Our life’s downs will not overshadow the ups. After two summers of unexpected sadness and frustration, I have learned a very important lesson in flexibility. A plan does not equal control over situations. It is a roadmap with twists and turns, and it needs constant adjustment to fit changing needs. This week, we are taking some time to mourn our family dog, but next week, it’s back to swimming and ice cream and making great summer memories. 2010-07-21T20:43:07+00:00 http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/news_item/celebrating_10_years_of_rtds_southwest_light_rail_corridor/ http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/celebrating_10_years_of_rtds_southwest_light_rail_corridor/#When:19:09:21Z Over 81 million boardings since opening day July 14, 2000 Denver, Colo. News release from RTD This month the Regional Transportation District (RTD) is marking ten years of light rail service along the Southwest Light Rail Line. Since RTD opened the 8.7-mile Southwest Light Rail Line July 14, 2000, the line has carried over 81 million passenger trips. RTD Chairman Lee Kemp said, “The Southwest Rail Line connected downtown with a suburban area to help meet the current and future needs of the region. The importance of providing rapid transit options, including the full FasTracks system, cannot be overstated and the Southwest Line is yet another example of how successful passenger rail can be.” In May 1995, RTD received a Full Funding Grant Agreement in the amount of $120 million for the $177 million Southwest Corridor line. The line opened in July 2000, adding 8.7 miles of light rail and 5 stations, bringing suburban commuters from the Englewood, Sheridan and Littleton areas into downtown Denver.  This was the first light rail line running from a suburban area to downtown.  Ridership exceeded projections by nearly 70 percent on opening day and continues at levels above projections.  The City of Englewood took the opportunity to redevelop the all-but abandoned Cinderella City shopping center, which once housed 1.35 million square feet of retail space, into a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) village.  Utilizing a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use concept that combined retail, entertainment, residential, office, civic and open space elements, the RTD Englewood Light Rail Station was the cornerstone to its success.  A former department store was transformed into the new Englewood City Center, housing City Hall, the Library and the Museum of Outdoor Arts.  The Englewood City Center community is now an international model for TOD.  The Southwest Corridor has been a tremendous addition to Littleton’s quality of life.  Ridership exceeded projections on opening day because Littleton citizens love the convenience of riding the train to sporting events and jobs in Downtown Denver. The City of Sheridan is also connected to many desirable destinations through the RTD light rail system which affords many transportation options that would not be available if it was not for the Southwest Light Rail Line. For route and schedule information, please call RTD’s Telephone Information Center at 303.299.6000. Call 303.299.6089 for the speech and hearing impaired. Visit RTD’s web site at http://www.RTD-Denver.com.        ### CIG Clients in the News 2010-07-15T19:09:21+00:00 http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/blog/lady_luck/ http://www.cig-pr.com/index.php/site/lady_luck/#When:16:06:17Z “My husband is going to Vegas this weekend for a bachelor party.” As you might imagine, when I told people this last week the responses I got ranged from “my friend’s husband went to Vegas for a bachelor party too. He got so drunk that he fell asleep at the gate and missed his flight,” “hopefully he’ll come back in one piece,” and “I bet he’ll have some stories! At least the ones he can share with you (wink, wink).” Think about it, if I said he was going to Aspen, Portland, or even Los Angeles, a common reaction would have been “oh that’ll be fun.” So why did the mention of Vegas elicit such suggestive replies?  The answer: one powerful tagline – “What happens here, stays here.” These five words have now become more than a tagline, they’ve become a lifestyle. The adult playground offers visitors a break from reality and that is exactly what its patrons are looking for. That, and the false sense of security that Vegas will keep all your secrets even after the slots, lights and drinks subside and reality rears its ugly head on Monday morning. The tagline made its glitzy debut in 2002 by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and marketing firm R&R Partners. After introducing the new tagline, tourism increased consistently until the recession hit and it leveled off slightly. In fact, when the LVCVA toyed with the idea of phasing it out, they were faced with less than enthusiasm from the general public and the tagline was brought back. Vegas is at the forefront of marketing and was named the number two brand behind Google, according to the “WHHSH Story.” So what makes this brand, and tagline, such a success? I’ll give you five reasons: 1. Short and to the point – Only five words but they make quite a statement. 2. Captures the spirit – Provocative and ambiguous, allowing the audience to let their imaginations run wild. 3. Memorable – Most people can repeat the tagline without much thought as soon as Las Vegas is mentioned. 4. Outside the box – The marketers weren’t afraid to take a risk and go an unconventional route. 5. Proven by results – Promotions that include this tagline continue to help boost tourism. These same basic rules can be applied to every tagline, whether you’re the city of sin or a small organization with a need for a clearly defined brand identity. My husband did, in fact, make it home, without missing his flight, in one piece and with interesting stories…at least the ones he’s told me. 2010-06-24T16:06:17+00:00