Let’s talk about how a strategic marketing communications plan directly supports organizational priorities and business goals. A communications strategy is at the heart of all communications activities. It aligns your goals and objectives to your various tactics and deliberately defines the scope of work, key messages and evaluation metrics to fuel your organization’s performance. Effective communications doesn’t happen by accident or through a shotgun “bigger is better” appr

It's not always easy securing front page media coverage, but with an incredible client like the Immigrant Access Fund (IAF), often stories just tell themselves! Check out our front page coverage of IAF's innovative loan program featured in The Star Metro Calgary and The Homestretch. #mediarelations #printmedia #publicrelations #news #newspapers #calgary #yyc #yycnews #publicrelationsagency #communications #consultant #nonprofit

One of the best ways to gain followers on Instagram is to have a consistent account “look” to help build your brand. With over 500 million active monthly users on Instagram, successfully tapping into this unique brand exposure takes more than just a few pretty photos of your morning latte art. It stems from your brand identity and must always support your brand’s key messages. According to Curalate, there are in fact some secrets as to what visually works best on Instagram: L

It’s no secret non-profits have to do a lot with a little, stretching those communication dollars to the max. I’ve been challenged to help build brands for charities with very few resources. For years, it was all about raising awareness and funds through PR efforts and inexpensive grassroots marketing until the world of social media opened up infinite new possibilities to engage and excite donors, media, volunteers and supporters. Now many non-profits are actively recruiting

A strong and well-defined personal brand is key to professional success. In our increasingly digital world this is becoming an accepted fact, but a number of misconceptions about the purpose and method of developing a personal brand still exist. I'm setting the record straight on three such personal branding myths. 1. Personal Branding Is Fake There’s a misconception that spending time and energy crafting your personal brand is essentially the same as constructing an image –

Journalists are trained and experienced in writing stories. By writing your release following the accepted, common style (e.g. CP Style), you make it easier for reporters to “run with the story”. Given how lean and mean newsrooms are running, a well-written release helps journalists do their jobs which is win-win for everyone - especially your clients! Follow these writing tips to ensure your releases read as newsworthy: Write in News Format - The Inverted Pyramid News storie

While social media has altered how traditional media operates, by making multimedia and web-based content a necessity, the basic principles of media relations remain. Different mediums have different needs and deadlines When looking to approach the media to get your story or message out, it’s important to target the most appropriate medium – and to do so according to their specific timeframes. Here’s a quick breakdown of the interests and deadlines for print, TV, radio and on

Much has been said about the relationship between PR pros and journalists – historically, some of the commonly used adjectives included: tense, suspicious, tenuous and strained. And while the PR/media relationship has changed a lot over the years, there is still room for improvement. As a PR pro there are ways you can make working with the media a painless experience. PR pros need journalists – and vice versa One of the biggest things for PR pros to remember when working wit