Since its arrival, ridesharing service Uber has been engaged in a bitter turf war and public relations battle with a myriad of taxi companies, associations and drivers. Uber presents itself as a disruptive new service that is transforming the way “the world moves” through the use of engaging technology, while the taxi industry protects their status quo and argues that Uber isn’t playing by the rules and is destroying their livelihoods. Both sides have experienced victories, but it’s Uber that seems to have the upper hand. Though the smaller taxi companies and associations have less PR/marketing resources than Uber, they have also committed strategic blunders, and – from my perspective – haven’t utilized best practices and new marketing strategies. What Can Advocates And Activists in The Non-profit Sector Learn From the Uber/Taxi Cab PR Battlefield Advocates and activists in the non-profit sector can learn a lot from the taxi industry’s […]
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How to Cover an Event Like a Pro
Have you ever been asked to cover an event, but were unsure how to get started? Covering and writing about an event for your organization is a multi-step process that involves a different approach than other forms of communications writing. The key to great event writing is to have experiential content without being too chronological. I have covered many events in my career—from tradeshows to networking events to award ceremonies—and rely on a proven process to create articles that are sure to engage my readers. Cover an event like a pro! Follow my advice below on how to write a great article for your next event. How to Cover an Event Like a Pro Get existential Why are you covering this event in the first place? And how will it benefit your organization and cause? You need to ask yourself these questions. In my experience, there are 3 kinds of […]
Read moreThe Good, Bad and Ugly of Social Media Crisis Communications
Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter can be a scary place during a crisis. One poorly written comment or response can be devastating, turning public opinion against the perceived offender. However, social media can also be a valuable crisis communications tool and can be utilized to get out your side of the story. To improve our social media crisis communications, we must learn from the successes and failures of others. For this reason, I have listed below what I consider to be the good, the bad and the ugly of using social media during a crisis. The Good: Britt McHenry’s Twitter apology ESPN reporter Britt McHenry upset everyone when she was caught on camera being nasty to a female tow-truck employee, ridiculing the woman’s weight, education and appearance. Anyone who saw the video was left with a terrible impression of McHenry. At first, McHenry was silent about the issue […]
Read moreIs Your Email Marketing CASL-compliant? Avoid Paying Millions in Penalties
On March 5th, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) issued a $1.1-million penalty to a Canadian company for violating Canada’s anti-spam law (CASL). The reason for the penalty: the company had been sending commercial emails without receiving consent as well as emails in which the unsubscribe mechanisms did not function properly. This represents the largest CASL-related penalty to date. It also serves as a reminder that all of us need to understand CASL to ensure our email marketing campaigns meet the standards. What is CASL? [Disclaimer: I am not a legal expert. Please seek legal advice for more information on CASL.] For those of us who are unfamiliar, CASL saves people like you and I from receiving needless commercial electronic messages (such as emails, SMS text messages and instant messaging) that we do not wish to receive. CASL empowers consumers and promotes confidence in the market. Let’s face it: […]
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