Seize the Moment

I’ve decided to focus my attention on reality TV stars and branding for today’s blog topic. I have recently watched the explosion of some people’s career from reality shows and I’ve also watched these shows affect a career negatively. Personally I think that reality TV is a platform and some choose to use it as such, while others do differently.
Leneethia “NeNe” Leakes is a great example of someone who has used their platform from the reality show Real Housewives of Atlanta to create other opportunities in the show business. Her wild outgoing ways landed her in the public eye but her savvy business mind and branding investments have helped get her into the Hollywood business. Using reality shows as a platform has become an enormous trend. Some succeed and others don’t.

When people have platforms to market themselves worldwide it would be in their best interest to use the platform to do such. A word of advice to those in the reality business would be to take advantage of the platform and grow your brand.
Growing your brand can mean anything from altering your image to building business and products for consumers. A platform of this caliber surrounds you with individuals that can advance your career or put you in the public eye where more opportunities come about. Take those opportunities stemming from this platform to build an image, business, or financial stability.
While so many people have been introduced to us through reality shows not all decided to take the opportunity to make their situation better. Other decides to use the platform in from of them to be better and richer. It is very wise to watch how you’re being portrayed. Branding is everything!
Carpe diem. Seize your opportunity. Use the platform you were given to create something great, bigger, and better!

 – Jasmine Lucas

Telling Your Company’s Story

Let’s face it, every company has a story! From the good to the bad or downright ugly, company’s stories will tell you exactly what that company is what they stand for.  So how exactly does a company tell a story to its audience so it’s interesting and really gets their message across? Here are some tips for making your companies story a good one.

1. A Strong Website–  Today’s media savvy generation are fast to online shop, Google the answer to a question, and even look for a career right from their desktop.  A company must keep up with their website in order to attract possible thousands of web viewers a day.  Make sure the website really represents who you are as a company.  The content, navigation, and look of your website must be intriguing to keep people coming back!

2.  Visualizations- Each company or business has its own logo, trademark, slogan, or catchy phrase that when someone sees or hears it knows automatically what company it is.  Choose a logo fit for your business that is easy to remember and can really connect to the business your company offers.

3. It’s All About The Color Scheme- In addition to creating a logo, a strong color scheme should be decided for your company.  These will be the two or three color combinations used throughout your business that will evoke a particular emotion in your audience.  Do your research to see what emotion each color represents.

4. Physical Appearance- YOU are a huge representation of your company as well.  When in meetings or handling professional company business, look presentable and polished!  You are a walking representation of your company and represent the face behind the operation.  If you aren’t put together, chances are people may not invest time in getting to know your company.

These are just a few tips to telling your corporate story! Remember every story is different so stay true to who you are and making sure a piece of yourself is etched into your company’s storyline.  Hopefully these tips will help make your companies story a good one!

– Teneshia Smith

PR Cafe: Brand Investment And Why It’s Important

When you hire a PR firm, they are the second most important entity that will represent your brand. Right behind you. #PRCafe

Yesterday’s PR Cafe discussed the importance of brand investment for businesses. Follow the conversation here.

What You Need to Know to be Effective for Your Hospitality Clients

This week’s PR café discusses restaurant PR so I thought it would be perfect to blog about restaurant PR. Now, I have found that many small restaurants have some of the best tasting food but don’t profit a lot and eventually end up closing. I contribute their demise to the lack of public relations tactics. I believe that no matter how good your food is, it takes a savvy PR practitioner and strategy to get you a client base and customers. It’s easy to say that your restaurant failed because of the economy but the reality is that your strategies and planning for your company weren’t sufficient. This is where the PR practitioner comes in. A public relations person offers great advice and tactics to get your business running effectively.

 
As a practitioner, we know what people want and like, we know what attracts people to a business, and we know how to get people in the door. Having a PR person on staff can help bring clients through business promotions, flyers, postal solicitation etc. sometimes small businesses neglect to hire PR pros because they feel they don’t need them. Small, alone standing, restaurants believe that it’s over the top to hire someone. But, it can be beneficial to a small business to have a public relations practitioner to attract those demographics that weren’t initially targeted. It is the job of the PR person to bring in as many paying customers as they can.

 
Practitioners will discuss new ventures and branding ideas for your restaurant that people want to see. They will create strategies to enhance customer service and soliciting. They’ll create specials and nights for fun to the public participate. This is how you gain regular clients. This only get the public in the door while the service and food “wow’s” them to return. Small businesses like family restraints are also subject to lawsuits and allegations. Public relations practitioner would also be needed in this case to prepare and fix these problems. There are more reasons than one on why to hire public relations practitioner for restaurant pr.

-Jasmine Lucas

Conflict styles and Communication

In both personal and professional settings, conflicts arise and may hinder progression and growth!!! Conflict styles are the way people handle different situations whether good, bad, or indifferent. One should know how to communicate through conflict and the styles of conflict especially when running a business or organization because internal communication will affect the external! Here are the five different conflict communication styles and tips on improving communication in an organization!

Conflict Communication Styles:

1. Avoidance- Show’s little concern for your own or others needs. Usually there is little to no verbal communication between employees in order to get the job done. May avoid the situation.
2. Accommodating – Working to fulfill the needs and meet the requirements of everyone else but your own. Usually means taking on projects alone or putting in most of the effort.
3. Competition- Looks at every project as a way to win, come out on top, or be right in the situation.
4. Compromising- Both parties come together however usually both parties needs aren’t met so no one wins in the outcome. Both parties are sacrificing for the greater good of the organization.
5. Collaboration- Reaching a solution or outcome where all employees are satisfied and all needs are met.

These five conflict styles may appear in an organizational setting and should be handled accordingly. The most effective conflict style is collaboration because the organizations needs are met as well as the employee’s.
When handling conflict in the work place here are three tips to remember

1. Works to make sure everyone’s needs are met- Don’t satisfy others without satisfying yourself. A good work environment means EVERYONE agrees with the outcome.

2. Be aware of both verbal and non verbal communication- Communication is not just what you say but any type of interaction you have with others. Be mindful of body language, face expressions, and any other forms of communication in order to get your point across.

3. Keep an open mind- An organization is made up of more than one person, so try to take into consideration that it is a team effort! Team work makes the dream work!!!!
– Teneshia Smith