InsidEPR

The Glitzy World of PR

By Cari Goodrich

Public relations is *glitzy* work, or so shows like “Sex and the City” and MTV’s “The Hills” would have you believe.  Each show profiles PR execs who are successful beyond anyone’s wildest dreams - Samantha Jones works with Absolut to secure her boyfriend as the Absolut Hunk, while Heidi, from “The Hills,” who has no college degree, lands a PR gig hosting parties filled with A-list celebrities at some of L.A.’s hottest nightclubs.  Viewers of these shows are treated to a glimpse of the glamorous lifestyles working in PR affords you.  Or does it?

Having worked in tech PR for almost two years, I don’t believe the occupation is being represented correctly at all.  Where’s the show that details the glitz, glamour, and non-stop partying of silicon chips, data storage units, and service provider networks? Perhaps I’ll pitch my own show to MTV that represents what it’s REALLY like to work in PR (at least tech PR).

EPR Plays Santa Claus

By Julia Ball

I’ve been an employee with Engage PR for a little over three months now, but have been involved with the company for a little over five years. My mom, Cindy Foley, is the director of operations, and I just joined the team as the office manager. I’ve attended several volunteer events that EPR has participated in over the years, but this last event was definitely the most rewarding.

One of our employees, Johnny Truong, coordinated this year’s holiday event at the Perinatal Council in Oakland. We served dinner and played Santa to 17 families who didn’t have much of their own to celebrate the holiday with. Most of the people we met were young mothers with infants and toddlers.

An Addition to the EPR Family

While our team here at Engage PR continues to grow based on market demands, we've also recently expanded with the birth of little Grayson!  Congratulations to Armi, and welcome to the family little one.

The Proof is in the Pudding

By Becky Caudill

On this blog, we often talk a lot about how much we all enjoy working at Engage PR.  If you read my last post, you’ll know that we were named one of the “Best Places to Work in the Bay Area” in 2006 from the San Francisco Business Times, East Bay Business Times, Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, and Deloitte - the second time in three years!

It’s an easy thing to say “I really like where I work,” but sometimes it’s harder to articulate why.  In addition to the great training we receive here, the executive staff understands that a work/life balance is key to happy and healthy employees.  Along those lines, we enjoy a 37.5 hour work week, excellent health benefits, and on Fridays we leave at 2:00 p.m. (all year long)!  What really sets us apart is that fact that we also traditionally receive the week between Christmas and New Years as paid vacation. 

But wait – it gets better! 

For the last several years, Molly has treated her employees (and their spouses and friends) to a ski trip to Lake Tahoe at the end of the first week in January.  It’s still a relatively slow time for our clients – and the media – so we take this time to unwind, get to know one another just a bit better than we do in the office, and mentally prepare ourselves for the flurry of activity the rest of the year. 

For those who love the slopes, the company provides ski lift passes, rentals, and lessons (if needed).  For others, it’s off to the spa for massages and facials.  At the end of the day, we all meet for a big family style dinner where it’s often hard to hear the conversation over the laughter.

I’ve enjoyed these trips for the last three years but I definitely think this year’s was by far the best (the skiers may disagree since the weather was a bit unruly, but gorgeous).  I’m already looking forward to next year’s. 

Technorati claim

Technorati Profile

Award Winning

By Becky Caudill

In my last post, I wrote about all the awards bestowed on EPR’s clients in 2006.  What you might not know is that last year was also a very successful year for Engage PR on the awards front. 

In April, EPR was honored as a recipient of the prestigious “Best Places to Work in the Bay Area” award from the San Francisco Business Times, East Bay Business Times, Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, and Deloitte for the second time in three years.  The awards were granted based on results of an online survey completed by employees that included questions about job satisfaction, the company’s work climate and culture, management practices and specific policies, and benefits.

2007 Outlook

By Molly Miller

If the last few weeks of December are any indication, 2007 is going to be a busy year for technology PR.  I can’t recall a time when we heard from more companies about 2007 plans, including start-ups preparing for their flagship launches, maturing companies wanting to increase their competitive visibility, late-stage private companies looking at the 2007 IPO market, and public companies emerging from consolidation with aggressive plans for promoting new vision.  These are exciting opportunities for us to consider, and a refreshing change from the technology doldrums we all suffered through several years ago.

Even better, it appears all of these prospects take a more pragmatic view of the execution requirements to succeed long term than did companies in headier days.  The media—and more important, their own prospects and partners—require more proofpoints of marketing claims, and it takes more due diligence to complete the sale (and to sell the article).

The blogosphere also continues to gain importance for building credibility among the “long tail” of influencers that now have more ways to express their opinions on technology adoption and market needs.  Customers also like the opportunity to interact directly with their current and potential suppliers on issues.  I expect all clients to look more carefully at integrating new media communications into their outreach plans this year.

The Write Way

By Becky Frost

Let’s face it; no matter the client’s size or expertise, not every day will be a red-letter news day.  In PR we face the challenge of getting our clients in print – whether in the physical or online sense – as often as possible. Of course, news, reviews, and interviews help us meet client media expectations, but there comes a time when something extra is needed.

That “something extra” can come in the form of contributed articles. Contributed articles, also know as bylined articles, serve as a great way for clients to provide a snapshot of trends affecting their industry instead of a close-up of their product or service. Moreover, it gives executives a chance to provide expert thoughts on the market, thus providing additional clarity and insight to readers.

No matter how long I’ve represented a client or worked in their respective industry, I’m guaranteed to learn something new with each contributed piece. The one constant about technology is its rapid evolution. Who better to discuss its advancements than those involved on the front lines of change?