Golden Spike Awards
Today I attended the awards luncheon for the Public Relations Society of America Greater Salt Lake and Utah Valley Chapters and the International Association of Business Communicators Utah.
It was held at the Rice-Eccles Stadium on the University of Utah campus.
It just so happens that Saturday is the University of Utah versus Brigham Young University football game — it’s one of the biggest rivalries in these here parts.
During the presentation of the awards, the University of Utah marching band took to the field and began practicing. It was a clear, comic reminder of where we were dining.
Here are a couple photos I snapped from up above the stands where we were meeting. It’s too bad I didn’t get a shot of the view to the west because it was amazing - you could see the whole valley! And it’s too bad I don’t have access to this area on Saturday, but maybe my BYU blue wouldn’t be welcome up there.
I enjoyed the luncheon and meeting business communicators living and working in this area. There were more than 150 people in attendance and the event was done much like this year’s Bronze Quill Awards luncheon in Las Vegas, presented by IABC/Las Vegas (missing you guys!).
I like that the two organizations partner on the annual awards. It takes a large event and cuts costs in half for each presenting organization. Makes sense to me (cents too).
It’s good to have these affiliations and rub shoulders with fellow PR and marketing professionals.
GE launches blog to communicate directly with stakeholders
This summer the SEC said it was okay for corporations to communicate with investors through the Web. Last month GE joined the ranks of corporate America sporting a company blog launched for just such a purpose. It’s called GEReports.com.
The reviews are mixed. Some wonder what the motivation is behind the posts. Others fear it discriminates against investors who aren’t tech savvy.
I applaud the move. As I’ve counseled clients for many months, technology is changing communication. Social media tools are here to stay. They may morph into something else, but they’re not going away.
Companies either need to get on the bandwagon or be left at the station.
With GE taking the lead, sharing market-sensitive news on a blog, many other companies are sure to follow suit.
An article on MSN discusses the blog in more detail. To those naysayers who say people have to go search out the news now instead of having it delivered to them, they don’t understand new technology like RSS.
GE’s blog includes an RSS feed as well as a Twitter subscription. Investors or other key stakeholders can easily receive news and information from GE through these tools at an even faster rate than snail mail or looking up a press release online.
This marks the change in communication I like to call ‘wholesale communication.’ No longer do companies need to rely on media to ‘retail’ their story. Companies can go directly to key constituencies through technology, putting Joe Shmoe on an equal playing field with the company’s largest investor.
Content is king! Kudos to GE for stepping forward, utilizing new technology, and telling its own story in an engaging way.
PR tips for entrepreneurs
The Web is full of information, even on how to best secure media coverage for businesses.
I was introduced to this site, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, from a Twitter friend.
I highly recommend this post that outlines The 54 Best PR Tips for Entrepreneurs.
Celebrating Veterans Day with a visit to Gov Gab, a U.S. government blog
Did you know there are about 23 million veterans in the U.S.? Seems like a lot, doesn’t it?
I learned this statistic from the government blog, Gov Gab. The blog is described by its authors as follows:
We are federal employees who work in the Office of Citizen Services and Communications at the U.S. General Services Administration. In our daily jobs, we encounter a staggering amount of U.S. government information and services that can benefit your life. From saving money and visiting National Parks to finding out about government auctions and the latest recalls, we want to bring these resources to you in a new way—through our blog.
It’s a progressive approach for a Federal agency. I guess this is the trend of my blog posts lately — how the U.S. government is using the Web to better communicate. It’s refreshing.
In my social media seminars I highlight what the TSA is doing with its blog titled Evolution of Security. It’s worth a visit if you’ve never seen it.
I also wanted to call your attention to the comment moderation policy of the Gov Gab blog (it’s at the bottom of each post). Businesses could take a similar approach to comment moderation.
And I like the TSA’s Delete-O-Meter policy for comment moderation.
In honor of U.S. veterans everywhere on this day, November 11, 2008 — may democracy and freedom fill the earth on the wings of the free flow of information and honest communication.
Obama uses the Web to his advantage
One of the most impressive components of President-Elect Barack Obama’s campaign to me was his use of the Internet.
Within a day of being elected, his team rolled out Change.gov, a Web site created to provide updates, news and information on the forthcoming Obama administration.
It’s a new dawn and a new day in so many ways. And in cyberspace as well as the voting booth, Barack Obama has demonstrated his ability to lead.
Read what CNN says about the new site.
Pete Codella, APR is a business communication consultant.