Chris Boivin

Does your PR team know how to explain the work we do? In too many instances, asking different members of your team how to explain public relations may bring many different answers. The obvious problem with that is that it creates confusion. As we all already know, too many people already don't get what we do. It is less about saying the exact words but more about general cohesion of the story. If your agency hasn't gone through this exercise with your team, it is something to think about.

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Take this 5-second PR test Before sending that press release, ask yourself: "Would I care about this if it wasn't my client?" If the answer is no, don't send it. Instead: 1. Find a unique angle. 2. Link to a trending topic. 3. Offer real value to journalists. Remember: Your reputation is on the line with every pitch. Quality over quantity. Always. What's your litmus test for newsworthy content? #PublicRelations #PRTips #MediaRelations #CommunicationStrategy

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It's likely that if you are a higher education marketer or webmaster, you are aware of how important it is that your institution's website is accessible to all users. In part 3 of Carnegie's Web Accessibility Series, Michael Bolton breaks down the 6 most common accessibility errors on websites and offers guidance for auditing your website for these issues. Check it out ⬇ #hemktg #emchat #accessibility #webdesign #webdevelopment #highered https://lnkd.in/eTPvcNaT

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From establishing direct contact with audiences and improving message dissemination, to building relationships with journalists and improving a company's reputation, social media provides valuable tools to effectively inform communication and public relations strategies. To learn more about how social media can enhance PR, visit our blog: https://lnkd.in/edjh-S6i #SherlockComms #PRAgency #SocialMedia #Blog

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It's a smart move to incorporate awards into your marketing plan. This PRNEWS article explains why and shares tips on how to get started. #awards #publicrelations #pr #marketing https://lnkd.in/gy6Kef-3

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AI is shaking things up for PR and marketing. With any new technology adoption, leaders set the tone that influences its success or failure. Read my Entrepreneur article to learn more about the role leaders need to play in setting AI strategy. #AI #PR #marketing

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Worth reading from TimelyCare VP Katie Neal: 13 Leadership Lessons for PR Pros (Taylor’s Version). Let’s face it. Taylor Swift’s much-anticipated album, The Tortured Poets Department (out April 19), sounds like it should be about a corporate communications team. While most PR professionals will never win any Grammys, we share more in common with the megastar than you might think. We are creators, storytellers and writers. We find inspiration in life, work and relationships. And we are influential to our teams, across our organizations and in our communities — demonstrating daily how smart, strategic communications can advance your brand, even in times of crisis. In addition to Swift’s mastery of public relations, have you noticed that her catalog of leadership lessons is almost as extensive as her collection of songs? I curated 13 key Tay-keaways for comms pros — each paired with an album or song — to inspire your leadership style as well as your playlist. Are you ready for it?

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Why do we do PR? Well, I would answer it's because trust and confidence among all audiences is at historic lows—an avg of 28%. With low/no trust, there is no commerce, there are no deals and business GRINDS to a halt. So, THAT is why we do PR. https://lnkd.in/g9M-_JQ4 #publicrelations, #pr, #trust, #credibility

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FACT: In public relations, RFPs are *cruel & unusual punishment* for participating agencies. 😩 Seriously, can we please kill them? Here’s 5 reasons why: 1. They usually get issued to 5 or more firms, meaning your agency has — at best! — a 20% shot at winning. Not great. 🙄 2. Despite long odds, an avg RFP = about 20 hours to write (well). Quick math: 20 hours for a 20% chance of winning = cray cray. 3. Most RFPs ask for *free thinking,* strategy, etc. To which I humbly ask: ✅ Is it cool to ask *five doctors* each for 20 free hours of medical advice? ✅ Is it ok to ask *five investment bankers* for 20 free hours of financial advice? No? Interesting… 4. The truth is, most PR agencies can be vetted with: a 20-minute Zoom call & a trip to their url vs asking them to spend 20 hours compiling a rigid document that *literally nobody* wants to read! 🤯 5. Many RFPs I’ve gotten over the years *don’t provide a budget range* No budget guidance = banana pants silly. Imagine: “Please design my dream home… as for budget… I dunno… surprise me!” 🤷‍♂️ This shouldn’t be controversial. Unless procurement forces you to do it (*as was the case in the one we just turned down*) let’s kill RFPs. Kill them with fire! 🔥 They’re horrible and cruel. In 2024 and beyond, let’s do business with empathy. There’s a better way ✌️ This is the way ✊ #publicrelations

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As an instructor I've found it's way more effective to experience a concept than learn about it on a slide. To demonstrate the concept of zero-party data (info your audience happily shares with you) to PR students I made an interactive quiz where students contributed zero-party data with the incentive of finding out what career path in comms might be right for them. 🎯 The results hit home with most students! And now they deeply understand the idea of zero-party data. If you find yourself stuck in slides, my challenge to you is find one way in your next presentation to invite your audience to get hands on with the concepts.

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The coming months are prime time for trade shows. If your company is exhibiting or attending, PR should be part of your strategy for maximizing you trade shoe ROI. Our latest blog post shares some of the best practices we've learned in 25+ years of attending the retail industry's most important events.

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Check out my recent article in GovLoop! Five practices you can start doing today to improve your writing. For all my expert writers out there, anything you would add to this list?

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This article from Columbia Journalism Review is fascinating, and an argument for the importance of a reputation management communication plan. There are volumes authored by PR pros advising against ignoring reporters inquiries, yet this article documents how frequently it happens. Throughout my career, I can count on one hand the number of times I have made a calculated decision not to respond to a media request, and 99.9% of the time it was after multiple engagements with a reporter who repeatedly misrepresented or distorted information (even if not intentionally). I suspect, more often than not, reporters get ghosted because the brand is caught off guard. They haven't planned how they will respond in a reputation crisis. Or haven't socialized the planned response with stakeholders. If the PR team is haggling with executives and lawyers on what to say or how to say it when the reporters' questions start rolling in, the opportunity to frame the narrative is quickly lost. Thanks for sharing the article Jennifer Johnson Avril! https://lnkd.in/gYmTA9CW

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It's prediction time! I'll be putting up a series of LinkedIn posts asking for predictions on specific topics. Please do not email me responses -- posting on LinkedIn lets me keep everything in one place. Answers may be used in PR Daily articles. First up: What are your predictions for AI in communications in 2025?

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“Which reporters do you know in our business?” If you are a communicator, you are often posed this question by executives, colleagues or clients. Many think a communicator’s most important asset is the journalists they know. The truth is that knowing a contact might get your email read. But it is never a guaranteed and published story. What is more important than knowing someone? It’s about creating a relevant and enticing story that matches the editorial focus of an outlet and reporter. Communicators know how to craft a good story for the right audience. Success always hinges on how well they connect the story to the outlet’s audience. It’s always about the story. Connect with me to learn more about connecting your corporate story to your target audience. #Communications #MediaRelations #Storytelling #PR #Journalism

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I appreciate PRWeek’s recent stories on agency Q3 earnings. According to the reports, agencies experienced low single-digit growth at best, and most anticipate a continued challenging operating environment ahead. As Big Valley Marketing’s Founder and CEO Tim Marklein put it, Q3 was “lumpy and bumpy.” While we were able to achieve double-digital growth, it was definitely hard work. When organizations are not performing as expected, it is rarely a “math problem.” It is usually an operation and/or a leadership problem. Most successful agencies have a deliberate business strategy that deploys several approaches to enable growth. Developed annually and visited regularly, this strategy has to include how to drive organic and inorganic growth and lines of action to minimize client churn. Here are five simple things agencies can consider to not just survive but thrive: ✅ set a long-view plan early, ✅ manage your practices and client portfolios with discipline and agility, ✅ mobilize your team vertically and horizontally, ✅ activate your collective network, and ✅ not lose sight of what your clients need and what you are good at. Client needs will evolve, markets will shift, and securing the desired budget or scope will always take work. For meaningful growth creation, it is simply not enough to have a “chief growth officer,” an "agency growth driver," or a "head of business development." As agency leaders, we all need to be more intentional or skilled in orchestrating a growth strategy. What do you think? #agency #holdingcompany #publicrelations #PR

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