How hospital communicators play a vital role in disasters

In recent years, monstrous hurricanes have put hospitals on high alert.

Some patients are too ill to evacuate; others need regular treatment that cannot wait for flooded streets to clear. Hospital staffing is strained when replacement workers can’t make it to work. Along with those issues, the storm surge washes in new health concerns.

Amid the chaos, health care communicators are working overtime to calm fears and educate a worried public.

Lessons from previous hurricanes and floods guide the messaging.

In an interview with Fortune, DR. Andrew Rhim highlighted theimportance of preparation:

MD Anderson was hit really hard in 2001 during Hurricane Allison," he told Fortune in a phone interview. Rhim wasn't at the center back then–but he says that administrators took that event as a wakeup call and worked to shore up disaster management in the years since. "The response to Harvey has been a product of those preparations.

The CEO of Texas Medical Center, Bill McKeon, spoke with “PBS Newshour” about the high-tech innovations his hospital was using to protect patients and medical equipment:

We spent over $50 million creating this very sophisticated network of floodgates that actually protect all the assets. In [Hurricane Allison], we lost over $2 billion in research from the flooding of all of our buildings. These integrated floodgates are essentially submarine doors that actually protect these assets, and that the water really pushes off, maintains in streets, and flows away from the medical city.

The decision not to evacuate city residents has been questioned by some, but supported by many experts. Communicators defended opting not to move some patients.

[FREE DOWNLOAD: The Power of Health Care Online Ratings and Reviews]

The New York Times reported:

Jennifer Schulte, director of marketing for Citizens, said some critically ill patients had been transferred before Harvey made landfall, when a mandatory evacuation of the city was announced a day before. But the short time window meant that 80 other patients could not be moved. “The roadways there were very clogged up,” she said. “That would require patients to sit and wait. For some, in their condition, it would not be safe.

Most news stories about hospitals covered the individual efforts of doctors trying to serve their patients in difficult circumstances.

The Wall Street Journal shared the story of one melanoma specialist whowent the extra mile (or three):

Adi Diab, an MD Anderson melanoma specialist, walked 3 miles on Monday through 1-foot deep waters from his home to the hospital to attend to a patient undergoing an experimental cancer treatment.

Because Dr. Diab and his colleagues were able to make it to the hospital, the patient treatment would go forward as planned, according to Dr. Diab, who planned to stay at the hospital until late Monday evening.

“I’m going to stay because it’s my patient, so I need to make sure the treatment is completed successfully," Dr. Diab said. “Thank God everything worked out.”

Communicators also helped connect the vast health care networks of America’s fourth-largest city.

Darrell Pile, CEO of Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council (a major player in the response to the disaster), told Stat he was pleased with hospitals’ interactions.

Stat wrote:

Pile praised the coordination of hospitals, first responders, and civic leaders that prevented further disaster. In the case of past major storms elsewhere, Pile said hospitals did not always effectively convey the damage inside their walls to one another, meaning that ambulances would bring patients to their doors even though the facilities might be unable to meet their needs.

By contrast, Pile said roughly 25 hospitals declared an “internal disaster”— a status that reflects a hospital facing problems in carrying out normal daily operations—that allowed SETRAC to pass along timely information along to first responders who could, in turn, divert patients toward care at hospitals capable of treating them.

Hospitals used their own media channels to relay messages to patients and educate the public about the health risks they could face in coming days.

They also tweeted about closed facilities and open hospitals:

Aug. 30 UPDATE: All @MethodistHosp locations are OPEN. Some elective procedures canceled. Get FULL DETAILS at https://t.co/4FCGZh8ZLX.

— Houston Methodist (@MethodistHosp) August 30, 2017

[#WeatherUpdate]: All Texas Children's Pediatrics practices and Texas Children's Urgent Care locations are closed today.

— Texas Children's (@TexasChildrens) August 29, 2017

They shared practical health tips about dangers like tetanus:

Is your #TETANUS shot up 2 date? Storm #debris & open cuts=high #TETANUS risk Get you & the family #vaccinated. #houstonflood #HarrisCounty

— Harris County OHSEM (@ReadyHarris) August 30, 2017

They also celebrated employees who were rising to the challenge:

We have the best employees! https://t.co/zXKHWvsr0k

— Houston Methodist (@MethodistHosp) August 30, 2017

Non-area hospitals also tweeted out their support and shared what they were doing to help flood victims and stranded patients.

Patients began arriving at our hospitals from @HCAGulfCoast. Proud to support our sister hospitals #HurricaneHarvey https://t.co/2b1M9kygz1

— Medical City Health (@Med_City_Health) August 30, 2017

Communicators, how are you talking about Harvey and its lingering effects on your channels? Please share your most compelling stories and outreach efforts in the comments section.

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Make your organization a communications powerhouse

Every industry has its rock stars.

We’ve all heard of organizations known for their unparalleled expertise—whether it’s in social media, video production or just great writing.

Why not make your workplace the next hotbed of communications talent in your industry?

We’re producing several exciting workshops this May and June—and they need a place to call home!

Just provide us with one day of access to your corporate meeting space, and your team will attend one of our expert-led, hands-on events for free.

You could get a whole day of customized training on the following topics and more:

• Writing and editing
• Video production
• Social media platforms
• Internal communications

Email Danielle Barrera to learn more about hosting one of our prestigious workshops.

To learn more about hosting workshops and conferences, see our hosting site.

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7 ingredients to tasty infographic writing

Infographics are the chocolate chip cookies of the internet.

Of course, not all cookies (nor infographics) are created equal. The special ingredient for whipping up irresistible infographics is tasty, snappy writing.

Visme is here to help you sweeten your visuals with tantalizing copy.

The first ingredient listed is a sharp, concise headline. The graphic suggests using “numbers, adjectives and keywords” in your headlines. As with all writing, it’s important to convey what the reader stands to gain right from the get-go.

This also applies to the infographic’s second recommendation—writing a compelling introduction—which either launches the reader into the chewy deliciousness of your work or sends them running to another section of the endless cyber buffet.

The next point pertains to structure and layout. The infographic advises leading with a catchy title, followed by an interesting intro and section subheads. Then you sprinkle in charts and graphs, sources and footnotes.

[RELATED: Join us for the Brand Storytelling and Content Marketing Conference at The Coca-Cola Company.]

The final four ingredients are more about aesthetics and quality control. Proofread everything, be judicious with text length (keep your word count under 400), and incorporate your branding. In other words, edit carefully to make your piece appetizing for the content dining public.

Then stand back, and let your readers digest. (OK, sorry.)

If you want your infographics to be akin to fresh-baked Gramma cookies—rather than dry, bland wafers—flavorful writing is the key ingredient. Review the graphic below as a guide to cook up something scrumptious.

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5 fictional authors who can inspire writers

Fiction is full of interesting characters.

For writers, often the most interesting characters are other wordsmiths. After all, who but a writer would best understand another writer?

Below are a few of my favorite fictional characters who write—as a vocation or an avocation. They can inspire you with their talent, insights and sense of adventure:

1. Bilbo Baggins from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit”

Baggins—the hero from “The Hobbit” and a character in “The Lord of the Rings”—is a hobbit from The Shire.

Hobbits are known for their love of peace, quiet and home. However, during the events of “The Hobbit,” Bilbo matures from a seeker of peace and comfort to someone who will fight for the greater good. Bilbo has no idea how resourceful he is until he is put to the test.

Bilbo writes of his journey in a book called “There and Back Again,” and he composes several songs and poems.

“All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.”

2. George McFly from “Back to the Future”

Marty McFly’s father in the “Back to the Future” series is timid and awkward and seems incapable of standing up for himself. For all his goofiness and insecurity, George McFly has a vivid imagination and a passion for science fiction.

[RELATED: Rekindle your love of the written word by attending the Great Writing and Editing Virtual Summit.]

He also dreams of being a writer. He succeeds with a bestselling science-fiction novel, “A Match Made in Space.”

“Lorraine. My density has brought me to you.”

3. Dr. John H. Watson from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”

Physician and devoted friend to Sherlock Holmes, Watson accompanies Holmes on his cases and writes about them.

Watson is not only an accomplished biographer, but he is also a loyal and patient associate. He responds to Holmes’ frequent irascibility with quiet fortitude and grace. Watson also displays remarkable candor in describing Holmes’ habits, particularly his use of cocaine.

“ . . . Holmes, who loathed every form of society with his whole Bohemian soul, remained in our lodgings in Baker Street, buried among his old books, and alternating from week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the drug, and the fierce energy of his own keen nature.”

4. Paul Sheldon from Stephen King’s “Misery”

 

You have to admire Paul Sheldon. Not only is he a successful novelist, he’s also able to solve complicated plot and character issues and write under deadline pressure (and extreme duress).

Writers can identify with his struggles to find himself and move from one genre of fiction to another.

“A little talent is a nice thing to have if you want to be a writer, but the only real requirement is the ability to remember the story of every scar.”

5. Cassandra Mortmain from Dodie Smith’s “I Capture the Castle”

17-year-old Cassandra lives in a run-down castle in the English countryside with her outlandish family.

In addition to telling her story, she also perfects her writing skills.

“Perhaps if I make myself write I shall find out what is wrong with me.”

“I am surprised to see how much I have written; with stories even a page can take me hours, but the truth seems to flow out as fast as I can get it down.”

It’s your turn PR Daily readers: Who are your favorite fictional authors—and why do you like them?

A regular contributor to PR Daily, Laura Hale Brockway is a writer and editor from Austin, Texas. Read more of her work at impertinentremarks.

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How Osteen came under fire for his tardy disaster response

It’s an indelible image: the wealthy televangelist who fleeces parishioners with an inspiring message while emptying their pockets.

Anyone who remembers Jimmy Swaggart tearfully confessing to his sins, Jim Bakker’s scandalous affair or Ted Haggard’s anti-gay moralizing while hiring a male prostitute, has seen pious religious leaders who weren’t everything they seemed to be.

Fairly or not, critics of Joel Osteen—the Houston-based senior pastor of Lakewood Church—accused him of exemplifying that archetype this week for his apparent reluctance to house victims of Hurricane Harvey. (He did say early on that his church would be available if shelters reached capacity, but not before.)

His megachurch—an arena once home to the NBA’s Houston Rockets—seats 16,800 people, but rather than offering it as a place of refuge to a city in need, Osteen tweeted this:

That seems innocuous, but his tweet got “ratio’d,” meaning that it generated more replies than retweets. When a tweet is ratio’d, the replies are usually scathing—as they were here. Twitter users were quick to call out the apparent hypocrisy of a man of God—whose net worth is reportedly north of $56 million—failing to step up and offer more than prayers when his hometown needed help.

A torrent of rebukes

Those accusations of hypocrisy intensified after Lakewood officials stated Sunday that the building had “severe flooding,” a claim that came into question when photos showed little water near the church or in that part of Houston’s, which was spared the worst of the flooding.

Some of the initial Twitter commentary struck me as unfair—it wasn’t clear that the first people to criticize him had made any effort to contact him to learn whether he was working behind the scenes to help. Within hours, news organizations tried—and failed—to reach him, noting that calls to his office went unreturned.

[RELATED: Keep your cool in a crisis with these 13 tips.]

This week, Osteen granted several TV interviews to give his side of the story. Among his points: The city of Houston hadn’t asked him to set up a shelter; there was another shelter four miles away with a 10,000-person capacity that he never imagined would fill; Lakewood was close to flooding itself; and the logistical and staffing challenges of opening Lakewood immediately would have been enormous and couldn’t have been done immediately.

If you’re cynical about televangelists, Osteen’s tone in the “Today” show interview probably struck you as smarmy and self-satisfied. If you’re one of the millions of people who watch his sermons and read his books, you probably viewed him as sincere.

Timing isn’t everything

Regardless of your perception of his tone, what’s undeniable is that he’s on the defensive as a result of failing to respond sooner and, arguably, more selflessly. There’s a simple formula in many crisis responses that looks something like this:

Right response at the right time = Best chance of getting full credit

Right response at the wrong time = Partial credit (at best)

Wrong response at the wrong time = No credit

In this case, Osteen is somewhere between the second and third responses.

Much of what he said in the “Today” interview struck me as plausible. I can understand why opening a building of that size would require many staffers, many of whom are dealing with their own challenges during the hurricane and would have been unable to get to work.

An ounce of preparation

What strikes me most is that Osteen apparently hadn’t had serious discussions with City of Houston officials about what role the church could play in a major disaster. Lakewood could have had an established role and put into place procedures that would have helped the mega-church to serve its community in a crisis from the start.

His claims that no one could have anticipated a crisis of this scale aren’t credible; Houston has long been at risk of a major flood, as many reporters have noted. Any communications pro drafting a crisis response plan would have had “hurricane” topping the list.

Beyond being a communications failure for Osteen, it’s also a missed opportunity. He had the chance to offer Lakewood as a refuge or to do something else substantive to help.

If he had plans to do so, his failure to communicate his intent moments after (or even before) criticism began to mount allowed an incorrect narrative to take hold.

Brad Phillips is president of Phillips Media Relations. He is author of the Mr. Media Training Blog, (where a version of this article originally appeared) and two books: "The Media Training Bible" and "101 Ways to Open a Speech."

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30 jobs in the PR and marketing world

When it comes to fashion, comfort is in.

It’s increasingly commonplace to see people clad in yoga pants, sneakers or other athletically-inspired attire on their daily commute to work. This has become so popular that the term “athleisure” even has its own definition in the Merriam-Webster dictionary.

The style doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon. Quartz reported Morgan Stanley’s projection that worldwide sales for activewear will surpass $350 billion by 2020.

Founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank, Under Armour is now one of the most popular athletic lifestyle brands.

The organization comes from humble beginnings.

According to Under Armour’s official history:

Working from his grandmother’s basement in Washington DC’s Georgetown neighborhood, he traveled up and down the East Coast selling his revolutionary new product out of the trunk of his car. By the end of 1996, Plank made his first team sale, and Under Armour generated $17,000 in sales.

Now worth $1.66 billion, Plank has come a long way from selling products out of the back of his car.

With competition from brands such as Nike and Adidas, a successful digital marketing strategy is crucial to the growth and success of the organization. Under Armour is looking for a specialist, content and community at its Baltimore location.

The right candidate will boost brand awareness and engagement by creating innovative digital content plans across all channels.

More of a Nike fan? It’s looking for a sportswear brand intern at its France headquarters.

[RELATED: Join us for the Employee Communications, PR and Social Media Summit at Microsoft.]

Not the job for you? See what else we have in our weekly professional pickings:

Senior marketing and enrollment specialist—West Virginia University(West Virginia)

Director, digital marketing—Kendall College (Illinois)

SEO team manager—Workshop Digital (Virginia)

Senior public relations coordinator—Youth Villages (Tennessee)

Account director—Flint Public Relations (United Kingdom)

Senior public relations manager—KnowledgeWorks (Ohio)

Public relations manager—Melbourne Food and Wine Festival (Australia)

Communications manager—Columbia College Chicago (Illinois)

Public relations intern—Brown Books Publishing Group (Texas)

Public relations manager—New Avon (New York)

Director of public relations—Marriott International (United Kingdom)

Director, DTC marketing—Timberland (New Hampshire)

Marketing manager—Wondros (Pennsylvania)

Writer/editor, proposals and marketing—Raytheon (Washington, D.C.)

Communications and events assistant—The Nature Trust of BritishColumbia (Canada)

Marketing and PR manager—Grand Canyon Association (Arizona)

Senior director, social media—The Ohio State University (Ohio)

Digital marketing director—World Kitchen (Illinois)

Senior brand media manager—Lyft (California)

Director, digital marketing—Warner Bros. Entertainment Group (Canada)

Content writer—AutoTrader (South Africa)

Public relations assistant manager—Sephora (New York)

Sales and marketing specialist—Aflac (Florida)

Manager, media communications—International Food Information Council(Washington, D.C.)

Communications director—ACLU of Michigan (Michigan)

Marketing manager—Facebook (California)

PR account manager—Bookmark Content and Communications (Canada)

Assistant brand manager—Pandora (Maryland)

Public relations coordinator—GameStop (Texas)

If you have a position you’d like to see highlighted in PR Daily’s weekly jobs post, please email me a link to the listing.

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Aetna ‘envelope error’ results in class-action HIPAA lawsuit

No hackers here—just a lack of attention to detail.

Insurance giant Aetna is now the subject of a class-action lawsuit after the HIV statuses of 12,000 patients were revealed in a mass mailer. At issue is the use of a large-window envelope through which sensitive information could be read.

Stat reported:

Legal groups on Monday filed a class-action lawsuit [...] alleging the company violated the privacy of its customers by sending many of them letters through which the phrase “filling prescriptions for HIV” was visible through envelope windows.

Aetna was notified of the situation on July 31, after which it mailed a letter notifying patients of the breach of their privacy. The letter offered an apology to customers and called the mistake “unacceptable” in hopes to “earn back” their trust.

This latest error was triggered by Aetna’s response to an earlier lawsuit that alleged it was lax in protecting the personal information of HIV patients.

Stat reported:

In 2014 and 2015, plaintiffs who had been prescribed HIV medications claimed their privacy rights were being violated by a proposed Aetna requirement that they receive the medications via mail and not in person at pharmacies.

Settlements in those lawsuits required Aetna to pay $24,000 to plaintiffs and to send via mail a notice that “informing them that they were no longer required to order their medications through the mail.”

The insurer then provided a third-party vendor with 12,000 mailing addresses, and the mailings were then sent out using envelopes with large, transparent windows.

The seriousness of the breach is highlighted by the response to the error. Lawyers for the plaintiffs spoke to CNN about the damage done to their clients by the mailing:

"I know of someone who has been kicked out of his home because somebody who saw his envelope learned his HIV status," said Sally Friedman, legal director of the Legal Action Center, who is coordinating the efforts of attorneys.

Friedman also spoke to Stat, saying:

People have been devastated. We’ve had a number of people tell us they had chosen not to disclose their HIV status to family members—but this is how their family members found out.

At fault may have been the choice to use a third-party mailer to send these notices; the lawsuit claims the decision to use the mailers is suspect considering prior privacy complaints.

[FREE GUIDE: 13 tips for preparing for a crisis]

FierceHealthCare reported:

These actions, the lawsuit said, “carelessly, recklessly, negligently and impermissibly" revealed HIV-related information of Aetna's current and former members to their "family, friends, roommates, landlords, neighbors, mail carriers and complete strangers.”

The breach was roundly condemned by public officials and HIV rights advocates.

This is an unacceptable breach of privacy, and appears to violate federal and NY laws. I am demanding more information from Aetna. https://t.co/H4kJB5X96F

— Eric Schneiderman (@AGSchneiderman) August 25, 2017

Whoa! This is such a breach of #privacy. #HIPPA #health #healthiswealth #HIV #Aetna

— Coretta | Jackson (@CorettaJackson) August 26, 2017

This is a serious violation of privacy for people living with #HIV (and folks taking #PrEP). Shame on you, @aetna.https://t.co/ORUfewiUv2

— Lambda Legal (@LambdaLegal) August 24, 2017

The financial cost of this breach remains unclear, though it promises to be high.

Stat wrote:

Health care companies often settle health privacy law violation cases with HHS and in some cases pay millions in fines. In May, for example, after an employee at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center Inc. inadvertently disclosed a patient’s HIV status and other medical information to his employer, the provider paid a $378,000 settlement.

In a 2003 interview, HIPAA expert John Fusile noted several concerns for sending HIPAA-compliant mailings.

He advised:

Providers should pay close attention to the envelopes they use. A patient may not want the mail carrier, spouse, or children, to see an envelope printed with the name of a mammography or colonoscopy clinic on the front, for example. Stamping an envelope confidential may draw unwanted attention.

He conceded that opening mail addressed to another person without consent is “mail fraud,” but he said that is not enough to ensure privacy.

“There is certainly some safe harbor in assuming that mail fraud is a deterrent. But I open the mail for my wife. You need to foresee the risk that somebody else would open it. If it’s particularly confidential, send them a letter saying only, ‘Your test results are in, please contact us.’"

Communicators, do you still use physical mailers? What safeguards do you have in place to avoid a mistake like Aetna’s?

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Google’s “parking difficulty” and “find parking” + a Real Estate Idea

You may have seen the news from Google Maps that they added “parking difficulty” coverage to 25 more cities (doubling coverage from 25 cities to 50).

That of course got me thinking about the real estate use case for the difficulty of parking near a specific address.

A “Parking Score” to help a renter/buyer assess how much of a pain in the rear parking will be near their new home. Even if they have a reserved spot in the building for themselves, most people entertain guests from time to time — and parking for those people can often be a huge pain in the rear.

WalkScore is the most successful startup that has scored individual properties — other than Zillow of course. Other companies working on “scoring” include Sun Number (prior coverage here), UtilityScore, Enerscore, and HowLoud.

Who is going to take a crack at scoring every home in the country (really, just urban areas) based on the difficulty of parking nearby?

The post Google’s “parking difficulty” and “find parking” + a Real Estate Idea appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.

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Nominations Are Open for The Global PropTech Awards

The Global PropTech Awards are coming up in New York in October.

The first annual Global PropTech Awards
 recognize individuals, technologies and organizations that have gone above and beyond to positively impact next generation PropTech.

Finalists will be announced October 1st and Award Winners will be presented at a ceremony during NYC Real Estate Tech Week 2017.

Know a founder, innovator, association, technology/product, executive, or investor who deserves credit for their amazing work? Please nominate them using the links below…

• NYCRETW Top Founder Award
• NYCRETW Top Executive Award
• NYCRETW Top Technology Award
• NYCRETW Top Innovator Award
• NYCRETW Top Investor Award
• NYCRETW Top Association Award

I’ll be one of the judges for the Global Prop Tech Awards, along with the following individuals:

• Dan Hughes, RICS
• Julia Arlt, PwC
• Ryan Baxter, REBNY
• Arnaud Simeray, Reed MIDEM
• Clelia Warburg Peters, Warburg Realty
• Patrice Derrington, Columbia University
• James Dearsley, PropTech Consult
• Travis Barrington, CRE.Tech
• Linda O’Flanagan, Real Estate Weekly
• Emily Wright, Estates Gazette

Good luck with your nominations!

Note: nominations end September 15th.

The post Nominations Are Open for The Global PropTech Awards appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.

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4 ways PR pros can master Facebook Live

Live broadcasting, which was once expensive and out of reach for many brand managers, is now free with Facebook Live.

From your smartphone or computer, you can instantly put your organization in front of thousands of viewers. You have the option to broadcast live from your home, office or even your favorite restaurant. Livestreaming options are now endless thanks to social media.

Although anyone can now broadcast to a large audience, at any time, PR pros should follow livestreaming best practices. It is essential to plan your live broadcast as you would traditional video or commercial creation.

To help you get started, here are four tips to master Facebook Live:

1. Promote your video before you go live.

Livestreaming via Facebook is a great way to engage your audience. Broadcasting enables you to target your personal network, fans on your business page, an event or a group. Ensure you have an audience by building anticipation.

A few things you can do to promote your video before going live include:

• Inviting your e-mail contacts with a link to your Facebook page.
• Publishing a Facebook post telling your followers when you’ll be livestreaming and what you plan to talk about.
• Cross posting to other platforms your Facebook link and a message promoting your livestream.
• Inviting your blog readers to tune in with a post and link.

2. Plan and practice.

After you promote your Facebook Live broadcast, it is essential to plan and practice for it.

Just as you would for a commercial or video, create an outline for what you plan to say once you go live. I suggest creating a bulleted list of the points you want to cover. Keeping a bulleted list can remind you of your talking points, in case you draw a blank while you are in front of your viewers.

Additionally, practice is also very important. You can practice by setting your privacy settings to "only me" when you broadcast on your Facebook profile or page. Once you update these settings, go through your broadcast and watch it once it’s posted. Don't forget to change the settings back once you are ready to livestream publicly to your audience.

[RELATED: Join us for the Social Media #Mashup at Disneyland.]

3. Interact with your viewers.

Facebook Live videos can potentially enable you to interact with all of your followers. Viewers are able to ask you questions, and you can respond instantly.

Make your broadcast engaging, rather than just talking at your audience. Interaction can help your viewers become more interested and invested in your brand.

Remember these tips when creating Facebook Live videos:

• Always greet your commenters by their first names.
• Begin by asking where your audience is tuning in from.
• Ask your viewers questions throughout the broadcast.
• Ask your audience to comment with tips, ideas or examples related to your livestream.

Livestreaming should be an important part of your Facebook strategy, because viewer engagement on your Facebook Live videos will increase your overall reach. Engagement can include comments, likes and shares. The larger reach you have, the more Live viewers you will gain. Interacting with your viewers is a win for your brand—and your analytics.

4. Don’t forget replay viewers

After you finish your Live broadcast, Facebook saves the video to the feed of your profile, page, group or event. Your livestream is then transformed into a native Facebook video and can now be replayed from start to finish.

As a result, aim to create a video that is useful viewers who tune in after you complete your live broadcast.

What Facebook Live advice do you have for newcomers looking for success with livestreaming?

Melinda Lathrop is a social media consultant and is the president of Melinda Lathrop Creative. A version of this article originally appeared on her blog.

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YouTube unveils new logo and features for screens of all sizes

YouTube has a new look.

The platform recently revealed a new logo that’s designed to fit seamlessly across all electronic devices and screens.

On Tuesday, The Verge reported:

For the last 12 years, YouTube’s logo has been a pair of anachronisms wrapped inside each other. “We have the word tube in a tube,” says Christopher Bettig, the head of YouTube’s art department. “This is weird. No one knows what this is.” Tube is slang for a television set, which used to be powered by vacuum tubes. But neither tubes nor TVs are central to the world’s biggest video service, which now reaches over 1.5 billion people each month, streaming to almost any screen with an internet connection.

And so today the brand is getting its biggest aesthetic makeover ever. The YouTube logo is being refreshed, shifting the emphasis away from the word “Tube” and onto the familiar play button which has already become an iconic shorthand for the company. The service is also getting a new typeface, color scheme, and a bunch of major changes to the look, feel, and functionality of its desktop and mobile app.

YouTube showed its progression of branding changes over the years in a GIF:

[RELATED: Join us for the Social Media #Mashup at Disneyland.]

YouTube is playing up the increased popularity of people using its “play” button as an abbreviated logo. In a company blog post, YouTube’s chief product officer, Neal Mohan, wrote:

… Designed for our multi-screen world, the updated Logo combines a cleaned up version of the YouTube wordmark and Icon, creating a more flexible design that works better across a variety of devices, even on the tiniest screens. Why’s it more flexible? When room is limited (say on a smartphone) you can use the brightened up Icon as an abbreviated Logo, which will be seen more easily and read more clearly.

Aside from its new logo and cleaner design, YouTube is expanding its mobile app features, which includes the ability to double-tap to the left or right side of the current video to rewind or fast-forward it 10 seconds. In the next few months, YouTube will also enable users to jump between videos by swiping left or write.

YouTube also added an app feature that lets you speed up or slow down a video (which was previously only available through desktop), along with a tool that suggests additional videos when you watch in full-screen mode. The platform will soon update its player on mobile devices to change shape with each video’s format (horizontal, vertical or square).

On its website, YouTube extended its design changes, which Mohan said “lets content shine,” and now offers users the ability to turn the platform’s background dark “for a more cinematic look” with a feature called “Dark Theme.”

All these features and updates are aimed at showcasing the platform’s content and encouraging viewers to discover and watch more videos. This can be positive for both YouTube creators, who can make money via sponsored ads on their videos, as well as marketers, who can capitalize on users’ attention to promote their brand, products and services.

Appropriately, the platform showed off the new features in a video:

Though YouTube’s new logo and design isn’t receiving the chatter that Airbnb’s new look or Uber’s logo change did, Mohan stressed that the platform’s mission remains the same—and that it’s focused on its users.

He wrote:

We know this is a lot of change, but we want to make clear that there’s one thing that stays the same: YouTube’s mission. We’re here to give people a voice and show them the world – no matter what device they use.

What do you think of YouTube’s new look and features, PR Daily readers?

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A goldmine of resources to sharpen PR content

Looking for tools that can facilitate efficient production of high-quality content?

There are loads of resources for PR pros that can save time, polish your prose and make your visuals shine. These apps and tools can help PR teams create spectacular content:

Improve the quality of your writing.

Superb content starts with good writing. For a helpful editing tool, try Hemingway. The app spots complex words or phrases, run-on sentences, adverb overuse and passive voice. It’s a handy proofreader, too. Just paste in your text, and Hemingway analyzes your work.

[RELATED: Join us at Microsoft, and learn tactics and strategies to conquer all your biggest communications challenges.]

Focus Writer and Quoll are other good resources.

Increase your content output.

Are you constantly bumping up against deadlines? Write or Die is worth a whirl.

This somewhat maniacal writing app can push you to complete assignments, help beat writer’s block or develop serious discipline. Most people will shudder at its punitive features—such as threatening to delete your saved material if you don’t make a deadline—but it delivers an exhilarating “beat the clock” jolt that can smash procrastination.

Of course, quantity is nothing without quality. If Write or Die is too stressful, you can opt for a non-threatening timer to nudge up your daily writing output.

Come up with fresh content ideas.

One chief challenge that PR people face is coming up with a constant flow of original ideas for story pitches, blog posts and other content. Instead of staring at that blank screen, waiting for inspiration to materialize, bring in reinforcements such as IdeaFlip, a brainstorming tool.

Check out blog topic generators from HubSpot or Portent, or peruse Trendspottr to see what subjects are buzzing.

Google is another tremendous resource for fresh ideas. The company just rolled out a news feed “infused with machine learning” to reflect your interests, which can offer up content that’s relevant to you and prime for newsjacking. It’s like having access to endless Google Alerts without having to set them.

Illustrate your posts like a pro.

Strong visuals can make a piece pop, but what if you lack graphic design expertise? Try BeFunky, which turns your titles into works of art.

Meme Generator is another fun tool that enhances your work with original, personalized memes.

For unique images that don’t cost an arm and a leg, explore these:

• Pixabay
• Gratisography
• Unsplash
• Splitshire
• Psychography
• Magdeleine
• Morgue File
• JéShoots
• Kaboompics
• Death to the Stock Photo
• StockVault
• Pexels
• PicJumbo
• DesignerPics
• Haute Chocolate

Another easy way to elevate blog posts is by creating an infographic with Picktochart or Venngage. Infographics are content marketing gold.

Video is another content darling. If you’re a video novice, try Avidemux, the “Instagram of video editing software” for its speed and ease of use.

Manage and scale your social media sharing.

Most PR people know about Hootsuite and other sites that automate sharing, but have you tried Buffer? It enables you to share content across multiple social media networks with one click. Buffer also claims to help users drive more traffic and increase fan engagement. It offers a free trial if you’d like to go for a test drive.

The tools above can help boost content creation and improve your writing, but remember an important caveat as you scale your content creation. Even though, as Oscar Wilde wrote, “Talent borrows. Genius steals,” it’s important to avoid crossing the line between borrowing (with attribution) and taking someone else’s words or work. If you’re unsure, run it by QueText, a handy plagiarism detector.

A version of this post first appeared on the Crenshaw Communications blog.

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3 reasons why you should let us write your content

Ragan Communications and PR Daily have more than four decades of storytelling experience. We’ll help you reach your business goals with new content and distribution on our globe-spanning news sites.

Sponsored content is potent and unique. It will make you:

1. A thought leader.

Show your heels to your competition, show your audience that you’re more than a product or solution. You’re an expert. You’re an educator. You’re a sought-after source for information. Share your thought leadership with a Ragan-written downloadable practical guide, white paper or shareable article.

2. A lead generating machine.

If we build your content, they’ll read it. Communicators need content that makes their job easier. With every download, you’ll capture new qualified leads.

3. A data maven.

We know you never stop learning. Focus your research on communications needs, or learn exactly what your audience looks for with a Ragan survey. We’ll conduct pop-up or in-depth surveys, interviews and focus groups to fine-tune your content strategy to ensure engagement.

Creating powerful new content is critical to business success. We’ll help you meet your goals with our sponsored content. Email your questions to Kristin Farmer, director of sales & strategic partnerships. For a full list of sponsored content opportunities, email or call Kristin at 312-960-4405.

Click here for general sponsorship information.

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Gain free publicity for your nonprofit

 

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Is your work worthy of the title ‘Content Marketing Strategy of the Year’?

Our digital age makes finding just about anything as simple as typing a few words into a search box on your computer.

Finding quality trustworthy content, however, can be more difficult.

Nobody questioned your content, though. In fact, you were the go-to destination for reliable information in your industry.

Whether curated or original, you shared content that achieved remarkable engagement, capitalized on the latest social trends or even attained content immortality with a viral video.

The launch of PR Daily’s 2017 Content Marketing Awards allows us to celebrate the content that was invaluable to your audience and drove outstanding traffic to your product or service.

The Content Marketing Awards honors communicators who helped boost their brand’s reputation as an industry leader. Whether your blog fused interesting topics with informative material, your content-oriented website stood out in an oversaturated market, or you were able to attract the best and brightest talent in your industry with a captivating video or interview, you deserve recognition for your ability to give your audience what it craves and use that to your brand’s advantage.

We’re featuring 18 categories, including:

• Best Article
• Best Content Series
• Best Influencer Content Marketing
• Best Real-Time Content
• Best Viral and Trending Content Marketing
• Best Video
• Grand Prize: Content Marketing Strategy of the Year

We are also introducing the subcategory, “Content marketing for the purpose of …”

• Brand Awareness
• Brand Loyalty
• Customer Engagement
• Talent Recruitment

Enter now to receive the recognition you deserve for your content supremacy.

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Effective marketing strategies for startups

Of all the reasons that startups fail, the lack of a market and poor marketing are consistently among the most prevalent and addressable.

Going to market, communicators for startups can look to the following tactics to raise brand awareness and attract consumers:

1. Search engine optimization

2. Pay-per-click ads

3. Email marketing

4. Video marketing

5. Content marketing

6. Social media marketing

7. Social media ads

8. Affiliate marketing

Offline, channels available to PR and marketing pros remain the same: Radio and TV, print publications and trade shows.

[RELATED: Join us at Microsoft and learn tactics and strategies to conquer all your biggest communications challenges.]

Startup communicators who are able to understand what combination of these will work for their target audiences can help their clients and organizations survive and remain relevant in an increasingly crowded online media landscape.

For more on these tactics and how you should be marketing and positioning your startup or small business, check out the Colour Graphics infographic below:

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Houston Pastor responds to Harvey criticism: ‘We have never closed our doors’

Brand managers and politicians have found themselves the subject of online ire after crises hit, but now a church and its pastor are facing similar backlash.

Lakewood Church, the Houston megachurch that pastor and best-selling author Joel Osteen calls home, responded this week to accusations that it closed its doors to Hurricane Harvey flood victims.

The trouble started when the church, which boasts a capacity of around 16,000, posted this message to its Facebook page:

Even though the church said it was “inaccessible due to severe flooding,” that didn’t stop many from criticizing the organization and its pastor:

Shame on Joel Osteen. Jesus would open the doors and care for the needy. What a disgrace to #houston and #LakewoodChurch!

— Rune (@RuneK_15) August 29, 2017

Joel Osteen has a HUGE church in Houston that would make a great shelter. http://pic.twitter.com/byqHxXrHQn

— Brasilmagic (@Brasilmagic) August 28, 2017

Houston's Joel Osteen has a net worth over $50m and a church that holds 16,800 but this is all he's offering. http://pic.twitter.com/rmhdWK6ZAO

— Mark Elliott (@markmobility) August 28, 2017

Joel Osteen won't open his church that holds 16,000 to hurricane victims because it only provides shelter from taxes. #HoustonStrong

— Alan Spencer (@MrAlanSpencer) August 28, 2017

Joel Osteen's megachurch is designed for the rising tithe, not tide.

— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) August 28, 2017

Osteen has remained active on social media throughout Hurricane Harvey, and his church set up an area on its website to take donations to “help us help Houston”:

Our hearts break as we see the damage and destruction in our city. Please join us in helping Houston recover. Visit https://t.co/jXMX5VB3qS http://pic.twitter.com/00HtzOmeQL

— Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) August 28, 2017

[RELATED: Keep your cool in a crisis with these 13 tips.]

Criticism grew after sports analyst Sean Salisbury went to Lakewood Church and took a video showing no signs of flood damage:

Just offer shelter and a dry place for those who need you and want to know you care. .@JoelOsteen those who can't get here still need you! http://pic.twitter.com/MdHAHWGprR

— Sean Salisbury (@SeanUnfiltered) August 28, 2017

The outcry caused Osteen to issue a public statement:

We have never closed our doors. We will continue to be a distribution center to those in need. We are prepared to house people once shelters reach capacity. Lakewood will be a value to the community in the aftermath of this storm.

Blogger Lynne Gabriel tweeted a news article that reported the church did take on some water:

Seriously quite sickening when people spread negative news without knowing the situation. This is the situation of our church @lakewoodch http://pic.twitter.com/0KKBmu6hW8

— Lynne Gabriel (@heyitslynneg) August 28, 2017

However, Snopes questioned whether those photos were actually taken of Lakewood Church, or whether they were snapped “near” it.

Another man claimed to be in the Lakewood Church garage filmed this video, which has been viewed more than 100,000 times:

Osteen’s explanation and promise to open the doors once shelters “reach capacity”—along with pictures and videos that showed flooding potentially on the church’s premises didn’t do much to quell the criticism:

Dear Christians - @JoelOsteen didn't open his Church in Houston for Evacuees, but 21 Mosques did. How is that feeling?

— Patriotic Moose&Lamb (@GinoKusa) August 29, 2017

trumpers spend A LOT of time demonizing Muslims. I hope they take note of THESE Muslims, while Joel Osteen kept doors closed 2 Christians. https://t.co/QFjYI3TpIt

— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) August 29, 2017

How would you advise Osteen and the church to proceed from here, PR Daily readers?

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Hypothetical: What If…

…this blog went away.

What if I stopped writing entirely?

Would you pay $5 per month to keep the blog going at its current rate of content (3-5 articles per week)? If not, what would have to change in the way of content to make that worthwhile? More frequent content? More deep analysis of the issues facing our industry? More product reviews?

Please leave a comment or email me directly.

The post Hypothetical: What If… appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.

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5 content marketing lessons from “Game of Thrones'” leading ladies

Author’s note: This post contains spoilers for “Game of Thrones” seventh season, including “The Spoils of War.”

“Game of Thrones” embraces powerful leading ladies.

From Little Bird to the Mother of Dragons, each week features stellar performances of complex characters by talented women. In a space that we expect to be dominated by men, these female figures hold their own and can teach us valuable lessons.

The show’s themes of power, revenge, moral ambiguity, politics and identity have intrigued us for hundreds of years—and will capture our hearts for centuries to come. However, its leading ladies can also give you guidance on everything from career moves to the creative spark you didn’t know your marketing campaign was missing.

Below are five crucial content marketing pillars, told by the ladies of “Game of Thrones”:

1. Arya Stark: Define your goals.

via GIPHY

Fiercely self-aware and independent, Arya Stark knows who she is and what she wants.

After establishing her infamous “kill list,” Stark’s path to becoming an effective assassin was all but set in stone. Every decision she made was ultimately informed by this goal. Despite not being in an official leadership role, her work ethic, laser focus and aptitude for learning enable her to do anything she puts her mind to.

Stark exemplifies why it’s important to outline your objectives before diving into creating or disseminating content. If you don’t have an end game in mind, how will you determine what actions to take or know how to measure success?

Think about what your organization wants to achieve. For example, brand awareness might be a top priority for a startup, but a more established e-commerce company might want to grow sales. These two paths will look very different from a content strategy perspective, so identify the destination before starting the journey.

2. Cersei Lannister: Know your landscape.

via GIPHY

In order to survive in King’s Landing and deftly wield the amount of power that she has, Lannister must be acutely aware of her enemies, allies, resources and the hearts of the people she rules.

A complex character operating in a chaotic world, she understands the nuances of control. Lannister’s keen ability to anticipate the moves of everyone in the game around her makes her a formidable opponent—and helps her more easily bounce back from missteps.

You probably don’t want to emulate all of Lannister’s qualities, but match her in the knowledge of your organization, industry and competitors.

To succeed in a particular space, whether it’s crowded or a new category, you have to understand it. Listen to your customers, competitors and peers. What does your target audience look like? Who are the people that influence them?

When you know who your audience is and what kind of actions you want them to take, you’ll know what kind of content will resonate with them. When something doesn’t work, you’ll have a backup plan.

3. Olenna Tyrell: Create memorable content.

via GIPHY

The “famously tart-tongued Queen of Thorns” is a fan favorite for good reason: Diana Rigg steals scenes with her engaging portrayal of the quick-witted, sarcastic and opinionated Tyrell matriarch.

Though several of her plots were foiled and her family was destroyed, she outlived many clever men and kept House Tyrell an influential power for years. Ultimately, Tyrell changes the course of history—and gets the last laugh—by poisoning Joffrey and using her dying breath to out herself as the culprit. It was the moment she dropped the mic.

Some say that Tyrell would be amazing on Twitter. Though most brand managers shy away from a sassy tone (unless it fits with the brand’s voice), an organization’s social media team can still show personality.

If you’re going to invest time in generating quality content, it must be authentic, shareable and memorable. You don’t have to create the next viral video, but you must make a genuine connection with your audience.

From succinct tweets to lengthy case studies, tell a story: Be surprising, strike an emotional chord and end with a punch.

[RELATED: Join us for the Brand Storytelling and Content Marketing Conference at The Coca-Cola Company.]

4. Daenerys Targaryen: Demonstrate leadership and expertise.

via GIPHY

Despite as having as many titles as the Iron Throne has people vying for it, Targaryen is a queen of the people. She effortlessly commands a room with her vision for the world, but she’s not above working with Tyrion Lannister, inviting Jon Snow to Dragonstone or listening to her subjects.

Her genuine desire to improve the lives of those she rules over is what truly makes her remarkable, not her dragons (though Drogon is spectacular).

Like Targaryen’s ascent to Queen, becoming an industry expert takes time.

You can naturally rise in the ranks by authentically engaging with your community and consistently delivering value. Have a personable company blog, presence at trade shows and active social media properties to connect with your peers, competitors and target customers.

The best leaders understand that though they have expertise and influence, their vision and experience can only grow with help from those around them.

5. Sansa Stark: Tweak your strategy.

via GIPHY

It’s arguable that Sansa Stark has shown the most character growth on “Game of Thrones.”

When we were first introduced to Sansa, she was bratty and naïve. Now she is curious, collected and cunning. She navigated her way through life by learning from those around her and changing her actions (and wardrobe) accordingly. Now that she’s been entrusted with Winterfell, she’ll have even more opportunities to test her limits.

When you have expectations of success but things don’t turn out as you imagined, it’s easy to feel defeated. Reset your course and chart a new path.

Part of crafting a successful content campaign is integrating experimentation. Rather than only A/B testing subject lines, test a new promotion strategy or forge a partnership. Taking risks can pay off. Either you’ll see success, or you’ll learn a valuable lesson.

You don’t have to abandon what works well, but you must consistently grow to stay in the game.

Content is here. Whether you’re a PR or marketing veteran or a new player on the scene, you must be prepared to adapt to the coming chapters for the industry—whatever they might be.

Erienne Muldoon is a senior customer content specialist for Virtual Press Office, PR Newswire’s trade show marketing solutions division. A version of this article originally appeared on Cision’s blog.

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5 fictional authors who can inspire writers

Fiction is full of interesting characters.

For writers, often the most interesting characters are other wordsmiths. After all, who but a writer would best understand another writer?

Below are a few of my favorite fictional characters who write—as a vocation or an avocation. They can inspire you with their talent, insights and sense of adventure:

1. Bilbo Baggins from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit”

Baggins—the hero from “The Hobbit” and a character in “The Lord of the Rings”—is a hobbit from The Shire.

Hobbits are known for their love of peace, quiet and home. However, during the events of “The Hobbit,” Bilbo matures from a seeker of peace and comfort to someone who will fight for the greater good. Bilbo has no idea how resourceful he is until he is put to the test.

Bilbo writes of his journey in a book called “There and Back Again,” and he composes several songs and poems.

“All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.”

2. George McFly from “Back to the Future”

Marty McFly’s father in the “Back to the Future” series is timid and awkward and seems incapable of standing up for himself. For all his goofiness and insecurity, George McFly has a vivid imagination and a passion for science fiction.

[RELATED: Rekindle your love of the written word by attending the Great Writing and Editing Virtual Summit.]

He also dreams of being a writer. He succeeds with a bestselling science-fiction novel, “A Match Made in Space.”

“Lorraine. My density has brought me to you.”

3. Dr. John H. Watson from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”

Physician and devoted friend to Sherlock Holmes, Watson accompanies Holmes on his cases and writes about them.

Watson is not only an accomplished biographer, but he is also a loyal and patient associate. He responds to Holmes’ frequent irascibility with quiet fortitude and grace. Watson also displays remarkable candor in describing Holmes’ habits, particularly his use of cocaine.

“ . . . Holmes, who loathed every form of society with his whole Bohemian soul, remained in our lodgings in Baker Street, buried among his old books, and alternating from week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the drug, and the fierce energy of his own keen nature.”

4. Paul Sheldon from Stephen King’s “Misery”

 

You have to admire Paul Sheldon. Not only is he a successful novelist, he’s also able to solve complicated plot and character issues and write under deadline pressure (and extreme duress).

Writers can identify with his struggles to find himself and move from one genre of fiction to another.

“A little talent is a nice thing to have if you want to be a writer, but the only real requirement is the ability to remember the story of every scar.”

5. Cassandra Mortmain from Dodie Smith’s “I Capture the Castle”

17-year-old Cassandra lives in a run-down castle in the English countryside with her outlandish family.

In addition to telling her story, she also perfects her writing skills.

“Perhaps if I make myself write I shall find out what is wrong with me.”

“I am surprised to see how much I have written; with stories even a page can take me hours, but the truth seems to flow out as fast as I can get it down.”

It’s your turn PR Daily readers: Who are your favorite fictional authors—and why do you like them?

A regular contributor to PR Daily, Laura Hale Brockway is a writer and editor from Austin, Texas. Read more of her work at impertinentremarks.

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In an emergency, don’t wing it

A reputation takes years to build—and just minutes to destroy.

In today’s fast-paced media environment, mistakes are amplified and any customer interaction can trigger an online referendum on your brand.

Are you prepared for the social media mob with their digital torches and pitchforks?

Nick Lanyi has advised Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, trade associations and nonprofits. Now he brings his years of experience to help you craft a disaster readiness plan at Ragan’s Crisis Communications Master Class.

• Our daylong workshop features sessions on essential topics including:

• How to ensure top leaders participate in crisis planning

• How to use your spokesperson’s personality to your advantage

• How to prioritize media requests amid journalists’ feeding frenzy

• Concrete actions a communicator can take to repair a damaged reputation

This workshop is a must for media relations and communications professionals of all stripes and backgrounds. The media environment has changed drastically, so make sure the media revolution is working to your advantage with the latest best practices and insider tips.

You can catch this workshop in one of three locations:

• Chicago—Sept. 13
• Baton Rouge, Louisiana—Oct. 26
• Santa Monica, California—Dec. 7

Your reputation took years and careful labor to build; it deserves a strong and thoughtful defense. Join Nick for a day, and be prepared for 10,000 tomorrows.

Register here to save $100

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Snapchat is the next great content marketing tool

 

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5 common grammar pitfalls

Writing has always been a passion of mine—from scribbling pretend news stories when I was a child to penning blog posts and bylines as a communications professional. As in sports or music, practice makes perfect.

But we're all human, so mistakes can certainly occur, especially in this digital age, when it seems our keyboards are moving faster than the news cycles. The race to quickly publish is heated, but before it's distributed, writing needs thorough proofreading. After all, content is currency in public relations, and any grammar flops can disgrace circulated content almost faster than pushing it live.

The Associated Press Stylebook is a right-hand guide for all writers and answers many questions about proper prose. Following are some common writing pitfalls, along with the AP Stylebook's rules to help keep them straight.

[FREE GUIDE: 10 Punctuation Essentials]

1. Compound modifiers. A compound modifier is when two or more words that express a single concept precede a noun. Use a hyphen to link all the words in the compound, except the adverb very and any adverb ending in -ly. The high-performing dashboard displays results instantaneously. The happy-go-lucky boy did what he wanted this afternoon. The first-of-its-kind technology creates easy-to-use solutions.

2. En dashes vs. em dashes. An en dash, which is the length of an n and a little longer than a hyphen, denotes periods of time that might otherwise use to. January-March 2013; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. An em dash, which is the width of an m, replaces commas, semicolons, or colons and represents abrupt changes in thoughts. The teacher—a really good instructor—designed an innovative lesson plan. (Editor's note: The inclusion or omission of spaces before and after the em dash vary according to in-house style rules or personal preference.)

3. Who vs. whom. Who is the pronoun used for references to human beings and animals with names, and it is generally the grammatical subject of sentences, clauses, or phrases. Who is coming to the party? The man who received the tickets was my friend. Whom is used when someone is the object of a verb or preposition. With whom do you wish to speak? The girl to whom the car was given drove it to the store.

4. More than vs. over. More than is preferred with numerals; over is preferred with spatial relationships. He made more than $100 in sales. She jumped over the hole.

5. That vs. which. Use that for essential clauses, important to the meaning of sentences, and without commas. I remember the day that I started working at InkHouse. Use which for non-essential clauses, and with commas. The company, which won previous awards, is developing a niche product.

A version of this article first appeared on InkHouse.net. This article has previously run on Ragan.com.

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Earn the respect of your colleagues in hospital PR

PR managers and hospital staff don’t always see eye to eye—that’s no secret. If you’re just starting a new position, however, earning the respect you deserve can be more difficult. Developing a set of core skills will help you project a strong first impression that will win over the toughest of critics.

Here are ten ways to do that:

1. Be transparent

Don’t keep your goals a secret. Make the workforce aware of what you’re trying to achieve, along with the policies and procedures that will help you reach that end. Communicate your ideas and intentions, and be forthcoming in meetings with administrators.

2. Dress for success

Your physical appearance carries surprising weight in how people perceive you. Studies have shown that people who wear flattering attire are considered to be successful, likeable and easier to respect. The same is true of other aspects of your personal appearance, including dental and physical hygiene as well as well-groomed hair and nails.

3. Practice good time management

It’s difficult to develop relationships with hospital staffers if you’re too busy to associate with them. Good time management is the key to greater respect. It will help you stick to your commitments, meet your deadlines, keep people up to date and still have time to interact with staff and patients.

4. Show accountability

Mistakes happen—on your part and on the part of the staff. It’s your job to smooth things over. Recognize when you’ve made a mistake. Humble yourself and learn from the situation. Work with hospital staffers, not against them. Handle physician mistakes with transparency and compassion. Apologize to the patients and mitigate risk. Remember that you and the health care providers you serve are on the same team.

5. Lead by example

You can’t instruct hospital staff on handling the news media if you hide behind closed doors. Collaborate with staff members, increase communication and create better working relationships. The staff will be pleased with your effort, and appreciation for public relations will increase in the workplace.

[FREE DOWNLOAD: The Power of PR in Health Care: Building Trust, Credibility & Reputation]

6. Stay informed

Subscribe to blogs and journals that will keep you updated on the latest regulations, policy updates, PR practices and your role in all of it. It’s hard to earn respect from the staff if you don’t have helpful knowledge to contribute.

7. Interact with patients

You’ll learn a lot more about hospital staff and patient perceptions if you walk the floor and spend time with patients. You will witness the daily demands placed on your staff. Solicit patient feedback., ask patients about their level of care and observe the staff working with these patients. The information you discover can be crucial to handling complaints and other public relations needs.

8. Offer respect

Never forget the two-way nature of respect. It’s very difficult to earn the respect of someone whom you don’t respect in return. You’ll handle a lot of the negative press surrounding your hospital, so it’s easy to think negatively about staff members. However, don’t forget about their successes. As you develop your understanding and appreciation of the staff, you’ll earn recognition and respect as well.

9. Value cultural differences

Diversity is incredibly common in the medical industry. You may have physicians and patients from all over the world in your hospital. Acknowledge and celebrate the cultural differences among the staff in your communication efforts.

10. Commit to professional development

The staff you work with will be committed to professional development through training, seminars and more. Seek the same level of development for yourself to keep your knowledge up to date. If you recognize a weakness, work to improve it. As you establish your expertise and lead by example, hospital staff will come to respect you despite any conflicts of interest.

Anna Johansson is a freelance writer, researcher and business consultant. Follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Why powerful video is a must for your communications arsenal

The internet is overcrowded with content, but one medium makes people pause and take notice—compelling video.

It captivates audiences, keeps them engaged and inspires action.

A powerful video is the perfect way to tell your brand’s compelling story and attract larger audiences.

It’s essential to a winning content strategy—and it doesn’t have to break the bank.

Learn the latest tools and techniques for shooting engaging video at Ragan’s Vibrant Videos Virtual Summit on Sept. 22—without leaving your desk.

Video experts Drew Keller and Rob Kelton, along with livestreaming expert Ms. Candy Blog, will show you how to:

• Produce compelling videos that tell your brand’s emotional story—even on a small budget

• Shoot stunning video using only your smartphone

• Master livestreaming on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

You’ll also receive a complimentary on-demand recording of the event and all event presentations and handouts.

Your skills and budget don’t have to hold you back from shooting amazing video. Arm yourself with the tools to become a master visual storyteller.

Register here

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New CEO at Uber? Help is on its way

“Look, Ragan Communications,” some of our valued readers might tell us, “it’s not up to you to save foot-in-mouth organizations from their own PR catastrophes.

“Tin-eared chief executives and organizations with snake-bitten PR luck will always be with us,” these pros might insist. “Take Uber, for instance.”

Indisputably. Yet failing to step in would mean that calamitous communications and pinheaded public positioning would triumph. We care too much about the industry to allow that.

This is why, with the hiring of Expedia’s Dara Khosrowshahi Sunday to lead the crisis-plagued ride-hailing service, we’re offering Uber a communications overhaul.

Just as we did with former White House spokesman Anthony Scaramucci, we will provide Khosrowshahi or a staff professional of his choice top-notch PR training before he shoots himself in the foot, reloads and does it again.

Whether through a Ragan conference, Ragan Training membership , PR University webinar or Ragan Consulting Group session (choose one), we can help Uber master a wealth of essential tactics and strategies. We’d be happy to get Khosrowshahi up to speed in a few areas that evaded his predecessor, Uber founder Travis Kalanick:

• Think first. Uber/“boober” jokes just might fall flat. Can’t figure out why? Ask a female employee (and try to keep your gaze above her neck).

• Go figure. Executive visits to karaoke/escort bars might lead to human resources complaints.

• Yes, you’re the CEO, but being caught on camera railing at one of your drivers (“Some people don't like to take responsibility for their own s---”) might not boost your career or engender warm feelings among employees or the public at large.

• The long arm of the law. Investigators frown upon organizations allegedly using their computing power to deceive inspectors.

• Sure, in an ideal world, you wouldn’t pay the saps at all. But in this life, underpaying your drivers could lead to lawsuits costing you tens of millions of dollars.

• Some mentions don’t count. Sexual harassment and discrimination charges generate the wrong kind of news media pickup—especially if your crisis reaches the point where you have to hire a former U.S. attorney general to investigate your own organization.

• Innovators don’t steal ideas. We’re not saying you did, just reporting The Guardian’s suggestion that such allegations from Google owner Alphabet’s self-driving car company Waymo “could be a fatal setback for Uber’s autonomous vehicle ambitions.” (It also doesn’t help to be accused of destroying evidence to cover your tracks.)

• Monikers matter. If you (allegedly) want to spy on a rival, we’ll help you think of a better name for your program than “Hell.” We’re thinking “Dummkopf,” in keeping with the theme of your German corporate name.

We at Ragan Communications are convinced that if Uber joins us in putting a shoulder to the fender, together we can push this PR wreck out of the ditch and get the PR engine puttering again.

Just in the nick of time

There’s not a moment to lose. The Guardian notes that the announcement of Khosrowshahi’s hiring “comes as the ride-hailing service fights allegations of sexism and racism that led to the ousting of its founder, Travis Kalanick.”

As the new chief settles in and takes a few whirls in his swivel chair, our trained experts would be happy to offer education that will keep the board, executives and former friends from mutinying.

After all, Khosrowshahi surely doesn’t want to share the fate of his predecessor. The New York Times reported in June that, “One by one, executives, board members, investors and even [Kalanick’s] close friends slowly fell away as Uber became embroiled in a seemingly ceaseless series of legal and ethical scandals …

“But Uber’s future became murkier this year when the company was pummeled by scandal after scandal, including sexual harassment accusations in the workplace, a Department of Justice criminal investigation into some of its methods, and an intellectual property dispute with a self-driving car rival. While Uber’s business continued to grow, Mr. Kalanick’s management style faced scrutiny and investors mutinied against him.”

The Guardian notes that Khosrowshahi must “reform the company’s workplace culture following accusations of sexual discrimination and harassment, recruit new executives including a chief financial officer and chief operating officer, and deal with numerous legal wrangles.”

Help for the clueless—as well as the clued-in

How better to start than by attending our Employee Communications, PR and Social Media Summit at Microsoft Oct. 4-6? It’s not just for high performers. Clueless organizations such as Uber will also gain from both its internal and external tracks.

Alternatively, our 2017 Leadership and Executive Communications Conference Sept. 18-19 would be an ideal place to brush up on leadership skills, such as not berating drivers and not belting out hits from “Grease” in seedy karaoke joints.

We’ll be holding the Brand Storytelling and Content Marketing Conference Sept. 27-29 at Coca-Cola’s headquarters in Atlanta. Also, might there be a good photo op with Goofy at our Social Media #Mashup at Disneyland Oct. 23-25?

Think about it: Khosrowshahi is probably itching to try out Uber services in another city.

Chat with the driver. Talk up the big pay settlement. Just remember: No boober jokes. You might be on camera.

@byworking

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