NEW PERSPECTIVES

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April 9, 2013
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President’s message: A national coaching experience

https://cprstoronto.com/wp-content/themes/fildisi/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg 150 150 Admin Admin https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3dd7a197309cfb5bfd324292688ca51e?s=96&d=mm&r=g April 9, 2013 April 10, 2013

The 17^th hole is a straightforward Par 3. That is, the hole is on a green right out in front of you, 125 to 175 yards away depending on the tee box you use with nothing but grass in between you and the hole. However, this hole really plays with your head. It’s a hole where the mental part of the game is almost entirely at play.

Bobby Jones, one of the most famous golfers of all time, said “Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch course…the space between your ears.” Arguably the most successful golfer ever, Jack Nicklaus, said, “Golf is 90% mental and 10% physical.” One of Nicklaus’ teachers, Jim Flick, used to take that quote one step further saying “Golf is 90% mental and 10% mental.”

There is a forest on the left of the 17^th hole that drops down into a deep ravine. Not in your way at all, but you can’t help but think about it as you’re teeing off. Then, there are sand traps around most of the green…again, not in your way at all, but you can’t help but think about it. These are trouble spots that you shouldn’t even be able to get into, but we do. And that’s the 17^th hole.

Golf coaches spend a lot of time with professional golfers helping them master the mental part of the game. Many of the golfers who play at the highest levels have separate mental coaches and swing (physical) coaches.

From time to time, all professionals need help to sharpen their skills and help them perform their duties to optimum levels, no matter how successful they are. And, PR professionals are no different. In our own ways, we play our game at the highest levels. We need to keep our skills honed, our attitudes positive, and our behaviours and actions in line with what is expected of our profession today.

The annual CPRS national conference is like a mega coaching session. This year, the theme is “Change the Conversation” and it takes place in the national capital region which, relatively speaking, is quite close to the GTA, certainly drivable for those who choose to travel that way.

I have had the good fortune of attending some of the recent conferences and I always get a great deal out of them. Victoria in 2012, Saint John in 2011, Regina in 2010…these were all great conferences, yet they were far enough away and therefore perhaps not easy to attend by everyone. The 2013 conference being in Ottawa provides an opportunity to get some high level coaching and enhance your skills as a PR professional, provide great networking opportunities, and get motivated and even rejuvenated in a meaningful way.

EARLY BIRD DEADLINE THIS FRIDAY

It’s timely that we arrived at the 17^th hole at this time because the deadline for early bird registration is this Friday, April 12. Members can save $200 off the regular conference rate, and there’s a special rate for those who choose to renew their memberships when they register for the conference too. And there’s a Kobo Glo eReader to be had for one lucky registrant. It could be you! Registration information is available online.

If you can, have a look at the website and check out the program, featuring keynote speakers Evan Soloman, Terry Fallis, Ira Basin and Alexandra Samuel. I trust you’ll find a few events in the program that will help you in your work as a PR professional.

I encourage any Toronto Society members, who are able, to take advantage of this early-bird rate and join me and other local Society members in Ottawa-Gatineau for an educational and networking experience that will be a memorable one. Let’s make the Toronto contingent a presence to be noticed! How much better we’ll all be with all those coaching opportunities.

Better enough to tackle that 17^th hole without getting mentally distracted, that’s for sure!

Vincent Power, APR

P.S. Remember April is ACE Award month for CPRS Toronto. This year’s ACE Awards gala takes place on Wednesday, April 24^th. This is always an exciting evening for all participants and this year’s event at Arcadian Court promises to be the same. See you there!!

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April 9, 2013
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Quick! Time is running out to get your CPRS Toronto 2013 ACE Awards Tickets!

By: Barbara Loureiro

It’s that time of year again – the CPRS Toronto Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards are fast approaching!

On April 24^th join Toronto’s top PR practitioners to celebrate the best of public relations and communications. Held at the Arcadian Court, the ACE awards will commence at 5:15 p.m. with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and the award ceremony at 6 p.m. Hosted by Sean O’Shea, award-winning investigative and consumer reporter on GlobalTV Toronto, the 2013 ACE Awards is guaranteed to be a great time.

ACE has always been the hottest ticket in the Toronto PR industry, so don’t miss out. Tickets sell out every year, make sure you get yours now!

Ticket costs:

Member: $130
Table of 10: $1,250
Non-member: $165
Student member: $70
Student non-member: $85

For more information, and to buy your ticket, visit the CPRS Toronto website.

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March 27, 2013
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Inside the ACE Awards Gala – Thoughts from a veteran attendee

By: Miranda Germani

Are you considering attending the hottest PR event in town but aren’t quite sure what to expect? Blair Peberdy, vice-president, marketing, communications and public affairs, Toronto Hydro-Electric System, has attended every ACE Awards Gala for the past decade. Blair gives us the inside scoop on what it’s like to join more than 300 of Toronto’s PR practitioners and students to celebrate the best in PR, network with colleagues, and enjoy a delicious meal.

For those who haven’t attended an ACE Awards gala before, this repeat guest and award-winner describes the event as “one of the few opportunities for Toronto’s PR and communications professionals to get together to celebrate excellence in our business. There’s always a fantastic buzz in the room and the quality of the awards submissions is very impressive.”

Blair thinks it’s important for communications professionals to attend the ACE Awards gala, regardless of whether they’re winning an award.

“Attendees have the opportunity to network with some of the best communicators in the country from the agency, corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors at an event that is fun and well attended by senior, intermediate and entry-level practitioners,” said Blair. “The atmosphere is friendly and it’s the best event in Canada featuring top creative and strategic communications programs, executed exceptionally well.”

The ACE Awards gala is a great way to celebrate with colleagues and friends, and everyone can learn something to use in their professional career. As Blair explains, “Great campaigns are always featured and well-presented in a fast-paced format. I usually come away with one or two great ideas. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to quietly gauge how your own communications programs stack-up against some of the top PR professionals in Canada — and it’s usually a pleasant surprise!”

Blair concluded explaining why he has been a loyal attendee. “I like to attend because I enjoy the networking, but most importantly I find the quality of the awards submissions and the excitement at the event to be inspiring.”

The ACE Awards gala is fast-approaching. This year’s ACE Awards is being held on Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at the Arcadian Court, hosted by Global Toronto’s Sean O’Shea.

Eager to get your hands on the hottest PR ticket in town? More information is available on the ACE Awards page. But don’t delay – this event always sells out!

Tweeting about the ACE Awards? Follow @CPRSToronto and use the hashtag #CPRSACE

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March 25, 2013
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From speech bubbles to public speaking: Giving students VOICES

VOICES 2013 Speech Competition is organized completely by students and for students, to create a platform for the new generation of college students.

“Peace & love,” Monika Przestrzelska and Michal Kocia. This lovely couple is originally from Poland and they are here on an international exchange program.

Taking place on March 28, 2013 at The Great Hall on Queen St. West, the event is to express students’ concerns and hopes for the future, as well as an opportunity for them to get public speaking experience in a public setting.

Jeff Douglas, co-host of As it Happens on CBC Radio One; Bruce Hunt, the founder of Toronto Speakers Academy and president of the acclaimed Downtown Toronto Toastmasters Club; Nancy Milton, a certified co-active coach accredited by the International Coaches Federation; and president and CEO of The Lavin Agency, David Lavin make up the judges for the competition.

Literally taking the initiative to the streets to create awareness, for the past month the event’s organizers have been out around Toronto asking people to fill out a mobile speech bubble describing their hopes for the future.

These individuals could share a photo of their personalized speech bubble on the VOICES Twitter and Facebook pages. Check out all the photos we’ve taken so far.

From “Middle East Peace,” to an “All Vegan World,” to more “Group Outings,” to “Mental Health Prevention,” to “Save the Bees,” the VOICES team heard a bit of everything, and got to speak with some of the most interesting individuals along the way.

The competition will include 12 competitors from Seneca, Centennial and George Brown College.

Competitors will be preparing speeches that discuss their thoughts, ideas and emotions towards the future that awaits them.

“No more violence #saferTO,” Marco Ricciardi. @TPS_Marco is a Toronto police constable and hopes to see no more violence in Toronto.

Overall, the competition has given the managers (like me) experience securing sponsorship, judges, media coverage, and learned how to create an interactive website and buzz-worthy social media campaign.

Please help support VOICES by liking our Facebook, Twitter and checking out our website and blog.

And join us this Thursday, March 28!

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March 11, 2013
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Storify: Building Media Relationships

Missed our March 11, 2013 event? Here are some highlights from the panel discussion:

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March 11, 2013
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Social to-do: Top 5 moves for 2013

By Julie Geller
@JulieGeller
VP Marketing
Cision Canada

Before we get too deep into 2013, here’s an all-important top 5 to-do list that will invigorate your plans for the year ahead.

Review your metrics: Accurate research is everything. Review your key performance indicators annually, and confirm that your research and reporting are in line with the organization’s stated goals. If your reports aren’t illuminating useful trends, make adjustments that fit your strategy. Also, examine the forms and data-collection criteria you use to ensure you aren’t missing a chance for gathering new information from clients. Consider creating visually driven reports that will engage your team in meetings and give senior management at-a-glance analytics.
Refresh your homepage and blog: This no-brainer easily falls off everyone’s list. It’s great if your site has been recently re-designed, but you have to keep it fresh for visitors. Stale homepages discourage regular traffic from exploring your content on a deeper level. Fresh visuals, automated slideshow functionality and “related content” widgets are among the ways you can engage people in your organization’s latest news. If you can meet the demands of delivering content on a regular basis, a weekly blog is a great hook for pulling in traffic.
Think mobile, act local: Pay attention to your mobile stats. Remember the 2010 Morgan Stanley report that predicted mobile’s dominance over the desktop by 2015? Well, we’re getting close, and you need to be sure that your content and its delivery are optimized for this exploding audience. If your mobile stats are low, find out why you are lagging and fix it. Maybe it’s time for an app, which provides instant access to your message and is the go-to solution for reaching audiences on the move.
Embrace marketing’s convergence with social: Communications today depends on social media. As social matures, we’re seeing that it’s more than a Web 2.0 technological novelty. We all still need media releases, press conferences and media contacts, but it’s also time to build serious strategy around social tools. Social is more than a delivery system — it’s a marketing platform with unlimited potential for engaging audiences. Take the time to develop creative solutions for sharing your PR message and implementing your marketing plan. Set aside budget to hire dedicated social personnel for your team. Use social media to build value with your audience.
Understand new technologies: Four years ago, we were all scratching our heads about Facebook’s value to business. Now there’s LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, Vine and more. Many of them are indispensible PR tools. You may not find a need for every social platform today, but it is absolutely necessary that you know how the channels work. Marketing strategies morph with time, and you never know what social tool will be useful to your campaign in the future.

Originally posted in the Cision Canada Insights for Influencers blog. Also join CPRS Toronto sponsor @Cision_Canada at the Social Media Ref.

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March 6, 2013
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Open doors with a CPRS Toronto Leadership Award

By Miranda Germani

A Beatles’ top award was accidentally used as a doorstop for 30 years* (intrigued? See footnote below), but in a not-so-literal sense, awards can truly open many doors to a young PR professional.

Matt Juniper, winner of the CPRS Toronto Young Public Relations Professional of the Year Award in 2012, realized the impact of the recognition almost immediately.

“Receiving my ACE Award was an extremely rewarding experience,” Matt said. “To be honoured for my work in front of some of the most successful public relations practitioners in Toronto was a memorable and rewarding experience.”

In just a year, the award has made a difference to Matt’s career.

“The award has been not only an excellent addition to my resume, it’s given me stronger name recognition in the Toronto public relations industry. I’ve been invited to multiple conferences as a panelist, I’m frequently asked to contribute as a guest writer on public relations blogs and my colleagues in the industry have greater awareness of who I am. In an industry where networking is so crucial, this added name recognition has been invaluable.”

Matt encourages all PR professionals to consider nominating a young PR professional that they know for this award. “Not only will the award open doors for that individual, nominators will be helping pay tribute to younger professionals in the field. In an industry that moves and changes so quickly, young public relations professionals are a valuable asset and I believe it is important to recognize them.”

Tempted to apply and not sure what to include?

Matt thinks a diverse submission made him stand out, giving these tips:

A successful award submission shows balance between work and other experience, like volunteering
Highlight many areas of experience – Matt has been involved in corporate, political and not-for-profit communications campaigns through his volunteer work
Staying informed and involved in industry trends like social media, and other emerging communications trends

But that’s just Matt’s experience – the judges are looking for you to put your personal stamp on your submission.

The CPRS Toronto Leadership Awards recognizes individuals who have achieved excellence in their careers or made significant contributions to the field of public relations. In addition to the CPRS Toronto Young Public Relations Professional of the Year Award, there are also award categories for Public Relations Student of the Year Leadership Award, Public Relations Professional of the Year, Mentor of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.

More information is available on the CPRS Toronto Leadership Awards page.

The nominations deadline has been EXTENDED to Thursday, March 7, 2013. This is your last chance to nominate yourself or someone else.

The Leadership Awards will be presented at the ACE Awards Gala on Wednesday, April 24, 2013.

* The Beatles’ top gong, a prestigious Ivor Novello award, was given to them after Yellow Submarine sold 1.2 million copies. A woman found it in a derelict London office building in the early 1980s, took it home, and used it to prop open a door for three decades. The now-elderly woman apparently didn’t realize what she had found for 30 years, but found out and sold the award last year at auction.

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March 5, 2013
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Storify: @CPRSNational & CCPRF #PRBootcamp

Did you miss the CPRS National and the Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms’ Bootcamp on March 1?

Checkout some of the highlights in this Storify put together by our friends at Cision Canada (@Cision_Canada).

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February 28, 2013
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LEADERSHIP AWARD NOMINATIONS DEADLINE EXTENDED!

What better way to set yourself apart at this year’s ACE Awards Gala than by winning an award?

The Leadership Awards nominations window has been extended for ONE more week! This is your chance to nominate yourself, or a deserving peer or colleague for one of these prestigious awards. Please submit your nominations to ace@cprstoronto.com by March 7, 2013.

Entry is free of charge. Winners will be announced and recognized at the ACE Awards Gala on April 24, 2013. Winning an award at the ACE Gala provides valuable recognition in front of a room of PR professionals, industry mavens and communications experts – better than a business card!

Categories include:

CPRS Toronto Public Relations Student of the Year – Recognizing a CPRS Toronto full or part-time student graduating this year who has a solid academic record and has demonstrated interest in professional development. Click here to read about what last year’s Student of the Year is doing now.

CPRS Toronto Young Public Relations Professional of the Year (Under 30 years of age) – Recognizing a public relations professional (under 30 years on March 23, 2013) who has been in the industry for less than three years (i.e., since March 23, 2010) who has made significant achievements in his or her career.

CPRS Toronto Public Relations Professional of the Year – Recognizing outstanding personal achievement within the public relations industry over their career, with particular focus on their successes over the past year (2012-2013).

CPRS Toronto Mentor of the Year Award – Recognizing a volunteer who has served as a mentor to public relations professionals or students in the year of 2012/2013.

CPRS Toronto Volunteer of the Year Award – Recognizing a volunteer within CPRS Toronto during the previous year (2012/2013) year.

Click here for more information about each category, and submission requirements.

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February 16, 2013
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Stand out (!) with a CPRS Toronto Public Relations Student of the Year Leadership Award

By Miranda Germani

It can be tough for students and new grads to stand out from the crowd when looking for that perfect first job. Everyone’s education and work experience tend to be similar, so winning an award can really make you shine.

One person who did just that is Robin Smith, winner of the CPRS Toronto Public Relations Student of the Year Leadership Award at the ACE Awards gala in 2012. Here’s how he used this opportunity to land a role with one of the top agencies in Canada.

“Winning the Student of the Year Leadership Award was a major stepping stone for me. I used my acceptance speech as a ‘pitch’ and advertised myself to the people most likely to make new hires. Before leaving the stage I had received my first business card, and by the end of the night I had met some very important people,” Robin says. This strategy worked, and as Robin went on to explain, “By following up on the contacts I made at the ACE Awards Gala I was able to secure a full-time position with one of the best agencies in Canada, starting my first job after graduating from Seneca College.”

Robin encourages anyone to apply, saying “I think a self-nomination is a great career building move. I knew going into the nomination that it would be a long shot, but the satisfaction and confidence that being recognized brought was a huge reward. If you’re not nominating yourself and you’re giving your colleague the nod, it is a big show of respect for that person. Taking the time to highlight the talents of one of your colleagues is a great way to show that they are appreciated and valued.”

Robin thinks his application stood out to the judges due to a shining reference, with solid volunteer experience sealing the deal.

“Receiving an ACE Award was amazing, totally fantastic. When I got the message from the President of CPRS Toronto it caught me so off guard that I just started laughing. Toronto is one of the most important cities for Canadian PR practitioners, with a large and active community, and being recognized by the group was a huge honour, especially considering how many PR students there are in post-grad programs across the city.”

If you think you or someone else should be recognized, now is your chance to nominate yourself or a deserving peer for the CPRS Toronto Public Relations Student of the Year Leadership Award. And there are no barriers to throwing your hat into the ring – entry is free!

In addition to the CPRS Toronto Public Relations Student of the Year Leadership Award there are also Award categories for Young Public Relations Professional of the Year, Public Relations Professional of the Year, Mentor of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.

More information is available on the CPRS Toronto Leadership Awards page. But hurry, the deadline is soon! Nominations must be submitted by February 24, 2013.

The Leadership Awards will be presented at the ACE Awards Gala on Wednesday, April 24, 2013.