Recruitment, Involvement & Engagement is the Name of the Game!

By Kelly Smith
PROFIT Communications Marketing Communications


WOW, has the college search and recruitment process changed since I earned my degree from PSU!  My first born just closed up her junior year and happily declared herself a High School Senior. I don’t know whether to rejoice or cry—the latter for the price tag of her future college education. 

12 – 24 Points of Contact Over Two Years

We began visiting colleges and attending “Junior Days” this past spring.  Quite impressive with ultra-intelligent student panels, colorful climbing walls, talented tour guides who can walk backwards, talk and chew gum at the same time.  Colleges are in the business to recruit the best students and do so by embarking on creative marketing campaigns like any other business.  Traditional marketing methods are still used but now many rely on the power of social media channels, which helps target those students best suited for their campuses. One study cites a college that averages 12 to 24 points of contact over the course of two years to build meaningful relationships with prospective students.  When considering PSU, I had zero contacts and a brief visit to campus with my Dad. Today, recruitment—involvement—engagement is the name of the game.

Social Media is the Ticket

Students require a quick and painless mechanism to create a list of ideal colleges.  Using various online college search sites (e.g., https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/, www.zinch.com, www.cappex.com) is so much more efficient than perusing the four-inch thick “Big Book of Colleges” from my generation. Today’s student spends 10 minutes completing a profile, and voilà, ideal choices at your fingertips.  This means my daughter has limitless information from many perspectives: admissions, professors, athletic coaches and current students. Social media is helping her build relationships and become a more informed consumer before making one of the biggest decisions of her life.

Bottom Line

As a parent, and marketing professional, I feel that my daughter is more likely to make the right choice and ultimately graduate from the school she selects.  Funny thing how “art imitates life”.  Regardless of the communication venues, college planning and recruitment is a proactive and planned process…the better the plan the better the outcome!

Celebrate National Small Business Week

By Sarah Cocchimiglio
PROFIT Communications PR Assistant-Writer/Editor



It's National Small Business Week!

This week, May 20-26, we celebrate the 27 million mom-and-pop operations (and others with up to 500 employees, which the federal government classifies as small businesses) across the U.S. National Small Business Week aims to empower small businesses by recognizing their importance and economic impact on the local and national levels.

On Monday, the White House issued a National Small Business Week proclamation celebrating the achievements of American small businesses, calling them the "backbone of our economy."

“As we observe National Small Business Week, I want to take this opportunity to commend my fellow small business owner colleagues and friends who chose the ‘road less traveled,’ and took the risk to go out on their own with a dream to ‘make a difference!'  It’s one of the most difficult, yet gratifying things an enterprising individual(s) can do.  Most, if not all of the entrepreneurs that we know and work with more than define the popular phrase, 'when the going gets tough, the tough get going!'  Let’s take a moment to celebrate our victories this past year, albeit small, medium or large, while knowing that we matter, we count and we are making a difference in turning this economy around!”
     Debbie Israel, APR, PROFIT Communications
     President / PR & Marketing Consultant

The lynchpin of National Small Business Week is a three-day conference, held in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Small Business Association. At the networking and educational event, the top entrepreneurs are recognized and celebrated, nominated by their peers and customers. The SBA began soliciting nominations for 2012's best small businesses back in October.

We encourage you to nominate your favorite small business for recognition in 2013, check the SBA website this fall. In the meantime, please continue patronizing your local mom-and-pop shops and organizations. Together we can keep our economy fueled up.

My Litmus Test for Life and Business is Based on a Powerful Four-Way Test

Jody Richwagen
Email Marketing Communications & Web Site Services

It seems as if I was genetically pre-disposed to become a Rotarian once women were approved to become members last century, actually 1987 to be exact.    When I became a charter member of the Rotary Club of Blue Bell in 1989, it marked the 4th generation of my family in Rotary, as my great-grandfather, both grandfathers and my father were all Rotarians. 
 

One of the first things a Rotarian learns and quickly adopts is the Four-Way Test.   I regularly find myself asking these questions in both my personal and professional experiences:

THE FOUR - WAY TEST Of the things we think, say or do Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOOD WILL and BETTER Friendships? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

The Four-Way Test is Still Relevant
Easy to say that this test developed nearly a century ago by Rotarian, Herbert Taylor, is out of step with today’s society and challenging business environment, although I believe these questions are now more relevant than ever.   If everyone asked themselves these four, important questions instead of “what’s in it for me,” perhaps the world would be in a better place, and global politics would look a lot different and by now, the economy would be in recovery mode versus stagnant? 

Just for fun, and as an example, I applied Rotary’s Four-Way-Test to one of my recent car repair episodes.  I was having some problems with my ignition so I took my car to a local small business mechanic who diagnosed a rather expensive repair.   However, before reaching that conclusion he spent a great deal of time eliminating the less-costly fixes and gave me his rationale.  As much as I would have preferred a different answer, he gave me the TRUTH.   He was FAIR because he identified other solutions and in the end gave me a reasonable estimate which he stood behind.   It was BENEFICIAL to me to have a reliable vehicle moving forward and of course, he was fairly compensated.  Most important, he succeeded in creating GOOD WILL for himself and his business by providing me with excellent customer care and service.

Engage, Develop, Repeat
We talk about “engaging customers, developing loyalty and building repeat business,” as the fundamental objectives of most marketing communication programs, most especially those involving Internet marketing / social media.   I encourage you to incorporate the four-way test into your personal and professional relationships and responsibilities, and see what kind of goals you can set and meet, not to mention the kind of results you can achieve!  We invite you to respond to this post by sharing one of your four-way test experiences with us.

Jody Richwagen served as a member of the Blue Bell Rotary Club’s Charter Board of Directors and in various club positions, including Club President in 1993 – ’94, and later served as an Assistant Governor in District 7430.  Scheduling conflicts have prevented her from maintaining her membership and attending regular weekly meetings, but she continues to exemplify the infamous Rotary motto, “Service above… self ~ he profits most who serves best!”

For Clear and Concise Communications – Avoid Circumlocution

By Laura Hale Brockway, April 9, 2012

Circumlocution is the use of many words when one or two will do. It’s a scourge of corporate writing. Circumlocution is so prevalent in today’s corporate writing that we may not even notice it.

In case you’re unfamiliar, circumlocution is the use of many words when one will do. For example, writing “at this point in time” when “now” will work.

As PR Daily publisher Mark Ragan often points out at his seminars, readers have “an incredibly shrinking attention span.” As writers and editors, we need to communicate as clearly and concisely as possible. One way we can do this—avoid circumlocution.

Here are some examples:

Instead of

Try

afford an opportunity	allow, let
as a means of	to
at this point in time	now
due to the fact that	because
during the period	during
has a requirement for	needs
in a timely manner	quickly, promptly
in accordance with	by, following, per, under
in advance of	before
in regard to	about, concerning, on
in the amount of	for
in the event that	if
in the near future	shortly, soon
no later than June 1	by June 1
pertaining to	about
provides guidance for	guides
under the provisions of	under
until such time as	until
with reference to	about
with the exception of	except

Readers, give this a try and any examples of circumlocutory writing that you would like to share?

Credit: PROFIT Communications loved this and couldn’t resist borrowing this ‘spot-on’ feature by Laura Hale Brockway, an Austin-based writer and editor that recently appeared in the LinkedIn Today E-Newsletter. She is also the author of the blog impertinentremarks.com.

Let PROFIT know if you need any help replacing phrases and awkward writing with just one word, as we’re just a phone call, 484-681-9516 or an email, disrael@profitcommunications.com away!

Social Media's Winners and Losers of 2011

By Sarah Cocchimiglio
PROFIT Communications PR Assistant-Writer/Editor

Social media is here to stay. And if you're one of the millions using social networking tools, you probably know why: They keep us more connected and informed than ever before.

As established social media giants continue to evolve, and new sites throw elbows in an effort to break into the market, 2011 saw some rising to the top, and others falling short of expectations.

According to BulldogReporter.com, the social network that came out on top last year was Twitter. Since 2010, Twitter users have doubled, due in part to Twitter's role in disseminating quick updates to world events, like the earthquake in Japan and the British royal wedding. Innovations include a new, simpler design, with which Twitter hopes to lure those not yet Twittering.

Facebook's 800 million users can't be wrong. Even with some "revolutionary" updates in 2011, it's experiencing a small decline in U.S. users, despite amazing gains in Latin American countries. Can Facebook stop the bleeding domestically, and keep the international momentum going?

Google+ has enchanted its nearly 44 million users since mid-2011 launch, showing promise with its new take on social searching. To prove itself, though, experts say Google+ has to keep the new-users numbers climbing at a feverish pace.

On the other hand, 2011 saw disappointing performances from Quora, the self-proclaimed easiest place online to write and share content on the Internet, and Diaspora, the open source social network project. Experts had high hopes for Quora at the beginning of 2011, but the network seems to have fizzled out, while Diaspora just seems to have entirely missed its launch date.

Start-up social media sites could learn a thing or two from their successful forefathers: There is no substitute for simplicity, and the site that comes out on top has to constantly evolve and implement innovations based on technology and users' needs.

Need some help getting your business-specific social media presence launched? Give PROFIT Communications a call @ 484.681.9516 or shoot us an email at disrael@profitcommunications or sarah.cocchimiglio@gmail.com.

Source: 2011's Social Media Winners and Losers, by Sylvia Moschini; Bulldog Reporters Daily 'Dog, Jan. 25, 2012.

Presenting Our JASPER

Proudly showing off our Silver JASPER award from Jersey Shore Public Relations and Advertising Association, for our video documentary, produced for The Pines at Whiting Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC)! Above, from left, video documentary producers Steve Lubetkin, president of Lubetkin Global Communications; Debbie Israel, president of PROFIT Communications; Charity Roszel, Pines at Whiting resident and one of the stars of the documentary; Bill Janson, president and CEO of The Pines at Whiting; Mary Jane Ousley, Pines at Whiting resident and another documentary star; and Paulette Kaufman, marketing, of Whiting, N.J.

PROFIT Takes the Silver JASPER Award for Documentary

By Debbie Israel, APR

President, PROFIT Communications

We're extremely proud to announce that PROFIT Communications has been awarded a JASPER Award, along with collaborator Lubetkin Global Communications of Cherry Hill, N.J., for video production! We snagged the Silver JASPER Award in the Television/Video Documentary category (10-30 minutes).

We were recognized by the Jersey Shore Shore Public Relations and Advertising Association (JSPRAA) for a documentary we produced for The Pines at Whiting, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Manchester Township, N.J.

We worked alongside Lubetkin Communications to produce the 11-minute film, to interview residents at the retirement community, who explained, in their own words, why those considering a CCRC should make the move while they can enjoy activities and amenities there, rather than waiting until a health crisis forces an emergency decision.

"This video allows [prospective residents] to focus on the authentic concerns and possible vulnerabilities that come with aging," said Bill Janson, Pines at Whiting president. "The life situations our residents shared are a gift to future residents in how to plan well for the future."

This marks the fifth time in the last 10 years that PROFIT has been recognized by our peers in the industry from professional communications organizations.

Watch our award-winning video documentary here.

Website Power & Presence - a Must for Business Survival

By Debbie Israel, APR
President, PROFIT Communications

Nowadays, after your business name, logo and marketing plan, a website is your most important marketing tool.

When businesses ask us how to prioritize time and budget dollars for marketing communication purposes, we almost always say, “Get your website in order first.”

Visualize the hub of a wheel, with the spokes connecting to this centerpiece. The website is your hub, and everything else should be designed to complement and drive traffic there.

Even if you already have a website, implement the following points of to get the most positive return on your Internet real estate investment.

• Keep the content updated and fresh - as in update at least monthly
• Make sure your content is relevant and authentic
• Add interactive material, such as audio and video podcasts
• Identify keywords and phrases for your business, and insert or embed them into all site content, including photo captions and images
• Drive traffic directly to your website via brochures, media presence, business cards and advertisements
• Generate “viral” exposure by using social media, like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and my personal favorite: blogs
• Effective websites are:
  √ Professional
  √ Consistent
  √ Simple
  

• Keep the structure organized and simple – users should be able to get anywhere on your site within two or three clicks
• Find ways to engage your readers faster, and encourage them stay longer each time they visit your site
• Keep important content and links “above the fold.” In other words, eliminate long chunks of content that involve a lot of page scrolling
• Website readers don’t typically read, they scan, so strategically focus users’ attention. For example, the eye naturally travels from the top left down to the middle of the page.
• Always use high-quality images
• Don’t direct users away from your site by linking to other websites

Review, renew and refresh when it comes to website development and maintenance. If you need help creating or polishing your site, call the PROFIT Team!

Words of the Year

By Sarah Cocchimiglio
PROFIT Communications PR Assistant-Writer/Editor

Words.
We couldn’t live without them. As public relations professionals, we couldn’t do our jobs without them. In fact, there aren’t many jobs where words aren’t exchanged, be it in a meeting, an e-mail, a report.

Did you know that one word was chosen to represent the year 2010 in the history books? The American Dialect Association decided last month that the Word of the Year should be “app.” As in, “There’s an app for that.”

“App” had some steep competition. According the Philadelphia Inquirer, the folks at Merriam-Webster thought it should be “austerity,” the quality or state of being austere, or enforced or extreme economy, which was searched more than 250,000 times last year.

Facebook’s word of the year wasn’t even a word. “HMU”, a tech-speak acronym for “hit me up,” or “I’m available, call/text/e-mail/Skype me.”

How will the wordsmiths sum up this year? Although there is still much of 2011 to go, chances are good it will have something to do with either the economy or the environment, with politics or social networks, with pop culture or international conflict.

Maybe Sarah Palin, who coined the portmanteau “refudiate” (refute + repudiate) will put forth another brilliant word mashup, like cross-hairdresser or politickle. (She’s making fun, don’tcha know.)

With Academy Award-nominated flicks, like True Grit, The Fighter, The Kids Are All Right and The King’s Speech, perhaps the word will be more like “authentic?” Or in the true fanatical spirit of Philadelphia, let’s hope the word of the year will be “champions,” because one of our sports teams makes it to the Promised Land. (Go Phils - pitchers and catchers report this week!)

Does Apple have another iSomethingOrOther in the works? “App”arently, the tech giant has a major sphere of influence as far as gadgets go, noting the unparalleled success of its iPod, iPhone and iPad products.

Or will the brewing situation in Egypt and the Middle East stay on the front page long enough for “revolution” to be a word-of-the-year candidate?

Do you think the word for 2010 was “app”ropriate? We know it’s early, but what terms do you think will be in the running for Word of the Year 2011? Share your thoughts and be sure to check back next January to see if you were close!

*The Council of PR Firms 4th Quarter Member Survey Results Reveal – Let the Good Times Roll

Excerpts from the Council of PR Firms 1/19/2011 Blog

Well, the fourth quarter survey results are in, and they’re even better than what was reported about the rebound in business and growing optimism in the future when compared to the Council of PR Firm’s 3rd third quarter survey! And the survey says…

Fifty-five firms responded to the survey (49.1% of them had revenues between $3 million and $10 million, and 27.3% had revenues between $10 million and $50 million). More than 80 percent of firms reported that their final 2010 revenues had exceeded 2009 numbers. That was even higher than the roughly 70 percent in the October survey who had expected a year-over-year increase. And the picture gets rosier. Two thirds (67%) of firms reported double-digit revenue growth in 2010. Six in ten firms (58.2%) expected PR budgets to be higher in 2011, and only two percent expected them to decline in size.

The Council’s Chair, Weber Shandwick’s President Andy Polansky, weighed in on the results:

“We’re enthusiastic about the market dynamics right now. Our industry continues to transform itself to better partner and engage with clients across the full spectrum of marketing and corporate communications services, and we are seeing more and more that PR is leading the charge for these efforts. This is particularly true in the digital and social media space. The survey results reflect renewed optimism and the opportunity for continued growth.”

New business pipelines seem to be opening wider. A full 56.4 percent of firms reported that new business prospects were stronger than a year ago, with the vast majority firms (76.4%) citing social media as one of the strongest expected growth areas. Other areas where firms were expecting the most new business growth included consumer marketing (listed by 58.2% of firms), issues and crisis management (30.9%), and corporate communication (27.3%).

Why is the PR industry doing so well in the marketplace? Clearly we’re able to deliver the kinds of solutions that clients want. But we’re also doing more to quantify this value; over half of respondents reported that they had enhanced measurement of return on their clients’ PR dollars during the past year. Nowadays, this is an important discussion to be able to have with all clients.

Overall, we have every reason to feel energized and optimistic as we kick off a new year. Public relations is a dynamic, growing industry that is fueling job growth!

*The Council of PR Firms is the trade association that represents the interests of public relations firms operating in the U.S.

Blogging to Build a Reputation Online

By Debbie Israel, APR
President, PROFIT Communications

Have you ever looked into a mirror, which was reflecting another mirror, and the image just seems to repeat infinitely?

The reflection is hardly infinite in this case; still, this is a blog post about blog posts.

WSI, the world leader in Internet marketing, web development and web design, recently presented a webinar, “Blogging to Build a Reputation Online,” with Eric Cook, a certified Internet business consultant specializing in web development, search optimization, online advertising and proper utilization of social technology.

Cook said that in addition to the personal connection, having a blog gives your customers and potential customers a chance to KLT (know/like/trust) you. In business, he said, if your first and foremost focus is on getting people to know and like you, the trust factor will come naturally.

According to Cook, there are 19 steps to creating a successful blog to ensure that it will be seen by the right people and bring positive results.

1. Identify your target market – Do you most want to engage small business owners, CEOs or stay-at-home-moms?
2. State the purpose of your blog – Will it be to build the reputation of your organization, promote your business or position yourself as a credible expert?
3. Involve your staff – The more voices you have on your blog, the more variety you can offer your readers. In addition, your staff members may have additional areas of expertise.
4. Establish a schedule – Key products and services may be appropriate to highlight at specific times of year. One obvious example is in the retail industry during the winter holidays. Another might be mulching or planting services in the early spring. The schedule should complement existing marketing and advertising campaigns.
5. Content selection – In addition to identifying what you will talk about, it’s important to also determine what you won’t talk about. Avoid topics that might unintentionally alienate potential customers.
6. Compliance issues – Although this may not apply in all types of business you’re your industry does require compliance, identifying this early on can keep you out of hot water later.
7. Reader comments and feedback – Moderate your blog frequently to approve or deny comments. This does two things: It ensures all comments are reviewed, and allows you to respond to comments on a timely basis. It also helps you to avoid spam, profanity and insulting comments on your blog. Keep in mind that negative feedback is okay. By addressing these sorts of comments openly, your readers will see you as being open-minded. Blogs are intended to be conversational. Use your blog to promote feedback, positive and negative, and engage readers.
8. Technology requirements – Will your blog be built in, integrated on an existing Web site, or hosted on a site like WordPress or Blogger?
9. Use social media – Many platforms are available. Posts can be set up to connect automatically to social media sites like Facebook or Twitter. Post your blog updates to as many venues as possible to maximize exposure.
10. Multimedia usage – “Human beings love multimedia,” Cook said. There are many ways to feed our need for tech: Podcasting, webinars, PowerPoint presentations. Engage users on a deeper level.
11. Marketing tactics – Get customers to start at your blog, get to know/like/trust you before they get to your Web site where you can sell them on your product or service.
12. Partnership opportunities – By enlisting guest contributors, like your chamber of commerce director, neighbor business owner or head of a regional association, you can get additional content for your blog that you don’t have to write, and give yourself a credible third source to validate previous content.
13. Internal training and education – Make sure everyone who works with and for you is aware of your blogging strategy, so they know what it is, why it’s important and how to promote it.
14. Measure success – How can you determine the return on your investment? Using a tool like Google Analytics, look at results that relate to goals and purpose, like traffic and linking.
15. Follow up and engagement – By responding to your commenters – not only on your blog but offline, when appropriate – it shows readers that you appreciate their input, and care enough to connect with them. Interaction from you will also engage your readers rather than sending them packing for another blog where the blogger is more responsive.
16. Research to keep current – This helps generate fresh content, and keeps you on top of current news, products and developments in your industry. The more knowledgeable you are, the more trustworthy your readers will find you.
17. Multiple blogs – Over time, you may find that it appropriate to split your blog into two, each focusing on a different area of your expertise. For example, a bank may maintain two blogs, one catering to business banking customers and the other to personal banking customers. These sorts of decisions should be made based on reader feedback.
18. Use of images – Self explanatory. A picture is worth a thousand words, right?
    
19. Blog design – Cook left this one until the end on purpose. It’s not really possible to structure and design your blog until you have thoroughly addressed the previous 18 items.

Cook's nifty KLT strategy and 19 steps to successful blogging should put you firmly on the proverbial diving board - now what are you waiting for? Dive in! One thing we know for sure: Blogging is not a spectator sport, so get blogging! And while you're at it, post a comment here to let us know what you're blogging about. Maybe we'll stop for a visit to check out your blog!

The Real Bottom Line is Customer Service

By Sarah Cocchimiglio
PROFIT Communications PR Assistant-Writer/Editor

In the wide world of business a company’s most important responsibility is to keep its customers satisfied and returning for more products and services. Nowadays, excellent customer service is often the only thing that can effectively differentiate you from your competitors. Remember: An unhappy customer will likely become your company’s loss and another competitor’s gain.

Providing quality products and services is obviously a key part of maintaining satisfied customers, but sometimes things happen. We’ve all experienced the box of six frozen fruit bars that contained only five, or the pizza delivered with all of the toppings and cheese stuck to the top of the box, rather than the pizza.

This is where great customer service comes in, because with it, you can still attempt to salvage your company’s relationship with the disappointed customer, thus positively affecting the bottom line short- and long-term

Case in point, I recently took up trail running, and invested in a fairly expensive pair of running sneakers from New Balance. I was disappointed when, after only a few months, the heels started to wear out in both shoes, giving me painful blisters nearly every time I ran. Although I felt the wear was premature, I didn’t think sneakers came with a warranty, and fully expected I’d have to fix them myself or buy a new pair.

I called New Balance’s customer service hotline, hoping they could direct me to someone who could repair the shoes. Instead, the customer service representative told me they would replace the sneakers – who knew! He suggested that the damage was likely from sliding off the sneakers without untying the laces, but that New Balance stands behind their shoes and would be happy to provide me with a comparable replacement pair.

So despite having a mediocre experience with a New Balance product, the company’s commitment to stand behind its products and its dedication to keeping me satisfied means that the next pair of sneakers I buy will probably be New Balance…go figure!

Have you had a similar experience with good customer service? PROFIT Communications would love to hear from you. Please share your story, in about 250 words or less.

An Admitted Facebook Junkie Admits There's More to Social Media Than Meets the Eye

By Sarah Cocchimiglio
PROFIT Communications PR Assistant-Writer/Editor



(L to R-Debbie Israel, Leslie Feldman, Sarah Cocchmiglio, Jody Richwagen at the workshop.)

Recently I had the pleasure of attending a social media workshop given by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) in King of Prussia. An admitted Facebook junkie, I didn’t think there was much I could learn, because clearly I already knew it all. I was mistaken.

• For example, were you aware that YouTube is the Internet’s second largest search engine? (Google, it’s no surprise, is No. 1.)
  Speaking of which, have you ever Googled yourself? Do you know that the first 10 search results make up what’s known as your “Google Reputation?” Go ahead, look yourself up. I’ll wait. If you’re not happy with the results, the panelists explained, there are a few things you can do.


• Sign up for social networks (the Big Four are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN and YouTube) using your name as the username, such as facebook.com/johnsmith. If your name is already taken try adding your middle initial, or your favorite number.


• Create your own blog, and write about what you know. Think of a blog as a place to post short ‘newsletter-oriented’ content designed to educate, provide valuable resource information and / or just sound-off. Start out with one or two posts per week. And engage conversation – if you receive a comment, reply to the poster, and do it in a timely manner. Check out WordPress and Google Blogger.


• Visit Web sites and blogs, and publish comments using your name and a link to your Web site (if you have one)…in other words – practice! This is also a great way to generate exposure for your site, as well.


• Launch a campaign to monitor your Internet presence. Set up a Google Alert for your name or business, and you can receive a daily digest of instances where you, or your business, have been mentioned in cyberspace.
  
  Social media is no longer just about networking. The workshop taught me that social media sites are tools we can use to represent ourselves and our businesses, to broadcast our messages, engage our audience and listen to their feedback and expectations.

A Few Words on the Power of Collaboration

“Two heads are better than one.”

“There’s no ‘I’ in TEAM.”

“The more the merrier!”

OK, alright, we could keep going with the clichés, but the real point we want to make is that PROFIT Communications uses a collaborative operations model to get things done in a creative, affordable, timely and strategic way. How? Over the years we’ve built a custom, hand-picked group of experienced area professionals who avail themselves to regularly collaborate with PROFIT on projects and programs…small, medium and large.

The power of these collaborative relationships and network over time is incredible, as no two project / program teams built are alike. Call it the new, decentralized workplace or whatever you may, but the success of this model sans bricks and mortar is the result of a strong commitment to one another, clarity and consistency in communication, combined with a strong desire to create outcomes that meet and exceed objectives that positively impact results.

According to Merriam-Webster.com, col-lab-o-ra-tion (noun), is to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor. Our thoughts…to coin a popular English expression, we call it – brilliant!

Reach the World's Largest Target Market

Good reason to learn how to navigate the mommy blogosphere...

Moms spend $2.1 trillion annually on everything from clothing to cars to health insurance. They are the world's largest target market and the competition for their attention is growing every day.

Study: 3 in 4 online women are active social media users

The BlogHer-iVillage 2010 Social Media Matters Study, co-sponsored by Ketchum and Nielsen Company, indicates that 73 percent of online women are now active social media users, engaging weekly or more often with top social media platforms.

Among the key findings from the study, released last April:

• Blogs are second only to Internet search as the preferred media source for product purchasing information for BlogHer Network users.
• Blogs dominate the attention of BlogHer Network users (96 percent read blogs weekly or more often).
• Blog Her users are significantly more active with all three top social media platforms versus the average the average womon online (Blogs, Facebook, Twitter).
• Message boards/forums are second only to conversations with friends and family as the preferred source of product purchasing information for iVillage community users.

Excerpt from Public Relations TACTICS - May feature article by Emily Foshee, entitled: Navigating the mommy blogosphere: Reach the world's largest target market