Trends for working in the PR industry

Public relations (PR) is an ever-evolving industry. Staying on trend is a must if you want to avoid looking outdated and out-of-touch.

The PR experts at Adoni Media, an award-winning PR and digital agency have shared the biggest Public Relations trends of this year so far.

Email

Make sure you brush up on email etiquette. Everything from media releases to brand deals are solidified via email. In this global industry, it can be increasingly hard to meet up in person, and email and Skype often replace traditional boardroom meetings.

Adoni Media’s PR Consultant Hayleysuggests writing emails in dot points if you need to communicate quickly and clearly – try to eliminate excess words that aren’t necessary to getting your point across.

Given how much email is used, it’s worthwhile maintaining a detailed address book, adding your professional photo to your signature and creating a custom tagline to appear at the bottom of each email you send.

Remember though, the phone isn’t dead – follow up an email pitch with a call to better form a personal relationship with a journalist.

Insta-branding

PR relies on networking. From sharing brand content, generating publicity, creating business partnerships and finding out about new brands and current events – the fastest and often most efficient way to network nowadays is online. Use social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Instagram to network and share your personal brand.

Instagram is a favourite platform for PR managers, as it is one of the best places to find new emerging businesses and organisations.

It is also important to use Instagram as a branding tool. Showcase your services or products by creating a consistent and memorable theme to your company’s page. It can be as simple as using the same filter on all your images. Use captions to their full potential by adding hashtags and keywords.

Niche markets

Social media platforms allow content creators to share and communicate directly with their target audience. Sub-reddits, fan pages on Twitter and single topic podcasts allow niche groups to connect and enjoy ashared love.

After defining your specific target market, use hashtags, geo-location and trending posts to find your niche and communicate withthem appropriately.

How to Get Rid of Your Mother in Law – One Step at a Time

If you are reading this article, then I’m sure that you have thought more than once about how to get rid of your mother in law. They can be so annoying, interfering, and overbearing. Tragically they also can end up ruining your marriage. You should know, though, that believe it or not, it IS possible to fix up your relationship with your mother in law.

In this article I’m going to show you 3 ways to better your relationship with her, by focusing on small things and not trying to tackle the whole problem all at once. It is going to take a lot of work and time to fix things up but for the benefit of you, your husband and your children, it needs to be done.

1. Circumvents resistance. Mother in laws can be set in their ways. No matter how good your intentions are to better your relationship with your “dear” mother in law it “takes two to tango”. She is probably too scared to improve the relationship. If you start by doing only small things she won’t even notice that things are getting better, until it’s too late and…before she even realizes it, she has started to like you.

2. It’s done better. To focus on baking only one dessert instead of 3 desserts usually results in a much tastier pie. When you focus on too many things each project gets in the way of the other one. It’s the same way when it comes to improving your relationship with your mother in law. Pick one small area to improve and then move on.

3. Instant gratification. It isn’t easy to deal with some mother in laws and it could take a long time to finally have a working relationship with yours. Therefore, if you go for the “big kill” and look only at the end rosy relationship you may end up getting frustrated before you manage to get there and give up. By looking at the small things you will stay motivated and you will keep on going until you get there, step by step.

It will not seem like such a big, overwhelming task if you take it day by day and plan to make one small change to your relationship.

It could be that your mother in law just wants to be more of a part in the decisions of your family.

She wants to feel valued and appreciated.

Try to look past her attitude or the way she comes across, and read into what she could be meaning. For example, if she likes to tell you how to dress your children. Maybe you could ask her opinion about a suitable hair cut or hair design for your daughter. Or ask if she would like to go shopping for some cute little bows and ribbons. She will get to feel appreciated, listened to, and valued, while you still get the ultimate say in the clothes and what your daughter will look like overall.

Things You Should Know About Asbestos Law Suits

People who have suffered asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma most often than not file for asbestos law suits. Those who have been exposed to asbestos, including their loved ones and families who were also affected, are usually the plaintiffs in this case, while companies who are considered responsible for the illnesses of these people are the defendants. However, in the past, before people were educated about the dangers of asbestos, asbestos law suits only targeted the innocent employers, asbestos installers and manufacturers, landlords and leasing agents. Now that the world knows the dangers of asbestos, the ones who get sued are company or building owners who, despite their awareness of asbestos dangers, still continued using asbestos, and in the process risk the lives of their workers / people / tenants.

Money Lost Is Money Gained
When these owners get sued by the victims of asbestos illnesses, they most often than not lose more money than they intended. Money lost by companies are then awarded to victims and the amount could reach millions to billions of dollars. The victims who filed for asbestos law suits did so in order to recover from the financial loss that their illnesses brought to their lives. Here are the likely financial recoveries that defendants who lost asbestos law suits pay for:

– money to compensate for lost income of the victim
– reimbursement for the cost of medical bills of the victim
– reimbursement for the cost of health insurance of the victim
– money to cover funeral costs in the event that the victim dies

It’s Best To Consult With An Asbestos Lawyer
Aside from the victims/patients, there are also some people who file for asbestos law suits because they believe that they will contract the disease sometime in the future, and this is allowed in some states. The regulations stipulated in these asbestos law suits will help these people prepare for the financial and physical onslaught of the disease. But before asbestos law suits should be filed, an asbestos lawyer who is familiar with these proceedings must first be consulted to know if there is even a chance for the defendant to win the case.

A Few Law of Attraction Tips

According to folk who believe in it, the Law of Attraction has been in force since the start of time. But, it had never been spoken about in a coherent manner until the beginning of the New Thought movement, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. By performing a web search, you can find lots of sites with Law of Attraction tips.

The basic tenet of the Law is that people will attract whatever they think of. So, according to the theory, if bad things happen to somebody, it’s because he has allowed himself to think of it. If good things happen to somebody, again, he has allowed himself to think of it.

The believers claim, if you desire lots of money, a good job, or to find true love, you only have to think about it. Your thoughts will attract it to you. They say that thoughts of good health can keep you from becoming ill, or will cause you to recover if you’re already ill. And, they claim, if everybody on earth believed, there would be world peace.

There’s a bit of a trick to it, though. You’ll also need to quit thinking of bad things, or you’ll attract them, as well.

Adherents say that they can explain these phenomena by laws of quantum physics. They claim that since quantum physics laws apply universally, the Law of Attraction can work for anybody in the entire world.

Practitioners of the Law sell seminars, books, CDs, and DVDs with lessons about how folk can apply the Law to their own lives. There are also vendors who offer cruises, complete with onboard Law of Attraction workshops.

Different practitioners may explain this Law in different manners. But, three general steps that they agree on are Ask, Believe, Receive. Ask means, knowing what you desire and asking the universe to provide it. Believe means, acting as if you’re sure that the object of desire is on the way. And, receive means, be prepared to receive the object of desire when it finally does arrive.

How an Asbestos Law Suit Can Get You What You Deserve

Asbestos law suits are ways through which the person affected by this potentially deadly substance could claim some compensation for the physical damages and the mental trauma that he or she has gone through. There have been lots of people who are getting affected and having problems in their lungs, pancreas, colon, kidneys, esophagus, etc. because of this deadly chemical. This dangerous chemical not only causes some direct problems but is also responsible for many of the other medical problems that might be seen in the person over a period of time.

The symptoms of these diseases are not very clear and they remain practically unnoticeable for almost fifteen to twenty years after its onset. It is only after these many years that the victim gets to know about the disease but by this time it almost becomes a bit too late. Most of those people who are diagnosed finally succumb to this disease and all those people who manage to survive this problem remain disabled for the rest of their lives. Asbestos law suits can be used as a tool for seeking compensation either by the affected person or by the members of his or her family.

Strict regulations were formulated in the year 1960 relating to the amount of exposure the workers working in the factories should have to this hazardous mineral. Anyone who violates on these lines would be deemed to legal actions. The compensation that the victims would get from these asbestos law suits would generally be covering lost wages, funeral expenses, medical expenses, traveling expenses relating to treatments and some of the other expenses which are generally not covered by health insurances.

All those people who want to file cases in the asbestos law suit firms must carry some proof otherwise there are very little chances of them winning the case. The proof would generally be the relationship between the problems undergone by the victim and the asbestos exposure. The cases would first begin with the analysis of the amount of the damage done and the company or companies which are claimed to be responsible for the damage. Victims who approach the asbestos law suit firms must hire lawyers who specialize in such cases and who have the expertise to settle these cases in their favor. These lawyers would not charge the victim for their services if they are not able to win the case for the victim. Once the case is won, the lawyer remuneration would be a percentage of the compensation received. Forty percent is the norm usually and the victim, after having won the case, would generally get twenty percent of the total compensation amount after having met all the court and lawyer expenses.

Become a Champion of the North American Entrepreneur

Many Canadian SME owners that follow business and politics in the US, especially over the past year, have been exposed to the various conversations and initiatives surrounding crowdfunding. Setting personal observations aside it is a fascinating discussion, not though as one might expect relative to the obvious advantages it offers start-ups and SME businesses, but more broadly for the conversation it presents specific to the competitive advantages it can offer a country.

Given the enormous challenges facing the United States since the economic meltdown (or, as many would argue, for many years pre-meltdown) the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, recently signed into law by President Obama seems, in the immediate, an unlikely game changer that may in all likelihood be largely forgotten after the Presidential election is concluded no matter who arrives victorious on Nov 6th. However, there is a much deeper sub-text to this bill that Canada should pay particular attention to.

For those not familiar with the JOBS Act, it is a legislation that enables entrepreneurs to raise capital by issuing equity online, a newly permitted form of crowdfunding. This legislation would help startup entrepreneurs raise more capital and make it easier for foreign-born entrepreneurs to start companies in the U.S.

The Bill was advocated by Steve Case, formerly of AOL and a staunch believer in entrepreneurship. To quote Mr. Case “Policy around entrepreneurship is critical, our country is only going to be as stable as our economy, and our economy is only going to be propelled by innovation and entrepreneurship.” That statement, in my view, is the undercurrent of the JOBS Act bill and the cornerstone of what this bill can achieve if given proper attention and ongoing supportive policy.

The JOBS Act is a compendium of six pieces of legislation that are all aimed at increasing the ability of small businesses to access capital and generate jobs. The following items are five abbreviated suggestions presented in the bill:

1. It’s now easier for you to take your company public.
2. It will be easier for you to sell your stock to private investors.
3. You will have a new way of raising money by selling a piece of your company to the “crowd.”
4. You can raise a lot more money before having to deal with the SEC.
5. You can grow twice as large as before without registering with the SEC.

Some of these benefits are immediately obvious to those who advocate for this bill, however, to fully appreciate how implementation of such a bill can benefit Countries like America and Canada (should similar policies be enacted here in Canada), we need to be conscience of the follow up legislation, which expands on the original intent of the JOBS Act. The Startup Act 2.0 aspires to help American companies hire foreign-born workers with skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics–the so-called STEM fields. The bill would create two new types of visas: one that would allow foreign students who earn graduate degrees from U.S. universities in STEM fields to remain in the country; the other to offer permanent residence to immigrants who start successful companies.

Aspiring Entrepreneur – Keith Brinson

In a new series of interviews and inspiring tales of aspiring entrepreneurs comes the story of “The Teapotter,” Keith Brinson. Read on to learn of this whimsical writer, American veteran, and determined businessman, and discover just where he got his nickname.

Keith was a rebel even in his younger years. During his interview, he gave me a peak into that side of him, and shared, “”Growing up I was often rebellious in the clothes I wore, the friends I chose and most certainly in my inner way of thinking. I have never thought like most people I’ve known nor have I ever been a conformer just for the sake of having friends. If and when I did things of a rebellious nature it was because I wanted to and yes there were a lot of things I wanted and did not always but most often in a quiet manner. I do the same today. I will or will not do something simply because ‘this is the way it’s done.’ However, when I get that gut feeling I’m all out there!” Isn’t this the spark that ignites a passion in all renegade entrepreneurs?

After being receiving many awards and accommodations during his service in the United States Air Force, a chronic illness forced Keith to medically retire at the age of 27. Despite the fact that the military named him disabled, Keith was determined to continue to support his wife and two small boys. Although his father owned a painting business where Keith could work, his entrepreneurial spirit demanded more of him… Keith wanted his own business. He shares, “I wanted to make decisions, mistakes, set my own hours, talk to customers, make friends along the way and make a difference with each job I did. I succeeded! I didn’t get rich but I made ends meet and then some. In all honesty, I never believed I was the best at what I did. I was only as good as the last customers comment to my next potential customer.”

Keith carried those entrepreneurial traits of serving the public with integrity when he started his present business venture, “Teapotter’s Entrepreneurial Extensions and Helping the Homeless and Needy Teapotter Websites. The company motto is “Great Tastes for Helping Others” He also opened the “Teapotter’s Cafe,” a place where his famous barbecue was sold, and local artists, writers, and entrepreneurs could share their ideas and struggles. Not forgetting where he came from, Keith supplied free meals to all veterans on both Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day. Unfortunately, the economic crash under the current presidential administration had it’s toll on Teapotter’s Cafe, which closed it’s doors on December 24th, 2009. But Keith did not stop there. He continues to paint houses on his own, and sell his blue ribbon winning barbecue sauces, “Honey On,” and “Twangy Original” Teapotter’s Toppin Sauces. Proceeds from every jar go to help the homeless and veterans.

Entrepreneurs Need Conviction

The name Truett Cathy is very common in the news lately. He is the founder and CEO of Chick-fil-A, and the man who made a public stand for traditional marriage which started a media frenzy and publicized storm. The 90+ year old Cathy most likely had no intentions of starting the problem, but when faced with adversity, he stood his ground even when he knew it was not popular. As the Weekly Standard shares, Cathy was asked by members of the media if he supported traditional marriage. When he agreed that he did, many groups started a nation-wide boycott of his restaurant chain which soon dominated the news. The responding show of support was even larger, but do those on either side of the controversy know the whole story of Cathy and Chick-fil-A? It is a truly inspiring tale of triumph by standing for what he believes.

Birth of a Rebel Entrepreneur

In 1921, Cathy was born in Eatonton, Ga. His family was forced to move to Atlanta when he was still a small boy after a boll weevil infestation destroyed their farm. Since his dad, an insurance salesman could not make enough money to support Cathy and his brothers and sisters, Cathy’s mom took in boarders. Cathy, at the age of eight years old, started his first “business” by selling magazine and cokes door to door, opening a coke stand on their front lawn, and helping his mom with making beds, cleaning, and caring for their boarders. During his time in “business,” Cathy would learn customer service, hospitality, work ethics, and much more ideals that he would take with him as a business owner.

Why Goal Setting Is Important For Solo Entrepreneurs

What guides you to where you are now to where you want to be is a goal. With goal setting, you have a destination or a clarity of where you want to go. I remembered the quote or the conversation in the Alice wonderland movie or story book between Cheshire cat and Alice:

“Which road do I take?” asked Alice

“Where do you want to go?” responded Cheshire cat

“I don’t know,” replied Alice

“Then, it doesn’t matter,” concluded Cheshire cat

From the conversation above, if you just run the business and do activities without a purpose, you are going nowhere. So, you need a business goal. If you are solo entrepreneurs, your business goal may include your personal one as well. You have to be successful in life and in business as part of your goal setting. Here are the reasons why goal setting is important for solo entrepreneurs:

Most goals are measured by SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely) hence it has numbers or monetary values and due time. Yes, SMART goal setting is necessary such as financial goal. You want to know if you achieve your financial goal by measuring in term of monetary values.

There is also a goal that you can’t measure, such as a lifestyle, personal or family goal. There is sometimes a connectivity between a lifestyle and financial goal. How will your life change if you achieve your financial goal? What will you do for your family when you meet your goal?

It is easy to set up six months, one year or two year goal. To create a long-term goal for five years and ten years, you really need to have a vision, a mission and a big dream. It is easy for kids to come out with a big dream. Most adults become perplexed when they’re asked for their goal or dream in five or ten years in the future.

Helping Companies Manufacture Goods

Business owners often look to industrial fabrications companies to provide them with all of the components they need to keep things running smoothly. Imagine the time it would take for each company to make their own parts to keep their machines running, or if they were manufacturing each tiny part of their larger products. This tends to take more time and makes it tougher to specialize in anything. Both time and money are spent more efficiently when a business can look to someone else to provide the materials they need.

General Materials

An industrial fabrications company can offer a variety of different materials. If it takes five different parts to create the final product offered to the public, the business can purchase these parts and materials from the industrial fabrications company and assemble everything themselves. The first step is making a list of every part, material or piece of equipment that is going to be needed during the manufacturing process. From there, an order is placed and once complete, it is delivered to the business to continue the process.

In some cases, if they do not have the specific item that a business owner is looking for, whether as a single unit or in bulk, they can custom-make something for the situation. The industrial fabrications companies themselves often make dyes and patterns, giving them the ability to customize anything to meet a customer’s specifications. Whether it is gaskets, hoses, or even different joints, a pattern is created and the product is made. From there, it is passed on to the customer where other parts and items are added to create the final product.

Placing an Order