Q. Toss together organizational support, innovative partnerships and effective measurements, and what do you get? A. A winning combination for social media.

Join us on Nov.17 from noon to 1 p.m. to hear how the Virginia Lottery began by scratching the surface of social media and then became a leader in the national lottery industry. Director of Communications Jill Vaughan, Communications Manager Jennifer Mullen and Communications Associate Rachel Buhse will discuss what’s been an interesting journey, though not one without some hurdles, and how they now have more cross-departmental collaboration than ever.

How are you using social media to lead in your industry? 

The PRSA 2011 International Conference- Oct. 15–18 • Orlando, Fla. Public relations and communications professionals imagine, create and inspire daily. How do you keep that process fresh? Incorporate the latest tools, technologies and strategies? And, reach previously unrealized levels of success? Learn how by registering today for the PRSA 2011 International Conference

Meet the fifth contender for favorite International Mascot name: Sunny Del Sol

“Pick me! Pick me! Pick me!”

 Two days left to cast your vote! http://bit.ly/n77JHz

   We do it all the time. Whether it’s a frame or our waistline we are sure to feel the need to measure something. This is true for Public Relations as well. In this arena measurement provides accountability and credibility. It also garners that which eventually helps shape and form policies and communications strategies.

   Obviously, measurement in PR is essential for many reasons. In fact, some of the most important is its ability to test messages, help bridge gaps, and help prevent crisis. Ultimately, it can prove the success of a PR program.

   These days—and with the onset of social media—it seems as if measuring data and information is easier than ever. But more important than information is the purpose for gathering that information. What we really need to know in almost any case is, are we getting the message out there? If so what are people saying?

   From there we can determine and define what actions to take which will ultimately and positively have an impact on the conversations.

How about you? What do you measure and how do you go about doing so? What have you found to be most effective in the analysis and measurement process?

Don't forget to join us July 21 at the Newport News Airport for a Chik-Fil-A presentation!

Check out the website for a special member event July 26.

Mike Brown

No it isn't a band I refer to, it's your audience.

Many of us as PR professionals, writers and marketers alike could not exist without one. The question is who is your audience?

Today with the internet, mobile devices and social media our audiences have grown-- linking us and hyperlinking us into new galactic frontiers. So how do we keep track of who is following us, or who is interested in us, or who we need to get interested in us?

As professionals (some more so than others, I joke) we work for organizations that need to talk to or reach their customers. Some of us may be introducing a product, while others may need to simply be informing the publics about an organizations purpose. The point is, there are many reasons we need to know and understand our customer as well as their wants and needs. We need to know how to communicate to them.

Without spending millions of dollars there are ways of getting to know "the who", so I've heard. Some ways I know of are Facebook insights, Google Alerts, Search.Twitter.com.

I want to hear from you. What are some other good either cheap or free resources or ways to learn your demographics and better yet, to learn about your demographics?

Greetings fellow PRSA members!

I was curious if any local PR person's were using either, MICRSOFT TAG TECHNOLOGY (Almost any magazine published by Merideth uses this) or WI-FI HOT SPOTs for proximity advertising.

If you or your company is using either one (or both) of these items for your communication plan or PR strategy (as well as marketing and advertising) please let us know what company you work for, which you use and why.

If you have time let us know your opinion on the pros and cons of this new advanced way of communicating a message.

Hello all,

We're finalizing our meeting calendar for the year and we'd love to hear from you.

Are there topics you would like us to cover?  Have you just attended a great event and would like more?  Did you miss a great event and now hope that it could be provided at a meeting close to you?

If you have suggestions, we would be more than happy to entertain them.  And as always, we hope you'll join our membership.  Our board of directors will make it worth your time and expense!

For more on membership, see our website (www.prsavapeninsula.com) or visit the National website, www.prsa.org.

PRSA Virginia Peninsula President

(The signs encourage Japan to ganbaru, meaning to persevere. Hard to argue with that. Photograph by Koji Toyama, published by Aki Yamazaki who is a photographer working in Japan and the U.S.)

While baffling to some, the Japanese have a very distinct culture which includes everything from their belief system to the way they communicate. During the recent crisis, it may be difficult for western culture to understand how some communication has been handled. As a side note, some may have also marveled at the lack of loitering and chaos, typically seen during a crisis.

Traditional Japanese culture dictates a collective society versus an individualistic one. The idea is to live in harmony and it translates into everything they do, including living through a crisis. Harmony means "oneness" and for the Japanese, it also includes how they communicate. For them, communication is not always about words but understanding each others thoughts.

In fact a Japanese Business Glossary [edited by Mitsubishi Corporation in 1983] states, "The communication of thought without the medium of words, or 'what the mind thinks, the heart transmits.'"

Much of the calm that has been observed in Japan can logically be derived from the norms of their society-the harmonious beliefs they have held for thousands of years. Yet, according to several western news articles, blog posts and status updates, there also seemed to be an underlying unrest.

It would seem, a lack of communication on some levels, particularly from their government, during this Tsunami and nuclear crisis was fueling such unease. Sometimes candor is what is needed in a crisis--but this goes against the Japanese way.

As Public Relations professionals we are very familiar with the idea of crisis management and how it works. Although Japan was proactive in their prevention methods (i.e. top engineers building structurally sound facilities), not all crisis can have a specific plan. If I had to give it a number I'd say nothing is ever 100% fail proof so there should always be an understanding that a certain amount of failure is inevitable.

Furthermore, what usually escalates problems is a lack of verifiable information. Yet, interestingly in Japanese culture, decision making (like the decision to communicate) may often be delayed. This is usually because they consider how that decision will affect the whole of something before moving forward.

For this reason, their methods of communication will not be as available or readily presented as it would be in western society. However, according to David S. Abraham a Hitachi International Affairs Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations based in Tokyo said, "In emergency cases, a timely decision based on some information, is better than a delayed decision with complete information."

As mentioned earlier, a (possible) mistake of the Japanese in communicating during a crisis, as seen from a PR person's point of view, was lack of candor. To the dismay of many traditional Japanese, because of our modern world and the onset of newer generations who are more familiar with western ideas, its' culture is changing. Would this cultural change be a good thing for its people?

It could prove a stronger unity than ever before imagined.

How about organizations? Does an organizations culture affect the way it communicates? If so, how does a PR person help shape, mold or change that culture? How does open communication serve to keep organizations unified?

Tell of your experience with the 3--C's (Communication, Crisis and Culture) How would you encourage other professionals who are in situations where the organization's leadership feels that less is more ....

Miley Cyrus and O.J. Simpson, what do they have in common?

Maybe the first thing you think of is their sensationalism but for me what unites the two is the fact both have been a party to a Public Relation (PR) blunder.

With OJ you may wonder what exact "blunder"? In particular the one with the plan to promote his book, "If I did It" which is a hypothetical about the murder of his wife. Now I haven't read the book so I can't speak to its content but seriously--not the best marketing idea.

Then there is Miley Cyrus aka Hannah Montana. How could the teen star have blundered? Let's just say the poster child for Walt Disney and their brand probably shouldn't have posed for racy photos in Vanity Fair at the age of 15.

Truthfully, both incidents were a result a PR oversight. In this business, it is important to have a strategy for why we lead our clients (or Leadership in our organization) to do what they do; to communicate their message.

This also means weighing the consequences, making informed decisions and thinking about the possible consequences once those decisions are acted upon. Not everything is so complicated but we definitely work in a position where it is important not to become complacent.

My office recently had this experience, a PR blunder I mean. For us, it was an oversight of some information published that should not have been. It was an oversight of where the information came from. It was an oversight of not a thorough enough peer-review.

It was a definite learning experience, but a reminder, that in our position, we do have a great deal of power. With this power comes responsibility. It is always important, no matter how much experience we have, no matter how exciting a product is or how big the opportunity, we need to go back to basics.

As a former journalist, credibility is certainly one of the most important aspects of the job. Why? It backs up your message or story-it also provides the journalist with a good reputation.
It is no different for a PR person. Humans make mistakes, yes, but for a PR person; too many mistakes may a cost a job, as was the case with the OJ book and the high profile editor who was fired.

If it doesn't go that far, at the very least it will be embarrassing and it will cause some sort of clean-up, as was the case with Miley Cyrus whose PR team issued an apology letter.

Luckily, as fellow professionals we can look to each other for training, insight and encouragement before this happens to us, while it's happening and even after. Being a part of a community means being part of something bigger than oneself. How better to enhance that community than to share your own knowledge and experience?

So how about you? Do you know of or have you been a part of a PR blunder? If so how was it handled? How did you handle it? What valuable lesson did you learn? What advice could you give to other PR professionals to avoid the same mistake in the future?

We're busy working the details for our March panel discussion on transitioning into the public relations field.  In May, our meeting will feature some great information on rebranding.  Our goal is to bring quality professional development programs to the community.  We'd love to talk to you about membership.  Interested?  Click here for details.