Happy New Year! Best wishes in 2009!  It is hard to believe 2008 is behind us – a year of great PRSA-NCC programs and accomplishments, including increasing our chapter membership by almost 10 percent - to more than 1,400.

This year promises to be full of changes and challenges -- with a new administration, but also a struggling economy. The public relations profession is needed more than ever, and the value of our profession will be a familiar theme throughout the year.

As a major focus area for 2009, the value of our profession comes through ethics and ethics education, through updating, implementing, and evaluating our strategic plan, through increased member communication, and through professional development.  Value also comes from PRSA-NCC’s mentoring, networking, and guidance provided among our colleagues. 

We have a huge opportunity to showcase PRSA-NCC as we prepare to host the 2010 PRSA International Conference.  A “Host Committee” is being formed to help in the promotion, planning and coordination of the big event!  There is no better time to be involved, and this is an opportunity to showcase both our great chapter and the entire DC metro region! 

You can be a part of the many exciting 2009 programs and committees by attending our annual “Leadership Rally” and mixer – a free event (but please register) on Thursday, Jan. 15, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. for the board meeting, and from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for the mixer and committee networking session at the National Education Association (NEA).

I truly believe that involvement in PRSA can provide life-long learning and experiences to help you do well in this rewarding profession. Please consider becoming involved! I look forward to seeing you on Thursday, Jan. 15, and working with you throughout 2009!  Please feel free to contact me if I can help in any way at: 703-428-0712 or Barbara.burfeind@dma.mil.

Best Regards,

Barbara Burfeind, APR

PRSA-NCC President, 2009

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Resolution for the New Year: Get the Most from Your PRSA-NCC Membership

Every member of PRSA-NCC has unique professional talents. And everyone can benefit professionally and personally by discovering new ways to share those talents at the 2009 Leadership Rally on Thursday, Jan. 15, at the National Education Association. The evening will begin at 5:30 with a kick-off leadership meeting for all members and will be followed by a free networking reception from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

A perfect event for new members, or those just looking to get more involved, everyone is invited to meet the new chapter board, committee chairs, and co-chairs and find out what's in store for 2009.  Mix and mingle with friends and colleagues and make a few new contacts while you enjoy free hors d'oeuvres and refreshments.

The National Education Association is located 1201 16th Street, NW. Use the NEA entrance at 1527 M Street, NW. NEA is metro accessible from Farragut West (blue/orange lines) and Farragut North (red line). While the event is free, registration is required. Visit www.prsa-ncc.org to sign-up.

PRSA-NCC Looks at ‘The PR Employment Environment for 2009’ on Jan. 28

Separate fact from fiction about the future of the public relations employment market at this special reduced-rate seminar on Wednesday, Jan. 28, from 8-10 a.m. at the Navy Memorial & Heritage Center. With 2009 shaping up to be a very challenging year for area public relations professionals, panelists including Kate Perrin, president, PRofessional Solutions, LLC, will address questions such as: Will budgets be cut as the recession continues?  Will organizations downsize to reflect diminished revenues? 

January is IPRA Membership and Renewal Month: Join or Renew by January 31 to Earn a Free Monthly Meeting

In this downturn economy everyone can use a little support. Whether its practical tips for keeping existing clients, staying abreast of the latest trends to make yourself more marketable, or exchanging information with your colleagues, PRSA-NCC’s Independent PR Alliance is the solution for independent PR, communications and marketing professionals.

Formed in 2001 as a committee of the PRSA National Capital Chapter, IPRA offers its members a broad portfolio of benefits -- ranging from educational sessions and monthly lunch programs to business development resources and greater visibility within the business community.  In addition, IPRA members have the opportunity to team with other practitioners as “virtual agencies,” expanding their own capabilities and allowing them to win new business.  And IPRA offers legal and other document templates on their award-winning website, www.ipralliance.com.

As an additional benefit to encourage new members and to thank their current members for renewing, IPRA is offering free access to one monthly luncheon during the 2009 calendar year if membership is paid by January 31. (This offer does not include the January event.)

Don’t delay – join or renew today!  Visit the PRSA Web site to join or renew online.  Think of it as a New Year’s Resolution that will benefit both you and your business in 2009!

IPRA Welcomes 2009 Board Members

The Independent Public Relations Alliance (IPRA; www.ipralliance.com) also has announced its new Executive Board.  The 2009 IPRA Board of Directors are: President-Sheri L. Singer, President, Singer Communications; President-Elect-Sandra M. Remey, APR, President, Remey Communications; Treasurer-Ami Neiberger-Miller, APR, Chief Executive, Steppingstone, LLC; Secretary-Robert Deigh, Principal, RDR Communication/PR; Membership Co-Chairs-Sandra M. Remey, MA, APR, President, Remey Communications and Susan C. Rink, Principal, Rink Strategic Communications; Program Co-Chairs-Robert Udowitz, Principal, Robert Udowitz Consulting and Pauline Elmore, Owner, PR Works, LLC; Marketing/PR Co-Chairs-Mary-Jane Atwater, President, Atwater Communications and Claudia Askew, President, ASQ Communications; Education Co-Chairs-Helen Sullivan, APR, Fellow, PRSA, President, InHouse Communications, LLC and Michael Sheward, APR, President, Management Communications Strategies; Partner Chair-Patrick Pellerin, Patrick Pellerin Public Relations; Immediate Past President- Tim Ayers, President, Ayers Associates, LLC and Ad Hoc Member-Chris Ourand, Chris O Communications.

"In addition to working with our stellar leaders, continuing to expand our membership base, and providing exceptional monthly programs, this year presents IPRA with a unique opportunity to inform communication professionals about the independent public relations practitioner model.  Communicators who have cut staff or delayed hiring due to budget constraints need to know that IPRA practitioners can meet their communications needs, delivering high-quality services typically at a fraction of the cost of a traditional PR agency,” said Sheri Singer, IPRA president.

PRSA-NCC 2010 Conference Host Committee Forming

PRSA-NCC is now forming its 2010 International Conference planning host committee that will make the 2010 PRSA International Conference held in Washington, D.C. a success. The conference will take place October 16 -19, 2010 at the Hilton Washington located on 1919 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, DC  20009.

Committee members help organize promotions, solicit sponsors, arrange the opening night gala, coordinate volunteer staff, prepare a "visitors" guide, and offer general suggestions for non-program activities and social functions during the conference. 

If you are interested in volunteering, there will be a sign-up and information table at the Jan. 15 Leadership Rally and/or send a note to Ivonne Couret, Co-Chair 2010 NCC Host Committee, ivonne.couret@gmail.com subject line: NCC2010host. Please forward your contact information and designate if you wish to participate or lead a specific subcommittee such as:

o       Hospitality Committee;

o       Sponsorship Committee;

o       Special Events Committee;

o       Dine-Around Town Committee;

o       Special Venue Committee;

o       Speakers Committee; and

o       Volunteer Committee

A New Year’s Resolution You Can Keep!  Be a Mentor

By Fred Whiting, APR

Which of the following New Year’s resolutions do you actually plan to keep? 

• Lose weight
• Exercise more
• Give up [fill in the blank]

If the answer is “none of the above,” then you might consider making a New Year’s resolution that you CAN keep: become a mentor! 

Mentoring is one of the best things you can do as a public relations professional.  Not only do you have the satisfaction of helping a newcomer to the industry, but you also can broaden your network of colleagues. 

Mentoring is a two-way experience.  As a mentor, you will help shape the practice of the next generation of PR professionals, improving the profession and creating new areas of practice.  You may also learn about more recent developments in the field from graduates who have benefited from their academic experience. 

Being a mentor is easier than you might think.  It doesn’t require a lot of time on your part.  Most protégés just want someone they can reach out to with a professional problem or concern.  It might involve an occasional phone call or e-mail.  You can leverage your experience into something worthwhile for someone else.  Surely you’re not too busy for that? 

The PRSA-NCC Mentoring Program, which has matched more than a hundred mentors and protégés over the past three years, is now open to current PR students at area colleges and universities, so the need for mentors is greater than ever! 

So make a resolution today to become a mentor!  Just click here to complete and submit a Mentor Profile form.  You will be contacted as soon as an appropriate protégé is found.  And there’s already a waiting list…. 

 5 Things That May Not Survive The Recession  

From PR Tactics and The Strategist Online (12-30-08)

It’s clear that the current economic crisis will differ from earlier recessions, writes Mike Elgan of InfoWorld.com. He cites the Internet and mobile technology as providing low-cost, high-efficiency alternatives — accelerating the demise of things that were already fated to be replaced.

Elgan lists his top ten predictions of things that won’t survive the economic downturn:

1. Free tech support – Companies that pay people to answer phones and solve technical problems will become a thing of the past. To keep prices competitive, companies who currently offer tech support will replace it with alternatives like message boards, wikis, wizards, software-based troubleshooting tools.

2. Wi-Fi you have to pay for – Everyone is going to have to share the cost of community Wi-Fi because the public will gravitate to places that offer free Wi-Fi.

3. Landline phones – Digital phone bundles for homes (TV, home networking and landline phone service in a single package) will maintain the landline idea for a while, but the trend toward dropping landline service in favor of cell phone service will accelerate until it is mainstream.

4. Movie rental stores – These stores will disappear as they will be replaced by discs in the mail, and then by downloads.

5. Web 2.0 companies without a business plan – Those few remaining investors will want to see solid business plans before they give any more money to a startup.

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Nick Manetto

Vice President

B&D Consulting

1)         Why did you join PRSA?

I've attended PRSA seminars and have found them to be very valuable. After researching the communications landscape and membership associations, PRSA was the clear choice for my practice.

2)         How long have you been in the PR field? 

Seven-plus years, which encompasses time on Capitol Hill, managing campaigns and for the past four years at B&D Consulting. Prior experience was three years at a daily newspaper in New Jersey.

3)         What skills are required to do your job? 

Solid writing and speaking skills and the ability to succinctly articulate a clear and compelling message are a must.  For my work, another required skill is being able to simplify often complex public policy topics.  And like any consultant, the ability to juggle multiple projects and meet all deadlines is critical.

4)         What’s your greatest career achievement? 

Tough question. While on the Hill, I played a leading role in helping our post office recover and reopen from the anthrax attacks, and also helped advance a Pentagon investigation into service members frequenting establishments staffed by women who were victims of human trafficking.  On the consulting side, it's been helping multiple worthy organizations get out their important messages.

5)         Where would you like to see yourself in five years?

At B&D Consulting helping lead an even stronger practice that's well-recognized as a leader in strategic communications in the policy arena.

6)         How do you begin each day? 

Read the entire A Section of The Post on the bus and metro. Review other top publications and dive right into the day, with a cup of coffee of course.

7)         What’s your dream job? 

If not B&D Consulting, perhaps serving as spokesman for the Vatican.

8)         Who’s your role model, and why do you admire him/her? 

St. Francis of Assisi and St. Thomas More. The former taught how to enjoy the simple life, the later taught the value of remaining true to ones convictions.

9)         What’s the last book you read or movie you saw?

 Patriotic Grace by Peggy Noonan and American Creation by Joseph Ellis

•  Tips for maintaining the elusive work/life balance? 

While good client service is a must, especially as a consultant, put the Blackberry down and make time for your family - especially spouse and children.  Start early by carving out a family space, such as dinners, bath/play time, etc.

If you’ve joined the chapter within the past six months and would like to receive a questionnaire, please contact newsletter@prsa-ncc.org. To view past new Member Spotlights, visit the membership section of the Web site.

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What are three writing tips that you would give a student applying for their first internship? What kind of experience should they list?—KP, College Park, MD

1.         Think of your resume or letter applying for an internship the same way you would as a working professional.  Granted, you probably don’t have a lot of professional experience to brag about, but what have you done in high school and college that indicates you would qualify as an intern for THIS organization?  If it’s a government office (and Members of Congress and the new Administration will definitely have lots of intern positions available), what kind of experience do you have in student government that shows you have a basic idea of how government works?  If it’s a corporation, describe any business or entrepreneurial activities you’ve engaged in, such as bake sales, car washes or other fundraising activities.  A nonprofit organization?  Describe the service-oriented activities you’ve participated in as a volunteer.  Select an organization that is interesting to you, and let them know of your interest. 

2.         In writing your cover letter, remember that you’re not communicating with your friends via text messages or e-mail.  Be sure to write it in a professional manner—no slang, abbreviations or acronyms.  Convey the image of a professional seeking a professional position, even if it’s one that pays very little (or most likely, nothing!). 

3.         Finally, remember all of those rules your parents taught you growing up: be sure to request an interview in a respectful way and send a “thank you” note immediately after an appointment.  Politeness pays off! 

Regards,

Fred Whiting, APR

Do you have a question concerning the practice of public relations that would be of interest to others? Ask a PRofessional!

Click on Programs/Mentoring/Ask a Professional or just go to http://www.prsa-ncc.org/component/option,com_philaform/Itemid,125/form_id,14/to pose your question and receive a personal reply. Your question and the answer may appear in a future issue of the PRSA-NCC Chapter newsletter

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