May 5 marks two years since Lorrie Delk Walker, started the business, which focuses on public relations campaigns for small businesses and professional article, press release and web copy writing services with a focus on search engine optimization.

The firm also offers guidance relative to how businesses can use social media outlets to their best advantage.

“When the business began, I quickly realized, along with numerous other PR professionals, that social media is one of the most effective outlets for spreading messages these days,” Walker said. “Combining those outlets with SEO efforts can really go a long way to helping businesses promote themselves effectively.”

Learn More
If you would like to learn more about writing services in Tampa provided by Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc., please visit the agency’s Web site: www.lorriewalker.com or call (863) 614-0555.

About Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc.
Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. is a public relations agency based in Lakeland, FL that provides services throughout the central Florida area. We offer quality writing and editing services and provides customized public relations packages for small businesses.

Our clients turn to us to cut through the clutter of “fluff” writing and jargon to write compelling copy that accurately conveys their message. They rely on us to provide creative avenues for getting their message out to their market demographic in a fashion that sets them apart from their competition.

We specialize in bringing attention to your business by helping you get your name out there and keeping it in front of the minds of consumers.

If you don’t see your specific needs listed in our services section, talk to us. We may be able to accommodate you. If you request a service we don’t provide, we are happy to recommend a professional who does.

You can read the whole story, including the story of how the iPhone came to be misplaced, at gizmodo.com. The story is fascinating. The features on this new device seem simply amazing.

I’ll admit that after reading the account of how the phone was lost, it all seemed quite plausible. An honest- albeit ginormous- mistake.

But what if it wasn’t a mistake? Any Apple fan has heard of the company’s top-secret nature. So to let something like this happen seems like such an implausible security breach. Could it even be possible for Apple to slip up like this?

If this was intentional, this is one of those cases where any publicity is good publicity, in my opinion. It’s brilliant! Word of a new iPhone is in the national news, it’s blowing up the Twitterverse and it’s got Apple dorks (I’ll put myself in that category) salivating around the world.

As a Lakeland and Tampa, Florida public relations professional, I’m always up for a new way to pitch a new product or service. It can be challenging to come up with something fresh, different, eye-catching- something that makes a reporter or blogger say something besides, “Who cares?” This little “I lost my iPhone prototype” scenario meets all of that criteria.

I hope Gray Powell (the poor guy who supposedly lost the phone), doesn’t lose his job over this. I hope he was a willing participant in this brilliant marketing effort. But even if this was all just an accident, I truly believe the media coverage generated from this will FAR outweigh any potential damage caused by leaking this product before Apple had intended.

What are your thoughts?

1. Don’t expect to hire mind readers and miracle workers.

We once had a client tell us “I need 10 pages of copy and I don’t care what it’s about.”

The client had learned a bit about search engine optimization and figured that adding additional pages of content would improve his ranking. It’s not that simple. SEO requires a plan.

2. Be ready to provide some input.

To use the example above, there’s no possible way we could have delivered a quality product that the client liked had we not pressed for more information. Ten pages of any kind of content won’t necessarily improve a site’s ranking. Ten pages of relevant content might.

3. Save yourself some money by being prepared.

If you haven’t got a clue as to how to beef up the information portion of your Web site, do some research by looking at competitors’ sites. Do a search of blogs related to your industry for some ideas.

It’s a beautiful thing when a client- lets use a dentist as an example- comes to us and says, “I want five pages of content added to my site about porcelain crowns, porcelain veneers, teeth whitening, tooth-colored fillings and dental bridges.”

We now have a direction and enough information to get started.

It’s even more beautiful when the client is willing to be interviewed via phone so we can gather more specific information.

If you simply don’t have the time to do your own research, tell your Web copy writer and find out if there are additional charges for research. Many Web copy writers charge by the page. If in-depth research is requested and no input will be provided initially by the client, writers often charge an hourly rate for that. If you have a bit of time on your hands, doing this part yourself will save you money and, in the long run, time. The more information you provide up front, the less time you likely will spend having to heavily edit the draft copy.

4. Know your keywords.

You know your business better than we do. You probably know what keywords people use when they find your Web site. Share those keywords with your Web copy writer so they can include them in your copy. Having keyword rich content makes it even easier for people to find your site.

5. Understand it’s a bit of a back-and-forth process.

Ultimately, your input helps create strong content that you’re happy with. When we write copy for a client, we create a draft and send it to the client for editing. The client makes minor changes, we clean it up to create a final draft, the client approves it and we submit it for publication. Understand that you’re going to need to review things before they get posted on your site.

It’s important not to skip this process because ultimately, it’s your reputation on the line. If there are mistakes, a visitor will think YOU don’t know what you’re talking about. They won’t know that you didn’t write the content yourself.

6. It takes as long as it takes.

A Web copy writer can give you an estimate as to how long a job will take to write the content. But the finished product relies on the client. The content may be finished in six hours, and then be held up for two days in a client’s e-mail in-box.

If you want to ensure a speedy turn-around, do your part to review and approve the content.

If you are in need of a Lakeland and Tampa, Florida Web copy writer, call Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. for more information: (863) 614-0555.

Creating a Facebook Fan Page is one of those steps we recommend, but haven’t done ourselves- until now.

Over the weekend, we created a Fan Page for our Lakeland and Tampa public relations firm, and we hope you’ll visit and become a fan: Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. Fan Page.

From this page, we will let fans know when we have blog updates. We also will post relevant information related to our Tampa Web copy writer, article and press release writer, and overall public relations services.

One thing we love about Facebook is the avenue it provides for generating dialogue between us and our fans. We hope you will leave comments, ask questions and suggests topics for us to cover occasionally.

That holdup frequently is caused by clients’ failure to provide the content. Because of that, I thought I’d offer three reasons why hiring a Web copy writer is a good idea.

Focus Your Energy
I’ve always been a big believer in focusing your energy where your talents exist, and hiring someone else to do the work that falls outside your gifted area.

Let’s say you own a hair salon. You know how to cut and color hair and run your business, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you are good at writing about cutting and coloring hair or the latest hair trends.

Hiring an experienced web copy writer ensures that the content on your page is well-written in a format that is reader-friendly.

Content is King
Having a Web site that looks sharp is important, but providing relevant information and consistently adding new content to that site is what keeps people coming back.

Many business owners and managers spend the bulk of their time handling the day-to-day business operations and don’t consider routinely updating their Web site a priority.

Hear this: it SHOULD be a priority. Everyone turns to the Internet these days for research and information. We have a generation coming up that doesn’t even use a phone book anymore; they Google it.

Having a regularly updated site increases the chances that when people search for terms related to your business, your Web site appears in the search results.

Get on a Schedule
Your Web site needs to give people relevant information to aid in their buying decisions or to educate, and you need to give people a reason to keep coming back.

By using a professional Web copy writer, the two of you can create a schedule for adding content to your site on a regular basis.

Josh Hallett, a local social media expert, once said businesses with Web sites that include blogs basically train their visitors how often to return to their sites. Update content weekly, and visitors are likely to visit the site weekly. Update it monthly, and you’ll see them once a month.

Getting on a schedule for updating content gets visitors on a schedule for checking out your site.

If you’re interested in creating a new site, updating the content on an existing site, or creating a plan to routinely add Web content, consider the Lakeland and Tampa, FL public relations firm of Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. Our professional web copy writers are happy to help you create site content that keeps people coming back for more.

Call for more information: (863) 614-0555.

But a couple of months ago while talking to my friend Kevin over at Blue Lynx Marketing, he asked me why I hadn’t claimed my Google local listing yet.

Yeah, sometimes we overlook the obvious in search of the obscure. I had neglected to secure some prime real estate on search engine results. Kevin wrote a blog post about claiming your Google local listing, and I recommend that you give it a look. He outlines the simple process in a step-by-step manner.

I followed those steps and within hours of completing the process, my business began appearing in the local listings when I typed in Lakeland public relations.

If you haven’t done so yet, you should claim your business’s Google local listing because if you don’t, someone else could. Although it isn’t likely, it is possible, so why take the chance?

“I love to promote causes I believe in,” said Lorrie Delk Walker, whose company provides public relations services in Tampa and Lakeland. “This is a cause I support and will even participate in.”

Hair for Hope is Thursday, Nov. 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at 3139 S. Florida Ave. in Scottsdale Plaza across from Dunkin’ Donuts.

Hair cuts will be free for those who participate, and they will get coupons for $5 off their next hair cut at Michael Rose Hair Designs.

Lorrie Walker Communications hopes to recruit 50 people to cut their hair during the event. If you wish to participate, please call (863) 614-0555 or e-mail: lorrie@lorriewalker.com.

Note: this post will be updated in the coming days to include links to Web sites containing more detailed information.

My first thought was, “Yikes! She’s sending a brochure?!” I mean, this Lakeland press release writer has written her fair share of brochure copy. I list it as a service on my site, even. But it’s been a day or two since a client has called and asked for that service.

Web copy? That’s another story. I just assumed that the times, they were achangin’, and public relations and marketing people were mouthing “he’s so 2000-late” behind the backs of clients requesting brochures.

What are others saying about the topic? Earlier this year, Mediasauce proclaimed the death of the brochure. But Matt Gonzales was quick to step in and say: not so fast.

Both sides have valid points. When you print a brochure, you run the risk of the information becoming dated. And what happens when the information is old and you still have 500 brochures left? Hello recycling bin.

The Internet, on the other hand, is instant. See a typo? Fix it. Need to change a name? Done. Business moved to a new location? You can update that in a flash. Discontinuing a service? Delete it.

I’ve mentioned before that the entire world seems to be on the Internet these days, and Generation Y and the Millennials barely know what a phone book is anymore. They search for everything online. So it makes sense to have a Web site and to post information perhaps once reserved for a brochure on that site.

But can the brochure really be dead? Matt Gonzales mentions a scenario in his defense of brochures, and I encourage you to read it.

I agree that there still are isolated instances in which a brochure is handy. I still grab the occasional brochure, particularly if I happen upon a booth at a community event and fear that I will forget the business name by the time I get home and want to look it up online.

So when I ask myself if the Internet has killed the brochure, I say: not yet. I firmly believe they still have a place in a company’s overall public relations campaign. But it’s important to consider these items when determining whether to design a brochure, or just simply add the info to your Web site:

- Consider your audience. It is possible that for some companies, their clientele are in an age demographic where brochures are a preferred method for information gathering.

- Timeliness of information. Information that is likely to change frequently probably isn’t best suited for a brochure.

- Budget constraints. Updating a Web site can be cheaper than updating printed materials on a regular basis.

If you feel as though you need to have something to give to potential clients, give them your business card- and make sure your Web site is listed on it. Now they have something to remember you by, and you have an opportunity to present far more information to them in the long run than you would have with a brochure.

Some people need a keeper. Kanye West might be one of them. There’s a worn-out saying in public relations that there is no such thing as bad publicity. I disagree.

West was the picture of what lack of class looks like Sunday night. Feel free to judge for yourself.

And if he was the picture of complete lack of class, Beyonce Knowles was class embodied later in the evening when she won the VMA for music video of the year. She recalled winning her first VMA and asked Swift to come back onstage and have her moment.

I think this marks a great teaching moment in public relations. For West, I think it’s a good lesson in keeping your mouth shut. Had he held his tongue, he would have saved face once he learned that Knowles got what he obviously thought she was due.

His outburst backfired on him in a serious way. He has been vilified since the incident, even though he issued an apology via his blog.

Which brings me to another point: as great as social media is; as instantly as you can post an apology or response; you can never, ever unscramble an egg. His behavior can’t be easily undone with an apology, even though it would have been insane had he not issued one.

Let’s hope this is a lesson to West, and to us all. Think before you act. Do not act in a heightened emotional state. The words that come out of your mouth at those times often will be the very words you wish you could take back.

Here’s an interesting post by another PR professional that I encourage you to read: The Buzz!

I don’t agree with his take on what West’s publicist should have said, but I think his post adds to this discussion.

When it comes to public relations, a good way for small businesses to garner publicity is to become known as experts in their fields.

That might be a difficult notion for some to buy into. After all, most of us were raised not be braggarts and to keep our self-confidence in check.

“Those in search of publicity have to get over those hang-ups,” said Lorrie Delk Walker, president of Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc., a public relations firm in Tampa and Lakeland.

For professionals to establish themselves as experts in their fields, they have to do a bit of self-promotion, and there are ways to look good without coming on too strong or making the wrong impression with potential clients, said Walker, an article and press release writer.

Walker shared these tips on how small business professionals can “take HEED,” when seeking to attain expert status by: Hiring a Professional, Education, Experience and Developing an effective Web site.

Hire A Professional
Getting your name “out there” as an expert may seem like a daunting task, and when in doubt, Walker recommends hiring a public relations firm to do the job right the first time.

“I’m a big believer in focusing your efforts on your own talents and hiring a professional with talent in the areas where you lack,” Walker said.

PR pros can offer a plan for assisting small business professionals in establishing themselves as experts in their fields. Some steps that Walker recommends include:

– Create a newsletter to send to interested readers.

– Add a blog to the company’s Web site and update it frequently with useful information.

– Join community and professional groups for networking purposes.

– Get involved in social media, such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Education
Educate yourself. Although a degree isn’t always necessary to be an expert, many people associate education with knowledge and expertise, Walker said. So a framed diploma on the wall may impress some. But there’s a lot to be said for education that happens outside the classroom.

“To become an expert in your field, you must make it your mission to absorb as much information as you can in your area,” Walker said. “Read books, publications, findings and Web sites dedicated to your field.”

Communicating with others in the same field also is helpful, because it enables professionals to learn of other viewpoints and become well-rounded on topics.

Experience
Some things take time, and you can’t become an expert in a field in which you lack experience, Walker said.

Look for opportunities to take on additional projects and gain experience in different niches within your field.

Develop an Effective Web Site
Having a Web site with helpful information allows small business professionals to share their expertise with visitors. Frequently updating and adding new information gives those visitors something to return to, Walker said.

“You never know when a journalist researching a topic may happen upon your site,” she said. “Once they find useful information, they are likely to call you for comments for their articles and to remember you the next time they write about a topic in your field.”

Learn More
If you would like additional information on how a PR professional can assist in establishing you as an expert in your field, visit www.lorriewalker.com for more information, or call (863) 614-0555.

That means that people increasingly are as likely to become Facebook fans with their local car dealership or favorite restaurant as they are to catch up with their 10th grade English teacher or high school girlfriend.

A lot of people ask the question, “Why?” when they hear all the buzz about social media, said Lorrie Delk Walker, president of Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc., a public relations firm in Tampa and Lakeland. That question is easy to answer when reading studies of how Generation Y communicates.

David Fallarme recently wrote on The Marketing Student blog that while Baby Boomers communicated via written letters, telephone calls or face-to-face meetings, Generation Y uses myriad social media outlets, including Facebook wall posts, private messages, instant messages and texts.

“If Generation Y isn’t already part of your client base, they soon will be,” Walker said. “So businesses need to communicate on their level.”

That means learning to use these outlets appropriately is paramount. For all the creative ways there are for businesses to use social media to their advantage, there are just as many ways to use it incorrectly.

“If not done right, social media can hurt you more than help you,” Walker said. “For example, if a restaurant sends out 14 tweets in a day and not one of them has anything to do with the restaurant, that’s not beneficial.”

Walker recalls a Lakeland barbecue restaurant that posted tweets about getting to work late, what a busy day they had ahead of them and what the weather conditions were.

“That provides nothing of value to a potential customer,” she said. “Tell me that you offer catering, or that you have pulled pork as today’s special, and that gives me a reason not only to follow you, but to actually give you my business.”

On the other hand, too much good information can have the same effect as useless info, Walker said. Businesses should not overload people.

“I think people are willing to become fans of businesses on Facebook or watch their YouTube videos if they aren’t nagged about it every 5 minutes,” she said. “If I’m going to follow a used car dealership on Twitter, I don’t want them sending me information about a new car on their lot or the latest service special 30 times a day.”

Businesses looking to jump on the social media bandwagon might consider consulting with a marketing or public relations company that understands how social media works for some guidance.

“It’s better to get it right the first time and build a following that sticks with you, rather than go through trial and error, anger people, and constantly lose followers,” Walker said. “Those people who quit following you aren’t going around talking you up in a good way to their friends.”

With that said, marketing businesses that cater to specific niches are popping up everywhere to assist industries in using social media effectively.

Auto Dealerships
Showroom Logic helps car dealerships market themselves on the Internet, specifically through Facebook and Twitter, said Mike Annable, Showroom Logic’s co-founder. Dealerships want sales leads, and these outlets provide a way to communicate with people who are in the market for a vehicle.

“Social media enables people to find products and services without feeling as though they have to deal with a pushy salesperson first,” Annable said. 

If a person in Tampa wants to buy a used car, they can search for a dealership on Facebook and become a fan, or find a dealer on Twitter to follow. Dealers who work with Showroom Logic have mechanisms in place to automatically update their Facebook and Twitter accounts each time they get a new vehicle on the lot.

“If the person sees something they like, Twitter and Facebook gives them an outlet to communicate with the dealer,” said Dave Ingold, IT/marketing manager at Park Auto Mall in Pinellas Park who uses Showroom Logic’s services. “If not, they simply keep looking without feeling pressured by a salesperson.”

Showroom Logic enables dealers to spread out their posts. If a dealer gets 10 new cars on the lot and wants information posted on all of them, it will be done automatically over the course of hours, not minutes, Annable said.

Real Estate
Real estate agents are another group always in search of marketing outlets, and Snap Tours in Lakeland has created a way for agents to market themselves and their listings on 39 social networking sites.

Snap Tours offers a complete marketing package for agents to create virtual tours, branded e-mails and brochures. With just one click, Snap Tours converts photos, information and the agent’s personal brand into video, said Michael G. Barrett, the company’s creative director.

Gate Arty, a Lakeland Realtor, said the Snap Tours technology is “vastly superior” to other virtual tour Web sites.

“It’s just a better quality product overall,” Arty said. “I like the multi-functional aspects of it.”

Restaurants

Social media outlets also are an obvious marketing tool for restaurants, Walker said.

Lakeland residents who follow Black & Brew Coffee House and Bistro learn of summer specials, weekend live music and new menu items via Twitter.

Subs ‘n Such in Lakeland offers specials to followers who mention Twitter when they eat at the restaurant.

“Yesterday, I saw where they offered a 12-inch sub at the 8-inch price if you told them you saw the offer on Twitter,” Walker said. “That’s a great way to advertise your business, and to measure the success of advertising via a particular social media outlet.”

Learn More
If you are in need of Lakeland or Tampa public relations services and social media advice, please visit www.lorriewalker.com for more information, or call (863) 614-0555.

© 2009 Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Sinai Marketing is credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this article is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.

Writing a press release is easy if you know what you’re doing.

While typically short and to-the-point, a well-written press release can lead to a feature story in a publication, which means free publicity, said Lorrie Delk Walker, president of Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc., a Lakeland public relations firm that specializes in quality editing and writing services s and provides individualized public relations campaigns for small businesses.

Keeping this idea in mind, Walker, a press release writer, has four tips to writing a publishable press release that can be remembered with this acronym: SNAP.

When writing a press release, keep it Short, Newsworthy, written according to the AP Stylebook, and to the Point.

“A press release is not an article,” Walker said. “It’s simply meant to offer enough information that may entice a reporter to write an article on the topic.”

Rather than telling a story, a press release offers the facts quickly and efficiently. Walker suggests including only the most important information, which should answer the “Five W’s” – who, what, when, where and why/how.

As a rule, Walker tries to hold press releases to one page, but that isn’t always possible, she said.

“You can’t be so stingy with your words that you forget to include the basics,” Walker said. “It is important for a reader to understand the facts if you want them to spread the story. On the other hand, they don’t want to read a book on the subject, either.”

Often, the answers to the “Why?” and “How?” contain the information that will prompt a publication to cover the news or event in the press release, so it’s important to address those questions, Walker said.

Before working on a press release, consider if the news is truly newsworthy. Does the general public care about the announcement? Will they benefit from it? Walker also suggests researching to see if similar news items have appeared in past publications. This is a pretty good indicator as to whether the press release should be considered newsworthy.

It is important to write press releases according to the Associated Press Stylebook, which is widely used by publications.

“Let’s face it- the newspaper industry continues to lay off reporters,” Walker said. “Fewer reporters are doing more of the work and if you want to stand a chance at having your news item considered for publication, it’s a good idea to write it according to AP Style.”

If a press release doesn’t rise to the level of sending a reporter to cover the story, that doesn’t mean it isn’t newsworthy. Sometimes publications will publish a brief that notifies the public of the news or event.

“When the release is written according to AP Style, that means a reporter or editor has to spend less time cleaning up your writing and can just forward it for publication if space allows,” she said.

Lastly, get to the point. The main difference between an article and a press release is the sharing of a detailed story compared to specific facts, said Walker. A press release is designed to be the foundation of a good article, but not the article itself.

If a writer has difficulty adding enough information to the press release, it is possible that the situation is not yet newsworthy, she said.

Still worried about writing a press release? Hire a professional to do it for you, Walker said. A professional press release writer can help determine whether the topic is newsworthy and can write it in a fashion that is sure to be noticed by editors and reporters.

While organizations are typically prepared for an anticipated crisis, public relations professionals understand that organizations also need to prepare for the unexpected crisis.

“It is not a question of if a crisis will occur, but when,” said Julie Fix, a University of Houston assistant professor at the Jack J. Valenti School of Communication. As the former president of the Texas Public Relations Association, Fix is a 25-year veteran of the PR industry and specializes in crisis communications and PR campaigns.

According to Fix, a crisis can be defined as any interruption of normal business activities that affects the consumer. She places every crisis into one of three categories: an act of nature, an intentional act of violence or an unintentional crisis.

While the basic approach to any crisis will have similarities, it is important that businesses plan for the potential crises that could occur in their specific industries, said Lorrie Delk Walker, president of Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc., a Lakeland public relations firm.

“A university may be faced with a school shooting, while a grocery store’s crisis might be contaminated food,” Walker said.

Public relations’ role of maintaining the relationship between an organization and its constituents makes it an integral part of crisis communications, according to Kevin Lachlan, director of communication studies at the University of Massachusetts in Boston. He has spent the past five years studying audience responses of crisis communications. According to Lachlan, preparing a crisis plan beforehand helps to better maintain relationships with consumers.

Before preparing a plan, Fix recommends seeking outside council. Professional crisis management companies are better inclined to find the weak links in an organization that could lead to a crisis.

“If your company influences the general public, you need a plan,” said Jason Maloni, vice president of Levick Strategic Communications. “We go over company concerns and the strategies of a plan.”

To create a plan, an organization must first identify the different groups potentially affected by a crisis and then identify the best way to get the information to them, said Lachlan. He recommends studying consumer demographics and the best way to communicate with those demographics.
Maloni suggests designating a spokesperson to make a public statement about the situation. A holding statement must be made to the general public within the hour, he said.

In her classes, Fix teaches her students to write holding statements that address the “Four C’s”: concern, competency, compassion and credibility. If the situation is at the obvious fault of the organization, Fix teaches her students to express the “Three R’s”: responsibility, remorse and remediation; an action that may not be supported by the organization’s legal council, but one that will keep the trust of the consumer.

Organizations should remember that outlets such as their Web site, text messages, Twitter and Facebook are viable options in communicating in a crisis, Fix said.

“If you don’t say something quickly,” said Fix, “there are so many others who will.”

Once a plan is created, a good organization practices the plan once or twice a year with different scenarios, said Fix. Drilling the plan prepares employees to act quickly without confusion.

After a crisis has been dealt with, Maloni reminds his clients to keep in communication with the consumer through polls or surveys. By polling consumers, an organization discovers if there are any problems with the crisis plan or if the consumer has a problem with the organization.

“It’s all about bulletproofing your brand,” said Maloni.

“Small business owners frequently hear about that two-year milestone, and how many businesses never make it to that point,” said the Tampa press release writer. “I’m grateful to have made it this far and, even in this tough economy, I see opportunities for growth.”

One way Walker is celebrating the PR agency’s success is by creating an internship in her office. It is open to college students who are juniors and seniors majoring in journalism, public relations or marketing.

Walker sees it as a way of giving back to the profession by providing an avenue for a student to see how what they’ve learned to date is applied in the field.

“I’ve always enjoyed the mentoring process,” she said. “I look forward to giving someone an opportunity to apply what they’ve learned, and I also would like to learn a bit about what is being taught regarding social media in journalism and public relations.”

Walker is a proponent of social media’s many uses in the PR field.
A champion of local environmental efforts, Walker also celebrated the anniversary milestone this year by going green in her office. She replaced old carpeting with carpet made from recycled plastic drink bottles. Not only is the carpet made from recycled content, it also is recyclable, should it need replacement in the future.

Walker also repainted her office walls with no-VOC paint. Volatile Organic Compounds create strong chemical odors and tend to be more concentrated in buildings than outside.
Walker also plans to incorporate more plants into her office décor this month.

“I’ve done what I could to keep the air clean by repainting with low-VOC paint, but I’ve been reading up on how beneficial plants can be to office air quality, so I’m going to add some plants, too,” she said. “I believe that creating a comfortable environment is more conducive to work. I want to be as productive as possible, so I’m willing to try even the little things that will make my office a more pleasant environment.”
Energy-efficient lighting replaced incandescent light bulbs last year in Walker’s office.

Learn More
If you would like to learn more about writing services in Tampa provided by Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. or you would like more information on the internship opportunity that is available, please visit the agency’s Web site: www.lorriewalker.com or call (863) 614-0555.

About Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc.
Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. is a public relations agency based in Lakeland, FL that provides services throughout the central Florida area. We offer quality writing and editing services and provides customized public relations packages for small businesses.

Our clients turn to us to cut through the clutter of “fluff” writing and jargon to write compelling copy that accurately conveys their message. They rely on us to provide creative avenues for getting their message out to their market demographic in a fashion that sets them apart from their competition.

We specialize in bringing attention to your business by helping you get your name out there and keeping it in front of the minds of consumers.

If you don’t see your specific needs listed in our services section, talk to us. We may be able to accommodate you. If you request a service we don’t provide, we are happy to recommend a professional who does.
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© 2009 Sinai Internet SEO Marketing and Lorrie Walker. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Sinai Marketing is credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this article is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.

Intern Responsibilities:
Research and write basic news releases and articles for search engine optimization purposes. Work on media campaigns as opportunities become available.

Intern Qualifications:
Candidate should have strong interviewing and writing skills and must know how to use the Associated Press Stylebook. Candidate must be able to work on deadline and must have the discipline to work alone and as part of a team.

Other Information:
Part-time; flexible hours. This is primarily a telecommuting position that requires weekly meetings with supervisor. This is a paid internship.

How to Apply:
Applicants should e-mail a resume and three writing samples of articles and press releases to:

Lorrie Delk Walker, president. E-mail: lorrie@lorriewalker.com, Phone 863-614-0555.

Deadline to apply for summer internship is May 8.

The Lakeland public relations firm underwent some improvements earlier this month in an effort to be more Earth-friendly and environmentally sensitive in honor of Earth Day, which is today.

The first step was replacing old, worn-out carpeting with new carpeting made from recycled plastic water bottles.

“I had heard about carpeting made from recycled content and I knew I wanted that for my home and office,” said Lorrie Delk Walker, president of the PR agency. “I wound up with carpeting that not only is made from recycled content; it also is recyclable, should I ever need to replace it again.”

Walker purchased the carpeting from Galloway’s Flooring Warehouse on Edgewood Avenue.

“Mike and the rest of the staff there were great, and I couldn’t be happier with the finished product,” Walker said.

Walker also repainted her office walls using no-VOC paint. Volatile organic compounds in paint are what make the air smell bad after painting.

New, energy-efficient light bulbs were installed for Earth Day last year and they haven’t had to be replaced yet, she said.

Walker is an avid recycler and always looks for ways in which to reduce waste, she said. Printing documents is kept to a minimum when possible and often, scrap paper is used to print documents that are maintained in the office.

All drink cans and bottles, newsprint, cardboard, fiberboard, plastic, steel and tin are recycled weekly.

Invoices and other correspondence are sent via e-mail whenever possible, in an effort to reduce the amount of fossil fuels used in the traditional mail delivery system.

Although she couldn’t complete the project in time for Earth Day, Walker is working on one other Earth-friendly element for her office- a desk made entirely from reclaimed materials.

“I’m working with Tom Monaco to make that dream a reality,” Walker said.

Monaco, who owns The Fourth Wall Specialty Design and Fabrication, Inc. is working on the desk design and will offer suggestions on the types of reclaimed materials he can use for the project.

“Once that is fleshed out, we can begin the process of searching for the materials to make the desk,” Walker said. “I plan to hit yard sales, thrift stores and maybe even scrap yards to find the materials.”

Walker said she looks forward to having a piece of functional art that will be a conversation piece and may encourage others to find alternative uses for items that otherwise would wind up in the trash.

“It’s easy to talk about being green, but people need to see your actions, too,” she said. “That’s what I’m trying to do- talk the talk and walk the walk.”

In addition to SEO writing, public relations professionals also must be well-versed on how to use the ever-evolving world of social media to assist clients in their public relations campaigns, said Lorrie Walker, president of Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. and a Tampa press release writer.
“I am a firm believer that the future of marketing and public relations efforts is solidly entrenched in the wise use of the Internet,” Walker said. “Everyone turns to the Internet these days when they are looking for a product or service, so a good public relations campaign must include the use of techniques that give clients’ Web sites a prominent presence on the Internet and in organic search results.”

According to a Nielsen study released in January, as well as research from Webvisible that was reported by Marketing Charts, 63 percent of small business owners and consumers use the Internet when seeking information about local companies. Of those Internet users, 82 percent use search engines for that research.

It makes sense for companies to do what they can to ensure that when people use keywords to search for the types of products and services they provide, that these companies’ Web sites appear prominently on search results, Walker said.

There is a wide array of public relations techniques used to assist companies in promoting themselves and spreading the word about their services, products, accomplishments and other newsworthy events, she said, “but no matter what we do today, we always come back to the Internet at some point. There is not a public relations campaign we have conducted since the company began in which the Internet did not play some sort of role.”
The Internet even is changing the way public relations professionals communicate with journalists and bloggers when it comes to pitching article ideas and other promotional ideas for clients, Walker said.

During a recent seminar sponsored by The Dick Pope/Polk County chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association, Jan Luongo, president of Tampa-based Alliance Communications, shared some interesting information on social media, Walker said. Luongo said that 99 percent of journalists are going online for research, information and story leads.
“The days of mailing or faxing press releases are all but over,” Walker said. “These days, if you don’t e-mail releases to journalists or send them a link via Twitter (www.twitter.com), chances are journalists aren’t reading them.”

New PR Opportunities
Social media also is creating new outlets for public relations professionals to use when conducting PR campaigns for clients, Walker said.
Wikipedia defines social media as content created by people using various Internet publishing technologies.

Those technologies include blogs, Twitter and social networking sites including Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn, to name a few.
During the FPRA’s New Media Communication Tools seminar in March, Luongo shared the following information about users on several social media Web sites:
• Facebook-150 million users in 180 countries
• MySpace- 110 million users
• Reunion.com- 50 million users
• LinkedIn- 35 million users in 170 industries
• Twitter- 12 million users

Luongo said social media uses for public relations include customer service, building brand awareness, promotions, breaking news, file sharing and trending, to name a few examples.

“With all of these social media and social networking opportunities at our fingertips today, it makes it more worthwhile than ever to incorporate public relations into a company’s overall marketing strategy,” Walker said. “These outlets provide countless opportunities to assist businesses in getting their message out to their core audiences.”

Learn More
If you would like to learn more about the public relations services provided by Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc., please visit their Web site: www.lorriewalker.com or call (863) 614-0555.

About Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc.
Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. is a public relations agency based in Lakeland, FL that provides services throughout Tampa and the central Florida area. We offer quality writing and editing services and provide customized public relations packages for small businesses.

Our clients turn to us to cut through the clutter of “fluff” writing and jargon to write compelling copy that accurately conveys their message. They rely on us to provide creative avenues for getting their message out to their market demographic in a fashion that sets them apart from their competition.

We specialize in bringing attention to your business by helping you get your name out there and keeping it in front of the minds of consumers.

If you don’t see your specific needs listed in our services section, talk to us. We may be able to accommodate you. If you request a service we don’t provide, we are happy to recommend a professional who does.

© 2009 Sinai Internet SEO Marketing and Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Sinai Marketing is credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this article is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
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In addition to providing information on the services offered by the public relations agency in Tampa, the new Web site, which launched March 1, features a blog that will provide information on various public relations and journalism topics, as well as updates on the company’s accomplishments.

“As we approach our second anniversary, I felt it was time to do a slight redesign to make our blog dominant on the site,” said President Lorrie Delk Walker. “Our blog is where we will share industry information and keep potential and current clients apprised of what we’re doing.”
Chuck Welch, a Lakeland-based blogging and Web design expert, spearheaded the redesign, which includes a Twitter feed and the ability to subscribe to the blog through an RSS feed or via email.

“In a sense, it seems early to embark on a redesign when the company is just approaching two years in business,” Walker said. “But what started out as a freelance writing business for me has quickly grown into a boutique public relations firm that assists small businesses in promoting themselves.”
For that reason, Walker felt it was time to create a site that more accurately reflected the services offered by the PR firm, she said.

Over the course of the next several months, small businesses will find helpful information on promoting their businesses and insight into other successful small business public relations campaigns.

Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. provides Tampa editing and writing services to companies in need of articles, press releases, newsletters, brochures and Web content. The company’s writers have a wide range of experience writing for weekly and daily newspapers, as well as local, regional, state and national magazines.
LWC also assists businesses in promoting themselves through various public relations efforts.

“We specialize in bringing attention to your business by helping you get your name out there and keeping it in front of the minds of consumers,” Walker said.

Learn More
If you are seeking help in the area of public relations in Tampa, FL, please contact Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc., (863) 614-0555, or visit their Web site: www.lorriewalker.com.

About Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc.
Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. is a public relations agency based in Lakeland, FL that provides services throughout the central Florida area. We offer quality writing and editing services and provides customized public relations packages for small businesses.

Our clients turn to us to cut through the clutter of “fluff” writing and jargon to write compelling copy that accurately conveys their message. They rely on us to provide creative avenues for getting their message out to their market demographic in a fashion that sets them apart from their competition.

We specialize in bringing attention to your business by helping you get your name out there and keeping it in front of the minds of consumers.

If you don’t see your specific needs listed in our services section, talk to us. We may be able to accommodate you. If you request a service we don’t provide, we are happy to recommend a professional who does.

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© 2009 Sinai Marketing and Lorrie Walker. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Sinai Marketing is credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this article is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.