Let me provide a bit of background here. Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. provides article, press release and Web copy writing services for a couple of notable Internet marketing firms in the U.S., and St. Paul, MN Orthodontist Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth is a client of one of these firms- Master Google, a Google SEO specialist.

In addition to recently gaining a new patient from the article found on the Internet, Eisenhuth enjoys a top-of-Google ranking for organic searches of her specific keywords, thanks to Master Google’s efforts.

Each month, I write keyword-rich articles and press releases for many of Master Google’s clients. These writings help Master Google position these clients at the top of organic search results for their keywords.

Ali Husayni, Master Google’s founder and SEO expert, has said for years that the bulk of SEO success is not accomplished internally on his clients’ websites, but externally via articles and press releases.

I repeat these words to my clients who inquire about SEO and how it might improve their websites’ visibility. To be clear, I do not profess to be an SEO expert. But by working with Master Google, I have learned a great deal about the topic and I have been privileged to witness first-hand how powerful it can be and how successful it can make a business.

If you are interested in learning more about how articles and press releases can work for you in your ongoing SEO effort, please contact me for more information (863) 614-0555.

If you are interested in more information about launching an SEO campaign for your company, please visit Master Google’s website: www.mastergoogle.com.

Walker was inducted into the organization at its June 16 meeting at the Lakeland Yacht and Country Club.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of FPRA once again,” said Walker, a Lakeland press release writer and public relations professional. “I was a member when I worked in the PR field prior to starting my own business, and I’m excited to be a part of this incredible group of professionals once again.”

Walker is hitting the ground running. She will serve as the organization’s newsletter editor for the 2010-2011 year.

There are many aspects of FPRA that are appealing to Walker, she said. The organization provides a great deal of networking opportunities with like-minded professionals. It also offers PR practitioners the ability to become accredited in public relations.

Accreditation is offered through the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB) to members of participating organizations, including FPRA, according to the FPRA website.

“I’ve considered accreditation for years, and now that I’ve become involved in the organization once again, I feel strongly about pursuing my APR,” she said.

Yet another FPRA benefit is the opportunity it presents for making media contacts throughout the state. For example, the Orlando FPRA chapter has partnered with the Public Relations Society of America’s Orlando chapter to present the 2010 Central Florida Media Roundtable and Luncheon on July 15 in Orlando.

“Attending this event puts you in contact with top editors, reporters, bloggers and TV producers from local to national media outlets,” Walker said, adding that having these contacts comes in handy when conducting public relations campaigns for clients.

Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. has been in business since May 2007. Walker’s experience includes journalism, public relations and event planning.

For more information, please visit www.lorriewalker.com or call (863) 614-0555.

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.

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.

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.”

Call it an occupational hazard that goes with the territory when you are a writer and a public relations professional, but I saw this truck the other day and couldn’t resist snapping a photo of it. I felt like taking a red pen to this back window!

Actually, this truck and its poorly written message provides a great opportunity to discuss the importance of proofreading and editing.

The written word often serves as a business’s first impression to potential customers and clients. Think about it: if you produce marketing brochures or have a Web site that you use to attract business, you need to make sure these items are well-written, well-designed and error-free. Content full of misspellings, grammatical errors and omissions doesn’t build confidence in the minds of consumers as to your professionalism.

When you write content, whether it’s a marketing letter, a promotional brochure, Web site content, a newsletter or even a blog post such as this, read over your writing. Have someone else read over it. It’s important to catch those mistakes before they are seen by your potential customers.

Not everyone was born to be a writer or an editor. So if your talents aren’t in these areas, hire a professional to proofread and edit your work before it is finalized. It is a small price to pay for peace of mind in knowing that your printed materials will make a great first impression among your target audience.

How do you know if you need an editor? Well, let’s go back to the photo above for a little test. There are three errors in this saying on the back window. If you can’t find them, perhaps you should seek the services of an editor the next time you have a written piece that you plan to share with new and existing clients.

Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. offers editing and proofreading services. Visit our Editing page on our Web site or call us today for more information: (863) 614-0555.

Luongo, who has counseled, written and lectured extensively on public relations and won many awards in her distinguished 20-year public relations career, will teach attendees how to use blogs, search engine optimization in press releases, social media like Facebook and My Space, RSS feeds and other contemporary tools to enhance the effectiveness of their PR campaigns.

The seminar, which is open to all PR practitioners in Central Florida, is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at The Estates at Carpenters in Lakeland. The admission fee of $10 for FPRA members, $15 for non members and $5 for students includes a light breakfast.

“In survey after survey, our FPRA chapter has found that PR practitioners want to learn as much as possible about new technologies and how to use them. As a result, we have invited Jan to teach us how to make full use of blogs, social media and other new tools,” said Jim Frankowiak of Coastal Public Relations, who is chairing the seminar.

FPRA members and others with an interest in PR and communications can register by sending an e-mail to Frankowiak at jim@cprg-web.com. Information is also available on the FPRA website www.fprapolk.org/home. For directions to The Estates at Carpenters check out www.estatesatcarpenters.com.

Named in honor of Cypress Gardens founder Dick Pope, Sr., the Lakeland, Florida public relations organization and its affiliated Southeastern University and Florida Southern College chapters are among 15 professional and 13 student chapters of FPRA, the professional organization for Florida public relations practitioners.

The award-winning Dick Pope/Polk County Chapter meets on the third Wednesday of every month, with all meetings open to the public. For chapter information, call Kris Keprios of Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing at 863-534-2527 or visit www.fprapolk.org/home on the web.

Based in Sarasota, FPRA provides professional development, networking and recognition opportunities for more than 1,500 public relations professionals across the state of Florida. FPRA is the nation’s oldest PR professional organization, established in 1938 by the late Lt. Col. John Dillin, APR, CPRC of Lake Wales. More information on FPRA can be found on the web at www.fpra.org.

The article is about Haines City artist Pati Mills who designed the Publix tile murals, said Walker, who started her Lakeland, Florida public relations firm in May 2007.

“Pati Mills created a legacy,” Walker said. “It is a collection of art that has gone down in Publix Super Markets history, as well as the history of every town in which her work is displayed.”

Many of the murals are going away as aging Publix store buildings are demolished and rebuilt, moved to newer locations or sold to other companies.

Walker, who was born in Ocala, grew up seeing one of Mills’ murals at the Publix where her mother shopped. Since living in Lakeland for the past 10 years, she witnessed several of the murals demolished throughout Polk County as new stores were built.

“The mural at the Publix where my mother shopped was such a vivid childhood memory of mine,” Walker said. “I love local history and the more I thought about it, the more I realized this was a piece of local history that slowly was going away.”

Walker tracked down Mills after taking a photo of her signature on the mural at the former Wabash Publix in Lakeland. Once she pitched the idea of writing an article for Florida Monthly, Mills was onboard.

“It was a pleasure interviewing Pati for this story,” Walker said. “She’s a feisty, charismatic woman who has a great story to tell, and I’m honored that I was allowed to share that story with the readership of Florida Monthly Magazine.”

Visit www.floridamagazine.com for information on how to obtain a copy of the February 2009 issue.

In addition to providing information on the services offered by the PR agency, the new Web site features a blog that will provide information on various public relations and journalism topics.

“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 existing and potential 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.

For more information, please visit www.lorriewalker.com or call (863) 614-0555.

I received this information from the Florida Public Relations Association today: 

A recent CBS program called “Sunday Morning” featured a rather scathing commentary on the public relations profession from the perspective of a legal analyst named Andrew Cohen. This nationally-televised program garnered the attention of many of our members and, justifiably, caused those members concern. 

 The Public Relations Society of America released this response: