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?

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.

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.

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.”

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.

Here are some basic tips to keep in mind to avoid plagiarism:
- Cite your sources. It’s ok if you find good information that you want to use in an article, but you MUST give credit where credit is due.

- Use direct quotations, but remember that you also must cite your sources when you paraphrase someone’s remarks.

- Whenever possible, gather the information for your article by conducting your own interviews in person or by phone. It’s impossible to plagiarize someone else’s work when you draw from your own sources.

When hiring writers to write articles for you, choose those with proven track records of writing good, strong copy. It is perfectly acceptable to ask a writer for the names and phone numbers of the sources they used when writing the article you hired them for. Don’t be afraid to follow up with those sources. It is better to be overly cautious than to assume everything is on the up and up.

Learning that a reporter has plagiarized his/her work leaves a bad mark not only on that writer, but on the publication that published the work. Ocala Magazine is in that unfortunate position today. They are having to do damage control and the next several months will be spent trying to restore their reputation.

It seems that each time I check Twitter, Heather has another great opportunity posted. My advice to college public relations students is to check out Heather’s Web site and start following her on Twitter. She’s easy to find: heatherhuhman. Also, you can search for #PRIntern on Twitter and find her tweets. The opportunities she promotes are from throughout the country.

It seems that many college students have difficulty finding PR, journalism and marketing internships locally. So recently I posted a list of Lakeland, Florida public relations, journalism and marketing internship opportunities.

If your company or non-profit organization has an internship opportunity available, email me and we’ll get it posted for you: lorrie@lorriewalker.com.

I received one this morning that I thought I would share. Here it is, verbatim:

Job Description:

This is a project for 20 articles at $4.50 per article or less. Your bid MUST be OVER the $50 minimum bid allowed at Elance.

I mention this because Elance keeps canceling this project “because it is under the minimum”……..however this is not the case.

For those who do not understand this, get out your calculators. 20 articles x $4.50 is $90.

Please do not waste your time and mine if (a) your bid is for more than the per article price I have listed or (b) you are not a native English speaker or (c) you cannot supply examples of your work.

I am looking for reliable, accurate SEO team writers to assist in bulk article projects (each article 600-700 words each, any and every subject) that I have undertaken and others that are in the pipeline.

These are easy articles requiring nothing more than a bit of internet research, and may possibly lead to ongoing work if we suit each other.

I will require 2 samples initially, which I am happy to pay for as part of the project (unlike many buyers I do not except you to write samples for nothing!)

Let’s break this down: if you, the writer, accept this job and bid the highest amount she is willing to accept, and write the shortest article she is will to accept, you will be paid a maximum of .0075 cents per word for your article.

What saddens me is that there are writers out there who will bid on this job and very likely be awarded it. Why someone is willing to write an article of 600-700 words for a paltry $4.50 is beyond me. It’s bad business for this woman seeking these writers and for the writers themselves for a few reasons:

1) If you don’t feel as though your writing is worth more than .0075 cents per word, you should consider getting into a different profession. Seriously.

2) If you, as a writer, are willing to work for this Third-World wage, you make it difficult for other writers to earn what they are worth. You dilute the pay scale. The more of these low-paying jobs get accepted, the more people offering these deplorable wages believe they can get away with it.

3) Let’s say this tired phrase together: you get what you pay for. Do not expect “reliable, accurate” writers when you don’t expect to pay them a reasonable rate.

As a writer of articles and press releases in Lakeland, Florida, I can tell you that through the years I wrote for some fairly low wages. But even 16 years ago, I didn’t write for .0075 cents per article.

To those companies in need of article and press release writers, please understand that the caliber of writers you attract has a direct correlation to the wage you are willing to pay for them. If you want quality writing, you need to hire an experienced writer. Experienced writers don’t work for free- or even .0075 cents per word.

If you are in need of professional writers, contact us at Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. We can help.

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.

2009 Internship Opportunities

SPCA of Polk County, Inc.

Type of internship: public relations and/or marketing

Description of Internship Opportunity : non-profit agency seeking interns interested in gaining experience in press release writing, media relations, web site design/maintenance, marketing, design, grassroots outreach and customer service

Education/experience requirements: experience in writing, content management systems, adobe design software preferred; outgoing personalities, team players, multi-taskers and self-motivated individuals a must

Hours: part time

Salary: unpaid

Contact: Rachel Bulman, Public Relations Director, rachel@lovemyspca.com, 863/646-7722 ext. 105

Florida Dance Theatre

Type of internship: public relations and/or marketing

Description of Internship Opportunity: Under the guidance of FDT staff, write press releases and disseminate information regarding the company’s performances and activities. Promote FDT to the Polk County community. Help coordinate events, write grants, and perform general record keeping, as needed.

Education/Experience requirements: Public Relations or Marketing student. Strong writing and interpersonal skills required. Must be an independent worker and self-starter. Must be able to take specific direction and be open to instruction.

Hours: Flexible hours, preferably a minimum of 12 – 15 per week.

Salary: Unpaid

Contact: Carol Krajacic-Erkes Artistic & Founding Director, 802-0399, Carol@floridadancetheatre.org

Polk County Government-PGTV

Type of internship: journalism, public relations and marketing opportunities

Description of Internship Opportunity : Develop/implement PR/marketing exposure and/or write articles/press releases for government television channel, using free resources

Education/experience requirements: College, entry level is fine

Hours: Flexible, will work with student schedule/availability

Salary: Unpaid. No budget available, but great for students needing school credit

Contact: Joan Davies, PGTV Programming Director, 863-534-5997, joandavies@polk-county.net

Pain Solutions Magazine (A new national magazine being published out of Lakeland)

Description of Internship Opportunity: Journalism, public relations and marketing opportunities.

Education/experience requirements: If they want to do writing for the Website I would like some writing samples. Otherwise, I would simply prefer a junior or senior or graduated student.

Hours: part-time

Salary: unpaid

Contact: Contact Diana Young-Stewart at 863/688-8181 or dystewart@painsolutionsmagazine.com .

Downtown Lakeland Partnership, Inc.

Type of internship: public relations and marketing opportunities available

Description of Internship Opportunity: The DLP will provide an opportunity to explore a wide range of PR and marketing experiences. We are a membership-based marketing cooperative whose purpose is to market Downtown Lakeland to residents and visitors. Our members include banks, owner operated retail stores, nonprofit organizations and more. We write press releases, create marketing materials and develop marketing plans, manage social media, organize and execute events, develop cross marketing opportunities, work with businesses and organizations on their marketing needs, and market ourselves to new and existing businesses on the benefits of membership in the DLP. As an intern you will create marketing materials, meet with business owners to determine their marketing needs, conduct surveys, write press releases, execute cross marketing opportunities with Downtown businesses and events, practice event management, have hands on public relations through events and DLP meetings and work with our board of directors, currently chaired by Kevin Jones, President of MidFlorida Federal Credit Union. This unique experience will expose you to dozens of businesses and nonprofit organizations and their decision makers.

Education/experience requirements: Knowledge of basic computer programs, such as word and excel a must. A work knowledge of graphics program s such as Photoshop and Indesign ( or Quark) preferable. Must have transportation, have an outgoing personality, and good communication skills.

Hours: part-time and very flexible.

Salary: There may be an end-of-the-internship stipend, not yet determined by the board.

Contact: Julie Townsend, Executive Director. PO Box 3499, Lakeland FL 33802; (863) 513-3669

Polk Arts Alliance, Inc.

Type of internship: public relations

Description of Internship Opportunity : to prepare pr materials for our annual race for the arts (3/21) and to do our press releases. With limited staff, even though I am well experienced, it’s a time issue. Our Race Chairman is Commissioner Bob English, so it’s good marketing as well. Could also use someone who is an experienced blogger and hooked into social networks to create a web presence.

Education/experience requirements: need to see writing samples and no first year students. Must be computer literate.

Hours: Flexible

Salary: Unpaid

Contact: Mischelle Anderson, Executive Director. PO Box 727, Bartow, FL 33815-0727; (863) 804-0494; director@polkartsalliance.org

Genie Publishing

Type of internship: marketing

Description of Internship Opportunity : An opportunity with flexible hours and full independence to someone who is skilled at computer marketing and/or Web site design.

Education/experience requirements: Must be computer skilled for Web site and computer marketing.

Hours: part-time

Salary: $8/hr or by project

Contact: gay@geniepub.com

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.

So what do you do when you make such a public flub? If you’re former New York City Mayor  Fiorello La Guardia, you say something like this:  ”When I make a mistake, it’s a beaut!”

Sen. Lloyd Bentsen once said something similar: “I’m not known to make many mistakes,” said the senator once when discussing a fundraising issue, “but when I do, it’s a doozie.”

Last night, Clinton wasn’t open to admitting her mistake in the fashion of La Guardia or Bentsen. Tonight, she did admit to having made a mistake.

It was a little too late, for many Americans. In public relations, it is imperative to get the information out there, even when that information is admitting that you’ve messed up. Think of it as a game of hot potato. Had Clinton immediately admitted her error, it is likely she would not have been in the headlines for two days in a row regarding Bosnia. But as she has proven, when you drag your feet on information that is unflattering, you do nothing but keep yourself in the headlines.