Just July?

Although I try to post more than once a month, it seems as though that's my current posting schedule.  Of course I was very busy this spring and early summer consulting for the Portland Performing Arts Festival and now I'm helping with the PR for Constellation Gallery in Portland. No more excuses.

I have an old (actually I think he's younger than I am) friend in Sacramento who has been doing marketing consulting for many years.  Yes, I'm talking about YOU Michael Boyd!  I first meet Micheal when he ran a small desktop publishing business in midtown Sacramento.  This was back in the day when the archival color printers were still too expensive for mere mortals like me to own.

Today Micheal posted a very good article about the best times to post on social media sites.  Of course I'm not posting this blog at a very good time according to the article.  As a writer I need to write when the spirit moves me however, which is a little different than posting for PR's sake.

I've also almost finished the final rewrite for my PR booklet - Public Relations for Artists, Photographers And other Creatives.  Many thanks to consultant Bob Walters and write Kate Maney for their feedback.  I'm thinking that I will go the Amazon route, but will post more info on that when I sort it all out.

Jumping, Jiving June

It really has been in my little corner of the world.  I can't believe we're almost at the end of June and the Portland Performing Arts Festival (PPAF) starts on Thursday, June28th!  The reason the  month has flown for me is that I've been working with PPAF on the PR end of things.  The Executive Director sent me an email with the following:

I have a phone interview this morning ... (newspaper)
I have a live interview slot on public radio monday morning (radio)
sunday's paper would have an overall festival preview (newspaper)
the (other paper)  expects to have a sizable article on Tuesday (newspaper)
we are the cover story in thursdays go section next week (newspaper)
I'm booked on the morning show next Tuesday (TV)
fritz and steven (the eepys) are doing 207 as well next week (TV)
musician live on the show friday next week (radio)
taping musician concert for later broadcast (public TV)

Needless to say we've already had hits in other media but I'm very proud of the work that we've done on getting this much PR for a brand-new festival here.  I had hoped that we'd get a visit from the dance critic from either the New Yorker or the New York Times because of Alison Chase's new company premiering a new show here, but alas not this year.  If you're not familiar with Modern Dance, Chase is one of the co-founders of Pilobolus and one of the greats in the dance world.  It will be interesting to see what all the press amounts to audience-wise.

Make May Marvelous

How did April get past me?  Perhaps I've been busier than I expected doing PR consulting work for Portland Performing Arts Festival, as well as planning to direct a one-act for the Port Fringe theatre festival which happens at the same time as well as a few visual art projects I'm involved with along with finishing up some work on my book - "PR for Artists, Photographers and Other Creatives".   Yes, that was why April flew by.

But here we are in the merry month with our friends at Mashable serving up interesting as always information for you and your business.  With our continued focus on new media, check out their list HERE.  The article I think is the most valuable  in PR terms is this one.

Up here in Portland Maine, the tulips are just about gone.  It's springy in that chilly, rainy way and I'll just bet we get thrust into summer by Memorial Day!

Social Media - Marketing or PR?

Marketing and Public Relations seem to mingle more on social media.  Sometimes campaigns that companies devise will have elements of both in efforts to expand their customer base.  Here are five
 smart ways that social media helped to boost brand awareness using social media and interactive techniques.  Perhaps they will give you some ideas to more actively use social media in your PR planing.

I'm off on hiatus for the next week and a half.  When I get back, I'm going to be doing some consulting work for the brand new Portland Performing Arts Festival!