Posts by Frank L. Williams
Two Pioneer Strategies team members serving on 2025 NCPRSA board of directors
Two team members with Brunswick County-based Pioneer Strategies are serving on the North Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (NCPRSA) 2025 board of directors. Senior creative strategist Zach Drennan and senior account leader Kelly Crosby are serving as web chair and communication co-chair, respectively. Pioneer Strategies’ founder, Frank Williams, completed his term…
Read MoreDon’t Move the Target Without Telling Those Trying to Hit It
by Frank L. Williams Over the years, I’ve served on a number of boards. Several years ago, another member of one of those boards chastised a contractor in a meeting because they thought the contractor’s efforts were misdirected. Here’s the problem: the things the board member thought the contractor should be doing were not part…
Read MoreBeware Dollar Store Diamonds
by Frank L. Williams President Dwight D. Eisenhower is quoted as saying, “Some people wanted champagne and caviar when they should have had beer and hot dogs.” I’ve encountered this thought process on numerous occasions throughout my 30-year career as a professional communicator. A client or potential client outlines a grandiose vision for what they…
Read MoreThere is No PR Silver Bullet
by Frank L. Williams We live in a society that demands instant gratification, often seeking it where it simply does not exist. In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey tells the story of a farmer whose goose laid a golden egg each day. The farmer got impatient and decided to speed up…
Read MoreHiring a PR Firm? How Your Leadership Style Can Make or Break the Relationship
by Frank Williams Over the course of my public relations career, I’ve worked with a wide range of clients. Some of the engagements were positive, productive, and long-lasting. Others, not so much. It took me a number of years to fully understand the degree to which a client’s leadership style affects my team’s ability to…
Read MoreDetails Matter
by Frank L. Williams Details matter. When you do the small things well, it pays off over time. When you don’t, it can come back to haunt you. Benjamin Franklin said that “a small leak will sink a great ship.” If you get into the habit of ignoring or neglecting the little things, they can…
Read MoreWhere Are You Headed?
By Frank L. Williams “We need to post on Facebook more often.” “We should do some billboards.” “We need to do a newsletter.” “I want to send out two press releases every month.” “We need to be doing ads like the ones that pop up after I search for a product on Google.” “Let’s buy…
Read MoreStrategy First!
by Frank L. Williams In the past, I’ve occasionally gotten strange looks from clients when I ask about their big-picture business or organizational goals. One even seemed a bit defensive and asked me why I wanted to know. The reason is simple: EVERY communication program or activity should be designed to move you toward your…
Read MoreWant Truly Strategic Communication? Seat Your Communicator at the Strategy Table!
by Frank L. Williams “Strategic” can be defined as relating to the identification of long-term or overall aims and interests and the means of achieving them. Another definition is carefully designed or planned to serve a particular purpose or advantage. In layman’s terms, being strategic means that your actions and decisions are focused on achieving…
Read MoreConnecting Communication with Strategy
by Frank L. Williams Throughout my career as a public relations professional, I’ve adhered to a belief that effective communication flows from a solid strategy. Every communication activity should be designed, planned, and executed to help advance a larger business goal. Unfortunately, in far too many organizations, communication “programs” are anything but programs. They are…
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