Posts by Frank L. Williams
A Refresher in Media Relations
by Frank Williams Technology is transforming the world of public relations and strategic communication, and many now view the press release as a relic of ages past. At the start of my public relations career over two decades ago, much of my work revolved around traditional media relations. These days, more and more of our…
Read MoreWhen Tensions are High, Think Before You Speak, Post, or Send
by Frank L. Williams The events of 2020 have dramatically altered the communication landscape in which leaders must operate. This year has been so filled with crises that memes speculating on what could be next are a prevalent feature in my social media feeds. As leaders, we must understand that emotions run high during a…
Read MorePioneer Strategies promotes Zach Drennan to Account Executive
Pioneer Strategies has promoted Zach Drennan, a Scotland County native and graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), to account executive. Drennan joined the company as an account coordinator in June 2019. “It’s hard to believe Zach has already been with us for a year,” said Frank Williams, President of Pioneer Strategies. “Our…
Read MoreMy first professional news release (before email was a thing)
by Frank L. Williams In November 1993, five short months after I graduated from the N.C. State University Department of Communication, I wrote and distributed my first press release for a paying client. The client was my pledge brother at Theta Chi Fraternity, Montie Roland, who had recently started a safety consulting business. We took…
Read MorePioneer Strategies launches new website for Brunswick County Association of REALTORS®
SHALLOTTE, N.C. – Pioneer Strategies, a public relations and strategic communication firm based in Leland, recently launched a new website for the Brunswick County Association of REALTORS®. “Designing the Brunswick County Association of REALTORS®’ new website was a complex project with a lot of moving parts,” said Frank Williams, founder and president of Pioneer Strategies.…
Read MoreLeadership, Communication and Setting the Tone During a Crisis
by Frank L. Williams During a crisis, people expect leaders to lead. Whether you are a business owner, association director, elected official or Rotary president, those under your leadership will look to you for direction and hope during a crisis. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, people are craving security and stability during a crisis that…
Read MoreHow I Ended Up in PR
by Frank L. Williams How does a would-be computer programmer end up with a career in public relations? That would-be computer programmer is me. When I was a student at North Brunswick High School in Leland, I won several regional computer programming competitions and was one of a few students who was far ahead of…
Read MoreLeadership, Credibility and Communication During the COVID-19 Crisis
by Frank L. Williams Over the past 45 days our world has been turned upside down by COVID-19 (aka the novel coronavirus). Much of America is under stay-at-home orders. Schools are closed, and parents are suddenly realizing what their kids’ teachers had to put up with all day. Many businesses are closed, and others are…
Read MoreThe Coronavirus Shock: A Time for Leaders to Lead
by Frank L. Williams A month ago we were starting to hear about Coronavirus, but I doubt if any of us could have imagined the impact the spread of COVID-19 has had on our communities, our nation, our world and, yes, our businesses. While all citizens are now navigating a different world than the one…
Read MoreBuild Your Reputation Before You Need It
by Frank L. Williams At its heart, public relations is about building and maintaining relationships with key publics. Relationships that stand the test of time are rooted in trust. Trustworthiness and credibility are joined at the hip. Credibility can be defined as the quality of being trusted and believed in or the quality of being convincing or believable. If you lack credibility,…
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