Insights
My 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 MoreStarting my first PR Job at the Beginning of a Pandemic
Starting a new job in the PR field, while anticipating my college graduation, was an adventure in itself, so throwing a global pandemic into the mix really made things interesting. At the beginning of March, during the week of the last spring break of my college career, I started a new position as a Public…
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 MoreMy first year in the Public Relations profession
It was June 24, 2019 — my first day coming to work for Pioneer Strategies. Right away I was introduced to my office, complete with a spacious desk, business cards and the most essential tools of the trade: a computer and phone. It’s hard to believe that was almost a year ago! Starting off, I…
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 MoreWebinar: Leadership and Communication in a Crisis
The 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,…
Read MorePR: It’s About Relationships, Not “Spin” or “Free Publicity”
by Frank L. Williams Over the years, I’ve run across more than a few people who think public relations is about nothing more than “spin” or “free publicity.” They are wrong. Stereotypes such as those dramatically oversimplify the public relations process. In 2011 and 2012, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) conducted a member-engagement process to…
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