We’ve all pretty much accepted that St. Patrick’s day is a new American holiday, regardless of the amount of Irish whiskey blood pumping through your veins. Around the country, we observe this day by drinking beer and wearing sparkly green pants and shamrock sunglasses. What do we do to observe non-religious holidays? President’s Day, MemorialRead… Read more »
During a meeting this past weekend I once again had the chance to interact with local government officials from all over the country. I attended an excellent session on social media, mostly to see the reactions and hear the questions from meeting attendees. What I heard from them was the same thing I had beenRead… Read more »
Part 2 in a series on creating your identity with DC based professional graphic designer/artist Jack Hernandez. Catch up with the earlier post here, Logos & Identity Part 1: Not just for your clients As I mentioned in the previous post, branding is one of the most important steps to establishing an identity in theRead… Read more »
In addition to local governments, I also do a bit of work with small businesses helping with their communications and social media outreach. Just last week, two unrelated businesses dealt with the same issue, the grumpy customer. Business A sells finished industrial products and is in its third generation. They are considered experts in theirRead… Read more »
I have worked with graphic designer/artist Jack Hernandez for almost a decade on creative projects, both professional and personal. Jack has nearly 15 years of professional graphic design experience and for the last ten years has worked with local governments at a nonprofit DC lobby association. Recently, he and his partners established their own identityRead… Read more »
Mobile apps are hot. Everyone’s got one, from grocery stores to travel companies to whisky distillers. Last week Rob Giggey began an interesting discussion about whether or not agencies/departments within a single government entity should have their own mobile apps.Should we separate a public library database search from emergency services and general info into theirRead… Read more »
You know what QR codes are, right? They’re those little, weird looking squares that marketers are putting absolutely everywhere now to get you to check out their service, visit a web site, enter a contest, or get product information. Scan it using a code reader on your smartphone and “read” the information. You can findRead… Read more »
Every good, successful team is lead by an effective leader. Part of your organization’s media plan must focus on your team’s structure, even if there are just two members. A social media team is only as knowledgeable and functional as its players…with a leader who delegates responsibility and provides guidance towards achieving objectives and establishingRead… Read more »
Whether your social media outlets represent your entire department or just one office, deciding on your the kind of information you will share shapes interactions with your followers. I have seen several public entities struggle with what they should share via social media. My suggestion has been to come up with a list of standardRead… Read more »
I spent the better part of the past two years talking to local government officials about Facebook plans for their governments or the public office they held. More than once, I was asked “I have a Facebook page, why isn’t it working?” Well, that depends on how you want it to work. What are youRead… Read more »