Seeing the world of public relations with new PRISM

Friday, Nov. 17, 2006

That’s a primary focus of Public Relations Individuals of Southern Maryland, an association now in its second year. Besides connecting marketers and public relations professionals, PRISM provides learning opportunities to help its members reach professional and personal goals.

Public relations, as it implies, is about relationships. They develop over time and are run much like a marathon rather than as a sprint. PRISM is that chance to meet new friends, learn new concepts, see new possibilities, think new ideas, share new perspectives and gain new vision in the public relations arena. We promote community, confidence, excitement, encouragement and imagination.

Recognizing that every relationship will affect you for good or bad, PRISM provides a positive network.

To soar with the eagles, we must develop each other, nurture great attitudes, foster creativity and value the knowledge we share among ourselves. UCLA basketball coach John Wooden said, ‘‘It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”

For all of us, there always exists room to grow personally, develop professionally and invest externally by helping others reach their potential. That’s a legacy for building future leaders.

With 57 members and growing, PRISM represents a cross-section of PR and marketing practitioners from throughout Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties who are serving in various industries, from small business, to economic development, defense, retail, health care, government, nonprofit, education and professional services.

It’s amazing the ideas and information we pick up from each other as we exchange our experience and expertise.

PRISM is an opportunity to connect with a colleague who can inspire you. Surrounding ourselves with creativity, enthusiasm and positive attitudes gets us out of our rut, permits us to challenge our thinking and relieves us from the limitations we place on ourselves. In PRISM, we share experiences, share knowledge and share lessons learned.

Today’s information-rich society calls for new ways to connect with our audiences. The challenge is how do we raise awareness, provide guidance and look for PR solutions to real business objectives?

Building solid, positive relationships with your employees, your clients and customers, your community and your peers translates into people wanting to be associated with you. To help small businesses navigate these new touch-points, PRISM hosted its second annual PR workshop Oct. 19 at the College of Southern Maryland’s Leonardtown campus, focusing on ‘‘A Beginner’s Workshop to Boost Your Bottom Line.”

These workshop sessions were designed specifically with the small business in mind, to provide effective tips on how to make the most of their marketing dollars. As a follow-up to last year’s session for people in nonprofit organizations seeking ways to make the most of their PR efforts, this year’s event for small businesses proved equally successful.

Linda Craven, a business counselor with Maryland’s Small Business Development Center, provided the basics of ‘‘Marketing on a Shoestring.” Shawn Salta, a certified direct marketer with DirectMail.com, discussed the ins and outs of direct marketing. Marc Apter of St. Mary’s College of Maryland and Melinda Sigal of The Sales and Marketing Connection shared how to create local special events that put your business in the news. Jerald Long, founder and CEO of Foo Corp., presented Web strategy options. Completing the day was Andrew Langer of the National Federation of Independent Business, who offered a briefing on small business challenges.

Overwhelmingly, the speakers offered a wealth of relevant information, practical insight and valuable resources. More importantly, the participants applauded the opportunity to talk with each other and brainstorm about innovative approaches to their marketing and PR efforts.

You, too, can sample that networking and brainstorming during PRISM’s bimonthly lunch meetings.

The meetings rotate among venues in Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties with presentations on public relations and marketing issues, new methods and successful campaigns that help build your professional skills. Previous discussions have included media panels, crisis communications, RSS feeds, podcasts and e-mail campaigns. These luncheons and the annual workshops provide the openings for you to develop industry contacts as well as foster your professional development.

I invite you to join us and grow your positive relationships. PRISM’s next meeting will be a holiday networking beginning at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 7. The location will be announced next week, and those attending are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy. All toys collected will be donated to St. Mary’s County Christmas Caring Toy Drive to help bring smiles into our community this holiday season.

PRISM President Karen Smith Hupp is the director of community relations at the College of Southern Maryland. For information on PRISM, details on the Dec. 7 gathering or downloads of presentations from the October workshop, go to www.prismonline.info, or contact Hupp at karens@csmd.edu or 301-934-7701.