This spring I celebrate the 20th anniversary of By the Sea Communications, LLC. Does that make me proud? Absolutely. [ Read More ]
brand
Maximize the ROI of Media Coverage
As you think about the allocation of your marketing budget, consider the immense ROI (return-on-investment) of a piece earned media coverage. I have been helping companies, including major global corporations, businesses headquartered abroad and countless U.S.-based companies of all sizes, earn great media coverage for more than 30 years. The ROI is tough to beat. [ Read More ]
What Mahomes Said to Brady
Tough loss for Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl yesterday. It must have felt wretched especially since most people were expecting him and his team to win. As a spectator, from the safety of my home, I felt sympathy for him and also knew he has plenty of time to accomplish many more great things in his beloved football career. [ Read More ]
Reputation and Its Fragility
I recently listened to part of The New York Times Dealbook Summit, a live virtual event, hosted by the popular Andrew Ross Sorkin. One particular session titled “The Race for a Vaccine” included Bill Gates, Albert Bourla, chairman and CEO of Pfizer, and Professor Heidi Larson, director of the Vaccine Confidence Project. It was a great session, and something Bourla stated about company brands is worth repeating. [ Read More ]
Reinventing Marketing: My Musings
I love the hot summer months and all the daylight. It gives me time to think aimlessly about life, my business and the industry I am in. There is a lot of talk these days about the evolution of marketing and I started to ponder it at random times. Below is a collection of my thoughts, both about what changed over the last several years and what to expect in the future. [ Read More ]
PR Expert’s Take on the Democratic Debate
There is nothing like a presidential race to demonstrate the importance of a personal brand and the nuance of communications. As a PR expert in Seattle, it was easy to pick up on things in the Democratic debate last night that would help and/or hurt a candidate. [ Read More ]
Basics of Strong Messaging
Creating strong messaging takes skill and experience. That said, the very basics of good messaging are so simple it’s surprising to me how many companies get them wrong. There are three primary things to focus on: clarity, consistency and repetition. [ Read More ]
5 Top Communications Tips for Start-ups
In my 25+year marketing communications career, I have worked with about 50 start-ups. Most have been in the technology industry and a few have been in the environmental sustainability and travel industries. There are a few things I always seem to have to emphasize at the outset and they are listed below. [ Read More ]
PR for Robotics Companies
I have been interested in doing PR for robotics companies for many years. Just ask my friend Tandy Trower, former head of robotics at Microsoft and founder of Hoaloha Robotics, a company creating companion robots to enable seniors to live more active and independent lives. When I sent Tandy various media articles over the years, he delighted me with long email responses that helped educate me about the industry. I am grateful that he shared this knowledge and provided years of encouragement. In 2016, I have had the honor and privilege of working with three amazing robotics companies. [ Read More ]
Your Life as a Museum
In this age of personalized media, I have often thought about the concept of each of our lives as a museum. What would yours look like? What rooms would it contain and what would be in each of those rooms? My rooms might be Exploration, Connection, Adventure, Laughter, Fun and Wisdom. It is an interesting and expansive exercise to define your life in collections like that. It also forces you to think about the things that really matter to you and all that you have done with your life. [ Read More ]