Monthly Archives: November 2013
The PR Girl Toolbox…..
Steps To Building A Brand
When I set out to create this blog, I knew what I wanted to do, who I wanted to reach and what I wanted to convey. All of these decisions weren’t made in the spur of a moment, but careful consideration went into each. I took the time to look at different blogs, some pertaining to public relations, others not so much. I looked at the social media of bloggers, as well as non-bloggers. In time, I was able to spot trends – what worked, what didn’t, what I liked and what I didn’t.
You can create a blog, anyone can, but what will resonate with readers and followers is the brand – the mark that identifies you. For me, a brand is a voice, and here are a few things to consider when building yours:
- Who is your target audience? Oftentimes your target audience will “reveal” itself based on the content you provide, but it is important that you decide who you’d like to reach. Who do you think will be interested in your product, whether the product be an actual product…or a website they can read, like this one.
- What is your tone? Before you decide on content, which will likely take its own shape with time, it’s important that you decide on a tone. Your tone will ultimately build your identity online and on social media. Are you humorous and witty, business-savvy but casual, a mixture of fun, intelligent and inspirational?
- What message are you trying to convey? Once you’ve decided on a target audience (or your target audience has revealed itself), it’s time you decide what message you’d like to share with them. Are you solely trying to sell a product or communicate how this product can change their life? Are you aiming to share your experiences hoping to inspire others? Take the time to think this through. This will be an essential part of creating content and building a brand others can relate to.
Wall of Storms Threatens to Upend Holiday Travel
CHICAGO (AP) — A wall of storms packing ice, sleet and rain could upend holiday travel plans as millions of Americans take to the roads, skies and rails Wednesday for Thanksgiving.
So far, the deadly storms barreling into the mid-Atlantic and Northeast have not resulted in many flight delays or cancellations, but forecasters were expecting the weather to worsen throughout the day.
“The timing of the storm couldn’t be worse,” said Chris Vaccaro, spokesman for the National Weather Service headquarters in Silver Spring, Md. “We are seeing numerous threats as the storm is beginning to develop and intensify.”
Heavy rain and breezy conditions were to strike the East Coast from the Carolinas to the Northeast on Wednesday, with ice and snow a possibility in the Appalachians, western Pennsylvania and western New York. Snow totals from the Ohio Valley to the interior of the Northeast were expected to be less than…
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SMH! School Forces Black Girl To Cut Her Beautiful Natural Hair [PHOTO]
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12 year-old Vanessa VanDyke was forced with a decision by her private school Faith Christian Academy in Orlando, Florida to cut her hair or face expulsion. Vanessa has been attending this school since she was in the third grade and it seems that her hair is just now starting to be come an issue.
It’s being reported that in the dress code section of their student handbook, “Hair must be a natural color and must not be a distraction…” So Vanessa’s voluminous mane is a distraction? “It says that I’m unique…First of all it’s puffy and I like it that way. I know people will tease me about it because it’s not straight. I don’t fit in,” Vanessa proudly stated of her hair.
This is the hair that grows out of this little girl’s head and it’s causing her to have to leave her school?…
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Top 10 Reasons Family Members Fight on Thanksgiving
When family comes to town for the holidays, there’s usually a lot of drama that comes with them. iVillage conducted a poll and found that 65 percent of people anticipated a Thanksgiving fight among their family.
Here are the top 10 reasons family members fight on Thanksgiving
10. What time should we eat?
Why picking a time frame of when to over-eat can cause such animosity is beyond me, but for some reason we desperately need to argue over start times. Some families insist on eating at noon, while others don’t even put the bird in until 4 p.m. This can cause a lot of drama, especially if you have a diabetic or bulimic in the family – they plan this stuff out down to the minute, people. The thing is this, you’re going to eat; you understand that, right? So why does the time cause such a big to do?…
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All the Trimmings: Mouthwatering Food Blogs on WordPress.com
The holiday season is officially upon us: that special time of the year dedicated to friends, family, red-nosed reindeer, and—
Who are we kidding? It’s all about food! Glorious, comforting, yummy food. As millions of Americans are busy preparing for tomorrow’s turkey/turducken/tofurkey feasts, the food scene on WordPress.com is equally abuzz with recipes, food stories, and pictures that will make you drool over your screen. Here are some of our favorite food blogs — better not continue on an empty stomach…
Eating with your eyes
A picture is sometimes worth a thousand bites, and many food bloggers take their images seriously, pushing food photography to a whole new level. On cookinandshootin, for example, bloggers Tara Striano and Maria del Mar accompany the detailed recipes with crisp, bright photos. They make great use of Anthem‘s full-width content display to make the pictures pop.
Others follow suit:…
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T.D. Jakes: ‘Black Nativity’ Is Not Just A Movie, It’s an Experience
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It may be Thanksgiving week across the country but the Christmas holiday has arrived in theatres a month early. “Black Nativity,” the holiday musical based on an original play by Langston Hughes and starring Jennifer Hudson, ForestWhitaker, Angela Bassett, Tyrese and Jacob Latimore is out today.
The film offers a healing story of music and faith anchored solidly in the black Christian faith. It’s no wonder that Bishop T.D. Jakes was one of the film’s executive producers. He’s quickly developing another career as a filmmaker producing several films that are based in Christian principles.
“I don’t think there is a movie project that I’ve been involved in that I’m more proud of, “Jakes told Skip Cheatham, sitting in for Tom Joyner this week. “It turned out amazingly well and I think people are going to absolutely love it and walk away inspired.”
Using actors from…
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Tina Turner: How To Be “Simply The Best”
Her voice is famous. And so are her legs. At 74, Tina Turner seems to just get better and better with age – a phenomenon the singer believes comes down to a combination of great style, great health and a great attitude.
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After an eight-year retirement that everyone – including Tina – believed was final, the evergreen soul star is doing a comeback tour.
Tina has been a legendary performer since the early 60s, but her second taste of the big time began in 1985, with the multi-million selling album, Private Dancer. Tina was already 47 by then, an age when many rock stars are looking to slow down. However, the sexy star has always thought age was irrelevant.
“A 50-year-old woman is equivalent to 40 when I was growing up,” she insists. “If you take care of…
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White House Releases Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Report
Earlier this afternoon, a pair of Obama administration officials joined a media call to address a new White House report, regarding the hotly contested Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Along with helping eliminate hunger and addressing poverty disparities, SNAP has also been a helpful boost to farmers nationwide.
The report, “Supporting Families, Strengthening Communities: The Economic Importance Of Nutrition Assistance,” highlights in full the program’s aim and scope despite heavy criticism from conservative opponents in Congress.
Gene Sperling, director of the National Economic Council, and Cecilia Muñoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, discussed in a brief chat the finer points of the SNAP program and focused on the upcoming holiday as a central theme as to why SNAP benefits, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, remain a key component in supporting the needs of the less fortunate.
As noted in the call and report…
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Police Find 5 Guns & More Than 100 Rounds Of Ammunition During George Zimmerman Arrest
George Zimmerman has a fascination with guns, and clearly, he’s not ashamed of it.
A recent search of his girlfriend’s home uncovered five firearms and 127 rounds of ammunition. According to court documents, the weapons included an AR-15-type rifle, Keltec shotgun and three handguns. Police also confiscated a pocket knife and religious pendant.
As we reported earlier, Zimmerman — who was found not-guilty over the summer for the shooting murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin — was arrested for aggravated assault after a confrontation with his lover Samantha Scheibe on November 18. She claimed he threatened her by shoving a 12-gauge shotgun in her face.
He plead not guilty — again! — and was released on $9,000. According to CNN, a Florida judge put numerous conditions on his bail:
– Zimmerman cannot go to two Florida addresses.
– He cannot have contact with the accuser, Samantha Scheibe.
–…
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The Evolution! 