Now is an excellent time to think about your 2020 PR reading list and start the new year with big ideas. Whether you are a communications professional on the lookout for case studies from leaders in your field, a chief executive or an entrepreneur wanting to improve the way you communicate, there is something in my list of PR & communications books for every professional. 1. Known - Mark Schaefer Known is a collection of case studies, exercises and personal branding stories f

According to the March 2018 Eurobarometer on fake news and online disinformation, 85% of the citizens in the EU perceive fake news as a problem in their country, 83% perceive it as a problem for democracy in general, and 73% are concerned about disinformation online during pre-election periods. Fake News is nothing new. It is just as old as humankind. In the Iliad, the Trojans fell for a fake horse. Procopius, a Byzantine historian of the 6th century AC, produced dubious info

Now is an excellent time to think about your 2019 PR reading list and start the new year with big ideas. Whether you are a communications professional on the lookout for case studies from leaders in your field, an influencer learning how to revitalise your campaign strategy or, a chief executive wanting to improve the way you communicate, there is something in my list of PR & communications books for every professional. 1. Spin Sucks: Communication & Reputation Management in

It’s been a little over 20 years since Tom Peters first coined the term “personal branding” in his Fast Company piece, “The Brand Called You.” The concept was simple: all workers must be in control of their own careers. It sparked a phenomenon where many people started to perceive themselves as brands. It became all about having that distinct voice and signature image that made you recognisable to everyone from your colleagues to your stakeholders and clients. It was far more

The ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, partners, employees and stakeholders is essential, no matter what type of business you are in. How are your communication skills? If you have any of the following habits, there’s a good chance that you are not communicating as effectively as you could be. Here are some bad practices to avoid to instantly improve how you communicate. You Always Want to Be Right Being right is a very common human desire. We all want to be

One of the best corporate branding campaigns ever is that of Nike. When the company started, the products were made almost exclusively for marathon runners. When the fitness vogue emerged, the marketing department of the company knew they needed to take advantage of it to surpass Reebok which was their main competitor. The Just do it campaign was launched in 1988. During that year, Nike sales were at 877 million dollars. Ten years later, in 1998, sales exceeded 9,2 billion. T

Is there anyone who is not on Facebook ? Although it has become less exciting because of its overuse, it is still relevant to each organisation needs. It’s clear that social media platforms, particularly Facebook, have greatly influenced how the communications industry has both pursued news leads and dispensed narratives to the public. Effectively using social media as part of a PR strategy has become inevitable. There’s even pressure surrounding producing a story that has a

The one thing that you will notice in almost all brand advocates is that they all have an emotional connection with the brand they are loyal to. They even feel that they are being personally attacked when someone says anything negative about the brand. But how do you get people to feel this way about your organisation? How do you get them to invest their feelings into your cause, your products or services? To win your stakeholders and customers’ loyalty, you need to engage on

Now is a good time to think about your 2018 PR reading list. Christmas is approaching and you are looking for the ideal gift for family, friends, and of course, your clients and stakeholders. Books about communication is a fantastic idea. PR used to be all about gaining exposure and generating buzz for organisations through the media, but with content marketing, new technologies and social media coming to the forefront during the last years, comms must continuously adapt. Lea

About a month ago, I received a message from Euractiv, the pan-European media platform : "You are ranked among the Top 40 EU digital influencers. We are writing to invite you to join us at an event in Brussels". Wow, but how do you become an influencer - an authority in your field? How do you gain celebrity-like status on social media? Being an influencer means many things, but it really comes down to being someone who actually influences decisions of others. It’s not about

In January 1996, Bill Gates wrote an essay titled "Content is King", which was published on the Microsoft website. He begins by saying: "Content is where I expect much of the real money will be made on the Internet, just as it was in broadcasting." More than two decades later, needless to say that Gates was right in his predictions. Internet has brought us several new mainstream communication tools, which revolutionary saved us time in creation and delivery of content. In sev