the becher agency wins statewide award for media relations

Written by tba | PR + Advertising Monday, 23 May 2011 00:00

ROANOKE, VA

The becher agency (tba) received an award of excellence in media relations during the 2011 Commonwealth Awards presented by the Richmond chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

The agency was recognized for its national media outreach to promote the MedCottage, the portable, modular medical home that enables families to take care of loved ones on their property. The MedCottage has received coverage in such national media as The Washington Post, CBS News, National Public Radio, Prevention, Readers Digest and AARP magazine in addition to hundreds of media and blogger mentions in markets throughout the nation.

The coverage resulted in hundreds of inquiries about the MedCottage and firm sales commitments.

“It’s gratifying to see how effective media relations can drive business objectives,” said Thomas Becher, APR, president.  “We’re proud to support the MedCottage and look forward to a national rollout.”

Event Planning – A Vital Extension to Your Brand

Written by Thomas Becher, APR Monday, 16 May 2011 00:00

A company’s anniversary. A new-product launch. New management team. Grand opening. Charitable tie-in.

There are dozens of reasons to host a party, even in these days of austerity. But before you start on your guest list, keep in mind that any event, big or small, is an extension of your brand. That means handling with care.

Every event should have a theme – Why are you hosting it? What are you communicating?

Then think about your objectives. What are you hoping to accomplish?

Like any branding initiative, you need to think about return on investment – what do you want to get out of hosting an event?

Once you have a compelling reason to plan an event, keep these questions in mind as you plan event:

• What’s your budget?

• Should event be during the day or in the evening?

• Where should your event be held?

• How many guests?

• How should guests be invited?

• What is the agenda?

• What kind of décor is needed?

• Should there be a guest speaker?

• Which multi-media elements are appropriate?

• Should guests receive a gift?

Events are about details. And those details help shape your brand. The more you know when you begin the better your event will be. Like other tactics to strengthen your brand, you may be in need of professional help to turn your event from dud to buzz.

Crisis Communications Planning – Essential For Any Company

Written by Rich Ellis Monday, 25 April 2011 00:00

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” –Benjamin Franklin

You arrive at your business Monday morning, reflecting on the weekend you just enjoyed. Those thoughts fly right out the car window as you turn the corner and are horrified to see a former customer picketing your office with a sign complaining about how your company ruined her life.

Or your business partner gets arrested for an alleged crime, the scintillating details of which would make a Hollywood gossip columnist blush and the water cooler crowd giggle.

One doesn’t need to look to the Gulf of Mexico and BP to find a crisis brewing as plenty of career-ending, business-destroying brouhahas unfold daily right in our own backyards. Countless details unique to each crisis situation determine whether you and your business emerge from the crisis with reputations intact, or at least salvageable, or not at all. More often than not, your preparedness for dealing with a crisis is the determining factor.

We plan for retirement, the holiday dinner we’re hosting, our children’s education, and even summer vacation. But when it comes to planning for and responding to a crisis that can ultimately destroy your business, and subsequently all those fun events you did plan for, most businesses are woefully unprepared.

The time to develop and practice a crisis communications and response plan is right now, not while the warehouse burns or your star employee does the “perp walk” in handcuffs.

At tba, we help businesses plan for and implement crisis response plans that communicate with and reassure a company’s key audiences – from customers to media and the communities in which they operate. The goal is not just to salvage the firm’s reputation but to turn the crisis into an opportunity to demonstrate the company’s commitment, professionalism and reliability.

None of this can be accomplished if precious time is instead wasted trying to answer the question, “What do we do first?” as the crisis rapidly spins out of control.

Accidents and missteps are going to happen. It’s how you respond that determines the impact on your business. If you can’t, right now, have your crisis communications plan open in front of you within 30 seconds and begin implementing the prescribed response, you are not adequately prepared.

So get a crisis communications plan and make Benjamin Franklin – and your stakeholders – proud.