The coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic is changing every day, and chances are, your organization is changing to. You likely have some questions, and we have answers. How do I communicate bad news? First, it’s always important to tell the truth and be honest with your customers. To keep them from panicking, it’s important to be reassuring and state what is being done as a response to the situation, such as following medical guidelines and quarantine …
Swapping Newspapers for PR and Marketing
By Linda Stein The last couple weeks have been exciting at The Communication Solutions Group. There’s been a lot to learn changing my focus from working as a newspaper reporter to pursuing my new position as a public relations & content writer. Townships, school districts, business, the courts, police and fire—as an award-winning and seasoned reporter, I’ve covered them all, along with penning features on a variety of topics and profiles of politicians, judges and …
Experienced Journalist Joins The Communication Solutions Group
The Communication Solutions Group is pleased to announce that Linda Stein joined our full-service marketing firm as a Public Relations and Content Writer. An award-winning writer, Linda formerly worked as a journalist with articles and photographs most recently appearing in The Main Line Times & Suburban, The Delaware County Daily Times, The Daily Local News, The Times Herald and The Reporter. During her career as a reporter, Linda has covered local and county government, the …
Building an Effective Brand to Help Your Organization Prosper
A brand consists of what people think of when they hear a company name such as a phrase, logo, design or product feature. The worldwide company McDonald’s has many recognizable brand components: golden arches, the “I’m lovin’ it” jingle, the red and yellow color combination, the Big Mac and happy meal. McDonald’s has the power to control these brand associations by continuing to build their brand. How Do You Build a Brand? Branding begins with …
Looking Back on 2019: Projects and Clients That Inspired Us
With 2020 almost here, staff members at Communication Solutions Group reflected on the projects and clients that inspired them. Leza Raffel “The highlight ‘project’ of my year was mentoring my 100th intern by teaching her what the PR profession is all about and what it takes to succeed in it. With 28 years at the helm of Communication Solutions Group, the people aspect of this business continues to be my favorite – the clients, the Communication …
Q&A: A Journalist’s Transition to Public Relations
Even though Communication Solutions Group is a PR and marketing firm, most of its employees started out in the journalism field and transitioned to PR in their role at Communication Solutions. We asked PR Associate Kellie Dietrich to spill the details of her evolution from journalist to publicist. Why did you decide to transition from journalism to PR? Kellie Dietrich: I decided to transition into PR because the newspaper industry was struggling. Prior to joining …
Social Media Do’s and Don’ts
By Kellie Dietrich If you’re confused about how to maximize your company’s social media accounts, Communication Solutions Group is here to help! Follow these tips to help you get started, balance professionalism and fun, utilize content and interact with followers. DO generate a social media plan that makes sense for you. Start with your business’ objectives for using social media and what you hope to accomplish. Do you want to increase brand visibility, gain members …
Lessons Learned from My First Trade Show
By Kellie Dietrich I exhibited for The Communication Solutions Group at my first trade show, the PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference, attended by superintendents and school board members. This multi-day conference is a joint effort between PASA (Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators and PSBA (Pennsylvania School Board Association), held at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center. Here are some key takeaways as an exhibitor: Give Attendees Your Full Attention The first thing Leza Raffel, president of …
Crisis Communication Strategies: Plan for the Worst to Achieve Your Best
Business owners often devote considerable time and resources to planning for success, but most don’t even want to think about dealing with a crisis. Yet how you handle a crisis situation, whether it’s your fault or not, can mean the difference between survival and ruin for your business. Careful planning before a crisis is upon you is the key to making sure you have what it takes to weather the situation, so you come back …
Top Ten Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
By Leza Raffel It should come as no surprise that one of the best way to attract new customers and promote new services to current customers is with a great marketing campaign. Before you jump right in, however, it’s important to remember some ground rules that will help ensure your campaign is successful. There are many good business marketing methods, but beware: there are also countless ways to spend money without getting results. If you …