The PR Fix for the Everyday Person

I once conducted a marketing training to a group of business professionals. During the training I shared that repetition is critical for audiences to retain messages, and that an individual needs to hear a message at least six times for them to understand and act on it.  I advised these professionals to "repeat, repeat, repeat" their key messages to their customers. As I was talking, one of the training participants popped his hand up to ask a question.  I called on him and he said, "I feel like my wife is always repeating the same thing over and over and over again to me.  But, the more she repeats, the more I don't want to listen or do what she says.  Is there ever a time when repeating gets to be too much? And, more so...how do I stop my wife from nagging me?"
04 March, 2016 /
IMG_9721Do you ever fall into the holiday funk?  You know what we mean, that feeling of being overloaded with obligations and activities during the end of the year.  The holiday funk can also be brought on by feelings of loneliness or sadness due to a loved one who has passed, a relationship that is broken, or even bad holiday experiences of the past.  I think we all go through periods of the holiday funk from time to time. While there are many reasons that we and up in a holiday funk, we need to remember that we can choose not to be prisoners of the holidays, but rather drivers of the experience that we want.  A good place to start is deciding what is truly important to you this holiday season and work towards that goal.  Ask yourself, "What will make me happy this holidays?"  For some, it may be spending time with family.  For others, it may be enjoying peace and quiet at home and catching up on much needed rest.  It may even be taking a trip and getting away from home.  Then, stick with your goal. Do whatever it takes for you to achieve it and resist the feeling of guilt if you forgo a tradition or turn down an invitation.
16 December, 2015 /
IMG_2348 copy When we experience challenging times, such as dissatisfaction with a job or a breakdown of a relationship, it often feels like there are no good options.  You may feel exasperated because you don't know what next step to take or if everything will work out when you do take a next step.  Something that we've learned over time is that to move forward, you may have to do things that feel uncomfortable.  
24 November, 2015 /
IMG_3114   I'll admit it. I am so guilty of overindulging in many ways during the holidays.  I usually end up wearing leggings everyday after the New Year because my pants feel a bit too snug from all of the food I consumed. Over-eating, over-scheduling, over-spending, etc. is fine once a while, but with more than a month of festivities from Thanksgiving through the New Year, overindulging can catch up with you, and its consequences may last longer than you expect.  For example, we all know someone who had a bit too much to drink at a holiday party that resulted in some crazy behavior.  These stories are then retold every year, probably more often than 'The Night Before Christmas." This year, I'm intent on reigning in my overindulging and have come up with a few ideas to combat the indulge monster within me:
19 November, 2015 /
IMG_0214The holidays are supposed to be a season filled with fun and cheer. However, it can also be a stressful time given full schedules, parties, presents, and more. Here are 5 PR Fixes to help you navigate through and have a happy holidays:
17 November, 2015 /
FullSizeRenderMany of us come from families in which our parents have gotten divorced.  Children of divorced parents experience mental, emotional, and even physical strain that weighs heavy on them, not only in the early stages of divorce but also in various ways for the rest of their lives.   While divorce is common these days, this does not lessen the hurt, sadness, anger, and confusion that children in these situations feel. In my experience, here is what kids of divorce want their parents to know:
12 November, 2015 /
IMG_2831 copyMy grandfather has a bit of difficulty hearing sometimes, especially when he chooses not to wear his hearing aid (chuckle, chuckle).  Phone conversations with him can be challenging and involves a lot of yelling and eventually spelling out words on my end.  Once a conversation that should have taken 20-seconds ended up being a 2-minute cacophony of frustration on both ends.  That said, I love my 86-year-old grandfather dearly, and he is fairly tech savvy.  He uses a smart phone and email.  So, in recent years I've come to text and email him as much as possible.  It's an easy way for us to communicate clearly with each other. Senior citizens, individuals who are 65 years or older, are one of the largest, and growing, groups in our population. They are also some of our most important publics.  In our personal lives, seniors are our grandparents, aunties, uncles, mentors, and neighbors.  In business, older individuals can be the most loyal customers with big buying power.  Communication needs to take into account specific needs and preferences for people of all ages, including seniors.
26 October, 2015 /

IMG_7537I’ve noticed lately that sarcasm has become pervasive in our society. No matter what a person’s background, situation, level of affluence, race, creed or any other defining characteristic, almost everyone expresses some level of sarcasm. Usually, it’s cloaked in humor.  Sometimes it’s combined with self-depracation as a way to humble ourselves. Often it gives us a way to connect with people about the “harsh realities” of a certain subject (like parenting, relationships, or marriage).

20 October, 2015 /
5.10 207 copyJenny recently happened upon a blog post by Rob Myers titled "There's a Way to Stop Mass Shootings, and You Won't Like It,"  and she immediately shared it with me.  What Rob asserts in the post is revolutionary and instantly makes so much sense.  He suggests that the way to stop mass shootings is to “Notice those around you who seem isolated, and engage them.” Myers continues, "If every one of us did this we’d have a culture that was deeply committed to ensuring no one was left lonely. And make no mistake, as I’ve written before loneliness is what causes these shooters to lash out. People with solid connections to other people don’t indiscriminately fire guns at strangers."
16 October, 2015 /