Today's marketers are expected to more with less as marketing departments experience both personnel and budget cuts.  Public relations efforts are now falling on marketer's plates leaving them overwhelmed and wondering where to begin.  How do you incorporate and maximize your public relations efforts within your current responsibilities and budget?

Attendees to this event will learn how to use public relations to build relationships, influence public opinion, achieve organizational goals, provide information and obtain feedback.  The presentation will also cover how:

• PR is like marketing in that PR needs to be planned, which requires research and analysis.
• PR is two-way communication using a multitude of media.
• PR is an integral part of an organization’s decision making.
• PR can be used to manage perceptions of an organization both internally and externally.
• PR can develop and protect an organization’s reputation.
• PR can be used to launch or enhance an organization, program, product or service.

Specific tactics and tools that will be described will include:  research/planning tools, issues/crisis communication management, media relations including the use of new media, events and sponsorships.

Take-Aways:

• The definition of public relations and how to employ PR tactics on your own
• The definition of media relations and how to employ MR on your own
• How and when a PR firm can assist you

Patricia Goodwin is president of the Goodwin Communications Group, a public relations consultancy she founded in 1988.  Over the years she has worked with a diverse group of clients including business, nonprofits, health care, government, technology, educational and financial institutions. Prior to starting her business, she was vice president of Public Relations for First Bank System (now U.S. Bank). She is also the founder and president of Team USA Minnesota, a nonprofit organization created in 2001 to train and develop distance runners for national, international and Olympic competition. 

In addition, from 1991 through 2009 she was an adjunct instructor in the Master of Business Communication program at the University of St. Thomas where she taught media relations, public relations writing, and public relations practice courses.  She continues to teach public relations and media relations seminars in the Mini-MBC series offered at St. Thomas.  At the University of Minnesota from 2007-09, she taught courses in the Communications Studies Department including small group communication, organizational communication and interviewing. Pat has an M.A. degree in Communication Studies and a B.A. degree in Journalism, both from the University of Minnesota.

Date and Agenda
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 - 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
6:00 pm - Cash bar/cocktails
7:00 pm - Presentation
8:00 pm - Additional networking

Cost
MN AMA Members: $25
Non-members: $50
Students: $15

Registration

Location
Spill the Wine (map)
1101 Washington Avenue South
Minneapolis MN 55415
612-339-3388