Andy Likes, Director of Media Relations, accepted the award for TVG. The program encourages companies to take steps toward more sustainable business practices.

Some of the ways TVG improved our sustainable business practices in 2011 included:
• Our Green Team held employee educational sessions that discussed tips for being greener around the office and at home,
• TVG provided recycled materials to a local church to help in their fundraising efforts, and
• TVG used and recommended soy ink and recycled stock for marketing materials.

Photographer: Kris Buetlmann

Keeping It Legal

The always evolving realm of social media provides opportunity for growth and advancement. It is also important to stay on top of to the latest developments. In order to use this tool effectively, make sure you’re aware of the legal issues surrounding social media. Even the smallest promotions and contests on Facebook or Twitter are subject to regulations. Learn more about keeping your company out of trouble if you’re thinking of running an online contest.

Blogging Like a Pro

Want to grow your blog like a Fortune 500? There is a strategic way to accomplish that goal. Some of the steps include reflecting on your previous quarter and checking who is reading your blog. These steps, while basic, provide a great insight into how you can attract more readers and increase participation. What tactics have you used to grow your blog?

Social Media Management Tips

If you offer social media services to multiple clients, managing all of the accounts takes preparation. There are a few tips that can help keep your social workflow under control. Remember to delegate tasks from the start of a project, this will help identify problems quickly and avoid confusion. Organizing an editorial schedule and other account details in one location can also help keep the entire team on the same page. Management tools like Pulse, HootSuite and Tweetdeck can ensure your team doesn’t miss anything.  If you need help managing your company’s social media accounts, contact us for a list of services.

Baseball and Social Media: A Great Combo

The St. Louis Cardinals take on the Cubs this weekend in Chicago, but don’t forget about Social Media Night at Busch Stadium next week. Attendees get access to specials and the chance to network with other social media professionals in the area. Will you be there?

Teachers and Students Can’t be ‘Friends’

Recent legislation in Missouri will make it a crime to be Facebook friends with teachers. Beginning on August 28, any contact through social networks like Facebook and Twitter will be prohibited between students and teachers. This Senate bill is meant to deter misconduct and to more clearly define teacher-student boundaries.  Teachers will still be able to create Facebook pages for their classrooms, as long as they do not have direct contact with their students via social media. If you or your company need help establishing a social media policy to help prevent misconduct, check out TVG’s social media services.

Save Money on School Supplies with Social Media

Popular retailers like Target and Sears are using social media to share shopping tips and deals with their customers, demonstrating how social media is a win-win for customers and companies alike. Customers can make electronic shopping lists with their favorite stores and receive 40 percent off of items that they ‘like’.  Companies can drive engagement and sales without expensive TV ads. How do you plan to use social media during your back-to-school shopping this year?

Smartphones for smarter classrooms

Teachers are finding ways to use technology to foster learning and student participation.  Handheld devices called ‘clickers’ enable teachers to administer quizzes and ask for feedback in real time. Clickers are helpful teaching tools, but expensive. Companies around the country are now creating apps that allow students to use their cell phones or laptops to engage in classroom discussion instead of ‘clickers.’  Here at TVG we are using iPads to conduct research and work more easily with clients. How have you seen teachers or coworkers use social media and other technology to their advantage?

The Vandiver Group is proud to be the Top PR Firm in St. Louis for the second straight year. We look forward to showing you why we’re number #1.  Give us a call or drop us an email today.  And, thank you everyone!

• Alert the media ahead of time, but not too early.  If you let them know too far in advance, the event’s information may get lost in the flood of other e-mails the media receives.  Alerting them a few days prior to the event is generally the best way to capture and keep the media’s interest. Also, don’t forget to follow up the day of the event as a reminder.
• Intrigue the media with enough information, but not too much.  If they have all of the information they need prior to the event, they may see no need to attend your press conference.
• Be accessible and ready to answer the media’s questions in a timely manner.
• Help reporters get the best story they can.  Arrange interviews for the media with key spokespeople where they can get questions answered and have an opportunity to go more in-depth on areas of interest piqued during the press conference.  Explain to the media in advance how the questions will be handled so they will be prepared.
• Supply background materials to the beforehand and bring extras to the event in case the media forgets to bring the materials with them.
• Make your event “one-stop shopping” for the media. Make sure they can get everything they need for their story in one place (visuals, sound, logos, experts, etc.)
• Ensure your speakers have prepared key messages that they can deliver during the press conference in five to seven minutes.  Try to keep the number of people speaking during the press conference to three to five, if possible.
• Don’t forget to use new media tools to promote your press conference and share information during the press conference.  Tweeting is a great way to spread the word about an announcement and gain extra exposure.

Clearly communicating with the media and spokespeople will facilitate a more effective press conference and help ensure successful media stories.  Do you still have questions about planning and implementing an upcoming press conference?  TVG can help.  Our team has the media relationships and event planning expertise to make your next press conference a success. Give us a call at 314-991-4641 or email us at tvg@vandivergroup.com.

The article, “Midwest vs. coastal PR firms: 6 things to consider”, brings up some good points about the benefits of choosing a smaller agency.  Typically, agencies from the coasts charge significantly more for their services, and while there is a perception that you get what you pay for, smaller agencies offer clients the same level of service for much less money and more personal service.

There is also the issue of priority when it comes to agencies’ various accounts. In bad years, large agencies from the coasts are forced to go after smaller clients to stay afloat. However, this means that when things turn around, those smaller accounts take the back seat to more prestigious ones. With a smaller agency (and I speak from experience) every client is a top priority.

Sometimes a situation calls for one of the big guys. But what it comes down to is that working with a smaller agency closer to home means your account will be run by people who understand your market and your business better. Plus, we’ll have easier access to clients, typically just a short drive or plane flight from the Midwest.  And in these economic times, it makes sense to get the same level of work done for fewer dollars (while contributing to the local economy, I might add). So next time you’re thinking of hiring a PR agency, look close to home first. You might be pleasantly surprised with what you find.

Shelley Lester accepts TVG's St. Louis Green Business Challenge Award of Achievement

As part of the challenge, TVG put a policy in place requiring all new equipment to meet ENERGY STAR rating standards, implemented more efficient computer settings, decreased copies and implemented several other sustainable practices within the company.

TVG is improving the sustainability of our organization and has a sustainability practice area dedicated to helping companies of all sizes learn how they can share their sustainability initiatives with stakeholders to drive business goals. TVG will re-issue it’s sustainability survey, originally conducted in 2008, to gauge new ways companies are defining sustainability within their industries.

1. New Facebook Profile

Facebook announced last Sunday via Twitter the “New Profile.” Besides rearranging where you see profile information, FB has added a feature that lets you include projects you’re working on under the Employer category, and has brought back a feature from the old days of the social network where you can list the classes you’re in, or have taken in school. To opt-in (for the time being), you can go here and get the new profile. Let us know what you think!

2. Google eBooks

Google launched its foray into the e-book world with Google eBooks. Although there are already e-book providers with e-readers, such as Amazon and its Kindle or Barnes&Noble with their Nook, Google is attempting to set itself apart by offering a large number of free e-books. Google’s e-books are also accessible anywhere there’s an internet connection. Some think this may be a viable opportunity for schools and universities to delve into the e-book world. Will you try Google eBooks?

3. Economy of Advertising

It seems that advertising is on the same road as the overall economy; it’s predicted that advertising spending in the U.S. will have a long and slow rebound. Although there will be some growth in the U.S., it’s predicted that China and India will show outstanding growth in ad spending. How do you think our country’s ad agencies will react?

4. WikiLeaks and Anonymous

Mastercard, Visa, Amazon.com and PayPal have all found themselves under attack by a group of hackers called Anonymous in Operation: Payback. Why these companies? They have all denied service to WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange. The hackers have been moderately successful in disrupting service, and completely shut down Mastercard’s website earlier this week. Even though people’s bank accounts were not compromised, this may show how easy it is for hackers to infiltrate sites that contain personal information. How do you feel about how safe your information is?

5. Taking on Social Media

An article in Ad Age this week predicts that 80 percent of companies with more than 100 employees will use social media for marketing during 2011. Many companies are proactively incorporating social media into their culture, but it’s not always easy and sometimes you need a little extra help. This past week, TVG kicked off a year-long social media training course to help our client and their employees understand the best ways to use Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc. If you’re interested in social media training for your company, just send us a message on our website or find us on Twitter @VandiverGroup!

2. Taste of St. Louis
If you’re downtown this weekend, make sure to stop by the Taste of St. Louis, which starts today. In addition to the food and beverages at this free event, the Taste of St. Louis will be the first event in the nation where you can try out a new payment system called Square, a mobile credit card processor for an Android phone or Apple OS device. Square was co-developed by Jack Dorsey, a co-founder of Twitter. How can this new way to pay help you?

3. Mad Men/Lincoln
Like watching Mad Men? John Slattery, who plays Roger Sterling on the show, is the voice Ford Motor Co. has chosen to promote its Lincoln brand of cars. After selling its other luxury brands (Aston Martin, Jaguar, to name a few), Ford is attempting to break into the minds of a younger crowd and make it cool to own a Lincoln. Have they chosen the right person for the job?

4. Social Media in Schools
Many schools around the nation have banned cell phones and are wary of students using Facebook and Twitter at school. However, some studies show that social media can be used for good inside the classroom. Do you think Facebook and Twitter belong in schools? Is there perhaps a safe way to integrate them?

5. Goldman Sachs PR push
Goldman Sachs rolled out a new PR campaign Wednesday, attempting to show the public that they “[play] a role at improving the lives of Americans rather than simply increasing [their] bottom line.” Goldman took out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal, and will have more to come. What do you think of the new PR push?

 ”At TVG, client satisfaction is the key to our award-winning success,” said Donna Vandiver, President & CEO.  ”Our team uses client input and satisfaction surveys to constantly improve our service and provide the best possible results for our clients.”

To learn more about the award, click here or pick up September’s issue of St. Louis Small Business Monthly. Thanks to our clients and everyone who voted, and thanks to our TVG team for all their hard work!