Take a look at this checklist and use it as a refresher course to make sure your emails are on the right track.

1. Keep it simple. No one wants to read a chapter or even a long paragraph for that matter. Stick to your point and get there quickly.
2. Don’t use strange fonts and crazy colours. It doesn’t matter how quirky your personality is, this is just not professional. Keep to standard business fonts in black or blue.
3. Answer the question. Don’t go beating around the bush. Address the topic at hand.
4. Answer today or by tomorrow at the latest. You need to answer as soon as possible, and don’t ever not answer even if you don’t know what to say. It’s bad form; at least reply that you will be looking into the issue and set a time for when they can expect an answer from you.
5. Be polite. Kids nowadays aren’t really using Mr. and Mrs., but starting off with a professional greeting and closing with a nice one can really make a difference in your email.
6. Spell-check. You need to check for spelling and grammar before you hit send.
7. Right recipient? We’ve all done this at least once – accidentally send an email to the wrong person. Sometimes this isn’t so much of a big deal, but sometimes it can be detrimental to your career. Take the time to make sure you are sending to the right person.
8. Clear subject. People want to know what you will be talking about. Don’t mislead them, give a good heading to bring the recipient into the right state of mind when reading your email.
9. Don’t send when you’re angry. You can say something you don’t really mean and live to regret it later. If you feel compelled to write it when you are angry, at least wait a few hours and reread before you actually do.

These are just a few happy reminders.

Any more you would add?

Many of us Tweet and many of us simply ReTweet. Both forms of using this tool are acceptable, but for those of us who Tweet, let me ask you this: What good is a Tweet if it doesn’t get a ReTweet?

A ReTweet is a sign of acceptance, a sign that the information is worth sharing and an even further sign that people see you as a reliable source.

But for some, people just aren’t ReTweeting. Why?

Automatically generated Tweets
These shortcuts are made available on many platforms from Twitter to WordPress. The problem is that people do not want to listen to robots; they want to follow the words of real people. Turn off this option and take the time to structure and send the Tweet on your own.

Too long
Or too many hashtags. Remember there are character limits when it comes to Twitter. Make it easy for people to ReTweet and leave some space for them to add a comment of their own.

You are not reliable
You need to become a reliable source in terms of what information you share and how. If people have been disappointed by the links associated with your Tweets before, they might not be willing to give you a second chance.

Twitter can be one big popularity contest. Make sure you speak their language if you want them to hear what you have to say.

Getting that ReTweet you wanted?

As we expand our consumer database, win accounts that want to make it on the global level and strive to win international clients; we should not underestimate the power of exploring public relations around the world and on different levels.

Moving his senior management team across the world, the CEO states that the risks he assumed, investments he made, and the challenges he faced managing workload and understanding the market, were all made worthwhile by the indispensable learning experience he was exposed to.

In order for a PR company to meet the needs for globalisation and supply the demands of its clients, it certainly needs to work across functions and boundaries. It is of great added value for PR practitioners to discover different markets outside the home office, study and analyse local demographics, consumer behavior and journalists’ interests as well as competition in different countries. The more knowledge we portray to our clients the more we are referred to as credible consultants, capable of influencing mindsets and people’s perspectives.

And the more involved we become with knowledgeable locals from different countries, portraying interest in learning about them and their markets, they will inevitably also be interested in learning about us, thus generating even more business and development opportunities.

Of course, such a move needs careful planning and analysis, especially for a small fish in a big sea. And even though results might not happen overnight or any time in the near future it definitely builds up to making a company global – not by physically having offices around the world but also having a global mindset – not by thinking international but learning to tailor our PR approaches to the diverse markets around the world.

The best way to exploit opportunities is when different perspectives come together for the same goal and any symbolic gesture towards such a strategy will contribute greatly to the development of any business.

Ready to go global?

Act like you are above it all
The things you get asked to do may seem beneath you or your degree, but every task is important in shaping you to become a PR professional.

Dress like an intern
You may not have the job yet, but you had better start dressing for the position you want. A big part of getting ahead is coming in looking like a professional.

Being ungrateful
You will be learning from a lot of people as you make your intern journey and you should be grateful for every opportunity you get. This is a time to be open to the experience and be receptive of all the information coming your way.

These are just a few. I’ve learned that it is important to make the most out of the experience and am happy to be a full-time member of the team.

Anything you would add?

Above all it’s about creating personal relationships. In today’s digital world, it has become increasingly easier to take out the first step of a physical introduction and get down to the dirty work. It goes without saying that back in the day meeting a journalist face to face was a pre-requisite, but today it’s a step that makes you stand out from the crowd, so go old-school for better media relations.

Beyond making personal connections, it’s also important to avoid pitfalls that can annoy journalists. Things like irrelevant pitches, obsessive calling, not taking ‘no’ for an answer and complaining about coverage can all get under the skin of our journalistic friends.

Think of it this way, if it would annoy you, it is probably annoying them.

How are your media relations?

If there were any culture I would like to bring with me to my new role as MD at Cicero & Bernay (C&B), it would have to be the need to “work hard & play hard” and do it with passion and drive. As serious and stressful as our work can get sometimes, there is no reason why we shouldn’t enjoy the ride and try to have fun along the way. The great thing about passion is that it fuels success and the more you allow it to be part of your approach the more you will be able to make the best of the challenges you face and in turn optimise your chances for achieving greater results.

With so many PR agencies out there competing for the same piece of the pie, I genuinely believe that the only way to distinguish ourselves and make our mark is to stand out with our ideas and the quality of our work. The more we are able to deliver professional PR services with enthusiasm – genuine enthusiasm – the more we will stand out, and that my friends is the goal.

Let our time at work be a daily opportunity to achieve great results one job at a time, one proactive idea at a time, one milestone at a time and let us swim through the daily stress as if it were a mere reminder that we always have a choice to respond to it as we like.

I have always enjoyed, even embraced, new challenges in my life whatever shape or form they took and made it my mission to simply ease into the flow of the change… the upside is that only the best can come of it and the sky is the limit.

PR is my passion
It is what I am
Dealing with newspapers,
Magazines and WAM

Poor agency is the victim,
Clients, reporters, editors
The latter are a nightmare
The former are predators

Writing, drafting, proofing
Serving clients all day
There’s no place for goofing
Around, they’re never happy anyway

And after we brainstorm
And create a message house,
They steal our ideas
And do them in-house!

While it’s nearly impossible to come up with one set of rules that applies to all – some institutions being more casual or more formal than others – there are certain principles that should be applied anywhere.

For starters, let me say that what you wear is a reflection of you. No matter how much we try to preach that ‘it’s what’s on the inside that counts’ this couldn’t be further from the truth. People will make snap judgements about the way you look and the way you choose to dress.

What can you do to make a good impression?

Dress for the position you want
We’ve all heard this before and we will continue to hear it because it is true. You need to look the role so that superiors can envision you in that role, and a great wardrobe also exudes confidence – a trait we want to see in our top execs.

Dress for your organisation
Some are more casual than others, and yet some others are more formal. This can cause a dilemma when it comes to the interview process. Do your research and find out what the organisation calls for. In the end it’s always better to err on the side of caution, so dress in formal attire. Once you do get the job, take inspiration from others and your employee handbook when it comes to stocking your work wardrobe in the future.

Dress modestly
Let me take a moment to talk to the women out there. You want to earn respect for your capabilities and your mind, not the way you invite ‘bad’ attention. Cleavage and short skirts are not appropriate in the corporate world. When in doubt, cover up.

There is a lot more that goes into dressing for work. Everything from cleanliness to appropriateness needs to be considered. Ultimately this is a decision that holds a lot of weight.

What are you wearing to work today?

How can you become a better listener?

Look at the other person
Eye contact is a very important part of communication. It lets you connect with the person who is talking and confirms that you are paying attention.

Wait your turn
It happens to all of us. A person will be saying something and all of a sudden you find the need to jump in with your own opinion. Whatever it is, it can wait. Wait until the person is finished and then share.

Be open-minded
A lot of us go into conversations with our mind already made. This shuts you off to really listening to the other person. A great listener will take in what they are hearing and then make a judgement.

There are quite a few things you can do to become a good listener. Most revolve around giving the speaker your undivided attention. When they are done, ask questions and show that you have truly listened to what they have said. With a little patience, anyone can become a great listener.

Are you listening?

They will be addressing a wide range of topics, individually and in panel discussions, that today impact the delivery of social media programmes and how they are received by consumers. Everything from the ‘bombardment of Social Media’ to asking the question ‘who is king?’ and from ‘e-education’ to ‘measuring social media effectiveness’ will be up for discussion.

The forum is important as it addresses a growing phenomenon in the region that has effectively changed the way we communicate and share information on a personal and business level.

Last year brought a host of influential people who had some pivotal ideas to share, and this year we look forward to a similar outcome.

Full details of the growing list of prominent speakers and the agenda, as well as the registration process can be found on www.digitalmediaforum.me