Stalwart Communications Blog » General http://stalwartcom.com/blog Pay on Performance Marketing & PR Agency Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 AdAge – Pay-for-Performance Agency Model Starts to Gain Steam http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1783
I....LOVE...THIS!!! The revenue model discussed is EXACTLY what we've been promoting. We need to see more agencies adopt this. Because when they do, the good firms will shine through and the ones that have been all talk and no action will go away quickly. Happy reading! Pay-for-Performance Starts to Gain Steam Sophisticated Measurement Tools Help Model Become Reality at Media Shops Such as Interpublic's UM Last year, Interpublic Group of Cos.' media agency, UM, hired consulting giant McKinsey to analyze how other industries are compensated. The objective was to change the antiquated agency-fee model to a riskier but more profitable pay-for-performance one. What resulted was a revamped system that more closely aligns the firm's goals with those of clients. It is tied to key indicators such as sales or market share. Pay-for-performance is like an urban legend of media buying and planning. But with increasingly sophisticated measurement and planning tools, the concept is morphing into a reality that could in some cases replace the traditional fee model, under which shops make slim margins from a percentage of often low-balled budgets. UM has experimented with pay-for-performance with clients for the past few years. After having some success with the model, UM has become more aggressive with it. Half of the firm's clients, which include Chrysler, are engaged in compensation in which at least 20% to 75% of each media-buying contract is earned through pay-for-performance, according to Guy Beach, chief operating officer. Most of the remainder typically goes to cover costs. Read the rest of the article here.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/feed/ 0 LightBridge Hopsice featured for Veterans Work http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:14:39 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1780 LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care's work with ailing Veterans is unprecedented in San Diego (and California)! Thanks to East County Magazine for sharing the news!       LIGHTBRIDGE HOSPICE ACHIEVES HIGHEST NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR VETERAN CARE First, and only hospice in California to receive Partner Level 4 designation for “We Honor Veterans” program
February 2, 2012  (San Diego) -- LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care is the only hospice in California, and one of only 12 in the U.S. to meet stringent “We Honor Veterans” Partner Level 4 requirements in improving the care and support of Veterans.
This program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, empowers hospice professionals to meet the unique needs of ailing Veterans.
“As Veterans age, they face a distinct set of needs and challenges, including medical issues related to where they served, memories that might trigger anxiety and stoicism that makes asking for help difficult,” said Jill Mendlen, founder and president of LightBridge Hospice. “After all they’ve done for us it’s a privilege to thank those who served with the superior end-of-life care that they deserve.”
To reach Partner Level 4, LightBridge focused on increasing access to and improving the quality of care former military personnel receive in San Diego County.LightBridge heightened the integration of Veteran-specific education for staff, volunteers and the community, enhanced the Veteran Volunteer Program and developed resources to help patients and their families access these benefits. Then, LightBridge was tasked with measuring the impact of its community interventions.
In addition, LightBridge created special services and programs for Veterans that includes “No Vet Dies Alone,” an 11th hour program for patients without family and a Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer program focusing on companionship. LightBridge staff and volunteers (including Army Reservists) also conduct honor ceremonies for terminally ill retired military personnel to thank them for their service with a certificate, pin and pillow made from the uniform of the recipient’s branch of military. Craig Gillette, a 60-year-old Navy Vietnam Veteran from Jamul, is the latest honoree.
“I’m really proud. You put a smile on my heart,” said Craig Gillette at the LightBridge Hospice honor ceremony, which recently took place at his house. “I never experienced this kind of reception coming home from the Vietnam War. This is my homecoming.”
According to the NHPCO, one out of every four dying Americans is a Veteran. That’s why it became so important for LightBridge to develop and implement new policies and programs that help assist a community with such a heavy military population.
“This level of expertise is very personal to the staff at LightBridge because many of us have a military background or family in the military,” said Pamela Hough, Sr. Vice President, Operations/Administrator of LightBridge Hospice. “I’m so proud of our team that has worked so hard to prove their level of commitment to San Diego’s Veteran population!”
To volunteer, donate or learn more about the LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care Veterans’ Program please call 858-458-2992 or visit:http://www.lightbridgehospice.com/blog/
For more information about the “We Honor Veterans” program from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) visit: http://www.wehonorveterans.org/
There is an immediate need for uniforms from all branches of the military to be sewn into pillows for Veterans’ honor ceremonies. Please send them to: LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care, 6155 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 220 San Diego, CA 92121 or call 858-458-2992 for LightBridge to pick them up.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/feed/ 0 Friends of Balboa Park featured in U-T San Diego http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:35:25 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1777 Being a good friend to a great park She exercises there. She walks her dogs there. On a rare quiet moment, she even stops and smells the roses there. Like many San Diegans, Marlene Williams thinks of Balboa Park as her own backyard. But in Williams’ case, it really is her own backyard. And as a volunteer with the Girl Scouts and the Friends of Balboa Park, she helps care for this public place in a very personal way. “It’s easy for anyone to be passionate about Balboa Park,” Williams said. “But I live here, and I want to make sure it is preserved.” Williams’ husband, Eric, is the director of property for the Girl Scouts of San Diego, and the Williams family — Marlene, Eric, their 18-year-old daughter, Jordan, and their two golden retrievers — live in the caretaker’s cottage on the Upas Street grounds of the Girl Scouts’ Camp Balboa headquarters. Read the rest of the article here.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/feed/ 0 Keeve – Five tips to make you a Zen email user http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:14:40 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1772 It is hard to believe that email has been around for nearly 40 years now.  While email is essential for most business to communicate with their customers and clients, it can be a major stressor if you are not managing it properly – both personally and professionally.  Email brings an entire host of frustrations that can slow you down on a day to day basis. Here are five tips to relieve your email headache and help you become a more Zen email user.
  1. Manage your spam: Try using Unsubscribe.com, a service that removes yourself from promotional emails, mailing lists, etc. – it may have seemed like a good move at the time, but now you are regretting it, or are no longer interested in the subject matter.
  2. Organize: How many times have you looked at your inbox or exhausted the search feature to find information in a past email. Schedule time on your calendar each day to sort emails, delete those obsolete one-liners or long email chains that are irrelevant. You can also use services like OtherInbox, which automatically organizes your messages into folders like “Customer reviews” , “Potential clients” and “Shopping”. With one click, you can shrink 500 emails down to 6.
  3. Use clear subject lines: Subject lines are headlines. Being clear in your subject line will not only increase the chances of someone opening your email, it will prevent lengthy email trails and help the person on the receiving end.  Rather than a subject like “meeting”, try making it more clear and concise: “Meeting confirmation for Jan. 12 at 2pm, Kashi Social Media Contest review”.
  4. Proofread: Your writing is representative of your ability to clearly communicate, and in some cases, how much you value the receiver.  Make sure to check for typos and correct mistakes. Especially if you are sending a message to multiple people or customers, get a colleague to give it a look over.  If the recipient thinks it was done carelessly and not checked, they may interpret you, or your company, as carless and not valuing them.
  5. Respond promptly: Responding soon after receiving will take the stress off remembering to do so later; having one less thing on your to do list is always helpful.  Also, it is courteous to respond promptly so the receiver is not waiting or wondering if you have received the message.  Even if you can’t get the information they need at that very moment, inform them that you will get back to them by a certain day/time.
Keeping your email “healthy” and putting some of these systems in place on a regular basis will help become a more Zen email user. Not only will effective email management help your own state of mind, it will show those you communication with respect and help build rapport.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/feed/ 0 Is the U-T San Diego accelerating its own downfall? http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:38:00 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1770
Source: The Reader I can tell you first hand that there was a great deal of skepticism on the sale of the San Diego Union-Tribune (now renamed U-T San Diego) by the polarizing and controversial real estate baron Doug Manchester with many business leaders I encounter on a daily basis. Many like me were concerned that it marked the second coming of Citizen Kane, where a wealthy business man bought a struggling, but still very credible and well read, news outlet to use in part to further his own personal agenda. There were talks of cancelling subscriptions from people I would have never expected to consider such a move if indeed their fears became real. Well, I'm very concerned that they have. There are two reasons for my sounding the alarm. The first came only days after the December announcement of the impending sale to "Papa Doug" and his partner, recently ousted radio owner John Lynch, when the City Beat posted an internal memo signed by the duo promising to make the U-T the "moral compass of this community." Six weeks later, they showed how they would implement such a mission by taking the majority of the Sunday A-Section, front page, top fold to promote their own vision for downtown San Diego development that would include a football stadium and sports arena. Whether one agrees with their opinion or not is irrelevant. What is the issue is in how Manchester and Lynch took an unprecedented move in usurping the hard news coverage that traditionally appears on such a prominent page in their most widely read edition and replace it with an essay that blatantly promotes their own agenda. Objective journalism is already in too short of supply. While I don't believe newspapers in their current form will have the lion share of such content in the future, I certainly wouldn't advocate for accelerating their demise and replacing real news with one-sided articles that promote the owner's perspective. There are still good reporters and editors at the U-T San Diego; lots of them. They fight for white space every single day to write reports on the goings on of this large and diverse city. My concern is that they will be short-changed even more by their own bosses, and could very well find themselves out of work as subscribers leave and revenue at the paper continue to decline, all because Papa Doug and Mr. Lynch want to use the paper as their own bully pulpit.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/feed/ 0 Stalwart lands First Associates Loan Servicing as newest client! http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:48:51 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1765
First Associates Loan Servicing is a rapidly-growing company that has quickly demonstrated a strong and unique competitive advantage for its services in several markets, but most notably high education/student loans. The company’s proprietary communications platform offers multiple, high quality, effective touch points with the financial institution’s borrowers that improve customer service while, at the same time, lower delinquent payments and receivables. Instead of funding a room full of outbound call agents, First Associates’ system provides automated email, text and voice messages to consumers reminding them of upcoming payments and other essential information. Customers can respond in the manner that’s convenient for them, while still having the option of talking to a live person during normal business hours six days a week. In doing so, the company can not only service more loans with a lower overhead, but with greater effectiveness and efficiency than other outsourced or internal loan servicing departments. This is evidenced by the number of marquee financial institutions that have recently entrusted significant number of their loan portfolios to First Associates. Be on the lookout for some great press on this company, thanks to Stalwart Communications.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/feed/ 0 Irelands – The Stanley effect: How to work with a curmudgeon http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:33:59 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1762
Rarely do we escape the matrix of the business world without a "person who will remain nameless." This person acts like they get paid to spew negativity. They've perfected a death stare over a smile and make Debbie Downer seem like a relatively engaging person. While you wax poetic, they wane problems. He or she is really not pleasant and for the purpose of this blog we'll call shim "Stanley" like the curmudgeon on the hit NBC show "The Office." Stanley is a grumpy journalist that I met just a short time ago. Getting our relationship off to a frosty start, he made it clear from the get-go that he DOES NOT like PR people. Throughout the course of our relationship, he put up major roadblocks with technology and semantics that made working together near impossible. Let's just say that I learned a lot throughout our courtship and I'm pleased to say that it ended with Stanley requesting we work together again. I somehow won him over. I strongly suggest that anyone working with a "Stanley" think about these tips to make the most of the situation: Don't mirror their energy. You are in control of your own behavior, never theirs. If Stanley comes at you irrationally, disrespectfully or with aggression, pause before you respond. Take that moment to reset, breathe and think about what you're going to say instead of reflecting with emotion. This is harder to do in person, but also something to remember over email. It's easy to fire one off in Outlook, but this could live online FOREVER and come back to haunt you. It's also difficult to detect tone via the Interweb so choose your words wisely. You could be right. This is an anecdote from my mother - a Jane Ireland classic. If you're going back and forth with someone and there is no compromise, say "You could be right." This is not conceding, it's simply acknowledging that the person might have a point (even if you know they are wrong). Over deliver. This is a great business principle, whether you're working with a Stanley or not. I think one of the best ways to shut someone up is to let your work speak for itself. Consistently providing what the other person needs is the easiest way to curate respect and more importantly, trust. Many times, the mudge needs you, just as much as you need the mudge. Make sure you show them why. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. I'm a pretty firm believer that people, especially those who've been in the workforce awhile, don't change. One of my first managers was a lot like Stanley. She even had a copy of Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" on her bookshelf. Whenever I was in her office, I wanted to grab it, wave it in her face and call her out for clearly not reading it (or at least practicing what it preaches). This "understanding" notion is habit #5 from the popular self-help book and the idea of practicing empathetic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. Try this to create an atmosphere of caring, respect and positive problem solving. Listening is a powerful tool, even if it's one-sided. You might only end up "understanding" how much of a mudge they are, but at least you went through the exercise! Don't make excuses for the mudge. It's easy to say, "oh, Stanley is really overworked" or "Stanley must be having a bad day" but if you feel you're being disrespected, speak up. It's perfectly acceptable to say "when you say X - I feel Y." The key is not saying "YOU make me feel Y" because then they might feel attacked. This may not change anything, but it's better to get it out then have it fester inside. If you bottle up your feelings, you run the risk of exploding or having some sort of meltdown. Crying at work is not cool! Experiment with these tips and Stanley might eventually let you help him with his crossword puzzles! How do you handle a mudge? Please share some Stanley stories in the comments below!
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/feed/ 0 Who’s to blame for the Paula Dean PR gaffe last week? (Hint – it may not be Ms. Dean herself) http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:33:20 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1760
Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Paula Dean on the Food Network. I think she's genuine, funny and a terrific cook. She is also one that carries herself well in almost any circumstance. So I was a bit surprised last week when she confirmed her Type II Diabetes diagnosis and simultaneously endorsed a prescription drug made by the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, to combat the disease. Yet unlike other PR practitioners who were quick to take pot shots at Paula, I'm not sure I'm ready to call her a hypocrite. I believe there's a more probable reason - Paula's agent and her publicist over thought the roll-out strategy. If revelations about a celebrity's health are to occur, particular ones that may have perception of being partly self-induced, the communication strategy to the public shouldn't be convoluted with endorsements. Paula and her advisors further complicated the matter by hiding her diagnosis for years, making the official announcement appear to be more opportunity-based than sincere. Any PR practitioner could have seen the potential backlash here, and should have separated the two events. So for now, I'd cut Paula some slack and shy away from questioning her integrity. Instead, I'd channel my criticism to her handlers who should have known better.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/feed/ 0 Congrats to Cognitive Medical Systems http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:54:29 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1757       The Daily Transcript - Cognitive Medical Systems purchases GSA Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle Cognitive Medical Systems, a San Diego company specializing in software solutions for health care organizations, has secured a General Services Administration Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle. The company purchased the asset from San Diego-based Solutions IT Tech LLC. “Doing so allows us access to one of the primary contracting methods that the U.S. government uses for IT software and services procurement,” said Douglas W. Burke, president of Cognitive Medical Systems. “This acquisition is a key step in our strategy to provide standards-based, decision-making health care software to improve health care outcomes.” Terms of the GSA purchased were not disclosed. Headquartered in San Diego, Cognitive Medical Systems is a woman-owned, service-disabled veteran, small business that specializes in standards-based, advanced concept engineering solutions for clinical workflow, decision support and data modeling projects. The company’s domain and field expertise in designing, implementing and integrating medical Service Oriented Architectures enables it to develop solutions to complex problems for a wide range of organizations.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/feed/ 0 Why PR pros must like and believe in their clients http://stalwartcom.com/blog Pay on Performance Marketing & PR Agency Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Stalwart Communications Blog » General http://stalwartcom.com/blog Pay on Performance Marketing & PR Agency Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 AdAge – Pay-for-Performance Agency Model Starts to Gain Steam http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1783
I....LOVE...THIS!!! The revenue model discussed is EXACTLY what we've been promoting. We need to see more agencies adopt this. Because when they do, the good firms will shine through and the ones that have been all talk and no action will go away quickly. Happy reading! Pay-for-Performance Starts to Gain Steam Sophisticated Measurement Tools Help Model Become Reality at Media Shops Such as Interpublic's UM Last year, Interpublic Group of Cos.' media agency, UM, hired consulting giant McKinsey to analyze how other industries are compensated. The objective was to change the antiquated agency-fee model to a riskier but more profitable pay-for-performance one. What resulted was a revamped system that more closely aligns the firm's goals with those of clients. It is tied to key indicators such as sales or market share. Pay-for-performance is like an urban legend of media buying and planning. But with increasingly sophisticated measurement and planning tools, the concept is morphing into a reality that could in some cases replace the traditional fee model, under which shops make slim margins from a percentage of often low-balled budgets. UM has experimented with pay-for-performance with clients for the past few years. After having some success with the model, UM has become more aggressive with it. Half of the firm's clients, which include Chrysler, are engaged in compensation in which at least 20% to 75% of each media-buying contract is earned through pay-for-performance, according to Guy Beach, chief operating officer. Most of the remainder typically goes to cover costs. Read the rest of the article here.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/feed/ 0 LightBridge Hopsice featured for Veterans Work http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:14:39 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1780 LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care's work with ailing Veterans is unprecedented in San Diego (and California)! Thanks to East County Magazine for sharing the news!       LIGHTBRIDGE HOSPICE ACHIEVES HIGHEST NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR VETERAN CARE First, and only hospice in California to receive Partner Level 4 designation for “We Honor Veterans” program
February 2, 2012  (San Diego) -- LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care is the only hospice in California, and one of only 12 in the U.S. to meet stringent “We Honor Veterans” Partner Level 4 requirements in improving the care and support of Veterans.
This program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, empowers hospice professionals to meet the unique needs of ailing Veterans.
“As Veterans age, they face a distinct set of needs and challenges, including medical issues related to where they served, memories that might trigger anxiety and stoicism that makes asking for help difficult,” said Jill Mendlen, founder and president of LightBridge Hospice. “After all they’ve done for us it’s a privilege to thank those who served with the superior end-of-life care that they deserve.”
To reach Partner Level 4, LightBridge focused on increasing access to and improving the quality of care former military personnel receive in San Diego County.LightBridge heightened the integration of Veteran-specific education for staff, volunteers and the community, enhanced the Veteran Volunteer Program and developed resources to help patients and their families access these benefits. Then, LightBridge was tasked with measuring the impact of its community interventions.
In addition, LightBridge created special services and programs for Veterans that includes “No Vet Dies Alone,” an 11th hour program for patients without family and a Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer program focusing on companionship. LightBridge staff and volunteers (including Army Reservists) also conduct honor ceremonies for terminally ill retired military personnel to thank them for their service with a certificate, pin and pillow made from the uniform of the recipient’s branch of military. Craig Gillette, a 60-year-old Navy Vietnam Veteran from Jamul, is the latest honoree.
“I’m really proud. You put a smile on my heart,” said Craig Gillette at the LightBridge Hospice honor ceremony, which recently took place at his house. “I never experienced this kind of reception coming home from the Vietnam War. This is my homecoming.”
According to the NHPCO, one out of every four dying Americans is a Veteran. That’s why it became so important for LightBridge to develop and implement new policies and programs that help assist a community with such a heavy military population.
“This level of expertise is very personal to the staff at LightBridge because many of us have a military background or family in the military,” said Pamela Hough, Sr. Vice President, Operations/Administrator of LightBridge Hospice. “I’m so proud of our team that has worked so hard to prove their level of commitment to San Diego’s Veteran population!”
To volunteer, donate or learn more about the LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care Veterans’ Program please call 858-458-2992 or visit:http://www.lightbridgehospice.com/blog/
For more information about the “We Honor Veterans” program from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) visit: http://www.wehonorveterans.org/
There is an immediate need for uniforms from all branches of the military to be sewn into pillows for Veterans’ honor ceremonies. Please send them to: LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care, 6155 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 220 San Diego, CA 92121 or call 858-458-2992 for LightBridge to pick them up.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/feed/ 0 Friends of Balboa Park featured in U-T San Diego http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:35:25 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1777 Being a good friend to a great park She exercises there. She walks her dogs there. On a rare quiet moment, she even stops and smells the roses there. Like many San Diegans, Marlene Williams thinks of Balboa Park as her own backyard. But in Williams’ case, it really is her own backyard. And as a volunteer with the Girl Scouts and the Friends of Balboa Park, she helps care for this public place in a very personal way. “It’s easy for anyone to be passionate about Balboa Park,” Williams said. “But I live here, and I want to make sure it is preserved.” Williams’ husband, Eric, is the director of property for the Girl Scouts of San Diego, and the Williams family — Marlene, Eric, their 18-year-old daughter, Jordan, and their two golden retrievers — live in the caretaker’s cottage on the Upas Street grounds of the Girl Scouts’ Camp Balboa headquarters. Read the rest of the article here.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/feed/ 0 Keeve – Five tips to make you a Zen email user http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:14:40 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1772 It is hard to believe that email has been around for nearly 40 years now.  While email is essential for most business to communicate with their customers and clients, it can be a major stressor if you are not managing it properly – both personally and professionally.  Email brings an entire host of frustrations that can slow you down on a day to day basis. Here are five tips to relieve your email headache and help you become a more Zen email user.
  1. Manage your spam: Try using Unsubscribe.com, a service that removes yourself from promotional emails, mailing lists, etc. – it may have seemed like a good move at the time, but now you are regretting it, or are no longer interested in the subject matter.
  2. Organize: How many times have you looked at your inbox or exhausted the search feature to find information in a past email. Schedule time on your calendar each day to sort emails, delete those obsolete one-liners or long email chains that are irrelevant. You can also use services like OtherInbox, which automatically organizes your messages into folders like “Customer reviews” , “Potential clients” and “Shopping”. With one click, you can shrink 500 emails down to 6.
  3. Use clear subject lines: Subject lines are headlines. Being clear in your subject line will not only increase the chances of someone opening your email, it will prevent lengthy email trails and help the person on the receiving end.  Rather than a subject like “meeting”, try making it more clear and concise: “Meeting confirmation for Jan. 12 at 2pm, Kashi Social Media Contest review”.
  4. Proofread: Your writing is representative of your ability to clearly communicate, and in some cases, how much you value the receiver.  Make sure to check for typos and correct mistakes. Especially if you are sending a message to multiple people or customers, get a colleague to give it a look over.  If the recipient thinks it was done carelessly and not checked, they may interpret you, or your company, as carless and not valuing them.
  5. Respond promptly: Responding soon after receiving will take the stress off remembering to do so later; having one less thing on your to do list is always helpful.  Also, it is courteous to respond promptly so the receiver is not waiting or wondering if you have received the message.  Even if you can’t get the information they need at that very moment, inform them that you will get back to them by a certain day/time.
Keeping your email “healthy” and putting some of these systems in place on a regular basis will help become a more Zen email user. Not only will effective email management help your own state of mind, it will show those you communication with respect and help build rapport.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/feed/ 0 Is the U-T San Diego accelerating its own downfall? http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:38:00 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1770
Source: The Reader I can tell you first hand that there was a great deal of skepticism on the sale of the San Diego Union-Tribune (now renamed U-T San Diego) by the polarizing and controversial real estate baron Doug Manchester with many business leaders I encounter on a daily basis. Many like me were concerned that it marked the second coming of Citizen Kane, where a wealthy business man bought a struggling, but still very credible and well read, news outlet to use in part to further his own personal agenda. There were talks of cancelling subscriptions from people I would have never expected to consider such a move if indeed their fears became real. Well, I'm very concerned that they have. There are two reasons for my sounding the alarm. The first came only days after the December announcement of the impending sale to "Papa Doug" and his partner, recently ousted radio owner John Lynch, when the City Beat posted an internal memo signed by the duo promising to make the U-T the "moral compass of this community." Six weeks later, they showed how they would implement such a mission by taking the majority of the Sunday A-Section, front page, top fold to promote their own vision for downtown San Diego development that would include a football stadium and sports arena. Whether one agrees with their opinion or not is irrelevant. What is the issue is in how Manchester and Lynch took an unprecedented move in usurping the hard news coverage that traditionally appears on such a prominent page in their most widely read edition and replace it with an essay that blatantly promotes their own agenda. Objective journalism is already in too short of supply. While I don't believe newspapers in their current form will have the lion share of such content in the future, I certainly wouldn't advocate for accelerating their demise and replacing real news with one-sided articles that promote the owner's perspective. There are still good reporters and editors at the U-T San Diego; lots of them. They fight for white space every single day to write reports on the goings on of this large and diverse city. My concern is that they will be short-changed even more by their own bosses, and could very well find themselves out of work as subscribers leave and revenue at the paper continue to decline, all because Papa Doug and Mr. Lynch want to use the paper as their own bully pulpit.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/feed/ 0 Stalwart lands First Associates Loan Servicing as newest client! http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:48:51 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1765
First Associates Loan Servicing is a rapidly-growing company that has quickly demonstrated a strong and unique competitive advantage for its services in several markets, but most notably high education/student loans. The company’s proprietary communications platform offers multiple, high quality, effective touch points with the financial institution’s borrowers that improve customer service while, at the same time, lower delinquent payments and receivables. Instead of funding a room full of outbound call agents, First Associates’ system provides automated email, text and voice messages to consumers reminding them of upcoming payments and other essential information. Customers can respond in the manner that’s convenient for them, while still having the option of talking to a live person during normal business hours six days a week. In doing so, the company can not only service more loans with a lower overhead, but with greater effectiveness and efficiency than other outsourced or internal loan servicing departments. This is evidenced by the number of marquee financial institutions that have recently entrusted significant number of their loan portfolios to First Associates. Be on the lookout for some great press on this company, thanks to Stalwart Communications.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/feed/ 0 Irelands – The Stanley effect: How to work with a curmudgeon http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:33:59 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1762
Rarely do we escape the matrix of the business world without a "person who will remain nameless." This person acts like they get paid to spew negativity. They've perfected a death stare over a smile and make Debbie Downer seem like a relatively engaging person. While you wax poetic, they wane problems. He or she is really not pleasant and for the purpose of this blog we'll call shim "Stanley" like the curmudgeon on the hit NBC show "The Office." Stanley is a grumpy journalist that I met just a short time ago. Getting our relationship off to a frosty start, he made it clear from the get-go that he DOES NOT like PR people. Throughout the course of our relationship, he put up major roadblocks with technology and semantics that made working together near impossible. Let's just say that I learned a lot throughout our courtship and I'm pleased to say that it ended with Stanley requesting we work together again. I somehow won him over. I strongly suggest that anyone working with a "Stanley" think about these tips to make the most of the situation: Don't mirror their energy. You are in control of your own behavior, never theirs. If Stanley comes at you irrationally, disrespectfully or with aggression, pause before you respond. Take that moment to reset, breathe and think about what you're going to say instead of reflecting with emotion. This is harder to do in person, but also something to remember over email. It's easy to fire one off in Outlook, but this could live online FOREVER and come back to haunt you. It's also difficult to detect tone via the Interweb so choose your words wisely. You could be right. This is an anecdote from my mother - a Jane Ireland classic. If you're going back and forth with someone and there is no compromise, say "You could be right." This is not conceding, it's simply acknowledging that the person might have a point (even if you know they are wrong). Over deliver. This is a great business principle, whether you're working with a Stanley or not. I think one of the best ways to shut someone up is to let your work speak for itself. Consistently providing what the other person needs is the easiest way to curate respect and more importantly, trust. Many times, the mudge needs you, just as much as you need the mudge. Make sure you show them why. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. I'm a pretty firm believer that people, especially those who've been in the workforce awhile, don't change. One of my first managers was a lot like Stanley. She even had a copy of Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" on her bookshelf. Whenever I was in her office, I wanted to grab it, wave it in her face and call her out for clearly not reading it (or at least practicing what it preaches). This "understanding" notion is habit #5 from the popular self-help book and the idea of practicing empathetic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. Try this to create an atmosphere of caring, respect and positive problem solving. Listening is a powerful tool, even if it's one-sided. You might only end up "understanding" how much of a mudge they are, but at least you went through the exercise! Don't make excuses for the mudge. It's easy to say, "oh, Stanley is really overworked" or "Stanley must be having a bad day" but if you feel you're being disrespected, speak up. It's perfectly acceptable to say "when you say X - I feel Y." The key is not saying "YOU make me feel Y" because then they might feel attacked. This may not change anything, but it's better to get it out then have it fester inside. If you bottle up your feelings, you run the risk of exploding or having some sort of meltdown. Crying at work is not cool! Experiment with these tips and Stanley might eventually let you help him with his crossword puzzles! How do you handle a mudge? Please share some Stanley stories in the comments below!
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/feed/ 0 Who’s to blame for the Paula Dean PR gaffe last week? (Hint – it may not be Ms. Dean herself) http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:33:20 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1760
Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Paula Dean on the Food Network. I think she's genuine, funny and a terrific cook. She is also one that carries herself well in almost any circumstance. So I was a bit surprised last week when she confirmed her Type II Diabetes diagnosis and simultaneously endorsed a prescription drug made by the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, to combat the disease. Yet unlike other PR practitioners who were quick to take pot shots at Paula, I'm not sure I'm ready to call her a hypocrite. I believe there's a more probable reason - Paula's agent and her publicist over thought the roll-out strategy. If revelations about a celebrity's health are to occur, particular ones that may have perception of being partly self-induced, the communication strategy to the public shouldn't be convoluted with endorsements. Paula and her advisors further complicated the matter by hiding her diagnosis for years, making the official announcement appear to be more opportunity-based than sincere. Any PR practitioner could have seen the potential backlash here, and should have separated the two events. So for now, I'd cut Paula some slack and shy away from questioning her integrity. Instead, I'd channel my criticism to her handlers who should have known better.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/feed/ 0 Congrats to Cognitive Medical Systems http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:54:29 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1757       The Daily Transcript - Cognitive Medical Systems purchases GSA Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle Cognitive Medical Systems, a San Diego company specializing in software solutions for health care organizations, has secured a General Services Administration Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle. The company purchased the asset from San Diego-based Solutions IT Tech LLC. “Doing so allows us access to one of the primary contracting methods that the U.S. government uses for IT software and services procurement,” said Douglas W. Burke, president of Cognitive Medical Systems. “This acquisition is a key step in our strategy to provide standards-based, decision-making health care software to improve health care outcomes.” Terms of the GSA purchased were not disclosed. Headquartered in San Diego, Cognitive Medical Systems is a woman-owned, service-disabled veteran, small business that specializes in standards-based, advanced concept engineering solutions for clinical workflow, decision support and data modeling projects. The company’s domain and field expertise in designing, implementing and integrating medical Service Oriented Architectures enables it to develop solutions to complex problems for a wide range of organizations.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/feed/ 0 Why PR pros must like and believe in their clients http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1783
I....LOVE...THIS!!! The revenue model discussed is EXACTLY what we've been promoting. We need to see more agencies adopt this. Because when they do, the good firms will shine through and the ones that have been all talk and no action will go away quickly. Happy reading! Pay-for-Performance Starts to Gain Steam Sophisticated Measurement Tools Help Model Become Reality at Media Shops Such as Interpublic's UM Last year, Interpublic Group of Cos.' media agency, UM, hired consulting giant McKinsey to analyze how other industries are compensated. The objective was to change the antiquated agency-fee model to a riskier but more profitable pay-for-performance one. What resulted was a revamped system that more closely aligns the firm's goals with those of clients. It is tied to key indicators such as sales or market share. Pay-for-performance is like an urban legend of media buying and planning. But with increasingly sophisticated measurement and planning tools, the concept is morphing into a reality that could in some cases replace the traditional fee model, under which shops make slim margins from a percentage of often low-balled budgets. UM has experimented with pay-for-performance with clients for the past few years. After having some success with the model, UM has become more aggressive with it. Half of the firm's clients, which include Chrysler, are engaged in compensation in which at least 20% to 75% of each media-buying contract is earned through pay-for-performance, according to Guy Beach, chief operating officer. Most of the remainder typically goes to cover costs. Read the rest of the article here.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/feed/ 0 Stalwart Communications Blog » General http://stalwartcom.com/blog Pay on Performance Marketing & PR Agency Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 AdAge – Pay-for-Performance Agency Model Starts to Gain Steam http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1783
I....LOVE...THIS!!! The revenue model discussed is EXACTLY what we've been promoting. We need to see more agencies adopt this. Because when they do, the good firms will shine through and the ones that have been all talk and no action will go away quickly. Happy reading! Pay-for-Performance Starts to Gain Steam Sophisticated Measurement Tools Help Model Become Reality at Media Shops Such as Interpublic's UM Last year, Interpublic Group of Cos.' media agency, UM, hired consulting giant McKinsey to analyze how other industries are compensated. The objective was to change the antiquated agency-fee model to a riskier but more profitable pay-for-performance one. What resulted was a revamped system that more closely aligns the firm's goals with those of clients. It is tied to key indicators such as sales or market share. Pay-for-performance is like an urban legend of media buying and planning. But with increasingly sophisticated measurement and planning tools, the concept is morphing into a reality that could in some cases replace the traditional fee model, under which shops make slim margins from a percentage of often low-balled budgets. UM has experimented with pay-for-performance with clients for the past few years. After having some success with the model, UM has become more aggressive with it. Half of the firm's clients, which include Chrysler, are engaged in compensation in which at least 20% to 75% of each media-buying contract is earned through pay-for-performance, according to Guy Beach, chief operating officer. Most of the remainder typically goes to cover costs. Read the rest of the article here.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/feed/ 0 LightBridge Hopsice featured for Veterans Work http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:14:39 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1780 LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care's work with ailing Veterans is unprecedented in San Diego (and California)! Thanks to East County Magazine for sharing the news!       LIGHTBRIDGE HOSPICE ACHIEVES HIGHEST NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR VETERAN CARE First, and only hospice in California to receive Partner Level 4 designation for “We Honor Veterans” program
February 2, 2012  (San Diego) -- LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care is the only hospice in California, and one of only 12 in the U.S. to meet stringent “We Honor Veterans” Partner Level 4 requirements in improving the care and support of Veterans.
This program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, empowers hospice professionals to meet the unique needs of ailing Veterans.
“As Veterans age, they face a distinct set of needs and challenges, including medical issues related to where they served, memories that might trigger anxiety and stoicism that makes asking for help difficult,” said Jill Mendlen, founder and president of LightBridge Hospice. “After all they’ve done for us it’s a privilege to thank those who served with the superior end-of-life care that they deserve.”
To reach Partner Level 4, LightBridge focused on increasing access to and improving the quality of care former military personnel receive in San Diego County.LightBridge heightened the integration of Veteran-specific education for staff, volunteers and the community, enhanced the Veteran Volunteer Program and developed resources to help patients and their families access these benefits. Then, LightBridge was tasked with measuring the impact of its community interventions.
In addition, LightBridge created special services and programs for Veterans that includes “No Vet Dies Alone,” an 11th hour program for patients without family and a Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer program focusing on companionship. LightBridge staff and volunteers (including Army Reservists) also conduct honor ceremonies for terminally ill retired military personnel to thank them for their service with a certificate, pin and pillow made from the uniform of the recipient’s branch of military. Craig Gillette, a 60-year-old Navy Vietnam Veteran from Jamul, is the latest honoree.
“I’m really proud. You put a smile on my heart,” said Craig Gillette at the LightBridge Hospice honor ceremony, which recently took place at his house. “I never experienced this kind of reception coming home from the Vietnam War. This is my homecoming.”
According to the NHPCO, one out of every four dying Americans is a Veteran. That’s why it became so important for LightBridge to develop and implement new policies and programs that help assist a community with such a heavy military population.
“This level of expertise is very personal to the staff at LightBridge because many of us have a military background or family in the military,” said Pamela Hough, Sr. Vice President, Operations/Administrator of LightBridge Hospice. “I’m so proud of our team that has worked so hard to prove their level of commitment to San Diego’s Veteran population!”
To volunteer, donate or learn more about the LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care Veterans’ Program please call 858-458-2992 or visit:http://www.lightbridgehospice.com/blog/
For more information about the “We Honor Veterans” program from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) visit: http://www.wehonorveterans.org/
There is an immediate need for uniforms from all branches of the military to be sewn into pillows for Veterans’ honor ceremonies. Please send them to: LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care, 6155 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 220 San Diego, CA 92121 or call 858-458-2992 for LightBridge to pick them up.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/feed/ 0 Friends of Balboa Park featured in U-T San Diego http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:35:25 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1777 Being a good friend to a great park She exercises there. She walks her dogs there. On a rare quiet moment, she even stops and smells the roses there. Like many San Diegans, Marlene Williams thinks of Balboa Park as her own backyard. But in Williams’ case, it really is her own backyard. And as a volunteer with the Girl Scouts and the Friends of Balboa Park, she helps care for this public place in a very personal way. “It’s easy for anyone to be passionate about Balboa Park,” Williams said. “But I live here, and I want to make sure it is preserved.” Williams’ husband, Eric, is the director of property for the Girl Scouts of San Diego, and the Williams family — Marlene, Eric, their 18-year-old daughter, Jordan, and their two golden retrievers — live in the caretaker’s cottage on the Upas Street grounds of the Girl Scouts’ Camp Balboa headquarters. Read the rest of the article here.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/feed/ 0 Keeve – Five tips to make you a Zen email user http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:14:40 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1772 It is hard to believe that email has been around for nearly 40 years now.  While email is essential for most business to communicate with their customers and clients, it can be a major stressor if you are not managing it properly – both personally and professionally.  Email brings an entire host of frustrations that can slow you down on a day to day basis. Here are five tips to relieve your email headache and help you become a more Zen email user.
  1. Manage your spam: Try using Unsubscribe.com, a service that removes yourself from promotional emails, mailing lists, etc. – it may have seemed like a good move at the time, but now you are regretting it, or are no longer interested in the subject matter.
  2. Organize: How many times have you looked at your inbox or exhausted the search feature to find information in a past email. Schedule time on your calendar each day to sort emails, delete those obsolete one-liners or long email chains that are irrelevant. You can also use services like OtherInbox, which automatically organizes your messages into folders like “Customer reviews” , “Potential clients” and “Shopping”. With one click, you can shrink 500 emails down to 6.
  3. Use clear subject lines: Subject lines are headlines. Being clear in your subject line will not only increase the chances of someone opening your email, it will prevent lengthy email trails and help the person on the receiving end.  Rather than a subject like “meeting”, try making it more clear and concise: “Meeting confirmation for Jan. 12 at 2pm, Kashi Social Media Contest review”.
  4. Proofread: Your writing is representative of your ability to clearly communicate, and in some cases, how much you value the receiver.  Make sure to check for typos and correct mistakes. Especially if you are sending a message to multiple people or customers, get a colleague to give it a look over.  If the recipient thinks it was done carelessly and not checked, they may interpret you, or your company, as carless and not valuing them.
  5. Respond promptly: Responding soon after receiving will take the stress off remembering to do so later; having one less thing on your to do list is always helpful.  Also, it is courteous to respond promptly so the receiver is not waiting or wondering if you have received the message.  Even if you can’t get the information they need at that very moment, inform them that you will get back to them by a certain day/time.
Keeping your email “healthy” and putting some of these systems in place on a regular basis will help become a more Zen email user. Not only will effective email management help your own state of mind, it will show those you communication with respect and help build rapport.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/feed/ 0 Is the U-T San Diego accelerating its own downfall? http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:38:00 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1770
Source: The Reader I can tell you first hand that there was a great deal of skepticism on the sale of the San Diego Union-Tribune (now renamed U-T San Diego) by the polarizing and controversial real estate baron Doug Manchester with many business leaders I encounter on a daily basis. Many like me were concerned that it marked the second coming of Citizen Kane, where a wealthy business man bought a struggling, but still very credible and well read, news outlet to use in part to further his own personal agenda. There were talks of cancelling subscriptions from people I would have never expected to consider such a move if indeed their fears became real. Well, I'm very concerned that they have. There are two reasons for my sounding the alarm. The first came only days after the December announcement of the impending sale to "Papa Doug" and his partner, recently ousted radio owner John Lynch, when the City Beat posted an internal memo signed by the duo promising to make the U-T the "moral compass of this community." Six weeks later, they showed how they would implement such a mission by taking the majority of the Sunday A-Section, front page, top fold to promote their own vision for downtown San Diego development that would include a football stadium and sports arena. Whether one agrees with their opinion or not is irrelevant. What is the issue is in how Manchester and Lynch took an unprecedented move in usurping the hard news coverage that traditionally appears on such a prominent page in their most widely read edition and replace it with an essay that blatantly promotes their own agenda. Objective journalism is already in too short of supply. While I don't believe newspapers in their current form will have the lion share of such content in the future, I certainly wouldn't advocate for accelerating their demise and replacing real news with one-sided articles that promote the owner's perspective. There are still good reporters and editors at the U-T San Diego; lots of them. They fight for white space every single day to write reports on the goings on of this large and diverse city. My concern is that they will be short-changed even more by their own bosses, and could very well find themselves out of work as subscribers leave and revenue at the paper continue to decline, all because Papa Doug and Mr. Lynch want to use the paper as their own bully pulpit.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/feed/ 0 Stalwart lands First Associates Loan Servicing as newest client! http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:48:51 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1765
First Associates Loan Servicing is a rapidly-growing company that has quickly demonstrated a strong and unique competitive advantage for its services in several markets, but most notably high education/student loans. The company’s proprietary communications platform offers multiple, high quality, effective touch points with the financial institution’s borrowers that improve customer service while, at the same time, lower delinquent payments and receivables. Instead of funding a room full of outbound call agents, First Associates’ system provides automated email, text and voice messages to consumers reminding them of upcoming payments and other essential information. Customers can respond in the manner that’s convenient for them, while still having the option of talking to a live person during normal business hours six days a week. In doing so, the company can not only service more loans with a lower overhead, but with greater effectiveness and efficiency than other outsourced or internal loan servicing departments. This is evidenced by the number of marquee financial institutions that have recently entrusted significant number of their loan portfolios to First Associates. Be on the lookout for some great press on this company, thanks to Stalwart Communications.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/feed/ 0 Irelands – The Stanley effect: How to work with a curmudgeon http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:33:59 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1762
Rarely do we escape the matrix of the business world without a "person who will remain nameless." This person acts like they get paid to spew negativity. They've perfected a death stare over a smile and make Debbie Downer seem like a relatively engaging person. While you wax poetic, they wane problems. He or she is really not pleasant and for the purpose of this blog we'll call shim "Stanley" like the curmudgeon on the hit NBC show "The Office." Stanley is a grumpy journalist that I met just a short time ago. Getting our relationship off to a frosty start, he made it clear from the get-go that he DOES NOT like PR people. Throughout the course of our relationship, he put up major roadblocks with technology and semantics that made working together near impossible. Let's just say that I learned a lot throughout our courtship and I'm pleased to say that it ended with Stanley requesting we work together again. I somehow won him over. I strongly suggest that anyone working with a "Stanley" think about these tips to make the most of the situation: Don't mirror their energy. You are in control of your own behavior, never theirs. If Stanley comes at you irrationally, disrespectfully or with aggression, pause before you respond. Take that moment to reset, breathe and think about what you're going to say instead of reflecting with emotion. This is harder to do in person, but also something to remember over email. It's easy to fire one off in Outlook, but this could live online FOREVER and come back to haunt you. It's also difficult to detect tone via the Interweb so choose your words wisely. You could be right. This is an anecdote from my mother - a Jane Ireland classic. If you're going back and forth with someone and there is no compromise, say "You could be right." This is not conceding, it's simply acknowledging that the person might have a point (even if you know they are wrong). Over deliver. This is a great business principle, whether you're working with a Stanley or not. I think one of the best ways to shut someone up is to let your work speak for itself. Consistently providing what the other person needs is the easiest way to curate respect and more importantly, trust. Many times, the mudge needs you, just as much as you need the mudge. Make sure you show them why. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. I'm a pretty firm believer that people, especially those who've been in the workforce awhile, don't change. One of my first managers was a lot like Stanley. She even had a copy of Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" on her bookshelf. Whenever I was in her office, I wanted to grab it, wave it in her face and call her out for clearly not reading it (or at least practicing what it preaches). This "understanding" notion is habit #5 from the popular self-help book and the idea of practicing empathetic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. Try this to create an atmosphere of caring, respect and positive problem solving. Listening is a powerful tool, even if it's one-sided. You might only end up "understanding" how much of a mudge they are, but at least you went through the exercise! Don't make excuses for the mudge. It's easy to say, "oh, Stanley is really overworked" or "Stanley must be having a bad day" but if you feel you're being disrespected, speak up. It's perfectly acceptable to say "when you say X - I feel Y." The key is not saying "YOU make me feel Y" because then they might feel attacked. This may not change anything, but it's better to get it out then have it fester inside. If you bottle up your feelings, you run the risk of exploding or having some sort of meltdown. Crying at work is not cool! Experiment with these tips and Stanley might eventually let you help him with his crossword puzzles! How do you handle a mudge? Please share some Stanley stories in the comments below!
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/feed/ 0 Who’s to blame for the Paula Dean PR gaffe last week? (Hint – it may not be Ms. Dean herself) http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:33:20 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1760
Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Paula Dean on the Food Network. I think she's genuine, funny and a terrific cook. She is also one that carries herself well in almost any circumstance. So I was a bit surprised last week when she confirmed her Type II Diabetes diagnosis and simultaneously endorsed a prescription drug made by the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, to combat the disease. Yet unlike other PR practitioners who were quick to take pot shots at Paula, I'm not sure I'm ready to call her a hypocrite. I believe there's a more probable reason - Paula's agent and her publicist over thought the roll-out strategy. If revelations about a celebrity's health are to occur, particular ones that may have perception of being partly self-induced, the communication strategy to the public shouldn't be convoluted with endorsements. Paula and her advisors further complicated the matter by hiding her diagnosis for years, making the official announcement appear to be more opportunity-based than sincere. Any PR practitioner could have seen the potential backlash here, and should have separated the two events. So for now, I'd cut Paula some slack and shy away from questioning her integrity. Instead, I'd channel my criticism to her handlers who should have known better.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/feed/ 0 Congrats to Cognitive Medical Systems http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:54:29 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1757       The Daily Transcript - Cognitive Medical Systems purchases GSA Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle Cognitive Medical Systems, a San Diego company specializing in software solutions for health care organizations, has secured a General Services Administration Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle. The company purchased the asset from San Diego-based Solutions IT Tech LLC. “Doing so allows us access to one of the primary contracting methods that the U.S. government uses for IT software and services procurement,” said Douglas W. Burke, president of Cognitive Medical Systems. “This acquisition is a key step in our strategy to provide standards-based, decision-making health care software to improve health care outcomes.” Terms of the GSA purchased were not disclosed. Headquartered in San Diego, Cognitive Medical Systems is a woman-owned, service-disabled veteran, small business that specializes in standards-based, advanced concept engineering solutions for clinical workflow, decision support and data modeling projects. The company’s domain and field expertise in designing, implementing and integrating medical Service Oriented Architectures enables it to develop solutions to complex problems for a wide range of organizations.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/feed/ 0 Why PR pros must like and believe in their clients http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:14:39 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1780 LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care's work with ailing Veterans is unprecedented in San Diego (and California)! Thanks to East County Magazine for sharing the news!       LIGHTBRIDGE HOSPICE ACHIEVES HIGHEST NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR VETERAN CARE First, and only hospice in California to receive Partner Level 4 designation for “We Honor Veterans” program
February 2, 2012  (San Diego) -- LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care is the only hospice in California, and one of only 12 in the U.S. to meet stringent “We Honor Veterans” Partner Level 4 requirements in improving the care and support of Veterans.
This program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, empowers hospice professionals to meet the unique needs of ailing Veterans.
“As Veterans age, they face a distinct set of needs and challenges, including medical issues related to where they served, memories that might trigger anxiety and stoicism that makes asking for help difficult,” said Jill Mendlen, founder and president of LightBridge Hospice. “After all they’ve done for us it’s a privilege to thank those who served with the superior end-of-life care that they deserve.”
To reach Partner Level 4, LightBridge focused on increasing access to and improving the quality of care former military personnel receive in San Diego County.LightBridge heightened the integration of Veteran-specific education for staff, volunteers and the community, enhanced the Veteran Volunteer Program and developed resources to help patients and their families access these benefits. Then, LightBridge was tasked with measuring the impact of its community interventions.
In addition, LightBridge created special services and programs for Veterans that includes “No Vet Dies Alone,” an 11th hour program for patients without family and a Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer program focusing on companionship. LightBridge staff and volunteers (including Army Reservists) also conduct honor ceremonies for terminally ill retired military personnel to thank them for their service with a certificate, pin and pillow made from the uniform of the recipient’s branch of military. Craig Gillette, a 60-year-old Navy Vietnam Veteran from Jamul, is the latest honoree.
“I’m really proud. You put a smile on my heart,” said Craig Gillette at the LightBridge Hospice honor ceremony, which recently took place at his house. “I never experienced this kind of reception coming home from the Vietnam War. This is my homecoming.”
According to the NHPCO, one out of every four dying Americans is a Veteran. That’s why it became so important for LightBridge to develop and implement new policies and programs that help assist a community with such a heavy military population.
“This level of expertise is very personal to the staff at LightBridge because many of us have a military background or family in the military,” said Pamela Hough, Sr. Vice President, Operations/Administrator of LightBridge Hospice. “I’m so proud of our team that has worked so hard to prove their level of commitment to San Diego’s Veteran population!”
To volunteer, donate or learn more about the LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care Veterans’ Program please call 858-458-2992 or visit:http://www.lightbridgehospice.com/blog/
For more information about the “We Honor Veterans” program from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) visit: http://www.wehonorveterans.org/
There is an immediate need for uniforms from all branches of the military to be sewn into pillows for Veterans’ honor ceremonies. Please send them to: LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care, 6155 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 220 San Diego, CA 92121 or call 858-458-2992 for LightBridge to pick them up.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/feed/ 0 Stalwart Communications Blog » General http://stalwartcom.com/blog Pay on Performance Marketing & PR Agency Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 AdAge – Pay-for-Performance Agency Model Starts to Gain Steam http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1783
I....LOVE...THIS!!! The revenue model discussed is EXACTLY what we've been promoting. We need to see more agencies adopt this. Because when they do, the good firms will shine through and the ones that have been all talk and no action will go away quickly. Happy reading! Pay-for-Performance Starts to Gain Steam Sophisticated Measurement Tools Help Model Become Reality at Media Shops Such as Interpublic's UM Last year, Interpublic Group of Cos.' media agency, UM, hired consulting giant McKinsey to analyze how other industries are compensated. The objective was to change the antiquated agency-fee model to a riskier but more profitable pay-for-performance one. What resulted was a revamped system that more closely aligns the firm's goals with those of clients. It is tied to key indicators such as sales or market share. Pay-for-performance is like an urban legend of media buying and planning. But with increasingly sophisticated measurement and planning tools, the concept is morphing into a reality that could in some cases replace the traditional fee model, under which shops make slim margins from a percentage of often low-balled budgets. UM has experimented with pay-for-performance with clients for the past few years. After having some success with the model, UM has become more aggressive with it. Half of the firm's clients, which include Chrysler, are engaged in compensation in which at least 20% to 75% of each media-buying contract is earned through pay-for-performance, according to Guy Beach, chief operating officer. Most of the remainder typically goes to cover costs. Read the rest of the article here.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/feed/ 0 LightBridge Hopsice featured for Veterans Work http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:14:39 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1780 LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care's work with ailing Veterans is unprecedented in San Diego (and California)! Thanks to East County Magazine for sharing the news!       LIGHTBRIDGE HOSPICE ACHIEVES HIGHEST NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR VETERAN CARE First, and only hospice in California to receive Partner Level 4 designation for “We Honor Veterans” program
February 2, 2012  (San Diego) -- LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care is the only hospice in California, and one of only 12 in the U.S. to meet stringent “We Honor Veterans” Partner Level 4 requirements in improving the care and support of Veterans.
This program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, empowers hospice professionals to meet the unique needs of ailing Veterans.
“As Veterans age, they face a distinct set of needs and challenges, including medical issues related to where they served, memories that might trigger anxiety and stoicism that makes asking for help difficult,” said Jill Mendlen, founder and president of LightBridge Hospice. “After all they’ve done for us it’s a privilege to thank those who served with the superior end-of-life care that they deserve.”
To reach Partner Level 4, LightBridge focused on increasing access to and improving the quality of care former military personnel receive in San Diego County.LightBridge heightened the integration of Veteran-specific education for staff, volunteers and the community, enhanced the Veteran Volunteer Program and developed resources to help patients and their families access these benefits. Then, LightBridge was tasked with measuring the impact of its community interventions.
In addition, LightBridge created special services and programs for Veterans that includes “No Vet Dies Alone,” an 11th hour program for patients without family and a Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer program focusing on companionship. LightBridge staff and volunteers (including Army Reservists) also conduct honor ceremonies for terminally ill retired military personnel to thank them for their service with a certificate, pin and pillow made from the uniform of the recipient’s branch of military. Craig Gillette, a 60-year-old Navy Vietnam Veteran from Jamul, is the latest honoree.
“I’m really proud. You put a smile on my heart,” said Craig Gillette at the LightBridge Hospice honor ceremony, which recently took place at his house. “I never experienced this kind of reception coming home from the Vietnam War. This is my homecoming.”
According to the NHPCO, one out of every four dying Americans is a Veteran. That’s why it became so important for LightBridge to develop and implement new policies and programs that help assist a community with such a heavy military population.
“This level of expertise is very personal to the staff at LightBridge because many of us have a military background or family in the military,” said Pamela Hough, Sr. Vice President, Operations/Administrator of LightBridge Hospice. “I’m so proud of our team that has worked so hard to prove their level of commitment to San Diego’s Veteran population!”
To volunteer, donate or learn more about the LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care Veterans’ Program please call 858-458-2992 or visit:http://www.lightbridgehospice.com/blog/
For more information about the “We Honor Veterans” program from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) visit: http://www.wehonorveterans.org/
There is an immediate need for uniforms from all branches of the military to be sewn into pillows for Veterans’ honor ceremonies. Please send them to: LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care, 6155 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 220 San Diego, CA 92121 or call 858-458-2992 for LightBridge to pick them up.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/feed/ 0 Friends of Balboa Park featured in U-T San Diego http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:35:25 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1777 Being a good friend to a great park She exercises there. She walks her dogs there. On a rare quiet moment, she even stops and smells the roses there. Like many San Diegans, Marlene Williams thinks of Balboa Park as her own backyard. But in Williams’ case, it really is her own backyard. And as a volunteer with the Girl Scouts and the Friends of Balboa Park, she helps care for this public place in a very personal way. “It’s easy for anyone to be passionate about Balboa Park,” Williams said. “But I live here, and I want to make sure it is preserved.” Williams’ husband, Eric, is the director of property for the Girl Scouts of San Diego, and the Williams family — Marlene, Eric, their 18-year-old daughter, Jordan, and their two golden retrievers — live in the caretaker’s cottage on the Upas Street grounds of the Girl Scouts’ Camp Balboa headquarters. Read the rest of the article here.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/feed/ 0 Keeve – Five tips to make you a Zen email user http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:14:40 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1772 It is hard to believe that email has been around for nearly 40 years now.  While email is essential for most business to communicate with their customers and clients, it can be a major stressor if you are not managing it properly – both personally and professionally.  Email brings an entire host of frustrations that can slow you down on a day to day basis. Here are five tips to relieve your email headache and help you become a more Zen email user.
  1. Manage your spam: Try using Unsubscribe.com, a service that removes yourself from promotional emails, mailing lists, etc. – it may have seemed like a good move at the time, but now you are regretting it, or are no longer interested in the subject matter.
  2. Organize: How many times have you looked at your inbox or exhausted the search feature to find information in a past email. Schedule time on your calendar each day to sort emails, delete those obsolete one-liners or long email chains that are irrelevant. You can also use services like OtherInbox, which automatically organizes your messages into folders like “Customer reviews” , “Potential clients” and “Shopping”. With one click, you can shrink 500 emails down to 6.
  3. Use clear subject lines: Subject lines are headlines. Being clear in your subject line will not only increase the chances of someone opening your email, it will prevent lengthy email trails and help the person on the receiving end.  Rather than a subject like “meeting”, try making it more clear and concise: “Meeting confirmation for Jan. 12 at 2pm, Kashi Social Media Contest review”.
  4. Proofread: Your writing is representative of your ability to clearly communicate, and in some cases, how much you value the receiver.  Make sure to check for typos and correct mistakes. Especially if you are sending a message to multiple people or customers, get a colleague to give it a look over.  If the recipient thinks it was done carelessly and not checked, they may interpret you, or your company, as carless and not valuing them.
  5. Respond promptly: Responding soon after receiving will take the stress off remembering to do so later; having one less thing on your to do list is always helpful.  Also, it is courteous to respond promptly so the receiver is not waiting or wondering if you have received the message.  Even if you can’t get the information they need at that very moment, inform them that you will get back to them by a certain day/time.
Keeping your email “healthy” and putting some of these systems in place on a regular basis will help become a more Zen email user. Not only will effective email management help your own state of mind, it will show those you communication with respect and help build rapport.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/feed/ 0 Is the U-T San Diego accelerating its own downfall? http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:38:00 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1770
Source: The Reader I can tell you first hand that there was a great deal of skepticism on the sale of the San Diego Union-Tribune (now renamed U-T San Diego) by the polarizing and controversial real estate baron Doug Manchester with many business leaders I encounter on a daily basis. Many like me were concerned that it marked the second coming of Citizen Kane, where a wealthy business man bought a struggling, but still very credible and well read, news outlet to use in part to further his own personal agenda. There were talks of cancelling subscriptions from people I would have never expected to consider such a move if indeed their fears became real. Well, I'm very concerned that they have. There are two reasons for my sounding the alarm. The first came only days after the December announcement of the impending sale to "Papa Doug" and his partner, recently ousted radio owner John Lynch, when the City Beat posted an internal memo signed by the duo promising to make the U-T the "moral compass of this community." Six weeks later, they showed how they would implement such a mission by taking the majority of the Sunday A-Section, front page, top fold to promote their own vision for downtown San Diego development that would include a football stadium and sports arena. Whether one agrees with their opinion or not is irrelevant. What is the issue is in how Manchester and Lynch took an unprecedented move in usurping the hard news coverage that traditionally appears on such a prominent page in their most widely read edition and replace it with an essay that blatantly promotes their own agenda. Objective journalism is already in too short of supply. While I don't believe newspapers in their current form will have the lion share of such content in the future, I certainly wouldn't advocate for accelerating their demise and replacing real news with one-sided articles that promote the owner's perspective. There are still good reporters and editors at the U-T San Diego; lots of them. They fight for white space every single day to write reports on the goings on of this large and diverse city. My concern is that they will be short-changed even more by their own bosses, and could very well find themselves out of work as subscribers leave and revenue at the paper continue to decline, all because Papa Doug and Mr. Lynch want to use the paper as their own bully pulpit.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/feed/ 0 Stalwart lands First Associates Loan Servicing as newest client! http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:48:51 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1765
First Associates Loan Servicing is a rapidly-growing company that has quickly demonstrated a strong and unique competitive advantage for its services in several markets, but most notably high education/student loans. The company’s proprietary communications platform offers multiple, high quality, effective touch points with the financial institution’s borrowers that improve customer service while, at the same time, lower delinquent payments and receivables. Instead of funding a room full of outbound call agents, First Associates’ system provides automated email, text and voice messages to consumers reminding them of upcoming payments and other essential information. Customers can respond in the manner that’s convenient for them, while still having the option of talking to a live person during normal business hours six days a week. In doing so, the company can not only service more loans with a lower overhead, but with greater effectiveness and efficiency than other outsourced or internal loan servicing departments. This is evidenced by the number of marquee financial institutions that have recently entrusted significant number of their loan portfolios to First Associates. Be on the lookout for some great press on this company, thanks to Stalwart Communications.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/feed/ 0 Irelands – The Stanley effect: How to work with a curmudgeon http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:33:59 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1762
Rarely do we escape the matrix of the business world without a "person who will remain nameless." This person acts like they get paid to spew negativity. They've perfected a death stare over a smile and make Debbie Downer seem like a relatively engaging person. While you wax poetic, they wane problems. He or she is really not pleasant and for the purpose of this blog we'll call shim "Stanley" like the curmudgeon on the hit NBC show "The Office." Stanley is a grumpy journalist that I met just a short time ago. Getting our relationship off to a frosty start, he made it clear from the get-go that he DOES NOT like PR people. Throughout the course of our relationship, he put up major roadblocks with technology and semantics that made working together near impossible. Let's just say that I learned a lot throughout our courtship and I'm pleased to say that it ended with Stanley requesting we work together again. I somehow won him over. I strongly suggest that anyone working with a "Stanley" think about these tips to make the most of the situation: Don't mirror their energy. You are in control of your own behavior, never theirs. If Stanley comes at you irrationally, disrespectfully or with aggression, pause before you respond. Take that moment to reset, breathe and think about what you're going to say instead of reflecting with emotion. This is harder to do in person, but also something to remember over email. It's easy to fire one off in Outlook, but this could live online FOREVER and come back to haunt you. It's also difficult to detect tone via the Interweb so choose your words wisely. You could be right. This is an anecdote from my mother - a Jane Ireland classic. If you're going back and forth with someone and there is no compromise, say "You could be right." This is not conceding, it's simply acknowledging that the person might have a point (even if you know they are wrong). Over deliver. This is a great business principle, whether you're working with a Stanley or not. I think one of the best ways to shut someone up is to let your work speak for itself. Consistently providing what the other person needs is the easiest way to curate respect and more importantly, trust. Many times, the mudge needs you, just as much as you need the mudge. Make sure you show them why. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. I'm a pretty firm believer that people, especially those who've been in the workforce awhile, don't change. One of my first managers was a lot like Stanley. She even had a copy of Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" on her bookshelf. Whenever I was in her office, I wanted to grab it, wave it in her face and call her out for clearly not reading it (or at least practicing what it preaches). This "understanding" notion is habit #5 from the popular self-help book and the idea of practicing empathetic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. Try this to create an atmosphere of caring, respect and positive problem solving. Listening is a powerful tool, even if it's one-sided. You might only end up "understanding" how much of a mudge they are, but at least you went through the exercise! Don't make excuses for the mudge. It's easy to say, "oh, Stanley is really overworked" or "Stanley must be having a bad day" but if you feel you're being disrespected, speak up. It's perfectly acceptable to say "when you say X - I feel Y." The key is not saying "YOU make me feel Y" because then they might feel attacked. This may not change anything, but it's better to get it out then have it fester inside. If you bottle up your feelings, you run the risk of exploding or having some sort of meltdown. Crying at work is not cool! Experiment with these tips and Stanley might eventually let you help him with his crossword puzzles! How do you handle a mudge? Please share some Stanley stories in the comments below!
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/feed/ 0 Who’s to blame for the Paula Dean PR gaffe last week? (Hint – it may not be Ms. Dean herself) http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:33:20 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1760
Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Paula Dean on the Food Network. I think she's genuine, funny and a terrific cook. She is also one that carries herself well in almost any circumstance. So I was a bit surprised last week when she confirmed her Type II Diabetes diagnosis and simultaneously endorsed a prescription drug made by the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, to combat the disease. Yet unlike other PR practitioners who were quick to take pot shots at Paula, I'm not sure I'm ready to call her a hypocrite. I believe there's a more probable reason - Paula's agent and her publicist over thought the roll-out strategy. If revelations about a celebrity's health are to occur, particular ones that may have perception of being partly self-induced, the communication strategy to the public shouldn't be convoluted with endorsements. Paula and her advisors further complicated the matter by hiding her diagnosis for years, making the official announcement appear to be more opportunity-based than sincere. Any PR practitioner could have seen the potential backlash here, and should have separated the two events. So for now, I'd cut Paula some slack and shy away from questioning her integrity. Instead, I'd channel my criticism to her handlers who should have known better.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/feed/ 0 Congrats to Cognitive Medical Systems http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:54:29 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1757       The Daily Transcript - Cognitive Medical Systems purchases GSA Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle Cognitive Medical Systems, a San Diego company specializing in software solutions for health care organizations, has secured a General Services Administration Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle. The company purchased the asset from San Diego-based Solutions IT Tech LLC. “Doing so allows us access to one of the primary contracting methods that the U.S. government uses for IT software and services procurement,” said Douglas W. Burke, president of Cognitive Medical Systems. “This acquisition is a key step in our strategy to provide standards-based, decision-making health care software to improve health care outcomes.” Terms of the GSA purchased were not disclosed. Headquartered in San Diego, Cognitive Medical Systems is a woman-owned, service-disabled veteran, small business that specializes in standards-based, advanced concept engineering solutions for clinical workflow, decision support and data modeling projects. The company’s domain and field expertise in designing, implementing and integrating medical Service Oriented Architectures enables it to develop solutions to complex problems for a wide range of organizations.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/feed/ 0 Why PR pros must like and believe in their clients http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:35:25 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1777 Being a good friend to a great park She exercises there. She walks her dogs there. On a rare quiet moment, she even stops and smells the roses there. Like many San Diegans, Marlene Williams thinks of Balboa Park as her own backyard. But in Williams’ case, it really is her own backyard. And as a volunteer with the Girl Scouts and the Friends of Balboa Park, she helps care for this public place in a very personal way. “It’s easy for anyone to be passionate about Balboa Park,” Williams said. “But I live here, and I want to make sure it is preserved.” Williams’ husband, Eric, is the director of property for the Girl Scouts of San Diego, and the Williams family — Marlene, Eric, their 18-year-old daughter, Jordan, and their two golden retrievers — live in the caretaker’s cottage on the Upas Street grounds of the Girl Scouts’ Camp Balboa headquarters. Read the rest of the article here.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/feed/ 0 Stalwart Communications Blog » General http://stalwartcom.com/blog Pay on Performance Marketing & PR Agency Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 AdAge – Pay-for-Performance Agency Model Starts to Gain Steam http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1783
I....LOVE...THIS!!! The revenue model discussed is EXACTLY what we've been promoting. We need to see more agencies adopt this. Because when they do, the good firms will shine through and the ones that have been all talk and no action will go away quickly. Happy reading! Pay-for-Performance Starts to Gain Steam Sophisticated Measurement Tools Help Model Become Reality at Media Shops Such as Interpublic's UM Last year, Interpublic Group of Cos.' media agency, UM, hired consulting giant McKinsey to analyze how other industries are compensated. The objective was to change the antiquated agency-fee model to a riskier but more profitable pay-for-performance one. What resulted was a revamped system that more closely aligns the firm's goals with those of clients. It is tied to key indicators such as sales or market share. Pay-for-performance is like an urban legend of media buying and planning. But with increasingly sophisticated measurement and planning tools, the concept is morphing into a reality that could in some cases replace the traditional fee model, under which shops make slim margins from a percentage of often low-balled budgets. UM has experimented with pay-for-performance with clients for the past few years. After having some success with the model, UM has become more aggressive with it. Half of the firm's clients, which include Chrysler, are engaged in compensation in which at least 20% to 75% of each media-buying contract is earned through pay-for-performance, according to Guy Beach, chief operating officer. Most of the remainder typically goes to cover costs. Read the rest of the article here.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/feed/ 0 LightBridge Hopsice featured for Veterans Work http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:14:39 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1780 LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care's work with ailing Veterans is unprecedented in San Diego (and California)! Thanks to East County Magazine for sharing the news!       LIGHTBRIDGE HOSPICE ACHIEVES HIGHEST NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR VETERAN CARE First, and only hospice in California to receive Partner Level 4 designation for “We Honor Veterans” program
February 2, 2012  (San Diego) -- LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care is the only hospice in California, and one of only 12 in the U.S. to meet stringent “We Honor Veterans” Partner Level 4 requirements in improving the care and support of Veterans.
This program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, empowers hospice professionals to meet the unique needs of ailing Veterans.
“As Veterans age, they face a distinct set of needs and challenges, including medical issues related to where they served, memories that might trigger anxiety and stoicism that makes asking for help difficult,” said Jill Mendlen, founder and president of LightBridge Hospice. “After all they’ve done for us it’s a privilege to thank those who served with the superior end-of-life care that they deserve.”
To reach Partner Level 4, LightBridge focused on increasing access to and improving the quality of care former military personnel receive in San Diego County.LightBridge heightened the integration of Veteran-specific education for staff, volunteers and the community, enhanced the Veteran Volunteer Program and developed resources to help patients and their families access these benefits. Then, LightBridge was tasked with measuring the impact of its community interventions.
In addition, LightBridge created special services and programs for Veterans that includes “No Vet Dies Alone,” an 11th hour program for patients without family and a Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer program focusing on companionship. LightBridge staff and volunteers (including Army Reservists) also conduct honor ceremonies for terminally ill retired military personnel to thank them for their service with a certificate, pin and pillow made from the uniform of the recipient’s branch of military. Craig Gillette, a 60-year-old Navy Vietnam Veteran from Jamul, is the latest honoree.
“I’m really proud. You put a smile on my heart,” said Craig Gillette at the LightBridge Hospice honor ceremony, which recently took place at his house. “I never experienced this kind of reception coming home from the Vietnam War. This is my homecoming.”
According to the NHPCO, one out of every four dying Americans is a Veteran. That’s why it became so important for LightBridge to develop and implement new policies and programs that help assist a community with such a heavy military population.
“This level of expertise is very personal to the staff at LightBridge because many of us have a military background or family in the military,” said Pamela Hough, Sr. Vice President, Operations/Administrator of LightBridge Hospice. “I’m so proud of our team that has worked so hard to prove their level of commitment to San Diego’s Veteran population!”
To volunteer, donate or learn more about the LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care Veterans’ Program please call 858-458-2992 or visit:http://www.lightbridgehospice.com/blog/
For more information about the “We Honor Veterans” program from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) visit: http://www.wehonorveterans.org/
There is an immediate need for uniforms from all branches of the military to be sewn into pillows for Veterans’ honor ceremonies. Please send them to: LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care, 6155 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 220 San Diego, CA 92121 or call 858-458-2992 for LightBridge to pick them up.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/feed/ 0 Friends of Balboa Park featured in U-T San Diego http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:35:25 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1777 Being a good friend to a great park She exercises there. She walks her dogs there. On a rare quiet moment, she even stops and smells the roses there. Like many San Diegans, Marlene Williams thinks of Balboa Park as her own backyard. But in Williams’ case, it really is her own backyard. And as a volunteer with the Girl Scouts and the Friends of Balboa Park, she helps care for this public place in a very personal way. “It’s easy for anyone to be passionate about Balboa Park,” Williams said. “But I live here, and I want to make sure it is preserved.” Williams’ husband, Eric, is the director of property for the Girl Scouts of San Diego, and the Williams family — Marlene, Eric, their 18-year-old daughter, Jordan, and their two golden retrievers — live in the caretaker’s cottage on the Upas Street grounds of the Girl Scouts’ Camp Balboa headquarters. Read the rest of the article here.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/feed/ 0 Keeve – Five tips to make you a Zen email user http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:14:40 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1772 It is hard to believe that email has been around for nearly 40 years now.  While email is essential for most business to communicate with their customers and clients, it can be a major stressor if you are not managing it properly – both personally and professionally.  Email brings an entire host of frustrations that can slow you down on a day to day basis. Here are five tips to relieve your email headache and help you become a more Zen email user.
  1. Manage your spam: Try using Unsubscribe.com, a service that removes yourself from promotional emails, mailing lists, etc. – it may have seemed like a good move at the time, but now you are regretting it, or are no longer interested in the subject matter.
  2. Organize: How many times have you looked at your inbox or exhausted the search feature to find information in a past email. Schedule time on your calendar each day to sort emails, delete those obsolete one-liners or long email chains that are irrelevant. You can also use services like OtherInbox, which automatically organizes your messages into folders like “Customer reviews” , “Potential clients” and “Shopping”. With one click, you can shrink 500 emails down to 6.
  3. Use clear subject lines: Subject lines are headlines. Being clear in your subject line will not only increase the chances of someone opening your email, it will prevent lengthy email trails and help the person on the receiving end.  Rather than a subject like “meeting”, try making it more clear and concise: “Meeting confirmation for Jan. 12 at 2pm, Kashi Social Media Contest review”.
  4. Proofread: Your writing is representative of your ability to clearly communicate, and in some cases, how much you value the receiver.  Make sure to check for typos and correct mistakes. Especially if you are sending a message to multiple people or customers, get a colleague to give it a look over.  If the recipient thinks it was done carelessly and not checked, they may interpret you, or your company, as carless and not valuing them.
  5. Respond promptly: Responding soon after receiving will take the stress off remembering to do so later; having one less thing on your to do list is always helpful.  Also, it is courteous to respond promptly so the receiver is not waiting or wondering if you have received the message.  Even if you can’t get the information they need at that very moment, inform them that you will get back to them by a certain day/time.
Keeping your email “healthy” and putting some of these systems in place on a regular basis will help become a more Zen email user. Not only will effective email management help your own state of mind, it will show those you communication with respect and help build rapport.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/feed/ 0 Is the U-T San Diego accelerating its own downfall? http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:38:00 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1770
Source: The Reader I can tell you first hand that there was a great deal of skepticism on the sale of the San Diego Union-Tribune (now renamed U-T San Diego) by the polarizing and controversial real estate baron Doug Manchester with many business leaders I encounter on a daily basis. Many like me were concerned that it marked the second coming of Citizen Kane, where a wealthy business man bought a struggling, but still very credible and well read, news outlet to use in part to further his own personal agenda. There were talks of cancelling subscriptions from people I would have never expected to consider such a move if indeed their fears became real. Well, I'm very concerned that they have. There are two reasons for my sounding the alarm. The first came only days after the December announcement of the impending sale to "Papa Doug" and his partner, recently ousted radio owner John Lynch, when the City Beat posted an internal memo signed by the duo promising to make the U-T the "moral compass of this community." Six weeks later, they showed how they would implement such a mission by taking the majority of the Sunday A-Section, front page, top fold to promote their own vision for downtown San Diego development that would include a football stadium and sports arena. Whether one agrees with their opinion or not is irrelevant. What is the issue is in how Manchester and Lynch took an unprecedented move in usurping the hard news coverage that traditionally appears on such a prominent page in their most widely read edition and replace it with an essay that blatantly promotes their own agenda. Objective journalism is already in too short of supply. While I don't believe newspapers in their current form will have the lion share of such content in the future, I certainly wouldn't advocate for accelerating their demise and replacing real news with one-sided articles that promote the owner's perspective. There are still good reporters and editors at the U-T San Diego; lots of them. They fight for white space every single day to write reports on the goings on of this large and diverse city. My concern is that they will be short-changed even more by their own bosses, and could very well find themselves out of work as subscribers leave and revenue at the paper continue to decline, all because Papa Doug and Mr. Lynch want to use the paper as their own bully pulpit.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/feed/ 0 Stalwart lands First Associates Loan Servicing as newest client! http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:48:51 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1765
First Associates Loan Servicing is a rapidly-growing company that has quickly demonstrated a strong and unique competitive advantage for its services in several markets, but most notably high education/student loans. The company’s proprietary communications platform offers multiple, high quality, effective touch points with the financial institution’s borrowers that improve customer service while, at the same time, lower delinquent payments and receivables. Instead of funding a room full of outbound call agents, First Associates’ system provides automated email, text and voice messages to consumers reminding them of upcoming payments and other essential information. Customers can respond in the manner that’s convenient for them, while still having the option of talking to a live person during normal business hours six days a week. In doing so, the company can not only service more loans with a lower overhead, but with greater effectiveness and efficiency than other outsourced or internal loan servicing departments. This is evidenced by the number of marquee financial institutions that have recently entrusted significant number of their loan portfolios to First Associates. Be on the lookout for some great press on this company, thanks to Stalwart Communications.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/feed/ 0 Irelands – The Stanley effect: How to work with a curmudgeon http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:33:59 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1762
Rarely do we escape the matrix of the business world without a "person who will remain nameless." This person acts like they get paid to spew negativity. They've perfected a death stare over a smile and make Debbie Downer seem like a relatively engaging person. While you wax poetic, they wane problems. He or she is really not pleasant and for the purpose of this blog we'll call shim "Stanley" like the curmudgeon on the hit NBC show "The Office." Stanley is a grumpy journalist that I met just a short time ago. Getting our relationship off to a frosty start, he made it clear from the get-go that he DOES NOT like PR people. Throughout the course of our relationship, he put up major roadblocks with technology and semantics that made working together near impossible. Let's just say that I learned a lot throughout our courtship and I'm pleased to say that it ended with Stanley requesting we work together again. I somehow won him over. I strongly suggest that anyone working with a "Stanley" think about these tips to make the most of the situation: Don't mirror their energy. You are in control of your own behavior, never theirs. If Stanley comes at you irrationally, disrespectfully or with aggression, pause before you respond. Take that moment to reset, breathe and think about what you're going to say instead of reflecting with emotion. This is harder to do in person, but also something to remember over email. It's easy to fire one off in Outlook, but this could live online FOREVER and come back to haunt you. It's also difficult to detect tone via the Interweb so choose your words wisely. You could be right. This is an anecdote from my mother - a Jane Ireland classic. If you're going back and forth with someone and there is no compromise, say "You could be right." This is not conceding, it's simply acknowledging that the person might have a point (even if you know they are wrong). Over deliver. This is a great business principle, whether you're working with a Stanley or not. I think one of the best ways to shut someone up is to let your work speak for itself. Consistently providing what the other person needs is the easiest way to curate respect and more importantly, trust. Many times, the mudge needs you, just as much as you need the mudge. Make sure you show them why. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. I'm a pretty firm believer that people, especially those who've been in the workforce awhile, don't change. One of my first managers was a lot like Stanley. She even had a copy of Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" on her bookshelf. Whenever I was in her office, I wanted to grab it, wave it in her face and call her out for clearly not reading it (or at least practicing what it preaches). This "understanding" notion is habit #5 from the popular self-help book and the idea of practicing empathetic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. Try this to create an atmosphere of caring, respect and positive problem solving. Listening is a powerful tool, even if it's one-sided. You might only end up "understanding" how much of a mudge they are, but at least you went through the exercise! Don't make excuses for the mudge. It's easy to say, "oh, Stanley is really overworked" or "Stanley must be having a bad day" but if you feel you're being disrespected, speak up. It's perfectly acceptable to say "when you say X - I feel Y." The key is not saying "YOU make me feel Y" because then they might feel attacked. This may not change anything, but it's better to get it out then have it fester inside. If you bottle up your feelings, you run the risk of exploding or having some sort of meltdown. Crying at work is not cool! Experiment with these tips and Stanley might eventually let you help him with his crossword puzzles! How do you handle a mudge? Please share some Stanley stories in the comments below!
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/feed/ 0 Who’s to blame for the Paula Dean PR gaffe last week? (Hint – it may not be Ms. Dean herself) http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:33:20 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1760
Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Paula Dean on the Food Network. I think she's genuine, funny and a terrific cook. She is also one that carries herself well in almost any circumstance. So I was a bit surprised last week when she confirmed her Type II Diabetes diagnosis and simultaneously endorsed a prescription drug made by the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, to combat the disease. Yet unlike other PR practitioners who were quick to take pot shots at Paula, I'm not sure I'm ready to call her a hypocrite. I believe there's a more probable reason - Paula's agent and her publicist over thought the roll-out strategy. If revelations about a celebrity's health are to occur, particular ones that may have perception of being partly self-induced, the communication strategy to the public shouldn't be convoluted with endorsements. Paula and her advisors further complicated the matter by hiding her diagnosis for years, making the official announcement appear to be more opportunity-based than sincere. Any PR practitioner could have seen the potential backlash here, and should have separated the two events. So for now, I'd cut Paula some slack and shy away from questioning her integrity. Instead, I'd channel my criticism to her handlers who should have known better.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/feed/ 0 Congrats to Cognitive Medical Systems http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:54:29 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1757       The Daily Transcript - Cognitive Medical Systems purchases GSA Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle Cognitive Medical Systems, a San Diego company specializing in software solutions for health care organizations, has secured a General Services Administration Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle. The company purchased the asset from San Diego-based Solutions IT Tech LLC. “Doing so allows us access to one of the primary contracting methods that the U.S. government uses for IT software and services procurement,” said Douglas W. Burke, president of Cognitive Medical Systems. “This acquisition is a key step in our strategy to provide standards-based, decision-making health care software to improve health care outcomes.” Terms of the GSA purchased were not disclosed. Headquartered in San Diego, Cognitive Medical Systems is a woman-owned, service-disabled veteran, small business that specializes in standards-based, advanced concept engineering solutions for clinical workflow, decision support and data modeling projects. The company’s domain and field expertise in designing, implementing and integrating medical Service Oriented Architectures enables it to develop solutions to complex problems for a wide range of organizations.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/feed/ 0 Why PR pros must like and believe in their clients http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:14:40 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1772 It is hard to believe that email has been around for nearly 40 years now.  While email is essential for most business to communicate with their customers and clients, it can be a major stressor if you are not managing it properly – both personally and professionally.  Email brings an entire host of frustrations that can slow you down on a day to day basis. Here are five tips to relieve your email headache and help you become a more Zen email user.
  1. Manage your spam: Try using Unsubscribe.com, a service that removes yourself from promotional emails, mailing lists, etc. – it may have seemed like a good move at the time, but now you are regretting it, or are no longer interested in the subject matter.
  2. Organize: How many times have you looked at your inbox or exhausted the search feature to find information in a past email. Schedule time on your calendar each day to sort emails, delete those obsolete one-liners or long email chains that are irrelevant. You can also use services like OtherInbox, which automatically organizes your messages into folders like “Customer reviews” , “Potential clients” and “Shopping”. With one click, you can shrink 500 emails down to 6.
  3. Use clear subject lines: Subject lines are headlines. Being clear in your subject line will not only increase the chances of someone opening your email, it will prevent lengthy email trails and help the person on the receiving end.  Rather than a subject like “meeting”, try making it more clear and concise: “Meeting confirmation for Jan. 12 at 2pm, Kashi Social Media Contest review”.
  4. Proofread: Your writing is representative of your ability to clearly communicate, and in some cases, how much you value the receiver.  Make sure to check for typos and correct mistakes. Especially if you are sending a message to multiple people or customers, get a colleague to give it a look over.  If the recipient thinks it was done carelessly and not checked, they may interpret you, or your company, as carless and not valuing them.
  5. Respond promptly: Responding soon after receiving will take the stress off remembering to do so later; having one less thing on your to do list is always helpful.  Also, it is courteous to respond promptly so the receiver is not waiting or wondering if you have received the message.  Even if you can’t get the information they need at that very moment, inform them that you will get back to them by a certain day/time.
Keeping your email “healthy” and putting some of these systems in place on a regular basis will help become a more Zen email user. Not only will effective email management help your own state of mind, it will show those you communication with respect and help build rapport.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/feed/ 0 Stalwart Communications Blog » General http://stalwartcom.com/blog Pay on Performance Marketing & PR Agency Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 AdAge – Pay-for-Performance Agency Model Starts to Gain Steam http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1783
I....LOVE...THIS!!! The revenue model discussed is EXACTLY what we've been promoting. We need to see more agencies adopt this. Because when they do, the good firms will shine through and the ones that have been all talk and no action will go away quickly. Happy reading! Pay-for-Performance Starts to Gain Steam Sophisticated Measurement Tools Help Model Become Reality at Media Shops Such as Interpublic's UM Last year, Interpublic Group of Cos.' media agency, UM, hired consulting giant McKinsey to analyze how other industries are compensated. The objective was to change the antiquated agency-fee model to a riskier but more profitable pay-for-performance one. What resulted was a revamped system that more closely aligns the firm's goals with those of clients. It is tied to key indicators such as sales or market share. Pay-for-performance is like an urban legend of media buying and planning. But with increasingly sophisticated measurement and planning tools, the concept is morphing into a reality that could in some cases replace the traditional fee model, under which shops make slim margins from a percentage of often low-balled budgets. UM has experimented with pay-for-performance with clients for the past few years. After having some success with the model, UM has become more aggressive with it. Half of the firm's clients, which include Chrysler, are engaged in compensation in which at least 20% to 75% of each media-buying contract is earned through pay-for-performance, according to Guy Beach, chief operating officer. Most of the remainder typically goes to cover costs. Read the rest of the article here.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/feed/ 0 LightBridge Hopsice featured for Veterans Work http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:14:39 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1780 LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care's work with ailing Veterans is unprecedented in San Diego (and California)! Thanks to East County Magazine for sharing the news!       LIGHTBRIDGE HOSPICE ACHIEVES HIGHEST NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR VETERAN CARE First, and only hospice in California to receive Partner Level 4 designation for “We Honor Veterans” program
February 2, 2012  (San Diego) -- LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care is the only hospice in California, and one of only 12 in the U.S. to meet stringent “We Honor Veterans” Partner Level 4 requirements in improving the care and support of Veterans.
This program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, empowers hospice professionals to meet the unique needs of ailing Veterans.
“As Veterans age, they face a distinct set of needs and challenges, including medical issues related to where they served, memories that might trigger anxiety and stoicism that makes asking for help difficult,” said Jill Mendlen, founder and president of LightBridge Hospice. “After all they’ve done for us it’s a privilege to thank those who served with the superior end-of-life care that they deserve.”
To reach Partner Level 4, LightBridge focused on increasing access to and improving the quality of care former military personnel receive in San Diego County.LightBridge heightened the integration of Veteran-specific education for staff, volunteers and the community, enhanced the Veteran Volunteer Program and developed resources to help patients and their families access these benefits. Then, LightBridge was tasked with measuring the impact of its community interventions.
In addition, LightBridge created special services and programs for Veterans that includes “No Vet Dies Alone,” an 11th hour program for patients without family and a Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer program focusing on companionship. LightBridge staff and volunteers (including Army Reservists) also conduct honor ceremonies for terminally ill retired military personnel to thank them for their service with a certificate, pin and pillow made from the uniform of the recipient’s branch of military. Craig Gillette, a 60-year-old Navy Vietnam Veteran from Jamul, is the latest honoree.
“I’m really proud. You put a smile on my heart,” said Craig Gillette at the LightBridge Hospice honor ceremony, which recently took place at his house. “I never experienced this kind of reception coming home from the Vietnam War. This is my homecoming.”
According to the NHPCO, one out of every four dying Americans is a Veteran. That’s why it became so important for LightBridge to develop and implement new policies and programs that help assist a community with such a heavy military population.
“This level of expertise is very personal to the staff at LightBridge because many of us have a military background or family in the military,” said Pamela Hough, Sr. Vice President, Operations/Administrator of LightBridge Hospice. “I’m so proud of our team that has worked so hard to prove their level of commitment to San Diego’s Veteran population!”
To volunteer, donate or learn more about the LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care Veterans’ Program please call 858-458-2992 or visit:http://www.lightbridgehospice.com/blog/
For more information about the “We Honor Veterans” program from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) visit: http://www.wehonorveterans.org/
There is an immediate need for uniforms from all branches of the military to be sewn into pillows for Veterans’ honor ceremonies. Please send them to: LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care, 6155 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 220 San Diego, CA 92121 or call 858-458-2992 for LightBridge to pick them up.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/feed/ 0 Friends of Balboa Park featured in U-T San Diego http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:35:25 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1777 Being a good friend to a great park She exercises there. She walks her dogs there. On a rare quiet moment, she even stops and smells the roses there. Like many San Diegans, Marlene Williams thinks of Balboa Park as her own backyard. But in Williams’ case, it really is her own backyard. And as a volunteer with the Girl Scouts and the Friends of Balboa Park, she helps care for this public place in a very personal way. “It’s easy for anyone to be passionate about Balboa Park,” Williams said. “But I live here, and I want to make sure it is preserved.” Williams’ husband, Eric, is the director of property for the Girl Scouts of San Diego, and the Williams family — Marlene, Eric, their 18-year-old daughter, Jordan, and their two golden retrievers — live in the caretaker’s cottage on the Upas Street grounds of the Girl Scouts’ Camp Balboa headquarters. Read the rest of the article here.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/feed/ 0 Keeve – Five tips to make you a Zen email user http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:14:40 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1772 It is hard to believe that email has been around for nearly 40 years now.  While email is essential for most business to communicate with their customers and clients, it can be a major stressor if you are not managing it properly – both personally and professionally.  Email brings an entire host of frustrations that can slow you down on a day to day basis. Here are five tips to relieve your email headache and help you become a more Zen email user.
  1. Manage your spam: Try using Unsubscribe.com, a service that removes yourself from promotional emails, mailing lists, etc. – it may have seemed like a good move at the time, but now you are regretting it, or are no longer interested in the subject matter.
  2. Organize: How many times have you looked at your inbox or exhausted the search feature to find information in a past email. Schedule time on your calendar each day to sort emails, delete those obsolete one-liners or long email chains that are irrelevant. You can also use services like OtherInbox, which automatically organizes your messages into folders like “Customer reviews” , “Potential clients” and “Shopping”. With one click, you can shrink 500 emails down to 6.
  3. Use clear subject lines: Subject lines are headlines. Being clear in your subject line will not only increase the chances of someone opening your email, it will prevent lengthy email trails and help the person on the receiving end.  Rather than a subject like “meeting”, try making it more clear and concise: “Meeting confirmation for Jan. 12 at 2pm, Kashi Social Media Contest review”.
  4. Proofread: Your writing is representative of your ability to clearly communicate, and in some cases, how much you value the receiver.  Make sure to check for typos and correct mistakes. Especially if you are sending a message to multiple people or customers, get a colleague to give it a look over.  If the recipient thinks it was done carelessly and not checked, they may interpret you, or your company, as carless and not valuing them.
  5. Respond promptly: Responding soon after receiving will take the stress off remembering to do so later; having one less thing on your to do list is always helpful.  Also, it is courteous to respond promptly so the receiver is not waiting or wondering if you have received the message.  Even if you can’t get the information they need at that very moment, inform them that you will get back to them by a certain day/time.
Keeping your email “healthy” and putting some of these systems in place on a regular basis will help become a more Zen email user. Not only will effective email management help your own state of mind, it will show those you communication with respect and help build rapport.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/feed/ 0 Is the U-T San Diego accelerating its own downfall? http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:38:00 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1770
Source: The Reader I can tell you first hand that there was a great deal of skepticism on the sale of the San Diego Union-Tribune (now renamed U-T San Diego) by the polarizing and controversial real estate baron Doug Manchester with many business leaders I encounter on a daily basis. Many like me were concerned that it marked the second coming of Citizen Kane, where a wealthy business man bought a struggling, but still very credible and well read, news outlet to use in part to further his own personal agenda. There were talks of cancelling subscriptions from people I would have never expected to consider such a move if indeed their fears became real. Well, I'm very concerned that they have. There are two reasons for my sounding the alarm. The first came only days after the December announcement of the impending sale to "Papa Doug" and his partner, recently ousted radio owner John Lynch, when the City Beat posted an internal memo signed by the duo promising to make the U-T the "moral compass of this community." Six weeks later, they showed how they would implement such a mission by taking the majority of the Sunday A-Section, front page, top fold to promote their own vision for downtown San Diego development that would include a football stadium and sports arena. Whether one agrees with their opinion or not is irrelevant. What is the issue is in how Manchester and Lynch took an unprecedented move in usurping the hard news coverage that traditionally appears on such a prominent page in their most widely read edition and replace it with an essay that blatantly promotes their own agenda. Objective journalism is already in too short of supply. While I don't believe newspapers in their current form will have the lion share of such content in the future, I certainly wouldn't advocate for accelerating their demise and replacing real news with one-sided articles that promote the owner's perspective. There are still good reporters and editors at the U-T San Diego; lots of them. They fight for white space every single day to write reports on the goings on of this large and diverse city. My concern is that they will be short-changed even more by their own bosses, and could very well find themselves out of work as subscribers leave and revenue at the paper continue to decline, all because Papa Doug and Mr. Lynch want to use the paper as their own bully pulpit.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/feed/ 0 Stalwart lands First Associates Loan Servicing as newest client! http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:48:51 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1765
First Associates Loan Servicing is a rapidly-growing company that has quickly demonstrated a strong and unique competitive advantage for its services in several markets, but most notably high education/student loans. The company’s proprietary communications platform offers multiple, high quality, effective touch points with the financial institution’s borrowers that improve customer service while, at the same time, lower delinquent payments and receivables. Instead of funding a room full of outbound call agents, First Associates’ system provides automated email, text and voice messages to consumers reminding them of upcoming payments and other essential information. Customers can respond in the manner that’s convenient for them, while still having the option of talking to a live person during normal business hours six days a week. In doing so, the company can not only service more loans with a lower overhead, but with greater effectiveness and efficiency than other outsourced or internal loan servicing departments. This is evidenced by the number of marquee financial institutions that have recently entrusted significant number of their loan portfolios to First Associates. Be on the lookout for some great press on this company, thanks to Stalwart Communications.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/feed/ 0 Irelands – The Stanley effect: How to work with a curmudgeon http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:33:59 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1762
Rarely do we escape the matrix of the business world without a "person who will remain nameless." This person acts like they get paid to spew negativity. They've perfected a death stare over a smile and make Debbie Downer seem like a relatively engaging person. While you wax poetic, they wane problems. He or she is really not pleasant and for the purpose of this blog we'll call shim "Stanley" like the curmudgeon on the hit NBC show "The Office." Stanley is a grumpy journalist that I met just a short time ago. Getting our relationship off to a frosty start, he made it clear from the get-go that he DOES NOT like PR people. Throughout the course of our relationship, he put up major roadblocks with technology and semantics that made working together near impossible. Let's just say that I learned a lot throughout our courtship and I'm pleased to say that it ended with Stanley requesting we work together again. I somehow won him over. I strongly suggest that anyone working with a "Stanley" think about these tips to make the most of the situation: Don't mirror their energy. You are in control of your own behavior, never theirs. If Stanley comes at you irrationally, disrespectfully or with aggression, pause before you respond. Take that moment to reset, breathe and think about what you're going to say instead of reflecting with emotion. This is harder to do in person, but also something to remember over email. It's easy to fire one off in Outlook, but this could live online FOREVER and come back to haunt you. It's also difficult to detect tone via the Interweb so choose your words wisely. You could be right. This is an anecdote from my mother - a Jane Ireland classic. If you're going back and forth with someone and there is no compromise, say "You could be right." This is not conceding, it's simply acknowledging that the person might have a point (even if you know they are wrong). Over deliver. This is a great business principle, whether you're working with a Stanley or not. I think one of the best ways to shut someone up is to let your work speak for itself. Consistently providing what the other person needs is the easiest way to curate respect and more importantly, trust. Many times, the mudge needs you, just as much as you need the mudge. Make sure you show them why. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. I'm a pretty firm believer that people, especially those who've been in the workforce awhile, don't change. One of my first managers was a lot like Stanley. She even had a copy of Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" on her bookshelf. Whenever I was in her office, I wanted to grab it, wave it in her face and call her out for clearly not reading it (or at least practicing what it preaches). This "understanding" notion is habit #5 from the popular self-help book and the idea of practicing empathetic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. Try this to create an atmosphere of caring, respect and positive problem solving. Listening is a powerful tool, even if it's one-sided. You might only end up "understanding" how much of a mudge they are, but at least you went through the exercise! Don't make excuses for the mudge. It's easy to say, "oh, Stanley is really overworked" or "Stanley must be having a bad day" but if you feel you're being disrespected, speak up. It's perfectly acceptable to say "when you say X - I feel Y." The key is not saying "YOU make me feel Y" because then they might feel attacked. This may not change anything, but it's better to get it out then have it fester inside. If you bottle up your feelings, you run the risk of exploding or having some sort of meltdown. Crying at work is not cool! Experiment with these tips and Stanley might eventually let you help him with his crossword puzzles! How do you handle a mudge? Please share some Stanley stories in the comments below!
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/feed/ 0 Who’s to blame for the Paula Dean PR gaffe last week? (Hint – it may not be Ms. Dean herself) http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:33:20 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1760
Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Paula Dean on the Food Network. I think she's genuine, funny and a terrific cook. She is also one that carries herself well in almost any circumstance. So I was a bit surprised last week when she confirmed her Type II Diabetes diagnosis and simultaneously endorsed a prescription drug made by the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, to combat the disease. Yet unlike other PR practitioners who were quick to take pot shots at Paula, I'm not sure I'm ready to call her a hypocrite. I believe there's a more probable reason - Paula's agent and her publicist over thought the roll-out strategy. If revelations about a celebrity's health are to occur, particular ones that may have perception of being partly self-induced, the communication strategy to the public shouldn't be convoluted with endorsements. Paula and her advisors further complicated the matter by hiding her diagnosis for years, making the official announcement appear to be more opportunity-based than sincere. Any PR practitioner could have seen the potential backlash here, and should have separated the two events. So for now, I'd cut Paula some slack and shy away from questioning her integrity. Instead, I'd channel my criticism to her handlers who should have known better.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/feed/ 0 Congrats to Cognitive Medical Systems http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:54:29 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1757       The Daily Transcript - Cognitive Medical Systems purchases GSA Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle Cognitive Medical Systems, a San Diego company specializing in software solutions for health care organizations, has secured a General Services Administration Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle. The company purchased the asset from San Diego-based Solutions IT Tech LLC. “Doing so allows us access to one of the primary contracting methods that the U.S. government uses for IT software and services procurement,” said Douglas W. Burke, president of Cognitive Medical Systems. “This acquisition is a key step in our strategy to provide standards-based, decision-making health care software to improve health care outcomes.” Terms of the GSA purchased were not disclosed. Headquartered in San Diego, Cognitive Medical Systems is a woman-owned, service-disabled veteran, small business that specializes in standards-based, advanced concept engineering solutions for clinical workflow, decision support and data modeling projects. The company’s domain and field expertise in designing, implementing and integrating medical Service Oriented Architectures enables it to develop solutions to complex problems for a wide range of organizations.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/feed/ 0 Why PR pros must like and believe in their clients http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:38:00 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1770
Source: The Reader I can tell you first hand that there was a great deal of skepticism on the sale of the San Diego Union-Tribune (now renamed U-T San Diego) by the polarizing and controversial real estate baron Doug Manchester with many business leaders I encounter on a daily basis. Many like me were concerned that it marked the second coming of Citizen Kane, where a wealthy business man bought a struggling, but still very credible and well read, news outlet to use in part to further his own personal agenda. There were talks of cancelling subscriptions from people I would have never expected to consider such a move if indeed their fears became real. Well, I'm very concerned that they have. There are two reasons for my sounding the alarm. The first came only days after the December announcement of the impending sale to "Papa Doug" and his partner, recently ousted radio owner John Lynch, when the City Beat posted an internal memo signed by the duo promising to make the U-T the "moral compass of this community." Six weeks later, they showed how they would implement such a mission by taking the majority of the Sunday A-Section, front page, top fold to promote their own vision for downtown San Diego development that would include a football stadium and sports arena. Whether one agrees with their opinion or not is irrelevant. What is the issue is in how Manchester and Lynch took an unprecedented move in usurping the hard news coverage that traditionally appears on such a prominent page in their most widely read edition and replace it with an essay that blatantly promotes their own agenda. Objective journalism is already in too short of supply. While I don't believe newspapers in their current form will have the lion share of such content in the future, I certainly wouldn't advocate for accelerating their demise and replacing real news with one-sided articles that promote the owner's perspective. There are still good reporters and editors at the U-T San Diego; lots of them. They fight for white space every single day to write reports on the goings on of this large and diverse city. My concern is that they will be short-changed even more by their own bosses, and could very well find themselves out of work as subscribers leave and revenue at the paper continue to decline, all because Papa Doug and Mr. Lynch want to use the paper as their own bully pulpit.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/feed/ 0 Stalwart Communications Blog » General http://stalwartcom.com/blog Pay on Performance Marketing & PR Agency Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 AdAge – Pay-for-Performance Agency Model Starts to Gain Steam http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1783
I....LOVE...THIS!!! The revenue model discussed is EXACTLY what we've been promoting. We need to see more agencies adopt this. Because when they do, the good firms will shine through and the ones that have been all talk and no action will go away quickly. Happy reading! Pay-for-Performance Starts to Gain Steam Sophisticated Measurement Tools Help Model Become Reality at Media Shops Such as Interpublic's UM Last year, Interpublic Group of Cos.' media agency, UM, hired consulting giant McKinsey to analyze how other industries are compensated. The objective was to change the antiquated agency-fee model to a riskier but more profitable pay-for-performance one. What resulted was a revamped system that more closely aligns the firm's goals with those of clients. It is tied to key indicators such as sales or market share. Pay-for-performance is like an urban legend of media buying and planning. But with increasingly sophisticated measurement and planning tools, the concept is morphing into a reality that could in some cases replace the traditional fee model, under which shops make slim margins from a percentage of often low-balled budgets. UM has experimented with pay-for-performance with clients for the past few years. After having some success with the model, UM has become more aggressive with it. Half of the firm's clients, which include Chrysler, are engaged in compensation in which at least 20% to 75% of each media-buying contract is earned through pay-for-performance, according to Guy Beach, chief operating officer. Most of the remainder typically goes to cover costs. Read the rest of the article here.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/feed/ 0 LightBridge Hopsice featured for Veterans Work http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:14:39 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1780 LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care's work with ailing Veterans is unprecedented in San Diego (and California)! Thanks to East County Magazine for sharing the news!       LIGHTBRIDGE HOSPICE ACHIEVES HIGHEST NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR VETERAN CARE First, and only hospice in California to receive Partner Level 4 designation for “We Honor Veterans” program
February 2, 2012  (San Diego) -- LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care is the only hospice in California, and one of only 12 in the U.S. to meet stringent “We Honor Veterans” Partner Level 4 requirements in improving the care and support of Veterans.
This program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, empowers hospice professionals to meet the unique needs of ailing Veterans.
“As Veterans age, they face a distinct set of needs and challenges, including medical issues related to where they served, memories that might trigger anxiety and stoicism that makes asking for help difficult,” said Jill Mendlen, founder and president of LightBridge Hospice. “After all they’ve done for us it’s a privilege to thank those who served with the superior end-of-life care that they deserve.”
To reach Partner Level 4, LightBridge focused on increasing access to and improving the quality of care former military personnel receive in San Diego County.LightBridge heightened the integration of Veteran-specific education for staff, volunteers and the community, enhanced the Veteran Volunteer Program and developed resources to help patients and their families access these benefits. Then, LightBridge was tasked with measuring the impact of its community interventions.
In addition, LightBridge created special services and programs for Veterans that includes “No Vet Dies Alone,” an 11th hour program for patients without family and a Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer program focusing on companionship. LightBridge staff and volunteers (including Army Reservists) also conduct honor ceremonies for terminally ill retired military personnel to thank them for their service with a certificate, pin and pillow made from the uniform of the recipient’s branch of military. Craig Gillette, a 60-year-old Navy Vietnam Veteran from Jamul, is the latest honoree.
“I’m really proud. You put a smile on my heart,” said Craig Gillette at the LightBridge Hospice honor ceremony, which recently took place at his house. “I never experienced this kind of reception coming home from the Vietnam War. This is my homecoming.”
According to the NHPCO, one out of every four dying Americans is a Veteran. That’s why it became so important for LightBridge to develop and implement new policies and programs that help assist a community with such a heavy military population.
“This level of expertise is very personal to the staff at LightBridge because many of us have a military background or family in the military,” said Pamela Hough, Sr. Vice President, Operations/Administrator of LightBridge Hospice. “I’m so proud of our team that has worked so hard to prove their level of commitment to San Diego’s Veteran population!”
To volunteer, donate or learn more about the LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care Veterans’ Program please call 858-458-2992 or visit:http://www.lightbridgehospice.com/blog/
For more information about the “We Honor Veterans” program from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) visit: http://www.wehonorveterans.org/
There is an immediate need for uniforms from all branches of the military to be sewn into pillows for Veterans’ honor ceremonies. Please send them to: LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care, 6155 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 220 San Diego, CA 92121 or call 858-458-2992 for LightBridge to pick them up.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/feed/ 0 Friends of Balboa Park featured in U-T San Diego http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:35:25 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1777 Being a good friend to a great park She exercises there. She walks her dogs there. On a rare quiet moment, she even stops and smells the roses there. Like many San Diegans, Marlene Williams thinks of Balboa Park as her own backyard. But in Williams’ case, it really is her own backyard. And as a volunteer with the Girl Scouts and the Friends of Balboa Park, she helps care for this public place in a very personal way. “It’s easy for anyone to be passionate about Balboa Park,” Williams said. “But I live here, and I want to make sure it is preserved.” Williams’ husband, Eric, is the director of property for the Girl Scouts of San Diego, and the Williams family — Marlene, Eric, their 18-year-old daughter, Jordan, and their two golden retrievers — live in the caretaker’s cottage on the Upas Street grounds of the Girl Scouts’ Camp Balboa headquarters. Read the rest of the article here.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/feed/ 0 Keeve – Five tips to make you a Zen email user http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:14:40 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1772 It is hard to believe that email has been around for nearly 40 years now.  While email is essential for most business to communicate with their customers and clients, it can be a major stressor if you are not managing it properly – both personally and professionally.  Email brings an entire host of frustrations that can slow you down on a day to day basis. Here are five tips to relieve your email headache and help you become a more Zen email user.
  1. Manage your spam: Try using Unsubscribe.com, a service that removes yourself from promotional emails, mailing lists, etc. – it may have seemed like a good move at the time, but now you are regretting it, or are no longer interested in the subject matter.
  2. Organize: How many times have you looked at your inbox or exhausted the search feature to find information in a past email. Schedule time on your calendar each day to sort emails, delete those obsolete one-liners or long email chains that are irrelevant. You can also use services like OtherInbox, which automatically organizes your messages into folders like “Customer reviews” , “Potential clients” and “Shopping”. With one click, you can shrink 500 emails down to 6.
  3. Use clear subject lines: Subject lines are headlines. Being clear in your subject line will not only increase the chances of someone opening your email, it will prevent lengthy email trails and help the person on the receiving end.  Rather than a subject like “meeting”, try making it more clear and concise: “Meeting confirmation for Jan. 12 at 2pm, Kashi Social Media Contest review”.
  4. Proofread: Your writing is representative of your ability to clearly communicate, and in some cases, how much you value the receiver.  Make sure to check for typos and correct mistakes. Especially if you are sending a message to multiple people or customers, get a colleague to give it a look over.  If the recipient thinks it was done carelessly and not checked, they may interpret you, or your company, as carless and not valuing them.
  5. Respond promptly: Responding soon after receiving will take the stress off remembering to do so later; having one less thing on your to do list is always helpful.  Also, it is courteous to respond promptly so the receiver is not waiting or wondering if you have received the message.  Even if you can’t get the information they need at that very moment, inform them that you will get back to them by a certain day/time.
Keeping your email “healthy” and putting some of these systems in place on a regular basis will help become a more Zen email user. Not only will effective email management help your own state of mind, it will show those you communication with respect and help build rapport.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/feed/ 0 Is the U-T San Diego accelerating its own downfall? http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:38:00 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1770
Source: The Reader I can tell you first hand that there was a great deal of skepticism on the sale of the San Diego Union-Tribune (now renamed U-T San Diego) by the polarizing and controversial real estate baron Doug Manchester with many business leaders I encounter on a daily basis. Many like me were concerned that it marked the second coming of Citizen Kane, where a wealthy business man bought a struggling, but still very credible and well read, news outlet to use in part to further his own personal agenda. There were talks of cancelling subscriptions from people I would have never expected to consider such a move if indeed their fears became real. Well, I'm very concerned that they have. There are two reasons for my sounding the alarm. The first came only days after the December announcement of the impending sale to "Papa Doug" and his partner, recently ousted radio owner John Lynch, when the City Beat posted an internal memo signed by the duo promising to make the U-T the "moral compass of this community." Six weeks later, they showed how they would implement such a mission by taking the majority of the Sunday A-Section, front page, top fold to promote their own vision for downtown San Diego development that would include a football stadium and sports arena. Whether one agrees with their opinion or not is irrelevant. What is the issue is in how Manchester and Lynch took an unprecedented move in usurping the hard news coverage that traditionally appears on such a prominent page in their most widely read edition and replace it with an essay that blatantly promotes their own agenda. Objective journalism is already in too short of supply. While I don't believe newspapers in their current form will have the lion share of such content in the future, I certainly wouldn't advocate for accelerating their demise and replacing real news with one-sided articles that promote the owner's perspective. There are still good reporters and editors at the U-T San Diego; lots of them. They fight for white space every single day to write reports on the goings on of this large and diverse city. My concern is that they will be short-changed even more by their own bosses, and could very well find themselves out of work as subscribers leave and revenue at the paper continue to decline, all because Papa Doug and Mr. Lynch want to use the paper as their own bully pulpit.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/feed/ 0 Stalwart lands First Associates Loan Servicing as newest client! http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:48:51 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1765
First Associates Loan Servicing is a rapidly-growing company that has quickly demonstrated a strong and unique competitive advantage for its services in several markets, but most notably high education/student loans. The company’s proprietary communications platform offers multiple, high quality, effective touch points with the financial institution’s borrowers that improve customer service while, at the same time, lower delinquent payments and receivables. Instead of funding a room full of outbound call agents, First Associates’ system provides automated email, text and voice messages to consumers reminding them of upcoming payments and other essential information. Customers can respond in the manner that’s convenient for them, while still having the option of talking to a live person during normal business hours six days a week. In doing so, the company can not only service more loans with a lower overhead, but with greater effectiveness and efficiency than other outsourced or internal loan servicing departments. This is evidenced by the number of marquee financial institutions that have recently entrusted significant number of their loan portfolios to First Associates. Be on the lookout for some great press on this company, thanks to Stalwart Communications.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/feed/ 0 Irelands – The Stanley effect: How to work with a curmudgeon http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:33:59 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1762
Rarely do we escape the matrix of the business world without a "person who will remain nameless." This person acts like they get paid to spew negativity. They've perfected a death stare over a smile and make Debbie Downer seem like a relatively engaging person. While you wax poetic, they wane problems. He or she is really not pleasant and for the purpose of this blog we'll call shim "Stanley" like the curmudgeon on the hit NBC show "The Office." Stanley is a grumpy journalist that I met just a short time ago. Getting our relationship off to a frosty start, he made it clear from the get-go that he DOES NOT like PR people. Throughout the course of our relationship, he put up major roadblocks with technology and semantics that made working together near impossible. Let's just say that I learned a lot throughout our courtship and I'm pleased to say that it ended with Stanley requesting we work together again. I somehow won him over. I strongly suggest that anyone working with a "Stanley" think about these tips to make the most of the situation: Don't mirror their energy. You are in control of your own behavior, never theirs. If Stanley comes at you irrationally, disrespectfully or with aggression, pause before you respond. Take that moment to reset, breathe and think about what you're going to say instead of reflecting with emotion. This is harder to do in person, but also something to remember over email. It's easy to fire one off in Outlook, but this could live online FOREVER and come back to haunt you. It's also difficult to detect tone via the Interweb so choose your words wisely. You could be right. This is an anecdote from my mother - a Jane Ireland classic. If you're going back and forth with someone and there is no compromise, say "You could be right." This is not conceding, it's simply acknowledging that the person might have a point (even if you know they are wrong). Over deliver. This is a great business principle, whether you're working with a Stanley or not. I think one of the best ways to shut someone up is to let your work speak for itself. Consistently providing what the other person needs is the easiest way to curate respect and more importantly, trust. Many times, the mudge needs you, just as much as you need the mudge. Make sure you show them why. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. I'm a pretty firm believer that people, especially those who've been in the workforce awhile, don't change. One of my first managers was a lot like Stanley. She even had a copy of Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" on her bookshelf. Whenever I was in her office, I wanted to grab it, wave it in her face and call her out for clearly not reading it (or at least practicing what it preaches). This "understanding" notion is habit #5 from the popular self-help book and the idea of practicing empathetic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. Try this to create an atmosphere of caring, respect and positive problem solving. Listening is a powerful tool, even if it's one-sided. You might only end up "understanding" how much of a mudge they are, but at least you went through the exercise! Don't make excuses for the mudge. It's easy to say, "oh, Stanley is really overworked" or "Stanley must be having a bad day" but if you feel you're being disrespected, speak up. It's perfectly acceptable to say "when you say X - I feel Y." The key is not saying "YOU make me feel Y" because then they might feel attacked. This may not change anything, but it's better to get it out then have it fester inside. If you bottle up your feelings, you run the risk of exploding or having some sort of meltdown. Crying at work is not cool! Experiment with these tips and Stanley might eventually let you help him with his crossword puzzles! How do you handle a mudge? Please share some Stanley stories in the comments below!
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/feed/ 0 Who’s to blame for the Paula Dean PR gaffe last week? (Hint – it may not be Ms. Dean herself) http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:33:20 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1760
Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Paula Dean on the Food Network. I think she's genuine, funny and a terrific cook. She is also one that carries herself well in almost any circumstance. So I was a bit surprised last week when she confirmed her Type II Diabetes diagnosis and simultaneously endorsed a prescription drug made by the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, to combat the disease. Yet unlike other PR practitioners who were quick to take pot shots at Paula, I'm not sure I'm ready to call her a hypocrite. I believe there's a more probable reason - Paula's agent and her publicist over thought the roll-out strategy. If revelations about a celebrity's health are to occur, particular ones that may have perception of being partly self-induced, the communication strategy to the public shouldn't be convoluted with endorsements. Paula and her advisors further complicated the matter by hiding her diagnosis for years, making the official announcement appear to be more opportunity-based than sincere. Any PR practitioner could have seen the potential backlash here, and should have separated the two events. So for now, I'd cut Paula some slack and shy away from questioning her integrity. Instead, I'd channel my criticism to her handlers who should have known better.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/feed/ 0 Congrats to Cognitive Medical Systems http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:54:29 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1757       The Daily Transcript - Cognitive Medical Systems purchases GSA Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle Cognitive Medical Systems, a San Diego company specializing in software solutions for health care organizations, has secured a General Services Administration Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle. The company purchased the asset from San Diego-based Solutions IT Tech LLC. “Doing so allows us access to one of the primary contracting methods that the U.S. government uses for IT software and services procurement,” said Douglas W. Burke, president of Cognitive Medical Systems. “This acquisition is a key step in our strategy to provide standards-based, decision-making health care software to improve health care outcomes.” Terms of the GSA purchased were not disclosed. Headquartered in San Diego, Cognitive Medical Systems is a woman-owned, service-disabled veteran, small business that specializes in standards-based, advanced concept engineering solutions for clinical workflow, decision support and data modeling projects. The company’s domain and field expertise in designing, implementing and integrating medical Service Oriented Architectures enables it to develop solutions to complex problems for a wide range of organizations.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/feed/ 0 Why PR pros must like and believe in their clients http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:48:51 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1765
First Associates Loan Servicing is a rapidly-growing company that has quickly demonstrated a strong and unique competitive advantage for its services in several markets, but most notably high education/student loans. The company’s proprietary communications platform offers multiple, high quality, effective touch points with the financial institution’s borrowers that improve customer service while, at the same time, lower delinquent payments and receivables. Instead of funding a room full of outbound call agents, First Associates’ system provides automated email, text and voice messages to consumers reminding them of upcoming payments and other essential information. Customers can respond in the manner that’s convenient for them, while still having the option of talking to a live person during normal business hours six days a week. In doing so, the company can not only service more loans with a lower overhead, but with greater effectiveness and efficiency than other outsourced or internal loan servicing departments. This is evidenced by the number of marquee financial institutions that have recently entrusted significant number of their loan portfolios to First Associates. Be on the lookout for some great press on this company, thanks to Stalwart Communications.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/feed/ 0 Stalwart Communications Blog » General http://stalwartcom.com/blog Pay on Performance Marketing & PR Agency Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 AdAge – Pay-for-Performance Agency Model Starts to Gain Steam http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1783
I....LOVE...THIS!!! The revenue model discussed is EXACTLY what we've been promoting. We need to see more agencies adopt this. Because when they do, the good firms will shine through and the ones that have been all talk and no action will go away quickly. Happy reading! Pay-for-Performance Starts to Gain Steam Sophisticated Measurement Tools Help Model Become Reality at Media Shops Such as Interpublic's UM Last year, Interpublic Group of Cos.' media agency, UM, hired consulting giant McKinsey to analyze how other industries are compensated. The objective was to change the antiquated agency-fee model to a riskier but more profitable pay-for-performance one. What resulted was a revamped system that more closely aligns the firm's goals with those of clients. It is tied to key indicators such as sales or market share. Pay-for-performance is like an urban legend of media buying and planning. But with increasingly sophisticated measurement and planning tools, the concept is morphing into a reality that could in some cases replace the traditional fee model, under which shops make slim margins from a percentage of often low-balled budgets. UM has experimented with pay-for-performance with clients for the past few years. After having some success with the model, UM has become more aggressive with it. Half of the firm's clients, which include Chrysler, are engaged in compensation in which at least 20% to 75% of each media-buying contract is earned through pay-for-performance, according to Guy Beach, chief operating officer. Most of the remainder typically goes to cover costs. Read the rest of the article here.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/feed/ 0 LightBridge Hopsice featured for Veterans Work http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:14:39 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1780 LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care's work with ailing Veterans is unprecedented in San Diego (and California)! Thanks to East County Magazine for sharing the news!       LIGHTBRIDGE HOSPICE ACHIEVES HIGHEST NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR VETERAN CARE First, and only hospice in California to receive Partner Level 4 designation for “We Honor Veterans” program
February 2, 2012  (San Diego) -- LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care is the only hospice in California, and one of only 12 in the U.S. to meet stringent “We Honor Veterans” Partner Level 4 requirements in improving the care and support of Veterans.
This program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, empowers hospice professionals to meet the unique needs of ailing Veterans.
“As Veterans age, they face a distinct set of needs and challenges, including medical issues related to where they served, memories that might trigger anxiety and stoicism that makes asking for help difficult,” said Jill Mendlen, founder and president of LightBridge Hospice. “After all they’ve done for us it’s a privilege to thank those who served with the superior end-of-life care that they deserve.”
To reach Partner Level 4, LightBridge focused on increasing access to and improving the quality of care former military personnel receive in San Diego County.LightBridge heightened the integration of Veteran-specific education for staff, volunteers and the community, enhanced the Veteran Volunteer Program and developed resources to help patients and their families access these benefits. Then, LightBridge was tasked with measuring the impact of its community interventions.
In addition, LightBridge created special services and programs for Veterans that includes “No Vet Dies Alone,” an 11th hour program for patients without family and a Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer program focusing on companionship. LightBridge staff and volunteers (including Army Reservists) also conduct honor ceremonies for terminally ill retired military personnel to thank them for their service with a certificate, pin and pillow made from the uniform of the recipient’s branch of military. Craig Gillette, a 60-year-old Navy Vietnam Veteran from Jamul, is the latest honoree.
“I’m really proud. You put a smile on my heart,” said Craig Gillette at the LightBridge Hospice honor ceremony, which recently took place at his house. “I never experienced this kind of reception coming home from the Vietnam War. This is my homecoming.”
According to the NHPCO, one out of every four dying Americans is a Veteran. That’s why it became so important for LightBridge to develop and implement new policies and programs that help assist a community with such a heavy military population.
“This level of expertise is very personal to the staff at LightBridge because many of us have a military background or family in the military,” said Pamela Hough, Sr. Vice President, Operations/Administrator of LightBridge Hospice. “I’m so proud of our team that has worked so hard to prove their level of commitment to San Diego’s Veteran population!”
To volunteer, donate or learn more about the LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care Veterans’ Program please call 858-458-2992 or visit:http://www.lightbridgehospice.com/blog/
For more information about the “We Honor Veterans” program from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) visit: http://www.wehonorveterans.org/
There is an immediate need for uniforms from all branches of the military to be sewn into pillows for Veterans’ honor ceremonies. Please send them to: LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care, 6155 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 220 San Diego, CA 92121 or call 858-458-2992 for LightBridge to pick them up.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/feed/ 0 Friends of Balboa Park featured in U-T San Diego http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:35:25 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1777 Being a good friend to a great park She exercises there. She walks her dogs there. On a rare quiet moment, she even stops and smells the roses there. Like many San Diegans, Marlene Williams thinks of Balboa Park as her own backyard. But in Williams’ case, it really is her own backyard. And as a volunteer with the Girl Scouts and the Friends of Balboa Park, she helps care for this public place in a very personal way. “It’s easy for anyone to be passionate about Balboa Park,” Williams said. “But I live here, and I want to make sure it is preserved.” Williams’ husband, Eric, is the director of property for the Girl Scouts of San Diego, and the Williams family — Marlene, Eric, their 18-year-old daughter, Jordan, and their two golden retrievers — live in the caretaker’s cottage on the Upas Street grounds of the Girl Scouts’ Camp Balboa headquarters. Read the rest of the article here.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/feed/ 0 Keeve – Five tips to make you a Zen email user http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:14:40 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1772 It is hard to believe that email has been around for nearly 40 years now.  While email is essential for most business to communicate with their customers and clients, it can be a major stressor if you are not managing it properly – both personally and professionally.  Email brings an entire host of frustrations that can slow you down on a day to day basis. Here are five tips to relieve your email headache and help you become a more Zen email user.
  1. Manage your spam: Try using Unsubscribe.com, a service that removes yourself from promotional emails, mailing lists, etc. – it may have seemed like a good move at the time, but now you are regretting it, or are no longer interested in the subject matter.
  2. Organize: How many times have you looked at your inbox or exhausted the search feature to find information in a past email. Schedule time on your calendar each day to sort emails, delete those obsolete one-liners or long email chains that are irrelevant. You can also use services like OtherInbox, which automatically organizes your messages into folders like “Customer reviews” , “Potential clients” and “Shopping”. With one click, you can shrink 500 emails down to 6.
  3. Use clear subject lines: Subject lines are headlines. Being clear in your subject line will not only increase the chances of someone opening your email, it will prevent lengthy email trails and help the person on the receiving end.  Rather than a subject like “meeting”, try making it more clear and concise: “Meeting confirmation for Jan. 12 at 2pm, Kashi Social Media Contest review”.
  4. Proofread: Your writing is representative of your ability to clearly communicate, and in some cases, how much you value the receiver.  Make sure to check for typos and correct mistakes. Especially if you are sending a message to multiple people or customers, get a colleague to give it a look over.  If the recipient thinks it was done carelessly and not checked, they may interpret you, or your company, as carless and not valuing them.
  5. Respond promptly: Responding soon after receiving will take the stress off remembering to do so later; having one less thing on your to do list is always helpful.  Also, it is courteous to respond promptly so the receiver is not waiting or wondering if you have received the message.  Even if you can’t get the information they need at that very moment, inform them that you will get back to them by a certain day/time.
Keeping your email “healthy” and putting some of these systems in place on a regular basis will help become a more Zen email user. Not only will effective email management help your own state of mind, it will show those you communication with respect and help build rapport.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/feed/ 0 Is the U-T San Diego accelerating its own downfall? http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:38:00 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1770
Source: The Reader I can tell you first hand that there was a great deal of skepticism on the sale of the San Diego Union-Tribune (now renamed U-T San Diego) by the polarizing and controversial real estate baron Doug Manchester with many business leaders I encounter on a daily basis. Many like me were concerned that it marked the second coming of Citizen Kane, where a wealthy business man bought a struggling, but still very credible and well read, news outlet to use in part to further his own personal agenda. There were talks of cancelling subscriptions from people I would have never expected to consider such a move if indeed their fears became real. Well, I'm very concerned that they have. There are two reasons for my sounding the alarm. The first came only days after the December announcement of the impending sale to "Papa Doug" and his partner, recently ousted radio owner John Lynch, when the City Beat posted an internal memo signed by the duo promising to make the U-T the "moral compass of this community." Six weeks later, they showed how they would implement such a mission by taking the majority of the Sunday A-Section, front page, top fold to promote their own vision for downtown San Diego development that would include a football stadium and sports arena. Whether one agrees with their opinion or not is irrelevant. What is the issue is in how Manchester and Lynch took an unprecedented move in usurping the hard news coverage that traditionally appears on such a prominent page in their most widely read edition and replace it with an essay that blatantly promotes their own agenda. Objective journalism is already in too short of supply. While I don't believe newspapers in their current form will have the lion share of such content in the future, I certainly wouldn't advocate for accelerating their demise and replacing real news with one-sided articles that promote the owner's perspective. There are still good reporters and editors at the U-T San Diego; lots of them. They fight for white space every single day to write reports on the goings on of this large and diverse city. My concern is that they will be short-changed even more by their own bosses, and could very well find themselves out of work as subscribers leave and revenue at the paper continue to decline, all because Papa Doug and Mr. Lynch want to use the paper as their own bully pulpit.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/feed/ 0 Stalwart lands First Associates Loan Servicing as newest client! http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:48:51 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1765
First Associates Loan Servicing is a rapidly-growing company that has quickly demonstrated a strong and unique competitive advantage for its services in several markets, but most notably high education/student loans. The company’s proprietary communications platform offers multiple, high quality, effective touch points with the financial institution’s borrowers that improve customer service while, at the same time, lower delinquent payments and receivables. Instead of funding a room full of outbound call agents, First Associates’ system provides automated email, text and voice messages to consumers reminding them of upcoming payments and other essential information. Customers can respond in the manner that’s convenient for them, while still having the option of talking to a live person during normal business hours six days a week. In doing so, the company can not only service more loans with a lower overhead, but with greater effectiveness and efficiency than other outsourced or internal loan servicing departments. This is evidenced by the number of marquee financial institutions that have recently entrusted significant number of their loan portfolios to First Associates. Be on the lookout for some great press on this company, thanks to Stalwart Communications.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/feed/ 0 Irelands – The Stanley effect: How to work with a curmudgeon http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:33:59 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1762
Rarely do we escape the matrix of the business world without a "person who will remain nameless." This person acts like they get paid to spew negativity. They've perfected a death stare over a smile and make Debbie Downer seem like a relatively engaging person. While you wax poetic, they wane problems. He or she is really not pleasant and for the purpose of this blog we'll call shim "Stanley" like the curmudgeon on the hit NBC show "The Office." Stanley is a grumpy journalist that I met just a short time ago. Getting our relationship off to a frosty start, he made it clear from the get-go that he DOES NOT like PR people. Throughout the course of our relationship, he put up major roadblocks with technology and semantics that made working together near impossible. Let's just say that I learned a lot throughout our courtship and I'm pleased to say that it ended with Stanley requesting we work together again. I somehow won him over. I strongly suggest that anyone working with a "Stanley" think about these tips to make the most of the situation: Don't mirror their energy. You are in control of your own behavior, never theirs. If Stanley comes at you irrationally, disrespectfully or with aggression, pause before you respond. Take that moment to reset, breathe and think about what you're going to say instead of reflecting with emotion. This is harder to do in person, but also something to remember over email. It's easy to fire one off in Outlook, but this could live online FOREVER and come back to haunt you. It's also difficult to detect tone via the Interweb so choose your words wisely. You could be right. This is an anecdote from my mother - a Jane Ireland classic. If you're going back and forth with someone and there is no compromise, say "You could be right." This is not conceding, it's simply acknowledging that the person might have a point (even if you know they are wrong). Over deliver. This is a great business principle, whether you're working with a Stanley or not. I think one of the best ways to shut someone up is to let your work speak for itself. Consistently providing what the other person needs is the easiest way to curate respect and more importantly, trust. Many times, the mudge needs you, just as much as you need the mudge. Make sure you show them why. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. I'm a pretty firm believer that people, especially those who've been in the workforce awhile, don't change. One of my first managers was a lot like Stanley. She even had a copy of Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" on her bookshelf. Whenever I was in her office, I wanted to grab it, wave it in her face and call her out for clearly not reading it (or at least practicing what it preaches). This "understanding" notion is habit #5 from the popular self-help book and the idea of practicing empathetic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. Try this to create an atmosphere of caring, respect and positive problem solving. Listening is a powerful tool, even if it's one-sided. You might only end up "understanding" how much of a mudge they are, but at least you went through the exercise! Don't make excuses for the mudge. It's easy to say, "oh, Stanley is really overworked" or "Stanley must be having a bad day" but if you feel you're being disrespected, speak up. It's perfectly acceptable to say "when you say X - I feel Y." The key is not saying "YOU make me feel Y" because then they might feel attacked. This may not change anything, but it's better to get it out then have it fester inside. If you bottle up your feelings, you run the risk of exploding or having some sort of meltdown. Crying at work is not cool! Experiment with these tips and Stanley might eventually let you help him with his crossword puzzles! How do you handle a mudge? Please share some Stanley stories in the comments below!
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/feed/ 0 Who’s to blame for the Paula Dean PR gaffe last week? (Hint – it may not be Ms. Dean herself) http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:33:20 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1760
Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Paula Dean on the Food Network. I think she's genuine, funny and a terrific cook. She is also one that carries herself well in almost any circumstance. So I was a bit surprised last week when she confirmed her Type II Diabetes diagnosis and simultaneously endorsed a prescription drug made by the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, to combat the disease. Yet unlike other PR practitioners who were quick to take pot shots at Paula, I'm not sure I'm ready to call her a hypocrite. I believe there's a more probable reason - Paula's agent and her publicist over thought the roll-out strategy. If revelations about a celebrity's health are to occur, particular ones that may have perception of being partly self-induced, the communication strategy to the public shouldn't be convoluted with endorsements. Paula and her advisors further complicated the matter by hiding her diagnosis for years, making the official announcement appear to be more opportunity-based than sincere. Any PR practitioner could have seen the potential backlash here, and should have separated the two events. So for now, I'd cut Paula some slack and shy away from questioning her integrity. Instead, I'd channel my criticism to her handlers who should have known better.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/feed/ 0 Congrats to Cognitive Medical Systems http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:54:29 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1757       The Daily Transcript - Cognitive Medical Systems purchases GSA Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle Cognitive Medical Systems, a San Diego company specializing in software solutions for health care organizations, has secured a General Services Administration Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle. The company purchased the asset from San Diego-based Solutions IT Tech LLC. “Doing so allows us access to one of the primary contracting methods that the U.S. government uses for IT software and services procurement,” said Douglas W. Burke, president of Cognitive Medical Systems. “This acquisition is a key step in our strategy to provide standards-based, decision-making health care software to improve health care outcomes.” Terms of the GSA purchased were not disclosed. Headquartered in San Diego, Cognitive Medical Systems is a woman-owned, service-disabled veteran, small business that specializes in standards-based, advanced concept engineering solutions for clinical workflow, decision support and data modeling projects. The company’s domain and field expertise in designing, implementing and integrating medical Service Oriented Architectures enables it to develop solutions to complex problems for a wide range of organizations.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/feed/ 0 Why PR pros must like and believe in their clients http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:33:59 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1762
Rarely do we escape the matrix of the business world without a "person who will remain nameless." This person acts like they get paid to spew negativity. They've perfected a death stare over a smile and make Debbie Downer seem like a relatively engaging person. While you wax poetic, they wane problems. He or she is really not pleasant and for the purpose of this blog we'll call shim "Stanley" like the curmudgeon on the hit NBC show "The Office." Stanley is a grumpy journalist that I met just a short time ago. Getting our relationship off to a frosty start, he made it clear from the get-go that he DOES NOT like PR people. Throughout the course of our relationship, he put up major roadblocks with technology and semantics that made working together near impossible. Let's just say that I learned a lot throughout our courtship and I'm pleased to say that it ended with Stanley requesting we work together again. I somehow won him over. I strongly suggest that anyone working with a "Stanley" think about these tips to make the most of the situation: Don't mirror their energy. You are in control of your own behavior, never theirs. If Stanley comes at you irrationally, disrespectfully or with aggression, pause before you respond. Take that moment to reset, breathe and think about what you're going to say instead of reflecting with emotion. This is harder to do in person, but also something to remember over email. It's easy to fire one off in Outlook, but this could live online FOREVER and come back to haunt you. It's also difficult to detect tone via the Interweb so choose your words wisely. You could be right. This is an anecdote from my mother - a Jane Ireland classic. If you're going back and forth with someone and there is no compromise, say "You could be right." This is not conceding, it's simply acknowledging that the person might have a point (even if you know they are wrong). Over deliver. This is a great business principle, whether you're working with a Stanley or not. I think one of the best ways to shut someone up is to let your work speak for itself. Consistently providing what the other person needs is the easiest way to curate respect and more importantly, trust. Many times, the mudge needs you, just as much as you need the mudge. Make sure you show them why. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. I'm a pretty firm believer that people, especially those who've been in the workforce awhile, don't change. One of my first managers was a lot like Stanley. She even had a copy of Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" on her bookshelf. Whenever I was in her office, I wanted to grab it, wave it in her face and call her out for clearly not reading it (or at least practicing what it preaches). This "understanding" notion is habit #5 from the popular self-help book and the idea of practicing empathetic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. Try this to create an atmosphere of caring, respect and positive problem solving. Listening is a powerful tool, even if it's one-sided. You might only end up "understanding" how much of a mudge they are, but at least you went through the exercise! Don't make excuses for the mudge. It's easy to say, "oh, Stanley is really overworked" or "Stanley must be having a bad day" but if you feel you're being disrespected, speak up. It's perfectly acceptable to say "when you say X - I feel Y." The key is not saying "YOU make me feel Y" because then they might feel attacked. This may not change anything, but it's better to get it out then have it fester inside. If you bottle up your feelings, you run the risk of exploding or having some sort of meltdown. Crying at work is not cool! Experiment with these tips and Stanley might eventually let you help him with his crossword puzzles! How do you handle a mudge? Please share some Stanley stories in the comments below!
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/feed/ 0 Stalwart Communications Blog » General http://stalwartcom.com/blog Pay on Performance Marketing & PR Agency Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 AdAge – Pay-for-Performance Agency Model Starts to Gain Steam http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1783
I....LOVE...THIS!!! The revenue model discussed is EXACTLY what we've been promoting. We need to see more agencies adopt this. Because when they do, the good firms will shine through and the ones that have been all talk and no action will go away quickly. Happy reading! Pay-for-Performance Starts to Gain Steam Sophisticated Measurement Tools Help Model Become Reality at Media Shops Such as Interpublic's UM Last year, Interpublic Group of Cos.' media agency, UM, hired consulting giant McKinsey to analyze how other industries are compensated. The objective was to change the antiquated agency-fee model to a riskier but more profitable pay-for-performance one. What resulted was a revamped system that more closely aligns the firm's goals with those of clients. It is tied to key indicators such as sales or market share. Pay-for-performance is like an urban legend of media buying and planning. But with increasingly sophisticated measurement and planning tools, the concept is morphing into a reality that could in some cases replace the traditional fee model, under which shops make slim margins from a percentage of often low-balled budgets. UM has experimented with pay-for-performance with clients for the past few years. After having some success with the model, UM has become more aggressive with it. Half of the firm's clients, which include Chrysler, are engaged in compensation in which at least 20% to 75% of each media-buying contract is earned through pay-for-performance, according to Guy Beach, chief operating officer. Most of the remainder typically goes to cover costs. Read the rest of the article here.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/feed/ 0 LightBridge Hopsice featured for Veterans Work http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:14:39 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1780 LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care's work with ailing Veterans is unprecedented in San Diego (and California)! Thanks to East County Magazine for sharing the news!       LIGHTBRIDGE HOSPICE ACHIEVES HIGHEST NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR VETERAN CARE First, and only hospice in California to receive Partner Level 4 designation for “We Honor Veterans” program
February 2, 2012  (San Diego) -- LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care is the only hospice in California, and one of only 12 in the U.S. to meet stringent “We Honor Veterans” Partner Level 4 requirements in improving the care and support of Veterans.
This program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, empowers hospice professionals to meet the unique needs of ailing Veterans.
“As Veterans age, they face a distinct set of needs and challenges, including medical issues related to where they served, memories that might trigger anxiety and stoicism that makes asking for help difficult,” said Jill Mendlen, founder and president of LightBridge Hospice. “After all they’ve done for us it’s a privilege to thank those who served with the superior end-of-life care that they deserve.”
To reach Partner Level 4, LightBridge focused on increasing access to and improving the quality of care former military personnel receive in San Diego County.LightBridge heightened the integration of Veteran-specific education for staff, volunteers and the community, enhanced the Veteran Volunteer Program and developed resources to help patients and their families access these benefits. Then, LightBridge was tasked with measuring the impact of its community interventions.
In addition, LightBridge created special services and programs for Veterans that includes “No Vet Dies Alone,” an 11th hour program for patients without family and a Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer program focusing on companionship. LightBridge staff and volunteers (including Army Reservists) also conduct honor ceremonies for terminally ill retired military personnel to thank them for their service with a certificate, pin and pillow made from the uniform of the recipient’s branch of military. Craig Gillette, a 60-year-old Navy Vietnam Veteran from Jamul, is the latest honoree.
“I’m really proud. You put a smile on my heart,” said Craig Gillette at the LightBridge Hospice honor ceremony, which recently took place at his house. “I never experienced this kind of reception coming home from the Vietnam War. This is my homecoming.”
According to the NHPCO, one out of every four dying Americans is a Veteran. That’s why it became so important for LightBridge to develop and implement new policies and programs that help assist a community with such a heavy military population.
“This level of expertise is very personal to the staff at LightBridge because many of us have a military background or family in the military,” said Pamela Hough, Sr. Vice President, Operations/Administrator of LightBridge Hospice. “I’m so proud of our team that has worked so hard to prove their level of commitment to San Diego’s Veteran population!”
To volunteer, donate or learn more about the LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care Veterans’ Program please call 858-458-2992 or visit:http://www.lightbridgehospice.com/blog/
For more information about the “We Honor Veterans” program from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) visit: http://www.wehonorveterans.org/
There is an immediate need for uniforms from all branches of the military to be sewn into pillows for Veterans’ honor ceremonies. Please send them to: LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care, 6155 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 220 San Diego, CA 92121 or call 858-458-2992 for LightBridge to pick them up.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/feed/ 0 Friends of Balboa Park featured in U-T San Diego http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:35:25 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1777 Being a good friend to a great park She exercises there. She walks her dogs there. On a rare quiet moment, she even stops and smells the roses there. Like many San Diegans, Marlene Williams thinks of Balboa Park as her own backyard. But in Williams’ case, it really is her own backyard. And as a volunteer with the Girl Scouts and the Friends of Balboa Park, she helps care for this public place in a very personal way. “It’s easy for anyone to be passionate about Balboa Park,” Williams said. “But I live here, and I want to make sure it is preserved.” Williams’ husband, Eric, is the director of property for the Girl Scouts of San Diego, and the Williams family — Marlene, Eric, their 18-year-old daughter, Jordan, and their two golden retrievers — live in the caretaker’s cottage on the Upas Street grounds of the Girl Scouts’ Camp Balboa headquarters. Read the rest of the article here.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/feed/ 0 Keeve – Five tips to make you a Zen email user http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:14:40 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1772 It is hard to believe that email has been around for nearly 40 years now.  While email is essential for most business to communicate with their customers and clients, it can be a major stressor if you are not managing it properly – both personally and professionally.  Email brings an entire host of frustrations that can slow you down on a day to day basis. Here are five tips to relieve your email headache and help you become a more Zen email user.
  1. Manage your spam: Try using Unsubscribe.com, a service that removes yourself from promotional emails, mailing lists, etc. – it may have seemed like a good move at the time, but now you are regretting it, or are no longer interested in the subject matter.
  2. Organize: How many times have you looked at your inbox or exhausted the search feature to find information in a past email. Schedule time on your calendar each day to sort emails, delete those obsolete one-liners or long email chains that are irrelevant. You can also use services like OtherInbox, which automatically organizes your messages into folders like “Customer reviews” , “Potential clients” and “Shopping”. With one click, you can shrink 500 emails down to 6.
  3. Use clear subject lines: Subject lines are headlines. Being clear in your subject line will not only increase the chances of someone opening your email, it will prevent lengthy email trails and help the person on the receiving end.  Rather than a subject like “meeting”, try making it more clear and concise: “Meeting confirmation for Jan. 12 at 2pm, Kashi Social Media Contest review”.
  4. Proofread: Your writing is representative of your ability to clearly communicate, and in some cases, how much you value the receiver.  Make sure to check for typos and correct mistakes. Especially if you are sending a message to multiple people or customers, get a colleague to give it a look over.  If the recipient thinks it was done carelessly and not checked, they may interpret you, or your company, as carless and not valuing them.
  5. Respond promptly: Responding soon after receiving will take the stress off remembering to do so later; having one less thing on your to do list is always helpful.  Also, it is courteous to respond promptly so the receiver is not waiting or wondering if you have received the message.  Even if you can’t get the information they need at that very moment, inform them that you will get back to them by a certain day/time.
Keeping your email “healthy” and putting some of these systems in place on a regular basis will help become a more Zen email user. Not only will effective email management help your own state of mind, it will show those you communication with respect and help build rapport.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/feed/ 0 Is the U-T San Diego accelerating its own downfall? http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:38:00 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1770
Source: The Reader I can tell you first hand that there was a great deal of skepticism on the sale of the San Diego Union-Tribune (now renamed U-T San Diego) by the polarizing and controversial real estate baron Doug Manchester with many business leaders I encounter on a daily basis. Many like me were concerned that it marked the second coming of Citizen Kane, where a wealthy business man bought a struggling, but still very credible and well read, news outlet to use in part to further his own personal agenda. There were talks of cancelling subscriptions from people I would have never expected to consider such a move if indeed their fears became real. Well, I'm very concerned that they have. There are two reasons for my sounding the alarm. The first came only days after the December announcement of the impending sale to "Papa Doug" and his partner, recently ousted radio owner John Lynch, when the City Beat posted an internal memo signed by the duo promising to make the U-T the "moral compass of this community." Six weeks later, they showed how they would implement such a mission by taking the majority of the Sunday A-Section, front page, top fold to promote their own vision for downtown San Diego development that would include a football stadium and sports arena. Whether one agrees with their opinion or not is irrelevant. What is the issue is in how Manchester and Lynch took an unprecedented move in usurping the hard news coverage that traditionally appears on such a prominent page in their most widely read edition and replace it with an essay that blatantly promotes their own agenda. Objective journalism is already in too short of supply. While I don't believe newspapers in their current form will have the lion share of such content in the future, I certainly wouldn't advocate for accelerating their demise and replacing real news with one-sided articles that promote the owner's perspective. There are still good reporters and editors at the U-T San Diego; lots of them. They fight for white space every single day to write reports on the goings on of this large and diverse city. My concern is that they will be short-changed even more by their own bosses, and could very well find themselves out of work as subscribers leave and revenue at the paper continue to decline, all because Papa Doug and Mr. Lynch want to use the paper as their own bully pulpit.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/feed/ 0 Stalwart lands First Associates Loan Servicing as newest client! http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:48:51 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1765
First Associates Loan Servicing is a rapidly-growing company that has quickly demonstrated a strong and unique competitive advantage for its services in several markets, but most notably high education/student loans. The company’s proprietary communications platform offers multiple, high quality, effective touch points with the financial institution’s borrowers that improve customer service while, at the same time, lower delinquent payments and receivables. Instead of funding a room full of outbound call agents, First Associates’ system provides automated email, text and voice messages to consumers reminding them of upcoming payments and other essential information. Customers can respond in the manner that’s convenient for them, while still having the option of talking to a live person during normal business hours six days a week. In doing so, the company can not only service more loans with a lower overhead, but with greater effectiveness and efficiency than other outsourced or internal loan servicing departments. This is evidenced by the number of marquee financial institutions that have recently entrusted significant number of their loan portfolios to First Associates. Be on the lookout for some great press on this company, thanks to Stalwart Communications.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/feed/ 0 Irelands – The Stanley effect: How to work with a curmudgeon http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:33:59 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1762
Rarely do we escape the matrix of the business world without a "person who will remain nameless." This person acts like they get paid to spew negativity. They've perfected a death stare over a smile and make Debbie Downer seem like a relatively engaging person. While you wax poetic, they wane problems. He or she is really not pleasant and for the purpose of this blog we'll call shim "Stanley" like the curmudgeon on the hit NBC show "The Office." Stanley is a grumpy journalist that I met just a short time ago. Getting our relationship off to a frosty start, he made it clear from the get-go that he DOES NOT like PR people. Throughout the course of our relationship, he put up major roadblocks with technology and semantics that made working together near impossible. Let's just say that I learned a lot throughout our courtship and I'm pleased to say that it ended with Stanley requesting we work together again. I somehow won him over. I strongly suggest that anyone working with a "Stanley" think about these tips to make the most of the situation: Don't mirror their energy. You are in control of your own behavior, never theirs. If Stanley comes at you irrationally, disrespectfully or with aggression, pause before you respond. Take that moment to reset, breathe and think about what you're going to say instead of reflecting with emotion. This is harder to do in person, but also something to remember over email. It's easy to fire one off in Outlook, but this could live online FOREVER and come back to haunt you. It's also difficult to detect tone via the Interweb so choose your words wisely. You could be right. This is an anecdote from my mother - a Jane Ireland classic. If you're going back and forth with someone and there is no compromise, say "You could be right." This is not conceding, it's simply acknowledging that the person might have a point (even if you know they are wrong). Over deliver. This is a great business principle, whether you're working with a Stanley or not. I think one of the best ways to shut someone up is to let your work speak for itself. Consistently providing what the other person needs is the easiest way to curate respect and more importantly, trust. Many times, the mudge needs you, just as much as you need the mudge. Make sure you show them why. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. I'm a pretty firm believer that people, especially those who've been in the workforce awhile, don't change. One of my first managers was a lot like Stanley. She even had a copy of Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" on her bookshelf. Whenever I was in her office, I wanted to grab it, wave it in her face and call her out for clearly not reading it (or at least practicing what it preaches). This "understanding" notion is habit #5 from the popular self-help book and the idea of practicing empathetic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. Try this to create an atmosphere of caring, respect and positive problem solving. Listening is a powerful tool, even if it's one-sided. You might only end up "understanding" how much of a mudge they are, but at least you went through the exercise! Don't make excuses for the mudge. It's easy to say, "oh, Stanley is really overworked" or "Stanley must be having a bad day" but if you feel you're being disrespected, speak up. It's perfectly acceptable to say "when you say X - I feel Y." The key is not saying "YOU make me feel Y" because then they might feel attacked. This may not change anything, but it's better to get it out then have it fester inside. If you bottle up your feelings, you run the risk of exploding or having some sort of meltdown. Crying at work is not cool! Experiment with these tips and Stanley might eventually let you help him with his crossword puzzles! How do you handle a mudge? Please share some Stanley stories in the comments below!
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/feed/ 0 Who’s to blame for the Paula Dean PR gaffe last week? (Hint – it may not be Ms. Dean herself) http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:33:20 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1760
Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Paula Dean on the Food Network. I think she's genuine, funny and a terrific cook. She is also one that carries herself well in almost any circumstance. So I was a bit surprised last week when she confirmed her Type II Diabetes diagnosis and simultaneously endorsed a prescription drug made by the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, to combat the disease. Yet unlike other PR practitioners who were quick to take pot shots at Paula, I'm not sure I'm ready to call her a hypocrite. I believe there's a more probable reason - Paula's agent and her publicist over thought the roll-out strategy. If revelations about a celebrity's health are to occur, particular ones that may have perception of being partly self-induced, the communication strategy to the public shouldn't be convoluted with endorsements. Paula and her advisors further complicated the matter by hiding her diagnosis for years, making the official announcement appear to be more opportunity-based than sincere. Any PR practitioner could have seen the potential backlash here, and should have separated the two events. So for now, I'd cut Paula some slack and shy away from questioning her integrity. Instead, I'd channel my criticism to her handlers who should have known better.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/feed/ 0 Congrats to Cognitive Medical Systems http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:54:29 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1757       The Daily Transcript - Cognitive Medical Systems purchases GSA Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle Cognitive Medical Systems, a San Diego company specializing in software solutions for health care organizations, has secured a General Services Administration Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle. The company purchased the asset from San Diego-based Solutions IT Tech LLC. “Doing so allows us access to one of the primary contracting methods that the U.S. government uses for IT software and services procurement,” said Douglas W. Burke, president of Cognitive Medical Systems. “This acquisition is a key step in our strategy to provide standards-based, decision-making health care software to improve health care outcomes.” Terms of the GSA purchased were not disclosed. Headquartered in San Diego, Cognitive Medical Systems is a woman-owned, service-disabled veteran, small business that specializes in standards-based, advanced concept engineering solutions for clinical workflow, decision support and data modeling projects. The company’s domain and field expertise in designing, implementing and integrating medical Service Oriented Architectures enables it to develop solutions to complex problems for a wide range of organizations.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/feed/ 0 Why PR pros must like and believe in their clients http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:33:20 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1760
Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Paula Dean on the Food Network. I think she's genuine, funny and a terrific cook. She is also one that carries herself well in almost any circumstance. So I was a bit surprised last week when she confirmed her Type II Diabetes diagnosis and simultaneously endorsed a prescription drug made by the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, to combat the disease. Yet unlike other PR practitioners who were quick to take pot shots at Paula, I'm not sure I'm ready to call her a hypocrite. I believe there's a more probable reason - Paula's agent and her publicist over thought the roll-out strategy. If revelations about a celebrity's health are to occur, particular ones that may have perception of being partly self-induced, the communication strategy to the public shouldn't be convoluted with endorsements. Paula and her advisors further complicated the matter by hiding her diagnosis for years, making the official announcement appear to be more opportunity-based than sincere. Any PR practitioner could have seen the potential backlash here, and should have separated the two events. So for now, I'd cut Paula some slack and shy away from questioning her integrity. Instead, I'd channel my criticism to her handlers who should have known better.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/feed/ 0 Stalwart Communications Blog » General http://stalwartcom.com/blog Pay on Performance Marketing & PR Agency Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 AdAge – Pay-for-Performance Agency Model Starts to Gain Steam http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1783
I....LOVE...THIS!!! The revenue model discussed is EXACTLY what we've been promoting. We need to see more agencies adopt this. Because when they do, the good firms will shine through and the ones that have been all talk and no action will go away quickly. Happy reading! Pay-for-Performance Starts to Gain Steam Sophisticated Measurement Tools Help Model Become Reality at Media Shops Such as Interpublic's UM Last year, Interpublic Group of Cos.' media agency, UM, hired consulting giant McKinsey to analyze how other industries are compensated. The objective was to change the antiquated agency-fee model to a riskier but more profitable pay-for-performance one. What resulted was a revamped system that more closely aligns the firm's goals with those of clients. It is tied to key indicators such as sales or market share. Pay-for-performance is like an urban legend of media buying and planning. But with increasingly sophisticated measurement and planning tools, the concept is morphing into a reality that could in some cases replace the traditional fee model, under which shops make slim margins from a percentage of often low-balled budgets. UM has experimented with pay-for-performance with clients for the past few years. After having some success with the model, UM has become more aggressive with it. Half of the firm's clients, which include Chrysler, are engaged in compensation in which at least 20% to 75% of each media-buying contract is earned through pay-for-performance, according to Guy Beach, chief operating officer. Most of the remainder typically goes to cover costs. Read the rest of the article here.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/feed/ 0 LightBridge Hopsice featured for Veterans Work http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:14:39 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1780 LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care's work with ailing Veterans is unprecedented in San Diego (and California)! Thanks to East County Magazine for sharing the news!       LIGHTBRIDGE HOSPICE ACHIEVES HIGHEST NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR VETERAN CARE First, and only hospice in California to receive Partner Level 4 designation for “We Honor Veterans” program
February 2, 2012  (San Diego) -- LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care is the only hospice in California, and one of only 12 in the U.S. to meet stringent “We Honor Veterans” Partner Level 4 requirements in improving the care and support of Veterans.
This program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, empowers hospice professionals to meet the unique needs of ailing Veterans.
“As Veterans age, they face a distinct set of needs and challenges, including medical issues related to where they served, memories that might trigger anxiety and stoicism that makes asking for help difficult,” said Jill Mendlen, founder and president of LightBridge Hospice. “After all they’ve done for us it’s a privilege to thank those who served with the superior end-of-life care that they deserve.”
To reach Partner Level 4, LightBridge focused on increasing access to and improving the quality of care former military personnel receive in San Diego County.LightBridge heightened the integration of Veteran-specific education for staff, volunteers and the community, enhanced the Veteran Volunteer Program and developed resources to help patients and their families access these benefits. Then, LightBridge was tasked with measuring the impact of its community interventions.
In addition, LightBridge created special services and programs for Veterans that includes “No Vet Dies Alone,” an 11th hour program for patients without family and a Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer program focusing on companionship. LightBridge staff and volunteers (including Army Reservists) also conduct honor ceremonies for terminally ill retired military personnel to thank them for their service with a certificate, pin and pillow made from the uniform of the recipient’s branch of military. Craig Gillette, a 60-year-old Navy Vietnam Veteran from Jamul, is the latest honoree.
“I’m really proud. You put a smile on my heart,” said Craig Gillette at the LightBridge Hospice honor ceremony, which recently took place at his house. “I never experienced this kind of reception coming home from the Vietnam War. This is my homecoming.”
According to the NHPCO, one out of every four dying Americans is a Veteran. That’s why it became so important for LightBridge to develop and implement new policies and programs that help assist a community with such a heavy military population.
“This level of expertise is very personal to the staff at LightBridge because many of us have a military background or family in the military,” said Pamela Hough, Sr. Vice President, Operations/Administrator of LightBridge Hospice. “I’m so proud of our team that has worked so hard to prove their level of commitment to San Diego’s Veteran population!”
To volunteer, donate or learn more about the LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care Veterans’ Program please call 858-458-2992 or visit:http://www.lightbridgehospice.com/blog/
For more information about the “We Honor Veterans” program from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) visit: http://www.wehonorveterans.org/
There is an immediate need for uniforms from all branches of the military to be sewn into pillows for Veterans’ honor ceremonies. Please send them to: LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care, 6155 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 220 San Diego, CA 92121 or call 858-458-2992 for LightBridge to pick them up.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/feed/ 0 Friends of Balboa Park featured in U-T San Diego http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:35:25 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1777 Being a good friend to a great park She exercises there. She walks her dogs there. On a rare quiet moment, she even stops and smells the roses there. Like many San Diegans, Marlene Williams thinks of Balboa Park as her own backyard. But in Williams’ case, it really is her own backyard. And as a volunteer with the Girl Scouts and the Friends of Balboa Park, she helps care for this public place in a very personal way. “It’s easy for anyone to be passionate about Balboa Park,” Williams said. “But I live here, and I want to make sure it is preserved.” Williams’ husband, Eric, is the director of property for the Girl Scouts of San Diego, and the Williams family — Marlene, Eric, their 18-year-old daughter, Jordan, and their two golden retrievers — live in the caretaker’s cottage on the Upas Street grounds of the Girl Scouts’ Camp Balboa headquarters. Read the rest of the article here.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/feed/ 0 Keeve – Five tips to make you a Zen email user http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:14:40 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1772 It is hard to believe that email has been around for nearly 40 years now.  While email is essential for most business to communicate with their customers and clients, it can be a major stressor if you are not managing it properly – both personally and professionally.  Email brings an entire host of frustrations that can slow you down on a day to day basis. Here are five tips to relieve your email headache and help you become a more Zen email user.
  1. Manage your spam: Try using Unsubscribe.com, a service that removes yourself from promotional emails, mailing lists, etc. – it may have seemed like a good move at the time, but now you are regretting it, or are no longer interested in the subject matter.
  2. Organize: How many times have you looked at your inbox or exhausted the search feature to find information in a past email. Schedule time on your calendar each day to sort emails, delete those obsolete one-liners or long email chains that are irrelevant. You can also use services like OtherInbox, which automatically organizes your messages into folders like “Customer reviews” , “Potential clients” and “Shopping”. With one click, you can shrink 500 emails down to 6.
  3. Use clear subject lines: Subject lines are headlines. Being clear in your subject line will not only increase the chances of someone opening your email, it will prevent lengthy email trails and help the person on the receiving end.  Rather than a subject like “meeting”, try making it more clear and concise: “Meeting confirmation for Jan. 12 at 2pm, Kashi Social Media Contest review”.
  4. Proofread: Your writing is representative of your ability to clearly communicate, and in some cases, how much you value the receiver.  Make sure to check for typos and correct mistakes. Especially if you are sending a message to multiple people or customers, get a colleague to give it a look over.  If the recipient thinks it was done carelessly and not checked, they may interpret you, or your company, as carless and not valuing them.
  5. Respond promptly: Responding soon after receiving will take the stress off remembering to do so later; having one less thing on your to do list is always helpful.  Also, it is courteous to respond promptly so the receiver is not waiting or wondering if you have received the message.  Even if you can’t get the information they need at that very moment, inform them that you will get back to them by a certain day/time.
Keeping your email “healthy” and putting some of these systems in place on a regular basis will help become a more Zen email user. Not only will effective email management help your own state of mind, it will show those you communication with respect and help build rapport.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/feed/ 0 Is the U-T San Diego accelerating its own downfall? http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:38:00 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1770
Source: The Reader I can tell you first hand that there was a great deal of skepticism on the sale of the San Diego Union-Tribune (now renamed U-T San Diego) by the polarizing and controversial real estate baron Doug Manchester with many business leaders I encounter on a daily basis. Many like me were concerned that it marked the second coming of Citizen Kane, where a wealthy business man bought a struggling, but still very credible and well read, news outlet to use in part to further his own personal agenda. There were talks of cancelling subscriptions from people I would have never expected to consider such a move if indeed their fears became real. Well, I'm very concerned that they have. There are two reasons for my sounding the alarm. The first came only days after the December announcement of the impending sale to "Papa Doug" and his partner, recently ousted radio owner John Lynch, when the City Beat posted an internal memo signed by the duo promising to make the U-T the "moral compass of this community." Six weeks later, they showed how they would implement such a mission by taking the majority of the Sunday A-Section, front page, top fold to promote their own vision for downtown San Diego development that would include a football stadium and sports arena. Whether one agrees with their opinion or not is irrelevant. What is the issue is in how Manchester and Lynch took an unprecedented move in usurping the hard news coverage that traditionally appears on such a prominent page in their most widely read edition and replace it with an essay that blatantly promotes their own agenda. Objective journalism is already in too short of supply. While I don't believe newspapers in their current form will have the lion share of such content in the future, I certainly wouldn't advocate for accelerating their demise and replacing real news with one-sided articles that promote the owner's perspective. There are still good reporters and editors at the U-T San Diego; lots of them. They fight for white space every single day to write reports on the goings on of this large and diverse city. My concern is that they will be short-changed even more by their own bosses, and could very well find themselves out of work as subscribers leave and revenue at the paper continue to decline, all because Papa Doug and Mr. Lynch want to use the paper as their own bully pulpit.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/feed/ 0 Stalwart lands First Associates Loan Servicing as newest client! http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:48:51 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1765
First Associates Loan Servicing is a rapidly-growing company that has quickly demonstrated a strong and unique competitive advantage for its services in several markets, but most notably high education/student loans. The company’s proprietary communications platform offers multiple, high quality, effective touch points with the financial institution’s borrowers that improve customer service while, at the same time, lower delinquent payments and receivables. Instead of funding a room full of outbound call agents, First Associates’ system provides automated email, text and voice messages to consumers reminding them of upcoming payments and other essential information. Customers can respond in the manner that’s convenient for them, while still having the option of talking to a live person during normal business hours six days a week. In doing so, the company can not only service more loans with a lower overhead, but with greater effectiveness and efficiency than other outsourced or internal loan servicing departments. This is evidenced by the number of marquee financial institutions that have recently entrusted significant number of their loan portfolios to First Associates. Be on the lookout for some great press on this company, thanks to Stalwart Communications.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/feed/ 0 Irelands – The Stanley effect: How to work with a curmudgeon http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:33:59 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1762
Rarely do we escape the matrix of the business world without a "person who will remain nameless." This person acts like they get paid to spew negativity. They've perfected a death stare over a smile and make Debbie Downer seem like a relatively engaging person. While you wax poetic, they wane problems. He or she is really not pleasant and for the purpose of this blog we'll call shim "Stanley" like the curmudgeon on the hit NBC show "The Office." Stanley is a grumpy journalist that I met just a short time ago. Getting our relationship off to a frosty start, he made it clear from the get-go that he DOES NOT like PR people. Throughout the course of our relationship, he put up major roadblocks with technology and semantics that made working together near impossible. Let's just say that I learned a lot throughout our courtship and I'm pleased to say that it ended with Stanley requesting we work together again. I somehow won him over. I strongly suggest that anyone working with a "Stanley" think about these tips to make the most of the situation: Don't mirror their energy. You are in control of your own behavior, never theirs. If Stanley comes at you irrationally, disrespectfully or with aggression, pause before you respond. Take that moment to reset, breathe and think about what you're going to say instead of reflecting with emotion. This is harder to do in person, but also something to remember over email. It's easy to fire one off in Outlook, but this could live online FOREVER and come back to haunt you. It's also difficult to detect tone via the Interweb so choose your words wisely. You could be right. This is an anecdote from my mother - a Jane Ireland classic. If you're going back and forth with someone and there is no compromise, say "You could be right." This is not conceding, it's simply acknowledging that the person might have a point (even if you know they are wrong). Over deliver. This is a great business principle, whether you're working with a Stanley or not. I think one of the best ways to shut someone up is to let your work speak for itself. Consistently providing what the other person needs is the easiest way to curate respect and more importantly, trust. Many times, the mudge needs you, just as much as you need the mudge. Make sure you show them why. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. I'm a pretty firm believer that people, especially those who've been in the workforce awhile, don't change. One of my first managers was a lot like Stanley. She even had a copy of Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" on her bookshelf. Whenever I was in her office, I wanted to grab it, wave it in her face and call her out for clearly not reading it (or at least practicing what it preaches). This "understanding" notion is habit #5 from the popular self-help book and the idea of practicing empathetic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. Try this to create an atmosphere of caring, respect and positive problem solving. Listening is a powerful tool, even if it's one-sided. You might only end up "understanding" how much of a mudge they are, but at least you went through the exercise! Don't make excuses for the mudge. It's easy to say, "oh, Stanley is really overworked" or "Stanley must be having a bad day" but if you feel you're being disrespected, speak up. It's perfectly acceptable to say "when you say X - I feel Y." The key is not saying "YOU make me feel Y" because then they might feel attacked. This may not change anything, but it's better to get it out then have it fester inside. If you bottle up your feelings, you run the risk of exploding or having some sort of meltdown. Crying at work is not cool! Experiment with these tips and Stanley might eventually let you help him with his crossword puzzles! How do you handle a mudge? Please share some Stanley stories in the comments below!
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/feed/ 0 Who’s to blame for the Paula Dean PR gaffe last week? (Hint – it may not be Ms. Dean herself) http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:33:20 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1760
Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Paula Dean on the Food Network. I think she's genuine, funny and a terrific cook. She is also one that carries herself well in almost any circumstance. So I was a bit surprised last week when she confirmed her Type II Diabetes diagnosis and simultaneously endorsed a prescription drug made by the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, to combat the disease. Yet unlike other PR practitioners who were quick to take pot shots at Paula, I'm not sure I'm ready to call her a hypocrite. I believe there's a more probable reason - Paula's agent and her publicist over thought the roll-out strategy. If revelations about a celebrity's health are to occur, particular ones that may have perception of being partly self-induced, the communication strategy to the public shouldn't be convoluted with endorsements. Paula and her advisors further complicated the matter by hiding her diagnosis for years, making the official announcement appear to be more opportunity-based than sincere. Any PR practitioner could have seen the potential backlash here, and should have separated the two events. So for now, I'd cut Paula some slack and shy away from questioning her integrity. Instead, I'd channel my criticism to her handlers who should have known better.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/feed/ 0 Congrats to Cognitive Medical Systems http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:54:29 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1757       The Daily Transcript - Cognitive Medical Systems purchases GSA Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle Cognitive Medical Systems, a San Diego company specializing in software solutions for health care organizations, has secured a General Services Administration Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle. The company purchased the asset from San Diego-based Solutions IT Tech LLC. “Doing so allows us access to one of the primary contracting methods that the U.S. government uses for IT software and services procurement,” said Douglas W. Burke, president of Cognitive Medical Systems. “This acquisition is a key step in our strategy to provide standards-based, decision-making health care software to improve health care outcomes.” Terms of the GSA purchased were not disclosed. Headquartered in San Diego, Cognitive Medical Systems is a woman-owned, service-disabled veteran, small business that specializes in standards-based, advanced concept engineering solutions for clinical workflow, decision support and data modeling projects. The company’s domain and field expertise in designing, implementing and integrating medical Service Oriented Architectures enables it to develop solutions to complex problems for a wide range of organizations.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/feed/ 0 Why PR pros must like and believe in their clients http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:54:29 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1757       The Daily Transcript - Cognitive Medical Systems purchases GSA Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle Cognitive Medical Systems, a San Diego company specializing in software solutions for health care organizations, has secured a General Services Administration Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle. The company purchased the asset from San Diego-based Solutions IT Tech LLC. “Doing so allows us access to one of the primary contracting methods that the U.S. government uses for IT software and services procurement,” said Douglas W. Burke, president of Cognitive Medical Systems. “This acquisition is a key step in our strategy to provide standards-based, decision-making health care software to improve health care outcomes.” Terms of the GSA purchased were not disclosed. Headquartered in San Diego, Cognitive Medical Systems is a woman-owned, service-disabled veteran, small business that specializes in standards-based, advanced concept engineering solutions for clinical workflow, decision support and data modeling projects. The company’s domain and field expertise in designing, implementing and integrating medical Service Oriented Architectures enables it to develop solutions to complex problems for a wide range of organizations.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/feed/ 0 Stalwart Communications Blog » General http://stalwartcom.com/blog Pay on Performance Marketing & PR Agency Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 AdAge – Pay-for-Performance Agency Model Starts to Gain Steam http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:30:52 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1783
I....LOVE...THIS!!! The revenue model discussed is EXACTLY what we've been promoting. We need to see more agencies adopt this. Because when they do, the good firms will shine through and the ones that have been all talk and no action will go away quickly. Happy reading! Pay-for-Performance Starts to Gain Steam Sophisticated Measurement Tools Help Model Become Reality at Media Shops Such as Interpublic's UM Last year, Interpublic Group of Cos.' media agency, UM, hired consulting giant McKinsey to analyze how other industries are compensated. The objective was to change the antiquated agency-fee model to a riskier but more profitable pay-for-performance one. What resulted was a revamped system that more closely aligns the firm's goals with those of clients. It is tied to key indicators such as sales or market share. Pay-for-performance is like an urban legend of media buying and planning. But with increasingly sophisticated measurement and planning tools, the concept is morphing into a reality that could in some cases replace the traditional fee model, under which shops make slim margins from a percentage of often low-balled budgets. UM has experimented with pay-for-performance with clients for the past few years. After having some success with the model, UM has become more aggressive with it. Half of the firm's clients, which include Chrysler, are engaged in compensation in which at least 20% to 75% of each media-buying contract is earned through pay-for-performance, according to Guy Beach, chief operating officer. Most of the remainder typically goes to cover costs. Read the rest of the article here.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/adage-pay-for-performance-agency-model-starts-to-gain-steam/feed/ 0 LightBridge Hopsice featured for Veterans Work http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:14:39 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1780 LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care's work with ailing Veterans is unprecedented in San Diego (and California)! Thanks to East County Magazine for sharing the news!       LIGHTBRIDGE HOSPICE ACHIEVES HIGHEST NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR VETERAN CARE First, and only hospice in California to receive Partner Level 4 designation for “We Honor Veterans” program
February 2, 2012  (San Diego) -- LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care is the only hospice in California, and one of only 12 in the U.S. to meet stringent “We Honor Veterans” Partner Level 4 requirements in improving the care and support of Veterans.
This program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, empowers hospice professionals to meet the unique needs of ailing Veterans.
“As Veterans age, they face a distinct set of needs and challenges, including medical issues related to where they served, memories that might trigger anxiety and stoicism that makes asking for help difficult,” said Jill Mendlen, founder and president of LightBridge Hospice. “After all they’ve done for us it’s a privilege to thank those who served with the superior end-of-life care that they deserve.”
To reach Partner Level 4, LightBridge focused on increasing access to and improving the quality of care former military personnel receive in San Diego County.LightBridge heightened the integration of Veteran-specific education for staff, volunteers and the community, enhanced the Veteran Volunteer Program and developed resources to help patients and their families access these benefits. Then, LightBridge was tasked with measuring the impact of its community interventions.
In addition, LightBridge created special services and programs for Veterans that includes “No Vet Dies Alone,” an 11th hour program for patients without family and a Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer program focusing on companionship. LightBridge staff and volunteers (including Army Reservists) also conduct honor ceremonies for terminally ill retired military personnel to thank them for their service with a certificate, pin and pillow made from the uniform of the recipient’s branch of military. Craig Gillette, a 60-year-old Navy Vietnam Veteran from Jamul, is the latest honoree.
“I’m really proud. You put a smile on my heart,” said Craig Gillette at the LightBridge Hospice honor ceremony, which recently took place at his house. “I never experienced this kind of reception coming home from the Vietnam War. This is my homecoming.”
According to the NHPCO, one out of every four dying Americans is a Veteran. That’s why it became so important for LightBridge to develop and implement new policies and programs that help assist a community with such a heavy military population.
“This level of expertise is very personal to the staff at LightBridge because many of us have a military background or family in the military,” said Pamela Hough, Sr. Vice President, Operations/Administrator of LightBridge Hospice. “I’m so proud of our team that has worked so hard to prove their level of commitment to San Diego’s Veteran population!”
To volunteer, donate or learn more about the LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care Veterans’ Program please call 858-458-2992 or visit:http://www.lightbridgehospice.com/blog/
For more information about the “We Honor Veterans” program from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) visit: http://www.wehonorveterans.org/
There is an immediate need for uniforms from all branches of the military to be sewn into pillows for Veterans’ honor ceremonies. Please send them to: LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care, 6155 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 220 San Diego, CA 92121 or call 858-458-2992 for LightBridge to pick them up.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/lightbridge-hopsice-featured-for-veterans-work/feed/ 0 Friends of Balboa Park featured in U-T San Diego http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:35:25 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1777 Being a good friend to a great park She exercises there. She walks her dogs there. On a rare quiet moment, she even stops and smells the roses there. Like many San Diegans, Marlene Williams thinks of Balboa Park as her own backyard. But in Williams’ case, it really is her own backyard. And as a volunteer with the Girl Scouts and the Friends of Balboa Park, she helps care for this public place in a very personal way. “It’s easy for anyone to be passionate about Balboa Park,” Williams said. “But I live here, and I want to make sure it is preserved.” Williams’ husband, Eric, is the director of property for the Girl Scouts of San Diego, and the Williams family — Marlene, Eric, their 18-year-old daughter, Jordan, and their two golden retrievers — live in the caretaker’s cottage on the Upas Street grounds of the Girl Scouts’ Camp Balboa headquarters. Read the rest of the article here.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/02/friends-of-balboa-park-featured-in-u-t-san-diego/feed/ 0 Keeve – Five tips to make you a Zen email user http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:14:40 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1772 It is hard to believe that email has been around for nearly 40 years now.  While email is essential for most business to communicate with their customers and clients, it can be a major stressor if you are not managing it properly – both personally and professionally.  Email brings an entire host of frustrations that can slow you down on a day to day basis. Here are five tips to relieve your email headache and help you become a more Zen email user.
  1. Manage your spam: Try using Unsubscribe.com, a service that removes yourself from promotional emails, mailing lists, etc. – it may have seemed like a good move at the time, but now you are regretting it, or are no longer interested in the subject matter.
  2. Organize: How many times have you looked at your inbox or exhausted the search feature to find information in a past email. Schedule time on your calendar each day to sort emails, delete those obsolete one-liners or long email chains that are irrelevant. You can also use services like OtherInbox, which automatically organizes your messages into folders like “Customer reviews” , “Potential clients” and “Shopping”. With one click, you can shrink 500 emails down to 6.
  3. Use clear subject lines: Subject lines are headlines. Being clear in your subject line will not only increase the chances of someone opening your email, it will prevent lengthy email trails and help the person on the receiving end.  Rather than a subject like “meeting”, try making it more clear and concise: “Meeting confirmation for Jan. 12 at 2pm, Kashi Social Media Contest review”.
  4. Proofread: Your writing is representative of your ability to clearly communicate, and in some cases, how much you value the receiver.  Make sure to check for typos and correct mistakes. Especially if you are sending a message to multiple people or customers, get a colleague to give it a look over.  If the recipient thinks it was done carelessly and not checked, they may interpret you, or your company, as carless and not valuing them.
  5. Respond promptly: Responding soon after receiving will take the stress off remembering to do so later; having one less thing on your to do list is always helpful.  Also, it is courteous to respond promptly so the receiver is not waiting or wondering if you have received the message.  Even if you can’t get the information they need at that very moment, inform them that you will get back to them by a certain day/time.
Keeping your email “healthy” and putting some of these systems in place on a regular basis will help become a more Zen email user. Not only will effective email management help your own state of mind, it will show those you communication with respect and help build rapport.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/keeve-five-tips-to-make-you-a-zen-email-user/feed/ 0 Is the U-T San Diego accelerating its own downfall? http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:38:00 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1770
Source: The Reader I can tell you first hand that there was a great deal of skepticism on the sale of the San Diego Union-Tribune (now renamed U-T San Diego) by the polarizing and controversial real estate baron Doug Manchester with many business leaders I encounter on a daily basis. Many like me were concerned that it marked the second coming of Citizen Kane, where a wealthy business man bought a struggling, but still very credible and well read, news outlet to use in part to further his own personal agenda. There were talks of cancelling subscriptions from people I would have never expected to consider such a move if indeed their fears became real. Well, I'm very concerned that they have. There are two reasons for my sounding the alarm. The first came only days after the December announcement of the impending sale to "Papa Doug" and his partner, recently ousted radio owner John Lynch, when the City Beat posted an internal memo signed by the duo promising to make the U-T the "moral compass of this community." Six weeks later, they showed how they would implement such a mission by taking the majority of the Sunday A-Section, front page, top fold to promote their own vision for downtown San Diego development that would include a football stadium and sports arena. Whether one agrees with their opinion or not is irrelevant. What is the issue is in how Manchester and Lynch took an unprecedented move in usurping the hard news coverage that traditionally appears on such a prominent page in their most widely read edition and replace it with an essay that blatantly promotes their own agenda. Objective journalism is already in too short of supply. While I don't believe newspapers in their current form will have the lion share of such content in the future, I certainly wouldn't advocate for accelerating their demise and replacing real news with one-sided articles that promote the owner's perspective. There are still good reporters and editors at the U-T San Diego; lots of them. They fight for white space every single day to write reports on the goings on of this large and diverse city. My concern is that they will be short-changed even more by their own bosses, and could very well find themselves out of work as subscribers leave and revenue at the paper continue to decline, all because Papa Doug and Mr. Lynch want to use the paper as their own bully pulpit.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/is-the-u-t-san-diego-accelerating-its-own-downfall/feed/ 0 Stalwart lands First Associates Loan Servicing as newest client! http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:48:51 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1765
First Associates Loan Servicing is a rapidly-growing company that has quickly demonstrated a strong and unique competitive advantage for its services in several markets, but most notably high education/student loans. The company’s proprietary communications platform offers multiple, high quality, effective touch points with the financial institution’s borrowers that improve customer service while, at the same time, lower delinquent payments and receivables. Instead of funding a room full of outbound call agents, First Associates’ system provides automated email, text and voice messages to consumers reminding them of upcoming payments and other essential information. Customers can respond in the manner that’s convenient for them, while still having the option of talking to a live person during normal business hours six days a week. In doing so, the company can not only service more loans with a lower overhead, but with greater effectiveness and efficiency than other outsourced or internal loan servicing departments. This is evidenced by the number of marquee financial institutions that have recently entrusted significant number of their loan portfolios to First Associates. Be on the lookout for some great press on this company, thanks to Stalwart Communications.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/stalwart-lands-first-associates-loan-servicing-as-newest-client/feed/ 0 Irelands – The Stanley effect: How to work with a curmudgeon http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:33:59 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1762
Rarely do we escape the matrix of the business world without a "person who will remain nameless." This person acts like they get paid to spew negativity. They've perfected a death stare over a smile and make Debbie Downer seem like a relatively engaging person. While you wax poetic, they wane problems. He or she is really not pleasant and for the purpose of this blog we'll call shim "Stanley" like the curmudgeon on the hit NBC show "The Office." Stanley is a grumpy journalist that I met just a short time ago. Getting our relationship off to a frosty start, he made it clear from the get-go that he DOES NOT like PR people. Throughout the course of our relationship, he put up major roadblocks with technology and semantics that made working together near impossible. Let's just say that I learned a lot throughout our courtship and I'm pleased to say that it ended with Stanley requesting we work together again. I somehow won him over. I strongly suggest that anyone working with a "Stanley" think about these tips to make the most of the situation: Don't mirror their energy. You are in control of your own behavior, never theirs. If Stanley comes at you irrationally, disrespectfully or with aggression, pause before you respond. Take that moment to reset, breathe and think about what you're going to say instead of reflecting with emotion. This is harder to do in person, but also something to remember over email. It's easy to fire one off in Outlook, but this could live online FOREVER and come back to haunt you. It's also difficult to detect tone via the Interweb so choose your words wisely. You could be right. This is an anecdote from my mother - a Jane Ireland classic. If you're going back and forth with someone and there is no compromise, say "You could be right." This is not conceding, it's simply acknowledging that the person might have a point (even if you know they are wrong). Over deliver. This is a great business principle, whether you're working with a Stanley or not. I think one of the best ways to shut someone up is to let your work speak for itself. Consistently providing what the other person needs is the easiest way to curate respect and more importantly, trust. Many times, the mudge needs you, just as much as you need the mudge. Make sure you show them why. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. I'm a pretty firm believer that people, especially those who've been in the workforce awhile, don't change. One of my first managers was a lot like Stanley. She even had a copy of Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" on her bookshelf. Whenever I was in her office, I wanted to grab it, wave it in her face and call her out for clearly not reading it (or at least practicing what it preaches). This "understanding" notion is habit #5 from the popular self-help book and the idea of practicing empathetic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. Try this to create an atmosphere of caring, respect and positive problem solving. Listening is a powerful tool, even if it's one-sided. You might only end up "understanding" how much of a mudge they are, but at least you went through the exercise! Don't make excuses for the mudge. It's easy to say, "oh, Stanley is really overworked" or "Stanley must be having a bad day" but if you feel you're being disrespected, speak up. It's perfectly acceptable to say "when you say X - I feel Y." The key is not saying "YOU make me feel Y" because then they might feel attacked. This may not change anything, but it's better to get it out then have it fester inside. If you bottle up your feelings, you run the risk of exploding or having some sort of meltdown. Crying at work is not cool! Experiment with these tips and Stanley might eventually let you help him with his crossword puzzles! How do you handle a mudge? Please share some Stanley stories in the comments below!
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/irelands-the-stanley-effect-how-to-work-with-a-curmudgeon/feed/ 0 Who’s to blame for the Paula Dean PR gaffe last week? (Hint – it may not be Ms. Dean herself) http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:33:20 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1760
Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Paula Dean on the Food Network. I think she's genuine, funny and a terrific cook. She is also one that carries herself well in almost any circumstance. So I was a bit surprised last week when she confirmed her Type II Diabetes diagnosis and simultaneously endorsed a prescription drug made by the pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, to combat the disease. Yet unlike other PR practitioners who were quick to take pot shots at Paula, I'm not sure I'm ready to call her a hypocrite. I believe there's a more probable reason - Paula's agent and her publicist over thought the roll-out strategy. If revelations about a celebrity's health are to occur, particular ones that may have perception of being partly self-induced, the communication strategy to the public shouldn't be convoluted with endorsements. Paula and her advisors further complicated the matter by hiding her diagnosis for years, making the official announcement appear to be more opportunity-based than sincere. Any PR practitioner could have seen the potential backlash here, and should have separated the two events. So for now, I'd cut Paula some slack and shy away from questioning her integrity. Instead, I'd channel my criticism to her handlers who should have known better.
]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/whos-to-blame-for-the-paula-dean-pr-gaffe-last-week-hint-it-may-not-be-ms-dean-herself/feed/ 0 Congrats to Cognitive Medical Systems http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:54:29 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1757       The Daily Transcript - Cognitive Medical Systems purchases GSA Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle Cognitive Medical Systems, a San Diego company specializing in software solutions for health care organizations, has secured a General Services Administration Schedule 70 federal contract vehicle. The company purchased the asset from San Diego-based Solutions IT Tech LLC. “Doing so allows us access to one of the primary contracting methods that the U.S. government uses for IT software and services procurement,” said Douglas W. Burke, president of Cognitive Medical Systems. “This acquisition is a key step in our strategy to provide standards-based, decision-making health care software to improve health care outcomes.” Terms of the GSA purchased were not disclosed. Headquartered in San Diego, Cognitive Medical Systems is a woman-owned, service-disabled veteran, small business that specializes in standards-based, advanced concept engineering solutions for clinical workflow, decision support and data modeling projects. The company’s domain and field expertise in designing, implementing and integrating medical Service Oriented Architectures enables it to develop solutions to complex problems for a wide range of organizations.]]> http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/congrats-to-cognitive-medical-systems/feed/ 0 Why PR pros must like and believe in their clients http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/why-pr-pros-must-like-and-believe-in-their-clients/ http://stalwartcom.com/blog/2012/01/why-pr-pros-must-like-and-believe-in-their-clients/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:12:16 +0000 admin http://stalwartcom.com/blog/?p=1755
Source: Cartoon Stock Over the years, I've known certain PR professionals who represent clients they neither personally believe in their mission or value proposition nor do they even respect the management team running the company. When question, they respond with a lawyer-esque answer; "Everyone's entitled to get their side of the story heard." Well, we're not defense attorneys, but rather promoters and, on our best days, strategic business partners to our clients. Often times, we also act as their mouthpiece, and do so effectively when we convey genuine sincerity. If a public relations practitioner is speaking on behalf of an organization that they do not at respect and believe in, it will most certainly come across as fake. It's no wonder we get called flacks sometimes. So let's make 2012 the "Year of the Straight Shooter," and make it a point to take on clients that we feel match with our core values. Trust me - we'll be more successful as a result.
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