Constructive Feedback vs. Armchair Quarterback

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on April 23rd, 2012

I have seen a couple of incidents of criticism that were wrapped in the concept of  “feedback” that are still wrinkling me. Given that as communicators, most of what we do is put out for review and input, I think that there might be some value in my little rant about what is and isn’t constructive criticism.

I have a friend that is currently working on a volunteer project. She is putting in many, many hours as a volunteer to help our former high school celebrate its 100-year anniversary. The small group of volunteers producing this event have done a…

The Value of a Case Study

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on April 20th, 2012

We’ve been having some interesting discussions in the AHA office. It’s time to review our case studies and do an update. We have had several projects recently that just cry out to be highlighted in a case study and I am looking forward to writing them. We have been chatting about whether or not to revise the format we use for case studies and discussing what the objective of a case study is, and several points have come up.

The objective of a case study is (or can be):

…

Too Busy to Blog?

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on April 11th, 2012

It’s been a busy few weeks here at AHA. It has been challenging to keep up with the blog posts and Fast Take Fridays. While that’s a little frustrating, I also believe that it keeps things “real” in our office and with our clients.

If you have committed to a channel of communication, it is important not to let it slide too far out of the schedule. There’s no point in writing a quick blog post just to have something to upload. No matter how busy you are, the information you share needs to provide your readers/viewers with something they…

Writers and Editors Go Together Like Peanut Butter and Chocolate

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on April 09th, 2012

Every once in a while, I come across an article or blog post that is so helpful it is almost unbelievable. The online world and social media have given us access to so much great information (and some not so great, so you have to be discerning).

Every great writer I have worked with has realized the value of a great editor. Creating interesting, informative, relevant and engaging content takes both a writer and an editor. It’s a little bit like peanut butter cups… On their own, chocolate and peanut butter are really good; together – it’s a whole different…

The Little Things Matter a Great Deal

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on March 19th, 2012

There is an unflattering news clip making the rounds right now of B.C. Premier Christy Clarke’s new communications director. I am sure it is going to be included in every media training session for the next decade – it is a perfect example of what not to do. If you haven’t seen it, you can view it here.

I have an entire rant about how valuable journalists are to a free and just society and how I believe communicators and journalists actually work in partnership (we don’t always have to agree or even like each other, but we…

Getting Their Attention

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on March 16th, 2012

In today’s AHA Fast Take Friday, Ruth talks about surveying what else is happening in the world of your target audience when you have a campaign or initiative on the horizon and need to get their attention.

Maintaining a Fresh Perspective

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on March 13th, 2012

They say: “timing is everything.” It’s true. And perspective is right there beside it.

We have a fun, interesting looking clock in the AHA kitchen. I am sure it was inspired by the works of Salvador Dali. It is kind of melting and surreal, and when a person first sees it, they are unsure how to tell what time it is. It’s been hanging in the kitchen for about a year now. It seems perfectly normal to those of us who spend any time in the room.

We had an AHA crew member come by a few days ago and…

Change is good if you recognize it, adapt and evolve

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on February 27th, 2012

We have clients throughout North America and often I need to be in the AHA office for an early conference call. I tend to get here early anyway, so that I can review blog posts, articles, read newspapers, and briefly watch several news and morning shows. (Yes, I have a TV in my office!)

I love my time in the morning. With coffee in hand, I have the opportunity to learn something new everyday. The information and knowledge shared online allows me to put information into context, to see different perspectives, and to better understand how, when and why different…

Public relations as strategic counsel

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on February 21st, 2012

Sometimes you read something and you think, “I couldn’t have said it better myself.” This piece is one of those. It’s about what happens behind closed doors in the world of PR.

It’s worth a read.

It’s about the connection

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on February 16th, 2012

I had the opportunity to speak to communications students at Capilano University earlier this week. They are smart, engaged and are going to bring some great, new energy to the PR world. Connecting with students always inspires me, it makes me realize how fortunate I am to work in PR and it reminds me how valuable PR is to an organization.

There are many, many functions of PR. At the foundation, we help our clients to build positive relationships with their “publics.” (You can replace the word publics with the noun that works for you: stakeholders, audience, target market, employees,…