SUMMER 2012 NEWSLETTER
From Dog Days to 24-7 Connectivity?
Once upon a time, the “Dog Days” of August were basically a time to shut down. Check out. Get away. “Log off,” to put it into today’s terminology. I suspect, though, that those days are long gone for most of you, both by necessity and, in many cases, choice.
Today’s creature – of the human, if not canine, type – is almost never really “out of the office,” even on those days that they’ve “gone fishing.” Smart phones, pads, laptops. Rarely are we really that far from civilization any more.
Being in the strategic communications business, I’m not necessarily complaining about this, mind you! We’re always here to help if you find yourself overwhelmed or less than fully prepared to meet the demands on your organization in a 24-7-365 communication world. If you’re officially plugged in these last few weeks of summer and want to map out your social media plan, be sure to give us a call or email!
-Laura Van Eperen, laura@veandco.com, (301) 836-1516 ext. 1
BUSINESS BUZZ
Van Eperen & Company Contributes to 'How to Grow Your Business'
Van Eperen & Company CEO Laura Van Eperen and Vice Presidents Jennifer Strohm and Steve Simon offer public relaitons and strategic communication advice in the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce's book, "How to Grow Your Business." So how might you grow your business, you ask? Here's a few pointers from our leadership team:
On Public Relations and Branding:
“Sometimes a brand is carefully and strategically crafted, while other times it organically unfolds. In either case, be aware of the public perception of your brand.” —Laura Van Eperen
On the Need for an ‘Elevator Speech’:
“You’ve got about 30-60 seconds in an elevator to briefly introduce yourself… It’s not a long time to intrigue someone, so assuming you’d like for them to become a customer or a referral source, you need to get it right.”—Jennifer Strohm
On Social Media:
“There’s really no ‘one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to incorporating social media into an overall business plan. Each business needs to find its own “sweet spot,” as the old question of “To tweet or not to tweet” really does not apply anymore.”—Steve Simon
To obtain a copy of the book from the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce, visit: http://ggchamber.org/book.
VAN EPEREN & COMPANY IN THE COMMUNITY
-Van Eperen & Company Vice President Steve Simon recently worked with cable television station managers from Montgomery County’s Public, Educational and Government (PEG) access channels, to facilitate their two-day strategic planning retreat. Montgomery County PEG cable channels include those from Montgomery County government, Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery College, the City of Rockville, the City of Takoma Park, the University of Maryland, and from the public access channels operated by Montgomery Community Media.
-Van Eperen & Company is a 2012 Maryland Municipal League (MML) Corporate Partner. As a Corporate Partner, Van Eperen & Company supports MML’s goal to strengthen municipal government and participates in events such as the 2012 Maryland Municipal League Convention, which was held recently in Ocean City, Md.
-Van Eperen & Company was among the sponsors for the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce’s recent 53rd Annual Dinner. One of the signature business events each year in Montgomery County, the event recognized the installation of the Chamber’s 2012-13 Board of Directors that once again includes Van Eperen & Company’s CEO Laura Van Eperen. Congratulations, Laura!
Helping to Honor Rockville Scholars
Van Eperen & Company Vice President Jennifer Strohm and Assistant Account Executive Kurie Fitzgerald provided pro-bono communication support to Rockville Scholarship Foundation, an organization that helps Rockville seniors pursue postsecondary education. The honorees were prominently featured on WUSA9.com, Patch.com and many other local publications. Strohm has served on the board of the organization for eight years.
VAN EPEREN & COMPANY'S NEWEST ADDITIONS
Nancy Zombolas joins Van Eperen & Company as Operations and Marketing Manager. Prior to her time at Van Eperen & Company, Zombolas was Graphics and Printing Supervisor at the City of Rockville, where she had the lead role in management of design and production of print materials, brand identity, advertising, logo design, direct mail, brochures, newsletters, ads and special events collateral.
Kurie Fitzgerald recently wrapped up an internship with Van Eperen & Company and joins the team as an Assistant Account Executive. A Rockville native, she recently completed a B.A. in Strategic Communication at Temple University with a focus in Public Relations.
Please join us in welcoming Nancy and Kurie!
ANOTHER VERY SPECIAL NEW ADDITON
Say hello to Vice President Jennifer Strohm’s baby, Henry Dean Strohm, the newest addition to the Van Eperen & Company family!
FROM THE VE-RAC-I-TY BLOG
Despite all of the criticism that newspapers and other news outlets take on a daily basis from consumers who complain about the shortcomings of the media, oh how we depend on them and rush to them for information – especially when times are tough.
The recent tragedy involving the shooting spree at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater was a stark reminder. Even though I knew in the back of my mind that the Rocky Mountain News was one of many victims of the economy and of the massive changes in the journalism industry, in recent years, my first instinct was to bounce to their website for the latest details.
What did I find? A lead story – still there since the newspaper’s closing date in 2009 – with the simple headline: “Goodbye Colorado. Check it out: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/.
It was an especially eery headline to see, in the face of this horrific tragedy. And a reminder, indeed, that despite all of the hits the industry may take, we really do need the media.
-Steve Simon
For more recent Van Eperen & Company blog entries and to subscribe, visit VE-RAC-I-TY
NEXT UP
- From September 10-28, 2012 will participate in Montgomery County Commuter Service’s Walk & Ride Challenge. We’ll be teaming up in groups of three to see how many steps we can take per day.
- Van Eperen & Company will be presenting a social media workshop at the Maryland Municipal League 2012 Fall Conference. The conference will be held from October 4-6, 2012 in Hagerstown, Md.
