Welcome back guest blogger and EAFocus colleague Sara Przybylski!

 

4 things to check for in your writing

I recently saw a picture of a tattoo that read “Live You’re Life.” It got me thinking about how careless we have become in our writing and making sure we are using correct spelling and proper grammar. Unfortunately for this individual, their lack of proofreading is permanently marked on their side. For the rest of us, here are four items to check for in your writing.

 

1.   Their, There and They’re

Along with the use of “your” or “you’re”, the improper use of “their, there or they’re” is just as common. Many of us learned the correct usage in elementary school but here is a friendly reminder:

Their – refers to the third person possessive adjective. [Example: Where is their house?]

There – refers to many things, one being a location. [Example: My car is over there.]

They’re – is the contraction of “they” and “are”. [Example: They’re going to the concert tonight.]

 

2.   Since vs. Between

This one can be a little trickier and isn’t as commonly talked about as number one. The proper use of “since” and “between”:

Since – refers to time. [Example: My parents haven’t slept since 1988.]

Between – refers to a relation. [Example: The distance between us has increased.]

 

3.   Over vs. More Than

A big thank you to one of my college professors who made us PR students learn the AP Stylebook like the back of our hand. I don’t remember everything and still have to reference the book occasionally, but this is one lesson I don’t think I will ever forget (and I hope you won’t either). The difference between “over” and “more than”:

Over – refers to spatial relationships. [Example: The cow jumped over the moon.]

          More Than – refers to numerical values. [Example: There were more than 50 people in attendance.]

4.   That, that, that…

Writing is all about being concise and straight to the point. Throwing “that” in every sentence to extend your word count no longer provides succinct content for your readers. You will be surprised how few times the word “that” is actually needed to clearly portray your thoughts.

Case in point: I have not used the word that until this section of my blog post and the word that will not appear again.

We’re not all perfect when it comes to writing. However, we all need to start proof reading our work a little more and relying on spell check less.

What other common errors do you see in writing?

4 Things to Include in a Social Media Policy

Welcome back guest blogger and EAFocus Associate/social media guru Sara Przybyslki! Follow Sara on Twitter @MichiganPRguru

Whether you’re a Fortune 500 company or a two-person shop, it is important to have a social media policy. Why?

Well, a policy ensures you have consistency in the way your social media program is run and maintained. Your policy should be a combination of legal protection for the organization as well as rules and guidelines for all employees – ranging from those managing the pages to those simply engaging and interacting on the pages.

While each organization needs to structure its social media policy to meet its specific needs, following are four general areas I suggest you include (or at least consider including) in your policy:

1.    Protection for Your Brand. The policy should provide clear legal protection of a brand’s identity. A section addressing who within an organization is entitled to create a company page on a social media site is crucial. You want to ensure every employee is not able to take the company logo and create a page and run it as though it is the official company social media site. This section should also address the legality of using the brand’s logo, slogan or any other trademarked materials to  create a social media page that may be misconstrued as belonging to and sanctioned by the company (i.e. explain what the repercussions of doing so will be).

2.    Guidelines for Managing Social Media Pages. When do you delete a post? You can’t delete all negative comments because people will stop interacting on the page if they see numerous posts being removed, but there should be a line drawn to determine when posts should and should not be removed. Having a clear understanding and setting a precedent on how negative comments will be handled on a social media page are crucial. If you don’t have set guidelines on how to handle the conversations taking place on your company’s social media pages, you are doomed to chaos and confusion. Because social media is so quick paced, you need to have a quick resource to reference so the pages are managed and handled consistently (i.e. if someone uses a curse word in a comment and you delete it, any other post made with profanity should be deleted as well). Don’t make exceptions.

3.    Purpose of the Social Media Policy. Individuals drafting the policy and those reading and abiding by it need to not know the purpose behind the document. If you think the sole purpose of your policy is: “We need something to protect us” or “Everyone says we should have one,” think again. Understanding what the company culture is, items you want to protect (see number 1) and how you will manage the page are imperative. Without this common understanding of the role social media is to play in your organization and what the purpose of the policy is, you won’t be successful in creating a useable policy that covers legal matters and sets guidelines.

 

4.    Who Manages the Page(s)? Clearly define who in the organization is responsible for managing the social media pages. People and roles/responsibilities change within an organization. Because Joe and Sue had a conversation when a Facebook page was created stating who was going to post the content and monitor the conversation, it is not necessarily common knowledge to others in the organization. Without having in writing that the Social Media Manager (i.e. Joe) is responsible for drafting the content and the Community Manager (i.e. Sue) is responsible for managing and monitoring the pages, when someone or both of them leave their current roles, the job functions and common understandings are gone as well.

One last note to leave you with…be sure the policy is not a ‘threatening’ document to discourage employee interaction and participation on the company pages.

Do you have any other items you have included in your policy?

Social Media is not a ‘One Size Fits All’

Welcome back guest blogger and EAFocus associate, Sara Przybylski! Follow Sara on Twitter @MichiganPRGuru.

You know your brand needs to be on social media to stay relevant in today’s market. So, you decide to create an account on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. You waiver on the idea of Pinterest and Instagram but decide to ‘start small’ and look at expanding your social media presence in the future – great! Well, sort of…

The problem with assuming your brand needs to be on these social media sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube) is that all four of the sites might not be the right fit for your brand. You’re probably thinking, of course they are! You may be right, but let’s take a step back and fully understand the function and audience of each platform.

Facebook

Facebook is a site that is no longer being used for the up-to-the-second updates on what people are doing (or at least it shouldn’t be used in that fashion). Facebook is a site to share photos, videos and really engage in two-way conversation. The audience of the site started as college students and has quickly grown to encompass everyone under the sun from grandparents and children to people making pages for their pets and cars. Brands should use Facebook as a platform to truly build a relationship with individuals by engaging in meaningful conversations.

While a brand still needs to update the page frequently to appear in the newsfeeds of its fan base, it does not need to be sending information every 15 minutes.

So ask yourself, “What age group is my brand looking to communicate with? What type of content will we be able to share on a regular basis? Will we be sharing photos and videos, asking questions and sharing other industry related information?” If you answered yes, then Facebook could be a social media site for your brand to build a presence.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a professional networking site. Commonly explained as the “Facebook for the business community” the site allows you to post a profile explaining your work history, education, volunteerism, etc. along with connecting with fellow colleagues, other professionals in the same or similar industry and with companies.

As a brand, you want to have a presence on LinkedIn if you are looking to have more intellectual conversations with your connections than, say, Facebook. Brands can provide detailed information about the company, products and services offered and even open positions. Again, this is not a site to post an update every 15 minutes; instead, posting meaningful content approximately four to seven times a week is sufficient. LinkedIn is a platform to share company news, industry related articles, start meaningful two-way conversations and engage with professionals who have an interest in and need for/ desire of your brand.

So ask yourself, “Is my brand looking to connect with “the working world” (soon-to-be college graduates through seasoned professionals)? Will we be able to share industry news and articles on a regular basis? Are we looking to engage our audience in deeper conversation or are we looking to keep the conversation light?” Depending on how you answer the above questions, LinkedIn may be a social media site that makes sense for your brand participation.

Twitter

Twitter is a real-time, up-to-the-minute (sometimes second) running feed of information. From breaking news and sports updates to the latest celebrity gossip and sales from retailers (okay, some may argue all of the above are ‘breaking news’), the individuals on Twitter are extremely diverse, meaning your potential audience is very diverse. 

Twitter is a platform that requires frequent updates in order to be successful. However, the content a brand shares on Twitter also needs to be meaningful and engaging. There is still no place for “We are open for the day”… “”First customer of the day just came to the store”… “The manager just drank a diet pop.” Instead, your brand should be sharing interesting facts, news and updates about the company, relevant industry news and articles, photos, videos and posing questions – all in 140 characters or less.

So ask yourself, “Is my brand looking to engage in real-time conversations with a wide range of audiences? Are we able to provide frequent updates (multiple tweets per day) of meaningful information? Do we want to communicate in fast paced, short messages?” If you answered yes, Twitter may very well be an excellent platform for your brand to build a presence on.

YouTube

YouTube is all about video. Whether the video footage is of your cat or dog doing ‘amazing’ tricks to crazy stunts and demonstrations of the latest gadget, YouTube lends itself to be an interactive, informative and fun social media site (not that the others are not fun).

If your brand has the capacity to take lots of video footage, has complex ideas, processes or products that can easily be explained through video or are looking for a way to communicate your brand’s culture, video can be a great option.

So ask yourself “Is my brand looking to provide information in an entertaining fashion? Do we have the capacity to provide new videos on a semi-frequent basis (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly)?” Depending on how you answered the above questions, YouTube may be the right platform for your brand to participate on.

The social media platform(s) where your brand needs to be present is determined by your audience and the purpose social media plays in your overall business strategy. Your response should not be “we need to be on social media because everyone else is.” Instead, your response should be tailored to the function and audience of each platform as well as how it relates to the overall business goal: “We need to be on LinkedIn to build a presence among the business community to engage with them on a more intellectual level and in a medium where they are already participating.”

Maybe the above four social media sites aren’t the right fit for your brand. Pinterest and/or Instagram could make more sense depending on your business strategy. Whatever the site(s), just make sure you have a sound reason for being there - and your content reflects that.

Remember: Your brand needs to keep a consistent tone, reflective of the brand, across whatever social media platform(s) you choose, while tailoring messages to the specific audience of each site. This means you cannot copy and paste the same content posted to Facebook on LinkedIn and Twitter. If you have individuals who follow you across a variety of platforms, they are going to want different information on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. Lastly, don’t just post content because you feel you need to post another update; make sure the content has a purpose and is meaningful. Happy socializing!

The Web Ecosystem: Why Websites and Social Media Sites are Vital to Each Other’s Survival

Introducing Sara Przybylski - new EAFocus associate and guest blogger! Follow her on Twitter @MichiganPRGuru.

It seems the next big thing in social media is introduced every week. With the ever changing social sphere, many are questioning what online platforms are best for their brands. Is it just social media? If so, what social media sites? Or is it a combination of a website and social media?

As people spend more time surfing social media sites for the latest news on world politics, business, fashion and celebrity gossip, are websites even necessary for a brand to survive?While some may argue that brands don’t need a website to create a strong community and loyal customer base, I beg to differ.

Websites are the center of the online universe; the online platform that houses all information about a brand from the brands perspective. Websites are the starting and ending point for a company trying to develop a presence in the web ecosystem. A brand’s website is where anything a customer or potential customer can learn about the company is (well, should be) located.

However, in a day where your customers expect to be able to engage with you in conversation via the Internet, websites alone won’t keep you afloat. People expect to feel like they are important to a brand, that they can have two-way conversations and feel as though their opinion and voice count - and are being heard. It is for these reasons that social media sites are an important component to the web ecosystem. Yet social media sites supplement the branded content on the website, they don’t replace it.

Social media sites are the medium where the customer or potential customer engages with the brand to build a relationship and connect with other likeminded individuals who share a common interest in the brand. If someone lands on your website and wants to engage in a conversation about your brand but there are no social media sites connected to it, she will likely look for another similar brand to potentially build the relationship, i.e. the brand’s competition. Conversely, if the customer is engaging on a social media platform of the brand and wants to learn more about a specific product or make a purchase, she will seek out a website. 

Consider this example: as a company, you share information about a new feature added to an existing product via a photo on Facebook. An individual sees this photo because a friend of theirs “liked” the photo and it appeared in their newsfeed. Out of curiosity, the individual clicks on the photo to learn more. She is intrigued after reading a little more about the product but doesn’t fully comprehend what this new feature means as it relates to the brand as a whole. This photo has piqued the individual’s interest enough to visit your website to learn more about the product and, ultimately, your entire company.

This scenario presents the perfect synergy of the social media site and website working together in a thriving web ecosystem. The information you shared on the Facebook page piqued the interest of an individual who then visited your website to learn about other products and potentially make a purchase. In addition, this individual could decide to like the Facebook page, look for other social media pages to connect with to keep getting updated information about the brand, share this information with their social media networks and ultimately again, make a purchase. It is this viral and web like sharing that keeps the web ecosystem alive and thriving. Without a website to learn more about a company and the social media sites to engage with the brand, individuals are not being given the outlets and information they desire.

What do you think? Are websites at risk of extinction  in the web ecosystem?

 

Plante Moran Names Sue Novak New Southfield Office Managing Partner

Long-time client and former Detroit PR guru employer Plante Moran, PLLC, one of the nation’s largest certified public accounting and business advisory firms, named Sue Novak, CPA, the office managing partner for the firm’s Southfield office. With more than 600 staff members, it is the firm’s largest office. 

It's wonderful to see great opportunities arise for strong leaders like Sue. As Southfield Office Managing Partner, she will oversee the day to day administrative activities of the office. She will also continue as assurance partner and leader of Plante Moran’s benefit plan audit practice.

Sue began her career with Plante Moran more than 25 years ago. In addition to leading the benefit plan audit practice, a practice that includes audits of more than 1200 benefit plans annually, she has other significant client service experience in audit and tax engagements and consultations for non-profit organizations and religious congregations. Congratulations, Sue!

Medical Network One Announces Corporate Name Change to MedNetOne Health Solutions to Reflect Rapidly Expanding Services of Traditional Physician Groups

Long-time client Medical Network One, a Rochester-based healthcare management organization with a 31-year history serving the infrastructure and clinical support needs of primary and specialty care private practice physicians, announced a corporate name change to MedNetOne Health Solutions effectively immediately. The announcement was made by MedNetOne Health Solutions CEO and healthcare innovator, Ewa Matuszewski.

Originally formed to provide third party payor contract negotiations, administrative support and utilization review services, MedNetOne Health Solutions (MNOHS) has evolved in recent years to a full service health solutions provider, bringing new clinical, technology and programming support services to its 1,000 plus members to ease movement into the patient centered medical home model and meet national health reform mandates.

“The MedNetOne Health Solutions name better reflects the broad array of services we offer independent physician practices and behavioral health professionals who are focused on successfully transitioning to fully integrated, population-based, patient-centric practices,” said Matuszewski. “Changes resulting from the PCMH movement and health reform, including new reimbursement models and structural alignments like ACOs and Organized Systems of Care, are coming at an unprecedented pace and require independent physicians and physician organizations to respond accordingly to remain viable.

“Despite aggressive actions by hospitals and health systems to purchase private primary care and specialty practices, there remains a core group of physicians who are strongly committed to remaining independent. That is MNOHS’ market and our services are built around them and behavioral health professionals who complement their services.”

Earlier this year, MedNetOne Health Solutions became the first physician-based organization in Michigan to actively pursue Ph.D. psychologists as members.

“National healthcare reform and new programs offered through the state of Michigan are emphasizing the incorporation of behavioral health services into primary care. We want behavioral health specialists to join us in our efforts to promote whole person care,” said Matuszewski.

Will You Meet the Next Mayor of Detroit at the MSU Broad Executive Forum?

  Plante Moran CRESA to serve as Premier Sponsor for 47^th annual Michigan State University Broad Executive Forum on October 23^rd

  SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – September 27, 2012 –Plante Moran CRESA, a fully integrated independent real estate transaction and consulting firm, announced it will be the premier sponsor of the 47^th annual Michigan State University Broad Executive Forum to be held on Tuesday, October 23^rd at Compuware Headquarters in Detroit. This is the third year Plante Moran CRESA is serving as a sponsor of the event, which attracts Southeast Michigan business leaders for education and networking. This year’s keynote speaker is Michael Duggan, CEO of the Detroit Medical Center.

The 2012 Broad Executive Forum is presented by the Michigan State University Broad College of Business and the MSU College of Engineering, with volunteer leadership from the Broad Executive Forum Board of Directors, which is comprised of alumni members from Southeast Michigan businesses, including Plante Moran CRESA. The theme of this year’s Forum is transformation and transition, with Mr. Duggan speaking about the Detroit Medical Center’s journey before, during and after its purchase by Vanguard Health System. Additionally, a panel of area business leaders will discuss transformation and transition as it relates to business leadership, managing change and finding new opportunities to maximize the assets of Detroit and Southeast Michigan. Panelists are:

·         Sandy Baruah, CEO, Detroit Regional Chamber

·         Jim Manley, Managing Director of the new Broad College Demmer Center for Business Transformation

·         Frank Venegas, Chairman and CEO, The Ideal Group

·         David Blaskiewicz (MSU alum), President, Invest Detroit and President and CEO, Downtown Detroit Partnership

·         Beth Chappell (MSU alum), President of the Detroit Economic Club, will serve as moderator.

Bill Lichwalla, CPA, President of Plante Moran CRESA and an MSU alum, is pleased to have the company again serve as premier sponsor.  

“Plante Moran CRESA is honored to support the Broad Executive Forum’s tradition of bringing business leaders and University supporters together to gain insights on the region’s timely economic issues,” said Lichwalla.

Details on 47^th Annual Broad Executive Forum with Keynote Speaker Michael Duggan

When: Tuesday, October 23, 2012; 3:30 p.m. check in; panel discussion at 4 p.m.; reception at 5:15 p.m.; program and keynote address at 6:45 p.m.

Where: Compuware Headquarters, 1 Campus Martius, Detroit 48226

Cost: $100 for individuals; $80 per person with purchase of five tickets or more; tickets include afternoon and evening program and reception with beer, wine and hearty hors d’oeuvres

Registration: online at events.org/2012DetroitForum

Questions: Connie Lawson, MSU Broad College of Business, 517.432.7442 or alumni@bus.msu.edu

About the Broad Executive Forum

The Broad Executive Forum has been held annually since 1965 and features the nation’s top executives and entrepreneurs. Previous keynote speakers include: Dan Gilbert, Quicken Loans and Companies; Steve Balmer, Microsoft; Robert Lutz, GM and Chrysler; Michael Dell, Dell Computers; John Chambers, Cisco Systems; Virginia Rometty, IBM; Owen Bieber, UAW; Peter Karmanos, Compuware; and Roger Penske, Penske Corporation.  Learn more at www.mybusiness.msu.edu.

About Plante Moran CRESA

Plante Moran CRESA is an independent commercial real estate transaction and consulting firm exclusively representing buyers and lessors in the delivery of fully integrated real estate services, including tenant representation, project management and strategic real estate consulting. Plante Moran CRESA’s multidisciplinary team provides unbiased advocacy to a distinguished list of clients seeking to uncover all of their options regarding project feasibility, asset positioning, capital markets, portfolio management, national site selection and incentives.  Plante Moran CRESA is affiliated with Plante Moran, PLLC, one of the nation’s largest public accounting and business advisory firms.  Additionally, Plante Moran CRESA is a member of the cresa national and global tenant representation network of corporate real estate service providers. To learn more about Plante Moran CRESA, visit http://www.pmcresa.com.

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