From entrepreneurs to entertainers; from charities to CEOs; from survivors to thrivers; I’ve told a lot of stories. And while each person’s story is as unique as the individual themselves everybody has something in common. You see, each one of them told themselves a story that they believed. That’s what helped them survive and get to where they are today.
 
The most important story is the one you believe.
 
So let me ask you, what’s your story?
 
For more ideas, insights and inspirations to help you share your story, visit https://www.1bluecube.com.

Before I wrote stories, I told them. In elementary school, I changed the ending while retelling ghost stories to avoid a deadly demise. Hours were spent in my Grandparent’s backyard imagining fantastical characters, grand adventures and heroic feats acted out in worlds of wonderment.
 
It was inside the written stories, though, where I found the key to unlocking the most valuable lessons.
 
You see, I started writing poetry at age 12. Or should I say, the poems started writing me. I had a deep desire to be heard, express my feelings and share insights.  In my 30s, I began rereading my poems once a year. This annual ritual wasn’t about living in the past. To the contrary, it provided an opportunity to reflect on where I’d been, acknowledge how far I’ve come and see things differently. The written poems were filled with perspectives that sometimes literally changed before my eyes.
 
Our reality is shaped by the perceptions we hold. Our perceptions are shaped by the stories we tell ourselves.
 
                   The most important story is the one you believe.
 
However, every story has many sides.
            1. The facts.
            2. What we think happened.
            3. What others think happened.
            4. What we think it means - the stories we tell ourselves about why/what happened.
            5. The intentions/agendas behind the actions/reactions of everyone involved.
            6. How we choose to remember what happened - victory, lesson, tragedy, etc.
 
Dozens of things happen every day. Often, we base whether our day was good or bad by the stories we tell ourselves about what we believe happened.
 
When we are able to step back and look at what happened from a different perspective, we are able to re-solve the puzzle by re-membering the pieces and re-write the True story in our mind.
 
Just as forgiving doesn’t make what happened OK, re-membering doesn’t excuse bad behavior or trivialize your feelings. Intentions, like actions, speak louder than words. Listen to your gut and trust your instincts above the words you hear. If someone continues to rationalize, apologize or deny repeat offenses, they aren’t sorry they are manipulating.
 
Likewise, this is not a license to dwell. To find and seek the Truth is the goal. By separating facts from feelings, we are better able to focus on what happened, learn and hopefully see more clearly it in the future. Re-solving and re-membering is a process and some stories take longer than others to re-write. It’s a process that requires courage, patience and honesty.
 
For more insights, ideas and inspirations for sharing your story, visit http://www.1bluecube.com.
 

Every person you bring on board is important to the success of your business or nonprofit.
When hiring a Public Relations professional, it's important to select someone who fits your needs. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

     • Business is personal.  It’s about relationships.
        Make sure the person you pick shares your vision, values and business philosophy.
                      
     • Be honest about your expectations and make sure you are in alignment.
        - If they guarantee you press, run the other way. The only way to guarantee you will be in the 
          press is to buy an ad. However, if PR didn't work it wouldn't still be around. It takes more than
          one medium to tell a story.
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       • Ask for testimonials from past clients.
           -  Testimonials are the best form of word of mouth. People believe people, not ads.

For more insights, ideas and inspirations to help you share your story visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZTar4BPfoo. 

Many people think the sole purpose of Public Relations is to send out press releases.

The truth is, a press release is just one tool Public Relations professionals use to help companies and nonprofits share their story.  We utilize numerous strategies to reach beyond the media to build relationships, create conversations and help shape brands.

To this day, one of the most common questions I'm asked is: ‘How do I write a press release?’
A more appropriate term is news release because the purpose is to share newsworthy information.

Here's the scoop . . . . the who, what, when, where, why and how of a press release:
 
                        WHO
                                   A press release is not about you. It's about the readers, viewers and  listeners
                                   who make up the audience.
 
                        WHAT
                                   A press release is about delivering news that your audience finds valuable.
                                   Despite popular belief, not everything a company or nonprofit does is
                                   newsworthy to their audience.

                          WHEN
                                    Timing is everything. People want to know what's new and news now. Your
                                     customers, employees, volunteers and donors want information they can use
                                     now.
 
                        WHERE
                                   With so many mediums at our fingertips, it is crucial to ensure the message
                                   fits the medium - print, TV, radio, social media. Just as you wouldn't place a print
                                   ad on TV, you need to create different versions of each story for each medium.
 
                        WHY
                                  Communicating without a plan is risky business. Before you send a press release,  
                                  know why you're sending it and how it fits into your overall Communication
                                  Plan. Is your purpose to:
                                     - educate
                                     - establish credibility           
                                     - highlight what you’re doing in the community
                                     - announce a new hire, initiative, product or service
 
                        HOW 
                                  To increase the possibility of news coverage, you have to know who to send the
                                   press release to and how to write for their medium. Public Relations
                                   professionals maintain a list of media contacts and consume media every day to
                                   stay up to date and look for potential opportunities to connect clients with the
                                   media.
 
For more insights, ideas and inspirations to help you share your story watch this video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls6nlpoEMHo.

People remember stories, not statistics.
 
Today, Public Relations professionals help companies and nonprofits excavate, craft and share the stories that shape their organization.

Stories describe how people wove their passion, vision and values into their organization. 
 
To paraphrase Maya Angelou:
            People don’t remember what you did or what you said,
            but they remember how you made them feel.
 
Stories that make us feel are the connecting points that create an endearing brand in the minds of customers, employees, volunteers and donors.
 
There are the many ways Public Relations helps build brands and relationships through stories. 
 
     Who are you?
        - purpose, passion, mission
 
      How did you get to where you are? 
         - failures, successes, lessons
 
     Why do you do what you do the way you do? 
          - philosophy of service
 
Your customers and your employees are part of your story, too.  
           -capture testimonials, reviews and case studies.
 
For more insights, ideas and inspirations to help you share your story, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCVkitLJ9f8.

Whether you have a company or nonprofit, your web site is often the first point of contact for customers, employees, volunteers and donors.

Your web site is a dynamic, living story that helps shape and endear your brand in the hearts and minds of your audience through:
         - Bios
         - Testimonials
         - Blogs
          - Photos
          - Press Articles

What story are you telling your customers, employees, volunteers and donors?
                       
For more insights, ideas and inspirations for sharing your story view this video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opH6smJ-bV8.

Word of Mouth remains the best form of advertising. 

​People trust people, not ads.

However, if you want people to talk about your company or nonprofit, you have do something worth talking about. Creating conversations is an important part of building relationships with your customers, donors, volunteers and employees. 

The book Creating Customer Evangelists outlines several strategy to help your company or nonprofit create word of mouth.
 
        - Continuously gather customer feedback.
 
         - Make it a point to share knowledge freely.
 
          - Expertly build word-of-mouth networks.
 
           - Encourage communities of customers to meet and share.
 
          - Offer Samples, like this blog post to showcase smaller offerings to whet the appetites of your
            audience.
 
         - Focus on making the world, your industry or community a  better place.
           
For more insights, ideas and inspirations for sharing your story view this video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nsg-s-60f0.

Sometimes, circumstances beyond your control can create chaos.
Through no fault of your own, bad things happen to your good company.
If and when they do, how you respond will determine how well you weather the storm. 
Below are a few tested tips to help you communicate in times of crisis:
             - always tell the truth
             - respond promptly, the media have deadlines
             - offer a sincere apology, when necessary
             - focus on solutions:
                • explain what you’re doing to correct the situation now and the measures you’re    
                  implementing to prevent another situation in the future
             - have core messages to communicate clearly your company’s mission and vision

For more insights, ideas and inspirations to help you share your story watch this video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO2I9TYRpwc

Your bio is not your resume.
It is a condensed version of where you've been, what you've done and why.

When writing your bio for a web site or speaking introduction, keep in mind no one wants a regurgitation of degrees, jobs and awards. Your audience is looking for an engaging highlight reel
​of your life.

On the surface our lives seem like serendipitous collisions of people, places and passions.
If you slow down, pay attention and retrace your steps you will discover guiding lights.

Start by asking a few questions, then connect the dots to map your journey.         
       - What did you want to be when you grew up?
        - Who do you admire most?
        - What is the best advice you have given and received?
        - How do you want to change the world?
         - What is your super power?
         - What would you do for free?
         - If you could have dinner with anyone, living or gone, who would it be?
         -  What are your true loves , , .  not spouse or pets
         - What’s your story?

For more insights, ideas and inspirations to help you share your story you can watch this video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZuOJmdTs-A.