Author Archive

I always knew he was important, and sometimes that booming voice scared the bejeebers out of me, but my Uncle Rich (Port) is the stuff of family legend.

Before I was born, my grandfather — Robert Hayes Burns — lost his wife. As a widower, he bought a large red brick house at 124 N. Madison Ave. in La Grange for himself, his three daughters — Anne, Mary and Jeanne — and their husbands. Then the babies started coming: first my cousin Libby, Rich Port and Mary’s daughter; then my brother Rob; then me; then my little brother Carl.

What a household! It was like “You Can’t Take It With You” with explosions from the basement, pianos playing, constant guests, and ballerinas soaring through the living room. That’s an exaggeration, but oh my, the Christmases we had. I don’t know who was loaded with more personality, my grandpa or my Uncle Rich. The three women were always pseudo-mad at these two troublemakers, but we kids loved every minute. Read the rest of this entry »

First of all, a disclaimer: during my many years in media relations, I have managed to do every single “do not” on this list. I learned this field not from college, not from post-graduate studies, but by invaluable experience as a reporter in Chicago where I was able to observe all manner of public relations practitioners and their press releases.

I paid attention to which releases were irresistible, and I learned which PR pros were wonderful to work with. Through it all, I was a human sponge, and I learned as fast as I could. You see, to me, the field of public relations is endlessly fascinating and rewarding.

1. Do not launch into your pitch without asking, “Is this a good time?” Reporters and TV producers are frequently on deadline and cannot take the time to listen to a story idea. You must tap softly at the media’s door and show the utmost respect for the high pressure scramble to make deadlines. If they tell you a better time to call, remember to call! Read the rest of this entry »

Public speaking. One end of the spectrum is you’d rather be tortured for eternity. The other end is having a professional speaker’s bureau represent you charging thousands of dollars per speech. There is life in the middle, however, and that’s the subject of this post.

Many people find that no-fee public speaking yields wonderful advantages both personally and professionally. First of all, it’s terrific public relations. Second, it’s networking at its finest, and third, it’s goodwill and community service.

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Many – I’ll wager the majority – of healthcare marketing staffs are gasping for air from too much to do, too many meetings, and not enough time to imagine, create and execute. One task that frequently gets pushed to the back burner is pitching stories to the media when, in fact, such stories in newspapers, on the Internet, and on TV are not only free (talk about cost effective!) but yield the greatest credibility.

Picture this. A positive story about a new procedure at your hospital or practice appears in a newspaper with an impressive circulation. The article involves an elated patient and his or her compelling story. It quotes the physician(s) and/or CEO and contains two photos, in color of course, and a graphic.

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