Damaging & Deceptive Headlines: Ethical?

Sep 18 2012

I am inspired to call the question in today’s new age of fact checking and transparency in PR: Is writing and publishing deceptive and untrue headlines a valid practice? As many of you know, our firm represents the local Memphis grocery chain and “your everyday farmer’s market” Easy Way who turns 80 years old this year. Yesterday we pitched a well-written and organized press release containing the facts surrounding the closure of the downtown store (not the chain of stores). The original press release is here: Easy Way – Press Release.

Guest Post: ADVERTISING IS A BIG FAT WASTE OF MONEY!

Sep 12 2012

Guest blog by a great resource to Howell team, Anderson Humphreys of Humphreys Ink. Anderson is one of Memphis’ finest creative minds and we are fortunate to have him as a client resource and secret ad weapon! Ignore the message, and advertising is indeed a big fat waste of money. Here is where many advertisers make the classic mistake of thinking about the delivery and ignoring the message. A good ad is the fastest form of communication in the world. It can tell a story in a few words that can easily replace a 6 page letter. It is the…

How to be a #Twitter Badass

Aug 20 2012

Since my friend Diana Adams (aka @adamsconsulting on Twitter) and I created a list of “badass women on Twitter” I often get this question: “How do I become a Twitter badass?” Recently, I had to cram some new information into my Twitter bio so I dropped my “Twitter badass” from it. A CMO I really like tweeted to me: “Hey Amy, why did you drop the badass in your bio? It’s my favorite part of the bio.” Needless to say, I added it right back and now I wondered what I was thinking (or not thinking) when I edited that….

Monetizing Relationships: Your Network & Your Net Worth

Aug 08 2012

@seanmcginnis, @annedgallaher, @markwschaefer. Amy with PR & Marketing maven @ginidietrich. Amy & social turned IRL friends @webby2001 & @markwschaefer. Also on the Howell porch with @momsofamerica, @joycecherrier, @anntran_, @jessicanorthey Our firm has been fortunate recently to attract new business and gain the trust of some key, valued new clients. This always makes me happy but also a little nervous, as I am fiercely loyal to my clients—both the old ones and the new ones. While it’s important to constantly be “mining” for new work, it is even more important to keep focused on the work you have, which means doing…

7 Steps to Success for Brands on Facebook

Aug 02 2012

Facebook for brand pages is both an art and a science. There are must-do’s and absolutely do not’s, some are more obvious than others. Over the past year, the Howell social team has managed the social presence of and assisted in gaining of over 12,000 followers for BB King’s Club in Memphis. The people, music, food and the soul are all local, but its reach is truly global – see infographic at the end of this post. People from all over the world are passionate about these things and with the help of social media, we’ve been able to truly…

Small Business is Big Business: Why Politics Matter

Jul 17 2012

Whenever I tweet about politics or make a public statement about a political belief I have, I am usually reminded that it is best NOT to discuss politics online, in the boardroom or anywhere someone might be “offended” by a particular view or belief. In the past, I might have gone along with that, although deep down I have always had the conviction to state my mind.