Didi's PR Blog http://didilutzpr.com/blog Exploring the Truth in Public Relations Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:20:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 Social media behavior of top digital influencers http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2012/01/social-media-behavior-of-top-digital-influencers/ http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2012/01/social-media-behavior-of-top-digital-influencers/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:20:30 +0000 Didi http://didilutzpr.com/blog/?p=446

]]> http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2012/01/social-media-behavior-of-top-digital-influencers/feed/ Bruges’ Four Star Relais & Chateaux Hotel Heritage Becomes Continent’s First Hotel to Offer iPads in Guestrooms http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/11/bruges%e2%80%99-four-star-relais-chateaux-hotel-heritage-becomes-continent%e2%80%99s-first-hotel-to-offer-ipads-in-guestrooms/ http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/11/bruges%e2%80%99-four-star-relais-chateaux-hotel-heritage-becomes-continent%e2%80%99s-first-hotel-to-offer-ipads-in-guestrooms/#comments Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:04:18 +0000 Didi http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/11/bruges%e2%80%99-four-star-relais-chateaux-hotel-heritage-becomes-continent%e2%80%99s-first-hotel-to-offer-ipads-in-guestrooms/ Super exciting news for the guests at the Relais & Chateaux Hotel Heritage in the magical city of Bruges!

The four star luxury Relais & Chateaux Hotel Heritage, located in the heart of the historic city of Bruges, has brought the guest experience to a whole new level: it is Europe’s first hotel on the continent to provide the iPad2 in each of its 24 luxuriously appointed guestrooms.

By offering the iPad2 as a complimentary amenity, the hotel is aiming to pair a traditional guest experience with the ultra-modern conveniences of the digital age. The iPads include selection of music, movies, apps and other content available to guests, such as a welcome video from the award winning hotel, a broad selection of international newspapers, travel apps, information about the hotel’s bar and restaurant, tourist maps and information about Bruges, and popular games.

“We have been closely monitoring what our guests from every generation are looking for, and our goal is to go above and beyond in exceeding their expectations,” said the owners of the Relais & Chateaux Hotel Heritage, Johan and Isabelle Creytens. “Our hotel is about constantly reinventing the guest experience, and we are finding that interactive technology plays a major role in providing innovative amenities for our guests. We are delighted that we acted quickly in purchasing enough iPads for our rooms.”

The hotel also offers unlimited complimentary Wi-Fi access to all guests, along with a flat screen TV in each guestroom allowing guests to feed the content from the iPad2 directly to the TV. To ensure proper speed and bandwidth of the network after the installation of the new iPads, the hotel recently successfully upgraded its Wi-Fi network.

The iPad2 is a first of a series of innovations the luxury hotel is making to enrich the guest experience. “We are only limited by our own imagination,” said Mr. Creytens. “We will be looking ahead for more ways to integrate this level of technology further into the full Relais & Chateaux Hotel Heritage experience.”
http://www.hotel-heritage.com

]]> http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/11/bruges%e2%80%99-four-star-relais-chateaux-hotel-heritage-becomes-continent%e2%80%99s-first-hotel-to-offer-ipads-in-guestrooms/feed/ Congrats to the luxury Hotel Heritage on earning Fodor’s Choice 2011! http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/08/congrats-to-the-luxury-hotel-heritage-on-earning-fodors-choice-2011/ http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/08/congrats-to-the-luxury-hotel-heritage-on-earning-fodors-choice-2011/#comments Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:20:24 +0000 Didi http://didilutzpr.com/blog/?p=434
Bruges is often referred to as Venice of the North

Bruges is often referred to as Venice of the North

Great news for the Relais & Chateaus member Hotel Heritage in the utterly charming city of Bruges, Belgium!  The 24-room property, nestled into the heart of the best preserved medieval city in Western Europe just received the news that it was recognized from Fodor’s, a leading travel resouce.  For more information about the hotel and for a list of fabulous packages visit their website. 

Congratulations!

]]> http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/08/congrats-to-the-luxury-hotel-heritage-on-earning-fodors-choice-2011/feed/ Will companies ever catch on social media? http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/07/will-companies-ever-catch-on-social-media/ http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/07/will-companies-ever-catch-on-social-media/#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:46:48 +0000 Didi http://didilutzpr.com/blog/?p=432 I was reading an interesting article in PRWeek about social media and companies trying to take their businesses to the next level, but they are still unsure of how to manage the process.

With so many professionals learning about how to use social media and apply them strategically when executing marketing plans, it would be a no-brainer to just hire one person to do it all.  But, the truth is, social media touch more than the one person managing it.  Employees are empowered to be involved, dialogues are started and it becomes harder to just have one person control it all. 

Setting up tweets in advance to fit a schedule, and linking those tweets to FB and LinkedIn is still a daunting process to many folks, while others do it in their sleep.

We’re at the point where companies know they have to catch on, but the how is still holding them back from entering the monstrous world of social media.  With the right team and the right messages to share, all companies who will gain from being on social networks will make it on there.  What matters is who will make the best use out of this ever-evolving set of outlets.  PR people should set that example to clients.

Here’s to no more once a quarter tweets!

]]> http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/07/will-companies-ever-catch-on-social-media/feed/ Hotels: preparing for a press stay http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/05/hotels-preparing-for-a-press-stay/ http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/05/hotels-preparing-for-a-press-stay/#comments Thu, 19 May 2011 15:41:42 +0000 Didi http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/05/hotels-preparing-for-a-press-stay/ When media come to visit your property, it’s important to put your best foot forward. Whether it’s one of those VIP stays that include rolling out the red carpet and waiting on the editor hand and foot, or whether it is a discreet reporter who wants to be left alone, your staff must be well organized to understand and respond accordingly to the needs of the media. The moment a reporter enters the property, the entire hotel is being evaluated. That includes everything from the bellman to the check-in process, to the moment the reporter gets into the car to leave.
It’s important to keep in mind that press who come in for Fam trips at a hotel are first and foremost guests. They should be treated no worse and no better. Going over the top with amenities and kissing up often backfires with negative press, and the same can happen, too, if not enough attention is paid to their needs. Press is there to write and tell a story, whether that includes the destination, or the hotel, or both. It’s important for the staff to be properly trained to handle media questions and know how to conduct themselves around the natural curiousity of the press.
By being organized and anticipating questions and needs in a polite and upfront manner will pay dividends with the media in the long run. And hopefully, with plenty of great placements along the way!

]]> http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/05/hotels-preparing-for-a-press-stay/feed/ Images and Words http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/04/images-and-words/ http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/04/images-and-words/#comments Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:48:14 +0000 Didi http://didilutzpr.com/blog/?p=423
Seagull on the beach

Seagull on the beach

In PR, we write words to encourage a course of action.  We use images to support those words which illustrate that course of action.

How those images work out in PR, or not, is very subjective.

Regina Joans is an artist at work, who uses images to capture and uniquely portray moments in time.  Not exactly your typical PR work or press release, but the idea remains.  Images hold hands with words, and together they inspire. 

While I generally recommend few people’s work and ability, Regina’s talent is just remarkable www.reginajoans.com

]]> http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/04/images-and-words/feed/ Building effective social media messages http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/03/building-effective-social-media-messages/ http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/03/building-effective-social-media-messages/#comments Fri, 11 Mar 2011 18:25:21 +0000 Didi http://didilutzpr.com/blog/?p=421 Messaging is probably the most important element to any marketing and communications campaign, as it represents the core of your PR strategy.

Building the right message is easier said than done in the era of social media, when so much is shared and often times distorted.

Growing up in Athens, my grade school friends and I used to play a game called “broken telephone,” where the first in line would whisper a word to the person next to them and so on.  By the time the communication reached the last person, usually with 6-8 kids playing, the word had changed completely!

It’s a similar concept with messaging for a business.  You want to ensure the proper channels are in place to carry the message forward by keeping it intact:

- Strategize by prioritizing what properties of your message you are willing to lose as the message is shared, and shared again.  With FB and Tw, you expect anything you post to be fair game and go viral.  Know in advance what you want people/fans/followers to talk about and what types of conversations you would like to see on social media.

- Choose the right media for your message.  This is a no brainer, especially when you know what social networks work best for you.  Take the time to research if LinkedIn or Facebook or YouTube is best.  They may all work, or only one.  Maybe even none.  You need to make sure before you send posts out to the digital space

- Choose the right professionals to build your message.  Message builds content these days.  Period.  If you don’t have content, you can’t share it, no one can talk about it, and web traffic dwindles.  Keep the buzz going with the best professionals who understand your industry and know how to manage your expectations. 

- Expect that social media will keep changing, and so your message has to be multifaceted.  Keep several angles attached to your message so you can refresh it with new contect and conversations.  The more angles you can come up with, the better story you will be able to share with the right people.

It’s important to know that building a message takes time and is a strategic communications process that will evolve with the objectives and goals of your client’s business.  Being flexible as a PR person and making changes where necessary is helpful and can lead to success in the long term.  Since messaging enhances branding, it makes sense to invest in a long term approach that will yield high ROR and ROI.

]]> http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/03/building-effective-social-media-messages/feed/ A young professional’s innovative approach to hospitality PR http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/02/a-young-professionals-innovative-approach-to-hospitality-pr/ http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/02/a-young-professionals-innovative-approach-to-hospitality-pr/#comments Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:01:31 +0000 Didi http://didilutzpr.com/blog/?p=419 Since the purpose of this blog is to discuss topics that relate to PR and how it evolves, I thought it would be beneficial to share the perspective of the new PR professionals as they enter the field and what they are thinking.

I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with Melanie Dorange through my blog for the past couple of years.  Melanie is a young dedicated hospitality professional in Europe, with a strong sense and understanding of the PR process.  I hope you will find her blog post informational - feel free to comment and open for discussion:

If I should use only one word to describe my feeling about the hospitality industry outlook, I would say “challenging”. This word has two possible reading: you can translate it as “obstacles, uncertainty, problems”, but you can also hear “evolution, opportunities, stimulating”. I choose the second reading.

Despite having started my career in a difficult economic environment and feeling everyday the pressure of competition on the job market and the growing number of tools to master in order to be a good hotel PR, I am feeling more enthusiastic than ever about this role of representative and determined to build my career on a strong base. Starting now. Learning to work around quality and integrity will serve my whole career.

In my quest to perfect my approach to PR, I have created a check-list with some of the elements I find determinant for me to keep in mind, looking ahead to the next decade. Some of them are based on my experience, others on my readings and other professionals’ sayings. These are the first three points on my list:

-          Brush my story-telling and narration skills

Daniel Craig recently reminded me about this topic on his blog, and how much impact a good narrated story can have on the media first when it comes to selection, and secondly on our readers. I like the idea that we should think like creative writers and journalists whenever writing stories for our clients, with the objective that travellers should picture themselves as the heroes of our stories. I am already trying to apply it as a way to “stand out from the crowd”. This is where creativity is key, we need to capture the hotel’s niche and describe this exception in a catchy and personal story. This type of writing implies a more focused communication, but I feel the traditional press release is still very useful for other announcements such as awards and nominations.

-          Keep my eyes wide open

Keeping track of innovations in the wide field of communications is critical for me. I read blogs and online news every day in order to be aware of the latest trends. I am not using all of the tricks and tools I read about, but at least I know about them.

Keep an eye on the next generation of hoteliers is also part of this monitoring. In the next years, hoteliers’ strategies will change, and so will ours in turn. Some events already bring together students or graduates from leading hotel schools around the world in order to exchange knowledge and ideas, and they reveal what challenges this new generation foresees in the future. These young graduates are tomorrow’s hospitality leaders, so understanding their drivers help me anticipate the task we will face in some years.

-          Pamper the photographer

This one is not new. I know it sounds obvious, but I am already convinced. It’s all about the picture, the one fabulous image that “has it all”. This picture which makes the reader turn back the page, or scroll up to double-check, even after going through hundreds of (web)pages when his eyes are reading one line out of five. I call them “subliminal shots”, because they come back to the mind at unexpected times like unconscious thoughts, and the associated hotel name along! Having quality images will eventually put the hotel forward, whether online or in print. This is one of the first things I have learned in PR, but it proved being right so often already. Investing in quality photographs is a trick I won’t leave aside.

When I think of my future, I know I may have to adapt to the environment and redefine my skills as often as needed, and I am ready for it. (Think about it, I may be around for the next 35-40 years*, what will travel PR be like in 2060?) But there is at least one thing I will never alter in my personal life and in my work: loyalty to my values and authenticity.

[* taking into account the extension of retirement age!]

Per her request, Melanie can be reached via email

]]> http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/02/a-young-professionals-innovative-approach-to-hospitality-pr/feed/ Gaining ground in the digital space http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/02/gaining-ground-in-the-digital-space/ http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/02/gaining-ground-in-the-digital-space/#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:53:14 +0000 Didi http://didilutzpr.com/blog/?p=417 ROI is the first thing clients measure in the world of PR and social media, and how that success is defined depends on the understanding the client and PR team have. 

With PR evolving leaps and bounds with the continuous push from social media and digital networks, is it really about ROI or ROR?

Return on Relationships is a term that has always been around in traditional PR, but has only recently taken on such a strong measurement role with the emergence of the social media monsters, from FB, Twitter, LinkedIn and the endless number of bloggers online.

Measuring the influence your client has in the online space is vital, and the best way to do that these days is to 1) be selective in terms of networks and who you reach out to on behalf of your client 2) keep your message solid 3) measure quality and digital potency of your message rather than track impressions alone.

These days, it’s all about content and how others engage with it, whether that means sharing, retweeting, commenting, arguing or starting new conversations.

]]> http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/02/gaining-ground-in-the-digital-space/feed/ Podcasts as a PR tactic http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/01/podcasts-as-a-pr-tactic/ http://didilutzpr.com/blog/2011/01/podcasts-as-a-pr-tactic/#comments Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:15:29 +0000 Didi http://didilutzpr.com/blog/?p=414 The boxing match between traditional radio and podcasting took center stage a few years ago, although there really is no winner.  Radio gets millions of listeners and the sense of urgency is far more prevalent than during a podcast, which you can listen to whenever you like.

However, podcasts have found an excellent niche.  Depending on the theme, tone, audio level and quality, podcasts are growing in popularity, and are earning respect from listeners across the globe.  Aiming to those who are relatively savvy on social media, podcasts are popping up everywhere. 

The best thing about podcasts from a PR perspective is that they are viral.  You can easily share snipits from a podcast, or create alerts on Twitter and Facebook to generate awareness and interest quickly.  Podcasts are saved easily and you can go back to them online, comment and share the content over and over again.   It’s an overall effective tactic to share your client’s message with the right audience.  The key is to find the right podcast for your client, where s/he is comfortable speaking to the host.

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