eChaser: March 2011 / p2

The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce’s 2010-11 Media Directory, a 70-page cornucopia of data — e-mail addresses, fax numbers, circulation figures and distribution areas for print media in Tarrant, Johnson, Parker and Hood counties, as well as local TV and radio contacts, online news outlets and blogs — can be yours for $50 (chamber members $30). The Star-Telegram’s Robert Philpot called it a “godsend.” Call 817-338-3332, or order your godsend online at buy.fortworthchamber.com. ...

It’s a doubleheader at the Writers’ Guild of Texas this month. Authors Tony Eldridge (“The Samson Effect,” “Conducting Effective Twitter Contests”) and Kat Smith (“The Naked Author: Exposing the Myths of Publishing”) will explain “How to Market Your Book and You” at a special WGT seminar, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, March 26, at the Richardson Civic Center. Eldridge also shares book marketing advice and tips on his blog, and Smith is a publisher/manufacturer and formerly co-host of a syndicated show on ABC Radio. Pay online at writersguildoftexas.org or send a check to Writers’ Guild of Texas, 6009 W. Parker Road, Suite 149-175, Plano 75093. At the regular third-Monday meeting, 7 p.m. March 21 at the Richardson Public Library, local freelance writer and journalism/PR veteran Janet Doleh will discuss “Best Advice/Worst Advice.” Doleh’s feature stories and editorials have appeared in a variety of magazines and journals, including Country Lifestyle, The Connection, The Dallas Morning News, Business Dallas and Translation Review, published by UT Dallas. She has taught composition and rhetoric at Collin College and Richland College. • Improve your writing/editing skills at WGT PCS (planned critique sessions), third Wednesday of the month, Richardson Public Library basement, 7-8:45 p.m. Participants present their own work and receive feedback from fellow members. E- Earl Stubbs, earlstubbs34@gmail.com. • Writers’ events calendar: May 5-7, Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. Conference “Write Now,” multiple speakers, programs, editor/agent appointments, book room, contests (cash prizes), keynote Steve Berry, Embassy Suites Hotel, Oklahoma City. WGT third-Monday early-birds: Susannah Charleson on the query and pitch, April 18; SPJ member Carmen Goldthwaite on creative nonfiction, May 16; WGT All-Stars Read-In, June 20. More at writersguildoftexas.org/joomla/. Send events calendar items to Carol Woods at carol.woods@verizon.net. ...

IABC local update: Merrie Spaeth, President Reagan’s media relations director at the White House (where she introduced satellite interviews and created the electronic White House News Service), will explore “Crisis Communication in a YouTube Age” at the IABC Dallas luncheon Tuesday, March 8. Info here.

PRSA national update: Selected webinars. “Demonstrating the Business Value of PR: Practical Solutions to Measurement Conundrums” with Shonali Burke, ABC, principal of Shonali Burke Consulting; 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 15. Now that standards for public relations and communications measurement are being implemented industry-wide, how do you measure social media, let alone traditional media? Learn how to go from measurement novice to maven, how to incorporate measurable objectives into a communication plan, and how to connect public relations outcomes to business objectives that demonstrate true value. Register here. ... “Flip Video PR: Master the Latest PR Power Tool and Watch Visibility Skyrocket” with T.J. Walker, personal presentation/media coach to presidents, prime ministers, senators, Super Bowl victors and Nobel Peace Prize winners; 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 22. Gone are the days of needing expensive and cumbersome video equipment to shoot even the simplest videos. The Flip Video camera produces HD-quality video. See a demo of how quickly mainstream media can pick up a video on YouTube. Register here.

PRSA local update: UTA PRSSA needs a few good women and men to assist with speed networking, part of a professional development seminar for students from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 12. The seminar, “Find Your Fit,” will be in the University Center Red River Room on the UTA campus and feature a panel of professionals working in corporate, agency and nonprofit PR. UTA chapter president Emily Suied said the interactive panel format is designed to help students determine the avenue of public relations they find most appealing. The second part of the event will provide résumé/portfolio critiques during mock interviews. Professionals available for the speed networking should contact Suied at 805-908-5885 or emilysuied@gmail.com.

PRSA local update II: The PRSA Independent Practitioners Alliance hosted its first meeting of 2011 at Studios 121 on Feb. 24. The event featured wine and cheese and networking, followed by a tour and presentation of services by the Studios 121 staff. The group intends to meet quarterly, with a webinar planned for the second quarter. Contact Nancy Farrar at nancyfarrar@att.net.

PRSA local update III: Standing reminders. Have something to say? Be a speaker at a North Texas PRSSA chapter meeting. E- Kevin Williams at kw757@yahoo.com. ... The DFW Communicators Job Bank lists full-time, part-time and internship positions in PR, media affairs, advertising/sales, event planning, graphic design, marketing, and corporate and employee communications throughout North Texas. Employers who are members of the participating organizations may post a job listing for $50; the cost for nonmembers is $75. Nonprofits get a 50 percent discount. Each posting runs three weeks. Greater Fort Worth PRSA receives a portion of the proceeds when a member marks his or her membership status on the submission form. More from Jerrod Resweber at jresweber@webershandwick.com. ... Stay on top of emerging trends and industry news, extend your network while increasing your knowledge, and keep learning and stay competitive. Any practitioner with at least two years in the field is eligible for membership in the world’s leading organization for PR professionals. Those with fewer than two years experience or who recently graduated from college and were active in PRSSA may join as an associate member. More from chapter president-elect Allyson Cross at cross@gcgadvertising.com.

PRSA local update IV: Building a park out of thin air atop a major Dallas thoroughfare is sure to raise some eyebrows. Joanna Singleton and Chad Sour with Jackson Spalding will offer a glimpse behind the scenes of the communications strategy for the Woodall Rodgers Deck Park at the Dallas PRSA luncheon Thursday, March 10. Register here.

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