By Mary Louise VanNatta, APR, CAE When a management position becomes available, it seems obvious to choose the top performer. However, you might need to be cautious. Some people save their best performances for when the boss is around. A one-dimensional view might not be truly reflective of a person’s leadership potential. Anyone who watches…
Stress is at an all-time high right now. And it’s about to get worse. The holidays are notorious for increasing stress as people deal with the financial burden of trying to provide for their families, the pressure of relatives visiting, and the expectations of gifts, food, parties, etc. Workers have an increased pressure to provide…
Mary Louise VanNatta named a Woman of Vision Salem, OR (Oct. 20, 2020) – Mary Louise VanNatta, APR, Fellow PRSA is one of the Daily Journal of Commerce’s Women of Vision award winners for 2020. The annual awards honor women who are shaping the built environment in Oregon and Southwest Washington via leadership, mentoring efforts,…
Salem, Oregon (August 25, 2020) — Mary Louise VanNatta, APR, CEO of VanNatta Public Relations, was recently selected to join the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) College of Fellows. The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is the nation’s leading professional organization serving the communications community. The college of Fellows is an honorary organization…
By Mary Louise VanNatta Mask required! Stay six feet apart! Don’t run with scissors! Are you feeling overwhelmed by all the new COVID-19 safety signs? You’re not alone. As regulations are increasing, businesses are adapting. Protecting public health is critical. However, people generally don’t like being told what to (SHOCKING). While you certainly can’t convince…
In times like these, it’s easy to be negative. When was the last time you heard a positive story on the news? Oregon feels like a pot of boiling water, frothing and churning, threatening to spill over the sides at any minute. Many people are trapped in their homes, losing money, losing connections with loved…
By Mary Louise VanNatta Our lives have been taken and shaken and we’ve consumed more media than ever before. As we drift back to our work lives, business communication is going to pivot. Everyone is going to try to convince us that their product or service cares the most, has the best solution, and will…
As everyone adjusts to a changing way of life, virtual meetings have never been more important. Businesses are switching to this new model in order to maintain maximum communication with their employees while allowing them to stay socially distant in their homes. However, as expected, it can be quite the transition in learning how to…
In a digital era, your personal brand has never been more important. Look at celebrities who have strong personal brands: LeBron James, Ellen Degeneres, Beyonce. Though wildly different people, they all have clear similarities that have helped them to find success. In your career, it is no different. Having a strong personal brand will help…
All companies are now working to communicate with clients and customers about COVID-19. Here is an infographic prepared by the Public Relations Society of America.
Millennials are the 71 million people born between 1981 and 1996. They are entering the workforce, becoming parents, and experiencing life differently than generations past. And they are angry. At least that is what pollsters are telling us. But why? For most, it appears to stem from financial, environmental and personal challenges. Many feel that baby…
Salem, Oregon (Feb. 13, 2020) – VanNatta Public Relations, Inc. (VPR) has been ranked by January 2020 Oregon Business Magazine’s Power Book for Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations firms. This is the eighth time VPR has been included in the Power Book. Compared with other Northwest companies, VanNatta was ranked 21st (based on size) as one of the…
VanNatta Public Relations, a PR, event planning, and consulting firm in Salem, Oregon was honored by the Daily Journal of Commerce as the Best PR & Marketing Firm. The award was announced during a private event held at the Jupiter Hotel’s rooftop bar in Portland, Oregon. The DJC awards celebrate and recognize the best the…
VanNatta PR wins again at Spotlight Award Ceremony VanNatta Public Relations (VPR), a PR, consulting, and event planning firm in Salem, Oregon, was honored by the Public Relations Society of America Oregon Chapter (PRSA) during their Spotlight Award ceremony for the work with the Salem Police Foundation to fundraise for a mobile command center. This…
I admit it – I love social media. I enjoy seeing people’s pictures, jokes, and life updates. I also like to post and interact frequently. I usually opt for pictures of my Dachshunds Apple and Otto, the children or me and my husband when we dress up. I avoid posting pictures of my unfortunate cooking…
You may have been told not to be an ostrich and “put your head in the sand.” You may even have heard of the Ostrich Effect. The term derives from the (false) narrative that ostriches stick their head in the ground to avoid danger. The ostrich (incorrectly) reasons that not seeing danger makes it go…
So, you are a new college graduate, an established young pro, or on the hunt for your first “big” job. For most, you are transitioning from an organized, structured school program to an unpredictable, chaotic world outside of academics. This change can be shocking. The job search is difficult and often results in repeated rejection…
Even among professionals, the difference between public relations (PR) and marketing is confusing. There is an ongoing “discussion” between the two disciplines as to which is a branch of which (is marketing a tool of public relations or vice versa?). Each is vying for the penthouse corner office. How do we answer the question, which one is…
I don’t need advertising, marketing or public relations, I get plenty of business leads from “word-of-mouth (WOM).” WOM advertising is an organic way that individual consumers share their experiences with a company. The plethora of online options for reviews magnifies this exponentially. Yet the greatest influence is on those in the customer’s immediate vicinity: friends…
No one works as a bowling pinsetter nor delivers ice anymore. You can even order fast food from a kiosk or check into your hotel room and never talk to a person. There is no doubt that technology has eliminated jobs. Technological unemployment, as it is called, is seemingly inevitable. In some careers, human workers…
