SEO: Are you making the most of your news releases?

Monthly digital media tips from Mary Kate Smither, Vollmer Public Relations

While you may find that you're successful in writing a succinct and newsworthy release that grabs media attention, you may be missing additional opportunities for exposure and potential story interest by not making the most of news releases using some of today's search engine optimization, or SEO, tactics. With the goal of receiving top ranking within a search engine's news tabs, press releases using SEO have been proven to provide a variety of successes, ranging from increased website traffic and search engine rankings to increasing publicity, generating sales leads and securing improved media coverage. To effectively maximize releases for wider reach and target not only your longstanding media contacts, but also new contacts, there are several ways for implementing SEO into your standard press releases utilizing keywords and phrases, Google Trends, hyperlinks, your own website and wire services - just to name a few. Have questions or want more details on how to implement SEO? Contact marykate@vollmerpr.com.

Don't Forget About IT

by Micah Reeves and Eric Morrow, Vollmer Public Relations

We often forget the extent technology plays allowing us to go about so many of our daily tasks, and the amount of work happening behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly. As IT professionals, we do spend part of our days fixing the computers that have broken, working with individuals on technology questions, and taking care of all of the things on the backend that keep us functioning. However, we also have the capability to provide much more to our staff and our clients outside of the day-to-day IT services we already provide.

Web development and video production are just two of the many services that are often requested by our staff and clients. Working as IT professionals affords us in-depth knowledge of the requirements and processes involved in these areas. This knowledge allows us to customize these services to meet the needs of company and client projects and to produce results that third-party vendors are unable to accommodate or that are cost prohibitive.

Finding ways to present information through technology is another key solution we offer. We can prepare raw information for presentation through a variety of methods, such as movies, PowerPoint, Web-based interactive content, and Web conferences. Beyond the company’s internal needs, having these options allows us to offer the best solutions for presentation to clients and enables us to customize the information we are presenting for a specific audience in ways they are more apt to comprehend.

Technology is an amazing paradigm that simplifies and complicates our lives simultaneously. Our responsibility as IT professionals is to determine the best available use of technology and to help you better grasp its complexities, in order to help simplify your day-to-day work. We are technology experts, guiding you to understand the best utilization of the tools you have and thus, increase your productivity.

If You Spend It, More Will Come

by Tricia Bentley and Helen Vollmer, Vollmer Public Relations

“Is this heaven? No, it’s Iowa.” In the movie Field of Dreams, an Iowa farmer hears a voice whispering from his cornfield… “If you build it, he will come.” At the risk of losing his farm, the farmer plows under his cornfield and builds a baseball field that leads to a secure future. A big leap of faith requiring thinking differently paves the way for success.

Today, we are in a similar situation as the world rethinks its approach to success and prosperity. As stimulus funds begin rolling into the states from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (http://www.recovery.gov/), there’s been lots of news coverage on the programs from foster care and adoption, to healthcare and the arts, to transportation and public housing that will receive these funds. Jumpstarting recovery is a tall order, and is forcing all of us to “think outside the cornfield” about ways we can work collaboratively, efficiently and creatively.

Public involvement counts now more than ever. For example, the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) (http://www.hgac.com/) recently held three quarterly public meetings to explain how stimulus dollars are assigned and to receive feedback on potential transportation projects within the region. With one year to obligate the stimulus funds for projects that are “shovel ready,” have all the necessary studies and right-of-way purchased, there are challenges to shaping the future of such initiatives, as well as opportunities when public officials are alerted to them.

At this time vision and the ability to innovate through creative partnerships are of great importance as well. One of our long-term clients, the Uptown Houston District (http://www.uptown-houston.com/), has demonstrated repeatedly that it is possible to create greater good for the community by collaboratively leveraging existing resources. Uptown Houston, for instance, helped create funding and organizational mechanisms to become the first improvement district in Texas. It works with entities such as the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the City of Houston to integrate the District’s mobility initiatives with those of the region, and it has combined its available resources with those of both the public and private sectors to secure one of the city’s most beloved icons – The Water Wall – as a public park for generations to come. These achievements come about because the Uptown Houston board continually seeks innovative “win-win” situations that promise economic benefits not just for Uptown, but for those in our greater region as well.

Our job at Vollmer is to apply our expertise of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, transportation issues and the federal funding process to “connect the dots,” so there is more collaboration among those with shared interests. Sharing relationships and providing introductions, developing a position and key messages, monitoring opinions, and educating influencers – media, stakeholder groups and public officials – through outreach efforts, are just some of our means for helping our clients reconfigure success for the future.

The old saying, “it takes money to make money” is often true. And stimulus dollars undoubtedly will help America’s recovery. This time around, let’s be smart about it – through increased public involvement and collaborative approaches that will serve us all well beyond tomorrow.

Social Media is HERE AND NOW

by Tony Shelton and Dayna Steele, Shelton & Caudle/Vollmer Public Relations

Social media has taken the world by storm, moving so fast that some people have no idea they have even been left behind. With Twitter and Facebook, emailing, texting, and cell phones that all but cook your dinner, it’s a whole new ball game for corporate America.

During a recent crisis communication training, a plant manager made a point of saying that social media wasn’t an issue for his plant. He said he wasn’t worried about employees sending out photos during a crisis because “we don’t allow cameras inside the plant.” Really? After a quick survey of the 14 people in the room, we were able to point out that everyone present had a cell phone with a camera. All but one of the phones also had a video camera.

The point is: No matter what the industry or size of the company, you can no longer control information. That means companies are going to have to learn to embrace social media and find a way to use it on their own terms. The alternative is to be blindsided and run over by people – including possibly your own employees – who do know how to use it and manage it.

“Well,” you might say, “I’ll just ban cell phones with cameras.” Really? At a recent dinner party, one man pointed out that he carries a dummy phone. As a highly paid safety consultant, he is asked to show his cell phone at the security gate of industrial plants. Typically, security holds onto any phone with a camera. For just this reason, he carries a phone he had to special order without a camera. In his other pocket? A typical cell phone like the rest of us have – with a camera and video camera.

First, simply acknowledge you can’t control information about your own company anymore. So, what can you do?

1. Educate yourself. At a minimum, make sure you, your executives and your communications department understand social media and how to use it.

2. Dedicate an employee who understands it and is tasked with implementing and utilizing social media. Southwest Airlines has an entire department covering social media. Getting ahead of it and getting your own message out early can often be crucial.

3. Learn in advance how to monitor social media, so you will know if you become the target of a social media attack. You can’t control rumors and defend yourself if you don’t even know the rumors are out there.

4. Educate your employees about what you are doing and what they can do to become involved as well. Like it or not, they may well become your in-house “i-reporters,” who will get the story out when something goes wrong. Give them some guidance and they may even get the story out on your terms.

5. Let clients and customers know they can reach you through these media in a pinch.

Social media is here to stay. Organizations that educate themselves in the ways of social media will be ahead of the game. The ones that don’t will be left in the dust of their ruined reputations and won’t even know what hit them.

Pitching Media is like following a Great Recipe

by Rachelle Khalaf, Vollmer Public Relations

A stunning soufflé. A fantastic flan. A terrific tenderloin. These dishes, though different, have something in common – they all start with a recipe for success and a willing chef.

Media relations success – securing a hit, positioning yourself as a resource, developing positive relationships with journalists – also results from careful adherence to a “recipe for success” with the media and a passion for media relations.

Before cooking a new dish, a willing chef will identify for whom she is cooking. Likewise, a passionate media relations expert (before ever picking up the phone) will target a customized media list to ensure the story will be of specific interest to her “guests.” This includes understanding a reporter’s, blogger’s or producer’s needs and becoming a consumer of their offerings. In this way, the media relations guru understands what each contact really wants or needs to deliver to their audiences.

These days, a willing chef scours the internet for recipe ideas and variations from different sources. She might watch a recipe demonstration on YouTube or identify where to purchase rare ingredients before beginning the cooking process. A passionate media relations expert, similarly, will scour the internet, print publications and broadcast resources for ideas and information to tailor a pitch and find ways to make the story a relevant and newsworthy item.

A willing chef approaches a recipe with a certain level of respect – it got a five star rating on The Food Network site – and the desire to produce a similar delectable dish. She doesn’t take it personally if oil splatters on her apron or if the spinach wilts faster than expected. A willing chef takes everything in stride and learns from her cooking experience. And so it is with a professional media specialist. Every phone call is made with the same kind of respect and a desire to help a reporter customize the story. The relationship is mutually beneficial. A media expert isn’t put off if the story isn’t of interest to a writer. In fact, a true media relations expert can often use unfavorable results as an opportunity to be creative and to further develop relationships with media contacts.

When the meal is served, the willing chef waits expectantly for honest reviews from guests – it’s the only way she will learn how to improve this recipe. Similarly, when the passionate media relations expert’s efforts generate results, she closes the gap by evaluating the hit herself and communicating with the media outlet once again, further establishing herself as a resource to be used on an ongoing basis.

Media relations experts, like celebrity chefs, take great pride in their successes. Getting a great hit in broadcast, print and online outlets is never as easy as it looks. In fact, often it’s messy work that takes much longer to produce than desired. But great results tend to be delectable and are savored, making life all the much richer.

Vollmer President Carolyn Mayo Named President of IPREX The Americas

Vollmer Public Relations, one of the leading independent public relations and marketing communication firms in the country, today announced that Vollmer President Carolyn Mayo, APR, has been elected President of IPREX The Americas. The elections took place at the Annual Meeting in New York City, May 14-16. IPREX is the worldwide corporation of independent public relations firms.

Mayo was elected from among the 43 independent partner firms throughout North and South America. In this role, she joins the IPREX global leadership team.

“Since Vollmer joined in 1987, IPREX has brought great reach and depth of expertise to our firm and our clients,” said Mayo. “As President of IPREX The Americas, I hope to be able to give back to this partnership as much as we have gained.”

As a shareholder and president of Vollmer, Carolyn Mayo brings strategic leadership to clients and staff while overseeing account service throughout the firm. With expertise in branding and multi-channel communications, Carolyn also provides leadership to clients during times of transition and change, where speaking with one voice to all stakeholders is critical to success. With more than 25 years of experience, she has facilitated and led workshops, branding sessions, communications and stakeholder community audits and strategic planning initiatives for a wide range of clients.

About Vollmer Public Relations
Founded in 1981, Vollmer Public Relations is one of the leading independent public relations and marketing communication firms in the country. Based in Houston, with offices in Dallas, Austin and New York City, Vollmer puts passion and expertise into action to deliver results-driven strategies and tactics that positively impact its clients’ business objectives. Vollmer services include: positioning, messaging and branding; media and influencer outreach; issues and crisis counsel; and finance and investor relations. The firm has defined practice areas in training, creative and digital services, education, travel and hospitality, hospitals and healthcare, energy and petrochemical, international, public advocacy, consumer, business to business, and technology, as well as the arts and non-profits. For more information, go to www.vollmerpr.com.

About IPREX
IPREX (www.iprex.com) is one of the world’s major corporations of independent public relations firms. Founded in 1983, its 62 partners have 84 offices in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific, with annual revenues of $117 million. Its 1,100 professionals provide a comprehensive range of services for some of the world’s most successful companies.

PR by the Numbers? Not at Vollmer!

by Allen Caudle, Vollmer COO

Every year when the O’Dwyer’s rankings come out I’m thrilled to see confirmation of what we have achieved at Vollmer, a top 50 ranking of independent firms nationally, clearly the number one firm in the Southwest with a recognizable expertise in eight different areas. Then the little businessman sitting on my shoulder says “if you’d focus on one of those areas of expertise you’d make more money.” And the entrepreneur guy sitting on my other shoulder says “let’s push harder in travel and environment and see if we can crack the top 10 next year, and we’ve got great people working on healthcare and food, let’s make a push there for 2009, and education is recession resistant, let’s grow that even though it’s not even measured.”

So every year, I have to sit down and have a meeting with myself and re-justify this insane business plan. Why do we have four offices? Why do we have so many established practice areas, when everyone tells us the era of the generalist firm is dead? Wouldn’t we make more money if we specialized? The answer is always probably, but that’s not what drives us. At Vollmer, we do the work we do, we have the expertise that we have, because someone had a need and we have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and the ability to bring that to play for our clients to their benefit and ours. We have summed it up in our brand definition as “passion and expertise in action”.

If one of our people comes to us and says I see an opportunity and I want to become an expert in X, we will work with them to see how we can make that opportunity a reality. When a prospective client comes to us and works in an industry that we are not familiar, it would be “more profitable” to walk away saying we don’t know that industry. Instead we say “let us come up to speed on your industry and show you how we can apply our expertise as PR professionals to develop a program for you”.

I’m proud of what we have achieved. I look forward to facing new challenges and new opportunities in 2009. I am thankful of our client relationships that allow us to do great work. I appreciate the passion and expertise that has achieved the following rankings:

O'Dwyer's National Rankings - Vollmer:

#50 Independent firms nationally
#12 Travel and leisure expertise
#15 Environmental PR
#28 Entertainment PR
#31 Professional Services PR
#42 Healthcare PR
#46 Food & Beverage PR
#54 Financial PR
#58 Technology PR

Generalist firm? Or passion and expertise in action?

May 2009 Vollocity

Check out the new issue of Vollocity - May 2009 - http://tinyurl.com/cvm8gm

Is the Glass Half Full or Half Empty? Maximizing B2B & Energy Public Relations Efforts in a Downturn

by Kiska Workman

It’s no secret that times are tough these days, and everyone along the supply chain is feeling the pinch and the pressure to cut, cut, cut. For those of us in marketing and public relations, this is a time to add value. The reality is that a downturn actually can present great opportunities for your clients or company.

As the practice leader for our energy and business-to-business accounts, it was no less than six months ago when my team was competing with hundreds of other companies on a weekly basis to get our clients’ stories covered in the media. Now, the tides have turned and more companies have scaled back, creating a nice sized window of opportunity for our clients who are aggressively positioning themselves.

Since the downturn, many companies have significantly reduced visibility efforts, leaving a void in the marketplace. Because of the cyclical nature of the energy industry, there are lots of us who have ridden this wave two or three times throughout our professional careers, and by now have learned a few things.

First of all, knee jerk reactions are never a good idea. Industry leaders know that you can’t fall too far behind the curve, because it is important to be in the right position once the pendulum swings the other way. Just as our energy clients use a downturn to maximize and fine tune assets and operations, that is exactly what should be done with a company’s public relations and marketing efforts. In other words, you don’t have to completely shut the rig down; instead you figure out how to make it work more efficiently and more on target.

Use this economic downturn as a time to determine strategic steps for your company, to stay visible in the marketplace, to plan ahead for the uptick in demand and the economy. Think about how to work smarter versus harder, and do more with what you have. There is no reason to pack up and put your public relations and marketing activities on a shelf, but you can take a good hard look to ensure they make sense and give you maximum ROI.

By taking these key steps, you will be ready to pull the trigger once the turnaround starts. If you keep communicating now, you will be miles ahead of the competition because you have taken the time to build a solid foundation with a strategic plan ready to leverage the next wave of opportunity. I’d say the glass is definitely half full!

Vollmerpalooza ROCKS!

by Helen Vollmer

Okay, I admit it. I actually like the people I work with. Intellectually, I know this. But each year when we hold our annual company gathering, affectionately tagged VOLLMERPALOOZA, I am reminded in a very elemental and emotional way that life is too short not to be surrounded by bright, curious and challenging people who can teach us new tricks and help us see things in new ways.

When we first invited our staff and their families to convene in Galveston four years ago for a weekend of fun, no strings attached, I really had very few expectations. Our goal was to bring staff from all four offices together to strengthen our “we’re all in this together” core philosophy. Little did I know that we would actually have fun on that rainy afternoon at the beach playing horseshoes, drinking margaritas and meeting significant others for the first time.

Each year VOLLMERPALOOZA gets better. The cast of characters is always different, as is the location. What stays the same are a freedom, transparency and openness that breezes through by letting our hair down and breaking the barriers that come with titles, offices with windows, and responsibilities.

We get to be just ourselves, warts and all. We come and go as we please, with no questions asked. This is just fine, because no one is perfect, no one has all the answers, and everyone has their own point of view to add to the stories getting told by the barbecue grill.

This year we gathered in Gruene (pronounced Green) outside of New Braunfels, on the Guadalupe River. The 2009 VOLLMERPALOOZA was a “do-over,” since originally it had been scheduled the weekend Hurricane Ike essentially blew us all away last September. So even though the water in the river was down to match the sagging economy, our spirits were high as we celebrated what we have in common as well as our different takes on the world.

What did I learn from our outing that has made me think about things in new and different ways?

• Rachelle Khalaf, our avowed foodie, had her first martini and really, really liked it.
• Katie Butler is a champion Cajun dancer (I have yet to find out what that really means).
• Kate Sutherland, our New Englander, can master dark Texas winding country roads with little sleep.
• Tony Shelton’s partner, Ross, is a mean two-stepper at a dance hall.
• Julia Weede, who is a shoe aficionado, has extraordinarily eccentric taste in handbags (it was a stuffed frog, for God’s sake).
• Dayna Steele’s pre-teen son can write thank you notes (with a wicked point of view that must come from his mother’s side).
• From a distance and with enough beer intake, our ladies from Austin Kim Tillinghast and Meredith Michelson, look a lot alike.

You might think, so what? But each of us at VOLLMERPALOOZA gained insights about each other that may never have occurred to us before the weekend. Think about it . . . you never know when you’re going to need someone to dance their way down a winding country road in search of a frog-shaped purse in the middle of the night with a martini in one hand. Thanks to VOLLMERPALOOZA, I now know where to look.

Staking Your Claim: Reserving Names in the World of Digital Media

by Mary Kate Smither

Are you a regular user of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Digg and other digital and social media sites? Even if you only have an account on one or two of these sites, you may have already discovered that it can be a challenge to claim your preferred user name. While I’ve been lucky enough to find “mksmither” as my user name most places, there have been one or two where it’s already taken. The ability to participate in these sites and many more is endless, and getting a user name related to you and your brand for consistency and ease of recognition is vital. In today’s quickly moving and global network, it’s more important than ever to reserve names that make you not only easily identifiable among your target audiences but also help continue to build brand recognition. Following are a few simple tips for checking name availability and claiming the names you want:

• Use Your Resources: Use a simple tool such as User Name Check (http://usernamecheck.com/) or Namechk (http://namechk.com/). From Hulu and Facebook to Stumbleupon and LinkedIn, these tools will search multiple social networking sites for any name you select and immediately tell you if it’s available. Namechk alone searches more than 70 social networking and bookmarking sites.
  
  
• Claim Your Name: Once you’ve determined availability, reserve your real estate. Even if there are sites you may only be interested in participating in later, it’s best to go ahead and grab your name while you can. This will save you from having multiple names and will keep competitors, fans or even detractors from developing profiles under your “brand” name.
  
  
• Make It Real: At a minimum, create a basic profile with some personality and add a photo on each site where you claim your name. Even if you’re not ready to fully participate, let people know who you are, what you’re brand is about, where you’re located and how to contact you. For example, each of my profiles includes my photo and also contains my name, that I’m a PR practitioner in Dallas who specializes in travel and hospitality PR, that I lead VOLLMER’s digital media practice, and that I love to watch sports.
  
  
• Beyond the Basics: Once you’ve established your profile, choose a few sites and start participating. Start following people, commenting, and making contacts. At this point, it might also be a good idea to check the availability of a vanity URL you’re interested in. While not all sites allow you to post a customized vanity URL, some do, and it’s best to be prepared with your selected URL. Sites such as Knowem (http://knowem.com/) will check more than 120 sites for vanity URLs, and GoDaddy.com (http://www.godaddy.com/) will also tell you URL availability. Reserving these URLs is just one more step in ensuring brand strength and familiarity.
  

Just the Right Spot: Five Things to Consider When Planning an Event

by Kate Sutherland

Everyone loves a good event. So how do you plan one that attracts guests and generates buzz for your client or product? There are five things to keep in mind when planning an event – from the obvious (the venue) to the often overlooked (where is the bathroom?). Whether it’s an intimate luncheon or a VIP party with Paris Hilton (as VOLLMER just pulled off at Bungalow 8 in New York City), it’s important not to forget the small stuff!

To drink or not to drink?
Cocktail reception, lunch, dinner or gala? Choosing the appropriate type of event is the key to success. First ask yourself WHO is my audience: media, friends, shareholders, partners, VIP’s? Then, WHAT are they interested in: a presentation, mingling, or intimate one-on-one meetings? Finally, WHEN are they available?

Location, Location, Location
After deciding what kind of event you will have, choosing a location is the next step. Where are the majority of your guests coming from / going to at that particular time of the day? Pick a central location that is easy to get to (or is easily accessible by public transportation in certain markets). If parking is limited, coordinate a valet with the venue so guests are not dissuaded to just “stop in.”

The Perfect Place
Nothing is more uncomfortable than being squished in a room with 100 sweaty people or arriving at a black tie event wearing a purple sundress. Make sure you pick the appropriate size, space and atmosphere.

For the appropriate size, first determine how many guests you anticipate. Remember, there is always someone who brings an uninvited (and sometimes unwanted!) guest; be sure you are able to accommodate extra people if needed. If a space feels too big or too small, it probably is. Ask the venue how many people were at the last party in that space to give you an idea.

Atmosphere is easy – match your guests’ personality to that of the space. If you are meeting to discuss business plans, you will want a quiet, upscale location. To show the wild side of Texas, host a party like we did for Texas Tourism at Hill Country Barbecue in New York City, where guests were able to ride a mechanical bull!

The Nitty Gritty
Once the venue is selected, it’s time to negotiate all the details. This is where events usually fall apart at the seams. No question is too minor, as everything should be negotiated upfront. Here are a few items to discuss with the venue and your client:

· food/catering /drinks
· audio and visual
· decorations
· check-in
· table seating
· extra tables and chairs
· coat checks
· parking / accessibility

Getting Guests There
The key to a successful event is good weather and a lot of luck (just kidding). It’s planning in advance. Get an electronic "Save the Date" out early, and follow up with print invitations about a month before your event, giving guests at least three weeks to RSVP. Be sure to indicate if guests are invited and HOW to RSVP. As the event gets closer, send one or two reminder emails with all information, encouraging RSVPs. MOST IMPORTANTLY, on the day of the event, send a “friendly reminder” email with location, time and directions.

Regardless of the event, planning is key to success. When in doubt, call in a professional – it will save time and money in the long run. Good luck!

Facebook versus Face Time: How to Build Relationships with Influencers

by Lindsay Stout and Meredith McKee

Social networking is a popular buzz term, but “networking” is nothing new. And while we all love Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, it’s hard not to get lost in the “Twittersphere” of social media and forget our goals of networking and building stronger relationships. So this month, let’s all take a step back and ask ourselves: “What do I want, and who should I be connecting with to achieve it?”

When it comes to the media and influencers who can help get you what you want, there’s a process to building strong connections and maintaining those relationships. At VOLLMER, we are always re-evaluating this process. Are we staying in touch with the right people? How can we improve our communication skills? To make new connections, we join new groups, play on teams, get involved in community activities, and branch out as much as we can.

The worst thing you can do is go to an event and speak only to the people you already know. Step out of your comfort zone and introduce yourself to someone new. That person could be your next friend, boss, client, or biggest advocate for your product.

Once the connection is made, remember to stay in touch with both the old and the new people in your life. Send your friends a Happy Birthday message on Facebook – there’s a daily reminder right on the home page. And nothing could be easier than a quick Tweet or an e-mail (or the ”old-fashioned” personal handwritten note) to say hello. While the new social tools keep you connected, try not to lose the personal touch with your key influencers. Make a goal for yourself of how many people you want to meet with each month on a one-to-one basis, and then determine exactly who you want to see. Whether it’s over coffee, for lunch, or at an event or association meeting, face-to-face interaction is priceless. Afterwards, make a point to follow up with them. You can even take it a step further by connecting those people with others in your sphere of influence.

One of VOLLMER’s key influencer groups is local media, so each month we invite someone from the Dallas-Fort Worth media to our office for lunch and to talk about the latest from their organization, as well as to share tips on best practices for working with their individual media outlet. Representatives from a variety of D-FW media – including the Dallas Business Journal and KXAS-TV (NBC) – have visited, allowing the Dallas Vollmervillians to establish more personal, direct relationships with local media contacts.

Remember: We are all being flooded with messages on a daily basis, and it’s important to stay in consistent and meaningful contact with your connections, influencers, and target groups in order not to get lost in the masses.

Looking for another new connection? Feel free to follow us on Twitter (@LStout and @meredithlmckee) or send us an e-mail at lindsay@vollmerpr.com or mmckee@vollmerpr.com. We also enjoy lunch if you prefer some face time.