Maverick Public Relations announces Account Specialist

Maverick Public Relations, a full-service firm primarily serving small businesses and not-for-profit organizations, announces the addition of Leslie Igartua as account specialist.

Igartua is a 2012 graduate of the Indiana University School of Journalism with her master’s in public relations. She received her B.S. in Apparel Merchandising from Indiana University, Bloomington, where she also studied business and earned a certificate in fashion design. Aside from creating her own fashion designs, Igartua has worked in visual merchandising for a global retailer developing creative design solutions for managing visual displays, floor sets and presentation standards.  Igartua has also worked in marketing as an independent contractor for a Midwest sales firm.

Igartua, a resident of Bloomington, Ind., brings a mix of public relations, marketing and communications experience to her new role. She will be working closely with the media to ensure Maverick Public Relations’ clients receive earned placement and will also be planning and implementing social media campaigns. Igartua will be focusing primarily on helping new and existing clients integrate media relations and social media marketing into their marketing communications mix. As a social media consultant, Igartua will be helping businesses expand and improve their online presence.

“I’m excited to join such a great company and work within the Indianapolis community,” said Igartua.

Maverick Public Relations is located at 212 W. 10^th in the Stutz Business Center in downtown Indianapolis. This award winning, full-service firm creates campaigns to suit each client’s needs involving brand development and management, writing and editing, integrated marketing communications, crisis communications, special events, social media, media buying, web development and SEO in Hamilton County and Indianapolis, Ind. For more information, visit www.maverickpublicrelations.com, Maverick PR on Facebook, @MavPR on Twitter.

Mixing, mingling, and mindset shifting Forum benefits Prevail, Inc.

Mark your calendar for Thursday, June 14! This Key4Women Forum focuses on utilizing social media. The $25 registration fee will benefit Prevail Inc., a nonprofit organization that advocates for crime victims and their families. Learn about getting your message out, network with other women and support Prevail’s work. A true win-win-win!

Client spotlight: Prevail, Inc.

You are invited to attend  “Criminal Justice Odyssey 2012,” in observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, next Thursday, April 26 from 4 to 7 p.m. This free event will be held at Prevail’s office, 1100 S. 9^th Street, Noblesville. This year’s theme for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is “Extending the Vision, Reaching Every Victim.”

Community partners will be onsite offering information related to law enforcement, medical and criminal justice services. Enjoy tours, light refreshments and one lucky winner will receive a door prize. Contact Prevail, Inc. at (317) 773-6942 or visit http://www.prevailinc.com for more information.

In other Prevail news, last month, Tri Kappa Epsilon hosted its annual Cruisin’ for a Cause purse auction at the Bridgewater Clubhouse in Carmel. Almost 200 people attended the event and proceeds totaling $8,138 will benefit Prevail’s programs and client services. Congratulations to Tri Kappa Epsilon on hosting such a successful, fun event!

Attendees enjoyed a competitive and exciting auction that included purses filled with gift certificates, theater tickets, beauty items, sports memorabilia and more.

Client Spotlight: Prevail, Inc.

Our client, Prevail Inc., will host an open house, “Criminal Justice Odyssey 2012,” in observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week on Thursday, April 26 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Prevail, Inc., 1100 S. 9^th Street, Noblesville, Ind.  This year’s theme for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is “Extending the Vision, Reaching Every Victim.”

The open house is free-of-charge and will include tours of Prevail, Inc. Community partners will offer information related to law enforcement, medical and criminal justice services. Light refreshments will be provided, and one lucky winner will receive a door prize!

For more information about Criminal Justice Odyssey 2012, please contact Prevail, Inc. at (317) 773-6942 or visit http://www.prevailinc.com.

Prevail recently hosted “Spring into Fashion” Wednesday, March 14 at Woodland Country Club in Carmel, Ind. Fashions were provided by Lilly’s Boutique Gallery of Zionsville and event proceeds totaling $9,235 will benefit Prevail’s programs and client services!

“Spring into Fashion” included a lunch and guests were encouraged to arrive early to shop for clothing and accessories from Lilly’s. WISH TV anchor and investigative reporter Karen Hensel served as Master of Ceremonies. Prevail, Inc.’s director of community relations, Michelle Corrao, shared her devastating story as a victim of assault and rape, and discussed how services such as Prevail Inc.’s helped her, and other victims of violent crimes, find the strength to come forward and begin rebuilding her life.

Attendees enjoyed an exciting raffle that featured car wash tickets, museum passes and restaurant gift certificates, as well as other prizes, including an amethyst/diamond ring from Hofmeister Personal Jewelers and a $500 gift certificate from Smith Jewelers. Table sponsors included Crosser Family Foundation, Sally Crow, Hamilton County Leadership Academy, Riverview Hospital, Fishers Sertoma, Woodland Country Club, Smith’s Jewelers, Raymond James Holistic Wealth Advisors, Orthodynamics Company, Inc., Kaye Winings and Maverick Public Relations. Committee members included Chris Corrao, Christi Crosser, Sally Crow, Shannon Gigante, Kim Joyce, Esther Lakes, O’Dell Lakes, Kelly McVey, Carrie Renner, Gabrielle Sauce, Sharon Smith and Kaye Winings.

Danielle, The Face of MyINDY-TV; Melissa Hook, WISH-TV 8;  Michelle Corrao, Prevail, Inc. and Karen Hensel,WISH-TV 8, enjoy Prevail’s Fashion Show event at the Woodland Country Club in Carmel.

Did you attend Spring into Fashion? If so, we’d love to see your pictures from the event!

Prevail, Inc. to host great girl’s day out events!

Hey, ladies! Are you in need of a fun girl’s event? If so, we recommend two – a silent purse auction AND a fashion show! Both events will benefit our client, Prevail, Inc., a Hamilton County-based non profit organization that advocates for crime victims and families in crisis.

Tri Kappa Epsilon is hosting its annual Cruisin’ for a Cause silent purse auction on Tuesday, March 13 from 7 – 9 p.m. at the Bridgewater Clubhouse, 3535 East 161st Street, Carmel. Stunning purses filled to the brim with goodies will be available for auction. Past purses have included theater tickets, restaurant gift certificates, beauty items and sports memorabilia. Tickets are only $15!

Then, Prevail, Inc. will host “Spring into Fashion” Wednesday, March 14 beginning at 10:30 a.m. at Woodland Country Club, 100 Woodland Lane, Carmel, Ind. 46032. Fashions will be provided by Lilly’s Boutique Gallery of Zionsville! You’ll enjoy an exciting raffle that features car wash tickets, museum passes and restaurant gift certificates, as well as other prizes, including gorgeous jewelry from Smith Jewelers and Hofmeister Jewelers!

“Spring into Fashion” will include a lunch at 11:30 a.m. Make sure you arrive early to shop, though! The fashion show will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m., and WISH TV anchor and investigative reporter, Karen Hensel, will serve as Master of Ceremonies. Prevail, Inc.’s Director of Community Relations, Michelle Corrao, will share her powerful story.

The cost to attend is $45 per person, or $400 for a table of eight. Reservations are recommended as seating is limited and the registration deadline is March 7. To register for either event, call the Prevail Office at 317-773-6942 or visit http://prevailinc.com and click the ‘donate now’ button, and indicate which event(s) you are registering for in the comments section.

Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping participates in the 2012 Indiana Flower and Patio Show

Spring is right around the corner, and we definitely have landscaping on our minds. If your gardens and flower beds look the same year after year, you should visit this year’s Indiana Flower & Patio Show!  Our client, Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping, is participating in the 54^th annual Indiana Flower & Patio Show, held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds’ West Pavilion, Saturday, March 10 through Sunday, March 18. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

The Indiana Flower and Patio Show will feature more than 40 dazzling showcase and exhibitor feature gardens, more than 400 outdoor living experts, one-of-a-kind displays that depict the latest landscaping trends and dozens of educational programs – all in over 171,000 square feet of the State Fairgrounds’ West Pavilion & Expo Hall.

This year’s theme is “Let Us Entertain You!” and each garden will feature a specific event. Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping’s garden theme is “Earth Day.” The entire garden will be earth-friendly, including edible landscaping. A carport with a green roof will house an electric car, and a rain barrel will be employed to take water off the roof and send overflow into the rain garden.

Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping designers and key staff will be onsite throughout the entire show. You can register for consultations at their booth, talk one-on-one with an expert or even bring pictures of challenging landscape areas!

You don’t want to miss the Indiana Flower and Patio Show this year. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $12; children 12 and under are free.

Are you planning to do anything new in your landscape beds or gardens this season? If so, share your plans with us. We’d love to hear from you!

What’s the buzz on Google+?

Meh, we know – you’re already over it. And maybe, you just don’t like it period. However, you should still consider using it, and here’s why: search engine optimization, also known as, the Google algorithm. This finicky monster is not something you want to ignore. Google+ feeds the food he wants – and no other platform including Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, even come close to delivering results like Google +.  According to PR Daily, there a quite a few ways to optimize your page for search engine optimization, including verifying your page with Google, adding a carefully crafted tagline, writing a complete introduction and adding recommended links to major sections of your website. Easy enough, right?

So, even if you’re not overly fond of it, it is still a worthwhile tool to consider. You may not get the valuable conversation you crave, and you may see the same network of people as those on your Twitter lists, but, you’ll never get the same search engine power from any other source. Quora agrees with the tight integration the platform has to other Google products, including searches.

Any social media platform takes time and energy, so it’s important to put forth an effort to receive any substantial benefits. But if you do, you will see results. And isn’t that what we all really want?

Now that you know our thoughts, let us know what YOU think of Google+ and how it’s working for you.

Social media tool to watch – Pinterest

We’ve all heard about social media trends that will gain traction and the giants that won’t budge in 2012. So, we wanted to weigh in and give MavFans our opinion. Here is a fast-growing platform that seems to have taken hold: Pinterest.

Is “Pin It” the new “like?” No one knows for sure, but one thing we do know – Pinterest has exploded into the social media scene. According to a recent Women in PR blog post, nearly 3.3 million users have opted in during a relatively short period of time, and the visual social discovery network consists of 70% female users that are highly engaged. It looks like Pinterest is here to stay. With that amount of traffic, you would possibly be doing your business an injustice by not at least exploring the site, and you’ll be missing out yourself. Who doesn’t want to jump into a world of gorgeous pictures, home décor ideas, DIY tips and style trends? We heard many people declare themselves addicted and devoted to their beloved boards, but how do businesses fit in?

It’s all about brand building. And, there are quite a few ways to leverage your brand on Pinterest. Two of the most viable tips we’ve heard include using a daily theme for your pins and strategically following heavy hitters. Daily themed pins often lead to repeat visitors, so come up with a catchy theme for your images and watch the pinners start flooding in. Following the heavy hitters means targeting those who have already established themselves on Pinterest. Similar to Twitter, your aim is to encourage the heavy hitters to follow you back, because along with them, usually comes their large fan base.

According to PR Daily, four types of businesses that would likely benefit from exposure on Pinterest are small businesses, marketing agencies, journalists and media, and corporate branding companies. These businesses should think creatively and pin pictures of their work, breaking news, new trends or innovative ideas.

Whole Foods is an excellent example of a business taking advantage of the visual boards on Pinterest. The grocer chain is a Mecca of healthy living and has created boards that reflect its holistic image. The company doesn’t use the tool solely to promote food items; rather you’ll find boards dedicated to gorgeous gardens with fresh vegetables, images of recycling and even green kitchens. Whole Foods is a great company to look to when making the jump to Pinterest.

Gap is another company utilizing this social media tool. The corporate giant uses unique boards to pique interest from its customers, rather than just posting products. For example, Gap’s ‘wintry’ board features a collection of pictures of snow and icicles, intermingled with pictures of its signature puffer jackets. Without using traditional advertising techniques, the user pictures himself/herself in a winter wonderland outfitted in Gap clothing. Brilliant!

As you can see, Pinterest is not about being overly ‘sales-y’; it’s about creating a lifestyle that promotes your product. With that in mind, the sky is the limit – so get pinning!

Are you active on Pinterest? If so, please provide your Pinterest URL below and share your favorite use for boards!

Are Contract Employees More Productive

We are delighted to once again have Robby Slaughter of Slaughter Development, a business process improvement consulting firm, as our guest blogger. Robby, the floor is yours!

The conventional wisdom is that contract employees are like mercenaries: they are there for the money, not the cause. But a column published last year in ABC News offers an alternate perspective:

In the decade-plus I’ve worked as a contract employee and freelancer, I’ve encountered many temps who agree that contract work has its undeniable perks. Between the autonomy, flexibility and variety, many of the nation’s 10.3 million independent contractors have no intention of returning to staff work any time soon…

Why on earth would millions of people who have limited job security want to keep it that way? Author Michelle Goodman explains:

Ask a contract worker what they like most about their lack of employee status and among their top reasons you’ll likely hear include “It gives me more control over my schedule,” “I have more time to travel/raise my kids/work on launching my own business” or “My work/life balance is through the roof.”

It’s easy to get distracted in this discussion. On the one hand, contractors and employees couldn’t be more different. They are classified differently under tax laws. Contractors are typically exempt from benefits, and employees typically have a higher status in the organization. Contractors tend to get called in to work on a particular project until it’s done, but employees are hired on a permanent basis.

On the other hand, every job is a contract job. When you’re a full time employee, you work under an employment contract. This might be an implied contract or a written job description. It might be a verbal understanding that gets reiterated in periodic reviews. In the case of a sales role, your work contract might be your commission structure. In essence, the contract is: work and you get paid, don’t work and you need to get out.

This brings me to the ultimate question for small business owners. Who is more productive: salaried employees or contract workers? The answer is not quite as simple as the question. It’s not the classification that forecasts individual productivity, but rather the clarity with which work is defined.

In this regard, contractors may have a slight edge. Usually a contractor is hired to complete specific tasks. The act of writing down those expectiations offers a tremendous advantage over someone who is just bringing on “extra help.” On the contrary, it’s the “other duties as assigned” category which drives employees nuts. You might have joined the firm as a copywriter, a production manager or a bookkeeper, but when you’re getting coffee and dropping off dry cleaning you no longer feel like you are part of the team.

In any organization, productivity and satisfaction are inextricably linked. People who work hard and achieve their goals feel good about their accomplishments. But if you have not precisely defined those goals, every day is a little mushy. There’s no sense of forward progress and no sense of personal achievement.

In summary, we can’t say conclusively that contractors are more productive than salaried employees. But we can say that contracts themselves—written descriptions of work, expectations and compensations—are the foundation of productivity. Your accountant may be the best person to decide how to classify people who work for you. But no matter what the tax code says, clarity is key to a happy, effective team.

Dr. Judi Campbell presented with 2011 Legacy Fund Living Legacy award

The Legacy Fund, an affiliate of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, awarded Dr. Judi Campbell with its Living Legacy Award during the third annual Celebration of Philanthropy Thursday, November 10, 2011 at the Ritz Charles in Carmel, IN. The Celebration of Philanthropy was launched in 2009 to coincide with National Philanthropy Day, observed this year on Tuesday, November 15. More than 400 attendees enjoyed an evening that included a Not-for-Profit Showcase, highlighting nearly 50 of Hamilton County’s not-for-profit organizations, along with dinner and a program featuring emcee Mike Ahern, former anchor for WISH-TV’s 24-Hour News 8.The Celebration of Philanthropy’s Living Legacy Award is presented to salute the selflessness and tireless dedication of those who profoundly impact the quality of life and fabric of Hamilton County. Past Living Legacy award winners include the Beck family and the Crosser family.

“Giving back is something that’s just always been a part of my family, something my parents and grandparents just did,” said Judi Campbell. “You don’t have to have a penny in your pocket to be a philanthropist. You just need the energy to do something, and to care about other people.”

“Families like the Campbell’s are the connectors that help pull it all together and make the community work,” said Legacy Fund President Terry Anker. “Judi Campbell would tell you that every person can do something, and she’s right.”

Campbell was a driving force and original donor for Chaucie’s Place, in Carmel, IN. Named for Chaucie Quillen, a former patient of Campbell’s who committed suicide in 1995 following years of child abuse, Chaucie’s Place has made it easier for children to report abuse by bringing law enforcement and related officials to the center to conduct one interview rather than several. More than 2,600 interviews have been conducted in the center’s first 10 years.

Campbell, along with her husband Bob (deceased, 2004), helped make Coxhall Gardens and Strawtown Koteewi Park possible, and she remains an advocate of the Hamilton County Parks system. Campbell currently serves on the Hamilton County Parks Board and is president of its charitable foundation, Friends of Hamilton County Parks.

Through the Celebration of Philanthropy event, Legacy Fund inspires and raises awareness about philanthropy in Hamilton County.  Donors can get more involved in philanthropy by establishing their own charitable funds for as little as $25,000 through Legacy Fund. Legacy Fund, a public charity and an affiliate of the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), serves Hamilton County by administering charitable funds, foundations, and organizational endowments for individuals, families and not-for-profit entities. Established in 1991, Legacy Fund’s mission is to inspire philanthropy by helping people enhance their family and charitable legacies as part of their comprehensive financial plan. Legacy Fund has three main priorities: consult with donors, family foundations and professional advisors on charitable giving; award grants; and provide leadership to address community needs. For more information about Legacy Fund, visit www.legacy-fund.org or call 631-6542 x 350.