Strategic Communications

We always ask our current and prospective clients “If you could read your ideal news story in your top priority news outlet, what and where would it be?” Some of them don't have a specific answer, but some have a very specific vision. ?? And when they do, our team tries our hardest to make that wish come true! That’s exactly what happened with our client Rock Property Management Company. President Patrick Rock is an avid listener of NPR, and told us it would be “a dream come true” to be interviewed on a local NPR affiliate. So, our Director of Public Relations Alice Maggiore made it happen! ?? Thank you Dr. Chris A. Bolt Ed.D. and WAER for featuring Rock PMC’s innovative project on the Deeper Shade of Green podcast. ?? Listen here: https://lnkd.in/eUFqtHGb

Five years of virtual media training has taught us a lot — how to engage participants through chats and polls, how to coach body language through a screen, and how to help spokespeople make any topic engaging over Zoom. But nothing beats the energy of being back in person, looking around the room, and seeing those “aha” moments happen in real time! ?? Crystal DeStefano, APR and Alice Maggiore recently led our first in-person media training since the pandemic, and it felt great to be back in a classroom – picking up on subtle queues, taking deeper dives with participants’ questions, engaging multiple attendees in group discussions, and being able to provide more interactive demonstrations. ??♀? We especially love the personal connections that happen in person and turn into memorable ‘inside jokes’ between our team and the attendees! We always say media training should be a positive experience: helpful AND fun. Even after 20 years, it never gets old to hear participants tell us afterward what they learned and how much they enjoyed it! That’s when we know we’ve done our job. ?? With virtual and in-person training options available, the “best” option really depends on what each group needs and prefers. Both settings are effective and so much fun!??? QUESTION: Which learning environment do you find is best for you? #PR #PublicRelations #News #Media #MediaTraining #ProfessionalDevelopment #Business #Strategy #Communications #Syracuse #CNY

AI is great... until it's not. While preparing the AI workshop she led for dozens of communicators across NYS earlier this week, Kelly C. Gaggin, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA noticed that Microsoft Copilot automatically turned on transcription for captions in her PowerPoint.? ? Cool, right? Especially helpful in broadening accessibility for those who might need it. But she noticed Microsoft was censoring certain words as part of its default settings without any notification. Then the transcription just stopped on its own halfway through the presentation. Not cool, and certainly not helpful for those who rely on it and would end up missing parts of the conversation if they don’t know how to change that default setting.? ? Even with years of experience in AI (and communications, and education, and DEI), everyone – including us, and apparently Microsoft – is still learning how these tools can be helpful and where they still fall short.? ? So, Kelly (forever the educator!) turned this into a teachable moment that prompted really important discussion. In fact, during this THREE-HOUR workshop, there was so much active conversation, Kelly didn't even get through all of the examples and activities that she had planned!? ? She helped the group work through real-world examples, live demos, and honest discussion about what works, what’s just hype, and what's a real problem. Even the vendors at the conference were interested and got involved in conversations with Kelly about how AI can help them!? ? We love opportunities like this, where we're sharing our knowledge, being part of active discussions that advance the industry, and learning new things at the same time. ?? #PR #PublicRelations #Communications #AI #Business #Strategy

One of the things we love most about our work is how relationships naturally evolve. When we worked with Rock Property Management Company last year to share a first-of-its kind initiative, TKFabricate was a significant partner in that project—which meant founder Tom King got a firsthand look at how we approach PR and storytelling. Fast forward ? and we’re now helping TKFabricate telling THEIR story! (With a special shout out to our Director of Public Relations Alice Maggiore’s expertise from her time as a TV News Producer to help set up the perfect story and get the perfect shots! ??) Last week, Tom King’s behind-the-scenes interview with Brandon Roth debuted on CNYCentral WSTM NBC3, WTVH CBS5 & CW6. It’s always rewarding to see a great story come to life, but even more so when it starts with a simple connection. Check out the segment here ?? https://lnkd.in/e5gRJ6Vs. It’s a great glimpse into what makes TKF’s business – and the CNY region – so special. ??

Most of you know that we focus on working with CNY-based organizations, but did you know some of our CNY clients have a presence throughout the Northeast? That means we work across Upstate NY and throughout New England. To help ensure we're still delivering our trademark local insights, our team member Jennifer Zingsheim Phillips is strategically located in New England. ???? ? Jen's been a consultant for Strategic Communications since 2018. Her local perspectives and "finger on the pulse" are incredibly valuable to our clients. But in this primarily virtual world, in person events and meetings have become less frequent. That's why our team was so excited to have Jen back in Syracuse with us this week! ? If you've worked with Jen, drop a note below to say hi! ???? And if you haven't worked with her yet, now you know more about our team's expertise and reach. ?? ??: Alice Maggiore, Jennifer Zingsheim Phillips, Kelly C. Gaggin, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, Crystal DeStefano, APR #PR #PublicRelations #Communications #Business #Strategy #Team #CNY #Syracuse

“The reward for winning is that we get to play another game.” ?? We loved hearing that powerful quote from Robert M. Simpson at this morning’s CenterState CEO Economic Forecast Breakfast! We just wrapped our 20th anniversary as a company, and as we look at our own “forecast” for 2025, we are inspired not only by Rob’s message today, but by the close partnership we’ve had with Rob and the entire team at Centerstate CEO since its origin 15 years ago. Our company president Crystal DeStefano, APR, and her predecessor, our company’s founder Michael Meath, remember those early conversations when the Syracuse Area Chamber of Commerce and the Metropolitan Development Association (MDA) were first considering joining forces to create this new powerhouse. And, wow, was Rob Simpson the right choice to lead this new entity! Every year, at every Centerstate event, Rob gives our community hope, motivation, and concrete direction for a positive path forward. ?? As a team of storytellers here at Strategic Communications, there isn’t a better spokesperson you could wish for! Just like we tell our clients and we hear from our media friends, every story needs a compelling character (or several). As we all look ahead to 2025 and beyond, the message this morning was clear: For the businesses that are already here in CNY, you need to make sure you’re demonstrating that you’re still here and ready to serve our community. And for the new organizations moving to our area, you need clear messaging that tells us who you are and appeals to our unique community. Our Director of Public Relations Alice Maggiore wrote about this recently. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/e5Xdn56X #PublicRelations #StrategicCommunications #Strategy #Business #Growth #Leadership #Syracuse #CNY

Our very own Director of Public Relations Alice Maggiore, along with our long-time colleague and friend Amy Doonan Cronin, APR (she/her), did such a fantastic job planning and leading the PRSA Northeast District Regional Conference last year that they've been appointed co-presidents to lead the PRSA Central New York Chapter this year! ?? These two veteran communicators quickly “clicked” while serving on the PRSA-CNY Chapter Board and found a strong partnership while they co-chaired the 2024 PRSA Northeast District Conference – which brought over 150 PR professionals to Syracuse! Both Alice’s and Amy’s efforts planning the conference, and Alice’s *incredible* job as emcee and host of the conference, showcased their ability to lead, inspire, and deliver results. Please give us a moment while we practice our “surprised face”… because it’s no surprise at all that they’ve been tapped to guide the CNY Chapter into a new year of success! ?? Alice’s leadership, creativity, collaborative spirit, and dedication to the field of public relations make her an incredible asset to both Strategic Communications and PRSA-CNY. We’re so proud to see her expertise recognized in this meaningful way. The news was announced in a message to Chapter members earlier today and published on the PRSA-CNY website: https://lnkd.in/egPK98ZB Please join us in congratulating Alice and Amy as they take on this exciting new role! ??

Our company president Crystal DeStefano, APR shared a personal year-end message with her followers earlier this week (https://lnkd.in/eJka3nSs). We’re grateful for her leadership and lessons learned as we reflect back on 2024. What were some of the important lessons you learned this year? We want to hear your advice, observations, and perspectives in the comments below! ?? One of the things we love about the culture among our team is that we can be open, honest, and vulnerable - which is especially evident in Crystal's message. ?? This year was tough for a lot of people. Our team was proud to be able to support each other, in addition to supporting our clients, through some really unexpected challenges. We’re going to take some time for R&R over the next couple of weeks, and come back stronger than ever in 2025!

When your family moves to a different state and you walk into a high school as the new kid, you’re definitely not thinking about whether any of these other students will be in your life 25 years later… let alone the impact that you might be able to make together. But that’s the true story behind this latest news from our client Rock Property Management Company! ?? Our company president Crystal DeStefano, APR met Rock PMC owner Patrick Rock on her first day as the “new kid” at Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse more than 25 years ago, and they’ve been friends ever since. This has led to several opportunities for Crystal and the Strategic Communications team to provide PR and communications support to Pat’s local family-owned affordable housing and senior living communities in CNY – including their latest initiative that’s established a model for other buildings to follow when it comes to sustainability in New York State! ?? Thank you to syracuse.com and the Central New York Business Journal for highlighting this first-of-its kind energy efficiency project, happening right here in CNY! ?? And thank you to Pat for sitting down next to the new kid on the bus that first day of school ?? ?? Check it out: https://lnkd.in/dUD2UGqJ and https://lnkd.in/eb2e9sU4 #PR #PublicRelations #Communications #Syracuse #CNY #Business #Strategy #News #NYS #Energy #Sustainability #BestFriends

As AI continues to transform how we work ?? it was both refreshing and vital to see this year’s PRSA Northeast District PRxNE conference shift the focus back to where it belongs: the human element that drives all successful public relations strategies. Here are just three examples heard throughout the day: 1. Keynote Speaker (David Sommerstein, North Country Public Radio News Director): “Our stories need PEOPLE. Yes, relevancy and timeliness are important. But we need a human component.” ?? 2. First Breakout Session (Robin Schell and Stacey Smith, APR, Fellow PRSA): “To use AI successfully, we first need to understand HUMAN behavior. AI’s effectiveness depends on our ability to decode what drives human decision-making.” ?? 3. Second Breakout Session (Anthony D'Angelo and Kelly Vann): “AI can replicate human voices, images, and videos in realistic deep fakes and distribute to thousands of people in 10 seconds. How are you, as humans, prepared to deal with this and ensure your audiences know what is a real person vs what’s fake?” ?? You get the idea. But our favorite “human story” of this conference was the amazing planning and leadership from our very own Director of Public Relations, Alice Maggiore, and her team of volunteers from across the Northeast region!?Her dedication ensured every session, speaker, and attendee experience reflected the professional excellence our industry demands. This event was an important reminder that while AI is reshaping our tools, it is our humanity that must continue to shape the stories we tell. Thank you to everyone who made it happen! ??: Kelly C. Gaggin, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, Alice Maggiore, and Crystal DeStefano, APR