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We hear it all the time:  “We’re the best-kept-secret in town. How do we help more people understand what we do?” In my experience, one of the best ways to build positive profile is to share your expertise in a way that’s truly helpful to your potential customers or clients. Recently, BC Notaries Association did just…

I had the privilege of speaking to over 500 people at Harris & Co’s annual client conference at the Vancouver Convention Centre recently about “#metoo and the Media Spotlight” along with two of Harris’ outstanding lawyers and a seasoned and savvy reporter. Among other topics, I spoke about the importance of developing and maintaining a crisis…

Maybe it’s politics, maybe a celebrity scandal, or even interest rates. Whatever the trigger, news media dominate our social media feeds and cocktail conversations. More and more organizations want to be part of those conversations, but sometimes struggle to be heard. Here are a few pro tips to help understand and break into the media…

I got an email this week reminding me that my annual corporate filing and fees are due, which means it’s Cook Public Relations’ sixth birthday. Cue the candles and balloons. I absolutely love having my own consultancy, and I’ve been really fortunate to work with a lot of really smart and fun people on interesting projects. To pay…

No one wants to think about crises. Successful executive teams are rewarded for focusing on results and strategies to achieve results, rather than what they’d do if their business and reputation were suddenly threatened. Avoiding the negative is human nature. But there are a few simple steps you can take to help prepare for a crisis now—with a…

You pride yourself on providing honest, reliable and trustworthy products or services to your clients, colleagues and community.  But did you know that you can either build or erode trust through your day-to-day communications? In our digital age, very often a person’s first impression of you is formed online. They might first ‘meet’ you on…

We’re often asked about the most important PR tools and skills an organization should put in place to support a strategic and thoughtful public relations program. While needs vary depending on the organization’s goals and resources, my response usually is a version of this: Create a Communications Plan: at minimum, every organization should have an agreed…

I wrote the article, below, for the Winter edition of the The Scrivener, published by The Society of Notaries Public of B.C. Rock and roll Tofino surf; fragrant Kamloops sagebrush; restful Prince George lake country; rugged Cariboo cowboys; lush green Haida Gwaii cedar forests: these beloved B.C. icons create an array of visual and visitor…

I wrote this article, which appears on page 38 of the Fall issue of “The Scrivener“, published by BC Notaries. It seems particularly relevant at this time of year when many organizations want to do a little something to help those less fortunate. Research has shown that people would rather be associated with companies that…

A recent trip to Europe and the opportunity to savour food, wine, culture and adventures in cities with three different languages was a very real and visceral reminder to keep the conversation as simple as possible for effective communication.  Whether we were ordering food, asking for information, or sharing an idea; simple is best. I…