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MMI - Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations
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Communicating In A Tech-savvy World

– 20 Do's And Don'ts We've Learned Over 20 Years About Communicating To The Public –

HOUSTON (April 20, 2006) – Never has a society been able to communicate as easily as it does today. News spreads instantly and internationally with the click of a button. The latest gizmos and gadgets allow us the luxury of staying easily connected anywhere, anytime, with anyone. However, our capacity for communication does not guarantee quality communication.

Although technology has changed our communication landscape through its various media streams, what should remain the same is how we communicate. Throughout the past 20 years, MMI has partnered with many clients to assist them with communication efforts. Based on these experiences, here's a list of proven, tried-and-true tactics to keep in mind when communicating with the public.

  1. Know your audience.
  2. Always tell the truth (and never lie).
  3. Provide the 5W's (who, what, where, when, why).
  4. Enliven dry topics with examples, quotes, anecdotes, "real-life" stories.
  5. Include pricing and availability information (if applicable).
  6. Include contact information for questions or more information.
  7. Make certain it's clear what you want people to do as a result of seeing your message (include a call to action).
  8. Be specific and consistent.
  9. Be concise (don't ramble).
  10. Write it well and/or speak it clearly.
  11. Make all communication "scan-able" because people seldom have time to read 100 percent of anything.
  12. Don't use professional jargon.
  13. Anticipate questions and know the answers.
  14. Fact-check everything; names, titles, phone numbers, dates, etc.
  15. Provide compelling visuals.
  16. Do your homework.
  17. Back up your claims with reliable testimonials.
  18. Be positive and enthusiastic.
  19. Respond quickly.
  20. Have a least three people proofread anything you send out.

Year-Long Platinum Anniversary Celebrations Continue

MMI continues to celebrate its 20th anniversary by hosting an event on the 20th of each month in 2006. Following March's crawfish boil, MMI will treat its employees to an ice cream bash on April 20. Employees will select from an assortment of ice cream flavors and toppings to create their most unique sundae – the winners will receive various prizes.

About Marion, Montgomery Inc.

Celebrating 20 years of providing clients with unquestionable value, Houston-based Marion, Montgomery, Inc. is an award-winning, full-service marketing, advertising and public relations firm that provides clients with strategic marketing plans; market research; creative development; media planning and buying services; media relations; internal communications; community and public relations; special events; Web site construction; and interactive/new media products and strategies. MMI serves business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients from numerous industries, including automotive, financial services, health care, hospitality, industrial gas, insurance, legal, oil and gas, real estate, retail companies and more.