by Katrina Hook - As the world changes, communicating effectively requires empathy and understanding. Communications strategist Arlene Amitirigala is a film believer that mindfulness, self-awareness, and listening are the keys to compassion.

by Sophia Pasquariello - Meet Bill, a longtime member and leader within IABC Philadelphia, whose dedication to the organization has helped shape its success over the years. Whether serving as chapter president, mentoring fellow communicators, or contributing to key projects, Bill has been a key figure in ensuring the chapter remains a valuable resource for communication professionals.

by Sophia Pasquariello - In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become an all-too-familiar companion. But what if there was a way to manage stress, understand it, and transform how we deal with it?

By Diane Streleckis - Technology has transformed how people work from interacting more via video calls and chat (even when we’re in the same office) to having generative artificial intelligence (AI) as an assistant or even a co-worker. How has all this technology affected the human need to connect with others who can help us develop as professionals?

by Sophia Pasquariello -  Amy Ashmen, a dedicated IABC Philadelphia board member, currently serves as the national director of communications at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health.

by Sophia Pasquariello - Everyone wants to deliver presentations that make an impact. However, even the most experienced speakers can find themselves questioning their effectiveness. Communication professionals face an additional challenge, as they’re often in the role of advising others on presenting rather than presenting themselves. Presentation expert Meridith Grundei, founder of Grundei Coaching, has insights on bridging the gap and turning good presentations into unforgettable ones.

IABC Philadelphia's president, Rick Alcantara, discusses public relations, professional development, AI and more in the October issue of South Jersey Magazine. "His number 1 piece of advice for companies looking to communicate effectively in today's landscape is to 'walk the walk.' In other words, don't just recite certain platitudes, but actually back them up by conducting business in an ethical manner."

by Diane Streleckis - Ask a communication professional the ultimate goal of any message and they’ll likely say creating trust. Former two-star Navy Admiral and current Fortune 100 aerospace company VP Mike Manazir agrees. 

“Effective leadership is founded on trust,” he said. “Communication portrays that trust.” Most importantly, he noted, people follow those that they trust.

Mark your calendar for January 23 when the Marcom Super Meetup returns to Philadelphia. The third annual networking event will be open to members of several Philadelphia-area PR, marketing and advertising associations, including IABC, PRSA, Philly Ad Club, PPRA, AMA and others. Details will be coming in the next few weeks.

By Diane Streleckis - This highly charged election cycle can be particularly fraught for communication professionals. Leaders often want to share their policy perspectives or feel pressured to do so by expectant employees or stakeholders. But the risks to the company’s public perception, as well as a leader’s individually, can be high if a message goes awry.

Renew your IABC dues in October for a chance to receive complimentary registration to Alex Sevigny's AI Master Class, Part 2. You'll also receive access to Part 1.

Renew here.

The new IABC International website is live. It's colorful, easy to navigate, and loaded with professional development resources. The homepage lists IABC events from around the globe. www.iabc.com

By Diane Streleckis - The nature of politics means politicians are used to being interviewed on video. But just because they do it often doesn’t mean they’re immune from common missteps. Kerry Barrett, founder of media-training firm Kerry Barrett Consulting. and an Emmy-winning broadcast journalist, shared four anecdotes highlighting what communication professionals can look out for, whether they’re on camera or advising business leaders and colleagues.

Our August 6 masterclass on prompt writing for communication professionals drew several live attendees and 33 virtual guests. The online participants hailed from California, D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Edmonton, Canada.

Greg Matusky, CEO of Gregory FCA. delivered the engaging and informative presentation from his company's office in Ardmore, PA.

IABC Philadelphia Programming Committee Chair Daniel Paulling earned his CMP certification from the Global Communication Certification Council, the only person to do so at the IABC World Conference in June. He joins Rashi Iyer, IABC Philadelphia's accreditation/certification chair, as the only active chapter members to have been certified.

IABC Philly received the 2024 chapter management award for professional development from IABC International. The award, presented at the association's recent World Conference in Chicago, "recognizes the leadership, management, creativity and teamwork of IABC chapter leaders." 

In the July/Aug issue of Philly Ad News, Rick Alcantara, president of IABC Philadelphia, discusses the organization's role in delivering professional development opportunities to communications pros.

Diane Streleckis is a writer and content strategist dedicated to using the power of words for good. Her mission is to understand what makes people tick and then share practical ideas to help support their needs and concerns. She’s applied this mission mindset across industries for more than 30 years.

By Diane Streleckis - It’s no secret that internal communications these days faces enormous challenges. In 2024, employee trust in their employers barely exceeds 50%, a drop of nine percentage points from 2023, according to the Edelman Trust Index. Employees expressed uncertainty about their leaders’ ability to provide a workplace where they can thrive or even remain employed.

By Diane Streleckis - Emails are the workhorses of marketing. Statista estimated that more than 347 billion emails were sent every day in 2022—and that number has only increased. Meanwhile, HubSpot research found that most marketers reported an average email open rate of 46-50% and average email clickthrough rate of 2.6-3%.