Arhlene Flowers

Professor, Strategic Communication
School: Roy H. Park School of Communications

Areas of Expertise

Strategic Marketing, Communications and Public Relations Campaigns

  • Creation of strategic communications plans with clear action plans and timetables
  • Short- and long-term planning that mirrors a company’s business strategies
  • Branding that helps an organization become synonymous with values that are important to the public and its target audiences
  • Solutions to breathe new life into existing products and services, and to maintain customer loyalty and reach new customers
  • Business-to-business and business-to-consumer campaigns, reaching different lifestyles, age groups and geographic markets
  • Strong understanding of the global marketplace with a track record in supervising campaigns on six continents
  • Budgeting of campaigns for both staff fees and out-of-pocket expenditures
  • Analysis and incorporation of findings from market research and focus groups
  • Measurement and evaluation of results
  • Merchandising of results to employees, the sales field, prospective customers and other influential parties

Media Relations and Social Media  

  • Development of message platforms that differentiate products or services
  • Proactive media outreach based on story angle development, with thorough follow up
  • Analysis of lifestyle trends and research of interest to the media
  • Knowledge of print and electronic media, covering consumer, business and trade outlets
  • Creation of a comprehensive media list, beyond the “usual suspects”
  • Expertly crafted press kits and news releases
  • Editorial briefings and media tours
  • Development of visual libraries of photography and video
  • Ongoing news bureau operations
  • Online newsrooms
  • Business applications for blogs and social media

Writing, Design and Production

  • PR proposals
  • News materials – pitches, media alerts, news releases and press kits
  • Speechwriting
  • Audiovisual presentations
  • Newsletters
  • Brochures
  • Direct mail
  • Website copy
  • Entries for awards
  • Sales letters
  • By-lined articles
  • Op-eds and letters to the editor
  • Advertorials
  • Public service announcements
  • Internal communications
  • Sales promotional items and giveaways

Special Events

  • Press conferences
  • Media tours
  • Media receptions
  • Consumer events – public venues, retail events, civic and society events
  • Community relations and charities
  • Business-to-business events
  • Trade show support
  • Speaking platforms
  • Lectures, workshops, seminars and panel discussions

 Press Trips and Individual Visits

  • Targeted selection of productive media participants
  • Liaison with potential partners, including tourist boards, airlines, transportation companies, hotel companies and other organizations
  • Development of itineraries
  • Escorting and trouble-shooting
  • Liaison with participants to build stories
  • Photo shoots
  • On-location filming
  • Coordination of original TV programs 

Professional Training    

  • Private consulting and group workshops with in-house PR staff to help them perform at peak level
  • Training workshops with trade groups to educate them on the power of marketing and public relations
  • Conferences and workshops for public relations, marketing and sales professionals
  • Media training for executives

Crisis Communications  

  • Planning to protect a company’s image, whether the crisis is manmade or a natural disaster
  • Implementation of crisis programs, including coordination of all activities, such as press materials, website information, employee communications, news bureau operations and press briefings
  • Guidance to spokespersons to handle negative press and answer difficult questions
  • Crisis training simulations and workshops with both the private and public sectors 

Promotions   

  • Cooperative promotions with complementary, non-competitive organizations to help defray costs and build awareness
  • Promotions with malls and retailers
  • Web, TV, radio and magazine promotions

Creation of New Products and Services

  • Pricing strategies and competitive analysis
  • Initiatives to influence public opinion, reach new markets and jump-start sales

Employee Communications    

  • Written and audiovisual materials to inspire employees and encourage retainment
  • Media relations campaigns to position a company as the “employer of choice” to existing employees and to attract the best in the business

Supervision of In-House and Agency Staff 

  • Employee reviews and mentoring for the staff to solve problems, determine priorities, strengthen and improve skills, and provide guidance for career growth
  • Management of public relations and advertising agencies, market research firms, graphic designers and interactive specialists (website design, maintenance and marketing)
  • Coordination of projects with in-house marketing department