It’s been a busy and very productive year for PRSA. As 2011 draws to a close, I’d like to share some of PRSA’s many highlights from the past year.
The 2011 International Conference was a resounding success, featuring prominent keynoters like journalist Soledad O’Brien and social media author Chris Brogan. Our Conference was preceded by our annual Leadership Assembly, which provided a preview of exciting new benefits for the coming year, including:
- Free Webinars with PRSA membership. As part of the approved increase in annual membership dues, PRSA will offer its entire catalogue of professional development webinars to its members — for free — starting in 2012. This represents nearly $2,000 in annual savings for members who participate in one PRSA webinar per month.
- Expanded focus on Chapter support. PRSA is developing webinars exclusively for Chapter use to create local professional development programs. That means local Chapters will be provided with customized content for their local membership.
- Loyalty programs to reward PRSA’s most-involved members. These cross-channel programs will facilitate the engagement, retention and growth of PRSA’s member base and, by improving the value proposition of PRSA membership even further, also will aid in Chapter and Section recruiting efforts.
- Launch of the PRServing America™ award program. This program will highlight the pro bono work undertaken by PRSA’s professional and student Chapters, Sections and Districts to strengthen and preserve the local communities in which they live and work.
In addition, PRSA will continue to provide robust value to members.
In the past year, our overhauled Advocacy program has championed the industry to the public. Our responses to relevant, breaking issues have been published in The Financial Times, The New York Times, USA TODAY and The Wall Street Journal among many others. PRSA will continue to advocate for the value of public relations in the minds of business leaders and the public at large.
Our revamped insurance program continues to provide members with preferred rates to GEICO for auto and Marsh U.S. Consumer for other lines of insurance. Our expanding partnerships and professional affiliations produce real savings for our members.
The new design and launch of the PRSA Jobcenter has received acclaim for its new features. PRSA is proud of being the premiere destination for employers and job-seekers in public relations and communications, receiving tens of thousands unique visitors per week.
Yet what was perhaps my most important realization throughout this year is that we are one PRSA — all of us — through our Chapters, Sections and Districts. Together, we build value as a profession that strives for excellence and relevance essential to the modern marketplace.
This is what drives us at PRSA. Please let us know how we can better serve you in the comments section below.
Rosanna M. Fiske, APR, is chair and CEO of the Public Relations Society of America.
