<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[River Rock Communications - News]]></title><description><![CDATA[Articles]]></description><link>http://www.riverrockcom.com/News/</link><copyright><![CDATA[Copyright River Rock Communications - News]]></copyright><generator>sNews CMS</generator><item><title><![CDATA[Now&#039;s the Right Time for PR]]></title><description><![CDATA[  You’ve reexamined your forecast, reassessed
spending, and are closely following business news to
be able to chart the unknown waters of the 2009 economy.
Have you thought about your messaging? If
you haven’t, you could be seriously out of touch with
your customers. Our world has changed in the past
months. The way we communicate and market to current
and potential customers needs a major overhaul.  
  Last year’s advertising, marketing and public
relations messages simply won’t work. Unless you
are one of the companies that saw the storm clouds
on the horizon and repositioned your messaging…
think Walmart’s “Save Money, Live Better.” Now is
the time to rethink your company’s communication/
marketing messaging and plan.  
  Michael Cunningham, a physiologist and professor
at the University of Louisville states that “people
are influenced by the times.” Position your brand as
an ally to customers. Not a dark approach touting the
problems of the economy, but one which positions
your company as a partner that can help. According
to some of the best Madison Avenue thinking, there is
a yearning for an emotional connection from customers.
Business will need to be authentic and customercentric
in today’s economic climate.  
  Reshape the message. Do not slash the price.
That doesn’t mean do away with strategic sales to
stimulate traffic. It certainly doesn’t mean to cut the
quality of your product. Now is the time to showcase
your company’s value in the marketplace.  
  Research your competitors and be sure to target
your audience. Concentrate your direct marketing
and communications dollars to the media that directly
reaches your current and potential customers. This
is not new strategy; it is a call for discipline. Focus
your company’s energies where it will result in the
greatest return on investments.  
  New media offers opportunity for free marketing.
Are Facebook and YouTube right for your company?
Think again if you believe social media are strictly
for reaching a younger demographic. According to the
Pew Research Center last year, for the first time, more
Americans said they received most of their national
and international news from the Internet. And 50%
of YouTube viewers are over 50. Cross-channel,
focused marketing is not the future; it is the best way
to communicate with your customers now.  
  If you have strong marketing resources and the
financial wherewithal, it might be the right time to
actually increase spending for obtaining those new
customers. As for your current, loyal base of customers,
this is an opportune time to get new customers
via personal endorsements and word of mouth. Are
there strategic partnerships you can form with them
to bring in new clients? Get rid of objections about
spending and focus on your clients’ entire experience
with your company.  
  I encourage you to be expansive in your thinking
and sensitive to your customer needs, two strategies
worth considering in these interesting times.  
    This article was featured in the Pocono Business Journal in March 2009. For more on the Pocono Business Journal, visit   their website    .  ]]></description><pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:33:17 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.riverrockcom.com/News/home/nows-the-right-time-for-pr/</link><guid>http://www.riverrockcom.com/News/home/nows-the-right-time-for-pr/</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[When Bad Things Happen to Good Companies]]></title><description><![CDATA[  Your neighbor mentions it and so do your kids, your employees 
   and even your customers. The 
   old adage, &ldquo;all publicity is good
   publicity,&rdquo; is wrong. There is in 
   fact such a thing as bad press. A 
   negative news story could affect 
   your business, your employees, 
   and even your ability to operate
   the business.  Unfortunately, bad 
   news happens even to the best 
   companies.     
   However, there is no reason to feel helpless. As with 
   other aspects of your business, reputation management 
   takes time, thought, and planning. If you have one employee or a thousand, your company needs to have a process 
   and procedure to work with the media.  
   Ideally your company should have a communications 
   plan in place with a designated and experienced employee 
   (or agency) to assist the company with media relations. 
   Senior executives should receive media training and the 
   outreach to media should be part of the overall strategic 
   plan. While this may not be possible, there are some steps 
   every company can take to improve its relationship with 
   the press.  
   The relationships you build today with the media are 
   the best defense your company has in the event of negative 
   news. If working with the media is not part of your current 
   marketing plan, you are missing one of the most economical methods of getting information about your company 
   and its products in front of key customers.     
   Make no mistake: the media has a job to do, and that is 
   to report the news.  Media opportunities abound. Managing the impact of negative news stories is possible, as long 
   as you understand the realities of working with the media and the role the media plays in getting information to the 
   public. Here are some PR tips to get you started:    
   &bull; Don&rsquo;t allow inaccurate information to remain uncorrected. If a mistake is made politely point out what was 
   wrong and then substantiate it.     
   &bull;  Take the time to get to know your primary media contacts. At the very least you should know the business 
   reporter of your hometown paper; the national trade publication covering your industry; and your local business 
   journals.    
   &bull;  Control the message. Appoint one person to be the press 
   contact person and to develop a working relationship 
   with the media.    
   &bull;  Prepare in advance for all scheduled press interviews. 
   Have your facts available, but remember that your 
   credibility and reputation depend on your honesty and
   accuracy.    
   &bull;  Understand the media conducting the interview. Newspapers allow for a more in-depth discussion, but a television story may only need you for a short sound-bite.    
   &bull;  Break the bad news yourself. Bad news travels fast. Assess your situation and know when to make it public.    
   &bull;  Don&rsquo;t say &ldquo;no comment.&rdquo; You do not have to answer 
   every question, but explain why you cannot answer the 
   question.    
   &bull;  Don&rsquo;t answer inappropriate questions.  There are times 
   because of litigation, or questions regarding an employee, when it would not be appropriate to supply information.    
   &bull;  Do not speak off the record. Don&rsquo;t say anything you 
   would not want to read in the paper the next day.   
    This article was featured in the Pocono Business Journal. For more on the Pocono Business Journal, visit   their website    .  ]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:24:00 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.riverrockcom.com/News/home/when-bad-things-happen-to-good-companies/</link><guid>http://www.riverrockcom.com/News/home/when-bad-things-happen-to-good-companies/</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Catherine Bolton named to Lackawanna College board]]></title><description><![CDATA[    This article appeared in   The Times-Tribune   business section on Sunday,  June 15th.    

  Dominick DeNaples, chairman of Lackawanna College’s board of trustees, has announced the appointment of Catherine A. Bolton, Jody G. Cordaro, Michael M. Murphy, Jack Truschel, Ed.D., Psy.D., and John P. Wiercinski to the college’s board.  

  “We are extremely fortunate to add people with such extensive experience and diverse credentials to Lackawanna College’s board,” said Mr. DeNaples. “Their presence and abundant talents will keep the college on its present path of dynamic growth and innovative expansion.”  

  Ms. Bolton is founder and a proprietor of River Rock Communication LLC. She was president and chief operating officer of the Public Relations Society of America in New York City, vice president, director of Worldwide Communication Programs for International Copper and director of corporate communications for Akzo Nobel Salt. She received her bachelor’s degree in advertising communication from Jersey City State University and has participated in executive development programs at the Harvard School of Business, the University ofPennsylvania’s Wharton School and the Akzo Nobel International School of Management.  

  Mr. Cordaro oversees the daily operations of SCE Environmental Group Inc., Belladaro Group Inc., Valkarr Rents Inc., Helicor Aviation LLC, JC Square Developers and Belladaro Realty, LP. He managed the environmental support staff for the sampling and decontamination of the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., after an anthrax attack; oversaw cleanup and decontamination work at Ground Zero at the World Trade Center and led the largest cleanup project ever completed in the Bahamas involving a 500,000-gallon oil spill. He has received special training and certifications in the areas of hazardous material operations, radiation worker requirements and damage control.  

  Mr. Murphy founded Redline Towing and Redline Leasing and serves as president and chief executive officer of both. A corporate pilot, he founded Erin Air, which povides private charter services, and created Elite Warehousing Corp. Mr. Murphy has been a member of the board of directors of Pennstar Bank, Poineer American Bank and the NBT Bank Corp. He serves on the trust, compensation and permanent loan committees at NBT Bank. He has served on the advisory boards of Johnson College and the Lackawanna County CareerCenter, which he had attended.  

  Dr. Truschel is an associate professor and director of the Academic Advising Center for Undeclared Students at East Stroudsburg University. He has served as director of sponsored research, grants, contracts and regional developmen at ESU. He is a psychological consultant and has provided educational consulting services to Lackawanna College. Dr. Truschel earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from King’s College, master’s degrees in clinical psychology and public administration from Marywood University, an Ed.D. from TempleUniversity and a Psy.D. from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.  

  Mr. Wiercinski is regional vice president for Geisinger Northeast in Wilkes-Barre. He was president and chief executive officer of Shamokin Area Community Hospital and Northumberland Health Services Inc., senior vice president of operations for Bradford Regional Medical Center and director, bureau of planning, of the state Department of Health. He served as assistant administrator of the USAF Hospital at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. He earned his bachelor’s degree in human resources at the University of Scranton and a master’s in hospital and health administration from Xavier University in Ohio.  
]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:17:59 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.riverrockcom.com/News/home/catherine-bolton-named-to-lackawanna-college-board/</link><guid>http://www.riverrockcom.com/News/home/catherine-bolton-named-to-lackawanna-college-board/</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Public Relations and Crisis Communications Firm Opens in Northeast PA]]></title><description><![CDATA[    LAKE ARIEL, Pa., February 25, 2008   -- River Rock Communications, LLC, is a newly formed public relations and crisis communications firm serving clients in northeastern and central Pennsylvania. The firm’s principals, Catherine Bolton and Mary Kay Warner, derive their expertise from providing corporate communication services to public and private companies in the New York metropolitan and northeastern Pennsylvania markets for more than 25 years.    “We believe public relations is one very effective tool, among many marketing strategies, that organizations can economically utilize to meet their business development and awareness-generating objectives,” comments Ms. Warner. “Additionally,” offers Ms. Bolton, “ organizations within the area would benefit from experienced planning and counsel in dealing with issue management and crisis communications planning. The current business climate is forcing many businesses to reexamine their planning as well as their marketing investments. We believe we are the right business, in the right place for this time. ”    River Rock Communication, located in Lake Ariel, offers a full complement of marketing and communication services in a non-retainer based environment.    Catherine Bolton has more than 30 years experience in the public relations and communications industry. Prior to returning to northeast Pennsylvania where she served as project director for Wall Street West, Ms. Bolton was president and chief operating officer for the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) where she advocated for the public relations profession and was a frequent speaker on the importance of crisis communications and planning. Ms. Bolton was instrumental in the restructuring of the 30,000 PRSA-member organization during her tenure and also was responsible for the re-branding and financial turnaround of the Society and its many related products, including the Association’s publications, The Strategist and Tactics, the PRSA website, and the organizations’ professional programming initiatives. She also was a founding board member of The Global Alliance of Communication and Public Relations. Previously, Ms. Bolton served as a vice president and director of Worldwide Communication Programs for International Copper. She also held various directorial roles at Akzo Nobel Salt, WNET Public Television, and The Princess Grace Foundation. Ms. Bolton began her PR career at Six Flags Corporation, where, as the national manager of public relations, she managed the company’s first public relations office in Manhattan and was responsible for publicity for all Six Flags properties. Ms. Bolton, a resident of Wayne County, also is an adjunct professor at Marywood University.    Mary Kay Warner’s experience providing public relations, advertising, and marketing communications services spans more than 25 years assisting clients in the communications, architectural, industrial, information technology, retail, commercial production, government, and education industries. Ms. Warner’s initial experience was derived from her 14-year association with Burson-Marsteller - New York City, where she was responsible for the development and execution of new product introductions, media relations campaigns and tours, targeted direct mail marketing, consumer loyalty programs, and special events, for multiple clients. Ms. Warner’s ability to develop copy for press releases, collateral material, and articles for industry periodicals, earned her a position as assistant editorial director at Burson-Marsteller. Subsequently, Ms. Warner was associated with Akzo Nobel Salt as corporate communications manager. Additionally Ms. Warner, a resident of Lackawanna County, provided corporate communication and business development services to Keystone College and Diversified Information Technologies.]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 19 Apr 2008 14:46:20 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.riverrockcom.com/News/home/public-relations-and-crisis-communications-firm-opens-in-northeast-pa/</link><guid>http://www.riverrockcom.com/News/home/public-relations-and-crisis-communications-firm-opens-in-northeast-pa/</guid></item></channel></rss>