PC Profiles: Meet Deb Holliday

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Monday October 25, 2010 | No Comments

With several new faces added to our public relations team this season, our recent meeting in Pittsburgh presented a great opportunity for our work-at-home crew to unite in person! Not one of us shy, we quickly began sharing stories of our home and history that made the evening hilarious and worthwhile – In the coming weeks, we will introducing you to each member of the team, to give you a peek inside each of the personal and professional worlds of the 11 dynamic ladies (and one gent) at PC!

This week, Senior Account Manager for Abbott Medical Optics, Deb Holliday, shares a bit about her background and role in our “virtual” office! Our interview with her below!

What’s unique about your work-from-home setup?
Recently I moved with my husband to Ocala, Florida – Truly a world away from our home in Erie, Pensylvania.  A few times a year we pack up and move to enjoy the climate, family, and friends near each location! My office can fit in a single bag, which gets loaded up a few times each season for meetings across the US and abroad – or to hop a plane back to sunny Florida.

What has been your favorite project at PC?
I’ve been working on the AMO account since joining Pascale Communications, LLC.  Because I have a heavy clinical background, it’s a good fit for me.  I work with many fantastic doctors and editors, and collaborating with the team at AMO is a pleasure. The best part is getting to see them face to face throughout the year at each of our meetings and visits!

Since you work from home, what do you typically wear to work?
If I start early in the morning, (I’ll admit) it’s usually my jammies. I feel much more in “work mode,” though,  if I dress completely before starting; like I’m going to the office, but a little more causally.  If I’m in Florida, keeping cool, or in Erie, staying cozy, the general rule of thumb is “anything comfortable.”

What’s your biggest pet peeve?
I have so many.  If I had to choose one or two, I would say, crunching and poor grammar. Crunching isn’t so much a worry in this sort of workplace (No cublicals) – But we can’t get by without proper grammar.

Do you watch any TV during the day, and which shows do secretly love to watch?
On a normal day, my TV serves as a computer monitor – which keeps me easily focused!As for what I watch once the day is out, I have a whole list there!  Let’s see… Mad Men, Parenthood, Modern Family, House Hunters, and (of course) American Idol.

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PC Update: Consumer press campaign kick-off and California!

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Friday July 2, 2010 | No Comments

While the holiday weekend has kicked off for some, our public relations team is debriefing from a busy week and putting the final touches on materials for our upcoming trip to Southern California.

PC’s Georgette, Allison, and Deb depart early in the week for California, where they will meet with clients and partners across the region. With a significant portion of our clients in the area, our trips to California are typically packed with activity, and the coming week will be no exception – We can’t wait to see you all!

Our consumer press pro, Audra Friis, is also leading a stellar new campaign for a Pittsburgh pharmaceutical company. Familiar with outlets from the Today Show to the Wall Street Journal, Audra is looking forward to applying her widespread experience to tackle this new project.

Finally, PC would like to wish everyone a safe and happy 4th of July – Our team is excited for a long weekend with friends and family, BBQs, and of course fireworks!

by PascaleCom

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A week of new beginnings – New project wins and Adrianne returns to the US soon!

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Thursday June 17, 2010 | No Comments

Friday is just around the corner, and the Pascale Communications team can’t wait to cool off this weekend!  Deb Holliday has spent her week in Orlando, visiting clients and editors during this year’s AOA – She’s relayed great feedback and high temps for 2010.

This week PC has also leveraged another project from a longtime client, as well as several proposals off our desks in dermatology and aesthetics!

Finally, after several years raising her family and working in Argentina, Adrianne Resek will be moving back to the US soon.  We wish her safe travels and a stress-free move!

by PascaleCom

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Why PC Works: Our staff answers in (around) 140 characters

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Thursday January 14, 2010 | No Comments

We asked our staff, over their morning coffee, to answer a simple by important question – Why does PC work for them. Their responses below are unique and flattering! Thanks to all for your help!

“Lifestyle flexibility for my continuing career and my husband’s retirement; perfect winters in Florida, summers in NW Pennsylvania.” – Deb

“Virtual is convenient for my lifestyle and I’ve surrounded myself with a diverse groups of colleagues who are all champions of my mission!” – Georgette

“The virtual office cuts out any office drama or politics, plus GP inspires daily with her work ethic, organizational skills, tenacity, creativity, leadership skills” – Devon

“Its taught me 1,001 things about dealing with people – Not only clients, but how to best project myself through any medium, or in person.” – Chris

“I feel I’m a part of something that matters; to my boss, to the clients, to the editors we work with – it drives me to do my best each day” – Erin

“Our team is interested in the clients and companies that we work with. We strive to understand both technology and product, the media’s need, which proves successful by leaps and bound” – Allison

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Steps forward in 2009

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Wednesday January 13, 2010 | No Comments

The challenges facing companies were increasingly ubiquitous in 2009, as market skepticism prompted constricting budgets nationally and globally. In these trying economic conditions, our team took the opportunity to think creatively on our clients behalf – to best optimize plans, with attention payed to their pocketbooks.

Two of PC’s tireless and enthusiastic account managers, Deb and Allison, describe five projects and ideas that demonstrate the innovative solutions that addressed the client’s needs in 2009 – Our success this year is manifest in our ability to remain adaptable and strategic under confining parameters to help deliver a great final product.

AMO Media Day convenes industry on home turf

With the downturn in the nation’s economy in 2009, PC recommended to AMO that we take Media Day to the publications in order to minimize travel costs for attendees. Media Day 2009 would be held on the east coast, where the majority of publications are located. The attendance in Philadelphia was record-breaking – Participant attendance doubled typical numbers! After this largely PC-organized event, we welcomed the overwhelmingly positive feedback from our media colleagues and contacts! Additionally, AMO’s data and technology updates presented that day were covered extensively in the ophthalmic trade press.

Rapid planning of Clarity media event proves positive results

Clarity was interested in getting back on the publications radars, providing them knowledge of their product, the RetCam, without crossing the lines of their current FDA regulations, which limited what they were able to say as a company. With just three short weeks to plan (generally, we plan over three months), PC was able to organize an event at the annual AAO meeting, attended by all ophthalmic editors and publishers.

Further, our innovative approach, using a more descriptive and educational discussion around the product rather than a process of comparison, was welcomed by participants, who reported some events as too strongly promotional. Our wide-ranging experience and intuition allowed us to achieve phenomenal results, eliciting positive feedback and followup interest to-date.

When virtual doesn’t work – Keep it personal.

PC is a virtual agency—currently, all employees are located on the East coast, in Pennsylvania, New York and Florida. With that said, many of our clients are based in California. While many clients respond well to phone conferences and virtual communication, others respond better to intermittent in-person contact. PC flew to California to meet in-person with a client in 2009, both to launch their PR Plan, and to present their 2010 plan after a successful relationship had bloomed that year.

Throughout 2010, we will be meeting many clients in person when possible, to provide the same personality and security that a traditional business structure suggests, while truly exercising the possibilities of our virtual workplace.

Byline Writing / Pitching – Changed way we do this, KOL submitted, etc

At the beginning of 2009, many editors were faced with the task of cutting articles, unable to outsource articles to writers, and were tied to strict editorial calendars. As a result, PC worked with the publications—we changed our pitching style, assisted in the submission of more MD bylines (coordinated by our team to ensure timely placement) and, in general, increased coverage across the board for clients. Editors began turning to PC for quick turnarounds on articles, with sometimes even less than a week to get from start to finish—and we’ve done it, and will continue to provide the same outstanding services. That’s the PC way!

Be Proactive, Efficient, and Honest

To assuage and economic angst, from both clients and editors, we’ve streamlined our workflow in 2009 – by increasing the transparency around our daily tasks, allowing the client to most efficiently spend his dollar.

In rough times, prospective clients are examining every cent under a high-powered microscope, determining where to best put their dollars. Generally, it’s not easily convinced to put it into PR. Not only has PC been able to prove their worth through their services, but we’ve also altered the way we work with our clients—by providing measureable proof of activity through monthly detailed project reports, regular updates on progress, and cutting through the fat to get to the meat of what is important to each client.

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