Twenty-one pilot whales found themselves stranded on May 5 off the lower Florida Keys near Cudjoe Key. We have been keeping the media up-to-date on the situation through videos, photos and press releases.

I read the blog written by Julie on April 28, 2010, titled “That’s the way it’s always been done,” and it made me think about the Keys.

So many visitors don’t come to the Florida Keys and Key West or bring their kids there for vacation because they think the Keys are for party people and there is too much revelry down there for them. Every time I hear this it makes me want to grab them by the head and shake them.

On the contrary, the Florida Keys and Key West is a great destination to vacation with family and friends. There is a variety of wholesome activities available for everyone in the family, from fishing and snorkeling to dolphin encounters and butterflies.

Yes, there is revelry, college students and T-shirt shops, but that usually only takes place at night on Duval Street where all the bars are located. If you plan well, I am sure you will enjoy a great vacation.

Some suggestions for family friendly activities are: Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center, Dolphin Research Center, Marathon Turtle Hospital, feeding the tarpon at Robbie’s Marina, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, kayaking in the Lower Keys, Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory and Pat Croce’s Pirate Soul Museum.

So next time you are planning your vacation consider the Keys, and don’t forget to send your friends a picture postcard of the great attractions you visited and what you learned.

A University of Alabama study examined how and why students chose public relations as their major and found that most respondents stated they chose public relations because they liked to plan events and they liked people.

Public relations is about interacting with people who communicate by texts, emails, wall postings and Twitter feeds. What you write has a lot more to do with it than how many friends you have.

Social media are primarily Internet- and mobile-based tools for sharing and discussing information. No longer is public relations based on shaking hands and handing out business cards. Connections are important, but how fast your Internet connection is can make or break you. Having the latest information is key.

A regular day at the office consists of blogging, updating client websites and social media pages such as Facebook and Twitter, posting videos and releases, reading all the Internet, print and broadcast clips that come in and distributing them to clients mentioned in the articles, sending out press releases and answering media requests for accommodations and attractions.

Being a people person is such a small part of what it takes. Public relations is not about you, it’s about your client.

My advice to any student interested in pursuing a career in this industry is to get several internships early on in their studies and focus on their writing. Be up to date on all the social media venues and practice getting your thoughts out in 140 characters or less.

media@fla-keys.com
fla-keys.com/media
1-800-ASK-KEYS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(305) 461-3300 April 15, 2009
Contact: NewmanPR
Andy Newman/Carol Shaughnessy

MARATHON, Florida Keys — Tarpon might be called silver kings, but it’s the fairer sex they’re up against during the 32nd annual Ladies Tarpon Tournament slated for Friday and Saturday, May 9-10.

The two-night tournament is to kick off with a final sign-up and mandatory captains meeting at 2:30 p.m. Friday at the World Class Angler, mile marker 49 bayside in Marathon. Free beer and champagne are to be provided for anglers and crew.

Lines-in is set for 5 p.m. Sunset is predicted for 7:56 p.m., with lines-out to be called at 9 p.m.

A fish tales party for anglers and crew is set for 9:30 p.m. at World Class Angler.

Saturday’s action is to start with a champagne brunch at noon for anglers and social guests at World Class Angler.

Lines-in for the second and final night of fishing is set for 4 p.m. Lines-out is to be called at 8 p.m.

The tournament dinner and awards presentations are to begin at 9 p.m. at Key Colony Inn, 700 West Ocean Drive in Key Colony Beach, with awards presented to individual anglers and teams.

Entry fee is $250 per angler. An additional fee of $40 per team is required to compete for team awards. There is a maximum of two anglers per team.

Social tickets for the champagne brunch and awards dinner are available for $50 per person. For the dinner only, tickets are $40 per person.

For more information, contact Dave Navarro at the World Class Angler at (305) 743-6139 or e-mail worldclassan@comcast.net.

To find out about area accommodations, call the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce at (305) 743-5417 or (800) 262-7284, e-mail visitus@floridakeysmarathon.com or visit the Florida Keys & Key West Web site at www.fla-keys.com.
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Hotel managers try to educate themselves as much as they can about their property’s products and services. They seem to know everything from how many people they can accommodate to what the newest amenity at their hotel is.The test comes when escorting media through the property.

I had the opportunity to lead a luxury press trip through the Florida Keys. We had a couple of site visits, which the journalists seemed to enjoy. At the first resort we were greeted by Thomas, the guest services manager. He began to walk us through his property telling us all about the history and the architecture. As he walked us into the rooms, he informed the journalists of all the amenities, rates, special offers, activities, services and facts about the place.

As the group was walking back through the lush gardens, one of the journalists asked, “What kind of tree is that?” Poor Thomas knew every other answer except that one. The only one he had not studied! He quickly said, “Let me make a call and let you know.” He reached for his cell phone, pretending to call someone who would know and seemed to ignore the question, which didn’t matter because the group had moved on to more interesting things.

At the next property it was Tiffany’s turn to answer the media’s questions. While in one room she described everything from the kind of kitchen counters and appliances to the latest addition of a flat plasma TV. One of the journalists, who was standing next to the dinning table looking at a work of art on the wall, asked “What is the name of the artist who painted that?”

Tiffany was perplexed! She had been asked the only thing that had nothing to do with the resort’s latest and greatest amenities.

No matter how much you study or read, you will always have a journalist who asks a completely random question to which you do not know the answer. The true test is in how you handle it.