The question of how to attract and retain a quality shareholder base is the holy grail of communications for all public companies. But because many of the people involved in the investment process come from a finance background, discussion often revolves around quantitative metrics. However, those metrics only go so far in explaining investor behavior.

The intense public interest in the presidential primaries and election has accelerated a key change in the way candidates - and companies - need to communicate.

My firm's global network, PROI, recently convened in Beijing. I learned the following lesson: Before we can develop successful communications programs in China, we have to learn to do business the Chinese way. The country's history and culture make this a daunting - but rewarding - prospect for any Westerner.

WA segment on the CBS Sunday Morning program several weeks ago - little noticed by anyone outside our profession - rocked the public relations world, causing many of us to question how far we have come in educating key opinion leaders about what public relations is, and what public relations professionals truly stand for.

Public relations was a hot topic in San Francisco at the annual BlogHer conference, held from July 18-19, hosted by the number one community for blogs by women.

Right now, PR has an unprecedented opportunity to hire a whole generation of promising new staffers: journalists.

When it comes to building a strong corporate, product, or personal brand, the Internet has become the Holy Grail for connecting with customers, friends, and coworkers. In this digital age, you must decide which face you want to show to the world. Every action you take can be heard and seen, and damage your brand in an instant. You can treat the Internet as a personal prison or a world of everlasting opportunities.

As its name suggests, the World Wide Web is inherently global. Perhaps the greatest business leveraging tool ever invented, the Web allows corporations, big or small, to do business on a global scale.

Radio is a medium with incredible staying power, with a reach that continues to grow despite outside challenges from TV and online resources.

Is user-generated content (UGC) the solution that marketers have been waiting for? YouTube, the "digital revolution," and Web 2.0 have certainly opened the floodgates for consumers to create what they want. Seizing on the popularity, clients are constantly asking PR firms and other marcomms agencies to incorporate creative consumer content into marketing and publicity campaigns.