November 2017
PRSA Spokane is once again providing an opportunity to update your headshot and network with friends and colleagues in our industry. Registration includes light
hors d'oeurves, one beverage and one download of your headshot by  Hawkinson Photography .

Join us on  December 12 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m . at  Nectar Tasting Room  in downtown Spokane. We look forward to seeing your smiling faces!
Thank you to our sponsors for this event:
2017-18 Scholarship Winner Announced
Congratulations to our 2017-2018 scholarship recipient, Jasmine Albinson!

Jasmine is a senior at Gonzaga University and is pursuing a public relations major with a minor in journalism. While there were several amazing applications, Jasmine was able to infuse her personality into her essay, which ultimately gave her the edge.

Thank you to all the applicants! If you’d like to find more information on how to support the scholarship fund and how to apply in the future, visit prsaspokane.org.
President's Message
Lori Maricle, APR
President
Greater Spokane
Chapter PRSA

If you want to accurately judge if your messages will be well received or fall flat, then research is essential.

Research is the foundation of a successful communication plan. In October, Dr. Bruce Pinkleton from the WSU Edward R. Murrow College of Communication joined PRSA Spokane. He shared an overview of using research to build stronger PR programs to achieve a variety of goals such as understanding targeted audience members, reaching them effectively to reach communication goals, and/or demonstrating PR program value.

Weren’t able to make it to our last “Conversations with” event with Dr. Pinkleton? Lucky for you, we’ve got the highlights:

  • All research methods have limitations and flaws. Own this up front, because despite this you can learn a lot of very useful and important information through research.
  • Divorce the notion of “best-case” research scenarios. The reality is your research is all applied, which is why it’s necessary to use results carefully. Most methods do not give you results that you can use to extrapolate assumptions to the greater population. Quite a bit has to do with your sampling (probability vs. improbability).
  • Time and money are your biggest considerations.
  • When it comes to accuracy, do you need to know it's 70 degrees or do you just need to know it's sunny? Your degree of accuracy greatly impacts sample size, time and cost considerations.
  • Every project is different. There’s flexibility in how you design and use research to inform your thinking, but there is no perfect solution to any single challenge.
  • For ROI, numbers tend to build credibility but a good story often has strong emotional impact.
  • Focus on outcomes, not outputs!
  • Impartiality and objectivity are essential to research success.
  • Don’t dismiss surprising or unpleasant information.
  • Educating others often is an important part of the research process.

We thank Dr. Pinkleton once again for taking the time to interact with our members and fellow professional communicators in Spokane. Please stay tuned for another exclusive opportunity coming in 2018 to interact and gain insight from Dr. Pinkleton, as he has plans to return to Spokane by popular demand!
North Pacific PRSA Conference
The 2018 PRSA North Pacific District Conference will be held Sunday, April 22, 2018 to Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at the Hyatt at Olive 8 in downtown Seattle. Keynote speakers include former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan and Microsoft Corporate Vice President of Communications Frank Shaw, with more speakers being confirmed.

Early bird registration available now through December 31. Keep your eyes peeled for a special Black Friday promotion to save even more on registration costs!

Conference at-a-glance:
Upcoming Events