PRessing On: Real Life in Public Relations

As public relations practitioners recognizing the value and how-to of public opinion research, understanding the data, and identifying the majority opinions, not just the loudest in the room is the key to strategic success. Adam Probolsky from Probolsky Research is a public opinion researcher with thirty years of experience with local government, nonprofit, corporate, association, and campaign clients. He shares his insights on what every communicator needs to know before a campaign even begins!

GUEST: Adam Probolsky, President of Probolsky Research

Adam has acted as pollster and strategic advisor on hundreds of successful crisis communications and public affairs projects, local, county and statewide initiatives and candidate campaigns as well as citizen outreach and education efforts. Additionally, Adam has been a key advisor to the firm’s clients on matters of public policy, legislation and business strategy.

Adam was both a planning and finance commissioner for the City of Irvine where he oversaw and approved billions of dollars in private development and public infrastructure projects. As a past chairman of the Irvine Valley College Foundation, he has overseen the fundraising and the award of hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships to students and funding for college police. He was also a member of the Orange County Waste & Recycling Commission where he oversaw landfills, recycling programs, waste hauling companies and power generating facilities. As a member of the Orange County Transportation Authority’s Environmental Mitigation and Oversight Committee, he oversaw the expenditure of over $175 million dollars in public transportation funds. He previously served as a board member and development committee chairman for Jewish Family Service of Orange County, a non-profit organization that serves families in need, and volunteered for nearly eight years with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department as a spokesperson.

Adam formerly served as a member of the Policy Committee on Energy and the Environment of the United States Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Probolsky’s research and commentary has been published in numerous media outlets including The New York Times, Riverside Press Enterprise, The Chicago Sun Times, the Orange County Register and Politico and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Adam earned his master’s degree in data analytics and visualization from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore Maryland, a historic urban college founded in 1826.

FIND ADAM ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Insta: @probolskyresearch

Facebook: facebook.com/ProbolskyRsrch

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/adamprobolsky

linkedin.com/company/probolsky-research-llc

WEBSITE: probolskyresearch.com

How to collaborate with the competition.

On our first episode of PRessing On: Real Life in Public Relations, we discuss our career paths that led us to become entrepreneurs as well as how we work with the collab-etition.

Our Journeys

We’ve known each other for nearly 10 years after we met working in public-sector communications for a government agency in Southern California. Being just three months apart in age and holding very similar values and work ethics, we hit it off immediately.

Liselle’s journey to owning her own business started more than 15 years ago when she started DeGrave Communications, Inc as a side hustle. Since then, she also worked for an international public relations firm and for two government agencies. In 2015, she decided to pursue her business full-time and now has a thriving award-winning public relations agency focusing on government clients.

Conversely, Rachel has always worked in government from even before she graduated from college. She really enjoyed working in government but always knew that there was something more that she was supposed to do and in 2018, she decided to hang her own shingle and start RMG Communications. Not even a year later, her business continues to grow and flourish.

Collaborating with the Competition

Otherwise known as collaborating with the competition, this concept offers the opportunity to work with others doing similar work as you to help grow and scale your business.

Top Tips

1. Proceed with Caution: Be Selective on Who You Partner With

Are the values and work approach of the person or business you have been approached by in line with you work ethics and values? If not, it is ok to say no.

2. Set the Ground Rules Up Front

Nothing ruins a business relationship or friendship faster than business/money issues. Make sure you have a contract up front and decide how to handle finances. Also, decide what projects you want to collaborate on up front. You will need to decide which agency/person will be the project lead. Not every project is going to be a fit for this work model.

3. Maintain Open Communication

Communication with the team you are working with and your clients is key. Let your clients know who they will be working with and what role that person will be taking on so nothing falls through the cracks.

4. Have Fun

Don’t forget to have fun. Business should excite you – not leave you feeling drained and uninspired. Be sure to authentically share your journey on social media. And remember: Teamwork makes the dream work! You can accomplish more together than on your own.

Follow us:

PRessingOnPodcast.com

insta @pressingoninpr

Visit us:

degravepr.com

rmgcomm.com

Make an intentional effort to kick off June with a summertime state of mind. Whether you work in an office or have more of a flexible work schedule, don't get caught in a rut of your usual routine. Join Rachel and Liselle as they share tips for maximizing a Summertime State of Mind.

TUNING INTO YOUR COMMUNITY: HOW TO START A GOVERNMENT PODCAST AND REASONS WHY YOUR CITY, COUNTY, WATER DISTRICT OR OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY NEEDS A PODCAST

Podcasts are more popular than ever, attracting more than 100 million monthly listeners. Is your local government agency tapping into the power of the pod to share important information about projects, programs, initiatives and community partnerships?

Creating a podcast for your agency may sound like a huge lift that requires a lot of time and resources, but it doesn’t have to be. Not only have we created our own nationally recognized, award-winning PRessing On in Public Relations podcast, but also we have helped our public-sector clients create video and audio podcasts. From branding to recording and distributing to promoting, we’ve done it all, and we’re happy to share insider tips with you on how to get your agency’s podcast off the ground.

Learn more:

PRessingOnPodcast.com

Insta:

@pressingoninpr

@DeGravePR

@RMG.Communications

Visit us:

degravepr.com

rmgcomm.com

Curious how, A Practical Guide to Starting Your Own PR Firm: No nonsense, simple ways to get started today was written? Have you dreamed about writing your own book?

In this episode, we delve into the step-by-step process of writing and publishing your own book across three platforms: kindle, paperback, and audible. Whether you're an aspiring author or a seasoned writer looking to expand your reach, this guide offers practical insights and tips to help you navigate the publishing world.

To learn more or purchase a copy of A Practical Guide to Starting Your Own Public visit PressingOnPodcast.com

RMGComm.com

DeGravePR.com