PR Pros connect for "A Sweet Success"

To get one's just desserts, public relations experts know that in 2010, the sweetness lies in connecting, not competing for success.

The Public Relations Association of Western North Carolina continues to embrace cutting edge practice and provide exceptional networking opportunities for industry executives throughout the region. As members respond to sweeping changes in information delivery and monetization, an emphasis on sharing knowledge and building trust has emerged.

This month, PRAWNC joins chocolatier Jael Rattigan of French Broad Chocolate Lounge in an after-hours event that reders traditional grip-and-grin networking passe' on Thursday, Feb. 11, at 5:30 p.m. The cost is $12; the event is open to members and guests who RSVP by February 4.

Of course, Rattigan - whose impeccable palette and handcrafted chocolates are legend - has particularly handchosen artisanal chocolates for the gathering. Guests will sample pots de creme, salted honey caramel, and coconut macaroon with a chocolate grenache kiss. Complementary locally roasted French press coffee will accompany the treats.

Guests may also order signature liquid truffle hot sipping chocolates, local draught beer, small production wines, organic loose-leaf teas, and gift chocolates at the counter.

Ingeniously, the real "bon bon" of the evening isn't semi-sweet, it's semi-structured. Unique networking activities ensure that all comers walk away with real connections to others who celebrate and appreciate all things public relations, says Rachel Miller, vice president of PRAWNC.

"After all, isn't success sweeter when it's mutual and covered in chocolate?" Find out more.

The Public Relations Association of Western North Carolina hosts "Sweet Success" at The French Broad Chocolate Lounge, Asheville, Thursday, Feb. 11, at 5:30 p.m., the cost is $12 for members and guests and includes chocolates and French Press coffee. The French Broad Chocolate Lounge is located at 10 South Lexington Ave. For more information or to RSVP by Feb. 4, contact Rachel Miller at rachel@mountainbizworks.org

Sherri L. McLendon is a freelance writer, blogger, and communications consultant online at http://www.sherrimclendon.com. Email her directly at sherri@sherrimclendon.com, or read her media blog at http://sherrimclendon.blogspot.com.

AskAsheville - Asheville Twitter - Asheville Blog -
Asheville Videos - Asheville Social Media

AskAsheville's Love Call (NLAA)

When AskAsheville was started, one of our main people was simply looking for a dashboard resource of Asheville without having to dig through many sites, links, and pages. The concept was born. We decided that the best thing we could do for Asheville North Carolina was to add any local businesses we could find (with a website of course) to our Asheville Search Engine.

We added all of the main Asheville North Carolina links on the top of every page of AskAsheville for quick reference, and also a QuickLinks page with 100's and 100's of local direct links.

We started asking some companies and sites around Asheville for some reciprocal links (love), but did not get any answer. So we asked again and some responded and said "yes", some said "okay", some said "no", and one even said "he had no room on his site", LMAO! (C'mon guy, looking at your site right now)

So we have this new phrase (and the man actually has an excel sheet) of NLAA (No Love At All) companies in Asheville who refuse to network with other area resources for one "reason" or another. They want to be the "Lone Ranger" Asheville resource and/or you must pay for their acceptance!!! "I Am The Authority and There Is Nobody Else" they think. Asheville is exploding my friend and you cannot contain it. It does not matter how long you have been here or how old your website is; Asheville is Bigger!

I remember one of the guys here went on AskMeta for some questions about the AskAsheville site, and got slammed by people saying "this should be on...." one of the Asheville sites (I will not mention what site they said, and it does not matter), just talking about attitudes. He did not even know about the site they mentioned and when I checked it out, there was not any place on the site to ask a question or for some feedback out of the blue.

Thought of this today as I was thinking about how www.AshevilleLiveCam.com actually contacted us (on Twitter) to let us know they were linking to us on their site. How awesome is that? We hit them back with a link on our blog www.tinyurl.com/avlblog and they have mucho kudos with us now! Thank you by the way. Reaching out and networking, that's how you do it! Twitter page going up on www.AskAVL.com very soon, with Asheville Twitter network links too. Watch my friends...

Maybe it is time for you to open up a little?

You can find an Asheville News feed that has dozens of Asheville resources contributing to it on www.Twitter.com/AshevilleNews. Also visit Ask Asheville @ www.Twitter.com/AskAsheville.

Oh... Asheville Live Cams is www.Twitter.com/AshevilleLive

A Bonus 4 Contractors, Subs, Realtors, Architects

This is a new Asheville North Carolina network for anyone in or interested in the Construction or Real Estate industry in the WNC area. Best website features anywhere around Asheville easy. Free company sign up and one of the best moves you can make right now if you are in the trades. Just reading their "home/main" page will teach you mucho. www.AshevilleHomeBuilders.ning.com

Talk Asheville in North Carolina

Networking, making new friends, sharing ideas, and making new business contacts locally is what Talk Asheville is all about. If you have a social network platform already, it would help to have a local back-up profile as well, and support your Asheville community. If you are not involved in online networking, Talk Asheville.com is a great place to start. James and Chad run a very clean & professional social network in Asheville North Carolina.

Is it better than MySpace or Facebook? Maybe not, but it grows with the people who use it. Getting local with your networking allows you to improve your networking power on a more personal level. Correct! Some people may not want that "closer" personal connection. This is for people who want to actually make strong, profitable, maybe lifelong, local connections. Of course that could be done from any social network, but when you use http://www.talkasheville.com/, you make connections that you actually have access to in Asheville North Carolina.

Networking platforms come in many forms including blogs, forums, instant messengers, email, and more. Make use of the ones that are most effective and closest to you.

*A portion of this article was first displayed in the http://www.abandre.com/ newsletter.

For more info on Asheville North Carolina and what the area has to offer, please visit http://www.askasheville.com/