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Three more choose Bayview for public relations

July 12th, 2010 by Missy

Three local businesses have recently chosen Bayview Public Relations to reach their goals.

The Tampa office of Fisher & Phillips, a national labor and employment law firm, has selected Bayview to help increase the office’s business through strategic messaging, media relations, grassroots outreach and community relations. With more than 225 attorneys in 23 offices, Fisher & Phillips is one of the largest U.S. law firms to concentrate its practice exclusively on representation of employers in labor and employment matters.

The Strand, a luxury condominium under construction in Clearwater, has retained Bayview to assist in selling units through strategic messaging, media relations, grassroots outreach and community relations. The Strand is being developed by Espacio USA, Inc., the Americas arm of Madrid-based Inmobiliaria Espacio, an international real estate development leader within Group Villar Mir.

33 Hope, a Christian-based book, film and social network, has chosen Bayview to help raise awareness and promote a launch event on July 29 in Tampa. The book, Thirty Three: The Story of Hope, tells how Christianity got its start after the crucifixion and serves as the central content for the 33 Hope project.

We welcome these additions to the Bayview family and look forward to working with each over the coming months to help move their needles.

Posted in Agency, Agency Announcements | No Comments »

ULI housing forum draws attention

July 1st, 2010 by Kyle

The outlook for the Tampa Bay area’s housing industry continues to be tough, but there are a few bright spots for the developers and builders who still have cash and are smart enough to find opportunities.

That was the message at last week’s Urban Land Institute housing forum at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Tampa. Among the panel members: Andrew Wright, managing partner of Bayview client Franklin Street Financial Partners, a fast-growing Tampa-based commercial real estate company.

Andrew used a Warren Buffett line to describe how tough times can show who’s smart and who isn’t. “When the tide goes out, you see who’s been swimming naked,” he said.

The event was covered by both the Tampa Tribune and St. Petersburg Times, each included other thoughts by Andrew on the state of the market in their coverage.

St. Petersburg Times column by Robert Trigaux

Tampa Tribune story by Shannon Behnken

Posted in Agency, Agency Announcements, Case Studies, Client News, Highlights, Industry Commentary, Media Relations, Trends | 5 Comments »

Success for Southwind Hospitality

June 28th, 2010 by Jesse

Florida Real Estate Journal recently featured Bayview client Southwind Hospitality, a full-service hotel management company, in “Tips for Lenders Choosing Hotel Management.” Southwind Hospitality has also seen results from recent coverage in the St. Petersburg Times and the Gulf Coast Business Review.

Southwind Hospitality has properties from the Bay area to Jacksonville (and its executives have hotel experience from around the country). They handle all management responsibilities for a property owner or for a lender – and they move quickly, providing a sales and marketing plan and budget within 30 days of takeover of a property. The company is presently focused on distressed and underperforming properties, such as those in receivership or foreclosure.

Southwind Hospitality, small but growing quickly, offers high-level personal attention, with the experience to handle accounting, e-commerce, front desk operations, yield management, sales and marketing, food and beverage services, and general hotel operations. As just one example of their success, earlier this year Southwind led changes at a Jacksonville Howard Johnson that resulted in a 65% year-over-year increase in occupancy.

Posted in Agency, Case Studies, Client News, Highlights, Media Relations | No Comments »

Success for GarageSaleTracker.com

June 3rd, 2010 by Jesse

Bayview client GarageSaleTracker.com is featured at Lifehacker.com, and has been mentioned on ‘The Today Show,’ in Woman’s Day, and on local TV affiliates across the country.

GarageSaleTracker.com, with the ability to narrow searches by location or item with a best-in-class user interface, is positioned to replace Craigslist as the go-to site for garage sale hosts and buyers.

In this economy, interest in garage sales has grown – visitors to GarageSaleTracker.com (founded in 2008) are finding thousands of listings (and counting) in all 50 states (listings spike on weekends).

GarageSaleTracker.com has also just launched an iPhone application that allows consumers to get details about sales as they travel from one sale to the next, with mapping and directions searchable via ‘my location.’ You can also find GarageSaleTracker on Facebook.

Posted in Agency, Case Studies, Client News, Highlights, Media Relations | No Comments »

Find Us on Facebook

May 25th, 2010 by Missy

Bayview Public Relations recently launched its Facebook page where we’ll provide updates on our agency, our clients, and the industry, including media coverage, event announcements, blog posts, and case studies, along with other pages we like. Check us out at Facebook.com/BayviewPR.

Posted in Agency, Agency Announcements | 1 Comment »

An Intern’s Education

May 6th, 2010 by Kristine

Experience is a funny thing. To many, it’s just life. To some, it’s “what they get when they don’t get what they want.” But, to college students, it’s a necessity—we know we must have it in order to be successful some day.

Enter Bayview Public Relations: an emerging Tampa Bay public relations firm. A company composed of three principal practitioners with a variety of opportunities for a qualified student studying public relations.

From the expected press release-writing, pitch idea-brainstorming, research-conducting and customer-relating, to the more innovative video editing, event planning, social networking and blog writing (wink), my internship with Bayview Public Relations has allowed me to practice traditional public relations techniques and explore, firsthand, the changes the field is undergoing each and every day.

Assisting with the EnviroFocus Technologies groundbreaking allowed me to witness the importance of creating detailed events—with everything planned from the order of speakers to the color-coordinated linens and invitations—targeted toward highly specific audiences.

Communicating with buyer prospects for GuardianLion, has given me a better understanding of the importance of an open dialogue between company and consumer.

Creating focused media and community outreach lists for multiple clients has driven home the point that good old-fashioned research is still a must.

My experience at Bayview Public Relations has allowed me to witness that, contrary to some beliefs, public relations is not at all a dying field, and certainly not one of slick and shady spinsters. Rather, it is a field that’s being reborn by creative professionals who are finding innovative ways to communicate with their clients’ target markets. Authors can’t publish text books fast enough to keep up with the new frontier this field is traversing.

Kristine Kodytek is an intern at Bayview Public Relations for the Spring 2010 semester. She is graduating in May from The University of Tampa with a degree in advertising and public relations.

Posted in Agency, Industry Commentary | 13 Comments »

Parks Selected for Advisory Council

May 3rd, 2010 by Wayne

The University of Tampa’s John Sykes College of Business recently invited Kyle Parks, Principal & President of Bayview Public Relations, to join its Advisory Council.

The Advisory Council provides advice, opinions, and ideas as the business school works to create a quality environment for business education while increasing its own visibility.

The Advisory Council consists of 25 business leaders from around the Tampa Bay area, including such recognizable businesspeople as Rick Thomas, president and CFO of Thomas Financial Group, and Dennis W. Zank, president of Raymond James & Associates.

The Princeton Review has recognized the John H. Sykes College of Business as one of “The Best 301 Business Schools” in the world. The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art resources, combined with quality faculty members, many of whom have significant real-world experience in the business world.

Wayne Westerlind is an intern at Bayview Public Relations for the Spring 2010 semester. He is currently a junior at The University of Tampa studying public relations.

Posted in Agency, Agency Announcements | 1 Comment »

“Journalists are liars” and other notes from the front lines

April 27th, 2010 by Missy

During a recent message and media coaching session with more than 130 leaders of an international nonprofit, one sentiment was prevalent: the media is an adversary.

Instead of looking at a media interview as an opportunity to share the organization’s mission and positive impact in the community, many of these leaders thought that the media was out to misconstrue the facts and give the nonprofit a black eye.

Some of the attendees had negative experiences in the past, which shaped their beliefs that one must always be on defense with the media. In many cases, a media interview is like a business transaction.

The reporter has a job – creating a factually accurate, interesting story – and needs the interviewee’s help to achieve that goal. The interviewee has a responsibility to provide the journalist with worthwhile information, background, trends, illustrations and interesting examples.

If it’s like a business transaction, treat it like one.

Do your homework. What does the journalist know about the topic? How has it been covered in the past? Become familiar with the reporter and the news outlet.
Look at it from their perspective. Why should their readers care? Why is it interesting? What does it mean? Why does it matter?
Always return phone calls and emails promptly. If you were offered an opportunity from a potential business partner, you’d very likely answer right away. If you’re not the right person to talk to, tell them who is.
Prepare for possible questions, especially the tough ones. If you’re asked about a problem, talk about the solution.
Answer their questions honestly. If you don’t know the answer, say so. The truth always comes out. Just ask Tiger or Toyota.

Posted in Industry Commentary, Media Relations | No Comments »

Groundbreaking Technology

March 29th, 2010 by Kyle

EnviroFocus Technologies recently held a groundbreaking event for its $100-million-plus battery recycling facility in East Tampa, with help from Bayview Public Relations.

Working with our advertising partner Schifino Lee and ably assisted by EventMakers Corp., we recommended and coordinated the speakers, timeline, talking points, guest list, and logistics involved in the event. Held for those most important to EnviroFocus Technologies’ business, attendees included government officials, environmental regulators, industry leaders, economic development officials, leaders of neighboring businesses, and EFT employees.

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio and Tampa City Council Chairman Tom Scott made remarks, along with Jerry Campbell of the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission, and Mark Kutoff, head of Gopher Resource, EFT’s parent company. They were joined by Tampa City Councilman Charlie Miranda and EFT execs John Tapper, Innocent Chikunya and Larry Eagan for the groundbreaking pictures.

EnviroFocus also announced its support of Tampa Bay Technical High School’s alternative energy program, which includes a financial gift for much-needed equipment, along with plans for EnviroFocus employees to serve as guest lecturers at the school.

Hats and shovels are ready at EnviroFocus Technologies’ groundbreaking. See more photos on Bayview PR’s Flickr photostream.

The Tampa Tribune covered the groundbreaking: Plant expansion will provide 125 new jobs in East Tampa.

When completed, EnviroFocus’ state-of-the-art battery recycling plant will process more than 10 million used auto batteries annually with an additional 125 well-paid, green jobs.

Posted in Agency, Highlights | 2 Comments »

Bayview in the News

March 26th, 2010 by Jesse

We’re proud to be featured today in one of our favorite publications, the Tampa Bay Business Journal. Check it out here: Newly formed Bayview a result of changes in marketing and PR.