Terrie Ard participates in Economic Straight Talk Roundtable

Hosted by the Professional Women’s Forum, Senior Vice President Terrie Glover Ard participated this week in a highly-attended Economic StraightTalk roundtable. Ard offered her expertise and feedback for Tallahassee’s business leaders on how marketing efforts are being affected by the current economy, and the importance of making sure your organization’s message is being heard to ensure long-term growth.

Moderated by Chamber President Sue Dick, other panelists included Glenda Thornton, Foley & Lardner LLP; Kim Moore, Workforce Plus; and Carol Easley, Tallahassee Community College. The Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce has recently made strides to engage local members on how they can weather the economic downturn and seek opportunities to sustain and expand their business.

Campaign helps secure funding through Gov. veto

Working in conjunction with VISIT FLORIDA, Moore Consulting Group celebrated the success of its grassroots campaign to help retain the organization’s public funding. Governor Charlie Crist announced today that he vetoed a proposed $9.9 million budget cut to VISIT FLORIDA, the organization charged with global marketing efforts to attract visitors to the Sunshine State.

The cut was originally passed by the Florida Legislature during the January special session. Moore Consulting Group worked closely with VISIT FLORIDA and industry partners to restore the funding, emphasizing the power of tourism marketing to generate increased visitation numbers and ignite sales tax revenues. Campaign efforts included extensive outreach to media and elected officials through various channels. Moore Consulting Group also spearheaded communication efforts through Twitter, engaging affiliates nationwide through up-to-the-second updates on the campaign.

The Governor emphasized tourism’s importance as an economic and employment generator during today’s press conference, publicly stating that “Maintaining VISIT FLORIDA’s funding will serve to invigorate Florida’s travel industry and protect the vital state tax revenue generated by our visitors.”

Moore Consulting Group is headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, and was recently ranked among the top 30 environmental and public affairs firms in the nation.

MCG receives national ranking for public affairs

O’Dwyer’s has ranked Moore Consulting Group no. 29 in the nation among firms specializing in environmental PR & public affairs. The full rankings, along with MCG’s profile, can be seen in the Feb. issue of O'Dwyer's PR Report.

O’Dwyer’s also ranked Moore Consulting Group in the top 120 firms in the nation overall.

Tally Award update: MCG among "Top 3" finalists

Everything Tallahassee has named Moore Consulting Group (MCG) as a finalist for the 2008 Tally Award for the Best Marketing Firm in Tallahassee. Finalists are determined by popular vote; winners with the most votes in each business category will be announced at the January awards gala.

“Our firm prides itself on our reputation for superior client service, and we are thankful to have the support of so many friends, colleagues and people from throughout the community,” said MCG President and CEO Karen Moore.

Moore Consulting Group has been no stranger to accolades in 2008, earning the Tallahassee Chamber’s Family Friendly Business of the Year award, national rankings from PRWeek and O’Dwyers, four Image Awards and a Silver Addy. Karen Moore was also recently recognized as a nominee for the Girl Scouts of the Big Bend’s Women of Distinction honor.

MCG gives special holiday news update

Moore Consulting Group pairs up with Santa for another successful campaign. View the 2008 MCG holiday news update.

Terrie Ard presents to EDC on campaign success

Moore Consulting Group Senior Vice President Terrie Glover Ard, APR, CPRC, recently joined the Tallahassee Economic Development Council (EDC) and other business leaders to present to the Leon County Commissioners on the strategy behind the Tallahassee EDC’s “Be a Part of Our Secret” campaign to attract new businesses to the area.

The integrated campaign was developed by Moore Consulting Group in collaboration with the EDC earlier in 2008, and included grassroots, social media, marketing and advertising components. The campaign website, online at www.BeAPartOfOurSecret.com, served as the anchor for the campaign, providing a one-stop resource for information and featuring several cutting-edge features for site selectors and prospective businesses.

“The results of the branding initiative and website have been so impressive,” remarked Ard.

The Tallahassee EDC has reported an increase in consultant calls—both consultants who already have clients and investments in the community as well as new investors. Enterprise Florida, the state resource for business development and relocation, also recognized the Be a Part of Our Secret website as a model for economic development offices statewide.

MCG helps students make professional gains

Last night, local college students gained valuable insight into the integrated communications industry, thanks to Moore Consulting Group (MCG)’s “Success in 60” seminar. MCG provided an hour packed full of tips and strategies to help students land their next big internship or job.

“As communication professionals, we know how hard it can be to break into the industry, especially during these hard economic times,” said Terrie Glover Ard, Moore Consulting Group senior vice president. “We want to help the emerging professionals in our community get a head start and provide them with the tools and resources they need to be successful.”

“Success in 60” is designed to provide students with real-world industry knowledge and tips for getting ahead in the job market. Students were able to hear from experts about what it’s really like to work at an agency, tips and strategies for their cover letter and resume, what to do once they secure an interview and how to gain relevant experience.

“There are some skills you just can’t learn from a textbook, so having the Moore Consulting Group team give us advice and encouragement was invaluable,” said Megan Burgess, president of the Florida Public Relations Association’s Tallahassee student chapter.

Not only did students receive advice from top-level executives at Moore Consulting Group, they also left with a “Career Field Guide” full of useful tips and resources as they embark on their journey into the workforce.