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12/15/09 Waste Management Taps Aker Ink to Assist with Golf Sponsorship PR
Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WM), the largest environmental services provider in North America, hired Aker Ink to assist with PR related to its new title sponsorship of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, formerly the FBR Open.

The Waste Management Phoenix Open is the world's best-attended golf tournament. Aker Ink will help Waste Management promote its sustainable initiatives to local and trade media.

12/01/09 Andrea Aker Offers Tips to Business Publication on Customer Appreciation
Aker Ink President Andrea Aker shared tips and insights with Impact Magazine about increasing referrals through customer appreciation. Check out the December issue to learn more (pg. 20). Impact Magazine is a business publication of the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce.

11/15/09 Aker Ink Founder Elected to Industry Board
Andrea Aker, founder of Aker Ink, has been elected to the board of directors for the Phoenix chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). She will co-chair the technology cluster, which is responsible for website operations, electronic communications and social media.

PRSA is the world's largest and foremost organization of public relations professionals. It provides professional development, sets standards of excellence and upholds principles of ethics for its members and, more broadly, the multi-billion dollar global public relations profession.

11/02/09 Aker Ink Announces Two New Clients
Aker Ink is proud to announce the addition of two clients to its roster: OptiScan, a document scanning company in Phoenix, and Nice Creative, publisher of Life to the Max.

Aker Ink will assist OptiScan with website organization, SEO copywriting, development of marketing collateral and strategic media relations.

Nice Creative has tapped Aker Ink to promote Life to the Max: Maxims for a Great Life by a Dog Named Max through traditional media and social media channels.

10/13/09 Aker Ink Lands $25,000 Grant for Arizona Non-Profit
After launching a grant writing division in August, Aker Ink has helped the Phoenix Women's Sports Association (PWSA) acquire a $25,000 grant from the Salt River Indian Community. The funds will enable PWSA to sponsor a club volleyball team of underserved girls and to co-host its annual Sports Explosion, which is an educational event designed to educate kids and their parents about the sport and fitness opportunities available in Arizona.

Please contact us to learn more about Aker Ink's grant writing division, which assists charitable non-profits with foundation and corporation grants.

09/09/09 Andrea Aker Creates WordPress Plugin Series for Online Magazine
Aker Ink President Andrea Aker developed a series of articles for Suite 101 about useful plugins for WordPress blogs. She is an expert PR and marketing contributor for the online publication.

Plugins are programming scripts that bloggers can use to increase traffic and manage content. Many are essential for social media marketing campaigns that leverage blogs. Check out the articles to learn more:

Top WordPress Plugins for Every Blogger
Top WordPress Plugins for Business Blogs
Top WordPress Plugins for Social Media Marketing
Top WordPress Plugins for Footers
Top WordPress Plugins for Contact Pages
Top WordPress Plugins for Sharing Blog Posts
Top WordPress Plugins for Twitter

Andrea assists businesses and individuals with blog development and editorial direction. To learn more, visit Aker Ink Social Media Services or Contact Us.

09/03/09 Body Systems Taps Aker Ink to Develop, Execute PR Strategy
Body Systems, a holistic health and fitness consultancy in Scottsdale, has selected Aker Ink to launch a multi-faceted public relations campaign. It will include local and national media relations, social media and online marketing.

08/24/09 Aker Ink to Assist New MMA Organization with PR, Marketing
The World Fighting Federation has tapped Aker Ink to promote multiple mixed martial arts events in Tucson and Phoenix. In addition, Aker Ink will assist with the organization's branding, online marketing and social media efforts. To learn how your business can benefit from these services, contact Andrea Aker.

08/15/09 Aker Ink Now Offers Grant Writing Services for Non-Profit Organizations
Aker Ink has added grant writing and research to its repertoire of services, benefiting the charitable non-profit sector. Aker Ink President Andrea Aker received a certificate of course completion from Grant Writing USA, a leading grant writing and grant management training program. In addition, she has joined the American Association of Grant Professionals to further her education and knowledge of the subject.

"Grant writing is really a natural fit for me," said Aker. "I've always shined as a professional writer, and I've also acquired in-depth knowledge of the non-profit community through PR work an volunteerism."

07/02/09 Aker Ink Now Offers WordPress Blog Development
Aker Ink has added WordPress blog development to its repertoire of services. As more consumers seek out blogs for acquiring and sharing news, an aesthetically pleasing, optimized blog is essential for establishing credibility and a consistent following.

WordPress is a leading publishing platform that’s leveraged by individuals, businesses and news organizations such as CNN and the New York Times. Aker Ink can help companies create a template that is easy to operate, engages visitors and builds a brand. In addition, Aker Ink can develop a multi-faceted social media outreach campaign to drive traffic to the blog and grow its audience.

“In recent years, blogs have become extremely valuable PR tools for businesses of all sizes and types,” said Aker Ink President Andrea Aker. “They offer a company an additional avenue of communicating with its audience, which can strengthen relationships with its customer base and reinforce its brand.”

Contact us for a free blogging consultation. Aker Ink can develop a blog from scratch or enhance an existing blog.

06/05/09 Andrea Aker Partners with Local Publisher to Launch Blog about Arizona Experience; Develops Online Marketing Strategy to Drive Traffic
Aker Ink President Andrea Aker has teamed up with a local book publisher to launch Arizona Oddities, a blog that explores the state's cultural identity. She has also developed a comprehensive online marketing strategy to drive traffic from multiple sources.

Primer Publishers, which specializes in travel, history and nature books, is contributing content from two of its most notable authors: Marshall Trimble, the state's official historian, and Clay Thompson, a long-time columnist with The Arizona Republic.

Andrea serves as the blog's primary moderator. She crafts original content and manages the weekly editorial calendar. She also created the vision and strategy behind the Arizona Oddities brand, leading all design and development efforts. In addition, Andrea is executing a multi-faceted online marketing campaign that incorporates SEO and social media tools, such as Twitter, to drive blog traffic.

"Blogs can be highly effective communication tools for promoting your businesses or educating a select audience," she said. "Yet if they aren't developed correctly or lack a defined marketing strategy, then they can actually inhibit your goals."

Those interested in learning how to best leverage blogs and other social media platforms can contact Andrea for a free consultation.

05/15/09 Andrea Aker Exposes PR Myths for Impact Magazine
Aker Ink President Andrea Aker was featured as an expert contributor in this month's Impact Magazine, a business publication of the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. She exposed common myths in the public relations field.

"My associates and I encounter a lot of misconceptions about what PR is and what it isn't," she said. "This column touches on some of the most common questions I receive."

The top five PR myths are:

1. PR and advertising are the same.
2. All PR professionals are publicists.
3. PR is just about sending press releases.
4. Social media doesn't affect PR.
5. PR professionals distort truth in the news.

To read the column in its entirety, visit May's online edition and scroll to page 24.

05/04/09 Aker Ink to Promote Launch of Online Network for Personal Trainers
Aker Ink is coordinating national media outreach for the official launch of FindMyTrainer.com, an online network that pre-screens in-home trainers and connects them with potential clients nationwide. The initial PR efforts are structured to build brand awareness and drive new customers to the website.

To learn more about PR strategies for your business, contact us for a free consultation.

04/13/09 Andrea Aker Selected to Join PRSA Technology Committee
Aker Ink President Andrea Aker is lending her expertise and support to the Technology Committee of the Public Relations Society of America, Phoenix chapter. She will help the professional organization update it's website and launch social media campaigns.

03/14/09 Aker Ink Announces Take Charge America as New Client
Phoenix-based Take Charge America (TCA) has tapped Aker Ink for its media relations and copywriting services. TCA is one of the nation's largest non-profit financial education and credit counseling agencies. It has helped more than 1.5 million American consumers manage and repay more than $3 billion in personal debts.

Andrea will lead media relations efforts at the local and national levels. She is working closely with the marketing team to increase brand awareness and educate consumers about personal finance issues.

02/15/09 Andrea Aker Writes Media Coaching Series for Online Magazine
Aker Ink President Andrea Aker has developed a three-part media coaching series for Suite 101 that provides tips and insights into working with the media:

How to Prepare for a News Interview
Do's and Don'ts for News Interviews
Tips for TV Interviews

Prior to founding Aker Ink, Andrea worked in the newspaper and television news industries. "My previous newsroom experience has been an invaluable resource as I reach out to media on my clients' behalf," she said.

Aker Ink offers personalized media coaching services for print and broadcast interviews. To learn more, contact us.

01/09/09 Andrea Aker Selected as Editor for the Arizona Book Publishing Association's Monthly Newsletter
Aker Ink President Andrea Aker is the new editor of Southwest Signature, the monthly newsletter from the Arizona Book Publishing Association (ABPA). In addition to managing and creating content, she will help re-design the online publication to increase readability and functionality.

01/02/09 Aker Ink Announces Two New Clients
Visit My Luxury Home, an Arizona-based video production company specializing in real estate home tours, has tapped Aker Ink to lead its public relations campaign, primarily focusing on media outreach to drive new business from Arizona's corporate and real estate sectors.

Additionally, My Muse Health & Wellness Coaching has hired Aker Ink to promote its life coaching services through media outreach and community development. My Muse offers physical, emotional and spiritual guidance to adults in all stages of their lives.