EXPERIENCE
POLITICS & ELECTIONS
No one knows Illinois and American Politics better. Ray Hanania has represented nearly 100 elected officials and candidates including Suburban & Chicago officials, to countywide, statewide and national office. Hanania provides a Centrist bi-partisan perspective on issues, challenges and achieving solutions.
EFFECTIVE MESSAGING
It’s “Content, Content, Content” and it takes knowledge, experience and a proven talent in effective messaging to write releases, speeches and news media responses that enhance the client’s public image. You only get one chance to respond to a news media-driven crisis. Understanding the news media is as important as knowing the issue. Once you respond, you don’t get a second chance.
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
Having worked in journalism on the front lines of the toughest beats in Chicago City Hall, politics and the Illinois legislature, Urban Strategies Group worked with dozens of clients to survive and rise above news media bias and criticism by refocusing controversy into public understanding and praise. Controversy is an opportunity to showcase your successes and your talents.
BUSINESS BRANDING
Urban Strategies works with many non-political and non-government private businesses and entrepreneurs to strengthen and promote their public brands, securing media coverage that helps to raise positive public awareness and drive growth. It all comes down to focused messaging, and experienced writing.
Ray Hanania has been on the frontlines of Chicago's biggest stories since the first day he walked into Chicago City Hall in 1976 as a reporter. Many PR professionals can talk about it, but very few communicators have that frontline, cutting edge experience. We will gladly create, distribute and place press releases for you, create news for you, manage news media inquiries. We can get your message to the public through or around the mainstream news media to your primary audiences.
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Candidates, campaigns, elections and & politics
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Public Relations, press releases
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Using today's technologies effectively and strategically
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Speak to your audience the way they want to be spoken too
OUR PROMISE
RAY HANANIA
CASE STUDIES
Client Services is a priority. Their concerns are my concerns. Turning the focus from negative news media perceptions and coverage to substantive demonstrations of actual services and benefits to the residents and constituents in the community. Writing & delivering the positive message. We help you define your message, write your message, produce your message in a deliverable form, deliver your message and make sure the message reaches your target audiences. We know how to write and what to write. We'll help you create the message that meets your needs.
MEDIA STRATEGY DISCUSSIONS
The biggest cause of election failure is not connecting with voters
The biggest cause of election failure is not connecting with voters By Ray Hanania How do you connect with voters? By recognizing that not all voters are the same. They are a diversified audience. Some are concerned about abortion. Others are concerned about taxes. Many are concerned about crime. Younger parents with kids are concerned Read more about The biggest cause of election failure is not connecting with voters[…]
Throwing mud is a sign you are behind in the polls
Throwing mud is a sign you are behind in the polls It is a proven fact that candidates and campaigns that mail out more negative mailers attacking their rivals usually do so because they are behind in the polls and their rivals are winning. But when candidates who are leading in the polls “throw mud,” the Read more about Throwing mud is a sign you are behind in the polls[…]
Anticipate negative issues and plan
Anticipate negative issues and plan Too often, candidates for public office either minimize the significance of mistakes they have made in the past, or, they hope those mistakes won’t become public. But in public life, there is no such thing as a secret. What there is, though, is spin. That means something that happened in Read more about Anticipate negative issues and plan[…]
SEO Best Practices from PR Newswire
SEO Best Practices from PR Newswire PR Newswire is one of the best and most effective distribution systems for press releases and news announcements. They have bene at it for many years and are the best. Here are the “SEO Best Practices” advice that they offer when creating a newsletter. We always recommend following their Read more about SEO Best Practices from PR Newswire[…]
Publicity, PR, News and promoting yourself
Publicity, PR, News and promoting yourself Some people just don’t understand communications. They think they can throw a piece of information at the news media, bloggers or even their followers and then expect massive benefits through republishing and distribution. They want to make the public aware of what they are doing, a product they created, Read more about Publicity, PR, News and promoting yourself[…]
Biggest mistake companies make when writing press releases
Biggest mistake companies make when writing press releases By Ray Hanania A press release isn’t a sell sheet. It isn’t an advertising pitch. And, it’s not an internal memo patting yourself on the back. A press release has a very specific purpose, to come as close to reflecting how a professional journalist working for a Read more about Biggest mistake companies make when writing press releases[…]
Newsletters are not Press Releases
Newsletters are not Press Releases By Ray Hanania I get a lot of newsletters with a lot of great information. It’s usually not Earth-shattering news, but it is interesting. When it is Earth shattering, I of course find the time to follow up and re-write it as a news story. But in most cases, the newsletters Read more about Newsletters are not Press Releases[…]
Targeting the “perception soft spot”
Targeting the “perception soft spot” By Ray Hanania When you are in the heat of the election campaign, criticism becomes an important tool to distinguish yourself and your assets from your opponent. Some people call it negative campaigning, but voters expect you to define, in a responsible and reasoned manner, why you are a better Read more about Targeting the “perception soft spot”[…]
Controversy is a good thing
Controversy is a good thing By Ray Hanania A lot of candidate’s fear controversy. They shouldn’t. What’s important about controversy? Most controversy is acceptable controversy. People say there is no such thing as “bad publicity.” Well, short o being convicted for pedophilia, robbing a convenience store, or beating your wife in public in front of multiple Read more about Controversy is a good thing[…]
Turning criticism into an asset by pivoting
Turning criticism into an asset by pivoting Some people run from criticism and controversy. Others recognize that criticism and controversy put you in the spotlight, and give you an opportunity to transform it from criticism and controversy into an opportunity for you to showcase another important message. You are in the spotlight. Be clever and Read more about Turning criticism into an asset by pivoting[…]