Love sports? Love event planning? We’ve got a course for you. One of our newest offerings, Sports Event Marketing, begins on Wednesday May 1, 2013. In this intensive course, you’ll get hands-on experience creating a mock sports marketing campaign portfolio from an agency, corporate sponsor, or team franchise perspective. Interested? Learn more and register here. Use the promo code SPORTS50 to save $50 at checkout. This special offer expires April 30, 2013.

Instructor Michele Lago (left) is an event planner and sports marketer who has worked at five Olympic games, six Super Bowls, and two Masters. Her client list includes The Coca-Cola Company, SportsMark, Special Olympics, and The Sports Authority. During an interview with Michele, we asked what her most exciting event was. She said:

“My favorite event during that time (and my husband would likely agree) was the 2007 [Sports Illustrated] Swimsuit Issue Launch Party. That was the year Beyoncé was on the cover, and we hosted a 750-person VIP party in Hollywood with all the swimsuit models. The party was logistically and creatively challenging and was one of my first large high-profile events that I managed, so I always think back on it and smile.”

You can read the rest of our interview with Michele or visit the course site to learn more about the program and register.

Big thanks to all who came out to our party at the Empire Room on Tuesday night! We greatly appreciated you all showing up to have a couple of drinks, trade business cards, look for new career opportunities and listen politely as your host tested his latest, lamest jokes. Apologies to anyone who wasn’t able to get in (we are popular for some reason) and a special thank you to the folks at Horn Group for sponsoring and organizing a great event. Here are some pictures:

Attendees getting their network on…

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In PR, you can never have too many relationships. Discover how to build meaningful relationships with clients and media outlets in our Public Relations: Media Training and Relations course–and save $50 on enrollment now with the discount code “PRPRO”.

Instructor Dick Pirozzolo, principal of Pirozzolo Company Public Relations, offers PR, marketing communication, and media placement services to corporate and government agencies internationally. He’ll teach you how to:

• Generate leads and pitch contacts from media lists, online databases, blogs, and social media
• Find out what producers and segment bookers are looking for
• Develop talking points and understand how to prep your clients appropriately
• Build lasting relationships and book repeat performances

You’ll see immediate payoff from this class in your day-to-day job. One student says:

“Dick is knowledegeable and experienced, with the ability convey his knowledge with enthusiasm. His lectures were well-oprganized and informative. Right after this class, I was able to generate media interest for my client using Dick’s suggestions.” — Tom Panas

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity. Spots are limited, so sign up soon!

The past decade has seen both a significant spike in interest in the public relations field and an abundance of jobs. Get your foot in the door of this exciting industry with Mediabistro’s online Public Relations class starting Wednesday, February 6!

Instructor Linda Marsicano (left) is the former VP of corporate communications with Playboy Enterprises. Her experience includes prepping CEOs for appearances on 20/20, Dateline NBC, and The Today Show–along with every other aspect of the PR equation.

In her class, you’ll learn to:

• develop a tactical PR plan that generates results
• write dynamic biographies
• effectively distribute your own news releases

By the end of the course, you’ll be impressing interviewees left and right. Spots are limited, so sign up soon!

Today in Shameless Self-Promotion, we have a few key questions for ambitious, experienced public relations professionals:

• Are you a well-schooled PR veteran?
• Do you have a history of working for major firms and serving big-name clients?
• Do you closely follow current developments within the industry?
• Are  your own experiences entering the field and working your way up the career ladder relevant to today’s graduates and other professionals who wish to enter the crazy, colorful world of PR?
• Are you ready to teach students how to get their feet in the door and how to master the basics of the business?
• Are you comfortable developing a syllabus/lesson plan, hosting interactive discussions and reviewing students’ work?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may be just the person that Mediabistro needs to teach its upcoming 6-week “Introduction to Public Relations” class!

UPDATE: The instructor position has been filled, but Mediabistro will continue to hold courses relating to PR and other disciplines. To enter our pool of potential instructors, please submit a resume to learn.info@mediabistro.com.

As the oldest and largest mag in the U.S. that covers the sport, Triathlete has very few competitors. With bylines that boast some of the best and most well-known coaches and columnists in the triathlon world, newbies and seasoned triathletes all turn to the pub for tips and inspiration.

The mag is open to PR pitches that are in any way athletic- or triathlon-related. “Gear and tech items are probably the best way to go, as we do gear review in all parts of the magazine under a variety of different names,” said managing editor Adam Elder. “Profiles, celebrity, travel, exciting getaways that discuss the training situation there, or anything with an athletic angle is also great.”

Get editors’ contact info in How To Pitch: Triathlete. [subscription required]

Important note to all PR professionals: We just realized that we haven’t taken enough opportunities to remind you about Mediabistro’s Social Media Marketing Boot Camp, which starts this Thursday and runs through December 13^th. Over eight weeks, the intensive program will feature presentations and how-to-demonstrations from some of the hottest names in social media in addition to peer group interactions and debates. It’s a world class conference and a small group workshop in one!

Question: Do you spend a good number of your work hours wondering how to more effectively use social media as a promotional tool? You’re not alone. In attending this one-of-a-kind boot camp:

• You’ll take in keynote speeches and Q&A sessions by established professionals who qualify as “old hands” in the still-young social media game.
• You’ll receive guidance from advisors, guests and peers who work every day to answer the same questions about creating and executing effective social media promo campaigns.
• You’ll get to make the most of priceless peer interactions by developing contacts, engaging in industry-specific discussion groups and receiving both one-on-one feedback and peer group responses to your own projects.

Want to learn from the best in the business? Key speakers include:

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Today in Incestuous PR Fail News: DC-based media relations company PR Collaborative invited Eddie Scarry of our sister blog FishbowlDC to a screening of the neo-noir film The Paperboy—and he didn’t much care for it!

The film, directed by controversial Precious mastermind Lee Daniels and starring Nicole Kidman, Matthew McConaughey and Zac Efron (?), received a bit of press earlier this summer for featuring a scene in which Kidman’s character pees on the High School Musical star in order to relieve his allergic reaction to a jellyfish sting—not weird at all, right?

Anyway, Scarry did not pull any punches in calling the film “the nastiest, crudest, most disturbing move we’ve seen this year” and listing seven (mostly negative) points that viewers should consider before they decide whether to pay to see it.

Yes, we must say that the post was Brian Williams-level catty—and PR Collaborative did not like it one bit!

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Over the last decade, we’ve seen an unprecedented surge of interest in public relations that has created an incredible abundance of PR jobs in firms, corporations, non-profits, and consulting. But what are the key skills every PR firm is looking for?

With Mediabistro’s online “Public Relations” course, you’ll earn a certificate in PR while learning how to break into the business, enhance your skills, and develop PR programs. You’ll also find out everything you need to know to get that all-important first job. Read more

On October 18, Mediabistro brings you Social Media Marketing Boot Camp, an interactive online event and workshop. The event includes keynote speakers, practical how-to sessions, and strategic assignments to provide attendees with dynamic social media training. By the end of the eight-week program, you will be able to create an integrated strategic plan using various social media platforms in order to build an engaged audience and convert traffic into sales.

Early bird rates are available today. Save $100 when you sign up before they end tomorrow, September 20.

Our speakers include:

Michael Bepko, Global Online Community Manager, Whole Foods

Brian Carter, Author, LinkedIn For Business

Keidra Chaney, Digital Content Strategist, The Web Farm

Lauren Cucinotta, Branding + Editorial Manager, TEDx

Jennifer Dubrow, Global Social Business Transformation Leader, Inside Sales, IBM

Frank Eliason, Senior Vice President of Social Media, Citibank

Jim Hopkinson, Digital Marketing Strategist + Blogger, The Hopkinson Report

Barbara Pantuso, Director of Product Strategy, Huge

Dr. Jay Parkinson, Pediatrician and Social Entreprenuer

Andrew Patterson, Director of New Media, MLB Advanced Media

Dave Pickett, Social Media Editor, University of Chicago

Amy Porterfield, Author, Facebook Marketing All-In-One for Dummies

Brian Ries, Senior Editor, Social Media, Newsweek & The Daily Beast

Jennifer Rubio, Social Media Marketing Manager, Warby Parker

Steven Tristan Young, Director, Acquisition Marketing and Brand Awareness, Seamless.com

This year, we have developed industry tracks designed to focus on specific needs of three industries: restaurants, higher education, and entertainment + social TV. Led by an expert, each break-out group allows your to pose specific questions, connect with others, and engage in productive conversation.

Our industry track leaders include:

Natan Edelsburg, VP of Sawhorse Media; Writer at LostRemote.com

Alexis Halejian, Online Marketing Manager, B.R. Guest Hospitality

Stephanie Hatch, Social Media and Email Marketing Specialist, MIT

If you don’t fall within these industry groups, we’ve got Mediabistro experts and advisors available who can answer any of your questions. Learn more about the program.

Read student testimonials from past sessions.

Remember, tomorrow is the last day to sign up with our early bird rates, so register today.