Craig Kaplan

Today, my Intro to PR class was lucky enough to hear Craig Kaplan of All Star Promotion speak.

All Star Promotion is described as, "We are a marketing, branding, and management agency based in the Philadelphia region. Whether you're a small business, a national or regional account, or a multi-million- dollar-a-year professional athlete, All Star Promotion has an action plan for you."

Craig Kaplan got his start in the advertising industry which he believes has given him a different perspective on public relations. He worked for Comcast, which helped lead him into his current job in sports marketing.

Kaplan works with several Philadelphia athletes, one of his most notable clients being Jon Runyan of the Philadelphia Eagles. He works with his clients to help them gain exposure through working with different charities.

When he spoke to our class he stressed the importance of creating relationships, and following up with contacts.

"When I say I'm going to call someone at 2:00, I call them at 2:00," Kaplan said. "I also return every phone call or message I receive. Not many people do that."

Kaplan's best piece of advice to us as PR students is to truly be passionate about what we are doing. He said that loving your job is so important, and that if you really love your job, the money will come. He said that it isn't worth being miserable in a job for a little bit more money.

This got me thinking about all the different avenues PR has to offer. There are so many aspects of public relations, and sports marketing is just another avenue to consider!