New times call for new business models, and STATUS is merging the world of social media with the world of public relations. But do Natalie Hills and Brad Forth have the plan that can change your business? You be the judge.

How They Tell It:

Status Social Relations was co-founded in 2010 by Brad Forth and Natalie Hills, with the understanding that Social Media is not just a trend. At Status Social Relations, we help individuals as well as companies establish and sustain Social Media pages,opening a broad range of options for productive connectivity. We enable meaningful projection of identity and empower effective promotion of unique, personal, professional or entrepreneurial paradigm. Grounded in the scholarly as well as commercial culture of artistic communication, Brad and Natalie collaboratively strive for the most aesthetic presentation of individuals and companies. Clients receive personal attention needed to support the creation of Social Media pages that reflect your desired image. SSR provides our clients with services related to Social Media including: The initial start-up of a Facebook or Twitter page as well as the creative development of your Social Media page(s); a photography session with Brad Forth in which we provide you with professional, high quality images ranging from individual or staff portraits, shots of your interior or exterior space for businesses, and product shots; Facebook FBML coding; and monthly management and updates of your Social Media pages.

If you or your company already have these accounts in place, we can critique the information and content you currently have to see where improvements can be made.

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What the Experts Say…

“My initial take on this is that it will be limited, but it will work. What I mean is that if you want to have a special niche, then that’s great. You can basically be a “social media specialty shop.” But if you are going to have clients that need to have more services like crisis communication or strategy, then you might be limited. Basically, if you want to eventually be a fully integrated marketing and PR agency, it wont work, because you’re leaving some tools out of the toolbox— you need as many tools as you can use, because you’ll never know what your customers will need. But if all you want is to serve that area (social media) really well, then it’s a great idea for a niche. I do wonder, though, how a company like this will manage in the long term, as social media becomes the new norm.”

Brett Turner
Director of Public Relations
Jackson Marketing

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“Bringing beauty to social space is a worthy endeavor. There are three pressures in this segment, though, that may make a sustainable business model challenging: first, the increasing momentum for integrating social media into a comprehensive marketing program; second, the difficulty in outsourcing a heart-and-soul based media to outsiders; and, third, the do-it-yourself appeal of social media.

The opportunity lies in the third pressure—the doit- yourself appeal of social media. Status can differentiate themselves by helping clients not only look good but by being good as well. Being good means effectiveness is being aware of individuals in the marketplace, paying attention to them, listening to them, and responding to them. The sustainable opportunity is training and development— giving the people behind the beautiful brands the mindset, tools, and skills they need to deliver beautiful enduser experiences across all interactions with the company.

To the extent Status Social can help clients look good and be good on social media, they’ll have a sustainable business model as social space continues its intense evolution.”

Trey Pennington
Owner,
The Pennington Group

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Now You Weigh In…

We want to hear from you. Give us your thoughts, ideas, and feedback. Post your comments below.

Listen to this week’s Capitol Impact to hear about last Tuesday’s runoff elections and the remaining budget vetoes.

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Press play to hear our thoughts on tomorrow’s runoff elections, as well as an update on the Voter ID bill, the SC Economic Competitiveness Act and Governor Sanford’s budget vetoes.

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Press play to hear our thoughts on last week’s primary elections and Alvin Greene.  Also, find out what’s happening at your SC State House and details on some of Governor Sanford’s budget vetoes…

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The SUNNIE harmon & john DeWORKEN Group
June 13, 2010 Weekly State House Preview

Every weekend, The SUNNIE harmon & john DeWORKEN Group will post a commentary on this location explaining what we think will be occurring at the South Carolina State House this coming week. You will read from on insider’s point of view. We do this to better inform you.

The Legislature returns this week to take up the Governor’s budget vetoes and to tie up some legislative loose ends. Governor Sanford issued 107 budget vetoes equaling $414 million of the legislature’s proposed $5.1 billion budget. The majority of the $414 million can be attributed to Sanford’s veto of part IV of the budget. Part IV includes $214 million of Medicaid money that the Federal government has said it would fund, but has not approved as of yet. In order to override Sanford’s veto, both Houses require a two-thirds majority vote, so the House must obtain 82 votes to override the Governor’s veto, while the Senate must have 31 votes to override.

The General Assembly will also attempt to pass H. 4478, Speaker Harrell’s (R-Charleston) Economic Competitiveness Act. H. 4478 passed the House and Senate before stalling in the House the last day of session. Among other things, this legislation includes fee-in-lieu extensions for counties and incentives for attracting new businesses and industries to South Carolina.

Wednesday, June 16, the Tax Realignment Commission’s (TRAC) Sales & Use Tax Exemption Subcommittee is set to meet. The TRAC commission’s final report is due November 15.

Tune in tomorrow to Capitol Impact by visiting http://blog.sunnieanddeworken.com for an update on the primary elections.

Press play to find out what’s happening at your SC State House…

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Capitol Impact June 7, 2010

The SUNNIE harmon & john DeWORKEN Group
June 6, 2010 Weekly State House Preview

Every weekend, The SUNNIE harmon & john DeWORKEN Group will post a commentary on this location explaining what is happening at your SC State House. You will read from an insider’s point of view. We do this to better inform you.

Last Thursday marked the end of the 118th Legislative Session. Even with a bi-partisan agreement that job creation was first and foremost this year, many of the job-promoting bills failed, such as Speaker Harrell’s economic development bill and the tort reform legislation.

The SC Economic Development Competitiveness Act of 2010, a bill sponsored by Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell (R-Charleston), moved quickly through the House only to hit a speed bump in the Senate. Among other things, this legislation would allow counties to extend fee-in-lieu an additional ten years, expand job tax credits and eliminate the corporate income tax. Because of concerns surrounding next year’s state budget, a Senate Finance subcommittee removed the provision that would eliminate the corporate income tax. Once the bill made its way out of committee, multiple Senators objected to the bill. Last week, the Senate was able to alleviate concerns and pass the legislation. However, Representative Chris Hart (D-Richland) objected to the bill when it went back to the House for a concurrence vote, stopping it in its tracks. This legislation is included in the Sine Die Resolution, so House members will be able to debate it when they return June 15.

Another bill that did not make it through the legislative maze was tort reform. Tort reform legislation passed by the House of Representatives last year was unable to make its way through the Senate. A Senate Judiciary subcommittee met for months to discuss tort reform and to hear testimony from plaintiffs attorneys, defense lawyers and business leaders. A watered down tort reform bill was voted out of the full Judiciary Committee – a bill that much of the business community opposed. At the eleventh hour, the trial bar and business community reached a compromise, but unfortunately it was too late. Senator Gerald Malloy (D-Darlington) objected to the trial lawyers’ last minute compromise. Although SC ranks as one of the least business friendly states when it comes to its tort law, the Palmetto State will have to wait another year.

The Conference Committee appointed to work out state budget difference between the Senate and House was able to get the budget passed on its second try. The first time around, the House of Representatives rejected the conference committee’s report. Many Republicans voted against it because the conference report allowed state employee abortions to be covered in cases of rape and incest. House Democrats rejected the budget compromise because it made additional cuts to health and human services and other agencies. House members and Senators eventually passed a budget that included $213 million of contingent Federal money.

For more details tune in tomorrow to listen to Capitol Impact by visiting
http://blog.sunnieanddeworken.com. Check back here Sunday, June 20 to learn what the
Legislature does when it returns June 15.

The SUNNIE harmon & john DeWORKEN Group
May 30, 2010 Weekly State House Preview

Every weekend, The SUNNIE harmon & john DeWORKEN Group will post a commentary on this location explaining what is happening at your SC State House. You will read from an insider’s point of view. We do this to better inform you.

This week marks the last three days of the South Carolina Legislative session. Other than the Legislature returning for a couple of days to consider the Governor’s vetoes and a few other items in mid June, the Legislature will be out until the second Tuesday of January 2011.

Knowing that their time is short and must adjourn at 5:00pm on Thursday, members have many issues to consider before going home.

In the House of Representatives, members will take up the often-contentious bill that provides local option tax incentives for a high-end retail development in Jasper County. S.1054, sponsored by Senator Pinckney, initially provided state incentives for the development, but was amended in the Senate to call for local incentives, if the county so chooses. Already passed through committee, the bill is up for second reading.

Another contentious bill in the House, H.4181, calls for an amendment to the SC Constitution preserving the freedom of South Carolinians with respect to providing health care services, by prohibiting any law, regulation, or rule to compel an individual, employer, or health care provider to participate in a health care system, by allowing individuals and employers to pay directly for lawful health care services without penalties or fines for these direct payments, by providing that the purchase or sale of health insurance in private health care systems must not be prohibited by law, regulation, or rule, by providing those incentives in which the rights provided by this section do not apply, and to provide appropriate definitions. This bill is up for second reading on the House contested calendar.

In the Senate, it has a number of bills that will take time to consider if they are to pass this body.

Tort Reform, H.3489, is up on Special Order. The bill provides for caps on non-economic damages and punitive damages. The bill will be taken up if the Senate is able to get through S.1437, a bill that provides that senators who are absent without permission will have their votes on all votes be counted as a “yes” vote.

Also up on the Senate calendar is a bill, S.642 that prohibits texting while driving. Speaker Harrell’s comprehensive economic development legislation also sits on the Senate calendar. This bill and tort reform are two big agenda items for the business community.

Tune into http://blog.sunnieanddeworken.com and listen to this week’s Capitol Impact to learn more.

The SUNNIE harmon & john DeWORKEN Group
May 23, 2010 Weekly State House Preview

Every weekend, The SUNNIE harmon & john DeWORKEN Group will post a commentary on this location explaining what is happening at your SC State House. You will read from an insider’s point of view. We do this to better inform you.

Last week, the House took up the Senate’s version of the budget, which included fee hikes to plug budget holes. The majority of the House disagreed with the Senate’s decision to pass fee hikes instead of making real cuts. Ways and Means Chairman Dan Cooper, along with House leadership stripped the budget of its fee increases and made over $50 million in cuts to state agencies to make up for the budget deficit. The House returned the appropriations bill back to the Senate with amendments. It will be up to the Senate to concur or non-concur with the House changes. If the Senate chooses to non-concur, then a conference committee will be appointed to hash out differences between the two bodies.

Other than the budget, the Senate has three bills of interest this week. First, S.642 is a bill that prohibits drivers from sending, composing or reading text messages while driving. If found guilty for texting while driving one would receive a one-point violation on his record. This bill should be up for consideration on Tuesday.

President Pro Tempore McConnell and Senator Martin have a bill (S.1437) that would provide that if a Senator should be absent without permission to be so, all of his votes in his or her absence would be a yes vote. Also on the calendar for special order is the tort reform bill (H.3489), which provides for reasonable caps to be placed on awards for non-economic damages and punitive damages. The tort reform bill was stripped of many of its provisions in Senate Judiciary Committee. As a result, many business groups are opposing the bill in its current form.

In the Gressette Building this week, the Senate will take up a few bills of note in committee. H.3645 is a bill by Representative Annette Young that would strip minors of their driver’s licenses if they drop out of school. The voter ID bill (requiring a picture ID when voting), H.3418, is in a conference committee Wednesday. Finally, a bill (S.1446) that further enforces illegal immigrants in South Carolina, authored by Senator Larry Grooms, will be debated in committee on Thursday.

The House is just as busy as the Senate this week on the calendar.

The House has two bills of interest on its calendar this week. First, the House will take up Senate amendments on the fire sprinkler bill (H.4663) and decide whether to concur with the changes or to send the bill to a conference committee. The fire sprinkler bill basically reverses a state commission’s decision to require all new residential homes be fitted with sprinkler systems. The other bill on the House calendar (S.901) is for third reading to a bill that requires the Governor to notify the Lt. Governor’s office and SLED of his or her whereabouts should he or she leave the state.

Tune in tomorrow to Capitol Impact to hear more about what’s happening at your SC State House.

There are 6 legislative days left before sine die.

The SUNNIE harmon & john DeWORKEN Group
May 16, 2010 Weekly State House Preview

Every weekend, The SUNNIE harmon & john DeWORKEN Group will post a commentary on this location explaining what is happening at your SC State House. You will read from an insider’s point of view. We do this to better inform you.

The Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund bill passed the Senate Wednesday evening after a lengthy debate. The majority of the debate centered on an amendment offered by Senator Billy O’Dell (R-Abbeville), called the O’Dell Jobs Creation Amendment, which provided that there be a minimum percentage of taxable wage base that all businesses would have to pay regardless of how much a business had or had not tapped into the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. The amendment was offered to create a UI Trust Fund that acted more like an insurance program, with all businesses shouldering some responsibility for failed businesses, debt owed to the Federal government and for individual risk. O’Dell’s amendment also offered some relief for companies with the most recent layoffs-businesses just trying to stay afloat and businesses with the greatest potential to rehire. Senator Ryberg (R-Aiken), the bill’s chief proponent, argued to “table the amendment,” meaning to defeat the amendment. Though the O’Dell amendment failed, the bill passed and was sent to the House for a concurrence vote, which is expected this week.

The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to debate tort reform Tuesday afternoon. With only nine legislative days left this session, it is unlikely that this bill will pass before June 3.

Two conference committees will meet this week. The first conference committee will discuss a bill that provides a 24-hour waiting period before having an abortion; and, a second conference committee to hammer out differences in a bill that requires voters to present a picture identification card when voting in an election.

The Senate adjourned debate for the second week straight on a bill that mandates sprinkler installation for new residential homes. Debate will resume Tuesday.

The House is expected to continue budget discussions this week. The Senate passed its version of the budget two weeks ago and now the House must consider a concurrence vote with the Senate’s version. If the House chooses to non-concur, then a conference committee will be charged with debating differences in the two versions. According to House leadership, many House members have issues with the Senate filling the budget shortfall by implementing increased fees.

For the first time since 1977, South Carolina’s cigarette tax will increase. Though Governor Sanford vetoed the General Assembly’s 50 cent increase Tuesday, the House and Senate overrode his veto. The majority of revenue generated will go towards funding Medicaid, with $5 million going to cancer research, another $5 million going to smoking cessation programs and $1 million will be set aside for marketing of SC grown products.

There are nine legislative days left for this session.

Check back Monday to listen to Capitol Impact to learn more about what is happening at your SC State House.