By Jeffrey Coleman, The Coleman Law FirmAll contractors are required to have (and should have) a “Commercial General Liability Insurance Policy” otherwise known as a “GL Policy.” This policy generally covers the liability of contractors for accidents and resulting damage to persons or property. A comprehensive analysis of this policy is far beyond the scope of this article. In fact, a separate article could be written about almost each sentence of the GL Policy. There are...

As we head into summer, COVID-19 continues to impact our daily lives. Businesses and communities are learning to adapt to the “new normal.” But even as we collectively rise to the challenges the pandemic has wrought, our new normal continues to evolve. We have entered a new phase in the COVID-19 narrative.As more states ease restrictions, people are venturing out of their homes and businesses are opening their doors again. Yet the reopening of our society comes with changes in our be...

Last month, President Trump, citing a perceived censorship of conservative viewpoints, signed an executive order which looks to shake up how social media is regulated. The regulation of social media platforms has long been debated but this order, coupled with the President’s related tweet, has pushed the subject into the spotlight. At the heart of the matter lies a largely unknown section of the Communications Decency Act (CDA) known as section 230. This legislation, considered by some to ...

One of the most common questions we have received during the last few months has been how to handle marketing and sales efforts during the pandemic. What is appropriate? Although there is no guidebook and instruction on the right answer to that question, there are countless examples of some really great ways to pivot your marketing efforts so you can continue reaching your target audiences appropriately and effectively. In our opinion, Coldspring, a valued client since 2006, has done an ama...

The word Strategy came into use in the English language in the early 1800s. It was derived from another English word “Stratagem” that has been in use from late 15th century. The words trace their roots to the Greek, Stratos 'army' + agein 'to lead’.Strategic planning makes many people groan and roll their eyes even in the best of times. According to the Association for Strategic Planning, strategic planning is the process used to formul...

In an effort to share crisis communications tips during this pandemic, AOE sat down with Whitney Belkowitz, President and CEO of Intelligent Concrete, LLC, to learn about their approach to communicating related to COVID-19.  Intelligent Concrete, LLC is an international company that provides research, development, testing and consulting services for the concrete and construction industry.  She shared that one of her passions is helping to bring new and emerging technologies to market.Q...

A recent study by the Zeno Group indicates that one of the many things that has changed during the COVID-19 era is our values. Specifically, for the first time since the Great Depression era, Americans have shifted from materialism to frugality, and away from self-centered ambition toward duty. The research shows that the values rising most in importance today are those associated with family, interpersonal relationships, self-sufficiency, honesty, thrift and duty. This shift may not come a...

TIME magazine named 2014 the Year of Mindfulness. For a few years following this declaration, mindfulness, or Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), became a common key topic in business circles. Then the buzz moved on to other topics. Today, however, with the advent of COVID-19, MBSR is coming to the forefront again. Why the interest? Now more than ever before, business requires you to face a range of fast-paced and ever-changing challenges, as well as make decisions in a stressed and ...

After having worked in the communications field for more than 20 years, I thought I had seen just about everything. No level of experience has prepared any of us for what we are currently facing with COVID-19. This includes our friends in the media.Considering just how much our world has changed over the last few months, Cision’s 2020 report on the State of the Media could not come at a better time.We cannot turn on network TV, check our social media accounts or open our email without seei...

As some states loosen restrictions related to COVID-19, many are preparing for the next phase of this pandemic. Although the scenarios range from opening businesses and offices again to phased or staggered operations, as well as a multitude of other scenarios, the one constant is the necessary role of good communications. It is key to pause at this time and prepare for the next wave of planned messages.In early to mid-March, everyone was thrown into communicating about their organization and COV...