Effie Delimarkos’ Post

If your client or brand has scheduled content about 9/11, review this IMMEDIATELY because you still have time to make changes. Re-read #1 and #3 at least a few times. If you still think you need to post about 9/11, please follow #4 faithfully.

Today, I am accompanying my mom to a funeral so she can be at her friend's side when she buries her husband. Despite living half a world a way at times (one in Texas and one in Australia), this group of friends had stayed close to each other since spending their 20s together in Athens. My mom is understandably heartbroken, and she's also beating herself up. Because despite finally living only 30 miles apart for the last few years, she had put off connecting in person because daily life simply took over. Let's learn this hard lesson. Life can take over, yes, but it is not a guarantee. Put the to-do list away every now and again. Prioritize connecting with those you love and hold dear.

🎁 Our time and talent are two of the most precious gifts we can give to help others, but it is not always easy to know where they'd make the most impact. I am giddy to be working with this amazing organization that matches volunteers (and their superpowers) with charities that help refugees and displaced people. For 10 years, Indigo Volunteers has perfected the art of "volunteer matchmaking" to help volunteers, charities and the refugees that count on this sectore for support. 🎉 306,000 days of volunteering 🎉 Helping 150+ NGOs across four continents 🎉 693 hours of mental health support 🎉 177 trainings and workshops For our 🔟th birthday, we brought our "matchmaking magic" to the corporate world with Indigo Mentors so employees with volunteer days could use their skills and superpowers REMOTELY to help charities become stronger and do even more good. Here's my birthday wish for Indigo... 💪🏼 That more people realize their strengths, skills and superpowers can move mountains when shared with those that can learn from them and use those powers for good. #responsiblevolunteering #helprefugees #powersforgood #corporatevolunteering #socialimpact #CSR #volunteermatching

In 2017, I made it a career goal to boost gender equity in the United States. In 2021, I inadvertently sabotaged it ... because I felt I had no choice. In 2024, the United States is 43rd on WEF's Gender Equity List trailing behind countries like Norway, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Namibia, and the Netherlands. (And that is just the countries that start with the letter 'N'.) This is not fair, sustainable, or smart. Fortunately, organizations like Moms First are advocating and empowering change; while others, like Upwardly Global, offer support for marginalized women, including refugees and immigrants, so they can find their footing - not only to support their families but also to contribute to our communities as a whole. But, as my Greek mom says "ένα χελιδόνι δεν φέρνει την άνοιξη," which translates to "one swallow [the bird] does not bring spring." It is an expression to underscore that we can't expect only one or a few advocates to prompt change. What career goal could each of set to help boost that ranking? Think about what you could do to help colleagues, neighbors, and friends. We all will benefit from the outcome; let's all find ways to be the change. #GenderEquity #CareerTransition #WorkingMoms #WorkingParents #ImmigrantSuccess #RefugeeJourney #RefugeeSupport #ImmigrantIntegration #GlobalTalent #ScoutingAmerica #BetheChange

🛑 PR Friends: Do NOT hit send. Your pitch can wait. Pitching on a Friday (let alone a Friday in July) is useless. 🔥 Today is a special type of dumpster fire. As you've heard, a global IT outage has grounded flights, stopped banking systems, halted certain media networks and is even affecting certain hospital networks. Our friends in media are frantically working on covering this (assuming those using Microsoft 365 have figured out a workaround.) Don't email. Don't call. Here are THREE things you CAN can do. ➡ Send good energy to our PR colleagues representing affected airlines and transportation hubs, financial institutions, hospital networks and tech companies. ➡ Better yet, send them coffee, lunch, cookies, dinner - whatever will give them a needed boost. ➡ If you represent a brand that claims to stand for helping others during tough times, this is your moment. Throw on your branded hats, shirts, uniforms, neckerchiefs ( hint hint 😉 Scouting friends) and think about how you can help those stranded at airports, train stations, etc. It is time to show up and SHOW people that you are the real (helpful) deal. Good luck! #ITOutage #Communications #PublicRelations #ShowUp #ShowDontTell #HelpOthers #MediaRelations #CrisisCommunications #PRTips

About 12,157,876 minutes ago the career we celebrate today came into focus. While my classes at NYU sought to prepare me for marketing and international business, my internship drew me to PR's more nuanced approach to engaging and persuading audiences, with the artful dance between PR and news media taking center stage. So many years later, I find myself lamenting the current state of that vital dance partner. ❌ Newsroom staff numbers have shrunk by 26% since 2008. ❌ Digital outlets, once heralded as the new face of media, have been gutted. ❌ Worst of all, far too many of the stellar reporters I once pitched have been laid off. Sure, PR firms are eager to hire journalists to help beef up team skills and credibility, but this is a short-term solution to a long-term challenge that MUST be addressed. For PR to be a healthy and sustainable career choice, journalism and media must thrive, as well. Let's face it .. strong and vibrant news media are even more important for the well-being of democracy. So if there were candles to blow out in celebration of World PR Day, my rather self-serving wish would be to see a revitalization of the kind of journalism that informs, educates, and inspires. #WorldPRDay #Journalism #PRCareer #NewsMedia #BringBackJournalism

I did the things they tell women not to do if you want to be respected at work. I baked the cookies. I baked the bread. I brought homemade cupcakes. I did all of that, even though I agonized about whether they (my boss, colleagues and team) would still take me seriously or just see me as a caretaker, a mom. But my DNA > those concerns. 🧬 DNA from my grandmother who used food to comfort her family with dishes of a home long lost after they became refugees. 🧬 DNA from my mom who created confectionary connections for me to a faraway motherland every Christmas and Easter. When I thought about it more, being seen as a mom was a badge of honor, especially given the two matriarchs in my family. 💪🏼 It meant that I would be strong enough to bring stability amid chaos as my grandmother had when she moved her three kids to a new homeland as a refugee. 💪🏼 It meant I would be adaptable and resilient as my mom was when she came to Texas, where she learned her third language and brushed off an old skill and made it a career that put me through college. So it shouldn’t be surprising that I approached the challenge like a mom when I was trying to think of how I could bring attention to Indigo Volunteers with parents at my son’s school. 🍪 Knowing that my son’s classmates had talked up the chocolate chip cookies I’ve sent in for holidays, I decided that I would use my now famous cookies to create an opening with parents. Since cookies themselves would never make it past the kids, I decided to make parents the hero and gave them my recipe instead. In exchange for recipe, I told them about Indigo Volunteers and ask them to support the organization in whatever way they could - either with a donation or by helping us get the word out about the campaign. 🍪One act of sweetness for one act of kindness and humanity. With the campaign wrapping up this weekend, I’m looking forward to seeing if you get more donations with cookies than by asking alone. Care to weigh in? 🍪Comment “cookies for a cause” below to pledge that you plan to donate and I’ll send you the recipe via InMail! —- In honor of Refugee Week, please join me to take a stand for refugees and all of those that have been forcibly displaced! 🌍 For every £1 (or € or $) donated through Sunday, June 23rd, Indigo Volunteers will deliver £23 worth of medical aid, education, integration support, and legal assistance by supporting humanitarian charities with responsible volunteers and resources. 🟢 Double Your Donation 🟢 This week, your donations will be matched by a private donor, doubling your impact! How you can help: 💙 Donate at https://lnkd.in/dpranbR5 (and check if your employer matches donations) 💙 Share our campaign with friends and family 💙 Share our posts on social media Your support ensures we continue offering vital services and aid to refugees. #RefugeeWeek #StandWithRefugees #DoubleTheImpact #SupportRefugees #IndigoVolunteers #LikeaMom #CookiesforaCause

I did the things they tell women not to do if you want to be respected at work. I baked the cookies. I baked the bread. I brought homemade cupcakes. I did all of that, even though I agonized about whether they (my boss, colleagues and team) would still take me seriously or just see me as a caretaker, a mom. But my DNA > those concerns. 🧬 DNA from my grandmother who used food to comfort her family with dishes of a home long lost after they became refugees. 🧬 DNA from my mom who created confectionary connections for me to a faraway motherland every Christmas and Easter. When I thought about it more, being seen as a mom was a badge of honor, especially given the two matriarchs in my family. 💪🏼 It meant that I would be strong enough to bring stability amid chaos as my grandmother had when she moved her three kids to a new homeland as a refugee. 💪🏼 It meant I would be adaptable and resilient as my mom was when she came to Texas, where she learned her third language and brushed off an old skill and made it a career that put me through college. So it shouldn’t be surprising that I approached the challenge like a mom when I was trying to think of how I could bring attention to Indigo Volunteers among fellow parents. 🍪Knowing that my son’s classmates have talked up the chocolate chip cookies I’ve sent in for treats, I decided I would use my now famous class cookies to create an opening with parents. Since cookies themselves would never make it past the kids, I decided to make parents the hero and gave them my recipe instead. In exchange for the recipe, I told them about Indigo Volunteers and ask them to support the organization in whatever way they could - either with a donation or by helping us get the word out about the campaign. 🍪One act of sweetness for one act of kindness and humanity. I’m looking forward to seeing if you get more donations with cookies than by asking alone. Want to weigh in? 🍪Comment “cookies for a cause” below to pledge that you plan to donate and I’ll send you the recipe via InMail! —- In honor of Refugee Week, please join me to take a stand for refugees and all of those that have been forcibly displaced! 🌍 For every £1 (or € or $) donated to Indigo Volunteers, we deliver £23 worth of medical aid, education, integration support, and legal assistance by supporting humanitarian charities with responsible volunteers and resources. 🟢 Double Your Donation 🟢 This week, your donations will be matched by a private donor, doubling your impact! How you can help: 💙 Donate at https://lnkd.in/dpranbR5 (and check if your employer matches donations) 💙 Share our campaign with friends and family 💙 Share our posts on social media #RefugeeWeek #StandWithRefugees #DoubleTheImpact #SupportRefugees #IndigoVolunteers #LikeaMom #CookiesforaCause

My mother was 18 when she became a refugee. Nine years earlier, the family had lived through the horrific “Istanbul pogrom,” state-sponsored mob attacks targeting the Greek minority population in the the city. Even so, her family never thought that matters could get worse than that one night when businesses were pillaged, churches desecrated and homes targeted. It was misdirected political anger, they thought. And then, in 1964, the unthinkable happened. Using its own citizens as pawns simply because of their Greek lineage, the Turkish government expelled tens of thousands of Greeks that remained in Constantinople, including my mom and her family. They were business owners. Property owners. Law-abiding citizens. And none of that spared them the fear, indignity and shattering loss of being forced to leave the only home they knew with just a few suitcases in hand. We are all one crisis away from being refugees. That is why I believe in the work Indigo Volunteers does to match volunteers to humanitarian organizations helping refugees. In honor of World Refugee Day and the refugees in my family, please join me to take a stand for refugees and all of those that have been forcibly displaced from their homes through no fault of their own ! 🌍 Through June 23rd, join me in showing solidarity with refugees and being part of the solution. The organization I work with, Indigo Volunteers , works with partner charities that serve as lifelines, providing essentials like clothing, meals, and medical care, helping refugees find safety, stability, and a sense of home. For every £1 (or € or $) you donate, we deliver £23 worth of medical aid, education, integration support, and legal assistance by supporting humanitarian charities with responsible volunteers and resources. 🟢 Double Your Donation 🟢 This week, your donations will be matched by a private donor, doubling your impact! How you can help: 💙 Donate at https://lnkd.in/dpranbR5 (and check if your employer matches donations) 💙 Share our campaign with friends and family 💙 Share our posts on social media Your support ensures we continue offering vital services and aid to refugees. Let’s create a world of compassion, solidarity, and support for all. #RefugeeWeek #StandWithRefugees #DoubleTheImpact #SupportRefugees #IndigoVolunteers

Είμαστε ευγνώμονες. That is how Chris Martin charmed tens of thousands of Greeks (if not more)... Lessons in Communications, Marketing, and Leadership from Coldplay! Lesson # 4 🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘  🗣️ Pronounced ee-mah-steh ev-gno-moe-nes, Martin said “we are thankful” in Greek. And when frontman Chris Martin chose one of the hardest ways to say thank you in Greek and continued his newfound Greek for just half a minute longer, he showed that the simple act of trying to communicate with your audience in the local language creates a connection, especially when you go beyond the typical “hello.” Even when the audience is perfectly capable of understanding the common (English) language,  as is the case in Greece, going the extra mile signals gratitude and respect.  🗣️ You don’t have to be on a world tour to take this lesson to heart. Of course, it is easy to default to English for ease (and economy) in our communications. Yet just because consumers may understand today’s lingua franca, it does not mean that this is the prudent choice. In fact, a recent global survey of 6,500 respondents, across 13 countries, “found there is a huge opportunity for brands looking to engage and build trust with global audiences.” 88% of consumers believe that global brands should show cultural insight, yet Only 31% were convinced that brands are currently making the effort.  🗣️  To quote the Coldplay song in the clip, “nobody said it was easy,” but trying is the first place to start. For the curious, here is what Chris Martin said in Greek: We are very happy to be here. We are thankful. Thank you for going through the hassle of coming here - even in the heat, the traffic, and waiting in line. Stay tuned for the last lesson.  💛 #coldplay #coldplayathens #nativelanguage #locallanguage #multiculturalmarketing #globalcommunications #globalPR #globalmarketing #globalbrands Video credit to @alessandracanu88 on TikTok. Hi! 🌟 I'm Effie Delimarkos, an accomplished communications strategist with a rich background spanning two decades, encompassing corporate and non-profit roles in-house and at leading global PR agencies. 💪🏼 I am passionate about using my strengths to help those using their powers for good. If you're on a mission to make a difference, let's chat! Send me a message, and let's explore how we can work together to amplify your positive impact. 🌏✨