Saturday, November 6, 2010
Our blog is moving!
Our blog is moving to uwoshkoshprssa.wordpress.com. Please look there for new posts about the 2010 National Conference in Washington, D.C.!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
.:Mariah's Journey to Graduation:.
Someone asked me the other day how I’ve changed since being a freshman in college. Looking back, I was a bit clueless, somewhat careless and definitely major-less...I guess their question should have been: "How haven’t you changed?!"
College started off a bit rocky for me. A month into my first semester at UWO, my mom called to tell me she was leaving my stepdad. It seems like last night I was walking around campus, consoling my stepdad for hours on the phone.
But I turned to school for distraction. I’ve always enjoyed my English classes but it wasn’t until one professor urged me to “pursue my flair for writing” that I toyed with the thought of making a career out of it.
Then in the summer of 2007, my stepdad died unexpectedly. My life did an instant 180, as did my priorities; I was bordering on withdrawing from UW Oshkosh to return home and help take care of my four younger siblings. Unable to continue concentrating on his studies, my younger brother didn’t graduate from high school. It was a really scary time for all of us. However, I knew those kids were lacking role models and needed an older sister to look up to. I also knew that meant staying in school, despite the circumstances.
I didn’t know if there was any “right” way to cope with tragedy-I still don’t. So I just wrote. A lot. In retrospect, I think maybe Kevin’s death inadvertently lead me to major in Journalism.
I learned life is not something to be taken for granted. So I began looking into fulfilling something I’d always dreamed of doing: studying abroad. The following fall, I traveled to Fiji, Australia and New Zealand, where I lived in a village, went surfing, bungee-jumping, sailing, scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, swam through a waterfall and so much more. Perhaps the aspect I value most from that trip are the relationships I gained.
It would seem as if I have this newfound craving for “trying new things” because a year after my study abroad, I decided I’d compete for Miss Oshkosh 2010. I had 0 pageant experience but I figured I’d give it a go! I only wanted my little sister to be in the audience. I wanted to show her although things can go so wrong for so long, there are always things to look forward to. (I ended up winning 1st Runner Up!)
This school and this community has had an astounding impact on my ability to cope with my family tragedy. My professors, advisers, friends and classmates inspire me every day. I truly cannot imagine what my life would be like had I made that one decision to not continue studying. It’s been rewarding, chaotic, exciting, challenging and emotional...but that’s life, right?!
Yesterday my brother called me to tell me he, too, was applying for college. I couldn’t help but smile.
College started off a bit rocky for me. A month into my first semester at UWO, my mom called to tell me she was leaving my stepdad. It seems like last night I was walking around campus, consoling my stepdad for hours on the phone.
But I turned to school for distraction. I’ve always enjoyed my English classes but it wasn’t until one professor urged me to “pursue my flair for writing” that I toyed with the thought of making a career out of it.
Then in the summer of 2007, my stepdad died unexpectedly. My life did an instant 180, as did my priorities; I was bordering on withdrawing from UW Oshkosh to return home and help take care of my four younger siblings. Unable to continue concentrating on his studies, my younger brother didn’t graduate from high school. It was a really scary time for all of us. However, I knew those kids were lacking role models and needed an older sister to look up to. I also knew that meant staying in school, despite the circumstances.
I didn’t know if there was any “right” way to cope with tragedy-I still don’t. So I just wrote. A lot. In retrospect, I think maybe Kevin’s death inadvertently lead me to major in Journalism.
I learned life is not something to be taken for granted. So I began looking into fulfilling something I’d always dreamed of doing: studying abroad. The following fall, I traveled to Fiji, Australia and New Zealand, where I lived in a village, went surfing, bungee-jumping, sailing, scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, swam through a waterfall and so much more. Perhaps the aspect I value most from that trip are the relationships I gained.
It would seem as if I have this newfound craving for “trying new things” because a year after my study abroad, I decided I’d compete for Miss Oshkosh 2010. I had 0 pageant experience but I figured I’d give it a go! I only wanted my little sister to be in the audience. I wanted to show her although things can go so wrong for so long, there are always things to look forward to. (I ended up winning 1st Runner Up!)
This school and this community has had an astounding impact on my ability to cope with my family tragedy. My professors, advisers, friends and classmates inspire me every day. I truly cannot imagine what my life would be like had I made that one decision to not continue studying. It’s been rewarding, chaotic, exciting, challenging and emotional...but that’s life, right?!
Yesterday my brother called me to tell me he, too, was applying for college. I couldn’t help but smile.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
A Few Lessons From the PR + Social Media Summit
Last Thursday, April 8, I attended the PR + Social Media Summit hosted by Comet Branding and Marquette University. Because social media is so new and ever-changing, I enjoy learning as much about it as possible. This event proved to be one of the best public relations related learning experiences of my college career.
The summit was a day full of sessions strictly devoted to the union of communications and social media. And to no ones surprise, the day was also filled with tons of tweeting! (My poor iPhone’s battery drained due to my overzealous tweeting)
Because I attended seven sessions, I absorbed tons of information regarding the integration of public relations and social media. To avoid information overload, I will divide my recaps into multiple posts. Enjoy!
“Retiring the Word doc: How social media killed the press release” Jason Kintzler, Founder of pitchengine.com
As we know, the world of public relations is changing drastically due to the change in technology. Kintzler spoke about the Social Media Release and how it is quickly becoming more popular than the dated (invented in 1906) press release. Here is some information about this new press release:
• SMRs – accessed on Web sites such as pitchengine.com – are easily shareable and more interactive than the traditional version
• Content and writing is still critical when creating SMRs
• A SMR is more about story telling – avoid coming across to marketing-ish
• SMRs allow viewers to ask the creator questions making it easy to manage the conversation around a certain topic
• Sites like pitchengine.com make it easy to direct release to specific audience
• Facebook is surpassing Google as most visited site on Internet making Social Media Optimization (SMO) more valuable than Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• As with all public relations tools, communication comes first – SMR content should be created to engage
Steps to (Modern Day) PR Success
1. Cultivate your networks
2. Create content that provides value to your audience
3. Re-think the metrics for success
4. Listen, respond, repeat
“Community isn’t a buzzword. It’s a business strategy”
Amber Naslund, Director of Community at Radian 6
Naslund was a dynamic speaker who discussed the importance of community and maintaining a relationship with that community. Here are a few key ideas from her presentation:
• Community is a business strategy – not a buzzword
• Conversing and listening is imperative to build a relationship with your community
• Human interaction is key to engaging your community – the platforms will change, but the human interaction never will
• Community must be incorporated in every aspect of a company
“Building community and drawing local foot traffic with social media”
Christine Beuchert, Director of ecommerce and Performance Marketing for Marcus Hotels & Resorts
Beuchert discussed the use of Facebook, Twitter and geo-locators to build loyalty and drive sales. Here are some examples of how she uses these social media tools:
Facebook tactics:
• Promote events
• Promote Facebook page from Web site, e-mail and other media
• Offer coupons or contests to encourage participation and grow community
• To engage, share relevant links and stories from outside your brand
• Target your audience by investing in Facebook ads
Twitter tactics:
• Monitor and respond quickly to customers
• Locate nearby or frequent customers
• Tie foursquare and other location based tools in
Geo-locators, such as foursquare, tactics:
• Offer a foursquare deal, such as recognizing your mayor
• Promote the use of foursquare by making the deal known
• Educate staff members on these new tools
• Tie it in with Twitter
Most importantly when dealing with social media:
1. Have a plan
2. Discuss it with your staff
3. Make it fun and share the job
4. Stay current with changes
For more information about the PR+Social Media Summit, check out the presentations that have been posted on slideshare, the videos that have be uploaded to Vimeo and the hashtag #prsms on Twitter.
The summit was a day full of sessions strictly devoted to the union of communications and social media. And to no ones surprise, the day was also filled with tons of tweeting! (My poor iPhone’s battery drained due to my overzealous tweeting)
Because I attended seven sessions, I absorbed tons of information regarding the integration of public relations and social media. To avoid information overload, I will divide my recaps into multiple posts. Enjoy!
“Retiring the Word doc: How social media killed the press release” Jason Kintzler, Founder of pitchengine.com
As we know, the world of public relations is changing drastically due to the change in technology. Kintzler spoke about the Social Media Release and how it is quickly becoming more popular than the dated (invented in 1906) press release. Here is some information about this new press release:
• SMRs – accessed on Web sites such as pitchengine.com – are easily shareable and more interactive than the traditional version
• Content and writing is still critical when creating SMRs
• A SMR is more about story telling – avoid coming across to marketing-ish
• SMRs allow viewers to ask the creator questions making it easy to manage the conversation around a certain topic
• Sites like pitchengine.com make it easy to direct release to specific audience
• Facebook is surpassing Google as most visited site on Internet making Social Media Optimization (SMO) more valuable than Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• As with all public relations tools, communication comes first – SMR content should be created to engage
Steps to (Modern Day) PR Success
1. Cultivate your networks
2. Create content that provides value to your audience
3. Re-think the metrics for success
4. Listen, respond, repeat
“Community isn’t a buzzword. It’s a business strategy”
Amber Naslund, Director of Community at Radian 6
Naslund was a dynamic speaker who discussed the importance of community and maintaining a relationship with that community. Here are a few key ideas from her presentation:
• Community is a business strategy – not a buzzword
• Conversing and listening is imperative to build a relationship with your community
• Human interaction is key to engaging your community – the platforms will change, but the human interaction never will
• Community must be incorporated in every aspect of a company
“Building community and drawing local foot traffic with social media”
Christine Beuchert, Director of ecommerce and Performance Marketing for Marcus Hotels & Resorts
Beuchert discussed the use of Facebook, Twitter and geo-locators to build loyalty and drive sales. Here are some examples of how she uses these social media tools:
Facebook tactics:
• Promote events
• Promote Facebook page from Web site, e-mail and other media
• Offer coupons or contests to encourage participation and grow community
• To engage, share relevant links and stories from outside your brand
• Target your audience by investing in Facebook ads
Twitter tactics:
• Monitor and respond quickly to customers
• Locate nearby or frequent customers
• Tie foursquare and other location based tools in
Geo-locators, such as foursquare, tactics:
• Offer a foursquare deal, such as recognizing your mayor
• Promote the use of foursquare by making the deal known
• Educate staff members on these new tools
• Tie it in with Twitter
Most importantly when dealing with social media:
1. Have a plan
2. Discuss it with your staff
3. Make it fun and share the job
4. Stay current with changes
For more information about the PR+Social Media Summit, check out the presentations that have been posted on slideshare, the videos that have be uploaded to Vimeo and the hashtag #prsms on Twitter.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Social Media and the Public Relations Profession
Unless you have been hiding under a rock recently, I am sure you are well aware of the rise in social media use among communicators and consumers alike; however, you may be unaware of the benefits this new media has for public relations practitioners or how it could be applicable to your future company or clients.
On Thursday, April 1 Jessica Dennis and Karen Buckoski of Red Shoes PR visited UW Oshkosh’s PRSSA to present about social media and the impact it has on the public relations industry.
To begin, the women discussed the current state of the news media. According to a PEW Research study titled The State of the News Media 2010, there has been a recorded change in advertising revenue across almost all avenues of the news media – and not surprisingly that change has been negative. Because the media landscape is shifting, the public relations industry is also changing. Social media is allowing public relations professionals to act like publishers, and fortunately these professionals are very capable and prepared to take on this new role.
This shift from PR 1.0 to PR 2.0 has eliminated the middlemen and allowed PR professionals to create and distribute information without going through any gatekeepers, such as journalists. According to Dennis and Buckoski, a beneficial social media tool for PR professionals is a Social Media Release (SMR). A SMR (which can be created through sites such as pitchengine.com) is helpful in that it is easily shareable content. You can include links and images throughout, making viewers more likely to pass the information along within their online communities. These SMRs are also measurable; you are able to track how many people clicked-through to view the release.
Because social media has created a surge in online communities, people are becoming less reliable on traditional media to gain information. However, Dennis and Buckoski stressed that it is important to remember that social media is a tactic and should align with the business plan, goals and target audience of the organization. It works best when combined with traditional media, along with other tactics, and is not an end all be all.
Sharing quality information and openly communicating with your audiences is essential in utilizing social media effectively. Online communities can help spread information about products and services (good or bad) and it is important for companies to participate and monitor these conversations.
Dennis and Buckoski put together Rules of Engagement. A brief review of these rules is as follows:
1. Engage
Don’t spam
Have a conversation
Don’t continually talk about your product or service (avoid doing so if possible)
2. Transparency
Companies should not use logo as avatar because of the impersonal feel
Instead opt for using a friendly face within the company
3. Authenticity
4. Communicate
5. Share/Don’t plagiarize/Cite your sources
6. Listen
Respond promptly when people are communicating with you
7. Mistakes may occur, but how you recover is more important than ever
8. It’s all about relationships
Starting slow with social media is key. You are building relationships, and that takes time. When getting started you should find out where your audience is participating online and identify influencers. You should also begin to read industry blogs and apply the information learned when participating in social media. In some cases, one social media outlet will work better for you than others; remember that it is OK to try a variety of social media tools. Overall, it is important to be yourself, make friends and share quality information.
And as with any other public relations tactic – content is king. You need to adapt your message to fit the audience you are targeting and ensure that the information is relevant to that particular group.
The world of social media is ever changing. As of right now, no one person can call him or herself an expert. It is important as future public relations professionals that we keep up to date with this shift and continue to educate ourselves on this increasing new form of media.
To view Dennis and Buckoski’s entire presentation via slideshare, please visit their blog at www.redshoespr.com/blog/.
What are your thoughts on the ever-changing landscape of social media? As future public relations professional do you value you this new media?
On Thursday, April 1 Jessica Dennis and Karen Buckoski of Red Shoes PR visited UW Oshkosh’s PRSSA to present about social media and the impact it has on the public relations industry.
To begin, the women discussed the current state of the news media. According to a PEW Research study titled The State of the News Media 2010, there has been a recorded change in advertising revenue across almost all avenues of the news media – and not surprisingly that change has been negative. Because the media landscape is shifting, the public relations industry is also changing. Social media is allowing public relations professionals to act like publishers, and fortunately these professionals are very capable and prepared to take on this new role.
This shift from PR 1.0 to PR 2.0 has eliminated the middlemen and allowed PR professionals to create and distribute information without going through any gatekeepers, such as journalists. According to Dennis and Buckoski, a beneficial social media tool for PR professionals is a Social Media Release (SMR). A SMR (which can be created through sites such as pitchengine.com) is helpful in that it is easily shareable content. You can include links and images throughout, making viewers more likely to pass the information along within their online communities. These SMRs are also measurable; you are able to track how many people clicked-through to view the release.
Because social media has created a surge in online communities, people are becoming less reliable on traditional media to gain information. However, Dennis and Buckoski stressed that it is important to remember that social media is a tactic and should align with the business plan, goals and target audience of the organization. It works best when combined with traditional media, along with other tactics, and is not an end all be all.
Sharing quality information and openly communicating with your audiences is essential in utilizing social media effectively. Online communities can help spread information about products and services (good or bad) and it is important for companies to participate and monitor these conversations.
Dennis and Buckoski put together Rules of Engagement. A brief review of these rules is as follows:
1. Engage
Don’t spam
Have a conversation
Don’t continually talk about your product or service (avoid doing so if possible)
2. Transparency
Companies should not use logo as avatar because of the impersonal feel
Instead opt for using a friendly face within the company
3. Authenticity
4. Communicate
5. Share/Don’t plagiarize/Cite your sources
6. Listen
Respond promptly when people are communicating with you
7. Mistakes may occur, but how you recover is more important than ever
8. It’s all about relationships
Starting slow with social media is key. You are building relationships, and that takes time. When getting started you should find out where your audience is participating online and identify influencers. You should also begin to read industry blogs and apply the information learned when participating in social media. In some cases, one social media outlet will work better for you than others; remember that it is OK to try a variety of social media tools. Overall, it is important to be yourself, make friends and share quality information.
And as with any other public relations tactic – content is king. You need to adapt your message to fit the audience you are targeting and ensure that the information is relevant to that particular group.
The world of social media is ever changing. As of right now, no one person can call him or herself an expert. It is important as future public relations professionals that we keep up to date with this shift and continue to educate ourselves on this increasing new form of media.
To view Dennis and Buckoski’s entire presentation via slideshare, please visit their blog at www.redshoespr.com/blog/.
What are your thoughts on the ever-changing landscape of social media? As future public relations professional do you value you this new media?
Sunday, March 28, 2010
UW Oshkosh's PRSSA NODAC Team Gears up for Dodgeball Classic
UW Oshkosh’s PRSSA chapter is currently involved in preparing their event and awareness campaign for the National Organ Donor Awareness Competition (NODAC).
NODAC, which is sponsored by Rowan University’s PRSSA chapter, is an annual competition held to spread awareness and promote family discussion about organ donation.
This year, UW Oshkosh PRSSA members chose to focus on the liver. This organ helped sparked an array of creative ideas that will prove beneficial in spreading awareness about organ donation to the UW Oshkosh campus community.
On Thursday, April 15, the team will host a dodgeball tournament to promote liver donation to the college campus. This event, the Live’R Die Dodgeball Classic, is being promoted various ways using the clever slogan, Dodge the Ball – Not the Dot, referring to the donation sticker placed on driver licenses’.
The NODAC team has set up a Web site containing more information regarding the tournament and explains tournament rules, outlines prizes and shares key facts about liver donation.
In correlation to organ donation, the team has also decided to highlight a local child’s gift of organ donation at their dodgeball event; Caleb’s story can also be found on their Web site.
Numerous other tactics are being implemented to spread awareness about organ donation and will be seen throughout campus in the upcoming weeks.
For more information about liver donation, the dodgeball tournament or to register, check out the Web site: dodgeballclassic.weebly.com.
Also, if you plan on attending the tournament, please find the Live’R Die Dodgeball Classic event on Facebook and RSVP.
NODAC, which is sponsored by Rowan University’s PRSSA chapter, is an annual competition held to spread awareness and promote family discussion about organ donation.
This year, UW Oshkosh PRSSA members chose to focus on the liver. This organ helped sparked an array of creative ideas that will prove beneficial in spreading awareness about organ donation to the UW Oshkosh campus community.
On Thursday, April 15, the team will host a dodgeball tournament to promote liver donation to the college campus. This event, the Live’R Die Dodgeball Classic, is being promoted various ways using the clever slogan, Dodge the Ball – Not the Dot, referring to the donation sticker placed on driver licenses’.
The NODAC team has set up a Web site containing more information regarding the tournament and explains tournament rules, outlines prizes and shares key facts about liver donation.
In correlation to organ donation, the team has also decided to highlight a local child’s gift of organ donation at their dodgeball event; Caleb’s story can also be found on their Web site.
Numerous other tactics are being implemented to spread awareness about organ donation and will be seen throughout campus in the upcoming weeks.
For more information about liver donation, the dodgeball tournament or to register, check out the Web site: dodgeballclassic.weebly.com.
Also, if you plan on attending the tournament, please find the Live’R Die Dodgeball Classic event on Facebook and RSVP.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
A Glimpse at Agency Life
Shoe allowance. The only two words that needed to be said during our Red Shoes PR, Inc. tour this past Friday to make me become a fan of the organization. I mean, don’t get me wrong, the company as a whole has certainly found its niche and has been running with it (in red shoes might I add), but offering employees a shoe allowance? What shoe aficionado, such as myself, could image anything better? I was hooked the remainder of the visit.
On March 12, PRSSA members were given a tour of the small, full-service public relations agency, located in Appleton, and was able to see not only the perks of being a Shoes employee, but also what the organization offers its clients. The agency focuses on content development, media relations and social media and by the looks of it, is doing so quite well. Started in 2008, the company is on the fast track of success. Just take notice of the Starbucks coffee machine in the corner; a sure sign you have made it.
The agency visit was a beneficial event for PRSSA students, allowing us to learn about the agency life. The informal visit gave students the opportunity to ask questions and discuss public relations with two friendly, knowledgeable public relations professionals, Karen Buckoski and Rachel Wollersheim.
The discussion sparked great conversation about the public relations field and allowed for the Shoes women to pass on some insider knowledge. A great tip they shared was to ensure that we, as public relations professionals, keep up to date on national news, as it can be beneficial to clients locally. Also, they advised us to Google ourselves. A somewhat strange tip, but proved important after the women explained the importance of search engine optimization (SEO) not only as a tool for public relations professionals, but employers as well. Making ourselves easily accessible on Google shows that we are familiar with the magnitude of SEO. Two very sound pieces of advice.
The agency is also very receptive to mentoring students. They welcome anyone interested in job shadowing and invited us all to keep in touch. You can become a fan of the agency on Facebook: facebook.com/redshoespr and follow them on Twitter: twitter.com/redshoespr. For more information about the organization, visit their Web site http://www.redshoespr.com/.
Red Shoes PR will also be visiting UW Oshkosh PRSSA on April 1 to give a presentation on social media. I hope to see you all there.
On March 12, PRSSA members were given a tour of the small, full-service public relations agency, located in Appleton, and was able to see not only the perks of being a Shoes employee, but also what the organization offers its clients. The agency focuses on content development, media relations and social media and by the looks of it, is doing so quite well. Started in 2008, the company is on the fast track of success. Just take notice of the Starbucks coffee machine in the corner; a sure sign you have made it.
The agency visit was a beneficial event for PRSSA students, allowing us to learn about the agency life. The informal visit gave students the opportunity to ask questions and discuss public relations with two friendly, knowledgeable public relations professionals, Karen Buckoski and Rachel Wollersheim.
The discussion sparked great conversation about the public relations field and allowed for the Shoes women to pass on some insider knowledge. A great tip they shared was to ensure that we, as public relations professionals, keep up to date on national news, as it can be beneficial to clients locally. Also, they advised us to Google ourselves. A somewhat strange tip, but proved important after the women explained the importance of search engine optimization (SEO) not only as a tool for public relations professionals, but employers as well. Making ourselves easily accessible on Google shows that we are familiar with the magnitude of SEO. Two very sound pieces of advice.
The agency is also very receptive to mentoring students. They welcome anyone interested in job shadowing and invited us all to keep in touch. You can become a fan of the agency on Facebook: facebook.com/redshoespr and follow them on Twitter: twitter.com/redshoespr. For more information about the organization, visit their Web site http://www.redshoespr.com/.
Red Shoes PR will also be visiting UW Oshkosh PRSSA on April 1 to give a presentation on social media. I hope to see you all there.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Brushing up on Crisis Communication
Could you image being Tiger Woods’ public relations representative, or what about Toyota’s? Both the man and the machine have made some unfortunate mishaps the past few months that have not been handled appropriately by their public relations representatives. As a future public relations practitioner it is imperative to learn from these communication mistakes.
This past Thursday, James (Jim) Streed, APR, a member of Integrys Energy Group’s Corporate Communications staff and public relations professor at UWO, shared his experiences and reiterated the importance of crisis communication to PRSSA members.
First and foremost, Streed stressed that having a plan is crucial to handling any crises efficiently and effectively. Crises can happen to anyone, at anytime. It is important to be prepared and follow through with a well thought out plan.
Putting the plan into action is equally important. First, you must assess the employee impact caused by the crisis. Next you must communicate the event and future action to stakeholders in a timely manner. This can be done through multiple venues (i.e. face-to-face, on the companies Web site, over the phone or through e-mail). An effective public relations practitioner must also allow business to continue to run smoothly and address human needs simultaneously.
According to Streed, half of organizations do not have a current crisis communication plan. Of those organizations that do have a crisis plan, one-third do not practice them.
Crisis communication planning involves four steps. Below is a brief review of these steps:
This past Thursday, James (Jim) Streed, APR, a member of Integrys Energy Group’s Corporate Communications staff and public relations professor at UWO, shared his experiences and reiterated the importance of crisis communication to PRSSA members.
First and foremost, Streed stressed that having a plan is crucial to handling any crises efficiently and effectively. Crises can happen to anyone, at anytime. It is important to be prepared and follow through with a well thought out plan.
Putting the plan into action is equally important. First, you must assess the employee impact caused by the crisis. Next you must communicate the event and future action to stakeholders in a timely manner. This can be done through multiple venues (i.e. face-to-face, on the companies Web site, over the phone or through e-mail). An effective public relations practitioner must also allow business to continue to run smoothly and address human needs simultaneously.
According to Streed, half of organizations do not have a current crisis communication plan. Of those organizations that do have a crisis plan, one-third do not practice them.
Crisis communication planning involves four steps. Below is a brief review of these steps:
- Assess the risk.
- Develop the plan.
Compose strategies that will identify risks ahead of time.
Define clearly what is considered a crisis.
Decide who must be notified first.
Form a Crisis Management Team (CMT) and choose a location that will be used as the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). - Respond.
This is the execution phase.
Communicate with the public within the first hour – even if you just plug important information into a template press release. - Recover.
Don’t simply relax; use your time directly after responding to a crisis effectively by completing an evaluation that can help you in the future.
Not all crises must end in a public relations disaster. Take Haiti for example. Social media has aided the Red Cross in raising millions of dollars of charitable funds. This new media has allowed public relations practitioners not only communicate faster – but also learn about crises quicker.
All in all, the measure of a good public relations practitioner is that they are able to learn and grow from the mistakes as well as triumphs of others.
For more information about crisis communication, check out the article titled, “Flirting With Disaster: How to Take a Public Relations Crisis by the Horns.”
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
National Conference Slides
To find out more on what we all learned at national conference, please feel free to visit the prssa.org site. All presentation slides are now posted!
PRSSA National Conference San Diego
The keynote speaker at this year's national conference was the Lt. Governor of California, Mona Pasquil. She was kind enough to give the PRSSA members in attendance some tips...
1. Always be prepared
2. Take open doors! You never know where they will take you
3. Think of plans
4. Timing is everything
Get your information out there- don't let anyone define who you are!
Find someone to become your mentor!
Know your story!
I also attended "Cruisin' with PR: Corporate vs. Agency"
These are some things to consider when looking into which is best suited for you:
- Is there a particular industry I want to work in?
- Do I want to travel?
- How important is salary?
A case FOR agencies:
- Exposure to a range of campaign types and PR processes.
- More access to latest tools.
- More opportunity for training.
- Learn quickly.
- You're surrounded by PR people.
- Less need to specialize early in your career.
A case AGAINST agencies:
- Multiple bosses.
- Additional tasks.
- Media sees you as a barrier.
- Fierce internal competition.
A case FOR corporate or inhouse:
- higher salaries/benefits.
- Access to senior executives early in your career.
- Ability to specialize in an area you enjoy.
- Easier to forge strong relationships with media.
A case AGAINST corporate or inhouse:
- Your boss may not be a PR/marketing specialist.
- Less exposure to different techniques.
- Limited advancement opportunity.
- Longer hours.
- Less time spent on traditional PR activities.
Thinking about going into nonprofits?
Negative: Training and budgets are much lower.
Positive: Makes you feel great as a person.
Avg salary for a nonprofit PR person: $66.2 thousand a year.
For more information and to see the full slides from conference just click here! :)
1. Always be prepared
2. Take open doors! You never know where they will take you
3. Think of plans
4. Timing is everything
Get your information out there- don't let anyone define who you are!
Find someone to become your mentor!
Know your story!
I also attended "Cruisin' with PR: Corporate vs. Agency"
These are some things to consider when looking into which is best suited for you:
- Is there a particular industry I want to work in?
- Do I want to travel?
- How important is salary?
A case FOR agencies:
- Exposure to a range of campaign types and PR processes.
- More access to latest tools.
- More opportunity for training.
- Learn quickly.
- You're surrounded by PR people.
- Less need to specialize early in your career.
A case AGAINST agencies:
- Multiple bosses.
- Additional tasks.
- Media sees you as a barrier.
- Fierce internal competition.
A case FOR corporate or inhouse:
- higher salaries/benefits.
- Access to senior executives early in your career.
- Ability to specialize in an area you enjoy.
- Easier to forge strong relationships with media.
A case AGAINST corporate or inhouse:
- Your boss may not be a PR/marketing specialist.
- Less exposure to different techniques.
- Limited advancement opportunity.
- Longer hours.
- Less time spent on traditional PR activities.
Thinking about going into nonprofits?
Negative: Training and budgets are much lower.
Positive: Makes you feel great as a person.
Avg salary for a nonprofit PR person: $66.2 thousand a year.
For more information and to see the full slides from conference just click here! :)
Resumes and Portfolios
On Oct. 22nd we held our first workshop of the semester. Abby Gutowski from Weidert Group PR in Appleton came in to help our members better understand what our resumes should look like, along with our portfolios.
Don't have an objective statement! If you do decide to have one, make sure it makes you stand out from the crowd. Explain how you love to network, and how much you want to help the company network further within the profession. Maybe even list something extremely interesting about yourself that would make the reader go, "wow, I want to read further."
What do you have to offer a company? Make sure to list your knowledge (courses, major/minor degrees, awards & recognition, GPA) and your experience (internships, PR associations, networking experience, professional background). Also feel free to list professional web-sites that you are a frequent visitor of, or have a profile with; Linked In, Twitter, a blog. However, do not list your facebook page.
Resumes:
List relevant experiences first. Campaign experience you've had. Skills you list are only relevant when they are unique. If you've ever received news coverage for something you've done, TELL THEM! RESULTS ARE KEY! If you do not have relevant experience yet, list relevant PR classes that you've taken.
Always write what is in it for the company, explain how beneficial it would be for them to bring you into the company. "I want to grow with the company..." Explain your passion for PR, that you'd like to develop the company's involvement within the profession.
Try to find something more unique than, " I have good work ethic..."
Formatting is as important as content!
Portfolios:
You will usually only have time to show the employer 3-4 pieces.
If you have helped a company with social media, make sure to show them! Any work at all that you have done for a company, make sure to show them!
Blog Posts, show them that you have a personal brand and know social media. Also let them know if you know how to measure social media!
Have an online link for employer to visit after you have left- they aren't going to keep your pieces for review. And they won't remember you if they are interviewing five other people after you. So if you don't have a link for them to visit, leave a disk containing a few pieces of your portfolio for them to reference later.
Include news releases you have done and any news that resulted from your release!
Online portfolios that are available are a great way to brand yourself, and a great way to leave your portfolio behind after an interview!
Don't have an objective statement! If you do decide to have one, make sure it makes you stand out from the crowd. Explain how you love to network, and how much you want to help the company network further within the profession. Maybe even list something extremely interesting about yourself that would make the reader go, "wow, I want to read further."
What do you have to offer a company? Make sure to list your knowledge (courses, major/minor degrees, awards & recognition, GPA) and your experience (internships, PR associations, networking experience, professional background). Also feel free to list professional web-sites that you are a frequent visitor of, or have a profile with; Linked In, Twitter, a blog. However, do not list your facebook page.
Resumes:
List relevant experiences first. Campaign experience you've had. Skills you list are only relevant when they are unique. If you've ever received news coverage for something you've done, TELL THEM! RESULTS ARE KEY! If you do not have relevant experience yet, list relevant PR classes that you've taken.
Always write what is in it for the company, explain how beneficial it would be for them to bring you into the company. "I want to grow with the company..." Explain your passion for PR, that you'd like to develop the company's involvement within the profession.
Try to find something more unique than, " I have good work ethic..."
Formatting is as important as content!
Portfolios:
You will usually only have time to show the employer 3-4 pieces.
If you have helped a company with social media, make sure to show them! Any work at all that you have done for a company, make sure to show them!
Blog Posts, show them that you have a personal brand and know social media. Also let them know if you know how to measure social media!
Have an online link for employer to visit after you have left- they aren't going to keep your pieces for review. And they won't remember you if they are interviewing five other people after you. So if you don't have a link for them to visit, leave a disk containing a few pieces of your portfolio for them to reference later.
Include news releases you have done and any news that resulted from your release!
Online portfolios that are available are a great way to brand yourself, and a great way to leave your portfolio behind after an interview!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
UW-Oshkosh Members Jet to San Diego for Conference
Six members of the Oshkosh chapter of PRSSA will be heading off to San Diego on Nov. 6th to learn all about our profession of public relations! Such great opportunities await us all at national conference in professional development sessions, banquets and mixers with professionals.
UW-Oshkosh will also accepting the second place prize we have won through the National Organ Donor Awareness Competition put on every year by Rowan University. UW-Oshkosh has taken first place in 2007 and 2008.
Another great reason to attend national conference is the awards banquet. Each year, hundreds of PRSSA members apply for scholarships, awards and other honors and the awards banquet is where the winners are all awarded their prizes. This year also marked a new competition. Each chapter had the opportunity to hand-pick five of its members to be on a campaign team that would create a PR plan for the CW Network and their two shows; 90210 and Melrose Place. At the awards banquet, the UW-Oshkosh CW Campaign Team will finally hear the results of their campaign!
Stop back for when we post all of our discoveries that we learned of at national conference!
UW-Oshkosh will also accepting the second place prize we have won through the National Organ Donor Awareness Competition put on every year by Rowan University. UW-Oshkosh has taken first place in 2007 and 2008.
Another great reason to attend national conference is the awards banquet. Each year, hundreds of PRSSA members apply for scholarships, awards and other honors and the awards banquet is where the winners are all awarded their prizes. This year also marked a new competition. Each chapter had the opportunity to hand-pick five of its members to be on a campaign team that would create a PR plan for the CW Network and their two shows; 90210 and Melrose Place. At the awards banquet, the UW-Oshkosh CW Campaign Team will finally hear the results of their campaign!
Stop back for when we post all of our discoveries that we learned of at national conference!
PRSSA Hands Out Candy to Community
On Oct. 29th the UW-Oshkosh PRSSA members volunteered their time to pass out candy for Reeve Union Board's Annual Halloween Carnival in Titan Underground.
Community families are invited to step onto campus and play carnival games and get candy in the process!
The PRSSA game was "Pick-A-Duck" which turned out to be a hit with the little ones! If they picked out a duck with a sticker of Snoopy on the bottom, they received candy and some spooky glasses from a ladybug, Hulkamania and Snow White!! Thanks to everyone to came out and supported this great event!
Check out photos of all the fun here!
Community families are invited to step onto campus and play carnival games and get candy in the process!
The PRSSA game was "Pick-A-Duck" which turned out to be a hit with the little ones! If they picked out a duck with a sticker of Snoopy on the bottom, they received candy and some spooky glasses from a ladybug, Hulkamania and Snow White!! Thanks to everyone to came out and supported this great event!
Check out photos of all the fun here!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Linkedin: Facebook for Professionals
I attended the Linkedin Speed Training for College Students Tuesday, Oct 13., presented by Wayne Breitbarth, who is Owner and President at M&M Interiors.
Breitbarth explained of the benefits of having an active Linkedin profile and how it can help how your image looks to future employers.
He explained the 'spider web' effect that networking has as you make connections throughout your professional career and currently as students.
The main points of Breitbarth's presentation are:
- Construct a complete Linkedin profile (if you do not have one)
- Make valuable and trusted connections to your network
- Always stay connected and continue to build your personal brand
Friday, October 9, 2009
Pumpkin Sale
UWO's PRSSA will be hosting a pumpkin sale on October 20th and 21st in the Reeve Concourse from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. both days.
Come check out pumpkins of all sizes! Whether it's for decoration or for carving, we've got it! Prices range from $1-$3 and it's on campus, you don't have to go anywhere far to find that perfect pumpkin!
See you there! :)
Come check out pumpkins of all sizes! Whether it's for decoration or for carving, we've got it! Prices range from $1-$3 and it's on campus, you don't have to go anywhere far to find that perfect pumpkin!
See you there! :)
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
UWO PRSSA WORKSHOP
UWO's PRSSA will be hosting a workshop for anyone interested in updating their resume, portfolio, interviewing skills, or that want to know how to format a cover letter. This workshop will take place on October 22nd, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. in Clow 152, the journalism reading room.
Abby Gutowski from Weidert Group in Appleton, will be reviewing resumes and portfolios, giving suggestions where needed. Showing us what is appropriate for interviews/ questions that may be asked during an interview, as well as format appropriate for cover letters. So bring in anything that you might have from your portfolio and as a resume, maybe even past cover letters that you may have used!
If you are interested in attending this workshop, please contact Heather Wade at wadeh78@uwosh.edu to sign up!
National Conference
Congratulations to those of you who registered for National Conference in San Diego!
Registration has now been closed, since they have reached their 1,000 registrants marker.
If you registered before the deadline, you are in for a GREAT experience! It is an experience of a lifetime! You will meet people from all over the country, potential employers, and gain priceless information that you will be able to use throughout your career as a public relations practitioner!
From our chapter, we have six members attending, which is a GREAT number for us! Last year, we had seven members attend, but conference was only in Detroit. For conference being in San Diego this year, six is an amazing number!
Thank you to those who will be attending, you will be representing our school, our chapter and Wisconsin! On that note, because you will be representing your school, please dress appropriately! Wearing business casual is term that students think they know, but sometimes confuse with other things. Jeans are only appropriate for the Friday of conference, "Bring us something PRSSA." Wearing an all pink business suit is NOT business casual, it's just gaudy. :)
If you have any questions on any terms listed, or about conference in general, please feel free to email me at wadeh78@uwosh.edu.
Friday, October 2, 2009
PRSSA Field Trip (Weidert Group)
Also crammed into our schedule today, was a tour with Appleton full-service agency, Weidert Group. Here, members learned what is expected of a PR practitioner within an agency setting. Abby Gutowski, Weidert's PR Specialist was kind enough to introduce us to her co-workers, Frank (introduced social media), Meg (introduced the creative side of agencies), and Greg (introduction of Weidert Group).
We learned about Hootsuite, a web-site that allows companies to manage more than one account on Twitter; this way, you don't need to keep logging in and out. Another site is, Weebly. Weebly allows you to provide potential employers with an online portfolio, as well with personal information, bios, and resumes.
Abby suggests that everyone have an online portfolio on some web-site. This way, when you are being interviewed and they do not keep your portfolio and interview five other hopefuls, they can look back and some pieces that you have done. Then they don't have to rely on memory, after looking through six portfolios and somehow separate them out.
Weidert Group's President, Greg Linnemanstons also spoke on the importance of being persistent. Have a Linkedin profile, keep active, and continually network.
It never hurts to send resumes in before companies have job postings, just to let them know you are interested. But always make sure to follow up if they give you a deadline for when to contact them! It is also never too early to start job- hunting for when graduation rolls around, don't be the graduate without a job! :)
We learned about Hootsuite, a web-site that allows companies to manage more than one account on Twitter; this way, you don't need to keep logging in and out. Another site is, Weebly. Weebly allows you to provide potential employers with an online portfolio, as well with personal information, bios, and resumes.
Abby suggests that everyone have an online portfolio on some web-site. This way, when you are being interviewed and they do not keep your portfolio and interview five other hopefuls, they can look back and some pieces that you have done. Then they don't have to rely on memory, after looking through six portfolios and somehow separate them out.
Weidert Group's President, Greg Linnemanstons also spoke on the importance of being persistent. Have a Linkedin profile, keep active, and continually network.
It never hurts to send resumes in before companies have job postings, just to let them know you are interested. But always make sure to follow up if they give you a deadline for when to contact them! It is also never too early to start job- hunting for when graduation rolls around, don't be the graduate without a job! :)
PRSSA Field Trip (PAC)
Today, UWO PRSSA made a trip to tour the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton. Tara and Maggie, who are in charge of the PAC's marketing and public relations, we nice enough to give us a grand tour of the PAC. They let us go behind the scenes, dressing rooms, on stage, and tour where the celebrities enter when they don't feel like being noticed.
Their co-worker Gerald let us in on the ins and outs of designing a stage, catering, and lighting/sound. While Tara and Maggie let us know the events that they plan in certain spaces and time-lines of fundraisers they have managed in the past. Planning 400 events, the PAC is always up and running. They rent out certain spaces within the PAC, even planning some weddings!
The PAC has a room for all occasions, holding press conferences, meet and greets, cast parties, etc. Since the PAC is a non-profit, they stressed the importance of thanking your sponsors; they are the reason you are holding all of the events that you have. Sponsors need to know that they are appreciated.
Their co-worker Gerald let us in on the ins and outs of designing a stage, catering, and lighting/sound. While Tara and Maggie let us know the events that they plan in certain spaces and time-lines of fundraisers they have managed in the past. Planning 400 events, the PAC is always up and running. They rent out certain spaces within the PAC, even planning some weddings!
The PAC has a room for all occasions, holding press conferences, meet and greets, cast parties, etc. Since the PAC is a non-profit, they stressed the importance of thanking your sponsors; they are the reason you are holding all of the events that you have. Sponsors need to know that they are appreciated.
PRSSA National Conference Reminder
Last day to register for PRSSA National Conference in San Diego is October 5th! So make sure to follow the link and get it over with! Registration will be capped at 1,000 registrants, or October 5th, whichever comes first. So please don't wait until the last minute if you know that you want to go! :)
There are tons of amazing opportunities awaiting you in San Diego! Professional Development Sessions, Socials with members from around the country, networking with professionals, as well as a red carpet themed awards banquet! Don't miss out!
I know there are some of you that cannot afford to attend conference, please don't beat yourself up over it. Second semester will bring more PRSSA sponsored events, but regional. Regional Activities mainly focus on one aspect of PR and usually only last one day, but we could get a group together and stay in a hotel for a night and things will be much cheaper. :)
There are tons of amazing opportunities awaiting you in San Diego! Professional Development Sessions, Socials with members from around the country, networking with professionals, as well as a red carpet themed awards banquet! Don't miss out!
I know there are some of you that cannot afford to attend conference, please don't beat yourself up over it. Second semester will bring more PRSSA sponsored events, but regional. Regional Activities mainly focus on one aspect of PR and usually only last one day, but we could get a group together and stay in a hotel for a night and things will be much cheaper. :)
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