A bit of summer reading..

I just finished reading the book Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger, who is also the author of the book The Devil Wears Prada. It was a really fun and entertaining book, about a woman named Bette, who is fired from her dreadful banking job. Her Uncle gets her a job working at the hottest PR Firm in NYC, and Better is thrust into a fabulous world of fashion, partying, and most stressful of all, her new job and her new life.

While I was reading the book, I questioned the validity of the PR Firm that Bette worked at. For instance, some parts of the book were extremely accurate, at least to my knowledge. Scenes depicted Bette sending out press releases, taking phone calls with the media, and scoping out locations for events. However, other parts of the book made me question its validity. For instance, Bette was encouraged to go out every single night of the week until 4 in the morning, only to make it work by 8 am, cheery? I don't think so.

Another thing that I found quite ridiculous was when Bette was photographed with a celebrity, and the tabloids produced the picture with a caption about this PR Firm's newest associate. At the first mention, Bette's boss was thrilled with the publicity, but soon the photographers were writing mean, crude things about Bette, yet her boss encouraged her to keep hanging out with this celebrity, so they could keep getting publicity. I know that all publicity is good publicity, but isn't that taking things a bit too far?

Also, and this may or not really exist in PR Firms, but something that I personally just think is so cool, was what the book called 'The List.' 'The List" was a database with the name of every media person (which I know many PR firms have), every celebrity, anyone remotely connected to a celebrity, their likes, dislikes, who they travel with, their agent's name, their manager's name, all cross referenced under categories. 'The List' was probably the books PR Firm's claim to fame.

If you have read this book, what do you think? Do you think it depicts a real PR Firm? I personally enjoyed the book, but needed to step back and remind myself that it was just a work of fiction.

Greater Philadelphia's Strategic Plan for The Future

Today I received in the mail a nicely printed booklet titled “Tourism 2008 Report to the Region” from the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC). Enclosed in this annual report were press clippings about Philadelphia from all over the nation, media impressions, GPTMC’s strategic plan to build the region’s image in future years, their marketing plan, situational analysis, advertising plan and much much more. Little to say, a PR and Marketing major’s dream booklet. As I traveled on the Broad Street line I sunk into Philadelphia’s communications plan for the future.

To any of you who were not lucky enough to find a copy today, below are some excerpts:

“GPTMC makes Philadelphia and The Countryside ® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality.”

“Making the region a star destination through the following: advertising in print, television, radio, outdoors and online; brand development; consumer collateral materials; consumer and media relations; cultural tourism marketing; event-based marketing; hotel packaging and more.”

2007 Media Impressions:
Public Relations: 2,982 stories reaching 867,525,270 people.

The Strategic Plan:
“Our brand promise...is: “Philadelphia. Independence.” To the visitor, independence in Philadelphia is experienced in a number of ways, and these ways indicate our brand components: fun, authenticity, history, accessibility and discovery.

The Marketing Plan:
“GPTMC’s marketing plan for 2008 is based on 14 marketing strategies that integrate advertising, public relations, gophila.com, research and partnerships.

A few of the strategies:
1. Brand and position Philadelphia as a premier destination with so much to do, focusing on its fun, vibrant side; its history, food, arts and entertainment; its thriving neighborhoods; and its outdoor opportunities.
2. Convert potential visitors into actual visitors through gophila.com, a 24/7, global online visitor center that entices visitors to come to Philadelphia now and provides them with itinerary-building tools to plan and purchase their trips.
3. Reach out to emerging markets that will become the visitor base of Philadelphia’s future, including multicultural visitors, those less familiar with Greater Philadelphia as a destination and young and high-tech travelers through campaigns such as uwishunu ®.
4. Build the buzz about the Philadelphia region by continuing to develop and expand relationships with media so they are equipped to tell the new Philadelphia story and tout the region’s many wonderful attractions.
5. Enhance our audiences’ interaction with the Philadelphia brand through two-way communication with visitors, such as social media marketing, consumer-generated media, online/offline come-back messages and merchandise sales that allow visitors to take a piece of Philadelphia home with them.
6. Ensure that every GPTMC initiative has a research foundation and tracking mechanism to gauge success, provide accountability measures and inform future marketing direction.

To download this report online go to : gophila.com/research

Just an interesting article...

I came across this article in the New York Times this morning. It touches on key issues, presidential candidates, gas prices, and environmental issues. Of course it is an opinion piece, but it was thought provoking, at least for me. Take a look...

The Magical iPhone

Hey, didn't this happen last summer?

Recently, Apple has announced that they are coming out with a new version of the phone according to this NY Times article.

What's the fascination with Apple's iPhone?

iPhone's can do many of the same things that BlackBerry's and other cell phones can do. So, what makes this phone so special? So special that it sold 1.7 million phones in its first three months, and that after being released only a year ago is already coming out with a new version of the phone?

Well, I would have to say that nothing is extra special about the phone. What is extra special is Apple's PR and marketing team.

First, they would not reveal the launch date of the phone until just a few short weeks before the June 29th launch. They did however, release information about the phone, creating hype before consumers even knew the date that they could purchase the coveted item.

Then, they launched a series of fabulous ads that caught people's attention making a point to show the public that the phone had many uses. One commercial depicted a man watching a movie on the phone, and then deciding he was hungry, googling a restaurant, and then calling the restaurant all in a matter of seconds. This message clearly appealed to the American audience who loves to multi-task and finish things as quickly as possible.

Hey, it doesn't impress me, but if the great PR attracts you to the item, a new version of the phone is expected to come out sometime this summer.

When YOU Do the Interview...

When you're working for your client, they may have special events that they want stories written about or they have a story idea that they feel should be in the media. In order to write this story, you will need to know more about what / who you're writing about and will most likely need quotes to support your writing. Here are a few tips to get you started on some great writing:

- Research. Before you do any kind of interviewing, make sure you research both the topic of the story and who you are interviewing. You want to come into the interview with a strong knowledge of what you are writing about and the person you're talking to.

- Questions. If you're doing an interview, you're going to be asking questions. Brainstorm question ideas and know what you are going to ask BEFORE you start asking. Be sure to check with your client to see if there is anything specific that should be asked and to make sure the questions you formulated are okay.

- Take notes. Make sure you bring either a notebook or a mini tape recorder with you so you don't miss anything that is said. You may think that you have a good memory, but there may be little details that you missed.

- Smile. Be friendly. Nobody likes to be interviewed by a miserable person. Smile, shake their hand, thank them for letting you interview them, etc...

- Organize your thoughts and notes. After then interview, go back to your notes and look through them to find any really good things that may have come from the interview. Then, get all of your ideas together and start writing!

Tips for Client Meetings

With many new summer clients, PRowl members will be attending a lot of client meetings. These meetings are a chance to talk about what's going on with the account, as well as a chance for the account team to show the client how professional and responsible staff members are. Here are some of the most important things to make sure a client meeting goes as smoothly as possible.

• Be on time - Arriving on time is crucial. Make sure you give yourself more than enough time to get to the meeting. This includes getting directions ahead of time and being prepared. For example, if you need to bring along materials, print them the night before the meeting and save yourself the stress of doing it right before you leave!

• Be professional - Always dress according to your company's dress code. No matter how many meetings you have with a client and how friendly you are with them, you still need to maintain a professional appearance. If you are unsure of how to dress, ask a superior within the company.

• Be prepared - This means not only knowing the material you are presenting to them, but being prepared to answer any question a client may ask. Obviously you have no way to know what they will ask, but being mentally prepared to answer questions will make the meeting easier.

Is Oprah Winfrey's Career in Danger?

Should celebrities and public figures endorse political candidates? How much of an effect do you think their political stances have on regular people? Apparently, they have quite an effect...but not in the way you might think.

According to this NY Times article, Oprah Winfrey's television show ratings fell 7% this year, possibly due to her endorsement of presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Some celebrities endorse candidates with the hope that they can spread the word, and raise the profile of that candidate, but Oprah's endorsement has actually hurt her career.

Not all of Oprah's fans are Democrats or Obama supporters and feel betrayed, as they have discussed on the show's message boards.

Oprah may have lost credibility by bringing her personal beliefs to the forefront.

Do you think candidates should publicly endorse candidates, or do you think they should keep their mouth's shut, and do their job?

Putting a New Face on Atlantic City

Check out this interesting article from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

It discusses the problems that Atlantic City, the once popular gaming site has been having since the implementation of a smoking ban, casinos in Philadelphia, and high gas prices.

Atlantic City has decided that they need to re-brand themselves as more than just a casino town. They want to attract a more affluent clientèle, one who enjoys high class dining, shopping, and spas. They still want to attract those gamblers, but they have now learned that they need a different hook to get people to stay overnight.

Their PR people are probably busy at work finding a new target audience, working on surveys, and coming up with a whole new campaign for the city.

What would you do if you worked for Atlantic City, and needed to help in their re-branding?

Chairman of NYC PR Firm Offers Insight

In the Council of Public Relations Firms’ new weekly publication, The Firm Voice, Chairman of New York City-based Makovsky & Company, Ken Makovsky, is interviewed about the importance of client retention. To build these long-term relationships Makovsky says “it is understanding and adapting to the client's culture” that is most important. Ken Makovsky goes on to list the top three reasons clients leave an agency and how a firm can prepare for such an issue:

"The top three reasons clients leave an agency are: 1) budget cuts or other issues 2) an agency not keeping promises 3) agency staff turnover.

A number of years ago I took a survey of clients on why they leave agencies. The number one thing they look for is agencies who keep promises. They cite firms meeting editorial quotas and changing attitudes, to meeting deadlines and returning phone calls on time.

With regard to the first reason, you can't do anything about it. But we do try to anticipate non-budget issues. When we get a new client and have our internal Quality Commitment meeting, we raise the question: What are anticipated problems that could occur with this client? And, we prepare for them. Another solution is to have a good internal tracking system to ensure promises are kept. The third reason, on the agency side, is you need to have personnel policies that ensure that people want to stay. If you have a change in personnel on the client side, you should be in the client's office presenting to the new staff member right away. This presentation must include a total history of the agency-client relationship. Even clients put this off. You have to push hard to get such a meeting and it should be looked upon as an opportunity for the agency to sell itself again."

Information taken from:
Makovsky, Ken. "Client Retention Magic: How to Create Long-Term Relationships." The Firm Voice. 21 May 2008. Council of Public Relations Firms.
See: http://www.firmvoice.com

What is a boilerplate?

A boilerplate is usually found at the end of a press release, and briefly describes the company or organization related above. The short paragraph consisting of just a few sentences concisely explains the company or organization. The same boilerplate is usually used on every press release the company releases. It is important to remember boilerplates should be up to date, clearly written and short in length!

Here are some examples of boilerplates:

Apple Computers:
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

Kellogg’s:
With 2006 sales of almost $11 billion, Kellogg Company is the world's leading producer of cereal and a leading producer of convenience foods, including biscuits, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit snacks, frozen waffles and veggie foods. The company's brands include Kellogg's, Keebler, Pop-Tarts, Eggo, Cheez-It, Nutri-Grain, Special K, Rice Krispies, Murray, Austin, Morningstar Farms, Famous Amos, Carr's, Plantation, Ready Crust and Kashi. Kellogg products are manufactured in 17 countries and marketed in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information, visit Kellogg's web site at http://www.kelloggcompany.com/.

Email Blasts

The term email blast (or e-blast) has been circulating around lately, but what exactly is it?

It is basically a virtual flyer that you send through an email. You can upload a normal paper flyer into the body of an email and send it out to anybody that you want to!

This is a great new way to get information out, especially now that newer technological trends are becoming more popular. Flyers are normally posted in well populated places to make sure that your target sees it. However, people commonly ignore flyers if they are just passing by. If it lands in someone's inbox, they are more likely to take the time and look at is, especially if they hit the "next" button on their email. It's great to use for an organization or company too, because you can hit everybody in your address book and send it out!

And an extra plus: you won't be using paper, so you're also being eco-friendly!

Introducing...Melissa Marsili

Hi everyone! My name is Melissa Marsili and I'm the new Assistant Firm Director for the 2008-2009 year, along with the lovely Crystal Wang. I'll be a junior next year, majoring in public relations.

Last year in the firm I was the account executive for the Rebecca Davis Dance Company, which was a great experience.

My job for the upcoming summer and school year will be to supervise accounts and assist Jaime with anything that she needs.

My favorite part about PR is being able to work with many different clients on a variety of projects, and helping them to gain positive attention from their audiences.

Next fall I'll be interning with LevLane, and after graduation I would love to work in Philadelphia at a PR agency.

Right now I'm very excited to start working with our summer clients, and to see what amazing things the firm can accomplish in the upcoming months!

The Value of A Non-PR Internship...

This past semester, I had the opportunity to intern at the newspaper Metro. I have always had an interest in journalism, so when I got an email announcing that Metro was hiring interns, I figured, "what the heck" and sent my resume in. After an interview at the office, I was hired and began the following week.

I always knew that journalism and PR had close links, but I never realized how close, until this experience.

Towards the end of my time at Metro, I was assigned to do a story on Philadelphia Bike-Sharing, which is sort of like car-sharing except with bikes, instead of cars. I took a look at the bike-sharing group's website and found contact information. I called and left a message for their spokesperson, hoping they would get back to me before deadline. Sure enough, less than an hour later I received a phone call. I got some great quotes, and information, and set about writing my story.

The next day I received an e-mail from the man I had spoken to the day before thanking me for my article, and asking for a link to it on the internet, so he could place it on his website, with all of his other media hits.

Then it hit me. This is exactly what PR is. This is what we do at PRowl Public Relations. I understood the man's excitement that a publication had covered his story, and his eagerness to call me back to make sure I got the correct information.

It's interesting to think that I have been on both sides of the sphere. I've been on the journalism side, trying to get information, hoping that someone will call me back, and writing the story. But, I've also been on the PR side, sending out press releases, hoping someone will cover the story, and making follow-up calls to the media.

It's important to remember that the relationship between a PR practitioner and a journalist is a close one, and both need to treat each other with respect, because they are very closely related and can make or break a career.

A Message for PRowl -- Natalie's Farewell

As most of you probably know, the idea for this firm started way back in October at the PRSSA National Conference in Philadelphia. Little did I know that just six months later, PRowl Public Relations would become a successful, flourishing agency.

I am extremely proud to be a part of this project. I have enjoyed seeing each staff member grow exponentially this semester. PRowl Public Relations has quickly grown into a strong group of young professionals with a very bright future.

Before I go, I have a few last takeaways for "Natalie's Girls."

1. Be smart and strategic. You all have great minds and you need to use them!
2. Set deadlines you can meet. Make sure you give yourself enough time for each project so you don't get overwhelmed.
3. Relax! Everything will get done. You're all motivated and driven- there's no need to get stressed and make the situations more difficult to endure.
4. Ask for help. Though I'm making the big move, you'll still have your advisor and teachers to help you with anything you need. (And you know you can always call- I'm expecting you to!)

It has truly been an honor to work with the members of PRowl PR. You are the best and the brightest and like I've said before, I can't wait to see where the future takes you. Thank you for believing in this project and giving your all. PRowl PR is the organization it is today because of your dedication.

So think hard and work hard, but don't forget to smile and enjoy it all - it will be gone before you know it.

Brainstorming

Okay: you just met with a new client and you got all of their information: what they want from you, what you can do for them, etc... Now you have to be ready to present your proposal to them in less than a week! What do you do?

First, don't panic. Take a breather and clear your head because your brain most likely feels like a scrambled mess right now.

Next, have a brainstorming session and get all of your thoughts down. Whether it is by yourself or with your colleagues, it helps to get everything out of your mind and organized into some sort of outlined idea.

Start thinking of ideas and what you want to do for you client and how you are going to do it. Make an outline for each step of your plan (background, research, objectives, strategy, tactics, etc...).

Make sure that whatever your ideas are, get them down onto paper or into the computer. It may not seem like the best idea or wording at the moment, but as along as you have the idea down you can tweak it when you're ready to start your draft.

Just remember to take a deep breath and organize all of your thoughts. If you begin to panic, it might make things worse so be sure to calm down and start brainstorming!

A Sexy Stereotype

So since, there is such great excitement and anticipation for the new “Sex and the City” movie coming out May 27th… and we are a Public Relations blog… lets discuss the character Samantha Jones and her role as a public relations practitioner.

There are many stereotypes and opinions concerning the image of the public relations profession. People often associate public relations with partying, meeting exciting people and just having a good time. More than frequently the characters represented in the entertainment industry, like movies and television shows, portray misleading images of the public relations field.

Samantha Jones, played by Kim Cattrall, is one of the main characters in the HBO television series “Sex and the City.” She is the owner of a public relations firm, but hardly demonstrates her role as PR professional to viewers. Instead, audiences focus on her dressing up, meeting interesting people, throwing parties as well as attending them, all in a days work.

The reality of public relations can be quite the opposite. Though of course, there may be some people in the public relations field that do dress lavishly, attend the best parties and meet extraordinary people, it is hardly common. These stereotypes can often be negative in scope and affect people’s opinions about public relations.

Philly's PR Celebrities....Melanie Johnson

Today begins the first day of a series of posts entitled Philly's PR Celebrities. Each post we will feature a prominent person in Philadelphia PR. Today's celebrity is Melanie Johnson.

Melanie Johnson has more than 20 years of experience in Public Relations and currently is the City Representative for Philadelphia.

A graduate of Temple University, Melanie spent much of her time working at Temple's radio station WRTI. She worked for BBC as a news production assistant in London and later worked in New York City with National Public Radio.

Melanie returned to Philadelphia and became Deputy Press Secretary for then Mayor Ed Rendell. She then successfully helped Mayor Nutter to victory as his Communications Director.

After the election, Mayor Nutter appointed Melanie as the City Representative.

Rules for Interns

Check out this article about the benefits and consequences of interning.

Learn to earn is the rule for interns
By Barbara Rose

Chicago Tribune

CHICAGO - Thomas Kemeny applied for an unpaid summer
internship at a top-rated ad agency in Florida after
graduating from Columbia College in 2005.
The aspiring copywriter, now the real deal at San
Francisco's Goodby Silverstein & Partners, was thrilled then
to work for free.

"There's a little bit of a psychological twist going where
they [imply], 'We're so good we don't have to pay,' " he
said. "You think, if the law of supply and demand works and
they can pay me nothing, how many people must want this job?"

Yet in plenty of talent-hungry industries, the supply-and-
demand principle works in the intern's favor. Big companies
that hire lots of young workers recruit as many as 75
percent of them through internships - extended tryouts,
really.

"It behooves them to pay their interns because they don't
want to sour them on the company," said Edwin Koc of the
National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Ninety-three percent of the association's members offer paid
internships, and they pay surprisingly well. The average is
$16.33 an hour for an undergrad, a rate that approaches the
national $17.24 average for hourly workers, who make up four-
fifths of the workforce.

Employers not only are paying up for good interns, they are
identifying future ones at ever-younger ages - as early as
freshman and sophomore years.

Jennifer Cavanaugh, an audit partner in the Chicago office
of accounting firm Grant Thornton L.L.P., remembered a
sophomore interviewee lapsing into argot more appropriate
for a buddy.

"Dude, you have no idea," she recalled him saying. "Then he
kind of gasped and said, 'I just called you dude, didn't I?'
If I was interviewing a senior and they did that, I'd have a
hard time with it. But if they're a sophomore, I'm going to
let the rope go out pretty far."

Competition is tough for top-rated internships. In fields
such as social service and the arts, unpaid learning stints
are still the rule. Some colleges offer stipends so students
can afford to take them.

Lee Svete, Notre Dame University's career development
director, suggested being flexible: "Create your own
internship by proposing a project," volunteer your services,
and take a paying job at night.

University of Illinois finance major Brandon McArthur, a
junior, took an unpaid internship last summer at an
investment advisory firm an hour's drive from his family's
Elmhurst, Ill., home. Then he found a paying job at a
building supply store to keep his gas tank filled.

His project involved developing a marketing plan the firm
funded. Two of 23 friends, acquaintances and family members
he persuaded to come to a promotional event signed up to be
clients. It seems the firm got the better deal - but
McArthur doesn't agree.

The internship was valuable, he said. "Not only was it
something I learned from, I had something I could talk about
in interviews. It was also good practice for working
decorum. It was the first job I ever had where I went to
work in a tie."

Kemeny joked that "if you do anything at an unpaid
internship, you're already overworking." The Florida ad
agency appropriately discounted his free labor by giving him
chores nobody else wanted to do, such as grabbing lunch for
busy people, but he managed to wrangle better assignments.

He worked one project by sticking around until midnight when
people wanted to go home and volunteering to help. "They
were like, 'Give it a shot,' " he recalled.

Did he feel exploited? "Kind of, but I think it was mutual.
I was using their name [on my resume]. I think that it's
part of the game."

Elise Kidd, a University of Illinois graduating senior,
knocked herself out at paid internships at two big employers
over two consecutive summers.

"While I had the opportunity to learn and grow, I really had
to watch myself because it was like a three-month interview
almost," she said. "I had pressure to perform the best I
could do and to [outperform] the other interns."

McArthur, determined to get a paid internship this summer,
posted his resume at 65 companies and got 15 interviews
before accepting an internship at Wisconsin-based Kimberly-
Clark, where he will earn $20 an hour. A living stipend will
cover most of his rent.

What will he do with his earnings? After taking care of
expenses he plans to stash some away - including in a Roth
IRA.

Watch Your Words

A few definitions:

Libel- Printed falsehood
Slander- False oral statement
Defamation (A collective term for libel & slander) – Any false statement about a person (or organization) that creates public hatred, contempt, ridicule, or inflicts injury or reputation

To prove defamation:

1) False statement was communicated to others through print, broadcast, or electronic means
2) The person was identified or is identifiable
3) There is actual injury in the form of money losses, loss of reputation, or mental suffering
4) The person making the statement was malicious or negligent

Although all four of the above factors must be present in order for a lawsuit to be filed, as a PR practitioner you must always be concerned and cautious of how you are using your words. Statements (either spoken or written) should always be truthful, with factual evidence and scientific demonstration available to substantiate them.

*Information taken from
Public Relations: Strategies and Tactics
D. Wilcox, G. Cameron, P. Ault, W. Agee
8th Edition 2007

A Few Useful Web Sites

PUBLIC RELATIONS SITES:
www.prsa.org
Public Relations Society of America official site

www.businesswire.com
www.prnewswire.com
Both sites offer news releases by company and industry

www.prfirms.org
The Council of Public Relations Firms official site

PUBLICATIONS:
www.prweekus.com
PR Week

www.prnewsonline.com
PR News

GENERAL:
www.acronymfinder.com
Offers the definitions of acronyms, abbreviations, and initials.

www.howstuffworks.com
The site has diagrams, photos and descriptions that show how devices, things, and more, work.


*Some information taken from
Public Relations: Strategies and Tactics
D. Wilcox, G. Cameron, P. Ault, W. Agee
8th Edition 2007

Turning Crisis into a Benefit

Gas prices have jumped up 12 percent in April in the Delaware Valley, and now that summer vacations are getting closer, gas prices are becoming a major concern for travelers in the area. Not only are travelers worried about spending an average of $3.63 a gallon, but famous vacation destinations in the area are worried too.

Ocean City, N.J. is a popular travel spot for those in the Philadelphia region, but gas prices are cutting into summer travel plans. Now, those from Ocean City that depend on tourism to keep their city alive are concerned for the fear of less travelers. Instead of calling this a crisis situation, the local Chamber of Commerce is turning it into a benefit.

An advertising campaign which was similar to the one during the gas crisis of the 1970s is being placed in suburban Philadelphia newspapers. They want to remind travelers that Ocean City is less than a full tank of gas away. The ads will start next week and continue through June.

Instead of panicking about the summer travel situation, Ocean City has taken matters into their own hands. They are letting Philadelphia travelers know that it is less than a tank of gas away. AND they are also telling travelers that they can still get to the beach for summer vacation, without going down to North and South Carolina and spending a fortune on gas, thus making Ocean City a more desirable destination.

*Information from www.nbc10.com

PR in the Summer...

Finals are quickly approaching, and with that comes...summer! Now, just because it is summer and classes are over, that doesn't mean you should neglect your PR skills. It's important to hone them all the time, not just during the school year. Here are a few tips to stay connected during the summer months:

• Read the news! Be sure to keep current, and know what's going on locally, nationally, and globally.
  
• Get an internship. It may be a little late to apply for one now if you haven't already, but having an internship in the summer is a great way to hone your PR skills.
• Start a blog. It's easy to sign up for on www.blogger.com or www.wordpress.org and you can put your thoughts about the news, life, or anything on your blog and connect with the cyber world. Having a blog is also a great thing to put on your resume for future employers to check out.
• Network! Networking can happen anywhere: on vacation, by the pool, shopping in the city. Make sure that wherever you are, you present yourself well, and are ready to network. You never know when you are going to meet a future employer.
  

3 on 3 Basketball Tournament a Success!

Yesterday PRowl Public Relations held its first 3 on 3 basketball tournament. 8 teams played in total, and PRowl also hosted a bake sale.

The fundraiser was extremely succesful and we raised enough money to purchase our website server!

We hope to make this event annual, so thank you to everyone who helped plan the event and all those who came out to support us!

"Darfur" Campaign a Success

Let’s look back a few months ago to January 29, 2008. This was our first meeting with The Rebecca Davis Dance Company. On February 19, 2008 PRowl Public Relations presented their plan to make the “Darfur” performance a “must-see” on Temple’s campus. Our goals were to influence our audiences to purchase tickets and attend the production; sell out the theatre on both nights; raise money for Global Grassroots, a nonprofit organization aiding the relief in Darfur, Sudan; and create a greater awareness of the genocide in Darfur. Our primary audiences were Temple students and faculty.

Three months later, PRowl Public Relations and The Rebecca Davis Dance Company can label “Darfur” a success. It took months of dedication and hard work from the RDDC account though.

We started by administering surveys in Temple’s dining halls. From these surveys we learned which audiences we needed to primarily target, which bands we should feature on promotional materials and the price of the discount tickets we would later offer. Throughout the campaign we continuously contacted student organizations, dance and theatre professors. We also sent an Eblast to schools and colleges within Temple University, spoke to classes and stuffed mailboxes with flyers.

We held a First Friday discount ticket promotion on April 4 in Old City, Philadelphia. Based on the analysis of our surveys, it was important for us to make students aware of this event. Thanks to our graphic designer, flyers were sent all around campus promoting the event. We sold 58 tickets on this night.

We created Facebook and Myspace events, spoke to dance classes, used virtual event postings and much more. We also used pitch letters and press releases to spark interest in the media. On the week of the performance, PRowl Public Relations was responsible for a feature in Temple News and a write-up in Philadelphia Weekly. We also had a successful post-performance party with the dancers and attendees of “Darfur” at Triumph Brewing Company.

Our first major campaign for a client achieved many of our set objectives. We raised hundreds of dollars for Global Grassroots, and came 3 tickets short of selling out the Wednesday night performance. For months we spread the word about this one-of-a-kind production throughout Temple’s campus, and at the performances we saw our hard work paying off - a greater number of young people at a Rebecca Davis Dance Company performance than ever before. All of the previous are important, but the most important measure of success we got was the client’s enthusiastic approval.

Congratulations PRowl PR on a job well done!

DYNASTY hosts Unique Modeling Event!

Temple University’s Dynasty Entertainment and Models
presents
“Runway Revamped: Rated M for Models.”

When: Saturday, May 3rd 2008
7:00 PM

Where: Central High School
1700 W. Olney Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19141

Cost: $15 for students (with ID)
$20 for general admission


The event is unique to the Philadelphia area, the competition is a mixture of modeling and dance which is mostly popular in Washington D.C. and New York. Six teams from Maryland, Washington D.C. and New York will be traveling to Philadelphia to compete against on another in various runway battles. This year, the entries will be focused around the theme of motion pictures. Routines, fashions and music will be choreographed based on movies like “The Incredibles,” and “Drumline,” just to name a few.

Dynasty members will host the event, while also featuring Theodore Mack with music by DJ Damage.

*Dynasty Entertainment and Models is a recognized Temple University student-run organization. The Entertainment troupe consists of talented models, dancers, and signers who produce and participate in unique modeling events.

Shake It!

Tips for a great handshake, yes… handshake.

• Always use your right hand.
• While shaking the person’s hand, approach them head on and make eye contact while shaking.
• Make sure to meet hands in the proper place; your thumbs and fingers should meet naturally.
• Get a grip; try to find a happy medium, your firm should be just firm enough to express a confidence about yourself. Not too hard, not too soft.
• If your hands are sweaty or wet, try and dry them before shaking anyone’s hand. (You can easily and discreetly wipe them on your pants if necessary.)
• Be prepared to shake a person’s hand. Hold things with your left hand so you’re always ready!
• In a professional environment, don’t add any funky twists. Nowadays creative alternatives are trendy among younger adults and kids. But, it is really important to keep it simple, classic and professional.
• Also, remember to let go of their hand!

A handshake can express many messages. It can communicate positive qualities such as, confidence, interest and responsibility, or it could be detrimental by conveying weakness, lack of confidence and incompetence.

Handshaking is ritual in meeting people. Just the same, it is often a determinant in interviews and first impressions