Keep Calm and Start the Year Right!

The start of the new school year is officially upon us. I know everyone is thinking the same thing, “Where did the summer go?!” Trust me, I feel your pain. However, let’s not let the end of summer deter us from a great school year! For us PR majors, it is important to make sure we take advantage of every opportunity the school year has to offer. Here are a few tips to ensure a great academic year without getting too overwhelmed:

        1.  Get Involved- Not only does joining a club look great on a resume, but meeting new people every year is such a rewarding experience. So, go out and find something that interests you. I promise it will be super beneficial in the long run.
2.     Stay Organized- Every PR person should have a planner. I would die without mine. Keep your schedule organized and neat so you never have an excuse for forgetting something.
3.     Eat and Sleep- I know it sounds cliché, but the busier you are the less important eat and sleep become. Make sure you are eating well balanced meals and maintaining an appropriate sleep schedule, you will be more productive.
4.     DON’T STRESS- A new school year can be a lot to handle for most people, but stay calm, relax, and don’t let yourself become stressed. If you follow the prior tips, you’ll have the best school year to date! 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Kelly Dougherty.

3 Reasons To Join PRSSA

With the start of a new school years comes the opportunity to become more involved on campus. If you are interested in a career in public relations what better way to learn more about the field than to become a member of a professional public relations student organization.

PRSSA, which stands for Public Relations Society of America, has over 10,000 members nationwide and has chapters located in thousands of universities. At Temple University, our PRSSA chapter meets every Tuesday from 3:30 PM to 4:15 PM at the Howard Gittis Student Center. Click here for more information: http://templeprssa.org/. The first meeting of the semester will be held in 217B.

Interested? Here are three reasons to join a PRSSA chapter near you according to www.PRSSA.org:

1. Enhance Your Education
Events. Network, learn and interact with public relations students from around the country at PRSSA events like National Conference, National Assembly and Regional Conferences.
Competitions. Apply what you’ve learned in the classroom, add to your portfolio and work with high-profile clients by taking the opportunity to compete in one of our many case study competitions.
Leadership. Add to your résumé and gain valuable leadership skills by running for office in your Chapter, student-run firm or the PRSSA National Committee.
Scholarships and Awards. Be recognized for your accomplishments or let us help you fund your education through one of the many scholarships and awards PRSSA offers students each year.
News and Intelligence. Stay current on industry news and the latest trends in public relations through PRSSA and PRSA news and intelligence resources.
Writing. Add to your portfolio and be published nationally by taking the initiative to write for FORUM® or PRSSA's blog, Progressions.
Places to Study. Find a school with a PRSSA Chapters near you by browsing the list of Chapter in the United States and one in Argentina.

2. Broaden Your Network
Events. Develop valuable relationships with future colleagues and current professionals through national and regional events.
Social Media. Start discussions and connect with PRSSA members from all over by plugging in to PRSSA social media.
PRSA Sponsor Chapters. Meet current professionals, ask questions and get professional advice through your Chapter’s PRSA Sponsor Chapter.
Champions for PRSSA. Browse the Champions for PRSSA Directory to see this network of professionals dedicated to supporting PRSSA members and your education.

3. Launch Your Career
PRSA Jobcenter. Browse career resources and search for public relations employment opportunities all over the world with PRSA Jobcenter.
Internships. Get job-hunting tips, upload your résumé and find the most recent internship opportunities through the PRSSA Internship Center.
PRSA Associate Membership. Start networking and get connected to 20,000 public relations professionals when you join PRSA as an Associate Member for only $60 up to five months before or two years after graduation.
PRSA Sections. PRSA Professional Interest Sections connect you to others who work in a niche industry, such as sports, health care or the military. Check out PRSA’s Section specifically for New Professionals.

Do you love your chapter of PRSSA? Tell us about it!

"Everything Is Amazing, But Nobody Is Happy"

In my first class of Intro to Media Technology, I received somewhat  a "wake up call." Our professor enlightened the class to a video discussing somethings that this generation currently takes for granted. To be more specific, it was technology. This generation is truly blessed to receive such a convenience yet people continue to complain and are never satisfied. I honestly think, with technology and this digital age society's patience went straight out the door. We are so accustomed to getting through to to the internet in a split second that if the internet is to move slow or completely shut off people get irritated instantly.  The internet in itself is a huge benefit to most of us. So maybe we should count our blessings instead of complaining over a small hiccup that happens rarely.

If you will like to listen to the speaker's view on this issue click here to view the video. Also, feel free to comment and share your views.

5 Experiences You Can ONLY Get In A Student Run Firm!

Student run PR firms provide students with real world experiences before many students even accept their first internships. I was lucky enough to be hired at PRowl PR my first semester at Temple, and the experience has been invaluable. With PRowl PR interviews right around the corner, it seemed appropriate to share some experiences that you can only get when you work in a student run PR firm!

1. Gaining a personal team of editors: When the time comes to draft that perfect cover letter or phrase volunteer work correctly on the fifth draft of your resume, you fellow PR firm members will always be around to help. Whether it be professional documents or a paper for class, you'll always have someone there to edit your writing to perfection.
2. Meeting people who understand the concept of being busy: How many times have your non PR friends attempted to make plans, only to become frustrated at how packed your days are? Between general meetings, executive board meetings, classes, and homework, the studennt run PR firm member rarely has free time. Your fellow firm members will totally understand that, and will work to make the time that you spend getting things done as fun as possible to make up for it.
3. Getting the low-down on the internships and jobs everyone is after: There is always one agency or organization that every PR major goes after. Since you work with the top students, the ones most likely to grab and succeed at these internships, you can find out the truth about them before stepping anywhere near an interview room! Do they really give interns major responsibilities? Will you learn things there that will be beneficial to your future? Who is really the best person to email your resume and cover letter to? Your fellow student run PR firm members will likely have these answers and more.
4. A team of professional fashion police: When you do land that interview with the agency or organization of your dreams, it's very likely that you will stress over what to wear to said interview. Is a suit too formal for that environment? Is a dress too casual? Your fellow firm members will be happy to receive texts with outfit options, or have you bring your top choices to the next meeting to help other members plan for interview attire. Need a blazer at the last minute? I'm sure a firm member has one you can borrow, with shoes or a tie to match!
5. A group of friends who will become your professional network: After everyone has graduated and gone their separate ways, your fellow firm members become your professional network. You will likely reach out to them looking for information on new jobs or positions, or even for professional advice on projects you're working on. Sooner than you think, the new younger members of the firm will be reaching out to you, in hopes that you can help them secure job opportunities and internships.

More than anything, the relationships that you build while you are in the firm, both personal and professional, will make the biggest impact on you. They will help you determine your strengths, weaknesses, and future goals.

Are you planning on interviewing for PRowl PR? Have you ever worked in a student run PR firm before? If so, what were your experiences? 

A PR Lesson From Ashton Kutcher

We already know that public relations involves a lot of writing.  Whether it's press releases, media advisories, social media, or event plans, PR professionals are always writing something.  One of the things that falls into our duties and we should be prepared for is speech writing.  Sometimes this also means speech delivery. 

Ashton Kutcher might not be the person that comes to mind when you're looking for a lesson in speeches, but at this year's Teen Choice Awards he gave a speech that critics everywhere are praising.  This article from Entrepreneur highlights the major takeaways that PR people can get from the writing and delivery of Kutcher's speech.

1. Stick to the rule of three
Three main points in a speech seems to be the golden number.  Keeping your points clear and concise ensures that people will be able to understand and retain them. 

2. Keep it short and simple
It's harder for people to comprehend something that they are listening to rather than having it in front of them to read.  Keeping your messages short and your vocabulary simple help make it easier for your listeners.

3. Pick the right message for your audience
Kutcher was addressing a mass of teenagers so he chose to speak about building your life and being the best person you can be.  This message was perfect for an audience who is at a point in their lives where they are growing and changing.  Selecting the proper points for your speech should depend a great deal upon who you are addressing.

Check out Ashton Kutcher's Teen Choice Awards speech here or watch the clip below.

PRowl Is Hiring!

PRowl, Temple University's only student-run PR firm, is hiring! The start of the new school year ushers in brand new clients and PRowl will need fresh, innovative ideas. 

PRowl is the only space where you can gain real world public relations experience with clients, all while receiving mentorship from fellow students. Why not join the elite?

If PRowl Public Relations sounds like a firm you would love to be a part of and contribute professional work to, visit  http://tackk.com/snokwz for further detail and instructions on how to apply. 

Best of luck this new school year!  

How To Give A Presentation

Over the course of my internship at Publicis Healthcare Communications Group, I have learned a lot about presentation skills. While participating in my fulfilling internship experience, I had to work on an intern pitch at the advertising agency I was with over the summer. While working on the presentation, I have come up with 4 great tips for presentation skills I have learned through personal experience:

1. Speak slowly and speak up

It is extremely important in a presentation for a presenter to be clear and loud. You could have the best presentation but it will mean nothing if the judges/professor can’t hear what you are saying. It is always better to be too loud than quiet in a presentation.

2. Team chemistry is vital

It is easily visible during a presentation when a team does not work well together. It’s really important from day one to establish roles and goals and make sure everyone is on the same page. Similarly, the groups with the best presentations are always the groups that enjoy working with each other and avoid conflict during debrief sessions. Always remember to smile and laugh during a pitch/presentation, it makes everything much more enjoyable for yourself and the judge.

3. Make eye contact

Although you might be nervous, having confidence is essential to the success of the presentation. Even if you may not know what you’re talking about, act like it! Go in confident and well prepared and your presentation will be a hit! Always remember to have good posture and make eye contact with the audience.

4. Come prepared

It is extremely important that you are prepared with all of the necessary elements one needs in order to present such as index cards, laptop, print outs, etc.

Remember, if you ever have a pitch/group presentation, these six skills will be essential to gaining that blue ribbon!

This blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Jessica Mancuso. 

To Pay or Not to Pay the Interns…

That is the question still being debated today. Over the last few years the debate about paying interns has increasingly heated up, with the first story breaking in 2010 when two interns won the lawsuit they filed against 20^th Century Fox for not being paid a proper salary while working on the Black Swan film set. Since then, more and more interns have begun coming forward, demanding compensation for the long hours they have tirelessly put in.

Several weeks after a judge ruled in favor of the Black Swan interns, two other interns filed a lawsuit against their previous employer, publisher Conde Nast in the same court for violations of labor law. This lawsuit alleges that W magazine and the New Yorker violated New York and federal labor laws by forming unpaid internships like an actual job, rather than a learning opportunity, and seeks to recover wages for the two interns named in the lawsuit. Conde Nast “failed to pay members of the Intern Class minimum wages for all hours worked to which they are entitled under [New York labor law],” the lawsuit says. Over time the internship system has been truly challenged, spurring a movement that has caused more than 15 other lawsuits to be brought to court.

In addition to lawsuits, the Fair Pay campaign is the newest campaign to come from this movement. Its goal is to hire professional organizers to motivate interns in major cities like New York and Los Angeles and bring them together to fight for fairer treatment. The Intern Labor Rights, a group that stemmed from the Occupy Movement, is also joining forces with other like-minded coalitions abroad to form fairer internships.

As a college student, and soon to be starting my second internship this fall, I have to agree with this movement. Interns are an integral part of the operation of all different types of businesses, organizations, and companies, and we should be treated as such. We don’t need to be paid like a top executive, but a little more appreciation would go a long way, especially in our current economy.

Is this a legitimate debate? Or do you think that interns should be happy with the work and experience they are receiving? Let PRowl know!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Jenna Stern.

Handling Personal Attacks On Social Media.

Social Media has its benefits, but like any other wave  there are disadvantages. In social media, people come with different opinions, different personalities and some people even look forward to abusing their freedom of speech in this medium. Yes, social media is built for you to personalize your profiles and you can always promote yourself the way you want to be seen, but you have no control over someone posting a negative post. It is possible for you to delete the negativity but running away from a situation seldom solves it, its better to nip it in the bud then and there.

Having someone attack you on social media is very much possible nowadays, therefore check out the following pointers that can be used to assist you if this is ever to occur.

1. Keep Calm- As the saying goes keep calm and carry on! You should do just that! It is natural to panic and become overwhelm in situations like this but you must remember you have no control over people's mind and thoughts, however you do have control over how you will handle the situation. So, move forward by commenting politely, letting the person know exactly where you stand.

2. Respond in a timely manner. As we know, happenings on social media become viral in a matter of seconds. Don't leave any opportunity for  other people to join on and make a mockery of the situation.

3. Reply Publicly. Doing this can quickly eliminate any further confusion. Seeing that if you were to reply through inbox, the individual can  choose to screenshot the conversation and create an uproar (those with extra free time that is). Sometimes, its necessary to take it to the inbox but definitely use your judgement!

4. Know when to draw the line. Yes its needed for you to comment on the person's post but refrain from going back and forth. This is not necessary.

Are there any other ways you handle attackers on your social media? Share with us in the comment box below!

Do You Buffer?

In a social media world, finding the time to promote yourself and share other content you find online can become overwhelming very quickly. There is always a new article to read, video to watch, or blog that you think your friend would love to read. Trying to share all of this information at once can result in you filling your timeline or newsfeed with a pile of links and multimedia which your followers may find overwhelming or annoying. There is definitely a thin line between sharing and spamming. Thankfully, Buffer, a social media app for your phone and internet browser, helps you share smarter!

Buffer creates a smarter way to share and schedule your social media posts. It allows you to use a traditional scheduling method, where you select a time and date for your post to go live, or you can chose to "buffer" your post. Basically, Buffer will handle the hard part and helps you to create a strategic sharing schedule that suits your needs.

With the basic FREE buffer account, inside the dashboard you can create a schedule with set times that you would like your content to be posted. As you "buffer" your posts, each post will be filled into a pre-defined time slot! This allows you to spread your posts out throughout the day, without all of the hassle. This tool is great for anyone promoting the same piece of content, such as an event or upcoming deadline, throughout the day. You can also plan to buffer posts for the week, and easily move things around via the web or your smart phone if there are any changes in your schedule.

One of Buffer's best features, in my opinion, is how easy it makes it for you to share other's content.

By adding a browser extension, which takes all of 30 seconds via the Buffer dashboard, makes it easy to click and share any content that you find online. You can chose to share the post instantly, "buffer it" among your other posts, or schedule it manually. Buffer does all of the cutting and pasting for you, and gets information out to your followers in a strategic and convenient way.

Have you tried Buffer yet? What tools do you use to keep track of your social media? We'd love to hear from you!

Public Opinion #TUWelcome

The lines can be blurred when trying to pinpoint who is really pulling the strings in public relations. While we would love to think that it’s us, the publicists, sometimes that’s not the case. The public is often our best and our worst source of PR.

Take for example the promotion and announcement of Temple’s Welcome Week performer. Temple University hosts an annual week long celebration for new and returning students and their families, which includes a celebrity performance at the end of the week. In years past, the performer has typically been a musical artist, but this year Temple’s Main Campus Program Board (our activity planning committee) decided to go in a new direction and bring in a comedian. After the official announcement of the performer was made on Twitter, several hundred students voiced their opinions. However, not all of the opinions were very supportive. Several students expressed their excitement over the performer, retweeting and sharing the announcement with their friends. However, students who were not in favor took to Twitter to do the same.

Regardless of all the behind the scenes planning that goes into an event or PR campaign, once a statement is released there isn’t too much we can do to control public opinion. For better or worse, the public seems to be most heavily persuaded by itself. Whatever the majority deems appropriate is what the general population will support. To quote the character Gretchen Wieners from the movie Mean Girls, “You wouldn’t buy a skirt without asking your friends first if it looks good on you.” As simple as that analogy may be, it does sum up the basic concept.

PR professionals are notorious control freaks but some things, like public opinion, can simply be out of our hands. Doing all the work that you can, up until “the big announcement,” is sometimes all anyone can ask for. The rest is left up to the public to decide.

Have you ever had to battle public opinion? Tell us about how you handled the situation!

PR At The Shore

I grew up at the shore and this summer I was lucky enough to get my old job back at Ocean City Coffee Company (OCCC), and still intern in the city during the week.  Going into my senior year, I have had a lot of experience with public relations.  When the manager of OCCC, Aubrey Corbett, asked me to assist with social media I was so excited to turn their Facebook into something huge and create the coolest coffee Instagram Ocean City, New Jersey has ever seen.  But, through helping assist with Ocean City Coffee’s public relations this summer, I learned something very different.  Public relations in a shore town is nothing like in the big city.

When I first started helping with the OCCC’s Facebook page, my suggestion was to make scheduled posts, find articles about coffee and post discounts to drive in more people.  However, I discovered that was not what customers were looking for. Aubrey came up with the idea to post the local weather, which locals were performing at the shop, local jokes and fun tips about coffee and that posting everyday seemed a bit much.  When we talked about it she said, “We are a small town with people who come back each summer.  Social media isn’t our main focus.  We get more business from the one-on-one connections we make with customers and the word of mouth throughout the town.”

When it comes to PR in the big city, I feel there is a heavy focus on social media, creating flyers, writing press releases, etc.  In a shore town, the relaxed pace lends itself to relationships with customers. Catering to local and loyal regulars seems to be the best PR around town.  Don’t get me wrong though, all of the shops still post flyers in local hotels and travel books. 

I looked at other Facebook pages of Ocean City stores.  Del’s Beachside Grill posts about once a month and the last post was about the owners daughter winning Miss Ocean City.  The famous Manco & Manco pizza is a boardwalk favorite and also only posts about once a month.  Both stores have lines out the door each day.

While in the shop, I tested Aubrey’s theory.  One customer said, “When we come to a small town like this, we ask the locals where they go, we don’t look it up online ahead of time.” 

Even thought the summer is coming to an end, the next time you are in a shore town, instead of researching before, ask a local where they get their favorite “Cup-a-joe”.

Manager Aubrey Corbett going out to catch some waves in an Ocean City Coffee Company shirt.

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Jackie Grillo.

Staying Healthy for the Overly Active Lifestyle

The back to school commercials are on and new Temple flags are going up on the streetlights of campus.  As much as we hate to admit it, fall semester is quickly approaching.  Once the semester picks up, it’s often hard to remember your health on top of everything else.  But here are some helpful tips to keep you healthy and fit all semester long.

Public relations is one of the most stressful industries out there. In fact, Forbes lists Public Relations executive as the 5^th most stressful job of 2013, not far behind military general! Scheduling activities that help you relax after being in a hectic work environment is important. Fitness is one great way to relieve stress after a busy day.  Practicing yoga allows your body to get the exercise it needs and your mind the rest it deserves.

During those late nights at the Tech Center or all day classes, it’s easy to work through dinner or lunch.  I’ll admit to a Red Bull-fueled morning or two.  But skipping meals, especially breakfast, can have some detrimental effects on your body. This bad habit alters your metabolism and lowers blood sugar, making you feel sluggish and tired. An easy fix is to snack throughout the day, providing your body with the nutrition it needs to make it through the day. Try carrots with hummus or trail mix with dried berries and nuts to give you energy on the go.

On the busiest days, it’s even difficult to find time to snack and the go-to energizer is, of course, coffee.  Those sugary lattes and Frappuccinos are great for a burst of caffeine but make you crash later.  Thankfully there are healthy alternatives to give you much needed energy.  Green tea is a nice replacement that helps boost your immune system in addition to a little caffeine buzz.  Hot water with lemon, although it is caffeine free, is a great coffee replacement for coffee in the morning with benefits like clearing your skin, enhancing your mood, and reducing anxiety.

What other health tips do you have for leading a healthy and active lifestyle? Let us know!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Jaime Martorana.