150 Resources To Make You A Better Writer

It appears that PRowl Public Relations has a guardian angel. We were recently approached by a contributor for Open Education Database with a post they published of 150 resources designed to help you become a stronger writer. Who better to share it with then our readers?

The resources are broken down into categories such as blog, rhetoric, and organization. To check this out for yourself click here or find it in our blog roll year round.

Happy writing!

What’s A Girl To Do?

What does it really mean to be Miss America? Is it all about the performance and having what appears to be a glorious crying session with perfect crystal clear tears rolling down your cheek, or is there something more to the pageant? Well this year the 2014 Miss America winner, 24 year old Nina Davuluri, proved that there is more to her than just a pretty face.

On September 15, 2013 Davuluri was given the title 2014 Miss America, and became the first crowned winner of Indian decent. She took in the crown and the titles with all smiles and glory, but some other Americans did not react in the same way.

Just seconds after Davuluri won the Miss America pageant, thousands of tweets flooded onto Twitter, with many of them targeting her racial heritage. The tweets ranged from anti-Arab remarks to Anti-Indian racism. Some tweeters called Davuluri a terrorist while others declared her as “Miss 7-11.” Other tweets even went so far as to call her an “Arab” and said “that the only reason she won is bc her people said they would lower gas prices.”

Many would take these comments to heart and be offended, but not Nina Davuluri. Davuluri said that she wasn’t surprised by the backlash and expected it. She handled it in the most professional way possible by simply going about her business and acknowledging that racism is still an issue in the country. Unlike most, Davuluri didn’t get on Twitter and start backfiring at tweeters, instead she held her head high. In today’s society people often act on emotion without thinking about the consequences of putting their inner thoughts out onto the internet. People in this century type without thinking and find social media to be a way of venting. In the way that Davuluri responded she showed that you don’t have to put every personal feeling out onto social media, causing her to be a role model to millions. 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Alissa Steele.

Finding A Balance: Your Personal Trapeze Act

As PR students, each and every one of us loves to stay busy – we know what we’re getting into. Just because we like the fast life of tackling assignments, scheduling interviews, spending hours in the office, working late at events, and studying for classes, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t catch up to us sometimes. With an internship, job, involvement in three student organizations, and five classes, I know what it’s like to feel the pressure of a busy schedule. Try out these three tips I rely on to stay sane and balanced during even the most hectic week:

1.     Create a positive vibe   

I personally believe that allowing yourself to be in a happy mindset is the number one way to relieve stress and stay focused. Don’t be afraid to indulge in a cliché. Light your favorite candles to spread a calming set and feel relaxed. Hang string lights around your desk or workspace so that you don’t have to be seated in harsh lighting 24/7. Treat yourself to your absolute favorite coffee or tea to keep you motivated on the task at hand.

 
2.     Make a timeline
Organization is key, so be sure to stay that way when it comes to your schedule. Write down all of the tasks you need to accomplish in order of importance, and with deadline in mind. Give yourself time before deadlines to revisit what you’ve created and make any edits, so that you can still send in your best work, even though you found it hard to find time to complete the assignment. I’m a huge fan of post-its, so I write down each individual task and deadline on a post-it and stick it to my wall. Once I finish the task, I remove the post-it! This is simple way of tracking everything you need to get done.

 
3.     Sleep!
All-nighters are never the answer. I have never pulled one off, and not sure I ever will. Incorporate a good night’s sleep into your schedule. You don’t need to declare a specific “bedtime,” but don’t overbook yourself for the entire day. It’s important that you get the proper rest you need, so that you can continue to put your best foot forward every morning when you wake up. Every day is a new day, and you may even find yourself with more creative ideas once you wake up!

It’s the easiest thing to become stressed during a college semester. Always remember that you’re doing all of these internships, student organizations, and classes to improve yourself, but including quality time with friends and catching up on your favorite TV shows is key to a successful schedule and a happy you!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Alyssa Guckin. 

Ethics & PRSSA Twitter Chat

This past Tuesday, Temple PRSSA participated in PRSSA National's second Twitter Chat of the fall semester dubbed "Ethics & PRSSA". The monthly #PRSSA Twitter Chats are a great way to stay connected with fellow PRSSA members and interact with professionals. Hosted by the @PRSSANational Twitter account, each month features a different discussion topic relevant to students and Chapters, featuring a monthly guest professional or National Committee member.

PRSSA encourages Chapters to participate in the monthly Twitter Chats by turning the Chats into an event for its Chapters. Promoting the Chats as a resource of information and a way to engage with other students across the country is a great way to get members involved.

PRSSA has released the remaining dates and topics for the 2013 Twitter Chat schedule. All will be at 9 p.m. Eastern Time and will use the hashtag “#PRSSA” on the following dates: Tuesday, Oct. 1 with “Growing Your PRSSA/PRSA Relationship”; Tuesday, Oct. 15 with “Maximizing Your National Conference Experience”; Tuesday, Nov. 12 with “Leading Chapter Growth”; and Tuesday, Dec. 3 with “Do It the WRITE Way.” Recommended tools to use while participating in a Twitter Chat are TweetChat, TweetDeck or the Twitter platform with the #PRSSA hashtag.

To check out some highlights from "Ethics & PRSSA," please click this link: http://storify.com/prssanational/september-twitter-chat-ethics-and-prssa

Did you participate? Let us know in the comments below!

5 Questions To Ask Before You Rebrand

As companies and products grow, change, and evolve, the way that we market and brand them has to change as well. Most if not all companies come to a point where they feel that it's time for a rebrand. This is usually when the company discovers more about who they are, who their customers are, and what the company's goals are. You can watch the growth and journey of most companies by following their rebranding efforts over time. A great example of this is the Starbucks logo, which has transformed dramatically from the original maroon logo.

A successful rebrand goes far beyond changing a logo and updating a website, there is plenty of planning and behind the scenes work that has to take place. Before jumping into a rebranding, here are 5 questions that you should ask yourself and your client:

1. Why are we going to rebrand? Rebranding isn't a quick overnight job, so you want to be sure everyone is in it for the right reasons. Are you working to solve a problem that may not require such a drastic step? What exactly is the client unhappy with?

2. Are we ready for change? A call to rebrand takes participation by the team in order to be effective. Everyone has to be ready for and agree with the changes to come so that they can adjust their work accordingly.

3. What is our story, and how does our brand tell that story now? If you and your client want to rebrand to properly tell the story behind your brand, you have to first define what that story is. How does the current brand lack in getting the message across?

4. Has our customer based changed since our last branding effort? If you are now targeting a different audience, you want to make sure that your rebranding efforts will resonate with them.Discuss what elements of your new audience will be reflected in the new brand.

5. Will the new brand last? A rebranding campaign can be evolutionary or revolutionary, meaning it can be a first step for more change to come, or a bold and more permanent change. Talk about if you could see this brand staying relevant and meaningful 5, 10, and even 20 years down the road.

For more great tips and thoughts on rebranding, check out this great article on INC.

Have you ever successfully completed a rebranding campaign? What challenges or difficulties did you face?

The Truth About Event Planning

No matter what kind of public relations you end up doing there will be a time when you have to plan an event.  It might be a facility opening, product reveal, press conference, or even a media cocktail party.  Whatever the occasion, there is a lot that goes into an event from the guest list to pitching its details.  Public relations professionals take care of the various aspects of planning an event, but for the most part never really get to enjoy the activities.

I recently got to help out at the NATAS Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.  It was a wonderful experience and I really enjoyed it but I dressed in black tie attire and ended up spending the night in the green-room.  We were live tweeting the event, but didn't actually get to sit in with the award nominees in the ballroom.  This is a good example of how a lot of events end up being for PR professionals. I think, however, that the experiences you gain from being a part of the planning process are more valuable than what you would get from attending the event--I know that was true in my case.

If you like being the brains behind the operation and don't mind being backstage instead of the center of attention, public relations event planning will suit you well.  Of course, there are event planning firms that are more than happy to hire public relations students so don't worry if you crave the spotlight and want to enjoy the fruits of your labor. 

What event planning experiences have you had? We'd love to know!

Brand Frenzy

Over the weekend Apple released their two new products, the iPhone 5C and 5S, in stores. Once again, there was a huge frenzy around the release. People lined up in droves just to be one of the first to own the coveted devices. While technology editors and reviewers don't seem to be as dazzled, that didn't stop the crowds from pouring in and giving Apple a record-breaking product launch.


If the product hasn't evolved at the rate that tech editors had hoped, what keeps the lines spilling out the doors? My guess is brand frenzy.

I say brand frenzy as opposed to brand loyalty because that is what it has turned into. The products may not have evolved as much, but consumer loyalty to them has. Customers are glued to their computers to catch the newest innovations announced at the keynote address in one window and to sell their now outdated device in another. Others are already camped outside their local Apple store to snag the freshest product.

Apple has done an incredible job over the years marketing themselves as the cool, popular kid of Silicone Valley. For a long time now, people have stopped buying Apple because they are so revolutionary. Rather, they buy Apple because they are so cool.

In terms of smartphones, many companies have caught up with Apple technology wise. There may no longer be a race to see which brand can compete with them, but Apple is still in heavy competition with itself. Most of the excitement swirling around the Apple keynote address is simply to see whether or not they have outdone themselves like in years past. While the tech editors may not be as swept away as they used to, Apple still seems to have the consumers in the palm of their hand.

Is there a brand that you have become loyal to? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Twitter: Then and Now

What has Twitter become today? A site that started out as just another place to post ideas and thoughts has evolved into something so much more.

Twitter has evolved into a resource that many corporations use. This involvement is not solely on company promotion, but job application as well. Yes, that is correct, Twitter has now become a tool used by many to find jobs in their area of expertise.

This social networking site has the capability to target special interests to help users find companies who focus on a specific area. Start following corporations and a job posting just might appear. Social networking is how the younger generation communicates, and these companies had to flow with the change. If companies want to reach this technology-driven generation, then they must communicate with them in a new, more unique way, and Twitter provides this resource.

Social networking sites gain new users each day. Who knew that in the year 2013 we would be able to use such a simple tool to decide the rest of our future? The technology is greatly upon us; there is no going back there is only adapting with the times and changing the ways we communicate as professionals.

Have you found a job through Twitter? Comment and tell us about your experience.

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Alie Curran.

TV and Social Media

Social media is changing the face of television as we know it. Any time that you sit down to watch your favorite TV show, you are most likely going to have your phone or computer right by your side so that you can post about what is going on. Social media has become a staple in the TV watching process and everyone is contributing.

TV shows and networks are a major part of why social media is playing such a crucial role in the TV watching experience. Many shows and networks encourage their viewers to post on social media while watching their favorite shows. They develop hash tags and social media contests so that viewers can take an interactive role in their favorite shows.

This viewer to show interaction has both positive and negative effects on the TV watching experience. On one hand, it allows the viewer to be a more active participant with their favorite shows. People are able to connect via social media and share their thoughts and opinions about what is going on during the episodes they are watching. They are able to view the tweets and posts of their peers that are also watching, which establishes a more connected fan base for the programming.

On the other hand, these TV show blasts can also ruin the TV watching experience for some viewers. Often times I hear of people complaining about cliffhangers being spoiled because they logged on to Twitter or Facebook before they had a chance to watch the episode. This experience can be frustrating for viewers and could potentially cause a decrease in viewers for future episodes.

Have you had an experience with social media affecting your TV watching? Leave us a comment and let us know!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Lexi Drexler.

How To Join the Mentorship Program at Temple PRSSA

Last fall, Temple PRSSA introduced a mentorship program for its members. The program, so far, has been incredibly successful in matching up an upperclassman, or an executive board member (the mentor) with a younger PRSSA member (the mentee) and creating a relationship where the mentor helps to guide the mentee through their journey of studying and learning to practice the art of public relations and their life at Temple here as a whole! The mentor, as an older student, is a person who can answer potential questions about the major itself, what classes to take when, resume and internship questions and anything else about Temple. Oftentimes, a mentor will serve as a role model for their mentee. 

Becoming a mentor within Temple's chapter of PRSSA has been such a rewarding experience for me. I have been able to inspire my mentee to aspire a career in a field that I am extremely passionate about. Being able to share my love of PR with someone and watching them express that same dedication to this field is something indescribable.

In order to be a mentor, you must be a dues paying member of PRSSA and be able to take the time to both meet and communicate with your mentee. The mentee must be able to meet with their mentee(s) at least once a month, and contact them on a weekly basis. This may include texting, emailing, chatting on Facebook- whatever method of communication that suits each party best outside of face-to-face meetings. The more communication the better though!

If you are interested  please feel free to contact Rachel Draghi at Rachel.Draghi@temple.edu with any questions or concerns you may have! Applications will be due on October 1st, 2013 for the fall semester.

To learn more, please visit templeprssa.org/mentorship-program/.