PRowl Public Relations

Nonprofit PR 101

2012-01-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

There are many different career sectors in the world of public relations. As college PR students, it is important to understand which career path would be most suitable for us individually. Arguably the most rewarding path, and perhaps the easiest to break into, is nonprofit PR work. If you are interested in dedicating your skills and energy to social change, then working with a nonprofit organization may be the right line of work for you.

According to Liz Cies, a public relations coordinator at Association Headquarters, Inc., public relations professionals in the nonprofit field aim to fulfill the communication needs of their clients. These needs include promotion, media relations, crisis communications, social media management and membership communications.

Temple University Junior, Samantha Srolis, is currently employed by a nonprofit organization in the community relations department at The Rock School for Dance Education. During an interview, I asked Srolis to describe her typical duties. She agreed with Cies on many of the tasks and added, “It’s a day-to-day thing. Besides those things, I really don’t think there’s anything set in stone.” Srolis emphasized the need to be creative in this area of the industry because funding, among other resources, is limited. However, thinking creatively has allowed her to become an overall better PR person. “The things I’ve learned working for a nonprofit, like how to be resourceful and economical, will make me more successful in a corporate setting.”

Working in nonprofit public relations gives professionals a chance to further their experience in the field and let their skills flourish in a philanthropic environment. One of the most important skills in the nonprofit sector is the ability to cultivate long-term relationships. Nonprofit public relations rely heavily on the ability to build and mend relationships in order to raise awareness, obtain feedback, recognize support and more. According to PR pro Tiffany Gallicano, relationships are built with media professionals, clients, potential business sponsors, volunteers and donors, with special emphasis on the last two. I asked Srolis whom her most important relationships are with. Her most valuable relationship is with the director of the community relations department because, “aside from her years of experience, she also has a million contacts. If I need something or need to get in touch with someone, she knows who to go to and how to get it.” Working for a nonprofit organization in an entry-level position allows you to network with professionals who know all about the industry.

Aside from increasing your business card collection, when working with a nonprofit organization you also are presented with the opportunity to work with passionate volunteers aiming to make a beneficial impact on society. Srolis admits, “It’s really rewarding. Being a part of the Philadelphia community, forming relationships and knowing that you’re making a difference, even if it’s in the smallest way, is really rewarding when you’re working with a nonprofit.”

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Samantha Miller.

Landing on Fortune’s “Best Companies to Work For” List

2012-01-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

Last week Fortune announced its annual “Best Companies to Work For” list. The morning the rankings were announced, it is safe to say that the PR staff for those who made the cut were buzzing with joy and excitement.

Being on the “Best Companies to Work For” list is a huge deal for a company’s reputation. A simple ranking can help generate positive attention towards an organization, which in turn will attract the best and brightest to want to work there. A company known for treating employees well is often a company well-liked by the public.

However, attaining recognition on this list cannot be something a company’s PR staff simply sets out to achieve. The top ten workplaces all are known for having great communication and trust among employees. These two characteristics cannot be obtained rapidly by doing a quick PR fix.

For Zappos, the online retailer, company-wide initiatives such as the Zfrog program were essential to landing on the list. This program gives all employees the opportunity to pitch new business ideas. 14 other companies stood out for paying 100% of their employees’ health care premiums.

Google topped the list for 2012 with its innovative and diverse company culture definitely playing a role in the ranking.

Here are the top ten workplaces of 2012:
1. Google
2. Boston Consulting Group
3. SAS
4. Wegmans Food Markets
5. Edward Jones
6. NetApp
7. Camden Property Trust
8. Recreational Equipment (REI)
9. CHG Healthcare Services
10. Quicken Loans

Do you work for any of these companies? Does it help for you to feel supported in your work environment? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Kyra Mazurek.

PRowl Public Relations is Nationally Affiliated!

2012-01-27T09:21:00.006-05:00

After opening its doors for business four years ago in January 2008, PRowl Public Relations, Temple University’s first and only student-run PR firm, recently became nationally affiliated by the Public Relations Student Society of America! This level of distinction is only made to student-run PR firms that exhibit professionalism at a high standard, as well as meet the standards of connection, professionalism, and ethics, upheld by PRSSA.

PRowl Public Relations began the application process to become nationally affiliated in late November of this year. Cohesively, members of the firm and the executive board compiled case studies, letters, and background information on the firm and clients to be submitted to PRSSA headquarters for approval. In the four years PRowl Public Relations has been active, the firm has made great strides in such a short period of time. The firm was recently recognized as one of the “50 Best Blogs for the Public Relations Major” by Bachelors Degree Online and becoming nationally affiliated by the Public Relations Student Society of America is an honor the firm has been working towards for years.

All of these amazing accomplishments wouldn't be possible without our amazing staff members, our encouraging alumni and those who have always supported the firm and our efforts.

Check out the National PRSSA website to see us listed among the most prestigious student-run firms in the country!

Virtual Protest, Real Results

2012-01-26T13:38:00.004-05:00

Millions of people from across the internet came together in the last month to virtually protest the Protect I.P. and Stop Online Piracy Acts, two pieces of anti-piracy legislation under consideration by the United States Congress. Congressional leaders tabled the bills indefinitely last Friday, marking a huge PR victory for a number of websites and organizations.

Google, Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia, Wordpress, and Reddit have all spoken out against the legislation. These websites, among many others, have joined with millions of internet users to stage online protests across the web, primary on social media websites. Anonymous, a large online hacktivist group, has also joined the fray. The group has publicly condemned the bills and have hacked a number of websites and social media accounts in response to their consideration.

The legislation was largely a bi-partisan effort to crack down on websites that help facilitate the illegal peer-to-peer file sharing. Proponents of the bill include the Recording Industry Association of American and the Motion Picture Association of America, which claim that these websites violate copyright and intellectual property laws. Many of the bills’ original backers switched their stances on the two pieces of legislation after public opinion turned against them.

Congress’s quick response to public pressure may temporarily paint representatives in a more positive light. However, representatives who switched their positions on the bills may appear to be weak in their convictions and might be easily labeled as “flip-floppers.”

The tabling of the two pieces of legislation is a PR win for many websites and the groups across the internet. This temporary victory has boosted traffic to many websites that have participated and shows that grassroots organizations can truly influence the government without tons of money. The move is a loss for the RIAA and MPAA, two groups already have low favorability ratings with many Americans. Such a public ordeal might make them appear weak and could be devastating to their future government relations efforts.

Free Ways to Monitor Your Twitter

2012-01-25T09:00:00.002-05:00

It almost goes without saying that the Twitter world is rapidly expanding. The controversial media site has everything from celebrities to prestigious news outlets. As many of you follow trends on Twitter and participate in chats, have you ever wondered how you are viewed in the Twitter world? Are people searching for you? How do you monitor your personal brand or even a client’s brand, on Twitter? Ragan.com provides 5 FREE, that’s right free, sites to help you monitor your brand on Twitter.

Twilert- Similar to Google Alert, Twilert will notify you via email if you are searched. I scheduled to receive an email every day at 2 p.m. So, if I am searched, mentioned, or my name is used I will be notified.

Kurrently- This is a really great site if you are monitoring a trend in real time. You simply put in the search bar what you would like to monitor and you can see what people are saying about a trend or even a client. I typed in the search box, “PRowlPR” and results dating back to this past week appeared, along with a conversation users were having about Prowl in real time.

Monitter- Similar to Kurrently, Monitter allows you to see multiple searches simultaneously. For example, I searched Prowl’s clients, @JeanMadeline and @JeanMadelineIns. I was able to see their twitters side by side and could see if the different audiences were discussing the same thing.

Twitter Search- An oldie but goodie, your Twitter search box can be more useful than you think.

Twendz- This very cool site, Twendez, monitors your Twitter and provides a monthly analytic report complete with volume, frequency, velocity, emotions, and conversation. Twendz provides you with a Word Cloud with the most frequented words used for that month. You can find a monthly sample here.

Costa Concordia Runs Aground with a PR Blunder

2012-01-24T09:00:00.001-05:00

Costa Cruise Lines, the owners of the Costa Concordia that crashed along the shoreline of Italy last week, is offering an unusual discount. The survivors of the crash will be able to receive a 30 percent discount on their next cruise, hoping to keep them as loyal customers.

Of course it would have to be the percentage of survivors that aren't filing a class action suit against the company, as well as the families of the 13 victims that died as a result of the crash, which still has yet to find 20 missing victims.

As if that isn't comforting enough, Carnival, the cruise line's parent company, has tried to soften the blow by calling survivors to see if they are suffering from nightmares or sleeplessness and would want counseling. Not making a statement or apology would be the ship's captain, concerning his carelessness and supposed abandonment of the ship at the time of the crash. He is now on house arrest for suspected manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning the ship.

While the CEO of Carnival made an apology statement, along with some others, this tragedy will not only affect this cruise company, but the industry as a whole. Companies need to have their crisis PR plans available at a moment's notice, especially in the world we live in where the news is controlled by tweets and multimedia sharing, sometimes before the media gets to it.

What could Costa Cruise have done to better serve the survivors?

What Does SOPA Mean for PR Pros?

2012-01-23T09:00:00.002-05:00

On Wednesday January 18th, many websites like Google, Wikipedia, and Flickr protested against SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act), acts that would allow the U.S. government to effectively censor websites suspected of violating copyright laws or participating in money transactions. Many big internet corporations are against these acts as they could very possibly be censored due to a link to a site engaged in piracy or even for displaying a comment from a user, linking to a piracy cite. Both situations that are highly possible and almost impossible to prevent. Only 2 days after the protest, however, Congress decided to indefinitely shelve the bills.

But this doesn't mean that the Internet is safe, Congress could decide anytime to reinstate the legislation, so what would this mean for PR pros who rely on these websites every day?

Sharing and social sites: Many big corporations use social media websites to promote and advertise their brand, using videos on YouTube, Facebook to hold contests and link to their website, and etc. Say you are holding a video contest for your client and a participant merely uploads of video of themselves singing a Katy Perry song and you don't recognize copyright infringement. Not only will the link be blocked, but so will your client's website. Not exactly good PR, right?
Payments: Not accepting payments over the web is one of the main changes that SOPA and PIPA will bring. Websites such as Amazon and Paypal will be censored, leaving your client unable to generate income through e-commerce.
Finding Talent: PR pros look to voice casting sites for voice over talent in videos, podcasts, and commercials. Often, these individuals unknowingly read copyrighted material. SOPA will prevent such talent from rural areas getting work and "drive work back to cities and put thousands out of work", according to Voice123.

While SOPA and PIPA are momentarily at bay, PR pros have a cause to worry about in a world that is so driven by social media and the web. Are you for or against SOPA and PIPA? Why or why not? Let us know!

Don’t just be another interviewee: the importance of a post-interview follow-up

2012-01-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

Sending a thank you email after an interview is an important part of the job search process. Whether you are interviewing for a permanent position, a paid internship, or an unpaid internship, do not consider the interview to be over until you have sent the thank you note.

Within 24 hours of your interview, send an email to each person you met. (Remember to ask for their business card so you have their contact information and correct spelling of their name). Thank them for their time, how nice it was to meet them, reiterate your interest in the position and highlight your top qualifications, and that you are looking forward to hearing from them.

Short, simple, QUICK, but key to landing that job.

When a follow-up is handled correctly, you will differentiate yourself from the other candidates and help sway the decision in your favor. By following up, you show many qualities that employers are looking for, such as dedication, ability to properly communicate, and a true interest in the position.

As always, make sure you have double and triple checked your spelling and grammar, especially their name and company name. The little details make a big difference!

Have you ever followed-up and received positive feedback? Have any special tips to share, let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Brianna Rooney.

An Unusual Way to Improve Your Grammar

2012-01-21T09:00:00.001-05:00

Texting and social media usage surely impacts our grammar, but how? Will the iPhone’s autocorrect feature excuse us for writing poorly? Or perhaps the 140-character restriction for tweeting will actually help by forcing us to write strategically.

Mignon Fogarty, widely known as Grammar Girl, defends texting and social media in a video on Ragan.com, and explains how both often enhance writing ability.

In the video, Grammar Girl points out that social media provides people with more opportunities to write. This opportunity, however, highlights the good writers as well as the bad. Although social media does not change the way people write, it allows for more visibility.

Parents often worry about the abbreviations their children are using on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Typing “l8” to abbreviate “late” and “u” to mean “you” may be fairly new, but the concept of abbreviating a message dates back quite awhile. IOU’s have been around much longer than any computer, social network or iOS device. The abbreviation, much like those of the digital age, uses the letter “u” in place of the word “you.”

Grammar Girl also mentions the ways in which we begin to use our brains differently to post on social media or to text a friend. Concision is key. No matter the industry, writers often include too many words in their messages. Our phones and the social web begin to train us to consider the most direct way to get the point across.

Public relations relies heavily upon clear, concise messaging. However, writers in all fields can benefit from strategic writing skills. Grammar Girl may have just given bosses everywhere a reason to let their employees text on the job!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Frank Kunkle.

From ABCs to Can I Get A Job Please?

2012-01-20T08:39:00.006-05:00

With the start of 2012 comes the start of my official job search and anyone else who is graduating this May. Its hard to believe how quickly time can fly. Sometimes it feels as if it was just yesterday when I was enjoying cookies and nap time in Ms. Wright's kindergarten class. When looking for articles for job search lessons, I absolutely loved the post 5 Job Search Lessons you Learned in Kindergarten by Heather Huhman (probably because it included something about a nap...) It's funny how we can often learn the most important lessons before we even know how to tie our shoes.

1. Say "please" and "thank you" - Manners are very important during the job search process. Make sure you are being courteous to everyone you meet (even the receptionist) and always remember to follow up an interview with a thank you card.

2. Don't give up - At the age of five, learning to read may have seemed like an impossible task. But with words of encouragement from your teacher, you calmed down, picked up the book and tried again. Use your professional and personal network as a support system during your job search because they have already gone through it and can offer great advice.

3. Be respectful - Playing nice with others and listening to your teacher were important in Kindergarten. The same rules apply in the work force. Arrive on time to your interview, come prepared with thoughtful questions, be attentive, dress professionally, etc....the list goes on and on. First impressions are often the most important so get started on the right foot by being professional and respectful.

4. Take a nap (or break) - Nap time was always my personal favorite time in Kindergarten. Who doesn't love curling up on the floor after a warm plate of cookies and an hour-long recess? It's important to take breaks during the job search as well otherwise you'll get completely overwhelmed and frustrated. Brief breaks will allow you to re-energize and refocus so you can return to the search feeling refreshed.

5. Balance your day - In Kindergarten, days were filled with a myriad of activities from finger painting to block building to snack time to reading. The same rule should apply to your job search. Make sure you don't spend all day applying for jobs. Balance your days with other activities such as networking, participating in Twitter chats, tailoring your job documents and more.

While these are just a few valuable lessons we learned at the age of five, there are certainly many more. What lessons did you learn in Kindergarten that can apply to the job search? Let us know!

A Social Approach to Education

2012-01-19T18:04:00.008-05:00

Higher education is no stranger to new ideas, and social media is quickly becoming a primary way for students to keep up with the realm of academia. Most universities now have at least one Twitter account to help engage and communicate with their publics.

Temple University is at the forefront of this social media movement and even has an entire class dedicated to social media. This semester, however, I have encountered something even more exciting: one of my classes has a Twitter account.

Yes, my Special Topics in Urban Politics has a Twitter account to keep students abreast of local political news. This is a great way to engage students outside of the classroom, keeping students informed of relevant events and continuing the in-class conversation on social media.

This social approach to education should be more widely adapted. I urge my classmates and professors to embrace the idea that classroom learning can and should spill over onto social media.

Do any of your classes have social media accounts? Do you think they should?

Getting Through the Beginning of a New Semester

2012-01-18T09:00:00.002-05:00

As another semester is upon us, we brace ourselves for all-nighters, stress out on weekends, and drink endless cups of caffeine to get by. This spring semester be on top of your game. Do your work as its assigned, read your text books and go to class (and not sleep). As I m looking forward to an advanced PR classes two business courses and an internship for credit, I am already feeling stressed and over whelmed with the my schedule.

I know we all laugh at syllabus week, but this is the time to start planning out your schedule and scope out new ways to get involved for the rest of the semester. Either utilize a written calendar or an on-line calendar, such as Google calendar, to start working out your weeks. By using a calendar, you are able to see how your days and weeks are going to pan out, that way when surprises come, a forgotten quiz or an emergency group meeting, you already know when you can make room in your schedule.

Start to make note of upcoming due dates. There is nothing worse than bracing a storm of work at the same time in ALL of your classes. Make notes of when the most recent things are due and do them early so when the rest of your classes assign work, you won’t be as over whelmed.

How do you deal with the beginning of a semester?

Happy First Day of Classes!

2012-01-17T10:42:00.005-05:00

PRowl Public Relations would like to wish everyone a great first day of classes!

We have a lot of exciting things planned for the semester and we are looking forward to starting the new semester off right. Below are some tips I have outlined to make your first day a little easier.

Use a planner! Even if it is in your phone, having a weekly organizer will help you manage your time.
Utilize your time wisely. Don't wait until the last second to wake up before class or to get that reading done. Rushing first thing in the morning can leave you feeling disorganized the rest of the day and can lead to you forgetting things.
Treat your body right. While it seems impossible, getting at least 7 hours of sleep every night can make a huge difference. Also, if you're grabbing a quick snack, make an effort to make it something healthy instead of junk food that will make you crash hard in the middle of your day.
Make time for you. As someone who always neglects time for myself, I try to make an hour or so a day to relax and not think about school.

What were your favorite classes on your first day? Any internships?

Pin it to Win It

2012-01-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

The new Pinterest has been circulating around the social media block. I'm personally a fan, all you have to do is "pin" things that you like; food, fashion, decor, people, and even art. The things you pin will then go on their designated board, showcasing your personal boards to the public. But bored college students and stay-at-home moms aren't the only people benefiting from Pinterest. Below are "3 ways to use Pinterest for business right now":

Hold a contest- What many companies have been doing is holding contests for customers to pin products on their website and publish it on their boards in exchange for a small prize. One of the best things about Pinterest is that it allows you the option to incorporate both your Facebook and Twitter. Whenever you pin something, you can choose to publish it on your Facebook and Twitter as well, making the ability to share on multiple social media accounts simple and effective.
Add the "Pin It" widget to your sites- Pinterest allows you to add their widget easily onto your website. Connecting your website to Pinterest will allow users to simply click on the widget whenever they would like to pin something on your website.
Create a company board- Some company's have already jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon and have created boards. While you're not allowed to obviously advertise your brand, you can categorize your boards strategically, much like Nordstrom did, and pin products that are available through your company.

Not on Pinterest yet? The site is still invite only so feel free to let me know if you'd like an invite!

How Youtube Can Help Launch Your Career

2012-01-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

We all know the Youtube world is growing rapidly. It has become the go-to site for visual how-to’s and entertainment. There have been many youtubers whose careers have launched because of their channels, and it can help public relations professionals as well. Below are ways that Youtube can help launch your PR career.

1. Promote Yourself: Youtube is not only for aspiring singers and songwriters. Let your audience know your career goals and show that in all of the videos. Be sure to remind the viewers that you are a young PR professional throughout your Youtube career. Many professional companies watch Youtube and contact gurus to represent their companies.

2. Tailor Yourself: Tailor all of your videos to fit one type of genre. As a hopeful PR professional, look into angles that you can take that will help you in your future. For example, if you’re interested in beauty-related PR, make videos of beauty product and company reviews.

3. Build Up Your Audience: When Youtube gurus have a significant amount of subscribers, it shows their knowledge of the genre they are covering. Telling a prospective employer that your Youtube presence was successful with thousands of followers will be sure to impress.

4. Expand Your Network: Once your presence on Youtube grows, begin to build relationships with companies that contact you. Once they know your name, make sure they don’t forget it. It will open many doors of opportunity for your future.

Inspired yet? To get started, brainstorm an idea, open a Youtube account and start filming!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Andrea Jordan.

Ready...Set...Intern!

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

The first step is always the scariest no matter what you are trying to accomplish. Whether you are just starting to drive, take on a new job, or are entering college for the first time, the heart flutters in anticipation on multiple counts. This first step of terror also goes for acquiring your very first internship. There is the initial dance of joy after attaining the position, internal panic when you realize you might be a little unsure of what you are getting into, and lastly, a moment of realization that you can, in fact, do this internship right. Or at least, that is what I have been telling myself as I prepare for my own fashion marketing internship.

Mentally go over what you already know will be your main tasks as an intern. These tasks were reviewed over during your interview, and while some tasks may be mundane, everything is there to help you be that much better in your line of work. Bottom line: pay your dues.

Always dress appropriately. Initial judgment is based off of how you present yourself. Break a heel on the sidewalk? Pack a pair of flats. Stain your shirt during a coffee run? Pack an extra. Bottom line: you are not only representing yourself but others as well, so dress to impress.

Don’t fret if you make a mistake. Remember that being an intern is a learning experience, and you won’t be perfect on your first day, especially if this is your first internship. The whole point is that when you make mistakes, fix them and become better prepared during the next go around. Bottom line: practice makes perfect.

Make the most out of your internship by asking questions, observing, and overall paying attention to your daily encounters at the office. Your mind is a valuable tool, so truly learn from your experiences, make connections, and contribute as much as you can. Bottom line: this company hired you for a reason, so make it worth your while, and theirs!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Celina Levin.

PRowl Public Relations is HIRING!

2012-01-13T12:45:00.001-05:00

Are you a public relations student interested in gaining hands-on experience in the industry? PRowl Public Relations is Temple University’s first and only student-run PR firm, and we’re hiring!

At PRowl Public Relations, students are given opportunities to develop their strategic thinking and gain tactical practice. Members create and execute public relations campaigns, form valuable relationships with professionals in the Philadelphia area, apply their classroom knowledge to working on client campaigns, become part of an interactive communications process and prepare for life beyond graduation.

To be a member of PRowl Public Relations, one must meet the following criteria:

· At least a 3.0 GPA

· Be a dues paying member of PRSSA or have the intention of becoming a dues-paying member in the spring

· Have availability for weekly staff meetings every Thursday from 3:30-4:15 PM

PRowl Public Relations is a great experience and is a large time commitment. PRowl PR operates as a functioning PR firm and is similar to a working, professional-level agency, not an extracurricular organization. Therefore, applicants should only apply if they are able to dedicate the necessary amount of time and work. We encourage students of all levels of experience to apply, from freshmen to seniors!

Our clients for spring range from tourism & hospitality to the beauty industry. Staff members will have the opportunity to work on social media campaigns, event planning and media relations to name a few.

Interested? Contact Niki Ianni, at nicole.ianni@temple.edu to set up an interview. Interviews will be scheduled starting January 17 – 23. All applicants will be required to submit a resume and two short writing samples during their scheduled interview.

Learn more about PRowl Public Relations:
Follow us on Twitter: @PRowlPR
Find us on Facebook: PRowl Public Relations

Philly.com: To Allow Comment or Not to Allow Comments

2012-01-12T10:00:00.000-05:00

A news website is generally no stranger to controversy. However for Philly.com, much of the controversy takes place in its infamous comment sections. Philly.com’s comments are getting out of hand, and soon the website must decide once and for all if it will continue to allow them.

Philly.com’s comment sections have long plagued an otherwise quality news website. Commenters often overwhelm stories with nonsensically vicious, racist, sexist and downright nasty comments. The most recent example of this is the website’s story on Fox 29 firing its weatherman John Bolaris. Even seemingly tame stories get special treatment from the Philly.com comments, including Stu Byko’s recap of the New Year’s Day Mummers Parade.

Philly.com has become wary of its anonymous commenters. The news website now disables comments on its more controversial stories. On other stories, Philly.com forces users to log into their Facebook accounts to comment. This attaches a profile picture and name to all comments, theoretically deterring hateful speech.

Unfortunately for Philly.com, the Facebook log in system hasn’t quite worked to its advantage. The comments continue to be just as brutal as ever, forcing the news website to disable comments within hours of posting many new stories.

Comment sections can be a great way to increase user engagement, but what do you do when users get out of hand? Philly.com needs to decide if this added engagement is worth the humiliating content.

If the website decides to allow comments, I would suggest it creates a set of guidelines setting acceptable comment content dimensions, much like NewsWorks’ Community Discussion Guidelines.

Your Social Media Efforts

2012-01-11T10:00:00.014-05:00

Social Media is becoming increasingly important in how Public Relations practicioners connect with their publics. For a client, it is sometimes hard to convince them that social media is worth the time, but Ragan.com is looking to convenience them otherwise.

First, Ragan suggests, you have to understand how social media is going to benefit the client and their organizations. To do this you have to be aware of the company’s missions and goals and also be understanding of the clients wishes.

Secondly you have to know what you can deliver. Knowing what to measure in social media is key, not only to a relationship between you and your client, but a binding contract. You have to know if your social media efforts are working and if they’re not working, you need to figure out what to change, which all comes back to what you can measure.

In addition to knowing how to measure your social media presence, you also need to know how it is contributing to the bottom line by calculating the ROI (return on investment). This is sometimes difficult to measure with social media, but finding a correlation between the content you’re producing and sales in the company, will become increasingly important.

Thirdly, share social media data in common language. Sometimes social media can sound like Morse code to clients. So, a suggestion would be to explain the data with charts. A visual that your client can understand without any terms can sometime be best to see how your work is contributing to their bottom line.

Lastly, sometimes your efforts can not be measured in numbers, however you can show your clients your efforts and provide an anecdote. Say a fan left a comment on your client's company page expressing how the company is doing a great job can be worth showing a client even if you can’t prove how it contributes to sales.

Being the Best Intern your Company has Seen

2012-01-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

Get your game face on, winter break is soon to be over for most schools and it's time to get back in the swing of things for your first day at your spring internship. Whether it is public relations, communications, social media or journalism, it all remains the same for what you need to do to get the most of your internship and make the best impression for a good recommendation (and maybe even a job!).

Improve your skills. If you are given an assignment that doesn't highlight one of your strengths, don't be afraid to ask questions or do a little research. Your employer would rather you ask how to do it or take a little longer to complete the task, rather than turn in a low-quality piece of work that you might have to redo anyway.

Be proactive. If you get done with something early, don't sit around at your desk and check emails. Follow up with any media calls you could have, draft a post for the company's blog, or even do research on the company's clients. Ask your supervisor if there is anything else that you could do and share with them what you found. They could be impressed with your extra work and it will not go unnoticed.

Challenge yourself. The only way your internship will really make an impact on your experience, is if you are continuing to learn. If your supervisor has time, talk with them about things you can improve on or ask them to give you a heavier workload. To really be an asset to a company, you need to show that you are willing to go above and beyond for them and do valuable work.

Do you have any internship advice? Where are you interning this semester?

Fake Wendi Deng Compromises Twitter Verification Process

2012-01-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

About a week ago, media conglomerate Rupert Murdoch joined the Twitterverse. Not long after first tweeting, Murdoch tweeted a moderately offensive message: "Maybe Brits have too many holidays for broke country!" Ironically, while on vacation in the Carribean. Soon after, @Wendi_Deng, presumably Murdoch's wife, tweeted at him to take the offending tweet down.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that @Wendi_Deng was not the real Wendi Deng, wife of Rupert Murdoch, but an imposter. However, it seems that the fake Deng wanted to teach Twitter a lesson on their verification process. "I was as surprised--and even a little alarmed--when I saw the Verified tick appear on the profile," the fake Deng wrote. "And you have to wonder even more why Twitter verified this account for a full day. I never received any communication from them about this. What verification process? That's what I'm saying. There was none. I was never contacted." Even more baffling, News Corp., a media company founded by Murdoch, accidentally confirmed the authenticity of the Twitter account to the U.K. Guardian.

Clearly, Twitter has been had. While they have not commented on the loophole in the verification process for new accounts, the social media platform did say, "We can confirm that the @wendi_deng account was mistakenly verified for a short period of time and apologize for the confusion this caused."

What do you think? Has Twitter's verification process failed its users or simply made an easy mistake? Should the social media platform reevaluate its standards? Let us know!

Crossing the Pond

2012-01-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

As I run down my checklist of things to pack for my semester in London I begin to make another checklist. Instead of toiletries and shoes, this list immediately seems more important. This list includes the things I hope to bring to, and take away, from my internship abroad. While I will not know my internship placement until I officially cross the pond, there are some general guidelines I plan to follow:

Have an open mind. Easier said than done. But the last thing I want to do is waste time being stuck in an American bubble. Opening up to new experiences is what studying abroad is all about and I plan on bringing that openness to my internship.
Be patient. Adapting to a new culture and work environment is going to prove challenging. I must remind myself to be patient with change and new norms that will come with working abroad.
Offer opinions. When appropriate, it is important to bring my thoughts and ideas to the table. Giving input will prove my interest in the field and help make me more involved in the workplace.
Act eager. Even as I adjust to a new culture and way of life, showing my readiness to learn and work will make a positive impression to my employer.
Build relationships. As a PR student, I am constantly told how networking and relationships will take me far throughout my career. While I may not plan on staying in London permanently, building relationships with professionals abroad may still help me make a connection back in the States.

I can’t predict what the next 3 months will bring me but I do know that open communication, an eagerness to learn, and networking abroad will help shape me into a more well-rounded PR student when I return home.

Until April, America! Cheers!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Tara Innamorato.

Before & After: My Experiences with the “Start Your Career Seminar”

2012-01-07T09:00:00.001-05:00

This is part one of a two-part blog entry about my feelings and experiences regarding the conventional “get your career started” type-seminar. You know the type. College kids awkwardly filter into a huge conference room filled with chairs and round tables; uncomfortably mingling with each other until the keynote speaker approaches the podium to begin the program. They break you up into groups and teach you how to build your resume, do well in interviews, and network with professionals. All things that are important, don’t get me wrong, but not overwhelmingly helpful when it comes to starting your ideal career.

However, later this month I will have the opportunity to attend another one of these seminars in Blue Bell, PA. This seminar, titled “Launching Your Career 101”, is invitation-only and for graduating or post-graduate college seniors. Taking into effect the exclusiveness of the invitees, I was immediately interested in attending.

I feel as though this seminar will be more beneficial than others because it is reserved for students who are eager to enter the working world. Here is what I anticipate going in:

Everyone should have a well-put together resume: There shouldn’t be any need for getting a resume set up, rather the workshop should be reserved for making adjustments in order to make your resume compelling and stand out from others.
Personal branding should be a focal point: Differentiating yourself from the masses and landing the opportunity that will launch your career should be heavily discussed.
In-Depth Interview Prep: Because most of the participants should have significant interview experience, I would expect more in-depth interview prep with regards to “pitching yourself” to a prospective employer. Many young professionals know how to answer questions, but cannot give a quality pitch for themselves.
Creating a List of potential employers: Most of us obviously want to pursue a career in our field and may even know of businesses that are hiring, however finding the ideal employer is the difficult part. A workshop detailing how to narrow down this search would be extremely helpful for future young professionals.

From looking at the agenda, it appears as though there will be a lot of useful information and guidance from successful recruiters who have extensive experience in this field. Stay tuned for part two of this blog where I will be recapping the seminar and providing several key takeaways I learned from attending.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Steve Jacobs.

Lessons to be Learned from the Ocean Marketing Scandal

2012-01-05T11:44:00.004-05:00

A large PR scandal erupted a little over a week ago in the video gaming industry, enraging gamers across the country and pretty much sinking a company. As with most PR crises, there are lessons to be learned here.

Ocean Marketing had been hired by video game control maker N-Control to help promote and market its new product, the Avenger controller. The product had done well in its pre-order period but had experienced delays in manufacturing and shipping that led it to miss its expected release date. A pre-order customer contacted Ocean Marketing’s Paul Christoforo to ask what the status of controller was and things went downhill quickly.

Christoforo’s subsequent responses were not only unprofessional; they were everything that a public relations professional shouldn’t do. The customer leaked the emails to Penny Arcade and the story grew legs fast, going viral within days. Ocean Marketing was dropped by N-Control and the entire video gaming community turned against Christoforo.

A few lessons can be taken from the entire Ocean Marketing incident:

Don’t get cocky. Christoforo didn’t just get cocky; he got really, really cocky. He was not only incredibly rude to an innocent customer, but he was also brash to a guy who runs a huge videogame festival. This is completely unprofessional and a horrendous way for a public relations practitioner to act.

Learn to spell. Spelling mistakes were abundant in the emails sent by Christoforo. Simple things, like using the wrong “your.” A public relations professional should always proofread his or her work before sending it out. Typos reflect on you and your product.

The customer comes first. Always. If a disgruntled customer contacts you, always respond cordially and offer to help him in anyway possible. Christoforo’s vague, unhelpful first responses were bad enough. What came after was completely unacceptable.

Know your audience. The video game community is pretty tight nit and very internet savvy. All the disgruntled customer had to do was send one email to ruin Christoforo’s company and career. Furthermore, Christoforo’s client sustained damage as angry video game fans spammed the Avenger controller’s Amazon page with 1 star reviews.

Have you been keeping up with this scandal? What do you think?

PR Resolutions

2012-01-04T10:00:00.001-05:00

According to Time.com the three most common New Year’s resolutions are to lose weight or get fit, quit smoking and save money, but for a college student, my New Year’s resolutions revolve around school and my future career in PR.

Slow down

Life in the PR world comes at you fast and often warrants a 24 hour (or less!) turnaround time. I typically rush assignments missing great details that could one day get me fired. For 2012, I am going to take my time with editing content and really digest the information.

Read more

My job with PRowl requires me to do a lot of reading, so my daily news intake has dwindled. However for 2012, I am not making my position my excuse not to read. Now more than ever, it’s inherently important to stay current with local and world affairs. Although it might not impact you, it may impact your client.

Using my Google calendar

I recently started exploring Google calendar learning its many bells and whistles and found tools for organizing, managing appointments and tasks; I am even able to see my friends calendars. For 2012, I am going to try to be more diligent about using my calendar to its fullest capacity to keep me organized and more importantly sane.

Take time out for me

In 2012 I am allowing myself at least one hour of me time. This includes but certainly not limited to updating my social media, working out, or even catching up on the latest GLEE. You lose yourself sometimes in the day between the hustle and bustle so take time out for you.

What are your PR resolutions?

How to Avoid the Pre-Graduation Panic Attack

2012-01-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

As we enter 2012, many May grads are going into panic mode about finding a job after graduation (if they haven't already). With the state of the job market, you need to be doing everything that you can to make sure your best self is out there for employers to see. Below I have outlined some things to keep in mind during your job search in the midst of commencement.

Stay connected. Social networking can be a great resource to find out who is hiring as well as promoting yourself and meeting key people in the industry through LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
Get a post-grad internship. Recent graduates should be open to an internship, even if it is unpaid. While the company may not be hiring now, in a few months there could be an opening for you to fill. It could even help you narrow down where you really want to see yourself when you are employed full-time.
Volunteer. Nonprofits are always in need of public relations or media relations help to raise money for their cause and get media coverage. You'll feel a sense of accomplishment if you find something you are passionate about.
Go corporate. While it may not be specifically public relations, broadening your horizons to include communications will be more appealing to larger companies. There is opportunity to move to different departments and gain a lot of different experience.
Stay positive! Don't be discouraged if you don't get the first few jobs you interview for. Hard work will pay off if you keep trying for the job that will be the best fit for you.

Are you graduating in the near future? What are your job-hunting tips for your peers?
To read more click here.

Another One Bites the Dust

2012-01-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

Verizon wireless has started 2012 on a not-so-great note. Last Thursday, Verizon announced that, much like Bank of America, they would be charging a $2 convenience fee each month for customers paying either online or over the phone.

And so, the Twitterverse ignited. One particular Verizon user quipped, "Dear Verizon... Why should I pay you a $2 fee to pay my bill? Should I charge you to provide me service?" Customers even took to the company's Facebook to voice their disapproval. Verizon still made no response, instead trying to refocus attention onto a new pet tracking feature.

The explanation for the convenience fee is this: customers who automatically wire their debit or bank accounts every month will not be charged. It is those who are paying online on a one-time basis that are going to be subjected to the fee. This did not placate customers at all. Verizon responded to complaints via their website saying that "the fee will help allow us to continue to support these single bill payment options in these channels and is designed to address costs incurred by us for only those customers who choose to make single bill payments in alternate payment channels (online, mobile, telephone).”

Since then, just like Bank of America eventually did, Verizon has backtracked its $2 convenience fee. What do you think of this trend of company's diving into announcements, and seemingly ignoring customer satisfaction? Let us know!

Why the Sports Industry Dominates Twitter

2012-01-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

With the recent emergence of social media, it seems that every business and corporation now has a Twitter. The sports industry was one of the first major corporations to catch on to this trend and they are calling the shots on how to run a successful social media platform.

Professional sports are a business, but the two are often very confused when thought of as partners. Fans want to believe that their favorite athletes play for the love of the game and the pursuit of childhood dreams, while the owners and some players try and cash in on every money-making opportunity they can that involves their team. Sports and business both often create controversy. However, the one way sports do not create controversy is the Twitter strategies and the lessons many businesses could learn from by modeling after the sports industry’s twitter approach. Businesses could learn from the sports industry’s Twitter strategy by following these tactics:

Exclusive Access- Twitter allows fans to have access to their beloved teams that they would never have had to chance to before. All of the behind the scenes work that a professional team goes through can now be made available in small tidbits to the public. Whether it is snapping a photo of merely a coach’s meeting or relaying information straight from the team’s head spokesperson. This access allows fans to feel closer to the teams they follow even more and gives more meaning to the fans to follow their teams on Twitter.

Fan Interaction- Ever go to the ballpark or stadium early, hoping to sneak down to the closest possible seats to the field hoping to talk to, shake the hand or even ask for an autograph from your favorite player? With Twitter, fans have access to their favorite players at their finger tips, or rather their Twitter handles. Many athletes will take advantage of the easy interaction Twitter allows professional athletes and fans to have, because it allows them to become closer to the fan base that supports them on a daily basis. This then enhances the fan experience, which will only build positive brand recognition for the fan of the player and/or team that he or she plays on.

Live Updates- Not able to sneak away from all of that grueling work at your job and check on your local team’s scores? Twitter grants a solution to that problem. Most, if not all teams will be updating their Twitter feeds at a very rapid pace throughout the game, keeping all of their fans that are not able to attend or view the game filled in on what’s happening during the game. This allows fans to stay connected no matter where they are, yet they still will feel the comforts of being home following their beloved franchises.

Contests and Giveaways- The sports industry more than any other industry has many contests and giveaways strictly for their Twitter followers only. The only way to win the contest is to follow the team or player on Twitter. This gives the team or player a chance to shape the conversation and take advantage of the use of hashtags such as #superbowl2012 or #postseason. In return, it keeps fans glued to the games and team twitter feeds and keeps the interactions continuous between the team and fans.

So, the ball is in your court. Maybe staying late after work to watch some hoops and twitter feeds with your co-workers isn’t such a bad idea after all. If you want your business’ social media platforms to succeed, all you have to do is get in the game!

Agree/Disagree? Let us know what you think about this proposed plan of action. We are all ears!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Andy Esworthy.

Must-Reads for the PR Pro: Succeeding in Organizational Leadership

2011-12-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

As public relations professionals, the best way to stay up to date with the industry is to curl up with a good read, whether it is a book, article or blog post. Take some of your free time during break to pick up one of the books reviewed below:

Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul by Howard Schulz

“Onward” is a great book to learn more about organizational structure and image, as well as leadership. It provides a first-hand account of how Starbucks recreated itself, and how CEO Howard Schulz developed his main leadership philosophy. This book is especially appropriate in terms of seeing how a company was able to be successful and revive its image in one of the most tumultuous economic times in history.

The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott

Especially important for the modern workplace, “The New Rules of Marketing and PR” is a great read. It provides readers with the knowledge of how web communications may benefit your business. Establishing a proper personal relationship with your customers via the Internet is essential in the new media world. The book offers first-hand examples of marketing and PR trends, techniques for using social media sites, an action plan for utilizing new media and suggestions of how to craft powerful, effective messages.

The World is Flat, 3.0 by Tom Friedman

To know your world is to be a better public relations practitioner. Tom Friedman helps readers to understand globalization. It is important to know how globalization provides opportunities for individual and organizational success, how it is helping poverty around the world and how it may be detrimental environmentally, socially and politically. The book helps address the essential question “How may globalization effect different industries?”

How to Win Friends and Influence People

This was one of the first books I read relating to public relations, and one of the most influential I have read so far. The best advice I received from this book is how to communicate with others and to value them and instead of manipulating their attitudes and beliefs working to change them by ethical means.

Do you have any PR reads to add to our list? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Kurie Fitzgerald.

RACE to the New Year: Resolutions and Evaluations

2011-12-30T08:45:00.008-05:00

I've noticed New Year's resolutions get scoffed at a lot more often than they get created. In fact, when talking of my personal resolutions to a friend, I was told, "Why wait until one day in the entire year to decide to make yourself better? Shouldn't you be constantly be making resolutions to accomplish?"

I realize he made a valid point. It was this conversation that sparked my realization that we view New Year's resolutions all wrong. They aren't a list of the typical, yet hardly-ever-accomplished goals we make for ourselves once and year only to abandon two weeks later. Instead, they are a part of an on-going process that in PR, we like to call the RACE model, and January 1st is all about evaluation.

The RACE model is known worldwide in terms of the PR industry, however I think it applies perfectly to the concept of New Year's resolutions. The four-step model includes the phases of Research, Action, Communication and Evaluation.

(R)ESEARCH:
Before we make any resolutions, we need to know our problem areas or areas of improvement. It takes time, thought and effort to put together a list and some basic research is always done prior to declaring resolutions. There are only so many days in a year, and its important to set reasonable and achievable goals for yourself. It's important to note, these goals can be set any time of the year, as self-improvement should always be an on-going process.

As an example, one of my goals this year is to take the time to create an online portfolio for myself to showcase my work to potential employers.

(A)CTION:
Like any good campaign, it's always best to start with a plan of action. What resources will you need to accomplish this goal? What steps will you need to take and when do you need to take them? When you have a plan in place, it's much easier to stay on course. This isn't to say you won't deviate from the plan at times, but its there to always steer you back in the right direction.

Continuing with my previous example, I know in order to accomplish this goal I will need to create a detailed timeline for myself, compile my best work that I want to highlight and consult someone with web design knowledge to assist me in the creation of my website.

(C)OMMUNICATION:
Typically in a PR campaign, this is where you communicate your message(s) to target channels and publics. With resolutions, it's a bit different. Sometimes resolutions can seem unreachable or you've run out of ideas to inspire yourself and find motivation. The communication stage should be used to communicate your goals to peers, mentors, friends and family in order to gain additional support and sources of motivation. These people may be able to provide you with solutions to any roadblocks you may have encountered during your plan of action. Always communicate your goals and take advantage of the advice others may have to offer.

For my personal resolution of building an online portfolio, I may reach out on Twitter for example to outsource ideas for what materials I should include and what site builder is best to use. There are many people who have already accomplished this goal who may be able to offer me their advice.

(E)VALUATION:
At the end of every PR campaign, the most important part is always evaluating whether or not you were successful in achieving your goals and objectives. With resolutions, it is no different. As I stated earlier, you can create goals for yourself during any point of the year, however it's always good to have a slated time for reflection and evaluation and what better time than the start of a new year? Use this time to ask yourself, "did I accomplish any of my personal goals this year? What worked and what didn't? What should I continue to improve for this upcoming year?" Don't use New Year's as the one and only time to make goals for yourself. Instead, use it as a time to evaluate everything you have accomplished in the past year and determine where to go from there.

This past year, for example, I accomplished my goal of studying abroad during the summer. Through careful research, a solid plan of action and my willingness to communicate any questions or help I needed in the process, I was able to spend five weeks this summer in Paris, learning French at the Sorbonne.

So regardless of what you want to accomplish, or when you set your goals, always remember New Year's is about self-evaluation and a time of reflection, not a two-week membership to the gym.

What are your resolutions this year? Did you accomplish any of your goals from last year? Let us know!

PR to Come to an MBA Program Near You?

2011-12-29T10:00:00.001-05:00

All the way back in May, PRowl Public Relations blogger Emily Ascani wrote about how PR training in Business schools and MBA programs could greatly augment corporate crises communication. Now, over seven months later, there seems to be a hint of progression towards this goal.
Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business and PRSA have teamed up to pilot an initiative aimed at getting PR into more business schools. Soon Dartmouth will allow its MBA students to take a strategic communications course in one of three formats: a semester long course, a nine-week abbreviate session or in seminar format.
This is a leap forward for both the profession of public relations and MBA programs everywhere. More and more business leaders will begin to take their corporate communications more seriously and businesses will be better prepared to deal with crisis when the happen. It seems to me that introducing PR training in MBA programs is a win-win. Good job, Dartmouth!

What to Expect in 2012

2011-12-28T09:00:00.005-05:00

2011 was an interesting year for PR. We had, and are still having, a major debate about the definition of PR, a university scandal that upset the nation, making every institution re-look their crisis communication plan, and a large contributor and advancer of the technological world pass away. With all the woes and sorrows of 2011, the industry can only move forward to 2012 for a brighter future. There are many big things to look out for in 2012. Known PR sites/blogs, such as Mashable.com and Ragan.com, are prophesying new dynamics between stakeholders and PR professionals and integrating media trends in 2012 for PR.

Reporting to all stakeholders
As a result of the great discussion had at the PRSA conference, the prediction, and already integration, of PR practitioners reporting to stakeholders and not just clients. This includes investors, other businesses, and even customers. Reporting information concerning demographics, analytics and more involvement from all participating parties will result in more activity to manage for PR professionals.

TV convergence
The newest trend in TV watching is streaming the Internet and having access to the Internet with your TV. Major content producers are developing technology to access content from search engines such as Google. Google introduced Google TV about a year ago and is now just starting to catch on. What this means is that more people are using social media on their TV. The content of posts will be directly linked to trending TV shows, YouTube videos and other users on social media.

Measuring results
Algorithms are the future of measuring content and how it is received by an audience (SEO) and really the only way to calculate the results of your social media. If you have not been tracking your own social media you really should start in 2011, Twitter especially. Facebook now has their own analytics called Insights, which we know no algorithms, but Twitter is different because there is no developed analytics for the site currently. The bottom line is how do you know your contributing to the bottom line if you have no measurements?

Apps will rule the world
There’s an app for just about everything including social commerce. Starbucks was revolutionary with the idea that you could transfer money to an app to pay for goods. Starbucks has the app where you can pay for your purchases by pulling up a bar code on your phone that the cashier scans. More businesses such as Apple are doing this now and should be becoming more and more popular including and introducing more commerce through Facebook which will directly impact how you target your content.

Making your Online Presence Professional and Personal

2011-12-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays!

Before the New Year, take a chance to think about how you're going to improve your online presence, not only for professional reasons, but also to showcase personal achievements as well. Personally, one of my resolutions is to create my own blog. While it may seem like a daunting task, with a little bit of research, I've outlined some tips on how you can get started.

Figure out which site you want to host your blog. The majority of sites use WordPress, but there are also easy posting sites such as Tumblr and Blogger depending on what your needs are.
Brand yourself through the blog's title. Make it unique, something that can only relate to yourself and will make your stand out. It can be something related to one of your hobbies, your location, etc.
If you are using your blog for purely professional reasons, be sure to include an "About Me" page to give a little background on yourself. You can link back to other social networking sites you are on such as LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook.
Put original content in their designated pages on your site. You can include different pages for recommendations, writing samples, your resume, etc. Make sure they are updated and the files work correctly.

Do you have your own blog? What are your words of wisdom?

Blogging Basics

2011-12-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

Being the Director of PR for PRowl Public Relations, one of my responsibilities is to maintain this very blog! With that being said, staff members often come to me, unsure of what exactly a blog post entails. In reality, there is not a very strict right or wrong when blogging. That's the great thing about it, blogs are not like the papers you write in class, you can feel free to write an opinion piece, or choose your own topic, or even to base your blog off of things you've read, seen, or experienced. Below are a couple blogging tips I've come across:

Sometimes a punchy headline is all you need: When I sit down on Sunday nights to write my blog post for Monday, I start with the title. Nothing starts off a blog post on a better foot than a catchy title. Pondering over something so simple has a title can even help you smooth out the bumps in your blog post and get the creative juices flowing.

Blog about something you're actually interested in: Time goes so slowly when I try to blog about something boring. Some of my best blog posts are the ones that I either based off of my own experience, or that I have felt connected or invested into.

Stumped? This happens to me all the time. Take a step back, reread, and consider; what else is there to be said? I don't always freestyle my blog posts, sometimes I will read an article about a topic that I feel would fit in great with the blog, so I will take some of the points and rework them to my perspective. Most of the time I have something to add, elaborate on, or even disagree with.

Remember: blogging is your chance to put a spin on what's out there, so have fun with it! Do you have any tips to add for the inexperienced or hesitant blogger? Let us know!

AP StyleGuard: The Magic Solution for Writing in AP Style?

2011-12-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

Last week the Associated Press released new “StyleGuard” software, which acts as a system to check for AP style mistakes in Microsoft Word documents. When I heard this, I was in shock, as well as many PR students probably are, that the idea had not been thought of before! This application could be the perfect way to avoid constantly checking your stylebook when initially learning how to write in AP style.

When I further investigated the product, I found out it is probably not the magical solution to writing in AP style that I originally thought it seemed to be. Subscriptions start at $60 for an individual user, which puts the product out of price range for most college students, considering that the AP Stylebook is only about $12. Also, it has only been developed for PCs, so Mac users will not be able to use the product at all. Last week, @APStylebook even tweeted “StyleGuard is a useful tool but it's not a substitute for the skills you develop as a knowledgeable writer.”

The software is a great idea that can be developed further and eventually become widely used to help prevent PR students and professionals from making minor AP style mistakes. For now, it looks like it would be best for us to pay attention in our news writing classes and aspire to be our own StyleGuard!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Kyra Mazurek.

Life Lessons from a PR Education

2011-12-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

The following blog post was written by Shari DaCosta, recent Temple graduate and staff member of PRowl Public Relations.

This holiday season I have a million things to be grateful for, topping the list is completing college this semester. The last four years has been a whirlwind and a tremendous learning experience, from serving as a PRowl staff member to holding several PR internships. I have gained invaluable experiences that have equipped me with the skills to not only be a successful PR professional, but also a well-rounded individual.

Here are some of the invaluable life lessons I've learned from studying PR:

• Be Persistent: The most important lesson I've learned as a communications student, PR intern and PRowl staff member is to be persistent. Public relations professionals constantly have to sell their client to the media, their internal and external publics, and even convince the client that the communications plan is the correct move for the organization, so being persistent is key to overcoming any doubts from these publics. Similarly, being persistent and hardworking is key to accomplishing anything in life.

• Expect the Unexpected: One of my favorite things about PR is that you never do the same work twice. With no workday being the same for a PR pro (or PR intern), I've learn to expect the unexpected in both my work and personal life. Having an open mind to unexpected changes will be essential to effectively handling crisis situations for clients, as well as setbacks in my personal life.

• Stay Organized: As a communications student balancing classes with internships and work has taught me the time management skills essential to balancing the various demands of clients. From these experiences I've learned to stay a top of my schedule by prioritizing tasks, and keeping track of everything with a planner and electronic calendar and other useful organizational tools. These time management skills will be important in not only managing my work as a PR professional, but maintaining a proper work-life balance.

• Know when to hold 'em, know when to walk away: Like the old Kenny Rogers’ country song says, one must know when to walk away and change the game plan. As a public relations professional, you must be prepared to switch things up on the fly, whether it's finding a new vendor for an event after the old one flakes out at the last minute or entirely changing the communications strategy for a client. PR pros must be prepared to quickly adjust to changes with clients, the media and their work environment.

What life lessons has PR taught you?

Happy Holidays from PRowl Public Relations!

2011-12-23T09:34:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us at
PRowl Public Relations!

Here are just a few fun facts about everyone's favorite holiday:

Each year more than 3 billion Christmas cards are sent in the U.S. alone.
Christmas wasn’t declared an official holiday in the United States until June 26, 1870.
"Jingle Bells" was first written for Thanksgiving and then became one of the most popular Christmas songs.
Candy canes started as white sticks used to decorate Christmas trees. It was not until the 20th century that they were given red stripes.
The earliest known Christmas decorations were apples.
A total of 364 gifts are given by the lover in the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

Do you know any interesting facts about Christmas or have any favorite holiday traditions? Share them with us!

North Korea's PR Stunts Don't Fool Me

2011-12-22T10:00:00.003-05:00

The North Korean response to the passing of former “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-il was well executed, almost too well executed to be genuine. Behind the country’s thinly veiled PR stunts lies a leader who is inexperienced and scared. I guess that this is a good time to remind everyone that the views and opinions found in this post are my own and do not represent those of PRowl Public Relations.

Kim Jong-il was an interesting man, to say the least. Many have gone as far as to call him paranoid and possibly deranged. He has been a consistent thorn in the west’s side and has issued numerous nuclear and chemical threats against neighboring South Korea.

Kim Jong-un, Jong-il’s 27-year-old son and the “great successor,” led the ceremonies on Tuesday morning as the country bid farewell their former dictator. The death of Jong-il means the potential end of an era marked by increasingly authoritarian policies, state-sponsored brainwashing and attention-hungry PR stunts.

However, it doesn’t appear that North Korea is giving up on its PR stunts quite so fast.

On Monday, North Korea released footage of thousands of citizens publicly crying over their former leader’s death. The tapes showed masses of mean and women neatly lined up and violently weeping.

I don’t mean to sound crass, but this kind of stuff just doesn’t happen naturally. It seems to me that this public spectacle must be a product the years of brainwash or some brand of state-sponsored propaganda released after the passing of their Dear Leader. I mean, Jong-il’s rule didn’t exactly do much good for North Korea. I doubt that recent famine has boosted the public’s moral to the point that they’d freely weeping for him.

North Korea then launched off at least one short-range missile into the waters near South Korea, North Korea’s long-time enemy and an ally of the west. This missile test was supposed to be a show of strength but to me it was just a thinly veiled PR stunt trying to mask Jong-un’s cowardice.

North Korea is no stranger to these publicity stunts but I think the country’s bark is worse than its bite. Jong-un is inexperienced and he has just inherited a world full of enemies and problems, including humanitarian crises within his own country. North Korea’s thinly veiled PR stunts don’t fool me for a second. Jong-un is unprepared to deal with the realities of leading a country, especially one as besieged as North Korea. Keep launching test missiles North Korea, because that’s all you’ll be able to do for a long time.

Navigating Your Way Through Facebook Insights

2011-12-21T11:00:00.000-05:00

Insights is a Facebook application for Pages that provides metrics about your user demographics and their interactions. Knowing your demographic is extremely important when targeting your messages. By having a clear idea of who your target audience is, you have a better chance of providing interactive content.

Facebook Insights are located on the left hand side bar of your Facebook Page. To note, only admins have access to Insights.

When you click on Insights you get an overall view of your Page complete with Total Likes, Friends of Fans (how many potential people you can reach through those who have already liked your page), People Talking About This, and Weekly Total Reach. The overview also provides you with a graph of the aforementioned categories displayed over the course of the given month.

Also, in the overview of your Page, you have Page Posts. Page Posts take your individual posts and breaks it down into the following categories: Reach, Engaged Users, Talking about this, and Virility. Reach explains the number of unique people who have seen your post. Engaged Users are the number of people who have clicked on your post. Talking About provides you with the number of unique people who have created a story from your Page post. Stories are “created” when someone likes, comments, or shares your posts. Also, a story is “created” when a user answers a question you posted or responds to your event. Finally, Virality, one of the most important categories, gives you the percentage of the people who have created a story from your Page post out of the total number of unique people who have seen it.

With all of these categories you can sort from greatest percentage to least.

Under Insights you are given three individual tabs: Likes, Reach, and Talking About This. When you click each individual tab, Insights provides you with the demographics that correlate to Likes, Reach, and Talking About This. Demographics include Gender, Age, Countries, Cities, Languages, and even provides you where your Likes come from. This includes mobile, on page, search results (very important when considering SEO), and third party apps.

This information can be very beneficial if you are managing a client’s social media. But where this information can really benefit is designing an ad for your client. With the Insights demographics, you can get the most money out of an ad. For example, when posting an ad through Facebook, you are asked which demographic you would like to advertise to, which you now know through Insights. By knowing which demographic you can advertise to you have a better chance of your advertisement being seen.

Comments, questions, or concerns? I want to hear them!

Social Media Trends for 2012

2011-12-20T12:18:00.003-05:00

As social media continues to grow, we can take a look at a few of the trends that will make it big in the new year.

1. Influence. Everyone seems to be on social media today, with sites such as Klout where we can "measure" our influence online on certain topics. This will turn into a more professional technique to scale results you have received from your posts.
2. Sharing. While you can share a variety of things online, this will grow more into sharing feedback from your latest department store purchase or the vacation you just booked to your network through their site.
3. Social Television. People talk about what they're watching on social networks already, but more shows are integrating social media into their voting and feedback. You can use the app Get Glue, which acts like a Foursquare for media.

Where do you want to see social media in 2012?

To read more click here.

Santa Claus: Bringer of Presents or PR Pro?

2011-12-19T09:00:00.001-05:00

The countdown is on, only 6 more days 'til Christmas! Time to brave the mall crowds, wrap endless gifts, and to hope that Santa brings you something shiny. Santa Claus, a figure we've always held on a pedastal since we were kids, that is, until someone in your family decided to crush your dreams (hi Mom!). But Santa is more than just a jolly old man bearing gifts, he's an icon, who has garnered more attention than any other figure in history. But how does he do it? Below are some PR tips courtesy of "6 PR lessons from Santa Claus":

Make a list, check it twice: Make sure you cover all angles; countless times PR pros have been caught in a situation because of stray press releases or emails being flung around. Check that you are including everyone necessary on your lists, and omitting those who are not, then check again. This can be said for emails and writing in general; always edit your writing, then check it again by having someone look over it for you. Little mistakes can get you in hot water so save yourself the effort and check your work. If Santa and his little elves could make toys for thousands of Christmas lists, you can manage your list too!

Plan, prepare, and deliver: Plan how you want to approach a crisis, prepare for what you are going to do about it, and deliver your results. Never promise your boss, client, or a report something that you cannot deliver within their set deadline. Santa has to plan months in advance, but in the end he always makes his deadline!

Ho! Ho! Ho!: The tagline that Santa is famous for. "Got milk?" "I'm lovin' it!" "Just do it." All are famous for the brands they are attached to. Santa is reknown for his, and though it may be corny, people always know the image attached.

Big rep: He's known across the world as Santa, St. Nick, Father Christmas, etc. But still, he is the most recognizable man on the planet. It has taken time, but so does a solid reputation.

Have you learned anything else from Jolly Old St. Nick? Have anything to add to the "list"? Let us know!

Rejuvenated Releases: Writing a Punchy Press Release

2011-12-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

You’ve been asked to write a press release for a client. You go over the steps in your head: Start with an enticing lead sentence, find a quote for the second paragraph, gather statistics and include a few lines about the organization. Although this may be the correct procedure, is this really all that can be done to draft an exciting, newsworthy release? According to a recent blog entry on Ragan.com, much more is involved in making a press release effective and enjoyable to read.

Consider the following guidelines:

• Give readers a reason to care: If you’re covering a bland topic, brainstorm for unusual leads and less obvious angles. This will help in making the release more interesting. Never hesitate to ask a colleague, “Do you find this enjoyable to read?” Remember not to be offended when they offer suggestions. A colleague can provide needed insight into how successful a press release will be once in the hands of a reporter.

• Go beyond text: Audio, screenshots and videos can help aid in delivering a message. If you see a chance to stray from the traditional press release, go for it!

• Include a call to action: Reporters must enjoy your release if you expect them to cover it. Remember, however, that once this happens, readers outside the media will see your content. Readers can help spread the word and do some PR leg-work. Links to a survey on Facebook or a suggested tweet are excellent additions to the end of a press release.

• Edit well: Your writing must meet the grammatical standards of journalists and reporters but beyond that, a press release is a reflection of your client. Poorly edited press releases bring about negative attitudes and diminish reputation.

The above suggestions can help turn seemingly dry content into a relevant, newsworthy press release. In addition to these guidelines, using as much creativity as possible can only help in PR writing. Get your media list ready, it's time to send out your press release! Let us know if you have any additional suggestions to make!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Frank Kunkle.

Transferable Skills: A PR Essential

2011-12-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

As a PR major, it is essential to our success to develop transferable skills. Transferable skills can include anything from good organizational skills to remaining calm under pressure. Luckily for PR students at Temple University, there are a variety of ways to expand this skill set. From internships to student organizations, the possibilities are endless. However, I decided to take a different path.

During the fall semester of my junior year, I became a Resident Assistant (RA) for Temple’s University Housing and Residential Life. I joined because I wanted to help other students like my RA had helped me. I had no idea how much my RA position would help in building my transferable skill set.

Here is the list of transferable skills that I developed as an RA:

• Organization: As an RA, I have to manage 50 underclassmen while also balancing my own work. Each resident has a folder that I’m in charge of updating regularly.

• Event Planning: Each month, I am required to complete two programs for the residents on my floor and in the building. This means I need to write a proposal, complete a catering order, create advertisements, and get people to come to the event. It is very similar to planning events in the PR world, just on a smaller scale.

• Crisis Communication: RA’s are on duty once a week and also have three duty weekends a semester. This means they hold a specific phone that residents and security guards can call if there are any problems. Sometimes, there are major issues in a building that need to be handled immediately. In essence, answering the duty phone is like responding to a PR crisis.

My position as an RA proves that you can use different opportunities to build your transferable skill set. While it is important to have PR experience during college, you should use every volunteer opportunity and job you have to develop your transferable skill set.

What other ways can PR students develop transferable skills? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Alex Crispino.

The Ultimate PR Student Holiday Wishlist

2011-12-16T08:26:00.009-05:00

When I was six-years-old, I would have never imagined that years later I would be asking Santa Claus for a new AP Stylebook or a fancy new set of business cards. The truth is, being a young professional isn't always easy on the wallet. For most college students, its a struggle to feed themselves anything other than Ramen, yet alone find the cash to invest in a suit. With the holidays (and graduation) fast approaching, I have assembled what I like to call the "Ultimate PR Student Holiday Wishlist."

1. AP Stylebook: Every PR pro needs to stay up-to-date on the latest with AP style. The bound version will cost anywhere from $13-20, or you can get an online annual subscription for only $25. (http://www.apstylebook.com/)

2. Premium Business Cards: Looking to grow your network? You'll definitely want to have some business cards ready to hand out at the next professional mixer. Vistaprint is a great resource for business cards. You can either purchase free ones (just pay shipping) or you can upgrade to Premium starting at $19.95. Vistaprint is almost always running a special on discounted premium business cards so subscribe to their email list to hear the latest about special offers. (www.vistaprint.com)

3. Padfolio: When you are heading to your next interview and you find yourself whipping out a neon pink Five Star notebook (sounds like a situation I found myself in last year), you know its time to invest in a padfolio. They are a great way to add an extra professional touch, helping to make an even better first impression. There are a ton of places you can find an affordable padfolio, however Staples is always a great place to start. They offer padfolios ranging from $7 for the basics to $75 for the ultimate padfolio experience.

4. PRSA Membership: As someone who has been a member of PRSSA for four years, I have every intention of becoming a PRSA member upon graduation. I have reaped the benefits as a student and know that becoming a PRSA member will only help enhance my career with the many tools and resources it offers. Luckily for recent graduates, PRSA offers a very nice discount for anyone who was a PRSSA member during their time as an undergrad. As long as you have graduated within the past two years, you can become a member for only $60. (http://www.prsa.org/joinus)

5. Business Suit: As a freshman, khakis and a sweater may have done the job, but as someone preparing to enter the workforce, first impressions are everything and often times those first impressions come in the form of a suit. Suits can be incredibly expensive, however there are always sales and remember, its a long-term investment. Macy's is a great place to start and often runs several discounts and sales, offering name brand, quality suits for a fraction of the price. For ladies, suits start at $40 and for men, suits start at $50.

6. Thank You Cards: Whether you are interviewing for an internship or a job, having an informational interview or chatting with a mentor, you always want to leave a lasting impression by sending a thank you card. Target is always my go-to place because they sell them cheap and in bulk. Prices range anywhere from $3-25.

7. Starbucks Gift Card: You've heard PR is one of the top caffeinated professions, right? There is nothing more jolly than a Starbucks gift card in a PR pro's stocking. The great thing about it? Its reloadable! (https://www.starbucks.com/card)

8. Yearly Planner: There's nothing that I love more than writing down everything I have to do and keeping it neatly organized (and often times color-coded). Check out OfficeMax for a wide selection of planners, ranging from $8 - 150, depending on how generous Santa is feeling.

9. Reading Material: As young PR pros, we should be constantly educating ourselves on an ever-evolving industry. I know many college students scoff at the idea of "leisurely reading" (who has time for that during the semester?) however, there are definitely some great reads to make time for. One book that I'm asking for this year is Putting the Public Back in Public Relations: How Social Media is Reinventing the Aging Business of PR by Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge. Buy it at Amazon for a discounted price of $18.78.

10. A home-cooked meal and a good night's sleep: That's right. Sometimes its as simple as a comforting plate of your favorite meal and a good night's rest over the holiday break that will help you clear your mind, relax a little and wake up even more prepared to conquer the world. Although many of us like to think we're unstoppable, sometimes its important to stop once and a while and just relax. Put down the smartphone...Twitter will be there in the morning, and your inbox full of emails can wait. Take some time this holiday season to rest up, because I'm sure you'll be plenty busy once the semester resumes in January.

Are there any items on your PR holiday wish list not included here? Please share and let us know!

How to Succeed as Young PR Professional

2011-12-15T17:46:00.002-05:00

Today marks the end of my second last semester at Temple University. I’m proud of my accomplishments in college and I’m looking forward to graduation and starting a career in public relations. With this said, I’m beginning to get nervous about what happens after graduation. Will I have a job right away? Where will I be in five years? How about ten? I recently came across a blog post from Ragan Communications that calmed my nerves. 9 Pieces of Career Advice for Young PR Pros is definitely worth the read, especially for those about to enter the workforce. These are the three pieces of advices that really helped me mentally prepare for the end of my second last semester:

• Stay Humble: I feel as though I accomplished a lot during college but college accomplishments don’t always translate into the real world. Stay humble and represent yourself as best you can without sounding pompous.

• Stay Involved: I’m currently a member of five different clubs but what will happen once I graduate? I’ll join more, of course. Post-college clubs are great for networking and learning more about the PR industry.

• Never Stop Learning: Just because you’ve graduated college doesn’t mean you know everything. Continue to ask questions and accumulate knowledge wherever life takes you!

Networking: Taking it to the Next Level

2011-12-14T09:00:00.016-05:00

PRowl’s Strat Comm account hosted a great networking event last Thursday featuring stellar alums of the department. Networking with those who already have a connection with you, such as their alma mater, can be a great way to get your foot in the door for potential internships or even possible job opportunities upon graduation, but how do you further the relationship? A great way to connect with those you have networked with is connecting with them on other platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter. Connecting on LinkedIn is the best route to go initially. The relationship is still professional and has a possibility to grow from here.

A great way to connect with your networked professionals is to send a message when you send a request to connect with them on LinkedIn. LinkedIn’s generic, “I would like to add you to my professional network,” is impersonal and not a great way to start your relationship. When I network, I try to write something to remember them by on the back of their business card, such as past internships they have had, this can help you personalize the message you send them.

For example I recently sent out a message that looked like this:

Hello X,

It was great getting to know more about what you do for Vault Communications at the “No Nonsense Networking” event last Thursday. I was hoping you could tell me more about your experience interning at Tierney Communications.

Best,

Samantha

A simple short, yet personal message will do just fine for starting off. Also, asking a question is a great way to build the relationship and have more interaction after your first initial meeting. The next step would be to follow them on Twitter. You can do this simultaneously or after you have been officially accepted to join their professional network. In my opinion, I believe it’s important to start with the LinkedIn only because it shows you’re serious about your future career.

There's a New Procrastination Tool in Town

2011-12-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

While we all love wasting time on Facebook and Twitter, Pinterest is rapidly catching up to it's online competitors.

Needing a personal invite from a Pinterest member to join, the photo sharing site allows users to "pin" to manage your themed image collections. Just like Facebook, you can "friend" other users and "like" pins that they may have posted on their own boards.

There are more than a variety themes you can peruse, most popularly being food, apparel, hair, wedding, DIY, architecture, art, fitness tips, home decor, just to name a few. When these pins are clicked on, it usually leads back to the original website that the item can be purchased at or gives more similar items the user might enjoy. Soon enough talking about something you "repinned" the other day, will become just as socially acceptable as "tweeting" or "liking" a page.

Are you on Pinterest?

Virginia Tech: Lessons in Quick Response

2011-12-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

On Thursday, Virginia Tech witnessed its second shooting in the last 5 years. In 2007, VT student Seung Hui Cho shot and killed 33 people on Virginia Tech's campus. 4 years later, a gunman suspected to be Ross Ashley, killed a police and then himself on campus.

Such sequential violence on the Virginia Tech campus has left students feeling ill at ease regarding their safety. However, Virginia Tech has made a considerable effort to improve their communication strategies following the 2007 shooting. During the 2007 shooting it took the school two hours to send out an email to its students regarding the shooting. Thursday, it took merely seconds. The school first sent out a message saying, "Stay indoors. Secure in place", a quick but effective alert rather than a long-winded message that would only put its students in danger. After that initial message, the school website kept up a live feed from 12:37 p.m. until the lock down was lifted at 4:31 p.m. when the school sent out a message that "law enforcement agencies have determined there is no longer an active threat or need to secure in place. Resume normal activities."

So far, the university's quick response in a crisis has been commendable. During the lock down, I followed the live feed and was impressed with the school's attention to not only the news coming from law enforcement, but also from students utilizing social media across the campus, providing a comprehensive assessment from all angles of the shooting.

While Virginia Tech's response in light of the Virginia Tech shootings has undergone many improvements, it remains to be seen whether the family, friends, students, and staff of the university will be so quick to regain trust in the safety of the Virginia Tech campus.

To view the live response during the Virginia Tech shooting, follow Virginia Tech affiliated student newspaper The Collegiate Times at @Collegiate Times.

Why social media is more than your “personal brand”

2011-12-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

The following blog post was written by Jason Mollica, '97 Temple Alum.

Something I’m asked quite often about is personal branding. You’ve probably been told it is important that you focus on developing it. But are you REALLY a brand?

In the last five years, we have seen Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and the blogosphere serve as an online portfolio for students and current public relations pros. The importance in this, to me, is that you can be constantly judged by colleagues, employers, and potential employers. We stress openness and honesty in public relations. We need to carry that over to social media, as well. That’s not personal branding. That’s being professional. Here are three tips you can keep with you while using social media.

1. Be smart- The old adage "think before you say something" can be re-imagined as "think before you tweet/post on Facebook." Simply put... If you don't want to see it retweeted, don't type it.

2. Be honest- No one- friends or employers- like a fake. It's pretty easy to spot a fraud in social circles. If you want to be taken seriously, show what you are about. Drop some knowledge!

3. Be engaging- Something I stress in speeches and talks with clients is the importance of engagement. You can have a Twitter account, but what are you doing with it? Show your networking and communications skills. Get out there and participate.

Remember: employers can’t use your social media against you if you use it the right way.

Jason Mollica is a 1997 graduate of Temple University's School of Communication and Theater. Since then, he has worked in television and radio in Philadelphia and New York City. Upon leaving the industry in 2005, he began a career in public relations and marketing. He is currently the public relations manager for Carr Marketing Communications in Amherst, N.Y. You can follow him on Twitter, @JasMollica, and read his blog at http://oneguysjourney.wordpress.com

Surviving the Industry During the Holidays

2011-12-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

As PR professionals, the holiday season doesn’t necessarily mean a day off. We can normally be found with smart phones in hand, mile long to-do lists, and a full inbox. While our jobs and clients are important, it is equally important to slow things down and enjoy family, friends, and holiday fun. Here are some quick ways to remain professionally productive while enjoying the holiday season:

• Plan ahead: Knowing what you have to do in advance enables you to get things done promptly. Using monthly calendars that have important dates and events listed not only helps you pan out how much needs to be done but also how much time you have to do it in.

• Color Coding: Some may say that color-coding is only for the OCD organizer, but it is an extremely effective method of organization! Give every category a color, so that when it’s listed on a calendar or to-do list you instantly know the task at hand. Color-coding little things like day planners and to-do lists will also help you find daily tasks faster. The more organized you are, the more time you can spend with family and friends.

• Turn Off the Smart Phone: This may be the hardest tip by far, but it is also the most crucial! Set a time each night that you will turn off your phone and stop replying to emails. Removing work distractions during time spent with family and friends insures a better time had by all.

• Friends Only Social Networking: As PR professionals, many recreational social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook are used for work as much as they are used for play. Try keeping all social media interactions on a strictly recreational level. It’s much easier to have a good time when you aren’t tweeting about clients and deadlines!

These tips are sure ways to enjoy the holidays without returning to the office with a pile of work. It’s all about maintaining the balance between home life, and office life. Do you have any additional tips on balancing? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Amber Burns.

Big Success for #TUNoNonsense Networking

2011-12-09T12:43:00.003-05:00

Last night one of the PRowl PR accounts hosted the first "No Nonsense Networking" event on behalf of current client, the Department of Strategic Communication. The event, targeted at StratComm alumni, current department students and StratComm faculty, allotted 10 minute increments for participants to network and ask questions about recommended classes, internship advice and job searching tips. Alumni and faculty rotated throughout the event, exposing students to a variety of fields and industries, ranging from fashion and entertainment, to agency and corporate.

A total of ten faculty and alumni participated in the event and represented organizations such as Lincoln Financial, Vault Communications, Bullfrog & Baum and Skai Blue Media to name a few. Over twenty students came to the event equipped with business cards and resumes, ready to network and make connections with well-established professionals in the communications industry.

Overall, it was an incredibly successful event. Photos from the event will be available soon on the StratComm Facebook page. To learn more about the Department of Strategic Communication, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter at @StratCommTU.

How to Make Your Speech Better than the Last Guy's

2011-12-08T18:24:00.001-05:00

There is little worse in this world than sitting through a long, boring, and drawn-out speech, especially when you know that you’re the next one up. So how do you prevent continuing to bore the audience when it’s your turn? Here are some tips from Ragan.com and my own experiences to help ensure that your speech isn’t as bad as the last guy’s.

Don’t Ramble: No one wants to hear a long, rambling story that where the point is lost half way through. I’m reminded of Mitt Romney’s story about why he decided to run against Ted Kennedy in 1994 (starts around the 42 second mark). His audience was sympathetic but the pundits haven’t been.

Use Hand Gestures: Use hand gestures to help convey your messages. As a few of my distinguished colleagues have pointed out in no uncertain terms, I have a few go-to hand gestures when I’m speaking in public. If you’re in the same predicament, check out these tips on using appropriate body language to effectively communicate with your audience.

Move Around: Step away from the podium and towards the audience to address them in a more personal manner. Movement can be very effective in reducing the boredom induced by your speech’s content.

Humor Me: No, seriously. Make your audience laugh to break up dull parts of the speech. Remember: it’s not the end of the world if you make a mistake during your speech. Maybe a joke is all you need to get back up to speed.

Excel in Your Internship

2011-12-07T09:00:00.003-05:00

I am ecstatic to have my first official internship with the Comcast-Spectacor Foundation working with the Philadelphia Flyers in the Spring of 2012. This is not an opportunity to be taken lightly as interns are first to hire within the company. Although I am exciting about this opportunity, I am also hesitant and anxious. Questions like,” Am I going to fit in?” “What’s appropriate language for the company?” ”How close can I get to other interns and staff?” Are constantly racing through my mind as I make this career move. Recently PR Daily sported an article “PR interns: 5 tips and tricks to excel at what you do,” has a great advice on getting the most out of your internship.

Ask Google

The article explains that when you don’t know the answer the solution might be as easy as a Google search. Also, using social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIN are not completely out of the question when looking for an answer.

This should not be an always go to but it’s an adequate solution to a simple answer and a resource that commonly gets overlooked.

There are no stupid questions

I had a second grade teacher that once told me, “There are no stupid questions, just stupid people.” As refreshing as that is at age eight, it still holds true to your internship. To avoid making a detrimental mistake that might cost your employee time and evitable money, ask questions

One of the most important questions you should ask yourself is, “How can I do more?” This will not only show your intuitive to be a more integral part of your temporary community, but also getting more of the most out of the requirements of your internship.

Each day is different

One of the biggest reasons I chose to go into the PR field was because no day would be the same. The thrill of going to work and having a new and different assignment is a true joy to me. This attitude should hold true to your internship as well. Never go in thinking you will be the same thing you did yesterday.

Frequently clients have unexpected tasks for the firm to do and more often than not you will an important part in making sure that it gets done.

Be prepared to go with flow and adapt quickly in a faced paced environment. Also, if this isn’t your style maybe this isn’t your industry, tough love.

“If you think something is taking too long to do, then it probably is”

I was once told, work smarter, not harder.” When you are taking long to do an assignment and you think to yourself, “There must be an easier way to do this.” Nine time out of ten, the answer is there probably is an easier way to do this. This is where asking questions can really come in handy. You are surrounded by professionals who have made a living at what you are attempting to do, the resources that are next to your cubical, (if you are lucky enough to have one) that you may not be taking advantage of.

Your aren’t trying to cure cancer

So unless you scored some kind of crazy medical PR internship, you’re not trying to cure cancer. I need to constantly remind myself in PRowl that I am not trying to save the world and it will most likely work itself out. If you ask questions even ask for help it can get you a long way.

A Year's Review in Crisis Communications

2011-12-06T09:00:00.001-05:00

As 2011 quickly comes to a close, I realize I have written several blog posts this year concerning Crisis PR. To wrap-up the semester, I'd like to include a short recap of some of the more popular cases that have affected how we all see crisis communications today.

Netflix: When they split their business, there was a lack of communication to their consumers when this split also came with increased prices. They also chose to make their announcements via blog post as opposed to coming right out and saying it.
Bank of America: As if people didn't have enough issues with their banks, Bank of America customers were extremely unhappy when the bank made them pay $5 to take out their own money.
Penn State: While I could write a short book about everything to do with this scandal, overall Penn State did not confirm their message to the public internally, and it didn't help that when beloved Football Head Coach, Joe Paterno was fired, students on campus rioted and decided to ignore the fact that he never called the police concerning allegations against Jerry Sandusky. While THEY ARE Penn State, it will take some time for their reputation to heal.
Herman Cain: With various sexual allegations, he never clearly addressed them and would tiptoe around questions concerning the issue. The truth was never told and the story never went away, much to Cain's dismay and ultimately his chance to be a Presidential candidate.

Which of these Crisis PR cases did you follow? What would you do differently?

To read more about the biggest Crisis PR blunders of the year, click here.

Don't be a Quitter on Twitter

2011-12-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

You've probably heard about Ashton Kutcher's faux pas regarding the Penn State and Joe Paterno scandal. To recap, the "That 70's Show" actor tweeted his disdain at the coach's firing, without having known the scandal behind it. Almost immediately, he rescinded his tweet and apologized. However, the damage was done and Kutcher was embarrassed, so he announced his decision to allow his team to manage his Twitter for him. Unfortunately, his followers were not pleased; instead, they felt that it was better that he tweet himself and make the occasional misstep, then to allow a third-party to puppeteer his actions.

So, is it better to just all together quit Twitter, hire someone to manage your account, or to just stick with it, when a crisis arises? According to Ryan May of Minnesota Public Relations Blog, several celebrities who have quit Twitter due to privacy reasons, came back a short time later. With celebrities threatening to quit left and right, it is important to think strategically about social media. Celebrities are magnets for negativity and criticism, so how can your turn that negativity into positivity? Last year, for instance, Kim Kardashian, Justin Timberlake, and Lady Gaga vowed to close their Twitter accounts until they raised one million dollars for Keep a Child Alive. By doing so, they played the game and turned attention away from themselves to a greater cause.

Ashton was faced with the decision whether to stay or go, so was it better to stay and risk digging himself into a deeper hole? Or leave and accept that people were going to post negative statements about him without being able to defend himself'? In the long run, Ashton decided to stay with Twitter and keep his opinions on the DL.

Do you think quitting Twitter is an effective crisis management decision? Why or why not? Let us know!

Sports: best on the sidelines or in front of the TV?

2011-12-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

I’ve never understood the pull of sports PR for individuals. There are so many people and players to have to worry about and at any moment your whole team can go down the drain. The Penn State and Syracuse scandals in one year are enough for anyone. Maybe you’re hoping to set up a press conference for Michael Vick so he can invite you to a huge mansion party. You never know, you may get a Christmas present from Ryan Howard too! All right, maybe you aren’t in it to hang out with a player and become his BFF, but the glamorous invite of the sports industry can cause daydreaming that is difficult to keep at bay.

But before we start inviting anyone to dinner, ehow.com offers some solid beginning tips:

Write to all your area teams; college, NFL, NBA, MLB, etc.

Volunteer to work on game days. Working on game days is the best way to get your foot in the door with a sports team and get your first public relations experience on your resume.

Get a long-term internship with the team or college you've been working with.

Colleges in particular have a lot of work that needs to be done, as most have several sports, some with 20 or even 30+ teams that need to be covered. College PR departments tend to be underfunded, so they will generally allow interns to cover one of their lower-end sports to gain experience and save money on staff.

Like many entertainment PR fields, the most important step is putting your foot in the door and making a name for yourself. Trying out the college level and professional level positions could help hone you in on what kind of sports PR you really want to do. It is rumored that college level is more rewarding than professional, but this all depends on the person. If this particular field interests you start Googling, start writing, and start introducing yourself.

Why do you think sports PR is so popular? Or is there a more popular field in PR? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Katherine Carpenter.

How to Navigate the Internship Interview

2011-12-03T09:00:00.001-05:00

The first internship interview is always the scariest. Many potential interns anticipate the quintessential formal interview, with rapid-fire question and answer sessions, but many completely forget about informal interviews. Informal interviews take place with employers who truly want to get to know potential interns and discuss elements of the job in a more relaxed way. This type of interview is not necessarily a trap, but a warning to all potential interviewees that every move you make and every word you say is being analyzed to a T. Professionals know what they are looking for in an intern, and no matter how comfortable they wish to make you during the interview process, they also note how comfortable you seem in their environment. So here are some tips for navigating the difficult waters that encompass the internship interview process:

Ask lots of questions: Asking a lot of questions demonstrates that you are interested in the company and what the professional does. Not only that, but asking questions also shows that you are thorough and like to know all of your information before delving into a project. In public relations in general, it is always important to have as much information as possible when pitching an event or doing some major crisis management. As an intern, it is vital that you demonstrate these qualities as early as possible in the interview.

Keep on your toes: Although this probably goes without saying, it is also incredibly important that you stay up to speed on what is going on in the news, and especially the news pertaining to the company you are interviewing for. Nothing hurts your chances more than not knowing a crucial piece of information or an event which occurred in connection to the organization.

Embrace questions about yourself: This is the time to pad yourself up and talk about how awesome you are. Your resume has hopefully done that a bit for you, and now it is time to go in-depth. Add on to your work experience by connecting what you have learned in other ways outside of your work. For instance, in a recent interview, I connected my work experience with PRowl Public Relations to how I benefitted with other organizations I am a part of. PRowl Public Relations has taught me to have better time management and how to connect with others to get a task accomplished, which I use elsewhere in my life.

Employers know life is not all about work, hence why they ask you questions about what you do outside of work. It shows a bit more about who you are and how you prioritize your time, and makes you look more like a human being, rather than an internship robot. Just make sure you present your self in such a way that you both stand out, and conduct yourself professionally.

For more internship interview tips, check out Claire Celsi’s article “20 tips for mastering an internship interview”

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Celina Levin.

End of the Semester Recap

2011-12-02T09:19:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was PRowl's last staff meeting of the semester. Although everyone will still be busy working on client projects over winter break, many projects are winding down and coming to an end. These past few months have been incredibly busy with the addition of two new clients and several new staff members.

In the beginning of the semester we signed returning contracts with TUTV, Temple's student-run television station and the Department of Strategic Communication as well as welcomed two new clients, Jean Madeline Salon and Institute and Visit Bucks. On these accounts, students had the opportunity to write strategic communications plans, pitch the media, develop a social media manual, host several successful events ranging from the StratComm Social to the upcoming event, No Nonsense Networking, and help create and produce new content for a TV station.

In addition to finishing old projects and starting new ones during yesterday's meeting, we also said goodbye to a graduating staff member, Shari DaCosta, who has been with the firm for over a year, working on several accounts. The staff wishes her the best of luck on her future endeavors and plans. The 2012-2013 firm director was also announced during yesterday's meeting and a big congratulations goes to Samantha Wanner, who has proven that hard work and dedication can pay off in a year's time.

Thank you to the current staff members, previous staff members, clients and our supporters for helping this firm grow into the success that it has become. Here's to a great fall semester and an even better one in the spring.

Four Quick Ways to Maximize Blog Exposure

2011-12-01T15:10:00.002-05:00

Do you write for a blog with a dwindling readership? If so, it may be time to reevaluate how your blog is operated and promoted. In honor of PRowl Public Relations recent ranking in a list of the Top 50 Blogs for the PR Major, here are some tips on how to increase blog exposure adopted from SEO Godfather.com and personal experience:

Link with social media accounts: What better way to increase a blog’s exposure than to promote it to different audiences? Use your social media accounts to promote and generate buzz about your blog to maximize exposure.

Use keywords: Many blogging websites (such as this one) allow you to add keywords to your blogs. These keywords help with navigation and SEO.

Generate consistent content: As with most social media, a blog is nothing without consistent content. Be sure to focus on quality of content too, you don’t want to alienate users with irrelevant or poorly-written posts.

Make RSS feeds available: Allowing your readers to subscribe to an RSS feed of your blog is a great way to maximize exposure. Make sure your RSS feed button is prominently displayed on your blog to encourage subscriptions.

These four simple tips will help you boost your blog's readership and exposure levels. What do you do to maximize your blog’s exposure?

Improve Your Headlines

2011-11-30T09:00:00.006-05:00

We are now living in a short attention based world where the headline needs to speak for an entire article. As Twitter and other social media means are slowly ruling the news consuming world, the headline speaks volume in only a few short words. A recent article on Ragan.com, “9 Tips for Writing Magnetic Headlines Right Away,” provides some great tips for writing a catchy headline.

Use numbers- Studies show that using numbers in headlines increases consumer traffic. For example, this article, “Nine Tips for Writing Magnetic Headlines Right Away”, allows for the reader to get a sense of the length of the article, therefore the reader can allot a specific amount of time to the article.

Speak directly to the reader- Using words like “you” or “your” helps personalize the article for the reader. Compare these two headlines:

8 Tips for Writing

Your 8 Tips for Writing

The second headline, “Your 8 Tips for Writing” is more appealing because it suggesting that it was meant for you, the reader.

Make it bold- Making your reader go “huh?” is sometimes not a bad thing. A headline such as, “Improve How You Write Your headlines-Because Nobody Cares About Your Content,” can make your reader do a double-take and say “what?” which will inevitably lead to heavier traffic.

Appeal to the reader’s curiosity- By asking a question to the reader it evokes curiosity while the reader looks for a response in the article, for example:

“Do You Read Headlines?”

Stress the “urgency factor”- Key words like “now,” “today,” “immediately,” and phrases such as “right away” instills a sense of urgency and immediate result for example:

“How You Could Improve Your Klout Score Today!”

Be specific- Being specific can allows interested readers to value the content on a deeper level. The more specific your headline, the more specific your audience may become which may allow your reader to be more invested in your content. For example:

“Get More Readers by Improving Your Headlines”

Appeal to emotions- Playing to your readers emotions allows you to connect with your readers and possible establish a more constant following, for example:
“Get the Respect You Deserve: How to Improve Your Email Signature”

Don’t be too witty- Let’s be honest, sometimes headlines go over our heads. In this case, we miss vital readers, so let’s keep it simple people.

For more tips, visit the article.

Saving More with Social Media

2011-11-29T09:00:00.002-05:00

After the Thanksgiving break, it almost seems as though Black Friday (or should I say Thursday, Friday, Saturday) shopping has taken consumers by storm this holiday season. With the use of social media sites, stores took their advertising to another level. Shoppers could be notified of the latest sales and even better deals on big-ticket items at their favorite stores through the following outlets...

Foursquare: Stores such as JCPenney, Sports Authority, Aeropostale and Toys "R" Us, allowed customers to check-in on the location-based site to get discounts from their mobile phones. JCPenney even donated $25 to The Salvation Army for each person that checked in between certain times on Black Friday.
Facebook: People that "Liked" the pages of major retailers, such as Macy's and Target, were able to see a preview of the deals that they might be interested in through their mini-feed.
Twitter: Aside from announcing Black Friday deals through their company's page, there were accounts solely dedicated to the day's deals, like @blackfriday.
Groupon: While not Black Friday-specific, Groupon offered different holiday deals under the name Grouponicus. They featured tickets to talk shows, cooking classes with famous chefs and even a round-the-world trip.
Black Friday app: If social media sites weren't good enough for you, this free app featured ads from different retails that could be searched through store or category.

How did you use social media for your holiday shopping?

To read more about Black Friday social media marketing, click here.

Define: Public Relations

2011-11-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

There are many definitions of public relations floating around. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, public relations is "the business of inducing the public to have understanding for and goodwill toward a person, firm, or institution." However, the most widely practiced definition today was introduced by the PRSA 1982 National Assembly. It reads, "Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.”

In recent years, PR professionals has felt that this definition is not all encompassing or sufficient enough to inform the public of what PR practitioners do. This is primarily because since 1982, PR has done a 360. In 1982, social media did not exist. Now, it plays a major role in PR strategies and tactics. In response, PRSA has decided to redefine public relations by starting the "Public Relations Defined" initiative. Public relations practitioners are welcome to send in their definition of public relations in an effort to put out a more standardized definition.

If you would like to submit your definition, PRSA has suggested that you phrase it in the form of they [DO WHAT] with/for [WHOM] to [DO WHAT] for [WHAT PURPOSE] and fill out The Definition of PR Submission Form. Good luck!

Fashion PR 101

2011-11-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

First things first, what is Fashion PR? Fashion PR helps establish and maintain mutual lines of communication, understanding, acceptance, and cooperation between an organization and its consumers in terms of fashion. Skills such as writing press releases, gathering research, and the ability to protect the interest of the company you work for are musts in fashion public relations. As a consultant in this realm you must focus on gaining exposure for the fashion line you work for, whether it is through communicating with editors and seeing what styles they need for upcoming shoots, talking to celebrity stylists and coordinating which looks would be great for their clients, or even setting up photo shoots and interviews.

The first step in “making it” in the business of fashion PR is to obtain a fashion-based internship. This can include working in a clothing store or working under a designer, the latter being more difficult to acquire. A great advantage you can have when entering the fashion PR industry is having attended a fashion school such as the Fashion Institute of Technology or the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising, both centered in Manhattan, NY. Although attending a fashion institute can give you a leg up in the fashion world, any school you choose to enroll in will not be overlooked just because it is a "regular" school. Because it is such a competitive job market the more hands-on experience in the fashion world you have, the better chance you have at obtaining a job in fashion PR.

Many in the PR industry say that it doesn’t matter where you work on account of the varied roles PR practitioners fill. However, for such a specified area like fashion PR, it is to your best interest that you land a job in one of the five major fashion capitals of the world; New York, Milan, Paris, London, or Japan. By doing so, not only will you be introduced to different cultures but you will also be able to understand how fashion revolves in different parts of the world. A lot of fashion is about the glitz and the glam, but as a multi-billion dollar industry it is also about business. Most importantly, remember why you are working so hard to do what you are doing; it is because of your love for fashion and communicating with others that you have decided to enter such a competitive, commanding, and innovative job market.

Best of luck to all of you choosing to enter this amazing field of work!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Jummy Temidayo.

#Occupytheclassroom

2011-11-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

If you are a public relations student, professional or if you simply keep current with the news, then you have heard a lot about the Occupy movement or #occupyeverything. A couple of weeks ago, sympathizers of the Occupy Philly movement held a rally on Temple University’s campus and encouraged students to skip their classes in order to attend. They stated in their flyer, “...don’t worry about your classes. They won’t get you a job”.

Of course, no one is recommending that you skip your classes. You are paying good money for a college education but it made me question, what exactly do you get out of college classes and what exactly will get you a job? Below are some benefits to seeking higher education:

1. A higher paying salary. On average, those who earn a college degree typically earn a higher salary. So while that ‘chemistry of wine’ course may seem completely inapplicable to your career aspirations, it will lead you to that degree, proving to be worthwhile in the long run. Also, try to make these ‘inapplicable’ courses applicable. Network with other students in your class and impress your professor for a recommendation in the future.

2. Job availability. Even in today’s gloomy job market, holding a college diploma augments your chances of finding a job over a high school graduate. As public relations and communication students we are even more likely to find a job because we are so diversified in what we learn in college and what our responsibilities can, and will, include.

3. Internships and career events. Your college’s career days and internship experiences will put you in touch with real-time markets and companies, giving you the hands-on kind of knowledge that will give you a push into the “real world” post-graduation. By taking advantage of these opportunities, you will be able to schedule classes and decide what organizations to join accordingly.

4. Networking opportunities. Your college will bring you into contact with a diverse number of professionals. They will include your professors, adjuncts, speakers, and advisors. You will not only be able to use them as references and ask for recommendations, but for most of your professors, this is their full-time job and they want to see you succeed.

5. The social aspect. While college is a place of academia it is also, in a sense, an institution of socialization. College helps you to ‘come out of your shell’ and learn how to develop into the social butterfly that we all can be. Socializing is a very important aspect, and requirement, for a public relations student and professional. This is your time to network with other students at your university or other young professionals outside of your current networks.

Again, don’t skip your classes. Instead, self-evaluate what you have been getting out of your classes and make sure that you always strive to get your money’s worth to best suit your career aspirations. Your classes should work for you and serve your education needs.

How beneficial have your classes been? What will you do to make sure that you are getting the most out of your college classes?

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Cori Shearer.

Social Media Sparks #SmallBizSaturday Buzz

2011-11-25T14:26:00.003-05:00

While millions of shoppers are still running from store to store, sixth Red Bull in hand, taking advantage of the Black Friday sales, Twitter is buzzing with talk of tomorrow's Small Business Saturday sponsored by American Express.

Launched last year by AmEx in the hopes of developing a stronger connection between consumers and their local mom and pop shops, the new shopping holiday has generated a large deal of support from the online community through sites such as Google+, Facebook and Twitter.

The Small Business Saturday Facebook page has over 2.5 million likes and although #BlackFriday is still the top trending topic on Twitter, the hashtag #SmallBizSaturday has only continued to grow in momentum.

Thanks to American Express' efforts, it has been reported that small business merchants saw a 28% sales increase from the previous year and according to The Small Business Saturday Consumer Spend Survey 2011, it was shown that 61% of consumers plan to shop at a locally-owned store on November 26, equating to roughly 89 million people.

American Express has urged small business owners to take part in the social media push by encouraging them to:

Create Facebook Ads — American Express gave away $100 in free Facebook advertising to the first 10,000 business owners to sign up. For small businesses that don’t yet have Facebook pages, American Express provided a tool that to walk them through the Facebook page creation process.

Video Tools — Google teamed up with American Express to help create personalized business stories on YouTube.

Twitter Follow Button — Small business owners were shown how to make sure that their business website included a Twitter button to allow people to easily follow then.

Check YourBuzz — YourBuzz is a service that helps small businesses reach more customers by enabling them to view and respond to customer reviews and online mentions all from one place.

As an avid supporter of small, locally-owned businesses, I am incredibly excited to see the increasing momentum of the newly-created shopping holiday, especially with the help of a well-organized and implemented social media campaign. What are your thoughts on #SmallBizSaturday and its use of social media? Let us know!

To read the rest of the article, go here.

Happy Thanksgiving from PRowl Public Relations!

2011-11-24T15:36:00.001-05:00

Today is a day to give thanks. On behalf of PRowl Public Relations, I would like to thank everyone who has helped this firm out along the way:

Staff Members: PRowl would not exist without the hard work and perseverance of its wonderful staff members. Thank you all for your commitment to the firm!
Executive Board: PRowl’s executive board has been instrumental in our firm’s success. Members of the executive board edit work, manage the blog and lead the firm forward every day. Thank you!
Clients: PRowl’s current and past clients provide opportunities for our firm to grow, learn and thrive. Thank you for your patronage and support!
Past Members: Your dedication to the firm has not been forgotten. Thank you for helping to build an amazing firm!
You: PRowl would be nothing if it wasn’t for you, our supporters! Thank you for visiting our blog and be sure to keep an eye out for some exciting news coming soon!

Thank you and have a great Thanksgiving!

Right, Wrong, and Risky Words with SEO

2011-11-23T09:00:00.006-05:00

We all know that Google takes the cake for being the top search engine, but did you know that websites get about 90 percent of their search engine traffic from Google searches? Statistics like these should play a major factor in how you might go about writing your next press release.

My professor for my New Writing and Media Relations class spoke about a great starting point for utilizing Search Engine Optimization, or SEO. First you must evaluate your good words, risky words, and just plain old bad words to use in a press release. He started by having us write a statement for a client. He then directed us to a site called Wordle, which allows you to plug in a group of words to create a visual representation of how often a word or group of words is used. The key was to see which words were prominent, if your bad or risky world were small in comparison to the good words you should be highlighting. By seeing which words appear most often, you can tweek and change your press release as it relates to which words you want to appear most.

By having a visual representation you can understand how Google views your content. When you use your good words more often, they become key words which will be associated with your Google results in searches. Essentially when your content has a correlation with a word or set of words it is factored into Google’s algorithms which helps users search best find their results.

If you want to think about how you want your client to be viewed or associated, this should help you evaluate your good, bad, and risky words. By recognizing these words using Wordle, you can then emphasize key words to highlight the most important content in your press release resulting in successful SEO.

Your Job Search Strategy

2011-11-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

As my graduation date rapidly approaches, I can only think of ways that I can make my resume stand out, and really make an impression on employers I interview with. While an individual may be very qualified, they might miss out on a great opportunity because they didn't know how to set themselves apart from the other applicants. Below I have outlined some tips to keep in mind before interviewing for your dream job.

Do your homework. If you are really interested in a company, how would you know without research? Learn about their clients, look through recent news articles they have been featured in, even research their employees on LinkedIn to see what projects and daily tasks are involved with the position.
Measure your success. If you did something great, let them know! It could be anything from increasing a website's traffic by a certain percentage, or one of your blog post's getting the most views for the day. If you have tangible evidence of success it really makes a difference as opposed to just stating things that you did on a resume.
Utilize your network. Even if they are family friends, let everyone know what kind of job you are looking for. You never know which one of your connections will come through.
Show off your work! Make sure that you have a portfolio of your best work on hand, or consider making a personal website with these documents that employers can easily view.
Be active in your interviews. Don't look at them as an interrogation, you are trying to create a professional relationship with this person, so be prepared to ask questions to them as well that can help you learn more about the position.
Practice. Try to anticipate the tough questions that they will ask you. Some examples could include having to explain a tough situation that you were able to work through, what is your biggest weakness, etc.

What is your secret weapon when it comes to the job search?

My First Press Release

2011-11-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

This past week I experienced writing my first press release. We've all been there, that first time when you have absolutely NO idea what a press release entails, with the sure chance that your teacher or employer will flat out turn it down. Well, maybe you're not that dramatic, but I was! Fortunately, PRowl's Firm Director Niki Ianni helped me through every step of the process and gave me a solid foundation on how to write and pitch a press release. Below are some pointers I've learned so far:

Provide enough information so that the person you're pitching to won't have to go out of their way to research your event, but at the same time won't yawn at the sight of your 3 page long release.

Language matters, every word can carry a different meeting so tread carefully to ensure that you sound excited while at the same time professional.

Pitching, now this one had me kind of confused. What is pitching? Am I supposed to just reiterate what I said in the press release, because that's what the purpose of it is, right? To get someone to cover your story? Well, no, not exactly. A pitch is what you will include before your release, and basically entails why your story should be picked up and how it will be beneficial to whoever is receiving the release.

Hopefully, for you who have yet to write a press release, you will take these tips into account and rest assured that you're not alone! Do you have any additional tips for first-time press release writers? Let us know!

How PRowl Helped Me Step My Game Up

2011-11-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

As a newbie to PRowl Public Relations, I felt as though I was ages behind my other colleagues in the realm of social media. The only social networking site in which I was involved with was the uber popular Facebook. I would obsessively check my page, make irrelevant status updates, post pictures people could care less about, and read my news feed twice over out of pure boredom. Once I became a staff member at PRowl, however, I found that almost everyone’s social media footprint was much larger than just the typical Facebook page. They had Twitters, LinkedIns, as well as personal blogs.

Their Twitter pages were full of creative hash tags and retweets of PR-related accounts. Their LinkedIn accounts were full of useful information and appeared to be completely professional for being mere college students. Their personal blogs were also a great asset in which they wrote creative posts that could potentially get them noticed in the world of PR.

So I decided I needed to step my social media game up. First, I made a Twitter. I tried my best to follow every PR-related Twitter account and to stay up to date on recent events. In an effort to broaden my social media horizon, I most recently signed up for a LinkedIn account. After I signed up however, I was completely lost! The first part of making a LinkedIn is to make a headline. I asked myself, what is a headline? How do I make mine stand out above the rest of PR students’ headlines that a potential employer could search? So I decided to trust my handy dandy search engine Google to help me learn more about LinkedIn.

The article, 4 Easy Tips for Writing a LinkedIn Headline that Sizzles, from Wilkes Business Solutions focuses on the following four pieces of advice about LinkedIn headlines:

Tip #1: Make your headline keyword rich.
LinkedIn is searchable, so you have to utilize keywords in order to be found. Decide what your personal brand statement is, choose some appropriate keywords, and make sure they end up in your headline.

Tip #2: Let visitors know who you are and how you can help them.
You want to include three components to convey this information to visitors. You want to let them know what you do, who you help, and how you help them. If you are struggling with this, you can use the formula provided here and tweak it from there as inspiration hits you. I am a (what you do) and I help (who you help) by (how you help them).

Tip #3: Capitalize the first letter of your important words to draw attention to them.
Using formatting conventions can help make your work catch a reader’s attention and, in turn, remember you. Because you can’t bold or underline the things you want to stand out in your LinkedIn Headline, you can use capitalization to help you achieve this same result.

Tip #4: Log into LinkedIn, click on edit profile, click on edit name, scroll down to headline, and rewrite your headline.
Take five minutes to log into your LinkedIn profile and change your headline. First impressions are always the most important, and you could be making a great first impression on LinkedIn visitors in a matter of minutes.

Are you new to LinkedIn? Or maybe just looking to add some “sizzle” to your established account? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Kaitlyn Sutton.

Effective Use of Social Media: What it Means to Build a Brand

2011-11-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

As PR and marketing companies continue to increasingly utilize social media, questions concerning the affect social media has on the industry seem to come up quite often. How are companies capitalizing on the use of branding through social media? What are the benefits of using Facebook and Twitter? How important is blogging to PR and marketing firms? Social media has changed the industry for good, and knowing how to use it effectively has become a main concern for companies and agencies everywhere.

Using social media is a simple way to build a brand without having to invest significant time and resources. PR and marketing agencies can reap many benefits from establishing a brand through social media, including connecting with consumers and interacting with other professionals in the field. When PR and marketing companies begin to brand themselves through social media and establish a following, it is easy to find ways to capitalize on it. The fact that a company has the potential to reach millions without spending any money is a huge advantage, especially to non-profits. The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation is a great example of a company that has branded themselves extremely well through social media. They maintain a constant interaction with their over 21,000 followers on Twitter and the 97,130 people who “like” their Facebook page. They’re With Love, Philadelphia XOXO image has become instantly recognizable with the help of their effective use of social media.

It has become increasingly more crucial for agencies to have an interactive, successful blog. Blogs are one of the best ways for companies to build a solid reputation and market themselves efficiently. Blogs have affected the PR industry tremendously, giving PR professionals an outlet to promote not only themselves, but their clients, products or ideas as well. It has been proven that those organizations that are actively blogging communicate with their audience much more effectively than those that do not. GPTMC has won numerous awards for their blog, and is a great example of how PR and marketing companies can utilize blogging to their advantage. Check it out at http://www.uwishunu.com/.

So what does all of this mean to prospective PR professionals? The use of social media has undoubtedly shaped the way future employers go through the hiring process. Building a personal brand is just as important as building an agency brand. Companies will be looking at prospective employees’ use of social media, their following, and the content that they display. Blogging, tweeting and personal branding are now just as important as flawless writing and verbal skills. Social media has shaped the PR and marketing industries forever, and effective use of it is certainly a step in the right direction for students going into the field.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Kaitlin Tully.

Hard Work Pays Off for Members of PRowl Public Relations

2011-11-18T10:03:00.004-05:00

It's not often that on the PRowl blog, we recognize our own hard work. Most of our posts are about providing tips for PR students or offering our own takes on current events, however sometimes its necessary to step back and congratulate yourself for all of the hard work that you have accomplished.

PRowl Public Relations was founded in 2007 by Natalie Prazenica and a group of incredibly hardworking and dedicated PR students who wanted to provide Temple University PRSSA members with opportunities to apply their knowledge and gain experience beyond the classroom by providing clients with comprehensive PR services. In January 2008, PRowl opened its doors for business and over the last four years, the firm has grown exponentially.

Within the past four years, the firm has grown from 10 students to over 30, our client roster has increased in number and prominence and we have started charging for our services to further fund the education of our staff members by sending them to National PRSSA Conferences and local workshops and events. One of our most exciting areas of growth however has been our PRowl Public Relations blog. Started in 2008, the blog now receives on average 6,000 visitors a month. Additionally, the blog was recently ranked #17 in a list of the Top 50 Blogs for the PR major, ranking among some of the most elite PR blogs including Everything PR, PR News and the PRSA Newsroom.

As a result of our ranking, PRowl received recognition from Temple University's School of Communications and Theater in a blurb titled PRowl blog ranked among the best as well as in article in PRSSA's Chapter News.

All of this recognition is a true testament to the level of professional, dedication and hard work of PRowl's students. The members of PRowl Public Relations are among the most talented young PR professionals and I, for one, am excited to see the great things this firm will continue to accomplish as a result of them.

A BIG thank you to all of our current staff members, account executives, board members and advocates.

Perry and Cain Take Big PR Hits for Political Blunders

2011-11-17T08:00:00.004-05:00

Temperatures across the northeast may be unseasonably warm, but a few Republican presidential candidates seem to be experiencing a bit of brain freeze. Both Rick Perry and Herman Cain publically dropped the ball in the last week; resulting in another big drop, this time in the form of poll numbers.

It all started last Wednesday, November 9, when Texas Governor Rick Perry blanked on the name of the third government agency he would give the ax to once in office.

“Three agencies of government when I get there that are gone: commerce, education and the um, uh… what’s the third one there? Let’s see…” Perry stumbled and turned to Ron Paul, who helpfully offered to send the Environmental Protection Agency to death row. When pressed by the moderator, Perry stumbled again, “I can’t, the third one, I can’t... Oops.”

Perry took a big PR hit from his “oops” moment. A recent Washington Post/ABC poll shows that 42 percent of Republicans view Perry in a favorable light while 38 percent now view him unfavorably. Only four percent of perspective Republican voters say they would vote for Perry in the primary.

Herman Cain faired equally poorly in the past week. Cain stumbled his way into a foreign policy gaffe just as he distanced himself from the litany of sexual harassment allegations against him. When a journalist asked him if he agreed with President Obama’s response to the rebel uprising in Libya, Cain responded: “Okay… Libya…” He then paused for a full ten seconds, tried to get his bearings and ended up failing miserably. He offered lukewarm response well two minutes after the question was asked and came out of the interview looking very rusty on foreign policy. A recent CNN/ORC poll puts Cain’s support down to 14 percent, well below that of Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich.

Josh Gordesky wrote a piece for Ragan.com offering some helpful advice to prevent these Rick Perry/Herman Cain brain freeze moments. His three preventative measures to combat temporary amnesia are to take good notes, practice at least three times and to take some time to visualize yourself speaking in front of an audience before you go live. These are wise words of advice for anyone speaking in public, when presentation and memory is crucial.

Only time will tell if these two candidates can make up for the ground they lost this week. Rick Perry and Herman Cain need to take some time to really learn their positions, policy proposals and current events to have any chance becoming a frontrunner again.

Let's Play Nice

2011-11-16T10:00:00.007-05:00

The relationship between journalist and PR professionals have always been a rocky game, especially with social media , but one thing still remains the same, we still depend on each other. Recently my PR professor, once journalist, explained the intrinsic relationship between the two professions and harped on two words that neither of our professions here too often, good job.

Starting a relationship with a journalist starts with knowing your niche media and local outlets. Once you begin to target a niche media that compliments your client and those journalists who write for them, it’s important to start building a relationship. One of the first things you can do is research their past work. Look for content that have written in the past and make note of any special recognition they may have received. Once you become familiar with the content they produce, reach out and introduce yourself, include your job, your client and contact information. Then, mention and comment on an article they have written in the past. This shows that not only did you do your homework, but you are genuinely interested in their career as a journalist.

As you continue to follow their work, keep an out eye for any special attention they may receive, this is a great opportunity to reach out and say, “Good job!” You can do this in a handwritten note (recommended) or mention them in a tweet or on Facebook, adding their article and recognition to the post.

Our job as PR professional is to build and maintain relationships so why not start with the basics?

WE ARE...in need of Crisis Management.

2011-11-15T09:00:00.003-05:00

With the current scandal surrounding the sexual abuse allegations by Penn State's former defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky, it is crucial to observe how the University handled the situation from a PR standpoint. Some events stand out specifically in the beginning stages of the case that have continually failed for the University.

Before the news of the grand jury investigation was made public, no official statement was made by Penn State until Sandusky was officially charged on November 5th with 40 accounts of sexual abuse against minors.
As tensions began to increase surrounding the case, (former) President Graham Spanier canceled the school's weekly football press conference without informing Joe Paterno, or giving a reason behind his actions. Both this lack of communication and lack of honesty are not a good way to maintain credibility.
Joe Paterno made a personal statement explaining his intentions to retire. Unfortunately, he should not have made any comments to the media without legal counsel first, which ultimately led to him becoming the face of the scandal.
Not even a day after this statement, the Board of Trustees announced that Paterno and Spanier would be relieved of their duties, effective immediately. As if they needed more negative attention, students responded by rioting on campus, with a news van turned on it's side among other vandalism.
Sandusky's ironically named autobiography, "Touched" is still in the bookstore, and he and athletic director, Tim Curley are still receiving state-funded pensions.

While this entire situation is not even close to winding down, a consistent, honest message needs to be enforced before they dig an even deeper hole for their once sterling image to climb out of.

What would you have done if you were representing Penn State?

To read more details about the scandal, refer to Roy Burton's article.

Hitting the Bullseye on your Target Audience

2011-11-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

When writing a strategic plan for your client, a large portion of the process goes to establishing your target audience. It's important to target the correct audience, as they are the ones you are trying to sell your brand or idea to. These individuals will (hopefully!) buy into what you're pushing, and influence others to jump on the bandwagon. Below, PR strategist Catriona Pollard highlights tips on "How to determine your target audience":

Who needs to hear your message? Suppose the client you're representing deals with housewares. You probably wouldn't be pitching to sports or business journalists, right? Think about who uses your client's product and frame your plan accordingly in order to reach the highest volume of potential outlets.

Who are the influencers? Going along with the housewares example, if your target audience is comprised of stay-at-home moms, who will they look to for advice on what products to buy? Think logically; stay-at-home moms spend most of the day at home with the kids, so they have the computer and the TV at their fingertips. Mommy bloggers, for instance, are huge on the web. Mommy bloggers primarily write reviews on products they've tried and trusted, so pitching to them will hit the nail on the head, so to speak. Put yourself in the footsteps of your target audience, who influences you the most, family, friends, teachers, celebrities, talk show hosts, etc.?

Who has the greatest impact on the business's outcome? Who will dictate whether your campaign or strategy succeeds or fails? Is it the media, consumers, or the influencers? Keep these in mind when you are laying down the foundation of your plan, and target the best way to cater to each game changer.

How are you targeting your audience? Have you included these tactics when writing your strategic plan? Let us know!

Dream Big and GO FOR IT!

2011-11-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

Landing your dream internship is something everyone strives for, but actually obtaining it takes more work then you probably could imagine. Everyone in the back of his or her mind has a dream job, whether it is with the government, a non-profit, etc. For me, it’s the fashion industry. Lets face it, these days the competition in the job market is more intense then usual, and in order to get your perfect internship you have to be prepared.

Ever since I could remember I wanted to work in the fashion industry. I’m not too sure if it is because of the fast-paced environment, the different roles you could play, or just my undying love for the art that is fashion, but I knew I wanted all of it, and when the opportunity of a marketing internship at Urban Outfitters arose I knew it was my big break, and I couldn’t mess it up.
So how did I do it? Well, I remember taking a marketing course at Saint Joseph’s University before transferring to Temple University and there was a book which went along with the course called, Brand You, which was written by a professor at Saint Joseph’s University, Kim Richmond. I turned to this book for guidance through out the entire process. It helped me with every aspect, from branding myself to mastering my cover letter and resume, to even preparing for the interview.

First, when I found out about the internship I did as much research as possible about what it entailed, even before I wrote my cover letter! I printed out the job description and picked it apart piece by piece. Understanding the company’s history, researching the job requirements, and getting to know their website inside and out. This wont just help you be prepared for what you’re going to be asked in the interview but it will also help you personalize a cover letter specifically for the internship, which brings me to my next step.

Crafting the perfect cover letter and resume is the next action that should be taken to get that interview. Your cover letter is your opening of who you are and why you deserve the internship which you’re applying for. Let whoever is reading your letter know you have done your research about the company and role while telling them about yourself. Same thing with your resume, make it your own and brand yourself for the job you want, this is the first thing your interviewers are going to know about you.

Okay, so now you landed a face-to-face interview, which is the scary part. A thousand questions running through your mind, “What are they going to ask me?” “What should I ask them?” “What should I wear?” This is normal, don’t worry, you never know what is going to happen, but you could prepare, trust me. When you researched the company and analyzed the job description, a majority of the questions they are going to ask you is going to be regarding the internship. Along with the questions that they ask you, you should also be ready to ask them questions as well, but these questions are ones that usually will come up during the interview, so pay attention! Knowing what to wear to the interview is also crucial, believe me. Not every internship you’re applying for is going to be business professional or casual, I’ve had those internships but my internship now, with Urban Outfitters, isn’t and I figured that out by simply asking the HR college recruiter what the dress was.

Now you’re in the homestretch, you had your interview and you left the building, but its not over yet. A thank you note is one of the most important parts of an interview, and most people forget this part. Everyone you met with during your interview, and your HR recruiter, had to take time out of their busy schedules to talk to you, and that isn’t easy. A simple email saying thanks for the opportunity and letting them know you are here if they have anymore questions will remind them who you are, if they met with multiple candidates, and give you a better chance of landing the job.

The final advice I have is to be confident! There is nothing more assuring than believing in yourself and knowing that you could do it. So go out there, find your dream internship, and go for it!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Meghan Ceselsky.

The Best Way for Bad News

2011-11-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

We do our best as PR pros to highlight our clients in a positive light and place them in a bubble of great news. However, it is unlikely that the road ahead is only full of butterflies, daisies, and smiles. When a crisis arises and bad news is foreseeable, the way you handle and transmit the information is crucial. Jessica Sharp, of Maven Communications, tackles bearing bad news with the following five steps:

1. Be sure the client hears the news from you first. Having them learn about it through a Google alert sent to their inbox, or an email from an old friend should not happen.

2. Deliver the news promptly. Let them know what happened right away. If you landed them on The Today Show you would call right away. The same is true when their interview is cut from the front page New York Times article, and in its place is a quote from their largest competitor.

3. Pick up the phone. Don’t send an email or worse, a text. They need to hear from you what happened. If all attempts to contact them via phone or in person fail, then, only then, is it okay to send an email (first explaining that you tried to reach them before sending the email).

4. Give it to them straight. Don’t try to make the situation sound better than it is. You’re not going to fool them anyway. Be direct and don’t beat around the bush.

5. Propose your plan of action for dealing with the issue at hand. It’s important that you have this formulated before you call your client. Determine what your next steps are, how you’re going to move forward and if possible, fix the problem. Although it’s likely that your client is going to be pretty upset, presenting a possible solution can reassure them that you’re a professional who has been through this before. This is not the end of the world.

Next time you find yourself in a tough spot, quickly refocus and create a proactive plan to counteract the damage. Make sure your client hears the bad news from you and tell them immediately. Call your client directly, informing them of the bad news or better yet, tell them in person. Do not fabricate the situation, give them the straight facts. Respond to their frustration with your plan, ideally offsetting the negative with a positive.

What do you do when you have to tell a client something they do not want to hear, what tools help you bring forth the bad news?

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Emily Storz.

Resume Tips Off the Beaten Path

2011-11-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

With a job search looming ahead in the next few months, soon-to-be college graduates are reading every article and piece of advice on how to create the perfect resume that will land their first entry-level position. With so many tips and tricks floating around the internet, this article caught my attention because it provides three tips that aren't often covered or discussed that I think are incredibly important to crafting the perfect resume. And although they may not be "off-beat" as the article describes them to be, they are based in common sense and the need for good resume content.

The article, 3 Off-Beat Resume Tips That You Should Know from MBA Highway focuses on the following three pieces of advice:

Choose your keywords carefully
Here’s a fun fact: your resume is read by a computer long before human eyes see it. HR reps can only handle so many applications at a time. If that number gets too high, they turn to ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to sort out the bad resumes in a batch of good ones.

The problem with ATS is that it only combs though hundreds of resumes flagging those that use the very best keywords.

Keywords can be found in the job posting itself, as well as industry-specific social networks. Additionally, using “present” language like “currently” and “recently” tell the software you’re up-to-date and relevant.

Think like an employer
The job search process is very self-involved. After all, as a job seeker, you’re thinking about you, what you want to do, where you want to work, and why someone should hire you. This is totally fine, except for the fact that employers think it’s all about them for the same reasons.

When you submit a resume that’s all about you, the employer has to work harder to figure out how it can be all about them. Think of yourself as the employer convincing themselves that a candidate is a good fit as you write your cover letter and resume. You’d be surprised how different your resume looks afterward.

Format strategically
Chances are, your resume will get about 30 seconds to a minute of an employer’s attention, if it makes it through the ATS. That’s not very long at all. If you want your resume to leave a good impression, it’s up to you to guide their attention to the most important parts.

Format your resume so that the most important points are most visible. Bold key words, change the font size… Whatever makes valuable information prominent.

What do you think about the tips shared in this article? Are there others that you would recommend? Let us know!

A Quick Refresher on Social Media Etiquette

2011-11-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

Recently I was asked, along with the rest of the executive board of Temple University’s Public Relations Student Society of America, to host a social media workshop for PRSSA members. Most of my colleagues selected a specific social media channel to present on but I wanted to focus on something larger, more encompassing. I chose to create a basic list of what to do and what to avoid on social media. A thought struck me while writing my section of the presentation: this information is crucial for anyone living in the digital age, not just PRSSA members. So, without further adieu, I present to you a very condensed refresher on social media etiquette.

So, what exactly is social media? Social media refers to web and mobile technologies that foster instant, interactive dialogue between peers, organizations, companies, and public figures. Social media creates networks of people who share common interests, backgrounds, beliefs, attitudes, and values. Recently, social media has been an integral part in organizing everything from Saturday night parties to democratic movements.

Here are three key tenants of proper social media use:

Play nice. Treat your fellow digital citizens how you would like to be treated. Respect the opinions and privacy of others, limit cursing and be as helpful as possible.
Be interactive. The “social” in social media is there for a reason. Social media is perfect for exchanging ideas and networking, don’t waste the opportunity by setting up excessive privacy filters.
Personal, not private. Everything you say online is public and permanent. Social media is a great personal tool; just don’t post anything that you wouldn’t want a future employer or your parents to see.

#ThingslastinglongerthanKimsmarriage: PR stunt?

2011-11-09T09:00:00.010-05:00

The notorious Kardashian family has recently been all over the news as Kim Kardashian announced that her 72-day marriage to basketball player Kris Humphries has ended. Kim filed for irreconcilable differences on Monday October 31, 2011 in Los Angeles. The most recent series of Keeping up with the Kardashians has been focused on the relationship between Kris and Kim including a family vaca to Bora Bora, all leading up to the televised I do’s. The New York Post reported that Kim and Kris actually made $17.9 million by making their wedding a media extravaganza.

The breakdown from The New York Post is as follows:

Payments they received

$15 million plus profit for four-hour, two-part wedding special on E!
$2.5 million for exclusive photos with People magazine
$300,000 for exclusive engagement announcement with People
$100,000 for exclusive rights to bridal shower with Britain’s OK! mag
$50,000 to have bachelorette party at Tao in Las Vegas

Free stuff

$15,000 to $20,000 Hansen’s Bakery wedding cake
$20,000 Vera Wang wedding dress and fittings
$40,000 for two more Vera Wang evening dresses
$400,000 in Perrier Jouet Champagne
$150,000 in hair and makeup for photo shoots and TV “home video”
$10,000 in Lehr & Black wedding invitations

And the ring…?!

$2 million 20.5-carat engagement ring and $1 million wedding bands by jeweler Lorraine Schwartz. The amount they paid for these items hasn’t been revealed, but it’s much less than their worth.

As shown above, it pays to be a reality TV star that has an enormous following and an established brand, but with all knowing anticipation, was Kim K’s wedding just a fish for fame and a way to gain a little extra cash? Or is this just a failed marriage over-analyzed? What are your thoughts on celebrity PR stunts?

Customizing your Social Media Approach

2011-11-08T09:00:00.002-05:00

When you think social media, most individuals or companies will assume if they have a Facebook fan page, Twitter account and maybe even a blog, they'll be A OK when reaching their audience. Wrong! In order to effectively use social media, you need to first identify your goals rather than creating these pages that could end up with little to no interaction.

Focus on your objectives when engaging in conversation with your audience and always keep in mind the brand you want to promote with every post. Whether you are an individual, or posting for a company, it will be beneficial to create a social media policy. This way everyone will be on the same page, and messages will remain clear throughout posts. Create boundaries with your social media interaction, and only participate in conversation if it is appropriate with the objectives you have established.

When you are initiating conversation, don't just push information on your audience. Make your content interesting and engaging to encourage their participation. For companies it is smart to drive traffic back to the main website so that their audience knows where they can get an abundance of information at one place. For individuals that have their own website or blog, they would take the same approach.

After you have started to establish your presence on social media sites, monitor your viewers, who is engaging in conversation, and how often. When you first start out don't bombard your audience with tons of posts, keep it simple and frequent to gradually build up legitimate, credible sources for your followers.

Do you effectively use social media? Which outlets generate the most conversation?

Tips on Overcoming your Underwhelming Speech

2011-11-07T09:00:00.001-05:00

Admittedly, I'm not the best public speaker. In fact, I just finished writing my speech for class, to be presented tomorrow. I always thought that it was the delivery that mattered the most, as long as you have a lot to say, you're in the clear. But what if you don't have anything to say on your topic? How will you gain the attention of your audience? Check out these tips on how to "deliver an exciting speech on a dull topic":

Put a face on your topic: Connect the subject of your speech to your audience; give them a reason to listen to you or empathize with your call to action. In my case, I told a story of someone who was affected by my topic. Not only does this serve as an effective attention-getter, it also helps your audience to remember your speech over a run-of-the mill informational presentation.

Take your time: You want to respect your audience's time and get your speech over with. However, if you rush through your speech so fast that you garble your words and neglect to emphasize key points, you will have defeated your purpose. Slow and steady wins the race; pace yourself and make it easy for your listeners to understand the important areas of your speech by both physically and vocally stressing your words.

Don't rely on your PowerPoint: My teacher stresses this, use your visual aid, but don't depend on it. You should definitely interact with it, show pictures, videos, main points, etc. but try not to read straight off your notes. By declining in your extemporaneous mode, you will lose your connection with your listeners and fail to communicate your points.

Do you have trouble 'reviving' your underwhelming speech topic? How do you 'bring it to life'? Let us know!