PRowl 4 Lyfe

The time has come for me to write my last PRowl blog post. Over 100 blog posts later, I feel different than I did as a freshman PRowl staff member, nervous about writing the wrong things or looking inexperienced compared to the rest of the more experienced staff. Back in May of 2011 I became the Director of PR for PRowl, and managed this blog. I learned more in one year of editing and promoting blog posts than I had in my classes, not to mention learning from being part of the Jean Madeline Aveda Institute account. From there, I transitioned to my last position, an Assistant Firm Director in which I managed two accounts. I went from being a wide-eyed staff member, watching as older members commanded the meetings and dealt directly with clients, to later being in their shoes. I watched staff members grow into great leaders. I experienced great times, and times where I wanted to rip my hair out. I watched some great leaders and professionals graduate from PRowl and become successful in their post-graduate life. I have met some of my best friends in PRowl. In every interview I have ever had, PRowl has been my main talking point. The knowledge I have gained from PRowl and PRSSA has set me up for the rest of my life, and prepared me for my impending graduating from Temple in the fall. 

I have so much to thank PRowl and its staff for. I'm really, really sad to leave, but excited to watch the firm grow in the coming years. PRowl4lyfe!

Choosing the Right Client

Here at PRowl, we choose our clients just like any other firm does. We initially correspond via email, and then set up a meeting to talk about working together, what the client wants, and what we can do for them. It's important to have these meetings, because you learn what you can and cannot do for a client, based on your firm and your staff, student-run PR firm or not! Below are ways to avoid choosing the wrong client for your firm:

1. Understanding goals: Talk to your client about where they want their company to be in a few years. They could want more customers, more awareness, or more targeted messages, and the list goes on. As you're listening, think about whether or not you and your team can accomplish these goals, while benefiting your firm.
2. Setting expectations: I find this to be the most difficult, but necessary task. Having a client who has unrealistic expectations of you can (and will) put you in an awkward situation. You can avoid this by being clear in what you can realistically accomplish well. Of course you want the job, but if you don't set expectations appropriately, you could be out of a job and slapped with a not-so-great rep.
3. Transparency: In an agency, you will have several different clients. When you meet with a potential client, be honest is how much time it will take to accomplish their goals. With so many agencies transitioning out of monthly retainers, firms are being less transparent about billable hours. Save yourself the grief and scheduling issues by honestly communicating with your client.

Do you have any additional tips? Let us know!

What Does Non-Profit Healthcare PR Mean?

As PR student and a member of two of Temple's largest PR organizations, I've heard of many of the different areas of PR one can get into: sports, lifestyle, fashion, non-profit, corporate, etc. One that I haven't heard very often is non-profit health care.

For the past three years I have played with the idea of going to medical school. I love medicine, learning about it, hearing about people's stories, and everything in between. But I'm not the brightest bulb in the box when it comes to math and science, and so I've put medical school on the back burner for the moment. Instead, I looked into different hospitals and health organizations. All of them have PR teams. On Friday, I had lunch from the PR manager at Shriners Hospital for Children to learn more about what exactly non-profit healthcare PR is. And I fell in love.

Part of what the PR department at a hospital does is learn about patients. Through telling the story of a patient, the PR rep can then tie-in a mention of the hospital, e.g. a new machine that allows for John Doe to walk for the first time in 20 years, etc. Just like any other industries, you will pitch reporters, create internal newsletters, and the like. But you get to talk to people every day who you are directly helping. By spreading the word about your hospital, more people will be interested and inclined to seek help at your hospital or donate.

For someone who has been struggling about their career for forever now, it feels so relieving to finally find my place in the world, a place that I'm passionate about. I would encourage anyone out there struggling to find their path to just dabble in everything, it may take awhile but you'll find your place too :)

An Afternoon With NBC-10

As I previously mentioned, I attended PPRA's Careers 101 event a few weeks back. During a raffle, my name was called for a "Networking Session with Adam Dvorin." I expected to grab a cup of coffee and have a chat with Adam, but instead he set up a tour with Denise Nakano of NBC-10 for today and KYW next month!

I have never been in a TV studio, much less met an anchor/reporter. Denise was gracious enough to take us through every aspect of a news production, from the news room to the actual studio (see photo below). Along with Denise's co-anchor Chris Cato, I learned a few tips about broadcast news and pitching reporters.

• When you're working with a reporter or cameraman, don't order them around and tell them what to do. No one likes to be told what to do, but especially reporters. 
• When pitching a story, find some kind of local tie or tie-in with a current event.
• It is invaluable to have connections to reporters, because they will be more inclined to cover your stories in the future, and put a face to the name.
• However, if a reporter covers your story once, don't expect them to cover your client every single time. There is always breaking news or other stories to cover, choose which stories to pitch to your personal contacts wisely.

A special thanks to Denise Nakano and Chris Cato for inviting me to come tour NBC-10!

On Managing Expectations

Two weeks ago I attended PPRA’s Careers 101 event. One of the topics the panel discussed was managing expectations. In other words, when you are working with a client, it is important to make your (and your client’s) expectations clear. I thought that was a great tip, because I see it happen every day, even when working with clients myself, how important it is to take the time to discuss expectations

.

Every time you pull off an event or even a campaign, you have specific expectations in your mind. You may expect for it to go off swimmingly (a rare instance!) or for the event to fall a little flat. It’s safe to say that nothing will ever exactly meet your expectations as things change on a moment’s notice. However, by setting goals and managing your own expectations, you will save yourself a lot of grief and gain efficiency.

Managing expectations has become vital when working with a new client. Sometimes you may have a generation gap or a gap of experience, and your client may expect something totally different or way more than you can deliver. It’s your job to address the client directly and negotiate what can and cannot feasibly be done. Of course, you want to do your best to help your client, but you will only be hurting yourself and your client if you promise something you cannot deliver. Instead, set goals and reaches, and keep consistent contact with your client about wins and losses. Honesty is the best policy.

Cat Got Your Tongue?

Have you ever had a speaking engagement that you practiced for, day after day, until you had it memorized verbatim? Ever find yourself stumbling over those same words once you were in front of an audience? Guilty. Here at Temple, StratComm majors are required to take a public speaking course. But one course won't eliminate the occasional slip-up. So what do you do when you're at a loss for words? Below are a few tips on regrouping yourself during a speech:

1.     Incorporate your own experience to answer the question while buying time: It's perfectly okay to say, "I've never been asked that before," or "Let me think back to when I first experienced that." It will buy you time to remember what it was that you wanted to say. If it doesn't then just move along to your next point, don't sweat the small stuff.

2.     Don't um and ah: These two words are tell-tale signs to the audience that you are lost. Use longer phrases to mix it up and buy you more time than two letters will. 

3.     If appropriate to the question, use the time-buying phrase to redirect the answer to a point you want to make: If someone asks you a question that you don't have an answer to, or that a simple no would suffice, use a time-buying phrase to transition into your next statement, or redirect.

4.     Don’t say anything: At least for a couple seconds! It’s okay to just take a couple seconds to recollect yourself, it’s better than stuttering through or peppering your speech with ums and ahs.

What are your best strategies for regrouping during a speech? Let us know!

Brands for Equality

No doubt most of you have seen the avatar changes on your Facebook and Twitter to the universal sign for equality. Of course, brands took notice too.

The viral spread of the equality sign came during the Supreme Court's review of California's Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act, an important step for gay marriage. Soon brands began adopting the equality sign and merging it with their logo, a smart move because if we look back to what happened when Chick-Fil-A expressed their position towards gay marriage, people are not inclined to buy from brands against equality.

The danger with brands becoming more politically and socially conscious is that someday there may be a separation; one half of the population will use the brands that aligns their beliefs one way and the other half will go the other way. In fact, that has already started to happen, some people choose to only purchase from free trade organizations because of their personal social/political preferences.

What do you think? Are brands really in favor of gay marriage? Or are they simply going where the money is? Let us know!

Editorial Calendar Basics

Editorial calendars are a GREAT resource for PR pros. An editorial calendar is a calendar that magazines, some newspapers and publications use to schedule what topics they will be covering during what day, week, or month. For example, if you are the PR coordinator for an organic beauty company, you can use Cosmopolitan Magazine's editorial calendar to see when they will be covering organic beauty products. It gives you the opportunity to carefully craft your pitch and perhaps even meet with the beauty editor, knowing in advance that your product would fit their beat. Much easier than sending out mass releases, right?

Now, some blogs are using editorial calendars as well. Blogs are everywhere, and are often considered a media outlet as well. Does your client have a blog in need of a editorial calendar? Below are some questions PR Daily contributor Carrie Morgan suggests when drafting an editorial calendar:


1. Who is my audience?
2. What interests them?
3. What are other blogs in the same category or with the same target audience writing about?
4. What are the trade publications writing about, and what’s on their editorial calendar?
5. What industry news/posts are shared and retweeted the most?
6. What are my client’s competitors writing about?
7. What topics are tradeshows covering in their workshops and round tables?
8. What trends are your client’s seeing?
9. What types of articles interest your clients?
10. What pubs do your client’s read, and what are they writing about?

Unlike a magazine, you have the opportunity to freely move things around, especially when a hot topic arises in your area of interest. Editorial calendars are great because they prevent the dreaded writer's block while still staying relevant and interesting.

"Habemus Papam"

Less than a month ago, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he was resigning his papacy. He is the first pope to do so in over 600 years. On Wednesday, Cardinal Bergoglio was selected to become Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope in history. Pope Francis' selection is exciting on a variety of levels. On a fundamental level, he is the first pope to come from the Jesuit order. Pope Francis is coming into papacy in a very sensitive time; he is responsible for transitioning the church into modern times, where technology rules.

Pope Francis must also juggle a variety of modern issues plaguing the Roman Catholic Church. There have been divisions over women's role in the church, the church's role in politics and the still fresh child sexual abuse scandals.

So far, it seems that Pope Francis will be a revolutionary figure in the church, already calling for change and positioning himself in positive media spotlight.

What do you think about Pope Francis' new challenges? Let us know!

For First Time Since 9/11, TSA Allows Knives

When 9/11 happened, the Transportation Security Administration cracked down on airline security. Liquids were regulated, and even small pocket knives were confiscated. Recently, the TSA has started to loosen it's grip a bit. For the first time in over 11 years, the TSA is allowing knives on flights. According to the TSA, "knives permitted under the policy must be able to fold up and have blades that are 2.36 inches or less in length and are less than 1/2-inch wide."

So far there have been mixed feelings about the new policy. The TSA has made these changes to conform U.S. security standards to international standards, and to allow the TSA to concentrate on more serious safety threats. But those who are against the policy, including Delta Airlines, pilots and flight attendants, feel that it is unwise to peel back any layer of security, no matter how small-scale.

Some feel that the TSA is only concerned with preventing planes from being turned into missiles, not with individual passengers. What do you think about the TSA changes? Let us know!

Fired Groupon CEO Tells It Like It is

From my extremely limited knowledge of fired CEOs, it seems that many companies fire them in a very hush-hush manner. Rumors circulate around the office, people speculate about why he or she was fired, the whole nine yards. Most CEOs quietly hang their heads on their way out of their cushy position.

This was not the case for recently fired Groupon Founder and CEO Andrew Mason. After the company suffered a whopping 25 percent stock drop in it's first quarter report, Mason was quickly and seamlessly fired. While Mason was not exactly silent in response to his firing, he wasn't very upset about it either.

In a letter to his employees, Mason joked on choosing to leave the company to spend more time with his family (a long overused cover for being fired) and admitted that he was fired for making poor financial decisions. In the memo, he applauded his employees for their hard work and dedication and assured them that he was proud of Groupon as a whole.

Mason closed the letter with a piece of advice: "have the courage to start with the customer," and signed it with "I will miss you terribly."

What do you think of Mason's unconventional departing memo? Let us know!

Blogging for Childhood Cancer

The majority of blogs that I seem to follow, along with my peers, revolve around fashion, art, celebrities, music and humor. Blogs are great for that reason, there are so many of them that it's impossible to not find one to obsess over. But blogs are great for a lot of other reasons too. They can serve as an outlet for people who find themselves to be an outcast amongst their peers, or a way for people from all over the world to connect over a common interest.

For others, it could be a way for a parent of a child with cancer to express their feelings, fears and advice. For a long time, I've been thinking about a career in the health care field, especially after readings these blogs. One particular blog I follow, Rockstar Ronan, is written by Maya Thompson, the mother of a 4 year old little boy who died of a form of cancer called Neuroblastoma. Through her blog, she has built a large following. Taylor Swift wrote a song named after Ronan and performed it at a Stand Up 2 Cancer event. Maya has even created a charitable foundation called the Ronan Thompson foundation which donates money towards Neuroblastoma research, successfully completed a petition to turn The White House gold (color for childhood cancer), is in the process of writing a book, and is slowly building the foundation for a Neuroblastoma center. All through the power of her blog and her words.

A blog isn't just for posting pictures of cats or the latest trends. Blogs can go so far as to change lives.

Debate: Earned vs. Paid Media

By definition, the biggest difference between advertising and public relations is that company's pay for media advertisements in advertising, while public relations professionals must earn media coverage.

Recently, certain reporters and bloggers have tried to charge for coverage. Essentially, if the PR person for ABC company wants a certain reporter to cover their story, then they will charge a certain fee. Traditionally, this has been seen as unethical, as I'm inclined to believe. How can a reporter charge for relaying the news? If this is allowed in the future, who's to say that the news won't be completely controlled by the media and consumer culture? (True, it is partially, but where do we draw the line?)

What do you think? Is paying for media coverage unethical? Let us know in the comments below!

Body Language Basics

When you first meet someone, whether they are a colleague, acquaintance, or potential friend, body language plays a huge role. When you first shake someone's hand or observe their stance, you instantly judge them. Limp handshake? Shy. No eye contact? Not confident. In under a second, you can earn yourself an assumption without even saying "hi." Below are some common body language mistakes to avoid and how to fix them:

No eye contact: Many people make this mistake when speaking to someone. Not being able to maintain steady eye contact signifies uneasiness and projects a feeling of untrustworthiness to others. Good eye contact means that you are interested, engaged and reliable.

Arm crossing: Crossing your arms can come across as defensive or not open to new ideas. Uncrossing your arms will make you seem more open and inviting to acquaintances.

Dressing messy: In the professional arena in general, dressing untidily isn't recommended by any means. Dressing messily comes across as careless and can be an indicator of how you are as a professional.

Looking at your smartphone: This is a hard one, but glaringly challenging as we as a society become more and more dependent on technology. Checking out your phone while you're talking to someone is rude and can make someone feel like their conversation is uninteresting.

Clock watching: This is a bad habit of mine. Glancing at the clock every two seconds is distracting and can make people feel as though you are itching to leave and that you have more important places to be.

Are you guilty of any of these? Do you have any more to add? Let us know!

Customer's Fire Off at Applebees

There have been quite a few viral photos featuring receipts with famous signatures or funny messages. Applebees' most recent mishap is neither. This past Thursday, a church pastor brought her congregation to the popular chain Applebee's. At the end of their visit, the waiter gave Pastor Bell the receipt, with an additional 18% automatic tip, Applebee's policy for parties of 8 or more.

Pastor Bell was not pleased with the automatic tip. In response, she wrote the message below on the receipt:

Needless to say, Bell did not feel that the waiter deserved much of a tip. One of the servers' coworkers took a picture of the entire receipt and posted it on Reddit where people went off. Separately, Applebee's found out and fired not only the photographer, but also Bell's server. This ticked people off even more. Many found Applebee's and Bell in the wrong. Bell for treating a server so poorly and Applebee's for failing to stand behind its employees. Bell has since apologized, calling the incident a "lapse in character." Reddit users have vowed to never visit the franchise ever again and are calling for Applebee's to rehire the affronted server.

What do you think? Was Applebee's right to fire the server, even though he/she didn't take the photo? Or should Applebee's have defended its employees? Let us know!

Deadly Fire in Brazil

Firefighters at the scene of Kiss night club Agencia RBS/AFP/Getty Images

I woke up this morning to the news that there was a devastating fire early this morning at a night club in Brazil. Almost 250 people have been reported dead so far. The suspected cause is sparks stemming from a pyrotechnic performance at the night club. Allegedly, some of the emergency exits were locked, preventing patrons from being able to escape, once the fire ignited and spread within seconds. However, many lay blame to asphyxiation caused by the fire. As a result of a lack of oxygen, people became confused and disoriented in a struggle to find an exit. 50 people were found in the club's bathroom, which was confused for an exit.

Kiss, the night club where the fire erupted is a popular party destination for college kids in Santa Maria. 300-500 people were inside the club at the time of the fire making it difficult for emergency personnel to get inside. The emergency services were commended for their quick response.

The night club fire is set to have the highest death toll from a fire since 2000. It is yet to be seen who will be liable for the accident; the band who launched the pyrotechnics, or the scene of the fire, Kiss.

Junk the Jargon

One of the core principles behind PR people generating content for clients is that our specialty is making language accessible across multiple audiences. Certain fields like technology, medical services and finance have more trouble with this than others. Jargon, that is, terms that are not comprehensible to the general public, can make the difference between a consumer choosing your client over another.

When a company generates content that uses jargon, people may not be able to pull out key points and messages that the brand is trying to express. Those within the company often don't realize that they're using jargon, of course, because they are using these terms on a daily basis. This makes it even more difficult to remedy.

When buying into a particular company, people are looking for how well this particular product will serve their needs and wants. People in general do not like buying into something they don't understand and may frown upon a company for failing to tailor to their audience.

Have you ever witnessed a company that succumbed to jargon? Let us know!

Hunting Season

As the start of spring semester rapidly approaches and I hear about my classmates obtaining various internships and receive several internship opportunity emails from my school listserv, it got me thinking, when is the right time to apply for internships? I've always struggled with this, tending to procrastinate deadlines like these. Of course, the time frames differ according to when you want to intern for a organization, but below are some guidelines as to when to apply to an internship:

For a fall internship: Some people suggest to start around spring break. It is always a good idea to start earlier rather than later, but as long as you have your applications in by the start of summer, you should be fine. Of course, pay attention to incoming emails from your school and always have a fresh copy of your resume and a cover letter ready to send off, just in case.

For a spring internship: November is prime time for applying to a spring internship. Many students will apply between November and even early January so be mindful of your competition.

For a summer internship: Many times, summer internships are special or extended programs, so they will require a little more planning. Most students start applying between February to March. But there is no harm in reaching out to an organization and asking when they will being accepting applications for the summer. That way, you'll be the first in line.

The above guidelines are generalized, some specialized and competitive programs require an application six months to a year prior to the desired internship period. Scope out all of the internships you are interested in and create a timeline for applying.

How To Position Yourself as a Source

A great way to gain coverage for yourself or your client is to present yourself as an expert source. Many museums do this, but providing a list of experts within the facility alongside their area of expertise. This gives reporters the opportunity to approach your client and obtain an expert quote. Instant coverage with little effort. Below are ways to position yourself and your client as an expert source:

Introduce yourself: A reporter can't come to you as a source if he or she doesn't know who you are! Introduce yourself to reporters and explain that you are always available as a source should they need one.

Make yourself available: A common problem that arises between reporters and expert sources is availability. If a reporter comes to you with a story and asks for your expert opinion, make time for it. Otherwise, the reporter may get the idea that you are not available as an expert source and seek elsewhere. 

Take advantage of follow-up stories: Reporters are often on the lookout for follow-up stories. Look for good angles for a follow-up story to suggest to a reporter. This not only helps out the reporter, it also gives you the perfect opportunity to chime in as an expert source.

HARO: Otherwise known as Help A Reporter Out. This service was specifically created to connect reporters with sources for stories. Emails are sent out 3x a day full of requests from reporters for an expert source. 

PR Pro: The Perfect Social Media Manager

Behind many company social media sites sits a public relations professional. While this is a general majority, some companies are weary or confused as to why the PR department or a PR pro should manage social media. Below are a few reasons as to why PR pros can, and should, manage social media:

We are experienced storytellers: It is the PR professional's job to reach multiple audiences through multiple means of communication. We generate content and engage our audience with relevant and newsworthy topics. Social media is the perfect way to do so and PR pros its perfect master.

We are expert communicators: We are trained perfectionists in proofreading copy. PR pros are well versed in writing and editing and are less likely to publish errors.

We are experienced in relationship building: It is our responsibility to build relationships with journalists and investors in our brand. The goal of social media is to build relationships from across the world and trained to answer questions fast and with a plus in customer service.

We know crisis communications: With many crises, social media response is encouraged if not required. PR professionals are accustomed to responding to a crisis in a timely, appropriate and helpful manner for both the brand and it's customers.

We have always sought feedback: We have a thirst to find out what others are saying about our client. Social media is a great way to monitor public perceptions and gain feedback from consumers at all times that can be used for future organizational change and improve productivity.