PRSSA National Conference summer prep: Steps you should be taking now

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Even though PRSSA National Conference doesn’t take place until early November, it isn’t too early to begin getting ready for the professional experience of the year!

Summer is a great time to stock up on much needed supplies as well as revamp your professional materials, so don’t spend all of your free time in the next two months soaking up the sun:

1: Stock up on Professional Wardrobe Essentials: During the last few weeks of the summer, stores begin to display their fall collections, which means that summer clothes go on sale. This is a perfect opportunity for students to buy nice shirts or professional dresses that are marked down significantly after being on the racks throughout the summer. These pieces can be layered with blazers, sweaters, or cardigans, which will take away their summer feel and have you more prepared for the November weather in Atlanta, Georgia!

2. Update your Resume: After many days of tanning in the sun or swimming in a pool, you may feel the itch to be productive again. If this is the case, there is no better task to pour your new-found productivity into than updating your resume! You will want to have a proofread, clean copy of your latest achievements for National Conference, and it won’t take you too long to update your current one!

3. Create an Online Portfolio: With so many free website builders out there, it is easy to create your own personal portfolio site without having to pay anything. Also, you shouldn’t get nervous if you have no experience with website development. Many of the businesses that give you the option of creating your own site will give you free templates to choose from, and oftentimes, there are helpful guides and tutorials to get you through the set up and maintenance of your creation. Also, think of how great it will look to have your own custom website listed on your business card when networking with the professionals at National Conference!

Are you getting excited for PRSSA National Conference? Tell us your tips and tricks for preparing for your trip to Atlanta!

How #PRSSANC Eased My First Job Fears

I would be lying if I said the thought of the upcoming job hunt season didn't seem like a daunting task. Luckily for me, according to US News, the job outlook for this year's college graduates is looking great. Those statistics coupled with what I took away from the "First Job Survival Guide" session have definitely eased any fears I previously had.

One of the panelists, Anthony LaFauce of Porter Novelli, had a few nuggets of wisdom to share with the conference-goers. If you've also been struggling with the thought of tackling your first job in the real world then these tips are for you. 

When interviewing, spell out how you're going to midigate risk for the company. Most "entry-level" jobs are listed as requiring two or more years of experience. Since we don't have that just yet, we're technically seen as a risk. Ease the company's mind and explain you're actually an asset.  

Be excited; upper management will notice. Personality is everything. Positive energy is infectious and shows genuine interest. A smile and a good attitude go farther than you think. 

Once you get your first job, there will immediately be three other people trying to get it. Keep your competitive edge and always bring your A-game. Otherwise, there will be someone else willing to step up to the plate. 

You're never inconveniencing anyone by asking questions. It's better to ask thorough questions ahead of time rather than make a mistake that could have been avoided. 

Double check everything you do. It's better to be a few minutes late and right, than not. Same principle as the tip before: thorough preparation makes for better results in the long run. 

Always keep candy on your desk. I could say this fosters positive office commradery...but people just like candy!

Hopefully these tips were helpful and if you have any first job survival tips of your own, feel free to share them in the comments below!

#PRSSANC: Jason Mollica’s Keys to Media Interview Success

Although PRSSA National Conference has come to an end, there are still plenty of helpful insights to share from our experience in Washington, DC. Sessions highlighted an array of public relations topics with prominent speakers from Ketchum, Edelman, the Smithsonian and even Neiman Marcus. Also among those notable speakers was JRMComm President and Temple University alum Jason Mollica, who spoke to a packed house on the dos and don’ts of media relations. Entitled “Understanding What the Media Want,” his session included how to effectively communicate with media and even a few helpful steps of pitching. But the topic that stood out most to me was his tips for preparing your client (or even yourself) for a media interview.

(Photo by PRowl staff member Shaun Luberski)

In classes and internships, we learn how to communicate with the media on behalf of our client through press releases or social media. But what happens when we need to let the client speak for themselves? Here are a few of Jason’s tips for executing a successful interview with the media.

• Pick a spokesperson. Have a knowledgeable and quotable spokesperson that is accessible to the media. If possible, have the interview conducted in a location that is comfortable for the spokesperson; a retail company’s CEO in one of their stores, for example.
• Craft a key message. A key message that is consistent throughout the interview will allow for more effective communication. 
• Create talking points. By creating talking points, the interviewee is able to stay on track and avoid rambling. This also helps to keep answer short, allowing for better quotability.  
• Take charge. It’s important to take charge when answering questions from the media. They will potentially ask tough or controversial questions but the interviewer has control to frame the message in their responses. 
• Never go off the record. This one is pretty self-explanatory. Jason’s advice, “if you don’t want it on the news, don’t say it.”

There are a few other key takeaways from this session including the importance of doing your research, knowing your audience and, of course, the need to always be transparent.

6 #PRSSANC Takeaways for Student Run Firm Directors

 

This weekend as PRowl represented our firm, Temple PRSSA and Temple University at PRSSA National Conference, we all had the chance to meet members of other student run firms and their leadership. It quickly became apparent to me that the chance to network and learn from other student run firm members would be one of the most valuable parts of National Conference.

As a Student Run Firm Director, members within your firm and even those outside of your firm automatically have a set of expectations of you. These known and expressed expectations often cause us to react in certain ways: try and control every situation, micromanage, stay as on top of things as possible. These 6 takeaways that I brought back from National Conference help put the position into greater prospective, and may help current or future Firm Directors to do the same.

1. Understand and appreciate your team.

All student run firms are not created equal, and neither is the leadership within them. Over the weekend, I met at least a dozen student run firm directors, all with differently structured executive boards and leaderships. Understanding where each leader in your firm excels, and knowing what they aspire to do will determine the entire flow of your firm. If you aren't linked tight to the other team in your firm, no matter how strong of a leader you are as a Firm Director, the firm will always be missing something.

2. Always be learning.

You will never know it all, and you never should. Always be willing to listen to others, and reevaluate the way that you currently do things. While something may be working, that does not mean it is the most effective means of getting things done. Always be open to hearing new thoughts and suggestions, and really follow through to show you don't want to run the firm as a dictatorship.

3. Trust your expertise.

While you should always be learning from others, you should also speak about your own experiences and expertise with great confidence. If another Firm Director is struggling, don't second guess offering your own words of wisdom or piece of advice. You likely know much more than you ever thought you did.

4. Remember your goals.

Throughout conference weekend, sessions that had nothing to do with student run firms directly brought me back to the goals I'd set for PRowl. Always be on the look out for how a lesson you learn in everyday life can translate into helping you accomplish something for the firm. And if you haven't set concrete goals for your firm and position, use the stories and experiences of others to create your own.

5. Know you are not alone.

While our experiences are unique, many student run firm directors are battling similar issues. When asked what the greatest problems in our firms were, the majority of us responded with the same or similar answers. Don't put more pressure on yourself then necessary, and reach out for help when you needed. More often than not, someone else will be going through a similar trial, or has already overcome it and able to help you do the same.

6. Get connected, stay connected.

Student run firm directors have to stick together! As previously stated, we cannot do this alone --and there are so many of us, we shouldn't have to! Join Facebook Groups, or start your own, to connect with Firm Directors in your area and beyond. Host meet ups, or meet virtually with a few other Firm Directors to share your common experiences and grow together.

Museums at #PRSSANC

This weekend, PRowl traveled to Washington, D.C. for the 2014 National PRSSA Conference. Starting yesterday, PRowl is recapping some of the sessions, insights, and stories shared during the conference in our country's capital.

My favorite session of the weekend was A Monumental View: What It Takes To Work in Museums and Public Places. Museums and institutions and arts & culture are more of niche industries, and one we don't particularly learn about as much as say, agency or corporate. Melinda Machado, the Marketing & Communications Coordinator at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History presented about her background and experience in this position.

(Source: Newsdesk)

When asked what advice she can give students looking to get involved in the industry, she suggested gaining experience through agency work, where the opportunities for work in different industries is endless. Once employers can see you are capable of handling multiple projects in the fast-paced world of PR, they are more confident in you bringing that back to their internal communications.

Machado prepared a helpful visual presentation breaking down all the processes and results of a few campaigns she's worked on while at the museum. She tracked media coverage and her social footprint as the Communications director. For example, the museum's Communications team organized an event acknowledging Ralph Lauren for his donations and contributions to the National Museum of American History's exhibits. Hilary Clinton presented the award to Ralph Lauren, and clearly - media outlets all over covered the event, giving the museum a ton of earned publicity.

Among many other amazing speakers, Melinda Machado shared great insight for students aspiring to work in the field of PR within not only institutions, but any other industry. Her campaigns are inspirations for future student projects.

Living Blogging From #PRSSANC

This weekend, PRowl members are networking, learning and building connections at PRSSA's Annual National Conference....and we are bringing you with us!

Be sure to check these blog frequently for new posts and updates on our takeaways from conference. We'll be posting tips for navigating a national conference effectively, and information about the sessions we attend from today until Monday night when we make our way back to Philly.

If you have questions or comments for us about #PRSSANC, send us a tweet @PRowlPR!

How to Make the Most of Your National Conference Experience, Without Leaving Philly!

PRSSA National Conference is one of three large-scale events in conjunction with PRSSA National. It is the perfect opportunity for members to gain insight into the profession, learn more about certain PR industries and meet other members from across the country. This year’s conference is in Washington, DC hosted by American University’s chapter. It would be ideal for each school to be able to fund every member’s attendance, despite the distance but unfortunately it’s just not a reality for many. However, there are plenty of ways to stay up to date with national conference happenings, even from Philadelphia.

(Source: PRSSA)

• Search the hashtag. From Twitter to Instagram, searching #PRSSANC will make it seem like you’re actually there! The conference is full of active social media users (it’s a PR conference afterall) who will surely be posting photos of speakers, live Tweets and more.
• Follow other members. In order to stay in tune with all things National Conference, there are a few key accounts you should be following. PRSSANational and PRSSA National Conference are guaranteed to keep their followers well-informed. You can also check in to the accounts of the National Committee members. National Committee is the executive board equivalent for PRSSA National. There are a number of Temple PRSSA and PRowl executive board members going as well who will be working to update the members who aren’t able to attend.
• Read the programming. Before conference starts, check out the programming schedule. If there are any speakers you would have attended had you been at conference, search their name on Twitter for mentions. Attendees will likely live Tweet quotes and important points they make.
• Check back! Be sure to check back with PRowl’s blog next week for a recap. It will include events and speaker highlights so you don’t miss a thing.

When staying updated with PRSSA National Conference, remember that social media is your best tool. It will allow you to see photos, videos, quotes and speakers that you will make you feel like you're actually there!

Event Recap: Stockton PRSSA’s #CommIn14

This past weekend I had the chance to connect with The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey’s chapter of PRSSA while attending their networking event, Communication Innovation 2014: A Puzzle Piece To Your Future. I first met Stockton PRSSA President, Siera Smith, at the PRSSA National Conference this past October. I was so excited to see what this new chapter had in store for their inaugural event.

The event began with opening remarks from Siera as well as Stockton College President, Dr. Herman Saatkamp. Shortly after lunch, keynote speaker, Jessica Levin took the stage. Jessica Levin, MBC, CMP, CAE is the president and chief connector of Seven Degrees Communication, LLC. Her lecture primarily focused on the newest ways to communicate in our digital world. Here are some key points I took away from her lecture:

1. Digital is no longer a strategy, it is a way of life.
2. We live in a customized world, it's in demand, & it's efficient.
3. Getting your message on traditional media is NOT enough.
4. Renting, sharing, and subscribing is not new or different, it just embraces new technology

Congrats to Stockton PRSSA on a flawless and informative event! We look forward to collaborating soon!

PRSSA National Conference: Chapter Branding

Attending PRSSA National Conference is like hitting the lottery for a PR student. It’s where all the best and brightest future leaders of the industry meet to learn, discuss trends, exchange ideas and, of course, business cards. This year, conference was conveniently hosted in Temple’s hometown of Philadelphia, allowing for a total of 40 members to attend! Sessions included young professional panels, industry veterans (like Temple alum Jason Mollica) and chapter presentations. The University of Florida’s session focused entirely on developing your chapter through brand building in order to develop a strong and proactive program. Here are a few main points that I took away from the presentation.

1. Establish A Mission- Coming up with a mission gives your chapter a clear and concise direction for the year. It provides a central theme in which speakers, meetings, and even social media can be centered around.

2. Create A Strategy- Once you have determined the vision for the year, the next step is to create a strategy to give guidance to that theme. The purpose of your strategy is to have a plan that will best suit your chapter in when it comes to promoting the brand.

3. Promotion- Promotional material gives a visual to your chapter theme. Chapter business cards with a uniform logo, that year’s hashtag, and member t-shirts are great ways to build up the year’s brand.

4. Develop Your Programming- Chapter meetings should coincide with the year’s theme. Speakers, skills seminars, and workshops help unify the brand with the promotional material and established mission.

5. Revamp- It’s important to keep things new and continually refresh your brand from year to year and even throughout the semester. A theme can get stale from week to week, so finding new ways to approach it is important and helps keep your members interested and engaged.

6. Connect Your Message- Keep things uniform over all promotional platforms. From social media to flyers to the website, it’s vital to stay consistent in your chapter voice.

In the words of PRSA International Conference keynote and digital analyst Brian Solis, “Brands are not people, and people are now brands” and PRSSA chapters are no exception!

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

#RealTalk: Crisis Communications

"In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity."

This is a quote from a session at the PRSSA National Conference called From the Crisis Trenches: Blazing a New Trail in Communications. Speakers from the Mach 1 Group discussed the crisis the Livestrong Foundation was faced with when the Lance Armstrong scandal broke.

No matter how prepared we try to be, crisis will always knock us off balance.  Only so much can be learned about crisis communications in a classroom but it is something that will most likely face all of us one day. Here are some key takeaways that I learned in this PRSSANC session that made me feel more comfortable in my ability to handle a crisis situation.

• Work your company's mission statement into any answer you're giving the press
• Think "how can we turn this around?"
• Remember: we are more than the sum of the actions we take
• Be sure to show the big picture, not just focus on the problem at hand
• You always want to be the one to break the news so you can shape it
• Ethical and transparent communication is essential

Keeping these things in mind when handling a crisis situation will help ensure that it goes as well as possible. 

What tips do you have for dealing with crisis communications?

Public Relations Program Receives Certification At International Conference

The following article was published on SMC News and Events on October 26, 2013.

The public relations industry has converged on Philadelphia this weekend and Temple University is playing a starring role.

The city is playing host to the International Public Relations Society of America Conference Oct. 26-29. A silver-level sponsor of the conference, Temple has secured its place as an important part of the future of public relations. On Saturday, the PR program within the School of Media and Communication’s Department of Strategic Communication has officially earned the PRSA’s Certification in Education for Public Relations. Only 32 other PR programs in the world have received this certification.

“Our public relations program is approaching a level that can be described as exacting, compelling and rigorous,” said Professor Cornelius B. Pratt, department chair.

The certification is something to which future students should be attracted as they search for a college program that fits their needs.

“It should offer a high level of confidence in the quality of the education that we will provide them,” Pratt said.

He said the depth and breadth of the department’s five full-time public relations faculty members, two of whom are accredited in public relations, were key factors in receiving the certification. All five have practical public relations experience.

Brianna Rooney of Ambler, Pa., is a senior in the public relations track. As president of the Temple Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, she understands what the certification means for her degree.

“Hearing that PRSA is offering its support to our program is beyond exciting,” she said. “It brings great and necessary attention to the program and everything that it offers to students. It is a huge testament to the program, department and school and makes me so proud to be part of something so great.”

Strong SMC presence
Temple will be visible throughout the conference. On Monday, SMC Dean David Boardman will make introductory remarks at the all-conference networking luncheon. This opportunity will enable the new SMC dean to introduce himself to more than 2,500 international communications professionals, and tell them a little bit about Temple and its undergraduate and graduate programs. That same afternoon, adjunct instructor Amanda Bednar will be presenting a workshop on non-profit and association PR at the Public Relations Student Society of America conference, which is being held concurrently with the professional conference.

On Tuesday morning, Heather LaMarre, assistant professor of strategic communication, will present a workshop on “Defining Corporate Character Advocacy on Character Reputation and Relationships” at the professional conference.

More than 40 of SMC’s PR students have registered for the student conference. Members of Temple’s PRSSA chapter, student-run PR firm PRowl Public Relations and the Temple chapter of the Black Public Relations Society have been intimately involved in planning ways to get the most out of the school’s sponsorship. They are staffing tables throughout both conferences, promoting SMC’s graduate and PhD programs. Additionally, student are surveying conference attendees to see what they know about Temple and are exploring future opportunities to speak in classes and perhaps even teach.

Kaitlyn Sutton, PRowl firm director, said she and her fellow students are focused on networking this weekend.

“For many of us, this will be our first time interacting with professionals within the field,” Sutton said. “I think the other main benefit is the chance to explore new realms for the PR world that we may have not thought about before. Being exposed to professional development sessions at such a young age, I feel that we will be gaining an advantage over other students who do not have this opportunity during their college career.”

#PRSSANC Essentials You May Have Forgotten

After an extremely hectic past few weeks, the big event we have all been waiting for is finally here! PRSSA National Conference has officially begun! 

With a jam-packed weekend ahead of us all, here are a few essentials to keep handy this weekend that you may have forgotten about: 

Phone Charger (make sure you personalize it!)

We all know that we are Tweet-aholics. Be sure to carry around a charger to ensure that you can stay connected with the social media world! Make sure you personalize it though, or it may get lost in the sea of chargers. 

Band-aids

Paper cuts and blisters - need I say more?

Ibuprofen

Networking involves a LOT of chit-chatting. Pack a travel-size bottle of Motrin just in case you feel a splitting headache coming on. 

Hand Sanitizer

It's flu season! Better to be safe than sorry. 

PRSSA National PRSSA Conference 2012, Why You Should Attend.

For all of my fellow undergrads, the start of the fall session is just around the corner. Meetings and events for all of our professional organizations will also soon resume. Additionally, if you are an aspiring public relations professional and a member of PRSSA, which you should be, conference is also just around the corner. For many of us, this means we will soon need to decide whether or not we will be attending.

This year, the PRSSA National Conference will be hosted in San Francisco, California. The conference is four days long and is set to offer a plethora of well known and what I believe to be promising keynote speakers and guests. However, the question remains, what are YOU getting of it, and why should YOU attend? Below are a few reasons why I believe attending this year's conference and other professional conferences while in college are important:

1. You get to see 'real' professionals in action.
2. You will be provided with a better understanding of what is current and what is trending in your field.
3. You will get to see people in your field excited about their work. Hopefully, in turn, this will excite you for your hopefully soon-to-be future.
4.  The more conference presentations you observe, the better you will become at giving presentations.
5. You get to network. Maybe you will meet your future employer or even your next business partner. The possibilities are ultimately endless. Additionally, see if the conference you are attending needs volunteers. Volunteers sometimes get extra opportunities and discounted rates on conference fees.

In all, I am determined to attend conference this year and I hope you plan on attending too. Will you be attending conference this year, and if so why do you believe it will be beneficial?

Additionally, if you haven't checked out the conference website or wish to register, follow the link below. http://www.prssa.org/events/Conference/

Senior Correspondent Rick Leventhal Advises Students at #PRSSANC

Who better to give advice about media relations than a senior correspondent with 24 years of experience under his belt?

That is exactly what Rick Leventhal, senior correspondent with Fox News Channel, did on Sunday, October 16, to a room of future public relations professionals at the Public Relations Student Society of America’s National Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Leventhal has been to warzones in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Albania, Macedonia and Libya. He has covered such domestic stories as the BP oil spill, the Hudson plane crash and the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001. Below are some great pieces of advice he offered to budding public relations professionals:

• Research the Reporter: Do background research on the reporters you pitch, know what they write and why they would care about your story.

• Focus on Brevity: Consolidate your media pitch into a small package. Reporters are stretched for time so make your pitch easy to read, concise and straight to the point.

• Have an Angle: Every person or company has a story to tell. Make sure you find the unique story that will relate to the audience to which you are pitching.

• Be helpful, not forceful: Reach out to journalists as a resource, not just a PR professional. Always be helpful but never tell a journalist how to write his story.

If you are interesting in learning more about Rick Leventhal, check out his Twitter account and read his bio.

Perception Trumps Reality in Crisis Communication #PRSSANC

Returning from PRSSA National Conference in Orlando, I have been reflecting on the most beneficial session I attended. On our second day Richard Levick, President and CEO of Levick Strategic Communications, came to speak with us about his experience in crisis communications. Below I have outlined some of the tips he shared with us that really opened my eyes to the inside of the industry.

• "What got you here, won't get you there." While your work got you the job, you can't keep performing at that same level to better yourself as a professional.
• It is always a 1-0 binary. There is always the villain and the hero in a crisis, the public doesn't acknowledge the reasons for that or the people in the middle that are involved.
• Be courageous. If you want to work in crisis communications you need be able to tell CEOs what they don't want to hear, and to go toe-to-toe with lawyers to succeed.
  
• Do not be too slow to recognize the need to switch goals. Don't prolong the acknowledgement of a crisis because you are worried about being reprimanded. The right thing needs to happen now.
  
• No word in marketing ends in "-ed". It is an ongoing process with words such as branding, promoting, etc.
• We're not logical, we're emotional. Most of the public doesn't listen to the facts, they react to the way something makes them feel.
• Silence is arrogance with the volume turned down. While it could be an unfavorable situation, it must be acknowledged for your audience so that they know you are addressing the problem and that you're working on fixing it as soon as possible.

To learn more follow @richardlevick or visit his website at http://www.levick.com/

Greetings from #PRSSANC in Orlando!

After traveling by plane, train and automobile, Doug, Emily and I arrived in Orlando, FL last night for PRSSA National Conference!

Today marks the first day of the conference and we have been busy attending Chapter Development Sessions learning invaluable information ranging from "Being the Best Chapter in the Sea" courtesy of University of Northern Iowa and "How Your Chapter Can Dominate National Competitions" from University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh.

The sessions have been very insightful providing advice on how to secure "starfish" speakers such as CEOs of national corporations, how to develop relationships with your local PRSA Chapter and how to prepare for national competitions such as Bateman and NODAC.

With one day of sessions almost over, we are all incredibly excited about what the rest of conference has in store for us!

Check back next week for updates on conference sessions and workshops!

Off to Florida for PRSSA National Conference!

My bags are packed, my plane tickets are in hand and the hotel is waiting. Today I head off to Florida for the Public Relations Student Society of America’s National Conference with PRowl Firm Director Niki Ianni and Assistant Firm Director Emily Ascani. We will be embarking in a four-day, jam packed weekend of learning, networking and development.

This year’s PRSSANC theme is “Perception is Reality: Inspiring Effective Communications.” The conference is being held in Orlando, Florida from October 14-18 and includes sessions on entertainment, non-profit, corporate, agency and government public relations, as well as seminars covering social media, media relations and chapter building.

This will be my first PRSSANC ever and I’m extremely excited to learn more about my field and network with students and professionals from around the world. I will be live tweeting all throughout conference, so be sure to follow me on Twitter. If you’ve ever read my blog posts before, you know I’m into government, politics and social media so you don’t want to miss my coverage of the “Government Relations/Public Affairs: An Era of Change” and “Social Media: Think Before You Tweet” on Saturday afternoon!

Trends from PRSA International Conference

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has an International Conference that coincides with the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) every year, always overlapping for a few days and in the same city. If you read the PRowl blog regularly, you know that this year's PRSSA and PRSA conferences were held in Washington D.C. in mid-October. Linda Welter Cohen, APR, had the opportunity to attend the PRSA conference and wrote a great wrap-up of the top ten trends she learned on her blog, CaliberPlus.com.

1. New media have created new opportunities and challenges for communicators.
2. Self-proclaimed experts are the new influencers.
3. Print media should still be taken seriously.
4. Good content and storytelling is paramount to breaking through the clutter.
5. The competition has a new face.
6. Keeping up with new technologies can derail strategy.
7. Maintaining ethics and intellectual property rights has become more challenging.
8. Tracking and communicating ROI is imperative.
9. Stakeholders expect an immediate response following a crisis.
10. Reputations are at a greater risk today.

Linda provides details about each trend in her blog post "New media is redefining the way we build brand reputations: Top 10 trends from the 2010 PRSA International Conference." Make sure to read the full article!

Strategem and Social Media

It is almost impossible to discuss modern PR without addressing the issue of social networking. In today’s business world, agencies are hiring “social networking experts” and companies are looking for the best ways to utilize this new medium. The problem is, many companies are just barely scraping the surface of what is possible with these great tools. They have forgotten about the strategies they have at their fingertips. The technology is so new and unfamiliar that most companies solely use social networking to disperse information. For instance, a tweet from the computer giant Apple Computer, Inc. reads, “Apple plans dual graphics enhancements on future MacBook Pros.” There is no strategy to this type of use.

At the 2010 PRSSA National Conference in Washington, D.C., author and strategist, Allan Kelly, outlined strategies that PR professionals can utilize in any mediums, including social networking. Allan Kelly’s book, The Elements of Influence, divides these strategies in three divisions:

Assess: Strategies that Assess tend to be passive. These strategies usually allow a client to separate itself from a marketplace or test a market to determine the client’s needs.

Example: An example of a strategy used to Assess is a play known as Trial Balloon. In this play, a player will test preliminary ideas, often without attribution. A great example of this play was when Maryland’s Department of Education was trying to endorse their creative reading program. They recognized the rebirth of comic books and used that to their advantage by allowing students to read Batman. The idea was to sacrifice the goofiness of comic books in order to generate a love for reading.

Condition: Condition strategies are not direct and tend to be mild in activity. They are used to distract the audience, frame the discussion, or prevent the movement of the competitor.

Example: A strategy that deals with Condition is a play known as Disco. This strategy allows the player to sacrifice a piece of their image in order to advance. An example of this play was when Nike was accused of using terrible treatment with their laborers in Asia. In order to save their image, one of Nike’s founders, Phil Knight addressed the media stating, “So I figured that I’d just come out and let you journalists have a look at the great Satan up close.” He showed that his company was mistaken, but was set on improving the conditions of the laborers.

Engage: Generally, Engage strategies are the most dynamic plays. These plays are used to force a player to take action, use authority to declare a position in the marketplace, and attack a competitor in order to allow for competition.

Example: The technique known as Peacock is a great example of an Engage strategy. This is when a player will make an outlandish display in order to garner attention. An example of this was when Sir Richard Branson’s displayed himself in a nude suit on top of a large model mobile phone in Times Square. The campaign was known as “Nothing to Hide” and was used to support the new mobile plan of Virgin Mobile that claimed to have no hidden fees in the fine print for their new phone service. His unique display helped garner a lot attention for the company’s new plan.

Mediums constantly transition, but strategies do not. Strategies are timeless and can be useful in any media. Our job as PR professionals is to figure out how to utilize these strategies in social networking. We must utilize the new medium in creative ways to make these strategies more accessible. In Virgin Mobile’s case, Branson’s Peacock display could be made more noticeable to an audience by utilizing YouTube videos and Twitter posts to project his “Nothing to Hide” display. Beyond just dispersing information, social networking can help us gain more viewers for our strategies.

Check out the following website to get a more in-depth look at Allan Kelly’s strategies and their utilization: www.plays2run.com

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Nicholas Stackhouse.

Networking Tips from PRSA

In addition to the chapter and professional development sessions offered at the PRSSA National Conference, this year’s conference also included a “speed networking” session to match student members of PRSSA with members of our affiliate professional organization, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Many distinguished PR professionals from various industries rotated around the room approximately every 15 minutes to share their insight about essential networking skills. I was not able to interact with every professional, but the four men and women that I did meet provided us with useful tips that I believe are helpful to share.

Although many points may seem like common sense, it is important to be aware of your body language and nonverbal signals that you send when meeting new people, especially during internship or job interviews.

Attire

• Do not wear anything too low cut or too short, and ladies – stick with simple jewelry. Keep earrings to studs, no more than one to two rings, and no noisy bracelets that attract more attention than what you are trying to say.
• Do research on the company culture before deciding what to wear. Look at the company website and try to find images of employees to see what they are wearing. Although it is usually safe to dress more conservatively, a suit and white shirt may be completely inappropriate if you are going for a job interview at a company where ripped jeans and graphic tees are the office wardrobe.
• Gentleman (and ladies, too) – ALWAYS iron your clothes. Wrinkles are never good.
• Along the lines of the second point, use your judgment when deciding whether pantyhose is necessary to wear with your knee-length skirt (should not be shorter). If you feel uncomfortable, be safe and wear them, but they are not usually required anymore.

Eye Contact

• This is the most important nonverbal message you can send to others. Make sure to be confident and look the other person in the eye when you are speaking and when they are speaking to you.
• If you have to consciously think about making eye contact, do not forget to blink. Not only will you hurt your eyes, you will make the other person very uncomfortable and do the opposite of what you intended.
• It is okay to look at a different feature of the other person or look at another place in the room, but for no more than a few seconds. By looking at other places for prolonged periods of time you send a message that you are disinterested in the conversation and would rather be somewhere else.
• Do not look down at your hands (if sitting) or feet (if standing). Doing this signals that you do not have confidence in yourself or your message.

Handshake

• Make sure you have a firm handshake. If you do not feel like you have mastered this yet, practice with friends. This is essential in making a good first impression.
• Before, during, or immediately after the handshake make sure you get the other person’s name and repeat it (ex. Nice to meet you, Roger) to help you remember.
• Two to three “pumps” is normal.
• Fun fact: the handshake originated in medieval times to show the other person you are not armed by extending the palm of your hand.

Following-Up

• After you have networked or interviewed, it is essential to follow-up to continue the conversation.
• If meeting another professional, get their business card and follow-up with an e-mail or via social media to reiterate how nice it was to meet them and touch on any key points or action items you discussed during your conversation.
• If interviewing for a job, a follow-up can make a big difference. Both handwritten and e-mail thank you notes are fine. To go the extra mile, e-mail immediately after the interview and then send a letter.
• If you do not get the job, don’t feel uncomfortable following-up to see what you could improve upon for the future.

Happy networking! We hope our recaps of conference sessions this week were helpful to you.