Strategic Planning: Apple Inc. Event

What you will find interesting about this post is that I am not writing about what Apple has released today. That, I am not certain of. But when large companies release major news after a major lead-up - it's a great opportunity to analyze it from the PR prospective.

Each year, consumers anticipate Apple's announcement of brand new products. What once started out as an all-new PC, Apple now carries all sorts of products from laptops to iPhones to tablets. Thanks to the internet, there are a plethora of rumors regarding what new product will be announced. Will it be a bigger iPhone? The iPhone 6? Two different versions of the iPhone 6? Or the iWatch?

(Source: Exact Target / 2013 Apple Event promo)

Consider the announcement from the internal side. It's possible that all of the information about the products was leaked on purpose. It's also possible that it wasn't. Either way, strategic decisions needed to be made in order for Apple to sustain a sense of mystery until today, the day of the unveiling event. It's ironic that as PR professionals we want to hear people talking about what we're working on, while at the same time it can be a double-edged sword and lead to possible customer disappointment. After hearing so much about these products, consumers may be easily let down if what they were excited about was not released or below their expectations.

Rumor has it that the iWatch may be announced, but not put on shelves for sale until months from now. Why? The strategic plan behind this could be that Apple really does want to surprise us. A new iPhone and iPad will only be innovations on a current category, but the iWatch is the first product in a new category. Additionally, the iWatch is not considered a necessity to most. With more time, Apple (and its consumers) can figure out why the iWatch is something that we need. Showing us what we desire without even knowing we desired it is something Apple does oh-so-well.

(Source: Telegraph)

Chances are you've found out what the new Apple product if not before, but by the end of this article. What do you think about the hype and results of one of America's favorite brands?

The Unspoken Rules to Surviving the Semester

My brother started his freshman year of college this August. Being his older sister, I have always felt the need to look out and protect my brother. I do not want him to feel completely overwhelmed with work in a new place with total strangers. I thought about what I wished somebody had told me before starting freshmen year. I realized I wish someone had told me how to plan and manage my work. After some thinking, I came up with three tips I wish I had figured out before starting my freshman year.

1.   Look Ahead: Prior planning is key to minimizing stress. Each week, figure out what you have going on. Go through your syllabus and record in a planner readings or assignments due that week. Indicate due dates in red. List your weekly meetings in the calendar and daily agenda sections of the planner. After that, determine what times you can complete work. Have an hour to kill in between class and PRSSA? Plan to bring your laptop to campus and get homework done. Being aware of your upcoming schedule will prevent surprises and missed deadlines.

 
2.     Develop an Action Plan for Papers- When assigned a paper, give yourself a cushion of time to complete it. Plan what to accomplish each day. For example, plan to create the thesis on Sunday; outline your paper on Monday; write the intro and first paragraph on Tuesday; write the second and third paragraphs on Wednesday and Thursday; write the conclusion Friday; and edit the paper on Saturday. Doing a little bit each day will create the sense that you are in control of the situation. Making gradual progress also leaves room in case an issue occurs.
 
3.     Stay On Top of Readings- Lets be honest, nobody likes to read textbooks. To keep the pain minimal, know when the readings are due. Need to read a thirty-page chapter in the next three days? Plan to read ten pages a day. Doing this will make it seem much more manageable than cramming. If you leave it all for one night, chances are you may not complete the reading at all.

Although I am sure my brother does not feel the need to listen to his older sister, I hope he finds these tips helpful as he navigates his way through his piles of work. What tips to you have to help manage your course work?

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Lauren Bentley.