One final, packing, writing this blog and a stroll across a stage with an obnoxious looking cap on my head. These are the only things left that I have to do before I graduate. What a surreal and bitter-sweet feeling. I cannot believe it how fast these last four years have gone by, especially my senior year. It is mind boggling to think that this is my last week as a student. As eager and excited as I am to start a new "big-kid" chapter in my life, I am so upset to leave this place. In a week and a half, I'll be heading to Columbus, a brand new place that is surrounded by unfamiliar faces (all but my roommate Renee LeGendre's) to start my career with a professional hockey team. Wow.
It is hard to wrap my head around everything that is happening. Each day I am flooded with a mix of emotions sadness, excitement, wiriness and eagerness to name a few. I do not know what I am going to do without some of the people I have been blessed to get to see each day. My best friends will not be within walking distance anymore and our weekly routines are going stop. The demands that come from being a student will finally be lifted off my shoulders, no more homework! I'll have bills to pay, my own insurance, benefits and a professional business card. Part of me feels like I am not ready to totally grow up. Why can't I stay in college and just not pay for it?
I am sure that this post sounds a little depressing and worrisome, but these are all thoughts that have been running through my head for the past few weeks. However, even though I am sad to leave ONU, my friends and the life as a college student, I am anxious and excited to start a brand new chapter in my life. I am ready for a change. I know that I will enjoy living in Columbus, starting my career and making new friends. The friends that I have made at ONU are incredible and there is not doubt in my mind that we will stay in touch. So, as this chapter closes another opens and I feel absolutely blessed to have had chance to experience everything that I have as a college student and for having the opportunity to experience all that lies ahead.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Podcast with Dr. Iseman
Here is the link to a podcast I created with my classmate Renee LeGendre. This podcast features Dr. Iseman PRSA Fellow, APR and a professor of public relations at Ohio Northern University. During the podcast, Renee, Dr. Iseman and I discussed social media and how this new trend is being incorporated into education.
http://media25.podbean.com/pb/ec50a4e60d90387814ae3d9dcffab371/4dc82a0e/blogs25/354447/uploads/EllenandReneepodcast.m4a
http://media25.podbean.com/pb/ec50a4e60d90387814ae3d9dcffab371/4dc82a0e/blogs25/354447/uploads/EllenandReneepodcast.m4a
New Influencers
While reading for class this week, I came across this quote in Paul Gillin's book called The New Influencers, "The irony of the New PR is that it's not anything new, it's just the industry adapting to new forms of communications - which is something that our industry has always been able to do." This quote was stated by Jeremy Pepper, a big-time PR blogger. This quote made me stop and think. To many different types of fields and professions, the world of social media can seem intimidating, uncontrollable and appear to be someone of a risk to dive into. However, PR professionals viewed social media as an opportunity to better connect with target audiences and publics, which I find to be fascinating.
PR professionals dove head first into the world of social media and the majority of them have been extremely successful. It appeared Gillin felt the same way when he wrote, "The opportunity is to raise the profession's visibility at a time when market trends are clearly headed their way." People in the public relations field attempt to connect with customers, consumers and their audiences through establishing a social media presence.
Another interesting point Gillin makes in this chapter is about communities on the Web. He states, "people will belong to dozens of them, some more important that others, but all receiving a slice of their attention." Gillin also states that, "there is no reason those communities can't be operated by corporations." This is a great point. Target audiences belong to professional and social communities and by creating a social media presence in these particular areas could benefit the relationship between the consumer and the corporation.
All in all, I have very much enjoyed this book. Each time I pick it up, I learn something new. The world of social media is constantly changing and growing, which for me, are reasons it is so intriguing. However, as a somewhat new blogger, this book helped me understand the in's and out's of creating a presence through the use of social media.
PR professionals dove head first into the world of social media and the majority of them have been extremely successful. It appeared Gillin felt the same way when he wrote, "The opportunity is to raise the profession's visibility at a time when market trends are clearly headed their way." People in the public relations field attempt to connect with customers, consumers and their audiences through establishing a social media presence.
Another interesting point Gillin makes in this chapter is about communities on the Web. He states, "people will belong to dozens of them, some more important that others, but all receiving a slice of their attention." Gillin also states that, "there is no reason those communities can't be operated by corporations." This is a great point. Target audiences belong to professional and social communities and by creating a social media presence in these particular areas could benefit the relationship between the consumer and the corporation.
All in all, I have very much enjoyed this book. Each time I pick it up, I learn something new. The world of social media is constantly changing and growing, which for me, are reasons it is so intriguing. However, as a somewhat new blogger, this book helped me understand the in's and out's of creating a presence through the use of social media.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Friends
Over the past couple of weeks, I have truly realized some people's true colors. With graduation around the corner, it has become extremely clear to me who I want to stay in contact with after I leave Ada. It has also become clear to me that I have some of the greatest best friends someone could have. They are loyal, fun, caring and all around amazing individuals. I want to use this blog post to let them know just how much they mean to me.
This is Brittany Bogart, one the nicest people I have ever met. I have been friends with Brittany since I was a freshman. We have been roommates, teammates, partners in crime, snuggle buddies and so much more. Brittany is one of the most selfless people I know. She will do anything to help someone and is the first person to pick you up when you are down. Brittany has experienced some difficult challenges throughout her life, especially during the four years I have known her. Even though she is may be dealing with her own problems, she is the first person to listen to yours. Brittany is one of those people who works and plays hard. She played four years of basketball at ONU, has worked at Padrone's and is a dedicated student. Even though she has these demands to adhere too, she is always looking to have a good time and seems to have fun doing just about anything. She is hands down one of the hardest working, caring and most loyal people I have met at ONU and I am blessed to have her as my best friend.
My second best friend is Ericka Holcomb. The first time I met Ericka was my sophomore year at basketball camp, she too played basketball for ONU. She walked in and had on paint covered basketball shorts, a highlighter yellow shirt, two unmatched socks and a bright pink Disney princess headband. After talking to her for all of about two minutes I said, "we are going to be best friends," and that's what we became. Ericka's upbeat, fun and outgoing personality is contagious. She is the type of person that can brighten anyones day. She is also a great listener and does whatever she can to help people. Over four years, Ericka and I have had thousands of funny moments together. Even though she likes to have fun, she is also an exceptional student. She is studying human resource management and marketing here at ONU, started up an human resource club on campus and also interns with Cooper Tire. There is no doubt in my mind that she will not be successful after graduating. Ericka is hands down, one of the most fun, entertaining and smartest people I know and I am extremely lucky to have her as one of my best friends.
This is a picture of Megan Sybert, but everyone calls her Mae. Although Mae and I have only been friends for two years, I consider her one of my closest friends. Mae is such a genuine and kind-hearted person. She also gives great advice and truly makes the people around her better. She is very sarcastic and likes to joke around with people. Mae goes above and beyond for people she cares about, especially if she knows someone is having a bad day. One thing that is special about Mae is how supportive she is of her friends. She is an avid fan for her friends who play sports, an attendee at events if she is requested by a friend and the first person to congratulate you for doing something well. Even though Mae and I have not been friends for very long, she will forever be one of my best friends.
I chose to write about these three friends because as the year winds down, it has become apparent to me that I would not be where I am today without them. They have helped me when things were hard, celebrated with me and supported me constantly throughout my college career. Brittany, Ericka and Mae have made me a better person and have showed me how incredibly lucky I am to have certain people in my life. I feel the same way about other friends, like Kerri Yarber, Joe Clarkson, Jill Markle, Tricia Fuller and Kelsey Schrock, however I felt like I need to wrap up this post. Thank you to all of you for being as absolutely wonderful as you are, I honestly do not know what I would do without you.
Friday, May 6, 2011
5 Social Media Tips from Mom
As I was brainstorming on things to blog about that are happening in the wonderful world of public relations, I came across this article, titled 5 Social Media Tips from Mom. This article was posted on a a web site called Ragan's PR Daily and was written by a man named Bill Lublin who is the CEO of the Social Media Marketing Institute. The article pointed out that social media guru's seem to be popping up everywhere constantly. Not that this is a bad thing, but he wrote about a few rules that are basic, but they work. He also said that these rules are rules our mother's have taught us. I found these to be very interesting.
The first one is, Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back. It is one thing to be confident, however it is something completely different to be arrogant, especially through social media. Constantly talking about yourself does not make you important, it can actully do the complete opposite. It would be better to be great enough so other people can do that talking for you.
The second rule is, if you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all. Lublin pointed out that everyone is entitled to an opinion, whether it is positive or negative. Through the use of social media, people should feel they can voice their opinion without being ridiculed or attacked. It is also important to remember if you are going to make a negative comment, attack the idea, not the author, writer or person.
The third rule is one I truly agreed with, if you dont' do it NOW, then when wll you do it? As an avid procrastintor, this rule stuck with me and is defintely one my mom has told me before. Lublin points out that some people procrastinte so much they actually end up putting of procrastinating. This could greatly affect one's social media presence and in a bad way, so as difficult as it is for some people, an effect should be made to get things done.
The forth rule is, I don't care what "everyone" is doing. In this rule, Lublin states that, "don't be a slave to social proof." He said that people need to make choices based on their own needs, skills, talents and do whatever fits into one's schedule. To have a social media presence, you need to go with your strengths to be the most effective. What could be the most effective for you is not always what the majority of people do.
The last rule is 5, Now, say you’re sorry—and mean it! Being transparent when using social media is crucial. If you make a mistake do not try to hide it. Correct it, but be open about the correction. This will make you more credible in the future and can also be used as an effective tool when creating a social media presence.
I thought these rules were interesting and helpful. Lublin makes a good point through these rules. They are simple, yet could be extremely effective. I hope you found them to be thought-provoking as well.
The first one is, Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back. It is one thing to be confident, however it is something completely different to be arrogant, especially through social media. Constantly talking about yourself does not make you important, it can actully do the complete opposite. It would be better to be great enough so other people can do that talking for you.
The second rule is, if you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all. Lublin pointed out that everyone is entitled to an opinion, whether it is positive or negative. Through the use of social media, people should feel they can voice their opinion without being ridiculed or attacked. It is also important to remember if you are going to make a negative comment, attack the idea, not the author, writer or person.
The third rule is one I truly agreed with, if you dont' do it NOW, then when wll you do it? As an avid procrastintor, this rule stuck with me and is defintely one my mom has told me before. Lublin points out that some people procrastinte so much they actually end up putting of procrastinating. This could greatly affect one's social media presence and in a bad way, so as difficult as it is for some people, an effect should be made to get things done.
The forth rule is, I don't care what "everyone" is doing. In this rule, Lublin states that, "don't be a slave to social proof." He said that people need to make choices based on their own needs, skills, talents and do whatever fits into one's schedule. To have a social media presence, you need to go with your strengths to be the most effective. What could be the most effective for you is not always what the majority of people do.
The last rule is 5, Now, say you’re sorry—and mean it! Being transparent when using social media is crucial. If you make a mistake do not try to hide it. Correct it, but be open about the correction. This will make you more credible in the future and can also be used as an effective tool when creating a social media presence.
I thought these rules were interesting and helpful. Lublin makes a good point through these rules. They are simple, yet could be extremely effective. I hope you found them to be thought-provoking as well.
Monday, May 2, 2011
It's All About the Buyer
In chapter ten of David Scott's, The New Rules of Marketing and PR, a quote on the second page of the chapter really caught my attention.
Scott wrote, "Standard marketing education still talks about the four P's of marketing - product, place, price, and promotion - as being the most important things. That's nonsense. In order to succeed on the Web under the new rules of marketing and PR, you need to consider your organizational goals and then focus on your buyers first."
When I first read this, the first thought that popped into my head was, "Duh! Why wouldn't the focus be on buyers first?" However, I got to thinking and for many organizations, it is all about the product and customer satisfaction. Scott uses Starbucks as an example. Yes Starbucks coffee is good, and yes most of the workers are fun, upbeat and approachable, but is there more to it? There is and Scott points it out. It could be the atmosphere that people like, or the convenience of a stores location or that it is a place to go relax with a cup of coffee without the hassle of brewing some yourself. It is clear that Starbucks is appealing to what the buyers want and need, not just ranting and raving about how good their caramel latte creamice is (which is spectacular!)
Scott then goes on to talk about the buyer persona profile. As a public relations student, during any and all campaigns you take time to do this when you are focusing on target audiences. What is the target audiences demographics, typical behavior, needs and wants, and use this information to determine the most effective media outlet to use to reach them. After reading this section of Scott's book, when you are applying this evaluation portion to buyer for a market, different questions are asked. Marketing professionals ask themselves questions about the goals, aspirations, problems, what is important, what images appeal to them and what types or words and phrases do they use? Although these approaches are similar, the differences between the two was something I had not known.
Scott ended the chapter with an interesting statement that I think is applicable to all organizations, companies and individuals. Scott said, "remember, on the Web, you are what you publish." This sentence is completely true. Social media is an extraordinary tool for the marketing and public relations fields, however, if used improperly, could be the death of a company. Also, with social sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, individuals reputation could also be tainted because of improper or inappropriate use of social media outlets. This truly is a key statement to keep in mind whenever someone is posting information online.
Scott wrote, "Standard marketing education still talks about the four P's of marketing - product, place, price, and promotion - as being the most important things. That's nonsense. In order to succeed on the Web under the new rules of marketing and PR, you need to consider your organizational goals and then focus on your buyers first."
When I first read this, the first thought that popped into my head was, "Duh! Why wouldn't the focus be on buyers first?" However, I got to thinking and for many organizations, it is all about the product and customer satisfaction. Scott uses Starbucks as an example. Yes Starbucks coffee is good, and yes most of the workers are fun, upbeat and approachable, but is there more to it? There is and Scott points it out. It could be the atmosphere that people like, or the convenience of a stores location or that it is a place to go relax with a cup of coffee without the hassle of brewing some yourself. It is clear that Starbucks is appealing to what the buyers want and need, not just ranting and raving about how good their caramel latte creamice is (which is spectacular!)
Scott then goes on to talk about the buyer persona profile. As a public relations student, during any and all campaigns you take time to do this when you are focusing on target audiences. What is the target audiences demographics, typical behavior, needs and wants, and use this information to determine the most effective media outlet to use to reach them. After reading this section of Scott's book, when you are applying this evaluation portion to buyer for a market, different questions are asked. Marketing professionals ask themselves questions about the goals, aspirations, problems, what is important, what images appeal to them and what types or words and phrases do they use? Although these approaches are similar, the differences between the two was something I had not known.
Scott ended the chapter with an interesting statement that I think is applicable to all organizations, companies and individuals. Scott said, "remember, on the Web, you are what you publish." This sentence is completely true. Social media is an extraordinary tool for the marketing and public relations fields, however, if used improperly, could be the death of a company. Also, with social sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, individuals reputation could also be tainted because of improper or inappropriate use of social media outlets. This truly is a key statement to keep in mind whenever someone is posting information online.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Media Disasters
This week I came across this article posted on PR Daily, The top 5 media disasters in April - Caught on tape. These incidents involved CEOs and vice presidents of companies. This article has video to go with it. Reading this article made me laugh and love public relations at the same time.
The first incident focused on Joe Biden, a very sleepy Joe Biden. When President Obama was giving a very important speech on the entitlement reform, Biden took an accidental snooze. Due to this nice little nap, the media went crazy. Newspaper articles focused on Biden, instead of the new bill. The biggest challenge for the PR professionals who had to deal with this issue was that this was not the first time Biden has fallen asleep and inappropriate times. It also happened during the signing of the health care reform. Handling this situation had to be a challenge.
This next occurence was not as hot of a topic in the press. The next incident mentioned was
about Senator Jon Kyl. During an interview, Senator Jon Kyl stated that 90 percent of Planned Parenthood's work was abortions. The problem with this statement is that is completely incorrect. The actual percentage is only three percent. This issue became a disaster when Kyl's office claimed that the statement "was not meant as a factual statement." Public relations disaster.
The third incident that was written about Mike Lazaridis. Lazaridis is the founder and CEO of Research in Motion or (RIM) which is the maker of BlackBerry. During an interview, Lazaridis fumbled through questions and went off on a tangent when he was asked a question he did not like. He became angry and the media used this as a story for weeks later.
The next happening looked at Dick Fleming, the president and CEO of the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association. Fleming was asked by a reporter about his salary and instead of answering the question, this CEO actually tried to hide in a hotel. This had to be quite the mess for the public relations professionals who had to work on this.
The last featured incident was about Bob Parsons, the CEO of GoDaddy.com. Parsons posted a video online of him brutally killing an elephant while on a trip in Africa. Whether people are an animal lover or not, they were mad. After this occured, Parsons then threatened to sue any bloggers that posted the video. Parsons never once apologized, he blamed wildlife organizations for the bad press, and boldly stated he was going to kill another elephant. Needless to say, GoDaddy.com lost thousands of customers.
All in all, this article was interesting and made me stop and think. Why do people do stupid things? Especially people who are in the spotlight often. Then again, I do stupid things pretty frequently, never on purpose, like most of these CEO's did not mean to as well.
The first incident focused on Joe Biden, a very sleepy Joe Biden. When President Obama was giving a very important speech on the entitlement reform, Biden took an accidental snooze. Due to this nice little nap, the media went crazy. Newspaper articles focused on Biden, instead of the new bill. The biggest challenge for the PR professionals who had to deal with this issue was that this was not the first time Biden has fallen asleep and inappropriate times. It also happened during the signing of the health care reform. Handling this situation had to be a challenge.
This next occurence was not as hot of a topic in the press. The next incident mentioned was
about Senator Jon Kyl. During an interview, Senator Jon Kyl stated that 90 percent of Planned Parenthood's work was abortions. The problem with this statement is that is completely incorrect. The actual percentage is only three percent. This issue became a disaster when Kyl's office claimed that the statement "was not meant as a factual statement." Public relations disaster.
The third incident that was written about Mike Lazaridis. Lazaridis is the founder and CEO of Research in Motion or (RIM) which is the maker of BlackBerry. During an interview, Lazaridis fumbled through questions and went off on a tangent when he was asked a question he did not like. He became angry and the media used this as a story for weeks later.
The next happening looked at Dick Fleming, the president and CEO of the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association. Fleming was asked by a reporter about his salary and instead of answering the question, this CEO actually tried to hide in a hotel. This had to be quite the mess for the public relations professionals who had to work on this.
The last featured incident was about Bob Parsons, the CEO of GoDaddy.com. Parsons posted a video online of him brutally killing an elephant while on a trip in Africa. Whether people are an animal lover or not, they were mad. After this occured, Parsons then threatened to sue any bloggers that posted the video. Parsons never once apologized, he blamed wildlife organizations for the bad press, and boldly stated he was going to kill another elephant. Needless to say, GoDaddy.com lost thousands of customers.
All in all, this article was interesting and made me stop and think. Why do people do stupid things? Especially people who are in the spotlight often. Then again, I do stupid things pretty frequently, never on purpose, like most of these CEO's did not mean to as well.
Tweet Tweet
This week we had an interesting assignment for Social Media class. For this assignment, we had to follow two professionals and two organizations on Twitter for one whole week. The purpose was to see how companies and PR professionals use their Twitter accounts. We were also told to look for trends, specifically how people used hashtags. I tried to follow people or companies I was already following. One of the PR masterminds I decided to pay close attention to was Daniel Lemin.
For those of you that do not know, Daniel Lemin is a big deal. He graduated from Ohio Northern and went to do to public relations work for Google. Now, he owns in own PR firm called Social Studio. Daniel is an extremely successful professional and a very nice person too. I was lucky enough to meet him this year at ONU's PaRtner's Conference. He was the keynote speaker. He also came in and presented in my case studies class. This week, Daniel tweeted four times. His posts were all related to public relations like this one:
For those of you that do not know, Daniel Lemin is a big deal. He graduated from Ohio Northern and went to do to public relations work for Google. Now, he owns in own PR firm called Social Studio. Daniel is an extremely successful professional and a very nice person too. I was lucky enough to meet him this year at ONU's PaRtner's Conference. He was the keynote speaker. He also came in and presented in my case studies class. This week, Daniel tweeted four times. His posts were all related to public relations like this one:
Cutting and insightful words of wisdom. Are we in a social media bubble? http://t.co/nEzavPS via @Econsultancy
Daniel adds links to his tweets very often, however he does not use hashtags very frequently. He also tweets at people in nearly all of his tweets and responds to people who tweet at him. The articles Daniel posted links to were interesting and though provoking. All of Daniel's tweets were public relations related. It was clear to me that Daniel uses his Twitter for professional purposes, versus only social. If you are not following him already, I recommend you do, especially if you are into public relations and social media.
The other professional I decided to follow more closely this week was Susan Slater. Susan is the public relations coordinator at Columbus Speech and Hearing. Susan has racked up nearly 3,000 tweets. She tends to tweet frequently during the day. Most of her tweets are about what she is doing during the day, something she finds to be interesting, or an entertaining fact. She is funny and upbeat about things through her tweets, like this one:
@ngiverson Happy Birthday, lady!! And, have fun at the dentist! Strange enough, I too enjoy having my teeth cleaned :-)
It looks like Susan uses her Twitter account primarily for social purposes. She often tweets at people and retweets other posts. She sometimes adds links or uses hashtags, but it is not very regularly. When she does add a link to her postings, it is usually connected with a unique news article.
One of the organizations I chose to evaluate this week was ESPN. ESPN tweets all the time, on average about ten times per day. ESPN is constantly posting tweets about scores to games, before, during, and after the contest. ESPN also uses Twitter to share information about athletes, like broken records, highlights from a game, or interesting facts. This tweet is a good example of a normal tweet from ESPN:
D-Wade puts on a show in the first half and drops 38 total points. 99-90, Heat take Game 1 - http://es.pn/lMHvLK
ESPN almost always will add a link to the tweet. The link is usually to a news article about a game. ESPN does not use hashtags very often, in fact I saw one tweet with a hashtag. If you like sports, you should definitely follow ESPN.
The second organization I analyzed during this week was PRSA. PRSA stands for the Public Relations Society of America. This organization is the parent society for one of the groups I am extremely involved with, the public relations student society of America. PRSA uses Twitter to post information about happenings in the world of public relations. The organization attaches links to articles in nearly ever tweet posted. Here is an example of a typical PRSA tweet:
Take a sneak peak at USA Today’s 2012 forecast for travel & hospitality trends @ #prsa T&T Conf. http://bit.ly/lRNBMZ #travelprsa
PRSA tweets often, around five or six times per day. PRSA tweets at people often and also utilizes hashtags well. In fact, there is a hashtag for this organization, #prsa. If you are interested in public relations, I highly recommend following PRSA.
I thought this assignment was interesting and fun. I am looking forward to reading the postings of my classmates and hopefully I will find some interesting professionals and organizations to follow.
Friday, April 29, 2011
My New Friend
This week my best friend Ericka got a puppy. I have been deemed as an Aunt to this wonderful little rascal. Meet Milano, one of the most adorable puppies I have ever seen. She's a pure bred boxer. She looks tiny now, but she will grow to be around 80 pounds.
After being around her and seeing Ericka's face when she finally got to take her home, I want a puppy of my own.However, I realize that getting puppy now would not be a very good idea. As a soon to be college graduate, now may not be the best time to get a dog of my own. Next year I will be working long days and will also be living in a city. It would be extremely hard to find the time and energy to train a puppy.
Ericka is a junior this year and knew that she wanted to get a puppy when she graduated and was going to be living on her own. She decided to get get Milano now so she could train her before she moved away. I think this is a great idea. This way, the dog will be house broken and hopefully listen well.
I want to have a dog of my own within three years. Right now I am looking at two different types of dogs. I think Pomeranian are absolutely adorable. Their hair is crazy and the ones I have played with are nice too. I also like bull mastiffs, a breed that is much larger than Pomeranian. These dogs look tough but are actually very calm. For those of you who have seen the movie, the dog in The Sandlot is a bull mastiff. Here's a picture of both.
In my opinion, they both are awesome. Which type of dog would you prefer? Hopefully one of these cuties will be my furry friend soon.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Engaged Games
This week in class, all the students and I divided into groups of four and each took a section in Brian Solis's Engage. For this assignment, each group created a study guide and interactive game to play with the entire class. I thought this was a helpful and fun activity! The study guides helped me highlight the key points in the book and the game allowed me to better retain the information. My group was assigned to examine Part 4.
My group and I thought that the 10 Rules of Engagement must go on the study guide. These rules can be found on page 190 in the text. Similar rules have been identified in some of the other books we have been reading. The Rules are extremely important, and if remembered, can truly help someone be a strong social media force.
Another piece of information my group and I found to be important was the list of the divisions of social media found on page 218. There are seven different workforces in the field of public relations that Solis highlighted in Part 4 of the text. These divisions are:
The last portion of the text my group and I added to the study guide was the information printed on pages 220-225. These five pages are about the elements of the conversation index. There are four pieces of the conversation index: listening, documentation, presentation and observation. The conversation index is also an applicable tool my classmates and I can use.
I thought this activity was fun and interesting. The games that were played resembled wheel of fortune, hangman and a true and false questioning game. Our professor gave away prizes to the winners of the games. Not only did I learn the information, I was super excited when I won the Wheel of Fortune/hangman game!
My group and I thought that the 10 Rules of Engagement must go on the study guide. These rules can be found on page 190 in the text. Similar rules have been identified in some of the other books we have been reading. The Rules are extremely important, and if remembered, can truly help someone be a strong social media force.
Another piece of information my group and I found to be important was the list of the divisions of social media found on page 218. There are seven different workforces in the field of public relations that Solis highlighted in Part 4 of the text. These divisions are:
- Customer or product support
- Product and sales
- Marketing/PR
- Community
- Corporate communications
- Crisis
- Support
The last portion of the text my group and I added to the study guide was the information printed on pages 220-225. These five pages are about the elements of the conversation index. There are four pieces of the conversation index: listening, documentation, presentation and observation. The conversation index is also an applicable tool my classmates and I can use.
I thought this activity was fun and interesting. The games that were played resembled wheel of fortune, hangman and a true and false questioning game. Our professor gave away prizes to the winners of the games. Not only did I learn the information, I was super excited when I won the Wheel of Fortune/hangman game!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Gwyneth Paltrow Can Do It All
I came across this article the other day. The article, She Acts. She Sings. She Cooks? was posted on The New York Times Web site on April 13, 2011. The article is all aboutt a massive dinner part that Gwyneth Paltrow hosted. Sixty celebrities including Cameron Diaz, Jay-Z, Martha Stewart and many more, were invited to indulge in quite the exquisite feast. The catch was, Gwyneth was the cook.
Who ever is Gwyneth's publicist deserves credit for this event. This large dining event was held to announce the release of Gwyneth's first cookbook called, "My Father's Daughter." During the dinner, all the meals prepared were from the new cookbook. The first course was roasted red peppers with anchovies and escarole This dish seemed to be a hit with the guests. For the main course, Gwyneth prepared a pappardelle with a hearty duck ragù, however a lighter version of the tomato sauce was used. Sounds good if you ask me. For dessert, a dish full of berries in a caramelized cream was served along with a cup of warm coffee.
The guests seemed to thoroughly enjoy the meal and had high regards for Gwyneth's abilities in the kitchen. This was a hidden talent for this celebrity that was publicized in the perfect manner. In recent months, it seems that celebrities are only mentioned in the news for the bad, strange or inappropriate things they are doing. This was a great example of a celebrity in the spotlight for something positive. Kudos to Gwyneth's publicist. The release dinner party was a giant success.
Who ever is Gwyneth's publicist deserves credit for this event. This large dining event was held to announce the release of Gwyneth's first cookbook called, "My Father's Daughter." During the dinner, all the meals prepared were from the new cookbook. The first course was roasted red peppers with anchovies and escarole This dish seemed to be a hit with the guests. For the main course, Gwyneth prepared a pappardelle with a hearty duck ragù, however a lighter version of the tomato sauce was used. Sounds good if you ask me. For dessert, a dish full of berries in a caramelized cream was served along with a cup of warm coffee.
The guests seemed to thoroughly enjoy the meal and had high regards for Gwyneth's abilities in the kitchen. This was a hidden talent for this celebrity that was publicized in the perfect manner. In recent months, it seems that celebrities are only mentioned in the news for the bad, strange or inappropriate things they are doing. This was a great example of a celebrity in the spotlight for something positive. Kudos to Gwyneth's publicist. The release dinner party was a giant success.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Home Sweet Home
This blog post is a little different. Instead of writing the blog on my laptop while I'm sitting in my room, posted up in the PAC lab working on one of the Macs, I'm writing on my parent's desktop at home in wonderful Howell, Michigan. Since I have been home I have realized a couple of things.
One thing that hit me since being home, is this could be the last time I am home for a while. After graduation, I am planning on moving to Columbus to begin my professional career. Actually I plan on moving straight from Ada to Columbus the week after graduation. Columbus is a little less than four hours away from home, so while I am home this weekend, I am moving things to and from Ada. I am trying to sort through what I will need for my new apartment and what I can leave for my parents to sell in a garage sale. Knowing that I am officially moving out of my parents house in less than two months is a bitter sweet feeling. I am excited to be on my own, but it makes me appreciate home more than ever.
Another thing that I realized when I first walked in the door, is my house has a certain sort of smell that makes it "home." I am sure others can relate to this too, but there is a specific aroma that is different from other places I have been. It smells like the laundry detergent my family uses and the scent of my mom's favorite Bath and Body Works candle. This smell puts me at ease and instantly puts me into relaxation mode. I love it and I really am going to miss smelling it on a regular basis.
Since I have been, I have decided that I am getting a dog. My family and I have two dogs. One is $15 special from the pound who is a mix of nearly six different breeds of dog. His name is Buddy and he is big, black and hairy. Our other dog is a small pure bred pug named Jayce. Both of them happily welcome anyone who comes to the door, instantly want to play and add a sense of security when anyone is home alone. If I am going to be living by myself, I am going to need a dog. Even at the age of 22, I am completely scared of the dark. A big, furry dog would help make living by myself better.
I love being home and every time I am here it is hard to leave. Knowing that this is the I will be out on my own after graduation is sort of overwhelming but exciting at the same time. I will truly be independent, living four hours away from my family in my own place while making my own money. Moving into my own place in Columbus is going to be fun, but no matter when I move in my life, no where will be as good as my home in Michigan.
One thing that hit me since being home, is this could be the last time I am home for a while. After graduation, I am planning on moving to Columbus to begin my professional career. Actually I plan on moving straight from Ada to Columbus the week after graduation. Columbus is a little less than four hours away from home, so while I am home this weekend, I am moving things to and from Ada. I am trying to sort through what I will need for my new apartment and what I can leave for my parents to sell in a garage sale. Knowing that I am officially moving out of my parents house in less than two months is a bitter sweet feeling. I am excited to be on my own, but it makes me appreciate home more than ever.
Another thing that I realized when I first walked in the door, is my house has a certain sort of smell that makes it "home." I am sure others can relate to this too, but there is a specific aroma that is different from other places I have been. It smells like the laundry detergent my family uses and the scent of my mom's favorite Bath and Body Works candle. This smell puts me at ease and instantly puts me into relaxation mode. I love it and I really am going to miss smelling it on a regular basis.
Since I have been, I have decided that I am getting a dog. My family and I have two dogs. One is $15 special from the pound who is a mix of nearly six different breeds of dog. His name is Buddy and he is big, black and hairy. Our other dog is a small pure bred pug named Jayce. Both of them happily welcome anyone who comes to the door, instantly want to play and add a sense of security when anyone is home alone. If I am going to be living by myself, I am going to need a dog. Even at the age of 22, I am completely scared of the dark. A big, furry dog would help make living by myself better.
I love being home and every time I am here it is hard to leave. Knowing that this is the I will be out on my own after graduation is sort of overwhelming but exciting at the same time. I will truly be independent, living four hours away from my family in my own place while making my own money. Moving into my own place in Columbus is going to be fun, but no matter when I move in my life, no where will be as good as my home in Michigan.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
My VisualCv
Here's the link to my new VisualCv account. This is my online social media resume that I created for an assignment for my social media class. Also, feel free to view my LinkedIn profile!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Engage in the News
This week I was was looking for something to write about for our "PR in the news" blog. I started researching and came across an article about one of the books we are reading in class, Brian Solis's Engage. The article focused on what the book was about and also asked readers to "engage" and comment with suggestions that Solis is going to use in another edition of his book.
The version we are reading in class was released one year ago, and is referred to by many PR professionals as a "guide for brands and businesses to build success and measure it on the 'new Web." During an interview that is mentioned in the article, Solis pointed out some changes he made after receiving feedback about his book. He used social media, such as Twitter and blog posts, to listen to what his audience had to say. Scott used this research and made changes. He cut 35,ooo words from the original book, wish turned out to be roughly 40 sections in the text. Pretty significant. He also used what his viewers had to say to create new sections and tweak certain chapters.
Solis stated, “It was less about worrying about people’s attention span and more about trying to revise the flow of how I wanted people to experience the book. It wound up being shorter, but I introduced new topics to improve that experience and add more value."
In my opinion, this was a great example of a PR professional at work. He listened to his audience and made adjustments in order to make his product fit to their demands and needs. So far, from what I have read of Engage, I enjoy it and find the information educational, interesting, and helpful. While reading this article, I also checked out Solis's blog. Let me say, as a recent blogger, I found his blog to be somewhat extravagant and fancy. However it was, like his book, interesting. If you have not checked out his blog yet, you definitely should.
The version we are reading in class was released one year ago, and is referred to by many PR professionals as a "guide for brands and businesses to build success and measure it on the 'new Web." During an interview that is mentioned in the article, Solis pointed out some changes he made after receiving feedback about his book. He used social media, such as Twitter and blog posts, to listen to what his audience had to say. Scott used this research and made changes. He cut 35,ooo words from the original book, wish turned out to be roughly 40 sections in the text. Pretty significant. He also used what his viewers had to say to create new sections and tweak certain chapters.
Solis stated, “It was less about worrying about people’s attention span and more about trying to revise the flow of how I wanted people to experience the book. It wound up being shorter, but I introduced new topics to improve that experience and add more value."
In my opinion, this was a great example of a PR professional at work. He listened to his audience and made adjustments in order to make his product fit to their demands and needs. So far, from what I have read of Engage, I enjoy it and find the information educational, interesting, and helpful. While reading this article, I also checked out Solis's blog. Let me say, as a recent blogger, I found his blog to be somewhat extravagant and fancy. However it was, like his book, interesting. If you have not checked out his blog yet, you definitely should.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Oh Great and Powerful Webmaster
This week I read the ninth chapter in David Scott's The New Rules of Marketing and PR. This chapter focused on web-based communication, which for me, is an unknown world. Looking back, I wish I could have fit a web design class into my schedule somewhere, because I believe learning the tools to create, design, and manage a Web site would be phenomenal. In fact, this week we started the election process for our PRSSA chapter, and one of the positions few students were quick to pursue was "Webmaster and Historian." So what does a Webmaster actually do? Thanks to Scott, I now know.
According to Scott, "at many companies, Webmasters-the kings of technology-focus all their attention on cool software plug-ins, on HTML, XML, and all sorts of other 'MLs; and on nitty-gritty stuff like server technology and Internet Service Providers." Sounds complicated. Scott makes an interesting point further in the chapter about the content of the Web site. Is the Webmaster in charge of producing all of the content too? Not always, however this is the most important part of a Web site. Scott stated, "the best Web sites focus primarily on content to pull together their carious buyers, markets, media, and products in one comprehensive place where content is not only king, but president, and Pope as well." It is clear that developing new and fresh content for a Web site is the key to whether or not the site is successful at reaching the target audience and properly disseminating the message.
Scott continued to emphasize the importance of knowing and understanding the buyers. Once the Web master has a clear concept of the needs, wants, and demands of the buyers, this information should be used to create a Web site. After reading more about what goes into creating and maintaining a Web site, one thing is clear. The people that do this well must have a passion for this. I wish I had the Web site design knowledge in my arsenal of skills as I prepare to enter the professional world. I think people who do are very fortunate.
Friday, April 15, 2011
35 days
Where has time gone? As of this coming Sunday, I only have 35 days left as an undergraduate student and Ohio Northern University. This feels absolutely crazy. Before I walk across the stage and receive my diploma, there are a couple more things on my "Bucket List" that I want to cross off.
One thing I want to do before I graduate is pull a good prank. I know that makes me sound like a high school student, but it has always been something I want to do. My housemates and I have been plotting a couple of different tricks we hope to pull on some of our close friends. We were thinking about putting plastic spoons all over their yard or covering someone's car in plasticwrap. (If you have any ideas, please comment!) The only thing holding us back is that the "target" is a house full of boys, who could very well retaliate and start a prank war.
The second thing I want to do is venture past Johnson street and see the outskirts of Ada. In the four years I have been living in Ada, I have never gone past that street. It seems like unknown territory, and I know the likelihood of finding anything interesting or shocking is slim to none, but I still want to take part in the adventure.
Another thing I want to do is have a campfire in my backyard with friends. This probably sounds pretty sappy, but I think it would be fun. We have a fire pit in my backyard that my roommates and I have not use yet. I am not picturing all of my friends and I holding hands and singing "coom-by-ya", just spending time together before we all part ways.
The fact that my college years are coming to an end is sad and scary. It will be strange not to see the same people I have been friends with for four years. As small and simple as these "Bucket List" things may be, I hope I am able to cross them off the list.
One thing I want to do before I graduate is pull a good prank. I know that makes me sound like a high school student, but it has always been something I want to do. My housemates and I have been plotting a couple of different tricks we hope to pull on some of our close friends. We were thinking about putting plastic spoons all over their yard or covering someone's car in plasticwrap. (If you have any ideas, please comment!) The only thing holding us back is that the "target" is a house full of boys, who could very well retaliate and start a prank war.
The second thing I want to do is venture past Johnson street and see the outskirts of Ada. In the four years I have been living in Ada, I have never gone past that street. It seems like unknown territory, and I know the likelihood of finding anything interesting or shocking is slim to none, but I still want to take part in the adventure.
Another thing I want to do is have a campfire in my backyard with friends. This probably sounds pretty sappy, but I think it would be fun. We have a fire pit in my backyard that my roommates and I have not use yet. I am not picturing all of my friends and I holding hands and singing "coom-by-ya", just spending time together before we all part ways.
The fact that my college years are coming to an end is sad and scary. It will be strange not to see the same people I have been friends with for four years. As small and simple as these "Bucket List" things may be, I hope I am able to cross them off the list.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
CRASH
Picture this: You're a senior in your last quarter of college and it is a Friday night. The metropolis your college is so conveniently located in is booming with fun activities and happy people just looking to unwind from a stressful week. However, you are not one of those people. You are a diligent and dedicated student, who is confined to your room with a looming 15 page paper at the top of your "To Do" list. Even though it is a Friday night, and you can hear music blaring from neighboring houses and the laughter of your peers, you have your thinking cap on and totally working. You are on a roll and just busted out six pages of your demanding assignment in only two hours. As you smile and start to think "dang...at this rate I may be able to be social tomorrow night," a giant window pops up and begins blinking bold red words like, "MALICIOUS VIRUS," "CORRUPTED PROGRAMS," and "38 VIRUSES TOTAL." As you scream like a two-year-old who just got a piece of candy ripped away from them, you frantically try to correct the problem. You are power poking every key, pounding on the power button, and slamming your flash drive into the side of your laptop while crossing your fingers your six pages will save. All of the sudden, you are staring at a completely black screen. You just experienced a computer crash, and unfortunately, for the first time in four years, "you" was me.
I am not going to lie, when I saw that black screen I was instantly infuriated. I immediately called my computer engineering friend to see if he could fix it. However, it just so happened that this week all the senior engineering majors had to take this eight hour Fundamentals of Engineering exam on Saturday. My friend told me, "Ellen, I love you, but not that much. I'm cramming for the rest of the night, taking an eight hour long test tomorrow, then no offense...I'm power drinking for the rest of the night." I was disappointed, but understood. Turns out, I lost my paper and my bibliography, which meant I had to go back through my 30-50 page long sources and find the one sentence I used in the paper.
In case this happens to you, and you somehow miraculously get your computer to deviate from the eerie black screen, check out this site. There are some instructions on how to rid your computer of the evil viruses.
This was one of the most stressful events I have ever had happen to me. Needless to say, I spent the rest of Friday attempting to get back to the point I was at before my computer crashed. I reached the four page mark, spent Saturday night working on it, and the majority of Sunday. However, it is done, and I have never felt so relieved.
I am not going to lie, when I saw that black screen I was instantly infuriated. I immediately called my computer engineering friend to see if he could fix it. However, it just so happened that this week all the senior engineering majors had to take this eight hour Fundamentals of Engineering exam on Saturday. My friend told me, "Ellen, I love you, but not that much. I'm cramming for the rest of the night, taking an eight hour long test tomorrow, then no offense...I'm power drinking for the rest of the night." I was disappointed, but understood. Turns out, I lost my paper and my bibliography, which meant I had to go back through my 30-50 page long sources and find the one sentence I used in the paper.
In case this happens to you, and you somehow miraculously get your computer to deviate from the eerie black screen, check out this site. There are some instructions on how to rid your computer of the evil viruses.
This was one of the most stressful events I have ever had happen to me. Needless to say, I spent the rest of Friday attempting to get back to the point I was at before my computer crashed. I reached the four page mark, spent Saturday night working on it, and the majority of Sunday. However, it is done, and I have never felt so relieved.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Videos and Podcasts
In class this week, we discussed podcasting and videos. We went more in depth in the discussions and looked at chapter six in David Scotts' The New Rules of Marketing & PR, which focused heavily on podcasting. However, I tried the relate what we were talking about in class to work I am doing. This week I was able to relate the material we were covering in class with the job I have on campus.
For the last four years, I have worked for ONU's Sports Information Department. This year, the Communications and Marketing and Sports Information Departments created 30 second videos featuring ONU's student athletes. These videos have been used to create awareness about the excellence of our academic and athletic programs, highlight the achievements of ONU's student-athletes, and recruit future students. Here is the first video that was made.
For the last four years, I have worked for ONU's Sports Information Department. This year, the Communications and Marketing and Sports Information Departments created 30 second videos featuring ONU's student athletes. These videos have been used to create awareness about the excellence of our academic and athletic programs, highlight the achievements of ONU's student-athletes, and recruit future students. Here is the first video that was made.
This video has been viewed 1,718 times. The video plays on the JumboTron before basketball games, on ONU3TV, and in neighboring towns. This video was a success, which led to the creation of other videos. Here is another video highlighting other student-athletes who are successful on and of the court or field.
This video has 2,346 views. The Communications and Marketing Department have also created videos highlighting student life at Ohio Northern, which have been viewed over 4,000 times. It's clear, that even when dealing with a small market, videos and podcasts can be effective when reaching out to a target public.
Friday, April 8, 2011
A Trip To The Windy City
One thing I learned this week is as soon as you make plans, it is very likely that those plans will change.
This week I traveled with fellow ONU PRSSA chapter members to Chicago. A group of approximately 15 students and I got the opportunity to spend three days visiting some of the best public relations agencies in town. Before this trip, I had never considered working for a public relations agency, especially in a big city like Chicago. However, I have to admit after visiting with Ruder-Finn, Ketchum, Golin Harris and Weber Shandwick that has completely changed.
As a public relations and sport management dual major, my aspirations have also been to work in the sports world. As a senior, I feel as though I could work in a number of different positions within a professional sport organization, which is why all the applications I have filled out this year have been directed toward getting a job with a sports team. However, after learning more about the opportunities that lie in a position with a public relations agency that may change. Many of the myths and opinions I had about working for an agency were squashed after learning more in Chicago.
The first is the idea that all agencies have "scary, demanding, and harsh" atmospheres. I could not have been more wrong. Although it is clear that agency life is competitive, it was clear that the people working at the firms we visited absolutely loved their jobs. Each professional highlighted fun activities employees do together, mentorship programs and the open door policy their bosses maintain. Some firms talked about happy hours on Friday, volunteer days and softball teams they particpate in that bring employees closer together. To me, this was fantastic and very surprising.
The second myth that was busted was how I thought the hiring process worked. Before visiting the firms, I assumed that account executive positions were announced and these firms looked to recent graduates to fill the position. Wrong again. Every firm we visited pointed out that new hires typically begin as an intern and stay in this position for three to six months. Then, the intern is evaluated and often promoted to either an assistant account executive or account executive position. It is clear that the way to get in with a public relations agency is through proving yourself as an intern.
The third and final opinion this visit changed is the idea that agency life does not fit my personality. Let me tell you, this was completely incorrect. After talking with representatives, it was apparent to me that I hold multiple personality traits that would fit perfectly in an agency setting. The ability to learn quickly, a strong work ethic and creativity were a few that stuck out to me. All of the professionals we met with had these traits, and I believe I do as well.
This week I traveled with fellow ONU PRSSA chapter members to Chicago. A group of approximately 15 students and I got the opportunity to spend three days visiting some of the best public relations agencies in town. Before this trip, I had never considered working for a public relations agency, especially in a big city like Chicago. However, I have to admit after visiting with Ruder-Finn, Ketchum, Golin Harris and Weber Shandwick that has completely changed.
As a public relations and sport management dual major, my aspirations have also been to work in the sports world. As a senior, I feel as though I could work in a number of different positions within a professional sport organization, which is why all the applications I have filled out this year have been directed toward getting a job with a sports team. However, after learning more about the opportunities that lie in a position with a public relations agency that may change. Many of the myths and opinions I had about working for an agency were squashed after learning more in Chicago.
The first is the idea that all agencies have "scary, demanding, and harsh" atmospheres. I could not have been more wrong. Although it is clear that agency life is competitive, it was clear that the people working at the firms we visited absolutely loved their jobs. Each professional highlighted fun activities employees do together, mentorship programs and the open door policy their bosses maintain. Some firms talked about happy hours on Friday, volunteer days and softball teams they particpate in that bring employees closer together. To me, this was fantastic and very surprising.
The second myth that was busted was how I thought the hiring process worked. Before visiting the firms, I assumed that account executive positions were announced and these firms looked to recent graduates to fill the position. Wrong again. Every firm we visited pointed out that new hires typically begin as an intern and stay in this position for three to six months. Then, the intern is evaluated and often promoted to either an assistant account executive or account executive position. It is clear that the way to get in with a public relations agency is through proving yourself as an intern.
The third and final opinion this visit changed is the idea that agency life does not fit my personality. Let me tell you, this was completely incorrect. After talking with representatives, it was apparent to me that I hold multiple personality traits that would fit perfectly in an agency setting. The ability to learn quickly, a strong work ethic and creativity were a few that stuck out to me. All of the professionals we met with had these traits, and I believe I do as well.
Overall, I am very happy I chose to go on this trip. It was an amazing experience that allowed me to walk away with a completely new perspective on the world of agency PR. I thought I had my life after college planned out, but after this trip, things may change. Thank you to all the professionals that took the time to meet with us, the ONU Communications and Theatre Arts Department, and our professors Aggie and Dr. I for giving us this opportunity!
The group at Wrigley Field with ONU alum and PR Specialist, Kevin Saghy
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Me Me Me...MEMES!
This week, our readings focused on podcasts. I was excited to learn more about podcasts because this is one area that is new to me. Reading The New Rules of Marketing and Public Relations by David Scott helped me gain a grasp on what exactly a podcast is, why it is useful and how to create one.
According to Scott, "a podcast is simply audio content connected to an RSS feed." Scott alost pointed out that "podcasts were created because of two developments. The first development was the ability to add audio feeds and notifications to RSS. The second major development was the availability of those podcast feeds through iTunes." I found this to be fascinating. Podcasts have created a way for organizations an outlet to place information that audiences can reach easily. Podcasts allow audience members to download the information and listen it to it when it is most convenient for them.
Scott stated a number of reasons why podcasts are helpful. One way that stuck out to me was "how-to" podcasts. Companies and organizations have created series of podcasts for customers to use that explain how to use new products. These have been proven to be helpful for customers and clearly informed them of proper use of the product.
The readings this week were interesting and helpful. To my surprise, the books we have been assigned to read are enjoyable. I feel like I am reading leisurely, not studying a textbook which is great. The deeper we dive into the readings about social media, the more engaged I am to participate.
According to Scott, "a podcast is simply audio content connected to an RSS feed." Scott alost pointed out that "podcasts were created because of two developments. The first development was the ability to add audio feeds and notifications to RSS. The second major development was the availability of those podcast feeds through iTunes." I found this to be fascinating. Podcasts have created a way for organizations an outlet to place information that audiences can reach easily. Podcasts allow audience members to download the information and listen it to it when it is most convenient for them.
Scott stated a number of reasons why podcasts are helpful. One way that stuck out to me was "how-to" podcasts. Companies and organizations have created series of podcasts for customers to use that explain how to use new products. These have been proven to be helpful for customers and clearly informed them of proper use of the product.
The readings this week were interesting and helpful. To my surprise, the books we have been assigned to read are enjoyable. I feel like I am reading leisurely, not studying a textbook which is great. The deeper we dive into the readings about social media, the more engaged I am to participate.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
PaRtners Hosted By The Polar Bears
This weekend, ONU's Public Relations Student Society of America chapter had the opportunity to host the annual central Ohio PaRtners conference. PaRtners is a day long regional activity that allows students the chance to learn and gain helpful insight from professionals in a conference setting. Although the planning process was extensive, being a part of the team that cordinated the event was extremely rewarding.
On Saturday, we had approximately 50 students and 25 professionals in attendance. The day began at 9 a.m. and finished around 4 p.m. The day started with registration and breakfast where students could mingle with one another. Next, our keynote presenter, Daniel Lemin addressed all the students. Lemin is the current owner of Social Studio, PR agency in Los Angeles. Before he started up his own public relations firm, he was the past Corporate Communication Specialist at Google and Director of Paine PR. After the keynote presentation concluded, the first of three sessions began.
During the first session, students chose between one of three presentations to attend. The first three focused on working in a public relations agency, non profit PR and starting up a firm. The second session included presentations about health care public relations, media relations and government PR. After this session, students and professionals broke for lunch. Lunch was sponsored by a local restaurant Kewpee. While the students ate, they were divided into teams and participated in an activity. The activity challenged students to tackle different aspects of public relations in a crisis situation dealing with professor passing a college basketball star so he could play in the NCAA tournament. After lunch ended, the last session was held. The three topics covered in presentations dealt with tips when job searching, transitioning into PRSA and utilizing the use of social media to brand yourself. At the end of the day, the winning team from the activity were selected and awarded a prize, a raffle took place then the ONU PRSSA chapter president made closing remarks.
I was amazed and very thankful that the day ran so smoothly. The food arrived on time, everyone that registered showed up and we stayed on schedule. It was evident that students were enjoying the sessions and professionals were eager to give advice. I had a wonderful time in the sessions I attended and walked away with more knowledge about the PR field.
On Saturday, we had approximately 50 students and 25 professionals in attendance. The day began at 9 a.m. and finished around 4 p.m. The day started with registration and breakfast where students could mingle with one another. Next, our keynote presenter, Daniel Lemin addressed all the students. Lemin is the current owner of Social Studio, PR agency in Los Angeles. Before he started up his own public relations firm, he was the past Corporate Communication Specialist at Google and Director of Paine PR. After the keynote presentation concluded, the first of three sessions began.
During the first session, students chose between one of three presentations to attend. The first three focused on working in a public relations agency, non profit PR and starting up a firm. The second session included presentations about health care public relations, media relations and government PR. After this session, students and professionals broke for lunch. Lunch was sponsored by a local restaurant Kewpee. While the students ate, they were divided into teams and participated in an activity. The activity challenged students to tackle different aspects of public relations in a crisis situation dealing with professor passing a college basketball star so he could play in the NCAA tournament. After lunch ended, the last session was held. The three topics covered in presentations dealt with tips when job searching, transitioning into PRSA and utilizing the use of social media to brand yourself. At the end of the day, the winning team from the activity were selected and awarded a prize, a raffle took place then the ONU PRSSA chapter president made closing remarks.
I was amazed and very thankful that the day ran so smoothly. The food arrived on time, everyone that registered showed up and we stayed on schedule. It was evident that students were enjoying the sessions and professionals were eager to give advice. I had a wonderful time in the sessions I attended and walked away with more knowledge about the PR field.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Time To Be A Big Girl!
This Friday marks the end of week 4, which means I am half way through the last quarter of my college career. My goal at the beginning of my senior was to have a job lined up upon graduation. Now I know this is a goal almost every college senior has, however I never realized how much work it would consist of, how stressful it would be and how much it would propel me into realizing that I going to be part of "the real world."
Since fall quarter, I have been applying to numerous entry level positions. Most of the positions have been in communication, social media and public relations. These positions have also been in different fields of communications. However, I have noticed that numerous "entry level" positions require 3-5 years of experience. As a recent college graduate, I do not have that. I have been applying for the positions with this requirement any way, but I do not expect a call back.
During winter quarter, I attended three job fairs that were held by different professional sports teams. I tailored my resume to multiple positions I was thought were interesting. These job fairs allowed me the opportunity to meet face to face with potential employers, which I thought was great. The conversations I had with the professionals led to interviews, both on the phone and face to face. I am eager and excited to see how this long process ends.
As the midway mark for the quarter approaches, I am happy with where I am at in the process. I look forward to moving to a new area, making new friends and establishing myself as a young professional.
Since fall quarter, I have been applying to numerous entry level positions. Most of the positions have been in communication, social media and public relations. These positions have also been in different fields of communications. However, I have noticed that numerous "entry level" positions require 3-5 years of experience. As a recent college graduate, I do not have that. I have been applying for the positions with this requirement any way, but I do not expect a call back.
During winter quarter, I attended three job fairs that were held by different professional sports teams. I tailored my resume to multiple positions I was thought were interesting. These job fairs allowed me the opportunity to meet face to face with potential employers, which I thought was great. The conversations I had with the professionals led to interviews, both on the phone and face to face. I am eager and excited to see how this long process ends.
As the midway mark for the quarter approaches, I am happy with where I am at in the process. I look forward to moving to a new area, making new friends and establishing myself as a young professional.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
A Very Powerful PR Campaign Tactic
This week one of the assignments was to read chapter 8 in David Scott’s The New Rules of Marketing & PR. Chapter 8 centered around viral marketing and highlighted why certain videos gain millions of views so rapidly.
In my opinion, viral marketing is one of the most fun, interesting and entertaining marketing and PR tactics being used in the profession today. Scott identified one reason why viral marketing is the latest craze when he wrote, “for marketers, one of the coolest things about the Web is that when an idea takes off, it can propel a brand or company to fame and fortune for free.". Viral marketing gives companies the opportunity to creatively and effectively reach their target audience or consumers without spending a dime. Scott also pointed out that typically, the most successful viral videos incorporate comedy. People want to watch videos that can make them laugh, which leads me to my next point. Some of the most popular videos are not tied to a company or organization at all, they are videos are of people doing funny things.
Take the YouTube sensation Keenan Cahill for example. Keenan Cahill is a boy who lip syncs popular songs and adds his own quirky dance moves. People find his remakes to be hilarious (myself included). His video featuring the hit "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry had over 34 million views. The success he experienced on YouTube led to attention from the media, musicians and organizations. In fact, multiple celebrities, such as Katy Perry, recorded short video clips wishing Keenan a happy 16th birthday.
Talk shows such as Tosh.0 and Ellen DeGeneres have incorporated portions of their shows directed toward talking about videos that have gone viral. These hosts pick out their favorite YouTube videos, show them while on air then talk about what they like or dislike about them. This in turn, is helping videos go viral and demonstrates how successful videos can be.
Learning more about the viral marketing has been my favorite part of the class so far. Viral marketing is relatively new but has proven the power to influence large numbers of people. Scott’s last paragraph in chapter 8 stuck with me and I think it is a great quote to use to end my post.
“Viral marketing – having others tell your story for you – is one of the most exciting and powerful ways to reach your audiences. It’s not easy to harness the power, but with careful preparation when you are sitting on the news with clever ideas for what has the potential to create interest, any organization has the power to become famous on the Web."
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Pink Glove Dance was a Viral Success
This week, our readings centered around viral marketing. Each of our texts touched on different aspects of this relatively new marketing technique. During class, we spent some time viewing both successful and unsuccessful viral videos. This sparked an interest in me to dive deeper into other campaigns that implemented the use of videos that went viral. After researching, I came across this Pink Glove Dance Video which proved to be a viral success:
This video was lauched in 2009 by Medline, the nation's largest manufacturer of medical supplies, to increase breast cancer awareness. Medline created the pink colored gloves and committed to donating $1 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation to help fund mammorgrams for women who could not afford them. The company wanted to add a unique element to the campaign that would get people talking about breast cancer. According to an article posted on WowElle , "the idea to combine the gloves and dancing was sparked by Emily Somers, a product Medline manager who had a dance background". This idea took off, and Somers was able to recruit over 200 employees of Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, OR to participate by putting on a pair of pink latex gloves and dance around the hospital to Jay Sean's song "Down". The video instantly went viral, proving to be a gigantic success.
According to the PinkGloveDance website, "over 11 million people across the globe have viewed the video." Other hospitals, sports teams and universities have used this idea to create other Pink Glove dances. In fact, the Penn State women's basketball team joined with a local hospital, Mount Nittany Medical Center, and made their own Pink Glove dance. Take a look:
The website also stated that, "the YouTube video phenomenon has been featured on CNN, ABC World News with Charles Gibson, Fox & Friends - Fox News Network’s national morning show, and literally more than 100 local TV newscasts across the country." In fact, due to the successful campaign, Medline decided to launch a sequel that features 4,000 people including cancer survivors and hosptial employees from 14 healthcare facilities. The sequel was launched on YouTube on September 16, 2010 and currently has 323,516 views. Check it out:.
Medline was able to take a campaign centered around a sensitive subject and make it fun and entertaining. The people dancing in the videos were laughing and smiling, which as a viewer, was contagious. Medline also selected songs that were positive, upbeat and related well to the subject matter. Overall, Medline created an out of the ordinary video as a tactic for a campaign centered around a somewhat common subject. This campaign reached out to a large number of people because a video went viral. After this week, I have an increased appreciation for videos that go viral because just like this one, most of them are fun, entertaining and unique.
According to the PinkGloveDance website, "over 11 million people across the globe have viewed the video." Other hospitals, sports teams and universities have used this idea to create other Pink Glove dances. In fact, the Penn State women's basketball team joined with a local hospital, Mount Nittany Medical Center, and made their own Pink Glove dance. Take a look:
The website also stated that, "the YouTube video phenomenon has been featured on CNN, ABC World News with Charles Gibson, Fox & Friends - Fox News Network’s national morning show, and literally more than 100 local TV newscasts across the country." In fact, due to the successful campaign, Medline decided to launch a sequel that features 4,000 people including cancer survivors and hosptial employees from 14 healthcare facilities. The sequel was launched on YouTube on September 16, 2010 and currently has 323,516 views. Check it out:.
Medline was able to take a campaign centered around a sensitive subject and make it fun and entertaining. The people dancing in the videos were laughing and smiling, which as a viewer, was contagious. Medline also selected songs that were positive, upbeat and related well to the subject matter. Overall, Medline created an out of the ordinary video as a tactic for a campaign centered around a somewhat common subject. This campaign reached out to a large number of people because a video went viral. After this week, I have an increased appreciation for videos that go viral because just like this one, most of them are fun, entertaining and unique.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Blue Barracudas, Banana Shorts and The Clams
Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. The sun finally starts to peak out from behind the winter clouds, the birds start chirping again and you can brave the outdoors without getting covered with snow or nearly blown away by freezing winds. I have noticed when spring rolls around, students become more active on campus. People begin running, walking and rollerblading the green monster. Both of the indoor weight rooms become more crowded with people trying to get in shape for bathing suit season. However, one of my favorite activities that the spring season brings is intramural volleyball.
Volleyball appears to be the favorite of all the intramural sports offered at ONU. This spring, I am playing on three different teams, the Blue Barracudas, Team Banana Shorts and the Clams. After the first week of games, my teams are 1-1, 1-1, and 0-2 (not as good as I was hoping). For those of you that are not familiar with ONU intramurals, teams can choose to sign up in three different leagues. The leagues are A, B and C. Each league has a different level of competitiveness. A is the toughest league, B is mediocre and C resembles a gym class. The rules also tailor to each league, for example, spiking and blocking is not allowed in C league.
Two of these teams I play on are in A league and one is in B league. This year, there are 12 teams competing in the A league and 24 B league teams. If you assume that each of these teams have at least six people on the roster, there are at least 216 students participating in volleyball intramurals. This is without adding the teams from another league too. It is clear that a large number of students enjoy playing volleyball. Volleyball is a team sport that is fun even if you are not very good. It allows people to get away from studying for 45 minutes and get together with friends by being active. This is an activity that allows students to laugh and have fun with friends while playing a sport. I highly recommend gathering a group of friends and signing up for a team. Intramural volleyball is fun, even if your team’s record is not the greatest (like all three of mine).
Sunday, March 20, 2011
No NFL Football?!
What things do you associate with fall? Thanksgiving? The leaves changing colors? School starting? Maybe. But for the majority of Americans, the first thing thought of is football. Whether it's at the professional, collegiate or high school level, when fall rolls around, millions of Americans get fired up to watch their favorite teams compete. However, as many of us know, the NFL team owners and players are in quite the scuffle right now which has resulted in a (heart-breaking and depressing to many) lockout for the upcoming season.
In case you are not familiar with this issue, I found this great article called "NFL owners meetings: Can Leage, NFLPA find harmony amid lockout?" posted on USAToday that breaks down the situation in a way that's easy to understand. This article gives a snap shot of what's currently going, a look at what's to come and answers ten different commonly asked questions about the issue.
Whether you're a die-hard NFL fan or not, this issue has gained a ton of media coverage since the get-go and will continue to as the season approaches. To me, it's crazy to think about fall without professional football! What's going to happen to all the people employed by these teams? This article touches on some of the things different departments are doing.
For example, tickets are still being sold (with the hopes that things will be resolved) and you better believe that the PR pros representing the NFL are hard at work. As a communications professional in this type of position, what do you do? Plan for the BIG crisis...that's for sure. I would also guess that planning a campaign directed toward consumer relations (fan bases and toward the players) would be happening too. As a soon-to-be college grad heading into the professional sports world with a B.A. in sport management and public relations...this issue made me analyze how a big happening like this could affect the people behind the scenes. I'm looking forward to see how it all plays out, and I'm crossing my fingers that next fall I'll be able to watch the leaves change colors AND NFL football.
In case you are not familiar with this issue, I found this great article called "NFL owners meetings: Can Leage, NFLPA find harmony amid lockout?" posted on USAToday that breaks down the situation in a way that's easy to understand. This article gives a snap shot of what's currently going, a look at what's to come and answers ten different commonly asked questions about the issue.
Whether you're a die-hard NFL fan or not, this issue has gained a ton of media coverage since the get-go and will continue to as the season approaches. To me, it's crazy to think about fall without professional football! What's going to happen to all the people employed by these teams? This article touches on some of the things different departments are doing.
For example, tickets are still being sold (with the hopes that things will be resolved) and you better believe that the PR pros representing the NFL are hard at work. As a communications professional in this type of position, what do you do? Plan for the BIG crisis...that's for sure. I would also guess that planning a campaign directed toward consumer relations (fan bases and toward the players) would be happening too. As a soon-to-be college grad heading into the professional sports world with a B.A. in sport management and public relations...this issue made me analyze how a big happening like this could affect the people behind the scenes. I'm looking forward to see how it all plays out, and I'm crossing my fingers that next fall I'll be able to watch the leaves change colors AND NFL football.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Decisions, decisions...
So I’m a little different from most people. I’m extremely indecisive, and I mean EXTREMELY. Big decisions, little predicaments…whether to eat a peanut butter and jelly or a turkey and cheese sandwich for lunch, dark or light jeans, whether to run or elliptical, what to do on a Friday night…you name it and I spend entirely too much time contemplating all the options and the affects that will occur from making a decision. I spend way more time than the average person anyway. One of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make was which college to attend. I applied to eight different schools and was accepted to each, which put my decision-making skills (lack of) to quite the test.
I decided half way through my senior year that I wanted to attend Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It’s a great school with the nicest campus I’ve ever seen. The housing options are unreal, no matter which complex you end up in you still got your own bedroom…NICE! But, because I am the way I am, I changed my mind two weeks after graduation (which meant no refunds on deposits = angry momma Keough.)
I took a chance and decided I wanted to move to a different state to go to a university that was three hours away, as big as my high school and smack in the middle of dozens of cornfields. I was worried I was going to hate it, but I knew I wanted to go to a good school that was in a new area with brand new people. I loved it the first couple months! At ONU, I made awesome friends, like my classes and majors and was having an absolute blast! However, when winter quarter rolled around this all changed. I got super home-sick and became frustrated with the classes I was taking (stupid gen eds). This became so bad that I contacted GVSU and made plans to transfer out after the year was over.
However after tons of heart-to-hearts with my parents and friends, I changed my mind yet again and stayed at ONU. During this time I realized a couple of different things. One, I need to start making decisions, big and small, because the older I get the more important decisions are going to be. Two, just because things are difficult and you may be unhappy in a situation you may be in, it can turn around and completely change in no time. Three, I am so glad that I decided to stay at ONU. This has been a great place for me to go to college. The treasures, memories, friends and experiences I’ve made while I’ve been here are irreplaceable. They’ve helped mold me into the person I am today. In May, I’ll be walking away as a graduate of Ohio Northern University, and I couldn’t be more pleased with that decision.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Thou Shalt Be Transparent
The deeper I dive into Paul Gillin's The New Influencers, the more I grow to like blogging. This week, we needed to read chapter 2 for class. Chapter 2 was super interesting and elaborated on some big blogging "No-No's". One thing Gillin hammered home in this chapter was the importance of transparency. On page 23, he defined transparency as "a kind of mashup of principles that include honesty, integrity, humility, open-mindedness and fairness." This was a perfect definition for a new blogger like me...dumbed down enough so I can understand it. He continued to point out some things that a blogger shouldn't do that I was unaware of like:
"Transparency is about a lot more than just not lying. It's about opening yourself to inspection, analysis, judgment, praise and ridicule."
- You shouldn't revise a post once it's posted
- If you do want to correct something, you should comment on your own blog
- You should only delete a post when you believe it may do harm or mislead readers
"Transparency is about a lot more than just not lying. It's about opening yourself to inspection, analysis, judgment, praise and ridicule."
Sunday, March 13, 2011
The New Influencers Chapter 1 Response
Confession: Before this class, I was a little nervous. Although the world of social media (specifically blogging) interests me and I understand the usefulness it has...I had absolutely no idea of how to write a good blog.
Questions were firing off in my head like: What kind of blog do I set up? Are there different kind of blogs? What are the "no no" things you cannot do when writing a blog? Is anyone going to read anything I write? Is it hard to maintain? How in the world do I get started?
Thankfully, the beginning of my blogging journey has been smooth, thanks to Aggie and this text. The introduction and first chapter of The New Influencers answered nearly all of my lingering questions about the world of blogging.
I want to start out this post with the sentence in the book that stuck out to me the most. The author wrote, "What's captivated me about social media is the extent to which new centers of influence have emerged in communities that have no rules, no governing structures, no standards and no hierarchy" (p. xxi) How awesome is that? Social media is a web of somewhat structured chaos. Users can do, say or write whatever they want. Looking at it initially, it seems uncontrollable and unmanageable, when in actuality, the world of social media has turned out to be the complete opposite.
The book points out that this is a new way to advertise that companies need to embrace. Social media has changed tactics into "conversation marketing." This type of marketing "creates a dialog with customers where useful information can be exchanged so both parties benefit from the relationship." Does that definition sound familiar?? No wonder the world of PR has benefited so much from the development of social media!
While reading I also learned that to people my age, (18-25 year old) the value of our peers is HUGE!! Blogging allows individuals to voice their opinions, which could be extremely beneficial for different companies. My age group is also the most likely to engage in blogging and social media as well. I was also surprised to read that "79 percent of Americans (ages 9-28) spend 20 hours using social media per day." Amazing.
This first chapter was easy to read and opened my eyes to blogging. The author does a great job of breaking concepts down so they are easy to understand. The use of different cases, like the Ferrari/AOL incident, are wonderful. They are real life examples that depict the power of social media. After reading the first chapter of this book, I cannot wait to read more!
Questions were firing off in my head like: What kind of blog do I set up? Are there different kind of blogs? What are the "no no" things you cannot do when writing a blog? Is anyone going to read anything I write? Is it hard to maintain? How in the world do I get started?
Thankfully, the beginning of my blogging journey has been smooth, thanks to Aggie and this text. The introduction and first chapter of The New Influencers answered nearly all of my lingering questions about the world of blogging.
I want to start out this post with the sentence in the book that stuck out to me the most. The author wrote, "What's captivated me about social media is the extent to which new centers of influence have emerged in communities that have no rules, no governing structures, no standards and no hierarchy" (p. xxi) How awesome is that? Social media is a web of somewhat structured chaos. Users can do, say or write whatever they want. Looking at it initially, it seems uncontrollable and unmanageable, when in actuality, the world of social media has turned out to be the complete opposite.
The book points out that this is a new way to advertise that companies need to embrace. Social media has changed tactics into "conversation marketing." This type of marketing "creates a dialog with customers where useful information can be exchanged so both parties benefit from the relationship." Does that definition sound familiar?? No wonder the world of PR has benefited so much from the development of social media!
While reading I also learned that to people my age, (18-25 year old) the value of our peers is HUGE!! Blogging allows individuals to voice their opinions, which could be extremely beneficial for different companies. My age group is also the most likely to engage in blogging and social media as well. I was also surprised to read that "79 percent of Americans (ages 9-28) spend 20 hours using social media per day." Amazing.
This first chapter was easy to read and opened my eyes to blogging. The author does a great job of breaking concepts down so they are easy to understand. The use of different cases, like the Ferrari/AOL incident, are wonderful. They are real life examples that depict the power of social media. After reading the first chapter of this book, I cannot wait to read more!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Where have the last four years gone?
Wow!
One quarter left...
10 weeks...
64 days...
Until college ends and I officially enter the "big girl world."
As excited and eager as I am to begin my professional career, I can't help but stop and look around at all the things I'm going to miss at ONU. I never thought I'd say it, but I'm even going to miss things in Ada. There are so many things here that have led me to where I am today. I've made countless memories and amazing friends, all while obtaining a spectacular education along the way.
All right, I need your help here. Before I started to write this blog, I tried to brainstorm all the random things that make Ohio Northern so unique. Here's what I came up with (and please comment if there's something I missed :-) )
*The Green Monster (3.5 outdoor cross country course that circles campus - I have a love/hate feelings toward it )
*Mac Attacks (...you know)
*Klondike (who else has a Polar Bear as a mascot...NO ONE)
*Black Swans (beautiful creatures but dangerously aggressive. Don't let them fool you)
*The Tundra (awesome grassy area smack in the middle of campus. A prime location for tanning when it's finally sunny in Ada)
*The Townies (aren't they wonderful? They may act like they hate us, I'm convinced there's no way they could)
*The ICE Buffers (those contraptions that Physical Plant bust out when it snows. The machines are supposed to brush away the snow but instead they move it around leaving just a small layer of snow covering the 2 inch layer of ice, making it invisible until it's too late and you've already taken an embarassing tumble)
*The ICE Buffers (those contraptions that Physical Plant bust out when it snows. The machines are supposed to brush away the snow but instead they move it around leaving just a small layer of snow covering the 2 inch layer of ice, making it invisible until it's too late and you've already taken an embarassing tumble)
*Where we have to buy our groceries (slightly random I know, but we have all purchased our groceries at either Rite-Aid, Community Market or Dollar General because we are too lazy to make the drive to Wal-Mart in Lima. Outrageously expensive...but convienent because those are the only places in the village)
*The Regal Beagle (Yes, our one and only magnificient hole-in-the-wall bar in town...can't knock it 'til you go there! It's not directly associated with ONU, however, this place helps ONU students every weekend, finals week and Tuesday evening deal with the demands of college)
*Student to Professor Ratio (One of the reasons I decided to come to ONU. The professors care about you and truly want you to succeed, I know for sure my friends at state schools cannot say the same)
*The Students (I know this is kind of cheesy, but it's true. We are a different breed of students. People are involved, ambitious, helpful and eager to make friends. These qualities accompanied with our kick butt education set us up to be incredibly successful)
Coming from good 'ol Howell, Michigan, I was a little worried about being tossed into the middle of a cornfield to go to college at for the next four years. Compared to all my friends who are attending big state schools, I became one of only 3,750 Polar Bears, and I could not be more happy with my decision.
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| Klondike |
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