Learning to live Wired

While catching up on the latest PR news, on The Daily Dog , I found an interesting video clip of an interview with Don Middleburg who founded Middleburg Communications. In this video he talks about the need to follow Twitter leads and how to turn those leads into concrete sources.

Today’s world is rapidly becoming dominated by technology. New technology is being developed faster than we can learn how to use it and adapt it to our advantages. Don Middleburg shines some light onto a few ways to navigate the wires.

Click here to watch the video.

Why Google may not Accept Facebook’s Friend Request…

Everyone knows that Facebook is a major player in the technology
world. Some may even say it is changing the way that we as people communicate.
It has become a presence in our lives and has made it clear that it is here to
stay. Recently however, Facebook hasn’t been playing by the rules.

Earlier last week it broke a major rule in public relations.
Facebook hired a private public relations firm to pitch to influential bloggers
about what Google was doing wrong and its other misconduct. Facebook did not
allow this agency to disclose who the client was but did offer many sources
where their work would be published and blog would be advertised. An enticing
offer, unfortunately, it is ethically wrong on more than one level.

Facebook will probably continue to break the rules and act
unethically without any real or substantial consequences. The company has
become enough of an every day, common part of our lives that the public outrage
will most likely fade within a week or two. It is confusing though why Facebook
feels it has to do things like this.

This move changes my opinion of the monster company drastically. I
think that it is going too far in breaking ethics in public relations. Shame on
the public relations team that implemented this strategy; and shame on them for
thinking no one would find out. The truth always comes out. This only makes
Facebook look like it cares about Google. There is dignity in silence and if it
would have kept quiet and doing what it was doing, breaking records and being a
leading innovative force in the social networking, business and personal world,
Facebook could have avoided looking not only like a bully but also like a dirty
major corporation who only cares about the bottom line and will do anything to
make sure its competition does not surpass it.

Facebook’s response did not include  an apology for its actions.

This post is based off of Michael Arrington’s article, “Facebook Loses Much Face In Secret Smear On Google.”

Somebody Call 911: Tips to Crisis Management

Tips to Crisis Management

There will come a time in every person’s career when they will have to deal with a crisis. The goal in public relations is to keep a crisis from happening. The first part of the life cycle of a crisis involves issue management when the crisis is first discovered. The second part of the life cycle of a crisis is the crisis plan that’s used to handle the situation. The third part of the life cycle is post crisis; this is when you can evaluate how you did, what went wrong and what you can do to next time.

Immediate Crisis

There are three types of crises.  An immediate crisis is happening right now.

Emerging Crisis

An emerging crisis is one where you can foresee a problem coming.

Sustained Crisis

A sustained crisis is one that will be ongoing to the company. For example, the tobacco industry will always have a sustained crisis because its product causes health risks to users.

Be Prepared

Every company should have a crisis management plan in place. If it doesn’t, it will appear unprepared and possibly make the situation worse. The plan acts as an umbrella that also holds a number of crisis communication plans. The different parts of a crisis plan include an introduction, rehearsal dates, a goal that you want the plan to achieve, objectives to follow, key publics and publics to target, a crisis team, key media, a list of emergency personnel and their contact information, the key messages you wish to convey and a thorough evaluation that is based on the results you got.

Evaluate the environment.

It is important to rank a crisis on a scale of one to six on what will actually occur and what may cause damage. Successful crisis management depends on the public and political environment the crisis took place in. If the environment and public are more forgiving and if the crisis is not a hotly debated issue in politics then the plan has more of a chance to succeed. The most important thing to remember is to tell everything you know and tell it quickly.

Common Mistakes

Some common mistakes people make are hesitating; don’t waste a single minute. Get your plan in action. The blame game is not one to play in time of crisis. Do not retaliate, solve your problem and move on. Never lie, always tell the truth because it will come out eventually.

This post was based off of a lecture given by Pat Curtin.

10 Tips to Shake the Speech Jitters

I don’t know about you, but I do not like public speaking.  Last week I had to give two group presentations in my public relations courses. Thankfully it’s over now, but I did learn a few things to help me conquer my public speaking shakes. 

Here are a some helpful hints to get you through your next speech.

1. Above all do not panic. If you can just pretend like you’re speaking one-on-one to someone in the audience then you will calm your nerves. Knowing who your audience is can help you to speak in a familiar way that will come across as cool and confident. It’s important to reassure yourself that you are indeed an expert on your topic, probably more than anyone else in the room is.

2. Research, research, research. Back all of your arguments up with research so that your audience has no choice but to understand what you’re saying. Knowing more than you are presenting helps you to feel at ease. You can also tackle any questions that may come your way during the presentation. Remember to document your sources so that you can explain where you got your research.

3. Make sure your slides are simple. Prepare your slides in a way that is consistent and simple. Keep your bullet points as aids to your speech. They should be no longer than 10 words per sentence. These points are just to help you along your way; they are not meant to be your entire speech.

4. A picture is worth a thousand words. Use visuals to help get your point across. Visuals are a great way to support your points. Don’t  crowd your slide with too many pictures.

5. Make your slides readable. If you and your audience can read what is on your slide, chances are your presentation will go a lot smoother and you can relax. Try not to use below 30 to 32 point font. Also, keep in mind your audience’s eye-line and don’t write on the bottom of the slide.

6. Sound effects are a turn off. Don’t overwhelm the audience with lots of animation or sounds. Most people probably find a sound effect for each bullet point annoying. It can also distract from what you are trying to say.

7. Try to calm down. To relax while up there just remember that in a few minutes it will all be over. Try talking to the wall or focusing on one friendly face in the room.

8. Practice makes perfect. Rehearse, but don’t sound like you’re memorizing a script. If you really know what you’re talking about then, don’t sweat it, breathe and talk. Talk like you’re on the phone with your mom. It’s better to go short than over time.

9. Slide design is important. Be sure to choose colors that are simple and make it easy to read. Dark font on a light background or light font on a dark background, just remember blue and white are not easy to read from a distance. If you’re using a picture make sure that the image and the words do not overlap.

10. Keep your eyes on the prize! Imagine success. If you’re confident people are more likely to buy what you’re selling.

I hope that these tips help you with your presentations. I know that just spending a few minutes in front of the room before you speak can help calm my nerves. It’s all about making yourself comfortable in your environment.

This information was based on a class taught by Pat Curtin.

Groupon New Ads: Funny or Offensive?

Groupon is a company that offers discounts and specials to restaurants and different activities in cities all over the nation through the power of numbers. If 100 people use Groupon then it can give the discounts to customers.

During this past Superbowl, Groupon aired controversial commercials that were meant to be funny but were found by some as offensive. The commercials highlighted different social, economic and environmental problems with celebrity spokespersons but then endorsed GroupOn by downplaying the problem with a great coupon they offer. The company has received a lot of negative press since the ads ran.

What the company failed to mention was that part of the profits from the ads was going to the different problems it highlighted in its commercials. This could have combated the negativity that now surrounds the campaign. The fact that Groupon was being generous and giving to various causes in need would have stifled a lot of the bad press.

The public relations team for Groupon should have made sure that the ads said something about part of the profits going to the causes. It could have humanized the company. Since the Superbowl is the most watched television program in the US and the ads were run during the game, the  public relations practitioners had an opportune moment to engage all of their key publics. Had the ads been less offensive to some the company could have avoided the controversy. Groupon did use celebrities to endorse its services which would have gotten it attention regardless of the controversy.

Moving forward, Groupon should acknowledge the people who are upset with the ads and explain what it was thinking and what the point of the ads was supposed to be. Groupon should also express how it gave proceeds away.

What do you think Groupon should do to repair its image? Do you think the commercials are funny? Are they offensive?

Check out Groupopn’s commercial featuring Cuba Gooding Jr. about whales.

Making Public Relations Stick

Make your ideas concrete.

In the book “Made to Stick,” by Chip and Dan Heath, the two public relations gurus explain how to make ideas “sticky.” In the first few chapters they outline how to use simplicity and unexpectedness to make your point as a professional. In chapter three, the book discusses using concrete images, analogies, examples and exercises to make your concept more real to the audience.

The classic example that the Heath brothers use is the story of 29-year-old Jerry Kaplan. He went in for a meeting with Kleiner Perkins in 1987 to give a presentation and pitch a new idea to local venture capitalists. Before him was another hopeful up-and-comer who had ideas of his own. In fact, he had ideas, charts, graphics and confident answers delivered courtesy of a pin stripe suit Kaplan thought he was toast.

His confidence now shaken, he went in to pitch his exciting new theory about evolving PCs. The one thing that differentiated him from the first guy was his notebook. Kaplan carried a normal size notepad with blank paper inside for the meeting and this turned out to be his best asset. This notebook gave the new PCs a size, shape, feel and color. Executives were able to use the notebook as a tangible, concrete brainstorming tool. Investors asked questions about the chip size and memory capabilities instead of doubting the presentation idea.

To make an idea concrete you have to give people some sort of way to physically or mentally gauge the new idea.

Read more great ideas from “Made to Stick;” visit  http://www.madetostick.com/.

5 Ways to Get Your Company on the Social Media Band Wagon

Jump on with these 5 easy tips.

It has become clear to public relations practitioners that social media is not going anywhere. It is a major tool that can, if used correctly, help an organization grow and become more involved with its audience. Heather Lutz, CEO of The Findability Group, wrote a great piece on five ways to implement social media into your company. Check out her article on the Bulldog Reporter here http://bit.ly/eIG0lY.

1. Get it in writing. The first strategy Heather suggested was to outline what your company thinks is appropriate to be on social media outlets and what is not. Write up a guideline that suggests topics that employees can talk about and certain things that they should stay away from such as salary information. If employees know what they should stay away from they will be more likely to post something positive about the company.
2. Give access to certain people first. Start by granting access to the companies social media outlets to only a select few employees. Consider this a trial run. This will allow you to see what works, what doesn’t and how your company can improve. Not to mention it will show you what your audience is talking about. After you have started people on your social media sites Lutz suggests that you allow them to become advocates for your company. Don’t just stop with one group, select a different group of people to see what they talk about, who they talk to and what is being said about your company. You can adjust any policies around the findings from these groups. The main thing is to join the conversation, but to know what and why you are there.
3. Everyone loves something for nothing. Make it worth your audience’s time. Reward whoever is in the conversation. Lutz says to make it fun. Try giving away your product or service, giving a discount or conducting a contest. Entice the audience in an engaging way. This is more likely to illicit a positive response about your organization.
4. Consider all your staff’s needs. Lutz recommends to consult your IT department before delving into the social media world. Opening up online is an amazing tool to connect but remember that it lets down your company’s firewalls. Most big businesses have hired a full-time position to manage their social media tools. Lutz suggests that you should start planning for social media now.
5. No one is too important to join in. Take a cue from GM and encourage everyone in the company, no matter how big or small, to engage in social media for the company. GM’s CEO blogs for the car giant. Heather stated that seeing the head of the company will help all employees become a part of the different social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook or a blog.

Social media is the future and it is not going away. The sooner we embrace it, the better.

Check out more of Heather at http://www.heatherlutze.com/.

Introducing: Me

Hello! I am a senior at the mighty University of Oregon. I am studying public relations in the School of Journalism and Communication. I am starting this blog as part of one of my journalism classes. I am so excited to start blogging again. I studied abroad in Paderno del Grappa, Italy. While I was there I took a travel writing class that also required us to blog as a true travel writer. Read more about my travels around the world at that blog.  Hopefully, through this blog I will gain more knowledge from readers, and they will gain a nugget of knowledge from me too. Enjoy reading and feel free to comment. Thanks for visiting!

Resume and Cover Letter Tips from a true Professional

“You have 15 seconds.”– Kevin Brett

Super public relations professional Kevin Brett visited my public relations class a few days ago to school all of us on our resumes and cover letters.   His main point? To make sure we know we have 15 seconds to gain the attention of the employer we are courting. Here are a few pointers for your resume and cover letter:

• Show them what makes you stand out.
• Get the attention of eyeballs and search engines. Chances are your bosses will Google you;make sure you know what they are going to see.
• Try applying to hiring managers instead of just applying online.
• Get to the point.
• Think search engine terms. Speak the company’s language.
• Do your research. Know what the company stands for, what it offers and what its public relations team is doing.
• Network, talk to other people than the hiring manager. It’s all about who you know.
• Why do you want this job? Be able to answer that question.
• What do you bring to the table? Know what your value is and how you can improve the company.
• Copy your cover letter in a contact e-mail. It already says everything you want to.

 

Things to keep in mind with your resume:

• Sweat the details.
• Triple check…then check again.
• Do not rely on abc check to do all the work.
• Lead paragraphs with active verbs (e.g. develop, participate).
• Start with your professional background, then go into your education.
• Include your e-mail, LinkedIn and blog.
• Show results for what you have done, include numbers. Qualitative details are best.

A few search engine optimization, SEO, words to look for:

• Message Development
• Social Media
• Employee Communications
• Crisis Communications
• Investor Relations
• Analyst Relations
• Media Training
• Multimedia Skills
• Presentation Skills

These are just a few words of wisdom to keep in mind when looking for a job. Good luck, and go get ’em!