Archive for the Uncategorized Category
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As we approach the end of the school year, everyone always has a seemingly overwhelming number of items on their to do list. Idea Sandbox has just launched its “Prioritizer” to help you get things in order. This. is. brilliant. It’s very simple. Just enter your tasks; be specific! Then click “next steps” and the prioritizer gets to work. Giving you the choice of two of the tasks on your list the Prioritizer will help you figure out which tasks have the higher priority for you. And it works. I put in a dozen or so tasks, went through the steps and ended up with a really clear to do list that ranks the tasks in priority order. Give it a try and maybe it’ll help you breathe just a little easier this week.... Permalink
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April 27 – May 3 is National Volunteer Week. I was raised with a heart for helping people. My parents were pastors of a local church most of my life, which meant a lifetime of giving. Those lessons have followed me into adulthood. Sometimes it’s hard to create balance, but I enjoy the volunteer work I do. Volunteering is a terrific way for students to get involved with a cause that they are passionate about and to get some hands-on experience at the same time to add to their resume. This volunteer week, think about seeking a new opportunity. For students at the University of Oregon, check out 211Lane.org. It’s a local resource, sponsored by United Way of Lane County, that identifies most the nonprofits in Lane County, along with their current needs and contact information. For others, check out VolunteerMatch. You can search for opportunities near you, or even... Continue Reading
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A couple of student posts caught my eye this week. They both offer a rich perspective on transparency and I thought they were worth sharing with you. In Propoganda in an Age of Transparency, Hannah Smith offer critique on the FDLS Web site and its PR campaign. In Is American Apparel Transparent Enough, Lee Magner asks this question after he finds it difficult to trace the companies practices from crop to shelf via its Web site. What do you think? Leave a comment – or even better, leave a comment on either students’ blog.... Permalink
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I have four students in my Advanced PR Writing class this quarter. The small number due to the way that the enrollment worked for our Senior Experience program at the SOJC campus in Portland. The bloggers:Hannah Smith’s How I learned to stop worrying and love PRKatrina Heilman’s Blah blah blogNigel Vanderford’s Senator You’re No Jack KennedyJohnny Barret’s Johnny B’s PRAs is the norm, each week I’ll post a few links that I think are interesting. The students pick one and write a post on their own blog about using the linky love as a prompt. And away we go! This week’s linky love… Crisis Planning Seems Big – But How Do You Know if They are Any Good? (crisisblogger)The way our audiences communicate is changing (duh.). So it’s worth considering that our crisis plans need to change, too.Beginner’s Quick Start Guide to Twitter (from Zappos.com CEO)If you’re interested in Twitter,... Continue Reading
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Some ongoing critiques of PR “professionals” methods, some recent discussion about how we define ourselves and and constant battle to explain what I do to my parents (they’ll tell you I am a teacher) has meant I’m thinking a lot about what we do as public relations professionals and what it means to practice PR. We can always cite the “bible” of public relations, Cutlip, Center and Broom’s definition which goes a little something like this: “Public relations is a management function that seeks to identify, build, and maintain mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and all of the publics on whom its success or failure depends” That’s great, but what do public relations professionals DO? In a final-chapter manifesto from Berger and Reber’s book “Gaining Influence in Public Relations,” they give us a list of things that we DON’T do. “HEAR THIS: I am not a flack, a shill,... Continue Reading
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I had no intention to do a linky love this week. We’re still off-season for one more week in Advanced PR writing. But man! There is some terrific stuff out there this week. Note to Millennials: You Aren’t Workforce Royalty Yet (Tiffany Monhollon, Personal PR)I have been reading a lot about millennials lately. My colleagues Patricia Curtin and Tiffany Derville and I are doing research (thanks to a PRSA grant) about millennials in PR agencies. So I’m always interested in articles related to this generation. This is particularly relevant because it’s from a millennial working in PR to millennials who want to work in PR. Can PR Save the Beijing 2008 Olympics (Kevin Dugan, Strategic Public Relations)PR Crisis Expert Weighs in on San Francisco Olympics Protest (Daily Dog)Interesting news coverage and commentary this week as the Olympic Torch made its way around the world. These posts are both on the... Continue Reading
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It’s a bit off-season. My students don’t start blogging for another couple of weeks. But I found some great stuff in the PR blogosphere this week and, with my attention split in many directions lately, better this than nothing at all! PR Rolodex Myth (Topaz Partners): I love this post. I have found this advice to be very true. Regardless of the industry or the particular product/project/client, the skills for good media relations stay the same.Conversation Quotient (AdWeek): I’m fascinated by the idea of measurement in social media. Kami Huyse and KDPaine do a terrific job of talking and blogging about it and I’m just a newbie. (Note: I understand the importance of campaign evaluation and traditional research, but social media is different). This article goes into some of the reasons and where measurement might be heading. News Releases on Life Support? Five Reasons Why (Class Act): Most press releases... Continue Reading
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Richard Bailey, a lecturer at Leeds Metropolitan University in the UK has just launched Behind the Spin: Public Relations for Students and Young Practitioners. With contributions from students and practitioners alike, Behind the Spin offers a global perspective on public relations. Check out the editorial calendar. Have a good idea? Read through this isuse and get a sense of the publications style. Then contact Richard and his team about contributing. Thanks, Richard for creating such a terrific resource!... Permalink
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In February of this year, Kami Huyse of My PR Pro and her blog Communication Overtones spent an hour with my Advanced PR Writing class and talked about her social media work with Sea World San Antonio and the amazing results of her efforts. Shel Israel interviews Kami and the park’s director of communication about this effort (and rides the ride!). A great video with some outstanding measurement advice and ideas for social media outreach.... Permalink
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I think this is a great idea! A presentation, uploaded to Slideshare, gives you the opportunity to share who you are with potential employers. I have an online resume, but I’m very tempted to try something like this – just for fun. If I do, I’ll share it with you. Exhibit A: J Ben SykesBen works in Web design and does interactive stuff, so this resume suits that to a T. Gorgeous design. I love it (he has a military background, too… so it helps to tell his story.) | View | Upload your own Exhibit B: Hypothetical. The storyline is a little sappy and veers a little too personal for my taste, but I think the design is nice and this definitely has potential. | View | Upload your own Exhibit C: Cameron Ungar. Cameron’s is a great example. The red text on blue background is hard to read,... Continue Reading
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