Get It Done And Have Fun

It’s been a while since my last blog post. I won’t lie, graduate school has been harder than I ever imagined. I am currently doing a Master of Arts condensed into one year (typical length = two years). Since I managed to find time today to post an update, I want to talk about how to manage time while still maintaining who you are.

I feel like with post-secondary education, particularly at a graduate or post-graduate level, there’s an illusion that you can have fun or do well in school, but not both. I pride myself on my excellent time management skills while continuing to live my life the way I enjoy. Time management isn’t developed overnight. If you’re a natural procrastinator, it’s even harder. The tendency is to play first, work later, and that usually ends in disaster. My secret is to try and alternate play and work so that one never overwhelms the other. Here are a few more tips to manage your time as a student or a professional:

• Make a to-do list: I can’t emphasize this enough. I will always forget something important without it.
• Prioritize: If I’m falling behind, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when I think of everything that needs to be done. Creating a list, and ordering tasks with what needs to be completed first, is paramount to my sanity.
• Set deadlines: And stick to them. This is especially important for procrastinators. I set milestones: complete my research in five days, write my introduction the day after that, section one the day after that. Suddenly, I have a completed paper.
• Stop multi-tasking: This may seem like an efficient way to get things done, but it’s stressful. If I’m juggling a bunch of things at once, I’m not actually finishing anything so I still feel overwhelmed and like nothing is being accomplished.
• Reward yourself: This is important to staying sane and my alternating play and work routine. Set a deadline to have a chapter read or a task done before 3pm, then go out for dinner with friends at 5pm as a reward.

At the end of the day, what works for me won’t work for everyone. The most important thing I can say to someone struggling to balance tasks is not to be too hard on yourself, and to tell yourself you’re going to accomplish impossible tasks is more harmful than helpful.

Alex

Get ahead in PR

Are you a student or PR newbie hoping to get ahead in the PR and communications world? Here are a few tips and tricks to build your brand and stake your claim in the industry. Oh, and none of these include the typical: networking, joining a professional association, volunteering or paying attention in class (though those are all of paramount importance). I’ve seen endless articles with those four points, so I’m avoiding them altogether here.

• Start a blog: Much like myself with this blog, try starting your own blog to share your opinions. Don’t try to be overly impressive – stick to what you know and professional thoughts. A blog allows you to connect with industry pros, strengthen your writing skills and build your online brand. If starting one, make sure you post regular, relevant content for your audience.
• Work your angles: One advantage, among many, that PR newbies have is that most of us young ‘uns grew up with technology. We can use our youth to our advantage by promoting our social media savvy skills and tech know-how, something many industry veterans require.
• Immerse yourself in literature: After hours of class or working all day, the last thing you may want to do when you get home is read another book. But brushing up on your PR/comms knowledge is a great way to enrich yourself and impress potential employers in conversations.
• Clean up your social: We’ve all heard this so I won’t spend much time on it. Privatize your profiles or keep them professional if they’re public. Don’t post anything you wouldn’t show your grandma.
• Get graphic: One thing I seem to see a lot in entry level PR/comms/marketing job postings is an ask for graphic design skills. Take a few basic graphic design courses through your local institution so you’re at least familiar with fundamental design principles and software.
• Be aware: Understand the media landscape. Many people align PR with media coverage, so get to know major local and national reporters and news outlets. This will give you a basic understanding of the media environment should you get a job where you’ll be writing press releases and pitching stories, which you almost certainly will at some point.

Protecting your online presence

Social media isn’t the new kid on the block any more, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t bite us in the butt every now and then. One example is a Liberal candidate in Calgary who resigned after several years-old offensive tweets came to light. In light of the continuing damage that social media can have on someone’s reputation, here are a few words of advise for cleaning up your online presence.

• Check your favourites. When it comes to Twitter, a “favourite” is often seen as synonymous with a Facebook “like”. However, there’s one major difference: your favourites on Twitter are a whole lot more public than on Facebook. Be careful what you hit that little star for, because it shows up in a list on your Twitter profile. Just ask USA Today.
• Check your privacy settings. Often on Facebook privacy settings for your posts default to “public”, so make sure you head over to settings and set them as “private”. This may seem like common sense, but about two years back Facebook introduced a new search feature that made all of your old posts public. Not sure what’s public and what’s not? Go to your profile, click the three dots beside “View Activity Log” and click “View As”; this will show you everything the public can see.
• Watch who you follow. On all social media channels, make sure you don’t follow any one who you wouldn’t feel comfortable vouching for. Check their profile and a few top updates. Who you follow and interact with online is, more often than not, easily searchable. If you’re connecting with questionable folks (think spambots, those that use offensive language), potential employers can see that.
• Use caution, but have fun. When employers first began hunting down social media profiles, career advisors were quick to recommend keeping everything professional. Personally, I like to give an idea of my personality, so I feel like it’s important to let your personality shine through. Keep it tame, but be true to yourself. Go ahead and post that photo of you sky diving, hiking, at the cottage or having a glass of merlot (but maybe not the video of you twerking).
• Only friend people you really know. With sites such as Facebook providing more options for personal information, contact information, photos, etc., friending  strangers puts you at greater risk for target by unsavoury characters. Information on these sites can give away your location, so keep it from prying eyes – your safety is more important than your friend count.

The value of good PR

It can feel like public relations professionals constantly need to defend the field – in a day where capitalism rules and the bottom line is top priority, how does PR’s value measure up to other quantifiable departments? As communicator Guy Kawasaki puts it, “brands are built on what people are saying about you, not what you are saying about yourself.” That’s where PR comes in. Though it may seem easier to devote marketing budgets to advertising when results are easily measurable, PR provides benefits that other departments generally can’t. Five of these include:

• Engage in two-way conversations with stakeholders. PR is very much about two-way communication, where some other forms of the “marketing mix” focus on one-way communication (i.e., an ad, which “pushes” information to audiences but doesn’t “pull” information from them in turn). People like to have their voices heard, and if a company isn’t part of that conversation, they will talk anyway and say whatever they want. PR is great for taking control of those otherwise-unmonitored conversations and, usually, turning them into a positive for the company. There are always horror stories, but there are positive ones too.
• Garner earned media coverage. While a marketing budget may include buying ads in the local paper, PR includes earning media coverage in the local paper. Earned media coverage is, essentially, exactly as it sounds. Cost-free, valuable stories seen by thousands that are garnered through newsworthy information disseminated strategically by PR pros. You think paid ads are expensive? Clip some media stories and gauge exactly how much additional coverage your PR department has gotten you free-of-charge. Warning: there is a stereotype that this is the main task in PR. That is false – publicity is but a small component of a vast field.
• See the big picture. PR pros are trained to look at the company as a whole – something that can be lost when employees are so dedicated to the inside. They see the things people don’t even think of – such as potential issues with activists, employee engagement opportunities, relationship building endeavours and more.
• Provide preventative measures. Companies may consider cutting back on their PR department because they don’t need it; business is good, stakeholders are happy, nothing seems amiss. However, that can often be because of a good PR department. It isn’t just about crisis management when things are bad, it’s about mitigating threats to dissuade any future threats. So if your business feels like it doesn’t need PR, that’s probably because of good PR.
• Find the best in a company. So maybe other departments can do this as well, but an overarching goal in PR is to communicate the most unique, positive stories of a company to help it stand out amongst the noisy environment saturating the public. PR attempts to position a company or brand as exciting, ethical, honest, different and important to the public, showcasing its benefits. Pros in this field can tease out the best of a company and communicate those key points to investors, customers, or any other stakeholders in the business.

These are five important considerations when assessing the value of a PR department, but they are just a small list of the many benefits that PR can provide a company.

Laid-back reads for PR pros

Though the last thing you want to do at the end of the work day is to further immerse yourself in the field, many PR enthusiasts find the time to kick back with a good book (including myself). Below are a handful of texts I’d recommend for some light reading and learning:

1. So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed (2015). Jon Ronson. Written by a bestselling author, Ronson delves into the world of public shaming, specifically online shaming with the explosion of online media. He does an excellent job of raising the issue of the social mob – something that has a lasting impact (tangible or psychological) on its victims. For the book, Ronson met with high-profile individuals who had been publicly shamed, including PR pro Justine Sacco (forget her story? Reminder here).
2. Youth, Identity and Digital Media (2007). David Buckingham. You’ll have to forgive this book – one of its topic areas is MySpace, the now-defunct social media site that was huge at the time of its publishing. Youth, Identity and Digital Media was particularly interesting to me in my consideration of graduate studies as I have always been fascinated by the impact of digital media on our personalities. The contributors to this piece look at whether digital media connects young people in genuine, meaningful ways, whether digital is harmful or helpful, the different emerging digital media and how this impacts the identities of youth. Though much less well known than the previous book, this one provides an easy, light read with thoughtful insight.
3. Media, Ritual and Identity (Communication and Society) (2002). James Curran and Tamar Liebes. This book draws on the works of many accomplished communicators in the field, including that of famed sociologist Elihu Katz. The contributions generate an interesting and much-needed discussion surrounding the influence that media has in society – its role in politics, societal construction, and the shifts in and affirmations of identity. With more of a sociological twist, this book is a must-read for academic communicators.
4. Strategic Planning for Public Relations (2009). Ronald D. Smith. This text is less of a recreational read and more of a professional necessity for PR pros. Smith provides in-depth insight into strategic public relations planning with respect to a PR campaign. The book is practical, clear and easy-to-understand as a sort of “how-to” manual. Its nine-step planning process is particularly helpful in guiding the reader from initial brainstorming to a finished, strategic plan.

I’d like to say I’ve read more than the above books recently, but the completion of my degree and transition into graduate studies has kept me busy. If you have not given these books a read yet, I’d highly recommend doing so. If you have, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Is any publicity good publicity? Maybe, for a niche group.

An age-old question that communicators and PR strategists debate day in and day out: is any publicity good publicity? If your client is on the front page with a less-than-lauding review, do you cower in horror or squeal in delight about the coverage? My gut instinct says “nope, hide”, but there is some evidence to the contrary, such as if you’re a small business.

To quote a Business Insider article: “all publicity is good publicity — if no one has ever heard of you.” This may sound a bit odd, but publicity about a person or business whose previous status was obscurity may actually see a bump in revenue from being featured in a news outlet, for better or for worse. To assess this theory, Alan Sorensen, an economics professor at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, looked at book reviews done in the New York Times. To keep a long report short, he found that when books from unknown authors were given negative reviews from The Times, they still saw a significant bump in sales by as much as a third. Sorenson was able to extrapolate his findings to other businesses. These findings were also echoed by Ken Makovsky, founder of Makovsky PR firm, who says that unless a company is plagued by poor reviews, most people forget the negative story they read and simply recall the company name or its products in general. So, if you’re a small business fighting for a spot in our saturated market, perhaps any publicity is good publicity. But there is a limit to this theory. If you don’t remember Amy’s Baking Company, here’s a reminder.

The debate over negative publicity will no doubt rage on. Though there is some evidence to suggest small businesses benefit from any publicity, positive publicity is always best and should be a company’s ultimate goal. Having strong relationships with local media and local community are a sure way to drive your brand’s reputation.

Recovery from Being the Most Hated Person on the Internet

As I am sure you have all heard, a popular lion named Cecil was killed by an American dentist, Dr. Walter Palmer, in Zimbabwe earlier this week and the Internet has acted as judge, jury and executioner. Like with many hot-button issues, social media erupted with many opinions. Palmer is in the middle of a full-blown reputation crisis – his Yelp page now has over 2,000 one-star reviews, and he has been forced to close his (dentist) practice. Most crisis communications specialists are staying away from Palmer with a 1,000 ft pole.
I am not here to discuss Palmer’s actions, as this is a PR and communications-focused blog, but rather to discuss from a PR standpoint what he can do (and lessons we can take away) to at least try and make amends for his actions.

• This is what I know, this is what I’m doing: Release a statement apologizing profusely for his actions and stating what he is going to do to try and right his wrongs. He kind of did this, but hid behind the excuse of “I didn’t know it was a well-loved, collared lion”, so it didn’t feel genuine. Whether this is true or not, most people are calling BS and I tend to agree. He should have released a genuine, regretful statement without ladening it with rationale for his actions. If you are ever in this situation, don’t release a disingenuous statement. Make sure you mean it, or don’t say it, because people are smart. They can spot a fake.
• Reach out to his patients: Palmer has a dentistry practice, and no doubt his patients have heard of the uproar unless they live under a rock. He already reached out to them so this point is redundant, but it’s never the less a key point to remember if you’re ever in this situation. Don’t leave your customers in the dark – they support you, provide you with business, and have just as many opinions as ev
  erybody else. If you can salvage your relationship with them in any way, do it.
• Make a fat donation: To the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), the one that was monitoring Cecil. Cecil was a major additive to their research on wildlife and at-risk species, and Palmer took that away from them and the rest of the world. The least he can do is support their work. This is a lesson for anyone who has tread on the toes of an important research group.
• Turn a negative into a positive: Palmer should reach out to the WildCRU with a genuine apology, and try to develop some sort of partnership either with them or a wildlife organization closer to home in the US. I would recommend doing a documentary on the dangers of extinction and the role that different groups of species play in a healthy habitat. That way, Palmer can start positive conversations about species conservation and research such as the work WildCRU does.
• Act: Your move, Palmer. You cannot control those around you and what they are saying, but you can control yourself and what you are saying. The way you move forward will impact whether you have already hit rock bottom or whether the worst is yet to come. For starters, I would recommend not hunting for a while – though I should hope that’s obvious. If you ever do something that enrages the Internet, don’t do it again. Period.

At the end of the day, social media by nature is a fast-moving beast. It’s been about a week and I might give it another 3-4 before this topic is dropped altogether. That’s just how social media works. That doesn’t mean no lasting impact has been made on the topic, however. Wildlife conservation groups have no doubt seen an influx of donations and a boost in brand visibility, two things that greatly help the important work that they do.

Must-follow social media accounts

If you want to build your professional reputation online, here are a few Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr accounts you should follow to up your social media game:

Twitter

• @Mashable – with over 5 million followers, Mashable keeps you updated on the latest social media trends.
• @PRNewswire – delivering communications and PR links to over 90,000 followers.
• @PRDaily – published by PR pro Mark Ragan, PR Daily is a one-stop shop for PR and marketing news with over 70,000 followers.
• @PRSA – as the world’s largest PR organization, following this one is a no-brainer.

Instagram

• edelman – as one of the world’s largest, multinational PR firms, this company’s Instagram has a great balance of company news, announcements, employee activities and fun.
• prsanational – follow PRSA for events, webinars and some inspirational public relations quotes and advice!
• mashable – keeping the connected world connected via excellent pictures and social media news.
• hootsuite – a major social media management company, Hootsuite knows how to do social! Their Instagram has great visuals.

Tumblr

• The PR Closet – a look at the world of fashion PR, this Tumblr blog has great insight and job postings for public relations in fashion.
• iworkinpr – yes, yes, we know you’re all about building your professional presence, but you need to have a little fun too. Iworkinpr is a great way to laugh at the end of a long day in PR!

How to leverage your network

You’ve done everything right – you’ve joined your local PR/Communications professional association, you attend industry events regularly, you have social networks devoted to building your reputation. It pays off – you’ve slowly built yourself a network of professionals in the field, whether it be in-person or online. Now that you have those connections, how do you keep them and how can you leverage them in a mutually beneficial way?

Maintain your professional network:

• Keep a little black book: or an organized contacts list, whichever you prefer. Keep track of your connections’ positions, their companies and industries, and their contact info if you’ve ever received it. Trust me, you’ll lose their business card at some point.
• Keep in touch: communicate regularly with your network. If you met someone at an event, follow them on Twitter and let them know it was great conversing with them. Retweet or reply to their tweets to stay relevant.
• Be a source of information: use your social networks and other online platforms to share industry-relevant, timely and/or insightful information. If you give your connections something they’re interested in, you’re more memorable to them.

Leverage your professional network:

• Know what you’re asking for: if you plan to call on your connections for a good word, don’t waste their time. While you should still be polite and respectful, ensure that you’re clear with your expectations for them.
• Get to know your people’s people: it’s good to meet new people, but it’s great to gain access to the people they know. When speaking to a PR/Communications practitioner, tell them your interests in the field and ask if they could recommend 2-3 you should speak to about that further. Remember, this person is putting his or her name on the line for you if they do so, so conduct yourself professionally and respectfully.
• Return the favour: for every favour you ask of someone, it’s courteous to return it at one point or another.
• Say thank you: always, always follow up after a meeting with someone and thank them for their time. PR/Communications professionals are very busy, and their time is valuable.