03.17.08
Public Relations: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going
The PRSSA regional activity titled “Public Relations: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going” took place March 1-2 in downtown Nashville. Speakers from the nonprofit, sports, agency and entertainment sectors shared some insight and advice from their unique perspectives. It was also a great networking opportunity, because most of the professionals stuck around to answer questions and chat with students.
Rachel Holder, president and CEO of United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties, addressed the nonprofit sector. According to Holder, communication at a nonprofits range from fundraising, to volunteering, to advocacy. The key fundraising and volunteer target audiences, said Holder, are offices and retired people. Another key audience is those who are in need. If the United Way has great programs but the people who need them the most don’t know about them – what good are they? The organization also uses social media to communicate with its publics. Some of the “e-marketing” tactics include podcasts and e-newsletters.
Holder came up with a list of myths associated with working for a nonprofit:
· You have to starve to work in nonprofit – Many organizations recognize the need to attract talented individuals, and will compensate accordingly. There can be great benefits, and flex time.
· Everyone who works in a nonprofit is just a “do-gooder” who doesn’t care about having a successful career – The nonprofit sector is filled with people who are thriving at what they do.
· Upper level management is not the same – In nonprofit, you get to wear a lot of different hats.
· They depend on grants – Nonprofits have many healthy ways of earning funds
· There isn’t opportunity for growth – There are plenty of training opportunities and possibilities for advancement
Like many public relations jobs, two days are never the same:
All in a Day’s Work…
* Mailers
* Phone calls
* Meetings
* Media relations
* Developing partnerships
Holder’s favorite part about working for a nonprofit is the variety it affords her, the different people she gets to meet.
Dwight Spradlin, assistant director of communications for the Tennessee Titans, addressed public relations from the sport/entertainment point of view.
Spradlin explained that PR touches every aspect of the organization and there are many publics to think about. The external includes fans, media (national, local), community, and government. The internal includes players, employees, and executives.
The communications office is the nerve center, explained Spradlin, “I have to be in the know…and be the source of current information. People come to me for anything and everything.”
The Titans have an attitude of openness and transparency, and see the media as an asset. Spradlin believes being honest and inviting responsibility earns trust, which is key for any organization. “Sometimes your best PR is done before anything happens, so the public can understand better,” Spradlin said.
How his office tries to prevent the need for crisis communication:
* Steers conversations the way they want them to go
* Gets to know the players and coaches and their personalities/tendencies
* Continues media training
* Frequently updates controlled information (Web site, press releases)
All in a Day’s Work:
· Interview requests
· Press conferences
· Press releases
· Marketing
· Community Relations
· Media Guide
· Web site
· Gameday functions (350-400 media at each game)
· Crisis communication
There were some other speakers, too, but I don’t want this post to turn into a book. I am really satisfied with the event and am happy I took the time (and money) to attend. I have not decided what my ideal job in PR would be, so it was great to see the different sides of it.
I think whenever you have an opportunity to hear from or meet with a professional in your field, you should jump on it – not only to learn from them, but to network as well. You never know how you may need them in the future, or how you could be of service to them (always remember networking is a two-way street).
I’d love to hear of any events you’ve gone to, or professionals you’ve met with and what you took away. Feel free to post on your experiences!
Check here to see if there will be a PRSSA regional activity in your area!
03.10.08
Résumés and Interviews: It’s not all common sense…but it should be
For many of us, graduation is looming closer and closer, prompting more and more people to ask us “Do you know what you’re going to do when you graduate?” My instinctive response is “Yup – going out to a nice restaurant with my family to celebrate!” Ohhh, I guess they mean job-wise.
I’m still unsure of my future, but I’m not going to worry myself over it. I applied for a number of those programs and internships listed in my first post, and have yet to hear back from one of them. There’s still time (that seems to be my favorite phrase this semester).
So, besides searching job opportunities, I am constantly trying to better my résumé and fine-tune my interview skills. I search tips and tricks online and take note to what professionals have to say. Our PRSSA chapter is fortunate to have campus events featuring practitioners from the top agencies in Nashville.
Recently, senior account executive at Katcher, Vaughn & Bailey Public Relations, Heather Schablik, spoke at a PRSSA meeting about getting your dream internship. Ronald Roberts, Partner and Chief Operating Officer at Dye, Van Mol & Lawrence spoke at a convocation event on “How to Say It: The Interview.” Below are some of the highlights from their visits:
Résumé:
Heather Schablik:
· Writing samples – Even those from class will work. Anything that show cases
your writing ability
· Relevant experience – previous internship or experience do PR for a club or organization on campus
· Involvement in PRSSA
· Brevity – Keep it to one page. Don’t put every menial task. “If you’ve worked in an office, I expect you can answer phones.”
· DOES NOT look at GPA – “I don’t even notice if it’s not on there.”
Ronald Roberts:
· Proof everything before you send it – Have another pair of eyes look it over
“In my industry, you’re out of the running…just that quickly if it is not proofed. It’s the simple things that kill you.”
· Don’t hesitate to put a job on there because you think it is irrelevant – “If you’ve worked at a restaurant, it shows me you’ve dealt with customers.”
· Gain practical, commercial experience – “What I want to see if something you’ve done outside Belmont.”
· Make sure your references are strong – “Have someone who will make you sound good.”
Interview:
Heather Schablik:
· Beforehand: Be aware of what is online about you – “I have not called candidates back because of what I saw on their Facebook or MySpace page.”
· Express yourself with confidence, but don’t be an ego-maniac
· Bring a portfolio, even if you can’t leave it with them. Some people even bring a video/DVD, or have an online portfolio listed on the résumé
· Talking salary – “Do your research. Talk intelligently about why you are asking for what you’re asking. It’s all about how you come at it.”
Ronald Roberts:
· Research beforehand – Find out about the company. Come up with questions to ask during the interview. Definitely have a name to put on the cover letter
· Practice and rehearse; especially be familiar with weaknesses and strengths – “Don’t memorize so you sound like a robot, but be prepared.”
· Be early – “Fifteen minutes early is on time for an interview.”
· Follow up – “Thank you notes are really nice.” However, only ONE communication is sufficient. Don’t e-mail, call and send a note.
I would love to read any other suggestions or tips you have. What has been helpful for you? What mistakes have you learned from?
03.02.08
Expanding Market Reach: Tapping into a Key Demographic
The Latino population in the United States is growing by the hour – Hispanics comprise the largest ethnic minority group in the nation.
The Hispanic population in my home county is about 15 percent of the total population, and nearly 20 percent of the population in the schools is Hispanic. I also have a step mom from Bolivia, so I recognize the need (and potential) for businesses and service providers to reach out to the Latino community.
There is a great organization here in Nashville, Conexión Américas, which strives for the social and economic advancement of Hispanics living in Middle Tennessee. It offers them “information, resources, support networks, and tools needed to address immediate, midterm, and long-range challenges,” as well as helping businesses reach the Latino community.
Former reporter, Liliana Ospina, a Colombian native, started Latino Public Relations, LLC, with offices in Pontiac, Mich. and Bogotá, Colombia, which provide standard public relations services as well as translation services. A blog post in the Oakland Business Review includes an interview with Ms. Ospina.
One of the firm’s goals is to “teach the consumer marketplace that the Hispanic community is diverse and complex.”
We have discussed this in my Spanish class, and I was shocked at how uninformed some of the other students were on the diversity of the people from the Central and South American countries. It is so important to realize that people from Mexico are so different from those in Argentina…or someone from Mexico City, for example, is so different from someone in Oaxaca. Each region has unique social, economic and political histories which affect the cultures.
Personally, I think organizations like Conexión Américas and Latino Public Relations is just what this country needs for the growing diversity. Liliana Ospina has developed a company which is advantageous to a lot of Americans, and I hope more and more practitioners will follow suit. Even if it’s just reaching out more to the Latino population, every business can learn from Ospina’s example.
