Author: Heather Sliwinski

The Truth About Entertainment PR: Three Common Myths That Need Busting

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As a college student, I remember a great deal of fellow PRSSA members wanting to become entertainment communicators. I mean, how could one not, right? You essentially get paid to read TMZ all day long and tweet about it, which sounds pretty easy.

This is totally not the case.

For the past two years, I have worked as a social media professional over at MTV. While there, I learned three major things PR students should know before pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.

You can’t turn it off

The field of entertainment is nonstop. How celebrities spend their holidays is newsworthy, which means there will always be work during those times. Personally, I enjoyed working on projects like the 12 Days of Jerzmas on Christmas, so it was always a win-win situation in my book. However, understand that while some of your friends are going home to be with loved ones for the holidays, you could be stuck in the office.

Don’t be a super-fan

While we all have our favorite celebrities we would love to meet, in entertainment it’s not cool – at all – to be an overt, super fan. There’s a thin line between being a crazy fan and someone who is familiar with a celebrity’s professional portfolio. One of my PR instructors taught me something that truly helped me prepare to work with celebrities: always act like you have been there before. Acknowledge that you are familiar with their background (some celebs will test your knowledge), but act how you would when meeting any other person.

Name-dropping can be annoying

So, let’s be honest. It is hard not to name drop when you have a really cool entertainment job. In the first few months, the most humble person wouldn’t be able to fight the urge to say, “I work for a cool celebrity or brand.” The reaction you get from everyone else never gets old, but it does get annoying to others … fast. No one is going to do anything for you and not expect something in return. It just doesn’t happen in entertainment. So, if you – the name dropper – get invited to a pretty “cool” party, it’s probably because someone expects your celeb to make an appearance or your media brand to cover it. Keep in mind that sometimes people have their own agenda, but what is within your control is whether or not you will be a part of it.

I truly enjoyed my experience in the entertainment world, but make sure you understand the truths behind common myths before pursuing PR in this industry.

 

Kion SandersKion Sanders is a digital strategist with a strong passion for the entertainment industry. As a digital strategist at MTV, he works with a variety of production companies to drive awareness to several TV-show franchises. Some of his duties involve community management, event planning, developing and executing social marketing strategies.

Summer Book Club Discussion: Putting the Public Back in Public Relations

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As a part of the PRSA New Pros Blog Summer Book Club, our first book was “Putting the Public Back in Public Relations” by Deirdre Breakenridge and Brian Solis. The book had good insight on the future of public relations, where we are now and how public relations and social media work together for the PR 2.0 era. Both have since released updated books on public relations and business since this 2009 release.

Here are a few highlights of the book and things to note.

Highlights:

  • The book is really about how social media is putting the public back in public relations and has “reinvented” public relations and how the industry has to change and evolve.
  • We have a lot of issues facing the public relations field, and some even say our industry needs a PR makeover. Traditional PR tactics aren’t always as effective anymore.
  • We have to a part of the story and the actual conversation now more than ever. It’s not about us, it’s about the consumer and the consistent messaging and dialogue.
  • There are so many social tools out there, but the tools will change and the people using social media will not.
  • Rather than focusing on the need to get brand information out there, the focus should be on the social factor of social media. Facilitate conversation and relationships; do not just broadcast, and change from spin to influence.
  • Social media is not just public relations, it affects the entire organization/company.
  • The future of public relations is about community and community building (they also throw in a lot of tips and guidelines for community managers here).
  • New titles in the PR industry include: chief social officer, community advocate, community builder, community relations manager, social media evangelist.
  • The past of PR meets the future of PR by embracing changes brought on by social media and incorporating strategy for marketing, analytics, customer service, crowdsourcing and more.

Things to note:

  • A lot of this book is based on opinion and does not necessarily have data, polls, research, case studies, etc. to back up what is proposed.
  • Social media is not new anymore, and the content of this book is beyond basics at this point in 2013; it could be more for late adapters of social media.
  • Public relations changed with social media, but a lot of the basics still remain the same, and social media is just a tool in the entire box.

Did you read the book? What are your thoughts?

Discussion:

  • What do you think is the future of public relations? If social media was PR 2.0, what will PR 3.0 look like?
  • Is social media really a new thing anymore? What brands are using it best?
  • How do you get the community involved more in your brand conversation?
  • Do you think social media has put a focus back on ethics in PR with its need for transparency?
  • How do you win leadership support for your social media tactics, or do you face little push-back?

 

Lauren GrayLauren Gray is a junior associate in digital at Finn Partners in New York City and also serves as the PRSSA immediate past president for the current National Committee. Connect with her on Twitter: @laurenkgray.

Budgeting your PR Paycheck

Heather Sliwinski 1 Comment

We all heard it in college: Save your money, save your money, please, I’m begging you, save your money.

But, if you were like me, you probably laughed a little inside your head and thought, “Ha! What money? I don’t have any money.”

However, now that you’re a new professional, you might be thinking “Ohhhh . . . that money.” There’s nothing like that feeling of getting your first paycheck. Just think of all the stuff you could do! And the things you could buy! However, those people in college were right. You really need to save your money.

Saving is so much easier than it seems, I promise. When you set up your direct paycheck deposit with your employer, did you have some deferred to a savings account? If you did, then look at you! You’re saving already! Electing this option is great because it requires no effort on your part. The effort only comes in creating a budget, which seems so daunting at first, but once explained, is going to be your lifesaver (and your money-saver).

One of my communications professors actually brought a financial advisor into our class senior year to explain a budget, and I remember he had this to share about a monthly budget:

1. Pay yourself first. Period. 10 to 20 percent a month should be budgeted for savings.

2. Your rent should take up no more than 35 percent of your budget. If it is more than this, you cannot afford your living space. (Get a roommate and cut that rent in half!)

3. Car and insurance should account for 25 percent of your budget.

4. Those utility bills that won’t stop coming in the mail? Utilities should be 5 to 15 percent of your budget.

5. Student loans are a huge expense for some recent graduates. They should account for about 33 percent of your monthly budget.

6. Food is necessary, obviously, and now that you’re out of college you can possibly eat more than Ramen, cereal and Little Caesars $5 Hot and Ready. But don’t spend more than 10-15 percent of your monthly income. (A little tidbit of my own: I find that I spend more at the store the more often I go. Granted, I love to cook, so I also love planning meals, but if you can plan for two-weeks-worth of dinner at a time, then you only need to visit the store twice a month, and this will save you a ton. Trust me.)

7. Finally, we all need some sort of release. All work and no play makes for a miserable life. But entertainment is costly, and should be planned for 15 percent or less of your budget.

Now, you might be saying to yourself, “Is this girl sure she graduated from college … because that adds up to more than 100 percent …” but I know that, don’t worry! These percentages leave room for fluctuation in your monthly spending.

Lastly, ask about dumping some money into an IRA while you’re at it. I’m all about storing away some funds and watching them grow, and they will do just that in an IRA account.

 

LindseyHobbsLindsey Hobbs is an online marketing strategist at Champion Real Estate Services, a large corporate real estate company in Columbus, Ohio. She is a 2013 graduate of Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio in journalism and public relations and is a proud past PRSSA president and current member of Central Ohio PRSA. She blogs at the614project.com and can be found on Twitter at @hobbsie11 and lindseyhobbs@gmail.com. 

June Twitter Chat Highlights: Harnessing Data and Measurement for PR Success

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We’d like to thank everyone who participated in the June #NPPRSA Twitter chat.

Specifically, we’d like to thank our special guest for the month Shonali Burke, ABC. Shonali is CEO of Shonali Burke Consulting and founder of the #measurepr Twitter chat. You can read more of Shonali’s insights on PR measurement and data on her blog Waxing UnLyrical.

Join us again on July 11 at 9 p.m. EST for the next #NPPRSA Twitter chat. The July chat will feature special guest Deirdre Breakenridge, author of “Putting the Public Back in Public Relations” — our June Summer Book Club selection.

Review highlights of the June chat below. What did you learn from the June chat? How do you harness the power of data and measurement to help your business reach its goals? With which departments must PR work closely to integrate and analyze measurement goals that will add value to the entire business?

 

Amy BishopAmy Bishop works in digital marketing and public relations for digitalrelevance, a content marketing and digital PR agency. She is the social media chair for the PRSA New Professionals Section. Bishop is also a contributing member of Dachis Group’s Social Business Council. You can connect with her on Google+, LinkedIn or Twitter.

Summer Book Club: June Selection–Putting the Public Back in Public Relations

Heather Sliwinski 5 Comments

Just because summer will officially begin this month and vacations take center stage doesn’t mean we should all take a break from learning. June starts our annual Summer Book Club on the PRSA New Professionals Section blog, and the first book selection has been made!

When you’re on your way to the beach or sitting in the car or plane, make sure you grab or download a copy of “Putting the Public Back in Public Relations” by Deirdre Breakenridge and Brian Solis. At the end of the month, we’ll have a recap of the book along with discussion around the key takeaways. You may even see these topics appear in our monthly #NPPRSA Twitter chat!

See how Amazon.com describes “Putting the Public Back in Public Relations”:

Forget the “pitch”: Yesterday’s PR techniques just don’t work anymore. That’s the bad news. Here’s the great news: Social Media and Web 2.0 offer you an unprecedented opportunity to make PR work better than ever before. This book shows how to reinvent PR around two-way conversations, bring the “public” back into public relations and get results that traditional PR people can only dream about. Drawing on their unparalleled experience making Social Media work for business, PR 2.0.com’s Brian Solis and industry leader Deirdre Breakenridge show how to transform the way you think, plan, prioritize, and deliver PR services. You’ll learn powerful new ways to build the relationships that matter, and reach a new generation of influencers…leverage platforms ranging from Twitter to Facebook…truly embed yourself in the communities that are shaping the future. Best of all, you won’t just learn how to add value in the Web 2.0 world: You’ll learn how to prove how new, intelligent, and socially rooted PR will transform your organization into a proactive, participatory communication powerhouse that is in touch and informed with its community of stakeholders.

I’ll be reading on my Kindle with you. We hope you join us for another lively discussion on the New Pros blog this summer!

 

Heather SliwinskiHeather Sliwinski is an account executive at KemperLesnik, a Chicago-based public relations agency, providing media relations and social media services to a variety of B2B clients. She has held positions in marketing and event planning for corporations, nonprofits and higher education. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications with an emphasis in strategic communications from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Sliwinski is the blog co-chair and chair-elect for the PRSA New Professionals Section. Feel free to connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter.