PR public relations

Book Review: Everyone Communicates, Few Connect

Jess Noonan Leave a comment

This post is part of The Edge monthly series of book reviews on books relevant to new PR professionals.

As young communicators, we can learn a valuable lesson from John C. Maxwell: communicating isn’t the same as connecting.

The famed leadership expert, and author of over 70 books, uses this publication to teach us the difference.

“Connecting is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them,” says Maxwell.

As PR/communications professionals, connecting is an important aspect of our job, but are we being as effective as we can be? That’s what Maxwell challenges us to examine with Everyone Communicates, Few Connect.

These lessons are critical for professionals across all industries. Writing, speaking, presenting, pitching, and selling are critical skills in any job, regardless of industry or field.

Your head will spin from the number of times you read the word “connect” – mine did – but when you begin to grasp the importance of making connections not just for yourself, but for the sake of your customers/clients, you will thank Maxwell for driving the point home. Improving the customer experience should always be priority number one.

Where this book provides exceptional value – particularly for young professionals – isn’t in practical advice or knowledge, but in the confidence readers can gain from the material. Confidence can be a fragile thing, especially for young professionals. But it can also help young pros excel beyond their entry-level expectations.

The book is also a ‘must read’ for the challenge it presents to its readers to audit their own communications processes. In this regard, you can take as much from this book as your attitude and openness allow.

As a resource, the text also aggregates some of the best principles from respected communication and leadership experts and philosophers. Maxwell also shares his Five Principles and Five Practices, which include:

  • Finding common ground
  • Keeping your communications simple
  • Capturing people’s interest
  • Inspiring people
  • Staying authentic in all your relationships

Maxwell posted chapters of Everyone Communicates on his website, and used the commenter feedback to add anecdotes, quotes and advice – each commenter was rewarded with their photo on the inside cover of the book. This helps to make material relatable to every level of professional.

Maxwell may rely a little too heavily on his on triumphs as examples within the book, but the positive attributes of Everyone Communicates can be helpful as you begin mapping a path to leadership positions within your company.

HeadshotRobert Martin is a Corporate Relations Intern at Allstate and the 2014 Co-Editor of the PRSA New Professionals Newsletter. He resides in Farmington Hills, MI.

Notes from the Road: 3 Things I Learned on Path to a Career in PR

Jess Noonan 1 Comment

Beginning a career in public relations can be quite a daunting prospect. There is no point-by-point roadmap to direct you on the way to professional success, and you will encounter plenty of obstacles along the way. I found myself in the hectic world of the “entry-level” after graduating college in May 2013; and now as I prepare for the next step in my career, I can think of a few pieces of advice that I have picked up along the way:

1) Be open to whatever comes your way, and be ready for some hard work.

When I graduated with a BA in history and started exploring public relations as a potential career path I was totally overwhelmed. I had done one PR internship in college, but I quickly found out, that I was not ready to become a high-powered account executive on day one. The difficult reality for me was that I needed to get more experience, and that meant internships, and unpaid internships at that.

I realized I knew a lot of people in health care, and I managed to find an internship with my alma mater’s children’s hospital. To support myself financially, I worked nights as a technician in the hospital’s pharmacy while I interned during the day. Those long days and nights at the hospital were not exactly what I would call fun, but I managed to learn a ton from my bosses, who held me to a very high standard and dramatically improved my writing.

2) Join your professional community.

One of the best things my boss at the children’s hospital did for me was encouraged me to join PRSA and be active in the profession. At a PRSA sponsored lunch, I sat at the same table as the social media department one of my town’s leading PR agencies, and after an interesting conversation about social media I asked for an informational interview. That interview eventually led to another internship, this time focused on social media. I was given an entire account to manage, and I discovered a real passion for the work. By the time my agency internship had finished I was able to once again turn to my local chapter of the PRSA to find my current internship with Carestream Health, which will allow me to keeping building my skills while I study for my MBA.

3) Use This Time to Find Your Passion.

Finding your passion may sound like corny advice, but it really is what the early stages of your career are for. Take on any challenge or opportunity you can find. Public Relations is an unbelievably diverse profession and you will find plenty of things you love to do, and plenty of things you don’t. In my case I found a real passion for all things social media, and I found some great mentors who fostered that passion. You may very well have some false starts, some things you just can’t get excited about, but don’t let those experiences derail your future career.

If you are really serious about a career in public relations, if you are willing to put in the hard work up front, and you can find the right team of people to support you then you have a great shot at becoming a real success in one of the most dynamic and engaging career fields there is. Public Relations is all about telling a story, so get out there and share yours with the world.

Sean Delehanty headshotSean Delehanty is currently an MBA candidate at the Simon School of Business, University of Rochester, Class of 2016; as well as a digital marketing intern with Carestream Health. He graduated from the University of Rochester in 2013, and has worked as a public relations intern at the Golisano Children’s Hospital and Dixon Schwabl Advertising. Sean is a Rochester, NY native and a proud member of the Rochester chapter of the PRSA.  

Back to School?: 5 tips to surviving graduate school as a working professional

Jess Noonan Leave a comment

As the use of social media and web-based PR tactics grows, current public relations professionals may consider earning a master’s degree to keep up with current trends. Working a full-time job and managing a home life can be challenging enough, so is it possible to add graduate school onto your plate and survive? It is. Here are a few tips to make the process more manageable:

1. Do your research.

Not all graduate programs are created equal. For the working student, a distance learning program might make the most sense. But even some online programs require a visit to campus once a semester. Be sure to research admission requirements and curriculum to determine where you’ll be most successful, and reach out to enrollment counselors with any questions. Thebestcolleges.org recently put out a list of the seven best online PR graduate programs. It might be a good place to start your search.

2. Build a support system (and use it).

Doing school assignments during the work day usually isn’t an option, so be prepared for your home life to get a little hectic. If you’re having trouble balancing your school work and home responsibilities, don’t be afraid to accept help. If a neighbor offers to drive your kids to soccer practice, take him up on it. Your support system should also include your instructors. They are there to guide you, and they want you to succeed. If you’re struggling with something, reach out and ask for assistance.

3. Set a routine.

Most graduate programs that cater to working professionals have developed their course schedules to give students a fair amount of flexibility. During your first course, get a feel for the format, schedule, and pace, and then set a routine for yourself. For example, do reading assignments on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and then work on any corresponding writing assignment during the rest of the week. Sticking to a routine will keep you from falling behind in your work load and having to fit a cram session into your already busy schedule.

4. Don’t forget to take some personal time.

If you work full time and have kids, you already have little time to yourself. Add graduate school into the mix and your “free” time is now non-existent. But it is still important to carve out some personal time, even if it is ten minutes a day to walk around the block and decompress. If your stress levels get out of hand, you’re likely to want to throw in the towel. It is much easier to take the occasional time out than it is to melt down and quit.

5. Cut yourself some slack.

You’ll be devoting roughly two years to earning your graduate degree, and you may have to bump some things down your list of priorities. If you don’t have time to make your signature hand-crafted cards this year, Christmas will still be just fine. If you’re ordering pizza rather than cooking a little more frequently, at least dinner makes it on the table. Don’t beat yourself up about taking some shortcuts at home in order to fit graduate school into your life. It’s easy to compare yourself to others, but what you’re doing is far more impressive than building outdoor furniture from wooden pallets.

It won’t be easy, but earning your master’s degree is an impressive accomplishment. In the grand scheme of things, the amount of time you’ll have to deal with a crazy, stressful life is short, but the accolade of having your graduate degree will last forever. In the end, the feeling of accomplishment and the relationships with instructors and peers will make it worth the effort.

Are you considering a graduate degree? Have you completed one while working?

Materkoski HeadshotJennifer Materkoski is a graduate of Kent State University with a Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communications with a specialization in Public Relations. She has worked as a writer and editor for both newspaper and television and as a member of a non-profit marketing and development team. Materkoski recently opened her own boutique public relations firm, Songbird Public Relations. Materkoski resides in Wheeling, West Virginia with her husband and son. You can find her on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter @MrsMaterkoski. She can be reached via email at jen@songbirdpublicrelations.com.

Applying Psychology to PR

Jess Noonan 1 Comment

illus_2heads-mediaPsychology is a broad major that applies to many of the industries, but for some reason people only associate becoming a psychologist or psychiatrist as appropriate career paths for psychology majors.  Most don’t even consider the possibility of working in the public relations industry, and some might insinuate that since you didn’t major in communication or journalism you are somehow incapable of working in the communications field.  The reality is, psychology makes up majority of the theories behind public relations, social media, and marketing, becoming very much entwined within the industry itself.  Why wouldn’t it?  The study of human behavior is directly involved whether you are planning a campaign for behavior change, trying to manage a company’s image after a crisis, or persuading consumers toward a new idea.

You might be a new grad who majored in a social science, but now you’re interested in public relations.  Or maybe you’re a young professional and after spending a few years in a different industry want to switch career paths.  You are probably wondering, “How do my skills fit into the world of public relations?”  Fear not, coming from a psychology and science background provides many transferrable skills that will help you succeed and can make you an attractive candidate to employers. Psychology actually equips you with many of the desirable traits for the public relations and marketing industry, especially with the new focus on social media in today’s society.

Research – Psychology and other sciences that are research-intensive, require you to be skilled at researching and analyzing information and data.  You have experience not only with conducting primary and secondary research, but also in knowing how to critically evaluate the data and draw appropriate conclusions.  Sure, there is an abundance of information available but you have to know how to evaluate the findings and whether it actually provides support for your objectives.  There are a number of findings that support certain claims, but they will not help your client’s communications campaign if it’s based off of faulty logic or inadequate study design.

Writing – Psychology courses will not provide you with much experience drafting press releases or practicing AP style, but you certainly gain sufficient experience with writing.  Whether it’s by writing research papers, article critiques, or lab reports, you certainly leave college having acquired numerous hours perfecting your writing ability.  Now, it’s just applying your writing talent into a new format.

Social Psychology – Persuasion, behavior change, group behavior, and attitude formation are main concepts covered in social psychology, but they are also the basic concepts for planning a public relations campaign.  Understanding the background of your key publics and why they hold their opinions, beliefs, and attitudes, is the first step in your plan.  Knowledge of the principles behind attitude formation and group behavior is essential when planning and deciding what strategies and tactics will relate and be the most successful for your campaign’s messages and goals.

Social Media:  Knowledge and understanding of how people’s behavior is affected through the use of online environments is extremely useful when planning social media campaigns.  It’s not just about understanding how to use the technology, but deciding how to use these social networks to enhance your brand and increase interaction with your followers.  What factors of the online environment change the way people interact, behave, and make decisions?  Understanding these differences will help your company or brand when engaging followers.  Interpreting how the different channels (Facebook vs. Twitter) affect behavior also becomes beneficial.  Certain messages or tactics will have better reception and response on one channel versus the other for the simple fact of how people interact with it.  It might seem like common sense but behavior can become much more complex and unpredictable through the online environment.

Recent grads, what were some of your favorite psychology courses in college?  Current professionals, how do you find psychology applied in your job today?

LShank headshotLauren Shank does freelance public relations and marketing, specializing in social media.  She graduated from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is a member of PRSA – National Capital Chapter.  Connect with her on Twitter (@LaurenEShank).

The Artistry of Creating What’s Never Been Done Before – Part 2

Jess Noonan Leave a comment

Continued from the previous post:

Nicole Dobrzynski, ‎Global Football Brand Manager at Nike

“I find my creative inspiration when I am least expecting it. I find that if I sit too long at my desk and try to force an idea, it is hard to land on something compelling. It sounds cliché coming from someone who works at Nike, but inspiration usually finds me when I am out being active – playing soccer on the weekends, taking a yoga class on a Tuesday night, etc. Maybe this habit has been formed from years of playing soccer, but it always seems to happen for me. When my mind is not forced to think about something, random thoughts tend to come in that are different from a concentrated thought.

I also recently read an article that stated that the best creative thinking happens at night. The theory is that your mind is the most tired at this point, which allows the brain to bypass normal logic and think in new and interesting ways. Whether this is completely factual or not, I like to think that there is some truth to this thought. This would help explain why I am able to weave together a seasonal concept in the span of a 60 min evening yoga session, when I have been thinking about it for the past eight hours at work with little success of finding clarity.”

Tony Telloni, Managing Director at Golin NYC

“I think the key to any good creator is the skill of observation. There is creativity in just about anything and everything you come across. You have to be willing to look at things a little bit differently and embrace the thinking that comes with it. At Golin, we like to take creative field trips. We’ll go to a museum opening or an art exhibit. We’ll know that an event is happening at Times Square or Grand Central Station, and we’ll make a point of all going down to see it, even if it’s not an event that’s run out of our office. We do that to keep our creative skills sharp and go where we know you’re going to find sources of creativity and inspiration. I think, willingness to share what inspires you with others is another really important factor and lets great ideas grow to even greater ideas.”

Ben Roth, SVP Creative at MKTG Inc.

“I think you have to be an explorer and open up your frame of reference. You have to read things…things that you don’t want to read in order to explore different points of view. I also believe that in our business, you have to ask the obvious questions that most people think – they already have a simple answer to them. Even if you don’t ask them out loud, ask them to yourself, write them down, look them up – and learn.

Many times, people come in my office, and we have long conversations. I’ll bring up one topic, after another topic, and another. Often they ask me: ‘How come you know that kind of stuff?’ It’s easy. Every day, I write down questions I have, I think about them, look them up – and I ‘learn’ them. I am not smarter than anyone else but I created a ritual for myself that if I don’t have an answer, I’m not satisfied – I look it up and I write it down. The same goes for words. If you come across a word and don’t know its meaning, write it down and look it up. When I started my career and just came out of school, I had little notebooks full of words I didn’t know, full of things I’ve learned. It’s about creating that routine for yourself.”

Inspiration is powerful; on that we can agree. Not surprisingly, there isn’t a simple recipe to it. First and foremost, it’s about finding a balance that works for you; discovering what and who inspires you. It’s about exploring the world, being receptive and sharing your creative journey with others. Beyond that, understanding creative blocks as part of the experience and seeing every moment, encounter and place as an opportunity to learn, opens new doors toward creating the unseen.

HelmaVonZadowHelma von Zadow works with the Brand and Integrated Marketing team at Major League Soccer and is a member of the PRSA New York Chapter.  She served on the 2013-2014 PRSSA National Committee as vice president of professional development. Connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter.