Four Ways Giving Back Helps You Grow as a Leader

September 10, 2015Ashleigh Mavros Leave a comment

Launching your career isn’t a one-step process. It takes time and strategic planning to really narrow down both your short- and long-term goals. But thinking about these goals isn’t enough. How are you going to get there?

As new professionals, we need to proactively think about how we’re going to land those senior-level executive positions. It’s not going to happen tomorrow but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to take initiative now.

Yes, we’re driven and have aspirations, and we really do want to be leaders. But the important part is for all of us to take steps back and ask ourselves, why? Why do we do public relations, and why do we want to be leaders of the industry? Then, we need to focus our approach on that.

For me, the answer derives in the reason I chose public relations and my biggest motivation in the work that I do: to help people. PR gives me the capability to effect change for the causes and organizations I’m passionate about, so becoming a leader means I’ll have even more knowledge, experience and power to do so.

Looking at my career with that perspective made it easier to narrow down what I could do in addition to my day job to grow professionally while simultaneously making a difference in my community. For me, that’s using my skills to help local nonprofits and community organizations.

The agency I work for, similar to agencies many new professionals work for, works with nonprofits and other community organizations on both a client and pro-bono basis. For me, this includes participating on fundraising and networking committees, directly communicating with donors or members via newsletters and social media, and so much more. By building relationships with these clients and executing campaigns, I’ve noticed firsthand how much these organizations rely on volunteers to achieve their missions, a universal truth for all nonprofits.

As a new professional, you can make a bigger difference than you may suspect for the nonprofits and organizations in your community. In addition to feeling great about doing good work, you’ll:

Expand your network.

As PR professionals, we understand the value of relationships. And while our co-workers become our work families, it’s important to build a network throughout the community beyond the office. Volunteer positions do just that.

It can be intimidating to arrive alone to your first meeting or event, but you need to start somewhere. Before you know it, you’ll no longer feel like you’re stepping out of your comfort zone and want to start volunteering for leadership positions. Also, it’s likely you’ll meet and work with people from different industries and professions, who could then turn into friends and mentors. These relationships can last a lifetime and open the door to new opportunities and shared passions.

Become the expert.

Depending on the organization or people you’re interacting with, you could be the only PR professional in the room. So when a communications-specific question or request is brought up, all eyes turn to you. This doesn’t mean you’re expected to know the answer in a blink of an eye, but you’re expected to be able to figure it out – an important skill as PR professionals are looked to as problem solvers. As an added bonus, you’ll become more comfortable and confident speaking up or learn when to let others do the same in these situations, which can help in all aspects of your career.

Build your resume.

Volunteer-based experiences are often equally as beneficial as on-the-job experiences. Most nonprofits and community organizations run on shoestring budgets, which make successful campaigns extra impressive. The ability to articulate your role in a successful project can speak volumes to your impact and leadership skills. Through volunteering you’ll also get hands-on experience with industries you may not typically be involved with, which can help round you out professionally or let you explore new interests if you’re not super passionate about the PR work you’re doing from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Learn new approaches and skills.

You’ll notice there are similar practices utilized among different organizations, but you’ll also pick up on differences. An organization may use a strategy or tool you’ve never explored. Each new skill you learn can enhance your value and help set you apart from peers, vital steps for career growth. And as you gain new skills and ideas, you’ll be able to contribute a different perspective to the meetings you attend – positioning yourself as a leader.

It’s never too early to get involved – whether you’re a college freshman or seasoned professional – take some time to consider how you can give back and become a better leader.

What types of volunteer roles do you have in the community? What are other career benefits you’ve noticed from giving back?

Hannah Leibinger is an account strategist at Piper & Gold Public Relations, a boutique agency in Lansing, Michigan, that specializes in government, nonprofit and small business public relations. In the Lansing community, she serves as the chair of communications for Grand River Connection, new professionals co-chair for the Central Michigan Chapter of PRSA, social media coordinator for Giving Tuesday Lansing and a member of the Old Town Commercial Association business development committee. Connect with her on Twitter (@hleibinger) and LinkedIn.

Three Ways to Become Indispensable at Work

September 8, 2015Ashleigh Mavros Leave a comment

When I started my PR career, I focused on nailing the basics of PR – writing strong press releases, building solid media lists, writing great emails. I strove for accuracy and a job well done. As I’ve grown in my career, I’ve realized that while mastering the fundamental PR skills is paramount, I also need to always be looking for ways to add value to my organization. PR professionals who prove that they add real value to their organizations simply do better professionally – they are promoted, secure new jobs more easily, and are liked by coworkers. Here are a few strategies I’ve picked up on so far, and try to put in practice in my career.

Go above and beyond.

Basic advice, but many PR professionals just do what absolutely needs to get done per their job description. They complete tasks delegated by their supervisor, and leave work when they finish them. This is a fine approach to work, but it’s not likely to get you promoted quickly. It’s like the old saying, dress for the job you want, not the one you have.

Show that you are worthy of the job that you want, instead of just doing a decent job at the one you have. Be the person who offers to stay late to finish a big project, or take some workload off of a coworker who is over-burdened. Communicate your interests and ideas to your supervisors. They will take notice of the team members who demonstrate passion, creativity, and ambition.

Build strong relationships with your coworkers.

PR is based on relationships. We’re focused so much on client and media relationships, that sometimes we forget about the other important kind of work-related relationship: coworker relationships. Think about the kind of coworker you personally would like to work with. For me, that person would be trustworthy, friendly, positive, encouraging, collaborative, helpful, drama-free, professional – try to be that person at work!

When you genuinely like the people you work with and they like you, you’re able to collaborate better, advocate for each other and increase your productivity. Get to know your coworkers outside of the office. Coffee dates, happy hours and exercise classes are all great ways to bond.

Manage up and make your supervisor’s life easier.

If you think about the purpose of a job in the most basic sense, it’s to make the life of your supervisor easier. This is especially true in an agency environment, where account coordinators support account executives, account executives support account managers, and so on.

Make sure every piece of work you turn into your supervisor – research, media lists, pitches, press releases, fact sheets – is absolutely spot-on and error-free. Attention to detail is so important in PR. Don’t drop the ball by turning in work with mistakes that could have easily been avoided by an extra review. When supervisors barely need to edit your work, they will appreciate you and ultimately view you as a necessary component of their own work life – making you irreplaceable.
If you quit your organization tomorrow, what kind of impact would it have on your team, and the company overall? Becoming indispensable at work is different from being good or even great at your job, and has everything to do with the value you add to your organization. What are some of your strategies for becoming that indispensable team member?

Lauren Leger graduated from Boston University with a bachelor’s degree in communication, concentrating in public relations. She started her career while still in college at Boston-based PR firm, Zazil Media Group. Lauren relocated to Dallas, Texas in fall of 2014 and began working atThe Power Group as a PR account executive. She recently took on a new role as Power’s manager of digital strategy, where she brings her PR expertise to the digital realm of the business. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The Plank Center’s Value to Young PR Pros {New Pros Week Series}

August 25, 2015Ashleigh Mavros Leave a comment

The namesake of The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations, Betsy Plank, commonly referred to as the First Lady of Public Relations, dedicated more than 60 years to the industry. As a distinguished leader in PR, Betsy was an advocate for its education and young professionals. Betsy believed, “Public relations people must be eternal students.” She recognized the importance of leadership and mentorship, and envisioned creating an avenue in which PR students, educators and professionals had resources to continue leading and mentoring throughout their careers.

In 2005, The Plank Center was founded at her alma mater, The University of Alabama. Established to help develop and recognize outstanding diverse public relations leaders, role models and mentors, The Plank Center continues to implement Betsy’s ideals to advance ethical public relations in an evolving, global society.

As new public relations professionals, are you recognizing the importance of leadership and mentorship? Betsy believed in the power of leadership and mentorship and you should, too.

Learn to Lead

You may be thinking that you cannot be a leader, because you’re beginning your career in public relations. Guess again. Leaders are needed in our industry at all levels, not just at the top. The Center debuted its first leadership report card, which revealed a “Grand-Canyon-sized gap between leaders’ evaluations of their own performance and those of their employees.” As new PR pros, learning to be an effective leader early in your career can help close this gap.

It’s been said, “Those who become involved with the Center will truly become better leaders.” From interviews with PR legends, material from the best experts in the industry to the latest research, the Center has value for everyone. Here you will find inspiration from the legends such as Betsy Plank, Harold Burson, Ofield Dukes and many more. Their paths to success remind us to keep learning, dreaming and, of course, leading.

Learn to Mentor

Some may say the Center introduced them to the true definition of leadership in public relations. Others, such as Brian Price, assistant account executive for Edelman, mention how the Center has expanded their network and motivated them to continuously find mentorship, and also seek out ways to be a mentor.

Betsy had many quotes, but one in particular truly sums up what mentorship means to our profession, “Mentoring is one of the strongest ways to spell success in public relations.”

And remember, you don’t have to always have an answer to your mentee’s questions. Sometimes, it’s best to be a sounding board and ask thought-provoking questions. At the end of the day, take Betsy’s advice, “You’re never too young—or too old—to mentor others.”

Pay It Forward

Wendi Strong, executive vice president of corporate communications with USAA, said, “No matter how experienced or knowledgeable one is, if you can’t leverage your skills to motivate, inspire and lead others to be superior practitioners then you haven’t fulfilled your duty to our profession.”

Leadership and mentorship go hand-in-hand. Don’t think of it as a challenge, but rather an opportunity to grow professionally and personally. How many times do we talk to someone about our experiences and offer advice to those who are seeking answers? Experience equals knowledge. Whether you see it or you don’t, you’re already incorporating leadership and mentorship into your life by sharing your experiences and advice with others.

We were taught to be strategic, ethical communicators, and it’s our time to start leading and mentoring the future of our profession. It’s important to note that you are making an impact. While it’s not going to happen overnight, sharing your knowledge with others will lead to our industry’s advancement.

The Center, with the help of its board of advisors, has carved out a direction that makes it of “distinctive value to anyone wishing to learn more—or be more—in public relations.” The value of leading, mentoring and paying it forward is there, not only for new professionals, but students, educators and practitioners. Why not start your leadership and mentorship journey today?

Jessika White graduated from The University of Alabama with a master’s degree in sports management as well as a bachelor’s degree in telecommunication and film. She is the communications specialist for The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations. Find her on Twitter or LinkedIn and follow The Plank Center on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

You Can’t Just “Tap” Into Influencers

August 20, 2015August 20, 2015Stephanie Vermillion 1 Comment

Influencer marketing seems to be the latest buzzword over the last few years and platforms like Klout, Get Little Bird and Traackr have dominated this space when it comes to identifying influencers within specific markets.

At W2O Group, we have proprietary methodology that combines quantitative scoring and human intelligence to identify the top 1% of influencers (in a specific category, topic, geography, language) that actually move the market when they speak.

Before diving into influencers you must first understand the market and how it’s shaped. (Click to Tweet!)

We look at the market through the lens of the 1:9:90 audience framework. We didn’t create this model but we have perfected it over the last 7 years in activating programs and the model has proven to be true regardless of what vertical or industry you work in.

The “1%” drive the market based on their actions – what they write/tweet about or what they say at events and interviews. They are influencers and are seen as subject matter experts for a specific topic. Our algorithms show that there are never more than 50 people who drive the majority of share of conversation for a brand or a topic in a given country or language.

The “9%” are highly active online. They recommend, share, sign up, download, comment and other actions that let their community of peers know what they think about certain topics. In many respects, this group serves as the “trust filter” for the rest of the market.

The “90%” are the great majority of any market. They lurk and learn. This group is satisfied with using search for discovering new products or consuming the content of their peers. They decide how compelling the 1% and the 9% really are in telling your brand’s story based on their purchase behavior.

In the upcoming PRSA webinar, I will go deep in explaining how we arrive at identifying the 1% of influencers; and then provide very actionable examples of how you can activate those influencers across paid, earned, shared and owned media channels.

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Michael Brito leads social strategy for the W2O Group – an analytics driven marketing and communications firm. He is also an Adjunct Professor at San Jose State University and author of “Your Brand, The Next Media Company”. You can connect with him directly on Twitter and LinkedIn

Conquering the Awkward Stage at Work: A Young Pro’s Guide

August 18, 2015Stephanie Vermillion Leave a comment

Being a young professional is hard sometimes. Between work/life balance and climbing the career ladder, it’s a challenge to navigate this stage of life.

As a young PR professional, hard work alone is not enough to get you noticed. You must learn to build and leverage relationships, develop leadership skills, and stand out amongst your peers to achieve success in the awkward stage between an entry level position and a managerial role.

Here are a few ways to navigate your career when you’re in the stage between recent graduate and mid-level employee, so you don’t feel like you are in career purgatory:

Raise Your Hand

Build your reputation at work by volunteering for side projects or taking on extra responsibility. You want to show your team and bosses that you are willing to take initiative to help the team stay on track, are reliable and engaged in the company, and committed to the growth of your career.

When working on projects out of your day to day task, you are able to network with colleagues in different departments and learn skills that will benefit you in the long run. Your superiors will take note and soon enough you’ll get the promotion you’re dreaming of.

Attend Conferences

The learning doesn’t stop after college. In addition to reading the news and case studies, attend conferences and webinars. There is a wealth of information out there to help you grow as an employee and it’s even better when you can learn from industry professionals.

Conferences and webinars give you the ability to learn about new industry trends, network with professionals of all levels, and hopefully encourage a new way of thinking about your career. As markets evolve, you have to make sure you stay sharp and ahead of the curve.

Join Professional Groups

There is power in numbers and professional groups are a great way to get ahead. Networking opportunities and mentor/mentee relationships are great reasons for joining professional groups but the biggest perk is being able to serve on a committee.

When you are active in an organization, you see the impact of the different functions that make an organization work.

Pick Up a Side Hustle

All work and no play makes John and Jane dull employees. As much as you invest in your career, invest in your passion.

Your side hustle can be anything from doing PR for a local band in your city or planning events for a non-profit you believe in. Stay well rounded and follow your heart. You don’t have to go through a quarter-life crisis!

Speak Up

Don’t be intimidated in meetings and brainstorming sessions; you were hired for a reason so show the team what you can bring to the table. It is your job as a young professional to give a fresh perspective.

Have the confidence to speak up on opportunities a client can take advantage of, share your viewpoints while developing strategies, and most importantly don’t be afraid to ask questions.

The road to success is not a straight one, but you steer the wheel. Taking initiative and developing leadership skills is key to your success as a young professional. Do you have any suggestions on navigating your career when you’re not quite a recent graduate but not yet a manager?

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Jasmine L. Kent, a member of PRSA-NCC, focuses on building community through dynamic events and engaging online marketing as a freelance integrated communications professional in Washington, DC. Keep up with her on Twitter at @LoveJasPR or visit LoveJasPR.com.

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