professional development

Summer Book Club–June: UnMarketing

Heather Sliwinski 1 Comment

Returning this year to the PRSA New Pros Blog is the Summer Book Club.  Thanks to all who tweeted and voted, the Summer Book Club has its first PR read for June—UnMarketing: Stop Marketing. Start Engaging. by Scott Stratten!  So visit your local bookstore, download it onto your Kindle or borrow it from a friend, but get your copy today and start reading.

Discussion surrounding UnMarketing starts the first week of July.  Check back with the PRSA New Pros blog, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to join in the conversation.

Here’s what amazon.com has to say about UnMarketing:

From one of the leading experts in viral and social marketing-market your business effectively to today’s customers

For generations, marketing has been hypocritical. We’ve been taught to market to others in ways we hate being marketed to (cold-calling, flyers, ads, etc.). So why do we still keep trying the same stale marketing moves?

UnMarketing shows you how to unlearn the old ways and consistently attract and engage the right customers. You’ll stop just pushing out your message and praying that it sticks somewhere. Potential and current customers want to be listened to, validated, and have a platform to be heard-especially online. With UnMarketing, you’ll create such a relationship with your customers, and make yourself the logical choice for their needs.

  • Shows how to create a mindset and systems to roll out a new, 21st century marketing approach
  • Marketing expert Scott Stratten focuses on a Pull & Stay method (pulling your market towards you and staying/engaging with them, leading them to naturally choose you for their needs) rather than Push & Pray
  • Redefines marketing as all points of engagement between a company and its customers, not just a single boxed-in activity

Traditional marketing methods are leading to diminishing returns and disaffected customers. The answer? Stop marketing, start UnMarketing!

New Pros: What are you hoping to learn from this book?  What specific topics would you like to see in our discussion?

Whether you are spending your summer laying on the beach or traveling for business, make sure you bring along your copy of UnMarketing!

7 Crucial Job Search Tactics to Land an Entry-Level Job by Heather Huhman

Heather Sliwinski 1 Comment

Pretty soon, you’ll be donning that graduation cap, walking across the stage and taking your first step into the world of entry-level employment. Hopefully you’ve set yourself up for success throughout your college career by completing at least one internship, getting involved in on-campus groups and building a portfolio. What else is crucial to landing a job today?

Creating a job search plan. What many job seekers fail to do is create a plan consisting of multiple job search strategies in order to reach their goal. Merely combing job boards or applying to a few company openings probably won’t result in a job offer—or even an interview—in today’s tough market. You must be prepared, organized and diligent in every aspect of your job search, and creating a plan can help you stay on track. 

Spending time “company searching” as opposed to “job searching.” Part of your job search plan should be identifying 5-10 ideal companies that you’d like to work for. From there, you can work on making connections at those organizations, learning about their culture and determining your fit, and watching for openings and opportunities that are right for you.

Networking early and often. Your network is a vital resource in your job search. Friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances can help you learn about unadvertised openings, get an “in” at a specific company, or provide support while you’re job seeking. Keep in contact with important connections by adding them on professional and social networking sites, and reaching out to them to stay top of mind.

Branding yourself. You need to be your own advocate in your job search. This means having a clear idea of what makes you different from all of the other candidates vying for the same job as you (also known as your unique selling points). Communicate and share your personal brand by consistently marketing yourself across all social and professional networking platforms, as well as on your resume, cover letter and portfolio.

Harnessing the power of alumni. Don’t forget about the network you’re already a part of as a resource in your job search, which is your college or university. Consider contacting former students that are working in your field to ask for advice and job shadow opportunities. Join your college alumni network or search for groups on Facebook and LinkedIn. Because you already have something in common—your education experience—it will be easier to reach out to that individual and build a mutually beneficial relationship.

Taking things offline. While the Internet is a valuable resource for any job seeker, don’t neglect the power an in-person meeting can have. This can involve inviting another professional to lunch whom you’ve only talked with online, attending group and association meetings, and participating in conferences and meetups.

Volunteering your time. Not only can volunteering help eliminate gaps in your resume, but you can also make valuable connections with individuals at the organization. It’s also a great way to build upon your skills and add additional pieces to your professional portfolio.

Although your job search might not produce results right away, it’s important to stick with it and maintain a positive attitude throughout the process. You never know when you’ll meet someone who could lead you to your next opportunity!

What other tactics would you add to this list? Prospective graduates: What’s your plan to stand out in this job market?

Heather HuhmanHeather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder & president of Come Recommended, a content marketing consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and/or employers. She is also the author of #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010) and writes career and recruiting advice for numerous outlets.

Navigating Your Financial Future:Tweets from the Brown Bag

Heather Sliwinski 1 Comment

The PRSA New Professionals Section held our first brown bag teleconference “Navigating Your Financial Future” with financial advisor Jim Beverley on Thursday.  In case you missed it, Beverley covered four main topics directly affecting new professionals: student loans, credit scores, retirement savings and budgeting. PRSA New Professionals Twitter hashtag #npprsa tracked the conversation surrounding Beverley’s most valuable advice.

On student loans:

@MelindaBiegen: Tips on paying student loans from #JimBeverly– Step 1) Organize your loans, start paying the ones off w/ the highest interest rate. #npprsa

@MelindaBiegen: Step 2) Never miss a payment! If you can, try to set up automatic payment plans. Don’t be afraid to pay a little extra too! #npprsa

@MelindaBiegen: Step 3) #JimBeverly encourages recent grads to see a local Tax Advisor to educate us further and answer any financial questions. #npprsa

On retirement savings:

@prsanewpros: Save early! If you want to have $1 million at retirement and start saving at 25 = $300/mo., at 35 = $700/mo., 55 = $5,326/mo #npprsa

@DZ_Invictus: Retirement savings through company withholding plans confers pretax convenience, possible matching benefits. #npprsa

On budgeting:

@daniellerideau: Creating a budget for my future. budgeting.thenest.com #npprsa

@JoriRobinson: Good to have 3-6 months of expenses in cash in savings that is readily available in the event you lose your job. sleepability #NPPRSA

On credit scores:

@AnnaCramer1: Any number in the 700s is good, 750 + is excellent for credit score #npprsa

@prsanewpros: Improve credit score: 1. reduce debt 2. get back on track with missed payments 3. spend less! #npprsa

What’s the bottom line from Beverley’s seminar?

@AnnaCramer1: Save some money every month, pay some debt off every month and most importantly: live within your means! #npprsa

If you are interested in hearing the playback of this discussion, and did not register prior to the event, please stay tuned to our online discussion forum for a link to the recording.  This event is free for Section members.

Jim BeverleyJim Beverley, CLU, ChFC, CFP®, Financial Advisor, Partners Wealth Management

Jim Beverley has 16 years of experience as a financial advisor. Beverley offers Securities and Investment Advisory Services through NFP Securities, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. NFP Securities, Inc. is not affiliated with Partners Wealth Management.  Beverley empowers clients by eliminating conflicts of interest, taking the time necessary to understand each client’s financial situation and educating clients on the solutions available to help accomplish their objectives.

Navigating Your Financial Future: Q&A with New Pros Brown Bag Speaker Jim Beverley

Heather Sliwinski Leave a comment

You have, or are looking forward to, one of your first jobs in public relations—and your first steady paycheck. So, how can you take steps now to ensure you are building a strong financial foundation?

Join New Professionals Section members for a free brown bag teleconference “Navigating Your Financial Future” on Thursday, April 21, hosted by financial advisor Jim Beverley.  Beverley is a financial advisor with Partners Wealth Management with more than 15 years of financial planning experience.

PRSA New Professionals Blog Co-Chair Heather Sliwinski spoke with Beverley to get a preview of some of the topics he will be covering on Thursday.

Heather Sliwinski:  In regards to their finances, what are the biggest challenges facing new professionals in today’s economy? 

Jim Beverley: These days I hear quite a bit about paying off student loans as a significant challenge to new professionals.  The cost of education required for getting a job and the recent investment landscape has made debt-free education a rare situation. 

HS: Another crop of seniors is graduating this spring.  What is a tip you have for those who are about to face their student loans? 

JB: Shop for the best available repayment strategy, pay every time on time and if you can pay more, do so.   Getting beyond these loans will help you get to saving money earlier in your life.  It also helps you build your credit for when you are ready to buy a home or car.

HS: Do young professionals often seek out your council? If not, why do you think that is the case? 

JB: Young professionals do not typically seek my council.  In most cases, I have the feeling they would rather spend their money on buying fun things for their life.  Cars, electronics, clothes and eating out seem to get the priority over paying for financial advice.  On the one hand, I understand that motivation, and yet if they would spend their first dollars saving for their own future, they would soon be able to afford all the clothes, dinners, cars and electronics they desire. 

HS: In your 16 years of experience, surely many of your clients have told you about financial regrets. What is the most common regret, and what can new professionals do early in their careers to prevent it? 

JB: By far the most common regret my clients share with me is that they did not start saving early enough, and when they started, they wish they had saved more of their income.  While there are many regrets, it is amazing to me how often I hear this response.

HS: If you could give just one piece of financial advice to recent graduates, what would it be?

JB:  Whatever your income is, live as if you earned 10 percent to 20 percent less than that, and get in the habit of saving money from your first paycheck.  Do not get into the mindset of, “as soon as I get x, then I’ll start saving”.  Save some of EVERY paycheck you get, and do it right away. 

So how do we start saving?  Find out by registering for the brown bag today!  Among the general topics, Beverley will discuss:

  • A sample budget based on an average entry-level public relations professional’s salary
  • Managing your credit, including what affects your credit score (and how it affects what you can do with your money)
  • An overview of available student loans, and tips to make the repayment process as painless as possible
  • Planning for retirement (clearly, you are not too young)

Jim BeverleyJim Beverley, CLU, ChFC, CFP®, has 16 years of experience as a financial advisor. Beverley offers Securities and Investment Advisory Services through NFP Securities, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. NFP Securities, Inc. is not affiliated with Partners Wealth Management.  Beverley empowers clients by eliminating conflicts of interest, taking the time necessary to understand each client’s financial situation and educating clients on the solutions available to help accomplish their objectives.

Creating a Blog Strategy that Works: 10 Tips for Company Bloggers and Teams by Crystal Olig

Heather Sliwinski 5 Comments

Blogging can be frightening because no matter the size of your organization, not everyone believes they are a writer. The allure of a brand-spanking new blog tarnishes quickly when everyone realizes you have to feed the beast.

As PR pros, we mobilize a company’s internal experts and find a way to help them turn their knowledge into dynamic and compelling content. Whether we write it, ghostwrite it or edit it, thoughtful preparation and tools go a long way. Here is a quick guide to creating a long-term strategy that works.

1.       Editorial strategy & calendar

Blog platforms today, from WordPress and Blogger to Tumblr and Posterous, are intuitive to use, and you can be up and blogging in a day. However, that day should include at least a basic outline of content areas of focus with a frequency goal – once a day, a few times a week or once a week, at minimum. Even better is a strategic plan based around a few key information architecture elements.

Combine your content plan into strategic groups. A tool like MindMeister is great for team brainstorms and collaboratively creating a plan with your team. Within each of your topical areas, pick out a few descriptive words or phrases. Your groups can become blog categories, and the rest are viable tags.

Lastly, a deadline calendar that you gently enforce, or even better, incentivize your staff with, helps everyone know what they are expected to do and when.

2.       Be a great curator

While brainstorming is great, sometimes you just do not have it in you to start completely from scratch. I remind my clients that they are constantly consuming great content and forming an opinion. Applying an expert eye to e-mail newsletters, tweets from colleagues and magazine articles, a good blogger just picks the most on-trend, compelling or controversial info. Flip it around, add your own spin and you have a new post. The ability to curate content and choose the most compelling to share and open for commentary is a cultivated blogging skill.

3.       Content isn’t just words

Pay attention to your blogging team members’ strengths. The most persuasive and prepared salesperson can turn to jelly at the thought of putting pen to paper. Find a way to capture that person’s voice through rich media. Put a flip cam in the table in the breakroom and ask the salesperson some questions – “What is the most common question you get asked?” or “What questions do you wish our customers asked you?” can generate fascinating “vlogs.” Even a quick audio recording using a microphone or headset can do the trick.

4.       Mobilize a team

Unless you are a sole practitioner or an executive blogging for the sake of your own reputation, payday or thought leadership, chances are writing for the company blog is not your only job. Find a team who can help you, and get buy-in from the top to support everyone’s involvement. A monologue is rarely as compelling as a conversation or symphony of voices and perspectives.

5.       Do what you do

When you create your team, do not limit it to your peers in communications. A favorite client of mine mobilized his school’s whole staff to post on their education blog. Everyone can bring a unique perspective.  Some of the most popular posts are photo-driven, created by the school’s facilities and maintenance manager showing events across campus. If your goal is to highlight the rich talent at your organization, allowing them to talk about their passions in relation to your industry and individual roles is a great starting point.

6.       Come packing

Rich blogs full of photography, infographics, videos and graphics do not just happen. Arm yourself with the gadgets you need to capture the moment when inspiration strikes. A flip cam, digital camera and smart phone are all helpful and affordable.

You do not have to be an expert to produce blog content.  If the content is thoughtful and compelling, it counts. If you have access to a design team or some skills of your own, enrich your verbiage with imagery.

7.       Make it recognizable

Not just any old blog will do. It is getting easier every day to create customized and branded blogging platforms. If you know enough about the web or HTML to be dangerous, you can tweak colors, add logos and imagery templates and designs. Template libraries like Themeforest can help you on your way.

8.       Simplicity & SEO

One of the most common questions I hear from my interactive marketing clients is how to keep a corporate website interesting and the content timely. Often times, competing priorities of an organization or the complexity of your corporate site technology prevent communicators from changing it up. A blog can be simpler to use and involve fewer hoops to jump. Google sees the recency of content and gives value to fresh stuff. Blogs today typically have all kinds of built-in SEO-friendly features like the ability to manipulate title tags, URL structures and heading tags.

9.       Make it sharable

In a social world, the best stuff gets shared. Plug-ins and widgets like Topsy, Share This or AddThis, paired with other direct interaction opportunities like Facebook or Linked In “Like” buttons, make it easy to pass along great ideas or stories.

10.   Create a voice

While communicators today often advocate for a clearly articulated brand voice, not everyone in the C-suite sees value in talking to your customers in a casual, non-journalistic or even friendly tone on your corporate site. A blog by nature is often more conversational and meant to elicit commentary and discussion. Writing about issues and trends affecting your industry, great corporate social responsibility initiatives or community action can often allow for more freedom – and more fun for those who are blogging.

Crystal OligCrystal Olig is an online content and digital marketing professional at Oxiem, an interactive marketing agency in Columbus, Ohio. She serves as the New Professionals Section Mentorship Liaison and is on the University Liaison committee locally, working with future PR pros through the Central Ohio PRSA chapter.