April Twitter Chat Highlights: Influencer Marketing

April 5, 2014May 2, 2014Lauren Gray Leave a comment

We’d like to thank everyone who participated in the April #NPPRSA Twitter chat as we discussed influencer marketing and how it can be included in public relations strategies to activate influencers and build a brand.

Specifically, we’d like to thank Mark Fidelman, CEO of Raynforest and author of Socialized!

Mark is also a regular contributor to Forbes — covering social, mobile and marketing trends.

Join us again on May 1 for the next #NPPRSA chat and stay up-to-date with PRSA New Professionals on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+.

Review highlights of the chat below. What did you learn from the April chat? What can you do to make sure the partnership benefits both the influencer and your brand? How can you incorporate influencers into your strategies?

Lauren Rosenbaum is the PRSA New Professionals Social Media Co-Chair and Co-Founder of Soversity, a public relations and digital marketing company. You can connect with her on Google+, LinkedIn or Twitter.

Book Review: e pluribus unum: The Making of Burson-Marsteller

April 3, 2014May 29, 2014Jess Noonan Leave a comment

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

While I may be partially biased as a Burson-Marsteller employee, e pluribus unum provides an accurate and inspiring perspective of the public relations industry, client service, agency life and entrepreneurship to all current and aspiring PR professionals.

Recently described by PR Week as the godfather of modern PR – Harold Burson, author and founder of Burson-Marsteller, candidly speaks to his start in the public relations field and practices that apply to how many of us do our jobs today. The book chronicles Harold Burson’s start as a campus reporter in Tennessee, his coverage of the Nuremberg Trials, his start of Burson Public Relations in New York and joining with Bill Marsteller to create one of the largest public relations companies in the world.

While the book is a memoir focused on Harold Burson’s life and the creation of Burson-Marsteller, the practices and way that he gets into public relations is inspiring for any PR professional. The book gives PR professionals an opportunity to step back and think about the way we approach client service from an agency standpoint and public relations from an industry standpoint.

Jessica Noonan currently works within Burson-Marsteller’s Corporate practice in the New York office, providing strategic communication support to numerous key clients. She is Blog Co-Chair on the New Professionals committee. Jessica holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Communication and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, specializing in marketing from American University. You can connect with her on Twitter @jess_noons.

The Future of Public Relations Depends On You: Calling All Teachers!

March 31, 2014March 31, 2014Lauren Gray Leave a comment

173312870 Those of you who are just starting out in your careers can probably remember the college professors who, not very long ago, did the best job motivating you, captivating you and exposing you to the possibilities in the world. We need more teachers like that in the public relations profession. We’re talking about teachers who can bring a combination of real-world experience and in-depth knowledge of the profession to the classroom.

The “Learning to Teach” program is a collaborative effort led by PRSA’s College of Fellows Educational Initiatives committee, PRSA’s Educational Affairs committee and PRSA’s Educators Academy. It is designed to give those PR professionals who want to teach – as either an adjunct or full-time professor – an introduction to academia and a foundation for success in the classroom.

Last year, we began with some research of our PRSA members and discovered that only 1% of respondents had taken the “Learning to Teach” course, though 60% said they were very likely to consider an adjunct position in the future and 26% said they were very likely to consider a full-time teaching position. 63% said they would take the “Learning to Teach” course if it were offered remotely.

About Learning To Teach

Anyone can take the “Learning to Teach” course…whether they are interested in teaching now or in the future. The course covers:

Guidelines on looking for a teaching position
The application process
The “honeymoon vs. reality” behind teaching – duties and expectations
Basic tools & resources for developing materials
Tips for effective course planning & researching the history of your course
Measuring learning

This year, several PRSA Sections, Chapters and Districts are sponsoring programs on Learning to Teach – via teleconferences or via programs piggybacked on their conferences. If enough people register, the course might also be offered at the PRSA International Conference in October 2014 in Washington, DC.

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If you have any questions about this course want to learn more, contact Robin Schell at rschell@jjwpr.com or 603-770-3607.

This post was written by Judy VanSlyke Turk, APR, Fellow PRSA and Robin Schell, APR, Fellow PRSA, co-chairs of the Educational Initiatives Committee of the PRSA College of Fellows.

Why Young Professionals and Women Need to “Lean In”

March 27, 2014Lauren Gray Leave a comment

lean-In-1 March is Women’s History Month. I wanted to get inspired, so I decided to read Sheryl Sandberg’s, Lean In. In her book, she talks about the importance of women taking leadership positions, voicing their opinions and becoming equals to men.

Obviously, women today have more opportunities than ever before, but that is still not enough. The wage gap between men and women has not changed since 2002! Today women make 77 cents for every dollar men make. Women need to recognize the barriers we face and find solutions to those barriers.

In her book, Sandberg talks about how important it is for young professional women to have self-confidence. She offers this statistic, “57 percent of men entering the work force right out of college negotiate their salaries, whereas only seven percent of women do the same.”

Why is this?

When I accepted my first agency job, I did not try to negotiate my salary because I didn’t think I had enough experience. I think this is a common misconception among young women entering the work force. We need to ask for what we want because no one is going to give you a raise or offer you more money; those are things you have to ask for.

I took away three important things from this book.

1. Always ask. If you do not ask for what you want, no one will ever know. Last year, I attended a PRSA Chicago luncheon where Edelman CEO Richard Edelman was among the panelists. He said, “Your career is in your hands. I cannot make your career, you have to.” I think this is an important message for all new professionals. You have to share your goals and needs with those around you. If no one knows what you want, they will not be able to help you.

2. Believe in yourself. My motto has always been “Fake it till you make it,” but now I think I am going to add, “Fake it till you make it and recognize when you have made it.” Young professional women need to acknowledge that they are good at their jobs and they deserve a raise or promotion.

3. Stop saying “I’m Burnt Out.” This is a phrase I often used at my last job, but I am realizing that I was not “burnt out.” I was just feeling unhappy and underappreciated. Instead of announcing that I was “burnt out,” I should have negotiated for more money or realized that I was unhappy and moved on to a new opportunity. I have never heard a man say, “I’m burnt out,” but I hear women – and many young women – say it all too often.

Young professionals, women and men, need to take charge of their careers, voice their opinions and Lean In. Check out Sheryl Sandberg’s TED Talk on this subject and let me know what you think!

Emily Suied is a public relations professional in Chicago. She is a member of PRSA Chicago and serves on the Young Professional Network committee. Emily graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington and was the president of its PRSSA chapter. Connect with Emily on her blog and on Twitter.

Tips for Alcohol Industry PR… and Basically Everyone Else

March 25, 2014March 25, 2014Jess Noonan Leave a comment

Must be 21+

Tweeting to a minor is as bad as serving a minor. You don’t want to be that brand that is associated with underage drinking. Unless your account has an age verification prompt, be prepared to dig into the backgrounds of customers who interact with you. Yes, it takes cyber stalking to a new level, but it’ll enhance your engagement with the customer. Knowing a little about about more about the customer allows you to change your tone or tailor your response. Best rule of thumb? If you think they’re under 21, don’t respond.

Lesson to be learned: Know your audience.

It’s science

Understanding the distillation and brewing process will help you tremendously. It will come in handy when writing a press release about a new beer on your shelf or a wine you’re tweeting about with a customer. Not only will it save you time gathering information on the product, but you’ll understand how it’s created. Your vocabulary will be filled with keywords or phrases typically used to explain the products, making your job that much easier. It’ll eventually flow from you quicker than whiskey out of a barrel.

Lesson to be learned: Understand the product.

Do your homework

Think back to when you started applying for jobs. (I know, I know. I try to block it out, too.) You probably spent endless hours researching the agency’s clients, their award winning case studies and even memorizing their mission statement. The liquor industry requires that kind of attention, but in a few different ways. Each state has their own set of rules and regulations when it comes to selling, distributing and shipping wine, beer, liquor, tobacco, etc. Whether you work for a national brand or a small liquor chain, understand these rules. Questions like, “Can you ship to ___?” or “Why don’t you carry ___ beer?” pop up a lot.

Lesson to be learned: Listen. (And ask a ton of questions.)

It’s good to have options

Not into corporate or retail PR? Not a problem. Tons of PR agencies represent major beer, wine and spirit brands. Heck, GolinHarris just landed Diageo. You could even work for a distributor, a supplier, a bar or event planning team all under the umbrella of public relations within the beverage industry. If you’re serious about getting into the industry, spend time networking at beer events, talk to your neighborhood wine guy or even chat up the bartender at the whiskey bar. Remember: Just like in PR, it’s a small world. Everyone knows everyone.

Lesson to be learned: There are many paths for you to enter the industry.

What do you like to drink? Everything.

From barrel aged beer to jammy cabernet to… well… Malort. Being open to tasting everything will not only build your palate but expand your knowledge across the field. It’s key to be well rounded in the beverage industry. Brewers, distillers and winemakers take their time to execute the perfect product that will eventually be poured into your glass. It’s an art meant to be enjoyed… and occasionally cause a hangover, but that’s beside the point. Swirl, smell, sample, taste, indulge. Enjoy the craft, but don’t forget to…

Lesson to be learned: Enjoy the product you sell.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Sure, brands like Budweiser or Yellow Tail always don’t have the best rep, but they are still enjoyed by many. Before you snub them, understand that craft beer and high end wines only make up a fraction of industry sales. The beer and liquor you find piled high in stacks to the ceiling are the brands that support a majority of your business. It’s easy to want to side with the little guys but don’t forget about the big boys, too.

Lesson to be learned: Believe in what you promote.

Hilary Jurinak is a Communications Coordinator at Binny’s Beverage Depot in Illinois. She is programming co-chair on the PRSA new professionals committee and a former member of the PRSSA national committee. She can be reached on Twitter at @HilaryJurinak.