Author: bcamen

New Pros Summer Book Club – Social Pollination Review

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Social Pollination by Monica O’Brien is an easy to read book that can help small businesses effectively utilize social media. This 224 page book focuses on small businesses, but O’Brien’s book can also be applied to your own personal brand.

A few of the chapters that really stood out to me as a reader were “The Psychology of Online Sharing,” “Optimizing your Content” and “Social Media Tracking and ROI.” “The Psychology of Online Sharing” explains why people share online content as well as why people don’t share online content. People don’t often think about the psychology behind sharing, but it is definitely a point social media users should understand.

“Optimizing your Content” and “Social Media Tracking and ROI” are chapters that provide tips and tools on how to understand and evaluate search engine optimization and quantitatively measure your brand’s social media impact. Both are tools social media users need to understand to take their social media ability to the next week.

Case study and “buzz tips” throughout the book apply O’Brien’s lessons to real-world companies to make the tools discussed even more easily understandable for the readers. O’Brien commonly uses a summary and learn more section at the end of almost every chapter so the reader can easily pursue more information on the topic discussed. She makes it very easy for you, the reader, to understand social media and I’m happy to recommend this book to others.

What are your thoughts on Social Pollination?

New Pros Summer Book Club – Social Pollination

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Welcome to the first installation of PRSA’s New Pros Summer Book Club. Over the next three months we’ll be discussing and reviewing books that will help you succeed as a pr new professional.

The New Pros recently had an opportunity to interview Monica O’Brien, the author of “Social Pollination” about digital media and how her book can help you. Read our interview with O’Brien, and check back next week for our review of her book.

New Pros (NP):Tell us a little about yourself. Where did your passion for digital media come from?

Monica O’Brien (MO): I spent about 5 years, starting my senior year of college, trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. In search of “the answer,” I learned an extremely valuable lesson: Every single person has a skill set that is valuable. I don’t mean this in the Kumbaya way, like we should appreciate all of God’s children. I mean that everyone has a skill set of things they enjoy doing­—a skill set that people are willing to pay for.

So why isn’t everyone doing a job they love then? One word: Marketing! People don’t know how to package and distribute their skill set into a product or service that people are willing to pay for. Even when they get past that step, they then don’t know how to find their target customers effectively and affordably. My book helps people and companies do this using digital media.

NP: Your book helps businesses leverage their social media presence, how can your advice be translated to personal social media use?

MO: Every person is selling something. You may be trading your time and skill set to a company for monetary value as an employee, but you are still selling. Consider yourself a small business of one to take advantage of the information in the book.

NP: You write about the psychology of online sharing. More specifically you talk about whether information is important enough to share. Gen Y’ers often over share. What advice would you give to Gen Y’ers so this doesn’t happen?

MO: Two things:

  • Despite privacy settings solutions online, you should always be careful with what you say. Very obvious, but for some reason people don’t get it! So do a quick check: write a list of topics you wouldn’t want your boss or your grandma to hear you talk about. Do you share this information online anyway, even behind privacy settings?
  • Look around you and see what pointless stuff other people are sharing. Do you care if someone is at the airport three states over, heading to another airport 12 states over? Probably not. Do you care what people ate for lunch? Only if they provide a yummy picture and a recipe. Watch others to know when you annoy people. And accept that no matter what you do, you will annoy someone anyway.

NP: Do you have any advice for new professionals who are looking to break into digital media?

MP: Sure! Before getting on Twitter or even starting a blog, you should learn the logistics of how to inspire people in your every day life. You should also learn how a movement is started, because that’s what you are trying to do online. I have links to two TED videos to watch: Simon Sinek on How Great Leaders Inspire and Derek Sivers on How to Start a Movement. Once you are done watching these, you can learn the technical logistics of breaking into digital media from my book.

Special thank you goes to O’Brien for taking the time to chat with PRSA. You can purchase “Social Pollination” on Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. Check back next week for our review of her book, but in the mean time here are a few discussion questions to get you thinking.  Feel free to post your responses in the comment section.

1)   What social tools are you currently using to promote yourself online?

2)   In your opinion, what do you consider to be too much sharing online?

3) O’Brien says before you get started online, you should learn the logistics of how to inspire. How do you inspire people in your life?

Intro to series… Government/Military Public Affairs

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We recently had the opportuntiy to interview Barbara Burfeind, APR, Strategic Communication Director for Defense Visual Information about governemnt/military public affairs. Burfeind has spent 19 years in Public Affairs and is the Immediate Past President of the PRSA National Capital Chapter. Here is our interview:

New Pros: What is the work environment like?
Barbara Burfeind: I work in an office environment with a mix of military, government civilians, and contractors. We all cross paths informally on a daily basis and there are weekly scheduled staff meetings with the deputy directors and/or the directors. Much of the time in the office is spent on the computer working on email, planning, and drafting documents and briefings. My other time is spent attending meetings and traveling to meet with other organizations for briefing and/or training on Visual Information.

Who are your “clients”?
Our key customer (who uses the DoD imagery acquired by military photographers in the field) is the Department of Defense – to include the militaryServices, the Joint Force, and the Combatant Commands. Other users include the interagency, such as the State Department. Our website is also used by the general public.

Are there specific PR activities you do often?
Yes, to include branding of our organization’s imagery capabilities, writing a strategic plan and drafting informational/training briefings on our organization. I also coordinate the presentations and visits with our users to obtain feedback for assessment purposes.

Are there specific PR activities you do not typically do?
I no longer do media relations or press interaction on a regular basis.

What other activities are important in this industry?
Research, analysis, evaluation and assessment are becoming more important than ever to linking activities and programs to strategic goals and objectives. Bottom line, more organizations want to know what PR/PA provides – the return on investment.

What are the industry-specific challenges?
Keeping up with technology and time – there’s so much technology and there’s never enough time. So you have to hone your abilities in prioritization and focusing on both the immediate task and the big picture.

What might be surprising to learn about this industry?
The PR industry can be a very small world. You can be in another country and meet past colleagues there. And no matter what area of PR or Public Affairs one chooses, there is a lot of commonality.  The basics still apply across the board.

What kind of non-PR skills and courses are important/beneficial?
Other languages and international/cultural awareness. Both bring an expanded perspective and also expand where you can work. Other non-PR skills include business and finance skills, especially in planning budgets and justifying costs, as well as human resource management and working with contractors.

What specific tips can you provide to help new pros find a job?
Tailor your cover letter and resume for every job application. Take the initiative and network with people from organizations you would want to work for, researching the organization and asking what it’s like working there, but without expectation of a job. Practice your elevator speech at every opportunity – your oral skills are just as important as your written skills. The key is to ask questions and look for opportunities.

Making networking strides by taking baby steps by Brian Camen

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Times are tough, and unemployment is still high (9.7% in March 2010). Whether it’s entry-level or non entry-level, a lot of public relations pros are looking for a position. In my opinion, real-life networking is still the most beneficial, followed by online networking. Here are a few easy baby steps to help networking jacks hunt for PR jobs.

1)      Get a Book of Top/Best Companies – Networking only works if you have someone with whom to network. A book of top companies could help you create a networking wish list. You can look up the top 25 or so PR agencies in your area, or you can use these resources to look up top companies in a specific industry, such as health/beauty or tourism.

2)      Harness the Power of PR to Make Contact –Starting with your list of 25 to 50 companies, go online and look for open positions. If there are none, contact their PR department directly. How? Every company website lists media relations contacts. (Things looking clearer now?) If there’s not a position open, use this opportunity to set up an informational interview.

3)      Be Yourself – How many times have you seen people act like a king when they try to network? There is no need to try to be someone different. In real-life or online, your networking personality should match who you really are.

When it comes to looking for PR jobs, don’t forget you can tap into a networking strategy, such as this one, without going to a networking event. By combining online and in-person networking, the job seeing jack will have his day.

BRIAN CAMEN is an Account Executive at a public relations agency in Chicago. Read his blog The PR Practitioner (http://www.theprpractitioner.com). He can be reached at brian.camen@gmail.com or @BrianCamen

Intro to series…Small Business PR by Janet Krenn

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Odds are, as a new PR professional you may find yourself working for a small business. What makes me say so? For starters, half of all private sector employees work for small businesses and small businesses generated 60 to 80 percent of new jobs, so says the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Many of these businesses need PR help. A small business might higher young talent to keep expenses down, and you, as the young talent, might be interested in the additional responsibility that comes with working for a small business.

When working for a small business, your employer is your client. Small businesses offer a lot of opportunity for new PR pros like you, who might gain access to projects and responsibilities you might not get at larger companies. On the other hand, the smaller the business, the more non-PR work you might be expected to do, anywhere from admin to marketing to taking out the trash.

The term “small business” is allusive. The U.S. SBA tailors its definition of “small business” based on industry, but typically small businesses have fewer than 500 employees and make fewer than $14 million. This covers a huge spectrum, and it has a bearing on what you can expect from working in at a particular small business.

For an idea of what it will be like to work for a small business, pay attention to the number of employees a company has.

What PR activities could you expect to do?

The smaller the company, the more likely that you’ll be asked to take on multiple PR tasks. For example, if you’re the only PR professional at a small business, you may be required to write press releases, conduct media relations, and work on internal communications. On the other hand, the larger the company, the more likely that you will have a well-defined role and might have specialized work.

What are industry-specific challenges?

The major challenge to small businesses is limited resources. This might mean you have to get creative with your project budget. It also means you may have to learn to go without something that you previously thought was non-negotiable.

Working for a small business can also pose a professional challenge. You will probably be challenged to develop a skill set that you lacked. You will probably be challenged to multitask several various projects and tasks on a regular basis.

What kind of non-PR coursework/skills/interests could be helpful?

Not only should be well-trained in writing and PR, it would be helpful for you to have some coursework in
(1) the specific industry in which the small business belongs. You may not know exactly what you want to do; you probably couldn’t predict exactly where you will end up working; so dabble in anything that seems interesting to you. If you’re still in school, don’t be afraid to use those elective credits to explore the world beyond PR.
(2) marketing and business. Working for a small business may mean that you will have to take on business and marketing functions as well as PR ones.
(3) design. Again, the smaller the business, the more odds and ends you’ll have to take on. Having an understanding of web and print design could go a long way in a company with no designer or one who is out sick in the middle of a pressing deadline.

How can I find a PR job in a small business?

In one word: Networking. The smaller the business the less likely they will (1) know how or where to advertise a position or (2) be willing to pay fees to advertise a position only to receive a grab bag of candidates. Aside from networking, check publications and websites that offer localized listings, as small businesses might be unable to pay relocation fees and instead hope to draw a pool of candidates that are already living in their area. Local small business associations and bureaus might be another good place to start.

Janet Krenn is a Sea Grant Communicator at Virginia Sea Grant.