As our last assignment in Intro to PR we had to create a Top 10 list of the most valuable things we took from Professor Nixon’s class. Here is my Top 10 slide show!
Body By Glamour April 30, 2009
I recently signed up for Glamour Magazine’s Body By Glamour in hopes of getting in the best shape of my life. This online program is 100% free and 100% do-able! Once you create your profile including your current weight, goal weight, and measurements a customized workout and diet plan is suggested for you. The exclusive workouts are given on a month to month basis and to track your progress you log everything in your online journal. Each week there are also motivational tips and new healthy eating recipes. So far I’ve enjoyed my workout comprised of cardio, the bicycle move (works your abs), the outer thigh lift, and many more. I highly recommend signing up if you’re not interested in paying for a personal trainer and want something customized for you!
Georgia Gets It’s First Case of the Swine Flu April 30, 2009
The swine flu has been making a big break in the news recently and Georgia got it’s first case today. A 30 year old lady from Kentucky, who was traveling through Georgia is now in a hospital in LaGrange. AJC.com reported that the woman has a history of traveling to Cancun. State officials are now expecting more cases of swine flu throughout Georgia. There are now more than 100 cases in 13 states in the U.S. So watch out Georgia.. The Swine Flu is here!
PR at the RAC April 30, 2009
While working at the RAC (Recreation Activity Center) I have seen many examples of Public Relations. I may not work in the marketing department, but as a facility assistant I am involved in sets ups of concerts, job fairs, sports tournaments, and many more. Here are a few examples of where PR is used in my job:
- OAR concert in October
- Softball Tournaments
- Triathalons
- Club Sports Tournaments
- End of the Year Banquet
- Job Fair
- Southern Adventures Climbing Competition
- Dashboard Confessional Concert
- Weight Lifting Competitions
- Red Cross Blood Drive
When setting up or working at any of these events, I feel more prepared because I am taking a PR course. I find myself thinking of what we need to do in a crisis, how can we rearrange the gym for an event, how can we solve parking problems during a concert, etc. So, thank you Professor Nixon, I’m already using my PR knowledge in my day to day life!
Turkeys Can’t Fly! April 30, 2009
In PR we watched an episode of WKRP in Cincinnati to help us learn a little more about promotions. In this episode the station manager, Mr. Carlson, feels a little left out and decided to come up with a promotional idea for Thanksgiving. Once he came up with his brilliant plan, he acted on it immediately without filling in anyone on his staff. He simply kept telling them it was a secret. When Turkey day finally arrived, Mr. Carlson had his reporter on scene and the rest of the team back at the station to air his brilliant promotion. Carlson had bought 20 live Turkey’s, flew over the local mall, and dropped them out of a helicopter! The episode got funnier and funnier as the reporter and the rest of the station reacted to Mr. Carlson’s give-away. In the end, Mr. Carlson realized he made a mistake because he thought turkeys could fly. This episode related to PR because after the incident the station had the humane society and local government calling to complain. Professor Nixon provided us with a funny television show to help us learn that you must always work with your team, do research, and be prepared for a crisis.
Domino’s PR Crisis! April 30, 2009
On April 15th we were shown a video from YouTube titled “Disgusting Domino’s People.” In this home-video, two Domino’s employees were not acting in a professional manner at work. The male and female were farting on sub sandwhiches, putting cheese in their nose and using it on pizza, and spitting into food. All of this was done while the two employees laughed histerically as if nothing was wrong with what they were doing. A disclaimer on the video stated that the two employees have been fired and that they stated the food was never sent out. In class, we were to get in groups and discuss what we would do if we were in the corporate office of Domino’s. We first decided that there were some question that needed to be answered before we could take action…
- Where is this Domino’s?
- Who are the two employees?
- Where is their manager?
- Who posted the video?
- How long have these employees worked for Domino’s?
- Was the order sent out and to who?
- Is this going on at any other Domino’s locations?
We decided as a group that once all of these questions were answered, we would respond quickly to the public and send our deepest appologies and assure everyone that those two employees had been fired. We would also make plans for the future using security cameras, having a manager on duty at all times, perform extensive background checks and have adequate training so that in the future nothing like this would ever happen again. GROSS!
Anatomy of a News Release April 30, 2009
What I learned from Professor Barbara Nixon on April 22nd about the format of a proper News Release.
1. Letter Head with an Address
- Centered
- Logo should be the first thing on the page
2. The Words NEWS RELEASE
3. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE or EMBARGO
- Embargo means that the journalist should hold the story until the date that is specified
4. Media Contact Information
- The person that the media should contact with any questions
- List phone numbers and e-mail address that are checked reguarly
5. Headline
- Should be in UPPERCASE
- Bold and centered
6. Dateline
- City and State abbreviation
- Can put the date here as well
7. Lead
- Who, What, When, Where, and How
8. Quotations
- Needs to look like someone actually said it
9. The Body
- Summarize the key points
- Keep paragraphs short and concise
10. Page Slugs
- Needed if it’s more than one page
- Always aim for just one page
- At the bottom of first page “MORE”
- At the top of second page put a brief explanation of what the news release is about
11. Additional Contact Information
- “For additional information” follow by a name or website
12. Boilerplate
- The last paragraph containing information about the organization that is not specific to the event
13. End Sign
- ### or -30- or END
Seth Godin’s “Tribes” April 30, 2009
On March 23 Professor Nixon posted a video of Seth Godin’s speech about his new book Tribes. Tribes are a organic and genuine system based on two main questions:
- Who is involved?
- Who is going to lead us?
According to Godin, Tribes are the new way of selling a product in relation to people on a more personal level. So far, there have only been three big Tribes during our lifetime:
- Work
- Religion
- Community
Godin describes Tribes as something that makes people feel good and help people find where they belong. Unlike a crowd (which is a group of people), a Tribe is a group of people who all share a common interest. I thought that this had a connection to my future in Public Relations. I want to find a Tribe with a group of people who are all interest in PR like I am. We are all a part of a Tribe in some way, shape, or form and after watching his video we now know how to identify those Tribes.
Top 10 Interview Tips April 30, 2009
- Ask Questions at the End of an Interview: Go into the interview with a list of questions for your potential employer. It will show your interest in the company. Avoid questions that deal with salary or vacations.
- Dress Appropriately: Dress like a professional. Men should wear a suit and women could wear a suit with a skirt instead of pants. Always wear panty hose and make sure your shoes are nice and clean. First impression is everything.
- Come Prepared: Make sure you research the company and know general information about your potential employer. For example- mission statement, company locations, top employees, work they’ve done in the past.
- Don’t Talk Bad About Previous Employers: The person looking into hiring you may know your old boss and gossiping is tacky.
- Make Sure You Know What Kind of Interview You Are Walking Into: Is it traditional face-to-face or with a panel? If it is conducted using a phone or webcam, make sure your electronics are working ahead of time.
- Watch Your Body Language: Stand and sit up straight with good posture. Make eye contact without staring.
- Don’t Tell Too Much About Yourself: If you have been laid off, make it clear that in today’s economy it doesn’t necessarily mean you did something bad. Don’t get nervous and ramble!
- Shake Hands: Do this with everyone you meet. Use hand sanitizer for sweaty palms and use a firm hand-shake.
- Be Confident: Be yourself and be sure to explain your strengths and weaknesses.
- Always Follow Up After Your Interview: Write and hand-written letter to all of the people you meet while in the interview.
Blog Comments April 30, 2009
Here are a few blogs I’ve commented on…
http://katiecrawford.wordpress.com/2009/04/26/protection-having-fun-in-the-sun/#comment-44
http://ansleywagner.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/the-beauty-and-the-controversy/#comment-23
http://jhenry18.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/how-to-prepare-for-swine-flu/#comment-13
http://agemmel.wordpress.com/2009/04/28/uga-shooting/#comment-18
http://nicoleleigh.wordpress.com/2009/04/20/twit/#comment-19