Podcasting

Hello Corder’s Corner fans!

Recently, I started working on a podcast with some friends from school. It’s been a great experience so far. I have really enjoyed it.

When you click on iTunes for podcasts, be sure to add mine! I’ve got an official page and everything, which is super exciting! I even found myself on the Podcast app!

Anyways, as I have been going through this process of creating my AmuseMEnts podcast, it has been a unique experience for me. I’ve tried to take the podcast and use it to relate to things I am learning about communications, public relations, marketing and promotions. I think that those are things I am comfortable talking about and can share insight on. Additionally, I hope to get feedback from others and start conversations. While I know it is important to share information, I also think I can benefit from what others have noticed and observed.

I really believe that we can learn something every day. We can learn about podcasts, iTunes, marketing and even social media every day. I am not an expert. I am a student of the world and someone who wants to learn and share what I have learned. But to call my self an expert implies I have nothing left to learn, which is honestly not true!

I’ve been working with a group called NewAmp Network to get our podcasts started. My friend Bryan has really been fantastic about keeping everyone on track and making sure we are doing good things with the podcasts. I try to rely on my experiences as a Disc Jockey with Black Squirrel Radio. I’ve enjoyed that experience with my show Sedatephobia! (Like us on Facebook or follow us @SedatephobiaBSR) Our show has been on air for 5 semesters and we have even been the “Most Listened to Show” one semester, which was fabulous!

Feel free to comment with questions. I am always happy to share information and insight! I want to hear your opinion about my show and tell me what you think! I’m working on procuring better equipment and brainstorming topic ideas!

Have a great day! Stay classy and check yoself before you wreck yoself!

-Megs

Prezi or Powerpoint? A battle to the conference room.

Are you a fan of Prezi or are you a fan of PowerPoint?

Think about it. Would you call yourself old school or hip? Do you like the consistency of a time-tested program that will always give you what professionals are looking for? Or do you like to push the envelope, so to say, and challenge the norm?

Personally, I love Prezi. I do not even use PowerPoint unless I am required to. I think that Prezi is cool and “hip.” I love that you can make a tiny picture and then zoom into something that reveals the bigger concept and idea. While many of my peers may switch between the two, I always want to use Prezi. 

One of the most interesting concepts to me is the idea that you can import PowerPoint slides into a Prezi presentation! When I first figured this out my mind was literally blown. This is such a unique feature. The idea that you can add photos, graphs, quotes, graphics and literally anything else that is relevant into your Prezi, then zip from one to the other is amazing. 

Now, I am not trying to knock PowerPoint. I think it is a valuable and modern resource. I love the way that you can transition each slide, include resources and change the colors of the template. I’ve used PowerPoint numerous times and I think it is very valuable and serves its purpose in any professional or academic setting.

But, what I am saying is that some people might prefer PowerPoint over Prezi or Prezi over PowerPoint. It really depends on the venue or environment of the presentation. It focuses on the idea of what you want to do with materials and how they can be important to the image and message you are trying to convey. 

Either way, the choice is yours. I love the creative freedom and modern look of Prezi. But I also use PowerPoint when I deem it appropriate to the situation. It boils down to your preference and your experiences. 

Have a good one! Stay warm!

-Megs

 

Here are some great resources to improve your Prezis!

http://prezi.com/wesbmcijhqvx/view/

http://tippingpointlabs.com/2010/11/22/10-tips-to-help-master-prezi/

The Best Prezi Tips I Found Today

“Hook, Line, Sinker” Prezi

This Prezi is part of my new podcast, AmuseMEnts!

I will be posting podcasts every so often that Educate, Relate, Communicate and Create information that listeners will hopefully find amusing! My first one should be posted soon, and I will provide a link once I have it.

I also used this Prezi at the NACURH (National Association of College and University Residence Halls) Conference at the University of Pittsburgh in May 2013. I got Top 40 out of hundreds of presentation submissions! It was super exciting!

I hope you enjoy! Please comment back with feedback. I will be incorporating this Prezi into a few Podcasts and update all the Simple Smile fans in the process!

Here is the Prezi Link! http://prezi.com/dlxd8vgwwe2o/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share

SEOs…and how to make them work!

Please see below for a blog post for my Media Relations and Publicity course.

Like any industry, there are key buzz words that are thrown around by professionals that students must familiarize themselves with. I understand this as a necessary evil of any profession and an expectation that I must be knowledgeable in all elements of my field. In chapter 22, Scott explains how to enhance the SEO of what you are promoting. SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a unique concept and industry term I am still learning about. I found it to be very interesting and useful. As a budding professional, I need to be well-versed in industry trends and understand the technical elements behind marketing concepts. While SEOs are all about relevance, I can still apply this information to a variety of areas and better serve my company and publics.

The more I can direct people to my specific product and website, the better chance I will have at success. I want people to Google something and get my product. The goal of my future employer is to sell things or provide a service. If they can do this, then they are successful. It is going to be my job to help them accomplish this goal. I liked the example Scott used about making descriptions more specific. His example relayed how “it is ineffective to try to reach buyers with broad, general search terms” (301). He used the example form a recent vacation where he was going to Costa Rica. Scott suggested that companies use specific wording that makes them relatable to what someone would search. Scott said he would search Costa Rica Adventure Travel. He found companies that specified in that area, or at least put it on the website, were something he’d be more likely to read.

I found this to be an amazing and useful concept. I love the idea of targeting a demographic or person by ensuring that a website was full of relatable terms that people would type into the website. I have to relate this when I am writing information. So, for example, I may want to think of what words I would use. If I want to talk about my new cat website, I should focus on what I would type into Google about cats. Then I would take that basic content and put it on that website. If I have those questions, then someone else does too! By looking at situations with the perspective of an average person, I can better understand what key phrases will be most effective. If I am Kent State University, I might want to throw out key phrases that reinforce my goals. So, if my goal is to generate awareness among students outside of Ohio, I could include information about students that are not form Ohio. By using key phrases to reinforce goals, I can better generate awareness of my message.

I appreciated this chapter because it debunked some industry terms that are frequently used but infrequently defined. I enjoyed learning more about crafting webpages and content that will present a strong showing when someone is searching them online. SEO is a unique concept to tie into online marketing. It does not overwhelm someone, but instead requires skill and ability to draw conclusions in what someone thinks and what your product provides. This really reiterates the idea of key messages and phrases that are memorable.

Rolling with the Punches as a PR Pro

I found chapter 8 and 10 of the New Rules of Marketing and PR to be entertaining and full of a variety of unique stories. Typically, I understand a few of the examples but I felt like I found more value in these chapters than I have in the past.

For example, I loved the concept behind the Mentos brand rolling with it once they had a viral campaign to promote. It was interesting how the company related its brand image to the viral campaign. I never thought of this concept before, but I really like the idea of making the brand a person. I like that the staff looked at the meaning behind the brand as being “determined by a consumer (98).” The company also used the internet as a “town plaza or the town square” where the feedback was shared (98). Coca-Cola tried to avoid being associated with the video, but Mentos did not. I really liked this because it was such a unique perspective. The company operated with the mindset that it was “just a candy manufacturer, creators of a small pleasure” and were flexible about what happened on the web (98). Instead of being like Coke and backing away from free publicity.

I think that I will incorporate this practice into my work as a professional. I think that this boils down to being flexible as a PR and media relations person. A lack of flexibility means a lack of free publicity. It is the concept of living in the moment. You have to live in the moment and know that things are going to change. Go with the flow and make sure that you have a plan, but recognize that something may come up and change the circumstances.

Additionally, Scott talked about creating a World Wide Rave through online content. I took this to mean that I should create something that is sharable. If I don’t find the information interesting, then no one else will. And I should also have a “virtual doorstep” that people will find me at (101). If I can create the original content and send it out, eventually people will come back to the starting point. This will be helpful because I am the person who cares most about my products.

If PR was a race, then I should be the kind of professional who checks the clock and looks at my time. While it is important to march to the tune of my own proverbial drum, I must also make sure I am not playing too loudly or walking into someone else. Scott states in the book “size is no longer a decisive advantage” for business environments, instead, “speed and agility win the moment” (123). As a PR professional, I have to run the race with the perspective that sometimes a tree will fall on the road. I can’t just stare at it, I have to jump over it or move aside. This concept should be followed in my professional experiences. I need to understand that sometimes things change. I can be a stick in the mud or I can make adjustments and learn to make the best of the situation.

Making the best of a situation can be posting what information I know when I have it. Or it can be jumping into the ring for a new social media campaign. Or, pulling a professional stunt like banning Paris Hilton. These are all great ways to think in the moment and as a PR professional, this is part of being on my game. When I think of PR, I think of the kind of job where you never know what the day will bring. This kind of day means that you must adjust and take each day with a grain of salt. Overall, I feel like these were interesting chapters that provided information I will benefit from. It helped me understand just how much I need to think on my feet as a professional.

You are what you publish

See below for a blog post for my media relations and publicity class!

 

 

David Meerman Scott explains the basic idea of “you are what you publish” in chapters 11 and 12 of his book The New Rules of Marketing and PR (137). I really like this idea and think that I can relate to the information being distributed. Scott reiterates his focal point, which is that every message must support the organizational goals. No matter what my company is doing, if we do not “determine [our] business goals” then all of our efforts are futile (139).

Scott highlights the variety of business personas that one may encounter when working in marketing and public relations. These business personas remind me of public relations publics, because they are descriptions of all the people we communicate to. According to Scott, they are “essentially a representative of a type of buyer that you have identified as having a specific interest in your organization or product or having a marketing problem that your product or service solves” (140). If I can identify these personas, and know how to commutate to them, then I can market my product well and convey the goals of my organization.

Scott wants us to do our research when identifying these personas. We are expected to understand their mentalities and interview people that are reflective of the personas. This helps me because I can understand what information they want from me and how I can share this information with them. I loved the analysis of the Obama campaign, because it explored how the personas, or publics, bought into the idea of change and the need for it. The goals were met by a well-designed message that targeted a variety of people.

If I want to publish things that are relevant, impactful and have a purpose, then I need to have an understanding of who I am talking to. I cannot just send a message out and hope for the best. I have to be strategic in my process and detailed in my message. My reputation is only as good as my worst content item. I say this because people remember the bad a lot longer than I remember the good. So, I should always try to send good, relatable messages. But, if I lose focus and track of this, then I cannot do my job as well and my reputation and work may suffer.

Ideally, to do my job well, I have to look at the whole picture and break it down into smaller, approachable parts. By doing this well, I can best convey my messages to my public that needs them. If I do not do this, then I am not marketing my product well. When you play a sport, you do not just focus on just one player, you look at the whole team and the whole game. Unlike the example of kids swarming the ball in soccer, you have to focus on your strategic plan and know who is passing to whom when.

Overall, by tailoring my messages and targeting the right publics, I can best do my job and ensure that I market products to the best of my abilities. I need to be positive, productive, clear, focused and make sure I am doing my best instead of worrying about the other team. 

The Online World

See below for my blog about social media. This is from my Media Relations and Publicity Class!

 

To blog or not to blog? A cheesy question and play on a famous phrase, but I think it is appropriate for the chapters in The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott.

The chapters spend a significant amount of time detailing how to start conversations among blogs, how to research, how to cater messages to publics on specific social media and how to reach a niche audience through social media. All of these topics are extremely important for modern public relations professionals.

Every day, it feels like more people are on social media. And they are becoming so overwhelmed with the information presented to them. Instead of a few stories and posts, there are hundreds of updates to comb through. Scott extensively writes about focusing on the goals and letting content driving them. He writes that “companies that understand the new rules of marketing and PR have a clearly defined business goal –to sell products, to generate contributions, or to get people to vote or join (33).” If I want to tell my audience something, I need to clearly define what I am telling them in order to convey my messages well. One way I can do this is by using bloggers as a resource.

One of the most impactful thoughts that Scott relayed in the book was the difference between social media and social networking. His description was helpful and simple. Social media is the entire entity of the online universe where people communicate. Social networking is “how people interact on sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace and similar sites (38).” This networking occurs “when people create a personal profile and interact to become part of a community of friends and like-minded people and to share information (38).” I love this concept because it shows how important conversations between people online can be. I feel that blogging is a great way to highlight these conversations and amplify their potential. If I can do this as a PR professional, I am better serving my audiences well conveying the messages of my employer.

Anyone can and will blog. People blog for a variety of reasons and will express a variety of opinions on blogs. Blogs can be a fabulous resource and link to information, but they can also be dangerous and should not be forgotten about. Blogs are websites created and maintained by someone who just wants to talk about the subject. As a professional, this is a gold mine of untapped resources. I need to respect the boundaries of the writer, while monitoring and engaging in conversations. Sometimes, people may become too passionate about blogs or share unprofessional opinions. This is something to be wary of, but it should not control how I utilize the resource.  

Overall, I found these chapters to be really helpful and creating some clarity and direction for a budding PR professional in vast online world. Scott shares some resources and insight that I will definitely reference as a student and when I am a professional. 

The Press Release

Here is another blog post I wrote for my Media Relations and Publicity Class!

 

               All of my life, I have been a singer. Being a singer was my identity in high school. I was the theatre kid and the choir nerd. And, when I came to Kent State, I never realized that I could relate my passion to my profession.

               During every performance, there is a make or break moment. There is an instant where you need to know the impact of the song or use your backup plan to combat a sour note. I had to be careful and know how to portray a song so that the audience left with an understanding of the message behind the music.

               In PR, I can compare the message of the song to a good press release. For example, most press releases are meant for the media and that is the first group to see it. I think of this by remembering how many times my parents were forced to hear me perform. I love my parents, like PR loves the media, but I do not perform for them only. I sing for the audience, or the publics in PR. My parents are important, just like the media is important, but the audience at my recital and other performers should get an equal amount of attention.

               A good press release is for the parents and the public. It is full of information that tells others about a product or organization. Like a good singer, the press release requires practice and revisions. One must go over it and make sure that each note, or line, is looked at. There is a dedication to ensuring that the focus of the song, or the release, addresses the needs of the audience and publics.

               If I sang a sad song with a happy tone, I wouldn’t be doing it justice. If I write a press release without doing my research and focusing my message, I would not do it justice. There is a balance and a skill set required in conveying the message to the best of my abilities.  

               In the book, the author, David Meerman Scott, addresses the importance of the press release and understanding that they have “never been exclusively for the press (87).” When writing a release, I need to speak “directly” to the “millions of people read press releases directly (88).” It is like when I am singing. If this is like a competition or talent show, the performer is singing to the judges AND the audience. Not one or the other.

               Additionally, I had to practice consistently. I could not practice the night before and expect to do well. Like a PR professional, I should “find good reasons” to send news releases “all the time (263).” If I want the credit, then I must do the work consistently. I should also keep the songs in my repertoire, or my online database, in the back of my mind. I never know when there will be a need for the information.

               Overall, I believe that to write a strong press release, I need to cater to all of the audiences that it may reach. I need to do this consistently. I need to be focused and clear in my messaging. I need to tell my audience, along with the media, information that may impact them. By catering my language to conveying my message in a professional and simple way, I will best serve my publics and my organization. If I can do all these things, then I am doing my song, or press release, justice.  

The “New” Rules of PR

This is a blog submission I wrote for my Media Relations and Publicity Class!

 

One of those expressions that sometimes senselessly runs through my head is “out with the old and in with the new.” Ironically, I think that this fits well with Chapters 1 and 2 of “The New Rules of Marketing and PR” by David Meerman Scott. In these chapters, Scott carefully details the old rules and then gives new rules to follow.

 

These rules, as explained by Scott, are supposed to help better market and prepare for promotional efforts in a virtual world. According to Scott “the web has transformed the rules, and you must transform your PR strategies to make the most of the web-enabled marketplace of ideas (12).” I felt as if this was partially true. I believe that the web is an amazing place to target niche audiences. I think that Scott covers a variety of Public Relations and Marketing topics in his assessment of the rules. By learning to ignore the old rules and understand that “public relations is not just about speaking through the media, although the media remain an important component (13).”

 

Some of these new rules are simple, but effective. The purpose is to target the “plugged-in bloggers, online news sites, micropublications, public speakers, analysts, and consultants who reach the targeted audiences who are looking for what we have to offer (22).” By focusing on your message, publishing professional-quality work and promote participation with publics, I think that achieving this balance will be simple. However, it requires a level of commitment. There is talk and there is action. I think that Scott tries to distinguish this. You can talk about a topic all day, but you need to follow through. By targeting marketing and PR to niche media, one is able to develop new ways to approach the new.

 

I think that what Scott has been trying to tell readers is that smart PR people who are fabulous at their jobs follow a system when they work. By giving new PR professionals, like myself, rules to follow, it makes the job and transition into a quality employee easier. No one wants to hire someone who lacks a basic knowledge of the field. The internet is becoming a huge part of the field and knowing that shows a commitment to personal and professional success. 

 

Overall, I think my favorite rules are “you are what you publish” and “people want participation, not propaganda (23).” These are rules I will personally use as a professional. I think that your reputation goes along with your work. Also, to engage in a conversation is infinitely more valuable than to speak at someone. If I can continue to work towards understanding and using these rules in my work, I believe I will grow to be a successful PR professional and champion of the new. 

Journalists/PR Professionals- Friend or Foe

This is a blog post I wrote for one of my PR classes!

 

Blog Post: “Journalists and Public Relations professionals: Adversaries or Allies?”

            For more years than I can remember, I thought my sister was my competition. I thought that everything we did was a battle of wills. It was a vicious battle between adversaries that mascaraed as friendly fire competition between allies. It was not until I became a Kent State University student that I realized that she was not my competition, but instead my biggest supporter.

            This is how I view the relationship between Public Relations professionals and Journalists. They may be at odds quite often, but they need each other to survive. They are allies, no matter how many stereotypes suggest otherwise.

            While both can function without the other, there are numerous benefits to working together. I think of each profession as a different piece of a puzzle. Sure, each piece looks fine individually, but the puzzle looks best when the pieces are together. Journalists need stories that are explained well and sent to them. Public Relations professionals want to educate the public about their company and use the media to do this.

            The main focus is that the two groups need to establish a common ground. The reporters may be looking for a scoop, while the Public Relations professional may want to communicate a positive new development for the company. Once these groups find common ground, or at least begin to cater to what the other person wants, they can have positive and productive relationships.

            They are not adversaries because they cannot be. If everything is a battle and a competition, the public suffers. An unsatisfied public will result in job losses on both sides. By finding that middle ground, anticipating the needs of each other, building relationships and understanding differences, both groups can continue to be allies behind the scenes. To me, it matters that the job was done and done well. By portraying the information in the best way that educates the public, and recognizing that not everyone is going to be happy, both can have mutually beneficial relationships and success achieving their goals.