In today’s Monday Minute, I discuss how you need to listen to yourself when doing work for clients and building your business.
Blog Archives
The Post-Internship Rules
Summer vacation is over, but it never really started if you had a PR/marketing/social media internship. Even before you packed up your dorm/apartment, you were already working at that internship.
Well, now it’s time to head back to campus and say goodbye your supervisor and co-workers from that agency, firm, or business where you (hopefully) had great learning experience. Wait, did I tell you to say goodbye? Don’t!
Now is THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME of your internship. Why? Because you need to effectively use these last days in helping you move forward for your career. Here are five things that should be part of a Post-Internship Checklist:
- Check with your internship supervisor regarding work you can use in your portfolio. You may have felt you did a bulk of the work, but review the projects you worked on with your superior(s). See if it is okay to use clients’ names, projects in a portfolio to show potential future employers or internships.
- Provide tangible results. You may have nailed a number of media placements or garnered new Facebook followers. Use statistics to show the before and after as well as the planning behind it. Potential employers love to see your planning and implementation skills.
Miranda certainly remembered Andy, right?
- Ask for a letter of recommendation and to use as a reference NOW. Don’t wait until later when a supervisor MAY not remember who you are. You are on their minds now. Ask if you can call down the road and use them as a reference. Also important: Make sure that you let that reference know you are going to use them. Nothing is more embarrassing than a potential employer calling a reference and they are caught off guard.
- Update your LinkedIn profile (if you haven’t already). Much like adjusting your resume is number one, taking the time to update LinkedIn should be 1A. It also would be a good idea to take my third point and ask for a LinkedIn recommendation.
- Make ‘em Smile- I know… students don’t always have a ton of money. Dropping off muffins and coffee is something that isn’t going to break the bank. It also shows you appreciated the time you spent there. Yes, a simple “Thank You” note is also fine. Handwritten, of course.
Think your boss may remember you in a few months? Maybe. But, take the time to make sure they WILL NOT forget. Make certain your most-recent (or first) internship helps lead you to success after you get your degree.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Starting Small By Thinking Big
I am not Edelman; I’m not BlissPR; I’m not even Ruder Finn. I say that with no ounce of disrespect, either. Many of the people who work at those places have, in one way or another, provided inspiration to me. You see, those big players in our field helped shape how I wanted to run my consultancy.
Sure, I looked at many other consultancies and businesses, those not in PR or social media marketing, to get ideas. It, ultimately, came back to the “big boys.” They didn’t start with name brands or PR consultants to Fortune 500 CEOs; they started small and got bigger and bigger.
Do I think my name will eventually be like Edelman? No. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to think big. Just because you aren’t a big firm doesn’t mean you can’t think like one.
JRM Comm started as a pipe dream. I wanted to be on my own. I grew tired of doing things that I felt weren’t moving forward. So, when I broke off on my own last September, I put everything I learned into launching my consultancy. I may be small in business size, but my mind thinks big. And that is what clients want… and what you should aspire to.
The minute you begin to think small, instead of big, you have failed. You deserve better and so do your clients. Think about this for a second: Would you listen to a consultant or pro if they said you should just do a news release? Probably not. That’s thinking small. You would probably listen to a pro that said let’s create a plan that involves traditional PR tactics and PR 2.0. Let’s do a Twitter contest, etc.
You may be just one person now, but two years from now you may have five employees. You don’t get there by just thinking small… you get bigger by thinking bigger. Dream it and believe it!
No Curry-ing Favor on “Today”
I didn’t use to be an Ann Curry fan. When I worked in Philadelphia, I was a multimedia producer for WCAU-TV’s MSNBC on the Internet operation. Ms. Curry was an anchor on MSNBC at the time and I saw her on-air often. She seemed too dramatic.
It took me leaving Philly and after five years in NYC (with Fox News Channel/Fox News Radio) to actually watch Ann Curry again. She seemed different to me; seamlessly transitioning from a celeb interview to a serious story. Ann Curry had “it;” a rare combination of smarts, style, and substance.
When Meredith Viera left the Today Show last year, Ms. Curry was named the new co-anchor, alongside stalwart Matt Lauer. It was a solid move… or was it? Fast forward to 2012. A story by Brian Stelter in the New York Times on June 20, reported that the Peacock Network was prepared to fire Ann Curry. I was baffled. The Today Show ratings have slipped a bit (ABC’s “Good Morning America” is gaining a ton of ground) and it appears that NBC needs a scapegoat. They pointed the finger of blame at Curry.
It’s not that firings in the media are all that shocking. Keith Olbermann has been canned more times that I can count. Dan Rather was (technically) fired, too. But it the way that NBC News is handling this situation is a) wrong and b) a public relations faux paux.
Curry is known for her international reporting of major stories from places such as Baghdad, Sri Lanka, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Albania, and Darfur. Needless to say, she has faced harsher times than what NBC is doing to her. As of this posting, the network hasn’t even commented on the speculation, leaving Curry to face questions as to her future. It’s a total lack of respect for a woman who has not only worked extremely hard, but who has shown class and grace.
From a public relations standpoint, NBC is taking a big hit. The media is already speculating who will take Ms. Curry’s place. The move is a bad one, but not something NBC seems to care about. They basically did the same thing with Conan O’Brien in 2010. Secondly, NBC hasn’t said word one about this report, let alone whether Ms. Curry is actually being fired or re-assigned.
Morning television is a big business. But that doesn’t mean that when business gets slow, you remove a piece. NBC should be finding ways to make the Today Show better. Leaving Ann Curry to wave in the breeze like a tattered flag isn’t good business… or good for ratings.
To PPT or not to PPT
Over the last few months, I’ve done a number of presentations and I’m asked the same question: “Will you have a PowerPoint to present?” My answer (so far) is always, “yes.” But, it was a discussion with my wife about a PowerPoint presentation that really got me thinking.
She asked after my most recent talk, “What if you DID NOT have one?” I shuddered and thought, “I can’t just NOT have one. What would I refer to?” But, she made a great point: Do we really need to use PowerPoint during a talk and is it always effective? So, I was officially conflicted.
I decided to reach out to trusted colleague Deirdre Breakenridge; she’s done a few presentations (understatement). I wanted to get her opinion on which way to go. Deirdre stressed the importance of knowing the audience and to have the resources prepared that will get their attention.
“When I visit colleges and meet with groups of students, I usually don’t use PowerPoint,” she said. Instead, the discussion is interactive with questions about them, their interests and their needs. “I find the PowerPoint in the classroom setting can be distracting. There are instances, however, where I’ve embedded videos in a PPT during a classroom presentation, which are used to ignite passionate discussions.” But, Deirdre stays away from the typical PPT with bulleted information.
With larger groups such as professional associations and training session with businesses, the PowerPoint can be very helpful. “Once again, it’s important for me to use visuals that I can speak to, rather than a lot of bulleted information,” Deirdre said. “Sometimes large, colorful visuals or charts specifically calling out numbers are a great way to get attention and to get a point across.” Deirdre made certain to stress that PowerPoint should not be the sole discussion, but rather a helpful reference (or jumping of point) to aid the speaker to deliver more compelling information.I think Deirdre’s points are very valid, especially when it comes to understanding your audience. One of the things I’ve done is prior to any talk is to chat with the head of the group. What are the people like? What information are you looking to learn more about? Is it a big room or more intimate setting? All these things are important.
Let me know your thoughts on PowerPoint and how you use it or don’t.
What the Avengers can teach you about PR
I have no problem admitting that I’m passionate about public relations, social media marketing, and teamwork. But, I’m also a huge super hero geek. Seeing how Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America have been placed on the big screen has been awesome. On Friday, May 4, The Avengers opens in theaters around North America.
I’ve done posts before on how Tony Stark taught me a thing or two. Now, I’d like to offer you five ways the Avengers can help your PR efforts. Some assembly is required, though.
1. Understanding each person’s strengths- No one member of your team is the same. Take the time to learn who is part of your team and how they can help. The person you feel is the weak link, may just need a different task to work on.
2. Leadership comes from every member- In the Avengers, Steve Rogers is a captain; Thor is a demigod; Iron Man (Tony Stark) is (basically) a genius. Who would be the leader? While one person may be considered top dog, every person can lead in their own way. If you trust your team, you know you can give them a task and be a strong leader for a plan or campaign.
3. Dealing with egos- From time to time, we have all dealt with “that person.” He/she has a healthy opinion of themselves. Heck, Tony Stark is a pretty confident and has a big ego. But, when working with a client like this, you can’t knock heads. You need to manage a client and let them know they are important, but part of the team. Show your client his ideas are good (“I really like how you framed this idea.”), then add your insight (“and I really think with the additions of XX and XX, this can be a winning campaign.”).
4. Adversity builds character- It’s not a secret that every PR/marketing/social media campaign will not be easy. It’s the challenges that will help shape you and your team. Nick Fury’s line, “We are hopelessly outgunned” is a perfect example of the adversity the Avengers face. But, within this seemingly impossible task, the team learns how to succeed. You may fail occasionally; but this is where you lick your wounds and gain strength.
5. Believe in your team- Sniping behind people’s backs and undermining what you are doing as a group is a sure sign that your campaign will fail. You may see a member slip up a bit, but you chose them. Believe that they can complete the task for the client. And show them your appreciation for a job well done. Maybe it’s lunch or a simple coffee break for your team. Good karma within goes a long way to outbound success.
Assemble your team and believe that their efforts will win the day. Your team could be “PR’s Mightiest Heroes.”
