PRSA Progression

Business Communications, Leadership, Public Relations, Social Media

Let me get this out-of-the-way right at the beginning. I am a huge PRSA supporter. I’ve been a PRSSA and PRSA member for roughly 15 years now. This could be construed as negative but I want to make sure that everyone understands it is meant only as a valid question in the hopes of continuing to consistently improve the offerings provided to the organization’s membership.

When I began as a recent graduate, I recall attending monthly meetings featuring some of the best and brightest in the Twin Cities. I was honestly in awe of what many of these professionals had accomplished as I was starting my career. Over the next decade, I was able to build relationships and connections that helped me along as I learned how to stand on my own. PRSA played a valuable role in enhancing my career.

However, in today’s environment when so many senior communications professionals are only a Tweet or webinar away, I”m wondering if PRSA needs to alter its traditional approach to delivering value to its membership. Access that was stunning to me years ago is now commonplace, and expected. As professionals continue to shell out a few hundred dollars each year to be a member, what can the organization do that really delivers a significant benefit to those of you out there that support it? What methods of programming are you interested in? Should there be a greater emphasis on webinars or perhaps more focus on a regional set of programming versus strictly local? Or does the price point need to change to more frequent but targeted lower cost events?

As more and more professionals are struggling with justifying the cost of professional development to their employers (or paying it on their own during a tough economy) what’s the mix you’d like to see?

A HAPPO Introduction to Amanda Oleson

Public Relations, Social Media

As part of the Help A PR Pro Out (HAPPO) effort to assist some of our fellow PR pros connect with employers that could benefit from their skills, I’m happy to turn over my blog to Amanda Oleson to tell you why you should consider her as a part of your team.

Dear future boss,
Hello! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I heard that you are looking for a few sharp folks to contribute to your team’s success, and I’d be delighted to offer you my talents and expertise.

First, let me tell you a bit about myself. I graduated Cum Laude from the University of St. Thomas with a B.A. in Public Relations and in Spanish. I’ve spent the last few years in an agency setting, doing consumer marketing as a Media Relations Specialist, mostly in the Health, Wellness, and Alternative Medicine industries. I have experience in creating strategies and implementing PR and social media tactics in the health, retail, community outreach, non-profit, events, beauty and sports categories. I have secured media placements that have sold-out past client’s products for weeks at a time, successfully launched community youth programs, assisted in event PR from planning to media coverage, and assisted in re-invigorating corporate blogs and social media channels. I’d be tickled-pink to bring my enthusiasm and passion for all of it to your team.

My natural curiosity, background in traditional public relations and marketing and borderline obsession with all things social media allow me to bring fresh and unique insights to your team’s efforts to connect with and engage your key audiences and influencers. Growing up, I was always the kid that talked to strangers- telling them about my latest adventures with my Barbie doll or serenading them with a favorite Madonna track. Since then, I’ve learned that telling stories to random strangers isn’t the best idea. However, I’ve figured out that telling a specific story to a specific set of strangers IS a great idea if you’re looking to build trust in a brand, increase awareness and influence a certain outcome. I would be thrilled to help your team find the set of “strangers” that need to hear your stories the most- through the channels they want to hear them in. (Which is not likely to be a little girl tugging at your sleeve with a Barbie and an off-key Madonna song in most cases, for the record.)

I’m eager to tell you more of my adventures, how I can make them work for you, and maybe even serenade you with a Lady Gaga jam (for old times’ sake of course). Feel free to peruse facts about me on
LinkedIn, listen (and chime in!) to me babble on Twitter, or beg me for a story via e-mail (amanda.oleson@gmail.com). It’d be my pleasure to entertain you for a while. I look forward to hearing from you!

All the best,
Amanda

Big Brands Don’t Always = Bad

Public Relations, Social Media

In response to the ever-increasing barrage of branded messages in our culture, many tune out entirely or have actually made the assumption that big brands are equivalent to the axis of evil or the evil empire. Now, there are cases where some big brands have had questionable or downright lousy ideas and caught flack but the fact that someone is encouraging me to like their brand or buy a product doesn’t make us adversaries. I actually do want some of the products these brands offer.

Every so often, there are some efforts that I really like that can significantly improve the brand in communities the company serves. I’ve been watching the current Pepsi Refresh Project with interest. It made a big splash when Pepsi decided to forego its traditional Super Bowl ad presence to invest $20 million into social media. As the project formally launched this week, I began to hear of ideas all across the country and I like a lot of them. I’ve seen some creative plans that could genuinely improve the lives of hundreds or thousands of people. According to Jill Beraud, CMO and president of joint ventures for PepsiCo Americas Beverages, “this is the people’s project, it’s in their hands,” and I hope that proves true.

One element I’ve seen this first week is participation and engagement from a lot of younger people, which is a wonderful trend. Each generation seeks ways to express themselves and make change in the world in a manner that fits their values, style, and ideals. With a chance to find some elusive funding like this, many bright young adults may view this as a viable way to chase their goals. Will it work for all of them? No, but some will be given the chance to try and that’s a tremendous opportunity.

I don’t know how this effort will work out. Maybe it’ll produce dramatic change through a handful of the funded programs. But, even if it doesn’t change the world, the fact that Pepsi is giving this a shot impresses me. Are they hoping for a boost to their brand and improved sales? Of course they are, but who cares. Only time will tell if this effort enhances the connection that consumers have to the brand but to write off big brands on principle and take on an “us versus them” mentality is foolish. At its best, strong brand loyalty works both ways and an effort like this one might actually benefit thousands more through the programs that are ultimately funded.

Let’s see what happens…

Disclosures- I’ve not been paid or otherwise compensated in any way by Pepsi related to this post. I have had many of their products over the years but that cuts both ways… Diet Pepsi is great but I’m still not over the trainwreck known as Crystal Pepsi.

Photo- Courtesy L. Marie via Creative Commons

The Social Media Poker Table

Business Communications, Social Media

One of my favorite movies is Rounders (1998) which features Matt Damon as a young poker player who has a gift for the game. How could this possibly have any relation to social media? In one of the scenes, the main character travels to Atlantic City to get back into the game after taking some time off. Once arriving, he finds a table filled with all the local players from his underground club in New York. One of the players notes, “You know, if we wanted to take each others rolls, we could have just stayed home.”

I thought about this for a while in the sense that many communications and marketing professionals who are big proponents of social media may feel the same way at times. If you find yourself always reading information and chatting with the same community members, it may be a sign that you’re staying too close to home (so to speak.) If you’re chatting online with the same people you see on your blog who are the same people you’re meeting at a conference, you’re missing one of the great opportunities for growth that social media can provide.

The ability to meet and learn from others who are physically far away from you and, just as importantly, professionally far from what you do is essential if you’re really going to grow. If you’re a PR person, reach out to a marketer or salesperson who will approach a customer relationship with a different viewpoint. Find an economist that will drive you identify the financial impact of your ideas. Consider seeking out a copy editor who can help you improve your writing through tips or developing a genuine relationship. Or find another colleague who thinks differently than you do in terms of tactics and strategy.

There is nothing wrong with building strong friendships and supporters within your community, it’s actually critical to have that too. However, there are so many quality ways to improve your skills via social media. I encourage everyone to resist the urge to succeed in building a community and relaxing too much into a comfort zone where you’re not challenging your own thinking and continuing to grow.