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Announcing #50Shows: Giving Women a Platform and a Voice

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Being a woman in business and a mom juggling family responsibilities certainly has presented many great adventures and challenges. They say, “Balance, balance, balance.”  I’ve spent a large part of my career finding this balance between career and family, as well as mentoring other women, both seasoned and young professionals, to do the same.  My mantra has always been to grow by embracing new opportunities, even when the journey is uncertain. I don’t often mention my younger years when I was a single mom and owned a marketing communications firm at the same time. There were some really big hills along the way, but I’m so glad that I climbed them!

For me, it’s been an incredible journey and the best adventure of my life. I’ve always believed the more challenges you tackle, then the more rewards you receive. What’s harder to achieve is worth so much more, whether you’re a man or a woman.

50shows-logo100So here’s where the #50Shows (Empowering Woman) initiative comes into play … I want to tell you a little story about a my new friends and my pledge to help them give women a platform and a voice with 50 Internet radio shows.

When I met Jim Nico founder of the Social Network Show and his partner and co-host, Dr. Jane Karwoski, PhD, I was immediately interested in their work. Reviewing their radio talk show guests was a walk down Interesting Lane. Guests have included amazing women, sharing stories and best practices.  Then, I came to learn about a wonderful initiative just launched by Jim, Jane and their team called #50Shows Empowering Women. There are 50 Internet radio shows available through the Social Network Station for women who want to increase their skills and build a presence in media.

I immediately raised my hand to get involved.  Because of my work to mentor professionals, at a time when different campaigns including #RealBeauty, #ShineStrong, #GirlsCan and #LikeAGirl are top of mind, supporting and empowering women is a natural way for me to volunteer my time. Then, after reviewing the stats about women in media, my decision to participate was further validated.

Following several conversations with Jim and Jane, I’ve become a big admirer and supporter of their work, passion, and enthusiasm. Most of all, I appreciate their genuine efforts to help women to develop professionally, as well as personally.  Our discussions have led other exciting opportunities, which includes me joining the Social Network Association Advisory Board and a radio show in the future … more to come on that initiative soon.

So, as I move forward with new exciting adventures and helping women become involved in #50Shows, I also wanted to offer women a voice on the PR Expanded blog. If you have an interesting story or a journey you want to share in business or life, please let me know.

I hope you will join our journey to help fill up those #50Shows, and become a part of growing community.

Remember, expansion always means opportunity!

the Skimm logo

Q&A Interview with theSkimm co-founders, Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg

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SKIMM_TMIf you haven’t checked out theSkimm, I encourage you to take a look. I recently wrote about the daily email newsletter in my blog post, What’s in your Fall 2014 Communications Toolkit?”  For me, theSkimm is an essential resource. For those of you who are curious about theSkimm and how the newsletter came to life, here’s a Q&A with theSkimm co-founders, Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg. Carly and Danielle took a few moments out of their busy day to share more about the Daily Skimm, which I read and enjoy every weekday.

Q. News is so important for communication professionals today, what is the TheSkimm’s approach to news sharing and keeping PR pros in the know?

A. We want people to walk into a room feeling confident they can talk to anyone they may come across — no matter that person’s profession. theSkimm breaks down headlines across industries, subjects and party lines and makes it easy and fun every morning. Whether it’s a client meeting, interview, or family dinner, our readers are ready to jump into conversation.

Q. How did TheSkimm founders come up with the name?

A. We came up with a bunch of insider names and nothing made sense or conveyed that we wanted to be an easy way for people to stay on top of what is going on in the world. Once we thought of ‘theSkimm’ it stuck and made total sense.

Q. What do you think is different about TheSkimm vs. other daily email newsletters?

A. What sets theSkimm apart is first, our voice – meant to sound like your friend sitting next to you, telling you what you need to know for your day – and second, the community that has grown around theSkimm — who help us grow every day.

Q. How are you using social media to promote your Skimm’bassadors program?

A. Social media is how we keep a pulse on feedback from our readers and interact with them regularly. For the Skimm’bassador program, we want to show how they are living and spreading the #SkimmLife across the country.

Q. What do you like the most about working for a start up culture?

A. Every day is different and brings a new challenge, it keeps things interesting. This year we expanded our team, moved into an office and have created a culture built around collaboration, creativity and getting sh*t done.

Here’s a little more background on theSkimm founders:

3021236-poster-p-1-how-theskimm-became-the-must-readCarly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg, co-founders of theSkimm. Carly grew up in New York City and went to University of Pennsylvania – Danielle grew up in Chicago and went to Tufts. They met studying abroad in Rome and then reconnected after college while both working at NBC producing news programs. They became roommates and in July 2012 left their jobs and sent out the first Daily Skimm from their couch!

Hybrid PR Pro

Three Pressing Questions in PR: What Students Want to Know

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Screen Shot 2014-09-25 at 7.38.16 PMLast week, I had the pleasure of visiting my PRSA friends in Rochester at the PRSA Northeast District Conference. Together, we were blurring the lines and carving out the Modern Day Communicator. We set aside the hype and buzzwords and focused on strategic communications and technology to advance the practice of public relations.

It was a day full of questions, ideas and forward thinking for the PR industry. One of the highlights of my trip to ROC was sitting with a group of students prior to my luncheon keynote session. We sat in a small circle, about 15 of us, and got into a pretty candid discussion on what you need to know and also need to hear about PR.  There were three burning questions, which one week later still stand out in my mind.

1. What is the one thing that really gets your attention when a young professional meets with you or interviews with you?

You might think that I would focus on writing and speaking skills, or how much a young professional knows about public relations. That’s part of the equation, but not the first thing that stands out. Quite simply, I look for passion. You can teach anyone how to do advance their PR skills and train someone on strategy and planning best practices or relationship building. However, you can’t teach someone how to get excited or to be naturally more proactive as a result of a driving passion. Wanting to forge ahead with incredible energy and enthusiasm comes from within. Yes, you can share where you find your own inspiration, but passion itself is not something that can be taught.

2. I reached out to a professional I admired and did not receive a response. Should I have sent that email and continue with this practice?

It’s important to get right back up to the plate and swing that bat again. So many times, you will reach out to colleagues, the media, bloggers and influential people to develop a relationship. But, you will not always receive a response. In some cases, they may not even have received your email to begin with. However, whether it’s PR and communications or another industry, rejection comes with the territory. My best advice is don’t stop. You need to be confident and continue with different ways to build relationships. Similar to a media or business pitch, eventually you will hit a relationship home run.

3. PR appears to be a very competitive. I admire how PR professionals want to help one another but where do you draw the line between helping your peers and being more competitive to land that job for interview?

You have to find the balance between the competitive side of PR and the helping and mentoring part that is so valuable to the public relations profession. At the same time you’re taking the opportunity to build your own brand and to challenge yourself to get ahead. I find it extremely gratifying to help and mentor students and other professionals. However, because being in the PR business means when you’re in the boardroom or meeting someone for an interview, you’re there for a very specific purpose. It’s important to draw the line and know when to focus on the business of communications and when you can pour your heart into the education and giving generously on a daily basis.

These three questions open the door to so many more. What are your burning questions?

 

PRStudChat

PRStudChat & PR20Chat Kick off the Busy Season With a “Back to School #PRToolkit” Twitter Chat on Sept. 9th

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PRStudChatWhere did the summer go? It’s September, which, for most, marks the busy season. Vacation is over and our students, educators and pros are either back in the classroom or busy at work. On September 9th at 8:30 p.m. ET, the #PRStudChat and #PR20Chat communities will gather for a joint Twitter chat discussion on finding the most effective resources to include in a “Back to School #PRToolkit.”

We’re kicking off our special #PRToolkit (follow this hashtag) chat session to help students and professionals maximize their PR, marketing and social media initiatives in the fall and into 2015. We’ll be discussing everything from networking, relationship building and ethical communication to channel participation, new tools and productive apps.

A few of the questions our community members will answer, include:

– What resources can help with an internship or job search?

– How can you take advantage of social media in a search?

– What advice can our professional community members share on what they wished they knew as a student?

– Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, WordPress – oh my! Are there certain channels where students REALLY need to be active?

– Where can you learn more about ethical communications, especially in an age of public conversations?

– What platforms or apps help you to be more focused and productive?

– What bloggers, influencers and media outlets give the best recommendations on the latest technology and tools?

Don’t miss the Back to School #PRToolkit session to learn how you can advance your resources and add to your own toolkit, by chatting with peers. If you have any questions around the topic or thoughts you want to share, in advance of the session, feel free to DM us or post your questions in our LinkedIn Discussion Group.  We hope you’ll join us for a dynamic Twitter chat session on September 9th.  “See” you then! 

A Little More About PRStudChat:

It began with a simple question asked by Angela Hernandez, then President of PRSSA at Central Michigan University (CMU). “Is PR Right for me?” A follow up blog post by PR 2.0 expert Deirdre Breakenridge inspired a series of direct messages on Twitter between Breakenridge and fellow PR industry pro, Valerie Simon. This was an important question and one that should be explored beyond one student or one blog post. Why not build a community to help students across the country, and even the globe, learn from the experience and perspective of industry professionals… A community where everyone can learn and grow together.

 

Young Professionals

How to Get Ahead in PR and in Business

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I spent a good part of last week in Orlando at the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) Annual Conference. After my session concluded, there was one question, which stood out in my mind. I was so pleased to have a young professional approach me to ask, “How do you get ahead in public relations and in business?

Answering this question is a way to think about where you are going professionally and how to propel yourself forward in your career.  Here are the tips and best practices that I shared:

  • Never Let Them See You Sweat. Whether you’re in PR or any industry, you will spend a great deal of your time in situations that are unpredictable, tense and require critical thinking. In many cases, you’ll need to make decisions with lightning speed; ones that will affect a business and its employees, customers, partners, suppliers, etc. As a professional, you have to always bring your “A” game and it doesn’t matter if there’s tension around you. It also doesn’t matter if people are impatient because there’s a negative situation brewing. You always have to take a calm and clear-headed approach. Your job is to step back, think, connect the dots quickly, and give good advice and guidance. You can’t be nervous, flustered, anxious, or show any signs that the situation at hand is rattling or unnerving to you. If you can keep it under control and maintain your calm during uncertain times, then experiencing daily issues that arise will certainly be easier to handle. The key is a calm and laser focused presence during every type of situation, from the good and the bad to the really ugly.
  • Listening for Better Responses.  They say communications professionals love to talk. Here’s a tip … don’t talk too much. Think about how much you need to listen. Letting others speak freely around you will help you to gather valuable information and insights. Taking new information into consideration before you speak will make you appear more knowledgeable and give you a sharper plan moving forward. As a professional, sometimes it’s difficult not to jump into the discussion right away and to offer your comments and feedback immediately. You’re taught early on to be passionate and to share your ideas, and that no question is ever stupid. However, it’s more advantageous in different types of situations to step back, and let others offer really good information. As a result, you’ll formulate smarter responses and stand out in the crowd.
  • Resist the Temptation to Apologize. Just recently Pantene came out with a campaign called #ShineStrong. The campaign focused on how women will say they are sorry far too often and that it’s not necessary, especially when they are making valuable contributions. You may think this is a tip just for women, but it’s really for anyone in business to be strong in their convictions. Whether you are male or female in business there is, of course, a time and a place for accountability and a sincere apology may be necessary.  However, in your daily dealings with colleagues and peers be strong and confident in your actions. There is no need to apologize for giving good information or for taking a contrarian view to an argument. When you play devil’s advocate, it’s a part of your job, which makes others consider different perspectives. So, no apology is necessary for doing your job, and / or shedding light in ways that people may not necessarily see.
  • Command the Room. Don’t just enter into the room; you need to command the room. There’s a lot that goes into making your presence known; from standing tall with great posture and the tone of your voice when you greet someone, right down to the clothes that you’re wearing. Now, this doesn’t mean you need to run out and spend thousands of dollars on fancy suits. But, what it does mean is that you have to show you care from your appearance to how you act. When you take the time to care about your presence, you come across as someone who is polished and keenly interested in serious discussions. Even the strength of your handshake and how you make eye contact will let people know that you mean business.   The way you come across with your first impression will help to open doors and lead to more successful interactions.
  • Align Yourself With the Smartest People. You’ve heard the saying and it’s true, you should not be the smartest person in the room, or in the company. Relationships are at the heart of everything you do. When you focus on relationships with people who have a lot to offer, perhaps this could be greater knowledge, insights, motivation and enthusiasm then together you have the potential for synergy and incredible learning potential.

Answering the question, “How do I get ahead in PR or in business?” is a way to self-reflect and challenge yourself to really think about your best practices moving forward. However, you can’t always do this alone. It’s really important to have friends, mentors, and/or sponsors who are in your inner circle of trust and who are willing to give you critical feedback on the points mentioned above.

How will you move forward in your career, get ahead and make a difference in business?

 

Presentation to Millennials

Guest Blog Post: What Does Being a Millennial Really Mean?

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A Guest Post By Drew Slater

Presentation to MillennialsIt seems more and more businesses are trying to figure out Gen Y aka Millennials these days. First off…what is a Millennial? Some countries define the generation as anyone born from 1980 to the early 2000s; however, in the U.S. and the U.K. it is defined as anyone born from 1980 to the early 1990s – we’ll go with that one.

As someone who is a Millennial, I want help businesses figure us out. I think there are some misconceptions out there, but in all seriousness…we are pretty awesome. (I may be biased.)

Now, let’s think about this for a second. What does being a Millennial really mean? Most Millennials can always remember having a computer in the house and maybe playing video games from a young age. We were raised believing we could be anything we wanted to be and we’ve had different media coming at us from multiple angles – fast!

So what’s the big deal about the points I mentioned above? They have shaped the Millennial in a way that no other generation has been molded. No other generation has ever had access to so much information so easily. No other generation has been able to get so much enjoyment while staying inside and staring at a screen. No other generation has had to deal with the media and advertising interweaving themselves into practically every aspect of our lives. Companies should learn how to work with our generation and stop thinking we’re lazy, arrogant and unable to see beyond ourselves.

More kids are graduating from college than ever before. How many startups have been attempted this past 5-10 years? How are we doing all of this – especially if this generation is lazy? The answer is simple, we aren’t lazy. Our work ethic may not look like the work ethic of years before us, but we do work hard. Finding research and getting things done take less time than they ever have. Technology allows us to work faster and work on multiple things at once. The tools which we would use today to research and get things done look different than they did before. Just because you don’t see stacks and stacks of books and papers on our desk doesn’t mean we aren’t applying ourselves – we use the computer to pull up articles and use “Ctl + F5 to find key phases.” Technology is just getting faster and faster these days. Don’t assume we are lazy because you don’t think we look like we aren’t working hard enough. Ask us to show you what we are doing or what we have found so far.

Another typical description of my generation is we are arrogant and no offense, but it’s not only Millennials who can act this way, it’s every generation. I don’t think arrogance is always a bad thing though; I think sometimes it’s a necessity. There is more competition than ever everywhere you look. Whether it’s in the classroom and the workforce, there are more people who are out to beat you. In my opinion, you have to think you are the best. You have to think you can do something even if you can’t. It’s the only way to survive. If we are better at something than someone, it will show. Don’t worry though, it works the other way as well.

Lastly, not seeing beyond ourselves…this sort of goes with the above. For the most part, America is a very individualistic country, so why are we being penalized for being individualistic? It’s what we were raised on. It’s what we told growing up, “don’t let anyone get in the way of your dreams,” or “you can be anything you want to be.” Similar expressions were instilled into our heads. In the business world, there are a lot of people vying, positioning and scheming and all we want to do is make sure we get a fair shot – regardless of age.

So while Millennials tend to have a negative connotation towards them, I think it’s more of companies and people not fully understanding us. We aren’t too different than generations before except we are more intense and louder. We want to be successful, and we work hard and have dreams. Companies should embrace this and do what any successful company does – evolve. Evolve and work with Millennials. If you accept and understand Millennials for who they are and work with them, I believe Millennials can take your company to the next level.

Drew Slater is a Miami native who graduated from the University of South Florida and is currently an account executive in the marketing departments for a Fortune 500 company. He has a strong passion for education, whether it is learning or teaching, and sees education as the key to success. In his spare time you can find Drew marathon training, soaking in the sun at the beach or cheering his hometown Heat or Dolphins on TV. 

You can follow Drew on Twitter @drewhslater

 

Deirdre Breakenridge image

Part I: Treat Every Meeting Like a First Interview

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This post is Part I of a two-part series on Treating Every Meeting Like a First Interview.

Screen Shot 2014-07-23 at 1.02.37 PMWhen I mentor young professionals, we discuss the importance of preparing for a job interview.  A lot of emphasis is placed on preparation, which includes doing your homework on the company and the interviewer prior to your meeting. You may choose to research through a Google search, finding articles, accessing the website, reviewing other interesting materials and checking out social media profiles, if you can access them. The exercise helps you learn about the people and the company culture. Your prep work also allows you to develop a solid list of questions, so that you add to the discussion and dig below the surface.

However, what would you think if I told you that preparing for every meeting, as if it were a first interview, would lead to stronger relationships and more valuable outcomes?  When you take the time to dig deeper into the objectives and goals of every gathering, as well as researching the key players, you increase your opportunity to build better relations. It doesn’t matter if it’s the first time you’re getting together (like your first job interview) or you’re meeting with someone you know fairly well. If you treated every meeting like a first, with a friend, business acquaintance, potential client or a group of colleagues at work, imagine the possibilities. Preparing for your meeting, with the same diligence as an interview says, “I care about the people, the project and what we’re doing together.” It also makes a bold statement that you’re very interested in advancing the relationship.

Unfortunately most people don’t look at every meeting with the same importance and they show up unprepared.  All too often, I find some individuals in meetings don’t understand the overall objectives and clearly don’t plan for their own meeting goals; whether it’s a brainstorming session, pitch meeting, introductory meeting, etc.  They are not ready to ask important questions because they haven’t done their homework. Not being prepared, or only preparing minimally, may translate into no interest and a lack of desire to move the relationship or cause forward.  Even if you’re not the organizer of the meeting, you still need to do your part.

Here are some important tips to help you treat every meeting as if it were the first:

#1: Know who is attending the meeting and why. It’s important to learn about each person’s role and responsibility within the organization. Do you have common interests and why is this person meeting with you?  Answering these simple questions allows you to understand someone’s objectives, as you work to build your own, prior to your gathering.

#2:  Plan your own agenda. Just because there is a set agenda doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have one ready to go. Of course, it helps to have the overall meeting agenda beforehand, so you can review and weave your meeting goals into the proposed discussion / activities. If you don’t know your own goals and objectives going in, then you will not be able to visualize a path of next steps going out.

#3: Listen carefully and take notes. It’s dangerous to rely on your memory to document what people say once the meeting is over. The more you can document, you may find new and interesting information post meeting. You’ll be able to create stronger ties with meeting participants, be introduced to additional connections or uncover new and interesting information. Whether you put it down on paper or use note taking software, you should always do your post meeting homework.

#4:  Immediate meeting follow up is critical. As soon as the meeting ends, the follow up begins and the sooner the better. I always leave a meeting with a list of to do items and deliverables (with associated due dates) that are a direct result of the discussion. However, you should also move forward with your own personal follow up. I find that going the extra mile with the person or people you meet makes you stand out among all of the other meeting members. Take the extra time to reach out to people to share additional ideas and information.  Don’t limit yourself to what was discussed in the meeting, if you see an opportunity to speak with them again or to engage in additional discussions.

Treating each meeting with “a first interview” approach is a great step in relationship building. Your new approach will come across as prepared and interested in the people involved. At the same time, you also give off strong signals that you are a willing participant who wants to further the discussion, cause or relationship potential.  Of course, treating every meeting as if it were a first means more time and extra effort on your part, which I’ll discuss in Part II of this series.

Do you treat every meeting like it’s your first interview? Feel free to share your best practice meeting tips.

 

PRStudChat

PRStudChat Summertime Learning Opportunity for PR Students

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PRStudChatWhile summertime may mean a break from the classroom, ambitious students and professionals understand the importance of learning every day. Public relations students, professionals and educators will gather together on Wednesday, July 16th at 8:30 p.m. ET for a Twitter based discussion on how to leverage social media for a career in public relations.

Topics that will be discussed with the PRStudChat community include:

  • How have you used social media to build professional relationships?
  • What brands do you admire most in the social space?
  • What are your favorite social platforms? Do you use these platforms to connect with brands?
  • What is your preferred method of communication with a brand- email, phone or social?
  • How have you used social media to add to what you learn in the classroom?
  • What do you think is the most significant different between the study and practice of PR?
  • Where do you look to find mentors?
  • What is the greatest challenge you see ahead for PR professionals?
  • What do you find most exciting about a career in PR?
  • Beyond the classroom, what are your “go to” sources for learning?

Whether you’re a student who is considering a career in public relations or seasoned professional, we hope you will join the conversation. Simply follow the hashtag #PRStudChat and share your thoughts!

If you have any questions around the topic or thoughts you want to share, in advance of the session, feel free to DM us or post your questions in our LinkedIn Discussion Group.  We hope you’ll join us for a dynamic Twitter chat session on July 16th.  

A Little More About PRStudChat:

It began with a simple question asked by Angela Hernandez, then President of PRSSA at Central Michigan University (CMU). “Is PR Right for me?” A follow up blog post by PR 2.0 expert Deirdre Breakenridge inspired a series of direct messages on Twitter between Breakenridge and fellow PR industry pro, Valerie Simon. This was an important question and one that should be explored beyond one student or one blog post. Why not build a community to help students across the country, and even the globe, learn from the experience and perspective of industry professionals… A community where everyone can learn and grow together. 

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