PRSSA is Life!

PRSSA has been one of the best organizations I have been a part of. It has taught me networking skills, writing skills, planning skills and more. I loved the Atlanta trip and felt I learned more there then I have at school this year. The engaged learning available through PRSSA is what UVU is all about.

I am excited for the rest of the year; to see what else we can do to help students become great PR professionals. I am making it a priority to work with each mentor I to whom have been assigned and to improve my networking and writing skills. I know that as I do this, I will become a better professional.




Zach Twitter        UVU PRSSA Twitter          UVU PRSSA Website

Being out of the box

I am reading the book titled, "Leadership and Self-deception." It has taught me a lot of good lessons that can, and should, be applied to PR work. As PR professionals, we are supposed to build relationships and be genuine in all we say, write and do.

The book informs us that being aware of "the box", and staying out of it, is the way to have successful relationships and business relations. The box is a metaphor for seeing others as objects, not as people. Seeing people as objects is a dangerous habit when our careers are based on how we build relationships.

To stay out of the box we should honor the thoughts we have of doing good for others. As we honor those thoughts we will continually see them as people and keep relationships strong and genuine.



Zach Twitter       UVU PRSSA Twitter        UVU PRSSA Website

Day 6: James Kane

Today was all about James Kane, a social scientist who spoke about brand loyalty. It was the best presentation I have heard all week. He was able to connect with all of us a deep level because of the way he introduced himself.

 I took three pages of notes but here are just a few big lesson learned.

• Loyalty is a behavior, not a mood. We are to create behaviors that people can follow that lead them to pleasant outcomes, therefore building trust.
• The key for brand loyalty is making the life of your client easier, safer. This comes from a sense of trust, belonging, and purpose. 
• Clients judge the process by which services are done, not the outcome at first. If they know what is going on through the process they will be more trusting. 
• Go the extra mile and solve the problem before it arises. This requires dedication and foresight that can bring great success and loyalty.

Be sure to anticipate what people truly need. 

Zach Twitter       UVU PRSSA Twitter        UVU PRSSA Website

Day 5: College Football Hall of Fame and KIND

                                    

Two of my favorite things came together today, food and sports. What a great combo. The morning presentation was by the Founder and CEO of KIND bars. KIND is more than healthy option for everyone, it promotes being kind to everyone. It even goes as far as rewarding those who are kind, by giving KIND cards to those they see doing good and serving. It was a great lesson, and very refreshing to see that a company can be successful while spreading an important message.

The College Football Hall of Fame was truly an experience. I thought it was going to be a few busts and a weird video, but I was very wrong. The goal of the CFH is to provide an customized experience to all who enter its doors.

I have learned this week that a customized experience is an important part of marketing and PR. That is something I will work on in my jobs and classes.



Zach Twitter       UVU PRSSA Twitter        UVU PRSSA Website

Day 4: Sports PR

Sunday Funday! I have never attended a conference on a Sunday, but it was very eventful and full of insight. We started the day with a sports PR seminar with three ladies who have worked in the sports realm of PR for a combined 25 years. The lessons taught were wonderful and it gave me more information so I could decide if I wanted to go into sports PR.

I learned several things but here are a few highlights.

-Rebecca Timms, Philadelphia 76ers told us to gain a lot of different communication experience. This will help us become well-rounded communicators. She also told us to focus on executing tasks while learning important communication skill-sets such as writing and media relations.

-Ms. Shaw, Atlanta Hawks told us we need to be transparent and authentic in all we do and say. People can see through everything we say and if it is not genuine they will work with someone else.



Zach Twitter       UVU PRSSA Twitter        UVU PRSSA Website

Day 3: How to write the right thing at the right time

Our first full day of breakout sessions was amazing! I learned 10 tips for better writing that I would like to share.

1. KISS- Keep It Simple Stupid. When writing it is best to keep it simple and consistent. This makes it easier for the reader to understand what you are communicating

2. Trim the Fat- Don't use too many words or the wrong words. This means that proofing the paper, article or blog post is a must

3. Answer the 5 W's - Who, what, when, where, why. This gives the reader the back story so they are able to connect the dots of the story

4. Design your Draft- This means you should know what key messages you will use, what type of story will be told, what links are to be used and

5. Call to Action- If there is no call for the reader to act then the writing has been in vain. As PR people, we are calling people to action.

6. Use Real, Everyday Words- Cliche or big words do not help your case when writing. Simple words allow each person to understand your message.

7. Mind your Grammar- Make sure you are using the right grammar at the correct place. Grammar and punctuation flaws cause readers to question your reputation

8. Know your Audience- Be sure to write in ways that appeal to your audience.

9. Find your Focus

10. Proof. Proof. Proof.


Zach Twitter        UVU PRSSA Twitter      UVU PRSSA Website 

Day 2: Agency tour and Martin Luther King Memorial

What an eye opening day. This morning I attended an agency tour at Ketchum with students from several universities as part of our career development initiatives for the conference. It was interesting to see how a big agency did its work and the culture that was in the office. I learned that big name firms do not mean it is a good fit for everyone. Because of the culture and nature of the work we were introduced to,  many told me they would choose smaller agencies to get their experience. It was a needed experience to make my decision of what I want to do when I graduate.

After the agency tour our group was privileged to visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in downtown Atlanta. It was a heart-touching event, because we were able to see what MLK went through and how he overcame his many obstacles. He was an educated man who understood people and was willing to always stand for his beliefs. I will never be the same because of what I heard and felt at that hallowed place.

Check out the twitter hashtag #uvuPRcrew for pictures and tweets about our Atlanta experience.



Zach Twitter        UVU PRSSA Twitter        UVU PRSSA Website

Day 1: Atlanta PR Trip

Today was amazing. UVU PRSSA was able to meet with the communication teams of Chick-fil-A and Coca-cola, to learn about corporate PR strategy. The chance to meet and network with communication professionals in billion dollar companies was a once in a life time opportunity.

Here are a few golden nuggets of PR wisdom I learned today. LJ from Chick-fil-A told us to share how you are unique, in a PR job or with our personal brands. If we are not able to share our uniqueness it will be difficult to convey our meaningful brand. Also, emotional connections marketing is very important in building brand loyalty, the more positive emotions felt, the more willing people are to keep using your brand.

At Coca-Cola we met with three managers for social media, brand marketing and corporate communication. A few things learned were as follows: be able to write well, build personal relationships, understand cultural sensitivities and be aware of the news agenda. If you are able to write stories well and understand and relate to people, you can have a great career in PR. One fun thing I learned was the importance of using national "days" (such as national cat day) to our benefit with marketing and PR.


Zach Twitter          UVU PRSSA Twitter      UVU Website

Public Relations in the News

I have been reading the New York Times for the past month and have been intrigued by how PR professionals insert their client stories into the news. It is a brilliant tactic and necessary for the success of many clients. I want to point out just three things that it takes to get your story into the news. This, of course, isn't professional advice, it's just what I have observed and what you may want to do to improve your efforts in getting stories into the major news outlets.

First, be relevant. Many stories are great, but are they specific to what is going on now and what people are interested in? Make your story fit what is being covered or be relevant to a trend that is happening now.

Second, provide a compelling and interesting story. People love stories, so if you can make your story speak to people at a personal level -- whether it be funny, sad, or any other emotion -- it will be accepted more easily.

Third, be clear and concise. News editors know what they are looking for and if you send a ten page story that isn't clear or concise you will not be taken seriously. Be kind to news editors and send the story with a compelling header. They want a good story, make them see why yours is the best in every way.




UVU PRSSA Website         Zach Twitter     UVU PRSSA Twitter 

Content- Focus on the customer

Focus on the Customer

Focusing on the human interaction on your website and/or social media channels is what search engines are really looking for.

There are several ways to get your information into the right channels and increase site interaction and sales, like aligning your site with what the user wants. It is so important to focus on task completion by asking “What is the task the user wants to achieve?” and then optimize for what they want. By doing this you answer questions the user hasn’t asked yet. The most popular sites encourage users to browse and stay on the site.

Another way to focus on the customer is the use of supplemental content, which makes a page very satisfying for its purpose. YouTube is a great example because it always shows related videos to keep you on the site. They do a great job of finding what the human want to read or find on their site.

Lastly, use the free channels like blogs and social media. Interaction is very important because, after all, you are dealing with people.

As marketing teams, focus more on the customer and a little less on analytics. These ideas are just part of a very large equation. Focusing on what the customer wants is the only way to stay relevant in search.



http://uvu-prssa.squarespace.com/

Zach- Twitter UVU PRSSA Twitter Zach linkedIn

Volkswagen in the news

As you might know, Volkswagen is reeling from an apparent breach of trust by installing software to cheat the emissions systems in several countries, including the United States.

Volkswagen dealers everywhere are afraid their ways of life will be affected by dropping sales of the Volkswagen cars on their lots. Volkswagen has contacted many of their dealerships and have assured they will reimburse the dealers for lost profits, but is that possible? That would require billions of euro's and billions more to repair the thousands of cars created to cheat the system.

I believe Volkswagen is doing almost all they can do to assure dealers and customers alike they will fix the problem. They have done well in firing their CEO and bringing in a more experienced CEO to call the shots with the company, but with  Facebook and Twitter being the only platforms offering information and not replying to tweets, Volkswagen has rubbed a lot of customers the wrong way.

With the slow to react on social media scrutiny for their social media tactics, Volkswagen has a lot more to repair than their cars. I think  consistent communication forms over all communication platforms would be the best thing they could do right now.

We will see how it will all play out, but Volkswagen should have the money and resources to make it through.

 UVU PRSSA

http://prssa.prsa.org/events/Conference/#.Vh2OJ_lViko

Building Relationships

One of my favorite things about preparing for the PRSSA National Conference is getting to know better the UVU PRSSA members. Getting to know what makes people 'tick' is one of the most fulfilling part of public relations.

Public relations is the best profession because it is relationship based. But, relationship building isn't always simple, it can quite difficult if selfishness arises. I am reading a book titled "Leadership and Self-deception." The book talks about building relationships and how it determines our ability to lead and see people as people-- not as objects-- therefore determining our success as PR professionals.

The best way we can build relationships is by seeing people as people; with fears, hopes, dreams and aspirations. People can sense your motives when getting to know them. If a person notices that you are sincere in your questions and motives, a positive relationship can be built. When getting to know someone is a selfish desire, such as a boss getting to know a co-worker so he can know how to use the co-workers talents to his gain, a negative and resentful relationship is built.

Every person loves to be seen as someone of value. As we value people and make them feel that we really care about them we can have a great and rewarding professional experience.


 Check out the book "Leadership and Self-deception" to learn about relationship building in greater depth.
 

Professional preparation: One skill you need to develop

As public relations professional, many things are needed to be successful-- networking skills, mentors and the ability to write well. A skill we may forget to develop is digital design. Design is an important attribute for PR professionals, especially when it comes to branding yourself.  I want to introduce you to a website where you can design your own business cards, resume's and graphics for social media posts.

The website is canva.com. I have used canva dozens of times for my job and have improved my abilities to design an attractive blog post, infographic and social media post. I have also used canva to build my brand by making personalized business cards and resume's.

Here is my personalized business card and resume-- made on canva.com.

One awesome feature is the pre-made templates, which make it easy to learn how professional designs are made. From the templates you can practice making your own and become a pro.

Remember to practice, practice, practice. And pay attention to the detail of professionals. 

Happy designing! 

The Social Z is going National

Atlanta, Georgia 

Welcome to The Social "Z".  It is a pleasure having you here. I am a PR student writing about my adventures,  knowledge and research on the profession of public relations.

This week's post is focused on research for an up-coming conference in the beautiful city of Atlanta, Georgia. I  want to share some research I did this week. Here are a few "PR Best Practices" from professionals.

So pay attention pupils.

I did a bit of research about Ketchum PR, one of the worlds largest and most successful PR Firms and a presenter at the PRSSA National Conference. Ketchum thrives on creativity and hard work. "We're winning a record number of awards. How do we do it? We start conversations, Build Communities. Engage stakeholders. And we have lots of fun. That's not difficult when boundless creativity is your credo."

 Ketchum sticks to key messages and disperses them in valuable and unique communication platforms.  Many Ketchum campaigns  have gone viral because they understand their audience and use their creativity and expertise to create great videos and one-of-a-kind ads.

So, when writing content or coming up with new ideas for a campaign let the creative juices flow. Bad ideas don't exist in the creative sphere. Stick to the key messages and ask questions that will lead to answers. Be bold and innovative.

Check out some awesome Ketchum campaigns here to get an idea of the genius at Ketchum PR.