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September 2009
Writing Online Releases: Five Tips to Help Google Find Your Web Site Click here to read the online article. -------------------------------------------- August 2009
15 savage mistakes commonly made by PR folks
Click here to read the online article. -------------------------------------------- July 2009
What communicators can learn from the legacy of Walter Cronkite
Click here to read the online article. -------------------------------------------- June 2009
Preparing for the APR
5 Quick Do's and Don'ts
Now is a great opportunity to prepare for the Readiness Review and set up your panel interview during the SPRF Conference in October.
From a recent blogger who recently completed their APR accreditation
http://comprehension.prsa.org/?p=282
My APR Experience - the “do’s and don’ts” Posted by mscheuermann in 6/19/09
My APR experience was a tumultuous one. I may be the exception because everyone always talks about the good, but then glazes over the unpleasant. Yes, becoming Accreditation in Public Relations was a career-long quest and I feel quite the sense of accomplishment. It wasn’t easy; I failed along the way (a couple different ways) and had to coach myself back. The best way to pass along what I’ve learned is a list of “do’s and don’ts.”
Do’s
- Buy three to four of the books on the short and long bookshelf; there are many budget-friendly books on Amazon — where I purchased my references.
- Actually read the books — cover to cover — more than once.
- Answer the questions at the end of the chapters. It will help you solidify the material.
- Follow the PRSA Study Guide. It is practically handing you the test.
- Join a study group. Ask your Accreditation chair who else is in the process in the area. Even long distance study partners work.
- Dedicate time weekly to study with a schedule to help you stick to it — and write that schedule down!
- Use the three hours and 45 minutes provided for the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations. Take your time thinking out the questions for the best possible answer.
- Ask your company to help pay for the process. If not the Examination, maybe the books?
- Realize what you learn will help you in your job every day!
Don’ts
- Think you can do it on your own — ask for help when you get stumped. Your local Accreditation chair is a great resource.
- Take too long after the Readiness Review to take the Examination.
- Think you can just memorize the material. The Examination is really “theory-based.”
- Get discouraged if you fail the Readiness Review or the Examination. Just pick yourself up and take them again.
- Use the feedback provided and work with your Accreditation chair. They want you to succeed in every way!
Now may be the time to start the process, visit the SPRF and PRAM website, contact Kathryn Rodenmeyer if you are interested in joining a study group or talk with members who are accreditated like Shannon Coker or Caron Blanton. -------------------------------------------- May 2009
Using Social Media for Good
1. Think of personal postings as representing your company at an industry cocktail event. It’s fine to be more casual and fun, but don’t do or say anything embarrassing.
2. Remember that while you aren’t necessarily paying to advertise, it costs the communicator time to promote events, post pictures and keep things fresh online.
3. Make sure every post is a contribution. Rather than posting, “I am at PRAM eating lunch.” Tell people what a great location the Capital Club is for our meetings. The food is great and the view is phenomenal. Or post that you are going to learn about what all exciting events are taking place in downtown Jackson this summer and you’ll be sure to post them after the meeting.
4. Post links. For example, you can post “I attended PRAM Central’s meeting today (add PRAM Central’s link) at the Capital Club (add their link) and where I learned more about Downtown Jackson Partners (add the link).”
By taking these simple steps, you have added value to your posts and provided your readers with outstanding customer service – and that’s what it is really all about. -------------------------------------------- February 2009
Podcasting
1. Podcasting is an excellent way to communicate with your organization’s internal publics and most important audience, your employees. To thrive in an era of social computing, companies must abandon top-down management and communication tactics, weave communities into their products and services, use employees and partners as marketers, and become part of a living fabric of brand loyalists.
2. 60 percent of the work in podcasting is in creating content. Podcasting is essentially a TV or radio program crossed with a magazine subscription. The heaviest commitment is on good content and pre-production.
3. It’s always a great idea to subscribe to a few various podcasts. Listen and see what’s going on. This will help you create your own brand and teach you to be sensitive to information that might be less interesting to your audiences. To subscribe you will need an iPod or computer with an aggregrator such as iTunes, Juice, or iPodder.
4. To produce a podcast you will need digital audio recording and editing equipment and software. To produce a video podcast, go with an established production company who can take care of all your production needs so you can focus on content.
5. Costs are variable in podcasting. Less expensive is 10 minutes or less. Also, think about how much people will pay attention. Four to seven minutes max works well because you want to grab attention and maintain it throughout the podcast. |
