Hopes and Dreams for the Future – What Are Yours and Do They Matter to Your Employer?

Kerri Guyton

At the beginning of each year, our team gathers back together after a two-week leave for the holidays – one of the many coveted perks of working at Obsidian – and one of our first orders of business internally is to think through and turn in our Hopes & Dreams document for the new year. This document contains our personal list of professional goals we hope to achieve this year, as well as things we hope and dream for Obsidian as a firm.

While these are focused solely on the professional side of my life, taking the time to think about what I’m hoping for and dreaming about for my career always encourages me to do the same for my personal life. I believe that being hope-filled and believing in endless possibilities for the future are essential for a happy life, and I’m thrilled that this type of thinking is a requirement of my job here.

Why, you might ask, am I writing about my hopes and dreams for the new year in August? Well, that’s because we all just recently received an email from our leader, Courtney, with a reminder to revisit our Hopes & Dreams document to see how we are charting success so far this year. What a great idea! Don’t just dream about it, chart a path toward achieving it!

Photo Courtesy to Flickr User Nicole Pierce

Not many employers require you to sit down and think about what you hope for the new year – some may be scared to ask, as it might include a new job – but even fewer employers are going to care enough to check in with you to see if you are on the right path to fulfilling your dreams. But, you really don’t need anyone else to tell you to do something like this or remind you to chart progress. You can do it on your own – and you don’t have to wait until Jan. 1 to get started.

It is important, however, to set a timeframe for your hopes and dreams so that you are motivated to do something about them and have the opportunity to look back at various points along your given timeline to see how far you’ve come.

And, if you want accountability, gather some of your co-workers together and get them on board to come up with their own hopes and dreams. Then, make plans to get back together midway through the projected timeframe to see how things are progressing for everyone. It could foster an environment of encouragement and investment in each other. It could be really awesome – maybe even as awesome as our environment at Obsidian! #maybe

Have We Over-branded Branding?

Daniel Wade

Whether we admit it or not, we’re attracted to good branding. Done well, it can set you apart in an increasingly competitive market and set the stage for life-long, loyal customers. But have we over-branded branding?

I spent a month in Texas recently and had to look no further than Shell, Dairy Queen and Whataburger for some great examples down there. Buc-ee’s, in particular, is a new phenomena for me – a monstrosity of a gas station/convenience store whose reputation for clean restrooms on the highway seems to command a following behind their brand promises of “clean, friendly and in stock" and a smiling beaver plastered across everything you could think of.

Heard of Dollar Shave Club? The founders said if Netflix could do movies, why can’t we do subscription-based razors? (I’m sure their business plan was more complex than this.) One well-done video gone viral, an endorsement from renowned marketer Seth Godin and – one website crash later – you’ve got a successful company with a snarky brand that screams anti-corporation and majorly identifies with 18-24 year olds. The best part? It’s making traditional razor-maker Gillette shiver in its boots.

Photo Courtesy to Flickr User jrtce1

Pick the first example of good branding that comes to mind. What resonates with you? More importantly, why do you feel the way you do about this established brand? There’s a balance that exists between these giants of great branding and the loyal customers we all desire. Award-winning logos and sleek collateral packages don’t ensure follow-through on the “brand promise” and don’t always keep the customers coming back for decades. While tempting to only focus on the visual branding elements, here are some quick reminders for businesses to ensure this isn’t the only focus

• Make your walk match your talk. You and your employees serve as ambassadors for your business and industry, whether you like it or not. If a customer’s experience doesn’t match what they were sold in your branding, word travels fast.
• Elevate customer service. According to Peter Shankman,“To be thought of as ‘good,’ we just need to treat our customers one level above the normal expectation of crap. That's it. Anything we do that goes above and beyond ‘one level above crap,’ is so rare, and so unexpected, that if you do that, you can rule the world.”
• Reach target audiences in areas that impact them. Be genuine, be credible and be relevant in all areas. Find where your audience sees the most value and pursue it.

Public relations is like the elevator button. When you want to go upstairs, you go to the elevator and push the button, and when it dings, you turn and walk in it. Very Pavlov. Through a myriad of branding efforts, businesses strive to get the point where their name is top-of-mind. When the phrase, “I need to _____, so I’d better call ________,” arises, public relations works to accomplish this. Try not following through on your brand promise and you’ll see the other side of public relations working against you.

5 things to enhance your intern’s experience

Kerri Holliday

When I started my internship, there was a great deal of information to take in at one time. This can be extremely stressful, not only to the interns but also to the people who work with them. It takes time to fully explain procedures and then to repeat that same information again because the intern didn’t grasp it the first time can be time consuming.

Like all internships, the main purpose is for the intern to learn and grasp a full understanding of what it actually means to be in that career field. But, not all programs provide the type of learning environment that makes the student feel comfort while there. The last thing a student or a company wants to do is waste a large amount of time because of situations like this in the workplace.

To most students, taking on an internship for the first time can be intimidating. Even though all of the people I work with during my internship are professionals in their own right, it felt annoying to interrupt them with repetitive questions (even though this was not the case). The only silly question is the one you don’t ask; words to live by. So, here are five tips to help your intern feel at ease during their experience with your company:

1. Provide a handbook. On first day of my internship, there were so many things to remember. Even though I was sent a handout via email informing me about a few things that were required, it never actually explained how or when I should perform all of the tasks. But, the previous interns left notes explaining how certain things worked around the office and everything was explained as we went along. A detailed handbook keeps others in the office from spending a lot of time explaining daily tasks. It makes for a great reference book for the intern to refer back to.

Photo Courtesy to Flickr User FTTUB

2. Create a communication platform. During my internship, I learned the importance of communication, especially when it came to completing assignments. Since we live in a world where almost everything is done on a computer, emails were the best way for us to stay in constant communication. They provide us a comfortable avenue of communication to talk about any topic, whether it’s job related or just a friendly conversation.

3. Assign an intern manager. Having someone with whom an intern can become familiar can diffuse some office tensions, which could be lingering between the intern and the office setting. During my one-on-one sessions with my intern manager, I had the chance to talk about upcoming assignments, get insight on work on completed assignments, and speak about what areas needed improvement.

4. Assign interns an actual company project. The best way for a program to work is to allow the intern an opportunity to showcase training by assigning real projects with real deadlines. It’s one thing to watch an assignment being done, but hands-on experience - from start to finish - offers a wealth of information for the intern. Most entry-level internship programs don’t give students real assignments, but during my internship at Obsidian, I was given real work to do. That gave me a chance to apply all the skills I learned from my PR classes.  

5. Encourage team involvement. Assigning projects to interns makes them feel like they are part of the company, not just an someone who is there to make coffee runs for the office. As an intern, I felt empowered when others on the team asked for my help with assignments or asked for my input. It gave me the opportunity to not only learn even more about how the company ran, but also how each individual played an essential role within the company.

Make the most of your sleep

Sarah Burgess

It’s amazing to think that when we were children, most of us despised naptime because we’d rather be playing. Now, few things sound better than a good nap! Since graduating from college and starting work in the “real world,” I have come to truly appreciate the value of a good night’s sleep and how crucial being well-rested can be for your productivity at work. Sleep deprivation can affect your mood, productivity, quality of work and fine motor skills – just to name a few! So, in case you are anything like me and have periods of poor sleep, here are a few of the sleep tips that have worked best for me:

• Bedtime – Yeah, it’s not just for the kids. Going to sleep around the same time every night can help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go the next morning. But don’t think you’re off the hook on weekends! Drastically disrupting your sleep schedule during the weekend will almost always show on Monday – and no one wants Mondays to be any worse than they already are!
• If you must nap, do so with caution – Although taking a power nap might feel good now, napping can actually make some people’s insomnia worse. If you absolutely cannot make it through a rough day without napping, try taking a nap in the early afternoon for no more than 30 minutes. By napping quickly and further away from your bedtime, you’ll be more prepared for a long night of sleep.
• Turn off the lights – Some people have told me that they can’t get to sleep at night without a little background noise from the television or reading a quick chapter on their tablet. On the contrary, the light from your television or tablet can have a significant impact on your melatonin production (the stuff that helps you sleep) and can keep you from getting to sleep and staying asleep. Make sure your bedroom is completely dark before trying to sleep. If you’re still bothered by lights outside, get a sleep mask. Trust me, they may feel funny the first couple of nights, but after you get used to wearing one, you will sleep SO much better!
• Put the phone away – Having your phone next to you while you’re trying to sleep may keep your mind racing with thoughts of who you were emailing, waiting for a text, etc. I know some people like to use their phones for alarm clocks, but if you keep your phone on the other end of the room and use an old-fashioned alarm clock instead, I would be surprised if you didn’t see immediate results like I did!
• Exercise – Not only can exercise affect your physical appearance and mood, it can also have a huge effect on your sleep! Regular exercise, even simple things like yoga or Pilates, can help promote good sleep. Just be careful not to exercise too close to bedtime! This can result in raising your body temperature and keeping you awake longer.

Got any sleep tips of your own? Leave them in the comments below!

The Most Important Thing to Remember in an Interview

Lauren Hannaford

We work every day to brainstorm, develop and pitch story ideas to media outlets for nearly all of our clients. It’s a valued PR tactic that benefits clients tremendously when executed properly. We also conduct media training for clients to prepare them for interviews when needed. 

One of the biggest reminders we offer to our clients in preparation for interviews – besides never responding with “no comment” – is to always stay on topic. This can be especially difficult during broadcast interviews, but I like to remind clients to always try to bring it back to their key message if the interview goes off track. This can be accomplished if you come prepared with your memorized message, or as some like to call it, your SOCO – single overriding communication objective. 

Your SOCO is the No. 1 key message you want to drive home with your audience through the media. In some interviews, this may be accomplished easily if it’s a simple message for your audience to grasp and remember. If it’s a little more complicated, you may have to expand on your key message with additional supporting details.

Photo Courtesy to Flickr User Eelco

Why is this important? Because sometimes, it feels like interviews are over before you can blink an eye. If you don’t get to your SOCO quickly, you may miss the boat entirely. While the end result may not be a bad story overall, it could lead to one that does nothing much for your communication goal. 

So, before your next media interview, take time to define your key message and create your SOCO. Here’s a short guide:

1. Define your key message in one brief statement.
2. Outline key facts. What are the top three things your audience needs to hear to support your SOCO?
3. Identify your audience and speak to them. 
4. Practice staying on message.

8 Tips for Writing the Perfect Professional Email

Chelsey Ross

Due to the world of technology we live in, a simple email to colleagues and professional connections is sometimes the easiest way to respond. But crafting the perfect professional email isn’t the easiest thing to do. Here are some tips on what to do and not to do when using your email during work hours:

• Do not use ‘textspeak.’ The influence of social media and texting should not infiltrate your professional emails. While LOL (laugh out loud) and BRB (be right back) are fine for friends and family, those abbreviations can portray you as unprofessional and uneducated to the recipient of your email. Make sure you are spelling out every word and speaking in a professional tone to your colleagues, the media and clients to avoid these stigmas.
• Proofread. Nothing is worse than rereading an email you just sent and realizing you have misspellings and misuse of words or have addressed someone with the wrong name. Proofreading not only looks for grammatical mistakes, it also makes sure your context is correct, and that your email is concise and complete.
• Be prompt in your replies. Some emails are more important than others, and that’s OK. However, being prompt in response, especially to urgent emails, will not only help you look more professional, it will also make communication a lot easier. Typically, a 24-hour response window is acceptable for a response. If you can’t respond in that timeframe, acknowledge the email and let the person know you will get back to them shortly.
• Create an email of acceptable length. Too short of an email comes across blunt and rude, while too long of an email will get closed before the entirety is read. The average length of a good, professional email is about five sentences. If you need to say more, either add an attachment or schedule a meeting or phone call to give more detail.
• Your signature should give your contact information. Your email and phone number are important parts of an email signature. It encourages people to respond and to follow up if they have further questions or suggestions about the subject matter.
  
• Make your subject lines purposeful. Don’t make your recipients question what is inside the email. One-word subject lines are not sufficient; no subject line is even worse. A sentence subject line can be a better indicator to the receiver of what’s inside and if it is urgent or can be read later in the day.
• Put your main message in the first sentence. Don’t make the person you are emailing read a novel. Make the length of your email short and concise with the most important point at the beginning. Follow it up with a few details about the subject and a prompt to call to action.
• Have a purpose to your email. Don’t send pointless messages. It’s easy to send one-word responses, like yes and no, to emails containing a simple question. Rather than just sending that one-word, elaborate on the point and show you are thinking about the subject matter. 

4 Ways to Combat Sensationalism in the Media

Crissy Lintner

Being in the PR industry gives me a front-row view of one major challenge for businesses and individuals alike: reckless and sensational journalism.  

I’m not the first to bring up this point. In fact, many in our industry and the news media themselves have brought up this issue on numerous occasions. Sensationalism, folks, is rampant in our media landscape. Biased reporting is commonplace. Incorrect facts are frequent (followed by apologies and retractions that may or may not reach the original audience who first heard the news). Specifically, you don’t have to look much farther than the 24-hour TV news networks to see the ridiculous and reckless nature that is our news media. Why? I’ll tell you.

The majority of journalists – on networks like CNN, NBC, FOX News, etc. – are less interested in facts being correct than being the first with the news or enhancing their own image. Gone are the days of carefully fact-checking sources before going on air. The filter does not exist – questionable news is suddenly always “news.” Reporters turn a little smoke into a five-alarm blaze in a matter of hours – for fear of missing out on the big story. Too often, journalists are more interested in getting the scoop than getting the right scoop. But, the damage is already done by that point, regardless of which facts eventually come out. And some are OK with that (ahem… FOX News).

So, what are we to do as PR professionals to combat sensational journalism? 

• Be aware. Constantly be aware of what is happening in the media and monitor all coverage related to your clients (which we already do, right?). Whether local or national (yes, the problem does exist in local newscasts), you need to know what is happening that could affect or may involve your clients.
• Respond. If a client becomes part of one of these sensational stories, respond! Whether “guilty” or not (i.e. what the media says is true or false), you do need to have a response that tells your client’s side. “No comment” is the worst policy.
• Educate.Inform reporters who get it wrong, and make sure a retraction is offered as soon as possible. Then, educate reporters so they have a better understanding about why something is the way it is or so they can get it right next time.
• Repeat. Social media allows news to spread like wildfire – especially news that is controversial or divisive. This means that the original message – correct or incorrect – is alive and well beyond a live broadcast or that original blog post. Combat misinformation through consistent communication that offers the real story until the tide changes back to your client’s favor – or until the next media storm hits.