What’s in a name? I’m going to guess, more than you think.

Loren Dean

A few weeks ago, I attended my first two Obsidian new client meetings. In both meetings, during introductions, our clients inquired about the firm’s name. Kerri Guyton, the director of client services, confidently explained that our name is a metaphor of the natural forming rock, obsidian. She explained that obsidian is a volcanic glass formed when molten lava meets water and is rapidly cooled. As our website states, Kerri told the groups that Obsidian Public Relations tempers fires and gives you a solid, impenetrable foundation in an ever-fluid business environment. Kerri was able to explain the mission and purpose of our firm without hesitation because of a simple question. The response from her answer was exactly what an organization would aim for, as the clients expressed their appreciation and confidence in our firm - just because of the meaning behind our name.  

Is the name of your organization really that important? Surely you can guess that my answer is, without a doubt, “yes!” The name of our firm provides us with an elevator speech, a mission statement, a memorable name for current and future clients and a properly projected image for our firm. The most recognized companies today have thoughtful and useful reasons behind the names of their organizations, and it is by no mistake. Branding is an important part of public relations, and finding the perfect name for a business can be the most valuable kick-start to a successful branding campaign.   

When beginning your next branding campaign, consider these questions when choosing your company’s name:

1. Is it unique?

2. Does it tell your company’s story? 

3. Is it memorable?

4. Does it project a proper image of your company?

5. Has it already been used?

If “absolutely” is your answer to all of those questions, then you’re off to a great start. Don’t be afraid to get creative and to think outside of the box when beginning the branding process. Many companies have gone through several names before landing on the perfect one. I’m sure Blue Ribbon Sports doesn’t mean a thing to you, but the same company that now claims the name Nike is world renown. There’s a start to every process, and like all good things, it just takes time.  

How to avoid your own version of March Madness

Loren Dean

Basketball season is coming to a close, which means NCAA March Madness has finally arrived! I always love this time of year because of all of the competitiveness with brackets and contests everywhere you go.  Plus, I love cheering on the Memphis Tigers! 

And although they are fun, the March Madness festivities can get a little hectic, especially when it comes to keeping up with all of the games. For the next few weeks, the tournament will be going almost non-stop, and brackets and ranks will be changing constantly. It can be a lot to keep up with, and this time of year in public relations is the same way – especially here at Obsidian.

Courtesy of Reporting Sports on Flickr

 

Our office is entering into a time of gaining new clients, adding to our team, keeping up with existing clients and much more. It can seem overwhelming at times, especially from my perspective as an intern, and it’s sometimes difficult for me to keep up with our own “brackets” of clients and tasks. It seems like before we know it, the office could enter into a “madness” of its own. However, that hasn’t happened here at Obsidian, and I’m sure in part due to several habits we keep in our office. 

• We are constant and open communicators. 

Our inbox is always full of “Me” emails from each team member sharing schedules and updates throughout each day. Doing this allows us to keep up with one another, as well as create awareness about everyone’s availability or lack thereof. 

Our staff emails also add a little humor to our days from time to time, which is always a necessary commodity in keeping stress levels down! 

• We have consistent calendar reminders.

Now this one may seem a little elementary, but I can attest firsthand to the benefits of these little daily pop-up reminders. So many times, I have found myself with my head so buried in my computer that the notebook planner I carry in my bag stays in my bag until well into the afternoon. My sense of time sometimes goes right out the front windows while I’m working on a project, and the last thing I’m thinking about is checking my planner. Thankfully, we have reminders set up for every meeting we’re supposed to be attending. These remind us where we’re supposed to be (sometimes 15 minutes in advance!). I haven’t been at Obsidian very long, but those reminders have definitely saved me a time or two…or four.

• We’re encouraged to take our lunch break and use it to its full potential. 

When things get busy around here, it’s easy to lose track of time and even easier to forget to take breaks. At Obsidian, I’ve noticed our allotted hour lunch break tends to take many forms. Some people use their break for lunch with friends, trips to the gym and a bite to eat on the way in, errands that have to happen in the middle of the day and even a stroll to our coffee shop next door. Taking a break during the middle of a work day should be a priority. Re-energizing and coming back to work after an hour away from the computer is key to keeping yourself from feeling completely stressed and worn out by the end of the day, as well as keeping your work quality up to par.

• We work as a team.

Each person on staff is involved with multiple accounts broadly ranging in topic. Although certain account executives are responsible for particular clients, everyone does their best to see that an account succeeds. We give major client updates during staff meetings, as well hold brainstorm sessions for clients, as needed, with our entire Memphis staff including the Dallas office from time to time. The creativity and productivity that come out of these sessions is highly valued and useful each time we put our heads together. 

These are just a few inside peeks to how we keep our office from entering into chaos, and they are practical ways you can relieve some of your stress in your life, too. 

Here’s a quick recap: Be an open communicator and always aware of the time of those around you. Leave yourself little reminders about important meetings or tasks. From electronic pop-ups to sticky notes, where there’s a will to remember your schedule, there’s a way! Remember to allow yourself some time to breathe. Don’t be afraid to step away from your desk for a few minutes or attend a quick yoga class at the gym. Everyone needs time to de-stress, and that paperwork or research project won’t go anywhere while you’re taking a few minutes for yourself. Last but not least, be resourceful with the people around you. It’s OK if you aren’t expert on something, but with a team concept working to your benefit, find out if someone around you is!  

Surviving – and Overcoming – Postgraduate Unemployment

Loren Dean

I’ve come to realize that every freshly graduated 20-something most likely assumes that upon post-graduation vacation (or in my case, relocation), they will return home to an inbox flooded with job offers. If they’re like me, they may find themselves thinking along the same lines that I did. I was very involved in college,  maintained my grades while keeping a job, volunteered on various committees and held two internships before I graduated, so what could go wrong?   

Well, after the first two months of postgraduate life, I realized that there was plenty that could go wrong. At first, I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. I had gone to college and earned a degree in hopes of landing a fantastic job (because that’s what was supposed to happen, right?), and it just wasn’t happening. Sound familiar? Well, take courage, because here I am writing this post to you from my desk at Obsidian Public Relations, letting you in on some steps I took to get me through the discouraging time of postgraduate unemployment.

1. Stay positive. Nobody likes a “negative Nancy,” and believe me, it’s much easier to fill out that 15-page job application with an optimistic attitude. Plus, it’s easy for this process to become disappointing, and discouragement often leads to stagnation. This is not the time to not do anything because you’re too down to do it. Keep pushing through!
2. Re-do your resume. One of the best things I did was to get several professionals to consult me on my resume. I had things listed that didn’t matter and had neglected to highlight things that did. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Put your networking skills to use, and ask people that know what they’re doing to assist you.
3. Don’t limit your job search. If you’re like me, you can’t afford to -- literally. I’m sure you decided before you graduated what type of job you wanted to have and the handful of places you’d be “willing” to work, but now’s the time to realize that’s entirely unreasonable. It’s logical that you would find more opportunities by broadening your search, so just do it. You might surprise yourself and really enjoy working at a place that was on your “no” list. 
4. Don’t search alone. I told anyone and everyone that I was looking for a job and that I was interested in anything they could find. I had family and friends emailing, texting and calling me every time they saw a listing that was remotely related to the communication field. As soon as I thought I had every job search website’s listings memorized, someone would tell me about something I hadn’t seen. In fact, that’s how I found the listing for Obsidian, and look where I am now!
5. You’ve got time, so use it. During this time I painted, volunteered for random jobs, worked retail and rode my bike with my fiancé every chance I got to break from all of the time at home. Although you may feel uncomfortable with the amount of free time you have on your hands, instead, take advantage of it. Remember to continue to read and write and use those basic skills you’ll need to have when you do land your first job. Don’t be afraid to wait tables or sell candles and wrapping paper. It’ll teach you patience and help push you in your job search even further.