Think Before You Post

Kelli Brignac

I gave a presentation to a group of students at McNeese State University. The topic of my presentation was “social media and your personal PR plan.” I was speaking to a room full of students and professionals representing industries like engineering, accounting and marketing, among others. My goal wasn’t to scare the students, but we all felt it was important for them to know that while social media can be wonderful for both companies and individuals, it’s important to know what you’re doing and how to use it appropriately.

Below is an outline of the presentation I gave. Have questions? Leave them in the comments.

What is PR?

The “official definition of public relations, according to the Public Relations Society of America, is that “public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” That’s true, but it’s fancy and vague, too.

Let’s start with what PR is not. It’s not what Samantha Jones does on “Sex and the City.” It’s not what you see on “Mad Men.” It’s not a last-ditch effort when something bad happens. And it’s not a bunch of spin-doctors hawking terrible products. It is strategic. It’s varied. It’s about communication. And it can work for you.

• As you read through this blog post, consider three things:
• It’s about your reputation.
• It’s about relationships.
• Brands aren’t just for companies. They’re for people, too.

Photo Courtesy from Marina Elena

What’s considered “social media?”

Social media is really anything that connects you with someone else over the Internet. Examples include Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, YouTube, message boards (i.e. Reddit), Snapchat and Google+. Of course that list isn’t exhaustive, but it’s a start.

How can your online activity affect you?

Consider the girl who got fired from her job before she even started because she tweeted something pretty inappropriate the day before. That happened. Read about it here (and know there’s some language in the story).

What about John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, who had his message board history investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission? That happened, too.

Oh, and remember Justine Sacco? Her entire life changed after one tweet sent before she got on an 11-hour flight. By the time she landed she was a worldwide trending topic, she’d been fired from her job, and she was being publicly ridiculed.

There are lots of stories like this one. The bottom line is that you should never assume something you’re posting online is anonymous, whether it’s on Twitter or a message board. 

How can social media work for you?

• Social media can be awesome, too. Just know how to use it. Make sure you pay attention to:
• Privacy – Facebook is constantly changing its settings. I’d probably make an effort to check those every month or so.
• Connections – Connect with the right people. Make sure you know them or intend to know them and that you’d be proud to be associated with them.
• Use different strategies for different platforms. I consider Instagram much more private than my Twitter page, for example, and I have fewer followers there. I use LinkedIn for business, which is different than the way I use Facebook.
• Don’t overshare. Don’t use “stream of consciousness” posts, or you might wind up publishing something you regret later.
• Engage appropriately. Remember that you can’t hide your Facebook profile picture, so why not make sure it is something you don’t mind clients, employers or co-workers seeing?

Let’s talk specifics.

Here are a few closing thoughts for maximizing your presence on various social platforms:

• On LinkedIn, optimize your headline, get recommendations, don’t be an oversharer and use the functions.
• Note: In this case, an oversharer refers to notifying your network of every little change to your profile. You can share lots of great info on the profile itself, but it will annoy your connections to get an email every time you add a word to your bio.
• Snapchat does not actually go away! It’s easier than ever to take screenshots, and if someone really wants to recover a snap, they just need to find the hidden file when they plug their phones into a computer.
• As I mentioned above, Facebook is always changing its privacy settings. The defaults are NOT that private, so I’d recommend going beyond their “quick” privacy setup.
• Once it’s out there, you can’t get it back.
• Social media is awesome. You can keep up with family or friends. Gchat has made it easier for me to do my job with co-workers in different cities. And social media is awesome for brands to put their messaging out there. Just use it responsibly.

5 Ways to Ensure You WON’T Get an Interview with Obsidian

Kerri Guyton

As the summer approaches, my inbox is filling up with resumes from eager applicants looking for both summer internship opportunities and full-time openings at Obsidian. Fortunately for them, we are the type of firm that will open their emails, review their resumes with careful consideration and even respond, as we never want to miss out on the opportunity to scoop up today’s best and brightest PR stars. Unfortunately, some applicants don’t seem focused on shining very brightly. Here are five actual missteps that have halted the progress for applicants at Obsidian.

1. Attaching the wrong cover letter

I understand that applicants are applying for jobs at multiple firms – I’ve been there. But, I’m not interested in reading a cover letter addressed to someone else that gushes over this other firm and how much he or she would love to work there. My assumption: This person lacks proper focus and attention to detail needed to work at Obsidian. 

2. Using bad grammar and misspellings in your application materials 

While it’s important in any industry to submit a resume and cover letter devoid of misspellings and bad grammar, we are hypersensitive to it in the PR industry, as high-quality writing is imperative to what we do every day. My assumption(s): This person is either uneducated on proper writing guidelines or is OK with turning in low-quality work. Either way, he or she will need a good deal of guidance and editing before getting to the level necessary to succeed at Obsidian.

3. Not responding to my email in a timely manner

Most of the time, after reviewing an applicant’s resume, I have to request writing samples. (Side note: Today’s “best and brightest” applicants have personal websites that house all of their writing samples, along with other interesting information about them and their experiences, so my reply email to them often simply requests availability for an interview.) Other times, I’ve shot over a few quick pre-interview questions just to feel out an applicant’s interest in applying with us and maybe dig a bit deeper into his or her experience before setting up a formal interview. It’s unbelievable to me when I don’t get a timely reply – or any reply at all in some cases. My assumption: There is no way this person could work for Obsidian, where we operate on a sense of urgency and immediacy, always being quick to respond to a reporter or a client request.  

4. Lacking prior PR/writing experience

This applies mostly to our Level 2 internship and any full-time position at Obsidian. We do offer an entry-level (Level 1), unpaid internship for students and those with little to no prior PR experience. But, I have to say that if an applicant doesn’t have much PR writing experience – or hasn’t been working in the PR industry in the past several years – I can almost guarantee that he or she is not going to get to the interview phase. The facts: The PR industry is constantly evolving and changing. There isn’t a lot of time for teaching important skills, such as PR writing, or playing catch-up in our environment. We need applicants who are skilled and ready to jump in and go.

5. Having an unflattering digital presence – or no digital presence at all

Guess what? Employers are looking for your digital presence. What I find about an applicant can influence if it’s worth the time for an interview. And, if no one has said it before, let me be the first: If an applicant doesn’t have a digital presence at all, I can’t help but wonder what they know about digital relevance and the power of social media in today’s world. (And, how are they getting their news?) My assumption: If an applicant is on the job hunt and doesn’t even have a LinkedIn profile, I have to assume that they don’t understand how to leverage digital and social platforms for their own benefit, much less for the benefit of a client. 

I would advise anyone applying for any job to consider how every step of the application process – from submitting your materials to conversing with the potential interviewer –represents the type of employee or team member that you would be. From my perspective as the interviewer, my time is valuable. I do spend a good amount of time reviewing resumes and researching applicants online so that I ensure that those I take to the interview phase will be worth the conversation.

4 Ways to Harness Inspiration

Brooke Watson

Are you in a professional slump? Is it taking all of your energy to produce fresh ideas and serve your clients? Whatever roadblock you’ve found yourself against at work, it could be that it’s time to rediscover your source of inspiration and take a mental break. However, in our busy world, it is often difficult to find a meaningful and feasible way to do so. Next time you find yourself grasping for creative ideas or suffering from a case of writer’s block, try some of the following tips to get your groove back.

Photo Courtesy to Flickr User
Charles Skipwith Smith

• Remove yourself from the problem. When possible, taking a step back from the issue is almost always a good plan. After so many hours at the drawing board analyzing the dilemma up close, you’re often so focused on one element of the problem that you end up missing the big picture. Being able to include all relevant angles is key when tackling any problem, so being able to take a break and approach the concept from a new perspective will boost your creativity and will ultimately help you be more successful.
• Brainstorm with colleagues. If you’re not already doing this in business, you should give it some serious consideration. While it can initially seem intimidating or even embarrassing to admit that you’re stumped by a recent challenge, it’s actually a trick for gaining a new perspective when you’re short on time. Brainstorming sessions trigger a multitude of ideas and can lead to an answer in a quarter of the time it would have taken you to reach alone.
• Refer to yourself. Another nice trick when harnessing inspiration is looking back in your work portfolio. Do you see any projects completed in the past with a similar theme? What about references to outside work? Oftentimes, you can utilize an answer from the past and modify it to fit your current situation.
• Research. Arguably the most important element to inspiration, it is crucial to understand the culture of the dilemma in order to successfully tackle it. Keep yourself in the know, and study social media trends and recent news to ensure you take a modern approach. Ill-informed creativity is poison to any current project. 

Getting Started in Public Relations

Brooke Watson

Given that I’ve recently started my internship here at Obsidian, it seems a fitting time to look back on the steps I’ve taken to get me here and reflect on the lessons learned that will hopefully continue to carry me forward in this exciting career.

I initially started college with my major declared in journalism, but like many others, I became a bit lost down the line as to what career path was right for me. Unsurprisingly and unfortunately, this resulted in me changing my major three extra times. Life is funny, though, and my third and final change landed me right back where I began – journalism, with a concentration in public relations. It could not be a better fit for me. Although this major aligns with my natural strengths, I’ve also come to see that the extra time I’ve spent maturing in my academic career helped me hone certain traits that are crucial for the public relations professional.

Be Outgoing.

I’ll admit this used to be a hard one for me. However, in the last year and half, it suddenly became glaringly apparent that in order to be successful in any objective, you have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone and chase it. No one ever crossed a finish line without first deciding to tie on their running shoes and step out the door.

Photo Courtesy to Flickr UserJames Robinson

Be Thorough.

Oh, be thorough! The absolute key to this, without a doubt, is asking questions. There is no inquiry so small that it’s irrelevant or unnecessary, especially when you’re just beginning. Do not allow unanswered questions to hover around and bring about failure or disappointment simply because you were afraid to ask. The way an amateur becomes an expert stems from a constant drive to expand his or her own understanding. Do not let a potential moment of embarrassment keep you from excellence.

Be Vulnerable.

Showcasing your talents is important when getting started in any field, but it isn’t everything. Be willing to seek help in your weaker areas, and give yourself room to practice these skills. Others will remember your progress and tenacity as you develop, as it showcases passion and determination. Besides, no one likes a one trick pony.

Commit.
Ah, perhaps the most difficult lesson I’ve learned. You don’t change your major three times because commitment is easy! However, it is inarguably the most important skill on this list. Deciding to do something is half the battle of any accomplishment, but it’s easy to be intimidated away from it after your first few mistakes. Naturally, everyone wants to be an expert right from the start, yet unfortunately, life rarely goes that way. The good news is, usually, the biggest road block is in your head. Make up your mind to succeed, and with hard work, you will!

Do you remember?

Thomas Whitehead

Let’s play a quick game. Feel free to grab a pen and paper, open a word doc or just use your head, but take a few minutes and write down or try to recall the biggest news stories of 2013. Yes, 2013, not 2014. Go ahead; I will give you some time. And no cheating!

So, how do you think you did? Did you even come up with 10? Are you sure everything you wrote down was from 2013?

If you want to compare your list to one such list, try this one: http://tinyurl.com/mkyu3xe.

I will admit, when I looked at this list, I forgot most of these events happened just a year – or a little more than a year – ago. Some of them seemed longer than just a year and others seem like yesterday.

This exercise reminded me of a valuable element for communications today: past events are going to mean different things to different audiences now more than ever before.

When I was looking at this list of top news events, I was amazed at the ones that I forgot about completely or ones that didn’t even interest me at the time that they were occurring. Yet, others, I was enthralled with when they were happening.

The biggest takeaway from this for communication professionals is to be very careful when referencing historical events as examples for your messaging. It is critical to make sure that the example is relevant or something that the audience can identify with easily.

This is also true when you consider demographics including age, sex and religion. Different events might have more resonating effects on some people more than others.

As news and information continues to come to us at a lightning-fast pace, it is important to keep up with the significant events of the recent past to determine how people shape messages that they receive by marketers.

A Shoutout to Parents

Lauren Hannaford

A couple months ago, the Obsidian staff came together for a day-long annual retreat where we discussed a number of topics, including advice on handling some of the challenges we face on a daily basis, company updates, “guess that scary movie score,” how to work more efficiently, tools and resources to help us do our jobs better and so much more! After we wrapped up our retreat, I headed to see my friend and her less-than-one-day-old baby boy at the hospital. While visiting my friend and her precious new son, I was feeling so tired, having just spent a whole day actively listening and participating in a wide variety of conversations. I couldn’t help but notice how tired my friend was as well, naturally, since she had just given birth!

I had no doubt she was much more tired than I was, but on my drive home, I thought about how a career in public relations is relatable to being a parent. Now, I’m not a parent to a human child, but as nearly all my friends, family members and many co-workers are parents, I’m drawing from their experience. Working for a PR agency, you are responsible for the success of every single account you manage. That means making sure your client’s goals remain on track, responding to all emails and phone calls in a timely fashion, planning ahead for nearly everything, executing limitless research, managing issues, keeping up with an overwhelming amount of information and detail, trying as hard as you possibly can not to forget something, managing multiple schedules…and the list goes on.

Much like being a parent, PR managers juggle A LOT. It’s our job to do so. Our job is always on our mind; it can keep us up at night and busy on the weekend. Our clients are our children, and keeping them “alive,” full and happy is our responsibility. So, how do PR “parents” keep clients in all different industries, with varying personalities and different priorities, happy? There’s no one answer, but effective communication is the most important. Communication is the beginning and ending. It’s what holds everything together and makes everything move forward. Communication styles vary between PR managers and clients, and figuring out what works best is important from the get-go. Communicating with clients frequently and openly encourages a better relationship, and having a great relationship with your client produces the best results for everyone.

It’s a lot like how a parent raises a child - with a lot of uncertainty and “figuring things out” as a baby, to knowing every little detail inside and out by adulthood. So, I’m giving a big shout out to the parents out there. It’s a tiring job, but seeing your child reach his or her goals, knowing you helped them get there, is the most rewarding feeling.

My first year in public relations…

Ali Glemser

As I wrap up my first year as a public relations professional, I feel confident (and very lucky) that I found a job I truly enjoy so early in my career. Time seems to move faster every year now. So, I thought it would be useful to share some important lessons I learned in the last 12 months, before my first year blends together with the next five. Hopefully, one of these points, if not more, will save others an embarrassing moment or perhaps settle their expectations as they begin their careers in PR, too.

Research. Research. Research. – Everything. Your clients. Their industries. Their locations. Relevant media outlets, competitors and business partners. Most of all, leverage the resources you have and ones you can easily access for research. Your plate will be too full to do it all, so at least know where you can find these answers in case you need them.

Have a plan with a timeline. – And refer to it often. No matter if days, weeks or months are calm or hectic, having a planned timeline you created and approved with a client is imperative. This allows you to keep goals in mind and cross them off the list when you’ve met them. Allow this planned timeline to be flexible. Short-term projects can appear at any second and can stray you from your original goals, but if they can fit into the plan, they will harmonize well with client success.

Capitalize on your strengths and identify your opportunities. – None of us are good at everything, but that’s what allows us to be great at something.  I’m fortunate to work in a team environment where we all benefit from everyone’s strengths and are able to help develop each other’s opportunities. I know I have plenty more to find out about myself, but I feel like I have been able to pinpoint my personal strengths and leverage those as best I can in my work. I jump on items quickly that allow me to use those strengths so that I can support my team members and meet client expectations. Conversely, I consciously identify action items that allow me to work on my opportunities, and I seek help to build on those as they happen.

Too much communication? There is no such thing. – Rarely do I send a work email or text message to only one person. There is always someone else copied on it. I would rather over-communicate than under-communicate to any client or business partner because too little information creates problems. And, as communications professionals, we are held to the highest of these expectations.

These points come into play every day at work for me. Admittedly, I’ve made my fair share of mistakes to understand how important each of these points is to my personal success, but I hope others can learn from these and pay it forward as well. The exciting part is to see how far I’ve come and know how much more I can learn in 2015. Three cheers to many more years in PR!

Transmissions and Proactivity

Daniel Wade

It happened on the way back from dropping my son at daycare. That dreaded dashboard indicator. That miniature messenger of malice. Like the “Bat Signal” fired up by Commissioner Gordon, it beams its bright yellow light at the most inopportune times – alerting everyone in the vehicle that trouble brews under the hood. You guessed it; it’s our friend the “Check Engine” light. Already being nearly impossible to ignore and with a business trip coming up the next day, it was an issue that would need to be addressed right away.

Following a quick trip to my trusted mechanic, the source of the backlit transportation tormentor was revealed – it was a transmission error code. Cue a woman’s scream and the iconic “dun, dun, DUN” music. The day was a Monday, pouring rain and had the makings of something young Alexander would reflect on. No way was I escaping this escapade without a major dent in my savings envelope.

We’ve all been there, right? At this point in the story, we could head a number of directions. I can hear the comments from the peanut gallery now. That’s what you get for driving a 13-year-old car! Should’ve bought a Ford! Yes, there are money and car manufacturer discussions we could have here, but in this scenario, I was reminded of something essential in the public relations world: proactivity.

A good public relations individual/team is nothing if not proactive. It’s a mindset and one we try and champion for our clients. Pick your scandal, recall or what-have-you, and just like clockwork, two weeks later you’ll read a news brief about the organization hiring a PR firm. While potentially helpful, often, the damage to perception is already done. Being proactive is strategically planning ahead, anticipating what might happen and setting a course before the crisis. Are your processes and procedures in place to handle a crisis? Does your particular industry lend itself to vulnerabilities? Have you defined roles and responsibilities for staff? Most of these are operational in nature and don’t even touch the communications side of things, where a crisis can be mishandled publically and derail entire organizations.

Now, back to my car example. Ever seen what happens to a car when you don’t change the oil? It requires regular maintenance (changing oil/filter) or your engine will seize up! Other times, even with regular maintenance, a car can experience issues – it was made by and is driven by humans! Armed with this knowledge, it is wise to plan ahead (financially, emotionally, etc.) so you don’t lose your religion at a transmissions shop.

Even the best run organizations experience crises of some kind, and they either survive or fall, depending on how they have proactively planned ahead. Take the initiative, and when the transmission error code shows up, you just might hug your mechanic.

No Interview, No Comment

Ali Glemser

A media interview is an important opportunity to express your opinion, state the facts or just let your brand’s voice be heard among the noise of social media and conversational chatter. I read an article by Brad Phillips on PRDaily titled “7 times to turn down a media interview” that I thought was worth including as the subject for my post for this month.

Phillips lists and provides commentary to the seven situations the International Association of Business Communicators has deemed as appropriate times to decline a media interview. While that choice should be determined on a situational basis, both the list and Phillips’ commentary make good points about when you should and when you should not agree to a media interview under certain circumstances.

Employees aren’t aware of a specific issue.
Phillips agrees that in most circumstances this is true. Yet, if a story is going to be published whether or not you agree to an interview, it may be best to participate in an effort to ensure the correct information is included.

Employee, client or patient privacy will be breached.
According to Phillips, “Client confidentiality might be waived if, for example, you're subpoenaed to testify in a lawsuit or before Congress—especially if the two parties didn't sign a confidentiality agreement.”

An emergency occurred, and next of kin haven't been notified.
Rarely is this ok, but Phillips begs the point what if the media jump and announce the name before you have been able to reach out to the next of kin? Do you wait hours and hours to get ahold of the family or make the confirmation announcement in an effort to stay transparent about the details that have already been confirmed?

Sensitive competitive information would be divulged.
Weigh the consequences of you not divulging competitive information. Would that put you in a worse situation? Sometimes it does.

Security legislation would be breached.
This is fair advice on laws that have already passed and not ones still pending approval.

Union negotiations are underway, and an information blackout is in effect.
Phillips brings up the point to at least consider the opportunity to remind the public you've agreed to an information blackout and are not going to talk for that reason, but there's more to the story than what the other side is saying.

Legal counsel advised against communications.
What is wrong with saying, “We can't offer specifics on this case since it's in litigation, but we would like to remind everyone that there are two sides to this story; and we're confident our side will come out in court," Phillips asks. And, he makes a good point. Of course, you should take time to prepare your answers so that you do not compromise information in pending litigations.

It is important to take advantage of a platform to communicate your message to a large audience, and media interviews are great opportunities to do so. Yet, that doesn’t mean they are the right choice in every situation. Always weigh both sides of the equation, but more times than not, it will behoove you to participate in some capacity. Plan ahead for tough questions and be honest and ethical with your answers. Remember that silence can be just as damaging to your reputation as too much noise.