It’s extremely difficult for me to believe that eight months could fly by so fast.  In September 2008, 34 other students and I took on Centennial College’s corporate communications and public relations program.  It was exciting, but also incredibly daunting that I was pursuing a discipline and a profession that I knew very little about.

Today, as I look back, enrolling into the program was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.  That’s because it’s given me a better perspective on the real world and how to work and communicate with people in business and the everyday norm.  I’ve learned a vast amount in these past eight months… more than I ever thought possible. 

When I initially began to reflect on this a few days ago, I started to consider:  what are the top three lessons I’ve learned at Centennial?  So here’s a short list of what I came up with…

Lesson 1: Gain a sense of confidence.

Believing in yourself (or at the very least, acting like you believe in yourself) will get you miles ahead of those who lack a sense of confidence.  That’s because confidence often commands people’s attention and respect.  For example, an audience is far less likely to listen to a public speaker that’s shy, timid and nervous.  A strong voice, a sense of presence, and thus confidence, will draw people in. 

My evolution as a communicator is a prime case in point.  When I first began Centennial’s PR program in September, I had very little confidence.  Coming fresh out of university with a history degree, I felt as though I knew nothing about business or how to communicate in the “real world.”  As a result, my body language and the way I communicated reflected my lack of expertise and confidence. 

However, as time progressed, and I gained more experience with communicating through written mediums and presentations to large audiences, my confidence begin to blossom.  As I became more self-assured, I noticed that people not only started to become more engaged with what I was saying, I even found it easier to communicate my thoughts. 

This became particularly evident during my internship interviews.  After the first, second and third interview, I found that my confidence grew.  In turn, each employer became more receptive to me, thereby encouraging me to perform better in the interview.

So, one of the top lessons I’ve learned is that confidence does make a difference.  It will attract people and gain their attention.

Lesson 2: Have a thick skin.

In order to maintain this confidence, it’s vital to have a thick skin.  Once again, during the beginning of the school year in September, I let a lot of things bother me, especially when it came to my writing.  After the first graded assignment was handed back, it was filled with red ink from the teacher, indicating that I had many errors.  As an A+ student coming from university, this certainly didn’t sit well. 

But, after a couple of assignments, and many more red correction marks from the teacher, I slowly began to realize that being edited is a) part of the learning process, and b) something that a young communicator needs to get use to.  That’s because when it comes to writing, everyone has their own opinion.  It’s subjective.  So, hopefully you can learn from the correction.  And, if not, take it with a grain of salt.  

Which leads me to my last lesson…

Lesson 3: Nothing is ever perfect.

Since the communications profession has a tendency to err on the subjective side of things, it’s extremely rare that a speech, a media release or a communication plan will be perfect for everyone.  Just like the arts, there’s always someone who will love your work and there’s always someone who will hate it.  That’s why it’s important to learn new things and be adaptable to other writing styles and practices.  Keep an open mind, and at the same time, look at your work from a different perspective to find room for improvement.  This will get you farther in the long run.  And, people will value this strategic outlook. 

So don’t fret over corrections – learn from them instead.

These were three of the best lessons I’ve learned during my eight months in the corporate communications and public relations program.  But I’m curious to hear other opinions.  Do you agree with what I’ve posted?

When you think of your favourite coffee bar or chain, did you ever consider googling the company or checking out its website?

I certainly didn’t… until recently.  And much to my surprise, Starbucks, one of my favourite coffee chains, has its hands in a variety of different online forums. 

Of course, the world-renowned coffee company has its own web site — a place for customers and investors to read more on the company, its mission, investor relations and more.   Yet Starbucks also has forums that are closely related to the company’s community-oriented outlook and environmentally friendly mandates.  For example:

StarbucksV2V incorporates the ideals of web 2.0 as customers and Starbucks fans join the site to share ideas and collaborate together in an effort to organize events that will enrich their local communities.

(Starbucks)RED is a collaboration with product RED, an organization that raises funds to eliminate AIDS in Africa.  Customers can log onto this site to a) buy products that help fund product RED; or b) engage with other Starbucks customers who are passionate about the cause.

And of course, Starbucks wouldn’t be a modern day company if it hadn’t recently jumped on the web 2.0 bandwagon with its Twitter, Facebook and YouTube pages. 

However, despite its vast number of online sites and forums, the coffee company’s newest creation, mystarbucksidea.com, is an interactive website, or “online community” that allows customers to share and propose their ideas on how Starbucks can improve its products and services.  Once the idea is posted, other customers can vote for their favourite.  Then, the most popular and innovative ideas that best fit the company will be given to the decision makers at Starbucks, who will try to put the customer’s proposal to fruition.

The page is an idea that is evidently based on the notion of groundswell, the idea that modern-day companies need to engage customers with social media and technology.  One of the creators of the term, Charlene Li, recently wrote a blog post discussing Starbuck’s newest web 2.0 site, praising it as a great addition to the Starbuck’s slew of sites. 

“What’s impressive is that I’m feeling more connected with other Starbucks fans, especially those craving healthier breakfasts, automatic ordering with my Starbucks card (mine is a simple Grande decaf), and my pet peeve, more power outlets.”

In my opinion, mystarbucksidea.com is definitely a smart move by Starbucks, particularly if the organization wants to continue to bring in new customers at a younger demographic.

How can Starbucks do this?

Of course, Starbucks could bring in these new consumers solely based on its brand.  For instance, I would say that the organization runs the trendiest brand-name coffee shop across the world.  As well, Starbuck’s community minded mission to improve the environment and put “its people before its products” are all ideas that a younger generation of consumers value. 

But let’s face it.  In today’s world, where everyday life is increasingly turning to technology, a company can’t become hugely popular through the viral marketing of its brand and mission.  Online media and social media have to become involved – especially if the organization wants to meet its mark with a younger demographic. 

An online PowerPoint presentation reveals that Starbuck’s newest customers are typically around the age of 36, while its returning customers are 40, on average.  When looking at this demographic and their use of online tools and social media, Forrester’s research reveals that the majority (71 per cent) of those between 35 to 45 are “spectators”, rather than joiners, collectors, critics or creators of online social media forums. 

The Forrester site also illustrates that those between the ages of 18 to 24 and 25 to 34 are much more active in contributing and influencing online forums and social media:

Social Technographic Profiles of People between the Ages of 18 and 34

Ultimately, these stats suggest that since Starbucks created an interactive social media forum that encourages their customers to share ideas on how to improve the company and its products, the company is clearly making attempt to appeal to younger generations. 

Critics such as Garrick Schmitt have lamented on their blogs that Starbucks has been slow to create online outlets for customers to discuss Starbucks: “I believe one of Starbucks’ biggest mistakes was in not passionately embracing digital as a way to communicate with their customers — or even carry on a conversation. Ironic, given that Starbucks’ magic was built on creating a physical place for conversation.”

But now that Starbucks has joined the modern-day business in creating its own social media forums, Schmitt says that mystarbucksidea.com still needs a lot of work.  (Check out Schmitt’s blog post to read his ideas.)  Although his suggestions are insightful, I think he’s a little too quick to make these criticisms.  We should wait to see how the site evolves on its own in order to give more customers and Starbucks fans the opportunity to work with the site. 

However, Starbucks is headed in the right direction… slowly taking one step at a time. 

What do you think of www.mystarbucksidea.com?

As my final semester in the corporate communications and public relations program at Centennial College comes to a close, I’ve started to seriously reflect on all the new things I’ve learned over the last 8 months.  Most of my lessons and new found knowledge has included communication plans, strategy statements and the art of writing well.  Yet much to my surprise, I’ve also learned a great deal about social networking and the importance of online applications.

 When I began the program in September, I had Facebook, but I had very little interest in blogging and didn’t know anything about Twitter and social bookmarking.  However, over the past few months, this slowly changed.  When the Online PR class began in January, I was exposed to social media and its benefits… and slowly my outlook on online applications actually changed.     

I could go on about the many things I’ve learned about social networking and social media.  But for this post, I’ll simply outline my lessons on social bookmarking and its benefits. 

Social bookmarking improves how we use the Internet 

Social bookmarking allows users to save and share web pages through a centralized source.  Friends can therefore bookmark their favourite websites and blogs, and share this information through a profile on sites such as Delicious, StumbleUpon or Digg.  As result, social bookmarking “improves how people discover, remember and share on the Internet.”

While this is a great way to share website with friends, the beauty of bookmarking is that you can share your bookmarks and access them from any computer on the Internet.  You can also directly send friends and colleagues interesting bookmarks the next time they log in.  Plus, because you’re encouraged to tag your bookmarks when you’re saving them to your account, you can easily find similar articles and related topics by clicking on the tags listed on social bookmarking sites. 

For a full description on the benefits of social bookmarking, check out this blog: http://www.tutorialwebdesign.com/7-benefits-of-social-bookmarking/2008/09/08/

But perhaps you’re wondering, how is this relevant to PR? 

Social bookmarking’s relevance to PR

Well, SEO Masterz (an acronym for search engine optimization master) points out that social bookmarks can have a lasting impact on a business.  For example, let’s say you have a company that’s selling a product.  One person may save the website of this product on their bookmarking application. Soon after, a friend may review your bookmarks, click on the product’s website that you’ve saved and then save it to their own social bookmark page.  And the cycle continues.  So, additional bookmarks drive more people to the product’s website.  Then, your website climbs the results pages in the most popular site engines.  It’s free marketing and PR through the web! 

But Delicious and social bookmarking are more than just sharing information.  In fact, it’s also a part of new technology and business theories.  For example, have you heard of the term groundswell? 

Groundswell is a word that describes the “social trend in which people use technologies to get the things they need from each other, rather than from traditional institutions like corporations.”  Social bookmarking, in turn, is part of “the groundswell” as people and companies are using the Internet and technology (rather than individuals and corporations) to research and disseminate information. 

In my opinion, social media and groundswell have many benefits.  For example, the five strategies to groundswell, and thus, social media (i.e. listening, talking, energizing, supporting and embracing) encourage individuals to share ideas and interact together.  As a result, through these forums, knowledge is disseminated far more easily and quickly, and can therefore push the limits in businesses and academic arenas. 

This is particularly important to public relations as the last few months have taught me that the profession is built entirely on listening, talking, energizing, supporting and embracing.   For instance, so much of communicating to the public is based on understanding or listening and talking to your audience about their needs.  The PR team must subsequently comprehend these viewpoints and engage the public and key audiences in order to gain their support for the organization.

Ultimately, I’ve learned over the last few months that that social media, groundswell and public relations clearly have a great deal in common.  Yet as I look to my future and think about how I’ll use these ideas and web 2.0 in my own career, I can’t help but wonder, will any of this change?  Will social media continue to gain importance in public relations or will new tactic arise and continue to change PR? 

*****

For more information regarding groundswell, check out Ten’s summary for an in-depth look of the book Groundswell by Josh Bernoff and Charlene Li.

Sweaty hands, a fluttering stomach and a racing heart:  they’re the classic feelings of anxiety and just a few of the symptoms I experience during a job interview. 

This week, I have two interviews lined up, so you can be sure that I’ve been preparing long and hard for them.  In fact, I’ve even memorized a variety of “how to survive and thrive in a job interview” articles.   

Here’s a brief three-point summary of what I’ve learned:

1.       Preparation  =  success

Preparation includes the following elements:

-          Know yourself inside and out, especially your strengths and weaknesses.  This will help illustrate to your potential employer that you’re honest and reliable.

-          Research the company.  Know its mission, values and objectives.  

-          Think about how well you’ll fit into the organization.  What can you add to their bottom line? 

-          And what makes you different from other candidates for the position?  Why are you the best candidate?

2.       A first impression  =  a lasting impression

-          A good, lasting impression means you can’t be late!  Otherwise, it’s likely that you’ve lost your chance at attaining the position.

-          The first impression starts with the way you dress.  That means you need to look and dress your best, in a conservative yet professional and business-like manner.  Make sure that your clothes, hair, jewelry and make-up are clean and tidy.  You don’t want the interviewer to remember what you’re wearing. 

-          Smile and give a strong hand-shake.  This will prove that you’re friendly, approachable and confident:  three important traits for an interview.

-          Act professional, sit up straight, be alert, look interested and ask questions.  Employers are often disappointed when you don’t have any questions for them.

-          Before the interview is finished, thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet you.  This indicates that you appreciate the opportunity. 

3.       Thank you note  =  you’re one step closer to getting the job!

-          A thank you note is the icing on the cake.  It proves that you’re still interested in the company and the job. 

I’m not exaggerating when I say that I’ve engrained each of these important key points into my brain.  However, despite this, I’m still extremely excited and nervous about the interviews to come. 

And that leads me into my question for you:  now that I’ve memorized and practiced these steps for a successful interview, how do I calm my nerves or help relieve sweaty hands, a racing heart and butterflies?  Are there any tricks to help ease my anxiety?

Network, network, network!

If there’s only one thing that I took away from Centennial College’s Corporate Communications and Public Relations program, it’s the value of networking.  But the funny thing is, even though I’m a few months away from graduating, I’m still apprehensive about it. 

My recent networking experience at a CPRS event

I’ll provide a case in point.  This past week, I went to my first CPRS (Toronto) event entitled Don’t Fear, Diversify Your Career!  The talk included a panel of professional public relations practitioners who are well versed in a variety of sectors in the communications field.  Then, following the hour and a half discussion, the panelists and the event’s attendees were free to mingle, chat and network, of course. 

Although I’m rather unsure about networking, this second half of the evening was the reason why I went to this CPRS event.  In fact, I had psyched myself up for weeks by reading “how to” tips on the art of mingling and idle conversation.    

So what did I learn before the CPRS networking event? 

Work for your network

Rather than looking at networking as, “what can it do for me?” see yourself as a resource for your contacts. As Barbara Gibson from IABC recommends, “The most powerful network is the one that is made up of people who owe you favours.”  Think of being a matchmaker who sends business leads to your contacts.  Which leads me to the second tip…

Business cards X 2

Now that you’re in the right mindset of working for your network, it’s the business cards make the first tip happen.  So remember to give and ask for two business cards.  That way, you and your new contact can keep one for yourselves and pass the other one along.  As Gibson says, this allows you to be a “networking matchmaker.”

How to think and what to do when initiating conversation

Now that the golden rule about working for your network is set in your mind, you’ve got to start talking to others.  The following four steps are ways to get started:

1. Everyone else in the room is just as apprehensive as you are, so instead of focusing on your own insecurities, concentrate on making others feel at ease.
2. Wear your name tag on your right side, close to your face with your name and company printed as large as possible.
3. Work the room by sitting with those who you don’t know.  Set a goal to meet a certain number of new people at every event.
4. Rehearse your 30 second elevator speech about who you are, what you do and the kinds of contacts you hope to make. 
5. Get those business cards and hand out two of your own.
6. Follow up with your new contact.  Make it personal by adding a sentence about a particular subject you discussed together at the networking event.

With these tips under my belt, and despite the fact that I don’t yet have a business card, I was set to start networking. 

But once I was there, it became far more difficult than I initially thought.  Everyone seemed to know each other as clusters of people avidly talked in groups.  So how was I suppose to join in the conversation?  Barge my way through?

By the end of the night, I had talked to three people I’d never met before:  two PR students from Humber College and one of Environic’s newest account coordinators.  I also asked the account coordinator for her suggestions on how to effectively network.  Unfortunately, she had no advice.

At the end of the night, I walked away from my first CPRS networking event, feeling a little discouraged.  Networking was a lot more difficult than I thought. 

So that leads me to my question:  do you have any networking tips?  How does an outsider strike up conversation with others who seem to be so actively involved in their clique?

Over a decade ago, when I was a child, most kids would be a) at an after-school club, b) playing with their video game system, c) watching television, d) listening to music, or e) enjoying the outdoors.  I often spent my days with my family, practicing the piano or the trumpet, or watching Saved by the Bell – my favourite program.  

Regardless of what kids my age were doing, one thing’s for sure: nobody spent time on the Internet.  Maybe a few enjoyed a computer game or two, but that was about it. 

Today, things are different.  For example, children at the age of four are using the computer while first graders are surfing the net, or, are at the very least, spending time on YTV’s and Teletoon’s websites.  Of course, this has many benefits since kids are not only free to engage with others and share their ideas and knowledge, they are also exposed to a wealth of information that will greatly enhance their learning.

However, at the same time, access to the Internet also presents a host of privacy and safety concerns.

Privacy and safety are common concerns and a popular subject amongst parents and guardians.  Experts therefore recommend the obvious:  that adults maintain a close eye on their child’s Internet use by keeping track of the websites they’ve visited and blocking or firewalling potentially dangerous sites.  This is effective if parents and guardians are Internet savvy and/or take the time to do so.  But there are a lot of others who don’t monitor or censor their child’s Internet usage.

Social networking sites also take precautions by setting age restrictions.  Nevertheless, a recent U.K. study reveals that although most major social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook limit access to those younger than 13 or 14, 27 per cent of eight to 11 year-olds who are aware of social networking sites say they have a profile on them.  What’s even more alarming is that 41 per cent of children aged eight to 17 have their profile set so that it’s visible to anyone!

For me, this wouldn’t be an issue if I didn’t think that children weren’t growing up so fast.  But when I hear stories about 12 and 13 year-olds having “rainbow parties”, I become extremely concerned. 

Surely, many would make the argument that the Internet and social networking aren’t to blame as television is a significant propagator.  But although this may be true, the Internet certainly doesn’t help the situation because children have just as much access (if not more) to adult content on the world wide web as they do on TV.  As well, once one child finds explicit information, I think it’s far more likely that his or her friends will be exposed to it sites are easily shared through instant messaging and social networking sites such as Delicious or Facebook.    

Similarly, the Internet allows individuals to feel far more “free” as they have fewer inhibitions.  Writing and sharing information through a computer is far less intimidating and daunting than face-to-face or even phone conversations.  So, when this is kept in mind, 12 year-olds are more likely to share explicit information (even when they know it’s wrong), or discuss private issues or other topics which may ultimately damage their image and how others perceive them. 

At this point, it probably sounds like I’m against children using the Internet… but I’m not.  The bottom line is that parents need to be continuously aware and actively engaged with their child’s Internet use.  Then, once a safe environment is established through censorship against sex, violence and destructive messages, the Internet can one of the best resources available.

Brand me.  I’ve got to admit that although this was discussed throughout a variety of my classes during first semester, I’m still stumped and continue to ask myself, what is my personal brand?  And more importantly, even when I come up with something, how do make it smart yet innovative, memorable and most importantly, unmistakably me?  So, to provide some insight and a sense of inspiration, I turned to good old Google and typed: online personal brand.

Less than a second later, once the search results appeared, I discovered personal branding is an extremely popular topic.  Practically everyone has a blog on the subject and how to create and disseminate your own personal brand.  But why is it so widely discussed? 

Then it hit me.  I realized that “brand me” propels social media and social networking.  How come?

Well let’s start with why having a personal brand is important.  How others perceive you is extremely important to finding success.  At the same time, your own self-impression shapes what people think and how they see you, too.  As many bloggers have written, discovering your brand by figuring out your mission and vision, setting goals, and finally, your brand statement (what you do and who your serve) allows you to market yourself and stand out.  (For additional information on how to create your brand, brandxpress.net and mashable.com have many helpful tips.) 

But discovering your “brand me” doesn’t actually drive social media and social networking.  Rather, it’s letting your brand be known and getting it out there.  Although this can be done through your business card, resume and cover letter, portfolio and wardrobe, these tactics don’t market you to a potentially large and diverse audience.  So the easiest way to do it is online through a variety of web 2.0 forums.

LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs and video resumes are all ways to control and market your brand and get it noticed.  For example, each medium allows you to comment on a random stranger’s post, which often leads them to your own forum, and thus, your brand.  And often when you have something smart or different to say, others will quickly catch on.  Then your network and knowledge of your brand has the potential to substantially grow, kind of like the snowball effect:  a comment may lead to an online conversation, a conversation may lead to an invitation to a networking event, conference or meeting, the meeting may lead to a one-on-one conversation, job interview, etc.   

Now I understand that when you use the right tools in an effective way, your “brand me” and your online reputation can put you on the road to great success. 

Yet this just leads into my next question, which as puzzled me for a number of weeks:  how does one balance their job or school studies and personal life with the blogging, Twittering, Facebooking…?  How do others consistently update their numerous online profiles while still maintaining the rest of their life?

Although it's an attempt, I wouldn't call Obama's administration's "blog" a blog

The following was written a couple of weeks ago, just days after President Obama’s election.  Originally, I didn’t intend on posting it, but I think it invites discussion, so let me know your thoughts!

* * *

The time has come: the U.S. government is actually beginning to “blog”… or at least they think so. 

On Wednesday, January 23, 2009 at 12:00 a.m. – President Obama’s first official day in office – the White House officially released the current American administration’s blog in an attempt:  

·         to keep Americans informed and up-to-date on the most pressing issues

·         to fulfill Obama’s promise of making his administration the most “open and transparent in history”

·         and finally, to encourage citizen participation and comments on events and happenings in the government

I truly believe these are noble objectives.  Citizens have a right to have easy access to key information regarding their country.  As well, they are entitled to have a voice and be actively engaged with the leaders of their nation. 

But I’ve perused the White House’s so-called blog, and to be honest, I don’t think it functions like a true blog should.

Now let’s set the facts straight — I’m not an expert on social media.  But my Online PR class has taught me that blogs are central to web 2.0 where two-way participation occurs between the blogger and the reader.  The White House’s forum, however, only allows for one-way communication.  So the bottom line?  It’s nothing less than a simple webpage.

For example, recent posts list Obama’s executive orders, a transcription of the President’s inaugural address and Obama’s first proclamation.  But users can’t even post a comment below… where’s the two-way communication in that? 

Ultimately, America’s new administration should be applauded for taking the steps to communicate with its citizens through widely used mediums.  But now that they’ve entered office, I hope Obama’s team doesn’t follow the habits of their political predecessors.  They’ve got to call it what it is.

Any thoughts?  What do you think of the White House’s blog?

Today, during my careers management class, National Public Relation’s talent retention and acquisition manager Sandra Upeslacis paid my colleagues and me a visit to share her knowledge about kick-starting our communications careers, and to discuss and answer questions about resumes and job interviews.    

Since my classmates and I are in the midst of finding an internship, and thereafter, a career in the communications industry, Upeslacis’ visit couldn’t have come at a better time.  In fact, her tips about the interview process were extremely helpful.     

So, what did I learn?

·         Visualize your dream job and have a firm understanding of your strengths, weaknesses and the job you want to pursue.  Knowing yourself and what you want are the first step to finding and attaining your career goals.

·         Don’t be afraid to state your long term goals and ideas at the job interview.  So state where you see yourself in the company in the next five years.  As well, feel free to ask the corporation, “If I attain this position, where do you see me in this company in the next five years?”  Ultimately, organizations want to know that you, as an employee, will stick around.  Statements or questions like these will accordingly suggest that you are looking for a long-term commitment.

·         Remember that those who are interviewing you will likely be a different vintage with different values (i.e. a Baby Boomer or Gen Xer).  With this in mind, I want to acknowledge and accommodate each generation’s preferences.  For example, Upeslacis stated that most Boomers favour the phone over e-mail, so I’m going make a point to call and thank them for the interview, rather than communicating electronically through the Internet.  In addition, Upeslacis noted that Boomers “live to work,” while millennials such as myself “work to play.”  As a result, I will keep these facts in mind when answering a specific question in a job interview with a Baby Boomer.

For more key insights and tips from Upeslacis, check out her article Ys, Xers and Boomers: Getting the message straight among colleagues, job candidates and Job Hunting Dos and Don’ts.   

If someone approached me a year ago and asked me to start writing a blog, I probably would have looked at them as if they were crazy.  Me blogging?  No way!  Why would I want to post my ideas on the Internet?  

But since my enrollment into Centennial’s post-graduate degree program for Corporate Communications and Public Relations in September 2008, my attitude towards social media and blogging changed.  In fact, I’ve come to realize and understand how blogging and social media are beginning to transform the way we as a society exchange information and ideas. 

For example, blogs are a great learning tool where people from specific professions, niches and interest groups can gather together to share their experiences, knowledge and opinions.  And that’s what I intend to do with PR Protégé. 

In the coming weeks, I plan to write about my observations and the lessons I’ve learned as a corporate communications and public relations student.  Thus, although my blog will be very much like a journal, I ultimately hope that it becomes:

·         a resource for other PR students where they may learn from my experiences, mistakes and successes; 

·         and a forum where my fellow colleagues and I may discuss specific lessons and ideas in regard to communications and public relations.

So, that leads me to my first entry.  Any suggestions for a topic?