Chelsea Worley is a University of Alabama undergraduate student in public relations, as well as a double minor in history and computer science. After graduation in May 2009, she plans to attend graduate school. She is an active member of PRSSA and Kappa Tau Alpha, the mass communication honor society. In the spring of 2008, she served on the Platform Magazine writing team. After she obtains her graduate degree, she plans to seek a career in the PR field, while also pursuing a future as a writer.

Martha Griffith is a senior at The University of Alabama double majoring in history and public relations. She is the recipient of the Arnold M. Barban Award for Excellence in Advertising and Public Relations from the UA College of Communication and Information Sciences. She was a member of the Fall 2008 Platform Magazine student editorial team. Griffith will attend The University of Alabama Law School upon graduation in May 2009.

Erin Ireland currently works for Glenwood, The Autism and Behavioral Health Center of Alabama. She is a development associate, working with the nonprofit organization's fundraising initiatives and volunteers. Ireland is a 2008 cum laude graduate of The University of Alabama with a B.A. in public relations. She was a member of the Spring 2008 Platform team.

Kyle F. Reinson joined the faculty at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY, in 2007. With more than 15 years as an agency and corporate public relations manager and executive, he advises the college's PRSSA chapter and its student-run marketing communications firm PRIMA Connections. Reinson is committed to helping students develop leadership qualities that will move them quickly through entry-level jobs into managerial positions.

Miranda Harbin recently graduated cum laude from The University Alabama with a B.A. in public relations. She was a member of the Fall 2008 Platform Magazine student editorial team.

Eyun-Jung Ki, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at The University of Alabama and a fellow of the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations. She received her Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Florida specializing in public relations. Her areas of research are broad-based and include organization-public relationships with a focus on the effects of organizational day-to-day communication activities on the relationship quality between an organization and its publics; public relations effectiveness measurement; new technologies in public relations; and public relations ethics, investor relations, as well as other management issues. The main teaching areas that she enjoys are public relations management and public relations campaigns.

Biographies for Volume III, Issue II (Spring 2009)

Kayla Gail Anthony - Double Springs, Alabama

Major/Minor: Public Relations & Geography (Double Major)

Academic Achievements: National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Golden Key International Honour Society Alpha Lambda Delta National Honorary Society, Gamma Theta Upsilon International Geographic Honor Society, Phi Eta Sigma National Honorary Society, University of Alabama President’s List, University of Alabama Dean’s List

Jobs & Internships: Congressional Intern for United States Congressman Robert Aderholt

Community Service: NSCS Mentor; SaveFirst Tax Preparation Volunteer; Community Service Center Arts Advocate; Morning Point Assisted Living Volunteer

Organization Membership: NSCS National Leadership Council; NSCS Vice President of Planning for College Success; Student Association for Geographers at Alabama: Public Relations Coordinator; Calvary Baptist Church Leadership Team: Upperclassmen Bible Study Leader; SGA: Leadership Development Committee, Communications Department Liaison, Campaign Manager for Candidates

Julie Brown - Prattville, Alabama

Major/Minor: Public Relations/Event Planning

Academic Achievements: Sigma Alpha Lambda Honor Society, Lambda Sigma Honor Society, Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society, Golden Key Honor Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Dean’s List

Jobs & Internships: Governor Bob Riley – Intern, summer 2008; Capstone Agency: American Red Cross account, 2007–2008; Jackson Thornton & Co. – Administrative Assistant, summer 2007 & 2008

Community Service: Turning Point, RISE Center, West Alabama Humane Society, Salvation Army Angel Tree

Organization Membership: Alpha Chi Omega sorority, Alabama Society of Communication Arts Ambassador, Alabama Panhellenic Judicial Board, Public Relations Student Society, Student Alumni Association

Amy Hannah Burkhalter - Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Major/Minor: Public Relations/Computing Technology and Applications

Academic Achievements: Men’s Basketball Athletic Scholarship, Tutwiler Scholarship, Alumni Scholarship, Teresa Clements Myers Endowed Scholarship, Supply Store Book Scholarship, Dr. George H. and Jane Denny Scholarship, Nursing Scholarship

Jobs & Internships: University of Alabama Men’s Basketball Department, Bama Hoops, Inc. Basketball Camps, Complete Player Basketball Camp

Community Service:

Organization Membership: Public Relations Student Society of America: Webmaster – Alabama chapter; Capstone PR Agency

Jarrett Cocharo - Arlington, Texas

Major/Minor: Public Relations, Spanish/Business

Academic Achievements: National Hispanic Merit Scholarship, McWane Travel Scholarship, Most Outstanding Academic Achievement Award for Sophomores, Most Outstanding Academic Achievement Award for Seniors, UA President’s List

Jobs & Internships: The Crimson White account executive, fall 2008–present; Texas Instruments Product Line Management Intern, summer 2008; The Crimson White contributing writer, fall 2007; The Capstone Agency Midtown Village account team member, Fall 2007

Community Service:

Organization Membership: Public Relations Student Society of America; University Honors Program; International Honors Program, University Chorus

Cara Cramer - Dothan, Alabama

Major/Minor: Public Relations/Political Science and Communication Studies

Academic Achievements: Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, Golden Key Honor Society, Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society, 2007 Lambda Pi Eta Academic Achievement Award recipient, C&IS Academic Honor Council nominee, Dean's List

Jobs & Internships: University of Alabama Office of Media Relations—2009 Student Writer, Senator Arlen Specter—2008 Summer Intern, United States Capitol Building—Summer 2008 Official Tour Guide

Community Service: Habitat for Humanity, Birmingham Arthritis Foundation

Organization Membership: Public Relations Student Society, Alpha Omicron Pi sorority

Louise Crow - Mobile, Alabama

Major/Minor: Public Relations/Management

Academic Achievements: University Honors Program, Mobile County Alumni Scholarship, Mary D. Maxwell Kappa Delta Scholarship, Corre Stagall Leadership Award, Elizabeth Banta Mueller Scholarship–Kappa Delta Foundation, Outstanding Sophomore Greek of the Year, SGA Jarrod Nackley Excellence Award, Fellowship Class Project Award, Mary B Tompkins Cochran Kappa Delta Scholarship, Tutwiler Scholarship, University of Alabama President’s List, University of Alabama—Dean’s List

Jobs & Internships: Student Government Association–Vice President for Student Affairs–2008, Director of Communications–2007, Presidential Campaign Director–2006, Director of Executive Programs–2006; University of Alabama Dean of Students Office–Summer Internship, 2008; Senator Jeff Sessions Washington D.C. Staff–Public Relations Intern, 2007

Community Service: Creator and Director of Crimson Karma, Gene Stallings Rise Center, Crossing Points, Girls Scouts of America, Camp Rap–A–Hope camp counselor, Holt Elementary mentor, Ronald McDonald House Youth Board, Prevent Child Abuse America

Organization Membership: University Stewards, Kappa Delta Sorority, Student Government Association, 21st Order of the XXXI–Women’s Honorary Society, Lambda Sigma, Blue Key, Phi Eta Sigma, Alpha Lambda Delta, Sigma Tau Delta, Omicron Delta Kappa, Order of Omega, University Standing Committees

Dianna Duffy - New Orleans, Louisiana

Major/Minor: Public Relations/Musical Theatre

Academic Achievements: Recipient of Carl E. and Ann Jones Regions Endowed Scholarship, University of Alabama Dean’s List, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, University of Northern Colorado Dean’s List

Jobs & Internships: The Crimson White—Contributing Writer, 2007; Zephyrs’ Stadium—ticket sales and relations, 2008; Six Flags New Orleans—Live performer, 2005

Community Service: Make–A–Wish Foundation Volunteer; West Alabama Aids Outreach Volunteer; Boys & Girls Club of West Alabama Volunteer

Organization Membership: Chi Omega Sorority; Alpha Psi Omega—Treasurer; Public Relations Student Society of America; University of Alabama Theatre and Dance

Mary Allison Milford - Alma, Arkansas

Major/Minor: Public Relations/Spanish

Academic Achievements: Dean’s List, University Honors Program

Jobs & Internships: Other Achievements: Gold medal at 2008 Paralympic Games (Beijing, China), Gold medal at 2007 Parapan American Games (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil), Silver Medal at 2006 World Championships (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Community Service: The RISE School, Alabama Action, Crossing Points

Organization Membership: UA Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team (Captain), U.S. Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team, Baptist Campus Ministries: Leadership Council, Honors Program Student Association

Sarah Minkel - Lancaster, New York

Major/Minor: Public Relations/General Business

Academic Achievements: Golden Key Honor Society, Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society, Sigma Alpha Lambda Honor Society, Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, Dean’s List

Jobs & Internships: Kaleida Health – Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo Public Relations and Marketing Intern, Summer 2008

Community Service:

Organization Membership: Alpha Phi Sorority, Alpha Phi Vice President of Campus Relations and Events; Alabama Society of Communication Arts Ambassador; Public Relations Student Society of America; Capstone Agency; Residence Hall Association

Carly Jayne Rullman - Charlottesville, Virginia

Major/Minor: Public Relations/Spanish

Academic Achievements: Lambda Pi Eta communications honor society; Communications 123 Speak–off, 1st place; Dean’s List all four years; Forensics/Speech Scholarship.

Jobs & Internships: The Crimson White, Account Executive, 2008–present; Walnut Hill School, communications intern, Summer 2008; WHTJ PBS Charlottesville, broadcast intern, summer 2006; J. Crew, sales associate, winter 2007–2008; Davenport & Co., LLC, receptionist, summer 2007.

Community Service: Children’s Miracle Network/Birmingham Children’s Hospital; Love Spirit Chorus group— Charlottesville, VA; Spanish Outreach at Flatwoods Elementary, Tuscaloosa, AL.

Organization Membership: PRSSA and Ad Fed, 2007–present; Phi Mu Sorority, Vice President, 2005–present; Forensics/Speech Team, 2007–2008; Ad Team, 2008–present; WVUA 90.7, 2005–2006; Women’s Club Lacrosse, 2005–2008.

Melinda Williams - Crossville, Alabama

Major/Minor: Public Relations/English

Academic Achievements: National Alumni Association Community College Honors Scholarship, Tau Sigma, Sigma Alpha Lambda, Golden Key International Honour Society, University of Alabama Dean’s List, Phi Theta Kappa, Sigma Kappa Delta

Jobs & Internships: WordSouth Public Relations Inc., University of Alabama College of Arts and Sciences

Community Service: DeKalb County Junior Miss Choreographer/Publicity/Has–Beens Chairman, PRSSA Relay for Life Team Captain

Organization Membership: Public Relations Student Society of America, Vice President of Fundraising; Capstone Agency; FATE

Welcome!

Thank you for joining us for Volume III, Issue II, of Platform Online Magazine. We are proud to continue Platform's diverse range of public relations topics by contributing articles and blog posts relevant to matters facing our industry and society today. Features in this issue include the effects of social media, urban planning, as well as interviews with professionals, such as CEO of InterLogic, John Gardner. We are also happy to incorporate articles from contributing writers and Platform alumni.

In today's world, economic security is unpredictable, technology is evolving and trends are ever changing. We strive to create a publication that is timely and firm in its ethical practices that positively promote public relations.

New material is uploaded regularly, so please be sure to return to the site to see our latest articles and blog posts.

Our hope is that you will not only read our articles and blog posts, but also participate in discussions and take advantage of our social media links to Facebook and Twitter. Your participation will lend new ideas to Platform writers and readers. We also invite you to become a contributing writer for an upcoming issue and to subscribe to Platform by submitting your e-mail address on our home page.

Thank you to all of our contributing writers featured in Volume III, Issue II, and to the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations for your continued support of Platform.

Sincerely,

Platform Online Magazine Editorial Team
Volume III, Issue II

by Carly Jayne Rullman

In Platform’s article "Extreme Makeover: Nonprofit Edition," we explored Progreso Latino, a nonprofit organization in Providence, R.I., that aspires to make a difference in its respective Latin American community. Progreso Latino underwent a public relations makeover with the help of ABC 6 reporter and PR consultant, Julie Ruditsky. Along with a PR makeover, Progreso Latino underwent some major changes in re-branding.

We also had the pleasure of interviewing Mark Bevington, founder of Ninedot, "a strategic design studio synonymous with outstanding graphic design and communications.” Bevington and his agency’s efforts have been monumental in the re-branding of Progreso Latino.

Working with Progreso was a unique case, but nothing out of the ordinary for Ninedot. The agency has a list of clientele ranging from small start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Ninedot is unique in that it is only one of four agencies that conduct “purpose-based branding.” This means defining the purpose of an organization or company. As Bevington put it, this method addresses the reason we get out of bed each morning. “Because (nonprofits) are small they are always taking the reactive approach. We help them be proactive,” he said. As one of 3,500 nonprofits in Rhode Island in a struggling economy what would help Progreso Latino grow?

Bevington saw the opportunity for both the organization and Ninedot. He pitched to the COO of Progreso, George Ortiz, his ideas for re-branding — all on Ninedot’s dime.

Right away Ortiz, Bevington and Ninedot’s creative director took active measures to best understand how to go about rebranding PL. They did this research by walking the neighborhoods of Central Falls, R.I. — an area Bevington says is known for two things: cocaine and guns. This same area is also where Colombians settled 35-40 years ago and worked in textile mills.

The team walked around and interviewed the people there asking them questions, such as “Have you heard of Progreso Latino?” Bevington said, “It was remarkable the things we were hearing. A lot of the first generation Latinos didn’t want to use the services. So we realized the current brand was just not working.” The team furthered their research by getting more insights, capturing footage and taking photographs.

While sitting with the board at Progreso, Bevington discussed the one word they discovered that described its brand: EMPOWERMENT. “The Latino community wants to be empowered, not just given hand-outs,” he said. Rebranding, or empowering, them would help their community be self-sufficient.

Bevington went on to say, “Empowerment is a word they can get around. A word they can believe in. Progreso Latino now offers services they can embrace and is not an organization that just grabs at people for money.” For example, PL partnered with Life Span of Rhode Isand so the Latino community could be tested for HIV. Bevinton and the board at Progreso believe they can take this proactive approach to other Latin American communities in Rhode Island.

At the end of the day, the logo is a large part of a brand. Ninedot knows this well and saw that Progreso needed a new one. Based on research in the community, Ninedot realized that Latinos did not like the original logo. They said it did not reflect their culture, specifically the colors. So, Ninedot created a neat logo — hand drawn with bright colors to celebrate their heritage.

Another easy way Ninedot helped Progreso Latino with its branding was re-vamping the organization's Web site. This measure cost very little money, as the site contains elements that are rich in social media.

Bevington told us about a Web site, Ning.com, that allows you to create a social media Web site overnight. You can add groups and create your own profile, and it only costs $50 a month to customize it yourself. And of course, the Latino community and any others involved with the organization can maintain it themselves. Through the idea of empowerment, the Latino community can upload photos, share recipes, and communicate with and make friends.

What more will Ninedot do to ensure that the re-branding has been effective? From the Progeso Latino Web site they will collect all the user-based content and in 2010 build and implement an Empowerment Campaign to reach out to other Latin American communities.

In the end, Ninedot spent half the money that a traditional agency would. Progreso was still a client, just a client that needed “purpose-based branding.” Through this method of branding a company or organization gets right back to the root of its existence. Progreso Latino’s purpose-based branding approach is proof that an organization can stand out and grow, even in the current state of the economy. To learn about companies that have used this method and to hear more from Mark Bevington check out the Platform Blog.

by Louise Crow

Would you respond to a phone call asking you to volunteer your free time to transform a small and struggling social service organization with almost a nonexistent brand identity and little public attention? Julie Ruditzsky did.

Ruditzky, a Providence, R.I., ABC 6 News reporter, received a phone call one day from the Rhode Island Small Business Development Center, where she volunteers as a public relations consultant for struggling nonprofits. She was asked to help a Providence social service center, Progreso Latino, which teaches members of the Latino community how to meet their goals and remain self-sufficient. Before committing to the project, Ruditsky did her own research and could not believe the great work being done within the organization.  

Although she already had around-the-clock responsibilities at the news station, she still accepted the task.

“I wanted to scream from the rooftop out of both excitement and frustration,” Ruditzky said. In only a few short weeks, Ruditzsky gave Progreso Latino a much-needed PR makeover.

Before its makeover, Progreso Latino had very little brand identity within the community especially outside of the Latino population. Although they sent out press releases to the media, they usually were last minute and ineffective. The issue was not the lack of results from the organization, but the lack of brand identity.

To gauge community awareness, Ruditzsky asked a successful branding company, NineDot, to volunteer their time to conduct field research, where they went throughout the community and asked people their opinion about Progreso Latino (to find out more about Progreso's branding, visit Platform's "Brand Empowerment" article). Ruditzsky immediately realized that the positive image of Progreso Latino needed to become more visible throughout the Providence community.

Low cost and simple implementation ideas became the focal point of this public relations plan. The first step included the development of social media tactics like a new Web site with blog updates and Facebook and Twitter accounts. 

“The world is transitioning to the Internet for information gathering. This allows our stakeholders to explore and become more engaged and involved beyond normal publicity,” she said.

Progreso Latino’s public relations strategy also included a new approach to media relations, influenced by Ruditzsky’s reporting experience. She focused on a proactive and positive approach to media. Nonprofits have the ability to reach out on a consistent basis while making a lasting impact. Certain organizations like Red Cross do an incredible job of establishing a credible relationship with local media channels.

“Nonprofits have opinion that reporters can use in their interviews focusing on what’s relevant to the community,” she said. “Reporters are constantly trying to find someone to interview on demand and nonprofits can be that person."

Ruditzsky has focused on training the Progreso staff members to feel comfortable interviewing on camera and writing press releases. She said the key is writing about positive programs featuring how Progreso benefits the greater Providence area.

“It's not just about social services but helping people get their lives in order,” Ruditzsky said.

Since press releases don’t always require or assure instant coverage, Ruditzsky encourages practitioners to send out positive weekly releases to area media. An example from Progreso is about how the center helped a homeless person find a job.

As someone passionate about public relations, Ruditzsky educated the Progresso Latino staff about the value of PR so her PR plan would continue after she left.

“I wanted PL to implement their own PR so when I left the organization the PR practices would continue to grow consistently,” she said.

To this end, Ruditzsky met with every single program director and talked about how PR works, how to write effective news stories and how PR can benefit their program. She said we really focus on the positives of the organization by showing how little things make a huge difference.

With more than 1.6 million nonprofit organizations throughout the United States, there are endless opportunities for PR makeovers. Each nonprofit organization is competing for the same volunteers, media attention and benefactors. Whether employed or job searching, I hope you consider picking up the phone and answering your calling to facelift a nonprofit organization.

by Melinda Williams

Publix, Southwest Airlines, Zappos, Apple . . . those are all companies with a reputation of good customer service. Their reputation enables them to attract new customers and turn them into loyal, lifetime customers.

Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles approaches customer service in a new way. It says customers are so used to bad service — rude employees, cold food and incorrect orders — that we have come to expect to be treated badly. When customers are treated one level above that, they become satisfied. But Raving Fans argues that satisfied customers are no longer enough for a successful business. A satisfied customer will only stay around until something better comes along. A raving fan is a customer for life.

How to create "raving fans"
Decide What You Want — The authors advise businesses to create a vision of perfection centered around the customer. Imagine what the ideal situation would be for your customers, and recreate it. This is your window of customer service.

Discover What the Customer Wants — Ask your customers and sincerely listen. Listening may result in adjusting your vision to better serve the customer. It may also result in letting a customer go because your vision in no way matches theirs.

Deliver Plus One — Consistency is the most important thing in customer service. The worst thing to do is deliver one time, halfway deliver the next and not deliver the third. Consistency creates credibility, and your customers will know they can rely on your business. Pick a small number of things that your business can deliver consistently and concentrate on that. Trying to improve in too many areas will only result in things falling through the cracks and bad service. Try to improve by one percent each week. That is a small enough goal to make a difference, but not too big to be overwhelming.

How the "raving fans" philosophy affects the PR practitioner
At the April Alabama PRSA Luncheon, Peter Shankman said, "Your job as you know it is no longer to do PR for yourselves, for your company or for your clients. Your job is to get other people to do it for you."

Our goal as public relations practitioners is now to serve our clients so well that they become raving fans for our organization. In turn they will tell everyone how our organization went above and beyond their expectations. Recommendations from a peer are also seen as more credible. According to the 2009 Edelman Trust Barometer, "'A person like yourself' is as credible as an industry analyst, with 47% of respondents saying they find the information they receive from a peer to be extremely or very credible, and 30% saying they find the information from a regular company employee to be extremely or very credible."

A client service focus
Leo Bottary recently did a series of posts on client service on his blog Client Service Insights. Here are his tips on how to build a strong client relationship:

Learn everything you can — Learn everything you can about your client and their industry and then use that knowledge to ask great questions. Whether you are coming to a meeting or a new business pitch, you should be prepared to ask extensive questions and leave with insight to create a better campaign.

Find your client's motivation — Instead of assuming the reason for a campaign, ask your client what their motivation is.

Find definition of success — Make sure you and your client's definition of success match. Be very specific when you're planning all aspects of the campaign, from objectives to the evaluation. Stay tuned throughout the campaign for changing expectations from your client.

Dig deeper — Evaluate each decision to make sure it is the right one. Just because your client wants to hold a press conference doesn't mean a press conference is the best way to reach their goals.

Always come to the table with new ideas — Never stop thinking of new, fresh ideas. Be prepared to hear 'no' and don't let it be discouraging. Don't let a small budget hold you back. Think of a small budget as a challenge to create a creative campaign.

Document everything — Keep track of everything during a campaign by writing it down. Keeping records helps everyone stay on the same page.

Watch what is important to your client — Don't just look at client's public relations needs. Look at their business needs too. Communicate the overall value public relations can bring to their organization. Make sure your client knows their business is better off with your service.

by Martha Griffith, Contributing Writer

Jack O’Dwyer serves as the editor-in-chief of O’Dwyer’s Public Relations News, which has been covering the field for more than 40 years. In addition to the odwyerpr.com Web site, the company is most famous for the publication of its directories that keep track of information for PR firms throughout the nation.

We have been hearing a lot about the dwindling economy, and while many are optimistic that we have reached a stabilizing point, Jack O’Dwyer says that our current job-seeking climate might be the most difficult since the 1930s. But with such great experience both in the field and monitoring it, he offers some advice for those wading through the process.

1. O’Dwyer says, “Getting published somewhere is a key to landing a job.” Whether it is in your school paper or publication as a result of an internship, it sets people apart today. Also, never be afraid of pitching your work in order to get it published.

2. Don’t get so blinded by social media that you forget about traditional media. O’Dwyer said, “Social media are important today but clients also want placements in legitimate media.”

3. “Don’t hesitate to start a freelance business of your own,” O’Dwyer said. If you do freelance, though, be sure to spend at least half of your time prospecting for new business. Also, joining local business, charitable, PR and political groups can help in this process. By making friends, you can make business.

4. Don’t let the negative connotations associated with lobbying deter you from exploring this area of public relations. O’Dwyer said, “Many former ‘PR’ jobs are now in the D.C. area as lobbying jobs.” 

5. Working for a political candidate is a good way to break into PR (and lobbying, too). You really learn how to influence others through working for a campaign.

6. O’Dwyer said, “The best entry is by working for a news medium.” The contacts you gain with community and business leaders can help you in the long run in your PR career. Earlier in the history of public relations, almost everyone entering the field worked for a news medium. It showed that you knew how to write and think.

7. Learn to create and manage Web sites. Also, know the technology you will be required to utilize like Dreamweaver, InDesign or Photoshop. You might even want to tackle audio-visual technologies or just simple copywriting skills. O’Dwyer reminds students and professionals that PR firms today provide a multitude of services, and if you have these basic software and writing skills, you will be a more valued employee. Further, he said, “PR firms today are very close to being ad agencies.”

8. “If there is no local PR group, you and other recent grads should start your own group,” O’Dwyer said. Elect officers, prepare programs and organize meetings. This looks great on a résumé and can provide valuable contacts in your community.

9. Show interest in a particular field. O’Dwyer said, “You need to 'build' a résumé that shows interest in a particular field such as health care, finance or technology, to name the three most popular.” If you want to do PR for health care, do not be afraid to major in the sciences. The same goes for technology, business or any of the other fields that interest you. Build your résumé to match your interest.

10. If necessary, think about adopting a business name. O’Dwyer reminds students that many entry-level jobs require employees to call lots of reporters each day, and it is necessary to make your name easy to understand and spell. He said, “Quite often you will have to leave your name to voice mail and you could spend a lot of time spelling out a complicated name letter by letter.”

11. It is easier to move from agency work to nonprofit work. O’Dwyer warns that it may be hard to move into the competitive world of firm work after a nonprofit stint because you may be perceived to be less competitive than others being considered for the same job, and in many firms, a competitive edge is valued.

12. Do not forget about PR service companies. These companies do things such as design, audio-visual production and printing. O’Dwyer says these service jobs can lead to jobs at PR firms or corporations. He said, “Those at service companies are often paid more than those in ‘PR.’”

By following these steps, it may be easier to gain a foothold in the field. Competition for jobs in this economy is stiff, but that does not mean there is nothing students can do to help them prepare or even alter their outlook on what PR can be.

by Chelsea Worley, Contributing Writer

Have you ever wanted to know what the Average Joe thought about his trip to Jamaica, how to remove tomato sauce from your favorite shirt or what the product review on the new digital camera you just bought says? The answer to these questions and many more can be found through wikis. WikiTravel, WikiHow and ProductWiki are just three of many wikis available to let online users read about facts or add and edit opinions about whatever subject is at the wiki’s focus. Wikis create opportunities for collaboration with individuals who share similar interests and opinions.

Wikis versus blogs
The fact that wikis allow users to edit and add content makes them the better tool over other resources to serve online communities. A big mistake made by online visitors is that they confuse wikis and blogs, thinking they are basically the same resource offering users the same experience. Let’s make it clear — they are very different.

Blogs are heavily opinion based and content is permanent. Only the author of the post can edit its content. A blog post only becomes interactive when others comment on the post and a dialogue begins.

Wikis are the opposite. Wikis tend to be heavily factual and content can be added to or edited by all users. Generally, wikis are used to define and outline specific things, ideas or processes. Sometimes the personal reveals itself, but, in general, wikis tend to be objective.

Because any user can add to or edit content, if something inaccurate is published then whoever sees the mistake can make the correction himself, saving future visitors from gaining false knowledge or perspective. The existing ability for users to monitor content keeps mistakes at a minimum and provides communities with the capability to create a credible and trustworthy resource. For this reason, a growing trend in the PR community is the development of internal wikis within organizations, which give employees of a business a place to voice their opinions, strategize or socialize on a day-to-day basis.

prhistorywiki.org: the PRimary source
A great resource for those of us in the public relations community is the recently developed prhistorywiki.org: the PRimary source. In 2007, the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations provided a grant for the site’s creation. University of Alabama Associate Professor Dr. Meg Lamme and doctoral candidate Jennifer Land went to work to build a site that focuses on public relations history and made it multi-functional to serve the interests of a variety of users.

prhistorywiki.org provides links to theses and dissertations, recent scholarship, a list of PR organizations and an ongoing index to PR history information sources that grows with every contribution to the site. By simply creating a user profile, a visitor to the site can browse multitudes of pages about PR history-related material, add or edit content and find out what others in the PR history community are thinking and debating.

Lamme originally thought building a PR history database would be a way to achieve her vision. However, after some debate, it was decided that a wiki would best suit the development of an interactive community. Lamme said, “The choice of a wiki works because wikis are fluid and flexible forums that give all users a sense of ownership of the content.” She also noted the evolutionary qualities of wikis and said they were a smart choice because they keep things from getting too “static.”

Web sites like prhistorywiki.org with the same accessibility allow users to get to know one another and build connections. Don’t they say that networking is key to being a success in the PR field?

A wiki inspiration
According to an article Lamme (2008) published in Journal of Communication Management, her creation of the site was inspired by a similar project of University of Maryland Professor Dr. Elizabeth Toth. In 2002, while a professor at Syracuse University, Toth explored the possibility of a women’s history archive after the passing of Denny Griswold Sullivan, founder of PR News and Women Executives in Public Relations. Toth felt it important that influential works not be lost. “Historians and researchers of the future will want to know how public relations is developing as a managed communication function and the people who have enriched it through their practice,” she said.

Similarly, Lamme recognized the importance of including a page on the site that gives step-by-step guidelines to paper donation. By preserving influential PR papers and works, educational legacies are passed on to new generations and significant pieces of history are preserved.

Another benefit of connecting to others in the online community through wikis is that, by doing so, you’re opening yourself up to a global connection. The Internet invites users from across the world, and many wikis are expanding their accessibility to allow international visitors easier usability. Gaining a global perspective, in many cases, can help you to develop stronger opinions on a variety of topics and better solutions for a range of problems. As a PR practitioner, knowledge of global perspective can help in strategizing and planning for various campaigns and projects. Plus, how cool is it to say that you have connections in Australia or Japan?

If the growing number of users for prhistorywiki.org proves anything, it’s that people are definitely willing to adopt the new trend. Dr. Karla Gower, director of the Plank Center, stated, “It just keeps growing. With each new promotion of the site, more users come. People like fluidity and the easy-to-update quality of wikis.”

So, whether you’re looking to find the dish about the latest release in a series of bestsellers or trying to pitch an idea to a fellow employee, wikis seem to be the new way of getting it done.

Source:
Lamme, M.O., and J.M. Land. (2008). Launching PRimary Source: www.prhistorywiki.org, a clearinghouse for public relations history. Journal of Communication Management, 12(4), 374.

by Julie Brown

Every 10 years, an amazing event happens in the United States. A snapshot is taken of our nation. Every person over the age of 18 is required by law to fill out the census survey, with every gender, race, socioeconomic class, relationship status and political group recorded.

The U.S. Census Bureau has embarked on a $312 million integrated communications campaign for the upcoming 2010 Census. In the 2010 Census Integrated Communications Campaign Plan, each tactic and strategy is divided by the various target segments and the methods of communicating for that particular target. The plan’s objectives are to increase mail response; improve overall accuracy and reduce the differential undercount; and improve cooperation with enumerators. The campaign featured early implements in late 2008 and will continue through June 2010 with major emphasis starting January 2010. The channels of communication selected for the campaign are partnerships with community organizations, advertising, census in schools, public relations, Web sites and promotional materials.

Several communications agencies competed to receive the 2010 Census Integrated Communications Contract (ICC). DraftFCB, New York, was awarded the contract in September 2007. “DraftFCB is a full-service marketing and communications agency and is the primary contractor for the ICC,” said Stacy Gimbel, public affairs specialist for the U.S. Census Bureau. “The DraftFCB 2010 Census Team includes race and ethnic specialists, public relations, event marketing, recruitment advertising and creative design experts.”

Public relations component
As noted in the communication plan, “the public relations objective for this campaign is to surround every household in the country with credible, memorable messages through trusted conversations that motivate people to complete the decennial census.” Through public relations, the campaign hopes to target each audience cluster with information from their own trusted media outlets, such as Univision and the Spanish speaking community. The completed media buy schedule will be finalized by August 2009 and the entire schedule will be completed by the year's end, Gimbel said.

“It’s in Our Hands” is the selected theme for the campaign and census officials hope that it resonates throughout all media outlets with the help of public relations practitioners and the Public Information Office. According to a PRWeek article, the theme was also created in the hopes that participation will be encouraged especially when information comes from trusted outlets and individuals.

The key public relations tactics that campaign developers intend to implement are key message development, story mining, online news briefings, editorial board meetings, deskside briefings, strategic travel and campaign press kits. The key messages provided by public relations practitioners will be tailored for each race and ethnic audience so that the material will be reliable and trustworthy to the particular segmented target group. Online news outlets and newspaper giants are targeted in hopes to gain partnerships to increase awareness of the upcoming census and disperse information when needed. In a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, public relations components will also include utilizing the Internet, social networks, blogs, satellite radio, podcasts and Web-enabled phones.

The timeline of public relations activities began in 2008 with the definition of key messages and will continue until 2010 to ensure the continuation of media coverage and make sure accurate information is being dispersed to the public.

The 2010 communications campaign is much larger than previous years because of the push to attain greater response rates. “In Census 2000, the contract was only for paid advertising,” Gimbel said. “For Census 2010, the contract is an Integrated Communications Campaign that includes paid advertising, Census in Schools, partnership efforts, public relations and research.”

Benefit for PR practitioners
Secondary research for public relations campaigns is one of the main benefits that the census findings have for public relations practitioners. Data on income, employment and household information can be invaluable to a public relations practitioner when researching a particular area of the country. The census provides a glimpse inside the target’s life and what tactics may be better suited for their lifestyle.

The 2010 Census is not only a civil duty, but the survey provides valuable information for research and data collection practices. So when you participate in the census taking in March 2010, you will not just be filling in the questionnaire answers ... you will be helping take a photograph of our country.

www.2010census.gov

pio@census.gov

by Mary Allison Milford

“U.S. Business: Trusted Since 2002” could have been the business sector’s slogan for the past seven years. But now, according to the 2009 Edelman Trust Barometer, America’s trust in business is at a historic low. Since the fall of Enron, faith in business had been building and belief in the free market holding strong. Now, with the auto industry in a meltdown and banks in crisis, America’s trust has faltered — by 20 percent.

According to the Trust Barometer, “In the home of capitalism, American trust in business to do what is right is now most comparable to that of the countries of ‘old Europe’ where trust levels have always been lower.”

There is one source of light to this grim picture. According to the Barometer, conversations with company employees, friends and peers are some of the most trusted sources. With the explosion of social media networks, blogs and microblogs, these peer-to-peer conversations have become expansive and seemingly limitless.

In a recent interview I conducted, Peter Himler, founder and principal of Flatiron Communications LLC and blog, The Flack, talked about the change in communication: “We’ve gone from top down to bottom up and now to sideways influence — peer to peer.”

In years past, Americans would gather around the television for the nightly news from the trusted Walter Cronkite. Now Brian Williams and Katie Couric have become background noise as Americans read blogs and Tweets to get the news from their “trusted” sources.

The blogosphere has become so vast that I am able to read about a recent crisis management success, then tab over and watch a video of my niece playing peek-a-boo. But with the enormity and freedom of bloggers comes a catch — “truth-in-blogging."

According to Himler’s blog, “The explosion in the number of syndicated content producers (i.e., bloggers) has created havoc in the regulatory environment, and specifically at the FTC, which oversees truth in advertising.”

Now there is talk about regulating what bloggers say about products that are given to them to endorse.

“The media ecosystem has atomized,” Himler said.  “Most bloggers don’t have the time to do the research and reporting that the New York Times would. Because today anyone can be a blogger, there is a lot of room for abuse. I’m not sure the bloggers can self police.”

Now it seems that our “trusted” bloggers are indeed flawed and even misleading.

This regulation might not be a bad thing, however. According to Edelman’s Barometer, 61 percent of Americans believe government should intervene to regulate industry or nationalize companies to restore public trust. Himler agrees. “The government turned a blind eye to regulation. The pendulum is swinging back towards consumer protectionism,” he said.

So what is public relations' role in rebuilding trust between business and consumer? Public relations must continue its tradition of ethical practices and set a positive example for both business and consumer as good communicators with strong instincts.

“The best PR people have good instincts,” Himler said. “They know what to say, they know how to act — that can’t be taught. They understand the media ecosystem.”

American consumers must do the same to regain their trust with business. It is important to use your instincts when absorbing information. Because there is so much information out there, it is partly the consumer’s responsibility to filter news and information. We cannot rely solely on regulation from the government.

In return, American businesses must improve their communication skills. “Nothing can replace good communication skills. You must have the ability to help people understand complex things,” Himler said. It is a PR practitioner’s job not only to disseminate information, but to understand which channels of communication work best.

As a Kathy Bloomgarden blog post notes, Former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca wrote in his most recent book, “A leader has to communicate. I’m not talking about running off at the mouth or spouting sound bites. I’m talking about facing reality and telling the truth.”

Over the past year, reality has hit the auto industry, banks and Americans in general. Leaders of industry have faltered and communicated misguiding information to their publics. It is time for businesses to be open and honest so reciprocal relationships can be made.

As always, public relations is about building relationships. Practitioners must cater to the client and consumer while staying true to their principles as well. In the end, every PR professional, business and consumer wants the same thing — to be trusted.