What I hope to gain from blogging.

It struck me as funny that I started this blog with the intention of completing a school assignment "to start a blog," and now I am not wanting to end. I am planning on continuing my blog so that I can develop a voice and hopefully become a known blogger. I know that my style is weak and all over the place, but with time I think I will get the hang of it. I really want this to be a tool for me. I want my blog to help my in my future career, and with what I have been told, social media is what employers are looking for. It is a plus to have your own blog. It shows employers that you are up-to-date with current media trends and technology. I want to continue this blog with a dedication to focusing on public relations, marketing, and career industry topics. I hope that readers will find information and useful links from my blogs as well as want to read more. I hope that I develop a strong voice that people can become addicted to. I want my words to really be heard and I want people to care about what I think. I know that it will take time and dedication, and I am willing to do that. My favorite blog ever, is by Heather Armstrong, who is so funny. She writes about her everyday life, but she has developed such a strong voice that everything she says seems so important to me. I find her to be fascinating.

Creativity Counts!

I can't stop reading about creativity. It is everywhere in the blogosphere. I have always known that being creative can put you ahead and set you apart for all the others, but I had no idea that is was so important. Clients are choosing PR firms that have creative abilities because they want their campaign to stand out and be different from the normal everyday stuff. I always thought of myself as a creative individual. I like to be different and I tend to define myself with unique qualities, however now I am wondering if that means anything. I know that I have some artistic ability, but I also know that I lack the creative flow in my brain. What I mean by that is that I have a hard time thinking up something creative and original. And, that is the whole point of creativity. I lack the brainstorm power. I really want to gain that power because I know how important it is. The only advice I can give to future PR people and students in training, is strive to show your creative abilities through each piece you create. Practice your creativeness. I am trying, but I feel like it is kind of late in the game for me. Get a head start and remember how important it is. There is so much competition out there and being creative in today's industry is so important if you want to succeed. Read more about creativity on Verve Northwest's blog. There is also information by Sanjay Dalal on his blog, "Creativity and Innovation Driving Business."

Are you sleeveless ready?

I was sent a link to the new Dove campaign for its new moisturizing deodorant that supposedly makes your armpits look great after only 5 days! I was interested since I am a regular user of deodorant and I was curious how one goes about marketing that type of product. I found the campaign to be understandable but I was not convinced to try it. When I think about deodorant, I want something that is discrete and WORKS! I really don't care so much about my armpits. It is not a part of my body that I look at often. However, maybe I am not the norm, since Dove seems to believe that women really DO care about their armpits and if they are moisturized or not. After visiting Dove's Web site I thought they did a good job with the interactivity and had good information about the campaign. I still am not convinced that I care enough to buy special deodorant though. I signed up for the free trial, so I will let you know how it goes.

Is it fair?

I recently read a post about a Marriott hotel having a female-only floor. At first I thought, "What a great idea." But then I started thinking, "Wouldn't that draw more attention to females and be more of a target for predators?" I think that they had a good idea, but I think that steps must be taken to ensure that safety will be a primary issue of concern and that they will have the needed security. I also started thinking, "Will the men be pissed that they don't get a male-only floor with a bar and billiards room as well as other special things men like?" It really isn't fair and if the hotel wants to segregate a floor for females only, they should offer the same service to the men. That is clear to me if a company wants to practice good ethics and save themselves from harassment from the media.

Going into the Real World

I started thinking about the career world and found myself shaking in my boots. I have done the education, but like Kelli Matthews said in her recent blog, “Work is Hard: Tips for your First Job,” education doesn’t prepare you for the real 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift.

I know that the PR industry will allow me to put all my hard work and efforts to good use. And it will allow new challenges for me, but I have to be honest, I am so scared. I think the hardest part for me is going to be waking up at 5 a.m. to make the commute from Brush Prairie, Washington to downtown Portland. I have to start training myself by getting up early and going to bed early.

It is also time to start networking. I need to start meeting more PR people and get more involved. I just need to put myself out there and have confidence. I think that once I start meeting more people that have the experience, I will be able to better understand the career world and will be able to prepare myself.

I am lucky because I have the summer to prepare. I have an internship lined up for the Fall, and I am searching for an internship or work experience for the summer. I will be able to gain some real work experience before I jump in. I am going into these internships with the attitude that they are real jobs since they offer real opportunities and can lead to real careers. I am excited for the future but am nervous to let go of the past and move on into the work force. I will take it one step at a time.

The Little Things

While I think about my life and how busy and chaotic it is at this moment, I realize that I am only human. Life happens. With all the changes in my life at the moment, it is hard to remember to enjoy the small things. If we can remember to do this, the big things won’t feel so impacting. I have realized that it is the little things that matter big. Keeping yourself healthy and in a good state of mind is so important. The other things will work themselves out.

Right now in my life I am trying to handle the changes and hurtles that are being places in front of me. My mind has been so busy thinking about these things. I am graduating soon and moving up to Portland. The craziness of all of that creates a lot of stress. I also am dealing with a long relationship coming to an end. The aspect of my life where I feel most powerless is my family. My Grandfather is 89 and has been in the ICU for the past week. He has a major surgery and it is so hard to think that we may lose him. My family and I are trying to stay positive and optimistic. We know that he has had the best life possible and that whatever happens is his faith. I want him around for at least another few years, right? I want him to see me get married and succeed. OK, enough about the sad stuff, lets talk about the “little things in life,” that can help make the day better.

Chuck Hester posted “Forward 10: Sometimes It’s the Little Things,” article that inspired me to write this post. His are great, and I recommend you check them out, but I have a few of my own to add.

1. Stop and smell the flowers. It is the best feeling to breath in the sweet smell of fresh flowers. It always reminds me of summer, which is a happy time.

2. Say “Bless you” when someone, especially strangers, sneezes. This can make anyone feel better and it makes you feel good too. The feeling that someone, who doesn’t even know you, cares about you is amazing.

3. Be the first one to say HI to a stranger. Make eye contact first, and say hello. It shows great confidence and you never know what that connection might turn into.

4. Buy the guy on the corner lunch. I like to buy lunch or some staple groceries for the guy or gal that stands on the corner asking for money. I like to ask them if they’re hungry and what they want. If they are they’ll tell you. You have to be sincere and not be shy. The feeling that you will get from this is rewarding and unlike anything.

Things to Know About PR that Fails

I gained some great wisdom from an article I read titled, by Margie Zable Fisher. I think that her reasons are very important for PR people to know and be aware of. It is important to know what we are getting into and prepare ourselves for these types of issues.

Educating the client is a very important part of a PR person’s duties and services. If the client doesn’t not know how publicity works and what to expect, then it is a case waiting for disaster.

It is also very important to make sure that both you and the client are on the same page so that the expectations are the same and there are no hard feelings when things don’t work out the way you both hoped. This flows into another reason Fisher mentioned, and that is that results are not received quickly enough and the client ends the deal because they are upset. Avoid this by informing the client about realistic time frames. Educate them on how the media works and explain the realistic media placements the client will most likely receive.

Make sure the client can be flexible with different news angles. The client must also be willing to be flexible with their schedule and make sure to inform them that if the media picks up on the pitches that it is extremely important that they are able to be there and be available for the media.

In order to avoid disaster just keep your client well informed and make sure that in the beginning of your relationship you cover all these aspects so that when the time comes, these problems will not be problems at all. Communication is key! Let’s not forget that.

For more on this topic, visit Matthew Stibbe's blog.