Speech Up

So for the past year I have been nervous about giving the Matron of Honor speech at my sister’s wedding. I am not horrible at public speaking by any means, but I definitely could improve my skills. Granted, with a few drinks I know I will be fine and probably won’t even notice the 200 people staring at me.  

For the past couple of months I have been going through old pictures and thinking of different childhood stories about my sister. Most of them I dubbed inappropriate since I don’t want to embarrass her on her big day, especially in front of her new in-laws.  

After going through hours of writing and rewriting this speech, I decided it might be a good idea to look up PR speech writing do’s and don’ts. I know this isn’t the same type of speech I would give for a company or client, but I figured this would be the perfect time to learn more about public relations speech writing. This is also a good time to look into how to write a strong speech, because there is not an undergraduate course requiring speech writing.

A few interesting tips from Ragan’s  “Eight Essential Tips for a Strong Speech,” include:

1. Connect with your audience. Make sure to connect with your audience with both eye contact and body language. It doesn’t matter if your speech is for a nonprofit or a wedding; just make sure to filter it through the audience’s interests and concerns.

2. Tell a story. Use knowledge from personal experiences to help illustrate important points in your speech.  Also, learning how improvise when telling these stories will help “unleash genuine emotions, energize the remaining words, and humanize you or your client” during the speech.

3. Start—and end—strong. Since people have the attention spans of gnats, it is best to use a strong opening statement, story or anecdote. People usually listen for the first couple of minutes before zoning out, so make good use of your time. In order to end powerfully, use a call to action or second-best story to draw in the audience.

4. Always be prepared. There aren’t any shortcuts when it comes to rehearsing. Practice is the best way to conquer nerves.

With these tips, I am hoping to tell the true story about how I grew up following in my sister’s footsteps, and how I would not be the woman I am today without her guiding me along the way. I can’t say that I will be able to conquer all of my nerves, considering this will be my only chance to give my speech. I can only hope that I prepared myself enough in the past few weeks and that the booze is strong enough for me not notice the 200 people staring at me.

Companies Find New Pinterest

Lately everyone has been talking about the online platform Pinterest. I am apparently behind in everyone’s not-so-new found obsession. My sister has found numerous (and delicious) recipe ideas for different holidays and special occasions, and several of my friends have talked about finding some of the cutest decoration ideas for their rooms from this platform.

So for everyone else who has also apparently been living under a rock, Pinterest is a platform that “lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web.” People use “pinboards” to plan their weddings, decorate their homes and share their favorite recipes.

I have been playing around on this website now for a few days and I see what people like about it. It’s basically a new way of organizing and sharing your interests with other people. Pinterest is similar to scrapbooking, but it is all online. You can take photos you like from websites and other people then pin them to your own board.

Another interesting aspect of this site is how some businesses are using it to their advantage. According to PR Daily there are 11 brands reaching out to consumers through Pinterest, which brings even more personality to their brands than ever before. A few of these businesses include:

1.    Klout

If you’re not an avid social media user, Klout measures your online influence from several different social media platforms. This brand specifically uses Pinterest to share pictures of office events and happenings, which is a great way to better personify this brand.

It even has a “pinboard” dedicated to Klout Perks, which highlights products and services based on its members’ digital influence. This proves to people who use Klout that if your influencer score is above a 50, then you could receive an actual gift or a “perk.”   

2.    Nordstrom

This is an upscale department store known for its amazing customer service. This company actually has a team of people who handles its Pinterest “pinboards.” The boards display top trends and different product categories, including: coats, accessories, shoes, beauty products and dresses. They even feature TOMS and Zella brands on their own board which showcases their products that are sold in Nordstrom stores.

A presence on Pinterest makes Nordstrom an even stronger fashion influencer. Since not too many other companies are on this platform, people are pinning Nordstrom pictures, not their competitors’ pictures.

3.    Whole Foods

This is a grocery store emphasizing its natural and organic foods. On Pinterest the company pins several different types of food ideas including seasonal, artistic and dessert. There are also boards dedicated to helping the environment and people, including the “We’re Used to Reusing” and the “Whole Planet Foundation” boards.

A presence on Pinterest only strengthens the image Whole Foods already owns. They are environmentally friendly and organic which is what their “pinboards” illustrate.

These companies are ahead of the curve when it comes to having a strong presence on several online platforms. It is only a matter of time before other companies see the benefit of using Pinterest. 

From this, I also discovered my new obsession.

Journalism 4460: A Short Survival Guide

As my final blog post as a PR student, I wanted to pass along a few helpful tips to future students on how to survive and succeed in Journalism 4460. The top six tips include:

1. You might work well under pressure, but don’t procrastinate if it’s not necessary.

Throughout the semester there are about a dozen mini grammar quizzes, the easiest way of finishing these is by doing  most (if not all) of the quizzes at one time at the beginning of the semester… or at least before the class gets too intense with the major project.  The quizzes take less than 15 minutes to do, so just get them out of the way. Plus, if you get them finished early on, you won’t forget to do them later on in the semester when you’re neck deep in papers.

2. Blog like your grade depends on it.

Always remember to blog. This is an easy part of your grade that can bump you up or knock you down a letter grade. Yes, the main focus on your blog posts is on PR, but there are several different subjects to write about. Just a few examples include: social media, media relations, ethics, PR mistakes and PR successes. Take this time to practice writing and learn about topics you might not know much about.

Oh, and don’t forget to include your name, your blog link and a title with the blog number on each of your submissions.

3. Use Tweet chats for yourself, not just for your grade.  

Tweet chats are a great way to network. Join in the discussion and meet professionals… you never know who might be chatting or just watching. This is a great way to find new tweeple to follow and possibly gain new followers. These chats are also a great learning experience since people all over the world can join in the conversation.

4. Spell check doesn’t edit your work. You do.

Don’t rely on spell check or just one read through of any assignment. The best way to edit a paper is by printing it out and reading through it (at least twice). You are less likely to catch mistakes by looking at an assignment on your computer than if you print it out on a piece of paper. By actually editing your work, you are saving your grade and saving yourself (and classmates) from listening to multiple grammar gremlin lectures throughout the semester.

5. Speak up, you are here to learn.

If you don’t know or understand something, then ask the professor or a classmate. If you have trouble on an assignment go talk to the professor. You will thank yourself later when you’re putting your final project together if you learn how to complete each writing assignment correctly. It’s better to learn how to write different types of PR materials now (when you’re paying to learn it) than later (when you’re paid to produce it).

6. Finally, the final project.

Let me just be frank with you, the final project is huge. Not only does the communications plan count as half of your final grade, but it also ends up being around 100 pages long. Again, don’t procrastinate. Meet with your group weekly to collaborate and write your materials as soon as possible. The faster you complete your written materials, the sooner you can edit and the more you can edit.

I hope these tips come in handy, because they definitely helped me out. I wish you all the best of luck and happy writing! (That was my one exclamation point I could use this semester and get away with)

Sources:

Sarah Kubischta, University of North Texas Public Relations Senior

Tweet Chats

Throughout the semester we were required to participate in three Tweet chats. Some students groan at the thought of going out of their way to talk to strangers about different topics, but I find it to be a good learning and networking experience.

For anyone who participates in these online chats, here are a few golden rules to remember:

1. Be prepared. Before you start the Tweet chat, find out in advance what the topic is about and link your followers to the chat. This is a great way to get others to join the discussion. If a follower doesn’t know how Tweet chats work, then tell them how they can get involved. 

This also gives you a chance to do some extra research so that you can give good input during the chat. Find websites, articles, blogs or videos about the discussion topic and send the link to the participants during the discussion.  

2. Get involved. Always get involved in the discussion. There is no such thing as a dumb question, so ask the hosts and other participants if you are unsure or curious about something.

Also everyone is there to discuss a topic and hear others’ opinions about the subject so speak up. Start by introducing yourself. Simply state your name, what you do and why you’re there. It’s also good idea to say you’re new to the chat while introducing yourself because regulars are always looking for new Tweeple to join in the discussion.

3. Give and Take Relationship. Tweet chats are meant for participants to share and learn about different topics. This is the perfect way to meet new people and potential followers by sharing important ideas, useful tips and intriguing questions. You might also find someone to follow who gives great advice.

Keep these three ideas in mind the next time you participate in a Tweet chat. Just remember that you and all of the other Tweeple are there to listen and learn about the same thing. So start Tweeting and check out this Tweet chat schedule for upcoming discussions.

Twitter Chat: Do's and Don'ts

Every month in our PR writing class we are required to participate in a Twitter chat. Most of the time students groan about doing assignments for school, but I always find these chats to be interesting and a great opportunity to network with people from different walks of life around the globe.

This week’s discussion on the #socialchat discussion revolved around Tweet chat etiquette. This is something I never really thought about , but it is good to know what other people think is annoying during these networking opportunities. About 20 tweeple participated in this conversation and gave great feedback.

The top three topics discussed included:

1. Tangents = Bad
Everyone seemed to agree it is annoying when a Twitter chat about one thing turns into a random topic. Even though this might happen every day in other situations (especially in PR classes with only women), these chats usually only happen once a week for an hour, which is the time to focus on the specific topic being addressed.

Tweeple join these chats to learn from and network with people who have similar interests, so don’t ruin their experience by changing the subject. Use DMs or mentions without adding the chat hashtag.  

2. RT to the Rescue
Twitter chats can be overwhelming. I retract that previous statement; Twitter chats are overwhelming, especially when there are several participants tweeting at the same time. It can be hard to keep up with the conversation when everyone is giving input, but the consensus was that Retweeting helps if someone misses a previous tweet.

Some people find RTs to be annoying while others find them to be helpful. I think they can be a little bit of both. Don’t Retweet for the sake of Retweeting. Add your own thought to it which adds more value to the original tweet, and you might be helping a fellow tweeter keep up with the conversation.

3. Don’t Announce your Late Arrival
Twitter chats are basically virtual meetings. If you were late to a meeting you probably would quietly sneak in, figure out what the current discussion is about, and jump in with your thoughts. The same stands with Twitter chats.

The #socialchat tweeple found it to be annoying and rude to jump into a chat and announce you are late, especially if it is preceded with the question, “What did I miss?” The funny thing is during this chat several people apologized for being late to the discussion… #fail.

In a nutshell, stay on topic when you are involved in a chat, because others are there to learn and discuss a specific topic. Don’t go overboard on the Retweets because they can be annoying; instead use them to add to the conversation. Avoid announcing your tardiness, because let’s face it who really wants to admit when they are wrong?

For more helpful Twitter chat etiquette tips from the host of #socialchat, go to the James T. Dabbagian website.