1. Make sure that you truely enjoy what you are blogging about

     If you don’t enjoy what you are writing about in your blog it will be obvious to the audience

2. Write in short paragraphs

     Nobody wants to read a book

3. Use pictures

     Pictures are worth 1000 words

4. Put links within your writing

     Putting a link inside of your story will give the reader more insight to what it is that you are talking about & quite frankly saves you a lot of explaining.

5. Bold face the words and statements that you think are important

     bold face print catches the attention of the reader

6. Be honest and genuine in your writing

     If your being fake and just making stuff up it will come through in your writing

7. Use a conversational tone

     Pretend like you are talking to a friend. (just make sure to spell correctly and not in slang)

8. State your opinion and support it with the facts

9. Site your sources

      don’t steal other people’s ideas…. BORROW them!

10. Be respectful of other bloggers!

What are infographics?

Infographics is computer-generated artwork that attractively displays simple tables and charts.

How could one be useful in a story for your client?

Using infographics in a story for a client would create some type of interest. An infographic will capture someones attention way before a regular story with normal black and white stats would. Following trends and staying on top of the newest way to present information is very important for PR Professionals.

How do you create an infographic?

It is somewhat easy to create an infographic. 

1. On an excell sheet you would enter the data from your findings

2. Highlight the data

3. At the top of the Excel processor their is an option for graphs. Click the graph and choose the one you like the most.

      In order to plan this Regional activity the members of Georgia Southern University’s PRSSA have been split into small groups. Each group has been assigned certain aspects of event planning such as sponsorships, GSU liason, and logistics just to name a few. Each small group is working hard to make this vision a reality this coming March.

     The committee that I have been assigned to is the Logistics committee. The logistic committee is basically the event planing committee for this event. We are responsible for all the details of the conference. It is our job to make sure that there are venues for this event, that the other PRSSA members from different regions have a hotel to stay in, and taking care of the guest speakers that are coming in from different states. The logistics committee is responsible for making sure that every other committee has everything that they need to continue with their part of the project.

     We have been planing and talking about the regional conference for a little over a month now and I have learned tons in that short amount of time. When the positions available were first announced the logistics committtee was the furthest from my mind. I wanted to do something completely different. Now that I have gotten involved with my committee I have realized that this is something that I genuinely enjoy doing.

     Through being on this committee I have realized that I enjoy planning and making sure things are in order for big events. I believe that when March comes we will be the ones running around like chickens with our heads cut off making sure that all the last minute details are take care of and I’m ok with that. Last minute rushing is an adrenaline rush to me, I love the pressure.

     The PRSSA Regional Conference is going to be a huge success and I believe that people will take away from this wonderful experience. The conference is months and months away and I have already learned so much about my major and what it takes to be a real PR Professional!

Giving Speeches and Presentations

Speech is a powerful communcation tool

      Speech must be prepared for listeners, not readers

      It must fit the audience and the occasion

Speechwriting

     Requires clear objectives, effective organization of relevant key messages, knowledge of the audience, and a close working relationship with the person who will be giving the speech.

Nonverbal communication

      Important in a speech

The reccomended length of a speech is 20 minutes which is equal to 10 pages double spaced.

Speeches provide opportunities for additional publicity by

      1. inviting the press to cover it

      2. preparing news releases

      3. distributing audio and visual clips

     4. converting the speech to an op-ed piece

     5. reprinting it in a brochure

     6. posting excerpts on a web page

     Speakers should be enthusiastic and make eye contact with the audience

Writing for other Media

Two strengths of print publications:

     1. they can feature in-depth stories

     2. can reflect the “face” of the organization

Editor must balance:

     1. management expectaions

     2. employee needs

     3. journalistic standards

The newsletter is the most comon organizational publication.

     Online newsletters set on a n organization’s internet often contains more color, graphics, and photos

Magazines are the most expensive publication and are often sen to both internal and external audiences

Brochures

     Brochures vary in format and size from a single sheet of paper folded into panels to multiple page pamphlets and booklets

     in order to write or design a brochure you need to know its purpose, the target audience, ad the most cost-effective format

     requires simple sentence construction, informative healines, liberal use of subheads, and short paragraphs

Tapping the Web and New Media

The World Wide Web is the first medium that allows organizations to send conrolled messages to a mass audience without the message being filtered by journalists and editors

PR practitioners use the internet and web to disseminate information to a variety of audiences and also use the Internet for research

Web writing should be nonlinear: short and to the point

Written material shoudl be in short, digestible chunks.

     Two or three paragraphs

Characteristic of the Web:

     1. easy updating of material

    2. instant distribution of information

    3. an infinite amount of space for information

    4. the ability to interact with audience

3 kinds of blogs:

     1. corporate

     2. employee

     3. third-party

Getting Along with Journalists

A. The Importance of Media Relations

     1. Media relations is the core activity in many public relations jobs

     2. One survey of 539 large companies by the Public Affairs Group found that media relations was the number one job responsibility of their public relations staffs.

B. The most common complaints journalists have about public relations people, according to a PRWeek survey are:

     1. lack of familiarity with editorial requirements and format

     2. poorly written materials

      3. too many unsolicited e-mails and phone calls

       4. lack of knowledge about their product or service

        5. Repeated calls and follow ups

C. Tips for Public Relations Practitioners

     1. If you need to set the record straight, begin with the reporter who wrote the story

     2. Don’t irritate reporters by asking, “Did you get my news release?” Also, don’t ask to see an advance copy of hte story or when a story will be published

       3. Crisis comunications is a test of excellent media relations, You need to work closely with the media to assure tha the public is fully informed

1. Media Databases
   1. Provide essential information such as:

                                  i.      names of publications and broadcast stations

                                  ii.      mailing addresses

                                   iii.      telephone & fax numbers

                                  iv.      e-mail addresses

                                  v.      names of key editors and reporters

1. 3 main databases

                                   i.      newspaper & magazines

                                                             ii.      radio/TV/cable

                                                            iii.      Internet media

1. Editorial Calendars
   1. A listing of topics and special issues that a periodical will feature throughout the year
   2. Tip Sheets
      1. Weekly newsletters that report on recent changes in news personnel and their new assignments, how to contact them, and what kinds of material they are looking for.
      2. Distribution of Materials
         1. The vast majority of publicity materials are now distributed in digital and electronic formats
         2. Today’s primary distribution channels are:

                                                               i.      e-mail

1. the oldest feature of the internet
2. approximately 10 trillion e-mails were sent in 2006

                                                             ii.      online newsrooms

1. has 5 key components
   1. Contact information
   2. Corporate background
   3. News releases and media kits
   4. Multimedia gallery
   5. Search capability

                                                            iii.      electronic newswires

1. 3 major newswires:
   1. Nudinrdd Eitr
   2. PR Newswire
   3. Marketwire

                                                           iv.      mat distribution campanies

                                                             v.      photo placement firms

Notes taken from:Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques

Writing for Radio & Television

1. The Wide Reach of Broadcasting
   1.  Radio reaches about 94% of adults over the age of 18 on a daily basis
   2. Total audience of about 225 million
2. Radio
   1. Radio lacks the glamour of television and the popularity of the Internet, so it is not always the first medium that public relations people think of when planning an information campaign.
   2. Approximately 13,500 radio stations are on the air in the US, ranging from low-powered outlets operated by volunteers to large metropolitan stations audible for hundreds of miles.
3. Radio News Release
   1. Format

                                                              i.      The standard practice is to write a radio release using all uppercase letters in a double-spaced format.

                                                            ii.      Give the length of the radio release

1. Timing is vital because broadcasters must fit their messages into a rigid time frame that is measured down to the second

                                                          iii.      More conversational style of writing

1. Audio News Release
   1. Can take two forms:

                                                              i.      Someone with a good radio voice reads the entire announcement

                                                            ii.      using an announcer but also include a soundbite from a satisfied customer, a celebrity, or a company spokesperson.

1. This approach is better than a straight announcement because the message comes from a “real person” rather than a nameless announcer.

                                                          iii.      Format

1. 60 seconds long
   1. including a 20 seconds or less soundbite
   2. Accompany any sound tape with a complete script of the tape

                                                           iv.      Production

1. carefully written and accurately timed script
2. record the words

                                                             v.      Delivery

1. once it is produced the PR professional must notify the news department that an ANR is available. Give the subjet of the reease and tell editors how to retrieve it.
2. Satellite Media Tours
   1. The television equivalent to the radio media tour
   2. Started in the mid-1980’s
   3. staple of PR industry
   4. talking heads

                                                              i.      used for SMTs, today’s most successful SMTs are more interactive and dynamic

The leadership conference was very beneficial and I learned a lot of new things about leadership but the most important part of the entire experience for me was getting to meet Fred Stokes. For some that may not know, Fred Stokes is a GSU alumni. He played football for GSU and then went on to win a superbowl championship with the Redskins. Fred Stokes was our keynote speaker at the FLC (Fall Leadership Conference) and his message was inspirting. We also got the opportunity to learn more about Mr. Stokes during one of the smaller sessions during the day.

Through this smaller session I learned that Mr. Stokes not only went around speaking at different high schools and colleges but he also has a childrens ranch in Vidalia Georgia. Fred Stokes and his staff mentor the young adolescents of Vidalia and help them reach their dreams and realize their goals. While listening to him speak I realized how interesting his work was and how I wanted to learn more.

After the program I walked up to Mr. Stokes and shook his hand, my organization and I took a few photos and I asked for his business card. As soon as I got home I sent a thank you message from our organization with the pictures that we took attached (I love technology) but furthermore, and most importantly, I sent him my own personal message. Basically, I sold myself through an email and told him how interested I was in working with his ranch and doing some interning as a PR practitioner. Mr. Stokes contacted me and says that he might have a position for me this summer!!

Through this experience I have learned that as a PR practitioner it is so important to take the initiative and put yourself out their. Public relations is all about selling the product and I believe that a good practitioner must first be good at selling themselves. So my advice to my fellow upcoming practitioners: Practice on selling yourself before you attempt to get a job selling somehting/someone else!