Reflecting on the Semster
Posted by: Kristi Yoos on: December 5, 2008
The semester is winding down now- where did the time go? All I know is that I have learned a lot throughout and now i would like to share some of that with you.
Being a PR student can be overwhelming. Keeping up with blogging, twittering, reading and writing assignments while still taking other classes could wear anyone out. But I think that keeping up with the classwork has been so beneficial to me and my fellow classmates. We are able to walk away from this class with our own tool-box of knowledge that consists of skills in problem solving, research, analytical thinking, social media, media relations, and the application of theory– Oh, and of course our knowledge of strategic PR.
No matter what career path a student is plainng on pursuing, I think that PRinciples will help them become a more well-rounded and intelligent individual. We have been taught to think and analyze real-life situations and crises and have been empowerd to make our voice heard through social media. These are not things that one can learn in every classroom setting, and I will encourage anyone that is able to take a PR class to learn these skills.
Mommy Bloggers Create a Storm
Posted by: Kristi Yoos on: November 17, 2008
- In: Responses
- 2 Comments
A recent blog storm has erupted in response to a Motrin advertisement. The storm has been created by non other than the dominate voice of Mommy bloggers across the country. PROpenMic illustrates this blog storm in a great post by Robert French.
It truly is incredible to see first hand the powerful voice that Mommy bloggers have. It is a perfect illustration of the Cluetrain Manefesto in action. The Mommy bloggers all felt strongly enough about the Motrin ad to voice their concerns with it through their blogs, twitter, and other social media sites to such an extent that Motrin is now in the process of removing the ad from distribution. What a complete shift in power- Mommy bloggers across the country caused the huge corporation of Johnson and Johnson to remove the ad in response to their criticisms. I think that we can all learn something by understanding how the Mommy bloggers caused such a significant stir, how it could have been prevented, and how it should be handled now by Motrin and Johnson and Johnson.
Motrin has attempted to ease the fuss about the ad by posting a response to the Mommy bloggers on their homepage. In a few days, this storm will probably blow over as someone else makes a mistake and the attention shifts to them. Overall, I think that Motrin definitely could have prevented the outrage by doing more research on how real Moms would respond to the ad. However, I do think that they are doing a decent job of crisis management. The response that they posted on their website to the Mommy bloggers shows that they are very aware of their concerns and acting on them as best they can. As long as they continue to let the Mommy bloggers know that they are listening to them and that they appreciate their opinions, then I think that the whole situation will be forgiven by the Mommy bloggers and will blow over in time.
Clemson University Public Relations Course Uses Innovative Social Media Tools
Posted by: Kristi Yoos on: November 17, 2008
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Clemson University Public Relations Course Uses Innovative Social Media Tools
A Clemson University Communications Studies course taught by Dr. Mihaela Vorvoreanu has taken an interactive approach to learning public relations principles through utilizing social media tools which add significant value to the students’ education.
Clemson, SC– October 27, 2008
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- Through this public relations course’s use of various social media tools such as twitter, Skype, and blogs, these Clemson students are gaining hands-on social media experience.
- Twitter, a micro-blogging and social networking site, has become more than a casual means of communication for the Clemson students.
- On Oct. 2, 2008, Dr. Vorvoreanu’s PR class brought what they were learning about online media to life by “live twittering” the lecture.
- Because Social media tools are so new and becoming more mainstream by the day, they are becoming essential skills needed in the workplace. Through this interactive classroom practice, these Clemson students are gaining an edge in the job market by learning how to better participate within the online community.
- The blogs the students have been creating since the first week of class have allowed them to better articulate and take responsibility for their thoughts and opinions.
- Because many companies are recently adopting tools such as twitter, Skype, and blogging to further expand their communication efforts, the students’ participation within these online communities allows for networking and presents them with a direct communication outlet.
- Whether these students choose to go into the public relations field or pursue employment elsewhere, the skills that they are learning are invaluable in today’s booming technological era.
- This unique classroom experience that the students are participating in has given them the skill set needed for social media participation. As social media continues to become more mainstream, the knowledge that the students are acquiring now will certainly advance them in the future.
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MULTIMEDIA ELEMENTS:
 Download YouTube “The Twitter Song” |
 Download The Vast World of Social Media |
 Download The Social Meida Starfish |
QUOTES
QUOTES, ATTRIBUTE TO HEATHER PIERCE, STUDENT IN PR COURSE
“This class is unlike any other. The learning is so interactive and unique. I feel like I am a part of this new world of social media.”
“I feel like so many doors have been open to me through this class both through knowledge and opportunity. I have been able to make connections that I never would have thought possible.”
Clemson University is one of the top public universities in the country located in the upstate of South Carolina. It currently has 17,000 students enrolled with 70 undergraduate and 100 graduate degree programs. The Communication Studies department is within the college of Arts, Architecture, and Humanities.
RELATED LINKS
Students Live Twitter Class
A post from Dr. Vorvoreanu’s PR course blog about the students’ live twitter expereince.
The Power to Change the World
A blog post written by PR student Erin Martin discussing the act of live twittering in class.
Social Media Gives the Little Dog a Big Bark
A blog post by PR student Alyssa Maute reflecting on the societial changes brought about by social media.
Technorati Tags: Social Media | Clemson University | Communication Studies | Public Relations | twitter | Skype | blog
Response to Engaging the Blogoshpere
Posted by: Kristi Yoos on: November 5, 2008
As we approach the end of the semester, I am pretty shocked to think back to the beginning and see how much we have learned and how applicable it is to everything that we have left to learn in our PRinciples class. For instance, Dr. V recently gave a lecture about engaging the blogosphere. What really struck me about this lecture was that we have already learned most of what we need to know about how to engage the blogosphere. There is very little new stuff to learn, rather, we need to tweak our understanding of blogging so that we can actively participate in the online world and possibly teach others how to do so.
The first 3 steps that Dr. V gave us for engaging in the blogosphere are all ones that we have learned and practiced. That is, step one is listening which can be done in the form of online monitoring. As a class, we have already practiced the art of online monitoring and used some of the tools that make it possible. Step two is responding which is something that we have been practicing and learning since our blogs were first created. Because of our insightful class on the shift of the power dynamic within companies, we know that responding to a blogger can potentially eliminate a blog storm, or an outburst of negative blogs about an organization. The third step, blogger relations, focuses on the act of pitching a news release or idea to a media outlet. The important things to remember when doing this are to engage with the journalist, provide them value, and customize your pitch to who you are pitching to.
The final step of the engaging process brings me back to a conversation via Skype that our class had near the beginning of the semester with Paul Young about his career. He helps clients use social media by teaching them how to do it- not by doing it for them. Thus, as a PRo, you must teach an organization steps 1, 2, and 3 so that they understand the culture of the blogosphere and are then able to actively participate in it themselves. (i.e. don’t create and post for them.) Ghost writing is bad PR. Instead, teach the employees how to use social media so that they can talk with their public.
I feel like with all that I have learned so far in this semester, I could really help a new organization get into to the online community. I understand the shift in the power dynamic that has changed the way that an organization needs to communicate with its publics, and I look forward to the rest of the semester to see what else I can add to my list of valuable things that everyone needs to know!
Pitches, News Releases, and Journalists, Oh My!
Posted by: Kristi Yoos on: October 22, 2008
In our PRinciples class on Tuesday October 21, two guest lecturers came to speak to us about pitches, news releases and the relationships that good PR professionals must form with journalists. I’ll be honest and say that at first I was intimidated by all of these very important and key aspects of PR. There was just something about them that had me feeling less than excited and anxious. I think that what I was really intimidated about was the fact that I am a senior at Clemson University and this was the first time that I’ve really heard about these parts of PR. However, now that I’ve heard from some PR pros, and seen the steps that they go through to write a news release, generate a media list, and deliver a pitch, I actually feel confident in my ability to put together news releases, deliver pitches, and develop relationships with reporters.
Here are some valuable things that I learned in Tuesday’s very informative class:
- The subject-line of an email can determine if it is even opened- so, make sure to be specific and to the point. The subject-line should tell the reporter what your pitch and/or news release is about so that they will know if it interets them
- A good pitch explains the important elements of what you’re pitching and states why it is relevant to the reporter that you’re pitching to (i.e.- it is similar to stories they have covered in the past).
- Always be curtious but quick on the phone- ask the journalist if it is a good time for them to talk and then say what it is you need to say.
- Be aware of who you’re pitching to and why- if a journalist gets an email from you each day about something not relevant to them, then eventually they will just stop reading them.
- You must constantly stay up to date on all publications and news that could possibly feature your client (side note: this one makes me a little nervous, I’m not the best at keeping up to date with current events other than the big stuff- I’ll need to start practicing reading the newspaper again!)
- Buliding personal relationships with journalists when you have no agenda is an important part of media relations.
- Finally, know what you want to say, who you want to say it to, and why.
Special thanks to our guest lecturers as always!
Online Monitoring
Posted by: Kristi Yoos on: October 13, 2008
In an assignment to monitor the online conversations revolving around the Clemson vs. Wake Forest game, Blake Fraum, Heather Pierce and I created the following power point.
The Cluetrain Manifesto notes
Posted by: Kristi Yoos on: October 1, 2008
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The internet has started a global conversation that has allowed people to discover new ways of sharing knowledge with great speed. This transfer of knowledge and conversation has created “smart markets” that are increasingly getting smarter than the companies that are attempting to market them.
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As society continues to shift, the passive markets that traditionally would have been pleased with brochures, corporate websites, and advertisements are now “smart markets” that are knowledgeable users of the internet and social networking and that seek actual conversation and collaboration with companies.
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Smart markets are interested in accessing corporate information- their strategies and genuine knowledge. If they get this information and both like and trust it, then they will pass it along within their network, and the company will rise above others. Thus, companies should no longer be scared to share such information- it might be the only thing that keeps them around.
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In order for companies to continue to exist, they must recognize that their “target markets” are changing- they must realize that if they want to keep them then they need to use networked conversation and speak the language of the people (the human language that is).
Shift Happens
Posted by: Kristi Yoos on: September 25, 2008
- In: Responses
- 6 Comments
This YouTube video was first introduced to me in my marketing class and I thought that it hits the nail on the head with everything that I am learning about in my PR course. If you have some time, check it out- it will make you really think!
The video basically presents facts that suggest just how much our society is shifting to a more technologically advanced one. It was originally created for parents to understand what kinds of things children should be learning about in school so that they can keep up with and be successful in our shifting society. Things such as how to think creatively, how to communicate and collaborate, how to analyze and comprehend, and how to use new technologies.
The video notes that the top ten jobs that will be in demand in 2010 did not even exist in 2004.
This information sounds familiar to those of us enrolled in Dr. V’s PRinciples class. In fact, her recent blog post “My Job is to Kill Creativity” illuminates the fact that as society shifts, new technologies, and jobs are being created and transformed-jobs like PR- and with this shift, new methods of teaching and learning are necessary in order for students in today’s society to be able to continually adapt to future shifts and transformations. Thankfully, professors like Dr. V are working to help their “students grow into successful people, not employees.”
To explain what needs to happen as a result of this shift, the video gives an Albert Einstein quote that I think sums it all up perfectly. It is, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Thus, new ways of teaching and learning that allow for creativity, collaboration, and comprehension are what will inevitably prove to be the foundation for our future as a society.
KDPaine’s “Measuring Public Relationships”
Posted by: Kristi Yoos on: September 24, 2008
For a class reading assignment, I was asked to read a blog post about KDPain’s book Measuring Public Relationships. This blog post reminded me just how new the field of PR actually is. The book is the first of its kind published. That is, it is the first book that details how PR professionals should measure relationships- which we all know are a very important aspect of PR. I think that this book will be very helpful and useful to PR practitioners because before it was published, there was no clear and defined way to measure this key component of PR. It is really neat to think that becoming a part of PR in this day and age means that you get to help add to what PR actually is and help shift it from the old, “traditional” ways of doing PR to the new, ever-changing ways that are helping PR evolve.
