Be bold, develop a brand voice and differentiate yourself: Lessons from my PR internship

When I interviewed at (W)right On Communications, I was asked, “What makes you different from the other candidates applying for this position?” I confidently answered the question because I knew others would see it as a temporary opportunity to get a taste of the PR profession. I, however, had no intention of treating this job as if it was just another internship, but rather, as the start of my career. Maintaining this mentality throughout my internship challenged me with opportunities that seemed intimidating, while I quietly observed and absorbed from this stellar team.

It would be easy for me to list all of the skills WOC has taught me, like drafting a formal press release, researching media contacts, or how the cost of a stamp actually matters when sending snail mail (I’m a millennial, give me a break). However, working here has taught me more than just technical things that I can easily Google on any given day. The best thing about (W)right On is the small team of PR pros that bring genuine passion and commitment to their jobs. The intimate nature of the agency allowed me to learn deeper, more valuable skills that a web search doesn’t have the capacity to. These are a few of the many things that WOC has taught me that I will cherish and carry with me as I grow in the PR industry:

  1. Be bold and dive in feet first: When we welcomed new Communications Coordinator Danielle Cobb to the team a couple months after my internship began, I was instantly drawn to how confidently she jumped into her new role. Her aura just fit in with the atmosphere of the agency as if she had been with WOC far before I had been. Although Danielle had just moved from the Bay Area, she was confident in her ability to talk about client partners in San Diego. As we got to know each other, she would tell me how she was making new friends using Meetup.com (a website that allows people new to a city to find others in the same situation and meet based on age and common interests). I was so inspired to be around someone who was not afraid to take initiative and be bold doing it. She wanted this job, so she made sure she was giving her all to it. She wanted to make new friends, so she used her resources to make that happen. Moving forward, I will always remember that if I want something, I have to be bold, put myself out there, and just go for it. The world isn’t going to hand things over to me, it is up to me to find the opportunities I want and confidently take them.
  1. Public Relations is a profession for people who think of others before themselves: One of the first times where I felt like a PR hotshot was when Communications Strategist Chance Shay asked me to collaborate on poster ideas for a client partners’ Halloween event. Although I shared some great ideas, they didn’t necessarily work because it wouldn’t appeal to the intended audience. The ideas I suggested included references that were a bit outdated for the target audience of elementary school students (the revelation of which prompted my mid-life crisis at age 22). Although my seemingly suave suggestions didn’t work, the lesson here was simple: working in Public Relations requires a person who can think of others before themselves. I had to step outside of Philip and put myself in their shoes to achieve success. Even when Chance asked me to search for media opportunities for potential client partners, I was reminded that constantly thinking about others is how you not only succeed, but also exceed, as a PR pro. After all, it’s when you have others’ backs that they’ll have yours.
  1. Every client has a unique voice; it is your job to make sure that voice is heard: My training as a social media guru commenced at (W)right On. Although some people may think that managing social media is equivalent to chillin’ on Facebook and Twitter all day, it is so much more than that. I was fortunate enough to work very closely with Communication Strategist Erica Schlesinger to manage a variety of different social media accounts. The only thing more fabulous than Erica’s insane shoe collection is her way with words and creative ideas. Training with her has taught me to speak as an ambassador. Social media is a very powerful technology; each client has different objectives and motives for using it. You must also be sensitive to the audience that is reading it. The verbiage used when launching a social media campaign for a medical center’s annual charity gala is going to be much different than one for a cool hotel intended for young bachelors. It is a PR pro’s job to make sure that the client’s voice is heard loud and clear, but in 140 characters or less…
  1. Find your differentiator: On my very first day at (W)right On, I asked my supervisor Molly Borchers the one piece of advice that she could give me as I started in my career. She said “Find your differentiator,” and those words have stuck with me ever since. I have learned so much at (W)right On because each of the people that I have worked with has something so unique and irreplaceable that makes them stand out in what they do. I know I have a bit more work to do before I find my differentiator and I am okay with that. As you move forward, all the little things you learn along the way will somehow come together and help you paint the bigger picture, and painting a masterpiece takes time.

I started day one of my internship intimidated, nervous, and reserved. However, I kept the “start of my career” mentality and took in as much as I could, allowing each lesson to crack my shell a little bit more. As I round out the last couple weeks I have left in San Diego, I am a much more aware and confident young professional (I have waited SO long to call myself that) ready to take the PR world by storm. Thank you (W)right On Communications, I’ve loved every single moment!

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Our picks for the top PR, marketing and social media campaigns of 2014

Top PR and Social Media Campaigns of 2014

As 2014 comes to an end, our team reflected on some of the best PR, marketing and social campaigns the year had to offer. Whether it was as extreme as Ebola or as casual as ‘Alex from Target’, here are the top five that made the cut (in no specific order):  
  1. Phillip Singh, Intern: AT&T #SummerBreak campaign
AT&T launched a social media campaign for Summer 2014 that followed a group of eight high school graduates as they spent their final months together before venturing off into the real world. The campaign was such a huge hit that AT&T launched a second campaign the same summer with a new group. The campaign was successful because it massively appealed to the target audience: teenagers. AT&T was able to combine the things that the teens of today can’t get enough of: reality television, cell phones and just about every social media platform out there. The “cast” of friends uploaded YouTube videos, Instagram posts, and Snapchats on the #SummerBreak account which garnered a huge following. It was extremely personal and interactive because followers were able to see the adventures (parties, roundtrips, beach days, etc.) in real time as they were happening, instead of watching an edited episode. This could very well set precedence for the future of reality entertainment and I think its genius. AT&T Summer
  1. Danielle Cobb, Communications Coordinator: Doritos #crashthesuperbowl campaign
For the past couple of years, Doritos has launched Super Bowl campaigns where customers can create their own commercial in hopes of it being aired during the big game. User generated content is always a win in my book. It’s a great way to have people engage with your brand, build awareness and source content all at the same time. Plus, people come up with awesome ideas that Doritos probably wouldn’t have on their own. Doritos
  1. Molly Borchers, Senior Communications Strategist: How a humble little ad became the world’s biggest marketing win
This isn’t actually a campaign, but an advertisement turned viral. Enter the MailKimp. MailChimp, an email marketing company, underwrote the first season of the podcast Serial, which is the most popular podcast in the world. (We’re rabid fans here at WOC.) The quirky little ad, heard before every episode, became a meme itself thanks to an adorable mispronunciation of the brand name (listen here: https://soundcloud.com/mollyfitzpatrick-2/mailchimp-promo-on-serial). Serial producers actually created the ad, getting people on the streets of NYC to read the lines. Then started the buzz on Twitter. Serial2 Serial Serial4 This humble little ad is the runaway marketing success of the year, with more viral success than many Super Bowl ads that cost millions of dollars to air on TV.  From Oct. 3 (the day the show premiered) to Nov. 21, 1,300 tweets mentioned the hashtag #MailKimp. More than 2,400 tweets mentioned Serial and MailChimp together, equivalent to about 12 percent of the 20,200 tweets related to the email vendor during the same timeframe. The ad even spawned a MailKimp Twitter handle and people are gushing about it on Reddit. How’s that for brand awareness?
  1. Julie Wright, President: Community Outreach for a High-Density Residential Development
This was my favorite (W)right On Communications campaign of the year. We organized a series of community open houses for a client with a 13-acre redevelopment project in a tight-knit, well established coastal community. Our team did a great job getting the word out and driving attendance. We coordinated closely with all of the project’s stakeholders—developer, property management, architect, traffic consultants, landscape architects, engineers—to make sure everyone was prepared to speak accurately on the project and answer neighbors’ questions. Traffic, construction timeline, parking, safety, density, height—neighbors had a lot of questions about how they would be impacted by the increase in density. At the open house, we provided visual displays and handouts, directed neighbors to online materials and invited them to attend a series of open houses. We followed up via mail to all neighbors, thanking those who attended and notifying those who couldn’t attend about the online materials and open houses. Overall, we created many opportunities and methods for people to learn about the project and provide their input. Several people came forward to say that they really understood how the project could improve and enhance the neighborhood. Community Meeting
  1. Erica Schlesinger, Communications Strategist: Lay’s “Do Us A Flavor” campaign
This year, Lay’s held their second “Do Us A Flavor” contest where fans were asked to submit their ideas for the next big chip flavor. It had a big enough “WTF” factor (read: interest) to create buzz past the initial “ask” – with flavors like Cappuccino, it was hard not to join the conversation. The campaign leveraged a number of popular digital mediums, especially social media, to get and keep the audience involved. It also built upon an existing popular campaign – sometimes, sticking with classics is the way to go. Lay's    

In a Relationship-Based Industry, the Most Important One is with Your Client

On most agency websites you’ll see some variance of the old cliché “PR is all about relationships.” Successful agencies have strong relationships with journalists covering the beats relevant to their clients and with industry movers and shakers who can open doors. The best PR pros also have relationships with leaders at complementary organizations for collaborations that amplify their results. In PR, it is all about relationships, but the most important relationship to nurture and grow is the one you have with your clients. Luckily, there are easy ways to make sure clients feel the love and remember your name the next time their friend’s company is asking where to find good PR help.

First, don’t send follow up emails. We’re all guilty of the “just following up” notes. Some appreciate the friendly ping as a reminder that something is outstanding on their to-do list and it shows the agency’s ownership of a task. But does it really? Owning a task means you’re seeing it through and making sure you’ve done everything within your powers to achieve the objectives. Ask yourself, “Does shooting a follow up email help me achieve the goals of the project?” Your note might remind them that they need to take action, but what you’re really seeking is the result from their action. Instead of just following up, help them take action. If you just need the client to make a decision, give new insights or perspective to shake them loose. This will also serve as a reminder. If more is needed, for instance, when the client owes you a bylined thought leadership piece, take a first stab at it so they have something to respond to. Even if you missed the mark, it could help them visualize what they want to the piece to look like and they’ll appreciate you getting it started. Which leads to the next point…

Make sure you’re making your clients’ lives easier. PR agencies’ role in business is to help the client make more money. By promoting them, we provide them additional opportunities to do what they already do — whether providing more of their service, selling more widgets or making a larger impact for their cause. Everything we as PR professionals do can be boiled down to whether or not it made it easier for our clients to make more money. In the process of implementing your brilliant communications strategy, you’ll likely run into a log jam. In your eyes, the log jam is caused because you’ve taken a project as far as you can and now it’s in the client’s hands to take it across the finish. It’s true that sometimes it can’t be your face in front of the camera for the morning news segment. However, outside of physically being your client, I’m willing to bet that there is always something more you can do to make their life easier while staying on track with the strategy. Waiting for input on messaging and design for that campaign launching soon? Send them examples of effective campaigns along with a few that tanked and provide some context to better guide their thoughts. Companies and brands hire PR pros because they aren’t experts in communication, we are. Often they’re indecisive because they don’t understand the nuances that separate a good campaign from a great campaign. Make their life easier by helping them feel informed and empowered. A bonus outcome is that they’ll appreciate you for the campaign strategy and results even more.

One of the simplest ways to support a strong client relationship is to provide agendas at all meetings. Whether it’s a quick FaceTime chat on a new tactic or a strategic brainstorm with all the decision makers, providing an agenda tells the client there’s a purpose for the meeting. It’s subtle, but this reinforces agency value. Agendas remind clients why they are spending 60 minutes meeting with you instead of doing something else. Clients appreciate when you value their time and in return, will value yours as well.

Finally, make connections for clients. This is the most impactful tip as you could provide an additional bottom line benefit for their organization. When you’re networking, think about how each person you meet could benefit from connecting with your client, or vice versa. Your new contact might not be a prospective customer, but if it helps achieve the overall goal, (see paragraph one) your client will appreciate it. In addition to providing value, it also shows the client you’re thinking about them and their goals even when you’re not billing.

As Maya Angelou famously said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Be intentional with how you make clients feel and when you foster that relationship, you’ll set yourself up for success.

Twitter’s New “Buy” Button is Ready to Shake Up Your Social Media

Twitter's New Buy Button Ready to Shake Up Your World

In today’s digital-loving environment, it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t shop online. Retailers tempt with exclusive products, special deals and shipping incentives; and Cyber Monday is quickly on its way to taking over Black Friday, just about the biggest brick-and-mortar shopping day ever. So e-commerce has the world wrapped around its proverbial finger – but what about s-commerce? Yes, s-commerce, or social media commerce, is A Thing. Platforms like The Fancy (like a purchase-minded Pinterest) are in on the game, and Facebook started sussing out a Buy button in July. But people today move at a rapid-fire pace, and need something to keep up – enter Twitter’s new Buy button.

“We are beginning to test a new way for you to discover and buy products on Twitter,” the company announced last week. “This is an early step in our building functionality into Twitter to make shopping from mobile devices convenient and easy, hopefully even fun. Users will get access to offers and merchandise they can’t get anywhere else and act on them right in the Twitter app.” Already tested out by influential retailers, nonprofts and music acts including Burberry, The Nature Conservancy and Pharrell Williams, the “Buy” button works like it sounds – within the Twitter app, users can view a tweet offering a product. If they like what they see, they simply need to tap “Buy Now” to pull up more details, enter shipping and payment info and – done. Although results of the test run haven’t been provided, we at WOC think this will be a game-changer in terms of how brands do business on the Web – and on social media to boot. It’s a streamlined and straightforward way to make a purchase, and it’s intuitive – it speaks to the ever-present need to get things done and get them done fast. Where networks like The Fancy and Facebook encourage browsing, Twitter’s buying feature works just like the platform itself – real-time and easily consumed on the go. This tool is in beta for just the elite members of the Twitterverse for the time being, but it doesn’t mean you can’t plan ahead. Brands with marketable goods and services are wise to start thinking about how they can leverage this for success once it’s available to all. Sure, clothes and music are a great fit for this, but ponder how you can step outside the box and be an early adopter in your industry. For hotels, for example, this feature could act as an excellent sales tool. When new seasonal packages or meetings promotions roll around, tweet them out with the option to buy. Booking directly isn’t supported (yet), but a Twitter follower could easily purchase a voucher and connect with you to arrange their visit. You could take it one step further and create a great first impression, as well as maybe secure a true social media evangelist – when Twitter-sourced fans check in, greet them with a special treat and a note encouraging them to tweet about their stay with a preset hashtag. Nonprofits could use “Buy Now” to sell event tickets and donations by creating buy amounts, then let people buy $5, $10, $20 and so on. Much easier to manage – and more likely to make people feel at ease – than a buy-with-hashtag situation. Or, for agencies or inidviduals touting thought leadership, you could peddle whitepapers and access to webinars reserved just for your loyal Twitter fans. Any brand could build excitement and high-quality followers by releasing regular specials on a certain day, too – people would quickly look forward to “Travel Deal Thursday” or “Webinar Wednesday.” Have you tried out s-commerce, or will you now that it’s becoming so easy? Talk to us about it @wrightoncomm. By Erica Schlesinger, Communications Strategist

You only get one chance to make a first impresión

Spanish Learning language

Most people can agree that it is important to communicate with Spanish-speaking audiences – residents, shoppers, customers, patients, voters, and so on.  The demographics of California and the United States make that abundantly clear, but how do you do it?  How do you effectively communicate with Spanish-speaking audiences?

Too often, this is entrusted to employees of organizations who have a Spanish surname, assuming that since they routinely speak Spanish with friends and family, that they must also know how to write and professionally communicate in Spanish.  They were not hired by their organization to communicate in Spanish and often their formal credentials are just like most everyone else’s – a couple of years of Spanish in high school, maybe a couple of years in college.  Organizations often put their employees in the uncomfortable position of being Latino and speaking Spanish but having to admit or hide that they may not have the formal grammatical, writing, and rhetorical training to translate or communicate in Spanish.  Those organizations are sometimes asking their accountant to fix their plumbing, and the results can be embarrassing – jumbled translations in Spanglish that do the very opposite of demonstrating respect for the language and the very population that an organization is attempting to reach.  It is the same case with English:  the number of people who speak English far outnumber the number of professionals who are educated, trained, and skilled in grammar and the art of communications in English.

Professional Spanish-language communications begin with proper respect for the Spanish language and the audiences that choose to receive their news and information in Spanish, even if they might speak and understand English.  It begins with excellent grammar that respects the language of its audience, the kind that takes more than a few years in high school and a minor in college to develop.  Professional Spanish-language communications requires finding ways of cleverly communicating key concepts that if translated literally are literally lost in translation.  Online translation software is of little help here and is not to be trusted.  Professional Spanish-language communicators advise a client on the nuances of culture and language, not just to avoid an embarrassing faux pas (that might pass muster with online translation software), but instead to support an impactful connection that communicates a client’s message with target audiences.  Communicating professionally in Spanish includes advising a client on the appropriate media to deliver the message – television, radio, print, social media, and/or community events and publications.  Should your message air during the midday or the evening telenovela?  Should your earned media be on morning radio or in the newsweekly paper?  And finally, professional Spanish-language communications means being ready to represent a client on-air and in interviews with carefully crafted messages that hit the mark with the audience.

It is good that more and more organizations are choosing to include Spanish-speaking audiences in their communications.  But with this particular audience, just as with any other, you only get one chance to make a first impresión.  It is imperative that it is done well, professionally, and in a way that adds value to an organization’s overall communications.

By Susana Villegas, Hispanic Outreach Specialist

What Show Business’ Most Recognizable Names Can Teach Us About PR and Branding

Pop Culture branding image

Jay-Z. Lady Gaga. Kim Kardashian. Whether these names make you giddy or gag, there’s one thing for sure – you know exactly who they are. With longstanding stints in the public eye, these celebrities have establishing a recognizable, trademark presence and personal brand down to a science. Even if you’re not looking to make yourself the next rap-repreneuer, eccentric musical goddess or love-to-hate pop culture fixture, this group delivers some great takeaways that can inform developing and innovating branding and messaging in just about any industry.

Jay-Z

Jay said it himself: “I’m not a businessman; I’m a business, man.” This guy has his hand in more projects than most people manage in a lifetime – besides his obvious source of primary income as a rapper, he owns record labels, liquor brands, nightclubs and more. The backbone of his brand is elevating himself as a high-class jack of all trades, but with a twist – it’s not his businesses that make him, but the other way around.

What he can teach you: Build yourself or your brand up to be the authority, the reigning expert. Identify areas where you can position yourself as a thought leader, early adopter or innovator and capitalize on them. If you’re like Jay and can truly master a number of empires, by all means, do it and do it proud. However, it’s far better to be absolutely stellar at one thing than to be just ok at many – that will build a reputable, strong presence within your industry or with your customers.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is a chameleon when it comes to her style du jour – who could forget her infamous meat dress? – but her brand has been consistent from the start. She lives the old Oscar Wilde adage, “There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” Gaga uses her quirkiness and willingness to dance to the beat of a slightly different drummer to stay on people’s radars, as well as her passionate devotion to human rights causes.

What she can teach you: I’m in no way suggesting a lawyer or C-level executive must oversee meetings in a bedazzled egg capsule to maintain industry relevancy and garner attention. But, it is important to build your own brand of weird – it may not even be weird in the literal sense, but just how you set yourself apart from your competitors. Why are you different than them? It also never hurts to attach yourself to a cause, whether it’s fighting for better content marketing or making sure your organization spends time giving back. Just one thing – if it’s the latter, please be genuine. There’s nothing worse than using a philanthropic cause just to look good.

Kim Kardashian

Ms. Kardashian cultivates a wide-eyed, vapid persona that makes her seem… well, dumb. But you know what? I’d bet you the whole Kardashian-Jenner and West fortune she’s not.  Think back a decade. No one knew who Kim Kardashian was. And although she may not have burst onto the scene in the most flattering light, she definitely rose above it and has built herself an empire. Sure, she’s famous for simply being famous, but she’s effectively leveraged that to build businesses and amass a fortune that is nothing to sneeze at.

What she can teach you: You can make a comeback. People make mistakes, and these people run companies and develop brands. Maybe a new logo didn’t sit well with diehard fans or a social media manager made a snafu on Twitter. Acknowledge your error, listen to your audience and put a plan in motion to make it right. It always helps if you can laugh at yourself a bit, too – the humanity will be appreciated. Plus, if you’re on the radar for doing something not-so-great, a well-executed new strategy will be even sweeter once carried out.

What other celebrities do you think have PR and branding down? Let us know at @wrightoncomm.