ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY PRSSA
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Public Relations Success With First Date Tips

2/18/2016

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With Valentine’s Day newly in the rear view and the season of love in full swing, lets take a look at how some tips for first date success can also be tips for success in the world of public relations.

Dress to impress
First impressions are oftentimes not the deal maker, but can definitely be the deal breaker. Just as you would for a first date, be sure to properly dress for the occasion. So, that your client is aware that you mean business. Now, that level of “mean business” is subject to change. If the meeting is on their turf in a conference room, then it is a safe bet to dress business professional. However, if you have the opportunity to dictate the terms of the meeting and perhaps choose a corner bistro on a Saturday afternoon, a setting like this it is safe to err on the side of a laid-back business casual. Think Friday in the office. Dressing in this manner conveys to the client that you are approachable, but still business oriented.

Be efficient when it comes to communicating through technology
Picture this, you meet your Tinderella out for the first time and she has no idea what Facebook and Twitter are, let alone who Tom from Myspace is. There should be zero chance of a second date after that, right? (I hope your nodding in agreement after that. Unless you are one of those “I don’t judge people” people, sitting up in your ivory tower, loving everyone’s uniqueness. I digress). The same standard will apply when you set sail for your first post graduation job in the public relations industry. Your potential employer is going to assume you are well versed in the tools of the trade. Not only does this include your standard social media sites, but also tools such as Adobe InDesign, AP Style, newsgathering sources like Skim and NYT Morning Briefing. Not being well versed in the tools of the trade is a surefire way to not get a “second date.”

In this small world, somehow, everybody knows everybody
Social media has blessed and cursed us with interconnectivity. Nowadays, it seems everyone knows everyone or is at least one or two connections away from knowing him or her. It is vital that you understand this and take it into consideration when moving from job to job, speaking to prospective clients about past clients, and during the interview process. The reason being is because you never know the extent of one’s network. So, when talking about past experiences, be respectful and avoid any negative comments.

The “waiting game” is a lose, lose
Lastly, the pièce de résistance. Many of you will have the opportunity to boast your public relations knowledge right out of the post-graduate gates with an internship. Do not play the “waiting game” when you get this opportunity. Instead, dive into the company and try to get as involved as you can. Show that you can be helpful, efficient, and innovative. As much as we would like it, the Ogilvy’s, Edelman’s, and Weber Shandwick’s of the world will not hire just because you are a nice person. So, get out there and showcase those public relations talents and skills to the best of your abilities because if you don’t, someone else will.


​Written by Tyler Fiesel
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Member Monday--Sydney Holland

2/15/2016

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Public relations student Sydney Holland is a great example of what students should aspire to be in college. When Holland isn’t busy in the classroom, interning, or working at the ISU Student Fitness Center, she is dedicated to improving her public relations skill set with the Illinois State University Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. Holland is an active member in Progressive Image, the Chapter’s student-run firm, and will be representing ISU PRSSA as the National Delegate next month at the PRSSA 2016 National Assembly in Dallas, Texas, which is why she is this week’s featured member!
 
Tell us about yourself.
I am a junior public relations major from Mundelein, Ill. When I first began studying at ISU I was confused about what I wanted to do. I decided to enroll in the introduction to public relations course on a whim and discovered that public relations was the right major for me. I like to keep busy with ISU PRSSA, working at the Student Fitness Center, and interning at Uptown Partners.

Why did you join ISU PRSSA?
After declaring my major as public relations, I wanted to do everything I could to learn more about the field and get to know other public relations students. I wanted to take advantage of all the great opportunities ISU PRSSA has to offer like agency tours and workshops to develop myself professionally. It is also a lot of fun and gives me a chance to apply what I learn in class in more realistic situations.

Besides ISU PRSSA, what other organizations are you involved in?
I try to be involved with the Association of Women in Communication, ISU Mediation Club, and I work at the ISU Fitness Center as a Fitness Floor Monitor.

Describe your dream job.
I would like to work in agency public relations or doing public relations for a natural health company.

What is something a lot of people don't know about you?
I have a passion for nutrition and food. I love learning about organic nutrition, clean eating, and homeopathy. I love trying new foods and making healthier alternatives out of my favorite meals. If I were not a public relations major, I would definitely try to pursue natural health.
 
What is your favorite ISU memory so far?
Homecoming every year is always a good time, being with my friends always makes it memorable. 

Who inspires you?
My parents inspire me; they both have an admirable work ethic but always put what is important first. I think today it can be hard to find a balance between work and family, and they do a really good job of keeping that balance. I aspire to be like that when I am older and I know I can always rely on them for help with anything.

Questions composed by Kimi Sanden

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Meet the 2015-2016 Development Manager- Sydney Velez

2/5/2016

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Tell us a little bit about yourself
 I am a double major in public relations and English studies at Illinois State University. I am an honors student, a leader in the community, and also work with University College as an academic peer advisor.
 
Why did you decide to major in public relations? 
 I decided to study public relations because I love the idea of serving as a liaison between an organization and its publics. I enjoy working in a collaborative team setting.
 
How did you become interested in PRSSA? 
 I knew that ISU PRSSA was the best way for me to gain experience with all of the different aspects of public relations. With PRSSA, I have the opportunity to learn event planning, writing professionally, and work with real clients.
 
If you could work any job, what would it be? 
 If I could have any job, I would work with Vogue International as a public relations professional or stylist for photo shoots.
 
Do you have any hobbies outside of ISU PRSSA? 
 As for hobbies, I love to read. I almost always have a book in my hands. I am a political activist in the community on the weekends, bringing social justice to the foreground of peoples' minds.
 
Who do you look up to the most? 
 The person I look up to the most would be Audrey Hepburn. Hepburn did many amazing things with her life (including her work with UNICEF and other humanitarian projects) with confidence. I aspire to be a powerful, humble woman like her.
 
Where do you see yourself after you graduate? 
 After graduation, I see myself working at large agency doing public relations or internal communications in a corporate setting.
 
What are your responsibilities in ISU PRSSA? 
 Within ISU PRSSA, I am the development committee manager. I oversee a committee of around 30 people that help plan fun, creative, and lucrative events for Chapter.
 
What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind at ISU?
I want to leave behind a legacy at ISU that shows if someone works harder than all the rest, puts in the extra time, and chooses to pursue only the things they loves, they can accomplish all of their goals. No matter what road blocks fall in their way, they can do it.

Questions composed by Hope Fairchild

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Sydney Holland Announced as National Delegate

2/4/2016

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Sydney Holland, Illinois State's national delegate is excited to have the opportunity to represent the Chapter at PRSSA 2016 National Assembly in March. While at PRSSANA, Holland will participate in voting on the 2016-2017 PRSSA National Committee. Holland is prepared to network with PRSSA professionals and other public relations enthusiasts. As a junior, Holland feels her past courses and internships have allowed her to feel confident for the upcoming event. 
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2016: Year of Latergram

2/1/2016

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Upon the start of the New Year, everyone is still beaming from the excitement leftover from the holidays, many still fiddling with new gifts and gadgets. Recently, however, these items have become inseparable as we now live in a world where posting about the holidays and what we are up to is almost more important than the holiday itself. As an avid user of social media, it came to my attention that I too fell into the trap of being too focused on getting the best picture or posting the best greeting to truly enjoy the moment that is taking place in front of the lens and screen. With this in mind, I began to pay more attention to the accounts I follow, trying to see if I was, a. the only one who has fallen into this trap and b. if there was anyone out there who was trying to push back against this growing social norm.

            To my surprise, I quickly found answers to both of my questions. The first I had assumed was out there in mass numbers, as I found on my own Facebook timeline many of my friends fell into the same digital–obsessed trap I had. When I found more people who were pushing back against this growing social norm than anticipated, however, it shocked my semi-cynical self back into reality. What reality is that you might ask? The reality that there are still people in this world that value the actual moment more than the amount of likes they get on their pictures from it. The kind of people I found, however, was no surprise at all: celebrities.

            With their platforms for social change already established, celebrities can use social media as a way to not only heighten their presence on multiple channels, but also to increase their audiences’ awareness of issues plaguing the world today and one of these issues just happened to be how people are now so focused on their activity in the digital world that they have lost sight of what is really important. From a public relations perspective, this use of multiple social media channels not only increases the celebrities’ spread and reach, but also their image and, in time, their reputation. By using their fame to bring awareness to issues like this, audience members begin to associate ideas of well-being and kindness to these celebrities improving their image and reputation and ultimately bringing them to an even higher level of fame.

            While researching this, I came across a trend of one social media channel that was actually becoming very popular by more than just celebrity users. On Instagram, the concept, and now hashtag, of the #latergram was being used by users who posted their pictures after they had already experienced that moment without having a tight grasp on their digital device. Adrienne Bailon, one fifth of the ladies who make up “The Real” talk show and a self-ascribed texting addict, showcased this perfectly in her #latergram of her Christmas celebrations with her family. In her Instagram post, she writes, “I’m BACK! Hope you all had a Magical Christmas! I absolutely did! I followed my mother’s request to be present in the moment and stay off my phone for a while. Well, clearly I’m an extremist… it’s been a whole five days! LOL. But here’s proof of my fun!”
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Like Bailon, singer/actress Selena Gomez also took to this trend as she also posted a #latergram of herself and her friends on vacation with the caption, “Left my phone behind to be present! I’m so grateful for the people I’ve met this year but more importantly for the people who have been consistent and by my side through thick and thin. That’d be YOU. Thank you for another year! Love you guys!”.

Former Glee actor Kevin McHale took his #latergram a step further by not posting only a few days after but a whole two weeks! In his post, McHale writes, “Ain’t no party like a New Year’s party in Brasil! #latergram” alongside a picture of himself enjoying a glass of wine in the tropical destination.

By using the concept and even hashtag of the #latergram, these celebrities are making a statement and using their public platform to change the way our modern society looks at enjoying the moments we make with the people we love. In doing so, these celebrities are becoming more authentic and relatable, two traits that have become the main goals of many public relations professionals to achieve for their clients. These two traits also describe what many celebrities in today’s popular culture lack due to their excessive posting of selfies and other pictures that aim to boast about their luxurious lifestyle. With the #latergram concept, these celebrities (along with other users) are using an absence of constant social media presence to their advantage. Not only are they able to rack up the same amount of likes as pictures posted the same day, but they are also actually able to enjoy the moments in front of them. So for those of you who do or even those of you who do not set New Year’s resolutions, take this into consideration: strive to enjoy the moments of 2016 without needing to post about them at the same time. Let 2016 be the year where you are fashionably late for everything social media related. What difference will it make- maybe I can tell you later.

Written by Chloe Kasper
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    PRecisely PR is the blog of the Illinois State University Chapter of the PRSSA. We write about Chapter events, the public relations industry, member profiles, and more.

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  • Home
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