New Spring 2010 Exec
At our last meeting, the chapter voted on new exec members to fill the spots left by Brittney Wichtendahl (studying abroad), Danette Kapler (graduating) and Genevieve Krier (graduating). Congratulations to our newest board members:
Paul Spooner: Vice President
Katelyn McBride: Newsletter Editor
Caitlin Peterson: Co-Firm Director
We are looking forward to a great spring semester!
Consider Iowa: PR & Marketing
On Friday, October 30 I was one of 14 students who attended a Consider Iowa road trip through the Pomerantz Career Center. They have these every so often with trips and tours to different businesses in a certain industry. The theme for ours was PR & Marketing; we visited three businesses and had a networking lunch with professionals in the field.
The day started bright and early at 8:30 am. A caravan of UI buses took us to the Johnson County United Way in Coralville, our non-profit stop, where Mitch Overton told us about his experiences in fundraising. A lifelong resident of Iowa City and graduate of the University of Iowa, his job is primarily based on relationship-building. The United Way is in the middle of their annual capital campaign, with their goal for 2009 being $2.73 million. A large percentage of this comes from local businesses that get their employees involved in giving.
When asked about the differences between non-profit PR and a corporation or agency, Overton said that he likes how personal working for a smaller branch can be.
“If I have an idea for something, I can just walk down the hall and talk to my boss about,” he said, “where at other places it could be ‘fill out these forms, then wait a couple weeks…’” He said that being a smaller branch of a nationally known name like the United Way is especially helpful when putting together campaigns, since the national office puts together all of the marketing materials. Overton and the other four full-time employees can then personalize the campaign to most effectively appeal to the people of Johnson County.
Our next stop was the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort. The behind the scenes operations for that place are unreal! Riverside is especially focused on employee relations—they have many incentive programs to promote wellness and exceptional customer service. We met with Riverside’s public relations director, Sharon Haselhoff . She gave us a tour of the facilities, and we then had a Q&A session with employees from all different departments from marketing to accounting. Sharon actually has a degree in political science, but got involved with PR when trying to persuade Washington County voters to vote yes for the casino referendum five years ago.
Lunch was an amazing spread shared in a conference room at Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust with three professionals from the area. Nancy Garberson, who has spoken at our meetings, was there from Marketing and Communications Strategies, Inc. (http://www.mcshome.com) in Cedar Rapids. Dr. Lynn Manternach from Mind Fire Communications (http://www.mindfirecomm.com) was also in attendance, as well as Sherri Lennarson from Banker’s Advertising Company (http://www.bankersadvertising.com), who was the speaker at my table.
Lennarson has worked at Banker’s her entire career, involved in promotional products, or basically anything tangible you can put your company’s name on. Think pens, Koozies, pizza cutters, lip balms—if you come up with a way you want to promote your company, Banker’s can put your name on anything. They’ve recently collaborated with the Avoid the Stork campaign and made the lip balms and cups they hand out on campus.
Promotional products are an interesting way to market because, as Sherri said, “People actually thank you for your advertisement,” when you give them a promotional product. A study they once did showed that almost everyone in a supermarket had at least one pen with a company’s name on it, and most customers could usually tell you exactly what the pen said.
Lennarson was also all about building your personal brand. “What message do you want to convey about yourself?” She has gone so far as to pick a personal color and motto that she hands out on products. We were all given neon green wristlets that said “Having fun and getting things done! For a friend of Sherri Lennarson,” with her contact information on it, full of pocket Kleenex, Shout wipes, and other handy incidentals that can easily be thrown in a backpack.
Our final stop was Metro Studios in Hiawatha—talk about a hidden gem! This company started as a video production place, but now focuses more on marketing. They have everything from a graphic designer, Web developers, and a recording studio, to a room for shooting commercials complete with a green screen, and a full service kitchen where “Metro Moms” come in and bake them cookies! You can check them out at http://www.metro-studios.com
Each place offered so much great advice and insight into the industry, your eyes would glaze over if I tried to blog about it all. So first of all: PLEASE take advantage of opportunities like this through the Pomerantz Center. At first I was unsure that I wanted to devote my entire Friday pre-Halloween to a school trip, but I’m so glad I did. The networking I got to do with professionals in the area was invaluable (the free lunch was an added perk!)
Secondly, there were a few points that everyone seemed to re-iterate.
1. Don’t limit yourself. Most of the professionals we spoke to had no plan to go into PR or took a non-traditional path to get where they are. They all advised to try a variety of things in college to really find what you’re truly passionate about.
2. Take risks. They may not always pay off, but not only will you learn a lot from your failures, future employers love to hear of a time you learned from a mistake and turned it into a growing experience.
3. Find something you love and do it! This may be easier said than done, but those we spoke with all have a contagious passion for what they do. Every single person said they honestly love waking up to do what they do every day—if you’re not happy in life, change it!
By: Brittney Wichtendahl
Exec Positions Opening Up!
Sadly, PRSSA will be losing a few great members next semester due to graduation and study abroad. On the bright side, this means that there will be a couple of positions on the exec board opening up! I want encourage everyone to run–even if you have only been in PRSSA one or two semesters–because regardless of how inexperienced you might feel, you will learn along the way and we love getting fresh perspectives on our exec board!
The process for running is simple. At one of our upcoming meetings (date is still undetermined), we’ll hold an election. Anyone interested in a position will give a short speech to the group about what position they are running for and why they want it. I know this sounds intimidating, but you have nothing to worry about! Just make sure you cover these points: what position you want, what experience and skills you will bring to the position and why you want it/think you will do well in it. You could also tell us about any new ideas you have for that position. If you don’t have a ton of experience, just focus on the skills or personality traits you have that will allow you to excel or maybe even talk about a class you’ve taken that would be useful. Dont’ sweat it.
We’ll be discussing the elections more at upcoming meetings and announcing positions that will be open. This is a great opportunity to gain leadership experience. I was only in PRSSA one semester before I ran for exec, and was really nervous about it, but everything worked out. Being in PRSSA, and especially being on exec has been a wonderful experience for me and is one of those things you’ll look back on and be glad you did. I hope you’ll all really consider running for a position. Best of luck!
By: Kelly Trettin, Social Media Editor and Webmaster
Fund Raising, PRSSA style
What do ice cream, guys in Speedos, fifty cent brownies have to do with each other?
They’ve all been part of some of the many fundraisers we’ve done!
Since joining PRSSA in 2007, I’ve been privy to quite a few creative ideas that have been on the table to get us money for our various chapter needs. A few don’t pan out, and some are less than thrilling, but overall, fundraisers are a great way to get to know your fellow members and make some money that will directly benefit your PRSSA experience.
Previously, we’ve taken shifts at Coldstone Creamery which gives us a percentage of the night’s sales depending on how much ice cream is sold. Hands-down the best part of working there, even for an hour or two, is sampling all of the ice cream. My go-to flavor is oatmeal cookie batter, except for the late falls months when pumpkin ice cream is the only thing you should be eating.
During my freshman year, we did Coldstone night in November—not exactly an ideal time to rake in big bucks on ice cream sales. Timing is a key element when putting on fundraisers, and the next year we were proactive in making sure we were behind the counter during the first week of classes in August.
Personally, my favorite fundraiser was one we just completed. At the intramural co-ed swim meet on October 4th, eight members were awarded $300 for the chapter by being back-up timers one early Saturday morning! We really lucked out in that, although it was a home football game, the intramural meets are shorter and people were able to leave in time to watch the game or continue tailgating. The swimmers were extremely nice and very appreciative of us, and I think I’m not just speaking for myself when I say that particular fundraiser was especially easy on the eyes.
Another of my favorite fundraisers (boy howdy, I sure do like making money) is the PRSSA bake sale in AJB! Not only do I enjoy this because I am ob-SESS-ed with baking, but working at the table gives you great interaction with some of the more colorful characters that roam our hallowed halls. Also, people are super supportive of anyone selling awesome baked goods at bargain-basement prices. The sampling that may or may not go on is also a highlight.
But Brittney, where does this money go? I know you’re asking, so I’ll TELL YOU. As rewarding as the fundraisers themselves can be, what we do with the money is about a million times better. Money for hotels, gas, etc. is needed when we go on agency tours or to conferences, end-of-the-semester banquets and socials, some overhead costs, PR Day, possibly bringing in certain speakers—the list of what we can do with our chapter funds is never ending!
The most important part of fundraising, my PRSSA minions, is that you NEED TO GET INVOLVED. The same five or six people can’t raise all of the money for the entire chapter—everyone needs to pull their own weight. This making money stuff is not hard—it’s really fun and we don’t even notice that we’re working because there’s bonding, there’s laughing, and more often than not, there’s a trip to the Airliner afterward.
If YOU have an awesomely creative idea (or even a really obvious one we’ve never thought of before) please, please, please speak up! We’re always looking for ways to get money for our chapter and get our name out on campus.
By: Brittney Wichtendahl, PR Director
Meet your new executive board
This year’s executive board election was neck-and-neck. The results were very close with a record number of members running for positions. As a graduating executive board member, it was exciting to see our chapter grow this year and bring in new talent for next year.
Congratulations to our new executive team!
- President — Genevieve Krier (2008-2009 Communication Director, Spring 2008 Vice President)
- Vice President — Megan McIntyre (2008-2009 Newsletter Editor)
- Firm Directors — Paul Spooner (Spring 2009 Firm member) and Tina Larson (Fall 2008 co-Firm Director)
- Communication Director — Natalie Dubs (Spring 2009 co-Firm Director)
- Public Relations Director — Brittney Wichtendahl
- Newsletter editor — Danette Kapler
- Secretary — Shannon Kane (Spring 2009 Public Relations Director)
- Finance Director — Kelsey Thortsen
- Social Media and Web Editor — Kelly Trettin (Spring 2009 Relay For Life Account Executive, Firm Committee)
- Marketing Director — Hannah Lee
We are still looking to fill the Historian/Alumni Relations position. If interested, please contact Tegan Zimmerman with your intent to run. We will hold elections at meeting on Wednesday, April 29.
There were many wonderful candidates and only so many positions to fill. There are still plenty of ways you can get involved if you didn’t get the position you wanted. Volunteer on our various committees, write for our newsletter or blog, or propose an idea to an exec member. We are always looking for new ideas and ways to grow as a chapter.
– Caroline Jones
Spring agency tour a valuable opportunity
On Friday April 10, more than 20 of UI’s PRSSA members descended upon Chicago for a day of invaluable learning and guidance from some of the PR industry’s top agencies. Although we are lucky to gain useful insight from an industry professional every other Wednesday evening at our regular meetings, the experience of actually visiting an office and being able to chat with the person to whom we may be applying for a job someday is an exceptional opportunity. The following advice is composed of notes I jotted down while listening to professionals at Fleishman-Hillard and Ketchum.
At Fleishman-Hillard, Account Supervisor Kate Murphy, one of the University of Iowa’s own, shared five tips for getting in the door:
1) Know your competition—think about the other candidates who will be applying for the same job as you and find a way to stand out from the crowd.
2) Highlight transferrable skills—writing, researching, media experience. If you’ve done it, make sure your potential employer knows that you have a strong knowledge of these highly versatile skills.
3) Demonstrate hands-on experience—again, if you’ve had experience that will be useful in your new job, don’t be shy about letting your future employer know.
4) PROOFREAD—all application materials should be proofread; get a second, and even a third, opinion.
5) Be prepared to present yourself in person— do plenty of research on the organization beforehand and when you show up for an interview be enthusiastic, curious, and prepared to ask informed questions.
Later in the day, PRSSA paid a visit to Ketchum. As anyone who has ever applied for a job knows, organizational skills are key. The insight of Account Supervisor Abby Berg-Hammond taught PRSSA that while anyone can say they are organized, here is how you can show it:
1) After you’ve landed your interview, confirm the date and time for it anywhere from one week to two days ahead of time.
2) Arrive early for your interview.
3) Be sure to bring professional copies of your resume, portfolio and any other application materials. If possible, bring a copy of these materials that you can leave with the organization; otherwise, kindly explain that you need to take it with you.
4) Send a thoughtful follow-up note after your interview.
Follow the above tips and you may be well on your way to landing that dream job or internship!
– Kelly Trettin
Social Media PR
For those of you who missed last week’s meeting, here is the presentation Panchero’s Social Media Manager Joel Johnson shared with us as well as the Common Craft video Social Media in Plain English.
Attending a Regional Conference
The “Taste of Chicago PR” regional activity was a great learning experience for our chapter as a whole. This kind of exposure allows our members to grow and refine key skills needed to be successful. So first of all, Congrats to everyone who attended! I hope you had an amazing time, as I know I did!
The very first thing I noticed upon arrival was how organized this event was. It is always a great feeling to walk into an unknown environment and have a good handle on what your day will consist of. Throughout the day we listened to speakers and got to do some hands on networking. In public relations networking is the most important skill to have! You most learn how to promote yourself before you will be successful at promoting others! This can be done through face-to-face interactions, as we experienced through a networking game and from the career and internship fair, or through social medias, as with Twitter. Just remember to get your name out there!
We also participated in three workshops that featured interviewing skills, resume refining and how to put together a great portfolio. These are all very important in order to get your foot in the door for that one perfect job! I think the best advice to give would be to put in it as much as you want out of it. Time and preparation really show!
Overall this was a very beneficial experience! Hopefully I have inspired others to get involved and participate in a regional conference also. I really can’t stress enough how fun and helpful this activity was!
Megan McIntyre
Exploring your passions in PR
When beginning your job or internship search in the field of public relations, the amount of options may seem to be extremely overwhelming. There are so many different types of companies and organizations that specialize in PR, including corporations, agencies, and nonprofits. With the endless amount of possibilities in PR, it may be difficult to figure out which direction you want to take when it comes to your career. However, Cheryl Procter-Rogers of A Step Ahead PR spoke to members at the PRSSA Regional Conference in Chicago this past weekend, and we came away with some great advice.
According to Procter-Rogers, when starting a career in PR it is important to think about what you are passionate about, and then apply it to your career. For example, if you truly enjoy meeting new people, then you should look into a career in PR where you can plan social opportunities. It is also important to learn about different organizations within the industry that cater to your specific passion(s), and ultimately seek out an organization that is a good fit for your personality.
In addition, Procter-Rogers advised us to seek out a mentor who will set a positive example. A mentor does not have to be someone involved with PR; just someone whom we admire and look up to and can help us develop qualities that will help us succeed in the workplace. The final words of advice we learned from this noteworthy woman: In the field of public relations, there are no limits. Just remember: it is up to YOU to make the most out of new opportunities.
Stephanie Block
Personality Characteristics needed in Public Relations
The Regional PRSSA Conference held in Chicago this year was a great success. They called it ” Taste of Chicago PR” and it was held in the heart of the city at the DePaul campus. This event was hosted by both Valparaiso University and DePaul University.
The day started off with a greeting and a keynote speaker. The woman who spoke entered the room with an air of confidence and experience making everyone pay full attention. Her name is Cheryl Procter-Rogers, and she has an impressive history within the PR field. Currently she owns her own PR firm, A Step Ahead Public Relations. With more than 29 years experience within the field, she also served as the president of PRSA in 2006.
After briefly telling us about her history, she thought it was most important to help shape our future. This is where she went into the personality characteristics someone would need when working in the public relations field. She was honest, up front, and dead on in the things she considers important in future PR professionals.
1) Make good judgements
2) Have strong written and verbal communication skills
3) Have strong negotiation skills
4) Enhance your listening skills
5) Exude personal confidence
6) Work well under pressure
7) Have the ability to embrace diversity and be sensitive to it
8) Have a commitment to lifelong learning
Practicing and improving upon each of these skills makes her confident that we will grow into experienced and professional PR experts in the future. Her story and tips were truely inspiring to the conference participants, knowing that with hard work and dedication, we can all achieve many successes in our future. She left us with a quote to not only live by but to work by, “one is limited only by ones imagination.”
Shannon Kane
