Tag Archive for: Networking

How not to do social media

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‘Social media’ is still the marketing buzz phrase, but lots of companies still don’t know how to work with it and make it work for them. Here are a few things NOT to do.

1)      Sell, sell, sell: social media is all about building relationships, getting referrals, having conversations with people on your wavelength. Use it as a PR tool, not for direct sales. It won’t work otherwise. If you don’t put out good content, there’s no value, so no one will be interested in what you have to say.

2)      Join too many sites: it’s better to do one or two sites really well, than too many badly. Be strategic about which one(s) you choose then make the most of them. Make sure your profiles are always completed and updated regularly.

3)      Be argumentative: it might get some attention in the short term, but think about the long term, who wants to listen to the moaning argumentative colleague in the office?

4)      Take, take, take: social media is about relationships. Those involve give and take. Give advice, ideas, tips, information, thanks, etc, and you will get back. Constantly think about what value you are adding.

5)      Don’t join any groups: social media is an online community, so that involves sharing information and expertise, so joining groups is a great way to contribute, sign post what you’re interested in, what discussions have authority to contribute to, where you can add value.

Finally, even though social media is what everyone’s talking about, good old face-to-face meetings and events are not to be sniffed at. They can be an excellent extension of social media. In fact, social media can be a great way to extend your offline network.

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The value of work experience

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It’s likely that everyone, at some stage in their life, has had their ear talked off by someone about the value of work experience when it comes to PR. For me, it was every single one of my lecturers. Each new subject I started came with a long speech on how important it was to get work experience in the industry before we finished our degree. After a year of this my brain started to automatically switch off whenever someone even mentioned the word ‘experience’.  It wasn’t until I walked in the door of one of my second year PR subjects that my perspective changed. My PR lecturer opened the first lecture by saying that if we didn’t have a solid year and a half of work experience under our belt by the time we finished, then no company would hire us. Well, that certainly caught my attention.

Although I feel the lecturer slightly over exaggerated in terms of no career prospects, I have to say getting work experience was one of the best decisions I ever made as a student. It gave me the opportunity to actually put the theory I learnt at university to use, not to mention develop vital skills in the media relations field, which you can only gain through practice. For those who are still unconvinced, here are my top five insights into the value of work experience.

1)      Real world experience teaches you necessary industry skills. Real world experience includes learning how to liaise with journalists (who can be scary but this skill is vital if you want to get any results for clients), write media releases (have you heard of a successful PR practitioner who can’t do this?) and effectively communicate with actual clients (not hypothetical university clients). When I started work experience at Ignite PR last year I had no idea how to pitch a story to a journalist; this just isn’t something you can be taught in a lecture. Now I know how to pitch, I consider this a necessity if you are planning on a future in the public relations industry or really any industry that involves dealing with the media.

2)      You get to work on a range of different projects. Work experience adds a whole new dimension to the term ‘popularity’. Everybody wants you on board their project for the extra support despite your lack of practical skills. This means that not only do you get moulded into the perfect PR technician but you also get to work on a variety of different client projects. This contributes even further to your knowledge base and level of expertise.

3)      It offers networking opportunities. Working in a PR company (or any company for that matter) is a fantastic way to meet professionals in both your industry and other related industries. Building a basic network of contacts will certainly give you a leg up on the career ladder and this network will only grow as you advance. It’s all about who you know!

4)      Looks great on the resume. The skills you can gain from doing work experience are the main motivator to go out and work for free, however an additional benefit is that it looks great on the resume from the perspective of potential employers. With thousands of other fish swimming around in the same pond, employers are likely to remember the fish that has an extra fin (or in this case, practical experience in the field) above all others. Having work experience under your belt gives you a strong advantage in the hunt for a job.

5)      Possibility of permanent work. The best outcome you can hope for in doing work experience is being offered a permanent job at the end of it. Although this isn’t a guarantee, if you work your hardest and prove yourself valuable to the company they may find it hard to let you leave after your time is up. Even if there is no job offer at the end of it, be assured the company will think of you when there is a job opening in the future.

This is only a small snapshot of the benefits work experience has to offer. I hate to sound like my lecturers, but it really is important to get work experience in the industry. The only way to realise its true value is to put your name out there and get your hands dirty. Thanks Ignite PR!

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Treading the minefield of Xmas office functions: tips on how to party ‘professionally’ this silly season

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OK so it’s that time of year again – office parties and business networking events a plenty along with the flow of alcohol. Love them or hate them, corporate Christmas parties are an integrated part of business life and perfect for cementing relationships with your clients and associates, as well as being a chance to source new leads and expand your network. However, before you get into the reindeer outfits and knock back the egg-nog, there are a few (PR) partying rules you should follow. An alcohol-fuelled Christmas party is not a good enough reason to throw your professionalism out the window. So if you are serious about setting the bar and keeping your career alive, follow our top PR partying tips:

1) Drive to the party.This way you won’t be able to get drunk as you will have to drive home. You might also become the knight in shining armour as you will be able to drop off any drunk colleagues (or even clients) if necessary.

2) Eat before hand and at the event (if possible). Even if there is only mini-cocktail sausages or deep fried spring rolls, something is better than nothing. If you are running the event, don’t be a scrooge, supply some food!

3) View the party as a time to secure relationships and potentially network with suppliers or clients. Touch base with all of the key people but try not to hassle the boss or Managing Director too much as their job is to also network with their team.

4) Dress appropriately (no boobs, tank tops or thongs visible – and we are not just referring to footwear here).

5) Keep the business talk to a minimum. There’s nothing worse than someone pushing their products on you when all you want to do is enjoy a vino and have a laugh with your colleagues. Have a few topics on hand to make conversation and keep it light.ie. football scores, latest news that day, fun industry stories

6) Balance the timing – don’t leave too early and don’t be the last person there. You want to make an impression and have fun but at the same time you don’t want to be known as the drunk hanger-on. It’s easy to become known as a drinker and this can affect your professional reputation.

7) Have fun. People are more relaxed at this time of year so it’s ok to have a laugh – just don’t make a joke at someone else’s expense. That’s a definite no-no.

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Internships – Are they really worthwhile?

The importance of internships is discussed frequently at university by lecturers but is it really that important to undertake one?

I believe it is. I have just started an internship at Ignite and already I can see the advantages. 

There are so many benefits to be gained from internships but the most important is the real world experience you garner.  Everything I am learning will help me with my studies and when I enter the workforce I will be more prepared than other graduates. 

Taking on an internship allows you to decide if a job is suited to you and if it is the career path you really want to follow, which is especially important to decide before you finish your degree and obtain a job that you might not enjoy. 

Internships allow you to finally apply all the knowledge and practical skills you’ve had drilled into you during lectures in a real work setting. 

Nothing can beat the experience and reference you gain during an internship and as a bonus it looks excellent on a resume.  In addition, employers are more likely to employ a graduate that has practical experience over another who simply has a degree. 

Internships are also a great confidence booster.  After gaining real world experience in the industry and the skills and knowledge that follow, you’re immediately going to be more confident when you graduate and go through the process of finding a job.  Just knowing you have some relevant experience behind you gives you an edge.  Internships also become great networking opportunities. 

I’ve only been at my internship for a couple for weeks, but I’ve already had the chance to undertake activities which if I was working in the industry I would be responsible for on a regular basis.  For example I have written media releases, business appointments and undertaken pitching and following up.  I have gained real word experience on public relations activities and I have observed how a standard day would operate for a practitioner. 

My experience is strictly from a public relations field but I believe that internships are valuable in any industry. No university degree can give you the same experience an internship can. 

If you have the time and get the opportunity while at university to undertake an internship I highly recommend it, I promise you that you will see the benefits.

Trends for 2010

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The end of 2009 is fast approaching and here at Ignite we’ve been busy wrapping up activity for clients and finalising marketing plans for 2010.

I’m sure many of you are used to seeing the “top 10 trends for the coming year” float into your inbox or appear in articles or blogs around this time each year, but if you are an SME you may find yourself thinking “well that’s great but I’m not sure how I can capitalise on these trends?”

Let’s look at three top trends for 2010.

1. The rise of a more demanding consumer

As globalisation continues consumer expectations and demands continue to increase, which means the companies that will be successful will be those that move with their target market’s desires and preferences.

So what are you doing to ensure you know the desires and preferences of your target market? It’s a given that social media has exploded in popularity, so if your target market is using social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Bebo etc it would be smart to ensure you are on those sites following what they are saying about your brand.

Having said that, there is no sense in having a social media presence just because everyone else is, particularly if your target market is not using that media. Perhaps your target market share their ideas and opinions via a particular radio show or industry publication. Perhaps you need to do an online survey of your database – there are a few cost effective options available such as www.surveymonkey.com – to gauge their views and opinions. Think outside the box but always keep your target market in mind.

Also, remember, an integrated marketing approach  always work best so try to incorporate a full communication mix – Public Relations, Strategic Marketing, Advertising (print, radio or online), Local Area Marketing.

1. Virtual networking merging into face-to-face networking

Online lifestyles are prompting “real world” meet ups and are shattering all predictions about a desk-bound, virtual, isolated future.

You can actually be a part of this by joining groups that share common interests with you and participating in face-to-face meet ups. For example, one of my colleagues here in the office is a regular Tweeter virtually meeting and interacting with a number of professionals in our industry who are interstate. When she tweeted one day that she was planning a holiday in Sydney a few of those interstate contacts were interested in meeting with her in person.

Our agency has also made a number of business contacts through Twitter which we have been able to call upon when in need of particular experts for specific client campaigns. We have proceeded to meet with these business contacts in person and developed strategies with them for our clients.

2. Increase in risqué marketing techniques

2010 will be even more opinion-driven, outspoken than 2009 thanks to the “anything goes” online world. What will you do to follow this trend?

It’s not about necessarily engaging in guerrilla marketing tactics but it is about thinking creatively to strategically catch the attention of your target market and stand out from the crowd. Some good examples of brands/companies which have done this in 2009 are:

These are a few of my thoughts and experiences but of course you can do some strategy planning by doing a bit of your own research on trends for 2010.

Happy planning!

Lyla Lopez – Account Manager