Voting closes on Friday at 3 PM ET, so there’s still time to enter! Although it’s not as much time to get votes as the contestant who entered the first day, you’ll quickly see that the power of social media and a creative entry could quickly get you to the top spot. Here are some tips on how to create that winning entry.

Display confidence. Know that you have the experience to win this competition, and determine the best way to show that to the judges. Even if you don’t have as much experience in PR or social media as some of the other contestants, tell us that you’re up for the challenge and share similar experiences to show you have what it takes.

Show your creative side. We love seeing these one-of-a-kind videos, but if you’re going to do a photo, make it something eye catching. It might be corny for me to throw in the phrase “A picture is worth a thousand words,” but it’s really true in this case. Weaving in your personality in these pictures will set you apart. This is definitely a different type of job application than submitting your resume and a cover letter, so take advantage of the opportunity to stand out!

Proofread your entry. Proofing and editing will be a day-to-day task for you at Affect, whether it is an internal email, or a document to send to a client. By sharing a well-written and polished entry, you’re showing us that you’re detail-oriented, which is a characteristic of team members at Affect.

Do your homework. Acknowledge that you’ve researched our agency and want to learn as much as you can. Incorporate this into your entry to get that extra gold star. If you’ve worked with similar clients, share that. If you’ve worked on a project that relates to us, by all means tell us about it. If you have a passion for the industry our clients are in but don’t have the professional experience yet, write about it. Show you’ve done your research.

Understand the power of the judges. I’m sure you all have read the contest requirements front to back, but in case you forgot, the judges have 200 votes to allocate to their favorite entries. This could easily change the entire competition and put a new face in the top six. Keep this in mind when you’re putting together that stellar entry!

I can’t stress enough the importance of sharing with your network. If you think you’ve run out of people to share it with, now is the time to reconnect with old friends, teachers, friends of siblings, friends of friends, anyone to get a few votes! Hand out flyers at school, do a flash mob on the campus green, do anything (that is appropriate, of course!) to turn a few heads to get people to support your entry. It’s crunch time now, so every vote counts.

We can’t wait to see where the last full day of the competition takes us. If you feel you have what it takes to be Affect’s newest employee, now is your chance.

Do you have any questions regarding these contest tips or the NYJP in general? Leave a comment, we’re happy to help you out!

Let me let you in on a little secret. I love making New Years resolutions, but I’m terrible at keeping them. All it takes is a few weeks before I slowly return to the comfort of my old habits. But this year will be different. I’m setting smaller, but still equally as important goals that I can actually reach.

For my work-related resolutions, I’m vowing to ditch some of the bad habits I’ve accumulated over the years. And as it turns out, there are some great resources to help me stay focused and avoid the temptation of returning to old devices. Here are a few positive changes I’m looking forward to making in 2013:

1) Move away from the screen – Yes, emails and Twitter conversations are (usually) fast and easy, but there’s nothing quite like meeting with someone face to face. And in the PR business, developing strong relationships with people in the industry – media, clients, partners, peers or otherwise – is key. So in 2013, I’ll be getting out more to meet with the folks I interact with on a daily basis. If you’re thinking of doing the same, PRSA NY’s programs and events page is a great place to start.

2) Go for brevity in writing – In B2B tech PR, running into complex terms, technologies and processes is just a normal day on the job. So is making the information easy to understand for the audiences we’re trying to reach. I like to think I’m getting better and better, but there’s always room for improvement. Good thing Ragan’s PR Daily has a handy article – 20 Phrases You Can Replace With One Word – that I’ll bookmark for later.

3) Along those lines, ditch the business jargon – When I first started in PR, I never thought I’d be one of “those” people who say things like “circle back,” “robust,” or the cringe-worthy “boil the ocean.” Oh how wrong I was. I’m not sure when the words first made their way into my vocabulary, but I know I’m leaving them in 2012. This Forbes article will definitely help keep me in check in the New Year.

4) Learn a new skill – Unless you are working on projects that expose you to new areas of the communications field, chances are you (like me) have an opportunity to branch out and learn a few new skills. With 2013 approaching, there’s no time like the present for a little professional development. Check out PR Week, Bulldog Reporter and other industry trades to see what’s right for you.

5) Lend a helping hand – If 2012 taught us anything, it’s the importance of coming together as a community in times of need (and well after the news trucks have left). Next year, I’ll be using the volunteer days offered to me by Affect, and will be encouraging others on our team to do the same. Whether you’re helping to rebuild after Hurricane Sandy, lending your support in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy, or offering your time for another deserving cause, any and all help is appreciated.

Are there goals you’re looking forward to reaching in 2013? Bad habits to walk away from? Leave your resolutions in the comments below!

Happy New Year, all!

As PR professionals, we spend a lot of time thinking about and using social media to deliver our clients’ messages to key audiences. But as superstorm Sandy ravaged the east coast last week, social media served the much more important purpose of delivering critical information before, during and after the storm to the people who needed it – often to individuals and families without power whose smartphones became their lifelines. According to Twitter (cited in a report by the Pew Research Center for Excellence in Journalism), more than 20 million tweets about the storm were sent between October 27 and November 1.

In addition to providing crucial updates, social media has also provided a platform for stories of encouragement and triumph over the hardship and destruction created by the storm. The public outpouring of support for those affected has been spotlighted across channels, from messages of sympathy and encouragement to highly visible efforts to organize volunteers and get aid to those who need it. Some inspiring examples we spotted include:

• New York Runners in Support of Staten Island, a Facebook page that diverted New York marathon runners from the canceled race to volunteer in hard-hit areas of Staten Island

• This Huffington Post story depicting how Twitter helped a homeless shelter in NYC get a much-needed generator from Syracuse

• Community-based Facebook pages like Clean up Sheepshead Bay Brooklyn and Jersey Shore Hurricane News posting requests for aid and connecting volunteers and donations directly with local residents

• Newark mayor Cory Booker’s Twitter feed, via which he addresses individual questions and requests for help, provides updates to affected residents, shares volunteer and aid opportunities, and thanks those who have helped with recovery

• Here at Affect, we started PR Helping PR, a Facebook page connecting PR professionals in need of a place to work following the storm with firms that can spare temporary office space

With a Nor’easter putting even more strain on communities still struggling to rebuild after last week’s devastating events, the need for support remains overwhelming. What are some of the ways you’ve seen social media playing a role in relief efforts and boosting morale during Sandy’s aftermath?

Photo: Volunteers and supplies on Staten Island (credit: David Berkowitz, via Flickr)

Given the extensive global coverage of Prince Harry’s recent shenanigans, I don’t feel the need to detail out the complete scenario that unfolded last week at the Encore Wynn resort. However, examining the meticulous yet rapid PR production brought forth by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor’s Authority is worth reviewing in great detail. Below is an overview of how the scandal has impacted these brands:

Celebrity Guest Stays for Free: Encore Wynn Comps Harry’s Room
Owners of Encore Wynn made a savvy gamble by waiving Harry’s almost $50,000 room fee. After all, they needed a reason to tell the world Harry stayed at their hotel. Although $50K may be pocket change for the resort, this decision will keep their name in the headlines for a few more weeks and in the minds of Vegas bound travelers.

“Keep Calm and Carry On Harry:” A Vegas Twist
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitor’s Authority (LVCVA) came out with a cheeky rendition of the well-known England inspired phrase, “Keep Calm and Carry On.” Due to the phrase’s already current popularity, this royal spin, “Keep Calm and Carry On Harry,” instantly became viral. Their marketing was smart and creative; they leveraged a classic advertising slogan and made it fit into pop-culture, which easily resonated with LVCVA’s target audience: young adults.

It’s Not Only About Harry: Who Is Behind the Photos?
The LVCVA splurged for a full-page ad in USA Today “scolding whoever leaked the photos.” The ad encourages everyone to stay true to the Vegas mantra, “What Happens In Vegas; Stays In Vegas,” by promoting a spinoff, “Know the Code.” The strategy to leverage their tagline against the individual who leaked the photos was brilliant. They easily slipped their key message into the scandal while using the opportunity to create a new mantra and hashtag, #knowthecode, which has been trending on Twitter since last week’s scandal.

Accidental Grassroots Marketing: We Salute You Harry
Thousands of fans are saluting Harry with their own rendition of the scandalous photos to show their support. Jordan Wylie, a former British Army soldier, started a Facebook campaign that un-intentionally gives positive attention to the military. This showcases that an institute that is known to be traditional includes individuals with a great sense of humor. It’s not often the military is portrayed on personal Facebook pages in a lighthearted way.

European Vacation: Vegas Bound
Virgin Holiday is now offering a vacation package named after Prince Harry that includes an energy drink, sunglasses, comedy disguise, a complimentary brunch, and swimming trunks. This also demonstrates the reach his scandal had on the marketing world. Offering a U.S. destination package to European travelers could be the key to sucking young Brits into the Vegas vortex.

These tactics, intentional or not, all stemmed from a scandal that generated a 123 percent increase in the search term “Las Vegas” on Hotels.com, in only 24 hours after the photos were release. Sorry Harry, your royal mistake has clearly provided opportunities for several brands around the world! That’s the gamble he took when he jetted off to Vegas, and clearly, the Vegas motto is there for a reason.

What other scandals have you seen become marketing successes?

If companies are going to engage with their customers on social media, a crisis communications strategy needs to be in place, and understood, should something go awry. Consistent and timely messages need to be sent via the appropriate channels the company operates in, from its website to Twitter account.

While there are obvious legal, ethical, and reputational issues going on here, Progressive’s social media team is handling this issue with success. Their original tactic of automating tweets may have been a mistake, but within minutes of those posts, they quickly regained their credibility. Here are a few key takeaways from this Progressive Twitter “disaster” that can be implemented into your brand’s social media crisis communications plan.

1. Publicly take ownership of your social media content. In all of its tweets, Progressive includes the initials of the specific team member who is answering a question or responding to a comment (for example, it shows “^SR” to identity that Susan is the person replying). Its team members’ pictures, along with their identifiable initials, are displayed above for quick reference. This puts a face to a tweet, and makes people feel that an internal, dedicated team is answering their questions (and cares).

2. Show your audience that you are taking the issue seriously. Progressive’s official Twitter handle immediately changed its main picture from Flo’s beaming face to the Progressive logo. This conservative move was smart. To have Flo’s enthusiastic smile next to concerned followers asking sensitive questions would appear untimely and careless. While it is difficult to display concern in 140 characters, there are other actions that the company can take, like changing a kitschy avatar or background photo to show fans that the team is indeed taking this seriously.

3. Openly manage the mistake. While no one on the Progressive Twitter team explicitly apologized for the automated, robotic tweets that caused the uproar in the first place, they halted the automation, and answered all responses individually. They also owned up to their mistakes one by one, and were available to accept criticism from their followers.

Aside from your personal position on the issue, how do you think Progressive’s Twitter team handled their mass influx of responses and comments? Is this a reputational/legal issue, or a social media issue? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Cathryn Sloane, a new graduate and contributing writer for NextGenJournal, recently voiced her opinion on what she thinks is the “appropriate” age for a social media manager. The main point in Cathryn’s piece, which has caused quite a stir in the industry, is that individuals younger than 25 are better suited for social media positions based on their early adoption of social media. Cathryn received many negative comments on her post, mainly by more senior – and more seasoned – communications professionals, so being young professionals ourselves, we thought it would be interesting to share our perspective on her controversial sentiments.

You didn’t need to be an early adopter.
Cathryn mentions that “adults in their 40’s who are tweeting with their iPhone apps have no idea that the old way to do it was by texting 40404.” But is knowing that really necessary? Understanding older designs is not what makes you better at using social media – keeping up with the changes and being knowledgeable about effective ways to use each platform is what makes you a successful user.

Social media is a learned practice.
Whether you use it professionally, personally or both, social media tactics must be learned. As Cathryn points out, people currently younger than 25 had to learn how to use the various platforms upon their inception – and this, in her opinion, makes them more effective users. No matter what your age, however, everyone has to learn each platform and understand how to leverage them to meet goals. Early adopter or not, you learn something new about social media every day.

Experience matters.
Just like anything in life, the more experience you have, the better you’ll be at managing a problem. As Cathryn mentions, our generation has experienced the evolution of social media from the beginning, giving us many years of personal experience with the platforms. This type of experience does provide a unique perspective, and shouldn’t be overlooked by hiring managers. While we may not have the hands-on professional experience of our superiors, we can offer a fresh perspective to help better communicate with our generation of users online. On the flip side, many senior executives have also been using social media since the beginning, so they shouldn’t be discounted as effective social media managers.

Know your audience and beyond.
NextGen Journal is entirely “run by a nationwide team of college students”, with the two managing editors being a sophomore and junior in college. The general idea of this website is great, and we love the concept that more than 150 students have the opportunity to voice their opinions online. But as any public relations practitioner should know, your audience is key. Perhaps Cathryn could have titled the article, “The Benefits of Having a Social Media Manager Under 25” which may have resonated better with readers of all ages, rather than alienating more senior professionals.

What do you think? If Cathryn had rephrased the title, would she have experienced less backlash?

What makes your social media team unique and successful?

While all the events were successful, for the purpose of this post, I want to share an interesting learning experience from the IABC Social Media Workshop, which will serve as a good reminder for social media gurus.

The “70/20/10 Philosophy” was presented and discussed by NYU Professor Robert Noltenmeier. The purpose of the philosophy was to remind us that participation in social media is not about self-promoting, but rather about the exchange of valuable content. A fairly good reminder when we seem to be consumed lately with social networking sites such as Tumblr, Pinterest and Facebook.

According to Professor Noltenmeier, the majority, or the 70 percent, of professional social media participation should not be about you/brand, but rather it should be about information that is of real value. An example provided was posting information about a magazine or blog that would be of interest to your audience. Based on experience I completely agree with this tactic. This tactic will also help facilitate overcoming the writer’s block we often face when looking for things to post about. Tracking down a unique article and re-posting the brand’s thoughts and position will help create engagement and increase your followers. But remember, 70 percent of your social media participation should follow this philosophy, which means over half of your postings/tweets should have nothing to do with you!

The second part of the formula is a clever way to remind us about having an authentic personality. Twenty percent should be about interaction. While this might not seem like a lot, how often are you actually sending direct tweets to your followers, or posting comments on other blogs? Spend a few extra hours a month trying to interact/engage with your followers to showcase your personality and remind them of your presence. I can see how this tactic will provide long-term benefits for me as I continue to build my own professional Twitter following @BreanneMT.

Lastly, the 10 percent part of the philosophy is about self-promotion. Unless you’re life-casting via Tumblr, be sure to tone down your tweets linking back to your website, promoting your new book or event. Based on this philosophy, we’ll know enough about you (or your Twitter handle!) to not feel annoyed.

As a whole, I always appreciate attending lectures, conferences and workshops. Even if it’s a quick refresher, or welcoming a great quote from presenters like Professor Noltenmeier, “You’re not writing to impress people, you’re writing to communicate.” So, in summary: “70/20/10 Philosophy”:

• 70 percent of content should be about other information, not about you/brand
• 20 percent of social media participation should be interacting with your audience
• 10 percent is promotional

What do you think of “70/20/10 Philosophy”? What is your formula for success?

What does not surprise me however, is that marketers aren’t using Facebook advertising. In fact, I haven’t recommended Facebook advertising to a client in over a year. When Facebook’s ad platform initially launched (and before there were so many advertisers on board) – their targeting is what drew me in. I loved to slice and dice target audiences and run ads that were customized to their interests. However, as Facebook has grown larger, its audiences have become much more savvy – demanding a more authentic experience from the brands that they care about. They don’t want to read an advertisement and visit a landing page. They want to feel heard. They want to interact. They want to have a conversation. All of that can be accomplished through a well-done, well-managed Facebook timeline…for free.

Not convinced? Here are five reasons why I won’t be recommending Facebook advertising to my clients:

1. Your audience is on to you: As I’ve already mentioned – your ad isn’t fooling anyone. Facebook users know where ads are placed, are bombarded with them daily and avoid them like the plague. An exclusive, shareable promotion offered to your fans via your brand’s timeline is likely to have more impact.

2. Targeting doesn’t always work: Marketers understand that Facebook has its privacy issues and its users know that too. For that reason, many consumers are hesitant to self-identify their interests, fill out their ‘About’ pages or give permissions that would make their information publicly available to you as an advertiser. Additionally, just because Facebook tells you that your audience will see your message – doesn’t meant that your ad will compel them to take action (that’s true of any advertising medium). For Facebook, a better tactic would be to connect with the organizations, publications and associations that are interesting to your audiences and engage with them in conversation to promote your brand’s timeline page and product offerings in a relevant way.

3. All clicks, no action: As Ad Age mentions, many marketers feel that it’s challenging to track and measure the impact of Facebook advertising – and it can be particularly challenging to decipher whether or not your advertising efforts led to a direct sale. Additionally, in my personal experience, Facebook tends to generate less click-through than more traditional advertising methods do. What’s the value of a click if you don’t know what the outcome is?

4. Your money is better spent elsewhere: Social media advertising is trendy right now, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s must-do for every single brand. Invest in marketing that you know will give you measurable return – for your organization, that may mean television or radio, banner ads, direct or email marketing. Just because it’s newer, doesn’t mean it’s better.

5. You can market on Facebook for free: Creating a timeline for your brand is 100% free of charge (for now). Think of your brand’s timeline as one giant non-traditional advertisement. It’s an opportunity for you to be creative and speak directly to your audience. An exclusive coupon code, promotion or contest can go a long way when it’s unique, interactive and well-planned.

At the end of the day, the social media cliches are true. Today’s consumer demands a more authentic and transparent brand experience, and Facebook advertising isn’t necessarily the way to achieve that. Today’s marketer needs to understand how their audience uses the platform, and what type of experience they expect from the brands that they love – a modern advertising strategy includes a mix of digital and traditional tactics.

I’ll be revisiting this topic soon, once I’ve had the chance to use and learn more about Facebook Exchange and its capabilities. Are you using Facebook ads? Are you eagerly anticipating Facebook Exchange? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

During Internet Week in New York, I attended a presentation that drove home the point that communicators are overloaded with social media options and sinking under the weight of an endless flow of data. Up on the video screen a chart displayed dozens of interconnected logos—each one representing a hot, formerly hot and soon-to-be-hot digital channel.

“Does this represent your typical workday and the choices you have to make?” the speaker asked.

You could feel the air leave the room—not that there was much to begin with on that muggy New York evening—and sense people slumping in their chairs. Yes, it did represent their typical workday.

It’s all too much, sometimes: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, LinkedIn, Vimeo, YouTube, Tumblr, Blogger—and whatever else is next—on top of more quaint but still necessary channels like email, news releases and Web sites. How can a PR professional manage it all and show proof that the time invested in each platform is paying off on the bottom line?

One solution is to first admit to yourself that you can’t possibly do it all and to work with an outside agency that can help you manage your social engagement programs. Such an agency can provide you with the data you need to figure out what’s working, what isn’t and what to report to senior leaders in your organization. By doing so you can spend more time being creative with your overall communications strategies and less time jumping from browser window to browser window, app to app—racing, racing, racing to monitor comments and pin, tweet, post, shoot, edit and wade through mountains and mountains of data.

Working with outside experts isn’t always an option, though. As we’ve heard from top digital communicators—some of whom will be leading sessions at PR News’ June 21-22 Social Media Summit in New York—focusing less on the various modes of communication and more on the proclivities of your target audience will help you learn where to spend your time and energy. Maybe your audience has drifted to Pinterest and maybe you’ve been sitting on a storehouse of images that they will want to repin. Maybe immersing yourself in Twitter is all that’s necessary at the moment. Go where they live online, and commit to the process of finding your own voice.

And when that next, hot platform launches, remind yourself that you have no power to halt technology’s march and that you can’t possibly do it all. And then tell yourself that you can do some things very, very well.

To learn more about the latest social media platforms, register for PR News’ two-day Social Media Summit event which will be held June 21-22 in New York City. The Early Bird Rate ends May 23. 

Steve Goldstein is editorial director of Access Intelligence’s PR News, which encompasses premium, how-to content, data and competitive intelligence for public relations professionals; PR News Online; PR News conferences, Webinars and awards programs; and PR News guidebooks.

Source

Over the last 10 years, the line between journalists and readers has grown significantly shorter. From blogging to commenting to online sharing, the swift rise of the Internet and social media has allowed the consumer to be the producer in a way that was never before possible. The line between editorial and advertising has also always been a sticky area, and as a PR professional I’m trained to view pay-for-play media opportunities with a bit of a wary eye.

Social media enables the proliferation of news at the speed of light, which is a great thing. But now, media outlets are recognizing that readers often find their stories through a friend’s tweet or Facebook post, and they are looking for ways to capitalize on the trend.

A few weeks ago, The New York Times Co. announced it was closing the gap between editorial and advertising / journalist and consumer even further by launching Ricochet, a program that the WSJ says “lets marketers pick a select number of stories from Times Co. properties…that are relevant to their social media audiences and create special links for sharing those stories. Anyone clicking on the social media links will see the marketer’s ads next to the stories for a specified period of time.”

This new ad program has raised a few eyebrows, but NYT has assured everyone that they will keep the barrier between editorial and advertising strong by using a few stopgaps.

1. Advertisers have to wait seven days before sharing any stories about themselves.
2. Advertisers won’t be able to share negative stories about their competitors.

The program is aimed at enabling brands to connect better with their consumers, and truthfully users may not notice much of a difference at all.

The question now is, as the media world becomes ever more connected, will programs like Ricochet enhance the experience for everyone, or further blur the roles between reporters, consumers and advertisers? Only time will tell.