Rise & Shine: It’s Rush Hour and Resolution Time!

Welcome back! I hope you all have been enjoying the posts as much as I’ve been enjoying Eisen’s endless supply of freshly brewed coffee and large lollipops, leftover from an event (and we’re not talking Dum Dums!).  Conclusion? Sugar and caffeine = guaranteed productivity.

Although I’m an early bird who has grown to live by my new favorite quote, “If you want your dreams to come true, don’t oversleep,” (posted by one of my Twitter followers), there’s nothing like a cup of coffee in the morning to get yourself going.  Call me a coffee enthusiast, or javaholic,  but I should be required by law to wear a sign that reads: “Don’t talk to me yet. I haven’t had my coffee.” I’m a very unpleasant intern and person without a cup (or three).

Yes, I may have grown to love waking up early, but I am no fan of the Cincinnati morning commute. Sitting bumper to bumper in traffic is not enjoyable, even if the radio’s playing one of TIME‘s top 10, which can be found at: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,2035319,00.html. I was highly disappointed to not see The Black Keys, but that’s another blog post.

No matter how many times I’ve checked my email in stopped traffic, he sun shining over the Cincinnati skyline gets me every time. There is something exciting about working in the city. There is satisfaction in waking early for the morning commute, weaving through lanes of packed cars, approaching the skyline, navigating narrow streets and rushing from the parking lot, to stepping into the office, sitting at your desk and opening up that first email. I’ve grown to embrace it, as well as learn to be less impatient.

In other early bird PR-related news, I stumbled upon what is undoubtedly my new morning newspaper: “PR Breakfast Club” at http://prbreakfastclub.com. The tagline reads: “A chance to start the day out right.”

In the season for giving and goal setting, the site featured a list of “top 10 PR Resolutions For 2010.” PR Breakfast Club’s list can be viewed at http://prbreakfastclub.com/2010/12/14/top-10-pr-resolutions-for-2011/ . My shortened version is as follows:

1. Keep it clean. Organize your desk, planner and oh-so valuable Crackberry files. You’ll not only feel better, but work more efficiently. Do some of that end-of-the-year cleaning and keep up that swag-tastic and spotless new space of yours!

2. Make a Connection: Ever heard the phrase it’s not what you know, but who you know? Well, it’s true. Industry pros didn’t climb the corporate ladder without a few helping hands. Success is a two-way street built on relationships, and PR is built on them. So, make a new friend or two. Building  relationships with journalists can be a collaborative friendship, founded on trust.

3. Canned Meat: In the fast-paced world of PR and social media, time is money. Personalize and customize your pitches. Build and maintain meaningful relationships with journalists and cut your email time!

4. Meet your Network: The article reports that most people have met only a small portion of their social network IRL (in real life). Take your screen to phone relationship to the next level, make it face-to-face.

5. Screw your Brand: Our self-centered society of personal profiles and competing for Twitter followers made 2010 a very egotistical year. Work on making your firm and clients look good first (that is your job), and you won’t have to worry about yourself. The job will be done for you. Your greatness will shine through your work, not narcissism.

The last 5 are up to us to come up with (just another thing I love about this Web site and article)! Please visit the above link to post your comments and share what you think PR pros can improve on in 2011!  Some users suggested strikingly similar things like, “Keep your promises,” “Build relationships outside your social network,” and “Be easy to work with.” Get out there, and get creative!  Share your ideas: It’s a new year; chime in and make resolutions revolutionary!

All this talk of achievement made me set some goals too: daily goals (made a to-do list today), internship goals (see social network growth), as well as college, career and personal ones.

Here’s a taste:

1. Blog: Maintaining the blog in office makes me want to give a little TLC to my site, which often gets pushed to the back burner. I believe I’ve resurrected it three times, to be exact.

2. Stop procrastinating: Funny how motivation suddenly kicks in when we’re on the clock.

3. Read the news every day: This is something we need to be doing as PR professionals anyway. Best to be in the loop, rather than scooped!

4. Drink Less Coffee Who am I kidding?

In Eisen updates, aside from typical workday occurrences, I was on desk duty again. And man, the phones were ringing off the hook! Which is good news, considering how close it is to Christmas. I’m still amazed by secretaries everywhere. They really aren’t given enough credit…

Also, the Eisen magazine, The Clubhouse, just arrived –with a box chocolate covered strawberries 🙂 Time to stuff envelopes, stick labels and send them off!

Today’s agenda: blogging, tweeting, label printing, Excel conquering, observing and learning.

Intern Insight: Success is founded on building and maintaining relationships – oh, and having a reliable alarm clock.

Word of the day: “Creep-tastic,” courtesy of the Head Honcho, in reference to a fly horror movie from the 50s, or was it 60s?

Until Friday! I’ve got to prepare for Cincy’s snow-pocalypse!

For today’s Twitter updates, etc., please visit:

http://cultofthebluetongue.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/eisenhotnews

Intern Intimidation: Speak Up and Stand Out

In the darkest hour of The Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt took his oath of office and bravely said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” The same goes for interns and all other college students scared of leaving their bar-hopping bubbles and entering the “real world.”

Disenchantment with college and fear settle in as one enters senior year, a new professional position, or starts thinking about the dreaded “F” word: the future. It is amazing to me how fear is the main cause of Bachelor-earning butterflies. After all, as new graduates and entry-level interns, what are we really afraid of? Failure, embarrassment, being unqualified or unprepared? All of these things, and course we are! But if we let fear keep us from going after what we want, how are we ever going to get anywhere? 

 The sad fact is that fear is a far more powerful emotion than we give it credit for.  The trick is learning how to think positively (yes, cheesy motivational quotes help), and tell yourself that you can succeed! 

Sorry to overload this post with rainbows of positivity, but it is unsettling how fears holds us back from speaking up or going after what we want. We somehow rationalize “that’ll never happen,” and give up trying.  Well wake up and smell the corporate world coffee! You can get your dream job or internship — you just have to get some guts and apply first!!

Take my friend Doug for instance. He’s now interning for a major men’s fashion magazine that he applied for “just to see what happens.” Low and behold, he’s got one of the greatest gigs of all my peers! I applied to my current internship without any expectations, and here I am! Stop sitting around and waiting for your dreams to happen – chase them!

Although all of this is easier said than done, the reality of the situation is that we are all human, and sometimes we let intimidation get the best of us, even years after we’ve been handed our diplomas.

Once in the field, reporters, long known to have a complex relationship with PR people, and even co-workers, can be intimidating.  Just don’t let feeling intimidated of co-workers’ accomplishments stop you from standing up and sharing your own ideas. Chances are, they’d be delighted to hear your insight (or they wouldn’t have hired you in the first place)! 

More reason to boost your corporate world confidence, check out this article on the importance of believing yourself: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-prime/201011/business-confidence-matters-in-the-corporate-world

For more on the intimidation issue from a PR pro, here’s an article on how to overcome the sometimes petrifying press: http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/42572.aspx

It also instructs one how to avoid being seen as “spin doctors.”  Understanding the differing goals for PR people as client cheerleaders and the press as information gatherers can provide further assistance.  The unique goals  for your positions doesn’t make either of you sleazy or sneaky, you simply have different viewpoints.  With proper training and experience, working with the press can be a harmonious relationship.  Be nice to the press, be professional, be open and honest and in-line with your organization’s objectives, and they’ll do the same for you. 

Brad Phillips offers more tips on how to avoid being pigeon-holed by the press in his Mr. Media Training blog. Check it out!

In office news, I’m manning the front desk all week and feeling pretty professional and official answering phones and such.  The phone lines are a surprisingly complicated network of communication. From answering phones to transferring to voice mailboxes, dialing desk codes, pushing hold buttons and extension lines, etc.,  being the Eisen secretary takes skill!

In other agency news, there was an in-office roundtable meeting this morning where we “catch balled” ideas off each other.  For clarification, “catch balling” is a new Eisen water cooler word, used by someone in reference to brainstorming/bouncing ideas off each other. Kinda catchy…(Ha, that was corny).

The Knight of The Roundtable -like meeting was a success, as the year is winding down for clients nearing Christmas.  Time to do year-end tasks and clean out the desk! 

If the Cincy snow doesn’t get the best of me, I’ll be back to my Web reign Wednesday. I’ll tweet you then!

 Be checking for today’s updates at:

http://twitter.com/eisenhotnews

http://cultofthebluetongue.blogspot.com/

http://eisenmanagementgroup.wordpress.com/

Still need more motivation? Check out some words of wisdom at http://motivateus.com/

*Concluding Intern Insight: snow and stilettos are NEVER a good combo.

Watch the ice!

Success and Design are a State of Mind

Welcome back, faithful followers! TGIF!

It’s finally Friday, and in the working world, you know what that means…time for your mind to wander from your work to weekend plans! Pile Christmas and insomnia on top of weekend what-to-dos, and you’re guaranteed to have to consume massive amounts of Maxwell for proper concentration.

Putting my sleepy way along  the highway to work, I looked up mid-yawn to see a sign (not the spiritual kind, but the kind plastered next to roadways by America’s Ad gods).  It read: “Success is a State of Mind.”

Although energy was waning, it caught my attention, i.e. clever and effective advertising. Perhaps inspiration, motivation and all things “extraordinary” (what Eisen emphasizes), are what get noticed among the noise? The ad contained a clear, concise underlying message with meaning: success comes from within.

Think success, a.k.a. positively, and you’re sure to see results? It all sounded too simple, yet my friend Klair is fond of a quote that reminded me of this street-side sign.  The saying goes something like this, “I find the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.”

Moral of the mantra: work and see results. (Which by the way, our Facebook met quota, so thanks to all the followers and fans! I love you all; I really do!) Yet, one can’t just work and expect results; they must work effectively.

Social media isn’t a “shot in the dark,” so to speak.  You can’t just tweet every calorie you consumed and expect to get reputable followers.  What you post and expose must have a focus.

Rodger’s latest episode of That Marketing Show at http://www.theeisenagency.com/tms/?tag=that-marketing-show, featuring Sherry Madia, claims most businesses are “Tweeting in the Dark,” and offers a Social Media Survival Guide, instructing social media students like myself on how to avoid “Twitter neglect,” and stop tweeting foolish things. Tweet and post with purpose, my friends!  Ya’ll should check out Sherry’s stuff…it’s really helpful!

In other Eisen updates, I ran some intern-y errands, which means I got to leave my cubicle for a tiny tour of Newport.  Running office errands and doing paperwork, in addition to social media monitoring, were not half bad.  Again, attitude is everything.  Embrace each task as an opportunity to learn and grow.  After all, cheesy as it sounds, success is a state of mind…and apparently, so is design.

What I learned at social media design school today:

Rule one: NEVER use Comic Sans if you want to be taken seriously. EVER.

Rule two: white space is your friend.

Rule three: look professional in your pamphlets and website.  They’ll look prettier, and you’ll look professional.

Rule three: Too much text on a Web site is a very bad thing. Make your page easy, readable and user-friendly.

Intern insight: Think and look like you’re professional, and you’ll be perceived that way.

See you Monday! Have a good weekend doing whatever your weekend what-to-dos may be.

*By the way, the word of the day is “swag-tastic,” so check out our swag-tastic social media updates on The Eisen Agency Facebook and:

http://twitter.com/EisenHotNews

http://eisenmanagementgroup.wordpress.com/

http://cultofthebluetongue.blogspot.com/