By Kylee Julian

I have been a club volleyball coach for five years, and I have had the privilege to coach the same girls since they were in eighth grade. My players are from all over, but the club is based out of the Lee’s Summit/Independence area.

I decided to become a coach because I love the game. I have played volleyball my whole life and dreamt of the day when I would become a coach. Being a coach has allowed me to see life through a different parallel. I am constantly connecting volleyball to life, work and school.

In this blog post, I will discuss some of the important lessons that the game and coaching taught me, as well as how those lessons carry over into my life and my future career.

 

|| Don’t waste words on people who deserve your silence. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can say is nothing at all. ||

 

This is one of the hardest lessons to learn, not only as an athlete, but as a public relations professional as well. My players had this experience during our past season. In the game of volleyball, the referee holds the majority of the power. What they say goes, and you have to learn at an early age to respect that.

It is the same in a place of work. Your boss holds the power, what they say goes even if you don’t like it or agree.

 

|| “I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion.” -Mia Hamm ||

 

In the game of volleyball, you have to find something to play for. I often tell my players that if they can’t succeed in playing for themselves, then to play for their teammates.

Regularly, I think people get lost in doing something with passion because there isn’t that underlying drive. However, when you do something for someone else, give it everything you’ve got because you’re playing for them and you find that you will push yourself to new limits.

You have to find a drive, a purpose, and someone for whom you wish to work. Look at the client and their end goals, and think about why they hired you. When you have success they have success, and the organization has success– everyone wins.

 

|| We are not a team because we work together. We are a team because we respect, trust, and care for each other. ||

 

I am always one to have a respectful team with good sportsmanship. We like to tell our girls to think about how they would want to be treated if they were the officiating team. I tell my players that the time-honored saying, “treat others the way you want to be treated” will always stand true.

This is the same for any public relations professional, or really any professional. If you treat your co-workers, fellow students, boss and anyone with whom you interact with kindness and respect, often you will receive the same. In the UCM PR department here at UCM we often work in a team dynamic, whether it is group work, editing each other’s work, or just sitting and brainstorming in class. As a class, we have to respect others views, perspectives and ideas in order to receive the same.

 

|| “When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe then you will be successful.” -Eric Thomas ||

 

Sometimes you just lose. It happens. What my players learned throughout the season is to never lose their pride, self-respect, and integrity. My team members didn’t complain when things weren’t going their way. They acted like respectful young women and just played their game.

Sometimes you will fail in public relations, it’s inevitable. As one of our professors said, “Public Relations is a pass or fail kind of business.” However, the way that you fail in this business isn’t true failure. It has been said that you only fail when you don’t try and that failure is not the opposite of success, it is part of it. You have to take your failures and learn from them, and take your successes and use them.

 

|| “If you don’t have integrity, you have nothing. You can’t buy it. You can have the money in the world, but if you are not a moral and ethical person, you really have nothing.” -Henry Kravis ||

 

Whether it is winning a volleyball tournament or accomplishing a business goal, if you do it with integrity you can’t lose.

By Sydnie Kerr

College is the place where students gain experiences, discover their passions and more importantly, start building their careers. In a business like public relations, employers want an employee who stands out from the crowd and your personal brand can be your ticket to your next job. If the right personal branding is implemented a world of opportunities and connections may become available.

We often think of branding as something only companies build, but in our age of social media branding efforts extend to personal use. You may not know it yet, but you already have a brand. Now, it is up to you to take these steps and create the brand you want it to be.

 

1. Be Yourself.

Now, this may sound a little cliché, but it’s important advice I’ve received. Find out what makes you different, show off the things you love, and do what makes you happy. Employers and your network will notice if you are trying to be someone you’re not and you’ll shine if you are genuine and sincere about who you are.

 

2. Utilize social media.

Social media for networking can be one of your biggest assets. LinkedIn is especially important for networking with colleagues and future employers. Build your brand on LinkedIn. You also need to be mindful about what you post on each platform. Each platform is used in different ways so consider the content you are creating for each.

 

3. Be careful about WHAT you post

College is fun, but, your employers are going to look at your social media when considering you for a job. If you are constantly posting with alcohol or drugs that can destroy your chance of being hired. Be mindful, and think “Would I want my grandma to see this?”

 

4. Create a logo and branding guide for yourself

It’s very impressive when people have personal logos and keep a consistent look across all their platforms. Consider creating something that distinguishes you from the next individual. This can carry through all your social media platforms and on your resume and cover letters. Make them look the same in terms of your brand, that way you are easily identifiable and remembered.

 

5. Create a voice

Across all social platforms, you’ll want to create your voice and persona. Are you funny? Sarcastic? Easy-going? Consider how you want to portray yourself and create your content based on that.

 

6. Create an impactful bio

This goes along with establishing your voice. A bio will tell everyone who you are, what you do and the kind of person you are. Write your bio based on who you are. Don’t just tell people what you do, show them and go deeper.

To learn more about creating a professional bio, take a look at these; https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/professional-bio-examples

 

7. Post regularly

It’s important to keep up with your brand. Don’t neglect it for months. Employers are looking for active users who are consistent and not outdated.

 

8. Get connected

It’ll look great if you have a lot of relevant connections on LinkedIn or on Twitter. This means that you know your people and have connections that can always help future employers. You network of people is so important in the PR world because those connections will help you grow and can potentially land you your future job. The more you know people, the better.

 

By Sydney Skaggs

The Super Bowl is one of the most highly anticipated annual events in popular culture. Before, during and after the Super Bowl there is significant hype about the commercials, and for many television viewers the ads are a highlight of the game.

The Super Bowl is huge for the public relations industry. The big game is not just a platform for companies to show their creative advertisements, but for all of the PR and marketing that surround the broadcast at the game.

The Super Bowl gives PR pros a chance to come up with a strategy and analyze the Super Bowl from every angle, finding ways to reach their target audiences. Research has demonstrated over and over again that advertising may guarantee viewers see your message in the form you wish to present it, but it doesn’t guarantee retention, comprehension or persuasion. This proves that public relations can have an impact beyond media relations and simple ads.

One of the most talked about commercials from Super Bowl LII was for Tide laundry detergent. The manufacturer has been working through a crisis recently that was mentioned by Procter & Gamble’s CFO in its latest earnings call. The crisis derives from the emergence of the Tide Pod Challenge, where teens eat (or joke about eating) the small detergent packages. But the three Tide ads shown during the Super Bowl created a buzz that has people talking about the brand for all the right reasons.

 

According to Samantha Wood from PR News, “Tide turned conventional advertising on its ear by inserting itself into the classic styles of familiar ad genres, such as those for cars, beer or medicine. The parodies were so successful that many viewers were left guessing which ads would end up being Tide ads after all (Wood).”

Another ad that demonstrated great PR was Amazon’s “Alexa Loses Her Voice.” Previous Alexa ads emphasized the convenience and utility of the Echo product, but the Super Bowl ads used celebrities and comedians as “stand-ins” for the voice of Alexa. The commercials focused on humor and, in the process, humanized the product and the brand as a whole (Wood).

 

Paid advertising is used to generate word-of-mouth and third-party credibility and that’s where PR steps in. Both of these ads conveyed a message in a light-hearted way that didn’t directly try and sell you the product but focused more on generating a buzz that would stick around long after the Super Bowl.

If there’s one thing we learn about advertising during the Super Bowl, it’s the perfect place to introduce audiences to products through advertising. Public relations will keep people talking about the ad and hopefully create something that will make them remember the product, long after the game is over.

 

What was your favorite commercial during Super Bowl LII? Comment below and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Citations: Wood, S. (2018, February 05). 3 Super Bowl Ads That Gave Their Brands a PR Boost. Retrieved February 06, 2018, from http://www.prnewsonline.com/super-bowl-2018-ads

By Blake Hedberg

Thanks for your continued support! Here is the link to give back to our program: https://ucmfoundation.org/Give/PR

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At the conclusion of another successful semester for UCM’s Innovative PR agency, it’s paramount to reflect on our journey, the professional experiences we’ve undertaken, and the skills we’ve acquired from our client projects. Also, while the student specialists spent countless hours working on client projects, several individuals coordinated efforts behind-the-scenes to keep IPR functioning, and those individuals each deserve a big thanks.

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Each semester is a unique journey. In the beginning, a variety of students whom possess varying skill sets, join together and take on multiple client projects while working in a simulated agency. The Fall 2017 Innovative PR team consisted of six undergraduate students, all interested in gaining real-world experience while still in school and wanting to challenge themselves professionally. In August, I challenged this team to take our agency to greatness. Fast-forward to December…as IPR the manager I can firmly assert they accomplished greatness.

In less than 12 months, the agency transformed in an almost night-and-day sweeping motion. Through leadership transition and financial crisis, Innovative PR delivered exceptional and timely work to clients. Our student specialists immersed themselves in media relations, logo-redesign, feature story writing, interviewing, story pitching, and brand management. IPR Account Specialist Adriana Vivas even won a professional award for her design work! And, highlighting this semester was the four day trip three of our students sponsored themselves and took to visit our Los Angeles based client. Read the full story here: https://ucminnovativepr.com/2017/12/01/help-get-team-amn-to-la-a-look-into-the-social-media-campaign/

As the Innovative PR manager, words cannot do justice to the sentiment I have toward the firm. The manager position has been transformative in my professional growth and opened more doors for me than I ever thought possible. I found that I am passionate about managing and interacting with students, forming bonds along the way while motivating individuals to reach their academic potential. To see them flourish, to see them succeed and deliver excellence to clients is one of the best feelings I’ve been fortunate enough to experience.

I owe a tremendous amount of our success to Dr. Tricia Hansen-Horn. Serving as the firm’s advisor, Dr. Hansen-Horn has been my saving grace through the first year and provides excellent assistance, as well as confidence support, to my endeavors in the office. I can always count on her to be there for guidance, and her work coordinating client projects keeps our agency alive. We would not operate without her long hours of hard work.

Also deserving thanks are our professional mentors in the University Relations office. Jeff Murphy and Mike Griefe have been instrumental in pushing the firm in the right direction. They have advised students and the previous managers since the firm’s 2010 inception. Both have positively impacted my experience as manager and always make time for me when I need help. The three individuals’ work often goes unnoticed, but today I would like to give them each a huge “thank you” from the entire Innovative PR team.

And, of course, I want to personally thank the individuals serving as our clients the past two semesters, while supporting our ongoing efforts. Your commitment to our agency has a profound impact on our students’ abilities to grow professionally. You’ve inspired them and opened plenty of doors for each of them. Without your assistance, we could not do what we do. And for that, we owe a big “thank you!”

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Much of what Innovative PR is able to do is supported through the UCM Public Relations Foundation Fund. In the spirit of holiday giving, I want to thank every individual who has contributed to it. Your contributions have a significant impact on keeping Innovative PR going and giving future PR pros the chance to experience this excellence found in this firm. We are making great progress toward next year’s funding goal, but we’re still several thousands of dollars away from the benchmark necessary to keep IPR going as a wholly student-led PR firm.

The UCM PR Program Foundation account link is https://ucmfoundation.org/Give/PR. If you can give yet this year, or again this year, please do. Your contributions make continued student excellence possible and Innovative PR growth possible. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

Please share this blog and opportunity to support Innovative with your friends and colleagues.

Happy Holidays from all of us here at Innovative PR!

By Andrea “Nickey” Buzek

“Guys, I’ve never been on an airplane before,” I said to Adriana and Mark, the “A” and “M” to Team AMN.

Their eyebrows raised and I got the usual: “What?” “Really?” and “That’s crazy,” although, I don’t think they understood what I meant. Finally, I stopped the conversation and grabbed both of their arms. “GUYS! I’ve never been on a plane. Our client is in LA. What if we fly to him to give our final evaluation?” I said. Much like everyone else, they were interested, but doubtful that it was attainable.

I was fully aware that a trip like this would take hundreds of dollars. I also knew that Innovative PR didn’t have the funds to send three students on a trip to Los Angeles. I am a first-generation college student, working my way through college, so I really knew that I couldn’t pay for it. It was time to take my education from the classroom to the real world.

On Oct. 17, the social media campaign “Help Get Team AMN to LA!” was created with the objective of raising $800 through donations only by Nov. 9 to fund my portion of the trip. The $800 included travel expenses, food, lodging and emergency funds, with any funding beyond trip expenses to be used to help Innovative Public Relations fund its graduate position.

GoFundMe, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WordPress were the outlets used to start crowdsourcing. Over a four week period, I posted updates about how Team AMN was preparing for our trip. It included summaries of our workweek, pictures of projects and spotlights of the team members. Facebook posts received the most attention, naturally.
Grandmothers love sharing their babies, but grandma wasn’t the only one to share the updates. Family, friends, colleagues, UCM faculty members and random people I had never met before would actually share my posts. Instagram was the second most successful outlet with a record of 77 likes for one image. Twitter and WordPress were used periodically, but there was a lack of engagement on those platforms.

 

The first donation came on Oct. 17, and other donations flooded in soon after. Word-of-mouth started to take over. I had people coming up to me on campus asking how the fundraising was going, asking how they could help and even handing me money from their own pocket. The amount of support the campaign received was incredible, but what would public relations work be without a crisis.

On Oct. 25, Team AMN was notified that no university-related coursework for credit was allowed to be presented on this trip due to liability issues. This was a major problem considering Help Get Team AMN to LA! was built around us doing our evaluation in LA. I channeled my inner crisis communication training and decided to notify every person, who had donated, of the change. I also made updates detailing the shift in plans to get the word out to those who hadn’t donated. The campaign was repositioned to an educational trip rather than a business one. I communicated that Team AMN would still be touring all public relations agencies mentioned and that we still needed help funding. Honesty, as usual, was the best policy. Though, I gave donors an opportunity to be refunded, every one of them told me to keep the money and to make the most of the trip.

 

 

 

 

Looking back over this campaign, it was a huge success. My goal was to raise $800 by Nov. 9, but I walked onto the plane that day with $996.99. Not only did my community help me to achieve what I set out to accomplish, but they continued to give after the goal was met. Help Get Team AMN to LA! was able to donate $434.49 back into IPR, making a difference for the graduate position. The campaign caught the attention of alumni, faculty members and colleagues. It also helped me to understand what it really takes to implement a social media campaign, as well the benefits a PR practitioner could receive from one. The lessons I learned on Team AMN’s business trip will never be forgotten, but this pre-trip lesson was definitely one for the books.

If you would like to take a look into the tactics used for Help Get Team AMN to LA!, check out www.gofundme.com/our-first-la-business-trip. Improvement is the key to success, so if you would like to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this campaign, please leave a comment or direct message us via our social media outlets.

 

The Los Angeles trip opened many doors for our agency members. Stay tuned for the other perspectives in upcoming blogs! You can check us out on Facebook and Twitter here.