Week 10: A Fond Farewell

I know I say this every week, but I really just can't believe how fast the time is flying!

Today is my last day here at Carolina PR. It has been an amazing 10 weeks and I am sad that it has to end.

I will miss my trips to Dunkin' Donuts during the morning commute as well as the coffee maker in the kitchen area  we really became close. However, most of all, I will miss the people Everyone has been so amazing.

So thank you, Carolina PR. Than you for teach me and allowing me to learn. I truly appreciate the opportunity you have given me.

Thank you, all so much for breakfast, this beautiful card and the sensational ornament. Its going to look fantastic on my tree!

I look forward to next week's company holiday party and hope to work with you all again very soon.

Now for one lat article from PR Daily. I found this one particularly timely since I am graduating on Saturday and will be leaving student life behind for the real adult world and crazy job market. Alan Pearcy, you get me - PR, Gilmore Girls and Animal House all in one article. It's too much, you shouldn't have.

 

20 job openings in the PR and marketing world

Thank you, to all of you who read and followed my journey at Carolina PR! I hope I shed a little light on the crazy, interesting, caffeine-filled world of a public relations intern.


Erin.

Week 9: 'Tis the Season

My goodness, time flies!

I can't believe its already Thursday...or one whole week into December. Seriously, when did that happen? Christmas can't be only three short weeks away - can it?

Turns out, it can. Which means Holiday Party Season 2013 is now in full swing!

Holiday parties can be tricky. Do you bring a gift? If so, how much do you spend? Is wine appropriate? Red or white? And that's just for your neighbor's party. Office parties can be equally difficult to navigate, if not, more so.

There is a fine line you have to walk when attending an office bash, between being overly serious (it's a party, it's okay to have fun) and having too much fun (you're at a party with your boss, you might want to reconsider the drinks with questionable names). Since I too will be attending an office party this holiday season, I turned to good ol' Google for help finding that ever-elusive line.

After an extensive search I am confident that I know what to wear and how to act. I also feel it is my duty to share with you all that I have learned. Here are a few different resources for proper office holiday party etiquette:

- Avoid Twerking and Other Holiday Office Party Advice - By Karen Cates via Bloomberg Bussinessweek

- 6 Tips for Surviving the Office Holiday Party - By Martha C. White via Time

- How to Behave at Your Office Party - By Dee Brun via Huffington Post Canada

- 23 Company Holiday Party Blunders to Avoid By Matt Kiebus via BuzzFeed 

If you're feeling overwhelmed and a little anxious, just remember: twerking, sword fighting and glitter tops are a no-no. However, a glass, or two of wine and a tasteful holiday sweater is just fine. Cheers!


Until next time,
Erin

Week 8: Many Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

I, like most people, have so much to be thankful for this year. I have completed one successful internship, traveled all over the country, have a job that I love and a second internship that has been more than I could have ever imagined.

I have a fantastic home, a wonderfully supportive family and friends I could not live without. Like I said, so much to be thankful for this holiday season!

This week is a short one here at Carolina PR. The office is quiet and everyone is huddled in his or her office to stay warm, if they aren't already home enjoying the holiday.

I learned quickly that quiet doesn't mean boring. In my case it meant just the opposite.

One of our clients is participating in the Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade and we designed and produced a parade banner for them.

When the banner was delivered and opened we got a surprise - it was a hanging banner and not a walking parade banner. That meant it was time to get creative...

After brainstorming and conferring with some knowledgeable people, I headed to the local Lowe's Home Improvement store with a list.

When the banner was redelivered yesterday (it was sent back for some alterations after the mishap was discovered), we turned the conference room into a craft area and, after some creative thinking, soap, and water and too much fun, we were able to rectify the issue and make the banner 100% parade-worthy.

Public relations isn't all reading and writing. Sometimes, it requires creative problem-solving and a little construction know-how.

Now, what kind of holiday would it be without a little Charlie Brown? I found this article on PR Daily; it just seemed fitting to incorporate a little wisdom from Chuck on Thanksgiving Eve - especially after yesterday!

Good grief! 3 crisis PR lessons from 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving'

By Alan Pearcy

See you in December!

Until next time,

Erin

Week 7: Reading

Part of my internship requires a lot of reading, about pretty much everything. I read trade websites like PR Daily and PR News Online to stay up-to-date on industry trends and news. I also read traditional news sources like USA Today, the Associated Press and Reuters to stay in touch with the rest of the country and the globe. I also dive into online publications like Huffington Post, Mashable and BuzzFeed for a different viewpoint on the day's top trending stories.
Yes, it seems like a lot, but much of the communications realm consists of knowing what is going on in the world around you. By reading how a crisis is handled, or not handled in some cases, you can learn what to do and what to avoid if you run into a similar situation down the line.
Not everything has to be serious. There can be levity in communications. It's important to remember that.

Here are some of the headlines from this week: 
College to rename school of communications after Ron Burgundy by Alan Pearcy (via PR Daily)
Toronto mayor says he smoked crack 'maybe once' and says he's being unfairly punished by Assocaited Press (via The Washington Post)
CBS News keeping '60 Minutes' review internal by Katherine Fung (via Huffington Post)
Blockbuster: Tigers trade Prince Fielder to Rangers for Ian Kinsler by Gabe Lacques (via USA Today)


I would also like to thank everyone at Carolina PR for the sweet birthday card, coffee and donut this morning!

Until next time,
Erin

Week 6: Release, Alert, Repeat

Public relations is many things, each requiring a different skill set.

This week I was able to work on sharpening my writing skills. I have been working with the CPR team on writing and sending out a press release and a media advisory for our client's upcoming event.

Right away I learned writing press releases in school is far different from that in the real world. In my PR Writing class, I was given a faux client, a faux biography and a faux event. I wrote the press release quoted my faux spokespeople and got it approved for distribution (also known as turning it in for a grade). It's quite different here, considering that the client, event and quotes are real. The days of pretend scenarios are over.

I wrote the initial drafts for both the press release and media advisory, and occasionally helped make any edits to the drafts that followed. Then, after each document was approved by the powers-that-be, I distributed them to the approved media list. No teachers this time, and the media contacts are also real! Our client's even is this weekend, so we will know shortly if our pitches were successful...I'm nervous!

Thankfully, I have something to help calm my nerves - my swag bag from Dunkin' Donuts! Last night as I was burning popcorn in my house, my doorbell rang. There in the FedEx man's hands was a box from Dunkin'. I was like a kid on Christmas morning opening it. It was fantastic.

Inside was a gift card, headphones and cool Dunkin' Donuts sunglasses along with a hand written note. I was more impressed by the note than anything else. It shows how great a company Dunkin' Donuts is, and how much they are about their customers. They have made this girl a life-long fan. (Wish they would open store stores on the west coast! If I ever move back there I will be lost without my Dunkin' coffee!)

Speaking of which, I have to go re-heat my coffee and get back to work!

Until next time,

Erin

 

Week 5: Hello, Fall!

So my calendar is telling me that it is November. As in the second to last month in the year, home to Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day and the all important Election Day!

As a fan of shows like "The West Wing" and "Scandal," I am aware of the drama Election Day holds. Typically, there are candidates sitting in hotel suites with their families, campaign managers and communications professionals, watching the returns on TV, checking last minute polling data and refreshing their computers every few minutes for the most recent results. There are two speeches prepared, a concession speech and a victory speech, because you don't want to jinx yourself, with one of them being used at the end of the night. There are parties and balloons falling from the ceiling, celebratory drinks and dancing into the night. Of course, this is how it’s portrayed on TV.

While I'm sure that may happen in big, national campaigns, the campaign I had the privilege to work on and be a part of was a local effort and didn’t have the big budget for frivolous campaign expenses. It was a local bonds campaign – the perfect type of campaign to get your feet wet. "Vote YES for Education Bonds" was a countywide bonds package consisting of $290 million for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) and $210 million for Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC).  The measures passed with record numbers, 74 percent of voters supported CMS bonds, and 72 percent of voters supported CPCC bonds.  

On election night, the Bonds Campaign Committee, CMS representatives, a few volunteers and select local media gathered to watch the returns. There was no fancy hotel suite or balloons falling from the ceiling, but that didn’t matter. The night was full of anticipation and excitement and celebrated those who had worked endlessly for months to ensure these bonds passed

It was an amazing event and I am so grateful that I was able to be a part of such a fantastic team!

A record setting victory was not the only exciting thing that happened this week. As you all know, I have a full-blown addiction to coffee. I might need Dr. Drew because I stop for coffee two to three times a week at Dunkin' Donuts. Earlier this week, I treated myself to a Red Velvet Latte from Dunkin' and later tweeted about how delicious it was. Within a few minutes, Dunkin' Donuts tweeted me back and sent me a message of appreciation saying they were going to send me a gift card! 

Needless to say, the whole office was a buzz the rest of the morning, as I am not the only hard core coffee junkie here – a tweet from Dunkin' is a big deal.

It is now Thursday, the end of my week and I still can’t believe the past few days have happened.

I cannot wait to see what next week has in store!

Until next time,

Erin

Week 4: Its Been A Month!

Wow! It’s already been one month since I started here at Carolina PR. I can’t believe how quickly time has passed, and how much I have learned in such a short period.

Let’s re-cap, shall we? In the past month, I have ...

- Figured out how to track my time using client codes in 15-minute increments

- Met with clients and pitched PR strategies and tactics

- Became a Google Maps master

- Learned a new media monitoring system

- Attended networking events

- Mastered walking in heels

- Recommitted myself to coffee

It has been amazing and I still have six weeks left! 

 However, today is not only the end of the first month of my internship, but also Halloween (translation: candy everywhere)! In honor of the day, I thought it’s fitting to share an article I found this morning by PR Daily.

 3 Social Media Lessons from 'It's the Great Pumpkin' by Michelle Wright

I look forward to seeing what is in store for me in November. I can only hope it’s going to be as fantastic as October has been. 

Don’t forget to 'Fall Back' this weekend!

See you in November,

Erin

Week 3: The Network

The phrase, "It's not what you know, it's who you know," should be on the wall of every prospective PR practitioner’s office or cubical serving as a constant reminder that networking is your greatest tool.

Now, I'm not saying knowing the right people is all you need to succeed in the PR world – you also need to have the right skills and knowledge of the business – but it doesn't hurt when you're trying to get your foot in the door. 

Just a little something I learned over the course of this week.  :)

Speaking of this week, it was CRAZY. It’s a good crazy, not bad crazy, but crazy none-the-less. I am really getting the hang of working with multiple clients on multiple projects and I'm really, really loving it! 

Tuesday, I went on a site visit to see a client’s new location and to brainstorm ideas for creative ways to use the space for a preview event.

Wednesday, I had the privilege of attending the 2013 PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) Charlotte Chapter Awards Ceremony. It was amazing to see all of the great things that PRSA does in Charlotte. Not to mention, I met some great people and made some great contacts. 

If you are an intern now, or plan to be one in the future, take advantage of going to these types of functions and participating in organizations like PRSA, if you can. Take every opportunity to network and make connections in the business world. If there is someone you want to meet, but haven't yet, ask your boss to introduce you to them. Or, better yet, go up and shake their hand and introduce yourself. Like I said, a lot about PR is who you know. 

Today was the biggest day of my internship so far, all three weeks of it. Today was my first official pitch meeting to a client.

While I did not do it alone – I am an intern after all and still learning the ins and outs of everything – I was involved in every step of the process and will continue to be as we begin to execute our plan. I’m not going to lie, I did a dance inside my head each time the client said she liked one of the ideas we had so carefully thought out. 

It’s a kind of rush there aren’t words to describe, and I am rarely at a loss for words … ask anyone.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I have figured out the time tracker system, and Dunkin' Donuts and I are still going strong!

Until next time,

Erin

Week 2: Gaining Momentum

The end of the week is already here! I don't know how it happened or where the time went, but today is in fact Thursday … I made sure to double check this morning. 

As I told you all last week, I am working with a client on opening a new location. That means this week was all about researching, budgeting and planning. Tuesday, I had the privilege of going to see the first location and meeting the owner. The place is fabulous – the owner even more fabulous. 

After touring the facility and meeting with the client, it was time for another brainstorming session to dive deeper into our PR approach. This one took place over lunch at Amelie's Cafe in Charlotte's NoDa neighborhood. 

 It’s amazing how much can get accomplished when there is delicious food involved. 

Some of you might be confused as to why a PR person would be worried about budgets since we are notoriously bad at math. In my case, this is true. I am not a mathematician. However, in the bustling PR world the lines between budget expert, event planner, marketing guru and media relations genius are blurred. You have to be a little bit of all of those things to succeed – a lesson I have most definitely learned this week.

Did I mention you also have to know how to juggle? Well, not literally, but working with multiple clients at one time means knowing how to do just that. 

I worked on multiple projects this week, not just the client opening. Some were fairly simple and straightforward while others were complex and required some elbow grease to get done. Simply put, I learned how to juggle in four days.

It was crazy. And fun. And completely exhilarating. 

Next week, I look forward to strengthening my relationship with the man in the Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru as I prepare for my first big presentation and getting more familiar with the time tracker system – even after two weeks I'm still not completely used to it yet.

Until next time,

Erin

Week 1: Getting Started

My name is Erin, I'm 23 and I'm an intern. 

As a public relations student, internships are what it's all about. Internships give you the experience and confidence to make it in the big, bad world. Monday, I started mine at Carolina PR in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

  

After getting past the torrential downpour that would have had Noah boarding the Ark and the terrible traffic that comes with it, I was ready to jump into my new position with both feet. The first task at hand, before meeting the staff, was my introduction to the coffee maker. Instantly, I knew this was definitely the place for me, seeing as I am a functioning caffeine addict. That feeling only deepened as I met the staff and got settled into my office. That's right, I have my own office, complete with windows and a door! 

Once I was settled, it was time to hit the ground running and I began learning all about our clients and my duties as an agency intern.

The best part of working at an agency, or in an agency setting, is never getting bored. There is always something to do and another client to serve. No two days are ever the same. No two hours are ever the same. 

One moment I am working with a campaign manager on a bond measure for the November election, the next, I am brainstorming ideas for promoting a client’s new store opening.

Did I mention I am never bored? 

My goal for this blog is to share with you my experiences. I have done internships before, but nothing like this. I want to take you on this journey with me, make you feel like part of the experience. I want to share with you the truths about the PR world, show you that even though it's not always like Samantha on Sex and the City, or Jerry McGuire, or even Don Draper, it's still exciting, and definitely has that adrenaline rush. 

Until next time,

Erin