01.29.08
Posted in PRSA News at 10:16 am by Rick Hodson
If war is hell, communication to and from the front line may be even worse. During the Civil War, a new form of technology, the telegraph, was employed. This provided generals in the field the ability to update Washington in practically real time, and vice versa.
The telegraph office was located in the War Department building right beside the White House. Abraham Lincoln spent hours in that office, receiving and sending messages. As the first online president, Lincoln’s method for using this new technology is instructive for us today as we travel in our own electronic world.
1. Develop a hierarchy of communications. Electronic messages were Lincoln’s least preferred means of communications. His communications vehicle of choice was a direct, in person exchange. By walking among the different departments, he could not only deliver a message, but also hear a reply, see the body language, and engage in a dialog. Too often today, we rely on e-mail as a crutch, and use it as a primary form of communications. Worse still, we use e-mail as a way to avoid personal interaction. I know people who would rather e-mail a colleague than get off their chair and walk down the hall. How ridiculous is that.
2. Words are important. The impersonal context of an e-mail places an increased emphasis on precise words. Today’s e-mails are the literary equivalent of casual Fridays, substituting comfort and ease for discipline and rigor. Lincoln maximized his impact by using carefully-chosen words.
3. Less is more. Lincoln once chided General George McClellan about a ten-page telegram sent in May, 1863. The president’s response was four sentences. A large blank e-mail screen should never be used as an open invitation to fill it with words. You will earn the respect and gratitude of your audience by sending messages that are succinct and to the point.
4. Message candor. Lincoln’s telegrams were frank and direct. Since the subtle nuance of interpersonal communication is virtually impossible to duplicate in the virtual world, it should be avoided.
5. Take a breath. Just because it is possible to instantaneously send a message, doesn’t mean it’s appropriate to do so. Drafts of Lincoln’s telegrams have words and phrases he crossed out after venting his frustration. Lincoln may have been direct and frank in his telegrams, but he also understood that not all messages are appropriate for the electronic medium.
The preceding points are borrowed from author Thomas Wheeler, who has studied Lincoln’s telegrams and written a book on the subject. He writes that to suggest these documents are somehow lessons to be followed in our use of e-mails would be to demean them, the reason they exist in the first place, and their author. Reading them, however, should make us all more thoughtful in our use of this technology. I couldn’t agree more.
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01.15.08
Posted in PRSA News at 9:57 am by Rick Hodson
I have a healthy distain for all this so-called modern technology that is supposed to make our lives easier. Or as I like to say, ‘those who live on the cutting edge bleed a lot.’
That being said, I want to pass on my praise of the presentation application Keynote. Recently, we used it to produce all of the presentations for our company meeting, and it worked beautifully. The ability to incorporate video and moving graphics, plus its transition features, make Keynote far superior to anything PowerPoint can do.
For those of you looking for an alternative to PowerPoint, I recommend exploring Keynote – you’ll applaud the results.
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01.07.08
Posted in PRSA News at 1:26 pm by Caroline Matthews
Happy 2008 Tar Heel Chapter! With the New Year comes a plethora of change— the kind of both adjustment and pennies. As your chapter changes organizationally, we aim to grow by incorporating philanthropy into our mission. A committee headed by Craig Orsi, director of chapter development at Elon, will orchestrate a benefit for “COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN?,” an organization that recycles used denim jeans into insulation for Habitat for Humanity homes. Other chapters across the nation, including PRSA affiliates like yourselves, strive to benefit their communities in innovative ways.
Check out an article I wrote about our goals in FORUM, PRSSA quarterly news publication, that will be featured in the Winter Issue:
One of the four purposes of PRSSA stated in the Chapter Handbook is to encourage the highest ideals and principles within members. This includes being an aware and active member of the community by instilling the practices of social responsibility.
Incorporating philanthropy into your chapter will not only help gain national recognition and place you among the highest, most decorated chapters in the nation, it also will unite your members and encourage them to actively participate in a collaborative effort.
“Public Relations is just that. We’re advocating an issue. I think it would be very conflicting if a practitioner advocated something and then in turn did not benefit the community,” said National Committee VP of Professional Development Dwayne Waite.
From research to planning and implementation, members can be involved in every step of the way. Implementing a philanthropy committee with a committee chair is very helpful in getting an event up and rolling. Committees can hold meetings to help brainstorm ideas as well as delegating tasks for effective execution.
“Basically we have tried to think outside the box and come up with ideas that would involve not only our chapter, but get the rest of the campus excited about our philanthropy as well,” said Craig Orsi, director of chapter development at Elon University.
Orsi researched organizations by using the Internet. He found United Way, an organization whose mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities, and Google to be the most helpful in finding volunteer opportunities located near campus. Most cities have their own volunteering centers with helpful Web sites as well.
He says that the most important thing to remember is to make sure that the charity can involve multiple members and is one that others can become excited about.
Elon decided to benefit the two charities: “COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN?,” an organization that recycles used pairs of jeans and turns them into insulation for Habitat for Humanity homes and the children of Duke’s Hospital. Their entire chapter made Christmas cards for the children and a philanthropy committee of eight members is coordinating an event at a local bar in the spring where students will donate a pair of jeans as a cover charge. They will also be utilizing local churches for additional funds to benefit the charity.
PRSA chapters also benefit from philanthropy efforts. Aaron Wall, PRSA Tar Heel president-elect, says that their efforts are service in nature and not financial. However, their chapter members donated over $700 to a local children’s charity this year.
Diversity within philanthropy is especially important to Rosie Braude, president of Rowan University PRSSA. They support four philanthropies: Organ Donor Day, Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, South Jersey Food bank and Save Darfur. Organ Donor Day is organized annually by the chapter with the help of the student-run PR firm.
Rowan PRSSA just introduced their newest executive board position, VP of Advocacy Meredith Martin, this year in hopes to create new philanthropy opportunities. While Organ Donor Day has been active for the past 16 years, Martin created the other three efforts with the help of chapter members.
Braude suggests appointing an executive board position to the task of managing your chapter’s philanthropy.
“Community service can be as little as making holiday cards to as big as developing campaigns or organizing clean and green events,” she said. “It takes someone with a big heart to research a cause, excite the membership and then organize the service.”
Whether you decide to be innovative or traditional in your efforts, the important matter is instilling a philanthropic effort within your chapter. Supporting a charity will add another opportunity to involve members as well as grow your chapter in more ways than one. Sharing the spirit of PRSSA within the campus and community is a rewarding, charitable experience that is an excellent mode of public relations.
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01.03.08
Posted in PRSA News at 2:43 pm by Tamara McLendon
Its so exciting I can hardly stand it. Not only are we sold out for the Spinks Banquet on January 10, but the Judging Committee has finished the selection of the 2007 award winners. It’s all very hush-hush, but let me assure you that we’ve had some incredible nominations and it was a very difficult decision. We’re looking forward to making the big announcement next week.
We’re adding a new twist to the event this year: the three finalists for the Outstanding PR award will showcase their nominated campaigns in a display at the Spinks reception, hosted by RLF Communications. Stop by and visit with them as you’re enjoying your glass of wine and hors d’oeuvres before the dinner and awards presentation, hosted by BB&T. It’ll be a great opportunity to talk about how to turn everyday PR into outstanding PR, with people who know the difference.
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