We have just kicked off our spring internship session—it’s amazing to see how doe-eyed and raw a new intern can be. It’s natural to be timid and shy in a new setting, but to make the most of your public relations and communications internship, you’ve got to have presence.

Got moxie?

This industry is about perception. Everything you do — from what you wear to how you shake hands — determines how others see you and helps others shape your opinion of yourself.

Ultimately, what you do (and don’t do) will help you progress faster up the ladder of success.

Whether you’re beginning your first job or starting an internship, I offer this food for thought:

First Impressions

You know the saying, “a first impression is a lasting impression” and you may never get a second chance. In addition to appropriate dress, making a good first impression includes a number of qualities such as a firm handshake, a strong tone of voice, a smile, eye contact, and the ability to gracefully start a conversation.

 Office Politics

Avoid any subjects that might damage your reputation at work, make others think negatively about how well you can do your job, or that are controversial. Basically, anything you wouldn’t say to your grandmother should all be given a wide berth.

You can talk about issues and projects, but don’t talk about people.

Don’t take sides, but do steer clear of office politics. I like to avoid the taboo topics: politics, religion, money, relationships, and problems at home.

Keep your work relationships professional. Keep your personal information to yourself and don’t bring your personal problems to work. Don’t let your life become the office gossip, and don’t drag others into your personal drama. You want people to talk about your good work, not your dirty laundry.

Punctuality

Being prompt conveys a perception of enthusiasm, responsibility, and respect for others.

Arrive on time for work, meetings, and appointments—especially if you are just starting your job or internship. Oh, and always show up to EVERY meeting with a notebook and a pen!

Be Willing to Work at Work

Every assignment you take –or for that matter, don’t take–creates an impression of willingness to work, capability, and ultimately how successful you will be in your role.

For the young professional just starting out

• Accept additional work responsibilities.
• Work late when needed.
• Show enthusiasm about your work.
• Monitor your own progress and meet with your supervisor for feedback.

For interns, learn to deal with “gofer work” and some down time—internships are not always glamorous. Perform even routine tasks well.

In closing, as a young professional or intern in the communications field, having presence boils down to understanding the culture you work in and respecting the people you work with. Listen more than you talk, ask questions, and learn names quickly.

What do you think gives a young professional “presence?”

A three-week internship does not give you a lot of time to learn the ins-and-outs of a business. It’s rushed, and if you aren’t making the most out of the experience every day, then you’re just wasting your time. Endicott College, where I attend school, requires a three week, 120-hour internship during the winter intersession of freshman and sophomore year.

The freshman year internship is the hardest one, because you only get a semester’s worth of schooling before you’re thrown out into the real world. The sophomore year internship is a little easier, because it’s the second time around, but it’s still hard to do only three weeks of internship. As soon as you’re getting into the swing of things, it’s time to pack up and leave! There are of course some places that make you feel welcome and settled right away, so you are able to make the most out of the experience. If you are seeking an internship with hands-on experience in the field of public relations, marketing and advertising, an internship at Calypso Communications could be a great fit (it was for me!)

Here are a few things I’ve learned during my time at Calypso:

1.     I’ve found that the more enthusiasm you show for the smaller tasks, the more likely a company is to hand you more responsibility. I was given a lot of tasks to complete while working at Calypso. There was never a dull moment; I always had something I could work on if I finished my assignments for the day. I completed a multitude of different projects, from simple filing tasks to actually writing a press release. I also had the benefit of having a car nearby, so I could run client errands. The more enthusiasm I showed, the more responsibility I was given.

2.     Research skills are important. You’ll most likely be asked to do some research for your company, and it’s important that you know how to research effectively. For example, I had the pleasure of working with a new client, My Breast Cancer Support. It is a local non-profit organization that provides support and resources to local patients with breast cancer. I got to sit in on the launch meeting for their new 2012 campaign and it was a great learning experience for me. I had to research information about other local non-profits in the area, to prepare for the meeting as well as find statistics to further our knowledge about the company and surrounding areas.

3.     Ask questions! Ask them often, and ask them to everyone. When you are working in a professional setting, it is intimidating. However, you must never let that get to you. Being shy won’t get you anywhere in the real world. If you are given a project, it becomes your responsibility to complete the assignment. You have to give it your all, to show the company that you’re dedicated – and you MUST ask questions. Ask about everything and anything you’re unsure about. It’s better to ask a hundred questions and do it perfectly, than to stay quiet and have to do it over again. Trust me – I learned that lesson the hard way!

My time at Calypso is now complete, and I am thankful for the knowledge I have gained. I have gotten to know the people working here, and I enjoyed my time with them. It was a wonderful experience, and I recommend an internship here to anyone interested in the public relations, marketing or advertising fields.

Susan Bradford

@suelizabrad

Endicott College

After all, a tweet from an elite influencer on Klout lives up to 67 times longer than does a tweet from an under-networked Twitterer.  And if these firms all purport to foster deeper engagement with key audiences, it stands to reason that, as we move into 2012, their respective Klout rankings might be become check-box items for prospects evaluating partners. Right up front, I’m not claiming that this is a definitive list of Top Firms in all buckets, or that all of the proper players are in here. We pulled from some of the standard industry rankings reports, primarily based on revenues, and then found the associated Klout scores of those agencies.

If your firm isn’t listed, mea culpa. Our exercise wasn’t to round up a list of the best firms, but rather to show a representative sampling of the Klout scores of some of the industry’s key players.

What does it all mean? Like everyone else, we aren’t exactly sure. But the findings would seem to suggest that firms with the highest Klout scores are either truly engaged in the social sphere, or have simply tweaked their presence to game the Klout system.

In the end, I think most folks looking at this data honestly would agree it’s better to have a higher score than a lower one, even if the long-term benefits associated with superior numbers remain to be fleshed out:

I’ve been sucked into the social media site for more hours than I’d like to admit combing through images for fashion, home décor and style inspiration. And I’m not alone.

Experian Hitwise reports that Pinterest “received nearly 11 million total visits during the week ending December 17, 2011, almost 40 times the number of total visits versus just six months ago.”  To put that in perspective – it’s growing at the rate that Facebook was back in 2006.Haven’t tried Pinterest yet? It’s basically an interactive, shareable scrapbook.  Users can “pin” any images that they like to themed “boards” with a very brief description and a link back to the original source. With each pin users also have the option to share their find on Twitter and Facebook – thereby endorsing a product or brand to their entire social network.  The website is simple, beautifully designed and constantly changing – it’s crack for the visually-inclined.

So what does this have to do with your business? Even though Pinterest is still in its infancy, it has the potential to be an incredible marketing tool and in-the-know PR firms are already helping clients maximize the benefits.  Savvy brands are starting to use Pinterest to build their reputation by pinning and sharing not just their own products, but images related to their company identity.  Check out West Elm, Whole Foods and Real Simple Magazine to see great examples of brands using the website to engage with consumers.  It’s also great for SEO and link building. When someone pins an image from your website, both the image AND the link are pulled. That means every time a user repins that image, your link will be repined as well – building up a great amount of backlinks.

Ready to get started? Blueglass recently laid out five helpful tips for brands building a presence on Pinterest:

1. Follow, Repin & Like others As with any other social network, you need to share the love. This is also the best way to zero in on influencers and encourage them to follow you back and repin your pins by frequently sharing their pins.

2. Encourage employees to set up their own accounts Build clout as an industry authority by letting your staff showcase how passionate they are about your field. For example, this Kate Spade graphic designer has a few pins of her company’s products, but more importantly she demonstrates she’s a tuned in part of the fashion community by being active on this network.

3. Create boards BEYOND your products and your brand… …yet still related to your industry. For example, a home decor company could pin do-it-yourself books and a bakery could pin some favorite kitchen gadgets.

4. Add a Pinterest icon Let your audience know you’re here by adding a Pinterest icon to your other on-site social buttons.

5. Incorporate a “Pin It” button Even if you aren’t going to set up a profile on Pinterest, you can still get your brand involved by including a “pin it” button on your product pages or blog posts. You can also add the button to blog posts using the WordPress Pinterest plugin.

Happy pinning!

Part 1 of a continuing series

Your public relations or communications internship may be the first time you’ve worked in a professional setting. The rules are different among firms, so you must figure out the appropriate code of conduct—from dress, to culture, to formal company policies and reporting.

Public relations, advertising, and marketing, is all about perception. What you wear determines how others see you and help others determine how you see yourself. And believe it or not, your attire will help determine your career success.

93 percent *of public relations managers polled said a person’s style of dress at work influences his or her chances of earning a promotion; among them, 33 percent said on-the-job attire “significantly” affects an employee’s advancement prospects.

This is important for public relations or communications interns hoping to move into a full time job with the internship provider.

There are three levels of business attire: Traditional Business Attire; Business Formal; and Business Casual. First and foremost, ask what the dress expectation is and then look to your mentors and supervisors to set the standard.

A good guideline: follow what your peers wear. Never be the least casual dresser and always dress better at the beginning of your internship until you get an idea of the office climate.

Most firms from Boston to Portsmouth NH to Portland Maine have moved to Business Casual.

So what is Business Casual?

The definition varies significantly across companies. The word “business” is still the primary focus. Casual as it relates to apparel merely means “informal”. Being too casual in business can sabotage your career.

While ties are usually not required for men, the range for business casual includes suits worn with dressy sport shirts or dressy collared sport shirts that do not require a tie to khakis, chinos, and knit golf shirts. To command respect, wear all-leather belts and shoes; sandals and sneakers do meet a true business casual standard.

Business casual is harder to define for women–tailored separates, such as skirts, slacks, blouses, sweaters, sweater sets, and jackets. A complete accessorized look is encouraged, including closed-toe/closed heel shoes or slingbacks to maximize the businesslike aspect.

Other considerations:

• Think comfort. While you want to look professional, those high heels might have you limping by the end of the day.
• Think about the jewelry you wear –both traditional and non-traditional (body piercings, etc.).
• Tattoos should also be covered up whenever possible.
• Keep in mind hair styles and facial hair in the work place.

So when you start your internship this month, be sure to inquire—please comment below with tips to encourage our readers and interns on how to dress for success!

*National Association of Colleges and Employers, 2007

Stroop describes the tendency of our minds to give more weight (technically “directed attention”) to words than to colors. For example, when we see the word ‘blue’ written in green ink, the anterior cingulate part of our brain kicks in and we quickly read ‘blue’ without stumbling. John Ridley Stroop reported this finding as part of a Ph.D. thesis in 1935 and his search of a region that lies between the right and left halves of the frontal portion of the brain. In college it helped us laser onto the word ‘beer’ despite unappetizing color palettes and gaudily cluttered downtown storefronts. Ultimately, humans are involuntary readers, constrained by evolution to put more and faster weight on meaning than presentation.

So why worry about this stuff as 2012 approaches? It’s a combination of business and politics – perennial year-end antagonists along with the Super Bowl. It’s a business focus for us because PR is a labor of words – meaning, context, syntax, and nuance. With successful clients across New England and the U.S. engaged in “clean coal,” “socially responsible development,” and “sustainable environmental practices” – not to mention a bevy of companies boasting products as “revolutionary,” “innovative,” and “value focused” – we’re strong proponents of the power of messaging. And we’re not surprised by Stroop; just challenged on behalf of Calypso’s graphic design and interactive marketing team to keep up.

Politics is another Stroop natural, with the presidential debates an example. Do red ties, flag pins, and starched white shirts gloss over drawled nonsense, memory lapses, or swirling confusion? Not likely. We heard what we heard, didn’t hear, or wanted to hear. This makes me wonder if the Stroop effect extends to reading and listening skills, and our ability to sort words from wrapping. Do words compete with each other when they’re the same color but assault the brain with moral conflict? If so, Stroop may be what helps most of us quickly sort out the non sequitur in “President Trump” or, to be bipartisan, “President Kucinich.”

Calypso has always believed that words always win and the message is key, so the Stroop task is welcome science. As 2011 closes and business and politics both struggle to keep our attention, don’t let the visual absence of snow or the gray sky backdrops of winter dampen your spirit.

Just read, “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry,” in any color, and follow your frontal lobes to seasonal cheer.

“Why do you want to get into PR?” I ask right off the bat.

“Well, I really like working with people,” is usually the first thing they fire back with.

“Okay, but you can work with people as a grocery store clerk or a tour guide,” I say. “You have to give me more than that.”

And so on. At some point I like to point out what I view to be a list of disqualifiers. If two or more of these sound like you, well, you’d probably suck at PR:

1. You can’t handle rejection – in PR, you hear “not interested” far more often then you hear “tell me more!” Reporters can be a cranky bunch, particularly if you make the mistake of calling them when they’re staring down the barrel of a deadline. PR is a lot of things, but make no mistake, when it comes to pitching, we’re talking about sales. Yes, it’s highly targeted and customized sales, but sales nonetheless. Got thin skin? No? Keep reading.
2. Your writing skills are suspect – if writing assignments make you sweat, head for the showers because PR isn’t for you. In my view the most important skill you bring to the table as a PR pro is your ability to write compelling, conversational prose that inspires people – reporters, clients, your colleagues – to take action. Can you improve your writing skills? Sure. But if you’re not a solid writer after completing umpteen years of formal schooling, I predict a short PR career for you. Sorry to be blunt.
3. You’re as creative as a cafeteria napkin – In PR we brainstorm constantly, always trying to get our synapses firing to spark a one-of-a-kind idea that will get people talking about our clients. Of 100 ideas thrown against the wall, only one or two has the potential to stick. Does creative brainstorming in a group setting sound mortifying to you? Hmm. Something to noodle over.
4. You hate collaborating – If it drives you nuts when other people try to mess with your work, PR might not be your gig. We’re constantly editing, tweaking, fiddling and massaging our teams’ work. We’re really never done refining, and it’s rare that one person is left to go rogue for a period of time. PR agency life is a team sport, sport.
5. You aren’t well read – If you aren’t hungry to read all you can about your clients’ respective industries, PR will be a slog. Do you read voraciously in your personal life? No? Do you really think you’ll want to read vast quantities of copy about your client’s industry, competitors, financials, etc? Be honest with yourself.
6. You have no network – Does your network consist of your cousins and home town buddies? That ain’t gonna fly in the PR world. In our business your connections are gold. They open doors to new business, media opportunities, events and other goodies. Sometimes clients need urgent favors. The seasoned PR pro can usually tap into his or her network and get one granted.
7. You hate surprises – Well — SURPRISE! – things change so quickly in PR that your head will spin. Your client’s product launch will get delayed. Your co-worker will quit to travel the world. You’ll lose an account through acquisition, and you’ll be forced to learn new tools of the trade with alarming speed. If you’re a creature of habit, you might want a job doing something more predictable.
8.  You don’t see the point of social media – If you’re reading this blog post, congratulations: you now see the value of social media. You don’t have to use every social media tool in the world, but you do need to value its impact on business. PR professionals engage with multiple audiences across multiple platforms. Hey, you said you like working with people, right?
9. You clam up in front of others – Do you feel like passing out when public speaking? You have my sympathies on this one, because after all these years I still get nervous when going to a pitch, sitting on a panel or media training a room full of executives. The good news is that, unlike writing, this problem can in fact be overcome. It takes time and guts, but it’s not a deal-breaker for me.
10. You love reading cat blogs – Just kidding. I just think people who read cat blogs are lame.

What’d I miss? Let me have it in the comments section below.

There is a public backlash against social influence ranking tools such as Klout, Peerindex and the myriad similar tools that are sprouting up with breakneck speed to measure your influence in social media.

It’s a slow motion riot, though, because nobody is sure exactly what these barometers will ultimately mean for themselves, for influencers and for agencies of all social stripes.

The arguments against these hierarchical tools are many, but the coherence of that message is diluted by the inconsistent gripes and grievances about said tools. Some want the algorithms changed; some want Klout killed; some are publicly renouncing their Klout citizenship.

But we do know this: much like “tax breaks for millionaires,” influential social media players benefit the most from these social rankings. For example, tweets from folks with higher Klout scores last up to 67 times longer than tweets from social commoners. Perhaps that’s why some folks like Jason Falls are coming out against the Klout naysayers. Read: Please Don’t Quit Klout. Or at Least Don’t Announce It.

“Guess what? 99.9 percent of the people you really care about in the world don’t measure you with a number,” Jason writes. “Neither do most people who have half a brain. So why be a 0.1 per center? Ignore the score.”

I think Jason (who I know a little bit and admire) makes fair points, but it’s what he doesn’t say that resonates loudest to me. As it relates social influence dominance, he’s an elite among the elites – squarely in the 0.1 percent of influencers. If social media assets were property, he’d basically own Rhode Island.

He’s winning the Social Arms Race, one blog post at a time.

Therefore, theoretically folks like Jason have the most to lose – in terms of “perks” and the dissemination and longevity of his prolific content generation machine – than do people who simply dabble in social channels.

To be crystal clear, tools like Klout didn’t do jack to make Mr. Falls successful; his brain and ambition won that battle long ago. But back to that “tax break for fat cats analogy,” Klout and similar tools are just gravy for those who already enjoy the most influence in the social sphere. While the 99 percent scrambles and scrapes for crumbs of digital recognition, the folks at the top (deservedly, IMHO) are bellied up to the buffet of social benefits.

Just like corporate titans the elite social influencers were first, best, or more determined than you or I to win at the social game, and today they reap the rewards. Just as the uber wealthy consider themselves the “job creators,” the social elite are bona fide content creators that provide the brain droppings that are the lubricant of the social sharing machinery.

Don’t hate the playa, hate the game, right?

Which brings us back to the influence ranking tools themselves. They are proliferating. They are iterating. And the net result, I’d argue, will be a dilutive effect on the prevalence of any one service.

Source: Adweek

The democratization of influence is what the anti-Klout groups are fighting for, even if the message is thinly veiled as “flaws with the tool.” The 99 percent of social media users resent the 1 percent of social media kings like Jason Falls, who wishes everyone would quit whining and ignore the disparity, because it doesn’t matter much, anyway. Wink, wink.

As for me, I have a fairly respectable Klout score that toggles back and forth around the 50 mark. I get a few perks thrown my way – a coupon to this; a free pass to that. I’m not in David Armano or Brian Solis territory by any stretch, and I’m okay with that.

But I think I’m like most people who watch the Occupy Wall Street movement with a feeling of detachment. I feel the pain of folks who think the influence game is rigged, but I’m not suffering any discernable ill consequences from the disparity between the haves and the have-nots.

No, I’m content to keep working at providing great content so that I might increase engagement with my target audiences through my humble written offerings. I’ll never be in the 1 percent (unless Justin Bieber decides to make it his life’s mission to flog my content).

I will not opt out of Klout. I will not rail against its inherent flaws, or those of its competitors. I will instead put my head down and do great work, and know that the reward is in the doing, not in the getting.

Fueled by spiked eggnog and an overload of high-sugar goodies, Holiday parties also tend to bring out less-than-professional behavior. It’s worthwhile to remind yourself that just because you’re wearing a festive sweater and Bing Crosby is playing over the loudspeaker, the same networking rules still apply. Introduce yourself to at least three new contacts, keep your business card handy and limit your trips to the holiday punch bowl. Remember that the holiday party can be a great opportunity to make a professional connection with a new contact that could help you reach your goals in 2012 – long after the Santa hat has been packed away. 

Don't be this guy.

PR Daily recently ran the following clever list of “The six people you meet in networking hell.” I’d take a guess that you might run into a few of these characters at your next holiday shindig – just don’t be one of them!

1. Barbie and/or Ken. Let’s start with the best and possibly most pitiful. Barbie and Ken are almost always represented at these things, although sometimes you may only get one or the other. But they’re there, all dolled up, their skin stretched way tight across their face. Why do they attend? Because they want you to look at them, of course. Looking in the mirror does get old after awhile, doesn’t it? Oh, did I mention they are usually too old to try and look so young?

2. The leech. If you’re extremely unlucky, you’ve gotten caught by the leech before. This is a person who isn’t comfortable going up to new people and forming lots of connections. Instead, they will sense the easiest target, anyone who remotely shows any interest in them, and will attach themselves. Once they start sucking your blood, they’ll be with you the entire night, gravy training on all your conversations.

3. The overly-important guy. This guy is out of place and he knows it. “Why the hell am I here,” is written all over his face and you’re wasting your time if you try and hand him your business card. He probably has a million business cards just like yours and won’t remember you five seconds from now.

4. The newbie. Everyone is a networking rookie at one time. However, some handle it worse than others. They usually go around telling everyone, whispering out of the corner of their mouth, that they’ve “never been to one of these things.” And they ask lots of annoying questions like “how does this work” and “what do we do now.” Act like you’ve been there before, man!

5. The overly ambitious. The overly ambitious will not stop until they have shaken every hand and exchanged business cards with every person in the room. They typically talk so fast that you’d swear they were on something. Of course, being so ambitious, they will probably call you and may even be a good contact. So don’t hesitate to talk to them.

6. The drunk. This one might be better than Barbie and Ken. More fun to watch anyway. These events almost always have free booze of some sort. Usually wine. Anyway, the drunk volunteers to attend these meetings because … well, he knows he’ll get to drink for free (and not have to drink alone that night). Unfortunately, he almost always has too much and walks around glass-eyed, making little sense. It’s a waste of your marketing time to talk to him, but it certainly adds to the entertainment value.

Have you run into any of these characters at your networking events this holiday season?

I am not alone in thinking some companies have lost their way.  You can see some of the “meanest ads” and vote for your top pick on the Washington Post’s blog.

I’m on the fence about TJX Companies Get Out of the Mall ads.  Love the singing and dancing and the message of saving –  but telling people to get out of the mall seems mean. I know in my marketing brain that share of wallet is all that matters – but I like that to be veiled at Christmas….bring me to your store because you have great things that bring joy and happiness – even world peace, but don’t dis other places to woo me.

These aren’t political ads my friends, they are Christmas ads – which should uplift and support the joy of the season all while encouraging purchasing of course– but all for the goal of bringing a smile to someone’s face. So with that in mind I think my favorite ad for its use of beloved imagery and prose is the Mercedes spot.  Looks like I’m putting a red sports car on my list this year – hey if it’s good enough for Santa…

What is your favorite 2011 Christmas marketing campaign?