best lesson learned in PR Step outside your comfort zone and don’t always mold to the “standards” that people tell you to meet. Challenge yourself and your colleagues — but make sure it’s done in a professional manner. People are always willing to listen to new and
creative ideas, and they respect you for it. Sure, it might not be the best
idea, but it shows your passion for the job. If you’ve never spoken at a conference before and it scares you, do it if you’re asked. Put yourself out there and don’t be afraid.
advice to a new PR pro Don’t be afraid to reach out to those you think are more experienced. Being a
reverse mentor can really work for you, but you have to be confident that you
will be able to talk with them. Seasoned professionals are more than happy to
talk with you, but you have to take that first step sometimes. Don’t expect them to come to you.
trade secrets Everyone makes mistakes, but if you’re willing to admit them right away and come to the table with a solution, that
will make you a better PR professional. Be open and friendly to everyone in the
field, because it’s a small PR world out there. You never know when that person you networked with
will be working alongside you on a project, can provide a new opportunity, or
will become a mentor and lifelong friend.
favorite movies “Tombstone,” “From Russia with Love,” “Office Space” and “Almost Famous”
hobbies traveling, blogging, community service, wakeboarding, playing in a soccer
league, working on vintage cars, being completely obsessed with Green Bay
Packers football (this is definitely a hobby)
this much I know It’s ok to put work down at the end of the day. Take the night to recharge and be
fresh in the morning. It’s so easy to always have your BlackBerry on and check messages, but sometimes it’s a good idea to realize that yes, it can wait. Sometimes projects can’t, but you have to have that balance. Enjoy life and learning from your fellow
PR professionals, because you never know where your next big idea will come
from.
To be featured in the PRSA Member Spotlight, e-mail your responses and a photo
to lauravanhoosier@msn.com. You can choose not to answer any questions or add some.
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
Andra Bennett House, APR, Greater Fort Worth PRSA
E-chatting the other day with a fellow Beatlemaniac from junior high, we mulled
whether we had the time, energy and dinero for the Paul McCartney concert at Cowboys Stadium. (We’d seen Ringo together back in ’88 in Dallas.) Finally my friend playfully suggested we do what her teenage son
often advises: “Let’s don’t go, but say we did.”
We may be able to get away with that a time or two in our social lives, but what
about when it spills over into the workplace? How many times have you heard: “Oh yes, those figures are six months old but use them in the release anyway. No
one will ever check.” “How do we make these customer survey results say what WE want them to say?” “Just tell the reporter I’m out of town.” “This grassroots campaign is funded by an industry special-interest group, but we’re going to roll it out under the auspices of the foundation.” These words are not coming out of a teenager’s mouth. They are spoken by employers, clients and colleagues. Where’s the line for you?
Join us at the PRSA professional development workshop Wednesday, Sept. 9 — “Building a Recession-Proof Brand Communications Strategy Through Ethical
Decision Making” (fortworthprsa.org/events.htm) presented by Alan Hilburg, president and CEO of Virginia-based Hilburg Associates. Formerly president of
DFW’s Bloom Co., Alan is an award-winning author, filmmaker, teacher and senior
adviser in organizational transition communications and marketing.
The half-day workshop with interactive small groups and illustrative examples is
presented in conjunction with PRSA national’s Ethics Month. Kudos to Lauren Kwedar, professional development chair, and Margaret Ritsch, ethics chair, for crafting this excellent opportunity to revisit the PRSA Code
of Ethics with challenging activities and meaningful take-aways.
Don’t just say you came. Get a ticket to ride. Register today.
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PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
Cheryl Hart, IABC Fort Worth
If you’re looking for a place to exchange best practices with top communicators around
the globe, consider how IABC can help. Let us count the ways.
1) Relationships. Whether at monthly chapter luncheons, other local IABC events or online through
MemberSpeak and MemberSearch, your colleagues can make meaningful contributions
to your professional and personal life.
2) Ideas and inspiration. Check out Communication World magazine, CW Bulletin (online content library) and
a host of other online resources.
3) Credibility in the business community. Belonging to IABC makes a statement that you’re serious about your career and committed to your profession. Some members find
that IABC’s accreditation gives them objective evidence of their mastery of the field.
We will delve into “The Next Generation of Interactive Relationship Building” with web guru and PullMedia architect David Moskovic, digital strategy director for Ascend Marketing, at the Sept. 22 monthly
luncheon. Discover how to upgrade your online communications strategy through
the ever-changing and increasingly interactive web arena. Don’t miss out!
September also is IABC Worldwide Membership Month, when communication
professionals can have access to a variety of tools, best practices and expert
opinions on the IABC web site. We’ll waive the $40 application fee for faxed, mailed or phone-in enrollments and
re-enrollments and the $30 for online applications received this month. So now
is a good time to research the benefits of joining IABC. We look forward to
seeing you at our next monthly luncheon.
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OVER & OUT
John Dycus, Fort Worth SPJ
You can’t beat Joe T.’s, even if we have had to raise the meal cost a little (the high price of
chips!), and you can’t beat seasoned arts critics discussing what they know — the arts and well-articulated commentary. Think of it as corn complementing the
corn. That probably could be said better, but you get the idea. We launch a new
season Wednesday, Sept. 23, and it’ll be flat as a tortilla under an anvil without you. Seating is limited in this
particular room at the restaurant, so stop what you’re doing r’at now (channeling
Jack Raskopf) and RSVP. ...
Chapter leaders Eddye Gallagher, Kim Pewitt-Jones and Kay Pirtle report a robust information exchange last month at the 2009 SPJ Convention and
National Journalism Conference in Indianapolis. For those who couldn’t attend, a collection of streaming media is available for the viewing. New media is still being uploaded. Log in and
listen to Roxana Saberi, the freelance journalist imprisoned in Iran from Jan. 31 to May 11, address a
room full of student journalists; to experienced journalists and coaches
discuss how to handle losing your job; or to academician Gary Schwitzer explain how to be a “healthy skeptic covering health news." ...
Looking for the best social media web sites to emulate or learn from? Boston
Globe staffer Emily Sweeney (twitter.com/emilysweeney) has your list right here: wiredjournalists.com/, network with more than 3,300 members; muckrack.com/, journalists on Twitter, listed by beat and media outlet; visualeditors.ning.com/, social network for graphically inclined journos (designers, photographers,
videographers et al.); testycopyeditors.org, message board for copy desk folks; and bit.ly/twitterideas, extensive list of Twitter tools and resources compiled by Columbia J-School
tech superstar and former FW SPJ banquet draw Sree Sreenivasan.
Closing words: “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire
to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” — E.B. White ... “The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” — Bertrand Russell ... “There is no power on earth that can neutralize the influence of a high, pure,
simple and useful life.” — Booker T. Washington ... “Our Republic and its press will rise or fall together.” — Joseph Pulitzer
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