Chapter 19: Measuring Success
Posted on: December 5, 2011
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In the field of public relations, your steps don’t end after your campaign or program is published. Measuring success is key to figuring out how successful your campaign was. By measuring success, you are getting feedback from those who were exposed to your campaign. Our book, Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques indicates that before evaluating your program it is important that you should agree on what criteria will be used to evaluate the success.
Often times survey, questionnaires and interview are used to gain feedback but in the field of public relations the book states that the most common form of measurement is compilation of media mentions. Being in this field, everything you published is circulated throughout the media and to many different audiences. The monitoring service indicates what that an audience was exposed to your message. In our society today the internet is a tool widely used for tracking, it allows for up to date even up to the second updates on who visits the site, how often the site is visited, and what link/page is looked at the most. It’s crazy how technology these days can allow for companies to receive instant feedback on something they published rather than old fashion survey, emails or paper questionnaires.
I think as technology begins to evolve more we will see less and less physical feedback sheets rather everything will be done on the computer and companies will automatically be able to receive their measurements. Personally, I like doing surveys and questionnaires when they are available but most others don’t so finding a way to measure the success of campaign, product, company or program in a more efficient way is what companies are leaning towards now.
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No matter where you turn you can tell that the holiday season has finally begun. As Thanksgiving came and went, we are now entering the best time of the year, Christmas.
As you begin to drive around you start to see the Christmas lights strung throughout the town whether it’s on your local town’s lightpost or your neighbor’s house, the night is defintely illuminated.
Stores have definetly brought the Chrsitmas spirit out in full effect. As I made my way through the mall this past week I couldn’t help but hear the Chrsitmas tunes that blared throughout. Now, I’m no grinch but over excessive Christmas music often grinds my ears. Going from store to store, I’ve noticed they each had their own rendition of Christmas classics and after two hours in the mall I could officially say I was done listening to Christmas music.
My main purpose for going to mall wasn’t to rant about the music playing rather to begin looking for gifts I need to pay for all those in my family. The hardest part about Christmas for me is buying gifts, I’m the ultimate procastinator so this year I thought I’d try and get my shopping done alittle sooner but my venture in the mall only ended with me buying clothes for myself.
After much delibration, I realized the only way I will get my shopping done successfully this year is to have each member of my family photograph or specifically tell me what the want. I’m hoping that this will eliminate my time of aimlessly walking through stores and not leaving with gifts.
While I love the holidays and everything that goes along with them, I hope that this year with my new plan I will be able to get my shopping done prior to a week before Christmas and not be forced to listen to the music for hours on end.
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Thus far our book has focused on the tactical aspects of public relations which mainly focus around our writing creativity, but this chapter teaches us the steps in planning a good promotional program and campaign.
Before creating the program the most important step you must do is consult with your client or management. This step serves two very important purposes; the first it gets everybody involved in what is going on and secondly it gives you a good basis as to what information you need to start making your plan. It is important to gather as much information as you possibly can to ensure the best outcome when creating your plan.
The chapter lists out many elements that go into a successful plan. These elements are all important in their own ways but some I believe are more important than others.
Audience like in every situation must be carefully identified to ensure that the message is directly effecting them. Making a plan is a way to communicate to certain groups individually so identifying them and centralizing your message to them is key in these situations like many other public relations situations.
Tactics that go into creating a plan are also very important. The book describes the tactics as the “how to do it” or execution part of the entire plan. Your tactics usually describe each specific way that the plan is going to reach the objectives. This gives the audience a better understanding as to what is going really going on to make this a successful plan.
Timing is key in situations like these. Timing deals with when the campaign is going to be conducted, the sequence in which all activity will take place and how the messages will be reached. Timing gives your audience an understanding of when everything is going to happen and allows them to plan their day according to your timeline; it is crucial that your calendar of events is accurate for your audience.
The idea of planning a program/campaign helps public relations practitioners put their organizational and creative skills to work in other ways beside print. although it may be time-consuming to create, the many different aspects to planning make for an effective program or campaign.
For months rumors have circulated that the 2011-2012 NBA season would be cancelled completely but after 149-day lockout that does not seem to be the case.
Early this past Saturday, NBA commissioner David Stern held a press conference confirming that both the players and owners have reached an agreement and the season will tentatively start on Christmas Day with a triple header.
The season will be drastically cut short this year, going from the regular 82 games to 66 games this season.
While details on the agreement haven’t been discussed, both players and owners seem content with the decision.
This lockout ending has put not only players back in work but also employees of NBA arenas. This whole lockout focused mainly on players not getting their money without realizing how this lockout jeopardized others as well. While players are making millions and complaining about pay, we must also think of the others that make the season go on in arenas all across the country who may depend on a season to make their living.
For the world of sports the news that the lockout had ended was thrilling, christmas hit early for many of those die-hard fans, who now can’t wait to watch NBA season.
Every article I read seemed to lead me to links on Twitter of players reactions to hearing lockout had ended; here are some of the most amusing:
- Carmelo Anthony- “Just wanna say Thank You to the fans for your patience and understanding thru all this!!!!!! Glad to give you the game of basketball back.”
- LeBron James– “Man I just got up not to long ago and see we have a deal! I feel like my kids on X-mas day! So juiced!!”
- Blake Griffin– “This must be how the guys in Space Jam felt when MJ gave them their powers back through that old basketball.”
- Kevin Durant– “Mannnn im bouta to get a ratchet tattoo on my ribs that say “survived the nba lockout in 2011”
- Hassan Whiteside– “The lockout OVER no more peanut better n jelly sandwiches n Ramen noodlleeee”
- Vernon Macklin– “I bet almost every NBA player up right now textin each other to see how serious they r about the season starting lol Cuz I am”
Chapter 17: Events and Meetings
Posted on: November 14, 2011
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As the digital age is taking over it is still vital for business to create meetings and events. According to Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques, the greatest value in having events is that they allow for audience participation and face-to-face in real-time settings. Having events allows companies and organizations to add more brand awareness and loyalty.
When creating events or promotional campaigns, the use of celebrity appearance can help increase attendance. While the use of celebrity endorser can help boost an image, the cost is what often sets companies back.
After graduation I plan on working in the entertainment aspects more so with event planning and coordinating. Reading this chapter has helped me realize that there is a lot more that goes into planning that what we think. Knowing the five main components listed in the book is crucial when planning an event. After reading through the components of planning an event, I choose my top three.
- Location: I have always heard that without a location you really have no event. Choosing your location you must think of the accessibility you have to accommodate everyone invited. The last thing you want is to have a location where you can’t fit everyone or everything you need for the event.
- Timing: Make sure that when you set up an event that you make it convenient for people attending.
- Attendance: Sending out invitations about 3 months in advance to ensure that your attendees have enough time to plan on attending. Make sure that you also send out periodic reminders before the event.
The three items listed above I feel are what make or break an event, without the people or event, you really don’t have what you need to promote your items. At the end of the day, the key in events and meetings is to ensure that you aren’t wasting time of the individuals you need to help promote your brand.
5 Bizarre Weight Loss Tricks
Posted on: November 13, 2011
I was recently skimming through the news page on Yahoo and came across the this article entitled 5 Bizarre Weight Loss Tricks that Work. The title alone automatically caught my interest and I couldn’t resist but to read it.
As women sometimes we are so indulged in searching for new ways to loss weight and this article had tricks that I had never heard of before. We always want to find the easiest way to lose weight but often times find ourselves doing these crazy diets that are actually worse for you than better. This article doesn’t tell you to eliminate a certain food or eat so much of another, rather it tells you tricks to make your body and mind think certain things.
Here are what Readers Digest suggest are the 5 Bizarre Weight Loss Tricks:
- Sniff a banana,apple or peppermint: Your probably thinking this is really strange and how does it work but Dr Alan R. Hirsch of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation found that the more frequently people sniffed, the less hungry they were and the more weight they lost. People who did this lost an average of 30 lb each. One theory is that sniffing the food tricks the brain into thinking you’re actually eating it.
- Hang a mirror opposite to your seat at table: Nobody likes to watch themselves eat and a study found that eating in front of mirrors eliminates the amount people eat by nearly one-third. It suggested that having to look yourself reflects your own inner standards and goals, and reminds you of why you’re trying to lose weight in the first place.
- Surround yourself in blue: If you have ever noticed when your out, restaurants are never decorated in blue because the color is actually functions as an appetite suppressant. Most restaurants are covered in red,orange, or yellow because they are said to encourage eating.
- Shoot your food: Take pictures of your food and file them on your phone or computer. Looking back at the pictures may curb your intake of that food.
- Tie Yourself Up: French women use this technique when going out, they tie ribbon under their clothes to keep conscious on their stomach expanding throughout the night, if the ribbon gets tighter.
While all these techniques may sound really out of the ordinary, they have been known to work!
Bieber Fever is still rising!
Posted on: November 7, 2011
Recently I was watching Chelsea Lately on the E! Network and her special guest was Justin Bieber. He was on the show advertising his new Christmas album, “Under the mistletoe.”
At 17, Bieber’s rise is still continuing and doesn’t seem to be ending soon. When he first came out Bieber Fever took over the nation sweeping through all teenage girls. Bieber to me is our version of the boy bands we had growing up; but I don’t think I have or will ever get
Bieber fever.
He has recently been in the headlines for other reasons than his music though. NY Daily News reports that 2o year old Mariah Yeater is claiming that Bieber is the father of her 3-month old baby boy. Yeater claims that she got pregnant after the two had sex backstage after one of his shows in Los Angeles.
Bieber however fires back saying that he has never met the girl and it never happened.
Bieber appeared on “Today” denying fathering a child with Yeater. “I never met the woman,” Bieber said. “I’d just like to say, basically, that none of those allegations are true,” he added, before taking the stage to perform. “I know that I’m going to be a target, but I’m never going to be a victim.”
I believe that all of this is false and the girl involved is just trying to get any media attention she can. It’s crazy to think that some people will go to any extent to get in the spotlight or at least have their 15 minutes of family. Bieber seems so innocent and little to me to be involved in something like this. I guess DNA test and time will tell if Bieber really did father a child after one of his shows.
Chapter 16: Direct Mail
Posted on: November 7, 2011
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As this era turns more and more to the online world, direct mail is slowly becoming less and less used. In Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques, chapter 16 looks at direct mail and it’s advantages as well as disadvantages.
When most of us get mail in our mailbox we browse through and take out the important letters trashing the rest of the ads or “junk” mail you may receive.
Direct mail is defined as letters and materials mailed to large groups of people in a form of marketing. Direct mail is used to sell ideas, goods or services. Most of the direct mail we receive is from stores promoting sales going on; an example of this would be Macy’s department store sending out seasonal flyers or small magazines to show all the sales going on throughout the week. Also many companies promote their services and usually send out coupons on their flyers. Dobbs or Valvoline often send out coupons advertising oil change, tire replacements or alignments for certain rate.
Companies use direct mail because they are able to reach a large number of consumers. Direct mail also allows companies to control every aspects of their ad, flyer, or brochure. They are able to format and word the ad to their discretion. The book emphasized that there are three advantages to direct mail (1) ability to target your communication to specific individuals, (2) personalization is up to the company, and (3) it’s very cost-effective.
While there are many advantages, the major disadvantage is that direct mail is automatically seen as “junk mail.” People perceive the mail as “useless” information cluttering their mailbox and usually throw it away automatically. The book suggest that nearly half of direct mail goes straight to the garbage without even being opened. I would agree because when I receive direct mail almost always ends up in the trash if I’m not interested in what is being advertised.
As internet being to takes over and society beings to turn more towards electronic mail, direct mailing will become extinct. All the information companies are sending in the mail will soon be sent through e-mails.
Back in the Slammer
Posted on: November 2, 2011
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Will Lindsay Lohan ever learn?
Lohan was sentenced to 30 days in jail on November 2 after violating her probation and her judge didn’t show any sympathy.
Judge Stephanie Sauter said Lohan must surrender herself by November 9th. Lohan will not be eligible this time for house arrest, electronic monitoring or any other early release.
Lohan is being sent back after missing 14 of her 19 court mandated psychotherapy sessions and cancelling 12 of her 20 self appointed downtown women’s center visits.
The real question now is will Lohan do everything if she can to avoid jail time again!?
I personally don’t think so, after so many years of being in trouble Lohan has proved to everyone that she thinks she can get away with whatever. I think this time, the judge however isn’t cutting her any slack. Lohan has been able to slide through many of her community service requirements that now the judge has told her if she doesn’t complete them that no extension will be given to her.
Lohan has also been in the lime light recently about her decision to pose for Playboy. Playboy offered Lohan $750,000 at first but after Lohan denied the offer because she wanted more, Playboy upped the price. Lohan was given 1 million dollars to pose nude.
Reports state that Lohan’s shoot interfered with her daily work at the morgue that she was completing but that didn’t stop her. She went to the shoot instead and skipped out of work, sending them food as an apology instead.
That just goes to show that Lohan has her priorities completely backward and hopefully this new judge has scared her a little into taking her sentencing seriously. Lohan is due to report back and turn herself in November 9. Only time will tell if Lohan has really learned her lesson.
Divorce after 72 days!
Posted on: November 2, 2011
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A few post ago I wrote about Kim Kardashian‘s fairytale wedding and how extravagant it was. However, the fairytale came to a quick end, after 72 days of marriage Kim Kardashian has file for divorce from her NBA husband, Kris Humphries. The new speculation circulating through the media is that the wedding was a complete reality stunt and Kim actually made money off her wedding.
Reports say Kardashian pocketed 20 million dollars from the wedding, through endorsements and TV deals from her wedding being televised. Kardashian’s mom Kris Jenner has gone to multiple radio shows and television shows denying all claims of Kim making money.
My life 