The five-point plan to try , try again
TALES FROM CUBELAND
From “ Failed It ” to “ Nailed It ”
The five-point plan to try , try again
BY RYAN MCSHANE
ACCOUNT MANAGER , TIAA
In my wallet rests a worn , laminated strip of paper that reads , “ Success means having the courage , determination and will to become the person you believe you were meant to be .” George Sheehan ’ s words have served as my North Star for more than a decade , and frequently remind me that I hold the keys to my success .
Success doesn ’ t always come easy , and it often eludes us on a first effort . Taking the time to learn from failures is critical to changing your outcome on the next pass . I ’ ve outlined a few activities below that I find useful in my pursuit of success .
Be honest .
Admit it , you failed ( and that ’ s OK !). Sugarcoating failure only lowers the expectations you have for yourself and potentially others have for you .
It ’ s important to at least recognize if you didn ’ t meet your goal so you can learn , improve and apply in future efforts .
Conduct a postmortem .
Whether it ’ s a conference room full of colleagues or a quiet room with a cup of coffee , document the journey that led to the eventual outcome — good or bad . Did the strategy hold up ? Did people respond how you thought they would ? What were the challenges ? What worked ? What didn ’ t ? What really didn ’ t ? Where did the wheels begin to fall off , and what could you have done to prevent that from happening ?
Conducting a postmortem meeting is an exceptional way to explore every aspect of a project and determine insights that can inform future approaches to replicate or alter outcomes .
Try something new .
I was managing a pair of entry-level practitioners who
were pitching the same story to an equal number of outlets . One was picking up a good deal of coverage while the other wasn ’ t getting the time of day . I decided to investigate and had them send me some examples of their outreach . Save for a few lines , the pitches were identical . The difference was in the subject line . The colleague having all the success decided to invert her subject line to lead with one detail over another .
When you ’ re not getting the results you expect , try a different approach or conduct an A / B test to determine the stronger option .
Optimize near misses .
The TV cameras were there and my spokesperson was hitting all his message points . Everything was going as planned until I turned on the news that evening . One of the anchors completely flubbed the name of the program despite the pitch note and press release I provided to the producer .
While I might have done most things right that day , I optimized my approach moving forward . For broadcast news , which is fast and managed between many parties ( assignment editor , producer , camera crew , reporter and anchor ), I adopted the practice of adding a one-pager to my arsenal that essentially builds the segment for the station . The document contains tightly written bullets outlining the lead , explaining the story and sharing the call to action . This optimization greatly improved message rate delivery and reduced innocent mistakes .
Bring an outsider for a fresh perspective .
In my days of sitting in Cubeland , Nealie Stufflet occupied the office across from my desk . Most years we worked on different accounts , but Nealie was one of my favorite resources in the office for floating pitch angles . She gave me candid feedback that helped me see the story through the lens of an unbiased participant , and it often altered my plan of attack .
Sometimes it takes that person who has never heard of your brand , product or cause to give you unbiased feedback . We spend so much time learning every aspect of our work that we sometimes forget the end user ’ s experience .
MEET THE CHAMPIONS
From Student to Champion : Following Betsy ’ s Footsteps as a Leader and Mentor
BY SARAH DOUGHERTY
PRSSA VICE PRESIDENT OF CAREER SERVICES
“ Aspire and be inspired ,” Betsy Plank , APR , Fellow PRSA , said in one of her most famous quotes . When Plank helped found PRSSA and Champions for PRSSA , initially called “ Friends of PRSSA ,” she helped spark a new organization and era in the public relations profession that centered around student engagement and mentorship . Jacquie McMahon , assistant account executive at Ketchum New York , kept Betsy ’ s spirit alive throughout her experience in PRSSA and transition into the young professional lifestyle , and is now one of the many outstanding Champions for PRSSA .
McMahon was one of the lucky few who began college knowing that public relations was her ideal career . She served as firm director of Capstone Agency , the University of Alabama ’ s Nationally Affiliated Student-run Firm , and as the president of UA PRSSA . She also participated in the Bateman Case Study Competition . Now involved with PRSA and working with The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations , McMahon has experienced mentorship as both a mentee and now as a mentor .
“ Mentor [ ing ] is being a role model for all of the people you work with , encounter or speak with ,” McMahon said . “[ It ’ s ] the process of starting a one-on-one relationship , to be a resource as someone who has recently been through what [ students are ] going through right now .”
She also recognized that sometimes mentors are paired formally through your company , university or organization , while others are more informal .
“ There can be different mentors for different seasons of your life and career ,” she said .
McMahon ’ s best suggestion for developing a mentor / mentee relationship is “ having specific questions and specific outcomes in mind for what you ’ d like from this specific relationship .”
“ It ’ s easy for students to think ‘ I want a job out of this ,’ and that ’ s not always going to be the best outcome ,” she said .
Consider additional outcomes like learning about new industries in public relations or different career paths . Especially for seniors , it ’ s not just getting a job but also what to do in the first few years after college .
“ You want to already start learning those things and not get too honed in on the next few months ,” McMahon said , “ but rather have a long-term perspective to think about how you
Blending Your Passions With PR
BY MEGHAN CAPREZ
KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
All of my cousins are pursuing degrees in the health care industry . At Christmas dinner last year , we gathered around the table and discussed various ailments they encountered in class or in their residencies , and different assignments they completed throughout the semester . I chimed in , talking about the semester-long public relations campaign project I worked on , and they gave me the look . You know the one I ’ m talking about . The look that said , “ That ’ s nice , but that ’ s not nearly as difficult as ______.”
Despite what others may think , public relations is tough . As an aspiring public relations professional , you can expect to have long hours , weekend homework , late-night events and endless client meetings . You ’ ll craft analytics reports , write press releases and lead rebranding efforts . It is not an easy job and it can take a lot out of a person . While many people sacrifice time and energy for their careers , there ’ s one thing that should not be sacrificed : themselves .
When people are so focused on the task at hand , it ’ s easy for them to forget that they exist . Human beings have a personality and should have dreams , goals and passions outside of public relations . Here are five do ’ s and don ’ ts for bringing your passions into your future public relations career .
DON ’ T check your personality at the door .
According to Meg Hand and
Katie Clark of SHIFT Communications , “ Chances are your personality played a substantial role in your getting hired in the first place .” Your bosses want you to be authentically you , because that ’ s when you do your best work . If you ’ re a bubbly , outgoing person who loves to chat , channel that into building stronger relationships with your clients . If you ’ re an introvert who loves to color code your planner , help your co-workers create the most organized social media calendar your office has ever seen .
DO share what you ’ re passionate about .
Be vocal about what you love . When your co-workers know what your passions are , they have a better understanding of who you are . If you get into a funk , they can lift you up by sharing your favorite meme or by chatting with you about the latest episode of “ The Bachelor .” My media relations professor likes to remind us that our personal passions might happen to align with those of a journalist , so make time to share your passions while building those relationships , too . Your client might just earn its next story in The Washington Post because you shared a Harry Potter conspiracy theory with a reporter .
DON ’ T forget to take care of yourself .
Take time off work — and yes , I ’ m talking 100 percent cut off from all office duties — to recover from illness , both physical and mental / emotional . Set boundaries . Don ’ t answer emails for work after 9 can be strategic for your career and opportunities that present themselves .”
Unsurprisingly , Betsy Plank had a major influence on McMahon ’ s decision to become a Champion after graduation , especially as a past recipient of the Betsy Plank / PRSSA Scholarship .
“ It was especially sentimental to me because [ the Champions group was ] originally started by Betsy Plank , who is someone I idolize despite never having the pleasure of meeting her ,” McMahon said .
“ Champions are an untapped resource ; we ’ re passionate and are willing to donate resources , time and advice to PRSSA members ,” she said . Taking that step to reach out and develop these mentoring experiences is really important , she added .
While there are so many resources available for PRSSA students , the Champions are an incredibly impressive network of people willing to help . Despite how much PRSSA experience you have , there is still so much to learn . Champions like Jacquie McMahon are available to help you put the pieces together and lead like Betsy Plank .
p . m ., get at least seven hours of sleep , eat two meals and a snack every day . Pamper yourself . Experts note that employees are more productive when they ’ re happy and healthy . DO decorate your space . I know it might seem wacky , but surrounding yourself with 10 pictures of your cat and the canvas you completed at the last BYOB paint class will actually help you be a better public relations professional . According to psychologist Dr . Christian Jarrett , “ The spaces we occupy shape who we are and how we behave . This has serious consequences for our psychological well-being and creative performance .” Decorate your space and you might just come up with the next “ You Can Still Dunk in the Dark ” viral phenomenon . DON ’ T be embarrassed . Personal branding expert William Arruda wrote , “ confidence is the most attractive personal brand attribute ,” in a Forbes article . I have a friend who recently started a new job . As he was introducing himself at a staff meeting , he reluctantly mentioned that he had a knack for sewing and he liked to create his own costumes for Comic Con . He was worried his co-workers would think of him as the “ weird cosplay guy .” Within a week , three people had approached him to talk about it and ask for help on their own sewing or costuming projects . It ’ s important to be confident in who you are and what you bring to the table .
SPRING 2017
WWW . PRSSA . PRSA . ORG / FORUM
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