UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Post

I had the pleasure of speaking to marketing and communications students at the Arizona State University - Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication student-run Cronkite Agency today. Summarizing my experience in nonprofit, higher ed, agency, startup and public company settings, they had a lot of questions about the IPO process, agency life and how to market themselves. All great questions that us seasoned communications professionals probably continue to ask ourselves at every stage of our career. Many of the students are graduating in May, entering a tough job market. But based on what I saw today, they have the ambition and awareness to make it! What advice do you have for this next generation of communications pros? What do you wish you knew your last semester of college?

This was me at 16, full of ambitions and determination to discover my passion. I wanted to pursue my career in a field that would allow me to express my creativity, where I could write, do some research, and most importantly, implement my leadership skills. "Journalism it is!" I thought! I joined a summer camp of improvised state, where every teenager could choose any profession they liked: an entrepreneur, minister, lawyer, or even be elected as president and run a country! My choice was obvious: a TV reporter. Reporting "state" news, facing the camera, and interviewing "citizens" pushed me out of my comfort zone. Sometimes, I'd shake on camera and would need a few takes to get it right. But I cherished every moment, knowing I was on the right path. After the camp, I enrolled in a school for young journalists. I wanted to learn everything about professional journalism. Little did I know this experience would lead me to my dream career in content marketing. As I reflect on those formative years, I can't help but smile at how my journey began. It's incredible how one summer camp experience sparked my passion for journalism and set me on the path to where I am today. Stay tuned for part 2 of my story next week. I'll share how this early interest led me to my dream career in content marketing. #contentmarketing #creativemarketing

If you work in #communications, you're going strike out on story pitches to journalists. It's inevitable. News values are subjective and you only gain a keen sense of what's newsworthy through experience. My latest piece answers some of the most common questions about pitching ideas, * How do I know if my pitch is newsworthy? * Is there a way I can add news value to my story idea? * What should I consider before making my pitch? Good luck! https://lnkd.in/eFyz3_Js

How do you build something that outlasts you? That’s a question I wake up every day thinking about—and have since December, when we officially launched The Free Press. As those who have been with me since the very beginning know, this project began as a solo newsletter called Common Sense. When I hung up that shingle, I had no idea who would sign up. But sign up you did. It was a success beyond my wildest imagination. And in our era of online gurus and influencers and one-man-band podcasts and newsletters, it often seems the smart money—and for sure the quick buck—is going at it alone. So why mess with a good thing? Why, when our institutions are more of a mess than ever, would anyone try to build one? The answer is because in our era of rampant institutional distrust, the thing we have to build most are trustworthy institutions. Institutions that are more important than any single person. Institutions that can organize inchoate movements. And in the case of journalistic institutions: outlets staffed by reporters and columnists who promise to tell the truth about the world as it actually is; to own up to mistakes and correct them; to help readers make sense of our rapidly changing world. One essential step to building that kind of institution: find young, hungry people who want to learn how to do that kind of independent journalism. Specifically, the five brilliant interns I am excited to introduce to you today.

Very well said! Due to lack of formal education in PR, it is a must to explain the nitty gritties of PR to every aspiring person. This well help in maintaining their mental health and boost confidence as well. #prwork #pr

A belated yet heartfelt congratulations to PRWeek on its 25th anniversary! The Haymarket Media US publication was my first NYC journalism job, located in what was once (and now again?) called "Silicon Alley." Writing about the work of PR people was challenging, as they always just wanted to talk about their clients, but we figured out a way to chronicle the industry's ups, downs and leading lights. (Including the infamous Lizzie Grubman!) I recall going to unnecessarily lavish PR agency parties, with mountains of shrimp cocktail, endless drinks and some long-forgotten dot-com startup announcing something inane about synergy, then paying for everyone's town car home. Long hours on tight deadlines in a cramped office meant that colleagues quickly became best mates, among them Larry Dobrow, Jonah Bloom, Aimee Grove, Michele Silver, James Chase, Claire A., Thom Weidlich, Douglas Quenqua, Bryan Rooney and Lisa Fain. (A veritable Murderer's Row of editorial and artistic talent.) And of course, EIC Adam Leyland. The business side of the publication were no slouches either, including a production manager who caught my eye. Six years later, I somehow convinced her to marry me! I'm also not at all offended that I didn't get invited to the anniversary bash. Maybe I'll get an honorary invite to the 50th... #anniversary #magazines #firstjobs #careers #publicrelations #advertising #marketing #journalismjobs

A fundamental part of public relations is building relationships with journalists - understanding how they work, what stories they like to write, and how you can work together to create a meaningful story. 0to5 team member, Colleen Martin, sat down with Elizabeth Heubeck, a K-12 reporter at Education Week, to discuss how to build meaningful relationships with reporters, the importance of effective communication, and what reporters think about PR professionals. Check out the full Q&A on our blog: https://ow.ly/Xa9z50Qze8I #PR #MediaRelations #Journalism #Journalists

Here's a piece of advice for aspiring public relations professionals — those either joining as interns or junior publicists: Do not join a company or a leader that doesn't spend your initial month training you. Your first red flag? Being handed over a media list and being told to call & follow up with said media list for a client. Your second red flag? Being asked to email a journalist for an experiential, and no one has checked your email before it goes out. As someone who answers at least seven such calls a day, I need you to listen when I say RUN to an agency that invests in you first. Fin.

Crafting a pitch is both an art and a challenge, yet funny enough, it stands out as my favorite thing about PR. It has been great seeing coverage secured whether that be an interview, feature, or article. What I found to be great was not only achieving these milestones but also cultivating meaningful relationships with journalists and gaining more of an insight about an industry. Witnessing the coverage materialize and sharing the excitement with clients became something I looked forward to throughout my career. Of course, effective pitching hinges on meticulous research. A profound understanding of a journalist's preferences and areas of expertise is big. Relevance is the key, and achieving it demands diligent and thorough research.