If you missed the first Social Media Seminar of the DC Chapter of the Black Public Relations Society, you didn’t get a copy of my whitepaper “Selling Social Media”. But fear not: I’ve compiled the main points here for you.

If you’re like me, you are in charge of convincing business owners why social media is important to their bottom line; and you’re probably also trying to get them actively  engaged in it.  It’s a process to truly win over those who are extremely private or just simply averse to telling the world what they’re doing.  Here are a few tips to get those you’re working with on board.

Sell It. Before you can expect your client or boss to buy into the virtues of social media, you must first answer the obvious questions: “What’s in it for the company? Why should we invest our resources here?” As your client or company’s social media ambassador,you have to do your homework. Offer up clear examples of where social media worked for a similar company. Show where a direct competitor saw results and you’ll get and keep a client’s attention.

Educate the Gatekeepers. Consider hosting a half-day social media camp for your client or Marketing Director to go over the basics. Make your presentation fun, interactive and easy to follow. Remember: those who don’t use social media are often intimidated by it or at the very least, don’t understand how far-reaching it is. Hold your boss or client’s hand and let them know you understand their apprehension. Repeat your belief that social media is a worthwhile investment.

Offer a Roadmap. What good does it do you to create an incredible plan that can’t with real ways your client or boss can begin using social media immediately. Set up accounts on social media sites for them and hand them a username and password.

Set Metrics. Be sure that you set goals that your client can really measure. Give them participation goals (i.e., two blog posts per week, or 1 Twitter update a day) as well as goals for the newly implemented social media program (i.e., 200 new Twitter followers by [date], or an improved online brand image by [date]). If you set goals, you can chart your progress easily. Knowing your progress allows you to change course if your strategy isn’t working.

Build It In. Developing your marketing and PR calendar for next year? Build social media into the plan so those in charge can
see exactly where it fits, and exactly how it complements the work you’re already doing.

Communicate the Commitment. While implementing a social media program may seem to have no real associated costs, developing quality social media programming can be extremely time-consuming. Communicate this fact to your client or director to be sure that you are well-compensated for your time.

Christine Randle

Christine Randle, 38

DPR Group, Inc.

Account Executive, about 3 years

Mopwater: Describe your path to PR. What made you want to get into the field?

CR: This is a difficult question, because I really fell into this field. I have a B.A. in history and an M.A. in Urban Studies. When I was looking for jobs after graduate school, I wanted to work in nonprofit—likely in a research capacity. I landed a position with a large workforce development agency in Philadelphia as a communications manager, simply because I was a good writer, understood the issues and could synthesize information quickly and concisely. I immediately fell in love with communications and can’t see myself doing anything else. In particular, media relations are an enormous amount of fun. There’s nothing quite like seeing an article appear in print or online that you’ve pitched and placed.

Mopwater: What aspects of the industry are you most excited about?

CR:I think  social media is exciting, in part because so much of it is uncharted territory. The rules are changing as quickly as they are created, so you really have to be on your toes.

Mopwater: Describe your office and workplace.

CR:My company, DPR Group has two offices—one in Germantown, MD and one in Cary, NC. It is a fairly laid-back environment, as long as you deliver results for your clients. We are lucky enough to have a casual dress code and the ability to telecommute on an as needed basis. How many co-workers do you have? DPR Group is a small firm with 7 people in the MD office and 7 people in the NC office. Where, how, and how often do you collaborate with them? I collaborate with my co-workers quite frequently, seeking regular advice on a range of issues from media relations to client relations. We connect several times throughout the day using email, phone and face-to-face contact most often, but we also connect via Twitter, sharing industry news related to both PR and our clients’ respective markets. Continue Reading

Rebekah Lovell of Renown Promotions in Atlanta

Rebekah Lovell, 24 Woodstock, GA (Atlanta)

PR Strategist to Small Business

Owner of Renown Promotions,  going on 2 years

Renown Blog

Twitter: @Renown

Mopwater: Describe your path to PR. What made you want to get into the field?
RL: Back in high school I was elected to the Public Relations seat on our Student Council and something clicked. Since then, I’ve always gravitated towards managing people, business, and events and loved the idea of creating value for businesses and organizations by doing so. I started in college as a Dance Pedagogy major, then Journalism, and then quickly changed to PR upon learning what it was really all about. I was the nerd who sat on the front row and actually read the textbooks and started a blog upon my professor’s suggestion. After a stellar experience at my internship, I took a job in Marketing with a top Atlanta Real Estate Firm. I couldn’t wait to strike out on my own once I saw the depth of small businesses in our area needing counsel and direction. I like to be behind the scenes, and position people and causes for success. It seems PR is a natural extension of my personality and gifts and I’m very passionate about what I do. I enjoy the fast-paced climate of PR and always learning what’s next.

Mopwater: What aspects of the industry are you most excited about?

RL: Strategy and Campaigns, Writing, Social Media, Causes and Events. I like to help businesses get from A to B, and help them look back at how far they’ve come.

Mopwater: Describe your office and workplace. How many co-workers do you have? Where, how, and how often do you collaborate with them?
RL: I work from my home office and communicate with the world outside non-stop via phone, email, and social media. I work hand-in-hand with a couple of other PR companies and freelancers to accomplish everything on my plate.

Mopwater: Describe a typical workday including your work hours. What do you do all day?
RL: My days are always different-but that’s half the fun! I start early and end late, and even work weekends most of the time to catch up. I may have a few office days a week, but I travel a lot to meet clients, attend events, and network.

Mopwater: What are your favorite and least favorite PR tasks? Do you love to pitch? Do you dread writing releases?
RL: Reverse of your example answers-I love to write and don’t enjoy pitching! I have a knack for the written word and really enjoy getting a client’s message across so that a certain media’s listeners, viewers, or readers can relate to and identify with the idea or story behind the feature. Continue Reading

I have some fresh communications job leads courtesy of my extremely plugged-in husband and MLMG partner Marc Littlejohn.  I’m featuring a Deputy Communications Director for a policy/lobbying org., a social media savvy Online Communications Director a political organizing group and a Communications Director for an economic policy think tank. Enjoy!

Deputy Communications Director : Transportation for America

Transportation for America seeks an experienced, energetic communications professional to help manage the communications activities of a dynamic, fast-paced campaign to reform the nation’s transportation spending and policies. The Deputy Communications Director will assist the Communications Director in developing and executing strategic communications in support of the campaign’s legislative and public education goals.

The successful applicant will have a minimum of five years experience in journalism and/or media relations, advocacy communications, message development and marketing, or similar, preferably with project and/or personnel management duties. Special consideration will be given to applicants with relevant knowledge and experience connected to issues concerning transportation, urban planning and development, and related arenas.

Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume and at least two writing samples (preferably unedited), along with three references, to jobs@T4America.org. Transportation for America is an equal opportunity employer. People of color
are strongly encouraged to apply. Continue Reading

Tiffany Young of Young PR Group and Arts Institute of Washington

Tiffany Young,  26

Alexandria, VA

The Art Institute of Washington Public Relations Specialist, 3 years

Owner of Young PR Group

Volunteer: Interim Communications Director for Northern Virginia Urban League Young Professionals

Mopwater: Describe your path to PR. What made you want to get into the field?
TY:My path to PR has been rewarding and challenging because I had always wanted to be a writer or journalist every since I was 10 years-old but my passion for wanting to help people and serve as allowed me to be fulfilled in the PR field.  [I spent a year as a community beat reporter covering Southern Prince George's County Maryland for the PG County Gazette Newspaper in 2004 and]  I wanted to get into the field because there were no PR people like me when I was a reporter.  I didn’t find a PR person that was honest and caring, so I wanted to be that person for me and other journalists.

Mopwater: What aspects of the industry are you most excited about?
TY: I am most excited about  social media. Social media is the best way to [connect with people], no one picks up the phone anymore.

Mopwater: Describe your office and workplace. How many co-workers do you have? Where, how, and how often do you collaborate with them?
TY: I work in a small department surrounded by other supporting departments including Career Services and Admissions.  There are two people in my department-my direct supervisor and me.  Sometimes, I collaborate with my co-workers during weekly meetings and planning meeting for projects.  But most of the time, I work independently.

Mopwater: Describe a typical workday including your work hours. What do you do all day?
TY:My workday begins at 7:00am.  Before I eat breakfast or take a shower, I am checking my blackberry for scheduled appointments or meetings for the day.  I head into work via Metro, which I love so I can read a book or catch up on the Essence Magazine articles with my iPod blasting.  As soon as I get into the office I’m back on my blackberry and logging into my computer checking more email, putting out quick fires.  I make a few phone calls, draft several press releases, update the school Web site for the day, manage student projects and make sure people have been paid.

In the afternoon I take a break from my [job at the Arts Institute] and get to working on my community service gigs.  I am the Interim Director of Communications for the Northern Virginia Urban League Young Professionals Network (YPN).  I have afternoon phone calls with the President of YPN during which we discuss updates for the Web site and future communications efforts for our members.  I am also the Second Vice President for Black Public Relations Society DC Chapter, often times I am emailing members back about the status of their membership, upcoming meetings and other PR opportunities in the DC area. Continue Reading

There is absolutely nothing that upsets me more than to see savvy entrepreneurs,  PR pros and marketers send messages from their handheld devices and use the default e-mail signature. You know the ones. “Sent from my iPhone.” or ”Sent from my AT&T blackberry wireless.” I always think, why on earth would you give all of that free advertising to Apple,  AT&T or Blackberry? Are you getting your residuals? 

Unless you just want people to know that you have an iPhone, or Blackberry (which most people have these days anyway) why not use your e-mail signature to promote yourself or your business? If you think about it, you probably send dozens of e-mails a day if not more. So dozens of people could potentially see the name of your business and the link to your Web site in your e-mail signature. But if you’re sending messages via your handheld device and only have that factory signature, you’re missing a tremendous opportunity to market yourself, your business, your Web site and any other projects you want people to know about.  [To change your e-mail signature on your handheld, simply go into your e-mail settings and alter the existing text of the current signature] Continue Reading

Let me just preface this profile by saying how much I adore Lurma Rackley.  I wrote an article about Lurma back in 2007 when I was a staff writer for the Washington City Paper.  The article was about how Lurma’s book on Washington figure Petey Greene-the man’s only authorized biography, was not referenced at all for the 2007 Focus Features biopic “Talk to Me”. It’s an interesting story, so check it out.

Anyway, Lurma is an incredible woman and writer who has been in the media industry for years. I am so honored to profile her here on Mopwater PR+ Media Notes.

Lurma Rackley

Lurma Rackley, 59
Atlanta, GA

CARE

Media Relations Director
Seven years

Mopwater: Describe your path to PR.
LR: Journalism and Public Relations in many ways are two sides of the same coin: Communications. I started my career as a newspaper reporter at what was then the afternoon daily for the nation’s capital, The Evening Star (which became The Washington Star), right out of college. My desire to be a journalist developed during my senior year in college when I was on the staff of a Student Government-created paper we called “Your Mama is Black,” to encourage race pride and activism. At that time, it became clear to me that without effective news communications (with many voices and backgrounds contributing), humanity’s progress slows and injustice finds fertile ground.

The aim of news reporting and of public relations is to influence people and their behavior. I hope my contribution to both the news business and the PR business has influenced people for the good.

I left the newspaper after nine years, the last two as an editor on the copy and assignment desks. Next, I joined the DC Government, putting in 11 years there first as an editor in the Office of Planning, then as Deputy Press Secretary, Deputy Communications Director, and finally Press Secretary to the Mayor. I was able to employ my background in media to help me balance the needs of the reporters covering City Hall with the needs of the Mayor’s Office to engage with and inform the public responsibly.

After leaving government, I worked for an international public relations firm, serving a variety of clients, before moving to the top communications position at Amnesty International USA. Working for an international human rights organization fulfilled my desire to contribute positively to a cause on the continuum of domestic civil rights, in which my family and I were deeply involved during my teenage years. Next, I took a job at Eddie Bauer, to form the company’s first Corporate Social Responsibility unit and to help make decisions about which organizations the company would partner with and support. From there, I came to the humanitarian organization CARE, once again allowing me to contribute to a noble cause. Continue Reading

Name: Claudio E. Cabrera, 25

Current City: New York City (Manhattan)

Looking For: A Sports PR Position, Freelance PR / PR Internship Leads, Journalism Opportunities

Our Notes: He’s fashionable, award-winning and game-changing. He won the Independent Press Association 2006 Award for Best Article on a Social, Racial, or Immigration issue. The article, Punishing Phone Call Tax for Prisoners’ Families forced the New York Congress to confront the issue.

Skills: Writing, Editing, Public Relations

On the Web: Live Above Mediocrity

Mopwater: Where do you see yourself fitting into this industry?

CC: Well, I can’t say that I dreamed or even still dream of becoming a publicist; it’s just something that I have experience doing and actually like. But, I don’t like the agency side of it [because] I don’t like being hovered over. I feel I’m at my best when I’m able to sit down and speak with a client one-on-one and develop a plan of attack to garner him/her press. Not to say I wouldn’t take a position with a firm, but I prefer freelancing.

Mopwater: Describe your work history, including relevant internships, up to this point.

CC: While I was in college, I was a paid intern for over two years for the NY Amsterdam News, one of the oldest black newspapers in the country. I was brought on by the owner, Elinor Tatum, and former Editor in Chief Jamal Watson. I covered news in the Harlem community and garnered close to 100 clips at the weekly publication.

I also interned for TravelwithVal.Com, a website that focused on travel deals and destinations. It was a great experience because it exposed me to  a field of writing I was never familiar with. I’ve also interned for the Columbia Records A&R and Universal Music Enterprises Catalog Department.  I was also a writer for DefJam.com profiling artists and generating news pieces.

After graduating [from Brooklyn College] in the summer of 2008, I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to find a job considering the direction the economy was headed in. But I contacted a company called yoonew, whose focus is in sports tickets; and considering that I have experience doing ticket re-selling and journalism, I was brought on as their PR Manager. Continue Reading