I was really busy this morning. As soon as I got of the subway, I went to FedEx Kinkos to drop off our clip report to be printed. Thankfully yesterday I was able to email the draft press materials to the not-for-profit organization and the event producers. I got their feedback first thing in the morning and made all the edits. I created a media list and sent out the calendar listing. My boss says she will send out my press release closer to the event date in October. I sent out the distribution notice to the not-for-profit founder and the producers of the event. Then I burned a video from a DVD onto the office computer for my boss in regards to client 6.
The rest of the day I did not do anything pertaining to work, but it was fun. My boss took me and her associate out to lunch. Unfortunately my boss had to leave for a meeting before we even got the appetizer. The associate and I had lunch and chatted. She gave me a gift! I was surprised. It was a Burton Chicago tshirt and a Burton shot glass for my 21st birthday. It was so nice of her. Then in my email inbox, I noticed my boss has sent me a Lettuce Entertain You gift card. They both gave me gifts when they gave me the internship! I'm going to send them both a thank you card and something nice. Even though I didn't get a lot of experience in advertising or even public relations, they were all really nice to me and I enjoyed getting to know them. My boss said I can put her as a reference and her associate too. I hope to keep in touch with them.
I know I knocked down this internship a lot, but I guess you can't expect to get full responsibility as an intern. I was given a lot of small office jobs that help my boss and her associate do what they need to do. Though I wish I got to be more involved with the clients, and work on press material and media relations, I got to see what happens in a public relations firm. I did conclude from this internship that I don't think I want to continue with public relations, but I understand the concept and purpose of this profession.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
2nd to last day
WFTV did a television spot and article on client 6, but they unfortunately spelled the product and our client's expert's name wrong. I had to call the website programmer to get the spelling errors changed and also to ask for permission to post the video on our client's website. He said we can link the video, but it has to direct the person who clicks on it to the WFTV website. Reasonable enough. Due to the new clip, I had to once more update the clip report.
I signed up the associate for econtrol enewsletter. I signed myself up for a Twitter 201 webinar. It's on August 4th. Even though my internship will be over by then, I'm so going to attend. I have an obsession with Twitter and utilizing it to get my name out to advertising/marketing companies.
I reworked my non-for-profit calendar listing and press release. Hopefully I can get it to the organization and the producers of the event by the end of today. Waiting on my boss... of course.
I created a NPR national media list for my boss and her associate. I'm not sure what it is for, but they asked me to so I did it.
I signed up the associate for econtrol enewsletter. I signed myself up for a Twitter 201 webinar. It's on August 4th. Even though my internship will be over by then, I'm so going to attend. I have an obsession with Twitter and utilizing it to get my name out to advertising/marketing companies.
I reworked my non-for-profit calendar listing and press release. Hopefully I can get it to the organization and the producers of the event by the end of today. Waiting on my boss... of course.
I created a NPR national media list for my boss and her associate. I'm not sure what it is for, but they asked me to so I did it.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Pretty Boring Wednesday
I had to fix the associate's email this morning. For some reason the server was saving all her emails, so it wasn't receiving any incoming email because she had met her quota on emails. I just went on the server and deleted all the emails and she started receiving her incoming emails.
Then I updated client 6's clip report hopefully for the last time and sent out a press release to SecurityInfoWatch.com for client 7. Then I looked up flights for my boss to go to New York City and back to Chicago. Also, I looked up a flight from Chicago to Atlanta to Orange County and back to Chicago for her. I even had to look up a flight for her daughter... is she part of the PR firm? Anywho, I was about to rant, but I won't.
I found out the advertising value and number of visitors to triblocal.com because client 9 had an article about them posted there.
For the rest of the day I just read the news. I'm still waiting on my boss to review my press materials for the non-for-profit organization. Can't wait for Friday! Last day!
Then I updated client 6's clip report hopefully for the last time and sent out a press release to SecurityInfoWatch.com for client 7. Then I looked up flights for my boss to go to New York City and back to Chicago. Also, I looked up a flight from Chicago to Atlanta to Orange County and back to Chicago for her. I even had to look up a flight for her daughter... is she part of the PR firm? Anywho, I was about to rant, but I won't.
I found out the advertising value and number of visitors to triblocal.com because client 9 had an article about them posted there.
For the rest of the day I just read the news. I'm still waiting on my boss to review my press materials for the non-for-profit organization. Can't wait for Friday! Last day!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Boring busy work
First thing this morning, I updated client 6's May-July clip report. I think I'm going to be printing the clip report off before the end of the week... Not positive yet. I had to cancel our PR firm's subscription to Northbrook Star newspaper since we are no longer working with client 10, who were located in Northbrook, Illinois. I did some press kit inventory on client 1 and client 3. I figured out what materials we had, what we needed to get approved and if there was anything we needed to write. Also, as I was doing that, client 1 sent us a box of company folders, brochures and letterhead. I reread my non-for-profit press release and sent another email to my boss asking her to review it. I'm not allowed to send anything out to the media until she stamps an approval on it. I looked up local access television in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Not to my surprise, there are no shows located there. We just need to contact Chicago television to get suburban coverage. My boss had me research Corrections Forum Magazine and add them to our security publications media list. Throughout the day I added and subtracted security publications to an invited list for a security convention happening out in California.
Lots of busy work today.
Lots of busy work today.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Last week of the Internship!
Is it sad that I am excited that this is my last week at this PR internship? This internship has shown me that public relations is not my choice of career. Sitting in a silent office all day, emailing and answer phones feels extremely unproductive and unfulfilling. I definitely prefer doing creatives or media planning for advertising. It turns out the internship I could of had at DiMeo in Chicago (an advertising firm that I had to decline because they offered it the day after I accepted my PR internship) would have given me tons of experience. A girl who took their internship last year (she is an SIUC alumni), said she got a lot of graphic design experience and has a decent sized portfolio now. I feel, here at this PR firm, that I have not got a lot of experience and have not expanded my portfolio at all, and I have been here for two months and half! Oh well... things happen for a reason... right?
I updated the publicity clip report for client 6 and the advertising value report for client 8. We had our Monday internal staff meeting via conference call due to the fact my boss is working from home. After our staff meeting, I retrieved broadcast media contact information for Orlando, Florida area for the associate in the office.
Following lunch-time, we had a conference call with client 1. We are still working on their press kit, which has been an on-going event since the end of May. They are very non-descriptive clients and we were trying to get more information out of them today in order to make a better press release and boiler plate that will make them happy. I love how their comments about our press kit material is that it is not descriptive and broad, but we pulled it all from their website... All I can say is "frustrating." I made a bulleted memo of all the information we discussed in the meeting sent it to the associate.
For the rest of the day I worked on a press release for the non-profit organization's event I'm doing pro-bono. I'm still waiting on my boss for her advisement on the calendar listing I already wrote. Hopefully she gets back to me tomorrow, so I actually have things to do.
I updated the publicity clip report for client 6 and the advertising value report for client 8. We had our Monday internal staff meeting via conference call due to the fact my boss is working from home. After our staff meeting, I retrieved broadcast media contact information for Orlando, Florida area for the associate in the office.
Following lunch-time, we had a conference call with client 1. We are still working on their press kit, which has been an on-going event since the end of May. They are very non-descriptive clients and we were trying to get more information out of them today in order to make a better press release and boiler plate that will make them happy. I love how their comments about our press kit material is that it is not descriptive and broad, but we pulled it all from their website... All I can say is "frustrating." I made a bulleted memo of all the information we discussed in the meeting sent it to the associate.
For the rest of the day I worked on a press release for the non-profit organization's event I'm doing pro-bono. I'm still waiting on my boss for her advisement on the calendar listing I already wrote. Hopefully she gets back to me tomorrow, so I actually have things to do.
Friday, July 24, 2009
A slooooow day
My boss was leaving as soon as I walked into work this morning. She said she will be working out of the office today.
I sent out two different press releases. One was for client 6 and the other was for client 7. That is all I've done for my PR firm today. The phone has not rang since 10:00 am and it is now 2:00 pm. No emails have come through either. To make it all more unbearable, it is a slow news day to boot. Clawing my eyes out slowly.
Can't wait for 6:30 pm! Meeting my internship coordinator and other Chicago interns at Giordano's on Belmont Ave.
I sent out two different press releases. One was for client 6 and the other was for client 7. That is all I've done for my PR firm today. The phone has not rang since 10:00 am and it is now 2:00 pm. No emails have come through either. To make it all more unbearable, it is a slow news day to boot. Clawing my eyes out slowly.
Can't wait for 6:30 pm! Meeting my internship coordinator and other Chicago interns at Giordano's on Belmont Ave.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Very Busy Day
I did a lot of work as soon as I got into the office today. I found Chicago sports editors' contact information, added Retail Traffic Magazine to client 1's media list, added Fred Mitchell from the Chicago Tribune to our Chicago media list, and tried to find contact information for 103.5 KISSFM. I did not get lucky finding KISSFM's contact information... very secretive.
Then we had a staff internal meeting to just get updated on all the happening this week. Right after the meeting, the associate found a listing in Crain's Chicago Business of client 9's event. Then I found an article in TribLocal for another event client 9 is doing. Very exciting day for client 9 and our PR firm.
I sent out more calendar listings for client 2, just deleted the old dates in the listing and left August and September dates. After that I took an engaging in social media webinar through Cision. It was interesting. They gave types on listening, engaging and creating in social media.
Then I sent out a new appointment release for client 6. We just found out after I sent the release to all national security magazines, Chicago business editors and Washington DC business editors, that there was an error in client 6's internal announcement about the person in the new appointment release. Now we have to wait for our boss to tell us to either resend the release, send an edit note to the editors or just send a retraction after it's published. Oops! It's not our fault though. Client 6 had the final okay on the press release before sending it and they gave it the two thumbs up. Finally, I got a media list started and finished for business and technology editors in New York.
Extremely busy day!
Then we had a staff internal meeting to just get updated on all the happening this week. Right after the meeting, the associate found a listing in Crain's Chicago Business of client 9's event. Then I found an article in TribLocal for another event client 9 is doing. Very exciting day for client 9 and our PR firm.
I sent out more calendar listings for client 2, just deleted the old dates in the listing and left August and September dates. After that I took an engaging in social media webinar through Cision. It was interesting. They gave types on listening, engaging and creating in social media.
Then I sent out a new appointment release for client 6. We just found out after I sent the release to all national security magazines, Chicago business editors and Washington DC business editors, that there was an error in client 6's internal announcement about the person in the new appointment release. Now we have to wait for our boss to tell us to either resend the release, send an edit note to the editors or just send a retraction after it's published. Oops! It's not our fault though. Client 6 had the final okay on the press release before sending it and they gave it the two thumbs up. Finally, I got a media list started and finished for business and technology editors in New York.
Extremely busy day!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Hump Day
I emailed back and forth with the producers of the non-for-profit event and the non-for-profit organization who is benefiting from the event this morning. I finished my first draft of the calendar listing for this event. Now I am just waiting on my boss to review and advise me on it.
I updated the ad value report for client 8 and the clip report for client 6. I made edits to a press release for client 1. Client 1 has been a hard client to please. Every time we send them press kit material, they send it back covered in edits. I think they have revised every piece of press kit matrial at least a half a dozen times. Then I made a detailed media contact list for client 6.
I had a lot of downtime today. Sometimes interning means twiddling your thumbs and pretending you're being productive.
I updated the ad value report for client 8 and the clip report for client 6. I made edits to a press release for client 1. Client 1 has been a hard client to please. Every time we send them press kit material, they send it back covered in edits. I think they have revised every piece of press kit matrial at least a half a dozen times. Then I made a detailed media contact list for client 6.
I had a lot of downtime today. Sometimes interning means twiddling your thumbs and pretending you're being productive.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Actually working! Yeah!
I revised a pitch letter for client 6 on school apprehensions in the Orlando, Florida area for the associate. Then I updated client 6's clip report. We found two television news reports and two print publication articles on them. Then I updated the advertisement value report for client 8. Also my boss had me watch a news video on Chicago Business News about retail vacancy, write up bulleted information about it and email her back. It was interesting how much the vacancy rate has gone up and how it will continue to rise as long as the recession persists. I really hope this recession ends soon.
Then I had a meeting with my boss on the non-for-profit event I'm going to be working on. I started by emailing my questions about the event to the producers of it. They responded fairly quick, but then I had a couple more questions in response. I'm guessing I won't hear anything back until tomorrow. I started my rough draft of the calendar listing for the event. Though, I cannot have my boss review it until I get all the information from the producers, but it is a good start.
I'm excited and happy I have my own little project to work on!
Then I had a meeting with my boss on the non-for-profit event I'm going to be working on. I started by emailing my questions about the event to the producers of it. They responded fairly quick, but then I had a couple more questions in response. I'm guessing I won't hear anything back until tomorrow. I started my rough draft of the calendar listing for the event. Though, I cannot have my boss review it until I get all the information from the producers, but it is a good start.
I'm excited and happy I have my own little project to work on!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Media list building today
Today, a new girl started working with us. I guess she worked here last summer, but has been abroad for the past six months. She is really nice and I think I can learn from her. It's kind of sad she is starting when I only have two weeks left, but I'll take advantage of the possibility of learning from her.
We had are beginning of the week internal meeting. Seems like my boss realized that I haven't done much press work other than internal things, like media list building, distributing pre-written press releases, etc. So before I leave, I'm going to write a press release for a non-profit organization(pro-bono case) and make calls to the media. I'm excited that I'll get this experience before I leave.
I research NACAS for my boss today. It is a non-profit organization (not the non-profit organization I was talking about earlier) that helps students in college and business professionals network. Then, I had to look up radio and television contacts in the Orlando area. Extremely hard surprisingly. There are not many radio or television stations in Orlando that cover business or technology.
I finally finished the Chicago media list. It is crazy long. Especially the radio station list (never realized how many radio stations are in the Chicagoland area). Now my boss and her associate have contact information for almost all the newspaper, radio and television editors/producers in Chicago.
We had are beginning of the week internal meeting. Seems like my boss realized that I haven't done much press work other than internal things, like media list building, distributing pre-written press releases, etc. So before I leave, I'm going to write a press release for a non-profit organization(pro-bono case) and make calls to the media. I'm excited that I'll get this experience before I leave.
I research NACAS for my boss today. It is a non-profit organization (not the non-profit organization I was talking about earlier) that helps students in college and business professionals network. Then, I had to look up radio and television contacts in the Orlando area. Extremely hard surprisingly. There are not many radio or television stations in Orlando that cover business or technology.
I finally finished the Chicago media list. It is crazy long. Especially the radio station list (never realized how many radio stations are in the Chicagoland area). Now my boss and her associate have contact information for almost all the newspaper, radio and television editors/producers in Chicago.
Friday, July 17, 2009
TGIF!
I continued compiling the Chicago media list today. I printed a few documents off for a girl who starts Monday and cleaned up the office. That's about it for today.
I couldn't concentrate at all. I turn 21 tomorrow and I'm super excited for my boat party!
I couldn't concentrate at all. I turn 21 tomorrow and I'm super excited for my boat party!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Staring at the Computer Screen
Sometimes at this internship I believe I just stare at the computer from 9 AM until 4 PM. It is awful!
As soon as I got in the office I sent out a press release to all of the calendar listing editors in the Chicagoland area. Then I posted the calendar listing on kidwinks.com. For the rest of the day I compiled the basic Chicago media contact list (publications, televisions and radio). It's a long list and it is going to take me a while. It has about 185 different contacts! I just have to get it done before I leave for the summer.
As soon as I got in the office I sent out a press release to all of the calendar listing editors in the Chicagoland area. Then I posted the calendar listing on kidwinks.com. For the rest of the day I compiled the basic Chicago media contact list (publications, televisions and radio). It's a long list and it is going to take me a while. It has about 185 different contacts! I just have to get it done before I leave for the summer.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
....
I found an article on one of our clients in the newspaper and on two online news sites. It wasn't a good article. It was about defaulting on a loan by one of our clients... But I don't get to be part of the crisis PR.
I updated our client contact information for everyone. Then made a contact list for an event we are doing in Orange County. After that, I compiled all the editors and their contact information for national real estate publications to send a release tomorrow.
Over lunch, I reviewed a positioning release, a bio and a fact sheet. It was not very good and I can see why the client was getting upset with my boss and her associate. There were grammar errors and sentences that were just jumbled and made no sense. I edited them all. Hopefully that makes the client a bit happier.
The final thing was I had to find a computer recycling drop-off in Chicago because we replaced one computer and two monitors in the office.
I updated our client contact information for everyone. Then made a contact list for an event we are doing in Orange County. After that, I compiled all the editors and their contact information for national real estate publications to send a release tomorrow.
Over lunch, I reviewed a positioning release, a bio and a fact sheet. It was not very good and I can see why the client was getting upset with my boss and her associate. There were grammar errors and sentences that were just jumbled and made no sense. I edited them all. Hopefully that makes the client a bit happier.
The final thing was I had to find a computer recycling drop-off in Chicago because we replaced one computer and two monitors in the office.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Kind of a Boring Day
I revised a media alert for a skateboard park opening and researched skateboarding safety tips. Then I just worked on compiling an overall Chicago media contact list for all the news outlets in the Chicagoland area.
That's my day... Zzzzz
That's my day... Zzzzz
Monday, July 13, 2009
Monday...
The weather is beautiful out and it is almost painful to work. My view is of Lake Michigan on one side and downtown on the other. There is a beach that is always crowded when it's nice out in my view. I think it's more painful to work today because Chicago weather has not been very nice lately, so when it is, I want to be outside.
We started off the week with our regular beginning of the week meeting. I was assigned some work, but I'm going to try and spread it out throughout the week since I usually finish it all in one day, then I'm bored for the rest of the week.
I found contacts for SecurityStockWatch.com and emailed it to the associate. I emailed six different advertising representatives about our public relations firm being added to their comp list. I double checked my ad value report for client 8, and emailed my boss letting her know it was ready for review. Finally, I planned on just starting the clip report for client 6, but I ended up finishing it. Oops! I bet we'll get in a few more articles before it's actually due, so I guess I can just update it until it's ready to be printed.
We started off the week with our regular beginning of the week meeting. I was assigned some work, but I'm going to try and spread it out throughout the week since I usually finish it all in one day, then I'm bored for the rest of the week.
I found contacts for SecurityStockWatch.com and emailed it to the associate. I emailed six different advertising representatives about our public relations firm being added to their comp list. I double checked my ad value report for client 8, and emailed my boss letting her know it was ready for review. Finally, I planned on just starting the clip report for client 6, but I ended up finishing it. Oops! I bet we'll get in a few more articles before it's actually due, so I guess I can just update it until it's ready to be printed.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Busy for the Past 3 Days
Tuesday, July 7
I just worked on the company pitch for Thursday. I looked up pricing, designed the cover page and worked on the PowerPoint. It doesn't seem like a lot, but it kept me busy all day. At the end of the day we had an internal meeting to discuss what we need to get done on Wednesday for the pitch.
Wednesday, July 8
I started the day with looking over a client's conference slides. I was reviewing them to see if there are other possible publicity angles for this specific client we can use in targeting media.
I had to put that on hold to embed a YouTube video into the PowerPoint, organize, add/subtract slides, and edit. My boss changes her mind every minute, so I was kept on my toes in putting the PowerPoint together. I was at work until 7:00 PM and had to rush to the train via cab.
Thursday, July 9
The first two hours of the day, my boss and her associate were at the pitch. When they got back, they were pretty positive it went well and think they got the client. I guess I'll find out Monday since I'm off tomorrow.
I finished going over the client's PowerPoint and put together a PDF of all the important points that we could use in publicity. Then I found television stations in the Worthington, Ohio area and radio in the Arlington Heights, Illinois area. I edited the Chicago calendar listing editor contact list and started a technology editor list for Ohio. Then I booked it to the train and almost blew my knee out in the process. When I was leaving, the computer technician was coming in finally to fix and replace the computers. Yeah!!
I just worked on the company pitch for Thursday. I looked up pricing, designed the cover page and worked on the PowerPoint. It doesn't seem like a lot, but it kept me busy all day. At the end of the day we had an internal meeting to discuss what we need to get done on Wednesday for the pitch.
Wednesday, July 8
I started the day with looking over a client's conference slides. I was reviewing them to see if there are other possible publicity angles for this specific client we can use in targeting media.
I had to put that on hold to embed a YouTube video into the PowerPoint, organize, add/subtract slides, and edit. My boss changes her mind every minute, so I was kept on my toes in putting the PowerPoint together. I was at work until 7:00 PM and had to rush to the train via cab.
Thursday, July 9
The first two hours of the day, my boss and her associate were at the pitch. When they got back, they were pretty positive it went well and think they got the client. I guess I'll find out Monday since I'm off tomorrow.
I finished going over the client's PowerPoint and put together a PDF of all the important points that we could use in publicity. Then I found television stations in the Worthington, Ohio area and radio in the Arlington Heights, Illinois area. I edited the Chicago calendar listing editor contact list and started a technology editor list for Ohio. Then I booked it to the train and almost blew my knee out in the process. When I was leaving, the computer technician was coming in finally to fix and replace the computers. Yeah!!
Monday, July 6, 2009
July 4th Weekend
Due to the July 4th weekend, I got busy and completely forgot to blog.
Wednesday, July 1
I built a detroit business media contact list. Then I researched photography companies and the cost of printing counter cards for an event we are planning for a business pitch. I began to design a logo as well for the pitch, but we don't have a name for the event yet. I did my best with a generic name and created a few different logo examples. Then I made a list of all the schools in the Orlando area that had school security apprehensions so the associate can start a press release about this client's security mechanism that being used in those schools. My final task was email a few publications' ad reps about getting out firm and our client on their comp list.
Thursday, July 2
We are trying to get a movie star for our event we're planning, so my boss had me price out airfare and hotel expenses to give us an idea how much travel would cost us alone. Then I researched D&D Technologies because they are partnering with one of our clients. We had an internal staff meeting about our pitch. Following the meeting, I did more research on pricing for the event. For the rest of the day I followed up on emails and got the company mail postaged and sent out.
Monday, July 6
We had our beginning of the week meeting. The main focus was the pitch, which is occurring this Thursday. I sent out a hinge press release to security publications. Then I put all the articles we were sent using NewsTrak into a word document for each individual client. I finished up the advertising value report that I have been working on for a while. It is going to be sent to the client to show them all the news coverage we got them in dollar value.
We had a telephone conference with the movie star we want agent. She told us it was unlikely we could get him because he is filming. Plus, we would have to pay him an ungodly amount to come even though it is a non-profit event for his charity. Stingy celebrities at their best.
Then I sent out a calendar listing to all the calendar listing editors in the Chicagoland area. My last job was to create a media contact list of editors/producers in the Orlando area that cover community news, education, business and/or technology. I finished that and then left for the day.
Wednesday, July 1
I built a detroit business media contact list. Then I researched photography companies and the cost of printing counter cards for an event we are planning for a business pitch. I began to design a logo as well for the pitch, but we don't have a name for the event yet. I did my best with a generic name and created a few different logo examples. Then I made a list of all the schools in the Orlando area that had school security apprehensions so the associate can start a press release about this client's security mechanism that being used in those schools. My final task was email a few publications' ad reps about getting out firm and our client on their comp list.
Thursday, July 2
We are trying to get a movie star for our event we're planning, so my boss had me price out airfare and hotel expenses to give us an idea how much travel would cost us alone. Then I researched D&D Technologies because they are partnering with one of our clients. We had an internal staff meeting about our pitch. Following the meeting, I did more research on pricing for the event. For the rest of the day I followed up on emails and got the company mail postaged and sent out.
Monday, July 6
We had our beginning of the week meeting. The main focus was the pitch, which is occurring this Thursday. I sent out a hinge press release to security publications. Then I put all the articles we were sent using NewsTrak into a word document for each individual client. I finished up the advertising value report that I have been working on for a while. It is going to be sent to the client to show them all the news coverage we got them in dollar value.
We had a telephone conference with the movie star we want agent. She told us it was unlikely we could get him because he is filming. Plus, we would have to pay him an ungodly amount to come even though it is a non-profit event for his charity. Stingy celebrities at their best.
Then I sent out a calendar listing to all the calendar listing editors in the Chicagoland area. My last job was to create a media contact list of editors/producers in the Orlando area that cover community news, education, business and/or technology. I finished that and then left for the day.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Discovering Meebo
I did not do much work today. I typed up the list of hardware/building trade publications that I sent the press release to yesterday for a client company distribution. After that, I looked up pricing for mobile staging and audio system rentals for a fashion show event we are putting together for a client. Surprisingly many of these companies did not have pricing online, but I emailed them and now I am just waiting for responses. If I don't hear anything by tomorrow, I'll start calling them. Then we had an internal agency meeting to talk about the event because it is actually a fictitious event right now due to the fact we are pitching this idea against another public relations firm. I kind of hope we get the client because I would feel lame if we put together an event with all this outside companies and then have to tell them it is not happening. Embarrassing it would be. Then I looked up fashion trends for the rest of the day to get any idea of what the fall 2009 fashions will be for the show.
While roaming the web for fashion, I discovered a useful tool called Meebo. Apparently many already know about it, but I did not. You can log into all your chat accounts and use them all at once. So now I can be logged into Facebook chat, Myspace chat, Yahoo, Windows Live, Google chat, and AIM. It's pretty cool. Now I will never be bored at work... okay maybe that's a stretch, but at least I can talk to people.
While roaming the web for fashion, I discovered a useful tool called Meebo. Apparently many already know about it, but I did not. You can log into all your chat accounts and use them all at once. So now I can be logged into Facebook chat, Myspace chat, Yahoo, Windows Live, Google chat, and AIM. It's pretty cool. Now I will never be bored at work... okay maybe that's a stretch, but at least I can talk to people.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Having a Case of the Mondays
I had a very pleasant 3 day weekend. I got to enjoy Summerfest and some relaxation time.
When I got in the office today, I updated the weekly status report and printed it for a weekly agency meeting. This meeting I got nothing assigned to me! I swear, I think I do less and less each week. Whenever I ask to do something, they just say look up a contact number or build a media list. Will I ever get to write a press release or anything? I fear I will not and when I leave this internship, I will have learned nothing other than the fact that public relations is not my cup of tea.
I had to call hostway.com because my company email address stopped working this morning. After I got that under control I copied an article from a magazine that our client was published in and I also finished an ad value report for another client. The ad value report was a bit rough seeing that our agency does not have access to any databases, so I had no pricing for advertising or any data really. We didn't even have the actual articles, so I have no idea what the column inches were! Wow this agency is so efficient...
I looked up media contacts in the Arizona area that cover education and sent them to the associate in the office. Then I finished the hardware/building media list and sent out a press release that the associate wrote up. Then it was time to head home. I was nodding off all day and was getting grumpy. Good thing today went fast and the boss and her associate were out most of the day.
When I got in the office today, I updated the weekly status report and printed it for a weekly agency meeting. This meeting I got nothing assigned to me! I swear, I think I do less and less each week. Whenever I ask to do something, they just say look up a contact number or build a media list. Will I ever get to write a press release or anything? I fear I will not and when I leave this internship, I will have learned nothing other than the fact that public relations is not my cup of tea.
I had to call hostway.com because my company email address stopped working this morning. After I got that under control I copied an article from a magazine that our client was published in and I also finished an ad value report for another client. The ad value report was a bit rough seeing that our agency does not have access to any databases, so I had no pricing for advertising or any data really. We didn't even have the actual articles, so I have no idea what the column inches were! Wow this agency is so efficient...
I looked up media contacts in the Arizona area that cover education and sent them to the associate in the office. Then I finished the hardware/building media list and sent out a press release that the associate wrote up. Then it was time to head home. I was nodding off all day and was getting grumpy. Good thing today went fast and the boss and her associate were out most of the day.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Every body is crabby
The two other people in the office are busy with this crisis management issue and are extremely snippy today. As soon as I opened my Google alerts this morning, there were five articles with our client in it. Crazy! My idea was to keep my head down and hope no one yells at (not that they would because they pretty much ignore my existence). I'm actually not really sure why they hired an intern because I do not really do anything. In regards to not doing anything, my boss asked me today what I was working on and I said "well, just media lists." She was like, "okay." Seriously... I was hoping she would realize I'm not really doing anything and give me a job to do. I guess not.
I compiled a Chicago calendar media contact list for the better part of the day. I called one client and got their exact address for my boss. I'm guessing she's mailing something to them. I also called AT&T to get our fax line fixed because we could receive faxes, but not send them. Got that accomplished. Then I sent out a new appointment release for client 8 to healthcare, security and Indianapolis publications. In total it was over 50 separate emails. However, ten of them were undeliverable.
Man I wish I had a paying job...
I compiled a Chicago calendar media contact list for the better part of the day. I called one client and got their exact address for my boss. I'm guessing she's mailing something to them. I also called AT&T to get our fax line fixed because we could receive faxes, but not send them. Got that accomplished. Then I sent out a new appointment release for client 8 to healthcare, security and Indianapolis publications. In total it was over 50 separate emails. However, ten of them were undeliverable.
Man I wish I had a paying job...
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Another Busy Day of Miniscule Tasks
First thing in the morning we had a meeting with the Starlight Foundation district manager. We are coming up with an event for a client during back-to-school that could be conducted annually and bring in repeat patrons. The foundation is really interesting. They raise money to provide programs to help terminally ill children and their families inside and outside of the hospital. Unfortunately, in Chicago they have no national stars for promotional purposes, but their Los Angeles office has Jamie Lee Curtis and Corbin Bleu. We are going to try and get Corbin Bleu. That would be great for our target audience and since High School Musical is such a hit right now, it will draw a massive amount of people. Keeping my fingers crossed that this works out and the client will be pleased.
Then I had to look up real estate reporters/editors in the Chicagoland area due to a crisis with one of our clients. Crain’s Chicago Business published an article about our client that did not make them look to good and now we are in charge of crisis management (Sadly the only thing in public relations other than event planning that I like and I don’t really get to be involved. I just get to look up contact information). Literally while I was doing this we had a conference phone call with client 6. We discussed vertical market opportunities and the press releases we have already created. They seemed to like everything. The conversation was only fifteen minutes long (short in reference to other meetings). I was suppose to take notes, but there wasn’t any real new input from the client, so I didn’t right anything down…
Afterwards I wrote up the notes from the Starlight meeting and distributed to the others in the office. Finally we got the headshot for the second new appointment release. I sent the release out with the headshot to all the trade and Chicago publications I was directed to.
My boss told me to look up the date of when back-to-school shopping officially starts. I had trouble finding a specific date and most stores do not have back-to-school on their websites yet. I finally found two articles that said that back-to-school shopping officially begins late July. Once my boss got that information, she asked me to look up this paid press release service. I bulleted some information about the service they provide to companies and emailed it to her. She sent a nasty reply saying that she could of found that information herself (why did she ask) and said answer these two questions (apparently the questions she wanted answered all along and I should have been able to read her mind to get her the answers she wanted originally). The aggravating part was the questions were answered in the bullets I sent previously, which was less than one-page of information. You know what I did, I pulled the answers straight from my information sheet, copied and pasted so she could tell it was in the information I already sent to her. I think my frustration with being the information retriever only has boiled over and I decided to be a bit sassy. Probably not professional, but my boss and her associate tend to use an extremely rude, cheerleader attitude a lot. At this point, in other words, I don’t care.
The last thing I did today was compile the real estate contact information into a nice chart and saved it in our shared files. I also started to compile the Europe security trade publication media contact sheet. Let’s just say it is difficult since we don’t have access to an international media database and Google isn’t very helpful, but I’m doing my best.
Then I had to look up real estate reporters/editors in the Chicagoland area due to a crisis with one of our clients. Crain’s Chicago Business published an article about our client that did not make them look to good and now we are in charge of crisis management (Sadly the only thing in public relations other than event planning that I like and I don’t really get to be involved. I just get to look up contact information). Literally while I was doing this we had a conference phone call with client 6. We discussed vertical market opportunities and the press releases we have already created. They seemed to like everything. The conversation was only fifteen minutes long (short in reference to other meetings). I was suppose to take notes, but there wasn’t any real new input from the client, so I didn’t right anything down…
Afterwards I wrote up the notes from the Starlight meeting and distributed to the others in the office. Finally we got the headshot for the second new appointment release. I sent the release out with the headshot to all the trade and Chicago publications I was directed to.
My boss told me to look up the date of when back-to-school shopping officially starts. I had trouble finding a specific date and most stores do not have back-to-school on their websites yet. I finally found two articles that said that back-to-school shopping officially begins late July. Once my boss got that information, she asked me to look up this paid press release service. I bulleted some information about the service they provide to companies and emailed it to her. She sent a nasty reply saying that she could of found that information herself (why did she ask) and said answer these two questions (apparently the questions she wanted answered all along and I should have been able to read her mind to get her the answers she wanted originally). The aggravating part was the questions were answered in the bullets I sent previously, which was less than one-page of information. You know what I did, I pulled the answers straight from my information sheet, copied and pasted so she could tell it was in the information I already sent to her. I think my frustration with being the information retriever only has boiled over and I decided to be a bit sassy. Probably not professional, but my boss and her associate tend to use an extremely rude, cheerleader attitude a lot. At this point, in other words, I don’t care.
The last thing I did today was compile the real estate contact information into a nice chart and saved it in our shared files. I also started to compile the Europe security trade publication media contact sheet. Let’s just say it is difficult since we don’t have access to an international media database and Google isn’t very helpful, but I’m doing my best.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Just plugging away
Monday, June 22
For the first hour and twenty minutes of the morning, we had our weekly internal staff meeting. We went over each client. Out of the five page weekly report, I got two things assigned to me. After the meeting, I sent out a new appointment release for client 6 to Indianapolis and Chicago business publications. I was suppose to send out another new appointment release, but I'm still waiting on the headshot that I need to send with it. When sending out the one new appointment news release, I realized that the emails for all the publications were all over the place in the shared files. So I created a basic reference sheet for quick use when you sending out mass releases and then another more detailed list for individual contact. I also made a specific folder in the company's shared files just for media contact information. Hopefully that makes things easier.
For the rest of the day I worked on putting an advertising value report together for client 8 and looked up skateboard shops that would possibly partner with our new client (client 9).
Tuesday, June 23
Still could not send out the other new appointment release because our client still hasn't sent us the headshot. Instead, I worked more on the advertising value report. The problem is we don't have all the clippings. I don't know the column inches for all the articles and have no references on how much advertising cost for any of the mediums we had articles/broadcasts placed in.
Then I did some searching online for European/UK security trade publications. I found two... basic search engines just don't do the trick when your looking internationally. Afterwards, I started printing off documents to update my client folders, but I think I was annoying the associate, so I put that on hold for another day. Now I'm blogging and counting down until I leave.
For the first hour and twenty minutes of the morning, we had our weekly internal staff meeting. We went over each client. Out of the five page weekly report, I got two things assigned to me. After the meeting, I sent out a new appointment release for client 6 to Indianapolis and Chicago business publications. I was suppose to send out another new appointment release, but I'm still waiting on the headshot that I need to send with it. When sending out the one new appointment news release, I realized that the emails for all the publications were all over the place in the shared files. So I created a basic reference sheet for quick use when you sending out mass releases and then another more detailed list for individual contact. I also made a specific folder in the company's shared files just for media contact information. Hopefully that makes things easier.
For the rest of the day I worked on putting an advertising value report together for client 8 and looked up skateboard shops that would possibly partner with our new client (client 9).
Tuesday, June 23
Still could not send out the other new appointment release because our client still hasn't sent us the headshot. Instead, I worked more on the advertising value report. The problem is we don't have all the clippings. I don't know the column inches for all the articles and have no references on how much advertising cost for any of the mediums we had articles/broadcasts placed in.
Then I did some searching online for European/UK security trade publications. I found two... basic search engines just don't do the trick when your looking internationally. Afterwards, I started printing off documents to update my client folders, but I think I was annoying the associate, so I put that on hold for another day. Now I'm blogging and counting down until I leave.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Short Day, Long Weekend
We were suppose to have a meeting with a magazine advertising director this morning, but he cancelled due to unexpected meetings. I took a Twitter 101 webinar on Cision for about an hour and fifteen minutes. It was interesting. I found out the pound sign (#) is placed before events that are taking place currently so that you can distinguish an event from a brand. I also learned about Mr Tweet that recommends people to follow on Twitter that are relative to your profile and what you tweet about. Also, there are desktop programs that can organize you tweets into multiple lists. This makes it easier to look through large quantities of followings. You can make a news list, sports list, advertising list, etc. of just those topics instead of looking at all the people your following in one list. The desktop programs seem very handy.
After the webinar, I just surfed the net finding contact information of local Chicago radio stations that would possibly report about local events. My boss let me leave early today because her and her associate had a meeting to attend to at 3 p.m. Apparently the associate is taking off tomorrow for a mini-vacation over the weekend and my boss is in-and-out of meetings all day tomorrow; so I have work off for tomorrow. This is okay with me. To be honest, I'm kind of getting sick of sitting at a computer using Cision to look up contact information of media and putting it into a spreadsheet all day, every day.
I am going to speak with my boss on Monday morning about trying more things within public relations for learning purposes, since I feel that I have not done much other than create media lists. We'll see how that goes. I just need to ask her in a professional manner.
After the webinar, I just surfed the net finding contact information of local Chicago radio stations that would possibly report about local events. My boss let me leave early today because her and her associate had a meeting to attend to at 3 p.m. Apparently the associate is taking off tomorrow for a mini-vacation over the weekend and my boss is in-and-out of meetings all day tomorrow; so I have work off for tomorrow. This is okay with me. To be honest, I'm kind of getting sick of sitting at a computer using Cision to look up contact information of media and putting it into a spreadsheet all day, every day.
I am going to speak with my boss on Monday morning about trying more things within public relations for learning purposes, since I feel that I have not done much other than create media lists. We'll see how that goes. I just need to ask her in a professional manner.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Tired of Doing Nothing
Yesterday, 6/16/2009
I started the day looking up contact information of cheerleading teams in Anaheim and Los Angeles, California. Then I emailed all the contact information I found to my boss's associate. That is really all I do. I look up contact information for my boss's associate and email them to her. I'm their professional yellow page surfer.
Then the boss's associate gave me a plain list of publication titles and told me to make it look pretty. I just put the list into a template provided in Microsoft Publisher. My boss and her associate loved it. It literally took me two seconds to do. After that, I created a media list of national education publications. I had to cut the list down from 495 magazines to 50. Then I read over the associate's positioning release and fact sheet for client 3. It did not make that much sense because it was covering financial plans I did not completely understand. The good thing is I caught a few spelling errors and a paragraph that was actually written for another client accidently shoved into the positioning release.
The final thing I did for the day was take a webinar on Cision about understanding social media. Unfortunately, the information given was just review of things I already knew. They explained the difference between microblogging, blogging and social networking websites.
Today, 6/17/2009
As soon as I walked into the office, the associate told me to start researching the Starlight Foundation before a meeting with them. At 10:00 AM, we had a telephone conference with the midwest Starlight Foundation about the possibilities of doing a charity event with Starlight and one of our clients. The meeting went well and the lady seemed very interested in doing a charity event with us. Afterwards, I wrote up the notes from the meeting for the associate and my boss.
My boss asked me to define digg, StumbleUp, del.ico.us, Facebook, and Twitter. So that is what I did in like 10 minutes and emailed her back. My boss then told me to look up other options for a charity event, so I looked up the Salvation Army and Goodwill. Also, I had to take over the cheerleading/dance team search in Anaheim and Los Angeles, California. I called and emailed the LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Anaheim Ducks, and UCLA. I have not gotten an email responses and when I called I got all voicemails. Hopefully I hear something tomorrow from the teams.
The last thing of the day was a conference call with client 3 about their positioning release and fact sheet. It was a quick meeting. No more the 20 minutes, which I like a lot better then the usual two hour meetings that drag on.
The routine starts again tomorrow.
I started the day looking up contact information of cheerleading teams in Anaheim and Los Angeles, California. Then I emailed all the contact information I found to my boss's associate. That is really all I do. I look up contact information for my boss's associate and email them to her. I'm their professional yellow page surfer.
Then the boss's associate gave me a plain list of publication titles and told me to make it look pretty. I just put the list into a template provided in Microsoft Publisher. My boss and her associate loved it. It literally took me two seconds to do. After that, I created a media list of national education publications. I had to cut the list down from 495 magazines to 50. Then I read over the associate's positioning release and fact sheet for client 3. It did not make that much sense because it was covering financial plans I did not completely understand. The good thing is I caught a few spelling errors and a paragraph that was actually written for another client accidently shoved into the positioning release.
The final thing I did for the day was take a webinar on Cision about understanding social media. Unfortunately, the information given was just review of things I already knew. They explained the difference between microblogging, blogging and social networking websites.
Today, 6/17/2009
As soon as I walked into the office, the associate told me to start researching the Starlight Foundation before a meeting with them. At 10:00 AM, we had a telephone conference with the midwest Starlight Foundation about the possibilities of doing a charity event with Starlight and one of our clients. The meeting went well and the lady seemed very interested in doing a charity event with us. Afterwards, I wrote up the notes from the meeting for the associate and my boss.
My boss asked me to define digg, StumbleUp, del.ico.us, Facebook, and Twitter. So that is what I did in like 10 minutes and emailed her back. My boss then told me to look up other options for a charity event, so I looked up the Salvation Army and Goodwill. Also, I had to take over the cheerleading/dance team search in Anaheim and Los Angeles, California. I called and emailed the LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Anaheim Ducks, and UCLA. I have not gotten an email responses and when I called I got all voicemails. Hopefully I hear something tomorrow from the teams.
The last thing of the day was a conference call with client 3 about their positioning release and fact sheet. It was a quick meeting. No more the 20 minutes, which I like a lot better then the usual two hour meetings that drag on.
The routine starts again tomorrow.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Here 9 to 4, have only done 2 hours of work
I went on Cision to find contact information for four separate Canadian publications for client 7. Then we had the beginning of the week agency meeting. The meeting was conducted over the phone because my boss was out of the office doing an activity with her daughter. Unfortunately, the speaker phone option on the office phones do not work very well and my boss had difficulty hearing me and my boss' associate. The meeting only last 45 minutes. Afterwards, I took two media clip reports and combined them into a chronological chart for a client. Our client is planning a presentation and needed all their publication placements. The last thing I did today that related to work was look up editors' emails for client 6. Since noon, I've been sitting here twiddling my thumbs. I feel like a bum. It seems like they give me tasks that only take 15 minutes and expect me to do that one task all day... Hopefully they give me a job to do tomorrow that is more challenging then looking up contact information.
Friday, June 12, 2009
TGIF
Yesterday, 6/11/2009
I meet with two marketing executives from a hardware corporation that sells pool safety hardware, security locks, decorative hardware and basic hardware. The meeting lasted 3 hours long, but we discussed their background information about their company and the new products/services they are releasing. Now we are armed with a lot of information we can use for positioning releases and press releases. My boss bought all these bagels, fruit cups and muffins from Corner Bakery for the guys we were meeting with. The executives took nothing; not even for the road. I ended up eating a muffin and a bagel that I surely did not need.
After the meeting I created a contact list of crime news reporters in Orlando, Florida. Then I created another media contact list for Arlington Heights, which after research, turns out to only have one newspaper in the area. My final task of the day was to email all the interviewees that we are not accepting into the internship program. I felt like I was writing dear John letters. That was pretty much my day.
Today, 6/12/2009
I wrote up the notes I took from the meeting yesterday with the marketing executives. Then I created a media contact list of television shows and radio shows that would be a possible opportunity for a local client.
The rest of today I researched commercial real estate trends to get a better understanding one of our client's industry. We are suppose to be working on a positioning release, a fact sheet and bios for this client, but they are very vague. We are trying to give them something new, but we need information to work with and their not giving us anything.
It seems like I'm getting more involved with meetings, but I wish they would let me write up a fact sheet or do something that would actually be used for a clients publicity. Right now I feel like I have not done much. I have been at this internship for four weeks now. I hope they soon let me get more involved then I am right now.
I meet with two marketing executives from a hardware corporation that sells pool safety hardware, security locks, decorative hardware and basic hardware. The meeting lasted 3 hours long, but we discussed their background information about their company and the new products/services they are releasing. Now we are armed with a lot of information we can use for positioning releases and press releases. My boss bought all these bagels, fruit cups and muffins from Corner Bakery for the guys we were meeting with. The executives took nothing; not even for the road. I ended up eating a muffin and a bagel that I surely did not need.
After the meeting I created a contact list of crime news reporters in Orlando, Florida. Then I created another media contact list for Arlington Heights, which after research, turns out to only have one newspaper in the area. My final task of the day was to email all the interviewees that we are not accepting into the internship program. I felt like I was writing dear John letters. That was pretty much my day.
Today, 6/12/2009
I wrote up the notes I took from the meeting yesterday with the marketing executives. Then I created a media contact list of television shows and radio shows that would be a possible opportunity for a local client.
The rest of today I researched commercial real estate trends to get a better understanding one of our client's industry. We are suppose to be working on a positioning release, a fact sheet and bios for this client, but they are very vague. We are trying to give them something new, but we need information to work with and their not giving us anything.
It seems like I'm getting more involved with meetings, but I wish they would let me write up a fact sheet or do something that would actually be used for a clients publicity. Right now I feel like I have not done much. I have been at this internship for four weeks now. I hope they soon let me get more involved then I am right now.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Meetings
Yesterday, 6/09/2009
I built three media lists and then transferred them into a spreadsheet. The media lists were: Arizona business and finance publications, health care publications, and Chicago retail publications. Then I did some research on commercial tenant representation because we are trying to send out a positioning release about our client, but they are not giving us any new information. Their website, as along with their competitors, is very vague in the description of what they do. Every time we re-work the positioning release they say they do not like it because it is not very detailed, yet they will not give us any new information to put in the release. Ugh!!!! This is a challenge.
I meet with an advertising rep for a magazine called Security Products. We discussed possible advertisements and articles that could be placed in their up-coming issues. I had a nice debate with the rep about whether he thinks newspapers will completely die out or not. We also discussed advertising online. It was intriguing. But stupid me did not give him my business card, which would have been the smart thing to do. Oh well.
The meeting ran late and I was 30 minutes late meeting my friend downtown for dinner....
Today, 6/10/2009
This morning I wrote up the meeting notes from yesterday afternoon. I then e-mailed them to my boss and her associate. Apparently my boss was telling her associate yesterday that she was impressed with how professional I was with the advertising rep and how I interacted well with him. Kudos for me!
Then I booked a flight for my boss. She is going to a conference for one of our clients in Baltimore. After that, I research tenant representation some more and put together a research findings sheet. I didn't find much new information, but hopefully it will help. Following that, I made a list of publications for Arizona, Chicago business, and finance publications that will go in a document for a client.
And now, I'm blogging and watching the time melt away slowly. Sometimes being an intern is a bit boring.
I built three media lists and then transferred them into a spreadsheet. The media lists were: Arizona business and finance publications, health care publications, and Chicago retail publications. Then I did some research on commercial tenant representation because we are trying to send out a positioning release about our client, but they are not giving us any new information. Their website, as along with their competitors, is very vague in the description of what they do. Every time we re-work the positioning release they say they do not like it because it is not very detailed, yet they will not give us any new information to put in the release. Ugh!!!! This is a challenge.
I meet with an advertising rep for a magazine called Security Products. We discussed possible advertisements and articles that could be placed in their up-coming issues. I had a nice debate with the rep about whether he thinks newspapers will completely die out or not. We also discussed advertising online. It was intriguing. But stupid me did not give him my business card, which would have been the smart thing to do. Oh well.
The meeting ran late and I was 30 minutes late meeting my friend downtown for dinner....
Today, 6/10/2009
This morning I wrote up the meeting notes from yesterday afternoon. I then e-mailed them to my boss and her associate. Apparently my boss was telling her associate yesterday that she was impressed with how professional I was with the advertising rep and how I interacted well with him. Kudos for me!
Then I booked a flight for my boss. She is going to a conference for one of our clients in Baltimore. After that, I research tenant representation some more and put together a research findings sheet. I didn't find much new information, but hopefully it will help. Following that, I made a list of publications for Arizona, Chicago business, and finance publications that will go in a document for a client.
And now, I'm blogging and watching the time melt away slowly. Sometimes being an intern is a bit boring.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Rough Start
This morning I come into the office to be welcomed by an e-mail that says do not answer the phone for these three specific phone numbers. Well one of the caller id names my boss gave me was incorrect and I ended up answering one of calls that we were suppose to let go to voicemail. I guess it was a personal issue my boss was avoiding because the guy swore at me. I just hung the phone and then he called about 6 times in row. Apparently he was not giving up and then, he showed up at the office. I never saw him, but the associate in the office was worried about my boss and hoping she was not hurt. I'm guessing this was a personal issue with a guy that may be abusive. It was a weird way to start the morning with an emotional distressed person pursuing your boss. I felt bad for my boss because it is probably embarrassing dealing with something of that caliber in front of your employees.
Then I had to call around Aneheim, CA to find professional cheerleaders and dancers for a client. Unfortunately, in the process of doing so, I came across a lot of pornography. This was not enjoyable. All the people we called were extremely expensive, and we are hoping the few modeling agency and cheerleading teams we are waiting on, are more reasonable.
For the rest the day I just built media contact lists for two separate clients. The lists I was building were retail publications, business and finance publications, and healthcare publications.
Our beginning of the week meeting was kind of scattered throughout the day because my boss was dealing with a lot. Not only did she have to deal with that creep this morning, but she also had a meeting with a client, had to replace her Blackberry, and do second interviews with possible interns. The bad thing was my boss was running about 30 to 45 minutes behind on the interviews. She is so scattered all the time and especially today; it probably did not come off well to the people applying. It also seems to drive her associate crazy because the associate is very organized and a bit of a control freak.
At least today was entertaining.... Wonder how tomorrow will be.
Then I had to call around Aneheim, CA to find professional cheerleaders and dancers for a client. Unfortunately, in the process of doing so, I came across a lot of pornography. This was not enjoyable. All the people we called were extremely expensive, and we are hoping the few modeling agency and cheerleading teams we are waiting on, are more reasonable.
For the rest the day I just built media contact lists for two separate clients. The lists I was building were retail publications, business and finance publications, and healthcare publications.
Our beginning of the week meeting was kind of scattered throughout the day because my boss was dealing with a lot. Not only did she have to deal with that creep this morning, but she also had a meeting with a client, had to replace her Blackberry, and do second interviews with possible interns. The bad thing was my boss was running about 30 to 45 minutes behind on the interviews. She is so scattered all the time and especially today; it probably did not come off well to the people applying. It also seems to drive her associate crazy because the associate is very organized and a bit of a control freak.
At least today was entertaining.... Wonder how tomorrow will be.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Busy Busy Busy
Wednesday, 6/03/2009
Worked on a pitch for a prospective client. I probably re-did and edited the PowerPoint for the presentation a million times. It's crazy to think I was in the office from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM and all I worked on was a PowerPoint. Well, I went to the bank, CVS, and Starbucks for my boss, but that is really it.
Thursday, 6/04/2009
I got to come into work 2 hours later than usual. It was nice to get extra sleep. As soon as I walked in the office we had a conference call from client 6. We talked about an event we are planning for them and about vertical markets that we could reach about their products and services. Apparently the pitch went well, or so my boss thinks. The embedded video worked on the PowerPoint, which makes me happy because it was tricky to place in the presentation. Unfortunately, the people we pitched to did not have an audio system. My boss was creative though. While the video was playing of our television clips, she spoke about how she pitched them, how they got the story run, and how often they get certain segments. Keeping our fingers crossed to get this client. Then after that, for client 7, I created a vertical marketing kit binder. I already had the information to put in the binder because it was provided by the client. All I did was buy a binder/separators from Walgreens, label, 3-hole punch, and assemble. That was my day, though it doesn't seem like a lot, but it kept me busy the whole day.
Friday, 6/05/2009
Today, I got into the office at the regular time. Both of the internship interviewees cancelled their meetings, so that freed up the morning. I put together a Chicago fashion magazine contact media list and after revision from the boss's associate, I'm now adding more contacts. My boss is going to take me and her associate out for lunch for the long hours we pulled for the pitch. I love free meals!
Worked on a pitch for a prospective client. I probably re-did and edited the PowerPoint for the presentation a million times. It's crazy to think I was in the office from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM and all I worked on was a PowerPoint. Well, I went to the bank, CVS, and Starbucks for my boss, but that is really it.
Thursday, 6/04/2009
I got to come into work 2 hours later than usual. It was nice to get extra sleep. As soon as I walked in the office we had a conference call from client 6. We talked about an event we are planning for them and about vertical markets that we could reach about their products and services. Apparently the pitch went well, or so my boss thinks. The embedded video worked on the PowerPoint, which makes me happy because it was tricky to place in the presentation. Unfortunately, the people we pitched to did not have an audio system. My boss was creative though. While the video was playing of our television clips, she spoke about how she pitched them, how they got the story run, and how often they get certain segments. Keeping our fingers crossed to get this client. Then after that, for client 7, I created a vertical marketing kit binder. I already had the information to put in the binder because it was provided by the client. All I did was buy a binder/separators from Walgreens, label, 3-hole punch, and assemble. That was my day, though it doesn't seem like a lot, but it kept me busy the whole day.
Friday, 6/05/2009
Today, I got into the office at the regular time. Both of the internship interviewees cancelled their meetings, so that freed up the morning. I put together a Chicago fashion magazine contact media list and after revision from the boss's associate, I'm now adding more contacts. My boss is going to take me and her associate out for lunch for the long hours we pulled for the pitch. I love free meals!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
A PR Agency that is Computer Inept
Yesterday I was busy. We had our beginning of the week meeting to get up-to-date on all our clients. I had to do some office work, which included doing some organization and putting things away. I rescheduled intern interviews since my boss is extremely busy with her pitch that is on Thursday. I started a list of all the computer issues the office is having, but to be realistic, she needs computers from this century. These computers are dinosaurs that do not even have a DVD player. Computers only last so many years and these have to be almost 10 years old. I found information and started a membership order form for the Great North Michigan Avenue Association for my boss. That could be a strategic move for the firm because it will help with knowing other businesses in the area. Then, I had to e-mail the Chicago Trib Magazine because they made a misprint about our client. They put that there would be a wine tasting at one of our clients properties and that was an event that happened last year around this time, but was not happening or was scheduled for this year. Apparently our client was getting a lot of complaints from patrons. I guess the Chicago Trib got their information from a company that collects all the event listings in the area. Hopefully the Chicago Trib writes an apology in their next issue.
Today I worked on the PowerPoint for the pitch. My boss and the assistant do not have much knowledge of computers. They told me just to pick a basic layout and type in what they wanted to say. I did that, but it looks so generic and I do not think it will get the client. I'm going to re-do it and make it look unique and let the boss decide which one she wants to use. My boss does not even have PowerPoint on her computer, so I do not really think she understands that using a basic layout for pitch is like just saying "I don't really care about this account." Now if this was just a meeting with a client we already have, a basic layout probably would be fine. But we a pitching to a client that has another PR firm pitching for it as well. This needs to look good. So I'll do the PowerPoint tonight and show it to her tomorrow. I guess we will see.
Also, we had a conference call with a current client today. To explain the computer ineptness of the PR firm I work at in greater detail. There was a file of the June updates and I was suppose to take notes, but I went into the company shared files and there was just so many scatterness going on. There were like six different update folders and none of them had the June 2009 update file. How can you run a firm with absolutely no organization? How does anything get done? I do not understand how you can be a PR firm in year 2009 and have no technical skills. Apparently they get buy...
Today I worked on the PowerPoint for the pitch. My boss and the assistant do not have much knowledge of computers. They told me just to pick a basic layout and type in what they wanted to say. I did that, but it looks so generic and I do not think it will get the client. I'm going to re-do it and make it look unique and let the boss decide which one she wants to use. My boss does not even have PowerPoint on her computer, so I do not really think she understands that using a basic layout for pitch is like just saying "I don't really care about this account." Now if this was just a meeting with a client we already have, a basic layout probably would be fine. But we a pitching to a client that has another PR firm pitching for it as well. This needs to look good. So I'll do the PowerPoint tonight and show it to her tomorrow. I guess we will see.
Also, we had a conference call with a current client today. To explain the computer ineptness of the PR firm I work at in greater detail. There was a file of the June updates and I was suppose to take notes, but I went into the company shared files and there was just so many scatterness going on. There were like six different update folders and none of them had the June 2009 update file. How can you run a firm with absolutely no organization? How does anything get done? I do not understand how you can be a PR firm in year 2009 and have no technical skills. Apparently they get buy...
Friday, May 29, 2009
Slow Day at the Office...
I completely forgot to write yesterday. Today, it is extremely slow and my boss is gone. So I thought I would update my happenings here at my PR internship.
Yesterday was an extremely busy work day. I did a mass e-mail send out of a press release for client 6. The press releases finally went through with the attached jpeg (it only took two days to accomplish). Then I worked on compiling impressions for print, broadcast, and web from 2004 to 2009 for a prospective client. After I made an excel spread of that, I made three graphics of these impressions that will be used in a powerpoint for the pitch to the client. I'm really hoping we get this client because they are a shopping center and we already work with a similar client. What I'm trying to get at is that my PR firm has an idea of what we need to do for this prospective client. Next week we are going to be working on the pitch, the PowerPoint, and the clips video. Exciting stuff!
Also, yesterday I worked on a fact sheet and two bios for client 1. I'm not exactly good at writing and especially not skilled at writing in a newsy style. I'm used to writing advertising copy-write style. Very fluffy, yet hard hittting and definitely not complete sentences, so making the transition to PR-writing style is hard for me. I'm doing my best and learning as I go, but yesterday everything I wrote was pratically rewritten by the person I work with. Each time I sent my write-ups in for revision, more and more of the stuff I wrote was rewritten or cut out. By the end of the writing process, nothing I wrote was the anymore... Oh well. I'm trying my best.
Today, I finalized the fact sheet and two bios. Then created a publicity action plan calendar for client 7. It didn't take me much time to whip together. After that I cut down a list of 1,500 media contacts to a list of 195. Now, I'm blogging and checking Twitter.
Since I've been at this internship I have been utilizing Twitter. I now have 86 followers and I follow about 164 tweets. I use it for personal, advertising, graphic design, music, snowboarding, mountain biking, news, and some other odds and ends. I've learned a lot from others on Twitter and it seems like a great marketing tool. My hope is to continue twittering all summer and see how many followers I gain.
Yesterday was an extremely busy work day. I did a mass e-mail send out of a press release for client 6. The press releases finally went through with the attached jpeg (it only took two days to accomplish). Then I worked on compiling impressions for print, broadcast, and web from 2004 to 2009 for a prospective client. After I made an excel spread of that, I made three graphics of these impressions that will be used in a powerpoint for the pitch to the client. I'm really hoping we get this client because they are a shopping center and we already work with a similar client. What I'm trying to get at is that my PR firm has an idea of what we need to do for this prospective client. Next week we are going to be working on the pitch, the PowerPoint, and the clips video. Exciting stuff!
Also, yesterday I worked on a fact sheet and two bios for client 1. I'm not exactly good at writing and especially not skilled at writing in a newsy style. I'm used to writing advertising copy-write style. Very fluffy, yet hard hittting and definitely not complete sentences, so making the transition to PR-writing style is hard for me. I'm doing my best and learning as I go, but yesterday everything I wrote was pratically rewritten by the person I work with. Each time I sent my write-ups in for revision, more and more of the stuff I wrote was rewritten or cut out. By the end of the writing process, nothing I wrote was the anymore... Oh well. I'm trying my best.
Today, I finalized the fact sheet and two bios. Then created a publicity action plan calendar for client 7. It didn't take me much time to whip together. After that I cut down a list of 1,500 media contacts to a list of 195. Now, I'm blogging and checking Twitter.
Since I've been at this internship I have been utilizing Twitter. I now have 86 followers and I follow about 164 tweets. I use it for personal, advertising, graphic design, music, snowboarding, mountain biking, news, and some other odds and ends. I've learned a lot from others on Twitter and it seems like a great marketing tool. My hope is to continue twittering all summer and see how many followers I gain.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wish I had my walking shoes
When I got in the office today, I had to finish assembling the press kits to have them mailed out today. I also had to deal with some interviewees who were being rescheduled and scheduled more interviews for Monday.
I was suppose to take a webinar on Twitter at noon, so at 10:30 AM I thought I would do my run to the bank and post office before the webinar. My boss asked me to also return a purse and a pair shoes at Nine West in my travels. I thought I would return the Nine West apparel first and on my way back to the office I would hit the other places I needed to go. I returned the items at Nine West, then I went to the Hancock building's post office to drop off the press kits and send a registered letter. The Hancock building's post office told me they do not send registered mail, I have to got to Ontario and Dearborn post office. So I walk back to Nine West area and past it, then West about 9 blocks. But I could not find the post office. It turns out it was on Ohio and Dearborn... When I finally figured that out and went in, there were about a dozen or more people in front of me and only two post office employees. It took forever! Then I had to walk all the way back to where I started and go to the bank then walk back to the PR office. In total I walked about 55 to 60 blocks. It took me 2 hours to just go to the post office, bank, and return purchases...and I missed my webinar.
After that I tried to send a mass e-mail of press releases for a new appointment for one of our clients. But my e-mail would not send out, it would only receive. The e-mail account was not very useful. One of the employees did not believe me and tried, their e-mails would not send either. Instead sending the mass press release I made a media list for Compton CA, Chicago food, and Chicago news.
Tomorrow I need to write a fact sheet and bios for a new client. And I need to continue building the Chicago news media list and create two new media lists for two separate clients. I definitely have things to do now!
I was suppose to take a webinar on Twitter at noon, so at 10:30 AM I thought I would do my run to the bank and post office before the webinar. My boss asked me to also return a purse and a pair shoes at Nine West in my travels. I thought I would return the Nine West apparel first and on my way back to the office I would hit the other places I needed to go. I returned the items at Nine West, then I went to the Hancock building's post office to drop off the press kits and send a registered letter. The Hancock building's post office told me they do not send registered mail, I have to got to Ontario and Dearborn post office. So I walk back to Nine West area and past it, then West about 9 blocks. But I could not find the post office. It turns out it was on Ohio and Dearborn... When I finally figured that out and went in, there were about a dozen or more people in front of me and only two post office employees. It took forever! Then I had to walk all the way back to where I started and go to the bank then walk back to the PR office. In total I walked about 55 to 60 blocks. It took me 2 hours to just go to the post office, bank, and return purchases...and I missed my webinar.
After that I tried to send a mass e-mail of press releases for a new appointment for one of our clients. But my e-mail would not send out, it would only receive. The e-mail account was not very useful. One of the employees did not believe me and tried, their e-mails would not send either. Instead sending the mass press release I made a media list for Compton CA, Chicago food, and Chicago news.
Tomorrow I need to write a fact sheet and bios for a new client. And I need to continue building the Chicago news media list and create two new media lists for two separate clients. I definitely have things to do now!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Day after Memorial Vaca
I had to wake up at 4:00 AM today to get to a dairy farm by 6:45 AM. WGN News did a broadcast on our client. I was on TV for two clips for a total of 2 seconds, but it was cool. It was also interesting seeing how a live broadcast for news is done. It consists of a lot of sitting around and waiting. Then they shoot about a few seconds then sit around again. Though, I do not think I would have ever seen this at school.
Then when I got back to the office I built a media list to send the pitch letter I wrote for client 8. Once the media list was built, I put together a hard copy press kit which included my press release. It felt good doing something that actually was being used for the client. This took me almost most of the day.
I scheduled some more intern interviews for the president of the firm throughout the day. We had our beginning of the week meeting. We went over all our clients and I was assigned a lot more work this week. No none of it pertains to advertising, but it does have to do with public relations. I'm going to start on a vertical markets list for a client, write a press release, make a publicity action calendar for internal purposes, start multiple fact sheets/bios for clients to send to media, and continually work on building media lists for multiple clients.
I started bringing my laptop to work. Good idea on my part. The stone age desktops at the PR firm are constantly freaking out and don't have all the programs I like to use. I'm going to continue bringing my laptop to work because I feel I can making better final products with it.
Then when I got back to the office I built a media list to send the pitch letter I wrote for client 8. Once the media list was built, I put together a hard copy press kit which included my press release. It felt good doing something that actually was being used for the client. This took me almost most of the day.
I scheduled some more intern interviews for the president of the firm throughout the day. We had our beginning of the week meeting. We went over all our clients and I was assigned a lot more work this week. No none of it pertains to advertising, but it does have to do with public relations. I'm going to start on a vertical markets list for a client, write a press release, make a publicity action calendar for internal purposes, start multiple fact sheets/bios for clients to send to media, and continually work on building media lists for multiple clients.
I started bringing my laptop to work. Good idea on my part. The stone age desktops at the PR firm are constantly freaking out and don't have all the programs I like to use. I'm going to continue bringing my laptop to work because I feel I can making better final products with it.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
The Want to Learn
Wednesday I did not do much. I did some background research on a client, cut down media lists, and wrote out my travel costs for the president of the PR firm. Also, I continued scheduling interviews for interns. I want to learn PR and how a firm works, but the president and her right-hand man are so busy they don't have time to teach me anything. Plus, I think they like to do things them self so that they know it is done right. Unfortunately, this philosophy of work does not give me an opportunity to learn. I know it is my first week and I probably should not get my panties in a bunch quite yet. Hopefully they will start trusting me with more and teaching me.
Today I started clipping newspapers in hopes of creating a digital clippings CD for a client. I also put together two start-up kits for two new clients. This consisted of papers explaining what we can do for them, what is PR, and a beginning brainstorming activity sheet. Finally, I started to put together a chart of impressions they have received for a client from 2004 to the present. The problem is multiple people have done the past years charts and they do not have all the information. How do you find circulation for three years ago? It is crazy. This project will end up either looking like crap or take a lot of time to figure out the missing information. We'll see. I usually ask questions in this case, but every time I ask questions I get the finger "I don't have time" or they say I'll help you later. The assistant to the president just always says I don't know, it's the president's thing. AHHHHHH!!!!!!
Hopefully next week goes smoother. Well, I have a four day weekend, so until Tuesday... relaxation.
Today I started clipping newspapers in hopes of creating a digital clippings CD for a client. I also put together two start-up kits for two new clients. This consisted of papers explaining what we can do for them, what is PR, and a beginning brainstorming activity sheet. Finally, I started to put together a chart of impressions they have received for a client from 2004 to the present. The problem is multiple people have done the past years charts and they do not have all the information. How do you find circulation for three years ago? It is crazy. This project will end up either looking like crap or take a lot of time to figure out the missing information. We'll see. I usually ask questions in this case, but every time I ask questions I get the finger "I don't have time" or they say I'll help you later. The assistant to the president just always says I don't know, it's the president's thing. AHHHHHH!!!!!!
Hopefully next week goes smoother. Well, I have a four day weekend, so until Tuesday... relaxation.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Round 2 at the Internship
Commuting today was not as bad since I knew what I was doing. The train kind of stunk more than yesterday and I believe taking the train will get old soon. I like the walking though. In the morning it energizes me for work and in the afternoon it feels nice since I sit most of the day.
When I got into the PR firm, I worked on a publicity clip report for, lets call them client 6. Unfortunately, I forgot to copy the clips before sending them to FedEx Kinko's. Kinko's said they could not copy the clips because they would infringe on copyright laws. They accidentally decided to start copying the wrong clip report, which was actually an old clip report that was suppose to be used as a sample. I'm hoping they will not charge us for the mistake and copy the correct clip report. In all, I think the publicity clip report will look good for client 6 after I copied the clips and resent it to the printers.
Then I did some internal PR work. I'm working on creating an interview schedule for graduated college students to meet with the president of the company. I made a interview time chart and e-mailed the interviewees all they need to know for the interview. I also tried to start a vendor list of other firms and companies we work with to achieve clients' business goals. So far, I have one vendor... Then I started working on how to compile a media contact list on my own. The cisionpoint program is really helpful and not difficult to use. Though, after the Kinko's mishap this job was reneged from me.
I'm going to keep my working face on, try harder tomorrow, and try to pay attention to every detail. Within two days in a PR firm, attention detail seems like an extremely important part of the job.
When I got into the PR firm, I worked on a publicity clip report for, lets call them client 6. Unfortunately, I forgot to copy the clips before sending them to FedEx Kinko's. Kinko's said they could not copy the clips because they would infringe on copyright laws. They accidentally decided to start copying the wrong clip report, which was actually an old clip report that was suppose to be used as a sample. I'm hoping they will not charge us for the mistake and copy the correct clip report. In all, I think the publicity clip report will look good for client 6 after I copied the clips and resent it to the printers.
Then I did some internal PR work. I'm working on creating an interview schedule for graduated college students to meet with the president of the company. I made a interview time chart and e-mailed the interviewees all they need to know for the interview. I also tried to start a vendor list of other firms and companies we work with to achieve clients' business goals. So far, I have one vendor... Then I started working on how to compile a media contact list on my own. The cisionpoint program is really helpful and not difficult to use. Though, after the Kinko's mishap this job was reneged from me.
I'm going to keep my working face on, try harder tomorrow, and try to pay attention to every detail. Within two days in a PR firm, attention detail seems like an extremely important part of the job.
Monday, May 18, 2009
First day at my PR internship
My experience of commuting downtown was not difficult, but shows how ridiculous it is to do five days a week and could not imagine doing it for my entire career. It took 2 hours to get from my house to the PR firm. I was on the train for about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Then I had to walk a total of 10 blocks and take the L, which totaled another 35 to 40 minutes on to my trip. Then repeat at the end of the work day. Plus, public transportation is expensive. It almost seems cheaper to drive.
Once I was at the PR firm, I realized it was quite small, which means I will get a lot of hands on experience. Unfortunately the computer system would not let me log in so I really didn't get a feel of how they are set up on computer network, but I think I got the gist. We had a company meeting first thing and was let in on what the current standings are with each client. They seem to have a large work load for such a small firm. To me, that is great. Their main function seems to be getting media contacts to place information about their clients in their medium, track their clients media placements, and part take in some event planning. With an advertising background this is all new and different, but I will get to learn a whole new aspect of the business communication field.
The company was very nice to me. One of the workers took me out to lunch at Corner Bakery and we just chatted and got acquainted. It was very pleasant. She also showed me the bank that I will probably have to visit a few times over my internship. Right after lunch, I had a web seminar on the program cision point. It is a media contact database and it is a pretty nifty tool. It has a quicksearch and powersearch function, which allows you to retrieve contact information for all types of media.
Following that I worked on a book of article clippings for a client. I also updated the client contact sheet and did some basic office work. Then it was already 5 pm. The day flew by, which I kind had a feeling it would. But with all the excitement of the first day, I left the package I was suppose to have delivered on the 14th floor as I was leaving. It was going to the front desk for the USPS pickup... Oops! I was so full of information I forgot the simplest task. Oh well, if that is the worst thing I can do, then I think this internship will be okay. Round two tomorrow.
Once I was at the PR firm, I realized it was quite small, which means I will get a lot of hands on experience. Unfortunately the computer system would not let me log in so I really didn't get a feel of how they are set up on computer network, but I think I got the gist. We had a company meeting first thing and was let in on what the current standings are with each client. They seem to have a large work load for such a small firm. To me, that is great. Their main function seems to be getting media contacts to place information about their clients in their medium, track their clients media placements, and part take in some event planning. With an advertising background this is all new and different, but I will get to learn a whole new aspect of the business communication field.
The company was very nice to me. One of the workers took me out to lunch at Corner Bakery and we just chatted and got acquainted. It was very pleasant. She also showed me the bank that I will probably have to visit a few times over my internship. Right after lunch, I had a web seminar on the program cision point. It is a media contact database and it is a pretty nifty tool. It has a quicksearch and powersearch function, which allows you to retrieve contact information for all types of media.
Following that I worked on a book of article clippings for a client. I also updated the client contact sheet and did some basic office work. Then it was already 5 pm. The day flew by, which I kind had a feeling it would. But with all the excitement of the first day, I left the package I was suppose to have delivered on the 14th floor as I was leaving. It was going to the front desk for the USPS pickup... Oops! I was so full of information I forgot the simplest task. Oh well, if that is the worst thing I can do, then I think this internship will be okay. Round two tomorrow.
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