Acknowledging that maintaining a solid social media presence relies a lot on consistency and creativity, I have decided to take a brief hiatus from this blog to re-evaluate its purpose. Although, having so many different interests, I have decided that this site would be of more use if I narrow my focus. For this reason, I am taking time out to carefully think about and create this focus. Don't lose patience with me - my return will not disappoint.
It is true what they say...it's not so much about what you know, as it is about who you know. Now that you've faced that harsh reality, it's time to start getting to know people. What good are ideas with no one to share them with? The following are three big ways to get to where you want to be.
1. Talk to people Simple right? One would assume. The reality, however, is that people become hesitant when wondering who to talk to, when to talk to them and what to say. Talk to anybody, anytime, about anything (educated). You never know anything about someone until you reach out and start a conversation.
Recently, I was in my local Buffalo Wild Wings waiting for my "to go" order. A nice older man came in, sat down next to me, and proceeded to wait for his order as well. I greeted him with a nice smile and a hello. That's it. From that, we entered a 10 minutes conversation about so many things. Turned out, he recently retired from the FBI. His wife recently died, and his daughter just completed her bachelor's degree at Temple University. He found out I was into communications and public relations, complimented my great communications skills and gave me an old business card with his current number and email address written on the back. Needless to say I kept in contact with him, and to this day he shares with me local job positions in my field. All of that, based on a 10 minute conversation in BWW.
I say that to say, it doesn't matter where you are, or how awkward it may feel, a simple conversation can go so far. You may never know who you're meeting, until you actually meet them. It will never hurt to talk to people, EVER. 2. USE social media. Don't just have a link, actively use it. Participate in discussions, trending topics, create dialogue, ask questions. Social media can be used for so much more than just talking about yourself. For example, more than half of my Twitter followers had no idea that Twitter offers "chat rooms". Every week at certain times, Twitter offers discussions for various fields on various topics. Each day at those specific times, just search the hashtag and follow or participate in the discussion. These chatroom times and hastags can be found online. USE THAT! Social media is said to be the easiest and quickest way to talk to and meet new people. USE THAT! Do not just use it to keep in touch with people you already know, use it to meet new, influential people. Create separate profiles geared toward your field and reach out to those with a similar passion. Exchange ideas, share recent events, become acquainted.
3. Lastly, INVEST IN YOUR PASSION. The most important one. For recent graduates and young professionals, it's hard to manage a new job, with maintaining a social life, saving money for loans, paying new bills, all while working hard to achieve your dreams. For people breaking into artistic fields, it's the same: going to auditions, doing shows, working, saving money and finding time for friends is such a daunting task. However, you have to invest in your passion, with both time and money. Attend workshops, conferences, webinars and happy hour networking events. Go to career fairs and become familiar with the representatives. Take time to educate yourself on the current events of your field and start conversations. Invest in business and resume cards, websites and even logos. Take your passion as seriously as you take your job. Set a time each day to work solely on what it is you dream of. Research the field, research current influencers in your field, send e-mails and find local events & workshops to attend. Remember this is YOUR dream, act like it. The more you invest, the more results you'll yield.
By doing those three things, you'll not only see that you're getting further, you'll feel more rewarded.Try it out, and let me know how it works for you. If you've already been doing these things, let me know how they've worked out. Leave comments and ask questions. In the meantime, follow me: @zshunterPR.
About 3 years ago I had the pleasure of meeting one of the most talented people I know. In February 2011 I had the honor of introducing him to my Tumblr following for his amazing "There Goes My Baby" guitar cover (the original post can be viewed here). Since then, Matt Cassanova, who most often goes by Ghetto Guitar, has continued to create a buzz amongst the music community. Stemming from West Haven, CT, Matt developed a love for the guitar starting in highschool, and since then has taken strides to perfect his craft. Matt exudes a strong passion for music and a keen ear for sound, all of which can be seen and felt in each song.
Currently, Matt has been finishing up his debut instrumental album, all songs of which are created and edited by him. Taking a new spin on music by incorporating his love for the guitar and his natural ear for instruments and great sounds, Matt has begun to set a foundation on which he intends to build upon within the music industry. TRILL ROCK, his debut project is set to release this summer. Below is one of my favorite covers by Matt Cassanova, "Crew Love" originally performed by Drake ft. The-Weeknd. All sounds in this video, including the acoustic guitar backtracks, are performed by Matt Cassanova.
Matt's talent, much like his lively personality, is undeniable. I wish him the best in all of his future projects. More videos can be viewed on his personal YouTube page at youtube.com/MCharles203, and upcoming information about his project release can be found on the URBN MEMOIRS blog page and his personal Twitter account @Ghetto_Guitar.
Currently, Matt has been finishing up his debut instrumental album, all songs of which are created and edited by him. Taking a new spin on music by incorporating his love for the guitar and his natural ear for instruments and great sounds, Matt has begun to set a foundation on which he intends to build upon within the music industry. TRILL ROCK, his debut project is set to release this summer. Below is one of my favorite covers by Matt Cassanova, "Crew Love" originally performed by Drake ft. The-Weeknd. All sounds in this video, including the acoustic guitar backtracks, are performed by Matt Cassanova.
Matt's talent, much like his lively personality, is undeniable. I wish him the best in all of his future projects. More videos can be viewed on his personal YouTube page at youtube.com/MCharles203, and upcoming information about his project release can be found on the URBN MEMOIRS blog page and his personal Twitter account @Ghetto_Guitar.
Hashtagging...an idea that social media users know about, but barely know how to do. One of the easiest ways to group certain content in its relevant "categories", and a free, easy way for social media's version of "search optimization", hashtagging is signified by a "#" sign before the actual tag word. However, none of this matters if you don't know how to hashtag effectively. Below are three tips on how to get hashtags to work in your favor.
1. Think of the purpose of your post and think of the category it belongs in.
Before saying anything, it is important to understand that hashtags should not be used for no reason. The purpose of hashtagging is to allow your post to be found and organized through social media searches. If someone wants to search for baseball information they will search baseball relevant hashtags - when hashtagged properly, baseball related posts will be found. With that said, it's most important to think of the purpose of your post and choose a hashtag that fits in a particular category. If your post is geared toward "#beauty" then the appropriate hashtag would simply be "beauty" or even "#beautytips" (depending on the post). If you're posting on behalf of an organization, the most effective way to hashtag would be to hashtag the field in which the business is in, the name of the business, and whatever category the post fits in. For example, a post written on behalf of a PR firm would include a PR hashtag, a hashtag of the firm's name, and then a hashtag of the category in which the post fits. It is okay to use multiple hashtags in one post, just don't overwhelm the reader; meaning no more than 3 hashtags per post.
When using this method, it is important to think of keywords that you would use to search for the specific topic in which you're posting about. Chances are, the keywords you create will be the same ones someone else uses to search the topic.
2. Let "Trending Topics" guide you
If you're unsure of what to use, don't be afraid to reference Twitter's Trending Topics (new or old) and use them. Once again, make sure they fit the purpose(s) of your post and are relevant for those who happen to search the specific hashtag.
3. Make it sound cool!
It can go without saying, that people will read and search for things that sound cool. It's equally as important to create tags that are interesting and catchy...not complex, but catchy! Use keywords that you think can catch the attention of the post's targeted user and that is still relevant to the post itself.
By following these easy steps, your hashtag experience will be effectively used. Once mastering this, we can get on to more complex hashtag tips and ideas for both personal and professional use. In the meantime, what are your favorite hashtags? What was your first hashtag? Share it here. Leave comments, ask questions.
MediaTakeOut has been considered one of the most visited urban celebrity gossip sites since its launch in 2006. Written in a short blog-like format, MediaTakeOut informs the public of the most recent celebrity gossip, providing articles, pictures, messages, and tweets from MTO's unknown souces. Getting attention for its "naked pics" and its "guess who did this now!" headlines, MTO has quickly become some celebrity's worst nightmare; but can the same be said for the celebritys' PR agents? Is MTO a nightmare for PR agents, or does its (perceived) lack of credibility put MTO at the bottom of their list of concerns?
To effectively answer this question, I took to Twitter and sparked a discussion with a few public relations professionals. Of course MTO is not a site that should be completely ignored, since, despite its credibility (or lackthereof), still maintains a solid following, but to what degree should PR agents worry about it? The main conclusion drawn from the many ideas of the discussion is that the agent's concern depends on the damage the celebrity would receive from the specific MTO post. An idea shared by a majority of the publicists is that the public does not necesarily care about credibility, and from personal experiences I can attest to that. In reality, the degree to which a celebrity's PR agent should be concerned depends on the damage anticipated from the post. Although a publicist should be ready to counter any negative press, if the post is minor, the agent may not even consider addressing it - and that is a decision left solely up to the client and the publicist. However, a more damaging post should yield appropriate plans to counteract the negativity created. With that being said, although MTO may not be highest on a publicist's list of concerns, the site should still be monitored as closely as other forms of media.
Please note: Not all of MTO's posts are negative.
To effectively answer this question, I took to Twitter and sparked a discussion with a few public relations professionals. Of course MTO is not a site that should be completely ignored, since, despite its credibility (or lackthereof), still maintains a solid following, but to what degree should PR agents worry about it? The main conclusion drawn from the many ideas of the discussion is that the agent's concern depends on the damage the celebrity would receive from the specific MTO post. An idea shared by a majority of the publicists is that the public does not necesarily care about credibility, and from personal experiences I can attest to that. In reality, the degree to which a celebrity's PR agent should be concerned depends on the damage anticipated from the post. Although a publicist should be ready to counter any negative press, if the post is minor, the agent may not even consider addressing it - and that is a decision left solely up to the client and the publicist. However, a more damaging post should yield appropriate plans to counteract the negativity created. With that being said, although MTO may not be highest on a publicist's list of concerns, the site should still be monitored as closely as other forms of media.
Please note: Not all of MTO's posts are negative.
I was so consumed with love...and probably lust just remembering my night, that I couldn't even think of an appropriate introduction for this post. Anyone who knows me, knows my love for Sean Combs, Puff Daddy, Diddy can get a bit out of hand. I've dreamt of working for Bad Boy Entertainment for about 7 years of my life...way before I knew that entertainment PR is what I wanted to do. I promised myself that any opportunity I got to see Diddy (being in CT doesn't allow too many opportunities), I would. I was even planning a night trip to Philly to attend one of his celebrity parties, although by the time I found out about it, Enterprise Rentals was closed. That $250.00 ticket and 5 hour drive didn't mean a thing to me if I got to attend an actual Diddy party.
About a year after that event, my best friend surprised me with tickets to the Diddy - Dirty Money concert for their debut (and only) album Last Train To Paris (which might I add was amazingly produced). Needless to say, that concert gave me so much life. The people who sat next to me got to meet him, and apparently they gave them towels as a memorabilia. At the end of the night, those towels went home with me.
Another year after that, I was driving to work listening to the radio, something I barely listen to, and I heard the DJ's announce a Diddy party being held at a near by CT casino. I got to work. Got out of my car. Went into my office. And 15 minutes later booked the Platinum Party package - early entry, hotel room, and guaranteed access into the party. I didn't even need to know who I was going with, as long as I knew that I was going. I called up my best friend and of course he was all in.
That night may have been the greatest night of my life. The party atmosphere was great. The way the room was decorated, the perfectly costumed cage dancers, and the acrobats doing tricks from the ceiling all made my money worth it. The Djs, ehhh, not so much, but I could care less, I wanted to see Diddy. He arrived, and performed for about 15 minutes....SUPER DRUNK. I couldn't even be mad at him; afterall, it was his party.
For some reason, though, the moment he came out, I was less concerned with him, and more concerned with my dream. I seen everything I wanted right before me. The excitement I had for him, I want to have for someone... someone I actually know. Someone who has been through the wire to accomplish their dream. I want to be on the stage as part of someone's team, representing them and all they're doing. I want to publicize, market, and plan these events for a hardworking client whom I see nothing but potential in. I want to put on the best dress and be a part of the hype - not for myself but for my client. I don't want to smile because I see my dreams manifested, I want to smile because I know I've played a role in someone else's manifestation. Someone who had all it took except public recognition. Someone who had all the talent but no brand. Someone who had all the ideas and tons to talk about, but no way to communicate them to the world. I want to aid in someone else's development, so that one day, their Platinum parties could be as popular as Diddy's are.
I could only dream that one day I won't be the one holding the camera in the audience, but the one forming a positive connection with, communicating with, and gauging the satisfaction of the audience. An audience in which my client's success or failure depends.
Coachella 2012 has had what has already been dubbed the best performance of all time, in its first weekend of concerts. The late Tupac, who was murdered in 1996, made an appearance and performed one of his greatest hits "Hail Mary", via hologram. According to sources, the performance was the $100,000-$400,000 idea of Dr. Dre, and was successfully pulled off, as audience members were captivated by the spitting images of Tupac, his style, and his 'performance etiquette'. It is definitely one of the biggest "must see" moments of concert history. Check it out:
Coachella is an annual music festival, broken into two weekends. To register, or find out more information on the festival visit: http://www.coachella.com/index.php.
Coachella is an annual music festival, broken into two weekends. To register, or find out more information on the festival visit: http://www.coachella.com/index.php.
I do not own the rights to the video, nor am I affiliated with Coachella.
SONG: Your Letter
ARTIST: 112
ALBUM: Room 112
WHAT MAKES THE SONG MEMORABLE?: The meaning behind these lyrics is amazing, as it plays out in 5 minutes & 26 seconds of pure song. The initial feeling when receiving “that letter” was one any hopeless romantic could only wish led to a happy ending. The song had an introduction, a climax, and a conclusion that could only be as touching, and realistic if sung the way it was.
For those who may not know, or be familiar with the songs actual meaning. ‘Slim’ found a letter “lieing on the floor” from his girlfriend. He picked it up, figured that she left it there for him to find on his own time and read, so he did. Throughout the song ‘Slim’ talks about what the letter said (“It said you loved me, but you didn’t know the words to say. It said you’d never knew that you could ever feel this way. It said you only wished someday that I would feel the same. In your letter - your letter”), and how he felt when reading it. He never thought that she’d love him the way she had expressed in the letter. He was touched beyond any explanation (“I was so happy that I almost cried, to think that you would think of me that way. It’s like you took my sweetest dream, and made that dream come true. I will be with you… alwaysssss”). Then, in the bridge, “I saw a name I didn’t recognize. I felt the tears come to my eyes.” The letter wasn’t for him. It was for someone else who she had longed for. (“Seems like the love you’ve been longing for… was not a love like mine”).After that realization, everything in the hook changed from me to him. And the tears that were once for happiness, turned to tears of distraught.
WHAT IS THE FEELING THE SONG SENDS OFF?: Love, romance, heartbreak, & hopelessness.
OVERALL RATING OF THE SONG 1-10 SCALE: This song would get a complete 10 from me. The vocals, the manipulation of the beat (i.e raising the tempo as the plot thickened), as well as the harmony, all played a part in making this song as effective as it was. Definitely one of the greatest songs of the era. It will NEVER get old to me. This is the type of music that needs to be brought back.
Until recently, I never was as intrigued in voiceovers and editing as I am now. Check out the latest voiceover from 'voice over actor' Marcus Miller here
$wank$’ - which is derived from the actual word ‘swank’, which means "to display one's wealth, knowledge, or achievements in a way that is intended to impress others" - is a rapper from Bridgeport, CT, ready to take the world by storm. Being a fan of some of the greatest contributors to Hip Hop based on their lyricism, $wank$ is inspired by Styles P, Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G., and Tupac. He sees Hip Hop as a genre that allows uncensored expression, and utilizes just that by displaying his talents to the likes of himself and not others, thus speaking on his own thoughts, experiences, and feelings. With that, $wank$ says "I will push the message of doing what you see morally fit to cater to your self-esteem and empower yourself", and he does that not only with his music, but with the messages being portrayed within it.
Having started writing music in 2005, $wank$ hasn't formally expressed his interest in music production until 2010, and had his first performance in the winter of 2012. The long wait to expose his craft was a personal decision for the artist. However over this time $wank$ has honed in on his skills and has been able to use his lyrics, music, and beats to encourage self-love and self-confidence.
$wank$ is currently working on his first official project, rightfully titled, "In Due Time". This project will "give listeners the many interpretations and energies of ‘swank’, both man and the movement. It will be a raw depiction of how I feel about college, my hometown, and my people which may come off as satirical, but honest nonetheless." What makes $wank$ standout most, is his dedication to remaining himself throughout the course of his work, "I pledged to myself to be creative and distinct from my competitors while not sacrificing the realness and the sincerity of my message".
Below is a song off his debut project, "In Due Time". The song titled "Everybody" (a remake of Mac Miller), sheds light on the artist's desire to remain true to who he is as a person and an artist, suggesting that he'd rather be a 'nobody', than an 'everybody'. The song was inspired by those who are constantly following "fads" and trends, but also used for the declaration of $wank$' own individuality.
$wank$ has created a team, consisting of a DJ and a clothing line, and is indeed heading in the right direction. Check him out on Twitter @SwankGang_e_G and stay posted to his latest project at http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/SwankGangwsb/profile/.
Growing up in an era with the internet and growing technology, I had no idea that social media would spread as quick and become as important as it has. One of the most recent examples of social media's usefulness to accomplishing the goals of an organization lies within the Kony 2012 movement - a movement created by Invisible Children to arrest the "Uganda war criminal" Joseph Kony. The video, that portrays Kony's "guerilla warfare tactics", has swept all across the world, receiving 90.6 million views collectively (as off March 12, 2012) on just YouTube and Vimeo from it's initial viral launch on March 5, 2012. Not even 10 days later, the video has been talked about on all media outlets, and Invisible Children has been receiving support from all over - even from some of America's biggest celebrities. However, the question that has been asked is if this could have been possible to achieve without posting the video? Would this support be as large if it was never talked about on FaceBook or Twitter (the site where I was first made aware of the situation)? Of course there are differing views, but where else could the video and the sad situation receive as much attention, in such a short time, for little to no cost? Very good use of social media Invisible Children, very good use.
In recent weeks, talk about Rihanna and Chris Brown getting back together have surfaced after Twitter users began noticing what seemed to be "subtweets" (subliminal tweets) from both parties to each other. However, despite speculation, many were still uncertain that this information was accurate. Well, their recent song collaboration may aad a little more fuel to the fire as raging fans express anger and disappointment in Rihanna for forgiving Chris Brown after the brutal beat down that occurred in 2009. Many have taken to blogs to express their disgust with the issue. However, business is business, and if Chris Brown's feature can get Rihanna's "Birthday Cake Remix" to top the charts, why shouldn't she give him that spot? Regardless of the rumors, there has been no confirmation that Rihanna & Chris are officially back together, but if they are, I hope both teams (Team Breezy & Team Rihanna) are ready to accept this change, and be as unified as they were when they were together back in 2008.
The "Birthday Cake Remix" featuring Chris Brown is said to be released on Monday, February 20, 2012, in honor of Rihanna's birthday. Her most recent album "Talk That Talk" is available in stores, and on iTunes.
Below is an editorial posted in the Courant.com by Bob Englehart. The post being controversially racist in nature, the response (which was written on behalf of the Epsilon Omicron Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.) is a compilation of ideas from 3 Sorors from the chapter. These ideas were put together as part of my internship. Shortly after Englehart's post was written, it was taken down from The Courant's website, however it was already seen and responded to by those who frequent the site. It was also responded to by the New Haven Independent. Below is the excerpt:
On February 8th cartoonist Bob Englehart wrote a Blog – a commentary on Gov. Malloy’s education reform. The response, racist in nature, prompted executives at The Courant to immediately pull the Blog. Below is his original Blog and following that is the full response from the President of the Hartford Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Krista Hardie.
By Bob Englehart
9:11 a.m. EST, February 8, 2012
I support much of what Gov. Malloy is trying to do with his education package. Unfortunately, he's also doing what governments have done for generations to no effect. He's throwing money at inner city schools and hoping for change. And we know where the money's coming from. My God, we're already running a deficit of $144.5 million and we're in Moody's doghouse to boot.
Inner-city poor and minority-filled schools aren't going to change until we can somehow change the pervasive core of the problem: dysfunctional inner-city poor minority families.
Sure, we hear of an occasional winner come out of the ghetto. Movie stars, athletes, business people, we know their stories, but they are the very rare exception. For the most part, losers raise losers. Somehow we've got to get to these families and teach them how to respect education. Till then, nothing will change.
Copyright © 2012, The Hartford Courant
Response to Bob Englehart’s blog post from the President of the Hartford Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Krista Hardie:
I’m not sure where Mr. Englehart found the bulk of his information but his opinion of Gov. Malloy’s education reform is disturbing.
The “pervasive core of the problem” is not inner-city poor families.
It is quite normal to come from an “inner-city poor” or minority family that values and respects education and sets high standards for and supports its children: in other words, families that establish a spiritual, educational and social foundation for their children. “These people” as you describe them, are our scientists, educators, CEO’s, artists, politicians, engineers, spiritual leaders, counselors, business people, even journalists. Mr. Englehart’s experience and his intellect are obviously limited.
The most recent SDE statistics show 59.9% of low-income students graduate from Connecticut high schools in four years. Certainly there is room for improvement, but surely these students, who represent a majority of low-income students, are not "losers." To the contrary, they are winners.
Mr. Englehart, a self-professed college dropout, is not an expert in sociology and thus should refrain from making statements that characterize an entire segment of society as “losers.”
I represent the Hartford Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. an International service organization and the oldest Greek- lettered organization established by African-American college-educated women. Alpha Kappa Alpha is comprised of a nucleus of 260,000 members from all over the world.
We are not alone when it comes to accomplishments.
Although stardom has evaded scores of people of color in the urban areas of Connecticut, there are thousands of successful men and women of color who are not exceptions, but the norm. Mr. Englehart, you exhibit the bias that exists in so many organizations that don’t have equitable representation of people of color within their ranks or leadership. Mr. Englehart, it seems like we have to get you to “respect education” and all people, regardless of socio-economic status. “Till then, nothing will change.”
As the Grammy's near, the sad news of Whitney Houston's death spread like wild fire. The first I heard of it was from news cites' Twitter pages. Retweet after retweet portrayed the singer's random death in Beverly Hilton hotel hours before Clive Davis' pre-Grammy party. The news consumed my timeline for more than 24 hours, leaving people with such sadness and despair. All day I've been able to watch some of the greatest Whitney Houston videos and reminisce my upbringing, dancing around the house with my father to these classic songs. Whitney's music certainly was timeless, and her voice legendary. Despite her troublesome past with Bobby Brown, Whitney's talent can not be debated; as the Guinness Book of World Records claimed her as the most awarded female act of all time (having a total of "415 career awards as of 2010"). Whitney's voice, performance, fashion, and acting was truly heaven sent.
A legend is gone. Rest In Peace Whitney Elizabeth Houston.
This blog is created as a part of requirements for Public Relations and New Media class taught by Professor Laskin at Quinnipiac University's Graduate Program in Public Relations. I will also write guest posts at Dr. Laskin's blog, Investor Relations for Academics and Professionals, and contribute to class discussion on Twitter at #MyPRClass.
Next PostNewer Posts
Home
