It is all about the people...

By Christa S.

Every month, it seems, PRSSA Tactics includes a new article about the usefulness of social media and how to most effectively utilize them. There is no doubt…there are countless ways that social media forms are effective in reaching new, underserved and youthful target publics in exceptionally innovative and creative ways. Social media outlets have infiltrated society as a primary means of staying connected and informed. The benefits of using social media include rapidity, the ability to hit a large audience with 140 characters and the dialogue that ensues as a result of wall posts, blog comments, tweets, text messages, e-mail responses and other forms of consumer insight. However, while, as public relations professionals, learning and growing with the times and technologies is requisite, we should also keep in mind the key to our profession—building mutually-advantageous relationships based on personal, one-to-one communication with our publics. We must make sure that our publics feel valued and this value comes from using various media forms and communication outlets to bring our messages to the people. 

We must ensure that the personal touch of our profession is never lost. 

In fact, utilizing a variety of communication tools will further enhance the messages we send to our publics.

Additionally, it is also easy to become sloppy when typing a quick tweet on our iPhone or Blackberry. Yet, we must always remember that everything we send out into cyberspace can be accessed by anyone*. Thus, while we understand that we should always have other eyes view and edit our news releases or brochure text, we must pay as much (if not more attention) to the messages we communicate through social media.

As we enter the new age of public relations where social media is sometimes considered our responsibility, we must also remember that this is a people business. Let’s keep it about the people! 

Life After College

Life after College
By Ashley Rahill

With graduation rapidly zooming into view, it has become apparent that there is life after college. What a tragic reality. It seems like yesterday I filled out my college applications, moved into the dorms and attended my first class. I cannot believe I am a senior graduating in less than a month! Getting a job scares me more than anything I can imagine, so law school is the natural alternative.

Throughout high school, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in law. When I enrolled at the University of Oklahoma, I had no idea which major would best prepare me for such a goal. However, I had spoken with several practicing attorneys, and they all offered similar suggestions: Choose a major that develops your writing skills. One piece of advice led me in the direction of public relations: you should simply pick a major that you will enjoy. From the beginning, I had no intention of pursuing a career in public relations, but the field itself fascinates me. Public relations is fast-paced, exciting and requires excellent writing skills. It has been a perfect solution for me.

This semester, I was accepted to the University of Oklahoma School of Law where I will spend the next three years of my life. The last couple of months, I have begun to contemplate what type of law I might specialize. I have heard numerous times that not having a distinct area of interest when beginning law school is okay, sometimes even preferable. That’s great for all the other students in my class, but I prefer to have a concrete objective. So, in all of my frenzy, I have been researching various types of attorneys.

Just last week, I came across a website for communications lawyers. This type of attorney typically represents clients who need help with cases involving the communications industry. They are also concerned with the regulation of radio and television broadcasting to ensure satisfactory service. Wow, what a novel idea for someone with an extensive communications background! It would be hard not to retain at least some communications skills after spending four years studying public relations.

Bottom line: I will continue to hone the exceptional writing and communications skills I have acquired from my public relations background, and I will certainly put these abilities to use in whatever area of the law I choose to pursue.