Approaching Wedding Planning like a PR Plan

I’m recently engaged and am now in wedding planning mode. A lot of people have said – “Don’t stress.” or “Planning a wedding is a huge task – take it easy, hire a planner.” Maybe I’m just naive and have no clue what I’m getting into, but for me planning events is fun and part of what I do for a living. So my motto is to approach planning my wedding the way I would planning any type of event for a client. I will create a “PR Plan” of sorts to be my guide. I will be my own client and of course my fiance also will be considered a client too, although he is not as demanding a client as I am!

Using a PR plan as my guide makes things easy and clear. I have my goal: To have an amazing wedding! I have set measurable objectives including booking a ceremony and reception site by the end of July, finding a photographer by September and setting up a engagement shoot, and booking a band to play at the wedding. To meet these objectives I have set clear tactics and activities that go with each tactic.

Just like in a PR plan, I have a target audience AKA my guest list. These audiences are split into categories: family, friends, colleagues. I also have a budget I must adhere to and a strict timeline. All of the elements of a PR plan successfully translate into my “wedding plan.”

Ask me in a year how it all goes, but from where I’m standing my training in PR has come in handy as I embark on planning the most special event of my lifetime so far!

Do you use PR as a guide for other things in your life?

What Social Media Means To Me

In honor of social media day, I decided to write a quick post about what social media means to me. I was always on the Facebook bandwagon and have had an account since it premiered in 2004, but in the last year or so I’ve really gotten into social media – learning more about it and participating in more platforms.

I resisted Twitter for a long time and now I can’t imagine not being able to tweet. I have to thank Deirdre Breakenridge who was a speaker at our local FPRA chapter meeting and really got me thinking about Twitter. I decided to look into it and gave it a try. I have met so many interesting PR professionals through Twitter, made connections with people in my own community, made great friends (shout out to Niki Pocock!) and have learned so much from 140 character postings.

A lot of people who are not fans of social media argue that these types of platforms make it easy for people to disconnect with reality, staying away from connecting with people in the “real world.” But I must say, Twitter, LinkedIn, Brazen Careerist, Foursquare, Facebook – all of these sites have allowed me to connect with a much larger network than would have been possible without them. Even locally, I have met so many people through Twitter and then turned that into lunch meetings, face to face conversations, new business and new friendships. If anyone thinks social media is not powerful…think again!

Starting this blog also has been an amazing experience. I love being able to share my thoughts and ideas with a global audience and connect with other people through my posts. My blog and Twitter lead me to find Brazen Careerist a career focused social networking site that connects professionals and allows us to discuss countless topics. It’s amazing what you can discover and who you can meet through social media.

For me, social media has been a new education and a place for me to share information and insights with others. It has given me an online voice and has helped build my personal brand. I’m excited to see what new networks and ideas emerge in the coming months or year…I love that it’s so fast and transformative that you can’t keep up. Social media keeps you on your toes and for that I’m grateful.

So what does social media mean to you?

Your "online" persona vs. the "real" you: Does it add up?

I've recently been invited to speak to a group about "brand management," but instead of presenting on big companies and recognizable brands like Nike, Target and Apple...it got me thinking about your personal brand. I don't think enough people consider what they're saying and the first impressions they are making online.

I've seen many a Facebook status update and tweet with TMI. By TMI I mean way too much info...too personal, too whiny, too rude - basically grounds for losing a job or a friend. Certainly unbecoming. Unfortunately, the things you do online coupled with how you present yourself "in person" become your personal brand. Everything you put out there: pictures, status updates, tweets, blogs, comments and even other people's comments become part of your personal brand.

You may think that some things are private, but when it comes down to it...is there even a difference between your personal and professional brand? Have you Googled yourself lately to see what comes up? You are a combination of the real you (the person your family, loved ones and close friends know), the professional you (your work ethic, creativity, drive) and the online you (your profiles, social resumes, blog posts, pictures, etc.) - when you put all together is it all adding up to who you really are?

If someone doesn't know you and Googles your name, are you proud of what they find or are you crossing your fingers they're not that savvy and quit searching? At the end of the day, are you making a statement about who you are or misrepresenting yourself? Have you updated or deleted information to clean up your act? How do you feel about your personal brand? Would you invest in you?

The "Other" Grad School: Life

There are many schools of thought on graduate school. Some people are all for it, others not so much. I'm in the camp that thinks graduate school is great, but without life and work experience it's not as worthy. I've noticed a trend with a lot of students lately who finish their undergraduate degree and continue straight to grad school - no break, no real world or work experience. They have a lot of degrees, but when it comes to their experience they don't have a lot to draw on professionally. I believe these students are missing out on the "other" grad school: Life.

I learned many lessons in college, but I've grown up in the real world. Although my passion and career is PR, I stumbled into this...it wasn't my original plan. I went to school for broadcasting and mass media studies, worked as a producer and reporter for a few years and then decided I wanted to pursue PR. Everything I've learned about the industry has been by doing and by taking in what more experienced professionals have shared with me. What I've learned by working, networking and through the contacts I've made through social media is an education all its own.

There is so much to learn in the real world and so much information available online. Participating in discussions with peers, reading blogs, getting involved in FPRA and Junior League have all played a role in molding me into the person and professional I have become.

I have so much growing and learning left to do. Life is a continual education and your experiences shape and change you constantly. I believe in the importance and power of a college and graduate school education...but books can only take you so far. You need to open up your mind and take everything in...learn from life, from mentors, from every experience good or bad, planned or unexpected.

Waterworks

So this is a post I've gone back and forth about...so I decided to go for it. I'm a woman...I'm emotional sometimes...I've cried at work. There I said it.

Then I ran into the bathroom, tried to fix my makeup and get my act together. But once I start, I feel like I can't stop the waterworks. Sigh. Sometimes I wish I was a man...they never seem to cry or if they get upset or hurt, you don't see it all over their face.

It's those times when I'm happy I have an office to hide in. I've talked to my female friends and colleagues and at least I'm not alone. It seems that many of us have had mini crying sessions at work. As I've gotten older, I've gotten better about stopping the waterworks...but every now and then something happens and I can't help it. They haven't all been bad tears...during the annual Thanksgiving luncheon I got teary eyed talking about what I'm thankful for, including my family who was dealing with some health issues.

But I guess the lesson here is that we're all human. We have bad days and our feelings can be hurt. Crying reminds me that I have a heart, I have emotions and embracing those emotions and feelings makes me who I am.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on tears. Has it happened to you? How do you feel and how do you deal with the waterworks?

A Different Perspective

One of the benefits of being part of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) Capital Chapter is getting to know a wide range of PR and communication professionals.

Aside from my days as a TV reporter (another blog all together) -- when I crossed over to PR I came to an agency. It's what I know and what I love. Even though it is my passion and I've never worked for a government agency, a non-profit or an association, I'm a big believer that it is beneficial for all of us to step outside of our sandbox and play with the kids in the other box. You learn so much and improve yourself just by listening to someone else's perspective. After all we're all PR pros no matter what side of the fence we're on.

Here are some lessons I've learned from talking to my fellow PR pros who are not at an agency:

1. Listen - An agency has a lot of resources and big ideas, but it is important to listen to what the client actually wants and needs. Work with the client to identify their priorities and come up with ideas and strategies that are in line with that vision.

2. Collaborate - This is especially important if the client has a communication staffer in place who will be working directly with the agency. It can't be one sided, form a true relationship with the communication staff and work together to meet the goal and objectives of each project or campaign. Having the communication staff's buy in and approval is key to keeping the client happy and continuing a long term relationship.

3. Research - Read up on a new or potential client. Know the issue. Know what is being said in the media. Know what you're walking into. This ties back to listening and being proactive. It is critical to be educated on a client before you meet with them. You don't want to walk in and propose a clever contest or fun campaign when the organization is in the midst of a crisis unbeknownst to you.

4. Option, options, options - It happens with every campaign...you have your favorite logo, tag line, messages, look, feel. However, sometimes our favorite is not the client's favorite. Always offer options and take a client's input and feedback into consideration. It's important to NEVER make the client feel like you're forcing them to go with what you want and not taking their ideas, wants and needs into consideration. Always empower the client! After all the project is for them and a client should always play a role in the development of a campaign or project. Sometimes it's not about us. :)

These are just a few things I've learned from my non-agency peers. What are your thoughts on working with agency folks? If you work for an agency, what have you learned from clients?

What's in a name...

A lot! This is coming from a girl whose name is not exactly simple. My Cuban parents wanted a fun, French name, but didn't like the original "Y" spelling of it, so they went with Ivette. When I was little, I would dream of having a more common name and for a while I made my mom call me Kim because I loved the character from "Different Strokes."

There have been a lot of articles lately about names -- CNN asked "Does your name shape your destiny?" (http://bit.ly/ddBPRw) I'm not sure, but I know that loving yourself and loving your name play a big role in your life and your level of confidence. As I got older, I learned to appreciate having a different name and have embraced it everyday since. I can't imagine having any other name.

My other big thing is making an effort to remember people's names and get the pronunciation right. This is a huge pet peeve of mine because so many people get my first and last name wrong ALL the time. I've learned to laugh it off because some of the pronunciations people come up with are hysterical. But I try my hardest not to be that person who massacres everyone's name, even if they've met the person a million times.

So I've made it a priority when I meet someone to learn their name and then use it as many times as possible while I'm around them to ensure it's ingrained in my mind. I especially make it a point to learn the names of servers at restaurants. I've never waited tables, but I can imagine how annoying it would be to have someone yell "hey you!" or "lady..." instead of asking for me by name. I find that learning a server's name and actually using it equals better service and more enjoyable dining experience.

What are your name issues? Do you like your name? Do you think a name can affect certain aspects of your life? Let me know your thoughts.