Face-to-Face Is Still The Best

Even after many years of experience in client relations and account management, I still find interpersonal communication to be the best. Interpersonal communication usually applies to spoken communication between two or more people on a personal face-to-face level. Some types of communication that takes place in the workplace include interviews, client meetings, board meetings, and sales visits.

In this day and age, the internet and social media have gained so much popularity on how businesses communicate with their stakeholders. There is no denying that the continuous evotuion of communication through the use of technology would still have its hold 10 or 20 years from now. This still leaves me to believe that interpersonal or face-to-face communication is still the best form of communication when dealing with your audiences because of two reasons:

* It allows for immediate feedback - There are situations when we simply need to find out what our audiences think of a certain product or service, or maybe yet, know their views on extremely sensitive or important issues. One good example of this is a town hall meeting. A few weeks ago, I presented my 'PR in the news' in class. I've discussed about the situation of a rural municipality's opposition to a group home to be operated in their community. I made some research on the ways the group home operator communicated its proposal to the residents of that community and found out that there was no element of interpersonal communication that took place between the organization and the area residents of that municipality. If only a town hall meeting was conducted, the group operator could have known and received very important information from the area residents which in turn could have allowed them to communicate their position very clearly. Feedbacks are always important; it helps us know what our audiences think and feel about certain issues. In knowing these, people in public relations will be able to take a second look at their communication strategies and see how effective they are, and whether they need to change or improve their existing messages. Feedbacks will also allow for the development or improvement of products, services and even established procedures in an organization.

* It's more personal - We live in a world where everything runs on a fast pace. People are often busy and companies adapt ways that will allow them to communicate their messages to their audiences. We see how lucrative advertising and marketing can be; millions of dollars are spent on flyers, direct mailers, billboards, newspaper ads, etc. For some companies, resorting to a seemingly personal way of communicating would mean calling on the phone or sendng an email but these things don't define nor replace the significance of interpersonal, face-to-face communication. There is something special when people talk and see one another in person (although nowadays, the use of certain technology and programs allow us to conduct interperosnal communication). Even if a client has a complaint but if handled well and personally by let's say, an account manager, matters are expected to run on a better course. From a public relations point of view, I think nothing can replace the importance of face-to-face communication. Even if we are bombarded with technology and by all the different gadgets that we use to communicate and reach out to our audiences, we still need to incorporate that element of interpersonal communication in order to build and hasten our relationships with our audiences.

So next time we do anything that will require us to communicate with our audineces, let's consider the possibility of including interpersonal communication (if allowable). This will surely make a difference in delivering our messages and finding out where our audiences are coming from.

How I wish I could edit this boy's smoking habit

You may already have heard of the news of a two-year-old boy who smokes up to 40 cigarettes a day. This Indonesian tot is so addicted to nicotine that he throws tantrums every time he's not given a cigarette.

Well this was the news that spread like wild fire last May and videos showing Ardi smoking created international outrage that even the Indonesian government was criticized for its loose policies on smoking. The tobacco industry is said to be contributing billions of dollars annually to the government and local economy, and there are in fact many young children (as young as 7) who are already into this bad habit.

Looking at the photo of Ardi, there definitely is something wrong with the picture. Unfortunately, this photo wasn't photoshopped or edited in such a way that the toddler was previously holding a bottle of milk instead of a cigarette. The truth hurts even if he's not our own child but just come to imagine young children who are already into this habit. This leads me to think of Ardi's parents. His father once said, "I'm not worried about his health. He looks healthy to me." This statement left me wringing in disgust but thinking about it in a very objective manner, Ardi's father is simply ignorant of the bad effects of cigarette smoking just like thousands of other Indonesians. If there's only a way to edit Ardi's father's train of thought, I could already have initiated the move to make him change his mind.

It's sad to think that illiteracy and ignorance affect a big population of Indonesia. I wouldn't bother editing the photo of Ardi smoking a cigarette- that is simply the truth; a harsh truth at that. But if there's  a way to educate Ardi's parents and other Indonesian parents about the hazards of smoking, I believe that will make them think twice about offering it to their children in the first place. Overall, it's hard to edit what's already been practiced and believed; their ways are deeply rooted in a system that should have been edited in the first place. 

I think we just need to continue hoping that the government will take the time to reflect on its tobacco regulations and hopefully, edit most of them.

Here's the latest news so far on Ardi.

Getting ready for your work placement

A few weeks from now, students from the Creative Communications program will make their transition from school-based training to applied learning in a real world setting. Although I must say that the students in this program (including me) are no neophytes working in a real world. A majority have in fact, started applying all their skills in a real setting. A good number of students have worked prior to entering the program and have gained valuable knowledge and insights.
Now, it will be a bit different. We are about to work in a field that has something to do with our acquired skills and knowledge. The work placement is something to look forward to.

So in preparation, students in CreComm would probably need a reminder or two of my 10 tips to getting ready for your wok placement.

1. As soon as you get the organization's contact information, connect with the organization by sending an email or make a brief call. Companies would find that you are interested in the internship.

2. Know more about the business and activities of the organization that you’ll be working with (including the people, too).
Nothing is more terrible than for an intern who doesn’t have the slightest clue of what business the company is doing. In your research, be sure to gather and read as many materials you can get. Use the internet; read the company’s brochures; annual reports; etc. Ask around and interview people of what they think the company is or maybe yet, ask people who have worked with that company.

While doing research on the company or organization, find out about the key people who work for the company or organization. Most of the time, you'll get to know the key people listed under 'staff' in the company website. If this is not the case, acquaint yourself with the people you'll be working with on Day 1 and try to remember their names.

3. Make a good impression.
On your first day, don't forget to make a good impressin- inside and out. Wear a smile. Greet people. Be the first one to extend your hand for a handshake. Be interested on what the company is doing. It may happen that you won't be doing anything yet on your first day and your supervisor or manager would just simply show you around. But for the succeeding days, don't forget to put your best foot forward- your work placement may turn into a job offer in the future.

4. After you have made your initial contact with the company you’ll be working with, be sure to drop them an email or give them a call a couple of days before you start your work.
This will allow you to establish relations with the company but this will also be good in letting you know of any last minute reminders from their side if they haven't done anything prior to that. It may be possible that there'll be specific instructions on how you'll get into the building, for example. Or there could be a special dress code that you would have to follow. You'll neverr know. Better yet, a follow-up email or call won't hurt to help better prepare yourself for the job that's awaiting you.

5. Eat well, sleep well.
In preparation for your work placement, be sure that you’re keeping yourself healthy and fit. You just don’t know how demanding your work is going to be.

6. This may sound vain to some, but be sure that you have enough suitable clothes to wear at your work placement.
You don’t have to have that many clothes but make sure that you prepare it in advance.

7. Plan out your lunches.
At this time, you might consider planning on how to come up with quick and easy-to-prepare lunches. It’s possible that even if it’s already lunch time at your workplace, people would still be sitting doing their work. But of couese, you can't just eat at your desk. You still have to know what policies are set into place. If you are not the type who prepares lunches, well by all means, go to the canteen (if there's one) or nearby restaurant and order your lunch from there.

8. Bring your CreComm 'cheat sheets'
If you would be working in a PR related function, don't forget to keep your news release, media advisory, pitch letter/email, communication plan, or anything else that you might find use for, handy. If you feel that you don't have to bring these stuff, that's fine. My point is, for some of us who want to make sure that we're ready for the 'challenge', it's always best that we're ready for it at that particular time. What if your manager would ask you to prepare a news release within an hour? Of course, you wouldn't want to come unprepared. Simply bring your stuff in a neat folder, envelope, or even in a portfolio case if you have one, and when you find a need for it (especially if they don't have a template to work with), you can simply pull it out. Don't worry if the people there will find out about it. First of all, they would be busy doing their own stuff. Second, your manager would be more concerned of getting the job done.

Remember- you're there to learn; it's an internship. But as a student still in the CreComm program, coming to work prepared will do wonders for you. Before anything else, always look into the company's previous works like news releases and media advisories. You would normally follow or do things the way it's done. Your 'cheat sheets' would only be for your reference in case you need them.

9. Come early on your first day.
We all know this- we have to come early on our first day of work. Not only will this ensure that you're there 'on time,' but this will also help ourselves adjust to the place and new environment. Coming early will also be helpful to those who haven't seen the place yet. This will alllow you to find directions getting there especially if you'll be looking for a spot to park your car. Make sure that you make this clear with your contact person; parking, hours of operation, and all. And for some who'll be taking the transit, allow more time on your part. Although there are set schedules for the bus to come at your particular stop, it's possible that there could be delays. And yes, who would ever forget about weather and road conditions? Always keep tuned to your fave radio.

10. Think positive!
Our work placement is very important and I believe that all of us are particularly excited about it. To expect for the best things to happen (whatever it may be), always think positive! You can do it! Bring out your creativity; your talents; your skills; every single bit that you're made of.  From the time that you're reading this post, always remember to think positively about your work placement and don't let any negative things blur your mind.

So there you have it! A few simple reminders that will help you prepare for your work placement. If you have anymore good suggestions, please comment on this post.

Editing exists in kids' schools, too!

I received my child's book report evaluation from her school and I must say (not just because she's my child) but she did a very impressive job. Even in school settings, there is an editing process going on.

My child prepared a book report for her class and she presented a couple of weeks ago. She brought with her a 'mini television' which her dad made out of cardboard and paper rolls (yes, you can make a television out of it- only thing is, you have to provide the picture tube). Being an artist herself, she drew pictures of the main highlights of her story on paper; coloured them; and glued the ends together and voila!- a whole reel of movie was made.

Looking at the evaluation sheet she brought home from school, her teacher created a criteria on which her students were evaluated on. The criteria served as the teacher's guidelines in editing the different presentations. In this situation, we can consider the students to be the 'authors' and the teacher the lone 'editor.'

So here is an excerpt of the criteria used by the teacher for the book presentations:

WRITING
 1) Visual
-Coloured drawings accurately represents the written content. (3 marks)
-Coloured drawings somewhat represent written content, lacking detail. (2 marks)
-Drawings lack colour and detail and/or do not represent the written content. (1 mark)

2) Writing
-Writes complete sentences and includes punctuation and conventions. Proof of editing/revisions. (3 marks)
-Writing lacks sentence structure and does not provide adequate proof of editing and revisions. (2 marks)
-No sentence structure, lack of details. No proof of editing. (1 mark)


The criteria is a long list, too many to mention. Overall, my child did a great job! She got 29 out of 30. The only comment her 'editor' wrote on the paper was, she just needs to shorten it by selecting the most important events.

I think we all can relate to that!

Sarah Palin takes on the race as the next reality TV star

Discover the pristine beauty of Alaska, its majestic scenery and stunning wildlife; not with somebody from the National Geographic nor Discovery Channel, but with the former U.S. vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

I have heard about this new show months ago and finally, the premier is this coming Sunday, November 14th. Don't mistaken me to be a Sarah Palin fan, although I admire Tina Fey's impersonation of her. I'm more interested on how this new reality show is going to fare with the other reality shows on TLC but most importantly, how its different audiences and critics will take it in.

Mark Burnett, the brain behnd the reality shows Survivor and The Apprentice, had meticulously put together the concept for this show. It was said that there were no scripts while they were shooting but what viewers can expect is the casual and fun-loving Sarah Palin with her family, taking the outdoors of beautiful Alaska and sets out in a true American fashion.

What interests me more is the content strategy that TLC's Brian Reich talked about for the show. Sarah Palin's Alaska doesn't rely on tradditional marketing but heavily depends on social media. Reich mentioned in an interview with Social Media Examiner that the show aims to give audiences the things they're interested in. There will be two podcasts in a week which will compel audiences to watch and learn from the show. There will be four blogs repromoting and repurposing the show. The reason behind these four different blogs is to cater to the show's diversed audiences. In its entirety, the social media aspect of the show will expand conversaations through content strategy. The show wants to listen to audiences by allowing them to review each episode via Facebook, Twitter, etc. Through podcasts, the show will be able to give audiences the opportunity to discuss the show.

The content strategy developed by TLC for the Sarah Palin's Alaska show is definitely acknowledging the massive influence and imprtance of today's social media. Interaction will be encouraged because many Americans have access to wireless devices and many watch shows straight from their laptops or computers. There is no stopping this show from getting 'hooked' into the social media hype. There is real-time transfer of information which will allow TLC to interact with the show's viewers and fans. After all, once the show caters to all its audiences and establishes that level of interaction in a timely manner through social media, the ratings will surely plummet to the edge of the 'last frontier.'

So this coming Sunday, we'll see Sarah Palin in a different light; not as a politician but as an ordinary family woman. I know that it will be hard to separate her from her political ambitions. Some say the reason why she agreed to take on this show is because this will increase her popularity even more which will be beneficial to her political ambitions (to run as president?) but we'll leave that to next time; right now, let's just concern ourselves whether we'll be able to draw some learning from the show or not. After all, it's TLC- The Learning Channel.

Do you have any views?

The 'shame' that will leave an indelible mark

I had my opportunity this week to present my 'PR in the News'. It's an individual assignment in our PR major class where we had the chance to choose a news topic or an issue that happened recently or in the last couple of years. The important thing we have to consider is whether the news topic or issue has a public relations angle to it.

I chose my topic few weeks ago and it's about the opposition of area residents in the rural municipality of Springfield to the proposed group home by New Directions. It's a topic of interest especially that it concerns a wide range of audiences and deals with the very humanity of the people involved.

I won't be discussing the public relations aspect of this issue now but I will be talking more about it at a later time. I just want to focus on the message sent across during a peaceful demonstration by 100 protesters in front of the Dugald Community Centre.

The protesters held placards to show their disgust to the council's decision that showed the council's vote of 6-0. But one placard stood out and encapsulates what some people think about Springfield.

"Shame on Springfield" is what the placard says. The whole issue on the two men with developmental challenges who are slated to move into the bungalow house will most likely have to wait. After seeing this placard,  I told myself that this is one matter that many people won't easily forget.

The message implies the area residents' and the council's collective decision to not allow New Directions to operate a group home along Glen Aspen Drive in the rural municipality of Springfield.
Many residents feared that the group home will be inhabited by sex offenders who have mental issues. For the others, they feel that if they would allow the group home to operate in their neighbourhood, it would be detrimental to their property values, as the supposedly group home will  cause the properties to depreciate in value.

It's surprising to think that these area residents had made their own conclusions-- I don't  blame them for doing so but they have 'edited' out the possibility of accommodating these types of people.

The placard sign "Shame on Springfield" is something not to be proud of especially by its own residents but photos of these demonstrators will forever be in the virtual world of the internet. In this case, the words will be hard to edit--a three-word message that area residents will either admit or edit it out in their minds. The placard bearing this message  may only be written with a Sharpie marker but it will forever be made available on the internet, leaving an indelible mark.

Credit others for a job well done

Many times we talk about a project that was handled or even an event that took place wherein a few or several people made a contribution to make things happen. It's such a great feeling to talk about the efforts of everyone especially the teamwork that was formed.

In as much as there's a myriad of talents and skills in a group, there's also a wide spectrum of personalities. The interesting part is, there's definitely no two people who are alike; there may be individuals who have the same set of work ethics but when it comes to personality types, each person falls under a certain hue.

It may not come as a surprise to you that there definitely are people who would credit themselves for the work that was done. It's alright to acknowlege your efforts and the superb performance that you did in last month's fundraising, but if you were the one to compliment your own work instead of highlighting the efforts of other members in the team, other people will definitely think that you are bragging or just a plain conceited person.

Wouldn't it be nicer if other people compliment you for a job well done? It's much sweeter to acknowledge such compliments and wonderful remarks instead of lifting up your own pedestal to make yourself look higher than others.

In any team project, it's much better to see the good things that others have done. It's more humbling to know that there definitely are people who are way better than you. Be happy and acknowledge their achievements.  In the same way, other people will also compliment you for a job well done

The world will be a nicer place to live in if we loosen the focus on ourselves and bring the spotlight on others.

Here's a video that you may find interesting.

Yearning for more sleep

Since the start of the semester, I haven't gotten enough sleep. I surely have no one else to blame but myself.

This may sound like more of a confession rather than a regular blog post but I have been yearning to get more sleep these past few days. If I'm fortunate, I can get five hours of sleep on a weekday after a busy day in school and at home.

I do enjoy every bit of work that I do whether that would be in the college or at my home but frankly, I once thought that there should have been 28 hours in a day instead of 24. This says something about the amount of work that I do; I feel like that things never get done when I have piles of newly washed clothes to fold and a long list of errands to do during the week. Somehow to wish that there were more hours in a day is like going against the natural course of order (whatever that may be). If there's only 24 hours in a day, I better 'take the time' and get a good night's sleep whenever I can. I believe that there are many things in life that we can edit, but we can't surely edit the number of required hours of sleep that we should be getting each day in order to keep our bodies functioning well and healthy.

Today I had my wake-up call with regards to taking care of myself. I had 'edited' myself too much in terms of the hours of sleep that I'm getting each day that it already came to the point that I'm already justifying to myself that 4 or 5 hours of sleep is good; well in fact, it's really not.

So in the course of the next few weeks before we say 'goodbye' to this wonderful semster, I will try my best to get some more sleep even if it means leaving some things undone. After all, shouldn't our sleep be a priority? Be careful not to edit this one out.