PRSA Young Pros Happy Hour: Replay Sports Bar

UPDATE: Hey PR Young Pros! Change of plans. Bradford is taking this Thursday off to let the beach recover from all the rain, so we’ve decided to switch things up. 

The PRSA Young Pros Committee invites you to Replay Sports Bar on June 23, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. for a Young Pro Happy Hour. 

Let’s play some foosball, shuffleboard, flip cup, or billiards insides, shielded from mother nature. 

RSVP to our Facebook Event.

Happy Hour Specials are available all night. 

Specials include: 

$2 tap beers
$3 rail cocktails
Plus I’m pretty sure they have $2 Tall Boy PBRs all day, every day. 

Hopefully, we can hit up the beach next month for a PRSA #YPHH. 

Sorry for the change of plans. 

Hey PR Young Pros! The PRSA Young Pros Committee invites you to Bradford Beach on June 23, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. for a Young Pro Happy Hour.

RSVP to our Facebook Event.

Stick your toes in the sand, breath the fresh air, play some beach volleyball, and relax with some tunes as the sun sets on Lake Michigan, while hanging out with other like-minded professionals.

Did I mention that they have a bonfire going with live music from the Marc Ballini Trio?

Starting at 6:30 p.m., the Marc Ballini Trio will perform until dusk. Three large bonfire pits available for public use. All you’ll need is your blanket on the sand.

Happy Hour Specials are available at the Tiki Hut from 5-7pm.

Specials include:

  • $10 – iced buckets of Corona or Pabst (4 cans / bucket)
  • $5 cocktails- Cuervo Margarita, Smirnoff & Lemonade, Bacardi Mojito, Jeremiah Weed & Lemonade
  • $3 Pabst

All that purchase a drink on the beach will receive a wristband good for one free drink at one of the following establishments following the musical performances on Thursday evenings: BelAir – BelAir Margarita or Hi Hat Garage – Pint of the Day.

Meet the Members: Shana Pawlowicz

Each month, on the PRSA Southeastern Wisconsin blog, we will feature one of the members of our fine organization. Get to know a little bit about who they are, why they joined and what they are most looking forward to about being a part of the PRSA SEW Chapter. And maybe a few random facts here and there. 

This month, we are featuring Shana Pawlowicz!

Name –  Shana Pawlowicz

Most of your experience falls in the in non-profit sector. What’s motivates you to work in that field? I have volunteered with several organizations now for over 7 years. While I am quite open to working in a variety of different markets within the creative field, I really do enjoy the sense of good I feel when not only I see all of my hard work pay off with a successful event, but also the joy from those in attendance who will directly or indirectly benefit from my hard work.

One of you recent positions was with ABCD and their event Date with a Plate that just happened last month. How’d the event go? The event went great! We had about 18 different stations from local restaurant groups who donated fabulous food for everyone to try. Our silent auction was also a big hit with over 100 items that help to raise over $26,000 for that section alone!

With many professional organizations available, what drew you to PRSA? In college I was a member of PRSSA and not only did I find the knowledge I received during that time rewarding but also the camaraderie of my peers who were also excited to start their careers. So I knew out of college that PRSA would certainly be a great place for me to belong and now that I have moved to Milwaukee and ready to establish my career and home here, I am very excited to be apart of the local chapter.

As a new member of the organization, what aspects are you most looking forward to (luncheons, newsletters, networking, young pros, awards)? Can I say all of it? haha. But really I am a very outgoing person and a person who loves challenges and learning daily. What’s great about this organization is that I am surrounded by individuals who feel the same way. PRSA offers so many opportunities to be able to continually learn and grow in this field, and I hope to continue to do so through PRSA.

What’s your favorite aspect of the Public Relations industry? (Media relations, special events, social media, crisis communication, community relations, ect.) And why? I feel so many of those areas tie together well that you can’t really choose one in order to do your job effectively. While I’m still looking currently for a full time home with a local company, I hope that in my future position I am able to tackle each of these areas. I think what is most intriguing to me right now however is social media, for the simple fact that it is changing at such a fast pace and is so cutting edge. Well that and the fact that I just (and finally) got an iphone to putz around on all my social media avenues with!

What’s your favorite blog that you follow? I’m a huge foodie! Everyone who really knows me knows the way to my heart is with a good meal. So as much as I hate to give this little hidden gem away I will, so that others may enjoy this amazing website and create scrumdiddlyumptious treats too. http://macaroniandcheesecake.blogspot.com/ Check it out…she’s a food genius!

Tell us something we don’t know about you? I am a former Miss Oshkosh with the Miss America Organization and during my year of service I made 82 volunteer appearances. During that time I was able to raise thousands of dollars and volunteer for various non-profits which includes: St. Baldricks Day, Children’s Miracle Network, American Cancer Society, Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Children’s Hospital of Milwaukee and many others. And while I do get lots of flack from people about this, I am very proud of the accomplishments that have come from it and just goes to show, “You can never judge a book by its cover.”

Next time you see Shana at a luncheon, be sure to introduced yourself. Or you could connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter.

– Andrew Wiech (@AndrewWiech)

Today LinkedIn made news as shares of its…

Today LinkedIn made news as shares of its fresh IPO were made available to the general public, opening at $45 per share. With more than 100 million total users and 1 million new users every month, LinkedIn has established itself as the premier business tool in the social media realm.

Are you using LinkedIn?

Remember that the Milwaukee PRSA chapter has a LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=161180 which is a great resource for networking in the area, plus the national PRSA http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=49680 has terrific content and opportunities, as well.

Smartphone Smarty Pants: Helpful Apps for PR Professionals

On the first Friday of every month, the PRSA SEW Social Media Committee conducts an informal social media training at the Milwaukee Public Market at 8 a.m. This month Laura Stanelle of Emerald Isle Marketing + PR and Emily Lenard of Hanson Dodge Creative discussed helpful smartphone apps for PR professionals.

Coincidently, Mediabistro’s PRNewser published their second list of 10 must have apps for PR a day earlier so we were able to crib some helpful apps from them as well.

Organization apps:

Evernote: Awesome for notes, photos and voice memos. Keeps everything in one place and syncs up between devices.

Dropbox: Synchronizes documents and files across several devices, so you’re never without a file you need.

Instapaper: Saves articles and other content for reading later.

Local apps:

JSOnline: Local headlines at your fingertips; divided by section.

OnMilwaukee: A favorite website in an easily accessible app.

MKEBIZ: Business Journal of Greater Milwaukee divided by Latest News, Most Viewed and Most Emailed.

Reference apps:

Wikipedia: Helpful for quick reference on thousands of topics in encyclopedia entry form.

Google: For many the utility of Google is a no-brainer, but many people still haven’t added the Google mobile app to their arsenal of tools on the go.

Mashable: This is a great resource for all levels of PR, marketing, social media and communication professionals.

Others:

Recorder: Mediabistro’s PRNewser recommends this app to capture memos, interviews, and ideas on the go.

Dragon Dictation: Fingertips not moving as fast as your mind? Then this is the app for you. Talk into your phone and let Dragon Dictation put your verbal thoughts into words for a text or email.

Communication-Social Media:

WordPress: Another helpful app on the PRNewser list. This app enables blogging and comment moderating via a client’s WordPress blog/website.

Hootsuite/Tweetdeck: Monitor, engage and track individual post clicks and engagement of your clients’ online communities on many social networks at once.

Twitter: Even though apps like Hootsuite seem to get more press, we advise you not to count out the native Twitter app. Many find it easier to use—helping you get the message out more efficiently.

Others you’d like to add?

April Luncheon – Barcelona Declaration of Measurement Principles with Pauline Draper-Watts

“I get really excited when I see good research, but I don’t get excited that often.”

And with that, Pauline Draper-Watts, past chair of the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) commission on measurement and co-author of the Barcelona Principles, began an educational and incredibly valuable discussion on PR measurement and its importance.

As PR professionals, we can’t dispute the need for measurement and evaluation. Historically, our profession has lacked a standard for measurement. The Barcelona Principles – the result of a collaboration between the Institute for Public Relations, AMEC, PRSA, the Global Alliance and the International Communications Consultancy – are the industry’s first step toward the establishment of global guidelines for public relations measurement. They rest on seven principles, outlined below:

1.      Importance of Goal Setting and Measurement

2.      Measuring the Effect on Outcomes is Preferred to Measuring Outputs

3.      The Effect on Business Results Can and Should Be Measured Where Possible

4.      Media Measurement Requires Quantity and Quality

5.      AVEs are not the Value of Public Relations

6.      Social Media Can and Should be Measured

7.      Transparency and Replicability are Paramount to Sound Measurement

All of the slides from the presentation can be seen in the link below. They provide incredibly detailed and valuable information on the seven principles and how they can be applied to every area of our communications efforts.

Barcelona Declaration of Measurement Principles

– Laura Stanelle (@laurastanelle)

Meet the Members: Samantha Andrews, APR

Each month, on the PRSA Southeastern Wisconsin blog, we will feature one of the members of our fine organization. Get to know a little bit about who they are, why they joined and what they are most looking forward to about being a part of the PRSA SEW Chapter. And maybe a few random facts here and there.

This month, we are featuring Samantha Andrews!

Name – Samantha Andrews, APR

Follow Samantha on Twitter. @SamanthaAndrews

Position/Company – Public Relations Associate, Froedtert Health Froedtert Hospital.

What initially drew you to PRSA? I was drawn to PRSA’s networking opportunities. My PRSA history began early in my public relations career; first in Green Bay with the Northeast Wisconsin Chapter. I moved to Milwaukee about six years ago and found the Southeast Wisconsin Chapter members very welcoming, dynamic and supportive.

I see you’re accredited! Congrats. How valuable is accreditation and what advice would you give to those that are looking into it? Thank you! I received my Accreditation in Public Relations in 2008. Since then it has opened a lot of doors for me, including my involvement with the PRSA Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter (SEW) board of directors. It helped me transition from tactical to a strategic thinking approach to public relations. It prompted me to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. I’m currently enrolled in the MBA program at Mount Mary College. My motto to anyone considering accreditation is “Just Do It!” It can only help you down the road.

What do you enjoy most about being a member of the PRSA SEW board of directors? I’ve had the honor of being a board member since 2009, serving our chapter as assembly delegate. I enjoy the friendships I have made and learning from some of the best communicators in our field. I’m truly blessed to be a part of our board. I have learned so much from them.

What’s your favorite aspect of the Public Relations industry? What really excites you about PR? And why? Special events are my passion because I love meeting and working with people. I enjoy seeing a successful event come to fruition from its infancy stages.

How has being a PRSA SEW member helped in your career? PRSA has helped me learn of new job opportunities, including my current role at Froedtert Hospital. It has helped me learn boundless new skills and earn my APR. I also received a Paragon Award last year for one of my projects, which made me and my employer extremely proud!

How do you stay up-to-date on the industry trends? What’s your favorite industry blogs that you follow/books that you read? Our PRSA SEW chapter lunches, along with the new social media training opportunities are very interesting, fun and affordable (many of which are free!) ways to stay on top of industry trends. I read “The Strategist” and take advantage of the free webinars through PRSA as part of my membership. I also attended the national PRSA conference for the first time last year in Washington, D.C. and learned more about measurement as it applies to our practice. I subscribe to various RSS feeds through PRSA’s Web site such as PRSAY, ComPRehension and belong to various specialized groups. One of my favorites is the PRSA National group on LinkedIn.

Tell us something we don’t know about you? One interesting tidbit I like to share with Milwaukeeans is that I was a Green Bay Packers cheerleader while in college at UW-Green Bay. I’m an avid runner and passionate about golfing, so I can’t wait for spring!

Next time you see Samantha at a luncheon, be sure to introduced yourself. Or you could connect with her on LinkedIn.

– Andrew Wiech (@AndrewWiech)

PRSA-SEW Teams Up with PRSA-Madison and PRSA-NEW to Host APR JumpStart Session

Accountants have their CPAs. Architects have their AIAs. And you’ve heard your PR friends and colleagues talking about APR for years. Just what is this formal credentialing process and how can it help you sharpen your craft and distinguish yourself?

A group of fellow APRs from the Southeast Wisconsin, Madison and Northeast Wisconsin PRSA chapters will answer all those questions and more at the Wisconsin APR JumpStart Orientation Session. The session is open to all PRSA members with five years in the profession and includes 4 hours of action-packed information from practitioners who have been there, done that…and believe you can do it, too!

The details:

Thursday, April 14, 2011
11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Oakwood Center at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
10361 Innovation Drive
Wauwatosa, WI 53226

Our agenda:
Why APR?
APR Process Overview
The Application
Local Prep, Mentoring and prsa.org Opportunities
Readiness Review: Portfolio Show and Tell
The Exam: An Online Demo
Making a Personal Plan
Q&A

Cost: $50 (Includes orientation manual and lunch.)

Space is limited to 30 registrants and reservations are required. Contact SEW Accreditation Co-Chair Julie Larsen, APR at julie-larsen@wi.rr.com to register or with questions.

A second JumpStart session will be held in Oshkosh in October.

 

Meet the Members: Kate Clough

Each month, on the PRSA Southeastern Wisconsin blog, we will feature one of the members of our fine organization. Get to know a little bit about who they are, why they joined and what they are most looking forward to about being a part of the PRSA SEW Chapter. And maybe a few random facts here and there.

This month, we are featuring one of our newest members to the organization. Welcome to the club, Kate Clough!

Name – Kate Clough

Position/Company – Public Relations Assistant, Robert W. Baird & Co.

I see you graduated from Boston College! What brought you to Southeastern Wisconsin?

Follow Kate on Twitter: @kjmclough

As a native of Rhode Island and a graduate of BC, I grew up with Manhattan and Boston right around the corner. I wanted to challenge myself with a new city and a new experience. After graduating in May 2010, I first started interning with Edelman’s strategic research firm, StrategyOne, in Chicago. As my internship was nearing its end, I started to look at other marketing and PR opportunities in both Chicago and Milwaukee. The one presented by Baird in Milwaukee was a perfect fit and I couldn’t resist starting my business career at such a great company as a junior practitioner within the internal PR team. At Baird, I really enjoy working with highly seasoned PR vets, and in my first four months with the firm, I have learned an incredible amount.

With many professional organizations available, what drew you to PRSA?

I decided to join PRSA for a number of reasons. In addition to the encouragement from my co-workers, I wanted to join a community of practitioners to help in my professional enrichment and growth. I want to expand my network, push myself to stay on top of the cutting edge business practices and have a place where I can foster ideas. As a new PR professional, there is so much out there for me to learn, I think PRSA will definitely help me foster that professional growth.

As a new member of the organization, what aspects are you most looking forward to (luncheons, newsletters, networking, young pros, awards)?

As a new member of the Milwaukee community and to PRSA, I am most interested in networking and meeting other professionals in the Public Relations field through the monthly luncheons and the Young Pros Committee. I look forward to meeting professionals of all ages and expertise to gain insights about their industry trends, experiences and future opportunities.

What’s your favorite aspect of the Public Relations industry? (Media relations, special events, social media, crisis communication, community relations, ect.) And why?

My favorite aspect of the public relations industry is the use and growth of social media in the business setting. Now, more than ever, social media presents a whole new paradigm for connecting and communicating with your various audiences: clients, customers, employees, investors, among many others. My burgeoning interest in social media came after I read “Groundswell” by Josh Bernoff and Charlene Li.

My interest in media relations and community relations continues to grow in my current role at Baird. I really enjoy the opportunity to communicate with media outlets in both print and broadcast from all over the world.

What’s your favorite blog that you follow?

It’s a tough call between David Armano’s blog, “Logic & Emotion,” and “Groundswell” published by Forrester Research. I have learned so much about the world of Web 2.0 from both!

Tell us something we don’t know about you?

I spent a good part of my childhood traveling around the world with my family and even moved and lived in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia for a few years while I was in grade school.

Next time you see Kate at a luncheon or networking event, be sure to introduced yourself. Or you could connect with her on LinkedIn.

– Andrew Wiech (@AndrewWiech)

March Luncheon – Community Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility with Anne Reed & Kim Marotta

This month’s chapter meeting was off the charts! Two incredible, intelligent, passionate and successful women talked from a corporate and nonprofit perspective about ways to leverage and integrate corporate social responsibility, community relations and sustainability programs into marketing and brand-building efforts. Anne Reed, the executive director of the Wisconsin Humane Society and Kim Marotta, vice president of corporate social responsibility at Miller Coors shared their stories.

In case you missed it, here is the live twitter feed. Somehow Andrew Wiech and I managed to never duplicate tweets over the course of the hour long presentation:

@PRSAWIS The 130 yr old @Wischumane society is known as one of the top nationally #prsawis
@PRSAWIS @WiscHumane‘s mission IS community outreach. #PRSAWIS
@PRSAWIS Communication is the key. @WiscHumane establishes itself as the authoritative resource in the community. #PRSAWIS
@PRSAWIS @wischumane keeps Social media very conversational #prsawis
@PRSAWIS Short videos from the staff @WiscHumane and shared on YouTube. Very authentic. #PRSAWIS
@PRSAWIS @wischumane has a symbiotic relationship btwn programs and outreach #prsawis
@PRSAWIS Important to get out in the community and invite them back in. @WiscHumane #PRSAWIS
@PRSAWIS Develop one brand image for CSR. “Great Beer. Great Responsibility.” #PRSAWIS
@PRSAWIS Go to greatbeergreatresponsibility.com to engage with @millercoors and for a chance to win an iPad #prsawis
@PRSAWIS “Society has expectations and in today’s world, those expectations have changes. Sustainable, transparent, ethical.” @MillerCoors #PRSAWIS
@PRSAWIS Retailers continue to push the agenda #prsawis @millercoors
@PRSAWIS 54% of shoppers consider sustainability to be a one of their decision making factors. @MillerCoors #PRSAWIS
@PRSAWIS Best ambassadors are your own employees. “Be Great. Be Responsible” @MillerCoors #PRSAWIS

Here are a few other key takeaway points from the presentation:

Anne Reed, nonprofit sector

  • Better communications = increased donations
  • Engage in several community partnerships to carry out mission
  • Your building itself can be community outreach – bring people in to see the mission in action

Kim Marotta, corporate sector

  • Social responsibility is good for business, not just because it’s what people expect, but it helps cut costs, good for the environment and establishes meaningful partnerships
  • Social responsibility leverages employee attraction and retention

Also, watch this short video with Kim and Anne:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO06Nj_0Ujk&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0]

What did you take away from this month’s luncheon?

– Jenna Kashou (@JKashou) & Andrew Wiech (@AndrewWiech)

PRSA BLUtender Battle: Young Pros vs. Seasoned Vets

Come one, come all. And, bring your friends too. The PRSA Young Pros Committee invites ALL Milwaukee PR professionals to Blu, on the 23rd floor of the Pfister Hotel on March 30, 2011 at 5:30 p.m. for the ultimate Young Pros vs. Seasoned Vets battle. Please RSVP on Facebook.

Watch as PRSA Young Pro committee co-chairs Megan Sullivan (BVK) and Andrew Wiech (Comet Branding/Hanson Dodge Creative) go head-to-head bartending against “Seasoned Vets” Laura Monagle (Staples Marketing & PRSA President) and Mo Moorman (Jockey) with 10% of the proceeds going toward the PRSA Young Pros Committee.

Blu Manager Adam Jones will provide a quick tutorial (and maybe a few valuable tips on getting bigger tips) on bartending. Then watch as they display their skills and serve drinks for the next 2 hours.

Take advantage of Beat the Clock Happy Hour pricing on select drinks.
Drinks specials, including featured wines, start at $5 from 4-6pm, $6 from 6-7pm and $7 from 7-8pm. So, get there early to beat the clock on drink specials.

No need to worry about parking. The Pfister Hotel offers the following discounted rates.
Free 2 Hour Parking w/ purchase
Free 5 Hour Parking w/ Foursquare check in at Blu

Let the smack talk begin! Pick a team (#TeamYPs vs. #TeamVets), start trash talking and let the best drink slingin’ PR professionals win.

-Andrew Wiech (@AndrewWiech) & Megan Sullivan (@Sullivm)