Real People Inspire.

Hello PR friends. A short simple thought for you today, who are the top people in your life who inspire you? I'm not sure everyone can immediately recall their roots and foundation for inspiration. Yes, I know you will spout off the typical answers of your inner roots for inspiration.. your mom and dad, 1st grade teacher, baseball coach, lifelong friend, etc. etc. However, I would like to know of public figures who have influenced you.

Do you think, those who cannot immediately recall roots of inspiration, have inspiration themselves?

Obviously, this question is rhetorical. I honestly, CANNOT answer this myself... which is a major reason of why I'm writing this post. I haven't taken the time to research what iconic public figures and heros inspire me

I recently started working as a temporary employee at Overstock.com, my past week of working there reignited my search to find my 'influencers.' During our new hire training they mentioned that the company lives and breathes by the philosophy of Warren Buffett. They further mentioned that when the company first started, new hires were required to read the works of Warren Buffett.

Start Tracking Your Influencers.

1. Make a list of qualities that represent you, or qualities you admire.
I will do my best to keep this short. 1. Compassion 2. Competition 3. Networking/Relationship Building 4. Public Relations

2. Identify past public figures who were praised for the specified quality/attributes.

Compassion - Mother Teresa

Competition - John Wooden

Networking/Relationship Building - Dale Carnegie

Public Relations - Edward L. Bernays

 

3. Research, study, identify.
To be determined. I'm going to start ordering some books and get to it.

Good luck to you with further discovering your inspirational foundation. I encourage you to ponder who your influencers are. What qualities do you admire? Name the influencer with those qualities. What have you learned from them? Leave me a comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Dressing Your Best

Understanding how to dress your best and mold to company culture has been something I've unfortunately struggled with. Just once I start catching onto what is most appropriate attire for the position--I move onto another job. See the dress above? This is the dress I've chosen to wear to my first day tomorrow. Not only am I wearing this dress, the dress will be accompanied with tights, a black cardigan, and headband.

Deciding What to Wear For Your First Day

1. Observe: When you go to the interview, what are others wearing? What colors, patterns, and designs are prominent. Also, take note of the hairstyles women where in the office (I'm a women.. so vice versa to you men out there reading this.)

2. Ask: When I first started working at the Utah Senate, it was a hard culture to grasp onto. One of the best things I did that helped was asked the girls in the office what stores they shopped at. Then, I would check out the stores and have a better feel for the company culture. For my new job I'm starting tomorrow, I asked the recruitment director what was expected of me and preferred.

3. Don't Be Distracting: I read this surprising fact the other day.. women in the workplace who dress immodestly are less likely to receive raises or promotions. When I started working at the senate I was unaware that my dress that went down to an inch above the knee was distracting to Senators. Blending with the work environment is key, try your best to not stick out like a sore thumb.

4. Dress for the Job You Want: Easier said then done. However, this is a good goal to set and work towards. What I tend to do is to pick someone in the company who is in upper management and to mimic their fashion style. 

5. Still Attempt to Be Yourself: A new job can be overwhelming, just remember to find small ways to encapsulate your personality with small accessories with your outfit. Make it your own. 

I've Accepted a Job, Guess Where

Give it Your Best Shot

Well, after six business days of being laid off, I am proud to say I have accepted a position with an amazing company. I have invited my friends to view this blog to guess which company I'll be working for. I will release the details on Monday. 

Here are some hints as to where I'll be working.

• Ranked in Top 10 of Best Places to Work in Corporate America, Glassdoor
• Ranked in Top 5 for Employee Satisfaction, Forbes
• Gold Stevie® Award for Company of the Year
• Ranked in Top 5 in Customers' Choice Awards,  National Retail Federation Foundation and American Express
• Ranked in America's 100 Most Trustworthy Companies , Forbes

You can also view photos from their Instagram by clicking here. 

The Story of How This Came to Be

I attribute getting this position through, 1. Linkedin, 2. Linkedin, 3. Linkedin, and 4. Networking. I try to stay active on my Linkedin account and nearly four months ago a recruiter reached out to me for a position with their company as an executive assistant. The company had changes in management and the position was pending. I kept in touch with this recruiter throughout this time, and was planning on reaching out to her after my layoff.

Sharing information on Linkedin is a great option for job seekers. Like Facebook, Linkedin has a timeline of activity where you can not only publish, but write updates, post photos, and more. I shared my blog post, "A Cup of Compassion," on my feed.

Within less then 24-hours, this recruiter not only reached out to me but invited me to interview at her company. The catch was, since I had met her, she had moved on to a much larger, established organization and is now the head director of recruitment. I was speechless when I saw what company she worked for and was flattered she wanted to get me in the door. 

The Interview

The best way to describe the interview is that I didn't feel like I had to put on a show, be fake, or tell them what they wanted to hear--I could be me. Not only that, but I enjoy talking which each of the staff members and the four different decision makers whom I spoke with during my interview. 

As I left the building from my interview, they said I would be told very shortly whether or not I was selected for the position, I joked with them that they could feel free to give me a ring as soon as I was in the parking lot. Less then thirty minutes after the interview, I received a phone call with an offer for the position. It made me smile because she said, "I wanted to call you as you entered the parking lot, but I had to talk to the three others you spoke with beforehand."

I'm excited for this new opportunity and to get on board with a well known company with phenomenal credentials. Thank heaven for Linkedin, networking skills, and the kind people who believe in me and continue to do so. Happy Hump Day everyone.

Establishing Your Digital Footprint

I am NOT a job snob.
I repeat, I am NOT A job snob.
I AM NOT A JOB SNOB.

You know that feeling where you first start dating or talking to someone? Nowadays when we are excited and getting to know someone--we do our research. When I am trying to decide whether or not I want to further pursue a relationship with this person, I really try to understand their reputation online.

The way someone represents themselves online with their digital footprint gives you a good taste of who they are. Whether they are on the America's Most Wanted list, blogging about political issues you could care less about, or even nothing at all. Aren't you curious to know where they place themselves on the map? What tracks are you looking for when searching someones footprints across the digital world?

This moral compass also stands true with my job search. When considering a company to work with, I am extremely interested in reviewing their digital footprint. Today, I received an interview request for an office assistant position. Upon my google search of the company I found lots of things that IMMEDIATELY rubbed my 'PR SELF' the wrong way.

• Their website is completely outdated: the formatting errors are horrific, the font is hard to read and inconsistent, the website lacks any significant call to action and looks like it stepped out of a '2002 I don't understand promoting my business horror film.' Their contact us page bland, as if it only pulled text from a phonebook. The images across the website are stretched and not sized correctly, making their company office look like a stretched out strand of silly putty.

• No footprint on social media: Where are you? I googled and googled, digging for any trace of a social media presence-- nothing. I sat at my computer in awe. Shall I say more? Who are we kidding, this really rubbed me the wrong way.

I re-read the job description. Office management, cold calling, and B2B sales. Why, Why, Why does this business think they can't get sales without any type of PR/Social Media presence on the web and within the community? I don't care WHAT TYPE of work it is or WHAT TYPE of excuse they had. You must remember, there is no excuse. 

If you or your business have yet to create your own online footprint, my one word of advice for you is...Get to it!

Obviously don't just take a stab in the wind, make a plan. Think over some of the following thoughts:

• Define your target audience.
• Plan on how to develop a relationship with them.
• Disseminate what you want your audience to know about you.
• Rediscover and ponder, what issues matters for you or your business. Think Values.
• Lastly, remember to meditate on the moments that make you human and puts you on the same level.

I could go on and on in regards to developing a plan, executing, and sticking to it... however, I'd like to jump back as to why I am a job snob.

At the end of the day, I think it would drive me absolutely bonkers trying to assist a company's betterment if they have not tackled the internet and all of the beauties it has to offer them and their business. In good conscience, I could not accept a job with a company who did not have a good online presence unless they were willing to work on it or let me help them. Inhibit, Don't Prohibit. 

OH YEAH. Did I mention how much I love Public Relations, Social Media, and Communications? E-Commerce & Social Media baby! That's where we are headed. Embrace it, live it, love it, and challenge yourself to grow from it.

What's important to you about your digital footprint? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Defining Your Job Legacy.

It's amazing how the people you work with make all the difference. Unfortunately, my colleague and I were laid off together-- however I believe it has made us stronger. Although we've lost ours jobs, I continue to have my invaluable friendship to help me pull through it. This post is dedicated to my close friend and mentor: Karen Tapahe  (she's great, single, and looking! For a job that is.) 

This was taken day one of my job, Karen and I recognized each other and
she immediately jumped up and gave me a hug.

Karen and I have a unique friendship, we actually met while I was working a night job for fun at a local gas station. Karen and I always would chat it up and discovered our shared passion--Communication, PR, Social Media, and Non-Profits. Karen and I exchanged business cards, connected on Linkedin, and would chat whenever she came into the gas station.

When I started working at my last job, Karen remembered me and greeted me with open arms. She took me under her wing and patiently worked with me until I perfected the comfort-ability of performing my job. Karen and I had many talks, I referred to her as my office momma--because she let me confide and trust in her. She also always would go out of her way to do her job to the best of her abilities and make everyone around her feel loved and comfortable.

Upon being let go, I was told I wasn't the only one being let go from my company. A pit grew in my stomach wondering which employee in my group would be leaving. I went back to my desk and immediately texted Karen I was let go, I heard her phone ding--she was still in the office and nowhere to be found. As I drove home in tears, my phone received a text. Karen was let go as well.

I was in panic that her and I were let go. However, I believe it would've been much worse if they would have selected only one of us to be left go. Surprisingly, I am happy to admit--with how hard this has been, I am so grateful to have Karen by my side. Karen has been a great support to me through the entire process and I hope I can do the same for her.

 I am beyond grateful to have had such great luck with meeting phenomenal people. I'm grateful for all of the friends I've made from my past work experiences. I feel that we also take, give, and learn from those that we work with. So in conclusion, I'd like to point out--although the work experience you obtain from jobs is great, the relationships you can maintain afterwards are what matter. Who will you keep in touch with when you move on from your job, how will you be remembered?  

Cinderella is Back to Online Dating

Don't you miss the good 'ol days where you could go out and get a date? Where you could meet someone in person, hit it off, and ask to see them again? Go to a ball, leave a slipper, and have some burly man come running after you trying to return it? With modern day society, the chances of this happening are slim. Nowadays, we've taken our realities of true love in the "real world" and pushed it to the online realm, in return for more time and convenience. Who wants to drink to that?

Here are some current statistics about online dating, take a gander. A few of these statements are false, can you spot the fakes?

• 94% of those actively looking for a relationship use, or plan to use social media to find their next relationship.
• Millenials are changing the dating scene. An Aberdeen study found that 73% of 18-34 year olds found their last relationship through a social network.
• 89% of all relationship seekers report having seriously dated someone found through eHarmony.
• 51% of individuals in relationships are either actively seeking, or open to a new relationship. This means fully 71% of all people in the U.S. are “on the dating market” (meaning single and looking, dating and looking, or dating and open).

Oh wait, did you know those were actually job searching statistics--and I lied, these statistics are all true. Take a look at the original statistics below.

• 94% of recruiters use, or plan to use social media for recruiting.
• Millenials are changing the recruiting industry. An Aberdeen study found that 73% of 18-34 year olds found their last job through a social network.
• 89% of all recruiters report having hired someone through LinkedIn.
• 51% of workers who currently have a job are either actively seeking, or open to a new job. This means fully 71% of all workers in the U.S. are “on the job market” (meaning unemployed and looking, employed and looking, or employed and open).

Online dating as well as online job searching are a beast of their own. So get cozy, grab a drink, and start getting those online profiles ready, unfortunately now--it's one of the best shots you've got.

A Cup of Compassion

Today I was laid off from my first salary job. As I returned home today, I stopped by a bakery. As I entered the shop the boy behind the counter asked me what I was in the mood for. I openly shared my misery as to why I sought out their sugary sweets. "Hmm, I'm in the mood to have whatever tastes good to someone who was just laid off." Everyone in the shop heard me and muttered their condolences. I felt a bit selfish admitting to my self misery, but I gave myself a rule to only have this self pity behavior for the next 24 hour--nothing more, nothing less.

Standing next to me was a young girl about half my height. She immediately told me she was sorry and asked if she could give me a hug. I nodded my head yes. She immediately wrapped her arms around me. As my eyes grew swollen, I tried to hold back my tears. I softly thanked her for her kindness. She told me after I had finished my purchase to come across the street and she would give me a free glass of lemonade.

After squandering $10 on a select number of vegan sweets. I head out to my car--As I glance across the street, I see the girl and a young boy stationed outside of what appeared to be an office building. The bakery was located in a rundown segment of downtown. Locking up my car, I decide to head across the street for my free glass of lemonade.

The girl was happy to see me again, she immediately asked me what lemonade I wanted. As her punch stained fingers filled up my plastic Subway cup she had handed me, my curiosity wondered as to why they were selling the lemonade. I asked her my question, she said they wanted to start a babysitting service and then use their money to save for college. The girl nicknamed, Phoebe explained to me how she wanted to be a biologist and her friend boasted with a smile as he said he wanted to be a game designer.

She elaborated on the money they had made the following days, $32 total. "We have issues, so we need to start saving," she said. I asked her what issues she had, she explained her and her friend both suffered from a variety of mental issues and that she had multiple personalities. "My dad took all of our money and left," she said. The office building, was actually their home--government assisted housing.

"We want to save our money to help increase our chances of being able to go to college and we also want to donate part of our money towards breast cancer research," she said. My heart immediately melted into a pile of butter. She pointed towards their pink cooler and items they had. I thanked her for the lemonade and she gave me another hug and asked me to come visit her again. As I crossed the street, she yelled to cars passing by, asking them to buy her .50 cent lemonade.

Once I met up with my boyfriend, I literally had a break down about my encounter with this girl. Here I was being selfish and having a pity party--where this beautiful, sweet, caring girl is working so hard in hopes to someday afford a college education. She had compassion on me, she hugged me. she held me in her little arms-- she truly gave me insight into a problem I often overlook.

It infuriated me to know that not only this girl, but many children across the United States futures are impacted upon which economic class they are born into. Sure, she will have scholarships opportunities, however, by the time she is eligible, who knows how many others she will compete against. This girl is fighting against the odds that are not in her favor.

Although I don't have a lump-some of money to help her, I hope that having compassion on her like she did with me can make all the difference. I encourage you to share what Phoebe reminded me of today, compassion. Give someone that extra support they need to push onward.

Mckayla Maroney is Not Impressed With United Airlines

Overview of United Airlines Public Relations

United Airlines, PR Crisis

Trying to Cut $2 Billion Annual Costs: Facing investor frustration over its lagging financial performance, United Airlines laid out new goals to cut costs and increase revenue with the aim of at least doubling profit by 2017. United Airlines announced plans to reduce costs by $2 billion annually and increase ancillary revenues by $750 million. The ultimate goal is to increase pre-tax earnings by two to four times the current level over the next four years. The company even hopes to begin allocating capital to shareholders by 2015.

United Airlines Current Headlines News

After looking through these headlines, it seems like it would be a challenge with the diverse problems United Airline PR must endure 24/7--they must all have gray hair, kudos to them for sticking to it.

1.) Redefining Premium Flights: This includes, flat-beds to sleep in, Wi-Fi, on demand entertainment, USB ports, power outlets along with multi-course meals for its BusinessFirst customers.

2.) Mechanic accused in 2000 Concorde crash sues airline: How ironic is it, that they release the news of premium seating on the same day this article is released? 

3.) United Airlines nearly killed my dog:  I was quite horrified after reading this.. this article got my blood boiling.. due to the treatment of animals for customers with pets, according to this article the airline contributed to the death of a pet (read here) I myself am an animal lover, this article was a hard read. 

You can read an article here of United Airlines Refusing to Pay Veterinarian Bill Without a Non-Disclosure Agreement..  

4. United Airlines suffering due to China Airlines: Chinese airlines seem to have come out of nowhere to steal market share on lucrative flights between here and there.

5. United Airlines mechanics picket at Denver airport: The United Airlines professional aviation mechanics represented by the Teamsters Union escalated their actions to pressure the company “to live up to its promises” by hand-billing customers inside and outside 12 major airports around the country this week.

6. United Airlines Launches Redesigned iOS App with Travel Cards, Multi-Location Booking: United Airlines has launched a redesigned app for iOS 7, with features focused on delivering glance-able information and easier access to flight-related details. 

Stock

Their stock has dropped several dollars in the past few days, however their stocks have grown in the past year.

United Airlines: A Quick Overview of Linkedin, Twitter, and Facebook.

Linkedin: I think their marketing efforts on Linkedin have backfired.. Linkedin is a hard audience to tackle. 61 percent of 26 comments left on this sponsored post were either negative towards the company or suggest that customers go elsewhere. It appears so far that most customers on Linkedin are not receptive to their message. 

Twitter: Want to know why United Airline's Twitter is impressive! They have it down to a science that when they respond to negative feedback it does not show on their timeline.. Lots of companies issue apologies via social media and constant responses to criticisms can crowd a timeline and impacts the reputation of a company to customers.

Wow, I actually just learned about Twitter replies because I did not even know this was an option. Read more here.

When looking at their page, it may not look like they post more then on average, 3-5 times per day, when in reality, they are responding to tweets by the minute.

Facebook: At a glance, their facebook page is well designed, has thousands of likes, and strong engagements on posts. However, there was one thing I noticed that I wasn't so sure about. 

I was shocked by this.. it looks like United Airlines is paying someone by the name of Nycsubway Tse to pretend to be a Mileage Plus Customer to talk to and answer questions with customers. They will actually engage with customers along with United to defuse angry customers and situations. 

You look at the posts and their profile... what do you think??

Your Turn, What Do You Think?

What do you think of United Airlines Public Relations? Comment here or tweet @Emilynicoline.

Emily Nicoline is a Junior Public Relations Utah Valley University. She is 22 years old and has lived in Wichita, KS, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and currently resides in Provo, Utah. Emily has been working in the communications industry since she was 17 and has proven capable to do whatever it takes to continue to learn, grow, and experience new opportunities. Her blog is not perfect, it's human. If you would like her portfolio or have further questions, please email her at Emilynicoline@gmail.com

Go Big or Go Unknown | Networking w/Ketchum Using a Pokeball

Gotta Ketchum All

Before traveling to PRSSANC in Philadelphia, I was studying for the conference, and came across these articles about how Nicole Spears got the attention of Ketchum's CEO through Twitter and by carrying a legal pad that read, "Ketchum?"

I wanted to follow Nicole's advice for reaching out with networking - Go Bold or Go Unknown.

Devising a Plan

I wanted to come up with a unique idea to meet a representative from Ketchum and leave a lasting impression.

Pokemon was an amazing phenomenon that swept us off of our feet in the 2000's. The main characters name is Ash Ketchum. What are the odds.. I then thought of networking, ... Gotta Ketch'um All. My mind was shooting ideas back and forth like lit up roman candles in a sardines can. I then decided to order one of my favorite memorabilia from Pokemon, the Burger King Pokeballs. 

I didn't tell anyone about my idea because I didn't want people to.. 

a) change my mind

b) tell me I'm an idiot and it would never work 

c) steal it the idea 

d) make fun of me if it failed

The plan was to find someone from Ketchum, introduce myself, chat about themselves, the internal culture of the company, and then give the pokeball to them as a peculiar gift.

Designing Perfection

Upon arriving at the Marriott Hotel for PRSSANC, I approached the lobby desk and felt like I was in elementary school all over again as the employee brought out a medium size package with the Pokeball.

I was so excited! The plan was to perfectly fit my business card inside of the Pokeball with the gold plated Pikachu card.. unfortunately, my card did not fit.

PLAN B: I immediately devised a plan to design a custom fit business card to fit perfectly into the pokeball. I met with John, an amazing Kinko employee who was working graveyard and saved my life. John said if I got him a design he could help me out. I ran up to my hotel room and designed a custom made card that fit the Pokemon branding, but had my contact information. John was able to work with it and this was our final product. 

Emailing & Tweeting

Nicole was lucky, when she tweeted Ketchum in her attempts to network she got a response.. I got nothing. I then decided I would email the employees at Ketchum to find out who would be at the conference for me to meet with and give the "gift" to.

What I emailed to the leadership board at Ketchum:
"I wanted to know if you were in Philadelphia right now? I'm at the PRSSA National Conference and have a small fun gift that I wanted to give to you to share with Ketchum's agency leadership. Please get in touch with me.

Within sending these personalized emails, I received two responses. 

One from Rob Flaherty, Chief Executive Officer and a Senior Partner of Ketchum responded to me within a matter of minutes. I was flabbergasted. 

"I'm sorry that I'm not there. Thanks for thinking of us and have a great conference."

The other, Barri Rafferty, Senior Partner, Chief Executive Officer North America responded within two hours of my email.

"I am not there but several Ketchum representatives will be in and out. All the best."

Back to the drawing board to find another way to find someone from Ketchum at the conference.

Feeling Like a Journalist

I used my resilient journalism abilities and worked for four hours straight to find someone from Ketchum.

My professor advised I find someone from Ketchum by going to the career & exhibits at PRSAIC. Upon arriving at PRSAIC, I searched and they were not there. I was also told by various people that they were not going to be there that day and to come back tomorrow. Instead of giving up, I pushed forward.

While hoping to run into someone from Ketchum, I used the opportunity at the career & exhibits to walk around and talk to other PRSA professionals. I actually LOVED IT--it was great practice for gearing me up to talk to Ketchum. Upon making friends and contacts, I started talking to and making friends with the officials of PRSA conducting the conference, manning the exhibits, and ultimately the registration tables.

Within several hours I was able to get the following:

1. The name of the representative for Ketchum 

2. Confirmation they had not been to the registration table

Thank Heavens for Linkedin

I looked up the name that was given to me, low and behold I was able to pull up Linkedin Profile--I was able to read, study, learn about the representative, I knew what she looked like, and I was able to send her a message.

My heart was beating out of my chest! I couldn't believe it that she was on her way. By the time my phone had updated and I read her message, I heard someone say at the registration table, "Are you Emily?" I approached the representative for Ketchum and told her I was Emily.

Talking with Ketchum

The representative's name was Devon Conley, Sr. HR Manager at Ketchum. I introduced myself and told her I wanted to hear her thoughts on Ketchum and the internal culture of the firm. She asked me some questions, we spoke briefly about their office in D.C., how I had liked the work they had done in the past, and I discussed my views on them in comparison to other competing firms. 

I felt really good about our conversation, I knew she didn't have much time. I told her I had a small gift for her and she gave me a confused look. I explained briefly about the success of Pokemon and the characters name being Ash Ketchum. I pulled the Pokeball out of my purse and explained it was a limited edition, over a decade old item. 

She opened it and saw my card inside and smiled. "Our branding team is going to LOVE this," she said. "You want me to keep this? I can just take the card.." "No, I got it for you. Keep it, please I insist. Maybe someone will want to keep it and put it on their desk or something."She thanked me, and put the Pokeball into her purse. 

Gotta Ketchum All

All in all, I think my strange idea went over well. I wasn't looking for a job, I just wanted to meet her and make an impression. I have no idea what will come of it, however the whole experience was well worth the ride.

Update

Mission accomplished. This morning I received this email from Rob Flaherty, Senior Partner, Chief Executive Officer of Ketchum.

Rob Flaherty & Ray Kotcher of Ketchum

Wow, Rob is such an early bird! It's in our PR Blood. #mindblown #reallyhappy #respect #kudostoketchum

Emily Nicoline is a Junior Public Relations Utah Valley University. She is 22 years old and has lived in Wichita, KS, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and currently resides in Provo, Utah. Emily has been working in the communications industry since she was 17 and has proven capable to do whatever it takes to continue to learn, grow, and experience new opportunities. Her blog is not perfect, it's human. If you would like her portfolio or have further questions, please email her at Emilynicoline@gmail.com

Learning from Rejection & Failure

My attitude towards rejection & failure.

I am scared to fail. I still struggle with the idea of failure, but I'm getting better. Want to know something ridiculous about me which illustrates how stubborn and scared I am about failure?

Left, my cousin Amberlee, Right, me.
Due to my intense fear of learning to ride a bike,  my parents purchased me this motorized vehicle. As a child, I feared falling off of a bicycle and decided to walk everywhere instead because I knew I succeeded in walking, but feared I would fail if I tried something different.

When I was little, I never learned how to ride a bike because I was too scared of failure and falling. I thought, why take the risk if I could just walk? I don't need a bike. My parents tried to get me interested in learning to ride a bike. I remember one Christmas, my parents gave me a pink bike as my main present. Selfishly, I remember the confusion I felt knowing that my parents had gotten me a nice bike that I didn't have the courage and would never have the courage to learn how to ride.

Whether or not we want to admit it, we all have some slight fear or rejection and failure. Those who are not afraid of rejection and failure have either become numb to it, or have experienced enough failure to know that they can handle it.

I have been rejected a lot throughout my life, by friends, family members, employers, and just people in general. I have struggled with the fear of rejection for most of my life. Often, I have dreams of being betrayed, lied to, rejected, or taken advantage of. However, through all of my rejections, it has lead to the person who I am today, me.

What you need to remember.

These five thoughts do not necessarily apply to everyone, however I think there is something that can be learned from each of them. 

1. Failure is defined by you. It is important to evaluate your personal definition of failure. If you redefine failure, you will achieve a higher level of self understanding.

2. Rejection is not a choice. You are not and cannot be held responsible for someone else's thoughts. You do not choose to be rejected. You cannot make choices for others. People are going to think what they want to think, and will do what they want to do.

3. Don't throw your pearls before the swine. I love this quote, this also ties into number two. Don't waste your efforts trying to be someone you're not to win the affection of others. The best thing you can do is to take time "throwing your pearls," where someone values them. Surround yourself with people who value you and understand your worth. 

4. The more you fail, the more you will succeed. Think back to number one, what do you define as failure? You also need to consider that each time you fail, you are one step closer to success, because if you fail that means you're trying. You have to make an effort before you can reap the rewards.

5. Be practical with your expectations set for yourself. Set goals that are attainable for yourself. Impractical goal setting leads to failure and unrealistic expectations. Take it slow, one step at a time. Keep it simple. It's good to have a dream, however every dream needs groundwork to make it a reality.

The impact from a changed perspective. Which mindset do you have? 

This section quoted from Robert Sternberg.

Simon Cowell is a great example. He
would be considered to have a fixed
mindset. 

Fixed Mindset. "In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success—without effort. They’re wrong." 

"People with a fixed mindset believe that their traits are just givens. They have a certain amount of brains and talent and nothing can change that. If they have a lot, they’re all set, but if they don’t... So people in this mindset worry about their traits and how adequate they are. They have something to prove to themselves and others."

This is a photo of me when I was a toddler,
According to the study, we are all born with
a growth mindset and as we grow, society
changes our mindset to a fixed mindset.

Growth Mindset. "In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. Virtually all great people have had these qualities."

"People with a growth mindset, on the other hand, see their qualities as things that can be developed through their dedication and effort. Sure they’re happy if they’re brainy or talented, but that’s just the starting point. They understand that no one has ever accomplished great things—not Mozart, Darwin, or Michael Jordan—without years of passionate practice and learning."

One minute video comparing fixed and growth mindsets.

Which way will you choose to think?

• When someone breaks up with you, will you think that there is something wrong with you or that there is something to be learned. 
• When you fail a test, will you think I'm not smart and of no value, or that you will learn from your mistakes and celebrate your small successes.
• When you are not selected for a job, will you think that you are of no good and no one wants you or will you think that you learned from the application process and there is something better out there for you.
• When a friend betrays you, will you think that you can never forgive them and that they hurt you, or will you think about the all that you've learned from your friendship and treat your next friendship differently or change how you select friends.

If the choice is yours, choose today.

Don't let your rejections and failures rule your life and your happiness. Let your rejections and failures shape your character, continue to move forward with a smile, and most importantly remember that you are not alone. If you reach out to others you will come to a realization that rejection and failure is part of the human experience of life. Find ways to enjoy your journey.




Emily Nicoline is a Junior Public Relations Utah Valley University. She is 22 years old and has lived in Wichita, KS, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and currently resides in Provo, Utah. Emily has been working in the communications industry since she was 17 and has proven capable to do whatever it takes to continue to learn, grow, and experience new opportunities. Her blog is not perfect, it's human. If you would like her portfolio or have further questions, please email her at Emilynicolne@gmail.com

Email Marketing: The SPAM Act, Terms, & Growing Your Email List

Can-SPAM Act of 2003: Turning permission based marketing into law. 

1. Unsubscribed Compliance: When you scroll down to the bottom of the email, it is required by federal law to have an option for unsubscribing. There has to be a visible and operable unsubscribe mechanism embedded in the email. If someone requests to unsubscribed it has to be honored within ten days.
Here is information for the punishments business and individuals receive that violate this, click here. 

2. Content Compliance: You must have accurate from lines, relevant subject lines, physical address of the publisher of advertiser present, and a label present if adult content is in the email.

3. Sending Behavior Compliance: A message cannot be sent through an open relay, meaning the email has to be tracked digitally. The message cannot be sent to a harvested email address, meaning you can't email people who's emails are posted publicly on the internet. The legal way to get addresses is buying lists. Lots of people have harvested  on accident without meaning to. Read more about it, here.

What do you think is the most important aspect with email marketing?

The important of email marketing is to constantly be cultivating and growing your email list.

List Churn: This means every time you send an email, your list will shrink. On average, list churn is 30% per year. 

List Fatigue: When you send a customer an email but they don't interact with it. "Fatigue is fatigued, it means that people get tired of emails but come around. Think of when you get tired of a song you like on Pandora."

Ways to Grow Your Email List

• Reigster at purchase
• Online events
• Website registration
• Paid search
• Offline events
• Co-registration
• Blog registration
• Facebook registration
• Social media sharing buttons 

Five Takeaways I've Learned From Writing My First Case Studies

The following information are five things I took away from my first PR case studies class. I have learned a lot from it and this post barely scratches the surface on all I could say about it. 

Pages 1-10 of my first case study.

1.) Research is important and typically difficult. 

Luckily, this case is the Starbucks Case Study which is well known. In another class I'm currently writing a case study as well and it is driving me up the wall. Researching feels like looking for a needle in a haystack. I hope that when I work for a company that they will hire someone to do the research, I enjoy it--it's just time consuming until I learn how to utilize my resources. The more I do it, the better I'll get at it.

2.) Key Public's are easy to identify and difficult to define.

When developing a case it is rather easy to identify which public's will be crucial to accomplish the goal. However, when trying to analyze the demographic and psycho-graphics including the five elements of each public it is hard to find written facts in comparison to making assumptions about each public. 

3.) Think backwards to assure each section in the study fits together like a puzzle. 

When I made it to the end of my case to write the communication confirmation, I was a bit baffled because glancing through my case, I realized I did a lot of it wrong. I was frustrated, I felt as if I had worked on a math problem for hours on end and just discovered I got the wrong answer. Next time I write a case, I think it would be easier if I draft out communication confirmation first before I continue onto action planning.

Pages 11-20 of my first case study.

4.) I am addicted to highly interactive communication strategies.

Who would have thought I would be addicted to highly interactive communication strategies? I don't know if it's because I'm a younger generation, but anything else besides highly interactive communication strategies appeared boring to me. I think this will be important to remember when I write my next case study that it's important to have a wide array of communication strategies. 

5.) It is EASY to accidentally mix up goals, objectives, strategies, and tactics. 

When writing my action planning, I really got caught off guard when I would write it out, then look over and compare this section to examples in my book. As I was looking over the definitions and seeing if they matched up to what I wrote, I came to the realization that writing a case study is like learning to speak a new language and that it is important to take my time working through it and to try my hardest to avoid simple mistakes. 

Pages 21-30 of my first case study.

Pages 31-32 of my first case study.

Overview: My Blog Posts, Prior, During & After the 2013 PRSSA National Conference

Below is a list with hyperlinks of all of my writings about the trip I took to Philadelphia for the 2013 PRSSA National Conference. As a requirement for the class I took as part of my grant to go on the trip, we were supposed to blog prior, during, and after the trip.

Prior to the Trip:

1. How Government Public Relations Converted Me to PR

2. Four Things I Learned About Government PR

3. Your Voice is Your Medicine: Introduction to the Non-Profit Women's Organization I want to launch with my PR degree.

3. Your Voice is Your Medicine - Pt 1

4. Your Voice is Your Medicine - Pt 2

5. Your Voice is Your Medicine - Pt 3

6. Your Voice is Your Medicine - Pt 4

7. Your Voice is Your Medicine - Pt 5a

8. Your Voice is Your Medicine - Pt 5b

9. Your Voice is Your Medicine - Pt 6

10. Your Voice is Your Medicine - Share Your Story

During the Trip:

Day 1, October 25th: How the Outstanding Chapter of the Year Prepares for the PRSSA National Conference 

Day 2, October 26th: PRSSANC Survivor: How to Outwit, Outplay, and Outlast

Day 3, October 27th: PRSSANC News Recap - Day 2

Day 4, October 28th: A Detailed Look From Warner Bros & TV Guide at Entertainment PR

Day 5, October 29th: Recap of PRSSA Entertainment PR Industry Session

Day 6, October 30th: Recap Video of PRSSA National Conference Trip

Post Trip:

1. Attendees of 2013 PRSSANC From UVU PRSSA

2. Digital Marketing: Three Pillars of Internet Marketing

3. Post Conference: Our Chapter's Responsibilities After We Return Home

4. Networking & Personal Seo: Getting the Job You Want Now