Signing Off

I'm afraid that this is my last time posting on this blog. I'd like to thank all of you who've read my posts during the past three months, I really appreciate it. I hope they've provided further insight into what public relations is all about, and have helped you decide whether you'd like to try a PR internship in the near future. If you have the slightest interest in exploring PR, I encourage you to apply for Eisbrenner PR's intern position, because the people here will give you plenty of PR assignments to let you determine whether PR is right for you.

If you've read my previous entries, each one pertains to a specific task that I've been assigned. Well, now that I'm heading out, I'd like to put them into a top 10 list.

10. Creating media lists in Excel (You'll share my opinion after your first PR internship, trust me.)

9. Doing coverage reports for clients

8. Writing brochure text (NOT an easy thing to do, especially here. Capturing Eisbrenner PR's voice is very tough.)

7. Watching phones (This can be interesting at times, but not when you're trying to find people in the building.)

6. Running errands (This is relaxing, with the exception of 100 degree days.)

5. Writing memos (Wrote only one of these, but it was cool to see how a memo's written.)

4. Writing newsletter articles (I find this fun, because you get to share with readers what you've learned about a particular subject matter. Being the gatekeeper of information is a sweet power to have.)

3. Attending a media coaching session (I really enjoyed this, because it allowed me to see into the minds of both journalists and PR professionals and hear their perspectives on conducting interviews. Very cool.)

2. Shooting pool on Friday afternoons (I know this isn't exactly work, but it helped me gather a better understanding of PR. And it was relaxing!)

1. And the number one thing is...nothing! (What?!?! I know, you're probably wondering why I would finish a top ten list like that, but there are so many fun activities here that I can't choose a number one. Sorry!)

I can, however, tell you the number one thing I've learned here: "Insist Excellence." I know this sounds like your typical slogan, but if you think about it, it does carry a very important message. If you say "insist excellence," you're not just suggesting excellence; you're demanding it. If you demand excellence of yourself and others, then you and your company will be a lot better off in the long run than the ones who just say it.

Thanks again for your time. Unless I run into you somewhere in this vast world, goodbye. I'm signing off.

Yipee, Newsletters!

I have worked on two newsletters during my internship, Epitec's Epitalk and Eisbrenner PR's Perspectives, and both were a lot of fun to write. The articles I wrote involved new technologies such as blogs and open source software, which were interesting to me , considering I didn't know much about either of them in the beginning. I also learned more about our clients, the media and their relationship with one another. The newsletters also provided a nice break from the heavy technical writing we typically do for our clients, which was definately a plus. So if you get the opportunity to help put together a newsletter, I would definately suggest doing so.

Memos: Short and Sweet (Not!)

Last week I wrote a memo for our client regarding a trade show. I thought it was going to be a short, easy assignment, but wow, was I wrong! Since this was my first time writing one, it took me a couple of days to finally capture the language my co-worker wanted. And even after I submitted it, I still had work to do. The client wanted me to double-check the price of a booth, so I called my contact at the trade show, and I realized that I had forgotten an extra zero at the end of the estimate! I felt like crawling under the table afterwards; hopefully you never make that same mistake when you write one.

I found this article about memos on Purdue University's website. It's a little lengthy, but it gives a very good explanation about how to tackle a memo assignment. I would suggest you at least glance at it before you start, so that you're familiar with the format and writing style that's expected of you.