The Pillars of Our Firm

There’s a lot to learn as an intern at Eisbrenner Public Relations, from developing client strategy to the tedious-yet-necessary task of assembling a media list. But the most important things to learn, understand and demonstrate at Eisbrenner PR, or any company for that matter, are the core values of the organization.

At Eisbrenner PR, our core values define our culture. All of our actions and decisions are guided by these five core values:

Use individual curiosity to spur innovation
Work hard and have fun
Treat the world with respect
Be motivated to discover what’s next
Find the positive in everything we do

Two months into my internship, I’ve learned when people around here speak of our core values, they mean what they say. They are the essence of our agency. They are what drive us to go above and beyond for our clients. They are why we get out of bed in the morning and why we love coming to work (well, most days).

When working in a collaborative environment, sharing a common vision and attitude is not only important, it is crucial to the team’s success. Here are three ways you can integrate your company’s values into your everyday work life.

Know them
Even though our core values are on display on the pillars in our office and on company business cards, I still printed them out and tacked them to the wall at my desk, always within view. It serves as a daily reminder of why I am here and what I am here to do.

Incorporate them
Find your own unique way to incorporate your organization’s core values into daily activities. For example, one of the recurring tasks for Eisbrenner PR interns is to update the message boards outside the breakout rooms with the week’s meetings and quotations. The quotes I include generally are related to one of our five core values (thank you, Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations).

Believe in them
Core values are devoid of meaning if they are not appreciated and respected by employees. In the end, it is the people who are the true pillars of Eisbrenner PR.

Our core values are the pillar of Eisbrenner PR - literally!

(Left) My daily reminder of what Eisbrenner PR is all about. (Right) My defensive measures against intermittent koosh-ball-shellings, one example of how we work hard and have fun.

A New Journey

Hello! I'm Jessica Postema, the other summer intern at Eisbrenner Public Relations.

I recently graduated from Michigan State University, home of the almighty Spartans (GO GREEN!) with a Bachelor of Arts in communication and specialization in public relations. Prior to joining Eisbrenner PR, I interned with Mittenberry, Triterra and CRT Medical Systems in various public relations and communication positions. Throughout my internships, I have learned how much I enjoy working in public relations, in particular, the media relations and writing components. They also have helped prepare me for the busy-ness, and sometimes craziness of agency life!

Outside of my education and experience, I'm an avid baker (particularly known for my red velvet cupcakes), dog lover and aspiring marathon runner (although I'm a long way from it). I love traveling the world (hoping to visit Greece and South Africa next), spending time with my friends and now that I've graduated, having time to read something other than textbooks; which currently is "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett.

So far, my internship at Eisbrenner PR has been great! They work hard, but definitely know how to have a good time. My co-workers have been so welcoming and willing to go above and beyond to ensure Greg and I have a good experience.

Well, that's a short introduction about me, more about my new journey as an Eisbrenner PR intern to follow. Stay tuned!

The evolution of my addiction

I remember my first time using it. It was 2006 and I went to visit my friend Vincent, who had recently moved from Luther, Mich. to the fast life in Chicago. Everyone in Chicago was using it – it was full of color, memories, friends and expression. Vincent called it a “revolution,” and I was yearning to be a part of it. He warned me it would become addictive; I told him I don’t have an addictive personality and not to worry. I was wrong.

I’m Jamie and I’m a socialholic.

Since my exposure to MySpace during my trip to Chicago, I’ve grown to crave more social media stimuli. MySpace was the gateway to Facebook, which became my site of choice for the majority of my college years. I heard some people were experimenting with Twitter at the time, but I thought of it as a downgraded Facebook status update.

When I was on Facebook, it was like I was a different person. I was free to write whatever I felt. Everyone was using it, but some people, including me, used it too often. I began to notice changes in my life due to my obsession. My relationship ended, my grades began slipping and the happiest part of my day was seeing how many notifications I received.

Since then, my social media addiction has intensified. At Eisbrenner Public Relations, I met Holly, the social media rock star. She told me about all sorts of sites like Linkedin, Flickr, foursquare and Twitter. Turns out, the reason Twitter wasn’t fulfilling my cravings back in college was because I wasn’t using it properly. It’s more than a status update, Twitter’s about engaging with people and now it’s the place I go for news, job opportunities and entertainment.

Usually, I anticipate using Twitter for a few minutes. The next thing I know, two hours have gone by and I’m compulsively retweeting, making new connections and engaging in all sorts of conversations. I can’t go without using social media for too long. If I do, I feel disconnected from the world. Thankfully, I can tweet, update my location on foursquare and change my Facebook status from my phone.

Social media truly is a revolution, especially for public relations professionals. It’s a way to get our ideas into the world, free of cost. What started as a means for personal expression developed into a new realm of communication where people share their stories and promote interaction. Social media has already made a dramatic transformation in the last five years and I can’t wait to see where it will be in the next five.

Are you as infatuated with social media as I am? Follow my Twitter handle @JamieLMaynard. I can’t wait to get some conversation flowing!

When it rains, it pours

I love storms, especially those that involve bright lightning and loud thunder. However, the storms I love the most are brainstorms. There’s something exciting about pouring every thought you have about a topic on paper and turning it into a cohesive, masterful idea. This excitement for fresh and creative thinking is something Eisbrenner and I have in common.

I recently participated in an exciting naming brainstorm for one of our clients who is looking for a name that is more reflective of who they are. Eisbrenner came to the rescue, and before Mr. Potato and I knew it, we were in the thick of an idea downpour.

I’ve never been in a more creative and passionate atmosphere. It was clear the new name would need to be equal to the task of representing the environment of the organization, as it did the programs it implemented. Our first step toward a new name required a focused look at what this group wanted to accomplish, and the goals and relationships that made them successful.

Following this discussion, we each wrote down five words that we believed described the organization, and then drenched the white board with our ideas. However, the storm wasn’t over; it was time to decide on a name.

Naming an organization is much like naming a child. We wanted something original, but classy. It had to fit with the mission like a first name fits a last. We had to consider nicknames that might develop as a result. Things I never thought about became important, like who had a similar name, what reputation the company had, and was the website name available?

After much deliberation we finally settled on one. Who would’ve thought renaming could be so hard?

Its days like these that the potato head and I realize why we chose public relations. It allows us to help passionate people communicate important messages!

Let’s try a little brainstorming here. Let me know what you want to hear about by writing your ideas in the comment section.

Google is your friend

The last several days have been terrific. I feel as though I’m becoming a vital part of the Eisbrenner team. This internship has made me realize how much I love what I do, and it has opened my eyes to what it takes to be successful, such as good writing skills, team work and the ability to research well.

Note: When your professor tells you to know how to write - they aren’t kidding!

One important factor I didn’t calculate was the importance of research. I can’t count the number of times this week I’ve heard, “we’ll need to do more research.” Every written piece requires compiling information acquired from reading countless articles and studies. Not doing research could result in an inaccurate or failed project hurting you and your company’s reputation.

During my classes at Wayne State, I was excited about the creative ideas I had developed for an event or pitch, but I highly underestimated the need to research those elements to ensure the event was a hit or the pitch was a success. I am learning there are a variety of resources available, and I encourage you to learn how to use them, too.

One of the tools I’ve used the most so far is Google. Google is your friend. If I didn’t believe it before, I do now. With all the time I was spending on Google, I thought I would check the web for some tips. I found this post on HubSpot on how to search efficiently. It makes Google so easy even a potato could do it.

Google seems to do everything, even math. Try it, I promise it works!

A sight for four eyes

Today Mr. Potato Head and I dove right into work. I was given a variety of projects, each with a different scope and deadline. As I worked on each project, I kept a detailed record of where I spent my time to be sure I’m as productive as possible. Not a simple task if you’ve never done it before, but I managed to get the hang of it eventually.

Though each project was a learning experience, the review process is where I learned the most. Nothing was more important than having two sets of eyes look over my work. At Eisbrenner Public Relations it’s not just my work that gets looked over, but the entire office’s. Each piece is scanned carefully to ensure the work is accurate, because having accurate work is just as important as timely work.

I read and reread, but still made mistakes. I’m happy to have a “buddy” to ask questions and get suggestions. Holly has been terrific at helping me shape my ideas and refine my work.

Many of the edits to my work could have been easily fixed by looking closely at The Associated Press Stylebook. I now have my copy sitting within reach in my cube. As I begin to learn more about AP Style, I hope to post a few of those insights here. I’m now following the AP Stylebook on twitter, if you aren’t you should add @APStylebook for tips and advice.

I expect with time the edits will be less, and the time keeping process will become easier, but for now the Potato Head and I will be paying close attention to dotting our i’s and crossing our t’s, but most especially to only having one space between our sentences.

If you’re interested in what an intern does here at Eisbrenner leave a question in the comments section, and I will do my best to address them in my posts.

When Grades Don’t Matter

Many students aren’t unlike myself and pass through their courses in college by doing what is listed on the syllabus and not much more. I’m not one to deny the fact that I have written a term paper the hour before it’s due, which left me with very little time to edit my paper and to actually put some real thought into it. However, I would receive a passing grade and most likely an A, which allowed me to get into the habit of doing the bare minimum.

This has trained me to just get the assignment accomplished on the due date and not actually put a lot of effort into making it perfect. At Eisbrenner, I have learned this isn’t the right attitude to have. It’s important to look at every piece of work you turn in and really figure out why you are working on the assignment, because it’s no longer for a grade, but for a client. Clients expect your work to be perfect and why shouldn’t they since they’re paying for your services.

The work I’m doing isn’t about just turning it in on a due date to get the check mark in the grade book, but it’s about using my skills and knowledge to make the end product the best it could possibly be.

So, the lesson for today is to realize the importance of the work you do and how important it is to insist excellence in everything you do, even if you think it’s menial.

Computers: Good vs. Evil

Sometimes I think computers have minds of their own and they are all conspiring together to take over the world! You might be thinking I’ve been watching too many bad 80’s movies and I am taking it out on computers, but let me explain a couple reasons why I’ve adopted this theory before you think I’m insane.

My first experience, which led to my computer uprising theory, was when my laptop hijacked my meeting notes for my Public Relations Student Society of America meeting on Monday. I had been typing and saving the notes throughout the meeting. I was thinking how fantastic computers were for making note taking so much easier and before I could finish my thought, the notes disappeared. I searched in every file and tried everything I knew to retrieve them. The notes were gone and my laptop entered the dark side.

After the missing notes and evil laptop situation, I was working on a PowerPoint presentation on Wednesday at Eisbrenner and the computer hated me. Everything I wanted it to do, it would do the opposite in spite of me. I spent a couple frustrating hours trying to figure out why it wasn’t doing what I wanted it to do. I was sure the computer was out to get me.

At this point you might think I’m losing my mind, but I promise I’m not. For a moment there I believed computers were trying to take over the world, but I came to my senses. I realized I was to blame for computers being evil because I thought I knew more than I did.

This week has proved that I have so much more to learn! There are so many shortcuts and tricks to computers that even when I think I’m a pro there’s something else to learn.

Rest easy tonight and know computers aren’t trying to take over the world!

The Times Are A-Changin'

I woke up this morning with the perfect fall chill in my bedroom. It was the type of morning where the blankets felt just right and the thought of lifting the covers and hopping out of bed might just be the worst moment of the day. As I lay there wishing I didn’t have to get up, I remembered that I get to go to Eisbrenner for my first full week as their intern and from that moment getting out of bed wasn’t so hard.

I had an amazing introduction to Eisbrenner last week! I am so pumped to learn everything I possibly can about the agency, my co-workers, the field of public relations and most importantly to get a firsthand take on what life will be like once I graduate in April.

Wait, how rude of me! I haven’t even introduced myself yet. My name is Holly Myles and I’m a senior at Eastern Michigan University studying public relations and political science. I’m what many call the crazy busy bee that rarely takes down time.

I’m the secretary of the EMU’s Eleanor Wright Public Relations Student Society of America, which we are co-hosting the 2008 National PRSSA Conference with Wayne State University. The conference is going to be an amazing experience and I’m so fortunate to be able to be involved with some of the prep work, as well as some of the event management for the week.

Along with PRSSA, I’m the account executive at EMU’s student-run firm, ExPRessions public relations. Also, I’m the new program director of Toys for Tweens and Teens and the Student-to-Student Higher Learning Initiative, which is a charity focusing on foster children. Finally, I coach the Redford Union High School dance team. The busy life it is for me and I wouldn’t want it any other way. These activities provide me great opportunities and lifelong friendships.

Back to work it’s for me. Thank goodness I didn’t let the fall chill keep me in bed because it is going to be a great day at Eisbrenner. In fact, I’m positive the next couple of months are going to be an amazing ride, so jump aboard and follow my journey!