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!