"Why Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted"

In Malcolm Gladwell’s “Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted,” social medias such as Twitter and Facebook are discussed and how they impact society today in a way that it did not in the past.  On February 1, 1960  four African American college students from Greensboro, North Carolina were at a diner and were refused service, which started a giant sit-in. This sit-in spread like crazy without the influence and use of social media. In this day and age it seems almost impossible to host a party, event, or any type of protest without the use of Facebook and Twitter.  

As a Public Relations major I have gotten the idea of social media pounded into my brain! And from my personal opinion I think that social media is a current way of communication that we should embrace instead of trying to fight. Yes, we all do the posts  "Girl's night!" or "I just saw a guy wearing a turtle outfit, awesome day." But if we use social media to make people aware of social events, political standpoints, social issues, new products and services, and ways to improve ways of living, social media will be one of the strongest tools we will ever have!

From personal experience, my business that I started, HMS Photography, has become very successful because of getting my pictures posted on Facebook and Twitter, finding new clients, and being able to spread the word of my products and services! So cheers social media, I hope you're around for a very long time!

the number "3"

So a little update (I know you all missed me so much during the summer! *wink*)
To sum everything up would be the number "3". To keep everything in a logical order, I will start will number 1. First I worked at the golf course again this summer; feels good to be a dedicated 4 year veteran there! Nothing too crazy or different this summer than the last, other than the what seemed like million degree weather! Number 2, Sloppy Joe's. I worked as a waitress there for the majority of the summer until, being the wonderful big sister that I am, passed my duties on to my sister so she could get some extra cash before her freshman year at UW-Oshkosh. And now the big number 3, HMS Photography. My little business exploded this summer! I was booked with models, families, and A LOT of high school seniors. So I am proud to say that the number 3 was the number of my summer when it came to all my free time. But 3 words can for sure sum it up "Lovin' my life!"

R.I.P Chase

Hello world, sorry I’ve been absent on here lately. A friend of mine passed away this past weekend and it was a very hard time for my friends and I. I haven’t been to a funeral since I was little; and after this weekend I can say without any hesitation, it’s beyond words heartbreaking. After seeing his mother kiss his lifeless body in that casket along with his casket before being lowered into the cold ground; was beyond words. Seeing my loved ones morn in such sadness struck something in me; something that I know had been there all along but never was triggered in such a way. That life is such an unpredictable thing; and the only thing we can count on is our own use of the days we are given. Realizing that such an amazing person’s life was stripped so early in life was a complete mystery and devastation. But the while watching my friends shed rains of tears this weekend I realized that they are still here; we were all blessed with that extra day that Chase unfortunately was not. And we have each other here to always remember the good times and share crazy and humorous stories with him by our sides. And we must cherish each person in our lives while they are here, because you never know when it will be their time. Chase, I hope you were looking down on everyone that day of your wake. I have never seen so many people lined up to get into a building in my life. It was a constant train of people for hours at a time, which says something. You were such a great person and such a great friend, you will be missed but never forgotten.

HMS is giving back!

Well world, it has been awhile since I posted last (life of a busy college student!) But I am proud to say that some of my photography has been chosen to be printed in the Spring 2011 addition of The Muse!  So the main reason I’m telling you all this is because something I realized after lying in bed last night. This Muse award is not the biggest thing in the world; the majority of the people I know don’t even know what it is. But I still feel so proud of myself for getting recognized and appreciated. And when you feel appreciated, understood, and accomplished your eyes open up to an entirely new world of insight and opportunity. I decided that I want to share this feeling with others; especially college students who have suffered from server anxiety like myself. I am going to plan a fundraiser, that involves HMS Photography, to support those who have lost loved ones to suicide and young adults with depression and anxiety.
I haven’t had a great deal of time to think over exact details; but the thing that popped into my head first was how confident and beautiful I felt after I left a modeling shoot. Modeling really helped me see the outer beauty as well as my inner beauty that had been clouded by my anxiety. I will provide photo shoots to those who need this kind of pick-me-up. I still have to work out all the kinks and details but overall I want to give back to community and help those who have and are suffering from anxiety and depression. There is always  a way to see the light, why not start with a flash of the camera?

GE Medical and Z2 Marketing PR class!

I must say, my public relation’s class has been very lucky this year. We have had a large handful of speakers and events to attend; and last week we got to add 2 more speakers to that list! The first speaker was a 2006 UW-Whitewater graduate, Melissa Bohl. Melissa currently works at GE Medical and thoroughly explained her role at the company, along with Assure Point which is her group in the company. Her presentation was mainly on internal and external vehicles that GE uses to communicate with their customers and employees. For example, some internal vehicles are @service magazine, GE connect (similar to blogs), Yammar (resembles Facebook), Support Central (Internal Departments websites like intranets), Homepage article, Health Care Systems newsletter, and more. Some external communications include Next Level, which is an asset management website with blogging, videos, and online tools. GE also uses YouTube channel, and LinkedIn.

Our second speaker was Cory Zimmerman of Z2 Marketing. Cory’s presentation explained a lot of his life achievements and obstacles he has overcome. Cory explained that he was raised in poverty and was born deaf. However, through all the obstacles he kept his ambition and knew what he wanted and created his own amazing company. He stated that his company is the only company in the Midwest of its kind that is full service. Since they own everything that they need it is cheaper to do projects; which explains why the company doubled In the past year even with this struggling economy. Cory explained his company and his passions through a PowerPoint of eye-catching pictures and videos (especially the one with the men with their shirts off!) Cory also explained that his strong love for the Milwaukee Wave soccer team; which I had season tickets for growing up! He also mentioned that he worked for Hanson Dodge, which is a company I was looking into for an internship. Cory made a point that I really liked, he explained that no one knows the process of your work, they just see the final product; and there are always going to be challenges but you just have to make it through and finish the task.

I learned so much from both of these presentations. Both explained the importance of social media and getting your name out there. Cory said something that really stuck with me, he said that your first PR job is selling yourself and you are your own client. This goes along with Melissa’s strong point of completing your LinkedIn profile to get your name out there for companies to find you for jobs and internships. I think that even though both of the jobs seem to be in very different fields, they both embrace the ideas of strong communication with clients and employees, writing skills, strong work ethic, and a passion for your job.

365 days. Think I can do it?

Alright Blog World! Here's the latest:
I had an idea yesterday that I was going to put my photography skills to the test; along with my self discipline (365 days is no walk in the park!). I am going to take a picture every single day for 365 days; I post them  to my flickr account as well as my Facebook daily. You have been warned: These pictures may be random and out there; but that's how I am! And admit it...everyone likes looking at things that are out of the ordinary! Heck, think of how many pictures there are out there of Michael Jackson's nose! (But for real R.I.P though MJ, your music was amaz-za-zing). Anyway, this is the second day of my challenge and I must get going to snap a shot. Want to see my pictures? I know you do! So check them out to see what my unique little mind has come up with this time.

And remember, no matter how much you think you master something there is always new things to learn and help you grow. Never settle, always reach for mastering the next new thing! Tootles :)

Linked where? LinkedIn!

Katie Felten (@katiefelten) recently came to my Public Relations Tactics class to talk about this booming social media called LinkedIn. Katie currently holds a position as a promoter and strategist at MKELive.
Going into this presentation I had a LinkedIn but I really didn't know how to use it to its full potential. Katie explained the importance of Twitter, LinkedIn, and other ways of promotion to get your name out into the business world. For example, Katie told us to get familiar with the LinkedIn site, which seems logical, but I never did! I found things on the site I didn't even know where there, such as linking your blogs and other social media to you page. I also never completed my profile; I left so much vital information about myself, a picture and a tiny description is not enough people!  Katie also explained the importance of keywords. You should always use keywords in your headline so you brand yourself; for example, Public Relations, event planner, and social media expert. The first thing people see when they open your page is that headline; so you need to make sure it says what you're all about. Another big thing I also wasn't aware of, were the "rules" about LinkedIn. I am so used to adding people on Facebook without hesitation that I didn't know the difference between that and LinkedIn connections. Boy oh boy was I wrong! LinkedIn is all about groups and making business connections with people. Not just adding random people for no apparent reason or without some sort of real life connection, purpose, or acquaintance. You need to message people first or get "introduced" through other people in your LinkedIn network. This helped me a lot after the Spreenkler event that was held at the Gravity Marketing building in downtown Milwaukee. During the event I was introduced Emily Lenard (who will be speaking tomorrow in UW-Whitewater at the PRSSA meeting), her coworker Andrew Wiech, and Brennan Stehling a small business owner from Small Sharp Tools. Now I am currently connected to all of them through LinkedIn and have had conversations about internships and future plans with them.
LinkedIn is a lot more powerful than I thought it was; thanks again Katie!

Link away my friends...link away! :)