Transition Period

I have had four whole days of work in D.C. (well technically in Arlington, Virginia) and everything has gone smoothly (knock on wood that my luck continues). I managed the Metro with no problems or delays, scouted out all the cool places to eat and attend happy hour around my workplace and arranged my desk so that it is distinctly mine. Unable to fit in a direct visit to my office before my first day, I arrived at my workplace a full 40 minutes early, not a bad thing but I definitely left later the next couple of days. Everyone (meaning the seven people who work for Tricom in the Virginia office) was very welcoming - I could tell this was going to be an excellent professional and academic experience. At 10:30, I attended a staff meeting and saw/heard just how busy the firm was going to be during the next three weeks - several different clients with a variety of needs, projects and concerns. I started to feel a little overwhelmed (I can't imagine what everyone else felt) and was thankful to move onto getting my computer set up and learning different programs. I left at five full of excitement for the future projects and opportunities I heard about. But for some reason, despite all of that, I felt like I as in a state of limbo. I worked in a professional environment all summer dealing with international demands, complex IT issues and marketing objectives but taking three weeks off from that fast pace has now put me slightly behind the eight ball. I couldn't seem to find my footing the first couple of days - like being back in a work environment was brand new to me. Even though most of the week was filled with formalities, introductory information and research, I was completely exhausted. I was constantly on my toes, looking for ways to show my employers how eager and talented I am while always coming up with the "RIGHT" answer for their questions. Having been warned about the "sacrifice by fire" mentality some organizations have during the first week, I think I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Nonetheless, I am happy with my workplace and the opportunities I will have during the coming months (especially in late September where everything seems to be happening all at once...and October...and November - so for the next four months). I will be able to do A LOT of writing, media relations, event planning, social media strategy, etc. Basically, Tricom does everything and that means I will get my toes wet in just about everything to do with PR. In the first week, I wrote two press releases, began formulating media lists and attended a webinar about the social media plan for one of our clients. I have had little practice with writing professional press releases or forming media lists so I was excited to jump right in and learn about these skills. I can already see the benefit of doing this internship before graduation in May - hopefully potential employers will see it as well.

My roommates and I were talking the other night about whether or not we feel like we have changed since arriving in DC. and I feel like I have changed a lot despite being here for only four weeks. Living in the city full-time has been a huge challenge for me. I have only spent long-weekends or vacations in a city - I have never had to commute, plan, survive or live in a city like this before. The experience has made me more responsible, conscious of my surroundings and confident in myself. I feel like a “big girl” taking the Metro to and from work with the 5 million other people who travel at peak hours, packing my lunch each morning and fighting to stay calm, cool and collected when people are grumpy and disrespectful. I feel like a “city girl” with my snazzy Smart Trip, Washington Examiner under my arm and high-heels in my purse.

My roommates have been a blessing in more ways than one. We helped each other navigate through the city and joked when we made a mistake. We listen to what each other have to say and work make one another feel comfortable in safe while living in DC. Even though we all came from TCU, none of us had never met or interacted outside the classroom. We bonded quickly over our two week Washington DC crash course and beyond - we eat together, drink together, watch movies together, joke together, vent together and even though I miss having my own room, I wouldn’t change my living situation for the world. I have already discussed my less then smooth transition back into the work force but I also notice a difference in working for a company that is solely a PR agency. I really wanted the opportunity to work for a smaller, PR firm because I have only worked for large corporations within their huge Marketing/Communication department. But I feel a lot of pressure to perform, to use all of the skills and lessons I have learned in three years of college and apply them to the real world. It is much easier seen then done and now I see the importance of having a variety of internships – you do need to figure out what you want to do but more importantly you need to figure out what you CAN do. I think I know what my strengths and weaknesses are – but I have a feeling that I could be wrong. Hopefully this internship will help me figure what I am really good at (and more importantly what my passions are) and then guide me to where I want to be in the future.

At Tricom, I have a variety of responsibilities. I am there to contribute – help with media lists, press releases, determining client objectives and message, generate media attention, facilitate events, work with clients on their social media – I believe I will have the opportunity to do them all at some point, but nothing has been set in stone by my boss. Everyone came back from vacation the same day I started and I can already see that it was incredibly inconvenient timing. They are stressed, which means they don’t have time to talk to us, let alone teach us anything. But I know the time will come. Tricom has a lot of clients which means I will be able to work on a variety of creative and strategic projects. I also know that I will learn something – everyone has told me what an amazing mentor Scott is and I hope to just pick his brain and get as much information and expertise out of him as possible.

At the end of the week, Scott mentioned that we wanted us to work on blogs, the website and the Tricom social media presence. I was slightly disappointed to hear this because I have had the opportunity to do this type of work and I really would like to explore aspects of the PR field. I will wait a few weeks to really talk to Scott about the opportunities.

I have learned quickly that in order to succeed in this field and especially in the DC area, you need to form excellent relationships with members of the press. This includes TV, radio, newspaper, magazine, Internet and bloggers. Rooming with two journalism majors (print and broadcast), I can see the benefits – we can help each other out. I go to them first with news, they break the news first and accurately. When they are looking for information, I provide it for them and maybe get my organization a mention they wouldn’t have had before – it can be a mutually satisfying relationship or it can be detrimental if you don’t take care. I see the importance in networking and communicating and I hope to work on those skills while in DC where they expect such behavior from new-born infants.

Despite everything, I am anxious to start working with clients and long-term projects – something that will hopefully occur sooner rather than later. I will keep you updated.

Reality Check

Today was the first day of work. Today was the first day of work. Today was the first day of work...

Reality hit hard when I realized I couldn't wake up whenever I wanted to, see whatever amazing monument, museum or events that I wanted or finish off the day at some amazing restaurant. Now I have to do what I really came to D.C. for…bummer.

This weekend made it even more difficult to go back to work - it was an extension of the amazing week we had off. We went to see Arlington National Cemetery, walked around Old Town Alexandria, ate at an amazing restaurant by the water, watched TCU win their season opener at Cowboy stadium, worked on my paper (a little), had a movie night, went to a National’s game and finally, ate at Ben’s Chili Bowl (everything is covered in chili, which means everything was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G). All of these experiences made today a difficult pill to swallow…but hearing about all the amazing opportunities I will have was like a spoon full of sugar (Mary Poppins reference…everyone get it??).

Tricom is an amazing PR firm. I think of it as the little PR engine that could - the Arlington office has seven people...so you can put extra emphasis on "little". They produce quality work and provide personal support to a variety of different clients with different needs, wants, objectives and budgets. This is all done with small budgets and an even smaller staff base – but it is all about quality over quantity. I learned about one of our clients today and was blown away by what they are trying to do:

The Eldercare Workforce Alliance is advocating for education and support of professional and non-professional workers who take care of aging Americans – something everyone should think about as almost all of the baby boomers are now over the hill. The most interesting part of their mission is how they want to educate and support non-paid caregivers (family, friends, spouses, etc…) – empower them to care of their mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles and so on. It is such an interesting stance and if you want to learn more visit their website (click here). Tricom will be doing a lot of work for them (especially at the end of this month, wink wink) so keep your eyes peeled.

I am truly looking forward to work tomorrow…even though as we speak I am fighting to keep my eyes open. To see any of the work I do – follow Tricom on facebook and twitter (their links are on the left side of this blog) – the more followers the better!!

Off to bed - First night of class tomorrow, first night of class tomorrow, first night of class tomorrow…

D.C. Wish List

Places to see before December 18th...

1. United States Capitol
2. White House (tour)
3. National Air and Space Museum
4. National Museum of American History
5. National Gallery of Art
6. Library of Congress
7. Mount Vernon
8. Arlington National Cemetery
9. National Zoo
10. Washington National Cathedral
11. Washington Monument
12. World War II Memorial
13. Lincoln Memorial
13. Crime and Punishment
14. International Spy Museum
15. Smithsonian
16. National Museum of Natural History
17. National Museum of the American Indian
18. United States Holocaust Museum
19. National Postal Museum
20. National Archives
21. Newseum
22. Textile Museum
23. Supreme Court
24. Jefferson Memorial
25. FDR Memorial
26. Korean War Veterans Memorial
27. US Navy Memorial
28. African-American Civil War Memorial
29. Iwo Jima Statue
30. US Botanic Gardens
31. National Arboretum
32. Old Town Alexandria
33. Georgetown
34. Georgetown Cupcakes
35. Pentagon
36. Pentagon City
37. Eastern Market
38. Mount Vernon Wine Festival
39. Union Station
40. The National Mall
....

“And I’m proud to be an American”

We have had the past few days off from our normal schedule of class discussions, site visits and daily blogs (which means from now on, the posts will be a little more candid about my experience here in D.C.). We took time to sleep, shop, eat, drink and of course, see some of the amazing sites this city has to offer!

On Friday night we went to the Washington Monument, the World War II Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G and truly made me proud to be an American. I was awed by the smooth stone, size, height, strength, history, beauty and everything else that surrounds these landmarks. The Washington Monument was everything I thought it was going to be. And then ten times cooler – the flags surrounding it and the lights lighting the pillar up…it took my breath away.

The World War II Memorial – who knew?? I had no idea about the pool of water at the center where you can cool your toes while taking in the surrounding granite stones. I quickly found the “Massachusetts” stone and took a picture (in case you were wondering, it is impossible to get the entire word in the shot at night because of the shadows – stupid 13 letter word!) And the Lincoln Memorial, the one I wanted to see more than anything, was so beautiful. Even though I had flashbacks to a movie where Lincoln’s monument actually starts giving verbal advice, I couldn’t help but wish I could have met this man who we know cherish (he has officially made it onto my guest list of people {dead or alive} I want to have dinner with.)

Unfortunately, we were not alone. We visited these monuments at 10 p.m. and hundreds of people were already camping out of the National Mall in preparation for the Glenn Beck rally the following morning…ehhh. I don’t have anything against Glenn Beck or anyone who listens to him or reads his books, but they were just so…annoyingly in the way. We also ventured out the next morning into Georgetown and that proved to be a huge mistake – Metro stops were packed and smelly, no one knew where to go - it was just chaos. Gross, annoying and completely unnecessary from what I watched on TV – but to each their own. I guess.

Additionally, today we spent the day (literally, the entire day) at the Newseum and only finished two of the six floors. This news museum “offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits” according to their website. Although things started off a little tough with a scavenger hunt – exhibits about 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Elvis, the Berlin Wall and a 4-D (the 4th D involves the chair you are sitting in to move along with the movie) left me wanting more. Everything was amazingly well-done and thought out – please please please visit if you are ever in the D.C. area.

More sight-seeing during the next couple of days – hopefully heading out to Arlington National Cemetery by the end of the week. Oh and we also hope to get a sugary treat from the acclaimed, people-stand-outside-for-hours-to-get-a-cupcake, Georgetown Cupcake shop since we weren’t able to stand the heat on Saturday. Wish us luck and I will let you know what I think!

And Bob Schieffer will be your moderator….

We had our final discussion today about what we have learned while in Washington D.C. Oh, and Bob Schieffer facilitated our discussion. And our professors watched from Fort Worth. No pressure.

The entire conversation went very well – it was almost surprising how much information and advice we have absorbed. But we proved that we have learned something, even Bob seemed impressed. I think now, we each have to decide what we really want to do with the rest of our lives – both professionally and personally. Not that I have to make that decision right now, but as graduation draws closer…it become necessary to figure out what we are passionate about and what our ultimate dream is – then we have to prepare to make sacrifices to get there.

After living at this crazy pace for the past two weeks, I know we are all looking forward to taking some down time, enjoying the city and experiencing some of the attractions of D.C. I let you know how it goes :)

P.S. Bob wore his purple socks – score.

T-A-L-E-N-T.

I have heard over and over, “it isn’t always WHAT you know, but WHO you know.” It is important to meet the “right” people, build relationships and utilize those connections to assist with the transition from college to the professional workforce. This thought process doesn’t put much emphasis on the importance of talent – a unique, personal ability to go above and beyond in your chosen field – but after visiting “TBD” and “Politico” yesterday, I have learned that some very successful organizations understand the importance and power of having talented people throughout their organization.

“TBD” – local, local, local

This is an interesting start-up website that provides local content, engages its audience through social media and strives to provide information that specific people would like to know (i.e. an excellent iPhone application that tracks the Metro to the minute). Part of “TBD”’s immediate success is due to their partnership with a local TV station – this allows information to immediately be posted online and communicated via a news broadcast announcement.

We discussed their use of social media and every time I asked about it, I feel like I learn something more about this marketing and communication tool. Forums like facebook and Twitter are multipurpose – they can help the organization promote to and engage with an audience, monitor any chatter about a specific organization or product and finally, be used to find sources and stories about events that people care about. This is something “TBD” is doing on a daily basis and learning as they go about how to best serve their very local public.

TBD Faceboook
TBD Twitter

This website concept is brand new, and it is too early to tell how successful it will be (despite the fact it already has 3,500 followers on Twitter and people already know to reach out to “TBD” to receive as well as provide content) but perhaps in the future, there will be a TBD-Boston or TBD-Dallas…keep your eyes open.

"POLITICO" – Humble Success

Over the past two weeks, I have heard the name “Politico” roughly 50 times from our hosts. This extremely successful, powerful niche newspaper has become the most important news source of people inside the beltway to read (online and/or in print). The reason for their success – talented reporters. Jim VandeHei, co-founder of “Politico”, humbly said that he and his partner really just wanted to create a comprehensive, specialized political news source – and the Washington Post wasn’t giving them the opportunity to do just that. Having gifted reporters that can “drive the conversation” about politics is what good journalism and writing is all about.

Their print newspaper has more of an in-depth analysis of what is happening (and is VERY difficult to find) while their online version is more accessible. VandeHei stated that instead of the majority of their money being put into marketing, they invest the majority of their money into their reporters and allow them to become a brand – a powerful brand that increases the influence and prestige of “Politico.”

“TBD” and “Politico” represent a hopeful "golden age" future for journalism – offering a quality product that is in demand by a specific audience. Newspapers and their reporters should be a brand and it is something that a marketing department can promote easily. This is the future. Hopefully.

She writes, she shoots video, she talks on the radio, and she is on a TV news program…

She is an Associated Press reporter! Today we visited the AP Washington Bureau and for the first time I learned how news organizations are actively responding to the evolution of how people receive and respond to media. “Convergence” is THE hot button term in media and while this is being addressed on a an educational level (by allowing students to practice skill sets in a variety of different formats), professional organizations like AP are also training their reporters in different formats and making them as professionally versatile as possible.

AP is also using their reporters to create a new sense of brand awareness and influence in media. We talked about how half of the world’s population gets information from AP (print, online, mobile) but the majority of those people don’t realize that AP is the original source. There is an obvious disconnect and since AP generates the majority of its money from membership fees, maybe there hasn’t been as much (financial) pressure to address this issue. But it isn’t as simple as running a marketing campaign or using social media to reach a target audience - AP has to avoid becoming competition to its members – and therefore they can use their talented, respected and knowledgeable reporters to promote AP across print media, TV and radio.

I was surprised by how much AP does – print, video, radio, research, fact checking (accountability journalism) – they are much more than a wire service. They go beyond reporting just the facts. Their position, relation and influence on media (specifically political news in D.C.) reminded me of CSIS’s role in the creation of public policy – AP provides content, facilitates conversation and informs the public (through different formats of media) but mostly in the background. AP is slightly more vocal about receiving credit for their contributions but they aren’t in direct competition for readers. Their reputation and ability to be in so many places around the world where news may or may not occur makes AP extremely powerful and influential in the news media world.

I would have liked to ask more questions about their social media strategy – it was briefly mentioned that AP uses forums like facebook and Twitter to monitor for possible stories/sources and allow for the public to bring stories to their attention. This strategy is something that PR practitioners and organization representatives need to be aware of – social media is a multipurpose tool and can only be used effectively if users are aware of all potential uses.

A final thought: people want to engage with news they care most about. One of the AP representatives made an interesting comment about by providing raw content, specifically online, AP allows consumers to make their own judgments about the validity and importance of the story. Additionally, the general public responds better to raw content – not information influenced by a news organization or a reporter’s personal opinion. This goes back to a simple business practice – give consumers what they want…and I believe AP is evolving o doing just that.